When was the last time you were treated to something really special, or treated yourself? In the last couple of weeks three friends have offered to treat me - to a sumptuous dinner, to a night at the theatre and to a holistic treatment. I have accepted graciously.
It also reminded me that it is so long since I really treated myself - and by that I mean treating myself without guilt, without the sense of 'I shouldn't really'. I can't remember when I last treated myself purely out of love and appreciation for me. And that I find appalling!
It doesn't have to be an expensive treat but it does have to be given and received with love. Ideally it would be something you just want rather than need.
How shall we treat ourselves this week - and every week?
Monday, November 17, 2008
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Monday Moment (on Tuesday)
This is November's inspiration in the Oprah magazine. It's so lovely I thought I'd share it.
Hold onto what is good even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe even if it is a tree which stands by itself
Hold on to what you must do even if it is a long way from here...
Hold on to my hand even when I have gone away from you.
(From Many Winters by Nancy Wood)
Hold onto what is good even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe even if it is a tree which stands by itself
Hold on to what you must do even if it is a long way from here...
Hold on to my hand even when I have gone away from you.
(From Many Winters by Nancy Wood)
Monday, October 27, 2008
Monday Moment: We will get what we focus on!
Watching the BBC news on Friday night, I was both appalled and incensed. In reporting on the economic downturn, the BBC carried a report on Corby where they had a young teenage girl staring out over a building site where work had stopped, stating that this wasteland was like her future.
I wanted to leap into the TV, grab the girl by the shoulders and yell, 'No it isn't! This is just media hype and it doesn't represent anything!'
Because the truth is that in 16 years of economic growth, there have still been failed businesses, lost jobs and stopped building works. In downturns and recessions there are still businesses that grow, build and take on staff. Job losses are not caused by recession, they are caused by businesses that are failing - and would fail under pretty much any climate - or that are restructuring, down-sizing, shifting production to countries with cheaper labour etc.
If we give the message to our youth that their future is a wasteland, then it will be. If we give out the message that regardless of the economic climate, the deal is to get creative, innovative, to look for ways to liberate your talent and to rely on your own initiative, then our youth have a much stronger chance of thriving and undoing the mess we are leaving them as our legacy.
I, for one, am focusing on the opportunities that are always there if your eyes are open enough to see them. I hope all you Divas will join me in supporting our young people and helping them believe that their future is in their hands, and not in the media wastelands!
I wanted to leap into the TV, grab the girl by the shoulders and yell, 'No it isn't! This is just media hype and it doesn't represent anything!'
Because the truth is that in 16 years of economic growth, there have still been failed businesses, lost jobs and stopped building works. In downturns and recessions there are still businesses that grow, build and take on staff. Job losses are not caused by recession, they are caused by businesses that are failing - and would fail under pretty much any climate - or that are restructuring, down-sizing, shifting production to countries with cheaper labour etc.
If we give the message to our youth that their future is a wasteland, then it will be. If we give out the message that regardless of the economic climate, the deal is to get creative, innovative, to look for ways to liberate your talent and to rely on your own initiative, then our youth have a much stronger chance of thriving and undoing the mess we are leaving them as our legacy.
I, for one, am focusing on the opportunities that are always there if your eyes are open enough to see them. I hope all you Divas will join me in supporting our young people and helping them believe that their future is in their hands, and not in the media wastelands!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Monday Moment: Do what you love
Last week I was speaking at the Newark Inner Wheel (the ladies circle of the local Rotary Club), which I have to say was enormous fun. I had been invited to speak about being an author of horsy humour (see here for my books). The ladies were all mature (average age 70), so I tempered some of my jokes, but they loved it and so did I.
It got me thinking that I must do more of this speaking lark, because I just really, really enjoy it. I enjoy making people laugh, putting smiles on faces, entertaining. It doesn't have to make me money (though I did sell a few books on the night which was a bonus), it can be just for pure fun. So if you have a group that needs a speaker, let me know!
