mindfulness – zen BLITZ

A No-Bullshit Guide to Graceful Self-Kintsugi

Growth isn’t a destination. It’s a practice.

I wanted to write a post for me & hubby’s 7 year wedding anniversary, but I couldn’t really think of anything new to write. So here are some older posts, in case you missed ‘em :

Marriage, Music, and Mayhem: 6 Years with My Wild Older Husband

Tantra and Long-Term Love: The Truth About Keeping The Magic Alive

That said…

I got behind on my posts for the first time in almost 2 years – I’ve never skipped a week, til now!!

It’s been a loooooong week. Weeks? While. Busy taking advantage of summer weather, & tending to some emotional chaos within the household. Which thrust me into a bit of my own chaos.

No better opportunity to show how I practice what I preach, so to speak, and to lean back into the series I’m working through…! (The last post in the series was “Choosing a Different Path”, if you need a refresher).

When Life Gets Messy

When life gets chaotic, people often either give up completely or try to overhaul their entire lives.

That’s why there are so many YouTube videos & blog posts touting “How to reinvent yourself in 30 days” or “Become your best self – here’s how!”

Most of us have tried it.

And most of us have watched it fall apart after a week or two.

Instead, we need something small enough to do on even our worst days.

Minimum Viable Self Respect

Back when I was a grieving teenager, I started studying stress management. I knew I needed a simple way to come back to myself whenever life got messy. And over the years, this gradually became a framework I still use today.

It’s also the framework I return to whenever I’m overwhelmed – which made it especially fitting this past week (or so).

The point isn’t to add another impossible checklist to your life.

The point is to make caring for yourself so approachable that you can still do it when everything feels like it’s falling apart. Because it’s a matter of respecting yourself – your whole self – in good times & rough ones.

Worthwhile challenges are awesome – they keep life interesting!

But times of chaos aren’t asking you to make things more difficult.

Practice Beats Attempted Perfection

Fuck self-actualization. And individuation. Nirvana, enlightenment, and all that bullshit.

We treat them like finish lines – the idea that one day you’ll finally “arrive.”

Perfection is nothing more than an idea. Not a state of existence.

There is no finish line.

Growth isn’t something you arrive at. Neither is healing.

These are things you practice.

Practice creates space for transformation.

That kind of growth is quiet. Slow.

A matter of choosing the next respectful action. Again. And again. And again…

And that transformation becomes resilience, discipline….character.

The BMHS Framework

Whenever I’m overwhelmed, I ask myself four questions :

Am I taking care of my body?
Mind?
Heart?
Soul?

To me, this is a bit of a hierarchy, with “body” being the most important & the first to focus on. All of these are essential to our existence, but some more so than others.

Body – physical needs (food, movement, rest)
Mind – inputs (what you’re reading, watching, listening to)
Heart – connections, relationships
Soul – outputs (expression, creativity, meaning)

I start with the body because it’s hard to think clearly, connect deeply, or create anything meaningful when I’m exhausted, starving, or running on empty.

Putting It Into Practice

Spend a week focusing on one area.

Or a month.

Or whatever your life allows.

No gold stars. No pressure. No failing.

Just practice.

That’s it.

Your character is defined by how your return to yourself, your values, & the ones you love.

A wonderful reminder that I found on Pinterest :

“Uncommon advice : If you don’t know what to pursue in life right now, pursue yourself. Pursue becoming the healthiest, happiest, most healed, most present, most confident version of yourself. Then the right path will reveal itself.”

Over the next few weeks, we’ll explore each part of the framework – Body, Mind, Heart, and Soul – with practical ideas you can adapt to your own life.

In the meantime, ask yourself one simple question:

What’s one small act of self-respect I can practice today?

If this helped, share it with someone who’s white-knuckling their way through a hard season right now. And subscribe if you’re new – I’ve got more from this series coming!

Stay real. Live vibrantly. And rock the fuck on. 💚🤘🏻

The People Who Shape Us Never Truly Leave

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On heartbreak, lemons, and the people who leave fingerprints on who you become.

“Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.” – Rumi

Why I’m Writing This

I know I mention him occasionally, but I haven’t written a post about the “very smart guy I once knew & will always adore” in a while. And he’s been on my mind a bit lately so I figured fuck it, eh?

