It's unusual for me to ask such a question, but since I am staying here - it seems relevant.
What do you do when you feel unhappy even in paradise, even when life looks rosy and perfect?
You take small steps.
You give yourself permission to LOVE yourself the best way that you can.
You do your best to NOTICE the judgement.
(It's kinda inconvenient to go on holiday - only to have a sea of emotions rise again and again for attention, right?)
You remind yourself, the best way that you can, that FEELINGS are allowed - always.
Emotions are not innately negative or positive - you are allowed to feel discomfort in the same way you are allowed to feel ecstasy.
This week has been about releasing even more of that judgement and breathing into what I can feel.
I may be a joy advocate - but more than anything I am a LOVE YOURSELF ADVO-CAT ;)
Love the pain, love the discomfort, love the grief, love all of life, all parts - light and shade.
Right now I am LETTING GO of who I've been (all those old pains and stories) and OPENING UP to something new - so that BJI's may be borne when they are ready.
What I notice nowadays is that I feel so much almost on behalf of other people who are not yet able to tolerate emotions - like an emotional human surrogate. Being an empath has it's gifts and challenges in this way - might this be you too sweet soul?
It has taken a great deal of practice to be able to recognise that what's rolling around inside of me is not always my own material - it is sometimes the stuff other people would hasten to avoid. Yes, a mish mash of my own feelings, thoughts and beliefs - but also everybody else's unprocessed Sh-tuff.
Last night though I reached out for SUPPORT and NOURISHMENT. I emailed my friend Elisa - a psychic healer and all round gorgeous soul, to assist me with one of her healing sessions.
I wanted to connect with my spirit and see if I could feed in even more loving energy and allow what isn't mine to flow out of me. I asked to open up to more of a sense of my own essence, my own sovereignty - so that any aspect of resistance or self judgement about these emotions can soften and release.
Today I will smile more and practice laughter yoga also. I may also venture out and eat prawns and garlic and calamari - all jokingly frowned upon here in the land of the vegan. ;)
It is my last day on holiday - I shall do what feels fun and good for me today, whatever that thing is.
But more than anything I will ALLOW myself to feel.
XX
Friday, 29 November 2013
Sunday, 17 November 2013
LEANING INTO THE PAUSES THROUGH PLAY
Ooo fancy a little bizarre in your tea sir, yes? ;)
The video below is such a clever & joyful way of embracing that moment when you really don't-know-what-next-to-do.
It's not always comfortable is it?
What is your relationship with STILLNESS, with PAUSING, with surrendering to THE UNKNOWN and how might you make it a little easier on yourself?
I love Isabel's method - it looks like so much FUN!
Leila XXX
The video below is such a clever & joyful way of embracing that moment when you really don't-know-what-next-to-do.
It's not always comfortable is it?
What is your relationship with STILLNESS, with PAUSING, with surrendering to THE UNKNOWN and how might you make it a little easier on yourself?
I love Isabel's method - it looks like so much FUN!
With love & thanks to the kooky depths & originality that is Isabel of www.atruthfulexistence.com
Monday, 11 November 2013
Ummm, unicorns??!
Below here is my response to an inner yearning to bring more delicious qualities of FUN & ADVENTURE to life for my future playspace for Introverts & Sensitive Souls with BJI's!
Multiple perspective, patterns & umm...unicorns???
I decided to release my self imposed construct of what a workshop should look and how a Facilitator of Play should lead.
I asked myself - what's the MOST fun for you darling? Not the least - but the MOST fun?
EXPLORATION - CHARACTER - COSTUME - TEXT - CREATIVITY - PERFORMANCE - COMEDY - LAUGHTER - SAFETY - ADVENTURE
*I know I can take RISK and create feelings of SAFETY at the same time now. But more on this another time.*
Resistance says: You can't lead with the very things you love the most Leila. You need to be more grown up for goodness sake! *Even though the workshops are about play, creativity and following what gives you joy!*
Resistance says: You haven't performed in front of a live audience in 15 years - what makes you think you can do that now?? And write? You're not a bleeding writer Leila!
But in the end, I've been on a very long winding journey and the resistance crumbled away pretty easily. Woohoo!
I'm ready to embrace my own kookiness after so many years of resistance. The time is right NOW. But what about YOU sweet one?
