The author, Yung Pueblo, discovered his path to healing after reaching the edge of death due to drug addiction and a life of pleasure-seeking. In his work, he talks about the healing journey and the power of actively working on your own growth so you can enjoy success and deeper relationships every day of your life. In this Blink, we’ll share some of his stories and advice. Humans have the unique ability to consciously choose their paths rather than being solely guided by survival instinct. Your preprogrammed emotional responses are rooted in survival. But now that you’re no longer a child, you’re beyond survival. You get to choose the life you want and actively work toward that life. Loving yourself might sound like a mountain you’ll never be able to scale. Or maybe you’ve gone to the other extreme. Maybe after a lifetime of people treating you badly, you’ve decided to love yourself above all others. Three: You don’t feel the need to avoid uncomfortable feelings. Instead of numbing the pain or running from it, you’re able to ride the waves of your emotions while staying the course of your goals. He also places particular emphasis on the importance of renouncing the submissive belief that we do not have power over our mental situation, when in fact we all have the potential for peace of mind through intentional action. Through our 'attachments', we jeopardise that potential because we attempt to control reality, meaning we never live in the present by constantly imagining what is missing or how we wish things to be. This is dangerous as it is a rejection of how things really are.

Let’s start by asking two questions: What dreams are you chasing? And, How close are you to achieving them?

So it’s important that you look for signs that you’re doing things right. Here are seven signs you can look out for.

When that first emotional spike occurs, use the knowledge that this emotion is a reaction based on past experiences to pause, take a breath, and give yourself the space to ride the wave of the emotion. Once the initial feeling dies down, use that space to think more objectively about what’s happening. During the years when I had abandoned myself, my mind felt undeniably heavy. I knew I needed to find a clear way to help me feel lighter." Whether you’ve already begun your process of intentional growth or are just getting started, this Blink offers you actionable insights into a deeper understanding of why you react the way you do and how you can free yourself to achieve your goals in life. Through understanding and accepting the impermanence of life, we relinquish our hold on how we wish things to be, and accept how they really are. It is about training ourselves to set aside the emotional baggage we carry, so that we are 'informed by the past, but no longer weighed down by it'. Pueblo focuses on the emphasis of turning your attention inward as a method of healing and creating lasting, authentic and positive long-term change. Confronting ones own mindset and defaults of character is unnerving and requires rigorous honesty. Yet when done thoroughly it reveals the extent to which we project our faults and mistakes onto other people or things. Ultimately, only we are responsible for our own change and growth: 'Deep healing and emotional maturity begin when you turn your attention inward'.

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An enlightening, cathartic book providing accessible insight into personal healing and positive change. What I found unique about this book is that it not only talks about healing yourself, but how to improve the world too with structural compassion. He writes that one of the best things you can do to better the world is to simply heal yourself. I thought that was a lovely reminder to stay committed to your healing journey and not get too overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done to make the world a better place. Speaking of compassion, as growth leads to humility and humility leads to compassion, the people around you will experience positive effects from being near you. Whether that’s loved ones at home or not-so-loved ones at work, the power of your healing will touch lives. You can only love another person to the depth that you love yourself. That’s why personal healing is the single best thing you can do to improve your relationships.