JANUARY 2013: THE MONTH OF NEW BEGINNINGS

Hello 2013!

I love the freshness of a new year. I know January 1st really is just another day, but to me it always feels so sparkly and clean. Like that first page of bare white paper in a new journal. It is a blank canvas ready and waiting for creation.

New years are always phenomenal opportunities for new beginnings. But is it just me, or does 2013 feel even more so? Everywhere I look I see beautiful sparkly little souls stepping up to shine their light. New websites. New projects. New ideas. New ventures. I freakin' love it.

I am seeing it in my clients too. I have lost count of how many of my current mind-blowingly amazing clients are either leaving jobs, starting business, launching blogs, starting new training courses, creating new health regimes and totally and utterly carving out brand new lives for themselves in 2013. I am like a proud little mumma hen when I see my gorgeous clients taking these huge steps, and I tell you what it is incredibly inspiring.


2013 is definitely a brand new squeaky clean beginning for me too. 


My 2012 was a lot about laying foundations. Shedding what was not authentically me. Stepping in to my power. Letting go. Healing. Releasing. Learning. Growing.

Upon reflection, I realised that most of what happened in 2012 was actually all about preparing me for 2013 - The year were everything is going to go to a whole new level.

In order to avoid a chronic case of paralysing overwhelm, I am working at taking this year month by month. Right now my focus is squarely on the beautiful month of January: my month of new beginnings.

JANUARY: THE MONTH OF NEW BEGINNINGS

For me, this month is about launching the new. Launching new ideas, new projects, a new website, a new e book, new coaching programs. Yep, it is all brand new. 

I have so much stuff in the pipeline at the moment that it is ridiculous. All of my little projects are being lovingly chipped away at and will soon be coming to fruition. All of the seeds have been planted, and through January you will start to see the evidence of new little seedlings bursting forth. 

I wish I could reveal more of it all to you now, but I kind of want to keep it under wraps until it is ready. But please do know that I am working my little heart out behind the scenes pulling together some new beautiful gifts for all of you.

I am however, going to be doing some mini-reveals over the next few weeks, giving you some sneak peeks in to what I am creating. I will be giving you the lo down + deets about;

+ My very first e book

+ My new website (+ the story behind why it has been so many looong months in the making)

+ 3 exciting new coaching programs I am offering

+ What is going to happen to a life of perfect days once my new site is launched (do not worry sweet pea, I have grand plans for this gorgeous little site)

2013 really is going to be one juicy year. In fact, I think it is going to phenomenal.

There is an unbelievably powerful energy in the air right now. Something shifted in that moment that 2012 clicked over to 2013. 

When I woke up on the morning of 2013 things were different. I felt different. My energy had shifted. I had this whole new sense of clarity that I had been seeking for months. 

I felt renewed. Aligned. Ready.

There is definitely something magical about 2013, so l recommend you harness the power of the universe that surrounds you and make something of it. 

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Why not make January your month of new beginnings too? 

+ What would you love to start, commence or launch in January?

Share it with me below.

Image 1 Source // Image 2 Source

ARE YOU CLINGING?: HOW TO LET GO OF THE OLD AND BRING IN THE NEW

Lately my energy has been a little all over the shop. I have been having trouble deciphering between the things that feel naturally inspiring and fun, and the commitments and responsibilities I have to uphold. The line has become blurred. The things I used to love have been tainted by a feeling of obligation. Phrases such as I should... I must... and I need to... have been dominating my vocabulary. And there has been little room left for I'd love to....

It's been making me feel funky, and over the past few weeks, I had been unsure exactly how to deal with all this angst I have been feeling. My natural response has been to retreat. Turn inwards. Get quiet. Search for clarity. But even that I have struggled with.

I have been hearing similar messages ringing through the blogosphere. My contemporaries that I love and admire seem to be feeling the same way (Check out these posts here, here, here and here!). I take comfort in the fact I am not alone. There seems to be an inner tug of war going on in many of us. 

As much as I felt relief knowing that others were in the same boat. I was still struggling to find my own answer. 

And then I got it. In true Universal form, it was plonked on my little lap. A few days ago I stumbled across this gorgeous Moon Meditation from Yasmin Boland and I got the message loud and clear. She says;

"As we move towards the Full Moon, it’s time to shed. Shed an emotion, shed a job, shed a frenemy, shed some weight… Just shed. As humans in 3D, we are tuned into the lunar cycle and, once a month, the lunar cycle moves towards the Full Moon and encourages us to let go of whatever no longer serves us. We are all in the process of evolving and that means leaving behind our past when it’s the right time to do it. What are you going to shed this month?" 

