GIVING UNCONDITIONALLY

A topic discussed a lot .. But still isn’t there so much more for us to give.?

Not one of us can turn around and say we cannot give or we do not have anything to give .. we all something to give.

Over the years, I thought just giving to the blind school, or the sisters of the poor and any other organisation was a lot I was doing. But that according to me is just giving materialistically.

Yes, If one can give, then giving financial aid is absolutely wonderful and a must too.

But there is so much more we can give. We can give and share our time,  some love, a little kindness, compassion…Sometimes just being there and listening to someone who needs it is the biggest thing we can give.

Instead of spending so much time on our phones, let’s look up at people and see what’s happening around us. Does someone need your seat? Does one need a helping hand? Maybe one just needs a Smile.

It’s this Compassion and Kindness which can go a long way. This is giving ..

“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of  yourself that you truly give.”

Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

There is a lot of construction going on around my home in Bangalore ( the noise is deafening )

I have been so upset and angry sometimes  .. I have gone and spoken to them many a time – but these people are just doing their job. Taking orders from whoever gives it to them.

Over the last few months, I have noticed that they work come rain or shine! Looking at them working in the rain, completely drenched and their little kids freezing in the rain my heart broke.

Next day I went and bought 30 blankets and went personally and handed them over to these people. The Smiles on their faces!!

Now that I thought and truly felt was giving.

They say that people give for themselves or for others. Did I do this materialistic giving for myself?

Maybe .. but I did not have an ulterior motive. Honestly, I never thought I would write about this and share it with you’ll. Just looking at them freezing and cold .. my heart melted and I got the blankets.

So what is giving for yourself vs giving for others.? I think anyone who gives with an ulterior motive is obviously doing it for themselves.

To get some fame, name .. to talk about it and feel good about themselves. Do I feel good when I give? Yes .. of course. But I also love giving.

“Help others without any reason and give without the expectation of receiving anything in return.”

 Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

I think we just need to have a little more awareness on what is happening in front of us.

We do not all need to run only to the big foundations – Let’s help these people who are working with us, around us too. Let’s give and share with one and all.

Twin hearts meditation has taught me that just sending out loving-kindness to the Universe is a great way to share.

So just thinking and sending out loving-kindness to people is such a wonderful way to give unconditionally.

What are the ways that You give and share? I would love to hear from you .. after all we all learn something new every day.

What is the difference between hearing and listening?

What is the difference between hearing and listening?

Here are the dictionary and mine ..

HEAR – “perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone or something) “ .

I feel like you can hear the birds, the waves, the cars honking, someone talking, music playing, etc.

LISTEN – “ give one’s attention to a sound.” Yes, when you give attention, that is listening.

Over the weekend I was at a workshop, and we learned, had breakthroughs, heard and listened to a lot. An AHA moment for me was when we began to discuss Listening. Does one need to go to a workshop to understand listening? Yes, I think so 🙂

During the lunch break, I was talking to my husband and shared with him learnings from the morning.

I feel one can listen from your head ( mind ) and one can listen from the heart!

Do you know the difference?

I realized that often when I am listening, I am already in my mind preparing what I am going to say to the person. What advice I feel the person needs! What needs to be done ..etc.etc.

And, when I listen from my heart – I am listening. Taking in and understanding what the person is saying, feeling .. There truly is a big difference. To listen from your heart is when You are totally present and right there for the person. You are in the ‘ Now ‘

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Stephen R. Covey

As I sat back and thought about it I actually tried to honestly contemplate – How much was I truly listening and how much did I hear?

There are many benefits of listening.

Listening creates better relationships because it shows the other person that we are paying attention to them, their feelings, their thoughts, where they are and what is really happening.

It makes you more patient. It helps you build trust among everyone around You. It makes you more approachable .. more compassionate too.

The one thing I want to share is the few things we can do to listen better.

Look at the person .. look at their eyes. What are they saying? Don’t look at your phone and read your messages ( or this blog ) while someone is trying to talk to You.

Don’t judge the person, let them feel and share their feelings. Be open and attentive to them.

Please do not try and find solutions for them while they are talking. Sometimes people just want to share and not be given solutions. Unless asked for, I would suggest, Please do not give any advice… just an empathetic ear.

