Posted on by Helene Johnson

On Grief and Heartbreak

There are times in life when parting ways with someone becomes necessary despite the pain such parting creates. You have made the decision at the deepest level of your self-awareness, when soul, mind and body concurred that the relationship is not for you any longer. You knew in that deliberation what the truth was for you, with every inch of your body and soul. However, grief is poignant and might continue to follow you, in ebbs and flows, for a while, sometimes with inklings of doubt whether the right decision was made or not.

These moments of grief are the moments when you need to remind yourself:

  • A relationship is supposed to bring you joy overall, even if at times, there might be discomfort, misunderstandings or some heartache. But in the long run, the account needs to be positive. If it is not, the relationship is draining more energy and resources from you than it should, and it cannot be sustained.
  • Grief is normal when you think in terms of the lost potential of what that relationship could have been – however, potential does not always equal capability, current or future. Be honest if that relationship exhibited the attributes of the relationship you aspired to have. Journal from a third person point of view to avoid unbalanced subjectivity and confirm your standards are worth standing up for.
  • Acknowledge the loss, the human shortcomings, the imperfections on both sides, forgive yourself and the other person, and move on. Focus on growth and learning from this experience  – what lessons you have learned or have yet to learn, what changes you can make, what new perspectives you have gained…
  • A grieving heart can always be at risk of more prolonged sadness or at the more extreme spectrum, depression or anxiety. Look for experiences where the kid in you is alive again – the one who is curious, playful and undeterred to learn to walk even after multiple falls. Schedule at least one of such experiences regularly, find hobbies or interests that bring you joy and meaning. Don’t give up on a life that is worth living to its fullest potential and joy, with people who genuinely care for you.

Every time we lose something, or someone is also the opportunity to gain something even bigger if we have the courage to trust ourselves and to embody, little by little, one action and one experience at a time, a wiser version of ourselves…one that we could not have entered into without the loss.

Be caring to yourself and allow yourself to grieve. And at one point, you will discover that after each moment of grief, there is a rainbow. One that shows you what you stand for, what your soul needs and why your past relationship could not have thrived. Getting over the loss of a relationship is not denying ourselves to grieve, but it is about finding that rainbow every time grief comes back.

Posted on by Helene Johnson

Micro Moments of Wisdom Nr 1

This series is designed for individuals who have limited time and energy, but unlimited thirst for genuine growth in their lives, whether that is about personal or professional dreams and aspirations.

This is because any 5 to 10 minute ritual can compound into meaningful positive change, be it exercising, meditating or simply getting better at our craft.

  1. Eliminate comparison with others. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, beautifully summarized how external comparisons are a source of nuisance: “Compete against yourself. When you look outside — your rivals, your industry, your luck — there is always something to blame. When you look inside — your process, your effort, your rate of learning — there is always something to improve.” When we are focused on what we can control and improve, we will always come out better and ahead of the prior version of our ourselves. At the end, that is what should matter and is most fulfilling – a version of us that is evolving and growing. Every time you find yourself in a comparison trap, go back to “your process, your effort, your rate of learning“.
  2. Focus on progress not perfection. This mindset helps us stay focused on what we can learn, do, and improve versus beating ourselves up for any shortcomings or imperfections. Building momentum and evidence of our progress serve us better than self criticism and negativity. Refuse to become your own saboteur. Progress is a path to change, but we need to stay committed to our goals through discomfort, feedback and failures at times. This is not an excuse for lacking discipline, hard work or accountability … but an acknowledgement that growth is not always linear.
  3. Schedule something to get excited about. We are all human beings with need for rest, relaxation and community around us. The same challenge or stressful situation will reduce its effect on us when we genuinely take care of ourselves. By taking the time to enjoy an outing, a special activity or simply a nap, we remind ourselves of our human needs and identities beyond work and miscellaneous responsibilities. Building a habit out of scheduling some R&R moments in advance is both practical in our busy lives but also a constant reminder of our humanity.
Posted on by Helene Johnson

Disconnection is not an end but a beginning

Pressures in life can be insidious and, from time to time, the pressure cooker gets unbearable. We admit to these pressures often after the water has boiled over, and we understand that the disconnection was a natural consequence of absorbing spoken or unspoken and acknowledged or yet-to-be-acknowledged pressures.

