Evaluating the old before you start planning for the new

December 22, 2016December 22, 2016 ~ Nicky M ~ 13 Comments

Do you dread the New Year or do you await it’s arrival with much anticipation?

Many of us look forward to the New Year, make plans, set goals and hope the next 12 months are as good, if not better than the last ones.

Whilst this is all good and well (I’m not a fan of New Years resolutions – but do set intentions) sometimes we are so impatient to move on we forget how important it is to spend a moment reflecting on the last year.

Without a good ending you cannot be ready for the new start.

Without reflection you cannot be sure on what worked well or what you would like to leave behind.

Without reminiscing about the past you cannot be sure of the things you wish to repeat or have remain in your life in the future.

Spend just a few moments thinking about the last 12 months and give your mind, emotions and soul chance to spring clean the mental cobwebs of 2016 away.

I like to journal about my year very, very simply.

What am I letting go of?

This year, it’s the unhealthy thoughts I have about myself, the choices I made that I replay over and over in my mind, the overthinking and trying to second guess everything, the beliefs that I have adopted that aren’t true for me any longer, the skeletons that are in the closet of the person I used to be.

What did I learn?

Recently I learned not to judge people by my standards, actually not to judge people at all, sometimes the right decisions are the hardest, it’s not someone else’s job to make you happy, it’s not my job to rescue everyone, you will be strong when you need to, you should take the time to celebrate something every single day.

What do I need to do more of?

I need more quiet time, to slow down, to simplify my life, to embrace being me, to continue to learn, to spend time connecting with others, to smile, to be happy and to let things go, to be fully present in the moment and to trust it will all work out for the best.

There you have it. It’s not rocket science. But I believe it’s important to make the decision to let stuff go, to throw out the bad vibes and inhale the magic and promises that will serve you well should you put your mind to it.

This year should be amazing for you!

Choose to make it the best year yet – set yourself the challenge to look forward to the new with anticipation.

Choose to leave the old behind!

What Are You Thinking?

November 29, 2016November 6, 2016 ~ Nicky M ~ 28 Comments

Did you know that on average we think between 50,000 and 70,000 thoughts per day?

That’s an astounding 40 thoughts per minute!

As an overthinker, I have to work really (and I mean really!) hard to govern what those thoughts entail.

If I’m not having a good day or am tired, I will often find myself caught up in negative self talk, being judgemental or simply wallowing in the depths of a pity party.

We’ve all been there.

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But I’m here to tell you, you don’t have to think every thought that pops into your head

Our thoughts and the effect they have on our lives have been pondered upon by some of the greatest thinkers in history. So it’s not a new subject – but it is one we haven’t mastered yet.

For me, the trick is to notice when you are in this mindset.

When you find your thoughts are less than helpful, negative or unkind – simply acknowledge them and move on. Don’t dwell on them, give them room to grow (because they will) or allow them to take up anymore of your headspace.

Let them go.

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When you allow yourself periods of quiet time, to reflect, journal or simply be still – you give your soul the opportunity to communicate and maybe influence your thoughts.

The stillness is where you can be mindful of your thoughts; when answers might be presented; when your intuition takes centre stage; when your muse comes out to play; when you can really hear what your body is telling you.

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Our thoughts can make us anxious. We fill our lives with stuff and expectations and rarely get off the treadmill long enough to recharge our spiritual batteries. It can be difficult to put life into perspective sometimes and we may feel that everything and everyone is against us. But rarely is that the case.

For me, anxiety rears its’ ugly head when I have not taken care of myself. When I have allowed myself to become overwhelmed, overworked and forgotten to meet my own needs in the process. Do not let yourself get caught up in the shoulda, coulda and have-to’s of life.

Remember to be kind to yourself. Always. Not just when you are feeling low.

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We need to actively be aware of how much our thoughts affect our lives. If you are a glass half empty kind of person, your brain will work hard to confirm that; to show you where your life is not up to scratch or where you are not successful. Likewise, and I truly believe this – if you choose to live your life in a way where you look for the good in people, have gratitude and are more positive – more will come your way.

I promise you this is true.

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You can choose to be happy. Choose to be your own kind of beautiful. Choose to smile. Choose to connect with others. Choose to look after yourself. Choose to notice the little things that make your day brighter. Choose to think helpful thoughts; warm, loving thoughts.

About yourself and others.

Every single day.

Care to share?

What thoughts occupy your mind? Are they productive, helpful and beautiful? Are they full of love and excitement and kindness? Are you in control of what you think?

I’d love to know

You can’t have it both ways

November 28, 2016November 20, 2016 ~ Nicky M ~ 7 Comments

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Life is a balancing act.

Daily we traverse between the yin and yang, wrong and right, light and dark.

We’re in a state of flux; moving forward or backwards, we ebb and flow, exert or rest.

Finding the harmony, the sweet spot, our groove becomes a mission; something we strive for but barely, if ever reach.

We long for the plain sailing, easy come easy go, happy days, or stress free life.

But it’s the difficult times where our true strength comes alive. We get through it. We learn. We grow.

There would be no rainbow without the rain.

No lotus without the mud.

No gratitude without the loss.

No sense of relief without experiencing the pain.

No true love without a pinch of heartache.

No trust without faith.

No success without hard work.

No goals without dreams.

No life without living it to the fullest.

As much as we would love, dream about a life that’s easy peasy and trouble free, it’s during adversity that we shine. We come alive. We survive.

Your life is a balancing act of your difficulties and celebrations. You cannot have one without the other.

Feeling Thankful

November 25, 2016 ~ Nicky M ~ 9 Comments

Regardless of whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, we all have room in our lives for a little gratitude.

Saying thanks for what you have helps you hunt for the positives, focus your mind on the present moment, aids contentment.

Start small and see how quickly you can change your frame of mind. Think of 3 things you are grateful for or glad you experienced today before you fall asleep.

Give a whispered thankyou for the potential of a brand new day right before you get up in the morning.

The more you look for, the more you will find.

Here’s my list of 10 things I am grateful for today…

⭐️ Warm doggy noses in my ear

⭐️ A hubby who makes me a cup of tea when I come home after a long day

⭐️ Facebook videos and jokes that make me laugh

⭐️ Kids that ask “How was your day?”

⭐️ My happy household

⭐️ Loved ones

⭐️ My journey so far

⭐️ My love of books

⭐️ The little things that make me smile

⭐️ The weekend lie-ins

Moaning is easy. Whining is an everyday affair. Negativity permeates every corner of our day.

True strength lies in believing in better; compassion over conflict; sprinkling positivity over all you come into contact with and smiling from the depths of your soul.

Be grateful for this precious moment.

What’s got you feeling all thankful this weekend? Let me know below.

What inspires you to continue to write, when it’s all been said before?

November 24, 2016October 31, 2016 ~ Nicky M ~ 14 Comments

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Someone asked me this question recently, and it made me wonder.

Wonder where my inspiration comes from?

Wonder if I will eventually run out of ideas?

Wonder if my readers truly like what I write?

Wonder if my readers would stick around if I ever decided to write about something new?

Wonder why am I still writing when some days it’s hard to juggle a blog with a full time job?

After a moment of wondering, I realised a couple of things…

The thing is, it has all been written before – but not in my style, in my voice, my way.

I find inspiration to write in what I see, what I encounter and how I feel about these experiences.

I am inspired by many, many things…

💛 a beautiful dress 💛 a rainbow 💛 an evening cuddling on the sofa 💛 a story 💛 a beautiful picture 💛 a walk 💛 a conversation 💛 laughter 💛 a kind gesture 💛 smiles 💛 beautifully wrapped gifts 💛 someone else’s blog 💛 a quote 💛 a thought provoking article 💛 meditation 💛 reflection time 💛 exercise 💛 my children 💛 the children I work with 💛 people who get up every morning and face the world 💛 kindness 💛