Personal Development Archives - Page 20 of 31

13 Things That Change When You Fall In Love With Life

Why should you fall in love with life? What changes when you fall in love with life? Here are 13 changes you can expect and look forward to.

1. You love the process at least as much as the goal

When you fall in love with life, you realize that there is always another goal to chase.

You don’t fall into the trap of believing that your happiness lies on the other side of your goals.

Instead, you appreciate the process towards your goals.

You celebrate the tiny victories along the way, and you are proud of how far you’ve already come.

2. You love luxury not ‘just because’ but due to the feelings and experiences it provides

Many people crave luxuries because of the wealth they seem to represent. They want to have the newest, most exclusive, or most expensive thing because it flashes that they’re ‘in’ and ‘rich.’

There is nothing wrong with that as long as you don’t let this craving for recognition overcome you.

When you fall in love with life, however, you view luxury differently.

You are way too busy loving your life to care about whether or not others perceive you as rich and cool.

Instead, you care about what those luxuries can do for you – the experiences, comfort, and opportunities they provide.

You don’t want to fly first class just because it makes you feel cool. You fly first class because you appreciate the comfort it provides you over the clouds and because it enables you to enjoy those few hours in confinement the most.

3. You want to experience it all

When you fall in love with life, you are eager to take in all the wonders life has to offer.

While chocolate, cheese, or wine enthusiasts love to taste their way through different flavors, you like to taste the different flavors of life.

4. You find joy in the things that annoy others

Others groan over dentist appointments; you look forward to them because of the clean and cared-for feeling you have afterward.

Most people hate Mondays; you see them as the start to another great week full of awesome opportunities.

Others curse at the train that breaks down; you are excited about this small adventure in your ordinary routine.

5. It pains you less when one door closes because you know another will open

It is common for people to be immensely bitter about the ‘bad’ cards that life deals them with.

And if you look for these unlucky cards, you will find plenty of them in the form of a missed job opportunity, a bad teacher, an accident, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, etc.

When you fall in love with life, you learn to appreciate your luck and your misfortune. You won’t necessarily enjoy it the moment it strikes, but eventually, you will.

That’s because you know that with every closed door, a new one will open.

You recognize all the times a closed-door has lead to something way better in your life, and don’t just write it off as coincidence like others do.

You are grateful and wait patiently for that better door to open, and meanwhile, you continue to love life.

6. You are less willing to stay in situations that make you unhappy

Don’t like that college major? Change it!

Hate that job? Quit and do something else!

Unsatisfied with romantic or social relationships? Plenty better people out there waiting for you!

When you fall in love with life, you recognize that better opportunities are waiting for you to take hold of them.

7. You passionately work on improving yourself and your life in every possible way

Different opportunities await you at varying levels of personal growth.

You are eager to unlock the wonders of life that come with a better self and work passionately on your personal development.

Getting rid of anxieties and limiting beliefs makes life brighter and easier.

8. You value your health but not to the extent that it keeps you from living

You take care of yourself to make sure you are mentally and physically capable of living life to the fullest.

You eat healthily, work out and talk to specialists if necessary.

However, you don’t miss out on a great meal in a unique location because it would break your healthy diet plan.

You also don’t give up that sport you like so much because it has a moderate risk of accidents. Instead, you make sure to take every precaution necessary.

Overall, you find that sweet spot that enables you to live not only a long but also an exciting life.

9. You allow yourself to follow your gut instead of strict logic

Your gut instinct or intuition is one of the most wondrous things in life.

If you hear it out, it can help you make decisions you would have never thought of and make your life more magical.

10. You value what you do have every day

Most people are always chasing for more: More money, more luxury, more holidays, more recognition, you name it.

When you fall in love with life, you notice the beauty that already surrounds you.

You make sure to be grateful every day for the life you are currently living and every opportunity that will present itself to you in the future.

There is less desperation in the chase for your goals.

11. You are your own priority

Others may call it selfish, but you realize that you can only truly help others if you are at your best.

Furthermore, you love life too much to play the martyr for other people’s happiness.

Here is some help on making yourself your priority.

12. You gossip less

People who are busy being in love with life rarely have time for the trivialities of gossip.

Of course, it can be entertaining once in a while. But many use the drama that surrounds other people to distract themselves from their own life.

When you fall in love with life, you won’t feel the need for this kind of distraction. Instead, you like to put all your energy into living your own life.

Just as much as gossip, social media is often used as a very powerful distraction from life.

When you fall in love with life, you’ll likely notice a rapid decrease in your phone usage.

This stems from a simple lack of time and change in priority. You are so engaged with living your own life, that in the few moments of boredom, social media might not take precedence in the ways to fill that time.

You might use social media increasingly, though, as a content creator. After all, this is one of the many things you can try out in life, and who knows, it might turn into a money-making passion of yours.

That’s it.

What do you think? Would you say you are already in love with life, or could you fall harder?

Which of these changes are you most excited to experience?

I’d love to hear from you!

Sophie

13 things that happen when you fall in love with life

Stealing Fire Book Review | 11 Lessons + Quotes

Blog, Books, Personal Development

Stealing Fire introduces the reader to the discoveries having been made about Flow states. Let me share with you a few lessons in my book review.

Book Review

I love reading about interesting studies and discoveries, and this book is full of them! Stealing Fire gave me a glance into the groundbreaking work going on to enable people to enter life-altering Flow or Enlightened states quicker, easier, and safer.

My excitement was a bit dampened by the frustration that a lot of this incredible technology is still not readily available to the average person.

However, if you are interested in boosting your productivity, personal development, and experiencing out-of-body states, this book will get you excited for the near future. You can also expect to be challenged in your beliefs on the topic of psychedelics.

Lessons

1. Letting your subconscious mind take over can make teamwork much more effective

“That heightened cooperation, that communal vocational ecstasy, was what Page, Brin, and so many of Google’s engineers had discovered in the desert. It was an altered state of consciousness that suggested a better way of working together, and a feeling that anyone who presumed to lead them simply had to know firsthand.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

Teamwork can be difficult and exhausting unless the team is used to working with each other like a smoothly running engine.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to skip large parts of this ‘getting-used-to-each-other’-process by putting the whole team into an altered state of consciousness, which makes the lines between individual members and the team as a whole blur together?

The SEALS already spend a ton of money and time training their soldiers to flip this switch during a mission because it dramatically enhances the whole team’s performance.

2. Being ‘in the zone,’ doing mythical rituals, and taking psychedelics all cause a state of Ecstasis

“First, flow states, those “in-the-zone” moments including group flow, or what the SEALs experienced during the capture of Al-Wazu, and the Googlers harnessed in the desert. Second, contemplative and mystical states, where techniques like chanting, dance, meditation, sexuality, and, most recently, wearable technologies are used to shut off the self. Finally, psychedelic states, where the recent resurgence in sanctioned research is leading to some of the more intriguing pharmacological findings in several decades. Taken together, these three categories define our territory of ecstasis.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

That’s one of the first and most crucial lessons I’ve taken from this book.

