Category: #lifestyle

#lifestyle, #thoughts, #tirades

learnings from a gunman on anxiety

ronellegreen

we only had one pair of earplugs that worked without impeding the rifle-to-cheek relationship required as you set up, sit up, and shoot. that means my uncle-in-law, cousin-in-law and I had to share. yes, share – trying to sanitize and hand off to each other for our respective turns between unpredictably random, deafening shots being fired by other people on the range.

risky transitions resulting in a heart rate through the roof, and shaky shooting at first. even with guidance from the instructor and my family. adding to my heightened heart rate was the fact that I struggled to shoot at all – overwhelmed by the power and weight of the deadly weapon I was being trained to handle.

this was a classic case of simply being overwhelmed, from which I learnt that overwhelming things can – like most challenges we face – be overcome with technique and practice.

it was a gunman who made it clear to me.

I should clarify that by “gunman,” I mean a regular-looking guy next to me on the range who demonstrated expert tactical skill with his firearm while doing his target practice – not necessarily a criminal – albeit, who knows?

the range instructor yelled, “CEASE FIRE!” and after a single, unruly shot from an unruly shooter, a repeat of the ceasefire command, and a lecture on range safety and obeying commands (the first time they’re given), the gunman and I both went to retrieve our perforated targets (coincidentally) together. he said he’d seen me hit near the target so many times that he knew neither my aim nor positioning was the issue – it was my breathing.

he launched into an unsolicited, but appreciated spiel on how newcomers to the range and people shooting large firearms for the first time (both described me) tend to hold their breath.

we anticipate a thunderous boom, an ironclad jolt to the shoulder, and an obvious, instantaneous pass or fail result based on whether the target 100 yards away was hit.

we then hold tension in our bodies. clench our jaws and furrow our brows. we aim, and try our best to hold still.

in trying so hard to hold still, in holding our breath to do so, we inadvertently – and on a much more nuanced scale than if moving consciously and decisively – cause more movement. we quicken and amplify our heart rate by holding our breath and cutting our oxygen supply, leaving our hearts to beat with a more resounding vibrational thud within the chest cavity.

with the speed, power, size, and weight of a bullet leaving the barrel of a rifle, the very beat of one’s heart can shift its trajectory.

my new gunman friend said to me – “breathe.”

I went back to the range a few weeks following and probably seemed very odd, given how deeply and intentionally I was breathing the whole time. I sat down in position to shoot, thought to myself, “breathe,” and bullseye.

apparently, if at the bottom of your breath – right when your lungs are empty and before you take in new air – you let the full weight of your index finger rest squarely on the trigger, your bullet will land exactly where you aimed it. even that amused me – the fact that we really ought not “pull” triggers but instead, lightly engage them, pressing backward. I think society has been conditioned to believe that hard work and effort brings success, but in my own life, I’ve proven time and time again that it’s in fact through relaxing into what flows naturally that brings success.

in that shot fired, in a single second, I learnt one of my most lasting lessons.

all this to say – it’s this simple: remember to breathe.

#lifestyle, #thoughts, #tips&tricks, #tirades

life lessons from peacocks

ronellegreen

Are you proud to be you?

In reflecting on this question recently, posed by myself to myself, the proverbial “as proud as a peacock” came to mind and I wondered, “Why are peacocks ‘proud’?”

From that rabbit hole of random peacock research came the following lessons I think we can take from these majestic birds in emancipating ourselves mentally:

STAY GROUNDED

Peafowl create their nests on the ground, though they perch on treetops and can fly. As social animals, peafowl do not like to be alone, and they stay rooted, connected and “grounded” to their harem, just as we can stay connected to our history, our lineage, and the physical space we occupy on earth. 

THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN THAT WHICH WE CAN PERCEIVE WITH OUR FIVE SENSES

Of the 11 types of sounds they make, peacocks make sounds with their feather trains that humans are incapable of hearing. That we cannot perceive these sounds does not mean they do not exist. There is room in the universe for a real rationale behind the inexplicable things of life, such as our gut feelings/intuition, wild coincidences, disasters, and what we call miracles. If we admit that we cannot perceive everything there is, we can decide that what we can’t perceive is for our own good, and we can move through life knowing there is always *more,* and trusting that it is always in our favor.

