Hello Andriana

31/12/2022

11/01/2022

3 WAYS TO SET YOUR INTENTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR.

It is officially 2022 and I am looking forward to a fresh start. It is easy to feel disheartened when your goals and dreams were not realized last year.

On the contrary, I feel grateful because the new year means a second chance at achieving your dreams. Here are my best tips to mindfully set your intentions for 2022:

1. Find your ‘Why’: when choosing a goal, you should always ask why it is important to you. Write down the feeling you want to experience after having accomplished the goal.

2. Select 1 word or phrase to define the year: if you can’t commit to any resolutions, try choosing 1 word or phrase as a theme for the year. For instance, the word can be “growth” or “creativity”. It helps to guide your actions and mindset for the new year.

3. Write monthly intentions: when you have big goals, it would help to list out monthly intentions to help you get on track. Try breaking down each step every month to make sure they align with your overall vision.

18/12/2021

BEST ADVICE I GAVE MYSELF THIS YEAR 💫

When you give yourself advice, you are much more likely to follow it. You also have control over things that you wish to change.

After reflecting for quite some time, I decided to jot down a few things that I think would resonate with a lot of people:

- Be true to yourself; if it doesn’t feel right, then change it.
- Make small progress everyday.
- Take your time and do not rush.
- Think of others; give back everyday. - It’s okay to experience setbacks along the way.
- Let it go; whatever’s making you angry.
- Believe in yourself.

13/12/2021

MY FAVORITE QUOTE YOU NEED TO HEAR TODAY.

“There is no love; there are only proofs of love” - Pierre Reverdy.

My absolute favorite resolution I learned from “The Happiness Project” that I would like to extend to others is to be loving.

Choosing to show affection and care to other people not only makes them feel loved by you but you also feel that love back. Show them that you care, whether it is through the act of listening or simply expressing that you appreciate them.

Exercise: give proofs of love to your loved ones.

13/12/2021

MY FAVORITE QUOTE YOU NEED TO HEAR TODAY.

“There is no love: there are only proofs of love” - Pierre Reverdy.

My absolute favorite resolution I learned from “The Happiness Project” that I would like to extend to others is to be loving.

Choosing to show affection and care to other people not only makes them feel loved by you but you also feel that love back. Show them that you care, whether it is through the act of listening or simply expressing that you appreciate them.

Exercise: give proofs of love to your loved ones.

10/12/2021

HERE ARE MY BEST TIPS TO SLEEP BETTER.

Getting better sleep quality has made the list of my happiness resolutions. A quality night sleep is something that I have been struggling to achieve. Sleep is important for maintaining good mental and physical health. Lack of sleep has also been linked to a reduction in empathy which affects your overall happiness. To get better sleep quality, I attempt to practice good sleep hygiene and night routine below:

1. Get as much sunlight during the day ☀️: step outside and get your eyes climatise to the light.

2. Do morning workouts 💦: people who exercise in the day sleep better than those who exercise in the evening. Our body temperature has to stay cool to sleep better at night.

3. No food within 1 hour of sleep 🍎: eating increases our body temperature.

4. Block out any source of light 💡: darker lighting triggers the brain to produce melatonin which helps you sleep. It is therefore essential to turn off all devices and avoid netflix right before bedtime (hard to resist, I know!).

5. Sleep in a cool environment ❄️: ideally the best bedroom temperature is around 18-21 degrees celsius temperature.

6. Have a wind down routine ☕️: if you’re an anxious sleeper like me, write all your worries in a journal and fix yourself a cup of chamomile tea to relax.

Share these tips to your loved ones who have trouble sleeping 🛏💤

27/11/2021

Who has been having bad days lately?🙋🏻‍♀️

I’m here to tell you that you are not alone. Experts say that “denying bad feelings only intensifies them and acknowledging bad feelings allows good feelings to return”. It is important to be cognizant of one’s negative feelings to make meaning out of them.

Unpleasant feelings are just as important as happy ones because they provide you with the opportunity to re-evaluate matters in your life. After going through something distressing, we often try to accept the bad feelings and work towards recovery.

The key is to cope with these negative emotions and learn from our experiences.

17/11/2021

*Self-confidence series post*

There’s a staggering amount of evidence which shows that we experience negative thoughts on a daily basis. It is said that 80% of our thoughts are negative while 95% of them are repetitive. This means that we often think about the same negative things about ourselves over and over. It is no wonder that our confidence fluctuates.

What are some ways to boost self-confidence?

I find that the most helpful way to bring back confidence is to practice self-compassion. Self-compassion involves being kind to yourself whenever you experience setbacks. It allows for building emotional resilience and connection to others.

Furthermore, it is also about creating a positive narrative for yourself when you are feeling down/anxious. Practicing positive self-talk helps to reframe those negative thoughts and overcome self doubts.

A simple exercise that I also like to do is to list down any achievements and challenges that you have overcome to remind yourself how tough you are. Whenever you are feeling particularly down, you can then look back on these moments. Let these triumphs fuel your confidence.

Exercise: practice positive self-talk.

04/11/2021

When was the last time you took the time to reflect on your life?

The sad truth is that we are too busy with our lives and do not take the time to contemplate our thoughts and feelings. We move forward without aligning with how we feel. When in reality, self-reflection is one of the best ways to be mindful and to find your true self.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said “to be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment”. I believe that happiness comes from being your authentic self. Self-reflection helps us gain insight about ourselves and in turn we would be able to take back control of our lives. Here are some of my favourite self-reflection questions:

- What makes me special?
- What can I do very well?
- What am I proud of?
- What makes me happy?
- What do I want for my future self?
- Is there something missing in my life?

Exercise: make self-reflection a routine.

27/10/2021

How many times do you find yourself ruminating about the future or past mistakes?

When my anxiety goes into overdrive, I am overwhelmed with constant worries. It is so easy to be consumed in these negative thoughts. If truth be told, these things haven’t even happened and you cannot change past outcomes.

When I’m anxious about something, I would always try to imagine three boxes; the past, present and future. I then decide where I think this anxious thought belongs. If it happens to go into the past or future box, I slowly pull myself together and finally stop worrying. I have come to a conclusion that you can think about past and future things a thousand times but nothing will ever change the outcome.

The only thing you can do is focus on the present and accept things for what they are. Most eminently, have faith that you are where you are supposed to be.

What are some thoughts that are keeping you unrest at the moment?

24/10/2021

“There is, indeed, something inexpressibly pleasing in the annual renovation of the world, and the new display of the treasures of nature” - Samuel Johnson.

Exercise: take some time this week to notice things around you and appreciate them — no matter how big or small.