The powerful truths about travel
I recently became a 'traveller'. After spending my 20’s too scared to get on a plane on my own, by the time my early 30’s came around curiosity had got the better of me and I took my first solo trip abroad. It was hugely daunting but ultimately a profound and pivotal moment in my own journey of personal discovery.
Then last year my New Years intention was to create a year of 'experiences' and what then unfolded was a year of travelling, of culture, of embracing the tiny everyday details of life with fresh eyes.
My entire experience of life changed profoundly, my comfort zone was blown wide open and my personal growth skyrocketed.
Over the last 12 months or so I have spent time with the Merkaba Community in Portugal, the ISKON community in Spain, the Madhyamaka Kadampa Meditation Centre Buddhist community in York and the Osho Leela Community in Dorset. Each time it has offered me a beautiful insight into alternative perspectives, routines and norms and in many cases really challenged my thinking.
Living the lives of other communities teaches me so much and allows me to observe my own day-to-day world more powerfully than the nature of travelling on trips and holidays and observing from the peripheries.
Understanding that their way of being is not 'temporary' and that this is what real life is like, makes it all the more real for me. Going back to my 'normal' reminds me that the small (I admit sometimes frustrating) details of everyday life- however permanent, essential, ingrained and routine they may appear, are all within our control to change and shift. Nothing is permanent. The way we live our lives is for the most part based upon nothing more than a series of habits and social conditioning that we always have the choice to step into or away from.
In moments of frustration at myself, at society, at the rut I may feel stuck in, at the 'shoulds' in my decision making... remembering this is all a choice for everyone of us in each and every moment is both an incredibly powerful and humbling reminder.
As I began to create this blog post in my mind, I decided to reach out to other professionals in the world of self development, to understand how travelling and time spent with other communities and cultures had also enriched their lives and how their own personal development had evolved more deeply as a result.
What quickly became apparent and intriguing is the patterns that began to show...embracing the unknown, the subtle appreciation of another's culture, a shift in viewpoint, inner trust, a guiding intuition... These fundamental gifts found here through travel can be universal to us all, gifts that money cannot buy and that age, race and gender don't touch.
I'd love to share their beautiful stories with you...
Kama Frankling - Photograher
Travel Removes The Blindfold of My Mind. Travel opens my eyes to what is possible. While travelling I am reminded of how confident and capable I am when I need to be. Each moment is unpredictable and unfolds as it unfolds. While travelling I lose the false perception that I have control. There is no choice but to be with what arises as it arises. Travel keeps me in the present moment reminding me that life is only in each moment. Travel reminds me that everything is changing constantly, that each moment in life is precious and to be savoured. Travel gives me fresh eyes to see the world as if seeing it for the first time. Travel is the perfect awareness practice, moments in time so appreciated that they awaken the senses and remind me to live each day without the blinkers of my mind.
www.hatehavingmyphototaken.com | facebook.com/Hatehavingmyphototaken
Fiona Cooper - Motivational Life Coach
Living and working all over the world has been a privilege which I’m becoming ever more grateful to have had. I have lived in a generation where freedoms were real and where nearly all of the world was open to us. Many of my friends travelled to Kashmir and Afghanistan before they were closed and I have lived and worked in all continents apart from Africa. Being a motivational life coach, I’m fascinated by the way we use language to define ourselves and to create our reality. Living overseas it has become more and more evident that every nation uses language differently and the words we use are key to how we live our lives and see ourselves.
In France “bon appetit” is at the beginning of every meal and food is central in the language and culture. In Canada and North America (for the most part), sarcasm and irony are not understood (making our British sense of humour completely lost on most people) – but this leaves an honesty we are perhaps lacking sometimes in the UK – in the States you know where you stand. New Zealand has a “can do” attitude which I haven’t seen matched elsewhere in the world – they have a phrase “the No 8 wire” which basically means you can fix anything with the right attitude. Knowing and understanding these nuanced differences has made me all the more aware of our individual differences and the importance we should put on the actual words we choose to express ourselves particularly when we’re using words to define ourselves (something we do the whole time). What words are you using to define your world? Are there any words you might want to change?
Fiona Cooper is a Motivational Life Coach helping busy parents build the life of their dreams. Her website is ficooper.com and she has a group on facebook called Dream Weave Achievers.
Kat Gal - Holistic Life Coach & Health Writer
To me the ultimate act of self-love is freedom: allowing myself to experience freedom, allowing myself the freedom to be my true self, the freedom to follow my heart and my intuition, the freedom to follow my dreams, the freedom to walk my own journey, the freedom to change direction whenever I want to or need to, the freedom to be present moment, the freedom to let go of all expectations, the freedom to let go of comparisons, the freedom to be vulnerable and authentic, the freedom to trust the process, the freedom to take risks, the freedom to feel alive, the freedom to be free, and the freedom to just simply be. Freedom has always been one of my highest values, and as a nomad I have valued my freedom for years. Self-love was something I had to learn and develop as an adult, and I am still learning every single day. When I realized that freedom and self-love ultimately meant the same thing for me, it was a life-changing a ‘aha’ moment.
