I Talk To Myself

Take a sabbatical media.   This next challenge may be easy for you or it might be very difficult to accomplish.   For this next challenge I want you to take a break from media.   That means no TV, news, radio, cell phone except for emergencies of course, computer, email or social media.   Choose to commit to a day, a week or a month.   I know what you are thinking, “Yeah, but I will miss everything that is going on in the world!”   Trust me, the world will not stop, and you will still be informed.   There is always that one person you run into that will talk your ear off about something happening in the news.   After your Sabbatical is over, check how you feel you may find that you enjoy a media free life so much that you take a whole year. Or you might find that leaving a space for being media free is well worth turning off the TV, phone and computer for a few hours each day or over the weekend.   Perhaps you will find that watching the ne...

Have a friend’s weekend retreat. There is just something about getting together with close friends that makes you smile till it hurts, laugh till you cry and leaves you feeling utterly fantastic. Earlier in this 28 day challenge I had you get together with someone that brings you joy, but have you ever spent more than just a lunch or a night out with them?   For this challenge I want you to set up and go on a mini vacation with your friend(s).   Find a place that suits both of you, go to a place with a beach or night life, find a mountain cabin and go for hikes, visit museums, or do a sleepover with a movie marathon if that’s what you both enjoy.   The point is to spend good quality time with a friend, not a spouse or significant other, not that they can't be your friend, but person you don't see everyday. A long weekend spent just with a friend, doing what you enjoy allows for stronger, more supportive, and healthier relationships.   Studies have shown that people...

Do something that brings you joy that you have set aside because “you don’t have time.” There are times in your life when you put aside things that bring you joy.  We do it because we’re busy or can’t afford to or because it’s childish.  Sometimes we stop because of depression, illness and fatigue and you don’t have the energy to just get up and do it. And most of the time we choose to put what brings us joy to the back of our mind because we are helping others find their joy.  It is important to remember that you cannot give what you don’t have.  It every time you are squeeze you get angry, frustrated and annoyed, then that is all you can give regardless of your intent of giving love and peace.  Give yourself a time out, take time away from your children, take time away from your job, give yourself some space to do something that brings you joy and don’t let guilt come to play.  Perhaps you don’t even remember what it is that brings you joy, now is the cha...

Read a book you’ve been wanting to read but just haven’t.   Or if you’re not a reader, go to your local library and pick up a book on disc, listen to it in your car, or at home in your free time.   It doesn’t have to be educational but if that is what you like go for it.   Pick out something fun and interesting to you. I happen to read a lot of non-fiction spiritual or health based books.   Once in a while it is nice to read or listen to a good fantasy, sci-fi or mystery type book.  On the other hand, if you read a lot of fiction, you may want to choose something different.  You can do this by yourself, with your kids or family, you could even set up a mini book club with your favorite people to hang out with, just for another good excuse to get together. My husband, daughters and I like to pick out a good series of books to listen to as we travel. I recommend the Hunger Games if you have older children and any of Rick Riordan’s books for those with young...

Volunteer where and what you are passionate about.   Doing something for others (plants, animals and people) in need feels good when you are doing it for the right reasons. Don't do it because you should, but because you genuinely want to help.  If you already volunteer and it feels like an obligation, walk away and find something worth your time and effort.   At the same time if you feel like you just can’t find time in your schedule don’t feel guilty for not stepping up to be the first to volunteer.  There are many ways to volunteer your time serving people, animals and our planet.  You can choose to make a solid commitment and once a week walk dogs at your local animal rescue, or volunteer at a zoo, nature center, school, library or any place of business that interests you.  Perhaps you choose to help at your local food bank or soup kitchen.  Or maybe you don’t have that much free time with kid’s school and work, so maybe you choose to help p...

Do something creative. Everyone has a creative side whether they admit it or not. By nature we are creators.   We create our life moment by moment and use our imagination to do it.   Today’s challenge is to use your imagination to create something that will help you or be useful for someone else.   This can be anything.   You can paint, arrange flowers, bake, decorate a cake, sew, do woodworking, draw, or write a story or poetry.   You can garden, organize a place or part of your house that you use frequently, or map out your next vacation including fun stops and other unique travel destinations.   All you have to do is imagine to get your creative juices flowing.   Right now I am in the stages of imagining all that I can do to refurbish the old camper we bought in the fall.   We didn’t have time to do anything before winter came, but now that it is starting to get warmer and have more sunshiny days I am thinking more about what I would like to ...

