The Wise Old Man
A short video about how our attitude can make a huge difference in our life. Read more
Smile
A smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it. Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give. ~ Author Unknown
“Thanks to all the folks and animals who gift me with your smile. Your smile makes me smile” ♥ ~ Tara West
We’re all dying… what are you doing about it?
People talk about what they would do if they were dying – their bucket list, their wish list, their ultimate dreams, or what have you. Things to achieve, things to experience, things to feel with their soul and heart if the time comes.
But you know what?
We’re all dying.
It just matters when.
And sometimes we don’t know the ‘when’.
So I say, we shouldn’t be compiling our bucket list for some future event… rather we should be LIVING it now – and then re-compiling our list to keep on living it NOW, and NOW, and NOW.
When you let go of that internal control and just let yourself live out your innermost desires and hopes, you fully appreciate everything the Universe has to offer; the miracles that kiss your cheek; the joys that LIFE is breathing into your very soul.
And in some amazing way, it extends to you the gift of courage; the ability to reach out and pluck your dreams from the sky and with a deep resonance within yourself say with conviction, “THIS IS MY LIFE!.”
May your bucket list give you continued joy, courage, hope, and above all, motivation to live out the life you deserve.
Much love to you.
(Image credit: http://bit.ly/2enOpw)
Release the Feelings
I call this my Bubbles Exercise that I recommend to coaching clients when a feeling or memory is hindering their progress.
It’s okay to feel the feelings and learn from them. But when a feeling or memory is holding us back from claiming our goals and dreams, this exercise can be helpful in letting go and moving forward.
First step is to get yourself a bubble blowing kit – the kind that kids play with 
You can pick these up quite cheaply and easily at your local supermarket or you can make your own.
Next, with a notebook or journal at hand, find a sacred place. This could be in your backyard, at your local park – wherever is comfortable for you and where you feel you won’t be disturbed.
When you get to your sacred place, set your intention. Setting your intention is really important to do. Ask yourself: “What feeling / memory do I want to release? What is this feeling / memory holding me back from?”
Hold those answers in your mind, and then start blowing bubbles. As your bubble forms, imagine that feeling / memory being locked inside that bubble. Your feeling / memory that is holding you back is now inside that bubble… floating away. Or perhaps the feeling / memory is locked inside the bubble and suddenly the bubble pops and your feeling / memory pops along with it.
As you see your feeling / memory float or pop away, allow yourself to let it go. Allow your body to do whatever it wants to do when the feeling / memory is popped or floats away. If you want to cry, cry. If you want to shout, shout. If you want to scream, scream. If you want to laugh, laugh. Just let the emotion out that is associated with letting go of the feeling / memory.
If you feel no release at all, close your eyes and once again set your intention. Then blow your bubbles and observe them until you feel the release.
When you have felt the release and feel that your feeling / memory has been set free, sit down and take the time to reflect and write in your notebook. Ask yourself:
“How do I feel now this feeling / memory has been released?”
“What gifts did this feeling / memory give me?”
“What did I learn from these gifts?”
“Now that the feeling / memory has been set free and is no longer holding me back, what do I want to achieve?”
“To make my goal a reality, what steps can I begin today?”
Learning to Forgive Yourself
Sometimes, when a personal event has happened in my life that I haven’t been happy with – such as handling a situation in a certain way, as an example – it can sometimes get the better of me and stew in my mind. I beat myself up about it; even though, a few hours down the track, I realise I can’t change it, and I KNOW that I should just learn from it and leave it alone.
It comes back to forgiveness. Forgiveness of myself.
Forgiving others can sometimes be easier than forgiving ‘YOU’. When you forgive others you can find peace and move on.
But if you don’t reflect, acknowledge and forgive yourself, sometimes without even knowing it you are beating yourself up over and over again. This can be witnessed in certain actions or behaviours that could stem back to something you haven’t forgiven yourself for. Your subconscious has been eating on it.
When you love someone, you forgive. Love starts with yourself, so are you treating yourself with the same compassion and respect? Are you allowing yourself to learn from it and move on?
Here’s a nice little exercise that I have found helpful. Why not start today by acknowledging the feelings.
Sit in your own quiet, sacred place and say out loud “I love you dear memory”.
With no judgement, look at the feeling and see the positive side it has brought you. For every negative there is a positive – the way of life. Perhaps that memory has made you stronger in some way, as an example.
Then love and thank the memory. Finally, release it.
You deserve your own compassion and self respect; just as you give to others and / or your loved ones. What steps are you going to take today to forgive yourself?
7 Ways to Accept Yourself for Who You Are
Accepting yourself and your situation in life can be a difficult task. Do you tend to be more accepting of others’ mistakes than your own? If so, you’re being too hard on yourself!
Those people aren’t better than you! You were created with a unique set of talents that no one else has. Plus, everyone makes mistakes. We’re only human!
Becoming more accepting of yourself and loving yourself for the fine person that you really are can lead you to greater happiness and a more fulfilling life.
Here are some excellent techniques you can use to help you better accept yourself:
1. Focus on your positive qualities. Even though self-improvement is a good thing, it’s important that you identify and focus on your positive qualities, rather than concentrating on the qualities you feel negatively about.
- Maintaining this positive focus will not only help you better accept yourself, but it’ll also make it easier for you to attain your goals by utilizing your talents to boost yourself forward.
2. Consciously prevent negative thinking patterns. Negative thinking can really snowball fast if you don’t get ahead of it. It’s okay to be in a bad mood every once in awhile and have some negative thoughts; it happens to everyone. The trick is in learning how to push those negative thoughts aside and replace them with something positive.
- Replace your negative thoughts about yourself with affirmations. Affirmations are positive statements that affirm your positive qualities and help bring out the best in you. You can find affirmations in bookstores and on websites, or you can write your own. You can also download some positive affirmations and self-reflections on my site:
- I Am The Body In Motion That Stays in Motion
- Giving To Others Makes Me Rich
- If you believe in yourself, you can do it. It’s really that simple.
3. Accept your imperfections. Another part of being human is having some imperfections. Instead of dwelling on the things you can’t change, accept them for what they are. Making the best of your life starts with accepting your imperfections.
4. Use positive self-talk. Positive self-talk can help you achieve great things and change the way you think about yourself. Make it a point to give sincere compliments to yourself.
- Compliment yourself for the good things about your looks, your positive qualities, and every time you do something right. Do this each and every day until it becomes a habit.
- Recommended reading: “What To Say When You Talk To Yourself” by Shad Helmstetter:
5. Disregard what other people might think about your decisions. You’ll never make everyone else happy. If you try, you’ll soon discover that, not only will other people still be unhappy, but you’ll also be exhausted and unhappy yourself.
- Make your own decisions according to your priorities and be confident that you’ve done what is right for you.
6. Avoid worrying. Worrying will never help your situation. Rather than wasting your time by being engulfed in fear, take action to do what you can to make the situation better. If there’s nothing you can do to change it, focus on moving forward in other ways.
7. Try your best and accept that you’ve done what you could. Do your best every day and be proud of yourself for your efforts. Let go of any negative thoughts, such as being angry with yourself for not being able to accomplish an impossible feat.
- Even when you haven’t done your best, find a way to forgive yourself. Move on and commit to trying harder next time.
In changing the way you think about yourself, you’ll also change the way you see the world. Every day opens up new opportunities for you, and by utilizing positive thinking, you can make a real difference!
14 Simple Ways to Add Happiness to Your Day
I love simple things… it’s the simple things in life which can totally transform your day and turn it into one of sunshine (even if it is raining!).
Here are some easy ways to add happiness to your day:
1. Watch a movie. Grab a big bucket of popcorn and immerse yourself in your favorite movie.
2. Watch your kids or loved ones. Simply observe them and think about how much you appreciate the fact that they’re in your life.
3. Call your best friend. A phone call with a close friend is a great way to pass some time in a way that is comfortable and familiar to you. You can think about old times or enjoy planning something fun for the future.
4. Go out for ice cream. Okay, I agree, this one is a little naughty… but what the heck, you have to indulge once in a while, right?! And if you don’t like ice cream, grab your favorite treat instead.
5. Enjoy nature. Take a walk in the park and admire the different patterns and shapes on the trunks of the trees, or the flowers, or whatever catches your eye. Or what about just observing the beauty of the stars at night.
6. Take a hot bath. What a great stress buster! Light some scented candles to include the benefits of aromatherapy to the relaxing warmth of the bath.
7. Play a sport. Gather your friends and have a friendly competition. Sports are a fun way to get some exercise and relieve stress.
8. Zzzzzz. An afternoon nap may be just what you’re looking for. Even 15 minutes of shut-eye can help you feel more energized and happy.
9. Snuggle with your partner. Take the time to appreciate your partner and snuggle up for some couple-time. It’s a great way to reconnect, especially if you’ve been really busy.
10. Be lazy. Take some time to simply be lazy, with no responsibilities, and give yourself some me-time. Hmmm… how indulgent!
11. Listen to your favorite song. Crank up the tunes! And while you’re at it, why not put on your dancing shoes?! 
12. Make casual conversation. Strike up some lively conversations with strangers. If you’re friendly and happy towards them, they’ll likely be the same to you.
13. Be thankful. Reflect on all the things that you’re grateful for in your life and write them down. You might be surprised at how long your list is! Sometimes changing your focus to what’s going right in your life is all you need to turn that frown upside down.
14. Enjoy time with your pets. Pets are part of the family too. Snuggle up with your pet for some quality time together.
And don’t forget; be entirely present in the moment to feel the joy travel through your whole being.
So what simple things did I leave off this list that YOU like to do to bring happiness into your day? Share it with me below!
