When you struggle to focus or you’re scrambling to remember things, you waste time. You end up running around in circles, faffing over small tasks, and struggling to make decisions. Sound familiar? 

Fortunately, there’s a way to calm the chaos - become a note-taker!

Keep reading to discover a simple but powerful technique that could change the game for you. 

We’re the author of our own book of life. We hold the pen. While others can guide us, we always have a choice - to CHOOSE what we do next.

Have you ever caught yourself doodling in a meeting, a lecture or on a long phone call? Suddenly, you notice that the paper - or even napkin - in front of you is covered with random squiggles, drawings, or doodles?  If so, you’re not alone. According to a study by Faber-Castell Corp, 75% of Americans doodle occasionally, and one in four doodle at least once a day. Turns out that doodling [or art therapy] is a common habit.  In fact, doodling was favored by occupants of the Oval office. Did you know that 26 of 44 US presidents scratched and scrawled? Roosevelt doodled animals and children, JFK preferred dominos and sailboats, and Reagan frequently drew cowboys and footballers.   Despite celebrity advocates, doodling is a habit that sometimes gets bad press. Did you ever get called out by your teacher for doodling instead of paying attention? Doodlers have been accused of being aloof or distracted, but that isn’t necessarily true.  Science is discovering that doodling and art therapy can be beneficial - for a number of reasons including improved focus, stress relief, and creating.  So stop feeling guilty for your doodling habit!  In fact, feel free to doodle some more because as these FIVE benefits suggest, there’s plenty to be gained from releasing your inner artist.  1. Improves memory & concentration. Doodling has been scientifically proven to improve the retention of information as well as enhance focus and concentrate on the task at hand.  For example, a 2009 experiment by psychologist Jackie Andrade found that doodlers recalled 29% more information than non-doodlers.  Scientists are still discovering why doodling can improve memory, but it might be linked to the way that doodling maintains alertness. Doodling keeps you from falling asleep. Instead of drifting away, doodling maintains a degree of awakeness, which can promote retention.  What’s more, doodling can give your brain a break when it feels overworked, helping the brain to stay engaged instead of losing interest completely.  In short, that doodling habit could actually empower you to be more productive. If you can inspire yourself to get more done in less time, you create more space in your life for the things you desire, but somehow never quite get around to doing.  2. Fosters creativity, idea generation and problem solving. According to Sunni Brown [the author of The Doodle Revolution], “When you doodle, you are lighting up different networks in the brain and engaging different information”. As a result, sketching and scribbling can help trigger those lightbulb moments of creativity and insight where you come up with an idea or find a solution to a problem. Doodling can also help you tap into your subconscious. In turn, you can access different thoughts and memories, creating new connections and innovations. You can explore ideas, solutions, and possibilities.  Remember, creativity is a currency.  In the words of Jim Rohn, “Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.” If doodling can open the door to a game-changing idea, this habit could pay dividends in so many areas of your life.  3. Art therapy reduces stress and anxiety. The rhythmic and repetitive motion of drawing elicits what Harvard cardiologist Herbert Benson identified as the ‘relaxation response’. By synchronizing the hand and eye—thereby allowing the coordination of body and mind—doodling can become a calming, mindful, and meditative experience. In addition, in a world of hyper-stimulation where we are bombarded with information 24/7, doodling can offer an escape into the world of your imagination.  In the words of Einstein, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination.”  In addition, doodling can help us feel more present. Instead of worrying about the past or the future, doodling brings you into the now. When you feel deeply connected with the moment, you feel more connected to you. This elevates your sense of empowerment and control over your life which can also help reduce stress and anxiety.  4. Doodling helps process emotions. When you’re frustrated, anxious, or depressed, it can be difficult to convey those feelings in words. But an image might come to mind that describes your feelings, helping you translate them, recognize them and address them.  You know the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words”.  When emotions are unexpressed, they remain suppressed. This suppression can create more inner angst, frustration, or even anger. By allowing our emotions to be expressed visually, we create an external outlet. When emotions flow, they are free to move. In turn, we get to see what’s on the other side. We can create closure and even move into a new emotional state.  