Eat good food and don't forget dessert.  There are two types of people in this world, those that live to eat and those that eat to live.  I am the latter one, but which ever you are most likely you are not choosing food to eat because it's healthy and nutritious, but because it's what you like and it tastes good to you. This challenge is to choose to eat good food and eat with the purpose of nurturing and healing your body. Find a new recipe that not only is good for you but satisfies your mind and taste buds.  You can turn an unhealthy recipe into a healthy one if your like me and don't like trying something new. Eating with purpose to heal and nourish means to eat mindfully.  Knowing that each bite is full of nutrients meant for energizing your cells and healing your body. Visualize your food doing just that. If you are making food from scratch and using whole foods, leaving out boxed or highly processed foods, you will not only feel better physically but you will ...

Laugh out loud. Today’s challenge is to laugh out loud. A good belly laugh!   They say laughter is the best medicine, and it’s true.   Not only are there studies that prove laughter heals, there is even a documentary. Being able to laugh, really laugh at how ridiculous life can be, not only can lift your mood, but lift the mood of others.   Hearing someone laugh out loud is contagious.   You might not even know what they are laughing at and then you find yourself laughing right along with them.   I use to hold in my laughter.   Being a perfectionist growing up, I didn’t find much to laugh at.   It took a long time before I could laugh at my mistakes and laugh at how absurd the world can be from time to time.   As I lost the need for perfectionism, and lost the need for approval from others, I have found my laughing voice, which ironically is as loud as my mother’s.   When my brother and I were in plays back in high school, you could hear t...

Spend some time in nature.   Spring is coming, the temperature is rising and snow is beginning to melt.   Now is a great time to get out in nature.   Go for your walk outside through a forest or park, go to the beach or sit in your backyard and listen to the birds.   Have a spring gathering with a bonfire or make reservations to go camping. Nature is a reset button for the body, a way to turn your brain off and on again when it is on the fritz.   It restores neural pathways in the body and brain making it easier to think, breathe, and overall function.   If it is warm enough, walk barefoot.   Electrons from the ground transfer to your body and you essentially become grounded with the earth.   Take time to listen to the sounds around you, watch the wind move through the branches and leaves, feel the grass under foot and hug a tree.   The more time you can spend quiet in nature the more health benefits, both physical and mental you will recei...

Write down your intentions.   Now that I have you declaring your gratitude, I would like you to add your intentions to the list at the end of the day.   Write down what your intentions are for the following day. Do you intend to have more energy, or abundance in your day tomorrow? Do you intend to be productive or relaxed? Do you intend to be kind or patient? Leave your intentions broad, try not to force specific ideals or things into your life.  Don't intend to eat better, just intend to be healthy.  When you make your intentions too specific, it is easy not to do as you intended.  When you leave your intentions wide open and broad, it allows them to show up in many forms through our your day. One intention I like to have is "I intend to pay attention to the now."  My thoughts have always wondered to the past and to the future.  I grew up a worrier.  This intention to pay attention to the now keeps my thoughts centered and focused on whatev...

Write down your gratitude’s at the end of the day.   The next two challenges will be about journaling.    If you are not one for writing, this may be quite a challenge.  There is an alternative though, you can also tell a friend, or spouse the things you are grateful for at the end of the day.  Try and write 5 things each day that you are grateful that happened that day or that you have in your life.  After a week you will notice that you might be writing the same things down each day, and you will start to get creative with what you write.  The reason gratitude is so important to one’s happiness, is because it focuses your attention on what is good and what makes you feel good in your life.  When you begin to focus on the good, you begin to send out the emotional frequency of good and gratitude, which will attract more good or things to be grateful for into your life.  You can even try to be grateful for the things that aren’t going so wel...

Mirror work. When was the last time you looked in the mirror?   This morning? Last week? A year ago?   When was the last time you really looked in the mirror?   Not to put on makeup, not to brush your teeth, not to check and make sure your butt looks okay, but to really look at yourself.   To see the different flecks of color in your eyes, to see the shimmer of grey hairs emerge, to see the beauty of each line and wrinkle, to see the blessings of your curves.   Take a look in the mirror today, what is the first thought that comes to your mind?   Is it of flaws, or is it of beauty?   Today’s challenge is to really look in the mirror.   Set a timer for 5 minutes and look into your own eyes.   Some people say that the eyes are the gateways to the soul.   Take a look into yours.   Take notice the ease or difficultly you have looking at yourself.   Take note of (or become aware of) what you believe to be your flaws and what you be...

You day! For today’s challenge I want you to pick one day of the week just for you.   A day that you do what brings you joy and satisfaction in your life.   Not a day for binge watching television, or doing nothing.   Not a day mixed with errands and appointments.   A day for you to work on you and do exactly what makes you happy.   Weather it’s a long walk, travel, working on a project, taking a day for self-care, visiting friends you like, learning something new or whatever the case may be, set aside one day just for you.   Block out a chunk of time that you will keep to do only things you want to do, so no cleaning or picking up, don’t do bills or laundry, unless that is what brings you joy then have at it!   for more of a challenge t ry and set aside one day each week just for you. If you already have that going on in your life, try for two days, or a whole week dedicated just to you! Peace, Love and Gratitude Did you miss day 15?...

Forgiveness. One of the hardest things to do in life is forgive.   Why?   Because our ego leads us to believe that if we forgive then what was done to us, said to us or what we did was okay to do.   So we wait for an apology from those that have wronged us, or continue to punish ourselves until we’ve learned our lesson.  We hold onto the anger, sadness, shame and guilt until our body becomes ill.  It can be difficult to forgive others for what they’ve done and even harder to forgive ourselves for something we’ve done.  Today's challenge is to practice forgiveness.  This doesn’t mean you have to go up to the person that hurt you and say I forgive you, it means you try and take a step back and place yourself in their shoes and try and imagine what experiences they had that lead to hurting you.  Or taking a look at your past and the decisions that you made to make a choice that you made.  Empathy can be hard for some who choose not to see...

Let Go.   There are many things in life that we choose to hold on to, because of fear of letting go might mean that we are letting go of a part of ourselves.   That it might mean we have to let go of an old limiting belief.   Part of letting go is really about accepting where you are in life, where and what it took to get this far and being okay with not knowing what comes next.   Yes, it sounds like I am going to start singing the infamous Frozen song, but seriously it’s time to let it all go.   Let go of beliefs that are no longer serving you.   Let go of    “if only I had this or that, then I would be happy.”   Or “remember when we had this or that, boy, that was an awesome time.”   Holding on to super amazing experiences and then comparing your current life to that places that memory on a pedestal.   On the flip side, s ometimes there are things that have happened in your life, like childhood trauma, that you hol...

Get in touch with your inner child.   For this next challenge, I want you to find a picture of yourself as a child.   While looking at your picture I want you to notice the energy that radiates from the picture.   Have a conversation with your inner child, hold him or her in your arms and tell them what you needed to hear at that age.   Talk to them about where you are at in life, and what it took to get here. What advice would you give your little self?   What advice would your little self give you? Ask him or her what they would like to do today and revisit what brought you joy as a child. For more of a challenge, find multiple pictures of yourself at different stages of your childhood.   Consider each stage of your life, look back on your experiences and see how they’ve shaped you, how they’ve lead to this moment in time and space. If this challenge didn’t leave a happy feeling, that’s okay, sometimes we have to work through old pain in order to allow ...

Talk with someone you’ve been avoiding.   This one may be a tough one.   Who in your life have you been avoiding?   Is there someone you’re mad at, perhaps had a disagreement with or you’ve said something you didn’t mean to say and now there is a rift.   Perhaps someone said something to you and it got you fuming but never said anything to the person, so now you just avoid.   Maybe there’s an apology that is in order or an understanding that needs to take place.  Or perhaps you just drifted apart and now you are unsure of what to expect.  Avoidance makes us feel safe but also causes anxiety and fear, both of which can stifle happiness. For today's challenge I am asking you to face your fear and talk with (not write or email or text) pick up the phone or meet them in person and talk with the person you’ve been avoiding. Wade through your fear and talk with the person, say what's on your mind.  The relief you feel after will make you wonder why yo...

Finish a long forgotten project. Everyone has a dreaded “to do” list.   We do the things on our list generally in order of ease, and priority.   Sometimes we have one thing that just keeps getting pushed down list.   It is either an annoyance that you don’t want to bother with, or perhaps you need to get something from the store before you can finish it, or something else always comes up.   There may be projects that you started then got busy and didn’t finish, or perhaps you got everything for the project and never even started it, whatever the case, now in the time to finish it.   This challenge is to make a long forgotten project a top priority.  Set a time and date to get it done, make a day of it if that is what it will take to get it off your list.  You can even take it a bit further and check off several items off your list.   Here is a great way to create an on going to do list to break down larger projects to make them less overw...

Let go of old grudges. Old built up emotions can weigh heavy on your heart and mind.   What old story are you keeping alive by not letting it go?   Who in your life has done you wrong and you are still holding it against them? How long has it been?   Yesterday, last week, a year ago, 10 years or even 30 years ago?   When you look back on that incident, what did you learn or gain from that encounter?   Were there things that you wish you would have said? Your challenge today is to find a way to make peace and let go of those old grudges. I want you to write a letter to the person you are holding anger or ill feelings for, tell them all the ways they hurt you and how much you hate them for what they did, get it all out.   Then write all the ways you are grateful and what you learned from them.   Last I want you to burn the letter.   Burning the letter is not only an act of symbolism but also uses energy to transform and release the energy in the...

Spend time with animals.   Animals have a way of lifting the spirit by just being and living their life.   If you have a pet at home, spend some quality time with your fur baby.   Cuddle, snuggle, play, have a conversation with them or take them for a walk.   No fur baby at home?   That’s okay too.   Put up a bird feeder and watch the birds and squirrels, go to the zoo or visit an aquarium.   And if you don’t have any of those available, ask a friend if you can borrow their dog, or better yet volunteer as a dog walker or cat companion at an animal rescue in your area.   Animals live in the moment.   They eat, sleep and play.   They sing, chat and groom. They are continually curious about the world around them.   Fear is useful for survival but does not limit them or curb their adventurous spirit.   We can learn a lot from watching animals, plus they tend to be a great source of entertainment.   Remember to take note of h...

Declutter your house or at the least one room you spend the most time in.   If your mind seems scattered, if you forget things easily, or if you have trouble focusing, decluttering your house will help declutter your mind.   Your outer world is a reflection of your inner state of being.   It is hard to be positive, happy and at peace in a space that is tight, cluttered and difficult to navigate.  Decluttering can be hard, many items have special meaning or have some attachment, while others give you guilt or even annoyance.  A few years back I read the now popular book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” by Marie Kondo.  If you haven’t read it, I encourage you to do so.  The premise of the book is to go through your house to get rid of (throwing away or donating) any item that no longer brings you joy, items you have too many of or are no longer useful.  You don’t have to go to the extrem...

Spend time with someone you’ve been meaning to connect with.   As adults we tend to busy up our lives with work.  There’s your job work, then you get home and there’s house work, there’s getting kids to do their stuff work.  It is almost like we’ve given up on just being and putting what brings us joy off until we’re not so busy.  The problem with that theory is that unless we make time to be not busy, there will always be something else you could be doing.  How many times have you made plans with a friend only to cancel because something came up?  There could be one of two things going on, 1 you really don’t enjoy to spend time with that person or 2 you feel guilty for taking time to just be and enjoy time with others. If it is the first one, then you should reevaluate your friendship.  If it is the second, call them up, or texted if that’s what you do and this time don’t cancel. Go out to lunch, invite them over for dinner, go for a walk, go o...

Dance. Put on your favorite up lifting song and dance!   Music is important.   The flow, rhythm and movement create the same in your life and body.   It is important that the music you listen to has an up lifting melody as well as up lifting words.  If you are listening to music that talks about hate, depression and anger, that energy will stay with you throughout the day.  Sometimes, if you are in that kind of a mood, music with a depressing tone will help move and release that energy, but it is important to follow up with and upbeat and happy song and dance to get the good vibes flowing again.  Anytime you want an energy boost, listen to your favorite upbeat song and dance.  I love to jam in my car and sing loud, I also dance in my kitchen while I do dishes or just in the living room for fun. For this challenge start your day with music and dance, or if you need mood boost in the afternoon, crank up your favorite song and sing! Did you mis...

Surprise someone with a gift (smile, hello, wave, coffee). Random acts of kindness are known to send ripples of love and kindness out into the world.   It not only effects you as the giver but also the person receiving the gift.   To top it all off anyone in the vicinity that witnesses the act of kindness will also be positively effected.   Those effected, including yourself, will be more likely to have a positive mood and do something positive for another person.   There is a catch though, you have to do it without expectation of a thank you or gratitude, although most will tell you thank you if they know who to thank but there will be some who are not grateful for the help or gift, or if you choose to do something anonymous such as pay for the person behind you in the drive through, don't expect the person to jump out of their car to say thank you. This random act doesn’t have to cost you a thing.  It may be just smiling and saying hello, or asking some...

Loving kindness mediation.   This simple meditation takes just a few minutes yet can change your perspective instantly. This can be done anytime and anywhere.   While sitting at breakfast, while out for a walk, at work, while dropping your children off at daycare, or while standing in line at the grocery store.   You don’t have to close your eyes or sit up straight.   All you have to do is think.   If your mind is like mine, you think out of habit anyway, this meditation is a way to focus your attention and send loving energy out into the world.   Although it is a simple concept, some of what I will be asking you to do may be quite difficult at first.   It does get easier the more often you repeat this meditation. First you start with yourself and repeat with your thoughts the following: May I be happy and may I bring happiness to others May I be joyful and may I bring joy to others May I be at peace and may I bring peace to others May I be...

Hand write a letter of gratitude to someone.   Between email, texting, and social media accounts it is rare to receive a hand written note.   Even Christmas cards are becoming impersonal.   In this challenge, I want you to write down all of the people in your life that you are grateful that they are or were in your life.   Then I want you to write them a hand written letter and send it through the mail.   I know, you will have to find a piece of actual paper and a pen or an actual sharp pencil.   Then you’ll need a stamp and an envelope.   If you are like me and have kids in school, paper should be easy, just don’t take one with their math notes.  If not, then you could go and buy some lovely stationary but any plain paper will do.   Expressing your gratitude for them as a person and tell them what they mean to you, what it means to have them in your life, will not only have you appreciating you own journey but will brighten their day when ...

Sky gazing.   There is just something about looking at the sky that gives you a deep connection to the universe.   Some may feel small and insignificant at first and who wouldn’t when you are gazing upon such vastness, but the longer you look the more wonder and awe you begin to feel.   You feel like nothing can stand in your way of yours goals and desires.   The answers to all of life’s questions lies in the blue sky and clouds, within the moon glow and star shine, underneath rolling storm clouds and wind ridden days.   So take 5 minutes to just be and gaze at the sky.   Do it after your walk, but not while walking.   Step outside the office at lunch time, or from your window on a stormy day.   Lay down in the grass or lean against a tree. If you wake in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, step outside for a moment and take in the night sky.   Do this everyday or as often as you'd like.  Take note of your energy before and af...

Go for a walk.   Yes, even if you live in a place that is currently snowing and cold.  Be safe of course, if you don't live in a safe area, drive to someplace safe.  If it is too snowy or icy wear ice cleats or consider snowshoeing or cross country skiing.  No good place to walk?  Walk around your office or a mall.  Trouble walking?  Ride a bike or do some other form of exercise to get your heart movi ng.  Studies have shown that walking improves your mood.  But don’t take my word for it.  Take 5 minute walk, just five minutes.  Do this without your phone, yes without it.  Leave it on your desk or at home.  Phone distraction negatively affects your mood.  If you can’t leave your phone for 5 minutes, then you have a bigger problem, then you may need a 10 or a 20 minute walk to break the attachment. But how will you know when you’ve walked for 5 minutes if you don’t carry your phone?  Take a good guess,...