Intentions for 2017

I read the other day that we must trust the wait and embrace the uncertainty. We must enjoy the beauty of becoming and that when nothing is certain, anything is possible. My initial reaction was uh .. that's not how it feels. I then took a breathe and thought about these words for a minute. Why was I being pessimistic? These words are completely true. The scariest feeling is not being in control.

As Marissa Mayer says. If you push through that feeling of being scared, that feeling of taking risk, really amazing things can happen.

Alone, by ourselves we can build the kingdom we want. To be comfortable in our own skin, own space, not surrounded by people is important. To awake and smell the endless list of possibility awaiting us in the morning and to feel content in the evening is of matter. To sleep with a smile on our faces. To remember that our energy is worth more than any material matter. It is the currency in the world and the universe. Energetic Love, thoughts and intentions are the strongest blessing of them all. We must be honest with ourselves and always do what feels right. Do not live anyone else's life but live your own and stay true to you. Because, sometimes the teeniest step in the right direction can end up being the biggest step of your life.

May your character, preach more loudly than your words. - Mohamed Ayyed.

Below is a piece from Ernest Hemingway which made me realise, eliminate thoughts, but also create and set intentions not forgetting to have faith. I hope you can appreciate it as much as I did when I read it.

If there's empty spaces in your heart, they'll make you think it's wrong, like having empty spaces means you can never be strong.

But I've learnt that all these spaces, means there's room enough to grow and the people that once filled them were always meant to be let go.

And all those empty spaces, create a strange sort of pull, that attract so many people you wouldn't meet if they were full.

So if you're made of empty spaces don't ever think it's wrong, because maybe they're just empty, until the right person comes along.

This can be interpreted in many ways. The way in which Hemingway speaks of Emptiness and a Void which needs filling is something many people often feel, but need not too. Everything we search for is actually inside of us. Our bodies are an anatomy of stars and planets. No one, or nothing materialistic can truly make us happy forever other than ourselves. To be loved.. to find your soul mate if you believe in that sort of thing is a real once in a Lifetime blessing which shouldn't be desperately searched for, but taken by surprise with and appreciated.

When you are genuine and honest, people sense your integrity and respond by trusting you. Your relationships then become rich and rewarding. People feel safe around you and this ultimately serves you well.

Your guidance is to review your life honestly. Inspect those areas which you are not completely true to yourself and be ready to change them.

Aspire to be totally authentic and the universe will respond by opening doors to outcomes better than you could have ever imagined. - Diana Cooper

Vulnerability is also scary, terrifying actually and sometimes we don't even realise we are being vulnerable or taken advantage of. But.. only the brave and the open hearted dare to allow themselves to be vulnerable. It requires pure courage and faith to put down walls and expose your humanness. What comes from this? Freedom, love and a sense of inner safety .

Letting go of the familiar, is part of a cycle where fragility hangs and change occurs. The new cannot enter until the old has left. Never forget that the way people treat you is a statement of who they are as a being, not a statement about you.

I hope you know your capable and brave and fantastic, even when it feels like you're not!

What scares me the most is being the same as everyone else and obeying to society, its rules and frankly bizarre regulations, not forgetting what it asks of me as a woman too. I'm not afraid to be different, I think its a positive and from past experience will gain you a lot more in life.

I want it all. Why settle for less?

This year I am not setting Resolutions, I am setting Intentions and affirmations.

My intentions are:

Self Love. To appreciate myself, my body and my soul.

- 2016 was a challenging year. People and various things came into my life unexpectedly. I thought I had had a plan which then failed last minute leaving me slightly distraught and having to alter my path to find new doors to open. I met some amazing people, but was also disappointed, taken advantage of and manipulated several times. People are never who they seem.

To take baby Steps. Everything has a time and a place, baby steps.

- A few friends have recently become engaged, are married or are having kids or already have them. If not this are in stable, steady and very happy relationships or have their dream job or are living in amazing places!

Is there an age where all this has to be done? Does all this have to be done? Of course not! You don't get any special points for achieving things by a deadline. This does not make you a failure. One step at a time, it's not a race. Keep reminding myself that. To live in the moment, to go with the flow and to enjoy the low and see where my life takes me.

To wander. Allow my imagination to run wild and use this to my creative advantage to build my Portfolio, my Art work and my writing and Photography.

- I am an emotional person. I overthink things. I question. I find it difficult to trust. But, come experience I have learn't a lot, very quickly. Whether this is a good thing or not, I do not know but it has certainly helped put my head on my shoulders. I use this passion for life, for love and for art and put it into my creative work. I Photograph people who interest me who I think will fit into my style of Photography. I write about things I care about and feel the need to share and let out. And I produce illustrations when I feel the need to draw and create something Mindful.

To let go of expectation. This can bring disappointment.

- Having been someone who has expected a lot from people especially, has led me to feel let down. This is not the way I wish to live my day to day life. The minute the clock striked 12 on December 31st I no longer was going to allow myself this pain and worry. I let go. I let go of competing. Let go of comparing. Of anger. Regrets. Worrying. Blame. Guilt. Fear.

To practice Yoga daily. To practice every day without fail until I feel strong enough both physically and mentally within my practice to take a teacher training course for both myself and others.

- I have been practicing Yoga for years, as it is something which has helped me overcome many things. However the past year I have delved myself into Hot Yoga consisting of a very heated room and intense (incredible) practice. There are various types of Yoga and different teachers. Different class durations and unique styles of teaching. Sometimes the last thing I feel like doing is entering an almost 40 degree room to workout, but I will push myself and thank my mind body and soul for listening.

There is sometimes chanting, sometimes we hold poses for what seems like forever working very deep into the muscles and the core and sometimes we pace through a 90 minute practice sweating out all the toxins and working as hard as we possibly can. It feels good. I release a lot of anxiety and stress, leaving my body tingling from all the energy which is being pumped around my system.

I have fallen in Love with Yoga and all it brings and teaches. The lifestyle. It allows me to become myself fully and spend those 90 minutes completely indulging in my own spirit and needs, also aware of the community around me and the vibe within the class. We work together. Especially in Forest yoga, breathe together, flow together, start together and finish together. You are not alone.

Some day I hope to take a training course and spend a good 6 months or so learning how to teach, the fundamentals behind the mentality of Yoga and the scientific physical benefits behind this incredibly toning, mindful, fabulous way of exercising and stay fit.

Adventure. Find my wild.

- I need to get away. I need my own space. I just don't have a plan. Everyone seems to have a plan. I don't. Where will I be in a month, in two months? I have not a clue. Where do I want to be? I don't know. All I know is that I want to move away from home and start fresh. To continue creating projects, to continue creative writing, and to build a home again. To be able to have my own space and share this. Explore, create, delve into the unknown. Start something new. Stop thinking so much and to just do it!

To Snap, Snap, Snap. Take my polaroid everywhere I go, travel with my camera and journal always. Record memories, make notes, write blogs.

- Polaroids are something very close to my heart. The photo is taken and instantly comes out from within the camera. Instant memory. Amazing! All the polaroids I own mean something to me. There is a wall in my room filled with images. Underneath each photo is the place / person / year of where / when it was taken. They are small. Small enough to fit into a wallet. Small enough to pop into your iphone case and travel with.

As Buddha says, you, yourself as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. Worrying does not take away tomorrows troubles. It takes away todays peace. A little progress each day will add to big results. Remember that the body benefits from movement and the mind from stillness.

Do one thing at a time, slowly, deliberately and completely. Set yourself your own intentions and become aware of what it is you want and can achieve.

Happy new year!

Namaste

My soul honours your soul.

I honur the place in you where the entire universe resides.

I honour the light, love, truth, beauty and peace within you.

Because it is also within me.

In sharing these things, we are united.

We are the same.

We are one.

#selflove #love #mindfulness #mindful #buddha #aspire #inspire