A morning with coffee, silence, and conscious thoughts. Here I share how I practice choosing thoughts and self-love, and how an astrology-based planning calendar for the coming year can become a gentle compass.
Choose thoughts and self-love – my morning routine
Thank you for letting me wake up to the first day of the rest of my life. My coffee cup stands beside me, half filled with strong coffee and topped with creamy foam. Therefore, the start of the day feels extra warm.
The house is quiet, giving me space to be alone with my thoughts. Even though less helpful thoughts sometimes appear, I quickly return to the kind ones. So every morning becomes a chance to choose thoughts and self-love again.
“Thoughts are just thoughts and have nothing to do with reality. They are formed in me, by me, and do not have to be true just because I think them.”
How do you handle wandering thoughts? Did you know you can also choose thoughts that nurture rather than harm you?
Choosing thoughts and self-love – supported by research
Research clearly shows that we can influence our thoughts and well-being:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches that many feelings come from automatic, often negative thoughts. By identifying, questioning, and restructuring them, we can feel better.
The method of cognitive restructuring therefore helps us replace harmful thoughts with ones that are truer and more supportive.
Mindfulness shows that we can observe thoughts without getting caught in them, which allows us to regain calm.
These books can further guide you when you want to choose thoughts and self-love:
The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle
Wherever You Go, There You Are – Jon Kabat-Zinn
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself – Dr. Joe Dispenza
The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem – Nathaniel Branden
Planning calendar – future support for choosing thoughts
In yesterday’s post I wrote about the astrology-based planning calendar designed for next year. If you buy it through this link and use the discount code Astrocalendar30, you’ll receive 30 % off.
It’s not an affiliate link, just a link of goodwill. I haven’t started working with the calendar yet, but I believe it will gradually help me schedule pauses and choose thoughts and self-love more consciously.
First day of the rest of my life – gratitude and a gift to share
Self-love is not only gentle words. It is also actions: acknowledging needs, setting boundaries, and choosing thoughts that truly nourish.
Whenever I notice a self-critical thought, I pause and ask, “What would I say to a friend in the same situation?” Therefore, I give that answer to myself.
The planning calendar can in addition serve as a daily reminder to choose thoughts and self-love.
A day of rest and self-care
Yesterday there was no refreshing lake swim for me. My neck ached and brought a headache that was hard to bear. So I spent the day in bed.
Fortunately, we have adjustable beds and a projector in the bedroom. While awake, I watched movies: The Godfather, a film about a boarding school, a medieval story with Richard Gere, and one about a brain surgeon. I may not have seen every film to the end—I kept falling asleep—but this became my way of caring for myself.
Later our stay-at-home son went out to buy Thai food for us. The little one spent the day with a friend and came home happy and tired. My husband left early for Gothenburg to photograph horses at the Åby race track and returned late, eager to edit his pictures.
Finally, I realized that even though I’d been unwell, it had still been the best day of my life. Why? Because I chose it to be. I allowed myself to rest, took my medicine, enjoyed good films, and gave my body the care it needed.
AHA – Between the Lines
Reading my own words, I see how the choice of thoughts and self-love shapes the entire story. From the aroma of morning coffee to the quiet of a sick day, I choose again and again a path that gives strength. This isn’t escape—it’s the courage to invest my energy where life grows.
Reflection
Taking responsibility for my thoughts is taking responsibility for my life. Even when my body says stop, the day can still be the best—simply because I choose it.
Yesterday has already settled into history, tomorrow waits farther ahead. But right now—this is where life happens. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson
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