Constructs of the Mind by Julie Pelaez

 I didn't even know a journey towards mindfulness was where I was headed. It started during the pandemic, when I spent hours in my art studio, using art as a creative outlet to express my emotions. But instead of listening to music like I usually did, I turned on podcasts - most notably "Cathy Heller: Don't Keep Your Day Job". She is all about encouraging others to live a more abundant and fulfilling life, starting from your internal mindset and growing your passions. Her heartfelt interviews with thought leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, and experts from all fields offered a gateway to a lot of inspiring conversations (and a lot of fascinating rabbit holes). What I noticed after a few months of listening, was that by filling my ears with and absorbing these uplifting messages, my own outlook was shifting. I was becoming more optimistic, tuning into my intuition and finding ease and flow - all this against the backdrop of a pandemic. What became clear to me is that our mindset is our choice and by making space to be genuinely open to new perspectives, examining our own inner thoughts and triggers and trying (and retrying) new techniques like meditation, I could more consciously rewire my inner programming and habits towards a direction of my liking. While I am still very much a work in progress and am by no means an expert, the differences I've felt in myself are something I want everyone to experience and I am happy to share the voices that have had a profound effect on me personally.