Awesome

You don't need permission to be awesome, YOU ALREADY ARE!

Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition. 

Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking.

In fact, it'd be great if we could each skip needing outside permission to be awesome by not waiting until the universe starts tapping its watch.

Having a happy productive family

I've posted tips here for my youngest daughter, now here is one for my eldest.  She works hard bringing up her babies, now 'big girl's, as she was told by her own eldest daughter, soon to be five, bless her.

My daughter does so much for them, she's a great mum, but she should have some help from her kids, so here is a good list from zenhabits to make running the household a bit easier and getting the kids to help.

Get well soon Kate, that damn flu bug is horrible. xxx

Mind Apples

I've just come across a new blog, called Mind Apples.  It's like the 5 a day fruit campaign for physical well being but targets the mind instead.

There's a little survey you can take part in, and share the ways you keep your mind healthy with the others on the site.

The Mental Health Foundation, linked from Mind Apples, has a similar idea but using 10 healthy things you can do on a regular basis to get that happy brain feeling.

Lacking in imagination, my first 5 things were:

* Read
* Try to think positively
* Have counselling
* Study
* Try to meditate

Note the word 'try' there, as opposed to actually 'doing'.  Typical of me.  Anyway, after reading the other mind apples I came up with some more appealing ideas:

Have lots of contact with family
Look at the sky
Laugh
Think about how wonderful nature is
Read lots and lots and lots

Have to have reading in both lists, it's what I do a lot.

A few more ideas from Mind:

walks in the open air
supporting your football team (when they win)
being listened to and respected
being taken seriously
talking to friends
doing something you’re good at
chocolate

Basically anything you're good, at or enjoy, you should do regularly.  Of course we can't all rely on others reactions to us, for instance, being listened to and respected, but my own opinion on that is to ignore those people and move on to others who will respect us and listen to us.  We are too valuable and important to waste our time with people who make us feel bad.

So come on and wipe out the negatives, replace all that with positive glowing healthy 'mind apples'.

Take the survey and share your mind apples!

It pays off!

Inspiration

zenhabits on inspiration

Inspiration is just about everywhere you can look, if you’re looking for it. That’s the key: to keep your eyes open. Too often we miss beautiful sources of inspiration, because we’re too busy thinking about other things.

Be observant. See everything around you as a possible source of inspiration.

Some possible sources of inspiration:
blogs
books
magazines
films
people around you
nature
children
art
music
history
exercise
religion
great projects
dreams
social media
photographs
forums
google
success stories
life, everywhere

Just keep your eyes open, at all times, staying present whenever possible, and allow yourself to breathe in that inspiration.

Now Take Action

Don’t just feel inspired. Take this inspiration and use it, be moved, and do something. Channel that inspiration into creating something amazing.

Put that something out into the world, and in turn, you will inspire others.

Self Doubt - The Way Out

I love reading Leo Babauta over on zenhabits  as you might have guessed!

Everyone has these doubts. 

You do.

Some of you have beaten them to the point where you’re doing what you love. Others haven’t, and might not even realize those doubts are holding you back.

They are — and you can beat them. I’ve done it, my sisters have, thousands and thousands of others have too. We’re no better than you — we’ve just stumbled on better information.

Get the data. Do something, get feedback, keep doing it, get better at it, get feedback all along the way, and see what the data says. Put your doubts to test, let them be disproven. And when the results finally come in, and you know what reality really looks like, be proud of yourself for at least putting the doubts to test. I’m already proud of you, just for reading this far, and letting some small light shine on the doubts quivering in the darkness.

It’s me who is my enemy
Me who beats me up
Me who makes the monsters
Me who strips my confidence.
~Paula Cole

Good advice for myself!

Relinquish Control  from zenhabits 

The Master sees things as they are,
without trying to control them.
She lets them go their own way,
and resides at the center of the circle.

This is another difficult change: to let go of our need for control. We try to control our environment, control our behaviors, control our minds, control other people, control outcomes. And yet, it’s all an illusion: we have no control over what happens. Things go wrong all the time, plans fail, we fail, and we feel like failures because of it. Because we thought we could control something, and it didn’t happen.

Controlling other people is a huge source of conflict. Stop trying to control employees, co-workers, bosses, team members, loved ones. Let them do what they want, and work with you how they will.

So how do you work without control? It takes time to learn this, but the idea is to let things happen, and act (or not act) within the flow of those events. Let people do as they please, and find calm amid this swirl of activity and people.

The Master allows things to happen.
She shapes events as they come.
She steps out of the way
and lets the Tao speak for itself.

Very hard!!

From zenhabits how to be a positive person

Condensed guide to changing your life!

Realize it’s possible, instead of telling yourself why you can’t.

Become aware of your self-talk.

Squash negative thoughts like a bug.

Replace them with positive thoughts.

Love what you have already.

Be grateful for your life, your gifts, and other people
.
 Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.

Don’t compare yourself to others.

But be inspired by them.

Accept criticism with grace.

But ignore the naysayers.

See bad things as a blessing in disguise.

See failure as a stepping stone to success.

Surround yourself by those who are positive.

Complain less, smile more.

Image that you’re already positive.

Then become that person in your next act.

Focus on this habit first, and you’ll have a much easier time with any other.

‘A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.’ ~Herm Albright

That might make it worth while!!

More No Goals

Living in the now from zenhabits

You don’t need goals to tell you what to do.  You’re excited about doing it already — you just need to focus, and get to it.

Goals keep you focused on something in the future, instead of being present and enjoying what you’re doing right now. Goals keep you fixed on one path, which might not be the best path in a week or a month or a year. They keep you fixated on one thing, rather than being open to new opportunities, being flexible as the landscape changes, being free to pursue something you’re newly passionate about rather than sticking to something you’re tired of.

Being liberated from goals means you will always be excited about what you’re doing. And yes, you’ll accomplish things.

You’ll get somewhere great — you just might not have known you’d ever end up there when you started.

Get excited, and do stuff.

Mostly Solitude

Good advice on being creative by achieving a balance between solitude and participation, of course from zenhabits 

I'm having a nice relaxing day reading some posts from my favourite blog writer Leo Babauta

The best art is created in solitude, for good reason: it’s only when we are alone that we can reach into ourselves and find truth, beauty, soul. Some of the most famous philosophers took daily walks, and it was on these walks that they found their deepest thoughts.

The Little But Really Useful Guide to Creativity

Here are a few from Leo's list.

Shut out the outside world.

Reflect on your life and work daily.


Look for inspiration all around you, in the smallest places.

Start small.

Just get it out, no matter how crappy that first draft.

Don’t try for perfect. Just get it out there, asap, and get feedback.


Ignore the naysayers.

But let criticism help you grow.


Apply things in other fields to your field, in ways not done before.
 
Write all ideas down immediately.
 
Get out, move, see new things, talk to new people.
 
Get lots of rest. Overwork kills creativity.

Don’t force it. Relax, play, it will start to flow.

Allow your mind to wander. Allow distractions, when you’re looking for inspiration.

Then shut them off when you’re going to create.

Do it when you’re excited.

When you’re not, find something else to be excited about.

Don’t be afraid to be stupid and silly.

Small ideas are good. You don’t need to change the world — just change one thing.

When something is killing your creativity, kill it.

Stop reading creativity advice, clear away everything, and just create.

Most of all, have fun doing it.

"Conversation enriches the understanding, but solitude is the school of genius."
Sir Edward Gibbon
 

For Gemma xxx

The Zen of Doing

I just love zenhabits

Let all thoughts about anything other than the doing also fade away. They’ll come up, but gently make note of them, and then let them go. And return to the doing.

If you’re washing a dish, do it slowly, and feel every sensation. If you’re eating a fruit, taste it, feel the textures, be mindful of your hunger or lack of it. If you’re writing something, pour your heart into that writing, become the writing, inhabit the words.

Just do.

The rest of the world becomes meaningless distraction. It’s just you, and your doing.

And you realize: this is all that matters. In this, there is everything.

There is something profound in that simplicity. Something ultimately heart-rendingly breath-takingly gorgeous.

“Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.” ~Shunryu Suzuki

“When walking, walk. When eating, eat.” ~Zen proverb


“Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.” ~Zen proverb

Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
spring comes,
and the grass grows by itself.

~Zen proverb
 

No Goals!

From zenhabits

Consider this common belief: “You’ll never get anywhere unless you know where you’re going.”


This seems so common sensical, and yet it’s obviously not true if you stop to think about it.


Conduct a simple experiment: go outside and walk in a random direction, and feel free to change directions randomly. After 20 minutes, an hour … you’ll be somewhere!


It’s just that you didn’t know you were going to end up there.


And there’s the rub: you have to open your mind to going places you never expected to go. If you live without goals, you’ll explore new territory.


You’ll learn some unexpected things. You’ll end up in surprising places.

 

From zenhabits

I’m inspired by the Dalai Lama, who said, ” Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.

Things to come!

 Spring

 

Breathes deeply, opens eyes slowly, stretches ..

And looks around .. wow that was some mediation time.

Some brilliant things have been happening since we last spoke, biggest  ..

My third grandchild was born, a little baby boy, the most gorgeous ever, he was born in October and has now had his first Christmas, I'm so proud of my growing family!

 Isn't he just sooo beautiful?

Also my baby boo boos have started school and pre school.  They are super smart and enjoying it very much, but their Mum misses them .. aww.  This is my eldest granddaughter ready for school.

Beautiful, not quite 5 yet but going on a teenager already:-)

And not to be outdone her little sister started pre school.  Mum was worried about leaving her but the little one said 'it's ok you can go now Mummy, bye bye, love you', and went about her playing .. bless her.

Super cute all ready for first day:-)

Awesome events I think you will agree!

Looking below me and seeing the lovely virginia creeper, I can see how long I've been in this meditative state, the creeper has long gone from my garden, as has the snow. I might post some pics of the snow later.

I see I also have a follower, how awesome, thank you and welcome to my blog Ann:-)

Christmas has also come and gone, without too much hassle. New years resolutions have also come and gone, failed already on mine, but I'm sure I read somewhere it's ok to have a blip and restart so after the 12th, yes I know I keep moving the goal posts of new years, I will restart my exercise, diet, blogging regularly, decluttering and just generally trying to improve my life. Oh yes, of course the biggy of getting out of the house. On going counselling for this.

I can't resist, I have to show you my awesome snowman, at first sign of snow, and of my family all playing in it, I had to join in and go build one myself. My hands nearly dropped off with cold, but using rubber gloves was the way to go on that one.

I don't think you will have seen anything as awesome as that in the way of a snowman!!