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Dear August…

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… you make me feel at home. At home in this restless soul of mine.

”Darling, if you want to know love you must lose your fear of life.”

The leaves shine bright in warm golden light. Utterly mesmerized, while watching summer falling artlessly in love with the early breaths of fall, whispering final words of goodbyes. Be aware darling human, be aware, you’re shifting, like the softest, brittlest wind. Stay open, be alert, now, the perfect time for a rebirth.

While I’ve always kept summer close to my heart, still and all I believe my soul breathes for fall.

August is for faith. Love and compassion. Knowing one’s worth, and the ability to shine light in another person’s life. Taking care of the body, as well as the soul. Exploring new cities and friendships. It’s for constantly learning, constantly evolving. Small steps in the right direction. Appreciating every victory, every mistake. Blissful mornings. Dark, quiet evenings. Golden opportunities from dusk till dawn. The bright sunlight caressing thirsty hearts. Thirsty souls. The ability to inspire other human beings. Improving the quality of life. Challenging the body. Loving the body. Loving life.

”Your greatness is not what you have; it’s what you give. Give kindness, love and passion. Sprinkle your heart everywhere – paint the world, color your life, as well as everyone else’s. Never, ever hide the beauty of your heart. The beauty of you.”

This August is all about being present in the here and now. It’s about finding humour in everyday life. Expecting, and enjoying the unexpected. Curiosity and creativity. Confidently chaotic. It’s about a life that’s flourishing and exciting. Beautiful and unexpected. It’s about life.

Awaken dear human, awaken your soul. August is for seeking knowledge, the truth resting deep within. Savor every breath of this moment, while summer effortlessly turns into fall. It’s pure beauty, pure art. Nature soothes us with her colorful heart. Wherever we go, whenever we fall, mother nature’s passionate spirit embraces us all.

Make a choice, take the leap, and don’t you dare to forget your true worth underneath.

I welcome you. The colours of your soul, absolutely ravishing. 

”You’re never alone with a soul full of heart. A sky full of stars, and a world full of hope. Never alone. Never afraid. With a soul full of passion.”

August, darling. Teach us that it’s never too late for new beginnings, never too late to reinvent oneself. In the midst of all the chaos we find ourselves. Never afraid to start again. Begin again. Again and again. Dear human, close your eyes to old ends, open your heart to new beginnings.

It’s time to move forward, time to evolve. Dear August, take our hand, it’s time to resolve. Guide us to where we need to be. You always have the power to shift your life from where you are, to where you dream to be. I know summer, you do not want to leave. However, your tight grip makes it hard to breathe. Please, make room for her colorful soul, await, it’s time for her to become whole.

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Dear July…

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… hug me, I want to feel your heart beat.

”Sometimes I’m weak, scared and vulnerable, nevertheless, more often I’m strong, confident and alive. At peace.”

July is for chasing dreams. Catching stars. Peaceful, dark summer nights. July is for late evening swims, enjoying the calmness of the sea. The calmness of the heart. July is for creativity, an imagination deeper than ever. The dark, dark sky filled with stars. Filled with hope. July is for believing in the power of nature. The power of humanity. Humid days and foggy nights. July is for beautiful souls searching for inner peace. Inner light. Loving kindness, curiosity and bravery.

Everything is temporarily; the dark night, the softness of a new dawn. Flow with the current. Flow with the speed of light. Darling, be the light. Be the love this beautiful world so desperately needs. Find comfort within. Turn inwards, speak to your soul – let it out, let it dance.

July darling, we discovered something lately. Something serene, spacious and still. To carry with us. Wherever we go. Whenever we fall. We rise up. It’s our full moon, deep ocean. Our clear blue sky. The air we’re exhaling, inhaling. And we carry it, within our hearts.

I welcome you. Let’s get lost in this dark, deep, devoted night, brimmed with seduction, soul and sparkling light. Dance with me under the moonlit sky. The nightfall won’t last forever, however, expect miracles when nature’s filled with work of art, true beauty in every heart. And lastly, kiss me gently on my cheek, and know, you’ll always be the one I seek.

l.m.v

Dear May…

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… you come bearing opportunities.

