Today’s post is a very special dedication to thanking YOU for being here and supporting this Clarabelle Blog with your valued presence, good energy and kind thoughts.
I love to write for us both and as you probably know, a lot of the time, I’m talking to myself in these posts – trying to give you and me some needed words of encouragement.
Life doesn’t run perfectly at all – we have good days, we have bad days and everything else in between but if I can cheer you up or ignite some inner motivation whilst you’re here – then that’s what makes my day.
So, THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH for spending your precious time reading my posts and I really do hope they offer you some true value in your life.
We’re all in this together and it’s important to support to each other.
Don’t get stuck in your head with negative thinking and over analysing. If you really really want to do something, I know you WILL make it happen. On the other hand, if you say you really want to do something but nothing is getting done about it, you’ve really got to look at that.
There are many reasons why you would want to do something but just don’t and this inaction may be related to some sort of inner FEAR.
You see, I’m there right now. I really really want to do something but I have a HUGE fear of it not working out and this fear comes from experiencing this pain a number of times in the past. So what am I doing about this? Well, I am taking every lesson from the past failures and making changes ever so slowly, rather than just jumping in, which I have done every time before.
I’m not frightened of change, actually I embrace the right kind of change but taking baby steps towards the progression of this change is a better option for me.
I’m learning to move forward but in a different way. This type of movement helps me become more patient, disciplined and consistent with my daily action.
Please don’t stay stuck, it’s a miserable place to be in. Take a look at what tiny changes you can make everyday to help you on your new path.
We’re all in this together and that’s why I do what I do. I just love sharing words of encouragement with you – we all need a little bit of that.
I know you really really want to – so start doing something about it today.
There’s only one way forward when you’re reaching for your dreams and that’s to keep digging deep, day in and day out, in order to achieve what you want.
This digging process can seem real tiring at times, especially if progress is slow but you must keep going until you get there.
“There” might be just around the corner or very faraway but if you are really passionate about your goal in hand, the distance, near or far, shouldn’t put you off.
Remember why you started and remember the pain of staying stagnant or indeed, going backwards – that very thought absolutely terrifies me and always seems to help me regain any lost focus.
Stumbling blocks along the way can seem to spoil the journey a little bit but always be mindful of the purpose behind what you’re doing and the end result which will inevitably be yours.
You’ve got to believe that you will achieve this dream or goal, for without this self-belief, you could be building on shaky ground.
Eliminate all failure by never giving up on what you truly desire and find ways to stay energised and focussed on the goal in hand.
The more progress you make, the more confident you will become and the closer you will move towards your dream.
Stay disciplined, determined and committed to the end outcome – hold that vision so strong in your mind and never let it go.
The greatest reward will come from your everyday efforts being channeled in the right direction.
Don’t sway on the heavy days, stay light on your feet and put your mind and body into ‘drive’ mode.
Laser focus, tunnel vision or whatever you want to call it – just make sure you stay on track and see how your life positively changes before you.
Happy digging my friend!
It’s Your Life – GO GET IT!
By Clarabelle, London, UK Created on 16 August 2022 Posted to Blog on 11 September 2022
If you’re feeling a little bit stuck right now, you’ve got to get that body and mind moving.
You see, a stuck mind can equal a stagnant body and that wonderful human being of you, needs to feel and do more.
Awaken your inside energy and ignite the neurons in your mind to start connecting and creating again.
Just do something, anything that is going to stir up some magical movement in your soul and help you feel alive again.
Lazy living truly is a bad habit and believe me, no one wants to be around the draining energy of a lazy person.
Get up off your chair, throw some cold water on your face, go outside and let that fresh air hit you all over. Even jump up and down a few times or jog on the spot – just get that stuck energy flowing again.
I believe, the less you do…THE LESS YOU’LL DO!
So that also means, the more you do…THE MORE YOU’LL DO!
Seems simple but often so hard for some people.
There is nothing good about ‘stuck energy’ and EVERYTHING good about ‘awakened energy’ – I think it’s time to shake it up!
By Clarabelle, London, UK Created on 9 August 2022 Posted to blog on 30 August 2022
A friend once said to me, “I don’t do fear”. I was like, “WOW”, what a way to think! She would share stories with me of times in her life when she faced so much adversity that fear was never an option for her – she had to survive! This woman is one super BRAVE lady!
Today though, as I reflect back on that enlightening conversation, I think of all the times in my younger life when being “fearful” was actually a positive for me.
I was sometimes fearful of my teachers at school, so much so, I would do extra studying after school, just so I could get the teacher’s question right in class. Overall, I think that did me a litte bit of good – especially in Accounts, which I hated but passed with flying colours!
I was lots of times fearful of doing talks and presentations in front of a little or a lot of people. This fear was also good, because it made me practice and practice and PRACTICE in order to improve and become better at it. In a weird sort of way, I still find it easier to talk to a live audience of thousands of people, rather than an intimate bunch of 20. Give me a huge big stage and I’m comfortably on it! I also have a very loud voice and super high energy – so I guess it all fits!
I’m certainly not advocating all fear, I just think, sometimes it can work to your advantage in certain ‘self-development’ circumstances.
Where, I think fear did not work for me, was when I pulled myself out of the running races at School because I knew I wasn’t fast enough to beat some other runners. In my head at the time, I thought, I’m not entering this competition because I won’t win the gold medal and I don’t want silver or bronze – how super childish is that thinking!
