Find Me at JanMarchant.com
IT’S ALL CHANGE HERE AND 7 STEPS TO POSITIVE LIVING HAS NOW MOVED TO JANMARCHANT.COM (http://www NULL.janmarchant NULL.com).
HEAD OVER TO FIND ME.
BLESSINGS AND LOVE X
Embracing change
It’s all change here at 7 Steps to Positive Living. I’ve been thinking about moving all my bits and pieces to one home, to create Jan Marchant.com for a couple of years now. As you can see I’ve not exactly rushed into it.
Why? Fear, that’s why. Part of me got stuck in a ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ mode. Would I have to start from scratch and begin the climb to being found on search engines again?
Or, a ‘what’s the point anyway?’ thought smothering the glimpses of promising new growth.
Slowly, slowly the fear of change began to ease and soften, until finally I was ready to embrace new beginnings.
Here’s the thing. Nothing stays the same. Doens’t matter what it is, or who it is, nothing stays the same. A kaleidoscope of change whirls and dances around, pulling, tugging on sleeves to whirl and dance with it.
We meet new people, read new books, find new places to explore what’s possible in today’s world. With that exploration comes changes to who you are being.
And when who you are being changes, it will find a way to showcase that vibrant new ’YOU’ to the world.
And I want to share more of what I’ve learnt.
I’d love to sow a seed or two on someone else’s journey towards their Happiness and Inner Well Being.
Loving, living, sharing. Watch this space. I’m embracing change with open arms. You might like to join me.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this, it would be wonderful if you shared it with others who might enjoy it too.
photo credit with thanks to: Jakob E (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/jakobesben/2431770167/) via photopin (http://photopin NULL.com) cc (http://creativecommons NULL.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2 NULL.0/)
Doing the Best We Can
Do you feel as if life has given you more than you can handle? You’ve heard people talking about a light at the end of the tunnel, but for you it’s still a dark, dark place.
Challenges are one thing, but when you haven’t signed up for the challenge you’re facing now, you just want it to end NOW.
Here’s the thing. Vary rarely can anybody can wave a magic wand and make it disappear for you, as much as they’d like to.
You have to make your way through and keep going until that light twinkles in the distance. Homeward bound and hearts ease, finally moving towards you rather than away.
Something to bear in mind and repeat like a mantra is ‘this too will pass’, and while it seems impossible to believe, difficult, unsought challenges will pass out of your life too.
The other thing to remember is that at all times, each and every one of us is doing the best we can. Even though we beat ourselves up with judgements on perceived weaknesses, or self hatedred, or helplessness, the truth is that at all times, each and every one of us is
DOING THE BEST WE CAN
If you were willing to say to yourself, or write it on a postcard, or in capital letters on you phone, to remind yourself as many times as possible, the sentence
I’M DOING THE BEST I CAN
You’ll be releasing some of the tension that keeps you locked in self judgement. And maybe, you’ll start to move inch by inch through the challenges that life has brought to your door.
It’s worth trying. You have nothing to lose, but will have sown the first seed towards growing your well being.
photo credit with heart felt thanks to: BaileyWho? (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/baileywho/5815204089/) via photopin (http://photopin NULL.com) cc (http://creativecommons NULL.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2 NULL.0/)
Give, Share with Love
Did you read about the vicar who gave away £10 to his parishioners? The recipients were expected to use the money in ways that would benefit their local community. The Rev Peverell left it up to them to pick and choose where to use their windfall.
He attracted some very negative comments on the Daily Mail (http://www NULL.dailymail NULL.co NULL.uk/news/article-2217642/Thats-way-pews-Vicar-gives-10-parishioner-attends-Harvest-Festival-service NULL.html) website, which is a shame. But we’re all entitled to voice our own opinions. It’s also true that we don’t have to agree with those opinions.
I truly believe that when you give, or donate, it’s best not to set intentions or expectations. Giving and sharing with Love, I call it. Because, when you give, or donate with nothing on your mind except the pleasure of giving, something magical happens.
You find yourself feeling true happiness that fills you with a lightness of being that’s hard to beat. As you hand over your gift, you set it free from your subconscious mind.
Because you haven’t set any limitations on what the recipient does with it, you don’t have any expectations of updates of how it helped. Of course, you may get news, but if you don’t that’s OK with you.
Setting it free means you have no residual energy tied into the gift. Which means you have energy to spend on loving, living and growing your Inner Well Being. Truly, would you want it to be any other way?
Inspirational Insight
‘Do not fear to be standing still, because in the stillness your Inner Wisdom shines through’ – Jan Marchant
Time moves swiftly at times, and as you look back, you wonder where it went.
Funny how it always seems to be the good times that fly by, leaving happy memories for you to bring out and cherish.
Those happy times are a direct result of the work you have done by growing your Inner Well Being.
Sometimes it seems as if you have reached a place where no growth occurs. You are standing still.
Do not fear to be standing still. It’s a plateau of reflection, to be cherished, to honour the you that you truly be.
Why? Because in that stillness lies the seeds of your future growth.
By standing still you allow your Inner Wisdom the space to send you Insights into your best way forward.
A time to love, a time to grow, a time to remember.
Every single minute lies in the path of your thoughts.
Truly it doesn’t get any better than this x
Want more Inspirational Insights to assist you to grow your inner well being? Just enter your name and email address in the box to you right to receive you own weekly Insights – enjoy x
How’s your Communication Clarity Factor?
Writing for another site, I was trying to show the difference between low and high quality of mind. If you’ve read a few of my posts then you will recognise the term because I use it all the time.
I sat back after I’d emailed it off, relaxing into ‘mission accomplished’ mode. It wasn’t until the next day when I received an email back, that I realised how complacent I was about my communication skills.
You see, I had assumed that because I used ‘low’ and ‘high’ to designate a persons frame of mind, that everyone knew what I meant. I’d forgotten the golden rule of ‘never make assumptions’.
It got me thinking about my communication clarity factor, and overall communication skills. When speaking, I quite often get my words and meanings mixed up, which can be amusing to listen to, but I usually get there in the end.
I thought my writing was OK, because I go to great lengths to investigate the meaning of a word or phrase, in order to get the context right. But I’d omitted to include a clarity factor alongside the meaning.
How often have you had a conversation with someone, thinking that you’ve got your point of view or needs understood, only to discover later that the other person, heard something completely different.
And yet effective communication is vital to well being. As well as having a detrimental effect on getting your needs met, the effects of not being understood can lead to anger, annoyance, sadness or frustration depending on the gist of the conversation!
Add to that the fact that we expect the listener to understand the emotion behind what we’re saying, and you can see how it all gets complicated.
So how can we, you and I, improve the clarity of what we’re trying to get across? Number 1 is to ask the other person if they understood with a ‘do you know what I’m trying to say?’, kind of enquiry.
Number 2 would be to watch their body language. You can easily pick up on the non verbal signals they’re sending you, providing you look for them. Scratching their head with a bewildered look is an easy one to catch, but trust me, practice people watching and you’ll soon see when words and actions don’t match.
Use your listening skills in a sort of reverse order. Watch the listener for their non verbal clues to misunderstanding you. Try not to be judgemental of what they’re feeding back. Be interested in what they’re telling you, as you look for your clarity factor.
It’s easy to take it all for granted. I speak, therefore I am understood. What do you mean you didn’t quite get it? Must be your faulty wiring or something, it can’t possibly be me can it. After all I’ve been doing this communicating thing for years.
When you learn to drive, you start off hesitantly and slowly grow your skills behind the wheel. Clarity of speech is no different. If you want to be a ‘formula one speaker’, then take the time to develop those skills.
Finally to clarify, a low quality of mind is when you are down in the dumps, nothing seems to be going right and your thoughts are all over the place. It’s a natural place to be some of the time. It’s how we know that something needs to be different. It’s not a good time to make decisions.
A high quality of mind is when you feel as if you and the world are flowing along together. You feel good. Nows the time to make those important decisions and get going. It’s a time when your Inner Wisdom can find the space to come through and send you Insights to help with your life.
Both states are natural and as human beings, we flow between one or the other. Once you know, then it makes sense to sit out the lows, and wait for the mind to swing back into ito high.
Is that clear enough for you? If not, please leave a comment below and I will do my best to bring a greater clarity factor to it’s meaning.
‘For your born writer, nothing is so healing as the realization that he/she has come upon the right word’ – C.D.Bowen
photo credit with thanks: whittaker_colin (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/colinwhittaker/2646545536/) via photopin (http://photopin NULL.com) cc (http://creativecommons NULL.org/licenses/by-nc/2 NULL.0/)
Want To Be A Money Magnet?
Want to learn how to be a Money Magnet? Yes, then just click the link above to book your place on one of Marie-Claire’s Money Magnet Workshops. I’m going to the first one on the 27th October 2012. But if you can’t make that date then there will be another on the 1st December 2012. Both workshops are being held in London.
Here’s a taster of what to expect on the day:
Money Magnet Workshop
In just one day you will:
DISCOVER and UNCOVER your NEGATIVE and LIMITING BELIEFS with money (often inherited)
Learn how to OVERRIDE your SUBCONSCIOUS BELIEFS about money
SEE how CLUTTER can RESTRICT your FINANCIAL FLOW
LOOK at money in terms of ENERGY, LOVE, MINDSET, concepts, strategies and philosophy!
Find out how your INNER VALUE is REFLECTED in OUTER VALUE in terms of money in the world.
Understand how FOLLOWING your PASSION is key to becoming a money magnet!
Realise the great feeling of PEACE OF MIND that comes from becoming a money magnet!!
OPEN YOURSELF UP to more money-making opportunities and ENJOY A FUN and transformative day with LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS!
And much, much more!!!!!
Yes I’m an affiliate, so if you book through the link above I will attract a commission from your purchase. This is the first time I have ever been an affiliate, and that’s because I truly believe this workshop will help all of us participants to finally lose any inhibitions around attracting, and having fun with money. Truly, how does it get any better than this?
How your Self Talk can Make or Break You
Reading about David Beckhams (http://www NULL.davidbeckham NULL.com/) various hair style over the years I was struck by a couple of comments he made. He said ‘There have been one or two that I look back on and think they were mistakes.’ This was followed by ‘Not mistakes but different to what I’d do now…’ Wow, who would have thought that David was a master of re-framing his thoughts, followed by his spoken words. Kudos David.
Self talk can make or break you. The simple, everyday things that you say to yourself without thinking can make or break you. For most people it goes back to childhood conditioning, where the brain hears more negative comments than positive. Parrot fashion those negative comments get repeated time and time again, until they become second nature as they automatically spring to mind.
It’s time to take back control and master the art of Positive Self Talk. Here’s the thing. You’re actually listening and talking to yourself, which means you’re in control of what you place there Like David, you can re-frame the negative self talk to something that will resonate in your body as a positive.
For example, you bump into someone who always has bad things to say about others or the world in general. They like to encourage you to agree or commiserate with them. And it’s so easy to get pulled into their mind set. But oh so hard to undo the damage to yourself.
Personally, I avoid people who live, breathe and eat negative self talk like the plague that they are. Occasionally it’s unavoidable, but I never take the easy way out and just agree or add to their comments. I prefer to re-frame their words into a possibility of something better, i.e., ‘Well you know, they were very generous and helpful when I lost my purse, so I can only see how kind they are.’
As it’s not what the other person wanted to hear, they were the ones who suddenly had to take their leave – phew lucky escape.
An exercise to help grow your positive self talk is to listen to what you’re saying. If it has any negativity in the many guises it shows up as, then see the thought(s) shrinking to the size of a pea. Just thinking it will be enough to shrink it – wonderful devise the human brain.
Now rephrase to include the possibility of a better solution or the outcome you’d rather have i.e. as per David ‘You know what, it’s different to what I’d do/try/have in the future, but I’m glad I got this one under my belt.’
If you’re serious about growing your Inner Well Being then your Self Talk is a vital part of it. Your happiness and growth depends on it.
photo credit with thanks: kevin dooley (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/pagedooley/2836337974/) via photopin (http://photopin NULL.com) cc (http://creativecommons NULL.org/licenses/by/2 NULL.0/)
Inspirational Insight
‘Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile, and a grateful heart.’ -Zig Ziglar
Sometimes life can be the pits, no two ways about it, it has to be said. You wake up and it’s as if the Universe is having an anti ‘YOU’ day.
Nothing seems to work, or go the way you thought it would, and no matter what you try it’s hard to climb out of the low quality of mind that accompanies the dross.
So, it would be good to know what to bear in mind on days like that wouldn’t it. By now you absolutely know that everyone suffers from a low quality of mind at some point.
The secret to coping is to wait until you come out of it, back into a higher quality of mind.
That’s because it’s impossible to make any good decisions until that time.
Hold fire. While you wait the things that will never change, whatever your quality of mind, are your ability to give and keep your word.
If you’re not positive you can keep your word, offer an ‘I’ll do my best’ instead and include some wriggle room.
You can always smile and know that you have lightened someone’s day by the sunshine in your face. And lastly, you can always, I repeat always, have a grateful heart.
Smile with love and gratitude at the Universe and life will resume normal service after it’s sweep the gremlins away – phew.
Want more Inspirational Insights to assist you to grow your inner well being? Just enter your name and email address in the box to you right to receive you own weekly Insights – enjoy x
photo credit with thanks: aussiegall (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/aussiegall/465898486/) via photopin (http://photopin NULL.com) cc (http://creativecommons NULL.org/licenses/by/2 NULL.0/)
Dancing through Life whilst wearing Rose Coloured Glasses
I came across a wonderful quote today, ‘Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn’t music’ by William Stafford (http://www NULL.goodreads NULL.com/author/show/40274 NULL.William_Edgar_Stafford), an American poet and pacifist.
I don’t know about you, but some words work on a subconscious level and my heart sings in agreement.
Almost immediately afterwards I read the words ‘looking at life through rose-coloured glasses’ as part of my mid-September horoscope from the wonderful Sally Kirkman (http://www NULL.sallykirkman NULL.com/).
For some reason the two phrases resonated and merged together in my mind. Thoughts of ‘what if life was all about dancing to the tunes that sing in your heart, while seeing life through rose coloured glasses.’
The dictionary defines rose coloured glasses as, ‘if someone thinks about or looks at something through rose-coloured glasses, they think it is more pleasant than it really is.’
Well I for one am always ready to see life as more pleasant, more abundant, more loving, more giving…. the list is endless. It makes me feel happy just thinking about it.
And if I can see the world through rose coloured glasses whilst dancing to the tunes in my heart, then I’m surely sending out positive love and vibrations to the world at large.
Anyone want to join me?
photo credit with heart felt thanks to: PHOTO ♥ BOOTH (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/rawryder/4815665843/) via photo pin (http://photopin NULL.com) cc (http://creativecommons NULL.org/licenses/by-nd/2 NULL.0/)
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