Inspiration Sunday

This print is for sale at Fresh Market Words on Etsy

Whilst doing my usual round of blog reading, I came across these beautiful 5 words featured on the Zen Habits Blog.

Smile, Breathe and go Slowly  by Thich Nhat Hanh

Really is there much more to it than that??  Sometimes simplifying the process can give us much needed relief when the same lesson in life keeps recurring over and over and you can't work out why.  Or perhaps you kind of know why but making the change is harder than staying stuck in the safety of familiar.  Surrending it all to the universe and just saying you know what " I am so over this, you work it out, oh and thanks for listening!!"  To be honest I have been doing a lot of this lately and slowly but surely changes are happening.  Don't get me wrong you still need to show up in life, if you are given an opportunity then its' up to you to take it.  You can't just sit there.  The universe will conspire for you and with you but you have to do your part as well.  All I am saying is you may as well do it with a huge smile and lots of laughter,  plenty of deep belly breathing not shallow breathing and no more rushing and multitasking unless of course you get a buzz out of being dizzy and anxious.

I was also inspired today by this amazing post on Cheryl Richardson's Blog absolutely worth a read.  The title of this blog post is 5 Ways Your Creative Flow Can Kick Butt.  Don't we all need more creative ways to kick butt...... Points Number 2, 4, 5 really resonate with me in this post.

Finally another statement I heard the other day which I have heard a million times before by the wonderful Louise Hay.  Every thought you think and every word you speak is an affirmation.  Just for one day notice how negative your comments are, you will be surprised!!  Sometimes it is disguised as sarcasm, being judgemental, trying to be funny or just plain being rude, pessimistic and negative or fear based and put downs.  Watch and listen to how your self talk plays the saboteur and then in turns trys to sabotage everyone else around you with fear.  BE MINDFUL of how you speak and what you say it makes a big difference.  Also remember the thoughts that are behind those words in the first place.  Just to give you an example on Friday I was helping out with a round robin game with my kids school.  As I was scoring I often had kids sitting on the bench beside me commenting on the state of the game.  It never ceases to amaze me how kids pick up negativity at such a young age.  If the kids team sitting on the bench waiting to play were begining to lose then they would all be saying "Were gonna lose this oh we've lost etc etc." Of course it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.  So I would say to these kids "If you say you are going to lose you will lose.  You haven't lost yet so be positive and focus on playing the game, having fun and not on the outcome of winning or losing."  Now fast forward this to today as Adults.  How often do we do this claim defeat before its over with our words.

Try to reframe anything you say in a positive way.  Even if you are having a really ordinary day, take a deep breath, make peace with it, laugh at yourself or someone else and reframe it into a positive statement.   Always try to remember if someone says something to bring you down it is their issues that they are dealing with and not yours.  Don't let someone else's negative words spoil YOUR day!

Have a happy and slow Sunday.