Using AI: What Most People Overlook

How did we get here?

Contorting ourselves to fit in with social media app algorithms, chasing numbers and likes, following latest trends online, rather than embracing our own authentic creative expression and inner knowing.

Judging, blaming and turning on each other in comments online, rather than remembering the human collective family.

Using other people's voices for video audios, rather than the power of our own.

Running to AI to seek advice, rather than listening to our own heart and intuition or seek support from a trained real human being.

Masking our age, real hair, real nails, real curved, wrinkled, hairy bodies to fit in with "beauty" narratives that people should look a certain way.

Believing fed stories of division... rather than the felt connected thread between each human.

____

Beyond the AI created words, screens, fake nails, social media filters lies a spark of LIFE that is far greater.

A spark of LIFE within you, others, every living being, nature and all.

LIFE that guides, reconnects, inspires, heals and more.

____

With the increased use of AI there's something important that many overlook.

FREQUENCY.

We know thanks to ancient practices and endless scientific studies that everything is made up of frequency - particles vibrating at different speeds.

What each person thinks, speaks, eats, drinks, creates, cooks, moves... and also numbers, words, food all vibrate differently.

Yes technology and AI can be useful, save so much time, though does it hold the same frequency as human creative expression?

When I write my monthly email newsletter, or posts online it's not just words - it holds a frequency.

AI can replicate a similar email, improve it grammatically, create catchy social media posts etc, though it doesn't hold the same frequency compared to when I sit down and express from my heart and Soul.

Monthly shares I send by email, blog and social media posts will ALWAYS be written personally by me.

I could save hours using AI for emails and posts. Though it's not the same felt experience... for my creative expression, and those receiving it.

The monthly shares I send are not just a FREE email with insights... it's a gift from my heart to yours, words that expand, inspire and ignite deep remembrance within your heart on an energetic, cellular level.

Agnes Perspective Photography

Not saying we can't use AI and technology (90% of my work is online - thank goodness for technology!) I've found it super useful transcribing audios, and even Chat GPT can serve a purpose at times.

Though this time calls for important reflection on where we direct our energy, what frequency we wish to share with the world and how that impacts and creates the world we live in. 

Human felt, creative expression heals. 

Human felt, creative expression connects. 

Human felt, creative expression is the overlooked medicine of today's world. 

And... who's guidance are you seeking above all?

External online opinions? Only chat GPT? Or are you creating real human connections and prioritising your intuition, heart and Soul?

Are you remembering that you ARE nature? That when you reconnect to nature you invite healing at so many levels.

Don't fall for the masks, the distorted stories, the distractions (and that doesn't mean turning a blind eye either - it's important to tend to critical world events and support each other).

Though it's important to remember the bigger picture, the deeper truth and return to the heart if you want to see a different world.

LIFE is inviting you to remember.

Who you are, who others truly are, and what this human experience is really about. You're spiritual being in a human experience.

Back to the breath, that's LIFE right there.

Back to the beating heart, that's LIFE right there.

This is also an important key to reducing stress and anxiety too.

When you reconnect to THIS, things become a lot clearer, you gain more resilience and can navigate the ups and downs with more ease.

Back to the main question - what frequency are you sharing with the world?

Have thoughts about AI and the online world? I'd love to hear - let me know in the comment section below.

And if you’re not on the list and want to receive the monthly email you can do so here. There’s a FREE audio, 3 steps to calm included too.

You Already Have What You Want

Chatting with a loved one not long ago, it suddenly clicked. I realised how blind I had been regarding a particular area in my life. 

Overlooked. 

And I wondered how many others do this too?

How often do we want something in our life, set goals, go out to achieve certain things... focusing on what we don't have right now and 'oh how great my life will be WHEN I have__X__'. That statement is limiting us from enjoying life before achieving __X__.

If we expand our perspective we may actually realise we have much of what we want already. Perhaps not in the way we expected it to show up, still, often it's there. 

We already have the love, money, health, success  (whatever it is that we're looking for) in other ways already. 

Just because something isn't showing up in the way that we want it or the way we expected it to show up... doesn't mean it's not there. It doesn't give us permission to dismiss all of the gifts within our human experience already. 

If we want LOVE in our life, and feel jealous, irritated, sad, lonely when we see people loved up in the streets are we really lacking love in our life? Just because we may not have it in the way that we want it, doesn't give us permission to completely ignore the love we receive in life already. 

It's there. 

How often do we ignore, push away or reject the love that comes to us? For example, when somebody gives us a compliment... do we fully receive it? Or do we push it away and reject it reaffirming the opposite? 

