Finding inspiration as an Artist isn't as easy as some Artist may lead you to believe. I know when I first dived into the arts back in 2015, I often found myself sitting in front of a white paper clueless of what to draw - it was so frustrating. Whether you're a beginner Artist or an experienced one, maintaining your inspiration will make your hobbies so much more enjoyable. The trick is the maintaining part. If you want to become a better Artist who has an endless amount of inspiration to dip into, keep reading.
First things first, what does it mean to be inspired? To be inspired by someone or something, means to be urged to do something creative, or to simply take action on a worth while endeavor. Have you ever watched an action movie and walked away feeling like you were part of the story? Or have you ever read a book like the Harry Potter collection and felt yourself drawn to the wizard world all of a sudden? To be inspired means that we are connecting to the world around us. When the connection is so deep, it pushes us to make a path of our own.
While inspiration is the root of everyone's happiness, todays post focuses on how Artist can harness inspiration without going crazy. It's actually a lot easier than you think.
Watch movies
1. WATCH MOVIES
The best way to get your creative juices flowing is by watching movies. It can either be movies you've already watched, or movies that have just come out. Go where your curiosity takes you. I'm sure there have been plenty of times where you have watched a movie that left you feeling on top of the world or ready to take it on. Movies like Harry Potter always inspire me to draw witches and wizards and they are a great example of the powerful effects movies have on us.
Play video games
2. VIDEO GAMES
Some of my best inspired pieces came from video games. One of my favorite video games is The Last of Us and this game inspired me so much that I naturally was drawn to drawing the main character, "Ellie." If you play video games, you can easily be inspired to be creative just by you love for the game itself. You could drawn one of the characters, an object part of the video game, or draw something completely different that was inspired by the game itself. I love seeing where my imagination takes me and it shouldn't take you too long before you see results yourself.
Memories
3. MEMORIES
There are certain memories I have that have really influenced me to be an Artist. Memories like drawing on the walls of my room as a child while devouring Reese cups, or going through my punk phase as a teen and drawing all over my walls - again - or drawing all over my school agenda book with sharpies and having other kids ask me to decorate theirs too. If you have certain memories that you find yourself thinking about often - or photos that you love - bringing them to life through your own creativity could help you connect with yourself on a much deeper level.
Travel
4. TRAVEL
Traveling is perfect for getting fresh new ideas - that is if you have the time for it. Traveling awakens the explorer in all of us and helps us develop a better understanding of our own environment. As a Artist, studying ones environment is great practice and beneficial to all Artists. Whether you travel out of state, out of country, or just to your backyard, going somewhere new can give your imagination the time of it's life.
Pinterest
5. PINTEREST
The one thing that pushed me to start my YouTube channel is a mandala that I saw on Pinterest. I was so inspired by it that two things happened; I told myself I couldn't draw such a beautiful art piece, and two, I needed to start a YouTube channel. Looking back, as negative and random those thoughts were, I'm so grateful for them and it all happened because I saw an art piece that really inspired me. Pinterest is great for finding inspiration because lets face it - sometimes discovering others talents is all we need to get our creative juices flowing. Also, sometimes we don't know what we need in our lives until it's there in our faces.
And that's it! What are some ways that keep you inspired as an Artist?
Until next time! xoxo - Sarah
We all have moments in our life when we feel like the world is weighing us down. I've been there plenty of times and I'm sure you can say the same. Somedays I feel like I am on top of the world and nothing can touch me, but then the next, I feel as if I am being consumed by all of the negativity around me. The good news though is that with a bit of a push and the right mindset, anyone can get themselves out of a funky mood and it's worth trying too because...life is pretty long.
As I've mentioned before in some of my recent posts, human beings are creatures of habit. It's not just our environment that controls whether or not we're going to have a good day or a bad one, but our very own habits. What do you do when you're feeling that bad mood tug at your skin? Do you take time to figure out why or do you isolate yourself and ignore it as much as you can? Do take time out of your day to have yourself a "me" day or do you jam pack your schedule?
