How are you today? Are you feeling busy? Want to find out how to get more done, in less time, whilst feeling less stressed? This morning I want to share a secret with you.
[Read more…] about Daily Sunshine ~ What’s The Best Way To Get More Done? Faster? With Less Stress?
Insider Secrets: How To Spot Someone Who Meditates Regularly
Have you ever wondered how to spot someone who meditates regularly? Perhaps you know someone who does and you’ve noticed how they’re different to other people? Here are five tell-tale signs that someone has a regular meditation practice – and perhaps they might inspire you to join in?
[Read more…] about Insider Secrets: How To Spot Someone Who Meditates Regularly
Think You Don’t Have Time To Change Your Life? It’s Time To Think Again…
How many times do I hear it? “I don’t have time to change my life!” Whether it’s from clients, students, my family or even that voice in my head, lack of time is the most common excuse for not making changes in our lives. But what if I told you that it’s not true; that it’s just an excuse? And that changing your life doesn’t need to take any longer than drinking a cup of tea? [Read more…] about Think You Don’t Have Time To Change Your Life? It’s Time To Think Again…
Fed Up Of Thinking Negative Thoughts? How To Use Gratitude As A Magic Wand For Positive Thinking (In Less Than A Minute A Day!)
Today I’d like to share with you a simple, yet profound, quote from Marcus Aurelius. For me, it sums up why I’m sharing the Miracle of Gratitude journey with you:
“The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.”
I remember a dear friend, about a decade ago, asking me how on earth she could shift her thoughts from negative to positive, when she had spent a lifetime training herself to think about the bad bits.
Much of my work over the past ten years has been invested in finding simple, practical, highly effective answers to her question. It’s one of the reasons I decided to spend this year creating and sharing The Miracle Of Gratitude.
The quality and ‘tone’ of our thoughts has a profound impact on our experience of life.
Telling your Monkey Mind to stop thinking thoughts that make you feel miserable doesn’t work.
Your mind can’t process a ‘negative’.
What do I mean?
I mean that if you shout at a child, “Don’t run!” it first has to imagine ‘running’ and then the ‘not’, by which time the accident has probably happened. If you tell them, “Don’t fall over!” then it first has to imagine falling over, and you can guess the rest. Instead of shouting, “Don’t run!” you could try “Walk!” Instead of “Don’t fall!” how about “Stay safe!”? Can you sense the difference it makes?
Tell your Monkey Mind, “Don’t think negative thoughts!” and it first has to imagine the “negative thoughts” bit and… you guessed it… it never gets round to processing the “don’t“!
One of the reasons why The Miracle Of Gratitude can be so powerful is because it gives you something to fill the vacuum; it gives you a structured training course for your mind, to help it gently retune from whatever its old radio station was to one that more often thinks of positive, happy, uplifting and grateful things.
It becomes like a ‘magic wand’ to help you turn your thoughts around, if they’re heading in a direction that you no longer want.
You’re not trying to ‘banish’ the sad or angry thoughts. In fact, that would just make them stronger, as we beat ourselves up for ‘daring’ to think an unhappy or unkind thought. As Carl Jung reminds us: “What you resist persists.” Give your energy – your attention – to a thought that you don’t ‘want’ and you are feeding that thought, allowing it to grow and continue. Instead, we’re simply looking to tip the balance in favour of the happy and more empowering ones, one day at a time; one thought at a time; no ‘forcing’; no ‘have to’; no ‘getting rid’; simply choosing to play with gratitude exercises and projects, one day at a time.
And what better way to do it than to tune yourself in to gratitude?
For those of you who are already joining in with The Miracle of Gratitude, I’d love to hear how you’re getting on. Perhaps you could share, via the comments box, how the daily practices have been impacting your life? Which gratitude project are you playing with? Are you still taking a moment to experience Gratitude Minutes? Do you have any insights? Experiences? Questions? Answers?
Not joined in yet? What are your favourite techniques for turning your thoughts around?
And if you haven’t had a chance to join in yet, here’s where to find out more about how to register today: www.MiracleOfGratitude.com
Namaste,
Fed Up Of Being Held Back By Limiting Beliefs? How To Let One Go In The Next Sixty Seconds
Are you fed up of being held back by limiting beliefs?
Have you had enough of not being able to turn your dreams into reality, because you’re blocking and sabotaging your progress?
Are you ready to have a clear-out and move on up to the next level?
Here’s my favourite sixty second process for clearing out a limiting belief – a long-cherished excuse – and setting yourself free to move closer to the life you have been dreaming of.
Beliefs, like clothes, were never intended to be worn forever. If they’re tired out and no longer fit, it’s time to say goodbye!
We pick up our beliefs from the most random of places.
Sometimes we get them from our family or teachers, sometimes we pick them up from the media and our perception of society’s beliefs and expectations of us.
Wherever they come from, all beliefs have one thing in common:
Our beliefs either block or enable that which we create in our lives.
Got any old beliefs hanging around in there, that no longer serve your highest good?
How about having a good rummage and clearing a few out?
Letting them go is much less effort than hanging on to them and looking after them, year after year, as they keep you stuck in old habits and out-dated ways of living.
And you get all the fun of choosing the new replacements, as an added bonus.
Want a sixty second technique to help you let go of an old belief, right now?
Here goes!
- Choose a belief that no longer fits.
How to spot one of these?
Think of something you really want to acheive, create or experience, but have been struggling with.
Now finish the following sentence:
“I can’t do this, because….”
The word ‘because‘ allows you to uncover your (potentially well-hidden) excuse. This helps you to spot the limiting belief that has been holding you back. - Next allow the belief to soften.
I’m not a big fan of positive affirmations. Telling your unconscious mind that a belief it has spent decades reinforcing with carefully-collected evidence is not true is a great way to set up an inner conflict, which always brings trouble.
As Carl Jung reminds us: “What we resist persists.”
So if we go around bashing our beliefs, we’re likely to end up feeling miserable and demoralised.
Instead, allow the belief to soften; to melt; to gently be released, rather than forcing it into the dustbin, kicking and screaming.
One way to soften a belief – to open your heart and mind to the possibility that it doesn’t need to be true for you any more – is to ask yourself the questions:
- Is this really true?
- Who says?
- Will the ‘future me’ thank me for letting go of this out-of-date belief?
Feel it starting to soften and melt away, like butter in the hot summer’s sun.
- Choose to let it go.
Letting go of them is simply a matter of choosing. “I choose to let go of this belief; I don’t need it any more.”
It doesn’t have to be any more difficult than that – unless you want it to be 😉 - And then get curious: “What would my ‘future me’ like me to believe instead?”
(That question might send your head into a bit of a spin – that’s ok!)
Play with new ideas of what you could believe instead.
Try them on for size.
What kinds of thoughts are they thinking? How would it be if you were to start thinking those thoughts, right now?
Imagine you have incorporated them into your life and zoom forwards a couple of decades – how does it feel? Really allow yourself to experiment with the curiosity and excitement of a young child, while you choose your new, more empowering beliefs.
That’s it!
Sorry if you wanted it to be more complicated. 😉
All you need to do now is to remember to keep polishing that new empowering belief.
Maybe write it down on a post-it and stick it in your wallet, where you’ll see it every day? Put it on the mirror, for when you’re brushing your teeth? Perhaps you could set it as an appointment reminder to ‘ping up’ on your computer every couple of hours for a few days?
How else could you get creative and remind yourself to play with your new empowering belief?
There’s absolutely no need for it to be difficult, if you do it with a lightness of heart and a dollop of self-acceptance and self-forgiveness.
Want More? Join me for my Limiting Beliefs Masterclass and learn how to spot them, before they cause problems, AND set yourself free from their secret sabotage or your success.
Want to have a go at this?
Which worn-out, old beliefs could you choose to let go of today?
How about sharing how you get on, via the comments box, below?
Namaste,
How To Sprout Raw Almonds
Sprouted raw almonds are a delicious, affordable and easy superfood.
They’re simple to do and sprouting them – technically soaking the almonds – makes it much easier for your body to absorb their many nutrients.
Here’s how to make the most of sprouted almonds and some great ideas for sprouted almond recipes – including sprouted almond milk recipes. [Read more…] about How To Sprout Raw Almonds