"That's a nice colour on you" 

"Oh this old thing? You haven't seen the stain on the back"

Pushing away love right there. 

If we want MONEY and financial abundance in our life, feeling restricted, resentful, angry at the 'lack' that we see... are we really lacking abundance in our life? Just because we don't have it in the way that we want it, doesn't give us permission to take for granted the abundance that is within our life already. 

It's there. 

How often do we take for granted the money that comes into our life already? For example, when we make payments or buy something... do we fully appreciate the fact that we can make that payment and the benefits we'll receive by doing so? 

'Uggh I have to pay for __X__' rather than 'I'm so grateful for this (service/product/experience) and all I'm going to receive by paying for___X___'

Even utility bills... what a wealth of abundance it is to have running water, light, WiFi connection etc and everything that having that can allow us to do and experience.

If we want HEALTH in our life, and continue to focus on the aches, pains, irritations are we really lacking health? Just because we may not have it in the way that we want it, doesn't give us permission to completely ignore the health we currently have. This has been probably my biggest lesson. 

It's there. 

How often do we take for granted the health we currently have? For example, do we fully appreciate what our body can still do regardless of any symptoms we may have? 

'My__X__ is playing up again, so annoying' vs 'I'm grateful I can breathe/talk/see/hear etc'

You get the picture. 

We already have much of what we want already, just perhaps not in the way we want it or think it should come to us. 

This doesn't mean to say we can never have goals and desires, it simply means that by bringing a little more GRATITUDE to the current situation we can gain more fulfilment, satisfaction and we may even realise the goal is not that important anyway. It also doesn't mean to say we ignore certain aspects and symptoms that need to be addressed, I'm not talking about spiritual bypassing here. I'm talking about appreciating what is present already and not allowing our desires and goals take away our satisfaction of what we already have. 

And this needn't mean to say we beat ourselves up for 'not being grateful' enough, we're all on this journey together, I've certainly had my fair share of reminders and it's a conscious choice to appreciate more on a regular basis. There may be easy moments and challenging moments in life. The challenging times are often a reminder of how strong and resilient we are. 

Taking it a step further, many of the goals and desires we have are simply so we can FEEL a certain way. Happy, satisfied, free, loved etc. Good news is, we can create how we feel already, right now. Having __X__ isn't the only way. We don't need to wait and limit ourselves by attaching ourselves to the sole actualization of the said goal and missing the gifts that surround us already. More info on emotions here. 

We already have so much of what we want. 

It's there - we just need to open our eyes and appreciate the gifts already within our experience. Perhaps it's presented in a different colour to what we expected. And just because it's different doesn't mean it's not there.

I wonder, what new gifts will you discover today? Let me know in the comment section below what you notice.

Have a friend who could benefit from this? Offer a helping hand and share this post. 

More information on events, audio teachings, online community and trainings on www.emmabradford.net

The Experience That Changed Everything... Where Wholehearted NLP Really Comes From

Things don't always make sense.

Many times amidst the confusion, lies an invitation for us to find the clarity deep within the experience... if we dare to step into the truth of it. Outer facades dropping to reveal what really lies within. 

Intuition sometimes works in this way, pulling us towards or away from something without the initial clarity as to WHY we feel that way.

Few years ago I felt a strong pull towards Menorca - especially to a particular part of the island. When I arrived, I met a local and we connected straight away. This time it was different, I felt a strong need to talk to this person, almost as if it was a knowing, a 100% certainty even though I was initially unsure why.

We kept in regular contact after that first meeting, the intuitive pull remained strong. I thought I had met a life partner, whereas the true intuitive message would soon appear as something completely different. 

This person, at an unconscious level, was about to teach me one of my greatest lessons in life. One that would completely transform my work, my outlook on life and so much more. I had no idea at the time of meeting - neither did they. I just knew, for some reason we were being placed together.

Ever since I can remember I’ve been an optimistic person naturally able to re-frame events. Supporting friend's in need, I literally felt their pain and desperately wanted them to feel better. Naturally this developed into my profession too.

I find it easy to focus on the light, all things positive. It allows me to see and remind clients of their true potential when they’ve lost all hope. 

I’d learnt like many to ignore my emotions growing up - a way of survival from a young age. Long term, that behaviour was actually doing me more harm than good. Looking back now I can see how out of balance I was.

By only acknowledging the lighter side of things... we can never fully experience wholehearted self-acceptance.

