KiwiQueenThings

Just some things I'd like to keep in mind 🌼

[metamorphesque]

musings on July

"NW" Zadie Smith, "the Hands of Friendship" in Yerevan (@metamorphesque). "Jane Eyre" Charlotte Brontë (@flowerytale), Franz Kafka’s Diaries (@hungryfictions), "Summer night by the beach" Edvard Munch, "A Magic Mountain" Czeslaw Milosz (tr by Czeslaw Milosz and Lillian Vallee), "Answer July" Emily Dickinson, "Four Sunflowers Gone to Seed" Vincent van Gogh, The Diaries of Franz Kafka (@shisasan)

[thisus3rhaspass3d-deactivated20]

Nobody tells you how hard it is to rewire your brain so you can allow amazing things to happen to you after so much trauma or hurt. Blessings exist, good people exist, a softer life exists. Let it happen.

[thesophistiicate]

just keep finding your strengths. that’s really all you have to do. the things you are good at. the things other people compliment you on. the things that feel natural and easy. we are so trained to see the negatives, to trip ourselves over on everything we are not so that we never see our true gifts… but once you learn to see your strengths as your beacon, the answer to what you should “do” with your life, and then keep following following following… oh, oh! that’s when it all happens.

[kiwiqueenthings]

When you catch yourself acting in a way that doesn't align with your ideal self (i.e. jealousy, getting defensive, pessimism, etc.), tell yourself "wait, that isn't me" and correct it. This way, you are actively removing those negative habits from how you view yourself. Self improvement is much more difficult when we still see ourselves as less than we'd like to be.

[solacescastle]

📈🎯The Maintenance Rule 🎯📈

Treat your life like it's already the way you want it to be. BUT, and this is key, treat it like you're maintaining what you want, not like you're using all of it up.

For example, if you want to be happy, don't act like someone who's trying to be happy, but isn't. Act like someone who already is happy, and is working to maintain that happiness:

overcommitting to demands --> setting boundaries faking happiness --> being honest with how you're feeling neglecting basic needs --> keeping up with them as best you can

Remember, it's not about faking. If you take medication for depression, for example, don't stop taking it because a 'real' happy person wouldn't need it. As a happy person on antidepressants, taking medication keeps me happy, so to maintain my happiness I need to keep taking it.

This applies to everything: money, fitness, grades, friendships, self esteem, beauty, career direction, skills, social media. Everything.

Remember, you already have it. So act like it.

[stuckinapril]

So crazy how you have the worst day of your life but then the next day the sun keeps shining and the air’s just a little cooler w the onset of fall and you realize that there’s nothing you can’t come back from because the only time it will ever be too late is when we’re dead and not ever before

[stuckinapril]

I vividly remember talking to one of my favorite professors about how I’m scared things will fall apart after graduation and how I’m so unused to change and her just going “if things fall apart then they do and u just pick up the pieces and start over again and it’s fine. Things falling apart is not this mammoth fear u should be worried about” and I remember these words every time I want to pursue or seize something bc literally the worst thing that can happen is it doesn’t work out ….. and then I just pick up the pieces and start all over again

[thesophistiicate]

upgrade your life by taking note of the objects you use most and slowly replace them with the most beautiful and high-quality versions of those things you can find.

[thesophistiicate]

sweet daily rituals for a calm life 🕊️

+ morning coffee or tea ritual: start your day with a carefully prepared cup of coffee or tea, and if you can, enjoy it slowly somewhere cosy, with a book or soft music in the background.

+ journalling ritual: whether it's morning pages or an end-of-day debrief, consider free-flow journalling to unclog your thoughts, face any problems, and deal with your emotions.

+ skincare ritual: develop a luxurious skincare routine, slowing down to pay real attention and care to your body. consider adding in lymphatic massage, too.

+ mindful cooking: allow cooking to be a meditative process, taking time to choose fresh, seasonal ingredients, explore new recipes, and enjoy the hands-on experience of being in the kitchen. set the table with care, even for simple meals, using beautiful dishes and linens.

+ midday break: decompress and take a quiet break in the middle of the day, perhaps with a short walk through a nearby park or a few minutes of journaling. pause and reflect on how you are feeling and how you want to feel for the rest of the day.

+ afternoon tea or snack: enjoy a piece of dark chocolate, some fresh fruit, delicious cheese, or a small pastry, served on a delicate tray or vintage plate, for a moment of indulgence.

+ evening wind-down: in the evening, unwind with a bath or hot shower, surrounded by soft candlelight and soothing music, followed by changing into comfortable, elegant loungewear or pyjamas. this could be a time for reading, listening to music, spending time with your partner, or enjoying a classic film.

+ home care: pay daily attention to your living space and cultivate a serene and inviting atmosphere by tidying up, clearing away clutter, arranging fresh flowers, and lighting a candle or two.

+ gratitude practice: take a few moments for reflection and gratitude, appreciating the small, beautiful moments that made your day special.