It takes extra effort to unplug from the digital distractions and frenetic energy of the modern world. Here are 20 practical things you can start today to really tune into transformation.
1 — Meditate
Honestly, meditation has been the most rewarding and essential practice in my life. A foundation in meditation changes your relationship to everything. Here are 5 tips on getting started with Meditation for beginners.
2 — Set Soul Goals
In life, you either create your plan, or you become part of somebody else’s plan. Traditionally, it’s make a list of realistic goals and design an action plan. Ultimately, you’ll drop these goals if they aren’t deeply aligned with your calling. My #1 tip is — Set goals aligned with your soul and purpose. Then, place them somewhere visible so you’ll see them every day.
In life, you either create a plan, or you become part of somebody else’s plan.
3 — Read Daily
In our internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in a million different directions at once as we multi-task through every day. When you read a book, all of your attention is focused on the story line—the rest of the world just fall away and you find yourself engrossed in the story. Reading a book daily can greatly help enhance your focus. Here are 5 books that completely shifted my perspective.
4 — Judge Less
Watch your judgements very closely. Jung said that “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” Instead of judgment, seek the gap between observation and conclusion. This space is rich soil for transformation because the judgement says far more about us than the person we’ve judged.
5 — Eat Consciously
Healthy eating is as much about how we eat as it is what we eat. Mindful eating is a conscious practice that allows us to tune in to the body’s needs and be thoughtful about how we nourish ourselves. According to this study, mindful eating is correlated with a boost in metabolic health, decreased BMI, decreased binge eating, decreased risk in cardiovascular disease and more.
6 — Love Yourself
Self-love isn’t bullshit. We literally cannot love others until we love ourselves. It’s the key to cultivating long-term happiness. How though? Many will say journaling and positive affirmations…etc. All useful, but for me, it wasn’t about what I tell myself, but what I actually do for myself. Be radically honest and look at every single aspect of how you treat yourself. Dropping what does not resonate, until you’re treating yourself precisely how we want others to treat us.
7 — Wake up Early
Easy one. One very significant benefit of waking up early is the reduced stress level. When you rise early, it cultivates a mental environment of accountability, momentum and discipline.
8 — Start a Journal
A journal is the best self-awareness tool there is, excluding meditation. Diaries help us organize our thoughts and externalise our inner landscape. You can record daily events, inspirations, fears and feelings. It helps you orient towards a life that is truly aligned with your deepest purpose, dreams and aspirations.
9 — Respect the Planet
Considering the footprint you’re leaving on Earth is an essential part of awakening. We’re expanding our consciousness to include more than just the ego self. So, one time use plastic — forget it. Embrace conscious choices and companies that are actively seeking to make a cleaner World for you and your children – even if they aren’t born yet.
10 — Believe in Yourself
Learning how to believe in yourself will open up endless possibilities in your life. At times you may find this difficult to do. The truth is that we’ve been conditioned throughout our lives to doubt ourselves. We must retrain ourselves to get rid of our fears and self-doubt in order to build self-esteem and self-confidence.
11 — Learn How to Invest
Invest in terms of your time and love – as well as money. Start investing your energy into self-love and it will hold the keys to happier, healthier and wealthier life for you. Here’s a guide on financial investing for beginners.
12 — Curb Procrastination
Procrastinate now, don’t delay it. No, but honestly, make space in your schedule for downtime and you’ll avoid that uncomfortable peripheral feeling of aversion that causes stress. Over time aversion weakens your energy and motivation because you’re literally training your brain to avoid taking responsibility. The pain of confronting hard tasks is far less than letting it linger in your subconscious for months. This procrastination lecture is mind-blowing.
13 — Explore the Law of Attraction
Don’t be put off by the superficial new-age understanding of the law of attraction. Trying to attract a collection of exotic supercars is highly unlikely to work because the intention is matter-ial and likely egoicly focused.
Instead, law of attraction works on the level of spirit-ual, the desires that vitalise your spirit, that come from the deep essence of your being. The Universe is abundant and we can influence the flow wealth, health and prosperity in ways beyond rationalisation.
14 — Question Your Purpose
Knowing your purpose in life helps you live life with integrity. People who know their purpose in life know who they are, what they are, and why they are. And when you know yourself, it becomes easier to live a life that’s true to your core values.
15 — Declutter Your Life
In the book Japanese Art of Decluttering, Marie Kondo says “Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.” Decluttering reduces stress and removes the visual mess that reveals the true source of the disorder in your life.
16 — Automate and Delegate
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, crazy-busy and out of control, you’re going to burn out. You can make space and upgrade your performance by delegating your weaknesses. Thoughtfully delegating tasks outside of your competency often allows someone else to shine. If you work online there are many apps that assist with life automation.
17 — Identify Your Blind Spots
Blind spots are aspects of you you’re unaware of. We all have them. Identifying and understanding them increases our level of self-awareness. How? Ask friends, partners, mentors or psychologists to help honestly uncover the parts of your life that need attention. Once identified we can process and transcend them into a life that has integrated these unconscious aspects of us. At least, your current blind spots, until you discover new ones further along the path of self-realisation.
18 — Change Your Social Circle
Don’t hesitate to close ties to people who suppress the good in you. The power of social interaction goes beyond the good feelings and directly impacts your health. The longest running study on happiness by Harvard Medical School has found that the “key to healthy ageing is relationships, relationships, relationships.”
19 — Connect with Nature
“Nature is not mute, it is man who is deaf” the words of Terence Mckenna resonate with me more deeply as the years go on. This latest study states that spending at least 120 minutes a week in Nature is the key to health and mental wellbeing. It lowers stress hormones. The way we’re living on this planet, externally, is a direct reflection of our disconnection to nature, internally. Tune in. It is good for your soul.
20 — Write a Letter to Your Future Self
There are a lot of methods to set and achieve your goals, but picturing yourself a year from now and outlining what you want to achieve might be the best way to make it a reality. Here’s a rough outline for getting started – doesn’t need to be an essay:
- Current mood & state of affairs — How you’re feeling, what’s happening in your life right now? What are you fears and motivations?
- Questions for your future self — What are grappling with now? What are you curious to ask your future self?
- Aspirations for the next year — What do you hope to achieve?
- Stop, Start, Continue (3–5 things you should stop doing, start doing, continue doing)
You are done. Thanks for reading. I hope some of these things help you navigate 2020 in a more harmonious way. Here’s the list if you want to share it:
