I cannot stress enough how important it is for writers to actually spend time EVERY day writing. Journaling is an easy way to do this. Set a timer and just write about whatever is on your mind!
I journal as soon as I wake up. First, I recount any dreams I can recall. Then, I list ten things I’m grateful for and set my intentions for the day. If I journal later, it’s usually to work out my anxieties, but sometimes I copy down something from lectures or books I’m listening to/reading. Sometimes I write down books or movies I want to check out. Sometimes poetry and haiku move through me.
Every Sunday, I reread my entries from the previous week. These are the nuggets of wisdom [citation needed] from the week of July 19 – July 25.
JULY 19
- [I had a dream I was giving a friend advice:]
You have to have an unshakable obsession. If it’s to be in a better relationship or to be better in your relationship, then you need to be doing something each day that makes you better than the day before. And it doesn’t have to be something big. Small, incremental changes – improvements over a month – will become huge changes. Your desire to be better must be bigger than your fear of failure. Failing is a part of life, but failing does NOT mean you are a failure no more than your hair color means you are that hair color. Your drive must be unwavering. Some days’ improvements will be bigger than others. That’s okay too. As long as improvements are being made you’re improving. The nails & screws are just as important in the building of a deck as the wood used. They’re just smaller than the wood, but no one wins the comparison game. Nails don’t waste their time comparing themselves to 2x4s. Don’t compare today’s improvements with yesterday’s improvements, yesterday’s growth. And don’t compare your development with someone else. That other is living their existence with an entirely different backlog of experiences. Their level of consciousness may be different than yours, & that’s okay. The great thing about consciousness is it only ever expands. Wisdom comes from knowing this. If you are consciously improving you will expand, & there might be times when you slip up & fall back. Do not see this as a failure, either. Instead, look @ where you were & consider that you were able to even get there to fall back from. Be grateful for getting there. Then, get up and get further.
[I’m quite pleased with the fact I was able to remember this right out of a dream, and of the advice itself. I hope it provides value to you] - We are all one beating heart. We are Universal Us.
JULY 20
- Dreamed the White House was a literal circus. Melania was doing a hula hoop act, the prez was talking about 3 wishes he could have. [this is neither premonition or prediction, but a sad, sad truth]
- [As today was the start of the new lunar cycle, I watched a forecast and took notes. I already wrote about the experiences with the ritual here, but I wanted to hightlight some points of the forecast.]
Set the intention to make a change into a new pattern, maybe emotional pattern. Start something new. Something new that helps you process your emotional energies. […] The world is shifting beneath our feet. […] Recognize connection between each other. […] Work & effort are demanded.
[We enter the first quarter on July 27]
The expression of the cycle emerges. Stress & tension. Explosive quality. Brilliant inspiration, continued progress in healing. Lots of promise for the possibility of progress. Watch out for overload, there is a possibility of breakdown.
[If you want a more in-depth forecast, please check out the video in the link up there]
JULY 21
- [had a dream that a friend recommended I watch Moana, like, repeatedly]
- I am desiring of the belief that I am God manifested in human form, made to perfection. This seems hard to breathe over because of years of faulty programming. It’s not their fault. I wish my parents peace. I wish my parents happiness. I wish my parents to be filled with lovingkindness.
- “I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious & happy.” – Charles Haanel‘s affirmation
- [my gratitude list for the day]
1. Fireflies
2. Mangoes
3. Off-days where I’m still productive
4. Aldi delivery (Aldi-livery)
5. New moon rituals
6. Being tired because it means I’m alive & working hard
7. The big tree in the backyard & hugging it
8. Sleeping well
9. My abundant life
10. Reconnecting with my limitless Inner Self
11. My brother
JULY 22
- May have dreamed of being outside in the dark & it raining. [insert ominous music here]
- [I made a video version of this post]
- Attachment comes from attachment to the story you’re telling yourself. Attachment is making something that is not you you. I don’t need to be attached to the outcome (the Universe has my back). Letting go is the realization that you’re already good. By reframing the story you change the energy.
- All my negative thoughts are weak. All my positive thoughts are powerful
JULY 23
- No dreams, but the impression of outside again.
- [I woke up feeling off, and I talked about it a bit in this video]
- Wanted to write I’m lonely, but how can I be lonely when my Inner Self is so filled with bliss & contentment. Lonely is an identity. Lonely is a story. Lonely is an action of the ego. Thank you for this loneliness. I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting you, loneliness. Please forgive me for neglecting you, loneliness. I love you loneliness because I know you are a part of me that I need to reintegrate. [I find it useful to use the Hawaiian practice of ho’oponopono when these uncomfortable feelings come up]
- [I had a chat with Sam, my inner child. When Sam talks through me, he does so by writing with my nondominant hand]
Me: Sam, how are you?
Sam: Hold me.
M (wrapping my arms around me): Have you felt neglected, Sam?
S: No, not really. I know you’ve been busy.
M: But that’s not an excuse. I can be here for you too. I will hold space for you. I know we’ve been told that before, but I mean it. I’m not going anywhere. I love you, Sam & I send love to all the parts of me I’ve unconsciously relegated to my shadows. I may not be able to name you yet, but please know that I see you. I hear you & you’re not bad or broken. The only reason you’re there is because I wasn’t able to deal with you @ that level of consciousness. I couldn’t hold space for you then, but I can now. I’m so sorry I couldn’t before. Know that you are loved. I’ve been looking to find you in others & that must have sucked because you’re right there, waiting for me. I see you now. I don’t know your names & I hope you reveal them when you’re ready, but I see you now. I am sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you. & Sam, what can I do for you today that will make you feel loved?
