Christmas Crafts To Chill You Out....

I am a massive fan of making things, as I find it so relaxing and it allows me to switch off whilst (hopefully) making something beautiful. Here are a few Christmas Crafts to inspire you:

1. Mini Wooden Christmas Trees

I love the colours of these... currently my favourite colours. I think they would make part of a lovely table display. You can find the link here:

Mini Wooden Christmas Trees

2. Hot Chocolate Sticks

These taste delicious in hot milk and are a really cute gift wrapped in cellophane bags with a bow.

Hot Chocolate Sticks

3. Thankyou Cards

Call me old fashioned but I love sending proper thank you cards. These are so simple. I would do them as flat cards though and on lovely textured card so give them a high quality finish.

To get the instructions click here:

Thankyou Cards

Have fun!

How To Hygge: Embrace the Cosy Danish Concept

14.10.16

Emily Bird

Inspiration

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The winter nights are drawing in on a world which seems to get busier and more hectic every day and the need to sit back, relax and enjoy the small things in life has never been more prevalent. With stress levels rising in many countries across the globe, the Danes have established themselves as lovers of calm and in turn, consistently top the polls as the happiest people on earth along with many other Scandinavian countries. It is frequently argued that this is all down to hygge. The concept of hygge is one which graces every walk of Scandinavian people’s lives, and news of  this lifestyle has been spreading quickly for the last few years, crossing international borders to spread warmth wherever the idea touches.

Image courtesy of UGG

What is Hygge?

Pronounced ‘hoo-ga’ or ‘hue-gah’, the word is becoming increasingly recognisable and was originally a Norwegian term for wellbeing. Developed into a concept and way of living by the Danish in the 18thcentury when it first appeared in writings of the time, the country hasn’t looked back since. Applicable to any time and space, hygge traverses both winter and summer but the idea really comes alive in the harsh and bracing cold season Scandinavia is renowned for. These bleak winters demonstrate the power of hygge even further, as even in the depths of the country’s coldest months when there is very little daylight, Denmark’s inhabitants remain the world’s happiest people.

Image courtesy of James Brindley

Frequently described as ‘cosiness’ or ‘togetherness’ in English, the term has no literal translation, making it almost impossible to pinpoint exactly what hygge means. Largely defined as more of a feeling or mood more than a specific word, the concept can be interpreted as a mental state rather than a physical one. Simple words like cosiness just don’t do it justice with countless moments from slipping into a hot bath, to enjoying your morning coffee with a fragrant scented candle lit nearby just two of many examples of hygge. You can hygge with a good book curled up on a sofa or with friends around the fire or dinner table, even places can be hyggeligt (hygge-like), demonstrating just how far the notion reaches.

Image courtesy of Amara

Hygge is the art form of creating intimacy in any given moment. Normally a social occasion for loved ones to get together to experience the comradeship, warmth and contentment of the event, it can also be enjoyed alone to calm the nerves and sooth the senses. An idea which not only breaches weather and seasonal barriers but also social ones, it is something everyone in Denmark partakes in and it has spread through to every aspect of Scandinavian living to become a part of the national consciousness. Appreciating the small joys in life at all times, hygge followers have tapped into a source of happiness which the rest of the world can greatly benefit from in an ever-evolving technological society.

Tips to Hygge in the Home

1. Invest in Candles

Rumoured as one of the largest consumers of candles in the world per capita, Denmark and other Scandinavian countries have embraced the power of the warming glow of candlelight. Whether scented or unscented, candlelight transforms the clean, fresh style of classic Scandinavian interiors into a flickering escape from winter’s chill and a simple lit candle is seen as one of the most fundamental hygge moments to achieve. Danish brand Skandinavisk have even developed a Hygge fragrance with notes of brewed tea, baked strawberry cake, rose petals and wild mint for the ultimate hygge experience.

2. Add Texture

When you think of cosy and warming interiors to create the perfect relaxing moment the mind instantly goes to lusciously soft textures which add another dimension to any interior – think chunky knit cushions, faux fur throws and fluffy woollen rugs. Made from the softest of materials from merino wool to cashmere, textured accessories are a huge trend of the moment with the layering of different tactile surfaces creating a styled look in any room and when combined with a roaring fire or soft candlelight, there is no setting more hygge.

Image courtesy of Amara

Reference 

28 Brilliant Tips for Living Life

Sometimes the littlest change can make a world of difference.

