Search Results for "window"

There is no rush, but there is a window. Thoughts on motivation at this time.

Posted on 2020-05-19 at 5:45 pm.

Greetings from my garden, where I have been spending a lot of time lately. In fact, I’d go so far as to say my garden has been one of my greatest teachers during this time. When lockdown hit I was overcome with an elemental desire to plant vegetables. I think it was a combination of wanting to feel more self-reliant when so many decisions were being taken out of my hands, along with uncertainty about the food supply, and a desire to spend more time outdoors. Whatever the motivation, the garden has been a place of solace these past few weeks, and I am so grateful for it.

As I studied the backs of the seed packets, trying to figure out what to plant where and when, I was struck with the realization that in nature, there is no rush, but there is a window. A particular variety of lettuce might be best sown between March and May. So if you are in early March, there is certainly no rush. If you haven’t got round to it by April, there is still no rush. Come May, the window is closing, but there is still no rush really. There are plenty of days to find five minutes to sow those seeds. But if you leave it until June, or July, or September or December then the window will have closed. There will be another window next year, just not the one that was open to you back in Spring.

I think that is going on now. I know from your messages and questions that a lot of you are feeling under pressure to do something significant with this time, not least because you have seen lots of other people posting about their commitments to lose weight, or launch something new, or write a novel during lockdown or whatever. I have a couple of things to say about that.

Firstly, nothing beautiful is ever born from comparison. Creativity flourishes when the pressure to do what you think you should is OFF, not when it is on. The fire burns when the heart is attuned to something that matters to you because it is aligned to who you are.

Secondly, there is ebb and flow in all of life. If you were rushing and pushing and jostling and being super-productive before this, it’s not surprising that you are now in a lull. That’s your body finding balance. The time for output will come again soon, but perhaps now is not that time, and that is okay.

Thirdly, pottering can be part of the process. When I go on writing retreats to write long books, I spend a lot of time physically writing words. But I also spend a lot of time walking and thinking, tidying my pen supply, making tea. It’s pottering, and it looks pointless, but it is where the gold is being shaped. So perhaps your current pottering is part of your process, and it is to be welcomed. This is a very special opportunity to step back from everything and notice the details of our lives and there is real value in that too.

So if you feel like you want to do something significant, but things just aren’t flowing right now – or you can’t even imagine having the energy to think of something you’d like to do, just remember what the seeds teach us: There is no rush, but there is a window. It’s fine not to do it today, or tomorrow, if the timing is not right. But there is a window for everything, which will close eventually, so it’s good to keep coming back to things and seeing if you are ready yet. And if not, perhaps it’s worth accepting that this window might close, but another will open, because it always does.

I talked about this at the Morning Meeting on Instagram @bethkempton this morning. I have started a new daily practice of showing up on Instagram Live to answer questions you have about dealing with the uncertainty of what lies ahead, and reimagining a hopeful future. If you have any such questions, please just hit reply and I’ll add them to my list. I’m going to be on Instagram in the morning UK time every week day until all the questions are answered. You can also watch the replays on IGTV (just go to my feed @bethkempton).

If you want to really explore what this time has meant and could mean for you, and get a host of inspiration for life beyond this, don’t miss my new book We Are in This Together which is out on Thursday! (Yes, I had a big burst of creative energy and wrote a book during lockdown, but then I had a big rest, and now I’m back. Ebb and flow, see?) You can get your copy here(or herein the US/Canada). And for everyone pre-ordering it I am offering FREE access to my new writing course ‘Words Heal: Writing in times of crisis’, a beautiful new two week workshop to help you explore your feelings around this situation, and create beauty from it. If you want free access to that class (worth £20) just click here and fill in the short form after you have ordered the book.

Much love

Beth Xx

Window shopping in Paris!

Posted on 2012-03-08 at 9:00 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Some of the window displays were simply divine. Look at the colours!

More Paris posts here: Parisian markets / Paris story / Les papeteries / Parisian cafes / Paris details

I was in Paris researching The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design – join us if you want to get inspired with your own pattern designs!

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Posted on 2020-02-05 at 1:40 pm.