Traveling allows me to practice freedom and self-love. Being at a new place, especially when traveling solo, I arrive with a clean slate with a childlike curiosity, with the opportunity to discover the world and in the process get to know myself. Returning to a familiar place - perhaps home or a place I know well – or being with familiar people allows me to practice this same freedom and self-love in an environment where society (and my past self) has already hung multitudes of labels on me. My travel experiences help this process greatly. Besides travel, ecstatic dance, writing, running, nature walk and family constellations are the most helpful tools to experience freedom and self-love as result.
facebook.com/arawtransformation | website: https://becomeahealthcoachblog.wordpress.com | Freelance writing: http://katgalwriting.weebly.com
Shelly Najjar - Bucket list and travel blogger
I am bolder because of my travel experience. Much of my fear comes from The Unknown, in life or when traveling... and there are plenty of unknowns in travel. It’s probably good that my first introduction to it was when I was very small, before I knew to be afraid. We continued traveling as a family as I was growing up. It showed me that traveling was safe and that The Unknown holds great opportunity. From my parents’ example, I learned how to be flexible and to deal with situations as they come up. At home, I’m not what anyone would consider a flexible person, and that’s often because I’m trying to control everything. However, when I travel, I can be my “travel self”: the person who approaches challenging situations with the mindset of “That’s just part of traveling. I can figure this out.” I’m finding that the more I travel (both independently, and with friends), the more my “travel self” is becoming my “home self” - I’m more flexible and less afraid, and I have the grace and confidence to face the things that make me nervous.
www.thegoallist.com | facebook.com/thegoallist | IG: @thegoallist | TW: @goallisttweets
Francesca Gentille - Certified Clinical Sexologist
I used to think I would travel when I had more time, money, health, lost weight, or the right partner. At 55, I was done waiting. I made a commitment to myself to do it. I bought a roundtrip ticket to Italy for 5 weeks. Now at 60, walking with a cane, waiting for a hip replacement I'm still rockin traveling, teaching, & enjoying my friends in Italy & Malta. Traveling has taught me that when I can combine vision and action, I can do anything. “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too." Goethe.
www.francescagentille.com | www.facebook.com/francesca.gentille | @Francescadiva
Silvia Martin - Breakup Coach
Wherever you go, there you are. Traveling makes you expand that comfort zone. It exposes you to all types of situations, some pleasant, some not so pleasant. We travel to learn, we travel for an adventure. We also travel, in many cases, to escape. We think that, maybe, under a different weather, a different language, different foods… we will be able to leave “that” behind once and for all. It hardly ever happens this way.
Traveling has the capacity to expose us to exactly what we don’t want to face. It’s nearly ironic how we always end up having to face the very own fears we are trying to run away from. It is as if life was saying to us “look darling, I am not going to leave you alone until you are able to overcome it!”
Being able to get through “that” thing we are running from is, in my opinion, the biggest benefit of traveling. Once you are done, you are ready to board towards your next destination.
www.shizencoaching.com | IG: @shizencoaching | FB: facebook.com/shizencoaching | TW: @shizenduende
Ann Skinner - Coach and Creator of The Contributionist
One thing that travel has taught me is that if you want to go, just go. 25 years ago I decided I wanted to go backpacking but I had next to no money to my name. Still, I picked a date and got enough money to buy a ticket and to see me through the first month. I ended up travelling in some form or another for the next 18 months. It taught me a valuable lesson that has been proven time and time again; there is no need to plan and schedule beyond the basics as the best experiences have nearly always been the unplanned, unforeseen ones.
Travel has taught me to jump in the deep end and trust my gut and to be ready to expect nothing but the unexpected. You don't have to have it all figured out before you leave, nor do you need to have a whole load of cash in order to live a champagne and oyster lifestyle! In fact, the best currency in the world has been my smile, which I found has been freely available to me on most days.
My smile has given me more than money could ever buy and was the catalyst for many of my adventures and the start of numerous short- and longterm friendships, including a very generous champagne loving oyster farmer who kept me and my partner happily fed and watered for 6 weeks without needing anything in return beyond the pleasure of our company.
www.thecontributionevolution.com | FB:facebook.com/thecontributionist | FB group: thecontributionevolution | IG: @thecontributionist | TW: @Contributionist
Tess Vergara - Money and Fulfillment Coach
Recently, a client shared that one obstacle that keeps him from moving forward with his business was not having a decent place where he can conduct client meetings. He realizes this is keeping him stuck as he needs to see clients in order to get out of the place he is in right now.
I smiled and shared how for the past 2 years I'd been living a digital nomad lifestyle. My clients still love me even when I show up with no make-up, wind-blown hair wearing beach wear instead of one might expect from a business coach.
I make no apologies for coaching right on the beach with the crashing of the waves in the background.
I also shared with my client one story where, while in Santorini, Greece, I remember feeling so torn to stay in and do client calls from the hotel but at last minute took a huge risk and went with my instinct against my rational mind.
Carried up by a donkey right on the edge of the cliff of Oia, breathless and thirsty after literally crawling in scorching heat, I arrived at the peak just in perfect time to find a quiet spot away from the crowd to where there was a strong phone signal. It was so freeing and exciting to connect with my intuition that way that allowed me to meet my need for adventure as well as deliver on my commitment. A story that emboldened me to follow my path to freedom.
www.openheartmindcoaching.com | FB: facebook.com/OpenHeartMindCoaching | Unlocking the Heart of Money Facebook Group | LinkedIn: @openheartmindcoaching
Gloria Coppola - Lifestyle Consultant Clarity Coach & SoulPurpose Sage
We stand at the gateway and often don't walk through, doubting, fearing or unsure of what is expected if we do! When we make the decision to take the chance, to listen, our lives will forever change and a gateway of wisdom will be shown to you.
