Tag: personal development

Mindfulness

Are You Losing Focus?

by Ana-MariaLeave a Comment on Are You Losing Focus?
Are You Losing Focus?

Remember the time you went to the pharmacy to buy bandages, and you spent 15 minutes wondering which kind to choose?

Correct. The irony is that too many options tend to leave us scattered and prone to underestimating the value of choosing ONE thing at the time and excelling at it, without getting deteriorated from our most important tasks.

If you find it difficult to stay focused on ONE thing at the time, don’t worry. I got you covered!

The  fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) is triggered by the lack of personal boundaries: to prioritize our main goals even if that means saying “no” to less important tasks or hobbies.

As Steve Jobs said, Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.

⤵️
That means honoring our non-negotiable priorities.
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Honoring our non-negotiable priorities requires focus.

Having laser focus requires discipline.

First, allow me to say— I wasn’t born disciplined. I have always been swayed by multiple hobbies and interests:

I love dancing, I love traveling, I love art, I love photography, I love reading, I love writing, I love yoga, I love meeting new people.
However, my main focus, at the moment, is my coaching work. Why?! Because it’s humanitarian and it helps people to feel better.

Having hobbies is not the same as having a life purpose.

How did I say “no” to my other hobbies without feeling as if I was missing out?

By honoring my committed “YES” to coaching clients as my ONE primary focus.

We all have 24 h in a day. The key to being more disciplined is to being clear on what needs to be done FIRST before anything else. This means that, sometimes, we have to turn down requests and miss other fun activities. Remember, there is always be something else that seems appealing or more exciting to do than our current tasks. It is always our own choice how to spend out time.

It’s a perk and a peril to live in a society where there is an overflowing stream of options: from leisure to Netflix, to dining out and even dating. When we have too many options we often find it difficult to stay committed to one main thing.

Download the one-thing-check-list to get started.

onethingchecklistpdfDownload

Try the techniques in this exercise for at least five days and if you still need help to stay on track with your prioritize – schedule a consultation with me.

Empowerment

Why You Are Not Making Progress and What To Do Instead

by Ana-Maria1 Comment on Why You Are Not Making Progress and What To Do Instead
Why You Are Not Making Progress and What To Do Instead

Procrastination is a dark tunnel that swallows us into a vacuum of stagnation that keeps us stuck — and, I am sure you can agree, feeling stuck sucks.

That doesn’t have to be the case though!

There are two main reasons why we procrastinate:

1) We don’t have clarity what to do in order to move forward and feel confused where to start

2) We know that what we have to do is A LOT so we choose to do nothing

Here are my recommendations on what to do FIRST to avoid doing ZERO.

1) Break your goal into small measurable action steps that are actionable and executable within a given time frame

For example: if you want to write a book, begin by writing the first chapter…and the next one, and the next one, etc…

The same formula applies to all projects. 

2) Create the habit of scheduling things based on their priority ranking

Again, it is essential to choose a time-frame that is realistic and doable.  

I like to structure my goals in a 90-day period. It is not too short to stress me out and not too long to allow me to stay behind.

When you create your list, begin with the goals that are of uttermost importance. Usually, they are the ones that are the most intimidating.

3) Declutter your mind by decluttering your environment

  • Does your work environment enhance your productivity, or does it lead you to distractions? 
  • Are you prioritizing your primary goals, or are you jiggling so many things you’re losing motivation to do any of them?
  • Do you check your e-mail/Facebook/Instagram more often than is necessary to stay up to date

Chances are the digital world can survive on its own even if you shut down your mobile device. By shutting down the external noise, we shut down the noise of distraction. This is one of the many reasons I practice meditation.:)

And if you feel you need more breaks, try the pomodoro technique*.

The pomodoro technique is a time management method based on 25-minute stretches of focused work broken by 3-to-5 minute breaks and 15-to-30 minute breaks following the completion of four work periods.

To recap:

1) When we start a new project, we are programmed to experience discomfort. Often we justify our procrastination by telling us that something else is more ”important.” The key to building discipline is to follow the order of your priorities by completing what`s most important FIRST before you move on to your next task.

2) The bigger the change, the smaller (yet consistent!) the action steps should be. No progress is linear, and occasional setbacks are to be expected. Instead of beating yourself, re-frame your mindset to navigate obstacles as you would navigate roadblocks – with patience.

3) By breaking down your goals in small actionable steps, you’re going to see progress without getting overwhelmed.

Small and steady wins the race!

Don`t foget to download your self-assessment sheet.

getting-to-the-root-of-procrastinationDownload

Cheering you on,

Ana-Maria

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Empowerment, Lifestyle, Mindfulness

A 5-Step Formula To Beat Procrastination And Get Things Done

by Ana-Maria2 Comments on A 5-Step Formula To Beat Procrastination And Get Things Done
A 5-Step Formula To Beat Procrastination And Get Things Done

This is a Straightforward Guide How To Start & Finish Anything:

In 5 Effective Steps

S. Shoot for accountability

This is the most fundamental step of starting anything: a project, a career change, a personal transformation, even a new relationship.

