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Monday thoughts

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”To live a creative life we must lose our fear of being ridiculous.”

 

Today is all about breathing in the present moment. Snowflakes dancing outside the window, embracing stressful, beautiful minds. Winter. You’re delightful. I worship your crisp and sunny days. It’s about visualizing, being aware of the power within. The power of the thoughts. Smile. Know that life is blooming and exciting, simply as it is. Pure joy. Pure amazement. However, it’s up to us to decide. Moments like these are about creativity. Following the heart, and being brave. Trusting life. Trusting oneself. It’s about doing things, although one has no idea what one is doing. That’s the beauty of life. The beauty of being a human.

 

Today has been a fruitful day. Absolutely love these days. Waking up early. Stretching and enjoying black, strong morning coffee. Watching how the sun quietly awakens. Life truly begins every second. Being grateful to spend time with my thoughts after a stressful and hectic weekend. Gratitude is the attitude. Loving every flaw and imperfection.

The smell of freshly baked banana cake is feeding my soul. Feeding my body. Perfect after a tough workout. Boxing. One of my favourite humans taught me how to fight. Taught me how to believe in my Self.

 

Simply amaze yourself.

 

Days like these are awe-inspiring. Appreciation and excitement for what’s to come. Creating opportunities.

An alluring winter like you – exactly what we desired.

What we hoped for. You’re exactly were you need to be right now.

Caressing fragile hearts.

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

It’s about life.

 

she’s 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

 

❤

Linda

 

Stop being too kind

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”Sometimes I pretend to be normal. However it usually gets boring. So I go back to being me.”

 

It’s a great compliment when people tell me that I’m kind. I always try my best to be nice, loving, empathetic and caring to almost everyone I meet. However, when being kind becomes being ”too kind” negativity and even lack of self-respect might arise within.

Don’t get me wrong. I think kindness is truly important, and without it the world would be a terrible place (the world needs more kind-hearted humans). Nevertheless, if your only reason for being kind is to constantly please others then kindness becomes self-sabotaging. If you’re afraid to set boundaries, afraid to say no, and always seeking to avoid conflict because you’re too afraid to upset someone then you need to start being honest. Be honest to yourself and to others about your wants, desires, needs and fears. Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself. Keep fighting for your dreams. Be you, bravely. Don’t hide your wisdom. Your intelligence can be known only by what you say.

If you never correct people when they upset you, then they will never learn how to treat you right. You matter. You know that, don’t you? You’re important, loving, deserving, intelligent, worthy, brave, true, strong and beautiful. Keep in mind that you can’t control other people’s behaviours and how they perceive you. What they choose to do and believe is solely because of themselves.

 

”Speak your mind even if your voice shakes.”

 

If you know that you’re too kind; always trying your best to be everything to everyone, it might be about time you asked yourself why. Are you scared to hurt someone’s feelings? Scared to show them your true Self? Afraid that someone will become upset with your opinions? You can’t please everyone, and you shouldn’t even try to. Knowing that is rather comforting. It takes the stress away.

It can be terrifying to show your true Self; it makes you feel vulnerable and fragile. You’re an easy target; people (weak people) easily take advantage of kind-hearted humans, however, don’t let them. Be kind, but don’t be powerless. If you’re able to master kindness together with power and courage you’ll set yourself up for success.

 

”Stand up for yourself the same way you stand up for the ones you love.”

 

I’m fully aware that I’m more than kind – I’ve been the too kind type. After all, I’ve learned the importance of listening to my own voice, respecting my own wants and needs. I’ll always be kind, empathetic, loving and caring. It’s who I am. It’s who I always will be. However, I won’t be subordinate, insecure and a people pleaser. I won’t be weak.

I will be me.

And I’m confident that you will too.

Be you.

 

”Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind.”

– Dodinsky

❤

Linda

 

 

 

 

Embracing change

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”If you ever find yourself in the wrong story, leave.”

