Life is just like the weather.  You can be feeling the positive flow one moment, and be caught in a rainstorm of negativity the next. Some days you need an optimism umbrella

Even on the clearest, most beautiful day you can have a popup shower or huge storm. You can be like a weather expert and attempt to predict the forecast, but sometimes you just never know.

That’s why it’s important to carry your umbrella. . . your “Optimism Umbrella”.

The “Optimism Umbrella” is just like a traditional umbrella, which protects you from harsh weather, except it protects you from the inside out. It keeps your mind clear and shields your soul. It’s important to consciously remember to carry this around and know how to open it when dark clouds appear.

Here are 3 ways to open your optimism umbrella

Remember to breathe

During any storm of negative energy, the first thing you need to do is see the storm, and realize that even though you may be in the midst of the storm, you’ve got your umbrella with you and can stay dry, calm and collected.  The first step to opening your umbrella however, is delivering oxygen to your brain to think.

Multiple studies have shown that taking time to focus on your breathing can drastically reduce negative energy in many different forms, including pain and stress. Not only does deep breathing in fresh air help reduce negativity, it’s also the most important element to your life. We couldn’t survive more than two minutes without breathing.

So take a few slow, steady, deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.  4 counts in, 8 counts out. Verbally affirm that you are protected.  You deserve to do this for yourself at least 10 times every day!

Don’t be afraid to jump into the puddles

Each sunny day in life brings new opportunities.  But the stormy days bring new challenges.  Luckily, these challenges have the ability to transform into opportunities for knowledge and personal growth.  With the wrong attitude however, a small rain shower can quickly turn into a thunderstorm.

Find the best way to enjoy the moment and be grateful.  Jump in the puddles or do your best Fred Astaire and sing in the rain. Life is not about what happens to you, it’s about what you do when life happens to you.

See the silver lining. After all, you have an optimism umbrella!

As with any storm, realize that it’s going to eventually come to an end. Look for the rays of sunshine and hope. You will be in the light once again, and when you are, you’ll put away your umbrella until you need it next and be grateful for the experience.

There’s never a time your optimism umbrella can’t help you. Just open it up and allow it to aid you wherever you go.

“When it rains, it pours. But that’s what umbrellas are for.” – Kristen Butler

Shine ON!

 

One of the biggest goals in life is to be your best self.  Our friend Chalene Johnson shares 5 of her favorite ways to do just that!

5 Tips to Be Your Best Self

1. Brag (to yourself).

Start with a nice long list of things you like about yourself. To “be better” you have to start with gratitude for all the greatness that is already inside of you. Start with all the wonderful things that you are pretty dang proud of! This might sound bragalicious…but it will honestly help you feel better about yourself and feeling better about who you are will automatically help you to BE BETTER!

2. Make a list of three character traits you want to work on in the next 30 days.

For example, being on time, doing a better job of recognizing co-workers for their efforts, being more romantic with your partner, etc. (When you put your goals on paper, you have a MUCH greater chance of seeing it come to pass!)

3. Invest in personal or business development.

Studies show that the average person receives a $7 return on every dollar spent on personal development. Keep in mind that statistics take into consideration all the people who invest in personal development and then do nothing with it. Make investing in yourself a habit. By taking good notes and applying what you learn I’m certain you can double, triple or even quadruple your return on investment.

4. Focus on being a student.

Be a better student of the people you meet and the people around you. Learn to love learning. Be curious. Read. Study and apply. Studies show that one of the easiest ways to boost self-esteem is by learning something new. Knowledge makes us stronger. Wisdom makes us kinder!

5. Give genuine praise and compliments.

Give genuine praise and compliments to those who deserve it and especially to those who you think already know how you feel about them. Nothing feels better than making another person’s day. Get in the habit of starting each day by sending 5 people a text of sincere appreciation.

Please feel free to share or tag someone who you’d like to publicly acknowledge how much you appreciate them!

Here’s to being your best self!  Add to these tips in the discussion below and always shine ON!

Friendships are wonderful parts of life, but they’re only a part of the total experience that makes up who you are.  Many friendships are very positive, but some can become toxic. When toxicity occurs in your life, it’s important to see the signals and let it go.

