Positive Living Handbook

POSITIVE LIVING HANDBOOK
50 Soulful ways to Be Positive Today&Everyday
Presented by positiveprovocations.com
Author: Zeenat Merchant Syal
Table Of Contents
a. b. c. d. e. f.
A Love Offering About the Author How to use this Positive Living Handbook? 50 Soulful Ways to be Positive Today&Everyday. Special People with Positive Experiences Thank YOU!
page no. 3 4 5 6 24 41
A Love Offering
As I sit here to write and create this Positive living Handbook for you, I cant help but wonder who will be reading this. In all my wondering, there is one thing I am certain of, and that is that whoever reads this handbook will be on the road to living a happily positive life. Dont we all want that? My intention for creating this handbook is simple: To help YOU positively heal. For in healing everyday lies true happiness and contentment. What a wonderful world it would be, if we could feel this fulfillment everyday..... Ah the bliss! This ebook is YOURS completely and totally. Its a Love Offering, a gift for YOU to read, to learn from, to implement, to share with loved ones and most importantly its a gift that will help you become a more positive person TODAY and Everyday.
As I go on writing this book, I will keep hushing the overflowing love I feel for each soul that roams the earth....cause believe me if I dont, it will over power my writing here only to fill the whole handbook with with big pictures of hearts and ofcourse tears of joy. Before you begin reading this handbook, remember I want nothing but the Best for you and YOU want The Best for you too! You are Beautiful and amazingly Powerful. Go on conquer your fears and shine. I thank you for your love and support on my Blog/website Positive Provocations. With Immense Love and Gratitude, Zeenat Merchant Syal
Counseling Psychologist/Spiritual Counselor Motivational Speaker/Naturopath Holistic healer/Writer
About the Author

Profession&Passion:
I am the founder and writer of the blog~Positive Provocations~Healing you completely with Positivity, Love & Happiness! A Practicing Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor/Motivational Speaker/Naturopath/Holistic Healer/Writer by profession (since the past 10 years) and Spiritual Traveler/Empath/Butterfly Lover/Chocolate Freak/Eternal Optimist/Happiness Agent/Nomadic Traveler by passion. I hold degrees in Counseling and Motivational Psychology, Holistic and Naturopathic medicine, including a Doctorate in Spiritual Counseling. Am also an eternal student and researcher of the school of life and all its realities. A constant learner in the fields of Metaphysics and New age Thinking. My learning never stops. Each moment is a new revelation, a new experience, a new reality which brings me closer to my true and most conscious self.
My aim in life is To ease human suffering through Love, Positivity & Happiness. I want
to be remembered as a person who shed light & made a positive impact on the lives of others.
In my experience, I have conducted many motivational seminars for organized

groups and multinational companies. Have treated many physical and mental diseases successfully without the use of any allopathic medication. Some of the modes of treatment that I use are: Psychotherapy, Positive Thinking, Stress Management, Marriage/Couples Counselling, One on One Counselling, Life Coaching, Spiritual Counseling, Spiritual/Soul Cleansing and healing, Sujok, Acupressure, Pranic Healing, Juice and Food Therapy, Herbal Cure, Prayer Healing, Distance Healing etc..
How to Use this Positive

Living Handbook?
The implementation and use of this Handbook is simple. All you have to do to remain positive and happy today and everyday is open and read any ONE soulful way. Just one. Read it, feel it, understand it and implement it in your life. One positive dose daily is all you need to keep that positive spirit UP! There is no magic pill here. No frills. Just pure positivity that will nourish your being completely: mind, heart and soul, and nudge you in the positive direction every time you read one of these ways. Especially on days you feel particularly down,I want these 50 ways to be your go to feel good space. As a special offering to you, I have requested some of the most beautiful souls and writers to share their positive experiences with you right here in this Positive Living Handbook! You can read their experiences after the 50 soulful ways to be positive today and everyday concludes. So now, without much further ado.....Lets begin our Positive living NOW....Yippeee..... :)
50 Soulful ways
to Be Positive Today & Everyday ~
"A strong positive attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug."
~Patricia Neal
ith each passing day we think we are mastering life. But really, are we? In the pure
mundane tasks of daily living havent we forgotten all about our heart and soul?
We Have!
We have forgotten to pay attention to the needs of our soul. Everyday we spend hours on the upkeep and sustenance of this physical body, about which we so surely know is not going to last forever. After this body has lived its course, what remains? All the money, bank balances and treasures of this world cant bring you the joy of living. But what can, is your deeds. Deeds and acts of love, positivity and kindness remain forever. Even after your physical body has passed, that act will have passed generations. Let me give you an example. Mother Teresa. We all know about her. Her work, her deeds, her positive and loving acts of kindness....they still remain alive in the many who want to follow in her footsteps. They still remain alive in the millions she helped, who must still be praying for her and telling their grandchildren about a great Woman who once saved them with her love and kindness. Now many may say, but she was Mother Teresa. She was great etc etc etc.... What made her great? What makes her part of the first example I choose to add in this book- it remains now and forever her positive deeds and positively exuberant spirit. She was a mortal. Just like you and me. A simple woman, with a big heart and immense power to do Good. If she can excel and succeed in what she wanted to do, Why cant we?
Presented by positiveprovocations.com 8 Author: Zeenat Merchant Syal
Remember this, she lived with heart and soul. Whether you are after money and riches or peace and spiritual growth, living positively with heart and soul will not let you compromise on your beliefs and wont leave you with a soar taste as negative deeds do. In this dog eat dog world, where everyone wants to get ahead of each other while stepping on each other....the more positive people there are the better our world has a chance of Becoming completely healed. There will be less heartache, less pain, less stress and in totality we will be creating a more loving world. And all this hand in hand you and I! The 50 soulful ways are simple yet effective ways to nudge your soul in the positive direction. These 50 ways are here to remind you, that you too can create your very own miracles. You just need to keep that attitude of yours in check and the rest will take care of itself.
50 Soulful ways to be Positive today&everyday:

1. Realize its possible, instead of telling yourself why you cant. Whenever we start something new, we often start by NOT believing in ourself. We start by thinking, "oh I really cant do that. Its too difficult. Its not my thing......" This kind of negative thinking is not only damaging to the project at hand, but also to your soul. Constantly rejecting and belittling yourself, even in your own mind is not a positive way to live. To live positively, you need to realize that "anything is possible" and that you CAN DO ANYTHING! Tell yourself this before you start your day, everyday or before you start a new project "I CAN DO ANYTHING!" 2. Become aware of your self-talk. Self talk is simply what you say to yourself, in your heart, in your mind basically when noone else is listening. How DO you talk to yourself? If its positively by appreciating your good qualities and not freaking out on your not so good qualities, then your self talk is positive and will keep you positive. If Not, then start paying attention to how and what you talk to yourself. In one single day you have umpteen conversations with yourself. Make these conversations your motivators. For as you know, it all starts with talk...be it with yourself or with another soul.
3. Squash negative thoughts like a bug. Negative thoughts have a way of taking a life of their own in your mind. The more energy we spend on them, the stronger they become. But if you think of these negative thoughts as little tiny bugs eating at your heart and soul, then you can choose to squash them at source. Only positive happy thoughts get privilege in that beautiful being of yours. 4. Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Ok, lets face it, we all have negative thoughts. Thats ok. Like I mentioned in the squash negative thoughts like a bug they need to be eradicated at source. But even if you do that, life and situations have a way of letting them resurface. What then? Replacement. Its a simple conscious choice of replacing every negative thought that come to your mind with a positive one. Like when something is not working out, dont tell yourself 'I cant do it. I will never be able to accomplish this'...Instead replace that negative thought with I can do it. I will always be able to accomplish anything I want. Nothing can stop me. 5. Be conscious of your thoughts-keep them positive! Having negative thoughts isnt as bad, as dwelling in them. Letting these thoughts take over your life, is the biggest mistake we make. Be constantly aware of the way you think and what you think. Dont think and live on autopilot. Be aware of everything you say and feel. Its one of the most potent ways of living a positive life. In time this will become a habit.
6. Love what you have already. In most of my sessions and meetings with people, there is one thing very common- Unhappiness because of something they 'dont' have. We often think if we have so much money, if we had a big house, if we had just one child, if he/she was still with me, if if if if.....so many ifs....and what do we say after that...If we had ....we would be happy. Really! Our happiness is not to be depended on by external forces. We are positive healed people and hence we are happy at our core always. No amount of 'things' or 'people' can bring you that core happiness. Only your own positive loving thoughts towards yourself can get you to that happy place. In short, please love what you already have instead of dwelling in the 'ifs'. Makes for positive happy living.
7. Be grateful for your life, your gifts, and other people. How many times a day do you actually thank Your Maker? Being engrossed in life, we tend to forget to give thanks. If we dont love what we already have, how will we be grateful for it all? Count your blessings each day. You'll be surprised as to how much you already have. That blessed feeling is positive and happy. 8. Checking the 'know it all' Every day. Once we have reached a certain stage in our lives, we become complacent. Being content is different from being complacent. When we become complacent we feel like we have done it all, read it all, learned it all, know it all. Reaching this stage means, you feel like there is no more to know, to learn, to explore. Its a very dangerous, egoist and negative frame of mind. In order that this level of complacency doesnt set it, we need to keep a check on our thoughts and actions everyday. Yes, everyday. 9. Focus on what you have, not on what you havent. The media i.e. tv, newspapers, magazines etc. have the unique ability to create a need in you which you never had before. Its easy to lose focus in a world where you are constantly bombarded with slogans of things you dont really need. What you need ideally is food, water, shelter, clothing and love. The rest is all 'want' not 'need'. Focus on needs and not wants. Unfulfilled 'wants' send you on a negative thinking spiral, whereas focusing on 'needs' leaves you with a positive thought pattern and a sense of thankfulness. 10. Dont compare yourself to others. Be it at work or in your personal life, many a times the very source of our heartache is comparison. We inadvertently want to be like others. There is nothing wrong with looking up at someone and admiring what they do. Infact there is nothing wrong with wanting a success like them either. Whats wrong is wanting it exactly like them, thinking being like them, you can get what they have. Remember this, YOU and your soul and how it grows and flourishes is completely Unique. When our finger prints are completely unique, they how can our approaches be the same as another? Embrace your uniqueness and realize what you have. There will be no room for comparison if you truly understand this.
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11. Be Inspired by others. Drawing inspiration from other eminent personalities in history or even from your own life, is a very positive and healthy habit. Its one of those habits that is constantly nourishing your soul. Look around you, look in your history books...who inspires you? Then see what positive habits they had which you can incorporate in your own life. Its a sure fire way to think and be positive, without even trying too hard. 12. Accept criticism with grace. The sign of a positively loving soul is when you can hear someone say something negative to you or about you and still react in a loving manner. Grace is when you can accept and understand what the other person is saying without letting it 'get' to you. The reason this criticism doesnt get to you is cause you already know and understand your own shortcomings, hence your reaction is not just graceful, but also loving and understanding. Listen to critics, but still do your own thing. 13. Ignore the naysayers. Ok, so we dont live in a perfect world, where everyone is polite and loving. I agree and understand that. What I dont understand is why we let someone else's opinion of us matter so much that it ends up hurting us. People will say imperfect things. Accept it. So many minds, so many ways of being brought up, so many different experiences....there are bound to be differences of opinion. Digest this fact and live from your heart. Let your soul breathe in the complete acceptance of your Self. Ignorance of the naysayers, in this case, is truly bliss! 14. See bad things as a blessing in disguise. I know of someone who can get very jittery when something unexpectedly negative happens. eg. If they missed the bus, if the cat crosses their path or even if they are late for a meeting due to traffic... Who can honestly say they have never been through a negative life event or experience ever? Not even the most successful have been left untouched by the 'bad experiences' bug. A Positive soul has the ability to look above and beyond 'the bad'. A positive soul sees a missed bus, a bout of traffic as a blessing in disguise. They find ways to look at the bigger picture. One bout of traffic cant put a damper on the whole
day. One little cat cant make you question your otherwise full life. A missed bus means more time to dwell in nature or a chance to call an old friend you have been too busy to call. There is a blessing in everything, in every moment! See it with your heart. 15. See failure as a stepping stone to success. I have to admit, I am beyond horrid with numbers. I struggled all through my schooling years with maths. I literally thank the advent of cell phones and their calculators. I am that bad with number..literally. But not being good at numbers made me good at everything else. I am not justifying my lack of math skills, what I'm simply saying is that even after majorly failing at maths in my term papers, I still managed to Ace all the other subjects. Today I am happily announcing my lack of math, because I was able to look beyond that lack and hone the things I was good at. One area of failing doesnt mean everything is going to fail as a result of it. Infact its a sign to look beyond...there is something else you are good at, which will bring you immense success. 16. Surround yourself with those who are positive. On an average, a normal person comes across atleast 50-100 people/souls in a day. From those how many interactions leave you uplifted, happy and inspired? Think about it. Making an effort to surround yourself with positive people, who uplift your being not only keeps you positive, but it also keeps everyone around you positive. Your heart and soul feel a constant nudge to think and be better. 17. Complain less, smile more. Whether its complaining verbally or mentally, complaining is a negative trait. Everytime you complain, you are not just saying stuff or venting etc...you are constantly eroding that wound on your soul. Everytime you complain you lend energy and life to the wound. Whenever you feel and urge to complain, SMILE! Yes, its simple, yet highly effective. Replace the complain with a smile. You will immediately feel a lightness in your being. Smile smile smile. When you smile so does your heart and soul. Its a gorgeous chain reaction.
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18. Imagine that youre already positive. Your imagination is a very very powerful tool, which is at your disposal at every moment in your life. Use this tool wisely. Instead of imagining the worst out of any situation, imagine the best. Before going for an important meeting or interview, imagine you are already there and giving a confidently awesome interview. Feel the confidence and happiness you would feel after a good interview, as if its already happened. That positive belief in yourself send out amazing vibes, and inturn makes the coming task at hand simpler, and more productive. 19. Start positive regularly. Everyday there are so so many opportunities for us to react and be positive, but we forget or cant see them. The reason for this is, we didnt start the day off on a positive note. When you awake, stretch out your arms, take a big yawn and remind yourself today is a NEW day. Today, this moment, will never come back. Today is all brand new. What NEW am I going to create today and see how beautiful your day turns out. A positive start ensures a positive outcome too. 20. Dont dwell on the past or cling to the future Very recently someone told me how much they like to sit and think about the past, especially the hurting past. When I tried to analyze why this was happening with so so many people, I found out it was a 'safe' way to think and therefore 'be'. Thinking 'new' thoughts, better more positive thoughts makes this present moment happy. This moment is all that matters. My happiness of this moment cant be shaken by anything, anything at all! The past is history and the future a mystery, but the present is right here, a true 'present' for your to use as you please. In this moment you are in complete control. 21. Speak about others as if they were in front of you Great spiritual teachers and guides have often said that the tongue is the only muscle of the body, which inspite of not having a bone, can 'hit' harder that any bullet. Words have immense power. Why not use that power positively? Gossiping or spelling out another persons flaws in front of many others is not only inhumane, but also completely against your positive growth. When you say something negative about another person, you are not only putting them down, but also showing the world and yourself, what kind of a person you really are. Reliability, trust, love and respect are the corner stones of an evolved soul. If you embody these characteristics, then keep a leash constantly on that muscle in your mouth. Use it to spread love and happiness, rather than hurt and bitterness.
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22. Lighten up Smile! Yes, right now...as you are reading this...SMILE WIDE! See how good it makes you feel. Now go to the mirror and make a funny face at yourself, see how all the stress dissolves after you do that. Lighten up simply means not to take things too seriously. Its good to plan a good life and be involved in the details of the Big Goal, but its not really great when your whole life becomes engulfed in the same planning process. When will you live, if you keep planning and worrying? Live now and let plans work out. I have noticed that although you might have a plan, many a times going with flow is what works best. Infuse smiles, laughter and fun in your daily life. 23. Lifestyle Simplification Our days are full of plans, things, people, stuff.....and the stuff is everywhere! Look around you right now. What do you see? Stuff! Now think about all your stuff and see, what do you NEED and what do you WANT? Your needs leave you feeling lighter, happier and more at ease with yourself and your surroundings. Whereas your Wants have a tendency to keep you dissatisfied, unhappy and negative. To truly simplify your lifestyle, dont just apply the NEED and WANT rule to your stuff, use it for your thoughts as well. Do you need to think about the past and dwell in the pain? No! Ofcourse not! You need to be Happy but you want to think about the past. Once this thought process becomes a habit, you will live a happier, more positive life. 24. Meditation To meditate means to 'calm' your mind, your thoughts and your complete being. The traditional ways of meditation are all beautiful, but I want you to add another positive dimension to you DAILY meditative practice. I know the thought of taking out time form you already full day to sit quietly and meditate sometimes seems far fetched to some, but believe me there is a simple way to add positive meditation to your day. Whenever you feel upset, sad, angry, tired, irritated or any negative emotion- stop yourself and just sit down in a comfortable position. Breathe. Count and take 10 to 20 deep breaths. Breathe in- breathe out slowly...slower with every breath. While you take these breaths, tell your mind and yourself I am fine. I am calm. I am happy.
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25. Focus on What is Necessary What do you focus on a daily basis? Many of us including me, have the tendency to get so preoccupied and involved with the nitty gritty, that we forget about the BIG picture. For example, as I am writing this book, I still have to live my life which means- be a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a neice, a cousin, an aunt, a healer, a businesswoman, a homemaker, a writer...among many many roles that are me. Although many days pass by with this book being written in my head, the sitting down and typing it down seemed a gigantic task. But I noticed, when I focused on only the Book, everything alse made way for the successful creation of it effortlessly. Hence today I sit to write this book for you and am telling you, to focus on only the necessary. The rest of your life will automatically flow with this necessary and make life so much for happily rewarding. Everything will work in perfect synergy when we focus on the ONE positive goal or even many positive goals. 26. Live With Purpose Before we talk about purpose, let me clarify,your purpose is not your profession. While your profession can facilitate your purpose in time, but your purpose is what you were born to do. Like my purpose is to help and heal, and my professional choices reflect that now. Whether its writing for my blog, writing for magazines, writing this book, counseling or healing...all these choices have my purpose infused in them. Today even my conversations Are with this very purpose. Hence, when you Know your purpose and live with purpose, a positive glow of happiness emits from you, which no amount of problems or pressures can take away. You know what you were born to do. Just LIVE that. To find your purpose ask yourself this: What act makes me so happily immersed in it that I even forget to eat or drink? 27. Carry a positive Trigger OK, we all tend to freak out the second something is not going according to plan, or according to the way we expect it to work out. Its in these situation specifically that you need a kind of trigger to push your mind back to the positive track. Whether youre at home, work or the supermarket a positive trigger can be a picture, a quote, a key chain, or even a text on your phone. Anything that can be carried with you at all times and has the ability to make you think positive happy thoughts. Just flip out this positive trigger when you are down and get right back on the positive track.
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28. Smile Consciously There are days, when we carry that plastic smile around. We might meet people, smile and greet them cordially on those days, but havent really done it happily. Every morning when I awake, I make myself a promise, to smile like I mean it. Believe me just one smile coming from the heart can not only make your whole being happy, but also spread the happiness to all those who you encounter. Making this a practice everyday, very simply adds to your core happiness quotient. 29. Feel Deeper I had a sheltered childhood when I was growing up. Never knew what poverty or being less privileged meant. But I still remember my Dad bringing me National Geographic magazines and BBC documentaries to read and watch(there was no cable when I was growing up), so that I could know what was going on around the world. I have cried buckets watching them and then when I moved back to India and saw those conditions with my own two eyes, I really felt this need to DO more. I believe that when you can FEEL their pain, you know you are on the positive track. You are a good person. When you stop feeling, it means there is some part of your heart thats not alive. Feeling anothers pain and trying to DO something about it brings about an immense sense of happiness and satisfaction within. Try it. Just Be there and lend your loving hand to someone everyday..feel deeper to be happier. 30. Read Wisdom There are a few books I have on my night stand and few on my work desk, which are full of inspirational words and prayers. When I am having a particularly difficult day, I just pick up any one book and read a paragraph. Instantly Im back into thinking and feeling happy and positive. I also have these little cards full of inspirational quotes on my desks, fridges and walls to get me thinking happy positive thoughts. When you have inspiration around you, its hard not to get back on the happily positive wagon right 31. Activate Fantasy As children, we all had these amazing fantasy worlds we used to play in. My fantasy world was a castle in the sky, full of fairies and princesses, rainbows and butterflies, flowers and birds. When we grow up and life takes over, we tend to forget our fantasy lands. But if you can think back and remember as a child, its when you were bored and upset, did this fantasy world come alive in your mind. It was your coping mechanism as a child. Why cant that same fantasy or a
different happy fantasy be a coping mechanism now? Try it just for 5 minutes especially when you are having a particularly bad dayI bet within the first five minutes you can break into a wide wide smile 32. Be Spontaneous Allow spontaneity to invade your routine. I have never really been the kind of person who follows a routine. I find that I am happier when I only do what I feel like, what my heart tells me to do at the current moment. If you dont allow some spontaneous moments into your life, a mindless routine will start to get really old and wear on you. The most creative individuals are also the most spontaneous thinkers and carefree adventurers. 33. Start Accepting Stop Expecting Accept people and situations the way they are. No-one and no situation is perfect. Accept them anyways. Love your friends, love your situation, love every little thing about your self and your life and accept the shortcomings. In accepting we stop expecting. Expectation only brings about sadness and regret. Both not very happy emotions. No expectation means no regret, no sadness. Acceptance paves the way for immense happiness everyday. 34. Count Your Blessings & Be Thankful Reserve five minutes each day to walk around your house and pick two or three things you take for granted the carpet, soap, a spice rack, a pencil and really appreciate it. Think about how you use the object, how you benefit, how life would be different without it. By focusing on how this object makes your life better, you appreciate it more you count your blessings. The pencil may add utility to your life, regardless. But only in recognizing that utility can it bring you satisfaction and value. You may also recognize that the object brings you no benefit that it is just taking space and collecting dust and that you really should be giving it away (Getting rid of clutter has the added benefit that it lets you focus your appreciation on the items that really can bring you happiness). Being thankful can completely transform ones disposition. The more we pause to consider the things we have to be grateful for, the more we begin to focus on those things. And the things we focus on, we tend to draw toward ourselves. Therefore, the act of focusing on our blessings tends to bring more blessings into our lives.
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35. Love Unconditionally Unconditional Love is a dynamic and powerful energy that lifts us through the most difficult times. It is available at any moment by turning our attention to it and using its wonderful potential to free us from our limitations. Loving unconditionally begins with ourselves, for without self-love, we cannot know what true love can be. In loving ourselves, we allow the feeling to generate within us and then we can share it with everyone and everything around us! That which we send out, returns to us in greater measure. If you have not thought about how you feel towards yourself, physically, mentally, and emotionally, or spiritually, I invite you to do so now. Begin the journey that changes everything. Begin the journey of unconditional loveand be Happily positive. 36. Happyfy your relationship with Your Self. Make daily decisions that allow you to reprogram yourself to believe that you are deserving of having what you want. You are deserving of feeling good in your body, worthy of focusing on success, and worthy of your own love and appreciation. Although it may require effort and perseverance, you can become your own best friend and unwavering supporter of yourself. Determine how you want to feel and then take daily actions that promote those feelings. 37. Be Honest and Respectful Resolve to be honest, because dishonesty is always negative but be honest in a positive way. Say what you truly mean, but keep it based on fact. Avoid personal comment and gossip. Speak well of others whenever possible, and speak well of yourself too. Respect others enough to assume that they mean well unless there is evidence to the contrary. For example, if someone makes a negative or dismissive remark about your work, dont take it personally and fire off a negative snappy response. Instead, think about the remark for a moment, and see if there is anything you can learn from it. Let the other person know that you appreciate their being so open with you, but say calmly that you found their approach very confrontational. (Some people are genuinely unaware that they come across as aggressive.)Being positive doesnt mean you are a doormat it means you are a strong person who can assess the meaning of someones words without being distracted by their mode of expression.
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38. Be a positive role model Make yourself a positive role model for others. Be the person who always looks for the good in others, points out their skills and acknowledges their contributions. Speaks to them as you would like to be spoken to, and dont allow the negativity of others to draw you into a destructive game of tit-for-tat. 39. Avoid Assumptions Treat situations the same way you intend to treat people. Whether its a family argument or a situation at work, dont just steam in making snap judgments and assigning responsibility. Take a moment to assess the situation, ask questions and find out whats really happening. Make sure you understand before you act. Think with love and negative assumptions will never crop up. 40. Be Forgiving Were all going to make mistakes. Its the way we learn. Think of how mothers deal with babies small children need to be encouraged to try things again and again, testing out different methods, being gently encouraged until they master the skills of standing, walking, sorting shapes and so on. Adults are no different. Even if things are clearly explained and support is provided, there will be mistakes. Forgive mistakes -including your own. Make sure you and everyone involved understands why they happened, and dont use them as sticks to beat others. That way youll support everyones creativity and build love and trust in your relationships with those around you. 41. Be Trusting Learn to trust in the choice or decision to make a change. Practice respect for the confidentiality of decisions and choices. It is often important not to tell everyone about a resolution right away. Maintain a safe space for the change by holding its ember tenderly in the heart for a while. It will be clear when the time for sharing is right. 42. let Beginners Mind Emerge Be open to new ideas on how to accomplish desired changes. Allow the mind to relax and be open to approaching a change in new and fresh ways. Let spontaneous ideas and insights emerge. Think about other goals and successes that have been achieved? What fueled those successes? Are there new and
innovative ways of achieving this goal that have not yet been tried? 43. Be Accepting Fix what is broken and dont fix what aint. Somethings may have to wait until after the holidays, but I have spent the last few months replacing all my old and terrible appliances that never did work properly. Many small electronics were over ten years old and I decided I was no longer going to fight the electric cord, antenna, door latch, lint filter or whatever else brought irritation into my otherwise calm existence. I also learned to live with that which was comfortable like an old pair of shoes, my favorite beat-up chair and limited prepaid cell phone service. Acceptance is key to positive success and happiness. 44. Be Productive positively It is very easy to get off track when a crises or problem arises that we feel must be addressed. By making a mission statement for yourself you will be more apt to stay the course during any trial. For example producing work which is edifying to yourself and others only. Money is important, but we have all learned the hard way during the pay later heyday that a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush and that quality and sustainability are more important than quantity and risk. Passion will raise your productivity positively. 45. Give and Receive Self Acknowledgment Look for ways to authentically acknowledge the inner self. Practice the art of supporting specific achievements in growth. Applaud when small successes are achieved on the journey toward realizing a goal. It doesnt take a lot of fanfare. Simply say quietly to the inner mind, Wow, great job! 46. Be harmonious with nature To feel in harmony with nature is intensely pleasurable. To feel at one with the trees, valleys, stars and grass not only maintains good mood but inspires creativity and clear perception. Harmony with nature gives us perspective on our own lives. Modern stresses make us lose sight of what is truly important to us. When you feel harmonious with nature you regain vision and perspective on your own life. You see where
you truly 'fit' in the great scheme of things and can gain insight into what really needs to be done in your life - as part of the greater whole. We can't remove ourselves from nature. To be in harmony with nature is to be in harmony with ourselves. 47. Be a kindness Agent and do Random Acts of Kindness Once we have begun to slow down and really notice people, we may feel compelled to offer a kindness of some kind, especially if we see that they themselves are disconnected from others. By reconnecting through a kind act, we may facilitate an opening of their eyes, their heart, by a demonstration of our own. Simple gestures speak boldly of kindness. A door held open; a hearty Thank You when one is held open for you. Offering up the closer parking space. Randomly putting change in someones expired parking meter. Providing the small change someone doesnt have to pay his or her grocery bill. The list is endless. Be creative and create a kindness list of your own. Ask yourself, what very simple thing could I do right now to show kindness to this person? Then, do it! 48. Believe that You ARE Divinely loved Do you know the first moment I truly felt this divine love? It was just after my brother passed away in a sudden car accident.before I saw him(his body), before I told my mother about it, before anyone in my family knew about it. I was standing at a booth, trying to call my brother, when my fingers automatically dialed a friend. As soon as I said hello, I got the news. I mustve frozen there for nearly 4 minutes after hearing the news, but it seemed like an eternity. In that moment as I closed my eyes, I saw light. I felt like someone was making my heart beat calmer, was holding my shoulders and telling me..go on, be love. The next week after that went by as if I was being constantly hugged by divine love. I dont know where I got the strength to take care of it allthe arrangement, my motherEven as I type this my fingers are shivering. Not cause Im scared or sad or upsetBecause I am so in Awe of this glorious Divine love. My strength, my confidence comes from the simple and certain belief that I am always loved and protected no matter what. You are too! 49. Choose positivity Today, for this is the Best day of your life We are so unaware of the power of just one good, happy, positive thought. If we actually take the time to tell our self and think as we open our eyes :Today is the best day of my life! Not only will that awesome thought brighten that day, but
all days to come. Cause every day will become the best day of your life full of positivity and hope. And in this day, you will face ups and you will face downs but what will remain constant is this peaceful feeling right in your gut, that this is the best day.It makes your Ups higher and your lows higher too! The minuscule bad mood of the boss or the hot weather or the children throwing their tantrums wont be SO intensely low. Infact you will feel the need to just shrug it off, cause hey This is the best day of your life! Just think of all the birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, occasionswhat were you thinking when you woke up the day of your graduation or wedding or birthday? Werent they all awesome, happy, excited thoughts? And how did that day turn out for you??Awesome right? Just goes to show how so very important choosing the right positive thought can make everyday the Best Day Of Your Life. 50. Positively replenish your soul by 'being still' Like our body needs food and water to replenish everyday, so does the soul need some positive replenishment too. You can replenish your soul positively by being aware, that you are not just your body, but a being of light constantly joined to The Divine life force and telling your soul this nourishing positive affirmation: I am Present. Here and Now. Slowing down pace in living contributes to the process. Time of quiet Meditation and Prayer enhances staying present. Peaceful listening to nature inspires my stillness. Be still and know that PEACE is here! Be still and KNOW Be STILL BE.
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{A special supplement of 5 articles by some of my favorite personal development authors/writers. Enjoy!}
Special People with Positive Experiences
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Reciprocal Love in Action

by evita ochel
When we live life in the present and experience it for the gift that it is, one can find an infinite abundance of positive experiences all around. In fact, even the challenging, what we would call tougher times can be transmuted into positive gifts when we start seeing them from an expanded state of conscious awareness. Looking back over my life, it is with a big smile that I feel deep gratitude for all of the positive experiences in it. I dont think I can label one particular experience as the most positive, as each is so valuable in being a teacher for me. However, a particular recent experience comes to mind that I would like to share with you about... A Giving and Receiving Experience Like No Other In the fall of 2011 I had the pleasure of going on a special spiritual journey trip to Peru. This trip included many amazing and unconventional experiences outside of what one would imagine from a typical trip. One of those experiences was something called the Ayni experience. The word Ayni refers to the act of reciprocity, and comes from the Quechua language (one of the most common Native Peruvian cultures). Ayni is a form of mutual help practiced for centuries, and to this day by various indigenous cultures and peoples of Peru and surrounding countries. It is based on the paradigm that today I help you, tomorrow you help me. Instead of any money being exchanged, personal strength, time, efforts, talents and services are exchanged. In this way, and based on such a paradigm of life, entire communities are built and fostered. From building homes and roads, to clearing land and growing crops, every task is mutually shared when the support is needed. Such a way of life works, and has worked as the people recognize they are one, and therefore act as one. There is no tit for tat, no tallying who did what for whom, or fear if your efforts will be repaid. Everyone works for the health, strength and survival of the community. During my trip to Peru, I got to experience that there is so much that the country and its people offer of themselves. Just being in the countrys energy, is gift enough. And so in the middle of the trip, on one particular afternoon, we were set to meet with a group of school children and their families, who live in a remote, poor and very needy village in the mountains. Our group guide made arrangements for us to foster this community with our support during our trip. As we could not on this particular experience stay to do physical work, we each made material and financial donations that were translated into the materials the children, their families and their village needed most. These included school supplies and backpacks; craft supplies; blankets; farming tools and bags of crop
seeds. We also treated the children with some hot chocolate and sweet bread, both of which are unknown to the children. The afternoon with the children and their families turned out to be so moving and rewarding in so many ways! The children, who ranged from about 5 to 12 years of age, were anxious with excitement and prepared a song and dance show for us. They also prepared small bouquets of flowers and handed one personally to each member in our group. The women from the village showed their gratitude by first showering us with flower petals, and later in the experience treating us to some corn and traditional cheese they make. They may have so little, and yet without hesitation share what little they have so generously. On our end, we took turns personally giving each child and the village members the items we brought to help them out. During this time, an abundance of hugs, kisses, smiles and laughter were shared. We did not speak each others language, but we all communicated through the universal language of love. It is as if all of us released all of our personal boundaries and allowed ourselves to experience our collective humanity. The children, their families and all of us not only felt love, but were love in action. We felt we were able to give something to the members of this village that can help their life and survival. And the village members felt that they were able to give to us something in an act of reciprocal love. The energy of compassion, gratitude, and kindness was in the air, within our heart and soul, and we were all on a love high! One may think that we gave the village families more than they gave us in terms of material goods or value. On the contrary, what we received from them in terms of their love and gratitude, but most importantly their open hearts, was more perhaps than any of us ever got from strangers, or even people in our lives that we know. Here, specifically in the West, most of us live with closed hearts and only think in terms of a how will this benefit me mentality. We do not show our emotions easily and usually reserve our love for family or friends we favor. Therefore the gift we got through this mutual act of giving and receiving was deeply moving for myself, as it was for the other members of the group. For that afternoon we were all one, big soul family, and we felt it!
Takeaway Lessons for the Mind, Heart & Soul

1. Mutual Help Without Strings Attached Above all else this experience taught me how easy it is and how beneficial for people to come together in mutual help. So many of us in our world today think only in monetary terms, and how only money can get us what we need. The truth is that money is often the least able to get us what we really needa real, deep and authentic human connection. And it should really never be the limiting factor in our lives as to what we really need. 2. Living in Oneness Aynithe gift of reciprocityworks because the people recognize themselves as one. Instead of being divisive and trying to compete against each other, they choose to come together as one. They realize that the health and strength of the community comes only through cooperation, not competition. 3. Gratitude for All That We Have In our lives, especially in the so-called developed parts of the world, we all have so much. Even those of us who think we have little, have more than whole families or
communities living in other parts of the world. So many of us complain, nag or live in constant discontent wanting the elusive more rather than being grateful and finding the gift in all that we already have. An experience like this can teach us to find gratitude for everything we are and everything we have, because it all is an amazing gift and part of our personal journey! 4. An Open Heart Connection Although this particular Ayni experience was not something one plans to, or is perhaps even able to experience on a daily basis, each day we are given the chance to open our heart to someone. This is what the Ayni experience is all about in the endopening our heart to others without any expectation of any returns. Each of us can give through our time, our efforts, our talents and services. We each get such opportunities regularly, but all too often our hearts are closed to acting upon this. Each of us is capable of opening our heart to all those who we come into contact with each day, whether friend or stranger and offer a genuine heart-based connection. May we always remember that such an experience is always available to us, we simply have to open our hearts and choose to act on it. About the Author of Reciprocal Love in action: Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN is the founder and editor of EvolvingBeings.com an online publication to awaken and inspire people to grow in consciousness and connect with a heart-centered way of life. She is also a nutritional science expert, and the author of the newly released book Healing and Prevention Through Nutrition, as well as the editor of EvolvingWellness.com an online publication featuring numerous resources to help people attain optimal health and wellness.
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A Most Important Encounter

by sandra pawula
Without question, meeting an authentic spiritual teacher and being introduced by him to the innermost essence of mind has been the single most positive experience of my life. Take the Dalai Lama, for example. His warm heart, infectious smile, and positive disposition seem to radiate for miles in all directions. Even sitting among thousands of people listening to one of his talks, you feel magically enveloped and transfixed by his love, compassion, spaciousness, and humor. These heart-felt, qualities in combination with his exceptional wisdom, have made him one of the most respected world leaders according to a 2009 Gallup poll. A spiritual teacher of his caliber can lift you up and show you another - more enduring dimension of your very own mind. One that is open, vast, and spacious like the sky. The space of mind that is never touched by the busy stream of clouds - all the thoughts and emotions - that are constantly passing through. The place where suffering comes to an end. Following a spiritual teacher may not be everyones cup of tea. And, its certainly not always a bed of roses by its very nature. But wouldnt it be far easier to take a helicopter to the summit of a mountain rather than trek all the way uphill? So why not take the lift and enjoy the vast, unimpeded view. Its important to know that there are different levels of teachers ranging from a spiritual friend to a mentor all the way up to a full blown spiritual master. Not every teacher has achieved the same level of realization; not everyone can show you the full view. A different type of teacher will be suitable depending upon your level of readiness. Understandably, the first step is to examine the teacher to ensure hes authentic and endowed with the proper qualities to be a proper guide for you. Here are some of the realities Ive learned about the process of working with a highly realized teacher. Some of the following points apply strictly to working with a spiritual master, one who has realized his true nature and has the power to reflect your inner essence to you. 1. Why it helps to have a spiritual teacher. If you would like to travel to a remote destination, you need a guide. If you would like to become a heart surgeon, you need a teacher. If you want to become a master carpenter, you apprentice. Why would it be any different on the spiritual path, which is replete with countless temptations, compelling distractions, and potential deviations? 2. Meeting a spiritual teacher is not a chance encounter. Its the result of a longing for truth - perhaps one that has been with you for lifetimes - as well as prayers and aspirations in concert with sufficiently purified karma. It might be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
3. We bring all our neurosis and projections right along with us onto the spiritual path. So wittingly or unwittingly, we project them onto the teacher too. A spiritual master is like a living mirror that reflects your relationship to life and the world around you. Its a highly personalized relationship, regardless of whether you are close to him or her. And, to a great degree, its all about you. In the presence of a commanding teacher, the deepest inner stuff bubbles right up to the top. How you relate to a teacher depends - to a large extent - upon your own habitual tendencies. Thus, you might idolize the teacher, be enamored of him or her, overcome by doubt, feel aversion, refuse to be constrained, or be outright critical. Rarely are we able to see a teacher purely without our personal projections clouding the mirror. But thats the key point and precisely why following a teacher can ripen and mature a students spiritual evolution so rapidly - if the process is correctly understood. On the other hand, if we are fully identified with the ego, our own way of seeing the world, and our dysfunctional patterns - as unconscious as they may be - we may never be able to appreciate the power the teacher holds as a vehicle for speedy transformation. We may just walk away, muttering discontentments under our breath. 4. Its not easy to follow a spiritual teacher. While a spiritual master may have the capacity to charm and magnetize you initially, ultimately, its his job to tick you off, push your buttons, and set your triggers offer. While the prodding may be uncomfortable, the ability to explore and release our reactions can be extremely beneficial to genuine spiritual growth. As the eighth century spiritual teacher Atsa Dipankara advised: The best spiritual teacher is the one that attacks your hidden faults. After all, one of the key points to spiritual awakening is deconstructing the ego. Did anyone ever say this would be a cozy and comfortable path? 5. You might wonder, Shouldnt I just listen to my own heart? The ultimate wisdom does lay within. But so does delusion and its voice can be very alluring. The outer teacher is actually the embodiment of your inner teacher, helping you to discern between clarity and confusion. A true teacher isnt giving you something new from outside, but helps you to realize the continuous presence of the ultimate teacher within you. Then, it takes diligence and determination on the part of the student to practice abiding by this recognition instead of falling into old patterns of conceptual thought. While our aspiration may be vast, most of us have strong habitual tendencies, supersensitive egos, and are adept at following the same route to delusion over and over again. The teacher is there to help set us straight. His or her kindness may sometimes feel like a prick, but, if we remember its truly the heart of compassion, it will surely spur us along on the path. Even in meditation practice, there are many subtle levels of mind so its easy to get stuck. For example, we can mistake the experience of bliss, clarity, or the absence of thought as a sign of being a realized being. This itself can turn into the greatest obstacle of all. A true master will help us cut through all these facets of delusion and find our true inner self.
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~ Ive been through many ups and downs in my own dance with the master. Ive been incredibly close to a teacher, the paragon of contrived devotion. Ive had my buttons pushed to the point of breaking. Ive also runaway to the furthermost corner of the earth. But when push comes to shove and life gets my goat, I hear the truth of his wisdom calling me ever so urgently. Wake up! Wake up! Despite my neurotic antics, I know he will never give up on me. And with a heart full of gratitude, I will continue diligently. Though I resist the truth and cling to solid reality, in my heart of hearts I know nothing in this this life is reliable or bound to last. Like yesterdays dream, everything is impermanent and slightly unreal. I cant catch yesterday and tomorrow has yet to appear. Its only this innermost nature - unborn and unceasing - that will see me through. Its through the blessing of the master that I have come to know this essence of mind, so wide and so pure. About the Author of A most important encounter: Sandra Pawula is a freelance writer and inner explorer. Her aspiration is to help others find true happiness and freedom. She writes about personal transformation on her blog Always Well Within.
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Life is Better When You Live it Intuitively

by angela artemis
When I was younger I was discontented with my life and blamed others for my unhappiness. As I matured and grew spiritually I began to see that I was the one responsible for the poor choices Id made in my life, not the people I blamed. Throughout my quest to change and improve my life I kept looking for the root of why I had made such bad decisions in the first place. What I discovered was that in every major mistake I made I had blatantly ignored the voice of my intuition. Realizing this about my intuition was the most positive and life changing event in my life. It was if someone handed me the key to secret library where I could find the answers to every question, situation and problem in my life whenever I needed them. When I discovered that the true purpose of intuition was to be a guiding compass in our lives, my life began to change dramatically for the better.
Why life is better when lived intuitively

When you live an intuitively inspired life you allow your intuition to lead you to the right path in life. Your life flows easily. You encounter fewer problems and should you have challenges the solutions come to you most miraculously. Being on the right path ensures that you are in the right place at the right time so that you are continually graced with fortunate coincidences that benefit your life. Whereas, when you ignore your intuition and make decisions that go against it you end up swimming upstream your whole life, rather than flowing effortlessly with the current of life. For example, when I started college everyone thought I would major in English because of my love of writing. My father advised me to become an accountant because the salaries of accountants were higher than those of journalists. Never once in my entire life had I ever thought of going into accounting. My dreams had always centered upon writing. I could have said no but my young insecure self wanted my fathers approval so I set my mind to doing it. I ended up in the financial industry where my career never flowed with ease at all. It was always an uphill battle where I constantly had to push myself ten times harder just to try to do as well as my colleagues. I always felt uncomfortable, like a round peg in a square hole. I constantly felt drained and tired. Beginning in the late afternoon on Sundays I would develop a stomachache in anticipation of going to work on Monday morning. Eventually, I woke-up and left the financial industry and I have never been happier. Now I listen to my intuition before making any decisions. Listening has put me in the right place at the right time so often, that I now expect fortunate coincidences and miracles
to occur in my lifeand they do! If a decision doesnt sit right I know that I have not listened to my intuition. I am so much happier now that I am being true to myself and you can be as well once you begin to listen to your intuition.
How to identify your intuition

Your intuition is that quiet tap on the shoulder you can easily ignore. Its that gut feeling that wont go away and nags at you all day. Its the sinking feeling that you feel in the pit of your stomach as soon as you realize something you did was a mistake. Its that indefinable sense that says youve overlooked something. Its that part of you that just knows when someone isnt telling you the truth or leaving something out. Its that strangely uncomfortable feeling that you discount when making the wrong decision.
If youve ever encountered any of these sorts of reactions your intuition has been trying to get your attention.
What following your intuition can do for you

Listening to your intuition will unleash a stream of inspiring ideas. Your intuition is tied to the source of your brilliance, genius and inspiration. Your most original ideas spring from this source. Have you ever noticed how you may be trying to solve a problem and then sometime later when you are completely absorbed in something else a flash of an idea illuminates your mind and you suddenly know what it is you have to do to solve this problem? This is your intuition. Your intuition will flow when you are engrossed in doing something you love. In my finance career I did well and worked very hard but I was never intuitively inspired. I was never graced with awesome flashes of brilliance that got me excited simply because, I was never excited about what I was doing in the first place. When you allow your intuition to lead you not only will you end up on the path that is most beneficial for you, but youll also be lead to greater success because you will receive illumination and inspiration from your intuition.
The secret to hearing your intuition

First you must have faith and believe that it exists and that it can and will guide you, just as surely as the stars guide sailors out in the middle of the sea. You must have a strong desire to develop and listen to your intuition. And, you must be confident enough to follow through on the hunches and inspiration sent to you by your intuition. Incorporate these five simple tips to dramatically change your life and start living your intuitively inspired life!
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1. Get rid of the shoulds. Whenever you attempt to do something check in to see why youre doing it. If it is not because you sincerely want to do it, you are not acting on intuitive inspiration. We all have obligations and responsibilities that we must attend to and thats part of life but, if youre life is overwrought with shoulds you will eventually find yourself unhappy and resentful so pay attention. 2. Begin to focus more on your feelings and emotions. Identify how you feel about things. Often our intuition communicates through physical feelings and emotions (for example: headaches, stomachaches, weakness, exhaustion, emotionally uncomfortable, emotionally numb, emotionally detached or removed). Dont ignore these symptoms. If you have instilled the habit of telling yourself, It doesnt matter how I feelI have to do this! you will eventually lose touch with your feelings and emotions making your decision making even more difficult. 3. Include meditation or quite time in your day, every day. Try not to think during that time. Sit quietly and focus on something beautiful like a rose or seeing the waves coming in on the beach. The more youre able to still your mind the more you will be able to detach from your thoughts and begin to observe them. In a matter of a few weeks you will find that you are calmer and less easily stirred up emotionally which will result in your being able to distinguish your intuition from your thoughts more easily. 4. Work on developing self-esteem and confidence. You need to learn to take your own advice over the advice of others. When you are insecure you will ignore your own intuitive promptings and constantly second guess your decisions. You will seek the opinions of others because you dont have enough confidence in yourself. The way to overcome this is to pay close attention to the things you have done right and done well in your life. Start a Kudos file where you keep a running list of your successes. Seeing a growing list of successes will help you gain confidence and self-esteem. 5. Write out your feelings. When youre struggling with a decision take a pad and write across the top of the page the decision that you are unsure of. After defining the problem write out your feelings about the situation. Focus on how you would feel if you applied the solution youve been mulling over. If you feel uncomfortable, dissatisfied or confused you should not proceed with that solution. If after youve made a decision something keeps nagging at you, go back and do this exercise. Keep trying this with all possible solutions until you find the one that feels right and doesnt come back and niggle at you afterward. When you live an intuitively inspired life, your life will flow more easily. You wont run into roadblocks as often. Solutions to problems will come to when you need them and inspired ideas will lead you to accomplish great things. Dont you think its about time you let your intuition lead you in your life?
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About the Author of Life is better when you live it intuitively: Angela Artemis, author of The Intuition Principle: How to Attract the Life You Dream Of, is on a mission to teach readers around the world to speak intuition so that they unlock all the brilliant potential that resides within and start living the life of their dreams nownot later. Her website, Powered by Intuition (http://www.PoweredbyIntuition) is a rich source of information for readers wishing to learn how to use their intuition to create happy, successful and fulfilling lives.
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The Cave of Vulnerability

by joy holland
The photo above was recently taken while my feet were firmly planted in the middle of the labyrinth at a beautiful place called Peace Awareness. I am fascinated with the journey my self takes while walking the labyrinth. In studying the labyrinth, one interpretation is that each walk is a rebirth; similar to how I view each daya chance to rebirth. I begin each day and each labyrinth walk in the same way: by setting an intention (and perhaps asking a question) then opening my heart to all that is presented. Rather than insist upon a specific outcome, I allow for all that is placed. It is a gentle way of life, one of great faith and truth: as I open my heart to love, I become love. This particular day, the moment I stepped into the labyrinth (symbolic of stepping into life), my heart overflowed with gratitude; not the answer I was looking for, but absolutely affirming the way I choose to live. Choosing to invest fully in the journey, while allowing for *everything*, involves the risk of vulnerability; I never know what will happen, but because I trust that it is perfectly placed, I open my life to experience it fully (whatever it is). This photo, then, is symbolic of the way I choose to live: firmly planted in the midst of peace, I open my heart to love fully, to share generously, and to allow gratitude to magnify all that I create and share. I do not believe that life happens to me; I believe that my life is a result of the combination of all that I choose to ingest into my being and all that I choose to invest my energy into external of my being. If one was familiar with my personal history--from the moment I was born through my adult years it is riddled with abandonment, abuse, chaos, and drama--one might think it would be impossible for me to be in that photo, to live as I do. It is not only possible, it is real; to illustrate Id like to share a story from my recent journey. Thank you for holding space as I share. For a bit of background: I was a premature baby-- born four weeks early I was quickly put into an incubator, already fighting to survive within my first few moments of life. One might say I was born with an open heart ready to love the world, almost immediately shielded by the barrier of wishing to survive. When I was an infant, my parents divorced and during a visit, my birth mother whisked me away to a place unknown to my father. After years of working the legal system, my father won me back, so once again I was uprooted from familiar and placed into completely unfamiliar. Adding layer upon layer to the strength of my shield, my life continued in such a way.
One might find it interesting that --despite this shield--I lead a heart based life, one of genuine service and love and faith. My shield is heavy, but Ive learned to place it to the side while I live fully. While it has been my greatest desire to lay it down altogether, it is also my greatest fear to be so exposed to the elements, vulnerable to world, so Ive always chosen to hold on to that shield just in case. The shield is heavy, and is sometimes the very reason I am unable to soar although my entire being is buoyant and ready. This past summer, after committing to transparency in all of my relations and doing inner core work to release barriers, universe placed a partner in my life with the one denominator I have resisted my entire life: long distance. This perfectly placed partner is a nomadic traveler (is that redundant? I feel it is exponential!), meaning I had the choice to embrace this magical connection through my deepest fear, or to release that which I had practically asked for my entire life. On the surface, he and I are quite different and I could have allowed those differences to be the excuse to choose to not relate (because fear needs and excuse). However, we connect through inner core, which is rare and beautifulso I chose to open my heart to new and different, to even embrace my biggest fear as I allowed this beautiful connection to bring me to places I had never dreamed. The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek- Joseph Campbell I chose to enter the cave. I found the challenge was that I could only enter this cave of vulnerability if I left my shield outside. I immediately realized that without my shield, I did not know how to proceed. In life, I am a feeler so when I do not know how to do proceed and I am unable to feel the answer-- either someone does the task for me, explains it to me, or I quit and find another path. As an empath and energy worker, I specialize in effortlessly relating with people, yet without this shield I had no idea how to relate to this one person. I released my old pattern of quitting; instead of allowing fear to redirect me, I chose to open my heart and enter the cave. In the cave of vulnerability, I found my answer: this one person was a reflection of me; I had no idea how to relate to me, barrier free! In opening my heart to love him , I learned to love me. Each time that I was willing to release resistance and open to new, I was able to understand and accept that which was different or unique about him (thus, understanding and accepting that which was unique or different about me). Sharing within the same space allowed me to experiment and explore within a safe, comfortable medium; sharing through the distance of travel allowed me to push past my own internal boundaries and experiment and explore internally. Sharing in general was so enthralling, that I soon forgot I no longer had my shield! I found that: the element of surprise was joy filled, silence was golden, magic was real, and peace truly is the core of my existence and the silky thread that loosely binds us. Most significantly, I experienced unconditional love as utter freedom and commitment as expansion--I experienced me, all facets of me. The greatest treasure of allthe one thing I resisted my entire life: me.
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In allowing my self to love a nomadic traveler I am learning to travel. You see, I am still writing this story--every day when I wake, I open my heart to the day only to find that I am still in unfamiliar, uncharted territory (traveling, if you will). Will he be in this chapter? I cannot tell you, I can only experience the present as it is placed. What I do know is that it is a thrill to continue to relate together and as I do, to discover each facet of me..some effortlessly found on surface, some buried deep within. I find that as he physically travels, I am no longer afraid--my spirit is with him experiencing expansionwhile my being is here living fully. When he returns to physically share space, I resist the urge to pick up my shield, and instead open my heart to creating together. S Since each day is a rebirth, all that I create is now touched by this brilliant magnificence of knowing who I am and creating from this truth. As I honor my beings wish to move through this world, it is with renewed spunk and moxie that I choose to embrace adventure as I create, share, experiment, explore, and yes, thoroughly enjoy, each moment of this journey. About the Author of The cave of vulnerability: Joy Holland is an Intuitive Empath, Energy and Healing Facilitator sharing her gifts to assist others in cultivating quality within their life. She helps clients come to know their personal truth and live it, while finding and releasing the fears that block them from their highest self. With this unique blend of skills, she is able to swiftly cut through your barriers to your inner core, where Truth lies waiting to be identified and expressed. To discover more about Joy and her services, visit FacetsOfJoy.com
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Heart and Soul

by suzie cheel
You are one of the most positive people I know. If you can come through this anyone can! A friend wrote those words to me in an email back in July this year, after I found myself having been admitted overnight to the local Tweed Heads Hospital. So I can hear you thinking Why would going to hospital be a positive experience? Let me explain. I landed in hospital via the Emergency department. I knew I was seriously ill, but I had no idea what was wrong. When I got to meet my magical specialist, Dr Krishnan Sankunni, I heard his name as Krishna and felt the angels were looking after me. Krishnan told me that I'd had a serious kidney failure and he would be starting some serious medication. I was not at all interested in the details of the diagnosis or of the proposed treatment: I just said I would be meditating and focusing on the healing process. He was supportive of that. My picture was to be quickly healed and home. Little did I know then that I had some serious learning ahead of me! Staying positive in hospital can be a challenge. I was in a four bed ward where there was one patient who was very negative about everything, plus another very demanding personality. In that first week, I was undergoing an intensive treatment regime, including dialysis, a biopsy, plasma exchange and chemo treatment. These were all new and foreign experiences for me and I decided that whatever happened I was going to stay smiling and positive throughout. One thing that made it easier was the positive happy attitude of the hospital staff. I established a routine. I would start each day with a meditation I had on my iPod, and then I would draw a card from my Healing with the Angels deck from Doreen Virtue's collection, after which I would journal. I found that having this routine provided a daily discipline that helped keep me on the positive path. Also, I had with me a rainbow healing bracelet which I wore every day: I always find this gives me strength. Another very positive thing was the joy I felt when I woke up to look out on a tropical garden a special blessing from having been placed in that particular ward - and I could see the sky: that was bliss. This enabled me to keep in touch with nature which is fundamental to my sense of wellbeing. But I have to say it was hard to be missing my daily beach walks. Keeping in touch with people in the outside world, family and friends, was definitely a wonderful way of staying in the positive vibe. Social media had enabled me to build many friendships and a following around the world and the wonderful messages and promises of prayers in the printouts that were brought in to me, especially from Facebook, lifted my spirits and made my heart sing. Well, after just under two weeks I was home and the recuperation process was to begin. Initially I expected that I would spend August resting and be back on deck in September.
As I soon discovered from the medicos, that was not to be the case. The need to develop a previously uncharacteristic capacity for patience was to be one of the many learnings for me from this whole experience! Even now, months later, I find it a daily challenge to be patient, to rest more, to have to let some things not get done when I want to do them. It is challenging when one does not have the energy to go full steam ahead my preferred mode! The days when I do too much I pay for it the next day: so I have learned to pace myself. The biggest challenge was that after 4 months I landed back in hospital with a relapse in the kidney condition. I figured out later that until then I had basically been struggling against the doctors and the powerful drugs they were prescribing. I knew I had at that stage lost my mojo and my positive outlook. I just wanted to be off the prednisolone and the other powerful drug I was on, Imuran. The time back in hospital, a 6 days this time, was a time for reflection and reassessment. That was easier than during my first stay months before, as this time I was in a smaller, quieter ward and was not going through such an intensive treatment process. On the Saturday I put out the Intention to be home and healed. After re-watching The EFT Movie: The Tapping Solution, I created a new EFT tapping session which I did twice on the Saturday and again on the Sunday. I was expecting to be allowed to go home on the Sunday for a few hours, when Dr came said why not just go home, you are on tablets from today- all in just over 24 hours. WE DO CREATE OUR OWN REALITY I decided I would now start working with the doctors and loving the drugs, as they had saved my life. I would combine that with having an alkaline, healthy food diet that I know will help beat the kidney disease too. A lot of the process is for me about letting go of the control and letting go of the fear of what might be. I am learning to be more accepting and a friend last week said that she saw something different in my eyes and this was acceptance. I was especially taken with her saying that, because that was the week I had been told, in a way that really hit home to me, that the condition I have is truly serious: but instead of bursting into tears as I would have done previously, I did accept what I was being told. At the same time, the picture the doctors have painted, that I should expect this condition and the treatment to last for at least the next 12 months, is not the picture I choose to have. While respecting their need to follow their processes, I continue to each day embrace self-healing practices that will empower and heal me alongside the medical treatment. I have now added in EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), Ho'oponopono (the ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness), and The Journey. And just this week I have started to use crystals as part of the healing process. I have embraced my creativity again as part of my healing journey and each morning when I wake up I get up and paint: sometime that is 4 am or even earlier, a side effect of the fact that I am usually retiring earlier each night than I did in the past! I know I am on purpose when I am painting: I am totally in the NOW. I have just completed The Intuitive Heart Series a 45 day process, which has been very
helpful. So I have gained a lot from what I now see as the gift of my kidney disease. Yes in every challenge there comes a gift, although sometimes that can be difficult to recognize or accept. I was blessed to be able to see the experience as a gift within the first week of my hospitalization back in July. My guides' download to me during the final dialysis session was that this journey was all about self-love. It was time to really look inside and embrace the gifts I have to share with the world. I was being given time to contemplate, to paint, to write and to heal. So in comes my friend patience........ who can be very testing. I do like to be doing! Still I am learning to rest, relax and release. One thing that has been very empowering for me has been taking a healing hour most days in the sun at the beach. I feel very blessed and full of gratitude that I live where I can do this on a daily basis. I do often ask myself how I attracted this disease to my body...What was I doing or not doing at the time? I haven't found a simple answer, although I know I was running on too many different tracks to be effective and I was hiding my light from the world. What I know now is that while I continue to heal I can put into place simple systems to both move me forward and empower me. And I believe the healing toolbox I am developing will help empower others who may be faced with similarly challenging experiences in their own lives. About the Author of Heart and Soul Suzie Cheel: aka The Creative Change Warrior: is an Intuitive Artist, Empowerment and Law of Attraction Trainer, Coach and Guide and an Inspirational Author. Suzie is passionate about supporting people who share her desire to make a difference and create a ripple effect of positive change. Suzie helps people to discover what makes their heart sing by unleashing their innate intuition and allow their hidden creativity to shine through. Suzie knows what is like to reinvent yourself: 25 years ago Suzie wrote and illustrated her book Emergings, a meditation on the emotions of change when I was navigating a major change in my career: I had a choice to make and I chose the path less traveled. Suzie s book Emergings will help anyone who is on the process of change. . More recently Suzie has found herself on a healing journey after a life threatening kidney failure in July this year. To learn more about Suzie and her writing please visit her blog/website: SuzieCheel.com
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Thank YOU!
As I come to the end of this Positive Living Handbook, I feel contentment. I feel like I have created a little nugget of positivity which will inturn send out ripples of happiness and healing in YOU and all those around you. I hope you enjoy and cherish this handbook, just as much as I have enjoyed and cherished every moment of its creation. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and for reading my humble words here in this Handbook and on my blog Positive Provocations. If you ever need my help in anyway, please never hesitate to ask. I'm always just an email away. I would love to hear from you. May your life be filled with love, happiness and positivity ALWAYS! With Immense Love & Gratitude,
Zeenat Merchant Syal

Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor/Motivational Speaker Naturopath/Holistic Healer/Writer
zeenat.syal@gmail.com | zeenatsyal@live.com
PositiveProvocations.com ~ Healing You Completely with Positivity, Love & Happiness!

Follow Me: Lets Talk: zeenat.syal zeenatsyal
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Positive Living Handbook

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POSITIVE LIVING HANDBOOK

50 Soulful ways to Be Positive Today&Everyday

Author: Zeenat Merchant Syal