Back home on the beach I watched the waves eating their way across the shore, observing the wet stones glistening in the sand. One caught my attention; it was a beautiful oval, grey, sparkly stone, which reminded me of this person. I bent down to pick it up when a huge wave came. As the wave retreated the stone was gone. Disappointed, I looked around though it was nowhere to be found. Still thinking of that person, another stone caught my eye in the same spot. Little did I know then what this beautiful heart shaped stone would truly represent.

Listening to my gut instinct, I took another trip to Menorca a few months later. There was a moment on this trip where everything clicked into place, certain conversations and the realisation that this person was not for me in the sense I initially thought. The expectation bubble was brutally burst. Painful at first until I realised they were coming into my life as one of my greatest teachers, in the moment I needed it most. 

A perfect mirror to face my shadow parts (parts we hide, dislike, avoid, suppress) and see them with love.

There, I saw a parent holding their sobbing child... eyes closed, with a loving calm breath, embracing the hurt with 100% presence. Later to ask the child, ‘what did you learn here for next time?’ 

I realised deep within THIS is how we need to embrace painful emotions within ourselves. Not run from them as I had spent a lifetime doing.

Looking at my stone, its meaning became so clear and what this whole experience was about.

It represents the light and dark within everyone. The importance of embracing our whole selves,  especially the shadow parts.

We can ask ourselves...

“I notice ___(observe feelings)___, it's ok, everyone has felt that at some point in their life, wonder what I can learn here?"

It’s human nature to move away from suffering and often we seek comfort from alcohol, food, unhelpful habits etc. Remember these only give us short lived pleasure, when in reality long lasting happiness is desired. And embracing all parts of ourselves, both light and shadow with love is creating even deeper wholehearted, self-acceptance.

My intuition had led me into the greatest love story - and not the one I initially expected. The longer I held onto expectations the more painful it became. It was when I let go and realised the true message of the experience, things transformed into an even greater love story... with my whole self. 

Thanks to that experience, I now teach Wholehearted NLP, using NLP to find the gifts within the shadow.

Thanks to that experience I'm discovering the gifts ALL emotions can offer. 

Thanks to that experience I'm continuing to learn and acknowledge both the light and shadow, within myself, within others and society.

Thanks to that experience my outlook on my work, life and self has completely transformed, for the better.

Is it all rainbows and unicorns now? 

Absolutely not. It's a daily practice of choosing integration and sometimes it's easier than others. I was clueless of what that intuitive pull was really signifying at the beginning, and this time I found out because I decided to follow the trail of clues. Clues being that pull, towards something, a curiosity to learn more, know more, experience more.

Intuition means 'inspired tuition'. Note the word TUITION. It's only tuition if we don't act on it. When we act on it, that's when can transform into an insightful and useful experience.

It's also important to note that an intuitive gut feeling can differ from person to person how we experience it. I can only speak from personal experience and my experience may differ to another persons experience. 

Pay attention, notice... look back over past events when you 'knew' something was off, not quite right or you needed to do something. 

What were the signs? 
How did you know? 
What's the common thread when you look back over several different events? 
Any similarities in how you 'knew'?

Awareness of this can pin-point how our intuition communicates with us. 

We're all different. 

My intuition can be both an overwhelming happy YES feeling to a subtle, constant pull or push. I know it's my intuition when if I haven't acted upon it, it appears again, and again, and again... that prodding as if to say 'go on'. On the other hand, if I get a sudden overwhelming desire or fear popping up that ceases to reappear again - even if I haven't acted on it - then I know often it wasn't really my intuition. 

Putting it into practice...

What are you being drawn to at the moment? (And no, I don't mean a quick desire for comfort food or alcohol. I'm talking about a sensation within, a gut feeling, a pull towards or away from something).

What does this feeling wish to communicate? 

I wonder, what gifts you'll encounter when you act on that loving message?

Have a friend that would find this useful? Share this with them spreading the love further. 

Want more? FREE resources, events, online community etc all on my website www.emmabradford.net

How To Gain True Life Satisfaction

Life. 

Duality. 

I was reminded of this a few weeks back, celebrating the success of my recent NLP Graduate students - what an awesome group! And the same week hearing news of a friend that unexpectedly passed away. 

On one hand I wanted to jump for joy and celebrate the success of my students... on the other I wanted to cry, grieve - shocked at the sudden news of my friend. 

It was a BIG reminder on how valuable life is, and how we can take it for granted. 

Hours passing by scrolling Facebook or taking the 100th photo for the perfect Instagram selfie. I read a post once by Karly Nimmo who has a two shot rule. She won't take more than two photos - and then one of those gets posted. 

Or perhaps we binge eat, binge watch Netflix, use alcohol or smoking to disconnect from pain we may be feeling.

