Have Faith | Design Life

I don't usually write religious posts, because, in my opinion, religion is subjective and usually ends up offending someone. Faith, however, isn't dependent on a specific religion, so even though it's usually associated with religion in general, it's relevant to most major religions. Faith usually means one of two things:

1. A strong belief in the  doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof, or

2. complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

To me, having faith means believing in something even when others have doubts (sometimes, even when you have doubts!). Faith is believing in yourself even when others don't.
 Life can be pretty scary sometimes. We get so caught up in the "HOW could it ever be possible?" that the HOW becomes bigger and bigger, and we end up not even trying. We all get scared sometimes...

How will I pay my rent at the end of the month?
Will she ever forgive me?
I don't want to go to gym - what if people laugh at me?
What if I don't know anyone there?
I'm not good enough for him.

We all have our demons. It's like the whisper in the back of your mind and run up and down your spine. Fear. They make you fear change. They make you feel unworthy. They make you unforgiving, and unforgivable. Your demons are wrong.

Have faith in yourself. Put your demons to sleep. You are worth so much more than you think. Have faith in your future. The present is a powerful thing. And what you put out in thoughts now, whether it's thoughts of worry or thoughts of faith, will influence the eventual outcome.

Uncertainty attracts misery. Faith attracts confidence.

Trust me, I realize this is easier said than done. I never write to moralize or preach about what anyone should or shouldn't be doing. I am literally just talking to myself right now.
It's easy to have faith when things are going really well. But the moment a difficulty presents itself, you forget how far you have come and focus only on the distance you still need to go. The distance from where you are, to where you want to be, is irrelevant.
Focus on the goal. And do whatever you can, with whatever you have, from wherever you are.
Here are a few tips to help you when you lack faith, and focus (if you'd like, write them down or print them out - keep it somewhere you can reread it when you feel like giving up):

- BREATHE. Imagine inhaling clear, white light (your faith) and exhaling any negative, dark feelings of fear or doubt.

- Write down a few phrases that make you feel really good. Do at least three. Compliments about yourself, a few things that you are proud of that you've already accomplished, or write down the first thing you would do when whatever you're working towards does happen (imagine it too!).

- Listen to a few feel good songs. Sing along - who gives a f what other people think. Try 'What makes you beautiful' by One Direction (I know you know the words).

- Smile at strangers. Send someone that comes to mind an inspirational picture or quote that you really like. Tell someone you love that you love them.

- Browse through funny memes. Watch funny cat videos. Take your dog for a run.

Okay lovely people, I'm almost done. Just remember that we're all going have doubts sometimes, but it doesn't matter how many times you fall.

"Fall down seven times, stand up eight."

Keep moving forward. Have faith in yourself& put your demons to sleep. You are worth so much more than you think. You deserve to have everything that you want. Happiness and Success is your birthright. Do whatever you can, with whatever you have, from wherever you are - and keep your focus on the GOAL.

All my love

Kayla

Know Thyself | Design Life

Hello and welcome to the DesignLife blog where we discuss Holistic Beauty, Personal Development and a little bit of Magic!

We are practically forced to spend 18 (or more) years in the educational system and yet nobody bothers to teach us the importance of self-worth and how to truly love ourselves. A happy life, without self-love, is impossible. Without a strong knowingness of who you are, life will seem aimless and without meaning.

We are taught to be people who conform to behaviour that has been approved without our consent. The intention with which this has been decided is unknown to me, but what I do know is that you cannot have a healthy, growing society if the members thereof do not have the right to think for themselves. 

We can't, however, blame those in power for keeping us in the dark. Most of us choose not to think for ourselves, because letting others think for us seems so much easier. We are terrified of the infinite depth of our own minds, but only because we do not understand it. It seems so much easier to hand our power to think and decide over to others - our parents, friends, the government, religion - because if something goes wrong we do not need to carry the burden of responsibility ourselves. It is so much easier to blame others than to accept accountability for our own thoughts and actions. 

I am in no position to tell you otherwise though. I have no authority to tell you whether what you are doing is right or wrong. I believe that we all have authority over ourselves and if we choose to hand authority over to someone or some thing else, that decision in itself was made by you and you will live the by-products of your choice until you choose otherwise. But, if you have ever found yourself thinking that you want to be more, do more and have more, but you feel you cannot, you have given away your power. Unless you are okay with leading a life of mediocrity, shuffling around in the dark, or living up to the standards of others instead of living out your true potential and ultimate joy, you need to decide to get to know yourself a little more.

 It is a commitment that takes time. And you cannot face yourself for the first time and expect nothing to change - there will be great change. First inside of you and then around you. 

Tips& things to remember when you decide to get to know yourself:

- The journey is different for everyone. What works for someone else, won't necessarily work for you.

- There is no end. You don't wake up one morning and feel "Yes, I am complete, I know myself now."It's a continuous process. 

- You don't have to be serious about it. The process is much quicker when you approach it with an open mind and a willingness to learn and have fun. 

- You cannot judge yourself for anything you discover.

- Not everyone will understand you like you do. 

- You cannot judge others if they don't think like you or act like you.

- The more questions you ask, the better.

- Accept that you don't need all of your questions answered right now. 

- Not everyone in your life at the moment will stay with you on your journey (however, this is true whether you choose to take the journey of self-discovery or not)

There's a lot more I can share with you, however I won't make this post too long. What I would really like for you to understand, however, is that getting to know You (the REAL YOU, NOT the multiple masks you wear to please your parents, your friends and society) is the most thrilling and worthwhile adventure anyone can undertake. 

"The only way to get what you really want, is to know what you really want. And the only way to know what you really want is to KNOW YOURSELF. And the only way to know yourself, is to BE YOURSELF. And the only way to be yourself is to listen to your heart."

- Mike Dooley 

Don't be afraid of sitting in the silence. At first it may seem overwhelming, because you haven't really listened to You for so long, YOU are bound to have  a lot of questions and things to say. Just listen, you don't need to have the answers right now. But give yourself chance to speak. Take the time to get to know yourself.

Life could be better than you've ever thought possible. Enjoy the ride. 

P E R S E V E R E | Design Life

Hello and welcome to the DesignLife blog where we discuss Holistic Beauty, Personal Development and a little bit of Magic!

Sometimes things are going to go wrong and you won't know what to do about it. And that's okay. Sometimes you will have been the cause of your own suffering.
And that's okay too.

I would like for you to forgive yourself. Just for a moment, be okay with the mistakes you've made. Be okay with not being where you thought you would be by now. Be okay with yourself, as you are.

I would like to say that you are not defined by your past. But you are. As much as we would like to use our past as a justification for our failure or disappointments, however, we can't. Everyone has their own cross to bear. We all have ghosts that haunt in the farthest reaches of our minds, preying on our fears and doubts, brought about by past experiences. No matter how much we would like to, or how often we do, we can't use our ghosts to liberate us from our responsibility.

I am responsible for my approach to life. It's my choice whether to carry my past as a heavy burden, drudging with it across the chosen path, or to use it as a stepping stone or carving tool to forge greater promenades. I would like for you to choose the latter. People are made up of memories - constructed by recollection and the stories we tell. Our past echoes in the hollows of the songs we sing and the words we choose to speak. But, it is not impossible to dance in the rain.

It doesn't matter how far you go, you can never escape your past. You were never meant to. Instead, turn around and face it, head on. Do not let your past define you, let it be defined by you. You are the C R E A T O R . If you are unhappy in your present, it is most certainly because you have been disempowered by your past. Take back your power - tell your story differently.

It always seems impossible until it's done.
- Nelson Mandela 

A great life is not unaffected by screw-ups and let-downs. A great life is made up of P E R S E V E R A N C E . To persevere means to continue in a course of action, despite failure and disadvantage. Just for a moment, forgive your perceived mistakes and weaknesses. I am going to go so far as to tell you to learn how to love them. Because if you can learn how to love your flaws, nobody can use them against you. If you can learn how to love your past, you can learn how to love yourself.  And there lies infinite power in the beauty of loving the person stitched together by your memories.

Durban Skatepark, Beach Front