Choosing to look at life positively, loving yourself, manifesting your hopes and desires are all common topics for me to talk about here at ReLove Plan.et, but sometimes it's difficult to know where to start. If you're not sure what "positive affirmations" are, read up about them Here. Saying daily Positive Affirmations is probably the single biggest key to changing your life into something more positive, into the life that you want, and discovering more about yourself. This practice will reprogram your mind (for the better), build your confidence, and make your life what you've always wanted. It can help you overcome stress, depression, illness, and so much more. It can help you become the person that you want to be. The following list are affirmations I used when I first began practicing Positive Affirmations, and ones that I use today and will continue to use, because they work and, well, because they are powerful. The power of Positive Affirmations will transform your entire life!
"Powerful Affirmations"
I will listen to, respect, and nurture my needs for health and happiness.
I choose to Be Happy. I Am Happy!
I am responsible for my own happiness.
I choose to live my life with love and positivity.
Life is in the present moment, I choose to live in the Here and Now.
Life is good and kind and exciting.
Good things are coming to me.
I am going to have an amazing day today!
I will release stress and allow emotions to flow freely.
I will go with the flow (instead of resisting life).
I am consciously working on improving my life, being positive, seeing good, learning, and being unreasonably happy.
I Choose My Life!
I will see the good in any situation.
I Am the person that I want to be, because I get to choose who I am.
I am the author of my own life.
I am open, honest, and use my voice.
I am strong, resilient, and important.
People like me, I like me, I am fun, I am awesome.
I love myself. I love my life.
As I love myself, I allow others to love me too.
I am Positive, Happy, Love, and Light.
My relationships are respectful, loving, joyful, fulfilling, and fun.
I deserve love, good things, and happiness.
There is a reason for everything, I will choose to see it or be patient until I do.
Everything is going to be okay. Everything will work itself out.
I will keep my mind on positive thoughts. I will Be Positivity.
I listen to my heart, intuition, and emotions. I will listen to the physical signs my body sends me to appropriately deal with problems in my life--whether it's health, relationships, work, etc.
Thank You for perfect health. I have energy, alertness.
I feel good today!
I will listen to my inner most truth.
I can! You can do it if you believe you can!
I will step out of my comfort zone and be open to the experiences coming my way.
I will say Yes to opportunities and invitations.
I have abundance and wealth in all areas of my life.
Every day gets easier and more beautiful.
I am whole, harmonious, wealthy, abundant, healthy, balanced, loving, and happy.
It is also to say affirmations in the form of gratitude--meaning to say "Thank You" or "I am grateful for" with each affirmation. This is a list to get you thinking, your personal affirmations can include any, some, or all of these. They can be material, emotion, relationships, absolutely anything. Be sure to include specific details into your affirmations--such as, if you want to be a more outgoing person, repeat to yourself every day that you Are an outgoing person.
As well as these it is good to repeat every day all the things that you were grateful for during your day and all the things you are grateful for in your life--from the small to the big things.
Lastly, remember to make your affirmations positive--focus on the things you Do want, and not on the things you Don't want. This is very important so be sure your attention and thoughts are on good things. (click here to read more details on this)
You absolutely choose your life, so get in the habit of expressing gratitude and repeating your desires, wants, and dreams every single day to make them a reality. This practice truly absolutely works, so be persistent and positive and Manifest your life!
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I like changing things up a bit every so often with the Motivational Mondays post, so today's post is going to be all about getting your day started off right! If you can start your day off right then chances are that positivity will carry through to the rest of your beautiful day! It's like how your day can spiral if you stub your toe in the morning and everything else continues to go wrong that day. If you start your day off in a positive way then that too will continue. Go go PMA! ;)
So, to start your day off right...
☺ Announce how Awesome the Day is! Immediately as you get up, throw some fist pumps in the air and shout out "today is going to be fan-freakin Awesommmmmme!!!"
☺ Be Thankful for Everything! I really mean everything here, like absolutely everything! As soon as you open your eyes, be grateful for your sight, for colours and shades of light. As you take your first step of the morning, be grateful for that step, for the feel of the floor beneath your toes. As you take your first mouthful of food, be grateful for the food, the texture, the flavour, the nourishment it provides. As you see yourself in the mirror, be grateful for you, for your smile, for your body, for your beautiful soul. As you touch something, be grateful for touch and feel. Within the first ten minutes of waking up you should have thanked the universe for at least fifty things!
☺ Stop! Happy Dance Time! Dundundundun dundun dundun… seriously let loose and dance like a fool for a moment, it'll feel awesome! You don't even need music (although blasting music really loudly is incredibly satisfying). There is something wonderful about a happy little release where you can allow yourself to be silly, laugh, and get a little energy pumping right away in the morning.