Written by Simon Brown

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Why Every Parent Needs More Headspace

Posted on 2018-07-18 at 9:03 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

by guest writer Alison Qualter-Berna

The mother of a 6-month-old baby rushes to the kitchen as soon as her daughter falls asleep so she can mash organic avocado into the BPA free glass bowl she just bought. You know the kind; the one promising to seal in nutrients. As her breastmilk seems to be dwindling with each passing day, making her feel insecure and insufficient, she feels she has to provide supplemental nutrition where she can. She stops briefly to read 4 lines of an article about what she’s “supposed” to do when, alas, naptime is over and it’s back to parenthood. As she picks up her bundle of magic, she realizes she’s yet to brush her teeth.

The father of a 6-year-old child rushes home from the office to do “homework” with his first grader wondering if all little boys swing from the headboard while they are reading. The human brain can absorb vocabulary while upside down, can’t it? Is he the only one who doesn’t read chapter books yet? Is the dad the only father trying to squeeze the love of an entire afternoon into a few precious, tired hours before bed?

The mother of a 16-year-old teenager watches her daughter walk out of the house to go to a birthday party wearing a half shirt. Is it okay or if she suggests something with more coverage or does it means she’s sexualizing what is simply a fashion trend? She swallows her inner disapproval with a smile that says ‘I love you no matter what,’ only to receive a comment about how much homework is on deck for the next day…that of course after the ride to soccer and then the drive to lacrosse in another state. Her overscheduled brain will still figure out how her daughter will fit piano and cello practice in before the big recital. “Oh, and I forgot…Mom, can you set your alarm for 6am? I need you to quiz me in science”

Every phase of parenthood is both blissfully fulfilling and (if you’re all in) utterly exhausting. You love and you love, and you give and you give, but some days you wonder where did I go? Is there a pause button I can press in the struggle to find myself?

Enter meditation.

Meditation carries the answers to so many issues facing parents and yet many of us are too busy to slow down, let alone sit in silence for 10 or 15 minutes. There are lots of ways to get started and workshops to explore but the simplest way is right in your back pocket on your smartphone. My absolutely favorite app is called Headspace. Headspace is ideal for new meditators or for busy parents because it’s an app that makes it all accessible. You don’t have to sit cross-legged. You don’t have to practice yoga. You don’t have to be versed in Buddhist philosophy. You just have to commit to taking 10 minutes for yourself, every single day.

Headspace’s incredibly varied theme packs range from managing anxiety or stress, to finding productivity or happiness. Whether you are looking to be more productive in your days or heal childhood wounds, meditation has a (different) answer for each one of us. I have many friends who seem to crave meditation but ask me how I can possibly fit it into my hour-to-hour, frenetic work days. I invite them to simply try Andy’s soothing and knowledgeable voice on Headspace for just 10 minutes a day for 10 days and then check back with me. Every single time I hear about the positive change it makes…and in such a short window of time.

Meditation offers a safe space for each of us to start a conversation with ourselves, however afraid we might be to have it. What parent doesn’t long for the time to explore the musings in the mind and simply observe them, without judgement? Meditation can be exactly that “pause button” we crave as busy parents.

In that pause, we can learn many lessons that support not only our parenting journey but all of our relationships.

Meditation teaches us about letting go. Meditation helps us internalize letting go which may be the most difficult task of a loving parent: letting your infant sleep on their own, letting your toddler explore their boundaries, letting your young child lose or fail, letting your teenager individuate, letting your young adult enter the great big world. Meditation is a practice that supports our efforts to relinquish control and simply celebrate the various roads our children will travel.
Meditation teaches us to be comfortable in uncertainty. After 12 years of working with families I have not met a parent who isn’t racked with uncertainty. How do I potty train my strong-willed child? How come my kid won’t eat anything that’s green? Can I get my child into the best preschool? What should I do if my child doesn’t make the soccer team? What should I say when my teenager admits she’s been drinking? What do I do if my child is moving in a direction I didn’t expect? We long for answers but the truth is that life simply unfolds. Meditation teaches us to sit with the uncertainty until we get to the moment when we need to act. And when we do, we respond in a calmer and more centered way.
Meditation teaches us to be fully present. In these incredible tech-heavy times, I see too many parents on their phones while their child is talking to them, and too many kids with their face in their devices when they should be having face to face conversations. Meditation encourages us to step out of what we are doing and get into the present moment. There is no guilt in being swallowed by your inbox (I am) or working all day only to miss your child’s dinner and bath. But in those 30 rushed minutes before bed, meditation teaches us how to make those fleeting minutes the most present time you can spend with your child. I always tell parents it’s the quality of time you spend with your child, not the quantity. Meditation supports that line of thinking and the benefits are endless.
Meditation teaches us to be more empathetic and really see through the lens of our child. My babies are now teenagers and I have a deep well of empathy for their experiences. But when I’m stretched thin or overly exhausted, I can easily forget that my way isn’t the only way. Meditation teaches us to be more sensitive to their needs, even if they aren’t meeting ours. The best part of this gift is its translation into every other relationship in life.
Meditation actually makes us less tired and more patient. If I could capture the number one thing parents have told me over the last decade at apple seeds, it very often comes back to, “I need more sleep.” Babies keep us up all night because they need us and teenagers keep us up all night because they don’t need us. It seems counterintuitive but taking just 10 or 20 minutes out of your day to meditate actually adds to how much you get done in that day. Your level of patience goes up and you complete more tasks in a less frenetic way. Meditation can improve your sleep which makes us less agitated. I used to pop a pill to fall back to sleep and now I just reach for Headspace. Headspace is the healthiest (and cheapest) cure for insomnia on the market.
Meditation is one of the greatest gifts we can give to our children. We spend so much time and money on our kids and I often wonder if they greatest gift we could ever give to them is actually free. In this crazy world, as more and more screens dominate our children’s minds, teaching them to meditate and be present or mindful is a gift they will carry throughout their lives. Not many other things we give our kids can compare. Meditation can teach a child to step out of their mind and observe their thoughts, helping them manage natural anxieties, increase their level of empathy, and help them navigate the throes of life.

Someone once told me that I should take note of how I feel immediately after doing something. If it doesn’t feel positive, then I should stop. If it does, then I should seek more. I keep seeking meditation because it always shows up. It’s like a daily morning date with my mind, and a safe space to explore questions where I’m still longing for answers. It’s a way for me to find separation from issues that can overtake me and allow new ideas to flow in. It’s a way to for me to start my day more centered and grounded, ready to parent with calmer energy, and ready to walk into my office and face anything that comes.

Perhaps most importantly, meditation is way for me to let go of things I hold on to and internalize the deep appreciation for every single ounce of what I’ve got. What busy parent doesn’t need that reminder?

Editor’s note: We also love Insight Timer (especially Yoga Nidra for Sleep with Jennifer Piercy) and Buddhify, created by our friend Rohan Gunatillake.

About Alison Qualter-Berna: Alison lives in NYC with her husband and three children. She spent five years in production at NBC News and six years at UNICEF where she created and managed a global program in Sports for Development. After her twin girls were born, she created apple seeds, an all-in-one play space for children 0-5 years, with three NYC locations and 20 songs for seeds music franchises. Alison is obsessed with yoga and endurance challenges. With her friends, she formed the nonprofit Team See Possibilities, making history three times.

Feeling rushed and exhausted? Try our on-demand course ‘How to be Happy (and Calm, Organized + Focused)‘

Read more about finding headspace and heartspace in ‘Freedom Seeker: Live more. Worry less. Do what you love.” by DWYL Founder Beth Kempton:

Privacy Policy

Posted on 2018-05-10 at 9:36 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

Do What You Love Limited understands and respects the importance of your privacy. This Privacy Policy outlines how we use the personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us. Please read the following information carefully.

For the purpose of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018, we, Do What You Love Limited are the Data Controller and Processor for https://dowhatyouloveforlife.com/(The Site).

The GDPR 2018 will introduce the following principles to UK/ EU law:

Lawful, fair and transparent processing of data
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Feeling stuck? This could help you figure out what to do next!

