Living Now

Mini Journal

Published on by Lyn Bailey
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Is Journaling Right for Everyone?

 

 

 

Journaling is an effective tool often used for self-reflection and personal growth. Self-reflection is the process of thinking about and evaluating one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

 

It is a way of assessing oneself to make changes and improve one’s life. Self-reflection can be done through journaling, therapy, or simply taking time each day to think about your experiences and how they have affected you.

 

Self-reflection is critical because it allows you to see yourself objectively and to understand your thoughts and feelings better. It helps you identify areas in your life that you want to change. By practicing reflection, you can make positive changes that will lead to a happier and more fulfilling life.

 

Journaling can also be used to help improve your mental health, physical health, relationships, work-life and more. However, it’s not suitable for everyone.

 

If you’re not ready to truly look at yourself with an objective eye, act on the information you gain from this insight and do the work necessary to become the person you want to be, journaling may not be right for you at this time. When you’re ready, then journaling can help.

 

Below are some characteristics that may indicate that journaling could be a struggle for you. We’ve also included tips to help you overcome the problem so you can try to make it work.

 

You have trouble focusing

 

If you have trouble focusing on one task for an extended period of time, journaling may seem frustrating to you. The act of writing can be very calming and therapeutic, but it requires a certain level of focus and concentration. If your mind wanders, you may find it challenging to stay on track while journaling.

 

Tip to overcome this: If you have trouble focusing, try setting a timer and concentrate on writing for that amount of time. Alternately, rotate how you journal. One day, focus on what you’re writing. The next day, let yourself freely write whatever comes to mind, whether or not it makes sense. 

 

You are not comfortable with self-reflection

 

Journaling involves self-reflection, learning to be open and honest with yourself. Getting to know yourself on a much deeper level. If you’re not comfortable looking inward and examining your thoughts and feelings, you may find journaling an uncomfortable experience.

 

Tips to overcome this: If you’re not comfortable with self-reflection, try journaling about topics other than yourself. You can write about current events, your favorite TV show, or anything else that interests you. Share your thoughts, opinions, and feelings on the topics and even how the topics affect your life. 

 

 

You are resistant to change

 

If you’re resistant to change, journaling may be less effective than you wish. The act of journaling can be compelling and transformative, but it requires a willingness to reflect on your life and make changes. If you’re not ready to change your life, you may find journaling tedious.

 

Tips to overcome this: If you’re resistant to change, try journaling about your resistance. Why are you resistant to change? What are your fears? You may find exploring your resistance is not as impossible as you thought.

 

You are not comfortable with emotions

 

If you’re truly honest with yourself when writing, journaling can be emotionally intense. If you’re not comfortable dealing with your emotions, journaling may be an uncomfortable experience when first starting out. 

 

Tips to overcome this: If you’re not comfortable with emotions, try writing about them in a detached way. Don’t judge your emotions. Just observe them. What do they feel like? What are they telling you? By observing your emotions without judgment, you may find that they’re not as scary as you first thought.

 

Journaling is a fantastic way to improve yourself and your life. While it can be a struggle and may feel uncomfortable at first, if you’re in the right mindset and willing to do the work, the benefits can be rewarding. If you try it and find it isn’t right for you, that’s perfectly okay. Use the tools that work best for you to overcome the roadblocks that limit your ability to live the life you want.

 

To find out if journaling is for you, download your FREE Gratitude Mini Journal below and give it a try.

 

Click here for your FREE Gratitude Mini Journal
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Benefits of a Balanced Schedule

Published on by Lyn Bailey
Click here to get your FREE Weekly Planner

Benefits of Having a Balanced Schedule

 

If you want to get more done in life without feeling too busy and burning out, it’s imperative that you create a balanced schedule. A balanced schedule has enormous benefits for your life when you make sure to account for what you need and want to do in every area of your life as you make the schedule. 

 

When you have a balanced schedule, you:

 

·      Get more done because you’re efficient with your time

·      Feel less stressed because you’re not overwhelmed by a packed schedule

·      Have more free time to enjoy life apart from work and responsibilities

·      Are able to focus better on the task at hand when you have regular breaks

·      Avoid burnout from working too much or taking on too much at once

 

A balanced schedule is the key to a happy, productive life. If you currently feel overwhelmed, stressed, and like you can’t keep up, it’s time to take a step back and assess your schedule. See what can be cut out , delegated or spread out more evenly. You’ll be surprised at how much better you feel when you have a handle on your time.

 

Creating a balanced schedule means looking at all the areas of your life and ensuring there’s enough time for everything important to you. This includes work, family, friends, hobbies, and taking care of yourself. If one area takes up too much of your time, something else is likely suffering.

 

For example, if you’re working long hours, you may not have enough time for your family or friends. Or, if you’re spending all your free time on hobbies, you may neglect your work or other obligations. Therefore, finding a good balance between all the areas of your life is essential.

 

One way to do this is to create a weekly schedule where you block out time for each area of your life. This can help you see where you may need to make some adjustments. For instance, if you realize you’re working too much, you can cut back on your hours or take on less work. Or, if you’re not spending enough time with your family or friends, you can make an effort to schedule more social activities.

 

Like your boss, friend, and neighbor, you only have 24 hours a day, so be realistic regarding how much time you can devote to each area of your life. Also, keep in mind that your schedule may need to change from week to week, depending on what’s going on in your life. So schedule the most critical aspects of your life, like work and family, and then fill in the rest of your time with other activities.

 

A balanced schedule is essential for a happy, productive life. When you are mindful about what you really need to live a satisfying life, pay close attention to ensure there’s enough time for everything important to you. You can avoid stress, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed by taking a look at your schedule and making the necessary adjustments to create a more balanced life.

 

 

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Taming Time

Published on by Lyn Bailey

Taming Time

Click here for your FREE Weekly/Daily Planner

Tame Your Time

 

 

Managing your time is not just good practice but it is also good for productivity, organization and achieving success with your goals. By managing your time properly and efficiently you can create an organized life. It doesn’t need to be overwhelming if you follow the strategies below.

 

Get Up Early

 

The most successful people are early risers and have a morning routine in place. This has been part of my daily routine for as long as I can remember. Even when I was only 7 or 8 years old, I remember getting up early, often watching the sunrise, then spending 2-3 hours studying. I have always had a passion for learning, which I still have today. Age has not lessened this passion.

 

Morning routines often include:

 

Ø Meditation

Ø Visualization

Ø Exercise

Ø Reading/Learning

Ø Healthy Eating

Ø Planning/Prioritizing

 

A regular morning routine will ensure that you start your days successfully.

 

To Do List

 

Creating a to do list should be a regular habit undertaken daily. The best lists are 10 items or less to ensure that you can complete it. Don’t forget to prioritize the items on the list and review it throughout the day. Checking off items as they are completed will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivation.

 

Sticky Notes

 

Sticky notes are ideal for displaying reminders of tasks, motivational quotes and visualizations. If you’ve got a pile of letters that need to be mailed and that’s an item on your to do list, why not put a sticky note on top of the pile with a deadline for posting them? It’ll serve as a reminder to get them posted and cleared out of your way.

 

Record It

 

Of course you can record your notes digitally using note taking apps or in a text document, or using pen and paper but have you thought of recording them using a digital recorder? You can get free recording apps for smartphones. By making a voice recording you can replay the recording and listen to your ideas. This will give you the opportunity to listen from a different perspective.

 

Schedule

 

Create a schedule. Using an online planner such as Google Calendar will ensure that you are able to access your schedule on your smartphone, tablet or computer wherever you are. You can color code different categories of entry and share with friends, family and colleagues as necessary.

 

Use Pen and Paper

 

For your most important events, tasks and notes use the traditional recording method of pen and paper with a diary, planner or bullet journal. You can keep it with you at all times, it won’t distract you with messages or run out of power. You’ll also be able to flick through at a glance to see how much you’ve achieved, past or forthcoming events and outstanding tasks.

