Your Happiness Factor

Confidence is Key Here is another inspirational post from contributor, Stephanie Carfrae. She is a Creative Writing Graduate; you can find her own blog  at   www.stephcarfrae.blogspot.co.uk   and I think you will be inspired by Steph's videos on YouTube at  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoz1yev_apPjE8XcVrjyjA/videos Keep smiling when times are tough. How many times have you been told that? Countless times no doubt. Well, you know what? They might just be onto something. Smiles release endorphins that cause happiness and I have actually tried this when I was feeling low (it happens to us all) and it made me feel better. At the time I had a headache and wasn't feeling very positive about life. So I tried smiling to see if what they said was actually true. And I can confirm it. It didn't work instantly but my headache soon wore off and I was pretty much back to the old positive me. At these time you just need to refocus the lenses on happiness. Just smiling and

You don’t always have to be happy, but…! Wendy Mason  is a Career Coach and Life Coach helping you to solve difficult problems at work and at home. Thinking about the D-day anniversary later this week has led me to think about my parents’ generation; the people who lived through the Second World War.   We tend to remember the heroic! Many, of course, were not heroic in the way we usually think about heroes.  But, ordinary people, I suspect on all sides, were stoic and what mattered most was getting through. Many did get through very hard times. For them, personal happiness was secondary: what mattered was to do your duty. Times have changed! Not least because the generation that got through that war wanted better for their children. They wanted their kids to be happy. If they were not, what had the war been about?   Their kids were the Boomer Generation; my generation! Whatever you think of us now, most of us did start out wanting to change the world for the bett

Fun Latin Soca Dance Workout This is a soca dance workout is from  @KEAIRALASHAE CLICK HERE FOR her FUN ALL DANCE VIDEO TO HER NEW SONG "FRANKIE"  http://youtu.be/MaJAX0_n7Wk?hd=1  

An easy, basic, meditation technique for beginners  Easy Meditation  An easy, basic meditation technique for beginners with Amamda Russell from BEXLIFE  http://bit.ly/bexpeace

Looks can be deceiving: learning has no expiration date  Here is another inspirational post from contributor, Stephanie Carfrae. She is a Creative Writing Graduate; you can find her own blog  at   www.stephcarfrae.blogspot.co.uk   and I think you will be inspired by Steph's videos on YouTube at  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoz1yev_apPjE8XcVrjyjA/videos Everyone makes mistakes. If there's someone who performs 'perfectly' and does everything flawlessly as far as you see, believe me, they make mistakes behind the scenes. Or have made a mistake in the past that has thrust them to where they are now. No one is faultless. It's great when someone seems 'perfect' but underneath they might be a mess. Looks can be deceiving. Never has a phrase been so true and applicable in every situation. You can never tell how someone is feeling. My 'beautiful strangers' belief strikes again. We can never tell how something that we do will affect someone else

All of us! Here is another inspirational post from contributor, Stephanie Carfrae. She is a Creative Writing Graduate; you can find her own blog  at   www.stephcarfrae.blogspot.co.uk   and I think you will be inspired by Steph's videos on YouTube at  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoz1yev_apPjE8XcVrjyjA/videos You may not think it, but everybody hurts at some point during their life. Maybe that’s why they’re so successful at what they’re doing now. Everything may look pristine on the surface but not so on the inside. There’s no saying how another person is feeling throughout a day; they could just be putting on a brave face to get through it. We are all different. We can’t feel the same way about a particular situation. We won’t and that’s Ok. How boring would it be if everyone’s reaction was the same? We all have a limited, stunted and incomplete point of view on life. Yes, that’s right, everyone has. We are all facing situations in our lives, be they major or minor

Zenchantment presents Zen Ocean - Spring Wild Flowers of California's Coast. The explosion of colors and unmatched beauty of wild flowers flourishing along the rugged coastline of California symbolizes the long anticipated arrival of Spring. Fields of wild flowers sprout seemingly overnight, their blinding brilliance competing with the brightness of the morning sun.  Fragile petals of poppies flutter delicately in the afternoon breeze. Undulating waves of bright yellow mustard fields bow to an offshore zephyr. A distant lighthouse stands over a rolling carpet of vibrant ground flowers.  Endless waves break and crash against the lofty cliffs in the background. Shades of purple, lavender and magenta are a testament to nature's endless bounty of vernal colors. The flourishing fields and clusters of Spring's wild flowers last for but a fleeting moment, soon to be at the mercy of relentless heat and then oncoming chill of California's coastal fog. Relax

Andy Puddicombe: All it takes is 10 mindful minutes When is the last time you did absolutely nothing for 10 whole minutes? Not texting, talking or even thinking? Mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe describes the transformative power of doing just that: Refreshing your mind for 10 minutes a day, simply by being mindful and experiencing the present moment. (No need for incense or sitting in strange positions.) You can find free resources from Any to help you at this link  www.getsomeheadspace.com TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more. Find closed captions and translated subtitles in many languages at http://www.ted.com/translate Follow TED news on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/ted

No rewinds! Here is another inspirational post from contributor, Stephanie Carfrae. She is a Creative Writing Graduate; you can find her own blog  at   www.stephcarfrae.blogspot.co.uk   and I think you will be inspired by Steph's videos on YouTube at  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoz1yev_apPjE8XcVrjyjA/videos Happiness can be yours. It’s within reach. You just need to convince your mind that it’s possible.  This is easier said than done, but possible.  Happiness is not something that can be found in big bundles. It’s about the moments. Small as they are. Apparently the present moment lasts for 3 seconds before it is wisped away and becomes a memory.  Life is not easy for anyone. Perhaps I’m naïve thinking that happiness is available to everyone. But I believe it is. When you think about it, every situation you have encountered; a form of it has appeared in everybody else’s life too. Maybe not at the same velocity or with the same amount of pressure pile

Be Lulled to Gentle Sleep Blissful Sleep- a Guided Talk-down  A sleepy, gentle and effective guided talk-down to help induce sleep. Feel yourself floating on a soft cloud as you're lulled by gentle music!   A sleepy, gentle and effective guided talk-down to help induce sleep. Feel yourself floating on a soft cloud as you're lulled by gentle music!   With a gentle guiding voice and a slow, non-waking fade at the end. Music: Falling Leaves Photograph of 1943 Sincerity Composer, all tracks: Alexander Khaskin (SOCAN)  Publisher, Lynne Publishing (PRS) Download the extended 20 min version here - http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thehonestguys3

  5 Secrets to Falling Asleep More Easily I found this great post by coach, Shana Montesol Johnson, and thought you would find it interesting. "What does getting a good night’s sleep have to do with career success?  You might be surprised.  The topic of sleep comes up frequently in my coaching sessions with international development professionals.  They tend to be hard-working, intelligent, successful people…who are exhausted.  They know they’re not at the top of their game when they don’t get enough sleep. My clients’ sleep is affected by late night conference calls with colleagues in different time zones, frequent international travel, and the sheer volume of work that their jobs entail.  Many of them try to maximize time with family and/or loved ones in the evenings, and then put in a few more hours of work.  They then fall into bed, exhausted, yet find it difficult to “shut down” their brains and fall asleep. If you’ve experienced the same problem, here

How to Never Be Bored Again Learn how to never be bored with Stella Grizont! Not sure I agree with her that boredom actually kills but this is a good little video, Stella Grizont graduated with a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is the founder of WOOPAAH, a happiness company teaching individuals and organizations how to thrive and play. Her work has been featured on MSBNC, ABC7 News, The Today Show, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Some of the organizations that love Stella include: Google, Columbia University, and The City of New York. You can get some of her free science based / inspiration filled tips on living more alive here: http://tinyurl.com/kuhmuq7 .

There are no rewinds in life. Here is another inspirational post from contributor, Stephanie Carfrae. She is a Creative Writing Graduate; you can find her own blog  at   www.stephcarfrae.blogspot.co.uk   and I think you will be inspired by Steph's videos on YouTube at  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoz1yev_apPjE8XcVrjyjA/videos There are no rewinds in life. So it makes it intense to get everything right first time. But everybody has something they still need to ‘perfect’ or for use of a better word, make right.  Everyone messes up, though they may be good at hiding it.  If you have a plan, you can’t always stick to it. There are detours and interruptions that this life will give you and we may never get back to the place we left from, again. But that’s Ok.  The worst thing in life is standing still.  When it’s rushing by I know that we all complain that it’s going too fast but at least you are moving forward, with every step. We’d be in a lot more trou

The Simplest Way To Relax Most relaxation techniques combine breathing more deeply with relaxing your muscles. Don't worry if you find it difficult to relax at first. It's a skill that needs to be learned and it will come with practice. Practise for three to five minutes, two to three times a day! You can use this technique whenever you feel the need to calm down! Relaxed breathing Practise deep breathing at a regular time and in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Loosen or remove any tight clothes and make yourself comfortable! If you can, sit in a comfortable chair which supports your head or lie on the floor or bed. Place your arms on the chair arms, or flat on the floor or bed, a little bit away from the side of your body with the palms up. If you’re lying down, stretch out your legs, keeping them hip-width apart or slightly wider. If you’re sitting in a chair, don’t cross your legs. Good relaxation always starts with focusing on your breathin

If you have to fight for something you have no reason to give up.  Here is another inspirational post from contributor, Stephanie Carfrae. She is a Creative Writing Graduate; you can find her own blog  at   www.stephcarfrae.blogspot.co.uk   and I think you will be inspired by Steph's videos on YouTube at  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoz1yev_apPjE8XcVrjyjA/videos When the referee blows the full time whistle you have my permission to give up.  My point is no one has a referee with a whistle to blow full time in this life. Everyone has highs, everyone has lows. Who are you to think your lows are worse than anyone else’s?  Of course good things come to an end, and they have to so you can learn to appreciate them. The good times account for memories: sometimes that’s the best part of being alive because you know that things can only get better.  Of course there will be moments of heart ache and you will go through hard times, but just hold onto the belief tha

Bánh bột lọc - Vietnamese clear shrimp & pork dumpling I'm eating Vietnamese food tonight so I thought it was time for this. Plus the accompanying song made me feel happy. With thanks to  https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes Full recipe in English and Vietnamese at http://danangcuisine.com/?p=660 Ingredients 400gr tapioca starch 200gr shrimp Ingredients For the dough 400g (14 oz) tapioca starch 250ml water (1 cup) boiling hot water For the filling 200g (7 oz) shrimps, deveined and diced 200g (7 oz) pork belly, diced 1 tsp minced shallot 1 tsp minced garlic Salt & pepper ½ tsp paprika powder 2 tsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp fish sauce For garnish 100g spring onion, chopped ¼ cup vegetable oil Cilanto and fresh red chili, choppped Vietnamese dipping fish sauce "nuoc cham" http://youtu.be/OrUZzchXGzo More Vietnamese BANH recipes:  http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=... Items in my kitchen and pantry  http

Explore A Little  Magic for Inspiration - Pegasus The symbol of Pegasus gives you inspiration, quick and agile wisdom and inspires your ability to fly over any situation. He can be a helper with spiritual explorations and a protector during your spiritual travels. He will help you work to change evil into good. Pegasus, though gentle, is very strong and in Greek mythology carried of Zeus' thunderbolt. He is the horse of the Muses, in the service of poets and I hope you are privileged to ride on his back to find your inspiration! Buy "It Is You (I Have Loved)" on Google Play Artist Dana Glover

Other People And Their Expectations Here is another inspirational post from contributor, Stephanie Carfrae. She is a Creative Writing Graduate; you can find her own blog  at   www.stephcarfrae.blogspot.co.uk   and I think you will be inspired by Steph's videos on YouTube at  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoz1yev_apPjE8XcVrjyjA/videos You shouldn’t not do something just because it’s been marred by other people. They don’t know what you’ve been through and they don’t know where you’re going. Other people’s opinions are rated highly. Why? We don’t know them. We don’t know their story. They’ll only be a passing stranger in your story; don’t let them have the power of deciding what you do.  Other people are so over-preoccupied with their own issues that they don’t notice your faults as much as you think they do. As a human race, we are selfish in that way. So don’t ever be too hard on yourself.  Most of the time you’ll find that you, yourself are applying