Here are five things I do as I wake up every morning, holidays included, to make sure that my day is happy and productive.

5 Things That Should Be a Part of Your Morning Routine

1. Wake up with gratitude

As soon as I open my eyes, even before I get out of bed, I take a few moments to be thankful for the gift of another day. I then place both my hands on my heart and greet myself with a cheerful “good morning”. I started doing after watching this video by Shauna Shapiro. Try it! It’s a sweet little gesture to begin your day on a happy note.

Then, as I face the mirror to brush my teeth, I do some mirror work as taught by Louise Hay. Mirror work is where you look at yourself in the mirror and say positive and loving things to yourself. Most of us are quick to criticise ourselves for our weaknesses but reluctant to praise and appreciate ourselves for our strengths. And nothing could be worse for our self-esteem than berating ourselves first thing in the morning. So, I make sure to smile at myself when I face my reflection in the mirror each morning and say words of praise and appreciation. This part of my morning routine instantly improves my mood and my energy.

2. Make your bed as soon as you’re out of it

This may seem as something insignificant but it has many benefits. It’s the first ‘task’ of the day and I use it as an opportunity to practise mindfulness.

As I fold the sheets and make the bed, I try to stay in the present moment and not let my mind play a rerun of yesterday’s events or plan for the day ahead. A neat bed makes the whole room look more organised and gives a fresh feeling. Be sure to teach this to your children, early on.

In this talk, Navy Seal Admiral McRaven emphasises how a mundane task as making your bed every morning can give you a sense that the little things in life matter and, if you can’t do the little things right, how can you trust yourself to do the big ones right?

3. Expose your eyes to natural light

The human body has a natural inbuilt clock, known as the diurnal cycle or circadian rhythm. Exposing your eyes to natural light in the morning helps to reset this body clock. I allow natural light fall on my retina as soon as possible in the morning. You could just stand at the window and look skyward. Or go outdoors and soak up the sun to expose your eyes to natural light—vitamin D is a bonus. Exposure to natural light increases the secretion of serotonin, a hormone that makes you alert, awake and feel good. And it’s free! So why not include it in your morning routine?

4. No internet for first 2 hours

In this era of hyper-connectedness, guess what is the first thing we reach out for as soon as we wake up? You’re right: It is the smartphone. Turning on the phone wifi/data [I turn it off before sleeping] results in a barrage of notifications, causing my attention to scatter and bring on a feeling of overwhelm. So I have made it a point not to check my phone till at least two hours after waking up—longer if possible. This also helps me avoid checking my email, social media, WhatsApp messages and news first thing in the morning. It is an entirely avoidable stimulus in the morning, especially because I know it engages my mind in unproductive ways. I make an exception to this morning routine rule only if I am expecting an urgent email or message, and then too keep my focus only on business at hand.

5. Get done with the important stuff

If there is something that you really want to [have to] do, but you tend to push it down on your priority list as the day progresses, get that one thing done ASAP. As a yoga trainer it’s important for me to keep up my yoga practice atleast 3 – 4 times a week [besides other forms of exercise]. On days when I skip my morning yoga in the hope that I will do it in the evening, I’m often unable to do it altogether as other things take precedence. So even if it’s just 10 minutes, I make sure that I do yoga in the morning itself. Whether you need to write, run, read, or practise some skill, make sure you do it in the morning before other important/unavoidable tasks take over your time. You don’t want to end your day with feelings of guilt and regret for not having done what matters to you the most.

I urge you to tweak your morning routine for four weeks; to include the above suggestions and notice the difference to your sense of purpose and your energy levels.

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Remember that the average office worker’s week is 85% inactive, so walk whenever and wherever possible (e.g. get off the train, bus, or Tube a couple of stops early to give yourself a good 30-minute walk to work three mornings a week and always take the stairs at work).

2. Find the exercise you love

Find something active you enjoy that fits your lifestyle and aim to do this 2–3 times per week. The golden rule with exercise is consistency—if you don’t like the exercise you have chosen and it doesn’t fit your lifestyle, you just won’t keep it up.

3. Morning exercise is best

Morning exercise is best for energy and burning calories, and people who exercise in the morning are always more consistent exercisers. Why? Because, more things can get in the way of your plans to exercise at lunchtime or in the evenings. So do 20–60 minutes of exercise at least three mornings per week—it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you’re moving.

4. A balanced exercise programme

Aim for a balanced exercise programme, combining resistance, cardiovascular and stretching exercise.

5. Having great energy makes exercise easier

Ensure you sleep well and follow good nutrition habits. This will ensure you have great energy for exercise; it will also aid your post-exercise recovery and maximise your results.

6. Challenge yourself

Exercise in your discomfort zone. This is not your comfort zone (e.g. sitting on a bike reading the newspaper), but nor is it your pain zone (e.g. pushing yourself so hard that it’s really painful).

7. Motivate yourself with a goal

Set yourself a health and fitness goal, making it as specific as possible and setting yourself a deadline for achieving it. Share your goal with someone—this will help you to stick to it.

