“A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness.” ~ Elsa Schiaparelli

Cooking heals. Cooking can soothe jangled nerves, heal broken hearts and cure boredom, insomnia and anxiety.

Cooking is therapy and, fattening or not, it’s effective.

It worked for Julie Powell, who set out to whip up every recipe in legendary chef Julia Child’s cookbook when she felt stymied by her own problems. The blog and book that resulted, “Julie & Julia,” are portrayed in a must see film starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. I highly recommend watching it.

How do I know cooking is so good for the mind, heart and soul??

I have been cooking since I was 12 yrs old. Not that, the first dish I made was anything next to good. But, my darling dad ate it all up. Yeah, the first time I cooked it was out of neccessity. My mum wasn’t feeling very well and had to be hospitalised. Being the eldest of three siblings I took it upon myself to fill in her shoes for those few weeks. My mum is an amazing cook! When that first dish bombed big time, and came time to serve it to my dad and little brothers I thought “such a simple dish, and I spoilt it.” (I had forgotten I was only 12 yrs old!) With this frame of mind the food got served. The three males of the house looked at the dish in ‘awe’. They ate silently. I couldnt even have one bite of it. It was so so bad. But they ate and they praised it. Imagine that! I saw my dads face light up when I served him for the first time. Since then, cooking has become my happy place. cooking to me is creating happiness in edible form.

I love to cook now. I love it so much, that if any one day I haven’t cooked even one small meal, I feel incomplete. My healing depends on that special time I take to myself…to get all raw and messy…wet dough is wet dough afterall. The pure modesty to cooking is what keeps me grounded and healed.

How to find the Healing Happiness in Cooking?

For many of us, when we make the time, finding the energy to cook everyday is difficult, because when we have just done a day’s work, the idea of having to stand in the kitchen doing more ‘work’, is not that attractive.

If this resonates with you, then see if you can turn your time in the kitchen into something which nourishes you and restores your energy, rather than drains you. Cooking can be very therapeutic, if you do it in the right way. It may not always be possible, but if you can, on difficult days, have your partner look after the children while you cook. Close the kitchen door and tell your family not to disturb you. Forget multi-tasking and allow yourself to concentrate solely on just one thing, the task of cooking a meal. I find it helps to create a nice ambience for yourself. Remember a happy cook is a good cook and a Good cook is a Happy cook!

Sometimes I like the ambience of silence, when I am feeling bruised and sore from the noise of the world. But you don’t need silence to feel the happiness of cooking. Sometimes, I want to hear the birds outside or the traffic zooming past too.

Creating your psychic cooking space is as important as your physical one. During a difficult time in my life, when slings and arrows were coming at me hard and all was disorder, trauma and upheaval, I used cooking-time as ‘time out’ for myself. I came to really look forward to that slot in my day when I could put to one side, all the problems I was dealing with, turn off the ‘worry switch’ and just cook. I became so engrossed in what I was doing that I forgot everything else. I became calm and focused and my mind rested. I was experiencing the healing power of cooking.

Any activity can become a meditation, be it archery, motor-cycle maintenance, calligraphy, flower-arranging, walking by the sea, sitting cross-legged repeating a mantra……so why not cooking? If you are a stressed-out working mother, I doubt you have much time for walking by the sea, calligraphy, or cross-legged meditation. But cooking is something you have to do each day and if you can use that time to feed your spirit and rest your mind, you will be multiplying the benefits you reap from your kitchen labours.

So when the world beyond your kitchen is in chaos, you can create a healing happiness-filled oasis, where chaos does not reign. In the kitchen, we can create harmony, order, wellness, the antithesis of everything in our lives that stresses and exhausts us. Instead of chaos, we can make an oasis of creativity. Kitchen-time can become me-time, during which we nourish and repair our spirits, as we cook and regroup our energies for the next battle we have to fight. Just as eating home-cooked food can be a ritual that grounds our children, we can make the cooking of it a ritual that grounds us.

Points to remember:

• Cooking is a great destresser because it serves as a creative outlet.
• While stress can numb your senses, cooking activates them. It’s a sensory experience with aroma, taste, touch, visual delight and even sizzling sound.
• If you’re cooking for people you care about, you get nurtured by their appreciation.
• Cooking is like giving birth because you are mixing things together to create something new and wonderful.
• Cooking offers a way to feel better about life because it offers immediate gratification.
• Cooking keeps you in the moment and this shifts your attention from a brain locked into worries to a recipe for happy living.
• Cooking is the fastest way to mend a broken heart.

Understanding that we can experience the healing happiness of cooking is like a self-fulfilling prophecy—the more we are aware of this possibility, the more it works this way. When we are resentful about having to cook and allow the stresses of the day to leak into our cooking time, we become even more depleted. When we throw a ring around our cooking time, and think of it as sacred time, we ‘enter the zone’ and it becomes a special ritual that we can look forward to every day.

What are YOUR thoughts on this topic?
Do you cook for yourself or your loved ones? How has the process of cooking helped you? Do share your therapeutic cooking wisdom, thoughts and questions in the comments below. I’m eager to learn about your happy cooking ways.  

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ‘HAPPINESS GOODIES’!!! 
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

Special note: Today I open up my blog to Hiten Vyas! He is a refreshingly brilliant guy who you ought to know. Read on to know his thoughts. Details about Hiten below this article. Enjoy and show this brilliant guy some love here ~ Much Love, Zeenat~

Meditating literally changed my life.

Pretty bold statement to make you might say? You would be right. However, it’s true and I’ll explain how it can help you too.

How I got into meditation

I had my first taste of meditation in 2008. I mentioned to a friend that I loved yoga, but the classes I attended placed too much emphasis on the postures (or Asanas) rather than the meditative aspects such as Pranayama, from which I experienced real peace and calmness.

My friend told me about a Buddhist temple he went to, to practice ‘mindfulness’ meditation once a week, and how I might like to give it go. I was well up for it!

The actual meditation

Once I went to the class I was taught how to meditate by the monks there, and I’ve not looked back. Mindfulness meditation involves being ‘mindful’ of the contents of our minds and more specifically the thoughts we have.

