By Georgina El Morshdy The problem with a funk is you end up procrastinating. Wasting time can push you behind, which can spiral into feelings of more stress and pressure.  Days like these don’t feel too great - especially when you have deadlines to meet and things you want to get done.  The goods news is there are inspired ways to kick-start motivation and get yourself going.  And if you’re one for introspection, you’ll love how some simple self-questioning can not only get you unstuck but ensure you emerge with more clarity and self-awareness.  Keep reading because I’m going to show you how - in three simple steps.  Step 1. Acknowledge your feelings.  First up, it’s super important that you don’t make yourself wrong for how you’re feeling. ALL feelings are valid. As humans, we have the privilege of experiencing a spectrum of emotions - and we can take something from all of them [even the ones that challenge us]. A positive aspect of feeling demotivated is you can understand how it feels in your body. This can become a learning experience because you get to figure out how to support and guide yourself through these emotions.  In practice, this means owning where you are and dropping the judgement, criticism and any temptation to beat yourself up! After all, it’s tough to get motivated when you’re stuck in negative thoughts and emotions - you don’t need to dig that hole any deeper than it already is!!!  Then, once you’ve allowed yourself to feel the emotions [without guilt], it’s time to understand better what’s driving them.  Step 2. Get to the root of what’s causing the lack of inspiration and motivation.  If we don’t get to the root cause of procrastination, we get distracted by the more obvious surface level causes.  Here are some common reasons for getting into a demotivated place:  1. Boredom. You’re bored. You just can’t find the energy or the ideas or the creativity. You feel lethargic, your brain is foggy, and you just can’t get yourself fired up no matter what you do.  2. Too difficult. Whatever you’re procrastinating over feels too hard. For example, you might tell yourself, “I can’t do this”. You might feel defeated before you’ve even started, and you may fear the consequences of not being able to do said task.  3. Lack of purpose. You don’t feel purposeful, and part of you is wondering, “What’s the point?” 4. Lack of control. You’ve been asked to do something that you don’t want to do [but you have to], and your rebellious streak is resisting!  5. Fear. You know what you have to do, but your own limiting beliefs and stories hold you back and get in your way.  What is the reason for you?  Step 3. Use introspection to reframe and refocus Finally, have a conversation with yourself to take back control of your energy and emotions. Your journal is a great place to do this because you have the space to untangle your thoughts and feelings and discover all the nuances.  Here are some prompts to help direct your introspection for each of the procrastination causes we explored in step 2.  Boredom.  If you’re not feeling it, trying to push through the boredom can make a task take you ten times longer than necessary.  A more effective strategy is to put your energy and attention on something that inspires you and lightens you up.  Ask yourself in your journal what things you can rely on to change your mood. For example, read, take a walk, get into nature, reward yourself to get a shot of dopamine.  Learn more about YOU and what you can do when you know you’re in a funk to change your mood so you can move forward with your life more powerfully.  This mini wins tool can help.  Too difficult.  Too difficult is often a story that’s rooted in a belief about our skills and capabilities.  Turn to your journal and ask yourself why it’s too complicated.  • Separate the facts from the fiction. • Where is your proof? • What are you making the difficulty mean about you?  Then flip the meaning and see the situation as a challenge instead of a problem.  Finally, work through your strategy for getting it done. For example, can you ask for help? Is there some training in which you can invest? Do you simply need to start believing that you do have what it takes?  Overcoming difficulties is one way to make yourself stronger - essential for the journey of your best self.  Lack of purpose. This one can take some soul-searching.  As humans, we have an instinctive desire to feel purposeful. If you feel demotivated because you feel a lack of purpose, you may have some tough choices to make. Maybe it’s a sign that you need to remove this from your life - you can explore your thoughts further in your journal.  Alternatively, look for ways to inject purpose into the task.  • How does your WHY factor in? • How can you infuse your passion or connect the situation with your mission? If you can change the story to reframe the meaning, you can unlock a rush of inspiration that can take you ANYWHERE.  Lack of control.  You may not be able to influence external circumstances, BUT you are in complete control of your reaction to them.  Get introspective about this and have the conversation in your journal…  • What can you say to yourself to give you the feeling of control?• How can you create an environment where you feel autonomous and in the drivers’ seat of your life? • What aspects of the situation are under your influence? Use your journal to help reclaim your personal power because your motivation will soar as a result.  Fear.  This is a BIG one… And also the one that holds the most growth potential.  It’s normal to feel scared when circumstances don’t feel certain. As humans, we thrive on the feeling of safety, BUT growth always happens outside of our comfort zone.  The truth is you can do SOOOOOOO much more than you give yourself credit. The human spirit is amazing. We are so resilient, creative, and brave.  The secret is to transform your relationship with fear so you can embrace it, rather than running in the opposite direction.  After all, how often has your fear been the compass that shows you the way forward into your next realm for growth?  Use your journal to get clearer on what you’re afraid of. [Here’s a cool downloadable tool with guided exercises to help you do that].  Be radically honest with yourself.  It takes bravery and courage to be specific because you have to go deep, but when you can define the demons, it’s a lot easier to face them.  Time is your most valuable, non-renewable resource What’s more important than the amount of time we have is the way we use our minutes.  Sure, you will have days when you feel off and just can’t find your flow. That’s all part of being human. But understand how to unleash inspiration, and you’ll access a power source for life.  Introspection is a powerful skill to master because it helps us to understand better who we are.  And when we know what’s happening under the surface, suddenly, you can move through whatever is sapping your energy with self-compassion, understanding, and empowerment.  That’s personal power. 