To discover more insights about the power of art therapy for unlocking emotions and cultivating self-expression, check out this podcast with Morgan Beard.  5. Makes you happier. Not only can doodling and art therapy make you smarter and more creative, research shows it can actually make you happier, too! (depending on what you draw of course).  Thai is because creativity is an easy way to feel brighter - maybe because it’s a form of self-expression that allows you to show what’s real for you.  So, get doodling!  With all the evidence suggesting that doodling is good for us, why not create more space for this practice in your life.  And if you want some inspiration for doodles to draw, the Doodle Deck has your back.  The Doodle Deck contains 50 art therapy exercises to awaken your inner artist and unleash your inner muse. Whether you believe you can draw or not, this deck guides you to your creative zone… and who knows where that could lead! Simply pick a prompt and doodle whatever comes to mind on the included sketch pad “There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.” —Edward de Bono

Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions we can experience as humans. When we cultivate an attitude for gratitude, we spark a positive mindset and switch on the frequency of abundance.  In a world that’s driven by a desire for more, taking a moment to pause, reflect, and acknowledge all the good that’s already in your life is a simple way to feel more fulfilled, enriched, and happy.  In fact, gratitude can rewire your brain for happiness and success.  What’s more, you don’t have to wait for the big things in life to feel grateful. When you focus on the little joys, you’ll find yourself surrounded by things that make you thankful.  This collection of gratitude inspired quotes is designed to inspire an attitude of gratitude. What’s your favorite? 1. “I am happy because I’m grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy.” - Will Arnett 2. "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them." - John F. Kennedy 3. "We learned about gratitude and humility - that so many people had a hand in our success." - Michelle Obama 4. "Always have an attitude of gratitude." - Sterling K. Brown 5. "Live a life full of humility, gratitude, intellectual curiosity and never stop learning." - GZA 6. "When I pray, I always thank Mother Nature for all the beauty in the world. It's about having an attitude of gratitude." - Miranda Kerr 7. "I think gratitude is a big thing. It puts you in a place where you're humble." - Andra Day 8. "This is a wonderful day I have never seen this one before." - Maya Angelou 9. "When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in." - Kristin Armstrong 10. "I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new." - Ralph Wardo Emerson 11. "Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." - Voltaire 12. "When you arise in the morning give thanks to the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself." - Tacumseh 13. "When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree." - Vietnamese Proverb 14. “Got no checkbooks, got no banks, still I’d like to express my thanks. I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night.” - Irving Berlin 15. "No duty is more urgent than giving thanks." - James Allen 16. "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." - Robert Brault 17. "Enough is a feast." - Buddhist Proverb 18. "Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." - Melody Beattie 19. "He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has." - Epictetus 20. "It's a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack." - Germany Kent 21. "The heart that give thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time." - Douglas Wood 22. "Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude." - A.A. Milne 23. "In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich." - Deitrich Bonhoeffer 24. "Wear gratitude as a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life." - Rumi 25. "Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." - Marcel Proust 26. "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus 27. "Gratitude is the most exquisite form of courtesy." - Jacques Maritain 28. "Gratitude and attitude are not challenges; they are choices." - Robert Braathe 29. "If the only prayer you said was thank you that would be enough." - Meister Eckhart 30. "We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives." - John F. Kennedy 31. "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." - Marcus Tullios Cicero 32. "The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour some heavenly blessings." - Henry Ward Beecher 33. "What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude." - Brene Brown 34. "Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of self-preoccupation." - John Ortberg 35. "The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become." - Robert Holden 36. "Two kinds of gratitude: The sudden kind we feel for what we take; larger kind we feel for what we give." - Edwin Arlington Robinson 37. "Gratitude is the appreciation of things that are not deserved, earned or demanded - those wonderful things that we take for granted." - Renee Paule 38. "Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy." - Fredd De Witt Amburgh 39. "O Lord that lends me life, lend me a heart replete with thankfulness." - William Shakespeare 40. "Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It's the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul." - Amy Collete 41. "It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful." - David Steindl-Rast 42. "Of all characteristics needed for both a happy and morally decent life, none surpasses gratitude." - Dennis Prager 43. "A grateful heart is the beginning of greatness." - James E.Faust 44. "When we give and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed." - Maya Angelou 45. "The trick is to be grateful when your mood is high and graceful when it is low." - Richard Carlson 46. "The root of joy is gratefulness." - David Steindl-Rast 47. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” - Anonymous 48. “Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” - Karl Barth 49. “Gratitude will shift you to a higher frequency, and you will attract much better things.” - Rhonda Byrne 50. “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” - Buddha 51. "Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." - Charles Dickens 52. "Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance." - Eckhart Tolle

When you strip it right back, the common factor that stands between you and your dreams is YOU. Your fears. Your doubts. Your limiting beliefs. Your motivation. Your willpower etc.  It’s always you, which is why the power is also with you.  When you stir up the courage to face your fears and step to the edge of your comfort zone, you shatter the glass ceiling.  When you prioritize doing over doubting, you can move mountains.  Making the choice to get your fear in check is a powerful decision. Give yourself permission to FEEL and SEE your fear, but don’t BE it.  This bold move will empower your best self to shine.  Check out these quotes designed to put courage over comfort. Which is your favorite? “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” - Marie Curie “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” - Joseph Campbell “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” - Jack Canfield. “Above all, don’t fear difficult moments. The best comes from them.” - Rita Levi-Montalcini “He who is not conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones." - Thich Nhat Hanh “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” - Louisa may Alcott “Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.” - Louis E. Boone “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt “People living deeply have no fear of death.” - Anais Nin. “The best way out is always through.” -  Robert Frost “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” - Plato “Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are our own fears.” - Rudyard Kipling. “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” - Rosa Parks “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find that he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.” - Henry Ford. “Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it… that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear.” - Dale Carnegie “Fear has two meanings: ‘Forget Everything And Run’ or ‘Face Everything And Rise.’ The choice is yours.” – Zig Ziglar “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.” -  Steve Jobs “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” -  Nelson Mandela “If you’re not willing to risk, you cannot grow. If you cannot grow, you cannot be your best. If you cannot be your best, you cannot be happy. If you cannot be happy, what else is there?” -  Les Brown “Fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.” – Dale Carnegie “There is no illusion greater than fear.” – Lao Tzu “I was set free because my greatest fear had been realized, and I still had a daughter who I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J. K. Rowling “I believe that every single event in life happens in an opportunity to choose love over fear.” – Oprah Winfrey “I say I am stronger than fear.” – Malala Yousafzai “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” – Anais Nin “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” – Mary Anne Radmacher “You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – A.A. Milne “It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” - Marcus Aurelius “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?” - Marianne Williamson   Fear to Focus Journaling Prompts

Why do monster to-do lists inspire overwhelm instead of productivity?  It’s so frustrating. Just when you need to be able to turn it on and turn it up your brain has gone to sleep, you can’t think clearly, and your tendency to procrastinate has gone into overdrive.  Instead of churning through your list, you find yourself staring at the screen, brewing a million and one cups of coffee, and doing everything but the one thing you’ve got to get done.  ARGH! It’s a vicious circle too.  When you don’t get stuff done, you get further behind, which makes you feel more overwhelmed than ever.  So what’s the solution? How can you cut through overwhelm to reclaim your mojo and bring it on? We’ve got your back! Try one (or more) of these 10 ideas and you’ll soon be working away like a boss. 1. Take a deep breath!  When you can’t think straight and your thoughts are rushing at a million miles per hour, it’s virtually impossible to do anything but stress!  Breathing calms your mind so you can recenter yourself and free up space to think.  Simply take a few deep breaths and allow yourself to relax as you exhale. The weight to drop off your shoulders and you’ll remember you CAN do this. Remove some of the panic and suddenly your next steps will be a whole lot clearer.  2. Write down EVERYTHING you need to do.  When there’s too much to do it’s super hard to concentrate and focus. Your mind ends up jumping from one thing to another, your head is full of all the things you need to do, and there’s little bandwidth left to work.  You can boost your productivity by writing down your master to-do list. With everything out of your head and onto paper, you can see clearly what you’ve got to do. And with more space to think, you’ll get more done quicker.   3. Prioritize your to-do list. You can reduce the size of your to-do list instantly through prioritization. Your list may be long, but not everything will be urgent or important. There will definitely be things you can push to another day, give to someone else, or scratch off entirely.  Make your day’s workload manageable by identifying the things you HAVE to get done. This easy coding system will help. Look through all your to-dos and label them as a 1, 2, or a 3.  1 = Top priority. Something that must be done today (and by you) 2 = Still important, but can wait for another day 3 =  Delegate, outsource, or cross off your list altogether.  With your list organized in this way, you can see at a glance what you really have to get done. It won’t be as much as you think. We recommend the BestSelf Planner and our new Win The Day Pads. 4. Plan your day. With a finite amount of time and a series of tasks you must complete, you have to get smart with your time management for the day.  A prioritized to-do list isn’t enough because you’ll lose time to Parkinson’s Law. Parkinson’s Law states that work will expand to fill the amount of time you give it. So close those open windows by giving each task a start and end time and use those deadlines to keep focused. Estimate how long each task will take and schedule it appropriately using a tool like the SELF Journal. This practice will ensure you spend no longer than necessary on each task so you get more done in less time.  5. Eat that frog!   When planning your day, make sure you tackle your biggest most challenging task first - this is your ‘frog’. According to Brian Tracy (who wrote the book Eat That Frog), your frog is:  “Your biggest, most important task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate on if you don’t do something about it now. It is also the one task that can have the greatest positive impact on your life and results at the moment.” (p. 2) Here’s why you should tackle this task first:  • Even if you’re not tackling ‘that’ task, it’s going to steal your energy and bandwidth. You know how it is… if there’s a task you don’t want to do that has to get done it weighs you down! Far better to clear it asap so you can crack on with everything else. • Get that frog ticked off and you’ll clock up a big win. This will leave you energized and motivated and more likely to keep going so you can tick even more off of that huge to-do list.  • You have a finite amount of willpower. Try to ‘eat that frog’ when your energy and enthusiasm are low and it’s going to take you 10x longer!  6. Get started with one Pomodoro. With your frog identified, it’s time to take action.  But how do you get the ball rolling on a task that’s difficult, boring, or super long? The simple answer is you just start! And the easiest way to do that is with the Pomodoro technique.  This proven productivity practice inspires you to tackle your work in short, hyper-focused sprints. Set a timer for 25 minutes and get your head down. Resist the temptation to get distracted or side-tracked with your thoughts or the next thing on your to-do list and just double-down on the task at hand.  This technique works because you can always motivate yourself to work hard on something for 25 minutes. It’s only 25 minutes and then you can take a quick break!  Here’s the thing… Starting is the hardest part of any task. Get yourself moving and you’ll build that all-important momentum. Focus on getting out of the starting blocks and you’ll find it a whole lot easier to keep going all the way to the end of the task.  7. Focus on ONE thing.  With a lot of work to get through it’s tempting to try and multi-task - after all, doesn’t then mean you’ll get things finished faster.  