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Ever since reading David Allen’s Getting Things Done, I’ve been repeating this motto:

“Your head is not for storing information.”

As someone who spends too much time in my head, this quote felt like a permission slip to let my brain breathe momentarily.

Do you mean to say that I can hit pause on those ideas, tasks, and (let’s be honest) worries that are cycling through my head with nowhere to go?

Well, of course, that’s easier said than done.

Where will I keep my random thoughts and ideas if my head isn’t for storing information?

Enter the inbox system.

I recently shared about the power of closing open loops, and the inbox system is one of the best ways I’ve found to consolidate those open loops and get them out of your head.

Using Notion, I’ve created my own inbox system modeled after David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) method, and it’s become a tool I use daily to keep my life and work organized.

If you’ve never used Notion, it’s a highly customizable organizational tool for task management, project tracking, to-do lists, bookmarking, and more.

Marie Poulin calls Notion her “outsourced memory,” which is exactly how I like to think of it.

Now, instead of scribbling notes and ideas in multiple notebooks, I’ve committed to the inbox system to keep everything in one place.

If you have a forgetful brain like me and love to collect information but never know what to do with it, here’s why you need an inbox system and how to create your own.

An Overview of the Inbox System

The inbox is a tool you can use to capture and track any information that comes your way.

Whether it’s tasks, ideas, resources, or reminders, you need a singular place to keep track of those things to avoid being overwhelmed.

Imagine a filing system on a desk where you keep any papers that get handed to you. I used to have one of these at my office job, and it’s where all papers went to die.

But we don’t want those ideas or tasks to die. We want to make sure we’re doing something about them.

That’s why I created a digital system that was readily available from both my computer and phone, and why the inbox method follows a particular process.

The inbox process

1. Capture: In your inbox, add anything that comes your way or that you find yourself thinking about. It could be a task, idea, article to read, workout to try, etc.
2. Clarify: Take what you’ve captured and decide what action to take next. If it’ll take less than 2 minutes, do it right away.
3. Organize: If an item will take more than 2 minutes to complete, move it to your calendar or to-do list for later action.

I’ll share more about this process later, but for now, let’s walk through the inbox setup.

Setting Up an Inbox in Notion

How to build your Notion inbox

If you’d like to recreate the template yourself (because building from scratch helps you understand how things work), here’s how to create your inbox in Notion.

[If you’re not already a Notion user, sign up for free here.]

1. Create a new page in Notion and name it ‘Inbox’

2. Add a new table

3. Select + New Database for the data source

4. Add new columns and label them as needed

Here are the columns I use:

1. Name
2. Context – this helps you remember why you saved the note. I use action verbs such as To Review, To File, To Read, To Write, and To Create.
3. URL (if it’s from a website)
4. Date captured – this makes sure things aren’t sitting around for years
5. A checkbox called ‘Organized?’

5. Add a filter on the table that shows only items that have ‘Organized?’ unchecked

This filter ensures you only see the items you haven’t already dealt with.

6. Rename your table to ‘To Process’

Naming your table will help you distinguish between organized and unorganized notes (more on that next).

Optional steps

Sort the table

Sort the table by date so you always start with your earliest notes.

Make your inbox pretty

One of the best parts of Notion is that you can make your pages pretty with icons and cover art.

Simply hover near the title of your page, and you’ll see the option to add an icon or cover.

Much better!

Keeping track of organized notes

Rather than deleting everything from the inbox after I’ve organized it, I utilize another view of the table. That way, I have a record of things I’ve organized without cluttering the main view. 

Here’s how to do that:

1. Duplicate the ‘To Process’ view of the inbox

2. Rename the new table to  ‘Organized’

3. Change the filter to include only those with ‘Organized?’ checked

At this point, you should be all set!

How to Use Your Inbox

Step 1: Capture

First, we need to talk about how to add ideas to your inbox. Here are some options:

1. Brain dump

The first method is to simply add ideas and thoughts using the ‘New’ button. 

If you’re creating your Notion inbox while you read this, try doing a brain dump of everything that’s currently on your mind and add those things to your inbox. 

In the future, whenever something pops into your head, add it to your inbox. 

2. Chrome Extension

If I’m browsing the internet and find something worth saving for later, I’ll use the Notion Chrome extension to add it directly to my inbox.

Once you’ve installed the extension, you can click the Notion icon from your browser and find the ‘Inbox’ table. Voila, it’s added to the list!

3. From Your Phone

I also have the Notion app on my phone, which means I can add things to the inbox at any time. I simply click the ‘Share’ icon, find the Notion app button, and save it to the inbox database.

Step 2: Clarify

Once you’ve added something to your inbox, you’ll want to add some context to help you remember why you saved this thing. Context helps determine what action to take next.

If you’ve followed the set-up instructions above, you should have a column in your inbox called ‘Context’. This is where you can define what type of inbox item this is.

Types of context

Here are some examples of context:

• To Do
• To Buy
• To Ask
• To Write
• To Research
• To Read
• To Make
• To Declutter

Whatever the context is, assign it to your inbox item.

Step 3: Organize

When to organize your inbox

You want to make sure you’re organizing and clearing your inbox out regularly. David Allen recommends doing this daily.

If you’re keeping track of important to-dos here, you may want to stick to once a day.

I go through it one to two times a week as I don’t keep any pressing to-do items in my inbox.

I also like leaving the inbox alone for a few days because it gives me a chance to sleep on things and not make decisions from a place of impulsivity (like buying those shoes I don’t need).

How to organize your inbox

Look at the ideas you’ve captured and decide what action needs to be taken next to get them out of the inbox.

If the task will take less than 2 minutes, save yourself some organizing time and do it right away.

If an item will take more than 2 minutes to complete, move it somewhere you can take action on it. Maybe that’s your calendar, to-do list, or a general references folder if no action is needed.

For example: 

• If it’s a blog post idea, I’ll move it to my content hub for later
• If it’s something I want to buy, I’ll buy it now or add it to a wishlist I have elsewhere
• If it’s an article I want to read, I’ll take a few minutes to read it from my inbox, or I’ll add it to another database I have that’s just for ‘to read’ items

After you’ve finished these steps, you may or may not have a clear inbox. Sometimes there will be items you simply don’t know where to file or aren’t ready to process. 

I think it’s okay to leave a few items in the inbox, but if they’ve been there for more than a week, it’s probably time to delete them.

Have any questions about the inbox system or Notion?

I hope this post has convinced you that an inbox system is one of the best tools to organize your thoughts and ideas.

I’d love to hear if you use another method or plan to try this one. 

If you have any questions about this method or how Notion works, leave a comment below!

The post How To Free Up Space in Your Head With an Idea Inbox appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

In 2021, the “That Girl” trend took the internet by storm.

“That Girl” is someone who gets up early, meditates, drinks a smoothie, journals, works out, eats healthy food, and takes her vitamins all before 8 a.m.

The craze has died down now, but there’s still a lot of advice out there telling you to cram as many ‘good’ habits as you can into your mornings.

I know I’ve gotten sucked into Pinterest lists about the perfect morning routine and thought to myself ‘If only I follow that list, my life will be so much better’.

In fact, there’s been many a time I’ve written an ambitious list of things at midnight of things I want to do the next morning, imagining that I’ll be a completely different version of myself tomorrow.

But then I wake up in the morning and realize I’m the same person, I’ve already slept through my alarm, and I don’t even have time for ‘the list’.

Now there’s nothing bad about wanting to have the “That Girl” habits. After all, these activities on their own are good for you. 

However, it’s unrealistic to expect yourself to sustain that kind of routine day in and day out.

The more we let our lives be ruled by endless checklists, the less mindful we can be at actually doing those tasks.

Of course, I’m all for spending time on the things that matter, but life doesn’t have to be filled to the brim to be fulfilling.

So what’s the alternative? What does a more realistic routine look like?

The routine reframe

My mindset around routine and habits has changed a lot as I’ve gotten older, and I’m no longer trying to do everything all at once.

These days, I feel more comfortable taking things at my own pace and doing things the way I want to do them; essentially, not holding myself to unrealistic expectations.