☺ Eat a Good Healthy Breakfast! You won't start your morning off to anything great if you start off by filling your body up with crap. I say it time and time again, your stomach and your mind are connected! If you treat one badly, the other, too, will suffer. Eat healthy! Especially in the morning! Get a healthy dose of protein and some fresh fruit! My favourite are protein-filled smoothies--check out my Vegan Kitchen section for recipes ;).
☺ Smile Therapy! In the form of meditation, make time for five minutes to just sit in one place and smile with your eyes closed. Let your mind empty and fill up with only positive happy feelings. Focus on those happy positive feelings, release anything negative that may arise. And be sure to Smile really really big! Even laugh if you feel like it!
☺ Positive Affirmations! Reminding you again to repeat your Positive Affirmations! Take the time every morning to repeat them and really focus on them. Don't just repeat them like some mundane routine, really focus positive energy and attention on them. Make them real, make them feel good! The more you believe, the faster they'll come true! :)
☺ Arm Yourself with PMA! After practicing all of the above you should be ready and feeling fantastic! So now, go out and enjoy the rest of your day armed with a Positive Mental Attitude to keep the good vibes going and to turn away the unfavourable. No matter what happens, remember PMA.
Now go and have the best damn day ever! Keep the Happy spiral effect going! And see if you don't pass on that contagious feel-good feeling! Practice all of the above every day this week, and try to tell me you don't have an amazing week! ;)
Create a Nice Day! xo
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Why are Mondays so fantastic? Well because it's the beginning of a new week. A new week where you get to start anew and choose what you want the rest of your week to be like. It's like hitting the "reset" button if you so desire and make the week amazing. Or if your past week was already amazing then the beginning of a new week is your chance to embrace yet another awesome week. It is what you make it! And here are this week's tips to help you make it lovely and fantabulous.
☺Be Excited!!! About Life! It's beautiful and amazing and holds so many experiences awaiting for you to dive into. Get excited about your day, about your relationships, about your life. If you're not allowing yourself to feel excited then you can't possibly expect anything actually exciting to happen to you. Feel excitement and you will receive excitement!
☺Help Someone Out… because it feels good! For the other person and for yourself. Helping others is sharing love, and nothing is more precious than love. I recently heard the story of the "Secret Santa" anonymously giving out $100 dollar bills from the goodness of their heart. While you may not have hundreds of dollars laying around, you can help others in so many other ways. Help them out with a project, a move. Help a friend get back on their feet from a breakup. Just being There for someone is all you need to do.
☺Donate -- but Research First! It's just that giving kind of time of year, isn't it? Well, consider donating to a charity you believe in. Do some research to make sure you're donating to a worthy cause though. You'd be surprised by how many of those "non-profit" organizations don't actually contribute anything worthwhile. Classic example is all the "cancer research" and other disease-related "research" people donate only to have their money used for animal experiments that have Nothing to do with said-disease, but it's still done "in the name of" cancer or said-disease. Just be smart and do good. ;)
☺Embace Both Sides of Yourself!We all have "dark" sides to us. We all have "bad" days. We all have moments that we aren't particularly proud of. The beauty of this is that we are human and we are allowed to experience unfavourable moments, both outwardly and within. Remember that we also have beauty within us and let that shine as well. Experience yourself fully and embrace all sides of your being. Only then can you selectively choose to better yourself or remove the parts you don't like.
☺Festively Decorate! Get into the Holiday Spirit! I think the Holiday season is always such a magical time of year and it's fun to feel like a kid again and embrace that magic and joy. Decorate to get yourself in the mood and spread that holiday spirit!
☺Write 3 Letters… or even better, three Cards that you've put the effort into making yourself. Leave them as a surprise to three individuals in your life, whether they are someone close to you or you are just getting to know. Mailing them out to someone far away is even better! :)
☺Pick up "Happy" Cards! My friend Talia introduced me to her "fairie oracle" cards and I instantly fell in love. It's like having tarot readings, giving you an extra boost of inspiration or guidance to a question that's been on your mind. There are all sorts of cards out there to choose from, go on a search and find the right ones for You. I picked up a pack of "Peaceful Warrior" cards--obviously resonated with me. I love them! It's so great for that extra lift or reminder to live your life with joy and love--or whatever else the card may advice you of.
May your week be everything you dream and choose it to be! Much love and hugs!
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Alrighty, I'm hoping you're all still pumped after an epic weekend, and after taking the advice of last week's Motivation Monday post. I made it extra special, so if you didn't see it for whatever reason last week it's worth a second look. And hopefully there are still smiles on your faces after having watched the youtube video I made to cheer you all up as well. What can I say? I do try to make you all smile, and by the sounds of it I am successful at it. If not… stop taking life so seriously! Mwuah!