Core values are a compass that help you align your decisions, live with purpose and find out what makes you tick. Join Cathryn Lavery, founder and CEO of BestSelf Co. and Jay Papasan, Co-Author of The ONE Thing for this one hour webinar where they'll share how to define your core values utilizing The ONE Thing Core Values Deck created in partnership with each other.

When it comes to lists of motivational quotes, it’s not unusual for men to feature more frequently than women. So in celebration of International Women’s Day, we’ve put together a list of quotes by women only. Keep reading to discover 50 pearls of wisdom from 50 inspirational women who have made a huge impact. We hope they inspire you to dream bigger, take risks, and become your best self. 1. “Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.” — Janis Joplin 2. “We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” — Malala Yousafzai 3. "I do not wish [women] to have power over men; but over themselves." — Mary Wollstonecraft 4. "I do know one thing about me: I don't measure myself by others' expectations or let others define my worth." — Sonia Sotomayor 5. “The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn. We are filled with the popular wisdom of several centuries just past, and we are terrified to give it up.” — Gloria Steinem 6. “We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained." — Marie Curie 7. "What makes you different or weird, that's your strength." — Meryl Streep 8. “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou 9. "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 10. "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." — Anne Frank 11. “You are more powerful than you know; you are beautiful just as you are.” — Melissa Etheridge 12. "We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead." — Beyoncé 13. “No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens.”  — Michelle Obama 14. “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” — Estée Lauder 15. "The more you can be authentic, the happier you're going to be, and life will work itself around that." — Melinda Gates 16. "Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen." — Brené Brown. 17. "Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different." — Indra Nooyi 18. “Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” — Judy Garland 19. “Fearlessness is like a muscle. I know from my own life that the more I exercise it the more natural it becomes to not let my fears run me.”  — Arianna Huffington 20. “A woman is the full circle. Within her is the ability to create, nurture, and transform.” — Diane Mariechild 21. “You have what it takes to be a victorious, independent, fearless woman.” — Tyra Banks 22. “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.” — Dolly Parton 23. “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”  — Helen Keller 24. "On my own I will just create, and if it works, it works, and if it doesn’t, I’ll create something else. I don’t have any limitations on what I think I could do or be." — Oprah Winfrey 25. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt 26. “It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.” — J. K. Rowling 27. “I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself.” — Emma Stone 28. “Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak. Sometimes you’re just strong enough to let go.” — Taylor Swift 29. “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” — Madeleine Albright 30. “Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be.” — Elizabeth Gilbert 31. “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”  — Marilyn Monroe 32. “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not making decisions.” — Catherine Cook 33. “You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.” — Rosalynn Carter 34. “And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk more.” — Erica Jong 35. “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” — Audrey Hepburn 36. “I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” — Lucille Ball 37. "A girl should be two things:  who and what she wants." — Coco Chanel 38. “Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.” — Golda Meir 39. “I hope the fathers and mothers of little girls will look at them and say ‘yes, women can.’” — Dilma Rousseff 40. “Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that’s the one that is going to require the most from you.” — Caroline Myss 41. "Women belong in all places where decisions are being made... It shouldn't be that women are the exception." — Ruth Bader Ginsburg 42. “Done is better than perfect.” — Sheryl Sandberg 43. “When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.” — Audre Lorde 44. “The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” — Amelia Earhart 45. “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” — Anais Nin 46. “Whatever you do, be different – that was the advice my mother gave me, and I can’t think of better advice for an entrepreneur. If you’re different, you will stand out.”—Anita Roddick 47. “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” — Alice Walker 48. "I decided I can't pay a person to rewind time, so I may as well get over it." — Serena Williams 49. “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” — Mary Louise Alcott 50. "The most important words that have helped me in life, when things have gone right or when things have gone wrong, are 'accept responsibility.’” — Billie Jean King Other quote articles you might like… 15 Quotes About Forgiveness That Can Set You Free 40 Intimacy Quotes That Will Leave You Feeling More Connected 18 Entrepreneur Quotes To Keep You Motivated 10 Mindfulness Quotes To Improve Happiness & Eliminate Stress 50 Quotes That Inspire You To Think Bigger, Achieve More, and Enjoy Today 52 Gratitude Quotes That Inspire An Attitude Of Gratitude

Your Core Values are the things you care about the most. In this way, your Core Values create a compass within that points to your true north. 

