Category: Articles in English

My happy meditation spot

I have an unquiet mind, and in the past, it was hard for me to wind down in the evening and relax my thoughts. This led to many difficulties when trying to fall asleep.

One technique that helped me out tackle this problem is meditation. In 2015 I downloaded the app Calm and began practicing with discipline. Most days I sit on my meditation cushion and focus on my breath.

I use Calm in English and let meditation teachers like Tamara Levitt, Jay Shetty and Jeff Warren guide my practice. My sleep quality has improved significantly. I don’t have any racing thoughts keeping my mind busy when I lie in bed to fall asleep.

In Stuttgart I had a happy meditation spot in our small flat: it was in our bedroom, directly in front of the French door with a view of the city’s television tower. Since we moved to Weil der Stadt I have been searching for a new happy meditation spot in our new house. A few weeks ago, I found it: it is in our living room, also in front of the French door, that we keep open in summer so that, in the evening, I can hear the crickets in the garden. I love it, and it really calms down my unquiet mind.

If you are interested in giving meditation a try, just reach out to me. I have 30-day guest passes for Calm Premium.

Start your day with a kind act to yourself

In these days I’m listening to the audiobook ‘The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times‘, written by Michelle Obama. The audio version is read by the author and I could continue listening to Michelle Obama’s voice for hours.

In the chapter I heard today, she writes about how crucial it is to start our days with a kind gesture to ourselves. It could be, for example, something like greeting yourself with kind words, looking at your image reflected in the mirror first thing in the morning.

I reflected immediately about how I start my days and individuated pretty fast my kind gesture to myself. In the morning, I like taking time to prepare me a healthy breakfast with fresh fruits, seeds, cereals, yogurt, a coffee and a fresh pressed orange juice. I even listen to music while preparing and eating my breakfast. In this way I not only nourish my body, but I also nourish my soul, starting my days in a slow way.

We are the most important person in our life and sometimes we tend to forget it, putting other priorities first. When we start the day doing something kind to ourselves, the chances that our day will be a good one increase.

Honor your mornings, for example by looking at the sunrise

Life is a game

This is the real secret of life: to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.

Alan Watts

I heard once in an audiobook that if you take your life as a game, you will live it with more lightness. You will start to see everything that comes into your life as a sportive challenge for which there is no win or lose but only growth. Being present in what we are doing is a way to experience life fully. Even work can be taken as a mindful play: we have some tasks to do and can complete them like levels in a videogame, one after the other. 
More lightness: I think everyone needs it. We tend to take life so seriously that sometimes we miss the pure pleasure of living it.

A stupid picture: last week I meditated with our plush “Il ranocchio”, The frog. Just for fun 😅

Just do it

No, this is not a NIKE advertising – don’t worry! Just a reminder.

Sometimes we tend to ruminate about an idea, evaluate all possible scenarios and simply feel stuck. We give too much importance to what other people might think and are not sure if this would be the right move or moment.

I admit: I’m also a ruminator. However growing up I recognized that, caught up in my thoughts, I lose time and miss possibilities.

If we don’t give an idea the right space, we will never know how it will become. So, my new philosophy is: “Just do it”. Start small with baby steps and give yourself the possibility to thrive. The cold water won’t get warmer if you jump in later.

It is important you track your progress with a retrospective every once in a while, so you will be able to check if you are on the right way. If this should not be the case, don’t worry: you are in control of your actions and you can always correct the course.

You are the greatest project you will ever work on. Take your time but also do not hesitate to take action.

This picture has been created with the help of Bing Image Creator.

Create your own little paradise

“Welcome you all, my name is Joan and this is my blessing: my little paradise”, so this wonderful old lady, named Joan, started to welcome us guests at her Christmas dinner. She is the owner of the guest house ‘Le petit paradis‘ in Wotten Waven on Dominica, where we spent the days around Christmas last year. “My husband Al, a former school principal now retired, and I started it with just one room. Now also my daughters are working with us”, continued Joan. As she spoke, you could really see the light in her eyes and the passion she invested in creating her little paradise.
I think this is what life is about: creating our own little paradise. Pondering about what we would like to be and to do with our time and moving in this direction. As Arthur C. Brooks, the Harvard Happiness Professor, says: “In order to build a happy life you need three things: enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning”. Nothing more and I think Joan definitely has them.

