Nine Strategies to Beat Hunger When You're on a Diet

Diets fail for many different reasons, and one of them is hunger: an uncomfortable sensation that we humans are biologically designed to avoid. This complex process is regulated by numerous hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain. We get hungry for physiological reasons (when our body needs nourishment) and psychological reasons (e.g. stress or boredom). There is a difference between real 'stomach' hunger and so-called 'head' hunger, although drawing the line between the two is not always easy. Psychological reasons can influence physiology, like when you're in shock and cannot eat, even though your body needs energy. Regardless of the origin of your hunger, here are some proven strategies to help you beat this painful feeling and stay on track with weight loss:

1) Don't cut calories too low. 
The stricter your diet, the more you will be likely to experience hunger, so it's important not to cut your food intake too low. This is the main reason why diets fail: because they are too restrictive. When we're not allowed to have something, we want it more, so it's also important not to eliminate certain foods completely. Anything in moderation can't do much harm, especially if you don't consume it regularly. The occasional treat won't ruin your diet, but consistently overindulging in ice cream for example will sabotage your efforts. Strict diets not only make you hungry, but your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism slows down, which means you'll burn less calories and lose weight more slowly.

2) Eat more complex carbohydrates.
Refined sugars are a no-no for obvious reasons, especially as they are followed by a surge of insulin followed by the inevitable 'crash' as your blood sugar suddenly drops and leaves you exhausted and ravenous. Slow carbohydrates like whole meal breads, whole meal pasta, brown rice, oats, quinoa, lentils and sweet potato are excellent for weight loss, as they don't have this effect. On the contrary, they give you sustained energy and make you feel full. They are 'low GI', which means they are broken down and absorbed slowly, keeping your blood sugar on an even keel. They also influence your mood positively as they have been linked to an increase in the brain of the feel-good neurotransmitter Serotonin.

3) Eat more fruit.
If your stomach rumbles and it's still a while before your next meal, have an apple, a pear, a banana or a cup of berries. This is often all you need to quell your hunger. I don't know how fruit got such a bad name when it's actually good for your health and very satisfying.  The fructose contained in fruit works to refill liver glycogen, sending a signal to the brain, thus making you feel fuller. This is why people who include moderate amounts of fruit in their diet report feeling less hungry. This is an addition to the other benefits of fruit: fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants. Of course we are talking about whole fruit here - stay away from juices!

4) Eat more fibre.
Fibre is quite miraculous, and totally devoid of calories. It adds bulk to your food and makes you feel full, while lowering the GI of your meal. It delays stomach emptying, and you tend to feel satisfied for longer. By adding volume to your meal, fibre contributes to stretching your stomach, and the brain thinks you're full. How do you increase your fibre intake? Focus on soups, vegetable curries, stews and stir fries. Have lots of salads. Besides eating fruit and vegetables, it's essential to stick to unrefined products like whole meal cereals, breads and pasta. Remember to have pulses and legumes as they are 'nutritional powerhouses', and to add nuts and seeds to your meals.

5) Eat more fat.
Low-fat diets tend to leave people hungry. Fat contributes to lowering the GI of your meals, and like fibre it slows gastric emptying. Dietary fat helps you feel fuller for longer between meals, as you food sits in your stomach longer. Adding fat to your dishes also makes them more tasteful. Without fat, food often tastes like cardboard. Fat makes food more palatable, and thus more satisfying, which plays a big role as people tend to abandon diets that are tasteless. Avoid cooking or frying in fat though. Instead, add fat towards the end of your cooking, by drizzling olive oil or adding a bit of fresh butter to your dish. If you need to fry something, use coconut oil: it's the only oil that remains stable when heated. Most other oils, including vegetable oils, become toxic at high temperatures, as their structure is altered by heat. To add 'good' fats to your diet, it's a good idea to consume nuts in moderation. It has been proven that people who include nuts in their diet (about a handful a day) are less hungry than those who don't. Eating nuts also increases your life span.

6) Drink more water.
Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day helps reduce hunger pangs. Water makes you feel fuller. It stops you from eating large quantities if you consume it before a meal. Water works well in conjunction with fibre, which acts like a sponge, increasing the bulk of your food and stretching your stomach. Another reason for drinking more water is that thirst is often mistaken for hunger. You might feel hungry, when in reality you're simply dehydrated. Before grabbing something to eat, fill up on water. Make it a habit to carry a water bottle with you everywhere you go, and sip some water throughout the day to replenish your body cells. Water is great if you suffer from stress and headaches. Water not only helps keep hunger at bay, it also stimulates your metabolism and assists your kidney and liver. You liver is your major detoxification and energy-burning organ, and drinking water will help it work efficiently.

