When was the last time you practiced self-love?
Tips to cultivate more self love, podcasts I love, and more reader tips on decluttering this year
Hi friend!
The time is coming up! I'm off on the road in a little over a week. Have been doing a lot of logistics planning this past week and it came to my attention that I needed to rush a last-minute India visa application. (Doh!) Had misread some fine print for the India eVisa - you can only apply for this 30 days before, a few times max per year and only applicable to certain airports and regions of India (which was my case).
Naturally, I was so upset with myself for not having checked in advance and extremely anxious mailing out my passport with only two weeks before departure. I did what I could to complete the application as quickly as possible and had it mailed out in a day.
Looking back, I am shocked by how degrading my self-talk was during this process. "I compromised my own trip with my incompetence." (unfortunately, just one of many) What is the benefit this? To be honest, no benefit at all. I often mask this harsh self-criticism as a "push" or "moment of growth" but in actuality, this stunts my ability to think clearly and make beneficial decisions.
Self-love has been a process for me and an inspiration for the video this week. We can all use a little more TLC.
The visa is sent and now, I wait. This is a moment to trust and surrender in the process. Maybe practice more self-love in the meantime. ❤️
A Moving Podcast
Here's a two-part recommendation. I absolutely loved this recent episode from Tim Ferriss' podcast with Greg McKeown, the author of Essentialism.
One: Tim Ferriss' podcast is gold. Though each episode is pretty long (1–2 hours), he dives deep into each topic. I recommend only listening to the episodes you resonate with and skipping the first 5 minutes (commercials).
Two: Essentialism by Greg McKeown is one of the books that changed my life. If you find that you have too much on your plate or never able get to the things you've always wanted to - this is the book for you. In this podcast, Greg McKeown talks to Tim Ferriss about concepts from the book and life advice. So good!! (TLDR: Essentialism isn't about saying no, but it's regaining control and becoming more conscious with our power of choice. What we choose to do vs. what we have to do.)
Quote I'm Pondering
"What you fight, strengthens, What you resist, persists" - Eckhart Tolle
The more effort you put into something - whether it's cleaning up your diet or waking up earlier, the fight (hard work) is the daily grind that strengthens our resolve. When we avoid, we give up the control to powers outside of us.
On Decluttering (part 3):
Another great tidying up recommendation (especially for city-dwellers)
Did you know that there are "Buy Nothing" groups on Facebook? Totally free to join and groups are localized to your neighborhood. Snap a pic and 9/10, someone will come to pick up your stuff! AND if you are looking for something, you can post your request and people will offer you items that fit your description. All free. Whaaat! Love it.
You all teach me so much. Thank you!
As always, thanks for reading!
P.S. If you enjoyed this, share or sign up here: mindfulmoments.substack.com
Anything else? You can always hit "reply" to email me directly. 💌
Have a beautiful day!
Metta (loving-kindness),
Steven