(Yes I’m procrastinating on the series I’ve been working through, how did you know?!? 😆)

The Gas Station

For those who haven’t picked up on any backstory, here’s a bit of it…

He came into the gas station I worked at one day, & we instantly connected. It wasn’t just a physical attraction… It felt like we’d known each other for decades instead of moments. Like, bizarre, but beautiful.

On & off for a few years, we grew really close. Like, best friends who kinda wanted to make out but never had a proper opportunity to. We’d vent to each other, hug for longer than friends “should”, and support each other emotionally as much as we possibly could. We both valued each other’s perspectives & opinions, and each other’s company.

But he was, in his own words, “moody”. He also, in his own words, had the tendency to distance himself when he wasn’t feeling quite right (who doesn’t, eh?) And so one day we got into an argument that I still don’t understand, and he stopped talking to me. Inevitably, I’m quite sure I said something stupid or unclear which freaked him out, which freaked me out, which perpetuated the freaking out until he walked away. Cuz…humans. I’ll probably never know why he wasn’t willing to work it out once our emotions cooled & we’d gotten some perspective on the whole thing, which sucks beyond words. But it is what it is. We both carried on with our lives just fine.

No Villains Here

He broke my heart. Worse than anyone ever has. But he’s certainly not the villain of the story. Neither of us are.

The good far outweighed the bad (in my eyes at least). Which certainly doesn’t make either of us a hero either. Just uniquely beautiful humans.

We were both dealing with a lot in our own personal lives back then – neither of us were in the best mindset.

The timing just wasn’t right, I suppose.

Side note : I’m really struggling with this post, to be honest… The magnitude of our friendship can’t really be put into words. Nor the heartbreak I felt. I’m trying though, without getting too poetic about it 😅

The Receipts of Loving Him

This isn’t really just a post about some super awesome dude who I’m grateful to have loved – It’s to prove the case that you can always gain something, even when you lose something.

There was a lot of love there. A LOT. Mutual respect, trust, adoration…you name it. He meant a lot to me. And he still does. In a lot of ways, he helped shape the woman I grew into since knowing him.

I learned a lot from him. Here’s just a few notable ideas…

Grief is cyclical. I know this because of my mom, but because of him too. I’ll forget about his existence for a period of time, & then he suddenly pops into my mind. The trail never completely grows over, but I learn a little more every time I choose walk it.

Be yourself, fuck all. He carried himself & spoke with such confidence & often flawless articulation, and I admired the shit out of that at the time – I was in my 20’s & absolutely riddled with anxiety despite my extremely social career choice. I don’t think he felt that way about himself, but it inspired the fuck out of me.

Growth never ends. He challenged my perspectives at times, & always pushed me gently to be a little better. I’ve always been one to welcome a worthwhile challenge.

You never know who you’ll connect with if you stay open to the possibilities. I’ve met a lot of people in my life, especially in the jobs I’ve had, and I’ve gotten to know & love a little bit of a lot of them. But I always kept them at some distance, because of my “shadows”. He did too. But when life was throwing lemons in his face, he turned to me, and I was happy to try to help him make some lemonade.

Resilience. Bushels of lemons got thrown at him in pretty quick succession, & he was really having a hard time with it. It’s exhausting; I know. He rode the waves with as much grace as anyone possibly could, & I admired the shit out of that. He never gave up, never gave in, never fully lost himself in the process. And neither will I.

When you believe in someone, they can accomplish beautiful things. I felt like he believed that I was more capable than I felt I was with a lot of things…which helped me learn how to believe in myself. And that led me to accomplish some of the more important things in my life, such as working in the ER.

Money ain’t shit – It’s never worth it to work a job you hate. He hated his job. He worked in law enforcement, so I don’t blame him. He said he got into it “because he knew he could”; I thought “I could’ve been a prostitute, but that doesn’t mean I should.” 😆 Money flows like water – here one day & gone the next, back again a year later. Such is life. It’s not worth it to waste your precious time on this planet loathing everything for 40 hours a week – don’t do things that suck the vitality straight outta your soul.

