BlogPositive

Making Dreams Come True

Today one of my long desired dreams came true. I clipped into my skis outside my back door and skied off down into the village to the Post Office. Skiing from the back door is something I've wanted to do for a long time. We have a lot less snow in Cumbria than we used to so I've had to wait 6 years for the opportunity. Although there have been times when we've had sufficient snow before, I've always been away from home. Everyone in the village now think that I'm mad but I really enjoyed the experience. And it was a superb work-out too; I got home glowing and very very warm from the exercise. Later I was talking with a friend and she said how lucky I was to be able to do that. Well surprisingly I don't really believe in luck. Either you've sent an intention out to the universe that has delivered what you wanted or it's a combination of preparation meeting opportunity. I've been preparing for years; getting the right kit, learning the techniques, building confidence, watching and learning about the weather and the snow. And the opportunity was created because of the way that I've been managing my work. I'm having more concentrated periods of work and therefore longer periods at home. So to create your own luck you need to be preparing so that when that opportunity arises you are ready to jump right in. What's your heart's desire? What are you doing now to be ready when that opportunity presents itself?

Urban Retreat

Well what do you know, after all the vagaries of transportation in India I arrive home early, we landed perfectly in fog at Heathrow early this morning, only to find the connecting flight to Newcastle cancelled. I am exhausted after a busy time away and an overnight flight and I am now faced with a 4 hour wait and very little sympathy from BA.

Being prepared for the temperature change I have clothes appropriate to 6 degrees rather than 26 degrees in my hand luggage so I take some advice and wander down to international departures. Here I find a haven of peace and comfort, Urban Retreat. At a stroke I have changed a tedious wait into a positive experience. I have a shower with luxury products, change into fresh clothes, get a healthy breakfast and ensconced in a comfy supportive massage chair, set to work on my emails.

So this was achieved by knowing what I wanted (a shower and some peace and quiet), taking advice (nothing in domestic departures go to international) and finally noticing and taking a chance on something new – a bill board on the way into the departure area advertised the place although I still had to ask directions to find it. However before all of that I recognised that here was an opportunity to make good use of time and look after myself – after all I’m worth it! I can’t speak highly enough of Urban Retreat, well worth a visit.

You will have a more positive experience of life if you value yourself and look after yourself properly, after all you are the best person to know how to do that. Planning helps, having clean clothes was really nice, also look for opportunities in possible disasters. When there are things going wrong around you what opportunities do you see ? What have you done in the last week to look after yourself? How much value do you place on your own time?

Flotation

Thanks, Chantal for your comment on flotation.  I was thinking about this as I was dashing around trying to get ready to leave the house for a wedding this weekend. I was juggling some work PR, trying to synchronise my computers and managing my packing for the wedding & a day's work into one small rucksack, all at the same time.  I was up last night late working accidentally till 3am and I'm still not organised properly for going to India, althoguh I do now have the visa. All of this, as my friend Carolyn says, is just a typical day for me.  I tend to work and live at this pitch for ages and then just stop, although I do almost have to be forced to do that. I need to be physically separated from my laptop, given a book or a pencil and paper and just write or read.  Then I finish a book in a day or write six poems in an evening!

The idea of floating over a deep comforting void does really appeal to me just at the moment and we all need to recognise that we need to recharge.  Most people I know have little spare time and certainly most of the mums I know run on empty most of the time.  So we need to think about building in that recharging opportunity into our lives.  Because without it we will start to feel the long term health problems that come from too much stress.  To get fully recharged you need to do things that feed your soul. You need to relax on a much deeper level than just the physical.

So I am going to chill in the car this afternoon and have a long chat with Mike, who I haven't seen for ages and then catch up with more old friends at the wedding. Friends are very important to me so spending time with them is food for my soul.

What will you do this weekend to feed your soul?  How can you build that sort of activity into your schedule reguarly?  Who else do you know who needs to stop, look, listen and feel their soul?