The story of our modern and highly interconnected lives is pressure… to fit in, to be successful by societal standards, to be and do it all … while pressure for our early hominins was getting chased by lions in the savannah. These modern life pressures can come from the most well intended people around us, from ourselves or from standards that, at times, we set too high. They could also come from people who, at the end, are consciously or unconsciously not well intended, with whom we have yet to set proper boundaries.

lf you are at one of these crossroads – where disconnection is what you feel in the moment or have been feeling for a while, the sooner you befriend it, the sooner you can come to grasp with it and use it for your growth. This is an opportune moment to start afresh, more self-aware of what it takes to keep a healthy and happy self – you!

A practical guide to transform a “disconnection” crisis follows below with 5 critical steps:

  1. Pause and Journal: You can’t outrun disconnection. The longer you live with it, the higher the risk that it turns into something more severe, for instance burnout or physical ailments. Even a few days of feeling disconnected warrants a pause. You deserve it. Then jot down what weighs heavy in your mind or body – in full or partial sentences, or simply words – connected to the pressures that might have burdened you lately. You know you are getting to the end of your list when your journaling starts being about what you are grateful for and what your heart yearns the most, including feeling appreciated and loved, which are fundamental needs that motivate our behaviors.
  2. Evaluate these pressure points with your morality and values compass: Once these pressures points are exposed on a piece of paper, it is easier to acknowledge and analyze them. What is real versus perception? What comes from your judgment or the judgement of others? Which ones should you give weight to? Which ones deserve an honest conversation with yourself or someone in your life? Which ones would you want or need to carry forward? Which ones should you leave behind as not aligned with your true values, needs or aspirations?
  3. Rest: Physical rest, be it longer sleep or naps, and taking time for yourself are oxygen to human life. It is when rest lacks that pressures accumulate until everything snowballs into disconnection, burnout, disease or depression. No matter how temporary your state of disconnect has been, give yourself a good few days of rest.
  4. Commit to a fresh start with at least one identified change: With a rested mind and body, and more self-awareness, you can finally see through what has been weighing you down and what adjustments you need to make – big or small- to free yourself from undue pressures. Think in terms of what you need to do to cut the source of pressure points that don’t deserve your focus and energy. As to due pressures, even if there is no immediate action you can identify as needed to be taken, the simple fact of having cleared your mind, will position you to embrace what the day brings and your responsibilities with more clarity and energy.
  5. Remember you are your biggest asset: The danger of disconnection is feeling like a stranger in your own life, and that can remove agency and alter your choices and with them, your future over time. Health can also take a toll from prolonged disconnection. That is the opposite of what we owe to ourselves: self-compassion, self-connection and self-care. When we are our biggest supporters, we can also be better supporters of people around us.

Author Kamal Ravikant noted:

“Pain doesn’t last. And when it’s gone, we have something to show for it: growth.”

Likewise, disconnection doesn’t last … if we let it speak to us and shape the adjustments we need to make in our lives.

Posted on by Helene Johnson

Resolutions vs Commitment

At the beginning of every year, there is a lot of talk about New Year’s Resolutions. Many of them become already obsolete or failed attempts by the end of January.

I’m a big fan of New Year’s resolutions, goals and vision boards. I started doing some of these practices with my kids as well to get them to think of life achievements in many ways, including in terms of setting and reaching specific goals.

New Year’s and birthdays are a great time to set new resolutions and goals because we benefit from the “fresh start effect”, a psychological boost that helps us build momentum for creating change and new habits. But one of the most critical considerations for successful resolutions is commitment.

How committed are we to our goals?

As a kid, every time my mom asked me to do something, she always reminded me to first get committed to doing it well. I wondered at times if she had some magic power to know when I was not committed 100% because she knew it. Once, she told me to stop doing something I was doing to help in the house and go back and play. I felt the sting of disappointing my mom but above all, I got the lesson that shaped my strong work and learning ethic. A job well done is one that starts with the commitment of doing a good job. Not a perfect job … but one to which best effort is put forward.

Returning to the concept of New Year’s resolutions, to which goal or goals are we really committed to?

… To put the best effort forward even when no one watches.