And love. I honestly felt like he was my second ”true love” in life, & my first one as an adult. Even though we never dated. So here’s some things I learned on that note, in no particular order…

There can be a tremendously enriching essence of genuine love in every dynamic of relationship, if you live passionately and with curiosity.
When you love someone, you don’t turn your back on them, especially if things are rough, & even if you’re hurt. I’d told him more than once that I’ll always be here, & as long as I’m on the right side of the dirt, I always will.
Love requires sight of & acceptance of both the light & dark in another. No reason to hide – those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter.
Once you truly love someone, you never fully stop loving them. Ever. Is that a foolish perspective? I don’t think so. When I grow to truly love someone, there are reasons. Good fucking reasons. Short of abuse, there’s no reason for those reasons to become invalid.
If an overthinker says they love you, believe them – they’ve thought of every reason not to. Amen.

Love Changes Shape

The people we love, friends or family or some inspiring stranger with a guitar, can become part of our inner landscape. Even when they’re gone, their influence doesn’t disappear – it changes form. It becomes a part of the way we think, create, encourage others, and navigate our own lives.

All that I gained from knowing him while I did passes on through how I interact with & support the other people in my life. That friendship wasn’t for nothing – in a lot of ways, it saved me.

“even grief has honey in its mouth … have I loved it completely while it was here? … worship the miracle that it happened at all” – Christopher Sexton

I’ll challenge you with how he challenged me (because it’s definitely worthwhile) : take care of yourself, help others, live well, & stay weird. 🖤🪷

Some people aren’t meant to stay forever.

Maybe they’re meant to become part of the foundation you build the rest of your life on.

If you’ve ever had someone who changed you long after they left, I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

What gift did they leave behind?

I’m not kidding, drop them in the comments. I read every one.

Stay real. Live vibrantly. And rock the fuck on. 💚🤘🏻

Choosing a Different Path

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The Turning Point Between Awareness and Action

The past several weeks, I’ve been naming a bunch of the harder things we sometimes have to deal with :

If You Feel Stuck in Life, Start Here…

Functional Depression & Anxiety: Why You Feel Off But Keep Going

No Such Thing as Resolved Grief

Bored, Lonely, & Looking for Something to Be Pissed Off About

How We Cope (And Sometimes Make It Worse)

All our shadows & demons.

We see each other. Whatever we’re going through at any point in time, we’re really not alone in dealing with it.

Now that the light has been cast…

Where Do We Go From Here?

Awareness is just the beginning.

My next series of posts will explore various means to enjoy the journey without all the typical fluffy self-help bullshit.

Changing the patterns a bit so that we don’t get stuck in them.

Reminding the demons who’s boss.

Life is About the Choices We Make

It’s good to acknowledge your shadows, whatever may plague you. But what to do with that knowledge?

It’s good to have some direction, however imperfect & fluid that direction may be.

We can choose to be stuck in unhelpful patterns, ideas, ways of thinking, ways of doing things.

We can also choose our own adventure.

“Life without design is erratic.” – Seneca

A very smart guy I once knew & will always adore posted this on Facebook a million years ago, & I wrote it down because it really hit me :

“We, as people, need to be who we are, not what we have been made into. We need to open our eyes and realize where we are and where we should be. Destructive behaviors lead to self destruction and not enlightenment. Life is about the choices we make…good, bad or indifferent. We have the power to change anything.”

Personally, that blurb hit me right in my indifference, but it speaks to a lot of things we all deal with.

“Life is about the choices we make”, and the perspectives we choose to take.

Stop Feeding the Demons

A pot of tea when they come to visit isn’t indulgent…it’s essential.

But at some point, you have to walk away from the table & get on with life.

There are no easy answers. Really, there are no concrete answers.

But ideas to contemplate.

All of the pathways in the brain are like trails in the woods.

If you follow the same trail constantly, the path stays clear & easy to follow, right?

But if the trail gets neglected, it becomes overgrown. It’s still there, but harder to find.

That’s how our minds work, in regards to a lot of things – memories, lessons, ideas, emotions, and so on. Helpful or painful.

Sometimes we find ourselves on a long neglected trail,

and we have to decide whether or not it’s worth it to clear the path,

and if so…whether or not it’s worth it to continue clearing that path.

That “very smart guy I once knew & will always adore”? Every pathway he ever made got overgrown for years – I was quite busy following other trails.

And while I still am quite busy, I’ve found myself on his trail quite a bit since it was illuminated a couple years ago.

