Mid-2025 Reflections

We're halfway through the year, so it's time for my annual mid-year reflections post! It's late this year but never mind, lol. I started writing them in 2017 (8 year, although my first one was in May, so just before mid-year. You can see my previous posts below:

Reflections (2017): https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2017/05/reflections.html

Mid-2018-Reflections: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2018/06/mid-2018-reflections.html

Mid-2019 Reflections: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2019/06/mid-2019-reflections.html

Mid-2020 Reflections: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2020/06/mid-2020-reflections.html

Mid-2021 Reflections: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2021/06/mid-2021-reflections.html

Mid-2022 Reflections: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2022/06/mid-2022-reflections.html

Mid-2023 Reflections: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2023/06/mid-2023-reflections.html

Mid-2024 Reflections: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2024/06/mid-2024-reflections.html 

 

I also write an end-of year post. Here is 2024's: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2024/12/letting-go-of-2024.html

The first half of the year was quite difficult for me, due to personal issues. I've been struggling with anxiety (specifically health anxiety) a lot. I may do another post in my Healing Health Anxiety series, which I wrote back in 2016.

Similarly to last year, I mainly went to Happy Café meetups (organised by Action for Happiness) and to the park a few times. Also to the beach. I most often went to the park and beach as part of my celebrations for sabbats (seasonal festivals). I write about my celebrations for those on my seasonal living blog The Seasonal Life.

I haven't belly danced so far this year but I did meet up with my dance friends at a pub in March, which was nice. I hope to do some dance related things later this year.

 

Gratitude List

 Things I'm grateful for this month:

• Sunny days
• Email newsletters from Dr. Britney Chesworth, who helps people with health anxiety
• Litha/the Summer Solstice and the "official" start of summer!
• Going to Hove Park for Litha
• Finding meal inspiration online 
• Seasonal blog posts by Adriana on YR Studio 
• New Mariah Carey music!
• Listening to new music in general

Gratitude List

I normally post on Sundays or Mondays but forgot to write my monthly Gratitude List last week, so I'm posting today instead! :)

 Things I'm grateful for this month:

• Beltane
• Going to the beach for Beltane 
• Last of the blossom trees (except for hawthorn which flowers in May and June)
• Going to the park*
• This motivational video from Janet Ndomahina
• Cherellethinks' videos about health anxiety 
• Mocha coffees  
• Warmer weather

 

*I was feeling really down and wanted to do something to feel better. After reading an email newsletter from Diana of The Chic Life about making a Joy List and doing what brings you joy, I decided I'd like to go to the park around sunset. :) Here's a picture I took:

Sunset in Hove Park.

 

 

 

 

Does Manifesting Really Work?

 

I've written several posts about the Law of Attraction (LOA)/manifesting. Also, the Law of Assumption (a theory developed/popularised by Barbadian writer, speaker and mystic Neville Goddard) more recently. After year of trying out techniques related to LOA and working on changing my mindset etc., but still not seeing many results, I started wondering if it really works. So I'm going to explore that further today.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, so if you're having mental/physical issues please seek medical help in addition to reading this. :)

 

Here are some of my previous LOA/manifesting posts:

Law of Attraction (basic intro): https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2013/08/law-of-attraction.html

LOA Round-up: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2019/04/loa-round-up.html

LOA 2.0: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2020/08/law-of-attraction-loa-20.html

Law of Assumption- An Alternative Way of Manifesting: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2022/05/law-of-assumption-alternative-way-of.html

In my Law of Assumption post, I concluded that it does work and there is "something" (some force) that enables you to manifest. But it's more like a "co-creation". I don't believe that you can control everything because there are other factors (which could be seen as a limiting belief but that's how I see it right now!). Unfortunately, not everyone is in an equal position in the world and things like discrimination, life circumstances etc. can affect things when it comes to manifesting

Like many people, one of my first introductions to LOA/manifesting was through the book The Secret (based on the film of the same name) by Rhonda Byrne. I believe now that it oversimplifies the concept. Rhonda has also been criticised for encouraging things like ignoring overweight people if you don't want to put on weight! And some think following what it says can make you worse off than you were before.

Kimberly Wenya has a good post about manifesting in general and The Secret "craze": https://kimberleywenya.substack.com/p/manifestation-hate-it-or-love-it

I think what inspires many is the idea that we can make things better for ourselves, "create our lives". Lots of people want to improve their lives, hence the popularity of the self-help/personal development industry in the past 40 years or so.

Gratitude List

 Things I'm grateful for this month:

• First full month of spring
• More blossom trees
• Getting new hoop earrings- I lost one of my old ones and it's taken a while to find new ones I like!
  
• Easter
• Lots of sunshine lately!
• The days continuing to get longer and the lighter atmosphere at this time of year 
• 30 Day Joy Challenge- I'm participating in it again this year.
• This relaxing video by Jon Lucas

Gratitude List

 Things I'm grateful for this month:

• Getting new fleeces
  
• Oestara/the Spring Equinox and spring "officially" starting
• Going to the park a couple of times 
• Blossom trees
  
• Sunny, warmer days
• Relaxing cleaning videos
• Early Easter chocolate (Easter isn't till late April this year)!
  
• The days getting longer

 

And here is a photo of a blossom tree that I took in the park last week: 

Blossom trees in Hove Park.

 

Gratitude List

 Things I'm grateful for this month:

• Imbolg/Imbolc
• Going to the park again after a while
  
• Mocha coffees from the machine at the Co-op
• New gloves- I got them last month but forgot to mention them! 
• Going to Popeyes-  I'd had milkshakes from there before but hadn't tried their food.
• Baking- I recenly made some chocolate protein muffins (from a mix)
  
• The days gradually getting longer
• The Manifestation Diaries by Kimberly Wenya- currently reading it