That type of silly thinking also straddled into my young work life when I didn’t go for early promotions because I thought other colleagues would get the job over me and I didn’t want to deal with the hurt, embarrassment and rejection. So this type of fear that I am describing, is really NOT good. Thankfully, those types of fear I just don’t have anymore and nothing like that ever holds me back from “giving it a go”.
Today, I am a “face fear head on” type of person – if I’m fearful – then I must do it – that’s it!
Imagine yourself today, STRONG, FEARLESS and POWERFUL – now what you going to do about it?
By Clarabelle, London, UK Created on 9 August 2022 Posted to Blog on 29 August 2022
A good life can give you all the stability and certainty you need….that I feel, maybe a staple foundation for a good life…..you know, you have a safe and secure routine and it kinda works out alright for you – I know this because I’ve been there…..for 20 years I had a good life like that.
A Great Life
A great life, a super duper amazing life, may often give you much less of the above – less stability, less certainty, less security however for me, this great life offers so much more, more excitement, more freedom, more creativity, more time for myself, more love for what I do, more giving, more sharing, more authenticity, more surprises, more adventures, more new experiences, more new people, more fun, more exploration……wow, the list goes on.
A Gamble
So today I gamble my “good life” for a “great life” and you know what, it really is working for me right now. It was a brave step forward but I know in my heart of hearts it was definitely the right thing to do for me. Not everyone sees it that way but this is MY LIFE and I have to live it and experience it my way…..the great way!!
Are you living a “good life” or a “great life”?
I trust you know the answer to this one immediately.
Inspiration will find you when you’re ready to be inspired, just like the famous phrase, when the student is ready the teacher will appear. An inspired heart has the power to breakthrough almost any barrier. Are you ready to be inspired?….I guess you are because you’re here, thank you.
Who Are You? You are special, a person with a heart, a loving heart, a soul, a singing soul, a spirit, a happy spirit. You have dreams, great, great, dreams. You have plans, big, big, plans. You have faith, strong faith in the mystery of the unknown and YOU BELIEVE.
You believe with every part of your being that only magnificence lies before you. You have a unique power that goes beyond the impossible. You have an energy that attracts true abundance to you. You are alive and are grateful for all that you are and for all that you are becoming.
You can create magic around you because you breathe and do with passion, every baby step that you take on this journey of life.
The miracle of all miracles is in you and in every path you come across. Every heart that you touch, every soul that you inspire, every star that you catch and every rainbow that protects you from the storms.
You are at one with yourself, in the silence of all silences your spirit shines and your light guides you out of the darkness.
You fly, you soar, you reach for the mountain top and when you get there, you see far in the distance another higher mountain to climb. But it is in the challenge of every challenge to only ever reach the top. The top is never ending, the beginning is never new, life is, what it is.
Life is how you see it.
Life is how you live it.
Life is how you love it.
There is freedom, there is abundance, there is everything you need and want before you. You can’t see it with your eyes, you can’t touch it with your hands but it is living, breathing and dancing around you. This invisible space is your space, your space to fill with smiles, laughter, love, joy and happiness. Nourish the space around you by nourishing peace from within, because even in stormy weathers you can find a calm place.
So go to the edge of the mountain top because it is waiting for you with open arms. Other travellers want to hear your story, want to learn from your experiences, good or bad. They want to know, what you know, to help them on their own journey of life.
Then you must find a quiet spot and listen to the sound of the wind, whispers of the greatest knowledge will come to you and you will use this wisdom to carry on.
Yes you may feel broken right now.
Yes you may have cried enough tears to fill a river.
Yes you may feel like a failure and all your self-worth and self-confidence has gone.
But I want to tell you something. It’s still there you know. The best part of you is still living in you. You still have that spark. You still shine. You are loved deeply and your heart knows this.
The mind can play games with our feelings, but the mind has no hold over the power of the heart. Close your eyes, feel your heart, feel its energy, feel its power, let it grow inside of you.
You are very special and you can and will do this. You will turn your life around for the better.
This is the moment that counts, this is when you decide enough is enough. This is when you say “I am strong, I am better than that and I believe in me and my potential. I am whatever I choose to be and I choose to be what I believe in my heart. I am my greatest dreams, I am.”
Never settle for too little because you have such a lot and to not unleash your true talents into this world would surely keep you from the wisdom that is truly yours.
Trust in you, trust in your abilities, trust that everyone is asking similar questions and this is your time to fight back. This is your time to answer with your heart. This is your life, to love, to live, to learn and to lead. Capture that feeling in your heart right now, let it flow through every vein in your body, let it illuminate you with drive, determination and self-discipline, now mix it with passion and purpose and you’re on your way.
You are free now, free to make the right choices and decisions in life that will make you the BEST EVER YOU. Your new life awaits – make every moment count and GO GET IT, because nobody deserves it more than you. You have all the qualities within you to make it. Thrive, grow and shine NOW and FOREVER.
By Clarabelle.
If you think this will help someone, please please share. Thank you.
Let’s get going,
Don’t you stop.
Keep your head up,
Beep beep bop.
See the goal,
In your eyes.
Feel and believe,
It’s your surprise.
So soldier on,
Break through it all.
Imagine your life.
Over the brick wall.
