Check In with Yourself and Focus on Your 'Right Life'

Most of us lead busy lives with many external distractions. People often say that they “don’t have time to think”.
But we’re actually thinking all the time. There’s a constant chatter going on in our heads.
The Buddhists call it ‘Monkey Mind’ – as we jump from thought to thought like monkeys swinging from tree to tree.
We have to learn to be aware of, and deliberately control our thoughts; choosing thoughts that empower and inspire us and contemplating only what we want to see in our lives.

“The most valuable skill that you could ever develop is the skill of directing your thoughts toward what you want—to be adept at quickly evaluating all situations and then quickly coming to the conclusion of what you most want—and then giving your undivided attention to that.” ~ Esther & Jerry Hicks

It’s essential to take some quiet time to check in with yourself every day.
"Hi Self, how are you feeling? What do you need? What do you want? What can I do for you?"
It’s important to listen to yourself  and to do what you need to do to take care of you.

Usually our minds start racing as soon as we wake up in the morning.
Before you get out of bed and start your day, take a minute to check in with yourself.
Think about what you're grateful for and what you’d like for the day ahead.

“If you will bring yourself to a more deliberate control of your own thought, you will bring yourself to a more deliberate control of your own life experience.”~ Esther & Jerry Hicks

Whenever you find yourself worrying and getting anxious or distressed, keep bringing your thoughts back to focus only on what you want.
If you’re saying “I don’t have time to think”, what you’re really saying is that you’re your own life is not important enough to think about.
What happens then, is that you’re constantly reacting to what is going on around you, instead of being in control and steering your life in the direction that you’d like it to go.

When you make it an habitual daily practice to focus your thoughts on the life that you want, that powerful intention will create your reality.

"Your mind will be like its habitual thoughts; for the soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts. Soak it then in such trains of thoughts as, for example: Where life is possible at all, a right life is possible." ~ Marcus Aurelius

Check in with your soul daily, focus your thoughts on your 'right life' and Get Your Glow On :)
With Love
,

GlowGiving: Riviersonderend Craft School

Debbie Randall has started a craft school for unemployed women in Riviersonderend, a small farming village in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Donations of scraps of material, fabric off-cuts and wool would be much appreciated.

Please contact Debbie:
mobile +27 72 6222 061
email: shout2d@telkomsa.net

Brilliant 'How To Play Tennis' Guide and Resources

Here's a brilliant guide from The Guardian on How to Play Tennis.
Fantastic advice from top players, videos, tips and interactive demos for Beginners through to Advanced players.

(Tip: scroll down the entire length of the page - there are loads of articles, interactive guides and videos.)

Serena's serving tips have helped me play a few aces :)

There's a great article on the psychology of winning on the Tennis court - which actually applies to all situations in life - self-belief is crucial :)

Before this year's Ladies Singles Final at Wimbledon, I heard both finalists being interviewed.

Interestingly, Vera Zvonereva, who went on to become the Runner-Up, said "I'll try to win".

Before winning her 4th Wimbledon Singles title, Serena Williams said, "I want to win. So I have to go out there and win".

Self-belief, perfecting your skills, stamina, persistence and  fun  - on the court, or off - it's the winning combination :)

pic courtesy of  www.guardian.co.uk

Don't be your 'own opposition' - Be your own Best Friend

Does the voice in your head encourage you or oppose you?

Often the things we say to ourselves – either in our head, or out loud :) - are so harsh that we’d find it unacceptable if anyone else spoke to us that way.

I used to catch myself often saying/shouting at myself, “Don’t be such a bloody idiot!”.
This would happen regularly on the tennis court when I’d fluff a shot.

Until I read somewhere that the worst thing you can do on the tennis court is to be ‘your own opposition’.

And that’s true whatever the situation.

If you find yourself saying things like “I’ll never get it right”, “I’m so useless”, “I can’t lose weight/get out of debt/start my own business”, then it’s time to start being your own Best Friend.

Your Best Friend would never tell you that you were too fat, too stupid or not good enough.
She’d encourage and support you to Get Your Glow On :)

“My relationship with myself is eternal, so I choose to be my own best friend. I choose to love and accept myself and talk to myself as I would to a beloved person in my life.” ~ Louise Hay

Be patient, kind and loving with yourself.

Acknowledge how much you’ve learnt, how far you’ve come and all the things you’ve done.

Celebrate every small achievement as a victory.

(I recently learnt to boil an egg at the age of 45 and was so excited about it, I put it up as my Facebook status! :) This might sound ridiculous, but it’s true!)

You’ll make more progress when you encourage yourself, than if you put yourself down.

Change your self-talk to empower and uplift you and Get Your Glow On :)

with love,