Hello Talkers!
Happy equinox week! As regular readers would know, I’m a big fan of being more mindful of the cycles of nature as a means of being present and the equinox is a major turning point in the year because it’s when the days and nights are even in length. Here in the Southern Hemisphere our days are now getting longer after the Spring Equinox, and in the Northern Hemisphere days are growing shorter following the Autumn/Fall Equinox.
Why am I giving you a lesson in planetary science? Because it’s a wonderful time to pause and reflect on the previous six months and plan for the next six months. For me, that has meant a whole bunch of spring cleaning and outdoor work has started along with hatching plans to finally make some progress with my renovations (when I tell you that all we have done in the past 18 months is install a couple of large cupboards and hang three pictures, I am not exaggerating).
It’s a lovely time to think about what you want to achieve over the next six months and how you can turn your goals and dreams into reality. One of the things I’ve done in that space has been to launch Spanish versions of my weekly podcast episode transcripts; my audience from Spanish-speaking countries and backgrounds has grown quite rapidly and I was asked if this is something I would consider doing… to which the answer was not only ‘yes!’ but also that I would be honoured to do so. If you or someone you know speaks Spanish, then you can find the translated version of the transcript linked at the top of the English language version each week starting from Episode 97 (here is the first one).
So with that covered… here’s a quick snapshot of my favourite things this week — hopefully at least one will make you smile/smirk/feel inspired. Have a fantastic week and a brilliant weekend!
Jeremy 😃
PS: Final days to enter my #LTAMH100 giveaway which closes on September 24, good luck to everyone who has entered so far! For rules click here.
My favourite things this week:
1. Social media — Life changes quickly… from @tinybuddhaofficial [via Instagram]
This post by @tinybuddhaofficial reminds me of a lyric from one of my favourite Kim Wilde songs, You Came (1988): “In the space of a year, I’ve watched the old me disappear” — the thing is that things really can (and do) change in just a year. And you really do deserve more so be brave enough to demand more and disciplined enough to actually work for more. I speak from first-hand experience when I say a lot can happen in just a year; this time last year my podcast had achieved total plays of 72,533 since its launch in October 2019 and now, a year on, it is about to hit 530,000 in the next day or two. So yep, things can change massively in a year! And thank you all again for that, by the way!
2. Social media — Expectation vs Reality... from @slowgrowth [via Instagram]
I just talked in Episode 97 (Healing) about the healing process being less of a straight line and more of a hot mess (I believe I referred to it as “a rollercoaster on acid” 😂), so I was delighted this morning to see the perfect representation of that in post form by Slow Growth. If you’re not aware who/what Slow Growth is, it’s brought to you by YouTuber Matt D’Avella and his team and I love its focus on long-term sustainable growth (not sponsored, just a huge fan).
3. Social media — Your ‘best’ can change daily... from @thrive [via Instagram]
Surprisingly for this newsletter, last week was a Thrive-free issue so I had to rectify that! (Regular readers will know I am obsessed with Thrive Global, which was founded by Arianna Huffington and which has lots of fantastic resources to help you – you guessed it – thrive in life; again, not sponsored!). I love the simplicity and power of this regrammed message: “our best looks different on different days” – food for thought next time you’re being tough on yourself.
And one bonus bit of inspiration I’d like to share from the fantastic @mindfulinmay (although they focus on being mindful throughout the other 11 months as well!): meaningful compliments to uplift and empower others. My personal favourites are: “you look happy”, “you have great energy” and “I love talking to you” – try these more meaningful compliments out with the people you care about most and watch how much it changes the energy (and shifts away from a focus on physical appearance or status).
Tip of the week for better mental health:
Release your pressure valve regularly. When you bottle things up they can lead to major issues later on down the track, so find a release mechanism that you can use regularly; sing, dance, paint, journal, do kickboxing, talk to a therapist or counsellor… get that energy out so you have room to focus on the more positive stuff!
Quote of the week:
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.“
Maya Angelou
My content this week:
Thanks for reading and have an absolutely fantastic week! JG 🙂
Awesome newsletter as always and I love the Buddha quote . Seasons are changing and today is the first day of autumn in London !! Thanks JG always reminding that things change, the universe changes, and no matter how bad things do get, eventually there will be a change just like the seasons…
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Absolutely! No season lasts for forever! Have a lovely day in London (my favourite city in the entire world, BTW)
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