You’ve probably heard athletes, artists, or business people all gush about the productivity they experience when they enter a flow state.

You’ve most likely also heard spiritual people talking about seeing visions during prayer or experiencing a feeling of ‘oneness’ in meditation.

And lastly, think about the ‘high’ that countless humans have been chasing for centuries through drugs, plants, glue, and numerous other psychedelics.

In all these cases, people are experiencing very similar states in which the self vanishes, time seems endless, insights flow through them, and everything feels effortless. They are experiencing ecstasis.

The fact that all kinds of different humans have been hunting and recommending this state for millennia shows how important this experience can be for us.

And fortunately, there are countless ways to enter ecstasis, with technology and science continually providing more effective and safe methods.

3. The guesswork, grind, and risks to get into flow are over!

“Historically, if you wanted to use meditation to consistently produce a state where the self vanished, decades of practice were required. Why? Because your target was nothing more than a peculiar sensation, and hitting it was like throwing darts blindfolded.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

I am immensely thankful for all the technological advancements that have provided me with this beautiful and opportunity-rich life.

And reading about the upcoming technologies that will enable me to enter flow states in a fracture of the time and risk it took my ancestors is humbling.

I can’t wait to make use of this altered state!

4. Being in Flow is freaking POWERFUL

“By using the tanks to eliminate all distraction, entrain specific brainwaves, and regulate heart rate frequency, the SEALs are able to cut the time it takes to learn a foreign language from six months to six weeks.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

“And it doesn’t seem to matter which technique we deploy: mindfulness training, technological stimulation or pharmacological priming, the end results are substantial. Consider the gains: a 200 percent boost in creativity, a 490 percent boost in learning, a 500 percent boost in productivity.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

I’ve been pretty much drooling when I’ve read these passages.

I mean, seriously, how AMAZING would life be if we managed to access flow at will?!

If we were able to learn things so much faster and be so much more productive and creative all around, can you imagine what you would be able to accomplish? What would humanity collectively be able to accomplish?

This is insanely amazing!

If I could, I would build myself a Flow room with a deprivation tank, brain stimulation tools, and more this instant.

But as it is, I am currently only eyeing the MUSE meditation headband.

5. Even just one experience of Ecstasis can change your life forever

“And when Britton examined the EEG data, she discovered why: the brain-firing patterns of her subjects were completely altered. It was as if the NDE had instantly rewired their gray matter. Sure, it was only a single experiment, but it did suggest that even a one-time encounter with a powerful altered state could impart lasting change.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

“So while ecstatic states (which are brief and transitory) aren’t the same as developmental stages (which are stable and long-lasting), it appears that having more of the former can, under the right conditions, help accelerate the latter. In short, altered states can lead to altered traits.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

This is an incredibly reassuring and motivating realization for me.

I think I am so used to taking small steps that accumulate to big results that the thought of doing something once and benefitting from it for a lifetime is bewildering – but also immensely hopeful.

It makes me want to reach ecstasis even more.

6. Ecstasis can be kinky

“Pleasure produces endorphins, but pain can prompt even more. The uncertainty of teasing, as Stanford’s Robert Sapolsky established, spikes dopamine 400 percent. Nipple stimulation boosts oxytocin. Pressure in the throat or colon regulates the vagus nerve, creating exhilaration, intense relaxation, and goose bumps, what Princeton gastroenterologist Anish Sheth memorably terms poo-phoria. “
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

“And momentary erotic transcendence can bring lasting change. “
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

Kinky sexual practices have long been shunned by society. Thankfully, in our post-50-shades-of-grey time, more and more people dare to be kinky in the bedroom.

They discover what practices like tantric sex have been teaching for a long time: Sex is not just pleasurable for the body, but done in the right way can also elevate your mind to new planes.

Isn’t it awesome to know that something as fun and stimulating as sex can give similar results to months of meditation practice?

7. Most adults don’t reach higher stages of personal development

“He discovered that while some adults remained frozen in time, a select few achieved meaningful growth. Right around middle age, for example, Kegan noticed that some people moved beyond generally well-adjusted adulthood, or what he called “Self-Authoring,” into a different stage entirely: “Self-Transforming.””
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

“While it usually takes three to five years for adults to move through a given stage of development, Kegan found that the further you go up that pyramid, the fewer people make it to the next stage. The move from self-authoring to self-transforming for example? Fewer than 5 percent of us ever make that jump.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

I’ve always known that if I consciously focus on my personal development, I will be living a happier and more successful life than most people.

But this passage of the book showed me just how true that is.

I can’t bear the thought of missing out on so much of my potential by staying stuck in a general adulthood stage of my life.

I always want to be growing, and this just motivated me more to do so.

8. Don’t underestimate the impact of your physiology on your emotions!

“Our facial expressions are hardwired into our emotions: we can’t have one without the other. Botox lessens depression because it prevents us from making sad faces. But it also dampens our connection to those around us because we feel empathy by mimicking each other’s facial expressions. With Botox, mimicry becomes impossible, so we feel almost nothing at all.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

“If simply standing like Wonder Woman for a few minutes is enough to produce meaningful changes in our hormonal profile, imagine what practicing a full sequence of yoga postures every morning would do.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

You’ve probably heard the recommendation that standing in superman-pose for a few minutes can make you feel more confident.

But did you know that something as simple as smoothing out wrinkles with botox can heavily impact your emotions?

I had no idea. Looking at people with their stiff botox faces, I always thought they were doing more damage than good. But knowing that the impact goes much deeper than just aesthetics is incredibly eyeopening!

It shows that we shouldn’t just focus on our thoughts but also on our posture and movements.

Try to integrate at least one habit focused on improving your physiology every day. Maybe for you, that’s yoga, or perhaps dancing.

9. Ecstasis can cause ego inflation

“Rather than deciding, “Wow, I just had a mystical experience where I felt like Jesus Christ!” they conclude, “Wow, I am Jesus Christ. Clear the decks, people, I’ve got things to do!””
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

“Psychologists call this reaction “extreme ego inflation.” Often, the experience of selflessness is so new and compelling that it feels like no one else has ever felt this way before—that it’s evidence of some kind of sacred anointment. “
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

“no matter what comes up, no matter how fantastical your experience, it helps to remember: It’s not about you.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

Since ecstasis provides such a life-changing feeling that is only slowly being discussed openly, it is somewhat understandable how some people may feel like they have been chosen by some greater power to share what ecstasis revealed.

To prevent such ego inflation, it helps to do some research on other people’s experiences while in ecstasis. Nowadays, you can find websites like the Hyperspace Lexicon that include the most common experiences people have while in ecstasis.

If you notice that thousands of people have received an Akashic Book full of profound wisdom, you quickly realize you’re not the chosen one after all.

