New year, new you
At the start of the year we have a wonderful opportunity to focus on what we would like to manifest in our lives, and possibly some of things we would like to let go of. I always like to take some time as one year turns into the next to look back, assess how things are now, and vision in my goals for the future. How are you feeling about life? What goals do you have for the coming year? What steps are you going to take to make these goals happen? My father-in-law is fond of saying: success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Both are needed - ideas, dreams and consistent effort and work towards our goals. The most incredible things can be achieved. It starts with a vision. Then like a journey of a thousand miles, it is achieved by taking the first step, and keeping on going until you get there. And if you don’t ‘get there’ then have fun trying – as Plato said, life has a mysterious way of working out for the best in the end. Though I like to ‘live in the moment’ as much as the next mindfulness guru I think that focusing on goals is important. And as someone once said, goals without deadlines are just dreams, and I have a number of exciting projects that I am planning for 2018: Running an e-course on How To Have A Healthy Vegan Diet in January, finishing and publishing my new book, Healthy Living On A Budget, running more Healthy Living Festivals and giving more talks on healthy food and most exotic of all – for my 40th Birthday in October walking the Incan Trail and visiting Machu Picchu in Peru. I also want to focus on achieving the right balance of time for me, for my work and for my growing family. I’d like to get in better shape, lose some of the baby weight (Zachary is 4½ months old now) and get back to a solid regular practice of yoga, meditation and a morning green juice. Most of all, like most people I pray for health, happiness and peace for my family, the world and me. How will I achieve these goals? Just by wishful thinking? Not a chance. There are several techniques of manifestation I use. Vision Board By getting ideas out of your head and onto paper – by using words, drawings, photos and pictures you take a really important step towards manifestation. By creating a vision board and putting on it things you would like to manifest in your life and putting it up in a prominent place in your home, it helps to impress on your subconscious and conscious mind what you wish to achieve. As someone once said, write it down – make it happen. Positive Thoughts & Feelings When I focus on what I want to achieve, I analyse why? What thoughts and feelings does this bring to me? How do I feel when I think of doing yoga everyday? Great! So this feeling helps motivate me to bring this into my life. Keep On Our will power when directed to a cause in accordance with our highest good (or our dharma as the Buddhists call it) can literally move mountains. We all have obstacles and challenges, but through will power, determination and dedication we can turn obstacles into opportunities and achieve – but not if we give up too easily. Keep on keep on, one day the goal supreme! Teamwork Man is not an island. There are people out there who can help you. Don’t be shy or too proud to ask for help, from neighbours, friends and family or from the universe. A wise man once said, one man can’t move half a piano but two men can move a piano. Buddy up for support, inspiration and the joy of sharing. Gratitude It is all very well thinking that we will be happy if we could only have this, or get that, or go there, or live in such a house. I have seen monks in India who owned no possessions yet had contentment in their lives based on their trust in the universe and an enormous gratitude for life. Be grateful for what you have, and it empowers you to bring in even more of what brings you joy. Motivating Green Juice There is nothing like a fresh green juice to help focus the mind and get you going. Simply juice: 1 apple 1 cup of kale or other greens 1 carrot 1 stick of celery ½ lemon knob of ginger and stir in 1tsp of Juliette’s Kitchen Supergreen mix