I'm a big advocate of mental health. Not only do I believe that we are creatures of habit, but we are also thinking creatures and our mind's health go hand-in-hand with our feelings. When a person is entirely balanced, everything about them is balanced out; mentally, physically, and spiritually. I read this once before in a book that I highly believe everyone should read. When a person is not balanced, it shows in their relationships, their overall health, and their attitude. So you see, this is why self-development is so important; you're not just working on yourself, but your're also working to improving the world you live in.
With all of that said though, we can now move on to today's' post which is how to get out of a funky mood. It's a general list, but it should offer you somewhere to start if you're really in need of a boost.
Journaling
1. Journaling
I love journaling. It's a great way to organize my thoughts and have a place where I can be myself without judgement from the outside world. We all need time to process how we're feeling and journaling can offer us so much tension relief. It allows us to express ourselves when we aren't able to or it can remind us to tackle issues that we're not willing to face. When you take time to journal your thoughts and feelings, it's you confiding in yourself. By going within, you can help ease the constant chatter inside of your mind and reduce your stress levels.
I always make it a habit to journal every few weeks. Sometimes if something crazy has happened or I'm simply just extra stressed - I'll journal more often. I like to journal because as time goes on, I can go back and read my entries and see if I've made any improvements. Sometimes just reading the hardships we have overcome in the past can really give us the strength we need in our every day lives.
Spend Time With Loved Ones
2. Spend Time With Loved Ones
Sometimes all we need is some extra company at the end of the day to remind us of how important we are. Not only can we be our own worst critic, but being in a world full of strangers is equally exhausting! To make up for this, make time to spend time with your loved ones. It can be your partner, your friends, your family, or even your pets. Energy is contagious and just by being around others who love and support us can reverse our funky feelings.
Having someone you trust by your side or a special companion like your pets can make us feel less alone. Stress is often an accumulation of worry that we bottle up for no good reason - and trust me, the last thing you should do is bottle up your emotions! By having someone we trust by our side that we can confide in, it will help us better manage our emotions and give us an outsiders perspective. By removing ourselves from being our own worst critic, we allow others who love us to support us instead.
Be In Nature
3. Be In Nature
Have you ever felt like your problems were closing in on you and you had nowhere to go? This leads me to my next suggestion; going out in nature. As scary as the world may be, nature is the best medicine for our stress. It helps give us perspective and reminds us to slow down. Even in Nature, life and death never stop which give balance to the nature that we see all around us; growing and thriving. Just like going within helps us understand ourselves better, nature helps us open up and free ourselves from our own restrictions.
Spending time in nature has always helped me see beyond my worries. I am the kind of person who enjoys a change of scenery and since I work at my desk a lot, simply going outside for a fifteen minute walk is enough to soothe my soul. They say stagnate energy - energy that doesn't move - is stale energy. By constantly moving around, we give our own energy a chance to renew itself and what better way to do this than being in nature? There are plenty of activities we can do in nature anyways so you really have no excuse.
Listen To Good Music
4. Listening To Good Music
Have you ever met a person who didn't like music? Exactly. Music truly has an amazing ability to connect with us on a much deeper lever. Sad music can bring us down, angry music can leave us anxious, while upbeat music can make us want to dance. Have you ever heard of the water experiment done while playing different music? The experiment was conducted by Dr. Masaru Emoto to monitor if water had consciousness and he discovered that different music vibrating at different frequency were in fact capable of changing the shape of water molecules. It's a study that really impacted my life because it made me realize how influential human beings really are since majority of us are made out of water.
So, the next time you listen to music, make sure it's music that will really lift your spirits. I stay away from music with vocals in it because I personally find them distracting - plus, I generally don't like what majority of artists talk about in their music today as it's too superficial. Instead, I listen to a lot of Chill Hop music, classical music, and oldies but goodies. I also listen to binaural beats on a weekly basis to help reset my energy.
