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”
In South Africa, August month is declared women’s month and August the 9th is celebrated annually as National Women’s Day. National Women’s Day celebrates the strength and resilience of women and their contribution to society and country. This day in South Africa commemorates a significant day in our history. In 1956, on this day, 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings to protest against pass laws. These laws were made to control the movement of people of colour during Apartheid. Women still have to fight for their rights, we live in a world rooted in gender inequality. Achieving and promoting gender equality is a critical element of the prevention of violence against women.
My thoughts are driven towards celebrating life, perhaps because I recently celebrated a birthday. Let’s celebrate one another and in the process eradicate inequality.
Show appreciationthrough honouring and respect, congratulate…
Erase inequality and replace it with lasting fond memories, commemorate
Focus on appreciation and recognition for all that has been done, celebrate!
On one of my morning walks, I caught my breath as I witness a vehicle ignoring the stop sign and dashes across to the other side. Accidents have been reported on this very same spot, yet drivers continuously disobey to stop. I could not help but liken this to how some of us end up navigating through life. We ignore the stop signs and continue to take risks, endangering others and even ourselves. Often because we ignore those important signs, we create stumbling blocks along the way and hinder ourselves from positive progress and end up having trouble navigating through life.
Navigating through life with psychological interventions will help ease life’s transitions. Everything from positive events to more dire situations. Adhere to those signs, stop disregarding those signs and approach your life with purpose in order to move and proceed forward. Life needs purpose, so start by enjoying the present moment instead of wishing it away for an imagined future. Continue to maintain personal values and boundaries and avoid treating others as unworthy of consideration or respect. Just a little bit of respect goes a long way, now imagine a life filled with that in every way.
As South Africans we embrace the chance to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s life for the whole of July. I therefore will end with one of his many profound quotes: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead”
A whirlwind of change has swept through our life in ways that could not be predicted. I must admit, at times it felt just way too much, especially as things happened very quickly and felt quite difficult to control. I continued jotting down my thoughts as this helped me to do self-examination and introspection. It cleared my mind as I could consider the actions that motivated me and helped with positive growth.
I must admit, although I’m happy for the positive growth, the process of getting there was not always comfortable. Sudden and abrupt changes also bring along many uncertainties, but also brings along hope. I’m reminded in all of this that there is always a time for growth, even as I’m getting older, I want to hold on and I hope that I will always grasp the opportunity for positive growth. I feel encouraged as I take my cue from mother nature with the following:
There’s a time for growth as we make our adjustments
Giving us reason for cutting and pruning away the negative
The undesirable that has overgrown like trees and shrubs
A process that removes the damage and enhances new growth
There’s a time growing older as we celebrate life
Liken to the oak that’s known for honour, nobility and wisdom
Some species of oak trees holding on not losing their leaves at all
A positive quality being steadfast and tenacious in growth
There’s a time for growth, no matter the circumstances
We weather the storm, embrace the wind blowing raindrops
Producing sunshowers and the appearance of a rainbow
Resulting in hope as we cheer for positive growth
I’m further inspired to honour and celebrate Mandela Day which is an occasion for all to take action and inspire change.18 July every year, we invite you to mark Nelson Mandela International Day by making a difference in your communities. Everyone has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better!
“It is in the character of growth that we should learn from both pleasant and unpleasant experiences.” Nelson Mandela
In a few days’ time it will officially be winter here, in the Southern Hemisphere. South Africa’s winter is generally pleasant sunny weather with cloudless blue skies, disrupted now and then by a few days of cold fronts. We are amid one of these cold fronts and it is unpleasantly cold. I’m quite aware that winter blues can kick in so easily.
Looking over my garden, I witnessed leaves falling and plants wither as we enter a cold and dry season. Winter is coming on strong and I’m reminding myself that it’s not a reason to hang up the gardening tools. Now is the time to help the garden survive and thrive during this time, plenty sun, good soil and water as needed. I need to take care of the garden but just as important, it is also a time to take care of my health. Taking care of my health will help to keep my body and my mind in the best shape possible. Changing to a positive mind and embracing the season can be the antidote for fatigue and sadness that often occurs during the winter season.
I’m also reminding myself that winter is important to us and that I should embrace the season. The cold is necessary and a warm winter can wreak havoc on agriculture.
Despite the gloom we’ve been told about winter, cold weather may actually be really good for your health. Cold weather can reduce inflammation and pain. This is a good reason to keep exercising in winter, as this may result in less inflammation and soreness than in the summer.
Winter after autumn foreshadow spring
The perfect season to snuggle up and get cosy
A time to enjoy healthy fruits and vegetables
Many a tree survive by losing its leaves
Nearly all plants go dormant as its time to rest
Some animals enter a deep sleep called hibernation
All in the name of winter, so let’s embrace!
Winter reminds me of change, and that change is inevitable, normal, and yet also necessary.
A little nudge to myself to embrace the season, embrace the change, and to accept that I can’t keep everything under control. As terrifying as this thought is, it’s also very liberating. I know that I have to embrace change, as its key to my growth and greatly affects my overall success and happiness.
Many things occurred in 1972, but perhaps the most notably, 1972 was the longest year in the history of recorded time, outlasting other years by a whopping two seconds. Read more on this here https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-1972-longest-history-003323744.html. I was wondering why there’s so many people I know, heard or read of that’s turning 50 this year. Perhaps it’s because I’m one of 5 cousins turning 50 this year! That’s a lot of us, right? This reminds me of when I got a new car and suddenly I notice all the cars with that exact colour and model like mine on the road. Maybe it’s something like that…
My thoughts further wonder as I do introspection, becoming aware of myself and the world around me. I’m conscious of my faults and I’m encouraged to making my years count instead of counting the years. I know that I don’t have a perfect recipe for life, but I know that I can always practice and strive to live life consciously.
Live your life consciously and honourably
Live purposefully and become the greatest version of yourself
Live to express and lighten the load of living through laughter
Live a life filled with care and kindness
Live in joy and a love for life every single day
Please share some thoughts on living life consciously.
I often wonder about the power of thoughts. Is it just a thought, are thoughts reality? I know that thoughts are not reality, yet it is so easy to allow negative thoughts to creep in and make us see it as reality. I for example at times, allow fearful thoughts to take over, making me believe something that’s not there. On the other hand, I know that even though I allow my thoughts to think of winning the lottery it just doesn’t happen that way!
Our thoughts are exactly that—thoughts. Thoughts are not our reality, and just because we have these thoughts does not mean that they’re true. The American psychologist and philosopher William James said that thoughts become perception, perception becomes reality. Your thoughts alter your reality. The world which we live in, its quality and character is nothing but a reflection of our own minds.
Whilst my thoughts become perception, those perceptions that cloud my mind and allow for thoughts to alter my reality, I should rather ponder about the positive and allow for those thoughts to cloud my mind…💭
Wonderful musing in reflection and thoughts
Clearing a clouded mind into hope and positivity
Prompting gently, washing away all negativity
Thoughts shining through in wonderful, blissful reality
hensblooms 
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