At the rainbow’s end,
Celebrate your glory,
This is your life,
This is your story.
By Clarabelle.
Let’s get going my friends, you and me, let’s get going today!!
Over the last few years I have been writing lots and lots of poems, words of inspiration and motivation. These writings have come from my inner wisdom, my corporate business knowledge and true and heartfelt life experiences. All of my writings have been compiled into 10 books, which are currently available on Amazon. These books went “live” on Amazon in June this year, with the wonderful help from a very successful editor in America, Steve Mann. To my absolute delight and amazement, last night, I read some truly wonderful 5 star book reviews and I wanted to share some of them with you today:
On my book, Clarabelle’s Musings:
“This full compilation of Claire’s positive thoughts, inspiring messages, and motivating jottings will make you feel like you just drank 6 energy drinks, without the heart palpitations. Her words pick you up, help you view your life in a different, more positive way, and provide you with the belief that you can accomplish anything.”
On my book, Clarabelle’s Affirmations:
“Psychologists and therapists have long known that affirmations can help us all to stay on course in the goals we set for ourselves. Heck, even Oprah has spoken about how important it is to have daily affirmations for yourself. Claire, through her prose and poetry, offers us affirmations that we can use on a daily basis to help us to set goals and achieve them.”
On my book, Clarabelle’s Keys to Happiness:
“We all know that to be happy all the time is an impossibility because without sadness, we would not truly appreciate happiness. Claire through her prose and poems, reminds us of what it is like to be happy and how we as individuals are responsible for our own happiness. Through her words, she unveils the secrets that really can help us all to achieve happiness more often.”
On my book, Clarabelle’s Christmas Joys:
“Who doesn’t love Christmas? Well, actually, there are a lot of people who don’t. But Claire’s words bring us back to the true reality of what Christmas is all about. It’s about the joy of family, the appreciation of the blessings we have, the use of our talents to share with others to help them, and the love of keeping the people who matter to you, close in your life. Claire’s superlative use of words remind us all of the true meaning of Christmans and how we should be thankful for the joys we have in our lives. I loved it. I love Christmas. Why not read it like I did, and feel empowered to access the true Christmas Joys.”
On my book, Clarabelle Presents Nature’s Gifts:
“Claire’s expressive words bring a new appreciation to all that is nature. Her prose and poems lighten the spirit and make the heart sing with joy.”
On my book, Clarabelle’s Moving Motivations:
“What are we without human motivation? Simply a shell of a human body that walks around with animation, but no direction. Claire’s writings provide motivation to all of us to dream, believe in our dreams, and take the steps necessary to achieve our dreams.”
On my book, Clarabelle’s Heart and Soul:
“People don’t often make the connection of importance between the heart and the soul. Of course, we all know, without our hearts, our souls will wander. But Claire’s exquisite jottings show how closely our hearts and souls are connected, not just within our own bodies, but also in how we connect with other hearts and souls. Claire, in her quiet writings, paint a clear picture of how dependent we as fragile humans are upon not just our own hearts and souls, but the people we touch in our lives and those who touch us in our lives.”
On my book, Clarabelle’s Creative Inspirations:
“Claire Murray is a talented and gifted author and poet. Her jottings inspire me and make me feel positive, happy, and make my heart sing with joy. Thank you Claire, for sharing your gifts with us. I thoroughly enjoyed all of your books. Getting up every morning and reading one of your prose or poems gave me a burst of positive energy to start my day out right and helped me to see normal things that happened throughout my day in a positive light.”
On my book, Clarabelle’s Poems of Love:
“When Claire writes about love, it really is a Splendid Thing. Through her words she is able to transport the reader back to young love, first love, and mature love. It brings back the beautiful memories of falling in love and staying in love.”
These reviews were written a few months ago and I honestly didn’t know I had made such an impact with the person reading them. This makes me very happy. It just goes to show, and I truly believe this, when YOU are ready, “The Time Will Come” when your inner butterfly will spread its wings and flutter to the hearts of others.
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’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
You know I love my poetry and I am in a poetic mood this morning. Here are some morning reflections from me to you, put into one of my favourite creative writing styles…..rhyming poetry, this one might just get you thinking. Set yourself free, break the chains of old habits and make fulfilling choices from this day forward. You can do it. Love to you Clarabelle.
Break the Chains
A starry night,
A blissful morn.
Another routine,
There goes the car horn.
A rush, a rumble,
A dash to the door.
Caught up in the moment,
Head to the floor.
Then all of a sudden,
The alarm bells ring.
How did this happen?
What did I bring?
Is my life,
just passing me by?
Am I really happy?
I ponder and sigh.
To break the chains,
To let it all go.
Would test my bravery,
Against, “go with the flow”.
For I’m in control,
I make the choice.
Do this or that,
Share my voice.
The river runs fast,
The sun will rise again.
But remember your life
Is like ink in a pen.
Writing the pages,
of what is to be.
Until it runs out,
What’s left to see?
So decide who you are,
become your greatest self.
The world will not wait,
Get your book off the shelf.
Have clarity, choose wisely,
Let your heart lead the way.
Because times ticks on,
So make this your day.
The day you change,
The day you reach out.
The day you believe.
Your dreams, are worth a shout.
Slow the picture down,
Play it back in your mind.
The crossroads of your life,
Holds the answers, seek and find.
