Learning through Experience

Have you read the Secret and thought: presto, I’ll read the book, try and change the way I think and next I’ll:

• Be changed and all dandy: it's all attitude right?


• Win lotto!


• Find the perfect man/woman (you know they don’t exist right….. oh you still hope …ok )


• Retire and buy an exotic island and drink martinis


• Make millions with your own company


• Have the perfect figure and wear a bikini again


• Have a massive walk in wardrobe and lots of shoes. Finally.


• Learn many languages and travel and travel


• Live blissfully ever after.

But…. If you DO want to learn, how about listening to what the people around you think? (if they have the guts to tell you. They might and also say things which can surprise you.)

So here’s a fun exercise to learn how others view you: feedback
Select 3-5 people and ask them to send you a written reply and give them a promise you will not pummel them no matter what the outcome will be.

Questions to ask others who know you quite well:
1) If you look at my life up till now, what can I:
Be proud of? (Qualities, attributes, accomplishments)
Be happy or pleased about?
And why do you think that?

2) If you think about my future
What do you think would be good for me to experience in regards to:
Personal development,
Challenges to overcome and
Give time and attention to?
Why did you think that would be good for me?

3) Why do you think it could be hard for me to realize all the above?

So: do you really want to know what people think about you or rather not? Do you look in the mirror from time to time or does it freak you out? Do you want to know? Or happily not to? I think I'll try this exercise just for the sheer fun of it. There's always stuff to learn, whether it's about me or others as well. I don't know but I reckon it could be hilarious.

With many thanks to the Dutch magazine Flow and the website

www.debaak.nl If you need a coach (in Holland that is) go check them out.

power of creation

Have you noticed that whenever you are in a 'figuring out' period - when you can't quite make up your mind yet- that things are a bit fuzzy for a while? There are no great peaks or falls or growth. It's all a bit vague.

This brings me to: it is very certain that things will go well for you if you believe in them, love them and give it all your attention. Why? Because you use emotional power to Create. It's energy in movement. We create every day every moment every second. Most of us just think we don't have the power to shape our world or our life but we do. I'm convinced we do. And I'm not talking about pseudo positive thinking. It makes sense to me that certain things stop working well if you lose the belief or affection for them and that other things increase when you give them undivided loving attention.

As humans we are born to change and experience. That means that it makes no sense to do the same thing for decades on end unless we desire this. Also it might be an idea to give ourselves time to grapple with situations to become clear to us. I have found with various activities that I lost the appetite for them and started to care less and less. I went through several stages where I tried to reconvince myself that it would be better if I stuck with it which is the conscience thing or the -be-a-good-girl-thing. Now I can see I'm just ready for a new phase and it's better to let things unfold and let go of hanging on to old stuff. It's an incredible relief, which makes me very happy.

So what to do with the power of creation? It's always a cool idea to actually be aware of it. I've been less comitted to creating positivily for a while because I felt tired and got a bit bored with certain things. It's healthier for me to be creativily inspired. I can see now that in a sense I let myself become sick and that it was neccesary to wake up and start re creating differently. So all the time I had actually deliberately created boredom and stagnation apparently.

Awareness is the key to improving one's life. I wasn't feeling very zingy for a while but it was my own choice to feel so I guess. I'm not saying I gave up, I again understand that one is always able to choose again. This is a great thing. Because we have the ability to choose again we can devote our new found enthusiasm to areas where it's needed. So if taking responsibility for ourselves is the start, then whatever comes next is the result of that awareness of choosing which creates. (Still with me? Read that again if you need to.)

Here's the cookie part: we receive what we can let go of. We receive what we give to others. Interesting no? (Yeah I know bit of deep stuff today. Get used to it. Otherwise feel free to flick youtube.) Anyway: if you hang on to something or someone too much it will leave you. If you let go of something it can come back to you. If you give to others freely they will return the favour. If you treat others well they treat you well. If you show resentment it's harder for the universe to return love to you as you do not send that out yourself. Tested and tried amigos, swear to God.

Telling yourself that something should work is gobblygook. I've been good at that and it's a waste of time. Being a stubborn bugger is one thing, but truly, it doesn't help matters and it stresses yourself and others out. Like gee whiz get with the program already. Sometimes it's just ok to realize that a period has come and gone. Raising the curtain and drawing it on others will reveal new suprises and new inspirations. Isn't that just wonderful? I think so. Crike, it's a groovy world out there. And if you can shape it - how glorious and fun can it become? Woohoo! I'm keen, so I signed on, logged in and subscribed straight away. Love it.

Manifesting dreams

Many people I talk to are figuring out how to realize your dream? Have you read the Secret? http://www.thesecret.tv/

Regardless of what you think of it, I find I have been applying the principles of the secret without realizing it for at least a decade. I started to become aware of this when I kept visualizing things with intention and it happened. This is how Nico and I found our house in Holland and also how we found our house in New Zealand. Desire what you want to happen but also KNOW it will come to you as it’s already there, you just need to find it. This is not idle hope but it needs to be something you need to know as a fact. It’s all about knowing with certainty that your dream is manifesting by using strong intent.

For me, the ingredients for realizing your dreams are:

• Know what you want


• Picture it clearly in your head (see the house, job, place, situation)


• Think about the Timeframe you want something realized


• Feel strong intent using your emotion


• Know for a fact you will realize this desire


• Work hard and do everything you can to reach your goal (this is re-enforcing your goal through actions)


• Dedication and perseverance (stick with it)


• Believe you will get there. Always. (Don’t give up)

I was thinking the other day that I would really like to do larger interior design jobs and also commercial. I even thought how many I’d like to do and how much revenue I’d like my boss to make per month. (When I get really cracking I will kindly suggest a commission.)
A lady walked in a week ago saying they would like me to sort out their carpet and drapery for them. Two days ago a lady came in who's just build a house and is starting to look for furnishings. Today I'm going to measure drapes for a golfclub that is also thinking about doing developments.

I also send out a few other emails/intents to realize my goal of being extremely busy this year with interior design work. By putting my intentions out there I send out energy to say I’m here to find more challenging work, thank you for sending it my way, I’m good, I know I can really make a difference for people in their homes. They’ll be thrilled they got us on board.

My point is you cannot realize a goal unless you WANT it and KNOW you are able to get it. Hoping won’t cut it. You have to believe this in the core of your being that you are worthy of your cause and that it can be realized. There’s no room for doubt. If you doubt yourself then your vision will take a lot longer to manifest itself.

This system works; it has done wonders for me. Feel free to give it a go yourself.
(But as Yoda said: “try not, do, or do not.” He was bang on that little green man.)