Travel has influenced my mindset, my insights and allowed me to explore unknown parts of my self. One of the most impactful experiences was a trip to Egypt that would forever shift my perception of life....and death! I Arrived in Egypt approximately two months after the tragic and unexpected death of my spouse while I was still in a deep and dark depression.
I recall standing on the hotel viranda as the sun set, thinking how did I get here? The pyramids were surreal and I had no idea what I was about to experience.
Had I tapped into the great mystery?
Was I experiencing an altered reality? A dimensional shift?
A subconscious paradigm? A dream?
Was I walking between two worlds?
Whatever this was, I was able to walk with my ancestors. To hear them guide me with words of wisdom. My loved ones would embrace me and I would be at peace.
Travel elevates me! Inspires me! Teaches me and taps into my soul more deeply than any book or workshop ~ It's a living history, an envelopment of spirit beyond words ~ it is transcending.
www.GloriaCoppola.com/blog | FB: facebook.com/soulFULLpurpose
Let us know what comes up for you as you read these stories and reflect on your own. Have you travelled or would you like to?
Can you relate to the experiences of your own life adventures even if you haven't travelled... sometimes the biggest adventures of our lives are to be found in our own cities, neighbourhoods, homes and hearts.
Much love,
What is your 'wild'?
I posted this mini story on my personal Facebook page yesterday and it stirred quite a few hearts with people leaving beautiful and funny comments about what 'wild' meant for them. I'd love to share with you here too and to hear your thoughts...
P.s if you haven't yet read this previous post please do! (It tells of how I broke my hand all wrapped up in one of the most incredible experiences of my life!)
...a quick t-shirt selfie as I was walking into town after my hospital appointment :-)
"As I sat waiting outside the hand therapy clinic this afternoon for the latest update on my hand, a lady in a wheelchair with both arms in splints pulled up beside me, she appeared to be a similar age to me. After a few moments we made eye contact and she asked what I'd done to my hand, I explained my story and she smiled and said 'the T-shirt is quite appropriate then', we laughed together but then her smile dropped and she said softly something like 'I wish I could.'
I paused making sure I'd heard her correctly and then met her gaze and said 'well, why don't you?' Another pause. Our conversation continued for a couple minutes before I was called in to the room.
Being 'wild' is not about going off on big adventures, bungee jumping off a cliff, doing crazy stunts or going to parties... although it can be. It's how it's often portrayed in social media. It's what gives us the FOMO.
To me, 'being wild' is about stepping away from expectation and owning who you really are inside.
Being wild might be wearing crazy clothes, dying your hair bright pink, getting a tattoo... OR it might be much more subtle than that... stepping up and voicing an opinion, writing something vulnerable and meaningful, saying no when all around you are saying yes, quitting your 9-to-5... literally anything that pushes the limits of your own personal comfort zone!"
@@What is YOUR 'wild'?@@
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Insights from the most intense experience of my life!
It’s now 10 days since I came home from an intensive four day extreme self empowerment retreat… that is the firewalking instructors training course lead by the U.K.’s leading master fire walk trainer, Steve Consalvez who himself was trained by Tolly Burkan, the father of the global fire walking movement.
I had intentions to write this post long before now, but I’ve been processing all my thoughts and feelings as well and struggling to type with an injured arm!
It makes me smile looking back now, as I had totally underestimated the incredible impact that the course would have. I had barely mentioned it on Facebook or to friends or colleagues in the lead up, more of a flippant comment that I’d be going on another ‘self development weekend’. I had assumed it would be like many workshops I’ve been to before. How wrong could I have been!
Firewalk Instructors Training… the most intense experience of my life!
I had no idea how profound just four days could be. In my mind it was ‘just a long weekend’… In reality those four days were so intense it could well have been two weeks as that’s what it felt like on the inside. The journey over those four days was timeless, and also pretty surreal since the days were long 9am until 11pm every single day. There was no time to chill out, to think, to process… It was all cleverly designed and structured as one of the most intense learning experiences available in the world today.
There were 10 of us, plus the crew who were there to facilitate our experience. The wonderful thing for me was the fact that all the crew had been through the full immersion experience themselves, and they shared their stories, experiences and reflections of their time in training. We were all ONE, there was no hierarchy or sense of ego. As somebody who has explored a lot around the topics of vulnerability and authenticity… this was being demonstrated at its finest throughout those four days. I was also surprised and humbled by the daring and tenacity shown by my fellow tribe, some of whom (if I’m openly honest) I may have judged on first appearances as we gathered together but who quickly blew my mind by their determination and commitment to step up to the challenges set before them.
It was probably one the most deeply authentic experiences of my entire life.
It was also an experience that pushed the limits of my comfort zone more than ever before.
I didn’t keep accurate notes of all the activities (as well as the firewalks themselves) that we were challenged with over the four days as there were so many to keep count and in many ways it didn't feel necessary. But here is a taster that gives you an insight, some you may be familiar with and others not, it doesn't matter. Going in to this experience without knowing too much is actually the best thing you can do, since out of context of this unique environment, it is impossible to fully understand and appreciate each challenge.
trust fall from a height
sweat lodge
arrow break on the throat
metal re-bar bend on the throat
glass walk
timber block break
concrete slab break
bliss peirce
breath work re-birthing
numerous team building exercises geared towards human connection, focus and attention
plus dancing, hugs and group shares (and everything else I have probably forgotten!)
These 'labels' alone have no meaning. Any such activity viewed in isolation will never awaken the powerful lessons contained within.
It is the metaphoric value behind the activities themselves, in the sequence that they were presented, that gave rise to the powerful life changing experience.
How many times have you encountered the saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear". The door always opens inwardly. The teacher is everywhere but only when the student it’s ready with an open mind will they receive the teaching. My mind had never been more open in my life than during these four days.
Through these activities we understood first hand deep truths about forgiveness, acceptance, gratitude, unconditional love, vulnerability and the delicate beauty lies within each of us beneath the superficial exterior we present to the world.
We also experienced trust, overcoming and eradicating irrational fear, forgiveness, re-wiring limiting beliefs, 100% commitment to a goal, focus and attention, leadership and the rhythm of a group. A priceless opportunity.
We perceived ourselves with a fresh enlightened perspective. We saw ourselves reborn.
Right from the outset we hit the deep end, and this only stepped up in intensity as the days went on. Day one almost passed as if a blur. We literally hit the ground running and the 10 people I’ve never met before in my life suddenly became some of my closest friends, and they remain so. Each day began with dancing, group sharing and hugging- like full on proper eye-to-eye, heart-to-heart hugs. Each day we hugged every single person in the room- delegates and trainers alike, and we shared from the heart our deepest fears with every single a person in the room.
Circle time was one of my favourite moments of each day. A moment to sit, be still, breathe, observe and listen to others reflections and allow our own thoughts to surface and be shared aloud. It was an incredibly safe space. There were a lot of tears, there was also lot of smiles, yet most importantly there was a huge amount of love contained within that circle. I felt as though I could’ve said anything and I would’ve been supported without question. It was such a gift to have been given that opportunity to experience.
Day two saw me face one of my biggest mental and physical challenges… the ‘board break’. I recounted the moment on Facebook later that night before I went to bed and I’ll share the extract word-for-word with you here…
"Another 14 hour day on the Firewalk Instructor Training... it was even more intense than yesterday, with some deep learnings I am only just beginning to process.
Today we took part in a board break, glass walk, trust fall at height and a spiritual chanting circular firewalk and so much more. I did it all, yet for me the board break was the most profound, and affected me more than I could have anticipated.
I watched so many of my teammates take their turn and channel their power to chop the board in half with their bare hand at their first attempt. My turn was towards the end of the group. I was feeling confident, I know I'm physically strong so had nothing to worry about. Or so I though. I was wrong.
I failed.
My hand slammed down hard on the inch thick timber slab and yet it didn't break as it had for the others. I was confused, frustrated, tears filled my eyes as I stood in front of the room with my unbroken board still balanced solid on the blocks in front of me.
I geared my myself up to try again. The room was cheering me on with support. I knew I had to give it 100%
I failed again.
I had felt so strong in my test runs but then could not translate that as I stepped up to the board. Why! What was going on! My mind chatter got in my way and I stopped short, I didn't carry through beyond the mark... after all a goal is only scored in football once it crosses the line. Where was my commitment?
Blinking back the tears that blurred my vision. My mind was whirring- desperate thoughts of wanting to prove myself and demonstrate my commitment yet my inner critic was already running riot with a smirk on its face knocking my confidence and placing doubt in my mind. I was frustrated that my weakness was so clearly manifest, that my inner voice had popped up sabotage my day in front of a room of people.
So then I began analysing. Overthinking. Getting stuck in my head. Trying to regain control. Tracking back through my actions to see where I 'went wrong'... the stability of my stance, the swing of my shoulder, the alignment of my arm and position of my palm. Asking questions, my mind awash with too many thoughts.
But...
There was nothing I had 'done wrong'. Power is all in the mind. That's where the connection is made. That's where the energy comes from. That's the source of flow. That's how the board gets broken.
I was offered one final chance. I had to overcome this mental barrier. I had to overcome the mental noise. Now.
I knew the placement of my body and it was time to trust. Get out of my head and trust. Give 110% and trust.
I stepped up to the board and looked beyond it at the floor two feet below. That was my aim, there nothing that could stand in my way. It all happened in a split second so that I didn't have time to think- only do.
With one final roar and swing of my arm the board snapped clean in two and clattered to the floor.
I'd done it and my amazing team mates celebrated my victory as I made my way back to my chair. Still feeling teary, exposed and vulnerable but incredibly grateful and proud that of overcome such a huge personal mental hurdle."
Day three brought more challenges… both physical and mental. I remember during the circle share that morning one of the tribe joked that he couldn’t believe there was so much more to come since we’d already achieved so much more than we thought possible during the previous two days! I know we all nodded in agreement with that sentiment.
For me, day three’s biggest challenge was taking part in a sweat lodge experience. The thought of being packed in together in intense sauna heat in pitch black darkness for an entire hour made my heart race with nervous anticipation. But I lasted the full hour! I was so proud. It was a deeply connecting, spiritual experience as we all sat tucked up around the edge inside a small yurt, cloaked in towels as red hot rocks were laid in the centre and we shared from the heart into the sweat. Into the darkness.
I recall feeling a huge lull of energy in the late afternoon that day, after the experience of the sweat lodge had simultaneously energised and depleted me. My self doubt surfaced and my confidence wavered following such huge awareness around the extent of my inner blocks and resistance that had shown up the day before, and then in that moment even more so. I hadn't yet processed the awareness enough to know what to do with new level of understanding or how to handle it and so it played on my over-thinky mind all the more, leaving me ungrounded- a vicious cycle! An increasing awareness settled in of the retreat moving towards it’s final day and so did my fears of not been able to take home the incredible lessons and action them in my life.
There were many tears shed that afternoon, all of which subsided as together we built our fire and I fully immersed myself in the team spirit, the glow, and the power of the flames and the heat of the burning coals as we completed 5 more firewalks under the light of the full moon.
Day four, the final day, showed me the lessons I would need to take into my future… and and gave me the gift of slowing down to the speed of life. It was not at all in a way that I could have expected!
I broke my hand.
In a similar vein as with the board break, but this time using a different striking action, the challenge was to break an inch thick concrete slab. The fear was simmering within me as I watched the others take the stage and break through. They had all done it. I wasn’t going to back out now though it took huge metal strength to overcome the inner dialogue that was trying to hold me back.
I stepped up and practiced my test runs as all the others had done under Barry’s supervision to ensure I had the angle, the drive and mental attitude all correctly in place. I thought that if anything were to let me down it would be my overthinking mind and so I decided that I would take one final practice strike and then immediately step forward to the slab itself and drive straight through no room for thinking …Just doing.
Strike one…. practice.
Strike two… I broke the slab clean in half!
The room erupted into shrieks and applause. I hugged Barry so full of relief and pride. I had no idea that as well as the concrete slab I had also broken my hand. In fact I still had no idea until the following day when I took myself off to hospital. As I look back at the video retrospectively, I can see the angle of my fist tilted slightly as I hit the slab and so my little finger bore the brunt.
There had been very little pain, maybe that was because the evening was awash with team euphoria as we built a circle of three long ‘rail road’ fires and each walked 108 times over the burning coals. It was so surreal and I didn't want the experience to end!! I looked at my feet immediately after the '108' and there was no soreness and not even a single mark on them! How could this even be possible when I'd spent the last 30 minutes walking over burning hot coals?
The highlight of the final evening was further intensified as we had a live Skype call with Tolly Burkan himself. He shared wonderful stories to set the scene and then opened up for questions. I asked him two questions relating to mindset, diet and sprituality, which I will likely share in a seperate blog post. I felt like a proper fan girl having so recently read his incredible autobiography - ‘Dying To Live’ (my advice: get clued up on Tolly’s teaching and his books).
Before the evening erupted into a farewell party the space was created for one final group share. A chair was placed on the stage before the rest the tribe looking onwards. We each took a turn to share our thoughts on anything and everything we had just experienced over the last four days. Wow, where to begin- there were no words!
Just before we spoke we were asked to gaze in silence into the eyes (left eye to left eye), of each member of the tribe and the crew sat before us, one by one. It was incredibly moving.
I realised in that moment that eyes truly are the windows to the soul and that as human beings we don’t look into the eyes of others nearly enough. We don’t connect with the souls of each other. In the eyes of those before me, people who had been strangers just four days before, I could just see limitless love. Pure, non-judging, freely given, powerful love.
I can still feel it now. There have been few moments in my life when there is no noise, no overthinking thoughts, no busyness in my mind… this was one of them. My body felt still, quiet, grounded and empowered. My heart ruled my head and I was filled with a deep sense of unconditional love.
Then of course followed the after party… we all knew that we would soon be leaving this cocoon of safety, this incredible environment in which we had all grown so much more than we could ever have imagined. None of us wanted to leave, but as the clock ticked past midnight on Sunday 12th March. We slowly begant to collect our things and accept that we all needed to go back to the real world and start living out our truth and sharing the message with others.
Over the last 10 days, upon learning how I broke my hand some people have said things along the lines of: “ I bet you regret chopping that concrete slab?”
My answer is no. No I don’t regret it.
Out of the context of the deep self empowerment training we experienced it may not make sense, I totally get that.
Yes it’s been frustrating at times, yes it’s meant I’ve had to take time out of my business, yes it’s meant I’ve had to rely on others for help, yes my plans have had to change to accommodate.
But there have been beautiful gifts in all of this.
I’ve had to think outside the box in how I approach my life and my business. I’ve had to ask others for help and appreciate that help in the many small ways I would never otherwise have seen. I’ve had the opportunity to receive so many wonderful offers of support and feel truly humbled.
Most of all I’ve had to continue to play big and go beyond my comfort zone.
On so many occasions over the last few months I've mentioned to friends and colleagues that I tend to 'hide' behind my blog, behind the written word, behind my photography and design skills… And I don’t reach out to the world and connect with people in real life with my energy and voice in the way that I should. I now smile with the irony that the universe came along to help me out in its own unique and funny way. Over the last 10 days, without the use of my right hand, I have ONLY had my energy and my voice to connect with people. What a lesson and a gift!
In life you can choose to stay small or play full-out.
The fire walk instructors training retreat gives you all the tools you could ever need to truly play full out IF you choose to step up and do so.
When you play full out in life there will ALWAYS be risks (I don’t simply mean injury). If you don’t take risks, if you don’t fail, if you’re not prepared to receive a ‘no’ then you can NEVER win. You can never find out who you truly have the capacity to become.
In scrolling through my Facebook feed from the time of the fire walk I found this post, shared amidst a haze of pure euphoria late on the very last evening of the retreat that pretty much sums it all up!
"I AM NOW a certified fire walking instructor ...and the epicness comes to a wonderful close! I simply cannot fully describe the depths of my soul that I explored this weekend! My voice is hoarse from all the chanting, dancing, singing, screaming, yelling, laughing this evening… I walked 108 firewalks non-stop under a full moon with a group incredible friends I felt I've known for an eternity. I drive home now with so much love overflowing in my heart... So much love. Love love love."
If you are interested in learning more about the Propulsion Retreat- the 4-day fire walking empowerment intensive course… you’ll find full details HERE.
You can also watch a short video compilation from the retreat I attended below...
I’d also love to connect with you, to share with you some of the gifts that I have learnt throughout this experience and to listen to your own story. As a creativity coach, I am always looking to get curious with every aspect of the human experience… and every single thing about this experience pushed me to the max. It’s right up there in my ‘life best bits’ so far.
All images are taken by Nick Boyle and credited to firewalk.co.uk
Instead of shutting down to your own limitations, open up to curiosity.
This speech by Chelsea Dinsmore of Live Your Legend really moved me. Eighteen months ago her husband Scott- founder of LYL, was killed in a freak accident by a boulder whilst they were both climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. The news rocked me surprisingly hard as I had been a close follower of LYL as I made my own huge life transitions beginning back in 2012.
Watching her strength bloom this last 18 months has been so inspiring. Maybe it's the affinity I had with the blog from my early days, maybe it's her energy, her passion and curiosity for life, or the fact she is the same age as me.
Or maybe it's none of those things.
This is a 25 minute speech given by Chelsea at the World Domination Summit in 2016. It's very worthy of your time.
These are my takeaways...
"If you stay endlessly curious, it inspires you to get creative. It forces you to figure it out even when you don’t know how. And when you’re able to pair that curiosity with a meaning greater than your own, that is when you become limitless."
"When you spend your time doing the things that you love you give a gift to those that receive it."
"when you question not WHAT you can do, but WHY it's important to you, the HOW reveals itself"
If you were able to let go of your limitations and open up to curiosity what could you create in your life?
Loving you, and creating space for you to embrace your journey. Always
My 'gateway' to veganism
I want to tell you a story.
A moment in time that became the gateway to my vegan journey.
Last night I gave a public talk around the topic I am most passionate about... "nutrition is the gateway to your optimal self”.
Towards the end of the talk I held up this Nakd bar, and mentioned that it became my gateway to understanding that a vegan diet was not just 'kale and cucumber', before then going on to give a 'bliss ball' demo!
Later, as I was driving home and reflecting on and processing the evenings events, I realised that comment held so much more gravity then I’d ever given credit, than I had ever previously acknowledged before in my life.
So, I'm going to tell you a little story...
Grab a mug of tea and get comfy, or maybe bookmark this for later when you have a clear ten minutes for yourself.
In 2010 my life was incredibly ordinary. Everything was very mediocre. Not bad, but really not great either. Towards the end of that year I met a guy, a vegan guy. Those of you familiar with my recipe blog posts from the very beginning may remember this guy often fondly referred to as 'the boy’.
One weekend on our third date, we went for a walk around a park which led into the town centre where his office building was based (he owned a graphic design company). We had grabbed some lunch from Marks & Spencer’s and were debating where to sit and eat it. He asked if I'd like to come up and see his office as it was on the 12th floor of the building and had a great view over the town. We could sit and eat lunch there.
He was right, the view was amazing, as were the wonderful fluttery feelings I was getting in my tummy.
He took the Nakd bar out of his carrier bag and I looked over curiously, since I had already finished all my food! Breaking it in half he held out his hand, with a bemused and slightly quizzical look on his face.
"It’s just dates and nuts and cocoa all smooshed up together…it tastes exactly like chocolate-orange”, he told me.
"Yeah right" I smiled back.
But I very was curious, and to be honest didn’t want to offend since it was only the third date and all! So I took it.
Mind blown. It DID taste exactly like chocolate orange!
In that precise moment in time, as I sat on a chair on the 12th floor of an empty office block with a guy I barely knew… my entire changed. In that precise moment I realised that a vegan diet was indeed about more than just kale and cucumber... I was holding the proof in my hand!
I still vividly remember thinking, 'maybe this guy is not so crazy after all!'
At that time veganism was not at all mainstream (I’d even had to ask him to explain to me exactly what it meant!) Vegan food options were not widely available and Nakd bars were pretty much the only type of vegan treat you could buy, and only typically available in health food shops. Plus they were very expensive!
From that moment forward my curiosity got the better of me. I made vegan cakes and cookies that he could eat at every given opportunity. I went and bought a £20 food processor on Amazon so I could make my own chocolate ‘smoosh bars’. It wasn’t until about nine months later than my ‘Including Cake’ recipe blog was born, by which time I was now in the thick of it, following a 99% vegan diet myself and seeing so many shifts in all areas of my life.
In conversations with others, I often refer to myself as an 'accidental vegan', since it had never even been on my radar.
Life simply presented me with a guy who turned my world around, who happened to hand me a piece of chocolate orange Nakd bar one day.
A memory I will cherish forever, as it was the gateway that set in motion literally everything that I am today.
He lit the light within me to ‘always be curious’. It is now my deepest passion, and I urge you to get curious about everything in your life, especially the small things so often cast aside… they often have the greatest potential for change.
Loving you all.
Two weeks living the Hare Krishna way
(note... I wrote this post on the plane coming back from Madrid, but then got so wrapped up in preparations for the Raw retreat Experience I have only just had a chance to add some photos and publish 10 days later!)
I've just spent two weeks volunteering within the Hare Krishna community in a little town called Brighuega just outside Madrid. This time it was not a solo adventure as I had planned the trip with Mike, a fellow coach and life explorer within a similar philosophy to my own. It was a beautiful opportunity to share this experience not just physically but on every level since there was plenty of opportunity for discussion and reflection.
As with all my Workaway experiences, I was volunteering in return for my bed and board. This time it mainly consisted of cleaning but there was actually a lot less needing doing each day that I am familiar with. Just 2-3 hours of work with the rest of the day left open for us to create whatever wanted to.... Mainly a lot of reading, writing and thinking!
One my daily tasks I was sweeping and mopping the main temple space. It was actually a very meditative experience and something I came to look forward to. The quiet spiritual energy, soft music in background. I also had to dispose of the flower garlands when they dried up... instead of putting these in the refuse I took myself off on a walk across the hills and had something of a flower ceremony where I through the petals up into the wind. A very special experience... I shared a little video here.
If you read this blog post, then you will already have got a little understanding of community life in relation to the protected cows that form a huge aspect of their lifestyle, but there was so much more. Volunteering within a community offers the richest of experiences since there are so many people to observe, to learn from, to speak to and be 'one' of. There were around 20 in this community, some were English speaking, but the majority we Spanish with very little English knowledge and this made me wish more than ever that I knew the language, and it made me more determined than ever before to step up and learn Spanish (watch this space!)
One of the things that surprised me most was how quickly and comfortably I fell into their routines. Mealtimes were twice a day with a little snack in the evening. For someone who is used to snacking little and often all day long, this was a huge change for me yet one I enjoyed and didn't struggle with as I thought I might. Very interesting... Something I will consider more once I'm back into my familiar home surroundings. Is the little and often approach serving me? Or is time to change things up?
The biggest benefit I soon became aware of, where there is no food available between mealtimes, is how little I think about food, and more importantly, how little I procrastinated! I had taken my laptop with a view to do some work and reading etc in spare time. I was amazed just how productive I could be since there were literally no distractions.
My discipline when I am at home is often very poor.... my mind can be hyperactive like a child... I get an idea for a recipe so rush in to the kitchen to make it there and then, or I nibble food unnecessarily even when I'm not hungry in a act of self sabotage to put off doing a task. At the ISKON centre (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) where there was not source of distraction by way of food, plus a very minimal bedroom set up, it became the optimum productive environment. It has me curious as to how I could re-create this for myself back at home.
Breakfast and lunch were huge meals... I've haven't eaten as big a breakfast in as long as I can remember. Literally the size of a dinner you'd eat in a restaurant. But in contrast the evening meal with no more than a light snack... Sometimes just a small bowl of fruit and a slice of cake (though I couldn't eat any cake due to the dairy). Many of the devotees skipped this 'meal' all together. I couldn't help but note it would have been very easy to follow an intermittent fasting style diet eating between the hours of 9am-3pm.
Even though dinner was tiny, I never felt hungry between meals (I guess in part because the other two were very generous). The bread was amazing as well. I rarely eat bread but I ate it almost everyday there, it was homemade sourdough with a beautiful light and melt-in-your-mouth crumb, so very different in texture and digestibility when compared with regular bread high in gluten and additives. That's now another thing on my list to make (I've been meaning to make my own sourdough for ages to this is a good prod to do so!)
The most meaningful part about mealtimes, and something I've noted everywhere I've been, is the sense of community. The time that everyone comes together to share the experience of food, to sit together and talk. Sometimes these talks would go on for a couple hours after the meal had ended and last all afternoon. One couple who arrived on our second day were particularly interesting. Hare Krishna devotees and travelling Kirtan performers, that had a wonderful history and stories to share. It's hard to describe, but life feels so much richer having known them. We plan to keep in touch.
At every meal time you couldn’t go and help yourself to food as someone would always serve you. When it is offered and accepted, the food becomes prasadam. When Krishna accepts what we offer to Him, it becomes prasadam. The word prasadam means “mercy". For me, the act of being served at specific mealtimes, instead of helping myself whenever I felt like it was a very meaningful gesture of mindfulness.
Aside from the food, other elements of the was of life that I particularly enjoyed was the flow of the day... Early starts and early nights. The devotees would typically wake up between 4:30am and 6am for their service and personal practice, and so by 9:30pm every evening the entire place was dark and silent. It was beautiful. It created a space and the 'permission' for me to also go to bed much earlier than I would at home. At home, if I choose to go to bed at that time- around 10pm, the TV is often blaring and lights are on all over the house and I find it hard to allow myself to settle and end up keeping going till much closer to midnight.
At the ISKON centre, when all is quiet, dark and still by 9:30, it's as if my body is invited to simply join in and sleep. That said, I did not get up as early as they did, but in an ideal world I'd love to wake naturally at around 6am. This is another area I am more motivated than ever to find a way to create in my own everyday life, so that a strong morning routine can be built around it. I know from experience that life flows so much better when I have a consistent, powerful morning routine.
The environment in its entirely was a beautiful platform for really exploring and questioning my life. The simple daily routines, the pace of life, the silence, the compassion of the devotees, the beautiful hillsides and the buildings themselves- beautiful old stone structures and wonderful old trees within the garden and courtyard- all served to really slow me down, to live from my heart.
The wonderful community buildings nestled in the hillside!
Note: I was going to add a few words about 'Teeny Tiny Cat' who, whilst I was at the temple, stole my heart... but it seemed more fitting to dedicate a separate post to him.
P.s you can see Mike's take on the exeperience here, I love the way we both relate to the same thing very differently!
Simplify... life...
Today I found myself rushing around on an adrenaline kick. This often happens after a period of quiet and stillness (I've had deep rest and restoration at the ISKON temple these last two weeks). It's as if my body is releasing all it's pent up energy that I not yet learnt to express through other means that would better serve me. It leaves me tired and exhausted. Yet it powerfully reminds me of the beauty of being able to slow down and simplify and motivates me to work on cultivating this with more control and consistently.
I can't think of anything in life that could not be improved by simplifying.
My mind always gets distracted by the next shiny new thing.
Simplify.
I feel overwhelmed ideas, choices and decisions.
Simplify.
Too much to do, too little time.
Simplify.
Recipes in books with a huge list of ingredients and processes.
Simplify.
Too much stuff cluttering up my shelves and drawers.
Simplify.
The answers to all my questions are revealed when I sit quietly and get right back to basics. Back in touch with my underlying truth. Back to love.
Simplify.
The more you are able to simplify the more time you spend living from the heart. Join me in Derbyshire or Lanzarote to begin to explore these truths and more in your own life.
The 8 limbs of yoga... and how I've been doing it all along!
This is a bit of a run-on post from this post a few days ago. I've had a lot of time to reflect so far during this trip to the ISKON temple near Madrid. The quiet nature of the temple grounds itself, the lifestyle of the devotees who live here, the nature surrounding me... and probably the fact it's suddenly rained so much over the past two days, meaning I've spent a lot of time inside on my own, reading writing and thinking...
A few days ago I wrote a few words about 'yoga', including these lines:
"The Inward kind of yoga, where I focus on feeling and connecting with every aspect of my body, every fibre of muscle. The kind where I observe my focus shift from head to heart, where movements are subtle but significant- each a step to a deeper level of oneness with myself".
My coaching friend and fellow volunteer here with me on this trip, has provided me with much wisdom and fascinating observations of his own. In fact he is currently studying yoga and we have touched on numerous occasions it's meaning in our lives. Many of the devotees at the ISKON temple also talk of yogic principles, and I have had the privilege of seeing first hand how they embody this philosophy in subtle ways days to day.
It occurred to me this morning, that I have been more consciously cultivating the 'inward' kind of yoga along a similar timespan (roughly 2.5 years) to that which I have been more consciously practicing the 'bendy' kind of yoga. However these paths had never consciously crossed.
The deep inner work was going on in relation to my work as a nutrition and mindset coach, my commitment to overcoming the anxiety and overwhelm that I was experiencing, my curiosity with the world and my part within it.
At around the same time, I had added 'yoga' to my schedule of weekly fitness classes, I began to attend yoga events and subscribed to a yoga magazine. I more simply saw this as a form of exercise... something of a compliment to my HIIT training and weight lifting.
It makes me smile to think of it now, it seems so obvious and plain to see. How my mindfulness work and physical yoga training were components of one and the same path... how did I not see these parallels?
This morning I had a sudden urge, a rush of energy, a eyes-wide moment of clarity. I wanted to understand yoga. Immerse myself in yogic principles on a spiritual level, understand the theory behind the practice, the 8 limbs of yoga- more than the Asanas that many do not see beyond.
I wanted to begin to embody yoga in all that it could be, and all the empowerment (dare I say, enlightenment) it could bring to my life.
(Source as noted in image)
When I looked at the 'eight limbs', it felt so right. All the practices, tools and tricks I've played around with in my own life to date are all here waiting, laid out for me as a perfect story. A progression of life long learning ad commitment to self.
I'm not a fan of labels... for example, I don't particularly like labelling myself as 'vegan' and when someone asks me "what do you do?" I struggle to find the words to describe my work... BUT labels aside, this feels so right. The yogic journey offers a structure and a community, a reference point and a source of comfort in knowing that I am not walking this path alone.
Over the next year and beyond I want to take my work more deeply into the realms of creating experiences, incredibly powerful experiences to share with others, through retreats and workshops and who knows what else that has yet to be revealed to me. In writing these words, this already feels like magic rippling through my body.
I have no idea where this fire, the energy of this moment will take me. I don't simply want to jump on the bandwagon and go off abroad somewhere beautiful to do yoga training as I have seen so many others in my arena do. Or maybe that's exactly what i'll ultimately end up doing.
In this moment I have no idea where I go from here. All I know is that I have been on the yogic path all along without even knowing it. That awareness now creates a powerful opportunity and whilst don't plan to rush any decisions (I tend to have 'shiny new thing syndrome and jump at new ideas'!) It's an opportunity of awareness I will nourish to see where it grows.
I'd love to hear you thoughts and ideas of all things 'yoga'. Let's have a discussions... my mind is wide open! :-)
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I am a designer, personal empowerment coach and writer from the UK. I work with health and wellness businesses to bring their mission and purpose to the world. I also help people become the best version of themselves in mind and body.
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