Articles Archives ~ Page 37 of 51 ~ Clare Josa

Are You Ready To Reach For Your Dreams?

Do you ever find there’s something in your life you really want to do, but you’re not sure you can do it, so it gets put off, again and again? Then one day you look back and realise that, with the right support, you could have done it after all and it might have been fun?

That’s the problem with comfort zones.

We’re all held back by our comfort zones at times.

How do you spot a comfort zone?

Think about things you’re avoiding doing, because they’re too difficult / challenging / time intensive (these are all classic comfort-zone-avoidance excuses!)

Think about things you’re not doing because you think you can’t / you’re too old / you’re not fit enough / you’re not clever enough?

These are all rubbish excuses (sorry, not mincing my words here!) we convince ourselves are real, to avoid having to go out of our comfort zones.

And that’s ok.

Really.

If you never want to expand to be the full, wonderful, amazing, beautiful potential of who you really are!

On the other hand…

If you’re even the teeniest bit interested in pushing those boundaries even a little bit, then you might want to join in this summer!

Join me in busting through your comfort zones this summer.

With two young children and a whole “to do” list of excuses, real fitness is something I don’t often find time for. Sure, yoga and “slow stuff” is plentiful. But finding the time and space to really improve my cardiovascular fitness is tough.

So, when I saw the ad for Oxfam’s Trailwalker, looking for volunteers to walk 60 miles (100km) in a day, I thought:

“There’s no way I can do that. I don’t have time (excuse number one), I can’t get out on long walks with the kids (excuse number two), I’m not fit enough (excuse number three) and that’s far too far to walk (excuse number four).

Luckily for Oxfam (and perhaps unluckily for my blisters!) I spotted those excuses pretty fast.

I wanted to get fitter.

I wanted to walk more.

I wanted to push a comfort zone.

So I signed up. And I persuaded Peter, Karen and Jimi to join me in this crazy project.

Now, I’m not asking you to walk with us.

But I am offering you a challenge:

Is there something you would really like to achieve this summer, but have been avoiding?

Would you like to join in with a group of like-minded people that will support you, encourage you, help you break through the barriers and reach for your dreams?

Yes?

Then here’s how you can make a start!

Tell us all what you want to do, via the comments box below.
Then join our Facebook Beyond Alchemy group, to get involved via the discussion board: http://www.facebook.com/beyondalchemy

Woo hoo! Great to have you on board!

Want to see how we’re getting on with our 60 mile walk?

Follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/trailwalker_nut
Join our Trailwalker One Step Beyond cheerleader group on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=116489365045412
Visit our sponsorship page, to keep track of our progress 😉 http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/onestepbeyond

Lessons Learned From A Trailwalker Training Trek

Inspirational Messages

Yesterday, Peter and I walked 33km (that’s 21 miles) as a training walk for our full-blown Trailwalker hike this summer.

Here are some lessons I learned:

Just because it is difficult, it doesn’t mean you have to stop. But it does mean you have to do something different.

Funny that – ‘cos you could apply it to lots of situations in life?!

Here are some that I applied it to yesterday:

It’s ok to take a break – it might even stop you giving up.
My left knee (the dodgy one) hurt at times – quite badly. So I got into a routine of allowing myself 30 seconds of “pause time” (not “stop”!) to stretch, massage and generally send it love. 🙂 This really worked. It released the tension in the knee and took the pain away. Then I could keep walking. Had I continued, without these pauses, I’d probably have had to give up the walk early on.
.
It’s amazing how far you can get, when you’re motivated.
We had already walked 10 miles and I was REALLY ready for lunch. The pub we had planned to stop at told us we couldn’t bring our wet, tired and cold dog inside. She would have to stay in the car park, on her own. I can kind of understand this, but it cost them our custom yesterday – and probably long-term.
Anyway, although I didn’t relish the idea of walking another mile into town for lunch, we did, and had a lovely meal in the cloisters (kind of outdoors) at the cathedral.
I didn’t think I could keep on walking without a break. But the thought of a hot lunch kept me going!
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A little planning prevents problems.
When you’re out for a very long walk, drinking enough water to stay hydrated, there comes a point in every girl’s life when you have to pee outdoors.
And here’s what I learned.
When it comes to a countryside pee, it’s all about location, location, location!
Here are my top tips for “outdoor comfort”:
1. Location: Ask your fellow walkers to look away. Find a spot that makes it easy for them.
2. Location: Check the chosen area for brambles and nettles, before you do the deed (nearly fell foul of that one yesterday!)
3. Location: Before you “go”, don’t just check the area in front of you – check out who might be able to see you from behind, too. Nearly had an embarrassing moment yesterday at one point when I hadn’t spotted that the convenient rest point was in full view of a multi-acre field 😉

As I said, just because it is difficult, it doesn’t mean you have to stop. But it does mean you have to do something different.

And I’m wondering, what could you apply that to today? Just a thought! Please do share, via the comments box. 🙂

And here are some pics from yesterday, to show you how we got on.

4 miles: wonderful ancient yew forest - minor diversion to investigate :-) — 4 miles: wonderful ancient yew forest - minor diversion to investigate 🙂

6 mile point - and some confused sheep watch our hill-climbing efforts

10 miles: A long-awaited lunch, outside in the cold, at Salisbury cathedral

11 miles: and a swan nests in front of the cathedral

14 miles - and 15 miles. Don't ask! ;-) — 14 miles - and 15 miles. Don't ask! 😉

16 miles - walking along the windy ridge

21.6 miles: smiles (and a pint) at the pub :-) — 21.6 miles: smiles (and a pint) at the pub 🙂

Want to see how we’re getting on with our 60 mile walk?

Follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/trailwalker_nut
Join our Trailwalker One Step Beyond cheerleader group on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=116489365045412
Visit our sponsorship page, to keep track of our progress 😉 http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/onestepbeyond

Are You Wasting Your Time, Trying To Meditate?

Inspirational Messages

My meditation master once told a story about a stressed executive, who came to him wanting to learn how to meditate.

It didn’t take long to see that the guy couldn’t sit still.

From his finger twitching and body fidgeting, you could see that his mind was racing.

The bags under his eyes told tales of stress-filled, sleepless nights.

If anyone ever needed to tap into the de-stressing benefits of relaxation, this guy was a prime candidate.

But my meditation master turned him away.

“Why on earth would you do that?” we asked him, a stunned class of trainee meditation teachers.

His smile shone gently as he explained.

Meditation is about so much more than just sitting still, closing your eyes and expecting to stumble across inner peace.

It is a three-stage process which, like learning to drive a car or play a musical instrument, takes dedication and practice.

Stage 1: Relaxation

Until you can relax your body and your mind, meditation is nearly impossible. Youl’ll be sitting there, desperately uncomfortable after the first few minutes, totally pre-occupied by your shopping list or last night’s television.

You simply won’t be able to sit still!

Being deeply relaxed is about completely relaxing your body, whilst keeping your mind alert. If you nod off, you’re asleep, not relaxed! Relaxation is also about acceptance – accepting your environment, accepting your body (with all its aches and pains) and accepting your mind (even if it’s chattering away!). Only when you are deeply relaxed will you be able to start to meditate.

If you need help with deep relaxation, you might find this useful: Finding Your Inner Stillpoint – Deep Relaxation CD / MP3.

Stage 2: Concentration

Until your mind can keep its attention concentrated on one thing for a period of time, you’ll find it extremely difficult not to be constantly distracted by other thoughts. Meditating isn’t about “emptying your mind” and “thinking of nothing”.

It’s about allow any thoughts to drift past, without stealing your attention. In concentration, we bring our attention inside, to allow us to move towards reconnecting with who we really are, rather than the external, ego-based world we usually inhabit.

Concentration exercises, such as candle gazing and physical awareness exercises, can help the majority of us who have very poor concentration skills!

Stage 3: Focus

Once you are deeply relaxed and able to concentrate, you will be able to focus on the practices you have chosen, leading you into meditation.

This is where your awareness can really expand and you start to experience the happiness and sense of inner peace that regular meditators achieve.

So my meditation master had turned this man away, because he didn’t want his prospective student to waste time and effort, trying to meditate, when he was still completely unable to relax. After a full twelve months of practicing deep relaxation, which can itself be life-changing, the student returned to become an excellent meditator.

If you have tried meditation and haven’t got the results you were hoping for, then the foundation stages might be missing. It’s well worth finding an experienced meditation teacher to guide you through the process. And you might like to make sure you’re asking them the 10 questions you should ask, BEFORE going to a mediation class.

And the video on the right explains why finding a good class and a good teacher can make such a difference. In fact, it would have prevented me from spending 15 years thinking I was meditating, when I wasn’t! 😉

If you can’t make it to a local class, you might like to check out the 28 Day Meditation Challenge. It’s like a ‘virtual local meditation course’, helping you create a strong meditation habit – no matter how busy your life is. Plus you get access to an online forum, where you can get moral support and answers to your meditation and mindfulness questions.

What have your experiences with meditation been so far?

What would your top tips be to help someone who is learning how to meditate?

We’d love to hear from you via the comments box!

The Joy Of Burnout ~ Dina Glouberman

Inspirational Messages

Ready for our next Beyond Alchemy Book Club book?

This time we’re reading “The Joy Of Burnout” by Dina Glouberman

If you have ever found yourself anywhere near burnout – or know someone ou love in that position – then this book makes an interesting read.

Dina Glouberman explains why and how burnout occurs, how to catch it …before things go too far, and how to break free of the burnout cycle.

If you’re on the slippery slope to burnout city, then reading this book might just save your life – literally.

The Joy Of Burnout ~ Dina Glouberman
Gina has plenty of case studies in the book to prove why and how!

In fact, if you’re highly motivated and driven, with a tendency to crash and burn, then this book is one you won’t want to miss.

Grab your copy from your local library or from your favourite book store and let’s share our thoughts!

Here’s a quick link to Amazon:
http://bit.ly/chj0NP

Read it already?
Would love to hear your thoughts – please reply to the discussion thread on the Facebook Beyond Alchemy Book Club!
Namaste,
Clare

Join the Beyond Alchemy Book Club on Facebook – it’s free! Beyond Alchemy Book Club

Are You Trying Too Hard?

Inspirational Messages

“Life isn’t meant to be difficult.“

All too often our society equates “success” with “hard work”. Yet humans seem to be the only species where trying ever harder is considered a virtue.

The rest of nature just gets on with effortlessly being whatever it is. Grass doesn’t force itself out of the ground. Rivers don’t push the water, they let it flow. The sky doesn’t try harder to let the clouds float across.

Often, if we stop trying to force our life to go upstream and just turn around and let things flow, real synchronicity can happen and problems resolve themselves.

Is there a problem you could fix today by just letting things flow?

Wishing you a day full of sunshine and laughter.

Namaste,

Clare

Too angry to take a deep breath?

Inspirational Messages

“A single word spoken in anger can undo thousands spoken in kindness.“

We’re all human and we all get angry at times…

It’s easy to snap at people, when we’re feeling stressed or angry. But that angry retort can cause pain and confusion and may even cause long-term damage to the relationship.

There’s an easy way to hold back, to allow more resourceful, kinder words to come out. And you don’t need a therapist to help you do it!

Whenever you feel you’re about to respond to someone angrily, simply take a deep breath in from your belly, pause for a moment, and breathe out fully through your nose. (If you do it through your mouth it can sound like a sigh which might not go down well!) As you breathe out, imagine the tension leaving your body.

By taking this deep breath, it helps you relax, can dissolve tension and will help you consider your words, rather than going with an auto-pilot angry response.

If you get a chance to try this one out, how about sharing your experiences via the blog comments?

Wishing you a day full of sunshine and laughter.

Namaste,

Clare

P.S. Sorry about the teporary absence of Daily Sunshine at the end of last week. We’re back now!