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Showing posts from May, 2015

Life is a collection of decisions

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Do you love what you feel? Chaka Khan I often think that life is not just a collection of moments, but decisions. Decisions to leave. Decisions to stay. Decisions to hide. Decisions to shine. Decisions to wait. Decisions to try again. Trust me when I say that owning my choices has completely changed my life. I, like many of you, have been through the wringer of life school. I’ve been hurt and healed and have come back for more because of who I am on the other side. As I evolve, my choices do too. Instead of feeling sad for myself for decisions I made years ago when I was a different person, I see every choice (past or present) as a part of a whole; that is, a divine step on my staircase to my castle in the air. When it comes to our influence, taking personal responsibility for how we want to feel and then  acting as empowered creators of this   feeling  into our everyday life is a treasured gift to ourselves, our families, and our world.  We tap into a collective lov

I knew you were waiting for me

When the river was deep I didn't falter When the mountain was high I still believed When the valley was low it didn't stop me, no no I knew you were waiting. I knew you were waiting for me Aretha Franklyn (the queen!) What's waiting for you on the other side of the mountain and the river? There was a celebration after my Biting off the Apple NYC Book Tour- this was one of  the theme songs! "I knew you were waiting for me featuring Aretha Franlyn  Waiting for me on the other side was a fulfilled dream, lovely people, support beyond measure and best best best of all, me feeling like I am enough! feeling and embracing my own awesome self! I say this today to let you know to start it, whatever "it" is! Start and learn as you go! everything is of use!  and share some of the lessons on the journey, I would love to hear from you! According to Aretha "when I think of all those disappointments, I just laugh, I just laugh" Peace! Heading off

Are you alone in your castle of glory?

Live a whole life .Work can be an important part of our lives, but we should never let it be how we define ourselves. Putting all your energy and resources into your work may feed your ego, but if you’re relationships are falling apart, your health neglected and your spiritual life ignored, you could end up sitting alone in your castle of glory.   That jewellery you like to make The painting you sit with for hours The race you like to run The tennis you like to play The thing that you will do for free, that thing, that is why Why are you here? To create To live a life that contributes to the joy that is inside of you Your joy Because when you do what brings you joy, you serve the world. You contribute to the creation of the world’s joy, you contribute to the light Your gifts are the gateway to your greatness And all of us matter, We live from a place of littleness. Do not be content with littleness Why am I really here? Why ar

There's more to life than making yourself small to make other people feel comfortable

until you stop apologizing for what you want and own it, it can't be yours. You'll be letting someone else run your life. And while that can seem safe and comfortable, we both know there is more in life than pleasing other people. There's more to life than making yourself small to make other people feel comfortable.  Iyanla What do you want? Is it a different job, a healthier relationship, a house on the beach, a trip around the world? to open your own business? What exactly do you want? Do you have a vision for it? Do you see it, smell it, taste it? Does it burn a fire inside you? So what are you doing to realize these dreams? Are you putting in the work or are you putting it off because of the excuses you have made? Are you heading towards it but making apologies for it because of fear and upsetting other folks? Own it, make no apologies for realizing your heart's desires! Once it is with a good intention, things line up! I am not saying it is easy street, I

What are you trying to tell me?

You are not being punished; you are being prepared.    Prepared for more love. Prepared for more impact. Prepared to inspire change in others. Prepared for more awareness. Prepared for your dreams . Mastin Kipp Everything has use! Everything! One of my best ever lessons on the journey!  The ups and the downs, especially the downs! Humans love to avoid pain and enhance pleasure but somehow most of the changes in our lives come from when we encounter some sort of difficult situations, some sort of pain or trauma. Many times because we have been ignoring the signs and prefer to avoid pain or hold on! Your feelings are there for a reason, it is a sign post, it is usually a call to action to make a decision. Fear paralyses us!  And the thing about acknowledging the feelings is that they come to pass, feel it and then its gone, and the next time you are in a situation you recognize it and say hey, I know you, and you do not ignore it until crisis hits. When you ign

On the road again

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We need never fear an honest approach to life. We need only fear our own resistance to true honesty, authenticity and faith in what love can do . Marianne Williamson The Brooklyn Fan Club Luncheon hosted me at a luncheon yesterday, I must say it was one of my most fun times since promoting the book! The love was evident! The ladies, it seemed, brought extra love in the house! The event happened in one of the ladies' back garden, the food was cooked with love, the place was buzzing! I felt right at home! And the lesson is what you give out you get back! So grateful to June and Kerlean for inviting me! These ladies, having never met me, read and discussed the book and decided to invite me to their house! As the Universe works, one of the ladies was from Trinidad, my home country, and as they say the rest is history. NYC was a blast, I am getting ready to hit the road again, holla at ya on the other side! Peace!!

It lines up

Preparing the heart – unplug and ask Ask –What do I need? What’s in my way? What needs to go? The biting of the big apple continues. I signed up to do a workshop called "The Gift Of Your Divine Storm" on Friday evening. True to form I didn't ask any questions I just said yes to going as it was right up my alley and being conducted by Mastin Kipp. I read a lot of his stuff and his work resonates with me as his mantra is to be self- approved and love yourself!  When I got the details, the instructions were clear, we would be Kundalani yoga and meditation and then onto the workshop! I had some reservations, yoga? for real? Before a workshop? During the day I had to be at the bank doing business stuff around my books, setting up accounts and all that fancy stuff, that took forever and I was running super late, then I remembered Eckart Tolle - make a friend with the present, don't fight it, you are late and accept that, I did and it calmed me down

Left it on the train

May we also trust that, even when we feel like we should be further along than we are on project x, y or z, we’re right where we should be. There’s a lot that has to happen for something to happen that we can’t see. May we trust that it’s all happening, just as it should . Kate Northrup I hopped on the subway with my big bag and my bigger banner! the banner traveled with me from Trinidad on the plane and made it to NYC! I had to be at the book store for my reading and signing at 5pm! I had a long conversation with myself - "self, don't lose this banner ok?" The journey was scheduled to take an hour with me changing trains a couple of times! The train was over crowded, there were delays on the line and they asked people to have patience, I was taking up a lot of room with my bag and banner and people had a few "kind" words for me! I managed to change the first train and got on the second one! As I entered the bookstore to start my gig I realised that I had

Showing up

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“Hello, sun in my face. Hello you who made the morning and spread it over the fields…Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness.” ~ Mary Oliver This morning I woke up and had second thoughts about going to run! The pillows and bed were stacked up and feeling fine, outside the weather was conducive to lying in bed! Then the phone rang and I answered to discuss the day's event (today I am at the La Casa Azul Book store in East Harlem) the phone call was a sign to get up! Yesterday at dinner we were talking about where would be nice to run! I was told that Prospect Park would be ideal and it is in walking distance. I got up and headed towards the park, beautiful spot, there were people running, walking, cycling, doing yoga! In the middle somewhere I bumped into a lake and got lost, a group of runners approached me and one of the guys said join us its a circuit! Turns out that he was a personal trainer with a group running the park! Was so worth it to wake up and

This is a process

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This is a process, not an event, it will take time- Dr. Christianne Northrup I love to visit NYC. I feel like there is always possibility in the air! I feel like opportunities are waiting to be realized with work and self belief! I like the freedom of walking the streets, the buzz downtown, the bookstores, the choice! I can safely say it is one of my favourite places to visit.  Today I stood on the 31st floor of the City University of New York and looked out at the Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty, the Pier. What an amazing place to have a University! I gave thanks for the opportunity to be there. It immediately pulled me out of my own head! Yea I was living in my head this morning, with all the other tenants! I smiled at myself and moved back into the real world! And this is where I will be for the rest of the week, present and grateful! What's the alternative?  Peace!  

You will make mistakes

Any voice that you have that attacks you in any way is not your highest self – Elizabeth Gilbert My phone rang, I did not notice the number, I answered and a woman identified herself as one who purchased my book last week that she didn't know me personally, she went on to say that she found numerous typos and my grammar was poor. She then asked if this is the final copy and would I be able to pull it from the shelves  and reprint.  She went on to say that she was a school teacher who was planning to write a book and do some other passion projects when she has decided which one is best. I told her , I was unable to pull it off the shelf and so be it, thank you for the feedback! She seemed shocked and appalled!  I sat down after the call, admittedly feeling like crap! I went over in my head, I had 3 editors, 3 do overs and  still there were mistakes! Wow! What could I have done differently? How did I miss them? Then it hit me! We are human, humans make mistakes, humans

Are you going to answer the call?

You can answer the call or you can refuse the call? And the call begins with the question, what are you put on this earth for? Elizabeth Gilbert People construct their lives around two responses: thinking and doing. They think about things, and they do things; think about things and do things; think about things and do things. And what they do depends on what they think. It’s what people believe that creates their behavior Many people would rather die for their beliefs—or kill others—than change them. It doesn't matter whether the beliefs themselves are functional. It doesn't matter whether they are making people happy and producing a better life. Some people would rather be unhappy doing what they believe, than happy doing something else. Do you want to be right? or do you want to be happy? Peace! I'm off to New York City for the next few days, taking a bite off the apple on the journey, I'm scheduled to appear at three events, really excited about s

What is the intention behind it?

Sometimes I need only stand where I am to be blessed - Mary Oliver (absolutely awesome poet!) The whole concept of wanting more can be tricky, there is such a thin line in it being ambition or ambitious or as I like to call it "not enoughness" feeling like who are are is not enough and the need to get more to prove to yourself and the world that you are enough, you have made it or that you are important.I have learnt that the intention behind the wanting is key! What is the intention of wanting and needing "the more" that we strive for? Is it to fit in? Is it to feel better about ourselves? Is it to bring you joy? Is it because it is the latest in thing? Is it to feel important? Sit with that for a minute! On my own journey I have come face to face with the whole concept of wanting more because of living up to the dictates of society and also to prove that I made it, was important and was doing the right thing, now, I know, being here. every day. taking

Create your own world!

May we share our stories of glory with glee. May we recount our revelations with rapture instead of regret. May we spread our joy without apology. May we let others in on what’s amazing in our lives without turning down the volume. May we choose our velocity and brightness based on what feels best to us, rather than what makes those around us feel comfortable. Kate Northrup Yesterday I  had the opportunity to spend some time with some awesomely magnificent women! We were chatting and one of them said "I create my own world" That was an AHA moment for me! Create our own world, choose who, what, where and mostly how we respond to the world, the response is the choice because many things we cannot control but we can control our response to people and their events and we can certainly love from afar!  So what world are you creating? Peace Akosua

Who's zoomin who?

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You thought I'd be naive and tame But I beat you at your own game Guess you believed the world Played by your rules Here stands an experienced girl I ain't nobody's fool, bump you Who's zoomin' who? Aretha Frankin (The Queen of Soul) I love Eckhart Tolle and Micheal Singer's work, they talk about the "voice in your head" that goes on and on and sometimes we find ourselves arguing or at war with the voice but even more funny we haven't decided who we are in the conversation and sometimes we switch to be the "good cop" or the "bad cop" depending on the situation or the circumstance.  Have you ever had that self talk conversation? I have it when I am faced with decisions on eating way too much chocolate, then the whole family in my head comes out! The trick I learnt , is to still the mind! Meditation and  yoga for me works wonders and then I get to face the day, the decision, everything without the "ole noise" anyw

Ask yourself this...