”…give me a winter to wake up, and deserve you.”

As I find myself moving with the universe, a sense of peace floating through my veins. The sun, caressing my heart, the moon, my entire being. 

Dear nature, dear moment, you feed me hope. You feed me laughter. And when I finally opened my eyes, I noticed, how you so effortlessly transformed into a beautiful work of art. 

This May, all about honest expressions. Living with integrity, boldness and compassion. The words you speak become the house you live in. Now is the time to trust. Trust yourself.

Trust your voice.

Love you. 

Stay open to how the sky, at night, changing its colors, hour by hour.

May is for magical, heart-warming evenings. Nature, and humans, reborn. Wherever life plants you, flourish with grace. Explore the unseen, take chances. Be brave. It’s time to press play.

Believe in the magic of being. Human being.

Love you. 

It’s about seeking answers. Gaining wisdom.

Isn’t that why being a child is so wonderful? How she’s always in awe of something. Even the smallest things make her curious. Never afraid to just be. The way she’s exploring, questioning life.

Loving life.

”… and i swear to god i will forever and always be a child. a child of heart.”

Darling May, I welcome you. Your gracefulness found in every heart I meet, your light in every eyes I see. You make us blossom, you make us believe.

It’s about a life that’s flourishing and exciting. Beautiful and unexpected. It’s about life.

Although we don’t know where we’re going, we’ll figure out the details later.

And as I’m undressing you, I notice opportunities pouring out too.

Love you. 

l.m.v

Meditate

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”We do our best work when we care for each other, and are cared for.”

Ever since I tried meditation for the first time I was fascinated by the positive impact it had on me. Nonetheless, I’m far from a meditation guru, and I’ve only meditated regularly for approximately 5 years. Still and all, I believe it has helped me stress less, especially over things I can’t control. Moreover, I find it easier to stay focused, and to keep my mind more sharp and attentive when needed.

In addition to the things mentioned above I’ve also noticed a remarkable change when it comes to my creativity. Of course, there might be a lot of factors influencing these ”changes”. Nonetheless, one factor is for sure the meditation part. Meditation is scientifically proven to increase both Neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to change itself) as well as Neurogenesis (the brain’s ability to generate new brain cells).

Dopamin & serotonin = Bliss Chemicals

From a neuro chemical viewpoint meditation can be seen as something deeply favorable, considering that mediation de-exites the nervous system and the body – Already within 30-40 sec. from starting your brain and body flood with dopamine and serotonin. This in turn may help you decrease your overall stress-levels, helping you become more at peace with where you are, right now. Then there’s this more esoteric definition of meditation; where it allows you to access the fulfilment that resides inside of you. What does this imply? It suggests that mediation helps you operate from a state of fulfilment, instead of a state of need.

We may think we need certain things in life in order to become happy. But honestly, we don’t. You can choose to be happy now, in this moment, simply as it is. You may want things, but these ”wants” are they actually something that you need, in order to be happy? Of course there are wonderful thing to achieve in life, however, they are not the root to our happiness.

If you act from a state of fulfilment, rather than from a state of lack, it’s more likely that you’ll achieve your goals in life. Acting from lack and fear only creates this desperate need within you, and that may in worst case scenario block you from achieving the greatness that you deserve. Therefore, choosing to be happy now, with what we have, is a remarkable way to accomplish more in life. In other words, an abundant mind is more open to the abundance floating around.

Mindfulness vs Meditation

I believe mindfulness is more about a way of living in the now, and meditation a tool on how to be better at life.

We can integrate mindfulness into everything we do; you can practise how to be more mindful while eating, taking a shower, cleaning, being in nature, having sex, giving a presentation etcetera. And at the same time meditation can help you become more present in all these activities. More present in life. Meditation not only strengthens your ability to be here, but you’ll become a more compassionate human as well. I think this is strongly linked to the fact that while meditating you start to see the bigger picture, you start to see how everything is connected, how we all are connected. Moreover, you become more open-minded and less judgmental, towards yourself, others and the situation you’re in.