Reading
5. Reading
There is a reason why reading is so popular. Just like music - which stimulates our auditory senses - reading allows us to dip into our imagination. A healthy imagination can help you live your life more creatively, it encourages you to be more curious, and it helps you process goals or make new ones. Books have the ability to help us understand the world around us by tapping into our senses to create a story we can connect to. For anyone who lives a hectic life, making sense of the world or immersing ourselves into a different world completely is exactly what our soul needs to feel at ease.
I personally like reading self-help books because not only am I working on myself but at the same time, I am also taking my mind off of my own troubles. I am being proactive despite my own emotions. If you enjoy reading novels, pick a book that will speak to your inner well-being and leave you feeling inspired. Fantasy books like Harry Potter are a great example of what books are capable of accomplishing when the story line engages ones imagination.
Play More Often
6. Play More Often
Whenever I am having a funky day, I put anything work related to the side and play video games. It's either that or I just watch Spongebob Squarepants. If you're in a funky mood that just wont go away, it could be a sign from your inner child that you need a chill day to yourself. Play your favorite video games, watch your favorite TV show or movie that makes you feel like a child again, or go to the park and hang out on the monkey bars. Just because we're adults doesn't mean that we can't have fun - it just means we have to make time to having more of it.
As soon as we grow up, we're taught that we have to work to succeed. This is true but not completely. Regardless of how old we are, having fun never goes away. It doesn't stop just because we're no longer a child. Everyone has a child within them that just wants to laugh and play. So make time to play more often. Be spontaneous, be reckless, binge watch your favs - embrace your inner child and watch how good you will start to feel! It's only a matter of time before you start feeling like the world is your playground.
Sleep
7. Sleep
Many of us aren't getting enough sleep - I know I'm not. I usually get about six hours of sleep daily; Sunday being the only day where I sleep in since that's when Dimitar has a free day too. When you're in charge of your own success, you have to hold yourself accountable but that often means long nights and early mornings. If you're feeling funky and you're yawning more than usual, don't fight it. Take a nap or even sleep the entire day if you want - listen to your body.
Our bodies go through a lot for us, especially our brains, so it's important to relax them regularly. Even if you don't need sleep, you can still find ways to relax more like taking a long bath, getting a massage, visiting a sauna, or drinking good quality tea. Majority of the time though, all we need is a bit of sleep so find yourself a nice comfortable spot inside of your home and let yourself drift away.
Travel
8. Travel
If you're able to of course, traveling is the best way to lift ones spirit. If we do the same thing everyday with no breaks in between, getting away may just be what you need. Now, of course you don't have to fly somewhere far away to feel the benefits of traveling, so if leaving your own town even is enough, then do that too. I say traveling though because just as I view nature offering us something bigger than ourselves, traveling can easily go hand-in-hand with that.
When was the last time you felt like a tourist? Go outside of your comfort zone and discover new places and cultures. Be a tourist in a completely new area so that all you have to rely on are the local's help and a map. Traveling opens our mind to bigger possibilities and empowers us. Knowing that there is a much bigger world than the comfort of our own city can really free us from our funky feelings and busy schedules. Every time I have asked elders for their advice on living a happy life, I'm always told the same thing; travel while you can.
Baking
9. Baking
I love baking because it stimulates our senses - along with everything else on this list too. If you're noticing the patterns with me, I've come to realize that maybe the reason why we fall into funky moods is because we aren't stimulating our senses enough. What better way to do this than to bake something special? If you're not into baking, you can also cook, but just the activity alone of turning raw ingredients into a final edible product will make you feel pretty accomplished. Plus, it'll make your room smell pretty good too.
My to go to dessert to bake are cookies or cupcakes. I love the smell of fresh chocolate chip cookies and I love how cute cupcakes look with icing and sprinkles on top of them. It's a small treat to myself that I like to indulge in every now and then. The truth is though, anyone can go to the store and buy their baked goods, but how many will actually bake it themselves? It's all about the experience in my opinion so treat yourself to a homemade goodie and see how fun and tastier it can really be.
