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The clutter in our homes does much more than just take up space and look a bit messy. It causes more clutter in our minds. You may not be consciously thinking about the excess items in your home or the piles of paperwork you’ve been meaning to go through. But it is there in the back of your mind every minute of every day. Maybe you don’t think you have any clutter because on the surface your house looks tidy, but are your cupboards filled to the brim with stuff you not only do not use, but to be honest, you can’t even remember half of what’s in them? And, what about your spare room or your shed/garage are they organised with only items that are useful? “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” – William Morris The world has enough chaos in it, we don’t need it in our homes too. “Our homes are not containers for stuff, but rather a place for joy and connection. Let’s make room for that.” – Courtney Carver It’s so easy to walk past the clutter and say to ourselves ‘I’ll get to that later” or maybe the clutter has been part of our lives for so long, we don’t even notice it anymore. Picture your dream house… where’s the clutter? It’s true though, isn’t it? If you have ever visualised your ideal home, I’m sure, like my dream home, it would be filled with wonderful furniture and décor, with plenty of storage space for your special things, you and I know we could open any one of those cupboards and there would be nothing but useful or beautiful things in there. Every corner of our dream home would have nothing but wonderful things that make us smile or make our lives easier. So, if that is true of our dream home… why is it not true of our current living space? Quite often the clutter in our homes is a physical reflection of the state of our minds, a quiet and relaxed mind does not live with clutter, it lives in a peaceful environment, which is why your dream home looks clutter free. A cluttered home, whether it be on display around the house or hidden away in cupboards or drawers, probably means there are excess things taking up time in your mind, making it harder to see things clearly. “Get rid of the clutter and you may just find it was blocking the door you’ve been looking for.” – Katrina Mayer How do we accumulate all this clutter? Clutter comes in all shapes and sizes, it could be items you have been holding onto for years or it maybe that your shopping habits have got the better of you. For me it was a combination of the two. At one point my cookbook collection was out of control! I remember walking through the mall and front of me I saw in a popup book stall right in the centre of the shopping isle, my pace quickened as I made a bee-line for the cook books, my son caught up with me and said in a jokey but serious way “Mum, step away from the cookbooks, you seriously don’t need any more cookbooks”. This is when I started to realise that this may be turning into a problem. No cookbooks were bought that day. And eventually I did reduce the collection to just books I actually used the recipes from (and I may have kept a couple just because they look good on the kitchen work top!) So, I can now justify to myself that they are either useful or bring me joy as a kitchen ornament.. “If you’re not using the stuff in your home, get rid of it. You’re not going to start using it more by shoving it into a closet somewhere.” – Joshua Becker It's all too easy, when ‘tidying-up’ to put things ‘away’ just so we cannot see them. As long as we can close the door on it and no longer see the clutter, we get a temporary sense of satisfaction because we can tick ‘tidy living room’ off our list. Although we may have ‘tidied’ the living room we have just cluttered up the cupboard or the garage or maybe the attic.  Just because we can’t see the clutter, doesn’t mean it’s gone, nor has it been cleared from our mental to do list.  Even if we put it to the back of our minds, it’s still there, and will remain there until we make the decision to either throw it away or put it to good use. “What I know for sure is that when you declutter – whether it’s your home, your head or your heart – it’s absolutely astounding what will flow into that space that will enrich you, your life and your family”. – Peter Walsh Whether you want to declutter just one aspect of your life or if you want to declutter your entire life, the principles are still the same, start with the physical and once you have some momentum and seen even small results, it will transfer over to other aspects of your life and if you stick with it, your life can be as clutter-free as your home. And once you have lived clutter-free, you’ll never want to go back to your old ways. Simple steps to get you started today Depending on the amount of clutter you have it can be overwhelming just knowing where to start, if this is true for you, in my experience I’d say, baby steps. Start small, but do it well. It does not matter where you start, as long as you start. Is there one particular area that has been bothering you? If so, start there. If not and it seems too overwhelming to even know where to start, I would suggest either your bedroom or the kitchen as these are the two places in any home that people tend to spend the most time in. Turning your bedroom into a peaceful clutter-free sanctuary is the best way to ensure that you relax before bedtime and get a restful night’s sleep. The kitchen tends to be the hub of the family in a lot of homes, and it is where you create the fuel for your body. It’s much easier and more motivating to create healthy meals in a clean and clutter-free environment. And don’t worry if you create a little mess as you go through all the items. It will feel amazing once it’s done! Get yourself in a positive frame of mind, don’t try to do it when you are feeling completely negative. Put on some music, maybe a nice uplifting fragrance in your diffuser or a scented candle to lift the mood. It will make the whole experience so much more enjoyable and easier! Choose a drawer, a cupboard or - if you feel up to a bigger challenge - a room, then go through each and every item one-by-one asking yourself “is this useful to me now?” if the answer is “yes”, then find a home for it where it is easily accessible when you need or want to use it. If the answer is “no” ask yourself “ do I find this beautiful, does it make me smile or make me feel happy?” if the answer is “yes” find it a home where you can see it so it brings you joy every day. If the answer is “no” then it belongs either in the rubbish bin, the recycling, a bag or box you can take to the second-hand store, or you could try selling it on market place (or some other selling platform). Either way it does not belong in your home. Use this decluttering guide to help you to declutter your home today. Emotional ties