I love elegant, refined and beautiful things. And as I write this I'm drinking my morning coffee from my elegant porcelain tea-cup, under the light of a chandelier, surrounded by luxurious velvet cushions, carved gold gilded Louis armchairs, a gold speckled cow-hide rug, with scented candles and fresh florals. Many of these treasures I've sourced or found on my overseas travels.
I love being surrounded by beautiful things that I've collected and gathered, which have stories behind them or I just adore. And that classic saying 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' really is true. Everyone has different preferences for what they find beautiful, for what lights you up and excites you! Yet I also believe beauty is more than visual, it's more than external objects or appearance. I believe true beauty comes from within, and can be how you choose to see the world. From the perspective of how you think, as this becomes how you see and then experience the world around you. What I know to be true for myself, and what I've learnt over the years is that everything starts from within you. And focusing on the inner work of what you think, tell yourself and feel, is crucial to transformation if you're wanting to change your circumstances, and experience more in your life.
The quote by Henry Ford “Whether you think you can, or think you can't – you're right,” touches on the very essence of this and of what we experience, as what we believe to be true, shapes our lives. So life happens through you, not to you.
I totally understand this can be a very abstract concept for some people to comprehend or even accept as truth. But in my life experience my journey to turn inwards and begin understanding my inner world, started with forgiveness. This was after a long term relationship breakup due to their unfaithfulness left me feeling completely and utterly betrayed by someone I loved deeply. And loyalty is a value I place high importance on, and cannot compromise on. So after a number of painful experiences, and realising by the way I was acting out in the world, I was the one effected by holding onto the pain. And this person showing up, wasn't who I wanted to be. I wasn't being who I knew myself to truly be. It was only once I realised I didn't want to be this person, and it wasn't who I truly was, and taking responsibility that what I wanted most was peace and to return to being myself. I came to a place within of accepting I would never get the answers to why he had acted this way, as he probably didn't know himself. I realised for me to heal I needed to forgive this man. But not for him or to offer him forgiveness, but within me and for myself. And by doing so, I was able to let go and move on. That's when I experienced a powerful shift.
So I believe it's through circumstances where we're questioning life, in great pain, despair, have reached rock bottom, or have any form of experience that causes us to deeply question life itself, that we begin seeking answers. Since this experience of forgiveness being within, over the years I've read many books, been to retreats and workshops around the world, soaking up inspiring wisdom and teachings from authors such as Deepak Chopra, Don Miguel Luiz, Debbie Ford, Tony Robbins, Abraham Hicks and ones closer to home, Rebecca Davison; Emma Burgess; Jono, Yasmeen and Raman at the Pascha Centre...there are so many!
I have journals full of my writings, notes about what resonates with me, expressing my dreams, wishes and delving into my limiting beliefs. This path is one of continual practice and remembering. A coming back to, again and again. Although I am human, on earth as skin, bone and stardust...so I'm imperfectly perfect and there are times I've been stuck and have felt life isn't working how I want it to, and it can take time to move through all these feelings. But more and more, I try to let go, look for the lesson and then look for the good. To look for the beauty within and around me, and to know the essence of me as a soul, is love. And this is how I want to see the world. And every day we wake, we get to choose and begin again. So we can consciously choose whether to see the world through eyes of love, of beauty, and in doing so from wherever we are in life, and find even the smallest things to be grateful for, to look for what we can appreciate around us. Or we can come from our fear or pain. And whatever we choose is how we will experience our world.
It's a spiritual law that what you look for, you will find. So I keep inspiring messages on my walls, at my office and home, with objects that have symbolic meaning for me, that connect me to what I love. These are to remind me how I want to be. And all these teachings I've soaked up, my life experiences, and my very beliefs I like to think also enables me to be able to share with others, encourage them when they need support, and at times provide a different perspective of thinking and looking at the world.
So these are all images of my office, which I've created to surround myself with beauty and inspiration. We focus so much of our time and attention at work, that if you take anything away from reading this, I would encourage you to create a space you love, that brings you joy. Delve into what is meaningful to you, and how you want to be and be seen in the world, and make a beautiful sanctuary to work from. It could make all the difference to your world. Lisa x
