Reach Our Dreams

Snapshots Of My Life

Monday 12 Jul 2010 by jen | 18 Comments
Filed under: Life

I have had requests from some readers for some pictures of my life. I apologise for the delay in getting these up, but I have finally done it! I think it's nice to get more of a sense of the person behind the blog, so these are pictures of me doing what I do and some of my favourite furry little friend Squeaky. I hope you enjoy.

Me, waiting for my dinner!

A view down our garden. Small but well used!

Squeaky.

More Squeaky.

Out and about exploring Whitstable, Kent.

By the sea.

Flowers in our garden.

More flowers.

Enjoying life!

12 Tips for Getting a Good Nights Sleep

Wednesday 7 Jul 2010 by jen | 9 Comments
Filed under: Life

Photo Credit

I am delighted to welcome a guest post from James today. During his tenure as a writer for a leading supplier of ink cartridges, James has covered major releases in hardware as well as design and art on their blog.

A number of factors hinder your getting a good night's sleep. You can be drinking lots of caffeine before bedtime, using your laptop all through the night, or living in a cluttered environment. Here are a dozen tips to help you sleep well.

1. Develop A Sleep Schedule

Staying up all hours of the night does not work anymore. In truth, pulling the all nighters were not very good at the time. Set up a sleep schedule and adhere to it. Tell yourself that you will go to sleep at a time which allows you to get a certain number of sleep hours. The roller coaster sleep schedule is not conducive to deep sleep.

2. Clear Your Agenda

You might be prone to laying in bed and attempting to take care of what is next on the agenda. It can wait until tomorrow. If you are having trouble believing that it can wait, set your alarm slightly earlier so you can take care of the issue in the morning.

3. Clean Your Room

If you know that you have to step over your stuff to get to the bathroom, or you have cleaning your room as a constant item on your to-do list, clean your room. That will allow for a deeper sleep because the energy flow in the room will become better and you have removed something from the schedule.

4. Work As Hard As You Can

Put the whole of your effort into every task that comes your way. You want to make sure that your emotional, physical and mental energies are exhausted by the end of the day. You can sleep better and deeper, getting the most sleep for the time investment.

5. Start Early

Start your day off as early as you can while still getting enough sleep. That way, you will get more things accomplished and a higher sense of satisfaction. More activity means more potential to be tired. If you are tired, you will sleep better.

6. Exercise

You have heard about the benefits of exercise. It keeps you in shape and physically fit. Exercise expands mental capacity. The body repairs itself from the exercise during sleep, allowing you to sleep deeper.

7. Say No To Caffeine

Caffeine is great in the morning for waking people up. Drinking caffeine in the form of soda and coffee late at night diminishes the quality of sleep. Getting a deeper sleep means that you will wake up more refreshed and alert. You might not have to use the caffeine in the morning if you stop using it in the evening.

8. Shut Down Your Laptop

Looking at a laptop all day and then coming home to look at the laptop during your off hours causes eye strain and trouble. The best sleep states are caused when your body is exhausted or relaxed, and the laptop doesn't provide for either of these conditions.

9. Meditate

Meditation for just twenty minutes a day makes you more relaxed. You can meditate for a few minutes over your lunch break so you can better focus on your tasks.

10. Leave Alcohol Alone

Small quantities of alcohol might relax you temporarily, but it is not a viable long term solution. Your body develops a resistance to alcohol, requiring that you drink more to get the same effect. In the long run, it is better to stay away from the bottle.

11. Eat Some Carbs

Pasta is a great source of short term energy. It will raise you up to the top, then drop you down into a short nap. Allow your food to run its course, and you will sleep peacefully.

12. Sleep When You Are Tired

If you're able to, take a nap when you're tired. This will help you refresh and get recentered on your day. Naps lay the framework for a good night's sleep.

There are no secret formulas to sleeping well. Sleep at the same time every day or take a little time to meditate, and you will get a better night's sleep. With great sleep, you can tackle the next day's problems with ease.

