Overcome Challenges In Life

Inspiration From Noora, a laughter yoga coach, life coach, author and entrepreneur at 23 years young.  

First of all, I'm grateful to Arkadia, the international bookstore here in downtown Helsinki, for organising such wonderful events, almost every other evenings, for independent artists, entrepreneurs so they can promote their authentic creations, with an hour complimentary use of his store space. Ian, the owner of the bookstore, says that his dream is to create an environment such that ANYONE can step into his store and any independent artists (as long as the creation is authentic) can showcase their talents here.

Meet Noora - who at an young age of 23, is an author of two books, many poems and a laughter yoga & life skills coach.  In her childhood, she had undergone several surgeries and time in the hospital due to the congenital disease that causes brittle bones.  With all these challenges, there has never been a reason in her head not to be able to do what she want!  On the contrary, she said, all these different challenges give her an extra boost to do and try out things, to break boundaries.  She believes that everything is possible, if only we give permission to possibilities!  How inspiring!


Despite many challenges, she has received alot of encouragement and thereby also felt encouraged to help others too.  It has really become a calling, a kind of life mission for her.  She enjoys getting to her work dealing with different people, to encourage them to carry out their own dreams and bring light to every man encountered every day!

One of her motto is: "When you are open to the world, the world is open to you!"

I am encouraged by Noora to continue my journey of carrying out my dreams with courage, light and love to every person I encounter each day.  With each challenge we face, turn it into a motivation, be mindful of people around us, of all the resources we received instead of what we lack in, and be creative - if plan A doesn't work, plan B, plan C, D ...

I hope this inspires you in some ways too.

More about Noora, her continuous self improvement and sharing at her website:  Noora Vastinen Life Coach 







Noora, reading out her poems at the bookstore:
her poems about balancing life, and other perspective of living.

Noora's new book released - she's inspired to draw and write this book after she became a godmother, and through the eyes of a child, her new book showcases stories and perspectives towards life.  I simply love the drawings!

No matter what challenges, keep flapping your wings and keep flying!

Nature Inspired Jewellery

Nature Inspired Jewellery Designers

I was invited to an independent jewellery designers event in downtown Helsinki, Finland.  I'm always inspired by the arts scene here in Finland, as there are hundreds of courses easily available and affordable for people in this country to learn and live an artistic,creative life.

Browsing through the catalog from the People's Academy (subsidised courses by the government), offering all kinds of courses for self development, from oil painting to training to be jewellery artisans to healing and spiritual learnings, I have taken up at least one of the courses while I'm here.  And looking forward for more after meeting these designers...

Meet Jewellery Artisan Marjo from Finland from Ateljee Argento. 
Marjo's inspiration comes from the nature.  She enjoys the nature very much, and gets inspired to design something from what she sees and feels from the nature.  From picking blueberries she was inspired by the colors of blue and purple, she was able to appreciate the color transformation when making titanium jewellery in the high temperature - during heating and design formation, the colour of the material changes constantly, and the moment you like a certain color combination you'd stop the heat, and thus each piece of jewellery becomes one of a kind.  Totally befitting the concept of life for her, she thinks that we all comes from nature, and we are one of a kind, no two living being are the same ;)  I totally agree.

Another amazing story I'm inspired by her is her determination and living to her authenticity.  Before she is a jewellery artisan, she was being very unhappy and stressed about her sales job, which she found not much meaning doing the things she did not find a purpose, that which was not her way when she wanted it but what other people wanted.  So she took action and went through more three years of studying and learning to be a jewellery artisan.  Now she has her own collection of designs and still she is working towards her next milestone - her goal is to be an international designer sharing her passion in jewellery designs all over the world, her first stop is to be Germany.
I am so looking forward to see her designs all over the world!

Meet Jewellery Designer Mariko from Japan from Marikoriste
Mariko's designs are inspired by her culture in Japan and her experiences all around the world in Europe and Asia.  She particularly loves the winter season in Finland.  You can see that her designs are all about features and things around our lives, the colours, the animals, the changing seasons.  Her items featuring the turtles are very popular among Japanese, where turtle is a symbol of longevity.  Her collection of beads and silvery items are also one of a kind, specially chosen during her travels and understanding of the culture.

