Major Monday Make-Up Post!

Well guys…I am finally out of my funk! I’d go into my whole inner emotional turmoil, but actually I really don’t want to so I’m skipping that therapy-moment for now.

Luckily, after giving my Law of Attraction workshop Saturday, I felt like my normal self again. Finally. I am still absolutely glowing from the company and positivity vibe those workshops give me, and it made my entire being do a happy 180. Thanks, ladies. I am back in touch with all my inner weirdness, excitement and that positivity you have all come to know and love (or get annoyed over, who knows what you do behind your computer).

Good news: I am writing again! About damn time too, because writer’s block was making my head explode. Now I have about 6 outlines for cool new articles. The bad news is that I write in my notebook and I have had zero time this weekend to turn my Paperblank scribbles into the long-winded elaborate articles you have all come to know and read maybe halfway through before you go back to cats and fandoms on the Internet.

But I felt weird leaving my blog and readers alone for over a week and I wanted to make my ‘prolonged’ absence up to you. A few days is fine, because I am totally that rebel writer who doesn’t get tied down easily distracted and preoccupied, but I don’t want to be more unreliable than that. Plus, I miss you guys in terms of comments and happy people reading my stuff.

So I decided to post some tips I shared before in my Self Help School Projects. Basically five tips in the three areas I talk about the most that you might like to use someitme (and let me know if you do!) Have a kick ass Monday!

General Self Help

  • Wake up 15 minutes earlier tomorrow. Dedicate these 15 minutes to something ‘You’. Be it meditating, an extra beauty routine like straightening your hair or smokey eyes, a quick at-home workout or just a more relaxed breakfast with your favorite book. Do something early in the day that says “I’m Committed To Taking Care Of Myself”.
  • Write down the answer to the question of “What am I bored of?!” (Idea stolen from Alex Franzen). Whether it’s the same pasta you end up having three nights a week, that one friend that only talks about old friends, Facebook, your weak arms, etc: figure out what bores you or makes you roll your eyes. Now that you know, you can move from boring to brilliant. Simply by going in the opposite direction! More variety in dinner, spending time with friends who talk about worldly events, logging off Facebook and doing those damn push-ups.
  • Think of someone you admire and do the one thing that you think rocks. For instance, Angelina Jolie takes a much-needed break in her busy schedule specifically for Brad Pitt (wouldn’t we all like to be able to do that) and you can make some Boyfriend Time in your schedule as well. Other examples would be eating more vegan (like Merel from the Groene Meisjes), being more forgiving (Dalai Llama) or not afraid to be yourself (Self help God Steve Pavlina).
  • Make the BLUH-List. The BLUH list is the list of things you have been putting off forever. Items on my list include figuring out how to work with SEO, contacting BOL.COM about their plug-in, changing my Rabobank personal information to the correct address and figuring out my perfect health care plan. Make your list. Once you have the list, do one thing immediately to make the list shorter. Call to cancel your useless gym membership (and take up another sport) or Elle subscription, go to the drycleaners and finally return your friend’s book to her.
  • Write down what personality traits you attribute to yourself that you’re bothered by. Pick one or two and try to think of yourself completely different in that aspect. You’re no longer Control Freak Carla, you’re Laidback Lucy. You’re not Anxious Annie, you’re Peaceful Patty. Get my drift? Erase from your memory the personality trait you don’t appreciate as much as the rest, and when something happens that would normally activate that part of you, try to react from the complete opposite. See how it feels. Usually something in the middle ends up feeling most comfortable, but it’s a good exercise.

