Photo taken from Google Images

The weather is getting chillier and there's nothing more comforting than curling up under a blanket with a warm drink. This is an easy, non-alcoholic warm drink that should keep your body and your spirits very warm! Enjoy it!
​

​SPICED APPLE WARMER

1.5 litres organic cloudy apple juice
Zest of 1 organic orange
3-4 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

Warm up the apple juice, add the spices, bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes, pour through a metal sieve and serve in mugs or thick glass.

​December is here and love and generosity are in the air. Happy December, everyone!
We’ve entered the last month of the last year of this entire decade, it’s time to stop and listen closely… Do you hear that?
This is truly the season of giving - not just material things but also compassion and generosity.
What are you grateful for this year?
This is a season to be enjoyed.
So enjoy this warm and peaceful energy basking in self-kindness and gratitude.
This month is great for enjoying and appreciating relationships as during this special season we will also feel inspired to grow, improve, and pursue our desires.
We will feel a call to step inside our soul and ask ourselves what we have been carrying around that needs to be released before our transition into 2020. The truth is, it’s a time when energy should be moving in the opposite direction, a time to let go of anything weighing us down…shed all the negative energies that keep dragging us down.
 
Are you ready to let go? If so, why not follow this Ritual of Release and Gratitude?
1. Get a notebook/journal (pick one that grabs your attention; mine has flowers in the cover and states be happy and smile) that will be your dedicated self-kindness and gratitude notebook. The notebook is key because it’s important to actually put pen to paper in rituals instead of typing. The mind-body connection of handwriting your gratitude and thoughts amplifies the benefits, kind of like making a home-cooked meal is always better for you than a store-bought one.
 
2. Keep it close to you, or at your nightstand, or another place that you return to every day, or even carry it with you. You’ll never know when inspiration strikes. Or maybe keep it close to the tea pot so you can manifest what you are grateful for as the water boils. You may find that you are often grateful for tea! :-)
 
3. Every night (or morning, or afternoon), write the date at the top of the page:

• Set intentions. 
• Tell yourself you will write for a set amount of time. It can be for fifteen minutes. It can be for two minutes. In the beginning it might take longer, but as your ritual becomes a habit even just two minutes works.

 
4. In that set time, write what you are grateful for. Anything that comes to mind is fair game. Anything from “big things” like health, partner, relatives, friends, pets, to “small things” like hazelnut flavoured cappuccinos, the awesome Christmas playlist playing in the radio right now. The opportunities to find things to be grateful for are endless. They don’t have to be big; it can be something as simple as that first ray of sunshine in the morning.
 
e.g.      I’m grateful for my co-worker because he is always willing to listen and help.
            I’m grateful for my pets because they make me feel loved and needed.
 
Here’s some gratitude inspiration, to help get you started:

• What you like about yourself, inside and out.
• Can you derive some bit of wisdom from a challenge you are currently facing?
• List your favourite people and what you love about them.
• Perhaps take a moment to focus on the good parts of your job, the work you get to do, the people you get to do it with, and the compensation you receive for it.
• What are the things you love about where you live?
• What is your favourite colour? How does it make you feel?
• Have you received any kind words or praise lately?
• What are you good at? Do you have hidden talents?
• What are you looking forward to in life?
• Was the sky particularly beautiful today?

 
5. Go over your gratitude list and allow yourself to feel in your body how truly thankful you are for each item.
If you'd like, place your hands over your heart, gently close your eyes and breathe in and out acknowledging how appreciative you are for each item on your gratitude list.
 
The journal will become a record of your thoughts, self-kindness and gratitude. This practice can be centring and calming and will remind you of what is most important in your life.
Keep the notebook close to you throughout the day and review it whenever you need a pick-me-up.

​“Fear: False Evidence Appearing Real.” - Unknown
 
What's the problem if it doesn't work out?
Don't wait for everything to be perfect to put your plan into action. Fear and insecurity can paralyze your actions and so everything will continue as it is. Procrastination happens and harnesses your energy when you are afraid of making mistakes and also because it is something that takes you out of your comfort zone. Do not enter into this negative vibration because over time your mind will create more and more obstacles. One single step forward can uncover a lot of new possibilities that will guide you on how to reach your goal. Even if the end result is not what you expected, you will at least have more experience to try a different way. Don't be embittered with the frustration of not having tried. The process of materialization only works for those who try and their happiness is dependent only on one attitude. So what are you waiting for? Go after your dreams! Put Yourself out there!
 
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
- Walt Disney

Let Go Of The Little Things. Don’t waste your time worrying and being annoyed by situations you can’t change. Recognize that some things cannot be changed and avoid stressing about them. Let It Go. Be proactive about addressing situations that you can change, such as a work or family matter that can usually be handled with a candid conversation. Don’t let small stressors pile up and stop you from appreciating all that’s wonderful in your life. When you feel yourself getting upset, pause for a moment; calm down; turn your attention to what’s bothering you and try to frame it in its simplest form. You will feel much better.

​Surround Yourself With The Right People. Never underestimate the power of family and friends. People with strong family or social connections are generally healthier than those who lack a support network. Make plans with supportive family members and friends, or seek out activities where you can meet new people, such as a club, class or support group.

Have you had one of these days lately?
You wake up feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and insecure for no apparent reason… A nagging knot in your gut, a panicked feeling rushing inside you, an unpleasant heat flushing your cheeks...
A deep sense of disappointment when you realize there are only 61 days left until 2020 and there’s still so much you want to accomplish?
 
Well, you’re not alone. And yes, there is still time to "Trick Yourself" to success!
 
You can use the below “brain hacks” to increase your productivity, enjoy a quick energy boost, activate super-fast relaxation, get motivated to exercise, reduce your food intake - and more.
 
1 – Do you need a quick boost of energy?
Try pouring some natural juice of your choice or maybe some diet soda into an energy drink can. You’ll feel like you are drinking the real thing and that will help keep your energy levels up for as long as you need.
 
2 – Do you want to enjoy fast and natural relaxation?
Label a bottle of mints as Super Stress Reduction Pills. Take a couple of tablets whenever you need to unwind.
 
3 – Do you want to make your days a little more productive?
Set your alarm to get up 30min earlier. You’ll feel like you have got extra time to get things done, and that might encourage you on to greater achievements.
 
4 – Do you want an instant blast of extra confidence?
Put some sugar pills in a bottle labelled Confidence Booster Tablets. Take one or two when you need to increase your confidence levels.
 
5 – Do you want to cut down on your intake of food and extra calories?
Start eating from smaller plates. You’ll feel like you are eating more and that will help you to convince you that you are full faster.

.There are a bunch of all stress-related issues and until we release that stress, the symptoms aren’t going to go away. Now, we know that it’s impossible to eliminate stress altogether. You can reduce it, but you can’t avoid it completely. Stress is just a natural part of life.
However, you can protect yourself against the damage it causes. You can clear away the blocks and aim to restore your balance. Below are the strategies I use to balance myself on a daily basis:
1.    Smile. Just raising the corners of your mouth works, but a full smile with extended eyes works even better. This will make you feel better, as well as making others around feel better too (ever noticed how you feel when someone smiles at you?).
2.    Take long, deep breaths. Take a long, slow breath in through your nose, first filling your lower lungs, then your upper lungs. Hold your breath to the count of "three." Exhale slowly, while saying the word "relax" silently, and relax the muscles in your face, jaw, shoulders, and stomach.
3.    Note the positives. Positive thinking and positive statements go a long way. Write down positive affirmations and when you are feeling off-balance revert to them.
4.    Meet and connect with family and friends. Family and friends are your supportive system, Use and abuse of them! It’s a win-win situation.
5.    Recognize what you cannot change. Let’s face it: we cannot control everything. It’s simply and purely impossible. Once we recognize this, life becomes manageable.
6.    Visualize. Picture the change you would like to see; you can also write it down or say it aloud using a positive affirmation.
7.    Walk outside. Get a good dose of sunlight (this works even on a cloudy day) and open up your senses to the world around you. Connect with nature.
8.    Be or become assertive. Many people wrongly believe that being assertive is rude. It can be, depending on the delivery. However, learning to say ‘no’ can be a transformative thing. It will stop you overloading yourself with work and committing to tasks you don’t have the time to do.
9.    Aromatherapy. Light a scented candle or burn your favourite scented incense stick. Or use scented incense sticks (make sure you do this one in a well-ventilated area. Avoid inhaling the smoke). Whatever floats your boat! It’s proven that certain fragrances do help us relax and feel better.
10. Sleep. A good night of sleep will restore your balance. Do try and create a sleep routine.