My mornings are simple and repetitive.

I wake up and read ten pages of whatever book I’m reading.

That’s followed by showering, eating breaking, and taking the dog out — the order of which depends on my needs in the moment.

Sometimes I’m starving when I wake up so I need to eat. Other times I have somewhere to be so taking a shower first makes the most sense. Sometimes the dog is whining so I take him out immediately.

After those things, I write for 30 minutes (read more about why I started doing this here).

And that’s my pretty simple morning routine. I can get lost in a book, take in some fresh air with the dog, nourish my body with breakfast, and feel refreshed after a shower.

I don’t have to cram all of these ‘good’ habits in to make my mornings feel meaningful.

How to embrace a simple routine

Many of us figure that if we can get a bunch of things done as part of our morning routines, we’ll feel better about ourselves. If we get the ‘good’ habits done as early as possible, the rest of the day will be smooth sailing.

And while that’s true in some ways, if you keep telling yourself you’re going to do those things but don’t have the time or energy to do them, you’re not going to feel good about yourself.

It’s better to be realistic and slowly add things in when you have the capacity.

At the end of the day, what’s essential is making time for the small activities that bring you a sense of peace.

With all that being said, here are a few things that have helped me create a simple routine that feels nurturing:

1. Keep it minimal

I want to emphasize not trying to do a million things in the morning. You have to start small, or else you’re going to overwhelm yourself. Start with your basic needs, and then move on to add one thing that feels meaningful to you.

2. Let things be flexible

You don’t have to follow a specifically ordered plan in order to be consistent. It’s okay to switch up the order you do things depending on your needs each morning. Try writing down a ‘menu’ of items you can choose from if it helps reduce overwhelm in the morning.

3. Do what you want (and need)

Often we think that if we follow the exact order other people do their routines, we can be successful like them. Remember that you probably have different needs, different interests, and different responsibilities than others. Success doesn’t come from a specific routine but rather a dedication to pursuing what matters to you.

What do your routines look like right now?

The post Letting Go of the Overstuffed Morning Routine appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

Do you feel like everyone else has their lives figured out while you’re still unsure of your purpose and direction?

When I was twenty, I thought thirty-something me would have all my ducks in a row and every little detail of my life in order.

Instead, my thirties are teaching me that unexpected twists and turns are all part of the journey.

Perhaps it’s good that things are never set in stone because it means we’re always evolving and learning more about ourselves as the years go by.

But that doesn’t mean the feelings of uncertainty and confusion get any easier to deal with.

Why we feel uncertain

Part of the problem is that we’re searching for the *right* direction or the thing that will make everything fall into place.

Yet as soon as we enter into the ‘must figure things out’ mentality, we stop listening to ourselves.

Instead, we listen to what other people tell us we should be doing, hoping that they’ll have the answers we desperately seek.

We start comparing our lives to everyone else and push unrealistic goals on ourselves; goals that weren’t even ours to begin with.

If you can relate, pause for a moment and see what the current version of you wants. You know, the version of you in this very moment.

To help with that, I’m sharing 20 journal prompts to help you come back to yourself, find inner clarity, and uncover the answers you’ve been seeking.

The real work? Actually listening to the answers you come up with.

“To know more about this life, one needs to know more about oneself.” – Nitin Namdeo

How to use these prompts

Find a moment to be by yourself where you won’t be interrupted (I know it’s hard these days). 

I’d recommend doing a quick meditation or listening to some calming music before answering these questions. We’re so overstimulated these days that our brains need as much calm as possible if we want to be able to listen to our inner guidance.

Next, answer the following questions. Pick and choose a few or feel free to answer them all. You can write your answers as bullet points or mini-essays, or try using voice notes if you like to talk your ideas out.

Try not to overthink your answers or tell yourself that the answers seem unrealistic. The less judgment you make, the more connected you’ll be to yourself.

20 journal prompts for inner clarity

1. What could you talk about for hours on end? 

2. What do you find yourself wanting to know more about? What rabbit holes do you go down when searching for information? 

3. What have people told you you’re good at?

4. What have people asked you for help with? (this could be physical help, or it might be something like listening or offering support)

5. What could you confidently teach someone? Imagine an alien comes to earth knowing nothing of human life – what would you be able to teach them?

6. What do you do on a daily basis that feels effortless? Think about your work, home, habits, etc.

7. What do you put the highest value on in your life?

8. What do other people do that you find frustrating? What about their actions bothers you? This can be an indication of things you don’t value.

9. Which three areas of life are most important to you right now? Why did you pick those areas?

10. If you could do anything right now – without worrying about money, judgment, or responsibilities – what would you do?

11. What were you like as a child? How did people describe you?

12. Think of the person you were 5 years ago. How have you changed since then? What have you become better at?

13. Imagine you meet your future self 5 years from now. What would future you tell you to focus on and keep doing? What would they tell you to let go of? Try this future self-visualization to see.

14. Who do you admire? What qualities do you like about that person? What do you have in common with that person?

15. Think of a time when you felt accomplished or proud. What led up to that moment? What did you accomplish? Why did that feel good?

16. What makes you feel calm and relaxed? Why do those things make you feel that way?

17. Text a friend and ask them to describe you in five words. How does their answer make you feel? Does it feel accurate or are you surprised?

18. If you know your time of birth, look up your rising/ascendant sign using this tool. Your rising sign can show you your role in this lifetime. What sign is yours in? What does that sign represent? Does it feel accurate? (for example, mine is Gemini which is all about communication and sharing ideas).

19. What’s a problem you’ve solved or overcome in your lifetime? What helped you deal with it? This is an indicator of something you could help others with.

20. Are there any connections between the answers you’ve written down? Do you have a better sense of who you are and what you want, at least in this moment? Look for repetition of words and phrases that might reveal you answers you hadn’t noticed before.

What have you learned about yourself today?

As a final note, try not to get too caught up searching for the *right* answers.

This journey to understand yourself is a lifetime endeavor, so come back to these questions as often as you need.

The post 20 Journal Prompts for When You Feel Unsure of Yourself appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

How often do you avoid the things you want to do?

Perhaps it’s a big life goal that feels overwhelming, or maybe it’s a smaller daily habit that makes you feel better.

We all know how easy it is to avoid the things we don’t want to do, but why do we also put off the things we actually want to do?

For the past few years, that thing for me was writing this blog. I’d fallen off the bandwagon before the pandemic, and I couldn’t seem to get back into the rhythm of writing.

I struggled with thoughts like:

If this is as important to me as I tell myself it is, why can’t I find the motivation to do it?

I knew I was capable of it, but it was so much easier to sit and scroll on TikTok for hours instead of writing.

Maybe my mistake was thinking the solution was to find the motivation or discipline myself to do it.

The truth is that taking action isn’t as easy as people say it is.

Sure, you can break things down into smaller action steps. Sure, you can create an ultimatum for yourself to get things done.

But what if decision fatigue, mental load, perfectionism, and shame are draining your energy without you even realizing it?

So much of our emotional energy is used up by us *thinking* about things, rather than doing them.

This mental overload is one sneaky reason why we can’t seem to get things done, whether we want to or not.

One way to reduce this overwhelm is by closing the open loops that are depleting your mental, physical, and emotional energy. 

What’s an open loop? Let’s explore.  

What are open loops?

I first learned about the term ‘open loop’ from David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done.

He describes an open loop as an unfinished commitment.

It’s essentially when you know you need to do something, but you let it bounce around in your brain instead of a) getting it done or b) getting it out of your head.

In doing some research, this term is also called the Zeigarnik effect and was named after psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik who found that we remember unfinished or interrupted tasks better than completed tasks.

When I discovered this concept, I suddenly realized how many open loops I had in my life.

There were half-finished blog posts, project ideas, and random notes everywhere – none of them being actively worked on or used, yet they were still weighing me down.

What’s interesting about these open loops is how easily they can cause feelings of shame and resentment.

Each time we’re reminded of something we haven’t finished, we feel a twinge of annoyance with ourselves.

For example, let’s say I’ve been meaning to put away a pile of laundry. I might walk past it and think “I’ll put that away in a little while”. I walk off and completely forget about it. When I see the pile again at the end of the day, my reaction is “Ugh, why didn’t I put that away earlier?”

Not only is my laundry pile still there, but now I’ve criticized myself for not doing it.

For a task that only required physical energy, I’ve now added unnecessary emotional energy to it.

This may seem like a pretty harmless example, but you can see how it might add up with bigger things in your life.

How open loops affect us

Our lives are already complex and stressful as it is, and open loops can deplete our energy without us even realizing it.

When we hold on instead of letting things go, it’s that much harder to take action. Instead, it becomes much easier to scroll for hours rather than doing the thing you *want* to do.

I heard someone say that if you’re not sharing your creative ideas, it’s like keeping stagnant energy within you that wants to be set free.

For me, I needed to let go of my ideas by finishing them. Sharing what’s on my mind (though often nerve-wracking) helps me feel lighter because I’m releasing something that needs to be let go.

Lately, I’ve been working to close the open loops with my writing, not simply to get it over and done with, but to release the ideas from having so much power over me.

Now you may not be a writer or creative, but I’m sure you can relate to things weighing you down in some way. Maybe it’s your goal ideas, unfinished home projects, or a difficult conversation you’ve been putting off.

Willpower is a limited resource that gets used up every time we make a decision or deal with something stressful, so it’s important to make our lives a little bit simpler wherever we can.

Closing the open loops is one way we can make our lives a little simpler.

“The most important thing to deal with is whatever is most on your mind. The fact that you think it shouldn’t be on your mind is irrelevant. It’s there, and it’s there for a reason.“

– David Allen, Getting Things Done

How to close open loops and move forward

Step One: Take Inventory

Start by making a list of potential open loops in your life. What hasn’t been finished? Which ideas are collecting dust?

Step Two: Close the Loops

Do what you can to close the open loops.

• If something can be done within two minutes, try doing it right now.
• If it will take longer than two minutes, can you schedule some time in your calendar to get it done?
• If you’re not interested in something anymore, let it go (this will probably be most of your open loops).
• If you’re not sure about something, make an intentional decision to put it on pause rather than letting it sit in the back of your mind.
• If you’re waiting on someone else for a decision or response, follow up or take a deep breath and wait it out.
• And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, ask for help. You’d be surprised how willing people are to offer support when asked.

Step Three: Keep Closing the Loops

Moving forward, acknowledge open loops when you come across them. Say in your head “This is an open loop” and make a choice to close the loop in that moment (or go through the list in step 2).

I know shiny new things are much more exciting than finishing what you’ve started, but you’ll have more headspace for the things you want to do once you’ve closed the open loops.

Though this concept is mostly marketed as a productivity hack, I see it as a lesson in mindfulness. Letting go gives us more space to be present and focus on what matters.

Which open loops do you need to close?

The post Calm Your Mind by Closing Open Loops appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

A few years ago, I wrote a post encouraging people to stop searching for answers.

The topic came from my own experience of seeking out ideas and solutions from other people whenever I felt stuck in life.

After all, it’s natural to want to see how other people have navigated difficult situations.

But this would lead me to obsessively search for answers, trying to find the right one that would somehow fix everything in my life.

What I learned through a lot of trial and error is that the answers would often come to me when I stopped seeking.

When I took the time to slow down and listen to the answers I already had within me, things became a lot clearer.

Essentially, the idea is that you already have the answers you need within you.

So why am I telling you this?

Well, it’s been quite a while since I wrote that post, but someone commented on it recently that prompted me to dig deeper into this topic.

The commenter asked a question that overwhelmed me at first because I didn’t know how to answer it. I even thought about deleting their comment because I felt as if they were questioning what I had written.

But I paused for a moment, set my ego aside, and decided to dig into the question with an open mind.

Here’s what they commented:

“Yes, it’s certainly possible to have the answers, not trust or listen to those answers and then just get stuck looking for external help. Isn’t it also possible to just lack any kind of internal direction? Then what? Personally, I can say the only thing I’ve ever really had is a vague sense of what I need/want. Whether I look inward or seek externally, there just aren’t any tangible answers.”

So was I wrong?

I started to wonder whether or not everyone does have the answers they seek within them.

Just because I’ve been able to find answers within myself, does that mean everyone else can too?

Does everyone have an inner guidance system?

When I say inner guidance system, I’m talking about the part of you that knows who you are and what you want, no matter how unexplainable those things might be.

Whether you call it intuition, a gut feeling, or plain old wisdom, it’s something within you that helps you make decisions from a place of alignment.

Think of it as your internal GPS, or rather your IPS (internal positioning system).

Perhaps this shows up as a ‘knowing’ that you’re meant to do something, even if feels scary.

Maybe it’s a gut feeling that tells you not to trust someone but you can’t put your finger on why.

It could be a belief that you feel is true in your heart but other people can’t quite seem to understand it.

At the end of the day, I do think we all have an inner guidance system, but it can be incredibly hard to trust and lean into it.

Why it’s difficult to listen to ourselves

So if we do all have an inner guidance system, why is it so hard to hear it sometimes?

One reason might be that the answers you seek aren’t being presented in the way you want them to show up.

I think our inner sense of direction or guidance isn’t tangible, but we really, really want it to be.

Like if you’re wondering what type of job is the best fit for you, your internal guidance system probably isn’t going to say something as clear as ‘You’re obviously meant to be a doctor’.

Mine’s definitely not going to tell me that because I faint at the sight of blood.

On the other hand, it could be because you’re not asking the real questions that you want answers to.

Maybe you’re simply ignoring your inner wisdom because you don’t want to deal with the uncomfortable answers that come up.

How inner guidance shows up

Let’s say your inner guidance system is giving you some answers, but you’re not sure what they are.

In my experience, answers show up in synchronicities, patterns, or feelings of deja vu.

Answers show up in the things I value, the things I feel inspired by, or the things I’m drawn to even if they feel ‘unproductive’.

These things may not be easily explainable, but that doesn’t mean they’re not valuable.

This intangibility just makes it all the more easy to ignore them and write them off as distractions.

More often than not, the answers show up as an inkling of an idea that you need to explore before you can truly understand what the message is.

I see them as glimmers that are trying to tell me something.

For example, I’ll be reading a book and learn about a new concept, and suddenly that topic is showing up everywhere.

Of course that topic may have been there all along, but now I’m aware of it’s existence.

I pay attention to these things and try to understand what they mean, no matter how strange they seem, because I feel like they have something to teach me.

I even keep a list in my notepad called ‘synchronicities’ just so I can remember them for later.

Some people might explain these as signs from the universe or a higher power, but the meaning you assign to these signs is what’s important.

Have any of these signs shown up for you lately?

Living the questions

At the end of the day, maybe we need to be okay with not having all of the answers.

I felt pressured to know the answer to this commenter’s question, but I don’t have the exact answer (because there isn’t one).

Sometimes we just need to live the questions.

As Rainer Maria Rilke wrote,

“Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”

Come back to the now

If you find yourself endlessly searching for answers, come back to yourself in the here and now.

We get so caught up looking ahead to the future that we don’t ask ourselves what we want in the present moment.

This moment is the best place to start from.

Even a vague sense of what you want or need is better than nothing at all.

My question to you: Do you feel like you have an inner guidance system? What has it been telling you lately?

The post The Secret to Figuring Out What You Want appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

Back in August, I was feeling really stuck with where I was at in life.

It felt as if I was moving through wet cement, trying to get somewhere but I wasn’t quite sure where.

So, as one does late at night, I decided to search on YouTube for the phrase ‘how to transform your life.’

I knew I needed some form of change, but I wasn’t sure what.

The younger me would have thought I needed to do something drastic: move across the country, chop my hair off, get a new job, or just generally stir things up.

The slightly wiser, current-day version of me realized that perhaps I could see how other people had transformed their lives without burning everything to the ground first.

(That alone is growth, right?)

