Nothing's {Permanent}

Hi, friends:

Greetings from New York! I was living here prior to COVID and didn’t know just how long I’d be gone for, so I kept my room here in Brooklyn. I’m finally back to say goodbye, lease out my room and gather my things. It’s bittersweet.

As some of you know, I spent the majority of quarantine in Utah, where I was welcomed by bountiful nature, a quietness, a home. I instantly felt how much I needed that type of peace and it was hard to ignore that New York no longer felt right.

Though my initial plans of staying in Salt Lake fell through, it opened up the opportunity to dust off dreams of long-term travel and execute this new life path as soon as possible

(& whenever the world allows).

If anything, COVID and the uncertainties it came with inspired me to lean towards bold choices. It made me long for many freedoms, including travel abroad. I don’t ever want to take that for granted again or miss another window of opportunity.  

It’s not always easy to shift my direction based on feelings—these intuitions I receive like little nudges from my soul. But I try to obey, because by now I know the cost of not doing so is my happiness.

Sometimes I trip up and doubt myself. Specially when people I love question my path. Or when the journey is not easy to traverse. Recently, dealing with the logistics of renting out my room in New York has been stressful.

That, on top of the intensity of the world—plus the losses and redirections I’ve experienced in the last few months—have all left me feeling defeated from time to time.

I’ve cried, I’ve prayed, I’ve drank.

But this fire inside me burns.

There is something it yearns for. Always curious to see what’s around the bend, how the story unfolds, what miracles might arise. As much as we may sometimes think we’re afraid of the unknown, we keep walking right into it.

Even if the world turns on its head again tomorrow, and my plans no longer align with the Gods—I can’t imagine anything short of continuing to strive for happiness. Continuing to create, pray, and even laugh.

On the worst days, when I’m afraid of becoming attached to my dreams of the future, that is the simple hope that keeps the fire alive.

And on better days, when I’m able to find refuge in the present, and embrace simple joys and gifts—like bathing under the long awaited sunshine—I dream.

I manifest.

I visualize my feet in moistened sand, legs enveloped by warm water coming to and from shore. Laughing with strangers who are now friends. Planning adventures on a whim. All the things I love about travel.

Just up ahead. I trust in the timing of things. The embers inside release into the wind.

Love,

Gabriela

www.melgarcoaching.com 

I used to think I loved traveling for the adventure and thrill of it, but I’m coming to understand that its greatest value to me is the sense of peace it activates within me. . When I travel, I feel at flow with life, as if I’m simply floating downstream. I am flexible and open to changes in plans, receptive to inspiration, connected to loving individuals, and in tune with the simple joy of living. . I think, this is how its meant to be. 🌿 (at Guadalajara, Jalisco)

A self-love/self-care remedy 💘: . Buy yourself some flowers. . This photo was taken in my room when I was living in Hanoi. It was the loneliest yet most intimate year I’ve had with myself. . It was bold to move around the world on my own, somewhere incredibly foreign, where even time seemed to move at a different speed. . There I was with myself, with no choice but to be with the emotions that arose after years of being distracted and surrounded by noise. There I was with my solitude and frustration. . The remedy was self-love. I had to be my own best friend + pick up all those pieces. I had to hold myself, entertain myself + be my own guide as I navigated this adventure. . I started buying myself flowers on a weekly basis, because they made my world more beautiful, and because I realized, I was capable of providing all the things and the affection I often craved from another. . It was my way of saying I love you + I got you. (at Hanoi, Vietnam)

Creating Your Own Definitions | FIRST LIVESTREAM

In this video I talk about how creating my own definitions has helped me have a better relationship to the concepts: work, fun, routines and meditation. How can creating your own definitions shift your relationship to these (or other) concepts?

My personal definitions:

WORK: Work is the way that I express my purpose in life. When I am working, I am in flow with God and the Universe. I am a vessel for my greater purpose. Work is done easily through me. I don’t have to think about it too much, it just comes as long as I show up. All I have to do is clear space and be ready to receive, transmit, and add my personal twist (a touch of my personality). Work is easy and incredibly fun. I feel lucky that I get to create so many amazing things alongside God. I know that what I create will help or inspire others, and that brings breath and vitality to the process. It allows me to let go of my mind and my ego, to be free, to dance with the energy that flows through me and to be a participant and observant of the process as it unfolds.

FUN Fun is being present. It means experiencing what is in the most full of ways. It means being ALIVE and having an eminent joy and gratitude for this experience, no matter what I am going through. Fun is showing up energetically, fun is being in flow with life. Fun is connectivity, fun is laughter, fun is the way my soul walks through the world.

ROUTINES Routines are practices that nourish me and help me create a home within myself, wherever I am or whatever my schedule may look like. They are tools to create peace, grounding, and connectivity to my higher self. Routines are always available—whenever I need them I can pick them up. They carry no judgement, are flexible and tailor-made for me, however I show up at each moment.

MEDITATION: Meditation is coming into presence with what is: my surrounding environment and inner world. It’s the ability to tune into my senses and create space for higher wisdom. It’s when I bring awareness to the present moment. It’s always available to me and doesn’t require anything but my attention. It is a God-given right, natural and essential to my being.

LIFE UPDATE | New Business!

Go From Feeling Overwhelmed to Motivated | Tips on Staying Productive 

Staying motivated when you are trying to accomplish many tasks or reach a big goal can get tricky.

When we have a lot on our plates, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and either get way more stressed out than we need to, or simply not do anything.

I was inspired to speak on this topic due to my own personal experience with overwhelm. I have a big goal, which is to be a full time traveler and a life coach—and to accomplish this by the beginning of next year.

Between now and then, there are so many things for me to do in order to feel prepared and capable, and to generally set myself up for success.

Time is ticking, yet for the past couple months, I’ve found myself feeling lethargic and not getting much done. I talked it out with my coach, who is another student in my program, and figured out that one of the main reasons for my lack of productivity was that I was overwhelmed by how many things I had to accomplish. I needed to break down these large tasks into smaller ones that I could work on each day, little by little.

If you can relate, or are generally feeling overwhelmed or unproductive, the following are some tips to get you motivated and going again:

1. Write a list of the things you need to get done, and then write a due date next to each item. Prioritize the things that you need to do ASAP and if needed, break them down into smaller  tasks that you can accomplish bit by bit. Put the “ASAP” items at the top of your list. Doing this will organize your thoughts and provide an idea of what you need to do on a daily or weekly basis. Plus, being able to cross off those items from your list will give you a sense of accomplishment that keeps you motivated.

2. Schedule Time to Get These Things Done. Figure out what days and times you’re going to set aside to work on your tasks and actually schedule it in your calendar.

If you’re more of a go-with-the-flow type of person, have a general plan of how much time you’re going to commit to accomplishing these things on a weekly basis and stick to it.

Make sure that when you are figuring out your schedule and how much time you’ll spend working on your goals, that it feels doable. (For example, I have committed to working on my tasks 3 days a week, for 1.5 hours per day. Since I have a hard time concentrating, I decided to work in 45 minute increments at a time, splitting up work between the mornings and evenings). Doable goals and schedules allow you to succeed which will keep you feeling accomplished and motivated. You can always work your way up if you feel capable of committing more time to your assignments.

3. Get an Accountability Partner. An accountability partner is someone that knows what your goals are and has an idea of what your plan is to tackle them. Check in with this person to let them know how it’s going and what you’ve accomplished. (I recommend doing this on a weekly or even daily basis). That way. you’ll feel someone is counting on you to do these things. You can do the same for the other person for a win-win situation.

4. Reward Yourself! Figure out how you’re going to celebrate your small accomplishments and acknowledge when you’re staying on track and doing well! It can be easy to forget, but it’s important to recognize when we are making progress and to treat ourselves in any way that makes sense for us. (For me, that means getting one day out of the week to relax and do whatever I want without having to stress about work).

5. Keep Visualizing Your End Goal Remember why it is you need to get these things done. Think about your bigger goal and relish in what it will feel like to have accomplished that.

Don’t give up until you get there, be kind to yourself, and if you fail, remember that each day is an opportunity to start over and try something new! Best of luck!

There’s a clear

string,

stretching

from me to you-

(wherever we may be)

Sometimes I

forget it,

as other

strings form,

connecting me

to new lovers,

(new paths

evolve).

Then there

are days,

and nights

like this,

of feeling

lonesome

and a little

empty.

I tug on the string

to make sure

it’s still there-

(did you feel that?

If so,

tug back).

I don’t know

what to call

the air

between us,

Space

is too vast,

too uncontained

But I swear

I can sense

your smell

from time

to time

As though you

visit me

in the astral plane.

Perhaps

in another universe

We’re together,

Things worked out

great.

In that other place,

You stil

read to me

And I still

whisper your name.

Let it be known,

that I feel you

and you still

feel me

(here)

though our bodies

couldn’t be

more far

5 Reasons to Travel Alone

In this video I talk about my background with solo travel and give you 5 reasons to travel alone: 

 -You’ll Learn a lot About Yourself 

-You'll Have Complete Freedom Over Your Trip

 -You'll Meet New People 

-You'll Get to Choose Your Budget & Travel Style 

-And You’ll Gain Confidence 

Happiness vs. Joy and Working Your Way Through Emotions

A video about the difference between happiness and joy, and why it's important to welcome all emotions and to check in with ourselves.

The Importance of Fun and Enjoyment

A free-flowing, conversational vlog where I talk about the importance of making room for fun and enjoyment in life. We often get wrapped up in being productive as much as possible, but making space for free time can have incredible benefits.

Questions to think about: What does fun and enjoyment mean to you? How much time do you spend having fun? How would having more fun benefit your life, all around?

Greetings from New York & Channel Update

In this video I talk about my long love affair with this city & chat about the direction I want to take this channel. I'm currently getting certified to become a professional life coach & aim to make more videos about self-development. Thank you for your ongoing support!

I like to think of the world

as a small place,

cozy and warm.

I like to think

I can outstretch my arms

to touch you,

and that I’m only ever

a plane ride away.

I like to think of borders,

lined by love,

each person

a connection away.

I like to think of the sun

leaving my sky,

to meet you for

breakfast

& to think

of our moon,

glowing over you

as I go about my day.

I like to think of the world

as one, large home,

where you are

just a corridor

Trips from the Bay | YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

Follow me on a trip from San Francisco, Bay Area to Yosemite via train. In Yosemite, I hike and explore Vernal Fall and Glacier Point, taking in the beautiful nature and scenery with my pal, Rebeka.