Natural Energy Boosters for Natural Vitality

Energy - Introversion, Extroversion and Writing

2010-07-11T23:10:00.001-07:00

Check out this fabulous blog on Introversion, Extroversion, energy and writing.

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2010/07/11/podcast-inspiration-for-authors-clare-edwards/

Joanna Penn talks with Clare Edwards from Change-Works

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living.
http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com/
Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/

Family Fun - a Natural Energy Booster

2009-04-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

Family Fun and Laughter - Natural Energy Boosters

I recently had a double whammy - a visit from my youngest son and his wife and two small sons, and I visited my middle son and his wife and three beautiful daughters at their home interstate.

Since I hadn't seen the boys for a year, and the girls for two years it was a special time for me. Although I had spoken with them often on the phone, seeing them in person and sharing in their lively energetic fun was something else again.

My son with the daughters had taken time off work, so was able to drive us to the adventure playground, the bike track, and to a dinosaur museum. I played a board game with the whole family - lots of friendly competition and laughs - and we went out for dinner at a family restaurant.

The most energising thing was the laughter. Do you know that children laugh on average 400 times a day? Adults only a fraction of that amount.

I found myself laughing - even giggling - more. Great for the soul, and for the lines on the face too.

What a joy to spend time in the company of young people and to feed the inner child. I hope the opportunity will come again very soon.

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com/
Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/

Steve Irwin, Sir Robert Baden-Powell, and Lady Olave Baden-Powell - 22nd February - Adventure and Energy

2008-02-21T16:39:00.000-08:00

Three famous people were born on the 22nd February - Steve Irwin, Lord Robert Baden-Powell, and Lady Olave Baden-Powell.
All three were involved with nature, and with making the world a better place for our future generations.

Steve Irwin's February birth day was in 1962. He is one of our more recent heroes because of his passion for wildlife, notably crocodiles, and his personal contribution to the environment. His work lives on in his wife Terri and his beautiful children Bindy and Bob. (See the poem at the end of this blog.)

Sir Robert Baden-Powell was born on this day in 1857, and after a life of adventure he founded the Boy Scout Movement so that boys could experience the outdoors and gain an appreciation of the wondrous world we live in. He died in 1941. The 22nd February is commemorated by the Scouting and Guiding Movement as 'Thinking Day'.

Lady Olave Baden-Powell, was born on the same day as Sir Robert, but 37 years later in 1889, and so she outlived her husband by 35 years. Although the Scouts thought their hero and founder would lose interest in the movement after his marriage, Olave brought in new energy and vibrancy, and was able to create an exciting program for the girls, who had been dressing as boys so they could be involved in the grand game.

Olave became World Chief Guide in 1930 and impacted the lives of millions of girls across the planet, myself included. With Olave Baden-Powell's vision the Girl Guide Movement became the largest organisation for girls and women ever seen.

I met Lady Baden- Powell at 'Paxwold' in the Western Australian Darling Ranges - an area set aside for guides to camp.

I was selected to participate in the special camp in 1957, the centenary of Sir Robert's birth, to celebrate Lady Baden- Powell’s visit. I was 13, and I wrote in my diary:

It was not very long before a big crowd was assembled. Soon Lady Gairdner arrived, and then Lady Lee Steere.
At about 3.00 Lady B-P arrived and walked down the long line of guides, rangers and brownies lining the road, smiling and saluting. When she reached the guard of honour she shook hands with us all, and also saluted the rangers, making some nice comment in doing so.
We all went around to the back at that stage and joined the others from our camp. I had seen Grandma previously, and now she had a seat.
First of all, Mrs Somebody-or-other got up and told us the history of Paxwold, how it had been given by Mr Johnson and how all the people had done something in the way of donations of money or articles. There were two representatives of Malaya and one of Ceylon. Each gave a present to Paxwold. The Malayans gave a lovely picture, and the Ceylonese, a dish the shape of Ceylon. There were also several telegrams which had been sent for the opening of the building. One was from a new camping site in England called Paxwood.
It was then Lady B-P.'s turn to speak, but before doing so she reorganised the group so that nobody would be looking into the sun. She said, 'I'm not very popular at the moment. Somebody said Lady B-P was a person who came along and messed up all the arrangements.'
After we were all settled and sitting down, Grandma passed over Betty's camera, and while Lady B-P was talking I took several photos of her.
At last the key was presented by a nine-year-old brownie, and Paxwold was opened. Lady B-P. will ‘keep this golden key and will always have it’.
As soon as the ceremony was over, all the camp girls returned to camp to await the arrival of Lady B-P. She was trying to make her way over to the site, but every time she got a little way she was stopped. However, at about 4.30 she eventually arrived.
Cap Hosie, Q.M., First Aider, Cooky and Cap Johnson went to meet her, and after she'd spoken to them she came to us, first posing for photos for us all. She came round and shook hands with everyone, and when she came to me she commented on my pack leader's stripes (as she'd done at the Guard of Honour) then realised that she'd already seen me.
Inspection of tents was next and she began to walk over towards ours. We just about had heart failure. However, she didn't look in. She wanted to know if we had Kookaburras on our site, and did her best to imitate one. She told us that one of the world's most popular songs was 'Kookaburra'.
We all enjoyed her company immensely and when she had gone we unanimously agreed that she is a lovely person.

I have many more stories about the time I spent as a Girl Guide, and the way it helped me grow in confidence, leadership skills, an appreciation of our wonderful world and the need to always 'do my best'.

Today, on Thinking Day, I will remember Lady Baden-Powell, Lord Baden-Powell, and Steve Irwin, three great spirits who, with their energy, enthusiasm and determination to contribute to the world, have inspired many to do the same. (See the poem about Steve Irwin below)

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com/Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/

Croc and Brock’s Farewell

Mourners stood inside the garden in Australia Zoo that day
The most beautiful of gardens where the crocodiles all play.
They had come in many thousands, looking on with tears in eye.
As the heroes of the moment both descended from the sky.

In the clouds they saw the image of Steve Irwin with his croc.
And beside him in his race car was a youthful Peter Brock.
Dressed in racing gear resplendent, Peter Perfect to a T.
And they heard Steve blurt out ‘Crikey, have you come to visit me?’

‘I remember, I was swimming with the fish upon the reef.
My surroundings were amazing, such a scene defied belief.
We had cameras and were filming for my gorgeous Bindi child.
For her show she wanted images of creatures swimming wild.’

‘Then a sting ray flew towards me with his wings outspread and wide.
I was mesmerized with magic as I came up to his side.
Then I swam above him slowly, just to get a better view.
But he must have been quite startled, for that was the last I knew.’

‘Though I am the brave Croc Hunter, I am jelly fish inside.
I am Bob and Bindy’s daddy, and the day I died I cried.
For the parting took more courage than my wrestling with the crocs,
Catching snakes and spiders hiding in the crevasses and rocks.’

‘Now I’m here with Peter Perfect, not with Terri and the kids,
And I sure will miss them badly – they’re the greatest ‘billy lids’.
I will stay beside them always, and they’ll feel that I am there.
As they grow up and they prosper they will know that I still care.’

‘I was born near Brocky’s birthday - it was February 22,
Just four days before his birthday – a coincidence it’s true,
As I died four days before him in a freak of fate quite strange.
If I’d wanted a companion no-one better I’d arrange.’

‘For he’s been a national hero - always striving for the best,
He was called “King of the Mountain” - he was faster than the rest.
With ten victories at Bathurst, his “Brock Special” was his brand,
And his name will be remembered through our great Australian land.’

‘Like me, the King was playing on the day he left the earth,
At a rally in his coupe somewhere not too far from Perth,
When he slid across the wet road, and he slammed into a tree,
I was watching from my cloud and saw him drifting up to me.’

‘Oh Crikey Brock, and welcome. It is not so bad up here.
You’ll be pleased we won’t be aging, and I’ve brought some Aussie beer.
We can keep an eye on family, so they do just what they ought,
Looking after all the animals and racing motor sport.’

‘It was time to draw our numbers on September 4 and 8.
Now St Peter is awaiting at the shining pearly gate.
And I bet we’re both admitted to the heavenly realm above,
As there’s thousands in Australia who are showing us their love.’

© Joan Small Sept 2006
http://www.joansmall.com/joansmallpoetry.htm

Natural Energy Boosters and Competition

2007-11-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

November in Australia, particularly this year, is a time for races. We had the Melbourne Cup with the amazing win from back in the field of 'Efficient'.

Quote of the month would have to go to assistant trainer John Sadler, on how Efficient celebrated after his Melbourne Cup win.

'Last night we went down to give him a pat, he just snarled at us and said 'piss off and let me eat. He has got an attitude, he thinks he's good.'

I suppose he could be excused for having 'attitude' after coming first in the five million dollar race.

Prime Minister, John Howard, could well take heart from the Melbourne Cup, seeing as he is currently in the back of the field also. While Rudd and Howard battle it out for Australia's top job in the electorate, on the airwaves, and on the Internet, ordinary Australians go about their daily work. Will they consider carefully when they vote, will they pick the person who has the best image at the time, or will they choose the one who appears to promise the most for them personally - the WIFM concept - What's In It For Me?

What has all this to do with energy?

My wise mother used to say, 'Comparisons are odious'. (http://www.theenergybook.com/energy_tips_from_mother.htm)

But does this also mean that 'Competition is odious'? Or does competition create energy?
In this political competition, we can see that each party is having to sharpen their pencils and come up with better and stronger policies to get ahead in the race. Whether or not the policies are implemented remains to be seen, but the democratic system is at work when opposition creates better government.

I was once involved in politics, and I found it stimulating at the time, until I perceived the full truth of the dirty tricks that go on behind the scenes. But I 'won't go there' as the saying goes.

Sport and games are all about competition and many find these very energizing.
The anatomy of a game is:

Goals

Barriers

Purposes (LRH)

Without any of these there is no game, and that means without obstacles there isn't a game either. Challenges, problems - whatever you want to call them - are the stuff from which growth and greatness are made. It is rewarding to overcome an obstacle and get to the next level, personally, in business, work or life.

Of course the other type of competition is against oneself. We can always try to do our best at everything - and often we are our own worst critics. The yardstick by which we measure ourselves often derives from others in our past, or the imagined expectations of others.
What is the answer? How can we use competition - the 'race' of life to be energized.
A few simple things:

As Don Miguel Ruiz says in 'The Four Agreements': Always Do Your Best - and this is going to change from moment to moment.

Be true to yourself and compete only when you choose to. Don't allow others to coerce or force you into a competition that you don't wish to be part of.

Recognise that it is a game, and enjoy playing it

If you cease to have fun - leave the game. Life is to be enjoyed, not endured.

By the time I write the next post, we may know who has won the race to be Australia's next Prime Minister - and I pray it will be for the good of the country.
I wish you joy in your personal race, and pleasure in the game of life every day.

Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/

Natural Energy Boosters - John McDouall Stuart and Polly

2007-09-12T13:05:00.000-07:00

What is your story?

Do you have a burning desire, a dream, something you wish to achieve in this lifetime?
What is your purpose? Is it 'to be happy' as the Dalai Llama says, or is it a particular goal, like the explorers of the world. Do you wish to forge a path that someone else can follow. Would you even die to achieve your goal?

Having a purpose, a strong desire, is perhaps one of the greatest Natural Energy Boosters.
It may be something small, or much larger. It may be something that can only be achieved in small steps, but by remaining focussed, and persisting no matter what we reach it in the end.

Some goals are so great that they will energise despite emotional and physical hardship.

Last night I presented a talk at my Toastmasters Club on the great Australian Explorer John McDouall Stuart - a man so focussed on a dream that he persisted against great odds.
I called the talk 'John and Polly'.

Between 1858 and 1862 John, with Polly his gallant little grey mare pony, battled for four weary years over six journeys and a total of ten thousand miles to explore from the south to the north of this great land.

With little resources or government backing, he led his small groups of men and horses across the Australian inland. Stuart forged his way through stony deserts, swam flooding rivers, climbed mountain ranges, battled thorny lancewood scrub and faced fierce aborigines - up and back six times from Adelaide until at last he reached the Indian Ocean at the north of the continent on 24th July 1862.

On all his journeys through the most severe conditions he never lost a man and rarely a horse.

Polly was with him on every journey, and he cared for her as his favourite, though she suffered much. In the dreaded 'steel-shod desert' of the gibber plains horse-shoes were torn from her feet, and her hooves were cut to shreds. She floundered through bogs, swam rivers and was once stolen by one of Stuart's party and staked in the fetlock.

When Polly gave birth to a foal near what is now Alice Springs, Stuart rested the party until she could go on, and he called this waterhole Polly Springs.

Before his last journey, John had been kicked in the temple, and his right hand was nearly ripped off by a rope. He rode in agony all 3400 miles to the north and then the same distance back again. His eyesight failed, his right hand was rendered useless, and he was so sick he had to be carried on a makeshift bed slung between two horses the last 950 miles, an indication of his men's devotion.

Was it worth it?

Though he died back in England in 1866 at only fifty years of age he had achieved his dream.

Because of John McDouall Stuart, the colonies were able to build the Overland Telegraph Line from south to north and to connect the continent with the outside world - a revolution in communications, and to build a railway line from Adelaide to Alice Springs (now all the way to Darwin).

Perhaps Stuart's greatest memorial is not the statue erected to him in Adelaide in 1904, but the wide black ribbon of the 'Stuart Highway' that stretches from south to north - the longest highway in Australia bearing one name. If you ever travel this road, give a thought to those that made it possible, and especially to John and his trusty pony, Polly.

Not all of us are prepared to give away our health and our lives for a dream. It is a high price to pay.

But what we can learn from Stuart that 'all things are possible to him who believes'.

Whether your goal, or your purpose be large of small, having a dream is a Natural Energy Booster that will make your life meaningful and worth living day by day.

If you would like to receive the free ebook 'The Journals of John McDouall Stuart' go to my webpage, http://www.joansmall.com/joansmall_Australian_BushPoetry_books.htm

Live with Energy

Joan

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com/Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/

Your story, a Natural Energy Booster

2007-09-08T14:06:00.001-07:00

WHAT IS YOUR STORY?

Last week I was staying with friends, Basil and Molly near Bundaberg (Queensland, Australia) while I wrote down their story.

Not the whole story - just the bit between 1952 and 1967 when Basil was in the police force in Australia's Northern Territory.

He had met and married Molly when she was nursing in Alice Springs and they have been married for more than 50 years.

Their story is one of adventure with a pioneering spirit on remote police stations in the most trying of conditions. It is also a story of living with aborigines and hunting for criminals in the killer heat of Australian desert, or battlling flooded rivers and torrential rains.

What comes out of Basil and Moly's story is the love and devotion, the lasting friendships made and the caring for others. Above all else is the attitude of taking life as it comes and making the best of everything. All of these are natural energy boosters.

Basil and Molly, now well into their 70's and with various bodily ailments, still have that loving attitude towards each other and their friends, and an open house where all are welcome. This keeps them young in spirit, heart and mind.

What is your life story?

If you wrote it down, what would be the theme?

Would you discover the Natural Energy Boosters that have provided you with joy, happiness and energy throughout your life, or at certain times when you needed it most?

Not all of us have a story that is as dramatic as Basil and Molly's, but we all have a story.

If you are still alive - and you must be if you are reading this - then you will have utilised the natural resilience of the Mind, Body and Spirit to regenerate, and you will have called upon it not once, but many times.

Why not find a quiet place, now, and reflect on your life story. See if you can discover your life's theme. What is it that gave you the strength to carry on when things became tough?

What gave you joy and happiness? What were the Magic Moments that still give you a warm feeling when you think back on them?

How can you create more magic moments in the present?

You too, will find you are able to build a life story from now on that more closely reflects your Ideal Life. All you need to do is tap into the Natural Energy Boosters that are right for you.

I would love your comments - and your feedback on what you discovered. Please tell me what you found out about your life story.

Live with Energy

Joan

Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com

Natural Energy Boosters , Prosumers and Arthur's Carbecue

2007-06-28T00:10:00.000-07:00

What are prosumers, and how are they related to Natural Energy Boosters?

Prosuming is another word for 'doing things for others for no money'.