Is it foolish to meander that trail like I do? I don’t think so. I’m very consciously on it in search of lessons. And I’ve learned a lot, and grown a lot, in the clearing.

The point is that not every path is important.

Emotions arise, exist, and pass.

Stories & rumination feed emotions – Clearing a trail that may be better off overgrown.

Practicing mindfulness is a means of choosing which trails to run down, and which to turn back from.

Whose Trail Are You Even On?

Are you following your own paths, or a map you knew would be easy to follow?

You have to get honest about who you are and what you actually want out of your life – if anyone does it for you, you’re not going to enjoy the outcome. Or the journey.

You can be labeled (or label yourself) as an addict, a depressive, an angry person, or whatever – labels can explain challenges we all face without becoming excuses.

Be mindful of your limitations, but mindful of your excuses just the same.

Gold In The Cracks

The goal is to learn how to grow from it.

How to become whole amidst it.

Integrating it instead of chasing the illusion of “perfection”. Or “normal”.

Taking the broken pieces & kintsugi-ing them back together – proudly displaying the gold in the cracks.

Build Your Own Damn Meaning

The idea that “if you can find meaning in life, you’ll be happy” is vague & unhelpful.

Build your own damn meaning. Now, that’s agency at its finest.

That’s human kintsugi.

Often, meaning can be found in helping others in some way,

and in the process you can pry yourself out of your own head.

Relationships matter, even if they’re minor or fleeting.

And often, if you look hard enough,

meaning can be found in all the little experiences you share with others.

Not in the hedonic pleasure of all the escape routes I’ve mentioned (though they can be a welcome temporary relief),

but in the eudaimonic, fulfilling sense of making the world a better place, even if ever so slightly.

Anger, sadness, anxiety…all those things can be a signal for action, if you let them.

Get out of the soul sucking relationship. Call the friend you haven’t talked to in decades. Fight against the injustices in the world.

Build your own damn meaning.

Blazing New Trails

This isn’t about hustle culture or toxic positivity.

This isn’t about shaming your demons, escape routes, or pain points.

This is about growth through experimentation, curiosity, & gentle iteration.

There are practices that help us map a different path in the woods.

Our own paths.

The following posts are the practices that have helped me create a more enjoyable trail.

Some of them may seem like “fluffy” bullshit, but they work for me.

No one can tell you what path to check out, because not everything works for everyone.

But everything’s worth a shot, eh? Challenge yourself to try something new, even if it sounds silly.

Awareness is just the beginning – now we learn how to blaze trails.

If you’re up for it: pick one trail – old or new – and just notice where it leads this week. No pressure to fix anything. Just notice.

And if you want to follow along as I share my experiences with some of these ‘fluffy bullshit’ practices, hit subscribe – the next few posts are going to get weird, and I’d love the company.

Stay real. Live vibrantly. And rock the fuck on. 💚🤘🏻

How to Use Novelty to Feel More Alive Every Day

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Routines Are Great…Until They’re Not

Routines can be sacred. Especially if you’re a homeschooling parent, productivity junkie, or even just trying to survive.

But even the most solid system can become a cage if you never step outside of it – “Don’t let your rituals become ruts”.

Novelty Slows Down Time

While structure is great, so is knowing when to burn it down for a day or two.

I was reminded by Ali Abdaal’s “Holiday Paradox” video that our sense of time flies by when every day looks the same because our brains switch into autopilot.

But when you experience something new, your brain takes more mental “snapshots”, making time feel longer, fuller, richer.

“Life is long if you know how to use it.” – Seneca

Give Your Brain a Jolt (On Purpose)

Schedule regular adventures, & treat them like an appointment you’ll get arrested for if you miss.

You don’t have to get too crazy or too rigid about it – it could be a random Tuesday hike, working from a grocery store cafe, or even a spontaneous dance party in the kitchen.

The point is to get weird on purpose. Let your brain break the pattern. Novelty naturally makes you more creative, resilient, & present.

The Power of a “Fuck It” Day

I’ve mentioned my “Do Nothing Days” before – once a week, I give myself full permission to say “fuck it” to my whole routine. And it’s a breath of fresh air!

So skip the lesson plan, leave the dishes, & toss your planner out the window (metaphorically).

These days are to recalibrate your spirit, & remind you that you’re not a robot.

Flexibility is Strength

While routines can help us thrive, adaptability keeps us alive.