As soon as I read this I knew what the problem was. 

I have been clinging. Clinging to that which I need to let go of.

My inner guidance and universal forces have been calling me to shed. To let go. To create space. And rather than flowing with that call, I have been resisting it. Why? Because I have been afraid.

ARE YOU CLINGING?

There are times in our life when we are clearly aware that something has reached the end of it's lifespan yet we are not necessarily ready to release it. If we were to follow the calls of our intuition, we would simply take heed, let go of what ever needed to be released, and then simply trust that something new was on it's way. But often we don't do that.

Instead we know that we need to let go of it, but we can't help but cling to the hope it is not really over.  We go in to denial. We convince ourselves that everything is ok. We smile. We say yes. We over-commit. We attempt to keep up appearances.

But there is no denying the truth. Deep down in your guts, you know it is time to let go.

The thing that frightens us, is that we don't know what is next. We are terrified by the uncertainty of it all.

We ask: If I break up with him, will I ever find anyone else? If I leave this job, will I be able to find another? If I lose the weight, who will I be?

The unknown scares us, so we cling to what is safe and familiar even if it doesn't truly fulfil us. 

We would rather have something rather than nothing - even if that something no longer makes us happy.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LET GO OF?

Is there anything in your life at the moment that you need to let go of yet you cannot bring yourself to do it? Is there anything you know you need to release, shed or un-hook from but you are totally in denial?

+ Where have you lost that feeling that you used to have? (inspiration, love, excitement, joy, bliss, enthusiasm?)

+ Where has your natural motivation for something been replaced by a feeling of obligation?

+ Where does something feel not-quite-right but you are suppressing and denying what you really know to be true?

HOW IT IS PLAYING OUT IN MY LIFE

I want to share with you where I am at currently, and I hope you will understand.

*Deep breath*

As amazing as it can be to have a blog that inspires and uplifts people, combined with a beautiful community that follows you, it also comes with a sense of responsibility. I must admit lately, this responsibility has been weighing on me. I will be brutally honest here - rather than feeling uber inspired and inwardly motivated to write on this blog and share myself with you all, I have instead been feeling a heavy sense of obligation. Not a cool feeling. 

For a long time now, this blog has been my outlet for self-expression and creativity. My platform to inspire others and my avenue to express my truth. It was often my place of comfort. It opened my heart and warmed my little soul. It brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes. It meant everything to me. But quite honestly (and it breaks my heart to say it) I just ain't getting that feeling anymore. 

I feel like I have grown out of the blog.  And I it is now time to create something new. 

CREATING SPACE FOR THE NEW

For the past few months I have been working on a new project. I am in the throws of launching a new business, a new website and a whole new approach to my work. Creative ideas have been bubbling out of me uncontrollably. I am having to keep a notebook on me at all times to catch them. I feel alive, inspired, excited and energised by my new project and all I want to do is work on it. 

To support this new venture, I have been working to call in a lot of new stuff in to my life. I have been completing gorgeous magentising meditations  each day and I can literally feel my energy body connecting with my desire. My visualisations are life-like. I feel my energy literally drawing this new reality towards me. I know it is all on it's way. But I realise that there is one step I missed.

I haven't yet cleared space for this new stuff. 

My life is so damn busy. My mind is so full. As much as I desire to call in all this new stuff, where on earth is it going to fit? There is no space! And so I have realised that I need to let go of what is no longer serving me so that I can receive all the awesome new shit I am attracting.

You need to create space for the new. Otherwise there is no room for creativity and inspiration to bubble forth. 

You also need to learn to say no. Learn to say no to that which does not fit in with the highest vision you have for yourself. Say yes to that which will nourish, support and uplift you.

What I really want to say yes to now is creating space. Shedding. Making room. 

WHERE TO FROM HERE...

I have no plans to shut down this blog, or disconnect from my readers. But I wanted to share where I am at so you can understand why you may be hearing from me less and usual over the coming months. I will be in creative lock-down, pulling together new and exciting products and resources for you which will culminate to the launch of a new site later in the year. 

I am also going to dedicating more time and energy to my coaching work. This area of my life feels new, fresh and exciting and I am getting such a thrilling buzz out of working with my clients. This needs more of my time, energy and focus. So that is what it is going to get.