can make these decisions so much harder and if you come across one or more items that you really struggle to make the decision about, then make a box marked ‘To decide when I’m stronger’. This way you can carry on with your de-cluttering project and not get too distracted by one or two items which may make you lose the momentum. If de-cluttering is pretty new to you the decisions can be overwhelming but the more you de-clutter the easier the decisions become. Don’t beat yourself up if some items are just too hard to decide upon, because as you get better at this, it becomes a lot easier (I say this from personal experience). If you keep building your declutter mental muscles you will soon be able to open your ‘To decide when I’m stronger’ box and the decisions will be easy, or at the very least – much easier. Once you get the hang of it, it can be quite cathartic, healing and very rewarding both mentally and physically. The extra space you have after all this decluttering starts to feel empowering. Your home feels more spacious and inviting. Your mind more relaxed and freer to concentrate on things that matter to you. You will find you have more free time to do the things that matter to you. Life becomes far more simple, a whole lot calmer and you begin to feel better inside and out. “Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly, It’s your masterpiece after all.” – Nathan W. Morris Click here for ideas to help you declutter your mind Where will you start your decluttering journey? I’d love to hear. I hope you enjoyed reading '3 Simple Steps to Start Decluttering Your Home and Your Life Today.' Don't forget to Save it to your Pinterest boards for later :) Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

It’s so easy to forget to be or not even realise just how grateful we are for everything we have in our lives, and sometimes we may get so caught up with the things that are wrong or the things we lack that we don’t even see the things we have to be grateful for. It doesn’t matter how much or how little we have, we all have things to be grateful for. When we see others with more than us or with something we want, it can make us sometimes feel hard done by.  But what about all the things we do have? Do we remember to show our gratitude or are we so busy complaining about what we don’t have (and feel we should have) that we forget to feel and express gratitude for all the good and wonderful things in our lives? It has been well documented by many that showing your gratitude is the first rule for attracting more good things, things you want into your life. In fact, it has been proven that expressing genuine gratitude is one of the most powerful things you can do and the effect that it has on your life is quite unimaginable. And the best part is that nothing negative can ever come from expressing gratitude, so even if you don’t believe that it can have the profound effect I am writing about, you have absolutely nothing to lose by trying it. So why not give it a go? Learning to feel grateful for the things you already have is just as simple as thinking of all the things that are good in your life, think of all the good times you have had, the loving people, the kindness of strangers you have received, the beauty in nature, the roof over your head, the food on your table, the job that allows you to pay for it all, your family, your pets, the sun on your back, the glow of the moon in the dark night sky… What will you add to the list of things to be grateful for? Keep reading for 82 awesome gratitude quotes to get you thinking about all the wonderful things you already have in your life. “Be grateful for what you have; you’ll end up having much more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey “I don't have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness - it's right in front of me if I'm paying attention and practicing gratitude.” Brene Brown “Gratitude makes sense of your past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” - Melody Beattie “The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.” - Robert Holden “Gratitude opens the door to the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.” - Deepak Chopra “If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily.” - Gerald Good “Gratitude is the most exquisite form of courtesy.” - Jacques Maritain “Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.” - Randy Pausch “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” - Lionel Hampton “Put some gratitude into your attitude. There is always something to be thankful for.” - Rhonda Byrne “Gratitude is a currency that we can mint ourselves and spend without fear of bankruptcy.” - Fred De Witt Van Amburgh “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” - John F. Kennedy “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” – Epictetus “Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience; this is the ideal life.” - Mark Twain “Gratitude also opens your eyes to the limitless potential of the universe, while dissatisfaction closes your eyes to it.” - Stephen Richards “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” - Gilbert K. Chesterton “In our daily lives, we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but the gratefulness that makes us happy.” - Albert Clarke “My day begins with gratitude and joy. I look forward with enthusiasm to the adventures of the day, knowing that in my life, all is good.” - Louise Hay “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we leaned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so let us all be thankful.” - Buddha “Acknowledging the good you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” - Eckhart Tolle “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” - Zig Ziglar “Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” - Henry Ward Beecher “Gratitude doesn't change the scenery. It merely washes clean the glass you look through so you can clearly see the colours.” - Richelle E. Goodrich “Nothing new can come into your life unless you are grateful for what you already have.” - Michael Bernhard Beckwith “The soul that gives thanks can find comfort in everything; the soul that complains can find comfort in nothing.” - Hannah Whitall Smith “We can choose to be grateful, no matter what.” - Dieter F. Uchtdorf “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” - Marcus Aurelius “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling.” - Henry Van Dyke “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” - William Arthur Ward “Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are – when you realise there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” - Lao tzu “Develop an attitude of gratitude. Say thank you to everyone you meet for everything they do for you.” - Brian Tracy “Gratitude is one of the sweetest shortcuts to