Anyways, this Monday I am doing something a little different yet again, trying to add a little extra spunk to these posts to keep you all entertained and happy. ;)
This week's Motivational Monday post is about getting back into a few routines that greatly increase the positivity and awesomeness of your life. I'm not really one for habits and "routines," I think it's good to change things up and go with the flow otherwise things become stagnant. These steps however are things that should be a part of your every day, so they are not some boring mundane secure routine that will hide you away from experiencing new things. Rather, these steps will push you towards new experiences, raise your vibrations, and keep you on that positive track in life.
So! Without further ado...
☺Step #1:Wake up and appreciate your life. Start each day with a smile--meaning start your day off right! Focus on positive intentions and set the tone for the day.
☺ Step #2: Appreciate all the positive things that you already have in your life. Think about all the things you should be grateful for--even if they are small. If you are grateful for what you already have then you will bring more good things into your life, perhaps even in epic proportions!
☺Step #3: Be Healthy! Get back into regularly exercising. It's easy to fall out of good-for-you tasks such as exercising. But aside from the obvious benefits of being fit and healthy, exercise also feeds the brain with happy endorphins, essential to maintaining a positive attitude. Also, feed your body healthy foods instead of junk. Food is fuel for the body, so properly fuel it!
☺Step #4:Don't get stuck in a bad mood. Let it go and do something that will turn your mood around! I love to just crank some silly pop music and dance around like a fool. But everyone has their own tricks, find something that works for you.
☺Step #5: Dig out that Happy Diary. You know the one I'm talking about. Again, it's sometimes too easy to fall out of good-for-you routines. Dig out that Happy Diary and write in it everyday, logging down all the amazing things you have in your life, all the awesome adventures you've been up to, and all the things you are manifesting.
☺Step #6: Be kind to others. Be kind to everyone. Don't be judgmental. Look at every person with positivity. Wish only good things for other people. Be supportive and loving to everyone.
☺Step #7:Be a "Yes" Person!!Always say yes! Don't miss out on opportunities and social invitations. Get back into the habit of saying "Yes!"
☺Step #9: Love Yourself. Remember to love yourself every single day. Think about the things that make you you and that you love about you. Loving anything else in the world starts with yourself. Need a refresher course?
☺Step #10: Every night before bed make sure you focus once again onPositive Affirmations.Ending the day with a positive mindset is just as crucial as waking up with one. Go to sleep with only happy feel-good thoughts. And have a good night! xo
☺Step #11:Always always always see the positive in any situation. It's always there. Choose to see it.
Let me know what your intentions for the week are! What are some of your Positive Affirmations at the moment?
I love you all! Have a wonderful week filled with love and happiness--and lots of hugs!! :)
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Positivity breeds more Positivity. Negativity fuels more Negativity. Whatever you focus on is what you will receive.
It's a simple concept but is too often overlooked.
The power of the mind is astounding and brilliant; a tool, when used correctly, can be limitlessly beneficial; when used poorly can be somewhat unravelling.
I have previously spoken about the Law of Attraction and using it to your advantage, this is an extension to it, and the reason why so many negativites appear and reappear in people's lives, why things always seem to go wrong, and why many people have bumps when it comes to their thoughts.
The problem is that most people are thinking about what they Don't want, instead of what they Do want. And then they wonder why it keeps showing up over and over again in their lives. In the book "The Secret" they call this the "don't want" epidemic because people predominantly think, speak, act, and focus on what they "don't want."
Think about this for a moment and you will probably realize just how true it is. All the negative experiences that have entered your life have most likely come about from some thought of negation you had at one point or another. We tend to worry a lot about what we don't want. And when something goes wrong we tend to focus a lot of emotion and attention on it. We tell other people about it to vent. We post about it on social networking sites. We dwell on it all day. This kind of attention will bring about more negative situations like that because that is all your thoughts are focussed on, and you are just affirming the negative to yourself over and over again.
The Law of Attraction brings you whatever you are thinking about!
The Law of Attraction doesn't respond to whether or not you perceive something as being "good" or "bad," whether or not you do or don't want something. It is responding to your dominant thoughts. If you're focussing on feeling bad about something then that's the signal you are sending out into the Universe. You are not only affirming it to yourself, but you are also going to draw more of that to you. The Law of Attraction receives your thoughts and then reflects them back to you as your life experience. The Universe simply responds by giving you whatever it is you are thinking about. Which is why it is so important to stop thinking and dwelling on what you don't want, and instead start to focus on what you do want.
When you focus on what you don't want, this has two negative effects. One, is the Law of Attraction's response to your thoughts, bringing you more of the negative. The second is that the "don't want" mentality is a negative mindset, so not only are you drawing more negativity to you but you are also placing yourself in a self-defeating mindset at a subconscious level. Your statements of negation become a downward spiral. You'll feel awful in the moment and it will continue to spiral as you dwell on negativities, drawing more of that to you.
Learn to catch yourself and stop focussing your attention on "Not" Statements and other statements of negation. Remember that the Mind and the Universe don't differentiate the difference between "can" and "cannot," "do" and "don't," so when you focus all your attention on what you don't want then you are more likely to receive that which you don't want. The Law of Attraction doesn't hear that you don't want it, it simply manifests the things that you are thinking about, and so that is why it is going to show up over and over again. When you are focussing on something, no matter what it is, you are calling it into existence.
This is why to achieve your desires and wants and goals in life, it is important to keep your mind Off the things you Don't want and instead focus On the things you DO want. A few simple yet effective tweaks in your thought process is all it takes and the transformation is astounding.
Everything that goes on in your life is absorbed in some way at the subconscious level. This is why voluntarily feeding the subconscious mind with positive thoughts has the greatest benefits, such as repeating Positive Affirmations every day. Remember that your thoughts are magnetic and will draw the parallel back to you. Your life is made up of your thoughts. All the people, things, experiences, one way or another were drawn to you, or you drawn to them, by those powerful thoughts.
When you stop focussing on what you don't want, you'll stop sending out the message to the universe that you want those things.
Repeating that you don't want to be miserable is telling the universe that you Want to be miserable.
Repeating that you don't want to be late for work is telling the universe that you Want to be late for work.
If you are saying that you don't want people to treat you poorly then you are telling the universe that you Want people to treat you poorly.
And those negative thoughts can spiral and continue all from one bad thought.
Say you stub your toe in the morning, if you let it ruin your mood right then and there then you are dwelling on "oh it's going to be one of Those days" therefore you are simply re-affirming to yourself that it IS going to be one of "Those days."
Repeating negative thoughts re-affirms them to yourself and to the universe. Complaining out-loud, dwelling on negative thoughts, posting negative thoughts on facebook or anywhere else is just re-affirming the thought to yourself, to others, and to the Universe. You feel it at every level of your being.
What the mind wants the mind gets and when you continue with negative statements you will simply get them back to you. Do not affirm negative statements. Instead, focus on positive ones. Let slide the little negativities. Focus on what you Do want and you will draw that back to you.
The person trying to lose weight needs to feed the mind with productive thoughts and positive phrasing. Things like "I want to be healthy" "I want to be skinny" "I want to have lots of energy" "I want to feel great" "I love healthy food."
The person running late for work needs to stop saying "Don't be late!" or "I'm going to be late again!" and instead focus on "being on time."
Focus on thoughts that are productive instead of counter-productive. What you put out into the universe, you will receive. This may sound a bit intimidating with all those negative thoughts floating about but the good news is that the power of positive thinking is much stronger than the power of negative thinking, and this has indeed been scientifically proven. You can counter an arising negative thought simply by replacing it with a positive one. The other encouraging thought is that any statement or thought felt with strong emotion is much more powerful as well. So feel good and you will receive more good things.
Keep your Mind On the things you Do want, always and consistently. Let go of the "not" statements. Turn thought habits around to a positive outlook that is beneficial and productive to your wishes and goals.
By focussing On the things you Do want, you create favorable ideas in the subconscious Mind and you will draw those things to you or you will be drawn to them through the Law of Attraction.
There is always a Can and always a Positive outlook and solution. Choose to focus on the Positive. Choose to focus your attention on what you Do want and you will Attract more of what you Do want.
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This has turned into a bi-weekly "smile up" as opposed to a weekly one, but I am sure you lovelies don't mind. My life is busy as ever! So many changes happening with the website, blog, Alter-Eco Clothing, and life in general. There are a lot of super exciting things going on in my life is really what I am getting down to, lots of changes but lots of fun and awesomeness. Not getting overwhelmed by any of it, rather I am simply focussed on the bliss which is life, smiling and dancing every day, and looking forward to each and every day and the future that is to come.
September 18th Weekly "Smile Up":
Life is bliss, life is happiness, life is whatever you want it to be! Here's what my past two weeks has been filled with...
☺ Celebrated 2 years of marriage on the 6th. I have such a wonderful husband and beautiful growing relationship. I am a lucky girl! <3
☺ Lots of Manifesting and watching the Law of Attraction in action!
☺ Mini road trip with an awesome girlfriend and got to meet two other awesome ladies that were her friends. Drove out to Winlaw, explored the little town where we got yummy lattes, snacks, and checked out this awesome second-hand store where each of us found a book! Camped out at the Halfway natural Hot Springs. Obviously enjoyed the hot springs, slept under the stars, played in the river and on the rocks, and enjoyed the beauty of the mountains and enchanting trees. We called the place our magical little Ferngully. :)
☺ Checked out Garlic Fest! Went home with lots of yummy squash and garlic (of course!).
☺ Visited the Winlaw Festival after Garlic Fest and got to see my radiant friend at her booth. And got to see a 362 pound pumpkin!
☺ Smoothie dates with lovely friends.
☺ Sibling Dinner night.
☺ Creating our Vision Board.
☺ Thai food with my brother.
☺ Played all day today with my younger brothers. So fun!
☺ Went out to see Ed Solo and go dancing and play and have a blast with two lovely ladies!
☺ Lots of time with amazing wonderful people! I have the most amazing family and the most fantastic friends! Love you all! xo
Loving: Family • Manifesting • Feeling Blissful • Camping • Adventures • Singing • Laughing • Gigling • Sunshine • Trees • Unique Earrings • Rocky the Zombie • Dancing til you feel awesome • Waking up with a smile •
Interests for the week:
✯ Started reading "Cunt," I haven't really started reading much of it yet though so you'll have to wait for my verdict. It has been recommended to me a couple times and I found it second-hand for $3.00!
✯ Happy movies! :D
♫ Music Playlist: Ed Solo. Checked out Erica Dee, a girl I went to high school with who is writing her own music now! The Pretty Reckless. *guilty face* Avril Lavigne's "Smile"... I can't help it, it's so silly and fun and happy! ;) A little bit of new Evanescence. ♫
✯ Food Faves: Raw Cheesecake ♥ Smoothies ♥ Endangered Species Chocolate dipped in Peanut Butter ♥ Thai food ♥ Raw Granola ♥ Squash ♥ Garlic ♥
Lessons of the week:
Feel Good and Happy to Manifest your desires!! ☀ Act like a child and don't be ashamed! ☀ Be yourself always always! And don't be ashamed of that either! Embrace who you are!! ☀ Wake up to something Positive! ☀ Try to keep things Upbeat, whether it's movies, music, reading, whatever it may be... remember feeling sad is no fun. ☀ What you think you shall receive! So sometimes it's good to be careful what you're sending out. ;) ☀ PMA PMA PMA!! ☀
And remember, there's always room for everything and never be afraid of change! Choose your life and choose to smile! Tell me about your lovely weeks!! Pretty please? :)
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We ask things from the Universe, from God, from Life, from whatever sources we believe in all the time, at both a subconscious and conscious level. Sometimes we do so without even realizing we asked for it. Sometimes we want it with all our might. But the funny thing is that we don't always acknowledge the answers or the signs that follow our request. If you ask the Universe for something you are going to receive it--unless you doubt that it will actually happen. So start accepting the signs when they appear. If you're looking really hard for a sign that is often when they don't appear. When you let the mind go and release your request to the Universe then an answer will appear effortlessly. Sometimes you are just straight-forward given what it is you ask for. Other times the Universe provides us with hints or clues, or sometimes blatant flashing signs queueing us to take action. Basically, I am here to remind you to not ignore those obvious signs. We have this problem of not believing or trusting that good things will actually come to us. We see the signs and that is sometimes when we doubt and start saying to ourselves it's just "coincidence" or that it doesn't mean anything at all. When Life gives you a Sign, take it!
Today I received a blatant sign to take action about something I have been manifesting lately. And I mean blatant, in my face, and obvious. When this sign came to me I undeniably knew what it was. Tears almost came to my eyes from the beauty of this life we're given and the gifts it has to offer. There was a time in my life when I would have dismissed that sign for nothing, had doubts about it, and it would have fallen through the cracks of space. And how silly would I have felt then? I'm in a place of my life where I trust the "powers that be" and that synchronicity is something profound and meaningful and that we are allowed to have amazing wonderful great things happen to us! We are deserving and we need to be open to receiving.
So if you're waiting for a sign, don't worry that you might "miss it." You can't miss signs from the Universe because you will see it and feel it at the very core of your being. Don't allow your mind to play the games of passing it off as nothing. Take those signs full-heartedly and have trust in the Universe and in Life. Life is beautiful and we deserve beauty and fantastic things in our lives!
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I have had a super busy weekend! Life in general has been pretty busy and fabulous. I blabbered my mouth off in my latest Video Blog but I thought I would share a bit in writing as well about my Shambhala experience for those who don't or can't watch the video blogging.
So...
Shambhala 2011...
Let me take you on this magical adventure to the massive music event that becomes home to 10,000-20,000 people every August, running as early as Wednesday (if you want to pay extra for early entry) until Monday morning. Welcoming you as you enter the gates, after the long drive up a dirt road, is the heavy bass of talented DJs and Dubstep music drumming all day and night, resonating throughout your entire body and becoming the new rhythm to your heart. This annual event takes you to a farmland encased by forest and alongside a river close to Salmo B.C. (about 40 minutes from Nelson where I live). But you wouldn't know you were on a farm by the mass amounts of tents set up in various themed camps, flags, VW campers, stages, vendor and food booths, and a ferris wheel spread out across the land. Only the piggies and cows before the gates give you any indication of a farm at all.
The trees are decorated with lanterns, artwork, decorations of wondrous and vast kinds. A labyrinth within the forest winds between the five stages, each with it's own theme and unique and elaborate decorations and details. The entire place is like some fantasy land where people walk about dressed like woodland creatures, adorned in furry hoods, fairy wings, pixie clothing, and even crazy costumes like Mario Nintendo characters, the Flintstones, and Bert and Ernie. Anything goes. As the weekend goes on there are also more and more girls walking around forgetting their tops altogether. Freedom celebrated and embraced, and who can complain about boobies?
This Shambhala was my first year, which may seem strange for a girl who grew up in Nelson where just about everyone makes their excursion to the event every summer. To most, Shambhala is an experience of freedom but also of experimentation... and by that I mean a whole lot of drugs. This is the reason I had never been. Call me lame, "boring" or whatever you'd like, I just never got into drugs. Perhaps it had something to do with certain experiences about my family. Or perhaps even because there was a point in my life where I was either going to go down a very negative road (where I would abuse drugs as a method of self-destruction) or else allow myself to climb back up with my knight in shining armor. I chose the latter and so perhaps I always viewed drugs of any kind as self-destructive. But hey, this is just my opinion, formed by my own experiences and circumstances. I know for most Shambhala is an opportunity to do all the drugs you want and not have to look over your shoulders. And everyone is just out to have a fun and have smiles on their faces and do some self- and life-discovery. It is liberating for most attending. For myself, it was the thing intimidating me from ever going.
This year--my first summer back in Nelson, having left for almost four years after high school--I was back facing the desire to go to this magical land. I always loved the idea of it all; dancing all night, sharing love and community, dressing up and prancing around like a fairy, enjoying the company of friends and strangers, peace and no judgement, and escape from society. But again, I had that nagging in the back of my mind about the drugs. I debated going, and after getting excited about it all I decided I wanted to go. Plus, I'd met some amazing new friends who I wanted to share the experience with. My friend, Talia, also had the same ideas as I had, and she had experienced a bad time four years ago when she had first been to Shambhala. We decided this would be the year where we both got to go and have an amazing positive experience. And we did.
The power of the mind is a crazy and powerful thing. And this is where I feel the need to share my little story about just that...
The Power of Manifestations!
I had decided that I wanted to go to Shambhala, but there was another road block. Tickets were $300.00 and I wasn't comfortable, or really had the money, to spend that much to go. I wasn't ready to let that stop me from going. I started pondering over all the help Positive Affirmations and Manifestations had already done for me. Of course, they seemed like smaller things, but I had been reading and hearing more and more about the Law of Attraction and Manifesting all your wants and desires into reality. I was really beginning to believe it to the upmost that I could and so I was ready to place my faith once again into it.
The Saturday before Shambhala, while vending at the Cottonwood Market, I was talking to a lot of people about Shambhala--it being the common topic of discussion as everyone gets excited as the event draws closer. I was telling people that I had decided I was going, but that I wasn't sure how I would be getting there yet, just that I knew that I was indeed going. One new acquaintance told me about changing my wording from "wanting" to "choosing" and another lovely had told me about all the things she had accomplished simply through "choosing." So, I told my self that I was "choosing" to go to Shambhala. The next day, I told myself that I was going to Shambhala, but not only that; I had it set in my mind that somehow someone was going to give me a ticket. I had no idea the how or why, just that it was going to happen. And I believed it with upmost faith. I told my girlfriend, Andrea, about this as well who I spent a lovely day at the beach with. That night I got a phone call from her and she told me "Bianca, you're not going to believe this but... I have a ticket for you." As it turned out her friend could no longer make it out, a last minute change--which was unfortunate for her and my lovely friend as she had been looking forward to seeing her. But suddenly I had my ticket. And so I could no longer doubt the power of manifesting your life.
We manifested Talia's ticket as well, although hers wasn't free. Our request for her ticket wasn't quite as clear I suppose, a sprinkle of doubt had ran us about a bit. But we ended up with a cheap ticket and it all came together really well in the end.
The whole weekend worked out brilliantly and perfectly for that matter....
My Shambhala Weekend...
Talia and I got in Friday night. By the time we got there it was starting to get dark out. Our bags were super heavy with our tent and sleeping gear (and costumes of course!) so we were fortunate to be granted the kindness of a staff member who gave us a ride further up the fields to a better camping area. At first we were going to settle for a camp-spot in a more open area of the field, although we felt a bit uncomfortable with our location it being just the two of us, when a guy from Nelson came up to us and told us we should go and camp up with his "group" which turned out to just be him and a friend. But the spot was perfect, right in the shade of a tree (and near bushes to pee in) so we were grateful for yet another act of kindness within our short arrival. The shade of the trees would be greatly appreciated in the morning as well so that we could actually sleep in too!
We set up camp, ate some food, and had some awesome girl-talk and bonding. After getting ready, and having a few drinks and more girl-talk, we headed down to explore the stages and music. The place was amazing, again, like some magical land, with food vendors set up late and a ferris wheel lit up to look out upon the land. It was hard to know exactly where we were with it being dark already, even with lanters hanging from trees and the lights from stages, so we headed to the most obvious stage we could find. The light shows were amazing! The stages were epic! The music was LOUD! And we danced the night away!
We wandered about a bit, discovering a couple vendor booths still open, the first being "Bolli" where we discovered... the furry hoods!! I have been eyeing up the furry hoods by SpiritHood foreverrrr and have been really wanting one. Before even going to Shambhala I had thought to myself that I would have loved to have had one to wear there but I was obviously too late to order. So when we stumbled upon this booth I knew I was in trouble. It just so happened they had one furry hood left with the ears and not too outrageous (as in brightly colored or anything)that I knew I would wear even after Shambhala. It had to be mine, and so I made my first purchase. It's not so bad spending money every so often, it was something I really wanted and I certainly enjoyed it all weekend long! Not to mention the guy, Andrew, who ran the booth was super nice and had some great words of wisdom and I enjoyed meeting him.
We checked out another tent with some of the most dazzling artwork I've ever seen. Absolutely breath-taking and mesmerizing. Afterwards it was time for some more dancing.
It must have been about 4:30 in the morning by the time we decided to head back to camp. We had no way of knowing what time it was which was incredibly liberating, so we couldn't know for sure, but the sky was getting light out. It was beautiful.
We tried to sleep on our yoga mats and sleeping bags on the ground. Fortunately the ground was much softer than I had thought it would be and it was warm enough out that we didn't have to worry about the cold. Still, we didn't sleep much. It's difficult when you can hear the music no matter where you are and when people are still wandering and stumbling about at all hours of the day and night.
After several attempts at sleep, we finally got up and got something to eat before heading back out to explore--this time under the light of day. I can't put into words just how amazing this place was and the amount of work that must go into setting it all up. Epic and magical. It's all I can think of.
We wandered through the vending booths where there was an insane amount of talent! It was very hard not to buy everything there. Next year I am hoping to take part in the vending area to show off Alter-Eco Clothing.
We both spent some money and met some really amazing and wonderful people. And we got to prance around in our fairy wings under the heat as well. That is one thing I should say... it was ridiculously hot all weekend long so we were careful not to stay out in the direct sunlight too long. We also checked out the beach area since we hadn't got to the night before, where more reggae beats played. And we also found the "Wishing Tree" filled with all sorts of positivity and randomness, and even some sadness. Most of the wishes were about love which, one way or another, was incredibly beautiful.
From lack of sleep, and because Talia had to work Sunday, we debating going back home for the night. She is a server and two nights of no sleep would likely result in many trays on the floor. Not such a great idea. We were both tired and the day I was most looking forward to was Sunday anyway so I wanted to make sure I was alive enough to enjoy it. I don't know how people stay out there all weekend long... maybe it's all the drugs... but I am glad that we went home that night. We packed up only what we needed and headed back along the dirt road to hitchhike. Along the way, we stopped to play with the piggies and it totally reenforced my longing to one day have a pet pig. They ran to greet us at the fence and fought for attention and pets, oinking away and gnawing on our hands. They were adorable!!
We went back to the road and stuck out our thumbs. We were nervous about hitchhiking with it getting late but we were also both confident and set on something safe and positive coming along. As it happened, the people who picked us up couldn't have been more perfect. A small camper with a lovely friendly couple and their two children invited us up and were fortunately even heading all the way to Nelson. They were so kind and welcoming. Once again, the power of manifestations and a positive attitude.
It was a relief to shower away all the sweat, dust, and dirt, and sleep in my own bed. And see my loving husband. So thankful!!
Sunday morning, I decided I would head back out before Talia, as she wouldn't get off work until about 10 pm. I was ready to hitch but something told me to check my facebook first. A good friend of mine, Kristin, and her boyfriend just so happened to be heading out there at just the right time. Another perfect event for the weekend, their company always something I greatly enjoy.
Go with the Flow...
Once we got back into the massive festival, I attempted to find my friend Andrea. Trying to find anyone at a place like Shambhala is pretty near impossible, especially with little cell reception and I didn't have my own phone so was harassing poor Kristin to use hers. After a while I gave up, at least for the moment, and went to enjoy the only metal show that weekend. I will admit it was a nice break from all the dubstep and DJ music! I also ran into another friend there. She gave me some good advice too; that you can't waste your time trying to find people at Shambhala, and that instead you have to do what you want to do and things will just come together regardless. I took her advice.
Later on I ended up splitting off and wandering by myself. I'm not sure why, but it makes me uncomfortable to be by myself in a huge crowd like that. I think it has something to do with my childhood but that's another story altogether--and something I hadn't realized or thought about until this weekend, yay for epiphanies! After taking a moment, and a deep breath, I let it go and told myself to enjoy my solitude and be comfortable with it. And so I was. And it was fantastic. I explored the labyrinth and all the stages, which I hadn't realized were all connected until doing so. I did a little self-exploration and loved it! It was also along this journey that I ran into a wonderful friend that I hadn't seen in a while. So we caught up and it just so happened that Kristin was at the same camp as her so I found them again too. I met some new people and shared some great laughs!
No more Drinking!
I would have one more great revelation and learning experience before the night was done. And that was my final decision to never drink again. You may or may not know, but I have told myself a couple times that I don't want to drink anymore. I just don't see the point. I have a perfectly amazing time without it and don't need it to have fun or to be myself and "loosen up." However, I also still get influenced by the social aspect of it. Everyone else is doing it so why shouldn't I? Which I realize is pretty silly coming from me--the ecoholic healthy vegan who is all about positivity, activism, health and being comfortable with yourself. Which is why I have said time and time again I am going to quit... not that I drank much to begin with, maybe a couple times a month, often months without it altogether. Regardless, I am not one to get totally wasted and a mess. I have always known my limit. But I'm getting off topic as usual...
I gave in to having one drink. Well, a shot, and had a drink in hand, and then we all headed down for the night to enjoy more music. Now, I had been waiting to hear back from Talia so that I could meet her when she was off work and back at Shambhala--I didn't want to leave her alone in the chaotic crowds as we had decided beforehand that we would keep to our "buddy" system so we could look out for one another. Again, cell reception was poor, and I was still using Kristin's cell phone. When we went back down to the stages, I split off from her to a different stage with my other amazing friend who I was excited to go dancing with. But then I decided I should keep an eye out for Talia. We just so happened to be at the most confusing stage again--the Fractal Forest. I was tipsy, teetering on drunk, and had wandered by myself to go see if I could find her at our meeting spot. I got disoriented and I got a bit lost and certainly overwhelmed. I had a moment of panic and realized I didn't want to drink, shouldn't be drinking, and never want to drink again. I felt silly not knowing where I was and having a hard time telling where I was and where I was going, with everything a blur and unclear. I realized in this instant just how bad it was to not be able to think clearly, but more so be in that complete control of your senses and be so disoriented. I threw out my drink, took another deep breath, and somehow sobered up really quickly. I kept my head clear and found my way back to where I needed to go. And I just so happened to run back into Kristin, with a text message from Talia with a clear meeting time and place for later on. All worked out well once again.
Wrapping up the Night...
I was high on life once again and felt amazing! We wandered off to watch Dub FX--who I was ridiculously excited for and one big reason that influenced my decision to go to Shambhala this year. My friends didn't stick around the whole show, which was all good, as I forced my way to the front of the stage anyway and danced with the crowd and met more random lovely people.
Later I met back up with Talia and we danced the night away once more, going to the show she was most looking forward to, Skrillex. We began our leave at about 5am, packed up the tent and lugged our heavy bags to the car she was borrowing to miss the mass chaos and lines to get out that would ensue the following morning. She was nervous that the car wasn't going to start, the battery being finicky and giving her a lot of trouble when she had drove in earlier. But I told her that it would start as everything had been so perfect and that there was no point in worrying. Once again, it all worked out and the car started and got us home safely by 7am.
I can't say how wonderful the entire experience was. I got to meet amazing people, spend time with friends that I don't see very often, mingle, dance, laugh, and have a ton of fun! Everything was amazing. Even my moments of uncomfortableness were amazing lessons and I am very glad that I got to experience them. Life is beautiful. You have to trust yourself and have faith that everything will work out. Have faith that the Universe is an amazing place and that it is on your side.
And here is that Video Blog of my Shambhala Experience...
Peace & Love as always! Manifest your life!!!!
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