7) Exercise moderately.
Moderate exercise has been shown to stabilise blood sugar levels and regulate hunger pangs, especially if you do it on a regular basis. Exercise is a natural antidepressant. It lifts your mood, which is important, as you tend to eat more sugar and junk food when you feel low. When you feel better about yourself you also tend to stick to your diet, as you're more likely to take better care of yourself. Exercise can be relaxing and it takes your mind off your problems, while alleviating stress and boredom. It gives you a sense of accomplishment and motivates you to stay on track.

8) Avoid 'diet perfectionism'.
In my book 'The Magic of Sensible Dieting', I devote a whole chapter to this destructive mindset. Diet perfectionism is sure to make you fail, because it is impossible to be perfect all the time when you follow a weight loss programme. While you need to adhere to certain guidelines like eating a wholesome breakfast, avoid eating late at night and eating several small meals a day, you also need to have a flexible approach to dieting if you want to succeed. If you feel guilty and miserable just because you had a piece of chocolate cake, you might believe that your diet is ruined and eat the entire cake, and abandon your diet altogether. This type of rigid dieting is bound to fail. You will possibly put on more weight in the long term, rather than losing it. 

The truth is that small deviations don't do much harm in the context of a long-term healthy eating approach. If you've dieted for the last five days and decide to have a handful of cookies, because you really fancy them, it won't do you much harm. But if you decide that you're a worthless piece of crap without willpower and eat another 1000 calories of cookies to punish yourself, you're turning this slight deviation into a big problem. Always include periods of 'free' eating (on the weekend for example) and include your favourite treats in your diet, without going overboard of course.

9) Welcome hunger instead of trying to avoid it at all cost.
Hunger is not as bad as it seems. Hunger means you're burning energy and shedding excess weight, which is what you want after all. To feel slightly hungry after a meal may also be a sign that you're getting used to eating smaller quantities and that your stomach is 'shrinking'. It takes time for your body to adjust to this new way of life. If you're used to eating a lot of junk food and switch to a diet based on fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, healthy carbs and lean protein, your body will be in shock for a while. Give yourself enough time to get used to being healthy! The body is a marvellous machine, and even if it has been abused for a long time, it longs to be healthy and to be looked after properly. Your body doesn't work against you. It works for you, but you need to give it a chance. 

It can be good feel hungry sometimes. Before a meal, it means you need to replenish your energy stores. Hunger can be healthy, and to experience it shows that you're in tune with your body's signals. Overweight and obese people often forget what real stomach hunger feels like, due to overeating all the time, and they need to learn to identify true hunger signals, which are not the same as a desire to eat because something looks appetising. Make a decision not to be scared of hunger and welcome it instead. After all, there are a lot of healthy foods you can eat to satisfy your body's needs as well as your taste buds.

I would love to read your comments and suggestions on this article!

With love,

Bella

Why it's important to get a good night's sleep

Energy and willpower are necessary to work towards your goals, and depend a lot on the quality and quantity of your sleep. When you’re sleep deprived, your brain is impaired and functions less effectively. Your mental processes become distorted and negative. You get easily irritated by what other people do or say. You get frustrated as soon as things don’t go your way. 

Without sufficient sleep, you find it hard to make decisions. Or you make decisions in a rush, without thinking them through properly, and without looking at the consequences. Lack of sleep can turn you either into an insensitive robot or an emotional wreck. At the same time, you tend to become irrational and lose all perspective and common sense.

Getting a good night’s sleep should be your number one priority. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, excepts maybe for natural herbal products. Any chemical you put into your body can affect your sleep pattern. If you’re a night shift worker, be particularly vigilant to get enough sleep during the day, and on your days off. Put all non-urgent tasks on the back burner and explain to your family that your rest and sleep come first.

To stay positive, motivated and focused on what you really want, you need sufficient quality sleep. It is during your sleep that memories become anchored in your subconscious: this is essential for learning and preparing for exams. In your sleep, you often solve problems you couldn’t figure out during the day, as your subconscious keeps working on them, without you having to do anything about it! In your sleep, all your bodily systems get rejuvenated and injected with new energy, this is why you feel so refreshed when you wake up after a good night.

You don’t have to wait to be exhausted to go to bed. Start making yourself comfortable between the sheets at least half an hour to an hour before your actual bedtime. Sleep is a progressive state of deep relaxation. You can initiate the process and feel your eyes getting heavy, while yawning sets in, and slumber eventually takes over.  This is a proactive approach that will have a great impact on the quality of your sleep. Read something inspiring. Take a few minutes to pray or meditate. Go go over the events of the day and look at them from an observer’s point of view, without judging people and events. Be grateful for everything you’ve got, even if it isn’t much. Be grateful that you’re breathing, that you’re in a nice warm bed, that you’ve got a roof over your head. Be grateful for yesterday, today and tomorrow!

Sleep well,

Bella

Painting: "Night Time" by Toni Grote

Most Important Thing When You Want to Lose Weight

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new." - Socrates.

What's the most important when you want to lose weight? 
- It’s not counting calories or creating a caloric deficit;

- It’s not eliminating fats and carbs from your diet;

- It's not eating ridiculously small portions;

- It’s not depriving yourself of all your favourite treats; 

- It’s not enduring hunger and cravings day after day;

- It’s not being discouraged because you need to lose sooo much weight and it’s going to be soooo hard;

- It’s not being discouraged because you only need to lose a few kilos but you know they’re the most difficult to shed;

- It's not being discouraged because you think you will regain all your weight once your diet is over;

- It’s not exercising like a lunatic until you pass out;

- It’s not stuffing yourself with vegetables until you despise the sight of them;

- It’s not having to eat fruit all the time instead of cake or candy;

- It’s not thinking you can’t do it because it’s too hard and you don’t like to suffer;

- It’s not thinking you can’t do it because you’ve got no willpower;

- It’s not looking at your past failed diets and predict that you will fail again, so there is no use trying;

- It’s not having to spend a lot of money on healthy food, and extra time shopping and cooking.

The most important aspect to consider when you want to lose weight is none of these! 
It's all about ATTITUDE. 
Your frame of mind will determine your long-term success. I will tell you more about it next week!

With all my love and warm thoughts of encouragement,

Bella

Why is it so Difficult to Lose Weight?

Dieting is not a piece of cake! Your body has ingrained habits, and so does your mind. 

You're used to carrying a certain amount of fat and when you try to lose it, alarm bells go off immediately: you feel ravenous, and your body goes into starvation mode. 

As you reduce your caloric intake, hoping to burn fat, your metabolism slows down, adjusting to the amount of fuel it is given. You might lose some weight initially, but then you quickly hit a "plateau": your weight stops moving. You get discouraged and give up your diet. You go back to your old eating pattern and a few weeks or months later, you regain all the weight you've so painfully lost. 

Psychologically, it's hard to change a pattern of behaviour. It takes a bit of work and persistence, and above all: time. You can't rush it, as you can't change overnight! Today you are the sum total of your habits, and you need to undo them one by one, peeling them away like the layers of an onion. 

Motivation is not always strong. It comes and goes, and on some days you feel enthusiastic about your goal, while on others, your determination weakens. You're tempted to give in to your cravings and can't resist the urge to have a chocolate bar of a piece of cake! Just because you didn't stick to your eating plan, you think you've failed. You decide to binge on the foods that you've denied yourself for the last few days or weeks. The next day, you feel awful and decide either to punish yourself by going on an even more restrictive diet, which will slow your metabolism even further, or give up your intention to lose weight altogether.  

Weight loss works if you're sensible about it. There is no instant recipe, and secret number one is to lose weight slowly and gradually. It doesn't matter how long it takes! 

Examine your excuses, e.g., "I don't have any willpower", or "I don't have time to exercise". Willpower begins with little things, like eating more fruit and vegetables instead of pies and biscuits. Or like getting up a few minutes earlier than usual to do a few stretches and prepare a nutritious breakfast.

Be patient and gentle with yourself! Secret number two is to be flexible. If you can't go to the gym, why not take a power walk for ten or twenty minutes? Wanting to do everything perfectly will set you up for failure, because no one can be perfect, and you'll slip up and make mistakes, no matter how hard you try to do things by the book.

You probably already know what you should eat, but you're confused about carbohydrates, fat and protein. I will explain how to balance these macronutrients in your diet for the best weight loss effect, and for maximum health and energy. You will never go hungry again, as you'll have plenty of satisfying food to eat! And you won't feel miserable and deprived...

Losing weight can be an exciting journey, if you're doing it right, and if you're playful about it.  My new book, "The Magic of Sensible Weight Loss" won't disappoint you. It may not be easy to lose weight, but you can achieve it in a rational way that appeals to your intelligence. I will give you all the tools to do this, and much more. The result will be magical!

