now. this topic is an important one. and this is something I’ve had to re-evaluate what it looks like in this season for me. from moving from one country to another — it can rock ya boat a little bit. you might be in a place where you are so busy that you can’t even imagine what it looks like to make time for a few practises that will totally change your life in order for you to feel energized everyday. but I assure you, you can. whatever you prioritise you will make time for. so, do you want to live life to the full for the rest of your days? it’s time to de-clutter our lives and live intentionally so we can thrive, fully alive and energized, living a balanced life of work, rest and play.
to get the most out of this blog, grab yourself some tea and a journal and let me ask you some questions for you to ponder and write about.
Do you have a chance to breathe?
Is life just a rush?
What if life could be more abundant by prioritising a couple of things?
Do you know how to ‘be’ in the middle of life’s business?
I’ve heard many stories of burn-outs and breakdowns, but what if we could avoid those by stewarding our days and our lives well?
Many of us are running on empty, and we are tempted to keep going and going and going, but these choices are not sustainable, my dear. Your body, soul and spirit is worthy of care. Maybe you feel guilty for loving yourself, but in order for you to love others around you loving yourself is key, so let that be your excuse if needs be 😉 .. So lets talk about a few practises we should be doing daily/weekly in order for us to have a lifestyle of abundant life. One thing that is necessary to living a full life is saying no to people. To steward your energy to the best of your ability you will disappoint people — but that isn’t your problem. you’ll thank me later!
Do you feel a bit run down?
Do you know how you get filled up?
When we are run down and we don’t prioritize the things I’m about to talk about we begin to feel easily frustrated, exhausted, negative, distracted, we lose perspective and we don’t have energy for the gift of life. we turn to counterfeit experiences to make us feel better for a moment. netflix binging, overspending, porn, excessive drinking the list goes on — what are we avoiding when we go to these things? would we combust if we didn’t have these things? why is that?
So,
What sort of things brings life to you?
What activities restore your energy levels?
What will make you feel less run down in your life?
What do you read that inspires you?
What relationships in your life bring you joy?
What in your life that you already have fills your soul up?
How can we bring life and love to others if we are running on empty? We can’t give people something we don’t have ourselves. Living an abundant life is your responsibility, it’s not up to anyone else. only you can manage this one my friend. and by the way, if you can’t even answer these questions, maybe you don’t even know what inspires you — it’s all good! how exciting that NOW you can find out what those things are. okay, lets get cracking with a couple of priorities for us to look at in order to live the BEST life we can.
1. fun
hobbies, activities and fun bring so much energy into your life. and it should be at the top in our priorities. we must make time for friends. we must have hobbies. it is so important to have these things in our lives. what makes you laugh? what sport do you love? do you make time to create? and honeybee I don’t care how busy you are — make time for it. if you have kids, bring them in on it as well. teach them from a young age how to live well. now, you maybe thinking I would do fun things if I had people to do it with! maybe you don’t have many friends. but I promise you when you put yourself out there, and you go to the places that bring you life, you will meet kindred spirits. pick up a hobby, learn new things, play a sport, create, invite friends over for meals, eat together. have fun. if you have social anxiety — I understand that’s really tough. grab a friend to come along with you. as you face your fears, the anxiety will get less and less. you are brave my love! you truly are! like I said, I’ve just moved from another country and I’m starting from scratch again — some of you may be in the same boat. maybe you’re in a season change, it can be really hard hey? these things take time — so don’t worry my sweet. have a little patience. we are all in this together.
here’s a super practical way to bring this intentionally into your life, set a reminder on your phone that goes of every sunday, grab your calendar, plan your week, and put these things into your diary. it can look totally different every week. check out classes or sports at your local gym. plan it. make it happen.
2. satisfying work
a mentor of mine once said to me that you know what job you’re supposed to be in because it will make you feel alive. does your job bring you life? when you are operating in the gifts Gods graced you with you will actually feel joy whilst doing those things. do you love organizing? do you love people? do you love the arts? what are your main gifts? now I know this is sometimes a complicated subject — but at least have a think about it? go after your dream job. if you work hard and focus it will all pay off. you reap what you sew — have a job that brings you life! and if you can’t do that job right now do it on the side until it becomes your job.
3. connect with God
my time with God is the thing that brings most energy into my life. I could not live without my quiet time with God. sometimes this time looks different to the previous day. it can look like however you want it to look. I have a cup of tea every morning with God, I pray over my day, I read the word of God, I sit quietly, and many other things — I can tell when I haven’t had this time. God guides me in the day from having this time. I feel full of life when I’ve had this time, I actually live better and care for those around me on new levels when I’ve had this connection with the source of all life. a word from God can change the course of your entire mood. He brings life.
4. family
time with family. heck I can’t talk about this one enough. this may look different for you. my family is my rents, 2 sisters, bro in law, 2 nephews and all of my close friends. making time to see your people will bring so much life to your world. be intentional. meet up. stay in contact. I voice note at least one person a day on WhatsApp. I’m constantly connected to people. hanging out, going out, doing whatever with present relationships is a top priority. we weren’t created to be alone. we were created to be in family. if you feel like you don’t have anyone, don’t be discouraged — there is SO much love in this world. look for ways to connect with people in your local community. and like I said in point number 1, the more you do things you enjoy, the more you will meet people. and maybe your family is not as much as a joy for you.. maybe it’s messy. could this may be time to forgive and connect? have a think about it my love x
5. health
when I was living in California my diet was honestly so bad. and I could feel it. it was a bit of a health scare really — I got super ill all of the time, I had no energy, and I felt super duper sluggish — not fun! the last few months I’ve focused on health in a way I never have before. and I cannot believe the difference I feel already. I’ve been eating more fruit, more veg, no processed foods, more water and I feel really good. what’s your diet like? this will really impact how much energy you have. are you getting enough sleep? do you exercise? these things release chemicals in your brain that brings energy and joy into your life. yes it’s such an effort but it’s so worth it. I am currently walking everywhere which is what my exercise looks like but I am working on being more intentional with more fitness routines and experimenting a bit. I will keep you updated with those results. we are all on this journey together.
6. stop
we are so much more productive when we have times to stop. we are honestly much more productive with giving ourselves time in the day to rest and just chill before we do a ton of work, tidying, or whatever. my favourite ways to chill is to grab a cup of tea and watch an episode of my favourite show, to have a lovely bubble bath, or to read a book with my candles burning playing some classical music in the background. if you’re a mumma you can do this when the kids go to sleep. time to breathe is necessary. don’t feel guilty for it. try not to go on your phone at this time.
so there we have it friends. some practical ways. maybe you feel like you’re in such a rut you can’t even imagine a life where your time is managed and you feel energized in your everyday life. there is hope! and it’s just a few daily choices away. don’t be hard on yourself as you cultivate this life. making habits takes time and self discipline. learn how to fill up your soul and keep it filled up. when it’s filled you will be your best self, you will love well, live well, you’ll be motivated work, and you will inspire those around you to live the same. you will leave a legacy.
Wild Hearts 