Unlocking Your Creativity

Back in February I released my debut fiction book, you may think it strange to hear, but I was slightly nervous about my friends and family grabbing a copy.  As an author, I should be over the moon at the sales, but the majority of my friends aren’t my typical audience.  You see, I write young adult fantasy fiction.  Supernatural stories about sixteen-year-old protagonists who go on a demon hunt with a bunch of faeries and witches.  As it happens, the feedback I’ve received has been overwhelming.  I may have converted a few die-hard historical romance readers over to the dark side.

 

When I receive reviews from my young readers, they gush over the plot and tell me who their favourite character is.  When I ask for feedback from my adult friends, nine times out of ten I get, ‘Oh I wish I was creative, how magical to be born with this talent.’

Does a Tee-Total Life Mean No More Fun?

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve reinvented myself.  I’m like a brunette version of Madonna but with less muscle, droopier boobs and a non-existent toy boy.

Reinvention is not always a bad thing.  We may wish to alter our health and wellbeing following an illness.  Perhaps a change in career direction may become necessary due to redundancy, or we might want to grow into a more mature mentality after hitting a respectable age.

As I look back over my life and its many trials and tribulations I realise that instead of reinventing myself I should have been happy with who I was.  I had an insane belief that I needed to bend my character to fit other people.  Maybe I was a chameleon in another life?  Whatever the reason, I’ve spent the last ten years trying to find out who I truly am.

Using a Dropbox to Release Worry, Fear and Anxiety

Ever thought of using a Dropbox to help with anxiety, worry or fear?  Before you all rush off to your laptops and sign up for this service - although who wouldn’t want a place to stash a gazillion photos, doc, videos and files and have instant access? - I’m not referring to the technical Dropbox.  I’m talking about a physical one – a jar, shoebox, or even an envelope, where you can drop off your worries.

I know some of my friends use a gratitude jar.  To use this, they jot down anything they are grateful for during that day or week.  The idea is to empty the jar at the end of the year and have a host of happy and grateful memories to remind yourself of how blessed you are.

The drop off box works in a similar way.  Had a bad day? Jot down why it was bad, who upset you and how you feel about it.  Screw up the piece of paper and drop it in the jar.  Add every worry, fear or anxious thought you have into it.

Coping With Email Overload

My life has taken an unexpected detour over the past couple of weeks. In fact this detour is more of a sharp swerve around a hairpin bend on two wheels, however, as I’m always up for a challenge, I am trying to take everything in my stride.

The house is in need of a damn good clean, and the ironing pile is so high I think I spotted a mountain goat teetering on the top.  As well as this, my inbox is bulging at its electronic seams.

My kids have been incredibly helpful and have occasionally thrown the vacuum around in a haphazard motion.  They have also flicked the yellow duster lightly over the furniture – regardless of if it was wooden or not – they are ‘helping’ I must not complain!

Taking Comfort from an Inspirational Quote

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  It’s a quote we have all heard a million times over but when your life has truly given you lemons, it can be quite comforting to read.

Last week I shared '7 Inspirational Reads' with you.  For this week’s post, I’m going to share some of the most amazing quotes and affirmations that have got me through some of the worst days. 

Feel free to share your favourites in the comments below.

7 Books To Inspire You



Reading is not, in my opinion, a luxury, but a necessity.  When we are young, it is our gateway to everything we are about to learn during our school days.  As we reach our teens, it often becomes an escape from the schedules and demands.  Then we ‘grow up’ and time takes over, life becomes so busy and reading slides down the to-do list faster than that first glass of Chardonnay on a Friday night.

 

For many people, this isn’t the case, and reading is still a huge part of their lives.  I am one of these people.  Not having a book in my hand is unthinkable.  But a few years ago I couldn’t find any comfort in reading.  Stress and anxiety had its hold over me, and I couldn’t sit still long enough to focus on the words. 

Interview with Peter Jones, author of How To Do Everything And Be Happy.

Last week I spoke about using self-help tools to heal yourself, and in particular the use of motivational and inspirational books.

On occasion you will come across a book that has the potential to change your life.  I have a shelf full of self-help books, but there are the odd one or two that I recommend to everyone I know.  Why?  Because these books changed me at my core and made me think about how I live and what I can do to improve my environment/life/career.

Today I am joined by Peter Jones, author of How To Do Everything And Be Happy - one of the outstanding books that changed my life.

Helping Yourself To Heal

A couple of weeks ago I shared a post about Numerology and Lucky Charms; you can read that here http://myresolutionchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/looking-at-numerology-and-lucky-charms.html

I am a great believer in reading the signs around you.  Of course, this may be my inner writer looking for a new story arc, either way we are sent messages on a regular basis.  It’s up to us to tune in and hear them or carry on regardless.

When I host my vision board workshops, I help students tap into those messages to create a vision of how they would like their life to be.  If you are interested in learning more about Vision Boards you can read about them here http://myresolutionchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/a-new-vision-for-new-year.html

At the start of each year, I prepare a board for all the exciting things I want to achieve, be, have or work on during the next twelve months.  I’ve done this for years, and I continue to be astounded at how varied my boards are from year to year. 

Find a Little Me Time With Lava Shell Massage

Hands up who does everything for everyone and leaves themselves until last.  Go on, put your hand up, you know who you are.

I run a holistic health practice and offer numerous feel good therapies to my clients, I also offer them advice on what they can do for themselves in-between sessions.  So you would think I was able to take my words literally – apparently not. 

In my day-to-day work/life balance I momentarily forgot the fundamental goal; make time for me.

This lack of self-care has manifested into a physical ailment.  I am kicking myself for not taking care of my health sooner.  However, feeling very much like I’ve just closed the stable after the horse has bolted, I am taking time out for some self-help.

Looking at Numerology and Lucky Charms

Do you have a lucky pair of pants, carry a charm with you at all times to inspire good fortune, or consult the astrological gurus before you set foot outside your front door?

I believe that we can make our luck, and I am also a huge advocate for the affirmation ‘thoughts become things, pick good ones’.  However, lately I have started to question if there may be a higher force at work.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have seen the number 2222 everywhere.  I’ve seen it on receipts when I’ve done my food shopping (in the code NOT in the price tag – I don’t eat that much!).  Every time I glance at my alarm clock or check the time on my phone it reads 22:22.  It happened so often that I decided to investigate.

I'm Enjoying Not Living In The Now

My topic for this week was going to be about living in the now.  However, I can’t stop thinking about at an exciting future event, or the past event that allowed this future event to happen – you still with me?  To summarise - I haven’t got a hope in hell of living in the moment, at the moment.

Is that a bad thing?  I don’t think so.  When time allows, I enjoy nothing more than being silent, or absorbing myself in a task such as walking, drawing, crafts or my writing.  Each of these activities enables me to be in the now, and I feel so much better for it. 

For today though I am somewhere else!

 

The reason for my abandonment of all things meditative is, in my opinion, a just and valid cause.

Do-It-Yourself Meditation

Back in 2011 I began teaching meditation classes for those of my clients who kept asking me how to do it.

I think they initially believed it was a mystical practice for the spiritually initiated.  Did I have to roll up my one trouser leg and levitate over the coffee table?  Had I attended a secret club hosted by Yoda and the Dalai Lama?  The answer, of course, was no…I just sat still for a couple of minutes and listened to my breathing.  No secret club.  No initiation.

I knew then that I wanted to show people how easy it was to meditate.

In 2013, I published a simple pocket guide.  Meditation: A beginner’s guide.

Here is an excerpt:

If you don’t know a chakra from a chorizo, prefer a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes over walking barefoot on dew-covered grass, and the only labyrinth you’ve heard of was a 2006 Del Toro film, then you’ve come to the right place.

Create A Monthly Care Plan To Achieve Success

Over the past two weeks, we’ve looked at using a Daily Practice and Weekly Intentions to achieve our goals and stay motivated.

If you’ve been following my series of posts about staying on track with your resolutions, goals or challenges, then you will be well on your way to success.  Your daily practices will be as routine as brushing your teeth, and the list of weekly intentions will be driving your goal forward.  This week I am going to share tips on creating a Monthly Care Plan. 

When I started my blog in 2013 – and subsequently wrote my book, How I Changed MyLife in a Year – I had to create a monthly plan to inspire me to succeed, month-after-month.

As with any goal, you will only achieve success if you are 100% committed.  Alongside the commitment comes planning.

Let me ask you a question – what have you achieved in your life that made you felt great?  Big or small, it doesn’t matter, just remember the feeling that washed over you and settled in your stomach; it’s called pride.