Category Archives: Joy

Live Your Life Boldly! Spring Into Action.

British adventurist Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been called the world’s greatest living explorer. He’s navigated some of the world’s most challenging and inhospitable places on earth including trekking the Antarctic and both North and South Poles, unsupported and on foot.

When he was in his 60’s, Fiennes decided to overcome a severe fear of heights by climbing Mt. Everest. On his second attempt, hundreds of feet short of the summit, he suffered severe chest pains. It was night time, and he was dangling from a rope on a near vertical ice wall at 29,000 feet above the ground. Frozen and in pain, he turned around and somehow managed to descend. He lived to tell the tale, running a marathon a mere 16 weeks after his near fatal heart attack.

When it comes to facing your fears, how daring are you? Do you turn tail and head in the opposite direction? Do you waver and hope the feeling passes? Or, do you, like Fiennes, stand firm and always face your fears head on?

Picture what your life would look like if you consistently faced off against your fears, both big and small, with the fearlessness of someone like Sir Ranulph Fiennes. What would it feel like to boldly stare down and confront your fears,,never letting them interfere with what you want to accomplish? Imagine what you could achieve if you never again let fear get in your way.

“Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it.” C. Joy Bell C.

For example, fear can make us hesitate, procrastinate, experience creative blocks, and be averse to risk. All of this can lead to low accomplishment, which can cause stress. That stress can lead to cognitive impairment, an increased risk of heart disease, premature aging, relationship conflicts, depression, and more – and a cycle of fear is born. That cycle can leave us feeling like we’re just going through the motions of life without really living.

“My life has been filled with terrible misfortune most of which never happened.”
Michel de Montaigne

The remedy for our childhood fear of monsters lurking under the bed was to shine a light into the darkness. Once we did, it revealed the truth – there were no monsters. Once we shine the light of truth at what scares us, we often discover our fears to be unfounded.

Remember there is nothing to fear but fear itself and, if you’ve been living in fear, it’s time to spring into action in your life!

If you would like more specifics on how to overcome your fears, read my tips about that in my article below “How to Overcome Your Fears”.

My Gift to You During Love Month

CLICK HERE OR ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO DOWNLOAD YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY COLORING BOOK PACK

Make Your Inner Child Your Valentine

What I feel in my body does not match how I feel in my mind. It comes as a shock to let the number of my age surface to consciousness. How can this be? I still feel like I’m 18 years old some days.

Sure, I know I’ve transitioned though many developmental stages and my body has changed, but it seems my spirit is still young-at-heart.

Wayne Dyer used to say he would never let an old person into his body. What he meant was determining not to “think old.”

We all want to stay young and vibrant, so make your inner child your valentine this year and it could change how you feel about everything in your life.

Here are a few tips to keep a young-at-heart attitude despite the number of candles on your cake this year!

1. Have a happy childhood (even if you didn’t). Watch children playing and notice how totally involved they are in what they are doing; running everywhere they go. They have no idea of what they will face in their future lives. You were once like that too. Now, recapture the feelings of wide-eyed excitement, experience fully spontaneous awe of everything alive. Cut loose.
I recently was called to evaluate a 96-year-old woman who said she was depressed and thinking about death. Not to be unfeeling, but I told her to give herself permission to cut loose, live it up and have fun.

2 Laugh every day, particularly when someone asks the impossible from you. For example, your boss wants over the moon from you. Slap your knee and laugh while saying, “He wants me to do 10 hours work on my lunch hour!” Of course, you won’t do 10 hours work on your lunch hour, but you will do what you can with a better attitude.

Sometimes, I feel like giving this advice to couples (but I don’t). Slap your knee and laugh while saying “I’ve gone and married someone the exact opposite of me! (again) I’m spending all this time trying to make him/her into a clone of myself as though he’s made of play dough. Give it up, girl.”

3. Say yes! If you ask a young child if they can do something like drive or cook an egg, they will say they can and believe it. Somewhere in our growing up people tell us we can’t do things. Then, we believe them and carry on the conversation in our heads. This is frequently called “the critic”, especially if you are a writer.

So, catch yourself before you say “no” to your dreams. Try, “Probably”. Or “Sure!”

Feeling young-at heart yet?

No, you still can’t jump on the bed. Well, maybe just this once.

DON’T Set Goals in 2019. Do this instead.

Here we are again. It is a new year with a wide horizon of dreams for you to choose from. What are your dreams for this year? Notice, I did not ask you what goals you set. I don’t have anything against goals but I think the dream comes first. Within the dream the pathways appear to reach your dream.

For the first time in a loooong time, I have purposely not set the same tired goals: lose weight, earn more money, clean my house, etc. Why?

I’d love to have them but I heard another therapist say that we (therapists) should not accept our client’s setting a goal to lose weight because we know from all the research, people suffer, fail, and end up feeling worse.

However, when it is stated as something to gain, like: “Become healthier, fit and strong.” Or “I’m in control of my choices.”, we are more successful in achieving it. Instead of a goal, let’s examine our true motivation.

Then, we’re not tied to an outcome around money and pounds. If happiness is measured by how much, we never have enough. Who want’s that?
So, I’m dropping the goal of losing weight and adding more of other things like acceptance of who I am and gratefulness.

I might decide, instead, that I want to avoid emotional eating this year and accept my weight for what it is right now knowing I want to make some healthy choices and see where it takes me.

It’s freeing. =)

Happy New Year and Last Chance to Receive a Seed in the Mail

Happy Holidays!

I’ve really enjoyed mailing seeds to those of you who are reaching out to me. What seeds are you planting in your life and work in 2019?

This is the last chance to let me know if you’d like me to mail you a seed. No strings attached. See the info below if you you’d like one. =)

You can use your seed as a symbol of positive things you’ll plant for yourself in 2019 or simply grow something that creates joy for you in your home or place of business.

Happy New Year to you! I wish you a wonderful, abundant 2019!! “See” you on the other side!

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We are caught in a flurry of activity around the holidays, and it can sometimes feel overwhelming.

On top of that, it’s cold outside and life is dying around many of us in the country during this time of year. Plants and animals go dormant, and that can make us feel less than lively ourselves.

What better to combat the “busy” with a bit of mindfulness and experiencing the wonder of watching something come to life! Allow yourself the opportunity to wonder.

Rumi, the famous Persian poet said, “Sell your cleverness and purchase bewilderment.”

Plant and observe a seed. Watch the emerging little sprout demonstrate the wonder of the beginning of life.No one knows how all this works. It’s a creative spark of life in the universe.

If you’d like a seed, here’s what to do:

1.) Send me an email at patriciabrawley@earthlink.net with your name and address.
2.) Write ” Seed” in the topic line. It’ s as easy as that.

I’ll send you one (not going to tell you what kind of seed it is!). It”ll be surprise. You’ll find out when it starts to come to life.

This offer is available from now until December 31, 2018.

Experience the Magic of a Seed – A Free Gift to You

We are caught in a flurry of activity around the holidays, and it can sometimes feel overwhelming.

On top of that, it’s cold outside and life is dying around many of us in the country during this time of year. Plants and animals go dormant, and that can make us feel less than lively ourselves.

What better to combat the “busy” with a bit of mindfulness and experiencing the wonder of watching something come to life! Allow yourself the opportunity to wonder.

Rumi, the famous Persian poet said, “Sell your cleverness and purchase bewilderment.”

Plant and observe a seed. Watch the emerging little sprout demonstrate the wonder of the beginning of life.No one knows how all this works. It’s a creative spark of life in the universe.

If you’d like a seed, here’s what to do:

1.) Send me an email at patriciabrawley@earthlink.net with your name and address.
2.) Write ” Seed” in the topic line. It’ s as easy as that.

I’ll send you one (not going to tell you what kind of seed it is!). It”ll be surprise. You’ll find out when it starts to come to life.

This offer is available from now until December 31, 2018.

Protect Your Energy with Boundaries Planner – Free Download

Now is the season we start to plan more. There is Thanksgiving and Halloween, Christmas and a New Year to plan for. And then, there is your life stretched thin doing all that planning.

I am giving, yes giving, away a Planner that will help you put things in order. It’s actually called How to Protect Your Energy with Boundaries, so it is good for your overall health.

It’s actually called How to Protect Your Energy with Boundaries so it is good for your overall health.

In it are ways to create your Vision Board, brainstorm your life goals and put them into your life.

The planner uses the word “business” which helps you see your business goals. Feel free to substitute the words “my life” or your own word. It really is applicable to you no matter your definition.

Ironically, as I was writing to you about planning, a hurricane was brewing in the Gulf of Mexico. My night classes were cancelled and we made a grocery store run to plan for the unexpected. I thought, “How interesting! Life can feel like a hurricane, but if we plan our life, that can help us stay focused and out of the crazy of the storm.”

I should write “plan for hurricains” into my planner! Thankfully, we are safe and all is well now. Back to the plan.

Please download your free planner here. If you like it, pass it on to your friends and loved ones.

Eliminating Morning Stress

Everyone experiences a stressful morning occasionally. It might be that your alarm clock didn’t ring or your car wouldn’t start. Maybe you forgot the report you needed at the house or you left your grocery list on the kitchen counter.

If your mornings always feel stressful, then it’s a sign something needs to change. The good news is most morning stress can be eliminated by creating new habits. It can take a while for a habit to become routine but once it does, your morning will be so much smoother. Here’s how you can reclaim your mornings:

Prepare the night before.
A lot of morning stress can be eliminated by preparing for the morning in advance. Choose your clothes the night before so you already know what you’re going to wear. Pack your lunch and leave it in the fridge so you only have to grab it as you head out.

Skip the news.
Thanks to smartphones and tablets, you can now check the news without ever having to leave the comfort of your bed. But reading or viewing the latest new stories can cause you to experience anxiety and discouragement. Instead of looking forward to a new day, you feel overwhelmed and fearful.

This doesn’t mean you have to avoid the news all day. Staying connected to what’s happening around you is important. But pick and choose what types of news you really need to hear first thing in the morning. For example, you could look over the entertainment news or sport scores but choose to skip the main headlines until later.

Play positive tunes.
Create a morning playlist of music that makes you feel encouraged and play it as you’re starting your day. This will help you wake up and make it easier for you to focus on the positive. Music can also boost your productivity and creativity.

Don’t check your email or social media.
Most people experience their highest energy levels after waking up. Yet the first thing you may be tempted to do is check your email and social media networks. The problem with this is your inbox and networks are often filled with “urgent” messages. These urgent messages quickly crowd out the important tasks you need to get done today. The next thing you know it’s noon and all you’ve accomplished is answering your email and checking social media.

To prevent this, don’t check your email or social networks until later. After an hour or two of working, take a break to check your messages. Since you’ve already tackled the important tasks today, you can devote as much energy as needed to the urgent tasks you ignored earlier.

Morning stress can be a sign that it’s time to step back and evaluate your routines. Look at what’s causing you the most stress and seek simple solutions to fix them. By doing this, you can change your mornings from stressful to delightful!

I used to but…

I used to but…

I hear that a lot. People tell me they used to exercise, write, enjoy life, have a healthy weight, etc. Not only did they “used to” do those things, they loved them. Why did they quit?

The answer could number in the hundreds. Everyone has particular needs that change. What was important when you were twenty is often not the thing that motivates you to action when you are fifty.

Think about your list of “used to’s” and decide which ones you would like to continue or resume. You may need to get in practice again, sharpen your skills through study or actions. You’re smart. You know, when you plant a garden, you do not abandon it the day after you plant the seeds. Stay with it. Continue to practice even when – especially when—you don’t feel like it.

You may recall other times when you took time off or decided that you would do it tomorrow. It was harder to get back on track when you put it off. You get rusty very quick. And once you make excuses, it’s easier to make them the next time.

I recall learning from my meditation teacher, Jon Kabat-Zinn: “You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it.”

Here’s what I’m going to do.

1. I will write three times a week. My goal is to create e-courses on a regular basis. Once I do that, I will decide if I want to write an e-book. I have short stories I want to finish and, of course, poems will write themselves if I pay attention.

2. I will say no more often. Not to do more but to be more. Just be.
Now, your turn.

In the book, The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, he talks about showing up to do the work. He reminds us that it’s not always a pretty journey but when you simply show up consistently, you will reach your goal.

Agree?

What will you reclaim or create in your life? Feel free to email me your thoughts or just say hello at rB@earthlink.net.

Tap into Your Superpower and Shine Your Own Light (Inspired by Bruce Lee)

At some time or another, we have all admired or looked up to someone. We may have thought, “Wow, what they are doing is great. I want to do or be that.” It’s good to have role models and mentors. And sometimes we like what someone else is doing so much, we do everything to support their goals and life’s work.

BUT are you paying enough attention to your heart’s desire? We often neglect or avoid looking inside ourselves to see what we really want because it’s easy to help someone else who already has it figured out.

The danger in doing this is that you miss the boat in achieving your true happiness, which is focusing on achieving the thing that lights you up inside. And, by doing that, you ultimately become your best self and offer the most help to the world.

I recently watched an excellent TEDx video on just this very thing, which highlights Bruce Lee’s message for us outlined by his daughter. You can watch the video HERE.

Here are the 3 principles his daughter shares based on the thoughts he left with the world.

Don’t think. Feel! – Get in touch with your heart. Meditate for a bit on what lights you up inside. Think about what got you excited as a child. What makes you happy? What do you love? What games did you play?

Align your actions with your thoughts and your heart (desires). Make a list of what you want to have achieved at the end of your life. Have goals but not just goals, dreams. Investigate this first. This is not always easy. There’s no one to say whether you are right or wrong. But where you put your personal effort aligned with your heart that the next step is.

Achieve harmony in the form of peace of mind. The goal of doing this is to reach peace of mind. There is no peace of mind if you are in judgment of others. Don’t worry about competition or adversity. Don’t duplicate anyone else. As the saying goes you need to be yourself because everyone else is taken. To operate and make a positive impact, focus on the greater good and how you can contribute to that in your own unique way. Decide what you want to offer to the world and act from the root of your being.

The Muses Kiss

Therapeutic Writing to Peacefully Navigate Life's Changes