Try A New Hobby
10. Try A New Hobby
Seven years ago, I was a working slave. I worked over 50 hours a week and I wasn't happy - go figure. It took falling into a depression and gaining weight to help me rediscover my passion for art and since then, I haven't looked back. My passion for art has also helped me discover my passion for creating videos on YouTube and my life has improved so much since taking such a big leap of faith.
As a creator myself, I always try to encourage people to tune more into their own hobbies; after all, you'd be surprised what human beings are capable of creating. When we find a piece of ourselves that we want to dedicate our time to, our world becomes more authentic to how we see ourselves. Many of us are not living a life of our passions, but a life pushed onto us. So spend some time figuring out what your passions are and make a hobby out of it - you are worth investing into, so give it a try.
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There you go! If this list doesn't help cheer you up, always remember this:
"We cannot control what life throws at us, but we can control our attitude towards it. " - Sarita's Life
Until next time! xoxo - Sarah
As a YouTuber myself who has received collaboration offers from brands, I know how exciting it can be when you're first approached. To think that a company wants to send you free products in exchange for a review - who could pass on that? Well...you'd be surprised. As tempting as it may be to accept every offer that comes your way, you need to do so with your best interests in mind.
When a brand reaches out to you asking for a collaboration, this is what that email will typically look like:
"Hi Sarah! My name is (blank) and I am the Marketing Director for (Companies Name w/links). We love your work and think you're a great fit for our brand. We would love to collaborate with you by sending you (products name) in exchange for a review for your audience. This product has a value of (product's price) and we believe you and your audience will love it. We look forward to your response!"
Now, before we jump into analyzing this email, it's important to know one thing. When I first started accepting free products in exchange for reviews on my YouTube channel, I did so because I knew I needed the credibility. I wanted to give the company the confidence they needed to know that I was able to follow through on my end and at the same time, build up my collaboration portfolio. Depending on your situation, you may or may not be in the same boat.
I personally think if you have no experience with collaborating with brands, it's worth getting the free products at first. After you have a few collaborations in your portfolio, you can then start charging companies. I say all of this now because many influencers are afraid to put a price on their time because they think working with big brands is enough - sorry to break it to ya', but enough doesn't pay the bills!
Now, another thing I want to say before we dive deeper into this, is that if you don't have a Media Kit - you need one ASAP! Media Kits are like resumes in the Influencer world that will give potential brands a better understanding of your style, your audience and your rates. I created a Media Kit using Canva - which is free - and every six months I make changes to it if needed. If you want to take your business as an Influencer seriously and get the best sponsorships, you need a Media Kit.
Now that this has all been establish - lets go back to that email and dissect it to see if it's worth our time.
1. DOES THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOU?
You would think that it's basic courtesy for a business email to address you, right? Well, it's not. I've received so many collaboration emails where whoever was writing to me, didn't even take the time to type my name in. RED FLAG. If a company doesn't take the time to address you by your name - which if they found your email, they surely came across it - I would move on to the next.
Remember, as an Influencer, your job is to create content and it's important that companies treat you as a professional. After all, this is a Business Proposal we're talking about! Raise the bar high from the very start so that companies do not take advantage of you.
2. HAVE THEY RESEARCHED YOU?
For a company to want to work with you - it's 100% considered an investment. They are using their own resources and time for you to market their product with their goals being either more exposure or sales. The same can be said on the flip side; if you're marketing for a company, you're investing your time away from your regular content so that you can market their brand to your audience - an audience they currently don't have.
For a company to want to work with you, it's only necessary that they research you - after all, you wouldn't buy a car if you didn't have it thoroughly inspected, would you? Exactly. If you received an email from a company and they don't even mention any of your social media handles or your work even - odds are this company is simply looking for a quick collaboration, or they're spam.
3. IS THE PRODUCT RELEVANT?
I think as an Influencer, trying a range of products is great - but only if it's relevant to your content and/or if you're genuinely passionate about the product itself. You don't want to be that Influencer who makes content on Beauty hacks but you're promoting a Home Improvement brand.
It's not exactly bad if you can present in a way that isn't too commercial like, but it won't look great. Just because a company is offering you a free product and great money with it doesn't mean you have to accept it. Doing so could lead to your audience losing trust in you and you losing your credibility as an Influencer.
