Costa Women Blogs

  If I can do it… everyone can. It’s not an easy task though, I actually put it off for many years… but eventually I recognised my programmes, patterns and beliefs I was repeating whilst playing the roles of Victim and Aggressor in the Human Game. My new awareness allowed me to consciously observe myself; my ideas, words, thoughts and actions and understand the wisdom of the Game and be able to experience the magic and miracles IAM underneath all my conditioning.   Yes… YOU are that powerful too AND the only thing in your way is yourself… or rather your fear, belief in lack and the power game of the aggressor or the attention the victim seeks.   So how do you step out of the Human Game and put an end to your programmes, patterns and beliefs that are deeply engrained in your body and mind without repeating them for eternity AND allow yourself to Be Your Magnificent Self?   7 Tips for Being Your Magnificent Self…  Observe and be aware of all your ideas, thoughts, words and actions in each moment. Be aware, without judgement of when you feel… not good… sad… angry… hateful… etc and observe the situation that brings these feelings on. Embrace your feelings, maybe you can feel its location in your body/mind. You can ask the feeling to express itself. Listen with all your senses. Know you will at some point, maybe another day, understand the wisdom behind this feeling and how your behaviour as a victim or aggressor has brought this on. Allow yourself to accept your part in the situation and how you feel AND forgive yourself. Allow yourself to understand that The Human Game of Duality is to help you realise your own loving presence and infinite power… a part of source itself… hidden underneath all your conditioned fear, lack and victimhood. Remain ever vigilant of slipping back into playing the game. Embrace and love yourself unconditionally and have the intention to detach yourself from the need to play in the game to gain false power, importance and recognition and instead intend to live a life of celebration as Your Magnificent Self. Choose to surrender your Human body/mind to your Divine spirit that waits to integrate as one Body Consciousness (Body, Mind & Spirit) and take you beyond on a new adventure playing a new role as Your Loving, All Powerful & Magnificent Self experiencing a life of love, joy and unity.   It takes a lot of conscious awareness and allowing; to love and care for yourself so much, to observe yourself playing in the game… and dare look at and embrace the moments that don’t make you feel good. For me, these past few months, I have embraced my anger that seemed to have resurfaced to unveil a deep well of sadness.   I was missing my dependency and recognition from certain people and being in control and caring for others. I knew that if I was to get through my integration without too much more discomfort and continue to shine as My Magnificent Self, I had to detach myself from these old roles and trust my Divine Self to show me how to settle deeper into my new role as Master & Creator and remain the compassionate presence with myself, my family and friends.   Moving on from playing my Human roles, I can focus more on my DivineHuman role… creating awareness for the Evolution of Consciousness and bring to the hearts that are opening, the message of how Divinity is embodying the Human and fulfilling its grandest dream to know self, to express self, come back to self and evolve self into a consciousness and reality unknown to Self… up until this moment. It’s a wonderful time for everyone to awaken from a long Human experience and consciously experience this great shift of consciousness and transformation of the Human to the DivineHuman.   We are all unique and experiencing life from different perspectives, so it’s going to take as long as each person needs to complete their natural integration or fusion of the light body/mind and the physical body/mind. So please listen carefully to the natural intelligence of your body who knows what YOU need in each moment. Love it unconditionally as it navigates YOU through this process.   Don’t under estimate this process, your whole biology is changing from carbon based to a crystalline one. Your Body/Mind will need extra rest, plenty of fresh water, good food, fun and loving people around you… as everything you have hidden away from your Human experience… hurt and broken pieces of yourself, as well as dark secrets is being churned up to resurface. For YOU to acknowledge and embrace before it can be transmuted into new potential to serve you in a new and powerful way.   Remember if you hang around playing the Human Game in any form, (even doubting or judging yourself and others) this will create energy blocks in your body that have to be cleared in a way that might be uncomfortable. Trust me, I know.   