Hey. You're Doing Great.

On a lightpost in Whakatane is a black and white sticker which says:

Hey. You're Doing Great.

I walk my dog down this street a lot, and have probably walked past it a thousand times before I noticed it that morning. Someone must have taken the time to drag a ladder to the street corner because it’s high enough not to be just a spontaneous burst of optimism. Its message of motivation made me smile...a lot.

People have asked me if I miss having the dance studio (it’s been just under two months now). My reply is that I will miss the students, but the constant rushing, like going from my full time job to a class, not so much. Life’s been cruising lately - I’ve been doing lots of bush walks and I’m pretty sure I’ve finally made some decisions for South America. Sometimes when you see infinite choices before you, it becomes daunting to narrow it down to a simple yes or no. It looks like I may have to break down my travel plans into several trips if I truly want to explore the content. I can have that proverbial cake, but in smaller slices, with sweaty gym sessions in between.

Adventures, Life, MotivationRonna Grace Funtelar6 February 2018onepu, nzbushwalks, youaredoinggreat, motivationComment

What Happened When I Took A Break From My Phone For A Day (OK, Just During Work Hours)

THE BACKSTORY: I made a choice this morning to turn off my phone and leave it at home. I felt like I was always checking it during the day and wanted to see what it would be like to take a break from being constantly accessible. To be honest, how I felt at the end of the day really surprised me. Read on to find out how my day went...

I got my first mobile phone the summer I turned 18 - it was one of the original Alcatel bricks. You know, the kind that kept your ears warm when you’ve been talking more than 30 minutes. Yes, one of those that could have been used if I needed to defend myself from an attacker. It had a fixed antenna, but came up short of having to extend it to use the phone. Back in the days when texts cost you 20 cents, pxts were 50 cents, and the best game was Snake. The time when you only had dial-up internet, and you had to choose between being on the internet and using the landline.

Ah, those simpler times. Now you see ten year olds walking around with iPhones, and instead of asking for directions, we’re all in search of free wi-fi.

Life, MotivationRonna Grace Funtelar1 February 2018mindful, lifechoices, turnoffphoneComment

What The Movie 'Passengers' Taught Me About Being In The Moment

They say that life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans. As I prepare to go traveling in South America in 2018, the lives of my friends and family will go on. What am I prepared to miss out on in pursuit of where I think I need to be? What if I realised that what I was chasing on the other side of the world was here all along? That my lack of contentment is that deep down, I’m afraid to let people in because it makes me vulnerable?

Motivation, Life, Relationships, Self Love, TravelRonna Grace Funtelar22 January 2018passengersmovie, beingthemoment, learningtotrustComment

What Happens After The Hurt? Three Ways To Make Space For The New

Here’s a question for you - what happens after you’ve removed yourself from the space of hurt but you haven’t moved on...yet? I ask because I’m there, sort of just treading water, not wanting to lose sight of land, but the excitement of what is beyond the horizon calls me too. Wait, isn’t that the plot of Moana? I’m no island princess, but New Zealand is an island, well islands, and leaving these shores is all I’ve been looking forward to since I made that decision last year.

I think when you reach that place, that’s when you have to decide what you’re going to keep and what you need to let go. Are you a traveller that packs the bare essentials, or do you pack for every single scenario then get there and realise you’re still only going to wear the same five pieces of clothing anyway.

Holding on to emotional baggage is just as heavy and self-sabotaging, so here are three ways I learned to let go of what no longer served me so that I can make space for the life I truly want.

Life, Dating, Relationships, Self LoveRonna Grace Funtelar10 January 2018afterthehurt, space clearing, belief systems, moving onComment

Why No F****s Given In Your Thirties Is Soul Enriching

Before midnight, I made made a truce with this stage of my life. I’m here now, so I may as well enjoy the ride, right? I’m learning to see life as my biggest adventure - the continuous road trip. I have no intentions of trying to change the past, so today, the first day of the new year, I will forgive, release and let go everything that brought me here. I will love the hell out of my flaws, and cherish the lessons.

Home is a space that grounds you - to feel loved and rest. It’s up to me to create that anywhere I go.

The Gift of Words and Time

If we learn from our mistakes, why are we so afraid to make them?

When we were younger, time felt like an infinite resource. We could go to sleep and feel like procrastinating didn’t have such a significant consequence. Growing up were still many sleeps away, and we still had parents and adults to worry about our futures for us.

Then one day we woke up, and one by one those life decisions are up to us to make. When we made mistakes, our parents or other adults are no longer there to bail us out. Welcome to Adulting 101.

Dance, Friendships, Life, Motivation, Self LoveRonna Grace Funtelar18 December 2017thegiftoftime, thegiftofwords, gratitude, positivelivingComment