🙏💜🙏 Problem or Opportunity? 🙏💜🙏

Problem or Opportunity...You decide

So, what do you see when you look at this picture, spilt paint or an opportunity?

We come across so many similar scenarios in our every days lives. Situations that some may call problems and others an opportunity or a missed opportunity if it remains a problem!

Think about the last "problem" you had. I mean really think... what if you could change your perception of that problem and try to see the opportunity within it. 

Give yourself a few minutes to think about how that problem could have been an opportunity.

If you are struggling with it and your mind still sees it as a problem then think about what you have learnt from the "problem". Maybe you have learned how to do it differently or how to see things another way.

The reality is that when you look out at life and see problems, many times these problems can be opportunities if we just change our perception of them. We have so much more control over events than we think we do. We may not always be able to change events but we can always change how we view them.

Now for a little story!....

Life is a gift

Life is a gift to appreciate every day

Most of us live extremely hectic lives causing us to get wrapped up in our day to day events. We fly through most our days on autopilot, our conscious minds rarely giving thought to our day to day lives. 
Running errands, ticking things off the to-do list, then at night time collapsing into bed exhausted to sleep only to begin it all again the next day. 

It is important in each day to take moments to reflect and appreciate the simple gift of life and all it gives us day to day. 

Within every hectic day are moments that can be found to reflect, appreciate and find things that we are grateful for, such as life, health, loved ones, warmth and shelter.

Next time you find your self feeling negative about something in your day or life, try to see a way to appreciate it, some simple examples:

Dishes to wash means food to eat

House to clean makes for a safe place to live

Piles of laundry means you have clothes to wear

What often gets us down in our days are not the events themselves but our perception of them. 

Life is a gift so remember to find ways to be grateful and appreciate the many things that you have in your life. 
What can you appreciate in your life today?

Who are you?

Who were you before the world took you?

How often to do we stop and look at who we truly are?

We spend so much of our time worrying about what other people think, trying to fit in, trying to be the best employer, employee, wife, husband, girlfriend, mother. 

We strive to be what we think the world and society want us to be. The longer we do this for the more we pull the blindfold over our eyes that look out and over our eyes that look in. Before we know it we have completely lost ourselves to the expectations around us. 

So...... who were you before the world took you? The innocent child living in the moment, exploring the excitements of every new thing, every new day, the beauty in the world, the moments that were all that mattered, the creativity, the fun, before we tried to fit in.

We forget that within us is a soul that is truly us, that remains untouched by all the pressures and expectations around us. 

It is easier than we think to tap into this. Just reading this is allowing you to question and look deeper within yourself to reveal your true self. 

Think about who is really you, what do you really think, what do you really want to do, what are your dreams? If you took away all the expectations the world has placed on you, what is left? Who are you when you are alone and free? 

Many people think that you can not combine the spiritual self with the every day pressures of the worldly expectations. This is possible.... even for the busiest people,  there is time to reflect, there is time to meditate. Any time spent googling, texting, facebooking or other social media can be swapped for time with your true self. 

We all need a balance in our lives, so stop......and just ask.... Who was I before the world took me?

MUSIC - Ultimate Healing .. Music playlist from your Healing Session... For more playlists please click on my YouTube link on the right hand side of my Blog page

Oneness of humanity

Inspired by the Dalai Lama's visit to Glastonbury

Oneness of Humanity
Compassion

Non-violence

Today... A mindful exercise

If you keep thinking of yesterday and tomorrow, before you know it today will be gone
How much time do you spend thinking about what has already happened or what may happen in the future? ..... Our brain seems to be hardwired to think about past events and possible future ones to a point where we are very rarely present in the moment. 
Think about how much of today you spent not in the moment. Worrying about things that may not every happen or things that already have.
Before you know it your day has gone and you are lying in bed analysing all the days events that have already happened and thinking about tomorrows events that have not, and may not happen. Wow, sounds a little crazy when you look at it like that doesn't it. A life of past and future events going round and round.
Mindful Exercise
It takes practice to stop the brain doing this and to be mindful. A good place to start is by picking one thing you do daily, perhaps walking to the bus stop or station for work. You can even practice this when loading the dishwasher or cleaning your teeth.
Next time you take this walk or do a chore, concentrate on being present in the moment. Think about what you can see, hear, feel, smell, how the ground feels under your feet. Engage all your senses, this will help you stay present. If you find your mind wandering, bring it back to one of your senses. Ask yourself what am I seeing right now, what am hearing, how does it smell. You will be surprised at the things that you have never noticed on that same trip you take every day.
With regular practice your brain will start to get used to being more present in the moments which in turn will help you feel calmer and help regain some inner peace and quiet. 
Being mindful can really help with stressful situations allowing you to get out of your head for a while and quieten the mind.

Give it a go... become present in life, not an observer of past events and a predictor of future ones.

One Small Thought

'It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world' - Chaos Theory

One small thought can change the world. Remember the film "The Butterfly Effect", if you have not seen it I recommend watching it. 

Everything is energy including our thoughts. Our whole physical world is made up of vibrations of energy including our thoughts! Thoughts have a powerful influence not just in your mind but also outside of you. They affect what happens to you and this in turn affects what happens in the rest of the world. 

Many of us fill our mind with worries and fears unaware of the powerful force of our thoughts. 

The thoughts which you create in your mind create a path for the desired outcome of your focus. When you focus on fear and failure this is the energy vibration sent out into the world and this becomes what you attract like a magnet.

To change your life you must look at how you are using your mind. To change external outcomes you must first change internal conditions by creating thoughts of positivity and success.

One thought creates a flutter of energy like a butterfly wing which in turn can create a typhoon!

Make sure your butterfly wings are sending out positive vibrations :)

Social Anxiety

Study: Social Anxiety is Associated with Being an Empath

Those of you who are familiar with social anxiety will understand how hard social interactions may be for people suffering from this disorder. Simple everyday situations that seem perfectly fine to most people, such as talking to a stranger in the street or making a phone call, can lead to intense disturbing symptoms that accompany anxiety and stress: high heart rate, trembling, excessive sweating, etc.

And it’s not only about physical symptoms. It seems that socially anxious people can’t have a “normal” life – meeting new people, making friends, going out and partying – as almost any social situation causes discomfort and confusion. Many of them believe that something is wrong with them and they need to be “fixed”. 

But it’s not always as it seems, and there may be much more profound causes behind social anxiety disorder than we used to think.

Read full Article here .... http://themindunleashed.org/2015/01/social-anxiety-may-associated-empath.html

Can't stop thinking?

Can't stop thinking... think again!

So you have tried meditation, you have tried to still your mind and yet those thoughts just keep on coming..... 

So many people try to meditate and then give up when they struggle with their busy minds. Your mind has spent years just doing what it wants, thinking, problem solving, worrying, calculating and just doing whatever it pleases. 

You really can take control back of your mind. The mind is an amazing tool, but thats it.. a tool and like all tools it needs to be put back in its box once in while. 

To silence the mind is not as difficult as it may first seem.

Most people I meet have tried meditation and think they cannot do it because they cannot stop thinking. Well guess what..it's ok to think, yes really, it is ok to think when meditating. When a thought comes into your mind, observe it and then let it drift past like a cloud and return to your breathing. Try not to get wrapped up in the thought, just let it go. Keep doing this again and again and I promise you eventually you will get it!

Also, there really is no need to sit cross legged in silence with your hands on your knees chanting Om (although this is what you will probably be doing in 3 months!). Remember your mind needs to re-train itself, it is not used to all this not thinking stuff. It wants to think, it is used to thinking, so you must re-train your brain. 

Silence is not necessary and can make it daunting for meditation newbies. Gentle background music is a great way to start meditating (I will put a link at the bottom of this post to my YouTube music list).

Also be comfortable and go with the flow.. if you feel like moving, it's ok, if you have an urge to make a sound, that's ok too. Really to start with it is about you getting used to just sitting and doing nothing and observing your thoughts and feelings. Try to observe, not participate.

Another thing that helps with meditation is a ritual. It can be something simple like lighting a candle or placing a cushion on the floor, but make sure you do the same things every time. This helps the mind to start to learn that it is quiet time and eventually just the lighting of the candle or whatever your ritual happens to be will be enough to start your mind to be quiet.

Most of all be patient, do not give up. I promise you we all started at the beginning and I remember the moment I felt my mind go quiet and since that day I have meditated and enjoyed it. You will enjoy meditation. Like anything, it takes practice. I have a few more tips on my Meditation Tips page. http://blisski.blogspot.co.uk/p/meditation-tips.html

So next time you think you can't stop thinking... think again and go meditate :)

https://www.youtube.com/user/KiBliss

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Every end is a new beginning.

Leave the old year behind and welcome in the new beginning with positive thoughts and an open heart.

Warmth and Light Michelle x

Happiness

Happiness: 3 Simple Rules

Gratitude - All we have is the moment, not the past and not the future, just now. Waiting for those things to come along that we think will make us happy or reminiscing about the things that used to make us happy or unhappy blinds us from all we have in the present moment. 

Being grateful for the moments we have now and every person and experience in our lives at this moment can really lift us to a higher vibration of joy. Practice finding something every day to be grateful for.

Compassion - Judging ourselves and others only brings sadness and negativity into our thoughts and our lives. Be gentle on yourself and others. Remember when you look at someone that you really do not know what they may be experiencing in their lives. When we feel and show compassion it promotes feelings of love and kindness which in turn promotes gratitude and happiness. Compassion to yourself, others and the world.

Positivity -  Thoughts only exist in your mind, they do not exist anywhere else, just in your mind. The are created by you and exist because you allow them to. You have control over your mind and how you choose to see the world outside your mind. Interpretation and perception is everything! Think positive and you will see positive, think positive and you will attract positivity.

If you practice these three things regularly until they become natural you really will find happiness.

Remember, thoughts only exist in your mind, they are nowhere else, so change your thoughts to gratitude, compassion and positivity and you will find happiness :)

The Meaning of Life

The meaning of life is to give life meaning

One of the biggest questions asked is 'what is the meaning of life?'.  

We ponder, we question, we look at oracles, we search on Google, we seek the answer many places for many years of our lives. 

Instead of seeking the meaning of life, why not give life a meaning. Stop looking for the answer and make your own. Your life is your own and what meaning you give to your life is also yours. What do you want your life to mean??? That is the real question. 

So press the pause button and think.... if you could do anything with your life and give any meaning to your life what would it be? If there were no restrictions and no limitations what meaning would you give to your life?

Once you have done that, think about what you can do to start making that happen for you. What first step can you take. Often the limitations and restrictions are ones we have put on ourselves. People often say to me, 'Oh I can't possibly do that' and when i say 'why not?', there is silence.....

We restrict ourselves and limit ourselves by saying we cant to a point where we don't even know why we cant anymore, it is just something we have told ourselves for so long.

So next time you hear yourself saying 'I can't', change it to 'how can I'.

Find what you want your life to mean and tell yourself .... 'I can'

Change your perception

Change your perception of the world and the world will change in front of your eyes

How many mornings do you get out of bed thinking  how bad your day today is going to be, or how much stress that person is going to cause, or how bad the world is???

So many things we feel helpless to change. There are so many things we cannot change and so many people we cannot change, but the one thing that we can change which is completely in our control, is how we perceive these events and people.  

When we view the world, situations and people in a more positive way suddenly the world becomes a more positive place. Nothing has changed but our perception of the situation. We often take things personally, feel betrayed or disrespected and internalise our world, feeling judged and mistreated. 

What would the world look like if we stopped internalising everything we see and start to externalise a more positive view of the world. Give out a positive energy rather than being engulfed in the negativity we perceive.

If we practice this regularly, we can change those situations and those people. By radiating a positive attitude and energy you raise the vibrations of everything and everyone around you. So start with raising your own energy vibrations and then see what happens around you. 

Make those changes and remember a small word of kindness goes a long way.

You will be amazed what a positive attitude can do for the world around you. Give it a try, decide to see the good in everything, yes everything, dig deep and see what happens :)

Follow your dreams

Do not let another persons nightmares get in the way of your dreams

Your path through life is uniquely yours. Your dreams are uniquely yours. 

Everyone in our life is walking on their own path, making their own journey, following their own dreams. When we understand this we learn to be less judgmental and less concerned about what other people think of our journey. Worrying about other people's opinions is a huge hold back on our dreams. The simple truth is, what is right for us at the time may not be right for someone else and vice versa. 

So if you happen to be walking along your path next to someone else who is walking along that nightmare path, remember it is their path and this is where they are at right now. 

It is ok to reach across from your path and hold their hand for a while, guide them a little.
Just be careful not to drag their nightmare onto your own path or even worse jump from your path to theirs! This won't help you or them. 

Sometimes we have to let others walk their path without us and continue on our own.  Trust that their path is unique and no one knows where they are going or what other helping hands awaits them around the corner. 

People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. 

Listen to your instincts, when its time to let go, let go. It is OK to support someone but if you carry them you will soon be weighed down and stuck with them!

Inner Peace

Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions

Our emotions are ours, we always have a choice how we respond to other people and the events around us.
We may not be able to control events and others but we can control our emotions.

Next time another person or an event begins to affect your inner peace, remind yourself that you control how you respond and whether or not you choose to loose you inner peace with your choice of emotion.

Take a few deep breaths and think before you let your emotions control you.

Let go!

Letting go of the life we planned can open us up to new things

Sometimes we push forward upstream against the flowing river determined to have the 'life we planned' even if it is not quite the life we want. We want to win, to succeed to get to our goal...

What if letting go of those plans opens new doors, new opportunities and a life that has been waiting for us to step into?

We often ignore the signs that we may be on the wrong track and changing our plans can seem a little unnerving. 

Surely it is much harder rowing against the current than going with the flow. 

Could there be something else waiting through that door? 

Worrying is a peace spoiler!

Worrying is nothing but a peace spoiler!

Can you think of any time at all that worrying actually achieved anything positive? 

Worrying must not get confused with planning. In fact planning for certain things can help us not worry. For example that exam becomes far less worrying if we have prepared for it by revising.

It's the other things, the things that have not even happened...that probably won't ever happen. The 'what ifs'. 

Worrying about all these things prevents us living peacefully in the present moment and solves absolutely nothing. Worrying does not change the possibility of an outcome.

It is far better to send out some positive energy and believe everything is going to be OK, knowing that if and when something requires your attention you are more than capable of dealing with it.

One of my least favourite sayings is 'the calm before the storm'. With this way of thinking even when you are in your most peaceful state you are expecting it all to go wrong soon. 

Thinking about that storm coming too much may just whir one up, so take that peace and extend into each and every day of your life.

Gratitude is the best attitude

Gratitude is the best attitude

Gratitude really is the best attitude and is a big key to happiness. 

Often in life we focus so much on the things that we want, we forget to enjoy the things we have in the present moment and forget to be happy :)

A common statement is, “I will be happy when I get this, or when I do this or that”, and once this or that is achieved the focus is extended onto the next desire forgetting to be grateful and happy about the achievements so far. 

It is good to dream and to want to move forward in life, but this should not be at the cost of forgetting to give thanks for everything you have at this moment. 

When we stop and appreciate the things we have in our life and express gratitude we feel more happiness. 

Stop for a moment and think about everything you have in your life right now, try extending that gratefulness to everything and everyone around you and watch gratitude turn those negatives into positives and sadness to happiness.

What are you grateful for today?

Good Karma

Create good Karma and become Calmer 

In Buddhist teaching, the law of karma, explains that 'for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and that this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according to whether its cause was beneficial or harmful, to others and oneself'.

Ten ways to create good Karma

1. Make someone else feel good. A simple smile or a gesture of kindness can make someones day.

2. Spiritual meditation. 

3. Express Gratitude. 

4. Do the right thing, even when no-one is looking.

5. Listen. Take time to listen to other people.

6. Compliment someone.

7. Relax and think about why your life is wonderful.

8. Seek wisdom. Seeking wisdom helps us be wiser and when we are wiser we make better choices.  
9. Love and accept yourself and others.

10. Let go of judgments about yourself and others.

Look out for the rainbow

When it rains on your sunny day remember to look out for the rainbow!

Many of our struggles are caused by faulty perceptions and incorrect thinking patterns. It is our nature to look for patterns and try to make sense of situations. Many times we are correct with our perceptions but sometimes we see patterns where they don't really exist and a cause where there is not one. 

One common negative thinking pattern is catastrophizing, which is where we focus on the worst possible situations and outcomes. This thinking pattern can prevent us from  beginning a new venture as we are sure it will go wrong. This thinking also causes great anxiety. 

The mere thought of taking on a new task brings upon the faulty thinking pattern that it is bound to go wrong and this triggers the anxiety.

In reality most of these events do not go wrong, everything does not always go wrong! Most of the worries never happen, and the few that do we end up coping with far better than we ever imagined. When we live with this catastrophizing thinking pattern we end up worrying about things that never happen and when we step out into the world we are blinkered from the good. We expect bad things, so that is all we see.

The problem is we miss so much when we think like this, we miss the beautiful rainbow shining though on that rainy day. It is never all rain, so matter how heavy it is, if there is not a rainbow at the time, it is coming. 

So next time you catch yourself stuck in the negative thinking of everything going wrong or everything being wrong and worrying about a million things that probably wont happen, stop and think about the times it went right, the things that are good, the rainbows in the rain and think positively about your thoughts and actions. 

Living a life with less worry = living a life with more happiness.

When it rains on your sunny day, remember to look out for the rainbow :)