CREATE AN AMAZING MORNING ROUTINE

I mentioned last week that I had made a new decision. A decision to replace my yummy morning coffee, with a even yummier, nutrient dense, vitamin rich, enzyme packed super food smoothie. Since then I have not looked back. 

While the focus of last week was on weaning myself off my soy latte's and english breakfast tea, this week has been about cutting it out altogether. And while last week was all about using super food smoothies as my 'crutch' to help me make that transition, this week I am all about green juice. I have been having a fresh pressed green juice every morning this week and as a result, I feel amazing. 

What I love about making new lifestyle changes is that they tend to flow outwards in to other areas of your life as well. Since making this health change this week, I have found that other aspects of my lifestyle have changed too. I have a beautiful, new morning routine that is now more aligned with my new healthy approach and which is supporting my self-nourishing path. I am finding I am seeing everything in my life through a softer lense. I am approaching everything I do, with a more present, grounded and calm energy. It is definitely changing the way my whole day unfolds. 

What I have found, is that by choosing to make this new decision, I was in fact choosing to become a new type of person. And when you change who you are be-ing, you cannot help but naturally start to begin do-ing things differently as a result.

MY NEW MORNING ROUTINE

I want to share with you the recent makeover that my morning routine has received. Here is the old way that my morning would unfold vs. the new way...

Old morning routine:

+ Wake up at 5am

+ Blindly put on some clothes

+ Swig down a bit of coffee (yes I am ashamed to admit I drank it THAT early) 

+ Hit the gym or go outdoors for a high intensity cardio workout

+ Rush home, rush in the shower, rush to get ready

+ Grab some food out of the fridge

+ Run out the door 

New morning routine

+ Wake up at 5am

+ Walk in to the kitchen and chop up a pile of kale, cucumber, lemon, celery and ginger and make a fresh cold-pressed veggie juice, 

+ Sip on the juice as I potter around

+ Roll out my yoga mat and do 20 minutes of yoga and then sit for 10 minutes in meditation

OR

+ Head to the gym or outdoors for a light workout with a mix of cardio and strength

+ Shower and get dressed

+ Blend together some raw chocolate pudding for breakfast (recipe below!)

+ Sit at my desk and eat it while I check my emails, update my facebook and twitter

+ Walk out the door with a big, calm grin on my face.

Notice the difference? 

Well, I have.

For me, the first one =  stress! And the second one = peace.

THE BENEFITS OF A SUPPORTIVE MORNING ROUTINE

Curious about what impact changing your morning routine may have? Here is what I have experienced;

+ Without my morning adrenalin-boosting coffee injection, my whole day unfolds completely differently; I am less rushed and stressed in all I do, I have far less road rage as I drive, I am less 'reactive' to external events, I am calmer and more grounded

+ I leave the house feeling like I have already achieved some amazing things
+ I am ten-thousand times more organised

+ I walk around all day feeling super proud of myself

+ Getting up early means I have plenty of time to get organised for the day, so I always have healthy food on hand at work

+  I am more present with life. By setting my day up in this way, the rest of it flows in a similar fashion

+ I handle life's challenges with grace. Eg: As I was driving to a job interview today, a car ran in to the back of me! (yes, of all days). But you know what, it did not phase me. In fact, it did not bother me at all. I exchanged details with the guy, got in my car, drove to my interview and totally kicked butt! If this had happened a few weeks earlier I would have fallen on to the floor in a crumpled mess of nerves and emotion

+ I am less stuck in my head and more present in my body

+ On the days where I practice yoga and meditation in the mornings, I feel more in tune, more in the flow, more aligned and I hear the whisper of my intuition more clearly

+ I just feel naturally happier

So, want to know what the last juicy component is of my new morning routine? It is, raw chocolate pudding! And I eat it for breakfast.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING FOR BREAKFAST

So, I mentioned last week how well my super food smoothies were helping me with weaning myself off my long term love of coffee. Now, I have a new trick!

I have found that one of the best little helpers in weaning me off coffee has been raw cacao powder. I have not been going overboard on the stuff, yet I have needed something else that felt just as indulgent to replace my yummy morning coffee. So, what am I having instead? Raw chocolate pudding.

I love to eat it out of a little mug (above)

HERE IS THE RECIPE 

All I do is get a blender and throw in

+ One small banana

+ 1/4-ish of an avocado

+ 1 tablespoon of raw cacao powder

+ Enough water to help it blend

If you do not have a blender, just mash it all together in a bowl. Top with yummy things such as almonds, coconut, goji berries, blueberries, cinnamon. De-lish!!

So, tell me about your morning routine? I would love for you to share what works for you! Leave a comment below x

RECONNECT WITH YOUR TRUTH: FROM FABULOUS, TO FEARFUL AND BACK AGAIN

GUEST POST: WRITTEN BY GABRIELLE AITKEN
Read the original post here

Reflect back to when you were a young child. For me, life seemed to flow. It felt magical. I followed my heart and did what I felt like in every moment. Sing at the top of my voice. Dance freely in the lounge room. Draw beautiful pictures. Paint works of art. Play with the fairies. Search for hidden treasure in the garden. Laugh loudly when I was happy. Cry when I was sad.

I loved the wonder of life as each day bought something new and exciting. Anything was possible. I didn't concern myself with success or failure. I just played and created. Perhaps you have similar memories.