If endless social media or another vice really fulfills us deeply then by all means we can continue as long as it doesn't harm our health. More often than not it doesn't fulfill us in the long term - if we're really honest with ourselves, we're looking for something else deep down. 

Love, belonging, connection, acceptance, excitement, variety, significance... the list goes on.

It's when we move through challenges, finding insights and learning from those moments that we transform the need to stick a 'Netflix plaster' over how we feel. 

There can be ups and downs. 

Life can bring moments of joy and love... and moments of anger and grief. Much of how we experience things is to do with what stories we tell ourselves about things. Whether we're conscious of this or not. Our thoughts & beliefs create the frustration, struggle, stress and more. Sometimes we may not want to acknowledge this, because when we do we can't point the finger anymore. We're responsible. 

For our life.

How we choose to live it. 

Whilst we may not be able to directly change all circumstances in the world and other peoples behaviour. One of our greatest gifts in life is that we have the gift of choice. Choice on what actions we take or don't take. How we choose to respond to things and see situations. 

And this needn't mean an overwhelming list of do's and don'ts, feeling angry with ourselves if we are triggered yet again by a particular person or situation. Or feeling pressure to create big changes out of fear, setting goals looking for perfection as we believe it will bring a sense of belonging, rather than out of love for ourselves and our future.

Choice can simply mean choosing to make most of the simple little things. To really LIVE this life we are living in this human experience. 

For example...

• Stepping outside and breathing deeply rather than take our freedom to do this as granted.
• Observing the beauty of a flower rather than hurriedly pass it by.
• Closing our eyes and feeling the sunshine on our skin rather than think about endless to do lists.
• Hearing the sounds that surround us as individual sounds of a larger orchestra rather than noise.
• Noticing what we say to our self when we reconnect to the beauty of life in this way rather than beat ourselves up.

The list is endless. 

There are many options and choices available. 

Let's start with small, micro actions and experiences. It can be the small and simple things that often are the most powerful and beneficial.

I wonder... how many valuable things can we experience today?

Now I'd love to hear from you: What little blessing do you notice right now in your experience? Let me know in the comment section below. And join us in the online community.

Have a friend that would find this useful? Offer a supportive hand and share this post.

And if you want more information on trainings and how you can transform your life experience using NLP with heart - check out the latest trainings here.

The Hidden Drive Behind The Inner Critic & Why Vulnerability Matters

Fearful Part: "Shouldn't do__x__ need to do __y__ uggh I'm so lazy!"

Loving Part Within: "Relax"

Fearful Part: "Look at everything that needs to get done, will never get all this done or done right, I'm so hopeless"

Loving Part Within: "Just be"

Fearful Part: "Everyone else can manage why can't I? What's wrong with me?"

Loving Part Within: "Breathe"

Fearful Part: "I feel_(alone/sad/angry/numb/depressed)_ why is everyone else happy and not me?"

Loving Part: "Connect"

How many of us have heard that fearful part, the Inner Critic's judgements before? And how many of us have experienced what I call the 'Inner Critic's Hangover'? In other words... the heavier emotional states that result from negative self-talk. 

I have. 

And so has virtually every client I've worked with. In fact, I'm sure every human being on this planet has had at least one moment of feeling low or experiencing negative self-talk at some point in their life... if not on a regular basis. To experience the variety of colour that emotions bring is natural. With many of these emotions created by previous thoughts we can create change if we desire. If we feel heavier states often we're simply experiencing the hangover of indulging in the Inner Critic's fears.

Taking a deeper look, we can ask ourselves...

What is the hidden drive for the fearful, criticising part - what is it really looking for? 

What does it believe? 

When did it first decide this?

What positive insights do we know now that we didn't know back then?

And if we aren't sure straight away... if we were to know, what would we discover?

Looking for love & belonging is a common hidden drive. Trying to perfect ourselves or show a mask as unconsciously perhaps we believe showing imperfections or vulnerability will lead to separation or abandonment. The thing is, many desire deeper meaning, belonging, happiness and fulfilment in life, yet we move through life with a mask, shielding ourselves from that very fulfilment we desire.

Ironic huh? 

Click To Tweet: "Numbing ourselves from emotional pain, also numbs ourselves from joy. Moving through emotional pain (i.e. finding the gifts in the form of understanding, connection and support), helps us reconnect to joy" Emma Bradford

Being authentic, showing our imperfections and vulnerability can lead to...

Connection

Innovation

Creativity

Acceptance

Strength

Courage

Understanding

Healing

Belonging

Companionship

Support

And SO much more. 

Without opening up, daring to be vulnerable, we miss out on SO much. I've been there - it can be lonely place if we remain stuck in the Inner Critic Hangover.