finding peace of mind and happiness inside. No matter what is going on outside of us, there is always something to be grateful for.” - Barry Neil Kaufman “Gratitude can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” - Melody Beattie “I love being grateful for the sounds, sights, smells, tastes and happenings around me. I always want to feel this alive!” - Unknown “It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer “Let us swell with gratitude and allow it to overwhelm us. It isn't as cliche as we make it; life truly is short. Let's spend it all lavishly wallowing in gratitude.” - Grace Gealey “Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” - Henri Frederic Amiel “We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” - Cynthia Ozick “If you want to find happiness, find gratitude.” - Steve Maraboli “Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” - Marcel Proust “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” - William Arthur Ward “Appreciation is the purest vibration that exists on the planet today. So let it flow.” - Abraham Hicks “I never met a bitter person who was thankful. Or a thankful person that was bitter.” - Nick Vujicic “A moment of gratitude makes a difference in your attitude.” - Bruce Wilkinson “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was "thank you" that would suffice.” - Eckhart Tolle “The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see.” - Dr. Robert Holden “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” - Willie Nelson “Silent gratitude isn't very much to anyone.” - Gertrude Stein “If you want to be on speaking terms with happiness, learn the language of gratitude.” – Unknown “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” – Aesop “Be thankful for everything that happens in your life; it's all an experience.” - Roy T. Bennett “It's a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” - Germany Kent “Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.” - Margaret Cousins “In life, one has a choice to take one of two paths: to wait for some special day - or to celebrate each special day.” - Rasheed Ogunlaru “Thank you is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.” - Alice Walker “When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere.” - Emmanuel Dagher “When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” - Gilbert K. Chesterton “Today be thankful and think how rich you are. Your family is priceless, your time is gold, and your health is wealth.” - Zig Ziglar “Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of self-preoccupation.” - John Ortberg “Count your blessings so you will lose count of your problems!” - Cece McGhee “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” - Marcus Tullius Cicero “Every day, think as you wake up, 'today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.'” - Dalai Lama “When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.” - Shauna Niequist “Through the eyes of gratitude, everything is a miracle.” - Mary Davis “When we focus on gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.” - Kristin Armstrong “Contentment is not the fulfilment of what you want, but the realisation of how much you already have.” – Unknown “Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It's the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” - Amy Collette “What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.” - Brene Brown “When I wake up in the morning, I like to express my gratitude for being on the planet. That gratefulness makes me very present.” - Trudie Styler “When the world moves too fast and you lose yourself on the chaos, introduce yourself to each colour of the sunset. Reacquaint yourself with the earth beneath your feet. Thank the air that surrounds you with every breath you take. Find yourself in the appreciation of life.” - Christy Ann Martine “The proper response to life is applause.” - William Carlos Williams “You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.” - Sarah ban Breathnach I thought that this was a great quote to end with, as the change in attitude is far more powerful than most of us believe possible. What’s your favourite gratitude quote? I love for you to let me know so i can include it next time 😊 I hope you enjoyed these 82 Awesome Gratitude Quotes to Inspire an Attitude of Gratitude, if you did don't forget to follow us on the links below and save this to your Pinterest board for later :) Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Mental health is a subject close to my heart, I am very happy that it’s becoming more and more acceptable for people to openly discuss it. We no longer have to suffer in silence, pretending that everything is okay when it’s not. Feeling like we are going crazy or making something out of nothing, or as though we are the only ones going through something. Mental health is not only depression, anxiety, PTSD etc. you don’t have to wait for a diagnosis for you to start taking care of your mental health. Other signs maybe: feelings of not being good enough, low self-esteem, feeling stressed out, constantly worrying, feeling tired all the time, feeling like you’re stuck in a rut, having a negative outlook on life, feeling unsatisfied with life. There is a misconception that you only need to go to see a psychologist if you are at rock bottom and don’t know where else to turn. But that’s not the only time it’s good to go and talk to somebody. If you are trying to make sense of something, trying to find an answer especially when you’re not really sure of the question, it’s a good time to seek help and support. One of the best things I have ever done for my mental health was to delve into and de-clutter my mind, the amount of out of date, obsolete thoughts and ideas that I had been carrying around with me for more years than I care to remember was astounding. And I can’t even begin to tell you how liberating it was to off load them. "Clutter is not just physical stuff, it’s old ideas, toxic relationships and bad habits." – Eleanor Brown De-Cluttering our Mind Everything that has had an impact in our lives becomes stored in our memory. Some of these things are still fresh in our mind and we can recall them at a moments notice, sometimes they just ‘pop’ into our conscious mind without us even asking them to. They re-play like little movies and bring back the pain, discomfort or joy we felt when they happened. But what about all the things that made an impact that we can’t recall because we were too young, or we’ve buried it so deep. Just because we can’t recall them at the drop of a hat doesn’t mean they are not in there affecting our everyday decisions. Regardless of whether the messages we received as children are positive or negative, they are still having an impact on our daily lives. Whether we have a career or a job, if our relationships are