Review of "How to Be Rich & Happy" by Tim Brownson & John P. Strelecky

Tuesday 29 Jun 2010 by jen | 10 Comments
Filed under: Reviews

Today, I am really delighted to be reviewing “How to Be Rich and Happy” by Tim Brownson & John P. Strelecky. I found out about Tim though his blog and always look forward to seeing what he has to say. He is a well known life coach AND he’s hilarious! You can find Tim’s site here at A Daring Adventure. Tim partnered up with bestselling author John P. Strelecky to write “How To Be Rich and Happy”.

Overview

“How to be Rich and Happy” is a 218-page, co-authored book. More details can be found at "How To Be Rich And Happy".

Price

The price is $19 for the e-book or $25 for the printed book.

What’s included?

A lot! Tim and John really cover their subject in great depth. This book looks at amongst other things (in my words):

• Your values & beliefs
• How to change your perceptions
• How to get over your fear of failure
• How to increase ‘rich and happy’ time in your life
• Whether you are motivated by pleasure or pain and using that as a way to achieve your goals
• Practical tools for learning how to be rich and happy
• How to write goals in a way that works
• Visualization
• How to do what feels right for you
• How to use money to be rich and happy
• The power of the words you speak and how to use empowering language
• Ways to recognize and capitalize on your assets
• How to deal with change
• How to be who we want to be
• How to control your thoughts & how to manage your internal states
• How to harness the power of your mind
• How to be patient & unrealistic (in a good way ) with your dreams
• Knowing when (and what) to quit
• How to deal with stress
• How to enjoy life and have fun

Inspirational and Relevant

What I really liked about this book is the focus on being rich AND happy. Not one or the other. Tim and John also have a wonderful way of writing that will appeal to many people whilst making you feel that the book has been written for you and your life. There is a lot of inspiration; really moving stories as well as practical and easy to implement tips. There is a lot of information on this book but the authors always come back to you; the reader and how you can make the changes in your own life.

Packed Full of Value

This book is packed full of inspiration and useful exercises. Tim and John manage to combine interesting and often humorous stories with thought provoking exercises that enable you to look at your own life and make lasting changes.

Beautiful Design

The ebook is beautifully designed. The design is striking and inspiring and the book is laid out clearly and is very easy to read on the screen.

Negatives

I found some sections of the book a little long. To be fair though, I think that is due to the fact that I am a Psychology graduate and Life Coach so some of the ideas and examples were not new to me. I also think on the flip side this shows Tim and John's commitment to delivering value. No stone is left unturned and the book is packed full of useful information for a broad audience. The book is presented in a very inspiring and easy to read way and everything in the book does tie in with the overall goal of teaching you how to be rich and happy.

Verdict

I think this is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in being rich and happy and getting the most out of life. It is a great read from cover to cover and also a great reference book for those times when you might be stuck in a certain area of life.

Of course, you will need to take action as well as read this book to get the results you are after. As long as you do that, you will find this book a goldmine of practical information and inspiration to help you live the life you really deserve.

This is a inspiring and professional book which I definately recommend. It will kick your butt and get you moving towards the life you really want to lead! You can check out “How to Be Rich And Happy”here. You can also learn more about the amazing one million book giveaway
here.

7 Ways to Ensure You are Having Fun!

Monday 21 Jun 2010 by jen | 31 Comments
Filed under: Life, Personal Development

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I think one of the collective mindsets that is engrained in society is the idea that to get what we want we need to work hard & maybe sometimes do things that we don’t enjoy. This is the “real world”.

On the other hand, when you hear advice from successful people, they often talk about fun and enjoyment being their guide. Sure, they usually work very hard, but usually at things they really enjoy.

Think about something you love doing. Often you have to peel yourself away from it don’t you? I know when I am blogging or reading for example, I could often literally do it all day every day!