Find your why 

Don’t use meditation as a form of escapism.

Instead of dealing with our problems and issues it can be very normal for us humans to want to escape, as a form of defence mechanism. Humans use everything from sex, drugs, alcohol, TV, food, self-help books to violence as a form of escapism. In fact you can use whatever activity you like as a form of escapism. It all comes down to your why. And in order to find your why you need to start being honest with yourself. If you use something in order to escape, try to understand why you need to escape. You’ll need to find the root cause in order to properly heal. In certain cases you may have to ask for professional help, since some things we can’t fight on our own. And the best part; we don’t have to fight alone – we can always ask for help.

I myself most likely used meditation as a form of escapism, when I first started meditating. After time went by I noticed that something happened within me, something I can’t put into words, but this something made me feel more at peace, and not only while meditating, but during the day as well. You see, the point with meditation is not to clear the mind of thoughts (there will always be thoughts in your head, it’s impossible to turn the mind off), instead try to find out how meditation can have a positive effect on your life.

And while we can’t turn off these myriad of thoughts, we can always look at them as merely thoughts. They are thoughts – created in our minds – not facts. Rather, try to become the observer of the thought, or the awareness behind the thought, as Eckhart Tolle so neatly puts it.

With this being said, I strongly believe that meditation, and living more mindfully, can be used as a great support at becoming better at life. After all it’s something that easily can be integrated in everyone’s life – It’s free, and all you need is yourself, and your breathing.

If you’re interested, visit my Youtube channel where I recently started posting short meditations for busy brains:

https://www.youtube.com/@nurturethyself

Happy Sunday ❤

Dear April…

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… you got my feelings playing butterflies.

”April darling, nature must be head over heels for you, the way she blossoms when you arrive.”

Animals and humans awaken from the darkest of night. From the deep, deep slumber we all return to light. The bright golden sunrise, burning through our windows. Caressing our cheeks, awakening our hearts. Dreaming of doing everything in life, and nothing on rainy Sundays. Watching captivating sunsets, and counting countless numbers of stars. Happily having you, blooming in my arms.

April is for getting lost in translation. Being curious and bold. Breathing in lust, breathing out fear. Breathe me in like air. It’s about a new earth, hope, and letting go. Soft raindrops against the window, purifying dark winter souls. Touch me without the hand, with the mind, undress me with the eye, baby darling be aware, those feelings will be playing butterflies.

April is for being affectionate, playful and passionate. Confident, happy and alive. Stop looking for it on the outside, when it’s already resting within, patiently awaiting for you to come out of your coma. It’s about letting go of the idea that you always have to be the one you have been. It’s never too late to reinvent yourself, it’s never too late to flourish like an early spring day. Whatever flower you wish to be. Just bloom, darling, bloom. 

Grow, expand your horizons, as the birth of this new, flourishing season.

The voice within, screaming for attention, eager to come out and play. Wishing for you to speak your truth, dive into creativity, and to blissfully watch life through the eyes of your inner child. Playful, excited and filled with compassion.

Now is the time to take a glimpse at nature, a glimpse at the stars, and believe, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.

Be still, yet alert. It’s time to give birth.

Dare to show your true colors. Dare to be the person you are. Let wisdom and experiences fill your day, let it guide you on your way. Open your heart and mind to all possibilities floating around. It’s within pain we find strength. The strength to be who we are.

April darling, I welcome you. You move me with your blooming nature, cloudless sky. Your enchanting soul makes my entire being come alive. You bring me peace, you bring me hope. One look at you, and I know everything will come through.

❤

Healing

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One of the highest forms of self-love is to be able to sit with oneself during painful experiences. Not running away, wishing the moment to be any different from what it is. To be able to hold that space, for oneself. To nurture and accept whoever that human is. It’s not about becoming. It’s about allowing. Accepting. Emerging and transforming into that which one has always been. Love. Joy. Life.

