by The Lovely Refinement Team | Sep 12, 2020 | Self-Improvement
In today’s fast-paced world where everyone is always running around in circles, it has never been easier to get caught up in our daily routine, distracting us from the actual bigger picture of life.
Because most of us are almost always tight on time, we rarely pause to put things into perspective and be “present” in life, which, believe it or not, hinders us from fully living our lives here and now!
So, what’s to be done? It’s the basic nature of life; you’re probably thinking. And I agree, but each of us owns control over a certain element that can replace distraction with mindfulness: our inner thoughts!
To drive mindfulness, I always resort to mindfulness quotes to give me the dose of inspiration and motivation that I need to achieve my inner peace and stay grounded. And since sharing is caring, I thought of compiling my favorite and most influential mindful quotations from mindful leaders and practitioners to help you, too, to live in the present moment.
Whether you’re looking for quotes by Thich Nhat Hanh, Jon Kabat Zinn, Amit Ray, and other leaders, or simple mindfulness Monday quotes, short mindfulness quotes, mindfulness meditation quotes, or even a mindfulness quote for the day, you’ll find something your mind likes!
We all know that mindfulness and meditation are life changers but if you don’t know where to begin, or how to begin head over to the Master Your Mind for beginners course as it will show you the simplest and easiest path to change your life using mindfulness.
Mindfulness Quotes for Work
Many overlook mindfulness when it comes to work and business issues, but truth be told, mindfulness can go a long way with productivity and de-stressing your workdays. You’ll notice yourself accomplishing more at work and appreciating the things that matter.
- “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
- “Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.” – Eckhart Tolle
- “Seeking is endless. It never comes to a state of rest; it never ceases.” – Sharon Salzberg
- “To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the small uncaring ways.” – Stephen Vincent Benet
- “In today’s rush, we all think too much, seek too much, want too much, and forget about the joy of just being.” – Eckhart Tolle
- “Look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your thoughts about them.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
- “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” – Viktor Frankl
- “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” – Amit Ray
- “Step outside for a while, calm your mind. It is better to hug a tree than to bang your head against a wall continually.” – Rasheed Ogunlaru
- “If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.” – Pema Chödrön
- “Every experience, no matter how bad it seems, holds within it a blessing of some kind. The goal is to find it.” – Buddha
- “The basic root of happiness lies in our minds; outer circumstances are nothing more than adverse or favorable.” – Matthieu Ricard
- “The mind is just like a muscle; the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets, and the more it can expand.” – Idowu Koyenikan
- “Use every distraction as an object of meditation, and they cease to be distractions.” – Mingyur Rinpoche
Mindfulness Quotes for Teachers
Teachers can be the greatest source of inspiration for students, especially those in the early stages of their lives. However, teachers are humans, after all, with their unique set of emotions and feelings. When self-doubt and pessimism kick in due to the abundance of standards that need to be met, the below quotes on mindfulness can make a huge difference.
- “The hallmark of resiliency is the ability to harness positive emotions when we need to counter the effects of hardship.” – Patricia A Jennings
- “Concentration is a cornerstone of mindfulness practice. Your mindfulness will only be as robust as the capacity of your mind to be calm and stable. Without calmness, the mirror of mindfulness will have an agitated and choppy surface and will not be able to reflect things with any accuracy.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
- “Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child – our own two eyes. All is a miracle.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “This is the real secret of life; to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.”- Alan Watts
- “Mindful and creative, a child who has neither a past nor examples to follow, nor value judgments, simply lives, speaks, and plays in freedom.”- Arnaud Desjardins
- “You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.” – Kahlil Gibran
- “I never teach my pupils. I can only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” – Albert Einstein
- “Mindfulness is paying attention, in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
- “Essentially, meditation allows us to live in ways that are less automatic. This necessarily means less time spent worrying, ruminating, and trying to control things we can’t control. It means we become less vulnerable to the throes of the fear-driven, older parts of our brains, and freer to use our newer and more sophisticated mental abilities: patience, compassion, acceptance, and reason.” – David Cain
- “If you clean the floor with love, you have given the world an invisible painting.” – Osho
- “Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.”- Chuang
- “Wanting to reform the world without discovering one’s true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes.” – Ramana Maharshi
- “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” -Deepak Chopra
- “You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.” – Pema Chödrön
Mindfulness Quotes for Kids
If we were aware of mindfulness since our youth, we would’ve all been in a different state of mind; one that’s accepting of the current moment and its reality. That’s why it’s best to instill mindfulness in students early on to improve their concentration, memory, and happiness while keeping them calm and focused. Make it a habit to introduce a “mindful quote of the day” for your kids.
- “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama
- “Wherever you go, there you are.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
- “Mindfulness isn’t difficult; we just need to remember to do it.” – Sharon Salzberg
- “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “Looking at beauty in the world is the first step of purifying the mind.” – Amit Ray
- “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” -Thich Nhat Hanh
- “The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from his angle as well as your own.” – Henry Ford
- “Creativity is as boundless, spacious, and limitless as the sky. We are born with it. It cannot be lost, and it cannot be destroyed. It can only be forgotten.” – Andy Puddicombe
- “So much time and effort are spent on wanting to change, trying to change, to be somebody different, better, or new. Why not use this time to get comfortable with yourself as you are instead?” – Andy Puddicombe
- “You cannot control the results, only your actions.” – Allan Lokos
- “Don’t believe everything you think. Thoughts are just that; thoughts.” – Allan Lokos
- “There is something wonderfully bold and liberating about saying yes to our entire imperfect and messy life.” – Tara Brach
- “In the end, just three things matter: How well we have lived. How well we have loved. How well we have learned to let go” – Jack Kornfield
- “Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).” – James Baraz
Mindfulness Quotes About Being Present
When it really comes down to it, mindfulness is all about living in the present moment. The overarching goal is to allow your mind to live now and enjoy life as it is, without dwelling on the past or worrying about tomorrow. The below positive mindfulness quotes are here to serve that exact purpose!
- “I always live in the present. The future I can’t know. The past I no longer have.” – Fernando Pessoa
- “To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “The past has no power over the present moment.” – Eckhart Tolle
- “Life is a dance. Mindfulness is witnessing that dance.” – Amit Ray
- “If you want to conquer overthinking, bring your mind to the present moment and reconnect it with the immediate world.”- Amit Ray
- “When we are lost in delusion, it’s hard to see even the most obvious truths.” – Jack Kornfield
- “Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, we enter the warrior’s world.” – Pema Chödrön
- “Each moment is just what it is. It might be the only moment of our life; it might be the only strawberry we’ll ever eat. We could get depressed about it, or we could finally appreciate it and delight in the preciousness of every single moment of our life.” – Pema Chödrön
- “Perhaps the biggest tragedy of our lives is that freedom is possible, yet we can pass our years trapped in the same old patterns. We may want to love other people without holding back, to feel authentic, to breathe in the beauty around us, to dance and sing. Yet each day, we listen to inner voices that keep our life small.” – Tara Brach
- “Consider how the sky is unharmed by the clouds that pass through it, whether they are light and fluffy-looking or dark and formidable. A mountain is not moved by the winds blowing over it, whether gentle or fierce. The ocean is not destroyed by the waves moving on its surface, whether high or low. In just that way, no matter what we experience, some aspect of ourselves remains unharmed. This is the innate happiness of awareness.” – Sharon Salzberg
- “What would it be like if I could accept life–accept this moment–exactly as it is?” – Tara Brach
- “When we can’t let the moment in front of us be what it is (because we’re afraid that if it’s good, it’ll end too soon; if it’s bad, it’ll go on forever; and if it’s neutral, it’ll bore us to tears), we’re out of balance. Mindfulness restores that balance; we catch our habitual reactions of clinging, condemning, and zoning out, and let them go.” – Sharon Salzberg
- The experience of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral is the consequence of perception.” – Allan Lokos
- “When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present moment. This is the beginning and the end of spiritual practice. Only in this moment can we discover that which is timeless. Only here can we find the love that we seek. Love in the past is simply memory, and love in the future is fantasy. Only in the reality of the present can we love, can we awaken, can we find peace and understanding and connection with ourselves and the world.” – Jack Kornfield
- “The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle.” – Tara Brach
Mindfulness Quotes About Being Present for Others
A big chunk of leading a mindfulness life includes not only being present for ourselves but also for others. Indirectly, helping and supporting others is a mindfulness practice that contributes to our own self-improvement as well; and that’s something we need to remember. Here are some of my treasured and inspiring mindfulness quotes to drive you to the next good deed.
- “Practice sharing the fullness of your being, your best self, your enthusiasm, your vitality, your spirit, your trust, your openness, and above all, your presence. Share it with yourself, with your family, with the world.” – Jon Kabat Zinn
- “You hold in your hand an invitation: to remember the transforming power of forgiveness and loving kindness. To remember that no matter where you are and what you face, within your heart, peace is possible.”- Jack Kornfield
- “Genetically speaking, we are one people. The two most seemingly different people in the world are virtually identical from the point of their genes. At most, about one in a thousand nucleotides in our DNA are different between the blackest and the whitest, the tallest and the shortest of us. We are 99.9 percent the same. We are one tribe, one family, but have yet to recognize it. We, humans, are all intimately interconnected. How we treat each other matters to the health and well-being, perhaps even the survival, of us all as a species, not in some vague future, but in this very moment.” – Jon Kabat Zinn
- “Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.” – Sally Koch
- “There is no use whatsoever trying to help people who do not help themselves. You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he is willing to climb himself.” – Andrew Carnegie
- “Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.” – William Arthur Ward
- “When you become detached mentally from yourself and concentrate on helping other people with their difficulties, you will be able to cope with your own more effectively. Somehow, the act of self-giving is a personal power-releasing factor.” – Norman Vincent Peale
- “At the end, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.” – Denzel Washington
- “Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.” – Robin Sharma
- “There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”- Mandy Hale
- “When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.” – Pauline R. Kezer
- “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone.” – Shannon L. Alder
- “The next time you want to withhold your help, or your love, or your support for another for whatever the reason, ask yourself a simple question: do the reasons you want to withhold it reflect more on them or on you? And which reasons do you want defining you forevermore?”- Dan Pearce
- “If you haven’t done much giving in your life – try it and see how you feel afterwards.” – Michelle Moore
Here are some of our other related posts regarding mindfulness:
6 Easy Mindfulness Exercises For Anxiety
Mindful Eating Tips and Tricks for Long-Term Weight Loss
Final Thoughts
At one point or another, we struggle to live in the present moment. When you feel that happening, remember that you need mindfulness practice. Mindfulness practice can even be as simple as reading mindful quotes like the ones in this post.
With time, if you practice mindfulness every day and make a note to read some “mindfulness quotes of the day,” for example, you’ll reap the benefits and witness the power of mindfulness in your life.
And remember, it’s not difficult; we just need to make it a habit. Just like anything else, practice makes perfect, and the first-rate mindfulness quotes I’ve provided you with here can serve as an ideal starting point.
Stay focused, inspired, and motivated!
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Aug 31, 2020 | Finding Motivation, Self-Confidence, Self-Improvement
Gandhi once said: “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.” And he wasn’t wrong; our every thought does have the power to influence our entire lifestyle.
If you’re an overthinking woman like myself, your thoughts can be detrimental to your personal development, hindering you from becoming the best version of yourself. I know you probably feel that you don’t have control over your mind because that’s how I felt for the longest time. Yet, the matter of the fact is, you do have the power to control your mind’s inner dialogue.
How so? One word: self–affirmations. Self-affirmations are sentences targeted at affecting your conscious and subconscious mind in positive ways to influence your behavior, thinking patterns, and habits.
Because I know that you might bounce off this article this very minute, let me first tell you whether affirmations work, and how they do. Then, I’ll showcase some of my favorite positive affirmations for women that I’ve tried myself at different stages of my life. Read on!
Do Affirmations Work?
You probably think that this is just some wishful, unrealistic thinking. I thought so too before trying affirmations myself. But believe me, they do work!
You can use affirmations in almost any scenario where you’d like to see a positive change. For instance, you could want to improve your self-esteem and self-confidence levels, overcome a specific bad habit, control negative feelings and thoughts, overcome self-sabotaging, and more.
When you use and repeat affirmations regularly, preferably daily, you actually start believing in them and make positive changes.
In a way, daily affirmations reprogram your thinking patterns and exercise your mind. Therefore, the key to make an affirmation work is to keep reciting it, especially as soon as you start encountering the negative thought or experience you want to overcome.
Just a tip: Before you start your affirmations, be clear with yourself about what you’re working on changing and what exactly you want out of the affirmations.
From one woman to another, below is a set of common yet diverse daily affirmations for women, including affirmations for black women, affirmations for single women, self-affirmations for women, and affirmations for positivity for women. To the power of positive thoughts!
Affirmations for Single Women
Lady, if you think you’re incomplete just because you don’t have a partner, think again! You’re fully whole on your own, literally. Being single will only feel horrible if you look at your life from such a pessimistic perspective. Shift your perception, take away the ‘being single sucks’ attitude, and be happy with the support of these positive affirmations. You go, girl!
- A relationship will never, ever define me.
- It’s not their job to like me; it’s mine.
- I’m 100% responsible for my own happiness.
- Every day, I will practice the art of self-love.
- I’m worthwhile and deserving of real love.
- My life is already fulfilling, and I hold the keys to my own happiness.
- My single status is a blessing, not a burden.
- I’m enough. If I can’t be myself, then I can’t be with them.
- I enjoy having time to do whatever I want.
- There are so many opportunities for love in the future.
- Starting today, I’m letting go of anyone or anything that’s no longer serving me and my best interests.
- I forgive myself for accepting less than I deserved in the past.
- True love is out there for me; I just need to be patient and accept that my timeline is different than those around me.
- I deserve to be happy in my life, no matter who is in it.
- I’m capable of living each day to its fullest without someone else in it.
- Being single doesn’t make me better or worse than anyone else.
Self-Esteem Affirmations for Women
It’s quite easy to get weighed down and lose sight of the bigger picture sometimes. However, it’s tough to restore our self-confidence and positive energy. Self-affirmation sure does take practice, so take yourself one step closer to loving the woman you are inside. Live by these boosters and watch how you’ll feel empowered with daily positive thoughts flowing through you.
- I’m in control of my life.
- I’m creating a beautiful life.
- I believe in myself.
- I value and honor my boundaries.
- Believing in myself comes naturally to me.
- I’m worthy of love and attention.
- I’m respected by the people around me.
- I value my worth.
- I will continue to learn and grow.
- I believe in my skills and abilities.
- I will stand by my decisions. They are sound and reasoned.
- I’m doing my best, and it is enough.
- It isn’t selfish to be kind to myself.
- I am my best source of motivation.
- I’m becoming a better version of myself one day at a time.
Positive Affirmations for Women
Positive affirmations for women are among the unique ones. Why so? Because positive affirmations can change your thought process, forever. Once your thoughts are positive ones, there’s no going back. Your life just propels from there, day after day. It’s worth the work, but if you want to take it slow, choose one positive affirmation to work with and watch the magic.
- I embrace myself and all women in the world.
- I attract energies and situations that fill me with joy every day.
- I’m grateful for this wonderful day and the endless possibilities it has to offer. I know something great is in store for me.
- I’m patient with myself and accept that positive change takes time. My best self is emerging every day.
- Rather than being discouraged by how far I have left to go, I’m grateful for how far I’ve already come.
- I’m ready to create more success in my life and release any excuses. I’m productive and focused on attaining results.
- I don’t have to wait until I feel ready to act on my goals. The timing will never be right; I’m ready now.
- I believe that life brings me only the best, and I rejoice in what is and what is coming.
- I recognize my role in attracting everything that comes my way.
- My journey of self-love means giving my mind some time to rest.
- My peace is mine; I won’t give anyone the power to take it away from me.
- I act with confidence and have a plan, and I accept that plans are open to change.
- I practice self-care and recognize when I need to take a break. I feel good about taking care of myself.
- I move at the perfect pace. I don’t need to speed up or slow down.
- I refuse to overcommit myself. I’m able to say no when I need to. I protect my time because I deserve it, and it’s invaluable.
Affirmations for Black Women
In these troubling and difficult times, we live in, we stand in full solidarity with our African-American sisters. Remember to love yourself and don’t lose perspective. Even one daily affirmation can go a long way, and these are some of the most positive affirmations for black women that I wholeheartedly believe in. I know that sometimes you believe you don’t have it in you to achieve your purposes, but in fact, all you need is this push below. You can, and you will!
- I have the power to create change.
- I will not let society dictate who I am.
- I feel comfortable in my own skin.
- “I know it can get tough out there. It can get downright ugly. Know you are designed for greatness. Black girl, you rock, because you have so much potential. I’m so grateful to be a black woman. I would be so jealous if I was anything else.”- Danai Gurira
- I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.
- I possess the qualities needed to be extremely successful.
- “The things that make me different are the things that make me ME.”- A.A. Milne
- I can. I will. End of story!
- I now choose to release all hurt and resentment.
- I’m superior to negative thoughts and low actions.
- Mistakes are not the end of me. Challenges are not the end of me.
- My hair is the perfect halo for my head.
- “The black woman is art; a perfect expression of pain, struggle, strength, and beauty.” – Dr. X
- The comeback is always stronger than the setback.
Final Thoughts
This is just a glimpse of the many ways you can use affirmations for women in your day-to-day life, and I truly hope that by just going through every affirmation, you feel some sort of motivation and positive affirmation that your life is nowhere as bad as it feels like.
As I said, use these affirmations to reinforce positive thoughts in your mind and make them your new norm. If you need to, take it one positive affirmation at a time; it also helps to keep an affirmation journal where you can record your reciting every day to maintain progress. Have a look at some of our other blogs like this one “How to Overcome Self-Doubt and Increase Your Confidence” which can also help in finding your confidence. I really love this video from Oprah as well which explains why it’s so important for us to value ourselves and what we do. When You UNDERVALUE What You DO, the WORLD Will UNDERVALUE Who You Are
Every single day is worth living; so, unleash the life of your dreams by bombarding your subconscious with confidence and certainty to replace the extra baggage of negative thoughts and beliefs. You’ll thank yourself later.
Be happy!
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Aug 28, 2020 | Finding Motivation, Happiness Tips, Self-Improvement
There’s a Japanese word called “Ikigai,” which means “a reason for being,” and which aligns perfectly with the idea of passion projects.
The concept is to find meaning in life, a purpose that guides and directs you, and a cause that makes your existence worthwhile. Of course, this entails plenty of things, including the ability to do something you enjoy while providing a benefit to society and those around you. The big question though is where and how can I find passion project ideas?
Naturally, you’d need to make money to fund yourself and have the needed financial independence to manage something of this magnitude. And this is where passion projects come in.
What Is a Passion Project?
A passion project is a project you work on that aligns with your interests or hobbies, makes money for you, and benefits people around you. It could be your main business or a side hustle, but most often, it starts out as something small that requires a few hours (maybe only one) every day and grows little by little into something big and beneficial. A passion project is a bit more involved than a usual hobby but look at these 13 hobbies as some of them might actually resonate and align with your passion.
What Are the Advantages of Passion Projects?
You might be wondering why someone might want to add just another task on their to-do list with all the ones we can barely keep up with. Well, passion projects are definitely worth it if you pick the right ones. Here is what makes them worthwhile:
1. Boost Happiness
Everyone feels happier when they have a higher sense of control over their life, and that’s exactly what a passion project does. It enables you to pick what the project will be, its goals, its size, the deadlines, the standard you want to live up to, the plan to complete it, when it’s done, and the metric for its success.
2. Keep Yourself Creative
If you only finish work-related tasks throughout your day, how would you be able to think in different ways that aren’t shaped by your job? A passion project keeps your mind active and continuously provides you with fresh perspectives, which, in turn, help you achieve more in your everyday life and possibly your primary job as well!
3. Add Accomplishments to Your Portfolio
This is especially important for people who work in fields that require practical projects, not only certificates and degrees. For example, someone who wants to get a tech job would definitely need a portfolio of all the projects they worked on to prove the experience they’ve gained.
4. Stay Curious and Learn New Skills
If you pursue new ideas, you’ll need to learn skills that enable you to continue working on them and bring them to life. For example, if you want to enhance your writing, you might be looking for a program that collects synonyms and displays them in exemplary sentences.
Well, you could look for one, but a passion project would be to create your own! The possibilities are endless and are all quite promising.
Ideas for a Passion Project
Naturally, the first thing that comes to mind when discussing passion project ideas for students is to start a blog. There’s a high chance anyone reading this already knows someone who has their own blog, and these are pretty easy to start on different hosting platforms like Blogspot/Blogger, WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, and plenty more.
All you have to do is find the topic that interests you the most, like psychology, programming, or fashion, and write everything you know about it. The way I started was by using the “Launch your blog biz” course from the team at CreateandGo.com. This course helped me to build this exact blog you are reading. It’s a simple to understand and comprehensive step-by-step course. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
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Launch a YouTube or Vimeo Channel
I can bet on the fact that almost all of us have thought about becoming YouTubers at one point or another in our lives. If you’re into fashion, you can do “haul” videos, gamers can upload walkthroughs, and bookworms can upload videos of their book reviews.
There’s pretty much something for everyone and every interest. As long as you have something you love and find some free time to get creative about it, you’ll do quite well.
If you’re super talented with artistic work like animations or short films and have storytelling skills, you should totally opt for Vimeo.
Podcasts are the new hype. After all, they fit the modern person’s needs: get a lot of information quickly and compactly. Having your personal podcast is like having a YouTube channel, but it’s all audio, so you have to be a vocal and well-spoken person. But most importantly, you have to be really passionate about the topic you’re going to tackle.
You could tell Greek mythology stories, discuss your favorite books, review movies, or talk about trips and tricks to learn a certain skill that you’re good at.
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Have an Online or Physical Store
An excellent way to make money would be to sell things. I’d recommend an online store for students, but you can still have a physical one if human interaction is an important pillar for you.
There are so many free websites and apps that allow you to run your store such as Etsy (for handmade crafts), Shopify, Amazon, Carousell, or others. I’d recommend that you go through the subscription fees and the rules/regulations to start selling before you venture into that, though.
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Run a Facebook or Instagram Page
An excellent way to make use of your free time doing something you love would be to post on social media, such as Facebook and/or Instagram. All you have to do is post useful and meaningful content, which would be easy for you if you’re writing about topics you’re passionate about.
It’s a great way to build a community with like-minded people, and if you want to get some money out of it, you can definitely do so with some ads, especially if you curate good traffic.
If you’re good at something, like pottery, coding, makeup, you name it; you can definitely make a profit by teaching others how to do it. Holding a workshop is a fantastic way to share your knowledge as well as make some money on the side.
If you don’t have the time, place, or means to hold a workshop, you can replace it with an online course. It’s the same project idea, but you’ll be doing everything online. This means that you need to have incredible social and communication skills.
You can use Instagram (or any photo-hosting website) to start an online gallery of your drawings, paintings, or art. Of course, you can take it to a real-life gallery, but an online one would also be just fine.
This is the most creative of them all. Whether you want to solve a problem by creating something that doesn’t exist yet or modifying an already popular product, bringing your own unique idea to life would be one fantastic way of enjoying and monetizing your passion.
Passion Project Ideas by the Niche
High school students probably have the best head start when it comes to starting a passion project. This is because they have a suitable amount of time for a side project, don’t have something to do full-time, and can spare some effort for a genius hour project.
Middle-schoolers and kids can also benefit from how much free time they have, though their skills are probably still taking shape. So what are some passion project ideas for high school students? Do they differ from passion project ideas for middle-school students? And what about passion project ideas for kids?
I’d recommend online projects like Facebook pages, online stores, or YouTube channels for anyone. And if you want some creative inspiration, here are profitable niches that could serve as a compass and guide you to your future passion project:
For anyone interested in makeup and has a sense of color coordination and beauty, starting an Instagram page that shares tips or a YouTube channel with tutorials would be the perfect side hustle.
Are you a fashionista who knows all about the latest trends? Always flaunting your OOTD (Outfit of the Day, for those who aren’t into fashion)? Or perhaps, you were able to reach the perfect balance between being fashionable and preserving the environment by dressing vegan? These are all perfect ideas for blogs, vlogs, or content in general.
Love testing new games and reviewing them? Want to help other people by walking them through the toughest parts of the gameplay? Then, you have excellent content to share online and benefit from in the long run!
If you’ve built an incredible set of skills when it comes to a craft like pottery, knitting, crochet, or anything similar, then you’ve got a lot to share! People love to check out tips and tricks from passionate and experienced people. If you have those two, you should definitely start a YouTube channel or a blog to share what you’ve learned.
Art could entail creative writing, paintings, illustrations, animation, calligraphy, videography, or photography. It could also refer to performing arts like dance, music, spoken word poetry, and theater.
If you’ve got tips to share regarding these topics, like step-by-step tutorials or recommendations for the best equipment, you can build a strong community and benefit people as well as benefit yourself from this knowledge.
Do you love trying out new restaurants? Cooking unusual recipes? Taking aesthetically pleasing pictures of your favorite plates? You can make use of that by starting a page for it on Instagram, a blog, or a YouTube channel for cooking tutorials.
Do you love camping? Going on hikes? Taking day trips? Do you know all the places, secret spots, or hacks for backpackers or people on a budget? Make use of this information by sharing it online or by becoming a part-time local guide. There are online websites for that, like showaround.com.
Are you a gym rat with fun and engaging workout plans? Do you know the best tips to follow a diet religiously? Have you been through a successful weight loss trip? You can’t imagine the number of people who would love to hear what you have to say about it!
If you’re a thrifty shopper with a good sense of interior design, you will definitely do a good job in terms of home improvement. Plenty of people would love to renovate their room/house but don’t have the budget for it, so if you can give them tips on how to do it, you’ll have an incredibly wide fan base.
Just like home improvement, a lot of people are into DIY jobs as they provide more affordable alternatives to everyday objects. If you’re talented when it comes to building things using cheap materials, this is the niche for you.
This is one topic that everyone needs tips on. So, if you’ve already been through the ups and downs of raising a baby, you can definitely share your experience, tips, and things you’ve learned with other parents who are going through this satisfyingly life-changing journey.
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Personal Development and Self-Care
Self-care, mental health awareness, and improving oneself are all incredible topics that aren’t as tangible as others, which means they’re harder to tackle. If you’ve managed to do that, you can definitely use this knowledge to influence people and help them become better versions of themselves.
Though many people might limit this to career coaches, I think anyone could give career advice, especially those who have managed to shift careers. I think this is one of the most sought-after topics, so if you have information and experience, you can benefit from them.
Do you have advice on how to increase savings? Manage money? Be more thrifty? A lot of people have trouble with their finances, and they could definitely use your two cents!
From product reviews to tech-savvy how-tos and explanations of tech-related topics that aren’t as easy to grasp, the tech niche has endless possibilities, and focusing on a certain concept would widen your base and gain you lots of traffic.
3D printing is the new hype. If you’re into model building and 3D modeling, you can share all the tips and tricks with your audience. And since it’s a very skill-focused hobby with intricate details and complicated processes, it would definitely help that you’re passionate about it, and you’ll have an advantage in this field.
How Do You Write Down Your Passion Projects?
If you’re not sure exactly where to start, here are the general steps you need to follow to bring your passion project ideas to life:
1. Decide the Benefit You Have to Offer
You should prepare a list of benefits that someone could derive from your passion project. How would it help people? Try to think of all the possibilities.
2. List All the Project Possibilities
When you decide on a benefit, set a timer of around 20 minutes to come up with all the ideas you’ll filter through. Keep filtering them until you get to the top 3 ideas.
3. Don’t Divide Your Energy
You might be tempted to start more than one project to have backup options in case one project doesn’t work out. However, I would strongly advise against that. Choosing one thing and committing to it would be a much better route.
4. Set Milestones and Goals
For a project to be fruitful, it has to achieve something and make progress. That’s why you have to decide on short-term goals and long-term ones. Plan on the goals and how to reach them, how to stick to them, and when to decide that you’ve achieved them.
5. Commit to Your Genius Hour
Though deciding on a passion project is pretty hard, it’s only the first step. The tough part actually comes with setting an amount of time per day to work on it and grow it. So, make sure you’ve planned this out really well. Don’t overwork yourself, even if your passion pushes you to do so. Set one hour per day (The Genius Hour) and stick to it.
6. Document the Process
Even if your passion project is not a blog and doesn’t involve journalizing or writing, work on documenting the process. This gives you more credibility and serves as proof of experience and knowledge if you need to use it for future purposes like applying to a college or a new job.
7. Take the Leap of Faith
Most of the time, people are afraid of starting their projects because they think it’s not a suitable time or that they don’t have the means. However, in life, the best time to start something is right now.
Don’t stress yourself with something big or grandiose; just pick something you’re passionate about and love. Stick to the genius hour rule and make sure you’re making progress no matter how small. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.
Final Thoughts
When all is said and done, a passion project turns out to be as simple as it sounds: having a passion for something and then having the consistency and commitment to stick to a project. These two qualities together can guarantee massive success for the idea you’re considering.
Don’t let other commitments or a full-time job weigh you down or stop you; all a passion project takes is an hour of progress per day!
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Aug 17, 2020 | Self-Confidence, Self-Esteem & Self-Love, Self-Improvement
If you are wondering how to stop caring what people think, you are in good company.
To care about what other people think is a part of our nature. We as humans crave connection with other humans.
But caring too much about what we assume other people think of us can turn into a negative anxiety spiral that can actually be very hard to get out of.
So here are some crucial tips, so you can confidently break into your own power. It’s time to become more assertive, more confident and not just a people pleaser or push-over.
How To Not CareWhat People Think
Being accepted and fitting in is a large goal a lot of us have in life. That’s why we try so hard to have the right job, to attract the right partner, to get married, have children, to buy a home, etc.
Checking off the list of things we’re “supposed” to do because that’s what everyone else does.
The problem is throughout this process, we forget who we are.
We stop listening to the things we want to be doing and eventually lose sight of what gives us purpose.
Then you end up waking up one day, wondering what you’re doing with your life. Negative thinking and anxiety form as a result.
Drawing the line between caring what others think of you and what you think of you is important.
You can’t stop listening to yourself, even when you worry about what others might think.
- Go after the things you want in life, despite what others say.
Because at the end of the day, you have to be on your side. And the people who don’t mind what you do will stand by your side, too.
Why Do We Care So Much About What Other People Think?
This goes back to being a child. Think about elementary or middle school.
If you wanted to hang out with the cool kids, you had to do what they liked.
Otherwise, you’d get made fun of. And as a kid, no one likes to get made fun of. It’s a crucial time in your life that morphs you into who you become as an adult.
We spend 12 years in school, learning how to be a certain way.
- And if you tried really hard to fit in and be accepted by people, that most likely has bled into how you act as an adult.
Trying to break that cycle is difficult because it’s going against everything you were taught growing up.
Letting go of what others think and listening to yourself is like speaking a different language. These days social media makes it even harder than before. It is all around us every minute of every day. How many times have you looked at that old friend from high school and silently judged their life, their weight, or their hair? We all do. The key is to not let social media become reality and not let it drive our thoughts.
The truth is, we won’t ever fully stop caring about what others think of us. And that’s OK!
It’s good, actually. Because that means you still care about being kind to others. How to not care what people think starts deep within yourself, and it is completely natural.
Not caring at all what people think can lead to possibly becoming heartless, so there is a fine balance.
Signs You Care Too Much
- Often assume what other people think of you. Such as “That person probably thinks I’m an idiot.”
- Try way too hard to get people to like you
- Put yourself last
- Saying no or setting boundaries feels impossible
- Always try to be one step ahead of what other people are thinking
- Get anxious if someone is upset with you
- Base your value on what others think about you
- One wrong look from someone makes you question yourself
How Can You Stop Caring What People Think?
Letting go of what others think about you is possible. It just will require some effort on your part. And self-reflecting.
Here are some ways to work on your ability not to care what people think
1. Stop Overgeneralizing
Overgeneralizing is when you experience something bad that sticks with you, and assume it’s going to happen every time.
- One bad experience shapes how you view every other possible future experience with the same scenario.
Let’s say when you were a kid you got made fun of for having a big nose.
So, whenever someone is talking to you, and you catch them looking at you weirdly, you immediately think it’s because of your big nose.
When in reality, it could be a number of reasons. Possibly just because the person is contemplating how to respond to what you said.
When you care too much about what others think, overgeneralizing can trigger anxiety.
It can also prevent you from putting yourself in situations that might require someone noticing your nose.
Overgeneralizing is all made up in your head. And giving power to those thoughts will make it feel like you’re not good enough.
Most of the time, people don’t notice the things you think they do. You’re just hyper-aware of it because it did happen before. And even if you do have a big nose, what’s so wrong about it?
You have to continue to ask yourself these questions and challenge the negative thoughts in your head.
This will allow you to reflect on yourself, instead of focusing so much on what others think.
2. Remember Everyone Feels the Same as You
If you can take a step back and look around you, you’ll notice that everyone has their own insecurities.
The ones they can’t bear when someone points out. No matter who it is, or how old they are. People feel the same as you. Never ever think you are alone, trust me you are not.
So, when you’re sitting there talking to someone, just remember that they are most likely more worried about what you think of them. Treat them how you would like to be treated. Listen before you judge, in fact don’t judge at all.
They are not judging you.
Unless you are doing something that is offensive or hurtful, most people don’t judge like that. They are way too focused on themselves to even care if you have a big nose. a Lot of people might actually love your nose.
3. Work on Finding Yourself
When you’re so focused on everyone else’s opinions of you, you aren’t listening to the most important person: Yourself.
The voices in your head can get insanely loud sometimes, and they can make you doubt yourself.
From your own inner critic to assuming what other people are thinking, it’s hard to quiet the noise and hear what you have to say.
So try to focus on yourself more. Write down the things you love about yourself, and what you really enjoy doing.
Spend some time alone, away from the outside noise. This might mean you have to start from scratch. Losing yourself is a common thing that happens in life.
Because we do the things we think we should do, not what we want to do.
If you can instead start focusing on what you enjoy, you will stop caring about what other people think. Because you’ll be having fun and enjoying life, and you won’t want those negative thoughts to ruin it.
Download my FREE Mindfulness Activities Book Now 🙂
4. Let Go of Trying To Please Everyone
Pleasing people and perfectionism are as real as a unicorn. So think that when you are trying to do these things, you might as well be trying to find a unicorn.
Don’t be afraid of losing people. Be afraid of losing yourself by trying to please everyone around you.
If you can learn this sooner in life, you will be one step ahead of most people in the world.
We are all unique, and you were made who you are right now for a reason. If we were all supposed to be the same, we’d all look exactly the same.
Embrace the fact that you are who you are. And let go of trying to please other people.
Because the people who love you and support you don’t need that. Being yourself is all they could ever want.
The people who ask you to change are the ones you might want to reconsider being around.
Because it’s impossible. And when you place your value on what others think of you, you lose complete sight of the value you already hold.
5. Stop Making up Stories in Your Head
Nothing ruins confidence more than assuming everything. Unless you can get the hard cold facts, don’t believe everything your brain is telling you.
We tell ourselves things based on past experiences, people’s body language, and how we view ourselves.
Mix all three of these together and you have a toxic mindset.
You have to fight off those evil thoughts that form in your head. If someone was pissed at you for no reason, that’s on them.
You can self-reflect and double-check you didn’t do anything wrong, and then you have to let it go.
- Get rid of negative people who put those thoughts into your head.
- Replace the made-up stories with real ones.
How To Stop Caring What People Think – Conclusion
It can be hard to learn how to not care what people think. But if you practice these tips, your self-confidence will grow over time. With practice, you won’t worry about what anyone is thinking about you, and you can believe in yourself, uninterrupted. Never stop believing in the magic of you. Although it might not always feel like it, you might be someone else’s hero, and they might look up to you. Start to worry more about what you think of yourself than what other people think of you.
Remind yourself that you are good enough, you are a kind person, you give love and receive love, and you deserve anything you want in this world.
Then let the rest of those stories go. Once you can learn to do all of these things, you will let go of caring about what others think of you.
Because how you think of yourself will matter way more. For more on this, read 12 signs you’re doing better than you think you are.
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Aug 13, 2020 | Dealing With Emotions, Self-Improvement
Do you think you could stand to stop taking everything personally, a bit more? As human beings, it’s normal to take things personally every once in a while. We have egos that are sensitive at times.
If you’re finding that you’re taking everything personally, then it may be time to work on letting some things go.
Taking things personally can eventually lead to anxiety because you become so wrapped up in what other people think of you and how they treat you.
And if you’re an empath, it’s all too easy to take on other people’s emotions. We start to feel we aren’t good enough for the things we really want.
How to Stop Taking Everything Personally
If you are working hard at pursuing your dreams and then realize you can’t always get what you want, it’s very easy to assume it’s because something is wrong with you. Taking it personally is unfortunately natural. It’s not always easy to just look the other way.
The thing I’ve learned about life is that it doesn’t always revolve around us. We want to believe it does, but life continues to move forward with or without you.
And learning to understand how to not take things so personally can benefit you in many ways.
When you let go of the unnecessary pressure you put on yourself, your anxiety will become lighter. You will start to forgive yourself more and have confidence in your actions. Confidence is a critical component to stop taking things personally.
I get that letting go of your own values and beliefs is difficult. For the longest time, I had strong beliefs about my own self.
- I couldn’t stop taking everything personally and placed my value in other people’s hands. a Lot of people made me feel inferior and I started to take anything personally, and I would value the opinions of someone else more than I value myself. I tried to hide from any situation where I thought people might have something to say.
As you can imagine, I went through a very difficult phase of my life that involved losing who I was to learn how to become who I actually am.
That meant letting go of the feeling that everything was my fault. I stopped blaming myself for things I couldn’t control. I let go of the things that just weren’t in the cards for me.
And I started to forgive my past for what had happened to me. The things that felt like the world was out to get me.
Once this happened, a huge weight fell off my shoulders. I want to teach you how to do the same.
5 Steps To Stop Taking Everything Personally
1. Become Aware of What You Can & Can’t Control
Often, we think we can control certain situations or people. We think we can “fix” someone because we have the ability to care so much.
In reality, you can’t change other people. And some situations are out of your control.
Knowing where to draw the line is tricky, but once you figure it out you can then start to separate yourself from the situation. Instead of letting it become personal.
Some people feel like they are being too selfish if they choose to let someone go.
That’s just because you care a lot. But, in order to take care of yourself and live a better life you have to draw some boundaries within your life.
- The same thing goes for setting realistic goals. We can think we will become a millionaire within a year, but it’s not very realistic.
Start getting real with yourself. It’s easy to stay in a constant state of drama within your life, and you can feed into the thoughts that say, “I don’t deserve happiness.” “I’m not good enough.”
This all starts with you. And if you are sick of feeling that way, listen to that pain and allow it to be the driving factor to change it.
2. Believe in Yourself
Taking things personally has a direct hit on your self-esteem. It would only make sense to practice having more faith in yourself.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. So… why allow others to define who you truly are?
We place our self-worth in how successful we are, what relationships we have, or how much money we have. And when you evaluate your life and realize you haven’t accomplished all that you wanted to, it’s easy to start to blame yourself.
Feeling worse about where your life is at, instead of embracing how far you have come.
A mindset change is usually all it takes to start feeling better about yourself. And that inner critic voice becomes a little quieter.
Believing in yourself takes time and only comes when you are willing to work at it. You can finally decide to let go of the “feeling sorry for yourself” and move forward.
When you put yourself first, you will then begin to believe in yourself. And slowly you will build up the confidence to stop questioning everything you do.
Then, you will let go of taking everything so personally. Because you will believe in yourself enough to know that it’s not always about you. And no matter what happens to you, it won’t crush you every time something bad happens.
3. Process What is Bothering You, Then Let it Go
There may have been times when you spoke out about what was bothering you, and someone told you to “just let it go” and move on.
This is good advice, but if you aren’t allowed to actually process what is bothering you, you won’t be able to let it go.
Instead, you will just suppress it and pretend it doesn’t bother you anymore.
This will only cause you to feel worse, and more sensitive to the things around you. And suppressing your feeling can make you feel anxious.
Think about what is really bothering you, or the moments where you do take things a little too personally.
- Ask yourself, why? Why is this getting to you so much?
- Really work hard at taking a few minutes to understand what it is.
Once you come up with an answer (no matter what it is), then you can begin to let it go.
- Imagine putting that thought into a balloon and releasing it into the air, letting it disappear.
This helps because you begin to understand yourself more and you learn why certain things stick to you.
Once you understand it, you can ask yourself why you’re allowing this to affect your life as much as it is. Then, you can work on letting it go.
It takes practice but recognizing how and why you feel the way you do helps you get to the root of the problem.
4. Remember That Other People Are Way More Focused on Themselves
No matter what you may believe in your mind, other people care way more about themselves than they do you.
Which means you are free to do more in life than you already are. We often try too hard to please others and to avoid criticism, so we can fit inside the lines.
What I’ve come to learn, however, is that other people don’t really pay that much attention.
Not as closely as I thought they did. And once I came to this realization, I started to let go of the pressure I thought their opinions held.
Other people are worried about what you are thinking of them. Or how they come across. And yes, other people also take things way too personally sometimes.
You’re not alone in a lot of the things that you feel. It’s just hard to see because we all are good at hiding our insecurities.
We don’t want to be a burden on other people, so we pretend we are ok.
The truth is, everyone has insecurities and issues within themselves. If you can remember this, it’s easier to stop taking things personally.
5. So What, Someone Somewhere is Waiting for You
There will always be people reviewing your art, your poems, your cakes, your store (or even your blog…) – and they might shrug and say “Yeah, I don’t like that”. This is such a common situation, and all people face this
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of taking things personally. People almost jump to conclusions that what people think or what someone says might actually be true. This usually has a direct impact on our self-esteem and we start to doubt ourselves and our abilities.
We need to learn how to identify when something someone says, triggers this feeling that we are not good enough. When that is triggered we need to realize what people think does not matter. Just ask yourself, so what? So what if they believe your cake is a flop or your blog is garbage? What people think or say is more a reflection on them not on you.
What you should never forget is that somewhere out there, someone would absolutely love your poem, your blog, your cake, or whatever you are selling. So stop your mind before it can jump to conclusions, and take the time to think and realize that you don’t need the approval of anyone but yourself.
You are the only person whose opinion matters. as that would help you to stop taking things personally.
For a great practical guide on how to not take things personally see this blog from Christine Kane.
Why do I take things so personally?
There are so many reasons why you would take it personally. Most often the no.1 reason why you take it personally could be from the way you were raised by your parents.
Have your parents ever allowed you to laugh at yourself or when you make a mistake? Or were you told to not act silly and be more serious? There is no right or wrong here or any judgment, these are just observations from many studies over the years.
Have you been laughed at in school or bullied? This is usually one of the biggest causes of people taking things personally. Nobody likes that feeling of a classroom of acne-faced teens laughing at you. The major problem at this stage of your life is that it is easy to jump to conclusions and most of the time the wrong conclusions. It starts building up layer upon layer. Someone says something about you behind your back, and immediately you feel like people think the worst of you, and you start to think that maybe they are all right, and the little voice inside your mind is wrong.
Taking things personally is a very difficult behavior to change, especially if you already suffer from low self-esteem. It’s like a snowball growing larger and faster, and with it, your self-esteem actually becomes even lower.
Why are there certain people, friends, or family who no matter what happens to them, do not take it personally? Although taking things personally is something that can be taught
How to Not Take Things Personally – Conclusion
Once you get a different perspective on things, you can start to see that nothing in your life is all that personal.
You don’t need other people’s approval or opinion to define your own happiness. If you are waiting for someone else and their opinions or approval to become happy, then you are seriously missing out.
Don’t be afraid to take chances, and don’t take anything for granted. Try to see it as a journey or an adventure. Look at any situation and don’t try to over analyze it. People are weird and there will always be something that someone loves or hates. That is what makes our life interesting.
Life moves on so quickly and what seems like a big deal right now won’t be an issue 3 weeks from now (most likely).
If you really want to stop taking things personally, start by focusing more on yourself. Let go of what others think about you because at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter.
You should want to have people in your life who support you, and anyone who doesn’t do that doesn’t deserve to have a say in what you do.
Work on believing in yourself more and everything else will fall into place. Have your back so that you can keep a level head whenever things start to offend you. You can brush it off instead of letting it ruin your whole day.
