If Life Seems Jolly Rotten

If Life seems jolly rotten
There's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing

From 'Always look on the Bright side of life' by Monty Python

Have you laughed and smiled and danced and sung today?

Love

Donna.x

On Laziness

"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired."

Mortimer Caplan

Sounds like wisdom to me!

Happy Bank Holiday!

Love

Donna.x

Nurturing the Soul

There is a place close to me where air (it’s the windiest place on earth!), earth (surrounded by trees), water (a reservoir) and fire (sun) come together. Whenever I have the combination of a sunny day and an hour to spare, I go there with the dog. It was only today that I realised that it has the 4 elements (and probably the fifth, ether…it’s pretty magical!), and how much the place nurtures my soul.

When I go there, the cobwebs are (literally - it is ridiculously windy) blown away, my mind can empty, and the most amazing ideas come to me. It is incredibly inspirational to be there.

Today’s inspiration was about how I can help my clients, readers and friends more. I have been enjoying some audio recordings provided by Michele Lisenbury Christenson lately, and getting immense value from them. So, today I would love to get your input – if I were to do an audio just for you, what subject would you like it to be on? (and you never know, I might just do it…for free!) E-mail me, or leave a comment.

And where do you know that nurtures your soul? (not just the Seychelles! Pick somewhere you could go every day if you wanted to) Do you go there regularly?

Love

Donna.x

Maybe They Won't LIke Me

Unusually today, this is a crossover post between my own blog, and the Your Natural Way blog. This is a central idea to the Your Natural Way philosophy...and to my philosophy that 'Life's a Beach'. Your Authentic, Natural, True self is your best self.

People often worry that if they expose their real self, other people won't like them. And that would be bad. It is a really common misconception, and I'm not entirely sure where it comes from (possibly the skool daze, where anything different had other kids pointing and laughing!).

But here's what I know from working with hundreds of people to be more authentic in life and business:
- authentic people are a heck of a lot more likeable than those who wear a mask
- there is a certain energy around authentic, natural people that other people like
- everyone wants more authenticity, so the more natural you are, the more other people seem to gravitate towards you
- when you are being your most natural, authentic self, you don't really care what other people think.
- If someone doesn't like the 'real' you, it's ok...we're not all compatible with one another. When you are natural, and someone else doesn't like that, you are happy to let them get on with it - knowing that you are being your best self.
- being yourself gives other people permission to do the same around you, and that is the greatest gift you can give.

Don't worry that people might not like the 'real' you - trust me, YOU will like yourself a whole lot more when you stop pretending to be someone else.

Love

Donna.x

Wonderful Words

Have you ever noticed that the english language (and for that matter, every language) is full of wonderful words? I'm busy creating a 'body confidence' workshop at the moment, and part of that is to look at the words we use about ourselves - all too often it's not 'stunning', 'gorgeous', 'beautiful', 'irresistable' but 'fat', 'ugly', 'stupid'.

You may think that your language is unimportant, but there is power in words. (think of the power the media have...it's all words) And not only are there some magnificent words that we can use for ourselves, there are also just magnificent words - words that make you feel good! I love the words 'remarkable', 'barmy', 'ecstatic'...just to hear them and use them makes me smile.

I could go on with a hundred more marvelous words...but instead I'll set you a challenge. Notice today (this week, this month, this year...) what words excite and amuse you. Then use them!

Gramatically yours

Love

Donna.x

Chaos under the Heavens

Chinese proverb:

“There is chaos under the heavens and the situation is excellent.”

I came across this quote a while ago, and for some reason, just love it. Let's face it, life is mainly mayhem...might as well enjoy and appreciate that!

Wishing you a chaotic, and excellent weekend!

Love

Donna.x

Funny Memories

An old friend I've been back in touch with via Facebook (my favourite procrastination tool!) has been reminding me of funny memories today. Who knew that the word 'composure' could have me in fits of laughter for 5 minutes? Well, Mark did. But I'd completely forgotten. It got me thinking about other funny memories - sheldon high street (Julie), the roof of my parent's house (Claire), Warwick Castle (another Julie), the Wombles (Zena)...

I have so many memories of laughing so hard my cheeks hurt...and it's given me a lovely morning to wallow in those and laugh aloud again...just at the memory. I find it hard to believe that sometimes I take myself a bit seriously...but I do! I forget that laughter is my favourite state of being. Remembered laughter has re-awoken my sense of the ridiculous...and put me right back in my rightful place as a giggler!

Do you spend time enjoying your funny memories? Do you take yourself far too seriously sometimes? Stop being sensible...start laughing.

Love

Donna.x

Keep Your Pecker Up

With my clients (and myself) I have noticed a definite cycle of highs and lows - one week you are fully cared for, fully energetic and feeling great...a couple of weeks later the self care has slipped, the energy is low, and you're feeling low. I highly recommend that you notice these ups and downs and take steps to keep the levels high.

For example, I know I feel at my best when I am cared for, energetic and enthusiastic, so I notice when any of those dip below about 70%, and take steps. A few of the things that help me 'keep my pecker up' are reading and listening to inspirational people; taking 'me' time daily; walking in nature daily (although probably not today as it's pissing down!); listening to loud music, and reading trashy novels.

Imagine if you could glide gracefully through life's ups and downs without crashing and burning every few months. Imagine further if life could just be great, all the time...

What are you doing to keep your pecker up? ;-)

Love

Donna.x

The Rules

These are my rules (for me):

1. Self care
2. Gratitude
3. Vision
4. Inspired Action
5. Be present
6. Allow others to be where they are

The good thing about these rules is that when life feels difficult I can go back to step 1: self care.

It all stems from there.

What are your rules for yourself? And do they nurture you or make life harder for you?

Love

Donna.x

Waiting for Inspriation to Hit

There are times when no matter how much I 'think', I can't think of a darn thing to say. I know I have tons of things I could write about, but they are unfortunately locked down in a brain that is full of cotton wool. My throat infection has cleared up, leaving a lovely snotty nose and thick head in it's wake. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the difference - feeling like I'm swallowing razor blades is never good news.

So, today's lesson is: When inspiration isn't striking, maybe it's time to do something else - in my case, snooze! I'm certain I'll be inspired once I've had a snooze. Not that it'll hit the blog til Monday though - I suspect my afternoon snooze will spell the end of the working week for me.

Have a great weekend!

Love

Donna.x

Nothing Wrong

What are you doing wrong? Nothing.

What is wrong with you? Nothing.

What is the source of the dissatisfaction in your life? Thinking that you're doing it wrong or there's something wrong with you!

Could you believe that you are perfect just as you are?

Love

Donna.x

I Wanna Be...

Following on from yesterday's post, I wanted to share with you something I do daily - I decide three things that I want to be today. Today it is calm, gentle and kind - the main recipient of this is me because I have a throat infection and feel very sorry for myself! Imagine that. Not only being calm, gentle and kind to others, but also calm, gentle and kind to yourself.

Phew, that's just what the doctor ordered!

Who do you want to be today?

Love

Donna.x

Who Do You Want to BE?

As a coach, I am in the business of helping people to change their lives to what they want to be, do and have. Most people only really think about what they want to do, and what they want to have. What about who you want to be? Often this is the reason behind the doing and having anyway...we just don't look at it. For example, I want a thriving business so that I can BE financially free, successful, relaxed.

I want a boyfriend because I want to be loved and adored ;-). When you take it back to who you want to be, you realise something very interesting. You can BE those things before you have and do. I am already loved, adored, relaxed, successful and financially free (to an extent!). And 'being' more loveable, adorable, relaxed, successful and financially free will allow me to have more and do more that give me that feeling. It's a virtuous circle.

So, who do you want to be?

Love

Donna.x

Groundhog Day

Regular readers will know that I have a penchant for crap, schmaltzy films. Yesterday I caught the last hour or so of Groundhog Day - pure schmaltz! Once again, these cheesy films have a serious message - maybe this repeated day isn't a curse, suggests Andie MacDowell. How do you see your 'groundhog day's? Those repetitive, get up, go to work, same old, same old kind of days - we all have them...do you see yours as a curse or a gift?

Imagine if you really did repeat exactly the same day again and again, what would you do? Bill (Murray) saved some lives, learnt to play piano, did some ice sculpture, and ended by doing lots of good deeds and becoming the most popular guy in town. It's only when he is genuinely doing his best to be a good man that he is allowed to move onto another day...

Ok, we aren't doomed (or blessed) to repeat the day again and again until we get it right, but if you did have a day that would repeat over and over, what would you do? What would you learn? What would you do differently? What new skill would you pick up? Go on, have a think about it - if you had that day repeated 100 times, what would you do with it?

Once you get past the 'spend a fortune at the shops' type answers and into the 'learn french' or 'train as a nurse' type answers...why aren't you doing them now? There may be a very good reason why not (like 'learning to ski'...'can't be arsed'!), but there also might be things on there that there is no good reason not to do today.

Love

Donna.x

Intuitively

I have long been an advocate of following your intuition...and today I realised that I miss half of my intuitive nudges as 'random thought's or 'I can't do that's. Take today, I got a nudge to e-mail Sara Cox (radio 1 DJ), because she inspired the next edition of my newsletter. Normally, I wouldn't have followed that...but today I did.

I have no idea what the outcome of that 'nudge' will be, but it barely matters - the buzz from following that intuitive nudge was worth it, and now I know a little better what the voice of inspiration sounds like, and that voice knows I'm listening so it's more likely to talk (after all, why bother talking if you're not being heard?).

I wonder what flashes of inspiration you are dismissing as momentary barmy thoughts?

Love

Donna.x

Life's a Beach

What with the magnificent weather (ok, we've had 3 days of it...and yes, I am getting carried away), and the summer holidays well under way, it occurred to me that a renewed explanation of the whole concept that 'life's a beach' is in order. I work one to one with people to help them change their lives so that 'real' life becomes a holiday!

You know how on holiday you are relaxed, calm, happy, joyful, having fun? Well, I don't see why life can't be like that 52 weeks a year. You don't necessarily need to be on the beach to be relaxed, calm, happy, joyful, having fun do you? But this seems to be pretty much the only time that a lot of people manage to be all of those at once. There is no earthly reason why you should have a life that is 90% crap, and 10% good.

Life's a Beach - and the quicker you realise it, the faster you can get a life that feels like a holiday!

Love

Donna.x