Don’t let your days blur into one big beige loop. Add some neon. Smash a routine or two. And if you try it this week — I wanna hear about it! Let’s swap weird ideas in the comments.

✨If this post sparked something, hit like, share it with your people, and subscribe to zen BLITZ (my weekly newsletter) for more unconventional ways to stay human.✨

You’re not a robot. Rock on.

Rebel With a Pen : How to Journal Like a Rockstar

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(Retrospective note : I may have gotten a little carried away with this post because I LOVE JOURNALING SO MUCH. You’ve been warned. 😘 Though there is a little TL;DR at the end.)

Forget the fluffy prompts about your favorite ice cream flavor – journaling isn’t just for Pinterest vibes. It’s a weapon for clarity, self discovery, and flipping the script on life’s chaos.

I’ve been journaling pretty consistently for over 30 years, and I’d love to share some unique ideas with you!

Why Journaling is the Ultimate Rebel Move

It’s yours; no rules. You do what you want with it. Write messy, angry, sarcastic – Whatever feels real in any given moment.
Supercharged memory keeping. Personally, I have to write everything down or it gets lost in the abyss of chaos in my brain. It’s fun to add pictures, drawings, ephemera, etc to help you reexperience momentous events!
Empowerment through reflection. Your journal can be a safe space to contemplate unconventional ideas, or take control of your thoughts and emotions rather than letting them control you.
Self reflection in a noisy world. Journaling helps you tune out the noise and focus on your voice. Reduce stress, discover yourself, embrace your imperfections, boost your creativity, and gain insight into who you truly are.

How to Journal Like a Rockstar

Step 1 : Forget the aesthetics. Or don’t. Make it yours!

It doesn’t need to be pretty. A beat up notebook and a pen that barely works will suffice. You don’t even need to write full sentences – bullet points, doodles, or rants are all fair game.
Or… Get creative if you want! Use bold colors, write diagonally across the page, tear shit up and paste it in with gum if you like.
Better yet, do both!

Step 2 : Don’t overthink it (unless you want to).

Set a timer for 5 minutes and spew your thoughts out, raw and unfiltered. Being brutally honest promotes personal growth.

Inspiring Creative Weapons to Consider

Analog anarchy. Different sizes and different paper thicknesses are good for different purposes.
Digital nomadic. Apps like Notion and Daybook are good options.
Prompts. The analog Daily Stoic Journal is insightful, the Five Minute Journal has both analog and digital options, and the Rosebud app uses AI to provide prompts and insights twice daily!

Creative and Unconventional Journaling Approaches

I’ve compiled more ideas than anyone could ever want…lol :

write angry letter you probably shouldn’t send
burn the rulebook : What would you do differently if society didn’t dictate your choices?
collage your emotions or aspirations when words feel limiting
essence journaling : a one sentence summary or highlight of your day, or just give each day a song or TV show title
daily log, like Austin Kleon’s logbook : just the facts (who, what, where)
gratitude (I know, not unconventional, but it promotes a positive mindset and mindful appreciation of “the little things”)
anti gratitude : acknowledge and accept your personal imperfections and flaws – how can you use them to your advantage?
stream of consciousness chaos / morning pages : 3 pages, 5 minutes, whatever constraint you want to use, just braindump everything on your mind and don’t stop writing (even if you’re just saying “I don’t know what to write” repeatedly like Bart Simpson on a chalkboard)
private vlogs and be considered journaling, and can even get you comfortable in front of a camera, which can actually be a valuable skill these days
note peoples’ names, and use them (your barista might eventually gift you a freebie!)
Bullet Journaling didn’t really start as a planning method or creative outlet, y’know?!?
argue with yourself – challenge your negative self talk
write about the same event from multiple perspectives (your own, the other person’s, and an objective observer’s) to gain insight and compassion
mind maps can go in all sorts of directions
track your habits, or moods
commonplacing (link PKM post) : write down quotes or paragraphs that get you thinking, and reflect on them
poems, dreams, sketches, sticker bombs
periodic reflections, like my “Where I’m At” posts
brainstorm your passion projects
goal tracking : “What’s working? What’s not? What’s next?”
daily check in : “What went well? What sucked? What can I do better tomorrow?”
shadowwork prompts, like “What are my biggest fears?” or “What are my darkest secrets?”