Posted on 2018-01-30 at 9:35 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

I am writing this on a train, whizzing north through the English countryside to a beautiful hidden place, for a week-long writing retreat to work on my next book. The fields outside my window are veiled in frost and mist, and I just found myself doing a long and slow exhale. You know the kind that you do at that moment when you realise all your holiday preparations are finally done, your bags are packed, your out-of-office is on and your adventure has actually begun? That kind of breath.

To me the idea of having a whole week stretching ahead of me to write (which means to wander and ponder, walk in the hills and think deeply about one particular thing, chew my pencil, eat chocolate and drink copious amounts of tea) is dreamy. It’s one of the times that I really feel free, and my life is better for it.

I’m sharing this with you because I want that for you too, whatever your version of feeling free might look like. Which brings me to our newest tool to help you figure it out!

Since Freedom Seeker was published a year ago (Is that all? It feels like several lifetimes!) I have been humbled and delighted to hear how it has helped so many of you discover so much more about yourself, and inspired you to move in a new direction. One of the things I have heard over and over is what a difference it made to have practical exercises in every chapter of the book, so it goes beyond inspiration to real and immediate action.

In order to make it even easier for you to take that action, we have designed this elegantly beautiful new Freedom Seeker Workbook to accompany the book. It’s an action plan for living more, worrying less and doing what you love. And it’s in digital format so you can either type straight into it, or print it out and use it like a personal journal.

The Workbook contains versions of all the exercises from the original book, with space to scribble your thoughts and responses, and ready-made templates where they are helpful. 78 pages of goodness to help you make an action plan for moving towards your dreams!

Get your Workbook here, and dive in!

And if you haven’t read Freedom Seeker go and get your copy now to read alongside the workbook, or get it on Audible and let me read the book to you, while you sit somewhere cosy with a cup of tea and let the Workbook work its magic!

Right, it’s time for me to switch off and get writing. I’ll see you on the other side…

Beth Xx

Dream board your way to a life you love

Posted on 2017-02-02 at 9:56 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

This post is written by Louise Gale, a member of the Do What You Love Team and British mixed media artist who spends her days creating, running creative workshops and assisting other creative souls with their businesses.

You have probably heard the term dream board (or vision board or vision map) many times before as it’s a wonderful tool for manifesting your desires.

A dream board is basically a board — of any size — onto which you collage pictures, words and other items that inspire you. The idea is to help you clarify and maintain focus on a specific life goal by creating a picture — a vision — of what you want to attract into your life. It could be a place you’d like to visit or live, changes you’d like to make to your relationship, work environment, home life or career, or on a mental, physical or emotional level, how you’d like to think, act and feel.

Why are dream boards important?

A dream board serves as your image of the future — a tangible example, idea or representation of where you are going, your dreams, goals, and vision for your ideal life. In today’s modern world we spend so much time rushing around, being distracted by technology and generally looking to the outside world rather than into ourselves, that it’s easy to forget who we are and where we are going. Creating a dream board is a great way to reconnect with your true, authentic self and get clear on what you really want from life.

This was the dream board I created for 2016. Images have a greater impact on the subconscious mind than words but words trigger a more emotional response so I use a combination of both.

Do dream boards really work?

Absolutely! I have harnessed the power of these beauties many times over. In fact, they have helped me:

– to leave my job and reconnect with a creative life I desperately craved (201o)

– to manifest a move to a home with studio space (2011)

– to start living a simpler life (2012)

– to overhaul my life completely and move to Spain (2013)

– to focus more on how I want to feel in my life, to slow the pace and to find the money to make a trip to Morocco (2014)

– to reconnect with nature, spend more time creating and enjoy my life by the sea (2015)

– to nurture my mind, body and soul (2016)

Now my boards are all about how I want to feel and the life I want to lead rather than specific goals I want to achieve.

The great thing about dream boards is that each one is unique and special to you. Our lives are constantly evolving, and so are our goals and dreams so creating new boards on a regular basis is a fantastic way to keep focused on what you really want. I keep all my boards close by as there are still things manifesting on some of them.

A Full Moon dream board to help you harness the power of NOW!

