introduction to mindset mastery + creating a ... - Designed by life

INTRODUCTION TO MINDSET MASTERY + CREATING A PURPOSEFUL LIFE

J A R K A KU N O VA DESIGNEDBYLIFE.COM.AU

I wrote this book with you in mind. The incredible, divine human you are; feeling the pull of the Universe towards your purpose. A life, that only feels whole, when lived from the inside out. But you are not there yet. You might have tried a few things, you failed then got up again and each time a little rattled but not defeated. You are living a wholehearted life however still a bit uncertain about the direction you are meant to take. You know you want more. You want to find a fulfilling career or start your own business but you doubt your abilities or simply don’t know where to begin. Furthermore you desire a career that supports the lifestyle you love yet challenges you to become a better person. I’ve been there myself… Pursuing what feels good in your heart isn’t always easy but when you do, the rewards far outweigh the hardships. I am looking forward to sharing some of my insights and experiences that helped me overcome my own limiting beliefs in pursuit of my purpose. You will also hear from 3 incredible women who stepped into their power, took a leap of faith and started beautiful businesses that light them up every day. Make yourself comfortable and let’s begin. With love and light

Jarka x

Introduction to the mindset journey

4

PART 1: Your Vision and Self-awareness

7

Vision

8

Self-awareness

10

PART 2: How are you going to get there?

13

By living a mindful life

13

By exercising self love

16

By knowing your why (values)

18

PART 3: Creating from Head to Heart to Hands

21

Head (Mind/Mindset)

23

Heart (Feelings/Intuition)

25

Hands (Actions/Creation)

26

PART 4: Inspirational People doing inspired work

28

Rachel Gadiel: #Dreamcreatedo

29

Bec Caines: The Daily Guru

30

Kathy Wong: Moeloco

31

Final Thoughts

32

I N T R O D UC TIO N TO TH E

I grew up in Communist Eastern Europe. I was 11 years old when the change to democracy took place in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall.

would have to line up for hours at the crack of dawn in the freezing Eastern European winters hoping you would be one of the lucky purchasers.

I was oblivious to what this meant for me and my family at the time so I went about my life as if nothing happened. The slow transformation of the society unfolded in the months and years that followed. I only understood the magnitude of this change years later when I was old enough to comprehend how our lives could’ve been so different.

I grew up with a mindset of scarcity and limitations and thought of abundance as something reserved for the privileged.

How different exactly? In communist regimes you are not allowed to travel. Countries like the UK, France, USA, Australia and any western country for that matter were off limits. Private ownership didn’t exist as everything was owned by the government meaning if I wanted to start my own business that would have been impossible. We didn’t import anything from the west as the borders were pretty much blocked for any trade from noncommunist countries. We were not allowed to go to church or gather publicly anywhere so going to a yoga class could’ve got you into prison. Food supply was highly regulated and there was only one brand of every item in the shop. We had no supermarkets, no variety of products and often consumption of meat and bread was regulated through a ticketing system rather than currency due to supply shortages. I still remember how my Mum lined up every Christmas Eve at our local shop to buy us bananas and mandarins. It was the only time we had access to exotic fruit (imported from Honduras – another communist country). However the supply was so limited that you

In the early days of the change to democracy, access to information and research was still heavily through books and libraries rather than the Internet. I was learning about the world from multiple encyclopedias. My Dad would gift the latest editions to me as frequently as they were released. He loved the fact I was so curious about the world. I learned with an incredible speed due to the gift of having a photographic memory. I became one of those students who questioned teachers about the accuracy of their statements. I would have long standing discussions with them only to pull out one of the encyclopedias knowing exactly what page the topic was on and reading out the paragraph that supported my claim. I know what you are thinking – I must have been a nightmare to teach… All the information in my head created a very vivid imagination and I started plotting my future that was very different to that of my peers at the time. I used to daydream about traveling overseas, boarding a big jet plane and flying above the clouds. I used to write pages and pages of notes about places I wanted to see and things I wanted to explore.