According to Alvin and Heidi Toffler ('Future Shock' and 'Revolutionary Wealth') who coined the phrase, prosumers are people who produce something for others to consume for no money.

Prosuming is contributing

If you are contributing to anyone or anything by any means without being paid for your service or product, then you are a prosumer.

Simple acts like babysitting, or mowing someone's lawn are prosuming - and whole organisations such as Rotary International and the Red Cross are dedicated to the prosuming principle of helping others for no money. I belong to, and 'work' for International Toastmasters - we train people in public speaking - and the Gold Coast Writers Association, where people learn to be better writers.

Natural Disasters

When natural disasters occur prosuming increases. I was part of the emergency relief effort for Cyclone Tracy which hit Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974, and when the Tsunami devastated Indonesian islands in 2004, people from all nations rallied to provide their services.

The world runs on the voluntary support of millions, but what often goes unrecognised is that the volunteering, or 'prosuming' is not always through charitable organisations or groups.

Arthur's Carbecue

For instance, a neighbour called Arthur owned an old car that he was always fixing. But he didn't fix it by himself - he invited his friends around to spend the afternoon working on the car, and then he and his wife would turn on a barbecue. We used to call these occasions "Arthur's Carbecues".

Arthur's friends were prosumers and so were Arthur and his wife. No money was exchanged and the car was repaired.

Another friend, Gillian, was putting her house on the market, so she asked her friends to help her paint, garden and clean. Her prosumer friends put the house in order, and partied afterwards.

Being a prosumer is energizing because most of us like to be of service to others. Helping is a strong motivator and we enjoy being appreciated and needed. If our special talents are recognized, then it makes us even happier.

Energy from prosuming

Have you experienced a special lift when someone consults you, or asks for your assistance in something? We may even give away something we usually charge money for, just to gain the appreciation and good feeling.

Like me. I design websites, and get paid for it. But every now and then a 'worthy' cause comes along; some-one who doesn't have the money to pay, and I feel moved to help them out by becoming a prosumer.

Prosuming makes the world go around

According to the Tofflers, prosuming make the world go around - or at least economies of countries. If all the free services provided by individuals and groups were factored into economic calculations it would blow them out by billions.

Be proud of yourself if you are a prosumer, and allow yourself to be energized with the wonderful natural energy booster of contributing in this way.

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living.
Visit http://www.theenergybook.com/
Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/

Natural Energy Boosters and Teabags

2007-04-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

Start your day with a new teabag.

I have a habit of re-using tea bags. I drink my tea weak black with no sugar, so I am able to get at least 3 cups from one bag, and I have a cute trendy pottery receptacle for spoons and used teabags.

But I am quite particular about throwing out the teabags and washing my pottery thingy each morning, to start my day with a fresh cup of tea.

This teabag idea is symbolic of how we can live with Natural Energy Boosters.

Just as I do with the teabags, you can take all the dregs of the previous day, put them in a little bag and throw them in the bin. Then you'll be ready to take in some new experiences and seep them in your cup throughout the day to bring out all the fresh new flavors and aromas.

Maybe choose some different flavors too. Tea bags now come in a range of herbal varieties – everything from peppermint to dandelion, green tea or watermelon, and even blended. In the same way our lives can be flavored with variety and blended with love and enjoyment.

At the end of the day, we can take what we don’t want – the dregs – and bin it, so we are ready for the next day’s flavors and aromas.

Try this teabag theory as one of your Natural Energy Boosters for this week and you will have Energy for Life.

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/

Natural Energy Boosters - Staying Happy

2007-04-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

"Clean Hands make a Happy Heart"

What does this saying mean, and what does it have to do with Natural Energy Boosters, staying happy every day, having energy and enjoying life?

Have you watched the comedy program 'My Name is Earl'?

It is about a man who wins money on a lottery and decides he will backtrack through his life and make amends for all his past wrongoings. This way he will stay in alignment with Karma and his luck will continue.

It's one of my favourite programs, and while I laugh ( great for energy) I get the message - 'Clean Hands make a Happy Heart'.

The answer is simple. If we live without shame, blame and regret it is far easier to be happy. And keeping our hands clean helps us to maintain a pure heart and a clear mind - all of which are aids to energy and happiness.

What happens to bring us down? Why do people become depressed, sad, lonely, sick and lacking in energy?

Again, the answer is simple and universal. It is because what goes on inside our heads largely determines our attitude to life, what happens to us, and more importantly how we react to what happens.

Shame, blame and regret will bring you down.

If we do things we consider are not ethical or against our own morals and values we feel guilty.
If we are unable to take responsibililty for what we have done we blame others.
If someone else makes us feel we have done wrong we experience shame, which can lead to regret.

It's important to consider our actions in the light of our own conscience, and do what we consider to be right, not what others impose upon us. Too often we carry around false burdens of guilt when we don't deserve to.

Guilt or shame, blame and regret keep us trapped in the past and don't allow us to enjoy and appreciate what is going on in our lives right now.

Often, when we feel sad, depressed, lonely or guilty, we turn to artificial means to drown out the pain, or to induce a false sense of happiness.

But in reality our bodies naturally create the chemicals to do this.

Seretonin is the happy chemical, naturally produced when the sun comes up. The light creates in the body a mechanism that takes up the sleep chemical, melatonin, and allows the pineal gland (the third eye) to produce the natural energy boosters, seretonin, which induce a state of cheerfulness and energy.
Laughter produces endorphins, which are also natural energy boosters, whereas negative emotions inhibit the production of happy chemicals.

How can we clear our minds and bodies of the harmful de-energizing effects of shame, blame and regret?

First, with gratitude. Look at the moment you are in, and find some things to be grateful for.
Love yourself, with all your imperfections, and choose to do only those things that you are comfortable with and align with 'clean hands' for you.
Let go of the past. If there is something you must make amends for, own up to it and do what you can to make it right, but for all the other imagined wrongs of the past, leave them where they are - in the past and move on.
Live in the moment. Every moment has its blessings to be enjoyed, no matter what you are experiencing. The more you focus on these the more they will expand.

Stories of my own and others' experiences with natural energy boosters can be read in 'The Energy Book for Life - the Guidebook for Energetic Living'

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/

More Variety as a Natural Energy Booster

2007-03-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

Infinite Variety - That's what life is all about - but it doesn't have to be big things.

One of my greatest pleasures is to 'do coffee' or 'do lunch' A variation on this is to 'do drinks', which we do each month after our Gold Coast Writers Club meeting. Exciting conversations and networking result from these social exchanges.

I was at a business conference one time and we were all asked to tell the group what we did. One lady stood up and said 'I do lunch'. She won a book prize for the best description of what her occupation was about.

Doing Lunch

Doing lunch, to me, means meeting somebody interesting and sharing a thumbnail of their life.

The lady I met yesterday had spent many years in the Northern Territory as a nurse, living on a cattle station, and also working for the NT Aerial Medical Service - often known as The Flying Doctor.

She gave me her fascinating perspective on station and aboriginal life, and some of the life-threatening and life-saving situations she had been in.

I lived for more than 40 years in Australila's Northern Territory so could understand and capture some of the atmosphere of the stories, but my life was a more urban one in a small gold mining town.

Contrasts

I was energized by this exchange. I could capture some of the excitement and drama of another person's existence in the vast outback, while I sipped coffee and ate delicious citrus tarts with cream, on a deck in tropical surroundings of the Gold Coast city.

While we have our minds with which to travel, our senses to appreciate the moment and our emotions to connect with another person there is no reason to be bored or lacking in energy.
We can create our own variety - the spice of life and live with energy every day.

Live with Energy

Joan

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com
Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com

Natural Energy Boosters and Variety

2007-03-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

Variety is the Spice of Life.

What is spice - it is to 'make more interesting or flavorsome'. Spice is also a great energiser, whether it be in food, or in variety. And spice is fun!

How do you spice up your life? Do you do something different every day? Do you try new things, eat new foods, go to different places? Do you look at things from a different angle?

I heard a story at the weekend about a man called Tim, who was surprised that his brother had to consult the Sydney street directory each time he picked him up at the airport, even though he had lived in the city for some years. After the third time, Tims curiosity got the better of him and he asked why.
His brother's reply was that he never took the same route to his home.
This is an interesting way to spice up your life, and add energy to it.