It’s a beautiful thing to be able to carry oneself through deep healing.

Still, an important aspect to bear in mind; although you might be and feel lonely you’re never alone. You will never be alone carrying (experiencing) the feeling of loneliness. It’s a feeling you share with millions of other humans.

There’s always an opportunity to reach out to a friend, family member, mentor, or why not even a stranger if you feel the need to share your thoughts with someone. Journal. Create. Or simply choose to just be with the stillness. To watch the ocean emerge from within.

Try not to distract yourself – cause it’s way too easily done. Don’t turn to drugs, alcohol, sex, food, shopping, porn, social media, other people’s approval.

Nowadays distractions such as these are everywhere to be found, and they’re used without we even questioning why we are turning towards them.

Even putting other people’s needs above your own can turn into an addiction. caring too much about others, and too little about yourself.

In fact, the moment you realise that you’re not the one in control anymore, and that there’s something controlling you, then that thing might easily turn into something you will have problems saying no to. 

If you know you might suffer from an addiction of some sort, begin to ask yourself why.

Why am I choosing this? How does it make me feel? Do I want this in my life? Do I have power over it? Or does it have power over me? And lastly; how can I regain my power?

You see, you don’t have to numb the pain inside – you can simply choose to sit with the pain. Observe it. Accept it.

And then, watch how it, little by little, dissolves.

It won’t kill you. It might feel unbearable, challenging and completely dreadful. But it won’t kill you.

However, an addiction might destroy you, it might even kill you.

And yes, maybe you’ll find that you have many weaknesses, things that you’re not proud of. Maybe you’ve hurt people, maybe you’ve let people hurt you. Whatever the case, what does it mean? It means nothing. It doesn’t make you a bad person. It doesn’t make you a failure of a person. It just makes you human.

Accept it, move on. Change. Grow. Exceed your limits. Better yourself. If you’re not proud of the person you’ve become then stop complaining, and DO something about it. It’s your responsibility.

Forgive, forget, make your bed, choose differently, choose wisely, walk your own path, show compassion. Just don’t be afraid of who you can be.

Have a great start to the week. May it be filled with uncertainty.

Since, from ambiguity anything can arise.

❤

l.m.v

Explore

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”Dear Venice, you tasted like home, the moment I laid my eyes on you.”

Crowded streets, narrow streets. Empty streets early morning. Thunderstorm and heavy rain. Gondolas floating by. Happy faces. I laugh, you laugh. No time to sleep. A piece of art during all of your hours.

Venice, August 2022

To seek out adventure, however, doesn’t always equal travelling abroad to a far away country, jumping out of a plane or swimming with sharks. What if you could make every day a little bit more adventurous just by challenging your mindset, and changing up some of those mundane routines of your?

Below you’ll find a few mindsets/habits that hopefully can assist you in making your every day life a bit more exciting and joyful. Especially suitable during times when we don’t have the time to take weeks off to go and explore a new country, or the bank account is preventing us from enjoying extravagant ventures.

Explore your neighbourhood.

Usually it’s the places we are the most exposed to that we take for granted or fail to actually appreciate. Have you, in the past few days, taken the time to literally stop and look around? Next time you take a walk in your neighbourhood – leave your phone at home and gaze at the buildings, the surroundings, the people walking by (without scaring them away). You might discover a new coffee place, an antique shop you haven’t yet visited or simply the beautiful architecture.

Take a course. Challenge yourself – Try something new.

Is there a craft or a subject you would like to learn or know more about? Exploring your hidden talents might take you places you’ve never been before. A short while ago I decided to try out an art form that I’ve never been particularly good at – drawing. And I must say – my drawings are quite bad. Anyways, it forces me to step out of my comfort zone and to exercise a part of the brain I haven’t visited in 20 years. One positive aspect with this practice is that it takes my mind off thinking and analyzing. It happens to be very relaxing, and helps me rewind and let go of the day.

Read.