JARKA KUNOVA . DESIGNED BY LIFE . 4

My imagination and internal drive to change my circumstances was so strong that my vision ended up being the path I pursued. Fast forward, through many stories in between, I have traveled to 42 countries in the last 20 years, lived on 3 continents, worked for the EU, built a successful corporate career and currently residing in Sydney building my own start up. My mindset played a very powerful role on this journey and to date remains something I foster and look after carefully. Thoughts, reactions, responses and dreams can influence the quality of your life. They will either liberate you or imprison you. So why do so very few people choose to examine the state of their mind? I have never heard anyone say: ‘I am going to a mental gym because I need to work on my negative thoughts’. We spend so much time looking after our bodies but so little time taking care of our mental wellness. Creativity and bright ideas stem from a healthy and stimulated mind. You can literally do anything in life if you are determined and know why you are doing it. That mindset will climb mountains for you, overcome hardship and bridge the impossible. It happened to me and it can happen to you too.

I often hear people emphasising the reasons why they cannot do something. How about looking at it from a different perspective and acknowledging what you already have that can support you in the pursuit of what you really desire. You just start – because you have the right framework of mind and you really, really, really want it. Building a strong mindset is like exercising your body. It’s recommended to do some degree of physical exercise every day even if it’s just a few minutes. Taking your mindset to a ‘mental gym’ every day is exactly what will help you reframe your limiting beliefs and overcome your fears. So what is this mental gym? Well, it isn’t a physical space but rather a chunk of time that you set aside from your ‘busyness’ and dedicate to the observance of your thoughts. I will talk you through the process in this book and provide you with some very practical and simple exercises to follow. We will also look at the journey of your thoughts and how they eventuate into creations. We’ll examine this thing called ‘your intuition’ and how it’s linked to choosing what you truly desire. So if you are ready to do the work, I am ready to share the knowledge.

What do you say? Are you in?


CHOOSE AN AMBITION AND, WITH FULL FORCE,

E X P E C T T H AT I T I S P O S S I B L E THAT YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN

GIVE CONSTANT ATTENTION AND COMMITTED EFFORT

TO YOUR DREAMS

AND YOUR MOTIVATION WILL PERPETUATE ITSELF

D E M O N S T R AT E A P O S I T I V E AT T I T U D E

AS YOU STRIVE FOR GREAT THINGS

AND TAKE CARE TO CREATE A SUPPORTIVE

E N V I R O N M E N T A R O U N D YO U T H AT

A M P L I F I E S YO U R MOT IVAT IO N

-BRENDON BURCHARD-

PART O NE

YOUR VISION

&


I had a vision I wanted to live overseas and travel the globe. It didn’t have any specifics. I just knew I wanted to explore the world, meet people, learn at least one other language and create freedom in everything I did. I wrote it down, I had post-it notes around my house, magazine clippings on a mood board. I talked about my vision all the time – in essence I was manifesting it in my thoughts, words, actions and things surrounding me in my home, in my wallet, in my notebook. Creating a vision is the first step on the journey of finding your purpose filled expression. Understanding how you want to feel in every area of your life is the starting point for meaningful creation. Even though you may not know exactly what form your work might take, start with the feeling. The rest will follow… So let’s do this exercise together. Imagine you are stepping into your ideal day that has all the elements of freedom you have always dreamed about. You are doing what makes you feel alive and purposeful. You are surrounded by people who respect

you, who engage into meaningful and progressive conversations and exercise genuine value exchange or co-creation with you, all along by embracing who you truly are. You are continuously evolving, learning and connecting with like-minded people and creating from the depths of your heart and soul. Authentically, with the equal amount of hustle and ease, with kindness and gratitude and sharing your knowledge with those who need you the most. Imagine this day supporting the lifestyle you love: starting your day with a beautiful meditation, exercise practice or yoga and living in a city, small town or country where you feel most connected to yourself and loved ones. You work in an inspiring workspace with people who share your values and beliefs and you are no longer battling the so-called ‘work – life balance’ because you are balanced in what you do. You are in a natural flow and have nothing but love and kindness in your heart for yourself and others.

Grab your journal and write out in a few paragraphs what your ideal day looks and feels like. Focus on the following elements:

+ what are you creating + who are you with + how are you feeling + where are you + how are your thoughts + what does your lifestyle look like + what are you doing for fun


YOU CANNOT S O LV E A P R O B L E M WITH THE SAME MIND THAT CREATED IT

-ALBERT EINSTEIN-


\

It took me a while to accept that I am enough. For the longest time I kept comparing myself to others which then fueled the fear of being judged. It manifested in a very competitive behavior and the need to constantly protect myself. I was very reactive and looked at vulnerability as weakness. Things are different now. Being able to observe my behavior and how that’s affecting my health but also others around me initiated a reason for change. Neuroscientist Dr. Joe Dispenza explained why self-awareness is such an important element of change in his book ‘Breaking the habit of being yourself’: “The purpose of becoming self-aware is so that you no longer allow any thought, action, or emotion you don’t want to experience to pass by your awareness. This, in time, your ability to consciously inhibit those states of being will stop the same firing and wiring of the old neural networks that are related to the old personality. And as a result of no longer recreating the same mind on a daily basis you prune away the hardware that is related to the old self. In addition, by interrupting the feelings that are associated with those thoughts, you are no longer signaling genes in the same way.” Becoming self-aware requires practice and the willingness to observe the personality traits you might want to change. Catching your negative thoughts, understanding your ego, listening to your intuition, listening to your body and how you are feeling are all great starting points for this exploration.

EXERCISE Please grab your notebook again and answer the following questions to start your selfexploration and self-reflection: 1.

What kind of person have I been?


2.

How do I show up in the world?

3.

Am I a different person at work to that at home and how?

4.

What am I really like on the inside?

5.

Is there a struggle that I face over and over?

6.

How would my family and friends describe me?

7.

What is one thing I already know I really want to change about myself?

Change always starts with the awareness of the behaviour that you’d like to transform. So it is especially important you become more self-aware every day and observant of your choices.


IF YOU

Mind

THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WILL

FALL INTO PLACE -LAO TZU-


PART TWO

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO

1. BY LIVING A MINDFUL LIFE Something shifted when I started meditating. It was almost like the fog has lifted and I was able to think clearly. By setting aside 20 minutes every day to just ‘be’ I was able to make a real difference to my wellbeing. My creativity soared and I became less stressed. When you meditate, you calm your mind. You vibrate on a higher frequency which means ‘less matter – more energy’ and you enter an elevated emotional state that becomes more attractive to others. As a result of that, people will respond to you better and you are more likely to have positive interactions. I’d recommend starting with some guided meditation apps. Please remember that even 2 minutes a day is progress and a great way to start.

my favourite

MEDITATION APPS

+ Buddhify + Calm

+ 1Giant Mind + Smiling Mind + Headspace


Living a mindful life isn’t just about meditating, though. Being truly present in the moment as you go about your everyday activities is just as important as slowing down and quieting the mind. According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, ‘mindfulness is paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally, to the unfolding of experiences moment to moment.’ I recommend starting your mental workout with mindfulness. It’s more about ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’. If you create the space to observe your thought patterns, feelings in your body and evaluate your habits, you are becoming more self-aware each time you practice. Through mindfulness you can learn how to truly, honestly love and accept everything for what is and everyone for whom they are.

