Journaling Prompt

 

GOING DEEPER 

What is it that you’re not doing?

Why are you avoiding it?

What excuses do you us to avoid it?

Is this a regular pattern?

How does it feel to not do this thing you’re not doing?

What would help you do it?

What would this task result in?

Journaling Prompt

 

GOING DEEPER 

What is your current situation? How does it feel to be in this situation?

What have you already tried? How did it go?

How what you’re hoping for change your current situation?

Why are you hoping this to happen?

What will you be able to do? Who will you be able to be?

How will you feel?

How will it impact the people around you?

Are you ready for this change?

What can you do to make it happen? Break it down into baby steps - what is the first thing you can do this week to get things started? 

Affirmation Wednesday

 

GROUNDING PROMPTS 

What are your dreams?

What do they mean to you?

Where did these dreams come from?

What do they reveal about you?

Where do these dreams guide you?

What insights do you get from these dreams?

Are you working towards these dreams? Why? Why not?

What do you need to work towards the dreams you haven’t taken action on?

What will it mean to you when you make these dreams come true?

Affirmation Wednesday

 

GROUNDING PROMPTS 

When do you feel you have no choice?

In what ways do you feel it? In your body? Emotionally?

Why do you feel you have no choice in these instances?

What do you feel is keeping you from “having a choice”?

What do you wish you could do in these instances to change things around?

What would it mean to you to know that you always have a choice? How would you act, feel, what would you do in your every day life?

How can you get in that space of choice?

Try it for one decision you have to make. 

What did you do, think? What happened? How did it feel? How does it feel right now? 

What lesson have you learnt from this?

New Beginnings

 

New beginnings - what a fitting theme for a new year, wouldn’t you agree?

We always talk about New Year’s Resolutions, which are a perfect example of new beginnings. You make the commitment to yourself that you will exercise every day, or that you will eat healthy, or will start that new hobby you’ve always wanted to try. It is a conscious decision that things can no longer stay the same and that a change is needed in order for your life to improve - the quality of your life.

New beginnings can happen in a new year, a new decade - and we would all agree that the 2020 decade started with much hope, and quickly disappointed, to say the least. And with 2021 staring, even greater hopes are arising, for a better future.

These are most noticeable New Beginnings time frames, but we need to remind ourselves that no matter the month, the year, the decade, every single day is a new beginning. The sun rises every morning for us and tells us, here is a new beginning for you, here is another chance, new opportunities coming your way. And when the sun sets at the end of the day, it is time for us to review, be grateful, and let go of what dragged us down, annoyed us, no longer serves us. Every single day you have this opportunity to start afresh. It is also a conscious decision in the same vein as New Year Resolutions, but maybe more manageable as, it is well-known that New Year Resolutions often get forgotten after a few weeks, whereas every day is more definite and not as long a time commitment. If you feel you fail one day, it does not mean you will fail the next day. It is up to you. You always have a choice how you can respond to events around you and how you feel. Every morning, at the end of my meditation, I always tell myself an intention for the day, such as “today is gonna be fun/amazing/full of joy”, “today I will focus on doing my best in everything”. Obviously depending on how I feel and what is scheduled for that day, I will model the intention to what I will need.

Of course, some new beginnings are somewhat forced upon us, such as losing a loved one, losing a job, as many have in 2020 with the pandemic. In this case, the grieving process is essential in order to be able to build the foundations of a strong, stable and positive new beginning. There is not a lot more that I will offer as advice or guidance in this matter as I strongly believe, first, that the grieving process is very personal and takes many forms that need to be respected by all - including the person grieving -, and also that it needs to be supported by professionals and trained personnel or organisations such as Samaritans (there are many more around the world, just do a Google search in your area or country). Only when you have grieved and accepted your loss, whatever it may be, will your mind be clear enough to decide what to do next, what your next step needs to be.

What new beginnings do you wish for?

What are you going to do to put them into plan and action this year?

What new beginnings did you choose in 2020?

What new beginnings were forced upon you in 2020?

How did both of these feel?

