You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.
Jan Glidewell

Keep Going!

Do you know when you just want to give up, throw in the towel and call it a day? When all your efforts seem to be going no place fast or so slowly you can't equate your efforts to the results?

Keep Going!

Even though it is the most challenging of circumstances, that sense of putting in all the hours without a shift occurring, keep going. The shift is happening; you just can't see it yet. The universe is busy doing its thing and it needs you to remain positive and in action. 

Too many people let go of their dreams just before the dream is about to explode into life. Why? Because they aren't seeing the results they expected in their time frame. The vision starts to blur and the only feeling left is that of time having been wasted. 

The truth is when you commit to a goal, a dream, it is imperative that you press on in faith. The path may change, the steps you need to take may alter but if your heart is in the dream you must dig deep to keep going and see it fulfilled.

If there were no challenges, no moments of doubt, it would all be too easy. But in truth would you really learn the breadth and depth of lessons you do when you have to confront difficulties? Would you truly experience your full potential in solving issues? One of the basic human needs is to grow and the challenges you face certainly provide you with room for that!

So if you are in a place right now where things seem difficult and you doubt the possibilities, refocus on the dream; feel it, see it, taste it and live it. Bring your goal to life in colour and become a solution focused person.

And you know what? When you reach your goal, not only will you be able to celebrate the achievement, you will also realise that every step was put in place to make you the stronger more enlightened person you are...

Live Blissfully

YvonneB

One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.
Michael Cibenko

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
Winston Churchill

The Gift of Life: http://bit.ly/oM6EE9

The Gift of Life...

Okay, I'm a little late on the blog this week but with very good reason!

As a confidence and life planning specialist most of my time is spent working with wonderful women who have made a decision to change their life, to create the life they truly desire so that they can be role models to their children, to other women and at the other end of the scale, know that when they leave this world they will leave it empty... empty because they will have lived their dream not died with it locked deep inside them. They will have used their gift of life...

This weekend I was given the opportunity to experience the gift of life up close and personal. My very dear friend Chelle and her partner Mark invited me to be with them at the birth of their child; an honour along with being asked to be the godmother! I remembered the birth-day of my own son, the joy and feelings of love that overwhelmed me, the amazement of having been able to create a new life. Of course I didn't get to see him 'being born' so this was going to be a different experience, another take on the gift of life.


A few things really hit me whilst watching the actual child birth; for those of us that have or want children there is this burning desire to see our new born, fit and healthy and we want more than ever to shower this new life with love, unconditional love. I heard it repeatedly during my friend's labour both with her partner and the midwife. There was little if any concern for her own well being, her pain, just the safe arrival of her baby... it meant so much more to her.

This led me to think about the changes that often follow. As our children grow up we start telling them to meet our expectations and too often spend time highlighting their shortfalls instead of glorying in their achievements and encouraging them. Long forgotten is the pure joy of them coming into existence. Granted there is a need to instill good behaviour, respect and manners into their growth but what about the joy of simply appreciating that they were born at all?

So I took away a healthy dose of reminders to self:

• My child is special and precious, not just in the moment of his child birth and youth but everyday of his adult life
• My unconditional love for him represents an appreciation of his life being a gift - it doesn't represent lack of boundaries or accepting poor behaviour
• The importance of celebrating his achievements, big, small and everything in-between
• Saying 'I love you'... daily 
• Giving a hug of gratitude that reminds him I am thankful he is here in the now

What will you do to show your child they are a gift of life?

Live Blissfully

YvonneB

Are You Still Dreaming? http://bit.ly/qOaI4d

“In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.”
Flora Edwards

It's Good To Talk!

Amazingly technology has brought us forward to a time where we can be in contact with people across the globe 24/7 with ease. We don't have to go to the airport and fly; we don't even have to call... truly a sign of the times.
 
Yet in the midst of all these new and innovative ways to communicate we seem to have lost (or be losing) the art of face to face conversation. We just don't seem to talk to each other in the same room and I wonder how much of what is being said is lost because of it. Let's face it, when you are emailing or sending texts chances are you or the recipient are also doing something else - multi-tasking, maybe, focused, NO!

Some shining examples:

You work in an office and your colleague, who sits about 10 yards away, has a message for you. Instead of walking over to you, she sends you an email and you, of course, reply - this is becoming the norm!

You're at home and your teenage kid is upstairs playing the music rather loud. You pull out your mobile and send a text 'please turn it down'... no exaggeration!

You are on your way home and you decide to call your friend, lover or family member. Now bearing in mind you are heading home 'to' that person there is still a need to clock up a 30 minute conversation on the train only to get home and have very little left to say - seen it!

So at what point do we lay aside these wonderful tools and actually interact face to face? Surely the ability to be in the present would help us communicate our messages more openly. Surely we would listen more (or at least pretend to) if we were in front of each other.

I for one love nothing more than being in good company, having a good chat, debate and healthy laughter. There is much to be gained in being with others and engaging in conversation. Just last week I had a few back to back social/business meetings and I came away invigorated... I rarely get that kind of buzz from my phone, texts or emails.

I only hope that we do not lose the will to communicate personally (or I might lose the will to live!), it would be a travesty... it really is good to talk!

Live Blissfully

YvonneB

“Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.”
Anon

Learning to live a blissful life!: Sometimes all it takes is a Smile http://ow.ly/5wstV

Sometimes all it takes is a Smile

On one of my trips into Bath City Centre last week I got talking to a very charming woman. We had seen each other many times in passing and always said hello, each thinking we knew each other from some place.

As it turns out we didn't know each other from any place in particular, we had just become the smiling faces that took time out to greet each other. But once we striked up a conversation we realised that other members of our families knew each other. Amazing...

During our bus journey long conversation I was told how lovely my smile was and how nice it was to see a smiling face around town. What a compliment and it really made my day.

And also made me realise what a smile could do on any given day; make someone feel special, make them feel valued, make them smile back perhaps for the first time that day, week or month. 

You see we never know what someone is going through when we pass them on the street. We don't know for sure if they are sad, angry, hurt, low in confidence, at a low point in life. There may be signs but no definite conclusions. But what if we gave them a 100 watt sincere smile just because we could, or a 'good morning/afternoon', even some eye to eye contact... What if that was all they needed to feel lifted?

The appreciation of another human being, the acknowledgement that they exist and matter, even if you do not know them (or ever will) is only a smile away. A smile is one of the easiest ways to connect with someone else and it costs you nothing in time, money or favours... and sometimes that all it takes to turn someone else's day around.

So go about each day with a smile, even if you're saying no to the free newspaper copy or to a street trader selling their wares, a smile and a polite 'no thank you' always seems to get a positive response.

Go on, try it!

Live Blissfully

YvonneB

"7 Simple Steps to Online Marketing SUCCESS: Take Control, Get More Traffic & Make More Profit with Ease!" Free webinar http://bit.ly/mOImq9