Many people create a dream board at the start of a new year, or when they are focusing on a specific event or life goal (such as getting married, moving home, or changing careers) and this is a great way to plant seeds of intention for what you wish to manifest. In addition to a yearly board, I also like to create ‘Full Moon Mandala Dream boards’, which are circular collages that draw on the power of the Full Moon each month to help me dream bigger, be more creative, and attract new people, experiences and opportunities into my life. They are a lot of fun to make too!

Every phase of the Moon creates a certain energy which affects us, and everything on Earth. Like the Moon, we too move through phases and by creating a Full Moon Mandala between the New and Full Moon, we are using its power to gather, grow, learn and get focussed for the weeks ahead.

The New Moon (28 January ’17) is a time to begin new things and be spontaneous, optimistic, and hopeful. It’s the perfect time to start gathering inspirational images and words to create your board.

Waxing Moon – (right now!) is the time during which the moon goes from new to full and it’s about building, accomplishments, creativity, strength, growth and learning, and positive transformation. It’s the ideal time to create your own Full Moon dream board.

The Full Moon (10 February ’17) is a time for fruition and fulfilment so it’s a great time to unveil your board and put it up where you can see it often.

Here’s how to do it…

My full moon mandala dream board

Materials you will need…

Thick card or a poster board of any size
A variety of magazines (you never know where inspiration will strike!)
A photograph of yourself (smiling/looking happy)
Glue – I use acrylic medium or modge podge (I use these in my mixed media creations and I find they don’t ripple the pages like elmers does and it lasts longer than a regular glue stick)
Scissors (optional)
Music – something restful to help your mind be quiet and open. I like soft classical or spa music without singing so I don’t get distracted by the words
White sage, candle or incense (optional)

Before you begin, follow a simple ritual to centre yourself:

Find a space where you won’t be interrupted. Or plan an dream board event with family and friends and be creative together!

Burn some white sage to purify the air and cleanse the environment around you. If you don’t have sage, burn a white candle or incense instead.

Put on some uplifting or relaxing music and breathe deeply. Centre yourself.

Set your intentions by asking, ‘what do I want from this?’

Close your eyes, focus on what you would like to invite into your life and ask the universe to support you for your highest good.

Collecting for my dream board

Create your dream board in 5 easy steps…

Sift through your magazines and start collecting images and words that resonate with you (don’t glue anything yet!). Don’t rush, this is a powerful exercise to attract your visions. Then grab the images and words you have collected.
Start laying your images out on your board. This is highly intuitive part of the exercise so feel free to move them about, and take out ones that no longer feel right. You may see a theme starting to emerge.
Next position the photo of yourself right in the centre showing how happy you’ll be when all these things you’re dreaming about start happening.
When you are ready, glue your images and words onto the board and draw pictures/write additional words on too.
When you feel you have completed your board, hang it somewhere where you can see it every day, like the bedroom so you see it as soon as you wake up.

Other types of dream board

I have created many different types of dream boards over the years. The three I use most often are:

1. The inviting, allowing and opening up to the Universe board

Create this dream board if…

You are not sure what you want
You need to lift your spirits after feeling lost, down or uncertain about life
You want to make a change but you’re just not sure what, or how to go about it

How to create your board:
Start to go through your magazines and simply tear out images that speak to you, don’t ask why, just enjoy collecting images and words that you’re drawn to. Once you’ve finished, look through and ask yourself what this image or word might mean for you. If you are not 10o per cent sure, but really like the image or word that’s okay, put it onto your board. Look at your board and ask yourself what messages it’s giving you. The answers to your questions will present themselves soon enough if you let your heart and intuition guide you.

2. The “I know what I want from my life” board

Create this vision board if….

You know what you want to invite into your life
You are ready and willing to change your current situation, environment or circumstances

How to create your board:
Go through your magazines and look specifically for images and words you know you want to manifest or bring into your life. For example, if you long to live in the country, own a dog and grow your own vegetables look for images of your dream country house, a dog you’d love, and fresh vegetables, etc.

3. The themed vision

Create this vision board if:

There is a particular area of your life that you are looking to work on – like your career, health, relationship, etc.
You are starting a new creative project, redecorating your home, or buying new clothes and want inspiration, clarity and focus
You are planning a big event like a wedding, party or holiday

How to create your board:
Go through your magazines and choose images and words that align with the vision you are trying to create. For example, let’s say, I want to makeover my balcony so it looks beautiful all year round, creating a themed board – also called a mood board – is a great way to gather inspiration and spark ideas. Pinterest is great for this. You can also inject an extra tactile element by adding physical objects (like photos, objects from the garden, textured materials, and colour swatches) to your physical board so it becomes a piece of mixed media art, and starts to tell a richer more detailed story.

It’s important to remember that there’s no right or wrong way to create a dream board. Just go with your instincts and be open. You may be surprised by what comes as a result! I hope you enjoy creating your boards as much as I do and that you begin to see the power of them as your dreams start coming to life.

You can find more information on full moon phases, mandalas and dream boards here.

***

Louise Gale is a British mixed media artist, with a passion for colour, nature and mandala making. She spends her days creating, running creative workshops and assisting other creative souls with their businesses. Louise is also a member of the Do What You Love Team.

Louise spent 8 years living the USA, just outside of New York City where she found the courage to leave her windowless office corporate job and pursue a life filled with more creativity and freedom.

Her artwork has been featured in The New York Times, Amulet Magazine, and Inc. Magazine amongst many other books and publications. Louise is also one of the co-authors of “Mandala for the Inspired Artist: Working with paint, paper, and texture to create expressive mandala art” (Walter Foster) published in 2016.

Connect with Louise via her website, Instagram or Facebook.

An out of office experience

Posted on 2017-01-31 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

This a guest post by adventurer, author and motivational speaker Alastair Humphreys. Find out more about Alastair here.

“This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don’t like something, change it. If you don’t like your job, quit. If you don’t have enough time, stop watching TV.” – Holstee

Rain rattled the windows. An elderly man on a mobility scooter urged his machine a little faster across the wet grey car park. I sighed.

I had driven all the way to west Wales for a microadventure with some of the guys from howies. They had never slept a night in a bivvy bag and looked a little reluctant to start now. I had slept many nights in a bivvy bag and was very reluctant to add to my tally in this weather.

But we persisted. And that is the key to doing almost anything interesting in life. You’ve just got to do it. Team howies turned off their computers and shut down the office. We began.

Leaving the office for an overnight adventure

Ade, Alex, Ruben and I pedalled through the damp, grey town, through a heavy rain shower or two. And then we were out into the fresh air and brighter skies of the countryside. Wet hedgerows sparkled in the sunshine as we stretched our legs and cheered at the feeling of racing down a quiet road towards the coast.

Taking a break to watch the sun set

The roads became smaller and narrower and quieter. We turned up a bridleway laden with blackberries. Up and over a hill then racing like mad little things through exciting singletrack and down to the coast. We were just in time. The sky was heavy grey. The sea had a strange deep purple sheen. But between the sea and the sky blazed a brilliant golden sunset. We were so happy to be out here.

Seals bobbed quietly below us. Alex observed that we had been riding for only as long as his normal car-bound boring drive home. He had swapped his daily commute for a bike ride, a fabulous sunset and the open sea. And -for one night only- this was home. We unrolled bivvy bags in a grassy clifftop hollow. Hidden from the wind, open to the sea and the stars. We ate and drank and chatted and then we lay down to sleep.

I lay awake for a good while, enchanted by the clouds rolling above us. A lighthouse beat its regular rhythm through the night. Each time I woke in the night I noticed the stars moving above us. The Big Dipper was so bright and distinct it looked as though it had been painted bright onto the sky above.

The Big Dipper

To my relief it did not rain and we woke refreshed and happy. Espresso, a clifftop view, and a stonking singletrack downhill makes for a happy start to a day.

Waking up in the fresh air

Follow that with a swim in the sea and a bacon sandwich and you really do have all the necessary ingredients for a short, sharp microadventure.

All this, all this in just those hours we waste so often, the hours between finishing a hard day’s work at the office and beginning the next one.

Try it.

You won’t regret it. (Unless it rains!)

***

Perfect time for a revolution!

Are you ready for a new challenge or adventure? Have you been doing the same thing for so long that you’ve forgotten who you are? Are you questioning what you really want from life? Then now’s the perfect time for a change.

Whatever your year was like in 2016, this is a chance to start again, right where you are, and choose how you want your year to feel in 2017.

‘New Year’s Revolution‘ is a free tool for meaningful planning to help you make this coming year amazing. Our FREE 24-page e-book will help you extract the good from 2016, look ahead and shape your 2017 into the year you want it to be. It includes a powerful technique to help you make dreams into reality, and make your ideas happen.

Print it out, grab a pen, make a cuppa, go somewhere you won’t be disturbed, and get ready to embark on a fantastic voyage of self-discovery.

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Could it be magic? 6 ways to bring back the Christmas sparkle this year

Posted on 2016-12-23 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Image credit: Heatons

This post is written by our Senior Editor, Rachel Kempton.

Do you remember how wonderful Christmas felt when you were a child? I don’t know about you but come December, there was always a special kind of magic in the air: a feeling of wonder and anticipation. Every year I couldn’t wait for the Christmas decorations to come out of hibernation, to count down the days on my advent calendar and to play my (never-so-leading role!) in the nativity play. At school we’d gather unwanted gifts to give to patients at local hospitals and I’d go round nursing homes with my friends and sing Christmas carols to the old folks. Christmas was about giving, as well as enjoying precious time with family, laughing, playing games, eating far too much – and of course the joy of opening the goodies Santa had left in ours sacks and stockings.

As we get older, and the pressures of daily life take over, it’s not surprising that Christmas can lose its sparkle, especially if we find ourselves overwhelmed by to-do lists, exhausted by social obligations, and swept up in the commercial side of things. In fact according to the results of a survey*, Christmas is up there with divorce, moving house and changing jobs as the sixth most stressful life event. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Here are our top tips for ensuring Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year!

1. Embrace the spirit of giving

Spread some love and joy by focusing on what you’re grateful for, and what you can give. If you look around, there are kindness opportunities every day and in any situation – writing a card, helping out a friend or carrying someone’s groceries. Here are some more great ideas for giving something back:

donate a toy for underprivileged children
take a bag of unwanted gifts or clothes to your local charity shop
spend an hour in your local hospital talking to someone who doesn’t get any visitors
help out a homeless shelter
organise a charity Christmas collection
volunteer your services at your local Christmas concert or Carol Service
invite a neighbour who’s alone to join you for Christmas dinner
start a “Pay-It-Forward” chain (for example by paying for a coffee for the person behind you in the queue at your local cafe) to spread some holiday cheer.

Need inspiration? Try out this ‘Acts of kindness generator’ created by Shari’s Berries. With over 50 ideas to inspire your next thoughtful gesture it’s sure to make you to feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing you’re making somebody else’s Christmas all the more special.

2. Keep it cheap – or free!

Christmas doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact you don’t necessarily have to spend any money at all! The Do What You Love team love the idea of a ‘free’ Christmas, and last year we only gave gifts which were:

hand-made (like a scrapbook, a piece of furniture, or a wooden toy) although we were allowed to pay for materials/ingredients!
second hand (like a vintage typewriter or sewing machine which we no longer used, or books which were gathering dust on our bookshelves or which were so brilliant we just had to pass on)
items we had received and never used like a gift voucher, products that we got as part of a deal such as ‘buy one get one free’, or something we’d bought with a gift card we had previously received)
we were available to give freely ourselves thanks to our personal skills/talents/businesses (i.e. a free e-course course, a healing or beauty treatment, a tarot card reading, a business mentoring session, or gardening/babysitting/DIY services)
bought/acquired as a result of selling/trading online or at a car boot or mother and baby sale, for example.

Image credit: dotcomgiftshop

Gifting ‘free’ presents worked well because it felt good to really think about the person we were giving to and we also received some lovely thoughtful gifts ourselves too.

3. Bring back the traditions you loved

Remember those things you and your family did every Christmas without fail? Whether it was writing a letter to Santa, making snowflakes for the windows, baking gingerbread men, playing games after Christmas dinner, or leaving out a mince pie, carrot and glass of sherry on Christmas Eve… childhood traditions are precisely the things that make Christmas so special and unique. And it doesn’t matter if you don’t really have any traditions; it’s never too late to start new ones!

Need inspiration? Check out this article: 50 Christmas Traditions For Having Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (perfect for kids aged 1 to 92!)

4. Swap stress for love and gratitude

These days, whenever I start to feel anxious, overtired, or angry, that’s usually a trigger for me to slow down, take a breath and ask myself: “Am I thinking and acting out of fear and stress, or am I thinking and acting in a state of love and gratitude?” I challenge you to try it.

Need more inspiration, help and advice? Read this article on How to Choose Gratitude Over Stress This Holiday Season

5. Keep it fun and festive

If you want to fully experience the Christmas magic, you have to embrace the festivities (yep, I’m wearing my Christmas jumper and reindeer socks as I type!). Whether it’s filling your playlist with Christmas songs, watching some Christmas classics, organising Secret Santa at the office, or hosting an intimate gathering with friends and family, there are loads of ways that you can spread good cheer and ignite the festive spark in everyone around you too.

Image credit Kelly Hoppen

6. Do something different

As children, part of the reason why Christmas is so magical is because everything is new and exciting. We get swept up in the mystery of Christmas – the sights, the sounds, the smells and the atmosphere. Recapture that sense of wonder this year by visiting somewhere you have never been before or doing something you have never done. Depending on your budget you could head off to Lapland for the ultimate festive experience, visit a Christmas market in a location you have never visited before, try a festive activity such as ice skating, carol singing, going to a local panto, or baking Christmas treats. Trying something new and exciting this Christmas and we guarantee it will be one to remember.

Image credit: Next

* Results from a survey of over 3,000 people conducted by MemoriseThis.com – the UK’s largest on-line gift giving company.

Happy holidays!

Exciting times!

Posted on 2016-10-26 at 10:16 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Exciting times, exciting times, exciting times…

This is what I constantly seem to be saying to Beth at the moment, in fact I have been saying it for the last few months. There is an energy and a level of optimism in what we are doing at the moment that I don’t think we have experienced for a couple of years in the business. Not to say that it hasn’t been enjoyable, far from it, but we seem to be in a position where the foundations of our plans have been laid and all those hours, days, months and years of hard work are paying dividends.

Why the level of excitement? Well, there are a few reasons. Firstly, Beth is realising her dream of writing a book and is working with her dream publisher to bring ‘Freedom Seeker’ to life and out into the world. Stay tuned for more on that very soon! To watch someone so close to you achieve a lifelong dream is a reminder that life is what we make it. (Beth is looking over my shoulder right now and telling me that ‘Life is what you make it’ was her motto in her school yearbook over two decades ago!)

Secondly, the actual writing of the book has provided a fresh focus for us here at DWYL. The world of publishing is new to us but finding out about it, working with new people and learning new skills has been a very enjoyable learning curve.

Thirdly, it became very apparent that to achieve all our new goals we needed some additional help. So it is with great pleasure that I can introduce our newest team member… Fiona Duffy.

Welcome Fiona Duffy – the latest addition to the DWYL family!

We are absolutely over the moon to welcome Fiona into the DWYL family. She brings with her invaluable experience working with The Happy Startup School, an infectious enthusiasm, a huge smile and a refreshing honesty and openness. And she gets it! She really does. She gets what we are trying to do, where we want to be and has so many ideas to help us get there.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the guys at The Happy Startup School for supporting Fiona’s decision to go to part time so she can spend the rest of the week with us, and embarks on the phase of her career and life. You are going to love her like we do!

Recruiting for your own business is often challenging, because when you have a small team you really have to fit together. But sometimes someone comes along who makes it very easy for you. In this case it was a complete no-brainer. Fiona oozes charm, a zest for life and is a huge force of positive energy. Welcome Fiona – we hope you enjoy your role with us!

Thought of the moment

We are all works in progress. Beth spotted this written on a window in New York on her travels last week, and tells me she suddenly felt like the pressure was off. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we are works-in-progress, that we don’t have to be perfect, and that every day offers an opportunity to learn and grow. So here’s to you being a work-in-progress too!

Until next time,

Mr.K