·            Your dreams are waiting for you to come through Micheal Beckwith (love this guy!)        Take some time to explore these questions on your own journey..... What shall I now release from my life? What or who no longer works for me? ... What am I holding on to that holds me back? What thoughts or beliefs belong to the old me? How am I being unloving to myself? Am I ready to let go? What do I believe that really works for me? What is going on in my life that is terrific and wonderful? Where am I being very loving to myself? Where am I most content?  Let me acknowledge myself for all the growth and change. What do I want to bring to my life? What do I want to create? How do I want the next year to be? Who do I want to bring into my world? How do I want to look? What image do I want to project? How healthy do I want to be? How prosperous do I want to feel? How much love am I willing to experience? What kind of world do I want to live in? Where do I want my sp

Morning Prime

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No work of love will flourish out of guilt, fear, or hollowness of heart, just as no valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now . Alan Watts, author This morning at 8am I will be appearing on the Morning Prime Programme on Channel 4. Pretty excited about it as it represents another opportunity to share lessons on the journey! Everyday I am reminded that I have a choice on how to show up in the world and today I get the opportunity again to show that, which is pretty awesome! We all get the choice daily, do you have a default way in which you show up or do you choose how? Makes quite a bit of difference I have learnt! Show up and shine Heading on air now so laters..... Peace!

Your mind does it....

Life doesn't play tricks on you, your mind does Iyanla Woke up this morning and saw a message "My pleasure to introduce Akosua's lively energetic blog as Featured Blog Of The Week" That was a wow moment! ipersuade is a self-help blog, gives tips on Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Verbal, Non verbal Communication skills, Presentation Delivery tips, and Personal Effectiveness tools, to build harmonious human-human relationships and to lead a sustainable life. And the thing I would say about this is firstly thank you so very much Sridhar, then I would add that persistence and self belief trumps all. This week there were many moments where I had to dig deep due to both my negative self talk and other people's opinion about what I should and should not be doing, and  whether I need to be more aggressive and stop being so shy if I want to "make it" and many other comments which I accept as feedback to process and learn from. Somehow people feel the nee

Life Loves Me

May I not be blind today to the awesomeness of life - Marianne Williamson Life loves me- this simple affirmation was given to me two weeks after I arrived in Manchester to live. I took it, said thank you and didn't think much of it at all. "Write it down, still it up in your dorm room." At the time I was living in student housing on campus with my room mate Sue from Malaysia. (Teachers come in so many different forms) I did it, I stuck it up on the door and everyday as I left the room to head to University I would say it out loud, "Life Loves Me" For one year, I passed that door and said "Life Loves me" no matter what the situation was and I started really really believing it. This morning as I sat writing what I was grateful for today I stopped and said wow life loves me, and I laughed because I haven't said that for a long time having moved on from Manchester and did not stick it up on any walls around me. I didn't know where it came f

For all things good..

Confessions on the journey.... I had a huge feeling of disappointment yesterday. Why? Because my mighty crew, the angels that surround me came out to help me to make my book signing event happen in full force and I believed that I wasted their time because the turnout I was anticipating and expecting was  much lower. I must admit I cried about it, I so did not want them to believe that they wasted their time, so that pity party lasted a couple of hours and then I regrouped because yup, its all good..... and ..... I love them and grateful to them and will always remember yesterday and.... I now know I dedicate my work today to the furtherance of ALL THINGS GOOD Whether I am paid or not, whether I am working out in the world or planting  my own garden, I dedicate whatever I am doing today to the uplifting of all things. May the activity of my mind and the work of my hands by of service to the healing of the world. Today I remember that there is only one work: to be who I am capa

The Universe uses everything

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"Until you love yourself, you will never know who you really are and you won’t know what you’re really capable of" —Louise Hay Excerpt from Nyabo (Madam) - Why are you Here? “I have been busy trying to get away from stuff. I know now that it’s better face the music. I guarantee you, the Universe wastes nothing! Every hurt, every harm, every bankruptcy, every abortion, every divorce, every job loss, everything that you could possibly imagine, everything individually and collectively, has a place and it’s place [is] for you to stand on and stand in, that will transform you and your way of thinking. A lot of times we can’t get the juice flowing in our lives because we are judging how we misused the opportunity or situation, or judging how we messed it up or judging something about what has happened. It is our judgments that keeps us away from our power not what the situation or what happened in our lives. It’s the narrative of lack, of hindrance, of limitati

Why are you here?