– Mo Willems

 

I strongly believe that life works in mysterious ways. Nevertheless I like to think that life always works for us, not against us. For example it’s very common to settle in different areas of life; to settle in a job you hate, you procrastinate your biggest dreams, or you might simply not feel at ”home” in your environment anymore.

We usually settle in life because it’s safe. The unknown scares us and we’re too afraid of what might happen if we actually start following our dreams. Failure scares the hell out of us. Fear definitely blocks us from growing, blocks us from living the life we dream of.

However, if we’re too ignorant, and too afraid to do anything, life will sooner or later step in and make us do something, making change inevitable. This is what happened me today.

The past months I’ve been thinking about maybe moving back to my home country. It’s not that I don’t feel at home here in Sweden, but the thought of me living somewhere else has been popping up in my head quite often lately. Most probably I’m in need of a change of scenery – and apparently life thinks I’m in desperate need of a change of scenery.

Today I found out that my landlord has to sell the apartment in which I’ve been living the past seven years, meaning I need to move out, preferably before summer. Deep down I know I need a change, but I would of course prefer to be the one ”in charge” of this change.

 

”Told you so”

– sincerely your intuition.

 

I feel a little stressed at the moment, even though I know that eventually everything will work out. Everything happens for a reason. I do love my tiny and old, but cosy apartment. In which I’ve been spending many lovely years filled with love, laughter, tears, achievements and growth. And to know that I won’t be able to spend another summer here makes me very sad. And scared. At this very moment I have no idea were I’ll be in three to four months. But what I do know is that I have to embrace change. Cause it cannot be avoided anymore.

We definitely can’t always control what happens in our life, but we can control how we react.

❤

Linda

 

”in the end, she became

more than what she expected.

she became the journey,

and like all journeys,

she did not end, 

she just simply changed directions

and kept going.”

– r.m. drake

 

Friday Feeling – Don’t ever give up

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”Don’t hide your magic.”

 

Do yourself a favour. Don’t ever hide your magic. Your spark. Even though you might shine too bright for some, you will never shine too bright for this world. The world needs you.

You. 

Don’t give up on something you really want. Most likely there will be days when everything feels like a constant battle, you’re feeling stuck, and nothing seems to unfold the way you want it to unfold. During times like these patience is key. Giving up is not an option. Yes there will be struggles, it’s part of life. However, every so often set-backs, road bumps, might change your direction. Guide you towards a new path, one that you never thought of before. New opportunities usually enter when you let go of controlling all aspects of your life.

 

”keep going.

my darling, trust me when I say

your time will come.”

– Linda

 

It’s good to have a plan, and clear visions towards where you’re heading. Nevertheless, you should always walk through life with an open mind – especially when things don’t work out the way you expected. You see, there might be a greater plan for you; if you’re stubborn and blindfolded you might loose an awesome opportunity. Keep your eyes open.

Promise me, to never give up on your dreams. Dreams are wonderful. They make life extra ordinary. Your dreams are yours, and yours only. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do, have or achieve something. You might dream of doing something that never been done before. Excellent! The world needs more doers and believers. Creators, and thinkers outside the box. Don’t try to please everyone, when the only one you have to please is yourself. Always please yourself. Trying to fit into something you’re not, is detrimental to your creativity. It’s the death of your creativity. Listen to your own voice. What you imagine, you create.

Create your life.

 

”Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

– Albert Einstein

 

This was a little Friday pep-talk from me to you (and from me to me).

Take care.

❤

Linda

 

Monday Inspiration

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‘Darling, a beautiful thing is never perfect.’

 

I hope you have a lovely Monday, and a great beginning of the week. After a couple of days feeling unmotivated I now feel the inspiration slowly returning. You just have to find what makes you happy.  For me this means doing things that help me relax. Yoga is of course a great way to unwind but also reading books and inspiring articles, catching the sun, cooking, working out and travelling… (oh how I wish I could jump on a plane right now).

 

If you feel lost, or you lost your spark, ask yourself when you feel best in your life?