Excerpted with permission from Energise You by Oliver Gray; Published by Jaico Books

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Bagua: the essence of feng shui

Simply put, feng shui is the ancient Chinese wisdom of how the placement of objects in your home affects the flow of energy, positive or negative. One way that a feng shui master analyses the energy of a space is via the bagua. This octagon-shaped sort of map of a room or house determines the eight directions and their numerical and directional significance in harnessing the right feng shui. This bagua not only defines the numbers for each direction but also indicates the location of each element found on earth. When the correlation between directions, numbers and human needs becomes coherent, the desired energy level can be achieved easily. Besides knowing the location and significance of each element—water, wood, fire, earth, and metal—it is also important to know how to increase or decrease the presence of an element in a particular space.

The constructive and destructive cycle

In feng shui, there are two main ways in which the five elements interact: the constructive cycle and the destructive cycle. In order to strengthen or enhance the energy of an element in a space, you can create a constructive cycle: water in the north [supports] wood in the east and southeast [supports] fire in the south [supports] earth in the northeast and southwest [supports] metal in the west and northwest [supports] water in the north. For example, because water supports wood, you could strengthen wood energy in a space by including more water-related things, like aquariums or the colour deep blue.

The destructive cycle is used to weaken or subdue an element in your home or office. This is what it looks like: water [weakens] fire [weakens] metal [weakens] wood [weakens] earth [weakens] water. Once we learn the importance of these cycles, it becomes easier to design a space in a constructive way.

Understanding and enhancing the bagua’s wealth direction

According to feng shui, the southeast area of a home or office is linked to wealth and prosperity. It is also where the element of wood, which signifies abundance, makes its home in the bagua. So this direction needs to be looked after consciously; start with making sure this area is clutter-free. Here are a few tips on how you can nurture and enhance this space to foster the right wealth-attracting energy.

• A popular, traditional feng shui idol that is used to attract wealth is the golden Laughing Buddha idol. Although it is often exchanged as a gift on auspicious occasions, the Laughing Buddha with golden ingots is famously known to nurture the energy of prosperity. Place the idol on top of desks or shelves in your home or office.
• Plants are also a great way of improving the wood energy in your home or office. You can place pots of vibrant plants, like bamboo and lady palm, in a southeast courtyard or room. However, avoid placing milk-oozing plants like cactus and bonsai, and large-sized trees like peepal or banyan in a southeast location. Additionally, don’t place any plant in the southeast area of a bedroom because plants emit negative energy at night. Scientifically it has been proven that they release carbon dioxide in the air at night due to reverse photosynthesis.
• Although wooden objects, like furniture, are ideal to boost up the energy in the southeast area, avoid decorating with old and used wooden things. Many retailers sell rotting wooden furniture as “antique” pieces. These are often also aesthetically displeasing. Make sure you get fresh and tastefully designed objects for the southeast space of your home or office.
• Wooden wind chimes are also ideal décor accents that can uplift the energy in southeast-facing verandas, balconies or porches. It lends a vibrant touch to the energy of the space.
• The three-legged frog, with money in its mouth, is another feng shui cure that is known to attract wealth and prosperity. Traditionally, it is either placed in the southeast area of a room or at the front entrance of a home or office. However, make sure that the frog faces the inside, rather than facing the door. A golden or multicoloured frog is better to bring in wealth.
• Painting a southeast area in wood element colours, like green and brown, can also increase the level of energy in that space.
• Because the metal element weakens the wood element, avoid placing metallic things in the southeast area in your home or office.
• Feng shui believes that the environment which we live in plays an important role in our life. Therefore creating a positive environment is necessary to attract wealth. You can decorate a southeast corner or room with images that symbolise wealth and prosperity. For example, use photographs of family picnics and outings, luxury yachts or cars, waterfront villas and mansions, and other images of a lavish lifestyle.
• Another great décor item to attract wealth is the feng shui money boat or ship, filled with coins and gold ingots. These ships are easily available in stores that sell feng shui objects. They can be used to decorate or accent office or study desktops or tabletops.
• If you use a chest or box to store money, jewellery, or financial documents, then you could line its insides with mirrors. In feng shui it is believed that doing this creates a feeling of abundance because, as the saying goes, money attracts money.

Feng shui is not a magic potion for money

It is critical to understand that consulting a feng shui master or designing your space according to feng shui principles is not going to shower money in your life. All feng shui does is align your space with the positive vibrations of the five essential elements of water, wood, fire, earth and metal. This, in turn, creates an atmosphere of positivity that is able to support your efforts and, perhaps, lead to multiple blessings in your life. Feng shui simply purifies the environment of your home or office and helps to generate constructive ideas for a life filled with good health, harmony, and wealth.

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Here are seven easy ideas for a happy and healthy kitchen

1. Free from clutter

Keep the kitchen clutter-free and make sure that you actually use everything that is stowed away in your cupboards. The kitchen is a hub of activity, a place to enjoy food and conversation. The atmosphere should be fresh, warm and bright.

2.  The stove beside the fridge

If your stove and refrigerator are next to each other, then you should create a symbolic distance between them. A great deal of conflict is generated when there is mixing of the energy of the hot fire element represented by the stove and the cold water element represented by the refrigerator. To fix this, you can either put a mirror on the refrigerator facing out toward the stove, which symbolically pushes the refrigerator away and expands the stove area, or you can place a faceted crystal between the two to create a balance. Also, if you have the space, you can put some plants between the fridge and stove to create an energetic barrier.

3. The sink

Keep the sink clean and unblocked with a stopper in it when not in use. Make sure that the garbage disposal unit is working well if you have one.

4. Knives

Keep your knives safely away in a drawer or in a knife block.

5. The view

Hang a crystal in the kitchen window as it attracts energy from outside and serves to deflect any negativity in case you have an unsightly view out of your window.

6. Under the sink

Be aware of what poisons are located underneath your sink. If you were to take all the cleaning products that you have under your sink and pour them all into a bucket, you would probably find huge amounts of poisonous chemicals. Many of these products are extremely toxic. They are dangerous to inhale or may cause an adverse reaction if they get on your skin, excluding the fact that they are extremely poisonous if swallowed. There are so many ecologically friendly products available in the market now that it makes much more sense to replace the toxic products you currently own with ones that are much safer to have in your home. They might vary in price slightly, but it is definitely worth limiting the amount of poison you keep under your sink, and in case you want to keep it cheap, you can always use products like baking soda, borax, white vinegar and cornstarch.

7. Inside your refrigerator

If you tend to buy food in packets or jars, then get into a habit of reading what is on the label. The more real ingredients in a product, the better it is for you. Conversely, the more a product label reads like a chemistry experiment, the worse the product is for you. If you don’t know what a word on the label means, then look it up. If there are additives in something, be aware that they won’t provide your body with the nutrients it needs for health or energy. As a rule of thumb, you will tend to find more additives in foods that have low nutritional value. If you find you really can’t do without your favourite food, at least try to find a more natural alternative.

Excerpted with permission from How happy is your home? by Sophie Keller; published by Harlequin.

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A. The symptoms like irritability, tiredness and behavioural changes are common indications of insomnia. You’re right—napping in the afternoon is not advisable, as it leads to further disturbance in your sleep cycle. In your case, most likely your sleeplessness is due to unresolved feelings and thoughts related to the loss of your spouse that disturb your mind when you sleep, which disrupts your sleep cycle. Try incorporating a consistent sleep routine to help you improve the quality of your sleep. I recommend exercising and doing yoga regularly, and eating nutritious, wholesome meals. Yoga can also help you manage stress more effectively. Focus on correcting the problem, rather than looking for quick fixes like sleeping pills. Sleeping pills ought to be your last resort; however I do not recommend taking them as they can be addictive.

Q. I am 50 years old and suffer from obesity and high blood pressure. I have been taking medication for the high blood pressure; but in spite of my doctor changing my medication recently, my blood pressure remains high. Also, my wife complains that I snore loudly during the night. What’s more, I tend to get up often in the night to pass urine, and in the morning I wake up feeling heavy-headed. Sometimes, during the day, I have an uncontrollable urge to sleep. Can you please tell me what can be the cause of this?

A. Snoring, urge to pass urine in the night, and feeling heavy-headed in the morning can all be symptoms of sleep apnoea, given the fact that you have obesity. Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder in which your breathing stops temporarily due to the blockage of the upper airways. These pauses in breathing interrupt your sleep, leading to frequent awakenings each hour. Most people who have this sleep disorder may not remember waking up in the night; however, they may feel tired, irritable and depressed, or see a decrease in productivity. Other symptoms of sleep apnoea include:

• frequent pauses in breathing
• gasping, snorting or choking
• feeling tired and sleepy during the day, no matter how much time you spent in bed
• waking up with shortness of breath, chest pains, headaches, nasal congestion or a dry throat.

If untreated, sleep apnoea can lead to serious health disorders like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, lung problems, and depression.

Q. I get funny sensations in both my legs while I sleep. It feels as though insects are crawling over my legs. Of late, I have also started getting cramps in my legs when I sleep. Plus, my husband complains that I move my legs a lot in my sleep which disturbs his sleep. During the day, however, I don’t experience these problems. I don’t know what’s happening to me. What should I be doing?

A. These symptoms are suggestive of Restless Leg Syndrome [RLS]. RLS is a sleep disorder that is characterised by an almost irresistible urge to move your legs.

Common signs and symptoms of RLS include:

• uncomfortable sensations in the legs or arms, accompanied by a strong urge to move them
• the sensations are triggered by rest and get worse at night
• sensations temporarily get better when you move, stretch, or massage the affected limb
• repetitive cramping or jerking of the legs during sleep.

The causes of RLS are unknown. However, it may be indicative of an iron deficiency, or underlying neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease or peripheral neuropathy. Alcohol intake and sleep deprivation tend to worsen the symptoms of RLS. Talk to your doctor for further information and treatment of your problem.

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When I was 11 years old, I began to use a secret power, setting events in motion that have taken me to places I’ve only dreamed of and beyond. It is a phenomenon that has continued to manifest positive outcomes to this day.

It is the power of enthusiasm

It all began when my father built a “dream machine” for my younger brother and me in our backyard. If you had seen it, you would have said it was a tree-house, but for me, it was truly a dream machine. I can remember climbing up, usually at dusk, as the stars began to twinkle across the big Texas sky, and dream of all that I believed was possible, leaving behind the reality of my life.

Looking back, I realised that even my parents used this power to visualise their dream for their sons: the education they could never afford.

To save for that goal, my dad moved us into the back of his tiny barber shop which was located in a small strip centre on the Eastside of San Antonio, Texas. I shined shoes and watched as he treated every customer as if they were the first patron of the day.

He wasn’t selling haircuts. He was selling an experience, spiced with enthusiasm.