By Georgina El Morshdy When you cut to the core, you want to feel good about yourself and your life. How you make that a reality is a journey of self-discovery that’s unique to us all. We all have different dreams, desires, and goals that serve to take us in the direction of our best self.  Your Core Values are a tool that can bring more alignment, purpose, and fulfillment to your life.  Define your three Core Values, and you’ll create a compass within that will help you make decisions, set the right goals, and infuse your life with more of the things you love.  Your Core Values are a sure-fire way to create your best life - but only if you live them!  [Define your Core Values with the Core Values Deck] Here’s how... Tip #1: Review your calendar Your calendar is a powerful, unforgiving reflection of what you value most in your life. Remember, the way you allocate your time disproportionally influences the experiences and opportunities you have in your life. A Core Value isn’t a real Core Value unless it’s an intrinsic part of your being.  In other words, if your calendar fails to feature a value you say you care about, that value is an aspiration - not a part of your identity.  For example, if you say you value FAMILY, but your calendar says otherwise, it’s essential to take a cold hard look at how you prioritize your commitments and the way you live your life. In a similar vein, if you say you value CREATIVITY but leave zero space to play and explore ideas, you’re valuing something else more highly.  It can feel uncomfortable acknowledging when you’re prioritizing something else - for example, work over family or achievement over creativity. However, once you know the truth, you have the power to do something to change it.  Tip #2: Schedule activities that align with your core values  One way to live your Core Values is to make quality, focused time for those values.  This process starts by deciding what each value means for you [for example, how I see adventure could be different from how you view this value]. Here’s a worksheet to help you capture this critical thinking.  Next, get creative and explore ideas for activities you could schedule to experience different values into your life:  ADVENTURE: Mystery tours. Be a tourist in your home town. Travelling.  CREATIVITY: Write. Paint. Craft. Journal. Dance. Cook. Bake.  GRACE: Gratitude. Prayer. Meditation.  SELF-RELIANCE: Complete projects. Alone time. Learn a skill that you rely on others for currently.  BRAVERY: Trying something new. Expanding your comfort zone. Even better, consider your values when setting your next round of goals.  In the words of Gary Keller and Jay Papasan, “The prescription for extraordinary results is knowing what matters to you and taking daily doses of actions in alignment with it.” If you have the intention to shift the proportion of your life that’s Core Values rich - you’ll soon feel happier, more aligned, and ultimately more fulfilled.   Tip #3: Eliminate tasks, to-dos, expectations, and responsibilities that don’t align with your core values.  Living a value-led life isn’t about adding new things alone; it’s also about eliminating things you don’t care about or value highly.  Think about it. Why waste time and energy doing things that aren’t important to you?! Instead:  Delegate.  Invest in help.  Build your team.  Allocate household chores differently.  Stop doing the things you only do because you think you should!  There are plenty of ways to free up space in your life. I promise this tip could be one of the most liberating steps you ever take!    Tip #4: Reflect on your values before making decisions. Roy E. Disney said, “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.”  It’s easy to get trapped in the realm of shoulds and musts - or this is the way it’s always been!  If we’re not mindful, we can end up making decisions that don’t serve our best self. Worse than that… we risk making decisions that take us further away from where we want to go.  Your Core Values provide a sounding board that can help you decide which is the right choice for you.  As you consider your options, tap into which one feels most aligned to the values you prize.  [And if you end up choosing a different option, it’s worth reflecting on which value is most important in your life!]  With your values to guide you, it’s easier to make choices that feel good.  Tip #5: Journal  Your Core Values form a piece of your identity. Discovering and choosing your values is an act of self-awareness. Find your values, and you’ll deepen the relationship you have with yourself.  The more you know yourself, the more you’re able to step into your best self.  This inner work can take time - especially if you’ve never given yourself space or permission to ask yourself what you want.  But it’s also beautiful work - because it takes you back to you and puts your life back in your control.  Your journal is one of the best places to explore who you are. It’s a place where you can meet yourself.  What’s more, because your journal can hold anything you throw at it, you’re able to make deep, profound discoveries that could transform your life.  Here are some Core Values based questions to journal about:  1. What do you really care about and WHY?[TIP: Don’t stop at your first why answer. Instead, dive deeper and get to the core. The deeper answers might surprise you.] 2. Why aren’t you living the values you say you prize?What are the blocks and barriers? [When you know what’s in your way, it’s easier to find a new way forward.] 3. If time and money were no object [and you had a magic wand that could make anything a reality], how would you live your life?Your answer to this question will give you a different perspective on what you value most.  As you can see, there are plenty of ways to weave your Core Values into your life.  What are your favorite ways to live with more purpose? Let us know on social tagging @bestselfco.