“Sometimes all a person wants is an empathetic ear; all he or she needs is to talk it out. Just offering a listening ear and an understanding heart for his or her suffering can be a big comfort.”

―Roy T. Bennett

So here I am ..offering You an empathetic ear.

What would You like to share?

What is the difference between hearing and listening?

What is the difference between hearing and listening?

Here is the dictionary and mine ..

HEAR – “perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone or something) “ .

I feel, like you can hear the birds, the waves, the cars honking, someone talking, music playing etc.

LISTEN – “ give one’s attention to a sound.” Yes, when you give attention, that is listening.

Over the weekend I was at a workshop, and we learned, had breakthroughs, heard and listened to a lot. An AHA moment for me was when we began to discuss Listening. Does one need to go to a workshop to understand listening? Yes, I think so 🙂

During the lunch break, I was talking to my husband and shared with him learnings from the morning.

I feel one can listen from your head ( mind ) and one can listen from the heart!

Do you know the difference?

I realized that often when I am listening, I am already in my mind preparing what I am going to say to the person. What advice I feel the person needs! What needs to be done ..etc.etc.

And, when I listen from my heart – I am listening. Taking in and understanding what the person is saying, feeling .. There truly is a big difference. To listen from your heart is when You are totally present and right there for the person. You are in the ‘ Now ‘

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Stephen R. Covey

As I sat back and thought about it I actually tried to honestly contemplate – How much was I truly listening and how much did I hear?

There are many benefits of listening.

Listening creates better relationships because it shows the other person that we are paying attention to them, their feelings, their thoughts, where they are and what is really happening.

It makes you more patient. It helps you build trust among everyone around You. It makes you more approachable .. more compassionate too.

The one thing I want to share is the few things we can do to listen better.

Look at the person .. look at their eyes. What are they saying? Don’t look at your phone and read your messages ( or this blog ) while someone is trying to talk to You.

Don’t judge the person, let them feel and share their feelings. Be open and attentive to them.

Please do not try and find solutions for them while they are talking. Sometimes people just want to share and not be given solutions. Unless asked for, I would suggest, Please do not give any advice… just an empathetic ear.

“Sometimes all a person wants is an empathetic ear; all he or she needs is to talk it out. Just offering a listening ear and an understanding heart for his or her suffering can be a big comfort.”

―Roy T. Bennett

So here I am ..offering You an empathetic ear.

What would You like to share?

Young at heart| Anjana Shamballa Life coach in Bangalore

Youth –  the time in our lives between childhood and adulthood. When we felt we had a lot of energy, we looked and felt fresh and energetic.

Young at heart is any of us still holds on to that feeling, that look, that behavior through our adulthood too.

For example, in spite of being grandmothers, I have some friends who are still youthful and always living life and having fun, we go to fairs and laugh and giggle. The dictionary explains it as “Having a youthful outlook, especially in spite of one’s age. For example, she loves carnivals and fairs; she’s a grandmother but she’s young at heart”

Personally, I like to live “Young”.. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I have 2 Adult children.

I absolutely love spending time with all the children and that truly brings out the child in me, even now.

“The happiest adults are those who never buried old toys or abandoned imaginary friends.” – Richelle E. Goodrich

On my birthday this year I got presented a Big Unicorn by my children 🥳 It is in my bedroom and I absolutely love it.

Now not all of us have to collect stuffed toys to be and feel young  🤩- there are many simpler ways too.

-Spend time with younger and more positive people. Avoid being around grumpy people too much.

-Laugh a lot .. laugh at yourself too and appreciate the positive side of life.

-Take time to feel pretty for yourself

-Spend at least 20-30 minutes exercising daily

-Grab a cup of coffee with your best friend and have a fun chit chat.

-Watch the new tv shows .. Listen to new music.

-Never believe you are too old to do anything

-Be spontaneous in life

-It’s ok to have a little chocolate or a glass of wine 😉

-Check out what’s happening on social media

I will end this with a wonderful quote by George Burns :

“ You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old “

So live happy, live young. You are only as old as you believe you are. Age is just a number. So decide which number You want to be.

Source: Anjana Shamballa Life coach in Bangalore

N – NATURE NURTURES | Anjana Shamballa Life Coach in bangalore

Recently while I was on a break, I sat and wrote about how Nature really nurtured my soul.