What are you doing? Who are you with, and where are you?

What do you value most in life?

How would you like to feel?

 

This is not about striving for perfection, it’s about doing the best you can with what you have and with who you are. Appreciate the beautiful journey of life. Try not to focus too much on the destination. I know how difficult it can be, especially if there’s a specific outcome you would like to achieve. Keep in mind, life is your creation.

”Those who are certain of the outcome can afford to wait and wait without worry.”

Trust that whatever will be, will be in your favor. Life works in mysterious ways. Usually when you let go, and stop worrying, things start to fall into place. Be content with where you are at the moment. You are where you are for a reason. Don’t take life too seriously. When things get too tense or when I notice I try to control every aspect of my life, I simply tell myself – loosen up. I notice when I’m happy, loving and kind more happiness, love and kindness flow into my life. This is especially noticeable at work (I work within customer service) but also in other areas of life.

I strongly believe that we get what we put out into the world.

 

❤

Linda

 

 

she is water.

powerful enough to drown you

soft enough to cleanse you

deep enough to save you.

– adrian michael

 

Friday Feeling – Love

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”I rather feel love than hate. It’s as simple, and complicated, as that.”

 

Love. The loveliest feeling of them all. Without love this world would be long gone. However, it needs more of it. Heaps of it. Don’t be afraid – sprinkle it everywhere. And remember, give some to yourself.

My blog is a mess at the moment. However, my whole life is a mess! But I’m flowing with it. Accepting everything for what it is. Cause, sometimes that’s the only thing you can do.

But anyhow, I’m changing things up here on the blog. An early spring cleaning. The reason for this; In February Health Food & Other Stories will be found on another platform. Yeah! Meaning this site (Things Close To My heart) will from now one only mirror my other big passions in life; writing, well-being and mindfulness. For those interested in healthy eating I’ll soon announce where I’ll start food blogging. So I apologise if the blog is a bit chaotic at the moment (chaotic is my new middle name..)

Nevertheless, back to love. Since that’s the theme of the day ❤

I always been a person filled with plenty of love. Although in my teens and younger years I’ve been labeled cold and reserved (probably has a lot to do with me being an introvert). However, I’m far from emotionless. As a matter of fact I think I’m filled with too much emotions, meaning I can’t always handle them. All over the place.

Now when I’m much older I’ve began to appreciate my deep empathy and love for people. I strongly believe in the importance of responding with love, despite how people choose to treat me. Or at least I strive to.

”Whatever happens around you, don’t take it personally. Nothing other people do is because of you. It’s because of themselves.” – Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements

However, this is by no means uncomplicated. It takes a lot of self-love and courage to see things with an open-heart and to be big-hearted and altruistic, no matter what the circumstances are. Of course you need to stand up for yourself, and to ask to be treated with respect, love and kindness. All people should be treated that way. Unfortunately we don’t live in a pink, candy cotton, butterflies flying everywhere golden wonderland. Life is harsh. We should begin to treat it with way more dignity. Respect. Why choose hate when you can choose love?

I simply choose not to carry hate inside of me. Revenge and hatred doesn’t serve me in anyway. There’s plenty of it going around already, the world doesn’t need more of it.

 

I chose love. And I will continue to choose love. Without hesitation.

With love/

Linda

 

 

 

Are you afraid?

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I know I am.

”Fear does not stop death, it stops life.”

 

Magic doesn’t happen if you give up. You might want to. Give up. But keep in mind, the universe always falls in love with a stubborn soul. I once read that ”our fears reveal what we care about the most”. I believe there’s truth in that statement.

The older I’ve become I’ve noticed that I’ve become more and more afraid. How come? That’s a question I don’t really have an answer to. It’s something that has creeped up on me slowly, but surely. And it’s like I’ve become aware of it all of a sudden. You took me by surprise, you nasty piece of sh*t feeling.

 

What should you do then, when you finally realize that fear has taken over?