___________ Great books on mindfulness ___________

+

Joe Dispenza … Breaking the habit of being yourself

+

David Michie … Buddhism for busy people

+

Chade-Meng Tan … Search Inside Yourself

+

Arianna Huffington … Thrive

+

Nick Udal … Riding the creative rollercoaster

+

Susan L. Smalley and Diana Winston … Fully Present

+

Daniel Goleman … Focus

+

Mark Williams and Danny Penman … Mindfulness

+

David Rock … Your brain at work

+

Tim Ryan … Mindful Nation

+

Padraig O’Morain … Mindfulness on the go


2. BY EXERCISING SELF LOVE Understanding what you like and dislike and what you truly enjoy doing and creating takes a bit of exploration. You need to be able to say ‘No’ sometimes in order to prioritise yourself. Are you comfortable doing that? I know I wasn’t. I would worry about the wellbeing of others before my own. It is amazing, though how much more you are able to give when your cup is full. Self-love is about the self. It is the intentional time scheduling of activities that are in support of one’s well being and create space for true rejuvenation. Prioritising self care doesn’t come naturally to most women. We have been conditioned to care for others before we look after ourselves. I often hear people say: ‘But isn’t that selfish?’ Well, here is the deal: if you don’t look after yourself you won’t be able to look after someone else. It’s the same concept as the oxygen mask on planes – you first fix your own mask before you assist your child or others. Acts of self-care can be very simple. The key is to make them a regular act of kindness towards yourself so you can regularly self reflect, appreciate and recharge. This is the place where kindness, selflessness and happiness live. Doing anything from this place will expand your heart and enable you to step out of your mind.


YOUR BODY W I L L M O S T D E F I N I T E LY INDICATE TO YOU WHEN IT’S DUE

FOR A LITTLE TLC

Some simple examples include:

+ + + + + + +

getting a massage or facial going for a walk in nature doing yoga reading a book or listening to music attending a course journaling walking the dog

EXERCISE Write down 3 self care activities you can dedicate time for in the coming week.


3. BY KNOWING YOUR WHY (values) According to Deloitte’s Shift Index survey, 80% of people don’t like what they do for a living. In other words, most people opt in to grin and bear something that’s not working in exchange for a steady salary. Knowing your ‘why’ is an important step in figuring out how to pursue the path that excites you and ultimately a building block in creating a life you enjoy living (versus merely surviving). Indeed, only when you know your ‘why’ will you find the courage to take the risks needed to get ahead, stay motivated and move your life onto a new more rewarding trajectory. Underpinning your ‘why’ are your values. Most smart people use personal core values to select friendships, relationships and business partnerships. Your core values can also assist you with wise management of your personal resources like time and money. Ultimately those choices determine your reality and the environment you place yourself into every day. You might as well make it a pleasant one.


EXERCISE I’d like to challenge you to dig deep and examine what your values are – what is important to you and what you stand for. Use the following questions as prompts for the discovery: •

What have been your 3 greatest accomplishments?

•

What do they have in common? Any traits, patterns you can identify?

•

What have been your 3 greatest failures?

•

Examine why and what is the common thread here?

•

What advice would you give yourself going forward based on these reflections?


HE WHO HAS A WHY CAN ENDURE

-FREDERICK NIETZSCHE-

PA RT TH RE E

CREATING :

FROM HEAD | TO HEART |

I believe everybody is creative and was born with a special purpose in life. Some of us may not know what this creation actually looks like but it doesn’t mean we’ve got no purpose. In order to find your calling in life, you need to dig deep and that only happens if you engage your mind to create ideas, which then get filtered through your heart and eventuate into something beautiful through ‘doing’, i.e. the hands. That’s what this mantra is for so if you have ever had an idea that you brought to life, then you are a creative individual. It’s an urban myth that creativity is tied to artistry. Not at all; writing excel formulas, making furniture, problem solving, saving money and many other small or big acts of thought are creative expressions. Of course there is a difference between creating from a place of necessity, scarcity and obligation and that of pleasure, abundance and true joy. Understanding the path from head to heart to hands takes persistence, patience and tenacity. This transformational journey will teach you a lot about yourself and at the same time equip you with the tools necessary for personal development.

EXERCISE Let’s revisit your notes from the awareness exercise. Is there anything that you are keen to change? Pick one thing and use it for this exercise. Write down what this thought sounds like, then express how you feel when you think this way and as a result, how you behave.