We all have had new beginnings throughout our life, that is what got us where we are right now. So while new beginnings can be and feel scary, especially when forced upon us and feel out of our control, but not exclusively, you are strong enough for the next one, because you have done this before, and you made it. Reviewing the challenges and new beginnings of the last year, last decade, even just the last few months, will bring you more awareness on what you have gone through, what you have overcome, give yourself some credit, what your strengths are and how you can use them for any future new beginnings, all can get you prepared and pumped up to initiate the new beginnings that will transform your life into the one you were put on this earth to live, fulfilled and happy, and enjoy.

Many blessings for your new beginnings ❤️

Sunday Journaling Prompt

 

GOING DEEPER:

What areas of your life do these achievements originate from?

Have they affected other parts of your life? Which areas? In what way? Was it planned?

Did you do it alone or did you get support/help? What steps did you take? What obstacles did you meet and overcome?

What made the difference so you could achieve these?

What do these achievements tell you? About your life? About yourself?

What did you have to give up or leave behind to achieve these? What difference did it make to the overall quality of your life, levels of happiness and fulfilment?

Where do you go from here?

Meet My Pets

 

Let me introduce my pets (my furry babies!) to you...

This is Lego. He is 6 years old. He likes to chill. He is scared of pretty much everything, likes fresh fish fillets, chicken and green peas, chasing flies, sleeping on the window sill in the sun, and cuddling in his mummy's arms (ie me!). He has a very specific eating ritual with his wet food. Once I put his bowl down, I need to sit on my meditation cushion right next to him, stroke him a few times, tap on his bowl, keep stroking and tell him he's a good cat! A bit long-winded, I know. Does that sound like a spoilt cat? Yep!

He was born in a farm, from a litter of 6 kittens. When the kittens were one week old, the mum was run over by a tractor. The owners were devastated by their cat's death and they decided to give away the kittens once they'd be weaned and ready for solid food. 
Funnily enough, I'd never really been a cat person. Yes, they're cute but I was always scared of cats. One day, years ago, a stray cat came into my house when my front door was open while I was chatting, and went straight up to the top of my staircase! I had to ask my friend to go and pick him up because I was too scared he would scram me!
One of my colleagues in my previous job was a friend of these farmers. She told me about her friends' cat and the kittens, that they were giving them away, and showed me a photo of one of the kittens on her Facebook. All of a sudden, I heard myself say, "I'll have this one"! Where did that come from?!! On that day, at that particular instant, I made a commitment to this little ball of fur that instantly took my heart. Every day, I would ask my colleague how the kittens were doing, especially mine. I felt so much love for him already and I hadn't even met him yet. After 2/3 weeks, he was the only one who survived from the whole litter. I have always known that it was because he could already feel he was so very loved.
He came into our home when he was about 4/5 weeks old. Here he is:

He was so tiny that he would go through the bars of the carry cage! It was a surprise for my son (I hadn't told him anything, just in case Lego wouldn't survive like his brothers and sisters). The look on his face when he realised Lego was now a part of our little family - unforgettable! I still have the photo in my mind.

Destiny brought him to us to add something extra, something special to our little family unit.

Then came 2018 and Maya (named after the incredible Maya Angelou).

Maya was born literally 4 houses away from us. Our neighbour kindly entrusted us with being her new family.

Although neutered, Lego was getting a little bit rough and I thought company would help him. And also Maya looked so cute with her white moustache and her cow print markings. Again, heart taken within seconds! She came to our home when she was just over 2 months old.

At first, Lego hissed at her, then he went to hide under my bed and would't get out. For a while, I had to give him his food under my bed. It made the feeding ritual above a little bit more challenging for me, for sure. After all, I'm not big but I'm not that small; I don't fit under my bed! It took quite some time taking turns with my son to make sure he had the same attention as Maya. And all this time, the little miss just wanted to play. She would look at him and go to him with excitement like, "Will you play with me? Will you be my friend?" while he was like "Leave me alone". Having Maya around really calmed him down. I guess he matured a bit more. If she was in trouble though (or causing trouble) he would still keep an eye on her, make sure she was OK, and come to alert me with his meowing. Now - it took about a year! - they play together, taking turns chasing each other. It's so cute. It fills my heart with pure, unfiltered joy when I see them play together.