Do you have set routines and habits that you carry out every day? Try something different - get up earlier, or later, work in your pyjamas, be creative in the middle of the night. Use coloured pens to write with.

The opposite of variety is same-ness. If you find yourself doing the same things every day, work at changing - start with the small things. Brush your teeth with your opposite hand or wear your watch on the opposite wrist.

It supposedly takes about 30 days to break a habit. If you can break small habits you may find it easier to break large unwanted habits.

The secret to having natural energy when you give up something is to substitute something else. If you are trying to give up eating too much, substitute a fun activity for the eating - get out and about more and do something else with your hands.

Try a new approach. I saw on TV the 'dinner plate diet' where a lady weighing well over 100 kgs, lost masses of weight simply by restricting the amount of food she ate to the small circle pattern on her dinner plate. She took this plate wherever she went, and asked for serves of only that size.

What a creative and imaginative approach to reducing weight - and it worked for her.

Our greatest asset is our creative imagination. Get your creative imagination to work for you to add spice and variety to your life and your will discover new and massive amounts of energy.

Live with Energy

Joan

Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com .

Life's Paradox
Life is a paradox. Sure it is so.
Sometimes it says ‘Stop’, and other times ‘Go’.
Proverbs contradict – they’re designed to deceive.
Which one should you follow, which one to believe?

One says if you hesitate all will be lost.
But to ‘leap ere you look’ will be at great cost.
Tony Robbins, the guru, in his six needs of man,
Says that ‘certainty’ tells us we know that we can.

But it also means boredom. The paradox reigns.
Spice is ‘variety’ - maximum gains.

If for ‘peace’ you aspire, then you’re very soon dead.
If that’s what you long for you’ll stay in your bed.
Yet put too much pressure, too much chaos and action,
Soon your body will show it’s a fatal attraction.

To appreciate rain there must be the sun.
To welcome a rest, you first have to run.
The simplest of things you don’t love till they’re gone.
A hug from a child, a kind word, a hot scone.

Ponder the paradox - try to weigh up
If you have a half empty or half filled up cup.
For as Newton observed, Nature has her own laws.
You can work along with her if you take time to pause.

You can rush with the urge to obtain your desire.
Or live for each day, getting steadily higher,
Enjoying each moment - your own treasure box,
Contradictory assortment. It’s life’s paradox.

Natural Energy Boosters and Thinking

2007-02-08T21:26:00.000-08:00

What is it about Thinking that is energizing, or de-energizing?

That's obvious you say. If we think good thoughts we will feel good - or energized. If we think bad thoughts we will feel de-energized.

Mike Dooley of Totally Unique Thoughts (www.tut.com) says 'Thoughts Become Things' . If you have watched the movie, 'The Secret' you will know just how powerful our thoughts - and our wishes, really are.

But can thoughts energize and expand our living in other ways?

Tony Buzan, the inventor of "Mind Maps" thinks so. He tells us that by expanding what we think about, our vocabulary and our creativity, we can actually become more 'intelligent' no matter what our age.

I will repeat that last bit - "no matter what our age".

Gone are the theories that our intelligence deteriorates with age.

In truth we can become smarter as we get older. This thought is indeed an energizing one.

Tony Buzan also wrote 'The Book of Genius'. He lists 20 characteristics of 'Genius'. Some of these are Imagination, Positive Attitude, Truth/Honesty, Facing Fears/Courage, Vision, Desire, Faith, and of course - Energy.

From this you can see that genius is not just 'intellectual thinking' but how we use our thinking ability.

What about you?

What are you doing to change your way of thinking and focus on how you can use the wonderful gift we have been given - our creative imagination?

In 'The Energy Book for Life' I outline many ways that people use natural energy boosters, including creative imagination. to generate more energy, joy, happiness and fulfillment.

One of my favourite quotes is:

'Nothing happens unless first a dream' (Carl Sandburg).

This means we must first imagine, or 'dream something up' before it can become reality.

One of my Energetic Message cards says :

'Create your ideal life in your mind, and take steps towards it. The Energy you create will open up new opportunities and experiences.'

Why don't you visit my website now, and obtain a set of these energizing daily message cards, and you will find yourself uplifted each time you draw a thought for the day.

Expand your thoughts in a positive direction with natural energy boosters, and your life with follow.

Live with Energy

Joan

Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/

Natural Energy Boosters - Freedom or Entrapment

2007-01-10T15:23:00.000-08:00

The Energy of Living Free

Recently I watched the tragic story of the 'Boy in the Bubble', David Vetter, who spent his entire life of 12 years imprisoned in a plastic capsule, because he suffered from SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency).

From the age of seven David verbalized his depression and said he had suffered from it for several years, and this is not surprising. It seems he was an intelligent and cheerful child, but not only did he have a prison, but he also had several 'jailers' - the doctors and other professionals as well as his loving family who instilled in him fears of the outside world and being invaded by germs.

Being trapped is one of our greatest fears.

Everyone has heard of claustrophobia - a fear of being trapped in confined spaces, and maybe even agoraphobia - being trapped in one's home because of fear of everything outside of it. But what of the fear of being trapped in other ways?

Fear is a form of lack of energy - a withdrawing from the world.

Even in Australia, where we are a so-called free nation, and have freedom of speech, freedom of information and many other freedoms, we can have a trapped feeling.

But unless you are physically held against your will, it is entirely up to you whether you choose freedom or entrapment.

Are you feeling trapped in a relationship, a job or a place of living that’s not ideal for you? Are financial constraints keeping you trapped in a lifestyle that you don’t like?

All of these things are simply a matter of choice.

I know a man who worked for a large government organisation. He was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the ethics of upper management, so one day he took the plunge and resigned. At his farewell party other workers expressed amazement at his courage to throw away one job when he had no immediate prospects for another. They said, ‘It’s all right for you. You don’t have the mortgage, the car payments…….” and so on.

The truth is, we can make changes in our lives that lead us to what energizes us. It is all a matter of choice.

What do you choose? Do you choose freedom or entrapment? What are you going to do today to make that change to lead you to the life of your dreams?

The first step is probably the hardest. Imagine it. When you hold a clear picture in your mind for long enough and take steps towards it , it is inevitable.

This New Year, resolve to take that leap and do what you have always wanted to do. I will.

FREEDOM
What's Freedom, you ask; a fictitious thought?
A will-o-the-wisp so hard to be caught.
So many the meanings. What is 'To be free?'
Is it 'Not tied by chains'? Is it 'Just to be me'?
I believe it is fun. It is family and friends.
It's healthy and fit - take the road where it wends.
It's financial freedom, it’s money to do
What you want, and to give to the many or few
Who're in need of some help to make better their life.
So be grateful for yours for there's many in strife.
Yes, freedom's today, to live as you choose,
To plan out your future, your knowledge to use.
To keep on with learning, to grow day by day.
To love yourself first in a spirit of play.
So living and giving and choosing your role,
You'll be a free spirit - accomplish your goal.
© Joan Small

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.comJoan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com

Have a Ho Ho Christmas - a Natural Energy Booster

2006-12-13T15:48:00.000-08:00

Have a Ho Ho Ho Happy Christmas

I’ve decided that it is time I put more humour into my life, and that means seeing the funny side of frustrations.

Last night I went to a Christmas Party for our Toastmasters Club, and we had to each stand up and say what our best Christmas present was. One man said ‘a toy that had the batteries included’.

We live in a ‘wire-less’ age, where we are dispensing with cords left right and centre, and replacing them with ‘cordless’ or battery operated gadgets.

Two things I love are my cordless iron and my re-chargeable battery operated vacuum cleaner. No longer do I get a cord caught up on chair legs and bookcases, and I can easily do what my mother used to call ‘a quick whip around’ with the cleaning.

No so my cordless (wireless) mouse.

Because I spend so much time at the computer I am constantly changing batteries (re-chargable thank goodness, or it would cost me a fortune). I have exchanged the batteries so often that the little trapdoor has fallen off its hinges and I have to put it on with sticky tape. This is not as effective as it was, which means the mouse has to be manipulated to get it to work properly.

