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Hey Reader,

A few weeks ago, I did something I never thought I would do.

I literally did a semi-nude photoshoot as a way to celebrate my 35th birthday. You can see the results HERE.

The thing about growth is that we all know it involves getting outside our comfort zones, but we often forget that to do that, we need to overcome the resistance and the extreme discomfort that comes with stepping outside of anything we have known before.

I tell you this because when I see these kinds of artistic, nude pictures, I always think about how beautiful and courageous the models are to show themselves in such a vulnerable way.

The whole process before doing this photoshoot, however, I was thinking to myself, "Are you sure you want to do this?", "This will be such a waste of time, energy, and money", "I won't be good at it or like it", "I will look silly", "It's not worth it, I won't be able to use these pictures for anything", and all the 'reasons' why I shouldn't do it...

Once I arrived there, however, the experience felt totally different.

My mom came with me to make sure "everything was safe and there was nothing shady going on" (her words). And as soon as we arrived, the girl at the reception desk offered us drinks, coffee, or any snacks we wanted while we waited for the photo studio to be ready.

I met the photographer, a very nice Boricua girl who, from moment one, made me feel super comfortable, explained the whole process, showed picture books of sessions they had done before, explained it would only be me and her during the shoot, and said that she would show me each pose before I had to do them myself.

The funny thing is that this girl was so good at hyping me up and encouraging me about how well I was doing after each photo was taken that I seriously thought I needed to hire her as my personal cheerleader for life.

The truth is that the whole process of taking the pictures didn't last longer than around 30 to 40 minutes. And the more I did the different poses the photographer showed me how to do, the more comfortable I started to feel with doing them myself.

The more I allowed myself to trust the process and to let go of the embarrassment of being in my birth suit, the more confident in my skin I started to feel.

At one point during the photoshoot, I was naked, sitting on the cold floor with only a piece of orange fabric over my legs, and I remember thinking, "I'm so glad I gave myself the chance to experience this. I want to do more things like this in my lifetime".

I was not thinking about doing more nude pictures specifically, either, LOL. I was thinking about doing more things that gave me the feeling I got that afternoon.

That I was capable of doing (and enjoying) all kinds of different things.

That afternoon, while being naked on a cold floor, I felt courageous, adventurous, and dare I say, even badass and sexy.

And that was, honestly, the whole point. It was not so much about the pictures (though I loved how they came out!). It was about being able to do things that feel totally out of my comfort zone.

What I realized once more is that I don't want to get to the end of my life and feel like I lived a safe life.

I want to live a life where I give myself room to experience different things, to try new hobbies, and to learn and become skilled in diverse areas. I want to live a life where I'm not the one constantly stopping myself from challenging and pushing my boundaries.

And the thing is that it's so common to become our own bottlenecks. To be the ones who block ourselves from experiencing new things.

• We're scared of looking foolish if we don't know how to do something, so we don't even try.
• We're scared of not knowing how things will turn out, so we say it's not worth going for it.
• We're scared that we won't be able to figure things out, so we are not bold enough to ask for help or feedback.
• We're scared that people will criticize us or judge us for wanting to do something different, so we minimize it and don't share it.

We're the ones who are constantly blocking ourselves from living our fullest lives.

And this happens all the time in our lives in the simplest of ways:

• We don't cook the new recipes we want to try for fear of them tasting bad.
• We don't commit to the physical activities we would like to engage in for fear of not being good at them.
• We don't register for the race or for the fitness class for fear of not being as fit as the people around us.
• We don't share our opinions and our voices for fear that others will judge us and disagree with us.
• We don't share our failures for fear that others will make fun of us.
• We don't share our wins for fear that others will think we're full of ourselves.
• We don't post our art or our creative projects for fear that they are not "good enough".
• We don't offer our services for fear that nobody will buy from us.
• We don't share our feelings for fear others will reject us.
• We don't go on the date for fear we're not attractive or smart enough.
• We don't sing out loud or dance in public for fear of embarrassing ourselves.
• We don't go to the beach or to the pool party for fear that our bodies are not enough.

It's endless, really, the way in which we constantly talk ourselves out of trying and block ourselves from being authentically who we are (and who we want to be) and from going for the things we would like to try.

So, if you, like me, want to live your fullest life, take the nude pictures, register for the marathon, cook the new recipes you've been wanting to cook, start the side project you've been thinking about for a while, post the video, sign up for the class, learn the new language, notice your own desires, and step out of your comfort zone in your own unique way.

And remind yourself of this often: Just because something feels uncomfortable or scary, just because you experience some friction and resistance along the way, doesn't mean that that is a stop sign.

It may simply be a sign that you're growing. And growth can often feel a little bit painful. Embrace the pain that makes you feel alive and takes you to the next stage of who you're supposed to be.

P.S.: If you are located in Miami, I did this Sel-Love Photoshoot with Nuovo Artistic Studios. They also have a "Birthday Month" promotion where the photoshoot and one photo are included, and you only pay for the photos you want to take home after. If your birthday is coming up and you've been wanting to do something like this, definitely reach out to them for more information.

What I'm learning right now while training for a marathon

Last week, I told you about how I just recently started running for my first full marathon. So far, here are some of my thoughts in the process:

For some reason, I used to believe that running was something reserved for very fit people or professional athletes. I fundamentally believe now that most people are capable of running. What varies is the intensity and the level at which you're able to do it.

My pace and the distance I'm able to go on are totally different on the days I'm feeling good, fresh, and energized, to the days I'm feeling tired, stressed, or rundown. Plus, the more I run, the easier the next runs start to feel as well.

I think that's true for any domain of both physical activity and life.

• When I was doing yoga consistently every day for a few years, my flexibility and mobility felt at their best.
• When I was going to the gym or to CrossFit consistently every day for a few years, my strength, muscle mass, and my ability to do high-intensity exercises for short periods of time improved progressively.
• Now that I'm consistently running every day, I can notice how my endurance and cardio fitness have just started to improve with each long and short run.

Everything in life requires a different set of skills, and everything has its own purpose in helping us become the best version of ourselves.

And I believe there's also a very empowering kind of self-belief that we develop when we challenge ourselves to pursue new domains, to develop new skills, and to create tangible evidence that we can become good at anything we're willing to work for to become better at.

As I heard this week on a Nike guided run, this past week: Every run has its purpose. Long runs have a purpose, short runs have a purpose, good runs have a purpose, bad runs have a purpose, fast runs have a purpose, slow runs have a purpose, every run you go on, every new pursuit you engage in, every new thing you desire to try, has a purpose in your life.

That purpose is expanding your vessel of what you're capable of (as well as what you believe you're capable of).

And it's that expansion that allows you to live a fuller life.

You're not just "who you are"

We often believe that we are "who we are". And so, if you think you're not naturally athletic, or disciplined, or outspoken, or outgoing, you will never be able to be those things.

This is a lie.

Though we may all have things that come naturally to us, we aren't determined by them. We all have the opportunity to develop the new skills and the new characteristics that we want to embody more of in our lives.

That's why I love the concept of having a Growth Mindset.

It's simply this belief that any abilities, talents, and intelligence you want to develop can be learned through the willingness to put in the effort and hard work to make it happen.

It's the belief that obstacles and challenges are actually just opportunities to grow and become better.

It's seeing failures as stepping stones in the path, and using others' successes as a source of inspiration rather than a threat or something that blocks us.

That's why changing our mindset, our thoughts, and our belief system is also possible for all of us.

As I like to say, our minds are not 'set', our minds are created. Always.

Here are 10 Mindset Shifts to Make Today That Will Change Your Life.

Listen to the new episode of the "Confidence is Overrated" Podcast, and learn the shifts you can do today that will change your life and help you feel happier and more fulfilled every day.

These are the 10 mantras that will help you direct your mood and your mind, boost your self-love, feel more inspired, and stop doubting yourself every step of the way.

These affirmations won’t only change the day ahead. They will inspire you to:

• Finally, do the things you’ve been avoiding for years.
• Speak up, share your ideas, and stop shrinking yourself.
• Be more open and present in your day-to-day life.
• Notice the possibilities and opportunities that are already around you.
• Expect good things to happen and go make them happen.
• Calm your mind and your anxiety.
• Move through your days with confidence and faith.
• Celebrate your effort and the little wins you have every single day.
• Release the pressure to be and act perfectly.

In less than 2 minutes a day, you can change how you start your days and how you feel the rest of the day too.

Listen to the complete episode here on Spotify. Or listen on Apple Podcasts.

Things I have been loving lately

Though I love structure and having a routine, I have recently been feeling a little bit bored with doing the same thing daily.

That's why these past few weeks, I have been adding some small new things into my life. And it has felt incredibly invigorating (and also a little bit tiring, if I'm honest).

And there are small things too:

• I have been cooking some new recipes (and I even used a cooking book). I cooked my first-ever Parmesan Chicken, with an almond flour crust, and it came out so good! I was honestly impressed with myself.
• I have been buying some new snacks and a lot more fruit (and craving it so much).
• I have been loving early morning walks where I listen to a guided meditation and reset my circadian rhythm by getting 15-20 minutes of morning sunlight as soon as I wake up.
• I have been running more than I have probably ever done before in my life in preparation for my first marathon, and the change of running outside as opposed to going to the gym every day has felt good.
• I have been listening to some new podcasts (I'm loving the Solved Podcast to listen to during long runs).
• I have even started planning some of the Christmas gifts I want to do this year (which is totally not on-brand with me, as I'm usually a last-minute kind of person), and now I'm feeling excited about Christmas!

I just wanted to share this with you because often when we're feeling a little bit stuck, or bored, or just "blah" with our lives, it's just a signal to add some novelty, to add some fun, and to add some small things that give our days more joy.

It sounds simple, and it is. You just have to do it.

P.S.: If you want to change your life, start by changing how you talk to yourself daily!

Love creating your mind one day at a time? Forward this to a friend so they can get in on the action and sign up below. Subscribe to The Created Mind Thank you for reading and sharing, Jenny ​​​​

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