I'm inspired by her constant quest for doing things she is passionate about - whenever she travels and lives in any part of the world, she strives to do what her passion calls for, with such fiery and conviction, no compromise.
As international as her jewellery pieces, they are available through her online store, delivery all over the world.


I am happy to have totally enjoyed my day with these passionate designers, their mission, purpose and passion fully supported by their friends and family.  I am inspired to press on my own mission, that is to share my love for joy and life through my inspirational coaching! Just like them.  Thank you for the inspiration!

Street Artists

Inspiration From Street Artists

In the summer time in Europe, you see a lot of street artists, well especially in Finland where only time that is not cold and chilly to be in the streets for very long is the time in Summer, which lasts probably about 2 months.
You can find really good musicians, and sometimes magicians too.  I am particularly impressed with the musicians, this year, I saw a guy perform what looks like a cello bow stick, using it to make music on a blade of big saw!

Isn't it amazing?!  The music sounds very weak but it certainly produces like a whole chord of tunes.
The most inspiring is their spirit.  The spirit of just being themselves. Being authentic.  there is no good music bad music, just full of passion, playing your own style, there is no judgement, there is entertainment and lots of fun!
When do we simply just relax and take on a perspective of pure fun, with no compromise of self authenticity?
Can you feel the passion, purely enjoying themselves... I hope you feel the spirit of these passionate souls with this video I took of musicians in the street of Helsinki, Finland August 2012:

Inspired By Louise Hay

Inspired By Louise Hay

One of the many stories and people I've been inspired by, is Louise Hay philosophy when I first got in touch with it almost 10 years ago.

Who?
Louise Hay - who cured cancer by going within her inner self, and treated the dis-ease by working on healing her internal emotions, releasing the anger and resentment, replacing them with positive thoughts and affirmations.

( For those who of you who may not have heard of Louise Hay, she is a metaphysical lecturer and teacher and bestselling author of 27 or more books. Hay has assisted thousands of people in discovering and using the full potential of their own creative powers for personal growth and self-healing. www.louisehay.com )

What inspires me?
10 years ago, I was specifically inspired by the mind-body connection, that every thought we think and every word we speak is creating the very fabric of our existence, our ease and dis-ease. In her book "You Can Heal Your Life", is a priceless list of physical ailments and their emotional, mind body connection.
For example, lower back challenges often represent financial woes and concerns; Asthma or other breathing problems can represent the fear of taking in life, not feeling worthy to take up space; and one very close to my heart and people around me is breast lump/cancer, represent over-mothering, taking care of everyone else above self.
This book highlights conditions from constipation to cancer, allergies to anorexia, knee pain to migraines. All of which are rooted in a limiting thought pattern that creates dis-ease in our body's vibrational frequency.  And comes with a corresponding positive affirmations to replace the negative limiting thoughts.

How has it changed my life?
I put into practice what I read from the book. The very first thing I addressed was when I kept getting colds and flu and sometimes asthma and lack of breathe. Especially when I got so frightened with the lack of breathe when the next flu came and indeed the thought actually created the reality, I got lung infection and breathing got very tough... I started to develop awareness of my body through meditation, I listen to my body more and more intensely, I wake up each morning, sitting for a while, just deep breathing, listening to where the breathe is going and feeling where it gets stuck... I can instantly feel the lung area, or shoulder /neck strain whenever there is some problem over there, simply by deep breathing and follow the breathe where it takes me.  By respecting my body and what it tells me whenever I apply a solution to the dis-ease, I am now able to maintain illness free and flu-free for the longest record so far of 3 years!  And when a flu striked me the last time, I was able to practice this listening and respecting what my body needed, and it just went off over a few days. No lack of breathe!

