22 lessons I’ve learnt in 22 magical journeys around the sun

JANUARY! My favourite month of the year ~ it is filled with new hope and continued blessings for a new year of life, thanks to God.
Of course also being that it is my BIRTHDAY MONTH! This Capricorn is 22!! I truly had the most beautiful day by the seaside and was spoilt with celebrations, love and so many messages.  My heart is still overflowing with gratitude, I am so blessed in this glorious life.

I wanted to share all the things I feel that I have learnt in my 22 years of roaming this beautiful planet. I by all means have definitely not mastered these yet, but I am conscious of them day-to-day, and I plan to continue manifesting them into my life. I hope that maybe you will find one that really grabs YOU.

In 22 magical journeys around the sun I have learnt THAT or ABOUT:

1. GRATITUDE
   Live in Appreciation. Be grateful for all the simple blessings that surround you everyday. They are everywhere – A laugh, a cup of coffee, a shower, special friends and family, simply waking up and just being ALIVE.
2. BEING PRESENT
   It’s so important to live in the here and the ever-so-powerful NOW. Leave your past behind you, your future worries to God and rather embrace every single detail that makes up a single moment. Slow down. Breathe. Take it all in. Where you are right here and right now is all that matters.
3. FORGIVENESS
   To let go of any situation that caused you pain. Painful feelings turn into thinking… Wish this pain well as it doesn’t serve you anymore, so why waste your precious time and energy dwelling on it?
   

   Misty Cliffs, Cape Town

4. I AM ENOUGH
   Chant these powerful words every day as a mantra. As humans – I, ME, YOU are truly capable of anything. Remember that every part of yourself is perfect and uniquely made. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’
5. SELF-LOVE
   Celebrate yourself for all that you are! Your body is your home, ACCEPT it and feed it with love and things that will nourish your soul, only beautiful and positive things will follow.
6. FOCUS
   ‘Energy without focus is Chaos,’ Know what you want out of life and GO FOR IT ~ Be persistent in your pursuit. Keep believing. Keep moving forward. Keep faith.
7. RELYING ON YOURSELF
   You are your most reliable human in your life. Sadly your closest friends and family will occasionally let you down – we are all human! Trust your independence. Follow your heart. Trust your intuition. Trust God.
8. STAYING GROUNDED
   Balance. Always stay true to your soul and who you are. Know your limits and make sure to never give too much of yourself until there is nothing left for YOU. Spend time alone, meditate. JUST BE.
9. MAKING THE MOST OUT OF EVERYTHING
   Experience the world and don’t take any moment for granted. Situations come into your life for a reason, they give you newer perspectives and even grant you creativity to deal with them. Life is not as long as you think~rather enjoy it, have fun and simply embrace it. It’s more fun to laugh anyway.
   

   Meditating in Danang, Vietnam

10. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU
    God leads you exactly where you are meant to be, surrounded with people you are meant to meet and lessons that you are meant to be learning. Let God take control of your life, so you can fulfil His plan and purpose He has set out for you.
11. SLEEP IS IMPORTANT
    Sleep affects your inner and outer appearance. Your body cannot function properly without 8 hours of sleep. ‘I love and care for my body and it cares for me.’ Give your body time to rest and repair itself.
12. NOT TO BECOME YOUR EMOTION
    Acknowledge it, Feel it and then decide what you want to do with it. Control your mind, don’t let it control you.
13. NOURISHMENT
    Listen to your body and give it exactly what it needs to sustain itself. Eat in tune with your body. Eat with joy. The art of mindful eating. A healthy body is a healthy mind which in turn is a HEALTHY LIFE.
14. EXPRESSING YOURSELF
    Everyone has their own ‘thing’. Dance is my freedom of expression.
15. YOU DON’T ALWAYS HAVE to be RIGHT
    LET IT GO. You don’t have to prove your point to people all the time, if not necessary. Everyone has their own opinions and it doesn’t serve your well-being in anyway proving to others that your point is correct all the time. What you say doesn’t matter more than what others say.
16. MEDITATION
    Our souls must reflect what our minds have ingested and our hearts must rejoice in what our souls have grasped. Finding stillness and peace. There is joy to be found in just being. Breathe deeply and slowly.
17. BEING KIND
    ‘In a world you can choose to be anything, choose to be kind’ It doesn’t mean to excuse bad behavior, but that we can choose kindness, as one way to stop the cycle of unnecessary negativity and nastiness. Treat people the way you would like to be treated. Imagine a world where we were all kind to one another…
18. THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM TO GROW
     Its beautiful to think that we live in a world where there are endless lessons to be learnt. There are so many things to discover in a short amount of time. When we grow, we learn more, we adapt more, we meet new and exciting people and we move on from our old selves.
19. RESPECT
    Yourself. Loved ones. Others. Animals. The Environment. The World. Life
20. WORKING HARD
    ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.’ Be ambitious. It’s very difficult to beat someone that never gives up.
21. SUPPORT SYSTEMS
    The more I travel, the more I realize how important family and friends are and that you have somewhere special to come home to. I feel so extremely blessed with the support and love I receive, it’s sometimes even overwhelming but it keeps me going. Your connection and the love will always be there.
22. DREAMS
    The best and most important lesson to me. I truly believe that all I receive and am in life is because of God and his visions for my life. ‘For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Trust Him. Trust the process and have Faith.
    

    James Bond Island, Phuket, Thailand

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love&light always

JO xox