5. Cook a recipe you have never cooked before!

Sometimes we just need to do something we have never done before. For no particular reason, but to just enjoy the process.

Start a new ritual: maybe fill your weekend with something homey, invite someone new to taste it with you.

One of my favourite scenes from a movie is in ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ when she cooks the blue string soup.

She had all these grand plans, but her delightful dinner besties ate the blue soup with glee and pronounced her culinary expertise.

New memories can only be made when we do something we have never done before.

So have a go.

Bake some bread.

Make a Moroccan feast.

Start a dinner club with a few other singles in your local community.

Do something daring!

4. Write a letter to yourself.

It is time for you to write a letter to yourself.

In my latest book Dear Single Self, I asked a group of 30 women with very different stories to write a letter to themselves. The way we speak to ourselves is powerful. It is funny sometimes we are kinder to everyone else and the way we communicate with ourselves can be extremely toxic.

Today is about loving you. It is about speaking words of life and love over yourself.

Sometimes we are desperate to hear things spoken about our future and the best person, with the greatest insight and knowledge is actually ourselves. The question is are you brave enough to go there?

 It is now your turn. Get out a nice piece of paper. Light a candle. Grab a cup of tea or coffee. Take a deep breath and just start to write.

What is it that you have truly believed about yourself in this journey?

What is it that you need to rediscover again?

Who has influenced you either negatively or positively?

Or ignore all of these questions and just write.

Give someone the letter in an envelope with a stamp on it and ask them to post it to you, whenever they believe the time feels right.

“Loving yourself invites others to love you. Respecting yourself invites people to respect you. It all starts with you.”

Mandy Hale

This series is called Yestember you can find the rest of the posts here. It is all about saying yes this September and doing things that take you out of your ground hog day, of your ordinary life. These segments are from Amanda’s latest book Dear Single Self. Join the fun by searching #yestember and #dearsingleself

Day Three: Declutter

“Look at you. You’re young. And you’re scared. Why are you so scared? Stop being paralysed. Stop swallowing your words. Stop caring what other people think. Wear what you want. Say what you want. Listen to the music you want to listen to. Play it loud as you want and dance to it. Go out for a drive at midnight and forget that you have school the next day. Stop waiting for Friday. Live now. Do it now. Take risks. Tell secrets. This life is yours. When are you going to realise that you can do whatever you want?”

Louise Flory

Whether it is midnight or 6 o’clock in the morning before work, the time has come to throw out some stuff.

Our external worlds often mirror our internal dispositions.

When we hold onto stuff in our everyday environments, we tell ourselves subliminally that we are not worthy of a clean space and a great home space to thrive in.

What does your bedroom look like?

Are there piles of clothes that you can never get through?

Or is it the opposite?

Is it completely boring, plain and sterile?

Today is the day to start the transformation of your everyday space and to start throwing away, creating space for beauty, peace and reflection.

Today in Australia is Fathers Day, so one tip I have for decluttering, is to hang a bag on the back of your front door and over this week everytime you lay hands on something that is cluttering your space take it to the front door and at the end of the week take it to the op shop.

Amanda

Day Two: Buy a coffee for a stranger

“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Today’s adventure will be easy for some and completely terrifying for others. I am asking you to go and buy a coffee for a stranger.

As you walk past your cafe of choice, buy a drink for yourself and then one for another. Whether you pay for the next person in line, or you buy a takeaway and give it to someone as you walk back to your car, it’s your choice.

You need to step out of your comfort zone today and do something for someone; someone who can never repay you.

If you are that way inclined, say a little prayer and ask for direction. Then do it.

The most important part of today’s adventure is to not over think it. Seriously, just jump in and have a go.

I am sure a smile will surface at some point in your day as you reflect on the moment you shared with a stranger.

And yes, they need to be a complete stranger!