Elizabeth's For the Love of Life Blog

Are you the Coffee?

I had such a lovely day yesterday delivering an Introduction to NLP workshop in the morning, a team development workshop in the afternoon and mediation and Indian head Massage classes in the evening. I'm so lucky with all the workshops I do, all of the participants are delightful to be with and we have so much fun it doesn't feel like work.

At the end of one of my sessions yesterday I shared a little story with my group that I've not used for quite a while. It seems to be appropriate for many people I’m meeting at the moment (and probably therefore for me too) so I'd like to share it.

I'm afraid I don't know the original origins and I’ve made a few tweaks for ease of reading, but my thanks goes to the original creator of this wonderful little metaphor.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling.  It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on the hob to boil. 

In the first pot she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and
placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see." 

Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied, slightly exasperated.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots.  She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What’s this all about mum?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity…boiling water. Each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

Which are you?" she asked her daughter.
"When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"

What's the cost of a glass of wine?

A question that Mike and I have been pondering for a while now, given our love of good red wine and entertaining. After a lovely evening with friends last night and an, albeit fairly moderate, intake of alcohol the question presents itself again more strongly this morning and i'm not talking about the financial implications of the latest tax increase.

After abstaining from our beloved grape juice, for some weeks, we could affectionately be described now as "a cheap date". One glass of wine really is enough before our bodies start reeling from the toxic effects.

I'm sure with careful deliberation we shall successfully be able to raise our tolerance level as i'm not quite ready to lead a wine free life yet.

But it does beg the questions doesn't it....?

Delightfully different networking!

For you to be successful in business you need to be visible, credible and well connected. Amovita Netwalking is a revitalised approach to growing your business and your network.

It is the ideal framework to raise your profile, develop your messages and build great rapport.

Connect with like minds on a 1 hour facilitated stroll with me in the beauty of Richmond Park.

This is a way of spending time on your business that is healthy, inspirational and excellent value.

With my support as facilitator and coach, effective networking really can be a walk in the park!

Get in touch by following the email link from the home page of this blog, or visit my website for more information.

Our next walk is Friday 4th April. We leave the Dysart Arms car park in Petersham promptly at 12.15 .

Hope to see you there

Elizabeth

When was the last time....

I spent such a wonderful day yesterday at the Renewal Centre in Swallowfield. From talking to two lovely ladies who joined me on my Reiki workshop it inspired me to jot down a few thoughts today.

One of the most wonderful things about the day was the luxury of spending time, time connecting with each other, time connecting with ourselves and time devoted to the side of life that often gets neglected amidst the hustle and bustle of our everyday busy-ness.

How often do you dedicate real quality time to developing your self, not just your business or your CV but perhaps your spiritual side, or creative abilities? There is such a rich variety of possibilities to tempt those of us interested in widening our horizons.

If you want to take a bit more time out to nurture, mind body and spirit here's a few suggestions.
Book a place at the Mind Body Spirit Festival - coming up in May. www.mindbodyspirit.co.uk

Find your unique voice - try Edwin Coppards musical workshop http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K47uRT4cOfQ

Visit Alternatives at St James Piccadilly for a whole host of workshops talks and events. www.alternatives.org.uk

Try a meditation class, I’m a huge fan of Jo Sumner and her work, she runs meditation classes fortnightly at The William Hobbayne Centre, corner of St Dunstan's Road and Lower Boston Road, W7. Contact Jo on 07786 273 826, Joannesumner@btopenworld.com.

Go on retreat, aside from my Realisation RetreatTM in beautiful monmouthshire at the end of march there are plenty of options available to you.

http://www.yogawithnisha.co.uk/retreats.html

http://www.oxonhoath.co.uk/oxonhoath/index.cfm

http://www.middlepiccadilly.com/

http://www.thehillthatbreathes.com/

Get creative:
Pottery, singing, drawing, painting, photography, writing, play an instrument, write a song, do a collage....the list is only limited by your creativity.

Enjoy investing time in yourself this week and beyond.

Elizabeth

 

What is your body telling you?

As those of you who know me will appreciate, I’m a firm believer in utilising your body's wisdom for better health and vitality. In simple terms your body is a wonderful feedback mechanism for what's going on in your life it will tell you, without too much soul (or body) searching, a wealth of information.

The end of Friday can often bring relief from a busy and hectic week, I know for me this week in particular has involved later nights than usual and much less down time. As a result my body is already telling me that I need to redress the balance.

What is your body telling you?

Have you had your fair share of colds this winter already? If your immune system isn't fighting off those nasty's without the associated symptoms, then maybe a little more time out to care for yourself is needed.

What is your skin telling you? too much sugar? not enough water? not enough exercise? If it's not glowing and supple then how can you bring it back into it's natural state of vitality?

