spark
spark
define | to cause the start of something - Cambridge Dictionary
That first tiny step on a journey that leads to another step and another.
Once you’ve taken your 3 Days and you’ve given yourself permission to be temporarily comfortable in the ashes and given yourself permission to ask the right questions, you are ready for the next step.
motivation
I was reminded recently that when we jump to moving forward & rising up out of the ashes, that some of us need motivation. Hopefully in recent days we’ve developed enough willingness. Now, we need some motivation that will fuel our next movement.
What motivates you?
What inspires you to move (mentally, emotionally or physically)?
The next two things in this journey serve two purposes: Motivate and connect to your core self. I will address the latter in a later post.
I am suggesting the first of those two things today in an effort to keep this short.
music
Create a playlist. You can utilize whatever you wish - YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
When I realize I am frustrated and unable to focus or lose my path, I normally haven’t listened to music in a few days. All I have to do is be intentional for a few minutes and set a playlist to play and it brings me back on track. Create a playlist that does the same for you. Now, I have a playlist for everything. But I have one specific playlist where I’ve curated songs that motivate me and move me forward. I don’t turn to “cry in your beer” songs or tune in to songs of heartbreak or disappointments or violence.
So, create your playlist for this journey of transformation, rising like a phoenix and the unleashing of your greatest story yet.
That’s the exercise for today. Easy peasy, right?
Normally, this is where I’d put in a paywall stop and beg you to subscribe for $7 a month. But this week - and for this part of the journey - I am skipping the paywall. However, if you’d like to upgrade to the paid tier so you can access any past or future content locked behind the paywall, this is a great time to do that. Click the button below.
Tips for your playlist:
This is a great way to start if you are stuck and not sure where to start. Remember one of the reasons I stated above was to bring you back to / connect with your core self. One of the hacks for doing this is through your choice of music. Choose songs that you listened to high school/ college. This is where you were closest to being your core self before the world started trying to tell you who to be. Now, for me, I have a HUGE Nostalgia playlist of just these kinds of songs because I have always been a music lover - so I have tons and tons of songs. So, I just dedicated an entire playlist to this. However, I do have 2 or 3 of these in my Rising Phoenix playlist as well.
Whatever types of songs you choose, choose songs that empower and inspire your journey. No sad songs. No angry songs. No whoa is me or cheating songs. If you pay attention to my posts, I often will add a song that currently inspires my journey in one way or another. Feel free to use those if they inspire you.
I have some songs that just have one line of lyric that lands them on my list - even though if you listen to the story of the entire song it may not seem to fit on the playlist. But my brain really keys into that one line of lyric and gets the intended message. So, sometimes the entire song doesn’t fit - but one line or verse of lyrics really connects with you for some reason - so yes - put it on the list.
Don’t be overwhelmed by this task. Don’t think you need to create something with 25 or 100 songs. If you can start with 3-5 songs, that’s fine. This is something you curate over time.. Not all at once.
When you find yourself getting sick of the same songs over and over, it’s time to add some new songs to the mix.
Add a music identifying app like Shazaam! to the home screen of your home. When you are out and about and hear a song you want to add to your playlist but don’t know what it is - the app will identify it for you and I often just screenshot it and add it later once I get home. I don’t stop everything to do it right then.
Choose ONE song that really speaks to what you need right now or awakens your core self and reminds you who you are and put that on an alarm app. I wake up to Rob Thomas’ Early in the Morning (I shared the song on the previous post) every day. You can wake up to this song - which is what I recommend. Or you can set it to go off at another time of day to remind you. This doesn’t work for me because I never know if that alarm will interrupt me or I might end up turning it off or something. So, I start the day with my song. And I do change it from time to time - once the current song has served its purpose and I need a new one.
I listen to my playlist on shuffle when I am working or driving an errands - this empowering playlist is what we listen to when I take my youngest to school and she loves it. It’s so energizing and inspiring to her for her day. (She reminds me if I’ve left it on something that’s more easy going from the night before.)
Just remember to listen to your playlist regularly - as you can - or you need some extra motivation.
Until next time when we look at the second thing to motivate your journey and remind you who you are, play, sing, and dance on!
Rising together,
MelAnn
On another topic, I am hosting a Back to School Bash Express Party in my Kitchen Strategies Group on Facebook this weekend August 16th - 18th, 2024. I’d love to have you there! This is something that falls under my side passion of food, entertaining, etc. Would love to have you there!