By Georgina El Morshdy Do you struggle to feel purposeful in your life or fulfilled in your relationships?  Maybe you feel disconnected from your to-do list - or you’re always thinking about how much better life will be when you’ve achieved your latest round of goals.  Perhaps you don’t feel as aligned as you’d like. You can’t quite put your finger on why, but you know there’s a disconnection between what you want and what you’re actually doing.  It’s frustrating and irritating when something feels off!  Fortunately, there is a way to empower yourself to make aligned decisions, feel more purposeful, and gain direction for your life.  Enter your CORE VALUES… A simple, yet powerful tool that will help you understand yourself at a deeper level; empowering your best self to thrive in ALL areas of your life.  Let me show you how… What are Core Values? Your core values are the things you decide matter most in your life.  They’re the things that make your heart beat that little bit faster with excitement. The experiences that leave you with a sense of awe. The moments when time stands still. When you’re living life in alignment with your values, you feel alive. You feel more purposeful too because life just works. You experience moments that are ‘well-lived’; adding beautiful things to your memory box.  When life unfolds in alignment with your values, there’s little resistance. You’re in your flow and you find your zone. You’re not clock-watching or wishing you could be somewhere else. You’re fully present and switched on.  We’ve all had meaningful moments like these.  When I think of my life, some of the experiences that spring to mind are travelling through India, listening to a soul-deep conversation that ignites something inside, or feeling my heart about to burst at my son’s beautiful smile.   I feel the same when visiting a new beach, when reading a book that shifts my thinking, or when talking into the night with my husband.  There’s a reason these kinds of experiences make me feel alive. They each connect back to my three Core Values.  I don’t get the same feelings doing something that doesn’t light me up. I don’t feel as vibrant when cleaning the car, sorting through my paperwork, or tending to the garden. And it’s not that these tasks aren’t necessary. The difference is they’re not as important to me because they don’t fit into any of my Core Values. The power to create more moments that matter When you know your Core Values, you don’t have to cross your fingers and hope you’ll experience more of the things that matter. Instead, you can create them intentionally. • Carve out time in your calendar • Set aligned goals • Delegate tasks, errands, and to-dos that take you away from your Core Values. In turn, your life becomes all the richer.  But how do you discover your Core Values?  Keep reading and I’ll show you how... How to define your core values Discovering your Core Values is an intuitive process. There is no right or wrong value - just the values that are right for you.  The easiest way is to browse a list of values words - something the Core Values Deck can help you do.      As you browse through the deck’s 150 words, your instincts will kick in. Sort into three categories:  • ‘NO’ - discard these. • ‘MAYBE’ - pop these onto your shortlist.• ‘HOT YES’ - add to your definite pile. Aim for a maximum of three Core Values. Any more becomes unmanageable [and three is the magic number!]   As your shortlist shrinks, you may struggle to pick between words. If this happens, look tor the umbrella word. For example, curiosity might drive your creativity. If so, curiosity is the value you’d pick.  My Core Values are Love, Adventure, and Wisdom.  Now you can see why the memories I shared earlier meant so much!    • I love travelling, spontaneity, and going to new places because adventure is so important to me. • I love learning, new insights, and conversations that crack something open up because I’m inspired by wisdom. • I enjoy moments of soul-deep connection because I desire to feel love.  This is where your analytical, logical mind can add to the process. When you’ve found a word that feels right, simply trawl your brain for memories to back this up.  For example, I knew adventure was right for me because so many of my favorite memories are from my travels and trips. Other words came close. I contemplated freedom for a while, but ‘freedom’ didn’t land in the same way as adventure - even though they have similarities.  Explore how you’ll live each value day-to-day. The real magic of your Core Values is using them to craft your life.  Define your Core Values, ignite your Best Self Define your Core Values and you’ll unlock the confidence that comes from knowing you’re always headed in the direction of your best self. When you know what you care about most and you build your life around these values, you get to feel great!  And isn’t that what we want most.  What are your three Core Values?  Feel free to share a picture of your three words on social; tagging us @bestselfco.

