Power of Relaxation

Making a conscious effort to stay relaxed in body and mind has more than the obvious benefits. I’m catching myself noticing more opportunities and making better decisions. I’m picking up more information and details than before in a whole range of situations. Body is more clearly able to sense when something is wrong too. To think all that energy was spent on being tense before! What a waste!

Sharpening the Saw

This is a wonderful analogy used by Stephen Covey in his fantastic book ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’, in which he describes the sorry state of a person working long and hard to cut down a tree, sweated and worn out from the effort. When it is suggested he take a break and sharpen the saw he replies ‘Goodness I don’t have time to sharpen the saw, I’m far too busy sawing!’ and carries on sawing away with the blunt blade.

India is my favourite place to go and sharpen my saw. Last time I was there several ideas for articles came to me in a matter of minutes and I have since written and published those pieces. There were also spontaneous ideas for workshops, which I have run in this last year. Plans which came to mind so effortlessly in India, have matured now and blossomed into wonderful projects. And of course it’s not just the creative saw which is sharpened but also the physical, emotional and spiritual, through rest, being close to nature and having time to reflect.

Work more, Buy more

I was flicking through a health magazine last week while I waited to go in for an appointment and came across an inspiring article. The focus for the piece was the ‘work more, buy more’ modern life style and how an increasing number of people are consciously moving away from this way of living. The shift in thinking stems from a realization that more ‘things’; latest entertainment systems, phones etc don’t always provide more happiness and having to work so hard to earn the necessary money to buy these is very stressful.


It’s something I can identify with after the TV blew up a while ago and I started looking into buying a new one. When I thought about it seriously I realized I hardly ever used it and what I really would value, enjoy and benefit from was an extra weeks holiday this year. It’s made me think of the importance of standing back in situations and asking myself ‘What do I really want here?’

Life without Television

Last weekend I made myself a big mug of camomile tea, got my fleece blanket and settled down to watch a good film. When I switched on the TV there was a loud bang followed by some smoke and the smell of fumes. It was a bit of a shock but I was pleased too in a strange way, because I had wanted to have more time to read and to write my journal.


So after airing the room I picked up a half read book, which ironically had been sitting for ages on a shelf in the TV cabinet and snuggled up on the sofa. It was so relaxing, I’d pause from time to time to listen to the gentle ticking of the wall clock and only put the book down after I’d finished it.

I’d already planned to spring clean the lounge the next day so the timing was perfect and with the help of a kind neighbour the TV was put in the car and taken to its final resting place at the tip and a special cage just for old TVs.

It does feel a bit strange, but I do notice I’m more relaxed, which isn’t due to not watching TV. I was such a hopeless viewer anyway, if there were ever a competition to find the worlds worst TV viewer I would win hands down, my viewing was so erratic, I’d go a whole week sometimes without even switching it on, I never followed any programmes. I guess the only real use I had for it was to watch DVDs, something historical and meaningful which I did enjoy from time to time. If all viewers were like me the BBC would only have to make about three programmes a year and alternate them!

I think the relaxation could be down to the fact that I’m now doing more activities which are calming by nature, like reading an inspiring book and really enjoying the quietness, of which there’s not a lot in modern day living. I bumped into a friend yesterday who asked if I’d been on holiday - no I said I’ve just been without TV for a week!