Aching shoulders and back, stiff neck and muscles are all too common symptoms of stress, burden and resisting the natural flow of life – tend to your body’s needs don’t just put up with it.

Perhaps spend a little more time paying attention to your body today and gain some valuable information about the state of your health and your life.  And if you body is giving you the warning signals to slow down, then listen to the good advice, before it stops you completely and your laid up!

Take care of yourselves, warmest wishes

Elizabeth

x

Burning the midnight oil?...

It's not usually that you would find me blogging at 11ocklock at night, but the long drive home from the college in Hampshire I teach at on a Wednesday afforded me some thinking time.

Feeling the need to wind down after my drive, I thought I’d take the opportunity to offer some tips for more restful sleep.

I think many of us have become far too tolerant of nights of poor sleep leading to mornings of low energy and it really doesn't (and shouldn't) have to be that way. In my last email newsletter I offered some tips on increasing everyday vitality, one of those being get to bed before 10pm as often as possible. (The irony strikes me as I look at the clock.)

So for any of you burning the midnight oil, here's a little list to ponder:

1.  Bedrooms are for sleeping and not a lot else (save romantic liaisons of course). Remove the T.V, the phone, the computer, and any other clutter for that matter. The electromagnetic fields these devices create can go a long way to disturbing our sleep patterns. Not to mention the assault on our poor adrenal glands if we watch a good action movie before hitting the hay.

2. Write n Rip. This is a technique I use for many things and it can be particularly helpful to clear the mind before bed. If you find your mind is consumed with thoughts or worry, particularly things that you feel unable to express to another person, it can be very helpful to engage in a stream of consciousness writing exercise. Simply put pen to paper and start writing and don't stop until you've got nothing else to say. Try not to think about it, just let the pen flow. You will probably be surprised a just how much your subconscious mind can throw out there. The simply rip it up and bin it. It's a great way of clearing the mind of anxiety and can be very cathartic.

3. Write your to do list for the next day before retiring, That way you don't have to occupy your mind trying to remember all those jobs and things you need to get done. Get it out on paper and give yourself permission to forget about it, knowing that it's taken care of until the morning.

4. As you relax in bed, place one hand gently on your forehead and the other just below your belly button on your Hara. This is a sedating posture and will help calm the CNS and induce a gentle state of relaxation. This can be used on children who have difficulty settling as they often find it very comfortable to be held in this way.

5. Count. Not necessarily sheep, try counting 9 breaths. Each time you breathe out count, take your time breathing, stay focussed on your breath and the number and you will soon find that the other internal chatter dies away and you gently drift off. If you find you're particularly uptight ad loose count before you get to 9, just start again.

6. Use colour and scent. The colour purple and lilac are very restful. Consider changing your bed linen, pj's or wall colourings for restful muted colours. Particularly if you've gone for decor of hot pink, reds or, heaven forbid, primary colours! Scent can be very soporific too, particularly lavender essential oil. You don't necessarily have to invest in oil burners (best avoid naked flames at bed time), simply put a few drops of essential oil onto a hanky and pop under your pillow (be aware the oil may stain). Or if you have a radiator in your room, put a cotton wool ball on top soaked in a few drops and the heat will infuse the air with a wonderful calming scent.

7. Having mentioned radiators that brings me to my last point for this evening before turning in. Sleep in a cool room. If we are too hot at night our sleep can be disturbed. If opening a window causes a draft and risk of stiff muscles and aches in the morning then consider investing in a lighter tog duvet or sheets (preferably pure cotton) and turning the radiators down a touch.

Sleep well!

Elizabeth

Everyone has one...who's yours?

I'm talking of course about an angel, perhaps not the ethereal type or the archangels that you may come across in one of Doreen Virtues wonderful books, but those that walk among us.

How do we recognise them?

The type of person I'm referring to are those that come into our lives at just the right time for just the right reason and seem to be perfectly aligned with a vision a, plan or higher intention.

We usually find them easy to get on with, kindred spirits if you like. There is an ease and familiarity about the relationship that may not be of the everyday.

They have a natural radiance about them, they shine and are out of the ordinary.

They may have a very clear sense of their purpose in relation to you, even if you're not aware of it.
When I have met these wonderful people in the past the meetings have been abundant with co-incidences.

I'm aware that "Angel" may be too far a leap for some of us I guess so perhaps these people fall into another bracket for you, perhaps Friend, Sister, Brother, Carer whoever they are it's important to be aware of them, the message they bring for us and how significant the relationship is.

For me my newest "Angel" comes in the form of Leda Sammarco a wonderfully gifted writers coach.

Who are your angels? and what are they here to help you to do?

Elizabeth
x

Do you make your own luck?

All of us probably know at least one or two lucky people. You know the ones, they always seem to be in just the right place at the right time, things always seem to work out, and they usually get what they want…
I’m sure if you don’t have a “lucky” friend or two then you know someone who does.

You’ve probably noticed another trait of these lucky people.
They’re happy, well more often than not anyway.
They’re always in the thick of it, enjoying themselves, being positive, being friendly and are generally upbeat.

Now as you probably know by now I don’t believe in co-incidences, happy and vibrant and positive people are lucky and get more of what they want for a reason.

The quickest, and most enjoyable way to get more of what you want is to ask for it and then to spend your energies feeling good more often than not.

Have a lucky Monday

Elizabeth

Everyday Vitality - Top tips for more energy in a flash!

I had such a great morning on Saturday at our March Vitality workshop with a wonderful cheerful and willing group. Reflecting on it this morning prompted me to write this blog.
Over the years i've realised that boundless energy which I might sometimes take for granted, doesn't necessarily come easily to everyone. After all that's one of the reasons
I chose to host the workshops in the first place.

Well here's some great news!

Everyday vitality is easily accessible to you and there are countless ways of boosting your energy levels, even without the energy medicine work that underpins my workshop.

Having an all-too-real appreciation of how busy life can be, here's few reminders of some really simple, practical things that you can do in just a few minutes to raise your vibration and natural vitality.

Drink more water
I know I keep raving on about this, but given that our brain alone is made up of nearly 70% water and water is vital for
effective functioning of all our body's major organs and systems how can we possibly expect to be lively and energetic without it?
Having a jug of water and glass on your desk or somewhere you will walk past and notice it will remind you to drink.
It doesn't need to be bottled water either, most tap water in our area is pretty reasonable and keeps the environmental cost of plastic bottles down.
If you are a tea or coffee fiend and don't drink water at all then don't give yourself the lofty goal of 2 litres a day from day one, just drink as much as you can and build up from there.
It's also important that you don't drink it all in one go as it can overload your organs, better to sip little and often throughout the day.
If you want to avoid nightly interruptions stop after 8pm!

Deal with a toleration.
How many little things do you have in your life or in your environment that bug you?

A toleration is something that you are putting up with, that is not necessarily big enough that the thought of it occupies your every waking moment but something that when you notice it, causes you irritation.

Examples of tolerations might be; a dripping tap; a drawer that doesn't close properly; being late for work; a slow running PC....

Every time you notice a toleration it provokes negative thought, albeit briefly, which directly saps your energy.

Ironically a toleration usually doesn't take long to sort out. Investing a short time to deal with the problem means you don't needlessly waste energy on it in the future.

Body Brushing
Aside from the obvious benefits of removing all those dead skin cells and encouraging the production of sebum which improves the skin tone and appearance, daily dry skin brushing has other great benefits for overall health and vitality.

One key benefit is the boost to the lymphatic system.  Unlike the circulatory system which has a pretty good pump to move our blood round out body, lymph relies of our body's movement to flow effectively. So if we sit at a desk most of the day or don't get much exercise we can very quickly see and feel the effects in water retention, swelling and the dreaded cellulite.

Brushing (always towards the heart with long brisk strokes) helps move lymph, increasing efficient excretion of cellular waste, particularly around hips and thighs (cellulite hot spots). Great news for us girls!

You can get a good natural soft bristle brush from most health shops or chemists for under £10.

Bed before 10pm
I know for many of us this isn't always realistic, but for me 2 hours good sleep before midnight makes getting out of bed at 6 a relative breeze (well most mornings anyway :o))

Consistently going to bed after 11 or later takes its toll, try and get a few early nights in a week and you'll notice the difference.

Cold showers
I never thought I'd say this but what a difference a cold shower makes. Mike is a little more hardy than me and gets into his shower cold!

I need to build up to it so start with a warm shower then gradually turn down the gauge. The difference it makes to lacklustre skin and hair is one thing but it also has significant benefits to the immune system too. It's hard to feel vital when you're battling a cold and a cold shower a day may be just the trick to mobilising our friendly forces and keeping us well.

Clear your clutter
It's hard to feel clear headed when your sitting in a sea of paperwork and difficult to feel in control of your domestic affairs when tripping over piles of ironing, draws full to bursting and a wardrobe where you can't see the wood for the trees.

Taking 10 minutes out to tackle a cluttered space will liberate you in more ways than one.

Gratitude
If there's one thing that's guaranteed to pull me out of the doldrums and get be back on a favorable sea then it's reminding myself of all the things I'm grateful for.

You can be creative with this, keep a gratitude diary, a chalk board that instead of the shopping list has a thank you list,
a picture montage to remind you of all those great people that make your life worth living.
The important thing is to really get into the feeling of gratitude.

So there's a list of 7 simple things to keep you going. 1 for each day this week if you like.

With very little effort you can walk into March with a spring in your step!