PATIENCE

A peacock’s feather train only develops after about three years, after which it is used to attract mates. Things take time, even things that are fundamental to self. With patience, the evolution of our desires can be savored and enjoyed as our wants and needs (which are just ideas) come to fruition in reality.

SHINE

Peacock feathers house microscopic, iridescent, crystalline structures that reflect light beautifully. Putting one’s best self on display always comes naturally to the peacock, and is responsible for their physical evolution on the planet, since it’s how they attract mates and continue to procreate. As we work to become our best selves and to live our best lives, it may benefit us to show up in life everyday as who we are working to become and attract.

Follow @emancipatingself on Instagram for more bite-sized content in this realm of journeying through “Self.”

#lifestyle, #thoughts, #tips&tricks, #tirades, relationships

on “badmind”

ronellegreen

bad·mind — (ADJECTIVE) Jamaican patois expression describing someone who is jealous of others and is constantly critiquing other people’s lives. This person is extremely envious of the success of others, wishing/plotting for their downfall or failure.
“Him badmind mi because mi a drive BMW.”

It’s a phenomenon. And it is real. Jealousy, of course, is an undeniable human emotion. So much so that in many cultures, for all of history, there are traditions and stories and belief systems that address it, and seek to protect loved ones against it.

One thing about my professional experience so far working in NYC that I’m especially grateful for is the cultural exchange I’ve been able to be part of. It’s through going to an after-work drinking session at the Trading Post in the Seaport District (R.I.P. — it didn’t survive the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, and it was a true fave) and half-drunkenly bonding with a senior team member from Greece, that I learnt 1. how similar Greek and Jamaican cultures happen to be, but more importantly, 2. the power “the evil eye” holds in her life.

After we talked at length about how she basically makes mannish water all the time (I mean with real goat head too; a great feat in an NYC apartment, mind you), she delved into how her mother uses every opportunity, every day, to leave small evil eye charms in every nook and cranny, every crevice of every space that her loved ones occupy.

“When it comes to warding off the mystic malevolent forces of the world, there is perhaps no charm more recognised or renowned than the ‘evil eye’,” according to BBC. The article continues:

“To understand the origins of the evil eye, one must first understand the distinction between the amulet and the evil eye itself. Though often dubbed as ‘the evil eye’, the ocular amulet is actually the charm meant to ward off the true evil eye: a curse transmitted through a malicious glare, usually one inspired by envy. Though the amulet — often referred to as a nazar — has existed in various permutations for thousands of years, the curse which it repels is far older and more difficult to trace.”

The curse which it repels is badmind!

Envy, jealousy, badmind, evil eye. All seem, to me, to be the same concept.

In ancient Egypt, the Eye of Horus was buried with pharaohs to protect them in the afterlife. In Turkey, it is still a tradition to bring an evil eye token to newborn children. I know in Jamaica, some people tie red string around newborns’ wrists to protect them too. The Ojo de Venado or Deer’s Eye charm is a Mexican form of magical protection against the evil eye — a person (not an evil person, per se) harming you or your children by looking at you or them with envy and/or praising them, even without touching them.

So, I think it is fair to say badmind is real, and that it is a universal law. I can’t address the badmind of newborn babies, so I’m inclined to maintain my sense of spirituality and maybe even traditions like red string/charms in my future (at least to be safe, right?), but as for the badmind of material things and of earthly success, I do think we can heal that.

I think badmind comes from a mindset that only perceives lack. I know, because I’ve felt it. Most recently with regard to relationships, seeing majority of my best friends and countless people in their close-knit bonds with their life partners while I am yet to meet mine. My mom had already been years into a serious long-term relationship with my father by the time she was my current age, and had me when she was just a year older than I am right now. But, I am aware of the focus on the self-comparison and lack in this scenario, the fact that I *don’t have* a serious partner.

The point of this entry is to highlight a simple addition to this mindset that can actually shift it for the better, and leave you with the thought that a little mindfulness can heal badmind.

If I shift my mindset from focusing on the lack in my life, to framing everything, no matter what, in light of abundance, then I subconsciously, subtly, open myself up for possibility. Yes, I *don’t have* a serious partner — yet.

I can still get one. I’m alive and breathing and am my wonderful self.

It’s through working through this within myself that I’ve concluded that badmind is prevalent in cultures/societies like Jamaica’s, and possibly other emerging markets, because equal, widespread opportunity and upward social mobility are still ongoing struggles. The default of the majority is still to focus on what we lack, and that is understandable, since what we lack objectively amounts to a lot, but it is also objectively overwhelming and unhelpful. Almost impossible to move past with any sense of progress, purpose, or possible prosperity.