4. DO THEY MENTION A BUDGET?
A budget is a companies ability to financially compensate you for the work you do for them. If anywhere in the email budget is not mentioned; bring it up. Influencers should never shy away from the money talk because this is business after all. Remember, you're a professional with a business to maintain so compensation needs to be discussed. Something like this will work nicely:
"Hello (blank), thank you so much for reaching out to me with this lovely opportunity! Is there a budget for a project like this? I am currently only providing my services for paid collaborations only."
While you're at it, throw in your Media Kit too and briefly explain what they can expect by working with you:
"Hello (blank), thank you so much for reaching out to me with this lovely opportunity! Is there a budget for a project like this? I am currently only providing my services for paid collaborations only. I offer a range of services including (list your services) that your company can choose from to fit your needs. I have also attached my Media Kit to this email where you will find more information on my brand, my channel analytics, collaboration history, and my rates/packages. I look forward to your response and thank you again for reaching out to me!"
Keep it simple but straight to the point. By mentioning a budget first hand, you sift out the proposals that don't fit. If a company has a budget, all you have to do is negotiate with them. If all goes well, both parties should sign a contract (yes, as an Influencer, you need your own contract!) that finalizes the agreement. Now there are tons of resources out there that help you determine what you should set your prices at, but my favorite is a post from Tinuiti.
If they agree to your asking price - wonderful! You're on your way to a great collaboration that works for both parties. However, be prepared for a lot of companies that will try to low-ball you. I was appalled when a company told me flat out that they didn't think I was worth my asking price - um, EXCUSE ME? Yes, you guessed it - NEXT.
Don't let big companies fool you into thinking that they can't pay you - they have employees of their own, all of who perform work and get paid at the end of the day. So, why should you be viewed as being any different when you're marketing them? The only time I accepted an offer that couldn't pay me was when it was for a product that I genuinely wanted and I was excited just to have it.
5. DON'T BE PRESSURED
Do not be pressured into doing anything that makes you cringe on first impressions. A business proposal should feel exciting, professional, and worth while. If at first you're given bad vibes or the company shows signs that you're just another Influencer to mooch off of, don't accept it.
Remember, you're the one with the audience that they want to be put in front of. They're asking you because they want something from you. You've already proven that you have what it takes to be successful and your hand-crafted platform can back you up on this.
Think about it this way. Lets say you were to accept a business proposal where the company refused to pay you what you wanted. Here is everything you would most likely end up doing for them, while you walk away tired and unappreciated:
Spend hours researching their brand and products
Spend hours if not days recording content - using your own equipment
Spend hours taking social media pictures - using your own equipment
Spend hours or days editing your videos and picking music that you will most likely need to buy
Spend hours typing up a blog post that has back-links, personalized photos, and embedded videos
Spend days away from uploading content you normally upload
Spend hours sifting through the right photos and editing them for social media
Spend hours cross promoting any videos or pictures for your post
Spend hours traveling if traveling is required
Holding off on other paid collaborations as you dedicate your time on one campaign that isn't paying you what you want
Now lets take a look at everything they they will get just by you working for them either for free or at a pay you're unhappy with:
Personalized social media posts from you, a developed Influencer
Tags that increase their ranking on social media from you, a developed Influencer
Personalized videos that will lead to potential sales and brand recognition
Content that will be available to the public until you close your social media accounts - giving them years of exposure as you continue to grow as an Influencer
Well written blog posts that will drive up their google rankings
Exposure to your audience - an accomplishment that took you years to achieve and they got in just a few days.
Free or discounted services - as if in the real world you could ask a Dentist for a free cleaning or for a discount in exchange for exposure.
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So you see - it's not worth it to accept a low-ball offer. You're making your life unnecessarily harder when you can focus on opportunities that will compensate you and leave you feeling appreciated for all of the hard work you do to maintain your reputation. If you think my reasons for emphasizing getting paid for your work stops there - think again.
