Grace Chatting

Organization is not just about where you place your personal belongings; it is more about the general atmosphere of your home. Is your home harmonious or chaotic; pleasant to spend time in, or emotionally draining? The whole point of being organized (besides being able to find what you need) is to create a more peaceful, pleasing atmosphere in your home or workspace! An organized space feels calmer and lighter. A messy, chaotic space feels . . . well, messy and chaotic!

An orderly appearance is definitely an important part of being organized, simply because we tend to take our emotional cues from what we see visually. Just looking at a big, messy pile of junk can make us feel drained and overwhelmed. Likewise, a pulled-together, neat appearance makes us feel calm and relaxed.

However, it is possible to feel ill-at-ease even in a neat and organized home, simply because we put so much of our own energy into the atmosphere of our homes. Call it “vibes” or an “energy imprint,” or anything else – the point is that we leave a little bit of our emotional selves wherever we go.

Have you ever walked into a room where people have been arguing recently? You can feel the tension hanging in the air, can’t you? It works the same way in the places where we spend the most time, like our homes and workplaces.

This is especially true when we’re feeling emotionally overwrought, suffering from illness or depression, or experiencing a spiritual crisis. This “negative energy” we emit during times of difficulty or struggle can continue to hang in the air of our homes, contributing to a pervasive sense of discomfort and tension. People have even been known to experience physical complications like appliance breakdowns, electronic malfunctions or even electrical power surges – presumably because of the negative atmosphere of their home.

Clearing out this negative energy is a very simple process, and you won’t believe the difference in how your home feels once you’ve done it! All you need are a few simple tools and about an hour of your time.

There are no right or wrong ways to clear your home’s atmosphere. I’ll give you some suggestions, but feel free to modify them and do whatever feels right to you. Tackle the physical clutter first.

Before you do any kind of energy clearing, you really should get your home as neat, clean and orderly as possible. An energy clearing will only do so much if you’ve still got piles of junk all over the place! Get rid of as much trash and debris as you can, put away belongings that need to be kept, file away old paperwork, straighten bookshelves, wash and put away dishes, clear the counters, clean the sinks and tubs, and sweep or vacuum the floors.

Pay particular attention to areas where clutter has been building up for some time. This step may take you more than an hour – in fact, it may take you more than a day! But it is a very crucial part of the process, so take as long as you need to do it properly. The effectiveness of your energy clearing will depend on it.

Look out for Part 2

Best wishes

Grace

www.anamcaracentre.com

www.plymouth-counselling.co.uk

written by Grace \\ tags: cleansing, clearing, feng shui, negative energy, Spring clean

When you start making positive changes to better balance your life, you may become overzealous in an attempt to “fix” everything at once. However, doing so can end up causing more stress and magnifying the problem.

Below are three common ways you might sabotage your own efforts at better time management, and how to avoid them:

• Expecting too much from others. Just because you feel a great need to make changes in your life doesn’t mean everyone else feels the same way! Remember that your life overlaps with the lives of the people around you. If you try placing unreasonable demands and pressure tactics on them, you’ll probably end up causing more problems. That doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help and work together to satisfy everyone, but your approach in seeking cooperation will be important.

Rather than making unrealistic demands or expecting perfection from the people in your life, try first explaining why you are unhappy with the way things are now. Give a clear view of the way you’d like things to be, and highlight the changes they would have to make in order to make it work. Then, be forthright in asking if they are willing to do it. For example, if your spouse is not in the habit of helping out around the house, ask if he or she would be willing to take on a few very specific chores (spell out what they would be) and how doing so would help you. If he or she agrees, confirm that such and such tasks are now his/hers, and confirm that he or she is going to do them from now on. Don’t be surprised if you have to issue a few gentle reminders before the new habits kick in for good – but try not to get upset or frustrated about it. That will only cause more resistance.

• Demanding too much from your self. Just like you don’t want to place undue stress and expectations upon others, you also don’t want to do it to yourself. Wanting to make changes in your habits and goals is a good thing; but expecting everything to change as if by magic overnight is not!

Instead, vow to take it one day at a time and be gentle with yourself. Each day when you wake up, promise that you’re going to give your best effort to keep your activities running smoothly and on-time, but if events don’t go as planned you will simply dust yourself off and start again. At all costs, avoid berating or scolding yourself because you aren’t “perfect” at managing the events and activities of your life. You’ll never be perfect at it – and neither is anyone else!

• Unrealistic idea of what a balanced life really is. You may be interested in learning time management techniques because you dream of a completely serene, peaceful life where no upheavals occur . . . ever. Unfortunately, such a dream is unlikely to become reality. Perhaps it could if you moved to a secluded island and lived like a hermit in your rustic cabin on the beach. But you’ve got a full life that inevitably comes with the need to juggle and prioritise constantly.

Rather than wishing for the impossible, remember that time management is an ongoing process of planning, preparation and readjustment. There will never be a time when you get it perfect. Instead look at it as an ever evolving process of growth and mastery. Over time you’ll find yourself getting better and stronger at time management, and it will seem like less effort is needed to keep everything balanced.

Good Luck

Grace

www.plymouth-counselling.co.uk

www.anamcaracentre.com

written by Grace \\ tags: Life Balance, personal development, Time Management

  Don’t head straight for the fridge or to the bedroom to change into comfortable casual wear the moment you get home. When you walk in the door, go right to your spouse and tell him or her how glad you are to see him or her. This will create a loving atmosphere for the entire evening.

Many people underestimate how valuable it is to reconnect with their spouse when they have been apart from each other all day. Every evening when you first see your spouse is a chance for an extraordinary moment. The majority of couples spend their weekdays, and some of their weekend days, apart from each other.

You have spent many hours doing activities without each other’s company. By the end of most days, you and your spouse have probably been apart for more hours than you have spent awake together. When you see each other at the end of the day, it really is a reunion. Make sure you treat it like one.

There are many things you can do to make the moment you walk through the door at the end of the day a special one:

1. Greet each other warmly. Stop whatever activity you are doing and walk to the door to greet your spouse. It might seem trite, but the effort will make both of you feel special and taken care of.
2. Take a few minutes to find out how your spouse’s day was. We are all extremely busy, but this small effort can make a huge difference. Instead of two strangers trying to get things done, you will be partners working together to create a warm family environment.
3. Reconnect with your spouse after a day apart. Share a warm hug, deliver a kiss, or pour a refreshing glass of ice water or wine for him or her.

An extraordinary marriage is filled with countless meaningful moments. Every encounter with your spouse that you make special will enhance your marriage. Don’t overlook the small chances to create closeness in your relationship. Find out more here

Grace

written by Grace \\ tags: Dating, dating advice, love, marriage, match, matchmaking, Relationship Success, romance, single

Winter weight gain is a common complaint of many people. It seems that every winter we add a few pounds, and come summer we don’t lose them all again either. A few of them always stick around, making us a little heavier every year. They seem to be very hard to lose extra pounds! Why does this happen and what can we do?

There are many contributing factors. First, it seems likely that we have a genetic disposition to store more fat as winter approaches. Many animals do this and it was probably vital to survival for our ancestors. Extra layers of fat on the body protect us against the cold and then can be used as fuel in the late winter and early spring when food stocks would historically be very low. We probably have a tendency to eat more in the fall, when food is plentiful after harvest time, to help this process along. We may also unconsciously choose foods that are higher in fat content at this time.

Hormone levels can also influence our weight gain. The interaction of hormones and other chemicals in the brain can bring about variations in appetite and cravings. Some neurotransmitters can also influence the way we eat. People who are overweight often have low levels of these neurotransmitters and the results can include excessive appetite, depression and sleep disorders. At the same time, the lack of daylight caused by the shortening days during late autumn and winter can bring on seasonally affected disorder or winter depression. One of the quickest ways to give a boost to the energy levels and emotions is to eat high carbohydrate foods including sugar treats, chips and cereals that give us a fast blood sugar ‘fix’. So people who feel low in the winter will tend to overeat or eat the wrong foods, leading to weight gain, more depression and a vicious cycle that is hard to break.

So altogether there are many reasons why we eat more high carbohydrate foods such as cakes, pies and chocolate in the winter, and of course most of these foods also contain high levels of fats. The best way to handle this is generally to substitute other foods that are also high in carbohydrate so that we get what our body craves, but which have low fat content and plenty of fibre. This means potatoes, whole grain bread without butter, whole grain rice, cereals, and fresh whole fruit.

It is also important to take more exercise. Often our physical activity levels drop in the winter and we have a tendency to want to stay home and rest. This is natural when it is cold outside. But we are not cavemen! We have heating in our homes and can be sure that there will still be plenty of food in the stores come February. We do not need to stow fat. Sign up with a gym or get a stationary bicycle . Transform those carbohydrates  into energy now instead of keeping it on the waistline until spring. Winter weight gain is easily avoidable this way.

Yeah… I know…all easier said than done!

written by Grace \\ tags: , comfort eating, exercise, Grace Chatting, weight, weight gain

Have you ever felt nervous about making a decision that could affect the rest of your life?  Sometimes even seemingly minor decisions can send you into a fit of anxiety when you begin thinking of all the things that could go wrong. It’s fairly common for people to vacillate back and forth between several choices, whether they are related to career, money, business, opportunities, or even relationships.  How do you know which choice is the best one for you in any given situation?  Sometimes the best choice is obvious, but other times they all seem to hold a glimmer of possibility - and the threat of regret. The good news is that making wise decisions is a matter of weighing the potential pros and cons of every available outcome.  Below you’ll find a simple 3-step process to help you make wise decisions no matter what part of your life they may affect.  When you’ve got more than one option to choose from, a great first question to ask of each one is,   

• “What do I stand to gain from choosing this option?”  If the rewards are big, you might be willing to withstand a bit of risk in order to benefit from the opportunity.  Conversely, if the payoff would be small, you might not feel so confident about taking a chance right now.      

• The next question to ask is, “What do I stand to lose if this option doesn’t work out?”  No one likes to think of the negatives in a potential opportunity, but you could save yourself a lot of heartache with a bit of foresight!  If your losses could be huge with a particular option, you might decide to hold off for awhile to see if the odds improve over time.   

• Finally, take it one step further and ask, “What is the worst thing that could happen if I choose this option, and would I be willing to accept those consequences?”  It may seem like a very pessimistic question, but it’s extremely effective at clarifying the situation!  If you couldn’t handle the consequences of making such a choice, then you know immediately that it’s not the right choice for you at this time.  If, on the other hand, the consequences wouldn’t be so bad, you know it’s a viable option for you. What do you do if all of your options hold the same potential rewards and consequences?  Go with your gut! 

Take a few minutes to think carefully about each possibility, and then choose the one you feel strongest about.There are no guarantees in decision-making.  You simply weigh the pros and cons, listen to your intuition, and do the best you can.  In the end, there really isn’t any such thing as a “bad” decision, because you do learn something from each one you make.  If you keep that in mind you should grow more confident with each choice you make, which will help you make even better decisions in the future.

written by Grace \\ tags: decision making, intuition, personal development, spirituality, Wisdom