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For the First Time: A List of Things to Try

Is there something you've always wanted to do (and probably could) but just haven't done? This week I was presented with the awesome opportunity to do one of my want-to-but-never-have things: a tarot reading! The lovely Kerry Ward, aka Tarotbella, Cosmopolitan's tarot expert, reached out to me and offered to do a reading for me, and it was eye-opening, filled with wisdom that I definitely needed to hear! Most importantly, it led me to ask the question, Why didn't I do this before? It was something I'd always wanted to try, and could have, but just never did. 
Like so many of us, I tend to stick to what I know and love, even when I'm deeply curious and intrigued by newness. It's often not until something pushes or pulls me out of what I know that I explore new experiences. Like with the tarot reading — it literally had to land in my in-box for me to take action! 
It's hard to try new things, especially if that's not your inherent nature. I totally understand the discomfort that comes with trying something unfamiliar, of being vulnerable in a different environment or experience, but I highly recommend pondering these questions: 
What things have I always wanted to try but haven't?
What's on that list that I could actually do this week? 
This is a great starting point for getting outside of your comfort zone because you're looking to things that are already appealing to you. (Which is different than, for example, trying something recommended by others that, yes, you'd probably enjoy if you gave it a chance, but that doesn't necessarily excite you right off the bat.) In addition, if you identify something you can do right now (or this week), you'll be more likely to actually do it! 
Trying new things increases self-awareness, stimulates creativity, helps overcome fear, increases confidence, provides wisdom, and allows you to see the world from a different perspective, but I know how hard it can be for some people (like me!) to do new things. This week, try to do something you've always wanted to, and see how it makes you feel! Here are some ideas for things you could do this week... 
  • Eat at a restaurant you've never tried before
  • Drive down a road you've always been curious about
  • Write an email (or letter!) to your favorite author
  • Sign up for a dance / yoga / photography class
  • Learn about the trees and plants around your home 
  • Apply to volunteer at a local organization or charity
  • Get a tarot or palm reading in person or online
  • Find a clear bit of sky to do some stargazing
  • Try out that Pinterest idea you pinned ages ago
  • Start a handwritten (gratitude?) journal 
  • Take photos of a beautiful thing you want remember
  • Learn to cook a meal you really enjoy eating
  • Tell someone about how you really, truly feel
  • Hang a string of fairy lights above your bed
  • Watch a tutorial on a skill you've wanted to master
  • Speak up online for a cause you fully believe in
  • Go to the library and check out some books (for free!)
  • Send flowers to someone you love just because
  • Chat with that cute stranger you've seen around
  • Donate money to a charity you'd like to support
  • Look up the answer to a question you've pondered
  • Adopt a dog or cat (or any other kind of creature)
  • Create something you've never made before
These are just a few ideas that came to my mind, but hopefully they'll remind you of something you've been wanting to try but never have. It's never too late to try something new, and, after getting that tarot reading last week, I realized it doesn't have to be something major. (And it's also really easy to do if it's something you've always thought about doing!) Get out there and do something for the first time this week! If you do it, let me know in the comments or on social media. I'd love to hear about what you tried and how it went!  






Mastering Mindfulness (No Meditation Required!)

When many people hear the word "mindfulness," what comes to mind is a serene-looking yogi chanting mantras softly from atop an embroidered cushion. Many people equate mindfulness with meditation — a nice activity to aspire to, but one that, for a variety of reasons (time, cultural expectations, etc.), often feels unattainable. Meditation, while it does offer many incredible benefits to those who practice it, isn't the same as mindfulness. Meditation can be a wonderful way to cultivate a more mindful life, and with its rise in popularity in recent years, there are tons of sites and apps to guide those interested in it, but mindfulness is about so much more than meditation.
Mindfulness isn't just about deep breathing and motivating mantras (though those can be wonderful!). Mindfulness is, as Masters of Mindfulness founder, Monica Ortiz, says in this video, "just about being present, about being aware of where you are, what you're doing, how you're feeling, what you're thinking, and what's going on around you without being overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is going on."
Of course, we all know that's way easier said than done. Staying in the moment, being aware of what's happening but not feeling reactive or overwhelmed, is really challenging for most of us. It's so difficult, in fact, that most of us would rather not do it, choosing instead to hurry through our days, numb ourselves from awareness, or distract ourselves so we don't have to master the art of being mindful. 
But, as with most things in life, it's the really challenging stuff that offers some of the greatest benefits. Here are just a few of the positive things that mindfulness has been proven to do: reduce stress, offer insights into the self, discover deeper a understanding of life, experience better health, enhance job performance, improve relationships, and enjoy how we're spending our time. If mindfulness offers so many benefits, why are so many of us avoiding it? 
The reasons for avoiding mindfulness are plenty, but one of the main reasons, I believe, is that people don't know what to do to be more mindful. Mindfulness requires practice and repetition. It's kind of like exercise. We know it's good for us, but some of us aren't interested in going for a run. The thing is: running isn't the only way to get some exercise, just like meditation isn't the only way to practice mindfulness. 
When it comes to mastering mindfulness, the trick is to find what works best for you and incorporate it into your life as often as possible. You might have to play around a bit, trying different activities to see what feels right for you. Here are some ways you can play around with adding more mindfulness to your life. 
You're already on the right path, just by being here on Positively Present! Seeking out inspiration is a great way to connect with a mindful experience. Just think about the last time you saw or read or experienced something that made you feel inspired. It caused you to stop for a moment and reflect, didn't it? Inspiration can be anything — a stunning piece of artwork, a glorious sunset, a smile on a child's face, a quote that feels like it was written just for you at this exact point in your life. Whatever inspires you, seek it out often because every time feel inspired, you're mindfully in the moment. 
Practicing gratitude might sound like cliched advice, but, trust me, it works. Nothing has helped me more in my quest for a positively present life than learning to be grateful for everything (even the not-so-great parts of life). I've been keeping a gratitude journal consistently for the past year (in my Every Day Matters diary!), and I've seen a huge difference in how I feel about the world around me (and about myself too!). There are many ways to practice gratitude, but a gratitude journal is an excellent place to begin. 
Paying attention to your mood is one of the best ways to not only be more mindful, but to use that mindfulness to create a more wonderful life. Knowing how you feel in certain circumstances, around certain people, and when doing certain tasks allows you to make adjustments — to include more of the positive aspects of life and to remove more of the negative aspects — and, while these adjustments aren't always easy, it's amazing what you can do when you remove what's not working. Get yourself a mood tracker, and you'll find yourself becoming more mindful of how everything makes you feel. 
Relaxation isn't exactly revered in Western culture. It's usually reserved for vacations and lazy Sunday mornings. But learning how to relax leads to great moments of mindfulness. For many of us, relaxation can actually be really tough. We feel like we should be doing something. One way to give more reverence to relaxation is by surrounding yourself with things to sooth your five senses — soft melodies to listen to, calming scents to take in, comforting items to touch (a dog's fur is my favorite), serene images to look at, and foods that make your tastebuds rejoice. Make time for relaxation and you're making time for mindfulness. 
These are just a few of the many ways you can practice mindfulness without meditation (though meditation can be really amazing so definitely give it a try if you haven't!). There's also a great new app, Masters of Mindfulness, that's an excellent resource for exploring a variety of mindfulness techniques. The app includes everything you'd ever need to master mindfulness all in one spot: a mood tracker, a gratitude journal, healing songs, mindful living videos, upspirations (inspirational quotes with insights on applying them to your life), and, of course, meditation! Mindfulness isn't about adhering to one strict idea of what it means to stay in the moment; it's about using the techniques that work best for you so you can reap the benefits of being more aware of what's happening in your life. 
Blog-post-marketing-imageThank you to the new Masters of Mindfulness app for sponsoring today's post!
Masters of Mindfulness is the world's most complete mindfulness app, now available on iOS and Android. The app brings all the tools you need to become a master of mindfulness. Meditate with others in a live stream meditation, or on your own time with a library of recorded meditations. Track your Mood daily and discover what is affecting you negatively / positively and become empowered to change things up. Cultivate positivity through your very own Gratitude Journal. Relax and destress with healing songs in the Soothing Sounds section. Browse Upspirations, quotes meant to inspire, and learn how to apply them to your situation. Enlighten and expand your mind through video interviews with health and healing practitioners, mindful living teachers, and more in the Videos section. This app has everything you need to cultivate mindfulness.
Visit their website to learn more about the Masters of Mindfulness app, or download the app to get started today and watch your world change! 



Every Day Matters: Getting Ready for 2018



So thrilled that, for the fourth year in a row, the Every Day Matters Diary is available so you can be inspired, motivated, and enlightened throughout 2018! Working on this project is one of my absolute favorite projects, and it gets better and better with every year that I work on it. It might seem early to think about the new year, but I always find these "ber" months (September, October, November, and December) scoot by more quickly than the rest of the year, so it's never too early to start thinking about how you're going to make the most of 2018!

In working on the diary (aka, planner, if you're in the US), my ultimate goal is create something beautiful that's filled with knowledge and inspiration to make the most of the year. Each month focuses on a unique topic with week inspiration provided in the form of thought-provoking quotes paired with actionable ideas for making the most of each and every day. Themes for 2018 include: Openness, Imagination, Gratitude, Awareness, Passion, Perspective, Friendship, Patience, Connection, Focus, Compassion, and Transformation. Each one is explored in detail through motivating affirmations, relevant quotes, engaging activities, and provocative questions I've chosen specifically to help you feel engaged and inspired.

Watch me flip through it and chat briefly about each monthly spread here: 

Can't see the video? Click here to watch on YouTube


Creating this diary has become an annual tradition for me, and it's one of my favorites. It not only serves as a guide for others to embrace positivity, awareness, and self-love all year long, but I also use it myself, and, even though I was the one to write it, I still find new and surprising insights every time I use it. If you purchase the diary and make use of it throughout the year, you'll find yourself empowered and informed by the words of wisdom, the weekly activities, and the makes-you-think questions. And, perhaps the greatest thing about the diary is that it'll inspire you to explore the topics in the real word, with activities and prompts that get the ideas off the page and into your daily life! 

If you're ready to get ready for 2018, pick up your copy at a local bookseller or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers! Here's where you can get in on Amazon US: 

Every Day Matters 2018 - Desk Size 

Every Day Matters 2018 - Pocket Size 

I hope you love using it as much as I love creating it. If you have any questions about the content, layout, or where to purchase a copy in your country, leave a comment below!