So I woke up this morning very happy indeed because I am so very excited about my Singer-Songwriter Showcase that is happening this Saturday night. We are expecting over 100 people on the night and it’s going to be a really great show. We have been practising for weeks and weeks and this Saturday we will be putting all the preparation and practice to test – yes, we’re going live and it is very exciting indeed.
The event will have a real family/friendly feel to it and will be filled with joyous Community Spirit, that is what I want and what we have been aiming for!! I’m going back to the Village of Carfin where I was brought up in as a child – a Village that has a very special place in my heart.
I will take lots of photos and share them with you on this Blog next week.
It’s quite funny because last year at this time I hadn’t even written one song and now I’m performing my own songs at my own Gig – it’s amazing what you can achieve when you put your mind to it!!
Question
What would you like your life to be like, one year from now?
It could all start here for you, maybe you were meant to read this blog post, maybe just maybe this blog post is for YOU, to get YOU started on fulfilling your own dreams and goals in life. I’m doing it, why not YOU too. 🙂
I love this quote below, it rings so true for me right now.
It is always tempting to compare yourself to the outcomes of another but I urge you to think only about you, how far you are progressing and if you are doing everything you can to move yourself forward and be the best that you can be.
When you think of it, it really does sound crazy to compare yourself to someone who is much further forward on the Chapters of their own book.
You are the Artist, you are the creator of your own life and you must design it your way. Yes, you may want to use people as role models but don’t compare yourself to them, use their success and achievements to INSPIRE you from within and do it your way – you know, like in the song by Frank Sinatra…..”I Did It My Way”.
Well I woke up this morning feeling very happy and excited because it is only 11 days to “Show Time”. Yes, Clarabelle’s first Singer-Songwriter Showcase is being held on Saturday, 3 May 2014 in my home Village of Carfin. Some people are saying to me that I am very brave holding it in the Village I was brought up in, but you know, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am expecting about 100 people on the night and it aims to be a really great show. So I know I have blog visitors from all around the world but if you happen to be in the vicinity please come along, I would really love to have you there.
How amazing things can turn around if you are passionate enough about them. Last year at this time I hadn’t even written my first song and now I have written 25 original songs, produced my first EP, Hearts Apart and have my single Runaway Love released on iTunes and Amazon and I am doing two live Singer-Songwriter Showcases in May – lots of hard work and effort but it’s been worth it.
Let’s do this, let’s get this show on the road……hopefully one day I can come to your home Village and perform, I would really love that.
Your dreams are for the taking, your dreams are for the making – go get them!!
On this journey of life,
there are twists and turns.
Happy moments,
as the candle burns.
The sweetest temptation,
and all that’s good.
Sunshine and sunsets,
and delicious food.
On this journey of life,
there is also some sad.
Lots of good,
can turn to bad.
Tears may fall,
on sleepless nights.
Friends disagree,
and there’s family fights.
On this journey of life,
you get one shot.
You live it your way,
or give away a lot.
You can be kind.
and share your heart.
Love may last forever,
or tear apart.
On this journey of life,
I want you to know.
I want you to shine,
and abundantly grow.
I want you to be,
all that you can.
That strong Superwoman,
or courageous Superman.
My friend shared some very simple words of wisdom with me a few weeks ago, he told me to keep an open mind when thinking about my career development. I took those words on board when I was looking at other career opportunities because a lot of my skills are very much transferable. This thinking has now led me on to pastures new and I move out to Dubai at the end of next month to take on a new challenge.
So cast your net wide and challenge some of those limiting beliefs that may just be keeping you away from an opportunity that is truly meant for you.
See the world as an open book and write in it, the words, that you want to read.
As an aspiring Singer-Songwriter it can be quite difficult to get radio play and I think most people in the music industry might say that – well that’s my perception anyway!! I have been successful in getting radio play with Skope Radio where they played my original song, “Runaway Love”, for one month, which was really fantastic. I continue to put my music out there for all to enjoy, which is really great for me.
Electronic Waves Radio
I came across an advertisement a couple of weeks ago for radio hosts for a new internet radio channel called Electronic Waves. I thought that this would be an amazing opportunity for me to apply for and help other unsigned Singer-Songwriters get their original music out there. So I applied for the position with my ideas for “The Clarabelle Show” and last night was my one hour radio audition.
I am delighted to say that I got the position as radio host, every Friday at 4pm-6pm (UK time) – so there you have it, “The Clarabelle Radio Show” is born. Isn’t it amazing how things can happen, just like that!! I am ever so delighted because I can help other unsigned Singer-Songwriters out there to gain exposure. I am “living” that experience right now, so I can fully appreciate all the hard work, passion and effort that goes into making music.
The Clarabelle Show
I invite YOU to listen in to the first ever Clarabelle Radio Show, this Friday, 11 April 2014 @ 4pm-6pm (UK time) on Electronic Waves – you’d be crazy not to. 🙂
Keep going my friends, keep going and bit by bit you’ll get there.
YOU are invited to Clarabelle’s Music Events on Saturday, 3rd May 2014 and Saturday, 24th May 2014. So if you’re going to be in the surrounding area that evening, please pop along, it’s going to be a really great night.
For all you lovely people who cannot make it because you are at the other end of the world, don’t you worry because I will be posting photos and some video recordings from the evening and you never know, maybe I’ll be coming to your home town in the future, I would LOVE that.
At the beginning of every month I pose a question for you to answer and I also provide you with my own answer. Below is this month’s question:
What does a fulfilling life mean for you?
My Answer:
A fulfilling life for me is being able to do everyday what I am happy doing and in doing that making other people happy along the way and helping them achieve their vision, where I can. There are many specifics to this but ultimately the specifics relate to how I want to feel, moment to moment. So for example, lately I’ve been thinking of doing some work in Dubai and I have had a few skype calls with the Managing Director of a company out there to see if we are both “fit for purpose”. Ultimately I am thinking about will this work give me the life fulfilment I am looking for – because the way I see it “success without fulfilment is a failure” (Tony Robbins).
So I think it is important to be successful in life but please make sure that it offers you fulfilment too and by answering this question it may help you with your next step in life.
I want to tell you a true story of how you can achieve whatever you want to achieve if you really put your mind to it – even if you have no experience at all in that field of interest.
