Author: HensBlooms

I believe in God, love and life! Married to my friend, mentor and rock. We have been blessed with two beautiful girls. My personal journey provides opportunities for me to empower individuals to lead better lives. I have had a real desire to work with people for a long time and have always been fascinated with human behaviour and understanding how the mind works.
I love the following quote by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. “Remember that children, marriages and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get”

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Living Life

Ever Changing Seasons

As Autumn helps to prepare and ease you into Winter so does Spring help to prepare for warmer summer days.  I’m especially enjoying the very beginning of Autumn here in the Southern Hemisphere and I’m sure most of you in the Northern Hemisphere are embracing the vibrancy and moderate warmer weather of Spring. Many of us have good reasons for loving a season, and perhaps also have our reasons for disliking a season too. Changing seasons and having to adapt to it, might be as easy as making changes to our wardrobe. For others, a change in season might not be as easy and can bring on health risks. Then there’s also the unexpected weather conditions, that can occur in any season, forcing us to make abrupt changes. May each season be filled with joy to calm the storm that’s on its way.

“Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence.
Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance.
Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence.
Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance.” 
― Yoko Ono

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Living Life

Be a Beacon of Light

In South Africa we experience daily power outages because the demand for electricity exceeds the available supply and planned supply interruptions are carried out. It is called load shedding. Load shedding contributes to the failing economy and affects the most vulnerable members of the community. The uncertainty that comes with load shedding is sure to cause anxiety and depression for many people too.  

Whatever your troubles are in your part of the world, I hope things get better and that we find our beacon of hope that will help navigating the darkest passage of life.

When you feel your light dimming

Reach out for help to overcome your worries

Shed some light that there is hope

Allowing love to overshadow the hate

Spark others on by doing good

Replacing fears with calmness and peace

As we choose to be a beacon of light.

Dr Judith Orloff – “my ability to love brings light into my life and the world.”

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Living Life

Pause and Reflect

Photo taken by my 12 year old niece

Pause by catching your breath

Be still and relax

Take a step into peace

Reflect and practice mindfulness

Drum up some mental imagery

Finding insights to act upon

To take away your apocalyptic fear

Continue to concentrate… breath 

With fierce hope and endless determination

I enter this world, my reality

Armed with insight and feeling empowered

I continue to pause and reflect.

Categories
Living Life

Neighbourly Love 

The world is filled with deeply caring individuals. There’s hope as we reach out to humankind, hope that life will change. We need to realise the profoundness of our care in this over intellectualised society – our care is likened to the “crack of light in the darkness” that will get us all through these trying times.

Functional cities turned into urban decay

Crime, diseases, potholes, unkept pavements and dirt everywhere 

Water levels declining brought on by incessant power outages

The cities have fallen into disrepair

How do I hold on to Neighbourly Love?

Society threatening to move whilst others do escape the city

Yet it is impossible to run away from problems

As no change occurred and mindsets still remains the same

Facing them head-on is a must wherever you are in the world

How do I show Neighbourly Love?

Its doomsday in certain places of the world

People are dying, trapped under heaps of rubble after thumping earthquakes

Massive rescue operation is underway for some 

For others living in a war-torn country it’s entirely a different situation

Please let’s reach out and show our Neighbourly Love!

Categories
Living Life

Give and You shall Receive

The bible verse (NKJV) “Give, and it will be given to you” made me wonder about the reasons we give. Is the reason to receive in return? Giving love and receiving in return is wonderful though. Working and giving of our time, and receiving monetary reward is great and very necessary to live comfortably. To give as a volunteer, the benefits are enormous to your health, happiness and so much more. When you’re able to fuel yourself with goodness so that you can give more to others, it is good not only for you but others too. Therefore, I believe, it is important to let go of anger and resentment and to embrace forgiveness and give and share compassion and love.

My mind overflows with thoughts of giving and receiving…

The old adage come to mind ‘what you sow you shall reap’

What am I sowing in this world?

Is it anger, hatred, or peace and love?

No one is too poor to give appreciation, compassion, help, love, understanding and so much more. Being rich doesn’t mean you shouldn’t receive something, everyone needs compassion, happiness, and love. Anyone can give something, and anyone can receive something.

Studies show that when you give to others, your generosity is often continued down the line to someone else or returned to you. Anne Frank stated, “No-one ever has ever become poor from giving.”  It probably is in giving that we receive the greatest gift.

Categories
Living Life

Bracing and Embracing Life.

My attention was drawn to the heading in a local news article from News24 – Brace for a bumpier 2023: Experts predict a tougher year and global recession. This made me think about the cost of living and how it continues to rise, and that there’s not much hope that it will ease this year. The cost of living and several other forces are set to shape South Africa’s economy, the biggest being the country’s energy predicament. Experts also speak about taking the necessary steps to help weather the storm and warns that there’s no sure-fire way to position your investments during a recession.

I might not have the powers to control the economy but I know that I have control to invest in my personal self (read my blog https://hensblooms.com/2022/11/27/21-days-of-investing-in-yourself/ previously posted ) and that it will help me reach my personal goals and plans for 2023. I’m quite aware that goals and plans can be derailed, but I’m cognisance that planning can help to brace for circumstances that often happen unexpectedly. I find myself working at or striving to be better in everything I do. For me it is always good to do introspection and it’s always a time to reflect on the good and the bad. I know I come short and that I can always show more kindness and compassion towards others. For me it is very important to continue planning, with good practices, change the undesired and hopefully it will help me to brace for the bumpier times ahead.

In Robin Sharma’s book, The Greatness Guide, he writes about Grace under Pressure – explaining how no life is perfect and that we all face challenges but also that we all have the power to choose to rise above our external circumstances.

May we all find the power to rise above our circumstances, brace for the hurdles ahead and continue to embrace ourselves.

Categories
Living Life

New Year New Beginnings

Blooming New Beginnings

New year new beginnings

I wish you

Grace and Gratitude to count your blessings reminiscing the old

Power and Strength to embrace the lessons that will help to build

Happiness and Joy to take with every step of the way

Calm and Peace in your heart embracing harmony

Kindness and Love filling your days bringing prosperity throughout the year

Categories
Living Life

The Joys of Christmas

Cape Town South Africa

I find myself in the Southern Hemisphere, celebrating Christmas in sunny South Africa.

South Africa is a diverse country with a “Rainbow” Nation and a climate that varies from region to region. Usually, the summer lasts from about December to March. In areas like Cape Town and the Western Cape, you experience dry and sunny days and tropical thunderstorms are expected throughout the rest of the country. With fuller waterholes, lush vegetation, and blooming flowers, we have many reasons to appreciate, enjoy and celebrate life.

We gather first for church service

Dressed in new clothes and feeling our best

Everything seems brighter and bigger too

The air is filled with excitement and expectancy

Knowing that presents are left under the huge Christmas tree

We’re dozens of cousins having a ball of a time playing outside

Enjoying watermelon on the hot sunny Christmas day

Having more fun sliding on the watermelon peels

Nothing forbidden, it is Christmas day after all

The joys of Christmas as a child

We gather for church services

Glowing sunshine beautiful blooming flowers everywhere

Classic traditions like Christmas trees, pudding, and markets too

Celebrating from candlelight carols to Christmas lunch or dinner

Enjoying the company of friends and loved ones

That brings much joy and adding to the Christmas cheer

The joys of Christmas…

No matter what part of the world you find yourself in, wishing you much joy over the festive time, Merry Christmas to all in the world! Christmas blessings to you all.

I’m taking a much-needed break and hope to see you all next year.

Categories
Living Life

21 Days of Investing in Yourself

The end of the year is drawing closer and I’m looking forward to the holiday season, a time to celebrate and a time to rest. To me the holidays are all about celebrating the values that bring us together in life, such as our friends and family. At this time of the year, it is also necessary to recharge and to invest in yourself. I was so happy for the encouragement and the reminder in the message below reflecting “21 Days of Investing in Yourself.” I do some of the things mentioned below, but I also know that I can do so much more. I’m sharing, hoping that we will all take up the challenge to be kind to ourselves. In this way we have much more to give to others and we can make these important connections that can bring us unity through generosity, and gratitude.

Categories
Living Life

My Imagination is Swept Away

Imagine

My imagination is swept away

Imagining a world that potray people in a positive way

I imagine kindness and tolerance taking over in a wonderful way

Performing good gestures to uplift each other in every possible way

I imagine a selfless world and everyone considering one another always

As we take care and embrace each other all the way

I imagine that our thoughts become feelings to consider others in every way

My imagination turning into actions allowing reality to be this way

“If you care, do something. If you don’t care, please stay out of the way of those who do.” – Simon Sinek