I’M WRITING THIS IN THE GARDEN. IT’S SUNNNNYYYY. ENGLAND IS SUNNNYYYYY!!!!!! YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

OK, I’m glad I got that out. #NicolaSaid

HOLA GORGEOUS!!! How are you? I hope all is fabulously well in your world? 🙂

Sooooooo I’m feeling soooo excited because I’ve just got back from Ibiza (I know travel name dropping t**t 🙂 🙂 Anyways, I had THE most fabulous experience there. I’ve been thinking a lot recently about this whole ‘being in the moment’ thang. I say it a lot and realised that recently I’ve been well, crap practising it. #NicolaSaid

I was thinking that over the past few months, I’ve been gallivanting allllll over the world (working.obvs.) and a lot of the time I’ve found myself being in some absolutely AMAZING situations/ places and have been over thinking about the future/ past/ how I’m going to fulfil my next goal/ what’s for dinner (phaaaaa :)) you get it. I had a moment when I thought I’m not fully enjoying this particular moment, I’m too busy thinking about the next day/ month/ year. That’s cray cray. I think it’s sooooo important to remember to be FULLY in and ENJOY the moment we are in. (Oh my days if she says moment one more time…..). MOMENT. haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! To just be FULLY there. Whether it’s enjoying a meal with family and friends, relaxing on holiday, getting your eyebrows threaded 🙂 whatevs. Just be there. I think it’s important for the people you are with too, all to often we get distracted by phones/ social media/ other commitments etc that we’re not truly there, enjoying and embracing these precious moments. Because that’s what they are, precious moments. #NicolaSaid

I have ALWAYS found #mindfulness and #meditation (not quite sure why I hash tagged those…..I do love a good hashtag tho. #NicolaSaid :)) REALLLLYYYYYYYYYY difficult, as I have MASSIVE monkey mind. Where my mind goes off in tangents thinking about past/ present/ future wayyyyy too much. Don’t get me wrong it’s no bad thing to plan for the future, set goals, learn from the past etc. In fact I cheerleader that shiz. BUT not when it takes you away from what’s really important, the people and places you are experiencing. #NicolaSaid

I’ve found that If I let my monkey mind take over, I absolutely don’t fully enjoy the moment I’m in, YOU control that monkey NOT the other way around.

I went to a fabulous mindfulness and meditation session with a great mate of mine Ria- follow her on ALLLLL the social medias she is a FABULOUS positive WONDER WOMAN!! @riahebden led by the utterly wonderful AJ Bicat (ajbicat.com) In London, it was a fabulous session but one of the biggest things I took from it was to ALLOW myself to observe my monkey mind, if I thought about something I needed to do, plans later, next months job, whatever, I thought about it BUT- bought myself back into the moment. THIS for me was an ABSOLUTE game changer. I’d always assumed I was rubbish at this meditation/ mindfulness thang if I couldn’t completely clear my mind, of everything, which is ridiculous!!! WE ARE HUMANS of course we are going to have thoughts. And it’s OK. But for me, to hear that, that it’s perfectly normal to have the monkey mind, but just to bring your awareness back to the moment has truly changed my way of thinking.

Back to Ibiza, babes…………….

So our FABULOUS resort had lifestyle enrichment activities on offer, and one of them was yoga, mindfulness and meditation. FAB. I went along kind of expecting the same experience I’ve had before. Lovely, relaxing but never life altering. #JustSayin anyways the yoga was great. Being alongside a gorgeous pool in blazing heat probably helped 🙂 But then we headed off to a palm covered area (If you know me well, or even follow me on Insta- as you’ve asked @nicolasaidvoice #SHAMELESS 🙂 you’ll know I FLIPPING LOVE PALM TREES, ALL SIZES ALLLLLL OF THEM) So to practise meditation under loads of them, well, I lost my s**t 🙂 #NicolaSaid I actively thought to myself right, Nicola just try to be completely IN THIS MOMENT. TRY. DAMMIT TRY.

It’s also funny because I was with two of my best mates, and randomly some local kids joined the group and I thought it would be full of kids laughing and not really get into it. HOW WRONG WAS I???!!!!! As soon as I sat on that mat, I felt a sense of pure relaxation and calmness. I absolutely had thoughts that came into my mind, which I observed but VERY quickly came back to the moment I was in. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I hadn’t even realised but we were there under those FABULOUS palms for an HOUR!!!!!

It was such a game changer. Those words again. Because it showed me that by remembering to be in that moment, FULLY and truly, how wonderful life truly is. I found that after this, it sounds funny but it’s true, I truly wholeheartedly enjoyed every moment of that holiday/ vacation (for my fabulous American friends 🙂 ) Every time my mates and I shared a meal, went on road trips, had vino by the pool, watched sunsets whilst seated on inflatable watermelons. Yep. You heard. I WAS FULLY IN IT, IN THAT MOMENT. AND ABSOLUTELY LOVED EVERY MOMENT of it. I found I connected with people differently, on a deeper level, listened better and LAUGHED LOADS!!!!! Because that’s what it’s all about really, REALLY being there, in the moment with your precious people, sharing laughter, love, creating beautiful memories whilst laying on inflatable watermelons sipping vino or juice. Whatevs. It’s beautiful, as are YOU!!!! Obvs. Babes. #NicolaSaid

See you soon gorgeous!!

Love me xxxxx

Oh, and I just wanted to say…… MOMENT one more time…..haaaaaa #BANTZ 🙂

Laters 🙂