The Beginning of Clarabelle Music
In March 2013 I purchased myself a second-hand keyboard because I wanted to create some instrumental music. I couldn’t play the keyboard at the time but I wanted to learn – teach myself. I created about nine instrumentals within about a two week period – I couldn’t read music, I just wrote numbers on the keys with pencil and “felt the music” and I also just memorised the keys I was playing.
Clarabelle’s Keyboard
Tony…
I wanted to transfer each musical piece onto my laptop but I didn’t have the right connecting cables. So I went into a shop in Glasgow City Centre, RS Sound & Light and got chatting to the owner of the shop, Tony. Tony was a very warm and inviting man and he sold me the cables I needed. Whilst chatting to Tony he asked me why I wanted the cables and I told him I was going to be making up my own songs – I said to him “eventually I will have my own CD Album”. Tony said that this was great and that when the CD Album is ready, to bring it into him and he would play it in his shop and also pass the CD onto other DJs he knew so they would also play it for me.
Tony’s Shop in Glasgow
So Inspiring
This was so inspiring for me because although I had very little music experience (practically none), Tony didn’t disregard my idea and aspirations – he encouraged and supported me with it. That was it, I was on a mission……..a passionate, exciting, true to myself mission of giving Tony my CD Album – I could see that vision, I could feel it and I believed it.
At this point I hadn’t written any songs……but here’s what happened.
From May 2013 to September 2013 I wrote 25 songs…..from the heart, including the melodies. Between October to December I chose four of my favourite songs which I had only recorded acapella style on Youtube and hired musicians in Ireland (Denis Kilty), Canada (Gary Stitt) and New York (Shako) to create a simple piano and guitar backing track based on my melodies. In January 2014, I went to the Professional Recording Studio, Reeltime Music and recorded my very first EP, Hearts Apart, which contains these original four songs – I had never been to a recording studio before either!!
Across The Globe
Two weeks later I had released my first single, “Runaway Love” on iTunes and other music platforms across the globe and one month after that I was holding my newly created CD Album in my hands – I cried….my tears were of joy, love and pride in what I had accomplished. One of the first things I thought of was, I can give Tony my CD now.
Tony Helped Me
Almost exactly a year later to the date when I first went into Tony’s shop, I very proudly handed him a copy of my CD Album and also a copy for his daughter. Prior to that, Tony had also helped me choose my first PA system and is also supporting me as Professional Compere for my first ever public Gig on 3rd May this year in my home village of Carfin…….how exciting.
So Grateful
I am so grateful for all the help from Tony at RS Sound & Light in Glasgow City Centre and everyone else who has been involved in helping me achieve what I have achieved so far…..I certainly could not have done it without them. A massive thank you also goes out to my best friend Donna Marie Dick who has been amazing in helping me co-ordinate my first two live Gigs in May – she truly is a shining star.
Donna (L) and Clarabelle
Special thanks also goes out to my wonderful photographer who took some amazing shots of me for my music portfolio (he’s still a bit shy, so doesn’t want me to mention his name yet). There are lots of people I need to thank personally and I will…..not sure if they all want to be mentioned here on this blog, so I will protect their identity for the moment, but I know they know I am so grateful for their contribution.
So Blessed
So there you have it, that’s a short summary of the truth from my musical journey, how amazing is that, I feel so blessed for everything.
I want YOU to believe in YOU, believe in your DREAMS, believe YOU can make them happen and have faith that the right people will cross your path to help you.
I had many barriers in the way…….far to many to mention but when I look at how far I have come I can only ever feel very VERY happy.
I wish you forever happiness, I truly do. Thank you for being here.
I remember when I first heard this quote below, from Dr. Wayne Dyer – it really touched my soul. I thought I would share it with you today and hopefully it will ring some truth for you and connect with you in a special way to take inspired action.
“Don’t die with your music still inside you. Listen to your intuitive inner voice and find what passion stirs your soul. Listen to that inner voice, and don’t get to the end of your life and say, ‘What if my whole life has been wrong?”
A little bit of motivation goes a long long way. I love anything motivational and inspirational, so much so that I’ve got to get my daily fix. I usually listen to 1-2 hours of motivational stuff when I wake up in the morning and then often listen to more throughout the day when I can. Below is a list of just some of my favourite motivational and inspirational people:
Les Brown
Tony Robbins
Jim Rohn
Wayne Dyer
Abraham Hicks
Will Smith
Oprah Winfrey
Louise Hay
Rhonda Byrne
Ralph Smart
Burt Goldman
Deepak Chopra
Bill Crawford
Super Focused
This helps me to stay super focused on developing myself in order to achieve my goals and dreams in life. This journey of life can mess with your heart and mind sometimes – if you let it, so I believe it’s always good to have a mechanism or process that works for you to get you “back on track”.
My original music and poetry comes from a peaceful place in my heart and soul and I would definitely say that “hanging around” everyday with the above inspirational people has certainly helped me to achieve that and believe in myself.
So get yourself on to YouTube today and check these guys out because I know if you listen to what they have to say it will inspire you for the rest of your life.
Keep going my friends…..keep going…..keep going….and be grateful for what you have along the way.
I am delighted to share that I posted some of my CDs to different places all over the world this week, here is where my EP, Hearts Apart went to:
Mexico
India
London
Wales
Scotland
America
Germany
Heart, Mind and Soul
It’s so wonderful that I created something from my heart, mind and soul that I can now send to people anywhere in the world. Isn’t this just wonderful because last year at this time I had no idea I would be doing this, it just evolved from this blog by doing poetry and then buying a second hand keyboard. I was also inspired by some other people along the way, people that were already singing and just doing what they love and putting themselves out there. This journey truly is a dream come true and who knows where it will lead to, but all I know is that I am following my heart by doing this and I hope that it touches other peoples’ hearts along the way.
Back to My Roots
I am so looking forward to performing at my two live Gigs in May this year in Scotland…..I will be singing my original songs in a local venue in the little Village of Carfin, where I was brought up as a child…..isn’t it funny, I’m going back to my roots…..it’s like I’ve come full circle.
Follow your heart……what does that truly mean for you?
I’ve been writing out some “Thank You” cards over the weekend, to people I really want to say “Thank You” to, I honestly feel so good doing this.
Who do you want/need to say “Thank You” to? I am sure it will make your day as much as that person’s day too. Here is a wee, “Thank You” poem I created:
Thank You
Thank you, is all you need
To uplifts spirits, so true indeed
When you’re grateful, all is well
All is abundant, you can tell
So use these words, everyday
And gratitude will surely, come your way
Every month I share a question for you to ponder and I also provide you with my own answer. Here is this month’s question for you:
How do you express your individuality?
Here is my answer:
I express my individuality most definitely through my creative writing. My original poetry comes from a special place in my heart and my songwriting comes from the core of my soul and the melody of my songs from my happy and harmonious spirit. That’s how I express my individuality and it can be quite an emotional experience for me, but it is authentic to me and speaks only truth.
We are all so very special and unique and I feel it is so important for you to express who you really are and I would love to know how you do that.
Wishing you a beautiful weekend with some precious time in there for you and for you only.
Keep going, keep going, keep going……I say this mantra to myself if I sense my motivation is a little lower than it should be. Those words “keep going” help me to focus on the goal in hand again.
This week has been a very productive week in terms of planning for my two Gigs in May this year. It really is all systems go and I can honestly say people have been truly amazing, they are offering to help as much as they can and I feel so thankful for it.
Day 29
This is Day 29 of the Clarabelle 90 Day Challenge and I do feel it’s all going to plan. Taking part in this Challenge has helped me to stay super focused because I have committed myself to it and I faithfully report on my daily progress on my Clarabelle Facebook Page.
I want to wish YOU a Happy Friday and a wonderful weekend, please don’t take life too seriously and just enjoy it……be happy in everything you do.….so that really means, do the things that make you happy.
Gratitude is in my heart, it is part of my me and is such an important core value to me. I want to share with you today an extract from my eBook, “It’s All About Gratitude”, this is one of the daily gratitude exercises that you can practice in your life today.
“Walk of Gratitude
Take a walk outside and bask in the beauty of nature around you. For every bird that you see, I want you to say “thank you” with every part of your heart and soul. Feel deep gratitude for being alive in this very moment and for being part of this beautiful Universe. You are a living witness to the magic and the wonders of the world around you. Feel blessed in this moment, feel gratitude for it all, right now. Feel at one with yourself and feel the peace in your heart as you do so, the magic of gratitude is breathing beautiful energy into you. ” (extract from It’s All About Gratitude, page 58)
Try this exercise out today and please let me know how it makes you feel…..I am positive it will do wonders for your wellbeing and inner happiness.
As you know I am putting my heart and soul into becoming a successful Singer-Songwriter and I guess the Universe is giving me what I am asking for.
Late on Friday afternoon I was asked to perform two of my original songs at an event that was taking place that evening. It was very short notice but I just had to do it because I need the performance experience and I really need to get myself out there. So I packed up my PA System and went along myself, only knowing 2 people in the room to start with, but by the end, knowing a lot more.
I sang my original song, “In Time We Heal” in the first half of the programme and sang my original song, “You Are” in the second half of the programme. I received lovely feedback, especially for the second performance – I am sure this was better because I felt more relaxed by then.
The main thing is, is that I said “yes” to this opportunity even though I felt a little unprepared but I know I had to push myself out of my comfort zone.
I was asking for performance experience only the night before….and I guess the Universe answered and certainly put my asking to the test.
Opportunities are everywhere in life and you know, you’ve just got to go for it…..I did on Friday night and although I was nervous, I am so glad I did it and I gained so much confidence from the experience.
Onwards and upwards my friends!!
Life is for the taking, take the opportunities when you can and when you can’t get them……create them.
I held it in my hands yesterday and I shed a wee happy tear…….what did I hold? I held my CD, my EP, Hearts Apart which contains 4 of my original songs. I feel very proud and emotional at the same time….has it been easy, “No” but it was worth it!! That feeling I felt yesterday was one of the best feelings ever….the realisation that you can really make your dreams come true if you have a enough passion, faith, heart, self-belief, determination, focus and self-discipline to do so. Sometimes you have to make real sacrifices to get hold of your dreams and you have to rearrange your life a little bit or a lot in order to get there. I’ve kept my “eye on the ball” with this one and I’m not letting go now. Yes there will be more tough challenges ahead, I know this, but I am strong and I am getting stronger everyday.
The Roots
I focused on the roots of this dream, the roots being “me” and my mind. I took control of my own mind……I didn’t let it waiver and when it tried to, well I had a motivational process in place to deal with that. Things aren’t perfect for me right now and I’m not really sure they are for anybody in this world but I can honestly say that the very gradual transition from Professional Executive Coach to successful Singer-Songwriter has overall been a happy occasion for me.
So Grateful
“The grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best, therefore it tends to become the best.” (Wallace D. Wattles, The Science of Getting Rich)
I think one thing that has really helped me stay grounded and joyous in the moment, is the daily gratitude I have for everything in my life. I am honestly so grateful for everything I have……thank YOU love and thank YOU life. I would also like to say a massive thank you to YOU for being here and joining me on this journey…..I want YOU to have everything you’ve ever dreamed of in life….I want you to be so happy too.
Wishing you a very beautiful day today….go in the direction of your dreams but focus on the roots and the best fruits will grow. Love Clarabelle.
Sometimes you just have to be brave in the darkest night…..when challenges keep coming….this is your time to be strong, this is your opportunity to shine. I wrote this poem (below) a few weeks ago…..reflecting, thinking…..putting my self-belief to the test. I can do it, YOU can do it, WE WILL DO IT!! Here is an original poem from me to YOU. Just believe……BELIEVE IN YOU.
Who is She?….She is me!!
Sometimes she’s scared,
in the darkest night.
Trembling for hope,
seeking the light.
Questions run riot,
in her mind.
What is she doing?
What will she find?
I think I know her,
I’ve felt her before.
Wrapped in the secrets,
She don’t dare explore.
But I see she is brave,
fighting her war.
Doing her own thing,
What’s it all for?
Her spirit is high,
unusually so.
Because she wins every battle,
Tough tests when she’s low.
I see she is grateful,
in the now.
When all seems lost,
she doesn’t ask how.
For her desires are stronger,
than the fear she feels.
She knows she can win,
positive belief heals.
So she shares her story,
because all can relate.
She frees her happy spirit,
and dances through the gate.
There are many things that have helped me to stay grounded, mindful in the moment and to feel truly blessed for what I already have in my life. Yes, I want to achieve my dreams and become a very successful Singer-Songwriter but it’s so important to enjoy the NOW as much as I can. I want to enjoy and embrace each baby step of the way.