… To take matters into our own hands and design a strategy with the resources and ideas we have today. No perfection required, just a genuine start.

… To do the hard work even when the easy work could be tempting.

… To be consistent with habits, behavior or action that are required to reach our goal.

… To start again tomorrow even if we feel we might have failed today.

… To take ownership of the momentum created over time with consistency and efforts, and adjust as necessary to reach the end goal.

Sometimes, our commitment is driven by pressure, social comparison or fears. But this type of commitment is weak and cannot endure. Pursuing goals from such commitment usually leads to stress, burnout or lack of fulfillment.

Real commitment comes when we set resolutions from our most honest and sturdiest self. If clarity lacks, there are a few questions that can help. For instance:

  • If there is one goal or change that if achieved by the end of the year would make you truly happy – what would that be?
  • How would you like this year or chapter of life to be remembered and how can you get there?
  • Start with the end in mind – at the end of your life, what would you like people to say about you?

The question is not what New Year’s Resolutions we have set.

The real question is what are we willing to commit to and why?

As a practical application of this reflection, think about any goal you have set or are considering setting for this year, and go through the above questions to test your commitment to it. This can be done for both personal and professional goals. Only when we are ready to truly commit to what it entails to reach a goal – meaning understanding our what, why and how – we can position ourselves for successfully reaching it. And most of the time, the real success is not in reaching a specific goal, it is in the growth achieved in the process. 

As James Hollis describes in his book, “Living an Examined Life”:

“Our life begins twice: the day we are born and the day we accept the radical existential fact that our life, for all its delimiting factors, is essentially ours to choose. And the moment when we open to that invitation and step into that accountability, we take on the power of choice.”

Posted on by Helene Johnson

Book Review: The Path To Positivity

Book: The Path To Positivity, Proven Positive Thinking Techniques for Getting Motivated and Living Your Best Life

Author: Caitlin Margaret

Key message of the book: The Path To Positivity is a practical, well-researched and insightful guide for developing a positive mindset, with all its benefits such as better mental and physical health, and more successful life outcomes. As per the author, positivity is not forcing a smile at all times. True positivity is the result of consistent practices such as challenging our negative thought patterns, cultivating mindfulness and gratitude, and embracing imperfection, self-care and self-compassion. Caitlin further posits that positivity is not developed overnight or to perfection; it is a continuous journey that reminds us of our imperfections and humanity – “Every deep breath, every consciously created thought, every choice you make to try again after failure, every positive emotion you share with another person is evidence that you are capable of creating a positive life“.

One favorite quote from the book: 

“You find positivity not by achieving every desire you’ve ever had or optimizing every moment of your life, but by realizing who you are on the deepest level: a Wise Mind, rooted in important values, learning and growing from every experience, cultivating the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that support you along the way.”

This brief book review by Growth Is A Journey is an invitation for readers to discover the book in its entirety.

Posted on by Helene Johnson

Happy New Year 2026!

We have more wisdom than we think and more strength than we believe.

We have more wisdom than we think and more strength than we believe.

We have more wisdom than we think and more strength than we believe.

… Because at times we need to say words out loud or repeat the same mistake multiple times for the wisdom of our own souls to be heard. Sometimes this wisdom is heard in little whispers, other times, in a big loud voice which we can no longer ignore, or we will break.

At the end of 2025, the wisdom that each one of us carries within by design is invaluable. So, if you lived in this truth, how a new year of life would look like for you? What intentions will you bring in the new year? What will you do more of, or less of? Who will you be spending more time with? What habits will become non-negotiable for you? What experiences and dreams will you pursue? Who will be your tribe and whose tribe will you be a part of?

Living in the wisdom of our souls is not forced positivity, or lack of honesty vis-a-vis ourselves or others on behavior or habits to stop or develop, or the wisdom to acquire. lt is accountable and empowered living with compassion and rest when we need it and with clarity and alignment with who we are or want to be.

What are your heart’s biggest hopes and dreams? Name and claim them – with perseverance, consistency, gratefulness and appreciation of having the opportunity to pursue them, no matter what the starting point might be, and what beginnings or endings might be required.

May 2026 be lived in wisdom and strength, in peace and love, and in accountability and inspiration of what life has to offer.