In the meantime I will still be here with you. I will still be writing. But I will be taking more time for me. I will be creating more space for the new. I will be saying no to obligation and yes to inspiration.

I look forward to sharing more of my journey with you as it unfolds.

Love + Light

Connie xx

STRIVING TO BE SUPERWOMAN? : 5 TIPS TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD

On numerous occasions my boyfriend has referred to me as superwoman. While that term does not resonate with me at all, I find I tend to give off that external facade. I am like a duck swimming in a pond. All looks calm and peaceful above the water, but down below those little legs are paddling at full speed. 

I am juggling a lot of things at the moment. I am still working full time, and in my evenings and weekends I dedicate my spare time to building my coaching business, seeing clients, writing this beautiful blog and also completing my studies, not to mention having a life. While it is challenging, I would not have it any other way. I enjoy being stimulated by so many different facets of my life. I thrive on getting things done. I love the satisfaction of achieving goals, and creating beautiful results. 

For someone like me, being sick is one of the most frustrating experiences imaginable. But I believe that sometimes the body creates illness so that you can be forced to stop and rest. A few days ago I was struck down with a crippling migraine that saw me bed ridden for 2 days and so nauseous that I could not eat. The only thing I could do was rest. I slept for around 16 hours in a 24 hour period. 

Funnily enough, once I recovered I found myself with a new fresh perspective on life. While there was still a part of my mind that was anxiously fretting about all the things I had to do, another part of me was feeling totally and utterly chilled. I actually felt surprisingly at peace with the fact that I had just spent the past 2 days doing absolutely nothing. Deep down, I knew that rest and down time was exactly what I needed, I had simply just not given myself the permission to do it. 

As a result, this got me thinking about how much I really need to lighten my load. This does not mean stopping all the things I am doing, but it does mean scheduling in a little more down time. It also means taking the pressure off myself a little and giving myself permission to take a break.

 If too are feeling like you're trying to be superwoman, here are 5 steps to help you lighten the load.

5 STEPS TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD

1. SET ASIDE QUIET TIME EACH DAY

Turn off the tv, set aside your laptop, put your iphone on silent and just be in quietness. When I am over stimulated this is the best medicine. Do you ever just sit in silence in a room on your own? Since I have been living by myself I have done this a few times, and it is quite an interesting experience. I will just sit on the couch in quietness. The only noise I can hear is my clock ticking, and the birds chirping outside. 

Initially my mind yells at me for a while and tries to pull me up to start doing things. Sometimes I feel strange pangs of loneliness or emptiness bubble up. But eventually what arises is a calm and beautiful sense of contentment. Contentment with what is. Nothing needs to be done. Nothing needs to be changed. It is simply an acceptance of who you are and where you are in this very moment. And it is pretty damn beautiful.

2. GET BACK TO THE SIMPLE STUFF

I think us humans over-complicate our life. We are so wrapped up in the external world - in all it's shiny things and glistening distractions. We have lost touch with the really simple things. We have forgotten that we really don't need all this stuff to make us happy. 

What are the simple things that bring you joy and happiness? What are those little things that bring you peace? Is it setting aside time each evening to curl up on the couch with a really good book? Is it getting up half an hour earlier in the morning so you can go for a long beautiful walk outdoors as the sun rises? Is it scheduling in more quality time with the people that make you the happiest? What are those simple things that make you smile and warm your heart. Do more of them.

3. ONLY CHECK YOUR EMAILS/FACEBOOK/TWITTER/ (INSERT SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL HERE) TWICE A DAY

I am a chronic over-checker of emails and all things social media. I think it is because I love connection, and I love maintaining the relationships I am building through my a life of perfect days community. But really, do you need to check your twitter feed every 10 seconds? Do you need to continuously look at your facebook to see what has happened in the past minute? Will it be ok if you only check your emails twice a day?

These days with our smart phones we are so unbelievably over-connected that it is becoming ridiculous.  A few weeks ago my iphone broke, and for the first few hours I was panicked as I had no idea what was happening in the world. But after a few hours, I started to feel surprisingly calm. It was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I felt free. There was something incredibly liberating about being uncontactable and about not having any obligation to check in to emails or update my facebook. 

Start working on your computer/email/iphone social media addiction. Practice checking it twice a day - morning and night. I guarantee it will be an interesting self-enlightening experience.

4. FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR NEEDING A BREAK

Why do women feel guilty for taking a break? Why do we beat up on ourselves if we can't do it all? Why do we think there is something wrong with us if we don't have our shit together 100% of the time? Sometimes we are afraid that if we let go, everything will fall apart. Or if we stop and take a breather, we will fall behind. We are also afraid of the vulnerability that arises from feeling like we are not living up the strong external image that we have created. 

It is ok to need a break sometimes. It is ok to not being doing it all. It is ok to lose your shit. If you need to rest, do it, and don't make yourself feel guilty about it. We all need to stop being so hard on ourselves. Forgive yourself if you feel that you are not able to perform in the way that you want. Let yourself off the hook. Take loving care of your little sweet self and respect when your body, mind or spirit needs a little downtime.

5. LEARN TO SAY NO SOMETIMES

Are you a chronic over-commiter? Are you always saying yes as you are afraid to hurt people's feelings by saying no? Love yourself enough to know when you need to say no. Recognise when you have too much on your plate and you have to give something up. Rather than saying yes to everything, prioritise which things are the most important for you and which are not.

What are you afraid will happen if you say no? Are you concerned what people will think? Or, are you such an over do-er that the thought of having spare time freaks you out? Many of us over-commit so that we can avoid that lonely feeling that arises when we spend too much time on our own. While it may be scary initially, it is important that you start to create space in your life for your self. You cannot possibly be the best for others, unless you are taking the very best care of yourself first.

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A FINAL NOTE

It is very unlike me to take holidays. I always seem to have too much to do or too much on to make time to go away for a few weeks. Well, things are about to change. On Thursday I am heading off overseas for two weeks to Paris and Venice with my sister to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday (insert excited squeel here!). This was a trip that was sprung on me, and which I initially resisted (as my mind went in to overdrive about all the reasons why I was too busy to go) but I eventually agreed to as I think it is exactly what I need.

So, my lovelies, I will do my best to stay connected with you all while I am away, but please understand that if you do not hear from me as much over the next few weeks it is because I am simply letting my hair down and enjoying the thrill of taking a much needed break

+ Do you ever feel like you are trying to be superwoman?

+ What strategies do you use to help you switch off?

OPEN YOUR HEART: HOW TO LET LOVE LEAD THE WAY

I believe we are coming in to a time where we are each individually being called to open our hearts. We are learning how to start letting love lead the way in our life.

I have been experiencing this first hand. The areas of my life that I have been pouring love in to have started to blossom and flourish. There is flow, effortlessness and magic. While the areas where I am finding myself still making head-based decisions, and doing things out of obligation, are becoming increasingly difficult. They are crumbling. They are falling apart. They are simply ceasing to work.

LIVING FROM THE HEAD

For many of us, our minds run our lives. Our decisions are made rationally. Our life path is chosen strategically. Our possibilities are determined logically.

For those of us living this way, the little voice of our heart has consequently been neglected. It has been stifled. It has been ignored. As a result, the energy in our heart has closed down. It's light has not been able to shine. It's love has not been able to be expressed. 

For each of us this has happened in various degrees. Some of us live completely driven by our heads without even any knowledge of the fact that our heart is trying to lead us elsewhere. While others of us, who have allowed their heart to lead the way, may be influenced by their head to a lesser degree.

As a society in general, the intuitive, spontaneous and joyful energy of the heart has been suppressed and many of us have lost complete connection with it all together. 

OPEN YOUR HEART

+ Make heart-felt decisions

Can you tell the difference between a decision made from your heart, and a decision made from your head? You can tell by the way you feel. The decisions I make from my heart create a feeling of softness, expansion, lightness and a gentle happiness in my body. I feel this energy in my chest. When my decisions come from my head there is a slight feeling of force to them, there is tension, and a flutter of anxiety or stress. I feel this energy in my head, and behind my eyes.

When you make decisions from the heart, you are making a decision that is driven by love. The actions that flow from these decisions will lead to more love, fulfilment, openness, fullness aliveness and joy. You are making decisions driven by your own true happiness. There are no ulterior motives, there is no one to please, their is no external reward to gain. You are simply choosing to express and experience more love in each moment.

+ Be from the heart

What does this mean? It means changing who you are being. Come from a different place. Have a different intention behind all you do. Show different parts of yourself. Find out who you really are, and do whatever you can to express it. To be from the heart, means to;

Be vulnerable

Be true to yourself

Be authentic

Be seen

Be who you really are

Be real

Be LOVE

+ Practice heart meditation

I have used this form of meditation at various times of my life where I have been getting too stuck in my head. It works.