My Grateful Heart
One thing that has really helped me on this journey is my grateful heart. Everyday I practice the art of being grateful for everything I already have in my life and even if I’m having a tough day, thinking about what I am grateful for, instantly uplifts my mood.
Rhonda Byrne
My attitude of gratitude really became more intense after reading the book, “The Magic” by Rhonda Byrne, Rhonda is also the Author of the famous books “The Secret”, “The Power” and “Hero”, which I have also read. The book, “The Magic”, I feel came at the right time in my life and it inspired me so much that I decided I wanted to write my own book about Gratitude and its positive benefits.
The Science Behind Gratitude
So for 4 months I studied and researched further into it….I looked into, “The Science Behind Gratitude” and what other credible successful Professionals and famous individuals were saying about it, such as Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Brene Brown, Deepak Chopra, Dr Robert Emmons, Jack Canfield….. and the list goes on – I share some of what they say in my eBook.
My Dream Journey
I truly believe that being grateful everyday has catapulted me even further on my dream journey of Singing-Songwriting, I just know this. I feel this dream of mine evolved from starting this blog in April 2012 and it is the visitors and followers of this blog that I am so grateful for, over 23,000 hits and counting!!. You have inspired me to “keep going” so I only felt it was fitting and right do dedicate my Gratitude eBook to you, so I did, thank you. 🙂
How Do I Practice Gratitude?
This is a question that hopefully I answer for you within the eBook. There is a full section (photo above) on this with a number of practical gratitude exercises for you to do. It really is important you do them though because it’s like creating a new habit and embedding a new behaviour and positive way of thinking into your heart, mind and soul. Once that spiritual connection of a grateful heart is made, just you see the good things that come into your life….and they will!!
Where Can I Get Your eBook?
The eBook is available from Amazon Kindle (Kindle format) and Gumroad (pdf format) and costs less than a cup of coffee from Starbucks and less than a Happy Meal from MacDonalds and believe me this eBook will make you much happier…..and for the long term!! Click on the appropriate link below to find out more about, It’s All About Gratitude eBook and to instantly download :
I wrote this eBook with a grateful heart for your grateful heart, in the hope that it will help you on your own journey towards your dreams. Thank you for being here, love to you, Clarabelle.
This dream, this passion of mine, to become a successful Singer-Songwriter is ALWAYS on my mind. Every minute of the day, every moment, every opportunity…….it’s there, all of the time and only stops when I sleep and even that is questionable!! 🙂 I feel enthusiastic, motivated, energised, determined and fulfilled on this journey. This is my happiness journey and I feel it building great momentum and positive energy as times goes on.
Rehearsals
Today, I have booked out my first rehearsal hall where I will polish my performance, practice my singing and become familiarised with the Big Stage and I am SO EXCITED!! I feels things are coming together and people seem to be popping out of nowhere to give a helping hand and move me forward on my journey. So a massive thank YOU goes out to YOU for all your continued support and everyone who is helping me along the way – it has not gone unnoticed. 🙂
Funny 🙂
The funny thing is, if someone had told be 2 years ago that I would be doing this, I would have never believed them in a million years. So it just goes to show, that true dreams can evolve when you least expect it and it’s that passion and desire that keeps me going. I feel really happy when I sing, I feel connected to who I am and IT IS ME!!
Let Go
Let go of trying to find your dream because as soon as you do that…….it will come right at you. I guess my dream was sleeping inside of me for 30 years and once I awakened, then my dream took a new lease of life.
Thank you for being here and I wish you a truly fulfilling day today.
I thought I would share some poetry with you today. I hope you like it and may you embrace “The Unknown Road”. Much love to you today, as always, Clarabelle.
The Unknown Road
The unknown road, with its turns and twists. Victory till the end, it’s fighting fists. Darkness may fall, but within, is a light. It leads the way, like a shining knight. It takes no prisoners, it wins no wars. This path to almighty, has invisible corridors. And the only way, to find your way out. Is to believe in you. Have faith, no doubt. The self is strong, heart moves your soul. Feel your way through, Let love be your goal.
By Clarabelle, 12 February 2014
One thing I have discovered for sure, is that if you don’t have clarity on where you are going, chances are you might just go around in circles. It’s so easy to drift when your destination is unknown, so I would encourage anyone who feels like they are in “drifting” mode to take time out to really answer that question for themselves.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
It may seem like such a simple question but it can be a difficult one to answer and/or even a more challenging one to pursue. You know what you’ve got to do though and I think this is a good place to start.
Please also ensure that the destination is in alignment with your core values, what and who is most important to you in your life, your passions, wants and desires.
I would love to hear all about it, please keep me posted or better still send me a postcard from that beautiful destination, yes that one place that just feels like home, like no other. 🙂
Only 4 days ago I shared a blog stats post with you, I was so delighted that I reached over 18,000 blog hits. I remember it used to take me over a month to receive over 1000 blog hits and yes, you’ve guessed it, I’ve reached over 19,000 blog hits now. The last 4 days has been amazing for this blog and Christmas Eve was my busiest day ever on this blog to date, with 466 hits, thank YOU so much. I am so amazed by this blog’s progress, I really love posting to this blog and I do hope it shows because I get so much from it and I really hope you do too. So thank YOU once again for making this happen, I really do love you for it and I hope you stay on this wonderful journey with me. Lots of love to you today and always, Clarabelle.
I took this photograph below for you when I was in Inverness, Scotland last week to run the marathon. Inverness is such a beautiful place and if you haven’t had the chance to visit it, I hope you do one day. Love Clarabelle
Don’t let life pass you by, do all you can to make it a great life, think about who or what inspires your soul, what connects your spirit to another dimension, what gives you that feeling of excitement inside……..hold on to that thought, embrace that special feeling because that’s who you are, that’s what makes you YOU.
There is a special something inside of you, a precious gift that is waiting to be unwrapped, unfold it gently and release its magic into the Universe. I see it now, I see you sparkling and glistening, touching other happy spirits and uplifting the temporary broken ones.
Close your eyes right now, feel that special gift inside of you, let this unique feeling penetrate every part of your being, let it flow, let it out, let it dance with the stars under the moonlit sky……your light is special, like no other light, let it glow.
I know you are smiling now, you feel it, you believe it, now let the people of this world welcome it with open arms.
May you have a truly magical weekend, only you can make it magical, do it and don’t let life pass you by.
Thank you Universe for making this a truly MAGICAL weekend for me and for you.
Sometimes when I am out running it feels like a kind of meditation, it really does, I feel I can really get to the core of my own wisdom and truth about life. Today, when I was out running I was thinking about this:
“In my experience, life goals are rarely achieved by only going in a straight line, because the experience of life is not straight, it is much more fluid and free-flowing than that. Sometimes in life we have to embrace the challenge of not always stepping forwards or even backwards for that matter, in a straight line. Sometimes we have to take zig-zag steps to the left and to the right, to truly experience and embrace life for what it really is. I believe that , life is not a straight line…..on your journey today, think about taking “The Zig-Zag Way of Life“.
Much love to you today, I’m zig-zagging all the way to my goals, Clarabelle 🙂
The sun is shining on me right now as I write this blog post and I feel its energy and warmth beating down on me through my living room window.
Red
My house seems really bare at the moment because I have been refurbishing and I am waiting on my new red sofa to arrive, I can’t stop buying redright now – I will share my thoughts around that in another blog post.
White
There is something about having this extra ‘white’ space in my house that makes me feel free, feel alive in this very moment and gives me true clarity of thinking. It’s like the energy in this room has space to breathe and dance around me – I can really feel it and it feels good.
If you are a follower of this blog and I truly thank you if you are, you may have noticed that over the last few weeks my posts are changing slightly, this was not deliberate, I am just doing what feels natural to me – I write about what feels right!! Maybe this is because the energy within and around me is changing, growing and multiplying like never before.
I feel like a magical magnet right now, I am attracting so much goodness and a wealth of abundance like never before. I feel truly rich in this moment and I am so very grateful for it.
Desire
I am feeling this strong desire to ‘move’ from my current environment and this morning I am already thinking about how I can make this happen. I may even decide to sell all my worldly goods and go on an adventure to explore all the deep faculties of this amazing world. I know I can make this happen because when you have desire and I mean real desire for something, nothing will get in your way. That inner desire that I am talking about turns into an obsession and the pure delight and excitement of having it builds up into such a humongous level of passionate energy….the head is not driving this anymore….the heart is.
When the heart takes control of your destiny, you feel alive, every part of you feels awakened and you see so much beauty in everything around you – everything seems like paradise and it’s like you are vibrating on a different frequency – yes you actually are.
I want to leave you with a heart question today…..What does your heart desire?....not your head, What does your heart desire? I believe your answer to this question, is your next step on your journey of life.
Welcome to my monthly post, where I post a question for you to answer (I will share my answer with you too). You may not wish to answer straight away, you may wish to contemplate the question for a few minutes/hours/days or even a couple of weeks. You don’t even need to post the answer on here, but it would be nice if you would and share your answers with others. So here is your question for this month:
How do you know you are growing?
How do you know you are growing?
Here is my answer:
I have a greater sense of self-awareness and I practice mindfulness.
I am having different kinds of meaningful conversations with different people from around the world.
I am deliberately learning every day – educating myself on personal mastery, business, love and life fulfillment.
I welcome a broader range of learning and I am open to new ideas that inspire my imagination and creativity.
I am sharing my learning, every day.
I am progressing towards my goal achievement – I see and feel the results.
I am committed to making me a better me and I am enjoying the NOW.
I am always moving outside of my comfort zone into my learning/stretch zone.
I dare to dream and have big plans for the future.
I practice courage every day and see the value in being brave, facing my fears and getting on with life.
I am grateful, so very very grateful for everything I have in my life right now – my health, my home, my happiness.
I help people, more than I ever have, I make time to help people because this is what I love to do.
I sing, I dance, I run in the rain, I laugh, I cry and I don’t hold onto the sweet memories of the past, they are very special however there are many more special moments to be enjoyed now and in the future.
I love and I have an abundance of self-love.
I pray, for self and for others, this brings much peace to my heart and mind.
I am not frightened anymore to show my vulnerable side, I see this is a real strength.
I know I am stronger, I feel stronger, I look stronger from the outside and inside.
I am positive, optimistic, enthusiastic and full of energy….I know my heart and soul is alive.
I am excited about life now and all that could and will be.
I am making music, writing songs and the child in me is smiling.
I am becoming me, nothing more, nothing less and it feels so good.
I believe in me, I have faith, I am truly unique.
I believe in YOU, you are all of the above and more.
You are amazing, unique and very special indeed, there is no one else exactly like you. You have the capacity to achieve all that you have ever dreamed of, I want you to visualise that now, see yourself in that place of abundance, love and lots of beautiful laughter. Yesterday is now a distant a memory, tomorrow is not here yet, embrace today, welcome the NOW with open arms, go out for a walk and let the gentle breeze outside blow away the remaining cobwebs.
Awakening Your Soul
Right now, I want you to take 3 long deep breaths, inhale positivity and exhale worries and stress, give yourself a pat on the shoulder and smile……this is your first step to feeling alive in this moment, awakening your soul and freeing your spirit to the thriving energy of the Universe.
This next poem is for you, I wrote it especially for you, because you are so special to me and you are truly loved in this world, more that you will ever know. Believe that someone out there right now is thinking of you and holds you very close to their heart.
Have a beautiful day today my friends. Much love to you Clarabelle.
This is a blog post from an old blog of mine, I wrote this post in April 2010, 2 years prior to me starting this poetry blog. I thought I would share this with you because it is amazing how life evolves as we grow and develop. If someone had told me back then that I would now have a poetry blog and was so commited and passionate about it, I would never have believed them…..my creative writing desires are stronger than ever. We are all on a journey of personal evolution, much of this will be invisible for you right now, who knows what great things you will be part of in a few years from now. Much love to you today. Clarabelle
Personal Evolution
Below is that original post from April 2010:
I absolutely LOVE my job but it wasn’t an easy job getting here—it took me 36 years of learning, being, doing, hoping, having, not having, feeling and experiencing the highs and lows of real life and work. It is only now that I feel wise enough and knowledgeable enough to share this experiential learning.
When I Grow UP I want to be…..
From the age of 5—15 years I went through different phases of wanting to be a Mum, Air Steward, Dancer, Model, Nun, Song Writer (I had a real desire to write the winning Eurovision song – still do!!), Primary School Teacher, Nursery Nurse and a Secretary. So where did my early career ideas come from, maybe………
Mum: Watching my mum lovingly support and care for our family; wanting to be just like my mum and also being the proud owner of various dolls such as (in its day) the famous ’Tiny Tears’.
Air Steward: Wanting a ‘glamorous’ lifestyle (perceived) and the opportunity to travel all over the world, maybe even marry a pilot!! I also think the popular TV advert for Caledonian Airlines had a big influence….I remember wanting to be a ‘Caledonian Girl’.
Dancer: I was a massive fan of the hit TV Programme ’Fame’ and loved dancing from an early age – still do 🙂
Model: Watching Miss World on TV and aspiring to be like one of these beautiful woman. I wanted to wear that crown!!!
Nun: There was a real religious influence here from my childhood days, in particular at Primary School and I went through a really ’holy’ stage—that was until I discovered my like for boys!!
Songwriter: I used to lock myself in my bedroom for hours and make up songs, I would practice and practice them all day long and never got bored of it—this was a perfect escapism for me at such a young age. To this very day I still remember the songs and so do my closet friends. We often burst into these songs after a few wines!!
Primary School Teacher: I used to babysit for my next door neighbour when I was in my early teens—I loved watching their 3 kids, probably because I could be a ‘big kid’ myself. This inspired me to want to teach young children to learn and develop—I then found out that I would need to study for a further 5 years after Secondary School and this sadly (at the time) put me off.
Nursery Nurse: Again my love for children and helping them to learn and have fun. My Guidance Teacher at Secondary School totally put me off the idea “that’s not the career for you he said, that’s not a good job”. How easily influenced I was as a teenager.
Secretary: Well I figured I would go with the safe bet and be a secretary, after all I was good at typing, passed all my Secretarial Studies exams with flying colours and oh yes my mum did that when she left school and she told me fabulous stories about her career in this field. That was it at the age of 15 I aspired to be a secretary. Well there was nothing else, was there……???
My Career Path
So I finally had come to the idea that I would be a Secretary. So I went to typing College to learn how to touch-type—this proved to be a very worthwhile skill to have during all my future jobs. What where they? Well, my career experience consists of:
Shop assistant, sales representative, hotel waitress, 20 years of various office type jobs from receptionist through to human resource management. A couple of these jobs which I liked and some others I have quite closely hated.
An Independent Decision
Then at the age of 34 I decided to think very carefully about my future career and where it was heading. Why then? Well lots of reasons I believe, but I think coming out of some personal turmoil combined with some major achievements made me a much stronger person with a really determined ‘can do’ attitude.
This included personal triumphs and goals such as Graduating from University in 2005 in Personnel Practice, running the New York marathon in 2007 (I then later did the London Marathon in 2010) and Graduating again from University in 2008 in Human Resource Management. It was in 2006/7 when I seriously reflected on my future and felt much more equipped to correctly answer the following question…….
So what do I really want to do when I grow up?
To answer this, I identified my core values and what they meant to me, I looked at what job activities I particularly enjoyed doing, I thought about what are my strengths, what was I truly passionate about doing, what excites me in life, where did I want to see myself 5-20 years from now and the ultimate question: How was I going to get there?
I had a real belief and confidence in myself and I knew I wanted to have the freedom to explore new territories, learn new things and meet new people. I knew that I wanted to help other people achieve their dreams, goals and aspirations in life. I wanted to coach and mentor people to do just that, I got excited about the thought of it and felt strongly passionate about it. I was truly ready for this and felt fully motivated and inspired to do so.
What did I do?
I researched into Coaching, I wrote to no less then 200 practicing coaches in America asking for their advice, I then went to New York and met some of those coaches, left my full-time job as Human Resource Manager, studied for a further year and achieved a Diploma in Coaching at Distinction level (94%), started up my own business at the end of 2008 and that’s where I am at the moment. I have BIG plans for the business and I know that I will only achieve this through hard work and commitment. To be honest, at times it feels like starting all over again—to what it was like over 20 years ago.
What have been the best parts of my job so far?
Most definitely supporting and empowering other people to achieve their dreams, goals and aspirations in life. Almost 90% of my work to date has been career/business/leadership goals related and with my Human Resource Management background and sound coaching and mentoring experience—it works very well and benefits my clients greatly.
Also being my own boss and having the freedom to use my creativity and innovation to lead the business into great things that will inspire others to achieve great things for themselves.
Personal Learning
I have learned so much over the last 17 months of my business (to date almost 5 years!!) and I feel very proud to say that I have video blogged my real time journey all along the way. My vision is that one day it will be professionally edited and shared with you at home in the format of a short film/documentary.
But………what about being a Songwriter?
Hey, I can still do that, my career ain’t over yet, it is just at the beginning—the true beginning.
******
On 29 March 2013 – Clarabelle says:
I have now had my business for almost 5 years and I still continue to love it…….I am also planning another business which is indirectly linked. I must say however that nothing at the moment, beats the feeling of writing for this blog and getting messages from other bloggers and readers out there……you are magnificent in every sense of the word and my heart and soul is touched everyday with your responses. I see my future in this blog and I do hope you join me on the journey.
Thank you for reading this post today, lots of love Clarabelle.
I strongly believe that having time to self reflect on your life, your progress and your self awareness, really helps you to discover who you really are, what you really want and what is ultimately important to you. This next poem, was written in creative flow and during a moment of self reflection.
Every Moment is a Moment to Change
Take some quiet time today to reflect on where you are at in life and what (if anything) needs to change. There is love after the heartache, there is peace after the pain, there is happiness after the sadness and you soon will have pure energy again. Every moment is a moment to change for the better, be the champion of your own life and act as though it is impossible to fail. Much love to you today Clarabelle.
A Smile from Clarabelle
Let Courage Through
Stop for a minute, pick up a pen,
Jot down some questions, reflect again.
Create space in your head, give it some time,
Listen to the whispers, that make your heart shine.
And just when she was about to give up, something magical happened, just like she always believed, exactly how she had envisioned it and precisely what she had written down. It had always been there, but she didn’t see it at first……then when she opened her heart, all was revealed.
Be Prepared
Trust in the absolute power of the universe, have faith that everything will work out just the way it is supposed to and know that every false start gets you closer to your goal. Be prepared as much as you can, because when lighting strikes and it surely will, I want you to be ready, to be at your very best, to embrace each opportunity and share the wisdom that grows from this life changing experience.
