I am going to start with an apology. I started and finished writing this blog about 2-3 weeks ago and because all the settings had been changed on the blog section of my web site I was unable to publish it for you. Only now, because I have a wonderful lady who looks after my website and sorted everything out, am I able to get it out to you. We are now only a few days away from Chinese New Year, so I am going to send you good wishes for both of these great events and I do hope you will accept them with good heart and forgive me. As always, if any of you would like a Nine Star Reading for the coming Chinese New Year, please let me know
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas celebration and that you enjoyed New Year. I feel very blessed as we had a wonderful time, sharing our Christmas celebration with onedaughter and her family and New Year with the other daughter and family, totally spoilt.
Another apology – the last time I wrote a blog was in May and all the mess with the GDPR and Mailchimp thoroughly put me off writing a blog. Many of you felt thwarted by filling in forms stating that you wished to receive my blogs and then immediately received another form. This was not my fault I can assure you and sadly all it did was stop my creative juices flowing (not quite sure that is the right phrase or reason but I will stick to it!)
So 2019, what are your plans? I do believe the early nights and cold, miserable weather encourages us to plan ahead. I have taken great pleasure in 
starting to clear some clutter, starting with my laptop. I had a frightening ‘crash’ in the middle of December – luckily our wonderful Mr PC specialist was able to sort it out (only a 50% chance of success he told me on the phone) but I understand that the thousands of email messages clogging the system were not helping the situation. I have therefore been having a very satisfying time deleting many of them, as well as reminding myself of some great people and times over the last few years. Anyone out there doing any clutter clearing –do let me know
One of my Christmas gifts was ‘100 Mindfulness Meditations’ by Neil Seligman – don’t be put off by the title – I would like to share one or two of them with you, especially at this time of year.
Mindfulness, by the way, is simply giving yourself a small amount of time to restore your energy, ease your anxiety, boost your mood and far more ….. essential for all of us. Many of us carry out these suggestions already –
Feeling Stressed– if you get to the ‘heart racing’ stage, acupressure may give relief. Find your ‘Inner Gate’ (it is said to lead to the heart), which is located three-fingers’ width below your left wrist on our inner arm. Press down for five seconds, release and repeat a few times. The Result? It is strangely comforting. If it feels a little sore, don’t stop- it means you have located the trouble spot perfectly.
- Aromatherapy candles can help perk us up or wind us down
Clary sage and rosemary to improve mental clarity - Orange and grapefruit to improve positivity
- Lavender, ylang ylang and palmarosa to help you to relax
- Cedarwood and sandalwood to help you feel grounded and confident.
Once the candle has been burning for 15 mins, stop everything and sit quietly. Repeat a positive mantra to stop mental chatter such as, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again. Concentrate on breathing. Take a short inhale, hold for twice as long and release with a slow exhale. Repeat 10 times.
Endless to-do lists are making you feel stressed, take yourself outside for a mindfulstroll. Concentrating on your breathing as you walk prevents you from rerunning the same problems in your head.
- Start by inhaling for four steps, then exhaling for four steps. Repeat this for a couple of minutes.
- Now work up, inhaling for five steps and exhaling to a soothing six to eight.
Your to-do list should not intrude as you count steps –the brain is not good at doing two things at once. If stressful thoughts pop up and you miscount, start again. Carry on for 10 mins. The Result – a clear head, a break from stress and a new mood. How easy was that?
FENG SHUI TIPS FOR THE CHINESE NEW YEAR – whether you work from home or in an office
• place your desk in a position so that you have a direct view of the entrance. However, avoid placing yourself in direct line with the door i.e. slightly on a diagonal
• Sit with solid wall behind you or if you do have a window behind you, reinforce your back by placing a bookcase or plant there.
• Avoid hanging pictures on the wall behind your head as this distracts visitors/clients who are sitting opposite you
I would like to finish with one of the most inspiring pieces of writing I have ever read. I’ve used this in a previous blog before but having just re-read it, I knew it was worth repeating again for you all – the most wonderful message ever!‘
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson Is that not inspirational?
May I end the first blog of the year by sending you the same wish as a lovely client/friend sent to me ‘I wish you time for growth and change’ – may that be true for all of us