lifestyle

The power of positivity

Ashleigh from @iamcosmicgirl is here to inspire you this International Women’s Day with the power of positivity. From positive affirmations and manifestations to the law of attraction, boost your sense of self and confidence with her cosmic wisdom.

What does the power of positivity feel and look like to you?

Positivity is essentially waking up and deciding you’re going to have a good day. There’s a reason that the phrase ‘the wrong side of the bed’ is so well-known. If something goes wrong for you early in the day and you focus on it, more bad things tend to happen. The only control we have in this life is how we react to things. I’m not saying bad things aren’t terrible but take your moment, feel into what happened and why it made you feel rubbish and then move on.

Have you always felt a pull to the cosmic world? What pushed you to make @iamcosmicgirl official?

In short – yes. I grew up reading my horoscope and eventually graduated to googling anything else I could find beyond star signs, such as moon signs, rising signs etc. I then had a birth chart reading with another astrologer and from there I was hooked. I bought every book recommended to me and absorbed anything I could read online about astrology. I would pull up people’s birth charts at work, at parties and whenever friends had major life changes, learning along as I went. I originally started Cosmic Girl to curate my Instagram algorithm, so that I was following a feed of like minded spiritual sisters and giving their content my full attention. I slowly started sharing my own content and began studying for an astrology diploma which I completed at the end of last year.

Thank you! Launching the Bad Moon Rising podcast has been crazy (in a very good way!) Listening to other astrology podcasts has been a major part of my own learning however, I really wanted a British astrology podcast to listen to. I wanted to listen to analysis of the latest transits with British banter so I could relate even more personally … I just didn’t expect to be the person to launch one. I’m ever so grateful to my co-host Felicity Hayward for making it possible.

“Be the energy you want to attract! The easiest way to implement this is when you see another person and think of a compliment – tell them! It’ll come back to you tenfold.”

What rituals do you have to maintain a balanced state of being?

I’m still figuring this out, as a Gemini sun I think I need different things on different days. One day, people lift me up and the next, I need to be alone to refill my cup. I do however have a strict shower policy after being around a lot of people. It helps to cleanse off other people’s energies. If I’m feeling extra exhausted I’ll put my favourite crystal in the shower, journal, burn some incense and pull some tarot or oracle cards for guidance. I also enjoy hot yoga to refuel and try to go once a week at the moment.

How do you align your mental health with astrology?

Astrology has brought me so much comfort during the darkest times of my life. Being able to attribute what’s going on in your life to a separate entity is so powerful. That’s not to say you can go around being an awful person and blame it on the moon but having an idea of the energy at play is very reassuring. It’s also helped me overcome difficult life patterning. There’s something very eye-opening about seeing your ‘problem’ areas in black and white, realising they’re a part of you and don’t have to be a negative trait is truly transformative.

How powerful are positive affirmations and what are your personal favourites?

Positive affirmations were the starting point into my spiritual deep dive. I would screenshot all these affirmations and positive quotes and then when I was feeling low, I would hand write them into a notepad. I still have the notepad and it brings me so much joy and comfort. One of my faves is just “I’m so proud of you because ...”

What is the law of attraction?

The law of attraction is essentially the idea that what you think, you attract. If you’re worrying about money, for example, you’re likely to be spending more and counting down the days till payday because you are attracting more of that energy. If you rephrase the worry as “I always have enough” then generally you aren’t chasing the next paycheck.

What brings you joy?

Feeling like everything is aligning. It’s nice to feel everything flowing rather than coming up against blocks. Also connecting with people through my astrology readings and making a difference to their current state.

How do you honour all states of being without letting negative emotions e.g sadness/shame/guilt take control and shape your day?

This is actually so hard at times and definitely something I’ve been guilty of and likely will be again. I think that figuring out what the negative emotion is, why you feel that way, what’s caused it, how you can move past it and when, is how to move through it. Personally, I find journaling this process more helpful because sometimes you’re just sad and you have no idea why so writing it down helps.

Tell us five things that you’re grateful for.

Love this! The people in my life – mum, boyfriend, friends, my cat Luna and my home.

Manifesting - true or trash?

SO TRUE! So many people are unhappy in their lives and simply plod along not knowing what they’re looking for or even want – so the universe is also confused about what to deliver. Getting clear on what you want really helps to manifest magical things into your life. For example, every time I went on a bad date or left a job, I would add to my list of what I wanted in that area of life that was the complete opposite to my experience. Such as a supportive and inspiring boss, or a communicative partner.