healthy or toxic, our self-worth and self-belief, our finances, our home choice, the car we drive, the decor in our homes, the clothes we wear, how we speak to people, how we present ourselves, everything, including how we see the world we live in. If we were lucky enough to be filled with positive messages about ourselves from a young age we are probably living our best life. However those of us who received more negative than positive affirmations throughout our childhood – probably aren’t. "Never get so comfortable in pain that you forget happiness is an option." - Unknown Most of us have memories of being a child, nevertheless a lot of our childhood is buried deep in our unconscious memories. Somethings because they are just small, seemingly inconsequential events others because they are too painful. As children we learn to take on what we are taught as ‘truth’ even though it may not be your truth, it may have been the truth of your parents, your extended family, your teachers, your preachers and anyone else who helped raise you. If what you learned as a child is at odds with what you know as an adult, it will cause confliction and confusion. If you were taught that you were a loser, or not good enough, won’t amount to much, not clever or smart, not capable, a drama queen, too sensitive, silly, a show-off, selfish, a liar or any other negative things, you probably believed them, and possibly still do to some extent on an unconscious level. We are all born with endless possibilities, but if we are taught otherwise, we don’t see what we are capable of and never even try. We resign ourselves to ‘the hand we have been dealt’ we resign ourselves to what we know. Why would anyone teach their children, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, students’ negative things about themselves? There are lots of reasons people do this, quite often it starts with the negative limitations they were given as a child. If they were taught, they weren’t smart enough, not good enough, not capable, they may well teach you the same thing. Some because they truly believe that you are stuck with the life you have been given, and if you are born into a working class family you stay there, you were born to do menial jobs for menial money. Some because, if you do better than them it will make them feel inferior to their own child. But to be free of these old out of date thoughts and ideas and become the person you know you really are, you have to be prepared for it to get a little messy, just like when you start clearing out the storage cupboard/attic/garage etc. We’ve all done it I’m sure, started sorting out the cupboard/attic/garage. And before long we have exclaimed out loud (even if no one else is there) ‘I’d forgotten I had that!’ and before long we have managed to pull out every box, every bag and emptied their contents all over the floor. Hours go by and we have played with the old toys, looked through the photographs, tried on the jumper or skirt, held up and examined the old trophies. Then we look around us and see the mess we have made and the mountain of work we have created for ourselves. Part of us wishes we hadn’t started this now. The couple of hours of discovery is going to take twice as long if not longer to clean up. Some items have to be put back carefully; others need to go for good. The decisions that need to be made become overwhelming and letting some stuff go may be difficult. But you know it has to be done. "Clutter isn't just the stuff in your closet, it's anything that gets between you and the life you want to be living." – Peter Walsh Clearing your mind of other peoples negative ideas you have taken on is much the same, it’s interesting at first, enlightening, revealing etc. although before long it may feel overwhelming, or too hard and you may begin to wish you’d never started. But deep down you know that if you carry on you will feel lighter, clearer and have room for more stuff that you actually want in your life. As you identify the negatives about yourself in your mind, you may well discover their sources, their narrators. Be careful not to get angry at them or too frustrated with them, remember- they only taught you what they know, whether it be through their own genuine belief of the undesirable message or through their own fear. Either way getting angry will not help you or punish them. Just accept it as their belief about themselves, and absolutely nothing to do with you - let it go, not for them, for you. William Morris once said that you should ‘have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful of believe to be beautiful’. Why should our minds be any different? If everything in our mind was either useful or beautiful, just think how light we could feel. "If you feel like too much is going on, that your experience is full of chaos or that being pulled in different directions, that is a sign for you to de-clutter." – Alexis Donkin Speaking to a psychologist to help you discover and discard these negative messages that were given to you as you were growing up is a great way to get started. It is important that you find the right support for you, and if you don’t connect with the first professional you seek help from, do not give up looking for the right support. There are also great self-help books out there to guide you too. I personally did both. Self-help books got me started but when I got stuck or too overwhelmed, I turned to a professional to help me over the hurdles. There is plenty of help out there and we have to help ourselves by actively seeking the support we need. Letting go of the old beliefs that are stopping you from living the life you want to be living is one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself. Keep going… it’s worth it. I hope you enjoyed reading 'World Mental Health Day -De-cluttering Your Mind' don't forget to Save this to your Pinterest boards for later :) Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

