Testimonials for Live Your Now & S.S Blake

Last year was probably filled with the single most amazing, craziest, uninhibited, outstanding, trying & unbelievable times I've ever experienced in my life. But along that journey, I was introduced to a whole new side to the world. The wonderful world of personal development. See before that I believe I just existed. Existed in the way my circumstances & environment had molded me to become. I had no inclination of the power that comes from mastering yourself nor of the way in which it strengthened the bonds you had with family and friends or how good it made you feel. 

It was through this that I learned about a key concept called Edification.

Now the dictionary defines the word Testimonial as: n. a formal statement testifying to someone's character and qualifications.

And I would like to use this opportunity to give testimony to two unique and powerful souls that I've had the distinct pleasure of working with, 

Savannah S. Blake & Richie from the Live Your Now initiative. They have both participated in the Inspire Tag posts that I run here on the blog, in which they share epic answers that are sure to inspire you. Read all about them by clicking on the links below:

• Inspire Tag: Live Your Now
• Inspire Tag: S.S Blake 

Let's begin in order, shall we?

Meet Richie

Live Your Now, run by Richie, an almost reluctant "coach" who embarked upon the journey to bring mindfulness to others, because basically it needed doing. Facing his own "am I good enough to do this?" fears, he now encourages others to live mindfully and presently, after spending the majority of his own life hiding the grip of anxiety and locked in his own thoughts, now with the attitude of "Heck, if I can do this, anyone can!" A universal calling, rather than something he would have predicted, he's now submitted entirely to this path in service to bringing peace to people and our world... hopefully... or giving it a good go anyway!

The First Exclusive Interview with Live Your Now

#MindFulTrain

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This weekend I got to attend the National Achievers Congress, VIP style thanks to In Africa N Beyond who will be featured in this weeks #TravelTuesday Travel Tag so look out for that. 

While at the congress I learned that "Thoughts are real forces" from the one & only Robin Banks who I got to take a selfie with the last time I met him haha. He talked about how it all starts with a thought, how there's three states of the mind. Conscious, Unconcious & Subconscious. How what we think, we become. Anxiety, doubt, depression & stress plague us all and if we focus on only those thoughts, guess what happens? They become Real! How about if we focus on the positive ones?

That being said, Richie & I had been talking for awhile on social media so recently when I had a bout of anxiety over an unbelievable opportunity I had been offered, he was the first one I went to for guidance. The opportunity itself was something I never planned for or even imagined would ever come my way so naturally I had doubts & reservations. 

The first thing I was taken by was Richie's abundant joy & celebration over my news.It's always heart warming to find people in your life that are selflessly supportive & encouraging. He then proceded to listen to my doubts and proposed not only the solutions to them but also, more importantly, he helped me figure out my next steps to take. It's easy to get caught up in the chaos storm of thoughts and find them difficult to decipher, yet Richie helped me field through them with ease, finding those golden nuggets that I could use to help me go forward with this opportunity I had been given. 

Thankfully he was able to schedule a skype call with me that Sunday afternoon. In it we discussed how I would move forward and I also got to hear his truly deep and moving story of why he started the Live Your Now initiative. Why he's so passionate about it. It touched me to my core and I will never forget the message he relayed within it. I hope that you all hear it from him soon. 

What I really want to talk about is the end of this call, because it was probably one of the most profound moments I've had in a long time. Richie advised me that we would be ending the call with a mindful exercise and I had no idea what to expect. His goal for me since I began talking to him about my anxiety was to get me in the present moment and not focus on the past or the future. He told me to close my eyes and focus on my breathing. I did. He then began to slip into an almost hypnotic and soothing voice walking me through these steps of presence. For the First Time in MY life, I truly existed only in that present moment. It was mind boggling what he made me feel, I can't even begin to describe the experience of existing within that one moment, of everything else fading away not like it was in the background, no, it all faded away and I was left with this peace. This peaceful moment of clarity. For the longest time I thought it impossible to find such a moment, to ever have a way to clear your mind, yet there it was thanks to my friend, my mentor, my brother Richie. I have used this mindful technique every day, all week and it has just been spectacular. I've become more and more appreciative of the power of the mind, less anxious over well practically everything, more self-confident in my abilities. I can truly say without a shadow of a doubt that Life has never been the same since. What an amazing, powerful & sincerely helpful godsend Richie has been and I know will continue to be for me & many, many others all around the world. 

I would passionately recommend anyone & everyone to Richie at the Live Your Now initiative.

~ Live Your Now ~

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Meet Savannah S. Blake

Savannah Shea Blake is a Mindset and Manifestation Coach, which is a fancy niche of Life Coach. She works with ambitious people who know that they have the power to create their own reality. She, herself, is an incredibly ambitious woman who plans to change the world by being a positive influencer and helping one person at a time do the same.

“I believe that if everyone were free to live the life they want, they would create a better world for all of us to live in.”

-S.S.Blake 

You can find all of her content and programs at Vannasana.com where she writes about how to manifest what you wish for and create your ideal life.

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My biggest issue & enemy right now is Time. Time to deal with my day job & also pursue my dream of becoming a published author. More often than not I leave the office quite late, mostly dragging through the day while becoming more alive and happy at night where I'm able to pursue my dream passionately. But alas they day job provides security & pays the bills so woe is me right? Haha wrong and I'll tell you why. Because thanks to my buddy Richie, I met the incredible Light that is Savannah S. Blake. 

This was the concern I presented to Savannah on the Skype call she honored me with. 

The first thing that I was taken by was her beautiful and bubbly personality, she greeted me with such warm acceptance and understanding. What really resonated with me was her ability to relate to my circumstance in every way and make me feel at ease to discuss my problems. More importantly, she created a safe and private place for me to express my emotions. 

What a great listener! In her replies, I could tell she had a brilliant fountain of knowledge and was able to tap into that but also relay the information in an understandable way. 

We got to talking and Savannah was able to instantly come up with a brilliant plan for me to do what I love as a day job and still pursue my dream. By that I mean she had already analyzed my strengths, providing me with a goal to achieve that takes advantage of those strengths. I was amazed because it was a strength I hadn't ever paid attention to. 

~ Sometimes it takes the keen eye of another to spot them and help you nurture them to it's fullest potential. ~ 

This is what Savannah has helped and continues to help me achieve. So excited for the future and to be working with her. 

Thanks to her guidance & awesome networking skills, I am proud to say that, with regards to the strength I mentioned, I've just landed my First client this week! And have also just received payment not once but twice! Woooohooo! A fantastic start to something with endless possibilities!

I am and will always be beyond grateful for her unique brand of empowerment and coaching.

I sincerely & highly recommend Savannah S. Blake as a Life Coach. 

Don't wait, empower yourself today! Amazing opportunities await just beyond your horizon, let her help you discover them. 

Connect with her via the following:

Website: Vannasana

Twitter: Vannasana

Facebook: S.S.Blake

*Free Ebook: Manifesting Money + Anything Else You’d Like

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Inspire Tag: Live Your Now

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

Today I have the immense honor of introducing you to a powerfully spirited and motivated individual. Who's enigmatic presence I've come to respect. Thank You to Kathe for introducing us!

Live Your Now, run by Richie, an almost reluctant "coach" who embarked upon the journey to bring mindfulness to others, because basically it needed doing. Facing his own "am I good enough to do this?" fears, he now encourages others to live mindfully and presently, after spending the majority of his own life hiding the grip of anxiety and locked in his own thoughts, now with the attitude of "Heck, if I can do this, anyone can!" A universal calling, rather than something he would have predicted, he's now submitted entirely to this path in service to bringing peace to people and our world... hopefully... or giving it a good go anyway!

The First Exclusive Interview with Live Your Now

#MindFulTrain 

1. What is the best advice you were ever given?

• People only ever act from their highest level of present consciousness awareness. Meaning, that generally no matter what people do, it's the highest action they're generally capable of with their present understanding at that time. Doesn't mean you have to agree with the actions, but it can bring some peace and understanding to difficult circumstances. 

2. Who inspires you and why?

• Eckhart Tolle - Because he challenges, deeply, what my own belief systems had developed into. What he teaches requires a level of acceptance that is extremely difficult to apply in day to day living, without collapsing entirely "into presence". But it truly IS the way into happiness and peace, but it does require, especially initially, a level of discipline and faith in an idea that can be entirely counter-intuitive when fighting against the egoic mind.

3. Everyone has bad days, how do you deal with a bad day?

• Firstly? Badly. Coffee, cigarette probably, being lost in my own thoughts, until I realise it - then it's down to serious work. There's no shortcuts to this, to push it away, pretend it's not there, just stores it all up for later - not healthy. I do something that, for me personally, was totally the opposite to what I'd become accustomed to doing - being annoyed, anxious, angry, resentful &frustrated - I now bless the situation, and sit within it. Comfortable it is not, at first, but then this is why not many people practice this (as is abundantly obvious by the anger hate and rage present in our world). I can also assure you, if 15 years ago, you'd told me I'd be doing this - I'd have probably had a good chuckle, wished you well, and gone back to my normal habits. 

4. Where do you go/what do you do when you need motivation?

• YouTube! I will type in something randomly, follow inspiration, just delve in & listen to new speakers, there's always something to learn and try - and so many generous people out there, offering their teaching or guidance. There are many paths available in my opinion, according to what we may need at that specific time. You Tube is an absolute gold mine, even just to listen to people's experiences who are generous, or even at times, brave enough to share so wonderfully. 

5. Failure is a big part of life, what has been your biggest failure to date?

• I am not sure they're failures anymore. I am moving away from feeling things are failures, and more that they're life lessons that are reflected back to us until we learn something we need to. Or preparing us for something later on. Or indeed as has been my experience, moving you away from something even more catastrophic as was the case in one huge business venture I was involved in! At the time, it seemed utterly, utterly soul destroying to have failed to secure a massive investment (10's of thousands) in a cutting edge publishing company I was working to develop. It was a nailed on investment, literally just crossing t's, dotting i's as they say, however I made an absolute total cock-up of the business plan! I mean epically. I just could not get the information I required to get it together, I can't divulge further details other than to say... something kept me safe from that! It didn't FEEL right, and I assure you, it wasn't. (Didn't come to light until about a year or two later). 
• Overall, however, I have been super close numerous times to creating something massive and they seemed to have all fallen at the last minute, usually due to decisions other people have taken. That became another life lesson. The energy I put into a project, is mine, I needed to stop relying on other people because essentially I lacked CONFIDENCE to do it by myself, but also I always enjoyed collaborating. I have also had the honour to engage and pick the minds of some of the most successful people on the planet, it was time to take some of that advice on for myself. 
• Live Your Now is me, only me, and only ever will be me. 

6. What is your biggest achievement?

• Hmmm, I am a hard taskmaster on myself, whilst I have many experiences, and many "almosts" I tend to view each process as a step, I have had a few articles published, some interesting music promotion, been on/hosted radio, these are things I'm quite personally pleased with, but my visions are huge - go big or go home - so I find it hard to class "achievement" - now I see it as a journey, a flow. Though I do take moments to appreciate more, the things I have experienced, little goals, such as with Live Your Now. I think the greatest thing we can all achieve, is to appreciate the little things in life. 
• Ultimately, happiness is the greatest achievement anyone can succeed in - and true happiness, I think, is so rare nowadays. 

7. Have you conquered any fears?

• Seem to face one every day - but who doesn't? This is my first interview in this guise. This made me nervous. I had actual full-blown panic attacks live on BBC radio. That was..interesting! I do laugh about it though, even at the time I was, which may seem peculiar, but I adored radio, and not even that level of nervousness was going to stop me! I still recall my very sensitive friends, whom knew I got "stage fright", falling about the place laughing at me - in empathy, I'm quite sure - and the poor host not having a clue what to do! I have diabolical vertigo, like a couple of steps up a ladder bad, and yet I go on extremely high rollercoasters! Public speaking absolutely terrified me, but I have still got up and done presentations in front of some interesting audiences. Of course, I know now this was all due to anxiety, before I was not aware so had no coping mechanisms. So I do feel, when I "teach" people this sort of thing, I can say with confidence, I haven't come from a natural place of Zen! 

8. Music helps lift our mood, What is your go-to song when you need a pick me up?

• Orbital - The Girl with Sun in her Head. It's a chill out track, written entirely with power from Greenpeace's mobile solar power generating "Cyrus" back in the 90's - (Solar energy I just find absolutely beautiful). It's incredibly soothing electronica. An absolute masterpiece. But generally, as a musician, I'll listen to quite a lot of different music. If I want an adrenaline rush it'd be Energy 52 - Cafe Del Mar! 

9. Complete the sentence, Happiness is…

• Already inside. 

10. What do you do to clear your mind?

• Brainwave Entrainment, Mindfulness meditations, Pranic Breathing, depends on what's bugging me. 

11. Life can be stressful, what are your top 3 things to unwind?

• Heart breath/meditations. 
• Rollercoasters (I am a total rollercoaster fanatic) 
• Music 

12. Have you watched any inspiring movies? Do you have any favorites? 

• The Secret 
• What the Bleep (Down the rabbit hole) 
• The two Bill and Ted movies! "Be excellent to each other!" - stands the test of time that! 

13. What is your favorite inspirational quote?

• I don't really have one, quotes mean different things at different times, they have value at differing times in our lives... however, some wisdom, of which there's plenty, from the incredible Tesla - without whom, we'd not likely be engaged in this interview process: 

"...a new world must be born, a world that would justify the sacrifices offered by humanity. This new world must be a world in which there shall be no exploitation of the weak by the strong, of the good by the evil; where there will be no humiliation of the poor by the violence of the rich; where the products of intellect, science and art will serve society for the betterment and beautification of life, and not the individuals for achieving wealth. This new world shall not be a world of the downtrodden and humiliated, but of free men and free nations, equal in dignity and respect for man."

14. Do you listen to motivational speakers?

• Always. Pretty much every day. Everyone has something to teach us. Even if it's what NOT to do ;) 

15. How do you cope with unpleasant people?

• As my answer a few questions back. People can only act from their present levels of consciousness, I try to "tune in" and bring love to situations that are fractious. Of course, I am human, and I am not a Zen Monk, so this often takes remembering/effort, especially in the often fraught pace of Western civilisation - it's not easy. 
• Simple! But not easy. 

16. What is your best piece of advice? 

• Accept what is, right now, as if you had yourself chosen it. It's possible you did. Not many people (I include myself in that) respond too well to that at first, as it's utterly illogical to the thinking mind. It's not even about it being true, it's about it bringing you relief from suffering. 
• Your alternative is to continue suffering. Sounds harsh, but it's true. (As far as I see it from my current level of conscious awareness ;) 

17. Complete the sentence “When life gives you lemons…”

• Make a lemon tea! 
• Squeeze a lemon in a cup, add some warm water, the smell invigorates our senses, and it's very good for you apparently! It's utterly delicious and so simple... unless you have a cut on your finger of course, then practice mindfulness as you do it ;) 

18. What is the most inspiring book you have ever read?

• Being truthful, I can't remember. I scan many books, tend not to finish them, and there's so much wisdom in many books that I often use them as reference. More like a dictionary. I really enjoyed "Urban Shaman" by Surge Kahili King however, and "Cosmic Ordering Guide" by Stephen Richards are ones from early on my discovery journey that stay with me. They perhaps have a sentimental place. 

19. Do you have a place to pray or meditate?

• Everywhere, at all times...when I remember. Including out shopping, doesn't matter. I am dedicating myself toward living in constant (non-denominational/religious) prayer/meditation states (not altered meditation states, for that, bed or chair obviously) 

20. What is your motto in life?

Keep seeking wisdom & improving.

Quick Fire: 

Inspirational Movie or Talk with a friend 

Creating Art or Listening to music 

Making food or Eating Food 

Being alone or Being in a crowd: 

Speaking to a crowd ;) 

Writing or Singing: 

Writing. Have you heard me sing?! 

Sea Vacation or Safari Vacation: 

Safari! The ocean is beautiful of course, and something we should take better care of, but Safari (except the creepy crawlies!) 

~ Live Your Now ~

If you would like to join in on The Blog Tag, click on the link or the image below

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres