{this moment}

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{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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This week I am sharing more than one moment because I like to break the rules… and the silence… ;)

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☺ "This is the Best Day of your Life!" ☺

You hear the expression often enough, especially on birthdays; "hope it's the best birthday ever!"

This got me thinking, Every Day should be the best day ever! 

And why not? Going back to the "Here & Now" mentality, the present moment is all we really have, so make the best of it. There shouldn't be one single day that you can relate to as being the "best day of your life." They all should be wonderful and amazing. I'm a deep believer in having no regrets in life--and that means not regretting any of your decisions in life either--so you should be able to look back at your life and say "this is the Best Life ever!" And remember that if it doesn't feel that way then it is up to you to make it so.  

Embrace each moment, grasp every opportunity. Enjoy it! Live the life you dream. Live the life that makes You Happy. Take each and every day and make it the Best one. There is no single greatest moment, life is a collection of all those moments that make up your life, and they are special and wonderful in their own unique way. We don't live so we can have One great day. We live so that we can have one great Life! Every Day!

Remember, we choose Who we are and we choose what our lives are. Don't limit yourself. Don't put things off for another day or time. Be. And grasp each day. Don't allow yourself to have an entirely "off day." Yes, absolutely allow yourself to feel sadness or anger if you need to, but let it go instead of carrying out through the rest of your day. Pick up that positive attitude and make the rest of the day amazing. Make it the best damn day ever! Make each day memorable and grand. Because they are, in their own special unique way. Events and feelings in our lives lead us up to other things, winding the fabric of your life, intertwining it with all the other vibrations and events of the world. You just have to learn to love, embrace, and appreciate all the simple things around you, big or small. Appreciate them and you will learn to see beauty and wonder in every day life. Learn to see how beautiful each moment, event, and feeling can be. Allow these things to enhance your life and your every day experiences. 

Every morning, we wake up and start our day anew. Every day is like a restart button in which you can do all the things you want to do. Every day, even every moment, can be a second chance, a new breath, a new outlook, a new experience. 

So enjoy it all. And make every day the best of your Life! 

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☺ Release the Past to Live in the Present ☺

Don't Neglect the Past. 

We can use the past absolutely to our advantage, however we often misuse it completely by either getting stuck in it, or by trying to neglect it. 

The past holds many answers to our current behaviours, attitudes, and habits. Neglecting the past won't help you move forwards. If you want to let the past go then you need to go back and come to terms with it. If you can do this then you will actually be able to let it go and live in the present moment and be able to direct your future. Otherwise, the past will keep coming up with a negative attitude to rain on your parade. You don't want to live in the past, you want to live in the present, and if you want to do that then you need to let go of whatever haunts you from that past. If you don't find resolution with the past then you will, at an unaware level, still be living in it because you allow it to shape your every day attitudes and actions.

Bad habits and attitudes are usually a result of your previous experiences, from behaviours or attitudes you've picked up along your journey. Do yourself a favour and the next time you turn to a bad habit or have a negative attitude towards something or someone, try to consciously be aware of the trigger. If that isn't clear to you right away then just continue to pay attention and eventually you'll be able to connect the dots. Once you've figured out why and where these things come from then you'll be able to address them appropriately and change your attitude and actions. 

Understand that the past isn't a bad thing. Those experiences needed to happen in order for you to be who you are today. However, those bad attitudes learned from our pasts are often deeply routed. We were either too young or in a negative situation so were unable to see those experiences as lessons to build character and strength and instead allow them to consume us in the present. But you have the ability Now, with a new awareness, to revisit those experiences and draw out the positive so that you can come to peace with it and move forwards. And this is the point that I am going to recommend getting help from a good councillor, therapist, psychiatrist, or whatever feels in line with you. But I highly recommend seeking out this help outside of yourself. It's not a shameful, embarrassing, or self-defeating thing to seek out help from another. People are all around us to help us along our journeys, we cannot, and are not meant to, go on this journey completely alone. Be willing to seek out help so that you may move forward, learn something deeper about yourself, and live a better present and future. 

I finally gained the courage to call a councillor a few years ago. Best choice I could have made. I was very resistant to it, as most are, but finally hit a breaking point and decided I had nothing to lose. By going, I was able to heal and move forwards and come to terms with my past with peace, understanding, wisdom, and forgiveness. I truly believe if I hadn't got that help then I wouldn't be where I am today. My councillor recommended doing what's called an "EMDR" session with me after a few visits and this in particular was what helped me accept the past and see it with new eyes and a new attitude. Most of my problems, like most people, stemmed from things that had happened in my past, and therefor it was essential for me to revisit those experiences in order to gain a new perspective and to gain control of my life today. If I hadn't gone then my life today could still be a mess and run amuck because I wouldn't have an understanding of those negative emotions and reactions and been able to release them. 

Again, the past is not a bad thing, those experiences were not bad experiences, they were building blocks for our lives today. And perhaps you're wondering; what if you don't like your life today? Then you have the power to change that too. In fact, chances are, if you haven't come to peace with your past yet, that's exactly why you're unable to enjoy your life today. But it doesn't have to be that way. It doesn't have to be that way at all. You have the power already inside yourself to seek out the lessons and the positive, to see those building blocks and rebuild a happy and positive life. You can build the life you've always dream of. But you must release the past. And releasing the past doesn't happen by neglecting it. It happens by coming to terms with it, from making peace with it. And then it can lay peacefully where it belongs, in the past, while your life today blossoms into a more wonderful direction, enriched by those experiences but gets to be where it should be--in the present. The past will always be there, in memory and as a source that shaped you today. What you walk away with is up to you. You get to choose. But you must address the issues instead of sweeping them under the carpet and ignoring them, because they will always, and most likely consistently, remain to harass you until you do.  

You won't change anything in your life or about yourself until you seek out that change within yourself. Everyone has things from their past that effect them today. If people didn't then you wouldn't have grown, learned, evolved, or changed. It's your choice to use the past as a constructive tool to enrich your life today instead of getting trapped in those past experiences. Come to peace with your past, let it go, apply the lessons you learned today, and live in the moment so that you can love and enjoy it all. 

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Words from the Dalai Lama..

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☺ Inspirational: Motivational Mondays!☺

We all have moments in the month, in our lives, our day when it's just a bit tougher to smile. However, remember that you always have the power within you to be happy! Here are some lovely tips for the week and self-reminders to make that smile burst back through to share with the world around you! :)

☺ Don't resist Change... Change happens whether you attempt to resist it or not. Life is much easier when you let go and go with the flow of those changes. People change, things change, everything changes. We should not be afraid of this but embrace it.   

☺ Be Bold! Go for it! Whatever it is your hesitant about just do it. We miss out on too many opportunities and chances because we allow our minds to inhibit us. Sure, it's good to think about things first, but it's also good to be bold and do the things that you Want to do. Tell that cute girl or boy you're crushing on that they're cute. Make a new friend instead of being shy. Try that activity you've been afraid of doing. The opportunities are endless! Be bold! 

☺ Love Your Self! Here's a "Happy Diary" task for your week ;). Sit down and take a moment of appreciation for yourself. Write down all the things you love about your body, your soul, your Self. Self-Love is important, if you can't love yourself how can you expect to love anything else around you? So take the time to appreciate your inner beauty. Appreciate all the things that make you shine!    

☺ Laugh!! Just like smiling, laughing is good for the soul and mind :). Be happy and let that laughter flow, just for the hell of it! It'll make you feel amazing!  

☺ Be in the Now!  This has always been one of the most helpful lessons in my life, but it is one that I also find myself wandering from from time to time. So, a reminder, live in the present moment, stop thinking about the past and far into the future. Be present and mindful. Pay attention to what is going on right Now. Remember, Happiness is Now. Just Be.     

☺ Try an art or craft... Let out some creativity! Try sculpting, pottery, drawing, painting, knitting, baking, anything your heart desires! No one said that you have to be "good" at it, the point is to have fun while you're doing it, there is no right or wrong, so just have some fun! Trying a new craft can free your mind of the mundane and help you to develop your creativity.

☺ Take a break... brew a pot of tea, sit down with a good book or magazine and take a break from the world.     

Here's to another lovely new week full of fabulous experiences!   

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☺ Inspirational; Raising Vibrations☺

It is easy to get stuck in a rut, that "blah" state of mind, from hormones, society, electronics, "distractions", and life. Raise those vibrations and remember to smile! Life will always have those bumps and turns, it's how we grow, so embrace and learn everything you possibly can from those moments. Stay Positive!   

Don't allow yourself to get pulled back into unmotivated, passive states-of-being. Be fully in the moment. Embrace whatever is around you to its fullest extent. Stop just going through the notions of your daily life. Whatever your day is filled with, enjoy every inch of it. Appreciate your eyes opening in the morning, welcome the day with a great big stretch and even bigger smile. Pay attention and enjoy each mouthful of your breakfast, on the motion of chewing, the tastes and textures, and the feeling of satisfaction in your tummy. Enjoy the scenery during your commute to work. Smile at everyone you see, see the beauty in them and the oneness that surrounds life. Whatever your work day is filled with, enjoy it. Appreciate your sight, the beauty of each object. Pay attention to every movement you make; how you walk, breathe, move your hands, speak, and interact with the world. 

Life not mundane, only your thinking is. Raise your vibrations and enjoy this beautiful life and world we are each given. Life is spectacular if we want it to be. Don't waste any more of your time dwelling on negativities, let them go! Focus on Happy, Positive thoughts. Turn anything negative or unfavorable into something amazing and positive. Anything is possible if you try. 

There should be no room for mundane thoughts, no room for not embracing life to the fullest. There is no time like the present. Live each second with brilliance. 

Raise those vibrations and start Living today! What have you go to lose? Your Life, I mean actually Living the life you've been blessed with. Appreciate it. Be strong. Be free. Be Positive. And be Happy. 

Life is not boring. It is not mundane. It is not evil. Only your thinking is. 

Life is beautiful, brilliant, spectacular, stupendous, and amazing! Raise your Vibrations and start living today! 

Peace & Love

xo

~Bianca 

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☺ Inspirational; Happiness is Now!☺

To live a Happy and Positive Life, one must Be Happy and Positive. One must also Be in the Moment--the Here & Now--because Happiness is NOW; a feeling felt in the present, not the future or the past. You may remember feeling Happy in the past, or you can even look back on the past fondly, but that does not account for your present Being; Being Happy. Happiness is felt in the present moment, not anywhere else. Remember that. 

You can't change the past, but you can change your attitude towards it. You can choose to see the Positive, the lessons and the experiences that made you grow and become a stronger person. You can't change the past, but changing your opinion of it can make your present moment Positive and Happy. 

You can't predict the future. You can't map it all out. You can certainly try. Sure, you can make plans for the future, but remember to be weary of Expectations and to let those go. You can feel excited, anxious, or nervous towards the future, but Happiness still remains in the Present moment. So don't leave it behind while your Mind trails off and tries to exist in the future. You'll miss out on half your life living this way. 

Happiness is Now. You have that choice, every second of every day. Don't place Happiness as this distant thing you cannot yet possess, if you do this then you will spend your whole life chasing it, always leaving it a step in the future. Be with it. Be Happy. Yes, it takes practice to be happy all-the-time, but that does not mean it isn't attainable at this very second right now. It is. Because Happiness IS. 

"Remember; Happiness is a way of Travel. Not a Destination"  

So Be Happy Now! 

Peace & Love

xo

~Bianca 

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☺ Inspirational: See through Your Eyes ☺

We have these two beautiful eyes on our faces and this wonderful gift called Sight, yet we wander through life quite blindly. 

We can walk along the same street every day and never even notice the beauty amongst it. The architect of a building, the trees along the roadside, the faces of the people we pass by. 

The truth is, we take our eyes for granted. We take the world around us for granted. 

Try opening your eyes, try really looking through them. Pay attention to all of the little details. Take it all in as if you've never seen it before in your life. In a sense, you haven't seen it before in your life. 

Try looking at everything with a child-like sense of awe and wonder. 

The scene is always the same, never changing, and yet things change around it, and so will your perception. The Beauty has always been there. It's a matter of Choosing to see the beauty that exists around us. Of opening our eyes to it, of breathing it in, and appreciating it. 

By looking at the world this way we reawaken a sense of Gratitude. It becomes a sense of newness, of discovery, a fresh new outlook. It deepens Appreciation and awakens a deeper sense of Self-awareness as well. Paying attention to all the details, sipping it all in, also helps return us to the Now. It helps us just Be--the happiest and simplest principle of living, of our Being. 

You'll be amazed by what you'll see and what you'll discover in what seem like ordinary places. Places that you pass every day without notice. 

Life is full of Beauty. Notice it. Notice the sights and the feeling and the smells. The smell of fresh rain. The wind on your face. The sight of a caterpillar. Live your life to the fullest by seeing what is around you. Choose to not walk blindly. Choose to walk with awakened senses.  

Open your eyes and take in the Beauty of the world around you. Appreciate. See through your Eyes. Just Be.  

Peace & Love,

xo

~Bianca   

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☺ Inspirational: Here & Now ☺

The Present Moment is really all we have. It is all that matters. It is all that IS. All good things can be found in the Here & Now. 

You will hear (and maybe have already noticed) me mention this idea a lot. But it is absolutely true and I believe it to be the key to any good solid Happiness in life. It is the best way to Maintain that Happiness in life. Why? Because Happiness truly is felt and lived in the present moment. It is where you can centre yourself. It is where you laugh. Where you Smile. Where you Appreciate the people and things around you. It is where you notice the People and things around you. 

Sadly, we spend too much of our time dwelling on the Past, or planning out the Future. 

The Past may have shaped you. It most certain affected you and your life, and your growth, and made you who you are today. However, at the end of the day, it .is irrelevant. It truly does not matter. Dwelling on things that have happened just doesn't make sense. Let go and move on. 

The Future is unpredictable so why do we spend so much time planning it out? Life changes, WE are forever changing. Our thoughts, views, beliefs, aspirations, and interests, they are forever changing. So planning out the next however many years of your life seems a bit redundant doesn't it? You aren't going to be the same person in a couple years, even one year, maybe even in tomorrow. It's pointless none-sense and it takes you away from the Present-- what Is.

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."

So stop! Just BE. Here and Now. Every day, every moment, is a new opportunity and experience. Live those moments to the fullest. All you have and all that matters is This Moment Right Now. 

If ever you find your Mind being lost to the noise of time, return yourself to the present. Stop, look around, be attentive, and really just Be. Appreciate that moment. Appreciate every moment. Anything but the Here & Now presents a distraction for the Mind and therefor takes us away from Happiness. Happiness is Here and Now. 

Life is Here and Now.

Nothing you experience in life will you ever experience again the exact same way. 

Appreciate the Beauty and complete uniqueness of this. Of every moment of your Life. 

You will never have that moment again so don't dwell on the little things, just Be and Enjoy Life. Appreciate and Love everything. Allow this reality to enrich your Life with Love and Happiness. 

Live each moment to the fullest. 

Be. Here and Now. 

Peace & Love,

xo

~Bianca   

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