I can see what’s going on my Christmas list for Santa – a new mouse.

Back to the Toastmasters Christmas Party.

It was the most wonderful function, in a back yard of one of our members, though you could hardly call it a ‘yard’ in the best Aussie tradition. My pommie friend tells me that in England people don’t have ‘yards’, they have ‘gardens’. Our party venue was neither. It was a manicured lawn with one big tree, and it sloped down on each side to the canal that surrounded it. In the distance we could see the beautiful lights of Surfers Paradise, on a glorious balmy summer evening.

The patio area was decorated with Christmas lights and the tables lit up with sparkles. The food was fresh Queensland fruit, traditional turkey, ham and vegetables followed by plum pudding and custard with other delectable deserts, all served out of doors. Oh, the energizing qualities of the aromas, tastes and experiences of delicious food.

If I wasn’t to have another Christmas meal, I know I would be satisfied with what was spread before us.

The entertainment was something else. Our Table Topics master extraordinaire had hats and head-dresses for Santa and Mrs Santa, reindeer – male and female!!??, and Santa’s elves, who each made up a humourous story about their role. Rudolf got the most laughs with his geeing up, in more ways than one, of the other reindeer, and the crowd.

More humour by Paula made the night a winner.

If you haven’t enjoyed a Toastmasters activity, then consider coming along, particularly to a club that has a motto similar to ours – ‘Have Fun While you Learn’.

So, as I go into Christmas with a Ho, Ho, Ho I wish you also much fun and laughter. Remember - laughter is a Natural Energy Booster. The more you laugh the more energized you with feel.

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.comJoan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/

Natural Energy Boosters and the Bottle-nosed Dolphin

2006-11-13T23:46:00.000-08:00

Dolphins know how to generate energy.

I have been fascinated by dolphins since I read a book by Karen Pryor in which she described her unforgettable experiences of learning to work and play with them.

Much later, I had a closer encounter with these cetaceans. They are the ultimate example of how to use Natural Energy Boosters to remain forever young.

Dolphins are:

D aring, diving, dancing
O riginal
L oving and lovable
P layful
H ealing, helpful
I ntelligent and Imaginative
N urturing
S ensual, with sounds, singing and swimming.

Daring:
Dolphins have been known to attack sharks, and at least ward them off, particularly if one of their species is being attacked, but it is a myth that they are great enemies of the shark. They usually only take on sharks the same size or smaller.
Diving and Dancing: The antics of dolphins in diving, surfing, breaching, bow riding, twirling, leaping and more can make it appear that they are carrying out an incredible dance of their own creation.

Original:
Dolphins are the only animals which can continually create new games. I remember reading in Karen's book how she and other trainers wanted to determine how creative their charges were, so they only rewarded the dolphins when they created a new game.
Karen's recent account on her website of ‘What dolphins do at Christmas’ describes how they trained the dolphins to trim the Christmas tree. She says:
‘Now a little time is allowed for the animal to get used to swimming around dragging the garland—oh, say, 10 seconds, you don't want the animal to get too interested and start playing 101 Things to do with a Garland.’

Loving:
Dolphins are loving in the care of other members of the pod, and they are also lovable creatures. Humans seem to be drawn to dolphins, almost as if we are members of the same species. It is a thrill to observe them, and a spiritual experience to swim with them.

Playful:
They love to play. To look at their smiling faces and see their boundless energy you would think they had not a care in the world. Unlike us, they don’t ever sleep – they take 30 minute naps with half their brain always alert.

Healing:
Swimming with dolphins has been shown to reduce depression, and dolphin sounds are used by some for meditation.

Intelligent: Dolphins seem to deliberately make their games difficult in order to learn from them.

Nurturing: Dolphins carry their young for 12 months and after the birth an ‘aunty’ dolphin will help to nurture them. If a baby is taken by a predator the mothers mourn for them. Dolphin pods are small but tight groups where they care for each other.

Sounds, Songs and Senses:
Dolphins communicate in many ways: with language, sound, chemical releases, bubble blowing, body posture, touch and splashing on the water’s surface. Each dolphin has a unique Signature Whistle – a high-pitched sound which emanates from the blow-hole on the top of the head. Clicking sounds help them identify the distance and size of objects.

What can we discover about using Natural Energy Boosters to energize us from studying Dolphin behaviour?

Dare to Do – Dance Dive and enjoy
Originality and Creativity will keep us alert, alive and youthful
Love more, and be Lovable
Play as much as we can every day
Heal ourselves and heal others. Take advantage of natural healing, including deep breathing and lots of exercise.
Intelligence is expanded by creative energy and Imagination
Nurturing our young people, families, friends and other people will create energy throughout our long lives.
Swim, and use Sounds, Song and Senses to be alive and enlivened.

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small is the author of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, and the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. She empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. See http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com/

Balancing Motion and Meditation – Natural Energy Boosters

2006-10-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

I have been writing about Motion as a Natural Energy Booster for my monthly newsletter, and it made me realise the importance of balance.

For a set of scales to balance it has to have equal weights on opposite sides. Likewise, in our lives that we must have equal weight on opposite sides.

How do we balance Motion? With lack of motion.

The closest we can come to lack of motion with our 'perpetual motion machine' bodies and our constantly busy minds is to be still for at least some part of the day.

I read a book recently called 'Talk and Grow Rich' in which the author, Ron Holland, devotes the first two chapters to what he calls S.S.S. - Silence, Stillness and Solitude.

S.S.S. is a method of meditation - an answer to stress, a way to tap into our natural creativity and to hand over our problems to the subconscious mind - the master mind.

The technique is simple but not easy. According to Holland, you find a place where you won't be disturbed and you empty your mind. Try not to think of anything. If you do this for half an hour a day, you will find your life will change.

By using this technique, you will generate more good ideas, what Ron Holland calls 'Eurekas'. Your health will improve and you will have more peace of mind. You will also be more energized.
Great men such as Thomas Edison and Leonardo Da Vinci used techniques such as this to power their genius.

Meditation is a Natural Energy Booster.

'Clear Your Mind' is the first book in my series, 'Allow Yourself...You Deserve It'. In this volume, I talk about how, we pick up thoughts and opinions from others throughout our lives, and many of these thoughts are negative. The mind has a habit of replaying these as we go about our daily lives. The noisy mind interferes with our enjoyment of life and our creativity.

So while you are getting into action every day, and making sure you tap into the Natural Energy Booster of being in motion, also pay some attention to the other side of the balance by making time to be still and to clear your mind of any thoughts.

As the poet Cary said:

Strive not to banish pain and doubt,
In pleasure's noisy din.
The peace thou seekest from without
Is only found within.

Live with Energy
Joan

Subscribe to my newsletter here: http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com/#anc_subscribe

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.comJoan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com/joansmallbooks.htm

Bindy Irwin's Speech, Peter Brock, Steve Irwin and Natural Energy

2006-09-21T04:06:00.000-07:00

Steve Irwin’s Memorial Service at his beloved Crocoseum was a moving ceremony.
But nothing was more moving than his daughter Bindy’s speech.

With amazing composure, the eight-year-old read from a single page. This is what she read:

“My daddy was my hero. He was always there for me when I needed him. He listened to me and taught me so many things, but most of all he was fun.

I knew Daddy had an important job. He was working to change the world so everyone would love wildlife like he did.

He built a hospital to help animals and he bought lots of land to give animals a safe place to live.

He took me and my brother and my mum with him all the time. We swam, caught crocodiles together and loved being in the bush together.

I don’t want Daddy’s passion to ever end. I want to help endangered wildlife just like he did.

I have the best Daddy in the whole world and I will miss him every day.

When I see a crocodile I will always think of him, and I know that Daddy made this zoo so everyone could come and learn to love all the animals.

Daddy made this place his whole life.

Now it’s our turn to help Daddy.

Thankyou.”

Bindy is showing herself to be a 'chip off the old block', but with her mother's composure and confidence. She is energised and strengthened by her love of animals and her conviction that she will continue the work her daddy did for conservation. She is calling 'Australia Zoo' my zoo.

In typical Aussie fashion, jokes about the most serious of subjects do the rounds.

