How To Be More Open In New Months

In one of my latest Instagram posts, I posted a short caption on how I’m eager to be surprised in the month of May.

With every new month that comes along, I always try to set up my goals, expectations and hopes for the next 30 days. Some things are practical (like getting new camera gear) and other things are more for myself and my mindset (like challenging myself to be more grateful on a daily basis). For May, however, I feel like I want to be surprised! Yes, I have some basic goals in mind, but I genuinely feel like I want May to be the month where I am more open to what the universe wants me to receive. But how exactly can I do that, and what are some of the tips that I can share with you to be more open to a surprising new month? Keep on reading…

An Attitude of Gratitude

If there’s one thing that life has proven to me time and time again, it’s that being grateful opens up doors for amazing blessings to come your way (and for you to then be grateful again; it’s like a beautiful cycle where you say thanks for one blessing, and you’ll receive another blessing for you to be grateful for, and so the cycle goes on).

Every morning, I tweet out “Dear God, Thank you for another day“. I do this because I believe that starting my day out with gratitude to The One who has given me another day to live helps me set up my mindset to be more grateful for the gift of life. I find myself living more peacefully with the fact that I have no idea when my last day on this blue planet is, but I’ll forever be grateful for being given the chance to live as best as I could.

So I encourage you to be more open with having an attitude of gratitude this May, and every month that follows. It may not be in the form of thanking God for simply breathing life into your body every morning. It could be as simple as having the roof over your head, the job you have, the food you eat, the friends and family who support you. It takes 60 seconds to think of a few things that you could be grateful for, and that 1 minute of your life will never go to waste.

CHALLENGE: Write down at least 5 things that you are grateful for (try doing this every 3 days if daily may be too much for you).

Speak Up; The Universe Is Listening

As a spiritual person, I believe in the power of prayer – that a higher entity hears us when we speak out, and answers in due time. Us humans tend to fumble a bit when it comes to the ‘in due time’ part; we are an impatient bunch sometimes, and getting something we want or need right away doesn’t always happen.

This is a rather difficult lesson I’ve learned since the beginning of this year. I had hoped to get a job by the time February 2019 rolled around, but that never happened. I started to panic and grew weary of finding a job despite my CV looking as great as it does. I received so many rejection emails and I really thought that my simple request of getting a job in the time frame I wanted was looking more like an impossible mission.

But, I momentarily forgot that despite all the prayers I was doing for the right job to come along, it really was all about having the patience for the right thing to come at the right time and when I was in the right space to receive it. It’s a good thing to put your dreams and desires out there for the universe to hear you – I encourage it because I believe that no prayer ever falls onto deaf ears. But in the same breath, it’s equally important to remember that with some things, the answer will come in a different time to when you hoped or expected; this requires a good measure of patience on your part.

CHALLENGE: Create a list with some of your dreams and desires that you’re hoping for every time you enter a new month. Say these things with your mouth. Take action for the things that require action, and be patient with the things that require time.

Do The Unexpected

I’m somebody who likes more structure in my life than just ‘winging it’. I can adapt for when things pop up in my day but sometimes, I find myself not-so-easily built for the unexpected.

But this is something I have opened myself up to this coming month. And I’m opening myself up to more than just unexpected physical activities. A year ago, I promised myself not to find love in any form because all I wanted was my Honours degree and get a job. But the unexpected happened, and I had a moment of meeting someone and having all those fluffy butterflies fill my stomach. It all fell in the worst way that I could imagine soon after, and I was an emotional wreck and it took some healing but I’ve learned an incredibly valuable lesson – and it’s all thanks to having the unexpected happen to me.

It really will depend on how you decide to view things when unexpected events happen in your life, but try see them as moments of learning and growth. I plan on finally taking a hike this year because I need to learn a thing or to about endurance, but I’m also opening myself up to the challenges that will arise now that I have a job. May is a month of doing the unexpected for me, in my efforts to keep developing myself into an inspirational woman and role model; I hope you’ll open up yourself to doing the same.

CHALLENGE: Try do 2 unexpected things every month – buy yourself flowers if you never have, take yourself out on a solo date or take a cooking class. Whatever you do, challenge yourself to do the unexpected.

Feel free to share with me some of your wishes and hopes for the months ahead. What are some of the things you will be challenging yourself to in the next 30 days? Will you be embracing the 3 challenges I set out in the post? Let me know in the comments below.