Ride the Wave of Change

Happy 2016

I was writing a post about how the new year always brings with it an anxiousness of how to move forward, as if our life depended on it. I was putting the finishing touches to it then I pressed something that totally deleted the whole post.

Argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had just spent 45 minutes writing furiously at a piece which I thought was very insightful..

I sat there for a moment seething with anger, feeling stupid and wondering why on earth this happened. When it occurred to me, this is what life is like.

We start something which we may have good intentions on achieving. We set a date, a time, even choose the people who will be involved in our endeavor and then boom! A curve ball is thrown in the works.

We don't like it. We stamp out feet, we shout, we cry we turn against those we put our trust in to help us with our task and then we sulk, even going into depression, because we have not got what we wanted.

Oh well, there is always next year, to start again we may subconsciously assume. 

What if next year is now? 

What if we can do it all now? 

What if all we have is now?

Which is more to the point, why do we leave things for a later date?

Why?

So what, things didn't work out!

So what, we put a lot of our time and energy in it!

So what! So what! So what!!!

We stay in relationships that are obviously unhealthy, because we cling on to the effort we have put into it. We are not even fighting for the relationship any more but more about fighting for the time and energy we have put into it. 

So what?

OK, there is a point to this I am sure, it doesn't seem to be materialising easily...

So what?

What if it isn't meant to be easy?

What if it is all meant to be this way; fumbling in the dark; finding our way; looking for a switch that will lighten our path, then falling again as we come across a dark patch then looking again for that light?

That sounds more realistic to me. That sounds more like the life that most people have.

It is too much pressure to put on ourselves to expect things to always work out, especially the way we expect them...

Stop with the expecting! 

We are NOT in control...

Ha! How does that feel now to be told this truth, yes truth?

We are NOT in control...

Yes we are in control of how we react but not of how others do blady! blady! blah!....

Really?????

Do you feel in control of how you feel?

I certainly don't. Not all the time.

I have practised meditation, breathing exercises, reiki, mindfulness, counselling techniques etc, etc, etc I even teach others to do the same, but something that is very apparent and my family and close friends can vouch for this...I do not always, show that I am in control of my feelings.

And that is OK! 

That is more than OK. 

Do you know why?

Things change; you change, I change, life changes even if it seems that it doesn't.

What we are in control of is the ability to choose what we do with change. 

We either fight it all the way or we ride the wave of change.

If you choose the latter, which I hope this is the point I am making, you will have to be prepared for some bruises and tears. For anything with a risk, takes practice, guts and faith.

You WILL fall...not might or if you fall...you WILL FALL... 

And that is OK!

You will cry, scream and want to just stay put and argue your point and make others wrong. 

And that is OK if you want to semi live.

But if you want to live you will have to get up onto that board and surf the wave, and allow it to take you to wherever it does. 

You can then choose what you do with it. You can then decide whether to stay or hop on to the next wave of change. Either way change will happen.

Happy surfing! 

Write Therapies

Just to let you know I have a new website called writetherapies.com

New blogs and  my offerings will be found there. 

Thank you for all your support. 

Hope to see you there :) 


Christina x

Stop and 'Smell the Roses'

Life has a way of making you to take notice...little signs and coincidences happening around you to stop and 'smell the roses'.

We might be alerted for the need to change, by the people in our lives through arguments, differences that won't go away or just niggles that make you feel unhappy.

If this isn't enough for you to stop and take stock, preferring to blame others for your unease, the body will then collaborate with the universe to show you that something is amiss.

At first it may not be obvious; a recurring cold which is followed by insistent bladder infections then a throat infection etc. You may subconsciously know something isn't right commenting to your friends that you must be run down...

What do you do about it??

Do you drag yourself to the doctors, fill yourself with antibiotics and plaster yourself up, ready for the next round??

Do you then panic that you cannot take too much time off work; stay in bed; or feel that the household will collapse around you??

Have you thought what will happen if YOU collapse? What will work, your family, friends do then??

You may think, there is nothing you can do to stop what is inevitable, from happening.  Maybe not. But what if you could do something to delay it from happening?

This is what happened to me...

I thought I had it all sorted out - life- I knew there were things that were not perfect but I was putting in the hours; working on myself, I even wrote a book about how to work on yourself called 'Write Therapy-using the power of writing to heal the past and create the life you want'.

Somewhere along the line I had stopped taking notice of the messages the universe; people (who are our biggest teachers as they reflect back to us what is going on inside) and eventually my body.

I was run down...

What did I do about it??

Nothing at first, I carried on, doing more instead of less. I worked as a supply teaching assistant; I did the odd crystal therapy; I did the household chores; carried on being depressed, tired, fed up and in between all that, I wrote my book ( in record time of 2 months).

