GRATITUDE + CONSCIOUS LIVING Page 4 of 17

An Update From Do What You Love HQ – April ’16

Posted on 2016-04-19 at 8:55 am.

I sat down to write this month’s update and whilst considering what to tell you about – I’ll get to that soon – I glanced at my calendar. It read April 16. Three years ago to the day since I started with Do What You Love.

I had just returned from my honeymoon and the magic and romance of Tuscany was fast being replaced by one very real and overriding thought:

“Was it really a good idea to give up 12 years of a good career… especially now?”

Not only was the world trying to come to terms with the worst global recession in recent history, we were about to start our new life as a family. Is there a bigger adventure? And the main security we had, I had discarded without remorse. The reality now was that our immediate future was a complete unknown and our family’s wellbeing was in the hands of a fairly whimsical concept – Do What You Love.

Had I been completely selfish, foolish and irresponsible?

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Why it’s worth caring about fragments of handwritten memory

Posted on 2016-04-18 at 11:19 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

I have been spending a lot of time up in the attic lately, going through old journals and letters, finding snippets of memories caught in real time, in crinkled pages, on blue airmail paper, via postcards with exotic postmarks.

A couple of the letters were from an old friend from university, who was editor of the uni newspaper and has gone on to produce ‘Today’, the BBC’s flagship news and current affairs programme. I used my very modern iphone to send him photos of the handwritten letters he sent to me when I was a student in Kyoto, Japan, aged 19, half a lifetime ago. It was a fascinating snapshot of student life – the things we cared about, the things we spent our time on, the people we fancied, the embarrassing and often hilarious capers we got up to. True to the career he would follow, he had sent detailed dispatches from Durham, letting me know the goings on of college life in full colour.

I remember when those student days, when I spent a year abroad in a very foreign land. The anticipation of coming home to my homestay family’s house after school, and looking on the bottom step of their winding wooden staircase to see if there was a letter for me from home. And often there was – I received and sent over 100 letters and postcards that year, in the days before email.

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What I learnt from two actual superheroes (and it’s not what you think)

Posted on 2016-04-11 at 11:54 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

The other day I went on a double date with Mr K and my older brother and sister-in-law to see the new film ‘Batman vs Superman’. The film choice wasn’t mine, but I have enjoyed some of the superhero films in recent years, and I was just happy to have some time out on the town.

We settled in with popcorn and wine (oh how classy cinemas are these days), and I was looking forward to a good story. Although the film was beautifully shot, after half an hour I was still looking for the story. After an hour I was bored. After 90 minutes I was actually getting really annoyed that I was sat there spending our rare night out watching gratuitous violence. I started asking myself why, when all day long I search for pockets of quiet time, have I filled my night off with guns and explosions?

And then I walked out.

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Reasons to be happy

Posted on 2016-03-21 at 9:27 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Did you know yesterday was the International Day of Happiness? Where does your happiness come from? What are your sources of joy? Do you actively think about it, and prioritise those things in your life?

Hanging out with my girls. This makes me happy.

Here are a few treasures from around the web to explore and ponder this week (After all, being happy is the whole point of doing what you love):

If you find any other great resources on happiness around the web please share them with us via Facebook or Twitter!

Have a happy week

Beth

Huge news! On becoming a Hay House author (somebody pinch me!)

Posted on 2016-03-03 at 10:07 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Some days are really big days, and I just had one of them. It was the day I signed a deal with Hay House, for them to publish my first book! It is a book about freedom, written for anyone who feels trapped, stuck, hemmed in—not in control of their own time, money, or destiny. It is for people who are afraid that life is passing them by, but feel powerless to do anything about it. It is a timely self-empowerment manifesto: an inspiring and practical manual that will enable people to recognise that freedom is a choice. I am busy writing it now and cannot wait for it to be released worldwide in Spring 2017!

Hang on a minute. Let’s just rewind. Did someone just say I’m going to be a Hay House author? Am I dreaming? It certainly feels that way right now, because this is not just something on my ‘Do Before I’m 40 Bucket List’, but something I have been dreaming of for many years.

In case you’re curious about how it came about, I’ll share the story here. I warn you, this is going to be a long post, because I want to share all the pieces of how this particular dream has unfolded. So get yourself a nice cup of tea and we’ll begin… (Note: I would love for you to help me bring this book to life. Right at the end of this post there’s some info on how to get involved!)

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Why reading is making me happy + download your own Happy List for FREE

Posted on 2016-01-29 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

This is a post by our Senior Editor, Rachel Kempton

One of the (many!) great things I’ve resolved to do in 2016 is to spend more time doing things that make me happy – like reading. I love reading and my shelves are overflowing with books that are all begging to be read. So I’ve set myself a challenge: to read a book a week, every week, for a year. As well as increasing my knowledge, giving my brain a good daily work out and opening my mind to new thoughts and ideas, I hope that priorising my passion for books will inspire me to work on improving all aspects of my life. What’s more by 31 December I’ll have read 52 books – what a great feeling that will be!

I’m only a few weeks in and I’m already reaping the benefits of burying my head in a good book for half an hour a day:

I look forward to that little bit of me-time I carve out for myself each day
It feels like a really productive use of my time – unlike watching TV or surfing online
It helps me to switch off
Reading before bed is helping me to sleep better
Finishing a book is satisfying and that feeling of finishing things is motivating me to develop a habit of completion – in all other areas of my life
Deciding what to read next is fun
It’s a great way to learn more about my hobbies, interests, and passions
Now I’m in the flow of reading, I’m excited about stepping out of my comfort zone and trying other genres/styles

I love this image about the benefits of reading by designer Raphael Lysander which includes some fascinating statistics on how reading can help with stress relief, mental skill development, and forming relationships, etc.

During January I was reading:

Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson: a great source of help, advice and motivation if you’re pushing through the daily grind, lack passion for what you do, or are wondering how you can start doing what you love.
Walking on Sunshine. 52 small steps to happiness by Rachel Kelly: inspired by Rachel’s own life experiences this little book is bursting with tips, tools and positive thoughts to help you better manage the pressures of everyday life.
The Artist’s Way for Parents: Raising Creative Children by Julia Cameron: this book is packed with practical advice and is a great reminder that by taking time (even little moments) to nurture our own creativity we cultivate joy in our own lives, which we can then share with, and model for, our children.
F**k It: The Ultimate Spiritual Way by John C. Parkin, who suggests that saying F**k It is the perfect Western expression of the Eastern spiritual concept of letting go, giving up, and finding real freedom by realising that things don’t matter so much (if at all).

What’s next? The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod, which promises that I’m “about to discover how I can create the most extraordinary life I’ve ever imagined… right now.” Watch this space!

This month I’m especially grateful for these fascinating books which have taught me so much, and to the inspiring authors who wrote them. I’m also grateful to my husband who’s doing the book challenge too – keeping us both motivated – and to my sister, Lisa, who, on hearing about my challenge, sent me dozens of pictures of her bookcase and suggested we swap some books. All these things are on my Happy List.

“Be grateful for what you have now. As you begin to think about all the things in your life you are grateful for, you will be amazed at the never ending thoughts that come back to you of more things to be grateful for. You have to make a start, and then the law of attraction will receive those grateful thoughts and give you more just like them.” ~ Rhonda Byrne, The Secret

What is on your Happy List this year?

If you want to take more notice of the things that make you happy in the months ahead, download our Happy List – it’s completely free, and it’s a simple interactive PDF which allows you to note one thing every day that you are grateful for. Thousands of people used it last year and really enjoyed noticing the small and big things, and having a record to look back on. You can get yours here.

Download a low res version of The Happy List here.

Download a high res version of The Happy List here.

Last chance to join our life-changing e-course Do What You Love (Starts today!)

Posted on 2016-01-18 at 12:55 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

One of the best parts of my job is guiding people through the Do What You Love e-course journey, because I see them cracking open, unfolding and growing in front of my eyes.

I see people grow in confidence, make bold moves, discover new things about themselves.

They get a ton of ideas for getting paid to do what they love, and put together real plans for moving forward.

Crucially they reorganise their lives around what really matters to them, so they can do more of what they love every single day.

This is the ninth time we have run this course and the results continue to astound us. Just recently one of our course graduates said,

“I can’t believe it’s nearly a year that’s flown by since we took the course and how far I’ve come; physically, emotionally, personally and professionally.”

This is why we do what we do, and I why I started Do What You Love in the first place.

Class begins today, and this will be the last time we run it until the end of 2016 (because I’ll be working on a very exciting project which I will share shortly…)

CLICK HERE to register and begin your journey of self-discovery to find out how to do what you love, every day.

Hope to see you in class for a transformational experience to remember!

Beth

Happy New Year! Make this the year you do what you love

Posted on 2016-01-03 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

What is it you really want? The courage to start a new career? The time to pursue passions and hobbies? The freedom to travel and have big adventures? Or simply to “feel differently” about your life, just as it is? All of those wants — and so many others — stem from one big desire… The desire to do what you love.

And if that’s what you want, you’ve arrived in the best possible place you can be. This is your launchpad — and this is your community. And the Do What You Love e-course might just change your life.

Do What You Love is about re-opening doors that you thought were locked shut… re-opening possibilities that you thought were long gone… and illuminating possibilities you never knew existed.

If you find yourself thinking things like: “I can’t afford to _______” … or “I’m too old to _______” … or “I’m going to need years of training before I can _______” … or “It’s just not realistic for me to _______”… or “But what if ______”, Do What You Love will show you that all of your options are still open, no matter what your current circumstances and responsibilities may be.

Inside this course possibility is your new reality.

Make this year the year you start doing what you love. Find out more or register HERE.

What are you celebrating today?

Posted on 2015-12-26 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

You can download a high res version of this to print here.

HOW TO BE HAPPY (AND CALM, ORGANIZED + FOCUSED)

If you are caught up in the busy-ness, exhausted, feeling the stress and wanting some respite from the noise, this eight week course will be a tonic for you. ‘How to be Happy (Calm, Organized + Focused)’ will give you the clarity and quiet confidence you need to give wings to your dreams. It will help you ‘sort your life out’ before you actually sort your life out and show you how to get what you really want, with ease.

You’ll find more information or register on the next course HERE.

What does living a simple life mean to you?

Posted on 2015-12-18 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

“Joy is in the detail… the spice in your egg nog, grass sparkling with frost. There is happiness in moments – of quiet by the tree, in a distant peal of bells. Acts of kindness capture it; family traditions preserve it. Savour it your own way, perhaps curled up on the sofa, making decorations or stepping out in the wintry air. Christmas is complete when you celebrate the simple things.” ~ The Simple Things magazine, December ’14

If you’d love to make life simpler in 2016, don’t just make yet another New Year’s resolution, start a revolution!

Our fabulous FREE resource, ‘New Year’s Revolution‘, is a practical kit to help you make 2016 the year you do what you love. Our 24-page PDF will help you extract the good from 2015, look ahead and shape your 2016 into the year you want it to be. It includes a powerful technique to help you make positive life changes to turn your dreams into reality, and make your ideas happen. Download your copy for free here and be inspired.