Follow Your Heart, Not The Crowd.

 

Just because everyone else is doing something a certain way, or living their life a certain way, doesn't make it 'right'. 

There really is no such thing as 'normal' or what we are 'supposed' to do with our lives. We each have the opportunity to make our own decisions and to follow our own journeys in this short lifetime, so why waste it living someone else's journey? Someone else's dream?

Society has been formed to create an example of a way of life which is easily accessible and readily available for those who chose it.

But we have choice. We have alternatives. We have freedom.

We don't need to let fear hold us back from exercising our rights to live exactly the way we want to. How many people will look back and have regrets... that they didn't do more, that they didn't see more, that they cared too much about what other people thought, that they didn't fall in love often enough or madly enough, that they focused on things that didn't really matter in the end? Maybe too many..

We don't want to end up living a life that we will regret later on, because we only have one shot at it. Don't wait until it's too late to make a change because if not now, then when?

Our hearts can be our greatest guides, they will tell us when we're not doing what's best and what's best isn't always what you think is right. Sometimes you need to get totally lost and confused before you find yourself again. We'll never truly know what matters to us if we listen to  what matters to everyone else. What is important to one person, may not mean anything to another, and what is junk to one person, is treasure to another. 

The only people who are responsible for our choices and actions are us, and we are the only ones who can make those decisions about what we want. where we want to be and who we want to be.

As my next birthday approaches, and I look back on another year passed, I realise that now, more than ever, is the time to be the change I want to see, to listen only to my own heart and mind, not to the fears, ideas and opinions of others and to be honest with myself about what I want.

This is our one precious life and we can spend it living authentically, listening to our own guidance, no matter how rocky the road might become, or how many times we fall. Too often we base our life choices on other peoples, for fear of walking alone, for fear of forging our own way in the world, or failing. But our failings are our biggest lessons, and without them we would never learn to grow, to follow the path best for us and become the best we can be.

So as I consider another year gone by and the beginning of a new chapter in my life, I ask myself; am I being authentic? Am I following my heart? Am I being true to myself?

Because the only person that can follow the wisdom of your own heart, is you... Don't sacrifice your gift to the world for anyone else.

Losing A Shining Star

You don't need to know someone in person for them to bless your life.Robin Williams truly did inspire all of our imaginations and touch our hearts. He became the characters he played in a way very few are able to.. He made us believe in magic, and reminded us that we should never stop dreaming, that we should always keep a sense of child like wonder when looking at the world. He encouraged us not to take ourselves too seriously and that it was OK to be weird and wacky - We could be who ever we wanted to be! .

Sometimes it takes death to remind us we are alive. I think it's amazing to see so much love everywhere for a true shining star.. And I hope that perhaps it will encourage people to reach out to those around them, to see each other as fellow humans without judging with labels or division, and to connect more; to reach out and offer support, or to ask for help.

RIP to a wonderful soul, thank you for everything you taught us  .

"You know what music is? God’s little reminder that there’s something else besides us in this universe; harmonic connection between all living beings, every where, even the stars." Robin Williams

The Power of Words

Language is so powerful. The words we use hold so much weight and are loaded with energy which can either be directed positively or negatively, depending on our choice. 

Words carry a life force, a vibration which resonates with us at a deep, soul-felt level. The right words, used with the right intentions can transform you and change you, lift your mood and raise you up. However language which holds derogative or negative connotations, used in an offensive manner can bring you, and others around you, down and create wounds, cutting like swords. 

People who flippantly use negative or derogative terminology often, will subconsciously carry the weight of those words and their energy will be lowered. 
Those who speak positively, offering compliments and using uplifting language will, on a vibrational level, invite good energy in their lives. Much like the frequency of our thoughts, our language can alter our perspective on the world and therefore our experiences..

Next time you go to complain or bitch or moan.. stop yourself and instead find something positive to say. You might find this one small change can create a huge difference in your life as the less and less negatives you notice and point out, the less they seem to exist. 

If you're looking for the good, you'll find it. Your world just might transform. 
As the old saying goes...'If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all' - The world needs more hope, inspiration and more compliments, not more complaining, insulting and hurting.

Words are powerful. Choose them wisely. They have the power to save lives... or to ruin them. The choice is yours. <3

"I am, by calling, a dealer in words; and words are, of course, the most powerful drug known to mankind" Rudyard Kipling

A Quote a Day....

A great quote truly has the capacity to inspire and motivate us, to change us, to challenge us, to make us think and to make us smile. They take mere seconds to read, but their affects can last a lifetime and, like a cup of tea on a cold morning, they can soothe the heart and soul.

The power of positive affirmations and inspiring words is extraordinary; words are our most poweful form of expression. The words and thoughts we speak and think become the way we see ourselves and the world. 

The first of Don Ruiz's inspirational 'Four Agreements' is to Be impeccable with your word : 

"Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love."

So, with that in mind, here are my top 20 inspirational, transformational and thought-provoking quotes -

"We are what we believe we are" 
C S Lewis

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” 
Marilyn Monroe

“To move, to breathe, to fly, to float.

 To gain all while you give.

To roam the roads of lands remote.

To travel is to live”

Hans Christian Andersen

"If a little dreaming is dangerous, the cure for it is not to dream less but to dream more, to dream all the time."
Marcel Proust

“We should all start to live before we get old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets”

Marilyn Monroe

                     

“Keep close to Nature’s heart…and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” 

John Muir

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough”

Mae West

“The man is a success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much; Who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of children; who has filled his niche an accomplished his task; who leaves the world better  than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem,  or a rescued soul; who never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty or failed to express it; who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had”

Robert Louis Stevenson

“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting”

E E Cummings

“you are the universe, expressing itself as a human for a little while”

Eckart Tolle

“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”

Christopher McCandless

“Do one thing everyday that scares you”

Eleanor Roosevelt

“There are far far better things ahead than any we leave behind”

C S Lewis

“So we shall let the reader answer this for himself: who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived, or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed”

Hunter S Thompson

“It matters not who you love, why you love, where you love, when you love or how you love. It matters only that you love”

John Lennon

Change is a Revolution: Trust and Embrace it

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”  ~ Laozi

Change.

Those six little letters that hold so much weight.

How many times have you heard someone say “I don’t like change”? How many times have you been thrown into unwitting chaos because you lost a job or got your heart broken, or were forced to make changes to your life beyond your control? We think of change as frightening, unwelcome and uncomfortable.

Change is a natural occurrence in order to move forward and progress. The seasons change, our bodies change, the winds change, every cell in our body is in a constant process of change. Without the changing of attitudes, laws and technologies over the years we would never have developed as a planet. We would be stuck living in the dark ages; The human race would become obsolete.

Instead, change represents evolution and movement  – the capacity to push things forward for our own benefit and for the benefit of the planet. The only way we advance is through change, it is the elixir of the existence of humanity.

If something sticks, it becomes stale – an attitude, a career, a daily routine, a habit, a relationship. Change shakes things up and breathes new life into that which otherwise becomes unhealthy or destructive.

Change means regeneration, rejuvenation, reinvention and revolution. Change throws out the old and welcomes in the new with open arms and an open heart. We change our minds, we change our underwear, so why are we so hesitant to make more significant changes in our lives?

Simply put, we like safety and comfort. We, as humans, are ultimately pleasure seekers who like to choose the path of least resistance because the alternative requires an element of effort. It requires facing the fear of the unknown and stepping outside of our comfort zone which can be scary.

But more than anything, it requires us to face our potential, to go within and explore the possibilities of our greatness. And this is going within to places we’d rather avoid, for fear of the realisation that we could be so much more than what we currently believe.

We have evolved to avoid situations that confront us and force us to face our fears. One of our greatest fears is usually failure, therefore we stay safe behind the veneer of our risk-free lives. We don’t like to go against the grain for fear of being ridiculed by a society that tries it’s best to encourage conformity and routine.

“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back” ~ Paulo Coelho

Change is considered dangerous because it suggests freedom and choice – and this requires responsibility over your actions and your life. We live in cycles of monotony and we’re afraid to break free because when you break free, you’re on your own.

There is less stability in releasing yourself from safety, but in doing so you open yourself up to a world of opportunities and possibilities. Life becomes an adventure. Dreams are set into motion as you forge your own unique path in the world. You make your own rules.

Change is the greatest personal revolution you can choose. Change releases you from your day to day shackles. Change sets you free. Change is creativity and adventure. Change is glorious mystery.

Admittedly, change can be frightening. To leave behind the safety and familiarity of the life you know can be a daunting prospect, but I promise you this;  it is not nearly as scary as you imagine. The fear of change and the unknown is 100% always just that, a fear.

Fears are like shadows projected on the wall – they look huge and menacing but when you find the source of the shadow, you realise it’s an illusion. The projection of our fears, like the menacing shadows, are distorted truths. They paralyze us and hold us back, preventing us from moving forward in our lives instead of entering into the process of change and coming out the other side, alive and pulsing with the energy of a life truly being lived.

Life is short and if you don’t make that change now, then when? With each new year must come productive change, to help make a positive impact on the world and to better align yourself with our highest purpose. We need commitment and we need passion but above all, the world needs our courage and bravery to make those changes happen.

“We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don’t have something better.” ~  Joy C Bell

No one can make those changes for you. You are the director of the movie that is your life and you are responsible for your choices. Making choices based on fear will hold you back and create pain. But making life choices based on love, hope and faith will enable you to create the life you have always imagined.

Change should be welcomed with open arms. Change is where the magic lies. Change is where the moments occur that blow your mind and open your heart to the endless possibilities and potential that is available to each and every one of us.

Make choices based on love and inspired by passion, which enrich your heart and soul. Don’t let fear hold you back and risk settling for less than you deserve. Trust in the calling of the divine and know that change is the catalyst for freedom; and freedom is the greatest gift we have.