We have all heard that mindfulness is good for us, but how do we not only learn how to do it, but find the time to actually put it into practice when we are all so busy and can barely find the time to do all the things we have to do? Ironically, this is when we need it most. There is an Old Zen Adage - You should sit in meditation for 10 minutes a day, unless you are too busy, then you should sit for one hour. Taking the time or making time to be mindful, to be in the moment and not running at a hundred miles per hour, letting our minds and our bodies enjoy the moment is the kindest thing we can do for ourselves. The mind is like water; when it is turbulent, it’s difficult to see. When it’s calm, everything becomes clear. – Prasad Mahesv We let so much of life go by without noticing it. The great thing is we don’t have to stop what we are doing to be mindful; we just have to focus on the one thing we are doing at any given time. Whilst mindfulness is a form of meditation, it does not need for you to be sitting in the lotus position to get the benefits. We can be mindful whilst doing anything, as long as we’re not trying to do everything (at the same time)! Life is full of beauty, notice it. Notice the bubble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces, smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams. – Ashley Smith Mindfulness is simply being in the moment: · If you are eating your dinner, then enjoy every mouthful, savour every taste. · If you are walking, listen to the sounds of the birds, the children playing, the dogs barking or even the sounds of the traffic. Feel the sun on your face and the breeze on your hair… · If you are at work, hear the chatter, the keyboards tapping away, see the colours in your chart, hear the chatter of the customers, take in the aromas of the food cooking, whatever job you do, use all five senses to witness the wonderfulness of your environment. Meditation is the ultimate mobile device; you can use it anywhere, anytime, unobtrusively. – Sharon Salzberg Whatever it is that you are doing, you can it do mindfully. And believe it or not, doing each task you have to do, mindfully, whether it be work, pleasure, leisure or some other activity, not only makes it more pleasurable, you will do a better job of it, and as you are completing the tasks without your mind wandering you may well find you have MORE time to yourself to do MORE things you want to do, things you enjoy doing (like reading this blog for instance :) The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of the mental wellness. – Abraham Maslow Taking the time to be mindful helps to de-fuzz our minds and allows us to put our focus where we want it to be. A cluttered mind serves no-one. Mindfulness is a way of meditating without stopping your daily activities. Living in each moment, paying attention to each moment, being fully present in each moment will bring more joy to your life and will help you to prioritise what is really important to you. The calm and balanced mind is the strong and great mind; the hurried and agitated mind is the weak one. – Wallace D. Wattles Have you ever been driving somewhere familiar and realised that you don’t remember part of the journey? I have done this on way too many occasions. My head is busy thinking about other things and I suddenly become aware of where I am, and that I don’t remember anything of the last 5 mins of my journey, I freak out a little as I know there were traffic lights back there, and I can’t remember checking to see if they were green! If it’s that easy to drift off into your mind and not be fully present whilst doing something as hazardous like driving a vehicle just think how many times we must be doing that in less dangerous tasks and situations. How many times have you missed a special moment with your loved one, your children or even your pet, because whilst that special moment was happening your mind was thinking about the email your forgot to send or the report that’s due tomorrow? Sadly, it’s happened to every single one of us. Those moments missed – gone forever. When your children are playing and laughing, how amazing would it be to be in the moment like them – with them. How special could it be to think about nothing else but to be in this moment? The true secret of happiness lies in the taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life. – William Morris Its so easy to get so caught up in things that have happened or so busy anticipating what’s going to happen that we completely miss out on what is happening… being mindful in any situation, whether its work or pleasure makes that moment count, and every moment should count as it is each and every moment that makes us who we are. Every encounter we have in life shapes us and moulds us for the future which is why it’s so important for us to experience these moments fully. Forget yesterday - it has already forgotten you. Don't sweat tomorrow - you haven't even met. Instead, open your eyes and your heart to a truly precious gift - today. - Steve Maraboli The hardest thing with being mindful is getting your mind to forget about everything else it has to worry about, be it things past or things future, this is where a few deep, clear breaths can work wonders. There is nothing so instant to help you to refocus than to take a few deep breaths, feeling the breath on the intake and then slowly letting it leave your body. Do this a few times and you will find your ability to focus on what’s really happening right now, at this precise moment a lot easier. Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor. - Thich Nhat Hanh Mindfulness helps us to process the moment, the feelings we have about the moment, our emotions and to see the situation from a clearer point of view. Our mind can process and evaluate it better, making the joy of the moment more enhanced and the problems of the situation easier to solve. Looking at things calmly allows our brains to concentrate on the solution rather than the problem. A chaotic mind sees only the problem at hand and finds more problems before looking for a solution. A calm mind evaluates the problem and looks for solutions, making the whole process easier. Looking at the beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind. – Amit Ray This world of ours, is a beautiful place, filled with innumerable wonders for us to discover and experience. So many of us miss so much of it, we owe it to ourselves to enjoy it, to fully experience it, to live it, in the moment, every moment. But for now, if you don’t already practice mindfulness try making a conscious effort to be mindful at least once a day. Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it. – Sharon Salzburg My favouite way to practice mindfulness is to go for a mindfulness walk. Start by switching off your phone and go for a walk, it can be anywhere, around the park, on the beach, down the high street, you could even do it on the way to work – from the train station or the carpark. Listen to the sounds, see the colours, smell the aromas, feel the sun, the breeze, or even the rain. Use as many senses as you can to take in this moment, this walk. One of the first times I tried this I was walking in an old residential area in a coastal town in Western Australia on a Sunday afternoon. It was very hilly yet I hardly noticed how much effort the walk took as I was engrossed in all that was going on around me, there were dogs playfully barking, children laughing, BBQ's cooking, hose pipes watering gardens, trees blowing in the breeze, bee’s buzzing, birds chirping, galahs squawking, there were red flowers, yellow flowers, orange flowers, bushes and shrubs, cars driving past, a lorry reversing in the distance… the list goes on and on. I came home refreshed and rejuvenated, I had so much energy and enthusiasm to do things, to get out there in the world and really start to live. I make it a point to do this mindful walk at least once a week now, it helps me refocus, put my priorities in order and energises me to act upon them. In a world of doing, doing, doing, it’s important to take a moment to just breathe, to just be. Let me know your favourite mindfulness activity, comment below I hope you enjoyed these 12 Quotes about Mindfulness to help you enjoy each and every day!, don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

I am always astounded how a simple quote can have a profound effect.  Just one or two sentences can spark something in reader, leading them to discover something within themselves, well they often did and still do for me. Coming across the right quote at the right time can be a real ‘light bulb’ moment. I have had many of these moments over the years, so I thought I’d share with you some of my favourite quotes from some of the remarkable people that have influenced my journey in such a positive direction. Each and every one of these people (and lots of others too, there are far too many to put into one list) have expressed a wisdom that I needed at the exact time I discovered each quote. If a quote resonates with you, it probably means it’s something you need or want to hear (read). As you read through this list, make a note of those quotes that really stand out to you, there’s a reason it’s jumping off the page and into your head! How can it help you? Where is this applicable in your life? Have fun reading these fabulous quotes let them inspire you, motivate you and get you on the path you want to be on: Oprah Winfrey Talk show host, media executive, actress and philanthropist. One of the richest and most influential women in the USA. “I was once afraid of people saying ‘who does she think she is?’ Now I have the courage to stand and say ‘this is who I am’. – Oprah Winfrey “Alone time is when I distance myself from the voices of the world, so I can hear my own.” – Oprah Winfrey “Real courage is being afraid but doing it anyway.” – Oprah Winfrey “If you make a choice that doesn’t please your mate, your friends, your mother, or whoever, the world will not fall apart – the people who truly love you want you to love yourself.” – Oprah Winfrey W. Clement Stone 1902 – 2002 American businessman and philanthropist. He espoused what he called P.M.A – Positive Mental Attitude – as the key to achievement and wealth. “Success if achieved and maintained by those who try and keep trying.” – W. Clement Stone “Be careful of the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful of the friends you choose for you will become like them.” – W. Clement Stone “Aim for the moon. If you miss you may hit a star.” – W. Clement Stone “Success if achieved and maintained by those who try and keep trying.” – W. Clement Stone Dale Carnegie 1888-1955 American lecturer, author, and pioneer in the field of public speaking and the psychology of the successful personality. Most well known for his book ‘ How to Win Friends and Influence People.’ “Remember – today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.” – Dale Carnegie “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” – Dale Carnegie “In-action breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” – Dale Carnegie “One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.” – Dale Carnegie William Morris 1834 – 1896 An artist, craftsman, writer and socialist who was a revolutionary force in Victorian Britain, dramatically changing the fashions and ideologies of the era. “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” – William Morris “The true secret of happiness lies in the taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” – William Morris “I do not want art for a few any more than I want education for a few, or freedom for a few.” – William Morris “The true secret of happiness lies in the taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” – William Morris Abraham Maslow 1908 – 1970 American psychologist and philosopher best known for his self-actualisation theory of psychology and hierarchy of needs and was a major contributor in the US to humanistic psychology. “If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life.” – Abraham Maslow “What a man can be, he must be. This need we call self-actualization.” – Abraham Maslow “In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.” – Abraham Maslow “When people appear to be something other than good and decent, it is only because they are reacting to stress, pain or the deprivation of basic human needs such as security, love and self-esteem.” – Abraham Maslow Henry Ford 1863 – 1947 American industrialist who revolutionised factory production with his assembly line methods. “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.” – Henry Ford “Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason few people engage in it.” – Henry Ford “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” – Henry Ford Norman Vincent Peale 1898 – 1993 An American minister and author known for his work in popularising the concept of positive thinking through his best-selling book – The Power of Positive Thinking. “Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities – always see them, for they are always there.” – Norman Vincent Peale “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” – Norman Vincent Peale “Have great hopes and dare to go all out for them. Have great dreams and dare to live them. Have tremendous expectations and believe in them.” – Norman Vincent Peale “It is always too early to quit.” – Norman Vincent Peale Vince Lombardi 1913 – 1970 American football player, coach, and executive in the NFL National Football League). Won 5 NFL championships, including Superbowl’s I & II during his tenure with Green Bay Packers. “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” – Vince Lombardi “It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge but rather a lack of determination.” – Vince Lombardi “It is time for us to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who recognises the challenges and does something about it.” – Vince Lombardi Napoleon Hill 1883 – 1970 American self-help author. His book ‘Think and Grow Rich’ 1937 is among the ten best selling self-help books of all time. “Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” – Napoleon Hill “The starting point of all achievement is desire.” – Napoleon Hill “Remember, no more effort is required to aim high in life, to demand abundance and prosperity, than is required to accept misery and poverty.” – Napoleon Hill “Every adversity, every failure, and every heartache carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater success.” – Napoleon Hill Mahatma Gandhi 1869 – 1948 Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who became the leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” – Mahatma Gandhi “A man is but a product of his thoughts; what he thinks he becomes.” – Mahatma Gandhi “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Mahatma Gandhi Mark Twain 1835 – 1910 American humourist, journalist, lecturer, and novelist. He transcended the apparent limitations of his origins to become a popular public figure and one of Americas best and most beloved writers. “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.” – Mark Twain “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured”. – Mark Twain “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too can become great.” – Mark Twain “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain Buddha 563/480 – 483/400 BCE Founder of Buddhism, one of the major religions and philosophical systems of southern and eastern Asia and of the world. “Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own thoughts, unguarded.” – Buddha “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and attention.” – Buddha “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we leaned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so let us all be thankful.” – Buddha “Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else: you are the one that gets burned.” – Buddha Albert Einstein 1879 – 1955 German American physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity and won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.” – Albert Einstein “No problem can ever be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” – Albert Einstein “Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want, and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.” – Albert Einstein “Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with the big dreams is more powerful than the one with all the facts.” – Albert Einstein Winston Churchill 1874 – 1965 An inspirational statesman, orator and leaser who led Britain to victory in the second world war. He served as Prime minister twice – 1940-1945 & 1951-1955 “A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist see opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill “Success if going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill “When you’re 20 you care about what everybody thinks, when you’re 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when you’re 60 you realise no-one was ever thinking about you in the first place.” – Winston Churchill “When I look back at all theses worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his death bed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened.” – Winston Churchill Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803 – 1882 American lecturer, poet, and essayist and philosopher who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “A man is what he thinks about all day long.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “Beware what you set your heart upon, for it surely shall be yours.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Oscar Wilde 1854 – 1900 Irish poet and playwright, a popular literary figure in late Victorian England. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – Oscar Wilde “Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” – Oscar Wilde “Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.” – Oscar Wilde “Life is too important to be taken seriously.” – Oscar Wilde We can find inspiration and motivation in all sorts of places, these quotes are just a few of the ones that have resonated with me over the years. Wherever you find your motivation to get your life going in the direction you want, grab it, use it and let it inspire you. Our lives are what we make them, I’m on my journey, and I hope you are too. If we all share the things that inspired us, we never know who else we can help on their way! I’d love you to share a quote that has inspired or motivated you! Please leave a comment below don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) I hope you enjoyed these 64 Quotes to Inspire You to Change Your Life for the Better Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

We are living in an age where is it not only acceptable to take care of yourself and to love who you are, but it is (finally!) considered essential to our well-being and the well-being of those closest to us. So why do so many of us still struggle to do it? Self care has become a new priority: the revelation that it's perfectly permissible to listen to your body and do what it needs. - Frances Ryan Our self-worth, our self-belief, our self-image all impact how and whether or not we take care of ourselves and our upbringing and all we have experienced will have had an impact for sure, a lot of us have been brought up being told that it is selfish to focus on yourself, we should put others first. But there is a huge difference between taking care of yourself, loving yourself and being selfish and egotistical. How are we meant to give to others, to take care of them when we are running on empty? Making time to love ourselves, to be kind to ourselves, to truly take good care of our own self may well feel very alien to us if we’ve never really done it before or maybe it’s something we used to do well but lost it somewhere along the way, trying to be everything to everyone and becoming no one to ourselves. Juggling caring for our children, elderly relatives, loved ones that need our attention and care 24 hour a day takes so much of our time that the first thing most of us let go, without realising it, is ourselves, and we do that by forgetting to take care of us. Some of us actually feel guilty for even feeling that we want or need to do something just for us. We easily fall into a state of giving to others and neglecting ourselves, our own wants and needs. We become tired, lose focus let ourselves and our surroundings go until there’s very little left – then we burn out. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and attention. - Buddha The good news is that we can learn or re-learn to be kind to ourselves and begin to love ourselves the way we deserve to be loved. We can discover how empowering and re-energising it is when we make ourselves a priority and see that not only does it not have to be at the expense of the people around us, but it will actually benefit them too. After going through a very difficult time, I was completely drained and burnt-out. It took me a long time to realise that I had completely let myself and my surroundings go, I have long since stopped taking care of either.  After realising this I slowly I began to take better care of myself.  It felt selfish at first, and very self-indulgent.  But it also felt good afterwards.  Taking baby-steps I began to do more for myself and take time out. I started small with a walk to clear my head and buying myself a face mask. I realised that I never spent any time or money on myself. I now make it a priority, not in place of spending time and taking care of my family, but alongside it. I found things I could let go of to make time for me. The time is there to be used, I just found a more beneficial way of using it, which actually allowed me more time and certainly a higher quality of time to spend with and on the ones I love. Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel. -Eleanor Brown If you have people you love that depend on you 24-7 try to organise a baby-sitter/arrange a play date for your children (maybe you could return the favour and give another mum some ‘me’ time) or some respite care to give you time to rejuvenate yourself. I know it’s not always that easy to make the time, but the benefits for you and your loved oneswill make it worth the effort. Remember… Self-care is anything that makes you feel better, feel energised, worthy, lighter, brighter, happier, stronger, uplifted, empowered, invigorated, boosted, rejuvenated, healthier, restored, revitalised, relaxed, rested  joyful, refreshed, recharged… Whether it be sitting in the park with the sunshine on your face, feeling the grass beneath your feet or making that phone call you’ve been putting off even though it’s playing on your mind. Anything that lightens your load or makes you take some time out. Pick at least one thing (it doesn’t have to off my list; they are just some ideas or things I do when I’m focusing on me.       Just pick something that makes your heart sing. If you have practical self-care things to do such as, make or attend appointments, take a little extra time afterwards and do something else that just makes you feel good, that makes you smile, releases the tension in your body and the stress in your mind. I’m lucky enough to live near a beach, and whenever I want or need time-out I head down there and sit for just 10-15 minutes watching and listening to the waves rolling in. My whole body seems to react to the calming sounds, my mind stills, and I can physically feel my muscles relax, sometimes I swear I can feel my shoulders drop by  two inches! Fall in Love with Yourself Today! When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life. - Jean Shinoda Bolen Self-care and self-love encompass our whole well-being, our physical, our emotional, our mental selves. The more we take the time to take care of ourselves, to love ourselves, the stronger we become. The stronger we become, the more we have to give to others, to the ones we love and care about. Negative Self-Talk Self-care is not just about getting outside and doing things we love or going for regular check-ups but how we treat ourselves internally. Have you ever taken the time to listen to how you speak to yourself? Are you kind with your words in your internal dialog?  Do you tell yourself ‘that was a job well done’? Do you forgive yourself when you do or say something silly? Or do you beat yourself up for saying the wrong thing, or making a mistake? Do you get frustrated at yourself because you haven’t managed to get everything done? Do you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see? Negative self-talk is one of, if not the most self-destructive thing anyone can do, yet so many of us do it daily, hourly, minute after minute. It has become such a habit that we do it without thinking of the consequences. Try listening to how you talk to yourself, the words you use and the tone too. Then ask yourself – if a friend had made the same mistake, would you have spoken so harshly to them? Would you have used those words? Or would you have been supportive and made them feel better about the error- and reminded them that they are only human and mistakes are a part of life and learning? If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, don’t say it to yourself. - Jane Travis If you wouldn’t say it to a friend – don’t say it to yourself. Why does your friend deserve your support, and your compassion but you deserve your wrath? How is that fair? You are just as deserving as your friend, you too, are human, and no human is perfect. Every single one of us make mistakes, we say the wrong thing sometimes, misjudge the situation etc. It’s part of our make-up, it’s how we learn. So why are we so hard on ourselves? We may find ourselves saying things like: ‘I’m too fat, too thin, too ugly, too stupid, too small, too tall, not good enough, not clever enough, not pretty enough, not popular enough, useless, uneducated, not talented, an idiot, too scared, a coward, unlucky, a loser, nothing good ever happens to me etc.’ Compassion and understanding are two of the greatest gifts we give to those around us, isn’t it about time we included ourselves in that? If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete. - Jack Kornfield Next time you catch yourself talking harshly to yourself, or putting yourself down, stop, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are just as good as everyone else. You are YOU, and there is no-one else like you. You may not be able to do somethings as well as others but there are things you are good at that others cannot do. You are worthy of love and compassion, and living a good life. Think about that friend that you would say kind words to and  then say those words to yourself. Talk kindly to yourself every day. It may not come easily to you, however it is a skill you can learn, day by day until your self-talk becomes positive, understanding, compassionate, supportive and helpful to you. If you do it long enough it will become a healthy habit that supports you in every way. Try it for a week or two and see the difference it makes. How we care for ourselves gives our brain messages that shape our self-worth, so we must care for ourselves in every way, every day. - Sam Owen Self-love and self-care are doing whatever you need to do for you at any given time. So whether it is sitting in the park or re-organising you wardrobe, getting your hair done or meditating, exercising or making a phone call you’ve been putting off, it’s whatever lightens your load or lifts your heart. Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world. - Lucille Ball For more self-care ideas head over to my website and download my self-care word searches. PositiveThinkingforBeginners.com and click on Funstuff, choose your word search and print. Enjoy! Down load this list and pin in somewhere you will see it everyday to remind you to take care of yourself and to fall in love with yourself. I’d love to hear your favourite self-care activity! Please comment below 🥰 I hope you enjoyed reading these 36 Self-Care Ideas to Help You Fall In Love With Yourself don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later. Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners