The Gratitude Journal: May 19′

May 6, 2019September 4, 2019 ~ Ash ~ 18 Comments

I'm thankful, grateful, appreciate (1)

Happy May guys!

I wanted to send out a humble reminder for this month-

In a world where we are constantly told that we need to change who we are in order to fit into societies standard of success and importance, it can be difficult to resist succumbing to everyone else’s expectations. I want to remind you that it is your birthright to be yourself. You don’t need to mould yourself into someone else in order to please others. The people who are meant to be on your journey will show up for you. Claim your space and follow your dreams. You have something special to offer this world and it is precisely your uniqueness that makes you so valuable. There is no other version of you and that is your superpower!

A Note to Self:

Have a blessed month ❤

Questions to you:

What are you grateful for this month?

What are you looking forward to?

Much love Ash, xx

The Gratitude Journal: April ’19

April 2, 2019September 4, 2019 ~ Ash ~ 15 Comments

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Happy April guys!

A gentle reminder for this month- “we are so focused on surviving that we forget that we have survived” – Chanel James

Remember all those times when you thought you wouldn’t make it through yet you survived? All those days when carrying on felt seemingly impossible?

You made it through the hardest times and you are still here! There’s an unspoken power, resilience and courage within you which you needs to be acknowledged and celebrated.

When we are going through a rough patch it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and not see ourselves beyond the pain. In those moment’s remind yourself of your strength. You are a survivor and any obstacle that has come your way you’ve came out of it triumphantly. You have turned clouds into sunny spells. You never gave up on yourself even when you desperately wanted to. You never needed a hero as the person who came to your rescue was you. Any adversity you encounter going forward, I want you to say to yourself “I can handle it- I have before and I will again”.

As you go through the month, take a moment to reflect (maybe write it down) on the hurdles you’ve overcome. Always remember that you are the light at the end of the tunnel and there’s nothing that life throws at you that you can’t handle.

Sending love and light to you this April!

Questions to you:

What are you grateful for this month?

Much Love Ash, xx

The Gratitude Journal: February 2019

February 7, 2019September 4, 2019 ~ Ash ~ 23 Comments

I'm thankful, grateful, appreciate

(Photo taken by me, Spain Catalonia 2019)

Isn’t it beautiful knowing that everyday is a new day?

The sun rises each day to reminds us that everyday we have the opportunity to truly shape the course of our life. From the moment we wake up we get to decide how we choose to lead our lives and how we react and respond to circumstances around us. A new day is another chance to start again.

I am grateful that I’ve been able to wake up today and given another chance to start again. A new day should remind us that despite our negative experiences, we get to decide how we choose to live our lives in the present moment. We don’t have to be confined by our past or defined by the choices we’ve made previously. You are not here by coincidence- you woke up to fulfil a purpose. You get to choose how to make the most out of the day that’s available to you!

What are you looking forward to this month?

What are you grateful for today?

I would love to know!

Love Ash, xx

January 2019: The Gratitude Journal

January 6, 2019September 4, 2019 ~ Ash ~ 13 Comments

I'm thankful, grateful, appreciate (11)

It’s the first month of 2019! I just want to send out a gentle reminder to kick start the year;

Every experience of rejection you face brings you closer to yourself. Do you know why? Because it forces you to decide whether to base your worth on that negative experience or use it to strengthen your self-belief. You have two choices in the face of rejection- either you stay knocked down or get back up and try again. Turn all that rejection into a muscle of determination and self-belief. Use it to become ruthless. Knocked down 7 times stand up 8!

Rejection is hurtful, I know, but it’s a part of life. Instead of seeing rejection as your worst enemy, you should see it as the perfect opportunity for personal development. Remember that rejection is leading you towards something more profound.

I will be practising this myself in 2019. I am making a declaration to no longer allow rejection to stop me from pursuing my goals.

Who’s with me?

Love Ash, xx

2018 Overview: The Gratitude Journal

December 31, 2018September 4, 2019 ~ Ash ~ 21 Comments

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As we wait patiently to usher in the new year, many of us take this time to reflect and make plans for the year ahead. I always find this time of the year very intense. Not only is it the holidays and my birthday month, I typically find myself in deep contemplative mood throughout December. The previous years I would have spent this time critiquing myself and pointing out all the thing’s that I have not achieved. However, this time around I made a conscious effort to show gratitude and celebrate my achievements.

I wanted to remind you (and myself) that whilst you consider what goals would like to achieve in the new year, it’s really important that we take the time out to acknowledge our accomplishments, even if they’re small. After all, celebrating yourself encourages you to continue making positive steps and builds self-confidence.

5 things I’m proud of in 2018:

1. Blogging- I started taking my blogging seriously at the beginning of the year. I can honestly say blogging has saved my life. It has given me a platform to finally express myself and use my experiences to help others. I owe a lot of my personal progress to blogging as it has allowed me to really look into myself and actively work on becoming a better person. I am extremely grateful for the continuous support that I’ve received and to all the people that I’ve connected with. I’m so thankful for this space and for all other bloggers who inspire me to do better.

2. Battling low moods- This year I did not allow my moods to stop me from living my day to day life. I was able to be more honest with myself about my moods and really sit with my feelings. I proactively did things to make me feel better. I minimized the number of times I used my mood as an excuse. This year taught me that I’m in control of my reaction and response to life’s negative events.