Relationships are a great way to build trust and intimacy with someone else. But have you ever thought about how relationships help you evolve into your best self?  Did you know that relationships are one of the most powerful containers you can use to enhance your self-awareness. Relationships really are your greatest teacher. Even if you’re already someone with a high level of self-awareness, you can still learn a lot about yourself by the way you relate to the person you’re closest to.  Relationships offer a unique opportunity for unconscious behaviors to come to the forefront. They allow you to see yourself in new ways creating aha moments of self-discovery that lead to new realizations. In turn, you can access new insights and ideas that inspire your best self to thrive.  Keep reading to discover five powerful ways that your relationship will help you become your best self.  1. Relationships serve as a mirror. Experiencing  yourself through the eyes of someone else illuminates your strengths and also highlights opportunities for change.  What we admire or dislike in others is often what we admire or dislike about ourselves. Everything we see in the outside world is being reflected back like a mirror. This enables us to do some intense detective work on our own character. In turn, we get to dig deeper to unveil the unseen ways we are thinking or acting. The self-discovery that comes from mirroring can be one of the more challenging parts of a being with someone. It’s not easy to acknowledge how your partner is reflecting back a quality you want to transform. But face this realization with radical honesty, and you unlock the opportunity to truly grow as a person.  It can feel uncomfortable at first. But the results are worth it. This mirror effect offers a level of self-reflection that isn’t available when you are on your own. It allows you to grow in ways that only relationships can offer.  2. Relationships highlight your unconscious ‘bad’ habits It’s natural to fall into habitual patterns. Being in a relationship requires sharing your time, space, and human-ness with another person. Running on auto-pilot is easier. It takes less energy. Relationships make us aware of the things about ourselves that we don't consciously notice.  With someone else around to witness your habits and default behaviors, you may begin to see opportunities for improvement!   Maybe you have a habit of leaving your dirty water glasses all over the place. Or only answering one question in a text message when there were two. You might be someone that tends to leave important details out of group plans.   It may sting for someone else to be so aware of the way you operate - especially when they draw your attention to them, but this also opens up an opportunity for dialogue and offers a level of self-awareness you didn’t have before.  3. Relationships illuminate your reactions A lot of our behaviors are unconscious reactions to external triggers. Have you noticed how you can respond without thinking - especially when confronted with an uncomfortable or stressful situation? In a new relationship, your partner will get to experience  your reactions - giving you the chance to see how you react through their fresh eyes. For example, how do you respond when you’re meeting new people, finding your feet in new situations, combining schedules, and making changes to your daily routine?  Changes often cause reactions, and reactions may cause triggers. Your reactions reveal what’s really going on inside your psyche.  Through your partner’s feedback and observations, you get to decide whether you like the way you show up - or whether there’s a ‘best self’ version to be discovered and embodied.  Thanks to your relationship, you get to work on transforming your default reactions which is another valuable tool for self-growth. 4. Relationships encourage you to be better Chances are your partner may have habits or behaviors that you want to adopt. This doesn’t mean you have to be at the gym together for two hours each day! It can be as simple as your partner's positive outlook on life motivating you to see things in a different light. The proof is in the pudding. If the person you are closest to displays habits you want to embrace— it will be easier for you to change because you’ll have a role model to follow.  When you put your best foot forward for yourself each day the people around you are motivated to do the same. 5. Relationships make you feel appreciated Your relationship is also an opportunity to see and own the things that others love and appreciate about you.  For example, maybe you didn’t know your smile lights up a room. Or perhaps your partner appreciates how thoughtful you are. Nothing is better than feeling appreciated for the small things you weren’t even aware of. This will lead you down the avenue toward a deeper love for yourself. The more positive reinforcement you receive from your partner about what makes you special— the more likely you are to embrace these parts of yourself, too. Feeling appreciated motivates us. And when you feel appreciated you are more willing to go the extra mile for yourself and in your relationship.  Better self-realizations render better relationships Life often gives us relationships that serve as mirrors for our ultimate growth. Begin to recognize the mirror effect and you’ll have a better view of where you could work on yourself to step into your best self.  If you choose, your relationship provides an opportunity to be a witness to your behaviors, reactions, and triggers - empowering you to take control of the things that were once unnoticed. When your partner is there to do the same, you both get to experience growth. And the best part is— you can do it all together.  