On the other aspect of healing the emotions for this, I addressed my fear of life, of not being safe to changes in life... throughout the years, I've worked very hard on releasing negative limiting patterns conditioned over my childhood - on my self esteem, inconfidence of my identity, beliefs into the negative criticisms ...other than the encounter with the book, I was introduced to other Louise Hay philosophy when I stepped out of my comfort zone, left home one day and went to a strange land (to many other people at that time) to live my life, challenging my fears.  I was lost, like thrown into the deepest hole, a hole I know I was ready to get into it, so I seeked help.  I was introduced to Hay House radio and other healing modularies, like Reiki, I constantly heal my inner self, wrote books and books of journal and create a confident self, a new identity was born.

I make positive affirmations for my self "I am safe, whole and complete.  I am perfect and I trust each step I take as divinely guided to my highest potential", replacing my fear thoughts of not trusting in life.
I have now good faith in leading life with a very healthy body, and it is also an on-going journrey for me, in releasing other blockages in me, evolving and transforming further with new and positive posibilities into my life.

I would like to leave you now with this thought about the 9 key points of Louise Hay philosophy:

•   We are each responsible for all of our experiences.

•   Every thought we think is creating our future.

•   It’s only a thought, and a thought can be changed.

•   The point of power is always in the present moment.

•   The bottom line issue for everyone is “I’m not good enough.”

•   Resentment, criticism, and guilt are the most damaging patterns.

•   We must release the past and forgive everyone.

•   Self-acceptance in the now is the key to positive change.

•   When we really love ourselves, everything in our life works.

Transformational Heal Your Life Workshop

Marvelous Transformed Butterflies, Magnificent Beings: Heal Your Life Workshop Leaders/Teachers 2012

This blog was inspired after my teacher training program at Louise Hay's Heal Your Life Workshop Leader/Teacher Training in Birmingham UK, led by Dr. Patricia Crane, who had the privilege of studying personally with Louise Hay for several years, and was chosen by Louise to lead the Love Yourself, Heal Your Life® workshop. (This evolved into the current training program. This training is authorized by Hay House, Inc., and approved by Louise. Heal Your Life® is now a registered trademark worldwide. More about the workshop.)

I first get to know Dr. Patricia Crane through her book Ordering From The Cosmic Kitchen, on how to create positive affirmations and see how it works on our lives, just like placing orders at the restaurant, we say exactly what we want and not worry if we get the dish we ordered! It was very practical way of applying positive affirmations in our lives, and I certainly find it a very easy read and a book with a sense of humour.  :)

However, I was still skeptical on some levels, especially not sure on my energy when the positive affirmations are laid out, and also about Louise Hay other points of philosophy even though I've been applying the mind-body connection to an improved health for past 10 years, so I thought if I'm going to go for it, it has to be in FULL force, so instead of just experiencing at a 2days workshop, I signed up for the Teacher's training in UK 2012 right away.  I just have to meet the person in real, and feel it myself.  I want to meet Dr. Patricia Crane in person.  :)

The one week training was very intensive.  It was a typical place in England, but the energy was so transformational my mental mind was picturing the whole place as somewhere else, the place was filled with so much love, it was a safe haven to release, release and create new possibilities.  Some impactful insights were shared with me through my interactions and releasing with fellow trainees.  I was able to experience how we carry with our masks in our daily lives and when we are filled with so much love, the masks can be removed and a marvelous loving soul is revealed. That made me so much more compassionate with people, to be less judgemental, more compassionate no matter how difficult or rude or irritable that person may seem to me, perhaps a reflection of my self or a phase a person is going through, not ready to reveal what's behind the mask.

I was inspired by many other events, experiences, people through this training... It is very often that when we look back that we realise how big impact an event or person has inspired us to where we are now.  This workshop has opened up another part of me, my life.  It's an ongoing journey, and I know many others in this week has more and more inspiring stories to tell.  This has inspired me to start this blog - to allow such experiences to be noted and shared around the world, that this philosophy works! It works wonders in fact!  We are each responsible for our own thoughts and life, we can change them and we can certainly change our lives for the better.

It is safe. It is only change.  We are supported by one another, we are supported by the whole universe.

So start placing your orders now to the Universe, and I look forward to hear and share many wonderful stories of people inspiring lives around the world.

Feel the energy of our transformation in this loving video: