This is going to be an interesting month it seems. From September 7th we are entering into a period where the planet Mercury is turning retrograde. This means that all the qualities normally associated with this planet, communication for example, will in effect go backwards.
So this month, and for part of early October, while you go about your daily business, perhaps become observant regarding how this might effect your interactions with colleagues, family and friends. The main characteristics it seems, is that communications in all its forms tend to become difficult. Computers, cars and phones tend to breakdown or act up. Delays can occur.
Conversations can be taken out of context, appointments can be broken or moved or even forgotten about. In general it seems, it is a good time to review, re-check, research and re-schedule.
So how can you use this information in your daily life?
Observe what areas of your life this change in energy could end up influencing.
Avoid reacting as much as possible - stop, think and then act.
Prepare for it ahead of time by backing up your PC, keeping your charger handy or a set of jump leads in your car.
Be kind to yourself and others when communicating.
Re-check bookings and appointments
Review or refresh conversations to ensure the important details have been heard.
Overall this retrograde phase is set to last until the end of September. With most people stretched as it is this year, and additional stresses of either commuting under difficult circumstances or paying out money for school when things are tight, it is easy enough for people to react strongly.
Hopefully, this bit of information can at least give an insight into how sometimes the worlds energy can be influencing things further, and might provide you with the tools to be able to deal with this month that little bit easier! If used wisely the energy can be particularly beneficial for completing projects and gaining some quality time alone for introspection, thus helping you move forward positively!
For a balanced view on this retrograde phase please visit the links supplied:
www.astrologycom.com/mercmarg
www.skyscript.co.uk/merc_ret
www.alphalifetrends.com/mercuryretrograde
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Putting Time and Energy into a good Routine
Despite fluctuations in the job market, it seems to be slowly but surely coming back to a reasonable state. In the meantime, being out of work can present a sense of loss of a decent routine. Small daily tasks that would once have been part of the flow in-between your working schedule, now become a main focus.
Adopting a routine from the start may seem easy at first, but if you find yourself out of work for a long period of time the routine can become irregular. If you have children then a routine is probably already dictated for you. If you don't though, then it is even more important to establish a sense of routine to ensure your TIME and ENERGY are used wisely.
So, what kind of routine would be good in this situation?
Getting up early, dressing well and going for a walk if possible
Setting small, medium and large tasks for the day and week
Have a task sheet with the above on it so you can mark them off as you complete them
Set a time for personal, business and social aspects of your life
Reward yourself at the end of the week for the tasks you've completed
It is important to recognise that when you are out of work your activity levels drop drastically. As a result your ENERGY goes and you waste TIME more easily. It is very easy to become lethargic about your situation, and depending on the responses you get while looking for work, it can play havoc with your confidence and self esteem. By establishing some control on where you put your ENERGY and how you spend your TIME, you can empower yourself greatly and automatically change your mindset to be more open to finding creative solutions. It also means that your approach to basic tasks becomes healthier, less ENERGY and TIME is wasted on the small details and you can focus on the bigger tasks and goals to improve your situation as best you can.
It puts you back in control of your life and what you want to create in it.
Adopting a routine from the start may seem easy at first, but if you find yourself out of work for a long period of time the routine can become irregular. If you have children then a routine is probably already dictated for you. If you don't though, then it is even more important to establish a sense of routine to ensure your TIME and ENERGY are used wisely.
So, what kind of routine would be good in this situation?
Getting up early, dressing well and going for a walk if possible
Setting small, medium and large tasks for the day and week
Have a task sheet with the above on it so you can mark them off as you complete them
Set a time for personal, business and social aspects of your life
Reward yourself at the end of the week for the tasks you've completed
It is important to recognise that when you are out of work your activity levels drop drastically. As a result your ENERGY goes and you waste TIME more easily. It is very easy to become lethargic about your situation, and depending on the responses you get while looking for work, it can play havoc with your confidence and self esteem. By establishing some control on where you put your ENERGY and how you spend your TIME, you can empower yourself greatly and automatically change your mindset to be more open to finding creative solutions. It also means that your approach to basic tasks becomes healthier, less ENERGY and TIME is wasted on the small details and you can focus on the bigger tasks and goals to improve your situation as best you can.
It puts you back in control of your life and what you want to create in it.
Monday, July 6, 2009
What is your attitude to money?
I came across an article recently, outlining how couples managed to cope with the recent changes in the economy and subsequently how their roles changed within the relationship and the stresses it brought with it. What struck me most was how their attitudes towards money from an early start in life, stayed with them throughout...until they noticed it was either working or not working for them. Then they changed it.(The article "When Money Talks", can be read in Psychology Today, June Issue, page 74}.
So how does this relate to you?
What are your beliefs around money?
Are these beliefs radically different from when you were younger?
Have you examined them at any point in your life?
With our situation at present and so many people out of work, we have no choice but to face reality where our finances are concerned. This can be a welcome task if you view it as a chance to tighten your spending, or an extremely daunting task if your beliefs around money are not to your liking.
So what can you do?
The first step is to write down the top 5 beliefs you have about money. For example - 'If you work hard your earn a lot of money' or 'I never have enough of it!'. Once you've done this then examine when this thought first occurred to you. Is there an experience you can remember to back up this belief?
How strong are your emotions around these beliefs?
Does this belief empower you or leave you feeling low and vulnerable?
Once you've identified the beliefs that prevent you from being empowered, it is time to replace them with something that does empower you. If you consider that the beliefs you repeat to yourself around money are in effect MANTRAS, how positive or negative are they? Write down the top 5 beliefs you'd like to have in place from here on in, for example - 'I always have money to pay bills easily' or 'I earn money easily and love the work I do'. The key here is to NOTICE how reading or saying this new belief makes you feel. At first it might feel alien but if you tie it into an action it will become easier. For example, when you go to pay your next bill, repeat a possible new belief of 'I pay my bill with ease and feel empowered by it'.
Consider the option that the economy has given you a chance to rexamine your situation and attitudes towards money. How were you when you had a constant flow of money?...did you stop and consider your attitude and beliefs or did you just keep going as you didn't need to.
Our economy will eventually improve...so now is a great time to start getting financially fit in regards to your attitudes and beliefs around money so that you thrive in a healthier way when your bank balance does blossom again.
So how does this relate to you?
What are your beliefs around money?
Are these beliefs radically different from when you were younger?
Have you examined them at any point in your life?
With our situation at present and so many people out of work, we have no choice but to face reality where our finances are concerned. This can be a welcome task if you view it as a chance to tighten your spending, or an extremely daunting task if your beliefs around money are not to your liking.
So what can you do?
The first step is to write down the top 5 beliefs you have about money. For example - 'If you work hard your earn a lot of money' or 'I never have enough of it!'. Once you've done this then examine when this thought first occurred to you. Is there an experience you can remember to back up this belief?
How strong are your emotions around these beliefs?
Does this belief empower you or leave you feeling low and vulnerable?
Once you've identified the beliefs that prevent you from being empowered, it is time to replace them with something that does empower you. If you consider that the beliefs you repeat to yourself around money are in effect MANTRAS, how positive or negative are they? Write down the top 5 beliefs you'd like to have in place from here on in, for example - 'I always have money to pay bills easily' or 'I earn money easily and love the work I do'. The key here is to NOTICE how reading or saying this new belief makes you feel. At first it might feel alien but if you tie it into an action it will become easier. For example, when you go to pay your next bill, repeat a possible new belief of 'I pay my bill with ease and feel empowered by it'.
Consider the option that the economy has given you a chance to rexamine your situation and attitudes towards money. How were you when you had a constant flow of money?...did you stop and consider your attitude and beliefs or did you just keep going as you didn't need to.
Our economy will eventually improve...so now is a great time to start getting financially fit in regards to your attitudes and beliefs around money so that you thrive in a healthier way when your bank balance does blossom again.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Getting Creative
June is proving to be a fantastic month for the sheer wonderful sunshine...I know it tends to happen when the various exams start but you've got to admit it is still brilliant.
One thing that is striking me out of this whole year, is how we are being pushed into making changes continuously. There doesn't appear to be a 'letting off' period. Everyone has been effected by the economy, some more than others and the changes we face are all very different. It can in some instances create distance, if you allow it to overwhelm you.
What does change mean? It can mean doing the very things that push you out of your comfort zone and it makes you sit up and take notice of your environment and the people in it. Change makes you examine, adjust and move on. Change for the most part, is an opportunity to learn and grow.
Change also means being creative. Having now been pushed or shoved or dropped out of the comfort zone, you have to think differently. You start getting creative with how you can live, eat and work. More and more people are finding themselves beginning to turn to self employment...often in areas that are highly creative and that they had forgotten about when they began their regular income and 'safe' job.
So what can you do for yourself this month to avail of all this positive energy and abundance of Vitamin D?...start tapping into your creativity.
Perhaps you used to paint or draw or play guitar? Maybe you were into arts and crafts and created beautiful dinners or pies! The simple fact is that CHANGE is here for the rest of the year and beyond. If you embrace your creativity RIGHT NOW, you can avoid the jolt and enjoy the changes positively.
One thing that is striking me out of this whole year, is how we are being pushed into making changes continuously. There doesn't appear to be a 'letting off' period. Everyone has been effected by the economy, some more than others and the changes we face are all very different. It can in some instances create distance, if you allow it to overwhelm you.
What does change mean? It can mean doing the very things that push you out of your comfort zone and it makes you sit up and take notice of your environment and the people in it. Change makes you examine, adjust and move on. Change for the most part, is an opportunity to learn and grow.
Change also means being creative. Having now been pushed or shoved or dropped out of the comfort zone, you have to think differently. You start getting creative with how you can live, eat and work. More and more people are finding themselves beginning to turn to self employment...often in areas that are highly creative and that they had forgotten about when they began their regular income and 'safe' job.
So what can you do for yourself this month to avail of all this positive energy and abundance of Vitamin D?...start tapping into your creativity.
Perhaps you used to paint or draw or play guitar? Maybe you were into arts and crafts and created beautiful dinners or pies! The simple fact is that CHANGE is here for the rest of the year and beyond. If you embrace your creativity RIGHT NOW, you can avoid the jolt and enjoy the changes positively.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Change your Lifestyle in 4 easy Steps
So we're into May, and at this point we can expect the weather to improve greatly. The bright mornings encourage us to get up and get going - or do they?
How is your motivation to get up and get moving getting along?
This month use the good energy to get moving. The best way to motivate yourself is to get motivated by taking action in small steps and distract yourself from the fact that it counts towards the bigger goal. What do I mean by this? Well here's an example:
Mary wanted to set a goal for herself that she'd drop a dress size within the summer months so she'd look great on holidays. The goal was to go from a size 16 to a size 14 or 12...ideally a 12. She knew if she thought about the end result she'd then start thinking about the effort required to get there,and that wasn't going to help or motivate! So instead she broke this goal into smaller steps and focused on the fun aspect of learning something new phsyically.
Step 1 - based around WEEK 1, she focused on enjoying some fresh air and getting time out of the house walking. She also wrote down any thoughts that held her back from doing this in a journal as a way of by-passing her own potential negative self talk that might hold her back.
Step 2 - Based around WEEK 2, she focused on some new foods to try out, new receipes and some vegetarian options just to be different. The 1st step was still continued too.
Step 3 - Based around WEEK 3, she focused on trying out some different activities in the evening or weekend. She aimed to pick activities that were new to her - reading some different types of books or watching a completely different type of film than she'd normally watch, trying some brain teasers, golf, horse riding, tennis, dancing, swimming, wind surfing...and if she found resistence she'd write it down in her journal.
Step 4 - Based around WEEK 4, she focused on positive talk. The other steps had started some new habits and now it was time to make sure that Mary was recognizing the positive changes and changing her mantra. Her self talk was going from 'I am not so sure about this' or 'I'll never change!' to one of 'Wow! Great work on making some small changes!' and 'Well done on nurturing your life and your health!'. Each time she had some resistence to change, she wrote it in her journal. This gave her some insight on how SHE was talking to HERSELF.
The great thing about the above 4 Steps is that at any point you find yourself wandering off or resisting doing it, just write it in the journal or start from Step 1 again. Repeat it as many times as you need to until you hit the end result. It can be applied to anything, just insert the relevant activity into the slot that will assist you with pushing forward towards your ultimate goal and only focus on each week as it arrives.
So what one positive step can you make this week towards your goal?
How is your motivation to get up and get moving getting along?
This month use the good energy to get moving. The best way to motivate yourself is to get motivated by taking action in small steps and distract yourself from the fact that it counts towards the bigger goal. What do I mean by this? Well here's an example:
Mary wanted to set a goal for herself that she'd drop a dress size within the summer months so she'd look great on holidays. The goal was to go from a size 16 to a size 14 or 12...ideally a 12. She knew if she thought about the end result she'd then start thinking about the effort required to get there,and that wasn't going to help or motivate! So instead she broke this goal into smaller steps and focused on the fun aspect of learning something new phsyically.
Step 1 - based around WEEK 1, she focused on enjoying some fresh air and getting time out of the house walking. She also wrote down any thoughts that held her back from doing this in a journal as a way of by-passing her own potential negative self talk that might hold her back.
Step 2 - Based around WEEK 2, she focused on some new foods to try out, new receipes and some vegetarian options just to be different. The 1st step was still continued too.
Step 3 - Based around WEEK 3, she focused on trying out some different activities in the evening or weekend. She aimed to pick activities that were new to her - reading some different types of books or watching a completely different type of film than she'd normally watch, trying some brain teasers, golf, horse riding, tennis, dancing, swimming, wind surfing...and if she found resistence she'd write it down in her journal.
Step 4 - Based around WEEK 4, she focused on positive talk. The other steps had started some new habits and now it was time to make sure that Mary was recognizing the positive changes and changing her mantra. Her self talk was going from 'I am not so sure about this' or 'I'll never change!' to one of 'Wow! Great work on making some small changes!' and 'Well done on nurturing your life and your health!'. Each time she had some resistence to change, she wrote it in her journal. This gave her some insight on how SHE was talking to HERSELF.
The great thing about the above 4 Steps is that at any point you find yourself wandering off or resisting doing it, just write it in the journal or start from Step 1 again. Repeat it as many times as you need to until you hit the end result. It can be applied to anything, just insert the relevant activity into the slot that will assist you with pushing forward towards your ultimate goal and only focus on each week as it arrives.
So what one positive step can you make this week towards your goal?
Monday, April 6, 2009
The "R" Word
I know what you're thinking, the "R" refers to the big ugly word that is spilling from everyones lips since January and before...recession. There, it is out in the open now. However the "R" I'm referring to is REVIEW.
We are into April, we are finished the first quarter of the year if you think about it. As a result of the continuous change around us I thought it apt that we take a chance to review the year so far.
What has happened to you since January?
What changes have you made?
What changes have been forced upon you?
What lessons have you learned as a result?
How are you getting along with your way of living?
Do you need to change some habits?
What is your current belief about the world and your place in it?
Have you achieved anything this year that you set out to do?
If you have how have you celebrated this or acknowledged your achievements?
If not then what happened to throw you off course?
How do you cope with stress?
How are you adapting to change?
What kind of values do you want to have for the next quarter?
This is a great chance to stop, take stock and then go into the next 3 months with a plan. The reason this year is being approached in a quarterly manner is because we are experiencing change on a grand scale at a fast pace. If you have a long term goal and you are still moving towards that at a steady pace - Good for you! If you've been thrown off course from your long goal just take this opportunity to outline small steps for the next 3 months to keep you on track again towards the bigger picture.
So keep moving, plan where you can and watch your thoughts! If you find yourself doing the 'what if this happens?...' thinking then you've allowed your thoughts to wander too far into the future and away from the plan of action you've compiled.
Return to the present moment and ask yourself :
"What action can I take in the present moment to help me towards my long term goal?"
In the worst case scenario where you are simply having a bad day just quote
Scarlet O'Hara out loud in your best Southern Belle accent - "After all...tomorrow is another day" - It is a sure way to get you smiling!
We are into April, we are finished the first quarter of the year if you think about it. As a result of the continuous change around us I thought it apt that we take a chance to review the year so far.
What has happened to you since January?
What changes have you made?
What changes have been forced upon you?
What lessons have you learned as a result?
How are you getting along with your way of living?
Do you need to change some habits?
What is your current belief about the world and your place in it?
Have you achieved anything this year that you set out to do?
If you have how have you celebrated this or acknowledged your achievements?
If not then what happened to throw you off course?
How do you cope with stress?
How are you adapting to change?
What kind of values do you want to have for the next quarter?
This is a great chance to stop, take stock and then go into the next 3 months with a plan. The reason this year is being approached in a quarterly manner is because we are experiencing change on a grand scale at a fast pace. If you have a long term goal and you are still moving towards that at a steady pace - Good for you! If you've been thrown off course from your long goal just take this opportunity to outline small steps for the next 3 months to keep you on track again towards the bigger picture.
So keep moving, plan where you can and watch your thoughts! If you find yourself doing the 'what if this happens?...' thinking then you've allowed your thoughts to wander too far into the future and away from the plan of action you've compiled.
Return to the present moment and ask yourself :
"What action can I take in the present moment to help me towards my long term goal?"
In the worst case scenario where you are simply having a bad day just quote
Scarlet O'Hara out loud in your best Southern Belle accent - "After all...tomorrow is another day" - It is a sure way to get you smiling!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Getting a Vision for your Future
This month I'm focusing on completing a vision board. It is often used in coaching as a tool to get you focused on what it is that you really want out of your life. This exercise is a nice way to just gather images and words that inspire you and give you hope, happiness and a sense of warmth.
Vision statements are quite common, and companies tend to use them to outline their values and what they aspire to. Vision boards are simply a different approach to the same thing, and in this case more personal and definitely more fun!
If you've never done one before then March is the perfect time to start. You'll be feeling the urge to spring clean so just get to the magazines before you chuck them all out!! The best way to approach it is to gather as many different styles of magazines as possible. They can be the standard Sunday supplements, weekly mags or monthly ones...just try to include variety in them to give yourself a better choice of images and words.
Next, just take time out to go through each magazine, stopping at any word or image that grabs you - and cut it out. At this point you just want to gather as much as possible so you have choice. Don't try to box anything in or put things into neat arrangements, we're free styling!
After you've completed this step, (and it can take a number of cups of tea and some biscuits to get through!) have a look at all the details you've collected.
Is there an emerging pattern?
Have you picked a theme?
Is there something jumping out at you that you never considered before?
Of course there is probably the odd image or two of bags and shoes that grabbed your attention! Put all the images and words cut out together in a way to display what kind of life, person, job, future, health, wealth, home...you want to have. We want to try to outline the essence of what it is you really want out of your life!
It is best to put these images on a board that is a little stiffer than paper - foam board is cheap and a good sturdy platform for your vision board. If you did find a pattern such as a definite career taking shape, then ensure the images are gathered around the same part of the board. If there is a specific word or description of your career vision that can go with it even better!
If you find that your board is centred around relationships and having a partner, try to gather similar images so that there is a common thread and ask yourself what each of the images represent. It could be friendship, fun or love that the picture outlines to you. Maybe put down some of the qualities you'd like to attract in a partner and a picture of how you'd like them to look or be. If you picked out an image or two of a couple but the partner in it is radically different, then pick the one that matches your ideal closer...you want to avoid confusion when attracting what you want!
Most of all have fun with this exercise. It is about letting your creative side run rampant for a change. One thing for sure is that this is a powerful tool. You've probably heard all about the 'Law of Attraction', well this is it in motion. You are creating a clear picture of what you want to attract! With this in mind ensure that you are clear about the image you put on your board - take note of the details in the image! I say this because recently on 'Oprah', Life Coach Martha Beck who had completed her own vision board a number of years ago, found that in 2 of her pictures that detailed a beautiful 4 poster bed she wanted, had dogs in them...and she now has the exact same dogs. Below is a quote from the show by Martha Beck, describing how to approach doing this exercise:
"I get in a really calm place. I go to my core of peace, and I taste what is delicious in the future. It could be something I've never heard of, or it could be just the essence of something. I'm not sure what it is. And then I go through magazines or on the Internet, and I find pictures of things that represent that to me. It could be the actual object or it could be something that has the same feeling."
Don't forget to recognize that when you start to attract the very things on your board and if you find that it isn't 100% exactly as you wanted - CHANGE IT. You have the power to fine tune the details to suit yourself so continue to do this until you find yourself attracting EXACTLY what you want or as close to it as you're happy with. This doesn't mean sitting back and waiting for it to drop into your lap either!! Watch for opportunities that will help you to your goals...when you can see them and act on them great...when you can't and only notice it after the fact, that's cool too. It means you're becoming more aware.
I'm off to finish my board and I have to say I'm surprised at some of the images I picked out! We'll wait and see what happens next!
Vision statements are quite common, and companies tend to use them to outline their values and what they aspire to. Vision boards are simply a different approach to the same thing, and in this case more personal and definitely more fun!
If you've never done one before then March is the perfect time to start. You'll be feeling the urge to spring clean so just get to the magazines before you chuck them all out!! The best way to approach it is to gather as many different styles of magazines as possible. They can be the standard Sunday supplements, weekly mags or monthly ones...just try to include variety in them to give yourself a better choice of images and words.
Next, just take time out to go through each magazine, stopping at any word or image that grabs you - and cut it out. At this point you just want to gather as much as possible so you have choice. Don't try to box anything in or put things into neat arrangements, we're free styling!
After you've completed this step, (and it can take a number of cups of tea and some biscuits to get through!) have a look at all the details you've collected.
Is there an emerging pattern?
Have you picked a theme?
Is there something jumping out at you that you never considered before?
Of course there is probably the odd image or two of bags and shoes that grabbed your attention! Put all the images and words cut out together in a way to display what kind of life, person, job, future, health, wealth, home...you want to have. We want to try to outline the essence of what it is you really want out of your life!
It is best to put these images on a board that is a little stiffer than paper - foam board is cheap and a good sturdy platform for your vision board. If you did find a pattern such as a definite career taking shape, then ensure the images are gathered around the same part of the board. If there is a specific word or description of your career vision that can go with it even better!
If you find that your board is centred around relationships and having a partner, try to gather similar images so that there is a common thread and ask yourself what each of the images represent. It could be friendship, fun or love that the picture outlines to you. Maybe put down some of the qualities you'd like to attract in a partner and a picture of how you'd like them to look or be. If you picked out an image or two of a couple but the partner in it is radically different, then pick the one that matches your ideal closer...you want to avoid confusion when attracting what you want!
Most of all have fun with this exercise. It is about letting your creative side run rampant for a change. One thing for sure is that this is a powerful tool. You've probably heard all about the 'Law of Attraction', well this is it in motion. You are creating a clear picture of what you want to attract! With this in mind ensure that you are clear about the image you put on your board - take note of the details in the image! I say this because recently on 'Oprah', Life Coach Martha Beck who had completed her own vision board a number of years ago, found that in 2 of her pictures that detailed a beautiful 4 poster bed she wanted, had dogs in them...and she now has the exact same dogs. Below is a quote from the show by Martha Beck, describing how to approach doing this exercise:
"I get in a really calm place. I go to my core of peace, and I taste what is delicious in the future. It could be something I've never heard of, or it could be just the essence of something. I'm not sure what it is. And then I go through magazines or on the Internet, and I find pictures of things that represent that to me. It could be the actual object or it could be something that has the same feeling."
Don't forget to recognize that when you start to attract the very things on your board and if you find that it isn't 100% exactly as you wanted - CHANGE IT. You have the power to fine tune the details to suit yourself so continue to do this until you find yourself attracting EXACTLY what you want or as close to it as you're happy with. This doesn't mean sitting back and waiting for it to drop into your lap either!! Watch for opportunities that will help you to your goals...when you can see them and act on them great...when you can't and only notice it after the fact, that's cool too. It means you're becoming more aware.
I'm off to finish my board and I have to say I'm surprised at some of the images I picked out! We'll wait and see what happens next!
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