Start waking a little earlier and spending some quiet time to start your day? The rest of the day has been transformed.

What little change might change your life? You can pick one or two from the list below at random — I can almost guarantee that one of them will do worlds of good for anyone.

I compiled this list this morning after asking on Twitter: “What’s your best tip that has made life better/easier?” The result was a wonderful influx of brilliant wisdom. Thank you, my friends.

Enjoy.

1. Use travel delay as opportunity to stop rather than get stressed. When the world stands still, let it. [Karl Durrant]
2. Whenever your spouse says something the first thing you should hear is “I love you & want to spend my life with you”. [David Inman]
3. Stop clinging and embrace change as a constant. [Isabelle Cholette]
4. Try and give people the benefit of the doubt if they snap at you. Might be something going on you don’t know about. [misslmdavis]
5. Wash your bowl immediately after eating! [niekstarr]
6. The daily practice of silence. [dimovich]
7. Life is so much easier when you make a decision within 5 minutes. Longer than that and you get bogged down & never decide. [Tiffany Cooper]
8. Friendship is a gift, not a possession. [Chris Reetz]
9. Mostly nothing is that serious as it seems in the first moment. [Julian Pollman]
10. Before you go to bed, write down only 3 things that you want to do the following day. This is how to prioritize. [Ziba]
11. Do the most important task first thing in the morning. [Jordan Ayres]
12. Make all driving a mindfulness practice. Well being and safety! [Branden Barnett]
13. When you think you want something, put it on the planner a month from now. When that month rolls around and you still want it, OK. [connie baber]
14. Smiling … seems to help with most things. :-) [zen fostering]
15. Love where you live, and work in walking distance from where you live. [Anoel]
16. Expecting less or nothing, and just being. That way disappointments are nil and you are pleasantly surprised often. Simple. [Traci]
17. Allow extra time in your schedule for wandering. [dylan]
18. Meditate — it makes everything fall into place. Being happy makes life so much better and easier! [Gabriel Rocheleau]
19. Do something relaxing before going to bed. No electronics. [Rozanne Paxman]
20. Don’t fold clothes. Saves time and hassle. [Rachel Jonat]
21. QTIP: quit taking it personally. [Will Hopkins]
22. To avoid cluttering: After any activity, put everything in place. It only takes 5 minutes vs. 3 hours if you allowed to pile things up. [La Piña]
23. Organic steel cut oats. YUM! [Prem]
24. Realizing that you treasure experiences over possessions makes life better. [Sophia Khan]
25. If you lick a glass before drinking from it, your lipstick doesn’t smear the glass. [natalie fergie]
26. When in doubt, take a deep breath. [Kevin Cuccaro]
27. Define what’s necessary; say no to the rest. [Dana]
28. Expect nothing. Welcome everything. (from a homeless man with AIDS on the streets of Vancouver.) [Sarah Chauncey]

BY LEO BABAUTA

www.zenhabits.net

Is Happiness In Our Genes?

HEALTH AND HAPPINESS / NOVEMBER 24, 2016

Here at Move we are always promoting a healthy and happy life. But what if you just find it that little bit harder to be happy than some of the people around you?  

Modern living would have us believe that we are the masters of our destiny and that happiness is a choice - only you can control how happy a life you live as a result of the choices that you make.

However, what if how happy we are is actually more out of our control then we think? Research has suggested that feelings associated with happiness could actually be predisposed due to our genetics. The study, carried out by The University of California found a particular gene's link to optimism, self-esteem and "mastery," - three critical psychological resources for coping with stress and depression.

This isn't the only study to discover these kind of findings. A 2009 study also suggested that generic factors can account for 40-50% of feelings associated with happiness. The study, conducted on twins, appeared to show that personality traits, such as sociablity, optimism, and how hardworking you are, are especially heritable. 

What does it all mean?

Although these studies go someway in suggesting that some people are genetically predisposed to be "happier" than others, it's important to remember the significance of environmental factors such as upbringing, relationships and friendships are also critical factors in someone's happiness levels. It's always worth remembering that if you're feeling blue, there are always things you can do to pick your mood up, such as exerciseand spending time with friends and family - and those are things that truly are in your control.

Source:

The Best of Pinterest Inspiration

Chase Your Dreams

It always surprises me when people say that they can’t achieve their dreams. They can have a multitude of reasons why…they aren’t clever enough, strong enough, attractive enough, things like that don’t happen to me etc. I recently listened to a talk, where the speaker said they left these conversations there and moved on to someone else who did believe in themselves. I however like a challenge. So my challenge is that reading this article will change one persons mindset and self belief.

