The dictionary states it as something “…that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight:”
For me,beauty is more than pleasing, it’s something that takes my breath away. I feel beauty in a way I can’t always put into words. For me it’s overwhelming. It’s a sight so mesmerising that I can’t look away; a piece of music that brings tears to my eyes; an act of love that makes my insides tingle and my heart swell.
Here is a handful of things that I find truly beautiful…
~ genuine smiles ~ vintage crockery ~ spontaneous gift giving ~ laughter ~ wrapped presents, particularly homemade ones ~ a random text enquiringly after my wellbeing ~ a sunset on the beach ~ movie soundtracks ~ handmade chocolates ~ glass chandeliers ~ fields of wild flowers ~ handwritten notes ~ children’s paintings ~ proper hugs ~ the perfect quote ~
So I ask you, what would you put on your list?
If you’re in a place at the moment, where you feel it’s just too difficult to see anything beautiful – hang in there. Challenge yourself daily, to find one thing that you would call beautiful. It could be as simple as the mug you drink your morning coffee from, a bird flying across your garden or the sun shining through your window.
Beauty is as individual as we are.
What is your idea of beautiful? How can you incorporate more of this in your life?
My love of flowers is well documented on my Instagram account.
There’s something so beautiful about a flower when I look at it through a camera lens that I can’t help but smile.
“Bloom, in your own space and at your own pace”
I said that
Flowers don’t concern themselves with what every other plant in the garden is doing. They do what they do best and bloom where planted.
Starting to live a more authentic life can be daunting. It’s about assessing which elements of your life no longer serve you or fit in with who you are becoming. You can feel lonely, even misunderstood or struggle to fit in where you once belonged. You may even encounter resistance from people who don’t want you to change.
If you’re wondering if it’s all worth it, here are 3 thoughts to keep you motivated and reassure you that any path that takes you closer towards the best version of yourself is one that’s worth walking down.
Bloom
Be who you are. Stand out, grow tall, bloom. Be there as the truest version of yourself, not pretending or trying to be like anyone else. Be extraordinary, whatever your role – be great at it. Put effort into all you do, even if no one is watching. Commend yourself on a job well done and remember to love yourself in all your uniqueness.
In your own space
Wherever you are – be amazing. Claim your space. Your home, your work, your ideas. Don’t be concerned with what others are doing alongside of you. Focus on you and your little piece of the world. Make it work for you. Make it beautiful, fill it with things that inspire you, make you smile. Surround yourself with like minded people. Find your tribe, people who have great energy, who are great to be around.
At your own pace
Keep growing, always moving closer to your goals. Your journey is unique to you. Don’t be concerned with what anyone else is doing or how they’re doing it. Don’t compare yourself to someone else. Don’t run before you can walk but also don’t focus on the finish line. The learning is in the journey. The path may not be straight and have boulders in the way, but it will be worth it. Change happens slowly and one step at a time. Keep going.
One last point, do it. Do it now. Nothing lasts forever.
April is still a mere infant and the sun has made an appearance this week – not bad for a school holiday!
I get excited at the prospect of a new day – fresh, clean, untouched yet by misery and full of promise. Often, we plod through the day on auto pilot not noticing the magic nor enjoying the marvel that is. Too frequently we get caught up in the mundane and forget to be grateful for what we have.
Here are my top 3 ways to ensure you get the most out of your 24 hours:
Listen to your body
What is it telling you? Do you need a day of hard work and focus, to get stuff done or do you need to unplug and relax?
Whether you want a day to yourself, a day to connect (or reconnect) with friends and family, a day spent clearing your to-do list or some time fully emerged in projects to stay ahead of the game. Listen to what your body is saying it wants to do. If your days are free, great – carve out some time to do what you need. However, if you have commitments – start with just an hour. It’s so easy to get caught up in the rat race, to lose track of what we want to do because we’re so focused on what we think we need to do.
I was lucky enough recently to have a whole day to myself – and it was just what I needed. I was feeling burnt out and needed some quiet time to clear my head. I decided to spend it doing lots of little things just for me – mini spa treatments in my bathroom, healthy lunch, a leisurely walk, bought myself flowers, drank wine while I read…you get the idea. I listened to my body and knew I needed some down time, time spent in the present not focusing on the past or worrying about things yet to come.
Action: Give yourself the gift of time.
Have a plan
Decide what needs to be accomplished and write it down, preferably the night before. List your priorities. I’m a lover of lists (in case you didn’t know) as you don’t have to hold all that extra information in your brain once it’s on the paper.
Set your intentions for the day and decide how you are going to spend your time. Break large jobs up into smaller tasks and have regular breaks. Going for a short walk, drinking water, being distracted for 10 minutes can aid increased focus and clearer thinking. Reward yourself – complete a monotonous or difficult task first, then do something a little more fun, creative or easy. Don’t focus on all you have yet to complete – just the things you are getting done. Sometimes things don’t go to plan and we have to exercise our flexibility bone – hey it happens to the best of us. Let go, move on and congratulate yourself on the things you did do – amazingly, I’m sure.
Action: Plan for what you would like to accomplish today
See each day as having potential
It’s a new start, a clean slate, 24 hours of brand spanking newness.
Don’t ponder on yesterday. That’s over. Look forward with anticipation at what the day may bring. Start the day believing it could be great, with your glass half full, that the universe is working with you not against you.
When the sun shines, I always feel the day seems to have a lightness about it. This in turn seems to encourage a lightness in my heart as if the rays from the sun are pouring their warmth and love into all things living, creating a day filled with positvity and happiness. People seem happier, they comment on the weather and how much nicer it is when the sun’s out.
What if you could recreate this feeling just by choosing to make it so? To look for the magic in the new day, the friendly faces, to see the good stuff, the endless possibilities, the lessons to be learned, opportunities to be had, new memories to be made? What if you showed up today expecting the day to be amazing and focused on the potential it could hold?
Action: Be open to the possibilities of having a fabulous day
We all have the same 24 hours in a day (except Beyonce, obviously) – how we view them though is unique to us. Make it work for you, be productive, have some fun, find the balance.
Life…such a short word to describes the enormity of everything you are and have experienced.
None of us really know how long we have left; what stories still to tell, actions not yet accomplished, memories not made.
I was reminded of this recently with the sudden death of a neighbour. Sobering thought how your life can change in an instant. The only thing we can be sure of is this moment, right now. It’s the age old saying of enjoy every day as if it’s your last – because it just may well be.
But do you enjoy your days?
Do you stroll through the sunshine noticing the magic, delighting in the detail, savouring the sights and sounds as you make memories?
Or do you move through the fog unseeing, experiencing the days as one long chore, the mundane day to day getting you down – believing life would be so much easier if everyone just left you alone?
Your attitude towards life greatly influences your experiences and that of the people close by. It’s only when you are reminded of how short it really is that you pause and take stock of what’s important.
So take a moment, right now and wonder where and what are your priorities? Don’t wait for a tragedy to enforce changes. Don’t leave things left unsaid. Don’t have regrets.
Make one change today – just a small one that might influence someone else’s day, make you smile or have a positive impact on your four letter word.
One day people will be reminiscing and sharing stories about you and your life.
Radical thought, I know – I mean I’m guessing no one has ever asked you that before!
When I have a day where I haven’t experienced any magic, found any joy or felt much love it’s what I ask myself.
What would your day look like if you only made choices that were in line with what your soul desired and how different would your life be if your motivation was to create experiences that fitted in with these desires?
We are driven by deadlines, pressured by the media and spend most of ours days trying to prove our worth whilst comparing ourselves to the person next to us.
But what if you already believed you were enough?
What if, instead of running around like a headless chicken, you completed one job at a time allowing yourself to celebrate the achievements of a job well done? What if, rather than rushing onto the next purchase you spent time enjoying what you already owned? What if, next time you’re feeling bored by the day to day, you delighted in the detail and noticed opportunities for gratitude and learning?
I began to think about this and narrowed down how I would like to feel each day – contented, happy, excited, fulfilled, connected, grounded. Next I wondered what I would need to do to manifest these feelings without doing anything too radical. This wasn’t a fantasy imagine your perfect dayexercise. This was a series of small actions that I could incorporate into my day easily. This was what I came up with:
~ laughing out loud ~ smiles ~ good coffee ~ gratitude ~ learn something new ~ music ~ a hug ~ creativity ~ engaging conversations ~ a quiet space ~ to feel inspired ~ glitter ~ self love ~ enough sleep ~ a hug ~ seeing something beautiful ~ family & friends ~ fresh air ~ exercise ~ books ~ remembering I am enough ~ self love ~ a project to work on ~ gift giving ~ time alone ~ something to look forward to ~
“Not an impossible list”, I thought after I’d finished. None of the items on my list were expensive or particularly time consuming. I’d surprised myself by realising I probably did most of these things sporadically – I just needed to do them more regularly.
What would your soul tell you if you listened to it? How would you like to feel each day? What experiences would generate these feelings?
I ask myself every morning how I want to feel. Then I make sure I do at least one thing from my list.
The Shimmer Within Her 