10. There is no right or wrong ecstasis tool

“Those three parameters—risk, reward, and time—provide a way to compare nonordinary states. This sliding scale lets you assess otherwise-unrelated methods—from meditation to psychedelics to action sports, to any others you can think of. “
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

You have to decide for yourself what tools for ecstasis are a good choice for you.

You have to consider the factors risk, reward, and time to make a decision you will be happy with.

Personally, I am currently not willing to pay the risks that come with taking psychedelics to get into a state of ecstasis. So, even though that can be a very quick way to bring big results, it’s not the right tool for me.

You might be completely opposed to the idea of spending 10 minutes or more a day meditating. Instead, you like high-risk action sport and going to Burning Man.

That’s ok, it’s your decision to make, and luckily we have many choices.

11. Great power can be misused and requires a lot of responsibility

“And that’s the ultimate paradox of these states: all that liberation comes with an unavoidable dose of responsibility. While these states provide access to heightened performance and perspective, the upsides come at a cost. Between our own wayward tendencies and the dangers of militarization and commercialization, it’s easier than ever to fall asleep at the Switch.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

“Altered states are an information technology and what you’re after is quality data. If you spend all of your time blissed out, zenned out, drunk, stoned, sexed up, or anything else, then you’ve lost all the contrast that initially made those experiences so rich—what made them “altered” in the first place.”
– Steven Kotler, Jamie Wheal (Stealing Fire)

As with every great discovery, there is plenty of opportunities to use it for harmful causes.

Especially the military and marketers are likely to use ecstasis to make their targets/customers do what they want.

Furthermore, we are in danger from ourselves that we overuse ecstasis and lose our grip on reality.

To counter both the dangers posed by others and our own desires, we need to know what ecstasis is and be responsible for how we use it.

You can do this by planning your use of ecstasis beforehand with a timetable. You can schedule daily (e.g., meditation), weekly, monthly, and yearly activities (e. g. Burning Man visit) that let you experience ecstasis in a controlled, effective, and safe manner.

And if the time comes, you might cast a vote for a politician who aims to regulate marketers’ use of ecstasis.

Just be aware and intentional.

That’s it for my Stealing Fire Book Review.

What was your favorite lesson? Have you experienced ecstasis before? If not, how do you plan to get there?

I’m curious to hear from you!

Sophie

stealing fire book review | 11 lessons + quotes

33 Things To Do That Your Future Self Will Thank You For

Blog, Personal Development

Who doesn’t like making life a bit easier? Well, here are 33 things to do that your future self will thank you for.

These ideas are a mix of practical and personal growth tips.

Take what you like and leave what doesn’t speak to you.

Enjoy!

1. Follow a financial plan

Don’t just spend the money you earn as you go along through life.

Your future self will be eternally grateful if you take the time to work out a financial plan that you can follow effortlessly.

This could be dedicating 10% of your earnings without fault to a savings account.

This could be getting a financial advisor who puts a portion of your money into investments each month.

The exact financial plan you follow doesn’t matter quite as much as the fact that you consciously follow a plan you worked out for yourself.

If you do that, you are already so much more mature and organized than most adults.

2. Always study something

If you are in school or college, you’re already doing that, and you know exactly why this is important for your future self.

But what about after school and college?

Most people stop studying once they don’t have to write tests anymore.

However, our world doesn’t stop evolving, and new information is being released every day.

If you want to advance in any area of your life, you need to gain more knowledge.

So make sure to be a student for life. Set aside an hour or two a day as study time, so your future self is smarter and more skilled all way around.

3. Meditating

The list of benefits to meditating is long and ranges from lessening stress to gaining profound insights.

Start making meditation a daily habit – even if it is for just 5 minutes – so that your future self will be able to do it as easily as brushing teeth.

Tools like the Muse Headband can make meditation more fun.

4. Journaling

Journaling can help you clear your mind, organize your thoughts, feel less overwhelmed and stressed, gain breakthroughs, and manifest your goals.

Even if you disregard all these benefits, starting a journaling habit will give your future self the chance to look back and remember the thoughts and feelings you once had.

5. Summarize your day in one-two sentences

Have you ever looked back at the end of the year and wondered where the time has gone? How is it possible for 365 days to pass by so quickly?

Time seems to slip by because we don’t experience enough noteworthy moments that create lasting memories in our minds.

If there is nothing specific we remember, the days slowly but surely blend into each other.

That means the key to feeling like you’ve lived a long and exciting life is accumulating many memories of it.

One great way to slow time down is to summarize every day in one or two sentences. Find something unique about the day and include it in that summary.

Try it for a month and look back to see how much you can remember from the month and how long it feels in retrospect.

6. Start a business

Whether it is a blog, a youtube channel, podcast, or Etsy shop, you should consider spending your time on a side project that could develop into an income-producing business.

Starting a side project like this doesn’t mean you want to become a full-time entrepreneur.

It can stay just a side project that earns you a little bit of money in addition to your income from your job.

At the very least, it is going to create memories and experiences you will never forget.

7. Wear sunscreen

Yes, I get it; applying sunscreen is bothersome. However, there are reasons people do it, and your future self will thank you for it.

Consider taking the time to compare products and choosing the one with the least harmful ingredients.

8. Take care of hormonal imbalances the natural way

Millions of women reach for medications like the birthcontrol pill to solve PMS, acne, and other health issues that stem from hormonal imbalances.

These medications rarely solve the problem. Instead, they hide it for as long as the medication is taken.

These medications in themselves already have many negative if not severe side effects. But if these underlying hormonal balances are not treated, they can increase the risk of severe health problems after menopause.

The book “In the Flo” has convinced me that it is worth taking the time and making an effort to solve these problems naturally and while I am still young.

I know my future self will thank me for it.

9. Write a last will + discuss your funeral

As uncomfortable as the topic of death is to most people, it is important not to disregard it.

Creating a last will and writing down the basics of your prefered funeral arrangement is something that you do primarily for your family and friends to make their life easier in the wake of your passing.

The last thing anyone wants to do while mourning is to obsess over what their loved one would have liked for their funeral. So make sure to give it some thought and either tell them or write it down somewhere for them to find.

If you want to feel a bit more optimistic about your inevitable death, I recommend reading “Life after Life.“

10. Get a drivers license

As someone who has grown up in a village and adores driving, I am always surprised that some people don’t have a driver’s license.

Sure, if you live in a city, you don’t need it.

But do your future self a favor and get a driver’s license.

After all, you never know when you’ll need it. Perhaps you’d like to go on a road trip through Europe one day or help your friends move.

11. Getting a passport

Again as someone who’s had a passport for as long as I can remember, I am always astounded that some people don’t have one.

It makes sense, of course. If you want to travel through Europe as a European, you only need an ID, and a passport costs money.

Still, you never know when the travel bug will bite you, and you’ll want to travel to the other side of the world.