Owning our story and loving ourselves to that process is the bravest thing  that we will ever do Brene Brown The book is launched yayy!! Every single thing the Universe uses, every thing!! I am happy and grateful, there are people who I can depend on for anything - friends! I can call on the Divine Creator at any time and that is HUGE! Demonstrated again by yesterday! This is what I want to share with you, some  excerpts   from my talk yesterday: Each and everyone of us born here in this world have a reason to be here, we are all born with the ability to create. We have a reason to be here and it aint just work. None of us are random! Why are you here? There is a song to be written A song to be song A poem to be written and spoken A cake to be made A bake to be made Why are you here? To teach the children To guide the children To love the children To care for the seniors To write the book To play the music To write the music To dance T

Book Launch Today

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If we want to become true MASTERS of our lives - we must begin to master ourselves and master our TIME. TIME and MONEY are two things people ALWAYS use as excuses for why their life isn't the way that it is. And you know what - I say that if you don't have the TIME or  the MONEY - then it's about TIME to start CREATING the TIME and MONEY Lisa Nicols New dawn, new day perfect moment to embrace change! I'm ready, the angels have been working overtime and my peace of mind got a lovely shot this morning at the beach, I went to the beach to watch the sun rise, totally awesome to be in that space and so grateful for it! God's grace is so unending! Stay tuned..... Gotta go and get ready for the rebirth and the renewal Thank you all for all your support. Peace!

It isn't really as hard as you are making it!

You have to ask yourself, 'Does this item or thought or response move me closer to my vision for my best life?' If it does, great. If it doesn't, what is it doing in your life? — Peter Walsh Had to share this one - It isn't really as hard as you are making it. It's really quite simple. Unfortunately, you have so much "stuff" attached to it, you are creating a burden when there need not be one. You are a creating a problem where none exists. You are causing yourself a great deal of upset for no reason. There is really no reason to fight or argue about it; to explain or demand an explanation. You are clear! You did not like what happened It did not honor you It was a violation of your boundaries It was not in keeping with the agreement you made or the agreement someone made with you What is happening or has happened is not of your choice or your making. So it's really very simple!! Stop looking for an explanation! Stop demandi

You are Precious!

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In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result. Chance is not. "Gifts," powers, material, intellectual, and spiritual possessions are the fruits of effort; they are thoughts completed, objects accomplished, visions realized. As a man thinketh I'm having a revolutionary week with A-HA moments, some of them has, truth me told, me weeping with joy and gratitude! Remember this, you are precious, priceless, a divine spark! This cannot be changed nor altered by your poor choices and unconscious decisions! It is just how it is! Once this realization is known, boy oh boy, the feeling is astounding! New choices are made, old habits start becoming a thing of the past and a peace falls over you that passes all understanding! You are priceless, a divine spark, act like you know! Peace Look out for my book reading and signings at the Nigel R Khan booksellers next week Thursday 7th Ma

Every decision you make stems from what you think you are

Remember this: Every decision you make stems from what you think you are, and represents the value that you put upon yourself. Believe the little can content you, and by limiting yourself you will not be satisfied. For your function is not little, and it is only by finding your function and fulfilling it that you can escape from littleness. ACIM Truth; the truth really is sometimes a bitter pill when we don't want to face it! Every decision you make represents the value you put on yourself! That is sobering for me! Unconscious choices even more because we make quite a few decisions without either thinking or taking the time to get the knowledge or just plain ole' ignorance (not knowing better) Every decision you make represents the value you put on yourself, every single one What you eat What you drink Where you live Where you earn a living Every single decision!! Who you sleep with Who you hang out with Who you marry When you divorce Who you let in your life