EXAMPLE THOUGHT I really want to get this job of ‘insert your dream career’ but I am just not smart enough.

FEELING When you think this way you get really frustrated with yourself; when you feel frustrated you are also prone to feel hate; when you hate you judge, you are envious; when you are envious you become insecure and often very competitive which can easily manifest as selfishness.

ACTION When you feel this way, your actions will reflect that. Sulking, felling sorry for yourself, drinking alcohol or abusing drugs, picking a fight with someone or procrastinating are very typical responses of this sort of mindset and feelings.

Changing this unproductive cycle isn’t easy and I am not offering a quick fix, rather an awareness tool that can assist you when these thoughts come to mind. I call it ‘dismantling the memory of your old self’. JARKA KUNOVA . DESIGNED BY LIFE . 21

TELL THE N E G AT I V E C O M M I T T E E

THAT MEETS INSIDE YOUR HEAD

TO SIT DOWN AND

shut up -ANN BRADFORD-

MIND MINDSET

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, mindset is defined as ‘a particular way of thinking; a person’s attitude or set of opinions about something’. It predetermines your responses to others and interpretations of situations. Mahatma Ghandi described this path really beautifully by saying: ‘Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.” At any point on your journey you can however ‘course correct’ or change – it’s your ‘why’ that will help you reframe your thoughts and steer your ship into a new direction. If you recall my story, I could’ve so easily stayed in that scarcity mindset and as a result of that given up on my dream of seeing the world. But I didn’t. Instead I arrived at my ‘why’ very quickly and tirelessly worked on my mindset to change my reality. And I did… it wasn’t easy, but I knew it wasn’t impossible. I wanted to touch on the subject of the ego as the reflection of your thoughts and how you perceive yourself. The ego can be very misleading and often times undermine your efforts and desires. It can create the perception of you being better than everybody else or less worthy than others. It’s important to acknowledge that you are not your ego and that voice in your head, that’s having conversations with you, isn’t you either. Practicing mindfulness and meditation supports greater awareness of your thoughts. If your thoughts are of a negative nature it’s important you notice them and reframe them. I would recommend picking a relatable word that you can ‘insert’ each time self limiting thoughts come into your mind. It can be anything like: ‘change’, ‘redirect’, ‘warning’ or my favourite, ‘bulls**it’. We will examine what we can do next as the thoughts create feelings in our body.


Habit

RULES THE U NRE F L ECT I NG HERD - W I L L I A M W OR DS W OR T H -

FEELINGS INTUITION

All my goals these days are based around how I want to feel. Ever since I read Danielle LaPorte’s ‘Desire Map’, I approach goal setting from a place of the heart. It has to feel right before I make a decision. If it doesn’t, I don’t act and instead send the thought back ‘upstairs’ to reframe. It is here in this exact space where we filter how we think. The fundamentals of a strong intuition are built on the memory of the back and forth journey between the mind and heart. The more you challenge your thinking and observe your feelings, the more self aware you become as a human being. If something doesn’t feel right then it’s likely not aligned with your values. It’s important to acknowledge this so you can make the appropriate decision. Both your intellect and intuition are important elements for this filtering exercise and I would recommend leaning into this space often.

EXERCISE I’d like you to revisit your vision and the exercise around your ideal day. Read it out loud and notice how it’s making you feel. Write these positive feelings down by using as many words as you’d like. If there are any negative feelings that might come up or fears please write those down too. It is completely normal to feel mixed feelings even if your vision and goals reflect what you truly desire. Now isolate any of those feelings that are negative and ‘send them back’ to the mind to reframe. Let’s look at an example of a limiting belief that you might need to reframe: “I’d like to start my own business but I fear people will not buy my products/pay for my services. I am scared to leave my current career behind because I don’t believe I’ve got what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur."

"bullsh*t' You have interrupted the negative thought and sent it back to be reframed. Now dig deep and find all the reasons and attributes about yourself in support of this goal. It could sound something like this: “I am going to start my own company and learn as much as I can from other successful entrepreneurs. I will start small and get familiar with the market first so I can gather enough courage to leave my current career. I feel called to do something meaningful and this is my time to shine. ” Taking meaningful action can only come from this reframed mindset. You are half way there when you do this.