So Maya - Maya is a little diva, she struts her thing chin high like the whole world belongs to her! She's pretty rough, even when she cuddles us, you get a proper headbutt that you will feel even after she's moved on! She likes food - pretty much anything that is comestible - she loves to play with foam tennis balls and anything that dangles, and watch out if there is a spider or an insect on the window! She literally throws herself full force and, if she gets it, she eats it! Yep. Gross, I know. The poor creature, whatever it is, does not stand a chance. She is pretty lethal!
She never comes for a cuddle in my arms like Lego does. She prefers either lying down on my bed against me and just stay there, or headbutt me - she LOVES headbutting knuckles. When she purrs, it's like a Boeing's engine is on!

As you can see, both my cats have totally different personalities, just like people, just like children. And I love them both accordingly - like my children.

Ten years ago, if anyone had told me that I'd have 2 cats in my house (and I'm slightly allergic to cat's hair, so thank you Loratadine all year long!), I would have laughed and replied, "Stop talking crazy!"
I'd never had pets when I was a child and, as a consequence, as well as other factors, I grew a fear for animals. Friends of my parents used to have a dog and would bring him when they would visit. He was so beautiful, Raff his name was, and even then I thought he was beautiful - from afar. As soon as he'd approach, a fear, panic, absolute terror would come over me. The story of that stray cat entering my house all over again!
A few years back, we had a gerbil - Mr Spock - and a hamster - R2D2 - but, bless them, they were not handled very often as, even then, I was scared to hold them. I really don't know what happened with Lego. I totally changed. The very first time I held him, it was like I knew how to hold him without fear, but with an unconditional love, like I did when my son was born. And, obviously, the same for Maya.

Now, I wouldn't, couldn't imagine my life without them. They both bring me peace, purpose, joy; they know when I feel not so great and are there to help me feel better. They bring me unconditional love, and I feel the same about them. I am so thankful to have them in my life, that our paths have crossed and brought us all together. They are a full part of this family unit, they are a full part of me. They make me complete, without conditions, without the need for transactions of any kind. Their love is always there...

Sunday Journaling Prompt

Affirmation Wednesday

Sunday Journaling Prompt

Inspirational Quote Thursday

Hello beautiful souls

I have decided to now include the Facebook inspirational quotes on Mondays and Thursdays on the blog. Keep everything together.

So here it is-

Have an amazing day, and stay safe, wherever you are x

Sunday Journaling Prompt #15

Affirmations

When affirming something, you are emphatically stating that it is so.
It is with this attitude in mind that affirmations are built and stated.

Affirmations are a practice that was firmly established in the early 20th century by French psychologist and pharmacist Emile Coue, even though the method can be traced back as early as ancient eastern religions.
The great advances in medical research now enable to demonstrate and support the effectiveness of practising affirmations, especially in modern neuroscience.

The aim of affirmations is to establish positive thinking and empowerment in the individual. They are presented as statements in the present tense. Using this tense enables you to ground in the now.

Another particularity of affirmations is that they contain either (or several) of these words - I, me, my.
The effect of this is to help the “affirmer” to focus on him/her to empower him/herself and move into a state of positivity and confidence.

Examples of affirmations are: “I am worthy of love”, “the universe has my back”, “others looks up to me instinctively for wisdom and support”...
The empowerment target theme can be very varied, depending on your initial intent - self-esteem, confidence, relationships, success, overcoming fears and obstacles, health...

When you start practising affirmations, they can sound a bit cheesy to you, but you just need to trust the process. In time, you will feel the transformation and find that the initial discomfort and embarrassment were well worth it.

While the main practice model consists of stating the affirmation (either outloud or to yourself) and repeating it, listening to affirmations can also be effective. They still access your subconscious who will integrate them in your mind.
The more you state the affirmation, the more you get used to it and believe it and, as you believe it, it becomes part of your thinking patterns.

