Spring is Springing - a Great Time to Eliminate Clutter and all Limitations!

’There are two worlds; the world we can measure with line and rule and the world we feel with our hearts and imagination.’ - Leigh Hunt

Spring is springing and summer is on it’s way and this is my first blog on my new website - hurrah! I hope you like it and find it helpful. It’s also a great time to do some spring cleaning and de-cluttering of your life including house, office, finances, work, relationships, wardrobe, etc. The less clutter around you means the less clutter in your mind. I’ve always found it fascinating that the ancient Oriental philosophy of ‘feng shui’ helps us to understand that our homes are a direct extension of ourselves and by looking after your home you are ultimately looking after yourself. Worth remembering when you’re spring cleaning……..

We’ve experienced some intense energy so far this year from the universal forces of nature - so replenishing and self-care are important. I’ve had to overcome my own resistance with this way of thinking because I didn’t want an ordinary life - which is why it’s taken me a while to fully embrace this new consciousness. We are born with this knowledge but it gets overrun by our educational programs as we are growing up. However, I always knew I was half way there in my thinking which is why I’m fully embracing it now. When I first read Arianna Huffington, Marianne Williamson, Louise Hay and many others, I felt I’d come home - this spiritual knowledge nourishes your soul.

My mission is to bring this knowledge into education - so here are 10 practices I have found helpful and Spring is a great time of year to start practising them:

1. Get fit and healthy. Wake up just a little earlier and move your body out in nature - a fast walk or run, whatever works for you, and savour nature and connect to that higher universal energy and say what you would like to achieve that day... think of it as having a check-in with a higher power. Make it non-optional - like brushing your teeth!
2. Get creative - practising writing and saying affirmations and visualisations daily can change your life. Remember, the vibration of your words and thoughts carry tremendous power. Speak of what you want, not what you don’t want. Your words are your thoughts that become things soonest. Start a morning journal as Julia Cameron suggests. Write 3 x A4 pages before your ego defences are in place. I’ve found this exercise very helpful when I lost trust in the creative process. The truth of the creative process is that it cannot be forced. Great work takes time.
3. Start a mindfulness practice by cultivating quiet time and silencing the mind for just a few minutes. Focusing on your breath reduces stress. I gather meditation can knock 7 years off the age of your brain so it’s really worth practising!*
4. Repair one relationship. Understanding what you seek from a relationship is more important than what you seek in a partner. I’ve managed to turn old lovers into friends - no-one can change what you shared and that’s never going to go away - authentic relationships are the best foundation - too many people are looking for the right person instead of trying to be the right person.
5. Refuse to fear fear. Instead, follow the fear and build daily confidence. Fear is a sign of growth, anyway.
6. Change a belief. Be your authentic self by loving, accepting, acknowledging and appreciating yourself more and learning to be more
   satisfied with who you are and your place in the world. Don’t follow cultural stereotypes - follow your true calling.
7. Forgive yourself and make sure your worst enemy is not living between your own ears!
8. Embrace change. See, hear and feel every imaginable detail - they represent marker points along a journey of inner evolution being taken by our highest consciousness.
9. Eat great healthy food A balanced diet makes your body thrive and raises your body’s vibration. Also drink water to cleanse and remove toxins. A good detox energises you.
10. Rest - get enough sleep - a great day starts the night before - so a good sleep pattern is like a good meditation and helps the body heal itself by supporting cell renewal.

AND HAVE FUN AND GO OUT TO PLAY! Listen to music and just dance! Music can heal so much - better than most medicines!

Summer is on its way - hurrah!

’Take a quiet walk with Mother Nature. It will nurture your mind, body and soul.’ - Anthony Douglas

*PS Good to hear that Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, (along with Goldman Sachs, TFL, etc) has offered to his staff ‘mindfulness’ classes to help them be in the moment to help reduce stress with the ‘less is more’ mantra………is the city finally changing from ‘greed is good’? Let’s hope so.

Our Minds Change Our Bodies. Our Bodies Change Our Minds

€˜'All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.'€™ - Buddha

'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.'€™ - Lao Tzu

'€˜Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no-one thinks of changing himself'€™ - Leo Tolstoy

I was invited to hear social psychologist Professor Amy Cuddy at a Harvard Business School talk last week at the Cafe Royal. I had heard Amy'€™s very successful Ted Talk in 2012 about the very same subject so I was interested to hear more of her latest work. Amy argues that not only do our non-verbal communications govern how others think and feel about us, they also have a significant effect on how we feel about ourselves, i.e. 'your body language shapes who you are™.' She links our body language to our feelings, physiology and behaviour. So if you act powerfully - even for as little as 2 minutes - you begin to think powerfully - and this will also change your body'€™s testosterone and cortisol levels and more€ ultimately, it could change your life! How powerful is that?! Why is this not being taught in more schools? After all, we all teach what we need to learn!

I have believed for as long as I can remember that our non-verbals count for a lot. We are more than our bodies. When our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual forces are in alignment we are balanced and perform better in our lives. The physical affects the mental, emotional and spiritual and vice versa. You cannot separate any of these as they are all integrated and affected by each other. That'€™s why a healthy body is balanced by a healthy mind and vice-versa. I know I love to exercise in nature more for my mind than my physical body - it is an essential part of my day - but I also know my body likes to feel fit and streamlined too - and so do my clothes - it makes for a better life. Exercise will diffuse tension and have a tonic effect on your whole body too. Simple to understand and simple to teach and oh-so life enhancing!

You can try an experiment right now - if you are worried or concerned about anything at present - just smile and look up - don'€™t things feel better already?

We all look better when we smile anyway - but the pure physiology of smiling and looking up allows the endorphins to kick in and just that simple physical change can make you feel better! Yah.

Here are 10 ideas that help me with the Mind/Body connection - I hope you find them helpful too:

1.) Your emotions affect your health so be aware of your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Your body responds to the way you think, feel and act - that'€™s the mind/body connection. Poor emotional health can weaken your body'€™s immune system making you more likely to get colds and flu and other infections during emotionally difficult times - especially at this time of year! Taking care of yourself physically helps you emotionally. Exercising to relieve tension, eating healthy food and getting enough sleep all help your physical and emotional health. However, I so believe in meditation to bring your emotions into balance by guided thought which ultimately calms your mind and body.

2.) Mind/body therapies can be helpful in managing arthritis and other chronic pain conditions. Just 15 minutes of meditation a day can help with anxiety and depression and help you stay centred and calm throughout the day. Relaxation and visual imagery can help develop resilience. Focus on what you would like to happen and believe you can have it - it really is a mind game. Intelligence is an inner form of beauty.

Some people find the tapping solution works for them which is a physiological technique. Others enjoy a yoga power pose and others affirmations. All of these things work at some level. I often sing or dance around the kitchen if I get stuck - it can take the drudgery out of what you are doing and lighten the whole procedure! Have fun! If animals find music calming, so do we!

3.) Food affects both our bodies and minds - we are what we eat. The food we eat affects our brains therefore our minds. Eat nutritious primal foods daily - they have a high vibrational count which is good for the spirit too. Overeating is a symptom of not properly quenching our needs - when you eat simply but well you are satiated and you can throw away the diet books! Also, hunger can be just a sign of de-hydration - so drink water and see how much energy flows into your body - the cells in your body thrive on water for cleansing and energy.

4.) Regular sleep is a must for mind and body to maintain healthy serotonin levels - it is important to keep up a consistent sleeping pattern in order to keep the mind and body healthy, otherwise lack of sleep stresses our bodies and eats away at our health.

5.) We need to teach in schools how to use our minds to help us with the most important survival skills - staying happy and healthy. It'€™s all about personal growth and enjoying the process of self-discovery. If you can spend a little time each day clearing your thoughts and becoming aware of your inner self, you will accelerate your spiritual development. My meditation is 30 minutes in the park amongst nature, fresh air and peace. Hug a tree or walk on the grass barefoot which will connect you to the earth and can be spiritually enriching. We need to teach ourselves and our children how to calm ourselves so we are not in a permanent state of alarm. By changing your body - you can change your mind. Play in nature, watch a sunset, play with animals!

