Weekend Design & Wellness Project

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Photo by: Rana Sawalha @ranasawalha

This weekend get your life’s story started by writing an intro to your autobiography. Yes, you have a unique story and it IS interesting. One day you can look back or share this record of your life’s legacy with your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews. You will also be pleasantly surprised at how much you’ve overcome and achieved in your life. With every life, there are ups, downs and many tragedies that confuse the triumphs. Nevertheless, these are your stories and they make up your whole existence. Most people will never know how much they have touched another’s life through a ton of small yet very impactful actions. Writing out your memories will prove to be enlightening and most likely humorous exercise that will bring you and your family and friends joy for years to come. To get started, make your favorite beverage, put some of your favorite things around and get to writing your awesome adventures. P.S. Maybe keep some tissues handy for those bittersweet memories.

Your Fear Can Kill Your Dreams

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Photo by: Thought Catalog @thoughtcatalog

Photo by: Thought Catalog @thoughtcatalog

The opposite of fear is joy. Who wouldn’t want joy in their everyday lives? How much would a fearful person pay for clarity? Probably a lot. Here are 3 steps to creating clarity to achieve joy in your life.

  1. Write down 5 things you are grateful for in your life.

  2. Write your 3 favorite things to do; hobbies, activities, experiences (Things you would do for free and when time ceases to exist.)

  3. What scares you most in life? (Choices you made, those you didn’t or ones you’re hesitating to make for any number of reasons/excuses.)

This exercise is to help you create/design your most joyous life. Itty bitty baby steps in the direction of your vision are perfectly fine. There are many ways to make shifts in your life, schedule and budget to softly accommodate the path toward your life filled with clarity and joy.

Everyone you’re putting ahead of pursuing your dreams because somehow their needs are more important than your happiness, will benefit greatly from your actions. Their “needs” are simply serving as an excuse for you not following through with your personal interests. This does not mean abandon all adult responsibilities and dependents while bankrupting yourself. The moment you realize that your desires matter, is the moment just before your first step toward your new life. Wouldn’t it be nice to be an example of what a purposeful life can be by following your passion and dreams?

A great book recommendation on this subject is “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert. She explains how she has changed her relationship with fear by coexisting with it and tell it what to do. Her fear has to “sit in the backseat and cannot control the music.”

Weekend Design & Wellness Project

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Photo by: Xan Griffin @xangriffin

Photo by: Xan Griffin @xangriffin

Reflect on a risk you’ve taken with an undesired outcome that turned out to be in your best interest after the disappointment settled. There may be a few of these instances, small and large throughout your life. My grandmother always says, “don’t look back if it ain’t gonna put a smile on your face.” (She’s tough and boy does she love her “ain’ts.”)

It may be difficult to rummage through the past so here is an idea that could help you stay focused on what you’re recalling. Set an intention that you’re scanning the past for specific events where your disappointment benefited you in many ways, potentially even saving your life. We are avoiding the “F” word, f@%!^%e since this is all about receiving something greater that you had hoped for. Feel free to write or voice record your experience. It is surprising how many victories are laying dormant in the past with zero recognition. Let’s celebrate these colossal life wins.

The Value of Baby Steps

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Photo by: Simon Infanger @photosimon

Photo by: Simon Infanger @photosimon

In the entrepreneurial and small business world the phrase, “start before you’re ready,” has become a mantra. For some of us, that mantra can be taken too far and too fast in some instances. As a recovering impatient creative, I have learn hard lessons from taking giant leaps before mapping out a progressive course. I wanted to get to the finish line and thought I could fill in the blanks later. After years of beating myself up for my mistakes, I finally understand the importance of baby steps and slow growth. My unpolished mindset taught me what not to do at a young age when I had little to lose and for that I am grateful. This doesn’t mean I will not make bigger mistakes in the future with bigger loss, however, I will not make the same ones over again. Now, I can truly see and instinctively feel the value of baby steps. My mom has been vindicated in her wise advice to always, “KISS IT” (keep it simple stupid) and to “take baby step.” Thankfully, my mom has the biggest, loving heart and will never say “I told you so.” That is unconditional love right there.

SIDE NOTE: If someone has the opportunity to be right and relish in an ego boost and they choose to cheer for your success instead, you’ve got a great supporter by your side. It is so important to have people—there may be just one—that you can depend on that will be completely honest with you because they want to see you do your very best. They can be hard to find, but you’ll know when you’ve found one when they get excited for your wins in life rather than become jealous, make it about them or end the conversation abruptly. This is an abusive relationship no matter who this person is to you and it’s best to distance yourself from them immediately.

Back to baby steps. A big part of taking effective baby steps is that you have a clear vision of where you’re going, create an outline of what you need to get there, then reduce that down to monthly, weekly and daily action steps and finally let go and trust that you’ll know what adjustments to make along the way. Patience is required.

Weekend Design & Wellness Project

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“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change.”
— Wayne Dyer

Reimagine an old piece of furniture to suit your home or as a gift for someone else. It can be as simple as a good coat of paint or recovering a seat cushion. Any little change can help you see something differently. Happy reinventing!