Month: April 2020

  • Embracing body positivity, discover inner peace now

    It goes beyond what you see in the mirror, it is finding true inner peace in your mind and soul.

    Embracing body positivity has actually very little to do with your physical appearance and all the more about your mind.

    The majority of the beliefs we hold about our bodies are largely influenced by what we see in the media and popular culture.

    Your worth is not defined by your body or physical appearance.

    No matter what, you are inherently valued and worthy of love.

    Body positivity is appreciating and embracing your body as it is. Whilst body positivity has an emphasis on self love and self compassion, please note that it is normal to have a mixture of feelings. There are days where we truly love and embrace and at other times we may not – this is part of being human. It is okay to have a mixture of feelings. The following quotes will help you embrace body positivity as they emphasise the mind-soul connection over physical appearance.

    Before we dive into your mindset, it is important to acknowledge that physicality of bodies. When exploring body positivity, attraction can come to mind however we explore the make up of human bodies which are trillions and trillions of atoms, cells and nerves. That is truly remarkable, no matter how you look!

    Your body is amazing

    You are made of stardust.

    Every atom in your body is billions of years old. Hydrogen, the most common element in the universe and a major feature of your body, was produced in the big bang 13.7bn years ago. Heavier atoms such as carbon and oxygen were forged in stars between 7bn and 12bn years ago, and blasted across space when the stars exploded. Some of these explosions were so powerful that they also produced the elements heavier than iron, which stars can’t construct. This means that the components of your body are truly ancient: you are stardust.

    THE OBSERVER

    Your nose can detect up to 1 trillion smells.

    The human nose can distinguish at least 1 trillion different odours, a resolution orders of magnitude beyond the previous estimate of just 10,000 scents.

    Bushdid, C., Magnasco, M. O., Vosshall, L. B. & Keller, A. Science 343, 1370–1372 (2014).

    Your stomach acid can dissolve metal.

    Your stomach’s primary digestive juice, hydrochloric acid, can dissolve metal. (A choking hazard is still a choking hazard, though.)

    DISCOVER MAGAZINE

    Your heart beats more than three billion times according to an average lifespan.

    Since human hearts beat at between 50 and 90 beats per minute, approximately, this means a lifespan of between 30 and 100 years (humans have lifespans in the upper part of that range, closer to three billion heartbeats than one billion).

    USCB Scienceline

    Your heart can beat on it’s own, even outside your body if it has oxygen.

    The heart does not need a brain, or a body for that matter, to keep beating. The heart has its own electrical system that causes it to beat and pump blood.

    LIVE SCIENCE

    Embracing body positivity - You are made of stardust Embracing body positivity – You are made of stardust

    Quotes

    Love your body as it is now, as it has been as it will be – it is inherently loveable no matter what.

    “If we make self-love or body acceptance conditional, the truth is, we will never be happy with ourselves. The reality is that our bodies are constantly changing, and they will never remain exactly the same. If we base our self-worth on something as ever-changing as our bodies, we will forever be on the emotional roller coaster of body obsession and shame.”

    CHRISSY KING

    Be friends with your body.

    “And I said to my body softly, ‘I want to be your friend.’ It took a long breath and replied, ‘I have been waiting my whole life for this.”

    NAYYIRAH WAHEED

    Embracing your body means to accept yourself.

    “To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”

    THICH NHAT HANH

    Embracing your body should not be in relation to your weight.

    “Life is so much more beautiful and complex than a number on a scale.”

    TESS MUNSTER

    Just because you work on your body doesn’t mean it will automatically make you love it. Body positivity is a mindset. It’s is accepting who you are right now.

    “No amount of self-improvement can make up for any lack of self-acceptance.”

    ROBERT HOLDEN

    You are your soul. Your body is a vessel.

    “The relentless attempts to be thin take you further and further away from what could actually end your suffering: getting back in touch with who you really are. Your true nature. Your essence.”

    GENEEN ROTH

    Embracing body positivity - inner peace love
    Embracing body positivity - inner peace love

    Your body is a beautiful home for your soul.

    “This is it: This body is home. This is where I live and hang my hat. This is where I settle into my hips and sit easy in myself, slung together with strong muscles and bones, made gentle and forging with flesh. This body is durable, has lasted for years, hunkered down through fierce storms and allows for the peaceful erosions of age. It is like a cottage on the shore: weathered and well made, a place where a person could comfortable live. I like it here. It is my own.” 

    MARYA HORNBACHER

    Our bodies are a paintbrush in the canvas of life – they enable us to have rich experiences and do life

    “Stop spending all day obsessing, cursing, perfecting your body like it’s all you’ve got to offer the world. Your body is not your art, it’s your paintbrush. Whether your paintbrush is a tall paintbrush or a thin paintbrush or a stocky paintbrush or a scratched up paintbrush is completely irrelevant. What is relevant is that YOU HAVE A PAINTBRUSH which can be used to transfer your insides onto the canvas of your life — where others can see it and be inspired and comforted by it.” 

    GLENNON DOYLE

    If you’ve always been negative, try being positive.

    “You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”

    LOUISE HAY

    Self love is so important to enjoy your life.

    “To love yourself right now, just as you are, is to give yourself heaven. Don’t wait until you die. If you wait, you die now. If you love, you live now.”

    ALAN COHEN

    Embrace your body now, don’t wait a lifetime.

    “I don’t want to wait until I’m 73 to embrace my body. To look back and think of my beauty: How did I miss it? Let’s not wait another moment.”

    ASHLEY ASTI

    You are powerful, you define your body positivity – no one else.

    “Loving your body is about being comfortable in your body, and only you get to set the parameters of that. Only you get to decide what that looks like, and only you know where the finish line is. Never let anyone make you feel ashamed about what you decide, or don’t decide, to put on your body.”

    BRITTANY GIBBONS

    Let’s all embrace body positivity for ourselves and for future generations.

    “As a child, I never heard one woman say to me, ‘I love my body’. Not my mother, my elder sister, my best friend. No one woman has ever said, ‘I am so proud of my body.’ So I make sure to say it to my daughter because a positive physical outlook has to start at an early age.”

    KATE WINSLET

    Embracing body positivity Kate Winslet
    Embracing body positivity Kate Winslet

    Affirmations that may help with embracing body positivity

    ♥ I appreciate all the amazing things my body can do.

    ♥ I take care of my body and my body takes care of me.

    ♥ I respect my body.

    ♥ My worthiness does not depend on my weight. I am already worthy and loved.

    ♥ True beauty is in the way we feel in our mind and soul.

    ♥ I am beautiful no matter how I look.

    ♥ I am made of stardust.

     

    In conclusion on embracing body positivity

    Body positivity embraces the fact that there is no one certain physical mould for a ‘perfect body’. Being positive about your body is about self acceptance, self love and self compassion. It is about being at peace with who you are and going beyond your physical appearance. Embracing body positivity is taking into consideration your mind and soul too.

    Helpful affirmations to help you feel positive about your body

    27 Calming affirmations and mantras for acceptance

    Additional reading on embracing body positivity

    What is beauty, on being beautiful – in her vitality

    Inspiring quotes on beauty – in her vitality

    The Body Positive

    What Does Body Positivity Actually Mean? – Katherine Schreiber MFA, LMSW

    The Importance of Body Positivity – The Recovery Village

    Click here to read more

  • The art of Fika

    Be more Fika! Discover and embrace this easy, simple and popular Swedish philosophy which has so many benefits professionally and personally. This article will explore The art of Fika, what is Fika, how to be Fika and the benefits of Fika.

    What is Fika? Fika Meaning – Fika Definition

    Fika is not only a noun and a verb, it is a Swedish concept and state of mind. Fika is known as a coffee break but it is much more than that!

    Fika is a moment to slow down, to appreciate the good things in life.

    To unplug from the ever busy world we live in and embrace the slowness of life.

    To meaningfully connect with someone over a coffee or tea. No phones, no mind chatter, no distractions.

    To accept and be in the moment.

    This concept resonates with many cultures around the world.

    To have a coffee or tea break. To take a moment for yourself. To get your mind off things. To hone in on the present moment. A breather as Australians would say. 

    Fika in Sweden – Is it just afternoon Fika? It is interesting to note that Fika is actually taken multiple times throughout the day in Sweden, “almost all employers in Sweden encourage their employees to enjoy fika twice a day when at work; 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon.” This emphasises the importance of more than one break in a working day which is easy to forget when you are caught up in the hustle and grind of work. 

    Next time you find yourself at work feeling stressed or when life is flying by – Fika.

    Coffee anyone?

    Coffee anyone? The art of Fika

    The art of Fika – Coffee break

    Five ways to be more Fika at work

    The benefits of Fika

    Fika cafe locations around the world

    Fika locations around the world
    Fika locations around the world

    Fika in the USA

    Fika New York. Fika NYC – Konditori, a Swedish Fika Espresso Bar in New York. In fact Konditori means a traditional gathering place to enjoy warm drinks, delicious baked goods and treats – Very Fika! Fika Hattiesberg in Mississippi known for it’s cosy and relaxing atmosphere with delicious sandwiches. 

    Fika in Australia 

    In Perth, Fika on Brix who pride themselves on excellent coffee. Melbourne has several FIKA cafes. FI:KA in Hawthorn (Fika Hawthorn), Melbourne – a very instragrammable location with its pink theme and drool-worthy rainbow hotcakes. In Ballarat FIKA Coffee Brewers has quickly established itself as the Fika hub of Ballarat with is all about attention to detail and considerations from the first sip. Fika Manly – Fika Swedish Kitchen and Fika Bondi in Sydney NSW. Both Sydney FIKA locations, bring all the best things about Swedish culture together with modern Aussie café culture.
     

    Fika in Canada

    Fika Cafe Toronto – Located in Kensington with beautiful house made food and coffee of course! It is known to be very instagrammable with it’s cool and airy interrior and artistic book wall feature. Also in Toronto, Moonbeam Coffee Company a cosy, homey spot for espresso drinks with an outside patio area too.

    Very instagrammable!
    Fika Toronto Feature Book Wall

    Fika in the UK

    Fika Liverpool popular amongst locals for authentic tasy food and milkshakes. Fika Uppermill known for their afternoon teas and a place for baby showers. Fika Oakham a Scandi cafe offering Nordic inspired breakfast & lunch. Fika@44 in St Leonards-on-Sea known for good food in cool surroundings.
     

    Fika in China

    SMAKA café & bakery in Changning District prides itself on serving the finest and most delicious menu heavily inspired by Swedish and Scandinavian heritage and flavors, but also with an innovative and modern twist. Swedish coffee chain Wayne’s Coffee has a location in downtown Shanghai serving coffee, sandwiches and Swedish pastries.
     

    Fika in India

    Fika in Adyar, Chennai where Scandinavian design and Wes Anderson-inspired elements come together for a beautiful café and community space. “The style of the space is something of a hybrid—rustic chic. The vibe is relaxed and lounge-y, and the space itself is fluid and constantly evolving. It is also like an empty canvas and has the capacity to adapt to any events, like Diwali, or Halloween parties” says Architect Mahendra Kumar of Studio 62 in Architectural Digest India.
     

    Fika in Pakistan

    Fika Coffee Co. in Karachi, Pakistan known for their variety of coffee blends and cakes such as Tiramisu. They continuously search for the best and most innovative artisanal beverages in Pakistan.

    Coffee anyone? The art of Fika

    Click here to read more

  • Inspiring quotes on beauty

    You are already beautiful and you deserve to feel beautiful every single day no matter what. These inspiring quotes on beauty will instantly make you feel beautiful no matter how you look.

    They serve as a reminder of what inherently already is, you are beautiful inside and outside.

    Quotes on beauty to feel beautiful no matter how you look

    Beauty is an ever evolving, dynamic concept. It is viewed from the lens of each individuals perspective. There is no one individual meaning. The below inspiring quotes on beauty explore different angles of what beauty is and will help you to feel beautiful no matter how you look. Beauty is a state of mind, it is a feeling.

    Beauty is the vitality of your soul.

    “As if you were on fire from within.
    The moon lives in the lining of your skin.” 

    Pablo Neruda

    Smiling makes you beautiful.

    I’ve never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful. 

    UNKnown

    Being beautiful is having self confidence.

    Confidence is the sexiest thing a woman can have. It’s much sexier than any body part.

    Aimee Mullins

    Beauty is being unapologetically yourself.

    There is nothing more rare, nor more beautiful, than a woman being unapologetically herself; comfortable in her perfect imperfection. To me, that is the true essence of beauty.

    Steve Maraboli

    Beauty is in your resilience. You’ve been through so much and continue to overcome any challenges.

    The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.

    Elisabeth Kübler-Ros

    Beauty is how you feel about yourself.

    How I feel about myself is more important than how I look. Feeling confident, being comfortable in your skin that’s what really makes you beautiful.     

    BOBBI BROWN

    You have to believe in your beauty.

    Although beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, the feeling of being beautiful exists solely in the mind of the beheld.     

    MARTHA BECK

    You are the eye of the beholder when it comes to beauty.

    People often say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing you are the beholder. 

    Salma Hayek

    By being a kind and considerate human, you are beautiful.

    When I lay my head on the pillow at night I can say I was a decent person today. That’s when I feel beautiful.     

    DREW BARRYMORE

    Beauty is beyond convention.

    “She was beautiful, but not like those girls in the magazines. She was beautiful, for the way she thought. She was beautiful, for the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved. She was beautiful, for her ability to make other people smile, even if she was sad. No, she wasn’t beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. She was beautiful, deep down to her soul. She is beautiful.”

    F. Scott Fitzgerald

    You can be beautiful instantly.

    “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

    Audrey Hepburn

    Help others see their beauty.

    “There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”

    MANDY HALE

    Beautiful thoughts lead to feeling beautiful.

    “The fountain of beauty is the heart and every generous thought illustrates the walls of your chamber.”

    Francis Quarles

    In conclusion on quotes that will make you feel beautiful no matter how you look

    “Our hearts are drunk with a beauty our eyes could never see.”

    George W. Russell

    Click here to read more

  • Understanding self love through quotes

    Self love is the source of all love.

    The below quotes will explain the facets of self love and inspire you to love yourself more.

    Loving yourself inspires happiness.

    To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.

    ROBERT MORLEY

    If you don’t love yourself, who will?

    If you don’t love yourself, nobody will. Not only that, you won’t be good at loving anyone else. Loving starts with the self.

    WAYNE DYER

    Self love is a journey and process.

    “The journey isn’t about becoming a different person. It’s about loving who you are right now.”

    Suzanne Heyn

    Take note of what you do to make yourself feel loved.

    “Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself – what you’re wearing, who you’re around, what you’re doing. Recreate and repeat.” 

    Warsan Shire

    Self love is the way you talk to yourself, your thoughts.

    Be careful how you are talking to yourself because you are listening.

    Lisa Hayes

    Self love isn’t to do with your appearance, it’s an inside job. It’s your mindset.

    “Self-love has very little to do with how you feel about your outer self. It’s about accepting all of yourself”

    TYRA BANKS

    Loving yourself is a beautiful energy of vitality.

    “Something inside you emerges…an innate, indwelling peace, stillness, aliveness. It is the unconditioned, who you are in your essence. It is what you had been looking for in the love object. It is yourself.”

    Eckhart Tolle

    Self love requires you believe in it.

    “You can be the most beautiful person in the world and everybody sees light and rainbows when they look at you, but if you yourself don’t know it, all of that doesn’t even matter. Every second that you spend on doubting your worth, every moment that you use to criticize yourself; is a second of your life wasted, is a moment of your life thrown away. It’s not like you have forever, so don’t waste any of your seconds, don’t throw even one of your moments away.”

    C. JoyBell C

    Self love is doing what is best for you.

    “When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy. This meant people, jobs, my own beliefs and habits – anything that kept me small.  My judgement called it disloyal. Now I see it as self-loving.” 

    Kim McMillen

    Self love is taking care of yourself.

    “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

    When you love yourself, you allow yourself to shine.

    “You are as amazing as you let yourself be.”

    Elizabeth Alraune

    Love yourself as you do your friends and family.

    “Love yourself unconditionally, just as you love those closest to you despite their faults.” 

    Les Brown

    Your self love sets the standard for all your other relationships.

    “how you love yourself is
    how you teach others
    to love you”

    Rupi kapur

    Loving yourself means to value your time.

    Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.  

    M. SCOTT PECK

    If you aren’t there yet, love yourself as someone who truly loves themself – how would they act?

    “Eat like you love yourself. Move like you love yourself. Speak like you love yourself. Act like your love yourself. Love yourself”

    Tara Stiles

    Self love isn’t about other people.

    “It’s not your job to like me…it’s MINE!” 

    BYRON KATIE

    Self love can’t be found in other people.

    “It was when I stopped searching for home within others and lifted the foundations of home within myself I found there were no roots more intimate than those between a mind and body that have decided to be whole.”

    RUPI KAPUR

    Self love isn’t being narcissistic or selfish.

    “Loving yourself…does not mean being self-absorbed or narcissistic, or disregarding others. Rather it means welcoming yourself as the most honored guest in your own heart, a guest worthy of respect, a lovable companion.”

    Margo Anand

    Self love is having boundaries.

    “Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.”

    Anna Taylor

    You might as well love yourself as you always at least spend time with yourself.

    “You’re always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.”

    Diane Von Furstenberg

    Love yourself because of how strong you are, how resilient you are and how far you have come.

    “Even when you felt you weren’t strong enough to survive, somehow you found the strength to survive anyway. What does that say about you, other than you are made from the blood of stars, with enough iron in your veins to make ten swords, and the same carbon that makes impossible to break diamonds?” 

    Nikita Gill

    When you love yourself, you radiate self love

    “People who love themselves come across as very loving, generous and kind; they express their self-confidence through humility, forgiveness and inclusiveness.”

    Sanaya Roman

    Feeling the love?

    Click here to read more

  • Perspective, another point of view

    On perspective

    Perspective is way of seeing something. It is shaped by our upbringing, values and life experiences.

    It is another point of view.

    Our thoughts can change our perspective and how we see the world.

    It will be your prison or your passport.

    It is important to consider how everyone’s perspective is different, they are unique to us as is a fingerprint.

    When we consume media, we are experiencing and feeling actions and events unfold from the perspective of a character.

    When we consider another person’s perspective, we broaden and expand our horizons.

    We become aware and conscious of how we feel and perceive something to be.

    We become aware of the fact that a truth may not exist because everything is perspective.

    We become aware of our reality.

    Quotes to evoke thought on perspective

    When things don’t happen the way we want them to, it may be a blessing in disguise

    Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a remarkable stroke of luck

    Dalai Lama

    It’s how we choose to see something

    “The optimist sees the donut, the pessimist sees the hole.”

    Oscar Wilde

    Our perspective gives meaning to the world around us

    “Songs are as sad as the listener.”

    Jonathan Safran Foer

    Perspective shapes the world we live in

    “Loving people live in a loving world. Hostile people live in a hostile world. Same world.”

    Wayne W. Dyer

    Our mindset plays a powerful role in our perspective

    “What is behind your eyes holds more power than what is in front of them.”

    Gary Zukav

    We can choose to see what happens to us as for our higher good, our growth, our personal development.

    “Nothing happens to you, it happens for you. See the positive in negative events.”

    Joel Osteen

    Sometimes the only control we have is in our perspective.

    “The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective. You don’t have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how you view it.

    CHRIS PINE

    It is easy to see a negative perspective and harder to have a positive perspective

    “It’s so easy to look around and notice what’s wrong. It takes practice to see what’s right.”

    Melody Beattie

    Perspective shapes our direction

    “Perspective is to painting what the bridle is to the horse, the rudder to a ship.”

    Leonardo Da Vinci

    Be open to other perspectives

    “If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.”

    ABRAHAM MASLOW

    How others perceive you has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them

    “Your perception of me is a reflection of you.”

    LOUIS ARMSTRONG

    “We can’t choose the filters that others choose when they look at us.”

    anon

    Thinking of other peoples perspectives can provide clarity

    “Most misunderstandings in the world could be avoided if people would simply take the time to ask, ‘What else could this mean?'”

    Shannon L. Alder

    Perspective can help us with empathy

    “Empathy begins with understanding life from another person’s perspective. Nobody has an objective experience of reality. It’s all through our own individual prisms.”

    Sterling K. Brown

    Perspective helps us differentiate and to form a point of view

    “Perspective gives us the ability to accurately contrast the large with the small, and the important with the less important. Without it we are lost in a world where all ideas, news, and information look the same. We cannot differentiate, we cannot prioritize, and we cannot make good choices.”

    John Sununu

    Additional resources on perspective, other points of view

    3 counter intuitive ways to take on another person’s point of view – PsychologyCompass

    Perspectives in Modern Psychology – Kendra Cherry, Verywellmind

    Learning to see things from another’s perspective – David Chan, The Strait Times

    Click here to read more

  • What is beauty, on being beautiful

    On being beautiful? Beauty is an ever evolving, dynamic concept. It is viewed from the lens of each individuals perspective.

    On first thought, the external appearance will be what many people think of.

    There is no one definition of beauty.

    Girls of all kinds can be beautiful – from the thin, plus-sized, short, very tall, ebony to porcelain-skinned; the quirky, clumsy, shy, outgoing and all in between. It’s not easy though because many people still put beauty into a confining, narrow box…Think outside of the box…Pledge that you will look in the mirror and find the unique beauty in you. 

    TYRA BANKS

    Beauty does not have to be superficial.

    “Some of us teach ourselves and our children to love the superficial outer; our looks, hair, skin, clothes rather than the greater beauty that resides within whereas it is that inner beauty that really defines you and who you truly are.”

    Rassool Jibraeel Snyman

    Although the concept of beauty can definitely take into account your appearance if you so choose to see so.

    “Outer beauty pleases the EYE. Inner beauty captivates the HEART.”

    MANDY HALE

    To me, beauty is beyond the external.

    Beauty is a state of mind, it is a feeling.

    Being beautiful.

    When you glow on the inside, you inevitably radiate beauty on the outside.

    Beauty is being comfortable in your own skin.

    Beauty is knowing you are worthy.

    Beauty is being confident in yourself.

    Beauty is to radiate love.

    Inspirational quotes on beauty and on being beautiful

    Beauty is. Beauty is inherent in all beings. You are beautiful.

    “There is nothing ugly; I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the form of an object be what it may, — light, shade, and perspective will always make it beautiful.”    

    John Constable

    Inner beauty is beauty in its truest form.

    “I believe inner beauty is beauty in its truest form. When we nurture ourselves, it brings an inevitable, positive transformation.” 

    PAULA ABDUL

    You determine whether you are beautiful, no body else does.

    “People often say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing you are the beholder.”    

    Salma Hayek

    You are beautiful, even if you can’t see yourself.

    “Butterflies can’t see their wings. They can’t see how truly beautiful they are, but everyone else can. People are like that as well.” Anonymous

    Naya Rivera

    The best part of beauty is beyond your physical external appearance.

    “The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.”

    FRANCIS BACON

    What you see in the media isn’t necessarily true or beautiful.

    “Even the models we see in magazines wish they could look like their own images.”

    Cheri K. Erdman

    On beauty, it is how you feel about yourself.

    “How I feel about myself is more important than how I look. Feeling confident, being comfortable in your skin that’s what really makes you beautiful.”     

    Bobbi Brown

    Being beautiful is to be at peace with yourself.

    “I feel beautiful when I’m at peace with myself. When I’m serene, when I’m a good person, when I’ve been considerate of others.”     

    Elle Macpherson

    Being beautiful is to love yourself.

    “Beauty is when you can appreciate yourself. When you love yourself, that’s when you’re most beautiful.”

    ZOE KRAVITZ

    Affirmations on beauty and on being beautiful

    ♥ I am beautiful.

    ♥ I love who I am.

    ♥ I am comfortable in my own skin.

    ♥ Beauty radiates from within me.

    ♥ My beauty shines inside and out.

    ♥ I see all the beauty within me,

    ♥ My self confidence makes me beautiful.

    ♥ My big heart makes me beautiful.

    ♥ Being kind makes me beautiful.

    ♥ I feel beautiful today!

    ♥ I appreciate who I am inside and out.

    ♥ I love my smile.

    ♥ I love how I take care of myself.

    In conclusion on what is beauty and being beautiful

    Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror. But you are eternity and you are the mirror.     

    Kahlil Gibran

    More on being beautiful

    11 Ways to Feel Beautiful – Jenny Bailley, Oprah

    Read this today if you don’t feel beautiful todayElla Cajayon, Literally, Darling

    Is Beauty A Feeling? Science Says Yes, So Here’s How You Can Capture It YourselfJulia Guerra, Elite Daily

    Click here to read more

  • You don’t need someone, you want someone

    You don’t need someone.

    You are your own person.

    You have your own thoughts and opinions.

    You have your own goals.

    You have your own life.

    Your own dreams.

    You want someone.

    Love is everywhere, it isn’t just in a partner. Love is there with your friends and with your family. Love is there when you take a fresh breath, when you feel the ocean breeze, when you watch the sunrise.

    Love is there when you watch the clouds go by, when you see the stars twinkle in the night sky, when water falls from the sky, when dew forms on a fresh blade of grass, when your heart races on an adventure into the unknown, when you take a small sip of piping hot coffee, when you soak in the sunshine.

    You don’t need someone, you want someone.

    Not just anyone.

    You want a partner to share your life with.

    Someone who recognises how special you are, how incredible you are, how beautiful you are, how strong you are, how intelligent you are and how loving you are.

    Someone who looks into your eyes and sees your magic, your heart and your soul.

    Someone who wants to grow with you, learn with you and do life with you.

    The difference between needing someone and wanting someone

    Needing someone is wanting to be in a relationship / Wanting someone is only being in a relationship if you are compatible and they are right for you.

    Needing someone is feeling as if you can’t live without them / Wanting someone is knowing you can live without them but you don’t want to.

    Needing someone means you aren’t ready for a fulfilling relationship / Wanting someone means you are ready for relationship because you choose and feel ready to do so.

    Needing someone means you need to work on loving yourself / Wanting someone is loving who you are and wanting someone who will accept you completely.

    Needing someone makes you feel desperate and clingy / Wanting someone makes you feel empowered.

    Needing someone is wanting to feeling complete / Wanting someone is someone who loves all of you (flaws and all).

    Needing someone is to say what you think they want hear / Wanting someone is speaking your truth, being a voice and not an echo.

    Needing someone is doing anything for someone / Wanting someone is letting them do some things for you.

    Needing someone makes you feel anxious / Wanting someone is knowing you are already worthy of love no matter what.

    Needing someone feels like you want to see them everyday / Wanting someone means you’d like to see them regularly and still have time for yourself

    Needing someone is giving up your power and putting someone on a pedestal / Wanting someone is finding someone who is on your level

    Needing someone feels like making excuses for poor behaviour and red flags / Wanting someone is being with someone if they treat you well and reciprocate your feelings,

    Needing someone is being completely dependent / Wanting someone is being independent and being dependent at times.

    Needing someone is being validated by them / Wanting someone is being self confident and validating yourself.

    Additional reading on you don’t need someone, you want someone

    The Difference Between Needing, Wanting And Loving SomebodyKeay Nigel, Medium

    The Difference Between Wanting Someone And Needing ThemMichaela Rollings, Thought Catalog

    Are You in Love or in Need?Uplift

    Click here to read more

  • Inspirational quotes that will cheer you up

    Feeling down? We all experience ‘good’ and ‘bad’ days, ups and downs, wins and losses.

    When times get hard it can be nice to read some inspiring quotes that will cheer you up.

    These quotes may also help you a cheer someone up such as a loved one such as a friend, family member or partner.

    Radiate love and it will be contagious 🙂

    They serve as reminder of how incredible you are.

    They serve as a prompt to reframe your thoughts and see an issue from a different perspective.

    They serve as a reminder of the love that surrounds you.

    Here are some quotes that will cheer you up. They will instil love and positivity within you.

    Hopefully these inspiring quotes will bring a smile to your face or a bright moment.

    It is important to note that it is okay to feel down or sad at times, we are human and this is normal. Honour yourself and allow yourself to process what you are feeling before moving on.

    “Everyone deserves a sad day once in a while,” Calista told me. “Sometimes things are too big for cheering up. Sometimes the best way to make things better is just to let yourself be sad for a little bit.”

    Lisa Graff

    Note if you are feeling down – reach out to someone you trust, someone who loves you. You are strong for reaching out. Talk to them. Be in silence with them. Just know you are never alone. If you don’t have someone please contact a medical professional such as your doctor or a psychologist who can help.

    Sending love, light and positivity always.

    Inspirational quotes that will cheer you up

    Stay focused on what you desire and want to achieve, it will provide the motivation you need.

    “When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.”

    UNKNOWN

    You are alive! 🙂 Today may be your day!

    If you are still breathing maybe it is not such a bad day after all.     

    Darren E. Laws

    Find a reason to be positive – you can do it! Change your thoughts and change your world.

    If you’ve got nothing to dance about, find a reason to sing.     

    Melody Carstairs

    Find the light within you.

    Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.     

    Benjamin Franklin

    No situation is permanent.

    “The bad news is nothing lasts forever,
    The good news is nothing lasts forever.”

    J. COLE

    You offer something unique to this world.

    “There’s something in you that the world needs.”

    UNKNOWN

    Spread the love.

    The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up.     

    Mark Twain

    Enjoy ever moment before it becomes a memory.

    Enjoy the little things and be joyful,for one day you may look back and realize they were actually the things that mattered!     

    UNKNOWN

    No one can take away the successes you have already had.

    “No matter what, nobody can take away the dances you’ve already had.”

    Gabriel Garcia Marquez

    Be at peace knowing everything happens for a reason and one day you will realise why.

    “Someday, everything will make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.”

    UNKNOWN

    Sometimes when things are falling apart they may actually be falling into place. 

    Unknown

    Tough times in our life teach us lessons.

    “Stars can’t shine without darkness.”

    UNKNOWN

    Keep moving forward.

    “Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.”

    UNKNOWN

    “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” 

    Michael Jordan

    Whatever we endure, prepares us for the future.

    “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”

    C.S. LEWIS

    It’s all about perspective.

    “I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.”

    Benjamin Franklin

    Failure doesn’t exist, you get something out of everything, one of the best? A lesson learnt.

    “There are no failures – just experiences and your reactions to them.”

    Tom Krause

    “Don’t be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, in as much as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid.”

    John Keats

    Turn your wounds into wisdom. 

    Oprah

    You are resilient.

    Tough times don’t last. Tough people do. 

    Robert H. Schuller

    We can turn pain into motivation.

    We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey. 

    Kenji Miyazawa

    Embrace the present moment.

    Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain. 

    Vivian Greene

    Tough times teach us a lot about ourselves and how strong we truly are.

    It’s in the darkest moments that we find our greatest strengths. 

    Steven Atchson

    You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it. 

    Unknown

    Tough times prompt change for the better.

    Pain doesn’t just show up in our lives for no reason. It’s a sign that something in our lives needs to change. 

    UNKNOWN

    Rough times lead to opportunities.

    In the middle of a difficulty lies opportunity.

    Albert Einstein

    Change leads to transformation.

    What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly. 

    Richard Bach

    Accept where you are now and find inner peace.

    The secret of being happy is accepting where you are in life and making the most out of every day. 

    Unknown

    You have the power to cheer yourself up. You are powerful.

    It only takes one person to make you happy and change your life: YOU. 

    Charles Orlando

    Be brave, you may not be able to change what is happening but you can let go in your mind. Read here for more on true acceptance.

    One of the happiest moments ever, is when you find the courage to let go of what you can’t change. 

    Unknown

    Feeling down and need more cheering up? Please turn to these resources

    Beyond Blue – Australia

    Feeling Down? 7 Ways to Pick Yourself Back Up!Zen Habits

    Low mood, sadness and depression – NHS UK

    Help Guide – USA

    The LifeLine – Canada

    Additional resources at in her vitality

    Click here to read more

  • You are magic

    What does it mean to be magic?

    Yes you are magic.

    You are magic.

    You are made of stardust. You are and everything in the universe.

    The stars, the moon, the planets.

    Bright and beautiful.

    You radiate love and light.

    You are beauty – the sunrises, the ocean, the sunsets, the cosmos, life.

    You are one of a kind. There is no one else like you.

    So much potential surrounds you.

    So much potential is inside of you.

    You offer so much to yourself, the ones you love, the world, the universe.

    You are magic.

    Own your magic.

    You are magic meaning

    It’s physically and scientifically true, you are magic. The universe is magic.

    “There are as many atoms in a single molecule of your DNA as there are stars in the typical galaxy. We are, each of us, a little universe.”

    Neil deGrasse Tyson

    Magic is a mindset.

    “Believe in your heart that you’re meant to live a life full of passion, purpose, magic and miracles.”

    Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

    Magic is believing in yourself.

    “Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen.”

    Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

    Magic is all around us.

    “Magic exists. Who can doubt it, when there are rainbows and wildflowers, the music of the wind and the silence of the stars? Anyone who has loved has been touched by magic. It is such a simple and such an extraordinary part of the lives we live.”

    Nora Roberts

    Magic exists in being aware of our surroundings.

    “The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.”

    Eden Phillpotts

    In conclusion on magic

    “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

    Roald DahlThe Minpins

    Finding more magic

    We are Stardust – Literally – National Geographic

    25 Universe Quotes for Your Spiritual Contemplations (P.S. You’re Everything) – Healing Brave

    You’re Magic! 9 Ways to Remember Your Magic – Nikki Starr Noce, M.D.

    10 Ways to Have a Magical Life – Medium

    Click here to read more

  • Today is your day

    What does ‘today is your day’ mean?

    Today is your day is to seize the moment.

    To make the most of your day.

    Every day is a gift. We have the most precious gift of all, life.

    We do not know what tomorrow will hold, we do not even know if there will be a tomorrow, there are no guarantees.

    Do not procrastinate. Do not waste this gift.

    Give it your all.

    Live with vitality.

    Grab today in your hands.

    Take the leap of faith.

    Take all that you can.

    Bask in love and potential without any fear.

    Lean in to all your desire, make your dreams a reality.

    Life is not a checklist, it is a collection of moments. Have a collection with no regrets. A collection you are proud of.

    Today is your day …

    The reality is everyday is your day.

    Everyday is a gift and everyday holds potential.

    Today is your day inspiration

    Everyday holds new potential and reinvention.

    “You have a clean slate every day you wake up. You have a chance every single morning to make that change and be the person you want to be. You just have to decide to do it. Decide today’s the day. Say it: this is going to be my day.”

    Brendon Burchard

    If you are not present today, you’ll look back and miss what was today.

    “Enjoy today. It’s one of the “good old days” you will miss in the future!”

    Etta Sawyerr

    We are in control of our today and the direction we choose to go.

    “Congratulations!
    Today is your day
    You’re off to great places
    You’re off and away

    You’ve got brains in your head
    You’ve got feet in your shoes
    You can steer yourself any
    Direction you choose

    You’re on your own
    And you know what you know
    And you are the guy
    Who’ll decide where you go

    Out there things can happen
    And frequently do
    To people as brainy
    And footsy as you

    And will you succeed?
    Yes you will indeed!
    (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed)

    You’re off to great places
    Today is your day
    Your mountain is waiting
    Go, get on your way!”

    DR. SEUSS

    Additional reading on today is your day

    Making the Most of Each Day – Beliefnet

    How to Make The Most of Every Day – 8 Tips!Retro Flame

    25 Ways to Make a Difference in the World Every DayLori Deschene, Tiny Buddha

    Click here to read more