After every haircut, for which my dad charged a dollar, I would run to the corner drug store and change the bill into quarters. My dad kept several empty cigar boxes inside a cabinet in the barber shop. Each one represented a fund. One was for rent, one for groceries, one for our education and so on. I can still see him placing each coin in the box and hearing the tiny clink it made. When I think of that now, I realise what he did to provide for his family, one quarter at a time. It was a sound and a lesson I will never forget. The sound of enthusiasm.

Fasten your seatbelt. I am about to tell you how I believe enthusiasm works, why it works and, most importantly, how it can work for you.

What is enthusiasm?

The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek word, enthousiasmos. En means in and theos means God or spirit. So, to be enthusiastic literally means, “to have the spirit within”.

It was that spirit that launched my vision of the future as I sat quietly in my “dream machine”, imagining all that I believed was possible. I’d like to humbly share three personal dreams that illustrate how the use of enthusiasm not only manifests abundance, but can also accelerate the positive outcome you desire.

Dream number one: Radio

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with the wonder of radio. I would listen to the “man in the speaker” and just know that someday I would be that man. When my head hit the pillow every night, under it was a transistor radio with the volume barely turned up so only I could hear the music, the banter, the magic.

I decided to create my own radio shows, using my small tape recorder and portable record player. While talking into the microphone in one hand, I played and changed the records with the other, producing my five minute “shows”. I would play these “pretend programmes” for my friends, one at a time, on the phone. That’s how badly I wanted to be the “man in the speaker”.

While attending the University of Texas at El Paso, I landed my first radio job, making a whopping $1.25 an hour. [I thought I had died and gone to heaven!] Was it possible to get paid for having this much fun?

Within six short years from the time I left home, my career had taken me to the airwaves of one of the top stations in the nation: KMPC Radio in Los Angeles. My unbridled enthusiasm and love of radio had brought me to where I knew I would someday arrive. The moment I dreamed it, I already had. While my microphone had changed from that small tape recorder in the back of my father’s barber shop to a 50,000 watt signal in one of the largest radio markets in the world, my reason for doing it had not: to share my joy.

“Everything you can imagine is real.”
—Pablo Picasso

Dream number two: Cartoons

At an early age I discovered an almost uncanny ability to mimic voices and sounds I heard. One afternoon, after school, I was watching my favourite cartoon show, Yogi Bear, and a little duck named Yakky Doodle kept following Yogi, saying, “Mr Bear, would you be my momma?”

I turned off the set and decided that I could mimic that voice and, one day, I would do voices for cartoons. Keep in mind that I’m sitting there, watching a black and white Philco TV [Google it!] with a coat hanger for an antenna, not realising that cartoon voice artists are professionals, live in Hollywood and have years of experience.

It took a few weeks, after practising day after day, to finally re-create the little duck’s voice. It was exactly as I had heard it. I was only a kid, but I had been able to do it because I didn’t know that I couldn’t.

Fast-forward to my radio show in Los Angeles. An agent calls me and says something like, “I’ve heard all your voices on radio and was wondering, have you ever thought about doing cartoons?” Was he kidding?! I’d dreamed about it! Within days, I had my first job providing voices for new episodes of The Jetsons cartoon series, working at the Hanna-Barbera Studios: the home of Yogi Bear and that little duck!

Once again, what my enthusiastic boyhood imaginings had set into motion had come to be true. By the way, it was during those sessions that I met and worked with the legendary Mel Blanc. He provided the voice of “Mr Spacely” who was “George Jetson’s” boss on the popular series.

Mr Blanc was a legend and perhaps, the greatest cartoon voice artist of all-time, giving life to countless characters, including Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester the Cat and Tweedy, Foghorn Leghorn and more, many more.

He became a mentor, teaching me many of these famous voices. In doing so he also taught me that the “ladder of life” is one hand extended to someone who pulls you up to where they are, while you extend your other hand to pull someone where you are.

Dream number three: Disney

As a child, one of my secret dreams was to be a part of the magic Walt Disney had created. I didn’t know how or when, I just knew I wanted to join in the fun. After all, I was already a card-carrying member of the Mickey Mouse Club!

That door “magically” opened in 1981, when I got wind that Disney was planning its own presence on worldwide cable and satellite TV: The Disney Channel. The idea of hosting a Disney programme was over the moon and the sun! I went to work writing a treatment for a weekly show I titled, “Saturday in the Park”. Somehow, my agent was able to get me in front of the Disney “suits”—the decision-makers. My heart was beating out of my chest as I drove onto Disney’s Buena Vista Studios in Burbank.

With great enthusiasm, I presented my idea of leading a small army of children in parks across America, explaining how our guest stars would suddenly appear in various settings and perform for our audience, both at home, and at the park. Staring back at me were three men and a lady who would occasionally turn to the others and raise her brow.

“They’re not buying it,” I thought to myself, but I refused to let my guard down. I truly believed in the concept. I believed in Disney.

As I finished, they spoke softly among themselves, then said something that I will remember for the rest of my life. “Sonny, that’s a nice idea, but it’s not what we’re looking for. However, we think you’d be perfect for another show we’re producing, called, You and Me, Kid!”

Sometimes opportunity knocks. Sometimes it taps gently on your window. And, sometimes it drives by and you must run out to the street and flag it down with great enthusiasm!

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
—Walt Disney

These three dreams and their outcome serve to illustrate the influence of enthusiasm on well-intentioned ambitions. I referred to it as a “secret power” because I am convinced that the real secret lies in the mantra: Never stop thinking like a child. You are not just the age you are; you are every age you ever were. Let the kid inside you come out and play!

The elements of successful enthusiasm

I’ve found that there are distinct elements that enhance the full force of enthusiasm. They are: Vision, Commitment, Action, Belief, Gratitude and Servitude.

Vision

Much has been written about the importance of “the feeling” one has when one is filled with enthusiasm. It is my experience that it comes from why we set out to accomplish, rather than what it is we visualise. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mt. Everest, said, “People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.”

Consider the story of American swimmer, Florence May Chadwick, who, at age 31, became the first woman to swim the English Channel both ways in 1950 – 51. And, while many consider this to be her crowning glory, Ms Chadwick had another dream to accomplish: Become the first person to swim the 26 mile channel between Catalina Island and the California Coast.

On a foggy morning in 1952, she attempted to swim the distance. There was a thick fog, the waters were choppy and men on row boats, at times, fired shotguns to scare off occasional circling sharks. Florence began to doubt her own ability and told her mother she wasn’t sure she could make it, swimming for another hour before asking to be pulled out of the water. Around that time, the fog began to lift and she saw the shore only a mile away.

Two months later, with the vision of the shoreline emblazoned in her mind, under the same exact conditions, she reached her goal in less time than her previously failed attempt. Florence later told a reporter that it was the vision of her destination that kept her going.

Commitment

Legendary Hall of Fame football coach, Vince Lombardi, once said, “Most fail, not because of lack of desire, but because of lack of commitment.”

Let’s face it: everyone has dreams and desires of things they’ll accomplish one day. But it’s the commitment to making it happen that shows true character. In his book, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience, Steve Maraboli begs us to “Set the standard! Stop expecting others to show you love, acceptance, commitment and respect when you don’t even show that to yourself.”

Action

While commitment is the contract, action is the work. It is the seeds you plant daily that bring you the fruit of your labour.

While living in Los Angeles, I was having lunch with an actor friend one afternoon. He was lamenting that after two years of giving audition after audition, he hadn’t landed a single job.

I asked, “What are you doing to grow your craft?”

He said, “What do you mean?”

“What are you doing to grow your craft?” I repeated.

“Going to auditions!” he replied.

I explained that, perhaps, the reason he wasn’t progressing in his career was because he wasn’t doing his part to prepare for success. Then, I came up with a simple formula: Every day, before you play, do three things that will bring your closer to your goal.

In his case, it could be attending an acting workshop, writing a letter to a producer, working on creating a one-man show. I asked him to imagine these actions as three seeds he was planting in his garden of realisation. If you do the math, three seeds a day, five days a week [taking weekends off] equals to 15 seeds a week and 60 seeds a month equals to 720 seeds planted in the next 12 months. [How much better would you become, applying this formula to your craft or goal?]

A year later, I ran into my friend who told me that he had been cast in a new sitcom. The seeds-of-action he had planted had taken root and when the opportunity came, he was prepared!

Belief

This is the foundation and the strongest element of success through the use of enthusiasm. When you truly believe in what you see, your vision begins to take on a life of its own. People, resources and circumstances will begin to appear.

Coincidences are just that, co-incidences or two related incidences that seem to have happened by chance. That chance is created by belief. As Einstein puts it, “Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.”

The vision of your dream, no matter your level of enthusiasm, can be a lonely experience. Even those closest to you—your mate, best friend or family—cannot see what you see. Some may discourage you by questioning your efforts. Know that, while they may mean well, it’s not their fault. After all, they want what’s best for you.

Don’t give up.

Gratitude

A college professor wanted to teach his students the concept of gratitude. During his first class of the day, at 8am, he asked everyone to draw a line down the centre of a sheet of paper. “On the left side,” he instructed, “I want you to list all the things you dislike about your life. Then, on the right side, list everything you are happy about.”

After several minutes, most of the students had a much longer list on the left side of their papers. As they slowly finished, he said, “Count the number of items on the left and remember that number.”

Next to his desk was a large box of potatoes, next to a pile of burlap sacks. He told them to come forward and place the number of potatoes in a sack that represented the number of their displeasures in life. Finally, he asked them to carry the load from class to class and when someone asked, to tell them what the potatoes represented.

By noon, there were abandoned sacks of potatoes throughout the campus.

These students were tired of lugging around their “baggage of the past”, and thus, realised a new found perspective of gratitude.

Robert A Emmons, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, spent years studying gratitude and found that “people who practised gratitude daily [for example: writing in a journal] reported higher levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy than those who didn’t.”

Servitude

When you drive to a radio station at 4am to do a morning radio show, there aren’t a lot of choices when it comes to grabbing breakfast at a fast food drive-through along the way. The same can be said for the level of service at that time of the day.

But one morning everything changed as I pulled up to the speaker of a local restaurant to order a couple of breakfast tacos and a cup of coffee. [In case you’re not familiar with them, breakfast tacos are made of scrambled eggs and usually a couple of strips of bacon, served on freshly made tortillas. Delicious!]

Instead of hearing the normal monotone voice asking for my order, I heard: “Welcome to Taco Cabana. How may I serve you?” The voice was as pleasant as the words. Music to my ears at 4am.

When I pulled up to the window I found a lovely lady named Ruby who introduced herself and told me that if I would wait “just a second” she’d see that the bacon was “nice and fresh”. She said all this while putting the cream and sweetener I had asked for into the cup. After stirring the coffee, she carefully placed the plastic cover and even pulled back the little flap that always seems to break off. I watched in disbelief and could hardly wait to share the experience with my radio audience.

Every morning, afterward, I would pull up and receive the same service Ruby cheerfully provided to all her now loyal customers. Through our brief conversations, I found out that she was a single mom and was saving to send her teenage son to college. How easy it would have been for this lady to lament her circumstances and wonder what happened to her life as she tried to make ends meet, while working for minimum wage in the middle of the night.

Not Ruby.

She had plans for herself and her enthusiastic attitude was going to get her to where she was going. Then, one morning she did something that I share with audiences every time I speak.

Let me back up and say that because I enjoyed giving prizes on my radio show, it was not unusual for someone to stop me on the street and ask if I have any movie passes, CD’s, etc.

Well, that’s what I thought was happening when Ruby casually asked one morning, “Sonny, you wouldn’t by any chance have any tickets for tonight’s Spurs basketball game, would you?”

“No Ruby, I’m afraid I don’t.”

[I thought to myself that if anyone deserves to ask, it was Ruby.]

Ruby, then, reached into her pocket and said, “Well, I would like you to have mine. You see I was chosen Employee of the Month and they gave me these tickets. Since I can’t go I thought I would give them to my best customer.”

My eyes welled up because of the lesson I had just learned from this beautiful human being. I graciously accepted her kind offer and thanked her for her generosity. I gladly report that today, Ruby is office manager for a city department and no longer works graveyard hours.

Her attitude determined her altitude. Moreover, she has given many of us the true meaning of the phrase, “How may I serve you?”

Enthusiasm is infectious and serves to inspire those around you. Would you rather be around someone who is filled with optimism or someone who exudes negativity?

Three common myths about enthusiasm

Myth: Enthusiasm is a personality trait. You are either born with it or you are not.

Truth: This is like saying, you are either born knowing how to swim or you are not. Enthusiasm begins with what you want and how badly you want it. Where there is enthusiasm, there is a way!

Myth: You have to feel enthusiastic. You can’t just act that way.

Truth: Dale Carnegie used to say, “If you want to be enthusiastic, act enthusiastic!” You can put the cart before the horse. That is, you can become the enthusiastic individual you want to be by acting the part. Sooner or later, you will no longer be acting.

Myth: People who are enthusiastic are a turn-off to others.

Truth: Enthusiasm is infectious and serves to inspire those around you. Would you rather be around someone who is filled with optimism or someone who exudes negativity?

How to use enthusiasm in your everyday life

• Start your day with the idea that nothing will deter your inner spirit. For instance, if traffic is especially heavy on your way to work, use the time to focus on ideas rather than manufacture unnecessary anxiety.
• Be aware of words you use to describe yourself. Phrases like, “Well, with my luck…,” “Story of my life!” or “At this rate, I’m never going to…” become affirmations and are counter-productive.
• Imagine you are a human laser with the ability to zap anyone you see with positive energy. Silently, wish the best for them, then, blast your positive beam toward them. [This may sound silly, but what you are doing is sending a message to the universe about what you want for yourself.]
• Encourage others. One of my favourite quotes of all-time was written by a philosopher who lived in the first century named Philo of Alexandria. He said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.” Centuries later, these words were never truer. Your kind word, or just a smile, may be the best thing that happens to someone all day. Make it a habit to practise deliberate acts of kindness.
• Show enthusiasm by the clothes you wear, the way you walk and through your body language. Exude your joy.
• Wrap enthusiasm around the moments of your life. Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now, urges us to “Realise deeply that all we ever have is the present moment.”

The gift

Enthusiasm involves suspending disbelief and “meeting your dreams halfway”.

Imagine you’re sitting in a comedy club, watching a talented comic impressionist. You don’t fold your arms and say, “That’s not who you are!” You know that they are not the person being impersonated, but your mind delights in “meeting them halfway”, resulting in the gift of laughter.

So it is with enthusiasm. You are trusting that you truly can succeed. It is that trust that results in the gift of purpose-filled accomplishment.

One final thought

Remember that the power of enthusiasm works best when you are coming from a place of what you can do for someone else. Rather than saying, “What’s in it for me?” Ask yourself, “What’s within me for others?”

Our life’s true measure lies in how we treat those who can do nothing for us. That’s when you’ll know its happening.

That’s your spirit within.

The post The unstoppable power of enthusiasm! appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Why we need to clear negative energies

Your soul or spiritual energy has three aspects—your higher self, your soul and your heart.

Your higher self stays on the higher plane and dimensions of existence and is untouched by the negativity and challenges of life on Earth. When you are born and start a new cycle of life on the earthly planes, your soul energy unites with your physical body and from the very outset of your life it will be challenged by life experiences. These are intended to teach you and give you the opportunity to grow spiritually. As you learn and understand the purpose of your life experiences, your wisdom grows and this accumulates with all the wisdom your soul has acquired through every life time. This depository of understanding sits with your higher self, which becomes your own database of wisdom and knowledge. This higher understanding and knowing can be accessed at any time while you go about your daily life and is generally referred to as intuition—or for the male population who prefer a more grounded description—a gut feeling!

Your soul energy is connected to your higher self through your heart centre with a cord of energy. This cord or channel can be fully open or blocked. The connection is always there but remains blocked for most of us, most of the time. This means we are not fully connected and not fully in touch with our spiritual wisdom; which is why we find it difficult to make decisions or have trust in our higher self or the universe to provide for our needs and wants.

The energies that block us from our higher self are also the energies that bring down the vibrancy of our aura and general energy levels for physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. Let’s take a look at these blocking and harmful energies.

Energies that block

“All energies thoughts and feelings that are not of love will take you further and further from your goal of being fully connected to your higher self”

In the truest sense of the word, there is no negative energy, but there is energy that is heavy, unlike the light and vibrant energy of love. I call it loveless energy. However, to keep things simple and straightforward I shall use the term ‘negative energy’ to describe any atmosphere or energy that you create or attract that pulls you down and keeps you away from your higher self. Each day we pick up energies and attachments and create blocks and heaviness in our energy field. There are a number of sources of negativity and I will address those that most commonly affect us.

Thought forms created from anxious and negative thoughts

You are a moving mass of specks of energy. Although you feel dense and solid, you are in fact far from it because you are made up of energy. Therefore you are susceptible to the changing vibrations of the energies around you.

You are also affected by your own thoughts and feelings. Positive thoughts make your overall energy lighter and raise the frequency, while negative thoughts hold a heavier and denser vibration. Therefore, the more upbeat and positive you feel, the lighter is your energy; the more despondent and unhappy you are, the heavier and darker your overall energy becomes.

Apart from this overall effect, negative thoughts like anger, resentment, self-dislike, pessimism and anxiety will create actual blocks in your energy field. When you have the same negative thoughts about yourself or your life over and over again, the energies of those thoughts bind together and create a mass that obstructs the flow of energy through your system. Thoughts such as:

“I hate my body”

“I don’t know where the rent money will come from”

“I don’t have enough clients—I fear my business will fail”

“I wonder if this lump is cancer”

“I am so scared of dying”

“I am so useless—my mother was right”

All these will stay with you and bring you down, spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Avoiding other people’s negative thoughts

Your own negativity acts as a magnet to attract negative people and situations. As you heal [transform the energy from dark to light] your own scars, hurts, imprints and thoughts, you will find that you are affected less and less by the negativity of others. But while you are going through the healing process—which can take time—it’s advisable to use protection. Here are a few ways that you can keep yourself clear:

• Visualise yourself surrounded by a  violet flame of protection—this will clear both other people’s thought forms and your own.
• See yourself in a bubble of light that has thick walls through which nothing but love can enter; all emotional shafts that come towards you bounce off the walls.

How to get rid of negative energy

Here is a process that works well to clear and lighten your energy field. The principle we are using here is that you are dispersing the balls of negative energy that cling to each other like a magnet. These are your negative thoughts, which are drawn like to like to create blocks. Negativity from other people will be attracted in the same way. Once you release your negativity, you will find you are not a magnet for outside negativity either.

• Find a quiet place and shut the door—even if this is the loo at work!
• Use your hands as combs. Sweep and comb through your energy field and flick away the energies—this will disperse them.
• Hold the intention of lightening your energy field and clearing all that is not supporting and lifting you. If you are completely alone, say “I release all negativity that is in and attached to my aura” [say it in your head if you can be overheard].
• If you are in your own home, it’s useful to flick the unwanted energies into a bowl of water and sea salt, for salt attracts and holds negativity and it will help to keep your room clear.

What you need for successful self-healing

The process of self-healing requires:

• Awareness : You need to acknowledge that you have something that needs healing
• Intention : Set your mind and will to heal and gain understanding
• Open your mind and heart to allow the healing to happen : Set this intention by holding your hands, prayer style, in front of first your heart then your forehead then open them wide
• See the signs and read your body : Keep your awareness high as the energies you need come towards you
• Let it happen in its own time and don’t stress about the process : Go with the flow of it!

Healing happens when energies are allowed to change, when you are prepared to let the emotions flow, when you are honest with yourself, when your desire to be happier, lighter and free is stronger than your fear of the change.

Lastly, remember that healing will never happen whilst you blame yourself, other people, your circumstances or even the government!

Excerpted with permission from The Soul Connection By Anne Jones, published by Piatkus

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Honey contains minerals such as copper, manganese, silicon, chlorine, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, aluminium, and magnesium. It contains all the vitamins and trace elements that nutritionists consider necessary for health: B-vitamins, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, nicotinic acid, biotin, and ascorbic acid [vitamin C].

What’s more, unlike fruits and vegetables, honey does not lose its vitamins during harvesting, storage, and preparation.

Organic honey also contains amino acids and enzymes, which help in digestion. Thus, consuming organic honey ensures a good supply of necessary nutrients to the body; the glucose and fructose in organic honey provide instant energy.

Natural honey is known to have myriad medicinal qualities. You can use it as a first-aid remedy, a conditioner for your hair, in your cooking, or simply as a “pick-me-up”. Let’s understand the nutritional goodness of organic honey in detail.

Nutritional value

Apart from its pristine purity, honey is a source of energy that comes combined with protein, vitamins, enzymes and more. One spoonful of honey, daily, is recommended for everybody: from children to adults.

The exact composition of honey varies with the type of flower, the type of soil, the season of the year, and weather conditions at the time of collection. The darker honeys have the highest mineral content. It contains four times as much iron as lighter honeys. Another quality of honey is that, when compared with the same amount of sugar, it gives 40 per cent less calories to the body. Although it provides great energy to the body, it does not add weight. This makes it a realistic, natural substitute for sugar in your coffee, tea, juice etc.

Digestion

Honey is made up of simple sugars, converted by a secretion from the bees’ salivary tract. It is, therefore, easily and quickly absorbed as a source of quick energy.

Since honey promotes the correct working of the digestive organs, it can be taken as a laxative. Babies whose diet includes honey rarely suffer from colic.

Healing properties

Do you have a cut? Organic honey is a natural antiseptic. Medical literature cites hundreds of cases in which honey was employed to treat wounds. By applying honey to your wounds, you can prevent infections. Honey contains anti-microbial agents, which prevent infections by killing the bacteria in and around your wounds. When honey is used, it helps to heat up the area around the wound [Caution: Test the heat before you place it around/on the wound].

Many types of bacteria can’t survive in honey, so wounds heal, the swelling eases, and tissues grow back to health. Studies have shown that burns, too, can heal better with honey.

The advantage of natural honey is that it not only prevents infections from occurring, it actually accelerates skin healing. Since the sugar in honey absorbs water, it helps to trap some of the moisture, so bacteria and other microbes can’t grow as easily in honey as in other food.

Honey can absorb moisture, and it has been prized for its mild antibiotic properties for centuries, due to this fact. Where bacteria are trapped in honey, honey can absorb moisture from the bacteria and kill them. Gargling with honey water is effective in treating infections of the throat.

To get relief from cough, add three tsp of lemon juice, one tsp of honey, and half tsp of ginger juice to half a cup of warm water. Drink this solution, three times a day.

Honey Tips

• Honey should be stored in a dry place as it absorbs and retains moisture
• High temperatures affect the flavour of honey. Products should, therefore, be baked at lower temperatures [300-350°C] for a longer period of time
• Honey is sweeter than sugar. One tsp of honey is equivalent in sweetness to 1.5 tsp sugar
• Cakes, puddings, biscuits and sweets will stay fresh and longer when made with honey. If you are experimenting with honey in a recipe, try replacing half the sugar with honey as the flavour can be very strong. Honey is hygroscopic [meaning it attracts water] so it is good for baking cakes as it keeps them moist for long
• You can also try fresh bread, sliced and buttered with a layer of organic honey — a simple sandwich that is delicious and quick anytime
• Measuring unit: 1 tsp of honey = 20 calories; 1 tbsp = 60 calories.

Beauty

Many hand and body lotions, facial creams, soaps and depilatories [hair-removing creams] contain honey. Honey can penetrate tiny crevices through which even water will not pass. It, therefore, makes an excellent emollient [skin softening cream] as well as a protective, germ-proof shield. Thanks to its vitamin, mineral, and amino acid content, honey is a wonderful beauty aid. Its anti-bacterial properties make it a good cleanser. It nourishes the skin and the hair.

Here are some beauty potions you can make and use with honey:

• Honey mixed with ground almonds makes an excellent facial cleansing scrub
• A tbsp of honey whisked together with an egg white, one tsp of glycerine and about 1/4 cup of flour makes an excellent firming mask. Just smooth on the face, leave on for 15 minutes, and rinse with warm water. You will be pleased with the results
• Honey also makes a great moisturising pack. Just mix two tbsp of honey with two tsp of whole milk, smooth over the face and neck, and let it do its job for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water, and finish splashing cold water
• Honey also makes a great lotion for dry patches of skin on hands, elbows, or other parts. Just mix one tsp of honey with one tsp of olive oil, and a 1/2 tsp of lemon juice. Apply to hands, elbows, heels of your foot etc., and wash off after 15 minutes. This provides fast relief!
• Honey works well on chapped lips and acne, because it has anti-bacterial properties
• To give your hair lustrous shine, mix one tsp of honey in four cups of warm water. Use as a hair rinse. And, if you’re a blond, add the juice of one lemon too
• Mix one tbsp of honey with a cup of warm water. Use it as a mouthwash. Honey cleans teeth and dentures, and kills germs in the mouth.

Relish the goodness of honey and ensure sweetness and good health in your life.

Recipe: Coconut & Honey-Stuffed Pea Cutlet

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 2 cups boiled and mashed peas
• 3/4 cup rice flour
• 2 tbsp salt
• Paste of 3-4 green chillies
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Tomato sauce or chutney for garnishing

Method:

1. Mix the coconut, honey and lemon juice. Make small round balls by stuffing cashew nuts into it.
2. Mix mashed pea, rice flour, salt, green chilli paste and garam masala. Make dough.
3. Make round flattened balls by pressing on your palm.
4. Fill the coconut stuffing inside the balls. Give them a round shape.
5. Heat oil in a pan. Deep fry all cutlets. Place on a tissue paper to remove extra oil.
6. Serve with sauce or chutney.

Last updated on 27^th September 2019

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