I have been listening to various affirmations meditations from Jacqui Prydie on the Insight Timer app, on a daily basis just before bedtime, and have found them not only very relaxing but also beneficial, especially in these uncertain times.
I have decided to be more active in my Affirmations practice and concentrate on one affirmation to focus on per week. So, from Wednesday 3rd June, I will be posting one affirmation per week on the blog, Facebook and Instagram for you to join the adventure.

Keep an eye out for Affirmation Wednesdays...

Routines

Routine (Oxford Dictionary) - a sequence of actions regularly followed.
Synonyms - procedure, practice, pattern, regime...

Routine is based on the systematic repetition, day after day, of specified tasks. By having a set routine, you have created a set of habits that are inherent to your life.

In general language, we tend to use the word "routine" with some detachment, ie. "it's OK, it's just a routine check" or in a pejorative way, where routine means boredom, doing the same thing, over and over again - caught in the loop of Groundhog Day.

While all these meanings of the word are very valid,  the rapid growth of self-care as a practice and an essential part of your well-being and productivity has encouraged us to view the word routine in a more positive light.

Indeed, by creating a routine, you are creating a set of positive habits that will enhance your life, your efficiency, your happiness and, most likely, that of others around you.
Creating a routine is also a great way to get rid of habits that are detrimental to these aspects of your life. You are replacing negative with positive.

Having routines in your life has scientifically been proven by many medical research projects to be beneficial to your overall health. They create stability to your life, preventing stress and overwhelm in certain aspects of your life, as well as a sense of safety; changing or creating habits and routines give you a sense of control. You can actually have influence over things you can truly control, which gives a feeling of achievement, satisfaction and order.

I'm sure we've all been there - waking up late in the morning for work, rushing through the shower, skipping breakfast... Pretty obvious you will get stressed as I'm pretty sure very few of us have a routine they feel secure and confident to follow like a breeze when you pressed the Snooze button too many times.
By creating stress this way, a state of panic, the fight or flight reaction kicks in immediately in your whole body, creating a weakening of your physical and mental abilities, as well as depleting your immune system. When you don't have a routine, you just juggle with everything you have to do and try to wing it. I can't really think of many other things more stressful than this.

The typical routines are morning routine and evening routine, but you can create a routine for pretty much anything - the way you prepare your food, the way you start and finish work, at lunchtime, in your creative process (whether you are a professional or hobbyist), when walking the dog - and you can even have routines for specific periods of the year, like Christmas (in this type of cases, you might also call them traditions), during school holidays when you have the kids home with you all day...

I have a few sets of routines - which, I guess, I could call sub-routines - that are part of other routines. I know, it sounds complicated but it really isn't. I'll give you an example.
I have a skincare routine and a hygiene routine that are both part of my morning and evening routines, with slight alterations whether I'm doing these in the morning or in the evening. For my skincare routine, in the morning, I start with washing my face, and if it's in the evening, I will wash it twice as I'll need one round to remove my make-up and another to actually wash my face. Similarly for my skincare products, I have a selection that I use both morning and evening - I keep these in the middle of my shelf, in the order I will apply them - while my morning products are kept on the far right side of my shelf and my evening products are kept on the far left of my shelf. It might sound a bit OCD (which I don't believe that I am), but organising in an easy and visual way is the best way to keep a habit or a routine, especially when you're introducing it - it's so easy to give up when things are too complicated. You need to be able to do it almost with your eyes closed.

In the evening, I have a very specific routine to help me wind down and sleep well. I have sleep issues, mostly waking up in the night and not being able to go back to sleep until - very often - half an hour before I'm due to get up. For a long time, I felt extremely depleted and lethargic because of this, as I wasn't getting a restful sleep to bring me enough energy to last all day with a smile and a dance. Again, creating that routine was a struggle - depending also on what I need to do, I don't follow it 100% of the time, but for the most part I do manage to stick to it quite regularly. A few months ago, I came across a blog article/newsletter email from The Betty Rocker (love her, she's AWESOME) where she was explaining the importance of setting an efficient evening routine in order to maximise the quality of your sleep. She showed a screen shot of her mobile phone, where she set up alarms for each activity. I have to say, since I have done this, I haven't really had too much hassle following my routine. I sincerely think that it is the main reason why I have managed to have it ingrained in me. When I skip a step, I really feel it.

