Creating Mini Goals

Happy Friday!

I’ve missed writing and connecting with you all! The more time I take away from doing it, the harder it becomes. I start second guessing myself and thinking of reasons why this isn’t the best time to write.

As a creative, I often struggle with the middle ground between creating on my terms and maintaining discipline. I have all these amazing ideas about work I’d like to complete and put out to the world, yet taking consistent action is tough. I like to take things day by day, enjoy the spontaneity of the present moment and simply create when I feel like it or have the energy.

The problem is, I don’t end up taking that much action or bringing my ideas to life. Even though I’m learning on a soul level that productivity does not define my value (I wrote about this previously), I can’t deny that my desire to express and share with the world is a part of my fiber, and brings meaning and purpose to my life. So when life speeds by me and I find I haven’t worked towards my most important goals, I end up feeling frustrated.

Can you relate?

The most effective game plan will push me to get sh*t done while not feeling bogged down by “work.”

I’ve been able to do this effectively with exercise. I always wanted to have a work out routine but never seemed to make time for it. I thought I had to go to a gym or a class and spend at least an hour there, plus the time traveling there and back. This idea didn’t suit my schedule nor was it something I actually wanted to do.

I simplified it so much for myself. For about a month now I’ve been exercising at home (or in my hotel rooms) for just 10-15 minutes a day. I simply lay out my yoga mat, put on an exercise YouTube video to follow along, and knock it out. My body thanks me for it and I end up feeling accomplished every time because I’ve set myself up for success.

When I have an exceptionally early start to the day or feel exhausted, I skip out on it and pick it back up the next day, without attaching any guilt to it. I try to listen to my body and respect when it just needs sleep or rest.

I can happily say I’ve made working out part of my routine, even if this is simply a baby step, though I actually don’t feel the need or desire to push myself to do more right now.

What I’d like to work on now is making my creative projects a part of my weekly routine. I’m challenging myself to work 10 hours a week on my “side hustle.” 10 hours seems like a doable goal, yet it will also push me to potentially create a lot more than I have before. Having a weekly goal instead of a daily one also allows the wiggle room to simply relax some days.

Tracking the time I work on my projects and watching each hour chip away at my weekly goal is both motivating and encouraging.

If you’re in a similar boat and know that there are some areas in your life where you want to start seeing progress, try this out with me.

How can you create mini goals towards your desired outcome?

It’s important to also treat this as an experiment and have fun, while not feeling bad about yourself if for some reason the mini goals are too much and you need to scale back a little.

It’s all about collecting data and figuring out what works for you.

Let’s support one another on this journey. I’d love to hear about what you’re working on and whether this resonated with you.

Love always,

Gabriela

What Is Abundance, Really?

Good evening, friends!

If you’re anything like me and consume media in the realm of self-development or spirituality, you’ve probably heard the word “abundance” thrown around a lot, sometimes in phrases such as “abundance mindset” or “living abundantly.” It typically refers to living a full, rich life surrounded (and in appreciation of) the things you love, rather than focusing on lack and what you don’t have.

Part of my own journey has been to create an abundant life for myself—to gift myself with all the experiences I desire, and to work towards a life that allows me the freedom to travel, eat well, and have plenty of fun.

I used to think that in order to make all those dreams come true, I would have to earn tons of money. Ironically, while trying to create “abundance,” I ended up feeling a lack of it when my desired income wasn’t reached.

My limited perception of abundance prevented me from appreciating all the blessings that had fallen into my life which hadn’t necessarily arrived in the form of money.

For example, I recently realized that one of my biggest dreams came true. I used to day dream about being able to walk into the airport and spontaneously travel to any destination I desired. I thought that in order for this to happen, I would have to be rich.

As a flight attendant, my company allows me to travel wherever they fly, either for free or at very little cost. I could literally do this whenever I have time. It blew my mind to really sit with that and appreciate it as a dream come true.

I already have so much of what I want and experience joy regularly without having met my “income goals.” What we truly want is usually a feeling rather than a thing. If I have joy, if I have love, and freedom and a passion for living (all the things I thought money would buy), then why limit myself to feeling abundant only when a certain amount of money is reached?

