Isn't it funny how you can be an enthusiast about a hobby in your 20's and then find that later in your life this passion was simply dropped and forgotten about? Isn't it strange that the very interest that gave you purpose and a sense of happiness was the first thing to go when life got serious and busy?
How many times have you found yourself simply choosing to 'take care of the responsibilities' rather than taking the time to revisit the hobbies and interests that gave you a spark and inspired you. I often find that over time, you may be lucky enough to revisit and rediscover your passion, and fully engage with this long lost creativity that gave energy to your weary soul. In some cases though people feel silly revisiting this aspect of themselves, seeing it as self indulgent nonsense, and dismiss it for the gift that it is.
You can't deny your creative urges. You can't keep them under wraps for your entire life. You can choose to ignore it but it is harder to do this than it is to actually embrace it. Why is this so important you might ask?...because it is part of who you are. In denying your creativity you deny your true essence. You deny part of your soul and you ultimately deny yourself a chance to fully embrace life and all its colours. Having a creative outlet is as necesary as breathing, it provides you with a chance to explore, dream and be yourself 100%. We all have it, it isn't exclusive and it isn't always about being able to draw well or paint well. Creativity comes in so many different forms and shapes, and if you find yourself unsure what your outlet is then simply allow yourself to be open to ideas on how to express yourself. It could be writing a story, a poem, photography, doodling, knitting, painting, gardening, dressing up, dancing or singing!...who knows! The point is to give it a chance to breathe and you'll find yourself more full of life, energy and happiness in the long run.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Remembering
Is anyone else finding themselves forgetful these days? Over the last 2 months the amount of important tasks and must do things that I've forgotten has risen significantly. It would be nice to say it is down to age but that is such an easy get out excuse it doesn't work!
Small everyday routine tasks suddenly become - 'what was I doing?' and 'who was I calling?' and even in some cases just a complete blank on it. According to emails from friends, I'm not alone in this situation either.
So what is occurring...is it a shift in our consciousness that is creating this forgetfulness? Is it a shift in the world and commerce and our way of living that is causing confusion? We could say it is both.
Over the last while people are beginning to 'wake up' to what is important in their lives. The changes forced upon us via the recession are causing many of us to sit up and take notice about how we spend our time, money and energy. This has created a 'shift' in our perceptions around how we live and how we want to live. With a decrease in the number of jobs on the market and ongoing redundancies, this also causes a shift in how we do things, and often the old tried and tested way or routines just doesn't cut it anymore.
So how do we keep our heads screwed on amidst all this change? We stay in the now. We focus on the present and we get what can be done, done. Compiling a list of daily to do things and putting them on a wall in the kitchen, hall or home office space, can at least help you to be reminded. Using a white board or a printed off sheet can help you to keep track and mark things off as you go along. You can still plan for the future while being aware that changes and adjustments can be made easily along the way.
I for one will be using a task list sheet in the present AND the future! : )
Small everyday routine tasks suddenly become - 'what was I doing?' and 'who was I calling?' and even in some cases just a complete blank on it. According to emails from friends, I'm not alone in this situation either.
So what is occurring...is it a shift in our consciousness that is creating this forgetfulness? Is it a shift in the world and commerce and our way of living that is causing confusion? We could say it is both.
Over the last while people are beginning to 'wake up' to what is important in their lives. The changes forced upon us via the recession are causing many of us to sit up and take notice about how we spend our time, money and energy. This has created a 'shift' in our perceptions around how we live and how we want to live. With a decrease in the number of jobs on the market and ongoing redundancies, this also causes a shift in how we do things, and often the old tried and tested way or routines just doesn't cut it anymore.
So how do we keep our heads screwed on amidst all this change? We stay in the now. We focus on the present and we get what can be done, done. Compiling a list of daily to do things and putting them on a wall in the kitchen, hall or home office space, can at least help you to be reminded. Using a white board or a printed off sheet can help you to keep track and mark things off as you go along. You can still plan for the future while being aware that changes and adjustments can be made easily along the way.
I for one will be using a task list sheet in the present AND the future! : )
Monday, February 15, 2010
Manifesting
There are many sites, books and youtube inputs into the art of manifesting what you want in your life. The more I read about it the more I see that the repeat message is simple. Put your attention on your intention. The application of it however is another story altogether.
This year is all about manifesting what you want in your life. The energy for 2010 is very much about bringing the very things you are focusing on in your life, into a reality for you.
It all sounds wonderful doesn't it? The only thing here is that the world and the energy involved with the manifestations doesn't discern between the good and the bad! So if you choose to put your attention on negative situations and outcomes, the universe will happily deliver your intention, because that is what you put your attention on.
So how do we make good use of all this energy around us? How do we manifest the good stuff and do away with the bad?
We start getting very, very clear on what it is we focus on. What are we thinking about right now? When we ask for a specific outcome or event, do we doubt that we'll get it?
This is one of those years where we are going to have to put OUR ENERGY into becoming very aware of what we focus our thoughts on. We have to catch ourselves when we find our doubts creeping in, we have to adjust ourselves when our thoughts slide into a negative 'it'll never happen for me' pattern.
It requires work. It requires effort. It requires faith.
Most of all, and this is the bit I particularly like, if you've had a life time of it not working then celebrate the fact that you at least know how to manifest! So if the negative has been the focus in your life, and you've succeeded in making it so...isn't it time to flip it around and give the positive a shot? If you put in the same effort who knows what fabulous turn arounds will come from it! : )
This year is all about manifesting what you want in your life. The energy for 2010 is very much about bringing the very things you are focusing on in your life, into a reality for you.
It all sounds wonderful doesn't it? The only thing here is that the world and the energy involved with the manifestations doesn't discern between the good and the bad! So if you choose to put your attention on negative situations and outcomes, the universe will happily deliver your intention, because that is what you put your attention on.
So how do we make good use of all this energy around us? How do we manifest the good stuff and do away with the bad?
We start getting very, very clear on what it is we focus on. What are we thinking about right now? When we ask for a specific outcome or event, do we doubt that we'll get it?
This is one of those years where we are going to have to put OUR ENERGY into becoming very aware of what we focus our thoughts on. We have to catch ourselves when we find our doubts creeping in, we have to adjust ourselves when our thoughts slide into a negative 'it'll never happen for me' pattern.
It requires work. It requires effort. It requires faith.
Most of all, and this is the bit I particularly like, if you've had a life time of it not working then celebrate the fact that you at least know how to manifest! So if the negative has been the focus in your life, and you've succeeded in making it so...isn't it time to flip it around and give the positive a shot? If you put in the same effort who knows what fabulous turn arounds will come from it! : )
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!
Every year we decide that this is going to be the year of change. We decide to give up cigarettes, lose the weight, start the yoga class, do something new and exciting.
So with so much New Year determination why do we often fail to stick with it?
The biggest hole we fall into when making any resolutions is that we refuse to be REAL about it all. You might want to lose weight and get healthy but what are you prepared to do and for how long?
Maybe you would benefit from a whole new approach. Ditch the list of resolutions, forget the plans and start with a whole new blank page. Avoid the 'I should do this...' list at all costs, and instead start with the following:
If I choose to stay at my current weight by the end of 2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________
If I choose to stay smoking the way I am, by the end of 2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________
If I choose to continue to treat myself the way I currently am, by the end of 2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________
If I choose to continue thinking and acting the way that I do, by the end of 2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________
If I choose to take positive action on any of the above, by the end of 2010_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If I choose to remain as I am, ignoring signs that something needs to change, by the end of 2010
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Getting real about your present and taking action to change your future is empowering, long term. Making lists of endless resolutions that have been around year after year without being completed is self sabbotage and giving your power away.
There are people that are focused enough to review their year and take stock and make resolutions based on goals. They can, with plenty of focus and tweaking, complete these goals too. It is completely possible, but it is something that is fine tuned with practice. You wouldn't get into your car without knowing where it was going first! Approaching your goals and resolutions with the same attitude helps to ensure that your time and energy are used to good effect. If you find that this is yet another year where you haven't managed to cross off anything from your list of resolutions then stop kidding yourself.
Take some time out, get to know the reality of the cost of staying stuck or not taking action, and you'll soon find that 'getting real' can make a real and lasting difference in your life...now wouldn't that be something worth celebrating next New Years!
So with so much New Year determination why do we often fail to stick with it?
The biggest hole we fall into when making any resolutions is that we refuse to be REAL about it all. You might want to lose weight and get healthy but what are you prepared to do and for how long?
Maybe you would benefit from a whole new approach. Ditch the list of resolutions, forget the plans and start with a whole new blank page. Avoid the 'I should do this...' list at all costs, and instead start with the following:
If I choose to stay at my current weight by the end of 2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________
If I choose to stay smoking the way I am, by the end of 2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________
If I choose to continue to treat myself the way I currently am, by the end of 2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________
If I choose to continue thinking and acting the way that I do, by the end of 2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________
If I choose to take positive action on any of the above, by the end of 2010_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If I choose to remain as I am, ignoring signs that something needs to change, by the end of 2010
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Getting real about your present and taking action to change your future is empowering, long term. Making lists of endless resolutions that have been around year after year without being completed is self sabbotage and giving your power away.
There are people that are focused enough to review their year and take stock and make resolutions based on goals. They can, with plenty of focus and tweaking, complete these goals too. It is completely possible, but it is something that is fine tuned with practice. You wouldn't get into your car without knowing where it was going first! Approaching your goals and resolutions with the same attitude helps to ensure that your time and energy are used to good effect. If you find that this is yet another year where you haven't managed to cross off anything from your list of resolutions then stop kidding yourself.
Take some time out, get to know the reality of the cost of staying stuck or not taking action, and you'll soon find that 'getting real' can make a real and lasting difference in your life...now wouldn't that be something worth celebrating next New Years!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Decembers Post - Showing Up
Last week I went to a seminar by Nick Williams, based on the concept of 'showing up' in your life. It was an interesting take on a theme that has been going on all year, around consistency and perseverance. In this case the focus was on moving out of your comfort zone and taking part in your life. It is easy to allow fear based assumptions to consume you into a non-action way of living. Taking the plunge, moving jobs, starting a new path, changing lanes in your life, are all big leaps of faith to most of us...yet if we choose to not do it when we feel a calling for action, it means we have basically opted out. We didn't bother to show up and live.
What does this ultimately mean?
It means that you are cutting off any chance of a connection or opportunity for the universe to help you. It means that the energy inside you becomes stagnant and stale as it has nowhere to go, and it means that you are hiding and not showing the world what and who you can truly be in this life.
Showing up in your life, even when the going gets tough, is an act of generosity according to Nick...and he is right. The payoff can be obvious or it can be that one little synchronised situation which enables you to move onwards and upwards or connect with another and help them in some way. Either way, the fact that you showed up means you allowed the creativity of the universe to unfold and the energy to flow in the right direction.
When do you avoid 'showing up' in your life?
When you avoid 'showing up' in your life are you energised or drained as a result?
Can you think of a situation or place that you decided to 'show up' and found an amazing opportunity presented itself to you or you met someone that changed your life for the better?
More and more people are awakening to the importance of living in the NOW. By this I don't mean driving fast and throwing caution to the wind!...I mean being ever present in the moment and allowing yourself to be grateful for what is in your life right NOW.
December is a good month for taking stock of your life, although with the way this year has developed, taking stock probably started a lot earlier than December! However, take this chance to review things again before you bombard yourself with new resolutions for 2010. Appreciate your life, the lessons you've learned so far, even the tough and very challenging ones, appreciate that in this 12th month you are still here, present in this moment...because you kept showing up.
What does this ultimately mean?
It means that you are cutting off any chance of a connection or opportunity for the universe to help you. It means that the energy inside you becomes stagnant and stale as it has nowhere to go, and it means that you are hiding and not showing the world what and who you can truly be in this life.
Showing up in your life, even when the going gets tough, is an act of generosity according to Nick...and he is right. The payoff can be obvious or it can be that one little synchronised situation which enables you to move onwards and upwards or connect with another and help them in some way. Either way, the fact that you showed up means you allowed the creativity of the universe to unfold and the energy to flow in the right direction.
When do you avoid 'showing up' in your life?
When you avoid 'showing up' in your life are you energised or drained as a result?
Can you think of a situation or place that you decided to 'show up' and found an amazing opportunity presented itself to you or you met someone that changed your life for the better?
More and more people are awakening to the importance of living in the NOW. By this I don't mean driving fast and throwing caution to the wind!...I mean being ever present in the moment and allowing yourself to be grateful for what is in your life right NOW.
December is a good month for taking stock of your life, although with the way this year has developed, taking stock probably started a lot earlier than December! However, take this chance to review things again before you bombard yourself with new resolutions for 2010. Appreciate your life, the lessons you've learned so far, even the tough and very challenging ones, appreciate that in this 12th month you are still here, present in this moment...because you kept showing up.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Living with Intention
There are many books that have come out about the subject of attracting what you want and clarifying the don't wants so you know what you do want. It sounds confusing when put that way! In the dizzying array of books however, the clearest message being projected is that the clearer you are about what you really want, the quicker you're going to get it.
In other words, be clear with your intent.
Living from a place of intention is liberating. It takes practice but it is worth the trial and error. It permits you to discard the nagging doubts and anxieties that distract you from your focus, and empowers you by allowing your statement to resonate with the universe in such a way as to make things happen.
It doesn't have to be radical either. You can start small and build it up. A simple step in the right direction makes all the difference in your life in the long run. Even something as simple as 'I intend to have a great breakfast this morning', sets up your thoughts to put that into action. It bears repeating if you find your gremlin coming into play or find that doubts start to arise. By even stating this sentence you will feel a massive difference in your energy and attitude - because you are being crystal clear about how you intend the next moment to be.
As we approach Christmas this is possibly one of the best exercises to begin training in. Live your life with intention so that the joy generated by such clarity can be enjoyed by you and thus ripple outwards in a positive motion. It beats focusing on the negative!
Intend to live the best life you can at this moment in time.
In other words, be clear with your intent.
Living from a place of intention is liberating. It takes practice but it is worth the trial and error. It permits you to discard the nagging doubts and anxieties that distract you from your focus, and empowers you by allowing your statement to resonate with the universe in such a way as to make things happen.
It doesn't have to be radical either. You can start small and build it up. A simple step in the right direction makes all the difference in your life in the long run. Even something as simple as 'I intend to have a great breakfast this morning', sets up your thoughts to put that into action. It bears repeating if you find your gremlin coming into play or find that doubts start to arise. By even stating this sentence you will feel a massive difference in your energy and attitude - because you are being crystal clear about how you intend the next moment to be.
As we approach Christmas this is possibly one of the best exercises to begin training in. Live your life with intention so that the joy generated by such clarity can be enjoyed by you and thus ripple outwards in a positive motion. It beats focusing on the negative!
Intend to live the best life you can at this moment in time.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
FORWARD PLANNING
Halloween is known as the ancient Celtic New Year. It is an ideal time to perform rituals and prepare for the winter months ahead while taking stock of the harvest and celebrating it. How can this tradition be applied to the modern world?
If we were to take it as an opportunity of 'taking stock', we could realise the many areas of our lives that we are thankful for. It is easy to get caught up in the many things we lack at present, in particular our finances. It is also easy to forget to focus on the important and small details of our lives that don't involve money yet provide joy when your attention is put on them.
For this month maybe try to do the following:
Take stock of where you are right now
Perform a ritual to release anything from your life that no longer works
Turn your focus to what IS working in your life
Use this focus to plan for your winter
There is no question that this year is proving to be a challenging and difficult time for everyone, and yet the lessons some of us have learned so far could perhaps not have been learned any other way.
What are you grateful for in your life right now?
Do you have a ritual such as eating a meal together as a family or couple?
How often do you focus on the good in your life?
How often do you choose to focus on the negative?
What harvest would you like to see next year?
How can you take the first step to ensuring the next years harvest is better?
What can you do with your current situation to bring joy into it?
Asking questions is always the first step to finding a clear, truthful and real path out of your current situation. Answering them in a clear, truthful and real manner will empower you to move and change as is needed to improve your situation.
September was about reviewing your situation, let October be about planning your next phase and moving forward.
If we were to take it as an opportunity of 'taking stock', we could realise the many areas of our lives that we are thankful for. It is easy to get caught up in the many things we lack at present, in particular our finances. It is also easy to forget to focus on the important and small details of our lives that don't involve money yet provide joy when your attention is put on them.
For this month maybe try to do the following:
Take stock of where you are right now
Perform a ritual to release anything from your life that no longer works
Turn your focus to what IS working in your life
Use this focus to plan for your winter
There is no question that this year is proving to be a challenging and difficult time for everyone, and yet the lessons some of us have learned so far could perhaps not have been learned any other way.
What are you grateful for in your life right now?
Do you have a ritual such as eating a meal together as a family or couple?
How often do you focus on the good in your life?
How often do you choose to focus on the negative?
What harvest would you like to see next year?
How can you take the first step to ensuring the next years harvest is better?
What can you do with your current situation to bring joy into it?
Asking questions is always the first step to finding a clear, truthful and real path out of your current situation. Answering them in a clear, truthful and real manner will empower you to move and change as is needed to improve your situation.
September was about reviewing your situation, let October be about planning your next phase and moving forward.
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