Hello, I’m so glad you found this edition of The Journal. August was wild with so much happening, including some exciting projects which have been so wholesome to work on. This month I also soaked up lots of sunshine, golden hours, late summer nights, and time with family. I’m looking forward to sharing the lessons, thoughts, and inspiration that August has brought my way.
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You can achieve anything you believe in. When you begin believing in yourself, there are no limits. Your potential becomes infinite. However, it’s not enough to tell yourself you can do it. You really need to believe it. You need to believe that you are capable. You need to believe that you have the potential within you. You need to embrace and embody who you want to become. This is how you grow and become that person. When you replace limiting thoughts with empowering ones and transform your fears into courage, things begin to shift and change. It no longer matters who believes in you or who tells you you can’t do it, because you know you can. You don’t need anyone else to confirm you’re good enough because you know you are. Your own thoughts, your beliefs, and your mind are what will propel you forward. Own it. It is the most powerful force you need to succeed.
2
There is a subtle difference between expectations and standards. You can choose to lower your expectations, but hold high standards. Expectations are outward-looking and reflect external outcomes, depending on what you believe should happen or how you want someone to behave. Standards, by contrast, are inward-facing, determining what you accept, demand, and uphold for yourself. Lowering your expectations, then, is not about settling for less; it is about releasing the rigid need for life to unfold in a certain way, freeing yourself from disappointment and frustration. Do not settle for less than you deserve, but do not expect so much. Maintain high standards for how you allow yourself to be treated, what you demand from yourself, and what you refuse to tolerate, while simultaneously embracing the flow and beauty of what lies beyond your control.
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The people you surround yourself with change who you are. The mindsets, attitudes, perspectives, and energy of those around you determine your own. While people with a growth mindset may uplift and inspire you, those tending to a fixed mindset might reduce your motivation and hold you back from reaching goals and expanding your potential. Be intentional about your circle. Spend time with loving people. Spend time with kind people. Spend time with happy people. Spend time with successful people. Seek out environments where you feel loved, where you can learn, grow and evolve together. Find people who push you to think bigger and do better.
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plan less and do more. I will let go of the need for everything to be perfectly planned and figured out. Instead, I will trust and simply begin with one step at a time, letting things work themselves out along the way.
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listen to what I truly need and want. I will value the choices, decisions and desires of my heart more than the opinions of others to live a life that is more aligned with my passion and purpose.
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August was full of work, especially as I poured my whole heart into a new big project. This has been such a beautiful (sometimes also hard) process, and I cannot wait to share more about it with you. On another note, I am so grateful for the warm summer days, especially going to yoga and brunch with some close friends, and in general spending quality time with my family and Finley. I hope August was good to you too.