So get yourself a passport and make sure that it is always valid for at least another six months.

12. Learn how to read faster

We are living in an age that is all about information. You will spend a lot of your time reading these information, especially if you commit to being a student for life.

Your future self will thank you if you take the time to learn how to increase your reading speed.

13. Get a job during your summer break

You might not need the money right now, but you most likely will a few years down the line once you want to move out or travel.

So think ahead and spend a part of your holidays working. It will also provide you with valuable experience.

14. Reading books with a variety of topics

Most people don’t read books, and those that do read mainly fiction.

There is, of course, nothing wrong with reading fiction, but you are missing out on a world of wonderful books on all kinds of topics.

Dare to take a step outside your comfort zone and try out a few non-fiction books that excite you.

Read also: Reading List For Personal Growth

15. Keeping a dream journal

Your dreams contain gold that you should reap.

Your dreams can provide you with ingenious solutions to the problems and challenges in your life.

They can also provide you with new ideas that could prove incredibly valuable to you.

Many people recommend keeping a dream journal to practice reaping the gold hidden in your dreams.

So try it out yourself!

16. Writing down at least a rough draft of your imaginary plots

I always have at least one fictional storyline going through my head.

Unfortunately, I still haven’t mastered the discipline and patience actually to bring them to paper.

However, I have started to at least write out small scenes or bullet points with my ideas for future reference.

I don’t even write down something that often, but a surprising amount of ideas has already accumulated at this point.

Every time I rediscover old fanfiction ideas, it makes me incredibly happy and glad that I wrote them down in the past.

17. Keeping the original packaging of tech stuff

If you’ve ever sold your old phone or tablet, you know that the original packaging can bring you quite a lot of extra money.

Therefore, I’ve made it a habit to keep them for as long as I use the device.

Of course, you need the storage room to do so. Perhaps consider storing them on top of cupboards or under your bed.

18. Collecting all relevant receipts of the year

I discovered that as daunting as the task of taxes seems, it can actually be done pretty quickly if you’ve prepared yourself.

By collecting and organizing all relevant receipts in one place, you make it infinitely easier for your future self to get the taxes done and over with.

And hey, who doesn’t like to get money back with little effort.

19. Anticipating recurring expenses

Numerous expenses repeat themselves every year. Sure, the exact amount you have to pay may vary, but usually not by a huge amount.

Even if they do, it’s still better to be prepared to pay something instead of being caught by surprise entirely.

So make a list of recurring expenses like insurance, tuition, etc.

20. Set up automatic backups of your digital devices

Nothing is quite as soul-crushing as losing important or sentimental documents when your laptop, phone, or tablet crashes.

Save your future self from this despair by setting up automatic backups on all your devices.

21. Sort and delete the photos you’ve taken

So, I’m not big on taking photos or selfies.

Still, after a while, I end up with many unnecessary photos taking up storage of my phone and cloud.

Your future self, looking for certain pictures, will be eternally grateful if you make their life easier by deleting what’s not important at regular intervals.

Even better, consider creating folders in which you can organize these images by theme.

22. Trying out many different things

Life is about creating many different experiences.

And thanks to the vast internet we nowadays know just how much there is to experience worldwide.

Do your future self a favor and make memories as you grow older by trying out all kinds of different things.

Try out pottery, ice skating, karting, drifting, wall climbing, virtual reality, surfing, hiking, origami, blogging, horseriding, and countless other amazing things.

Life is about living. So live to the fullest!

23. Avoid too loud music

Loud music may seem like a great idea at the time, but the older you get, the more your hearing is going to suffer if you act recklessly.

Yes, there are hearing aids nowadays. But I’m sure you’d like to be able to hear properly all on your own.

24. Taking the time to find healthy skin and hair care products

Most people are looking for quick fixes. They purchase the product that promises to clear their skin right away or that claims to make their hair shiny with one use.

Your future self will thank you for taking the time to find products with healthy incrediences instead of quick fixes.

25. Keep an eye out for limiting beliefs and negative self-talk and deal with it right away

Overcoming limiting beliefs before they fester is much easier than after they’ve become an integral part of your worldview.

So do your future self a favor and always keep an eye out for negative thoughts that pop up.

26. Write motivational notes/Record a motivational speech

Certain situations trigger us time and time again.

Maybe you always procrastinate on schoolwork until the stress mounts up and you stumble into a panic spiral.

Use the regret of that moment to write or record yourself a note in which you remind yourself of why you shouldn’t repeat this behavior.

Be emotional so that your future self can feel these emotions when reading the note or listening to it.

27. Block a bit of time daily for personal development

If you are reading this post, I don’t have to do much to convince you of the powers of self-improvement.

But truly, working consciously on your personal growth is immensely powerful, especially in the long term.

It might take a while to get the stone rolling, but if you stick with it long enough, you will improve yourself at a rate that your past self would never have anticipated.

And personal growth often does go hand in hand, not only with more happiness but also more success.

28. Make sure to notice when you are being foolishly stubborn and course correct

There is a fine between heroic persistence and foolish stubbornness.

Many people have the tendency to jump after every shiny object and lack the discipline to finish what they’ve started.

Those people might end their 20s without a degree to show for 10 years of college because they always switched degrees after a few years.

Others (and I suppose this is where I can find myself) are overly committed. If they started something, they are going to finish it no matter what.

Those kinds of people might find themselves in a midlife crisis when they realize that they absolutely hate their job and should have dropped out of college in their third semester.

Yes, it sucks having ‘wasted’ two years of your life going in the wrong direction. But guess what’s worse? Spending decades being unhappy with your decision.

So, course correct today if that will make your future self happier.

29. Learn a few easy recipes by heart

This can come in handy if you stay at an Airbnb in your holidays or if you spontaneously decide to cook something easy.

30. Know the language of food and wine

This means you should be able to read a menu at a restaurant without having to research every second word you read.

Much of that knowledge comes with age and experience, but you can speed up the learning process and save yourself awkward situations.

31. Have a power bank and charger in your bag

You never know when you’ll strand somewhere and need your phone that’s running out of battery.

32. Create a reusable packing list of all your fundamentals

You might not travel often, still, most likely, you are packing some basic things every time you do travel.

Having a list to quickly rely on will significantly speed up your packing process and reduce your risk of leaving any of these basics behind when you return home.

33. Learn how to wrap gifts properly

Seriously, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought to myself I ought to learn how to wrap presents prettily so that I don’t have to struggle ever again.

Learn it once, and spare yourself the trouble once and for all.

I hope these ideas will make your future life easier.

I hope you will look back and be glad to have found this list.

If you do, please leave a small ‘thank you’ in the comments. It really does mean the world to me. ^^

Until next time!

Sophie

17 Reasons Being Short is Awesome | Advantages of Petites

Blog, Personal Development

There are many reasons why being short is awesome. It’s time we petites remember the blessings in our life!