I have always been aware that I think about things differently to other people. Being diagnosed as dyslexic gave me a reason as to why this may be the case. It also meant I was born with a challenge ready to be faced. People sometimes say to me I can be very black and white. I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing. The approach I take to life is very much sink or swim. I find simplifying it keeps me focused and keeps that fire burning inside me. 

The reason I am always surprised that people fail to believe in themselves is simple. We are all born the same. Our life paths may take different turns, however for everyone there will be choices and opportunities in different forms. People seem to look at these entrepreneurs, inventors, business owners, celebrities etc, and think they don’t have what they have and can’t do or achieve what they do. Maybe it’s my unusual way of thinking but I always think:

 If them, then why not me?

If you are lucky enough to have a dream, chase it and see where it can lead you.

The Path of Fearlessness

BY LEO BABAUTA

The more I work with people who are struggling with habits or life problems, the more I see how fears are holding us back.

Fears stop us from building healthy and productive habits. Fears cause us to procrastinate, keep us from finding work that is meaningful (or doing that work if we’ve found it). Fears keep us from finding friends or connecting with people on a deeper level. Fears keep us from being happy in each moment.

Underlying all of those fears are a few key fears:

• Fear of failure or being unprepared
• Fear of uncertainty
• Fear of being inadequate or being rejected

The two key fears are the fears of uncertainty and not being good enough, and in my experience, they’re both the same thing. We’re afraid of the uncertain future (and uncertain situations) because we don’t think we’re good enough to handle whatever might come out of the chaos.

These two fears (uncertainty and inadequacy) affect our lives in so many ways, and yet we rarely face them. We don’t want to feel these fears, so we run. We distract ourselves. We keep busy instead of being still to feel them. We find comfort in food and smoking and alcohol and TV.

In the end, the running doesn’t work, but only makes things worse.

There’s an alternative: the Path of Fearlessness.

Three Keys to Developing Fearlessness

What would our lives be like if we didn’t have fear holding us back?

We might find the freedom and joy that comes in being present with each moment.

We might find the underlying goodness that’s always there in each of us.

We might be able to finally live the lives we’ve always wanted to live.

So how do we walk this Path of Fearlessness?

Three practices to work with:

1. Facing the fear mindfully. The truth is, we rarely allow ourselves to feel our fears. We run from them, pretend they aren’t there, distract ourselves, lash out at others, trying to find control. But we don’t even admit we have these fears, most of the time, let alone actually allow ourselves to feel them. So the practice is to just sit there when you notice yourself feeling any fear, and see if you can stay with it for awhile. Don’t stay with the story about the fear in your head, but rather how it feels in your body. See that it is stressful or painful or uncomfortable. Notice the particular physical feeling of this fear, this time. See if it changes. See what you can learn about it. See if you can be compassionate with it.
2. Seeing your underlying goodness. As we sit in meditation, we can see that this moment is actually pretty wonderful. And this moment includes ourselves. We are part of the unconditional goodness of every single moment, and if we sit still we can start to feel that. There is goodness in our hearts, all the time, if we allow ourselves to feel it. There is the ability to appreciate and wonder, to feel and to love, to be present and to be grateful. Start to appreciate this, and you’ll start to develop confidence that you’ll be OK, even in uncertainty, even if you’re being judged, even if you put yourself out there with vulnerability.
3. Embracing the joy of groundlessness. Uncertainty is scary because we don’t like the feeling of not having stable ground under our feet. We want certainty, control, stability, permanence … but life is filled with uncertainty, impermanence, shakiness, chaos. This causes the fear. Instead, we can start to embrace this uncertainty, see the beauty in impermanence, see the positivity of groundlessness. This uncertainty means we don’t know what will happen, which means we can be surprised by every moment! We can be filled with curiosity about what will emerge. We can reinvent ourselves each moment, because nothing is set, nothing is determined. There is joy in this groundlessness, if we embrace it.

No, these are not easy practices. But you can practice with them right now, and set aside a few minutes each morning to practice. You’ll see your confidence emerge, your fears dissipate a bit, your ability to appreciate each moment and yourself grow.

The Path of Fearlessness is one of mindfulness, of daily practice, and of finding the courage to face and push past the fears into joy.

BY LEO BABAUTA

Reference www.zenhabits.netwww.zenhabits.net