By all means go to the doctor, but when they don’t know what’s happening or can cure it… start looking at the games you continue to play, stop them and give yourself more quiet me-time to discover all about yourself… and become your own best friend, doctor and spirit guide.   Recently I asked myself if there was anything to help with my hot and dry flaky skin which the extreme hot weather in Spain continues to drive me nuts. I was quickly guided to discover the 12 tissue salts used in homeopathy which I thought I’d share with you too.   Be good to yourselves and know that YOU are quite perfectly transforming.   Barbara Franken… Creative Visionary & MasterCreatorInspiring New Energy Consciousness    I have written my Awakening Story, discovering who IAM and what life is all about and sharing my vision of Heaven on Earth… to help inspire hearts to open and realise their own truth.     ‘A most magical journey exploring Who IAM with nine Elemental Beings I perceive along the way and help me discover and integrate all of myself. My Body, Mind, Spirit/ALL LOVING self and aspects that allows me to step out of a dual world of fear, struggle and limitation and into a world of unity, love, grace and freedom’.   A paperback and Digital version of my book is available from all Major online stores… Amazon and Apple   I have also created, together with sacred friends… a MasterCreator Class… A sacred, quiet and safe space to allow YOU to explore, discover and express All of yourself; Body, Mind, Spirit… and prepare yourself for your new role as MasterCreator.   ‘A 35 Day Dedication to YOU… A quiet sacred time to dive deep within… explore and discover all of YOU through passive and active ‘meditation’… Being aware and emerging yourself in the celebration of life through Dancing, Singing, Painting, Acting, Relaxation and Writing… feeling beyond the physical realm’  Join my MasterCreator Class.’   There is no time like the present moment to Sign Up and give YOURSELF this magnificent gift… More Info: MasterCreator Class       All the money raised from my books and classes goes to my non-profit Business The Magnificent Consciousness to help inspire others through creative expression to explore, discover and express the magnificent Consciousness each person truly is and their unique and essential part in the heart of life.    

This week I chatted to Rachel who currently lives in Torremolinos.     Firstly I wanted to know why Spain?   It’s a fairly long – but quite a romantic – story! Almost four years ago I went on a solo holiday to Tenerife, I was changing jobs at the time and had a few weeks break. I just wanted to relax and really switch off for a week. While I was there I had a “holiday romance”, as one does, with a nice Spanish guy, and we liked each other so much that we continued a long distance relationship. After a year he made the brave decision to move to the UK. He was able to get a job that he really wanted in Leeds and I had a good job as an Engineering Project Manager in a glass factory.   After a year and a half or so the wet and windy North of England wasn’t filling us with much joy and I no longer enjoyed my job – so much so that I was looking for a complete change. In December 2016, my boyfriend was offered an opportunity to move to somewhere in Spain and I didn’t need to give it a second thought! During our visits to see family I’d fallen in love with Spain (especially Andalucía, where he’s from) and I’d been taking Spanish classes more or less since we met, so I was really up for it. His company chose Málaga as his destination and within a blur of two months we’d packed up, said our goodbyes and we were here!   Give us three reasons why we should move to Torremolinos!   1)    The Paseo Marítimo – In Torremolinos it’s not adjacent to any big roads so it makes for a really nice walk next to the beach – or run, if you’re so inclined – in either direction! I love it first thing in the morning before it gets crowded.   2)    It’s a happy medium – Of course it is touristy, but it doesn’t feel as completely overtaken by tourist culture compared to other parts of the Costa. We live towards the Playamar area and there are quite a few hotels, but there’s just as many Spanish people going about their normal lives, which is what we wanted.   3)    Food – something that should always be a factor in any top 3! There are loads of nice little tapas bars and authentic places to have dinner or a typical breakfast. For me this was really important as a) I’m very passionate about food, and b) As I knew I would be working, I didn’t want to feel like I was on a permanent holiday – I wanted to feel like I was really living here!   So tell us, before Spain you were …   As I mentioned, I was working as an Engineering Project Manager in a glass factory. My degree is in Chemical Engineering and I’m a typical Type A, so Project Management was something that I got into easily. I’d always worked in manufacturing – including where they make Gillette shaving gel in Reading – since I graduated. It is a tough environment though. Very male dominated! In two of the place I worked I led Women’s/Diversity networks within the site and having a support network of women has always been very important to me. That’s why I was keen to seek out something similar here as I knew it would help with the big change I was undertaking – thank you Costa Women!   And now you have transitioned from engineering project manager in Leeds to English teacher on the Costa del Sol – tell us more!   I was working in an environment that was becoming damaging to my mental health and I’m a firm believer that personal wellbeing should always come first. I’ve always had a lot of friends or colleagues from other countries and had some experience helping them with their English. I loved giving training in my previous jobs, and since the barebones of the English language is formed by various structures and formulae (to my engineering eyes, at least) the option of becoming an english teacher really appealed to me. I signed up to do a TEFL course (I can recommend TEFL in Spain, in Malaga), which I completed in June and then applied to some academies local to where I’m living. I did some private classes in the summer and started on a full timetable at the beginning of October! No regrets!   Perhaps one day I’ll go back to some sort of Project Management but as it’s a very communication- centric job, I know my Spanish isn’t quite up to it for the time being.   3 top tips for teaching English as a foreign language   1)    Do a TEFL course in person (not online). If you need to teach to make enough money to live you will need to have a reputable teaching qualification, most schools pay less if you are unqualified. This seemed to be the most important requisite when I was applying (over experience).   2)    Apply to academies in person if you can – compared to the UK, Spain is a fairly techno-phobic country. While at home you might be used to firing off emails, it’s not as much part of the culture here. Academy owners want to see your personality and whether or not you are a fit with their school, they’ll be happy for you to just go in and have a chat about any teaching opportunities.   3)    Be ready for children and teenagers – I wasn’t really sure what age group I wanted to teach and I was up for anything, but as learning English in schools is so important – and passing exams – in Spain, it’s very difficult to get enough hours teaching only adults. 75% of my classes are with children or teens.   What has been your greatest challenge?   Dealing with how disorganised in illogical things can be here! I don’t know how many times I’ve uttered the phrase “But this doesn’t make any sense!” whilst trying to sort out all of the ‘official´things you need to do when you move here. I’ve adapted a little bit and have come to not be surprised by things now. Teaching involves plenty of planning, which goes some way to satisfy my need for organisation!   Differences in education in UK to Spain?   They have so many exams and tests here – and a lot of homework! Most of my teenage students have 3 or 4 exams per week. However, they do seem to take their education quite seriously (and they do a lot of extra curricular classes and activities). The long summer holidays is their time to switch off but during the school year they know that they need to concentrate on studying. But all the same characters that you’d find in a classroom in the UK are here too! The importance of learning languages is something I find really impressive – and I wish we saw more of it at home.   Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given   Don’t take everything (or anything) personally. I think over the years I’ve taken personal responsibility for the bad moods or bad attitudes of countless number of people, even if I’ve accidently got in someone’s way at a train station, and this is one way to really make yourself feel like c**p. Everyone is important, but you’re not SO important that everything that is wrong is your fault. And of course – wear sunscreen. (LOL – love that one!)   Favourite childhood book?   That’s a tough question. I’ve always been an avid reader. I think it has to be Matilda by Roald Dahl. I so wanted to be her!   What was the last thing you paid for on your credit card?   The weekend before last I bought a Nespresso machine. I had a ‘big’ birthday this summer and had a bit of money from relatives so I thought – Ok, now I’m at this age, it’s time for a fancy coffee machine!   What are you hoping Santa brings you?   Nespresso capsules! And books – always books.   Something you will achieve in 2018   I’ve always moved a lot, I’ve lived in 5 different cities in the last ten years (excluding my hometown) but I hope here is where we’ll stay. I hope to achieve the feeling of being settled somewhere.   Where do you see yourself living in the next 10 years?   I really hope I’m still here! I don’t see us moving back to the UK, and here seems a good place to stay and raise a family.     Thank you Rachel!

I used to run ladies business networking groups in the North West of England and retired in 2014. Two weeks later all the women started ringing and emailing me to say “Please keep doing events, we liked them”. When I discussed this with my husband he asked me to stay retired like him but he also made the mistake of telling me he would pay for everything if I didn’t work except my hair. He felt I should let it go grey. Well, I have been a Red Head all my life and I wasn’t going to stop now so “Creative Connecting in Cheshire” was born. I decided that if I could make enough money to pay for a professional colour every 7 weeks I would keep going! I try to keep things very simple with as little admin as possible but my passion is still bringing business women together to grow their businesses and introducing the right people to each other. Local business entrepreneurs enjoy my events but just recently we have been joined by quite a few retired ladies who still enjoy meeting new people and hearing good speakers. I think of this as a plus as we have a new dimension to the meetings and these ladies also have a wealth of experience to share. Many business success stories have come about as a result of my introductions and events but this week I had an unexpected success. A lady contacted me to say she was recently widowed and had moved up from London and she wanted to attend my events and could she meet me. I met her quickly at a venue where I was planning an event and I just happened to mention that a group of retired ladies met on a Friday at the local Gin Bar. She wanted to join them so I messaged one of the ladies, who said, Tell her to wear Pink for Breast Cancer Week and ask for Mary. Well she rushed off home to change and I thought to myself “That’s a different kind of networking I’ve arranged for someone today so I probably won’t see her again.” Anyway today I have received a booking from some of those ladies plus their new friend for my next event so I realised that I have benefitted too and I can have my hair cut and coloured next month!. So the biggest piece of networking advice I can give you. Just be open, smile and be generous of spirit and a good listener and prepared for anything When you go to a networking event, don’t ram your business down people’s throats and just be the kind of person you would like to mix with yourself. I am guessing that in Spain the Costa Women’s events are very similar to mine, filled with a mix of people who want to make a serious living and a need to connect in order for their businesses to grow. But there will be others who just want to mix and be part of a comfortable group. People are looking for connections who could become part of their posse and believe in their dreams and support them. That’s the same the world over. I will finish with a story that sums up networking for me and I hope will give you more food for thought. I once held a small event in Liverpool at a hotel and about 20 ladies turned up including two new ladies who had never attended my events before. After the event the feedback forms were returned and the two new ladies said: Lady No One: I loved meeting everyone today, from the minute I walked in everyone was really friendly and I felt as if I was amongst friends. There were no delegate lists or name badges so I felt that everyone who came to talk to me was genuinely interested in me and I loved hearing what everyone did, I will be back. Lady No Two: What an unfriendly gathering, everyone knew each other and was in little cliques. No one wanted to hear me chat about my business and there were no delegate lists or name badges so I couldn’t choose to target the right people. And when I went to the toilet there were two cockroaches. I won’t be back. You can draw your own conclusions from this but I know that if you enter a networking group for the very first time and just be friendly and warm you will be sure to go away with at least one contact that could become a business acquaintance or even a personal friend Tell the organiser you don’t know anyone and if you are at the right kind of event, she will introduce you to someone welcoming and your happy networking experience can begin.

I am so excited to announce that I will be representing my home county of South Yorkshire next year in the Galaxy Pagent UK.  As part of this I am raising money for the charity The Christie.  This...

  My Divine self popped the word Compassion into my head this last January… after Ali Meehan, a dear friend and founder of Costa Women, suggested that we each choose a word that would inspire us upwards and onwards in our business endeavour this year.   My word Compassion has inspired me to dive deep into my being and expand my expression of Who IAM in quite wondrous ways, that I know my Human self would only be too shy to act upon. My guest blogger/author feature and my weekly Facebook lives are part of this new expanded expression that radiate my natural multi-dimensional presence to everyone who is ready to move forward on a new adventure beyond their Human experience.   This new expansion first began a while back when I remembered my mum telling me years ago, I should show more compassion towards people who are struggling with pain, life etc. This hit me quite hard as I have always made sure to go out of my way to be there for others, to be with them and listen to them; even at times, sacrificing my own time of taking care of my life.   Quite recently, I’ve heard myself say a couple of times, I don’t understand why this is happening to me, because I always go out of my way to care for them’! AND as I heard these words… out sprang the rabbit from the hat… I saw the old programme that was deeply embedded within of how, as a society we believe that it is everyones duty to take care and serve others… which also means others will serve us!   For me, this sense of duty can only become a detriment, as it breeds ill will between all concerned, not only because it takes everyone away from being responsible for themself, but it focuses on victimhood and how someone other than self can solve a problem. The only way another person can help is by just being present… shining their loving presence… that connects and awakens the dormant light of the person concerned (if they are willing) and enables them to see (if they choose to) how they can resolve their own dis-ease. For this to happen though, it is essential that everyone first maintains a happy and loving presence within themself.   A great saying that became popular by basketball coach Dick Motta of the Washington Bullets… It’s not over until the fat lady sings… came to mind as I looked back at how far I’d come in my own Awakening and Ascension; how I had realised how essential it is to love and trust myself first, embrace and release old fears, lacks and beliefs on my journey and choose to live a life beyond the Human Game… on a new adventure as my Master and Creator self, a DivineHumanBeing incarnate.   Was I still not finished… Was I still dabbling in the old game of me versus them and identifying myself as my mind and body… or not?   I explained in my post Are YOU choosing Fear or Love about my feeling as if IAM falling deeper into an enormous black hole, with no support underneath me… as my old ways of support and dependency is falling away because it is essential for me to fully trust my own Body Consciousness (Body, Mind & Spirit) to sustain myself completely in a new way. This old programme of serving others as a duty is no exception and is here to be finally understood and released so I can own and embrace true compassion for myself and others that flows abundantly through Divine Light Beings who choose to realise who they truly are.   An image comes to mind of the space in-between everything physical, the atoms in my body/mind and the clouds in the sky… and the silence in-between a birds song and human words. It is the magical ingredient of All That Is… Unconditional Love… Compassion… the invisible presence of All life that is not separate from me or anyone, it only flows and connects us all together.   IAM Compassion in all of my being… Body, Mind and Spirit.   The ‘fat lady’ is ready to sing her love song to the whole world… she breathes deeply, embracing the presence of her own DivineHuman compassion that flows through her, from and into the world… she breathes deeper and surrenders to the new adventure she sees before her.   Yes IAM here… I Exist as an embodiment of loving compassion who affects all with each breath I breathe.        Do you want to be featured as my Guest Blogger/AuthorI have 2 slots left for holistic writers to write about your own feelings on Compassion and participate in this great writing event and together create a free E-Book to help inspire others to reconnect with their own divinity.  Please check out how to submit your writing. Thanks. Barbara Franken… Creative Visionary & MasterCreatorInspiring New Energy Consciousness   A paperback and Digital Book is available from all Major online stores…Amazon and Apple   I share my own magical journey, exploring Who I AM with the help of nine Elemental Beings and expand from a world of fear, struggle and limitation into a New Energy Consciousness of love, grace and freedom. It is in this loving space that I discover my Divine and ALL LOVING self and allow myself to integrate together as one Body Consciousness… a DivineHumanBeing… and Magnificent Master Creator who expresses and creates heart and soul passion on the physical plane and beyond.       Join my MasterCreator Class and emerge yourself in the celebration of life through dance, song, art, relaxed inner journeys and beyond everything known… preparing yourself for your NEW role on New Earth.   There is no time like the present moment to Sign Up and give YOURSELF this magnificent gift… More Info: MasterCreator Class       All the money raised from my books and classes go to my ‘Creative Art Project’ The Magnificent Consciousness that I bring to our little ones… inspiring them to explore, discover and express life and their part in it ALL.      

As I am currently in UK visiting family, I was shocked to learn that a lot of girls in UK miss school every month because they cant afford tampons and are too embarrassed to get help. As if growing up isn’t difficult enough it must be so scary for these girls. Also homeless women don’t get the sanitary products they need. I did a YouTube video to help raise awareness and since I know a lot of women on this site travel between UK and Spain, I thought you may want to help. When thinking of donations we automatically think of donating food but sanitary products are also needed. The best place to donate is the local foodbank. You can find the nearest to your area in UK by going to this website https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/ You can find out more about the cause here http://thehomelessperiod.com/ I find it so sad that these girls miss out on so much because they are too embarrassed to get help. If by posting this I can help just one of them then it was worth it!