6.) Be gentle - for that shows great strength. I truly believe humanity is going through a massive shift at the moment into a whole new energy and level of consciousness - we are coming into a much more feminine energy era - where that hard nosed male, old fashioned, city aggressiveness will not work - there is a better, gentler way to connect with people in business and personal life. I do think a female USA President will help this new era come into fruition - Hillary Clinton will make Donald Trump'€™s blusterings look like yesterday'€™s news!

7.) Walk your talk with honesty and integrity - people will feel when you a€™re not, by your non-aligned body language. We cannot teach what we don'€™t feel but when you connect with people on a heart level by making them feel a little better - that'€™s where the magic happens!

8.) Everything is connected. We are one holistic system and we need to understand the ecology of our bodies because a healthy mind affects our body and a healthy body affects our mind! Our mental world is where we live, the place we cannot leave, where all our experiences exist. The subconscious mind is a million times more powerful than the conscious mind - so it'€™s worth getting to know how it works and understanding that past experiences stored in the subconscious can still be affecting our minds today! If you change your beliefs and attitudes you can change your life. The most powerful medicine you can have in the world is between your ears!

9.) In Buddhism the thing that they call €me€™ is in fact our mind and Buddhists can, with training, greatly reduce even physical pain by controlling the actions of one'€™s mind. How empowering is that? Our mental environment is up to us. The most powerful medicine you can have is between your ears - so learn how to use it. I also know that all we send out into the world, will in some way, shape or form, return and this process takes some interval of time and is called karma. Worth remembering with your mind power hat on.

10.) Keep a gratitude journal of all the things in your life you are grateful for and keep adding to it. Make time for the things you enjoy.

I truly believe we are in a very empowering time and our mind is key - it is always creating and affecting our world and ourselves, our present and our future. We need to understand how our mind works and how we can bring this into the education of all children. I also truly believe that if you enjoy life and are happy the rest will follow!

If all else fails try reading Norman Cousins€™ book on how he cured himself of a fatal disease with laughter! I have always chosen people I work with who make me laugh. Laughter and a sense of humour are essential to life and make it easier to let go of stress or conflict in personal and/or business life.

Laughter can cure you - so remember to surround yourself with like-minded people and have those comedy movies to hand too...

PS My Leadership Speech is worth a read if you enjoyed this - would love to hear if you did!

PPS I am delighted that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have put their considerable spotlight power to the launch of YoungMindsMatter in unison with the Huffington Post - to celebrate the amazing work being done to improve and understand the mental and emotional health of young children - and in the process becoming guest editors of the Huffington Post last week.

'We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others, that in the end we become disguised to ourselves.' - Francois de la Rochefoucauld

'An unquestioned mind is a world of suffering.'€™ - Byron Katie

You Are The Director, Producer, Writer And Chief Protagonist Of Your Life

‘I am big! It’s the pictures that got small.’ - Norma Desmond (Sunset Boulevard) 

‘Make your life be your art and you will never be forgotten’ - Charlotte Eriksson

‘You are the hero of your own story.’ - Joseph Campbell

‘If you can dream it, you can do it.’  -  Walt Disney

I am a storyteller. We are all storytellers. We are the directors, producers and stars of our own movie called ‘Life’. I believe we are all stars.

When I started writing my first blog I called it ‘Life is an Epic Production’ because I wanted to get the message across that we really are the director, producer, writer and chief protagonist of our own lives - and if we treat life as an epic production that we get to write, produce and direct, what fun we can have! By being aware of what we attract with our thoughts and words we really can shine!

By becoming our own first fan, believing in ourselves and by understanding and accepting and embracing who we are we can love and nurture our inner screenwriter!

Also, dress for the role you want - become that person as Cate Blanchett or Mark Rylance would when practising for a role - she/he puts on the wardrobe, hair and make-up and becomes that person. That’s the magic of the movies and it’s also the magic of life but it goes much deeper than that…

Your mind is yours to direct too because your mind controls the results. Demand that your mind helps you. As you choose your family so you choose your life - with visualisations and affirmations - exactly how actors work on becoming the role they play.

Believe that what you want has already happened because you attract through your beliefs. If you’re not happy, change your beliefs in your subconscious because your subconscious is the one in control of the programmes in your mind.

Remember to be grateful for any negative moments too - see them as a positive for learning because we learn far more from our failures than our successes but also remember that there is no limit to what you can have. Don’t let the programmes in your subconscious sabotage you! Remember, we see the world not as it is but as we are, so re-write your inner dialogue to stardom.

As we live, we learn who we are and with self-knowledge comes self belief! Let your very identity be your hook. If you can dream it you can do it - that’s the magic of the movies too! And remember to edit out the unhappy replays that you have in your mind that can just be faulty subconscious thinking - make way for a new way of thinking. Choose to create long-term health and happiness for yourself because it really is a choice.

Make a statement of intent to be who you want to be - announce it daily to the universe. By working on your mental and physical fitness you will improve your attitude and energy levels and point of attraction too! And meditation/mindfulness can help  give a lasting change to your beliefs.

Make people feel better and lighter - because you have unique gifts and talents to share and remember you have to be your own first fan!

You get to be the star of your life - and success and gratitude go hand in hand which every BAFTA/Oscar winner understands……..you are the star of your own movie so don’t cast yourself as an extra! Let the way people say your name sound like the sweetest melody but live for your soul not your ego because we have everything we need within us!

BAFTA voting is underway and it got me thinking about what fun the movies play in our lives. This is one of the reasons I loved producing. You act as if. I think that is why most people love Christmas - in that it’s fun and glamorous like a great movie.

May you have the most fun and glamorous Christmas and may your dreams come true in 2016!

And remember, when you wish upon a star we are also made up of the same material as the stars - energy and light!

Have a very Happy Christmas and a brilliant New Year!

With much love and appreciation,

Jane

XXXXX

'We deserve the right to twinkle' - Marilyn Monroe

Supercharge Your Energy To Its Highest Vibration To The Universe

'Everything in Life is Vibration' - Albert Einstein

Once I understood that the universe is immaterial - it is mental and spiritual and the entire material world is nothing but vibration - I understood the importance of keeping my own vibrational levels high. When you have the right vibration you supercharge your ability to manifest.

There is no solidity in the universe. All life vibrates. Everything in nature vibrates at different frequencies. All colours and sounds vibrate to a frequency. Mind, Body and Spirit are all vibrating to the Universal energy field. So you can raise your vibration and frequency to create what you want - from good health to abundance in all things. Socrates knew this way back when - he believed that the universe was made up of pure energy which was there before earth and man came along.

The entire material world is nothing but vibration - the eternal dance of the countless vibrations within every atom in your body. We are made up of atoms and atoms emit waves of electrical energy that vibrate at our own frequency.

Everything is made up of atoms. Everything that manifests in your life is there because it matches the vibration from your thoughts. It's been scientifically proven that our bodies are more influenced by our vibrational energy and thoughts than by DNA.

So examine your beliefs - you can send a faulty vibration out to the universe through faulty subconscious thinking. Challenge your thinking by getting to know yourself better. By choosing to think new thoughts you can change your reality. In the quantum worldview the observer is calling the shots - so make sure you are consciously creating what you want. Learn to harness the energetic power of your subconscious. Your life is reflected back to you by your vibrational thinking. The subconscious merely reflects your beliefs. Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality.

Modern culture teaches us that life is difficult and stressful, but the ultimate demonstration of quantum law is that we can create a positive future that we have lived in our mind because vibrational thoughts matter and they become matter. So clear your resistance. Ask the Universe to help you - and listen to what comes into your mind - usually best just before you fall asleep.

Speak the language the Universe speaks - energetic vibration. The energy of your thoughts creates your reality. So become conscious of your thoughts. Everything you say, think or feel becomes your reality. So if you have a negative thought just tell it to go away. It's that easy. The lower your vibration, the more likely you are to attract circumstances to you that mirror this and the higher your vibration the more good you attract and doors just open to all the positive stuff!

If you work too hard you make yourself stressed and unhappy which attracts the wrong vibration and understanding of the universe. Become the person who attracts what they want and connect to that energy field. Say/show the universe what you want.

