I have to say, I don't really believe in coincidences- I think that everything happens with a greater purpose in mind. It may be easy to say that, but sometimes not so easy to really feel that those small things in life, especially the hard ones, mean something important. The big things we can look back on and notice how they made such an impact in our lives; but what about the small, everyday things? The things that slip our minds like meeting someone at a shop, watching a movie (or commercials for that matter), having small conversations with people, or even waiting in traffic- and the emotions that we feel because of them.

When you think about it, these moments make up the bulk of our lives. We are given all of these opportunities to consistently grow as people and learn how to work through life. Life has an extremely powerful process, but how we treat that process is what defines who we are.

We breathe in experiences, and exhale reactions; we are formed out of all the things that occur from moment to moment. It's easy to race around from place to place, rushing to get somewhere or do something- and forget to cherish our lives as a whole. It's important for us to not focus on where we will be, and keep our mindset on where we are so that we can truly live life to it's fullest. Every moment is a gift, and it our our job to utilize those gifts.

Following the process of life can be challenging. We may not always have the control we desire. But thinking that we have complete control will only hurt our lives in the long run because not everything will go our way. Even when we are busy and rushing, we can remember to relax, sit back and enjoy the process. Keep in mind that the little things matter. Everything that happens to you is creating who you are and giving you opportunities to make you stronger. Either the universe is working against you, or it is working for you by giving you all of the experiences that you need to create your perfect you. Which side will you see?

xx Hailey

This is a safe space where meditation, self-care and awareness all come together to make a happier, healthier and more balanced you! One of my new favorite recent discoveries is the Calm app, available on IOS and the Google Play store. (No, it's not sponsored!) However, I have noticed that the use of reminders, notifications and short, simple guided meditations makes it an invaluable tool for anyone starting their own journey on making mindfulness work for them- and it's free for the basic version! It's the version I have and it works excellent.

In the mornings, it's hard for me to 'make' time for meditating- I generally will use any extra time for sleeping... even though I know the reward of meditation is something I love. Ideally, 30 minutes a day of meditation is my goal. So, one of the best uses for me is to put on a 10 minute guided meditation that way it looks 1/3rd as large (to my groggy, sleepy self) and I am much more apt to follow through. Some days I might just end there, but most times when it's over I feel much more motivated to put a 20 minute alarm on my phone and meditate by myself- or use the longer guided meditations on Calm. I guess this can be classified as a 'mind trick', but it's a routine that is showing positive results. :)

If I'm ever having trouble falling asleep, I'll put on a guided meditation and, voilà! I'm out. Pretty magical, huh? Also, if you know you can get particularly anxious and need something to help you calm down, this is an option you should give a try. All you have to do is keep some headphones with you, and even in a crowded place you can stay calm.

Reminders are once a day in your alert bar- thankfully not a big red notification on the app that you have to find a way to dismiss. It's very gentle, and there is definitely no guilt if you miss a day! Whether you have 2 minutes, or 30, it's useful, tranquil time you can have all to yourself to bring some mindfulness into your day.

Summary? If you're a beginner or have a busy life and need a little motivation or help remembering to be calm, download the Calm app for your smartphone! Easy start to a life of awareness for that beautiful you!