Listening to the trees rustle, sound of the sea, taste of the salt, colours you see.. . As I wrote this I realized that all my senses were being tickled. Life just slowed down.

What a wonderful calming and peaceful space. So grounding and just being able to connect to yourself. So therefore, I was in a completely different space, I felt.

Nature lifts me. It could be the mountains, the hills, my garden, the sea .. anything away from the city life, I guess.

All my FB and Instagram Anjana Shamballa profile followers will know how many photographs of flowers and sunsets I share. I just cannot help it. They truly bring a smile to my heart.

Last year I had a lot of health issues. I went to the mountains and spent a few weeks at my Sisters home. Definitely, something I will never forget, as my recuperation was just incredible. Looking at the hills, mountains, trees, birds, animals, stunning sunsets just changed my energy completely.

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy amidst the simple beauty of nature. …I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.  Anne Frank

Honestly, none of us can always be on holiday. What can or what should we do to feel this way more often? I want to feel and experience this more often.  How do I  create this for myself in my home?

Each of us is nurtured by something different. Some need the mountains and some the sea. One may need sun and the other snow or cold.

What are the sounds that you enjoy? The sea, rain, stream, birds chirping, animals, waterfall …

What steps can we take to create what we want? To live in that wonderful space? To keep experiencing our “ nature haven”?

I sometimes just remove my shoes and walk barefoot on the grass – this is just a most wonderful feeling and very grounding too.

SIMPLE FUN STEPS

Find some photographs or a poster of the landscape that lifts you. And place it somewhere that You notice it daily.

All the sounds, music, birds chirping etc. are available online. Just get on and find the one that suits your mood.

Add some pine cones or seashells or colours that lift you.

Get some plants and flowers into your space. It really helps. 🙂 And if you cannot, the no. of good quality artificial plants available is amazing too.

I, in my office bathroom ( haha ), have tiles which really lift me too. Here’s a photo.

Take a deep breath and inhale. Think of the place You want to be in now. Remember the way you felt or you would like to feel there. Exhale and feel that feeling.

Feel it, Breathe it , Create it, Visualise it and Live it.

Our minds are very powerful. So certainly use it to your advantage by visualising what you want to feel.  Once you do that you can believe it and feel it too.

Enjoy spending your beautiful moments in Nature. Cherish it.

God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls. -Mother Teresa

Source: https://www.anjanashamballa.com/n-nature-nurtures/

Mirror Blog by Anjana Shamballa Life Coach in Bangalore

Have you tried mirror work?

Can you say I Love You to yourself?

All those who work with me know for sure that I absolutely love using mirror work with my clients and in my workshops.

As I Anjana Shamballa a Life Coach started on my journey of self-exploration many years ago I read Louise Hay’s Mirror workbook. Oh how difficult could this be, I thought to myself.

But do you realize that one of the things most people find very difficult is praising themselves? And now imagine if I ask you to say “ I love you” to yourself while looking into a small mirror. Many clients have cried as they have never expressed anything like this to themselves before.

At one of my workshops of “Loving yourself,” a client said that she could not do this exercise of saying ‘ I love You’ to herself. Because said felt that it was more important to be able to say I love you to her family first. But I really do feel that if you do not know how to love yourself, how can you love anyone else? You must know and experience love and positivity to be able to share it too.

Mirror work is definitely one of the most powerful ways to work towards Self-love.

Normally I ask my clients to start with one affirmation ( which we personalise together ).

Look into the mirror and start affirming to yourself daily. For example, You decide to say “ I am healthy “ as your affirmation and all through the day you just keep chanting I am healthy.This could just become something in the background which is getting no real attention from You.  On the other hand, You look into a mirror and say to yourself while looking into your eyes, I am healthy. The impact is very different. And if you can add your name to the affirmation, it can become even more powereful.

When you use a mirror to work with an affirmation or just talk positively, you become more aware of what you are saying, what you are resisting. A lot of people I have worked with find looking into a mirror and talking to themselves very difficult. Yes, initially it is. But many things we start initially are difficult. Then it just becomes easier with practice.

Once you plant the seed and start doing this regularly, You can see and feel the difference soon. When you talk positively to yourself and start giving yourself positive messages, it changes the way you look and feel about yourself too.

M-mirrorHOW CAN I TRY MIRROR WORK?

I feel you should start mirror work by a simple “ I love you “ or a specific affirmation for yourself.

This I tell my clients you should look into a mirror and say to yourself 21 times daily. ( Honestly how long can it take ? ) And the important thing is to do this for at least 21 days.

Having the discipline to do it for 21 days will plant the seeds and start the growth of a new habit.

And as Louise Hay always taught us .. every time you pass a mirror give yourself a bit of a pep….. ‘ Looking good’ , ‘ Hey there Gorgeous’

Every time something good happens in your life,  go to the mirror and say Thank you to yourself and give yourself a pat on the back.

And if something happens that You are not happy with,’Its ok, this too shall pass .. I love You’

You decide what you want to say. Use positive words to lift yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Some Powerful affirmations by Louise Hay which  you can start with ( or contact me so we can make one specifically for You )

“ I deserve to live a good life and I begin now “

“ I am in perfect health “

“ Every experience I have is perfect for my growth “

I must admit I do look into the mirror and smile at myself and then just give myself a wink 😉

I have many affirmations stuck on mirrors all over my home. Every time I see it, I smile and affirm to myself positively.

Make your mirror your pal who you talk to ..and not just to see how you are looking physically.

Enjoy your time with yourself.

laughter best medicine for Depression treatment for a better life

Seriously .. do we need a blog on laughter?

Why? Don’t we all know that laughter is the best medicine and good for Depression treatment??

If this is true, then why are we not laughing more in life? Why are we looking for laughter therapy, laughter yoga, laughter workshops?

Where has laughter disappeared?

Have you seen children laugh? Have you heard them laugh? How does it make you feel?

I immediately start smiling or laughing when I see kids laughing. My heart just feels full.

Honestly, how often do you laugh? Daily, weekly?

What makes you laugh? Who makes you laugh?

I must share something fun we do as a Family. We sit with the kids and put on Youtube videos of Babies laughing ( or doing silly cute things ) .. this drives my husband into splits, followed by another one giggling at him and another laughing..  and what follows is all of us laughing together. It is one of the funniest sights to see .. who is laughing at what and who no one knows.

After all, laughter is contagious right?

“ There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor “

- Charles Dickens

We share with others when we are upset, angry, have anxiety, excited... But when is the last time we shared our laughter.

At one of my workshops, I took everyone into the garden. I started laughing and told them to try it too. First, they looked at me like I was nuts but eventually all ( but one ) started laughing.

Why was it difficult for one person? Because she felt she needed a reason to laugh .. not just laugh for the sake of it. Now I think differently ..I feel Life is living and loving and laughing and being.

Laughing is something which anyone at any age can do.

I often hear people say I just don’t know how to laugh anymore.

Let me share a few simple things you can incorporate into your life to lighten it and laugh a bit more.

• A smile is as contagious as laughter. So just smile more .. smile at the trees, the birds, the buildings, because you are here, at someone walking by .. anyone and anything. Just smile 😊
• When you hear people laughing, move towards that. People love sharing funny stories and love the reaction and attention they get when sharing these too.
• Basically, this means that try and spend more time with fun, playful people. Laughter lightens our moods.
• Every day or week ask someone “ What's the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?” This makes one think and smile as they and You recount all the fun things that have happened.
• Get on YouTube and watch funny videos .. there are so many of them. Or read fun stuff more often.

There are so many ways to laugh more. Find the one that works best for you.

Who do you feel in your life always makes you laugh or feel light? Spend more time with them.

Just a few benefits of Laughter - ( But do we need to know the benefits to laugh )

• Laughter can make your relationships stronger &  help resolve disagreements and tension.
• Laughter helps you relax and destress.
• Laughter helps in Depression treatment and improve for daily lifestyle.
• Laughter burns calories. ( ok a few but it still does )
• Laughter boosts your immunity.
• Laughter releases endorphins...

“ Laughter is and always will be the best therapy “

Make a pact with yourself for at least a week that you will laugh daily. "I will have a good laugh".

See how you feel. Any shifts? Any difference in any way?

I would love to hear what you feel helps you. Who helps?

Do share your thoughts and comments and SMILE 😊

Life is about living and laughing and sharing so let's share something funny that could help others laugh too 😁

Source: Anjana Shamballa  Blog laughter