S: You’ve already taken so much time out of your day. I don’t want to take up more.
M: I appreciate that, but I want to hold space for you. What can I do to hold space for you today.
S: It would be nice to have a good cry.
M: I guess we’ll be listening to Dashboard later. I can do that, Sam. I’m sorry, Sam. Please forgive me, Sam. Thank you, Sam. I love you, Sam.
S: I love you, too. Thank you for seeing me - [I then tried to talk with my Inner Self, but that entity wouldn’t respond, so I talked to Heart instead. When Heart moves through me, it’s in cursive with my nondominant left hand]
M: What most needs to be felt? I’m sad. Is there anything around me making me sad? No. I’m only sad because of what I’m thinking about. Inner Self, can we talk thru here? Are you Heart? Heart, do you know Inner Self?
Heart: The Inner Self is beyond me.
M: Can you speak to it tho?
H: I don’t believe it speaks thru words. It speaks thru feelings.
M: Very well. I am desiring of the belief that I can speak the language of my Inner Self.
JULY 24
- [woke to go to the bathroom and my mind was overactive in a way that it hadn’t been for months. It kinda scared me, tbh, so I decided to have a conversation with my brain, who we decided would be named Bartholomew. When Bart talks through me, he does so by pressing very lightly on the page or writing very small]
Me: Bart, what’s up?
Bart: Oh, thanks for remembering I’m still here.
M: Of course I know you’re there. Is there a reason you’re all over the place?
B: I don’t like posting to YouTube. I don’t like not making money. I don’t like not sleeping.
M: Well, if you’d been quiet I could have slept. YouTube is something new so I think you’re reacting to that. See how we feel @ the end of 30 days. Does all this thinking benefit us?
B: No. This is probably just another attempt @ kicking & screaming before I submit.
M: I know it can be hard, but you’re keeping me from living my best life.
B: I know. I don’t mean to. I’m just doing what I do.
M: Is there anything I can do to make this easier on you?
B: Take more time to relax, more time to yourself.
M: All right, I will. I promise. I will take a nap today after I get the video & the blog post ready. I will eat a smaller breakfast so it’s not sitting on my stomach. And I won’t go anywhere tonight. I’ll film the video later, or I’ll skip it today, or I’ll see how I feel later.
B: Thank you. I don’t mean to be ornery. I just don’t want to be forgotten.
M: I won’t forget you, but you agreed long ago to only have good thoughts.
B: The Secret is a bunch of psycho babble mumbo jumbo.
M: Maybe, but right now, parts of it resonate with us. The great thing is we can change our beliefs @ any time, so why don’t we try believing it a& if it doesn’t work we’ll just say it was part of the great experiment of our existence.
B: I like that phrase.
M: Thanks, I like it too.
B: All right, I’ll behave today. You can breathe. - “Suppose you have a bird in a cage. If you simply polish the cage but do not give the bird any food, the bird will never be happy. Similarly, the material body is the cage of the soul, & if we simply care for the body, the soul will never become happy. So the beginning of spiritual knowledge is to understand that the soul is encaged within the body & mind & that neither bodily comforts nor mental satisfaction will ever bring the soul real happiness.” – from Dharma: The Way of Transcendence (affiliate) by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
- [that night before bed, I had another chat with Bart]
M: Bart, I’m so sorry I didn’t ask before I started talking about you.
B: It’s all right. I can’t really be mad.
M: I do love you, & I want to keep you safe.
B: I love you, too. Let’s work together then.
M: You got it. What can I do for you?
B: Take more time to relax & rest me. Do a post about the songs you wake up with on Sundays instead of the journal – save that for Mondays.
M: I will work on that next week. I promise. Thank you, Bart. I’m sorry, Bart. Please forgive me, Bart. Thank you, Bart. I love you, Bart.
B: I am sorry, Ross. Please forgive me, Ross. Thank you, Ross I love you, Ross.
M: Let’s integrate Bart. I will always need that masculine logic
B: I’m on board with integrating with Heart because I know it’s a more unified whole.
M: Heart, do you hear that? What do you think?
Heart: I think it’s time for bed. I am excited though.
M: Wonderful. Good night, selves.
[then one by one my selves said good night to me. It was kind of touching, really.]
JULY 25
- Some kind of gathering out in the woods. [Reflecting on the previous day, it’s no wonder I dreamed of a gathering when I was talking to so many of my selves]
- I can change my personality @ any time. My personality is not fixed. Would the me of even a year ago willingly laid down on the floor with a dog? NO. That’s proof I am manifesting a different personality.
- It is an old identity that says I am separate. That identity no longer serves me. No thank you! I appreciate you for getting me this far, but I want my consciousness of my experience to expand & I can’t do that by thinking I am separate.
- BLM protest was incredible. I got some footage but IDK what I’m gonna do with it. I am so thankful I was able to add my voice to the chorus of change.
[You can add your voice, too. Sign this petition amending Pennsylvania Code Title 18 Section 508 to a “reasonable belief” standard which would change the determination of whether deadly force is justified from a subjective standard to an objective one.]
Well, dear reader, that’s all I have for you today. It’s always insightful going back over these, and I don’t intend to stop, but I am going to take Bart’s advice and move these to Monday so I can do more relaxing on Sunday (as that seems to be what my inner selves are telling me) Time to watch Moana!
Be well, my friend.