The Butterfly Effect

One video that piqued my curiosity was by Tina Huang called How to Completely Transform Your Life in 6 Months (the butterfly effect ).

In the video, Tina shared a story about a man who felt as if he simply couldn’t get things straight in his life.

No matter what he did, he still felt as though nothing was going right.

Money was one of his main problems, so when he saw a poster for a study that offered to pay him for his time, he took the chance.

The only thing he had to do for the study was keep a daily journey of the money he was spending.

Simple enough.

Well, that small action had a compound effect that trickled down into the rest of his life.

He started eating better. His relationships improved. He even cut down on smoking.

None of those things were done intentionally, but they became a by-product of one small action.

By writing down how much money he spent each day, he transformed his life little by little.

The Keystone Habit

This butterfly effect, or the compounding impact of small changes, led Tiffany to experiment with changing just one thing in her life: her morning routine.

She knew that if she had a good morning, this would have a positive effect on the rest of her day.

She called this a keystone habit.

All of this led me to think about the one keystone habit that could potentially change my life if I stuck to it for long enough.

I thought about the things that were weighing me down the most and taking up space in my brain.

The one thing that came up for me was writing.

If there was one thing I could do every day that would have a positive effect on everything else, it would be writing.

For me, writing is the way I process my thoughts. It helps me uncover things I didn’t even know I had floating around in my head. Writing is my love, my enemy, and my soul’s work.

I thought that if I could write first thing in the morning, especially when my brain is quite limber after sleep, I could accomplish anything.

That might sound as if I want to prioritize busyness or productivity first thing in the morning (which goes against my moral values of taking time for yourself in the morning), but this isn’t being productive for the sake of being productive.

This would be doing the thing that’s on my mind 24/7, the thing that I’ve been avoiding for so long, the thing that scares me but also brings me joy, and the part of my life that feels like it’s been missing.

Could writing be the thing that changes everything?

That’s what I’ve decided to find out.

I know committing to writing every day will mean facing that voice that says ‘I have nothing to write today’. It will mean facing my fears about my writing not being good enough.

But change comes from diligence. Change comes from careful and persistent effort.

I can’t keep doing what I’ve been doing, which is hoping things are going to magically change on their own.

I’m going to have to face my fears if I want to transform my life.

So I’m going to explore what happens when I commit to writing on a regular basis, and I’ll let you know what I discover in a future post.

What would your keystone habit be?

The post How To Transform Your Life with the Butterfly Effect appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

Hi, friend.

It’s been such a long time since I’ve published anything on this blog.

A good nine months to be exact.

My last post was about easing into 2023, and I guess I took that concept pretty literally.

It may seem as though I’ve disappeared from the internet altogether.

I haven’t shared much on the blog, my newsletter, or Instagram for a very long time.

There are so many reasons why I haven’t, yet it wasn’t as if there was a defining moment or specific event in my life that caused me to take a step back.

It was more like an accumulation of little things that built up over time.

The more I got out of the rhythm of writing, the easier it was to stay out of that rhythm.

Whenever I tried to write a post, some kind of roadblock would get in the way (whether literal or from my own mind), and I took it as a sign that it wasn’t meant to be shared.

Or I’d go to send a newsletter and another tragic world event would happen, and I felt like nothing that I was doing or saying was important enough in that moment.

Perhaps I felt as if people were relying on me to help them have a ‘blissful mind’, but I was struggling to have that myself.

Letting it go

I thought many times about just letting go of this whole thing. To stop paying for website hosting, to let the domain name expire, and to delete all of my old posts.

The question on my mind most often was,

‘If this feels so hard, does that mean it’s time to let go?’

But I never truly felt like that was the right choice.

I still had things to say, even if I couldn’t quite figure out what they were.

And yet, taking a break didn’t feel like an option for some reason.

Like I couldn’t just step away for a while and be honest about needing that time away.

Instead, I kept thinking, ‘No, I can push through. I can make this work.’

But it didn’t work. It didn’t work for years.

So I ended up taking an unintentional break, the kind where I didn’t tell anyone that I was doing it.

It just kind of happened.

In a way, it felt like I was giving up.

Now I’ve realized that I needed that space.

Giving myself time

I needed to truly give myself time to think through my ideas without rushing them.

I needed to embrace a slower pace rather than putting unnecessary pressure on myself to keep posting for the sake of staying ‘relevant’.

Creativity takes time. Writing takes time. Processing your thoughts and emotions takes time.

I needed time to think through my ideas and time to actually write them without being on some kind of rigid schedule.

It turns out that forcing deadlines upon myself doesn’t serve me, but working on my ideas slowly but surely does.

Though I’ve spent a lot of time feeling doubt, shame, and annoyance at myself, I think this break was meant to happen when it did.

The good thing is that it’s given me time to explore new things.

I’ve become fascinated with astrology and human design.

I’ve worked with a wonderful time management coach who helped me create a healthy, flexible schedule for myself.

I’ve been exploring my relationship with spirituality, which is something I’ve never thought much about before.

And I’ve been trying to find my personal style again after three years of wearing nothing but leggings and sweatshirts.

This space in between has given me room to come back to myself.

To listen to what I need and to take things at my own pace.

Creating space

I hope that in reading this, you can use this as a reminder to give yourself space when you need it.

If you feel like you’re forcing something or you just can’t give it your all anymore, it’s okay to take a step back.

It doesn’t mean you have to let go completely. Maybe you just need to spend some time away so you can come back with a fresh perspective.

And if there’s something you’ve had on pause for a while and you’re ready to come back to it now, we can do this together.

What’s next?

All of this is to say that I’m writing more, and I’m planning to publish more because I’ve given myself space to think clearly.

I’ve listened to myself and my inner guidance which is telling me this is the right thing to do at this time.

They say transformation isn’t about rearranging what already exists; it’s about burning things down and starting from the ground up.

But I’m not doing that.

I’m not getting rid of everything that I’ve created in the past.

What I am getting rid of is the pressure to feel like I’m some kind of expert who has all of life’s answers. All I can really share are the things that I’ve experienced and learned for myself.

And I’m no longer comparing myself to a previous version of who I was or to anyone else for that matter.

I’ve heard it said that the only pathway to your dream life is through your deepest insecurities, so that’s what I’m working on.

I want to truly listen to what’s within me. And to share openly and freely without putting so much pressure on myself.

I can’t promise anything in terms of consistency, but I do have quite a few thoughts lined up to share with you.

And honestly, there’s been one singular habit that I’ve adopted that has helped me with this return. I’ll share more with you on that in the next post.

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, thank you for sticking around. And if you’re new here, you’ve come at a good time :)

For now, you can subscribe to my newsletter to get updates on new posts. Sign up here.

The post A Return to Writing appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

Last Updated on January 4, 2023

Have new years resolutions ever really worked?

I haven’t set new years resolutions in years, perhaps because one overarching goal for the year feels close-minded to me.

How can I possibly predict that I’ll still want that one goal in even a few months’ time?

My ever-changing mind simply says, “that’s a good joke.”

Though I do believe in the power of goal setting (as I’ve written about many times before), I’ve been resistant to jumping into it right away this year.

Usually, I’d map out everything I’d like to accomplish, but I’ve been feeling the urge to take things a little slower.

If you’ve been feeling a similar kind of way, here’s how you can ease into the year with flexible expectations.

Entering 2023 with ease

This time of year is riddled with other people sharing their tips to help you ‘get ahead of 99% of other people’ in the new year.

But I don’t want to get ahead of anyone else.

That’s not how I measure success.

I just want to (gently) get ahead of my past self.

I could feel bad about wanting to go slow, wondering if there’s something wrong with me because I don’t know my goals just yet. Like it’s my fault that I’m not ambitious, organized, or motivated enough.

But apparently, I’m not in the minority in wanting to go slow. I’ve been seeing a general pushback against setting goals, and there’s an overarching message from others along the lines of ‘don’t worry if you haven’t set goals just yet‘.

Here’s your reminder that you are welcome to hop, skip & even slide into this new year without creating not one resolution.

It is more than okay to enjoy exactly where you are.

— Michelle. (@thegmichelle) January 2, 2023

Maybe it’s just the circles I’m in, but everyone seems to be anti-resolution these days (which I’m not mad about at all).

Perhaps it’s because goals are automatically associated with the hustle, and people are tired of always pushing for the next thing.

We need to shift away from the old way of doing things and realize that slow growth is still growth.

It’s better to move towards goals with intention, rather than rushing simply just to get them done.

Related Post: 5 Tips to Pause Hustle Mode and Slow Down

Choose a word and focus areas

For the time being, I’m using words of the year as my anchors.

I recommend Susannah Conway’s workbook for choosing which words to use.

The words I’ve chosen for this year are pursue, presence, and connect.

Here’s what they mean to me:

1. Pursue: to put effort into the things I want to do, even when it feels scary
2. Presence: to bring more mindfulness to the things I do
3. Connect: to find ways to connect with like-minded people

I’ve also pinpointed a few areas of life that I’d like to focus on for the year: career, mindfulness/spirituality, and community.

These go hand in hand with the words I’ve chosen.

I’m going to give myself time to figure out what I’d like out of these areas, then focus on 1-2 smaller goals for each per quarter/season.

If you want to figure out which areas of life to choose, try going through this wellness wheel exercise.

And if you’re not sure of anything you want just yet, spend time away from the distractions of what other people are doing. Find ways to connect with yourself so you can come back to your own guidance.

Don’t rush to set goals if you’re not sure of them just yet – start with your focus areas and words to guide you.

How are you easing into the new year?

The post How I’m easing into 2023 appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

Last Updated on December 16, 2022

I’ve written a lot about self-care over the years, and somehow there’s always more I can say on the topic.

Perhaps it’s because I see people not taking care of themselves and I think, “This could all be so different.”

In my own life, self-care has given me clarity, stability, and a deeper connection with myself. It allows me to be more creative and refuels my energy for the things I want to do.

In turn, I can show up as the truest version of myself around others (I would say ‘best’, but I think ‘true’ is more appropriate).

So if you need a little reminder to keep making time for yourself, here are 40 one-sentence reminders to help you prioritize self-care (inspired by Josh Spector’s post, 40 one-sentence creativity tips).

40 one-sentence self-care tips

1. Self-care is about finding practices that help you stay balanced and healthy – mentally, physically, and emotionally.

2. An important act of self-care is standing up for your energy and time when other people are asking too much of you.

3. Setting boundaries can sound intimidating, but it will give you the freedom to spend time doing what you love.

4. Following your heart is an act of self-care.

5. Listening to your intuition is an act of self-care.

6. Don’t avoid the things that make you feel better.

7. Making time for yourself in the morning will help the rest of your day run more smoothly.

8. The way you talk to yourself manifests in everything you do.

9. “Instead of asking yourself why you’re so lazy, ask yourself why you might need so much rest.” – Dr. Emily Anhalt​

10. Burnout happens when you avoid being human for too long.

11. You’ll show up as the truest version of yourself when you prioritize what you need.

12. You deserve to do what’s best for you.

13. If self-care makes you feel lazy, you might not have found the right self-care method for you.

14. Get clear on why you want to make self-care part of your lifestyle so you can’t make excuses to get out of it.

15. Don’t deplete your emotional, mental, and physical energy on something that doesn’t align with your values.

16. Sometimes all you need is a few moments to recuperate from a setback, and other times you need a whole day to recover; both are okay.

17. If you don’t want to do something, you don’t need to justify your decision to anyone.

18. Instead of worrying about being consistent, focus on being resilient with your actions so you can get back on track when you’re ready.

19. Take a break before you think you need it.

20. Recognize the difference between self-care, self-sabotage, and self-soothing.

21. Small efforts will add up over time.

22. When you’re clear with your boundaries and make every effort to stick to them, you reflect back to yourself that your needs are important.

23. “Showing up for yourself often means not showing up for everything and everyone else.” – Jennifer Healey​

24. Make two self-care lists: a list of things that sustain you when you have high energy, and a list of things that keep you regulated when you feel low.

25. You don’t have to keep pushing yourself to do more.

26. Keeping commitments to yourself is the ultimate act of self-care.

27. Instead of trying to change all of your habits at once, start by setting one self-care goal for yourself and do what you can to stick to it.

28. “Under any circumstance, always do your best, no more and no less.” – The Four Agreements​

29. Don’t get swept into the marketing side of self-care that’s solely focused on selling you a product.

30. To take care of ourselves from the inside out, we need to focus on what we actually need, not what other people tell us we need.

31. All self-care activities and behaviors are learnt from others and are influenced by the external environments in which people live and work. – Self-Care for Health​

32. Whatever is causing you discomfort, you get to decide if you are going to accept it or find a way to change it.

33. Prioritize your support system and get comfortable asking for help.

34. True self-care involves sacrifice, honesty, community, and a commitment to making choices in your best interest.

35. “The soul usually knows what to do to heal itself; the challenge is to silence the mind.” – Caroline Myss

36. Make time for self-care in the “fringe hours” – the pockets of time between meetings, projects, and chores that often get wasted.

37. Get away from social media regularly so you can listen to what you really want.

38. When you’re trying to decide whether or not to do something, ask what would make life easier or better for your future self.

39. Let yourself take up as much space as you need in this world.

40. Don’t break the most important promise – a promise to yourself.

Which is your favorite tip?

Let me know if there’s anything you’d add to the list!

The post 40 One-Sentence Self-Care Tips appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

Last Updated on October 18, 2022

I’m in the process of rebuilding my morning routine.

For too long, I’ve been waking up with an immediate sense of overwhelm.

As I lay there in bed, I’d automatically think about what I needed to do that day and whether anyone was waiting on a response from me.

I found myself in the habit of jumping onto my computer right away, determined to get as much off my plate as I could in order to finally “relax.”

But you know how that story goes.

You check your inbox or Slack to see if anyone needs anything, which turns into a whole list of things you hadn’t planned for. You don’t even have time to plan out how you’re going to tackle those things.

Your stomach’s grumbling, your throat feels like the Sahara desert, and the dog’s whining…but you’re stuck where you are now.

The pressure to get things done so you can feel “free” is something that never quite seems to go away.

And that’s why I realized that something needed to change. That pressure is always going to be there. People will always need something.

But I can’t show up as a helpful human being unless I take some time in the morning for myself first. It’s in your best intention to do something for yourself before you give everything to your job (even if you’re self-employed).

How you start your day matters.

Taking that time to be with myself (instead of trying to put out the fires that only exist in my imagination) has made my mornings more mindful – and I’m better off because of it. 

Here are three steps for rebuilding your morning routine if you also want to calm the chaos and start your day with the right mindset.

How to rebuild your morning routine

1. Set your morning intention

I was tired of feeling anxious every morning. As soon as I woke up, my brain would start thinking of the things I needed to do, the potential emails I might have, and the fact that I was already behind on what I wanted to do. 

I wasn’t present in my mornings at all.

What I really wanted when I woke up was to feel prepared for the day so I wouldn’t feel in a rush. If I felt prepared, I could focus on being present.

I asked myself, “What can I do that will make me feel prepared?”

This intention became a guideline I could use to make sure I was starting my day the right way.

How do you want to feel during your mornings? Calm, energized, present, unbothered? Use this as a starting point to figure out how you might make small tweaks to your current routine.

P.S. Get The Daily Bliss Planner to map out your daily intentions and self-care practices.

2. Your first action matters

When my first action out of bed was to check emails or messages, my days never felt like they started on the right foot.

Your first action of the day creates the foundation for the rest of the day.

Obviously, your first action is probably to stumble out of bed and head to the bathroom, but I’m talking about what happens after that.

You want to create what Casey Dixon calls a “self-supportive habit”.

A self-supportive habit is “something that gives you a boost of energy, a sense of clarity, or a bit of structure to follow as your day gets started.”

What would that habit look like for you?

This first action should be enjoyable and easy, no matter your energy levels.

Try to make it something that relates back to the intention you set for your mornings. Since mine is to be prepared for the day, I might review my daily to-do list to make sure I know what to expect.

If your goal is to have a morning of peace, your first action might be to meditate. If your goal is to feel connected, your first action could be to talk to someone you love.

“Chances are you already have habits that guide your daily routine. The question becomes how can you go about changing these behaviors to establish new habits that are more supportive?”

Casey Dixon

3. Recognize what IS working

There’s no need to completely overhaul your mornings. Start by focusing on what’s already working for you.

What things do you do every morning that feel good?

When you know what’s working, you can use these things as anchors to create new habits. Plus you’ll discover something about your priorities and needs.

Here are a few things that were already working for me:

• Take the dog out and get some sunshine (this is, of course, the number one thing sleep doctors and #biohackingbros tell you to do in order to get better sleep at night)
• Empty the dishwasher while I make breakfast. I hate emptying the dishwasher, but I’ve realized it doesn’t take as long as I think it does in my head. Plus, I make it a challenge to empty it before my eggs finish cooking.
• Eat breakfast. If I don’t, I get scary.
• Drink a cup of hot/warm water
• Avoid social media. I no longer sleep with my phone in the bedroom which means I can’t scroll first thing.

Recognizing what is working shows you what to keep prioritizing, instead of getting sidetracked by shiny new habit ideas.

How do you plan to make your mornings more mindful?

Your morning routine doesn’t have to elaborate – it just needs to be intentional. Take time in the morning to make sure you can be the best version of yourself for the rest of the day.

The post 3 Steps to Rebuild Your Morning Routine appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

Did you know that trees can use scent to communicate with each other?

According to The Hidden Life of Trees, scientists in the 70s noticed something interesting while giraffes were feeding on acacia trees in the African savannah.

The trees (understandably) wanted the giraffes to stop nibbling them, so they pumped out a toxic substance that made their leaves unpleasant to eat.

The giraffes didn’t like this one bit, so they abandoned the tree – but they also avoided other trees of the same species until they were about 100 yards away.

Why? Because the acacia trees were emitting a warning gas to neighboring trees letting them know that a crisis was at hand. 

In turn, those neighboring trees pumped out toxins into their leaves to discourage the giraffes from eating them as well.

I was in awe when I read this.

It made me realize how much I truly don’t know about trees and what they’re capable of, even though I’m surrounded by them here in the Pacific Northwest.

This concept of awe is something I’ve been exploring since reading Julia Baird’s memoir, Phosphorescence. 

In the book, Baird shares how she experiences awe every morning during her daily swims in the ocean alongside cuttlefish, turtles, and whaler sharks.

She says that experiencing awe is of the ways that we become truly present in our lives. 

While I don’t have plans to go swimming in open water every morning (the Puget Sound would not treat me well), it made me think about how awe shows up in my own life.

In a Carrie Bradshaw sort of way, I couldn’t help but wonder: is awe something we should be pursuing in our everyday lives?

“I think this is how we’re supposed to be in the world – present and in awe.”

– Anne Lamott

Why should we care about awe?

Awe is a fascinating emotion because it can help us appreciate life while simultaneously making us feel insignificant.

When we experience a sense of awe, we become acutely aware that we’re part of a universe larger than ourselves. 

There’s nothing more humbling than realizing you’re insignificant.

And at the same time, we realize that everything we do is so important. We all have an important role to play in our lifetimes.

In that sense, awe seems to be one of the best ways to ground yourself, especially when you’re caught up in the details of life. 

According to mindful.org, “Awe may help stop us from ruminating on our problems and daily stressors. Instead, awe seems to pull us out of ourselves and make us feel immersed in our surroundings and the larger world.”

Those small things that you’re worried about become insignificant when you start to think about the vastness of the universe.

If we can experience more awe in our daily lives, we may be able to quieten the self-doubt and overwhelm that hold us back from enjoying the present moment.

“The central idea of awe is to quiet self-interest for a moment and to fold us into the social collective.”

– Julia Baird

How to pursue awe in your life

If awe can help ground us, it makes sense that we should seek out moments of awe on a regular basis.

How? Let me count the ways.

Awe can come from admiration. You might feel awe when you see someone else doing something you never even thought was possible. Try finding new people to learn from.

Awe can come from hope, like when you see people coming together for good. Join a group of people who care about the things you care about.

It can come from witnessing beauty. French philosopher Simone Weil said only two things pierce the human heart: beauty and affliction. Life brings us plenty of affliction, so we must seek out beauty when we can.

French philosopher Simone Weil said only two things pierce the human heart.

One is beauty.

The other is affliction.

Life brings you affliction. In buckets.

This leaves a longing in your soul for beauty.

But to find it, you must know it.

— David Morris (@wdmorrisjr) February 13, 2022

Awe-inspiring beauty is everywhere. A book or film can change you as a person, music might move you to tears, and art has the power to leave you speechless. Seek these things out as often as you can.

Of course, one of the most obvious ways to find awe is to observe the outside world. 

Look up at the stars at night. Observe how many there are and think about how much is unknown about the universe beyond us.

Look at the trees and ponder how old they are, how long they’ve survived, and how they communicate with one another.

Find a river, lake, waterfall, beach – anywhere with water. Notice how the water flows and let it run between your fingers.

Pay attention to animals and insects. Notice how they’re not worried about their purpose in life. There’s nothing they need to do except eat, sleep, and communicate with each other. They focus on being.

We’re so concerned with what we’re supposed to be doing on this planet. In reality, we just need to be who we are. 

There are so many ways to experience awe in your daily life. The key is to pay attention to the magic.

“If you can be in awe of your life every day — be in awe of everything — then you have a lot of source material for your thankfulness.”

– Jennifer Healey

When was the last time you felt a sense of awe? What or who are you in awe of?

P.S. Know of any other books or movies on this topic? Share your recommendations in a comment below!

The post How Awe Can Inspire Us To Be More Mindful appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

What’s helping you to function lately?

You know, the things that are keeping you together when you’re perhaps one thread away from unraveling?

Maybe it’s journaling, reading, tarot cards, or watching your favorite movie.

We all need supportive tools in our lives, especially when the world seems to be on the brink of collapse week in and week out. 

That’s where the wellness toolkit comes in.

On the Twelfth House Podcast, The Holisticism team discussed the idea of having a ‘wellness house of cards’ that helps you feel supported and grounded. 

“Your wellness house of cards are the things, ideas, actions, and products that are keeping your wellbeing together.”

– Michelle Pellizzon

You can think of it as the threads that are holding everything together.

Creating this kind of wellness toolkit is helpful because it means you have a list of tools to turn to when you want to feel more balanced.

Today, I’m sharing what’s in my personal wellness toolkit and how you can create your own resource library to rely on when you need a little extra support.

What is a wellness toolkit?

A wellness toolkit is a group of habits, tools, and products that make you feel good.

Think of a welder bringing tools along to a work site. Everything they need is in the toolkit. 

They won’t need everything for every job. But when something needs mending or putting back together, they can find the right tool for the situation.

It’s not necessarily a physical toolkit, but rather a collection of things that help you to feel better.

Your toolkit is there to help you get grounded when you need to. You can think of it like anchors for the mind, body, and soul.

What’s in my wellness toolkit

Here’s what’s in my current wellness toolkit:

1. Breathwork. I’ve been enjoying doing a few minutes of breathwork for a quick pause in my day (Breathwrk and o-p-e-n are great tools). If you’ve ever struggled with meditation, breathwork is a good alternative because it helps you be mindful without the pressure of trying to quiet your mind.

2. A journal and pen. I find a lot of my problems get solved if I simply write them down.

3. Music. It heals everything, right?

4. Nature. I spend too much time looking at screens, so a simple glimpse at the world outside helps my wellbeing.

5. A yoga mat. I can quickly roll it out and create space between me and my desk. Stretch, meditate, read, whatever.

6. Walking. I walk for thirty minutes every single day, and my walks are perhaps the main thread holding my life together.