Here is a screen shot of the alarms I have set up for my evening routine (and I will explain them in more details below):

Step 1: I'm not eating anything after 7:30pm. This is to ensure that I have finished (or almost finished) digesting by the time I am ready to go to sleep. When you are digesting, your body uses energy, which interrupts sleep quality and the restorative part of sleep. Sometimes, you might get a bad night's sleep only because you had heavy and/or rich foods before going to bed.

Step 2: I'm not drinking anything after 8:30pm to avoid night trips to the toilet - we've all been there, I know! This is also where I have scheduled to do my hygiene and skincare routine, but to be honest, very often, I tend to do it between these 2 steps. It gives me more time for journaling. I have 3 journals on the go - a 1-day-a-page diary, which helps me record briefly what happened in the day, a "proper journal" where I go a lot deeper - I usually write 3/4 pages on average per day - and do a daily doodle, and an affirmations journal, where I chose an affirmation and repeat it throughout the page (it gets into my system when I'm ready to sleep, conditioning you for the next day - more on this soon in an upcoming article on sleep).

Step 3: I read a proper book (not Kindle or other digital) for half an hour. This helps my brain to slow down and my body to wind down. It also makes me happy as I love reading and, especially if I've been at work all day, for me it is my precious me-time. From this moment, I also stop using any screens (mobile, ipad, laptop, TV...) to stop being exposed to blue lights, which are also a great culprit for sleep disruption. So please don't take offence if I don't text or message you back!
I have also recently taken on listening to an audiobook instead of reading. I tend to do this on days I am extremely tired or if I have a headache. It enables me to still have my bedtime story-time while resting my eyes (and arms).

Step 4: meditation for me, especially in the evening, is non-negotiable. It is what de-stresses my brain and my body and keeps me more or less sane. I am a big Ziva meditation fan, but having tried other types of meditative exercises from various methods, I am now mixing it all up, while still following the Ziva sequence. It does take me 25/30 minutes of total quiet both inside and outside. I often play relaxing music on low volume from the Insight Timer app (my favourite) as it enables me to roughly and gently time the end of my meditation, to come out of it slowly. By this time, I'm totally ready for the next step!

Step 5: Lights off, sleep tight!! ZZZ...

This routine might seem very regimented, but it actually flows very nicely to calm you down both physically and mentally throughout the evening.

Having routines does not mean however that you should only do the same thing over and over again. It is also important, as a healthy habit, to try new things (foods, styles of books/movies/TV series/games, hobbies, walking routes, new type of exercise...) to keep your brain alert. Your brain needs variety and new challenges all the time to keep growing and evolving, and new activities are equally important. It also has the merit to fight boredom for those of you who get bored easily. My most recent new thing to try is to learn and use Trello for organising and scheduling my blog/Facebook and Instagram tasks. Another great example of this can be learning a new word and definition a day/week, or learning a new language.
Whatever your interests are, with the wide accessibility to knowledge that we are now so blessed to experience, there will always be something new for you to try.

On a last note, all routines are not created equal and if a particular routine does not work for you, never hesitate to review it and change it - try new things ;-)
And if you are new to creating a routine, start small to make it easy and enjoyable, and keep adding as you go along. Only this way will you be able to maintain it. It might seem like a big undertaking but it is in your health's and well-being's best interest so it is totally worth the initial effort - YOU CAN DO THIS :-)

THE POWER OF ACHIEVING

We have a strong culture of achievement in our society - we are judged and valued against what we can show for our achievements, and success is measured by what job you do, how much money you have in your bank account, what car you drive, what clothes you wear, what skincare and make up brands you use...

This has placed a tremendous amount of pressure on people to keep appearances and give the show of being great successes and achievers.

Students from any levels are put under the pressure of exams to show how “intelligent or dumb” they are. If they want to fit in and guarantee themselves a bright future, they just HAVE to achieve. Desired universities and colleges will only accept students above a certain grade, putting even more pressure on students.

Achievement is an integral part of our society and, while a very worthwhile goal, it is also a stigma and a source of stress for many. The pressure of achieving is sometimes given a bad name.

