Everyday, we feel overwhelmed as we need to comply with urgencies that the society is imposing to us. Study, work, social relationships, appearance and (w)health care, directly or not, create pressure over each one of us. Indeed, the crisis, the war and unpleasant scenarios on the big screens overstate the situation. That is why revealing keep swimming as my blog motto has been the best ‘short but sweet’ form of self-expression.
Keep swimming stands for an encouragement to be always curios and motivated in order to explore the best version of ourselves despite external, brutal forces shaping the surroundings. Life should all be about ourselves as individuals as well as ourselves in the discourse with others. Both relationships, the one with yourself and the one with others, are the most powerful weapons to grow and strengthen your soul.
Therefore, throughout this post, I will suggest some of the little things you could embrace in order to keep swimming in an ever-changing ocean of up and down waves.
EMBRACE THE ART OF JOURNALING
You should never underestimate the art of journaling. To me, it represents the most powerful and efficient way to keep swimming. For those who are not familiar with journaling, it is nothing but a stream of consciousness. It is a discussion with your inner self where you reflect on your present and future goals, a deep dive into your human being as well as a safe place to share your feelings.
I personally do this a lot during my free time as I feel so rewarded by doing it. Every week, I sit down and think about my long term and short term goals plus I explore feasible means for achievement. While setting goals, I even want to think about my relationships: have I been a good person? did this relationship with this person improve me so far? did I do my part to be a kinder person?
Plus, when novelties happen, I overthink and I ask myself what either fulfils or drains me? what makes me feel ‘up’ and what ‘down’?
This mental game with only but my character has become the best treatment to keep swimming and never give up in the mission of becoming a better version of myself.
READ TO BE INSPIRED
Keep swimming motto has always been intrinsic into myself as I have always been an extremely curios person. I like to explore different sources of contents and mostly, on a daily basis, I try to find inspirations into everything I do. The best form of inspirations to me are writers: I enjoy reading other people’s points of view and reflect.
For instance, this summer, I read a fascinating book from an inspiring personality who currently runs as a model of independence, strength, empowerment and motivation to me. From this book, I got stuck at the so called “commandments”, which you should embrace as follows.
- Be thankful for everything, both orally and written.
- Do not go to sleep angry.
- Always speak up about what does not satisfy you, and find the best way and moment to share it.
- Forgive.
- (and then, it comes my favorite one) Be aware that there is always a solution, but often, to find one, you have to look further. Still, keeping in mind that all the resources and answers are already inside yourself!
- Adapt yourself to people, cultures and circumstances without expecting the opposite.
- Reformulate a question if you need time to look for an appropriate answer.
NEVER UNDER-ESTIMATE PODCASTS
Among social media related platforms, I find podcasts to be the most exciting, entertaining and inspiring source to listen to. Usually, during the back and forth from work, I listen to podcasts and motivational ones revealed to be my personal favourites. The conversation between strangers opens up a wide scenario where you find yourself acknowledging new, different and reinvigorating perspectives to face the everyday routine.
Among my own favourites, you should listen to some episodes of:
- Beyond the To do List : it provides a reflection on how to keep swimming, being more productive but still preserving creativity, identity and mentorship.
- The Good Life Project: it displays provoking questions and topics around self-improvement to reflect upon! Very suggested ep.5 about Life-changing Relationship Habits
- The Happier Podcast: dealing with happiness and the sources to cultivate in order to get an happiness boost. The coolest thing that this podcast does, consists of exploring the concept of happiness from the most complex till the most usual things. For more, try to listen to this one episode: Happiness of Easy Shopping Returns, Great Interviews of Interesting People, and Dogs !
SUBSCRIBE TO A MOTIVATIONAL NEWSLETTER
When looking for ways to keep swimming on a daily basis, I mostly rely upon my favourite newsletter, The Universe. By subscribing to this newsletter, you will be daily encouraged by a personalised message. This newsletter is nothing but a fresh start both on good and average days.
Honestly, these customised and sometimes very astonishing messages really helped myself to keep swimming, while shaping my daily performance towards both myself and the others.
Therefore, I highly suggest you to give it a try and subscribe to it!
FOLLOW @itslennnie FOR MIND-BLOWING PROMPTS
Even IF it may seem just an animation talking, there is more (and it is worth the watching!)
BE POSITIVE AS POSITIVITY GENERATES POSITIVITY 🙂
The last piece of advice I would like to share in order to make you keep swimming would be being positive! It is okay to not always be positive, especially given those hard times happening. But still, we never have to forget how lucky we are. We need to be positive and grateful for the present and the future. Just like that, we would attract positivity to ourselves. An ambience of positivity surrounding us would totally influence our mindsets, turning off mean, sad, discouraging, stressful, overwhelming thoughts jumping out of our head (my sister agreeing now lol!).
It is very true to admit that the hardest part in this keep swimming journey would absolutely concern being positive. However, it is also the most empowering mean to make the difference in strengthening ourselves!
So, from which little thing will you start in order to keep swimming? Let me know in the comments box below!
Until next post (of course),
Let’s keep swimming!!!!
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