Take Five - Day 2

Someone once asked a sage what would be the most profound wisdom he could share with the world.  After an extended silence, the old man finally replied.  "Only one thing is constant, and that is change."  Yet, change is the one thing we do not do easily.  We are creatures of habit. We love our comfort zones. However, change can be very good for us. Change brings us new opportunities. In the process, we experience growth and more insight into ourselves and the world around us. Change has the power to transform us. It can take us from living a caterpillar life to the life of a beautiful butterfly.  Talk about radical metamorphosis!

Today, we are going to address three areas of our lives.  The spiritual, relationships, and environment. Firstly, take ten minutes today and find a quiet spot. Clear your mind.  Yes, I want you to meditate.  Fill those ten minutes with calmness.  Let the worry and stress slip from your body.  Fill your lungs slowly with air.  Breathe deeply. Let the air replace the tension in your body.  Slowly breathe out.  Feel how all the negative thoughts flow out of you...

Next,  think about all the people you know.  Which person have you lost contact with? Is there someone you have not spoken to for a long time?  Why is it that you have lost contact?  Was it a dispute or a misunderstanding?  Maybe you simply never had the time?  Reach out to that person today.  Phone them, or send them a nice message.  Don't expect anything in return.  Just reach out and send them caring vibes.  You might just be the reason they smile today.

Our environment can play a large role in the way we feel.  Most of us function better in an orderly and comfortable environment.  When we are surrounded by clutter it works on a subconscious level.  It can add to our stress.  I want you to identify one area of clutter.  It could be your desk, a room, or a drawer.  Sort everything into three piles.  One pile is for recycling and one for donation. The third one is for keeping.  Ask yourself if you really need to keep it. Are you actually going to use it?  Even just the action of de-cluttering helps us to regain our focus.

Three small changes, yet it could open up new opportunities.  Try it.  Have a fabulous day!

Pause & Walk

 

I am sure that most of us know somebody we would rather avoid.  You know, that one person who seems to always put your back up, or who seems intend on making your life unpleasant.  All of us, at one time or another, have been the victim of slanderous gossip or snide remarks. Most of us, at some point in our lives, have experienced hurt or vindictiveness. Very often our reaction is to stay away from that person's company and to avoid interaction with him, or her, at all costs.  Of course, there is nothing wrong with avoiding somebody who has treated us badly, belittled or bullied us.  However, when it starts to impact on our own lives and our own freedom, it is time to re-evaluate the situation.  

The one thing most of us have learned is that it is impossible to change another person's behaviour.  Nothing we can do, say or explain will change who they are, what they think about us or how they behave towards us.  The way they treat you and other people says everything about who they are.  The way they behave is absolutely their own choice, and they have every right to decide for themselves how they want to behave.  It usually has very little to do with who we are.  The only thing we do have any control over is how we react to them.  Yes, I may choose to avoid them, I may choose to not go to the same places where they are.  I can choose to keep myself isolated from them.  It is my right to do so.  Yet, doing this might in the end prevent me from enjoying my own freedom, it might keep me in bondage and it might prevent me from truly soaring and enjoying life.  By allowing other people's behaviour or opinion to govern your life, to control what you say, how you live or where you go, you in effect allow them to put you in a cage and to walk off with the key.

What should you do if you are being treated badly, betrayed, gossiped about or falsely accused?  First of all, apply my PAUSE method.

P - Precisely determine what has happened. Get all the facts clear.

A - Assess exactly how bad it is?  Is it worth making a fuss about, or is it hardly worth thinking about?

U - Understand the motive or the reason behind it.

S - Set aside your emotions.  It is fine to feel upset, disappointed or hurt, but do not let your emotions         run away with you.

E - Establish your boundaries.  Stay true to your own moral code, but do not allow others to abuse or         disrespect you.

And then, after the pause comes the WALK.

W - Wave and smile.  Allow nothing to steal your peace.

A -  Adjust your focus, keep it on your goal.

L -  Let in go.  

K -  Keep negativity and toxic people out of your life.

Choose Change

Can you believe it?  We are already a week into this new year! Amazing!  Have you thought this morning about just HOW wonderful it is to open your eyes, to experience a wonderful new day?  Definitely something to put into a Gratitude Journal.

Last week I shared with you my idea for my blog this year.  That is to share some thoughts or ideas with you that you can implement in your life this year.  The idea is that at the end of 2015 you would have done at least a few things differently or extra during this year.  Last week's idea was to start a Daily Gratitude Journal.  How is it going?  I love mine, and all it takes is ten minutes before bedtime to write down 5 things I am grateful for that happened, or that I saw or experienced that day.  The only catch is that it has to be something you have NOT written down before.  At the end of the year you could have 1825 things to be grateful for that you might otherwise have just passed by, or forgotten!!

This week I want to talk about CHANGE.

Yes, the one thing most of us find very, very difficult to do.  People generally do not like change.  We all have internal change detectors that buzz like crazy the minute we encounter something that just has the faintest whiff of change!!!  Yet, change is inevitable if we want to grow, evolve or develop into better human beings.  Change has to happen if we desire something different to what we presently have in our lives.  

Don't worry, I am not here to tell you what it is that you should change, nor will I ask you to change a whole lot of things.  All I want to ask you is to take a look at your life, your circumstances or situation and ask yourself if there were just one thing that you would like to change or do differently, what would that be?  What is it that would make the most difference to your life, if you were to change it or do it differently?  Identify it, write it down and commit yourself to do it.  Now is the time to do it.  Do not put it off any longer.  A friend of mine changed just one thing at the beginning of December.  She decided to cut out all sweetened drinks from her diet and she's already lost 6lb!  One change, a positive result.

I leave you with this thought:

Making a big life change is scary, but what is even more scary? - Regret!!! (Quote by Unknown)

You are welcome to share your thoughts with us here on the blog.  I would love to hear from you!

Blessings.