I know when I first heard the advice to let fun be your guide, I used to think. “Well it’s easy for that person to say, they’ve made it already, of course they are having fun now.” Gradually though I have come to trust this advice and see the wisdom in it. Life is truly about the journey, not the destination. If we have fun along the way then that's a good thing! Also if you do want to excel at something as well, it is a lot easier if you love what you are doing.

1. Do Things For Their Own Sake

We are conditioned to think that there is somewhere to get to. We do something in order to get somewhere. How about having fun for funs sake? There’s nothing wrong with having goals (one of mine is to have 1000 awesome subscribers here ) but keep your eye on the present too. For example, if you have a blog write a post because you want to or feel compelled to, not just to get somewhere.

2. Why So Serious?

We can all take life too seriously at times, but why? We are all heading in the same direction. That isn’t a morbid idea – just a fact. It can be very liberating to remind ourselves of this on a regular basis. Sure, sometimes life is serious and sad; I am not saying it is fun all the time. However taking a step back and reminding ourselves of the bigger picture and lightening up is very good for our soul and for those around us!

3. Find Your Own Version of Fun

Everyone’s idea of what is fun is different. I am really interested in things that I know for some people just seem strange and vice versa. Blogging is something I love doing but my husband finds it hard to sit in front of a computer screen for too long and loves being in the garden. We are all different. Find what you enjoy, even if it’s different to others around you.

4. Catch Yourself

Watch out for the times when you start getting “serious” and catch yourself. I did this with this post. I was thinking hard and seriously about post ideas when I suddenly had a hunch that I was getting caught up in that “serious” world. It’s quite easy to make anything serious and turn fun things into hard work. Be vigilant for how you are looking at things. Are you taking the fun out of something?

5. Laugh

Laughter really is the best medicine. Norman Cousins even cured himself of many diseases through laughter. Make sure you laugh every day. Even the world of personal development can become “serious” if we let it. Don’t forget to laugh! Life's really not as serious as we make it out to be sometimes.

6. Say No to the "Un-Fun"

Say no to boring, energy sapping activities. You know which ones I mean! They make your soul shrivel and make you feel heavy. We often have a lot less “obligations” than we think we have. Decline that boring meeting (you can always get the minutes and save yourself the wasted time). Don’t allow yourself to spend your precious time doing things because you think you have to. You don’t!

7. Be Fun and Hang Out with Fun People

Who we associate with makes such a difference to our outlook. Hang out with fun people and make sure as much as possible, that you are being fun too … it creates a ripple effect and you raise each other’s energy this way. Like attracts like.

These are some if the ways that help me to remind myself to have fun. I'd love to hear yours.

Breaking Free of the Collective Mindset

Monday 14 Jun 2010 by jen | 20 Comments
Filed under: Life, Personal Development, Simple Living

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Have you ever noticed how many things in life people do without questioning why they are doing them?

There are certain so called “norms”. Finish school, get a job, settle down, buy a house, have a family, buy a bigger house etc till we die and then our children can repeat the process.

Obviously some people buck the trend and more and more people are doing just that. They may not get a “job” as such. For example, many people are now deciding to earn a living online whilst living where they want to like Henri. Some people help others find A Different Kind of Work like my good friend Christine. Others are generally all round rebellious souls like the wonderful Ash.

However, I am sure if you ask anyone who has done something different they would say there is a reality to break through; expectations that society has created that differ from their vision.

Collective mindsets can pop up anywhere. I used to work in a job that had a very unhealthy collective mindset around taking time off. Things weren’t always said as much as implied (most of the time) and there was an underlying mentality that gradually seemed to affect most of the staff there, which was that working was better than taking a holiday. Yes, there is a time for working but questioning peoples holidays for four weeks out of fifty two is just crazy in my opinion. Obviously I am not there anymore but whilst I was it took something to keep my own perspective.

This week my husband and I have been toying with the idea of buying a new house. We love our cottage (I promise I will post pictures soon for readers that have asked ) but we have a very small and unusual shaped garden (more like a path than a garden!). Adrian loves gardening and grows a lot of our food (he has done an amazing job in such a small space) so we would like to buy a similar small cottage with a larger garden. We would also like to relocate closer to our local village so I can get the train to work and sell our second car. We are not interested in climbing the property ladder or getting a bigger house; we have all we need (and more, apart from the forementioned larger garden). Our goal is to pay off our mortgage sooner rather than later so that we can save thousands on the cumulative interest payments.

The reason I am sharing this with you is that we both noticed the collective mindset creeping in this week about this. For example some of the estate agents we spoke to suggested we look at buying a bigger house, make a better investment etc. But why do we need a bigger house? This advice seems to be engrained in people’s minds and bandied around like it is the truth. A bigger property means we will pay thousands more on the mortgage payments (read: more time at work) which is not what we want. I love my work but I also love feeling free to choose when and how I do it. I think a lot of people also think buying a bigger property will force them to save in the form of equity. We are very good at saving so this doesn't apply to us. Furthermore the fundamental flaw of this argument is that at some point you will have to sell your home and downsize to release that capital. This can also be very hard to do when you have become attached to your home. You may have a bigger house but whilst you’re living in it, it isn’t worth anything as you can’t sell it (this isn’t taking into account the bigger bills / maintenance a bigger house will demand).

Another way to look at this is why even get a mortgage in the first place? We have got one and are happy with the path we are taking but a mortgage isn’t essential and sometimes a crazy thing to do! Many countries value renting over having a mortgage and sometimes the life time payments are much lower in actuality. (Note: if you are interested in reading more about this line of thinking I highly recommend checking out: Early Retirement Extreme).

I have shared some of my recent experiences here about the collective mindset around property (in the UK at least) but the collective mindset prevalent in all areas of life. Henri at the Wake Up Cloud shared some brilliant advice for this problem this week: “Selective Ignorance: How to Be Okay with Following Your Passion”.

The collective mindset is everywhere, I notice myself getting caught up in it at times online too. Everyone else is doing x, y.z so maybe I should be doing that too? However there is also so much conflicting advice out there. All well intentioned but conflicting: write an ebook / ebooks are old news or post regularly / post only when you are inspired. There is so much noise around you at times that it can be really hard to hear what it is that you want to do.

The first step to breaking free of the collective mindset in any area of life is being aware that it is there in the first place. For many people, it is just “normal” (like The Matrix! ). A goldfish isn’t aware of the water it lives in till it is taken out. Likewise many people don’t realise there is another way. Start questioning everything. Just because something has always been done one way, doesn’t mean there aren’t alternatives that might suit you a lot better. As you listen to what you truly want to do and take actions consist with that, you start to break free of the collective mindset and thinking for yourself.

Note: For Star Trek fans, my husband likened the phenomenon of the Collective Mindset to the Borg.

What do you think? How do you deal with the collective mindset in different areas of your life? Have you broken free?

Are You Doing Your Own Work?

Monday 7 Jun 2010 by jen | 27 Comments
Filed under: Life, Personal Development, Work

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I was listening to a tape by Wayne Dyer this week. On the tape Wayne talks about the importance of doing “our own work”. It made such sense to me that I wanted to share my thoughts about it with you here.

What is Your Own Work?

Someone else’s work is any work that is not truly aligned with you. When we are doing our own work, we are absorbed, it’s natural, exciting… it just fits. When we are doing someone else’s work, it doesn’t mean we won’t enjoy it. I have had plenty of jobs I have thoroughly enjoyed, however at the same time I know deep down even whilst doing them that they were not what I could call “my own work”. Often when we don’t know yet what our own work is, we do know what it is not and that’s a great start.

How do we find our own work?

There is no hard and fast rule about how to find our own work. Some of us are lucky to be born knowing what we want to do or with an innate talent that makes this question. For most of us however this is a process of discovery. The one biggest thing that I would say has made a difference to me is being willing to search for my own work and try new things.

There is no magic answer, but from what I have observed, the people that don’t find their own work or the ones that give up, that throw in the towel and settle for something else. The ones that are willing to keep going, make mistakes, try different things and stay open to new experiences are generally the ones that find their own work.

Don’t Give Up

I used to drive myself mad asking myself the question “what do I really want to do?” I sometimes wished I wasn’t wired the way I am and that I would be happier with what I had, like other people around me seemed to be. However, as I’ve got older I’ve begun to appreciate this trait. I am not willing to settle by doing work that doesn’t truly light me up. The willingness to keep going and keep searching has meant that I have started to do my own work.

Get Started!

At present my own work is mentoring and coaching. Through trial and error and undertaking many different jobs and training courses I have come to realise my strengths lie in this area. I love the one to one dynamic and opportunity to help other people live their best lives.

I consolidated years of training within coaching by getting accredited a couple of years ago. I had spent a few years pondering what I wanted to do next and realised one day that all that was left to do was take action. It was useful to enquire and ponder for a while, but at some point all that was going to make the difference was taking action. It was not long after finishing my course that I started working as a paid mentor and coach. My dream to do work that really lit me up started to become a reality. The most important thing I learnt was to start. I had lots of fears and doubts. I wondered how I would find work and if I’d be good enough but I put these aside and started. A year after finishing the course I am in the process of transitioning from administration work to mentoring as my main job.

Be Open

At the beginning of the last paragraph I mentioned that coaching and mentoring is my own work currently. I imagine I will be doing this work for a long time but I have also realised it is good to be open to your own work evolving. For example, with blogging I found another outlet for my own work. Like many bloggers, I spend hours each week creating articles for my own and other sites. The reason I do this is because I have found a way to express myself and hopefully make a difference at the same time. Your work can take many different forms and may be voluntary rather than paid to start with.

Forget About Money

I know, I know. Easier said than done right? However if you want to know you can make money doing something before you try it, its going to limit you. For some people, their own work is something they do outside of their day job and this gives them enough satisfaction and happiness. You may need to do work for free or volunteer to build up your skills. I would say the key thing is to do whatever it is that lights you up. Don’t wait for money or anything else. Conversely you are more likely to achieve success and even money in the area you have chosen if you get started.

Don’t Take It Too Seriously

I recently read Henri say that a mistake many people make is to take the finding your passion thing too seriously. I think this is such a good point. Yes pursue it, but don’t get hung up and get too serious about it. Try new things, take up a new hobby, experience life. As I mentioned, this can and probably will evolve anyway. Nothing stays the same forever. Have some fun with it! You can always try something else if your current idea doesn’t work out.

Are you doing your own work? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

How To Make The Most Of Every Day

Monday 31 May 2010 by jen | 16 Comments
Filed under: Uncategorized

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We all want to live a good worthwhile life and be able to say that we made the most of our lives when our time is up. Making the most of our lives really is as simple as making the most of every day. So how do we do that? Here are some of the ways I have found that help me to make the most of every day:

Be Grateful

Being grateful for what we have is one of the most powerful practices we can do to make the most of each day. Being grateful is an act of love, we are giving loving energy to what we are being grateful for. It can be easy to forget what we have to be grateful for or focus on what we don’t have but by making gratitude a daily practice we start to make it a habit. I have a little notebook next to my bed and try to write at least five things that I am grateful for each night before I go to sleep. I don’t always remember but by having it there as a reminder I bring myself back to this practice regularly and make this practice a habit. This practice helps focus your mind on the positive and I find I often ponder what I am grateful for in my day to day life as a ripple effect of this practice.

Set Your Intention

Setting the intention to make the most of each day focuses your mind and makes it much more likely that you will make the most of the day. Many people are on autopilot through their days. Each morning remind yourself of your intention for the day. I find it helps to focus on who I am going to be and my goals for the day. You can create reminders (post it notes, phone alarms) to bring you back to your intention if you go off track.

Be Present

There is only now. The more we become present in each moment the more we truly begin to make the most of each day and our time here on earth. I have found that certain things help to bring me back to the present. Meditation, exercise, yoga, walking in nature, writing and plenty of down time work for me. I try and bring present moment awareness to the moments when I really don’t feel like it … being stuck in a traffic jam or waiting in a queue for example. I find that when I am able to be present in those moments it helps build my muscle up in this area!

Let Go

We can all benefit from letting go in all areas of our life. Letting go of how we think life or other people should be versus how it or they actually are, letting go of the need to be right and letting go of regrets and the past. There are so many things we can let go of that can make a huge difference to our daily experience. Whenever you feel yourself holding on to something ask yourself: "What can you let go of today?"

Practice Acceptance

Sometimes which ever way we look at things, life isn't the way we want it to be. I have found that in those moments the last thing I want to do is to accept what is in front of me, but that this is in fact the most powerful thing that I can do. Accepting doesn't mean we are resigning ourselves or giving up.

"What we resist persists".

The reality is life is the way life is and the easiest way to change our experience is to accept the present moment. We are then in a position of power rather than weakness and better able to make the changes we want to make.

Move Towards Your Goals

It can seem at times that our goals are a long way off or too big but it is amazing how by just taking one step we create a momentum. Try and do one thing each day to move yourself forward. Even if you don’t know what you want to do next or don’t have any goals, spending some time trying to work that out will move you forward. If you have a goal that seems too big, try breaking it down into smaller goals and do one of those today. The key is to take action.

I sometimes feel overwhelmed with my goal of having 1000 subscribers at this blog, but I have learnt that focussing on what I can do today helps me to keep things in perspective. I try to catch myself in those moments and instead write a guest post or do something else that will move me towards my goal. I have also found it important to remind myself of why I have this goal. Having 1000 subscribers in itself isn't my goal, my goal is to help as many people as I can to live the lives they really want to live and I remind myself of that when I am feeling stuck. Reminding yourself of the bigger picture can help reconnect you with why you are doing what you are doing.

Blog

One of the most powerful ways that I have found to appreciate each day is to blog. Obviously there are many different types of blogs but in the niche I write in (personal development) I am constantly writing about ways we can improve our lives and be happy. Combine this with the benefit of interacting with like minded, growth oriented people and I have found this is a great way to make the most of every day. It is often said that we teach what we most need to learn ourselves and I think this is true. The quest for peace of mind and a meaningful life leads me to share what I share here and I can honestly say I have made leaps and bounds in my own personal development and most importantly my experience in every day life by blogging.

Live Each Day Like It's Your Last

Glen Allsopp recently shared:

I even have a sign on my wardrobe cupboard that I see every day when I wake up. It has the letters LEDLIYLAODYBR on it which stands for: “Live everyday like it’s your last and one day you’ll be right.”

Reminding yourself of your own mortality is a great way to put things in to perspective. It can be easy at times to let one day blur into the next or take our time here for granted but none of us know how long we have. Creating a reminder like Glen has, is a powerful way to value our time and really make the most of each day.

These are some of the ways I have found to make the most of every day. I would love to hear how you do this?

The Benefits of Being a Hermit

Monday 24 May 2010 by jen | 39 Comments
Filed under: Life, Personal Development, Simple Living

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All man’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone. Pascal

Do you take time out for yourself to be alone or are you always surrounded by other people?

Like most people, I have both tendencies within me. When I want to be I can enjoy being sociable and other peoples company and at other times I want to batten down the hatches and shut the rest of the world out. Usually I fall somewhere in between but I have been thinking recently about the benefits of spending time alone and disconnecting from the world.

Hear Your Inner Voice

Over the last few years I have realised that I often haven’t taken the time to ask myself what I want. If there was a group of friends arranging a night out for example, I would be the one to say “I don’t mind” or “Whatever you fancy”. I have realised that a lot of the time I just didn’t take the time to listen to my answer. I have started practising choosing what I want and letting other people know.

This example may seem trivial (and sometimes I really didn’t mind where I ate ) but it highlighted for me, what I was doing all over my life: letting other people make all the decisions. That wasn’t other peoples fault; I was handing the responsibility over to them. Once I stopped doing this and started to listen to myself on the smaller decisions in life, I build up that muscle and started to get in touch with my inner voice in other areas of my life.

I have shared similar realisations here before and the reason I am sharing it in this post is because I have found that spending time alone has been one of the best ways to get in touch with my inner voice. From deciding what I want for dinner to what I want to do as a career, taking regular time out to be alone has been one of the best things I have found to get clear on my own answers.

Recharge Your Batteries

It is good for the soul to disconnect every now and then and recharge your batteries. Think for a moment about all the external influences that affect you every day. From your immediate circle to advertisers or even online friends on Twitter and Facebook; we deal with an onslaught of information every day. Some of this might be positive and some might be negative, but it is all external influences and it does us good to switch off from it all sometimes.

When you give yourself space from the outside world you leave yourself room to really breathe and just be. This allows you to let go of the external you (whether we like it or not we all have a face or maybe faces that we present to the world) and get in touch with your inner world.

Get to Know Yourself

I have found the more comfortable I am by myself the more comfortable I am when I am around other people. Meditation in particular helps me to disconnect and get to know the real me. I personally find meditating to a guided meditation beneficial but meditation doesn’t have to be done by sitting quietly. We can meditate when washing the dishes or gardening: it’s really about being fully present in the moment. When we are fully present, we let go of thoughts and our ego and allow ourselves to just be.

Listen to Your “Hermit Cycle”

I have found that there is often a cycle to how much time I want to spend alone or with other people. It’s not a predictable cycle, I find that it is really about listening to that inner voice and respecting the answers I get. I often find if I have had lots of time alone, I will naturally want to “dehermitize” (yep, that’s a word I made up! ) and be with people again. Taking the time to enjoy my own company makes me appreciate others when I am with them.

Quality not Quantity

Your life is different to my life and you may be thinking “I haven’t got the time to be a hermit or spend more time alone although I’d like to”. If you want more time to be alone then this is something you will have to look at. In the meantime, quality time is what is important. For now, if you have ten minutes spare in your day, use that to be alone and gradually increase it as you wish.

Unleash Your Inner Hermit

We are all different and what works for me might not necessarily be for you. However, I believe we can all benefit from unleashing our inner hermit to some degree! Maybe you spend a lot of time alone already but would like to make that time more of a quality experience, maybe you can see that more alone time could enhance your creativity or maybe you are never alone and this will be a new experience.

Take a moment to see what a difference some time alone could make to you. I’d love to hear from you; how could unleashing your inner hermit help you?

Raise Your Love Vibration

Thursday 20 May 2010 by jen | 33 Comments
Filed under: Life, Personal Development

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I am delighted to welcome Tess Marshall to Reach Our Dreams today. Tess is the mover and shaker, at The Bold Life, where she’ll hold you accountable for being the boldest you’ve ever been in every area of your life! What would you do if you were 10 times bolder? You can sign up for her RSS feed and receive her updates or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

There is a lot written about how to raise your energy in order to manifest your dreams, a new vacation, a sports car, and better employment. The list goes on and on. I see this as all good.

However, what if we all committed to raising our energy and increasing our awareness in order to bring about a radical and social transformation for ourselves and our planet?

That is my highest wish and vision. Resonating at a higher frequency and raising my vibration is my contribution to myself, those around me and the human family.

When our first goal is to live a bold, an authentic and a blessed life we make the most out of our awesome earthly journey.

Every thing else we want to have is secondary. Every thing else will fall into place!

I invite you to commit to a higher vision as well and to raise your energy and the energy of the planet based on that commitment. As we do so, we will actively contribute peace, love, kindness and service to each other and our world.

The following examples are states of low energy or low vibrations: depression, fear, negativity, anxiety, judgment, guilt, shame, etc.

Some examples of high states of energy or high vibrations are: joy, love, inspiration, hope, positivity, health, faith, etc.

The following are methods for increasing awareness and raising your energy frequencies:

1. Spend Time in Nature

I like to run, hike and walk. Weather you spend time in a city park, your back yard or in the wilderness nature offers renewal, insight and inner calm.

2. Remember How Blessed You Are

Between our media and our egos we are constantly being bombarded with the fear of “not enough.” Choose to wake up, smell the day and become grateful. I have gratitude journals on my book shelf from the previous seven years.

3. Write in Your Journal

Instead of being weighted down by problems and negative or anxious thoughts create a dialogue in your journal. It will bring you understanding and insight.

Learn to ask a question with your dominant hand. It can be anything. Answer the question with your non-dominant hand. Don’t give in to the temptation of editing your answers. Write down the first thing that comes to your mind.

4. Listen to Music

Classical and positive music will lift your energy and your mood.
Music can have an inspiring and calming effect. It will transform negative energy into positive energy. Music therapy is used in hospitals to help heal patients.

5. Volunteer Your Time

Ask, “How can I give of myself today.” When you help a friend, coworker, neighbor or even a stranger you not only lift your energy you lift theirs as well. Get involved in a worthy cause. You will see immediate results!

6. Observe or Spend Time with Small Children

Children are authentically themselves. Their energy, laughter and spontaneity are contagious. They can make your heart sing.
My grandson is learning to talk and he’s obsessed with cell phones. He’ll even hold one of his socks to his ear and say, hello-hello. He is pure love and joy.

7. Be Enthusiastic

Get excited about life. You’re alive. You are a part of the human family. The world needs your presence and talents. Your role on the planet is important no matter what it is. No body can fill your shoes or do your part.

8. Use Affirmations

I make mine on index cards with color markers. A few of my favorites: “I have a life of endless joy.” “I consciously acknowledge all of the wonder and beauty in my life.” “We have a magnificent future.”

9. Clear Your Clutter

A life of simplicity is live-giving. A life overflowing with physical stuff is live-draining. Keep every area of your life in the flow and clutter free.

10. Read Inspirational Books

I’m currently reading The Moses Code by James Twyman and The Crabby Angels Chronicles by Jacob Glass. Both are very uplifting and encouraging books.

11. It's All About Love

Make your intention about love and acceptance. Let go of judgment. A lesson I like to practice is “I shall judge nothing that occurs today.” Love is the greatest gift you can give yourself and others.

12. Meditate

It gets you in touch with your soul. Meditation will open your heart and reveal your natural goodness and true identity. Even five minutes twice a day is better than not meditating at all.

13. Become a Self-Nurturer

Take good care of yourself by eating well and exercising. Pamper yourself; learn to make “you” a priority!

14. Be in the Present Moment

It’s impossible to make a bad choice in the present moment. Poor decisions come from the pain of the past or fear of the future.

When we live our highest vibration we become awakened human beings. Only then can we have an enlightened society. The following is a quote by Michael Beckwith.

The cosmic laughter of Spirit bathes my soul in joy. I see with clear seeing, and all that I do is from the pure joy of being. I love life and love living. I love being me as I am me.

Review of "Passionate Living" by Henri Junttila

Monday 17 May 2010 by jen | 6 Comments
Filed under: Reviews

I am really excited today to be able to share a review of “Passionate Living: A Simple Guide to Doing What You Love” by Henri Junttila. If you don’t know Henri already, Henri is the voice behind The Wake Up Cloud, a blog that shows you how you can start living the life you truly desire.