Abundance is all around us. In the greenness of leaves, in laughter, in the array of tastes we experience in the span of a day. You can find it in the smallest details or in the overwhelm of realizing that you are in a near perfect stage of your life.

If you ever feel down or stressed about money or whatever it is you “lack,” I encourage you to take equal amounts of time and energy into adding up all the little (and big) miracles, joys, pleasures, talents and gifts you’ve got going in your favor. Feel into the appreciation until your heart feels like it’ll burst. Do this as much as possible, as often as possible and tap into your wealth.

Love,

Gabriela

Protecting the Vibe

Hey lovelies:

Hope you’ve had a beautiful week thus far. I felt inspired to write the past few days because I’m coming to understand a lesson that is so vital, and which I wanted to share with you:

Things don’t have to align perfectly or according to plan in order for you to feel good.

My first month as a flight attendant has taught me a lot about protecting my energy regardless of circumstances. As exciting as it’s been, I’ve also experienced disappointment and frustration at times.

I love to travel and explore more than just about anything and of course that was a huge determinant for choosing this career. Ironically, I was assigned to work many “turns” the first month. A turn means I go somewhere and come right back, without stepping foot off the plane. Each time I was scheduled one of these, I felt my soul die a little.

I wanted so badly to see these destinations, to feel the freedom of walking through new streets, and take part in the adventure of new sights, smells and foods. I wanted to jump into this new career and experience as much as possible, as quickly as possible, but patience. is. a. virtue.

Anyways, last time I was assigned a turn to Honolulu and I’d been itching so bad to see Hawaii! Not only was I disappointment I wouldn’t explore—frankly, I was angry this would be something like a 14 hour day. In my mind I was clearly a victim to these unjust circumstances!

That morning though, I knew my attitude was setting me up to have a potentially terrible (long) day. I decided I was going to have fun at work regardless of where I was going. I put my make up on, felt extra cute and headed to the employee lounge to chill before my flight. I ended up meeting a genuinely kind and friendly man who’s been working as a flight attendant for thirty-something years.

That decision I made in the morning to feel good, plus the friendly conversation, created a snowball effect for the rest of the day. I was upbeat and extroverted when I met my crew and one of them said that man had told her she was going to love me. I just felt grateful.

Work was fun that day, and even when I was tired I had great conversation with the crew and appreciated the chillness of the passengers. Some would call this the law of attraction — your outer world reflects your inner vibration. So because I was in a space of joy, my day panned out smoothly and positively.

What was key in keeping my vibration high, was not getting bent up about things “not going my way” and deciding to have fun anyways. (Side note: I’m starting to think life is always going our way; it’s just our opinion of what “the way” should look like that’s causing frustration and pain).

Anyways, I’m still practicing “protecting my energy/vibe” day by day, specially when it comes to interacting with others. I realize how high I set the bar for people, even strangers. I often expect others to be very friendly, and when they’re not I have a negative reaction to it (another example of things “not going my way”).

When this happens, we can catch ourselves and become witnesses to our internal process. We can decide that our energy is too important and too special to be negatively affected by others or by situations outside of our control. It’s simply too volatile to constantly react.

Anytime throughout the day we can stop and remind ourselves of what we’d like to feel, and that we have the power to have fun, anyways.

Love,

Gabriela

Bringing Presence to Purpose

Happy Sunday y’all!

It’s a gloomy day in LA but I’m happy to have some quiet, alone time before work to say hello!

Writing this newsletter means so much to me and I just want to say thank you for being a part of it 🙂

This newsletter has been a tether that’s kept me connected to long-term goals. I hope to one day have a larger platform, and if the universe will have it, to write a book (or maybe even two). Sending out these weekly emails is a small step I can consistently take, when life seems busy and fast and all the other creative work gets buried under the motions of the every day.

I’m discovering though, that the true importance of this “small step” is to bring me into the joy of the present. I am learning to form ideas from my experiences and give them a place outside of myself. I’m learning to share insights that could also give comfort or guidance to others, the way I’ve found comfort in others’ words and work; teachers I’ve never even met.

I’m realizing how fulfilling it is to accomplish this one task, and that I’d still be happy and complete, if nothing else came of it but an outlet to express. And I believe that’s an indication of finding something good.

In that sense, writing this newsletter is no longer a means to an end, but a purpose on its own. And that perspective gives me the freedom to fully appreciate it in the now, rather than waiting to feel fulfilled or accomplished in an illusory future.

So tell me, is there a passion of yours you could bring more presence and appreciation into today and in this week to come?

xxGabriela

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“Your Worth is Not Measured by Your Productivity”

Hello friends,

It’s my pleasure to be writing this newsletter again. It’s been on the back of my mind for a while now. My new career as a flight attendant has taken center stage and I’m adjusting to this lifestyle change day by day. The newness of it all has been exhausting at times, and while home, I’ve spent countless of hours in bed, watching Game of Thrones. (I know, I’m still catching up!)

I’ve tackled with various emotions while being in “rest mode” ―sometimes feeling totally justified in taking the time off to completely relax, and other times not being able to let go of the list of things I “should” or “could” be doing instead. One of those being this newsletter.

The couple times I tried to start writing, my words felt lost and scrambled. I was frustrated at myself for not being able to accomplish this one task, and to let you down in a sense.

I’ve scrolled through Instagram and questioned how some of the people I look up to (coaches, entrepreneurs, spiritual teachers, artists) are seemingly so able to constantly create and finish their work; how they have mastered a state of flow that’s entirely elusive to me. I’ve compared myself and felt bad about where I am in my own journey― how far away my goals can sometimes feel. And I think: If only I could be consistent. If only I could DO MORE..

The more compassionate side of me advises towards self forgiveness and patience. It was not the right time to be writing, until now. My energy, my inspiration and creativity ebb and flow. Sometimes they are harder to grasp. Sometimes I will not live up to my own standards of productivity. I can work towards accepting that and championing the little successes I do have. Because they are enough. And if you feel this way too, you too―are enough.

I don’t have the answers on how to achieve that perfect state of flow, where you can seamlessly create and take every day actions towards your goals, but some advice I can give you is that it all gets better when you’re kind to yourself.

You can either feel bad about what you haven’t yet accomplished, or appreciate where you are now compared to the past. What are the positive baby steps you finally decided to take? How has the relationship you have to yourself changed for the better?

I could feel bad about all the time I went without writing or being productive, or I could be proud to be writing today. I could call myself lazy for all the hours in bed, or I could marvel at the opportunity I gave myself to rest, when in the past I wouldn’t have let myself.

It’s so important to pay attention to the way we speak to ourselves and whether we’re building ourselves up or down. Self criticism can seep in the most subtle ways, from comparison to guilt. It’s the underlying belief that we are not enough, even though we truly are no matter what we do. I am Still enough if I watched Netflix in bed for the rest of my life― and that is a lesson I keep coming back to.

Everything else we choose to do, all our dreams and aspirations, those are icing on the cake in this extraordinary experience of being. And you, simply being here, is wonderfully enough.

Love,

Gabriela

I’m Back!

9 weeks later… I’m back!

First time writing in a while and I already feel like crying. The last two months of my life have been a whirlwind of emotions, late nights, stress, and beautiful moments of connection, leading up to the unmatched joy of new beginnings.

All of it begs to be expressed and released through me—writing is one of the ways I choose to do it.

In case you didn’t read my newsletter sent out roughly 9 weeks ago—I was in flight attendant training for 8 weeks, and announced I may not be writing for a while. Most moments were spent either in class, studying, or sleeping. I have never been so intently focused on, and immersed in one subject matter in my life.

Being the creative, and curious type that I am, it was extremely difficult not to have the time and freedom to explore hobbies and passions, let alone, to relax. I have a new sense of appreciation for MY LIFE, which is dynamic, and full of colorful past times and the ability to create.

Since I left training, my body has been attempting to recuperate through hours and hours of sleep, and to find its balance between the time zones. My mind busily absorbs all the endings and new beginnings. What just happened? What is happening?

What is happening is I’m now in LA, my new base and “home away from home.” I will be working trips from LA while still living in Salt Lake City and flying back home on my free time. It’s actually pretty common to “commute” from state to state in the airline industry, though the overwhelm of it is still palpable.

On top of that, most of my trips this month are red eyes and I am an early bird to a fault. Yikes! Talk about disoriented sleep schedule.

My intention here is not to complain —I prayed, and worked tirelessly to be where I am today, but still there is this very human thing in me to find fault at the result of each success. Can you relate?

So, this is where I must stop myself: Breathe, acknowledge where I am (somewhere I once desired badly to be), thank myself for getting here, and see the positive in the situation.

I am a freakin’ flight attendant! Which means I travel for a living. Wild. And I get to fly back home when I’m free. For free.

Writing those words fills me instantly with gratitude and the overwhelm slowly begins to dissipate. Because I know, everything is alright. Better than alright.

Reflection Moment:

What have you recently accomplished that you’re proud of?

What have you achieved that you once truly desired?

I’m going to change the name of this newsletter to Weekly Motivation and do my best to write one weekly, on whichever day I’m free.

It feels amazing to be here again, after all this time and I thank you for your patience and your readership. It means the world!

Love,

Gabriela

Headed to Flight Attendant Training!

Greetings from thousands of feet above ground!

Today I write to you from a plane headed to Atlanta―the first Monday Motivation written in transit. If all goes well in the next eight weeks, I’ll be spending A LOT more time on airplanes, because I will officially be a flight attendant! This employment process has been in the works for months now, and today is finally the day I head to train.

This is a huge transition for me. I will be living in a shared hotel room in ATL, learning up to twelve hours a day, and essentially going to school once more. Not only that, but my lifestyle, routine, and the consistency I’m used to will be completely altered afterwards.

Transitions are usually more exciting than frightening for me because I thrive off change. I love to relocate, travel, and learn new skills―to experience as much as possible and keep life moving and evolving.

However, it doesn’t mean change is always easy. I will miss my house, my partner, my free time and the space to be alone.

When change is awkward and uncomfortable, I remind myself that true stability lies within me. I like to think of my one true home as my body, my mind as my companion, and my heart as my guide.

These are the essentials that follow me wherever I go, which are always available to me whenever I need to be comforted.

This may or may not be the last newsletter I write for a while. (Time off while be scarce will I train), but if I can, I will certainly continue to send these out.

If you don’t hear from me for the next couple months, feel free to add me on IG, which I’m fairly active on (@gabrielammelgar), watch my youtube videos, or listen to podcasts of mine which may be of interest to you.

Though I’m pursuing this new career path and giving it my all, I still plan on continuing to write, create content and coach once I’m done with training 🙂

Don’t hesitate to reach out! Wish me luck!

Love,

Gabriela

Spring is Coming

I’m taking it way easy this Monday. Today, I woke up and decided to finally book a massage, take a walk, and catch up with a friend before beginning the weekly grind.

It’s funny what a different mental space I’m in than the previous week. If you caught last week’s newsletter, I expressed how much stress I was under because I’d created so many tasks for myself, expecting to be some sort of productivity machine.

Reflecting on the expectations I had for myself and whether they were fair or not allowed me to let go of a lot of pressure, and ease into a lighter week ahead by removing the tasks that could wait.

Despite still being “busy,” and having certain things to do, I feel so much lighter without the stress. I’m focusing on one task at a time, trusting that it will all get done, and stopping to rest when needed. I am supporting my mental (and physical) health in this time of transition, and encourage you to check in with yourself when needed, as well.

Speaking of transitions, it finally feels like spring is near in Salt Lake City. Today was the warmest day I’ve experienced in months. The sky was bright blue, and the wind had the perfect type of cool that makes you feel awake.

It was incredible how much Happier I felt stepping out. Sometimes it can feel like winter will last forever, and with that, the visiting lethargy and gloom. But hang in there. Whether you’re feeling uncomfortably cold, or are going through an emotionally tough patch, each new day can surprise you with a change in weather, mood, or perspective.

Spring is coming!

Gabriela

When the Plate Gets Too Heavy

A heavy chest. Heart beats rushing one after the other. Knots at my back and neck. Irritability.

This is how stress manifests itself in me. And when these symptoms begin, I know something’s got to give.

Right now, there’s a lot on my plate. In about two weeks, I’ll be leaving to train for a new career. (I wish I could disclose more about this, but I can’t just yet). I have a long list of to-do’s, and lots of homework on top of it. Plus, I wanted to create enough podcasts + content so that I could guarantee my creative work wouldn’t fall to the wayside during the eight weeks I’m gone.

But this was all too much for me to worry about at once, on top of all the regular life things and chores.

I needed to look at my plate clearly, and see what I could afford to take off. What helped with this process was to talk it out with my partner. I listed the things that were stressing me out — all those tasks I felt needed to absolutely get done beforehand, and he reminded me that I was putting a lot of pressure on myself.

This is a habit which often leads to stress — setting the expectations and the bar so high for yourself that it’s too exhausting to reach. I needed to accept that if I were to set out and do ALL these things, I would likely end up drained and sick.

I had to prioritize what TRULY needed to get done, which was preparing for my departure and getting all my homework completed. As soon as I decided to release the expectations that I would create all this content before leaving, I felt so much lighter. My list was now doable and felt spacious — like there was actually enough time to get it all done AND properly rest.

Though it isn’t ideal (I would love to have it ALL DONE), it is an act of self-love to hone in on the expectations set for yourself, and make sure that you’re getting enough rest, feeling good, and not drowning in all the self-imposed work.

So, remember that if you too, are feeling stress and overwhelm, you may have more choice than you currently believe about what stays on your plate, and what you can afford to let go of—for now.

Have an awesome week,

Gabriela

Reasons to Love or Hate a Place

Good Morning, Friends!

It’s a beautiful morning in Salt Lake City. The snow really came down last night and the trees and houses are lined white and glittering in the sunlight.

It’s views like this that make me appreciate it here, because—it truly is beautiful.

Living here though, (and living anywhere, really) is not always easy. From my experience residing in various cities and countries, each place comes with a list of pros and cons.

The other day, I found my frustrations with Salt Lake City growing. I didn’t feel free here because I don’t own a car and am nervous about driving.

It was easy to get around San Francisco (I didn’t even get my license until I was 26). But relying on the bus, my legs (and the occasional uber and lyft) to get me places here is not always easy (or cheap) —specially in the winter.

The other night I missed my bus stop on my way home from work, and was dropped off about a mile away at the next stop. I was bummed, hungry, and freezing, when I saw a Sonics at the corner of the street.

I thought, “this is the time to get some fast food guilt-free.” To my horror, it was solely a drive-through Sonics (are all Sonics like that? Idk) There was no option to order or eat inside, because the small building at the center of the lot was for employees only.

So, I had to stand next to one of the ordering kiosks outside, and yell out my order while it was 20 something degrees out. I must admit, it was pretty funny and I even made an instagram story about it. I had to laugh at the situation a little.

After my order came out, my hands were awkwardly full, when a man approached me and asked me for some money. I offered him a dollar, but was seriously struggling to reach into my bag to grab it. His friend noticed my struggle, and came by to dismiss me, ordering, “You go on home now with your bags. We don’t need your dollar!” as they walked back to their car.

I dropped some of my food in the snow as I waddled out of there, and by the time I got home my fingers were burning from the cold and I was genuinely concerned I might get frost bite?

It was one of those days that made me hate Salt Lake City. Walking home I went through a long list of reasons not to like it here. There’s no proper public transportation, the streets are too long, it revolves around car culture, State St. is so sketchy, there’s no good affordable food etc.

All this to demonstrate that if you’re looking for reasons to hate a place, or a situation, it is so easy to come up with them! I even kept going with my list until the next day, and let me tell you—it ruined that day, too.

The good news is, it can be just as easy to find things to love about a place or situation. If you think you can’t, start very small and watch that list grow and grow.

Things I love about Salt Lake: How there’s usually parking when we go out, the spaciousness of it, the cute little coffee and retail shops a couple blocks away, the epic mountains, the proximity to beautiful nature, my lovely neighbors, our cute house, etc.

I usually choose to see the good in things, and practice gratitude on a daily basis, but I also fall prey to negative thinking and frustration. And that’s when I have to check myself and adjust my perspective.

In this situation, I also evaluated what was in my control and what wasn’t. I can’t control the transportation system here, but I can adapt by driving. I started practicing again yesterday, and it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. It was actually pretty fun when I released the resistance to it. I can already feel how it will drastically change my experience here.

When in Salt Lake, do as the Salt Lakers do.