If somehow, we could train our minds so that our default thought as we come across things we first feel envy toward, or perceive to be impossible for ourselves (cue self-limiting beliefs), could always be “I can have that too,” we’d operate as if we could, and I’d argue that is how we would. “Perception is reality” isn’t really an empty trope. What once represented sour sources of jealousy would suddenly transform into visual sources of inspiration. Badmind would be over, and we’d unlock new heights for our lives.

Mind over matter, people. Bob’s been telling us forever to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, as none but ourselves can free our minds 🙂

#lifestyle, #thoughts, #tirades, Uncategorized

a reflection on my first memory of racism in America

ronellegreen

I couldn’t get my bearings, or tell left from right, or figure out where the train station was in relation to where I was standing. I had just moved to the US and didn’t have a phone yet, but I had a destination. I stood on the sidewalk, reading signs and staying positive. “You’re smart, you’ll figure it out,” I whispered to myself. I was proud and on my way to college in Washington, DC, but this was my first time feeling this cold and this lost. Spinning like a gig, somewhere in Virginia.

I saw a man walking past and thought to ask for directions to the nearest train station. “He looks like he’s from here, he’ll know,” I said to myself. “It’s just directions. And otherwise you’ll be stuck here.”

“Excuse me, sir. Could you point me to th– “

“–I don’t have any cash, excuse me,” the stout, white man hissed the second he laid eyes on me. I stood, stunned, as he scurried off in undeniable scorn and fear, clutching his briefcase.

I crossed the street and went into a Starbucks, heading straight for the bathroom. I stared in that dirty Starbucks mirror for 15 minutes, looking for the beggar in my face.

I spoke to myself out loud. “Your hair is frizzy. That must be it. Or actually, it’s this scarf.”

“The scarf is scraggly,” I persuaded myself.

I felt more confused than insulted. I wondered what in the start of my sentence implied that I was asking that stranger for money. I wondered if he couldn’t hear the strong Caribbean accent when I spoke, if he couldn’t see that I was just lost. I put my scarf in my suitcase. I bought a latte and continued in search of the nearest train station.

It took years of my being here – of hearing other people speak of white women clutching their purses on sight of Black people – to eventually understand that I didn’t really look like a beggar that day. I looked Black. I looked like a Black woman with the audacity to ask for something – even directions.

I experienced racism in retrospect, and that’s been particularly illuminating for me. It’s highlighted for me that we all may or may not have consciously experienced or been exposed to racism, but regardless, we all have a duty to be able to explain it.

Racism is a feature of [modern] American society, and by way of being part of that society, it is relevant to all of us. It’s dangerous to remain oblivious, since this is a matter of life and death for human beings. That’s the danger with not ‘seeing color” – If you don’t see color, you also don’t see the problem, which makes you part of it.

In every space we occupy, we can challenge ourselves to see color and see how it affects the way we feel and think. We can challenge ourselves to practice empathy and understanding, and to probe every one of our preconceived notions about people and systems (from real estate, to healthcare, to education etc.). Understand that all the original architects of racism are dead; these are all inherited and learned mindsets and behaviors. Now is the time to learn and unlearn as needed, and to build the necessary habit of that going forward.

#lifestyle, #thoughts, Uncategorized

love letter to Jamaica

ronellegreen

My love for reggae music isn’t surface level, and doesn’t end at the music itself. Reggae is a genre I’ve come to believe is sacred. At least for me it is. I have countless personal anecdotes to explain that statement, but I’ll share a recent one for the sake of brevity.

I was talking to a man, getting to know him, and boy, did I love him off. We fell out after one of the most absurd conversations I’ve had in my life, during which he descended into classing me all kinds of ways. Only one of his attempts to insult me stuck, and it was that I am a rebel without a cause.

This, because I’m one to love a debate. I’m opinionated, I love to think and am eager to learn, and I love to challenge the views of myself and others in pursuit of never ending learning. It’s fundamental to my being, and has been used against me since my first memory of myself. All my high school report cards include a comment from a teacher or principal emphasizing that my potential is hindered by how much I love to chat and argue.

I am now acutely aware that some people will just not be my people because of this, and that my natural inclination to question and assert is an asset in all the right spaces, and that’s a liberating awareness that I don’t take for granted. As I’ve been consciously doing deep work on my Self this past year — probing every one of my self-limiting beliefs; healing all my hurt feelings; crystallizing all my loftiest dreams and goals with hundreds of hours of journaling, reading, and challenges (from personal finance to meditation to unlocking my vision of self, etc.) — I’ve continued to listen to reggae music, mainly because… good vibes.

During the very period of my self work to heal my hurt feelings about being labeled a causeless rebel — I can’t make this up — Pressure Busspipe released his album, “Rebel With a Cause.”

“Rebel With a Cause” is an album that includes a song that will play in the background of my future wedding, a verse by Jah9 that is no less than formative, and an overall message so in line with what I was, at that very same time of release, experiencing, but also on a different level, what I continue to experience now.

So for me, reggae is sacred. It is always sent for me with very direct instructions and affirmations hidden in lyrics and titles and sound power. It’s an art that I deeply appreciate.

That is not the point of this love letter, though. The point is that as a nation, for generations, we have birthed and been home to not just a powerful genre, but power infinite and fundamentally untraceable.

The other day, I learnt that Jamaica was basically Martin Luther King, Jr.’s favorite island, and that he rented a house in Ochi, minutes away from where I’ve lived majority of my life, to write his last book before being assassinated — arguably one of his most prophetic works — “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community,” a plan for a future America, in peace and solitude.

Shortly after that, in reading Zora Neale Hurston’s ethnographic study, “Tell My Horse,” I came across her words: “The very best place to be in all the world is St. Mary[‘s parish], Jamaica.” St. Mary, where I’ve lived majority of my life. Zora Neale Hurston, prolific juggernaut in my very passion, writing.

I don’t even need to get into listing Jamaican greats like Usain Bolt, like Bob Marley. I don’t even need to talk about the global impact of our tiny nation’s culture and people.

It’s no mystery or argument that greatness and Jamaica are synonymous. My solitary greatest wish for every Jamaican is a radical acceptance of the proximity to greatness, in any sense of the word, that is their birthright.

I’m not sure where my love for Jamaica really comes from, but I vividly recall a moment in which, maybe, it was born. I was 8 years old and standing in the crowd of the student population at morning devotion at my preparatory school in Upton, St. Ann, where we were required to sing Jamaica’s National [School] Song:

I pledge my heart forever
To serve with humble pride
This shining homeland, ever
So long as earth abide

I pledge my heart, this island
As God and faith shall live
My work, my strength, my love, and
My loyalty to give.

O green isle of the Indies,
Jamaica, strong and free,
Our vows and loyal promises,
O heartland, ’tis to thee

I felt an overwhelming sense of emotion, but I couldn’t identify which emotion it was. I got goosebumps hearing the chorus of varying ages sing those words. Inspired by the British song “I Vow to Thee My Country,” the national song for schools was composed with the aim of preparing youth for nationhood after independence, which was gained in 1962. I suppose since we’d already achieved independence and a national identity, it made a patriot out of me.

This is why I laugh at myself when I remember my inner, secret reaction to a themed birthday party my coworkers threw for me at my work study job during my time at Howard University. I walked into the office to screams of “Surpriiiise! Happy birthdayyy!” and to the sight of green mixed drinks, Jamaica flags in the cups, Jamaica flag cupcakes, and Jamaica-themed decorations. I was genuinely happy, of course, but I remember secretly comparing myself to others later that night. My other coworkers had had parties thrown based on things about them and things they loved that weren’t their nationality. I asked myself if everyone saw me as just Jamaican.

After my time of introspection, I’ve concluded I am not just a Jamaican, I love being one. It’s a privilege to have my citizenship be a source of personal pride. Not everyone feels that feeling.

I know we have a lot of work to do, but I’m grateful to have the ability and the will to do my part of that work.

#lifestyle, #tips&tricks

skin care: simplicity theory

ronellegreen

you may think my affinity for simplicity is overdone, but you haven’t even seen the worst of it. simplicity has just proven itself as the best option for living. in everything, i find that the philosophical rule of occam’s razor rings true.

occam’s razor: the simplest option is always best.

my skin care journey has been ongoing since age 12, and it still is going. currently, i’m fighting the battle scars that remain from my years of fighting acne. that overuse of the word “fighting” was purposeful. because point: stop fighting. edit your outlook on skin care from “i hate my skin, problem skin, ugly skin, can’t wait to have clear skin” to “hey skin, what do you need? hmm? what are your trying to tell me?” listen to your skin. it is part of you.

after giving proactiv maybe half of its entire profit for four years straight, i gave up on it. after getting painful facials done every three weeks to no avail, i gave up on it. after retin-a, and sulphur, and epiduo, and every other acne product known to MANKIND. i gave up on them.

i went to a dermatologist, and after all of those topical methods, was told to go internal. i was prescribed accutane – the strongest acne medication on earth. i actually had to sign my liver away (promise not to sue the pharma company for side effects) before collecting the prescription, because of liver damage being common in people who take it. so this post is not going to tell you to drink water and rub banana skins on your face and all will be cured. with skin, sometimes hormonal behaviour overrides nutritional behaviour, and in that case, see a medical official, like i did.

however, after all that internal hormonal science stuff is covered, your skin likes simplicity. here are some stuff that i do to keep the glow, glowing:

oil cleansing – almond oil instead of a harsh cleanser. rub it in, and use a hot rag to wipe it all away. if i don’t oil cleanse, i use a tiny drop of my handy, dandy dr. bronner’s soap.

toner – simple, pure, rosewater. simple, pure, aloe.

moisturiser – a little “tups” of almond oil. in the winter, i use shea butter for a thicker type of moisture.

and, omg, i can’t say this enough: DRINK. MORE. WATER.

literally, that’s it. that’s actually it.

#lifestyle, #thoughts, #tips&tricks

access to wellness

ronellegreen

a lot of folks, including my past self, think that being well is a part of being rich. or cultured. or well traveled. or some other ridiculous thing that has nothing to do with wellness at all.

since deciding to choose holistic wellness, i find myself answering “wonderful!” to the question “how are you?”, and actually feeling… wonderful (at least on most days.) and my holistic wellness is not even on any kind of admirable level. i eat way too much ramen and cheap college foolishness to be considered “holistically well” by respectable standards. i also don’t exercise like i should. but in the mind, and in the spirit, and about myself, i am well, so i get to write this.

every single one of us has access to being healthy and well. admittedly, access does not equal affordability. but let’s start somewhere. you don’t have to purchase a $300 soul cycle membership for what i’m talking about. what i’m talking about is simply inspiring yourself to be better in whatever realm you need improvement in. if you’re on instagram, how many experts in the field you want to get into do you follow? this can seem trivial, but if you see inspiring moves more often, you’ll likely get inspired more often. follow people that produce content that can move you, and make you feel how you actually want to feel. whether that be relaxed, light, inspired, or in thought. there are free, available resources that can ignite that. personally, i want to feel healthy, excited about life, grateful for all things, and magical. so i follow people who know how to be healthy, who are excited about being alive, and who celebrate their magic. here are a few of my instagram account suggestions if you want to feel that kind of way too:

  • blackgirlinom
  • sophia_roe
  • alex_elle
  • poetjasminemans
  • traceeellisross
  • nikishabrunson
  • mosaiceye
  • shanboody
  • mayasworld

it is often said that social media is toxic and a waste of time. it definitely can be. but it can also be a space of inspiration and motivation, if you curate it that way. you have all the access. it can easily become access to insecurity, self comparison and problematic sharing online, but it can just as easily become access to wellness you personally have not yet achieved, but are on the journey towards. curate your life. imagine that for everything you’ve ever wanted, the universe just whispered in your ear “access granted”.

#lifestyle, #thoughts

my (tiny but growing) record collection

ronellegreen

as a preteen girl in rural jamaica, old men would come to my gate and ask if my parents had any old records they wanted to sell. (i often mistook them for jehovah’s witnesses and hid behind our curtains to avoid the “moment” they would eventually request “to speak about our saviour”). a few times, my parents would say no, but one time, they said yes, and sold off my grandparents’ entire collection of music. we still have their china collection though, and that’s just as beautiful.

my grand uncle always gave those record buyers a strict no when they asked him. uncle derrick still has every record he ever brought to jamaica from england in the 90s, when he returned from a youthful life of work and marriage. he never plays them, because his player doesn’t work, but he protects them. he also protects an old typewriter he has, it doesn’t work, but it’s being preserved.

