What are you Thankful for?

When you're at your lowest, what are you most thankful for?

I ask you this, because if at your lowest you can find things to be grateful for, you can't go far wrong.
Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions you can use to bring all good things to your life and to bring it in fast. It can dissolve all negativity, no matter what form it has taken.
So when you are feeling particularly low, be grateful for what you have.

Last week I put this fully into practice as everything that could go wrong pretty much did...but I was grateful for the things that hadn't been affected and for the great support and love from my friends and family. It turns out, things weren't as bad as we thought they might have been.
As you focus on gratitude and think, speak and feel gratitude you are raising your frequency to one of the most powerful frequencies for creating your world as you want it.
If you complain, blame, criticise, feel resentment, jealousy or any negative emotion, you are turning away from all that good. When you focus your thoughts and feelings on gratitude you are turning toward all the good that is being permanently offered to you by the universe.

Your task for this week is to write at least 5 things you are grateful for everyday. If you have difficulty thinking of anything then say Thank you for 20 times before you start writing, while  you feel the feelings of gratitude.

Hope you have an Empowered and Grateful Week.

Much Love & Gratitude

How to get your 'Spark' back....

Every now and then, I'm going to pull a card out as inspiration for your post. Today that card is 'Spark' from The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid.
The message this brings is to let you know you have a spark of creativity in you, and every reason to move forward with optimism and hope.Open yourself to inspiration and allow life to show you it's beauty and your part in co-creating it. This is the perfect time to give birth to an idea, start a new relationship or job, or begin any endeavour. Attraction is high as you connect with others who can co-create joyous experiences and join with you in expressing the finer aspects of life. Watching a spark turn to a flame and stoking that fire is a gratifying activity.

Is there something you've been putting of which you really want to do? Do you have a list of things you want to get done but never seem to find the time?
Now is that time...make it happen! You don't have to do it all in one go. If it's something big, break it down into small steps and do it one step at a time. 

If you think you're having blocks or challenges with your creativity here are a few ways which can help you get back in the zone...

1 - Change your scenery. Get out of the house, go to the beach, or a park or even just into your garden.

2 - Play some music. I find a bit of classical or relaxation works best for this. Not to relaxing as you don't want to fall asleep.

3 - Keep it Simple. We tend to over think things and complicate them. Keep it simple and free.

4 - Connect with your Inner Child. Have you noticed how children play with total abandonment. Try this, take time to enjoy yourself and laugh often preferably one of those laughs which are hard to control and take a while to subside.

5 - Use your Imagination. Before started watching too much television and films, we used to make our own fun, we used to let our imagination run wild and have the best time ever. Books are good for this. Let your imagination run wild.

If you are having difficulty finding time to do the things you would love to do, or getting moving with projects you have had sitting on the fence for a while now. I am offering a FREE No Obligation Discovery Session, which will allow us to work together one on one and really get rid of those stubborn blocks and unlock your potential.

Have an Empowered and Creative Week.
Much Love

Video Games for Therapy

Video games have been criticized for years on end for their contribution to obesity and inactivity. However, latest research shows that they may be used as a therapeutic mechanism for various types of illnesses, both physical and psychological.

Expert oncologists mention that video games can teach patients a fighting spirit, something that is vital to the survival of patients suffering from fatal illnesses. Often, patients in a difficult environment start to lose hope. Since the mind and body are closely connected, this despair further aggravates the sickness, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Video games provide patients with alternatives to think about during their free time. Also, games include lighter subject matter, where death is not absolute. Second chances, survival instinct, and patience can all be taught through video games, say lead physicians.

One major issue is the constant focus on death in video games. It can become quite frustrating to constantly show situations where survival is key to victory. Instead, game developers can focus on new designs to enhance the experience for this particular consumer group.

The need of a new focus, or goal, leads the gaming industry to un-treaded paths in the design field. This should be quite exciting for developers and testers as well. Additionally, it opens up a new market for producers, which means they will have to refine their skill to provide a satisfactory experience for such a customer, without forgoing the main function of trying to improve the health condition of patients playing the games. 

Benefits of Silent Retreats

A silent retreat is a great for people who are stressed out and want to get a peace of mind. Those who decide to go to one must accept the rules. The rules are very simple: stay in silence. You must not speak, use non-verbal communication, read books, write in journals, exercise heavily, or listen to music. Some people may start to think of this as worse than boot camp. They are not too far off from the truth.

Then why do people go out of their way to stay at such retreats for days on end? The truth is, once you have accepted the protocol, you will finally have ample time to accommodate your own thoughts. People put themselves through madness, stress, anger and commotion on an daily basis. Here is a chance to free yourself of the noise outside, and take a moment to listen to how cluttered your own mind has become.

At a certain stage, you may experience a few moments of silence; even inside your own head. That experience is extremely gratifying, because you can finally calm yourself to the absolute. There is almost nothing more satisfying than the sound of your own mind disappearing. You can start to feel the world around you for what it really is.

Silence helps you achieve a mental state higher than most others. The way you keep your mind tends to show externally too. If you are under a lot of stress, it may show on your body as wrinkles, dark circles, or weight-loss or gain. Shut away the troubles around to develop a healthy mind and body.  

Prayer - Is There Really a Right or Wrong Way?

“Daddy, my daddy, teach me how to pray.” Jim Reeves’ eloquence in articulating how we often forget prayer is unmatched. Nobody can really teach you how to, of course; but you could try to find some way to express love and gratitude for just being, and having the comfort you do in your life.

Actively thinking like this, changes the way you behave towards people in your surroundings. You constantly radiate positivity, thus instigating a similar reaction from others as well. Remember, prayer need not be ritualistic. You do not have to put your hands together to pray. Neither do you have to light candles around a deity. That is only what we have been taught.

What is the point of performing such rituals and going back to a chaotic world minutes later? How effective is the act of prayer when you do not mean it with your heart? The beauty of prayer lies in its ambiguity. You are never fully sure of what to say and to whom.

Instead of resorting to prayer when you are in trouble, make it a habit to make mental thanks, even if you are in a difficult situation. You can be grateful for all the times that you were not in such a place. Even if you do not believe in praying, such acuity and constructive outlook can go a long way in helping you achieve the mindset you need to overcome obstacles.