However, achievement puts you instantly into the mindset of positivity. We’ve all been there - we passed our exams, got our dream job, jumped off an airplane, climbed that mountain... and while the journey to this achievement might have been trying or even painful, once you’re there: WOW, what a feeling!

It is this feeling that I would like to focus on in this article. This feeling that, despite all the obstacles on the way, you made it. You got what you wanted. You’re a winner.

Admiral McRaven beautifully explains how making your bed first thing in the morning gets you into that winning feeling. It is so important to  start your day on a positive note - it keeps you in the mood of achieving. By making your bed (properly) this morning, you succeeded at the very first task of the day. By taking all the tasks you have to do throughout your day one at a time, you can focus more on what you are doing and have a greater chance of completing it successfully, especially if you are on positive vibes.

Indeed, when you are achieving any task, big or small, your brain sends signals to your glands to produce 4 essential hormones to positivity - dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphin (DOSE). These hormones, apart from promoting feelings of happiness, are also key to producing the perfect psychological environment for achieving.  They promote optimism, raise your energy levels, encourage the ability to connect with people by being open, create a higher focus which in turn increases your drive and confidence. I mean, with all these attributes at your disposal, you have no other choice but to automatically achieve, even without trying - well maybe you should try anyway, it can’t hurt!

Achieving has therefore very little to do with willpower or being lazy. It has everything to do with conditioning your mind, from the first moment you wake up, and drive this feeling through the rest of your day. 

Gratitude, in that respect, is totally an integral part of achieving. By recognising and giving thanks for what you already have in your life, you know that you are already a winner and the DOSE hormones will keep flowing throughout your body.

As Admiral McRaven says in his amazing and inspiring speech “the little things matter - if you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right”. Click HERE to watch an extract of his speech on YouTube. 

The little things are a lot easier to deal with than the big things, but we all know that the big things will always turn up in our lives. By training ourselves to pay attention to the day-to-day tasks and completing these successfully, we are creating a habit of achieving and constantly finding moments of happiness in our lives.

WHAT DO YOU WANT AND HOW DO YOU GET THERE

It's been a long time, I know.
Now that these crazy times put us on a stop (or at least a slow down), I am finally back on the blog.

Self- care is now, more than ever, essential to all of us, and it can take many forms - watching TV, DIY, gardening, creating, reading, playing music, connecting, cleaning...

I was off on holiday last week (at home, like most of us) and I started the free/pay as you want online class 7 Day Journaling Journey by Jennibellie (she was one of the first mixed media artists I followed and started creating from her good teachings). Journaling is something I had always wanted to do on a regular basis and I did try many times (Sunday journaling prompts) but couldn't get to stick to it. This class is making journaling more organised and focused, which is great to get you started and give you some confidence, and a lot easier to stick to as you dip in to the different techniques and journaling styles as you feel. Click HERE to go on Jennibellie's website and enroll in the class.

So from starting this practice, I remembered that I have had some of Melody Ross's online classes for quite a while and decided to pick up from where I last left off on the class The Walk. Finding what I want more of and less of in my life made me think about goals.

We all have goals, big and small, and they are all important. Now that most of us are stuck at home for a few good weeks, yes, it is nice to watch TV and chill, but it is also the perfect time to think about what you want out of life, how you want to feel. Finding goals are not always the easy part but surely a lot easier than planning how you are going to achieve that goal.
I have designed a mind map on the iMindMap Kids app (it's free and easy to use) to help you consider all aspects of your goals before you dive in as, with anything, complete awareness of the now and having all the facts at your disposal are essential before you can move forward. Otherwise, you'll just barge in blindly into situations like a bull in a china shop.

Many of us know what we DON'T want, but when you ask someone, "What do you want?", very often, it feels like a trick question. Because we are so used to looking after others, we tend to lose sight of what we really want out of life as we get distracted by others' needs and expectations. After all, we only notice what we don't want when it bugs us, but don't recognise what we want from it. By using what we know we don't want, we can work with opposites to know what we want - logical, right?
For example, if we have been cheated on, we know we don't want to be in such a situation as it is so hurtful, degrading and makes us lose our confidence and sense of worth. The opposite of cheating is being loyal, so it would make sense that what we want is LOYALTY. This helps to start with, for sure.