A List of Lists to Make When You’re Bored

(Because I’m into lists right now lol)

Things I’ve Been Told I Can’t Do (But Will Anyway)
Lies Society Told Me (and the Truths I’m Replacing Them With)
Ways I Can Rebel Against My Own Expectations
Traditions I Don’t Care About (and Why That’s Okay)
Reasons I’m a Total Badass
Things I Love About Myself That Others Might Find “Weird”
Compliments I’ve Always Wanted to Hear (and Can Give Myself)
Wins I Don’t Celebrate Enough
Things That Make Me Unique (and Why That’s Awesome)
Things I’ve Been Afraid to Admit (Until Now)
Habits That Are Holding Me Back (and What to Replace Them With)
Moments When I Felt Powerful
People, Places, or Things That Drain My Energy
What I’d Do If Failure Wasn’t a Concern
Rebel Mantras I Want to Live By
Songs That Feel Like an Anthem for My Life
People I’d Love to Have a Conversation With (Dead or Alive)
Things That Inspire Me to Dream Big
Tattoos I’d Get (Even If Just for Fun)
Things I Want to Learn This Year That Have Nothing to Do with Work
Ways I Can Simplify My Life Without Losing What Matters
Goals That Feel Impossible (But Aren’t)
People or Things I Need to Let Go Of
Times I Trusted My Gut and It Paid Off
Risks I Took That Changed Everything
Mistakes I Don’t Regret
Dreams I Let Go Of and Why They Don’t Fit Me Anymore
Winter Activities That Bring Me Joy
Ways I Can “Hibernate” to Recharge This Month
Goals I Want to Bloom This Spring
Small Luxuries That Feel Like Self-Love
Times I Took a Stand: List moments where you stood up for yourself or others.
People Who Inspire Me: Write about people who have had a positive impact on your life.
Unapologetic Desires: Things you want in life without feeling the need to justify them to anyone.
Moments of Pure Joy: Instances that brought you immense happiness.
Random Acts of Kindness: Acts of kindness you’ve done or received.
Unexplored Places: Destinations you’ve always wanted to visit.
“Mini Adventures for My Soul”
Boundaries I Refuse to Compromise
Toxic Patterns I’m Consciously Dismantling
My Personal “Fuck It” Manifesto
Ways I’ve Outgrown Past Versions of Myself
Personal Definitions of Success (That Don’t Involve Money)
My Non-Negotiable Personal Values
“Things I’d Tell My Younger Self” (But wouldn’t listen to)

What I Do (For Now)

I use a combination of digital and analog.

Digital :

Notion : I have a database for journaling that includes some templates with prompts, but I mostly just use a daily template for habit and mood tracking and daily “interstitial journaling”. I use my daily logs for weekly (etc) reviews, and for long form journaling in my analog notebook when I have time.
Rosebud AI : It’s a pretty fascinating free app that provides prompts and insights, which I’ve found pretty useful at times!

Analog :

A6 pocket notebook : Kind of a commonplace book and an on the go journal for those rare times when I can take myself out to lunch. I usually just note interesting things I’ve heard or read and would like to write more about when I have time.
B6 Stalogy : I fell in love with this size in my Bullet Journal phase. Now I use it as my “zenBLITZ BuJo”, and write all of my posts by hand in it!
A5 Stalogy : My long form journal. Where I do all kinds of stuff. Nothing is off limits.

Why Journaling Matters for Us “Rebels”

It’s a tool for liberation from overthinking and self doubt
It’s a way to recharge by reflecting on where you’re at and where you want to go, without anyone else’s input
It builds self awareness by helping you find your truth so that you can fight for it

Things to Keep in Mind

Try to keep things mostly positive or light hearted. Like 80/20. It’s good to vent, and a journal can be a cathartic place for that, but it’s not good to ruminate. Draw the line somewhere.
Switch up methods as needed. It’s yours, so do you!
Review and reflect! It’s essential to browse through what you’ve written and created from time to time so you can gain some insight and perspective from your experiences. You might just be surprised.

Conclusion / TL;DR

Rockstar journaling is about breaking away from expectations (even your own) and writing your way to clarity, confidence, and self love. The key is to make it fun and personally meaningful. There’s no shortage of ideas to inspire your creativity, but just using a pen and paper to vent your mind is a beautiful creation in its own right! It’s yours – do as you please.

So grab a notebook, ditch the rules, and start journaling your way to a life that’s unapologetically yours. Your story deserves to be heard – even if it’s just by you.

If you enjoyed this post, please give it a “like”, share it with someone you think would enjoy it, and be sure to share your own unconventional journaling techniques in the comments below!

And if you’d like to watch a couple of quick videos about journaling that I’ve recently enjoyed, check these out :

Year End Reflection : 12 Days of Questions to Connect With Your True Self

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They say that “hindsight is 20-20”, suggesting that you learn the most from reflection on your past experiences. In this week’s post, I’m encouraging you to review your calendar, social media posts, journal entries, whatever you can use to gain some insight into the past year so that you can go into the next with clarity & direction. I insist you take your time journaling your answers, when applicable. Here are 12 days worth of questions to connect with your true self :

Past year

Look back through your calendar, etc – What were the best & worst events of the past year?
What was the biggest challenge you faced, & how did you overcome that challenge?
“Let go of things that no longer serve you, & things you can’t control.” – What would you like to leave in the past? How can you do that?
Describe the past year in one sentence.

Life, & the grand scheme of things

What are you passionate about?
What are your most notable skills?
What did you enjoy most when you were a kid?
What are your values?

Next year

What relationships encouraged growth last year, & how can you nurture those relationships this year?
What would you like to end next year saying, “I’m so glad I did (this), I’m proud that I accomplished (that)”?
How can you simplify your desires from #10 so that they align with your values? Consider the Pareto Principle to prioritize the action steps on your quests, meaning that only 20% of your efforts will be truly fruitful.
Describe next year’s focus in one word.

Conclusion

Reflecting on the past is a great way to connect with who you truly are & where you want to go with your life. I hope these questions provide some insight for your direction in the coming year.

If you answer online, leave a comment with a link below!!

And if you’d like a printout of these questions to add to your journal, here you go!

The only thing that helps me focus…

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We live in a time when seemingly everyone has trouble focusing on any one thing. Multi-tasking has become a skill most people aim to perfect because we live in a fast paced world. But if we don’t slow ourselves down regularly, we will inevitably “burn out”, so we need to make a point to take care of ourselves regularly.

I love me some Zen Habits – One of the things Leo mentions often is making a habit of taking regular mindfulness breaks throughout the day. So, in this article, I’m going to discuss this, as well as ideas on how to practice. (And remember, it’s practice! 😉)

The habit of regular mindfulness breaks

It’s easy for life to pass us by when we’re running from one thing to another, be it work to dinner to school, or whatever. We’re always on the go. Life is a precious & fleeting thing that we’re blessed to be conscious for, so it’s understandable to want to live it to its fullest. At the same time, are we really living, savoring each experience, as we go?? That’s why I think it’s such a good idea to schedule regular mindfulness breaks, whenever they can fit. Of course, it depends on how much time you can spare, whether you schedule a whole day or evening of pampering yourself, or if you can only sit for a minute or two. Depending on what I’m doing, most days I spend a few minutes every couple hours doing some exercise or meditation. If I’ve been particularly busy & need to recharge, I’ll carve out a few hours. But of course, mindfulness can be practiced anytime, anywhere, whenever you just focus on the present moment. 🕉

Acts of mindfulness

Anytime you immerse yourself in the present moment, you are practicing mindfulness. You could do this for a few seconds, or a few hours; it’s quality over quantity. You could immerse yourself in a walk in a park, or for a few seconds at work. Practice focusing on one thing. I do a lot of yoga, especially prior to meditation, because it helps calm my body; I meditate because it helps calm my mind. Really, anything you focus on is a type of meditation, including yoga, tai chi, & other exercises; I listen to a lot of trance music & usually use one of my many meditation beads , but I sometimes do visualizations or mantras.

Self care is a matter of necessity, not luxury

As a caregiver for my elderly father, I learned the importance of mindfulness the hard way. It’s a tough situation to be in, but it is what it is, and I try to grow where I’m planted by way of appreciating what I have each moment & trying to plan for the future. Burn out snuck up on me a few years ago, and regular mindfulness breaks are the only thing that has helped me get my head straight.

What do you do to take care of yourself? Let’s chat in the comments below!! 😉