What qualities would YOU like to tap into? Can you give yourself permission to bring even more PLEASURE and JOY into your life also?
What small step are you resisting because you think it will not lead you anywhere significant, but will give you joy anyway?
Can you remember what you did as a child that made you feel totally brilliant and amazing?
Whatever that thing is - do that. It's totally up to you of course - but I'd suggest doing that.
Leila XXXXX
PSssst!
With thanks to support & gentle, intuitive nudges from Emily.
Want to know more About Me?
Interested in learning how we can work together in the future?
Wednesday, 6 November 2013
Being an Introvert & Nurturing Your Big Idea/s
Launching my new party space has enabled me to realise just how long it can take to feel congruent & ready to step out into the world with a Big Juicy Idea.
I first had the idea of creating a play group for adults about four years ago when I whispered my idea to my then therapist. Who, coincidentally, thought it was a ridiculous & infantile one. ;)
It probably doesn't sound very sexy to say that being in a state of readiness or congruence takes time.
Creating a new product, service, or project of any kind, starts from the inside out. As sensitive souls, we feel our discomfort so much more strongly than most people do.
This is not necessarily because we are striving for perfection.
Sometimes there is an intangible sense that something even more sparkly and wonderful is on the brink of discovery. Something which more fully represents who we are & are learning how to connect more fully with it.
Which doesn't mean, don't try things out. By all means, explore, share, hone, harness an attitude of trial-and-error, a willingness to make mistakes.
Exploration in a safe space is vital in fact - it will help to grow your confidence and ability to trust your intuition and ideas.
Your safe space may be inside your own body, in a virtual space or community, or within a face-to-face support group. Whatever it is, this is crucial.
And whilst it probably doesn't sound sexy to say it, when you're ready to risk failure (and success) and go for your Big Juicy Idea, then you will. Nothing will stop you.
I know that it may sometimes be hard to hold onto this idea - but FLOW or EASE and a sense of SAFETY cannot be forced no matter how impatient you (or others) are.
These are internal qualities of being that must be nurtured.
When you are ready you won't need a huge amount of encouragement to get stuff done. Instead action will flow out of you because it feels good - because NOT-doing it will feel worse, than giving it a go.
At this stage you'll surprise yourself because you will have become the sort of person who appears to throw themselves into their Big Idea with wild abandon.
Your concept of what a sensitive person can achieve will expand exponentially.
People will likely sidle up to you with envy and say WOW YOU'RE BRAVE. They'll assume that it all came so easily.
They will assume this partly because you will have arrived at a stage where you make it look easy and effortless because, at this point, it actually will be.
When this happens - naturally, easefully, you'll have reached a point where any bumps along the road will not throw you from your vision.
Or, perhaps, you'll wobble, but you'll bounce back so much more quickly because you'll have done the inside-out work that supports you.
By then you will have become a person who trusts your heart, your gut as it speaks it's truth about what is really possible.
You'll be flexible, adaptable, able to see potential opportunities to connect with your Big Idea and your Right People.
A set back will simply be another opportunity to try out something new so that you can get your vision out into the world with even more ease & authenticity.
But until then, until that moment, the meandering & deep inner journey you are on is vital.
This part of your story, your journey really is a crucial component to becoming pregnant with a Big Juicy Idea.
You are learning to build a solid foundation to support your Big Idea from inception to birth.
Yesss.
There is no one size fits all for the kind of journey that you're on sweetie and it's likely that you will revisit this sense of not-knowing & exploration more than once in your life time.
So hang in there. Hang in there if you can. You're totally, totally, on the right track.
Keep exploring how to create these feelings of SAFETY and LOVE inside. That way you can always take these qualities with you anywhere & everywhere that you go!
Leila XXXhttp://creativelaughterlab.blogspot.co.uk/p/so-what-is-big-juicy-idea-exactly-ooo.html
I first had the idea of creating a play group for adults about four years ago when I whispered my idea to my then therapist. Who, coincidentally, thought it was a ridiculous & infantile one. ;)
It probably doesn't sound very sexy to say that being in a state of readiness or congruence takes time.
Creating a new product, service, or project of any kind, starts from the inside out. As sensitive souls, we feel our discomfort so much more strongly than most people do.
This is not necessarily because we are striving for perfection.
Sometimes there is an intangible sense that something even more sparkly and wonderful is on the brink of discovery. Something which more fully represents who we are & are learning how to connect more fully with it.
Which doesn't mean, don't try things out. By all means, explore, share, hone, harness an attitude of trial-and-error, a willingness to make mistakes.
Exploration in a safe space is vital in fact - it will help to grow your confidence and ability to trust your intuition and ideas.
Your safe space may be inside your own body, in a virtual space or community, or within a face-to-face support group. Whatever it is, this is crucial.
And whilst it probably doesn't sound sexy to say it, when you're ready to risk failure (and success) and go for your Big Juicy Idea, then you will. Nothing will stop you.
I know that it may sometimes be hard to hold onto this idea - but FLOW or EASE and a sense of SAFETY cannot be forced no matter how impatient you (or others) are.
These are internal qualities of being that must be nurtured.
When you are ready you won't need a huge amount of encouragement to get stuff done. Instead action will flow out of you because it feels good - because NOT-doing it will feel worse, than giving it a go.
At this stage you'll surprise yourself because you will have become the sort of person who appears to throw themselves into their Big Idea with wild abandon.
Your concept of what a sensitive person can achieve will expand exponentially.
People will likely sidle up to you with envy and say WOW YOU'RE BRAVE. They'll assume that it all came so easily.
They will assume this partly because you will have arrived at a stage where you make it look easy and effortless because, at this point, it actually will be.
When this happens - naturally, easefully, you'll have reached a point where any bumps along the road will not throw you from your vision.
Or, perhaps, you'll wobble, but you'll bounce back so much more quickly because you'll have done the inside-out work that supports you.
By then you will have become a person who trusts your heart, your gut as it speaks it's truth about what is really possible.
You'll be flexible, adaptable, able to see potential opportunities to connect with your Big Idea and your Right People.
A set back will simply be another opportunity to try out something new so that you can get your vision out into the world with even more ease & authenticity.
But until then, until that moment, the meandering & deep inner journey you are on is vital.
This part of your story, your journey really is a crucial component to becoming pregnant with a Big Juicy Idea.
You are learning to build a solid foundation to support your Big Idea from inception to birth.
Yesss.
There is no one size fits all for the kind of journey that you're on sweetie and it's likely that you will revisit this sense of not-knowing & exploration more than once in your life time.
So hang in there. Hang in there if you can. You're totally, totally, on the right track.
Keep exploring how to create these feelings of SAFETY and LOVE inside. That way you can always take these qualities with you anywhere & everywhere that you go!
Leila XXXhttp://creativelaughterlab.blogspot.co.uk/p/so-what-is-big-juicy-idea-exactly-ooo.html
Sunday, 27 October 2013
The Intelligence of Laughter: Laughter Nerd Notes!
Hello lovelies,
Just below this post you'll see a snippet of my daily laughter yoga practice. You will also notice that I am lying underneath my duvet in relative darkness.
Initially this laughter exercise began as a way of enabling me to release self judgement about my own energy levels & desire to get-stuff-done. (I was super tired & needed to rest.)
Watch it first, then come back here.
When you watch the video again you'll see that at about 1:11-15 I make the O sound with my mouth.
Then I exhale, close my eyes & when I open them again, genuine laughter bursts out of me.
See it right? Yummy, yaaa? All encompassing & delicious right?
This shift occurred as a result of a willingness to find anything & everything funny (ie ATTITUDE.)
It also occurs because I am:
1. Willing to exaggerate my range of movement facially & vocally.
2. Indifferent to faking it.
3. Trust the body to help me feel good.
Open & willing.
Experiment & exaggerate.
Fake it & trust.
Hmm, hmmm.
So my darling's, have fun loving-up-on-yourself (whatever that looks like for you) & enjoy activating your laughter muscles.
I am very, very excited to be meeting some of you at my upcoming party-larty! Woohooo!
LOVE & GIGGLES,
Leila XXXX
Read My Story
Come to my Creative Laughter Lab
Not sure if that's your thing?
Woohoo - sign me up!
Just below this post you'll see a snippet of my daily laughter yoga practice. You will also notice that I am lying underneath my duvet in relative darkness.
Initially this laughter exercise began as a way of enabling me to release self judgement about my own energy levels & desire to get-stuff-done. (I was super tired & needed to rest.)
Watch it first, then come back here.
Grrreat, thank you!
When you watch the video again you'll see that at about 1:11-15 I make the O sound with my mouth.
At this point I had run out of steam with my own natural laugh - so I utilise the vowel sound O to help generate more laughter.
More ho ho ho than he he hee!
Then I exhale, close my eyes & when I open them again, genuine laughter bursts out of me.
See it right? Yummy, yaaa? All encompassing & delicious right?
This shift occurred as a result of a willingness to find anything & everything funny (ie ATTITUDE.)
It also occurs because I am:
1. Willing to exaggerate my range of movement facially & vocally.
2. Indifferent to faking it.
3. Trust the body to help me feel good.
Open & willing.
Experiment & exaggerate.
Fake it & trust.
Hmm, hmmm.
So my darling's, have fun loving-up-on-yourself (whatever that looks like for you) & enjoy activating your laughter muscles.
I am very, very excited to be meeting some of you at my upcoming party-larty! Woohooo!
LOVE & GIGGLES,
Leila XXXX
Read My Story
Come to my Creative Laughter Lab
Not sure if that's your thing?
Woohoo - sign me up!
Sunday, 20 October 2013
WHO IS LEILA!
Hi-ya!I am a creative, an intuitive, a cheerleader. Naturally enthusiast & inspired by people who are willing to be true to themselves & follow the urges of their heart & intuition.
As a former depressive, I believe in the value of the qualities of feeling SAFE, INSPIRED, NURTURED. I know just how vital it is to feel safe & good in our bodies before we can take RISK, EXPLORE & SHARE our unique gifts & stories.
Fast forward to now, after ten years of therapy & many, many challenging adventures - my whole life has taken off afresh. Aged 40 - I am writing a solo show, giggling my butt off daily with my laughter yoga practice & forging ahead creating a whole new life for myself - based on SELF LOVE, FUN & bundles of INTUITION.
I now feel ready to inspire & support people in sharing their big dream/s with the world whilst helping to maintain a sense of support, connection & love. I'm stepping up, taking risk, following my flow - because the time feels good to right NOW.
MY MISSION-WISHIN'
I'm on a mission to help sensitive souls to find ways to tap into more feelings of joy, freedom & safety - so that you can bring more of your unique & gorgeous gifts out into the world.
I believe in the power of the body & our imagination to assist. I don't believe there's a 1 size fits all answer to anything. Do whatever works for you - therapy, journalling, prayer, healing work, workshops. Simply take what resonates & let go of the rest. Yesss, find your way.
I DREAM OF...
Sparkle, giggles, creative adventures & inspiration!
My big dream though - is to assist a lot of people to feel better about themselves so that they may step more fully into shaping their own destiny & creating the lives they really dream is possible.
I aim to help support & inspire people who are kooky, sensitive & wonderful. We need more of YOU guys out there in the world spreading your magic & lighting up the world!
Whether it is in the creation of a business, or simply an intention to create a life full of joyous & interesting passions. Yeharrrr!
I want all of us to feel safe & nurtured, inspired & alive. I want our lives to be more fun, easeful & joyous too.
THANKS SWEETIE'S
I am so happy you are here & thoroughly look forward to getting to know and celebrating YOUR unique story.
HELLO, CONTACT ME
So you've explored the website & you want to make contact. Awesome. Please note that there may often be a little delay in my response time - simply because I will be juggling these workshops with my day job & cannot guarantee an immediate response, so please bare with.
Thanks for taking the time to connect with me. I appreciate it!
I would normally aim to respond with 48 hours. If it's anything more pressing then by all means text or call me.
EMAIL LOVE
Email me via leilalloyd@yahoo.com (Yes this is not a professional sounding email address - but it works just fine for right now & do add it to your contacts list.) If you could remember to write CREATIVE LAUGHTER LAB in the subject line that'll help a little also - thankssss!
CALL ME
Your call will likely go through to my voicemail as a result of the day job. Please leave me your email address on my voicemail and explain what your enquery is. Thank-you.
Mobile: 07947 448 434
Skype: Leila Lloyd-Evelyn
There's also a comments section just below here - if you want to leave me a message there you are more than welcome!
Thanks for taking the time to connect with me. I appreciate it!
Speak soon darling's!
XX
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