Most of the time we have so much internal chatter going on, it’s all we’re hearing. Our thoughts are on auto-pilot and we react in our bodies to our thinking. We experience feelings inside us; sometimes good feelings, and other times bad feelings. And this continues like an endless cycle, over and over again.

Applying the technique

Practicing mindfulness meditation is fairly straightforward. You can sit down cross-legged with a straight back and head parallel to the floor. You close your eyes, and then start to observe your breathing, just watching it go in and out. If you find sitting on the floor too difficult, you can sit upright on a chair.

There is no regulation of the breathing. It’s all about just allowing your natural breath to go in and out.

As you begin to observe the flow of your natural breath, thoughts will begin to arise in your mind. When they do (which they will!) you just allow them to arise, observe them, and just bring your attention back to the main area of focus, namely your breathing. By bringing your attention back to your breathing you are stopping thoughts right in their tracks before they get you to react to them.

Teaches you to objectivity

Mindfulness meditation can teach you a number of things about yourself and the world. One key thing is it teaches you to be objective to what it going on inside you.

What does this mean you might ask?

Well our experiences are usually like this: We have a thought and this invokes corresponding feelings. In this process, we literally become the thought and become the feeling.

For instance, I might have a thought about speaking in front of a group of people and I suddenly become really fearful. When experiencing this, I become my fear. Or I might say “I’m afraid” and identify with my fear.

By practicing mindfulness meditation, you begin to develop another level of consciousness, where you create distance between what you are thinking and feeling. By observing your thoughts objectively, you begin to stop identifying with them, and by doing this over time you will create less pain.

Remember, we create our own suffering through identifying with the contents of our mind. Thoughts and emotions come and go. Mindfulness meditation allows you to observe this arising and passing of thoughts and feelings as it happens, without becoming attached to them. And from this, wisdom develops that we are more than our thoughts and emotions.

Present moment living

I never really knew what present moment living was until I started to meditate. I would read about how one should live in the now, as there is no fear, worry or other types of emotional pain in the present. Don’t live in the past I would read in books. There is regret there. Don’t live in the future other books would say, because there is only anxiety about what might happen.

But how does one really experience being in the present moment?

Well mindfulness meditation can help you to do this.

The thoughts we usually have are either about the past or some fantasy about the future. By continuing to bring our attention back to our breathing whenever we have a thought about something, what we are doing is living in the present moment! In the present moment there can be no regret, or fear or anxiety, because when you are just focusing on your breathing, you don’t give yourself a chance to think of anything else!

More relaxed and less agitated

The more you meditate, over time you will notice changes in yourself. Others will notice differences in you too. You will become more relaxed. In those daily situations where you used to get frustrated, fearful, angry etc, you will now begin to approach with a more balanced attitude, because you will be living much more in the present. You will be able to approach situations from the intuitive wisdom that comes from doing so in the now. Fewer things will get ‘under your skin’.

Mindfulness for beginners

The fruits of mindfulness meditation can take some time to manifest. Please don’t let this put you off. It’s important to not allow yourself to become frustrated at the beginning. It’s easy to do so, as an untrained mind at the start may seem hard to control. If you feel like this, just allow yourself to remember this is what the mind does, and overtime you are learning to train it.

The more you practice mindfulness meditation, the more skilled you will become and you will begin to notice changes in your life. If you’re just starting out, then ten minutes a day is fine. As you become experienced you can increase the time you meditate to longer periods such as half an hour in the morning and then increase to twice a day by meditating for half an hour in the evening as well.

I love meditating. I believe that had I not found it, I might have been lost. Here’s to you finding out more about yourself through your own mindfulness meditation practice!

About the author of this article:

Hiten Vyas is a personal development coach from the UK.

He is passionate about helping people increase their confidence and reduce their anxiety. You can find out more about him at his website: http://www.hitenvyas.com

What are your thoughts on this topic?
Do you meditate and which is your favorite meditative way? Do share your meditation thoughts, queries and comments in the comments section below. Hiten and I would be happy to help. 

This Coming Monday : We will be talking about “Positively Happy Cooking”!! YAy yay woohoo!! Stay tuned  

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ‘HAPPINESS GOODIES’!!! 
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

Love is truth

Love is joy

Love is respectful

Love is freely given

Love is a free gift

Love is freedom

Love is compassionate, merciful, gracious

Love is amazing, awesome, glorious

Love is considering and honoring others… their whole being – identity, ideas, beliefs, feelings… Love understands.

Love is…listening, enlightenment, intimacy, romance, trust, peace, excitement, joy…

Love is… The Journey of knowing your truest self.

Love is … DIVINE!

Love is…really ALL there is!

Now, while I go ahead and Celebrate my Valentine’s day with my loves(my family)– eating, playing and loving(no material gifts are exchanged, only love)….you go ahead and celebrate with a feast for your heart with the many definitions of love….for in reality, we each understand and feel LOVE Uniquely.

Here are some of my favorite Personal Development writers and bloggers sharing their definitions of LOVE (in no particular order, I totally LOVE them all ):

Melody @ Deliberate Receiving defines Love as : “Love is an emotion. Our emotions are simply indicators of our vibration. We can control our emotions by controlling our vibration – our thoughts about ourselves and the world. We can choose our thoughts, and therefore, we can choose our emotions. The feeling of love is a choice. It doesn’t have to be a reaction to what others do. We can choose to love. Not because we need to, but because we want to, because it’s so beautiful when we do. And when we do, we heal ourselves. We heal the world.”

——————————————————————————-

Cathy Taughinbaugh @ Treatment Talk defines Love as : “Love is as much about your actions as it is about your feelings. Showing love everyday means being there for others, reaching out when someone needs you and staying true to your words. The most difficult love is knowing when to let go when it is time, and let others find their own way. Love is forever. Follow your heart and you will find it.”

——————————————————————————-

Sandra Pawula @ Always Well Within defines Love as : “Love is the wish for all beings without limit to have happiness and the causes of happiness.  This wish is actively expressed through loving thoughts, words, and deeds.  Love is inextricably intermixed with affection, kindness, compassion, gentleness, warm-heartedness, empathy, and forgiveness.  One’s capacity to love is rooted in a healthy sense of self-love.  When love partners with wisdom, we see reality as it is.”

