3 Little Things You Can Start NOW: Starting Your Journey of Discovery

The point of going on a personal discovery journey is to explore the current authentic versions of ourselves, to learn from others, to embrace fears, to challenge the status quo,… . There will be as many variations of this journey as there are people, it’s not a competition but there is a prize: personal fulfillment! If you are new to all of this and want to get started, here are a few little things you can start with immediately.

Affirm Yourself

Affirmations seem to have increased in popularity in recent years. However, they have been around forever. An affirmation is anything you repeatedly tell yourself, so they can be both positive or negative as well as conscious or unconscious.

Personally, I believe our mental state and our energy levels are closely linked. We, as individuals, have a responsibility towards ourselves and the people in our lives to be authentic and honest. Sometimes we are down and feel like absolute sh*t, and that is okay. Other times we are uppity and happy, which is also okay. But we owe it to ourselves to try our best every day, regardless of what your best might be for that day.

We love, we grow, we live together. Practicing positive affirmations and reciting them on a regular basis is a great way for many people to love, grow and live. I do not have a set routine of affirmations because I feel different every day. I have values that I hold dear and I repeat what is important to me in this chapter of life. Others might have a collection of post-its on their walls or mirrors as regular reminders. Yet others might need to focus on how amazing they, themselves, are so they can bring their full potential to life. Whichever works for you and helps you to get through your days and to achieve your goals is what you need to be doing.

Here are some of mine and maybe it will inspire you to step into the world of positive repetition to help you grow and overcome obstacles.

For my little less days

• Everything has an ending and this does too.

• No pain, no gain.

• I learn in discomfort and not comfort.

• Life would be boring without its ups and downs.

• I appreciate the bad and I live the good.

For my little more days

• The most beautiful things can’t be seen, they are felt.

• Being a weirdo is where the party is at.

• Nerd is the new cool kid.

• I love me, I love you and I love the world.

• I am beauty, I am abundance, I am happiness and I am love.

The internet is full of affirmations if you need more examples. We also provide affirmations as part of our WISH course.

Be Grateful

In cartoons, the little voice in our head is often portrayed as a little angel and a little devil on the shoulder, each telling the character to do one thing. Our voices are often similar, sometimes they will tell us that we CAN do something, while other times they will tell us that we CAN’T or that we are not good enough. Maybe today your devilish side is telling you everything sucks, including yourself, and that you have nothing. Gratitude exercises are very important in reprogramming our way of thinking so that we don’t hold ourselves back. If you are someone who often gets in their own way or if you are very hard on yourself, find the little things you are grateful for.

Consistency and repetition are key. Don’t expect a change in your mindset if you’ve told yourself 3 times that you deserve to be happy and you are not magically happy yet. Think of it as a workout, you’re not going to have muscles pop up after 3 curls, this is no different. Reprogramming your way of thinking takes time and dedication.

Make a list of 5 things you are grateful for every day. Switch it up, do not use the same list.

Day 1

1) I am grateful for the flowers in my garden.

2) I am grateful for the lovely cup of tea/coffee I had.

3) I am grateful for my friend with whom I chatted today.

4) I am grateful for the internet and being able to write this blog.

5) I am grateful for my alarm as it helps me wake up in time for work.

Day 2

1) I am grateful for the dog who greeted me on my walk.

2) I am grateful for the existence of books.

3) I am grateful for my partner’s cuddles before sleep.

4) I am grateful for my ability to learn.

5) I am grateful I have the freedom to try new things.

I tend to meditate on this for a couple minutes each morning or evening. As a whirlwind of projects are always central in my life, chaos does ensue. I try to keep a routine going when I am at home for some consistency and regular practice. Perfection is never the goal, being is.

Bring Compassion

Compassion is oftentimes confused with empathy. What are either of the two? Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and live the world from their perspective. Compassion is the action of empathy; the ability to show kindness and helpfulness to alleviate a being’s suffering.

Every day we have the chance to be compassionate, to show love and caring. There are many individuals across the globe who do this whenever they can. This is incredibly powerful. Each one of us has the capacity to make the world a better place.

What do I matter, what can I do? I am just me on my lonesome.

How many people do we meet in our lives? This number will vary quite a bit depending on your line of work, where you live, your definition of ‘meet’, and many other factors. An average human being living in the U.S. will have an interaction—which can be as small as a nod, a wave, a smile, etc.—with approximately 80,000 people in a lifetime. That may seem like a very high number but if you live in the city, how many people do you have a small interaction with each day? For some people, this number will be a lot higher and for others it will be lower. Either way, why should we care about this number? Great question. We should care because we have the power to impact these people in a positive way.

I would like you to take a moment in your day to reflect on what you are currently doing to help others in your life, whether it be family, friends, strangers or even another species. Include yourself in this exploration. We can’t water the flowers without water in our watering can.

Collectively we make the biggest difference so no matter how small, keep it up.

Author

Layla Olefs

Co-Founder of Conversations By You