Happy Dance Practice Wrap-Up – The Best Of
May 3, 2012 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Featured, Fun
Happy Dancing
Which gave me the idea to collect all of the Best Happy Dance resources here in one place so I can (and you can too) bookmark this page and come back to it whenever I need an injection of Happy-Dance-ness!
This video is like a tutorial for Happy Dancing – a collection of Happy Dances from all over the world.
If you only have a minute, let Will Smith inspire you with a bit of Drum Happy Dancing!
http://youtu.be/fQNiN-9vaCM
I loved this one so much I played it about 8 times to learn the dance, and I went and bought the song!
Join the Dance Walking Fitness Craze!
Snoopy shows you how it’s done!
One of my favourite tunes to Happy Dance to! Oo-be-do…
Forget your troubles and just Get Happy
More inspiration to Happy Dance from the Jungle Book – come on Baggy, get with the beat!
Even when it’s raining, you can still sing…and dance in the rain!
For me, this is the ultimate Happy Dance…you just can’t beat Carlton’s joy at Tom Jones!
http://youtu.be/2KPwzGzk2S0
I hope this post helps you to keep Happy Dancing…and please, take a photo of yourself Happy Dancing and share it with me! I did this (as you can see) and it was so much fun! Don’t forget to bookmark this page!
Love
Donna.x
PS If you have half an hour and want to cheer yourself up with all of these on a playlist…here it is! The Happy Dance Playlist
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April Full Moon Dreamboard – the Full Pink Moon
April 7, 2012 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
It’s full moon dreamboard time again with Jamie Ridler of Jamie Ridler studios – the Full Pink Moon. Jamie suggests that the question we answer this month is ‘What Dreams Is It Time To Tend?’ – I collected the images before I even looked at the question, and yet the images answered the question perfectly – it is time for me to tend the dreams of luxury, writing, love, beauty, flow and soul. What do you see?
This month I had less time to choose the images that called to me, less time to create the Dreamboard…but even with that, it calls to me. Before finding Jamie’s circle of Dreamers I had never been a fan of Vision Boards – I now understand that for me, they are to ‘heady’, too ‘thought-driven’. But this intuitive way of collating images brings a new dimension to it – the subconscious and unconscious mind. Each Dreamboard I have created has had a message for me – a message that, as soon as I see it, hits me like a punch in the gut! And in this, the 5th Dreamboard I have created, I find that even with ‘less’ images and more space, there is more to be learned. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Join the dreamboard circle and create your own – if you’re not sure how, here’s a free resource from Jamie to teach you.
To your dreams!
Love
Donna.x
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March 2012 Dreamboard – The Full Worm Moon
March 8, 2012 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
It’s full moon dreamboard time again with Jamie Ridler of Jamie Ridler studios – the Full Worm Moon doesn’t soon very nice does it? But as Jamie explains “this March moon is when the earth starts to soften and the burrowers of her soil find their way to the surface”…hmm that sounds kind of good. What is softening for you this March? What is making its way to the surface for you?
This month I went out and got a big sketch pad to use to create my Dream board, and already I see a difference of spaciousness and light (and I’m happy to leave gaps because it’s not a lurid purple paper peeking through!). Allowing yourself to collage with what images catch your eye is a fun, insightful process and allows those deep desires that are not ready for words to peek through.
Join the dreamboard circle and create your own – if you’re not sure how, here’s a free resource from Jamie to teach you.
To your dreams!
Love
Donna.x
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February 2012 Dreamboard – What Desires Lie Deep Within?
February 8, 2012 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun, Inspiration
It’s full moon dreamboard time again with Jamie Ridler of Jamie Ridler studios – to find out more about the full snow moon, click here. The question for this month was: What desires lie deep within? This is my 3rd dreamboard, and I am falling more and more in love with the process and the outcome each and every time. Creating this month’s board involved mining for desire’s held deep within – and some surprising images caught my eye.
