Ask someone if they would be open to receiving a hug and aim to hug for a minimum of 20-seconds. Ideally you would do a left ear to left ear hug so that you get the benefits of a heart to heart hug which is even more powerful than a regular right ear, front to back or sideways hug.

I don't know about you, but I always feel better once I get a loving hug. There is also the benefit of the hormone Oxytocin which is released in the body.

A hug is more than a simple snuggle, because great hugs involves a bit of a squeeze. When we squeeze each other, we provide deep pressure. This pressure is detected by receptors and sends a signal of safety to the autonomic nervous system. This turns down the stress and anxiety we often  and calms the sympathetic nerve, otherwise known as the fight or flight response.

Personally, I am looking forward to the time when we can run our Free Hug events again at Level 1.

I was very fortunate to attend the first Auckland Progressive Workshop with the world famous and very charismatic Dr Joe Dispenza. 

The 2 1/2 day event based in Takapuna, on Auckland's North Shore was incredible. Listening to Joe explain the neuroscience, the extensive research that he and his team of scientists have been undertaking and hearing the large number of accounts the previous students who have trained with Joe have experienced while doing his meditations was mind-blowing.

In order to attend this Progressive workshop you have to do the Stage 1 online course called the Intensive Workshop, and then either attend or complete online the Progressive Workshop, before being able to take part in a profoundly life changing 1 week advanced workshop somewhere in the world. His Auckland Progressive workshop sold out quickly, as did the Advanced workshop on the Gold Coast which he flew to directly after this event.

I am very keen to attend an Advanced Workshop, and I can highly recommend his work. It is engaging, mind opening and life changing.  I am very, very grateful.

There is so much magic and profound healing happening through consistent and powerful meditation. 

For more information about Joe's work please head over to  https://drjoedispenza.com/

It's September and the world is talking about Mental Health Awareness - bringing this once taboo subject into the light.

In New Zealand, we have some of the highest self harm and suicide rates in the world. Most recently our beloved ex-TVNZ presenter, Greg Boyed, chose to end his life, just one of the 600 New Zealanders who decided to end their lives in the last 12 months.

It's a sobering thought that our annual suicide rate is twice our annual road death toll. You could well ask "Where are the suicide prevention sign posts, the check points, and the safety belts to make our mental health road trips safer?"

If suicide, attempted or merely contemplated, is the ultimate declaration of unhappiness, then surely it follows that it may have started with a much smaller level of mental dis-ease and discomfort.
Each and every one of us is privately engaged in an ever changing conversation with our inner voice(s), feelings, desires, and thoughts. In fact, formal studies suggest that we have 60,000 - 70,000 thoughts per day, and over 90% of these are similar to the thoughts we had the day before!

We each are constantly, both consciously and unconsciously, comparing our internal mental model to what we perceive to be the real world. When we each detect a discrepancy between what we want and what we have or expect to have, we make the mental choice to accept, deny, or do something about it - and we are each happy or unhappy as a consequence. Unchecked, thousands of discordant thoughts can lead to repeated, self-reinforcing and ultimately destructive feelings.

Fortunately, backed by numerous repeatable scientific studies, proven techniques and tools exist to establish and maintain a healthy, resilient mental state, in the face of the challenges, and the highs and lows that life brings. These approaches can be tailored by each of us, on the basis of what we experience and learn about ourselves, and allow us each to intervene if necessary to adjust the path of self-reinforcing behaviours.

When we each learn to acknowledge and our negative emotions and understand our beliefs around them, we can use proven techniques to build positive feelings and make more coherent and positive choices. We don't need to sacrifice honesty, vulnerability, or privacy to do so.

So, I would like to ask you - Are you or your co-workers experiencing:

• Emotional out bursts
  
• Lack of motivation
  
• A missing sense of purpose?
  
• Are high levels of stress affecting your workplace? 
• Do you work in a positive, inclusive environment?
  
• Is morale dropping and in need of a boost? 
• Is active engagement a challenge?
  
• Are personal challenges affecting your ability to achieve your dreams and commitments?

My expertise is in supporting people like you, on an individual or group basis, to achieve more and feel better doing so, in and outside of work.

I do so with proven tools and techniques, which you utilise to get to the next level in terms of self-confidence, happiness, and achievement, on a supportive, confidential basis.

Get in touch today for more information!
nicole@nicolewijngaarden.com call 044995732 or 02102625148
https://nicolewijngaarden.com

​What are your morning rituals? Are they the same every day? Do you start your day off in a state of stress or in a state of inner happiness and with an intention of gratitude and the decision that you are going to have an amazing day, each and every day?

It is incredible for me to think how many people, stumble out of bed, do the same thing every day, unaware that their inner dialogue has a profound impact on how they feel and how they go about their day. 
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So let me ask you, are you aware of your thoughts when you get up in the morning? Did you know that scientists have now discovered that we have between 60-70,000 thoughts a day, most of which we aren't even aware of at a conscious level, although they all have some impact on how we behave and interact with those around us.

More than likely the answer is NO. At least having this awareness, we have a choice. We can choose to continue to feel and behave the way we have done up until now, or we can choose a more positive, happier thought or belief.

Which would make you feel better?

How about today you tell yourself that it's going to be a good day.. Take a few moments and say it to yourself, say it with feeling, bring your awareness down to your heart and say it again, maybe even out loud. Say it LOUD, have a laugh. you may just surprise yourself.

Keep your eye on my page for more snippets of wisdom, I will start posting more regularly going forward. 
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