Costa Women Blogs

Welcome Hi, Well here we are in Summer! And what a summer it is. Lots of lovely sunshine as always here in Spain, fantastic. The summer puts everyone is a good mood, so I have decided to run a very special early booking Offers until the end of September 2014: Focus on yourself and book your ‘Art and Relaxation in Spain’ holiday for 2015 and get a massive discount. Like my facebook page, (Art and Relaxation in Spain) and send me a private message to receive full details, personally. Throughout our childhood, beliefs from others are ingrained in us. I often hear how people believe they can’t do anything creative! It almost always stems from school days where they form the impression they are not artistic. Although this may have nothing to do with their lack of ability, but could be due to poor teaching or use of unsuitable materials. Are you living your life reacting from those beliefs? Are you missing out on a wonderfully relaxing and rejuvenating hobby, because of these beliefs? Did you know creative activities, like painting or creating mosaics, can reduce your stress levels and improve your wellness considerably? Let me show you how to enjoy being creative in this stunning and tranquil part of Spain next summer. Go to ‘Art and Relaxation in Spain’ Facebook page or email me at: lindahalbert@hotmail.com Until next time Linda the artist in Spain

What is “a negative feeling”? It is a judgement on what you actually feel. Your mind gives this title. A feeling is not good or bad. it simply flows through your body. Don’t run away...

Sometimes it´s hard to be who we really are and accept ourselves exactly as is. We have basically been raised in a society where we have been taught we need to be accepted by others, and alot of the time, instead of forming our own opinions of ourselves and our value, we base this on what our peers, family and colleagues think of us. What the media shows us is “acceptable and loveable” through movies, supermodels and sitcoms. We spend many years wearing a mask- Speaking and behaving in ways that are so far fetched from who we really are, that eventually this becomes natural to us. We begin to idealise this false idea of “perfection” and strive so hard to become this fantasy, that we lose sight of who we really are. The problem with this, is that our Soul´s know deep down that we are getting further our of alignment, so this generates increasing frustration and resentment in us, causing us to become angry and defensive at a core level.    So then what happens? we start thinking, speaking and acting in ways that don´t serve us, or those around us atall. So arguments start, the green eyed monster emerges, gossiping happens, until we reach a point where we can´t go on any longer and we finally realise something´s gotta give. We sign up to meditation classes, read books on Taoism and Buddhism, we adorn ourselves with crystals and turn vegan and we start to feel a little better about things. We label ourselves as being “Zen” or “Spiritual” but actually our mindsets are still the same. We have spent so many years wearing society´s mask, that we practically need acid to melt it off. After the initial high of our new found “spiritual, healthy ,all loving path” wears off (usually breaking point happens after an hour sitting in traffic with the air con broken- let´s see how zen you are then!) another layer of the onion comes to the surface and we realise actually, on the surface I´ve made a change, but my mindset is still the same. So  we take it to the next level and start digging into our brains and emotions and that´s when the magic starts to happen. That´s when we begin to shift at a core level. We begin to fix ourselves from the inside out.   Six years into my own journey of going from being an extremely superficial girl who´s morals were at  best, questionable! I have come to realise that old habits die hard and it really is a conscious practice EVERY DAY, of making sure I don´t revert to old thinking patterns and behaviours. And I am sure that many of you who have also walked this path can relate. We come to realise that it´s not about how much money you have, or how many friends you have, or how much you weigh- those are all just layers of ego, that when stripped away- our true selves shine through. It is not just about being beautiful on the outside, but about being beautiful on the inside to an equal extent- because when someone looks into  your eyes- they will know who you are. They will see right through the window, into your soul- which is why it is so important to make sure that we are reconnecting on a daily basis with who we really are, and more importantly BEING that person, for all of our perceived flaws and weaknesses we have as humans, as souls we are already perfect. But even those who have walked a path of transformation and growth for many years, will know that sh*t happens! We are in a human body, with an ego that has been conditioned and directed towards self preservation. Many times it is extremely easy to lose our cool in the heat of the moment. Yes we make bad choices, and say things that we regret, but this is all part of our growth. The important thing is to learn from these occasions and to try not to let them trigger us to such an extent. It is crucial to think about the consequences of our thoughts and actions, BEFORE we act, so we don´t have to be subjected to the effects of them, by which point it´s too late. SO, how do we do this on a continuous basis to avoid getting ourselves back into a rut and reverting to who we used to be? Well, I can share with you the most simple, yet powerful method that has worked for me, and it consists of two questions.   1. Does doing/thinking/saying this take me closer towards who I want to be, and is it an accurate reflection of who I really am? 2. What do I want people to say about me at my funeral?   The key to achieving what you want in life is Patience, Persistence and being Consistent! That means, you must be PATIENT  with yourself (and others), PERSISTENT  in that if you screw up, just keep on going. And being CONSISTENT, which means: if you want people to think of you as a successful person, who inspired others and was reliable, trustworthy and kind, you actually need to BE that person on a daily basis! A good deed here and there is not enough. Humans store memory based on repetition- so if you repeatedly behave in an inconsistent and unstable manner, that is exactly what you will demonstrate yourself to be. You will falsely stick the label of “emotionally unstable” yourself , and to those around you.  Not everyone is enlightened or compassionate enough to see through it and recognise it as being unresolved issues, or a wound still healing. So the next time you are tempted to say something out of character, to behave in a way that doesn´t reflect who you really are- think about that simple question.. “What would I want people to say about me at my funeral?”  

The positive rapid responses people posted after seeing my ‘This is what we’re here for’ photo is final proof – if needed – images have taken over the web. Text is dead!   Not a good time to be camera-shy, there’s slim chance you’re not snapping and adding to the growing cyberspace art gallery.   Back here on Earth, it’s definitely a good time to be on the Costa del Sol. Fuengirola Ayuntamiento’s ‘Sun City 2014’ Photo Competition highlights the numerous attractions available. There’s a €1,200 prize so why not take part?   Retitled ‘Sun-Day Worship’, my ‘This is what…’ photo is a hot entry (I hope, eyes not on the prize!).   Deadline: 10/9/14   Impulsan el certamen de fotografía ‘Fuengirola Un Sol de Ciudad 2014´, iVecinos, http://www.ivecinos.es/ivecinoses-fuengirola/229-FUENGIROLA/61754-impulsan-el-certamen-de-fotografia-fuengirola-un-sol-de-ciudad-2014.html   For more unique Costa images, visit Solview360© www.solview360.com  

The habitual state for a human being is a state of RESISTANCE. We are in a state of protecting our tastes, identity and our set of values most of the time. We use so much energy for these protective actions...

Dark Night, Black Horse is based on a true story told me by a friend who breeds Pura Raza Español horses in Coín. In the first year of the Spanish Civil War, Nationalist troops came to requisition his grandfather Diego’s favourite black stallion. Diego’s son, aged about eight at the time, then goes down to the town square where all the requisitioned horses, mules and donkeys have been gathered and ‘steals’ the horse back for his father. There is more to the story than this but I can’t say more without giving the game away before you read it. Diego Martín was a contrabandista: in those days, duty was paid on basic goods such as flour, oil and chickpeas when they were brought into a pueblo, but Diego had a way of circumventing these taxes. He also ran a side-line in American tobacco. His son (aged 8) was actually put in prison for selling it. After piecing together the various elements of the black horse incident and Diego’s background, I created the story Dark Night, Black Horse. You can read the opening pages on my web page: http://www.jgharlond.name and/or you can find it on Amazon.   Dark Night, Black Horse by J.G. Harlond Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=dark%20night%20black%20horse%20JG%20Harlond Amazon.es (España) http://www.amazon.es/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_es_ES=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&url=search-alias%3Denglish-books&field-keywords=dark%20horse%2C%20black%20night