Friday, 22 December 2023
eBook Bundle - Special Offer #positivepsychology #mentalhealth #lifecoac...
Monday, 11 December 2023
Unlocking Your Potential: The Power of Effective Time Management and Goal Setting
The Power of Effective Time Management and Goal Setting
Do you often find yourself wishing you had more hours in the day? Do your tasks pile up, leaving you feeling overwhelmed and unproductive? It’s a common struggle for many of us, but the good news is that with effective time management and goal setting, you can take control of your life and unlock your true potential.
Understanding the Time-Goal Connection
Time management and goal setting belong side by side To truly make the most of your time, you need to have a clear sense of purpose and direction. Let’s explore how these two key concepts can work together to help you overcome procrastination and boost your productivity.
Setting the Stage with Clear Goals
Before you can effectively manage your time, you need to set clear and achievable goals. Your goals act as your guiding stars, helping you stay focused and motivated. Without a destination, you’ll drift aimlessly.
Continue to read - https://www.venerina.org/time-management/
Friday, 18 August 2023
Is it true that 50% of the population will suffer with some form of mental health by the age of 75?
In a world marked by ever-increasing stresses and challenges, the importance of mental health has come into sharp focus. Mental health issues, once relegated perhaps to the shadows, have now emerged as a global concern that demands our immediate attention. It's projected that over half of the world's population will experience some form of mental health issue by the age of 75, underscoring the urgency of addressing these challenges in the here and now.
Fortunately, a holistic approach offers a promising path forward, one that encompasses the mind, body, and spirit in the quest for lasting well-being. Holistic well-being recognizes that human health isn't a single-dimensional entity but an intricate tapestry woven from various threads. It acknowledges the undeniable connection between the mind, the body, and the spirit or energy that advocates for a comprehensive approach to encompass all aspects of our being.
This approach is particularly relevant in the realm of mental health, where an imbalance in one area can reverberate throughout the entirety of our lives. The prediction that more than half of the global population will encounter mental health issues by the age of 75 serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need for action. Factors such as fast-paced lifestyles, digital overload, societal pressures, and environmental changes contribute to the surge in these mental health issues.
To combat this alarming trajectory, we must embrace a holistic strategy that empowers individuals to fortify their mental well-being. But what holistic strategies can we use for the prevention of mental health issues or for even overcoming them?
First and foremost, we need to practice mindful awareness. This involves tuning into our thoughts, emotions, and sensations without judgment. Mindfulness practices such as meditation and deep breathing can help us become attuned to our mental landscape and provide powerful insights into potential triggers.
Second, we need to nourish ourselves properly. We may not be aware of it, but there is a very profound connection between diet and mental health. A well-balanced diet rich in nutrients supports brain functions and creates emotional stability. More whole foods, omega-three fatty acids, and gut-friendly probiotics can positively influence our mood and cognition.
Third, we need to get moving. It sounds like a cliché, but exercise isn't solely about sculpting our body; it also nurtures the mind. Engaging in regular physical activity can boost the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and endorphins, which are essential for maintaining a positive mood.
Fourth, we can adopt holistic therapies. Turning to things like acupuncture, aromatherapy, and sound therapy, these traditional treatments can promote relaxation and stress reduction, restore energetic balance, and enhance our general well-being.
Fifth, we need to develop emotional intelligence, which equips us with the tools we need to navigate the complex landscapes of feelings. Practising self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication fosters healthier relationships and emotional resilience with others as much as with ourselves.
Sixth, we need to cultivate resilience. Life will always have its highs and lows, triumphs and challenges. Resilience is what allows us to bounce back from setbacks, view adversity as an opportunity for growth, and embrace change with an open heart.
Seventh, using mind-body practices can help us connect movement with breath and mindfulness, freeing the energy flow within us. This promotes relaxation and harmony, leading to improved relationships with others.
By achieving this, we can create a ripple effect of well-being that will reverberate through society, directly or indirectly, helping others. Just because somebody predicted that half of the world's population will have mental health issues by the age of 75 does not make it destiny. We all have the power to change our destiny every morning when we wake up. It's all a matter of choice.
Mental Health, Depression and Anti-depressants.
