“Are you expecting?”
That was the question that set what I call my Soul Journey in motion.
My stomach had grown so large that one of the participants in a workshop I was facilitating sincerely thought that I was pregnant.
I had been spending so much time supporting the goals and objectives of others, that I had completely neglected myself. My poor eating habits, lack of exercise, and keeping all of my emotions bottled inside and buried under excessive work had manifested as physical weight. I was traveling the world teaching and inspiring people to engage in high quality practices in all areas of their lives, and I wasn’t walking my own talk. It was in that moment that I knew it was time for a sweeping change. It was time to travel into the depths of my own soul and find me again.
If I was to be truly effective in leading people to live their best lives, I couldn’t just tell them, I had to show them. Over the last three years, I made a powerful commitment to myself that improved my relationships and performance in every other part of my world.
I focused on three major components that had been challenging for me throughout my entire life… my mind, my body and my money.
Master Your Mind
When you give your mental health the attention and care that it deserves, everything else falls into place. Whatever you desire that seems out of grasp can be reached when you shift your mindset. Here are some tangible ways that I began to shift and master my mindset:
Shift Lists: Every week I carve out a space in my planner to write two lists, a Happy List and a Gratitude List. On the happy list, I write things that I am looking forward to during that week. Research shows that when we have things to look forward to, it actually increases our happiness. On my gratitude list I write everything, big or small, that happened within that week for which I am grateful.
Master Your Body
Shifting my mindset gave me the focus and discipline I needed to take better care of my body. Mastering your body is not just about vanity or aesthetics. I learned that being mindful about what I eat and how I move are powerful ways of loving myself. When we think of improving the body, we automatically go to exercise and diet, which are important factors, but I want to share examples of two equally important aspects, rest and routines.The Clock App: Most smart phones, regardless of operating system, have an app to assist you with the hours, minutes and seconds that we are all allotted each day. I’ve gotten in the habit of setting the Bed Timer feature within my clock app. I set my bedtime for 9pm each night and my wakeup time for 5:30am each morning. This varies depending on my schedule, but the cool thing is that as you adjust the times, it gives you a visual for how many hours of sleep you will get each night. Eight hours is my goal. I’ve found that when I get that amount of sleep, my mind and body are prepared for peak performance.
Master Your Money
All of these areas are interrelated. When you master your mind and body, the money follows. It doesn’t matter how much you make, if your mindset isn’t right, it will never be enough. My biggest shift here has been releasing my old poverty mindset. The biggest game changer in this area came when I read the book, The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason. In this book, he explains the Seven Cures for a Lean Purse, but there’s one in particular that I revisit regularly to keep me on track.Control Thy Expenditures: Every time I facilitate my Manifest and Manage Your Money group coaching session, I revisit this exercise alongside my clients. I make a list of all of my monthly expenses then I make notes next to each one based on the following questions: Is this a need or a want? Does this energize me or drain me? Does this make me more money or merely take money? Once this activity is complete, I am able to streamline my budget and save, or make more money. It’s easy to lose money when we don’t pay attention to it. Think of this and other practices like it as necessary routine maintenance for your financial freedom.
The final component that enhances all of these areas is finding your Soul Tribe. You may call it a mastermind group or your personal board of directors, but no matter what you call it, the company you keep determines the health of your mind, body, and money, so choose wisely.
I will elaborate further on each of these important essentials for transformation throughout the rest of this month as we prepare for the final quarter of the year.
In the meantime, this week I challenge you to pick one area (Mind, Body, Money or Soul Tribe) where you will commit or recommit. Select the area where you have the most room for growth. Set one larger intention for how you want to improve in this area, then take three small actions each week for the rest of the year that will get you closer to that larger goal.
Manifestation Affirmations
I am making my mental health a priority.
I am making mindful meal and movement choices that reflect how much I love myself.
I am financially liberated.
Master Your Mind + Master Your Body + Master Your Money = Manifest a Life You Love
Most Sincerely,
Monica Marie Jones Your Soul Journey Guide www.MonicaMarieJones.com