Wednesday 26 November 2014

Thanksgiving and the Law of Polarity



For those of my readers based in the States, assuming you are reading this on the day it is published, tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.  A day on which, naturally, we express our gratitude.

A few weeks ago I wrote an article about expressing gratitude, but if you are not actually grateful that is not possible to do.  Even if you think you are grateful, you may well find that there are many things for which you should be grateful but are not.  If you are not grateful for absolutely everything and everyone in your life, then you still have some work to do!  So today I want to explore gratitude more fully and link it to what I call "the law of polarity".

Some people list all the things that are wrong in their life and then more or less say "look at that list and tell me why I should be grateful!"  Those are people who have clearly not heard of the law of polarity.  This law says that everything has two equal and polar opposite sides.  Every situation that looks so bad has an equal measure of good if only you will look for it.

If you truly understand the law of polarity, this will change your life dramatically.

Everything that happens just “is”.  But like two sides of a coin it has one side that seems terrible and another that looks great.  You get to pick.  You can have the terrible side or the great side.  Which will you choose?  Whichever you choose, that is what will materialize.


Remind yourself that the universe is friendly to you.  There is a limitless supply of everything you require.  An infinite supply of money, clients, time, love, friendship, whatever.  No circumstances can leave you lacking in these things for long unless that is what you choose – consciously or unconsciously.  Don’t focus on the one you have just missed – focus instead on what is coming.

Next, remind yourself that you get to choose what to call the circumstances you are in.  You get to decide whether there is good or bad in them.  Sometimes it can be very difficult to see the good when you are right in the middle of something that seems so bad, but just understand it really is there.

The worst experiences you have should prove to be the greatest gifts.  They are your instructors.  Each one bears within it the seed of something that is amazing if you will only be ready to accept it.

Have you seen the film “Front of the Class”?  This is the true story of Brad Cohen, a man suffering from Tourette’s Syndrome who becomes a teacher.  Others suffering from this condition may have railed against it and asked why it had to be this way.  But Brad Cohen viewed his Tourette’s Syndrome as the best teacher he could have, showing him the way to become a very good teacher himself.  Brad certainly understands the law of polarity better than most people, and he has used it to great advantage.

Now that you too understand the law of polarity, you should use it to your advantage, just like Brad Cohen.

Begin by taking a sheet of paper and filling it with all the things for which you are grateful.  Make certain you have listed at least twenty-five or thirty items and that you have included at least a couple of items from each area of your life.  Include your monetary resources, health, career, relationships, recreation and anything else you can add to this list.

Stop right here and do the above before you read any further!

How did you find this exercise?  Was it easy?  Did you have any trouble making the list long enough?  A short list means there are still a lot of things in your life to which you have not yet applied the law of polarity.  These are the areas where you do not like things the way they are.  So here comes part two of the exercise:

Take another sheet of paper and make a different gratitude list, again covering all the different areas of your life.  However, for this list, begin with things you don’t like.  The boss with the bad attitude.  The car that won’t start.  Your ex.  Your cantankerous adolescent stepdaughter.  The tax man.  The pimple on your nose that won’t disappear.  The bills that keep arriving.

Now use the law of polarity.  Find the other side for each of these items.  For example, with the list I suggested in the previous paragraph you might enter the following:  Gratitude that you have a job.  Gratitude that you have a car.  Your fresh insights into relationships.  New parenting skills.  The money you have received on which you now have to pay tax.  A sound body.  The advantages of the merchandise and services you have received.  Get the idea?

Discover something to be thankful for in each of the items on your list and write it down.  Fill the paper with these gratitude assertions.

Again, don’t read any further until you have completed this exercise!

How was that?  Did you feel particular resistance to some of the items on this list?  Difficulty in finding the good side?  These are areas in your life where you particularly need to focus and find the good side, as they are the very areas that are holding you back.  Keep working on them until you have prised out those good points.  Any time you spend doing this will be well rewarded.

If you want to explore in more depth the law of polarity and the other laws which together allow you to use gratitude to create unlimited abundance, get yourself a copy of my e-book, "Gratitude Now".

Wednesday 19 November 2014

How Much Are You Worth?


If you had to put a value on your time, how much would it be?  How much are you worth per hour, per day, per month, per year?

Whatever you have written, I suggest you now multiply that by 10.  This new figure is probably a more accurate estimate of how much your time is really worth.  And that is simply what you should be valuing it at now, not what it could be in five or ten years' time.

Some people reading this will immediately get it.  Something will shift inside them and they will know I am right.  If you are one of those people, then great!  Now go out and use this new realization!

But many will be mystified.  They will hang on to the figure they originally stated.  If you are one of those people, let me ask you another question.  Have you tried using the "Law of Attraction" and found it didn't work for you?  Have you tried "manifesting" and found nothing you tried to manifest seemed to appear?  Let me tell you why.  You are grossly undervaluing yourself.  You are telling the Universe that you are only worth the figure you have just written down and do not deserve more than that - and the Universe is listening to you!

Many people will have written down the figure they earn as a "wage slave" - i.e. what their boss chooses to pay them.  Others who are self employed may have written down their average earnings, or perhaps if they are a little more optimistic they will have put something near the highest amount they have recently earned.  But these figures are not what you are worth.  They are not even close.  You are worth far more than this!  That is why I told you to multiply your stated figures by 10.  Even that is probably not the right figure, but it will be a lot closer!

Once you have done this exercise, how should you use it?  Well that will depend very much on your circumstances and on what you want to achieve.  In most cases it would probably not be a good idea to just march into the office of your boss and demand a tenfold increase in your salary!  Notice, though, I did say in most cases - in a few cases this might just be the impetus you need to branch out on your own, which is almost certainly what will have to happen if you demand such a large salary increase.  But simply being aware of your true worth (I mean the financial worth of your time, of course, as your real true worth cannot be measured in pounds or dollars) is a very good first step to creating greater wealth.  If you now start to use the "Law of Attraction" again you should find opportunities arise which result in more money coming your way.  Maybe not large sums initially, but Rome wasn't built in a day!


Knowing your true financial worth, begin to dream.  And let your dreams reflect that new worth.  You will find, bit by bit, this will make a big difference in your life.  A bigger difference than you probably expected when you first began reading this article.

Wednesday 12 November 2014

Conquer the "Beauty Ideal" Villain!

by

Charlotte Pingriff


After a recent relaunch, my business, Perfectly Cast, is now all about something that I find hugely important – helping ladies to develop a positive body image.  So, I thought I’d write this article about that notorious villain, the beauty ideal, and the ways in which I feel ladies can stick 2 fingers up to the notion that they have to fit this ‘ideal’.

Beauty ideals have been around since Adam was a lad, but there’s no denying that there’s more pressure than ever on women today.  We are bombarded, daily, with images of what the media, our apparent mirror to society, believes is beautiful.  Now it’s not my intention for this article to be political in any way, no.  My aim, through this article, is try to discredit the myth of ‘the beauty ideal’ and to help ladies everywhere to get it into perspective, and, most importantly, feel better about themselves.

First let me tell you a story.  Once upon a time there was a young girl.  She was slightly chubby (puppy weight), wore big, thick, plastic framed glasses, and was a model student.  Her family told her she was beautiful and clever, mean kids told her otherwise.  Four eyes, and square were regular taunts.  Upsetting though it was, this was part of daily life.  She looked at beautiful women on TV, and in magazines, and though her young mind was not yet fully affected by crippling self-doubt, constant comparisons to ‘the ideal’, and superficial self-esteem issues, it soon would be.  It would soon become a demon that she would battle daily. One she would only defeat through sheer will, and some ninja mind moves.