Like energy attracts like energy - that's physics. Struggling for abundance does not work. How to raise your vibration? Recognise the energetic power of you and what it offers the world. It's all about vibrational alignment, frequency and harmony. The vibration of your thoughts create your life so I list below some ideas that have helped me supercharge my energy to it's highest vibration - you then get a deeper, better connection with the universe:

1) Exercise - move your body - the human body is made to move. Walk, run, skip, jump, play sport, whatever makes you happy - this will uplift your body's vibrational frequency and you'll sleep better too - a vital part of making life grand. People who exercise regularly are fitter and leaner and always have that look of a winner - a spiritual warrior. Also learn about body language and consciously change yours - your thoughts will then reflect this - this will help in life and business.

2) Sing and dance - even if it's just around the kitchen. Whatever makes you happy. Listening to great music and dancing is so uplifting.

3) See people you love frequently - tell them so and give them a good hug. It all helps to spread the good vibrational love. Being kind and generous to other people puts you in a high vibration.

4) Do things you love that raise your vibration - go to the theatre, cinema, opera, ballet, exhibitions and interesting talks about things that interest you. Travel - short or long haul - it doesn't matter as long as you are enjoying yourself! Go to interesting places - learn about another culture - open your horizons to bigger picture thinking, even if it's only to a local exhibition. Imagine you could travel to the future. What would you be doing?

5) Wear clothes and colours that uplift you and make you feel good. My red lipstick always makes me feel good - in fact I'm rarely without it! If you look good - you feel good and that increases your vibrational attraction.

6) Make your house wonderful to come home to - flowers, warmth, fresh, clean, uplifting decor and colours. Walls have ears and respond to the vibrational energy of the owner of a home. This is so true and has applied to every home I have ever bought - you feel a good vibration immediately you walk in the front door. The reverse is true too - always worth remembering when trying to sell your house!

7) Having gratitude raises your vibrational frequency because it makes you aware of all the things you love and how abundant you really are. Remember to keep writing that list and adding to it.

8) All foods have a vibrational energy so eat wonderful healthy primal foods  that nourish every cell in your body. Cut out the processed foods if you can - they've proven not to be good for you and they are made to be addictive and have a low vibrational energy.

9) Drink water. It is an energetic life force that cleanses and hydrates your body. We are made up of about 70% water - so we need plenty of it to flush out toxins and keep our vibrational energy levels up.

10) Have frequent quiet time - meditate if you can or even if it's just 30 mins with a good book and a cup of tea by the fire - it will keep you aware of the importance of solitude and quietening the mind. Or even a nap if you prefer - sleep is a form of meditation - whatever works for you and makes you happy!

Remember the Universal Life Energy describes your total well-being - may the force be with you!

'I think in metaphysical terms, I would call that increasing the speed of the vibration of life' - Neale Donald Walsch

Gratitude

'Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.' - Oprah Winfrey

I believe you cannot be unhappy and have gratitude, or be ungrateful and happy - whichever works for you! I carry on my iPhone a list of all the things I am grateful for and add to it regularly. I find it is so helpful to remind myself on a regular basis of all the things I love that I have in my life, especially when life can throw you a curveball and you can forget! My gratitude list is always there to look at regularly and remind myself of the magic powers of gratitude. I so believe that when you are grateful it opens up the abundant universal energy that is there for each and every one of us. It stops you taking anything for granted and opens your eyes to bigger picture thinking and the wonder of the Universe.

Gratitude opens the door to other positive emotions too. It has been scientifically proven that when people are grateful they are more joyful, more optimistic, more apt to help others and are genuinely healthier. Related studies have found they're more resilient, less stressed and better strategic thinkers too. I believe that as long as you are at peace with yourself, have gratitude and positive thoughts, it allows you to access the right brain better - much of which I discussed in an earlier blog on creativity, joyfulness and social dexterity. If you are bogged down with negativity you cannot tap into the right brain stuff! Looking back I have practised this naturally much of my life but had not consciously realised this and the power that gratitude can bring. However, it is not transactional - true gratitude expects nothing in return. If you cannot find anything to be grateful for just be grateful for the air you breathe! I know it may sound crazy but we really do take the air we breathe for granted - being grateful is life enhancing and puts everything else into perspective.

I wish this could be taught in more schools from a young age - it would make the world a better place. Sir Anthony Seldon, enlightened headmaster of Wellington College was the first school to introduce Happiness and Wellbeing classes to its curriculum for pupils and parents in 2006 and thank heavens more schools have followed his example. Please read their Well-being Programme on 'Altruism, Gratitude and Appreciation.'  It just confirms everything I'm writing about now.

'True gratitude can shift even the most negative emotions.' - Arianna Huffington

Your Words Carry Tremendous Energy

'If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.' - George Orwell

I find reading books brings me great joy - there is nothing better than a good book with inspiring words. A great book will inspire your imagination with the power of its words. However, I often find an inspirational quote on Facebook can do the same.

I also believe that the words you speak to yourself and others carry tremendous energy because the words you are habitually using are creating your reality. I so believe that if we can respect the power our words carry we can collaborate with that universal energy and create what we want. The universe will provide what you want by listening to the words you speak. If you change the words you speak to reflect words that represent what you want in life you will create your own abundance. If you want it, say it. Never say can't. You always can. It is really that simple. Your subconscious mind and the Universe will hear you and rise up to have a fantastic collaboration!

I've mentioned many times in previous blogs about gratitude and thoughts which help plant the seeds but our words are equally as important and they carry tremendous energy. So speak of what you want by using positive words and phrases and ask the universe to help you. You can change your world by changing your words. Positive abundant words and repeating them often will open up the channels to create a life you want. The Law of Abundance will work in alignment with what you want to create.

Your words and thoughts create your life. So make sure the Universe understands what you want by speaking of it! The universe will take care of you and provide for you. All the universe wants is your acknowledgement and connection to it's source. As Arianna often says, "Once we learn to trust it changes everything....". It's that simple. Our parents should be given a manual when we are born so they could teach us this life changing understanding. I also believe this should be taught in schools because changing your words will change your world and that's so empowering.

'Think twice before you speak because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure........' - Napoleone Hill

'Genius is the ability to receive from the universe.' - I Ching

It's time to be Utopian and acknowledge the Quantum Shift

'One must make room in oneself for the immensities of the universe.' - Brian Swimme

'We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.' - Anais Nin

The world order is changing and I believe we are truly in a Quantum Age but still relating to the world through Industrial Age notions and beliefs (please read my blog 'Meaning is the new money' - Jan. 30th 2013). From education to politics to business leaders - there are millions of people out there who want to effectively shift the consciousness of our globe and have begun to do so. However I believe we are suffering the birthing pains of of this new order and we need to unlearn much of what we have been taught. Just ask the Greek people.

The Greek crisis is a tragedy for the Greek people but I believe it is a painful new beginning for Greece and the European Union itself. The EU needs to reinvent itself and look with fresh eyes as to why it's not working - same size fits all is just unenlightened thinking. The politicians have become automatic and all too mechanical in the way they approach life and arrive at solutions. A new way of thinking with values and substance that lead to sustainable solutions is required. Removing corrupt leaders and bringing an end to the hypocrisy of proclaiming values and virtues we aren't actually embodying and pretending that's OK. Empathy and leadership are required for the purpose of inspiring and empowering peoples' lives. We are all connected to this universal energy - so what happens to one affects us all indirectly - time to acknowledge this quantum paradigm shift of energy!

The future of global business will belong to the right brain thinkers in this new conceptual age of quantum thinking where empathy and collaboration are key. Our education system is based on 'only matter is real' - that which ticks the boxes. We need to teach our children how to think and connect to the energy field. The universe is immaterial - it is mental and spiritual. Your thoughts create your reality and life. How you think is how it will show up for you. This quantum science was known 100 years ago but the medieval institutions held it back. Why - because it would make people too powerful and individual.

This life is an inside job - we have everything we need we just need to be aware of it. I truly believe that if you change your energy you can change your life. We are still taught today that the world view is based on fear not love. Once we unlearn this and to trust and believe we will be guided, it changes everything. Ask, take action, trust and believe you will be guided and then receive! I call it tapping into the universal energy that is available to us all because we are all connected to the source.

