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Self Acceptance - the basis of self development

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:26:00 -0500

It is thought that Self Acceptance is the basis of all personal development. I would say that it is the key to developing self love.

What is Self Acceptance?

Self acceptance is approving of yourself warts and all. It's liking and loving yourself NOW not WHEN! It's about giving up on self-denigration and being your very own best friend. It's being on your side no matter how other people might see you. It's not about being perfect, it's about being perfectly imperfect and loving yourself for who you are.

Self acceptance does not mean that you will become complacent - it means that you can work towards goals and change without all the self directed anger which can lower your confidence, motivation and self esteem.

What is the difference between Self Esteem and Self Acceptance?

Self Esteem tends to be conditional. For example you feel good about yourself because of your achievements. Don't get me wrong it is good to build up your self esteem by listing your achievements and accomplishments however Self Acceptance is unconditional.

Exercise on Self Acceptance

Find a photograph of yourself when you were a child and place it in front of you. Look at how innocent and vulnerable you look. As you look at the photograph imagine that this young child is within you now. What would you like to say to this child to show that you love them and care about them? Finish off by giving yourself a hug.

From now on as you go about your daily life, monitor your thoughts and if you find that you are berating yourself, remember that innocent inner child and replace any negativity with more neutral, loving and guiding thoughts.

Lift your mood in 30 minutes

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:42:00 -0500

One of the quickest ways to lift your mood is to take part in some daily exercise. 30 minutes a day is enough to significantly improve your mood.

Some people absolutely love running on the treadmill others like dancing, yoga or pilates. Or take up a sport like tennis, squash or football. You will be more likely to keep up your fitness regime if you take part in something you actually enjoy. Even a walk in the fresh air can be beneficial - so why not get off the bus or tube the stop before your normal one and walk the rest of the way.

Beat Those January Blues: Choose Who You Want to Be

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Well it's January 1st 2009 and it feels like a whole new fresh blank canvass has opened up for me - like a fresh start. I can choose to be who I want to be. I can learn new skills to help me to overcome new challenges. I just know this year will bring new challenges and I somehow feel like I need to step into a new way of being - like choosing who I want to be in order to meet these new challenges.

I want to BE someone who is focused and determined

Today's session is "Choosing who you Want to BE in order to have the best year yet!

What qualities do you need to bring out of yourself?

What behaviours do you need to drop?

Happy New Year

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:27:00 -0500

I've been having a cosy night in with my OH William and kitten Lyra. We've just watched Wall E...not to be watched without some tissues nearby. A lovely story. And we've been having a bop with Jools Holland's Hootenanny. Lyra too...all excited and joining in the fun.

I wish you all a wonderful, lovely, rewarding and fulfilling 2009.

Lots of love,

Janice xxx

Beat Those January Blues

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:15:00 -0500

Recent research has suggested that January 24th is the most depressing day of the year. This got me thinking about ways to overcome and beat those January Blues,

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL

Make a list of all the things you have in your life to be thankful and cheerful about. It could be anything from the sun shining, to having someone special in your life or doing the work you love and having enough to eat. Often, we overlook or take for granted the small things in our lives, like having a cosy night in or having a supportive friend. Don't stop writing until you have at least 50 things on your list to be grateful for and then keep this list handy where you can see it on a regular basis and keep adding to it. This really works!

What would you have on your list?

Check back often to read more ideas to beat those blues.

New Look Website and Blog

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:14:00 -0500

Hi everyone,

Well, before I officially wind down for the Christmas break I thought I'd spend some time tweaking my website and switch over to this new blog format. Hope you like it. :)

Love Janice xxx

Quote from Dr. Seuss

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:32:16 -0500

I love this quote from Dr. Seuss:

Be who you are and say what you feel cause people who mind don't matter, and people who matter don't mind. Dr. Seuss

Is it time to leave your job?

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:12:44 -0400

In this day and age it is quite common for people to change career at least once in their working life. It's an important decision though - one which will affect you and can affect your close family. In order to help you to decide whether this is the right move for you consider these questions:

DO YOU HATE YOUR JOB OR JUST THE BOSS?

It's important that you make this distinction. If you love what you do and it's just the boss or even work colleagues that you can't get along with then changing careers might not be the answer for you.   If you are not able to make it work with your boss on your own then seek help through your human resources department, if you have one, or get some coaching on this specific matter.   If all else fails then before you take the leap into a different career, look at other employers in the same field or even consider becoming self employed doing the work you love!

DO YOU FEEL LIKE A SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE?

There could be many reasons why you feel that you just don't fit it with your current career.

   ?    It could be that there is a conflict between your own personal values and ethics and those of your employer's.

   ?    The job is more stressful than exciting and you feel burnt-out.

   ?    Your job is no longer challenging - you've gone as far as you can - got pretty much all that you can out of it and there are no opportunities for promotion.

   ?    You could be in a job that was chosen by your parents rather than in one aligned with your own true interests or passions.

   ?    You fell into your job without really thinking about your career goals and wonder how you got here!

   ?    What interested you at 21 no longer excites or motivates you.

DO YOU HAVE A CALLING OR ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR YOUR LIFE PURPOSE?

Sometimes, you just have a sense that there is more to life - that there is something you are meant to be or something you are meant to bring to the world. It feels literally like you are being called!

If you feel like this and can't really explain to yourself why you have this feeling, then have a think about the things in your life that you are drawn to. It could be hobbies, interests, types of people, jobs that catch your eye, areas of study that pull you time and time again.

I believe that our life purpose is about expressing our unique talents and gifts. Do have a need to express yourself in some way?

IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF REDUNDANCY?

In today's uncertain climate there is of course the possibility of redundancy. Having myself been through redundancy I am aware that it can be a time of upheaval and also I must stress an opportunity to try something new, something that you've always dreamed of doing. Before you take the leap into a new career, find out whether your employer is considering offering redundancy packages - it could just be the cushion you are looking for while you train or look for something you really want to do.

DO YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO CHANGE CAREERS BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO NEXT?

Most of us haven't thought about what we wanted to do since school - even then people often jump into the first job without really thinking about long term career goals or what really matters to them about work.

If you have decided that you really do want to change careers but don't know what you want to do next then consider getting some career counselling or coaching to help you to discover a new career aligned with your true interests, passions, values and life purpose.

My New Kitten

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:09:36 -0400

Here is the first picture of our new Kitten. Her name is Lyra and she is a rescue kitten through the RSPCA.

some more pics...

SPRING CLEAN YOUR WHOLE LIFE

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:50:56 -0400

When you are satisfied with all aspects of your life, you feel happy and energised. Spring is the ideal time to make a fresh start and have a good clear out.

Try these top tips to keep your whole life sparking fresh:...

HONOUR YOUR TOP 5 VALUES

Spend a few moments thinking about each of your Top Five Values. Think about your life as a whole and give yourself a score out of 10 for each value.

Next, for each key value, ask yourself

If I were scoring 10/10 here, what would be happening?
What would be different?
How could I start today to move this score towards 10?
What changes must I make in how I think and act?

Be precise. Better than "Spend more time with the children" decide to "Come home from work 30 minutes earlier every day and spend that time with the children. Have one weekend day each month alone with the children".

Make your aims clear and measurable in this way. Make sure they are also realistic and make a commitment to each of them.

Then do it! And continue to follow through on these commitments.

HOME ENVIRONMENT

Keep your home clutter free and organised. A thorough spring clean can bring about a real feelgood factor. Set aside a day for action, open those windows to let in some fresh air and tackle all those problem areas.

Sign up here for daily inspirational reminders from The Organiser Lady:

Messie's Annonymous

Make your spring clean a chance to Go Green! There are some great non-toxic cleaning products available on the market nowadays. Here are some great tips from the BBC's Green website:

BBC Green

GET RID OF ENERGY DRAINS

Energy Drains are all those little nagging jobs on our 'to do' list. It could be fixing a leaky tap, making a long overdue phone call, checking our bank balance, renewing that insurance policy. Often these jobs can take seconds to complete but we put them off with the result that they take up mental space and can make us feel de-energised. Resolve today to tackle them one by one.

YOUR WELL-BEING AND FITNESS

Are you satisfied with your body weight, diet and level of exercise?
Are you getting the right amount of sleep?
Do you have regular dental and eye appointments?
Are you taking care of any physical or mental health concerns?

Make looking after yourself a No.1 priority.

YOUR WORK

Even if you think you'll be leaving your present work, being positive about it now is the best possible platform for change. It will help maintain your energy levels and support your self-esteem which will help when it comes to networking and applying for other opportunities.

Write down your answers to the following questions:

What do you enjoy in your present job?
What does your job give you?
What are you grateful for in your current work?
What are you achieving at work now?
How could you increase your contribution at work?
If there were one thing you could improve, what would it be? What's stopping you?
What opportunities are there for developing your role at work?