That girl was me.  I’m a women who has run the gauntlet of body, and self esteem, issues.  I love clothes, shoes, beauty treatments, and make-up as much as the next girl, but it’s crucial to me that I accept my body, quirks and all, and that I do all I can to feel positive and good about myself in a healthy way.  This is something that has not come easily, and I still have off days.  So I can relate, and empathise with, ladies who feel the pressure to constantly compare themselves to the fictional creatures they see on TV, in magazines, and on social media.  I say fictional for a reason, I’ll come to that in a moment.  Add to that the misogynistic attitude cultivated by lads mags, lap dancing clubs, music videos and online porn, and you have one explosive mix! 

This is a very complex topic, and one that can’t be fully addressed in one article, but I want to do my best to condense it into a few key truths, and pieces of advice, that may just help ladies to see things in a better light.

If I had to give one piece of advice, it would be to remember that even those women that you idolise, likely have their own issues and insecurities.  I know that sounds obvious, but we tend to forget.  That said, it’s not really about those women, per say, it’s about how you feel about those women.  Which leads on to my second major point – please remember that these women have very carefully cultivated images.  They have a huge team around them, and countless thousands of dollars, and a huge time investment, to enable them to look that way.  On top of the endless hard work/money, they put in, it’s worth reminding yourself that it’s not their natural state.  Even those women don’t look like those women.  I don’t say that to run them down, but rather to point out that the media ideal is not real.  It’s all smoke and mirrors!  That is why I refer to them as fictional creatures.  Cindy Crawford once famously said that she’d love to look like Cindy Crawford.  Of course, it can’t be denied, that some have been smiled down on by the gods of genetics more than others, but you can bet your bottom dollar that without all the money, time, and professionals, these ladies would look like you or I.  On the flipside, you or I could look like these women with all that malarkey in our lives!

This leads me neatly onto my next point.  Try to avoid your comparison triggers.  You know the ones; the images, situations and ideals that make you feel crappy.  Whether that be your boyfriend’s lads mag, Googling celebs, or reading fashion mags.  If it makes you feel rubbish, and you find yourself creating negative comparisons, cease and desist!  Why make yourself feel worse?  I was the one for doing that, I was always at it!  And I’m telling you ladies, it doesn’t help.  Of course you can’t always avoid all the things that can make you feel rubbish, but if you at least try to actively avoid them, not only will it increase your non-comparison ratio, it will also help you to build a better sense of self, that will help when you do come into contact with your comparison nemesis’.   

Now how about this - pick yourself a positive role model.  One who is confident, sassy, and workin’ it girlfriend!  I can’t pull off the urban chat can I?  If it helps, pick yourself a role model who’s like you – for example, if you’re 5ft nothing, and curvy, don’t choose a 6ft tall, reed thin celeb to look up to!  Though societal pressure is greater than ever, we have also started, in the last few years, to see more diverse body types being celebrated – yay!!  From the tall, elegance of Giselle, to petite and curvy Jo-lo’s and kim K’s, to the beautifully buxom Melissa McCarthy’s of this world, there’s a lady out there for all of us.   These gorgeously diverse ladies are working it for women of all shapes and sizes, and helping us all to see that, when it comes to beauty, one size does not fit all!

And another thing, be kind to yourself!  It’s ok to sometimes feel down about yourself, you can’t be happy 100% of the time, you are human – but it will pass.  Don’t fall into the trap of generalising your feelings, for example ‘I always feel like I’m not good enough’.  It’s odds on that you don’t feel that way 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Thinking that way simply reinforces our negative image of ourselves.  Instead, tell yourself ‘I feel rubbish now, but it will pass’.  Recognising that a rubbish feeling won’t last forever, helps to take the power out of it.  Even if you do find yourself having the odd wallow though, that’s fine too.  Everyone’s entitled to have down times.

Finally, whilst your deep-seated negative feelings about yourself may take some work to conquer, it’s ok, actually, to do superficial things that make you feel good.  Whether that be buying lovely clothes, wearing your make-up a certain way, getting your hair done, or having beauty treatments.  If you enjoy it, and it makes you feel good, why not?  It’s about treasuring yourself, treating yourself as if you’re worth it.  Similarly, if you don’t like all that beauty stuff, and you’d rather be a natural beauty, embrace that!

