Living life on purpose doesn’t mean having light for the whole path or knowing all the answers. It simply means living an examined life, awake and intentional, shifting course as needed, understanding you get to choose who and how you want to be in the world. Here are 11 questions to help you end your year on purpose. 1. What do you want? If you’re telling yourself the full truth – what do you want? 2. How do you want to feel? Are your habits, time commitments, other life patterns moving you closer to this desire? 3. How do you want to make others feel or what impact do you hope to make in the world, in your family or inner circle? We aren’t responsible for other people’s choices or feelings but we can think about how we impact those around us. 4. How are you using your gifts in the world? How can you show up and offer your light in big or small ways? 5. Where are you stuck? Be specific. 6. What do you need to let go of? Think about the emotional, physical, relational baggage you’re ready to release. 7. What life-giving habit do you want to add into your life? What is the ONE THING you could add in that would have the most significant, positive impact on your life in this season? 8. Are you spending time with growth-minded people? Do the people in your inner circle deserve that space in your life? 9. Do you need help? Name the place you need or want help. Make a concrete, step by step plan to get the help you need. 10. Are you ready for change? We sometimes say we want something but aren’t truly ready to take action. Tell the truth to yourself – are you ready? 11. Where is perfectionism, comparison or fear holding you back from what you truly desire? What would you feel like or what would your life look, sound, feel like if you showed up through comparison, perfectionism, or fear? We’re all on this journey together and no one has it all figured out. But as we come to the end of another year, we can start laying aside the distractions and get curious and honest about what we truly want and who we choose to be so that we end the year on purpose. And then we step out. Just one small but purposeful step at a time. XOXO- Melanie
0 Comments
It may come as a surprise to you but gratitude is one of the most effective ways to increase your own happiness—and the happiness of others. Did you know that practicing gratitude can also make you healthier, less stressed and more optimistic? Embracing gratitude may not be so difficult when things are going well, but it is important to realize how extremely powerful it can be when going through difficult times. The more we can focus on being thankful and expressing gratitude, the less time we have to sit in our stew of worries. Now this isn’t something that comes easy for a lot of people. I think of thankfulness and gratitude like a muscle that needs to be exercised and strengthened. MINDSET MATTERS. The daily activity of looking at your life through a Lens of Gratitude can be just the thing to help shift our mindset to from HUM DRUM LA- DE- DA to SHA-BANG WOW! DIRECTIONS: It takes 21 days to make something a habit. Your challenge is to complete the DAILY GRATITUDE JOURNAL for the next 21 days. By doing this you can train your brain to recognize things throughout your day to be grateful and thankful for. At the end of the 21 days, you should notice a BIG difference. Are you living a BRAVE life? Might seem like an easy question to answer but hold off just a minute. Really sit back and think about your life, your goals, your dreams and your relationships.
NOW are you living a brave life?? Or are you too scared of disappointing others to be your true self. It took me MANY years.... like 30 years... FOR REALS Y'ALL!!!... to finally get to a place where I was OK with who I was and I was ready to live authentically as who I wanted to be. I was always scared of upsetting family and going against the grain of who they WANTED me to be or who they THOUGHT I should be. The last 8 years of living my life for me have been the most liberating and I have truly learned the most about myself. Was it hard?? YES!! Was it easy?? NOPE!! Did I lose some relationships with friends and family?? I sure did. But... I learned a lot about the people around me also. Those who stuck around truly wanted what was best for me, They supported me in being the best me I could be and accepted me unconditionally. And THAT meant the world to me. Some finally came around, after some time. I hope it's because they were able to see how truly happy I was and that the choices I made were actually good ones. I hope that my ability to make the decision to live my life for me inspired some of them to do the same. To not give in to the pressure to conform-- instead to be true to who you are and what you WANT and NEED in life. To DEMAND the ability to define that for yourself. Disappointment from other will happen regardless of the choices you make. There is no way to make everyone happy. Remember its NOT THEIR LIFE---- ITS YOURS! Don't waste it living for others. So---- are you ready to start living your life for you??? Not sure where to start?? If so--- let's chat!! I realized something about 2 years into my relationship with my husband that I found comfort in a strange place... his feet!! FOR REALS y'all and I don't even LIKE FEET!!! But there was something about climbing into bed and having his foot brush against mine. Even in those times if conflict-- I know I know never go to bed angry-- but we are human and shit happens-- so that happens sometimes too. Anyway-- even in times of conflict I noticed we would climb into bed and his foot would slowly (sometimes S-L-O-W-L-Y!!!!!) find its way to my side of the bed and brush right up against mine and this feeling of comfort and calm would take over my body.
The funny thing is a few years later in a heartfelt conversation I mentioned to him how much that random act meant to me and he looked at me like I was CRAZY! LOL he had no idea he was even doing it. But LORD it meant the world to me! MORAL OF THE STORY: Start touching feet!!!!! Just kidding-- find your own version of "feet"-- what is it that your partner does to make you feel comfort? Is there something you consciously do to help them feel comfort? If not-- what can you start doing? Do it-- do it some more- and do it often!! BONUS!!!! Acts like this done on a consistent basis can help build intimacy!! (BowChicaBowWow) Not just the sexy kind but the emotional kind too (DOUBLE BONUS!!) I am EXCITED to announce my FIRST Journaling Workbook is now available!!! I put a lot of love into the workbook and hope that you enjoy it! The journal includes 20 thought provoking questions that aim to offer opportunities to explore the way you see yourself and the world around you. Each page also includes doodle drawings that you can spend time coloring. Coloring has been known to help relax the mind and help connect our mind, body and spirit. Journaling is one of my favorite tools to use personally and with clients!! There’s something almost magical about putting pen to paper and seeing what emerges. Writing takes all of the things that are jumbled around in your head and brings them to awareness. Sign up below to get the JUNE JOURNALING WORKBOOK sent directly to your email!! These magical glitter jars are the perfect sensory toy for children and grown ups alike. Designed to soothe and relax, the swirling patterns created by glitter, water and food coloring are ideal for calming down a stressed out child (or adult, for that matter) - leading to their alternative name, 'calm down jars'. Just give them a good shake, then watch until the glitter settles in the bottom of the jar to refocus and refresh an overwhelmed mind. I'll be honest I made one a retreat about a year ago and I use it ALL THE TIME!!! NOTE: Glitter jars can also be used as a 'time out' timer. Simply tell your child to watch the jar until the flakes have all fallen - it's only at this point that they'll be allowed to leave the time out area. Using extra glue will mean that the glitter floats for longer, so you can adjust the length of the time out according to the child's age. You will need:
Note: For younger children, we'd recommend using a plastic jar or bottle rather than a glass jar, to prevent any accidents! Our quantities are based on a standard 500ml jar, so if you're using a larger bottle or container, you may need to scale up the ratios. STEP 1Add warm water to your jar or bottle until it reaches around a third of the way up. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
September 2017
Categories |