“Journaling is like whispering to one’s self and listening at the same time.” — Mina Murray, DraculaSome of the world’s top-performers swear by the practice of journaling - and for good reason. This powerful practice goes far beyond recording the events of your day for prosperity. Instead, journaling is a practice that will help you become your best self. Keep reading to discover SIX reasons why... Reason #1 - Free up creative bandwidth Jim Rohn says “Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.” Here’s an interesting fact… the average person has between 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts a day. That’s up to 50 thoughts a minute [yup, I can’t quite fathom that either!] Here’s the thing… A lot of those thoughts are repetitive or low-level. You become what you think, so if you’re constantly repeating the same thoughts, you’ll keep recreating the same reality. Thinking ruts keep us stuck in the status quo, making it less likely that the mind will wander down a tangent that delivers a door-opening idea. Here’s where journaling can help - HUGELY. You can use your journal to close up some of those repetitive thought loops. In turn, you free up bandwidth and create some new space to think. As a result, you’re more likely to discover something new. Reason #2 - Boost your emotional intelligence In a nutshell, emotional intelligence is your ability to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions. As you can imagine, emotional intelligence is a pretty crucial skill if you want to be your best self. Your emotions are messengers. They give you an insight into how you’re feeling that goes beyond what your logical mind wants you to know. Emotions can give you insight into specific experiences, people, and situations. They can help you understand your triggers too. The better you can navigate, process, and express your emotions, the more powerfully you can show up for yourself and for other people. Of course, journaling can help you here too - because you can use your journaling practice to work through how you feel. With the help of your journal you can write about and process your emotions. Helping you to feel more connected with yourself and with others. Reason #3 - Better know yourself Your journal is a brilliant place to get to know who you really are. Think about it… Unless you’ve lived a very intentional life [where you’re conscious about why you have the beliefs you have or why you make the decisions that you do], then a big chunk of how you show up is determined by your hard-wired beliefs and habits. It’s not unusual for these instinctive patterns to have been shaped by influences outside of your choice - for example: • Meeting the expectations of your parents or teachers as a child • Showing up in a way that got you accepted by your peers • Behaving in a way that earned you brownie points with your boss, teammates, or clients A lot of these habits WILL serve you - but some won’t.  Your journal is the perfect place to differentiate between the two. Through the process of introspection, contemplation, and self-discovery, you can distinguish between the authentic YOU - and the parts of you that are serving others more than they serve you. In turn, your journal becomes a powerful catalyst for rapid self-growth. Reason #4 - Set and achieve the right goals Are you setting goals that you REALLY want - or goals that you think you should want? It’s a crazy fact that only 8% of people achieve the goals they set. There are lots of reasons why people fall short of where they say they want to be - and one of those is because their goal didn’t excite them enough in the first place! There’s a profound difference between motivation and inspiration. Motivation is often an outside thing whereas inspiration comes from within. Ideally, your goals should light a fire inside of you. You should feel inherently driven to do what’s required to make them work.  You can use your journal to figure this piece out by writing to get clarity on what you really want… And more importantly, WHY you want it. With a clear direction mapped out, you can put your Reticular Activating System to work - and increase your chances of success significantly. Reason #5 - Learn from your life “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” This quote is widely attributed to Einstein - [it’s such a good quote that we’ll overlook the fact that he may not have said this at all!] Have you noticed how life has a funny way of repeating itself? The situation may be different, but the context is often similar… I think this is life’s way of helping you learn something specific - meaning familiar experiences will continue to show up, until you ‘get’ the lesson! Once again, your journal is a powerful place to put reflection to work. With the help of your journal, you can look back over an event, a day, a week, a season etc. to pull out the life lessons. It’s more powerful to write out your reflection than it is to just think because writing allows you to pull on all the threads of thinking - and see where they go. When you write, you can join up the dots and make the connections that would otherwise be invisible. And as you reflect, you learn - and make it more likely that you won’t repeat mistakes - which in turn allows you to grow more quickly. Reason #6 - Feel more centered Life is pretty crazy at the moment.  