Alla inlägg märkta: slow living

How to live a simpler life

”Let the stillness guide you.” A still, simple life, is created from within. However chaotic and stressful the outside world may seem, you’re always guided back to the serene comfort floating above, within and beyond. You sense it, at times you can even touch it, feel it. You’re aware of it. You are it. It is you. You don’t have to move to the countryside, declutter your entire home or spend time in solitude 24/7 in order to embrace a slower and simpler kind of living. You can of course, if that is what you want. However, simple living is more about incorporating a more meaningful way of living. In other words, it’s something that is highly connected with your mindset, hence how you spend your everyday life. How you are interacting with others, and the words you’re using when talking to and about yourself. What kind of intentions are you setting for the day ahead? How do you wish to communicate, and interact with the people in your life? Do you dedicate time to …

Dear August…

… 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 …

Dear July…

… 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 …

Meditate

”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 …

Dear April…

… 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 …

Healing

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 …

Explore

”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 …

Finding flow

”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 …

Let the silence speak to you

”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 …

Listen within

”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 …