Actually, no! When you multitask you’re not actually doing multiple things at the same time. Instead, your brain is switching from one task to another. This doesn’t boost productivity, it drains it. That’s because it can take up to 20 minutes for your brain to get back into a deep focus mode after a shift in attention. So set yourself up so you focus on one thing at a time. Turn off your phone, switch off notifications, and ensure you won’t be interrupted. You’ll whizz through all those tasks in super quick time!  8. Say NO. Are you the type of person who likes to keep other people happy? If so, you’ll probably find it hard to say no. It’s a problem because you end up putting yourself under additional pressure.  Give yourself permission to say no. Not only will you protect your own boundaries and time, but you’ll ensure you don’t hit the wall because you’ve taken on too much.  9. Ask for help.   You’re probably used to juggling a number of roles. Even if you get on top of your work to-do list, there’s not a chance you’ll get to take it easy when you get home! There’s always more to take care of. You don’t have to do it all alone. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. Take some time to figure out what chores your kids can take care of? A little extra responsibility is probably good for them. What can your partner take off your to-do list? Is there a friend you can ask to sit the kids for a few hours so you can get on top of it all?  When you feel supported, it’s so much easier to push yourself to finish.   10. Appreciate yourself. When you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed, it’s easy to beat yourself up for all the things you didn’t get to do (and all the things you should have done). But what does this achieve other than making you feel bad!  We’re often our own worst enemy. We forget how much we do on a day-to-day basis and how much we are able to hold together. So in the moments when you feel down, remind yourself who you really are.  Think about all the things you’ve achieved and all the things that happen because you show up every day. Shift your perspective by choosing to look at your situation through a lens of possibility and positivity and you’ll feel on top of it all in no time.  Remember, there’s always a way out of overwhelm.  Things are never as bad as you thought they were when you have the benefit of hindsight.  And somehow, you always manage to get it all done anyway!  So on those days when you feel bogged down and neck deep, remember you’ve got this. One step at a time, you have what it takes to turn that overwhelming to-do list into a series of dones. Self Journal Win The Day Pads BestSelf Planner

Your journal can be one of the best places to go to if you want to deepen your relationship with yourself.  Best of all, it’s such an accessible method!  All you need is pen and paper - and most importantly, the resilience and willingness to sit with yourself and whatever shows up long enough for you to extract what those blank pages are waiting to reveal.  Here’s why... #1. Know yourself  I believe this first point is THE most important point. After all, the relationship you have with yourself is the most important relationship in your life! Let’s unpack what that means… Building a successful relationship with someone implies a number of things, for example:  ● Showing love, care, and attention● Knowing who they are at deeper and deeper levels● Seeing who they are● Deepening the relationship so it can continue to evolve into its fullest potential To name just a few.  We know this stuff applies to our relationships with others.  But often, we don’t apply this same knowing to the way we interact with ourselves.  Imagine how your life could change if you could give yourself all the love you needed - rather than relying on external sources. Imagine the confidence that would evoke from inside of you. Imagine how you’d show up if you knew yourself deeply. If you knew your rough edges, your triggers, your values, your purpose - the multi-dimensions of you.  Imagine if you could see yourself for who you really are - instead of who you think you should be - and own that without fear of judgement or rejection.  Imagine if you remained ever-curious about what else is lurking under the surface.  Imagine the kind of life you could create if you took care of yourself… This is something your journal can help you do.  Inside your journal, you can explore your wants and needs.  You can work through your triggers in safety.  You can have the no-holds-barred conversations with yourself - so you can transform what’s waiting to shift.  In the process, you’ll know yourself at ever-deeper levels.  And of course, write your way to your best self 💕 #2. Make confident decisions This deeper knowing of who you are is just the tip of the iceberg.  So much more becomes possible when you can truly meet yourself.  For example, when you know yourself you not only make better decisions, but you make decisions that are aligned with what you really want and what’s most important to you.  In the absence of self-awareness, you risk making decisions based on what other people want of you or expect you to do. When you’re unsure of yourself, it’s easy to be swayed by other people’s logic or arguments.  And that’s dangerous… There’s a part of you that knows EXACTLY what you want.  There’s a part of you that knows what you don’t want too!  