3. Moving out of my family home- I finally moved into my own apartment. I’m looking forward to the lessons that it will teach me (not so much about bills lol). I’m super excited for the memories that I will make in my own place and the solace it will bring.

4. Therapy- I finally came to the conclusion that I need to take my well being seriously, so I went to therapy. I’ve only had a few sessions so far but I already feel a weight lifted. I’m excited to see what revelations will come from going to therapy and how it will contribute towards my growth.

5. Travel- I traveled in South Africa and New York this year. I had an amazing experience in both places. I am happy I had the opportunity to immerse myself with the culture, the people and got to see such astonishing views.

My 5 hopes for 2019:

More self-discovery
Plant-based living
Improve my blogging
Experience lots of joy
Build fulfilling/positive friendships with others

A reminder to you

If you had a great year: Well done love! You should be so proud of yourself. You accomplished milestones and made some amazing memories. You have demonstrated that you can do anything you put your mind to. 2019 is going to the year where you reap the benefits of the seeds you planted. Cheers to a prosperous 2019!

If you had a not so good year: There is something you can find to be proud of achieving this year, like deciding to get out of bed despite your depression or making a new friend. This year for you created a foundation for you to build on. It’s through your struggles that you will make 2019 a better year. What’s below rock bottom? You’ve already been there- now it’s time to claim what’s yours in 2019.

What are a few things you are proud of yourself for achieving this year?

What are you looking forward to in 2019?

I wish you all a prosperous new year and see you all in 2019!!

Love Ash, xx

December 2018: The Gratitude Journal

December 2, 2018September 4, 2019 ~ Ash ~ 15 Comments

I'm thankful, grateful, appreciate.png

Hey guys, happy December🌷✨

It’s the end of the year! There’s SO much to talk about but I want to start off this month by giving you a gentle reminder:

Never compromise who you are in order to fit in. Simply by being yourself, you’re enough! Imagine how boring the world would be if everyone was exactly the same. Think about some of the amazing, unforgettable people you know and you’ll realize that they have one thing in common- they stayed true to themselves. The world needs more genuine people. You are going to experience people who don’t understand you but you’ll also meet those who see your value. Life is way too short to mould yourself into something you’re not. So rather than emulating someone else, let’s strive to be the best version of ourselves. You want to live you life your knowing that you stayed true to yourself and your purpose on this earth.

How are you feeling about this year coming to an end?

Love Ash, xx

November 2018: The Gratitude Journal

November 2, 2018September 4, 2019 ~ Ash ~ 25 Comments

Just a gentle reminder- Maybe the person you’re aspiring to be is the present you all along!

We spend so much time planning to become this ideal version of ourselves that we forget that we can embody our greatest version in the present moment. Every single day is an opportunity to live a completely different version of your reality. You don’t need to have the perfect job, a huge income or notoriety to be satisfied with who you are. At any stage of your journey, no matter what resources you have available to you, you can be this amazing, abundant, self-fulfilled person you’ve always wanted to be.

Instead of chasing this idea of perfection, we should just ‘be’ that awesome person we’ve envisioned for our life. As the year is coming to an end, may we live everyday appreciating the person we are right at this moment.

So guys, what are your plans for this month?

Have a blessed month! ✨☀️

Free Printable Worksheets

October 20, 2018September 4, 2019 ~ Ash ~ 18 Comments

Hey guys,

I have made 5 printable worksheets. Download your own FREE printable PDF worksheets here. You can print the pages in their original A4 format. LINK- Ashs Worksheet Printouts

This document consists of 5 worksheets:

Short term goals- listing your goal and 5 mini goals to aim towards it
Gratitude- Listing things you’re grateful for.
“I keep my cup full”- Affirmation task
Non-judgemental space- Debunking limiting beliefs that stop you from your own growth
“Trash Thoughts”- Debunking negative thoughts

Worksheets are an amazing tool for self-reflection and exploration. Follow the notes on each page and work through the sheets. This task is helpful for understanding self-defeatist thoughts and replacing negative narratives we tell ourselves with positive ones. If you are working on a project, a business, finances or personal growth there’s an exercise called ‘short term goals’ that is recommended to be used to track your progress, motivate you and set attainable targets.

I Hope they’re helpful 😊✨

Gratitude list: Sept 2018

September 6, 2018September 4, 2019 ~ Ash ~ 2 Comments

1. My ability to bounce back from adversity

2. For discovering writing as a form of therapy and healing

3. Waking up and seeing the sunrise

4. My travel experiences and being able to experience the richness of the black diaspora

5. Growing up on India. Arie’s music

6. Having friends who support and inspire me

7. For discovering Toni Morrison,my favourite author

8. Recently being exposed to the Tarot card world

9. For trees that give me oxygen

10. All the spiritual teachers in my life- my partner, my friends, strangers, the ancestors & people who battle with adversity on a daily basis but are brave enough to live within a love ethic.

HEY guys! At the beginning of each month I will upload a post on expressing gratitude. It’ll either be a written post, a video, link etc. I think it’s necessary that I utilise this space not only for self-analysis but somewhere to celebrate and appreciate the beauty and wonders of life.