I could start this edition, and who knows how many more, just the same way as the last one. Instead, I want to begin by sharing a quote by Mari Andrew, that captures the inner conflict — the parallelism of the ‘unbearable and remarkable’ to say it in her words – in a way that really spoke to me and maybe it resonates with you too:
I know we are all dealing with this in our own way.
And so I welcome you to the third edition of the monthly MINDFUL MUSING inspiration letter from the bottom of my heart, I'm really grateful you joined me.
April holds a special meaning for me, as I celebrate my birthday – which still excites me every year and brings together a lot of »new beginnings«: spring, with the rebirth of nature, Aries season (20th March – 19th April) marking the astrological new year, and the gift of a new life year.
With all this fresh energy around, I think it's a beautiful time to be grateful, take inventory, and »spring clean« – not only our home (truth be told, I'm a bit lazy when it comes to that) but our inner world too. Honouring what's good, letting go of what doesn't serve us anymore, and creating space for new ideas. These are some things I'd love to share with you this time.
Birthdays are also day of gratitude for me – for the wonderful people in my life, my journey so far, and life itself. But gratitude shouldn't be reserved for special occasions, it's something for every day.
Did you know that as humans, we are programmed with a cognitive negativity bias? This means, that by default ‘negative things’ take up more of our attention, and seem to weigh heavier than ‘positive things’. The good news? We can counteract this with awareness by cultivating the art of gratitude.
So for this month's mindfulness challenge, I invite us to engage in a dailygratitude practice for the last days of April or even for all of May. Whatever timeframe you choose, commit to purposely turning your attention towards the good and find three things each day, that you are grateful for. These can be small things like your morning coffee or tea, significant things like your loved ones, it can be a sunny day, gratitude towards yourself, a win at work, taking time to rest – whatever comes to mind and gives you this warm feeling. Don't worry if there are repetitions, the more you practice, the more reasons for gratitude you will notice over time.
You can simply think about your three things, but I actually recommend writing them down in a gratitude journal. It's a lovely keepsake of the good we can find in our everyday lives, no matter how small, if we just look. The bonus of this practice is, that it's also a reminder to express gratitude and to say thank you more often – to others, and ourselves.
I'd love to hear how this challenge goes for you, what you are grateful for, and if practicing gratitude changes something for you. If you'd like to share your experience drop me an e-mail or DM me. Let's stick to the attitude of gratitude together.
We are all cyclical beings, and after winter called us to rest and hibernate, the return of spring invites us to use our recharged batteries again (let's ignore the so-called spring fatigue here for a moment…). With more daylight, (hopefully) more warmth, and the blossoming of new life around us, our energy returns and inspires us to create and connect again.
Every year I am stunned at the incredible comeback nature makes after the cold and barren winter. You almost feel like it can never be sunny or colourful again, and then boom: cherry blossoms, blue skies, rays of sunlight, and birds singing in the morning again. Spring is the perfect symbol of rebirth and abundance – a beautiful metaphor for life: letting us see that there are possibilities for new beginnings, that beauty can unfold again after dark times, and that the seasons are part of life.
I know we're already right in the middle of spring, but it's never too late to utilise this energy of renewal for ourselves. So clear out old beliefs, have fun, and plant new seeds.
Then, with patience and action when needed, witness your ideas shape, grow and eventually come to full bloom. Trust that after every spring, summer will follow.
Somehow it made me really happy to discover that April's flower is the daisy.
It's a bit underrated yet shows us how much beauty and joy can be found in the simple things. Daisies take me right back to childhood, to days of happiness while making flower crowns. How come, as we grow older, we forget to pause for these simple pleasures? Remembering these small delicate flowers nudged me towards more awareness and trying to look at the world with childlike eyes again – full of curiosity and appreciation for even the smallest wonders around.
As I'm not the only Aries in the house – my partner is also an April's child – I want to round off this month's inspiration letter with his beautiful interpretation of Astor Piazzolla's OBLIVION, which he recorded together with two friends. Piazzolla always makes my heart melt: for me, his music carries so much emotion, yearning, burning desire, and melancholy mixed with hope and dreaminess. I guess that's tango for you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Oblivionnoun [U] (NO MEMORY) – let's take this as a reminder to never forget the power of music, with its ability to let us feel, time travel, and connect. Touching us, our hearts, and speaking directly to our humanity.
P.S. I'm not sure if there will be some YouTube ads before the video plays. Please bear with me if there are. Thank you!
This is it for now. Thank you so much for taking the time to read the third edition. I'm looking forward to welcoming you back for the next inspiration letter on May 22nd, and I'd love to hear back from you in the meantime if there is anything you'd like to share.Until then stay inspired,
yours Victoria xxx
P.S.: If you don't know me and wonder who I am, you can find a little more about me here or let's connect on instagram, and if you missed the first editions you can of course re-read them.
On a side note: I went on a lot about birthdays in this edition, and it's important to me to acknowledge that they can of course be experienced very differently. In the end, they are just a day like any other. I'm sharing from my experience, but by no means do I want to dishonour different feelings or suggest expectations.
