Grief and Gratitude (It’s Bittersweet)

This affirmation meditation accompanies episode #23 on overcoming overthinking. Along with tools like journal writing, affirmation meditations can help you engage calmly with gentle thoughts meant to return you to more reasoned thought patterns. This may take time, as the mind has to be redirected to these ideas repeatedly. Return to this meditation often to help allow the power of affirmation and positive self-talk to silence the noise of overthinking and reduce fear and anxiety. I too struggle with overthinking, and while no single meditation can make it go away completely, I offer these comforting words to support your efforts to reduce overthinking. 

Join the Let the Verse Flow community over at https://www.lettheverseflow.com/ to find a ton of resources (podcast episodes, blog articles, and creative self-care tips and tools). Subscribe to the free companion newsletter, the Me-Time Mixtape, which offers 3 essential, hand-curated creative self-care resources designed to put you back on your to-do list.

Music:  Open Focus (174 Hz Meditation) by Outside The Sky; sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.

Related Episode: Overcoming Overthinking and Worry with Journal Writing & Meditation (#23)

Note: Please listen to this affirmation meditation in a safe and comfortable environment, free from potential distractions. Find a quiet and secure space to fully engage with the meditation without interruption. This affirmation meditation strives to promote a positive mindset and encourage creative well-being. However, it is not a substitute for professional mental health advice and treatment. If you are facing mental health challenges, please seek the guidance of a qualified mental health professional for personalized support and care.

This episode is on overthinking, those patterns of automatic and often negative thoughts that drain our energy with mostly lies and what-ifs scenarios that never happen. I’ll discuss the differences between rumination and worry (those twin overthinking processes) and touch on automatic negative thoughts as well. Once we can define them and identify our unique patterns of overthinking, we are ready to utilize tools such as writing and affirmation meditation to help lessen their hold on us.

As examples, I explore my own little OCD tendencies and how they feed my overthinking and discuss how these patterns started in childhood. See if you can identify with these experiences, then join me in rewriting your future, and using mindfulness tools to calm the mind. Let’s overcome overthinking together!

Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.

Want to reengage with yourself and put creative self-care back on your to-do list? Head over to my website: lettheverseflow.com and sign up for my free newsletter, the Me-Time Mixtape. Three times per month, I’ll send you 3 essential, hand-curated links/resources on creative self-care tips, tools, and strategies. 

Poem: A Lodger for the Night

Music: (My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and share it with the world. All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.)

Songs in this episode:
Goose and Lime by Ghost Beatz; Slide by GEMM; Rest by Acreage; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters

Resources:
What to Do About Overthinking, Rumination and Worry

14 Ways to Stop Overthinking (see #7: Tackling ANTs writing activity that helps you record and rework internal narratives)

Related Episodes:
Sitting with Shitty Feelings (Episode #4) 

Build a Personal Growth Practice with Creative Self-Care (Episode #14)

LTVF Season 2 Music Playlist: Check out the songs that inspire me, and connect with artists from many genres who add to our collective, human soundtrack. 

Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com

This affirmation meditation accompanies episode #21 on cultivating creative flow. 

Creative flow, that wonderful feeling of innovation, freedom and creativity, is the ultimate self-care activity. More than that, it is a pathway to finding purpose and meaning in your life, and supports your journey to know yourself and your interpretation of the world around you. 

In this affirmation meditation, I've organized the affirmations to follow a 5-step journey for engaging your creative spirit: 

• setting an intention 
• scheduling time for creativity
• readying your creative space
• reflecting on your creative sessions  
• repeating the steps to build a practice 

Listen to episode #21 to hear more about building a creative practice.

Music: Mystic Wind by Outside The Sky; sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.

Related Episode: Creative Flow: Self-Care that Matters (episode #21)

If you've enjoyed this meditation, please join the Let the Verse Flow community at https://www.lettheverseflow.com/ to find more resources (podcast episodes, blog articles, and creative self-care tips and tools). 

Subscribe to the free companion newsletter, the Me-Time Mixtape, which offers 3 essential, hand-curated creative self-care resources designed to put you back on your to-do list.

Note: Please listen to this affirmation meditation in a safe and comfortable environment, free from potential distractions. Find a quiet and secure space to fully engage with the meditation without interruption. This affirmation meditation strives to promote a positive mindset and encourage creative well-being. However, it is not a substitute for professional mental health advice and treatment. If you are facing mental health challenges, please seek the guidance of a qualified mental health professional for personalized support and care.

This episode is about what we know as children: that play and creativity are the building blocks of a joyful soul. It’s also about what we should carry forward as we live our “grown” lives, an understanding that the impulse for play and creativity still lives inside us, waiting to be unleashed through creative flow. 

I’ll explore what creative flow is, how it works, and why we need it, and then lay out a 5-step process for cultivating creative flow: 

• setting an intention 
• scheduling time for creativity
• readying your creative space
• reflecting on your creative sessions  
• repeating the steps to build a practice 

Today let's leave judgment and fear behind as we tap into our inner knowing that reminds us (if we listen) that we yearn to make beautiful things as we use our minds to innovate and reenergize our playful souls.
 
Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.

Want to reengage with yourself and put creative self-care back on your to-do list? Head over to my website: lettheverseflow.com and sign up for my free newsletter, the Me-Time Mixtape. Three times per month, I’ll send you 3 essential, hand-curated links/resources on creative self-care tips, tools, and strategies.

Poem: What a Child Knows

Music: (My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and share it with the world. All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.)

Songs in this episode:
Lilting by Cast Of Characters; Slide by GEMM; Deep Sea Dive by Chelsea McGough; Try Oh My by Sam Barsh; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters

LTVF Season 2 Music Playlist: Check out the songs that inspire me, and connect with artists from many genres who add to our collective, human soundtrack.

Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com

This affirmation meditation accompanies episode #18 on keeping your dreams alive. 

I believe strongly in the power of setting intentions as a guidepost for taking action to work toward goals and dreams. First, we speak our dreams into existence through visualization and by setting an intention; then, we take action to move toward our dream. 

Along the way, we have to adapt, pivot, and grow, but keeping our dreams alive is an active state of being. Here is an affirmation meditation to accompany your journey. I hope that it will keep you positive and grounded in the belief that you can make your dreams happen. There’s no magic here; what I offer is the chance to build a positive mindset and framework from which to take action toward reaching your dreams. 

If you've enjoyed this meditation, please join the Let the Verse Flow community over at https://www.lettheverseflow.com/ to find more resources (podcast episodes, blog articles, and creative self-care tips and tools).  Subscribe to the free companion newsletter, the Me-Time Mixtape, which offers 3 essential, hand-curated creative self-care resources designed to put you back on your to-do list.

Note: Please listen to this affirmation meditation in a safe and comfortable environment, free from potential distractions. Find a quiet and secure space where you can fully engage with the meditation without interruption. This affirmation meditation strives to promote a positive mindset and encourage creative well-being. However, it is not a substitute for professional mental health advice and treatment. If you are facing mental health challenges, please seek the guidance of a qualified mental health professional for personalized support and care.

Music: Lucid Dreams by Craig Allen Fravel; sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.

Related Episode: Affirmations & Actions to Keep Your Dreams Alive (episode #18)

During my trip to Morocco this past summer, I expected some culture shock; I expected beautiful landscapes, incredible food, and curious interactions with strangers. What I hadn’t thought about was how awakening my spirit and mind to these new experiences would return me to my deeply-held beliefs. That travel to North Africa would reaffirm the way I see the world, and help me contemplate those things in myself that I most believe. I’m touching on a disparate array of topics here, everything from gender equality to family picnics, but the takeaway is how travel helps us come home to ourselves. 

Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.

Want to reengage with yourself and put creative self-care back on your to-do list? Head over to my website: lettheverseflow.com and sign up for my free newsletter, the Me-Time Mixtape. Three times per month, I’ll send you 3 essential, hand-curated links/resources on creative self-care tips, tools, and strategies.

Poem: I've Seen the Palace in Rabat

Music: (My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and share it with the world. All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.)

Songs in this episode:
Sahara by Brion James; Slide by GEMM; original soundscapes from medinas in Marrakesh and Rabat recorded by Jill Hodge; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters

LTVF Season 2 Music Playlist: Check out the songs that inspire me, and connect with artists from many genres who add to our collective, human soundtrack. 

Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com

This episode is about giving our dreams space to grow and take shape. Dreams can come alive, if we feed them like fires, stoke our internal flames. We keep our dreams alive by:

·   Cultivating a positive mindset

·   Taking small actions consistently to work toward goals

Knowing we need these two ingredients is one thing, and doing them is another. In this episode, I'll inspire you to cultivate these two essential dream-builders. I offer an affirmation mediation to keep your dreams alive, new poetry to wake up your senses, and words of encouragement, taken from my personal experiences, to light your way.

Whether you are in your 20s, 40s, or 60s, you are never too old to dream. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Listen in to grow and feed your dreams from a positive well of inspiration and encouragement.

Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.

Want to put some of these strategies into action? Subscribe to my free newsletter, the Me-Time Mixtape, and get 3 essential, hand-curated links to creative self-care tips, tools, and strategies that you can use today. Head to my website: lettheverseflow.com to sign up.

Poem: Home at Last

Music: (My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and share it with the world. All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.)

Songs in this episode:
Beneath a Whisper by EVOE; Slide by GEMM; Crystal Soul by Wayfair; Lucid Dreams by Craig Allen Fravel; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters

LTVF Season 2 Music Playlist: Check out the songs that inspire me, and connect with artists from many genres who add to our collective, human soundtrack. 

Resources:
The Cultural Gardens at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport

Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com

So you've decided to journal or resume a journaling practice. You may be a beginner or an old pro, but you're finding yourself in need of some inspiration. Perhaps some structure and tools to get your journaling off the ground. Why do a 30-day challenge? Because writing in a journal is a practice and practices are built on habits. We need to make time and space for our journaling, built with daily (or near-daily) practice.

These next 30 days aren't meant to box you in or make you feel like journaling is a regime or chore. Let's set an intention that is more positive, and powerful, than that.

In this episode, I will:

• Discuss the practical logistics of journaling (tools, time/space, mindset)
• Help you set an intention for your journaling, a simple goal that will guide your first 30 days of writing
• Week one: Morning Pages or simple writing prompts
• Week two: Gratitude
• Week three: Self-Awareness/Personal Discovery
• Week four: Processing Emotions & Observing Changes
• Help you reflect on what you’ve learned about yourself and how to continue journaling in the future

Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.

Have a listen, then connect with me at lettheverseflow.com to sign up for my newsletter and receive journal prompts and resources on creativity and personal growth.

Music: (My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and have the courage to put it out into the world. All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.)

Songs in this episode:
Bring It by Rhythm Scott; Winning Streak by JeesGuy; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters

LTVF Season One Music Playlist: Check out the songs that inspire me, and connect with artists from many genres who add to our collective, human soundtrack. 

Resources:
The 30-Day Journal Challenge (30 days of writing prompts to start your practice)
The Benefits of Journaling for Mental Health & Wellness
Journaling 101: An Inspirational Guide to Start (or Revive) a Practice
Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages
The Mental Health Benefits of Journaling

Related Episodes: The Benefits of Journaling for Mental Health & Wellness (Episode #16);  Why Journal: To Have Deep Conversations with Yourself (Episode #1)

Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com

In today's bonus episode, I'm making a case for journaling. This simple, timeless act of writing down our feelings and thoughts is one of the most authentic reflective tools that humans have as they think their thoughts, love their loves and build their dreams. 
Journaling never goes out of style, because journaling is the human condition in words. Your words. Journaling is flexible and completely customizable to your needs and schedule. How many things can you say that about in this day and age? 
In this episode, I will

• discuss the mental health and wellness benefits of journaling  (13 benefits for personal growth and self-care)
• provide 3 journal prompts to help you explore the benefits of journaling you'd like to achieve
• help you set an intention to begin or revive your journaling practice as you prepare to take my 30-day journaling challenge (see the next episode (17) for all the details on the challenge)

Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.
Have a listen, then connect with me at lettheverseflow.com to sign up for my newsletter and receive journal prompts and resources on creativity and personal growth.
Music: (My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and have the courage to put it out into the world. All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.)
Songs in this episode:
Pour Pal by Sam Barsh; Winning Streak by JeesGuy; Brooklyn Brunch by AFTERNOONZ; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters
LTVF Season One Music Playlist: Check out the songs that inspire me, and connect with artists from many genres who add to our collective, human soundtrack.
Resources:
The Benefits of Journaling for Mental Health & Wellness
The Mental Health Benefits of Journaling
Journaling 101: An Inspirational Guide to Start (or Revive) a Practice
Journal Prompts:

1. Which benefits of journaling speak to you, which ones get you excited enough to motivate you to stick with a journal practice?
2. Write about how journaling could fit into your life. Where could you carve out 5-15 minutes per day (or a few times weekly) to write?
3. What has brought you to this point and why do you think journaling fits into your life right now?

Related Episodes: Why Journal? To Have Deep Conversations with Yourself  (Episode #1)
Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com

Grief and gratitude can be two sides of the same coin. They do a sort of dance, especially as we contemplate the loss of a family member or loved one during the holidays. 

Find out how a simple fingertip pulse oximeter box sparked great sadness in me, and then deep gratitude. As my mom transitions into advanced dementia, I’m struck by how often my sadness turns to gratitude. For if we love deeply and have been loved deeply, we are privy to one of humanity's greatest gifts. 

The price we pay for our lover’s soft hand, our uncle’s legendary bear hugs, and our mother’s nurturing gestures is the grief we feel when we lose them. But if we reflect on that grief we find that it wouldn’t exist if we weren’t blessed by their love in the first place. If we accept the love, we must accept the grief and hope that we recognize our blessings with gratitude. We come full circle and manifest our purpose. 

In this episode, I touch on this dance between grief and gratitude and offer three quotes to use as journal prompts to help you reflect on how these emotions play out in your life.

Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.

Have a listen, then connect with me at lettheverseflow.com to sign up for my newsletter and receive journal prompts and resources on creativity and personal growth.

Poem: A Smile Remains

Music: (My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and have the courage to put it out into the world. All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.)

Songs in this episode: Where Do We Go From Here (Feat. Jessie Villa) by Nu Alkemi$t; Winning Streak by JeesGuy; Sencilla by Cast Of Characters; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters

LTVF Season One Music Playlist: Check out the songs that inspire me, and connect with artists from many genres who add to our collective, human soundtrack. 

Resources:
Grief and Gratitude

Are Grief and Gratitude Mutually Exclusive?

Quotes on Grief & Gratitude for Journaling:

1. Grief and gratitude are two sides of the same coin, reminding us that even in loss, there is the currency of love.  (Rumi)
2. Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them. (Leo Tolstoy)
3. Come back. Even as a shadow, even as a dream. (Euripides)

Related Episodes: The Loved Ones We Carry (Episode #6); Dealing with Dementia: Caregiver Tips & Journal Prompts (Episode #13)

Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com