Of course, the problem with this is that our power lies in the present. When we live in the memories of the past or a dream of the future we give our power away.
We literally allow ourselves to forgo the now and focus on what could have been and what might be.

In the Harry Potter series, Dumbledore, the mentor filled with wisdom, says to Harry that the happiest man alive would be able to look in the Mirror of Desire and see himself exactly as he is. Now that my friends, is living in the present.

Living in the present is like being a pro surfer: riding the wave of time, capturing the wave of your life, following the flow of energy, being in that wonderful state of balance, embracing the adventure, the moment and every little piece of excitement it brings.

So what keeps us from living in the present moment, you may ask yourself?

• Letting go of the past is a HUGE one for many.
• Trying to be something or someone that you are not.
• Forgetting that we are all perfectly imperfect and that we are still wanted, needed and loved regardless of what we believe or perceive to be shortcomings. 

Just to name a few and i'm sure you could come up with far more (feel free to post them below, you never know someone might relate and find out something about themselves they were never aware of before).

So what can we do to help ourselves return to center, to live in the NOW?

• Let go of being too attached to the material world (I know secretly you're singing a bit of Madonna at this point)and someone else’s vision of success or failure.
• Connect to the heart of you and your inner guidance.
• Let go of constantly trying to impress others or wanting/needing their approval.
• Follow your own dreams and what it is that brings you joy, regardless of what other people may say about it.

• Ask yourself what is really important in your life, in this moment and let go of the rest.
• Choose to live your life like one big huge adventure filled with happiness and love.
• Always remember that it is not what happens to you or fails to happen that is important, so much as how you respond to each situation.
• And the big one, which for some I know is easier said than done. Love and Respect your gorgeous self exactly as you are in this moment, because you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
  

Living from the core that balanced center of yours means not becoming too identified with this life. It is to remember you are an eternal soul all the while  making the absolute best of whatever this life has to offer in all it's forms. It is to give yourself fully to your life in this moment yet at the same time allow yourself to trust, have faith and believe in yourself enough to go with the flow of life.

Once we are able to find that place of calm, that direct center, the eye in the storm so to speak, it is much easier to enjoy any wins, successes, fantastic opportunities without making them the center of the universe, massively important or trying to cling to them. It is also easier to deal with the storm that may be raging around you, the difficult times, because that place of calm also allows you the chance to discover the lessons, wisdom and growth they offer, knowing that this too will pass and that tomorrow is a brand new day.

Love and Warm Blessings

Rebecca Fox R.M.

It's dinner time and tonight's the night, it's the night you've decided that you are going to make it to bed BEFORE midnight.  You've already promised your self upon waking that there just can't be any more late nights, as you're starting to feel the effects of little to no sleep, and it's waging war on your body and mind.

By the time you check the clock again those few minutes seemed to turn into a couple of hours and it's way later than you realized.  Ohhhhh no, you know what's coming in the morning and as if you are  jet propelled rocket launcher, you high tail it to bed.  Better get to sleep as fast as you can so the few hours of sleep you are going to get is worth it.  You quickly jump into bed, only when you finally lay your weary head down on the pillow, you find your eyes pop open, and if your bladder doesn't remind you, you need to get up, your mind certainly overtakes and goes over and over all the things you should have done today or will try and get done tomorrow, or the weekend......so much for trying to get as many hours of sleep in as you can.  Physically you're done, you're out of gas, but your mind well that things still spinning away in high gear.

The result is less sleep -- and less time for the body to recover. Routinely getting fewer than 8 hours of sleep compromises alertness, reaction time, efficiency, productivity and mood, according to Australia’s Sleep Health Foundation.

Harvard Medical School suggested that the light of screens is interfering with our innate sense of day and night.   Blue light, particularly prevalent in the kind of low voltage LEDs which are used in laptop screens, phones and tablets, prevents the body from delivering the surge of melatonin which tells us it's time for sleep.  The problem is without this surge of melatonin how are we supposed to feel tired, and then know when it's time for bed, let alone is sleep going to arrive when we need it to.

Tell f.lux what kind of lighting you have, and where you live. Then forget about it. f.lux will do the rest, automatically. I LOVE this software, even better it's FREE (what's not to love?).  I have noticed a HUGE difference using this software.  It's amazing how many hours I could do on the computer until installing this, now i'm lucky to get an hour before the yawns start coming and i'm ready to sloth down for the night. For Android users their is Twilight so i'm told, let me know how that goes if you use it?

My number 2 TOP TIP


Try and create a bedtime ritual for yourself (yes i know this is hard to stick too, but your body will truly thank you for it), I have decided to remove the excuse of ohhhh I need my phone by the bed because that's how I know what the time is....ahhhhhh yip that's just my ploy, my way of pulling the wool over my own eyes because you and I both know that the last thing i'll do at night or first thing i'll do in the morning is scan that phone for emails, messages and maybe a news feed or two.  So i'm off to get a clock, yip a good ol beside the bed clock.  Reading is great at night, when was the last time you read a book (if you enjoy reading I mean, if only a magazine before bed?) I adore books and have hundreds, but when was the last time I read one......hmmmmm before i got a smartphone I do believe, how about you?
Maybe a bath is in order for you or meditating, I love to meditate before bed, it's relaxing and i'm less likely to let my mind run off on it's own thought pattern, of keeping me awake!!!  So no technology in the bedroom means relaxation and hopefully that beautiful rush of Melatonin to put me to sleep.

My number 3 TOP TIP


If you are a techy person and have to have your phone, tablet, computer in your bedroom give yourself that sweet sweet break of putting all devices on a sleep cycle.  That way that email that comes in at 4 am from somewhere across the other side of the world will not wake you up and disturb that much needed sleep.  Every time you get a response to anything your mind wakes up with a hit of adrenalin with the stress or excitement of response.  It is great practice to set your own boundary or maybe you have to set that boundary with your boss, that your sleep is a high priority, because without enough of it, there is no way you are going to function properly and do your best job.

Now hopefully after reading this you gorgeous people out their will start getting that AMAZING rush of Melatonin just as your body needs it and your weeks are filled with great sleep and energy filled days.

Let me know how you get on with these tips on Twitter using the hashtag #yorinnersparkle or comment below if you have any other top tips to help get us off technology and back into better sleep routines.

Love, Blessings and Sweet Dreams to all!

Rebecca Fox R.M.