I am currently on holiday in Fuerteventura, and I am writing this blog on a sun lounger by the pool. I’ve just finished a “Volcanic Island” cocktail. I have been focusing on pure relaxation here.

My need to relax has led to a series of unexpected events. Allow me to tell you a story.

I rarely get time to sit and read. I usually devour fiction through audiobooks, as it takes me a long time to finish a book through reading. I could argue for or against the reasons for this, but ultimately it comes down to time and balance.

A chat with a good friend lately (Hi Danny!) led me to challenging my own thoughts and goals. I felt it was high time I opened my mind to new knowledge and experiences. My friend inspired me on this point. This journey kicked off with a chance look at the membership “perks’ section of Xbox Game pass.  I  was offered a code for a three month trial to an app called Calm. So with my mind inspired, I signed up for this.

Typically I do not get a long with smartphone driven wellbeing apps (but we are all unique, so fantastic if that works for you). This has changed thoroughly through the use of this specific app, Calm. I have begun to learn about sleep sounds and meditation. But more importantly to the story I am telling you today, I was introduced to daily calm podcasts. This introduced me to Jay Shetty, and his daily seven minute podcast on the app.

For about a month I have been listening, and I have to admit I have been learning a lot in the process. I was drawn to the bite size nature of his wisdom and energy. The app also helped me enhance my positivity through daily check ins with myself. These take me about two minutes a day to complete. I felt so overwhelmed the last six weeks, this positivity check in has been an absolute pleasure. It has kept me largely on track.

Anyway, back to this story. After gaining essential knowledge from Jay Shetty , I decided to take a leap and purchase his book: Think like a monk. This is one of the most inspired books I have ever read. I do not read nonfiction as a general rule, so I bought the book as part of my strive to experience fresh knowledge.

This book has massively changed my way of thinking and some of my views of myself and this world. This book is not about religion. Its about how you think, and how the experiences of monks can change your world.

I cannot recommend this book enough. If you suffer self doubt, negative self talk, anxiety or depression this is worth considering reading. I am not going to spoil this book for anyone, but the section of the temporary nature of life has been so inspiring. It will bring huge meaning to the words “welcome to hotel earth.”

So I’ve talked about what has changed whilst I am out here. I’ve had a longstanding writer’s block. It has stopped my creative writing since at least October, though I have been writing blogs and my journal in that time. My new found inspiration has broken my writers block. At the same time I’ve been looking at my intention and motivators behind some goals, and setting new ones using the techniques the book has taught me.

I have been creative writing for my entire adult life. I have had numerous pieces published, but it’s more than ten years now. I’ve had an idea for some work for sometime , but I’ve not been able to get there with it. The story has been in my mind, but what I realised I’ve actually been writing it in note form through my journal since September 2022.  So just like that I’ve gone from writers block to having a project in the works. It has been so long since I felt this. Who knows where this writing will go, it might not lead to anything. We cannot control the future. But I’m taking inspiration whenever it lands. I’m writing something big, something new and unlike anything I have done before.

Knowledge led me here. I was reminded of the brevity of life. Now is the time.