Positive Living Handbook

7/31/2019 Positive Living Handbook

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POSITIVE LIVING HANDBOOK 50 Soulful ways to Be Positive Today&Everyday

Presented bypositiveprovocations.com 1 Author: Zeenat Merchant Syal
http://positiveprovocations.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/


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Table Of Contentspage no.

a.

A Love Offering 3b. About the Author 4c. How to use this Positive Living Handbook? 5d. 50 Soulful Ways to be Positive Today&Everyday. 6e. Special People with Positive Experiences 24f. Thank YOU! 41



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A Love OfferingAs I sit here to write and create this Positive living Handbook for you, I cant help but wonder whowill be reading this. In all my wondering, there is one thing I am certain of, and that is that whoeverreads 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 healingeveryday lies true happiness and contentment. What a wonderful world it would be, if we couldfeel this fulfillment everyday..... Ah the bliss!

This ebook is YOURS completely and totally. Its a Love Offering, a gift for YOU to read, to learnfrom, 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 wholehandbook 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 YOUwant 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 SyalCounseling Psychologist/Spiritual CounselorMotivational Speaker/NaturopathHolistic healer/Writer



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About the AuthorProfession&Passion:

I am the founder and writer of the blog~PositiveProvocations~Healing you completely with Positivity, Love &

Happiness!

A Practicing Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual

Counselor/Motivational Speaker/Naturopath/HolisticHealer/Writer by profession (since the past 10 years) and SpiritualTraveler/Empath/Butterfly Lover/Chocolate Freak/EternalOptimist/Happiness Agent/Nomadic Traveler by passion.

I hold degrees in Counseling and Motivational Psychology, Holisticand Naturopathic medicine, including a Doctorate in SpiritualCounseling.

Am also an eternal student and researcher of the school of lifeand 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 newreality 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 wantto be remembered as a person who shed light & made a positive impact on the lives ofothers.

In my experience, I have conducted many motivational seminars for organizedgroups and multinational companies. Have treated many physical and mental diseasessuccessfully 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, Oneon One Counselling, Life Coaching, Spiritual Counseling, Spiritual/Soul Cleansing andhealing, Sujok, Acupressure, Pranic Healing, Juice and Food Therapy, Herbal Cure, PrayerHealing, Distance Healing etc..

http://zeenatsyal.wordpress.com/http://zeenatsyal.wordpress.com/http://zeenatsyal.wordpress.com/motivational-seminars/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://zeenatsyal.wordpress.com/http://zeenatsyal.wordpress.com/http://zeenatsyal.wordpress.com/http://zeenatsyal.wordpress.com/motivational-seminars/http://positiveprovocations.com/


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How to Use this PositiveLiving 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 readany 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 beingcompletely: mind, heart and soul, and nudge you in the positive direction every time youread 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 writersto share their positive experiences with you right here in this Positive Living Handbook! Youcan read their experiences after the50 soulful ways to be positive today and everydayconcludes.

So now, without much further ado.....Lets begin our Positive living NOW....Yippeee..... :)



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~

50 Soulful waysto Be Positive

Today &Everyday

~



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"A strong positive attitudewill create more miracles

than any wonder drug."

~Patricia Neal



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With each passing day we think we are mastering life. But really, are we? In the puremundane 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 onthe upkeep and sustenance of this physical body, about which we so surely know is notgoing 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, isyour deeds. Deeds and acts of love, positivity and kindness remain forever. Even afteryour 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 tofollow in her footsteps. They still remain alive in the millions she helped, who must still bepraying for her and telling their grandchildren about a great Woman who once savedthem with her love and kindness.

Now many may say, but she was Mother Teresa. She was great etc etc etc.... Whatmade her great? What makes her part of the first example I choose to add in this book- itremains 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 immensepower to do Good.

If she can excel and succeed in what she wanted to do, Why cant we?



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Remember this, she lived with heart and soul. Whether you are after money and riches orpeace and spiritual growth, living positively with heart and soul will not let youcompromise 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 achance of Becoming completely healed. There will be less heartache, less pain, less stressand in totality we will be creating a more loving world. And all this hand in hand you andI!

The 50 soulful ways are simple yet effective ways to nudge your soul in the positivedirection. These 50 ways are here to remind you, that you too can create your very ownmiracles. You just need to keep that attitude of yours in check and the rest will take careof itself.

50 Soulful ways to bePositive today&everyday:

1. Realize its possible, instead of telling yourself why you cant.

Whenever we start something new, we often start byNOT believing in ourself. We start by thinking, "oh I really

cant do that. Its too difficult. Its not my thing......" Thiskind of negative thinking is not only damaging to theproject at hand, but also to your soul. Constantlyrejecting and belittling yourself, even in your own mindis not a positive way to live.To live positively, you need to realize that "anything ispossible" and that you CAN DO ANYTHING! Tell yourself

this before you start your day, everyday or before you start a new project "I CANDO ANYTHING!"