Here are some common excuses companies will use to convince you into accepting less than you're worth:
"You're not big enough...your views are low...we're offering you exposure...you can join our affiliate program...if all goes well, we'll pay you for future campaigns...your prices are too high...we can pay you but you will need to work more for us...blah, blah, blah."
The first paid collaboration I did went smoothly. They responded to me and liked my idea, then asked me how much I charged. I told them my price and they agreed to it; no excuses, no extra questions or having to go back and forth. Any company that tries to fight how much you should be compensated is a company you will regret working with later on.
If you're a bigger Influencer, you most likely have a Manager who is responsible for handling all of your collaboration offers - but majority of us don't and we're forced to learn on our own. To save yourself so many headaches, do everything proper the first time, and it's only a matter of time before the right opportunities land in your lap. Stay true to yourself though no matter how much a company tries to "buy" you.
Do you have stories to share about your collaborations with brands? What did you do to improve your chances of finding the perfect collab for you?
Until next time! xoxo - Sarah
When it comes to negativity - I have had my fair share of it. Both growing up as a child, a tuned out teenager, and even today as a young adult. I'll admit too - and I'm sure I'm not alone - but I wish the world was a happier place filled with less negativity. Would it make our lives easier? Maybe not...but I do think it'd help us all tolerate each other a bit more.
Here's the reality about negativity though in all shapes and forms; it comes with being human. I'm sure you don't want to hear that because at this moment you're looking for every reason to believe in something bigger than yourself, but it's the cold hard truth. Just like I covered in my earlier post on The Law of Attraction, negativity may be part of living, but it doesn't need to define us. Or in some more drastic cases, it doesn't need to consume us.
Before I go over how you can handle negativity in your life, I'll give you a taste of my own life. I grew up being the youngest of three sisters where my opinion rarely mattered. Anytime I did what I felt was best for me, my own sisters would turn against me rather than try to understand me. I often forced myself to work with toxic coworkers who threw tantrums at work and even yelled at other coworkers - including me. To top it off, my own partner's family became a source of negativity as any achievements I made or interests outside of them, was just another outlet for them to put me down. So, I can say with confidence that I'm no newbie when it comes to this topic.
Despite this article though which is summed up in just a few hundred words, I've spent years working on myself just to be able to have the mindset that I have today. Now, it may not take that long for you to adjust, but lets be real - change takes time - and that's okay. Actually, the more patient you are with yourself, the more you'll learn in the end. The more you learn, the more likely your life is going to improve. It's important that you don't rush your own self-development and work at a pace that really matters to you.
I'll also say that to everyone's situation, there are scenarios that require you to assess your own boundaries. The points mentioned in this post do not have a particular order, but they do serve as guidance.
Lets get started.
1. It's Nothing Personal
One thing I remember reading online whenever I needed reassurance in my life, is that when it comes to dealing with negativity from other people - first assume that it's nothing personal. It's easy to forget that everyone has problems that it's bound to rub off on someone else. Is it right? No, because we should all be more considerate of others in general, but we are human and slips do happen. When it does, it's nothing personal. It may be hard to see it this way when in the heat of the moment and someone snaps at you or makes a remark at you that seems totally unwarranted, but emotions can have a way with people that makes us all say and do stupid things. I've done it. You've done it. We've all done it.
Word of advice; be the role model. We may not be able to understand why people say or do the things that they do, but by not allowing ourselves to be rubbed the wrong way, it helps us be the better person when faced with someone in need of a little bit of compassion. By allowing ourselves to be compassionate first before reacting, we remove our emotional response which can often be misleading. This in return teaches others to do the same, and creates more role models. I don't know about you, but the world needs more of them!
2. Pick Your Battles
I used to ignore my problems like no ones business. It's not healthy, I don't recommend it, so don't do it. What I do mean when I say ignore it though is to pick your battles. If a person is having a bad day and they're spitting fire but you're feeling on top of the world because you just got paid more than you were expecting - does it really make sense to jump in the line of fire? Unless you're looking for a character building day, it's important that you really take the time to prioritize what's important to you in any given moment. No one else has the power to bring you down but yourself, and no one is definitely making you jump in fire!
