Love.Life: Live it up

Hi, hope you are well and are having a lovely day.

This is the most authentic post I have ever written.

Earlier this year my wonderful Mother passed away due to Cancer. Seeing her health decline to the very end was excruciating. I miss her so much and I wish she was still here. Losing your Mother at any age is a traumatic experience and I sincerely empathise with anyone who has lost their Mother or a loved one.

The feelings of grief, shock, disbelief, confusion, numbness, anger, difficulty concentrating and sorrow can feel overwhelming at times. Although nothing can bring her back, here are some things that help me to cope, bringing comfort and peace. If you have lost someone you love, I hope this post helps you through this difficult time.

-Make Things They Loved to Make, Do Things They Loved to Do: Cook their favourite dish, Wear their favourite clothes, Sing their favourite song, Read their favourite book, Go to their favourite place.

-Remember Happy Memories With Them and Talk About Them With Family / Friends: Look at old pictures of them, Watch old videos of them, Think about the fun things you did together, Think about the amazing things they have taught you.

-Honour Them: Write about them, Donate to a charity that means a lot to them, Live out their legacy and do things they loved to do or wanted to do.

-Help Others: Many may also be going through the grieving process. Use your experience to help them through their difficult time.

-Seek Support: Family members, therapy, support groups, online chat forums, charities

-Pray / Read the Bible: I have found strength in talking to God about how I have been feeling. Many scriptures from the bible have encouraged and comforted me with the hope of seeing Mum again in heaven.

-Allow Yourself to Grieve: It is completely natural to grieve. You will still be able to 'get on with life', but give yourself time and space to be emotional and cry, talk about your feelings, whether you are by yourself or with friends or family.

Life is so fragile. For those who have not lost loved ones, love and cherish them deeply, for each day they are alive on this earth is a beautiful blessing from God. Show them you care while they are here.

Wishing you a blessed day. Peace and love.

The Power of Words

Words shape our beliefs, drive our behaviour and form how we see our world.

Think before you speak. Practise improved self-awareness over the words you use to describe yourself, others and life.

Try to avoid words like can't, won't, shouldn't.

Your words are the paint that paints your reality.

Choose positive words and live positively.

Compliment yourself, say good things about yourself. Boost yourself with your words.

If you feel like you are about to complain, STOP! Think, why do I want to say this, and how is this going to serve me, my happiness or the happiness of others?

Speak from a place of love for yourself, your life and others.

Repetition increases our mental validation of anything we are exposed to. Choose to listen to and repeat positive words.

Your words build your world.

Try putting positive affirmations on sticky notes around your home that say wonderful things about you, your family, your friends and your goals.

Take Care of Yourself and Your Body

Looking after yourself and your body doesn't mean that you are selfish. We only have one life to live, so live it up and love yourself! Many people love and care about you, so you need to be fit and healthy to be around for them for as long as possible. Prevention is better than cure :)

Whether it be looking after yourself physically or mentally, take time to:

-Reduce Stress
-Feed Your Mind With Positivity
-Eat Healthily
-Don't Put Harmful Substances into Your Body
-Sleep Well and Take Time to Rest
-Be Active and Exercise
-Go Out and Get Some Fresh Air
-Being Organised
-Look After Your Skin: Wash, Cleanse and Moisturise
-Stay Safe and Avoid Situations That May Harm You
-Spend Time With Your Loved Ones
-Meditate
-Work Towards Your Goals With Passion
-Let Go of Negative Energy
-Have an 'Excellence' Mental Attitude, Do Everything With Excellence

There is only one you, make sure you are around for as long as possible to be there for your loved ones and fulfil your purpose :)

Forgiveness

Nobody is perfect.

Whether it be inaction, actions or words, sometimes people hurt you, gossip about you, try to knock you down, betray you, lie, cheat, steal. And..perhaps you may have done these things to others, and there is always a 'why' and root cause to be discovered and explored.

Whatever has happened to you in the past, what is most important is how you react to it.

Say what you need to say to the person you need to say it to while they are alive. Don't live with regret.

Forgive, because with forgiveness comes healing, freedom and peace.

Forgiveness is accepting what has happened to you. Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been different.

Forgiveness is like medicine. Don't hold grudges. When you let go of what has negatively affected you in the past, it no longer holds you prisoner. It takes great strength to forgive, more strength than it takes to be bitter and angry.

Forgiveness does not justify the behaviour of the person that has done you wrong. Forgiveness is the gift you give yourself.

Be thankful and grateful for the experience that has shaped you, made you stronger, helped you grow and made you who your are.

Forgive yourself, forgive others. Don't look back, look forward. The past cannot be changed, but you can change the future. Let go and be free :)

How To Deal With a Break-Up

-Accept it and move on
-Pray
-Forgive
-Be healthy and take care of yourself
-Get rid of things that remind you of them
-Listen to music
-Exercise
-Write down your emotions - write a poem, write a song, write in a diary
-Go on long walks
-Dismiss gossip - they don't know the deal
-Make a list of everything you love about yourself
-Make a list of what you really care for in a relationship
-Renew yourself - pursue a new hobby, make plans, set new goals and make steps towards achieving them
-Talk to new people
-Date when you are ready

Know your worth :)

Being Strong and Independent

It's liberating to have your own and be independent. There are many reasons why it is great for your mental health:

-It boosts your self-esteem and self-confidence, as you believe in yourself to get things done
-It decreases the burden you place on your family and friends, as you are less reliant on others for help
-You are better positioned to help others
-You are better respected and it enhances your reputation
-It leads to financial freedom because you are capable and gain a lot of valuable skills along the way
-It makes you physically capable of taking care of yourself and others
-You learn to create your own joy and happiness and feed your mind with positivity
-It leads to innovation, creativity, personal improvement and growth
-It leads to better decision-making, as you are the one / main person affected by the decisions you make
-Self-sufficiency sets you up for further progress

Whether your are on your own or not, strength and independence is needed to grow as an individual. It makes you become more emotionally secure.

So take time out to do you, as it just might take you to the next level and a more successful future :)

How to Get Creative

-Stop and think before you start. What do you enjoy? What are your goals?
-Clear your mind and go to a quiet place
-Generate ideas and brainstorm
-Exercise
-Listen to music
-Learn your craft
-Write / Draw / Doodle
-Make something with your hands
-Share and explain your knowledge with others
-Challenge yourself
-Ask yourself questions
-Be open to different perspectives
-Take one step at a time
-Hit your milestone and get to the next stage
-Read more
-Be open to new experiences
-Socialise with different people
-Get enough sleep

Get those creative juices flowing :)

Who Likes to Argue?

In those moments when:

-your voice gets louder and louder
-your tone gets harsher
-you refuse to change the subject
-you start bringing up the past
-you don't give the other person space
-you think that you're right no matter what the other person says

..and you feel incredibly frustrated and impatient, wouldn't you love to learn how to stop the argument from going on and on and on?

Why not try saying:

-"Let me think about that"
-"I understand"
-"I'm sorry"
-"You may be right"

-Why not focus on the core issue instead of bringing up baggage from the past?
-How about understanding each person's need?
-Offering empathy?
-Why not talk about your feelings before getting angry, and be completely honest?
-Actively listen to each other, without cutting the other person off?
-How about compromising and coming to an agreement? Negotiation?
-Why not make a joke to ease the tension?
-If you cannot do the above, why not walk away and calm down or go to sleep and reevaluate in the morning?
-Maybe try listening to some calming music?

Think, in the grand scheme of things, is this really worth arguing over?

Count your blessings :)

Tips To Help You Get Things Done

Do you wish there were more hours in the day?
Time is out of our control. What can you do to get what you need to do done?

1. Wake up earlier
2. Pray & meditate early in the morning
3. Make a to-do list, keep it simple and stick to it
4. Schedule slots of uninterrupted time to stay focused
5. Do the hardest tasks first
6. Get rid of distractions (scrolling through social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, TV, clutter, put your phone on silent)
7. Exercise in the morning
8. Start saying no - you can't do everything, focus on what matters
9. Focus on 1 thing at a time
10. Get enough sleep, go to bed earlier
11. Put your headphones in to zone out distractions
12. Keep your emails and documents organised
13. Make decisions quicker
14. Cancel unnecessary meetings

You can do it, so just get it done, smile and feel accomplished :)

Daily Affirmations

Daily affirmations can positively improve your mindset.
You can say or share a statement to encourage yourself and others, such as:

I am beautiful
I am handsome
I am capable
I am loved, loving and loveable
I am full of positive loving energy
I radiate charm, beauty and grace
I choose to be kind to myself and love myself unconditionally
I am confident in my ability
My mind is full of brilliant ideas
I am full of energy and overflowing with joy
My body is healthy and my mind is brilliant
I deserve to feel healthy and good
Every day I am getting healthier and stronger
I have been given many talents and my ability is limitless
I make the most of my time
I am happy when others are successful
My ambition and drive allow me to achieve my goals
I am grateful for the people I have in my life
I am truly blessed
I am courageous and I stand up for myself
I constantly attract opportunities that create more money
I forgive those who have harmed me in my past
I forgive myself
I am enough
I believe in myself
I am in the process of becoming the best version of myself

You're amazing! Believe it. You deserve the best. Encourage others to be the best they can be :)