1. An excess amount of legroom wherever you are

I only really started appreciating this advantage of being short once I noticed how my taller friends were suffering.

One of my friends needs to carefully cross his legs in an ‘X’ shape so that he’ll fit in the tight legroom of airplanes and our really old lecture hall at Uni.

It does look painful, and I couldn’t be happier that I have all the space in the world.

2. Smaller Clothes = More Luggage Space

Uusually the clothing department is one of the biggest disadvantages of being petite. It can be incredibly difficult to find clothes that you not only like but that also fit.

But, being short and having smaller clothes also brings the advantage that they take up less space.

This comes in especially handy when you travel and have to fit thick winter clothing into your luggage.

3. Always Enough Blanket Left To Cuddle Into

There are only a few things that are as annoying as having a too-short blanket or someone not leaving enough for you to cover yourself fully.

Being short is awesome in the sense that you can turn yourself into a blanket burrito with pretty much any blanket out there.

And who doesn’t like cuddling into a cozy blanket on a cold day?

4. Effortless cuteness

Small things are automatically cuter than their normal-sized version. Think about small salt shakers or tiny shoes for babies or small bonsais.

There are endless examples where small equals cute.

Luckily, this seems to apply to many petites, too.

Sure, if you are young and want to be taken seriously, this can be extremely annoying.

But other than that, being effortlessly cute can be a wonderful asset in life.

5. Most likely smaller than your boyfriend/girlfriend

This can be as much an advantage as it can be a disadvantage depending on the person.

While many (not all, of course) women prefer to be smaller than their partners, many men would like to be taller.

So if you are lucky enough to preference taller partners, remember to appreciate your shortness.

6. You can get cheaper shoes from the kids’ section

Frankly, I haven’t done that often. For me, the girls’ shoe section is often way too pink and glittery.

But once in a while, especially when looking for sneakers, you can save quite some money if you get the kids’ shoes.

Keep that in mind the next time you are looking for footwear.

Read also: 9 Fashion Hacks For Petite Women

7. You can wear high heels without towering over people

Many tall women feel insecure wearing high heels because it makes them tower above most of the population.

Considering that high heels can often provide an immense confidence boost and make women feel sexy, it is sad if your height prevents you from wearing them.

Being short is a great blessing in this case.

8. You don’t have to squeeze yourself into sportscars

If you’ve ever watched Top Gear/Grant Tour, you might have seen Jeremy Clarkson folding himself in half to get into supercars.

Well, we petites don’t have that issue.

Now, we only need to be able to afford a sports car. ^^’

(And hope that we can pull the seat far enough to the front.)

9. You often seem younger than you are

I get it; it is always a bit awkward to show your ID when buying alcohol or going to the cinema.

But being seen as younger than you are, gets much more beneficial the older you get. Usually, most people feel flattered to be perceived as more youthful than they actually are.

It is also great to surprise people who underestimated you.

And you get less weird looks if you decide to go crazy on a playground with 18+ (honestly, one is never too old for a playground!).

10. You won’t have anyone breathing into your neck in cramped public transportation

I feel like some people might disagree with me on this one, but I am usually quite glad to be shorter than others when cramped into a bus or train.

It feels like I have a whole level for myself, and often I don’t have to fight for the lower places of the pole to hold on to.

I mean, yes, if you’re unlucky, you’re coming face to face with someone’s sweaty armpit.

But hey, it all depends on what you want to focus on.

11. You’re always going to be on top of a human pyramid!

Random, yes.

But very true ^^

After all, who likes having a hard knee press painfully into their spine?

12. Easier to slip through crowds

There are plenty of times I was glad for being short because it enabled me to smoothly slip in between people without having to wait for them to make space for me.

13. You’re rarely at risk of hitting your head somewhere

It’s always amusing to walk underneath a low-hanging tree branch standing tall while others have to bend to avoid getting the greenery into their faces.

14. You often get the front row place because you don’t obstruct the view

Of course, this can be a disadvantage if people are not considered and don’t let you stand in front of them.

But most often, they will be kind enough to do so if you ask them nicely.

15. Taking photos from above makes you look great, so be glad people have to look down on you

This is also great in terms of acne around your jawline.

People will notice it less because they don’t have such a good view of it looking down on you.

16. You’re part of the petite club – you will instantly bond with petites all over the world!

Weirdly, I always feel instantly sympathetic towards any petite person.

Obviously, they can lose that sympathy if they prove themselves to be rude, but in a way, they do have a headstart compared to taller people.

17. Being petite makes you more unique

I am aware that this can be more of a downside than an upside for some people. Especially teenagers would rather like to fit in than stand out.

I, for example, was annoyed by the attention I got when I was in grades 5 and 6. Everyone would ask me how old and tall I am and what shoe size I have (Seriously, what kind of question is that?).

But nowadays, I do love my height. Being petite is a huge part of my identity, and I like how it makes me more unique.

After all, we don’t celebrate and remember ordinary people. Every great person has been unique in one way or another.

So, embrace being petite! Being short is awesome because it gives you only another characteristic that makes you stand out from the crowd.

That’s it for this blog post.

I’m curious, how tall/short are you? I’m 153cm or five feet tall.

Have you noticed any other benefits of being short?

Until next time, shorty ^^

Sophie

The Richest Man of Babylon Book Review | 11 Lessons + Quotes

Blog, Books, Personal Development

The Richest Man of Babylon has been a classic in financial literature for many years. This book review will show you why.

As always, with these book reviews, you should be aware that they are not a final list of all the lessons one can learn from the book.

Instead, I picked out some of the most important ones I came across. But everybody will come across different smaller lessons in their own subjective reading experience.

So consider reading the book yourself as well.

Reading Experience

The Richest Man of Babylon was … ok, I guess.

It didn’t teach me anything overwhelmingly new, but it did teach some very basic financial lessons that justify it being a classic.

The individual stories about different citizens of Babylon were interesting to read as they painted a good picture of what life could have been like in that unique city.

I have to admit the old writing style was a bit exhausting to read. But then again, English isn’t my first language, so that might have made it a bit more difficult.

Lessons

1. Hard work alone won’t make you wealthy; you need a plan

“Who would believe there could be such a difference in results between following a financial plan and just drifting along.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

There are lots of people who work hard in life. They spend many decades doing this hard work, yet they don’t seem to get wealthier.

Their money comes and goes just as quickly.

The universe won’t simply notice you for your hard work and turn you into a millionaire overnight.

Instead, you need a plan that goes beyond working hard to accumulate more money.

Do you have a plan yet, or are you simply working and waiting?

2. Spend less than you earn

“I found the road to wealth when I decided that a part of all I earned was mine to keep. And so will you.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

“A part of all you earn is yours to keep. It should be not less than a tenth no matter how little you earn. It can be as much more as you can afford. Pay yourself first.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

Step one to becoming wealthy is not to spend everything that you earn.

Instead, you need to pay yourself first in the form of saving and investing your money.