7. Cube timer. This timer cube helps me get started on the things I need to do (because telling myself I only need to do something for 15 minutes means I’m much more likely to start).

8. Sunday social media detoxes. I’m going strong into my second year of staying off social media on Sundays. I actually look forward to this ritual now.

9. Notion. The workspace tool that helps me organize everything from my daily habits to my weekly meal planning.

How to create your wellness toolkit

1. Brainstorm the habits, activities, tools, and products that keep you feeling well.

Do a quick braindump of everything you can think of that feels supportive right now.

It’s best to use things you already know work for you, rather than things you ‘wish’ you would do. Leave out the 30-minute meditation session if you’ve never done it before.

Try thinking of:

1. baseline activities (brushing your teeth, eating a meal) 
2. nice-to-do activities (reading, exercising, calling a friend, putting on a face mask)

You might also want to think of the things that nourish your mind, body, and soul.

For more ideas of things you might include, this post has you covered.

2. Keep a visual reminder somewhere in your space. 

I found it super helpful to make a physical list of the things that feel supportive to me. 

When you find yourself in a state of frustration or overwhelm, it’s hard to think of anything that might get you grounded. If you have this list readily available, you can take a quick look and respond to whichever habit or action sounds supportive. It’s one less thing your brain has to think about.

I keep mine as a handwritten list, but you could create a menu of options in the notes app of your phone or something like Notion. You can pin it to your wall, make it your phone wallpaper, etc.

You could even create physical cards and pull them like a tarot deck to help you find what you need (check out Mindy’s Inner Alchemy Collage as an example).

3. Use your wellness toolkit.

When the going gets tough, turn to your wellness toolkit and see what sounds good to you in the moment.

Your wellness toolkit will inevitably change over time, so be sure to update your list with new discoveries and remove the ones that aren’t working for you anymore. 

What’s in your wellness toolkit?

What wellness practices, habits, and products are supporting you right now? I’d love to hear what’s in your toolkit.

The post What Keeps You Feeling Well? Put It In Your Wellness Toolkit. appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

Have you ever noticed that certain days of the week have a different energy to them?

Perhaps we can blame the planets for that

One of the most interesting things I’ve discovered in my astrology deep-dives is that each day of the week is governed by a planet or a luminary (meaning the moon or sun).

Of course, whether or not you believe the planets have this kind of power is up to you. But you may see that your schedule is already aligned with the planet days of the week without even realizing it. 

For example, Wednesday is ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication. Without knowing this, I subconsciously (or intuitively?) chose to send my weekly newsletter on the most appropriate day.

If you want a schedule that gives you flexibility and variety, planning a few things in your calendar based on the planetary rulers could be just the thing you need.

Let’s explore which planet rules each day, what significance that holds, and what tasks you can schedule each day for optimal success in your productivity, energy, and relationships.

How to plan your week with the planets

Monday: The Moon

The moon—though obviously not a planet—rules emotions and intuition. The moon also rules Cancer, the mother figure of the zodiac.

If you don’t feel particularly lively on Mondays, feel free to blame it on the moon. The moon can often bring an emotional and shadowy energy to the day. But that doesn’t mean you have to dread Mondays!

This is a great day for reflection and setting yourself up for the week in a way that aligns with your needs. If you’re able to, take this as a chill, no expectations kind of day. Focus on planning, organizing, and easing into the week.

Here’s how to make the most of the Moon’s energy:

• Prioritize relaxation and quiet time
• Spend time in nature (especially by the water)
• Do some emotional self-care
• Journal
• Practice light and flowy movement (think yoga, walking, or stretching)

Tuesday: Mars

Mars is the planet of drive and power. Mars also rules Aries, the passionate and fiery wild child of the zodiac. 

The energy from Mars makes Tuesday a great day to get things done. While Monday was for refueling, Tuesday gives us a full tank of gas for taking action.

You may feel more enthusiastic and passionate on Tuesday. That makes it a great day to start new projects, crush your to-do list, and do the hard things that you won’t have the energy for at the end of the week.

Here’s how to make the most of Mars’ energy:

• Get started on new projects
• Knock out your to-do list
• Declutter and clean
• Do something that scares you just a little
• Get your heart racing with an intense workout (think kickboxing, HIIT, or a team sport)

Wednesday: Mercury

Mercury is the planet of intellect and communication. Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo, the chatterboxes of the zodiac.

Since Mercury is the planet of communication, this is a great day for meetings, sending emails, and starting new conversations. It’s likely you already communicate with friends more on Wednesdays than any other day without realizing it!

From a creative standpoint, this is also a great day for brainstorming, writing, planning, and organizing your ideas. If you happen to be reading this blog post on a Wednesday, today would be a great day to try scheduling your calendar with the planets!

Here’s how to make the most of Mercury’s energy:

• Brainstorm ideas
• Schedule meetings and calls
• Sign contracts (if Mercury’s not in retrograde)
• Clear out your email inbox
• Plan your editorial calendar

Thursday: Jupiter

Jupiter is the planet of growth and abundance. Jupiter also rules Sagittarius, the wisdom-seeker and world-traveler of the zodiac.

Thursday has a calmer energy than Wednesday, but there’s a lot of energy for expansion and growth. There’s something about Thursdays that lights a fire underneath you, and many people consider this the most productive day of the week. 

This is a great day for learning, practicing gratitude, and working on your finances. If abundance is your goal, Thursday is the day to attract it.

Here’s how to make the most of Jupiter’s energy:

• Learn something new
• Practice gratitude
• Make a vision board
• Review your budget
• Start a new hobby or habit

Friday: Venus

Venus is the planet of love and beauty. Venus also rules Taurus and Libra, two signs that appreciate beauty and comfort.

Friday is typically known as the date night of the week and for good reason. Friday is all about celebrating love, connection, and belonging. This is a great day to appreciate the people you love in your life, and that includes appreciating yourself.

As far as work goes, this is a great day to woo your boss or coworkers with new ideas and to generally try and go about your work with lightheartedness.

Here’s how to make the most of Venus’ energy:

• Wear your favorite outfit or try a new hairstyle
• Treat yourself to flowers or something else beautiful
• Make a fancy dinner and watch a movie
• Call your friends and tell them how much you adore them
• Visit an art gallery or a place that feels beautiful to you

Saturday: Saturn

Saturn is the planet of structure and discipline. Saturn rules Capricorn, the father figure of the zodiac.

Saturday is typically associated with fun. For most of us, it’s the first day of the weekend.  But Saturn actually has a stern and stoic energy about it that can be useful for getting things done.

Whereas Sunday is a day for the inner child, Saturday is a day to be an adult. That makes it a great day to do yard work, clean the house, plan for the week ahead, work on your habits, and tie up any loose ends on projects. Any work done today will pay off in the long run.

Here’s how to make the most of Saturn’s energy:

• Organize and declutter your home
• Prepare for the next week (plan your to-do list, meal plan, etc.)
• Focus on academic tasks like studying or learning
• Finish up projects or tasks from the previous week
• Make progress on your goals

Sunday: The Sun

The Sun represents creativity, expression, and vitality. The Sun rules Leo, one of the most creative signs of the zodiac.

Sunday is typically the day of rest, and its positive energy makes it a great time to relax and unwind. The Sun encourages radiance, growth, and illumination, which makes Sunday a good day to express your creativity.

The vitality of the sun makes it perfect for spending time with loved ones or working on your inner reflection and growth. Try not to schedule anything too demanding and instead look at Sunday as a day of play. 

Here’s how to make the most of the Sun’s energy:

• Prioritize rest and relaxation
• Express yourself creatively – whatever that means to you
• Go grocery shopping and cook a delicious meal
• Spend time outside
• Connect with family and friends

Does your schedule align with the planet days of the week?

I hope this post has helped you think of new ways to structure your weekly schedule. Do you notice any patterns in your productivity and moods on certain days of the week? Where is your schedule already aligned with the planet days of the week? 

I’d love to hear what you think about this topic. Share your thoughts in a comment below!

The post How to Organize Your Week According to the Planets appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

I have some big news! I’ve created a daily planner that will help you be more mindful and intentional throughout your day.

Introducing The Daily Bliss Planner!

The Daily Bliss Planner is a 3-month undated planner designed to help you incorporate self-care, mindfulness, and intentional living into your day. When you focus on being mindful, you’ll find that you can get things done while still having time for yourself.

There’s more to life than your to-do list, and you need space to capture it all. The Daily Bliss Planner is here to help you take care of everything in between.

Included in this hardcover planner:

Goal & Vision Planning Pages

Monthly & Weekly Planning Pages

Monthly & Weekly Reflection Pages

Daily pages with space to work on your mindset, manage your to-do list, track your self-care and habits, and reflect on your day

Dotted Notes Pages (for all of your brain dumps and genius ideas)

Handy 6×9-inch size

191 pages printed on bright white paper

Learn more and order your planner here.

The post The Daily Bliss Planner is Here! appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

Post Updated on November 21, 2021

Do you know what’s hard sometimes? Practicing gratitude.

Those gratitude lists that everyone tells you to write aren’t always easy for me. 

And not in the sense that I don’t have anything to be grateful for in my life because I absolutely do. It’s just that gratitude sometimes gets overwhelming because it feels like I’m forcing myself to write a list for the sake of writing a list.

Maybe like me, your mind tends to focus on the things that are going wrong. Or you think you’re a terrible person because you don’t feel grateful for the things you SHOULD be grateful for – things like family, friends, food, a roof over your head, etc.

I often stare at a blank page thinking to myself, “I should probably write that I’m grateful for [fill in the blank]”, but then it just feels ingenuine and forced.

So what are we to do? Well, if you also find it difficult to practice gratitude on a regular basis, I have a few simple gratitude tips that might make it easier for you.

Why your gratitude lists might not be working

Let’s acknowledge that there’s nothing wrong with you if you don’t tend to think in positives or revel in gratitude every waking moment.

I used to think that I was broken because gratitude didn’t come naturally to me, but it turns out it’s not a human being’s standard way of operating.

We’re not wired for positivity

There’s something called the negativity bias which says we react to negative stimuli more intensely than positive stimuli.

Why would we learn more from negative stimuli? Because we need to avoid the harmful, negative things that could hurt us. Our brains need to recognize and remember negative experiences so we can dodge them at all costs.

That means if we want to remember positive experiences, we have to try really hard to savor them.

Once I learned this, I felt less like an overly cynical, heartless being for not being grateful 24/7.

Do we actually need gratitude?

So if gratitude isn’t our standard mode of operation, do we really need to be practicing gratitude? 

One study on gratitude interventions showed modest improvements in people with depression and anxiety, but the researchers still recommended people utilize other forms of support as well.

That means practicing gratitude alone probably isn’t going to change your life. 

But I do think it helps to savor the things that bring you comfort, no matter how small they are. 

After all, the small things are what get us through our days.

And I believe you will attract good things in life when you radiate the kind of energy that tells the universe you’re open to receiving good things. Gratitude is one way to attract that kind of energy.

5 simple gratitude tips

In my experimentation with gratitude, here are some things that have made it feel less forced for me:

Think of things that bring you bliss

I’ve started referring to my daily gratitude as my ‘Daily Bliss’ list. 

Instead of framing the list as things I’m grateful for, I write down three things that made my day blissful. If you need to, just think of the things that made your day mildly tolerable.

This means things like enjoying a new show, finding a new favorite song, reading a good book, talking to a friend, or making progress on a project.

Write your list at the end of the day

So many people tell you to write a gratitude list first thing in the morning, but I can’t be the only one whose brain does not work when I first get up. 

I swear I can’t think of a single thing that even exists, let alone that I’m grateful for when I first wake up. 

Instead, writing my list at the end of the day works much better for me because I can reflect on the happenings of the day, who I interacted with, and the little things that lit me up.

Leave out the ‘shoulds’

Forcing yourself to try and be grateful for something isn’t going to make you feel better.

For example, if you’re not vibing with your family at a particular moment, trying to force yourself to feel grateful for your family isn’t going to do a whole lot of anything.

Instead, focus on the things that genuinely make you feel good. Let go of what you think you should be expressing gratitude for.

“Pretending you’re grateful when you’re actually not will just serve to bury your feelings. You don’t need to force yourself to think about your life in a way that isn’t true to you.”

– Sarah Bence

Related Post: Letting Go Of What Doesn’t Serve You

Ask yourself why you’re grateful 

Writing a gratitude list is one thing, but actually finding the words to express WHY you’re grateful for something gives it more power.

You may take having a roof over your head for granted because you’ve never had to live without a roof, so saying that you’re grateful for the said roof may not have much meaning to you.

What might help is identifying WHY you’re grateful for that roof. For example, is it protecting you from a storm? Is it keeping the heat inside and helping you stay warm? 

Perhaps what you’re really grateful for is the protection and security that the roof provides. Digging deep into why you’re grateful can give you a new perspective on things.

Use gratitude for your goals

If you want to attract more good things in your life, use gratitude to help you achieve your goals. 

For example, if your goal is to improve your physical health, try expressing gratitude for the things that are already helping you to achieve your goal.

In this case, here are some reasons you might be grateful:

• Your body allows you to move in a certain way
• You have access to free workouts on YouTube
• You know people who can motivate you to keep going

Practicing gratitude for the things you have, while working towards what you want, is a great way to attract positive energy in your life.

Free Resource: Get the Free Goal Planning Worksheet

Do you have any gratitude tips to share?

I hope this post has given you a few ideas to make gratitude work for you. Remember that it’s not our natural human state to feel gratitude all the time, but there is power in savoring what brings you joy on a regular basis. Leave a comment below if you have any of your own gratitude tips!

The post How to Practice Gratitude When It’s Not Working for You appeared first on The Blissful Mind.

Post Updated on October 7, 2021

The reminder to ‘let go of what doesn’t serve you‘ is everywhere. You’ve probably seen it floating around on your Instagram feed at some point.

But what does it really mean? How do we know what’s serving or not serving us?

If we use the definition of serve as ‘to be useful or of service to’, the advice translates to letting go of what’s not useful to you anymore.

Ultimately, that could mean things that:

• take away your energy
• drain you mentally and emotionally
• make you doubt yourself
• give you nothing in return
• serve no real purpose in your life

We’re still in a global pandemic, and I imagine that we’ll all be processing these emotions for a long time to come. Even if you haven’t been directly impacted by the virus, the past two years have taken a toll on everyone’s emotions and mental health.

If you’re clinging to the remnants of things that comfort you during this time, who am I to say that you need to get rid of them. We all want and need to feel safe.

But maybe you’re attached to things that aren’t providing any value to you anymore, such as the need to be in control, tasks that could be done by someone else, goals from two years ago, or those wilting plants that aren’t coming back to life.

Does anything come to mind for you?

One thing I know I need to let go of is feeling like I need the answers to everything. Like I can’t start something new or write about a topic unless I already know the answers. But that’s not how life works, is it?

Sometimes in order to let go, you need to figure out what you want to embrace instead. Maybe it’s embracing less and keeping everything minimal for a while (clothing, books, the number of people you follow on social media, etc.).

Try asking what is nourishing you, what is providing you with comfort, and what is giving you the energy to do the things you want to do (or let’s be honest, the basic necessities that you need to keep yourself going).

There is power in making space for what you need.

Here are some super simple ideas for letting go and making space:

Physically:

• dust the corners of your apartment that are accumulating nasties
• get rid of your dying plants (make room for new ones!)
• donate the clothes that you’re never going to wear

Emotionally:

• watch a movie that you know will make you cry (in a good way)
• listen to music from your childhood
• wash the emotional support blanket on your bed

Mentally:

• brain dump everything out of your head onto a piece of paper
• do something for an hour that doesn’t involve a screen of any kind
• close the 100+ tabs open on your computer right now

What will you let go of?

I hope this post has given you something to ponder on when it comes to letting go of what no longer serves you.

The post Letting Go Of What Doesn’t Serve You appeared first on The Blissful Mind.