So full of colors: Le petit Paradis in Wotten Waven

Rely on each other

We are on Dominica since Sunday. This green island offers a lot of possibilities to hike. Yesterday we hiked all the way from Wotton Waven to the falls of Titou Gorge and this was a long hike. Therefore today we wanted to take it smoothly and decided to walk from Wotton Waven to the Trafalgar Falls which is about a one hour hike.

But there is a but: when we came to the falls one tourist guide approached us asking if we wanted to go to the warm pools with him. At first we weren’t sure but then we accepted. And soon he started to climb among the rocks in the falls. It was for me a big challenge to get to these warm pools. It was difficult to take big steps in order not to fall in the water and some of the rocks were so wet that I almost slipped. The view when we got there was amazing but I was already afraid about the way back that I could not even enjoy it.

Then another guide came to us and brought us back. He helped me all the way back, offering me his hands as a support and I was so grateful about it. He held me between the rocks and gave me advices about where to make the next step. I didn’t even know his name but I trusted him immediately. I came with his guide to the base: I was sweat but also proud of me.

This experience showed me how we can always rely on each other in life, even if we don’t know the other person. I also trust more my hands and feet that calmed down my mind showing me that I can even do difficult things.

The Trafalgar Falls

We lost our hearts on Saint Lucia

We got on Saint Lucia last Sunday and are about to leave this magical Caribbean island tomorrow to proceed our journey to Dominica. This week on Saint Lucia was fantastic: the people are really friendly and welcoming, the island is green and the sea is wonderful. For me it was the first time on this island, for Dominik the third.

We visited Castries, Soufriere and Gros Islet. We commuted between these three cities via public transport and everything went fine. We used the app MAPS.ME to get the information about where to find the bus stops.

I personally fell in love with Soufriere: the people there were really friendly. They greet you on the street and ask you how you are doing and if you need some help. From this small town we hiked to the Diamonds Falls, the Piton Falls and the Soulphure Springs.

We walked so much that my feet and legs hurt but it was all worth.

Tomorrow we are heading to Dominica, where we will spend about 10 days: I have already been there and I know that this is also a nice island but on Saint Lucia we definitely lost our hearts.

The best time is Now

If you wait until everything in your life is perfect before you begin something challenging and new, you’ll be waiting forever. The best time is Now.

Bill Phillips

The present moment is everything you have. It is now the perfect time to make that change you are dreaming of. If you don’t act immediately, you could miss the chance. It is very important to set specific goals and to have a clear vision about who you want to become. You don’t have to revolutionize your life in one fell swoop. It is by starting with small steps that you begin to move in the right direction. Difficulties will come on your way but you don’t have to doubt about your abilities. You should always have faith in your skills and know that there is always the possibility to get back on track. You just have this life, get the best out of it. You deserve it!

Look yourself in the mirror and define who you want to be then go and become it.

On energy, discipline and goals

Energy creates energy. It is by spending myself that I become rich.

Sarah Bernhardt

When you commit in life in achieving a particular goal and you move your energy in that direction, this increases. It’s by spending yourself that you get gratification. The good thing is that energy creates energy and therefore your productivity will grow.

Discipline is the tool that will enable you to follow and track your goals, improving everyday.

Do not underestimate the power of setting goals in life because if you don’t do it you will feel off track. So in case you still haven’t, sit down and grab a piece of paper. Write down what you’d like to achieve and be aware that it’s never too late in life to start. What are you waiting for? The best moment to start something is now.

It’s by looking further that you discover the rainbow

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is simply being

aware of what’s happening

right now without wishing it

were different;

enjoying the pleasant without

holding on when it changes

(which it will);

being with the unpleasant

without fearing it will always

be this way (which it won’t).

James Baraz

Being present in every moment, accepting it as it is and being aware that life is in constant change: this is the secret of a mindful life. Everything will pass, you and your awareness will remain. So trust the process and live your life with your full potential, this is the only way not to regret it at the end. Do not hide yourself, show always up. You own it to yourself.

Pedra Longa, Sardinia