February 2015 - Choice 2

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” 

Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

Following on from February' Newsletter DEEP Truth of the Month 'Choice' and February's Blog 2015 - Playing with Choice this blog invites you to consider choice on a deeper level!

When I think of the power of making choices, I recall the story of Viktor Frankl – holocaust survivor and author of "Man's Search for Meaning" and how when held captive in a Nazi prison camp, he exercised his choice of not giving up, of creating his inner world to survive.   

Viktor knew he had no control over what was happening to him and what was going to happen to him.  He made a choice as to how he responded. In his mind and with his heart, he connected to the life he loved and the love of his life.  He used his inner creativity, intuition, spirit to keep the flame of humanity and hope alive.

He was generous with what little he had and shared it.  He gave and inspired others with love, compassion and hope. He did not ingest the hate, anger, hopelessness of what was happening. These are all choices!

My take aways from his story:

• Even in incredible situations there will always be a choice of how we respond and how we experience ourselves.

• We are all  so capable of incredible lives when we make the choice to live it, no matter what.

• Creativity, intuition and spirit are truly empowering, and only when we tap into this inner knowing, inner space, inner humanity will we access so many possibilities.

What do you remember about the story, and how does it inspire your own power of choice in your life?

John Lennon - Imagine - Lyrics

Be empowered!

Liz 

February 2015 - Playing with Choice

Following on from February' Newsletter DEEP Truth of the Month 'Choice' this blog invites you to play!

If Choice was a toy, what kind of toy would it be?

If choice were a toy, I think of stickle bricks.  There are different shapes and colours and no matter what you can connect them together in all kinds of weird shapes, creations.


If you did not like what you created you just pulled them apart. There were no mistakes because you were being an adventurer, an explorer, a researcher - playing and having fun!


If choice was a toy, I think of a spiral graph You choose different colours of paint and paper and magic happens right before your very eyes.  There is something about sitting with anticipation and excitement and witnessing the magic as it occurs.  You have no idea how it is going to transpire but you let go of the outcome and just enjoy the process  - yay! 

I must admit mine was an older version, I loved it.

What comes to mind for you?

Here is a haiku poem about choice:

Revealing options

Inspires empowerment

You choose the belief

Enjoy

Liz 

January 2015 DEEP Body Love (Dive * Empower * Emerge * Play) Time to Play!

I love this image, it reminds me of reflections from within.  If this is what occurs for us in how we feel about ourselves and our body then we are living our gorgeous life the way we are meant too!

Heartfelt acceptance

Body, mind, spirit connect

Feel alive in bliss

Following on from January's Newsletter DEEP Body Love and January's Blog DEEP Body Love - Here's what I know ... this blog invites you to play!

Heartfelt dialogue

Why not have a go at this. Choose a time and a place where you will not be disturbed, knowing that you are giving yourself a few moments of just being, even 5 minutes, you will be surprised. Enjoy!


If you journal then you have probably used these types of prompts before, if not, I encourage you to be curious and play, simple as that. Try not to allow the left, logical brain to take over! Choose a book, paper, journal that gives you a smile when you think you are going to play with it.  If a blank sheet challenges you, draw a big heart to fill the page and write in the middle or do some scribbles and write over the top!!    
Have some crayons, actually the bigger the better as this often helps you to show up and play. I have many different types of pens, gel ones, glitter ones, felt ones.  When you answer 'Heartfelt dialogue' questions, it seems to encourage a more spontaneous answer.  You may choose to experiment, writing with your non dominant hand, big crayons, fine tip pens and see what happens. 

For our topic lets pick 'body' - our body.  The following are prompts that I invite you to complete. Write the actual prompt and then in a relaxed, playful way, allow your pen to move and reveal whatever comes up, no matter how silly or different it might sound. Suspend all judgment and see what happens.  Your are just playing, right! Have fun! 

So address your body:

• How do you like living in my world?

• What would you like to be different?

• How can I help you?

• How can you help me?

• How can I improve our relationship?

• How can we have more fun together?

• What I need from you is?

• I want to thank you for being here for me no matter what.  I want you to know that I am doing the best with what I know at the time and when I learn something different I will try different things.  I am learning.  I love you even though I may not it. 

Now, give yourself some time to be in this space!  Just notice what you notice. How may this experience connect you even just a little in developing a nurturing, nourishing relationship with you?  Even asking that question and letting it go will be of use! 

When I first did an exercise like this many years ago, I cried, to be hones,t and spent the next few days beating myself up and consequently my body up.  However, this is all part of the journey, we came through it and started a healing, more compassionate journey together.  

You may have a different experience. That is what I love about ARTbundance - (created by Marney Makridakis - Artellaland) where this exercise is from.  It is so personal to you, everyone has a different experience, in fact if you did this again tomorrow, next week, next month, you would probably have a different experience yourself. Well you will!  Give it a go and see. 

Why not gift your body this song and notice how she feels!  Enjoy. Celine Dion - I'm Alive

Give and Receive Support...The DEEP Body Love Facebook Page

May I invite you to my DEEP Body Love Face Book Page so that we can all support each other to feel alive, no matter what and embrace ourselves fully with the good, the bad and the ugly and oh so very beautiful too!

Wishing you DEEP Body Love

Love 
Liz 

January 2015 DEEP Body Love (Dive * Empower * Emerge * Play)

Here's what I know about the role of connection to your body and why it matters! Continued from January's Newsletter DEEP Body Love

There are several types of hunger! 

  If you, like me have been on and off diets for years it is probably very difficult to tell the difference between physical hunger or any other type of hunger. I feel this applies not only to 'dieters' but also to others who perhaps were prescribed healthy ways of nourishing the body by experts, such as: measures/amounts, combinations of food groups, what time of day to eat, exercise, etc and I really could go on.  Why this matters is because these methods/suggestions have very little to do with body connection.  They are mainly guided by the brain, what has been learned, read and regimented!

This is one of the reasons I have experienced, along with thousands of you, weight loss and putting it back on again or simply not knowing what to eat, being so confused. Is it any wonder! 

It is possible to be free from thinking whether or not you are eating the right thing! Our body is the most most reliable guidance system on the planet,but  it really does take time and patience to 'befriend' our bodies and to gain mutual trust.

Often, you think you're hungry but you know you just finished eating.  So are you thirsty or is it a different type of hunger? As mentioned there are many types of hunger, however I will be focusing on: 

•   Physical hunger - when your body needs fuel.
•   Emotional hunger - when the emotional brain kicks in.
•   Spiritual hunger - when you are not living your passion, your values, enjoying life.
•   Habitual-sensory hunger - we all know about habits, boredom, procrastination and external stimulus - smells, sounds, sights, tastes that motivate us to use food when it is unnecessary.

If we are not aware of what type of hunger is alerting us to nourish ourselves, then how can we truly satisfy the appropriate hunger AND if we do not know how to nourish each aspect of that hunger, how can we satisfy ourselves!

We have learned habits over a life time that have often been passed down from one generation to another.  We have a number of stories and beliefs that impact on how we attempt to nourish and satisfy ourselves, hence the complication but it is so possible to learn to reconnect to our bodies and to use her as our guide. 

Join the DEEP Body Love Facebook Group

I have just started a new facebook page called DEEP Body Love and will be launching a new program. Here is what it is all about:

If you have been trying to achieve an 'ideal' body shape, size or weight to make yourself happy and are still dissatisfied, then this is definitely for you. You can experience a more gentle, compassionate relationship with your body and food, to unlock a greater sense of life and vitality!

DEEP (Dive Empower Emerge Play) Body Love is about accepting and loving your body no matter what.

• Dive to deep truths relating to how our body speaks to you and how it wants to be cared for and nourished.
• Empower ourselves by knowing what beliefs, patterns and habits drive us, learning how to befriend our body to hear the messages of what we truly desire and deserve.
• Emerge as the person we are meant to be, knowing the differences between emotional, physical and spiritual hunger to satisfy, nourish them appropriately.
• And Play, by bringing more fun into our lives through playing, creating, practicing, being! Taking tangible small steps to a loving relationship with your body no matter what!.

I am so looking forward to this amazing journey.  As you know with any journey there are ups and downs, twists and turns, however we will have rests and pauses but will never give up. We will take small steps that can be fun and will keep momentum. Just like a pod of dolphins.  You are never alone!

Join the DEEP Body Love Facebook Group

Please consider joining this facebook page and see what happens.  You can always leave it if it’s not for you!

DEEP Body Love Face Book Page

DEEP Body Love to you
Love
Liz

10 Fun Ways to Manifest the Get To List!

Continued from December's Newsletter: 12 Reminders For Getting Things Done!  It's a busy time of year, and a time when there is a lot to do. Here are tips for Getting Into Action this month:

1. Create a simple plan, whilst creating a lovely space to be in and choosing a way you want to feel; ease and flow, joyful, excited, inspired, playful, calm, peaceful, fun. 

2. Change the 'to do' list into a 'Get To'  list and notice the energy when saying, "I get to do shopping for Christmas presents for the kids and how excited are they going to be.  I get to choose what I am going to ware to the celebration."  

3. You get to have fun using different coloured pens, pencils, crayons whilst creating your Get To lists.  Just simply jot down what is in your brain - 'brain dump', keeping a cute note book with you so you can add to it.  This can take away the mind constantly trying to remember.  

4. The list helps you know what is there.  Don't get overwhelmed when you look at it. The idea of this list is so that your brain is not working overtime and keeping you awake at night. 

5. Prioritize 3 things and do one at a time.  When you have finished that, choose one other item from your Get To list. 

6. Create a fun doodle or give yourself a star, a smiley face when you have done it.  You may use different coloured markers to highlight the success of that time. 

7. Try to keep the steps really small and simple. 

8. Break things down into really small simple steps that are almost laughable.  You can show up for 5 mins for simple steps.  Make it a game. 

9. Recruit the family to help, agree to sharing the Get To lists with inspirations of celebrating in some fun way. 

10. Give yourself plenty of time.  A celebration could be gifting yourself on the advent calendar and enjoying the fun gift after your small step has been achieved.

link and image, completion for the year 

Wahoo! Hop, Skip, Jump 75 Ways to Playfully Manifest a Meaningful Life - Review

It is my absolute honor to review this wonderful inspiring guide by Marney Makridakis, called Hop, Skip, Jump: 75 Ways to Playfully Manifest a Meaningful Life which is full of creative, playful ways to manifest tangible results!

I have experienced many of Marney's calls, eBooks, eCourses and currently MMM - Marketing and Mentoring with Marney.  I and most of the clients I am privileged to walk alongside tend to use our left brain, the logical, structured aspects, which is extremely helpful but is not very expansive and does not encourage play and thinking differently and oh having fun in the meantime.  

When first introduced to the idea of play for developing myself and my business I was a little skeptical to say the least.  Now years down the line I am a testament to how "play and productivity in order to manifest whatever you desire"  really do work!  Marney explains "manifest means to reveal what is already there to take what already exists and make it clearly and plainly visible." 

This is what I love about 'play' you reveal yourself to you.  YOU are the expert! "Play is the portal to presence."  "Play and productivity, the secret is simple: what moves us is what moves us, which simply means what moves us emotionally is what move us to action."  So when it comes to manifesting a meaningful life, play works!

Marney introduces and invites us to be aware of the 3 phases, energies that reveals the values of a right brained approach (play) to productivity.  

• Hopping refers to having an idea or impulse and exploring it in your imagination.
• Skipping refers to experimenting and trying new things.
• Jumping refers to quickly moving to action. 

Often we can spend most of the time in one phase. You get to play if you wish. There is a fun quiz (link below) that identifies what energy we are mostly in, which can be useful when we want to consistently manifest what WE desire in our life by tapping into the other phases also.

There are 75 Ways to Playfully Manifest a Meaningful Life that are divided into these 3 phases.  Each one is has a 'Fun Fact' that is really interesting, well researched and leads into an easy reading, concept/idea of how to take forward a playful way of producing. Here is an example of one of the 'Playful Ways'.

Hop Phase

An example - No. 8 Learn Your ABC's

Actions, Beliefs and Choices - a new way of goal setting.  I love this and have actually created the ABC Creative Blocks No. 9 on several occasions.  

Marney explains the way to breakthroughs, momentum, is not the action alone. It is the belief, the conviction to support your action.  "Choices fills the space between belief and action."

Action: I want to apply for this new job.

Belief: I would need to believe that I would be seen as a good fit.

Choice: I choose to believe that I am right of this job and to go for it!

Your turn:

A is for a action: I want to ...

B is for belief: In order to complete this, I would need to believe ...

C is choice: I choose to  ...

This leads to creating a new habit and a new way of goal setting.  Try it and tap into the energy.  All of the activities hold this essence and are fun to do but very real, tangible and come from you.  

This is only one example, there are 74 more! 

Each chapter is no more than 3 - 4 pages.  They begin with a fun fact, leading to a quote and a story of how the next activity can inspire you. 

There is either:

• an ACROWHIM - BLOCKS (from creative blocks) = Build Love: Open, Creative, Kinetic Spirit Or
• a MANIFESTAGRAM- Beliefs and choices = "Be and feel" is so chic! and 
• a fun HAIKOODLE: "play as building blocks, don't worry if they fall down, just create again." and 
• an option to have fun and doodle.

I love this book because finally it explains in a very real, easy tangible way why 'play' works, literally and offers so many fun ways to manifest your desires that are inspired by YOU!

I invite and encourage you to play!  Marney offers a fun quiz and at the end you have the option of receiving a free productivity pack to continue with your 'play' and see for yourself the power of this magical, inspiring approach.  All ideas are shared from this wonderful book, which will never be outdated because you can do exactly the same activity at another time and you will discover something else.  Truly! 

You will be the best judge of that so why not watch this short video below. There is a link at the end for a fun quiz to find your  productive manifesting style. Do you HOP, SKIP or JUMP?

Finish the quiz and enter your quiz results over at Artellaland to get a Productivity Pack that is personalized for your specific manifestation type!

You can order the book from Amazon and read lots more rave reviews.  

Enjoy

Liz 

DEEP: Body Love's Theme Shadow Muse Part 2

Welcome to blog 2 which continues the theme of Shadow Muse featured in Phinspiration Newsletter:November 2014 Shadow Muse and DEEP: Body Love's Theme Shadow Muse

Here is a little story about Shadow:

I looked out my window and saw shadow.  It was dark and scary and I was afraid.  

I immediately noticed that I was afraid because I could not see what was in there and was frightened that I would be hurt.  I also realized that I assumed I had to go right into the shadow without a light and I did not.  

Shadow then opened its doors wide and invited me to bring a lantern in and just to take a few steps.  Shadow suggested that I do not come all the way in yet as I might become lost.  

I finally realized that I was quite surprised at how considerate shadow was and felt relieved and more inclined to visit.  
I knew my next step was to revisit shadow with a little step at a time and I found myself actually looking forward to it. 

Now, you try it:

I looked out my window and saw shadow. It was _________

I immediate noticed___________

Shadow then ____________________

I finally realized ______________

I knew my next step was _____________

What does your story show you?

Enjoy

Liz