Learning ~ 17th Day of 30 day blog challenge

Once upon a time there was a single mum who lived with her 7 year old son. Many days were spent working as a volunteer at her son's school so she could help children learn to read. After many weeks of supporting these children, the teacher decided that there were other children who could use some help with their maths work. The teacher approached the mum and asked if she would be happy to help out. The mum said she would be delighted and began to work with a small group of children during their maths lesson. The mum realised that the regular methods that were being used in the class were not helping these children so she asked if she could introduce some games to see if this would help. The teacher was happy to try anything and gave the mum permission to play some games.

The mum took out several board games and asked the children to choose which game they wanted to play. The children chose snakes and ladders. A very popular game with children because there are elements of competition and various challenges. Each time someone slid down a snake, they were asked to answer a question.

During the game, the mum realised that the children were not particularly good at taking turns and needed to learn that each person had a go while everyone else waited. She decided that not only did the children need to learn their maths, but also needed to learn some social skills. After they finished playing the game, she approached their teacher to discuss this with her. The teacher agreed and expressed her gratitude for the mum's input.

Over the next few weeks, the children began to understand that the game playing was much more enjoyable when everyone got a fair share and started to make the effort to wait patiently and take turns. The added bonus to playing the games was that their maths also improved over time.

Sometimes we need to take the time to give others a chance to do the things they find difficult and be patient enough to wait for them to discover something we have known for a while.

Some tips for using Hub Pages ~ Day 15 blogging challenge!

Here is an article about using Hub Pages from Magical Marketing expert Julia Stege. Julia is known for providing quality information and support to help conscious entrepreneurs develop their marketing. Well worth reading!

by Julia D. Stege, MFA

I learned about Hub Pages about 2 years ago in a free class on how to dominate page one rankings on Google. Since then I have gotten to page one of google for a number of keyword phrases with the help of Hub Pages. When I am hired by solopreneurs, companies and websites to improve their Google page ranking, Hub Pages is often the tool that gets the fastest results. In this review I'll lay out the simple "Do's" and "Don'ts" for Hub Pages and help you get started.

The Pro's: A Great Authority Site

Hub Pages is a free web service that hosts informational web pages for its users. It is considered an Authority Site because it gets high ranking on Google and has lots of visitors; great for getting to page one of Google.

You can create as many "Hubs" as you like, and add text, pictures, videos, and links in your Hub. Hub Pages rewards pages with lots of great content by giving them great ranking both within HubPages (where dedicated Hubbers can find your stuff) and in Google.

The Hub Pages interface is very basic and easy to follow. You start by selecting your title, URL, and tags (make sure to include your keyword phrase in all three areas.) Then select a basic template and Hub Pages will quickly set up a starter page for you.

You can customize your pages with a simple stylesheet as well as bold, italic, underline, sub and super-script, bullets and numbered lists.

Include photos and videos whenever possible. HubPages loves media and will reward your page with better ranking. Other features are available in the Capsules options area, including news, links, text, photos, comments, ebay, html code, quiz, rss, polls, amazon.com search and tables. Using several of these features in your Hub will enhance your site ranking.

Hub Pages: Some Challenges to Overcome

HubPages insists on original, unique content on its pages and punishes you if your Hub is "Over Promotional." That means you have to use unique content and link sparingly. This is a huge drawback to Hub Pages in comparison to blog sites like Blogger and Wordpress, or even Squidoo, all of which allow you to post duplicate content and multiple links.

You can program in links but again, be careful with links on HubPages. I cannot say that loudly enough because if you link to one website more than 2ce in your Hub, HubPages will flag your page and deny your publishing request.

When you have finished your Hub, make sure to promote it. Hub Pages provides forums where you can pal around with other Hubbers and include links to your new hubs. Also invite friend from your social networks using the share button.

Hub Pages continues to be a great tool for Search Engine Optimization. It gets me to page one of Google almost every time. Just be cognizant of the rules and offer real, consumable content.

Join and start Hubbing now. It's easy, it's free, and you'll love the results.

Magical Marketer Julia D. Stege, MFA helps people attract their perfect customers with a unique combination of Law of Attraction, wildly attractive logos and websites, and smart Internet marketing techniques. If you're ready to start attracting your perfect customers now, get Julia's free Magical Marketing Toolkit at http://www.magicalmarketingtoolkit.com

Boxing Day Proper ~ day 14 of blogging challenge

Good afternoon, morning, evening or maybe even night time, depending on what time of day it is where you are while you read this.
I woke up this morning to send my son off on his first "Sales" adventure. He is such a lovely young man and I am so proud of who he is. He has overcome many obstacles in his young life and he totally inspires me to keep going when I often feel like giving up.
When I returned from sending him on his way, I decided to see what gifts were going to be provided vie the medium of television. I am so grateful because my favourite programme is on all day! Extreme Makeover - Home Edition. All Day!
I shall be writing a few more things on the other blog which I set up for Fans of Extreme Makeover because it is more appropriate. All I can say at this point, is there has been a great deal of crying tears of joy, as well as discussing with my partner the potential of replicating something like this across the globe. Ty Pennington and the design team really lead the way.
I'll let you know how my son gets on with his bargain hunting, in the meantime, I'm hooked on TV! Stay tuned :-)

13th Day of blogging challenge ~ nearly Boxing Day

Well, Christmas Day is over once again...the food and drink, the loving hugs and tears of joy expressed over the receiving of an unexpected and well thought gift. The love I am surrounded with has enabled me to feel strong enough to face the challenges and obstacles that will come along over the next few months as I strive to go forward and make a difference in the world.

Boxing Day (Saturday) will provide many people with the opportunity to make purchases for next Christmas and birthdays in 2010 as the sales begin in the morning. My son has made the decision to be one of those people. I remember when I was his age travelling up to Oxford Street to search for an incredible bargain. I didn't really know what I was looking for, just knew I wanted to find something that had lots of money off. I went to HMV with a friend and her father, who was providing us each with some money to buy something. I had never experienced the "Sales" before, so I really didn't know what to expect or what to do. I saw a couple of albums that were reduced so I said I wanted them. I can't even remember who the artists were.

The memory is over thirty years old, yet while I think about it now it seems not that long ago. Time has gone by so quickly. Today is already a memory, spent enjoying the humourous programmes, Morecombe and Wise, Lee Evans and a beautiful film that was one of the lovely gifts I received this morning The Darjeeling Limited. Definitely recommended.

My thoughts go out to those who have been unable to spend their day with loved ones.

Xmas eve missed day 12 of blogging challenge!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Yesterday I missed writing a post as I was so caught up in the moment of preparation. I think perhaps I need to make this post extra special not only because it's Christmas Day, but because I missed yesterday. Well, I shall do my very best.

This morning I awoke with an expectation of peace, calm and happiness. Why would this be different from any other day? And could we please have more of this each and every day of the year? Let's hold on to this feeling and generate it wherever we go and whatever is happening in our lives.

I am so happy to be spending today with people I love and who love me. The dinner is slowly roasting itself away in the oven and I have alraedy enjoyed two large glasses of a special concoction which I believe should become the new Christmas breakfast beverage. Half a bag of frozen raspberries, half a bag of frozen tropical fruit, half a carton of tropical juice (of your choice) and several large dashes of Havana Club. Blended to a smoothie consistency and poured into tall glasses...Yum!

After all the wintry weather we have had lately, today we have been blessed with golden sunshine and blue skies. The birds flew around this morning like they had been reborn. I am reminded of the hope that lives within all of us at this time and it makes me wonder what we can do to make this feeling last. I wonder if we could help this feeling to go on endlessly, oh why can't every day be like Christmas. Everyone greets each other with such love and welcome. People from all around the world shake hands online, on the phone and with cards. There is such a feeling of unity and the spirit of giving surrounds us. So let's keep this party going and do it all over again tomorrow and the next day.

I sincerely hope that wherever you are and whatever you are doing, that your life is filled with love and laughter and each experience brings golden lessons.

Merry Christmas...

Day 11 of 30 day blogging challenge

Greetings!
I have just viewed one of Louis Theroux "Wierd Weekends". In this particular programme he visits a marriage agency in Thailand that connects Western men with Thai women. The men he meets are genuinely searching for love and have experienced heartbreak and are somewhat disillusioned with women, in particular "Western" women.

Louis' natural interest brings him to a meeting with one of the clients while he meets a Thai woman for the first time. She speaks no English so has the support of an English speaking chaparone. The English man has decided that this woman has potential and gives her his phone number and other contact details, although he has had his heart broken and informs her that every woman he has ever been with has left him for another man. He feels they have connected and invites her and her son to come and visit him. The very next day, he has met and married a completey different woman! Louis is disappointed that he didn't get an invitation! One of the men Louis met at the beginning of the programme had within 3 hours of meeting his Thai bride proposed and married 6 days later. Within 8 days they had separated. I would like to have been able to investigate further what is behind this incredible desire and rush to marry a complete stranger.

I viewed this programme on the same day that I came across this article in The Guardian which is a very strong response to a previous article which discusses the Conservative views on marriage and the family. Both articles make for interesting bedtime reading and highlight the growing political interest in marriage and family life. It is interesting to know that marriage and family life is causing such political debate in Britain. It makes sense to invest time, money and resources to develop strategies to improve family life as this will have long term implications for the economy as well as for families in general.

A great amount of information and research comes from America, I made a journey to San Francisco in 2008 to attend The Smart Marriages conference because I wanted to connect with experts who work in the field of family therapy and relationship / marriage education. I came away feeling incredibly inspired and motivated to bring back something of tremendous value to England because I could see that the vision was to improve the quality of family life by teaching people the skills to have healthy, loving, committed relationships.

Just some of my thoughts for the day.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Day 10 of 30 day blogging challenge

Not long to go now til people in millions of homes across the world will once again be wondering what it's really all about. There are times when I ask myself this exact same question. I believe that the feeling of giving and receiving could be expressed all through the year, as the greetings that people offer each other at this particular time are of love and togetherness, why not spread that all year round?

I feel very fortunate because I have great people in my life and I have been given many opportunities to live a great life. I have experienced travel to other countries, worked with incredible people who are prepared to dedicate their lives in service to others, met inspirational people from all walks of life, lived in a city which has offered a place for people from all over the world to live, work and be free.

I look out of my living room window today and see a sky so blue that I could be sitting in a Caribbean village. A far cry from the snow, wind and freezing temperatures of late. The atmosphere in my house is electric, my son is getting ready to go and meet friends in the West End and I have already enjoyed a lovely conversation with my wonderful father. I feel so incredibly happy.

Our cat Phoebe (who went missing recently) is talkative and asking for more food. She's recently been diagnosed with overactive thyroid, which makes her far more hungry, thirsty and badly behaved than ever before. I learned that there is a high risk of kidney failure and heart failure with this condition. She is over 17 years old so she has had a good life with us. She was a rescued cat from a cat shelter when my son was 8 years old 9 years ago. They were drawn to each other and inseparable (until the missing incident a few weeks ago) so it will be tough on him in particular when it is time to say goodbye.

Today has already been a day of blessings and I am choosing to focus on all the wonderful blessings I have in my life. This is something that many people who are in the personal development arena encourage you to do if you wish to turn around the negatives into positives. This is also something that great spiritual teachers have spoken of for many thousands of years.

My recommendation for you today and every day is that you find the blessing within each situation, which may often be a challenge. However, doing this simple thing alone will bring surprising results and is well worth it.

Sending you positive vibes and loving energy.

Thank you for reading

Day 8 of 30 day blogging challenge

The snow is repeating its original visit over London. The sky has once again turned to a dark blue and the street lights have already flickered on, stars hidden by the reflection of the orange glow from too many. Houses decorated with Christmas lights create a joyous impression to those who walk past. A silence ensues. A peaceful hum befalls the internal environment as the inquisitive mind studies the days gone by. This life has brought mystery and humour, chaos and calm, anger and love.
Questions race against each other to find the solution or answer.

Day 7 of 30 day blogging challenge

The evening spent in glorious film mode. First to be enjoyed "Dirty Dancing" Dirty Dancing: The Ultimate Girls' Night In Collector's Edition [1987] [DVD] with the late Mr Swayze and Ms Grey. Enjoyed all the more as it was spent cuddled up and loved up.

Second film viewed "The Wedding Singer"The Wedding Singer: Special Edition [1998] [DVD] with Mr Sandler and the very watchable Ms Barrymore. Unexpected viewing, and ultimately entertaining. I am feeling more in the festive spirit and even more grateful for the people in my life.

The 1963 story of "Dirty Dancing", filmed in 1987 with original artistes and music provides great dancing scenes as well as a strong storyline and enchanting background setting in North Carolina. Although I have watched "Dirty Dancing" many times, each time I watch it I realise something different about the film as well as life itself.

There are many injustices and one of them is the misconceptions and judgements people place on others without even knowing them. Even though the film is set in the 1960s and was made in the 1980s, it is valid today and has managed to stand the test of time. It is also a great reminder of the magic that Patrick Swayze brought to the screen.

"The Wedding Singer" is a film I have begun to watch on a few occasions without being able to complete it. This evening was different. I not only enjoyed the humour and romantic confusion, I could also enjoy the 80s soundtrack for what it was and happily sang along with some of the tunes. Adam Sandler brings comedic genius to the character he portrays and with Drew Barrymore creates something that many screen couples are not able to convey to the viewer.

I have again been reminded of the simple things in life that make it worth living as well as the joy that can be brought from appreciating what is.

As D. H Lawrence said...
The dawn was apple-green,
The sky was green wine held up in the sun,
The moon was a golden petal between.

She opened her eyes, and green
They shone, like flowers undone
For the first time now, for the first time seen.

See everything as though seeing it for the first time.

Day 6 of 30 day blogging challenge

I understand something about the process of writing every day even if I have nothing to say at the beginning. During the coaching process, I encourage my clients to replace negative limiting beliefs with positive affirmations each time they catch themselves thinking the negative thought. The process of doing this every time over a minimum of thirty days can help eliminate the limiting belief.

One of my limiting beliefs is that I won't be able to write for 30 consecutive days. I am now beginning to alter this thought to replace it with one that is more conducive to a positive writing experience.

Today has been calm and peaceful and I have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my loved ones and experiencing the pleasure of being in a loving and committed relationship with someone who values and respects me. I am also grateful for the wonderful parenting experience I have been blessed with. I realise more and more how much I have to be grateful for.

I watched the Strictly Come Dancing final this evening and was disappointed about the result, to say the least. I rang my mum immediately upon hearing the result as I knew she had been watching from the beginning. "Robbed!" was her verdict and first comment when she answered the phone. We had a lovely conversation about the injustice of the competition as Chris Hollins had the advantage of being on television every day and was able to promote himself on morning television to an adoring public. The decision was not based on his dancing ability, albeit he had shown significant improvements.

The popularity contest that this dancing competition became, provided Mr Hollins with an opportunity to win over the British public (who were at home this evening and able to make a phone call!). Perhaps if Ricky Whittle had been able to promote himself daily, his chances could have improved. It doesn't matter too much that he didn't win, everyone knows who was the best dancer on the night, and it wasn't necessarily the person who won.

If Chris Hollins had not believed in himself, and listened to the judges right at the beginning of the competition, he may have given up a long time ago. Ricky Whittle had been told by the judges that he was the winner right from the start.

It has been an interesting competition with many disappointments as well as exciting moments. Much like life. What you learn from the experience is what enriches the lesson.

Day 4 & 5 of 30 day bloggin challenge

Well, yes I didn't post yesterday and I don't suppose it counts adding two days into one. Ah well... The snow yesterday totally threw me off course and I got a bit distracted. I also found so many things to read that I lost track of time so I didn't get around to writing anything.

So those are my excuses and I thought today I would make sure I say something at least because otherwise I will have given up on only the 4th day and I believe that if you give up that early then you really have no intention of making it to the finish line so why begin in the first place?

If it takes 12 days to get somewhere and the journey is arduous so you give up on the 10th day, you will not reach your destination (obviously). So if you continue for another couple of days, you will make it. A little bit each day eventually gets you there.

So I thought I would at least make an effort to catch up and post something today and carry on for the rest of the days otherwise I will feel like I failed right at the beginning.

I am currently reading a book called The Buddha, Geoff and Me: A Modern Story It is written by Edward Canfor Dumas and is a great novel which explains some complex Buddhist theories and teachings in a humourous and intelligent manner. I am really enjoying the story and it helps the reader to learn what Buddhism is about without it being too academic.

I have been practising Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism for several years and as the teachings are from 13th Century Japan, I often struggle with some of the concepts.The Buddha in Daily Life: Introduction to the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin is a book I have been meaning to read for some time, I think now is the time for me to get hold of a copy and get down to some studying!
The Buddha, Geoff and Me: A Modern Story is helping me to grasp things in a way I hadn't anticipated. I would recommend reading this book if you are interested in learning more about Buddhism, or even if you just want to read a story that is written brilliantly with likeable characters and an intelligent take on the way people are with each other. I was given the book from a fellow Buddhist and friend, Michele, who has just returned from a week's retreat in France with other members. She read the book on her journey to France and realised it was something that I would really benefit from and enjoy. She was absolutely right.

Every now and then the Universe provides you with something that helps you along the way to learning more and supporting you to developing into the person you were always meant to be. This book is one of those offerings and I realise more and more that opportunities come along all the time and it is entirely up to me whether or not I notice them, make use of them and appreciate them. Each time I make the most of something like this, I increasingly realise that more opportunities are then offered. It becomes an upward spiral of infinitessimal proportions. The message I believe that is being conveyed is to make the most of all the opportunities that are offered and to embrace the teaching that is being shown.

So although I didn't manage to write anything yesterday, I had it in my mind that I wanted to and as soon as the opportunity arose, I sat down and got on with the task in hand. I didn't know that this was what I was going to write about when I started a few minutes ago, so I am really glad I took the time to say something. I don't know who is reading this, but if you do, please leave a comment to let me know your reaction to this post. I look forward to hearing form you and will be back again tomorrow.

Enjoy your evening / night / afternoon wherever you are and whatever you're doing.

Day 3 of 30 day power blogging challenge

Every year on about 23rd of December I resign myself to the fact that I can no longer escape the lights, the trees, the colourful decorations and the films and music that jump out from every corner to remind me that the big day is nearly here. On 23rd December I venture out of my house and face the madness of the jam packed shops, the hussle and bussle of the busy high streets, the jossling on public transport and rushing round at the last minute to make sure that I am not the only person in town who is sitting down to a ready cooked meal from the freezer!
I decided to embark on a visit to a local superstore and purchase some fine foods and a couple of bottles of cheer to ensure that I am able to share when visitors arrive and so that I can provide a meal for the family that will have them losening their trousers afterwards because they are filled to the brim.
After having made this decision to go shopping, I made another decision which I felt would inspire me to make good choices for the remainder of the day. I tuned into youtube and viewed an interview with Lisa Nichols . She was one of the guest speakers on The Secret and I enjoy listening to her as she has a great deal to say and is a true inspiration. She mentioned in the interview that she remembers eating beans and sausages with her son on a regular basis when they were struggling and lived in poverty. Today he tells her that his favourite meal is lamb chops. The interview is emotional and it showed Lisa for who she is, a woman who is determined to overcome obstacles to reach her goals "No Matter What" which is the title of her book and a principle she lives by. As the interview came to a close, I looked out of the window and realised that it had begun to snow. I knew that it was time to get going and make my trip to carry out my mission of obtaining supplies for the Christmas period, as well as general groceries.
My partner and I decided to take a cab there and back and we wanted to have a light lunch before walking around the store, which is rather large, to ensure we both had sufficient energy to complete our mission. The cafe that used to be there that provided reasonably priced hot meals and drinks is no longer there and has been replaced by a Costa coffee shop, which charges £3.50 for a small sandwich and another £3 for the coffee. Lunch would cost a minimum of £12! We decided to buy a sandwich from the supermarket and sit on a bench outside as we were sufficiently dressed for the snow!
After we finished our lovely lunch we re-entered the store. We took our time and enjoyed the slow pace with which we carried out our mission. Bit by bit, the trolly became full and it was time to reach the checkout. We had crossed off everything from our list and added a couple of luxury items, which would go nicely with ice! Our cab journey home and the lights that lit our way as we approached the house made me feel more festive than I have in a long time. The incredible thing for me was that the store wasn't full, it wasn't hussle and bussle and there was a great sense of calm among the shoppers.
I am so glad I didn't wait until 2 days before Christmas Day to complete my shopping. I would have remained in the belief that Christmas shopping is crazy and hectic.

Day 2 of 30 day blogging challenge!

I receive questions from clients regarding how to find the perfect man or woman and what they need to do to improve their chances of attracting someone into their life. Often, people are so keen to get together with someone that they rush into a relationship only to find out that a few weeks. months or even years down the road, they discover they no longer wish to be with the same person and don't even know why they got together in the first place. They then have to go through a process of either ending this relationship, spending time being unfaithful and feeling guilty about this, or remaining in the relationship and putting up with less than what they want and truly deserve.

It is so important to first understand who you are and what you want from life. As large a challenge as this may seem, it is not too difficult to realise that whilst it can be a lengthy process it is so worth doing because unless you know yourself and truly love yourself, this will always interefere with your ability to attract the perfect person for you into your life. Ask yourself a few questions and see what insights you gain from doing this:

Where do I want to go in life?
What do I want to be?
What do I want to do?
What do I want to have?
What do I really want my life to look like?

Begin to visualise what you want in your life using all of your senses: taste, hearing, sight, etc. (including the senses that many don't talk about i.e intuition and "gut feeling")
(for more tips like this and incredibly rich information for singles, check out the Conscious Dating website where you can download free audios and articles that will really help you in your quest for the love of your life.)

Be as specific as you can possibly be and write down what comes up. Doing this exercies will allow you to begin the process of re-training your subconscious mind into understanding what it is you truly want in your life, and you will start to attract various things that are in alignment with this.

I'd love to hear from you when you have completed this to see what insights you have. I will then send you some more tips on how to attract the love of your life!

I look forward to hearing from you!

ps. Join me over at http://www.truelovemanifesting.ning.com where there are more tips like this available and a chance to meet other single like minded people.

30 day blogging challenge

I've signed up to the 30 day blogging challenge that has been set by Connie Green. I love writing, yet so many times am stumped for what to say. When I am away from my pc I can think of a million and one witty things to mention and have opinions and views that I would like to share with you, yet when it comes to sitting in front of the pc, I often find I have nothing to say. So, I thought, what a great opportunity to just write every day and not think too much about what I'm saying and see what happens during the next 30 days.

As the run up to Christmas approaches I am noticing more and more the amount of lights cropping up in my street. usually the neighbours across the road from me are the first to have their house decorated and they often have the most lights compared to anyone else. This year was the first year I have had my decorations up before them! An absolute first. I never get decorated until about three days before Christmas and get really excited once the lights are lit (after hours of searching for them and untangling the wires!) I watched "Elf" last night with my son because I enjoy the humour and inevitable positive ending of this happy film. Will Farrell is his usual jolly self and his belief in Santa is almost contageous!

How can I help you find the love of your life!

Click here to take survey
I would like to get to know you some more and find out how I can be of service to you with regard to your relationship and dating needs. I have created a short survey that should only take a few minutes to complete so that I can learn some more about who you are and what you need to help you find the love of your life. I am offering you a free 45 minute relationship coaching session to see how relationship coaching can help you to learn to become a more successful dater, learn some essential relationship skills, uncover your limiting beliefs that could be holding you back from meeting the love of your life and create a vision for your life.
I spent many years experiencing the confusion of relationships and wondering why things didn't work out when it always started out so great. Over the years and with training from The Relationship Coaching Institute, I have learned how to scout, screen sort and test potential dates. I would really like to share with you this incredible information because I want you to discover how to make good choices in your love life so you improve your chances of finding the perfect partner. I do this because I know first hand how painful it can be when your relationships fail you, when you spend time and energy investing in a relationship that is going nowhere, the confusion and sadness that ensues when you spend so much time, money and energy dating and turning over rocks and finding only frogs.
There is nothing for you to lose, complete the survey and receive your free 45 minute relationship coaching session.