How can we really experience deep love and belonging if we only show a mask and remain connected to fears?

Step by step we can journey towards greater authenticity and love each day. 

Is it easy? Not always. 

It can feel scary moving out of the comfort zone, breaking free and being real. It can feel different to listen to that loving voice within rather than just the fears. It's even scarier though never allowing ourselves the gift of authenticity and love in life. 

Energetically speaking, 2018 among many things is a year of SUPPORT. To create support, give support and receive support.

For ourselves, others, and society.

So if we're going through a challenging time, it's time to reach out. Each and every one of us are so worthy of love and belonging.

Entering the shadow, finding the light (gifts) and coming out the other side. Because to only listen and live life according to fears of the shadow is to completely ignore the love and light. It's not choosing one or the other, its using both for the highest good.

Our fears (shadow part) help us appreciate our strength (light) deepen our awareness and understanding of ourselves/others/society. And the light is the strength within to find the gifts in the shadow.

Want more light in the world? 

It starts within. 

Now I'd love to hear from you! What did you find most useful about this and what area will that help you with? Let me know in the comment section below.

Have a friend that would find this useful? Spread the love and share this post.

For more information, Wholehearted NLP trainings, FREE podcast, FREE online support group etc... click here.

How We Can Transform Fear Into Love

I feel I write about this more and more lately, and it's too important to stop.

This time it came closer than ever. 

Barcelona, my home, my beautiful city was attacked. I was in shock when I first heard, and at the same time there was a feeling for a while that Barcelona might be a prime target with Las Ramblas welcoming millions of people every year.

It's with tears, deep sadness... yet a deep knowing and optimism that I wrote this following words to my dear Barcelona meetup members. I felt the need to share some words to my community, knowing some had to run for their lives, to show support, and however much or little we are connected to recent events - these words can be applied to virtually anything.

The shadow of this world is not easy to experience, yet we don't need to let it stop us from continuing to believe and act according to what many of us value in life - love & peace. Just as I say with the Inner Critic... let us observe, learn and continue regardless creating positive change as we do. 

Click to Tweet: "Seeing people's fearful actions doesn't give us permission to give up on our loving actions" Emma Bradford

It's challenging times like these that can bring up varied responses... naturally we're all different. Some use their anger and hate to fuel more hate and hurtful actions, others want to avoid talking about the challenging emotions all together and only talk about love and light. 

First let us remember this...

It's OK to experience sadness... let's use that sadness and transform it when we connect, find understanding and share support.

It's OK to experience anger... let's use that anger constructively to create meaningful actions and community projects that create positive change in society.

It's OK to experience fear and pain when we hear of events like these... let's use it as a reminder to reconnect with loving words and actions as much as possible and not remain stuck in the vibration of fear as we continue our lives.

There's a difference...

Experiencing and passing through certain emotions is completely different to brushing over and avoiding them because they are a 'lower' vibration. Spiritual bypassing gets us nowhere. Yes, as much as we connect to love the better... though without acknowledging the current situation as it is first and any emotions that may be present we miss a wonderful opportunity to transform the collective fear at many levels.

Some might say, we cannot transform something without knowing, acknowledging and understanding what we want to transform first. 

Emotions are fuel... let us USE the pain, anger and sadness we feel to propel us into creating more love in whichever way feels right for us.

• Acts of kindness to those in the streets, affected to show that despite fear, love remains.
• Volunteering and offering support... the plus side of Facebook is that there is a huge amount on offer right now for those in need in our city. Beautiful to see how the city is coming together.
• And simply by stepping out of our houses, regardless of any fear and continuing with our life because we believe in something better.
• And so much more.

We're in this together, whether we're from Barcelona or not. This is a worldwide issue. A doorway of opportunity is being opened to us now... as a society we are called to face, learn from and find the gifts in the shadow using our combined light. Rather than reject it completely.

This is both within ourselves at a personal level and in whats going on in the planet right now. 

Everything is connected. We're being called to bring more connection, understanding, peace and love into our daily lives and communities on a regular basis... not just when difficult times occur. 

Connection, support, conversation, positive action.

Let's do all that we possibly can to ACKNOWLEDGE what happens, LEARN from it and then bring even more LOVE into society... even if it's simply to offer support and comfort to those deeply affected by challenging events.

This is how we can transform fear into love.

Spreading the love further

Here are a few options to choose from if you wish to spread the love further...

I'd love to hear from you... what loving action will you take today?
Have a friend that would find this useful? Please spread the love and share this link.
Want more? Check out the latest post on how we can find the gifts in the shadow here.
Looking for Support? FREE online community here. 