In a world where choices shape our paths and emotions carve our destinies, there’s a truth we must confront, even if it’s not the easiest pill to swallow. But we need to get real. Today we’re talking about depression. It’s a very tough topic, but I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It’s not a comfortable truth, but it’s one that we need to face head-on.
The reality is the state of our mental health is a daily choice. One that we have to consciously make every single day. One we have to put effort into, one that we have to work on. Every morning we wake up with a decision to make. We can choose to start the day with a positive outlook, a neutral mindset, or let ourselves slide into negativity. That choice, when consistently tilted towards negativity, sets a pattern. Over time, that pattern becomes a habit. And eventually, that habit leads to depression.
I know because I’ve been there. I know the allure of falling into a routine of daily unhappiness, losing interest in everything, neglecting self-care, and seeking escape from reality. I felt the lack of enthusiasm, the urge to withdraw from society, and the desire to avoid all interactions. There were days when I barely spoke a word, even to my pet, not to mention having suicidal thoughts. In 2017.
There were days when I didn’t want to get out of bed and others when I only got the bare essentials done and then I’d go back to bed. My energy levels were consistently low. I felt numb. Nothing could affect me. Nobody could reach me. I wouldn’t listen to anybody. If anybody paid me a compliment, I would not assimilate it. In fact, I wouldn’t assimilate half of what anybody was saying to me. I wouldn’t believe them. I felt unworthy, and embarrassed.
My mind would be thinking, yeah, in an incredulous way, resistant to anything coming from the external world that could remotely be positive. Just like many people, I found temporary escapism and instant gratifications that would alleviate my condition, my symptoms, if you like, for a short while. But they weren’t the solution to the problem. In fact, none of us can run from our problems forever. Running can offer a momentary distraction or a false sense of security. But eventually, we have to confront our challenges.
Unfortunately, after each fleeting high though, the subsequent low can feel even more devastating, leaving us to seek more escapism. During lockdown, mental health issues soared. And it’s no surprise we’ve become a society reliant on escapism. We all carry varying degrees of unhappiness and we all experience different forms of suffering. To cope, we turn to distractions. Some people use substance abuse as alcohol, food, drugs. Some people may obsessively seek solace in spirituality. We immerse ourselves in the endless offerings of the modern world, becoming disconnected from our true selves. And many of us struggle to fully embrace and accept who we are.
The pandemic and subsequent lockdown forced us to confront ourselves. We were all stripped of these usual distractions. We were left alone, essentially, with our thoughts and our feelings. We were confronted with the aspects of our lives that we’ve been avoiding or that we mask on a daily basis without proper guidance and tools. It’s natural that panic, fear, and pain intensified, leading to a surge in mental health issues.
I probably experienced Lockdown very differently. To most people, I was actually quite happy to be at home, although I wasn’t very happy that I lost everything — my business, my income, several friends, family members. But Lockdown gave me the opportunity to really look inwardly at everything in my life. And no matter how painful the things were that came to the surface, I found a way to deal with them, to let them go.
Without resorting to antidepressants, most people wouldn’t have been able to go through what I’ve been through in life and still be here to tell the story. Just to give you a clue, by the age of 15, I was actually taking 60 drops of thallium a day to deal with anxiousness anxiety. But since becoming a holistic health practitioner and a Reiki master, I’ve learned to depend less on pharmaceuticals and more on holistic ways of healing.
I’ve come to learn the relationship there is between the mind, our thoughts, the energy those thoughts produce, and our physical state of being. And it pains me nowadays that so many people are taking antidepressants, especially as there are so many side effects associated with these drugs.
Did you know that antidepressants, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, interact with our neurotransmitter systems? This interaction can lead to gastrointestinal disturbances, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. They can upset the delicate balance within our gut. They can cause our metabolic functions to malfunction. This, in turn, can cause things like dizziness, headaches. It can trigger neurological side effects. There’s also a rare condition known as serotonin syndrome, which can even occur when one is taking antidepressants.
Certain antidepressants can even impact heart rate and blood pressure. Although antidepressants can certainly shut out some of our negative experiences, they also shut out some of our positive ones. They can alter our memory, our attention, our decision-making abilities. They can impact our daily functioning and our cognitive well-being. In addition to all of this, there can be societal and psychological repercussions.
The idea of having to rely on medication for emotional well-being might actually trigger feelings of inadequacy weakness. Some people may feel that way, so they’re taking antidepressants, but it’s actually counterproductive to the intended outcome or the desired outcome from taking the antidepressants.
What got me through my depression and my mental health issues were mindfulness and meditation. I became aware of every thought I had and what emotion was associated with that thought. And recognizing each emotion that was triggered by the thoughts, I was able to catch myself and transform those thoughts from negative to more positive.
I won’t say that I became happy overnight because that would be a lie. But I learned to distinguish how my thoughts and my emotions affected my mood on a regular basis and how that affected my lifestyle in general. I also started to take responsibility for my part in some of the bad things that have happened throughout my life, taking my power back, which in turn made me more confident, and resilient.
And that’s why I felt compelled to write my book, Unlock the Power Within and share with you here on YouTube my experience and hopefully find a way to help you to overcome your challenges without reliance on pharmaceuticals. I’m not telling anyone to go and throw their antidepressants away. I mean, if I had a choice, I would. But I realize that for some people they have merits, but I’d like you also to consider their drawbacks.
What I’m suggesting is an alternative. An alternative that includes mindfulness exercise, therapy, and a lot of inner work to organically transform thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that are detrimental to our well-being, physical, mental, and emotional.
The Ego
Never Underestimate the Power of Creativity for Healing.
Every Journey Starts with One Step.
Friday, 14 April 2023
Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Friday, 31 March 2023
Thursday, 30 March 2023
Sunday, 26 March 2023
Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Wednesday, 15 February 2023
The Power of Mind Transformation
Saturday, 28 January 2023
The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Destination Wedding: Tips and Tricks
A destination wedding can be a dream come true, but the planning process can be overwhelming. From choosing the perfect location to coordinating travel arrangements for your guests, there are many factors to consider. But don't worry, with the right tips and tricks, you can plan the destination wedding of your dreams without breaking a sweat.
First and foremost, it's important to choose the right location for your destination wedding. Consider the climate, accessibility, and overall vibe of the location. Are you looking for a tropical paradise or a scenic mountain getaway? Do you want a location that's easy for your guests to travel to, or are you okay with a more remote location? Are you looking for something ultra luxurious where money isn't an obstacle? or would you like something more cosy? Or would you just like to elope and plan a party later? Once you've narrowed down your options, it's a good idea to visit the location in person to ensure it meets all of your requirements.
Once you've chosen the location, it's time to start planning the logistics. Coordinating travel arrangements for yourself and your guests can be a daunting task, but it's important to book early to secure the best deals. Consider booking a block of rooms at a nearby hotel or resort to make it easy for your guests to make reservations. You can also work with a travel agent to create a custom travel package for your guests.
Another important aspect of planning a destination wedding is securing the right vendors. This is especially important if you're getting married in a location that you're not familiar with. Research local wedding planners, photographers, and caterers to ensure they have experience with destination weddings. It's also a good idea to work with vendors that speak your language to avoid any communication barriers.
When it comes to the guest list, it's important to be realistic about who will be able to attend your destination wedding. Keep in mind that not everyone will be able to make the trip, and that's okay. It's a good idea to send out save-the-dates well in advance to give your guests plenty of time to plan their travel.
Finally, be sure to factor in additional expenses such as transportation, meals and activities for your guests. A destination wedding can be a little more expensive than a traditional wedding, but with the right planning and budgeting, you can make it work.
In summary, planning a destination wedding can be a daunting task, but with the right tips and tricks, you can plan the destination wedding of your dreams. By choosing the right location, coordinating travel arrangements, securing the right vendors, being realistic about the guest list, and budgeting for additional expenses you will be able to plan a beautiful and memorable destination wedding.
What is Mind-Body, Energy Healing?
This afternoon I found myself writing to a friend who is, currently, not very well and I thought my reply would make a nice blog post for people in a similar situation. If it helps even one person to overcome some form of dis-ease in the body, I'll be a very happy person.
I introduced the concept of Qigong Energy Medicine in a previous post. I said that in Qigong Energy Medicine, and Traditional Chinese Medicine, we believe that all dis-ease in the body starts in a person’s energy field. That energy comes from our immediate environment, (people, places, thoughts, actions) but, as we’re all interconnected with everything in the Universe, it’s also influenced by the energies of world events that don’t necessarily affect us in our immediate circumstances but they still, none the less, take a toll on us.
The most important influences on us are our thoughts (related to what’s going on in our lives) and the energy they produce. Since this is now proven by scientific research, based on placebos, it follows that - just as our thoughts can damage our health, so too can they restore it.
Anyway, I don’t know how much you, the reader, knows about me but, as well as Psychology, I studied Naturopathy and then Reiki, which led me to Qigong energy medicine. I’m not against allopathic medicine, but I do believe in Integrative Medicine, i.e. Mind-Body-Energy and how the co-relationship between them brings about good & bad health. As a matter of interest, I watched two interesting TED talks a few weeks ago where two separate allopathic doctors were finally bringing my long held beliefs to mainstream allopathic practices.
One of the interesting concepts one of the doctors said was that: “All our lives, we all oscillate between health and dis-ease but we don’t give our bodies a chance to heal naturally because we seek medical intervention somewhere in between or we wait too long relying on medical intervention” - When I relate this oscillation to energy and things going on in our lives, it makes perfect sense to me because energy is like the tide, it comes and goes in ebbs and flows. (That even rhymes! :-D) - My point is that life has highs and lows, so our minds have highs and lows, which means our energy follows the same format.
This brings me to my knee as a perfect example. In Energy Medicine, the knee represents movement and our ability to stand, ground ourselves, walk, run. Meditating on it, I realise now that it was obvious my knee would displace. I should have seen it coming. I’m fully conscious of the fact that it was triggered by:
a) The upheaval in my life which uprooted me when I suddenly had my father back in my life after nearly 40 years of
estrangement.
b) My fear of having to uproot my life again.
c) The fear of letting everything I've built until now and having to start my life all over again.
Once I acknowledged, accepted and came to terms with the root of the issues in my life, the decisions I now face and all my fears head on, I was able to critically analyse everything and change my Mindset. Now that I’ve done that, I’ve changed the energy polarity from negative to positive, which has cleared my mind and infused me with a new sense of: “Ok, this is what I’m going to do.” In fact, I’ve set myself a new challenge, with new goals, that has also given me a renewed sense of purpose and an infusion of new life force (will power, determination, interest, wonder and so on.) These are all essential components, in my view, for continuing to live each day with something to look forward to; something to get out of bed for with enthusiasm and not procrastinate, which I did a lot of during my 10 year cycle of depression.
I feel like I’m playing catch up, for that, but I forgive myself. I needed time to heal and learn. If I hadn’t been what I’ve been through, I wouldn’t be where I am now nor would I be back to who I truly am - and not the person I didn’t recognise anymore in the mirror - if I even bothered looking in a mirror - because that’s another thing. As symbolic as it seems, when we get to a point where we detest who we’ve become (for whatever sad reasons) we avoid even looking at ourselves in shame, guilt, regret etc. because it’s painful to face it all. But unless we do, we can’t compassionately forgive ourselves and rebuild. I’ve never seen it happen but they say a phoenix is born from ashes. So, sometimes everything has to be destroyed for us to begin to rebuild bigger and more beautiful than before.
So, anyway, the stronger and more determined my mind is getting, the more I feel happy and the more my knee has started to get better on its own. In fact, today I can manage the stairs pretty much un-aided. I didn’t take the conventional meds that the doctors prescribed but I did take natural alternatives. But, the biggest healing factor has been finding compromising solutions, in this new mindset, to what “duty” dictates I "should do" and what I would be happy with without entirely giving up the life I built during the last, nearly, 40 years of my father’s absence in it.
Nothing in life is an accident nor coincidence. There is always some kind of Divine plan involved. But … I believe that everything, and I mean everything that happens in life happens because we’re meant to learn a lesson and pay off our Karmic debts for every time we’ve caused suffering through our speech and actions - If it’s true that we’re all on the path to enlightenment or back to God or the Highest Spiritual Self we can be, we’re not going to get there if everything is smooth sailing and we never learn anything.
If you'd like to purchase my book - Please Click HERE
If you'd like to partake in a retreat with me either in Spain or Sicily - Click HERE
Friday, 27 January 2023
Getting married in Gibraltar or Elope to Gibraltar
Having worked for so many years in Gibraltar on weddings, I often get asked about getting married there; how easy it is, what documents are required, how long it takes etc etc.
So, I decided to compile a complete guide for anyone interested in eloping or getting married in Gibraltar.
The guide contains valuable information about documents required, venues available, accommodation and the general process of booking your preferred date with the registry office. The "Getting married in Gibraltar Guide" is full of clickable links for ease of booking. I've even included links to service providers for any extras you might require.
To get the full guide - CLICK HERE
Thursday, 26 January 2023
Mind - Body, Energy Healing
Namaste! Welcome back to my blog!
Today I’m talking about energy and how it relates to the mind body interrelationship I spoke about in a previous article. Everyone has probably heard about chakras and how they shift energy through the body and how that energy can become stagnant and blocked but, let me introduce you to the concept of Qigong Energy Medicine.
Qigong, also spelled "qi gong" or "chi kung," is a practice that originated in China and involves various movements, breathing techniques, and meditations to cultivate and balance the body's qi (energy) for the purpose of improving physical and mental health.
Qigong is believed to work by regulating the flow of qi throughout the body, which can become blocked or imbalanced due to stress, injury, or illness. By unblocking and balancing the qi, practitioners of Qigong hope to improve their physical and mental well-being, and prevent or treat various health conditions.
Qigong is often used as a complementary therapy to help manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, cancer, and heart disease, as well as mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
It is also believed that Qigong can help by promoting relaxation, reducing stress and tension, and improving sleep. By promoting a sense of calm and balance, Qigong may also help to reduce symptoms of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that all dis-ease, in the body, starts within the subtle energy field that surrounds us. Many people talk about our aura but, in actual fact, we are influenced with energies that go way beyond that.
All day long, we are exchanging energy within our environment and with the people around us. We are constantly creating energy with our thoughts and actions, which have an impact on the world around us and the people in it. Similarly, we are affected by the energy of people and events taking place in the world around us.
To understand how to heal the body naturally, we need to understand the co-relationship between areas of the body that are affected by dis-ease and what’s going on in our lives. Qigong believes that emotional and psychological issues manifest as physical symptoms in the body.
A perfect example, and very appropriate right now, is I have a dislocated knee. This means I have an energy blockage in my knee.
Physically, the knee is considered to be the "root" of the body and is closely associated with the body's ability to stand and move. A blockage in the knee affects that ability causing pain, stiffness and difficulty in walking, running or doing any physical activity.
Energetically, the knee is associated with one's ability to "let go" of things such as past experiences and move forward in life. We might not have chosen to move in the direction that is in keeping with our Higher Self. We might be moving in the wrong direction or we fear moving in a direction we don’t particularly want to.
If we allow it to, an energy blockage in the knee will not only affect our physical ability but also our mental and emotional well-being. Practicing Qigong, meditation or being mindful of events in our daily life can help us to release blockages and restore balance in whatever area of our body we find dis-ease, and improve our overall well-being.
Every organ and every cell in the body is affected by the energy we are immersed in. If you tell me what’s wrong with you, chances are I can identify what’s going on in your life and what needs to change in order for you to heal.
For more information or to attend a retreat with me in 2023, Click HERE
To purchase my Mind Transformation Book - Click HERE
To listen to the audio version - Click HERE
Wednesday, 25 January 2023
We are a POP society!
Hello and welcome to my blog. If you’re new. Welcome! Make yourself a brew and have a seat with me.
It’s really saddening for me, nowadays, to see just how many people all around the world are hooked on painkillers, prescription drugs, over the counters meds and dangerous illegal substances.
We’ve become a POP society - “Pop a Pill.”
If we have a headache, we pop a pill. If we have acidity in the stomach, we pop. If we have a muscle spasm, we pop. We literally take medicine for everything and anything.
BUT…
I wonder if you are really aware of just how much our mind influences our health? More specifically, just how much our thoughts, the energy they produce and the emotions we attach to them causes physical change within the body.
You’ve probably heard of the mind-body connection. It refers to the interrelationship between the mind, which produces our thoughts, and physical state of our health.
Every thought we have produces a certain type of energy, which can be positive, neutral or negative. If it’s positive, happy days! We attach a positive emotion to it; like joy and we face the world as if we could conquer it; or at least try. We feel energised. Why? Because we are feeding our cells with healthy, radiant energy; the positive polarity of energy.
When a thought produced energy is neutral, it means it doesn’t affect us one way or another. We’re impartial because we haven’t attached any particular emotion to the thought.
However, when the energy produced is negative, that’s when we start to suffer all kinds of health issues. For example, submitting our minds to chronic stress can lead to a variety of physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and fatigue not to mention metabolic, digestive disorders, heart disease and diabetes.
Additionally, the mind-body connection can also be used as a tool for healing. Various techniques such as meditation, yoga, and visualisation can be used to reduce stress, improve mood, and promote physical healing.
In summary, the mind-body connection highlights how our thoughts and emotions can affect our physical health and how we can use this connection to promote healing.
Want to find out more, email me for more information about my new transformational course HERE!
Alternatively, you can purchase my book HERE!
Tuesday, 24 January 2023
I'm not good enough!
The one mindset that makes so many people fail, in life, is thinking “I’m not good enough.”
Where does that thinking come from? Are you willing to find out? Are you ready to face it and move on? Unless you do, you will never live your Highest and best possible life. Success, in anything, depends on having strong self confidence and belief that "we can" no matter what the obstacles are.
The only person stopping you from becoming who you want to be and doing what you want to do in life is you. Nobody else.
It's sad that in today's society, millions of people think they are not good enough just because, to their way of thinking, they do not fit the standard of beauty, wealth or body type the media would have us believe "should be" the norm. Some come to believe they're not smart enough, lucky enough or even efficient enough because their bank account doesn't match the Hollywood lifestyle rammed down our necks at every opportunity.
Not feeling good enough is a fear just like any other. It's a self doubt that arises from somewhere in our past; sometimes even as far back as childhood. Someone or something knocked our confidence. Whatever it was made us feel small; knocked us off our feet.
Instead of bouncing back we shied away once, then twice and then continued to do so until this issue became ingrained in our soul.
As harsh as this may sound, we allowed this to happen. We create our own fears and complexes on the basis of something that nine times out of ten is just someone else's opinion. Everyone has one. It doesn't mean they are right. Yet, somehow, we accept their opinion as something written in stone. We take it onboard and allow it to harm us and hold us back. I should add here that the more we hold someone dear to us, the more importance we give to their opinions.
Judgements, criticisms, constructive criticism, liking, disliking; they're all just one person or another' opinion. Believing the "I'm not enough" paradigm is what, ultimately, puts us into a victim mentality. It also stops us from taking risks and going after opportunities.
It's also worth noting that the more someone says something to us, the more likely we are to think about it. The more we think about it, the more we end up believing it and soon, before we know it, we have reaffirmed that belief so much that we end up imbedding it as a new reality into our subconscious mind. Once a belief has that status in our life, we begin to base your actions on it and create the world around us in accordance with it.
This is not who we are though. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. We all have the same potential and capacities as anyone else in the world. The only difference between us and a successful person is that the successful person acts upon his world and does not let the world just act upon him.
In order to overcome paradigms like the "I'm not good enough", we need to learn to forgive ourselves our harsh judgments. We need to forgive others because perhaps they knew no better. You see, everyone creates their own reality based on their own circumstances and influences in life.
There is no such thing as a perfect life. Everyone has baggage. The important thing is how you deal with the baggage that you are carrying. If you cannot love yourself, forgive yourself and be at one with yourself, the chances are you will not succeed in having successful relationships with others. Look deep into the inner you and discover even the most painful of content. Let it rise to the surface, analyse it, cherish the lesson that may be contained within it and then let it go.
Create new realities for yourself based on what you love about you, the things you are best suited for and what your passions are in life. Give yourself all the validation you need to restore the belief that you can be and you will be. Once you restore this self-confidence you will find that the only limiting factor is your own imagination.
Thank you for reading this article and if you are interested in transforming your mind.