Sometimes, what we do want goes against the grain. It doesn’t make sense! It confuses the people closest to you - to the extent that you might be dissuaded to go in the direction your heart’s calling.  Journaling can help you get the clarity you need to choose what’s right for you.  In turn, you can continue walking along the path of your choice - which is also the path of your best self.  #3. Learn lessons faster ‘You’ are the essence you bring to every aspect of your life - in other words, how something turns out is deeply dependent on you.   This applies to everything… Your personal relationships  Your work Your impact Your confidence etc.  Through journaling, you get to shine the light on who you really are. You get to analyse the way you show up and the way you move through both challenges and triumphs. You get to question your instinctive responses and review the way you react when you’re triggered.  Instead of running on autopilot, journaling brings more and more of who you are to your conscious awareness… And that’s powerful.  Through analysing your behaviors, fears, feelings, conversations, life experiences etc. you get to see the lessons life wants to teach you - faster and in more detail. This awareness can help you compress time - because you’re ‘on it!’  In turn, it’s easier to get out of your own way AND uplevel yourself. #4. Inspire self-expression I believe one of our greatest desires is to be seen and heard for who we really are.  There’s something empowering about unapologetic, authentic, self-expression. I’m talking about the type of expression where you’re not hiding or playing down parts of your being. The type of self-expression where you’re grounded and confident in who you are.  Showing yourself is incredible for the presence and confidence. And your journal is a great place to explore and discover more and more things about yourself that you want to reveal to the outside world.  That’s the power of your journal… It’s a safe place to experiment with your words and actions before you step up to be seen.  #5. Track how you’re growing While drastic, overnight shifts do happen, most of us grow and evolve gradually.  This is the power of taking consistent daily action in your chosen direction.  You don’t notice the baby steps as you take them.  It’s only when you look back 3 months, 12, months, 5 years down the line that you realise how much things have changed for you…  And not just in the outside world… But your inside world too.  Journaling is a great way to monitor how things are shifting for you.  As you journal, you’ll notice how your mindset changes.  You’ll notice that certain fears don’t bother you anymore.  You’ll see that certain triggers are now a non-issue.  You’ll notice your confidence and self-esteem shift…  To name just a few…  Being able to track and even measure your own evolution is great inspiration on those days when you’re frustrated or demotivated.  Sometimes we forget that there are TWO gaps in life… The one in front of you  AND the one behind you.  Your journal helps you see just how far you’ve come - and as you bask in the pleasure of your success, progress, and growth, you’ll feel that little bit more inspired to keep going. 💕 It always amazes me just how powerful journaling can be! As you’ve read in this article,, there are some profound life-changing benefits to be had from committing to this simple practice.  All that growth is possible just by putting pen to paper in a blank notebook - and committing to evolving your relationship with yourself.  So go there!  Dive in.  And write your way to your best self. 

Are you quietly dreaming about your next vacation because you’re in desperate need of a break? If so, I hear you. Modern life can take its toll on us. When we’re hustling a never-ending to-do list while juggling a ton of roles and responsibilities, it’s easy to lose yourself.  When you’re stuck on the hamster wheel to nowhere and there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, it’s easy to think that a break is exactly what you need.  And you’re right -- it is.  But what’s more important is to figure out a way to prevent the burnout and exhaustion in the first place.  It’s what this blog will help you do.  Self-care can feel like an indulgence, but it’s actually an essential. Why do you think airlines inform you to put your oxygen mask on FIRST? It’s because you can’t give your all to anyone else (or anything else) unless you are nurtured first.  That’s why self-care empowers you to be, do, and have more.  Cultivate self-care practices and not only will you feel better in yourself, but you’ll be able to take on more, work though more, and give more of yourself to others.  What’s more, self-care doesn’t have to be reserved for those occasional spa breaks or vacations.  Instead, self-care is something you can (and should) do everyday - because when your cup is full, you can live your life to the full.  Here’s how...  1. Honor self-care  First things first… what’s your mindset towards self care?  Do you believe you deserve indulgent, protected, quality time for yourself -- or are you of the mindset that this is selfish and you should put the needs of others before you?  