Hello!

Today's article is inspired by the book I'm currently reading "YOU Are a Badass" by Jen Sincero and a little  conversation I had while flying.  On page 238 Jen Sincero is talking about setting honest goals.  This is something I already do, and what this blog is all about (feeling proud of myself, tehehe).  BUT this book has got me thinking "How can I make my life absolutely amazing?  What can I do in my life to literally spring out of bed?"  I know these questions are a forever work in progress... BUT I asked the girls I'm working with, "what is something that you could do everyday that would make your life better?"  You never know, they may give me some great ideas or insight :)  One girl said she could purge something from her house every day.  I agreed, I can also do that, and I imagine it would make my life better as well.  The other girl said she could laugh more everyday.  I don't know why, but I grabbed her and started fake laughing, hahaha, it was only a matter of seconds before we both started really laughing.  Both of these girls did give me insight and ideas!  I too, could also use a little more laughter in my life, even if its fake laughing, and tossing something each day that no longer serves me would leave me physically lighter, ready for whatever new thing may serve me better, even if that just means more space :) and less to clean!

So what is something that you can do every day that would make your life better?  

I would really love to hear from you!  You can send me an e-mail at 5minutesistheway@gmail.com or comment below!

​Hugs, Jessica

Just finished another book!  I love reading.  I find it very relaxing and one of the best ways to communicate to someone close to you what you wish they would do.  When I finished the book, I asked my mom to put "Shadows Before Dawn" at the top of her list of books to read.  What I really love about this is that we read a lot of the same books and this gets us on the same or more level communication field.

Personally I think everyone should read this book.  I was hesitant to buy it, because its about self love, and I didn't really understand what self love meant.  I was also uncomfortable to even talk about it, so I did feel very in the dark.  But now after reading this book, that I will for sure come back to, I think our society (American/Western) has been lead away from self love or our truest form of joy and happiness.  I can't count how many times I have heard someone say "I've got to go to work" with a sound of dread in their voice.

In this book you'll learn wonderful techniques to trust your self, to practice choosing happiness, and that prioritizing your own happiness is not self centered.  There is a difference and Teal explains it very well.

Just imagine what would your life be like if you truly loved every single aspect of it?  What would it be like if your family or significant other loved every single aspect of their life?  What if every person you dealt with truly loved every single aspect of their life?  When you go to the coffee shop you laugh because the barista is so funny (because they love their job that much); or when your child comes home so happy and excited to show you all the amazing things he did and learned in school (because her teacher loved their job that much); when your auto mechanic truly gave you the best deal (because he loved every single thing in his life, including his job that much) that he wanted to see you well taken care of; or when your spouse comes home excited to share how their day went, and all the things that happened that made them think of you...

Practicing happiness, or to honor what you love/makes you feel the most loved has a ripple effect.  I know that I like to be around happy people with a can do attitude better than upset people who think there is no solution for anything.  Please join me in the happiness revolution!  In Shadows Before Dawn one tool that Teal Swan teaches is if ever in doubt make your decisions according to one questions: What would someone who loves themselves do?  I know this sounds dumb, but I have vowed to live all of 2017 according to what would make me the happiest, that I love, or makes me feel the most loved.  So far I am enjoying my days a lot more, bad days are not so bad, I've even liked my body better.  Just as any ripple effect, it effects a lot of other things, sometimes that we will never see the direct results to, but that doesn't mean that it didn't happen.  You already make the world a better place just because you are here, now you can intentionally make the world EVEN better by prioritizing your happiness and love!

<3

Big Magic is a book for any creative type!  Its a wonderful easy read to enjoy curled up on the couch, if you are someone that wants your creativity to be your source of income but are scared, if you just want to spice things up a bit, or even if you are feeling a little stuck.  There truly is big magic everywhere, and it can be in the tiniest things; I actually think its in those tiny moments that are sometimes the most pivotal in life.  

What I really loved about this book is that it gave me a different perspective on starting my business and my own creativity.  I am one of those people that was scared to start because I don't think I am good enough, and so don't want to put myself out there until its perfect.... And so the internal battle continues.  For those of you that know about personality types I am a melancholy, the perfectionist, that is sometimes annoying to be around, or that you want in your group project because you know that they will help you get the A...   Big Magic helped me let go a bit, which was wonderful and magical in it self.  I would often call projects "my baby" - I laughed out loud when I go to that chapter.  But Elizabeth Gilbert's spin on creativity gave me new life.  It helped me get into an alignment that I had only had when I was a child, and actually completely forgot about until this moment.  Creativity is fun just in it self, and that is enough.  Enough for me; and it just makes the world a better place.  I absolutely love to see people decked out in an outfit that they love, to see those Christmas houses we all go to see, because they are in the newspaper every year, or an artist painting in public.  These people probably don't make very much money from living their passion or even if its just a hobby, but they make the world a better place by making someone smile, and letting other people experience that breath taking "awe" moment.  That in it self makes it worth it.

Big Magic is also an influence to starting this blog, which I love so much (thank you).  With each article I love this blog more are more.  So please do let your creativity shine, it will make someone's day better, it will make someone smile, it might be the inspiration someone else needed.  You may even be blessed to earn a living from it!

Bring forth your creativity in what ever way feels good to you today, or even right now <3

I just finished the book by Teal Swan - "The Completion Process."  Wow, this is an incredible book.  Possibly the best book I have ever read.  I am excited to read her other book, that I've got waiting at home.  Yes I do read quite a bit.  But The Completion Process, is SO much more than a book.  I just bought three to give to other people.  I'd say this book is in the geanra of self-help, but its way more than that.  I began to intergrate her processes into my meditation practice, which by the way, if you are one of the thousands of people that say "I'don't know how to meditate" she has a step by step process.  While there are endless approaches to meditation, and even self-help, this is a very active style, that will benefit anyone no matter what they want to acheive, or even escape.

I found Teal, by listening to youtube videos, her videos poped up because they were related to other videos I was listening to.  I tried it out, and at first was distracted by her style.  One she is super pretty, and although that has nothing to do with anything, it was a distraction, then I didn't understand why her videos (the first ones I saw) were kind of retro looking, and they seemed to be so sexual (she did eventually explain this in one of her videos); BUT everything she was saying made a lot of sense, and I had never heard anything regarding healing or phychology related spelled out so well.  Very quickly she became the person I listed to the most on youtube.  After a few months, I finally bought her books.  I think I got to a point where I had listened to all of her videos, and I was trying her methods on my own, but she kept referencing her books.  And I was in need of a new book...

While reading The Completion Process, things in my life begun to change immediately - for the happier.  This book will deffinately bring a lot of good in your life, though it will be different for everyone.  Some moments I cried, of course, some things are just very touching.  If you have watched a lot of her videos, I am/was one of those people that she has said to not watch her videos, my coping mechanism is to 'fix' things/myself.  I see that its something I learned from my mom, and also did to myself so that she wouldn't do this to me.  Of course I could never beat her.  We all have our things, and its all ok.  Since reading this book, I have been able to sit with the emotions, that I really didn't like.  This alone has been so transformative.  One, the emotions I didn't like feeling are less intense.  Mostly because its ok.  And two, I can feel that I am less annoying to be around, this has always been a source of pain, yet I didn't understand that I was also trying to "fix" the people closest to me, and thus pushing them away.  I am so grateful for Teal, that she wrote this book, and is courageous enough to put herself out there.  She is one person that I would really love to meet, I meet famous people often enough, and have met many A-List celebrities, but Teal is the person I really wish to meet.  Even though I could go on and on and on...  I don't feel that doing so would could ever do this book justice.  No matter if you have debilitating traumas, simply want to uncover some financial blocks to get to the next level, or just heighten your happiness experience.  This book, is one of the most transformative books I've ever read, and will go back to; and most definately bring good into your life too!
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Thank you SO MUCH Teal, I am forever grateful, Jessica