 

Fear is not a bad thing, many times it actually helps us stay away from danger. However, fear becomes dangerous when it stops you from living the life you dream of.

”Fear is connected to the ego and the ego wants to protect us. The left-brain rational mind, often called the ego, is that little nasty that keeps us from trying new experiences, doing new things and spending time with new people… When we let go of fear and its ability to control our thoughts, we can balance out our lives. Fear is just an indicator, and after a bit of calling it out, it begins to get smaller.” – Shannon Kaiser, Find Your Happy (www.playwiththeworld.com)

If you have a goal you wish to pursue then you should never let fear-based thoughts take over. Most likely there might be someone that already done what you wish to do. Nevertheless, it hasn’t been done in your unique way. It’s not a valid excuse not to chase your dreams. The world needs you. You have your own particular way of doing things – no one can be you better than you, and that my dear friend, is your superpower.

Never give up on your dreams. If you want something. If you really, really want something, then it doesn’t matter if it takes time. You don’t have to know when, where and how. Make it come true by going with the flow. Stay consistent, put in all the hard work that’s required, and remember to never ever give up. Never give up on yourself. Focus on the feeling when you finally reached the goal, reached your dream. How would you like to feel? Who would you like to become? A goal should make you feel happy, alive, content and scared. Yes, if it doesn’t scare you then your dream isn’t big enough. Challenge yourself. Step outside that comfy, secure comfort zone of yours. Take a giant leap. Jump!

 

I said jump. 

I can feel you, you’re still sitting there, on that comfy sofa. Move.

Challenge yourself. If just the tiniest bit. We all have to start somewhere.

So, why not start with believing in yourself.

Please, say out load; ”I can do anything I set my mind to.”

I CAN DO ANYTHING I SET MY MIND TO.

See, that wasn’t too hard, was it?

We all have to start somewhere.

 

While you’re busy chasing rainbows, unicorns, love, money, success and fulfillment don’t forget to appreciate the now. Appreciate where you are at the moment. Don’t focus on the things you don’t have, focus on the things you do have – energy flows where you put your attention. Trust me when I say, that it won’t always be easy. Some days it will be really hard to appreciate the present, your current state of being. Don’t fight it. Try to see it for what it is; a time to grow, improve yourself, and to punch fear straight in the face. Uppercut your pain away.

If you love and appreciate life for what it truly is – a bumpy road filled with laughter, mistakes, success, happiness, grief, love, death, birth, beauty – then life will love you back. It will embrace you in a firm compassionate hug and never lose hope in you.

 

”I realized that to be more alive I had to be less afraid. So I did it. I lost my fear and gained my whole life.” – Unknown

 

❤

Linda

Dear June…

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One of my dearest childhood friends named her baby girl ‘Juni’: June in english. What better way to celebrate that lovely, tiny human with a re-post of my Dear June – post. Anna and Patrick, my best wishes to you and your adorable baby Juni ❤️

Profilbild för Linda Maria Vestmanthe MINDFUL manifestor

…you’re my favourite month.

”You’ll turn out ordinary if you’re not careful.”

June is for waking up early. For staying up late. The Midnight Sun screaming for attention. June is for restless nights. June is for magic. Young and green. June is for miracles. For feeling alive. June is for picnics and counting stars. June is for beauty in its purest form. June is a wild child, a summer child. Growing into the adolescence of autumn. June is for believing everything is possible. 

June is a month when I feel most alive. I blame the sunlight, the long days and short nights. I sleep a lot during winter, but could stay up whole June. The nature – pure, fresh and clean. June might as well be cold and rainy, but it’s still June. It’s still magic. My deepest desire is to spend every waking moment underneath the Sun. Close to the Sea…

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Friday Feeling – Confidence

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”Doubt”

 

Happy Friday! Today’s Friday feeling is confidence. I believe there’re plenty of us that would gain a lot from being more confident in our daily lives; regarding decision making, when facing challenging situations, or simply how we perceive ourselves, as well as talk about ourselves.

