Happiness is within you
Let your mantra this week be, “I feel happiness”
July 18, 2021
For many years I thought that if I had a lot of money to buy the things, I desired then I would be happy. For many years I thought that if I found the perfect job then my career would sky-rocket. For many years I thought that if I found a loving soulmate then life would be full of bliss. If I had all these things, then life would be complete, and I would be happy. This ‘feeling’ of complete happiness that I was seeking was not there. Life was not euphoric. Sure, it is nice to have money to buy things, but they are just material things. Work is work. I would much rather be at the cabin then undergo the stresses attached to a job. Relationships are intricate, simply put. Don’t get me wrong – I’m madly and deeply in love with my soulmate. Why was complete happiness not within my grasp?
Soul searching
Through the past few weeks, I have been doing some deep introspection. This involved purging some household items that have lightened the sensation of being chained to the past. It also involved a lot of soul searching, meditation and self-compassion. What I have come to realize is best described by this quote from Helen Keller, “What I am looking for is not out there, it is within me.” As I look back on life, I can see how dependent I was on people and things to make me happy.
The greener side of life
There was also this tendency to compare myself to others. If I only had what they had, I would be happy just like them. However, I soon discovered that while some people appear to have it all, it isn’t necessarily so. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. I have discovered to be content with what I have, finding slivers of joy in everyday living. I truly do not know what another person is going through. My time and energy are better spent on improving my quality of life, rather than being envious of others.
For me, this means being content with what I have. If I don’t like it, then I urge myself to do something about. Not always an easy task. Truth be told, I threw myself a pity party a couple of weeks ago, but it only lasted a few minutes. It’s okay to not feel okay. I am not a superhero. What I do know is that I am going to be with me for my entire life. Happiness starts within me and ends with me.
Get comfortable being in your own skin – you are living with you for the rest of our life.
Inspiring thought:
Let your mantra this week be, “I feel happiness”, encouraging yourself to be of a happy mind. A happy mind may just lead to a happy life.
Wishing you a wonderful week! ♥
-Raspberry Rock ASMR
Minding your emails
Get caught up in living life – it has so much to offer.
April 25, 2021
Every evening as I prepare to relax and wind down, I reach for a card deck full of inspiring quotes. As I turn the card over this evening, the written words brought a smile to my face – “Look on the bright side”. I immediately smiled. You see, this past Friday I was determined that my day was going to be upbeat, cheerful, and nothing was going to prevent me from enjoying an evening of quiet solitude. You may be thinking easier said than done! At times it is challenging. Figuring out what exactly clouds my bright side and nipping it in the bud is step on the right path.
Curbing automatic impulses
Pesky emails tend to trigger my moods. Digging into my mindfulness toolbox, I realized the need for me to be better in tune with my thoughts and feelings. In the past emails can ruled my day. I had to be on the pulse in case I missed something important that needed my utmost attention. Reality check – there are no emergencies in my work world. Chunking out time for emails serves me much better than constantly monitoring the inbox. The urge to check my emails has been put in check. I do not deny there are urges to click, click, click. Instead of automatically succumbing to that urge, I pause and take a second. In that second, I have a choice to focus in the moment and not get sidetracked by my email inbox.
Turn it off to turn it on
Last year I decided to turn off the pinging sounds of email notification. There are more important things to do, such as living life! Purposely checking emails at certain intervals of the day has helped me give my time to other things that need my attention. I have come to realize that emails can eat up a lot of time, drawing me into a whirlwind of more work than I bargained for. The next thing I know, an hour has passed by as I spin my wheels rather than focussing on the task at hand. I have also noticed that depending on the tone of the email, its content can linger in mind well into the evening, days or over the course of the weekend. Who needs this kind of interruption? Not me! To confront these feelings of unease, I keep whispering to myself to be calm. Such a simple mind tool really does help. With a bit of gentle reminding, it can become habit forming in a good way.
Get caught up in living life – it has so much to offer.
Inspiring thought:
As you sift through your emails this week, notice how much attention you are giving them. Think of ways to shift more of that attention to living and enjoying life.
Wishing you a wonderful week! ♥
-Raspberry Rock ASMR
Spring forward with adventure
Aspire to living a life that gently springs you forward even when challenges come your way.
March 28, 2021
The change of the season is fast approaching and I’m excited to spring into it, curious as to what adventures it will bring. One adventure I am certain of is planting a garden at the cabin. Last year’s crop yielded some vegetables. This year, we aspire to do better. A garden plan has been mapped out, the seeds selected, even the calendar has been populated with significant dates of when to do what. The first steps begin next weekend and I’m super excited and super nervous as I try once again to have a flourishing patch. Part of me thinks I can take the easy route by walking into the grocery store and buying some veggies. The other part of me wants to challenge myself, persevere and overcome those obstacles that present themselves. I got this…I think.
Getting past “I can’t” and moving toward “I can”
If I continually let my brain tell me I can’t move past my challenges, then where does that get me in life? It gets me stuck in no-where-ville. Not a place I want to live in for the rest of eternity. It takes bit a of courage and a sense of curiosity to get past my own self-talk. If I don’t have the tools within me, I seek out supports that give the me inner strength I need to move past those blockages. Here a few ways I aspire to keep moving forward:
- Communicate – Whisper an encouraging word to get through a challenging moment. Public speaking gets me in an anxious state. Hearing a soft voice in my head reminding me to “breathe” gives me the boost I need to be my very best.
- Read and Learn – I’ve rediscovered my love of reading rather than getting caught up in technology for hours on end. Along the way, I may just expand my knowledge on how to enjoy life more and not get bogged down.
- Flow – Feel the flow of positive internal energy throughout every fibre of the body. When I’m out for a walk, I picture how the physical activity provides me with delicious nutrients that nourishes my body, mind and spirit.
- Goodness – Finding one good thing in my day, especially if the day has gone completely sideways, encourages me to keep going.
- Laugh – Pause and take time out to giggle. At times, gathering the strength to face whatever comes my way involves finding some sunshine in laughter. Turning my frown upside down makes it a bit easier to gather the strength to carry on.
Aspire to living a life that gently springs you forward even when challenges come your way.
Inspiring thought:
As the season begins to change, consider how you too can grow, bloom and flourish.
Wishing you a wonderful week! ♥
-Raspberry Rock ASMR
Winter Mindfulness
Let the coldness of winter be warmed by your inner glow.
February 21, 2021
The second week of February brought on a Polar Vortex in my part of the world. I seriously began to wonder if Spring truly will make an appearance next month. As I look out the bedroom window, the sun is startling bright, the sky is a vivid blue, but the temperature could turn my breath into ice crystals. At this very moment, winter is not my friend. There is looming snow in the forecast this week, which in opinion is not a good thing. Why do I live in place where it snows? Where is my island in the sun?
Surviving Winter Months
As you can tell, I might not love the winter season as much as some people do. While I would be most happy to act like a bear and hibernate, realistically, I need to embrace it somewhat if I’m going to get through it. Daily walks have certainly helped as it benefits my mind and body. I amazed myself as I went for a long walk after work – on a Friday!! I felt so much better for it and then treated myself to some yummy pad thai! Sometimes I have to convince myself to walk as I’m not always in the mood. Once I get out there though, I am grateful for the opportunity.
Look for Opportunities
Rather than thinking winter is conspiring against me, I have learned to look for mindful opportunities that helps me cope and stay motivated. I share with you some of my practices that bring me ease:
- Gratitude – Basic needs such as hot water for showers, a furnace to heat the home and a nice warm bed to sleep in are sometimes overlooked. I am thankful to have these amenities during the cold winter months.
- Comfort food – A recent trip to the cabin brought with it a bitterly cold ATV ride into the property. Dinner that evening was a warm bowl of mash potatoes, veggies and barbeque chicken. I savoured each delicious bite.
- Stretch – A bit of gentle body stretching every day feels so good. It doesn’t require fancy gym equipment and is absolutely free.
- Wind down – A couple of hours before bed, I tune out technology in my quest for a more restful sleep. Reading a book under some cozy warm covers has served me well.
- Find opportunity – I have purged some closets, which was long overdue and felt so liberating to release what I felt was stagnant energy.
Let the coldness of winter be warmed by your inner glow.
Inspiring Thought:
Winter has boundless opportunities to live life. How you choose to benefit from its bounty is entirely up to you.
Wishing you a wonderful week! ♥
-Raspberry Rock ASMR
A year to shine brightly
A bright outlook is a gentle reminder to live each day with positive intention.
January 24, 2021
For me, the lighting of candles in the darkness of winter casts a brightness over the sombre season. The soft glow warms my spirit as I hide from the cold outdoor temperatures. Although this new year has been somewhat different. My desire to hibernate has been replaced by the urge to get outside and walk. Throughout January, I have been walking once, if not twice a day. This is not like me at all. For many years during the winter months, yoga is my exercise of choice. What has come over me? I attribute it to my new outlook of embracing winter as a way of shining brightly no matter what comes my way, including snow!
Live with authenticity
In my younger years, I shone a different kind of light that craved the social scene. As I progressed in life, I discovered that crowds were not my jam. I still forced myself to go out. What I really wanted to do was to be home where there was peace and quiet. As an introvert, I treasure my Friday nights of staying inside and watching a movie. I no longer feel bad telling friends I am leaving the dinner party because my cozy bed is calling me for much needed rest. Either they get it, or they don’t. What matters is that I am being true to me.
Self-care is calling you
If I am in the city, my weekends are filled with activity. When I am at the cabin, there is activity, but at a slower pace. Naps creep up on me and I gladly welcome them. I have learned to adjust my schedule in the city, slowing down the pace. My mornings are spent on long walks through the neighbourhood. The earlier the I venture out on my walk, the better, as I witness everything wake up with the sun. My time in the crisp air rejuvenates my spirit. Taking care of me is essential for my body, mind, and spirit to radiate.
Remember to breathe
I continue to work on nipping the chitter chatter that may dim my light. I have been concentrating on my breath as a way to anchor myself and be present, rather than being carried away by thoughts that do not serve my brightest self. Every morning, I take a deep breath and imagine it enveloping my entire being with a bright sparkling light. A light that is beacon of well-being and wellness. With a light so bright, it also serves to outshine any drama that comes my way. I purposely choose to be well. This purpose and intention explains the uptake in walks!
A bright outlook is a gentle reminder to live each day with positive intention.
Inspiring Thought:
Spend a bit of time this week and reflect on how you want to show up in your life and shine brightly throughout the year.
Wishing you a wonderful week! ♥
-Raspberry Rock ASMR