Be a like a butterfly,
Fluttering in the breeze,
Your courageous soul is open,
Change your life, if you please.
If you are a regular follower of this blog, you will be aware that I did my very first home Gig last Friday night and I wanted to share with you a very short summary video from the evening. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I hope you can see that from the video. I’m moving forward step by step, taking myself out of my comfort zone and embracing the growth and change. Thank you for all your support and encouragement, I am absolutely over the moon that you are here. Thank YOU. Lots of love, Clarabelle
I am delighted to share with you today a Guest Post from Steve Davis in relation to leading and working with a team. Steve is a highly motivated and inspirational individual and I would also encourage you to visit his empowering blog http://stevendavisuk.com/
Steve Davis
Guest Post by Steve Davis
Hi, I am Steve. I write an increasingly popular blog to inspire and motivate people like you and me. My goals are to help others to get drive, hunger and some passion whether it is in their professional life or personal life. For many years I have been motivating different teams with different types of people with much success. Increasing attitude, productivity and results for those I have worked with. If you would like to engage with my increasingly popular blog, please visit http://stevendavisuk.com/
I wanted to share with you 3 factors that I find are very important when leading/ working with a team.
Lead your team by example
In order to have a productive team, you must be a productive leader. Role-modelling what the employees are expected to do creates great influence, not only on the team but on the work environment itself. It will also generate enthusiasm and will inspire everybody to work more productive and harder. Sometimes it’s simply because your employees are looking up to you. Small things like being on time or being energetic may affect your employee most. This is a massive part of my game as I am always smiling and full of the well, ‘joys of spring’. However, role modelling is sometimes easily overlooked. Be careful with what you do, how you say things, and what you say to keep your team MOTIVATED.
Give ‘worthwhile’ incentives
Celebrating success within the team is HUGE. Giving your team an extra incentive aside from what they are compensated for monthly can be considered as a ‘high impact’ motivation driver. This type of motivation often applies if the performance of the whole organisation is at par with its strategy and goals, be it weekly, monthly, quarterly, or even yearly. However, keep in mind that it is not only monetary incentives that count. My team often like vouchers, ‘Reach-and-Go’s’ and any form of companywide recognition. When this was introduced to numerous teams across my company it had a positive impact on results, activity and morale! Don’t forget, ask the team what they want and compromise where possible, so your incentives will DRIVE them to win.
Listen carefully
This may seem like the easiest thing to do, but you will be surprised how hard it is to actually take on board. I know many leaders who are somewhat successful but struggle to listen. We can all hear what others are saying but to listen is challenging at best. With all your worries about your business, its targets and operations, how will you have the time to listen about how Henry forgot his lunch and now has to buy food from local amenities? It’s tough, but make a conscious effort to give that time to listen. You might think that your employees’ problems are ‘insignificant’ compared to yours, but you can’t make that call on what is important to a person and what is not. Listening to your teams concerns will be greatly appreciated. They will feel more empowered and happy since they are talking to the leader of the team.
Inspiring and motivating your team is one of the most crucial job descriptions for a leader, you can teach skills, benefits and duties but lack of motivation to the team often results to decreasing productivity and declining results. Please keep in touch http://stevendavisuk.com/
Thank You
A very special thank you to Steve for sharing this post with us, I hope you found it as valuable as I did. Clarabelle
If you are interested in doing a Guest Post for this Clarabelle blog, then I would really love to hear from you. Please send me an email to claire@murraypeople.com noting your interest. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.
When you go for your dreams and goals in life you inspire others by your own doing. They see you moving forward in your own journey in life and it can truly inspire them too.
Inspiring Change
I have received some lovely messages from people who have shared with me that because I am going for my own dreams and goals in life, it is inspiring them to do that too. Isn’t that such a lovely thing. So by not only changing your own life for the better, you are also inspiring change in others. Like a beautiful ripple effect, your positive energy touches the hearts of others.
This is such wonderful thing and I truly do encourage you to just go for it in life because by doing so, you will also inspire others around you – this is the most amazing thing about it all.
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. 🙂
This poem was inspired by my previous post, “What is Perfection?”, and I just had to share it with you.
Perfection is in the Imperfections
There is a perfection, that will never stay true. The perfection in your mind, stopping you. The word perfection, has a flaw. Perfection is in the imperfections, this is my law. When you believe this, you can start where you are. Then you’ll make progress, then you’ll go far. So eliminate perfection, from your life right now. Keep going, stay strong, Imperfections are WOW!!
I once read somewhere that motivation is like showering, you need it everyday. I can honestly say that I do listen to a little bit of motivation every day, normally first thing when I wake up – it’s a great way to start the day. Below is a motivational poem I created for you, I hope it gives you that little nudge that you need to get going today. Lots of love Clarabelle.
When Motivation is Low
You haven’t moved, You do not know. One cause to being stuck, Is your motivation is low.
Your mind is numb, Your body feels lazy. Lost in time, This all feels crazy.
What can you do? How can this be? Let me help you up, Let me help you see.
Turn on the music, Open your heart. Listen to the sound, Of your favourite hit chart.
Then go for a walk, To clear your head. This is much better, Than lying in bed.
Or pick up the phone, And call a friend. They’ll be happy to hear you, And it will help you mend.
There is many little things, That you can do. To shift your energy, Make you feel happier too.
So when motivation is low, All you have to do, Is one of the above. And you’ll feel motivated too.
We all need a little bit of motivation from time to time and I often feel it is most welcomed at the beginning of a New Year. So below is a Youtube video of a motivational speech I created for you last year, I have shared it on here before but sometimes a little refresher can be good. May you stay motivated to achieve all that you want to achieve this year and much much more. Love to you Clarabelle.
As special thank you to YOU for your continuous support and encouragement and for visiting this Clarabelle Blog, I have created a “Live Your Dreams” video for YOU.
I have now exceeded 16,000 blog hits and I could not have done it without YOU. In celebration of this amazing achievement I thank YOU with this beautiful video, I hope you like it. Lots of love to you today and always, Clarabelle.
Everyone needs a little bit of motivation and inspiration now and again, it is good for the soul and it can make all the difference in your life at any moment in time.
If you have 3 minutes to spare today, listen to the words of this motivational speech that I created. It contains words from the heart, words to feed your mind and connect with your soul. I hope it gives you a little boost.
Please also feel free to share it if you feel you know someone else who might benefit from listening to it.
Keep going my friend, keep going till you get to the top, because indeed that is where the best view is.
I just thought I would share that one with you today. No matter how many bumps on the road there are, when you are passionate about doing something, it never feels like you have to really force yourself, you never need to fully push because the passion that you have for that thing indeed pulls you forward.
Choose a goal in life that you are passionate about, one that is in alignment with your values and watch yourself soar.
I wrote this motivational and inspirational speech from deep within my heart and soul for YOU yesterday and I recorded it on Youtube this morning. I do hope this inspires you to be the BEST EVER YOU. Love Clarabelle
BEST EVER YOU
Who Am I? I am a woman, a person with a heart, a loving heart, a soul, a singing soul, a spirit, a happy spirit. I have dreams, great, great, dreams. I have plans, big, big, plans. I have faith, strong faith in the mystery of the unknown and I BELIEVE.
I believe with every part of my being that only magnificence lies before me. I have a unique power that goes beyond the impossible. I have an energy that attracts true abundance to me. I am alive and I am grateful for all that I am and for all that I am becoming.
I can create magic around me because I breathe and do with passion, every baby step that I take on this journey of life.
The miracle of all miracles is in me and in every path I come across. Every heart that I touch, every soul that I inspire, every star that I catch and every rainbow that protects me from the storms.
I am at one with me, in the silence of all silences my spirit shines and my light guides me out of the darkness.
I fly, I soar, I reach for the mountain top and when I get there, I see far in the distance another higher mountain to climb. But it is in the challenge of every challenge to only ever reach the top. The top is never ending, the beginning is never new, life is, what it is.
Life is how you see it.
Life is how you live it.
Life is how you love it.
There is freedom, there is abundance, there is everything you need and want before you. You can’t see it with your eyes, you can’t touch it with your hands but it is living, breathing and dancing around you. This invisible space is your space, your space to fill with smiles, laughter, love, joy and happiness. Nourish the space around you by nourishing peace from within, because even in stormy weathers you can find a calm place.
So go to the edge of the mountain top because it is waiting for you with open arms. Other travellers want to hear your story, want to learn from your experiences, good or bad. They want to know, what you know, to help them on their own journey of life.
Then you must find a quiet spot and listen to the sound of the wind, whispers of the greatest knowledge will come to you and you will use this wisdom to carry on.
Yes you may feel broken right now.
Yes you may have cried enough tears to fill a river.
Yes you may feel like a failure and all your self-worth and self-confidence has gone.
But I want to tell you something. It’s still there you know. The best part of you is still living in you. You still have that spark. You still shine. You are loved deeply and your heart knows this.
The mind can play games with our feelings, but the mind has no hold over the power of the heart. Close your eyes, feel your heart, feel its energy, feel its power, let it grow inside of you.
You are very special and you can and will do this. You will turn your life around for the better.
This is the moment that counts, this is when you decide enough is enough. This is when you say “I am strong, I am better than that and I believe in me and my potential. I am whatever I choose to be and I choose to be what I believe in my heart. I am my greatest dreams, I am.”
Never settle for too little because you have such a lot and to not unleash your true talents into this world would surely keep you from the wisdom that is truly yours.
Trust in you, trust in your abilities, trust that everyone is asking similar questions and this is your time to fight back. This is your time to answer with your heart. This is your life, to love, to live, to learn and to lead. Capture that feeling in your heart right now, let it flow through every vein in your body, let it illuminate you with drive, determination and self-discipline, now mix it with passion and purpose and you’re on your way.
You are free now, free to make the right choices and decisions in life that will make you the BEST EVER YOU. Your new life awaits – make every moment count and GO GET IT, because nobody deserves it more than you. You have all the qualities within you to make it. Thrive, grow and shine NOW and FOREVER.
I wrote this song because I wanted the lyrics to inspire people to really believe in themselves and go for their dreams and goals in life. The song is entitled, “I Am The Greatest” and I want the person singing along to it, to really believe that they are and to feel encouraged and empowered by the words from within. Inspiration is everywhere and I do hope you find some of it in this song. Below is the Youtube video of me singing it for you. I am still working on the backing tracks but I didn’t want that to stop the process of me sharing this with you. 🙂 Wishing you a day filled with love and inspiration, love Clarabelle.
