Make time weekly for reflection on what you want. In whatever sort of journal or planner option works for you, keep track of your goals. Check in each week for your progress, and make notes. What is it you want? Is it the same as last year, last month, last week, yesterday? What do you need to do in order to get it? How can you break down those needs into manageable steps? Plan in time for your week ahead to get it done. Some people really find the “bullet journal” method helpful for this kind of task-oriented project management. If you try out a method and it doesn’t work for you, you do not have to keep doing it! Try another one, and another, as many as it takes to find what works for you. Being aware of what it is you actually do want in life, and what things you are willing to put in the work to receive, makes it that much more likely you will reach your goals.

Embrace Afternoon Tea. What do I mean by this? The mental picture of an afternoon tea is a leisurely span of time, spent perhaps with friends or loved ones, relaxing, having a bite to eat, a beverage to drink, perhaps reading a book. It is a piece of the day in which other matters do not intrude. You may not wish to drink tea but crafting a space in your day in which to simply breathe and relax is invaluable. This would be a good time to practice pencil sketching, to read that book you’ve been meaning to, have a nap, go for a pleasant stroll, meet a friend for coffee. It is a space in which to recharge. What does this look like for you?

Look to healthy, positive, role models. People who inspire you to take action and engage in life. People who do not engage in extreme behaviors. Aspire to be a healthy, positive, role model yourself. Do those who spend time with you feel better for having done so? If not, practice some self-care and self-love. We are in charge of who we are and how we feel and the way we behave to others. What are values and qualities that are important to you? Seek out people who share those.

Engage your mind with something new. Artwork, a word of the day, exploring hobbies, a food you haven’t tried. Make notes in your journal – what mental pictures came to mind? What were the tastes, textures, scents? Perhaps you have always wanted to learn another language. An app I have used is Duo Lingo (I am not being compensated in any way for mentioning them). I just use the free version as I don’t spend regular time with my language acquisition, but they also have a paid version for folks who don’t like ads. The list of languages from which you can select to study is pretty extensive. Keeping one’s curiosity alive through feeding it new things; keeping one’s brain flexible and active through use; improves our overall ability to accomplish our goals and dreams. Have a great week everyone!