Truthful Blogging

I have been on a blogging hiatus due to major writers block and not really wanting to write. I made it to a point though where I am okay with that. I used to beat myself up if I didn’t have anything to write or if I didn’t post something at least once a week.

I realised blogging should never be a chore. I started blogging for my love of writing and sharing my thoughts with others and that is why I will continue to blog. I realised there is no “right” way to do something. If I want to post a piece once a month that is fine. Blogging should be about you and your readers and that is it. It shouldn’t be restricted to timelines and certain days you need to post. Blogging should be enjoyable and each post should mean something. There isn’t a need to post something just to get a post up. I found myself writing things just to make sure I got something up and that wasn’t me. The writing wouldn’t be honest and truthful which is the opposite of what I want.

When it comes to blogging there is no right way to do it. As long as you are writing what you want and it comes from the heart that is all that matters.

Carly Jensen xo

Guided Meditation

For those who struggle with meditation this will help you get started. Meditation is the act of observing your own thoughts and not being critical about what you’re thinking. The best way to describe meditation is to pretend your thoughts are clouds in the sky and you are laying in a field watching the clouds go by. You aren’t there to follow the clouds you are just there to observe them as they past.

You are not there to follow one constant thought you are only there to observe. The good thing about guided meditation is that it talks your through the whole entire process. It helps you focus on the present and calm your mind with a bit more help. A guided mediation talks you through everything which helps you focus on the present more and not let your mind focus so intensely on one thought.

To find good guided meditations just check them out on youtube and see what one works best for you. I also recommend downloading an app that will help as well. Once or twice a day anywhere from 5- 20 minutes is enough for you to relax and let your mind settle down. Some of my favourite guided meditation apps are Sleep Easily, Smiling Mind, Take a Break and Headspace.

Try guided meditations and see how you go!

Carly Jensen xo

Writers Block

It happens to the best of us and it comes out of nowhere. Some days you are filled with ideas and others you have no idea what to write about. All bloggers, writers and creatives battle with this problem and I have found some ways to conquer it so that it doesn’t get the best of you.

Writers block to me is.. “a stop in your creative juices” leading to pretty much no thoughts. This obviously happens because even though the mind is constantly thinking it is tough for it to come up with new innovative ideas all the time. The best thing you can do for writers block is to step completely outside the situation and do something different.

1) Be Creative – Draw, paint, make a mind map in order to get those creative juices flowing. Take yourself away from the writing and find another creative outlook.

2) Go for a Run/Walk – Not only does exercise release endorphins it also helps you come up with ideas. Anytime I go for a walk or run I come up with new things to write about.

3) Face the Problem – When I can’t think of what to write, I face it head on and talk about it. Make a post about what your feeling and what is going through your mind.

Good luck and happy writing!

Carly Jensen xo

Who Are You?

Who are you? What is your purpose? Why do you continue to go to that job you hate? I will be harsh here and say its a cop out. You would rather be average and not pursue your passion. Why? Whether you believe in reincarnation or heaven, one thing we all know is that nobody is sure what comes next. Why waste what you have? Who cares if you fail? You have nothing to prove to anyone so why not make a splash. Be fearless! Nobody is judging you so go on and be who your meant to. What would it take you to go in the direction of your dreams? Would you need someone to tell you it was your last day on earth? At the end of the day you have to make the change yourself. Why not make that change today?

Look in the mirror ask yourself “Who am I?” Go be that.

Carly Jensen xo

 

 

 

Photo taken from http://www.worldaccordingtomaggie.com

Learn to laugh at yourself

If I can teach you anything about this life, it would be to not take yourself so seriously. People tend to take themselves way to seriously which leads to a lot of unhappiness and a pretty boring life. You were put on this earth to laugh, to smile and especially at yourself. Why take every moment of each day so seriously? Live each moment having fun and enjoying yourself, you ain’t got anything to prove to anyone so have some fun.

I don’t have all the answers but I know that by not taking yourself too seriously you tend to lead a happier life. I am constantly making silly little mistakes on a daily basis, you probably could never tell though. My secret is that I laugh at them when I do. I turn the slip ups in life into positives and keep moving forward. I have said enough things that are very questionable but I just laugh them off and keep on going. You have to let go of the need to be perfect.

Carly Jensen xo

No need to panic, Instagram isn’t everything!

As soon as I deleted it off my phone, my hands began to shake. Two days of no Instagram how was I going to cope? Well I better go about my day as usual I thought. Without having Instagram on my phone I wasn’t tempted once to look at it. I began to realise that life didn’t end just because I couldn’t look at photos 24/7. It was quite a freeing feeling not having to worry about constantly checking photos. If you become hooked enough on Instagram it can feel as though its your job to make sure you see all the photos. I felt free and I realised I didn’t even look at my phone. It showed me that the majority of my phone time was spent on Instagram and once I didn’t have it I had more free time  to spend on important things.

Reasons to give Instagram a rest:

1) There is more to life than obsessing over photos.

2) Everything is okay in moderation – Don’t quit it altogether but give yourself a rest once a month.

3) Build stronger relationships with the people you know – You will be surprised how much there is to talk about and connect with people when you don’t bring your phone places.

4) Focus more on your important tasks – Whether it be blogging, homework or a new project, you have more time to focus and create quality work.

I challenge everyone to give up Instagram for two days every month!

Good Luck,

Carly Jensen xo

Two days without Instagram

 

Okay now I know some of you read the title and thought to yourself, “how hard can that be?” Well for some of you I bet it would be a walk in the park but for someone like me it is going to be damn hard. I have been challenged to go two days without Instagram and I have had to delete it off my phone.

This whole challenge came about because I am constantly on Instagram going through the feed acting like its the end of the world if I miss a photo. I guess you could say that I’m highly addicted. In my head though I feel like I enjoy staying connected for many different reasons. I like to keep on top of trends and see what people are into. I need to know what’s going on in the food industry, what restaurants are people going to and what is the talk of the town. I studied Public Relations for god sakes, of course I need social media in my life. It has come to a point though where I need to try this two day stint and see how I feel after.

Is the world going to end if I miss a photo? Will I still be the same person without Instagram for two days? I think I already know the answers to these questions but I will report back once I know more. For now, I can let go of that stressful feeling of needing to see all the photos, and maybe just maybe look up more and enjoy the beauty around me.

 

Carly Jensen xo

Social Media – The Love/Hate Relationship

Addictions come in all shapes and sizes, often times in the traditional form of drugs, alcohol and gambling. However we’re now seeing new addictions in the form of social media and selfies, also spiking the endorphins in our brain. I have a severe addiction to my phone, like many people do. When I wake up I like to check my Instagram feed to see what has happened during the 8 hours I had been asleep. I call this post the love/hate relationship because it truly is something I love to do and at other times need to learn to switch off.

There are plenty of critics out there that will say our generation doesn’t understand the true meaning of face to face relationships anymore. I will even admit, when I walk to the train in the morning before work I am looking at my phone, and when I look up, everyone else is too. I believe the power of social media and the internet has created a virtual life for each and every one of us that makes us feel like we are right inside our phones. When I look at the photos from a dinner I had the other night it makes me feel like I am experiencing it all again. We have a need to stay connected and I don’t believe it is necessarily a bad thing, I think we just need to learn to switch off at times as well.

The reason I know social media isn’t a terrible thing is because most of my career success has been launched from it. Whether it be writing my blog, posting photos for people to see or learning new things to further my potential, social media has enabled me to do so. For that I am ever so grateful and thankful. The only time it gets in the way is when I stare at my phone for too long looking at absolutely nothing. There comes a point of addiction where I will keeping trying to scroll through Instagram hoping a new photo will be there to feed my brain. I am sitting there waiting for a new delicious coffee photo, a new beach picture, just to keep my brain buzzing. This is what we do to ourselves when it becomes too much. We wait for new pictures, new gossip and new stories in order to keep ourselves entertained. We are in a day and age where we constantly need to be stimulated.

My tips to switching off from time to time:

1) Separate yourself from your phone for at least 1 hour a day – Whether you are going to the gym, going to grocery shop or whatever it might be…leave your phone at home and talk to the person you are with. If you are not with anyone, try to look around, there’s a lot to see right in front of you.

2) Go outside! – Go for a walk, a run, or play a sport.. It is hard to hold your phone while you are doing something active!

3) Let go of needing to know every detail – If you can’t make it to the bottom of the Instagram scroll… ITS OKAY! You are still alive, you didn’t miss anything, life is still happening.

Carly Jensen xo

Photo credit: guardianlv.com, Banksy

Sleep Your Way to Success?

 

Do you ever feel like there are not enough hours in a day? I struggled with this for a long time until I realised that in order to get everything you want done, sometimes you have to stick it out and stay up late. You may have heard the saying “successful people don’t sleep,” well they definitely do but probably not as much as you and I. Did you know that the average person can live a healthy life off just 6-7 hours of sleep a night! Successful individuals understand the meaning of hard work and understand that if you work a full time job and have a lot of other objectives you want to achieve, then waking up at 5 am is a must. I am writing this a 12am and that is late for me.  And while I find it hard to stay up late sometimes, especially when the easy way out is to jump in my cozy bed and get some rest, I know it’s what i have to do to achieve my goals.

I believe it is important if you are working towards other goals in life to make sure you hustle your ass off either late at night or early in the morning. Believe me I know how important sleep is but I also know how important fulfilling your dreams are. Blogging for instance is something I can only get done at night because I have my full time life going on around that. I have two choices, either stay up late and focus on my two blogs I’m currently running or go to bed and get nothing done.

I am encouraging you in this post to find what works for you, be it either late at nights or early mornings to work on your passions. I know sleep is nice, but imagine how empowering it will feel after you reach your goal. On the other hand, reflect on what it feels like waking up and knowing that you haven’t achieved everything you could. Hustle, hustle, hustle so that one day you can sleep easily.

Carly Jensen xo

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credit:http://studentlife.umich.edu

What Gets You Out Of Bed?

Why do you get out of bed in the morning? What drives you? What is that one thing that makes you face the day? Everyone has something. Maybe you have more than one thing. Maybe it is your kick ass job. Maybe it is the job you are trying to get. Maybe you get out of bed for someone in particular. I want you to ask yourself this question and if you can’t think of anything you ain’t trying hard enough. If you don’t have something why get out of bed? Do you do it because you have to or because it is what society claims as socially acceptable.

Why not get out of bed in the morning with a purpose. Brainstorm your reasons and see how far you can take it. If making money drives you to get out of bed then ask yourself why? What will that money do for you? Is it for your own self worth? Do you get out of bed to feel like you’ve made it? To help give yourself a feeling of success.

You have to have a reason, you got to have a purpose. I stress this so much because people everyday drift around without a purpose. You were not put on this earth to “drift” you were put on earth because you are powerful beyond belief and you DO have a purpose. Starting tomorrow I want you to wake up with something in mind. Whether you have 10 things your waking up for or only 1 it doesn’t matter. Waking up with a reason to be alive is not only good for yourself it will rub off on the people around you.

Carly Jensen xo