Health

  • Do your own research about food. Find out what you want to know (or really don’t want to know) about what you eat. Find books, scientific articles about certain dietary lifestyles. Look up the dity dozen and the clean fifteen, explore foods with high protein content, the superfood with the most antioxidants or vitamins. Knowledge is power and it will guide your choices. If things are contradictory, find which side has most evidence, research which of the evidence is most convincing or: Simply trust your gut.
  • If you have the time and resources, eat organic/raw/vegan/vegaterian for one day. Just for one day, to see how you like it! Document everything, like you’re doing an experiment. How much you spend, how much effort you have to make to prepare it and how it makes you feel. It’s a very good way to assess: It takes away the possibly unrealistic hurdles about rep time or costs, and adds the experience of possible advantages or disadvantages.
  • Having breakfast-dessert. It’s a sweet treat/dessert type food you have after breakfast instead of after dinner. Makes absolute sense as you still have the entire day to digest it while it may sit in your stomach uncomfortable if you have that tiramisu too late. Worth a shot, I have actually tried this before: It is fun and feels a tiny bit naughty, which makes it even better!
  • This is an interesting twist on exercising, also from Alex Franzen: Modeling a work-out to one of your idols or heroes! Think a Wonderwoman work-out, running like you’re a professional athlete (without killing yourself mind you) and G.I. Jane push-ups. I am personally going to channel an inner superyogi that I have always admired. I’m also not above channeling my inner Black Widow, Catwoman or that one where Jessica Alba is a cowgirl stripper.
  • This is a little different than the others, but I seriously believe a little hiatus from fashion magazines and staring at pretty models on the Victoria Secret website can sometimes be a very healthy much-needed break for your self-esteem and realistic body appreciation and awareness. If you haven’t done this before, start now.

Law of Attraction

  • Make a Universal wish list for someone you love. Your partner, your BFF, an (estranged) family member you wish the best, a parent or sibling. Imagine all they ever wanted realized in their lives. I believe it is good to practice positive intentions for other people as well.
  • If you have something in mind that you really want to manifest, grab a notepad and pen, close your eyes and ask yourself: What can I do to make this (come into my) reality? Write down each and every thought that comes up. This is a way to crank up your Inspired Action. The Universe digs that.
  • Wake up and decide you’re going to feel like the luckiest person alive today. The luckier you feel, the luckier you’ll be.
  • You need to feel quite deely and passionate about this one but it can work miracles if you do: Choose a situation or area in your life you are deeply discontented with and send a big Universal Request for something to change or be resolved. Do it in the same way you normally ask for other things. Depending how willing you are to let go of the situation (sometimes we hang onto horrible things because they are familiar and comfortable), things usually change rather quickly.
  • Think to yourself “With what great positive action can I positively impact myself and everything around me, right now?” This can range from cleaning your apartment to donating to charity to striking up small talk with a lonely-looking elderly woman to taking your friend to yoga. Anything goes, as long as you do something good.

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20 comments

  1. Oh, I like those tips and tricks! I have been doing those 15 minutes of me-time for a couple of weeks now, and I can tell you, it works like a charm! I am ready to kickstart my day and feel like I can conquer the world! Also, I need those 15 minutes to actually Wake Up, ’cause otherwise I might just punch someone (i.e. my boyfriend) in the face.

  2. Sinds de workshop ben ik ook helemaal blij en geïnspireerd! Nouja, daar voor was ik ook al blij 😛 maar niet zo geïnspireerd. Goed om te horen dat je weer schrijfkriebels hebt 🙂

    Trouwens, ik ben een synchroniciteit-lijstje begonnen. Eerste wat erop staat zijn de rauwe brownies van zaterdag. Woensdag had iemand vegan brownies voor me gemaakt en toen dacht ik ‘goh, ik zou ook graag eens rauwe brownies willen proberen.’ Dat dat dan zaterdag al kon in geweldig snel 😀

  3. Weer een heel fijn artikel. Waar ik echt wat aan heb, zijn de concrete opdrachten (groot of klein) waar je over schrijft. Zoals zo’n Universal wishlist schrijven, of besluiten dat vandaag een goede dag wordt. Tnx!

  4. Jeeh je bent er weer.

    Vooral deze: “Wake up and decide you’re going to feel like the luckiest person alive today. The luckier you feel, the luckier you’ll be.” is erg mooi!

  5. Great article 🙂 I am going to make the most of these tips. Especially the one about making a Universal Wishlist for a loved one, that will come in handy for sure. And thank you so much for the workshop Saturday, it was positively enlightening! Much love <3

  6. I love your blog. Not in a mindless-browse-the-internet-for-hours / escapism sort of way, but in an actually useful and practical sense. Reading your blog often gives me the kick in the butt I need to turn off my laptop (not just close it but literally turn the power OFF) and start participating in my own life. So thanks for that!! Just had to give you a shout out before I log off and clean the house woooo!
    xx Sonia