To enjoy a great story is a little bit like travelling, taking on a different role or persona and exploring another person’s world. I’m one of those who easily get caught up in the storyline, and after one hour of reading I forget all about my own life (a recipe for a good book that can capture the reader in that way). Choose a book that excites you, or maybe scares you even a little bit (in a good way). Or why not read a biography of a historical profile which you admire?

I recently finnished the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I’ve read it before, but it was such a long time ago so I decided to revisit the story. This time I chose the audio book, and what a beautiful idea that was since he who read the book had the most lovely British accent – perfect before bedtime.

Talk to a stranger.

Next time you find yourself in a coffee shop, on the bus or on the train why not start chatting with the person next to you – if he/she doesn’t mind of course. Talking to a stranger is a perfect way to make the day more exciting or rewarding. Or why not simply smile more often when you encounter another human being on the street. It might turn someone’s day around. In fact, you never know how much a smile can change someone’s life.

With this being said, do you have some personal favorites when it comes to making your day more joyful? Please, share your thoughts in the comment section!

l.m.v

Finding flow

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”And maybe it’s actually not so much about changing, but more so about becoming the person one always has been. Not finding oneself, but recognising and honouring that self.”

– l.m.v

I’ve noticed that the quieter my surroundings, hence the less stimuli I expose myself to, the more space I create for my inner voice to shine through. I easily distract myself with either work, social media, music, a podcast, a book or by watching YouTube. However, I do cherish the time in-between; doing yoga, taking a walk in nature, exercising or meditating. Nevertheless, even then it’s not completely quiet around me, since I always have music, a podcast or a book in my ears.

After one week with less stimuli, and outside distractions, I’ve once again noticed the importance of silence in order to hear the silent whispers of the soul, and to reach that so called flow state.

It’s not uncommon that we humans find the silence to be boring, and even frustrating – especially if one is not used to it. And if one is running away from their feelings, their thoughts or from life itself, the silence can even become unbearable. Nonetheless, after a couple of days one really starts to appreciate the stillness, and one might even learn how to use the hours with softness, despite the discomfort.

What to do with the silence?

Ease in to it, and trust that within the silence lies a significant amount of wisdom, ready to be experienced by you. The only thing required; your presence.

So, instead of escaping the silence, I’ve been inviting the silence. By embracing doing absolutely nothing I’ve noticed how the words have started flowing more effortlessly to me. Being on the yoga mat, doing some light stretching, without any distractions, is exactly what my soul has been starving for. It’s like it has created space within, for new energy to enter.

I truly believe creativity stems from an external source outside of us. This force is searching for an attentive and open-minded human being to feel, or experience, this subtle shift in energies, and thereby transform it into something tangible, whether it’s a painting, a poem, a novel or an invention. And by being in stillness, one allows for this energy to do its thing. To work its magic.

So, a little advice from me to you; Don’t rush through the moments of silence, the moments of stillness, cause within their insignificance lie a more subtle meaning. To fill the most ordinary day with joy and bliss is within your reach each and every day. Take a glimpse within, and know, while there’s no need to rush through life, there’s a tremendous need to start appreciating life.

With this being said, I do believe we can learn a lot from Mother Nature when it comes to embracing the silence, embracing the now and issness of the moment. While dancing through seasons, she does not rush. Taking her time to unwind, to unfold, to let go and to transform. Allowing herself to bloom. Month after month. Year after year. Going through phases fully present, fully alive. Fully confident in her transparency and vulnerability. Wise enough to know, that letting go doesn’t necessarily mean being deprived of, but creating space, creating opportunity. She has her end-goals and dreams, however, at the same time she acknowledges the process and the in-betweens. The tranquillity of being winter when she’s winter, summer when she’s summer.

Flow state

When you’re enjoying what you’re doing you easily reach that so called flow state. A state of being when time passes by without you even noticing. A state of being when you’re your most creative self. A state of being when you’re guided by your inner voice. A state of being that can only be described by the words pure bliss.

Some features of ”flow” according to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian-American psychologist. He recognised and named the psychological concept of flow, a highly focused mental state conducive to productivity.

▫️Challenging but attainable goals
▫️Strong focused concentration
▫️The activity is intrinsically rewarding
▫️Feelings of serenity
▫️Loss of self-consciousness
▫️Timelessness/lose track of time passing
▫️Lack of awareness of physical needs
▫️Complete focus on the activity itself

”The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times. The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”


– MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Reflect upon if or when you’ve experienced this kind of flow state, and what you were doing during that time.

l.m.v

Let the silence speak to you

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”In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”

– Deepak Chopra

In this moment you can find suffering or meaning, fear or curiosity. You can choose to see the world through the eyes of hate, or you can let love be the guiding force. Clarity might not always be found through the intellect, but experienced in stillness.

Quiet down, and the more you’re able to hear.

Some might fear the stillness, simply because they’re not used to it.

What to do with it? Complete silence, except the sound of the heartbeat. Rising. Thoughts popping up. Do something, don’t just sit there. Wasting your time.

Becoming aware of the breath. In. Out. In. Out. Feeling calmer. Lighter. Sensing the energy in the hands. Alive. I’m alive.

The present moment – the only moment where there is freedom from the past, from the conditioned mind. You’re simply here, realising there is nowhere else to be. But here.

”To a mind that is still, a whole universe surrenders.”

– Lao Tzu

To become aware is to become one with the present moment. All of a sudden you’re the observer of your inner state – the feeling, the emotion – no longer at its mercy. Awareness has stepped in. Freedom arises. The emotion can’t renew itself by using the mind. You might notice that the anxiety, the fear or the anger is still there, however, you’re not consumed by it anymore. The awareness gives it space to be, but while anxiety doesn’t rise up in the mind, and control the mind, it can’t renew itself anymore – it evaporates. As the awareness strengthens the energy transforms.

When you let go, and allow the moment to be as it is, you’ll find that the answers you seek won’t come when the mind is busy, they come when the mind is still. However, they might not come immediately. At times patience is needed, testing your ability to trust and believe in the unfolding of your life.

Let the silence speak to you. Be curious, and trust that it has something to say.

Listen within

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”Be passionately curious about your own life.”

In a world where we are taught to be more concerned about what other people are doing, or thinking, than focusing on what we ourselves are doing, or thinking, it’s extremely common to compare, to judge, to envy.

But what if, you began to turn your focus inward, instead of outward.

What if you began to take up more space, talk a little louder, laugh a little harder.

What if you finally realised that you are worthy of being here, without having to prove that worth.

You are breathing. You are here.

There’s nowhere else for you to be, but here.

Don’t dim your light, just to make others feel more comfortable. The people that are meant to show up, and stay in your life, won’t find you if you are hiding. They won’t find you if your light is switched off. Guide each other home.

… ”And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

– Nelson Mandela

One needs to allow himself to slow down, to listen. When one is constantly bombarding himself with stimuli from outside sources it becomes nearly impossible to hear, or sense anything. How is one able to listen to the whispers of the soul if one is continually caught up in the outside circus? How is it possible to become aware of the song of the heart when the sirens of the external environment is set on full volume?

To have oneself rise above one’s thoughts is, however, the challenge. To know that one isn’t at the mercy of one’s thoughts, but actually the witness of the same. To be able to step outside them – observe them for what they are. Thoughts.

One does just anything to shut them out. However, one does not get rid of the negativity by turning away from it, by numbing out the pain with drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, social media, or whatever one wishes to turn to. Rather, one turns towards it. One allows it in, accepts it. And in that moment of acceptance one notices that it actually has no power, but one indeed has the power to release it, to let it go.

We cannot expect the outside world to change if we are not willing to change ourselves. We cannot expect everyone else to do the work if we just sit there and do nothing. Start taking responsibility for your life. For your own wellbeing. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t ask for help. In fact you should, you should ask for help, if help is what you need. You’re not weak or broken; you’re human, you’re simply being human.

l.m.v