Truth is, you have a finite amount of energy to dish out each day. If you’re all ‘give, give, give’ then this energy will quickly become depleted. Before long, you won’t have the drive, motivation, or spark to give your best to others - in fact, you may resent how other people place demands on you.  It’s why you’ve got to put your needs first.  Remember, you represent the resources you have to create a life you love - so invest in those resources.  There are TWO key ways to do this:  Firstly, figure out what you love - what practices, rituals, and ‘indulgences’ make you feel good? What leaves you inspired, energized, and rejuvenated. Is it cooking, reading, thinking, nature, swimming - or simply lingering longer over your morning cup of joe.  There’s no right or wrong answer here. It’s just what’s right for you.  With your list written out, secondly, make time for the things you love.  Don’t leave this stuff to whatever minutes you have left at the end of your busy day or week. Instead, schedule protected ME time in your journal or planner. Make yourself a priority by allocating YOU time. It’s the simplest way to put your needs first while you cultivate a mindset that honors your self-care.   2. Meditation  Meditation is a simple, yet powerful way to use silence to quieten your mind and create distance from your repetitive thought loops and concerns.  You don’t have to sit for hours in a lotus position to feel the benefits (unless you want to!) Instead, 10 minutes of quality time can be enough to immerse yourself in calm and help you feel better about yourself and your day. Our mindfulness challenge makes meditation incredibly accessible and easy. With daily meditations that last as little as ten minutes, you can start to make meditation a daily self-care ritual. There’s a secondary side-effect too that feeds directly into your productivity.  Meditation also enhances your ability to concentrate - something that’s more important than ever in our fragmented, information rich age. Train your brain to focus on something like your breathing, and this skill translates directly into being able to concentrate on one task at a time. 3. Walking in nature Nature can be your greatest teacher - if you let it. Observing how flowers open, how trees bed down roots, and how water flows gives you clues as to how you can live your life in deeper harmony.  Walking in nature is restorative too. Getting out into the wild and breathing in plenty of fresh air can help blow away the cobwebs and give you a new perspective on life (and your problems). Walk barefoot on the sand, feel the grass underfoot in the forest. Marvel at the mountains, the lakes, and the rivers - whatever is close to you.  And that’s not to mention the benefits of exercise and movement for your health and wellbeing. Raising your heartbeat and breaking into a sweat helps to make your body stronger -- so you can be more resilient in the face of everything else that life throws at you.  4. Complementary therapies We hold a lot of tension and fatigue in our bodies - especially if we’re stressed or work a sedentary job. It’s the modern lifestyle. We sit hunched over our laptops, computers, or phones for hours at a time and wonder why we get headaches, back pains, and shoulder tension. It’s why therapies such as massage, reflexology, and aromatherapy can add so much to your self care routines.  These treatments help us connect back to our body’s and feel better in our skin. Great for stress relief and for alleviating tired and tense muscles, complementary therapies rejuvenate us in a more natural way.  Proven to have plenty of physical and emotional health benefits, there’s arguably nothing better than feeling experienced hands working away at those knots and tight spots.   As Hippocrates said, “The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and a scented massage every day.” 5. Journaling  Busy, stressful lives lead to overactive minds.  Yup, each day you have countless thoughts - many of which are repetitive thought loops. When your head is full, and the thoughts are racing around, it’s hard to get perspective. Instead, you can worry unnecessarily as stress builds up.  Journaling is a great way to create space in your mind because it helps to empty your head and process your thoughts. When your head is clear, it’s a LOT easier to concentrate on your to-do list -- and get stuff done quicker.  Best of all, this is a practice you can make bespoke to you. For example:  ● Journal your thoughts - with a stream of consciousness practice● Write your way through a problem or a concern● Write a list● Even ask yourself a question Figure out what works for you, and make it a regular practice.  Thanks to our busy lives, self care needs to be non-negotiable, not something that waits until vacations and weekends.  It’s a simple, yet powerful practice that will help you get more done without burning out - so you can create a life you love.  What self-care rituals are non-negotiables in your life? What practices are you committed to scheduling into your life after reading this article? Take some time to consider this today.