We are never more than one grateful thought away from peace of heart.

 

 

Many people I know, regularly notice and comment on the fact that our lives are so much busier these days than they ever used to be.  We can fill every minute of every day and yet still never seem to have enough time to do the things we need to, or want to, do.

This constant rushing around often leaves us tired, unhappy or sick and there is also a very real danger of it leading to burnout.  I know this only too well as I am writing this post from my bed while awaiting test results to confirm which virus has struck me down.  

When the Doctor wisely told me to take some time off work to rest and recuperate, my immediate response was to protest “I don’t have time for that!”  In return, she threatened that not resting up for a while may result in more serious consequences such as chronic fatigue syndrome.  Point taken.

Regardless of how you are feeling, it is so important to take a little bit of time-out for yourself every day to find peace.  It doesn’t have to be long; even a few minutes will have you see, and more importantly feel, results in your life.  You just need to make the commitment to do something for yourself daily, because you’re worth it! 

And there’s also the small matter of how our inner peace affects everyone we come into contact with:

“If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

 

What could you do on a daily basis to bring some peace into your life?

Here are some ideas to get you started: 

Try Deepak Chopra’s 21 day meditation challenge 

www.chopracentermeditation.com/

Or maybe a spot of cloud watching J

 http://positivityapplenty.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/cloud-watching.html

Start a Gratitude Journal

http://www.jillhutchison.com/gratitude-journal/

Or simply appreciate the beauty of nature

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58kwmEsoIfQ

Finally (I like this one for obvious reasons) eat some chocolate slowly and attentively making sure you enjoy and appreciate every second of it’s deliciousness!  Now that’s a great way to find inner peace.

Wishing you a peaceful week!

A huge thank you to my good friend Joanna, who provided the inspiration for this week’s blog post; Jo thanks for reminding me that finding some peace each day is so important.  May you find some of your own in the midst of this busy & exciting time in your life xo

Thanks also to Mary, Jill, Amanda and Tony for inspiring the Peace practices suggested above.

Photo Main Range National Park © Renee Chamberlin 2013. If you would like to purchase images, click here

Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.

There is a saying that you’re only as old as you feel.  

I see evidence of this everywhere.  Take David Attenborough, for example.  This year he turns 87 and yet he is still travelling the world giving talks and making documentaries.  (Sir David is toured Australia last year and is coming back this June).  And yet many people in their late eighties are unable to get out of bed without assistance let alone make a cup of tea or board a flight to some far flung land to film another of nature’s miracles.

Physically, we are all made differently however I believe this also has a lot to do with what goes on inside your head.  Are you constantly telling yourself how amazing you are and encouraging yourself to do new things? Or do you spend each and every day beating up on yourself for silly little mistakes and saying “I can’t” all too often?  Do you take the time to seek and enjoy beauty in your life?

Beauty is everywhere.   A flower, a smile, a sunset and the people we love.

When we’re happy it’s easy to notice and appreciate the beauty around us.  Sometimes when we have troubles in our life we become completely blind to the beauty that surrounds us and deny ourselves the pleasure it can give us.

Take some time this week to notice and appreciate all the beauty in your life and see how it makes you feel.  I would love to hear your feedback so feel free to post your thoughts in the comments area below.

Have a beautiful week!

Tickets to see Sir David Attenborough go on sale very soon details here: http://www.lateralevents.com/public-events

This post was inspired by my Big Brother who is celebrating a milestone this week.  He always manages to stay young and have lots of fun.  Happy Birthday Big Bro; thanks for being the great person you are.  Many happy returns and may you see beauty everywhere for many years to come!  xo

Photo Florence © Renee Chamberlin 2013.

Images are available as prints, canvases, cards and calendars.

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Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.

 

It’s been interesting, and inspiring, to see a number of worthy causes gaining momentum through social media lately.  So many great things are enabled by the support of a few, or a lot, of passionate people working together for a cause they believe in.  The RSPCA Qld., for example, has over 40,000 “likers” on Facebook and they use this platform very effectively to help a large number of animals and educate people about animal welfare.  

This weekend I learned of a school in Tanzania which was started with one Woman’s dream and one donation of $10.  The School of St Jude was made possible by this very determined woman working together with a few like-minded people, and now educates over 1000 of the poorest kids on earth and supports the local economy by employing local people.  

This week’s quote from Helen Keller is a subtle reminder of just what can be achieved when we help each other.  Can you find one thing to help another person with every day this week?  Big or small, doesn’t matter, it will still make a difference to someone.

And on the other side of the coin, we are all in need of a little help every now and then.  We are all deserving and very worth of help too!  For some of us though, it’s a very hard lesson to learn how to ask for help when we need it and then to accept it when it’s offered to us.

If you read those last words and thought, “that’s me she’s talking about”, take an extra moment to read over Helen Keller’s quote and ponder this thought: by allowing someone to help you, you are helping them to feel good too!  

Thanks to all my Facebook friends who have drawn my attention to worthy causes, supported ones I have posted and most of all offered words of encouragement when I most needed it.  Thank you!  

If you’re interested to find out more about the School of St Jude their website is http://www.schoolofstjude.org/AboutUs/about.html  

Photo Green Tree Frogs © Renee Chamberlin 2013.

Images are available as prints, canvases, cards and calendars.

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Take a chance . . .

 

 

 

Friday 1^stMarch was the 10 year anniversary of the day we took the biggest risk of our lives.

One Saturday morning, on the bonnet of a car in a cul-de-sac we signed our very last few dollars away to purchase a 10 acre block of land in the bush on the outskirts of Brisbane. There was no time to have our lawyer check over the contract (the agent said that another couple wanted to buy our block plus the one next to it so they would take preference if we didn’t sign on the dotted line then and there.) We also had absolutely no idea how we were going to build our dream home with no money.

It was scary, very scary, and felt more than just a little bit silly.

10 years later, we have long ago left our 8m x 8m workers cottage (sandwiched between the train tracks and the highway) and are living in a dream home of our own creation. It started with a doodle on a piece of graph paper, an owner’s builders permit and crossed fingers; and it is still a work in progress.

On the 10^thanniversary, we were rewarded with an amazing sunrise and dawn chorus, a gorgeous morning hike, visits from a range of wildlife and a bubble bath with champagne and an awesome view! It reminded me that if it weren’t for taking a very big risk we would have missed out on life in our dream home in the bush. Not that our old life was all that bad, it’s just that this is so much better.

When have you taken a risk and been able to appreciate a great outcome?

Feel free to leave your comments here J

P.S. – I found out yesterday that the rival couple are now our neighbours and had already bought their two blocks a whole month earlier, sounds like we were the victims of a very sneaky salesman!

Thanks a million to my Daring Husband who gave away a nearly paid-off loan to live in our dream home in the bush; I am grateful every day that we took the chance and created a better life. And to Nic to whom we will forever be indebted for your generous loan of your house for much longer than any of us anticipated! Thanks Nic!

Photo Sunset at Mt French © Renee Chamberlin 2013. Images are avaliable as prints, canvases, cards and calendars. For purchase enquiries click here