 

Prioritize

 

Be realistic. Not all tasks and events are created equal. Find a way to highlight events that are essential so that you can see them at a glance and be sure not to miss them. On your lists of things to do always prioritize them and complete the most important first. If there are items that aren’t important or not time sensitive then considering moving them off your current list and on to another day. You can’t do everything.

 

Delegate

 

If there are items on your list that aren’t important then think about delegating them. You don’t need to try and be a superhero and do everything yourself. Kids can tidy away their toys and when old enough learn how to load the dishwasher, set the table and do other simple chores. By enlisting the help of other household members you can get more accomplished in less time.

 

Managing your time properly and efficiently is one of the keys to staying organized.

 

If you want help planning your day and your week, click below to download a FREE Weekly and Daily Planner to guide you.

 

 

 

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Embrace Gratitude

Published on by Lyn Bailey

A Great Way to Embrace Gratitude Every Day

Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions that you can experience. It connects you to what is truly important in your life. It reminds you that as long as you’re breathing, everything is going to be okay. And it helps frame your day, your expectations, and your actions. Embracing gratitude can be as simple as saying thank you. Here are the top ten ways you can invite more gratitude into your life.

# Start a Gratitude Journal

Gratitude journals became popular about ten years ago. Oprah talked about how powerful gratitude was for her and people took note. A gratitude journal is a daily practice where you write down a number of things that you’re grateful for every day.

You can make it part of your daily routine by writing in your journal first thing in the morning as you look at your day or last thing at night. There are mobile apps for gratitude journaling or you can buy a journal. A simple college ruled notebook works too. It doesn’t have to be fancy.

If you need help with recognising gratitude in your life, then call me on +61402855787 for a FREE discovery call, or download this great Gratitude Tool to give you a jumpstart.

 

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3 Tips to Start Your Day

Published on by Lyn Bailey
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Deciding The Best Way for You to Start Your Day Positively

You have decided to start your days with morning gratitude and/or positive thinking. That is great. Now you have to decide how to do it. You have nearly endless options to choose from. Here are some tips for deciding what to choose.

1. It Works For You

Not every option works for everyone. That is normal and to be expected. Everyone is different, after all. Try a few of the options and see what works for you. If something does not seem to work for you, do not feel bad, and definitely do not try to force yourself to keep doing it.

There are many options out there and you will find something that resonates with your soul if you keep looking. Do not settle on the first thing you try unless it grabs you and refuses to let go. Try different options. Experiment.

2. You Can Do It Consistently

Consider your schedule when weighing options. Some methods take more commitment than others, even if that is only a few minutes longer. How much time do you have in the morning? Not just some mornings, either, but every morning.

If you only have a few minutes most days, making a gratitude list in your head is probably a better idea than trying to fit in 30 (or even 10) minutes of yoga. That is not to say that you cannot do more than one thing. Perhaps you can do your gratitude lists every morning and do yoga as well on the weekends.

Remember that whatever you choose must be something you can do each and every day, or at least on 90 percent of them. Life does happen, after all.

3. You Like It (So You Will Do It)

Do you know the number one reason people fail at starting a gym routine? It is not a lack of time or commitment. It is simply that they do not like what they are doing. Humans are strange creatures who are not likely to continue doing something they do not like, at least not unless they have an overwhelmingly good reason to do so.

The same thing applies to trying to create other new habits too. If you do not like something, you probably will not keep it up. Likewise, it is hard to stop bad habits because on some level you like them, and your brain goes – Quit? Why?

This is slightly different than the first tip (something must work for you) because they are two different things. Ninety minutes a day on a treadmill will work to make anyone fit, but few people like that enough to do it!

I find a Gratitude morning ritual is very simple, quick and easy. As soon as I wake up, I take about 3 minutes to ponder on 3 things I have to be grateful for today. This morning it was another day on this earth, my physical health and my 4 amazing children, who are also my four best friends. It’s a wonderful way to start each day.