For anyone curious about this process, I will tell you hand on heart that it is insightful, fun, and a beautiful way to dig in to what’s there for you – sometimes we can’t ‘think’ our way into our desires, we need to feel them and see them and have them surprise us by showing up in collage! For example, one of the things to show up and surprise me was the kangaroo – and the significance of this is that the kangaroo cannot go backwards, it can only go forwards. To me right now, this was a real ‘aha’ moment. Join the dreamboard circle and create your own – if you’re not sure how, here’s a free resource from Jamie to teach you.
To your dreams!
Love
Donna.x
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Guest Post: Create an Encouragement Box by Jamie Ridler
February 2, 2012 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Articles, Blog posts, Featured, Fun, Inspiration
When I saw this post from Jamie, I just HAD to share it with you guys – I have an encouragement book but I forget to dip into it when I need it…but this encouragement BOX idea is FABULOUS! It’s right here by my desk twinkling at me! Let me know if you try it, and feel free to send me (and Jamie!) some encouragement to fill our encouragement boxes!!
“We all have dark and discouraging days, especially when we’re stretching ourselves to new heights and reaching into new places, and sometimes we need a little support. That’s why I created my encouragement box. The concept is very simple. Whenever someone says anything loving or supportive or beautiful to me, either on my blog, over email or in person, I take a moment to write it down on an index card and pop it in the box. I keep it simple, just a short phrase, so that I can read it quickly and easily. I keep the box open and visible to me when I’m working at my desk.
Whenever I’m feeling discouraged or down, I glance over and am able to see something true, meaningful and personal that reminds me that I am loved, that people believe in me and that the work I do makes a difference. It inspires me each and every day. And on particularly challenging days, when I’m feeling down and discouraged, I pull out a few of these cards and drink them in with my tea. It helps wash away the mood of the moment, connects me to what’s important and inspires me to keep on keeping on.
An encouragement box can take whatever form inspires you: a pretty bowl filled with little pieces of coloured paper. a gift box with notes written on the backs of old holiday cards, a folder in your inbox. The most important part is that you use it. If you’re inspired to gather your encouragements using calligraphy, stickers or coloured pencils, go for it. If that sounds like a beautiful idea but actually leaves you with another to-do list item and piles of cards waiting to be created, come back to basics. The beauty really comes from the love and the thought behind the words – and that doesn’t need any dressing up at all.
Personally, I’ve committed to keeping the process really simple. I buy a box and some blank index cards from the dollar store and keep them on my desk. I gather encouragement on the fly, not worrying about using a particular format or pen or even whether it’s neat. Making it easy has kept me with it. I’m on my third year of encouragement boxes!
May your encouragement box hold precious treasures that remind you daily of how amazing you are.”
Jamie Ridler is a creative living coach and the director of Jamie Ridler Studios. From the Creative Living with Jamie podcast to the Sparkles creativity e-course, Jamie’s work helps women find the confidence and courage to discover and express their creative selves so they can be the star they are.
BIG love and thanks to Jamie who is one of my favourite people on the planet right now! Jamie, thank you for letting me share this wonderful practice. xx
Love
Donna.x
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Full Moon Dreamboard – Birthday Dreamboard
December 10, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
As regular readers of this blog will know, I often participate in a practice called ‘Wishcasting’ with Jamie Ridler of Jamie Ridler Studios. Jamie is a fabulous creativity coach, and thanks to her this year, I have been blogging my wishes, created a practice of doing the Morning Pages every day (3 pages of free writing as prescribed by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way) and doing a collage journal page for my daily practice (to see pictures of these, go to my facebook page).
Jamie also encourages a ‘Full moon dreamboard’…and while I’ve been considering joining in with this for a while, it took the full moon landing on my birthday (happy birthday to me!) for me to make the time to actually create a dreamboard. And here it is:
I didn’t read the actual instructions for this month, I just used the images and words that caught my eye…and somehow it just seems right, and was a fun, nourishing practice for my birthday. Thanks Jamie!
Love
Donna.x
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31 Days of Laughter
October 31, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
Just in case you missed any of the daily reminders on Facebook this month, here they all are in one place (feel free to bookmark this page to come back to whenever you need a reminder to laugh!):
1. The daily practice for October is…laughter! Are you going to join me in laughing every day this month?
2. Practice laughing for no reason. Just laugh. That’s the ‘purpose’ of Laughter Yoga (find the videos on YouTube) – one of my favourite things! Big breath…and HAHAHAHAHAHA. Just to laugh.
3. “May laughter fill your home, relieve your stress, and strengthen your friendships. Do not let a day go by without laughing; it is good for your health.” – Catherine Pulsifer, from SEVEN GIFTS TO GIVE TO A FRIEND
4. Here’s a video that will help if you don’t feel like laughing…http://youtu.be/HUkPGL4zQyw
5. What’s your favourite ‘crap’ joke? Here’s mine – What do you call a sheep with no legs? A cloud. Makes me laugh EVERY time! Xxx
What do you call a fish with no eyes…. A fsh
Why does Edward Woodward have so many D’s in his name?…. Cos he doesn’t want to be called Ewar Woowar
6. October Daily Practice: Laugh. Who’s your favourite comedian? Go onto YouTube and find some clips of your favourite comedian today (let me know who you’re looking up!).
7. Laugh. The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~e.e. cummings So get laughing today!
8. What films make you laugh? This weekend, put on a DVD of something that makes you laugh…and get laughing!
9. Laugh. Hoorah for youtube and funny clips – this is one of my fave tv moments of all time! http://bit.ly/nzBs56
10. “Laugh. I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.” ~Woody Allen
11. What’s your favourite comedy show? For Irish humour (not for those who don’t like ‘bad language’!), check out Mrs Brown’s Boys. Funny. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdSaWW9vuow&feature=channel_video_title
12. Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. ~Kurt Vonnegut
13. YouTube is such a gift for this practice of laughter – check this out – one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen: http://www.donnaonthebeach.com/blog/2009/03/friday-fun-japan-binocular-football/
14. What’s your favourite joke of all time? Here’s mine:http://www.donnaonthebeach.com/blog/2011/10/friday-fun-gis-a-push/
15. Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails. What puts man in a higher state of evolution is that he has got his laugh on the right end. ~Max Eastman
16. When was the last time you laughed until you cried? If it’s more than a week ago, that’s too long. Try harder!
17. Try this yoga laughter technique for laughing alone…let me know how you get on! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsbqDglPNsk
18. A good time to laugh is any time you can. ~Linda Ellerbee
19. October Daily Practice: Laughter. When you need to laugh quietly and alone… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvAkyoA7l4U&list=PL97C19BBBD0F7FDB5&index=3
20. Some more laughter yoga exercises – my favourite is at around 1.27 minutes – reminded me of starting my car…a good association, I can now laugh every time I start my car! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NoamivA4SY&list=PL97C19BBBD0F7FDB5&index=7
21. Laugh. A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. ~Irish Proverb
22. The sillier we are, the easier it is to laugh. Get more silly in your life, laugh more. Today, be silly.
23. Your mission today, should you choose to accept it is to laugh, cackle, chortle, chuckle, giggle, guffaw, snicker, snigger, snort and titter. 1 point for each. 10 bonus points for doing all 10 (and you can fake it – release your inner thespian and act them all out!)
24. More laughter yoga exercises – this one is a wonderful way to start the day! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZNKf7_ZJC0&list=PL97C19BBBD0F7FDB5&index=6
25. More crap jokes: What bee can’t you hear very well? A mumble bee.
What’s the name of Zippy’s wife ? Mississippi
What’s brown and sticky??
a STICK.
What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t work?…..
……a stick
Did you hear about the cat who swallowed a ball of yarn? She had mittens!
What is long, brown and runs around the garden??
A fence.
26. “I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.” Audrey Hepburn
27. They have to do more of these – I’m wiping away the tears of laughter! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmsh0kRKyB4&feature=related
28. This captures the joy of booking a cheap flight perfectly! http://youtu.be/uVASZ2lCY5Y
29. “It is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time. Anger and laughter are mutually exclusive and you have the power to choose either.” Wayne Dyer
30. “Live by this credo: have a little laugh at life and look around you for happiness instead of sadness. Laughter has always brought me out of unhappy situations.” Red Skelton
31. It’s the last day of the daily practice for this month. Did you join in? Will you continue? Today, find any way and every way you can to laugh loud and free! And keep laughing!
With love and laugh.
Donna.x
PS Get ready for the November daily practice…it’s another fun one! Make sure you ‘like’ my facebook page to join in!
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A Friday Funny
October 21, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
In the spirit of the October Daily Practice of Laughter, I’ve been looking for old amusing things from the archives of my blog…and I found this little gem from August last year! Enjoy…
In Bill Ford‘s coaching newsletter this week:
One of my wife’s colleagues when she was working in the US was asked by a client in France to rush over to present at a meeting the next day. He got on a plane the same day and did not have time to pack. It was winter.
He got to the hotel in Paris with enough time to sleep. His suit was creased from the flight, so he turned on the shower and hung it in the bathroom to let the steam reduce the creases. He fell asleep. By the time he woke up the suit was sodden. So he hung it out on his balcony. He fell asleep again.
By the time he woke up, the suit was frozen. He had no choice, so he put it on and went to the meeting. As he was presenting he could tell that he was losing his audience as they seemed distracted. He asked what was going on and learned that there was steam coming off his suit. He explained what had happened, they fell about laughing, were impressed by his dedication and the MD suggested they go to lunch instead.
This made me cry with laughter and totally ruined me for doing any work until I’d sat in a corner for a bit calming down. I hope it brought you just half as much amusement. Happy Friday!
Love
Donna.x
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Friday Fun – Gis a Push
October 14, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
In honour of the October Daily Practice, here’s my favourite joke:
A man and his wife were awakened at 3 o’clock in the mnorning by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.
“Not a chance,” says the husband, “it is 3 in the morning!” He slams the door and returns to bed.
“Who was that?” asked his wife.
“Just some drunk guy asking for a push,” he answers.
“Did you help him?” she asks.
“No, I did not, it is 3 o’clock in the morning and it is pouring with rain out there!”
“Well, you have a short memory,” says his wife. “Can’t you remember about three months ago when we broke down, and those two guys helped us? I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!”
The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pounding rain.
He calls out into the dark, “Hello, are you still there?”
“Yes,” comes back the answer.
“Do you still need a push?” calls out the husband.
“Yes, please!” comes the reply from the dark.
“Where are you?” asks the husband.
“Over here on the swing,” replied the drunk
Utter GENIUS!
Happy Friday!
Love
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October Daily Practice: Laugh!
October 1, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
Did you join me last month for the September Daily Practice – feeling good? It was a good practice huh? So, this month I decided to continue in a ‘good feeling’ vein with LAUGHTER. Yep, the daily practice this month is laugh. Laugh, every day, every time you get a chance, and make a big effort to laugh lots! Join me over on my facebook page for a daily reminder to laugh, links to some funny stuff and resources to help you get laughing!
Remember when you were a young child, and everything would set you off laughing? Well, I want you to get some of that glee, merriment and hilarity back into your life in October (and if it’s fun, maybe beyond October too!). So, are you with me? Here’s what you do: Make a committment to yourself to LAUGH. Daily, often, easily. Come and join my facebook page, have a think about what and who makes you laugh and make the decision to spend time with funny stuff! And enjoy it!
Love, and laugh!
Donna.x
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