In this time of doom and gloom, get out there and do something you love to do, just for the smiles. Right now we need more smiles out there!
It got me thinking that I must do more of this speaking lark, because I just really, really enjoy it. I enjoy making people laugh, putting smiles on faces, entertaining. It doesn't have to make me money (though I did sell a few books on the night which was a bonus), it can be just for pure fun. So if you have a group that needs a speaker, let me know!
In this time of doom and gloom, get out there and do something you love to do, just for the smiles. Right now we need more smiles out there!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Monday Moment Embracing your inner D.I.V.A
I'm going through an interesting time at the moment. It is clearly a time of clearing away the last vestiges of the stories that I have lived which now need to be consigned to the past so that I can live a new story. The story of a Divine, Intuitive, Vital woman with Attitude. The story of the sculpture within the marble (see the last Monday Moment). The story of a woman who owns her divine feminity, sensuality and sexuality. A woman who is certain of who she is; powerful and vulnerable, active and passive, giving and receiving - in balance.
There are four women who epitomise this D.I.V.A for me: Joanne Lumley, Honor Blackman, Felicity Kendal and Cherie Lunghi. Last nights performance of the Rumba by Cherie Lunghi on Strictly Come Dancing just embodied all of that story for me. If a picture paints a thousand words then this video of Cherie's performance says it all. Here is a D.I.V.A in action. Enjoy!
There are four women who epitomise this D.I.V.A for me: Joanne Lumley, Honor Blackman, Felicity Kendal and Cherie Lunghi. Last nights performance of the Rumba by Cherie Lunghi on Strictly Come Dancing just embodied all of that story for me. If a picture paints a thousand words then this video of Cherie's performance says it all. Here is a D.I.V.A in action. Enjoy!
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Monday Moment 6 October
Marianne Williamson is one of my favourite authors and I quote her often. I am currently reading her book A Return to Love, Reflections on A Course in Miracles. There are so many aha's in this book, I totally recommend you read it. One passage that really made me think this week was this:
'When Michelangelo was asked how he created a piece of sculpture, he answered that the statue already existed in the marble. God himself created the Pieta, David, Moses. Michelangelo's job as he saw it was to get rid of the excess marble that surrounded God's creation'.
It got me thinking - what if the 'me' I want to be is in within me already, already created and perfected? What if my job is not to try to create myself but to allow the excess marble (my fears , anxieties etc) that surrounds and hides me to be chipped away. What if I visualised that marble just falling away? What if I played out this week as though that marble had already gone, and I am everything I aspire to be? How would that change the way I think this week?
I'm going to try it and see! You might like to try it too. Let me know how it goes.
Have a great week!
'When Michelangelo was asked how he created a piece of sculpture, he answered that the statue already existed in the marble. God himself created the Pieta, David, Moses. Michelangelo's job as he saw it was to get rid of the excess marble that surrounded God's creation'.
It got me thinking - what if the 'me' I want to be is in within me already, already created and perfected? What if my job is not to try to create myself but to allow the excess marble (my fears , anxieties etc) that surrounds and hides me to be chipped away. What if I visualised that marble just falling away? What if I played out this week as though that marble had already gone, and I am everything I aspire to be? How would that change the way I think this week?
I'm going to try it and see! You might like to try it too. Let me know how it goes.
Have a great week!
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Monday Moment on errr... Wednesday
Yes I know I am late! I've been so busy finishing a book on social networking I've got behind with my own! Still book now finished - phew! - and now I can get on with practising what I have just been preaching.
Last week I was talking about our Dark Horse. And since pondering mine, I've come realise that like diamonds we (women particuarly) have many facets. Unfortunately those facets -all beautiful - aren't always in alignment with each other. I've been struggling to align my Boardroom Babe facet with my Spiritual Softness. I need the vast blue sky and open air and closeness to nature - because this is my connection to Spirit and the oneness of all things. Living in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere is great on that front.
Yet I also miss being in the crowd, partying with people who stretch my brains, chewing the cud with other maverick thinkers and business philosphers. This doesn't mean I can't be spiritual as well - but I have been seeing them as two sides of a coin. I am showing either heads or tails, where I need to align these facets within myself so I am showing the whole coin, the whole diamond.
So my focus for this week is on looking at all my facets and bringing them into alignment so the whole that I present to the world is the sum of my parts and not just some of them. If you are feeling a little fragmented you might like to do it too.
Last week I was talking about our Dark Horse. And since pondering mine, I've come realise that like diamonds we (women particuarly) have many facets. Unfortunately those facets -all beautiful - aren't always in alignment with each other. I've been struggling to align my Boardroom Babe facet with my Spiritual Softness. I need the vast blue sky and open air and closeness to nature - because this is my connection to Spirit and the oneness of all things. Living in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere is great on that front.
Yet I also miss being in the crowd, partying with people who stretch my brains, chewing the cud with other maverick thinkers and business philosphers. This doesn't mean I can't be spiritual as well - but I have been seeing them as two sides of a coin. I am showing either heads or tails, where I need to align these facets within myself so I am showing the whole coin, the whole diamond.
So my focus for this week is on looking at all my facets and bringing them into alignment so the whole that I present to the world is the sum of my parts and not just some of them. If you are feeling a little fragmented you might like to do it too.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Monday Moment The Darkest Hour and The Dark Horse
The darkest hour is just before the dawn so the saying goes. Over the last year or so, I've had many dark hours and I should have learnt by now that those moments when I really think I am on the brink of hitting the Prozac, are the moments that precipitate breakthroughs.
Usually when I'm in the depths of despair I turn to a book and the answers I need are right there. This weekend was one of those times. After a fairly crappy three weeks of making very little progress on anything - in fact being stopped in my tracks literally three times on consecutive Fridays, I gave in and read a book: Dancing with Your Dark Horse by Chris Irwin. It's about learning a better way of horsemanship, but it's also about finding and most importantly, embracing your dark shadow side: the side we prefer to keep hidden from the world.
Our dark side - the dark horse in all of us - is part of who we are, and in fact is often the part that gives us our energy, our drive and our passion. It might be our anger, our pride, our fear, our stubbornness. We usually think of it as a negative trait that needs to be harnessed, controlled, hobbled and hidden. But what if we were to ride with this dark horse? What if we used its power to move us forward rather than hold us back?
This is my challenge for all of use this week, Divas. How can our dark horses take us forward? How can we use this inner power as a strength rather than a perceived weakness?
I don't think it is any coincidence that I have a very real dark horse in my life: Penny from Heaven. She is my teacher and my guide; she also carries many of the traits of the dark horse in me (stubbornness being one)! I'm intrigued to see what she has to teach me this week!
Usually when I'm in the depths of despair I turn to a book and the answers I need are right there. This weekend was one of those times. After a fairly crappy three weeks of making very little progress on anything - in fact being stopped in my tracks literally three times on consecutive Fridays, I gave in and read a book: Dancing with Your Dark Horse by Chris Irwin. It's about learning a better way of horsemanship, but it's also about finding and most importantly, embracing your dark shadow side: the side we prefer to keep hidden from the world.
Our dark side - the dark horse in all of us - is part of who we are, and in fact is often the part that gives us our energy, our drive and our passion. It might be our anger, our pride, our fear, our stubbornness. We usually think of it as a negative trait that needs to be harnessed, controlled, hobbled and hidden. But what if we were to ride with this dark horse? What if we used its power to move us forward rather than hold us back?
This is my challenge for all of use this week, Divas. How can our dark horses take us forward? How can we use this inner power as a strength rather than a perceived weakness?
I don't think it is any coincidence that I have a very real dark horse in my life: Penny from Heaven. She is my teacher and my guide; she also carries many of the traits of the dark horse in me (stubbornness being one)! I'm intrigued to see what she has to teach me this week!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Monday Moment 4
Sometimes we get so busy doing what we have to do, we forget to take time to do the things we love to do, the things that nurture and feed our soul. One of those things for me is photography. When my mobile was up for renewal I specifically went for the Nokia N95 8GB because of the camera which has a super-duper lens. Now wherever I am if I see a picture worth taking I can take it, without having to carry another piece of kit with me just in case. It means I don't miss those won't-be-here-tomorrow shots either.
This picture is of the sunset last weekend as I was walking the dog up the lane.
So my thought for you this week, dear Divas, is what are you not making time for that nurtures your soul, and how can you bring it in your daily life?
Friday, September 12, 2008
I'm going to be a blackberry
I had one of those days, today. A day of techno failures and frustrations, a day when you think 'next lifetime I really don't want to be a human again'. So while the computer monitor died and I waited for the ancient laptop to warm itself up, I pondered what would I like to be next time round.
A blackberry bush is what I finally decided on. A blackberry bush because...
I'd grow wild just about anywhere I wanted
I'd be able to sleep all winter
I'd languish in the summer sun (assuming there is some!)
I'd bear an a bounty of flowers and an abundance of juicy fruits that would feed the local wildlife
and if anybody or thing really p***d me off I could rip a few shreds off them with my thorns (also useful for hooking a tasty chap!)
But the best thing about being a blackberry, is that no matter how many times you get 'pruned' you just grow back stronger, hardier and more perniciously than before!
I'm almost looking forward to it! What would you be, next time around?
A blackberry bush is what I finally decided on. A blackberry bush because...
I'd grow wild just about anywhere I wanted
I'd be able to sleep all winter
I'd languish in the summer sun (assuming there is some!)
I'd bear an a bounty of flowers and an abundance of juicy fruits that would feed the local wildlife
and if anybody or thing really p***d me off I could rip a few shreds off them with my thorns (also useful for hooking a tasty chap!)
But the best thing about being a blackberry, is that no matter how many times you get 'pruned' you just grow back stronger, hardier and more perniciously than before!
I'm almost looking forward to it! What would you be, next time around?
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Abundance
When the money is flowing out faster than its coming in, it's easy to forget that we are surrounded by absolute abundance. Today I was reminded just how abundant my world is. I picked blackberries from the laden hedgerows to put in my breakfast smoothie, and I found some mushrooms in the horse's field so I had them for tea. Tomorrow I am going to scrump some apples from my neighbour who has an orchard full and I'm hoping he'll let me have some of his Victoria Plums before the wasps eat them. Could be a blackberry and apple pie in the making this weekend!
Monday, September 08, 2008
Monday Moment 3 A Woman's Worth
I love this passage from A Woman's Worth by Marianne Williamson.
When a woman has allowed her passionate nature, allowing love to flood her heart, her thoughts grow wild and fierce and beautiful. Her juices flow. Her heart expands. She has thrown off crutch and compromise. She has glimpsed the enchanted kingdom, the vast and magical realms of the Goddess within her. Here, all things are transformed. And there is a purpose to this: that the world might be mothered back to a great and glorious state. When a woman conceives her true self, a miracle occurs and life around her begins again.
What wild and fiece and beautiful thoughts will you have this week, Divas?
When a woman has allowed her passionate nature, allowing love to flood her heart, her thoughts grow wild and fierce and beautiful. Her juices flow. Her heart expands. She has thrown off crutch and compromise. She has glimpsed the enchanted kingdom, the vast and magical realms of the Goddess within her. Here, all things are transformed. And there is a purpose to this: that the world might be mothered back to a great and glorious state. When a woman conceives her true self, a miracle occurs and life around her begins again.
What wild and fiece and beautiful thoughts will you have this week, Divas?
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Fabulous story
A lovely story from Diva friend Taj. I just had to share it.
My mom told me a story when I was little about how we all got the "dent" on our upper lips. She said that before we were born, we were one with all and knew everything there was to be known. As we were descending into our physical bodies to be birthed by our mothers, the angels accompanied us. Just before we were pulled from our mother's womb, they explained that we would need to forget what we knew to make our journey after this birth one of beautiful discovery with our fellow Earthly beings...then they laid a finger upon our lips and said, "Sshhh."
My mom told me a story when I was little about how we all got the "dent" on our upper lips. She said that before we were born, we were one with all and knew everything there was to be known. As we were descending into our physical bodies to be birthed by our mothers, the angels accompanied us. Just before we were pulled from our mother's womb, they explained that we would need to forget what we knew to make our journey after this birth one of beautiful discovery with our fellow Earthly beings...then they laid a finger upon our lips and said, "Sshhh."
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Just a thought
One of my favourite thoughts is from The Dance by Oriah Mountain Dreamer.
She writes: 'I want to know why I am so infrequently the person I really want to be. So I start writing, because writing is my way of searching, of opening to possible wisdom'.
The answer she gets from her spirit guides, after several months of writing, is this:
'Wrong question, Oriah. The question is not why are you so infrequently the people you really want to be. The question is why do you so infrequently want to be the people you really are.'
'Because you have no faith that who you are is enough.'
Let us all have faith that who we are is enough... because it really is! The sooner we accept that, the sooner it will be true.
She writes: 'I want to know why I am so infrequently the person I really want to be. So I start writing, because writing is my way of searching, of opening to possible wisdom'.
The answer she gets from her spirit guides, after several months of writing, is this:
'Wrong question, Oriah. The question is not why are you so infrequently the people you really want to be. The question is why do you so infrequently want to be the people you really are.'
'Because you have no faith that who you are is enough.'
Let us all have faith that who we are is enough... because it really is! The sooner we accept that, the sooner it will be true.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Beauty and the peace
A friend in Zimbabwe sent me this picture of Lake Kariba. Such beauty, such peace and such a contrast to the turmoil that country is suffering.
Return of the Monday Moment 2
I had intended to get more blogging done this week, but I have been chained to my computer writing a book on social networking. Another week of RSI, square eyes and a numb bum and it will all be over.
My theme for this week's Monday Moment is 'Open or Closed?'
I had applied for a job a while ago and the process seemed to be dragging out a bit, but I was still confident it was the right place for me... and so were all my friends. So it was a little bit of a surprise when I didn't get it.
There were a lot of reasons why the job would have been great and lots of reasons for wanting it. It had seemed such perfect synchronicity when I came across it. An old boss even thought I'd written the job spec myself, it was so 'me' (i.e. it fitted so well my background, my experience and my interest in travel). But it isn't to be 'me' now.
I'm not actually too disappointed by that because one of my strong beliefs is that if one door closes, it's because there is a better one opening. And that is quite an exciting thought. A new canvas to paint perhaps?
So my thought for you this week, Divas is this: if something isn't going quite how you want it, is it a door closing or actually a new door opening?
My theme for this week's Monday Moment is 'Open or Closed?'
I had applied for a job a while ago and the process seemed to be dragging out a bit, but I was still confident it was the right place for me... and so were all my friends. So it was a little bit of a surprise when I didn't get it.
There were a lot of reasons why the job would have been great and lots of reasons for wanting it. It had seemed such perfect synchronicity when I came across it. An old boss even thought I'd written the job spec myself, it was so 'me' (i.e. it fitted so well my background, my experience and my interest in travel). But it isn't to be 'me' now.
I'm not actually too disappointed by that because one of my strong beliefs is that if one door closes, it's because there is a better one opening. And that is quite an exciting thought. A new canvas to paint perhaps?
So my thought for you this week, Divas is this: if something isn't going quite how you want it, is it a door closing or actually a new door opening?
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Return of the Monday Moment
I've been thinking a lot about the Monday Moment recently and feeling the urge to bring it back, so I have. Monday Moments will appear here every Monday until I run out of steam or inspiration again.
If you aren't familiar with the Monday Moment, it's my little pearl of wisdom or inspiration to see you through the week. And it feels better to do it on the blog than by email because I can include photos and links more easily and they will automatically be archived so you can revisit them if you so wish. And you can add your own comments and thoughts which makes it much more of a group conversation than simply a speech by me. Much more fun!
So here is the first Return of the Monday Moment!
This picture was given to me by my best mate Claire. She (the picture, not Claire) sits on my mantelpiece and reminds me that I create who I am by what I imagine myself to be. (She even looks like me!) Right now I imagine myself to be a inspiring writer and a wild, creative woman.
The picture is by Zorana. We love her stuff!!! Her blog is here: http://zoranaland.blogspot.com/
So my thought for this last week of August for all you Divas out there is this:
What do you imagine yourself to be?
With love and twinkles as always! (It's good to be back)
If you aren't familiar with the Monday Moment, it's my little pearl of wisdom or inspiration to see you through the week. And it feels better to do it on the blog than by email because I can include photos and links more easily and they will automatically be archived so you can revisit them if you so wish. And you can add your own comments and thoughts which makes it much more of a group conversation than simply a speech by me. Much more fun!
So here is the first Return of the Monday Moment!
This picture was given to me by my best mate Claire. She (the picture, not Claire) sits on my mantelpiece and reminds me that I create who I am by what I imagine myself to be. (She even looks like me!) Right now I imagine myself to be a inspiring writer and a wild, creative woman.
The picture is by Zorana. We love her stuff!!! Her blog is here: http://zoranaland.blogspot.com/
So my thought for this last week of August for all you Divas out there is this:
What do you imagine yourself to be?
With love and twinkles as always! (It's good to be back)
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Shaken and stirred!
I wondered what was happening at 12.59 am. I was deeply asleep and then suddenly awake with the bed shaking. I was vaguely aware it might be an earth tremor, but in that sudden awakeness that is so surreal, it could have been anything. George barked and I lifted him into the bed - as much for my comfort as his safety. I lay staring at the ceiling afterwards making each muscle relax, I was wound up like a very taught spring.
I checked the news this morning; an earthquake with the epicentre just north east of Market Rasen. Not far away then. 5.2 on the Richter scale, a significant quake felt across the country. A feeling of relief, I wasn't going loopy, it wasn't some Harry Potter-esque dark force, and it wasn't just me that had been shaken and stirred. Pheww!
George and I caught up on sleep, bathed in the warm rays of the sun.
I checked the news this morning; an earthquake with the epicentre just north east of Market Rasen. Not far away then. 5.2 on the Richter scale, a significant quake felt across the country. A feeling of relief, I wasn't going loopy, it wasn't some Harry Potter-esque dark force, and it wasn't just me that had been shaken and stirred. Pheww!
George and I caught up on sleep, bathed in the warm rays of the sun.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Blogging and biscuits
I can't believe I haven't blogged since November. I guess life just took over and got in the way. I have been quite busy though launching a new website, www.tlbmedia.com, creating a workshop Everything you need to know about doing your own book publicity (see details on the new website), networking like crazy (mostly on Ecademy), gathering publicity clients and making biscuits.
I baked biscuits and cakes for all my friends at Christmas and remembered how much I love baking. When I can get the bloomin' digital camera to work I'll post some mouthwatering pics.
Henceforth I am now Baking Diva - move over Nigella Lawson!
I baked biscuits and cakes for all my friends at Christmas and remembered how much I love baking. When I can get the bloomin' digital camera to work I'll post some mouthwatering pics.
Henceforth I am now Baking Diva - move over Nigella Lawson!
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