I Was Guilty... & The Truth About The Search For Happiness

I wrote the majority of this post flying at 35,000ft.

It's often where I get my best insights and ideas.

This time I was fuelled, seeing a magazine article in the airport titled 'How To Be Happy Everyday'. Those of you in my Facebook Community 'Compassionate Inner Light' would have seen my Facebook post as it happened. 

Maybe I misunderstood the article.

Maybe I didn't.

Often though, articles like that bring more pressure than pleasure.

Yes, we are the ones that attach meanings to situations... yes we create how we feel. However I feel the need to clarify a few things because there are so many misconceptions and misleading articles. 

With 5 years of professional experience in the self-awareness world, I've seen a lot of rubbish out there and I've also seen many authentic, heart driven professionals. I've lost my way a few times too, trying to find the balance between putting the message out there without trying to make anyone feel broken. Sometimes successfully, sometimes not, and in the last year especially I've realised the importance of this. 

Professionals are not in charge of what the reader feels and what meanings they attach to things however I believe we have a responsibility to put out a message of hope, reassurance and support - emphasising that no one is broken. We may feel broken at times, though at our core, no one is. And it deeply saddens me that there can be individuals reading magazine articles like the one I saw, thinking 'I'm not happy every day... there's something wrong with me... I need what they're selling'.

Stop right there. 

There is nothing wrong if we don't feel happy ALL the time.

Click To Tweet: "We're not the emotions we feel... we're just experiencing them" Emma Bradford

For most of my life, I was caught up in what people call 'Spiritual Bypassing'. Only focusing on the light. Ignoring the shadow. Suppressing and ignoring heavier emotions. Probably why a few challenges came into my life to slap me in the face and 'wake me up' - so I could finally start acknowledging my fears.

I'll be honest, being a naturally optimistic person I still have my moments. Though thanks to NLP and great life challenges the steps towards wholehearted living are even more frequent. 

The most important being honesty with myself.

To live wholeheartedly avoiding spiritual bypassing doesn't mean we have to broadcast publicly every single time we feel an emotion (whether that's on social media or other) unless we feel called to do so.

What it means simply is being as authentic and honest as we can. Living with awareness towards our perfect messy humanness. To live wholeheartedly means that we acknowledge how we feel... being honest with ourselves and others, noticing, observing and expressing that as we feel the need, in a healthy way whether be it through creative activity such as (dancing, writing...) and/or heartfelt communication etc.

So that magazine article title got me thinking...

There's a HUGE difference between desperately searching for instant happiness every moment, running away from pain compared to creating long lasting satisfaction and happiness of life accepting the ups and downs.. 

1) Desperately searching for happiness, often invites us to use vices that bring only short lived pleasure or obsessively setting goal after goal seeking to improve our lives out of fear of where we are... never feeling happy with the current moment. "I'll be happy when I have___(fill in the blank)___". This state is fearful, future based and unappreciative of the gifts the present moment can bring.

2) Creating long lasting life satisfaction is actively connecting to what we love and what fills us with joy at a deep Soul level regularly. Engaging in uplifting activities that speak to us, and help us reconnect and enjoy life. Noticing what we feel grateful for, simple pleasures in life. This state is active, present and grateful.

Life has polarity.

We have Yin/Yang, night/day, light/dark. And I'm guessing it's so we can really appreciate one by experiencing the other. It's so we can really feel and learn from this human experience to the full, by appreciating all colours life has to offer. We can even see from recent films such as 'Inside Out'... Sadness has it's value.

In my humble opinion I believe much of life is about this fluidity, moving through the highs and lows finding our balance as we do. There's no need to remain stuck in heavier emotional states and fall victim to how we feel... blaming outside influences for it as we do.

That's where NLP comes in handy. We have the ability to influence how we feel anytime, anywhere. Remembering that we are not the emotions we feel... we are simply experiencing them.

There's also no need to suppress and ignore what the shadow brings up. This also includes constantly and obsessively using practises to feel happier and energised whilst ignoring the deeper messages challenging emotions have to offer. Spiritual Bypassing has long term consequences - I know... I'm still healing from years of it.

If you think you've been caught up in the desperate search for happiness or have been Spiritually Bypassing and feel the need to regain balance try this...