2. Become aware of your self-talk.Self talk is simply what you say to yourself, in your heart, inyour mind basically when noone else is listening. How DOyou talk to yourself? If its positively by appreciating yourgood qualities and not freaking out on your not so goodqualities, then your self talk is positive and will keep youpositive. If Not, then start paying attention to how andwhat you talk to yourself. In one single day you haveumpteen conversations with yourself. Make theseconversations your motivators. For as you know, it all starts

with talk...be it with yourself or with another soul.



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3. Squash negative thoughts like a bug.

Negative thoughts have a way of taking a life of theirown in your mind. The more energy we spend on them,the stronger they become. But if you think of thesenegative thoughts as little tiny bugs eating at your heart

and soul, then you can choose to squash them atsource. Only positive happy thoughts get privilege inthat 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 squashnegative thoughts like a bug they need to beeradicated at source. But even if you do that, life andsituations have a way of letting them resurface. Whatthen? Replacement. Its a simple conscious choice of

replacing every negative thought that come to yourmind with a positive one. Like when something is notworking out, dont tell yourself 'I cant do it. I will neverbe able to accomplish this'...Instead replacethat 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 biggestmistake we make. Be constantly aware of the way youthink and what you think. Dont think and live on autopilot.Be aware of everything you say and feel. Its one of themost potent ways of living a positive life. In time this willbecome a habit.

6. Love what you have already.

In most of my sessions and meetings with people, there isone thing very common- Unhappiness because ofsomething they 'dont' have. We often think if we have somuch money, if we had a big house, if we had just onechild, if he/she was still with me, if if if if.....so manyifs....and what do we say after that...If we had ....wewould be happy. Really! Our happiness is not to bedepended 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 lovingthoughts towards yourself can get you to that happy place. In short, please lovewhat you already have instead of dwelling in the 'ifs'. Makes for positive happyliving.



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7. Be grateful for your life, your gifts, and other people.

How many times a day do you actually thank YourMaker? Being engrossed in life, we tend to forget togive thanks. If we dont love what we already have,

how will we be grateful for it all? Count your blessingseach day. You'll be surprised as to how much youalready have. That blessed feeling is positive andhappy.

8. Checking the 'know it all' Every day.

Once we have reached a certain stage in our lives, webecome complacent. Being content is different frombeing complacent. When we become complacent we

feel like we have done it all, read it all, learned it all, knowit all. Reaching this stage means, you feel like there is nomore to know, to learn, to explore. Its a very dangerous,egoist and negative frame of mind. In order that this levelof complacency doesnt set it, we need to keep a checkon 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 theunique ability to create a need in you which you never

had before. Its easy to lose focus in a world where youare constantly bombarded with slogans of things youdont 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' sendyou 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 thevery source of our heartache is comparison. Weinadvertently want to be like others. There is nothingwrong with looking up at someone and admiring whatthey do. Infact there is nothing wrong with wanting asuccess like them either. Whats wrong is wanting itexactly like them, thinking being like them, you can getwhat they have. Remember this, YOU and your soul andhow it grows and flourishes is completely Unique. Whenour finger prints are completely unique, they how can our

approaches be the same as another? Embrace your uniqueness and realizewhat 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 eminentpersonalities in history or even from your own life, isa very positive and healthy habit. Its one of those

habits that is constantly nourishing your soul. Lookaround you, look in your history books...whoinspires you? Then see what positive habits theyhad which you can incorporate in your own life. Itsa sure fire way to think and be positive, withouteven trying too hard.

12.Accept criticism with grace.

The sign of a positively loving soul is when you

can hear someone say something negative toyou or about you and still react in a lovingmanner. Grace is when you can accept andunderstand what the other person is sayingwithout letting it 'get' to you. The reason thiscriticism doesnt get to you is cause youalready know and understand your ownshortcomings, hence your reaction is not just

graceful, but also loving and understanding. Listen to critics, but still do your ownthing.

13.Ignore the naysayers.

Ok, so we dont live in a perfect world, where everyone is polite and loving. Iagree and understand that. What I dont understand is why we let someoneelse's opinion of us matter so much that it ends up hurting us. People will sayimperfect 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 completeacceptance 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 jitterywhen something unexpectedly negativehappens. eg. If they missed the bus, if the catcrosses their path or even if they are late for ameeting due to traffic...Who can honestly say they have never beenthrough a negative life event or experienceever? Not even the most successful have beenleft untouched by the 'bad experiences' bug. A

Positive soul has the ability to look above and beyond 'the bad'. A positive soulsees a missed bus, a bout of traffic as a blessing in disguise. They find ways tolook at the bigger picture. One bout of traffic cant put a damper on the whole



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day. One little cat cant make you question your otherwise full life. A missed busmeans more time to dwell in nature or a chance to call an old friend you havebeen too busy to call. There is a blessing in everything, in every moment! See itwith your heart.

15.See failure as a stepping stone to success.I have to admit, I am beyond horrid withnumbers. I struggled all through my schoolingyears with maths. I literally thank the advent ofcell phones and their calculators. I am thatbad with number..literally. But not being goodat numbers made me good at everythingelse. I am not justifying my lack of math skills,what I'm simply saying is that even aftermajorly failing at maths in my term papers, I still

managed to Ace all the other subjects. TodayI am happily announcing my lack of math, because I was able to look beyondthat lack and hone the things I was good at. One area of failing doesnt meaneverything is going to fail as a result of it. Infact its a sign to look beyond...there issomething 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 comesacross 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 withpositive people, who uplift your being notonly keeps you positive, but it also keepseveryone around you positive. Your heartand soul feel a constant nudge to think andbe better.

17.Complain less, smile more.

Whether its complaining verbally or mentally,complaining is a negative trait. Everytime youcomplain, you are not just saying stuff or ventingetc...you are constantly eroding that wound on yoursoul. Everytime you complain you lend energy and lifeto the wound. Whenever you feel and urge tocomplain, SMILE! Yes, its simple, yet highly effective.Replace the complain with a smile. You willimmediately feel a lightness in your being. Smile smilesmile. When you smile so does your heart and soul. Its agorgeous chain reaction.



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18.Imagine that youre already positive.

Your imagination is a very very powerful tool, which is atyour disposal at every moment in your life. Use this toolwisely. 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 aconfidently awesome interview. Feel the confidence andhappiness you would feel after a good interview, as if itsalready happened. That positive belief in yourself send outamazing vibes, and inturn makes the coming task at handsimpler, and more productive.

19.Start positive regularly.

Everyday there are so so many opportunities for us to react and be positive, butwe 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 andremind 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 howbeautiful 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 liketo sit and think about the past, especially the hurtingpast. When I tried to analyze why this was happeningwith 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 thispresent moment happy. This moment is all thatmatters. My happiness of this moment cant beshaken by anything, anything at all! The past is historyand the future a mystery, but the present is righthere, 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 onlymuscle of the body, which inspite of not having a bone, can 'hit' harder that anybullet. Words have immense power. Why not use that power positively?Gossiping or spelling out another persons flaws in front of many others is not onlyinhumane, but also completely against your positive growth. When you saysomething 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 youembody these characteristics, then keep a leash constantly on that muscle inyour 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 readingthis...SMILE WIDE! See how good it makes youfeel. Now go to the mirror and make a funnyface at yourself, see how all the stress dissolves

after you do that. Lighten up simply means notto take things too seriously. Its good to plan agood life and be involved in the details of theBig Goal, but its not really great when yourwhole life becomes engulfed in the same

planning process. When will you live, if you keep planning and worrying? Livenow and let plans work out. I have noticed that although you might have aplan, many a times going with flow is what works best. Infuse smiles, laughter andfun in your daily life.

23.Lifestyle Simplification Our days are full of plans, things, people, stuff.....and thestuff is everywhere! Look around you right now. What doyou see? Stuff! Now think about all your stuff and see,what do you NEED and what do you WANT? Your needsleave you feeling lighter, happier and more at ease withyourself and your surroundings. Whereas your Wants havea tendency to keep you dissatisfied, unhappy andnegative. To truly simplify your lifestyle, dont just apply theNEED and WANT rule to your stuff, use it for your thoughts

as well. Do you need to think about the past and dwell inthe pain? No! Ofcourse not! You need to be Happy butyou want to think about the past. Once this thoughtprocess becomes a habit, you will live a happier, more

positive life.

24.Meditation

To meditate means to 'calm' your mind, yourthoughts and your complete being. Thetraditional ways of meditation are all beautiful,but I want you to add another positivedimension to you DAILY meditative practice. Iknow the thought of taking out time form youalready full day to sit quietly and meditatesometimes seems far fetched to some, butbelieve me there is a simple way to addpositive meditation to your day. Whenever you

feel upset, sad, angry, tired, irritated or any negative emotion- stop yourself andjust sit down in a comfortable position. Breathe. Count and take 10 to 20 deepbreaths. Breathe in- breathe out slowly...slower with every breath. While you takethese 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 thetendency to get so preoccupied and involved with the nitty gritty, that weforget about the BIG picture. For example, as I am writing this book, I still have tolive 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...amongmany many roles that are me. Although many days pass by with this book beingwritten 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 forthe successful creation of it effortlessly. Hence today I sit to write this book for youand am telling you, to focus on only the necessary. The rest of your life willautomatically flow with this necessary and make life so much for happilyrewarding. Everything will work in perfect synergy when we focus on the ONEpositive goal or even many positive goals.

26.Live With Purpose Before we talk about purpose, let meclarify,your purpose is not your profession.While your profession can facilitate yourpurpose in time, but your purpose is what youwere born to do. Like my purpose is to helpand heal, and my professional choices reflectthat 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 myconversations Are with this very purpose. Hence, when you Know your purposeand live with purpose, a positive glow of happiness emits from you, which noamount of problems or pressures can take away. You know what you were bornto do. Just LIVE that. To find your purpose ask yourself this: What act makes me sohappily immersed in it that I even forget to eat or drink?

27.Carry a positive Trigger

OK, we all tend to freak out the secondsomething is not going according to plan, oraccording to the way we expect it to workout. Its in these situation specifically that youneed a kind of trigger to push your mindback to the positive track. Whether youre athome, work or the supermarket a positivetrigger can be a picture, a quote, a keychain, or even a text on your phone.

Anything that can be carried with you at all times and has the ability to makeyou think positive happy thoughts. Just flip out this positive trigger when you aredown and get right back on the positive track.



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28.Smile Consciously

There are days, when we carry that plastic smilearound. We might meet people, smile and greet themcordially on those days, but havent really done ithappily. Every morning when I awake, I make myself a

promise, to smile like I mean it. Believe me just onesmile coming from the heart can not only make yourwhole being happy, but also spread the happiness toall 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 growingup. Never knew what poverty or being lessprivileged meant. But I still remember my Dad

bringing me National Geographic magazines andBBC documentaries to read and watch(there wasno cable when I was growing up), so that I couldknow what was going on around the world. I havecried buckets watching them and then when Imoved back to India and saw those conditions

with my own two eyes, I really felt this need to DO more. I believe that when youcan FEEL their pain, you know you are on the positive track. You are a goodperson. When you stop feeling, it means there is some part of your heart thatsnot 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 thereand 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 andfew on my work desk, which are full of inspirationalwords and prayers. When I am having a particularlydifficult day, I just pick up any one book and read aparagraph. Instantly Im back into thinking andfeeling happy and positive. I also have these littlecards full of inspirational quotes on my desks, fridgesand walls to get me thinking happy positivethoughts. When you have inspiration around you, itshard 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. Myfantasy world was a castle in the sky, full of fairies and princesses, rainbows andbutterflies, flowers and birds. When we grow up and life takes over, we tend toforget our fantasy lands. But if you can think back and remember as a child, itswhen 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



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different happy fantasy be a coping mechanism now? Try it just for 5 minutesespecially when you are having a particularly bad dayI bet within the first fiveminutes you can break into a wide wide smile

32.Be Spontaneous

Allow spontaneity to invade yourroutine. I have never really been thekind of person who follows a routine. Ifind that I am happier when I only dowhat I feel like, what my heart tells meto do at the current moment. If youdont allow some spontaneousmoments into your life, a mindlessroutine will start to get really old andwear 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 isperfect. Accept them anyways. Love your friends, love your situation, love everylittle thing about your self and your life and accept the shortcomings. Inaccepting we stop expecting. Expectation only brings about sadness andregret. Both not very happy emotions. No expectation means no regret, nosadness. Acceptance paves the way for immense happiness everyday.

34.Count Your Blessings & Be Thankful Reserve five minutes each day to walkaround your house and pick two or threethings you take for granted the carpet,soap, a spice rack, a pencil and reallyappreciate it. Think about how you use theobject, how you benefit, how life would bedifferent without it. By focusing on how thisobject makes your life better, youappreciate it more you count yourblessings. The pencil may add utility to your

life, regardless. But only in recognizing that utility can it bring you satisfaction andvalue. You may also recognize that the object brings you no benefit that it isjust taking space and collecting dust and that you really should be giving itaway (Getting rid of clutter has the added benefit that it lets you focus yourappreciation on the items that really can bring you happiness).Being thankful can completely transform ones disposition. The more we pauseto consider the things we have to be grateful for, the more we begin to focus onthose 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 intoour lives.



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35.Love Unconditionally

Unconditional Love is a dynamic and powerful energythat lifts us through the most difficult times. It isavailable at any moment by turning our attention to itand using its wonderful potential to free us from our

limitations. Lovingunconditionally begins withourselves, for without self-love, we cannot know whattrue love can be. In loving ourselves, we allow thefeeling to generate within us and then we can share itwith everyone and everything around us! That whichwe send out, returns to us in greater measure. If youhave not thought about how you feel towards

yourself, physically, mentally, and emotionally, or spiritually, I invite you to do sonow. Begin the journey that changes everything. Begin the journey ofunconditional loveand be Happily positive.

36.Happyfy your relationship with Your Self.

Make daily decisions that allow you to reprogramyourself to believe that you are deserving of havingwhat you want. You are deserving of feeling good inyour body, worthy of focusing on success, and worthy ofyour own love and appreciation. Although it mayrequire effort and perseverance, you can become yourown 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 isalways negative but be honest in a positive way.Say what you truly mean, but keep it based onfact. Avoid personal comment and gossip. Speakwell of others whenever possible, and speak wellof yourself too. Respect others enough to assumethat they mean well unless there is evidence to thecontrary. For example, if someone makes anegative or dismissive remark about your work,dont take it personally and fire off a negativesnappy response. Instead, think about the remarkfor a moment, and see if there is anything you canlearn from it. Let the other person know that youappreciate their being so open with you, but saycalmly that you found their approach very

confrontational. (Some people are genuinely unaware that they come across asaggressive.)Being positive doesnt mean you are a doormat it means you area strong person who can assess the meaning of someones words without beingdistracted by their mode of expression.



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38.Be a positive role model

Make yourself a positive role model for others. Bethe person who always looks for the good inothers, points out their skills and acknowledgestheir contributions. Speaks to them as you would

like to be spoken to, and dont allow thenegativity of others to draw you into a destructivegame of tit-for-tat.

39.Avoid AssumptionsTreat situations the same way you intend to treat people. Whether its a familyargument or a situation at work, dont just steam in making snap judgments andassigning responsibility. Take a moment to assess the situation, ask questions andfind 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 theway we learn. Think of how mothers dealwith babies small children need to beencouraged to try things again andagain, testing out different methods,being gently encouraged until theymaster the skills of standing, walking,sorting shapes and so on. Adults are nodifferent. Even if things are clearlyexplained and support is provided, therewill be mistakes. Forgive mistakes

-including your own. Make sure you and everyone involved understands whythey happened, and dont use them as sticks to beat others. That way youllsupport everyones creativity and build love and trust in your relationships withthose around you.

41.Be Trusting

Learn to trust in the choice or decision tomake a change. Practice respect for theconfidentiality of decisions and choices. It

is often important not to tell everyoneabout a resolution right away. Maintain asafe space for the change by holding itsember tenderly in the heart for a while. Itwill be clear when the time for sharing isright.

42.let Beginners Mind Emerge

Be open to new ideas on how to accomplish desired changes. Allow the mindto relax and be open to approaching a change in new and fresh ways. Letspontaneous ideas and insights emerge. Think about other goals and successesthat have been achieved? What fueled those successes? Are there new and



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innovative ways of achieving this goal that have not yet been tried?

43.Be AcceptingFix what is broken and dont fix what aint.Somethings may have to wait until after theholidays, but I have spent the last few

months replacing all my old and terribleappliances that never did work properly.Many small electronics were over ten yearsold and I decided I was no longer going tofight 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 wascomfortable like an old pair of shoes, my favorite beat-up chair and limited pre-paid 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 orproblem arises that we feel must beaddressed. By making a mission statementfor yourself you will be more apt to stay thecourse during any trial. For exampleproducing work which is edifying to yourselfand others only. Money is important, but wehave all learned the hard way during thepay later heyday that a bird in the hand is

better than two in the bush and that quality and sustainability are moreimportant than quantity and risk. Passion will raise your productivity positively.

45.Give and Receive Self Acknowledgment

Look for ways to authentically acknowledge theinner self. Practice the art of supporting specificachievements in growth. Applaud when smallsuccesses are achieved on the journey towardrealizing a goal.

It doesnt take a lot of fanfare. Simply say quietlyto the inner mind, Wow, great job!

46.Be harmonious with nature

To feel in harmony with nature is intenselypleasurable. To feel at one with the trees,valleys, stars and grass not only maintainsgood mood but inspires creativity and clearperception. Harmony with nature gives usperspective on our own lives. Modernstresses make us lose sight of what is truly

important to us. When you feel harmoniouswith nature you regain vision andperspective on your own life. You see where



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you truly 'fit' in the great scheme of things and can gain insight into what reallyneeds to be done in your life - as part of the greater whole. We can't removeourselves from nature. To be in harmony with nature is to be in harmony withourselves.

47.Be a kindness Agent and do Random Acts of Kindness

Once we have begun to slow down andreally notice people, we may feelcompelled to offer a kindness of some kind,especially if we see that they themselvesare disconnected from others. Byreconnecting through a kind act, we mayfacilitate an opening of their eyes, theirheart, by a demonstration of our own.Simple gestures speak boldly of kindness. Adoor held open; a hearty Thank You when

one is held open for you. Offering up the closer parking space. Randomlyputting change in someones expired parking meter. Providing the small changesomeone doesnt have to pay his or her grocery bill. The list is endless. Becreative and create a kindness list of your own. Ask yourself, what very simplething 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 thisdivine love? It was just after my brotherpassed away in a sudden car

accident.before I saw him(his body),before I told my mother about it, beforeanyone in my family knew about it. I wasstanding at a booth, trying to call mybrother, when my fingers automaticallydialed a friend. As soon as I said hello, I gotthe news. I mustve frozen there for nearly 4

minutes after hearing the news, but it seemed like an eternity. In that moment asI closed my eyes, I saw light. I felt like someone was making my heart beatcalmer, 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. Idont know where I got the strength to take care of it allthe arrangement, mymotherEven as I type this my fingers are shivering. Not cause Im scared or sador upsetBecause I am so in Awe of this glorious Divine love. My strength, myconfidence comes from the simple and certain belief that I am always lovedand 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 onegood, happy, positive thought. If we actually take

the time to tell our self and think as we open oureyes :Today is the best day of my life! Not onlywill that awesome thought brighten that day, but



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all days to come. Cause every day will become the best day of your life full ofpositivity and hope. And in this day, you will face ups and you will face downsbut what will remain constant is this peaceful feeling right in your gut, that this isthe best day.It makes your Ups higher and your lows higher too! The minusculebad 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, causehey This is the best day of your life! Just think of all the birthdays, graduations,weddings, anniversaries, occasionswhat were you thinking when you woke upthe day of your graduation or wedding or birthday? Werent they all awesome,happy, excited thoughts? And how did that day turn out for you??Awesomeright? Just goes to show how so very important choosing the right positivethought 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 needsome positive replenishment too. You canreplenish your soul positively by beingaware, that you are not just your body, buta being of light constantly joined to TheDivine life force and telling your soul thisnourishing positive affirmation:I am Present. Here and Now.

Slowing down pace in living contributes tothe process.

Time of quiet Meditation and Prayerenhances 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 someof my favorite personal developmentauthors/writers. Enjoy!}

Special Peoplewith PositiveExperiences



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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 canfind an infinite abundance of positiveexperiences all around. In fact, even thechallenging, what we would call toughertimes can be transmuted into positive giftswhen we start seeing them from anexpanded state of conscious awareness.

Looking back over my life, it is with a bigsmile that I feel deep gratitude for all of thepositive experiences in it. I dont think I can

label one particular experience as themost positive, as each is so valuable inbeing 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 onewould imagine from a typical trip. One of those experiences was something called theAyni 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 helppracticed for centuries, and to this day by various indigenous cultures and peoples ofPeru 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 paradigmof life, entire communities are built and fostered. From building homes and roads, toclearing land and growing crops, every task is mutually shared when the support isneeded.

Such a way of life works, and has worked as the people recognize they are one, andtherefore act as one. There is no tit for tat, no tallying who did what for whom, or fear ifyour efforts will be repaid. Everyone works for the health, strength and survival of thecommunity.

During my trip to Peru, I got to experience that there is so much that the country and itspeople offer of themselves. Just being in the countrys energy, is gift enough. And so inthe middle of the trip, on one particular afternoon, we were set to meet with a group ofschool children and their families, who live in a remote, poor and very needy village in themountains. Our group guide made arrangements for us to foster this community withour 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 intothe materials the children, their families and their village needed most. These includedschool supplies and backpacks; craft supplies; blankets; farming tools and bags of crop



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seeds. We also treated the children with some hot chocolate and sweet bread, both ofwhich are unknown to the children.

The afternoon with the children and their families turned out to be so moving andrewarding 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 ourgroup. The women from the village showed their gratitude by first showering us with flowerpetals, and later in the experience treating us to some corn and traditional cheese theymake. They may have so little, and yet without hesitation share what little they have sogenerously.

On our end, we took turns personally giving each child and the village members the itemswe brought to help them out. During this time, an abundance of hugs, kisses, smiles andlaughter were shared. We did not speak each others language, but we allcommunicated 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. Thechildren, their families and all of us not only felt love, but were love in action. We felt wewere able to give something to the members of this village that can help their life andsurvival. And the village members felt that they were able to give to us something in anact 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 ofmaterial goods or value. On the contrary, what we received from them in terms of theirlove and gratitude, but most importantly their open hearts, was more perhaps than any ofus 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 thisbenefit me mentality. We do not show our emotions easily and usually reserve our lovefor family or friends we favor. Therefore the gift we got through this mutual act of givingand receiving was deeply moving for myself, as it was for the other members of thegroup. 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 tocome 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 theleast 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 cometogether as one. They realize that the health and strength of the community comes onlythrough 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 somuch. Even those of us who think we have little, have more than whole families or



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communities living in other parts of the world. So many of us complain, nag or live inconstant discontent wanting the elusive more rather than being grateful and findingthe gift in all that we already have. An experience like this can teach us to find gratitudefor everything we are and everything we have, because it all is an amazing gift and partof our personal journey!

4. An Open Heart Connection

Although this particular Ayni experience was not something one plans to, or is perhapseven able to experience on a daily basis, each day we are given the chance to openour heart to someone. This is what the Ayni experience is all about in the endopeningour heart to others without any expectation of any returns. Each of us can give throughour 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 ofopening our heart to all those who we come into contact with each day, whether friendor 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 andchoose to act on it.

About the Author of Reciprocal Love in action:

Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN is the founder and editor

ofEvolvingBeings.com an online publication to awaken and inspirepeople 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 ofEvolvingWellness.com an online publicationfeaturing numerous resources to help people attain optimal health and

wellness.

http://evolvingbeings.com/http://evolvingwellness.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://evolvingbeings.com/http://evolvingwellness.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/


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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 essenceof mind has been the single most positive experienceof my life.

Take the Dalai Lama, for example. His warm heart,infectious smile, and positive disposition seem to radiatefor miles in all directions. Even sitting among thousandsof people listening to one of his talks, you feel magicallyenveloped and transfixed by his love, compassion,spaciousness, and humor. These heart-felt, qualities incombination with his exceptional wisdom, have made

him one of the most respected world leaders accordingto 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. Thespace of mind that is never touched by the busy stream of clouds - all the thoughts andemotions - that are constantly passing through. The place where suffering comes to anend.

Following a spiritual teacher may not be everyones cup of tea. And, its certainly notalways 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 liftand enjoy the vast, unimpeded view.

Its important to know that there are different levels of teachers ranging from a spiritualfriend to a mentor all the way up to a full blown spiritual master. Not every teacher hasachieved the same level of realization; not everyone can show you the full view. Adifferent 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 andendowed 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 highlyrealized teacher. Some of the following points apply strictly to working with a spiritualmaster, one who has realized his true nature and has the power to reflect your inneressence 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 tobecome a heart surgeon, you need a teacher. If you want to become a mastercarpenter, you apprentice. Why would it be any different on the spiritual path, which isreplete 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 - aswell as prayers and aspirations in concert with sufficiently purified karma. It might be aonce in a lifetime opportunity.



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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 likea living mirror that reflects your relationship to life and the world around you. Its a highlypersonalized relationship, regardless of whether you are close to him or her. And, to agreat degree, its all about you.

In the presence of a commanding teacher, the deepest inner stuff bubbles right up to thetop. How you relate to a teacher depends - to a large extent - upon your own habitualtendencies. Thus, you might idolize the teacher, be enamored of him or her, overcomeby doubt, feel aversion, refuse to be constrained, or be outright critical. Rarely are weable 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 astudents spiritual evolution so rapidly - if the process is correctly understood. On the otherhand, if we are fully identified with the ego, our own way of seeing the world, and ourdysfunctional 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 mayjust 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. Whilethe prodding may be uncomfortable, the ability to explore and release our reactions canbe extremely beneficial to genuine spiritual growth. As the eighth century spiritualteacher 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. Didanyone 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 veryalluring. The outer teacher is actually the embodiment of your inner teacher, helping youto discern between clarity and confusion.

A true teacher isnt giving you something new from outside, but helps you to realize thecontinuous 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 offalling into old patterns of conceptual thought.

While our aspiration may be vast, most of us have strong habitual tendencies, super-sensitive egos, and are adept at following the same route to delusion over and overagain. The teacher is there to help set us straight. His or her kindness may sometimes feellike a prick, but, if we remember its truly the heart of compassion, it will surely spur us alongon 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 truemaster 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 beenincredibly close to a teacher, the paragon of contrived devotion. Ive had my buttonspushed 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 willnever 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 thisthis life is reliable or bound to last. Like yesterdays dream, everything is impermanent andslightly unreal. I cant catch yesterday and tomorrow has yet to appear. Its only thisinnermost nature - unborn and unceasing - that will see me through. Its through theblessing of the master that I have come to know this essence of mind, so wide and sopure.

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 blogAlways Well Within.

http://alwayswellwithin.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://alwayswellwithin.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/


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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 maturedand 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 havechallenges 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. Icould 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



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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 thensometime 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 fromyour 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 toovercome 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.

http://www.poweredbyintuition.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://www.poweredbyintuition.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/


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The Cave of Vulnerability

by joy holland

The photo above was recently taken while myfeet were firmly planted in the middle of thelabyrinth at a beautiful place called PeaceAwareness. I am fascinated with the journeymy self takes while walking the labyrinth. Instudying the labyrinth, one interpretation is thateach walk is a rebirth; similar to how I vieweach daya chance to rebirth. I begin eachday and each labyrinth walk in the same way:by setting an intention (and perhaps asking a

question) then opening my heart to all that ispresented. Rather than insist upon a specificoutcome, I allow forall that is placed. It is agentle 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 absolutelyaffirming the way I choose to live. Choosing to invest fully in the journey, while allowing for*everything*, involves therisk of vulnerability; I never know what will happen, but becauseI trust that it is perfectly placed, I open my life to experience it fully (whatever it is). Thisphoto, then, is symbolic of the way I choose to live: firmly planted in the midst of peace, Iopen my heart to love fully, to share generously, and to allow gratitude to magnify all thatI create and share.

I do not believe that life happens to me; I believe that my life is a result of thecombination of all that I choose to ingest into my being and all that I choose to invest myenergy into external of my being. If one was familiar with my personal history--from themoment 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 Ido. It is not only possible, it is real; to illustrate Id like to share a story from my recentjourney. 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 putinto an incubator, already fighting to survive within my first few moments of life. Onemight say I was born with an open heart ready to love the world, almost immediatelyshielded by the barrier of wishing to survive.

When I was an infant, my parents divorced and during a visit, my birth mother whisked meaway to a place unknown to my father. After years of working the legal system, my fatherwon 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 sucha way.



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One might find it interesting that --despite this shield--I lead a heart based life, one ofgenuine service and love and faith. My shield is heavy, but Ive learned to place it to theside while I live fully. While it has been my greatest desire to lay it down altogether, it isalso 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 issometimes the very reason I am unable to soar although my entire being is buoyant andready.

This past summer, after committing to transparency in all of my relations and doing innercore work to release barriers, universe placed a partner in my life with the onedenominator I have resisted my entire life: long distance. This perfectly placed partner isa nomadic traveler (is that redundant? I feel it is exponential!), meaning I had the choiceto embrace this magical connection through my deepest fear, or to release that which Ihad practically asked for my entire life.

On the surface, he and I are quite different and I could have allowed those differences tobe the excuse to choose to not relate (because fear needs and excuse). However, weconnect through inner core, which is rare and beautifulso I chose to open my heart tonew and different, to even embrace my biggest fearas I allowed this beautifulconnection 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 enterthis cave of

vulnerability if I left my shield outside. I immediately realized that without my shield, I didnot know how to proceed. In life, I am a feeler so when I do not know how to doproceed 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, Ispecialize in effortlessly relating with people, yet without this shield I had no idea how torelate to this one person. I released my old pattern of quitting; instead of allowing fear toredirect me, I chose to open my heart and enter the cave. In the cave of vulnerability, Ifound my answer: this one person was a reflection of me; I had no idea how to relate tome, barrier free!In opening my heart to love him , I learned to love me. Each time that I was willing torelease resistance and open to new, I was able to understand and accept that whichwas different or unique about him (thus, understanding and accepting that which wasunique or different about me). Sharing within the same space allowed me to experimentand explore within a safe, comfortable medium; sharing through the distance of travelallowed me to push past my own internal boundaries and experiment and exploreinternally. Sharing in general was so enthralling, that I soon forgot I no longer had myshield! I found that: the element of surprise was joy filled, silence was golden, magic wasreal, and peace truly is the core of my existence and the silky thread that loosely bindsus. Most significantly, I experienced unconditional love as utter freedom andcommitment as expansion--I experienced me, all facets of me. The greatest treasure ofallthe 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 stillwriting this story--every day when I wake, I open my heart to the day only to find that I amstill in unfamiliar, uncharted territory (traveling, if you will). Will he be in this chapter? Icannot tell you, I can only experience the present as it is placed. What I do know is that itis 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, Iam no longer afraid--my spirit is with him experiencing expansionwhile my being is hereliving 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. SSince each day is a rebirth, all that I create is now touched by this brilliant magnificenceof knowing who I am and creating from this truth. As I honor my beings wish to movethrough this world, it is with renewed spunk and moxie that I choose to embraceadventure as I create, share, experiment, explore, and yes, thoroughly enjoy, eachmoment 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, visitFacetsOfJoy.com

http://facetsofjoy.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://positiveprovocations.com/http://facetsofjoy.com/http://positiveprovocations.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 myselfhaving 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 noidea what was wrong. When I got to meet my magical specialist, Dr Krishnan Sankunni, Iheard 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 someserious medication. I was not at all interested in the details of the diagnosis or of theproposed treatment: I just said I would be meditating and focusing on the healingprocess. 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 wasone patient who was very negative about everything, plus another very demandingpersonality. In that first week, I was undergoing an intensive treatment regime, includingdialysis, a biopsy, plasma exchange and chemo treatment. These were all new andforeign 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 happyattitude 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 cardfrom my Healing with the Angels deck from Doreen Virtue's collection, after which I wouldjournal. I found that having this routine provided a daily discipline that helped keep meon the positive path.

Also, I had with me a rainbow healing bracelet which I wore every day: I always find thisgives me strength. Another very positive thing was the joy I felt when I woke up to look outon 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 naturewhich 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 awonderful way of staying in the positive vibe. Social media had enabled me to buildmany friendships and a following around the world and the wonderful messages andpromises 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.



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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 oneof 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 mypreferred mode! The days when I do too much I pay for it the next day: so I have learnedto pace myself.

The biggest challenge was that after 4 months I landed back in hospital with a relapse inthe kidney condition. I figured out later that until then I had basically been strugglingagainst the doctors and the powerful drugs they were prescribing. I knew I had at thatstage lost my mojo and my positive outlook. I just wanted to be off the prednisolone andthe 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 inten

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