One joke is about Steve Irwin arriving at the Pearly Gates after a four day journey. He says to St Peter, 'Crikey mate, I don't think I'm going to like it here without my family, my friends or my animals.'
St Peter said, 'Well, as you've done so much in your short time on earth I will allow you to wish for one thing to bring inside with you.'
The Crocodile Hunter closes his eyes and wishes, and when he opens them he sees Peter Brock standing beside him.
'Crikey, Saint,' he says. 'I didn't say Brock. I said Croc!'

Both Steve Irwin and Peter Brock demonstrated incredible energy, passion and enthusiasm for life on a daily basis. With birthdays 4 days apart, and dying 4 days apart, they had many other things in common also. Both of them lived life to the full until their lives were over.

In Peter Brock's state funeral little-known facts about his private life were revealed. Peter is said to have had a 'glowing quality' and an insatiable curiosity, which helped him establish links with the indigenous people. He was dedicated to conservation, and one of his dreams was to clean up the Yarra River by enlisting the support of communities along the way.

He had a warped, self-deprecating sense of humour and an amazing laugh and, as the Hon. Fran Bailey MP said, his philosophy was:

to live life to the full
to grab every opportunity
whatever skill you have, use it, and
make it happen.

Peter Daicos, former Collingwood Football Champion, said whenever he saw Brocky he got an amazing adrenalin rush. But Peter was also a good host, making people feel at home as if he was an instant friend, and he was never too busy to spend time with a fan. He was a very real person.

Peter Brock has his handprints in an Avenue of the Stars. Not in Hollywood, but in a footpath in Tennant Creek - a small town in the heart of the Northern Territory. He is there beside other great Australian names such as John Farnham, Daryl Somers, Ted Egan, ironmen Guy Andrews and Trevor Hendy and more.

Peter Brock never wore a watch because he didn't want to be constrained by time. He believed life doesn't end when you pass away, so now, as the poem below says, he has moved into a different dimension where he will never age.

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.comJoan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com

A Tribute to Steve Irwin and Peter Brock

2006-09-17T05:15:00.000-07:00

Croc and Brock’s Farewell

They stood inside the garden in Australia Zoo that day
The most beautiful of gardens where the crocodiles all play.
They had come in many thousands, looking on with tears in eye.
As the heroes of the moment both descended from the sky.

In the clouds they saw the image of Steve Irwin with his croc,
And beside him in his race car was a youthful Peter Brock.
Dressed in racing gear resplendent, Peter Perfect to a T.
And they heard Steve blurt out ‘Crikey, have you come to visit me?’

‘I remember I was swimming with the fish upon the reef.
My surroundings were amazing, such a scene defied belief.
We had cameras and were filming for my gorgeous Bindi child.
For her show, she wanted images of creatures swimming wild.’

‘Then a sting ray flew towards me with his wings outspread and wide.
I was mesmerized with magic as I came up to his side.
Then I swam above him slowly just to get a better view.
But he must have been quite startled. That was the last I knew.’

‘Though I’m the brave Croc Hunter, I am jelly fish inside.
I am Bob and Bindy’s daddy, and the day I died I cried.
For the parting took more courage than my wrestling with the crocs,
Catching snakes and spiders hiding in the crevasses and rocks.’

‘Now I’m here with Peter Perfect, not with Terri and the kids,
And I sure will miss them badly – they’re the greatest “billy lids”.
I will stay beside them always, though they won’t know I am there.
As they grow up and they prosper, they will know that I still care.’

‘I was born near Brocky’s birthday, February 22,
Four days before his big day, quite coincidental too,
As I died four days before him in a freak of fate quite strange.
If I’d wanted a companion no-one better I’d arrange.’

‘For Brock’s a national hero. Always striving for the best,
He was called “King of the Mountain”; he was faster than the rest.
With ten victories at Bathurst, his Brock Special was his brand,
And his name will be remembered through our great Australian land.’

‘And like me, the King was having fun the day he left the earth,
At a rally in his coupe, somewhere not too far from Perth.
When he slid across the wet road, and he failed to miss a tree.
I was watching from my cloud and saw him drifting up to me.’

‘Oh Crikey Brock, and welcome. It is not so bad up here.
You’ll be pleased to know we’ll never age, and I’ve brought Aussie beer.
We can keep an eye on all so that they do just what they ought,
Looking after all the animals and racing motor sport.’

‘It was time to draw our number on September 4 and 8.
Now St Peter is awaiting at the shining pearly gate.
And I bet we’re both admitted to the heavenly realm above
As there’s thousands in this garden who are showing us their love.’

© Joan Small Sept 2006
http://www.joansmall.com/joansmallpoetry.htm

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com
Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com

Natural Energy Boosters and Responsibility

2006-08-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

Taking responsibility for our actions is a
powerful Natural Energy Booster.

I was enjoying the afternoon at our 'Poetry in Paradise' on the deck of the Treehouse Gallery, listening to poets presenting their original work. The variety was amazing, but Brian Crelley's poem stood out as a wonderful story to illustrate how taking responsibility at an early age can shape our lives.

Brian has given me permission to publish his poem on my blog. If you wish to share it, please acknowledge the author.

THE SMARTEST DAD OF ALL

They caught us in the school tuck shop, my hands in a lolly jar.
Rick was sipping on a can of coke, Al munching on a chocolate bar.
Our pockets stuffed with goodies, as a copper walked in the door.
He knew us all by our first names, and we knew him from before.

We had busted the door off its hinges; the noise must have been too loud,
Cause as they loaded us into the van there was a gathering crowd.
The month would have been April. The year was fifty nine.
I was going on to twelve years of age, and it was Easter time.

They charged us with break and enter, and stealing from the school.
Dad was mad when they took me home, and called me ‘a bloody fool’.
Mum was terribly upset, but said she would take me to court on the day.
But she had to assure Dad she’d be fine, and it would be okay.

This was our first court appearance, but we had all been in trouble before.
We were all very sure we’d get out of it, but nobody knew for sure.
I could see that Mum was worrying. I saw a tear start up in her eye.
I could see the other parents watching. I whispered, ‘Mum, please don’t cry’.

She said, ‘I’ll ring your father. I’ll get him to come from work.
I’ll ask that man if I can use his phone, the sign says he’s the County Clerk’.
Our case was to be heard after lunch, and their lunch was two hours long.
By now Mum’s tears were plentiful. I whispered, ‘Come on Mum, be strong’.

Dad arrived, and Mum went home, and I could see the man was pissed.
I felt like running away right then, but I knew that I’d be missed.
We went into court at 2.15, the room painted a sombre grey,
And our judge, we heard, was in a foul mood, he’d already sent two boys away.

The charges were read out by the clerk, and I stared at the judge’s face.
He said, ‘What you four boys have done, was a bloody disgrace.’
Then he turned and asked all of us there to reflect on it for a while.
Then starting at one end, each parent got up to say something about their child.

Alan’s Mum got up to speak. She said that we made Al go along.
And Alan was such a very nice boy, but he was never very strong.
The other parents said their sons were good, just the company they were in,
And if he was to let us other boys go free, it will be a bloody sin.

Next it was Dad’s turn to speak, and we stood up side by side.
He said, ‘I won’t blame these other boys, and say my son went along for the ride.
He has a loving family, and he’s known right from wrong from the start,
But if you feel he should be sent away, it might break his mother’s heart.

But I’ll explain to her your reasons, and say you did what you thought best.
And to keep her head held up high, and stand up to the test.’
Well, I just stood there staring. I couldn’t believe what I heard him say.
Was he telling the judge it was all right by him if they sent his son away?

The judge went back to the first boy, and said, ‘I’m putting you in a home,
Where you will spend the next ninety days, with little space to roam.’
The next two boys got the same, then he turned and faced my dad,
‘I believe your son has learned a lesson, he knew what he did was bad.

So I’ll place him on a good behaviour bond, it will be harder in a way.
I’ll make it a year, and if he faces me again, I’ll send him away that day.’
Dad and I couldn’t believe what we heard, we had a grin from ear to ear.
Dad went over and thanked the judge, then said, ‘Let’s get out of here.’

I remember the look on one parent’s face, a look of shock as I recall.
As I walked away holding the hand of the smartest Dad of all.

© Brian Crelley 2006 Tugun Queensland (Reprinted with permission.)

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com
Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com

Natural Energy Boosters and Australian Idol

2006-08-14T23:22:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again - the time when the team of three - Mark, Marsha and Kyle, travel around Australia to audition young people for 'Australian Idol'.

I watched much of the previous two years of 'Idol' - the excitement, the hype, the tears and the ecstasy, and it made me proud to be Australian. Our amazing young people. – Guy, Shannon, Casey and Anthony, and the rest of the top twelve who performed at the spectacular final night at Sydney's beautiful Opera House.

The Sydney Opera House is, to me, a symbol of the fact that, like with the aspiring Idols, what we see on the outside does not always reflect what is inside.

The story of the Opera House is this:

John Utzon, a relatively unknown Danish architect, entered an anonymous competition to design the Opera House. He was audacious in his design, breaking all architectural rules, and he was energised by his passion for the project. This is how he described it:

"... I saw the roof, like sails, white in the strong day, the whole thing slowly coming to life as the sun shone from the east and lifted overhead. In the hot sun of the day it will be a beautiful white shimmering thing - as alive to the eyes as architecture can make anything, set in the blue-green waters of the harbour. At night the flood-lit shells will be equally vibrant, but in a softer, more majestic way."

However, 'flat earth thinkers' stepped in, and sent him packing back to Denmark. The interior was completed by someone else. But John Utzon's dream for the outside of the Opera House did come true. The white sails gleam in the sunlight, and it has become as much an icon as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, affectionately known as ‘The Coat-hanger'.

The Opera House creates beautiful shells on the outside, just as some of the aspiring Idols are just shells without the pearl inside. They lack the star quality the judges are seeking.
Thousands of hopefuls from around Australia have been put to the test in order to come up with the initial top 100.

The three'Australian Idol' judges are now ‘seasoned’. For Marsha and Mark this is their third time round, and they are looking at 'the whole package'.

They've travelled all around Australia - to all the capital cities and then some. Places like Alice Springs and Albury have been included this year.

Many young people have presented with passion - full of energy , but they can't sing. Others have good singing voices but their dress is slovenly or their personality and energy level is bland. Others have false confidence and enthusiasm, but like the Opera House, what is inside just doesn't reach the standard.

Many were called and responded, but few were chosen, and next week their number will be cut in half. Thousands have walked away disappointed, deflated and discouraged, but some still have their dreams intact and are determined to pursue them.

For some it was a brief moment of fame, for others just a bit of fun. Some didn't even want to show their faces, preferring to hide inside costumes, an egg, Spiderman, monsters and clowns.

What did it show us about the youth and spirit of Australia, and what does it tell us about Natural Energy Boosters?

It showed that in the true Aussie Spirit our young people are still willing to 'have a go', and it shows that there is still a lot of incredible musical talent in our vast country.

Whether the contestants got a buzz or a Natural Energy high, from performing, competing or winning, it doesn't matter.

Australian Idol is an event that gets the youth of today singing across the nation.

Despite the cutting remarks of some of the judges, the musical energy waves, as well as the laughter energy, that has been released in the last few weeks will have swept away much of the negative energy from news broadcasts and political agendas. After all, isn’t having fun and giving it a go what life is all about?

And hopefully, like the Sydney Opera House, the participants who are like the shell - more beautiful on the outside than the inside, will respond to the music inside to discover the real person.

Australian Idol’s larrikin attitude is epitomised in the saying by James Kannis, who was the first wildcard to be put through to the final twelve in 2005:

"Music is food for the soul, the world is hungry and I'm a giant kebab with everything on it".

Live with Energy
Joan

Natural Energy Boosters, Sophie Delezio & Natural Energy

2006-07-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

What Energizes You? What De-energizes You?

When I asked people in my energy survey ‘What de-energizes you?’ some said poor health - things like migraines, chronic pain and feeling unwell.

One of the most successful energizers is good health, and one of the best natural energy boosters is to tap into the natural resources we have in body, mind and spirit to generate and maintain a healthy state.

I believe in the body’s immune system and the body’s natural ability to heal itself, and yet every day new names for new so-called incurable diseases are being invented.

Have you ever looked up a medical dictionary on the Internet? There you will see hundreds of illnesses and ailments for every letter of the alphabet. If you don’t believe me, search 'medical dictionary diseases' and see for yourself.

It’s my belief that there is really only one cause of disease, where ‘dis-ease’ means the body not at ease. That cause is a bodily imbalance.

When the body is out of balance it becomes diseased, and it is quite simple to put the body back into balance, depending on how out of balance it is, though it may take time. I have written about this in my book, ‘The Energy Book for Life' the Guide to Energetic Living.

Everybody knows the body heals itself. You just have to see a cut, graze or bruise repairing tissue over time to know this. Everyone takes it for granted that, on the outside, our cells are replaced with new healthy ones with little or no assistance from doctors or medications.

Why is it then that many people, medical professionals and scientists, don’t believe we can be healed inside without drugs or surgery? Is it simply ‘Doubting Thomas’ syndrome, or ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’?

I had one of these ‘incurable’ ailments in the early 1990’s; osteo-arthritis. It was all through my body, neck, back, knees, ankles, wrists and worst in my hips. I was advised to have hip replacements. However, I discovered a herbal nutritional program which eliminated the symptoms in three months. Not only has the arthritis gone but these natural energy boosters provide me with energy every day.

Unfortunately, when miraculous recoveries occur as the result of nutritional products, hypnotherapy or other alternative healing methods, the medical profession seldom admits to it, and records it as ‘spontaneous remission’ or some such thing.

The saying, ‘Mind over Matter’ is an old one. There’s nothing new about mind power. In recent years we saw this demonstrated by a brave little girl called Sophie Delezio.

Sophie is one person who did need medical science to save her because of her extreme physical injuries. At only three years of age she lost both feet, some fingers and suffered third-degree burns to 85 per cent of her body when a car crashed into her kindergarten centre and she was trapped under the burning vehicle.

The wonderful care Sophie received and the courage displayed by this little girl and all who helped and supported her are almost too much to fathom.

Sophie has the face of an angel. Almost every part of her body was damaged, except for her beautiful face. I watched her on television bestowing the sunshine of her smile on those who were with her.

Sophie was welcomed back to school in January this year, and the children were delighted to be with her. There was no hint of self pity, though I cannot imagine the pain and trauma she has suffered. She is truly a spirit who can rise above the body and tap into natural energy resources, including the love and support of her family and others. This has enabled her to continue to enjoy life and aid her own recovery despite enormous obstacles.

The tragedy is that in May this year, Sophie was again run down by a car, and ended up back in hospital with a broken jaw and shoulder bone and multiple rib fractures. Her courageous spirit has allowed her to fight back once more.

On July 20th she again returned to school. Sophie is a very real example of the power of the mind, body and spirit to work with the miracle of modern science to heal itself.

This is the place of modern medicine - to work with natural healing, not to suppress it.

Live with Energy,
Joan

Joan Small is the author of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, and the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. She empowers people to make positive changes in their lives.
http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com
http://www.joansmall.com

Natural Energy Boosters and Gold Coast Hospital World

2006-07-13T22:37:00.000-07:00

I recently came home from a stay in ' Gold Coast Hospital World',

an 'Energizing' experience

As you probably know, Australia's Gold Coast is a Mecca for theme parks. there's Seaworld, Dreamworld, Wet and Wild, Movie World and more. But my visit to Gold Coast Hospital World was not a choice, but a necessity. My ticket of entry was a fall on my bottom (tripped myself up on my laptop strap - unbelievable but true!!)

My pick-up vehicle was the spacious, smooth white van with orange checked decoration and a light on the roof, equipped with a bed and instant room service.

I toured the Gold Coast Hospital Theme Park from bottom to top, wending my way through the excitement and frenetic activity of Casualty land, before lobbing into the Observation Resting Post.

I went on all the rides, the X-ray ride, the MRI Ride, the CT Scan ride, the A to B: B to A bed ride (I liked that one) reminiscent of dodgem cars as we wove in amongst other adventurers in Emergency City.

I moved up to a luxury suite on the 7th floor with a 5 star view of Surfers Paradise, the Nerang River and the ocean. There I experienced a variation on the bed ride, which was the tilt and lift bed ride. I learned to operate this myself but I didn't quite advance to obtaining my own license.

I got a little 'high' on Panadeine forte , which sent me off to 'Dreamworld' at no extra cost. The lady in the bed opposite told me she had been on the Wet 'n' Wild Ride during the night, but I wasn't envious - that one sounded a bit out of my league.

I had lots of laughs with other adventurers in this theme park, and we enjoyed room-service meals served with a smile.

One of the best things about Gold Coast Hospital World was the cheerful friendly manner of the attendants. They have obviously done their customer service courses.

Before I left, my friends in the luxury suite and I were upgraded to a room with an easterly view. My room-mates were to be treated to a view of the sun rising in the morning, but my visit had ended and I had to check out. But before I left I had one more ride - the wheel-chair ride.

I had been given practice in operating the crutches ride by myself, and I must have passed the test as they gave me my own set to take home as a souvenir and to use as often as I wished.

I was happy to be collected in my limo and brought to my door at home.
The Gold Coast has many theme parks, even unexpected ones. and I shall certainly recommend the Gold Coast Hospital World Theme Park to anyone who wishes to 'enjoy' this experience.

Seriously though, I found the experience was an energizing one, because I chose to make it so. It made me very grateful for our Lucky Country, where we are so fortunate to be cared for in this way.

What were the Natural Energy Boosters? A positive attitude, smiles and laughter, good company, attractive surroundings (and a view) loving care and attention, and a determination not to let the circumstances steal my energy. How does it get better than this?

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. If you want to discover more Natural Energy Boosters and lead an energized life, obtain your copy of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com
Joan is also the author of the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. http://www.joansmall.com

Natural Energy Boosters and Guinness World Records

2006-06-26T23:48:00.000-07:00

People are energized by the strangest things.

I was watching a program on Guinness World Records and was amazed to see two men competing to attach the most pegs to their face. No word of a lie, here were two very ordinary, sensible looking men, with a bowl full of clothes pegs, systematically pinning them to various parts of their facial anatomy until they looked like lions with their manes on backwards.

Not one member of the audience laughed. It was serious business.

This is something I have never considered a natural energy booster, but the winner looked elated with his result: more than 120 clothes pegs attached.

Two more contestants competed to eat a raw onion in a certain amount of time. The man who won this looked like he was going to spew onion over everyone. Insult was added to injury, however, when he was told he had failed to beat the existing world record.

Where have we come to, when people are prepared to go to these lengths to be recognised in a book?

One record I could understand was that of the ‘Oldest Windsurfer’. When he retired in 1986, Australia's Otto Comanos, then 66 years old, took up windsurfing and until recently regularly windsurfed two to three times a week in and around the lakes of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Because of arthritic pain he has had to switch to canoeing.

Otto obtained obvious pleasure from windsurfing and canoeing, and was not just doing it to get into the Guinness Book. To him water sports were a natural energy booster.

In 'The Energy Book for Life' I talk about Anthony Kelly, 'The Arrow Catcher', who has 7 black belts in Martial Arts and holds 8 Guinness World Records in arrow catching, paintball catching and the most punches in a minute. In the book, Anthony explains what energizes him and how he contributes to the energy of others, especially young people.

I won’t knock the Guinness Book of Records because it creates for many people much pleasure and passion which are natural energy boosters. It inspires others to go for a goal, and it is not only the competitors who benefit but the people who buy the book and those who watch the show.

When I watched the show it gave me a good laugh – another excellent natural energy booster.

What thrills you? What gives your heart a lift?

It is not only a pleasure to find things you enjoy doing, but it is your job, your duty, your responsibility.

As the Dalai Llama says:

‘The purpose of life is to be happy.’

The more happiness you enjoy, the more energy you will generate, and you will radiate this to those around you. Happiness, laughter and enjoyment are infectious. You will be more likely to stay healthy and well, to contribute to others and society.

So be like the Guiness World Record holders and go for your passion. Find and enjoy your own natural energy boosters, every day.

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small is the author of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, and the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. She empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. See http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com

Natural Energy Boosters and Broken Bones

2006-06-22T01:23:00.000-07:00

Broken bones and energy may appear to be opposing concepts.
You may well ask, 'How can you be energized with a broken bone?'
This is the question I have had to ask myself. Twice!
Two years ago I slipped on the wet tiles and landed heavily on my right hand. Snap! Crackle and pop! Two bones in my wrist were broken and the arm twisted.
Ouch! Very big ouch I might say. I discovered that nothing hurts as badly as broken bones - not even childbirth.

I pride myself on being an energetic person, easily able to energize myself under any circumstance, but this one was a challenge.

If you want to read about the follow-up to this accident and what I learned from it, you can obtain my book, 'The Energy Book for Life'.

You'd think I would have learned my lesson from this, but no.
A few weeks ago I tripped myself up with the strap of my laptop computer case, flung myself on the floor and did some more bone damage - this time to my lower back. I ended up spending a few days in luxury accommodation in hospital.

Enough to de-energize any person. But in fact it didn't.
Why not?
Because I didn't allow it to.

Over many years I have strengthened up my energy muscles. My previous experience with broken bones has enabled me to handle pain without letting it change my attitude.
I am fortunate to have many good friends who rallied around to help me, even when I emerged from hospital walking with crutches.

I was able to tap into natural energy boosters to renew my spirit and not to worry about consequences. In fact I never worry about consequences. What's the point?
People used to say to me, 'Don't worry. It might never happen.'
Now I know it might never happen and I don't allow myself to worry.
Earl Nightingale said that over 85% of what we worry about never happens.

So what did I do when I was landed in hospital for an enforced rest.
I enjoyed being pampered. I joked and laughed with my fellow patients - a bunch of interesting characters, and the nurses glowed when they received expressed gratitude and compliments.
I had a friend bring to me the manuscript I was editing and I productively used the time to edit the document un-interrupted.
I didn't watch TV. I find a lot of TV de-energizing and time-wasting.
Friends came to visit and we had a lovely time catching up.
When I went home, I gratefully accepted any help that was offered. Friends and family shopped, cleaned my floors, and as soon as I was able to sit in a car they took me to places.
I weaned myself off pain-killers by doing meditation before sleep and taking my energy boosting nutritional supplements.

It wasn't 'me' that was disabled or incapacitated - only a part of my body. I was still in control of my attitude.
So even though I couldn't walk, or train for the walking race I'd intended to participate in, I could still use natural energy boosters to keep on track and enjoy every moment

What were the natural energy boosters I used?
Mind control; refusing to worry about consequences, and living completely in the moment.
Tapping into the resources of others: conversation, laughter, friendship and caring.
Keeping my mind occupied and doing what I could do - being productive with my book editing.
Expressing gratitude.
Good nutrition.
Maintaining a positive and optimistic attitude.

Now I am almost mended.

Healing was helped by a positive mental attitude, good nutrition and laughing at myself. Laugher is the best medicine after all. There's jokes about everything - here's one about broken bones:

A conversation between one little girl and an x-ray technician. "Have you ever broken a bone?" he asked."Yes," the girl replied."Did it hurt?""No.""Really? Which bone did you break?""My sister's arm."

After only 5 weeks I was walking again, driving my car and leading a normal life. By being tied to my home business I was able to complete several incomplete projects; websites and books.
How lucky I am that the body heals itself, and that my fall didn't result in anything permanent.
Another energizing experience.

The natural energy boosters I have mentioned here are just a few of the many listed in 'The Energy Book for Life'.
Visit http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com/ to read more about how to obtain natural vitality with natural energy boosters.

Leo Buscaglia said:
‘Don't hold to anger, hurt or pain. They steal your energy and keep you from love.’
If you wish to experience energy every day, let go of negative feelings that come from unwanted incidents, for it's not what happens to us but how we respond to what happens that makes the difference.

Live with Energy
Joan

Joan Small is the author of ‘The Energy Book for Life’, the Guide to Energetic Living, and the book series, ‘Allow Yourself… You Deserve It’, How to Free Yourself from Stress and Control and Live with Fun and Love. She empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. See http://www.natural-energy-boosters.com/