Each of us comes in to the world as a perfect being, filled with infinite joy, beauty, creativity, playfulness and imagination.  We don't for one minute stop to question our beauty, intellect or abilities. Even those unfortunate enough to be born with disabilities are often not aware of their differences or potential shortcomings as a small child.

As young children, we just 'be', living in the moment. We only see beauty and possibilities in life. We are creative, capable, and connected to the divine spark of life. What a fabulous state of being!


HOW WE DISCONNECT FROM OUR TRUE SELVES

Then, life happens...

As we start to interact with the world slowly our connection to our heart, starts to fade. For some, this may start to happen sooner. For others, later. It inevitably happens to most of us. We learn that certain behaviours elicit certain responses from those around us, and soon we start to make the shift from following our hearts to being driven by ego in order to win the attention or approval of others.

By the time we reach school age we are usually well on our way to conforming with the expectations of others. Often this may be well-meaning parents, siblings and teachers who believe that they know best... but they are taking us further away from our truth.

We encounter the ups and downs of life from the birth of siblings, to the divorce of parents, to school yard bullies and bad teachers. We experience humiliation. We experience pain and suffering. We experience failure.

We are told that we must go to school, get good grades to get in to university, go to university, get good grades to get a good job, get a good job, work hard to increase our career status and earnings, buy a house, get married, start a family, save for retirement...

Before we know it we are through the first couple of decades of our life and we have long forgotten what it feels like to follow our heart. We don't even stop to reflect on whether this is the path we want to take. We're too busy earning a living!

... and chances are we have well and truly made the shift from fabulous and free, to fear-driven.

This little girl who loved to sing at the top of her voice, dance freely in the lounge room, draw beautiful pictures, paint works of art, play with fairies and search for hidden treasure in the garden, grew into a timid young woman who was too shy to speak her truth for fear of ridicule and embarrassment; felt ugly, frumpy and untrendy in her low-end variety store wardrobe (the only clothing her parents could afford); felt boring and dull next to her friends, believing that no guy would be interested in her and that she had nothing to offer anyone; felt ashamed of her body...

Driven by these self-perceptions created as a result of early life experiences, life unconsciously became about proving to my parents, myself and the world that I was worthy of being loved, intelligent, successful stylish, attractive and perfect in every possible way! So much pressure!!

This fabulous, free-spirited little girl connected to her heart was long gone!!


MAKING THE SHIFT, BACK TO OUR FABULOUS SELVES

I have learned that it is not until we become conscious of these patterns that we unconsciously fall in to, and make the shift from unconscious living to living consciously from our heart that we can reconnect with our inner fabulousness we left behind in our childhood!

Somewhere deep inside our heart is calling out to us. By learning to recognise the sound of our heart and tune in to it's whisper we can start to transform our lives in fabulous ways.

We are empowered to shift from being driven by our fears, ego and outside world to being  driven by our soul. It is only then that we can truly live our best life, a life that is exclusively ours, aligned with our own unique values, passion and purpose.

As we tune in to our heart we become to realise that there is nothing wrong with failure or imperfection; that they are essential tools for learning and growth. With this realisation our fears lose their power and we move in to ours.

This shift from fabulous, to fear driven and back again is a wonderful gift, which gives us true appreciation of how amazing life can be when we live from our hearts.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This post was written by Gabrielle Aitken, Inner Beauty Stylist and inspirer of Appreciation, Respect and Love (a.k.a Aprelo). Want to know more? You can read more from Aprelo here, or connect on Facebook and Twitter.

THE SUPER FOOD SMOOTHIE REVOLUTION: YOUR STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

image source

There have been a couple of times in my life, where I have made the commitment to forgo my delicious morning coffee and completely kick the habit. And every time that my coffee sabatical has been a success, there has been one key thing that has made it a work - the super food smoothie.

I have weaned myself off my coffee addiction several times through the use of nutrient rich, super food packed, alkazing and super tasty smoothies. I cannot emphasise how much it helps.

Sometimes, there comes a day, where you have to let go. You have to let go of something you really love because you know the benefits will be worth it. For me, my coffee 'situation' is no different. 

I made the decision last weekend that the amped-up, highly energised and mentally frantic state that coffee put me in was simply no longer serving me. I decided I needed to make a change. So, I stocked up on my pack of supplies and as of Monday the replacing-coffee-with-super food-smoothie process began!!

SO, WHAT IS A SUPER FOOD SMOOTHIE?

There is no set definition or rule about what a super food smoothie must contain. The one key component is that it must be bursting with nutrients. I would also say that they need to have an alkalising effect on the body. Most smoothies you get these days which are loaded with milk and sugar are really not that nutritious, and also create a very acidic state in the body. 

Generally you will not include dairy in a good old fashioned super food smoothie. Instead, the base may be water, nut milk or coconut water. The smoothies will also have a base of fruits or leafy greens for the high mineral content, nutrients, antioxidants and enzymes. Then, on top of that you can add in some 'super foods' which are extremely nutrient dense and high in health benefits.

When I make them I tend not to follow a recipe, I just throw everything in and see how it tastes. But generally some of my favourite ingredients include;

+ Avocado

+ Kale or baby spinach

+ Almonds

+ Sunwarrior vanilla protein powder

+ Blueberries

+ Spirulina

+ Coconut water

+ Maca

+ Chia seeds

+ Cinnamon

+ Raw cacao powder

+ Coconut meat


HOW TO MAKE A SUPER FOOD SMOOTHIE

image source

The combinations are endless, so let me share some recipes with you. Check out these amazing creations, and beautiful images from some other super inspiring, smoothie loving ladies.

Please note: I did endeavour to take photos of my very own super food smoothie. However, the images of my thick browney-green liquid taken in dim lighting at 6am just could not do my delicious smoothie justice. So, I am leaving the photo taking with the professionals! Cool?

The Glowing Green Smoothie

By Linda Wagner at Nutrition to Invigorate Mind, Body + Spirit

INGREDIENTS

+ 1-2 bananas

+ 1/2 cup frozen peaches

+ 1/2 cup frozen mango

+ A couple of handfuls of spinach

+ Water

+ Ice if desired

The Raw Chocolate Milkshake Miracle

By Sarah at My New Roots

INGREDIENTS

+ 1/4 cup hemp seeds (or use soaked almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds etc)

+ 2 heaping tbsp of raw cacao powder

+ 1 avocado

+ 1 very large frozen banana or 2 small ones

+ 2 tbsp raw honey, agave or maple syrup

+ Dash sea salt

+ 3/4 - 1 cup water

+ 4 ice cubes

The Cinnamon Cherry Blast

From Gena at Choosing Raw

INGREDIENTS

+ 1 small banana (or 1/2 large) frozen

+ 3/4 cup frozen or pitted cherries

+ 1/2 tbsp coconut butter

+ 2 tsp cinnamon

+ 1 cup almond milk

+ 3-4 ice cubes

Alkaline Green Smoothie

By The Alkaline Sisters

INGREDIENTS

+ 6" piece of cucumber

+ 3 medium kale leaves

+ 5 stems fresh mint

+ 3 stems fresh parsley

+ 1" fresh ginger

+ 1 avocado

+ 1 cup coconut water

+ Fresh juice of one lime

+ 1-2 tsp udo's oil

+ 1-2 tbsp hemp seeds

+ 2-3 drops stevia or a tsp agave

The Strawberry Kale Smoothie

From Michelle at Health Food Lover

INGREDIENTS

+ Handful (or more) of fresh uncooked kale

+ 6-10 strawberries

+ 1 banana

+ Water

+ 1 tbsp cold pressed flax oil

+ 1 tbsp lecithin granules

+ 1 tsp crush or whole almonds for garnish

The Bee Pollen Smoothie

By Sarah at My New Roots

INGREDIENTS

+ 1 cup of nut milk (or other milk)

+ 1 cup frozen blueberries (frozen are fine)

+ 1 frozen banana in 3-4 chunks

+ 1 medjool date, pitted (optional)

+ 1 hunk fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

+ 1 tsp bee pollen

The Avocolada Smoothie

By Robyn at Girl on Raw 

(originally by Matthew Kenney's Raw Food, Real World)

INGREDIENTS

+ 1 ripe avocado

+ 3 cups diced pineapple

+ 2 cups coconut water

+ 3 tbps agave nectar or 2 packets of stevia

+ 3 tbps lime juice

+ 1 tbsp coconut butter or oil

+ 2 tsp vanilla extract

+ Pinch of salt

The Blueberry Superfood Smoothie

By Linda Wagner at Nutrition to Invigorate Mind, Body + Spirit

INGREDIENTS

+ 1.5 frozen banana's

+ 1/2 bag frozen blueberries

+ 1 tbsp coconut powder

+ 1 tbsp chia seeds

+ 1 tsp spirulina

+ 1 tsp maca powder

+ Vanilla stevia to taste

+ Enough water to blend, approx 1/2 cup

So, please feel free to leave a comment + tell me...

+ What is your favourite super food smoothie recipe?

+ What benefits have you experienced from drinking super food smoothies?

FOR ALL THE CRAZY OBSESSIVE WORRIERS: FREE YOUR CREATIVE IMAGINATION TO WORK FOR YOU, NOT AGAINST YOU!

GUEST POST WRITTEN BY DENISE-DUFFIELD THOMAS

You can read the original post here

"Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere" -- Glenn Turner

The beauty of being a creative person, is that you have new ideas all day long - the plot for a new book while you're in the shower, the solution to world peace while you're sitting on the loo, or 1001 ways to cook a gourmet meal from the left-over food in your fridge.

The downside of being creative is that you generally open your mind to unnecessary worry because you can imagine more possibilities than anyone else.

An idle creative mind can turn against you in the most sabotaging ways; it can lead to indecisiveness, chronic procrastination or worse - getting stressed and crazy with worry about all the possible outcomes. If you don't have a satisfying creative outlet, your mind can fill with negative and self-defeating thoughts.

ARE YOU TURNING YOUR CREATIVE IMAGINATION AGAINST YOU?

Here is an example:

When I'm in an occasional self destructive mood and I'm procrastinating over a creative projects, I start to worry about my marriage and what our divorce will look like.

I get really angry over the hypothetical fights we'd have over our (largely hypothetical) assets and the custody battles over our (as yet hypothetical) children. Crazy right? We've not even been married two years yet I let myself obsess over the demise of our relationship (and it's GREAT by the way).

Does anyone else have similar thoughts?

It might be about your health, your family or your finances. But the result is the same. Thoughts like this can be very damaging to your natural spark and potential.

The teachings of the Law of Attraction tell us that we will attract what we think about the most. This can be a double edged sword for creative people, so we have to be very careful about our thoughts. 

I love coaching people, but this is a very common block

What if I get really successful and then I can't handle it, and then all my friends hate me because I'm so rich and I'll feel really guilty and then I'll get a stalker who'll try and kidnap my children and basically my life will be ruined.

Can you relate?

Just... breathe...

There is nothing wrong with you. It's a blessing to be that creative! You can definitely use this to your advantage but without the melodrama and anxiety sweats.

When you find yourself going a bit craaazy, turn it in to a great learning experience. Here's a simple creative exercise you can do to trick your mind and take control of your obsessing. 

THE CRAZY CAT LADY EXERCISE

Say for example, you worry about becoming a crazy cat lady, all alone in your house because you completely wasted your potential. No money, no friends and your looks are long gone. Got it?

Go in to your vivid imagination and pretend you have time travelled into the future and you're sitting down with that crazy-cat lady version of yourself. Really get in to the details and use all of your senses - what does the cat pee-stained couch smell like? What is she wearing? Feel the texture of the cat's fur who comes to sit on your lap. 

When you're totally in the dream, take her gnarled old-lady hands and ask her:

+ How could I avoid this happening in my life?

+ What mistakes did you make?

+ What can I learn from this?

+ What would you do differently?

+ At what point did things go wrong for you?

+ What is the one regret of your life?

+ What advice do you have for me?

Can you see how this would calm that mind of yours and make it a totally fun exercise?

It means that you can learn the lesson without actually attracting those circumstances in to your life. You do not need to be poor in this life-time. You do not need to have bad things happen to you. 

10 TIPS TO STOP OBSESSIVE WORRYING

1. GO FOR A WALK OR DO SOME EXERCISE: The positive endorphins generated during exercise make it virtually impossible to be angry, so use that time to come up with some ideas that make you happy. 

2. SNAP OUT OF IT: Wear a rubber band around your wrist and if you feel yourself sliding into negative thoughts, snap yourself with the rubber band - it is a great habit breaker.

3. EXPLORE THE FEELINGS FURTHER: Be honest with what's bothering you. Are you worried about your marriage? Do you need a different job? Is it time to sort out your finances?

4. ASK YOURSELF - WHAT AM I PROCRASTINATING?: Are you letting yourself worry over something trivial because you're avoiding living your life? What are you trying to avoid?

5. DE-CLUTTER YOUR LIFE: Obsessive worrying is mental clutter, but there's a clear link to physical clutter too. So go through your wardrobe, clean your desk and do that filing. You will feel so much better.

6. DO A DREAM BOARD: A daily reminder of your goals and dreams can help you focus on what you really want and avoid attracting more of what you don't. Learn how to make one here.

7. TAKE ACTION TODAY TOWARDS YOUR DREAM: Write one blog post, take one photo or write one proposal. You can make a great living through your passions, but you have to make a step towards it. The Universe always rewards action.

8. MEDITATION: Spending even just a few minutes a day in stillness will quieten your chattering monkey mind and give you some space to really create what you want.

9. GRATITUDE: Your life is already so blessed, so by focusing on what you already have, you will b less inclined to obsess about what you don't. Remember - thoughts are things!

10. BOOK A SESSION WITH A LIFE COACH: Sometimes you can't do it alone. I've got the perfect 1:1 coaching programme for creative people who are stuck and want to move in to a new level in their life. Find out more.

NOW, TURN THAT IMAGINATION IN TO GOLD

You're obviously creative, and have got a fantastic imagination. So, why not use that creative energy for good?

Grab your journal and write a list of at least ten different creative projects that you can start. Such as;

+ Writing a book (a really trashy romantic one if you think your relationship is constantly going sour)

+ Starting a blog

+ Taking up a new creative hobby like painting or a knitting group

+ Joining a book club

+ Finding a volunteer gardening circle

+ Offering to host an exhibition at a local disused space

+ Starting a new creative business, selling something on Etsy or Smashwords

The busier you are using your creative talents, the less time you'll spend obsessing over pointless scenarios.

Love your life and give yourself permission to be creative. Imagine what you can do with all that imagination and energy?!

Tell me in the comments - what's the things you obsess about the most? What are you going to do about it TODAY?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Denise is a life coach, and author of Lucky Bitch: a guide for exceptional women to create outrageous success.  

Check out her free manifesting guide at www.deniseduffieldthomas.com You can also connect with Denise on Facebook and Twitter.

PERFECT DAY TIP #4: BE A SPIRIT JUNKIE

Today's Perfect Day Tip is about everyday spirituality. Spirituality for the modern world.

Gone are the days where being spiritual meant retreating in to a cave and meditating for hours on end. More and more people are waking up to the idea of everyday spirituality - bringing spiritual principles in to the moments of your day to day life in the aim of cultivating peace, flow and authenticity.

What feelings/thoughts/images does the word spirituality conjure up for you? What ever it is, let it go! We do not need to define spirituality or box it in to some stereotypical image. Spirituality does also not necessarily have to relate to anything religious either. It is an individual and personal practice that can be adapted and moulded by each individual to meet whatever it is they are needing. 

This is why I love the work of Gabrielle Bernstein. I have referred so many people on to the teachings of this phenomenal lady. She totally demystifies spirituality and breaks it down for the modern day woman (or man) in to manageable practices that can lead to transformational change. 

Integrating spiritual principles simply means shifting your perceptions and learning to see the world in new ways. It is not so much about what you are doing, but who you are being. Through a spiritual practice you can connect with yourself and others in a completely new way, and the way that you view the world shifts. As a result of these mental shifts, you will find that your physical, external world begins to reflect this change back to you and shifts start to occur. This practice is such a beautiful contrast to the standard action-focused way of living. 

MY CORE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES

As I mentioned, what being spiritual means to each of us is totally unique and different. But I would like to share some of the core principles that underlay my concept of spirituality. If some of these do not resonate with you, that is fine. This is about finding out what spirituality means to you.

HERE ARE MINE:

+ We have infinite potential. We can be, do or have anything we want. There are no limitations, except for the limitations that we impose upon ourselves.
+ At our core we are love. When we think from a place of fear, we are living in illusion and are not connected to our truth
+ Forgiveness heals all wounds
+ Everything is energy. We are made of energy. The energy that we give off will attract a similar energy. The energy of our thoughts and emotions alters the energy of our body and the outer world.
+ We are all spiritual beings on this planet having a human experience
+ There is a higher part of ourselves that we have access to. This is our inner guidance. It is our intuition. By tuning in and listening, we can receive guidance, messages and learning's

+ We cannot judge, blame or criticise others for things we do not like about them, as they are merely reflecting back at us the things we do not like about ourselves

+ What goes around, comes around. What you give out, you get back

+ Gratitude multiplies. Whatever you are grateful for will expand in your life
+ The world is our mirror. It reflects back to us what we put out. The outer world is a reflection of what is going on inside of us. All the people in our life are mirrors of the light and darkness that exists inside us
+ When live in flow, and we are willing to listen we will be guided to everything we need
+ We are all one. We all made of the same stuff. We are all equal. We are all connected.

+ Our purpose is to remember who we really are and to begin to create a new world around us that is filled with light, connection, love, consciousness, peace and joy
+ The universe is governed by universal laws, and by following these laws we can create a universe around us that is as exactly how we desire

When I live from this place, the world looks different. I experience more magic. Life seems to flow. Little things do not bother me. Peace comes easily. Happiness feels like my natural state.

EXPLORE WHAT SPIRITUALITY MEANS TO YOU

+ BE OPEN AND WILLING: Start by simply becoming curious. Are you holding on tightly to your set of current beliefs about the world, or are you willing to see things in a new way? Start to entertain the idea that perhaps some of the things you have come to know about the world, are not actually true. Start to explore some new concepts and try some new things on. Unless your mind is open, flexible and willing you will not be able to allow anything new in.

+ READ: Start reading new books. Simply walk in to a bookstore with the intention of gaining some new awareness of what spirituality could mean to you, and see what books you are lead too. Seriously, you will be lead. Gabrielle talks about how her first spiritual text, A Course In Miracles, literally fell or the shelf and dragged her to the counter.

+ CONNECT WITH NEW PEOPLE: Over the course of the past 10 years I have dabbled in and out of living and breathing my spiritual practice, but the times where it has been the strongest, is when I have had a community of like minded people around me. It can be intimidating at first to attempt to connect with new types of people and discuss unfamiliar topics. But if this is something you are seeking, it will help so much. Keep your eye out for local community events, meditation or yoga classes, free talks etc or simply connect with like minded peeps on the web!

+ MEDITATE: I have written about the benefits of meditation previously. But I am telling you now it is the number one way to begin to explore spirituality. Through meditation, you will find your self relax. Your mind will slow. You will be able to let go of some of your crazy, fearful thinking and reconnect with your truth. You may also begin to hear the whisper of your intuition which can begin to guide you and lead you. 

+ JOURNAL: The foundations of spirituality, lie in your relationship with yourself. A spiritual connection starts with a connection with yourself. Journalling is a great tool for this! Start by free writing about your thoughts and feelings. Tune your attention inwards and let what is inside you pour out. You may even write a question, and see what answer comes forth. By taking time to connect with yourself you will be able to develop a much greater awareness of the spiritual thread that flows through your life.

So, over to you. I would love for you to share your experiences...
+ What does spirituality mean to you?
+ What are your spiritual practices

WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER: THE POWER OF TRUE CONNECTION

Lately, I have been doing a lot of yoga. I get myself to class once or twice a week and I also practice at home. I have been dabbling in and out of yoga since I was 18. But something has just been pulling me to this beautiful practice lately. It has been calling at me to get myself there. To lay still and simply listen. There is definitely something larger than me right now that knows I need it. 

I love my teacher. At the start and end of my class she always shares some wise words, an inspirational message or some beautiful insights. I have found that in each class, her words have resonated with me,  so deeply. It is as if I am being told exactly what I need to hear.

My most recent class was no different. As I lay there in savasana, her words washed over me. She finished the class with this simple message...

"We are all one. We are all in this together"

So simple. Yet so profound.

+ We are all one -- We are all the same. We are all made of the same stuff. Whether we believe it or not, we all go through similar challenges, similar joys and similar experiences. We are not as different as we may think we are.

+ We are all in this together -- This journey. This life. This process. We are all here, just doing the best we can. We all want the same thing. Happiness. Peace. Love. Fulfilment. We are all on the path just trying to carve out a life that makes our heart sing.

Unfortunately, as a society, I think we have forgotten and completely lost touch with this simple truth.

OUR SOCIETY OF SEPARATENESS

I felt deeply inspired to expand on this teaching in a blog post because I think it is a huge one.

We live in a world where there is a lot of separateness, disconnect and competition. There is war, fighting and hatred. There is racism, sexism and terrorism. There is so much you against me, and us against them. 

In the workplace, we compete against each other for promotions and pay rises. Our schools breed rivalry as we work and struggle to be better than our peers.  Or politicians fight against each other for right and wrong. As women, we judge and evaluate our fellow sisters so that we can feel superior. On the roads we cut in, cut off and zig zag through traffic in the effort to get ahead of another.

All you have to do is listen to the news and you will hear stories of people against people. You against me. Us against them.

We have been taught to be so focused on ourselves. Our wants. Our desires. Our need to be better, faster, stronger, more successful etc. We have forgotten the most beautiful and powerful truth of why we are really here.

We are here to connect. We are here to love. We are here to serve. We are here to let go of all the crap that we think makes us different, and remember that we are all one. We are all the same.

CREATING CONNECTEDNESS

Creating true connection, starts with each of us as individuals. As we each change ourselves, who we are being, and how we are thinking, gradually the whole world will begin to change. It all starts with us. All great change, starts within us.

+ CONNECT WITH YOURSELF
To truly connect with another being, we first have to master the ability to connect with ourselves. I believe this is the first step.

Someone who does not know who they are, and does not feel secure in themselves, is much more likely to want to make others feel smaller in an attempt to make themselves feel bigger. This comes from a place of insecurity, separateness and fear. However, someone who is deeply connected with a strong sense of self and feels confident and certain about themselves, will feel comfortable to lift others up and see them become their best.

Take some time to really get to know yourself. Get familiar with your good and bad, your positives and negatives, your strengths and weaknesses. Through getting to know yourself you will see that we are actually not that different from each other. When you are comfortable with your own flaws, you will be less critical and aware of the apparent flaws in others.

+ BE VULNERABLE 

You cannot truly connect with another human being unless you are willing to be vulnerable. When we allow other people to see who we really are, good and bad, it tears down the walls that separate us. 

Anytime we are living in a false sense of self, protecting ourselves with distance and superiority, we make it impossible for anyone to get close to us. We must be willing to be raw, real, authentic with warts and all exposed. Doing this removes competition. It eliminates you vs. me. It creates a space of truth and oneness and allows two people to see each other for who they really are.

+REFRAIN FROM JUDGEMENT 

"Don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins" -- Sharon Creech. 

How often do you judge another person? Label their actions as good or bad? Pass an opinion on who they are or what they have done? By doing this you are separating yourself and trying to give off the false impression that you are perfect. 

When you remember that we are all one, and we are all in this together, then the need to judge another falls away. We can empathise and understand that the other person is just doing the best they can. When we can acknowledge that we too, have made mistakes and done things we are not proud of, we can let other people off the hook when they do it too.

+ SERVE 

There is no better way to connect with another person, than being of service. To do this you have to get over yourself and make someone else's needs a priority. When you are of service, what you want for yourself does not matter. You are simply there to support and enable another person to get what they need. Being of service is simply about helping another. 

To do this you must be humble, generous, loving and kind. It may be as simple as listening to a friend when they are in need, letting someone else take a seat on the bus, doing a favour, lending a helping hand, volunteering your time, giving away something you own. 

Whatever it is, it is not about you. You have no hidden agenda. You are not afraid about anyone else becoming better than you, or getting more than you. You simply know that you are equal with this person, and that by serving them, you are in essence serving yourself.

CURIOSITY: THE PERFECT ANTIDOTE TO FEAR

GUEST POST WRITTEN BY BRIDGET THOMPSON

You can read the original post here

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity" -- Ellen Parr

"Replacing judgement with curiosity is a key element in becoming unstuck" -- Francie White

CURIOSITY IS...

+ A state in which you want to learn more about something

+ An emotion related to inquisitive behaviour

+ The tendency to ask questions, investigate or explore

+ The desire to know what is happening or has happened

It is the 'cure' for boredom, as in the quote above. It is also a cure for anxiety, "stuck"-ness and feeling overwhelmed. It focuses attention on the subject of the curiosity.

When we are anxious about the unknown, it is useful to focus our attention on what we do know. We can do this using curiosity.

CURIOSITY CAN SOOTHE FEAR

Shifting in to a curious state has the effect of pulling apart the elements that contribute to anxiety or "stuck"-ness or feelings of overwhelm, thereby reducing those emotions.

Fear and curiosity cannot exist together. Curiosity is absent when we are overwhelmed with anxiety or fear. Conversely, when we engage our inquisitive nature, fear rarely comes up.

Our natural curiosity comes out when we encounter something of interest to us.

It can be challenging to tap back in to curiosity periodically when some thing is familiar to us eg: a person, a place, a feeling etc. We may assume we know everything about this thing/person/emotions, so we miss out on discovering completely new elements and perspectives on that thing/person/emotion.

There is always more to discover.

If we stay OPEN, CURIOUS, UNASSUMING, everything in life that may feel boring or dull can become completely NEW and WONDROUS again.

Shift back over to that place of not knowing; of pure curiosity. Inquisition.

HOW TO HARNESS CURIOSITY TO OVERCOME FEAR

+ BE LIKE A CHILD

Consider a child.

They constantly ask questions, unashamedly seek answers. They don't know a lot and are not afraid to admit that. Consequently their world remains EXCITING, STIMULATING and FASCINATING. They do not get caught up in FEARS. Instead, they are always CURIOUS.

Sometimes we are ambivalent about making the changes we know will serve us, and so we get stuck.

Often we do not know what keeps us stuck. Change can slowly emerge only when we choose to actually look at the different elements of our fear or our ambivalence.

Exactly WHAT IS IT we are afraid of? Explore. Be curious.

We do not need to worry about "fixing" or "making better". Just explore what is lurking there.

+ ACCEPT WHAT IS

Curiosity can also have the effect of encouraging acceptance of what is.

A great way to change behaviours that we find problematic is to accept the behaviour and, with open curiosity, observe it to learn what drives, triggers and reasons are behind it.

+ ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

We can adjust our self talk, thoughts and language to encourage curiosity.

In areas we feel rigidly stuck in terms of our perspective, we can try reframing the situation.

For example

+ "I wonder..."

+ "Imagine..."

+ "Hmm, that makes me curious about.."

+ "Can I explore this more?"

Change is least likely to happen when someone is feeling judged or is judging themselves.

"Why" questions are usually heard as a judgement. Even when our questions come from genuine curiosity, sub consciously we still feel these as judgement. We when re-word our questions to "How..." and "What..." questions, our curiosity is elicited

Practice your curiosity today and observe the difference it makes.

Curiosity is free of JUDGEMENT, FEAR and ANXIETY

Curiosity is purely OPEN, INNOCENT and GENUINELY interested

It will truly change the everyday experience of your life, yourself, others and situations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bridget is an accredited practicing dietitian (APD) with a special interest and passion for transforming lives. Having being an overweight and bullied child herself, Bridget understands only too well how excess weight can impact on the quality of a person’s life. 


Read more from Bridget on her New Leaf Nutrition website and blog. Or connect on Facebook and Twitter. 

THE ART OF AUTHENTIC LIVING: HOW TO LIVE AND BREATHE YOUR TRUTH

Today's post is about being-ness. It is about learning how to be the person you truly are. It is about creating your self and your life from the inside out.

A key aspect of this is authenticity. Being your authentic self. Living your authentic life. To me, this means: find out who you are, and then live it and breathe it.

"What does it mean to live authentically? Living authentically is what you're doing when you find congruence between your inner world: your feelings, values, gifts, needs, spirituality, and passions, and your outer world: your job, relationships, home, and community. When you live an authentic life, these things support and synergize each other" --Susan Piver

For years, I read about the practice of living authentically, yet I never really experienced it. I knew it as a concept. An idea. But embodying authenticity and stepping 100% totally and utterly in to your truth, is a completely different experience. 

I grasped fleeting moments of authenticity when I would find myself immersed in a project, in an area of passion or in a creative task. I felt aligned. I felt like I was doing exactly what I needed to be doing in this moment. I felt clear headed and centred. It was like I was exactly where I needed to be.

While I caught the occasional glimpse of authenticity, living these principles as my daily truth felt impossible. For so long, I felt like I knew who I was on the inside, but I never felt that it was reflected on the outside in my day to day life. 

It has not been until recently that I have actually began to walk my talk. To live and breathe my truth. To be who I really am. For me, living authentically means showing the world who I know I am and ensuring that every decision, every action, every word is aligned with that.

Since I have been doing this I have been feeling new emotions, experiencing magic, witnessing synchronicities. Life has a new level of flow. It has purpose and meaning. I have a goal that feels greater than I will ever be.

WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE IN THE WORLD?

Many of us are not motivated by the idea of living an authentic life and discovering our true selves. Rather we are happy to live a life that bring us superficial satisfaction, fleeting feelings of pleasure, and the love and approval of others. We play a safe game. We do what we think is right. We follow the pack. We keep ourselves comfortable. 

We are very often conditioned to live this way. We are taught who we need to be in order to get love, or what we need to do to get praise. We consequently throw our own inner guidance out the window and replace it with the guidance of others. We lose touch with what we really want for ourselves. We forget who we were really born to be.

To live an authentic life we have to be willing to let all of this go. We have to let go of our old ways of being. An authentic life is about unlearning all the messages you have received from your family, your peers, your environment, and relearning your truth. It is about discovering who you really are.

WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES OF AN AUTHENTIC LIFE?

+ Embodying your truth: You live so completely and utterly in line with your truth, that you never doubt yourself. You honour and trust yourself so completely that you can follow what is right for you whether or not other people like it or agree with it.

+ Living from your heart space: This means that everything you do is motivated by love and comes from a space of love. Your heart is what guides you. You follow your bliss.You can not be authentic if fear is running your life.

+ Being on purpose: You know exactly what you are meant to be doing with your life, and you are doing it. You are connected to a larger meaning in your life rather than the simple day in and day out actions of surviving. You are here to serve.

+ Intuition: You are connected to your inner self. You have an inner awareness. You can connect with your body, your soul and your self, and hear the guidance that comes from the higher part of you. You act on your inspiration.

+ Knowing yourself: You have a beautiful and keen self awareness. You are willing to peel back the layers of your self and discover what is who you really are and what is not. You are comfortable getting familiar with the wonderful aspects of yourself, as well as the deep, dark and not so nice aspects.

+ Courage: You have such a commitment to your authentic life that you are willing to do whatever it takes. Overcome any fear. Triumph over any challenge. Take any risk. 

HOW TO LIVE MORE AUTHENTICALLY

+ Identify your passions: Do you know what you are passionate about? Honestly. Do you know what excites you, inspires you and ignites your little heart? To live authentically, you have to be living in line with your passion. So, if you do not know what you are passionate about I suggest you sit down and start to find out. Get out of your head, listen to your heart and hear what it is telling you.

+ Journal: Journalling is a fantastic tool to help unveil your passions. Start by simply sitting down and free writing, without judgement. Write lists about all the things you love to do. Write about your ideal life. What would be the most amazing way you could spend each day of your life? What are those things that you do, where time just passes? What makes you come alive?

+ Become self-aware: Self awareness is a undervalued principle. Yet, it is the first step to creating beautiful and powerful change in your life. Start to get curious about yourself. What are your beliefs? What are your values? How have you become the person you are? Take some time to introspect. What decisions have shaped your life? What experiences have defined your life? It is impossible to live an authentic life, if you do not know who you are.

+ Choose love: Living authentically will require you to relinquish all of the fear based thinking you have been indulging in. You must choose to love yourself and make decisions based on what you love. You will be required to step out in to the world and in order to do so you will have to let go of the fear that has been keeping you small. Think in loving, support and limitless ways rather than fearful, negative and limited ways.

+ Take inspired action: As you start to connect with your authentic self, you will realise it is not enough to simply know who you are. You have to experience who you are. This means taking new actions and creating experiences in the outer world that match who you are. As you connect with yourself you will feel inspired to act in new ways. It will be these new actions that will begin to define yourself in a new way and change how you are living your life.

+ Let go of others opinions: You are going to have to give up on putting other peoples opinions before your own. You will have to stop worrying about what other people will think. You cannot live an authentic life if you are continuously trying to mould yourself to the preferences of others. To play a big, true, real life you must march to the beat of your own drum and know that the people who truly love you will you support you no matter what.

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind" -- Dr Seuss


So, over to you! I would love to hear more about your journey...
+ Do you feel you are living an authentic life?
+ If so, what practices have you used to help get you there?
+ If not, what do you need to do to get you there?

PERFECT DAY TIP #3: EAT KALE (A NUTRITIOUS + DETOXIFYING SUPER VEG!)

Kale. It is a wonder vegetable. In fact, it changed my life. This puppy is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet, and since I began eating it my health has totally transformed. 

I first came across kale through my dear friend Nicci from Miss Organic. She would deliver a massive bunch of this curly-leafed green to me each week. For a while there, I was not quite sure what to do with it. I thought it was pretty, and that it looked super healthy, but I had no idea how to prepare it or eat it. After getting a few tips, doing a lot of googling, and plenty of trial and error I was able to develop a repertoire of ways to prepare it, and I have since grown to love this little vegetable.

SO WHAT IS SO GREAT ABOUT KALE?

+ Kale is extremely high in Vitamin K, Vitamin C and Vitamin A

+ It is packed with fibre and antioxidants

+ It also contains calcium, iron and B1, B2 and B6

+ Due to the high vitamin K content it has a wonderful anti inflammatory effect on the body

+ The amazing phytonutrients in this pretty plant help to prevent cancer

+ It is full of nutritious minerals and creates has an alkalising effect on your body

HERE IS HOW I EAT KALE!


I JUICE IT...

This is my kale before I juiced it up! This combo has kale, cucumber, lemon and ginger. Just a word of warning with this one - the flavour of kale can be quite intense due to the high chlorophyll content. So, if you are a beginner in the world of juicing kale, I highly recommend you add in an apple or 2 until you get used to the flavour. It has taken me quite a long time of kale juice drinking to work up to having without fruit.

I SAUTE IT...

Rip the leaves off the stem and cut it in to bite size pieces. Saute in a little bit of coconut oil (or olive oil if you prefer) until it has wilted. Then whisk together a couple of eggs and pour over the top. Cook it all together until the eggs are done and then serve on some yummy gluten free bread. 

I CHOP IT...

Rip the leaves off the stem and then cut the leaves up in to bite size pieces. Mix it in with some other lettuce leaves or baby spinach and top with avocado! Then use it as a side accompaniment to any dish you want!

I STIR IT THROUGH...

Kale is delicious when it is mixed in with lots of other yummy + healthy superfoods as well. This dish blends together my 3 favourite things - kale, quinoa and avocado! I simply cooked up the quinoa and while it was still warm I stirred through through the kale and then topped it with avocado and a boiled egg. Delish!

I BLEND IT...

Add kale to a fruit smoothie (minus the milk) and blend it up! You do not have to make yours as green as this. It is fine to just add in a handful of kale leaves with a banana or mango. I also like to add in some superfoods like goji berries, chia seeds, maca powder or coconut!

WANT MORE KALE RECIPE IDEAS?

Here are some recipes from other kale lovers...

+ Over at My New Roots, check out these amazing looking Kale Chips

+ The oh so inspiring Linda Wagner shows you how to eat kale raw with her favourite salad

+ Sarah Wilson has a great range of kale recipes here including a kale and olive gluten free pasta!

+ Gina from Choosing Raw demonstrates how to make a yummy hummus and kale wrap

+ Tom and Ali from Nourishing Meals have an amazing looking harvest green smoothie

So, over to you...

+ Are you a kale lover?
+ What is your favourite way to eat it?