ACTION CREATION

The final stop – inspired action. Now it’s all the matter of doing and putting pen to paper, one foot in front of the other, picking up that phone and having a conversation, whatever it takes getting you closer to living your purpose. Overcoming procrastination and fear of doing is a big one even if your vision and goals are bright and sparkly. This is where confidence comes in and a large dose of self drive and ambition. My path of learning English demonstrates this well. Even though I grew up in a multilingual household and by the age of 13 I spoke 5 languages, English wasn’t one of them. It became part of my school curriculum in my early teens but I didn’t have a natural affinity for it. People are still very surprised when I tell them this because English is now my dominant language and I use it every day. It was an incredibly difficult journey learning to reprogram my mind to think in English, understand the meaning behind the words and ultimately filter them through my heart for meaningful action. When you learn a language you go through several stages of comprehension. I still remember translating my sentences from my native language into English, then eventually learning some phrases and when I finally understood the jokes I knew dreaming in English wasn’t far away. When that happens, you know you are navigating not only your conscious but also your subconscious mind. Practice, persistence and patience. You have got to do the work to create. Everything was impossible until someone did it. Embrace your beliefs, your uniqueness, keep doing the work and create. The world is ready to receive your gifts.


The privelege of a is to become

who you truly are – - CA R L JUN G -

PART FO UR

INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE DOING

I wanted to share with you advice from 3 incredible souls who are living on purpose and creating from a positive mindset. Their work is of service to many aspiring individuals like yourself and I know you will love their words of wisdom just as much as I have. Enjoy xxx

RACHEL

W W W . DREA MCREA TEDO .CO M

What does living a life of meaning mean to you? It means intentionally spending my time on activities that are closely aligned with my core values; light me up; energise me and fill me with a sense of purpose. What are some things you’ve said ‘no’ to so you can focus on what’s most important to you? I say no a lot to social engagements. Believe me, I am not the worlds' best friend and need to be selective in the events I go to. Family is always first; along with my partner, so I am ok with the fact that I need to say no often. What advice would you have for those who struggle in their lives and feel disconnected from their purpose? Spend time getting to know yourself! Date yourself. Explore what it means to be you. Get clear on your values and what is important to you. This is the most important thing. It's really easy in this day and age to get caught up in an ‘ideal’ version of yourself or let yourself get influenced by external factors - you end up getting swayed in whichever direction the wind blows, rather than using yourself as an anchor. Be the anchor in your life. Life is in constant motion, but when you are grounded mentally, spiritually and emotionally - with a deep sense of self, your purpose will become clear. Is there a particular practice or rituals you are doing to help you keep centred and focused? Oh yes absolutely. I have a daily meditation practice -this is the first thing I do when I wake up and what I most look forward to each day! Meditation has honestly changed my life. I began meditating a couple of years back but was very inconsistent with my practice and had more of an 'ad-hoc' approach. This year my goal was to step-up my game and the changes I’ve experienced have been incredible. I am much more focused which has done wonders for my productivity; I am less stressed and anxious and most importantly, I have a deep sense of connection to myself and an unwavering self-acceptance. I also have a daily ritual of writing in my journal at the end of each day. I use the Day 1 app to record the daily progress I make towards my goals + what I am grateful for. It’s a lovely way to stop and reflect on each day and see what tweaks I need to make to ensure I stay focused. What advice would you give your 23-year-old self? Ignore what others think. Do what makes you happy. Don’t be afraid of being different - be afraid of following the crowd and trying to make other people happy - you will never win this game! And don’t settle - on the job, the relationship, the career - you will find great joy the day you choose yourself.


BEC

D AI L Y GU RU .CO M.A U

What does living a life of meaning mean to you? To me it means living a life that honors and reflects my core values. Love and Connection, Contribution and Growth are the core values, which underpin all that I do and that is important to me. Therefore when my lifestyle and life choices are aligned with these values, I feel fulfilled & in flow. What are some things you’ve said ‘no’ to so you can focus on what’s most important to you? This has been something, which I struggled with for quite some time. For a long time saying ‘no’ to others felt negative, unfair or uncaring. However, once I moved into my 30’s I began to realize that what we say no to, says as much about us as what we say yes to. I now value my time dearly and therefore am more comfortable to politely decline an invitation if I feel I am stretching myself too much to honor the commitment What advice would you have for those who struggle in their lives and feel disconnected from their purpose? Find a coach that really resonates with you and invest in doing the relevant work to get to the bottom of where the disconnect occurred, what a purposeful life looks to you and, finally, let them help you create a plan of how you can start living that life. I believe that working with an expert within this field is one of the most rewarding investments an individual could make! Is there a particular practice or rituals you are doing to help you keep centred and focused? I’m not really the type of person that follows the same ritual/ practice every day, as I begin operating on autopilot – rather than benefiting from the ritual. So instead, I have a sort of ‘go-to-list’ of practices, which I select from, based on how I’m feeling each day. This list includes things such as, spending 20mins out of my day to be outside (hopefully in the sunshine) taking in the fresh air and getting centered. Meditating. Taking a long hot bath. Going to bed early, diffusing my essential oils in my apartment, listening to a favorite audio book, spending time with friends/loved ones who know me well. What advice would you give your 23-year-old self? Do not allow people to treat you poorly- you deserve better and its ok to say and know that.


KATHY

W W W .MO EL O CO .CO M

What does living a life of meaning mean to you? I was given a huge download in February of last year that I needed to go and make a difference in the world. At that time, I really did not understand this message. Within a few weeks of receiving this epiphany I found a strong desire to help children in poverty. It resonated so incredibly strongly for me that I realised this was the work I was being called to do. Whilst I had absolutely no idea how I would help, my vision was very strong and it has and continues to be my guiding force. This road of social entrepreneurship has been extremely challenging for me. Knowing my why, regardless of negativity at times from others has allowed my vision to become a reality.

What are some things you’ve said ‘no’ to so you can focus on what’s most important to you? I’ve probably said no more often than I would have liked. Mostly not spending the extra time with family and friends. Lately it’s been my own self-care that I prioritised so I can actually focus more.

What advice would you have for those who struggle in their lives and feel disconnected from their purpose? Hang out with people who are living their lives on purpose. Keep having conversations with others to feel connected. Meditate and ask for help.

Is there a particular practice or rituals you are doing to help you keep centred and focused? I start my day with a 10 or 15 minute guided meditation and I also keep a daily gratitude journal. I exercise daily whether it be a walk, run or gym. Stopping during the day about 2 to 3 times to do some breath work.

What advice would you give your 23-year-old self? Don’t be so serious and over ambitious. Don’t allow your ego to rule, listen to your heart and always follow it. Work less and stop picking those loser men! Know you are loved and have incredible gifts that need to be shared with the world. Enjoy every moment; life is not a race. There is plenty of time to do all you want if you just live in the moment and stop worrying about the future.


Creating from a place where your mind, heart and actions are aligned is a beautiful reality full of rewards. Being able to live in a natural flow every day is a life worth fighting for. I still recall the times when I would work beyond exhaustion thinking it was the direct reflection of my achievements. Working harder isn’t necessarily the answer to feeling fulfilled. When you step into your power, life unfolds more naturally and you will begin creating with a lot more ease. I had a number of mentors who challenged me and coached me to keep trying. Surrounding yourself with people who support you on this journey is key to keeping the motivation high. It’s important you don’t loose momentum and you don’t give up when resistance appears. In saying so I believe it is my time to give back and support others. If you think you would like to enlist my help, please don’t hesitate to contact me via my email [email protected] And if you’ve got your own story to share, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you. Love and light,

Jarka x WITH ME

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