There Are Silver Linings In These Difficult Times
I remember my mom used to say that nothing good can ever come from something bad. While I fully understand her rationale, today I respectfully beg to differ. Even the darkest clouds can have the brightest silver linings!
Like most people, you are probably also sick and tired by now of reading, hearing and talking about Covid-19. However, this pandemic is a perfect example of how we can derive something good from something that has proven to be so incredibly challenging.
Of course, these benefits do come at an extremely high cost and we would all have preferred not to have this calamity happen in the first place. Even so, there are also blessings in every curse. The coronavirus pandemic appears to have at least had the following beneficial effects on making our world a better place.
Environment
During lockdown, nitrogen levels is said to have dropped significantly and experts say this may have resulted in a healthier planet, although the long-term effect remains to be seen. Nitrogen pollution is believed to be detrimental to our water quality, the quality of the air we breathe, the health of ecosystems, and biodiversity.
Apparently, for the first time in years, clean water ran through the Venetian canals, Delhi enjoyed blue skies, and the air quality in China improved considerably. Not only that, reports suggest that the quality of air around the globe has also improved and in some places wild animals were roaming wildly and freely in their natural habitat.
Industry
Covid-19 has also revolutionized how many of us work and will continue to work in the future. Many working people have experienced the benefits of working from home. For one, there is less commuter stress, less money spent on fuel and other expenses, and more time for family and home life. Estimates suggest that people working from home will be financially better off by doing so. In addition, many of us can now enjoy an enhanced work-life balance by being more in control of our working hours.
Slay Those Demons This Festive Season!
In my many years on God’s earth, I can earnestly say I feel I have ‘slain more dragons’ than St. George, ‘cast out more demons’ than the priest in The Exorcist, and conquered much bigger giants than young Jack when he climbed up that beanstalk. I am not hoping to gain sympathy by saying this, but merely to state that if I can put down my personal demons, with Spirit’s help of course, then I could help you do the same.
The year 2020 has been one of far too many challenges for most of us. Some of us have had to deal with unusual difficulties and challenges we may have never encountered otherwise. For me, it began with a cancer scare, then continued with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and ended with me supporting my husband through a bout of deep depression. Indeed, 2020 is a year I will never forget, as much as I may want to!
However, my guides have been reminding me that I have also gained some blessings from this year. For one, I would say that my inner resolve has grown much stronger, and my desire to be of service and help others have reached an all-time high.
I am not suggesting that everyone must have reasons to appreciate the challenges this year brought, but as 2020 draws to a close, I do hope that the following practical strategies may help you to ‘slay some demons’ and end this year on a more positive note, in order to start next year with more optimism, hope and joy.
Find An Inspiring Role-Model
The one person who has always given me a sense of strength is the late Martin Luther King. He famously said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Whenever I am in a difficult, stressful situation, I always ask myself what would Martin Luther King do in my situation? In fact, I even imagine him by my side, giving me all the strength and motivation that I need at any given time. You can do this too by finding yourself a hero or heroine that inspires you.
How To Have Peace And Calm This Christmas
The year 2020 has been quite a year! The pandemic has turned the world upside down. Given what we have all been through, there is now an increased emotional need to have something to celebrate, and with Christmas around the corner, we have just that.
However, as magical a time of year as Christmas may be, it can still be somewhat stressful, and this year may prove even more challenging due to the need for safety precautions, social distancing and travel restrictions.
Nevertheless, with a little pre-planning, you should be able to get your Xmas off to a good start and enjoy the celebrations to the maximum without experiencing too much stress and drama in the process! How good is that? Here’s how.
Set Clear Intentions
Given the kind of a year we have experienced, we can indeed be excused for not celebrating a perfectly traditional Christmas this year. We are now in an excellent position to enjoy the kind of Christmas that we prefer.
Let go of the idea this year that Christmas must be ‘perfect,’ and that you must make it that way for everybody. Set instead a clear intention for what your ideal Christmas will be. After that, all you need to do is make plans that go along with your vision. Having established what Christmas really means to you, you can then use it as a guide to prepare your celebrations.
Keep It Simple
Simplicity ensures peace and calm, whereas complexity causes stress and drama. It really is as simple as that! It is imperative that any Christmas plans you make are as simple, straightforward and as streamlined as possible. Doing so should help to create a sense of calm and empowerment, which you will no doubt need to take into the New Year with you.
Nurture Your Friendships In These Difficult Times
My how time flies! And the older I become, the quicker it seems to go. Looking at my calendar this morning I was reminded that we are now well into the Fall, or Autumn. The year 2020 has indeed had its particular challenges, and soon we will all have to be ready for yet another journey around the Sun.
What has 2020 been teaching you? For me, the difficulties and drama of this year reminded me how important our relationships are. Our relationships with our partners, children, relatives, coworkers and friends, as well as our relationship with nature and spirit.
This crazy year made me realize once again how easily we take for granted the people who add value to our lives. This is especially true of our friends, who basically have no obligation to be a part of our lives. For many of us, these are the people who have kept us sane and kept us going during the Covid-19 pandemic. They are often the people who constantly enhance our lives no end, month after month, and year after year. But do we make enough of an effort to always look out for them too?
Please consider the following when it comes to nurturing your friendships, in good times and bad. It will help them to blossom and grow.
Show Your Friends They Matter
While lockdowns and social distancing may have prevented you from seeing your friends in person, you can still show them how much you care by sending a simple text, a small gift, or hand-written note, or even a video message, just to let them know you are thinking of them during these challenging times. You may never know how much such a small gesture might mean to them. Continue reading
How To Make The Winter Season A Happy, Healthy Time
Just yesterday, my husband said to me that it was getting dark earlier and he already dreads the long, drawn-out winter months that we always have in this part of the world. My husband’s statement struck a chord with me. Yes, the winter is a challenging time for many people, especially those of us who live in very cold regions.
So, winter is indeed fast approaching, but like all seasons, it need not be just endured. It can actually be embraced with excited anticipation and add value to our quality of life. Below are some ways to make the most of the coming winter months.
Lifestyle Choices
I personally find it hard to even get out of bed during the cold winter months! To counteract this, I set my alarm clock earlier and pre-book an appointment at my local gym, as I know that exercise is vital for my health any time of the year. Exercising in winter has many benefits that include not only helping us to feel warmer and happier, but also enhances immunity and helps prevent dreaded weight gain, in what some people refer to as the ‘fat season.’
As vital as exercise is for both the body and mind, our diets cannot, and should not, be over-looked. Like physical activity, food also has a significant impact on our emotional well-being. Consuming mood-enhancing foods such as oily fish, bananas, chocolate (dark variety please and not too much), yoghurt and oats, could have you smiling again in next to no time!
How To Manifest What You Really Want
I have, for at least 40 years now, been a deliberate creator, and passionate practitioner of the Law of Attraction. Nevertheless, when I first started working with this fantastic cosmic law, I noticed that I often manifested almost the exact opposite of what I was hoping for!
How could this be, I asked myself? After all, I had read all the books, did the meditations and vision boards, was thinking positively, and even bought the incense. Why wasn’t I getting what I wanted?
The answer came to me in time. It was because I was inadvertently counter-manifesting. This can happen so easily when we attempt to manifest – particularly in one’s early days of learning the art of cosmic ordering.
Okay, so how does one manage to counter-manifest and, more importantly, how do you avoid it?
Align Your Energy
First and foremost, if our energy vibration does not match what we are wanting to attract, we simply cannot draw it towards us. Like attracts like, remember? No amount of visualization or list-making is going to make any difference if we are not in a positive, open state of mind and elevated mood. We have to be ready to welcome whatever it is we have set an intention for.
Therefore, the first golden rule of successful manifestation is to raise your energy vibration with some healthy self-work and personal investment. By doing so, you will begin to attract more good things into your life, rather than drawing those things that you do not want.
How To Get Your Day Off To A Great Start!
Always begin your day as you intend to live your life. This is one of the basic spiritual wisdoms my mother taught me when I was a small child. Fifty years later, I realize how right she actually was! Getting your day off to a great start is important because it puts you into a positive frame of mind, and as a result activates the Law of Attraction, empowering you to manifest more positivity in your life.
Starting the day on a positive note primes you for being in problem-solving mode. It is never easy to solve problems when you are feeling negative. By putting yourself in a positive mindset, you will feel much more confident in tackling life’s challenges. And the more we address our issues, the more confident and empowered we become.
We become more comfortable to live with, and work with, if we start our days off with a higher vibration. It goes without saying, that most people prefer, both personally or professionally, to be around positive individuals. Most folks are drawn to positivity, rather than negativity.
Therefore, by putting yourself in a positive headspace every morning, your personal and professional relationships will not only get off to a good start, but will also increasingly stay in a good place, day after day. How good is that!
The above all said, just how do we go about starting our day in the best possible way? Personally, I find the following strategies to be very effective: