The dictionary definition of BLISS is: supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment.

This blog post is dedicated to a dear friend who recently lost his battle with depression and as a result, very sadly lost his life. RIP Craig "Tunny" Tunnock - forever in our hearts - we love you bro!!

Like the world's most wondrous mountains, life is BIG, beautiful and awe inspiring.
But in contrast, it is also rugged in parts. Its treacherous tracks can leave some feeling exhausted, desperate, confused, ill-at-ease and vulnerably isolated. Without even realising it, the dark abyss below can rise up to meet the adventurer face to face. And surely that's who we all are...."adventurers"....playing in life's fields, waters, mountains, streets. Play is fun and we relish the good times but getting beat time after time can knock even the strongest adventurer down.

With booming population numbers and increased interactive technology available, one would think there should be less need for any of us to feel alone and depressed. But the complexities of mental illness are vast, therefore it is vitally important to gain knowledge and seek support to help ourselves and others who may be suffering.

Has your household been a little lack lustre lately with all this rainy dull weather? Has your mood suffered as a result?

Our household has certainly experienced it's share of rainy day, or should I say rainy "week" blues.

But today something magical happened and the fog seemed to lift.

Apart from the wondrous blue skies and bright sun that has adorned our lives today, our household awoke to the sound of something magical.

The sound of music!!

And to think, here I was, almost at the end of my tether. Months of cabin fever and various other depressing circumstances had left me feeling very lack lustre indeed. Yet it seems that all it takes is a little music to lift our mood.

Why hadn't I thought of it sooner!

But I can't boast about the discovery, because it wasn't my idea to begin with.

Our darling daughter had noticed the large dusty box with the picture of a piano collecting dust in the back room. Yes, tragic i know. It was a precious gift from my brother and had been collecting dust for years. Having 2 children in quick succession and living in a small house meant I'd convinced myself that we just didn't have the time or space for something so cumbersome. Silly me!

Because, really it has changed our lives in an instant.

The quaint tinkering of our daughter's delicate hands on the keys is rather soothing and surprisingly the boy-hand bashing of keys by our little rascal is rather entertaining - more so than I would have expected.

And what's even more surprising, is the self-playing feature and all the electronic back beats - YES even they are uplifting. Nothing like a little elevator music to lift the mood...yes, things must have been bad to even make such a statement! They were.

But today is a good day! Music has taken the place of boredom and dullness. And it's staying! Tinker, bash and play play play I say!!! Liven up your life with a little music; fill the empty walls with vibrations of melody and listen with delight!

Music really does make life melodious! I would even go as far as to suggest that it doesn't even matter the style, as long as it's there. So go home and pull out that dusty guitar, open that creaky piano, bash on the drums or just put on the first track you can find. It doesn't have to be "live" to be good! It just has to BE!

Let music envelope you in a way that washes the blues away. And next time the rains set in, before you sink into the couch for another self-inflicted sad session, hit play on the ipod!!!

For more information on how and why music can lift our mood, visit the great resources below:

http://news.discovery.com/human/psychology/music-dopamine-happiness-brain-110110.htm

http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/sex+relationships/wellbeing/music+lifts+your+mood,11449

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Pages/Music-and-Mood.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token

"Music has the power to make me feel good like nothing else does. It gives me some peace for a while. Takes me back to who I really am." Gil Scott-Heron

For all the inspiration you need I suggest reading a great article in O-Mag written by Life Coach, Martha Beck.  It's titled, "How Three Simple (But Powerful) Words Can Put You On the Path to Happiness." (link to full article below)

With no blog post for a couple of weeks I awoke this morning with the desire to spread just one simple message:

"Be there to support others, in their time of need."

We're all part of life's great big adventure and we all get dealt life's countless cards, randomly and often unexpectedly. The good cards of course are always welcome but the more challenging cards can leave us feeling confused, sad, isolated, not to mention completely lost.

In recent weeks I have witnessed people close to me receive life's difficult cards. Although at times confronting and concerning, seeing and hearing their pain inspires me more than ever, to be there for them in their time of need. It also inspires me to reach out to strangers who seem to be travelling the road alone with a heavy load.

It doesn't take much people, to send an email, pick up the phone, write a card, or deliver a hug.

Put your empathetic and generous spirited skills to task - take a look beyond yourself and reach out to those in need.

Live life to the full - if we've woken up this morning we are LUCKY!!!!!

Put that precious ticker to use today and show some heart to others...

A little empathy goes a long way.

It seems we live in a world of self-focus, diversity and judgement so it's important to balance this out with a little kindness and empathy.

Sometimes people find it difficult to think of others due to the fast paced world in which we live. Yet taking the time to walk in another's shoes, especially during times of hardship, is one of the best gifts we can offer someone who may be dealing with a challenging burden.

Whether we acknowledge it to ourselves or not, we ALL endure hardship. Sometimes it's transparent and sometimes it's opaque, but if we pay close attention we can often sense distress in another. It may be a change of tone in their voice, a distance, a discord in their energy.

This knowledge should automatically empower us with empathy, yet still people choose to ignore opportunities to support others, perhaps due to ignorance, intolerance, closed-mindedness or simple self-focus?

Sure, life is fleeting and we all have our own priorities, values and agendas, but isn't it true, that so too, do others! And yes, their way might be very different to our own. But that in itself should not give us the right to ignore or judge.

Empathy is no more than taking a moment to stop, listen, be patient and tolerant to another person's needs, regardless of our own belief system. It's not difficult - it's a gift - a small offering of hope to someone who may be struggling with one of life's speed bumps.

It's nature's way to pave a life of highs and lows, so next time you suspect someone may be struggling to get over the hump, take a moment to firstly ask if they are OK. Then listen with patience and empathy to the story they have to tell. Whether we agree or disagree, it's important to offer an empathetic ear, a life-line in a moment of distress. We are after all, human, and with human existence comes a range of experiences and emotions, all delivered at different times to different individuals. Therefore we shouldn't expect to be all on the same page at exactly the same time.

Perhaps we could create a better world if we all stood back for a moment and acknowledged that not everyone is happy all the time and that there IS something positive we can offer each other during times of crisis. It's called empathy!

Take a walk in someone else's shoes today! Watch them smile and maybe even laugh in the comfort of having another person take a moment to really listen!

Dedicated to a dear friend who not only knew instantly that things were recently unwell in my world, but automatically provided an empathetic ear by offering their time, patience and open-mindedness.

Written by an eternally grateful blogger who is forever inspired by the goodness in humanity!

What is it you strive for? What do you value in life? What matters to you and your family?
These are important questions that deserve contemplation.

Why not put your thoughts to paper and write your own magnificent manifesto today.

So what is a manifesto?

The word manifesto traces its roots to the Latin word manifestum, which means clear or conspicuous.  A manifesto is defined as a declaration of one’s beliefs, opinions, motives and intentions. It is simply a document that declares what is important to a person or organisation.

There is evidence to prove that writing down things of importance and displaying them encourages and motivates us to achieve our goals and live our lives the way we fully intend.

The basic principle in a manifesto is: what we focus on tends to expand itself.


For example if we were to read our manifesto every day before work we would feel empowered and motivated by what matters most to us. Having this tool allows us to focus our mind and actions on our priorities throughout the day.

And when things get tough in life, reading our manifesto will allow us to calm and control our mind. It's like a reboot to a calmer more rational you. Try it!

Here are some great resource links for writing your own manifesto:
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Manifesto
http://daringtolivefully.com/personal-manifesto

In good times and bad, a manifesto is a terrific tool - and fun to create. Here's a generic one below that I love:

When you're feeling blue or even a darker shade of grey, take action!!

Waltz into your room, fling open the doors and reach for some wardrobe wonders.

Find the brightest thing you own and don yourself with a SPLASH of colour.

It could be a simple accessory that lifts your mood or an entire outfit of joyful hues.

A personal favourite of mine is a red fluffly scarf - sometimes mistaken for a boa. People always comment and it makes me feel positive everytime I wear it.

Sometimes just the smallest splash of colour can elevate your mood.

Take a chance...splash out in colour today!

Speaking of colour, check out this month's cover and photo shoot for "Real Living" magazine - I LOVE IT - my favourite colour...green!!! Now that's inspiring! I feel calm already!

http://homes.ninemsn.com.au/realliving/wereloving/292050/luxe-looks.slideshow

Do you skip down the hallway on the way to the shower?
Do you roll down hills with your children, squealing with delight as you collide with each other?

These are great ways to embrace your inner child. Yet not enough of us truly let loose and explore the benefits such silliness offers.

Embracing your inner child is a great way to ease stress and enjoy the fun things in life.
It allows us to relax, think outside the box, show our love for others and laugh out loud.
It's the simple things, after all, that really matter.

So next time you want to relieve a little stress, take a deep breath, feel the freedom and launch yourself into a world of silliness.

If you're stuck for ideas, here are 10 ways to embrace your inner child:
1. Buy some water pistols and have a water fight in the backyard.
2. Invent and sing a silly song when washing up.
3. Skip to the letterbox.
4. Go to a playground and swing, swing, swing, as high as you can go.
5. Play your favourite song from the 80s and dance around the lounge room.
6. Make and eat fairy bread.
7. Run around like a 4 year old under a sprinkler in the backyard.
8. Make a snow angel (or "grass angel" as my daughter calls them) - that's right, lie down in the grass and flap your arms and legs about in a star shape.
9. Open the fridge and drink from the milk carton - go on, just this once.
10. Pull a silly face when stuck at the traffic lights.

And one more for good luck:
11. Buy tassels for your bicycle's handle bars and ride around the block with a big grin on your face.

Have fun. Play, laugh, sing, dance, create, imagine, be silly. Make funny faces and embrace the little being inside you that's just screaming to get out every now and again.

Thanks to one of my closest, funniest, silliest, most fun loving friends, I was reminded recently of how important it is to "embrace your inner child".

Go on pull that silly face, I dare you!

Do you struggle to make decisions? Do you get confused from time to time? Who doesn't.

Life is a series of complex challenges and change is inevitable.

There are many times during our lives when we may find ourselves stuck at a crossroad with no idea of which path to choose.

But guess what? - I have a tip to assist us all with the decision making process. And it's all about values. If we take the time to discover what matters to us and write a list of the things we truly value, decision making becomes easier.

When faced with a decision, having a list of values allows us to recognise if the choices we have either align or detract from our priorities. The best decision is obviously one that aligns with what matters most to us at any given time.

For example if you were seeking employment and you'd taken the time to discover that "work life balance" was high on your list of values, you wouldn't choose a 60 hour a week job. Making such a choice would obviously "detract" from what truly mattered to you at that particular time in your life.

So take the time to think about what really matters to YOU. And remember we're all different - we all have different needs and desires. We shouldn't compare ourselves to others, for no two people are alike. What matters to some, may not register highly on our own list of values. 

Write your very own list of values and keep it safe. Revisit it often to see if your priorities have changed and then when you are faced with your next set of challenges, pull it out and use it as a tool to discover which decision best suits YOU.

When facing a decision you may also like to write a list of choices. Think about each chioice and ask yourself, "does this option detract and align with my values?"  

Having a list of values really is a powerful way to ease the stress of decision making. And creating the list is a fun way to learn more about ourselves. 

With a clear list of values we are armed with decision making power.