The truth is, unless the problem effects you directly, you're not obligated to get involved. I used to have this heavy feeling within me that whenever a problem came up and I was around, that it was my responsibility to fix it. Today though, I think twice before I burn myself because while it's great to be compassionate, it's not great interfering with other peoples business when it's not your lesson to learn in the first place. Do yourself a favor and pick your battles. You can avoid so many headaches and energy draining situations.
3. Empower Yourself
I used to be in a crazy dark space inside of my head ten years ago. After everything I went through as a child, there came a point in my life where I needed to change. I turned to reading self-help books because I was tired of my old ways of thinking. I was tired of trying to solve the same problem with outdated ways of being. I was tired of repeating the same toxic patterns in my life that weren't getting me anywhere. If at some point you find yourself faced with so much negativity that you find yourself alone and feeling desperate, reading may just turn your life around.
You see, we're all creatures of habit. We do what feels comfortable most of the time, even if it may not be right. We may not be able to control everything that goes on around us, but we can at least have the right attitude to enjoy the journey. The only way we can do this, is by empowering ourselves through learning. Read self-help books that lift your spirit, books that motivate you to be goal driven and help you shift your focus from the problems in your life to your very potential. Reading can't remove the negativity in your life, but it can change your perspective. So why not start now to see for yourself?
4. Evaluate Your Circle
Did you know that your character can easily be evaluated by the people you spend the most time around? That's how influential we really are; we're like sponges. Have you ever found yourself surrounded by a group of people who all wanted to do something that made you feel uncomfortable, but because of their pressure, you caved in and ended up regretting it? I know I have. Or, have you ever been around a group of people that encouraged you to try something new and it turns out that you enjoyed every minute of it? Exactly. When I talk about your circle, I really mean the people you surround yourself with.
It's no secret that human beings are social creatures, but there are levels to how social we all should be. Regardless of your age, we all should pay close attention to who we keep close to us. You may just find that you have more toxic people in your life than you realized! By removing or distancing yourself from toxic people that only hold you back, you'll realize how much power you really have because it's no longer being wasted. To find yourself, you need to surround yourself with loving energy and you can't do any of that with people who suck you bone dry. Think about it.
5. Recognize The Patterns
As mentioned before, I used to ignore my problems. I did it so often that the problems kept repeating in my life - creating toxic patterns. I eventually realized that I needed to face my issues in order to be happier. For example, I used to work for a company that made everyone burnt out. One day, I typed up a letter explaining solutions that could improve the work environment - something I had never done before - and I presented it to management. I was turned down immediately and as a result, I walked away from the job. I was disappointed at first, but the fact that I made an effort to improve my life was all that mattered and it made me much happier.
So, if you find yourself faced with the same issue that just keeps repeating in your life, it may just be a sign that you need to face an issue you're avoiding. Only you can know the very problem that appears constantly in your life and whether it's with people, yourself, or other things - tackling it head on is the only way you'll see less of that very thing. Whether it's changing a job, confronting a person, redefining what love means to you, or speaking your truth more in general - you'll realize that the sooner you adjust the patterns in your life, the more time you'll actually have time to being happy. Just like empowering yourself to have the right attitude is important when dealing with negativity, addressing unwanted patterns in your life can be just as beneficial.
6. Respect Yourself
Our interactions with people go both ways and it first starts with how we treat ourselves. Holding ourselves accountable when our internal dialogue is anything but nice to us is key to a happier life. Now, I know no one is perfect, but we all should strive to be our own best friend. Think about it. Would you want to be friends with someone who was constantly putting people down, being judgmental, or was just overall negative about everything? I didn't think so. So imagine looking in the mirror and all of your thoughts were suddenly played on a speaker - would you want to be that persons friend?
We can't control how others see us, or what they think about us or do for that matter, but we can always be there to support ourselves. Respecting ourselves first will help us pick better relationships, take care of our bodies more, prioritize what we spend our time on, and even the goals we strive for. When you take the time to respect for yourself, it's a clear message to others of what you want; respect. Even if the fire ends up finding you, you'll be able to decide easily if it's worth getting burned or not. This is the power of respect and the beauty about being human.
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While there are many ways one can effectively deal with negativity, at the end of the day it boils down to your own self worth. The value you hold for yourself is far more important than anyone else's opinion of you. We all have the right to be happy, but no one has the right to bring us down unless we let them.
Until next time! xoxo - Sarah
Over the years, my self-development has raised in value. After going through many difficulties from my childhood, I realized as a young adult that there were many instilled beliefs in me that needed to be re-written. So naturally, I turned to reading to inspire me. One book that has made a huge impact on me is a book called, "Life's Greatest Lessons - 20 Things That Matter," by Hal Urban.
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I came across this book after coming home from a trip to the nearby Goodwill store. We love shopping at Goodwill stores because of the unique variety of items; time is truly timeless there! Before leaving, Dimitar managed to find a book that he thought was interesting but like majority of the books he buys - it went straight to the book shelf. Which isn't a bad thing really - I like the idea of having my own library.
Some years went by and I found myself grieving the passing of my dearest mother. It was a dark time indeed for me but I relied on reading, spending time outdoors, and journaling to comfort me. After finishing one book called "The Journey of The Soul," by Michael Newton, I picked up another book from the book shelf and immersed myself. After several pages into the book, I felt like I had found a book that completely resonated with me.
Chapters of Life's Greatest Lessons
I found this small book of only 167 pages to be the moral support I needed during my darkest times. The chapters cover almost every aspect of a persons well-being with the sole take-away being that we are in control of our lives and it's important that we live our lives like we are. Hal Urban presents his message in a easy to grasp format as it was originally intended to inspire the youth of the world.
This book really puts the human spirit into perspective as it informs readers on the importance of our attitude; the one that we give to ourselves internally and the one we project onto the world. It's a book that empowers you to see your life for what it is and to make the most out of it. I have always believed that our attitudes is what determines the quality of our life and Hal's book confirms this.
The best part about this tiny book is it's relatability. I have always found myself surrounded by people that didn't quite understand or appreciate my intentions. Because of my difficult life, I learned to raise my standards high as I grew up because I didn't want to be a victim; I wanted success and happiness to define me instead. So when others around me didn't appreciate my newly developed character, it was refreshing to find a book that helped me appreciate myself again.
Life is hard and not always fair
Life's Greatest Lessons starts off with honesty; that life is not easy and instead it's hard and unfair. Schools do not teach children the reality of the world which often leads them to trying to obtain a perfect world that simply doesn't exist. By informing readers to accept that life is hard, it can prevent us from being stuck in self-sabotaging way of thinking and being, and instead push us to use our own difficulties to lift us up.
"Do not pray for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one." - Bruce Lee
Being Positive & Negative
Life's Greatest Lessons also addresses our behavior and encourages readers to be mindful of how we treat ourselves and those around us. Many of us, including myself, can go on autopilot and allow our emotions and actions to have a mind of their own. Fortunately, this tiny book gives readers an ample amount of examples to help us pin point when we are at our best and when we aren't. He informs us that with everything that is presented to us, we all have a choice to decide how we will respond. Being tuned into this choice is imperative to our growth.
I don't know about you, but I can say whole-heartedly that the world is in a state of negativity. Fear and negativity is constantly being thrown at us from all aspect of our lives which can only stunt our personal growth. By making a cautious effort to filter out that negativity and fear from our lives, we can focus on what truly empowers us to be our best. Life may be hard, but allowing ourselves to become victims will only make our lives unnecessarily harder.
Self-esteem starts with you
I'll end this blog post on one of the Chapters in this book covering Self-Esteem. It's a mixture of different traits, but at the root of it all, it starts with you and ends with you. No one can be the support you truly need in this world if it is not coming from you first. No one can fill in a void within you if you cannot be there for yourself. To have impeccable self-esteem means respecting ourselves like never before.