Melody Ross, in her online class The Walk (unfortunately no longer available online), makes it clear that goals where you have power on will be easier to plan and achieve. If your goal is that your ex loves you back, the entirety of your goal's potential success depends on SOMEONE ELSE making the decision. There is just no way you can prepare, plan and work for that because, whatever you do, the decision will lie in someone else's hands.
She has a journaling exercise that I absolutely loved and will use over and over in the future.

I want ____________ so that ____________ and that will bring me __________ so that _________________ , so that _____________. So what I really want is _________________ so that ________________.

It seems weird looking at this fill in journaling, but it makes a lot more sense when you can see an example so I will share with you one of mine to give you a better idea how this works:

"I want to exercise regularly so that I can feel better and more energised, so that I have the vitality to accomplish more and be more available to others and that will bring me more time available so that I can help more people so that I can feel complete and make a difference in this world. So what I really want is contribution to others so that I can help make this world a better, kinder place for everyone including me". I have to say, when I started with my health, I had no idea that this exercise would take me there. You just fill in the blanks, letting your thoughts flow, just like when someone asks you simple questions and you just answer in the most natural, truthful and simple way. You already know what you need and what you want truly, you just need to dig the dirt out from the top to clearly see it.

The mind map above will serve as your next step to prepare for your journey towards this goal, just like you would when you go on holiday in a place you've never been before.

The image below can be copied and pasted onto a Word or Publisher (or equivalent) document if you want to resize it and fill in the mind map with your own answers, to allow you more space for your writing.

Thinking about your goal, before, during and after will help you to better prepare.

And remember, it's all about the journey before you get there and all the lessons learnt. That's what is making us stronger and wiser.
Happy soul travelling.

Melody Ross's website and her Soul School

Your Comfort Zone

When I think of comfort zone, I don't know why but I always think of Charles Schulz Peanuts' book title "Happiness is a Warm Blanket".

Your comfort zone is what you currently have and makes you happy. It is cozy, warm and comfortable, like your favourite pair of shoes you've had for years, like a warm blanket.
But don't you find that, once you're all wrapped up in that warm and nice blanket on your sofa, with the perfect cup of tea or coffee in your hand, you just don't want to move? The phone or door bell rings and you literally have to drag yourself out of your heavenly environment to answer - if you decide to answer at all. After all, you're all comfortable and relaxed. Who dares to disturb you? If it's that important, they'll try again later, right?! It's like being fast asleep and cozy in your bed under the duvet and the alarm goes off to get ready for work. Know the feeling?! I'm sure you do.

Your comfort zone may bring you a feeling of safety but it will never challenge you, your comfort zone will never bring you anything new in your life, your comfort zone is where you are, right now - you are not evolving.
Jim Kwik has a saying that I absolutely love - "If you fight for your limitations, you get to keep them". And it is so true.

Your comfort zone, however cozy it is, is your limitations. If you don't dare to take action to stretch them, go beyond them to either overcome your fears and obstacles or improve your inner and outer life, you are doomed to live a limited life.

Getting out of your comfort zone is necessary and an unavoidable step to progress. It is unpredictable and this nature will always make it scary. What if I lose what I already have? What if I can't do it? The truth is, no progress can come without change. And while you can most certainly plan, always keep in mind that things don't always go according to plans. The nature of change is to challenge the status quo and the progress you will make and the lessons you will learn from these experiences will depend on how you react to these experiences.

Many changes in our lives are often thrust upon us, we are not the initiator, we just have to suffer it, roll with it, but by no means are we powerless about these experiences. We get to choose how we react to these events and experiences in the best possible way that will benefit us, eventually.
In that respect, your mindset will play an essential part on how you are going to take on board any change, beneficial or detrimental, and a clear mind and objective outlook will be your best friends in this journey.