Do you consider yourself self-confident?

Last Friday I wrote a blog post about self-care. You can read it here. I strongly believe confidence starts with self-care. Self-love plays an important part when wanting to grow confidence.

The more self-aware you are, hence the more you know yourself – your strengths and weaknesses – the more you start believing in yourself and all that you’re capable of. As with a lot of things gaining confidence won’t happen over-night. For some it might require a great deal of practise, as well as incorporating daily habits, in order to obtain a feeling of a deeply rooted trust within oneself.

 

Ways to boost your self-confidence

 

”There is no competition. Because nobody can be you.”

 

Take care of yourself.

Don’t forget to groom yourself. Looking neat and tidy are small details that can make a huge difference. Take a long hot shower, dress up in your favourite ‘power’ clothes, pamper yourself. You’ll feel successful and presentable in no time, and ready to conquer the day.

 

Think positive.

Plant positive thoughts in your head, and watch them grow and become a daily practise. Start every morning with a positive thought. An affirmative intention. ”Today will be a good day.” ”I’m doing everything with great success.” You’ll have to become aware of the negative self-talk that might go on in your head. As soon as you become aware of the negative thought – try to catch it, get rid of it and replace it with a positive one. ”I’ll never be able to finish all this work today.” -> ”I can do this. I always do my best.”  However, you should bear in mind that positive thoughts alone are not enough if you don’t believe in yourself, and have trust within that you can do it.

 

Don’t compare yourself to others.

This one is obvious, and I find myself writing about it all the time. But it’s worth repeating, because comparing yourself to other people is the fastest way to feeling miserable. Stop it. Stop it now.

 

Cultivate your strengths.

Get to know yourself well. Start writing down your thoughts about yourself, both the negative and positive ones. Analyse why these negative thoughts keep on popping up. Think about the things you do well, the things you’re good at, the things you like doing. When you dig deep within yourself you’ll gain a great deal of knowledge about yourself, and in the process gain greater self-confidence. The goal is to focus on the things you’re good at, and make them even greater.

 

Embrace your uniqueness.

”Stop trying to be anyone else, when you’ve the possibility to be you.”

You’ve got many powerful traits and characteristics, as well as experiences that no one else has. You’re unique. The way you talk, walk, act, behave, your knowledge – everything about you. Stop trying to be anyone else, when you’ve the possibility to be you.

 

Be kind.

Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself. Last but not least, be generous with your time and what you have. If you have something another person is lacking – a special skill – teach it, spread your knowledge in order to improve another person’s life. Helping another human can have positive effects on your self-confidence.

 

Be grateful.

I strongly believe in gratitude. Being grateful for what you’ve in life, for all that you’ve achieved so far, is a very positive and rewarding activity. Not only will it help to boost your self-confidence, but create a more positive self-image.

 

Gain knowledge.

I believe knowledge is power. The more you know, the more confident you’ll become. Read books, take a course, do the research when you stumble upon something new, learn from someone you look up to or why not hire a mentor. Becoming more knowledgeable will increase your power, your uniqueness, and therefore help you become more confident.

 

Set small goals and make them happen.

Set a goal that you’re confident that you’ll achieve. This should be a small, every day goal such as waking up one hour earlier, spending less time on social media, drinking two extra glasses of water, exercising for at least 30 minutes. When you’ve achieved one goal set another one. You’ll feel much better about yourself when achieving all of these smaller goals, and soon you’ll find yourself setting much bigger goals.

 

Exercise.

Exercise is one of the fastest ways to gain confidence. After a tough and sweaty workout you’ll feel better about yourself, more energised and ready to tackle the challenges life throws at you. And no, it doesn’t have to be a tough workout – just do something. Move your body. Our bodies are meant to be active.

