The Happy Feed

You are growing and changing

Becoming something new.

You’re investing in your heart

And treating yourself with kindness.

And it’s working.

I know you’re not quite where you want to be… yet

but those baby steps

and incremental changes are adding up.

I just wanted to pop in and say: I’m proud of you.

xo Justin

Conflict is not inherently bad.

In fact, sometimes it’s necessary.

Meaningful personal growth comes from regularly having difficult conversations.

Better to speak your truth when an issue is fresh,
than have it build into something bigger than it needs to be.

Instead of always striving to keep the peace, what if you allowed yourself to be honest?

When you reach that goal, you’re not suddenly going to live happily ever after. 

There will be new challenges

And new obstacles

And eventually bigger, bolder goals. 

The conundrum is that the goal is the impetus for the journey. 

And the journey is the only thing that actually matters. 

Find joy in the state of becoming. 

Find clarity in constantly evolving.

Find peace in the meaningful pursuit of your purpose.

Just keep going. 

Something funny happens when you start your self-care journey. 

The shift from ignoring your deepest needs to investing in yourself can be drastic.

You have to focus all of your attention inward to make some meaningful internal changes. And for many of us, we can become a bit selfish–at least at the beginning. 

But then you realize that your best self can come from a deep love for yourself and for your community. 

You realize that in relationship to the world, you can make leaps and bounds in personal growth.

You remember that we’re actually all in this together.

You’re responsible for your behavior today. 

You can’t blame your parents.

Or your circumstances. 

You have to heal.

And try to make the best choices you can given everything you’ve learned so far.

Let go of the excuses and be accountable for the life you want to create.

You told me to give up.
But I won’t.

You promised that I would fail.
And I might this time.
But I promise I will keep trying.

You questioned my vision.
But thankfully, I know I was designed to do this work.

I will show up even though you’re constantly nagging me with doubt.

Because this is my passion.
This is my purpose.
This is my chance to make a small dent in the universe.

I am loved.
I am worthy.
And I will press on.

It won’t be perfect the first time. And that’s okay.
I will get better. It will get easier.

Fear won’t stop this progress.

xo Justin

Journal Prompt

Write a letter to your biggest stumbling block right now. It can be fear or envy or shame–anything you can think of. Name the way you feel and counterbalance it with a positive spin. 

You are no longer limited by the “truths” you accepted in your childhood. 

Just as your body has grown and your mind developed, there are some things you’ve learned along the way that you also must let go:

• A mindset of lack.
• The fear of abandonment.
• That voice in the back of your head that tells you you’re not enough.

You have permission to be something new.

You have permission to rewrite your story.

And that starts today.

This is your chance to make room for the good that is coming with a mid-year reset. Here’s how you get started:

For many of us, this year was a year of new beginnings.
A year of transition. 
A year of finding our next normal. (whatever normal means now at least) 

But now that we’re six months in and halfway through this year, it’s time to reflect and reset. 

1. Make a list of things you’ve accomplished so far this year.

Celebrate the tiny victories and the big wins. Writing it out on paper is a useful tactic to help you feel proud of how far you’ve come this year.

2. Analyze your vision board and goals you created at the beginning of the year and see if they are still relevant.

As the year progresses, your priorities will shift. It’s okay to remove or recalibrate your goals. Your mid-year reset is your chance to get back to the goals that matter most. If your vision board is totally out of alignment, you can always build a new one. Taking the time to sit with your new goals will help you be more likely to achieve them this year.

3. Make a plan to achieve the goals from your mid-year reset.

While 6 months have already passed, there’s always the opportunity to continue to build the life you want to lead. Take the steps today to align yourself to the new you need. This includes breaking out those goals into an action plan that you can achieve. Start with the big picture goal and then break it down into the tiny steps you can take to reach that goal.

4. Give yourself grace.

If you’re behind on a goal or need to readjust your expectations because reality set in, remember that you’re human. And sometimes just showing up is enough.