Category: Wellness

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The real challenge

Before my trip to Japan, 3 years ago, I did an interview for a friend.

Revisiting the video earlier this year – my boss wanted to use it – I have realised how important the underlying message is.

And it’s a message that is timeless.

The message I was seeking to drive home, was that the only challenge that is real in life, is to be more loving.

Someone cuts you off in traffic?

Be more loving.

The computer crashes and you lose all your data?

Be more loving.

When things like this happen, loving yourself and others through the mess, is a way of showing your best.

Love beats a path forward, even when all seems lost.

So next time, when life doesn’t go my way, the response I am choosing is to use it as an opportunity to be more loving.

Will you follow me?

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Forgiveness

Often misunderstood as almost a weakness, forgiveness can set a person free.

For me, it’s difficult to forgive. And I’m not alone.

So let’s break it down.

There are two directions that can be taken when an injury occurs. These are revenge. I can hurt you back. Or forgiveness. I can understand that you are human too and I can love you instead.

Once I can forgive, I release myself from the cycle that holds me prisoner to the hurt. And I’m role modelling how I prefer to be treated. Maybe I can use the pain as an opportunity to lead others caught up in the web of pain, into a safer harbour and onto the path of healing.

Forgiveness does not allow the other person involved to get off lightly. If anything, it holds them even more accountable. To believe they have no conscience and to hold onto the belief they are a monster denies true justice. It excuses them for their crimes.

So I’m trying something a little different this time. I’m choosing to heal. I’m choosing to voice the truth of what happened that caused me harm, and I’m setting myself free.

This may take time. I may have to forgive repeatedly. For forgiveness is often a cycle.

But I’m walking this road, instead of denying it.

Will you walk it with me?

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Ideas

Hello My Loyal Readers,

I’m currently having dinner with friends. As my girl friend is cooking, I’m being entertained by her husband.

The conversation has taken a turn towards ending the world’s problems.

One idea with merit is to connect all equipment in the local gym to a generator.

As people cycle or jog on the treadmill, or use the bicycle or rowing machine, they can create environmentally friendly clean electricity to feed into the local network.

To give an incentive, however much electricity is created, let the person get that amount of credit with their gym.

This idea is free to the world. If you’re interested in supporting me with this, please make contact. I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time.

Liz

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Legacy and friendship

When considering what legacy to leave behind, it is sometimes useful to watch what legacy your friends and own family are leaving behind.

For a clue as to what is really valuable, think about the glue that holds these people in your life.

Is it your religion. Or that you all like to garden, or volunteer.

The themes that run through your closest relationships indicate what your values are.

They also point to what would be valuable to those you care the most about in your life.

And therefore these values can provide a foundation for determining what to centre your legacy around. And for who would benefit from it.

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Simple dreams

Once upon a time, a long time ago, I believed in complicated dreams.

Dreams large enough to fill a nation and to encompass the world.

Now, approaching 40, I have a new and novel strategy.

You see, I’ve many unfulfilled dreams and this both makes me empowered and sad at the same time.

My new strategy involves taking all my dreams and simplifying them.

This means I’m busy boiling them down to the necessary steps that make up each dream.

And maybe, in the next 40 years, I’ll live all of them, with room for more.

Is simplifying dreams a better strategy than the one you’re using now?

How can simplifying your dreams make them more attainable?

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Creation stories

Researching into different religions and cultures, makes it possible to draw parallels between each.

One parallel is the abundance of Creation Stories.

These are stories that hold a people together.

Christians know they’re Christian, because of the story of Adam and Eve. The Romans knew they were Roman because of the story of the twins being suckled by a wolf, and other peoples are not much different.

Now, I’d like to make this a little more personal.

Everyone has an individual Creation Story. This tells us who we are in society and the larger world. It often has information like who our parents are, where we grew up, and our history, told through our eyes.

This creates a filter of how we interpret everything in life.
So, by acknowledging our own Creation Story and its influence, and by understanding how it impacts upon our decisions and perception, we can set ourselves free.

Don’t ignore it, don’t deny it. Embrace it because it is important and unique…

But don’t let it shut down the imagination and the ability to write more stories.

This is my challenge also.

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As 2018 wraps up.

It’s the end of the year. December already. How did that happen?

Well, this year, I’ve started the Blog and climbed a part of my own personal Everest.

This has involved several events.

I’ve been lucky enough to have changed positions within the Charity I work for, have some training coming up for another casual position I’ve picked up (I work part time at my primary job) and I even have an idea of what I’d like to achieve in 2019.

Presents have been wrapped and are underneath the Christmas tree. And this weekend my Christmas gift to myself is the neatest and best presented house in the neighborhood.

Life is good.

Are you organised for the Christmas season?

What’s your gift to yourself this Christmas?

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Budgets and food.

Recently, while hunting down recipes that were nutritious and budget friendly, I searched many different websites.

Much advice was given on growing one’s own herbs and vegetables, mixed in with different recipes.

Two comments I’d like to make to those of us who believe that food can be healthy and affordable are these…

When growing your own, an easy way to choose what to plant, is choose anything that works well in salad. Salad vegetables are always better fresh.

Then my second comment is to grow what goes well with eggs. This means, with the humble and yes, cheap egg in the fridge, a quick, easy and healthy meal can be whipped up with anything growing in the garden.

A side salad, also from that same garden, would make this little meal complete.

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Life is a grindstone…

Whether it wears you down or polishes you up is up to you.

The above quote is by Cavett Robert.

This quote has been on my fridge door ever since I moved from Sydney to my home town. Recently, it has been giving me much comfort.

My last post was about giving yourself a voice.

Well. I did. And I roared. And the CEO of my company gave me a new job. It’s a steep learning curve…but so are all the best lessons in life.

So, I have a choice. I can stress over how much I don’t know. I can get angry with myself for taking the plunge into this unknown territory.

Or I can use this as a way of polishing myself up.

And I’ll let you into a little secret. Deep down, beyond the fear, is a true love for an honest challenge. I’m actually quite excited.

What fears and challenges are you facing?

What can you do to polish yourself up?

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The power of the mind

This piece is by my dear friend, Hilda Oakley. She’s given me permission to share it with you.

Please note that this is copyrighted.

“One of the most important organs of the body is the brain. The brain is where the mind is situated. It sends messages to the rest of the body.

I have learnt many lessons and I would like to share them with you.

Strategies:

When feeling anxious or depressed, it is good to use strategies.

It’s like rearranging one’s mind.

Reading

Listening to classical music

Listening to music on the iPod.

Listening to gentle music on the radio

Listening to talking books from the library

A healthy body leads to a healthy mind

It is good to repeat this ofyen: It’s a brand new wonderful day.

The environment

It is good to work in the garden, even if it’s only for 10 – 15 minutes a day.

Don’t forget to take time to smell the roses.

Look at all the beautiful flowers.

Be free from worry

Be careful what books you read

Be careful what you watch on telly

Listen to classical music

Replace negativity with positivity

When feeling anxious, take deep breaths.

Make love a part of your life

Add caring and kindness into your life

Mix with positive friends

Watch your daily caffeine intake. Watch your coffee and tea intake.

Have a proper dress code to lift your spirits.

Laughter is always the best medicine!

We have all been given a free Will, be careful how you use it.

Life is a challenge, but we have been given the equipment to overcome, just use it

For my spirituality I turn to my Christian beliefs and my faith in God.

Set your aims high.

Be proud of yourself and your achievements

Do regular exercise

Eat organic food”