1. Be kind to yourself. We have all been there, it's ok. 
2. What fulfils you at a deep Soul level? What little things generate a sense of joy and satisfaction? Brainstorm a list, what I call the 'I love...' page. A few of mine would include cups of tea in the sunshine, flowers, taking photos of beauty in nature, listening to podcasts whilst creating in the kitchen, dancing like no one is watching etc.
3. Chose ONE thing from that list and bring it into your life regularly noticing how that feels as you do. One simple thing... daily or weekly... you choose. As some would say, we often give ourselves enough pressures and duties in life... life is simply about being authentic reconnecting to what we love. Remembering what fills us up from the inside out and living life according to our true self as much as we can.

Now I'd love to hear from you! In the comment section below let me know one thing on your 'I love...' page. Studies show stating new habits and goals out loud increase our chances of actually creating that shift.

Have a friend that would find this useful? Please share and spread the love even further :-)

More information and FREE downloads on my website www.emmabradford.net

How To Transform An Unfortunate Situation Into A Fortunate Experience

Crraack!

I looked up towards a family member with me at the time and we both started to giggle. My hands holding two pieces of broken glass, a perfect accompaniment to the red cheeks on my face.

A wave of both fear and amusement crept over me.

Fear of the unknown, what may or may not lie ahead... and amusement because, really what were the chances.

It was just too funny.

This experience during the summer made me think about authenticity. How being AUTHENTIC can lead to wondrous rewards, even if initially it can feel shameful, embarrassing and/or fearful of uncertainty.

I knew in that moment, standing there in the shop with a cracked glass picture frame in hand, I had TWO choices...

1) To place the glass to one side and move along, not saying anything out of fear of what might happen if I did.

or

2) Own up, be authentic and aligned with my values, willing to accept any consequences that may occur.

Broken down, it was simply a choice of connecting with either FEAR or LOVE.

Tweet: "When you open up & show up, you put yourself in line to receive beautiful gifts. When you hide & withdraw, you remove yourself from the abundance that wishes to greet you" Emma Bradford

This also ties in with a recent NLP class I taught a few weeks ago, discussing the huge topic of Life Purpose with group members. One of the definitions that came to mind was...

"To connect with what brings us happiness and joy (in a healthy, fulfilling way)... being AUTHENTIC and aligned with our values". 

This can help us create direction and connect with our life purpose. 

If we value LOVE in our life, by acting in alignment with this value can bring great fulfillment and rewards. For example by being loving to ourselves and others whilst maintaining and respecting boundaries.

If we value CONNECTION, again, acting in alignment with this can open up wondrous experiences in our life. For example, prioritising moments of true connection with others, whether that be physically with a partner, through conversation, presence and/or support.

What do you value in your life? 

And are you acting in alignment with those values? 

If not, how can you create more alignment in your daily life? 

One of my personal values is authenticity, which is why I automatically felt called to go straight to the shop owner and confess what had happened. It was something I had to do as the more I intend to connect with authenticity in my life, the more painful being inauthentic is. 

I simply can't do it. 

The best thing was, after confessing about the accident I wasn't charged and was even given a free picture frame mount in return. 

Situation transformed!

Being authentic is allowing ourselves (without judgement) to be bold, and colourful if we wish. Trusting and giving ourselves the space to simply be who we want with flexibility, so we can change priorities and values to what resonates if needed.

As we grow throughout life, so may our values. That's perfectly ok. And as we go through new experiences our priorities can change.

Being authentic is a continuous practice of paying attention to ourselves and what's important to us in each moment... living our day to day life with the intention to resonate with alignment with what we truly value and what feels right.

Now it's your turn! If you were to know, what are some of your top values in life? You can discover this by considering all areas of your life from relationships, to career to spirituality etc... what is important for you in each category? e.g. intimacy, success, connection...

Pick one value, and brainstorm how you can bring in more of that into your life over the next few weeks. For example, someone may say intimacy is key in relationships, therefore they may intend to open up, share, be vulnerable with loved ones even more so to help create more intimacy. 

Notice how this can TRANSFORM any challenges you may be facing the more you connect and align yourself with your values.

Using the comment section below, hold yourself accountable and state what you'll start doing and when to experience these shifts. 

Have a friend feeling lost and in need of a helping hand? Offer them some support and share this post. How can you guide each other in being even more authentic and aligned with what you find in important in life? 

If you'd like to be the first to receive these monthly insights, and receive a FREE Boosting Self-Esteem kit too, head on over to my WEBSITE where you can sign up for positive change.

How To Feel More Love, Connection & Belonging In Just 90 Seconds...

Can one, simple, shift in perspective completely change our experience of life?

And if so, what is it and how can we remain connected to that especially during times of hardship? 

Those of you that have attended my weekly classes may have heard me use a particular metaphor. It is something I regularly use in coaching sessions too, a perspective to help bring a sense of positivity, strength and magic to seemingly hopeless situations. 

Imagine a dark room, with a little light bulb plugged in and switched on. This is an everlasting light, glowing gently and continuously. Over time however, this light bulb has become covered in dust, cobwebs and comfort blankets. So much so that this light becomes harder to see, and sometimes you hardly notice it's there at all.  

Now if somebody was to enter that room and give it a good spring clean, wiping away all the dust and dirt and clearing away the junk and unnecessary items... how would that light and the room look different? Would it be easier to notice the light? Would the beams of light travel further across the room?

Over the years we can easily forget the potential within us if we neglect this connection... in the end all we see are the limiting beliefs, fears and the things we don't like about ourselves and the world. The potential and power is always there... we just need to clear away the cobwebs and shift our focus to see our life with brighter eyes. 

Personally this perspective has created huge shifts in my life too. I feel such a loving connection to myself and others whenever I use the 3 techniques I am about to share with you. 

As with every coaching session I often give a little bit of extra homework - 5-15 minutes to reinforce further what is covered during the sessions. I asked one of my clients to find some images that represented this light within them, something that they could create a visual reminder so that every day that they saw this, they could continue seeing life through this perspective.

During the next follow up session I was blown away, not only did this individual find the images that worked for them, they also wrote the most beautiful description of what this inner light meant to them.

This was one of my highlights as a coach.

Feeling so in awe of my client, seeing that spark of awakening within happening in front of my eyes as they chose to start embracing life with a brighter perspective.

With this person's permission, I felt this was something that was so beautiful it had to be shared with you too...

"Our inner light is beauty - of us showing our inner and outer beauty to the world. The power of our light is in our hands. Our light is beautiful and precious and to be handled with care. My light represents who I am. 

Our light is our spirit, our freedom, our ability to let go and enjoy, to break through barriers and limitations (limiting beliefs), we can be free and happy, have fun and enjoy life. It represents fun, vitality, spirit, freedom and being yourself. 

Our light is our balance, tranquillity, calm, being grounded, feeling at one with the world and at peace. Connected to my body, mind and soul. It is connection, peace and balance."

And yes, the power of our light is within our own hands. We can choose to ignore this spark of consciousness, ability and potential within or we can chose to embrace it. And by embracing it with love it and seeing yourself and others with this amazing potential and power inside notice how life can open up in wondrous ways.

As I usually do, I tuned in with my client after our initial series of sessions, curious to see how their new perspective has shifted things in their day to day life. "I am calmer, more self-accepting with a better understanding of my emotions and what drives me" they said, "My happiness is spreading to others, creating a sense of well-being to me and those around me". 

By seeing things from this perspective we can increase the sense of loving connection both to ourselves and others. A sense of belonging, with that a greater feeling of perceived certainty. 

And if ever you feel things are a struggle, are feeling down in the dumps or that things are just not going how you'd like them to... know this, you still have that potential within. 

It never goes. 

It is simply just a case of choosing to clear a few cobwebs and shift your focus. Notice how much freer and lighter you could feel afterwards too. Here are 3 ways to reinforce that loving connection...

3 Ways To Reinforce The Loving Connection With Yourself & Others:

• Create anchors or reminders. In other words, find an image that represents this connection for you and place it somewhere you can see it everyday, or find a song that fills you with that sense of love, light and empowerment within whenever you listen to it (more on Anchors here).

• Place Your hand over your heart (or wherever you consider your inner light to be) - Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and visualise a light within you growing brighter and brighter and brighter. Then ask yourself the following... 
• How would my inner light see this situation differently? 
• And if it was to give some guidance what would it say? Observe what thoughts come up, without judgement. If you need an extra helping hand you may wish to listen to this super quick audio which you can download here. 

• Change your emotional state by doing something you LOVE. Something that fills you with joy so much so that you just can't help but smile. Whatever that is whether a creative project, hearing great music, enjoying time with loved ones etc... the more you connect with the things you love, the more joy you will feel and the easier it will be to see life from this lighter perspective. 

Now it's your turn! 

Try the hand over heart exercise now (takes less than 90 seconds!) and ask your light for guidance on a particular area in your life. Using the comment section below, write down what action you will take now after connecting to this new perspective on your chosen situation. 

Have a friend that could benefit from this? Offer a helping hand and share this post. Feel free to discuss what does this light represent for both of you individually? 

If you would like to be the first to receive these posts plus extra bonus information that I only send by email, sign up to my monthly newsletter here... http://emmabradfordnaturaltherapy.us8.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=e15464925be59c7078b766fb3&id=2f1c8644d8

Until next time, happy connecting :-)