Blessed are we who are healthy.

It's often not until we watch our child, a family member or close friend go through illness time and time again that we come to realise and appreciate that the one thing in life that matters is pure love.

So why do we drift apart from the heart of life? Why do we get caught up in life's complexities, luxuries, pretenses when what we really need is inside us all along?

Dare I begin to speculate. And I could, for hours and hours over cup of coffee after cup of coffee. But I won't because to do so would take me away yet again from pure love. It's there in each of us....and surfaces when we need it most. If only we could tap into it regularly and shrug off all the other unwanted debris.

After watching my son struggle with illness for nearly three weeks now, I vow to embrace pure love each and every day. It's the thing that binds and mends us.

Blessed are we who are healthy.

There's nothing like the positive power of new connections, especially when the sparks are flying.

Have you ever met someone new, and in an instant felt as if you've known them forever.

If we're lucky enough we might experience a handful of these moments in a lifetime. What's sad is that few of us take the time to fully engage during these perceived chance meetings. Some people are shy, afraid or simply overwhelmed by the force of the energy shift they encounter in these situations. But if we allow too much room for these thoughts the moment passes and the person who has ignited our inner flame has left the room or walked away.

How magical would it be if we could embrace these incredible gifts of friendship every time they appear.

Some people say that the older we get the more difficult it is to form bonds with others. I disagree. As a middle aged person I feel much more comfortable in my own skin and more confident in my ability to form lasting relationships. So perhaps those of us who are a little further down the track should tap into this maturity to help us embrace these powerful offerings of kinship.

Regardless of our age or gender we shouldn't be afraid to open up to someone whose energy seems to blend into our own.

Sometimes if we're lucky enough the same person will keep appearing in our lives and the link will evolve over time. Once in place it's important to keep the connection alive by making time to get to know one another. Who knows - the benefits could be life changing and you might just get to know a whole new side of yourself. Not to mention form a very real union with someone who has similar ideals to you.

I strongly believe that people come to us when we most need them. There have been several times in my life when I feel this has happened for me. One seemingly ethereal connection in my early twenties was particularly empowering. And although the coupling was short lived it was powerful enough to turn me full circle to face a new and bright beginning at an otherwise unhappy time in my life. I often wonder where I'd be had I given in to my fear of the overwhelming weight of the connection. Instead I am eternally grateful to this person who I often think of as my guardian angel. As a result of this powerful fleeting encounter I am a much better person and I am more aware and open to sychronistic events. Win win.

So whether it's short or long lived I say it's worth it. Embrace chance meetings that seem almost too good to be true, especially during the times you most need a boost. Give them your attention for they might just be there for a reason. Ask for contact details, introduce yourself. Don't let the moment pass you by. This all empowering force could be just what you've been waiting for.

Boost connections to feel more alive.

This blog post is inspired by a very real and new connection for which I am grateful.

In today's busy and competitive world it seems that the art of paying a compliment is fast fading. Yet it costs no money and literally takes seconds to inform someone that we appreciate them.

Paying someone a compliment can ease their nervousness in a new social setting, boost their self esteem, sway their otherwise negative mood to the side of positivity. And not only that - it will make the bestower feel good too.

For the social observer and extrovert, noticing, appreciating and vocalising qualities in others comes quite naturally. For others it might not be as easy but all it takes is for us to look around and see the detail in a situation and really feel the presence of those around us.

Remind yourself that appreciation feels good and that maybe today would be a perfect day to make someone else feel valued. After all, doing so could yield positive results for you both - you may strike up a new friendship or business contact or you might just foster a new appreciation in an existing relationship.

Either way it's worth the gamble for you never know how life changing your kind words could be for another. Read this inspiring article at the link below. It's the story of an engaging man whose simple acts of kindness have shepherded countless suicidal people away from a notorious cliff edge in Sydney.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/14/world/main6580981.shtml

This story and others should inspire us to realise we're not the only ones walking around on this lovely planet of ours. There are others, who like us, deserve to be valued and appreciated.

Bestow upon someone the gift of a compliment and notice how much better you feel for your act of kindness. It's a great way to boost confidence all round and enhance our connection with community consciousness.

photo - stock.xchng

Isn't colour amazing - it can lift our spirits, brighten our home and wardrobe, make us stop to stare and maybe even make us smile.

As a creative I've always loved colour and seem to have an eclectic style which lends itself to mixing obscure patterns and colours together. And of course I have a favourite colour - green. In fact MY colour "green" has just inspired me to write yet another blog:
http://www.goodnessgraciousgreen.blogspot.com/
So colour has certainly lifted my spirits of late.

Today it is well known and accepted that colour can also provide therapy for people, i.e. chromotherapy more commonly known as colour therapy.

But something I personally subscribe to is the simple pleasure of sitting down to colour in (either with or without my two year old). There's nothing like the meditative rhythm created by the eye/hand coordination  - before you know it the page almost becomes a blur and you find yourself suspended in some mystical place where there is no sense of time and no stress - ah bliss. It's possibly the best stress buster I've found.

Strangely enough I owe my new found therapy not to my two year old but to my mother, who not long after my daughter was born bought me a fabulous gift to help me relax - a special Mandala colouring in book. Having spent much time with pencils in hand, I now carry fond memories and a visual gallery of those early months, sitting at the kitchen table colouring in as my daughter lay in her bassinet only a few feet away.

So what are Mandalas?
Mandalas are concentric diagrams that have spiritual and ritual significance in many cultures. They are said to aid meditation and trance induction and bring about a sense of oneness.

Colouring mandalas really is a lovely thing to do for yourself.


To whet your appetite there are websites where you can learn more about mandalas and download free colouring in pages, like the one below:
http://www.mandala-4u.com/en/start.html

There is also an interesting online gallery where you can submit your mandala artwork and be part of a worldwide creative collective:
http://www.mandalaproject.org/What/Index.html

So I encourage you all to pull out your old crayons and get scribbling...don't forget to stay between the lines. Or if you're an out of the box kind of person like me, go crazy...and let the rhythm set you free.

At last I have released the hounds, bitten the bullet, taken the plunge.

Yes I have "let loose" and started my own blog; a positive blog that I hope will inspire others and boost readers' motivation, creativity, positivity and more.

On a daily basis I am inspired by dozens of things...nature, music, cheeky children, endearing words, creative ideas, the strength, determination and endurance of others...the list goes on. Yet I never seem to get the time to truly embrace these fleeting moments of inspiration. Hence Boost4all was born - an online platform to raise awareness of all things motivational and uplifting. By harnessing the endless array of inspirational energy that envelops us daily perhaps we can all be a little happier.

Donate and feel great
And so I begin with a wonderful story that inspired me just last weekend as I sat in a favourite cafe having a well deserved break from my two very gorgeous but demanding children.

It was in Queensland's edition of QWeekend that I read a truly inspirational story about a young mum who recently started her own charity called Givit - a "web based community where people donate items and time to people in need."

Givit is a "'targeted giving' service who connects those that need with those that have."

Brilliant!!

If you want to donate unwanted items you can photograph and upload them to Givit's website where charity organisations can view them and pass them on to individuals in need. It's a great way to declutter knowing that you're making a difference in someones life.

You can also view a list of goods required for those in need - you might just have a similar unused item that could change someones life.

Again Brilliant!!!!

Without further adieu, here is Givit's website:
http://www.givit.org.au/

I encourage you all to connect with this fabulous idea and support a well deserving charity.

Do something today - donate and feel great!!!
Boost both your sense of community spirit and someone else's happiness.