This new world order is transpiring into the far reaches of our society. From religion - a new Pope with a new broom; the Vatican Bank being exposed; Fifa and it's corrupt leadership; the EU and all it's troubles are very exposed and flawed with a new way of thinking needed to reinvent itself; Business Schools are realising that global capitalism is killing our planet - climate change, food production etc. - the students AND global elite are at the forefront of this change; the financial crisis has exposed huge flaws in the global system; politics - the UK Labour party in disarray - because the people vote on the person for leadership not the party. The media news has to change with it's horror and fear stories - people are turning off in droves there are too many alternatives to access information; Rupert Murdoch stepping down; changing our education system to educate our children to prepare them for this new quantum era. The placebo effect in medicine has shown that what we believe can literally have an impact on our bodies - so whatever you don't resolve in life, your body will do it for you! Think empowering thoughts because what you focus on expands and in the quantum worldview the observer effect is calling the shots! How empowering is that and doesn't it make you happy!!?

If you can think of your brain like a computer that you can programme in what you want to achieve - your world view will move to change with you. That's where science and spirituality can enhance each other. The beliefs we carry actually determine the life we live.

These are the 6 step processes you can use to improve your life:

1) Meditate and have peaceful moments so you can access this quantum mind power - even if it's just a walk in the park - so you can create space for this new way of thinking. Self analysis and reflection in quiet moments help heal ourselves.

2) Write down what you want to achieve and look at your goals every day and believe you can achieve them.

3) Change your daily routine - as Albert Einstein said 'the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again - you will still keep getting the same result!' Paradigms hold you back - change your paradigm.

4) Change your thoughts - repetition and relearning are needed so you can create a new reality for yourself.

5) Examine your beliefs - you can send a faulty vibration out to the universe through faulty subconscious thinking! So challenge your thinking and by choosing to think new thoughts you can change your reality.

6) Ditch the dream busters! Show them the way instead.

And remember whatever you have in your life right now is a perfect match for your current values and beliefs. So if you're not living your perfect life, make a shift in your consciousness today so you can create a life that you want and join the New Mainstream!

Namaste

'The important thing is to create. Nothing else matters; creation is all.' - Pablo Picasso

'Not until we are lost, do we begin to understand ourselves.' - Thoreau

We've got everything we need - we just need to be aware of it.' - Napoleone Hill

'When you master your mind, you master your life.' - Dianne Collins

'The world is changed by your example. Not by your opinion.' - Paul Coelho

Ode to Love (or my father)

'To a father growing old, nothing is dearer than a daughter.' - Euripides

We went to Wells Cathedral in Somerset to visit my father recently whom my sister and I buried there in the summer of 2011. The photos show how glorious the cathedral is and no it wasn't a sad occasion at all - it was just great to be near him again and wish him love. A funny coincidence, which he would of adored, is that he is buried with his beautiful dog, a Great Dane called Daisy, that I had bought for him when he first moved to Somerset - and the cathedral garden where he is buried is now just covered in daisies! I like to think it was nature's homage to my father and Daisy!

It was such a joy walking through the grounds of the cathedral again and it just made me realise how my father had manifested exactly where he wanted to be buried and it had happened for him in such a glorious way. The service was memorable and profound - he would have been proud. I have to say I think Wells Cathedral is even more beautiful than Westminster Abbey - clever father or what? Jeffrey Archer was so impressed that my father is buried at Wells Cathedral - he said so few get that privilege - I said he had manifested his wishes with positive thinking. It gives me great comfort to know he is buried in such a beautiful place and a good excuse to keep visiting him because he planned it that way.

It got me thinking about how great my father was at naturally attracting the good stuff to himself. I don't think the idea of positive thinking existed when he was a young man - but he certainly naturally had the gift of the gab! Passed down by his French mother perhaps, my grandmother - who always wanted the best for her family!

My father would often say 'I just want you to be happy darling' - and you know something, I was. That to me is a great gift. There were no demands made on my academic achievements other than the demands I put on myself. And you know I worked hard because I was happy in all the subjects I studied as a teenager, from all the arts, art to art history, history, english language and english literature, geography (I've always loved maps and travel because of my father who travelled the world and just made me feel happy and confident about travel too), French, tennis and swimming!

Don't get me wrong - I wasn't a perfect child by any means - but I adored both my parents and I think looking back because I new they loved me, I wanted them to be proud of me too. So you see again, it all comes down to love. I think if a child is loved and they know they are loved they will always be happy. It is a fundamental knowing that sustains you for the rest of your life - whatever happens. I wish and hope that every child could have that kind of foundation of love - the world would know peace. He has naturally shown me to expect the best and there is no greater gift to a child than to be happy, optimistic and expect the best - because what you believe is what you get. How you perceive things is how they will show up for you. He was kind and compassionate and generous which I believe helped attract the good to him and he also showed me that discipline sets you free!

Ode to love

I list below a few of the stories I love and remember him for:

Allowing me to go to my first May Ball at Trinity College Cambridge at the age of 15 years, the night before my first mock O-Level as long as I had done all my revison work - which I had - and I passed with flying colours!

My father getting pissed with the actor Terry Thomas in a bar in Ibiza and disappeared for a few hours coming back giggling away at all the jokes he'd heard and dancing in a kaftan to Stevie Wonder in a Ibiza nightclub.

Rescuing me and not berating me for being arrested for drinking champagne and being in a nightclub in Ibiza town at the age of 14 years. In fact my parents dined out on that story for many years and thought it very funny! I was innocent of course.........

Putting ribbons in my father's hair whilst he was watching Match of the Day on tv and nearly wetting myself with laughter at how funny he looked AND he'd leave them in for the rest of the day as if nothing had happened - what a sport - which made us all laugh even more!

Cooking a proper dinner party for me and my 2 bestest friends on my 13th birthday because my mother had rushed away to look after her unwell mother - our beloved grandma - and he didn't want it to spoil my birthday plans so he became the chef and maitre d' - prawn cocktail then lamb chops, peas and new potatoes - it was delicious! Thank you my darling Pa!

The stories he'd regale as a young man dancing with Brigitte Bardot on the dance floor at the Villa d'Este in Italy - he loved beautiful women. His adventures as a young man in Kenya, Fiji, New York, Canada, Australia, Paris, Rome, etc - he'd travelled everywhere! He'd always come back with these amazing photographs and presents and we'd have slide shows on his return - such fun - and it opened my eyes as a small kid to a whole fantastic world out there!! He always made travel fun!

I remember how when I'd have lunch with him at Scott's in Mount Street or The Rib Room which was then at The Carlton Tower in Knightsbridge he was great at getting late tables and charming the mâitre d'. He would always say to me 'walk in looking like you own the place' - as a teenager that wasn't easy - but the notion stuck with me and you know he was right. Not in an arrogant way but with confidence. He consciously created a good life for himself and his family and you know I saw that in practice as a child and it works! He showed my sister and I the good life with values and it stuck!

Here are the 12 most important life lessons I learnt from him and I know they work:

1) Be friends with people because you love them - nothing more. He thought the human relationship the most important in life.

2) Simplify - don't give too much attachment to possessions - less is more. (please see my Simplicity blog....)

3) Restore your soul in nature - he loved his garden and was so proud of it with all the flowers, beautiful hedgerows, singing birds. It brought him great joy to be in nature and that was a lifelong habit.

4) He was artistic and loved to draw and do photography and had lovely hand writing. He thought drawing teaches you not just to look but to see and that nourished him.

5) He was tall, slim and fit until the day he died - he was naturally athletic and understood that looking after yourself does not convey or cover-up any deficiency. It's smart to care and always look your best - it instills confidence in you and others. He was a great tennis player and a member of the MCC most of his life.

6) He relaxed very easily and would often have an afternoon nap. He was always good at taking naps - Arianna would have been proud! He thought it very important to rest so you're energised for the next adventure!

7) He never got angry - he thought anger was futile and only attracted more anger into your life. Gratitude and forgiveness were his bedrock.

8) He knew how to have fun - always generous and 'a glass of champagne darling?' When I was a student in Florence he flew out for a  week-end and took my whole class out for supper. Mind you he'd flown out because I'd told him that my male Italian Professor was taking me to Switzerland for the week-end............he was out on the next plane!

My friends loved him - Cambridge May balls, cocktail parties on the lawns by the river - joining me to see my current boyfriend in his Footlights show. My school friends adored him too. He always new how to make things fun and so he attracted it!

9) He thought wealth was a mind game - once you understood that and finding harmony within yourself - you become rich. He was a successful businessman but work never consumed him.........he provided a beautiful home for his family, a great education for his daughters, foreign holidays, etc., but work was kept in perspective. He understood what was important.

10) He loved history - he thought it was very important to know where we came from and our heritage. He loved reading about history.

11) He loved music from The Rolling Stones to Chopin - he found music inspiring and got the imagination and creative juices flowing.

12) He knew that discipline sets you free - always neat, tidy, clean and organized. Even after his death with finances and providing for his family - all the paperwork was organised and calm. Again he was right.

It sounds like my father was perfect and he wasn't, but I've understood since his death what he passed onto me and how he truly understood about the meaning of life. I'd like to think he'd chuckle at this blog of mine - but you know I love and miss him everyday and I think he'd be proud to know I did. What better legacy can a father leave?

'Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting'Holy shit......what a ride!" - Hunter S Thompson

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world"

I was deeply honoured to be invited to Lord 'Dickie' Attenborough's memorial service at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday with a stellar line up of guests from showbiz, sport and politics present. It was a great occassion and Westminster Abbey never looked better with all it's beauty in the early Spring sunshine. There were many highlights but a particularly one for me was Sir Ben Kingsley and Geraldine James OBE reading from "The Writings of Gandhi'. As you probably know 'Gandhi' the feature film directed by Lord Attenborough was one of his life's work and Gandhi the man spiritually embodied everything that Lord Attenborough believed. I believe that Gandhi's wise words are as relevant today as they were then - see below - I hope you enjoy!  

The Writings of Gandhi

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.

Be the change that you wish to see in the world.

It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow-beings.

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether mad destruction is wrought in the name of totalitarianism, or in the holy name of liberty and democracy?

There are many causes I would die for. Not one I would kill for. An eye for an eye only turns the whole world blind.

Poverty is the worst form of violence.

Of all the evils for which man has made himself responsible, none is so degrading, so shocking or so brutal, as his abuse of the better half of humanity; the female sex.

Terrorism is a weapon not of the strong, but of the weak.

Civilisation is the encouragement of differences.

The day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace.

When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it - always.

There are no good-byes.

Wherever you'll be, you'll be in my heart.

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)                                                     The Lord Attenborough CBE (1923-2014)

Cherchez la Femme

Yin and Yang

'The yin and the yang are opposite forces. Yet, they exist together in the harmony of a perfect orb.' - R. A. Wise

'How important it is for us to recognise and celebrate our heroes and she-roes! - the late Maya Angelou

Patricia Arquette's acceptance speech on Sunday night at the Oscars (for her mother role in 'Boyhood') was pure she-roe as she seized the moment to wage a plea on equal rights and pay for women in the USA. I cannot believe that we are in the @21st century and this still continues to be an issue. We live in a world that still embraces the masculine (yang) and I believe that the equally important feminine (yin) traits have been neglected until relatively recently. We live in a world that when we meet someone we're not asked "tell me about yourself?" (feminine) it's "what do you do?" (masculine) which misses the point of what a whole person is all about. You are not your career and achievements although that's good - you are so much more - are you a kind human being who listens, with values and with respect?

So this got me thinking about the whole area of Jungian psychology which teaches that men are masculine on the outside and feminine on the inside and women are feminine on the outside and masculine on the inside. When personal and/or business relationships are balanced in giving and receiving everything works in perfect harmony - yin and yang. The tai chi symbol of twin flames and soul mates is also the Chinese Yin and Yang symbol for perfect balance. In fact it seems the whole of Chinese philosophy stems from the concept of Yin and Yang - opposites interacting and supposedly the seed for all things. Female/Male, Moon/Sun, Dark/Light etc.

To me feminism is about equality which includes men - it's all about balancing the feminine and masculine traits in us all. We live in a world that still embraces the masculine (yang) which has become a dangerously unbalanced misrepresentation of humanity. Arianna's Third Women's Revolution is to change the world that men have designed. She believes that the current model of success was designed by men and it's not working for men or women. Prince Charles was not wrong when he said 'The world needs healing'. I believe kindness, spirituality and empowerment are becoming more important factors in people's lives. In fact I believe there is a spiritual revolution going on as the universe is saying we are out of kilter, we need to embrace the softer side of life, embrace your feminine side - we all want to be balancing our male and female energy - if we were all practising this in the world there would be no war - we'd be in the new golden age of aquarius by now - so it's good to have a reminder to embrace our softer side, our feminine side which is the side that doesn't control, that flows, that receives, that listens, that's spiritual and empowering.

The future of leadership is not ego-driven (male) - it's about empowering people (female) and I do believe that women are getting stronger in this new era. Two studies in 2010 and 2014 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) show conclusively what makes for an outstanding and effective team - having more women than men in it. It is always the feminine energy that brings balance, peace and harmony to the male - so come on boys embrace your feminine side - we'd love you all the more for it!

March 8th 2015 is International Women's Day - let's celebrate the feminine in us all where emotions, kindness, spirituality are embraced. After all relationships are mirrors because we attract what we need to heal - people are our emotional trainers. So let's collectively try and balance our feminine/masculine sides and let's collectively try and heal the world!

'It's nice to be important but it's more important to be nice.' - Tinie Tempah

'The motion of yin and yang generates all things in nature.' - Meh Jiuzhang and Guo Lei

The Theory of Everything

'What now appear as the paradoxes of quantum theory will seem just as common sense to our children's children.' - Professor Stephen Hawking - British Theoretical Physicist

Congratulations to Eddie Redmayne who wins yet another award last Sunday night @The Screen Actors Guild Awards for his portrayal of living legend Prof. Stephen Hawking in the amazing film 'The Theory of Everything'. The film has so far been awarded 10 Bafta nominations, 5 Academy Award nominations, won 2 Golden Globe awards et al, not only for Eddie's remarkable performance but for Felicity Jones, who plays his wife Jane, of 25 years, in the film which is based upon her memoir book called "Travelling to Infinity: My Life With Stephen". The film is part biopic, part love story and is deeply moving but as one critic put it 'as not so much the theory of everything as everything but the theory'! Hawking is the world's most celebrated living scientist who believes and proves you are not your body but you are your consciousness. He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease as a gifted 21 year old Cambridge student and told he had 2 years to live and he is now a celebrated 72 year old whose body and mind have exceeded the expectations of medical science! What I love about cinema is that it can change lives because it can change minds..........

It got me thinking more on his belief of the quantum theory as quoted above and how this knowledge can affect all our lives.

Quantum physics informs each observer sees her/his own unique universe literally independently - how powerful is that? So as quoted by celebrated author and futurist Greg Kuhn "Quantum physics goes on to show us that you create your unique material reality not just through your observations, but more importantly, through your expectations. When you change your beliefs you will change your universe!" So expect the best. Most physicists today believe that the quantum theory is correct - so I list below the way to access through your expectations this quantum physics super power!

1) Sometimes you have to get away to be inspired - silence is necessary to access your own inner wisdom.

2) Give your subconscious good clear directions! Remember you are the President and CEO of your life - your subconscious is the most powerful asset you own.

3) Through gratitude you can appreciate everything you have now.

4) Through affirmations and visualizations you change your feelings and then the outside circumstances will change. The power is from within but we cannot receive it unless we give it.

5) Build your knowledge bank to help you harness more of this subconscious super power

6) Collaborate and have positive experiences and fun - if in doubt - go out to play!

7) Stay fit and healthy - like attracts like and it's good for your spirit and soul and energy vibration

8) How you empower others is believe in them, trust in them and make them feel secure - that in turn empowers you

9) Believe it is an abundant world - our expectations create our world and we can change and improve our expectations

10) Be open and aware of life's synchronicities and serendipity - they are there if you are willing to see them

I love Quantum Physics and I've practiced the law of attraction most of my life even without realising it as a child. We are all born with this knowledge but it gets ignored in our current education system. Time to change the system because once you realise you have this power and you can practice this in a conscious way, your life goes into supercharge and you can create the life you want!

'Although I cannot move and I have to speak through a computer, in my mind I am free' - Prof. Stephen Hawking

'One's destination is never a place but a new way of seeing things.' - Henry Miller

'Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.' - Roald Dahl

An African Christmas

As Katharine Hepburn was making 'The African Queen' with John Huston and Humphrey Bogart she was quoted as saying 'I never dreamed that any experience could be so stimulating' - that's exactly how I still feel about my many African Christmasses with the Zwager family including this latest one!

With much love and thanks to all the cast and players in the essence of this Bafta voting season for making this Christmas and New Year so special:

Juni and her wonderful love, homes, cooking, organizational skills and laughter and Hans - an overall big thank you for your creation; Karl for keeping the mozzies off me and all his beautiful photographs see above; Peter and Teresa and their love and laughter; Lienette and her Christmas Day extravaganza; Tammy and her frocks, Jake and his big smile, Nico and his flying, Leila and your help, Johnny and his kitesailing, Adam and your charm, Twain and your organic honey - yum; Suzanne and her beautiful photographs; Hamish and Louiza and growing family including Jack and his wounds; Brad for his charm and networking skills; Roberta and Chris for their beautiful home and new friendship and Chrissie, Joe and Esther, Mary and Jerry; all the staff including Monica, Joshua, Odiambo, Jane, Joyce, Nancy, Steven, Zito and Wambui, Miriam, Simon, Silvano, Kio, Vincent, Limoni and all the dogs including Dottie, Trix, Bouncer et al and the cats - big and small; Naivasha, Manda Island, Lamu, Chui Lodge and Kiangazi House et al (www.oseriantwolakes.com) and all the animals you can think of! I hope I have not missed anyone off the list - if I have, please forgive in the spirit of this thanks!

Thank you so much again! xxxxxx

'I restore my soul in nature' - Jane Fuller

The universal language of love at Christmas

universal language of love

'Love is the answer and you know that for sure. Love is a flower and you've got to let it grow.' - John Lennon

As this is my final blog of the year and the festive season is upon us - I began to reflect on the @800 likes I had on my last blog for Huffington Post about how 'your thoughts create your life' and that everything in the quantum universe is connected including us. This message has obviously struck a chord with many readers. So I began to realise if we could all unite and consciously create the world we want by bringing love to others through words and service, we can amplify that light inside us all to truly shine as we are all connected to that universal energy called love. We can then bring change for the better. I am not religious but we are all spiritual and I do believe that Christmas has a great way of bringing people you love together the world over and isn't that just the best way to end the year? Christmas to me is more about what's in your heart. Life is a gift and what better way to remind yourself to celebrate, rejoice and be happy than at Christmas?!

I'm an Aquarian and the new Aquarian Age is nearly upon us and I believe that we are coming into a new era of change in our values, community, unity and integrity; where people are already beginning to question old out moded beliefs and ways of thinking and are looking for deeper meaning in their lives (please read my blog Jan. 30th 2013 - 'Meaning' is the new money'). As Melinda Gates said 'Make time for quiet self-reflection. There are distractions everywhere and you need to connect with nature and quiet truths to live a meaningful, balanced life.' There are messages everywhere and synchronicities - you just have to be open and aware of them and you can only access them by creating space for a new way of thinking. What you focus on expands - so train your thoughts - it takes time and practice but it's well worth it!

So my wish for you this Christmas is that you can begin to train your mind consciously focusing on what you want. Let me know how you get on - I'd be fascinated to hear. If we all do this together we can make the world a better place for us all to live. We need to bring back values. Where war is not the answer. We need to build and take care of our communities by investing in the infrastructure for people to thrive. We don't want children going to bed hungry. Taking care of each other; taking care of the enviroment and our communities with the right mindset. Our minds are so powerful but we're not taught how to think - if we can do this on a global level we can make the world a better place!

Wishing you a great Christmas full of joy and love and I leave you with a few inspiring quotes that have helped me - I hope you find them helpful too.

'All is mind' - Buddha

'The great quantum discovery is that Mind, not Matter, is the key prayer. When you master your mind, you master your life.' - Dianne Collins

'Relationships are mirrors. Conflict is a good thing. We attract what we need to heal.' - Louise Hay

'This mind is the matrix of all matter' - Max Planck

'Few are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields painfully to change.' - Robert F. Kennedy

'What happens when a man stands up and says enough is enough?' - Martin Luther King Jr. 

'War is not the answer, because only love can conquer hate' - Marvyn Gaye

'All we are saying is give Peace a chance' - John Lennon

'The world is changed by your example. Not by your opinion.' - Paul Coelho

'Our thoughts create our reality and yet our thinking remains entrenched in a bygone era' - Dianne Collins

Here's to consciously creating change for the better and a great 2015!

'Interstellar' - the world of Quantum Physics and the New Spirituality

'Imagination is everything. It is the preview to life's coming attractions.' - Albert Einstein

Jane Fuller

I'm still in the midst of viewing Bafta voting movies and have just recently seen 'Interstellar' - Christopher Nolan's visually spectacular movie about Quantum Physics, wormholes, black holes, gravity and time travel. As Mark Kermode says, 'Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar' is the work of someone who dreams with their eyes open'. It got me thinking about an area that I'm fascinated by and how everything in the quantum universe is connected including us. Quantum Physics opens doors to multiple universes and conscious time travel - where an hour on a distant planet equals lost years back on Earth and despite voyaging adventures across time, space and gravity the constant is love.

Quantum Physics (QP) supports and basically proves the reality of the spiritual world - I believe its the coolest science of all! QP is about multiple dimensions and parallel worlds, energy and consciousness and life after death, psychic abilities, telepathy, having dreams that are prophetic, visualisations that come true, serendipity or the pleasant surprises in life, having psychic connections with people, spiritual abilities and miracles. However, although quantum physics formally replaced classical physics in the 1920's, the old philosophy is still taught in schools today and widely accepted. I gather some of the top uni's think QP is a must for all physicists, but why isn't this taught in schools at a younger age? Bruce Lipton - a cell biologist (Stanford Universty) - discovered that our bodies are influenced more by energy and our thoughts than by DNA. So if we listen to our inner guidance we can create what we believe in our thoughts and imagination. How we perceive something is how it shows up for us (please read my blog 'Conscious creation, perserverance and actions' - March 15th 2014). We are always creating our own reality - whether conscious or not - however your life is reflected back to you by your thinking - so expect the best! We live in a universe where science and spirituality is one and the same - Quantum Physics shows us our thoughts create our world.

Superficiality of the modern era denies us access to the power and wisdom in silence - that's where mindfulness has come into help our thinking. If we can get very clear, lazer like, in what we want - believe it - then let it go and let the universe make it come together - we can create a wonderful life for ourselves. Our minds are so powerful but we're not taught how to think - learn to think and harness the powers of your subconscious. These are such beneficial principles to live your life by - but we are not taught this in our current education system. We create our own reality by the thoughts we think and the words we speak. We are creators and we can empower ourselves by being conscious of our thoughts - thoughts matter and they become matter - so we can consciously create the life we want. This stuff works - why aren't we taught to use these powers!? Instead the modern culture is to teach that life is difficult and stressful, but the ultimate demonstration of quantum law is that we can create a positive future that we have lived in our mind. It really is very simple - try it - keeping focused about what you want and where you're going. Every day should feel good. If it doesn't, make it so! If you feel good you will attract the good to your life anyway. That's why staying in shape and being fit make you feel good so you attract more of that feeling into your life! As author Augusten Burroughs says, 'You manufacture beauty with your mind'.

'I admit that thoughts influence the body.' - Albert Einstein

The Third Women's Revolution

The Third Women's revolution

'No matter what the world says or the cultural expectations, live your own life. So many people lead other people's perceptions of success. They don't notice they are miserable because they think they are successful.' - Arianna Huffington

The Bafta voting season is underway and I'm in the thick of seeing many new movies. I've just seen a film based upon the First World War memoir of the same name written by Vera Brittain called 'Testament of Youth' which powerfully captures Vera's passion, rage and ability to overcome great loss during the First World War. Her towering strengths as a wartime nurse and Oxford trained intellectual, which overcame her period's bias in favour of men, comes through viscerally! A great movie that got me thinking about that time in history as Vera's book is considered a classic in feminist literature and spans the years from 1900-1925 for its portrayal of a woman's pioneer struggle to establish an independent career in a society only grudgingly tolerant of educated women. It was during this time that Vera joined the Suffragette movement and part of the First Women's Revolution to give women the right to vote (please see my blog post titled 'Girl Power' - June 2013). She never lost sight of her early commitment to feminism and her subsequent public lectures and addresses revolved around feminist issues. What a gal! I thank and rejoice in her and all those other women who have helped fight to give women the opportunities they have today.

The Second Women's Revolution was led by Betty Friedan - in 1963 she wrote 'The Feminine Mystique' which laid the groundwork for the movement - and Gloria Steinem who fought to expand the role of women in society from 1960's to the present day, only faltering for a few years in the 1980s. I remember as a teenager, the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match in 1973 when Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs and it's contribution to the women's movement and its effect on society. I remember thinking at the time - this is the future............hurrah! The Second Women's Revolution is unfinshed and continues today...........

Arianna's Third Women's Revolution is to change the world that men have designed. She says 'The current model of success, in which we drive ourselves into the ground and in which working to the point of exhaustion and burnout is a badge of honour, was created by men. It's a model that's not working for women and it's not working for men either. Our work places are fuelled by sleep deprivation.' So this is not just a feminist issue but women can help drive this change forward. I think women are respected enough now that men will listen and follow their example. When women get it - that will take the pressure off men and they will thank women for allowing them to have a life too!

The Superboomer's (50-69 yrs) generation I believe are the banner holders for this revolution too. I happen to be one of the late one's and we are healthier, wealthier and better educated and more mobile than any other generation entering retirement before us. 72% evidently would rather spend their money to enjoy retirement instead of leaving it as an inheritance. They definitely seem to have Arianna's four pillars of "well-being, wisdom, wonder and giving required to be pioneers of this Third Women's Revolution. In this crazy world I believe there needs to be more self-esteem - you are entitled to have a wonderful life and not be bullied by some ogre of a boss who wants you to work 24/7 for the bottom line! It's bonkers - there are too many casualties. Better to start your own business and create your own rules - where people can flourish and have a life!

My conclusion is that I think there has never been a better time to be a woman but that is with huge gratitude and thanks to all the current and previous generations of women who fought for the equality and rights women enjoy now. The work continues but the fact that a 17 year old Mulala Yousafzai can share the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in fighting to give other young women the right to an education is celebratory!

Wouldn't Vera have been proud?

'The secret of a good life is that you have to put yourself on the list of the people you most admire' - Socrates - 2000 years ago!

Worldwide Well-being

'Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.' - Carl Gustav Jung

Well-being, Finding your purpose

Recently HuffPost GPS for the Soul wrote about the World's Best (and Worst) Regions For Well-being. It makes fascinating reading with the survey measuring different varieties of well-being in purpose, social, physical, financial and community; Panama being the global leader in terms of thriving, followed by Costa Rica, Denmark, Austria and Brazil. However across the globe our greatest struggle evidently is in purpose and 'liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve our goals'. I wrote about this on May 16th 2013 in a blog called 'Do you like what you do each day?' as I believe that you will only be truly satisfied and have well-being when your skills, ability, personality and dreams all come together and you find your purpose and place in the world.

Sir Ken Robinson is one of my mentors and in his book 'Finding Your Element - How to Discover Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life', he shows that age and occupation are no barriers to discovering what makes you happiest and that once we have found our path we can help others do the same - which gives you a double whammy of purpose and well-being! Happiness is often enhanced by looking beyond yourself and engaging with the needs of others.

Purpose is essential for our psychological health and can enhance our self-esteem and flow. It is a fundamental component of a fulfilling life - which is why our attention needs to be occupied by external things otherwise we get bored, anxious, depressed and self-centred.

I found my purpose through finding my spiritual path - I'm not religious but we are all spiritual beings and I found that once I'd hooked into finding that inner connection and honouring my values - I found my new purpose and evolution in 'making the world a better place'. Just as you eat healthy foods and exercise to take care of your body, seeking a meaningful life of purpose nourishes your spirit and enhances your emotional and physical health as well - which ultimately improves your well-being! Health also brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it, but I found that once I lived my life with a sense of trust, it dramatically changes everything.

The conclusion being if the world is struggling to achieve well-being in purpose, I do believe that honouring your spiritual self and finding that inner connection would benefit many people the world over and bringing that into everything you do and everyone you meet - after all friendship and kindness are life enhancing!

'Live life as though everything were rigged in your favour.' - Rumi

Image

Simplify

'What is success? It is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace' - Paulo Coelho

Jane Fuller

I've thought for many years that a high quality life is so much more to do with what you remove than what you add. This thinking is also very much in keeping with the philosophy of Arianna's Third Metric where less is more.

I've been a fan of de-cluttering for most of my adult life - as I believe the less clutter you have in your life the clearer and more centred you can become. This applies to all areas of life too including relationships and offices! I think one of the reasons I liked to move house was that it allowed me to do a major de-clutter which then enables new energy to come into my life - I just understood this naturally but I do think that an unrelenting pace of life can separate you from your voice of inner wisdom and we can forget what we naturally know and value.

The world is in chaos and so is society so the more clutter free and peaceful and tranquil your home the better and more supported you'll feel - your home can become your sanctuary. Recently I've had major re-decoration works at my house - great summer to do it - and in so doing I've also applied some feng-shui ideas and thoughts. I believe that buildings only exist because of humans, so they should be nurturing, emotional places and the ancient Oriental philosophy of feng shui helps us to understand that our homes are a direct extension of ourselves. By applying some of these elements we really can affect our health, wealth, happiness and inner peace. It's not difficult to do and most of the feng shui principles are just common sense.

By looking at your house as a whole system and understanding that one neglected area will sooner or later spread the negative energy throughout the whole house and vice versa you can counteract any problems! I love lots of natural light and air flowing through the house - so I have large skylights and windows and mirrors strategically placed to bring lots of positive chi (energy) into the house. I love candles, essential oils and crystals as they are energy purifiers and bring calm, harmony and balance into my home. Clearing clutter and buying less makes you become conscious of the foot print you are leaving on the earth. I care for my home the way I care for myself - so I don't have anything that isn't good to look at or broken and cracked! I also love orchids and fresh flowers as I believe bringing nature into your home is good for the energy and makes us feel whole. Colour and the front door and entrance are all important areas to think about too. These are just my basic rules I apply and I find they work for me and believe I have a happy house!

Travel light I say - you'll be happier and stress free! Have a great rest of summer - see you in September!

'Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open' - John Barrymore

Spirituality in Business

Jane Fuller

'At the root of our secular age is the fatal error that has led us to regard organized religion and the spiritual truth that man embodies as one and the same thing. This has caused millions to deny the reality of the latter because they have rejected the former. The impulse to know ourselves - which, after all, is a key component of spiritual seeking - is as deeply imprinted within us as our instincts for survival, sex and power.' - Arianna Huffington

Apologies for not being in contact sooner however, I've been researching the above title "Spirituality in Business" and I am slightly overwhelmed with the amount of material I have garnered. I have travelled to New York and spoken with Chairmen and CEO's; taken workshops with Hay House and The School of Life and in the process met Ryan Holiday (whose book 'The Obstacle is the Way" I can highly recommend) and the wonderful Arianna Huffington who needs no introduction. Her book Thrive is a best seller about the Third Metric on redefining success and creating a happier life. She believes we need to redefine what it means to be successful in today's world by showing the profound and transformative effects of meditation, mindfulness, unplugging and giving - everything I've been talking about in earlier blogs. Arianna shows the way to a revolution in our culture, our thinking, our workplaces and our lives. She understands it takes time to be human. I believe your mindset can limit your success in business - so not only is a spiritual practice smart but it's essential too. Can this please be taught in schools from a young age - it starts with education.

Before I started writing my first blog nearly 2 years ago - I talked to a number of business people whose view I respected, about wanting to bring spirituality into business. I was told by most of them that the corporates wouldn't like it and it was best I didn't mention the word 'spiritual'. Well never being one to shy away I explained 'that's exactly why they need to listen". We were still in the depths of the recent deepest darkest financial crisis and I believe that one of the major factors in the failing global economy was a lack of values in the corporate and banking world. They'd lost their way - money, greed and power had taken over. That doesn't make them bad people just bad behaviours. I think the movie 'The Wolf of Wall Street' - a true story about corruption in Wall Street in the 1990's before the recent financial crisis - best exemplifies this madness! Money and power was the only way to go and in the process don't think too much about ethics and values because no-one else is and of course there isn't the time. Greed was still good.

I think many people felt disillusioned with that culture and mindset and began to look for a deeper connection within themselves and their lives. I believe it was during those dark days that people generally began questioning and searching for a new way of living and working with a yearning for some degree of spiritual connection. And it's not just a certain demographic but the top tier of the corporate world who are dipping a toe into the spiritual waters - which means if they are then they'll want their businesses to reflect these values too. Erin Knowles who is a lifestyle curator for UHNW individuals says "The true elite are seeking enlightenment to fill the third metric of their lives.  My clients are starting to look within - they have partied hard, shopped hard and now they're exploring their inner health and spirituality. Because there's no point in having lots of money if you're not happy." I could feel the tide change with friends in business a few years ago and it's not just here in London but it's taking place on a global scale in New York at Goldman Sachs and HSBC to individual billionaires and people in their 20's and 30's upwards. They are looking for more meaning in their lives and business.

This does not mean we cannot enjoy consumerism - when you buy a new dress, you're buying into a beautiful piece of energy. This means I can enjoy that experience as much as a 'reiki' session with Dr. Susie Anthony - which I can highly recommend - but how many dresses and Chanel bags does a girl need? Psychological research shows that a core element to leading a happy life is to spend part of your time thinking about ideas or purposes that are bigger than you are. It's about perspective........

Not all industries are this evolved though - when I was running my own film production company the mantra in my industry at the time was 'we're 24/7 here' and everyone was expected to be available 24/7. This evidently has not changed at all since I left the industry and I believe it is deeply unhealthy. I wanted out over a decade ago and redefined my life and my view on success. Life isn't about power and money - although it helps - it's about so much more. I refer to my blog of January 2013 - 'Meaning is the new money'. After decades of pursuing riches, wealth seems less alluring and meaning has become the new money.......... People are realising that something is missing - to coin that wonderful song title phrase by Peggy Lee "Is that all there is?" echos in my ears........

Modern spirituality is centred on the deepest values and meanings by which people live. I am not religious but I'm spiritual and I want to acknowledge the importance of this in my life and it appears that many other people and their businesses do too. In fact you can be even more successful with this way of thinking and working so the economies can only flourish! Just imagine the spirit of your brand.........

Namaste

PS They used to say that politics and spirituality don't mix but Marianne Williamson - another fabulous spiritual leader - is running for Congress in District 33 of California. If I could vote for her I would but another acknowledgement that the world is changing and spirituality is being recognised as an important and political factor in peoples lives

PPS Can I recommend The School of Life website for The Philosopher's Mail  Another site that embraces spirituality and an antidote to The Daily Mail..........

PPS Arianna has personally asked me to be a voice on the Huffington Post - I'm chuffed and honoured

Have a great week!

'This life is too short for our souls'  -  Goethe

Conscious creation, perseverance and actions

conscious creation, perseverance and action

I've just spent 2 days at a conference with Hay House at Imperial College London - very inspiring work - thank you team! It confirmed everything I know to be true and works. That we can consciously create what we want in life by being clear about our goals and then consciously creating with our mind and actions to make our goals happen. However, being clear about what we want takes time and I find writing my own personal mission statement clarifies my goals and gives me a clear sense of purpose. Once you have that vision you need to sew it into the very fibres of your being - your mind is omnipotent and omniscient and will help in working towards the reality of that vision. That's why repetitive visualisations and affirmations for just 10-15 minutes on a daily basis work, as they build a neural pathway to your subconscious and help magnetise the good stuff to you. Also pay attention to the people you meet along the way and be open to life's synchronicities and serendipity - from people to books to all kinds of coincidences and channel any fears you have into clarity. Your brain will then bring your goals into reality.

As I've said in many earlier blogs I have usually expected the best and got it, but I now have more tools in my toolkit to consciously create what I want. Any setbacks now I consider to be lessons that help me learn and make better choices next time - always remind yourself that there is a greater purpose to all setbacks. However I can confirm that an expectation of the best, has a way of organising forces in your favour. The subconscious which regulates many of our actions, merely reflects our beliefs. As Norman Vincent Peale said, "Doubt closes the power flow. Faith opens it." You can achieve anything if you have faith, gratitude and forgiveness.

Physical exercise is another important factor in helping us to realise our dreams as Dr. Susie Anthony says, "Spiritual warriors understand the importance of staying in shape. Just like professional athletes, the ones who make it to the top know they must keep themselves fit. A regular and balanced exercise regimen has a multitude of benefits - it reduces stress, clears the mind, builds endurance and contributes to that 'look of a winner'. It makes no difference what form you choose, just as long as you enjoy it enough to do it 4 or 5 times a week." Ditto with a good nourishing diet and good sleep too.

One final point I'd like to add is to create your own power posse or tribe - there is nothing like sharing your journey with like minded people who want to define success differently and make the world a better place!

'Forget about the glass ceiling - let's change the system altogether by redefining the very meaning of success' -   Arianna Huffington

Image credit

Love

I have been celebrating my birthday just recently and I'm feeling very loved up by the people I love. So as this week is another celebration of love - I wanted to talk about the subject as I believe it's not just about loving one significant other - although that's great - but there can be different expressions of love and that all starts with loving yourself first. I believe you cannot love anyone until you truly love yourself.

I've found these thoughts and quotes helpful and inspiring in my life.........

"Our sole reason for being here is to get over the illusion of our separateness" - Thich Nhat Hahn

"I've learned that whenever I do something with an open heart I usually make the right decision." - Maya Angelou

"Follow your bliss" - Joseph Campbell

"Happy people make better choices and better choices make for a better planet" - Mastin Kipp

"I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone" - Maya Angelou

"The greatest gift I can give myself is unconditional love"  -  Louise L. Hay

"Love is an ever-fixed mark / That looks on tempests and is never shaken"   -   Shakespeare

"Poems and music are a sure way to bring us quickly into the Landscape of the Heart, since they speak its native language. The heart speaks in images and metaphors. It makes connections between the visible world and the mysteries beyond the grasp of our mind and senses. Ancient cultures relied on music and dance and the sacred word to stir the soul and create spiritual community" - Elizabeth Lesser

"Really fine art combines many emotions into one masterpiece - be that a painting, a poem, a film or literature" - Elizabeth Lesser

"Live your happiest life by accepting that some people can only be in your life as lessons and/or memories" - Karen Salmansohn

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel " - Maya Angelou

"Bring love into everything you do. Nothing out there will give you what you already have inside" - Gabrielle Bernstein

And here are some of my own:

Do work that you love and makes your heart sing

If there is something you feel passionate about or feel inspired to pursue - just do it!

The three primary realms for feeding your spirit is in your heart, the mind/imagination and the earth.

When you take care of your body and listen to it's needs - that's self love. Your body constantly talks to you. Slow down and make it a priority to listen.

Mindfulness and stillness and listening to your inner voice (intuition) will guide you. It is through the body that the spirit expresses itself. Physical activity can be a key to opening up your spiritual awareness, heart and feelings.

Look after your inner child by doing things you love to do - singing, dancing, going to the opera, ballet, theatre. Exercising in nature etc. Playing with animals. I always found riding my horse a very spiritual experience. Painting, drawing, travel and fun!

Let your heart lead your soul, let your soul lead your spirit and trust that all will be revealed to you.

You don't need anyone to complete you. You are a whole and wonderful person as you are.

Release any negativity - the more light we hold the more we can ascend

Never let it be about the money in anything you do

Consciously create your blissful life

A Spiritual Revolution is happening - be part of it

You have something they don't - we are all unique

Become a hub and connector by bringing people you love together and creating your own tribe

Gratitude and Forgiveness is the bedrock of a spiritual practice and the way to open up your heart. It's not out there - it's in here. It's an internal connection - that's what a spiritual connection is - nourish it.

Be a better version of yourself and bring it to life

Meaningful communication with other people is a spiritual practice

Play the glad game (from the Pollyanna film) at least once a day - now that's what I call gratitude!

My love and thanks to all the people who have inspired me to write and share these life enhancing quotes. We are all works in progress but I hope you have found these helpful and inspiring too. Wishing you much love and have a happy St. Valentines Day!

xxxx

PS Talking of love - can I recommend Donna Summer 'I Feel Love' - recently on the brilliant sound track to the feature film 'American Hustle'. Such a great track........and movie - watch it win many awards over the next few weeks.........and just dance to it round the kitchen on the 14th........please.

'The human race.......has unquestionably one really effective weapon - laughter!!' -  Mark Twain