LEMON SODA

Breathe in and out — you own your life. Explanations are not required.

Amazing comes in all shapes and sizes, colors, sounds, textures and tastes. It fits and looks good on everyone, so if you are reading this right now, chances are you’re already amazing! A while back in Spread the Love, I shared some ideas of how to use the one thing you need, according to the Beatles, and how to bring it to people around you. After all it’s pretty simple — if you want to be amazing, do amazing things (read above about amazing coming in all shapes and sizes!). Here’s a quick list:

1. Wake up inspired.
2. Under no circumstances should you put your dreams on the back burner.
3. Know your strengths and play up to them.
4. Know your weaknesses and work on them.
5. E-mail someone to tell them how much they’ve inspired you.
6. Hand make your gifts, and give them to those you love whether it’s their birthday or not.
7. Spread the word about things you love/have helped you so that they may do the same for others.
8. Treasure relationships above all else. Everything would be pointless without those that make up our world!
9. If you’re thinking of doing something, do it NOW.
10. Learn to accept constructive criticism, for easy/pleasant it is not!
11. Say hello/good morning/good afternoon to the store clerk before you ask, to the bus driver as you pay the fare, to your waiter before you order…
12. That said, be kind to waiters! Just because that’s their job doesn’t mean it’s their only aspiration in life. It may not require a 4.0 GPA, but you try running around with trays full of drinks and remembering everyone’s order. I know I’d be a mess!
13. Regard yourself highly but don’t boast. Just don’t do it.
14. If someone is disrespectful, there’s no need to be nasty and start shooting them with every insult you know, but there’s nothing wrong with putting someone in their place. Don’t let anyone trample on you, but be classy about it!
15. Let everyone you love know it, every day, any way you want.
16. Think less “I want [object]” and more “I want to do [activity/goal/project]“.
17. Own your mind.
18. Allow yourself to be unreasonable every once in a while.
19. Always be curious.
20. ‘Be the best version of yourself you can be’.

What do you lovelies do to be so amazing?

No matter where in the world or how old, there are certain decisions that will be pertinent to human life everywhere. You know the type by now: What is my purpose? What is my true passion and should I follow it? What is success? A lifetime of thinking would probably not give you full answers, as part of it involves getting out there and DOING. Unfortunately our head can sometimes get in the way, making us the main obstacle to reach our goals. It seems we find it easy to let self-doubt seep through our thoughts, but when it comes to acknowledging how beautiful or amazing we are, we hold back. Why is that?!

Jonathan Mead’s Reclaim Your Dreams* is “an uncommon guide to living on your own terms”, and it’s definitely helping me put everything into perspective! If you’ve been to Illuminatedmind.net, you may have noticed Jonathan’s unconventional approach to motivation and self help articles — it’s like a little kick in the butt telling you to get it together, and get to whatever it is you want to be doing NOW. Well this gem is nothing short of amazing and I’m only halfway through. I am not rushing through it, but rather savoring each chapter and each exercise.

In the first chapter, Jonathan Brings up a defining issue that may very well be the beginning to this mess we’ve got ourselves into. And that problem lies in the fact that we don’t own our minds; they are always “brooding about something” and tossing thoughts around. Thoughts rich in conflicting messages about who we should be and who we can be (according to societies, fellow human beings and our own selves). Funny enough it has had me thinking all day.

My thoughts are an ‘original’ mix of everything I’ve ever heard, everyone I’ve ever met and everything I’ve ever seen. They didn’t just spring to life in my head, of course. But what about my fears and self-doubt? That’s also got to be a mix of external influences, as well as all that internal brooding. What if I could control that? What if I could choose when to listen to myself? As Jonathan puts it, we walk away or zone out when someone says something we don’t want to hear, so why can’t we do that with our selves? Chapter 1 ends with a neat little exercise to take this first step, and I can’t wait to try it!

So sugardrop, what do you think “owning your mind” means? Do you sometimes pay too much attention to what your mind has to say, even if you don’t like it?

Dear sugardrop,

Are you stuck in a rut? Have a lot of ideas, many goals, but lack follow through? Troubles with confidence, self esteem? We’ve all been there, and lately I’ve answered yes to at least one of these. You too? Let’s do something about it! These 40 steps will be a guide to transform bad habits and gain good ones; it will be like working from a clean slate, a fresh start in a tired and worn out routine! Here’s how it works:

Every Saturday for 16 weeks (that’s 4 months!) I will post a new resolution/challenge, which will be merged into daily life that week and added onto the next resolution. Everything will be filed under 4 main categories: Body, Self, Life & Living Space. I will post how I’m doing, what worked for me and what didn’t. It’ll be fun — the comments section will be like our own backyard where we discuss and share ideas & inspiration over Margaritas. Who’s in?

Here’s to a new us! Love,

Luana.

Do it for yourself! Happy weekend everyone :)