Any change will challenge your comfort zone but any change can also add to the value and quality of your life. Your comfort zone, to start with, should be what you want to have and experience, not what you settle for. You are worth so much more than that.
If your comfort zone happens to be what you settle for, you have ultimately 2 choices - tell yourself that it's enough for you and take unexpected changes in your stride the best you can, or make the changes you want in your life happen and step out of your comfort zone.

The first option is the safe option but there is not likely going to be much improvement in the quality of your life. The second option is the "scary shit" option - it's not safe, not guaranteed to work, not predictable, but it's the best chance you have to achieve your heart's desires. It is like with the lottery, you can't win it if you're not in it! At the end of the day, happiness and fulfillment are your ultimate goals and, sorry to break it out, life is not a spectator's sport, you have to be a participant and take conscious and deliberate action. As Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world". It all starts with you taking action and being that person. Because without change, there is no progress.

Stepping out of your comfort zone, however, does not have to be as drastic as quitting your day job at the drop of the hat to sell everything you own and go to Tibet to become a Buddhist monk (unless of course that is what you want to achieve). Baby steps are just as significant, especially if you are not a natural risk-taker or stepping out of your comfort zone is a new sport for you. You first start jogging, not running the marathon! You can get bigger and more daring as you go along and get used to it. It can be as small as trying one new food every week or get up 5 minutes early for a 5-minute workout, or start journaling about your hopes and dreams to discover what your true purpose is.

Growing as a soul and an individual in this world is all down to you - both on how you decide to react to change and how to make it happen. We often feel powerless and let things happen to us but, in reality, the vast majority of the time, we do have the power to choose, even if on small things. Just be patient and gentle with yourself. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day - it's not magic. It takes work, dedication and effort to create the life you desire.

You may wonder, when is the right time? How can I make change happen for me? Often, it will take something - an event, a person, a feeling - to tell yourself "Enough with this" and commit to make the change you need for your best life and your best self happen. Any goal you have, for you to truly commit to it and not give up halfway, you will always need a strong "why", an emotional state and attachment that will motivate you to get there, because the change is better than the "enough with this". You know the famous quote, "And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom".
Writing down what you expect to achieve, what needs to change and what your plan is for making it happen will support you to, first, not forget - you think about doing something, you're determined and the next minute, before you know it, it's totally gone. In my world, if it's not written down, it's gone up to the fairies! - Then, it will support you to take action. Whether the plan works or not, you will always take something from it. Firstly, there is always Plans B, C, D, E... and your problem solving skills will evolve and expand, increasing your creativity and helping you see other ways and possibilities. Also, the fact of deciding to create change shifts your mindset entirely from a victim, can't do anything, negative thinking attitude, into a winner, adventurer, positive mindset. You can never defeat a positive mindset; it will always kick back and search for other ways to work. Having the gift of a positive mindset will also help you notice and value the things you already have in your life. Reaching for the stars is one thing but gratitude is everything. You might want reach for something you already have and waste your efforts you could use for reaching a different star to brighten your sky. By missing the gratitude, you will never be satisfied.

I love this illustration below that uncovers the different stages of stepping out of your comfort zone. It is like a map to success, you just have to build the bridge between your comfort zone and the learning zone to get to Happyland:

Positive mindset, gratitude and a clear mind and vision are your superpowers in this quest. Your comfort zone will be shed away for brighter adventures. But keep in mind that what you achieve will soon become your comfort zone, so, really, the process never stops in order for us to grow and flourish. It is an essential part of the human experience.

Sunday Journaling Prompt #13

Hello my fellow journalers

Please find below our new quote for this wintery Sunday -

As always, you are totally free to interpret this any way you prefer. Whatever inspires you.
It can be a sentence, a quote, a saying or several inspirational words.

Explore as deep as you can and enjoy the process.

Sunday Journaling Prompt #5

Happy Sunday, my fellow journalers.

Today I am asking you to dig deep and be extremely honest with yourself, without any shame or any fear. It is important for you in order to progress to a place in your life where you will find your happiness.

I know, this is scary shit, but we’ll worth doing. It doesn’t mean that you’ll need to drop everything in your life, but it will give you a clearer idea of what you actually need and devise a plan of action to get it.
It was this question that led me on this journey  - one baby step at a time...