The Gift of Sleep and Rest

How this is so true at times! Do you agree?

I had one of these days yesterday - I didn't have the best sleep the night before and I can honestly tell you, I felt very unproductive... I was feeling a bit sluggish all day, I wasn't really comprehending what was going on, everything just felt a bit slower....and before I knew it the end of the day was nearing, not much got done and all I could think of was sleep! 

Of course, I know I'm also in my last few weeks of pregnancy, so its the hormones and its easy enough to point it at "baby brain"! Albeit there be some truth in that but it made me realise how we just sometimes need to listen to our bodies and do what it needs.

When I decided to have an afternoon nap - I know we don't all have the luxury of that (ok, so I'm a lady of leisure at the moment but I am also growing a little human being!) - I suddenly became much more alert when I awoke. There was a shift that went on inside and I also felt my moods change.. Has that ever happen to you? How about on the weekend, after you've had a massive work-week and then a million things to do and catch up with on the weekend, you can feel exhausted, right? Then you choose to have nanna-nap just before getting ready to go out that night and you suddenly have this new burst of energy!!

Have you ever thought that perhaps getting enough sleep or rest might just be what you need to change your mood, perspective and life in general? That your present moment could change and you could feel a whole lot HAPPIER!? Do you sometimes catch yourself and feel proud that you've ticked everything on your to-do list and you were able to so because you had all this energy?! Amazing isn't it? Amazing what a little sleep, rest or relaxation can do, to help you move forward and UPwards! :)

Why not give yourself the gift of sleep this weekend?

International Day of Happiness

There really are so many beautiful reasons to be HAPPY! What is it for you that makes you Happy? 

Today is International Day of Happiness - why not take a moment to reflect and decide what makes you HAPPY? What makes you happy in this moment might be different in another moment - and that's ok!

What about the influence of music? The music you listen to, choose to listen to, have playing in the background - feeding your unconsiousness?  I never really thought about it until a friend of mine, Deb King, who has a passion for music, made me mindful of this one day. And now, I've never been more mindful about this, particularly, as I'm learning how (at this stage in the womb) my baby can be influenced by my state of being and the association of the sounds/music I'm listening to at the time - fascinating stuff!

Have you ever noticed the unconscious influence of the music you might listen to? Either the beat or the lyrics? How it can change your mood and/or put you in a different state of Being?

A chart topper song at the moment "HAPPY" by Pharrell Williams (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGJX9tutZEA) is just one of those songs that's influential and makes me just bop along and all of a sudden, I'm in a much happier state!

Or how about the lyrics of Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror"?

"I'm gonna make a change

For once in my life

It's gonna feel real good

Gonna make a difference...."

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror

I'm asking him to change his ways

And no message could have been any clearer

If you want to make the world a better place

Take a look at yourself, and then make a change"

Making a difference in the world might be what makes you Happy! Change all starts with you - so why not choose to change your state of being to a happier one and see what happens for you? Your much Happier you might just be INFECTIOUS! The conscious influence of music.....

Happy Dayz :)

Change starts with YOU!

I love Gandi's quote - and love being reminded of it!

Whenever I catch myself of my thoughts in a situation or my reaction to a situation or person (you know, when you're being mindful...) - it's good to be reminded of this little quote. Usually if we're feeling a bit frustrated at something or feel that 'wish' that person would change - well guess what?  The only person who can change is YOU!

You've heard of the saying "you can bring a horse to water, but you can't make it drink" - well that applies pretty much all the time if you're wanting someone else to change to suit you - you're probably the one who needs to drink the water! haha...  

All that needs to happen is that you have to acknowledge that YOU have a CHOICE and that choice might be change! Whether that be changing your perspective, being more compassionate, seeing a different angle, showing kindness, being even more grateful than you already are!  

Ever heard of a Chain Reaction? These little shifts is what will start your own chain reaction IN you. One little small step, change or shift is all that you probably need and pretty soon, you're onwards to a happier, healthier You. Pretty soon, others will soon notice the change IN you without you having the need to be noticed.  

All you need to do is just BE who you want to be - wholesome, loving, kind, compassionate, broadminded, appreciate etc. and the rest will follow.  You'll soon see a change in yourself and wondered why you didn't see the goodness in the first place! :)

Be the Change You wish to see in the world.... 

Day 30: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 30: Today I am grateful for everyone who got involved with the gratitude challenge - in their own way

No matter how or what, if you managed to take a little time each day, just a few minutes a day or wrote in a gratitude journal or contributed to the page with your gratitude - I just wanted to say Thanks for being a part of it!

I hope that you've discovered new things about you, about your life, have created and cultivated more love, peace, positivity and gratitude in your life and hope that you'll continue to carry on a daily gratitude practice in your own way x

Day 29: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 29: Today I am grateful I have my pearly whites! Why not?!?

I was inspired by this quote as I never really thought about being grateful for having my original teeth :)

They chomp on my food so that I can feed my belly and because I was lucky enough to have braces when I was younger, they're lovely and straight for any photographic moment ;)

Have you been grateful for you teeth ever? Probably just took them for granted, right!?

Happy Dayz! :)

Day 28: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 28: Today I am grateful for finishing work earlier than expected!

So we're almost at the end of the 30 Gratitude Challenge - or as I've been thinking about it differently -30 Day of Gratitude.  If you said you wanted to join in on the Gratitude Challenge and at first it's easy to start, but the moment we skip a day, those days we miss end up being more frequent than you like - perhaps start asking yourself "How can I make time to contribute daily to my gratitude practice?".

If you have been enjoying the process of the Gratitude Challenge, but haven't been that committed to it, perhaps ask yourself if a daily gratitude practice matters to you?

For me, I have started and I have stopped my gratitude journal and then I have started and again have stopped... but what it came down to was that I soon realised, I was a better person for doing it, so for me - IT MATTERED! It was important to enough to me, contributing to my general overall BEING and made me a better person more than less, that it became important enough to no longer make excuses.  It wasn't about 'having' time, it became about 'making' time.

Perhaps you've heard the saying - How you do one thing in a part of your life, is a reflection of how you do everything... So if you're making excuses for one thing (that could  be more important to you), what else are you making excuses for?

Day 27: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 27: Today I am grateful for my mum, for everything she's done for me in ally years of my life

The baby hasn't arrived yet, but with all the antenatal classes I've been attending, I've been learning how to cope with labour, what to do when the little human gets here, how to change a nappy, when, how and how often you might feed the munchkin etc etc. 

All these things are great to know and a kickstart on how to be a good mother -  lessons I know I'm going to just have to work out along the way...but it's made me appreciate everything my mum had to go through when birthing me, bringing me up in this big world and the guidance and life lessons she's tried to teach me along the way. Of course she still likes to tell me how it's done or how I should do things...but then that's up to me whether or not I decide to take it on board or make my own decisions about it!

As we get older and we from our own lives with our own personalities and form our own beliefs, we may not agree to everything our mother or parents said but it's important to be grateful and appreciative for all that they've done and try to do. 

We don't need to follow everything they say, but we probably need to be a little more understanding and know they have just come from a place of their own life lessons, beliefs, upbringing and ideas on 'life'. 

Our mums (like soon-to-be-me!) aren't perfect, but they are good or great in so many ways! 

How are you grateful for your mum?

Day 26: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 26: Today I am grateful for all my life's learnings, for it has brought me to where I am today

We're all life-students, really! Everyday we learn something new and we don't necessarily need to be in education or going to school. 

Every time I read something new in one of those pregnancy books I'm learning something to prepare me for my unknown life ahead! Going to the prenatal hospital classes, even if I've heard it before, I'll still learn something new that just might not have stuck, the first time. 

Embrace being a Life-Student and see what learnings you gain for your future self or reflect on what you have already learnt or 'stumbled upon' that had prepared you for what and who you are now.... 

Day 25: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 25: Today I am grateful for all the little things my husband did for me today

Ok, so I'm getting further along in my pregnancy, which does lead me to have to restrain from doing EVERY thing I might have liked, needed to or wanted to - there was a small moment, where i felt a little helpless today...  But, I know I just had to let it go, accept where I am in my life and ask for help.

My amazing husband, well I just appreciate all the little things he has done for me today - like, coming home in between games (he plays "football") to help me with the fridge debacle (which turned out to just be the light bulb, but these days moving a big fridge is not really ideal at this moment of my life!).

Wanna know what other amazing things I appreciated him for? He did a little housework - and I know you think that he should be helping me with it anyway, but given the fact he's been working a lot of long hours at work, coming home to work more on the laptop, being dragged to parenting classes at the hospital, mustering up the energy to play his usual amounts of football etc etc. and he's done all this housework for me (because I asked for help) with his whole heart when he probably needed a rest, more than anything.

I simply, am HAPPY for having him in my life, that we met and all that mushy stuff ;)

A BIG THANK YOU for being you goes out to my lovely husband! :) xxx

- and I know he appreciates me for carrying this little munchkin I'm growing inside me! ;)

Day 24: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 24: Today I am grateful for the feedback which I received from a friend and follower on my 30 Day Gratitude Challenge

If we're not doing things for ourselves, then who are we doing them for? 

I started this 30 Day Gratitude Challenge for myself, but wanted to share it with family, friends, followers - EVERYONE! When I started blogging, I had no idea, this is where it would lead me - having this new found passion for inspiring others and reminding not only myself but others to see things different (get a different perspective) and perhaps filter in a change in people to BE more positive and happy.

For me, the gratitude challenge part is easy - I have a gratitude journal which I write in every morning - what's been challenging is the actual blogging everyday!  But I have completely embraced it and enjoying the process.

I certainly have a much better appreciation for the little things as well as those who are writers full-time, where writing is their number one passion!

How has your world changed since you took on the Gratitude Challenge?  I'd love more feedback!

Day 23: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 23: Today I am grateful for the lovely compliment I received from my client. 

How we carry ourselves is reflection of how we might be feeling or projecting in that moment. It can also affect others without us realising (even though we are not really responsible for their own feelings!).

I had the nicest compliment today from my client who told me she was glad I was a part of her special day because I was nice and calm and in control and that kept her calm too. 

It gave me that fuzzy feeling of satisfaction that I had done a job well done. Again this gave me an awareness on how our own energy can have a profound effect on others. 

How are you carrying your energy? Are you uplifting others or bringing them down? 

Day 22: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 22: Today I am grateful for a friend checking in with me

Isn't it nice to have someone check in with you now and again? How good does it feel? Out of the blue and it also allows you to check in with yourself. 

When I checked in with myself today, I noticed how much my energy had shifted and I was feeling amazing! I felt much better rested and noticed that it was just some rest which is what I needed to make a shift and change my attitude, my behavior, my actions etc.

It's important to check in with yourself on a daily basis. Ask yourself what is it that you need? Sometimes it might be the opposite of rest! Perhaps you are needing to do some exercise? Perhaps you just need to catch up with a friend to feel like you're being heard, perhaps you just need a hug.

Whatever it may be, allow yourself to have that and to fulfill your needs. It's much easier to help someone else when, you, yourself have had your own needs fulfilled :)

Day 21: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 21: Today I am grateful for the rain

I usually love, love, LOVE the sunshine because for me, it brightens up my day, it makes me happy and I associate it with growth.  But you can't have one without the other - if we only had sunshine, how will things grow without a little rain?

Today I am grateful for this beautiful rainy day - it didn't start off that way, but it's been raining for a few hours now and it's rather refreshing on this humid day.  It waters the dry land, my herbs and garden, it cools down the warm air. Today, there was a moment, where I found it peaceful, calming and soothing - the light pitter-patter of rain drops.  Almost meditative...

How do you view the rain?  And what about the ups and downs in life?  We know HAPPINESS because we've experience sadness... the two compliment each other! It allows us to appreciate the good times, the happy times and the UP moments in our lives :)

Day 20: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 20: Today I am grateful for the afternoon snooze I had

Sometimes we just need a nanna nap! Listen to your body and ask it what it needs. For me, I've been needing a little extra rest so today I decided that a nap was more important than any other 'domestic' thing I might have had to do when I got home from work today. 

We may not be having the best day, but if we can find a special reflective moment of when it wasn't bad, then at least we had a good moment in our day! And that's gotta good right?!? :)

Day 19: "30 Day Gratitude Challenge"

Day 19: Today I am grateful for my meditation awareness this morning - to be made aware of my energy and what I may be projecting

In the last couple of days, my awareness has shifted to a different level - I did things differently...

I listened to my night time visualisation meditation lying down with my feet up against the wall - for me, I did this because I was trying to also do two things at once, I wanted to start practising putting my legs up the wall to relieve my swollen legs (joys of pregnancy!) and at the same time it was keeping me awake enough (whilst lying down) so that I didn't fall asleep during my night time meditation! It was AMAZING - I was able to listen to the whole visualisation meditation all the way to the end and I had a different awareness.

This morning, my mind was quite focused again and again I was able to listen to each word at the beginning of the meditation and had some new awareness and learnings - I am so grateful for this as it brought a different energy to my day.

Have you ever had an awareness around your energy?  What did it do for you?