Embracing A Slow Summer…

The summer is a time to bask in the glow of slowing down, finding your rhythm, and diving into the routine of stillness. However, we find ourselves encumber with an extensive to-do list, places to go, and itineraries to accomplish every summer. However, when we decide to take a different route by slowing down and infusing ourselves in the present moment, it is in this instance we can enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing. 

An Italian term, il dolce far niente, is translated into the meaning of the sweetness of doing nothing. Doing nothing requires us to be still and detach ourselves from the concept of mindless busyness. However, in America, we are brainwashed into believing our worth is connected to how hard we work, and our busyness equates to productivity. Recently, I have realized that slowing down has helped me become more productive. Also, I have discovered doing nothing is practical too.

This summer, I began to embrace an idea of a slow summer, with no agendas, no rushing, no plans, and accepting stillness. When my daughter was out of school every summer, we would plan our family trips and travel. But since she graduated, things have changed. A month ago, I told her we could make a down south road trip, and instead of anticipating her excitement, she declined the offer. At first, I was frustrated because it was routine for us to take summer trips, but I had to understand she was no longer in high school and her priorities had shifted. And so she suggested I take a summer trip by myself, and for the first time, I accepted the idea of asking myself what I desired to do for the summer?

Slowing down has become a new lifestyle for me that has been fun to implement. The slow living movement started in the 1980s with Carlo Petrini in Italy with the concept of the slow food movement. And now, in the United States, people are jumping on to this trend for a slower life. With the onset of the pandemic, people have felt exhausted in their careers and opted for a more sustainable and slow life.

Below are three key ways you can embrace summer’s slowness and enjoy the moment’s stillness.

1. Say No to Overwhelm & Say Yes to what you want to do. When you say no to things you don’t enjoy, it makes room for what you really desire to do.
2. It’s Okay To Do Nothing. Doing nothing is a form of productivity too.
3. Be Still. It is easy to be busy but being intentional in getting away from the noise takes practice. 

More articles on slow living:

• https://www.slowlivingldn.com/what-is-slow-living/
• https://helenawoods.com/10-simple-ways-to-begin-slow-living/

My favorite Youtuber for slow living: https://www.youtube.com/c/HelenaWoodshelenawoodstravels/videos

There Is No Competition

You can access this podcast episode here: https://tinyurl.com/yzej4e8w

You: Mirror, mirror on the wall; who is the best of them all?

Mirror: You are my darling.

What if we believed that we were the best instead of comparing ourselves with someone else?

In a show and tell world, we have become fixated with keeping up with the Joneses instead of concentrating on our own life. Social media has made it easy to play the game of comparison with strangers we never met. The small reel of a moment in someone’s life makes us question our whole existence. Why do we give social media, people & society so much power?

The concept of competing is ideal in sports, but it becomes messy when we start to feel like we are in competition with others. When we try to constantly keep up with the progression of others, we lose momentum in our life.

 I remember when I went through a period when I tried to help, coach, and counsel everyone else. My life was falling apart while others were thriving; from my advice, I became the poster child for fixing everyone’s life but my own. I began to feel depleted and used. And I realized people were only calling me to discard their problems on me. They felt better but I carried the emotional weight. Overall, I was enabling a toxic cycle in my life.

In the last couple of years, I have set boundaries, let go of toxic behavior and patterns while loving people from a distance. And I have decided to incorporate a life of minding my own business, which brings me peace. Although we reside in an oversaturated technology-induced world, we can still find ways to unplug from the virtual world and plug into our real life.

When we begin to assess what we don’t desire in our lives, we can build a life we love versus numbing out from a life we hate. 

Below are some basic ways you can let go of comparison & compete with becoming the best version of yourself.

1. Mind Your Own Business. When you feel the need to give your opinion or advice, think before you speak and ask yourself, did the person ask for my opinion?  Here is a podcast episode where I discuss more on the concept of minding your own business & my journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw9AGLGturk  

2. Find Ways To Improve Your Life. Yes, it is tempting to scroll on social media, watch TV, judge celebrities and judge others but think about improving your life. Judging others is a reflection of your own insecurities. 

Here is a podcast episode where I discuss creating a life you love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX8MfWIU29E

3. More Focus & Less Distractions. Frequently we try to escape the unpleasant things in our life because we don’t want to face reality. However, if we let go of the temporary mindless distractions, we can meet each situation with grace and love. Here is a podcast episode where I discuss ways you can create an intentional life to stay focus & eliminate distractions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtGM_GKHp68

The Art of Mindful Living….

You can access this podcast episode here: https://youtu.be/LqvgWdJnguw

When you think about the words mindful living, what comes to your mind? What images appear in your head when these words are connected?

I am sure there are different meanings of the words mindful living; however, when I think of living consciously, I think of three core words contentment, connection, and gratitude. I believe these words are the core of creating a life of mindfulness. 

I describe mindful living as the art of being present as you take time to connect and have a sense of gratitude for everything in that moment (people, place & activity). We often rush to get somewhere else instead of slowing down & tuning into the current moment. In 2007 my life was altered by a traumatic event that made me become familiar with the lifestyle of living consciously and taking nothing for granted.

After my youngest daughter passed away, I was angry, hurt, and felt a tremendous void in my life. I was unaware that during my journey, I was dealing with PTSD and GAD (generalized anxiety disorder). But in 2011, I began to take steps to change the trajectory of my life. I decided to seek professional help for my daughter and me to heal during that time. Meditation, along with my personal spiritual beliefs, help me dig deep within to realize the importance of living mindfully.

So now I want to share three ideas on how you can manifest the art of mindful living in your life.

The first step to the art of living a conscious life of awareness is contentment.

Contentment: understanding where you are in life is exactly where you are supposed to be.

The second step is connectivity or staying connected.

Connectivity: understanding every intricate detail in the moment is interconnected and creates a synergy of flow. ( every element is working in the environment to reach an ultimate goal)

The last step is the gift of acknowledgement or gratitude.

Acknowledgement or Gratitude: When we understand everything is interconnected & flowing in synchronicity then we will feel grateful for every detail in the moment. (everything has a purpose & place in the moment)

Also if you are a writer and need assistance in your writing journey click the link to check out our writing services: https://theinspirationalcorner.net/writing-services/

The Joy of Minding Your Own Business…

Have you ever found yourself helping everyone else, trying to fix everyone’s life, or obsessed with controlling what other people do? If so, you have a terrible case of minding other people’s business. There have been plenty of times I found myself trying to be a therapist, life coach, or psychologist to grown adults. My mission was to be the “fixer” in everyone else life instead of tending to my garden. However, I realize I needed to stop being a trash can for other people’s issues. In the end, I was creating codependent relationships.

In my journey of self-evolution and self-discovery, I have found it refreshing to stay focus on my own life. Staying focusing on my own life has helped me work on my relationship with myself. I have become more conscientious of the things that I can expand in my world. Learning to love my life and myself has given me the grace to let go of the thoughts or ideas of worrying about what other people think about me or what they may be doing. When you begin to mind your own business, you will feel lighter. It takes enough energy trying to cope with your life, adding other people’s issues to the equation causes chaos.

I am still on this journey of minding my own business and becoming the best version of myself. It is not an overnight process but a day to day evolution. Worrying about what others are doing, what people think about me, trying to gain people’s acceptance or validation is a waste of time. When you become connected to your inner world and start creating a life you love other people, life will no longer be a concern.

Below are three ways on how you can elegantly enjoy minding your own business:

1. Disconnect. Unplugging from social media or putting your phone on do not disturb is a great way to focus on the most important person which is…YOU!
2. Create a life you love. If you are proactive in producing a life you love, you will have less time being consume with other people’s life. You can find a hobby, write a list of all the things you are passionate about or the things you always desire to do.
3. Drown Out The Noise: Other people’s opinions about who you are, your life and what you do is not your concern. When you know who you are and what you do then other people’s perception is not relevant.

 

 

 

Why Being Basic Won’t Do…

The Corona Virus issue has made us feel so many emotions with the ebb and flow of uncertainty; staying at home has become the new normal. This new normal has caused America to put everything on pause where being still is the cure. Many schools have closed around the world, people are now working from home, and some people no longer have a job. Although it can seem to be an uncomfortable time for the world, confronted with the reality that this is the time to let go of things no longer serve our lives.

In America, we are taught that being busy and living life on auto-pilot is acceptable. We choose to operate in a world encumber with a fast-food mentality, a microwave vision for our lives. The self-quarantine gives everyone a chance to slow down, saunter, and come to a shimmer. We no longer can follow the crowd but is challenged to do something different. I believe in this time of  the shutdown, we will not go back to normal.

This transformation will cause us to become a better version of our self. We can start by self-reflecting in every area of our lives. For me, it has taught me the valuable lesson of living in the present moment.

People’s lives are being transformed because we are now finding our passion, spending time with family, connecting with friends, and doing things we were too busy to do. When the curtain rises off this center stage play we call COVID-19, how will we move forward? Will everyone go back to being “basic” or will we embrace our new normal?

Below are three ways we can release ourselves from the “basic life” to the “extraordinary life.”

1. Write The Vision. While being at home, this is a perfect time to write a plan for yourself to make some changes in your life. (Ex: If you decide to start your business now is the time to create your website, draft a business plan, etc.)

2. Execute. There is no time like the present to start being intention by putting action in your new life. Use this time to start capitalizing on not being at work. (Ex: If you are working from home, let your paycheck build up, so when all this comes to an end, you will have enough saved to live your job.)

3. Live. Before the Corona Virus, many of us were going through the motions of life; however, with the shutdown of social events and going out; we will be more present in our lives. We will have more fun living life versus existing in it.

In the end, I am optimistic the self-quarantine will bring out a better America, where we are healing, there is more joy, peace, kindness & love to spread!

 

Last Day of Summer….

Today is the official last day of summer and for most of us it is just another day. However, I believe this is the best time to spend it in reflection. Reflecting is a great therapeutic tool to slow down and gather your thoughts. In this process you can reflect on the last nine months of this year. You might decide to reflect on goals that were achieved, relationships that ended, new things that have entered your life and where you want to be at by the end of 2017.

Reflection is a good way to look at the past, embrace the present and prepare for the future. As you prepare for the autumnal equinox take this day to sit back, sip your favorite beverage and revel in the beauty of Fall.

How do you plan to spend your last day of summer? (Leave your comments below)

5 Tips On Living A Beautiful Life!

How can you really live a beautiful life? What are you willing to let go in order to gain the life you deserve? What are the keys to living a life based on beauty? Well, you are probably wondering what are the answers to those questions. I can honestly tell you that living a beautiful life begins with cultivating a beautiful mind. In the last month, I have focused on filling my life with beautiful things to see, hear & speak. I have spent time celebrating beauty in a different kind of way. 

I decided not to watch, speak or listen to anything that did not display beauty. In this time of beauty I found out that life is a lot more beautiful than what we choose to see, hear or speak. When it comes to living a beautiful life you have to be intentional. If you lack intention you will continue to see, hear and speak about all the things that is wrong with life. As I grow day by day I realize life is what you make it and if you choose to make it miserable then you will be miserable.

Misery loves company, the more you feed it the more it will gain energy. The greatest question you can ask yourself is what am I giving energy to. I found myself in the last couple years giving energy to things that were irrelevant. I made situations bigger than they really were because I invested too much time into over analyzing. I can now honestly say that creating a beautiful life is solely up to each of us. Make a mental inventory of where your your energy is going.  Find out if  the energy has produced the right fruit you desire in your life. If not, refocus on new things that will serve you in a positive way. Everyone deserves a beautiful life so below are a five tips to help you start your journey.

Below are a couple tips to help you live a beautiful life:

1) Stop over analyzing. I can admit this is one of my huge problems and over analyzing creates problems that were never there. In order to stop over analyzing  let go of what you cannot control, stay focus in the present moment and know God is your ultimate source.

2) Be mindful of where your attention goes. Where your attention goes so does the flow of your energy, so be mindful of how you interpret things & react to others. 

3) Other people issues are not your emergencies. Yes, you want to be the hero for everyone but you will exhaust yourself trying to be everyone she-ro or hero. Do not let other people emergencies become emergencies in your life.  

4) Don’t take it personal. I know this is a hard one but stop taking what people say or do personal. What others say or do are not a direct reflection of what or who you are. What they don’t say or don’t do is still not a reflection of the brilliant person you were called to be. Be confident .

5) Self-Love. Fall in love with who & what you are no matter your flaws. In a perfect world we all are flawless but in the real world our imperfections is what makes us unique. 

To love oneself is the beginning of a life long romance. ~Oscar Wilde~

P.S. To make your life even more beautiful you can now purchase my eBook to get five essentials tips to help build your self-confidence.  

Click here: http://www.theinspirationalcorner.net/p/ebooks.html  

P.S.S I also listen to podcasts now & here is one I am recommending to you. Click here: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/french-kiss-life-by-tonya/id1071406906

Thoughts That Shape Our Life….

I am great believer in understanding that what we think has a great amount of power to shape our world. At the end of 2014 my goal was to create a better community of readership on my blog by creating monthly themes. After, changing my mindset on the success of my blog it has become an international place for inspiration. 

My goal was to create a blog that was inspiring as well as give my readership community solutions, tips & life coaching through life obstacles. This year I have became more confident in my writing skills. I have realized that this blog is far beyond talking about myself but is utilized to help others understand they are not alone.

Below are some powerful thoughts that helped me shape a successful year for my blog:

1) I am a great writer. It important for me to believe in myself and to take time to invest in my writing skills.

2) Do what I love. If I was not doing what I loved then I truly was not loving me.

3) My voice is important. There are many blogs in the virtual world but my blog was different because no one has my story. My voice matters and my story matters.

4) One Person. If one person clicked my page and read my blog post I was making a difference. It’s not in the quantity but in the quality.


5) Authentic Me. It is important for me to tell my stories from an authentic place. When you are authentic in your blogging you will attract the crowd that you desire. Just be yourself & write from the heart!