We have to stay accountable that we are moving from wishful thinking to practical execution. Knowing what needs to get done is far different from doing it. Depending on your personality, staying accountable might mean different things. Some folks are innately more disciplined than others and can get away with merely adding a note on their calendar. If you feel hesitant to depend on other people to keep you accountable, do it yourself but be very strategic about it. 

For example: if you have been meaning to fix your car “forever”, adding a reminder on your phone that says “fix my car” is not helpful. Our brain does not follow ambiguous massages; it only follows clear instructions within a specific context.

A much more useful reminder would be “reminding myself to fix my car by Friday,” followed by a reminder “did I do it yet?” It is likely that you will feel quite uncomfortable if you don’t follow your own instructions. I mean, who else would take us seriously if we don`t keep our own word?!

T. Tune in to your “why”

Let’s move on to step two: finding your “why.” 

Whether you want to fix your car to prevent future damage, or you want to shed stubborn weight/change your job/travel more/learn a new language/etc, you can’t start without being clear on your “why.” 

I am sure you’ve encountered people who keep talking and talking about the vacation they wish to take or the healthier diet they are eager to adopt, without doing anything about it. Why? Because they are not clear on their why.  

To achieve clarity and solidify your motivation to s.t.a.r.t, take your journal, and answer these questions with your complete honesty and undivided attention. 

  •  1) My decision to start… (fill in the blank)
  •  2) By starting this…, I am looking to achieve…
  •  3) Starting this… is important to me because….
  •  4) Once I start…I am going to feel more

    (    accomplished/disciplined/in shape/… choose the emotion that describes you best) in my life
  •  5) Starting this… is important to me because….
  •  6) If I don’t start right now, I will feel….

    (    defeated/fearful/unfulfilled/far away from my goals/...choose the emotion that describes you best)

A. Aim for consistency

I know that you know that knowledge alone doesn’t equal behavior change.

Even after you have established accountability and are clear on your why, you still need to do it. Some projects get done in a day while others require our full commitment for an extended period of time. Before you start, decide what you want, then break it down to an attainable goal.  Instead of planning to remodel your entire home in one day, which sounds intimidating from the very beginning, make sure your goal is specific, measurable and achievable, realistic and time-bound. (read more here ).


Consistency equals discipline. 

R. Regain responsibility

Regaining responsibility stands for regaining control of your life. We are all human; we all experience days when procrastination seductively creeps in tempting us to give in. However, if you are committed to yourself, you regain your motivation much faster than if you were not responsible for your actions.

The power is in you; you just have to seize it.

T. Take action RIGHT NOW!

Whatever you would like to s.t.a.r.t, do it now. Write down your goal, call a friend, do a google search, order a book, talk to your spouse, go for a walk to clear your head, move your body, eat your veggies… Whatever it takes to get you started, do it. And do it now.

~ There is never a more in/convenient time than now. 

Just s.t.a.r.t.

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Contact Me, Empowerment, Lifestyle, Mindfulness, Recipes

Free Resources

Featuredby Ana-MariaLeave a Comment on Free Resources

The resources you will find here are complimentary. There is no credit card involved, and my only request is that you spread the word and share this link with your friends. 🙂



YourPersonalPowerMeditDownload
MorningEnergyMedDownload
GuidedMeditToAttainYourIdealWeightDownload
SayingYEStoyourselfGuidedMeditDownload
ActivationMeditationDownload
UseThisVisualizationToBeatProcrastinationDownload


AffirmforapositivetransfDownload
AttractMoreAbundanceDownload
MasteryouremotionsaffirmDownload
Heart-opening-affirmationsDownload
antiagingaffirmbeautyboosterDownload


TapintoyourinnerwisdomexerciseDownload
WoundologylistDownload
Yourintrinsicvalue_reflectionDownload
Personalpowerhandout2020Download
what_to_eat_eatcheatsheetDownload


AllPurposeDressingDownload
simplesaladdreessingDownload
plantproteinsourcesDownload
proteincoffeeshakeDownload
strawberrycollagsmoothieDownload
lowcarbmisokelpnoodlesDownload
beautifyingbeetsaladDownload
mangosmoothieDownload
broccolisouppdfDownload
chailatterecipeDownload
currycauliflowerfloretsDownload

~ Ana-Maria (lunavoda@icloud.com)

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Mindfulness

How To Use Non-Violent Communication To Strenghten Your Communication Skills

by Ana-MariaLeave a Comment on How To Use Non-Violent Communication To Strenghten Your Communication Skills
How To Use Non-Violent Communication To Strenghten Your Communication Skills

The term “nonviolent communication” is best known as a method of communication created and synthesized by the late psychologist Marshall Rosenberg.

In his The 4-Part NVC Proces, Rosenberg established four steps that could guide us to express our emotions clearly and without blaming or criticizing, and to empathetically receive what other people are conveying to us – without hearing blame or criticism. 

Relationships are hard but also essential for our growth. Anthony Giddins, a pioneer of the study of sociology, argued that being left in isolation is one of the most forceful punishments. 

Human interaction is essential for our well-being. However, just because we are articulating our thoughts verbally doesn’t mean we are communicating with each other effectively. The 4-step method created by Rosenberg gives us the tools to do that. In this article, I am breaking down the concept of non-violent communication and guiding you how to execute it in your own relationships.

1. Observe and recap

  • recapping what someone has said, without emotional input
  • not attaching any judgment or “story” to your response

i.e., ”I hear you say…” instead of “You just said…”.

2. Describe emotions, not opinions

  • talk feelings, not issues.
  • don`t state your opinions as facts
  • stay open for the other person`s point of view

i.e., expressing what are you feeling without translating your emotions into blame. For example: “I am feeling a bit neglected right now. Let`s work it out,” as opposed to “I am sick of you not finding time for this relationship. It`s over.”

3. Identify needs

Rosenberg found that human needs universally fall into one of a handful of categories, including connection, honesty, peace, play, physical well-being, a sense of meaning, and autonomy.

  • take a moment to identify what you need as opposed to what are you feeling alone

i.e., you might feel neglected, but if you dig deeper you may find that your unmet need is about connection and quality time with your partner. If you are the recipient of your partner`s unmet needs, on the other hand, commit to listening first instead of reacting impulsively and feeling blamed.

4. Make a request

  • clearly requesting that which would meet your spoken needs without demanding or nagging
  • empathetically receiving a request without being judgemental or unwilling to take it into consideration

i.e. “Would you be willing to create more time for intimacy?”- on the requesting end, and “I am setting the intention to create more conscious time for intimacy” on the receiving end.

If you would like to read more on this topic, review the related articles under this link (or scroll down the feed)

New e-mail every Wednesday. Your e-mail stays private. Always!

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Empowerment, Mindfulness

Accept and Let It Go: How To Use Less Control and Be At Peace

by Ana-MariaLeave a Comment on Accept and Let It Go: How To Use Less Control and Be At Peace
Accept and Let It Go: How To Use Less Control and Be At Peace

True acceptance means letting go. 


What does it mean to let go of attachments? It means to accept what you cannot change and be at peace with the outcome: regardless if it is what you thought you wanted.

Life is an intricate balance of a constant push&pull. When we don’t resist the flow of the Universe, we flow effortlessly with its messages.

What we resist, however, always persists. We attract the same people and situations when we stay confined in the limitations of our mental conditioning. 

If you don’t make the conscious decision to change your reaction to events, you remain enslaved to outside influence. WHEN WE LEARN HOW TO WITNESS CHALLENGES WITH STILLNESS, PEACE, AND EMOTIONAL NEUTRALITY, WE EVENTUALLY LEARN THE LESSON AND GROW FROM OUR MISTAKES.

The practice of acceptance and letting go means we stop waiting on other people to “complete” us, make us feel loved, seen, wanted, appreciated, and recognized for our accomplishments. 

No one can complete us if we don’t already feel whole and complete in ourselves. If you don’t think you’re worthy of love, success, and happiness, life will confirm these beliefs.

Loving yourself is far different from being prideful or self-conceited. The practice of conscious self-love means you accept your imperfections and feel comfortable in your skin without searching for outside approval. 

We only have one” now” to love, accept, and appreciate ourselves. We either seize it, or we miss another day to shine and thrive.

It isn’t our responsibility to monitor other people’s perception of us but is our responsibility to project clearly our boundaries and self-respect. 

When we take a step forward toward valuing ourselves more, our relationships begin to shift and transform towards mutual trust, respect, and acceptance. 

How do you practice letting go? Let me know!



If you enjoyed this post, come join my weekly e-mail list: for additional resources on mindfulness, self-awareness and personal development.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cstrongu003e~ I will see you there.u003c/strongu003eu003cbru003eAna-Maria

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Uncategorized

How To Script Your Most Ideal Future

by Ana-MariaLeave a Comment on How To Script Your Most Ideal Future
How To Script Your Most Ideal Future

The purpose of this exercise is to help you crystalize what is it You really, really want, how to get there, and how to already live in this reality: by planting the seeds in your subconscious mind.

To receive the full benefit of this exercise, please download the file below.

Warning! The following blogpost contains a blueprint for unstoppable success

ScriptYourFutureNowDownload

If you like this exercise and don’t want to miss any of my free content, jump on board here:

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