If you need help developing a morning ritual to start your day with Gratitude, download my FREE “I am Grateful for….” Worksheet .

DOWNLOAD HERE

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5 Benefits to Starting Your Day with Gratitude

Published on by Lyn Bailey

Why Start Your Day With Gratitude and Positive Thinking?

Did you know that starting your day with positivity is one of the best things you can do to improve your life? It has an immediate, powerful impact on your life. The benefits are numerous, and you start experiencing them from the first day you deliberately begin your day being positive and grateful.

These are the top five benefits you gain from a positive start to your day.

Better Mood

Starting your day with positivity increases your mood and helps you have a better day. Being positive brings you inner peace, lowers your stress levels, increases your optimism, and makes you feel good. All of these benefits combine to put you in a better mood.

Taking time out to inject positivity and gratitude into your day improves your mood at all times of the day but it is especially effective first thing in the morning.

Increased Health

Positive people are healthier than their peers. This is partly due to the lower stress levels experienced by those who practice positivity, but there is more to it than that and scientists are still working to understand it. Positive people are healthier on every level and tend to live longer as well!

Starting your day with gratitude and positive thinking sets the tone for your entire day and will lead you to be more positive throughout everything in life.

More Success

Being positive and grateful first thing in the morning helps clear your mind and allows you to focus more on your tasks for the day. This leads directly to having more success every day and over the long term. Positive people, as a whole, are much more successful than others. This is true in every aspect of life, from careers to relationships.

Happiness

Not only does starting your day with gratitude and positive thinking increase your mood, but it makes you happier. It boosts all of the “feel-good” hormones in the brain that make you happy. This isn’t a transitory effect, either; it lasts all day and over the long term increases your overall, permanent level of happiness.

Improved Relationships

When you start your day with positivity, you clear your brain and are in a much better space to relate to the people you care about most. This makes it easier to maintain healthy, caring relationships. This improvement starts almost immediately and lasts over the long run.

These are just a few of the benefits you can get from deliberately beginning each day with gratitude and positive thinking. You will experience many more if you make it a habit!

 

 

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5 Ways Gratitude Can Turn Your Bad Situation Around

Published on by Lyn Bailey

5 Ways Gratitude Can Turn Your Bad Situation Around

Gratitude has the power to get you through difficult times and turn your life around. It can motivate you to keep reaching for your goals by constantly placing what you have already accomplished right in front of you. This is why you are always told to learn to master thankfulness and nurture a grateful mindset.

Eighteen years ago, my marriage of 34 years broke down and ended in divorce. I was devastated. How could I manage on my own? How could I support myself? How could I ever be happy again? I felt so many emotions – guilt, shame, rejection, overwhelm, fear – just to name a few. How could I ever get out of this black hole? I didn’t know where to begin.

So, one day a few months later, I was meditating, a practice I have been doing daily for many, many years, when this thought popped into my mind. “There is so much to be thankful for. You have 4 amazing children, 2 beautiful granddaughters, your health, a roof over your head, a great career as a midwife, food on your table, wonderful friends, just for starters. There is a way out of this. You will try and figure it out.” I started to feel a sense of relief. “I may have lost my marriage but I still have the strength to work and rebuild a new life,” Just like that, I broke free from the chains that were holding me in the past, looked to what I wanted in the future, and started to live my life in the present, knowing this is the only moment I have complete control over. Gratitude became my new way of life, as I started to see the new doors that were opening in front of me.

One thing that enabled me to turn this bad situation around was creating an attitude of gratitude, shifting my focus from the pain of my marriage breakup to future I was free to create just for me.

Thankfulness turns your unfortunate situation around by:

  1. Shifting your focus.

   The worst thing about hard times is erasing them from your mind or finding ways of concentrating on something else. You can’t help but focus on how horrible your situation is and unintentionally think about how everything went wrong. Nonetheless, shifting your focus is possible if you maintain gratitude in trying times. Phrases like “I am still standing” “I have survived the worst” and “I still have so and so or such and such” will get you through tough times.

  1. Encouraging positive emotions.

    Gratitude gives birth to positive thoughts. Positive thinking is the key to positive emotions because what you think determines how you act, react, respond, or feel. Mastering thankfulness gives birth to positive emotions which keep you focused on “I am strong enough” and “I can fix that.” Therefore, understand that turning your situation around is possible only when you feel you can.

  1. Eliminating your fears.

   Gratefulness encourages you to concentrate on your ability to turn things around thereby eliminating your fears. Appreciating what you have accomplished and what you can still accomplish helps you notice that you have the chance to turn things around. So, use gratitude to overcome your fears.

  1. Emphasizing your strong points.

   Paying attention to what you can do when you are in a crisis is the only way of seeing things from a different perspective and changing what you don’t like. If you focus on “I am good at ABC” and “I can use this skill to effect change” you will move your life in the right direction and see the changes you are longing for.

  1. Imparting a strong sense of worth.

    One thing that makes you realize your sense of worth is having someone show you how much they value you when you are at your lowest point. To have someone do the unexpected for you reminds you that there are people out there who care about your welfare and that alone gets you going.

Appreciating that your life is not what it used to be because of something that someone did for you when you weren’t expecting or when you were not deserving fixes your mind on a thousand things to be grateful for.

Anything is possible when thankfulness becomes the center of your life. For instance, overcoming negative thoughts, controlling your emotions, getting back up, as well as turning your life around.

If you want help seeing life differently and developing an attitude of gratitude, download my FREE Gratitude Tool HERE

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Minimalism Habits to Adopt

Published on by Lyn Bailey
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There are many ways to live a minimalist lifestyle. Some people choose to live with less stuff, while others focus on simplifying their daily routines. Regardless of your approach, there are several key habits that all minimalists should adopt to simplify their lives.

1. Let go of stuff you don’t need

One of the most critical minimalist habits is letting go of items you no longer need or use. It’s easy to accrue a lot of stuff you don’t need. Getting rid of these items can declutter your home and simplify your life.

2. Don’t be afraid to say no

Many people feel like they have to say yes to everything. But this isn’t always necessary and can lead to an overly complicated life. If you don’t want to do something or don’t have the time, it’s okay to say no.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Another essential habit is not being afraid to ask for help when needed. Many try to do everything independently, but this isn’t always possible or necessary. If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask a friend, family member, or professional for assistance.

4. Be patient

Patience is hard to come by sometimes. People often want things immediately. But sometimes, good things come to those who wait. So instead of rushing into things, take your time and enjoy the journey.

5. Be organized

Being organized doesn’t mean that you must live in an immaculate home with hotel vibes. But it does mean taking the time to declutter your space and put things in order. In addition, being organized helps you save time and stress because you don’t have to waste time looking for stuff.

6. Don’t sweat the small stuff

Some sound advice for wannabe minimalists is not to sweat the small stuff. In other words, don’t let the little things stress you out. If something minor goes wrong, don’t dwell on it. Just let it go and move on.

7. Live in the present

Instead of focusing on the future or dwelling on the past, focus on the here and now. Living in the present will help you enjoy your life more and reduce stress.

8. Be grateful

Build a habit of gratefulness for what you have instead of worrying about what you don’t have. This will help you appreciate the good things in your life and be more content with what you have, which will possibly help make it easier for you to stop buying more stuff.

9. Simplify your wardrobe

Instead of having a lot of clothes that you never wear, focus on quality over quantity. Keep only the items you love and know you’ll wear. Consider choosing only two or three colors so everything matches or learning about capsule wardrobes.

10. Enjoy the journey

Minimalism is said to be a lifestyle, not a destination. Therefore, focusing on the end goal instead of what you are doing right now is a mistake. Instead, focus on enjoying the process. Appreciate the simplicity of your life and the things you can do because of it.

Adopting these habits will help you simplify your life and live a more minimalist lifestyle. But remember, minimalism requires that you enjoy the entire journey of your life in all areas of your life, not just the part where you accumulate stuff.

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Benefits of Having a Balanced Schedule

Published on by Lyn Bailey

Benefits of Having a Balanced Schedule

If you want to get more done in life without feeling too busy and burning out, it’s imperative that you create a balanced schedule. A balanced schedule has enormous benefits for your life when you make sure to account for what you need and want to do in every area of your life.

When you have a balanced schedule, you:

  • Feel less stressed because you’re not overwhelmed by a packed schedule
  • More free time to enjoy life apart from work and responsibilities
  • Are able to focus better on the task at hand when you have regular breaks
  • Avoid burnout from working too much or taking on too much at once
  • Get more done because you’re efficient with your time

A balanced schedule is the key to a happy, productive life. If you currently feel overwhelmed, stressed, and like you can’t keep up, it’s time to take a step back and assess your schedule. See what can be cut out or spread out more evenly. You’ll be surprised at how much better you feel when you have a handle on your time.

Creating a balanced schedule means looking at all the areas of your life and ensuring there’s enough time for everything important to you. This includes work, family, friends, hobbies, and taking care of yourself. If one area takes up too much of your time, something else is likely suffering.

For example, if you’re working long hours, you may not have enough time for your family or friends. Or, if you’re spending all your free time on hobbies, you may neglect your work or other obligations. Therefore, finding a good balance between all the areas of your life is essential.

One way to do this is to create a weekly schedule where you block out time for each area of your life. This can help you see where you may need to make some adjustments. For instance, if you realize you’re working too much, you can cut back on your hours or take on less work. Or, if you’re not spending enough time with your family or friends, you can make an effort to schedule more social activities.

Like your boss, friend, and neighbor, you only have 24 hours a day, so be realistic regarding how much time you can devote to each area of your life. Also, keep in mind that your schedule may need to change from week to week, depending on what’s going on in your life. So schedule the most critical aspects of your life, like work and family, and then fill in the rest of your time with other activities.

A balanced schedule is essential for a happy, productive life. When you are mindful about what you really need to live a satisfying life, pay close attention to needs in all areas of your life and ensure there’s enough time for everything important to you, you can avoid stress, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed. So, take a look at your schedule and make the necessary adjustments to create a more balanced life.

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Why Can’t I Follow Through?

Published on by Lyn Bailey

Why Can’t I Follow Through?

Do you struggle with the act of following through?

Not finishing what we start is a common problem many people face in their life. It can quickly become a problem as these tasks stack up and start to weigh on us. While there are many reasons we may put things off, here are several of the most common.

You Are Stuck In Your Habits

One reason you may not be able to follow through with something new is that you are stuck in old habits. You might be unconsciously doing the same things you’ve always done, and thus you get the same results – failure to follow through.

To remedy this problem, you need to break your bad habits and build new helpful habits to replace them instead.

You Aren’t Being Proactive

Another reason you might not be following through with commitments is because you aren’t being proactive. Maybe you are just sitting around hoping that something or someone will come along and force you to follow through. Newsflash – that isn’t going to happen.

If you want to follow through with something, you need to be proactive and ultimately actively involved in trying to follow through. Taking action is the only way you will ever become better at following through in your life.

You Have A Negative Mindset

If you have a negative mindset in life, it can be very difficult to follow through with commitments. When you spend your whole day thinking of negative thoughts, the thought of following through with something seems so daunting, and negative.

For example, if your goal is to work out every day to get into shape, but then you spend all day thinking about how you hate working out, how you’ll never be in shape, and how you won’t ever be the person you want to be, you can guarantee you won’t get up off that couch and go exercise. Instead, it’s time to try approaching your goal with a positive mindset.

Overall, following through isn’t always the easiest thing for us to do. If you find yourself stuck in old habits and have a negative mindset, you can almost guarantee that nothing will change when it comes to your ability to follow through. So, if you want to be someone who follows through, it’s time to be proactive and take steps to change your life today.

What have you started and not finished? If you would like some help in getting back on track with this project then click HERE to book a FREE Discovery Call with me.

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