“You are a champion of your own existence.

You are choosing the best life for your best self.

If not, think about what makes you happy and start there.

The journey starts with you;

You get yourself up in the morning,

You shut your own eyes to sleep,

The skin on your back is yours.” 

-E, 2017

 

 

We all have tough days.

At times, it may seem like for every step forward, we find ourselves two steps back.

Blockades and barriers lay ahead, whether physical, mental, or emotional –whether the barriers are perceived threats or actual blockades to progress.

At times, the omnipresence is palatable.

 

What if these barriers are instead conveying signals? Are we meant to stop ourselves? Reassess the situation? Stand back and look at the big picture?

It may seem like there may be no one distinct way for us to turn. At this point, we may feel a sense of aimlessness. What to do next? Do I push through the perceived or actual barrier? Do I find a new path? Will I prevail? Either way, will my hard work result in something meaningful? Will I become victorious in this particular instance? In life?

 

Overcoming a sense of aimlessness and finding direction in my life has proven to be one of my life’s biggest hurdles.

Going vegan, in many ways, has allowed for me to find a compass (more on that later), in which to seek meaning and find direction in this life.

 

In the meantime, what I found most helpful in order to work through a “tough day” was to “journal”. “Journaling” as a form of leisure, of which I have touched upon in previous posts, can be defined as taking time out of our busy schedules for direct introspection in the form of writing.

 

Through journaling, I was able to develop my personal ‘life motto’.

I define ‘life motto’ as a phrase, or a collection of phrases, that when read aloud, serve to inspire, ignite fervor, and reinforce conviction in conjunction with whatever task, event, or stressful period we have at hand.

 

The ‘life motto’ section of my journal is dog-eared for quick reference.

 

Feeling directionless isn’t a problem in it of itself. It may be inevitable in this day in age –in a world with a million choices, a world with a million paths, a world with a million avenues vying for our attention –put simply. The only problem, I have found, is only if there isn’t a resounding and unbreakable foundation beneath us that serves to both (1) support our being and (2) allow us to persevere and move forward in this life.

 

As mentioned in other posts, I very much advocate for journaling for anyone at any age. I have fortuitously found great solace in the act of writing combined with a dedication to explore introspective thoughts and feelings.

 

Give it a try! Find a blank journal/notebook at any store or online, and grab a pen as well as a place to sit. Getting started is that truly that easy. For inspiration as to what to write first, check out my other posts on this topic.

A Gratitude Journal: To Set Aside Time to Think About Time

8 Topics I Pursue in My Gratitude Journal

 

No need to get “worked up” if a life motto doesn’t initially resonate with you or organically develop instantaneously. It took me months of pen-to-paper writing as well as developing a habit and consistency of journaling, to even sense a pattern in my thought processes in order to develop something as substantial as a personal life motto.

 

It may sound silly, but it took much time to develop and hone in onto a concrete set values by which I understand and live by today. However, having acknowledged that I put in the hard work of introspection beforehand, creating and referencing my ‘life motto’ continually gives me the power to work through the next barrier that may come my way. Give ‘crafting your own life motto’ a try!

 

For myself, allowing my thoughts to transition into words onto a page, thereby words into action, and action into progress, I feel motivated, powerful, and metaphorically ‘on track’ as a continue to travel on my unique journey of mindful living and purposeful intention. How sweet life can be!