In a nutshell, it’s about finding what works for you, to make you feel good, and avoiding the stuff that makes you feel bad.  I have, and I can honestly say that I’m happier with myself now, than I’ve ever been (though that young, insecure girl does occasionally still make an appearance – but I love her too).  The media will always try and shove notions of beauty down our throats and, you know what, those notions will change like the seasons.  So stop trying to run with the media wolves!  That’s no way to win.  Be you, embrace your quirks and stand tall.  Quirky Beauties united!

If you’d like more similarly rousing articles, as well as make-up tutorials, interviews with inspirational ladies, and down to earth beauty advice, then sign up to my free newsletter here - >>www.perfectlycast.co.uk<<

About the Author and her New Look Business






Charlotte Pingriff is an Artist, Body Caster and Writer. She runs the quirkily creative Perfectly Cast – a lovely arty haven of happiness, positive body image and down to earth cheer.

The whole philosophy of Perfectly Cast is about helping women feel happy, confident about their body, and positive.  To that end, there are 3 core elements to Charlotte’s business:
  • A body casting service, incorporating 4 brilliant packages to choose from (at price points to suit all), that combine a pampering experience with producing a beautiful piece of art, unique to the customer.
  • A shop, called ‘Little Shop of Happy’, selling handmade items that are quirky, funny, cute and very adult!
  • Last, but not least, the free newsletter, the ‘Quirky Beauty Brigade’, that goes out weekly, giving tons of value including articles that encourage a happier life, inspirational videos and down to earth make-up tutorials and beauty advice.

So go and take a look at www.perfectlycast.co.uk, join the newsletter, and become a Quirky Beauty!!

Wednesday 5 November 2014

There are more things in heaven and earth ...



Do you only believe in what you can see, hear, smell, taste or touch?  Or is it possible that some things exist which are not at all discernible to the five senses?

Hopefully you agree that not everything that exists can be detected by one of the five senses.

Electricity, for example.  Can you see it?  You can certainly see its effects, but you cannot see the electricity itself.  Can you hear it?  Sometimes you can hear a buzzing or crackling sound in the wires between the pylons, but it is not the electricity itself you are hearing, just its effects on the environment around it.  You can sometimes smell what you might refer to as an electric smell, but that is not the smell of electricity but of changes in the wires through which it is flowing.  Again, if you put electric wires on your tongue there will certainly be an effect, but you couldn't really describe that as the "taste of electricity".  The reality is that electricity is not directly detectable, but certainly we can observe the effects of its passage.  Someone who understands the effects caused by electricity can channel it, using its power in marvellous ways.

How about your mind?  Does it exist or are you mindless?  If it does exist, can you see it?  Not the images it creates in your head, but the mind itself?  Can you hear it?  Not the voices it creates in your head, but the mind that creates them?  Can you smell, taste, or touch your mind?  You can do none of these things, but does that mean your mind does not exist?  Certainly not!  Just like electricity, your mind, which cannot itself be detected (even though the brainwaves it creates can be measured), can be channelled by one who understands its effects, and such a person can use the power of the mind in marvellous ways.

Use this logic to explore concepts that maybe in the past you have refused to believe could be true.  I am not saying be gullible and believe everything you read and hear.  But I am saying keep a very open mind and explore.  Be prepared to have new experiences and learn new things.  Recognize that just because you have always accepted that certain things are true and others are false, that does not mean you have to continue to accept this.  And also, perhaps most importantly, accept that even the new understanding and beliefs you may gain as a result are not by any means the whole picture, and that if you continue this process many of those beliefs will change in the future.

If you take all this on board you will be ready for spiritual evolution, and you will find life in the future can be so much more exciting and fulfilling than it has ever been in the past.