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going to uncle derrick’s house always felt like going to a museum. his records and his typewriter are probably the sole reasons that i value the vintage so much today. i’d tinker with them and think of the journeys each old thing had been through, and what each old thing had gotten my uncle through. my family through. and because i could never hear my uncle’s records, i was even more fascinated with them. i would imagine their sound based on their artwork.

as a young adult, i realised i could very easily purchase a player and get to hear those sounds i used to imagine. and so i did. i now have a collection of a few of my uncle’s records that he’s gifted me, and other ones that i’ve picked up along the way, or been given.

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from the legendary bob marley, to acoustic barrington levy, to shabba ranks, to third world’s biggest hits, i couldn’t be any more jamaican in my collection.

the sade fan in me couldn’t help but to get smooth operator on vinyl (but my favourite song of hers is “pearls”). this one is damaged though *frown face*.

i was gifted rihanna’s anti for christmas. the packaging is in braille and it’s really a collector’s dream.

and my favourite way to unwind after a long day – rapture by anita baker. a classic.

 

 

#coffee, #lifestyle, #thoughts

coffee shops: a list

ronellegreen

here are my recommendations for a good coffee experience in DC. howard people, this is especially for you – everything’s pretty close by.

harrar coffee & roastery – pleasant service, wide selection of blends available.

sankofa cafe, books and videos – ethiopian, lovely decor, great sense of community, AMAZING coffee, great food and smoothies.

love and faith cafe – delightful, light-hearted, lovely quotes on every table. awesome nitrogen ice cream and paninis.

compass coffee – world class cold brew, kinda gentrification-y but we can let this one slide.

qualia coffeehouse – great sense of community, okay coffee, very gentrification-y but with a cute outdoor vibe if you like street-side sitting.

the coffee bar, DC – lovely setup, sweet people, beautiful outdoor seating.

colony club – ping pong table upstairs, switches to a bar at 5, live jazz at night very often.

florida ave grill – authentic diner vibe, rich DC history, amazing food, and simple but very good coffee.

calabash teahouse – beautifully eccentric setup, incredible sense of community and love, great people and service, strictly vegetarian/vegan food options, nourishing and natural teas and they draw cute doodles on the lids of your coffee cups. jamaican themed and inspired, so i’m a little biased here.

 

#lifestyle, #thoughts, #tips&tricks

journaling; journeying

ronellegreen

as a kid, my concept of journaling was:

“dear diary,

today i had an ice cream cone after dinner. it’s sunday. mommy made me come to bed early though, because it’s a school night. i hate school nights.

peace out, ronzie.”

it was essentially me projectile vomiting, onto a blank lisa frank diary page, the mundane activities that had filled my mundane day.

now, journaling is a practice i adore, and one i keep in the higher ranks of things that make me happy and keep me collected. my journal is a written governance of my mind and soul, it is my personal constitution scroll and how-to-manual. i’m doing this post because if approached right, you could develop journaling habits that catapult you into a space of positivity and clarity of mind, and i wish that for anyone who comes across my blog.

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practices like praying, meditation, and journaling all have a very noteworthy common denominator – they involve deliberately addressing what is on your mind, and expelling that. with praying, you expel your mind’s worries and thoughts onto a supreme being, with meditation, you do so through breathing and centring of self, and with journaling you do so onto blank pages. all three can bring forth clarity and peace, because they involve facing head on what you are conscious of and concerned about, then placing that external to the mind, allowing you freedom to operate optimally and without a cloudy headspace.

journaling is not exclusive to a certain type of person, or gender, or anything – literally anyone can do it, and everyone should. if you haven’t journaled before, or even if you have, try free writing answers to the following prompts. free writing means letting your fingers document every fleeting thought that comes to mind after seeing the prompt, without hesitation or premeditation. after you answer each prompt, go back and read what’s been clogging your mind! i made this playlist to help put you at ease.

prompts-

  • i feel best after i ___.
  • i am best at ___.
  • i was made for ___.
  • i am motivated by ___.
  • i want to improve my ___.
  • i believe in ___.
  • ten reasons i love myself are ___.
  • ten reasons i hate myself are ___. now cross all ten out. rip the page out. burn it. (i’m serious.)
  • i am the true embodiment of ___.
  • i want ___ for the world.

knock those out in your next few journaling sessions and move forth in the world more self aware than ever. let me know about your experience.

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