Once you get your paycheck, the first thing you should do is transferring a part of the money to a separate bank account that is not to be touched under any circumstances.

Then make do with the rest of your income.

Think about it this way: If you’d suddenly lost your job (which can happen to everyone) and found a new job that pays less, you would also manage to finance your life based on that smaller income, am I right?

From now on, you are simply going to pretend you earn only the amount left after paying your savings.

3. You have to let your money work for you

“If you would become wealthy, then what you save must earn, and its children must earn, that all may help to give to you the abundance you crave.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

Now that your savings are slowly but surely growing with each paycheck, you have to take another step.

You have to invest that money in some way to make it earn even more money for you.

One book that helps you get started with investments is Money: Master the Game by Tony Robbins.

You can find it in my Reading List for Personal Growth.

4. Always be ready for an opportunity to arise

“Opportunity is a haughty goddess who wastes no time with those who are unprepared.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

“The truth is this: Good luck can be enticed by accepting opportunity.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

“Men of Action are Favored by the goddess of Good Luck.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

Despite what most people believe, there are plenty of opportunities for wealth in most of our lives.

Sadly, only a few people recognize them as such, and even fewer take advantage of them when they present themselves.

You should always keep an eye out for opportunities that present themselves.

Having a solid amount of savings will help you to take advantage of them.

5. Practise seeing plans through till the end

“If I set for myself a task, be it ever so trifling, I shall see it through. How else shall I have confidence in myself to do important things?”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

“When I set a task for myself, I complete it. Therefore, I am careful not to start difficult and impractical tasks, because I love leisure.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

Nobody succeeds in life by being lazy and falling prey to the shiny object syndrome.

You have to be disciplined enough to pursue one goal until you achieved it, or all your effort will be wasted.

Self-discipline is a habit. The more you are disciplined, the easier it is to be disciplined the next time.

And soon, you will see yourself as a disciplined person that follows through on their plans.

Reaching your financial goals is one of the most important plans you are ever going to make, and it is of utmost importance that you see it through.

So make sure not to plan too big in the beginning.

You should rather save 5% of your income every month and keep up with it, compared to planning to save 30% and falling short after only two months.

Consistency is key.

6. Don’t postpone living a good life in favor of saving

“Enjoy life while you are here. Do not overstrain or try to save too much. If one-tenth of all you earn is as much as you can comfortably keep, be content to keep this portion. Live otherwise according to your income and let not yourself get niggardly and afraid to spend. Life is good and life is rich with things worthwhile and things to enjoy.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

Saving for the goal of a luxurious and financially free future is a noble pursuit.

However, you shouldn’t take it too far and let it get in the way of you enjoying the present.

You never know what the future beholds, so you should make the most out of the life you have right now.

Allow yourself to go on holiday once in a while. Maybe treat yourself with a massage.

Don’t do anything that would blow your savings account to pieces. But do allow yourself some luxuries.

That way, you won’t feel resentful towards your financial plan, and it will be easier to be consistent.

Also, a happier you is a more motivated and creative you, which can open new opportunities.

7. The greatest success can come from the simplest plan

“Deride not what I say because of its simplicity. Truth is always simple.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

Don’t dismiss simple plans as too good to be true.

If someone tries to tell you, you can become a billionaire overnight, then yes, that is most likely too good to be true.

However, the simple plan of saving 10% of your income and investing it over decades until it makes you wealthy relies on the powers of compounding, which are very much real.

We often don’t take the first step because we overcomplicate things.

Allow yourself to keep it simple.

8. Only follow the advice of people who walk the talk

“Consult with wise men. Secure the advice of those experienced in the profitable handling of gold. Let their wisdom protect thy treasure from unsafe investments.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

If you are looking for financial advice, you will find an endless amount of people assuring you that they know best.

Many of these people are so convinced by their advice that we easily want to believe them too.

However, if you look at their finances, the quality of their advice quickly becomes questionable.

You should never take financial advice from someone who doesn’t have the financial success you are aiming for.

After all, you wouldn’t ask a mechanic for health advice or a doctor about tips to fix your car.

Only follow the advice of experts who walk the talk.

9. Prepare early for retirement

“Provide in advance for the needs of thy growing age and the protection of thy family.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

While retirement may seem like a distant spot on the horizon for young people, it can approach much faster than we’d expect.

The benefit of preparing early for retirement is a stark decrease in stress and insecurity.

Also, as pessimistic as it sounds, you should at least consider the possibility that you become unable to work much sooner in your life due to an unfortunate accident.

If you’ve prepared nothing until then, you are going to have an even harder time making ends meet.

So look ahead and set up a simple savings plan that you can follow without much effort, and that’ll guarantee a financially stable retirement.

10. You only need to invest small amounts regularly; compounding will turn it into wealth

“The more gold I accumulate, the more readily it comes to me and in increased quantities.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

It’s easy to think that only big investments will give you a big return.

We fall prey to that belief because we think linearly.

We have a hard time thinking exponentially, but that’s exactly how our investments will develop with the power of compounding.

As long as you start early, stay consistent and reinvest your return, you only have to put in a small portion of your income to achieve extraordinary wealth.

There has been a janitor who became a multi-millionaire by the time of his death through his investments.

11. Help yourself first

“If you desire to help thy friend, do so in a way that will not bring thy friend’s burdens upon thyself.”
– George S. Clason (The Richest Man of Babylon)

There is no glory in playing the martyr.

The worse off you are in life, the less you can help others.

Instead of trying to help all your friends and family members immediately, sometimes it can be much more effective to help yourself first to lift them more easily from your higher level.

Think about what they teach you in the airplane safety lessons. You should always put on your oxygen mask first before helping others.

There is a reason millions of people are taught that lesson every day. It’s time we apply this lesson in our daily life as well.

What was your favorite lesson from ancient Babylon?

Did you already read the book? What did you think?

I’m curious to hear from you!

Sophie

55 Ways to Get Out of a Slump | How to get Motivated

Blog, Personal Development

Everyone gets stuck in a rut from time to time. Here are 55 tips to help you get out of a slump and get motivated.

You could also be interested in these:

Productivity Tips
Personal Growth Ideas

1. Don’t beat yourself up; accept it for what it is

Getting stuck in a slump now and then is normal. It happens to the most energetic and motivated people.

Therefore there is absolutely no sense in beating yourself up over it.

Yes, it would be great to be more productive, but this slump you’re in gives you the necessary energy for your next phase of hustling.

So accept it for what it is, be kind to yourself and try out the following ideas to slowly get out of a slump.

2. Rearrange furniture

There is something weirdly powerful to moving your furniture around.

I know some people do it regularly, but I barely ever move something into a different place.

All the more powerful it is, once I do.

Just a small change can make the room feel different and fresh. It gives me the feeling of a new start.

And that’s perfect for getting out of a slump!

