Visualising Creatively

Creative Visualisation is a tried and true technique that helps you create the things you want in life. Creative Visualisation is the art of sending an image to your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind then creates your reality based on the messages that you send to it.

The key to understanding how creative visualisation works is to first understand that your subconscious mind does not know what is real and what is fiction. It simply creates your reality based on the image that you visualise.

So if you visualise yourself struggling, poor, unhappy, alone or depressed, then this is the reality that your subconscious mind creates. There have been many books written on creative visualisation all of which tell you that if you visualise you will create the things you want. Some people view this with suspicion. Some give it a try, but are disappointed that it doesn't yield results immediately.

Well, like most other life-affirming practices, like adopting an attitude of gratitude or journaling, visualisation requires commitment, time, and faith to produce any discernible benefits. In order to get the most out of visualisation, all your other messages to your subconscious mind have to be in agreement with what you visualise. In other words, there is no room for skepticism. Once you've decided to visualise creatively to improve your life, be sure to give it your full dedication.

Think of it this way. You're in a boat and there are a number of people rowing this boat for you. You tell one of them to row in a certain way so that you go in a certain direction. But if all the other people rowing for you are going in the opposite direction - that one person rowing will have little or no impact. The boat will never go the way you want.

When you work with Creative Visualisation, tap into all your powers to send a tidal wave of positive energy to your subconscious mind. Begin to see yourself living the life you want - happy, healthy, positive, loving, energized, productive, and successful.

Happy visualizing!

Choices And Decisions

We're always making choices. How we will use our time, how we're going to get to our destination, what we're going to have for lunch, what colours should be used for our logo, what proposal should be dumped and which one should be taken up. Every step that we take presents us with an option of "Yes" or "No".

All these decisions, or in the case of some of us, in-decision, affects our happiness. How consciously do we make our choices? What happens when we can't make a definite "Yes" or "No" is that we become stuck in the wilderness of "Maybe" land. When we spend too much time in this place, we allow others to decide how our lives should be led. Here we have no hope for fulfillment because when things go well, we can't take the credit. And when things go awry, we blame ourselves for trusting the judgement of another.

Imagine that your partner or friend prefers to watch a particular movie and you'd really like to see another but you don't say anything. You give your partner or friend a weak "maybe", "it doesn't matter" or a reluctant "oh ok?" Later, you feel resentful and angry because this always seems to happen and you "never get to see the movie that you want to see."

Sometimes we justify this by believing that we don't assert ourselves because we are easy-going or generous. If this is the case, then why do we subsequently feel lousy and on the losing end?

Now, asserting yourself doesn't mean being demanding or unreasonable. By all means, empower yourself by expressing your feelings clearly, but be ready to negotiate or occasionally give in or come to a compromise. The important thing is simply to make your feelings known. Hiding behind a mask of indifference creates a lot of inner tension which may explode in the future.

It's very important to empower yourself to make conscious choices to create the relationships and life that you want. A lot of people feel anger and resentment toward others but what they're actually feeling is resentment towards themselves for not having the courage to go for what they really want.

Whenever you're faced with a decision, take the time to go within yourself and ask yourself what you really want. Is it true that it doesn't matter? Is it something you can take lightly? Or something you feel strongly about? When you evaluate your options consciously and express your feelings clearly, you'll feel more empowered, and as a result, move confidently toward creating the kind of relationships and life that you want.

Saint Valentine's Wish

Today, millions of people around the world celebrate one of the most profound blessings that life has to offer - mutual love. And as you honour that love today, here are some things I wish all couples remember always?

"I love you" is easily spoken, but waking up an hour earlier to prepare breakfast for you is something else!

When you're in love, you never question the meaning of life.

The greatest gift is one's time.

If you truly love someone, you can never grow old.

Don't just focus on the action? try to understand the spirit behind the action.

To keep the loving cup full, give a sincere compliment each day.

When you're giving everything, you've got nothing to lose.

Though much ugliness, violence, darkness and hatred is possible in this world, someone is holding your hand.

Money can always be earned, but a beautiful moment, once past, will never return.

The most wonderful thing you can do with someone you love? is absolutely nothing!

The next time you're moved to anger, think about how you'd feel if this person were no longer in your life.

Don't save anything for a special day or occasion. If you have something good to do, say or give, do it now.

It's easy to love someone for his/her strengths, but it takes true courage to love someone for his/her weaknesses.

Each time you part, there's a possibility you might never see each other again, so part in love.

And finally, remember? that despite not being linked by blood, you have found someone who will love, live, laugh, and cry with you... and that itself is a miraculous thing.

Gift Of Insults

There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he was still able to defeat any challenger. His reputation extended far and wide throughout the land and many students gathered to study under him.

One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the village. He was determined to be the first man to defeat the great master.

Along with his strength, he had an uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent. He would wait for his opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a weakness, and then would strike with merciless force and lightning speed. No one had ever lasted with him in a match beyond the first move.

Much against the advice of his concerned students, the old master gladly accepted the young warrior's challenge.

As the two squared off for battle, the young warrior began to hurl insults at the old master. He threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he verbally assaulted him with every curse and insult known to mankind.

But the old warrior merely stood there motionless and calm. Finally, the young warrior exhausted himself. Knowing he was defeated, he left feeling shamed.

Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the insolent youth, the students gathered around the old master and questioned him. "How could you endure such an indignity? How did you drive him away?"

The old warrior replied, "My opponent came to give me a gift - a gift of insults. But if someone comes to give you a gift and you do not receive it, to whom then does the gift belong?"

Focus In Your Breathworks

One of the disadvantages of living in such a stimulation-rich world is our loss of focus. In an environment where we are consistently being bombarded with messages, worries, judgements, deadlines and so on, it's very easy for us to lose touch of what's truly important to us. Have we been influenced, or "brain-washed" to live lives that we don't really find fulfilling, simply because we've been told to, people expect us to, or which we've been conditioned to believe is good or right?

Are you continuing in an unrewarding, dead-end job because you think you need the money? Are you in a relationship because you can't bear being alone? Do you try to accommodate everybody's desires because you think that makes you more likeable? Do you speak, behave, dress or even think in a certain way because it presents the least amount of resistance? Do you even ask yourself what you truly want anymore?

Stuart Wilde, noted author of "The Winds of Change", tells us of what he terms 'the tribe'. We all belong to a tribe, so to speak - a group of peers that we can relate to in some way or other. We may be single, a father, Hindu, Eurasian, a sales executive, a daughter, a member of a certain church, a teacher, a politician, and so on. And each group we belong to dictates, to a certain extent, what we will think, what we will wear, where we are to live, how we make a living. It will try to keep us in a tidy little box.

Being part of the human tribe keeps us all working very hard just to make a living, while media messages keep our minds directed at purchasing. As a result, what happens to the bulk of our hard-earned savings? Yes, you guessed it. It goes into stuff we don't really need. Stuff that doesn't fulfill us on a deeper level.

One good and simple way for us to connect and grow with our inner self is through the breath. The breath is vital to your life. Breath is used to relax the body and mind, to take us to a high state of peace, to change our energy, our outlook, and thus our experiences.

Let's say that your spouse comes home after a bad day at work. You only got home not long before yourself. Your loved one does not seem so loving, and responds curtly to you. What do you do? Your day wasn't any easier. Do you jump into the tension of the situation? Or do you take a moment to breathe, re-focus your energy and create a better environment?

There is always a chance to change - to make a different choice. By consciously taking a breath and focusing on it, your mind gets a moment to refresh. By using your breath as a focusing tool, rediscover what it truly means to be you, to live and to love.

A Touch Of Humour In Challenging Times

What is this thing called humour? We understand laughter well enough. And we know when we find something funny. But what makes something amusing? What do we mean when we say someone has a good sense of humour? And how can we use humour during tough times as instant pick-me-ups?

Author Leo Buscaglia said that "when you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot, hang on, and swing!"

Humour can be a powerful motivating tool. We may not be able to laugh our way through adversity, but a sense of humour can lessen anxiety, alleviate tensions, and help us adapt when stressful changes occur. Besides, laughter contributes to good health, which you probably know by now.

You could think of humour as a way of existing in, interacting with, and perceiving the world. It's a pair of orange-tinted, star-shaped spectacles that you can put on in times of frustration. It immediately lightens the mood and gives you a fresh view.

Having a sense of humour doesn't mean you have to be funny. Whether something is funny or not is subjective anyway. A sense of humour goes beyond laughter. It is more profound than comedy. And it's more rewarding than merely being entertaining.

A person with a sense of humour is able to see the fun in common experiences, and the light in dark days. Having a sense of humour is being able to take the Mickey out of stressful people, demanding situations, and the ugly side of life. It is the ability to nimbly sidestep potential flashpoints. It's about disarming, then surprising. It's a weapon of the underdog.

Job stress is something many of us face. Just remember that when it comes to work, you are not your job. No doubt you should take your work seriously, but your job is what you do. It's not who you are. Never let your job become your life.

A good and simple way to develop a sense of humour is to collect and remember things you find funny. Jokes that come to you via email, a humourous quote you come across in a magazine, a mis-spelt word on a sign, a comic strip, a photo that cracks you up. Look for the ironic and satirical in people and in events. Turn the person who annoys you at work into a comedian. Then, it's comic relief each time he or she tries to frustrate you!

I say collect "things", but you know, people can be funny. Make friends who tend to make you laugh! Try to laugh as much as you can everyday. Make others laugh too. Humour is never having to apologise even when you're being corny. Make your environment filled with fun and laughter.

I like how actress and comedian Lily Tomlin put it when she said, "Instead of working for the survival of the fittest, we should be working for the survival of the wittiest. Then we can all die laughing!"