In retrospect, this was also a message to me, from my higher self, from that place some call soul. My soul was telling me I needed to take note of the guidance I was writing in this little handbook. But I had no time - I had a deadline to meet. I had food to cook. I had bills to pay. I had wrongs to make right...

Eventually, I dragged myself to the doctors, filled myself with antibiotics (which I consequently had allergic reactions to) and plastered myself up, ready for the next round...

I felt a niggling unease, which I alleviated with my crystals, and some angel card readings. But even they could not cancel the damage that had been done.

I had ignored the messages for too long - depression from unresolved grief from losing my mum ten years prior; old guilt for decisions I had made in the past which involved my children's lives; relationship disagreements and the recurring questions of:

Who am I?
Why am I here?
What am I supposed to be doing?

There is a line of thought that says, everything we experience has been already asked for. Maybe not in the 'I want' way but in the 'I don't want' way. In other words, if you spend too much time thinking of what you don't want, guess what? It happens. This is what is meant by the like is attracted to like - the law of attraction.

My book underpins the concepts of the law of attraction. It seems quite ironic that I was writing about it yet did not have the time to practice it. I was focusing on my book to be published - and published it was. I was focusing on giving more workshops - and workshops I gave. So this really did work. What I wasn't focusing positively was on me...
                                                  
                                                                         ****         

On 4th August 2014, all the above was turned on its head. I remember sitting in the consultants' office. For some reason the nurse had asked me to sit on the therapy couch. My legs were daggling, like a little child's, my partner was sitting to my right near the window.

We waitied for what seemed an eternity...

Finally the consultant walked in with the nurse, I looked up and smiled, it was not reciprocated, their faces were strained. I still did not think the worst (still ignoring the messages??).

'We are sorry to tell you Miss Christou but we have found cancer in the lump we removed from your breast.'..

I could hear crying coming from my right hand side, it irritated me...It was intruding with my thought processes...I couldn't comprehend what had been said.

I then laughed, hysterically, more from recognition of what was obvious- I teach how ignoring the messages and how carrying on without changing, can bring about illness- and also from my outdated  pessimistic outlook of,  'It was bound to happen to me, if it happened to my mum'...

                                                                         ****                                                              

Eight months on after surgery and treatment I have been given the all clear...

I am relieved and thankful for my health and for the people around me who have contributed to my healing. What I am grateful for more than anything is that I have been given a second chance to practise what I preach; to finally walk my talk; to reclaim my power and live consciously.

I have gone back to the drawing board, examining all my beliefs, thoughts and outdated patterns.

In my book, I share that in order to create the life you really want you need firstly release the past. To release the past we need to become aware of what the past is and see how it is stopping us from moving on.

You do not have to trudge through all the 'he said, she said' stories of your life, but you do have to look at your part in the stories, non-judgmentally and objectively. You need to become the observer of your life, as if you are watching a heart - felt movie.

What is more, you need to feel the feeling that is brought up not just push it aside, displace it, project it or bury it. Be with it, notice how it looks, smells, feels, speaks.

It has taken me a while to share my story, but as always the universe has a way of making us know when the right time is to do what we need... Mine is now.


***I will be sharing what I have learnt on my journey of healing with a series of blogposts and workshops. Please feel free to get in touch through the comments  and my email.***

Working Back from the Results

Today started off full of promise where I jumped out of bed with my mind buzzing with ideas. I quickly wrote them all down in my journal and started to put together my thoughts for my forthcoming talks on 7th and 8th June.

As I was rehearsing my talk I found myself distracted by internal and external events, e.g: cat meowing for food; my tummy rumbling; partner coming in and out of the kitchen. I felt my resolve quickly transforming into frustration. So, I decided to take my work to the library. As I parked near the library I changed my mind as I didn't fancy walking through the rain to sit in a stuffy room with other computer users whilst I tried to create.

This pattern continued through lunch time until I decided to practice what I was trying to share. I meditated with my crystals and let them help me release my internal blocks to creating, which were evidently being symbolically shown to me in my external world.

Did this stop the distractions? No, of course not: I watched 'Loose Women' (a women's chat show) and had something else to eat, read my emails, went on face book and then sat down to write this post. As I was in my flow I got a call from my loving other half to help him with something...

So, what is this all about?

Sometimes, it is not enough to have that brilliant idea; the best tools and techniques to move on; the time or space. It is about knowing, what it is you want to achieve. You need to have the result in the fore of your mind and work back ward.

This is sometimes harder for creative people who need to be in the moment; to get the inspiration; to go with the feeling. I have all that, what I need at the moment is structure to keep me focused.