With love,
Bella

"The Magic of Sensible Dieting: Healthy Weight Loss without Hunger and without Deprivation" will soon be available at Balboa Press and Amazon.com!

Addiction is a Decision!

"Life is a series of baby steps along the way and if you add up these tiny little steps you take toward your goal, whatever it is, whether it's giving up something, a terrible addiction or trying to work your way through an illness. When you total up those baby steps you'd be amazed over the course of ten years, the strides you've taken." - Hoda Kotb, Egyptian-American TV host.

We humans tend to get addicted to a lot of things that aren't good for us. We tend to destroy ourselves, instead of looking after ourselves to the best of our ability. Some of us are addicted to nicotine, drugs or alcohol. Others are addicted to junk food or sugar. Some are addicted to gambling or shopping. Others are addicted to work or dysfunctional relationships...

It doesn't really matter what you're addicted to; right now you've reached a stage in your life when you want to rid yourself of these negative patterns. You want to let go of these behaviours as their painful consequences now outweigh the thrill they once provided.

In my book "The Magic of Willpower", I explain that addiction is a decision. You want something, so you make up your mind to obtain it and consume it. This process is repeated over and over until it gets out of hand. As time goes by, this decision-making process gets out of control; it becomes an addiction. Are you going to do it or are you not going to do it? Each and every time, it's a decision, it's a choice. String all these decisions together, and you have a pattern of behaviour that will determine the course of your life. It will determine what sort of person you will be. Every moment of your life, you have a choice.

Live this moment to the fullest, and make decisions that are good for you. Only one day at a time, one moment at a time if necessary. Learn the Serenity Prayer: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Say it over and over. Say it every time you need to make a decision!

With love and bright thoughts of encouragement,

Bella

Painting:"High Above Amalfi" by Mikki Senkarik, American.

Willpower is the Power of Endurance

"Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes." - Buddha

"Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory." - William Barclay (Scottish author, 1907 - 1978)

Sometimes you wish you could make your problems disappear, simply by waving a magic wand. This is why I chose "The Magic of Willpower" as the title for my book, as I had this vision of difficulties magically disappearing. And it is possible, if you develop self-discipline an endurance. It may not happen instantly but eventually, you will reap the results for your dedication. 

Sometimes you believe that the only way to be happy is to get rid of what is bothering your: whether it be a demanding boss, a domineering spouse, an invasive adult child at home, an obnoxious neighbour, a destructive puppy your children forced you to adopt, gloomy weather, or hopeless politicians...

But you didn't come into this life to have everything nice right away. You didn't come to have sunshine, lollipops and roses every day. You came to endure and make the best out of what you've got now.  If you manage to maintain a positive attitude in the midst of trouble, without losing your serenity, you've achieved more than you can hope for. 

Once you acquire the ability to control your thoughts (I explain how to do this in my book, "The Magic of Willpower"), your actions and words will follow and be in harmony with them. To your own surprise, you will experience a deep calm in the midst of turmoil, and become an observer. You won't lose your inner composure, which will allow you to be confident and overcome many obstacles.

Cultivating a patient and cheerful attitude will give you strength and courage. You won't be tempted to become upset, or to lose your temper and do things you might regret later. You won't be tempted to give up, because you know that the ultimate reward is what you've gained on the inside: sanity and peace of mind. You won't become agitated and fearful as soon as things threaten to go wrong. Instead, you will be equipped with the tools to deal with setbacks and crisis.

You don't know what life has in store for you. There are fabulous moments and not-so-fabulous ones! If you concentrate on your inner path, without losing your focus, you'll be able to ignore things that are unimportant, like someone who disagrees with you. You're not here to convince other that you're right and that they're wrong. You're here to endure what happens with steadfastness, and a general disposition to expect the best in all things. 

With all my love,

Bella

Painting: "Lavender Lotus Flower" by Mon Fagtanac, contemporary artist, San Juan, Luzon, Philippines.

How to Forget Something or Someone

"To forgive is wisdom, to forget is genius. And easier. Because it's true. It's a new world every heart beat." - Joyce Cary, The Horse's Mouth

To stop thinking about something or someone may seem like a tall order, especially when you're in the middle of a crisis like ill health, job loss or separation. How to do it may seem difficult, but there is an easy and straightforward way to go about it. Putting this simple strategy into practice however takes commitment and some practice.

Whenever you find yourself thinking about something unpleasant, something in your life that bothers you, or a person you would like to get out of your mind, gently but firmly direct your thoughts away from it and towards something or someone that makes you feel better.

Do this repeatedly and consistently, whenever an unwanted thought pops up in your mind. Over time this strategy will become automatic. And when something becomes a habit, it requires less and less effort, as I explain in my book, "The Magic of Willpower". In the beginning you might struggle but after a while it will become natural: this way of thinking will become a part of you. You will apply it to other situations, like when you worry too much, or when you're stuck in a negative thinking pattern.

The thought in itself is not a problem. The real problem is the tendency we have as human being to feel sorry for ourselves, and wanting other people to feel sorry for us too. It's almost as if we get a warped sense of satisfaction from it! Feeling bad can be addictive in a crazy sort of way, but it won't help us move forward. The problem is still there, and we won't resolve it by dwelling on it. We need to let it go, no matter what.

Do you want to embark on an endless cycle of thinking about something or someone you want to forget? Once you understand how useless it is to hold onto painful memories and feelings, you can start choosing thoughts that are not so painful, and that give you a sense of hope and relief. Choose something that feels a bit better, like "I have family and friends who will helps me and give me moral support", "There will be a solution to my money problem", "Children are resilient and they will adjust to it."

You may be caught in a difficult situation, but you are free to choose thoughts that are positive and encouraging. Forgetting someone is not easy, but you can do it by shifting your attention to something else. Focus on improving your life, on making the most out of what you've got rather than what you've lost. Distract yourself with meaningful and joyful activities. Put all your attention on the present moment, without drifting into the past or future. 

With loving thoughts,

Bella

Painting: "Forger Me Not" by Derick Burleson, Alaska, 2010

Who do you want to be?

"There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self." - Aldous Huxley

Who exactly do you want to be? What kind of person do you want to be? What are your personal ideals? Is there someone you admire? What are the special traits of this person that you would like to make your own? It's time to stop being vague. If you wish to be an extraordinary person, if you wish to be wise and successful, begin by identifying the kind of person you aspire to become. Be specific. If you have a diary, write down who you're striving to be, so that you can refer to this self-definition. Precisely describe the kind of thoughts and behaviour you would like to adopt, so that you can preserve these when you're by yourself or in the company of other people.

In my book "The Magic of Willpower", I recommend that you examine yourself thoroughly, to find out what your values are, what's important to you, and to live according to these guidelines. For instance, if compassion and generosity are essential in your eyes, make sure your actions reflect this part of your personality. If you do something over and over, it becomes a habit, a part of you, just like the clothes you wear. Make it a habit to live according to your own ideals and principles, and you will be at peace with yourself.

With love,

Bella

Painting by Yayoi Kusama, 1988, Japan

Be Happy Now!

"In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer." - Albert Camus
"But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?" - Albert Camus.

Happiness is everything, and you need to extract it from every moment of your life! Infuse it with all the joy that you can conjure up, no matter where you are and what you're doing...

Set your self a goal: it will give your life purpose and direction. Imagine arriving at your desired destination after a long and often difficult journey. At the end, you will reap the rewards for your efforts. But in the meantime, you can feel happiness too. You can enjoy the road you're taking, what I call the "process" in my book, "The Magic of Willpower". If you can find pleasure in the steps you're taking towards your dream, you're halfway there! 

Be happy now. Don't wait until you have more money, or a new job, or you've met that special person, or your illness goes away... 

Sometimes bad things happen to you. You feel sad; you feel the need to grieve - and that's okay. Accept it as a part of your journey. 

How you feel in this moment is up to you. It's your choice. You can choose to be happy, even though the world around you seems to be crumbling. Joy is a gift you can create for yourself. Take charge of your feelings; take charge of your happiness - as from today.

Seek the light instead of the shadows... Seek the sunshine, even if it rains. Look at the rainbow in the sky.

Seek the invincible summer inside of you. 

Treasure your happiness. And above all, share it with others!

With love,

Bella

Painting: "Paysage colore aux oiseaux aquatiques" by Jean Metzinger, 1907, France

Anger and Willpower

"Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry." - Ephesians 4:27

One of the topics in my book, "The Magic of Willpower." is anger. Anger can make you lose control and when you're in that situation, willpower goes out the window. All your resolutions dwindle and you find yourself in a vulnerable position. You lose sight of your goal, which is to be in control of your reactions and ultimately your life. To be at the mercy of your emotions can be painful. In the case of anger, it causes more damage to you than to the person you're angry at.

It's almost an instinctive reaction to let anger well up inside of you when someone says or does something that you don't agree with or find offensive. While this may be a violation of your boundaries, you don't have to lower yourself to the level of negative, destructive emotions. You can remain above it, and decide not to take it to heart and above all, not to retaliate.

You need to take a detached view of what is happening and cultivate a sense of peace and serenity, no matter what's happening. Don't allow yourself to get involved emotionally. And you need to do it before the steam of the argument builds up, or it might lead to an explosion. "Time out" is sometimes necessary - like leaving the room or even leaving the house. If you let anger take hold of you and dictate your words and actions, you will lose control and inflict damage onto yourself and others. Even innocent bystanders like children will be the victims - and these traumatic events can take a lifetime to be undone.

If you refrain from harbouring vengeful thoughts, you're doing yourself and others a favour. Resentment is like fire and it can build into a storm. It can turn into an irrational attack on another human being, leaving deep emotional scars on all those involved at the time. Ask yourself: what sort of person do you really want to be? Make the decision to be the person you really want to be right now. Don't do it later. If you're willing to let go of anger, you can do it.

Do you want to be loving, caring, and have a good life with good relationships? Do you want to be healthy and stress-free, so you don't have to turn to addictions to cover up your discomfort? Become aware of how you've been reacting so far to your environment and to other people. Be mindful of negative emotions. Experience them if you wish to, but release them straight away, without dwelling on them. Say "sorry" often and if you make a mistake, rectify it on the spot.

In my book, "The Magic of Willpower", I will teach you how to plan tricky situations in advance. I will show you how to pre-pave your circumstances and prepare yourself emotionally, so you'll never be caught unawares. Preparation is the key to success, and it's the key to keeping your anger under control. After a while, you won't even feel angry any more, as you will be able to analyse the situation and use detachment to prevent yourself from being drawn into the harmful cycle of arguments and counter arguments.

With much love,

Bella

Painting: "Desert Snow" by Katie Hark

Willpower is Mind Rehearsal

"Brittany comes to game mentally prepared to win the game. That's the highest compliment I can give her. She's more focused on winning the game... Every shift, every game... And our team can feed off that." - Bob Reid.

In my book, "The Magic of Willpower", I highlight the fact that it's important to rehearse in your mind and prepare yourself mentally before you start a new project or embark on a new journey. Never underestimate the power of your imagination to help you achieve your goal.

A top athlete won't envision going to a competition and performing badly. She won't picture herself slipping, stumbling, falling over, pulling a muscle or breaking a bone... She will see herself achieving what she sets out to do and even more: improving her time, breaking a record, and reaching breathtaking heights of success. Doubting herself or worrying that anything could go wrong doesn't even enter her mind. She won't allow anything but sheer perfection to be part of her inner world. The outer world becomes a direct reflection of what's taking place inside, the excitement, the triumph, the glory...

Why not adopt this positive attitude in every day life? Why not decide to imitate the athlete and picture every situation in your mind as being absolutely in harmony with your wishes? Before you go somewhere or begin a new task, imagine yourself making all the right choices, doing all the right moves, meeting all the right people. You can visualise clement circumstances, helpful co-workers,
pleasant surroundings, and everything flowing easily. You can choose to do this, rather than worrying that things may go wrong and that a disaster may be imminent.

Practice makes perfect and what you rehearse mentally is likely to become your new reality. If you focus on accident, disease, crisis and disaster, you'll invite these events into your life. But if you concentrate on beneficial outcomes, you'll make room for these. You can write the script for your life, every hour, every minute, every second... If you attribute what happens to good or bad luck, you end up feeling powerless. It's time to turn around your destiny, by visualising what you want to achieve, with the power of your imagination.

Paint a bright picture ahead of every situation, instead of a grim one. Concentrate on the advantages of your present situation. Tell a good story about your life, even if it doesn't seem that way to you at the moment. For instance, instead of saying: "My child is very naughty and never listens to me", you could say: "My child might be boisterous at times, but she's a good kid and I can channel her energy in the right direction." You can picture yourself giving her the guidance she needs to function happily in this world.

You're not lying to yourself when you describe your reality in favourable terms. You're just looking at it from a different perspective, and this will help you develop a more constructive approach to the difficulties you encounter. Mind rehearsal is all about being prepared, in a positive way. You have a beautiful scenario in your mind, and this is how you'll help yourself in the best possible way to achieve your goal.

With all my love,

Bella

Painting: "Trunk of Burgeoning Oak" by Isaac Levitan, 1882, Russian Federation