3. Put plants into your room

Aside from plants cleaning the air, they also make your room feel the more alive and high vibe.

They provide beauty and bring a part of mother nature into daily hustle without you having to go out.

Furthermore, it can be incredibly rewarding to take care of plants.

I’m always very happy when my orchids bloom anew.

4. Put flowers on your desk

Aside from potted plants, it can also be great to put a vase with flowers on your desk.

Since they don’t last that long, you can create variety in your life by purchasing different kinds of flowers every time.

5. Discover new music

Discovering new music that you are listening to day in and day out is one of the most beautiful feelings.

Go and watch some edits on YouTube or research the songs of TikTok clips. You could also listen to the soundtrack of your favorite series.

6. Rediscover old favorites

Rediscovering an old favorite can transport you back in time and make you suddenly feel all the things you felt back then.

So maybe go and read Harry Potter again or watch Winx Club.

7. Break out of your routine

One of the things that get me stuck in a slump the most is doing the same thing day in and day out for weeks or even months.

To some extent, we all need variety in our life. So make sure to get yours.

This could be by switching your workout and reading time in your morning routine.

You could also sleep in longer or wake up much earlier.

Maybe go and sit in a different room of your house when you work at home.

There are infinite ways to break out of your routine.

8. Wear a more stylish outfit at home

Clothes can heavily impact our mood. If we love what we wear, it makes us feel ready to take on the world.

Don’t let the home office keep you from wearing nice things.

Start dressing up, even if it is just for yourself and the mailman.

9. Take a walk somewhere new

How about some exploring?

When was the last time you walked around the neighborhood without a goal in mind?

Why not try out a few of the scenic tracks that the internet recommends for your area.

10. Have a day off

Take one day off entirely.

Don’t plan anything for it – no appointments, no work, no studying.

Say awake longer the night before, sleep in during the morning, chill in bed, watch Netflix, or read Fanficitons all day.

Give yourself one day to do all the things you always wanted to do but couldn’t because of your busy schedule.

11. Buy new stationery

Ah stationary!

Who doesn’t love stationery?

Getting new folders, pens, and notebooks at the beginning of a school year always felt like a brand new beginning.

Why not use that feeling to get out of a slump?

12. Create a vision board

If you do it right, a vision board can be the epitome of inspiration and motivation for you.

One look at it, and you remember what you are doing this all for. It gives you a sense of purpose and direction.

13. Change your lock screen/background

I don’t know about you, but I don’t change my lock screen or background image very often.

Every time I do change it, it feels very special and exciting to see the new image.

It brings a fresh breeze into my life.

14. Create an inspirational board on Pinterest

I LOVE Pinterest!

I love pinning aesthetic and motivating images.

You can also use Pinterest as your digital vision board.

15. Start a side project

To get out of a slump, a new goal in the form of a project can help you.

Find a project that excites you. Perhaps even a project that in the long-term can change your life – like starting a blog.

16. Finish things you’ve started

I love it to finally finish a book or a series I’ve been procrastinating on. It makes me feel accomplished and as if there is room in my life for something new.

17. Abandon things you procrastinate to finish

Sometimes, though, it is not worth wasting time to finish something you don’t like.

In that case, abandon it officially instead of half-heartedly clinging to it.

18. Clear out your wardrobe

Depending on how many clothes you buy, you should clear out your wardrobe once a year or so.

Get rid of the things that don’t spark joy whenever you see and wear them.

Your clothes should make you feel beautiful, cozy, sexy, powerful, and ready to hustle.

19. Clear out your digital devices

Get rid of those apps that you never use and delete the screenshots and blurry selfies you never look at anyway.

20. Try out new recipes

Introduce a new recipe into your life now, and then create the variety that will get you out of a slump.

Or perhaps buy a different bread or fruit or sweets the next time you go shopping.

Try out something new.

21. Try out new restaurants & Cafés

You don’t have to abandon your favorite café or restaurant. But to get out of a slump, it can be immensely helpful to discover a new favorite.

So go out there and explore your options!

22. Talk to someone new

Easier said than done, I know. But if the opportunity presents itself, talk to that stranger instead of giving a clipped answer and running for the hills.

23. Pour out your heart to a friend

When did you have the last heart-to-heart with a friend?

If you want to get out of a slump, this is the perfect time to do so.

Learn what’s going on in their life. Chances are they are also stuck in a rut, and this talk will help you both.

24. Go through old pictures and organize them

Taking pictures is easy. Finding old pictures not so much.

Use your slump to organize the mess that is your photograph library.

Afterward, you will not only feel accomplished, but you will have discovered lots of awesome moments from the past that can spark motivation in you.

25. Do something that scares you

Stepping outside your comfort zone helps you to level up.

So do something that scares you. Maybe traveling alone or speaking up in class.

26. Join a challenge

Let’s activate the competitive streak in you. Joining a challenge will give you a short-term goal to focus on .

27. Create a past milestones list

I LOVE doing this. It gives me a real feeling of accomplishment and motivation every time I look at it.

Take out a journal or the notes app on your phone and write down all the milestones you’ve already had in a certain area of life.

I’ve written down the exams I passed for my law studies, the internships I did, and more.

I love seeing the list grow longer and longer.

28. Create a future milestones list

Similarly, it can be very motivating to see the next milestones you have to tackle written out.

It gives you a sense of direction desperately needed during a slump.

29. Watch Day in the Life Vlogs

If your own life is not exciting enough, how about checking in on what others do.

It might spark some new ideas in you and motivate you to get productive again.

30. Watch reality shows

Same idea here. Reality shows also have the bonus of being a bit more entertaining than vlogs.

31. Keep track of the times you get into a slump

Figure out if there is a common trigger that gets you into a slump. If there is, it will be easier to avoid slumps in the future.

32. Keep track of the things that get you out of the slump

Just as important as knowing a potential trigger knows the solution that works for you.

Figure out what motivates and inspires you, and make sure to use it regularly.

33. Play Animal Crossing/Sims/ANNO

If your real life is in a slump, it can be great to escape into virtual life.

How about spending some time playing animal crossing or Sims or ANNO?

34. Create a secret Instagram Account purely for inspiration

Sometimes it is great to be a little less social and a bit more private.

You can create a secret Instagram account without telling anyone about it. That way you can follow all the accounts and like all the pins you want without your followers noticing.

Go and subscribe purely to inspirational and motivational accounts. Nothing that makes you feel in any shape or form negative.

35. Use affirmations

While stuck in a slump, it’s easy to fall into negative self-talk. Make sure to combat this toxic habit by using positive affirmations often.

36. Start a gratitude list

You can’t be grateful and at the same time feel bored, lost, or unmotivated.

If you manage to feel truly grateful, these other emotions can’t exist at the same time.

37. Take a different route to and from work/school

Variety is key to get out of a slump. So how about changing something small, like the route you take to and from work or school?

Driving back from uni, I always take a more fun route which is still about the same length as the quickest option. I truly live for those few minutes of more fun.

38. Create a bucket list

Getting excited about your future is perhaps the most powerful way to get out of a slump.

Create a bucket list of the things you want to do in your life, in your 20s, or after your degree.

39. Choose pleasure over productivity/efficiency more often

You are not a machine; you are human. We are meant to experience pleasure in our lives.

This can mean studying in the sunshine for a while even though you can’t focus your best there.

Allow yourself to feel good even if it isn’t the most efficient option.

40. Find new hair products

I love discovering a new hair care product. Using a product with a fresh scent, texture and color gives my life a tiny bit more variety and excitement.

41. Find new skincare products

The same goes for a new skincare product.

42. Have a pamper day

How about some face masks and a bath with candles?

Or you could even go out and get a massage!

Treat yourself! It’s the perfect time to do so while stuck in a slump.

43. Hire a coach/Get a discovery coaching session

A coach or mentor is there to kick you in your butt and get you moving when you feel stuck, unmotivated, or make excuses.

Therefore they can be a powerful ally in helping you to get out of a slump.

44. Watch a documentation about someone’s journey

Last year I watched the Black Pink documentary on Netflix. Let me tell you, it got me so fired up!

For days afterward, I was inspired and felt ready to hustle.

Seeing people working passionately just makes you want to follow along.

45. Start listening to a (new) Podcast while doing chores/working out

Podcasts have been such a powerful source of inspiration for me ever since I discovered them.

They make me want to be a better person and introduce me to new books and courses.

46. Keep a habit tracker

Nothing motivates quite as much as keeping a streak alive.

So start tracking your daily habits and fight to keep the stream going.

47. Take tiny steps

It’s ok to be in a slump and unmotivated once in a while. You don’t need to do great and life-changing things if you are unmotivated.

But try to take the first tiny step of this project or task, and after that, see if you have it in you to take another small step.

48. Visualize your dream life

If you do it right, visualizing yourself living your dream life will make excitement bloom in your chest.

A smile will start to spread across your face as you feel the feelings you will be feeling in that dream life.

Having that vision before your eyes will motivate you to start hustling again.

49. Script about your dream life

Take out your journal and write in the present tense about your day or your thoughts as if you were already living your dream life.

If done right, this should have the same effect as visualizing your dream life.

50. Create playlists for different chores/seasons/moods

There is so much great music out there for every mood and situation.

Take some time to sort your favorite songs into different playlists that you can listen to at the right time to get motivated and inspired.

51. Discover Spotify playlists for your favorite fictional character

I love the feeling of becoming obsessed with a new song.

I sometimes look through Spotify for public playlists that are themed according to a fictional character to discover new music. (e. g. Tommy Shelby, the Marauders)

52. Get scented candles/sticks or a diffusor with essential oils

You can also bring variety into your life through pleasant scents.

Get yourself deliciously scented candles, aroma sticks, or essential oils.

53. Get a new planner

Usually, new planners always go hand in hand with a new year or new school year.

This feeling of a new start is very much needed during a slump, so why not get yourself a new gorgeous planner right now?

54. Get a new haircut/color

A new haircut or color can make you feel like a whole new person.

What tool could help you better to get out of a slump?

55. Try out non-permanent tattoos

And lastly, something I’ve been wanting to do ever since I discovered Inkbox.

Semi-permanent tattoos are a fun way to experiment and make you happy every time you look at the tattoo.

Let that black ink help you to get out of a slump!

That’s it!

What is your favorite idea to get out of a slump?

Do you have any additional ideas to share?

Until next time!

Sophie

Personal Development

1. You love the process at least as much as the goal

2. You love luxury not ‘just because’ but due to the feelings and experiences it provides

3. You want to experience it all

4. You find joy in the things that annoy others

5. It pains you less when one door closes because you know another will open

6. You are less willing to stay in situations that make you unhappy

7. You passionately work on improving yourself and your life in every possible way

8. You value your health but not to the extent that it keeps you from living

9. You allow yourself to follow your gut instead of strict logic

10. You value what you do have every day

11. You are your own priority

12. You gossip less

13. You use social media more as a creator than a consumer

Book Review

Lessons

1. Letting your subconscious mind take over can make teamwork much more effective

2. Being ‘in the zone,’ doing mythical rituals, and taking psychedelics all cause a state of Ecstasis

3. The guesswork, grind, and risks to get into flow are over!

4. Being in Flow is freaking POWERFUL

5. Even just one experience of Ecstasis can change your life forever

6. Ecstasis can be kinky

7. Most adults don’t reach higher stages of personal development

8. Don’t underestimate the impact of your physiology on your emotions!

9. Ecstasis can cause ego inflation

10. There is no right or wrong ecstasis tool

11. Great power can be misused and requires a lot of responsibility

1. Follow a financial plan

2. Always study something

3. Meditating

4. Journaling

5. Summarize your day in one-two sentences

6. Start a business

7. Wear sunscreen

8. Take care of hormonal imbalances the natural way

9. Write a last will + discuss your funeral

10. Get a drivers license

11. Getting a passport

12. Learn how to read faster

13. Get a job during your summer break

14. Reading books with a variety of topics

15. Keeping a dream journal

16. Writing down at least a rough draft of your imaginary plots

17. Keeping the original packaging of tech stuff

18. Collecting all relevant receipts of the year

19. Anticipating recurring expenses

20. Set up automatic backups of your digital devices

21. Sort and delete the photos you’ve taken

22. Trying out many different things

23. Avoid too loud music

24. Taking the time to find healthy skin and hair care products

25. Keep an eye out for limiting beliefs and negative self-talk and deal with it right away

26. Write motivational notes/Record a motivational speech

27. Block a bit of time daily for personal development

28. Make sure to notice when you are being foolishly stubborn and course correct

29. Learn a few easy recipes by heart

30. Know the language of food and wine

31. Have a power bank and charger in your bag

32. Create a reusable packing list of all your fundamentals

33. Learn how to wrap gifts properly

1. An excess amount of legroom wherever you are

2. Smaller Clothes = More Luggage Space

3. Always Enough Blanket Left To Cuddle Into

4. Effortless cuteness

5. Most likely smaller than your boyfriend/girlfriend

6. You can get cheaper shoes from the kids’ section

7. You can wear high heels without towering over people

8. You don’t have to squeeze yourself into sportscars

9. You often seem younger than you are

10. You won’t have anyone breathing into your neck in cramped public transportation

11. You’re always going to be on top of a human pyramid!

12. Easier to slip through crowds

13. You’re rarely at risk of hitting your head somewhere

14. You often get the front row place because you don’t obstruct the view

15. Taking photos from above makes you look great, so be glad people have to look down on you

16. You’re part of the petite club – you will instantly bond with petites all over the world!

17. Being petite makes you more unique

Reading Experience

Lessons

1. Hard work alone won’t make you wealthy; you need a plan