May 2026 be the year with more opportunities and blessings that we can ever imagine at the beginning of this year.

May 2026 be a year of radiant and wise living.

PS: If you are still pondering what New Year’s practices you could experiment with this year, two activities I highly recommend are: (1) choose a word for the year, leaning into your own inner wisdom about the most important intention, reflected in such choice of word for the coming year and (2) build a personal wall calendar with pictures from every month of the previous year as a way to reflect upon the year that passed and to prolong savoring its greatest memories, one month at a time.

Posted on by Helene Johnson

The Gift of Self- Reflection – Emotions

Decades and centuries of technological innovation, prospering societies and industrial advancements have conditioned us to keep moving ahead as human beings, from childhoods to retirements, with predictable and desirable life milestones. In this conditioning, we are easily in touch with our physical ailments and needs. We know to stop when our heads or stomachs are hurting, and we can interrupt our daily routines to attempt to take care of the pesty ailment. But over this long-term conditioning, we often overlook to stay attuned to our own emotions and deepest desires of our souls.

We might have buried or suppressed emotions, in particular the negative ones, so deeply that it might take months, years or decades to tend to them. But it comes a time in life when the doing is no longer enough to keep us “put together”. Even the highest contributors might be slowing down. Even the most caring person can no longer care. Our mental or physical health might be taking a toll; our relationships might be suffering; our bodies might be breaking.

We understand we can no longer live life like before and do things like before. The pressure cooker was on within our bodies and souls. And the cooker is on – all the time – not because of some childhood or adulthood tragedies, although these are often cause of major trauma in someone’s life.

What we might be fundamentally missing is that we are human beings designed to live life in touch with our emotions. Our oldest brain is the emotions (limbic) brain. Our thinking (neocortex) brain is an add-on in our homo sapiens evolution. Emotions have always come first, and they can be our highest source of intelligence and human progress. If we neglect or deny this body, soul and mind connection, we might end up missing a big part of our potential for a fulfilled life.

In the simplest of terms, emotions are portals for growth. Behind emotions that challenge us – usually our triggers – therein lies the more evolved versions of ourselves. And this is a gift in itself, a coin with two sides. Once we develop the skills to detect, feel and understand negative emotions, we also perfect the skills to feel, embody and emanate positive emotions like profound joy, love, and gratefulness.

This self-awareness to the gravity of our emotions can often appear as a breaking point, especially if emotions are negative or have been suppressed or repressed for a long time, but it is, in fact, a turn-around point. Although it might seem like we could be breaking in many pieces, we are not. We are re-creating ourselves, putting ourselves together, but this time, with all the parts that make us whole finally … It’s a rebirth from a place of authenticity, self-love and freedom. By allowing us to feel and make space for the hardest and possibly ugliest of our emotions, we start making space for what we desire and need underneath layers of surface emotions and for what we might have been looking for but possibly in the wrong ways and places – to feel loved, appreciated and safe.

There is no better way to live in fact than when we are attuned to our emotions. And that starts with embodying and understanding them one at a time. And in this self-awareness journey, truthful to who we once were and who we have become – with scars and trophies of our past experiences, but also truthful to our deepest desires, there are two important pieces to remember – vulnerability and nourishment.

  • Vulnerability is being honest with ourselves and with others including about boundaries we need to create or have in place.
  • Nourishment is feeding our bodies, souls and minds in ways that help us stay in the energy of the present moment and of the love within and outside us.

Transformation comes from within. Embracing and understanding our emotions offers a pathway to a life that is fuller, built on love and vulnerability but also on boundaries and expression of our truest desires and needs.

For a practical way to apply these concepts, the “Pathway” book by Laurel Mellin is a wonderful resource. It talks about the concept of emotional balance and getting ourselves above vs below the (emotional) line, by building the skills of feeling our emotions and of setting boundaries including self-boundaries that might not exist when we use external solutions (e.g. addictions) to soothe ourselves. Behind feelings of anger, sadness, or guilt, there might be, in fact, an unreasonable expectation that we hold. Once we name what might be unreasonable in the story we told ourselves, we are able to identify a more reasonable expectation and overcome an existential pain that we might need to face for these negative emotions to no longer have the same hold on us: e.g. moving from “my parents always neglected me” to “my parents were busy with my youngest sibling and couldn’t reasonably give me all their attention”. The book talks about everyone journeying towards his or her “internal” solution which is found when we live in alignment with our most authentic desire in life: e.g. intimacy, joy – by moving ourselves from below to above the line every single time negative emotions take the better of us.

Posted on by Helene Johnson

The Gift of Self Reflection – Our Identities

Paradise Island, Bahamas

During a Mother’s Day weekend, as many working moms juggling family and work, I cannot stop thinking how I wouldn’t be the mom I am today without the professional journey I have experienced for the last two decades, and I wouldn’t be the professional I am today without what the journey of being a mom has taught me so far. This is because at the end of each day, we are more than being a parent, a professional, a wife, a daughter, or a friend; and we are more than any accomplishments or mistakes we could count in our lives. What defines and shapes us is:

  • To live in alignment with who we truly are or who we have the potential to become.
  • To not let us be defined by a single experience of life, a single identity, a single role, specific success or failure.
  • To be intentional about the environment and relationships we want to cultivate around us.
  • To be intentional about protecting our energy and setting boundaries.
  • To see the opportunity afforded by each moment to grow and evolve.
  • To live inspired by others as the window to what is possible to create in our lives.
  • To find the joy in the moment, one life milestone and chapter at a time.

These are principles that a mom would so dearly want to pass on to her kids.

When we live by these principles, we live awaken, transformed, and empowered. We build our stories of life as the unique sum product of all our roles and life experiences.

“To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.” — Dr. Seuss

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” — Abraham Lincoln

“Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else’s happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you’re not sure what the right thing is…and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.” ― Donna Ball, At Home on Ladybug Farm.

Enjoy the gift of self-reflection and be transformed by it!

Posted on by Helene Johnson · 1 Comment

The Gift of Self-Reflection … On Women’s Day

Happy International Women’s Day!

My sister-in-law posted a wonderful wish to women all around:

“Value yourself, love yourself, respect yourself, give yourself the best on this earth, because no one can do it for you. You are unique, you are a woman, you are a creator, you are wonderful just the way you are, you are divine!“

I couldn’t have found better words than hers. I wish every woman takes such statement to heart to live in this truth and spread the positive influence women were created to have.

Empathy, hard work, strength, grace, resilience …. these are values women have in their DNAs.

To my younger self and to women who need to hear that statement and believe it for themselves, here a few truths:

  • Don’t be afraid – whatever it is, make progress, be imperfect, learn, unlearn, re-learn… over time, the truth will stand – the truth about who you are as a person and what you are capable of…

  • Don’t give up your power, don’t give up on yourself: action and intention compound to the potential you have. Consistency is key, including in knowing when and how to slow down.

  • Train your mind to find hope even in the midst of dark times, to see the bright spot, the growth, the good or the positive in any situation … The more we train our brain for empowerment, the more resilient and stronger we become.

  • Set the boundaries you need. Boundaries are not a luxury but a necessity to live a healthy life by owning the environments, attitudes, habits and relationships that support us in a quest to create the lives we desire and deserve.

Two leadership views on our identity and potential as human beings, be it female or male, are offered below from some of the best leadership coaches in the world:

Enjoy the gift of self-reflection and be transformed by it!

Posted on by Helene Johnson

A Gift of Self-Reflection …about self-reflection, wealth and endings

Blancaneaux Lodge, San Ignacio, Belize

When we take time to pause and reflect, we make time for growth and transformation. It might not appear as simple as that, especially during chaotic and complex times; however, it is worth trying.

Why? Because change starts within. Because transformation can only come when we are self-aware and in control of our decisions. And when we are in control of our decisions, shaping them based on self-reflection and gained experience, we become the primary beneficiaries of these decisions. A simple equation with an exponential outcome – it is us for the benefit of ourselves – in an authentic and responsible way, with positive ripple effects in the communities and environments we operate in.

Every single moment, we make decisions – what to do, what not to do, by default or intentionally. Self-reflection is hitting the pause button – taking a moment to look back but also to look forward – before going back to life. And in this process, there is wisdom you can find … to try something new, to take a bold step, to confirm a decision, a strategy or a next step, to celebrate a win, to get energized for what’s ahead …

So this is an invitation to make 2025 a year when self-reflection is part of your priorities. Be it daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly – whatever the frequency and duration you find suitable for your life – give yourself this gift of self-reflection and you will be amazed what will come out of it!

Halfway through the first quarter of 2025, it is very apparent to me that self-reflection is a critical ingredient for how I want to define success in 2025 both on a personal and professional level. And from these few moments of self-reflection to date, there are insights that I know will serve me well through the rest of the year:

  • Accumulation of wealth – be it time, energy, financial, relationships, energy – is as much about additions, as it is about eliminations and subtractions.
    • When your inbox or calendar are clogged, unsubscribe from everything you end up not reading and not consuming. Delete calendar reminders that you no longer read and uncommit from activities you no longer have the energy for. That empty space or clean slate will energize you for a new way to spend your time, more aligned with where you are today in your growth journey.
    • The cost of having too many goals is procrastination, frustration and depleted energy. Decide which goals, areas of life or areas of improvement are your top priority for this time in your life and go for it – be it one or two or three, recognizing time, energy and resources are scarce.
    • We all thrive when the sense of belonging is strong – be it in our families, communities, work environments, … However, the quality of our relationships is more important than volume. Letting yourself guided by this principle can spare you pain, disappointments or frustration.

  • Everything has an ending whether we anticipate it or not, whether we like it or not, whether we can control it or not.…
    • If I remind myself of the fact that my kids will go to college and leave the house in the next decade, I am more likely to cherish the moment even in the midst of tiring or challenging times. When you think about a relationship ending or someone not being part of your life be it at home or at work, you would want to do and be your best today to bring that relationship to its full potential. Appreciate the people and things that are in your life today.
    • And when you can’t stop or control what is happening, when sudden and involuntary changes and endings are happening, cling to love (in its purest essence love for humanity, others, nature, life) and some action you can control to weather the storm. If an ending causes hurt or grief, put the life vest on to stay focused on surviving: getting the sleep you need, making a phone call to reach out… The less alone we are in our suffering – be it with family or friends, or at a professional support level – the faster we can process it. The end of something can be the beginning of something else.

As Carl Jung said: “your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.”

Enjoy the gift of self-reflection and be transformed by it!

Posted on by Helene Johnson · 1 Comment

Happy New Year, 2025!

San Blas Islands, Panama

The passing of another year is an opportunity to reflect upon its lessons, challenges and opportunities, and to commit or recommit to what is important for us to be or do in the new year. And the beauty of a philosophy of life that embraces a growth mindset and continued improvements is that each year builds on each other, as another piece in a puzzle called life, with serenity for both what is left behind and what is ahead.

As you think about 2024, ponder upon what you would want to have left behind, continue or begin in 2025. Such reflection would allow you to gain clarity and set intentions for the new year. While 2024 had some specific challenges for me to work through or learn how to work through, it was an amazing year with a lot of discovery work and several world travels across multiple continents, that brought back a sense of adventure and passion for life that I had in my 20s but quieted in my 30s as a hard working professional and new parent of two. The result of it all is entering 2025 with a renewed life vision in my 40s, anchored in values that define who I am as an individual in this world, with dreams and ambitions at both personal and professional levels.

My serenity for what’s ahead is on the basis of several life lessons crystallized through 2024:

  • Allow yourself to experiment with life as a way to decide what works or doesn’t work for you. Of course, this is to be done within the boundaries of integrity and legality. For instance, after almost 20 years of working hard professionally, I’m more committed than ever to honoring the time off I am entitled to, and without feelings of guilt or regret. This right I allowed myself to enjoy without worrying about work left behind or crises that could happen while I am away (which could in fact turn into opportunities for growth and contributions for working staff) made space for great experiences including energizing trips abroad, discovering new countries and cultures. The time off spent disconnecting from work and the regular routine was a reset and refuel moment, which helped sustain high performance without burnout throughout the year, while building memories with the humans and the non-humans that bring joy in my life. Adopting an experimenting mindset speeds up decision making and increases learning and resilience, as you take every decision and experience as feedback loop. And while not planning for mistakes, when these happen, they are part of your growth journey. You can apply this lesson in your own life by considering what you would like to experience more of, be it fitness, writing a book, building or growing a business, or taking more time off as I did. At the end of our lives, what regrets would you want to minimize? The answer to this question can give you clues as to what you could or should experience more of. And if hiking Mt Everest is not within your budget or ability levels, think about what local hikes you could do instead and if you are really serious about hiking Mt Everest, make it a project to study how such dream could be achieved one year or a few decades later. At a micro level, in the day-to-day life, experiment with making fast decisions at least in certain situations where before you might have been an overthinker or a procrastinator. It is Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, who talked about decisions as one-way and two-way doors, with most decisions qualifiable as two-day doors, meaning they are reversible and inconsequential, as opposed to one-way decisions which are irreversible and consequential or life-altering (bonus read on this point here).

  • Your inner circle is the most influential group of people in your life, whether it’s intentional or not. This is because people who are the closest to you (mentally and emotionally, not necessarily physically) end up having a strong influence on your thinking, mood, behavior and choices. These people could be family members, friends, work colleagues, or some individuals with influence over us. At times, we grant access to people who might leave our energy levels depleted. Other times, we come across amazing individuals who are inspiring and leave us energized after each interaction. It is important to be self-aware and intentional about who is in your immediate circle and what expectations you set for such interactions. You could even decide to experiment in this area and guide your choices following a path of least regrets or a path that optimizes the positivity that a person might bring into your life. For instance, getting to meet and start a friendship with dr Val Margarit, a leadership and high-performance coach is one of my highlights in 2024. Her uplifting newsletters, self-empowerment books, insightful courses and our interactions in general were a rich source of sheer enthusiasm for life and wisdom throughout 2024. When I think of her and the positive influence she had on my life, in such a short time span, I understand how important it is for each one of us to surround ourselves with individuals who live in their values and are inspiring us to do the same. There are many more individuals that I could list including my partner in life and adventure, my spouse, who inspires me every day with his determination, as well as his unsatiable thirst for knowledge and growth. As you think about your inner circle, remember the strong influence these individuals are positioned to have on you and be intentional about your interactions. We can frame every relationship as a gift two individuals give each other, even if it’s temporary in nature. This nurtures a sense of hope in our humanity and belonging and represents the practical exchange that happens when two persons interact, in terms of exchange of ideas, energies, information, and wisdom.

  • Thriving is a way of living when you are guided by and stay true to your values. I will always remember 2024 for the amazing experiences I was fortunate to live and for the inner growth I continued to experience, with internal and external changes including in my fitness level and resilience. At the end of 2024 and the beginning of a new year, I realize that all these experiences and activities are part of my core values and when I act in alignment with such values, I thrive. When you think about the past year and 2025, what values guide your actions or what values represent who you want to be or what you would like to do in 2025? These values are clues for what is fulfilling to you and what habits and activities you should consider integrating in your life in 2025 to align with your values. This is not about societal views or other people’s views of what you should do and how success should be defined; it is about your own vision of what you want from this life, and it is your fundamental right. And this vision could well change over time and be inspired or guided by others… but only you can find your balance on the waves of life and, with it, fulfillment in life – when you have clarity over your own set of values and goals, and act in alignment with them.

  • Replace worrying thoughts with a positive attitude. Instead of watering seeds of worries, water seeds of positivity and abundance. Turn any worrisome thought into a reminder to ask yourself the question what if everything will work out and work out for the better at the end? How will that look like? How will events or outcomes be reframed? How will you feel if everything turned out well? What actions or behaviors will be required for such positive outcomes to occur? A lot of our fears are simply the result of our brain working how it was designed – to keep us safe and in our comfort zones. The more we practice getting out of our comfort zones, the more we reduce friction to what drives our growth, and our brain won’t signal danger. The more we quiet the inner voice that might bring anxiety or thoughts of worries, the louder we can make the voice of us as individuals who can handle or learn to handle anything that might come our way. There can be dark experiences and clouds, but the sun will always rise the next morning. No matter how we have been conditioned to respond to challenges, or how much control we have over what happens to us, we can control our response to these challenges and adopt the mindset and behavior of empowered individuals – most often not alone but with others around us, be it family members, friends, coaches, or other individuals who can offer professional help. A life with continuous happy moments and feelings is an illusion we shouldn’t fall in the trap of seeking. But what we should aim for is to get back up every time we get knocked down and to believe that, at the end, life happens for us – the dark moments and paths will lead to a path of light that could have never been found if the darkness didn’t occur. Hope in its purest form even in the midst of dark challenges and crises, doubled down by pragmatism fuels our resilience and turns obstacles into steppingstones for growth. And if you don’t know how to embark on a self-empowerment journey, look no further – dr Val Margarit has a transformational guide that will help you find fulfillment in life and work.

2025, here we are, committed to work towards our dreams, inspired by a community around us that builds each other up with accountability but also with compassion and fellowship as travelers of life in this new year 2025.

PS: If you are still pondering what New Year’s practices you could experiment with this year, two awesome activities I highly recommend are: (1) choose a word for the year, leaning into your own inner wisdom about the most important intention – reflected in such choice of the word – for the coming year and (2) build a personal wall calendar with pictures from every month of the previous year as a way to reflect upon the year that passed and to prolong savoring its greatest memories, one month at a time.

Posted on by Helene Johnson · 2 Comments

The Power of Journeying

Secret Beach, Ambergris Caye, Belize

A fulfilled life is about building a lifestyle around our specific goals, with strategies, habits and a mindset that promote holistic growth in the process rather than simply checking dreams off on our vision boards. This is because who we can become in the journey of achieving our goals is far more important than attaining these goals. In other words, the real growth is in the journey rather than the final destination. This is what my recent experience of doing several long races reminded me of. While the final goal -to attain or not this year or in the future – is that of running my first marathon, the long runs have taught me a lot … Whether I ultimately complete a marathon or not, this year or into the future, is becoming secondary consideration. So, what have this journey of long races taught me to date?

  • Life itself is a series of races – sprints at some times and long distance at other times. Be it in the personal or professional spheres, change and movement are constant and the secret is to find balance, just like riding a bike. The more we are attuned to these various cycles of movements, and know when to go for speed vs distance, the more resilient and driven we become.
  • No one can run our own race. The moment the clock starts, our race begins. And we can keep going, one mile at a time until the race is done or give up. There is no shortcut to the finish line – responsibility, discipline and pragmatism are required in all our personal and professional endeavors to get to the finish line of our own dreams and aspirations.
  • To attempt something we have never done, it will likely require doing something we haven’t done. While I was able to get by with minimum stretches and warm-up sessions in prior race seasons, to attempt to run a marathon requires taking care of my body and paying attention to it, in ways I haven’t done it before. New strategies, new routines and new ways of thinking are likely necessary when we strive to reach new horizons.
  • Endurance and perseverance are a muscle to grow. A long race is always conquered one mile at a time – towards the first half and then against the other half. Building endurance one mile at a time on a course is building endurance in life in general because we get used to discomfort or simply sustaining focus on a particular task.
  • There is an end to celebrate. Often times in life, we forget to mark an end to an experience, a chapter, a win that took hard work and dedication…. A race has always an end … followed by a few days of recovery and rest. This is a good habit to build in life to be not only present in the moment, but also compassionate and supportive of ourselves and these around us who run their own races.
  • Acknowledging our multiple needs and passions is the path to acceptance, fulfillment and joy. While running for me is embracing the inner child, excited about running around outdoors, I am yearning for more – other activities, achievements, and hobbies … We are complex human beings with multiple needs as a way of self-expression in this life. The more self-aware we become about our needs and desires, the more we spend our time and energy in meaningful and life-giving ways.

When we embrace the journey of attaining goals and dreams, rather than the pressure of reaching them, we stop chasing dreams that are not ours … and we start living for ourselves, a lifestyle conducive to genuine learning, growth and fulfillment.

“Run your race, and the rest of your life will fall into place.” – Unknown


For a practical application of this journeying concept, while you think about your own dreams and goals, what is it that you are learning in the process? What is the experience to progress towards these goals teaching you? What types of skills, soft or hard, are you building or in need of building? What do you need to do more of or less of? Who can help or inspire you on this journey? What milestones do you need to reach to attain your ultimate goals? Take some time to reflect on these questions and make the journeying the focus! When we grow, we are more likely to reach goals we set for ourselves, and we are opening ourselves up to new opportunities.