——————————————————————————-

Jt Clough @ Big Island Dog defines Love as : “Love, like happiness is an ongoing endeavor.  Dogs have taught me much about love in the ability to give it unconditionally.  Love is a forward motion.  Forgiveness is love.  Finding love within myself first, even with the many things I personally need to work on finds it’s way to true love for those in my life.”

——————————————————————————-

Aileen @ Kaizen Vision defines Love as : “Love is being able to see the person’s soul when their personality or actions are hard to deal with. It’s a power greater than self that allows one to see a bigger picture other than what’s in front of them. Love is the ultimate healer. To see with the eyes of love, act with the behavior of love, and speak with the intention of love regardless of the situation, that will show you what love is.”

 ——————————————————————————-

Joy Holland @ Facets of Joy defines Love as : “Love is as beautiful and pure as we allow it to be.  When we release all that we think we “know” to instead connect through our heart space with genuine transparency, we are choosing to express love. When we create from a centered place of peace, we are choosing to be love.  When we realize that we all feel vulnerable, that we all wish to matter, we will comfortably honor our individual beings and paths; from this place it is effortless toshare love. As we choose to express, be, and share love we magnify it; thank you for choosing to magnify love!”

——————————————————————————-

Evita Ochel @ Evolving Beings defines Love as : “Love is consciousness - and the joy, peace, gratitude and serenity we bring to our self, our life and others. It is being mindful of the present moment and how our thoughts, words and actions impact all living beings, species and aspects of nature as we co-create our lives.”

——————————————————————————-

Farnoosh Brock @ Prolific Living defines Love as : “If I had all the riches, it would not be enough. If I could gaze at all the beauty in the world daily, it would still lack something. If I had infinite popularity, I’d still be empty. If I could see all my dreams turn into reality, it’d still be missing the essence. If I could do it all and have it all, it would still be nothing without love in my life and in my heart. Love. It completes me.”

——————————————————————————-

Amit Sodha @ Unlimited Choice defines Love as : “Love for me is very simple, it’s gratitude, appreciation and being in the moment for the small things with those who are a big part of your life.  It’s not wishing for more or less but understanding that what you see is you.  It’s the culmination of all the things you asked for.  Love is truly being in the moment and feeling the immense joy at the gifts you’ve been blessed with.  It’s also showing that love in the most creative and enjoyable ways that your imagination can muster.  Love is laughter, joy and fun and is without expectation.

——————————————————————————-

Tia Singh @ Your Life Your Way defines Love as : “How do I define love.. I don’t know that I can. I’ll tell you how I experience it instead. Love is when I look at you and really SEE you. Whoever you are. Love is me feeling connected to the world. Love is wanting you to shine your star bright, seeing you glow. Love is calm, messy, deep, real, illusionary. Freedom. Love is sharing my jar of Nutella.”

——————————————————————————-

Vidya Sury @ Going a Musing defines Love as : “Love is divine. Without it, life would be like a broken pencil – pointless.  Love is family and friends.  Love is unconditional and non-judgmental, a connection of the hearts and souls, a feeling of security and confidence, a lifetime bond, intuitively understanding without words, a positive energy. Love is caring and trust, bonding relationships we cherish for life, confident about being there for each other. Love heals.”

——————————————————————————-

Sibyl Chavis @ Possibility of Today defines Love as : “You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.”  Henry Drummond. I have come to learn (after what feels like way too long) how true this quote is. When we look back on life, all our greatest moments will absolutely be those where we felt and were aware of the love that is available for us to experience in each moment. Whether it is gazing into the eyes of someone we love, watching a child giggle uncontrollably, or even something perfectly simple like appreciating a sunset … love is the greatest possibility of today (and every today that follows).

——————————————————————————-

Stuart Mills @ Unlock the Door defines Love as : ”Love is formless. Love is the very essence of what we do, no matter whether it’s helpful or harmful. Even if we harm others, we still perform our actions out of a misguided sense of love for ourselves. Love drives all, is all, encompasses all, and surrounds all. Withoutlove, there would be no reason to perform any duty or take part in any heroic deed. With love, the world becomes a better place to live.”

——————————————————————————-

Evelyn Lim @ Abundance Tapestry defines Love as : “Love is being able to see the perfection in all there-is. You no longer focus on what is wrong. You choose to view things from a more positive lens. You focus on seeing the good and beautiful. It is a very much a conscious choice to live lovingly each day.”

——————————————————————————-

 Angela Artemis @ Powered By Intuition defines Love as : “You are shaped by the people you have loved and who have loved you. Love is the greatest power there is. This emotion leaves an indelible mark upon each of us. The imprint of love is what stays with us even after a person is gone from our lives or gone from this life. Love is also what connects us to to one another for eternity.”

——————————————————————————-

Betsy McKee Henry @ Zen Mama defines Love as : “Unconditional Love is accepting a person, faults and accomplishments, no matter what they do. Pure and Simple. Unconditional love is understanding that if the people we love make foolish mistakes or disappoint us, and that we love them just as much anyway. This kind of love binds us together in ways we can’t imagine. It’s the love you want for yourself. And amazingly if you give that love, you often get the same love back.”

——————————————————————————-

Fran Sorin @ Awake Create defines Love as : “LOVE IS spending time in nature, Tickling the bottom of an infant’s foot, Smiling at the homeless woman on the bench,  Forgiving, Getting closer to the truth.”

——————————————————————————-

Suzie @ Suzie Cheel defines Love as : “Love is opening your heart into your own brilliance, Totally in acceptance of all parts of you, Basking in the wonder that is you, Then shining your love and light for all the world to see, Empowering you and me.”

——————————————————————————-

Lance Ekum @ Jungle of Life defines Love as : “Like the snowflake gently falling, Like the sun ever shining, Like the trail winding on, Our soul, our presence, our care. Love is.”

——————————————————————————-

Arvind Devalia @ Make it Happendefines Love as : “Love is All That Matters! Love is the most amazing thing in our lives – it is what makes us human, what makes life worth living.The size of our homes, bank balances, the beauty of our partner, the speed of our car – all these things pale into insignificance when we face the true splendour of what it is that makes us tick. Love does not make the world go around – it simply makes the ride worthwhile.”

——————————————————————————-

Ken Wert @ Meant to Be Happy defines Love as : “Love is reflected in the way you treat the object of that love. It suggests respect and honor. It includes the hope and active pursuit for what’s best for the person you love. It cares more for the person than for the benefits of the relationship. Love is no passive emotion, in other words. It is proactive. It’s a verb. It reaches out and serves and blesses and is compassionate and kind and thoughtful and patient and forgiving. Feeling love doesn’t require anything from us. But actually loving someone does. The act of loving someone changes us for good. It blesses in both directions. It is expansive and fulfilling and lifting and healing for both its giver and receiver.”

——————————————————————————-

This is my Valentine’s LOVE Celebration with so many beautiful writers sharing from their heart.

A BIG Loving Thank you to all those who have shared their precious energy here. Your definitions are all WOW!

I think the best way to celebrate Valentines day is to celebrate Love. Soak it in and share it….LOVE Love and amazing Love!

How are you celebrating LOVE today? DO you have any special plans? And do YOU have a special definition of love you would like to share with us? Please so share your thoughts in the comments section below. I’d love it if you all celebrated here with me !  

Whatever your plans, never ever forget to Romance your truest Self. Cause YOU matter!

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ‘HAPPINESS GOODIES’!!! 
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

Romance fills our thoughts, our dreams, the movies we watch, and almost anything we listen to. And why not? Romance is the very essence of life. It is the celebration love.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, thoughts are turning to love and romance. The men are getting cold sweats and the women are getting entitled. The candy and trinkets have been on the shelves since days. But there is another way to approach this celebration of love and giving – romance yourSelf!

Typically, we expect romance to come from a partner, a lover, or a significant other. Wanting to love and be loved is fundamental to our nature. Yet, when we don’t have that special someone in our lives, the absence of romance can leave us feeling dull. And sometimes, even when we do have a significant other, we still sometimes sense that lack luster feeling of detachment and emptiness.

It doesn’t matter if you have a partner or not. You don’t need to depend on another person for you to feel loved, whole and cherished. In fact, since the main person in your life is YOU, ideally you should be taking steps to honor and respect yourself every day.

What exactly is romance?

Everyone has their own specific definition of romance, but we can agree that romance means to have affection, to provide an interest in your own contributions, and to feel passion and strong feelings.

“Romancing Yourself” happens when you take life into your own hands – when you get to know yourself, spending time with your likes and your joys. When you romance yourself, you do the things that nourish and bring out your inner radiance. You place attention on the details that are important and meaningful. And you delight in your senses, opening up to how wonderful things smell, taste, look, and feel. Romance is the little things – showing yourself that you care.

19 Positive Ways to Romancing Yourself on Valentines Day or any other day:

Get to know, and appreciate, all of who you are! Below are nineteen ways to rekindle your love affair with yourself! Take yourself out on a date this valentine’s ….

1. Take yourself on your ideal date. What have you always wanted to be asked out to do? Here’s a secret: You don’t have to wait to be asked. Go ahead; splurge. You’re spending an evening with the most special person you’ll ever be blessed to meet: yourself.
2. Treat yourself to that special restaurant, the one with the flower filled outdoor patio. Read your favorite book by the table’s candlelight, occasionally pausing to look up at the starry night sky.
3. Take yourself out to a four star movie. Buy a big tub of popcorn. Laugh uproariously.
4. Listen to what pleases your ears on a breezy summer afternoon. Let your eyes tear and your imagination wander.
5. Spend a Sunday afternoon in the park. Watch the kids play catch catch, and be sure to walk barefoot in the cool grass.
6. Keep a journal. Write down random thoughts, snippets of poetry, or your dreams. Draw a portrait of the person who always sits across from you on the bus/train ride to work.
7. Spend an afternoon at the art museum. Melt into the paintings. Visit the natural history museum. Be a tyrannosaur. Hungrily devour the humans walking oh so quietly through the museum halls. Its fun to be with yourself
8. Play with Legos and colored pencils ¯ creativity is good for the soul.
9. Sit quietly in your room early in the morning. Breathe soundly and listen to the sound of the dawn. Know your beauty in silence.
10. Be generous to yourSelf materially. Yes, that means buying something just for you! Don’t wait for someone else to purchase something for you. If you have had your eye on that gorgeous set of earrings, then buy them! You, my dear, are worth it. He can buy you the matching necklace
11. Be generous to yourSelf with time. Instead of running around all day in a frenzy of activity for your job, family, school or whatever else you give your time to, take some time for you. Whether it be a day off of work, an hour long soak in the tub or ½ day curled up in a good book, give yourSelf permission to enjoy some down time.
12. Forgive yourSelf. What’s done is done, and your expectations for yourSelf are probably higher than anything you’d ever ask of someone else. Whatever you feel you have done “wrong,” learn from it and forgive yourSelf. You’d do the same for another person, so why not for you?
13. Let go. This goes hand in hand with forgiveness. If you find that you are carrying around anger or a grudge toward someone else, why not just let it go? The only person you are hurting is yourSelf – and that doesn’t make much sense, does it?
14. Take care of your body. It is good to you, carrying you around and allowing you to get on with your life. Make sure you nourish it with healthy food once in a while, take supplements and get some exercise. Your body will thank you!
15. Eliminate the word, “should.” Every “should” statement is laden with unnecessary guilt. If you say that you “should” do something, that means that someone else expects you to, perhaps even yourSelf. If your “should” is something that you honestly don’t want to do, then don’t do it. You always have a choice.
16. Affirm yourSelf. You’re good enough, you’re smart enough, and doggone it, people like you!  Telling yourSelf wonderful things about yourSelf makes you feel great! If you hear something enough, you will begin to believe it. So why not make sure that you are hearing the good stuff?
17. Pamper yourSelf. Treat yourself to a massage once a month, or once a week. Feel how good it is to be at home in your body. Go for a manicure, a pedicure, a massage or whatever else makes you feel special. After all, you ARE special and you deserve these things!
18. Support yourSelf. People need people. Do you have a circle of friends that you can talk to? If so, spend some time with them. If not, brainstorm about how you can meet other women. Research has shown that women who have a close circle of friends feel more positive on a day-to-day basis.
19. Replenish yourSelf. Spend some quiet time in prayer, meditation, walking in nature or whatever makes you feel connected to a Higher Power. Quieting your mind and connecting with something or someone bigger than you are can bring about an intense sense of inner peace.

Remember, Valentine’s Day is not the only time you can do these things! In fact doing them on a regular basis will improve your whole Self – physical, emotional and spiritual.

“Romancing Yourself” is all about nurturing your own beautiful, sensual connection with life. It’s about being in tune with who you are, and taking action to do the things that add spice to your life. When you romance yourself you feel more alive and more filled with love.

So, go ahead. Love yourself. Be good to yourself. Treat yourself well. Romance yourself and let life romance you in return.

You are the only one that you can totally depend on…and you’re worth it!

What are your thoughts on this romantic topic? Any suggestions to romance yourself up your sleeve? Do share in the comments. 

Special Note: On Valentine’s day be ready for a Super Special Article all dedicated to LOVE….I told you I love LOVE !!

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ‘HAPPINESS GOODIES’!!! 
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

Further Positive Reading:

• Transform Yourself with Self-Compassion (positiveprovocations.com)
• How to lovingly support someone who is experiencing Hopelessness and Depression (positiveprovocations.com)

‘Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light.’  ~Norman B. Rice

If you have a friend or loved one who is experiencing hopelessness or depression, it can be difficult to know exactly what to say or do. While there isn’t any one magic thing to say that will alleviate their pain, there are many ways to offer support.

‘Never worry about numbers.  Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.’  ~Mother Teresa

The best way to offer help is to listen, validate their experience, and provide acceptance. By offering this type of support, you can help put things into a more balanced perspective. In addition, your offer of companionship lets them know that they are not completely alone. They have someone with them even as they attempt to find their ways through a very difficult and dark period.

Some helpful hints to lovingly support someone are:

• to listen while making the person feel un-threatened.
• Show them with words and actions that they can trust you.
• Let them know that you are available.
• Use your positive energy and retain inner hope that change can occur.
•  Just because they don’t believe they can get through this doesn’t mean that you have to agree with their point of view.

Here are some words to say that will show your loving support, while also allowing the person to feel and understand what they are feeling:

“You are important to me even when you are feeling down.”
People who are feeling hopeless often think they are weak for feeling this way. They may believe they have a character flaw. Reassure your friend or loved one that you can understand why they might be thinking these types of thoughts, but in your eyes it isn’t true. Offer comfort as you speak from your heart and tell them that you know for a fact that depression or hopelessness isn’t caused by personal weakness, laziness, or because they have bad karma. This statement of compassionate truth validates their experience while also offering them another point of view. Their experience is a legitimate human experience.

“I may not understand what you’re experiencing, but I do know that there is always meaning in suffering.”
Without trivializing their experience, you can offer a model of acceptance that may help the person begin to accept their experience. Accepting one’s suffering is often a first step to claiming it, becoming familiar with it, and potentially moving beyond it. Don’t claim that you know the meaning of their pain. Let them know that you wish they weren’t hurting, and yet you have faith that this depression is valid and meaningful.

“Would you go outside with me for a short walk?”
The hurt inside and the struggle just to get through the day makes many hopeless or depressed people want to isolate inside the safety of their home or bed. Offer to take the person outside. They will most likely resist your offer. Don’t be pushy, but if at all possible be persistent. Fresh air and a change of scenery can help them breathe, can give them access to the healing power of nature, and can get them through at least part of the day.

“Can I sit with you a while? It’s okay if we don’t talk.”
Making small talk or taking care of you socially is often an impossible task to a depressed or hopeless person. Even though they are feeling lonely and isolated, they choose to be alone because the thought of keeping someone else entertained requires too much energy. Offer to be with a person and suggest sitting together outdoors, watching television, or reading together. Reassure them in advance that you have no expectations of being entertained. Don’t feel the need to fill up the silence. What is often healing or helpful is your willingness to sit comfortably, even in silence, without expectation.

“I’ve noticed lately that you have been down. Do you want to share your feelings with me? I’d like to listen.”
Listening with compassion to a person sharing dark or despairing feelings can be difficult for most people to handle. It’s a normal tendency to want to talk, give advice, or offer solutions. However, your ability to listen is immensely healing. When you give someone the freedom and safety to speak, they are able to hear their own thoughts, often for the first time. Validating and reflective listening (telling them back what you think you heard them say) allows them to hear, in a new way, what is going on in their heads. Listening (not fixing or offering advice) creates movement and allows a fresh perspective to be gained.

Effective paraphrasing reflections that allow the person to feel heard and understood include:

“Is there a way you can help me see how it is for you?”

“Let me see if I understand. What you want me to recognize is…”

“That’s a good point. You feel your life is not worth living…”

“I can see that you feel strongly about that. Can you tell me more?”

“I can understand how you could see it like that.” Then paraphrase how you think they see things.

“When bad things have happened to you before, how did you cope?”
They may not be able to come up with an answer, but asking this type of question may trigger them to remember that they have had bad times in the past and they did somehow get through those times. This type of question may help them mobilize their inner resources. It can also help them remember that there was a time before depression and hopelessness and that there is hope for change in the future.

Let your friend or loved one ask the “Why me?” question.
Don’t answer their question, but instead encourage them to voice their beliefs. If they fall silent, one way to lead them beyond the, “Why me?” question is to say, “I don’t know why you are suffering, but I am sure it is not because you are being punished or because you’ve done something wrong. What could we do right now to help you feel better?”

“How can I be most helpful to you?”
Most likely they won’t have an answer. Perhaps they have lost interest in things they used to enjoy. Many tasks or hobbies feel overwhelming. And they may have trouble thinking, recalling things, or even focusing. However, be persistent. You never know how your interest and compassion will make a difference in their journey.

Now What?

Now that you are verbally equipped to lovingly support those in your life, go out there into the world and look through your heart. You will see how many troubled souls walk the streets of this big world. You might not be able to heal or help them all, but you can try one soul at a time.

The immense satisfaction that comes from supporting and helping someone with their problems is beyond putting into words. All I can say, is that its a feeling of pure divinity working with you and through you.

The most recent message I got after helping and healing a troubled soul, “Thank you magic genie! I feel hopeful. I have not slept so soundly in years.”

Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others.  Unsuccessful people are always asking “What’s in it for me?”  ~Brian Tracy

But support without expectation. The moment expectation enters this divine equation, all the magic and love fly right out the window.

One of my favorite quotes and also my mantra for life : “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.”  ~Mother Teresa

What are YOUR thoughts on this topic? How do YOU lovingly support other souls? Do you agree with me….that we all need to do our part in lovingly supporting the ones who need it, rather than turn a blind eye? Please share your thoughts, comments and questions in the comments below. Your presence here is truly appreciated!

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ‘HAPPINESS GOODIES’!!! 
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

Further Positive Reading:

• How to Be Non-Judgmental of Yourself and Others (positiveprovocations.com)
• Are You Joyfully Nurturing Your Complete Being? (positiveprovocations.com)
• Simple ways to Nurture your Spirituality (positiveprovocations.com)
• Transform Yourself with Self-Compassion (positiveprovocations.com)
• Four ways to make sure that today ends better than yesterday (positiveprovocations.com)

“Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.” ~Max Ehrmann

In our rush to meet the daily obligations of work, family, and social life, we tend to overlook our own needs. As a result, we feel exhausted to the point of emptiness. What’s missing is a relationship with ourselves. We need time to get to know ourselves, time to joyfully nurture our spirits, and time to create.

Wondering if you are doing a decent job of taking care of yourself – or how your self caring could be improved? Review the following questions, and reflect on your answers. Chances are you are struggling in at least a few of the realms where self-care is most important: a satisfying diet, physical activity, solitude, and reflection.

Joyful Eating

“Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.” ~Veronica A. Shoffstall

How often do you cook creative or enjoyable meals for yourself?

Do you eat fruits and vegetables everyday – not because you have to, but because you feel more alive when you choose foods that provide energy and life?

Do you eat regular, healthy meals – or do you skip meals and reach for junk food?

Do you enjoy the physical sensations involved in peaceful eating?

Do you eat some meals in the company of friends and family?

How often do you use food, caffeine, sugar, or alcohol to make yourself feel better?

When you are thirsty, do you get something to drink immediately, or do you ignore your need, take care of something else first, or delay?

Do you clear your plate of situations that drain your energy?

Joyful Body

“If you can learn to love yourself and all the flaws, you can love other people so much better. And that makes you so happy.”~ Kristin Chenoweth

Do you engage in fun or enjoyable physical activity most days of the week?

When was the last time you had a massage or a long bath?

Are you in touch with your boundaries and your bottom line?

Do you express your desires, concerns, and limits to all people in your life, most of the time?

If you are tired, do you rest or do you keep pushing?

Do you get too much sleep because you want to escape life, or you just don’t have enough energy?

Do you enjoy your own company?

How often do you laugh everyday?

Joyful Spirit

“I love myself for I am a beloved child of the universe and the universe lovingly takes care of me now.”~ Louise Hay

Do you have a nurturing morning routine that helps you align with the goals and activities that are most important to you?

Do you let your family members know exactly what you need from them?

Are you satisfied with your work choices?

Can you be counted on to keep your word – to others and to yourself?

Do you allow yourself to go outdoors for at least an hour every day?

Do you spend time listening to your emotions and expressing them in a self-supportive way (good cry, communication, feeling your fear or joy, journal writing)?

Do you have a hobby that rejuvenates you? If so, do you spend time with your hobby?

Do you celebrate your efforts and successes on a daily basis?

Do you talk to yourself in a supportive, uplifting manner?

How often do you take time to reflect and feel at peace?

You STILL need nurturing!

Even though you are an adult now, you still need care and nurturing. Only now, it’s your responsibility to see that your needs get met. No one else can do it for you. As you take specific steps to make self-care a priority, you’ll not only feel better you will also have more energy, creativity, and vitality to share with life!

And what a glorious life that will be!

What are your thoughts on this topic? How do you nurture your complete being? When you read the above questions, how were your answers, in the affirmative or not so much? Please do share your thoughts, comments and questions in the comments sections below. Its always my pleasure to hear your thoughts. 

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ‘HAPPINESS GOODIES’!!! 
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

Further Positive Reading:

• Simple ways to Nurture your Spirituality (positiveprovocations.com)
• How to Be Non-Judgmental of Yourself and Others (positiveprovocations.com)
• Refresh Renew Rebirth (positiveprovocations.com)
• Simply Empowering Steps to attain your goals (positiveprovocations.com)
• Four ways to make sure that today ends better than yesterday (positiveprovocations.com)

“Look at the weaknesses of others with compassion, not accusation. It’s not what they’re not doing or should be doing that’s the issue. The issue is your own chosen response to the situation and what you should be doing. If you start to think the problem is “out there,” stop yourself. That thought is the problem.”~ Stephen Covey

As time keeps changing and our vibrations are moving into higher realms and seeing thinner veils, we become more enlightened – more aware of who we really are and becoming fully conscious that we are all connected. We are one ~ we are perfect.

About Judging Ourself:

We are bombarded through television and other media of what “perfect” is – it is constantly present, on television shows, commercials, advertisements, etc. all expressing an ego based side that is very contrasting to our higher-aware selves. These images can cause feelings of imperfection and a lack of oneness.

We begin to judge ourselves against these images and judge others as well. We forget in a moment our higher selves, our perfect selves, and our oneness. Being exposed to the lower vibrations of television, celebrity magazines or other forms of media can wreak havoc on our self esteem. The criticism and judgment passed onto is sad and unjust.

Many so-called “reality shows” and cosmetic surgery shows and now even home improvement shows only express superficial elements of what is considered beautiful, loveable or desirable. These types of programs can make us judge ourselves and others, enabling us to forget – even if it’s briefly, that we are perfect, in every way.

We cant completely avoid the media but when we can avoid letting the media and imagery of perceived perfection get to us. By tuning into our higher self and living a heart conscious life we can easily see our perfection on every level. We accept ourselves and others without judgment – we see The Divinity in everyone and ourselves. Pure love.

Let’s not allow others to change how we feel about ourself; we are powerful, strong and beautiful. We are perfect and one with God. Judgments of others are not your reality unless you make them so. Judgments to yourself are not your reality unless you make them so.

Loose sight of numbers on scales and clothes and anything which conveys a perceived image of acceptable – and simply accept you as you are, perfect and divine. Listen to how you feel…feel good…feel happy…feel bliss…feel love…As God is perfect, so are you.

Here are some affirmations to use if you wish to incorporate them. Use them to replace any negative or judgmental self talk:

I AM Love
I AM Perfect
I AM Beautiful
I AM the Creator of my world
I AM the Peace I seek
I love ME
I Send Joy to my Body
My Body Heals me
I Care about Me
I Love Life
I AM One with God

About Judging Others:

“Be curious, not judgmental.” – Walt Whitman

In the past 10 years or so, I have worked and counselled many souls who have been on the receiving end of societal judgment. ‘Why did you stay with him? Why didn’t you leave? Why were you out so late? Why didn’t you wear something more conservative?’ are some of the questions these souls would hear again and again…and these have left very deep scars in their hearts, which take time to heal. We pass judgments and form opinions not realizing how it affects the opposite person. We don’t even bother to get to know these people…yet we can’t keep a handle on that muscle inside our mouth. That tongue is like a whip lash on the heart if left untamed. And this very tongue has the power to inspire and empower with love if we live heart centered lives.

Why do we judge others? Isnt it really the easy way out? We much rather judge others than look at our own issues. Its the perfect cover. It makes us feel superior, like as if we were better than them and that temporarily makes us feel good.  Least do we realize, we are only dwelling deeper into the abyss of negativity with this action.

Do you think you are not judgmental? Believe me, there are times I am a bit judgmental too. We all live with preconcieved notions of whats right and wrong, and the minute someone or something doesn’t fit our bill of perfection we become judgmental.

Here are some ways you can use to squash that judgmental bug and let the non-judgmental loving you shine(my personal ways of being non-judgmental):

• Awareness- Become aware of your thought patterns. This might seem hard to do at first, but once you get used to catching your thoughts in ‘judgmental mode’ you can simply stop them. How? The next way will help you ….
• Understanding- Develop an understanding of the other person by thinking about why this person acts, talks, dresses or just is a certain way. Try to put yourself in this person’s shoes and wonder why this behavior has emerged. If you want further understanding, you can strike a polite(I emphasize polite) conversation with this person and get to know them. Knowing them, makes you further understand them.
• Acceptance- Once an understanding has been created in your mind of this person, acceptance of this person just as he/she is becomes easier. Accept that this is the way he/she will react, cause its the way they are made up. There will most certainly always be things you dont agree with, but that doesn’t mean you cant accept their presence in the world. When you accept, frustration that lead to judgment take an automatic backseat.
• Love Love Love-Ok so, now you might wonder, whats love got to do with it? I say everything! When you have reached a point of acceptance of things around you a certain calm comes over your complete being. In this calm Love is ever prevalent. It becomes inevitable to love the person you so freely wanted to judge. Atleast try to love him/her…as a fellow human being, as a brother or sister…and realize that you need to give love to this person no matter what he sounds like, looks like, acts like …just love. You might be loving to only a certain degree, and thats ok. The positive effect of this love is not only on the opposite person but on you as well. You become happier when you give love…believe me. I’ve tried and tested this far too many times. Life changing is an understatement for the effects of love.And really who ever became happy by being judgmental?

What are your thoughts on this topic? Have you successfully become non-judgmental towards yourself and others? What are the preconceived notions you carry within you that make you react in a judgmental way? Do you have any personal tips to share about how we all can become more loving and less judgmental? Please do share your thoughts, comments and questions in the comments section below. I’d love to hear from you.

“Special Mention: Illuminations from the Heart is a weekly subscription letter by Sandra Pawula of Always Well Within. Its beautiful and Insightful, just as the author herself. Please CLICK HERE to find out how you can receive this in your inbox.“

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ‘HAPPINESS GOODIES’!!! 
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

Please Share Positive Provocations: If you like what you read and see here, please spread the word by sharing this article on your favorite social networks. I appreciate every bit of love and support from each and every one of you.

Further Positive Reading:

• 9 Simple Ways to Get Rid of a Negative Mindset (positiveprovocations.com)
• How to Live a Phenomenally Miraculous Life (positiveprovocations.com)
• Four ways to make sure that today ends better than yesterday (positiveprovocations.com)
• Transform Yourself with Self-Compassion (positiveprovocations.com)

“By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.” - Edwin Elliot

Apart from a lot of online counseling emails, I also recieve a lot of questions from readers about the fine art of blogging. So this is the first article of the New Heart Centered Blogging column! Yay a 2012 first

Readers Question: I see a lot of interaction in the comments section of your blog. What makes people come to your blog again and again?

My answer: Up until I actually started this blog(in 2009), I had no idea on earth what a blog was. really really! I remember when I visited a blog for the first time, I thought ‘oh my God, I love the author of this article. She is so thoughtful to respond to all the readers.’ Its only after I poked around that site, did I realize that there was a new article every few days, from the same blog owner/blog author….I thought to myself(still as a first time reader) ‘woohoo….more awesome writing from this lovely author. I want more.’ So I looked around and subscribed. Yes, my very first visit to a blog, and I made my way to subscribe…and yes I also left my very first comment there. From then on ofcourse I developed an amazing connection with this blogger.

So whats the point of my above rant?? To answer the reader’s question about what makes people come back again and again to the blog…

In the above experience of being a first time visitor to a blog, I didn’t fall in love with the site, or the design, or even the actual topic of the blog….I fell in love with the writer/blogger. And thats what I incorporated in Positive Provocations, when I began blogging.

There is nothing narcissistic about being authentically YOU. Infact I applaud people who stay true to themselves online and offline. There is a certain humility that comes through when you can respond to every interaction on your blog. I am just exactly the same in person as I am online.

A few ways I sprinkle a bit of personal touch to this blog:

• I read and respond to every comment, even if it takes me a little while to get to it.
• I think of each person who comes to my blog as a beautiful soul.
• I end every article with Love and Gratitude to the reader.
• I create a lot of Free Ebooks, Handbooks etc for the readers.
• I keep myself open to and love connecting with each reader on facebook, twitter, google+ and email.
• Every week I write a small thank you note to a few readers, thanking them for being part of the Positive Provocations community.
• When I am on the blog reading the comments and responding, nothing else matters. I am completely there heart and soul in the conversation.
• I share stuff about my life, without inhibitions but with some amount of filtration. I know my personal stories and experiences help many face their challenges everyday. One reader emailed me right after receiving one of my newsletters and said, “I cant tell you how much I needed to read your soothing words. Your emails make my day and recharge me to be better even when I am having a very bad day. Thank you for all you do.”
• I am polite and react to every comment with love and respect for the commenter/reader.
• Most of all, I am Me only me.

What are your thoughts on this topic? As a blogger with heart, how do you add YOU to your blog? Do you have any tips to share? And dont you think adding these tips to our offline lives can help us live more heart-centered lives too? Do share your thoughts, questions and comments in the comments section below.

What is Heart Centered Blogging?
Heart Centered Blogging is now a weekly column on Positive Provocations.
Heart Centered Blogging simply means to blog with Love, completely.  In this column I’ll share my personal experiences and give you first hand info on how you too can become a Heart Centered Blogger.
I’m opening myself up more to answer any questions you may like me to address about Heart Centered Blogging. Lets put the LOVE back in blogging! I know there is a lot of technical stuff that goes into making a blog, but here in this column I’ll share what I feel works to touch a readers heart and soul, not just tickles their fancy.

Please Note: This Sunday I will be talking about how you can free yourself from the ‘being judgmental’ bug!

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ‘HAPPINESS GOODIES’!!! 
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

Please Share Positive Provocations: If you like what you read and see here, please spread the word by sharing this article on your favorite social networks. I appreciate every bit of love and support from each and every one of you.

To acheive happiness, we should make certain that we are never without an important goal.~ Earl Nightingale

Aimlessly living each day is not a way to truly LIVE. To Live means to feel alive. To feel alive means to thrive. To thrive means to have a Dream. To have a dream means to have a goal. To have a goal means to have purpose. To have purpose means happiness!

We all want our dreams to materialize. Today, without going into too many details I will share with you simple empowering steps that will help you to attain that goal. Each goal achieved means you are that much closer to your dream.

If you want to create positive change in your life and attain that goal a few empowering steps can increase your success rate by ten fold:

Simply Empowering Steps to attain your goals

1. Choose a goal that enlivens you!

2. See yourself as willing to live your goal! Follow your heart and imagine yourself living your dream in a way that feels really, really good inside your spirit and body.

3. Make sure your goal is something you really want. Let your goal begin and continue as a free decision to have something new in life, not a guilty verdict whose sentence you must now pay.

4. Make a choice and apply an action step to that choice. For example, if you decide to lose weight, instead of rewarding yourself for losing five pounds, reward yourself for taking action each day. Weight loss is variable and dependent on many factors. However, choosing an action step such as walking 2 miles every day or taking the stairs instead of the elevator for two weeks is finite and tangible. At the end of each day, you know whether you followed through with your word to yourself or not. Take time every day to recognize that you made a choice. Then apply an action to that choice and follow through.

5. Break down your goal into manageable steps. Take tiny, small, achievable baby steps daily.

6. Reward yourself for your efforts. Feel good in the process – not only once the goal is attained.

7. Be flexible and have fun!

Attaining your goals and living your purpose is not impossible to do when you simplify the process. Try these steps. They have worked wonders for me personally, and I’m sure they will create miraculous results for you too! Just keep the faith in yourself.

What are you thoughts on this topic? How do you reach your goals? Do you have  any special steps you take to make sure you are attaining your goals? Please do share your wisdom, thoughts and questions in the comments below. I’d love to learn from you.

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ‘HAPPINESS GOODIES’!!! 
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

Please Share Positive Provocations: If you like what you read and see here, please spread the word by sharing this article on your favorite social networks. I appreciate every bit of love and support from each and every one of you.

“We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”  ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

The first day of the highly awaited 2012 is right here! 

This day is bringing with it limitless opportunities. An opportunity to write our own book which can be full of glittery love, glowing happiness, core healing, limitless abundance, precious memories and immense success.

Have you started YOUR Positive Living Opportunity book as yet?

Let me take this opportunity to lend you a helping healing hand in the form of the NEW Positive Living Handbook~50 Soulful Ways to be Positive Today & Everyday.

Yup, its complete. Yippee!! Full of soulful positivity, love and happiness with dashes of peace, intuition, healing and growth.

As I type this, I am overcome with emotion-all good ofcourse. The reason for this burst of emotion is, that creating this handbook has been on my mind for so so long. Whenever I would think about starting, I didn’t feel the pull to take the next step. I know, all things have their destined time to come to life, just like this handbook. I literally finished the book in a month once I started. The whole book is indeed a labor of love. I loved every moment of creating it and loved how my state of being kept getting happier and happier as I progressed.

“You give but little when you give of your possessions.  It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”  ~Kahlil Gibran

This is my New year 2012 Healing Gift to all my Readers! Just as this article is being published, so is the email being sent out to all the Email Subscribers with the Positive Living Handbook in it. This Handbook is now part of my “Happiness Goodies” which go out to each new Email Subscriber as a Gratitude Gift for being here and sharing in the Positive Provocations journey.

I might not be able to gift you with material riches and pots of gold, but what I can gift you with is a part of my healing self. So that you too may Positively Heal.

To receive this Positive Living Handbook and all the ” Happiness Goodies” please subscribe by clicking here, if you already haven’t done so. I know I would love to have you on board this Positively Healing Path.

Spiritual Healing & Counseling Contest Winners:

After countless personal emails and messages from the readers I have decided on the two most deserving souls based on the depth of their issues which were shared with me. All the others who write in to me personally, I am going to help you all too…an email will be coming to you with the details

The 2 winners of this contest are: Swatcat aka Swathi & Sara

Both you lovely gals will be getting an email from me soon with the details of setting up our skype sessions.

Thank you for taking the opportunity to enter this healing contest and trusting me enough to share your story with me.

My New Year 2012 Wish for YOU:

Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!

~William Arthur Ward~

Could I have said it any better? May You all be immensely Blessed!

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ‘HAPPINESS GOODIES’!!! 
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

Please Share Positive Provocations: If you like what you read and see here, please spread the word by sharing this article on your favorite social networks. I appreciate every bit of love and support from each and every one of you.