https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness daily 0.75 2024-11-23 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/enough monthly 0.5 2023-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/578526bc-2c7a-4e54-8dfe-579bad0224e0/Copy+of+Newsletter+Signature+banner+%289%29.png Inspiration - Enough. - This powerful imagery here in this quote by Colette Warden explains it. While you could sit in the cozy embers of the fire and stay warm that is not where your full potential lies. What you offer to the world by returning in full force from a fall is exponential greater than anything you could do from the embers. Your flame is bright. Your influence is great. Your presence is passionate and purposeful and you matter. Show up in full force as the whole damn fire. Light it up. Now, you might be thinking, it’s hard to stay lit up like that all the time. It’s hard to be “ON” and sometimes the embers are just so nice and supportive. I hear that and I get it. But experiencing life in full force is better. Seeing everything with an excited and joyous heart is better. You are better when your heart is lit up. So do the things that fuel your fire and take care of yourself. You’re too precious to stay stuck without your spark. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/a-little-light monthly 0.5 2023-01-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/61f6b22b-3b63-43ad-98aa-33e9ac642b96/Copy+of+Newsletter+Signature+banner+%288%29.png Inspiration - A Little Light - “The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It's our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.” Brene Brown We cannot be afraid of our darkness for it will dim the light and the light is so important to hold on to. We have to sit with our fears, worries, struggles, sit with them and process them. We have to allow them to BE part of us so we can work through them. We have to talk about them. Today is Bell Let’s Talk day and this day has always held a special place in my heart. The objective to remove the stigma surrounding mental health and to create space for conversations is so so important. I try to do it as often as I can. Today is not the only day to talk about it; it must be done every day in a million little ways. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/hello-2023 monthly 0.5 2023-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/261cc04c-12c1-42ab-9541-4bc4651702c1/Copy+of+Newsletter+Signature+banner+%287%29.png Inspiration - Hello, 2023! - “The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous feeling of the words being there, written in invisible ink and clamoring to become visible”- Vladimir Nabokov. This quote has always been a favourite of mine. I remember writing it at the start of my Grade 12 Writer’s Craft notebook and it was with me for every project. As a writer the imagery and reality of what he’s saying has always spoken to me. The scene is just sitting there itching to come out. I just have to gently nurture it by asking the right questions. When I set out to write a story, or scene, I look to each character and ask what is their “Want”. What do they want from this particular scene or story— what are they trying to achieve? This is the first step in story writing. You have give your characters, each of them, a motivation and a direction towards a goal. Otherwise what are they doing? Ask yourself this question. You have a blank notebook in front of you called 2023. What do you want from it? If you’re not sure ask yourself this follow up question: What is it that makes you happy? You should do more of whatever that is. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/the-other-side-of-fear monthly 0.5 2022-11-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/1d95fc9e-383d-4f19-8ad4-2ed7059f128d/Copy+of+Newsletter+Signature+banner+%286%29.png Inspiration - The Other Side of Fear - At the end of the day, you are facing something new; facing an opportunity to grow and change and it feels uncomfortable because it’s new and you haven’t been there before. When I start something new, I’ve begun saying to myself “Allow yourself to be a beginner. You cannot start out by being excellent”. We get caught up in trying to make all the right moves, decisions, and actions at the very start when we we’re still learning the new thing. The point is that we’re learning, we don’t have the knowledge yet, and part of learning is making mistakes. So be gentle with yourself as you take on something new. Strive for excellence, sure, but be easy on yourself as you learn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/848599fb-1350-4dca-badb-79ef1d209d1c/Growing+Pains+Visual.png Inspiration - The Other Side of Fear - Here is a visual for you. What it really comes down to is creating a vision for yourself of what and where you want to be in your life. Look at the things you want to do and ask yourself why you aren’t doing them yet? Take a deep breath and really answer the question. It’s usually fear. Fear of failure, or of not being good enough, strong enough, or something similar to that. At the end of the day it’s fear that holds you back. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/91rniypah1umkdb3cmf4bhpyw8rjdo monthly 0.5 2022-10-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/f01ce7a4-6bfa-4d6f-aeb7-d16004935911/Copy+of+Newsletter+Signature+banner+%285%29.png Inspiration - Unwritten It's about living life to the fullest, making every day count, and really soaking up all that life has to offer. It’s also about writing your story. The blank notebook sits before you and only you can write in it. It’s your story and you best believe you’re the main character. The song is Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield and you can listen on YouTube or on Spotify. Your life is made up of a series of choices, actions, reactions, and thoughts. It truly is what you make it. The reality of life is that only you can live your life. No one can do that for you. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/cd4z0vw9n14e7mnff3ninyxkevgmh9 monthly 0.5 2022-10-07 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/shifting-seasons monthly 0.5 2022-09-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/c687e9ec-4686-48f7-8897-580ef6846a62/Copy+of+Newsletter+Signature+banner+%284%29.png Inspiration - Shifting Seasons - Regardless of the shifts, or changes we are experiencing we must remind ourselves that it won’t last forever. It is only a piece of the story we are writing, remember? It’s only a piece of your puzzle. As my favourite heroine Anne once said “… The sun will go on rising and setting whether I fail in Geometry or not…” Regardless of what we do, time inevitably keeps moving. The days carry on and whatever we are facing shift and change too. All we can do is show up, do the best we can, and try again the next day. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/broken-crayons monthly 0.5 2022-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/4ebf1c88-2ddb-428f-9b98-6368eb30a1d8/Copy+of+Newsletter+Signature+banner+%282%29.png Inspiration - Broken Crayons - I wanted to share some powerful imagery with you. The quote to the right is truly one of the best images of encouragement. No matter what you are facing, no matter the difficulty or how broken you are feeling you are still capable, strong, and incredibly brave; you can do this. You’ve got this. Everyone feels a little broken sometimes and, like Trent said, broken crayons still colour. They still make the most beautiful pictures. They are still bright, colourful, and full of life. So are you. You can still colour even if it’s just a line or two; day by day you’ll get more down on the page and continue to create the beautiful art that is your life. You can do this. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/one-small-positive-thought monthly 0.5 2022-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/0d172ed7-132d-46fd-932d-dbb19b6822b1/Small+Positive+Thought.png Inspiration - One Small Positive Thought - This, to the right, is my favourite one. And it’s the exact one I have printed that hangs on my wall. There is no way to read this and not have a positive thought. Just reading the words “Positive thought” makes me smile. It’s like a hug. A small reminder that you’ve got this and it will be okay. Not every day is good, but there is good in every day. So I filled my room, head, and heart with positive messages. Whenever I get into a funk of some kind I always remind myself to start the day with a positive thought and end the day with gratitude. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/i-believe-in-you monthly 0.5 2022-08-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/c7a91ee8-c878-4264-96a5-8c3800864f6e/Copy+of+Newsletter+Signature+banner+%281%29.png Inspiration - I Believe In You - The song I really wanted to share today is a simple one. It’s a beautiful message wrapped up in delicate music and powerful imagery. It’s called “I Believe In You.” This song is a little love letter to the people you care about. It’s a beautiful way to remind someone, or even yourself, that you’ve got this. I wanted to share this strength with you. I believe in you. Your family and friends believe in you. There is someone out there who believes in you, even it’s Amanda Marshall. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/where-are-you-right-now monthly 0.5 2022-08-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/e329143c-5cbc-465e-8460-993f58ebc927/IMG_0768.png Inspiration - Where are you right now? - Where are you right now? Do you feel close, or distant from the Earth? The truth is that wherever you are, you are intimately connected to the natural world all around you, around us. More and more people are realizing that being in nature is not only deeply restorative for the mind, body and soul—it is so much more: we are made by the Earth, held and cared for by the Earth. And that relationship is reciprocal: we have the natural ability to make, hold and care for the Earth in our own way. So no matter where you are, or what you are feeling, you are connected to and nurtured by a profoundly powerful and healing source. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/39df01a2-9def-4c25-8d47-6085973738ee/IMG_0899.png Inspiration - Where are you right now? - First, situate yourself. Where can you go to find respite? Somewhere with grass, a tree, perhaps a pond or a running stream. Don’t ever doubt that a city does not count. You can find cheeky birds and squirrels, raccoons, maybe even coyotes roaming…there are tree roots patiently finding their way between the concrete and sewer lines here in Toronto. There are also gardens, parks and ravines. Perhaps you are not far from some lush and rolling hills, forest, or beach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/1659286799201-URW6W9V7M8LEG9WGFTDH/IMG_5080.png Inspiration - Where are you right now? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/1659286825189-4GQ3GEF82ZDKIKU20LDA/IMG_0937.png Inspiration - Where are you right now? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/1659286849718-L10CI9QLNHSDM1HOY641/7D408994-5410-422A-A4AB-68D561ACA8F6.png Inspiration - Where are you right now? https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/a-good-day monthly 0.5 2022-08-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/cbd81be6-a591-4832-b751-77ae1d228c05/Copy+of+Newsletter+Signature+banner.png Inspiration - Gratitude - Recently a very special person in my life gifted me a beautiful book. It’s called “A Good Day: A Gift of Gratitude” by Brother David Steindl-Rastv. I was moved by the beauty and simplicity with which he shares his advice on Gratefulness. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/the-tuesdays monthly 0.5 2022-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/1a9d5aaf-88c7-425a-be37-edc66aa88172/Love+is+the+Tuesdays.png Inspiration - The Tuesdays - This song is by Jake Scott and is so calming, gently and fiercely important. Here's the chorus: "It's not just picture perfect dancing in a white dress It's not just rainy days when nothing stops the fighting It's not just highs and lows, and champagne toasts I've come to know that love's not only the best days Or the worst days Love is the Tuesdays" https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/be-fearless monthly 0.5 2022-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/81303926-0bec-4721-b728-4f08b028e75d/Fearless+Happy+Graduation+Social+Media+Post.png Inspiration - Be Fearless - This string of words hits with so much strength. Firstly, it makes you look deeply into your soul to think about your passions. It begs you to look at what makes you feel alive. What is the piece of your life that makes getting up easier, that makes you grin, and laugh? What makes your soul light, free, and incandescently happy? Did you narrow in on it? Can you feel the happiness burning in your chest? I hope so. I hope that you do have something that sparks joy in you. If you don't that's okay too! I would suggest getting out there and trying new things until you find it though-- life is that much more special when you have that piece that lights you up no matter what. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/blog-post-title-three-wbae2 monthly 0.5 2022-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/1656249820893-IFEUZ34S5JKDAPZASRJ7/unsplash-image-yktwU2t1qHA.jpg Inspiration - Banks to Your River - Here's the line that made me stop in my tracks: "I wanna hold you close but never hold you back Just like the banks to the river” https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/blog-post-title-two-xgpdc monthly 0.5 2022-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/260001a5-1a46-4010-ab9f-8bf57d8e595c/The+Highlands.jpg Inspiration - For The First Time - My exchange changed my life. I was so lucky to have one of my best friends assigned to the same school as me and we were one flat apart. This absolutely made things easier. And I'm not going to lie, things were tough sometimes, but I found the strength to push through. I got to meet so many interesting people. I now have friends all over the world and while we don't talk all that much anymore, I know they are always there. It's this really cool global support system that I feel extremely blessed to have. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/8c9f0754-7ca2-45d1-820f-cf49fee6f76a/Last+and+First+time.png Inspiration - For The First Time - At the time I was in a tough place. I felt very stuck with school. I was anxious and going through waves of stress, anxiety and depression. It was really hard to pull myself out of the familiar unproductive rut that I found myself in. But writing for pleasure was my saviour and I pulled my sleeves up and started writing positively on my new blog "Books & Things". It got my mind thinking positively and focused on some good instead of all the bad. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/blog-post-title-one-ekpln monthly 0.5 2022-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/1656248334243-J4MK78LP1DHA51E4FZNJ/unsplash-image-xg8z_KhSorQ.jpg Inspiration - Welcome - Hello everyone, Welcome to my new and much improved website! I hope that wherever you are while you read this that you have taken a deep breath to connect with yourself today. If not, take one with me. Breathe in … and out. That's it! Now, unclench your jaw and lower your shoulders from your ears. And take one more breath. Ah, that feels so much better. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/category/Inspiration monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/category/Music monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/category/Imagery monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Nature monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Inspiration monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/mindfulness monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/motivation monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Connection monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/inspiration monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Mindfulness monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Imagery monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/quotes monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Earth monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Motivation monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Music monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Guest+Blog monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Welcome monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/motivatedmindfulness/tag/Lyrics monthly 0.5 https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/home daily 1.0 2022-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/dbd7c9f6-4ecb-43c8-8ef9-df86b5e8db13/289282297_401147681800649_5907041995960578028_n.jpg Home - DIY: Restorative Renovations Oh my goodness. Don’t you just love a good before and after? I certainly do, but I love making it happen even more! This blog is full of tips and how-to’s, but the real action is on instagram! Come hang out with me in stories and find a balance of positivity and projects to inspire the DIYer in you! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/24611178-baa2-4a0b-a716-f61e47f2e0bd/285226273_1095858664389097_8167116416258320633_n.jpg Home - Cultivating Positive Energy I started Motivated Mindfulness back in 2013 as a way for me to deal with anxiety and depression. I used my favourite hobby, writing, to focus my mind on the positive instead of the negative in the world. Originally I called it “Books & Things.”. I took inspiration from my favourite books, movies, music, and other things. The premise remains the same and my hope is that these posts inspire you to see things differently and help you create positive energy. It can sometimes take work to see the beauty in every day things; you have to want to see them. You have to be motivated and mindful. https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/contact daily 0.75 2022-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847736764-1HCAS9DRSB8NWDJAWUF4/image-asset.jpeg Contact Me https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/about-me daily 0.75 2024-11-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/146c8a89-dc54-4f45-8ce0-418b984fd4f3/287129968_814930156144959_8257944735260370886_n.jpg About Me - About Me Hi There! I’m so glad you’re here! I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself. I’m Katrina! I’m a writer, DIYer, reader, tea and coffee enthusiast, avid traveller, daughter, sister, wife, and so much more. I have a BA in English Literature and History. I work in Marketing and Communications. I believe that words have the power to change the world. I search for them wherever I go and get to play with them every day. This site is an amalgamation of all of my favourite things. It’s a portfolio of inspiration; it’s for you and for me. I hope that you find comfort in what you read here. It’s meant to inspire you, brighten your day, and encourage you to be the best you can be. Life has thrown me a couple of curveballs, but I’ve grown and learned so much. There is a lot of learning still to do, but one thing I know for sure is that life is made up of tiny moments. The grand moments are great when they come, but your day-to-day is made of small tiny moments; these in turn make your life special. Find joy in those moments'; don’t sweat the small things, but relish in the small moments that make up each day. Without them you’re living for the next big thing and missing everything in between. As always, be gentle with yourself, Katrina xo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60ce11a411f7792c600c87aa/1f69566e-1949-44c5-8e8f-0a8aed1f4037/Gold+Brush+Glitter+feminine+Boutique+Circle+Logo.png About Me https://www.katrinawalsh.ca/contact-1 daily 0.75 2025-06-10