Morning Routine

One of the things that I have been continuously trying to do this year is to have a calm morning - where I don't immediately dive into the social media whirlwind, emails, etc - but take time to be present.

It turned out to be one of the hardest habit to kick off but over time, one of the most rewarding time of my day. i find myself constantly craving for that downtime, where I am not inundated by the digital noise. In this day and age, I truly understand that technology and being connected is an important aspect, but at the same time, I really feel that I have been stretching myself too thin, just to accommodate the digital needs. It also comes from the fact that I have family and friends scattered across the globe, and Whatsapp or FB messages comes in at the most inopportune time (i.e. when I am in my REM stage of sleep ~ haha).

This is where my travelers notebook is one of the things that I appreciate a lot. The fact that it's a constant in my life right now, makes me appreciate the time that I make to write in it. It's also too pretty to not constantly be touched everyday ~ you know what I mean. So, the fact that I use it to write, doodle, journal, write quotes, etc in it, makes it indispensable to me. I am trying to not let blank pages scare me or turn me off, but let it be a page where I can let loose and just write whatever.

I've also realized that I may have been too ambitious in feeding my TN-obsession. I have too many TNs that are sitting on the shelves, and I feel bad. On the other hand, I also don't (it's one of those weird moments). Either way, my constant EDC (everyday carry) is my camel TN. I've been super-finicky with the sizes that I'm using. I  have been going back and forth between the passport and the regular. However, at the moment, I think I am set with my regular, cause I have realized that I need the space. So, that is the current setup - which can change again anytime soon - so I am okay with that. Cause I know that my planner setup will change according to my needs and I have realized that I am okay with that.

Living life with a purpose

So, I know I have been MIA for the past few months (read: half the year has passed since I last posted anything!), but life has been good. There are so many changes that has happened and new chapters are beginning.

As much as I haven't been chronicling my adventures online, I haven't forgotten to write it down in my journals. For my mid-year check-in, I have started thinking about my 2017 planner needs. I realize that this year has been really overwhelming and that due to planner-envy, I went crazy and got too many dated planners that I am struggling to keep it all together.

As much as simplicity is a concept that I want to start incorporating in my life, I find that I really struggle with it. It's a concept that feels easy in my mind ~ something that I have always felt that I can easily attain and achieve ~ but in real life, it was much harder for me to practice it. I needed a breather and have taken a step (okay maybe 10 steps back) to evaluate and reevaluate my needs.

Here are my observations that I have concluded:

1. Be true to myself. Just because it looks nice when other planner people does it, does not mean that I am capable of doing the same. I should not try and emulate what other people are doing, but rather let myself find my own voice and style. It's my own contribution to the planner community when I keep true to myself.
2. Listen to my intuition. Don't get suck in that space in between want and need. I should know better than to cave in that niggling, insistent voice that tells me I need it all, cause I know better. 
3. Be consistent. It's hard to keep at it when you have so many things coming up and wanting your attention. However, I find that early mornings help me find time for myself, to sit, enjoy my coffee and write. It helps me cause the day tends to be hectic and after a while, a pattern starts to emerge and I have continuously written every morning. There are days when I just wanted to grab my iPhone, but I try and beat the urge (cause I don't want that tech to control my life O_o) and so far, it has been good. Keep at it. It will be a great habit to start cultivating. 

Another thing that I realize, is how I'm caught in the world of wanting things to be perfect before I start to share things with others or even to myself. And the realization that there is beauty in imperfection needs to come from within. As much as you know it in your mind, or in your heart, the synchronization between those two, where the heart and mind comes together, that is where you will find peace and realize that it's okay to have imperfections. That is character and makes it unique. :)