A Case for Everyday Gratitude!

Lest we forget!

That T-Word!

THAT T-WORD!

Aah that T-word! That one thing that occupies everyone’s mind. Everybody thinks about it atleast a hundred times a day.

Parents, Employees, Bosses, Politicians are especially good at it. Nobody is spared, not even if they are rich and famous celebrities, powerful leaders, and successful businessmen. It operates democratically, irrespective of sex, gender, race or culture.

Every person who has ever lived has thought about it. It is the single most driving fuel for our dreams while simultaneously it is also ironically the fodder for our greatest stressors.

Nobody has any control over it whatsoever! No matter how rich, powerful or ambitious you are as far as its concerned you are a nobody. Most industries depend upon it for its very survival and wars are waged for it. We make sacrifices for it and we secretly fantasize about it. Too often we do not leave the home without planning for it in its every detail.

And yet, it is the only thing we want to control and conquer. We want to know it. We cannot help but be swayed by its promises of a better life. It is what makes us or breaks us. It is what we dread the most or cant wait to happen. It is a grand summation of our hopes, goals and intentions.

And yet! Nobody has ever seen it. Nobody has or will know it. Nobody has ever experienced it.

You guessed it. It is TOMORROW!

“Tomorrow tomorrow I love you tomorrow…you are only a day away’ as Annie the orphan sang and melted our hearts in the musical film Annie. It perfectly sums up how we feel about this mysterious but charismatic entity. It is what we feel we can hang onto. ‘Just hold on because tomorrow is a new day’ we tell ourselves when we are discontent or dissatisfied.

Tomorrow; our collective obsession, nemesis and foe. Tomorrow; our common destiny and our the inspiration for our greatest endeavours.

Why are we so crazy about tomorrow? Given that it does nothing concrete for us nor guarantees us with any accountability.

Eckhart Tolle calls this obsession one of the few ‘habitual mind strategies for denying the present moment.’ He further adds that they are ‘easy to overlook because they are so much a part of normal living: the background static of perpetual discontentment’.

The truth is that we try to console or motivate ourselves when we are less than thrilled about our present circumstances in life by distracting ourselves about thoughts of the future; tomorrow.

 And yet, when we really look at our present moment, I mean really look at it squarely in the eye we have a different picture. We first realise that we are alive and breathing; a big plus if you want are a human. Then slowly that realisation opens us up to other wider truths. For example, if we are living in the developed world, have a roof above our heads and are not living hand to mouth and have access to electricity and clean water we are better off than more than 65% of the planet. Add to that if we are healthy and have someone we love or who loves us we just rose to the top notch of a very privileged and blessed life in a second.

What would your life look if you really looked at it the way it was and not the way you want it to be? If you could spend more time focussing on all that you already have instead all that you don’t. What would be the greatest challenge? Note that down, as that is also your biggest limiting belief. It is the same belief, which keeps you from being free, from being grateful and from being yourself.

Lets not forget that today is and was our past’s tomorrow and if we are still not over the moon having transformed into the world’s most perfect being chances are we are still falling for an old trick of our mind. That tricks us into putting our faith into tomorrow more than today!

3 THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY

1. Ask yourselves 5 times a day if you are focussed on something for the future. If yes, is it important and can it be scheduled for a set time?

2. Then, become aware of your toes and feet touching the floor and take two deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.

3. Plan a ‘Future-focussed’ time slot every day. A time when you can think and do stuff around the future. The rest of the day, commit to being there fully and alert.

Already know this stuff but cannot apply this to your life? For clarity, confidence and practical tips please check out www.blissfulmantra.com.au where you can also subscribe to my channel and receive a weekly short training video absolutely free!

Till kids do us apart

  

My recently published article for busy mums..

read it below or go here     

    It is a truth universally acknowledged that a couple who are now proud parents of beautiful babies might not be indulging in carnal pleasures as often as they would like!

    

    There are various reasons commonly cited for this state of affairs; pun not intended. It could be the energy-sapping and highly physical activity of looking after young kids whose lives are totally dependent upon you. Or it could well be that you are hurtling from pillar to post trying to outsmart the 24 hour clock. Or it could be that you and your partner have known each other for a while now and so there is that common conclusion that the ‘discovering each other’ stage has formally been laid…to rest.

    

    While these are perfectly understandable excuses (yes they are excuses and wait till you finish this article before you throw that diaper on my head)…the fact is that we are unaware of a whole heap of presumptions that are operating here below the surface in our heads. Presumptions that come in the way of pleasure and intimacy. Presumptions, due to their very nature, that remain, unchallenged and accepted as the truth.

    What are these presumptions you ask? Well here are a few to rattle you, lets see how many ticks you get in the list below- (Feel free to say it out loud and actually hear yourself say it. It might feel strange but you are reading this hiding in a cupboard anyway so there is nothing to lose!)

1.   ‘There is nothing new or exciting about him/her to discover!’

2.    ‘I know him/her only too well!’

3.    ‘It is a part of being a parent.’

4.    ‘I can’t be bothered.’

5.    ‘Sexual attraction does not last, eventually it always fades’.

6.   ‘ It is important that the children’s needs are met first’.

7.   ‘I am too tired!’

8.   ‘ Honestly, I rather eat a chocolate muffin’ or ‘cake’.

9.   ‘ Maybe when the children are older’.

So this list is not by any means exhaustive (although it is absolutely exhausting reading it). Add your unique twist to this list by all means. This list can be as long as the number of parents who need to rekindle the old flames again.

Why are they presumptions you are debating with a slightly threatening tone. Well because…

1. You actually do not know your partner as well as you think you do. Just take this for a fact and work from this point. For example, play a 20 questions game. Ask him to have you guess 20 things about him that you do not know. Surprise yourself! Take this game to bed. Whatever brought you and your partner together still remains within you. Maybe a little dormant of late, but it can and will be awakened as soon you are ready for it!

2. Acknowledge all the little pleasures of your day and actively note it. Maybe you can keep a Pleasure journal where all your daily pleasurable moments are recorded. It can be really simple things. Like the sun on your face, the scent of your partner’s favourite after-shave/perfume, your cat kneading on your tummy, swaying to soft music while cooking, lighting a fragrant candle and sinking into a bath, eating your favourite meal slowly, getting crafty and creating something…go on create your list!

3. Why the Pleasure Journal? Well the more pleasure you feel in your day, the more aroused your senses are and the more ‘in the mood’ you will be with your partner. Stress, Blame and Anger are your number one mood killers. More than your packed day, it is your emotional reaction to it that is taking out the pleasure from your day.

4. Begin and end your day with Gratitude. When you can truly appreciate your life and everything about it: the past, the present and your imminent future you appear more attractive to your partner, you are vibrating at the frequency of joy and love which in turn attracts more joy and love to you.

5. Get physical. That means go for a walk or a short run. Treat your body like it is your most valuable asset (which it is except we just don’t act like it). When your body is buzzing and feeling good, your sex drive is not too far away.

6.  Lastly, mix it up. Taking time out for pleasure can be varied each time. A quick unexpected one or a planned one. Mix and match. Keep it free from routine.

    Imagine what this would mean for your kids?? 

    

    I mean, 'Have you ever felt depressed or scared seeing your parents happy and buzzing??' I am going to assume the negative. And so commit to this for the sake of your children.

You will be exemplifying what it really means to have your family so that when they grow up they can confidently declare:

“My parents knew how to have fun, lust after each other and love us to bits”. Sigh!

Already know this stuff but cannot apply this to your life? For clarity, confidence and practical tips please check out www.blissfulmantra.com.au where you can also subscribe to my channel and receive a weekly short training video absolutely free!

But..

What if you deserved forgiveness for what you believe is unforgivable?
What if it was Ok for you to release the pain & let it go?
What if happiness was actually a choice you were actively resisting?
What if you knew without a doubt that life was going exactly as it was meant to?
What if you never challenged the fact that you were unconditionally loved?
What if your repetitive thoughts of self doubt were common but totally untrue?
What if you counted your blessings?
What if you did not have to change a single thing about yourself to be worthy of love, success, health or money?
What if you already were everything you wanted to be?
What if guilt, shame and despair was permanently abolished in the world?

Know all this but cannot actually apply it in your daily life? Go to www.blissfulmantra.com.au and subscribe to my channel to receive weekly videos which make your wellbeing goals a reality!

4 Words that Change your Life instantly!

I want to share something very special today!

Its called “Hoʻoponopono” which means “mental cleansing: family conferences in which relationships were set right through prayer, discussion, confession, repentance, and mutual restitution and forgiveness" in the Hawaiian tradition.

This is so simple and yet so instantaneously miraculous in shifting your emotional state. 

It consists of 4 short lines:

I'm Sorry
Please Forgive Me
Thank You
I Love You

I will be combining Tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Ho'oponopono in this video. Just do and say as me and enjoy the peace and release that follows.

Please Note: If you feel a wave of emotions wash over you, keep doing it until you feel calmer and lighter.

Stay Blissful!

Nurturing our Natures

Everything that we do, from the moment we wake up right up until we fall asleep, every retail purchase we make, every decision we grapple with, every event/activity that gets entered into our diaries is in the anticipation, expectation & promise of one thing, and one thing only: of how it will ultimately make us feel.

And yet, we rarely have any time, energy or resources to address that all important question; probably the only real question we need to address everyday; how am I feeling?

Every day we are robbed of an important gift which helps us to feel great no matter what- the gift of being able to choose how we would like to feel at any given moment in time.

Who robs us?

They can be seen as the 3 sidekicks of the internal resistance mafia:

1. Sidekick no. 1
Stress

2. Sidekick No. 2
Frustration

3. Sidekick No. 3
Despair

But these 3 sidekicks are just following the boss's orders.

Fear.

And what is Fear really?

Isn't it just an absence of connection with the truth.

A belief that we are not going to be safe.

And what is the truth?

The quickest way to know this & experience it first hand is to get in touch with our feelings, even negative emotions. Embodying them instead of running away from them allows us to become aware of one central irrefutable fact: We are a lot more than just our passing thoughts.

But it is not easy to do this in our moments of panic. Because there is a survival instinct that all fear triggers within our body.

There is a fight or flight response activated and expecting to choose meditation in those moments is like being chased by a lion and then someone running alongside with you asking you to sit down in a lotus position and stay calm!!!

What does make it easy is a clearing this fight or flight trigger while we are in it.

Attached is a quick video on a negative emotion clearing technique called Tapping.

Tap on the points in the diagram below & follow along.

What are you waiting for?

Ever been at a waiting lounge? Have you looked at the people who are waiting? How do they appear?


Unless they are children, not overtly happy or content I am guessing.


So what is it about waiting that strips us of all our joy and enthusiasm? Why is not even remotely fun to wait? 


I wrote this while waiting for my passport pages got updated.


Waiting.


What a terrible word. It seems to hang heavily in the air. Limbo-land. 


Are you playing the waiting game? And if it is not fun why are you playing it?


Instead why not play the game like you really want? To win.


If you are waiting for love, find something that makes you feel more loving. If you are waiting to be successful, celebrate your little wins. If you are waiting to be healthy, give yourself a break.


Everything you wait for is already within you, just waiting for you to connect to it. 


When you connect to what you love to feel, you feel like sharing it with the world and the world is just a little better because of it. 


And the game of waiting transforms into an opportunity to arrive.