All this chaos, uncertainty, and confusion means the road ahead might not be as clear as you once thought. In turn, stress and anxiety can increase - creating emotional reactions and mental fog that make it harder to make decisions and think straight. Your journal can help you work through these fears - so you can feel more grounded. There’s something about writing out your worries and concerns - in detail - that can take the edge off the emotional energy of it all. Instead of thoughts whirring round and round in your head, you can create closure and clarity - therefore increasing your feelings of empowerment. Journaling inspires you to get focused - and that can calm your wandering, worrying mind and create some much-needed relief. Pretty cool, right?! Who’s have thought you could extract all of those mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits from capturing a few words on the blank page. Yup, journaling really is one of THE most profound practices that you can adopt - and best of all, it’s so simple to start. All you need is a pen, a notebook [I recommend the Scribe], and your wandering mind. So get to writing NOW. Loved this journaling article? If so, get weekly tips and insights when you subscribe to the Writing Your Best Self podcast. Packed with interviews, journaling strategies, and free journaling prompts, you can feel supported as you explore your inner world and unlock your best.

September is Self-Improvement Month, which sets a great reminder that taking care of yourself is a vital part of feeling your best and living a life that you’re proud of. Self-improvement can happen in the form of self-care, and can be implemented in many forms, including physical, mental and emotional practices. Each derives a different area of improvement that is associated with your body’s performance and mental health and can bring you to a stronger and healthier state of mind. Self-care involves participating in an activity that boosts your overall well-being. These can be things that you enjoy doing on a daily basis, like reading, drawing or going for a walk. Everyone’s self-care regimen is different based on lifestyle and personal preferences, but just as long as you’re incorporating the things that make you feel like your best into a schedule, you’re leading yourself to a happier and more well-rounded version of yourself. Although Self-Improvement Month is within a specific timespan, this does not mean that you need to reach every single self-care goal you’ve set for yourself within one month, or go back to an old or unhealthy way of life after the month is over. Instead, it gives you an opportunity to kickstart self-improvement goals that can be reached over a longer period of time. Yes, it’s possible to have a “glow up” within 30 days, but realistically it could take years for an individual to properly prioritize personal care and recognize their self-worth depending on their life experiences. To learn more about what you can do to spark a self-care transformation, here are some tips to follow: Start a Writing Journal Journaling your daily thoughts can help you reflect on both the positive and negative situations you’re enduring in your life. This is especially beneficial if it’s challenging for you to communicate to others about what you’re going through. Writing improves your mood, calms the body and helps you identify the frequency of certain thoughts that are heavy on your mind. Journaling is an extremely beneficial self-care technique. It helps to clear your mind of self-doubt and gives you time to reflect on certain life experiences while taking a deeper dive into your emotions. What you write about can be anything you want it to be. As long it helps you improve your mental, emotional and spiritual wellness, you can count this self-care regimen as a success. According to Penzu, it’s important to set a time for how long you want to write. Ideally, this should be between 5-20 minutes, and done consistently throughout the week in a quiet, non-distracting space where you can relax and focus. If it helps, put your smartphone or laptop in another room to avoid hopping on social media or answering phone calls and text messages. If you need a background noise to be able to write to the best of your ability, there are plenty of zen playlists on Apple Music or Spotify that you can utilize. Depending on your music preferences, you can also customize a playlist for journaling so you’re listening to some of your favorite tunes when you write. Begin a New Hobby Hobbies are a great way to get yourself involved in the community, and an even more fantastic way to meet new people. It might be helpful to look online for organizations and teams that are in need of assistance. This could be within recreational sports groups, volunteering services and classes that are hosted by people who are passionate about providing to society. You can join Facebook groups based on your interests and chat up individuals who have been involved to get a glimpse into their experience. Knowing that you are involved in the things that you enjoy participating in or giving back to creates a spread of positivity change, resulting in a more powerful self-reflection and appreciation for your own personal growth. During the time of COVID-19, it may be difficult to find a hobby that is open to the public depending on where you’re from, but at-home hobbies can be just as fun and simple. If you're a crafty person, start a small-business to spread your creativeness to others. If you enjoy fitness, find online yoga or exercise classes to improve your physical health. Do you like spending time outside? Find local hikes to visit when you want to be in nature, or build and maintain your own garden to have fresh foods available nearby when you want to cook a nutritious meal. This might take a few trials to find exactly what you enjoy, but once you do, you’ll find that you’re happier and involved with people with common interests. Dive Into Your Finances Financial health can be a trigger to emotional and mental stress, as without a saving and spending system in place for your personal finances, it can make you feel overwhelmed that you won’t have enough in your checking account to provide for yourself. Due to the challenges that could be associated with underlying money management issues, like late bill payments or overspending, it’s important to incorporate personal finances into your self-care routine. Ultimately, we want to have full control over our finances, and to be able to comfortably create short- and long-term financial goals. But when you’re not organized, your mental health could take a toll and result in depression, anxiety or even anger.Developing financial habits isn’t a simple walk in the park at first. It takes time to learn how to organize your bills, create a spending plan and to properly invest your money. Whether this stress is coming from your source of income or poor financial wellness, there are many resources that can help you self-improve and adjust to a better financially friendly lifestyle. With smartphones completely taking over today’s world with apps, information and digital tools, financial-technology is boosting in popularity and giving people a savvy way of managing their finances. Along with expense tracking apps and personal budget software’s, there are app-based banking solutions without a credit check that can help you manage your money regardless of how challenging your financial situation is and how far along you are with developing a self-care routine. By utilizing your mobile device for organization, you can simply access thousands of resources meant to reduce money-related stress and anxiety from anywhere, and in seconds.  Participate in Random Acts of Kindness To cultivate kindness is to create a positive environment for yourself and those around you. When individuals view you as someone who spreads good vibes and remains calm through difficult situations, they are more likely to emulate your behavior—creating even more generosity among a wider population. There are many ways you can participate in random acts of kindness, even something as simple as complimenting another person goes a very long way. Other options include sending a card to a friend showing your appreciation for them, making a donation to a cause that you’re passionate about and even treating someone to a coffee or lunch once in a while. Spreading kindness doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, but rather a simple conversation or plan to show your family, friends and others that you care. Read or Listen to Podcasts Self-help and motivational books consist of tips and tricks that can help you improve certain areas of your life. Depending on your topic preferences, you can find books for almost every subject—from relationship advice, to nutrition and exercise, to career growth. Reading about the parts of your life that you want to improve on can give you additional insight into more ideas that can help you achieve your goals, and even reading books on the same subject by different authors can give you numerous perspectives too.  Podcasts are another great outlet for self-improvement advice. These can be found on music subscription websites like Spotify or Apple Music, or on blogs and other media outlets that provide personal wellness content. Podcasts can be listened to while you’re working, driving in the car, hiking or even when you’re hanging out around the house. If you’re struggling to find one that you like, ask other people about what they’ve listened to, or read reviews online about what others have to say about certain podcasters and how they frame their conversations. Some individuals talk about personal topics and life experiences, while others share general information and life tips. Don’t be afraid to listen to a preview before following a podcaster to ensure you know that it will be something you enjoy. Sustain a Daily Routine  Beginning your day with something productive, health-oriented or an activity that brings you joy is imperative to maintain. Mornings are a crucial part of your daily routine because what you do with the first few hours of your day can depict how the rest of your afternoon and evening play out in terms of your productivity and mood. Start with something simple like waking up and going to bed at a consistent time to keep yourself on a better sleeping schedule. Eating healthy meals is another vital part of feeling your best on a daily basis. Avoid skipping one to keep your energy levels high and to avoid head and stomach aches from a lack of nutrition.  In terms of organizing your daily schedule, use a planner to map out the hours of your day and check off each completed task to visualize your success.  Using colored pens, sticky notes and labels can bring more creativity and organization to your planner, and can make it easier for you to categorize the different components of your routine, such as exercise, meals and work related tasks. If you’d rather use a digital method to craft and keep track of your plans, look into calendar apps or other internet services that provide online planners that are compatible with all phone providers. In some cases, these apps can be used on a laptop, phone and tablet, which extends your ability to use them across all of your devices. Self-Improvement Month is the perfect time to envision, create and share a new and improved version of yourself. This process doesn’t have to happen overnight, and can take some time. The more you focus on yourself, for yourself, the better you’ll feel about the person you are becoming.