Simply sit still with your eyes close and allow yourself to relax. As you are breathing, begin to visualise that you are actually breathing in and out of your heart space. Your breathe is moving in and out of your heart. It is up to you if you want to see colours, but I like to breathe in white light and breathe out a soft pink light. As you breathe in, see this beautiful light filling up your whole chest, and your whole body. As you breathe out, see this beautiful light extending out from your chest and in to the world around you.

+ Do more of what you love

Love the is key that opens your heart. Do what you love and love what you do. Dedicate as much time as you can to doing the things you love. If you cannot change some of your circumstances right now, just start by loving them. Love them as they are.  The more that you pour love in to them, the more that these situations will eventually change to start to reflect more of what you love.

+ Communicate from the heart
Always communicate with love. Think in kind ways. Speak kind words. Have a heart driven intention behind all your interactions with others.

Communicating with love also means being vulnerable. Being willing to tear down the self-imposed barriers we put between ourselves and others. It means dropping all the fake stuff, letting go of the need to please, giving up looking good, and just being you. It is about being authentic.

I recently had to have one of these conversations with my boyfriend. It was an honest, raw conversation. It wasn't necessarily bad, but it was very real. It was a conversation that pushed me to open my heart and communicate authentically about how I was feeling. I had to be honest and vulnerable and communicate my truth. It was a conversation I had been avoiding, as it went against the voice in my head that was trying to rationalise the situation and convince me that I could simply suppress how I was feeling and it would all go away. But my heart continued to call me. It called me to express myself without fear of rejection or judgement. It simply called me to communicate. Really communicate. And really connect.

You cannot have an authentic relationship with someone, be it a lover, a friend or a family member, unless you are willing to be vulnerable.

LET GO

The only way to open your heart is to let go of all the things that have been keeping it closed. Let go of the resentments. Let go of the jealousy. Let go of the anger. Let go of the hate. Let go of the blame. Let go of the judgement. 

Drop the self-protective, fear-based, self-conscious bullshit.

Let go of it. It is not your truth, and it can no longer exist. There is now a crumbling of that which is not built on love or driven by the heart. Structures not build on truth or authenticity are falling away.

Trust me, you will be well rewarded for your willingness to open your heart. The heart energy is powerful beyond measure. When you allow your heart space to open and trust that it will guide you, you will find that you are lead to levels of happiness and fulfilment that are much grander than anything you can create through your little human head.


+ What practices do you use to open your heart?
+ What amazing things have you experienced as a result of following your heart?

LET GO OF YOUR BACK-UP PLAN: HOW TO GET UNSHAKEABLY COMMITTED TO YOUR DREAMS

Have you ever had a dream that you really wanted to achieve, but because you did not think it was possible, you gave up on it? Or has there ever been something you really wanted to do, but because you did not believe you had what it took, you quit?  

On the contrary, have you ever had a big dream that you really wanted, and even though you had no idea how you were going to do it, or even if you could do it, you committed to achieving in anyway? And as a result of making that commitment to what you wanted, somehow, almost magically, everything unfolded perfectly and you achieved your goal? 

COMMIT TO YOUR DREAM

The difference between these 2 examples, is one thing; commitment. 

Being committed requires making a decision. A whole hearted decision. You need to be so commited that there is no back-up plan, no escape route, and simply nothing else to consider. 

When you are truly committed, giving up is not an option.

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, the providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would come his way.” --William Hutchinson Murray

I love this quote. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of making an unwavering commitment to the achievement of what we really want. What is said here is undeniably true. Magic happens when you commit. 

MAKE A WHOLE-HEARTED DECISION

The simple act of making a whole-hearted, non negotiable decision, sends a crystal clear message to the Universe about what you are intending to create. The laser-like energy that your decision sets forth, immediately begins to alter the Universe and what it is that you are attracting to you.

Many people do not commit to doing something that scares them or that is out of their comfort zone, until they have some sense of certainty about how it is all going to play out. So, rather than just making a decision and going for it, they instead sit their ‘waiting for all the ducks to line up’ before they do anything. Or, they only half-commit to that they can allow themselves the option to back out of it if it gets too hard. 

Fear often arises when we attempt to make a concrete commitment to doing something when we have no idea what is actually going to happen, or what is going to be required of us. 

Uncertainty scares our ego, because it removes it’s sense of control and safety. But that is also why it is so beautiful, because in order to embrace uncertainty, you have to forgo listening to your ego, and find a trust in something much deeper. The ego likes to delay us from making this commitment, as it ensures that we are kept safe and do not take any risks to lose love, approval, security, or anything else that we crave. 

It is our job to remain totally committed on what we want, and clearly focused on where we are going, despite the fears or uncertainties we encounter.

DO WHATEVER IT TAKES 

You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your goal. The only way to do this is to remain connected to why it is you want your goal. When you have a powerful, inspiring and over-arching reason why you are doing something, it will propel you forward and give you the energy to overcome any challenges you face. 

When you focus on your outcome, connect with the feelings that it brings up in you. What is it that you are wanting to experience as a result of achieving this goal? What are you hoping it will give you? How will it impact your life? Create a beautiful image in your mind's eye of the outcome you are wanting. This vision will guide you through your journey, and support you to remain committed to making this dream a reality.

HAVE  LITTLE FAITH

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." -- Martin Luther King Jr.

Once you are committed, you must trust and have faith that the Universe will support you. There will be countless times through your journey that your mind will want to jump in and take control. It will become fearful of the uncertainty and will attempt to get you to follow it's plan.  You must keep your mind squarely focused on the outcome you are wanting to achieve, and forget about what is in between.

At each step along the journey, you will be guided to what you need to do next. You do not need to see the whole staircase. You do not need to know how it will all unfold. Simply remain committed, and certain that it will all be taken care of.  The Universe is here to support you. As long as you are willing to play at 100% the Universe will ensure that everything you need is delivered to you.

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+ What dreams are you committing to achieving?

+ What is the vision behind this dream, and why is it that achieving it means so much to you?

EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY: HOW TO THRIVE IN TIMES OF CHAOS

Warning: Today, I get a little deep....

I am going to through an interesting little journey in my life at the moment. I have mentioned a bit about this in some of my recent facebook posts, and from the response I have received from all of you, I am hearing that I am not alone! So, I want to share a bit about the crazy, contrasting and rather chaotic experiences I am having, and the powerful, aha-moment realisations and learnings I am getting as a result.

EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY

The circumstances of my life seem to be in a constant state of flux. When people ask me where I will be or what I will be doing a few months from now, I say 'I don't know!' I am learning instead, to surrender to what is, and allow the flow of life to guide me, rather than forcing what I want in to fruition. My best laid plans are often unravelled as unexpected twists and turns seem to continue to enter my path. I am being forced to live squarely in this moment. To simply be here now. 

This is the beautiful thing that uncertainty makes us do - it makes us live presently. Why? Because there is not much else we can do! When the world around us is arranging and rearranging itself, all we can do is sit tight and do our best to hold on. 

The other thing that uncertainty does, is move our focus from the external to the internal. Often when our hands are tied and we are powerless to control the outer world, we are forced to just stop, and be. Uncertainty often creates inner turmoil. As a result, we become more aware of what is going on inside of us, and if we are wise, we start implementing practices to calm our anxieties, and cultivate peace instead.

LIFE IS A CLASSROOM

I believe life is our a classroom, and we are here to learn. I believe we are given challenges, as these help us to grow. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and unfolds exactly as it is supposed to, even if at the time we cannot understand why. I believe that there is more to my life and this universe than the physical and material things that we can touch, see and feel. 

These beliefs give me peace. They give my life meaning and purpose. They help me detach from the part of me that wants to curl up in a ball, play the victim card and cry 'why is this happening to me?' Instead, they empower me to see the true message behind everything, and encourage me to remember that in every moment I have the ability to choose how I am going to respond. 

Right now, I am being challenged. And rather than looking at these challenges as annoying inconveniences, I am instead choosing to see them as beautiful little learning opportunities and wondrous little wake up calls, that I did not even realise I needed.

ABRUPT ENDINGS + NEW BEGINNINGS

I am in the process of learning which areas of my life need to end - and therefore be let go of. And which areas of my life are ready to grow - and require new beginnings. 

Some areas of my life are crumbling at the moment. It seems that no matter how hard I try, I cannot keep them together. I am working so hard to make progress and literally stop everything falling to pieces. It is the strangest thing, because no degree of effort, control, organisation or preventative measures can stop it. I have been fighting this for months. Working to pick up the pieces. Trying so hard to get results. And nothing

On the other hand, it seems that there are other areas of my life that are blossoming out of my control. In these areas there is effortlessness, flow, ease and instant manifestation. In these moments my body tingles with high energy vibrations. I experience synchronicity and magic and miracles. In these areas, no mater how many challenges I experience it seems that these areas still seem to flourish. Literally with very little effort on my behalf. It is as if, all I need to do is set the intention, let go, and it all just happens.

I have been swinging between this darkness and light like a yo yo on a string.  In the span of a day I move between the peaks and troughs countless times. My analytical mind has been going haywire trying to piece this puzzle together and make sense of it all. And this is the problem, because...

When it comes to matters of the heart, your analytical mind is useless.

I am being taught that it is time to follow my inner guidance with strong faith, a deep trust, and lots of courage. And in order to do this, I must let go of any rational or logical reasoning that my analytical mind tries to use to talk me out of it. 

JUMP, AND THEN YOU GET YOUR WINGS

Read this post by Sarah Wilson, titled jump, and *then* you get your wings. It totally spoke to me. It was the message I needed to hear. 

HOW TO THRIVE IN TIMES OF CHAOS

So, to make it through the challenging times, it is important to view things from the right perspective. Remember these following lessons and apply them to help you through the chaotic and unstable times.

+ Embrace Uncertainty: Don't fight it.  Don't resist it. Simply allow it. Let the Universe guide and support you. Trust that everything is unfolding as it is meant to, and you will always be taken care of. Everything you need will be provided. 

+ Follow Your Heart:  The heart energy is often irrational, illogical and free spirited. It encourages us to take risks and follow your feelings rather than your rational mind. When we are afraid, we often retreat to the security based thinking of the mind. Instead, stay connected to your heart and allow it to guide you

+ Let Go: Let go of how you want it to happen. Let go of your attachments. Let go of forcing, controlling and manipulating. Relax a little. Let go of outcomes and results. If you are struggling with this, try taking a deep breath in, and as you breathe out say the words 'let it go' several times. Repeat this process over and over until you find your body relax and your mind start to cam.

+ Follow Inner Guidance: I believe that the purpose of instability in the external world, is to encourage us to instead find our security and stability inside of us. We all look to the external world to meet our needs, but when the external world is in chaos, we must turn our search somewhere else. Start to become familiar with that soft inner voice inside of you that whispers to you. It will always tell you what you need to hear.

+ Forget About The How: It is very likely that you have no idea how everything is going to sort itself out. And that it totally ok! Do not waste your time trying to come up with plans about how it is all going to come together. Simply focus on the outcome you want. Hold it in your heart. Trust that it will be taken care of. And then as the dust around you settles, keep hold of that vision and remain open and willing to the guidance that will show you how to achieve it. 

So, over to you! I would love to hear your comments...

+ Can any of you relate to what I am describing here?

+ What lessons are you learning from this experience?

GET CONSCIOUS: HOW TO CREATE A LIKE- MINDED COMMUNITY

GET CONSCIOUS

I want to start off by telling you about an event I went to last night. An event run by The Conscious Club (pretty cool name huh!?) Curious what an event like this might entail? Well, let me tell you all about it.

The setting was beachside, at Bondi Pavillion, where close to 300 conscious-seeking and curious souls assembled and shuffled in to a dimly lit, packed theatre. The evening was filled with beautiful live music, a powerful and moving short film, an unbelievably informative and inspirational talk by the phenomenal Sarah Wilson (who writes a blog that I read religiously and has literally revolutionised the way that I look at sugar), a long, deep and soulful group meditation and then a delicious feast of vegetarian food and friendly chatter. 

All up, it was my kind of evening. I loved every minute of being there, and I walked out feeling aligned, open, truly inspired and like some deep, long lost inner spark had been ignited inside me. 

So, you can get a bit more of an idea of what this is all about, here some information about how it all started..

"Created by Tim Brown, Gary Gorrow and Lee Te Hira, on the basis that they and so many of their friends were tired of going to the same old pub or club, yelling at each other for a number of hours before coming home with nothing to show for it except a hoarse voice and a hangover. The guys realised that everyone is going out to clubs and getting UNCONSCIOUS, so they thoughts they would create a club where you could have a fund night out and get highly CONSCIOUS! And so was born, THE CONSCIOUS CLUB!"

Why am I telling you all this? Because I am wanting to emphasise the importance of creating a community. A community of like-minded peeps. People who inspire you, support you and make you want to become a bigger and better version of yourself. Do you have a community like that?

WHY IS A LIKE MINDED COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT?

Have you ever been in a situation, where you wanted to make a change in your life? You wanted to do something new. You wanted to create yourself in a new way, or take a new course of action. If this is the case, there is a chance that it may feel quite unfamiliar, new or foreign. You may not yet be sure if it will work, or who you will have to become in order to achieve it. You heart may be calling you to make this change, yet your head continues to bark at you, all the reasons why you cannot do it. You may not have anyone to talk to about this or to share your dreams with as the people currently in your life do not know about this other part of you, and you are not sure what they will think.

Sometimes when we start to make a change in our lives, we feel like our new dreams are like little seeds. They are new and fragile. They need love, care and protection. We need to support them to grow and grow so that they can become solid and sturdy enough to break through the surface for all the world to see. In these early stages it is easy to want to hide away these new little dream seeds from others. We fear that if we share them they may be stomped on. We feel vulnerable and uncertain about this new person we are becoming and we are not sure they we will be accepted by our peers.

This is where building a like minded community helps. In your community, you will meet other people who are in the same situation. They too will have little baby dream seeds that need to be nurtured. It is a delicate time, and in order to stay on track with this new path you are carving, you need to surround yourself with people who will carry you there.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY

Wondering where to get started in finding some similar, like minded, passionate and inspiring people? Well, here are some suggestions

1. ATTEND EVENTS

You are not going to meet these new types of people in the places you regularly frequent. You are going to have to start going to some new places. Start attending events that the people who you want to meet attend. Simply type your interest in to google. Eg: 'meditation events in Sydney' or 'writing workshops in Melbourne",  or 'learn how to sew clubs' or  'health food events'. 

Keep your eye out for events in your local area. Start looking at cafe noticeboards. Pick up flyers. Read other people's blogs and follow the links to other sites that interest you. Once you start looking for them, you will be surprised how they just seem to jump out at you.

Then, when you are there. Talk to people. There is no point sitting by yourself and then scurrying off as soon as the event ends so that you do not have to connect. Have the courage to approach a stranger and spark up a chat. Then, if you are both on the same page, exchange details and make a time to meet up. It is not as 'stalker-ish' as it sounds. Most people who attend these events are usually keen to meet new, like minded people too!

2. START A BLOG

Do you have an area of interest? Something that you are passionate about? Well, why not start a blog about it!

Starting this blog is one of the best decisions I ever made. Through this site, as well as my facebook and twitter pages I have created an amazing community around me of like minded people. This is a community where we can share inspiring information, support each other, and surround ourselves with people who have a similar purpose. These peeps have become my spiritual running buddies (a term I picked up from Gabrielle Bernstein).

You will be amazed at the following you can gather by simply being willing to share yourself and your ideas. You can connect with other people who have blogs you like. Ask them if they want to write a guest post for you. Leave comments on other blogs and start to form connections with people who are writing about what interests you. I have formed amazing relationships with fellow bloggers that I treasure deeply, and which I find extremely supportive. 

3. SHARE YOUR TRUTH WITH ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN

You do not have to be at a networking event to talk about your passion. Start sharing this with anyone and anybody you meet. When people ask you about yourself, share your ideas with them. You do not have to talk surface bulls**t about what job you do, and what school you went too, blah blah. You can share yourself truthfully and authentically with anyone and everyone.

I used to be too scared to tell people that I wanted to be a life coach. I feared that they would look at me and think "As if YOU could be a life coach" Or I would hold back telling people about my latest way of eating (eg: green juice and raw chocolate pudding for breakfast) out of fear that they would think I was weird. (Trust me I have had a lot of people say that to me over the years, and I have learnt to take it as a sign that this person is NOT going to be part of my community, so I simply let them go).

You must be willing to be vulnerable and share your truth, authentically with others. By doing this you then create a space for others to be vulnerable, truthful and authentic with you too.

4. GET A MENTOR

You need people who can look up to. People who have what you want. People to model. People who will motivate you forward and show you what is possible.  A mentor will help do this. 

A mentor may be someone you know and get to spend time with, or it may be someone you admire from afar. However you do it, just find ways to immerse yourself in their work, their message and their guidance.

Wherever possible, surround yourself with people, not only who are on a similar journey, but also people who are above and beyond where you are now. Perhaps they intimidate you. Perhaps you do not feel worthy of spending time with them. Perhaps you wonder, 'why would they want to hang out with me?'. Forget all that. Just do your best to be around them. Read their work. Model what they do. Be in their energy. It is important to have people that hold you to a higher standard and show you what us truly possible. 

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.