Happiness can be accessed at any moment and at any time of the day. Give up the ghost of darkness, for your inner light is special and it is connected to an abundance of pure love. May happiness dance around you today and always. Love Clarabelle. This next poem is for you. Have a beautiful day.
Happiness Dances Around You
Happiness Dances Around You
Oh sweet and precious moment, I cherish you now;
Long have I awaited, to free me from this how.
I feel my heart glisten, spreading happy thoughts;
Releasing me from pain, undoing the difficult knots.
For once when I was sad, life did get me down;
A painted smile upon my face, masking the frown.
But even through that anguish, a light in me did shine;
The beauty of an open door, a white butterfly was the sign.
Today life is on the up, I’m reaching many heights;
My spirit is alive and I’m flying amongst the kites.
Light as a feather, I’m nourished at the soul;
My eyes sparkle like diamonds, when once they looked like coal.
So pick up the pace of life, your heart has a story to tell;
Happiness dances around you, it’s time to break out of your shell
Listen to you heart by silencing your mind….this next inspirational quote is for YOU. May the whispers of your heart, sing to you today. Love, Clarabelle.
I love inspirational quotes, below is an inspirational quote created by me for YOU….because, your soul is truly beautiful!! Much love to you today, Clarabelle.
Hello and welcome to my Vision Wall post. I wrote a couple of poems regarding the creation of my Vision Wall, you can check them out on my poems home page. I took some photographs of my Vision Wall (see below) to share with you and I thought it would be a good idea to dedicate a whole post to it so I can take you through the creative process that I went through, in the hope that you may want to try it for yourself one day. Below are some answers to questions around the process and some photographs I took of my Vision Wall:
What gave you the idea of creating a Vision Wall?
I am a highly Visionary person and I am really self-motivated by working towards achieving my goals in life. I have come across the term ‘vision board’ before and thought about creating one about 4 years ago but never really got round to it. I am so glad I waited until now to do one, as I have grown so much as person over the last few years and feel that the Vision Wall (its new name), I have created now is much more purposeful, meaningful, in direct alignment with my core values and absolutely 100% true to myself. One of my Facebook friends from America was talking about creating a Vision Board about a month ago and this then inspired me to do one now. I felt I was definitely ready and fully committed to doing this.
What creative process did you go through to create your Vision Wall?
Firstly, I did some further research on creating Vision Boards (the original name). I researched on the internet and came across various blogs and websites about different processes. I then decided to fine tune and adapt that process to what I felt would work best for me. So the following steps are based on that and completely bespoke to me as an individual. This part took me about 2 hours.
I then looked out a number of magazines, brochures, newspapers that I had lying around the house that I wanted to start going through and cut out the words and images that made an inspiring connection with me. This part took me about 3 hours.
I wanted to make the experience as enjoyable as possible, so I did some research into what music would compliment the creative process. I chose a variety of music that I felt would work for me, such as Classical, Meditation, Motivational and Self-Hypnosis tracks. I got most of these from searching on Youtube. This part took me about 1 hour.
When the time was right, I closed myself off from all distractions, played my music and started going through all my magazines and brochures and cut out words and images that made a real connection with me. This was a very inspiring part of the process, I could really feel myself getting excited about the significance of what I was coming across. This part took me about 6 hours.
Once I had looked through about 20 magazines/brochures, I was happy that I had cut out everything that made a real connection with me. I then headed off to the local supermarket (Tesco) as I wanted to buy paper, crayons, glue etc…. to start my Vision Board – this was when the name changed from Vision Board to Vision Wall as I knew one piece of flipchart paper would not be suffice or indeed be as empowering, I knew it had to be much more than that, so I purchased a roll of white paper, 5 metres long to do the job. Thus the name Vision Wall was born. This part took about 1 hour.
Next, again I got myself into a quiet place, put the music on and carefully laid out the roll of paper that was going to contain all my words and images that I had cut out….then I got to work. This was the most time consuming part but such a wonderful, inspiring experience, piecing it all together felt really amazing. This part in total took about 10 hours.
Hooray, my Vision Wall was now complete and the next challenge was getting this masterpiece of a Vision Wall up on my house wall and also deciding which wall. I live myself, so it felt perfectly right to put my Vision Wall on my living room wall – I wanted to be inspired by it every day and in as many moments as possible, so for me the living room was the perfect home for it. This part took me 30 minutes, after all the Vision Wall is over 3 metres long!!
Honestly, I feel so proud of myself for creating the Vision Wall and more importantly its contents and what they mean to me. The words, the images, the order, the colours and the very fact that I committed to achieving it is so inspiring for me. I look at it all the time and I am totally feeling the benefits of producing it and having it there in front of me. And to share this whole experience with you, this part took me 2 hours. But the process isn’t over yet, it’s only the beginning, please read on……..
So now that your Vision Wall is complete, what happens next?
Well, as we all know, it is not just about dreaming, we have to create a plan of action to turn our dreams into reality, so that is my next step. For each section within my Vision Wall I will now create an action plan and I will commit to following through on it. And in those famous words by Jim Rohn, “What gets measured gets done”, I will ensure that I am measuring and evaluating my progress, this will all be included as part of my action plan. The more results I get, the more self-motivated I become and the momentum builds into something truly fabulous for me and others around me. I know and truly believe that I will have helped thousands and thousands of people through my work – so everyone involved benefits. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world”Ghandi – so this is where it all starts and I am excited.
What are the benefits of creating a Vision Wall?
Now that I have gone through the creative process myself I can offer my own honest opinion of what I have personally experienced by doing this. Here you go:
It’s an empowering and spiritual process which I feel was very beneficial for my own wellbeing.
It helped me to get especially connected to the core of my being, who I really am, what makes me tick, what inspires me, what my core values are and what will give me life fulfilment.
It provided me with the space to think creatively about what I want out of life, what I want for me, what I need to be, do and have to achieve all that I want.
It helped me to separate ‘me’ from the materialistic things in life, it got me thinking about my own mental, emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing – who I need to be first to attract all that I want in life. The focus was on me growing and developing as a person, not on the materialistic things in life. This is a fairly recent shift in my thinking which is already getting me results
It has given me an amazing sense of achievement by doing something for me that is so powerful and impactful in my life. It really has made me much happier inside, I get excited everytime I look at my Vision Wall.
It has given me the opportunity to share this experience with you in the hope that if you choose to create a Vision Wall for yourself you feel the real benefits of it the way I have done.
I am closely monitoring and evaluating its impact, I am noticing positive changes in my thinking, feeling and doing – I am behaving in a way that is keeping me more in alignment with the goals on my Vision Wall – I know it is seeping into my sub-conscious in such a positive way when making decisions and choices throughout my day.
It makes me feel just great, I can’t really explain how it makes me feel, I just love it, LOVE IT and I welcome and encourage you to create a Vision Wall for yourself one day. In the words on my Vision Wall, I’m away to ‘Celebrate the new me‘. Lots of love Clarabelle.
Do you feel you don’t have enough time to create your own Vision Wall?
After all it did take me more than 25 hours of my time over a 3 week period, so that’s an average of just over 1 hour per day. How much time do you spend watching TV? Could you give up an hour of that time and replace it with creating a Vision Wall for yourself, just a thought. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” (that statement’s on my Vision Wall too)!! I do hope you choose to Go For It 🙂
Sometimes I feel like I could just explode with excitement and happiness and yesterday (05.01.13) was one of those days. So I grabbed a pen and paper wrote the following poem (well 8 in a row actually). Embrace life and all of its adventure, even in the toughest of tough times, there is great learning to be had. Open your arms to the world, live this life for you and nobody else. Have fun, dance in the moment and be brave in all that you do. May your day be filled with love and laughter. Much love to you Clarabelle.
life is an adventure
Life is an Adventure
There’s fun in my heart, waiting to escape;
The invisible boundaries, cover it with red tape.
I’m bursting with song, love and laughter;
I’m on the move, towards happy ever after.
As I free my spirit, I wake up to the light;
The orange bird dances, wings spread in full flight.
I do hope 2013 is getting off to a great start for you. I am so focused and driven to achieving my goals this year and one of them relates to putting a lot of energy into this blog and making it even better and more impactful for you. I can genuinely and honestly say that I LOVE this blog, I just love working on it, love sharing with you and love reading your comments and your posts too.
Podcast Host
Whilst looking into blogtalkradio this evening, I came across a podcast host, http://www.podbean.com. I got so curious and excited about it and after a good 6 hours playing around with it and voice recording some of my poems, I have now created my own Poemcast website http://poemsbyclarabelle.podbean.com which is directly related to and linked to this blog. I wanted to create podcasts, which as I am sure you have guessed by now, I have renamed to Poemcasts (thanks to a wonderful conversation I had with my friend Tom last year – his idea).
Poemcasting
I think it was Tony Robbins who said the quote “where focus goes energy flows” and I can’t agree more, because my focus on making this blog even better has led me to a new world of Poemcasting!! I share this information with you today, because you may wish to try it out for yourself.
So, if you would like to hear my beautiful Bonny Scotland accent whilst reciting some of my poems, you can.
Below are three links to my most recent Poemcasts for YOU, I do hope you enjoy.
I have also added the above links into the related posts on this blog and I have a lot more to update!!
I am sure I have still a lot to learn but baby steps all the way and I am very excited on this journey.
Much love to you as always, Clarabelle.
Can you understand my broad Scottish accent?
If you enjoy what you read here on this blog, you may be interested in borrowing for FREE and/or purchasing one of Clarabelle’s self-published inspirational poetry ebooks available to download now on Amazon Kindle, please refer to the Author page on this blog or clickHERE
I was on a creative roll yesterday (08.10.12) and found myself writing five poems in a very short space of time, I love it when that happens. This next poem was the fourth one I wrote, the words just flowed to me, I do hope you like it and it makes some sort of connection with you. May you find beauty in each precious moment of your day. Love Clarabelle
Reveal Your Heart
Reveal your heart, dust it down,
Let the magic escape, around the town.
It will go on a journey, to find a match,
Inspiring souls, before the catch.
And when it comes back, its spirit will sing,
Beautiful true love, to you it will bring.
poemsbyclarabelle, 8 October 2012
If you enjoy what you read here on this blog, you may be interested in borrowing for FREEand/or purchasing one of Clarabelle’s self-published inspirational poetry ebooks available to download now on Amazon Kindle, please refer to the Author page on this blog or clickHERE
I’ve been feeling alot of love in the air recently, it’s everywhere around me, it’s abundant, I know I don’t need to search for it, it is always there and you have it within and around you too. In the silence of my heart I drew a picture of love, which then led me on to writing this next poem about love, and I share it with you today. Much love to you Clarabelle.
love is
Love is . . . . .
Love is the fresh air, on my face,
Love is the energy, in this place.
Love can move mountains, travel in time,
Love is a symbol, that’s truly sublime.
***
Love is creation, with all your heart,
Love’s bond is unique, and can’t be broken apart.
Love is truth, and calmness in sea,
Love stops wars, and frustrations in me.
***
Love is free-flowing, and beauty at its best,
Love is mother-nature, putting us to test.
Love is the stars, moon and the sun,
Love is where we belong, love is everyone.
***
Love is me, and love is you,
Love is wholesome, and vibrates in all you do.
Love is the answer, love is the song,
Love just “is”, and has no right or wrong.
***
Love is the journey, and the destination in one,
Love is magnetic, love is pure fun.
Love is in your eyes, and in your precious smile,
Love is your radiance, shining mile after after.
***
Love is joy, and peace from within,
Love is happiness, and the air you breathe in.
Love is the universe, the future of time,
Love is abundant, love is divine.
poemsbyclarabelle, 21 December 2012
If you enjoy what you read here on this blog, you may be interested in borrowing for FREE and/or purchasing one of Clarabelle’s self-published inspirational poetry ebooks available to download now on Amazon Kindle, please refer to the Author page on this blog or clickHERE
Self discovery for me is in the search for paradise. What do I mean by that? So there is this place that my mind goes to every 20 years or so, I picture it quite clearly and I call it ‘paradise’. I used to think paradise for me was a place but now I realise it is a metaphor I use to create a special feeling inside of me, the most beautiful feeling in the world, that no words can describe. What does paradise give me? It takes me to who I am today, right now and it helps me answer the most challenging questions- only by connecting to my inner self can I get the true answer for me. This is a hard one for me to explain but I know it works. I trust you will discover your own paradise one day, maybe you are already there and if you are, I know you are smiling now because you have found your soul in solitude. This next poem is inspired by paradise. Love Clarabelle
Clarabelle Online Magazine 