As you know I have been writing a lot of my own songs recently and the first few that I wrote about were love songs and then I went through a phase of writing some more motivational songs. This next song that I share with you below is one of the more motivational songs, it is called “C’mon You”. For those of you who are not familiar with the Scottish banter, “C’mon” means “come on” and in this song it really means “lift yourself up and get a move on, get back in the game”. I hope you like it. So wherever you are today and whatever you are doing I hope you make it a “C’mon You” day. Lots of love to you Clarabelle.
Here are the lyrics for you, so you can sing along if you wish 🙂
C’mon You by Claire Marie Murray 22.07.13
Verse 1
Let me tell you a story
Life may beat you down
But you don’t have to take no more
Just let your spirit shine
Believe in your passion
You can have it all
Show a little compassion
Break down the tough brick wall
Chorus
So C’mon, you can do it
C’mon, this I know
C’mon, yesterday’s over
Oh C’mon you, let’s go
Verse 2
So now I’ve shared my journey
Go and live and your life
Time it will not wait for you
You won’t be living twice
Know that you can do it
You can achieve it all
Hard work will get you through it
Soon you’ll be standing tall
Chorus
So C’mon, you can do it
C’mon, this I know
C’mon, yesterday’s over
Oh C’mon you, let’s go
Bridge
C’mon life aint gonna wait for you
Get back up – you can do
All you put your mind to
When you feel pain, see it through
Chorus (to fade)
So C’mon, you can do it
C’mon, this I know
C’mon, yesterday’s over
Oh C’mon you, let’s go (repeat to fade)
Moonlight Sky from Clarabelle’s Back Garden 24.07.13
I was listening to positive affirmations this morning by Louise Hay and one of the things she said really stuck with me, she said “give out that which you wish to receive”. Wow, I feel this is so true, the more beauty you give out to this Universe the more it will come back to you – like a boomerang that has picked up more goodness along the way. Here is a wee poem just about that, hopefully it will help you to think about what postive changes you want to make in your life. Lots of love to you today, Clarabelle.
You Get What You Give
You get what you give
So give a lot
You receive what you think
Look at what you’ve got
If you want to change all
You know what to do
Because Heart, mind and emotions
These feelings become true
Inspiration is all around
Up above and on the ground
In your heart and in the sun
Colourful flowers and kids having fun
Starry skies and oceans of blue
Walks in the park, all that you do
All that you think, all that you feel
Inspiration, can help you heal
Open your mind, body and soul
Inspiration will make you feel whole
The strangers on the street, have it too
The lonely kid, staring at their shoe
Awake in this moment, know that it’s there Inspiration is everywhere
Welcome to this month’s Guest Blogger post from Amy Rew. Amy is an inspiring business woman and wonderful friend of mine, she also has a special talent for writing poetry from the heart. I am sure you will agree her creative writing is indeed a beautiful work of art. Also, Happy Birthday today Amy, wishing you a beautiful day.
Amy Rew
Amy Rew has trained to Post Graduate level within the field of clinical hypnotherapy and psychotherapy. Amy is a member of the British Society Of Clinical Hypnotherapy.
Using a blend of clinical hypnotherapy, cognitive behaviour (CBT) and neuro linguistic programming (NLP) along with life coaching, Amy works with her clients to help focus motivation, increase confidence and generally optimise and unlock each individual’s personal potential.
Before training to become a hypnotherapist and life coach, Amy worked for over 10 years within the entertainment and fashion industry giving her great insight and experience into issues relating to confidence building, performance anxiety and self body image.
After working with a number of clients recently who wanted to overcome challenges that were essentially related to past experiences that had resulted in limiting belief patterns and self abandonment, Amy felt inspired to write the following poem along the lines of facing ones fears and realising that we are our own best friend.
Best Friend
I’ll stay with you now
I won’t leave your side
Nowhere to run
Nothing to hide
Catching the moment
Slowing down time
I’m all alone
These emotions are mine
Drying the river
Turning the tide
Breaking the chains
So these worlds can collide
As we hold on so tightly
To illusions gone by
But Live for today
With no worry or sigh
Stay with me now
Cause there’s nowhere to go
Play the best friend, lover or foe
Jester magician
With all tricks of the trade
Hold on to him tightly
till he starts to fade
Oh mirror mirror
what do you show
I see what I want
I don’t know if you know
Make an impression
lets make it the last
Tie to the sail
And stick to the mast
The question’s the answer
The start is the end
You won’t fool yourself
But it’s fun to pretend
Stay in your shoes
Don’t leave your canoe
Create the next step
You know you can choose
Like ships on the ocean
Thieves in the night
Silent and strong
Set sail for the light
Copyright Amy Rew, June 2013
A very special thank you to Amy for sharing this beautiful and touching poem with us, I am very grateful that we got to share in its magic. Love, Clarabelle
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 🙂
I was talking to one of my clients only last week about deliberate practice towards a desired goal that is in alignment with your core values. Today I came across this YouTube video by Dr Bill Crawford, I really love his work and what he stands for, I learn so much from him. Watch the video below, it really does make a lot of sense.
Wishing you a wonderful day today, love Clarabelle.
I am having a serious chat with myself today, I have the energy and enthusiasm to really move forward in life, to achieve all that I want to achieve, to embrace life and all its challenges and to breathe in the most beautiful view from the top of the highest mountain.
The conversation I am having with myself today is this:
“Out with the old and make room for the new“, this is a MUST for me, old everything is going, I have to make room for the new, it needs the space to thrive, it needs space to breathe and it needs me to create the space for it. This new energy will bring an abundance of everything I’ve ever wanted and I know NOW is the time to make room for it. I need to get out of my own way and just do it. This is serious stuff, this is MY LIFE, there is no going back, there is only right now and the dreams that I hold in my heart. I will make this change for myself, I will clear out ALL of the old and welcome the new with true love, open arms and a warm smile.
YOU
I sincerely challenge you today, to have a serious conversation with yourself:
What do you need to do?
What do you need to commit to?
What fears do you have to face that are holding you back?
Now is the time, this moment is all we have, DO IT FOR YOU, it’s your life GO GET IT!!
Wishing you a beautiful day today filled with committed action and inspiration that will live in your heart forever. Lots of love, Clarabelle
“Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired.” George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian
Loch Ness Marathon
I signed up for my third marathon a few weeks ago and I started my training this week. I am doing the Loch Ness Marathon, Inverness, Scotland, UK on Sunday, 29 September 2013. I previously completed the New York Marathon in 2007 and the London Marathon in 2010, both I found very challenging but also remarkably rewarding and fulfilling in terms of committing to a specific goal and achieving it. When I completed my first marathon it really did give me the belief that “anything IS possible”if you put your mind to it and do what you need to do everyday to get there. I am excited about doing the Loch Ness Marathon this year because I feel I am experienced enough now to totally relax and enjoy the whole experience, I know it will still be physically and mentally challenging but I am prepared for that. After I complete this third marathon I am going to give each of my marathon medals to my nephew Sean (9 years), niece Megan (6 years) and niece Carmen (1.5 years) – I want them to receive these medals in the hope that it will inspire them to believe in themselves and go out and achieve anything they want in their lives, so I really do need to get that third marathon medal!!
Reflecting
I have been reflecting a lot recently (well actually, I reflect all the time, so nothing new there really 🙂 ) I have been thinking about what really works for me in terms of achieving my own goals and below is a list of what works for me:
Firstly, I need to want to do something, I have to see the real benefit and purpose in doing it or I will not fully commit. My goal has to be meaningful to me and be in alignment with my core values. It also has to be my goal and definitely NOT someone else’s goal unless I am in fully alignment with their idea/goal.
Once I have decided that I want to do something, I then make a full commitment to doing it, without a real commitment there will be no real follow-through to the end, so I know I need to fully commit. Commitment to me is doing whatever it takes to get there, not in a unselfish or mean way, in a “I can do this” way.
Next I need to do some research into what I need to do to ‘make it happen’, I research into who has done it before, what the experts say, what do I need to know that will help me on my way.
Then I need to make a plan of action to ensure I commit to what needs to be done, this plan of action is a structural stepping stone for me, I have realised that if I have an easy and simple daily structure to follow I will do that – simple, visual diagrams and charts work best for me. I put the new learning into practice and tick off my daily achievements along the way – for me this definitely works!!
I also ensure I measure my progress along the way, What were things like at the start?, Where am I now in terms of progress? and How close am I getting to my desired goal?
I also like to celebrate my mini successes along the way, this is the fun part and I am also very mindful of “enjoying the journey” and having gratitudefor what I am progressing towards and achieving in my life.
Another important aspect of me achieving my goals is, in some way to inspire others to work towards and achieve their goals, “if I can do it, then YOU can do it“, that really is an important one for me.
Throughout the whole process I know I have to stay super focused to get to the end goal, I constantly visualise succeeding and celebrating my achievement. I am a highly visionary person, so I find this one quite easy, I imagine and picture in tiny details me achieving my goal, what I am wearing, who I am speaking to, how it feels, I visualise every specific detail of the end result. I 100% know this is one of the most important steps in helping me get there – it keeps the dream/goal alive inside of me, and gives me that “never give up” attitude.
I am a confident and determined individual and I know that from my past experiences anything I have put my mind to achieving I always have, I know I am a “High Say” “High Do”person and I set high standards for myself.
The above are just some things that I do towards achieving my goals, for you it may be slightly different or a lot different and I would love to hear, What works for you?
Whatever you do today, may it take you closer to your dreams and goals in life, YOU have the ability to achieve whatever YOU want to achieve, BELIEVE that, SEE that, YOU are the creator of your own reality…..GO NOW MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR YOU!!
Much love to you today, as always and thank you for reading this post, Clarabelle.
I have a lot of gratitude bursting inside of me right now, I know it was always there but I didn’t always show it. I know I am walking the path of gratitude, I am growing and becoming a better person every day but I want to continue to develop all of this in a natural and very genuine way, it must not be forced.
What a Feeling
Yesterday, I was with a client and he shared with me a “Mood Lift Chart”.….WOW, I just loved this. The chart scale goes from a score of minus 9 which represents a depressed mood to plus 9 which represents gratitude. When I looked at this chart I instantly smiled because I knew at that moment in time I was in a grateful mood, the top of the chart – what a feeling!!
I was filled with gratitude most of the day yesterday, I reached out to people I know, because I wanted to thank them for being in my life right now. I just know that those simple words of “thank you” meant so much to me and the person receiving them.
A simple thank you goes a long long way, who do you want to thank today for being in your life right now? Go on, reach out to them, say those beautiful words with meaning and purpose and you will be camping at the top of the “Mood Lift Chart”.
Thank you, thank you, thank YOU for reading this blog post, thank you, thank you, thank you for your support, encouragement and comments. Thank YOU.
Every month I shall be posting a poem/article from a guest blogger. If you are interested in becoming a guest blogger on this blog, please note your interest on the comments section below or email me at claire@murraypeople.com
May I introduce you to a very talented inspirational writer, Aviral Kulshreshtha from India. Aviral writes with passion, enthusiasm and pure positivity, I know you will be inspired by his writings.
Aviral loves acting and it is his passion and he always trys to learn the lessons of Life. Aviral says, “I want to be an entrepreneur and would one day make an impact on the world.” You can find out more about Aviral’s professional background by going over to his About Me page on his wonderful blog cherrypositive.
Aviral Kulshreshtha
Following your passion
When we were kids, we used to enjoy every moment of our life. We were surrounded by ecstatic group, the group we were proud of and used to flaunt about with our family. We had no goal, no tensions, no work pressure apart from school homework and we never considered our life seriously. We weren’t serious about it. Those were halcyon days of our life.
Still we were passionate, energetic and full of motivation.
Where did we get the motivation from? What was the motivational factor? Who injected inspiration in us? What made us smile?
You guessed it right.
Friends!
Friends and friendship was our passion.
We developed and weaved beautiful dreams in our mind like weaving colourful sweaters.
As we grew older and got to know about life and relationships, got to know about priorities and our life got diverted from personal life to the professional life. As priorities changed, our goals changed and it changed the source of motivation.
Guess what?
Our dreams got shattered like ruptured glass and we adopted the scenario which later changed our motivation and passion. When passion and motivation fade, confidence drops and seeds of frustration burst over.
Result is crystal clear. Depression crops up and we ruin our precious life.
Follow your passion midst reaction.
We must never ever end up our passion. Passion makes us. It gives intense happiness which no one can ever provide you. Rebuild your motivational factor and prepare goal. Get inspired from leaders who changed the world. Ignite the passion within you.
If you love singing or dancing, join some institution or organization where you can strengthen and prosper your talent.
Search out what makes you happy. Scratch the factor and do what you love to do.
Rebuild your passion and make a way to achieve it. It not only blossoms you but also nurtures the society.
If you would like to check out Aviral’s blog, then please head over to cherrypositive for some more daily inspiration, you’ll be so glad you did.
Thank you Aviral for this wonderful post, Clarabelle.
“Out with the old and in with the new”, that’s my current mode of thinking at the moment. I’m mainly referring to the refurbishments I am getting done in my home right now, both inside and outside the house and I feel that is a true mirror reflection of what is going on inside of me also. Leading up to these home refurbishments I had been strongly visualising for a while what I specifically needed and wanted done i.e. whole house painted in white, new red sofa, new wall paintings,outside garden to be looking great, trees felled, hedges trimmed back, be gone with the old shed….basically a full makeover with lots of love, care and attention given to the tasks at hand.
Inside of Me
I feel that work didn’t properly happen until I worked on the inside of me first and I have been on a major self-improvement plan, really quite seriously since October 2011. I have been doing lots and lots of things to make me a better me and I can honestly say I am feeling the best I have ever felt since probably 2007. I sorted myself out, put my health and wellbeing at the forefront, focused on my learning and development and went to work every day on me. It wasn’t an easy job, some days I had to force and push myself to take action, but I did it….I am doing it and I becoming the person I want to be. I feel an abundance of positive energy flowing through me, there is sunlight beaming from my heart and soul and it is now penetrating into everything I do. An abundance of opportunities are unfolding in front of my eyes and my self-belief has soared to the greatest of heights. My confidence in me and my capabilities is second to none and because I have raised my standards I am getting better results for me.
So why am I sharing this with you?
Well, as I have personally experienced and as we all know, life is not always a bouquet of roses and set backs come our way, we lose faith and hope in ourselves and humanity and we struggle to get out of the gutter. Our minds are saturated with the pain of negative thoughts and our heart feels abandoned. If you are reading this part and you can relate to it right now, believe this….positive change for YOU is on its way and I encourage you to take the first baby step towards freeing yourself from the quicksand. It might be even something simple like making a phone call, speaking to a friend, or like me, expressing your thoughts in poetry. You will have your own unique way that works for you, but you need to “start with the end in mind”, right now, visualise the positive change you want to see happen for yourself and combine that with deliberate personal action.
Inner Spirit
Yesterday has gone, it’s not coming back, do one thing today that will make a difference to your tomorrow, maybe even your now. What will that be for you? Your body, mind, heart and soul is always connected to your inner spirit, dust away the cobwebs, breath in the fresh air and let your inner light guide you on a path that will not only change yourself for the better but will inspire other hearts along the way.
By reading this, you already have the energy of my love igniting your heart……I do hope that’s a nice thought for you and that you will keep the fire burning.
I love inspirational and motivational quotes, they are often full of long lasting wisdom. This next quote was created by me in the midst of “creative flow”, I want you to really think about its message and what it means to you.
Clarabelle 