Here are 3 Signs It’s Time to Release a Toxic Friendship:

1. It’s consistently a one-sided friendship.

Everything in this world works in perfect balance. When something is off you can feel it; you can see it. Positive relationships work the same way. It takes effort from both people to make a great friendship. If you feel like things have changed and you go out of your way often to keep in touch or arrange meet-ups it’s time to find out why. Keep in mind, opposite personalities usually attract and it’s normal for one person to be more forward.

However, we’re talking about a substantial shift, where the other person shows less interest and availability. And, when you do get together it doesn’t feel the same.

A great relationship is always able to pick right up where it left off. Time and distance make no difference. If your meetings feel forced than perhaps you’re souls journeys are taking different paths and that’s okay. Friendship should never feel forced.

2. You don’t feel good after you talk to or see this person.

After speaking with a good friend you should feel uplifted. A friend should bring value to your life and celebrate your journey with you. Good friends laugh with you. The mood is lighthearted and fun. On the contrary, if you feel drained its time to consider why you are still friends with this person.

People can have bad days or trying times and need to vent. That’s okay. They need encouragement, love, and patience. During this time you can harness inner strength. But, if the relationship continues to deplete you in such a way that it affects your life significantly, and is not enjoyable anymore, it’s time to set limits. Perhaps even part ways depending on how detrimental they are to your well being.

3. Your lifestyle paths have dramatically changed.

Good friends don’t have everything in common, but enough that allows them to relate to each other and have fun. When paths start going in such opposite directions where each person no longer feel like they know others, it may be time to evaluate the relationship. Especially if it’s in such a way that is not in alignment with your morals and beliefs.

In life, many people come and go. Only a few stay. The ones that stay always have a special place in our hearts and you may only see them once in a while. The dramatic changes we are talking about here are substantial enough that they create toxic energy and influence in your life.

When it begins to affect you negatively, it’s time to get out.

The best thing to remember is that no relationship is a waste. Every person we meet teaches us something new.

With the big surge in popularity of the Law of Attraction, some people are assuming they can visualize whatever they want without action and it will just happen. However, action is a must in the “attr-action”. Our energy is, in fact, a powerful driving force, but we drive that force. Challenges and mistakes are what create the opportunities to put positive momentum, growth and success into place.

Struggle brings progress whether you succeed or fail.  You either advance or learn from it. If you learn from it, remember that mistakes are proof that you are trying. You’re working on growth. Life is not stagnant and does not wait, so doing something now, even if it seems you’re in the face of an unbeatable adversary, is still better than nothing. If it’s worth it, it’s not easy.

If you need the motivation to get started or to keep going, here are our favorite motivational quotes.

Motivational Quotes on Hard Work & Success:

Have you ever wished you could just completely clear your life of all the negative energy and start with a fresh, clean slate?

Well, you can. Right now, you have the ability to clear negative energy from your body and your home with just a few simple things. In fact, these tips I am going to share with you I personally use on a daily or weekly basis, depending on how I feel.

Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about myself. In fact, I’ve completely transformed my life. I’ve really gotten to know what defines me and who I am. One core trait is that I have a very caring and sensitive nature. This sensitivity allows me to be very intuitive,  compassionate, and understanding toward others. At the same time, unless I protect myself I can absorb their energy – positive and negative.

Just like bugs are drawn to an outdoor light at night,  negative energy seeks the light. It wants to be transformed. So, the closer to the light you are the more negative energy you may come in contact with.

Without protection, negativity can flank you at all sides and rob you of your happiness. No one is immune. This can cause depression, anxiety, and many other mental and physical diseases. Negative energy feeds just like positive energy.

Cleansing your energy is also a great way to keep your unique energy intact. What I mean is, when you come in contact with a lot of people or find yourself in a crowd you actually exchange energy, whether you consciously know it or not. With that being said, it’s very important as you are making your way along this positive lifestyle journey that you protect yourself and cleanse when you aren’t feeling… well, yourself.

Let me share with you five things I personally do and I have found extremely effective.  Some I have picked up and been using over the years consistently as part of my positive lifestyle, but a few I learned from my mentor Deborah King, a well-known expert on Energy Healing.

 5 Ways to Completely Cleanse Negative Energy

1. Fresh Air & Sunshine

Fresh air and sunshine have incredible cleansing powers. As the wind blows through your hair and the warm kiss of the sunbeams on your face, the energy of nature will always make you feel anew.  So if the weather permits, open up your windows or take a walk outside.  Feel the cleansing air enter your lungs as you breathe in, then exhale the negative energy and repeat.

2. Smudging

Smudging has been a heritage from the times of my Indian ancestors.  To smudge, you light a rolled stick of sage, set the intention of what you are going to cleanse (your home, body, an object, etc.) and fan the sage lightly.  If you are at home, open the windows to release negative energy as it is cleansed.

3. Salt

Salt Rock Lamps – The beauty and tranquility of the lamp allow individuals to focus on positive energies which allow them to heal mentally and physically. It is also believed that Himalayan Salt Rocks transfer the negative ions in the air.

Salt Around the borders of your home – Sea salt placed around the borders of your windows, doors, and house have been known to ward off incoming negative energy and cleanse

4. The “BLISS” Bath

This is my favorite! I created this term “BLISS” Bath because it’s exactly how I feel during and afterward. We all need more bliss in our life, right?  Afterwards I feel clean, centered and refreshed.  If you take it in the evening, it makes for a great nights sleep too.

BLISS stands for: Baking soda, Lavender oil, Intention & Sea Salt.

There are many baking soda and sea salt bath detox recipes, but here’s mine.

Cleanse Negative Energy with a Bliss Bath:

Add to warm/hot water, as hot as you can comfortably stand.

1/2 lb of Baking Soda
A few drops of Eden’s Garden Lavender Oil
Positive Intention
1/2 lb of Sea Salt

NOTE:

It is safe to double the recipe for your first time or when you feel that you REALLY need a deep cleanse. I have done this and it is very effective. However, for regular cleansing, this recipe is very effective.

Overall, it’s a great detox for your energy and your body. If you make it hot enough that you can comfortably stand and stay in it for at least 20 minutes (I usually do 40 minutes), it will draw the toxins out of the body to the skin’s surface as the water cools. This water is very high alkaline (which is so healthy) from the baking soda and re-mineralizing from the sea salt.

A BLISS Bath is an easy way to cleanse negative energy that you suspect you may have picked up. You’ll know this when you aren’t feeling yourself or feeling overwhelmed.

An important thing to do after your bath is to drain the tub and quickly shower off, washing your hair, too. This will ensure that the toxins are completely rinsed off and don’t absorb back into the skin.

Overall, whether you’ve absorbed negative energy or not, this bath is great to cleanse and regard your energy and body. Try it, you’ll feel so refreshed the next day you’ll want to make it a habit.

5. Holy Water Spray

Whether you are religious or not, the truth is Blessed, Holy Water dispels negative energy. It’s been noted consistently through centuries by saints and sages. In fact, it’s use dates back to 15 centuries.

It works well because water is the universal solvent for cleansing. It dissolves chemical compounds, physical and energetic. Holy Water is prized for its properties of blessing and healing.

To obtain Holy Water you can visit a church or buy it online. You can also make your own if you believe in your own abilities to do so.

There are a few ways. First, you can take some pure water and put it in a container. Then leave it out in the sunshine for a few hours. You can then infuse the water with holy basil leaves, flower essences or essential oils. If you believe in the power of prayer,  you can hold your hands over the water and pray over it. Pray for its protection and healing over you and anyone else it comes in contact with.

Once your Holy Water is ready,  put it in a spray bottle and sprinkle it on yourself and around the house. Anywhere you intuitively feel you need to cleanse energy.   Some parents even make it a regular routine to spray holy water on and around their children at night before they go to sleep.

Final Thoughts Cleanse Negative Energy Out of Your Life

These five tips are perfect and very effective for cleansing negative energy, however, the best thing to do is first protect yourself daily. What I like to do is, every morning I envision a bubble of protection around me. I close my eyes and feel the warmth and protection surrounding me. I affirm that it is with me all day.

Here is this space,  my positive energy is protected from seeping out as well as negative energy coming in. If you pray, you can add this extra protection then. The key is truly believing and asking, if you don’t ask, you’ll be found wanting.  This is what I have found to be true. In fact, sometimes if I am going through a challenge, I ask for extra protection and I truly feel it.

When I protect my energy, I feel consistently better. Good luck!

Is there something you’d like to add? How do you cleanse negative energy?