Salma Mallouk

This quote is from a movie, which I haven’t seen. But I saw this post on Pinterest and I felt attacked. Whenever, I accomplished something big and I felt like, I should buy this or that to celebrate or for gratification. But if I stopped and took a second I would’ve realized that the accomplishment is a celebration already.

Ratrace

What happens is, we get stuck in this ratrace. Our life is already planned out; high school, college, a good job, uni, marrying your high school sweetheart, a great career, buying a house, a car, sweet kids, a summer house, and so on and so forth. This is the “right path” to take. It will lead to success and happiness. A construct designed by society to keep the money rolling and keep us busy. We actually forget to contemplate if we actually want those things. And even if we want those things, when are we satisfied?

Keeping up with the Joneses

This term comes from English-speaking countries and refers to keeping up with your neighbor’s social economic status. Today we could replace this term with, Keeping up with the Kardashians (or any other reality series) or keeping up with big names on Instagram. It’s a cliche but the content in series and on social media is only one part of someone’s story. Nobody has it all, so it will give us peace of mind to stop to match that level of so-called perfection.

Sacrificing what you need

What’s even more concerning is that we sacrifice something we really need for something that we don’t even want. For example, we sacrifice our time with our family or time dedicated to exercise for more work to hopefully get that promotion. We sacrifice an hour’s worth of massage to binge-watch a series. Now again I’m not encouraging anyone to stop doing or wanting something. I’m just asking to consider if it’s really what you want and need.

Image: Unsplash, by Mckenna Phillips

If you are a member of this community then you know this week is about seeing the steps ahead of you. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to look at all the steps and future setbacks that might be ahead. Good news, those moments haven’t even occurred yet. Instead, just focus on the step that’s right in front of you. Focus on what you can see and move from there. Here are 3 easy ways to help you better focus on the here and now.

Be present

In order to think clearly, you have to be present. Being present means (to me): being fully in the moment without thinking about what you’re having for dinner or regretting the outfit you chose. The key way I like to become more present is by guided meditation. You just sit on a chair or on the floor, let a voice guide you through your thoughts, and give you exercises focused on breath work. The purpose of meditation is not to stop thinking but rather to label your thoughts and come back to them when and if necessary. My current app for guided meditation is Headspace.

Take a walk

Throughout the week you drive/ cycle/ commute from A to B. It is hard to experience new things. On weekends I like to take a walk without a destination. Either in the city or in nature.

• City
  Pros: you get to order coffee from your local barista and walk around, take random streets, and be a tourist in your own city.
  Cons: when it gets busy on the streets your mind gets cluttered.
• Nature
  Pros: you really get to experience fresh air and peace & quiet.
  Cons: depending on where you live, being in nature might be far away.

My favorite spot is close to the sea because you can hear the waves and clear your mind.

Word vomit

Sometimes you are stuck on something and you just have to vent about it. Either to a friend or on paper. This is beneficial because you get all the words out and you might discover that it wasn’t that deep. You might feel better and be able to let the thoughts go. What I love about writing it down is that you can see all the clutter and focus on the things that really matter. Also, you get to read it later and see how much you have grown since then.

All pumped up

So yesterday I scheduled a workout for this morning 8 am. I was all hyped up, ready to go to sleep early and start my day RIGHT. You can already guess that by 9 am I was still in my bed … Problem was that I had this image of myself: work out at 8 am, be dressed by 10 am, and have an amazing and productive day. This all seems very nice but actually executing it is a whole different ball game. Especially when you’re not a morning person.

Becoming that person

Nowadays you see all these videos of; becoming THAT girl or my everyday 5 am routine. It all looks great and productive. In my head, I go like; I want to be as productive as them. And even though I think it’s good to have a reason to get out of bed. I also think we should be realistic. If you’re not a morning person, chances are that 7 times out of 10 you won’t make that class. Why do I even want to plan my day like those people I’ve never even met? Do I want to work out or keep up with the Joneses?

What do you want

For me, it is important to ask myself why I want what I want. Is it because it looks productive? Or do I want it because I can show off? The real reason should be that I want to take care of my body. But if that is my incentive it doesn’t matter what time I work out.

Wake up

This week’s quote is: All I want is what I can see, and what I can see is in front of me. When I schedule something The evening before, I won’t be able to see what’s in front of me (Can I sleep through the night? Do I have a bad mood when I wake up?). That’s why I try to plan easy things on the day itself. But never give up. If you really want to exercise that day, you have to try again and again. So that’s what I did and ironically at 8 pm, I went to another workout. The end result is the same, it just matters how you look at it.

Image: Unsplash, by Logan Weaver

All the feels

Let’s start with, what do I mean by all the feels? All the emotions? Sometimes you get to a point where you dream about something but the execution is draining. Even though you would love to eventually have it (whatever your goal is). The process is making you nervous, scared, and tired. It can even be uninspiring at times.

But guess what… it doesn’t matter. You HAVE to keep up with your daily habits in order to get results and eventually reach that goal.

Well-being

Not only do you have to do it anyways to get the results but it is also crucial for your well-being. I find that if I stick to a daily habit that I know is going to give me long-term results, I will feel better because I discipline myself. Moreover, I can anticipate that on the days when I don’t feel good, I can still push myself to get things done.

Easier said than done

You might think by now… well it is easier said than done. And you’re 100% right, it’s not easy to just do it anyway. How to do it anyway?

• Arrange non-negotiables with yourself (ask someone that can hold you accountable)
• Talk to someone about it. Some emotions are increasing when you keep them in your head.
• Ask advice from someone that has experience with your situation

A few years ago I used to say that I keep a planner on my phone. But in reality, I did not and forgot about most of my appointments. Now I have found the perfect planner for me which is the My Journal from A-journal.

Planner and journal in one

So let me explain how it works … The planner has an overview of the month which contains planning: activities to do, relaxing, grateful for, goals, and to pay and receive. So you plan your month ahead with not only the basics but also the fun and memorable things. Then you have an overview of the week where you can write your appointments down and add your priorities. They even added a notes section on the weekly pages.

Check off the boxes

When you have filled in the month’s planner you start to work tirelessly during the month. At the end of the month, you look back and you can check off the things you have completed/accomplished. How great is that!

And the list goes on and on

And now my favorite part. The lists in the back of financial goals, adventures, health, meals, music, and books. This way I will have a diary of the year. In a couple of years, I can look back to see which song was my favorite and which cities I visited this year. In a way the planner does the name justice because you get to keep a journal of your year without actually writing in a daily journal.

Good to know

The planner also has an envelope at the back for business cards or other small papers you need to store.

Image: Unsplash, by Benham Norouzi

First things first

Before you start on your health journey (again) really define for yourself what your definition of good health is. For some it is losing/gaining weight, for others it’s feeling strong/fit. When you have your definition in order, you need to start small. In atomic habits, the author describes that if you can improve by 1% every day it is better than going 0 to 100. Also, remember that there is no end destination when it comes to health (and happiness but we will get to that another day). Every day we have a decision. Sometimes it means treating ourselves to what we need and other days it means having the discipline to do what we need.

10.000 steps a day

Movement is always beneficial. Regularly we can get stuck in the day-to-day. Going from A to B you forget to look around you. So while it is good to move your body I also think it’s essential to take your steps outside in nature preferably. You get some fresh air and perhaps even get inspired because of all that you see around you. Funny fact: the 10.000 steps a day is invented by a Japanese firm that sold pedometers called Manpo-Kei. In the end, it doesn’t matter how many steps you take but that you enjoy your peace while you do it.

2L water

Another recommendation is to drink 1 liters of water a day. This has benefits for your organs, face and gives you an energy boost. For the people who hate drinking water because it tastes like nothing; you can make your own infused water by adding fruits. Otherwise, tea might help. Personally, it has helped me to buy a large bottle. Mine even contained motivational quotes that got me through the day.

Greet someone randomly on the streets

Okay I know this one sounds a little creepy but hear me out… When you are crossing a person on the sidewalk just greet them with a smile or a quick hello. Remember we don’t know what someone else is going through. This person might have heard the worst news of their life just minutes ago. So for them, it might make their day. Also when someone reacts positively about it and greets you back, it will improve your mood. Besides, it’s free so you don’t lose anything.