 

❤

Linda

10 Wellness Resolutions for 2018

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”Mindset is everything”

 

Make yourself a delicious cup of tea. Grab your note book and favourite pen, and take some well needed ‘me-time’. What would you like to accomplish within a month? Within three months? One year? How would you like to feel? Put your visions, plans and goals on paper, and start taking action. Having a clear structure makes all of it a little easier to handle. Take that first step. And take it today.

 

If you’re making mistakes it means you’re trying.

Allow yourself to make mistakes. It’s not the end of the world although it doesn’t turn out the way you expected it to. It means you’re trying, doing something new. Challenging yourself. Be curious and have the courage to say yes to things, even though you’ve no idea how they will turn out. Be curious.

->

Every day is a fresh start. 

If you made a mistake, know that tomorrow is a new day, a new day to start fresh. Tomorrow is a blank page, and you’re the writer of the story. Only you decide how the next chapter is going to unfold. Stay open-minded.

->

Don’t tell people your plans, show them your results.

A lot of times it seems that it’s easier to simply talk about our goals, and not take any action towards reaching them. Your friends and family might listen to you dreaming about your goals, but have they seen you make any actually effort? Stop dreaming, start doing.

->

A little progress each day adds up to great results.

You don’t have to know exactly how you’re going to reach your goal. Start by narrowing it down into smaller manageable steps. What can you do today that takes you one step closer? What can you do next week? If your goal is to start a blog or to learn to speak Japanese – then you first have to do the research. Are there some new skills you need to learn before you start a blog? Do you know anyone who teaches Japanese? Research online courses or language courses at the university. Reaching a goal involves preparation, doing research, taking both small and big manageable steps, each and every day.

->

Embrace your strengths.

Pick one skill you want to cultivate and put all of your effort into developing it. We all have strengths, and we should all learn to honor them. Explore and cultivate them even more. What are you exceptionally good at? Take some time to think about your strengths, and write them down. Most probably you’ve several things you’re good at. But out of all of your talents which one do you love the most? Which one makes you most fulfilled? Embrace that one.

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Feelings are not facts.

We all have bad days. Remember it’s just a bad day, not a bad life. Know, that feelings are temporarily. Life begins every second. You’ve the power to change your mindset in a blink of an eye, it’s all up to you. You. Are. Not. Your. Feelings.

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Don’t use your energy to worry, use it to believe

Don’t dwell in the past or worry about the future – learn to be mindful in the present moment. And yes, if you experience a bad day, if you’re in a bad mood, then let yourself just be. Give yourself a break from life. We all need it once in a while. Let yourself feel exactly the way you feel, but believe that tomorrow will arrive with new energy and new possibilities.

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Good nutrition creates health in all areas of your existence.

Body, mind and soul are interconnected. If you choose to eat well, and to nourish your body with healthy, nutritious food your body will thank you. Your mind will thank you! Food has an enormous power and impact over the human mind and body. We can either become addicted to certain foods, we might use food as a stimuli; for example we might turn to food when we’re bored, when we’re sad, when we’re stressed OR food can have a positive impact on our health and thereby help to prevent many chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, to mention a few.

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Eating well is a form of self-respect.

Awareness is key when it comes to a healthy mindset and a healthy body. As well as the importance of making better choices. Healthier choices. No one is perfect, and of course one is entitled to indulge every now and then (what would life be without indulgence!?) However, you should always bare in mind that eating healthy is a form of self-respect. You can’t control everything in your life, but you can control what you put into your body, and you can control your thoughts.

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Health is a lifestyle.

With the easy access to an overflow of health information one can’t help to become slightly confused. There’s a great deal of information out there – a lot of which should be taken with a grain of salt –Critical thinking is key. Health should be regarded as a lifestyle. I don’t believe in fad diets and quick fixes – you won’t become healthy overnight, since a healthy lifestyle requires consistency, knowledge, awareness and most important a willingness to change. Although acchieving optimal health migh seem unattainable at times it’s far from impossible, in fact it’s rather easy – you just need to have a desire to change. Every step counts.

 

❤

Linda