I continued with my ‘running around’ for another two hours where I picked up my son from work, went food shopping and booked a client in for crystal therapy. In amongst all this I also promised my event organizer that I would have my bio ready within the hour (I never said which hour J )

Food is in the oven I am back on the lap top and finishing off this post. My head is clearer even if my body is more tired. There are still hours left in this day where I can finish what I started at 7 am this morning.

Message from my angels (Have just picked myself an angel card as I write)

‘I am the Angel of Marriage and I am assisting you right now!!’

In other words, I need to find some time for my other half…today!!!!

Dear Diary

I have written in you for years

You have helped me with my fears

I have poured all I have inside

Things that I have learnt to hide.

You have helped me through

Confusion, through pain and love

I have found in your pages

All that I am.

My mind needs your help

To straighten out the thoughts

To unravel the tangled emotions

That are caught in its claws.

I trust you to listen to allow

Me the time

For in your world there is 

No time-

Just space and patience

A place where I can

Lay the past to rest

Bearing all of it 

Not just the best.

Your lines give me structure

To create a new path

You are open and welcoming

Like a loving old Aunt

You lay there waiting for me

Never pushing or pleading

Ready for me whenever

My heart is bleeding or needing

A release.

Thank you dear Dairy

Thank you for your peace

xxx

Write Therapy

'Set yourself a challenge; decide to really listen to how people talk; whether,
they are problem talkers or solution talkers. You will be amazed at what you
will hear. The more you become attuned to people’s ‘talk’ the easier it will be
to work on your own ‘talk’... ' Write Therapy Chapter 2 Christina Christou


I have written a book compiled of all the tools I have learned through the years. Write Therapy - using the power of words to heal the past and create the life you want, is a self-help book using journaling and the law of attraction.

The book is being promoted by a new publishing concept where the reader helps decide if the Author receives a publishing contract. I need 250 pre-orders for the book to be published.

Take a visit to the website Britains Next Best Seller and help promote other authors too.

Love Christina

This Valentine's be in-love with life!

February 14th is, as everyone is aware, Saint Valentine’s Day. Whether we want to remember this day or not, the shops won’t allow us to forget; Cards, cuddly toys, mugs, jewellery and cheeky intimate presents adorn the shelves of every money making outlet.

How much do you spend on a Valentine’s gift? Is love measured by the monetary amount? It would be nice to think that a simple ‘I love you’ would be enough to show your beloved that you love them. But that is not generally the case, especially when we have Saint Valentine peeking at us from every angle.

Who is this guy who has most of the world pulling at his heart strings? A popular account is that Saint Valentine was a holy priest from Rome. It states that he was imprisoned for helping the Christians who were being persecuted. According to legend, during his imprisonment, he healed the daughter of his jailer. Apparently, before his execution he wrote her a letter signed "Your Valentine" as a farewell.

It was first associated with romantic love in the Middle ages, where there was a tradition of courtly love. In 18th-century England, it evolved into an occasion when lovers expressed their love for each other by giving flowers; candy and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines").

Red hearts, doves and figures of cupid are Valentine's Day symbols that are used today. Also, a dozen red roses are the symbol of romance, along with a candlelit dinner under the moonlight, washed down with a glass of bubbly; red rose petals scattered on the carpet leading to the bath tub filled with sweet smelling bubbles…

All this for love- romantic love!

But what if you do not have a Valentine? Does this mean you cannot enjoy the novelty and the energy of Valentine’s Day and love? Who is to say that you cannot send yourself a card or gift; have a delicious meal and a glass of champagne or a beauty/healing treatment?

Saint Valentine’s Day is just one day where lovers can express their love. Love is not only for one day though. Love is always, everywhere and for everyone, whether in a relationship or not.

Love yourself enough to know that you are not unlovable if you don’t have a Valentine. Love yourself enough to know you do not need someone else to make you whole – you are already whole. 

So, this Valentine’s, whatever your romantic status, be in-love with life and life will be in-love with you. This is the best way to attract another person who is also happy with being in-love.

Following are some spiritual ways to invoke love and also keep love alive:

v     Crystals- love can be invoked with having a piece of Rose Quartz in your bedroom.

v     Angels – having figures or pictures of cupid the classic symbol of love.

v     Archangels- invoke Jophiel the Archangel of beauty which can help beautify your thoughts and surroundings.

v     Affirmations –  saying positive phrases in the present attracts our desires, ‘I welcome love into my life’

v     Candles – lighting a red or pink candle and chanting a ritual to attract love.

v     Flowers/essential oils – the sweet scent of flowers especially roses can invoke the energy of love.

v     Figurines – of couples in loving embrace or heart shaped ornaments help your focus on romance.