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What inspires you? This is a question I ask all my clients. Most of the time, I get a similar response of "I don't know" or "I never really thought of that." That's why I'm asking you today: What inspires you? What lights you up and brings a smile to your heart? It's totally ok if you don't know the answer right now. It's not a question you get asked everyday. But, I invite you to sit with it. Because what inspires you is the Universe's way of telling you what you're made for. Your purpose, your dharma, your ikigai. I love that word "ikigai." It's a Japanese word that means "a reason for being; the thing that gets you up in the morning." This sense of purpose is a theme in the blue zones, which are areas of the world that have the most centenerians (healthy, active adults over the age of 100). So, again, it's ok if you don't know what you're ikigai is right now. Here's a hint though. Notice what activities energize you. Notice the moments that bring you joy. And, keep walking towards that. The rest will simply unfold. I want to share something with you that's been lighting me up recently. I've always been passionate about finding ways to uplift and encourage women to step fully into their highest selves. In fact, that's where this all started. My blog, yoga and coaching offerings all started with this in mind. So, I was completely impressed when I heard about Sseko. It's a fashion brand that creates university scholarships for young women in Uganda. It also creates full-time, fair-wage, dignified jobs for women around the world. I just discovered this a few months ago, and it's been lighting me up. With all the craziness going on in the world right now, Sseko has been filling my life up with hope and impact, purpose and passion, love and light. So much so that I wanted to share it with you this week! Here's a 5-minute video about how it all got started and the impact Sseko is having around the world. It's a really inspiring story. I've watched this video so many times, and am inspired each time. So, I hope you'll take a few minutes watch this now: If any of this inspires you, if you're looking for something super-positive to align with, here are a few ways you can get involved:
Do you ever find yourself mindlessly scrolling through social media? Hours pass by and you don't know where all that time went? This was a habit I wanted to break a few weeks ago. Don’t get me wrong, I love social media! When used intentionally, social media can lead to genuine connection. In fact, I’ve met some of my best friends and business partners through social media! At the same time, it’s easy to fall into the rhythm of mindless scrolling. Not really cultivating genuine connection, but scrolling to pass the time. Well, with Covid quarantine, I realized that I was going through a phase of aimless scrolling. I knew that I wanted to spend less time scrolling and more time doing something else that nourished my soul. But, it had become such a habit to touch those little icons on my phone and check in! That's when I realized that in order to change my habit, I had to change my focus... Keep Reading, or Watch The Video Below... You see, I kept saying to myself, "I need to spend less time scrolling." This wasn’t very motivating. If anything, it made me feel more guilty about my scrolling habit than anything else! I realized that I needed to focus on what I want, instead of what I don't want. Instead of repeating the mantra, "I need to spend less time scrolling," I sat down and made a list of all the things I wanted to do instead:
Let me give you another example: I love coffee! At the same time, I know I get anxious if I drink too much coffee and it affects my sleep. So, a few months ago, I decided I wanted to cut back on my brew. Instead of saying, "I need to cut back on coffee," I started writing in my weekly planner "Drink more herbal teas." I decided to focus on what I wanted (the warmth and comfort of herbal tea), not on what I want less of (the jitters of drinking too much coffee!). So, here's the life hack: Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want. Start with the habit you're trying to break. Why are you trying to break that habit? What's the "pain" it's causing you? Is it draining you? Does it make you upset, irritable, anxious, or frustrated? Get clear on why you want to make the change in the first place. Then, think about the opposite. How do you want to feel instead, and what can get you there? For me, aimlessly scrolling on my phone left me feeling drained. I wanted to feel nourished and energized. I know that reading, playing music, and dancing all make me feel energized and happy. So, I decided to focus on those activities instead. I wrote those down so I can see it everyday. I know that too much coffee makes me anxious. I also know that herbal teas help me feel balanced. So, I wrote down "drink herbal tea" on my weekly planner, focusing on what I want, not on what I don't want. So, make a list now of 1-3 things that you can do instead. What are those 1-3 things you want to do more of in your life? That make you feel good, happy, strong, and energetic. Write those on a sheet of paper or index card and put it somewhere that you'll see it daily. And then, practice self-compassion. As you begin to integrate some of these new activities into your life, you may have some setbacks and that's ok. The fact is if you're doing more of these new activities, even for a few minutes a day, that's progress and you'll notice a change in how you feel. Celebrate it! And, come back here to leave a comment with your wins, so I can help you celebrate too!! |
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