Maureen Sharphouse's Blog

E + R = O (EVENT + RESPONSE =OUTCOME)

I often share with my life coaching and mentoring clients the equation Event plus Response equals Outcome.

What has happened in your life up to this point is something that we cannot go back and change.

That’s not how life and time work.

The past is passed; it is over.

Our response to events, however, remains flexible.

We can choose to  think about, or see an event in our mind differently; we can reframe our attitude, energy and perception.

The power of personal choice, fresh perception, seeing things through fresh eyes and forming new beliefs and thoughts is readily available.

Changing your perception or thoughts about your experience will change the emotions you feel and impact your actions, quality of life, and the outcomes you achieve.

Your brighter future is only ever a better quality of thought away.

Take heart: No matter what happened earlier today, yesterday, last week, last month, last year, or ten or twenty years ago, the present moment (the moment that is here for you right now) offers an opportunity for you to do and be more.

No matter your present circumstances, I encourage you to stop telling yourself that you can’t achieve certain things, that you have no choices, and that’s just how things are for you. Make today the day you stop sitting back and waiting for change to miraculously happen and start taking the action you need to take.

Only when I took personal responsibility for my life did I stop the downward spiral, reclaim my trajectory, and start redirecting my life in a more rewarding and fulfilling direction.

The answers to my darkness were within me; I just hadn’t been looking in the right place before…

So take a moment now to reflect and to get clear and real with yourself:

Are you happy with the person you are being right now?

Are you fully embracing the life you are living?

Do you wake up each morning with love for yourself, and enthusiasm for the day ahead?

The bottom line is:

We don’t fix our problems by staying stuck in the problem.

We fix things by focusing on seeking and creating fresh perspectives, more positive outcomes and solutions.

If you keep looking into the darkness, you will only see more darkness.

You see and reach the light by choosing to believe light is there.

I cannot promise you that the road from here will always feel smooth.

However, the past has passed – and the future isn’t here yet. You will gain little by sitting back and doing nothing to improve your life, until a day you feel ‘better’.

Life is now – and it is precious.

 

 

 Echoing the words of the wonderful Wayne Dyer,

‘With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself,

or treat what has happened as a gift.

Everything is either an opportunity to grow,

or an obstacle to keep you from growing.

You get to choose.’

 

 

I encourage you to face the truth of your story, and the truth about the person you are being right now.

Honesty and self- awareness are your precursor for change.

Make sure to visit my Get Inspired page here on the website for free downloadable resources to help you start crafting the positive change you desire.

And if you would like to be kept in the loop with the progress on my new book, I am writing, leave a reply in the comment section below, connect with me on social media, or sign up for my ‘inspiration direct to your inbox’ newsletter (links and a sign up box is at the foot of this web page).

Much love as always,

Maureen xx

 

(PS And love from Jackson too!)

 

 

 

 

The post Change Your Perception and Thoughts, Craft a Brighter Future appeared first on Maureen Sharphouse.

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.

—Desmond Tutu

As I write this, I am recovering from major and complex neck and spinal surgeries. The surgeries are over, I am now finally out of the hospital and in an assisted living apartment near the hospital, where I will stay for the next couple of weeks until I am deemed fit enough to go home.

In truth, nothing could have prepared me for the surgeries.

Or how I was going to be feeling waking up in the Intensive Care Unit following eleven hours in the operating theatre, with metal hardware, bolts and screws in my skull and neck.

The days following surgery were tough, dark, hard and, in truth, horrid.

And yet, throughout it all, I felt no fear.

How was that possible?

I was fuelled by hope.

And I stayed connected to my why, i.e. the potential of surgery bringing me an improved quality of life, which will, in turn, produce an improved quality of life not only for me but also for my husband and all of our family, allowing me to DO more, BE more, be a better version of myself whether it as a coach and mentor, author and writer, daughter, wife, mother, step-mother, sister, friend, auntie, dog and cat mummy, or grandmother.

It is the light of hope – married together with internal strength and resilience- that got me through the surgeries.

And it is what is keeping me hanging on now.

Hope in the possibility of a reduction in my pain levels.

Hope in the possibility of a better quality of life.

Hope in the possibility of improved mobility, and a greater degree of independence.

Hope for a brighter tomorrow and future for myself, my husband and our family.

For with renewed hope, the magic of life still looks available.

With hope, fresh new opportunities and better times ahead remain possible.

And so the lamp of hope will remain for me firmly lit, as I move forwards on my healing journey.

I urge you also today, no matter how difficult or challenging your present circumstances may be, to ignite your lamp of hope within, guard it safely, and keep it burning.

Sending much love, grit, grace and continued strength to you.

Holding you also in my healing thoughts. May brighter times lie ahead.

It is the light of hope – married together with internal strength and resilience- that will help you get through the tough times.

 

PS: In need of some inspiration to give you a boost? Check out my Get Inspired Page for some free downloadable resources…

 

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Just a heads up to watch this space…. if you feel you would benefit from having an empowering self-help how-to guide and toolkit to dig into when the going gets tough in life.

I am back in my author cave for the next few months and in writing mode again – and I am so excited to be sharing in my new book (working title ‘Reignite Your Life’) the same uplifting and game-changing language and mindset shifts, transformative strategies, and soul-nourishing daily practices that to this day empower me to navigate this roller coaster we call life with unshakable resilience, grit, grace, strength, peace, positivity and courage – no matter whatever difficulties or challenges my day may bring!

The publishing contract with Morgan James is signed.

I am committed to giving birth to this baby.

Message to self: I am a writer. I can do this. It is up to me to make this happen.

Make sure to follow me on social media, or sign up to my email list, and I will keep you updated of progress and when pre-sales for my forthcoming new book are open…

You will find links to my social media pages, and an invite to sign up to my email list below.

The post Ready to Reignite Your Life? My Next Book is Cooking! appeared first on Maureen Sharphouse.

If you are feeling like you could do with a bit of refuel and reset now that Spring is officially here (and  those cold dark winter months are behind us!), then I invite you to check out my article in the Spring 2024 edition of the iPain Living Magazine: Ready for a Spring Reset? The A-Z of Living Well with Chronic Pain 

The iPain Living Magazine always makes for a great read every quarter – and over the last eighteen months or so, I have loved being a regular contributor.

Now that the spring edition is in print,  I eagerly look forward to devouring the great content!

Not only is the magazine packed full of information, insights, guidance, and inspiration, it feels good to serve others in the pain community, connecting, voicing my thoughts, and sharing what I have come to learn and know (and am still learning on a daily basis)about living well and living fully – despite the 24/7 real-life challenges as pain warriors we face.

And so, I am excited! 

The Spring 2024 edition of the iPain Living Magazine is now available in print or digital format at www.iPainLiving.org   

And I have just opened my copy…

Want a sneaky peek?

 

 

You will find my article ‘Ready for a Spring Reset? The A-Z of Living Well with Chronic Pain”  in print starting from page 30 (running through to 35). 

The iPain Living Magazine delivers relevant information on chronic pain challenges, tips, tools and resources that puts pain into context in peoples’ lives.

Through medical content, insights from experts and real people, and spotlights on topical news, the magazine addresses how it happened, what it feels like, what you can do about it, and why it matters.

If you would like to purchase a copy of the #iPainLiving magazine,  the Spring 2024 edition is now available in print or digital format at www.iPainLiving.org

 

 

 

 

The post Ready for a Spring Reset? My A-Z of Living Well with Chronic Pain appeared first on Maureen Sharphouse.

When you live with chronic pain and illness, it is all too easy to see yourself as impaired in some way or broken, lacking in some shape or form, or disabled. Sadly, perceiving yourself in some way less than perfect or ‘needing fixed’ only makes it easier to hate yourself for what you are not, rather than loving yourself for who and what you already are.

I understand that, for I have been there. I have gone through some dark periods of my life of feeling guilt, blame, and disappointment in myself and experiencing real self-loathing.

What I have come to know, however, is that you do not have to love everything about your life or everything about you to start showing yourself self-love and compassion.  What happens on the outside of your world or to your external physical body does not need to stop you having a secure and strong foundation of self-respect and compassionate care. And when you live your life from a place of compassion, kindness, faith and love(rather than from a place of fear, blame, dislike, or hate), both you and your world transform into a much more joyful, happy place.

And so, if you are yearning to start feeling good about yourself again, you must take ownership of making that happen! And using empowering self-talk can really help!

This extract from one of my personal journals has been included in a recent article I wrote for the wonderful iPain Living Magazine. I re-read it to myself this morning, and it has already flipped my mind to a better place.

I hope it does the same for you (read out loud for best results!):

Love Yourself As You Are; You Are Not Broken

As my physical body starts ageing or failing,

I remind myself my spirit need not.

Although my body may feel pain and discomfort,

I remind myself my soul is safe.

The key is to invite the light of spirit in

To touch, permeate and flow through every  cell of my being

And so I choose to meet and encompass my pain with unconditional compassion, kindness, and love.

For self-love and kindness bring with them magic,

A healing magic that is available in abundance

It is a magic that nourishes me at a deep soul level and brings with it much peace. 

For it is via the route of love that I nourish the spark within me,

It is through self-love I fully birth my strength and uniqueness,

As I stop beating myself up over all I wish I were

I can start to love myself with an open heart for who I already am.

I am not broken; I never have been.

I am beautiful and perfect in my imperfections.

And so, I choose today to accept my vulnerability and rawness.

Today, as I move forward, I choose to only think of myself in positive, supportive, loving ways.

Copyright Maureen Sharphouse

Want to explore more?

If you are ready to start flipping the way you see yourself, think about yourself – and put an end to any negative self-talk you are sending your brain – and start truly loving yourself again, check out my current article in the Winter 2023/24 edition of the iPain Living Magazine: Love Yourself As You Are; You Are Not Broken. Simple ways of empowering self-talk to help.

Reach out if you want to explore receiving my further support to help you rise to live a unique legacy you are proud of.

You can email me directly at maureen@maureensharphouse.com or call me directly on +44 7850 671216

And remember to download your FREE RESOURCES from my GET  INSPIRED page here on my website.

You have got this! I believe in you.

You are not broken. In truth, you are awesome.

And as you woke up this morning, your job on earth is evidently not yet done; you are meant to be here!

 

The post Love Yourself As You Are; You Are Not Broken appeared first on Maureen Sharphouse.

Shouting out to all Zebras:

If living with the genetic systemic connective tissue disorder Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is holding you back from fully embracing life, this post is for you!

Earlier this year (at the ripe old age of 66- and with an ever-growing progressive lifetime pot of chronic and complex medical health condition labels and diagnoses and co-morbid conditions), I discovered I am a Zebra, too.

It wasn’t a shock as I had been doing my own research prior to my diagnosis (and it explains SO MUCH!) but nonetheless, it has taken me a bit of time to get my head around. And over the last few months, thoughts of serving the Ehlers-Danlos Community have been cooking…

And so I am reaching out today to fellow zebras, wherever in the world they may live, to say hello ….

And I  am connecting to the Ehlers-Danlos community by listing my Life & Mindset Coaching, NLP, and Mentoring services on the Ehlers-Danlos Society Healthcare Professionals Directory.

Because, speaking openly Zebra to Zebra,  I get you – and I care!

And I believe in you, and want you (despite the challenges you face! )to rise and live your best life.

#maureensharphouse #unhackablesoul #zebra #zebrastrong #eds #lifecoach #mentor

Check out my listing (and find out about my #1 best-selling book Unhackable Soul: Rise Up, Feel Alive, and Live Well with Pain and Illness,  and how to access the special Zebra 25 % discount code for my online course!) by clicking HERE. 

And remember to pop by my Get Inspired page to get instant access to some helpful audio and best life living resources.

The post Best Life Living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Reaching Out to Zebras appeared first on Maureen Sharphouse.

Live with pain or chronic illness? Sharing ‘woo-woo’ that works!

Popping in to let you know the Fall 2023 edition of the iPain Living Magazine is now published –

And, once more,  I am honoured to have served the International Pain Foundation by being a contributor!

My article ‘Calm the Storm; Build Self-Belief’ shares some simple self-hypnosis and visualisation techniques, and empowering self-talk, to help you adjust how your brain perceives your pain, allowing you much-needed respite to enable you to get back in control of your breathing, tap into your core resilience, and rebuild your confidence and self-belief that you can handle whatever challenges come your way.

Call visualisation techniques Woo-Woo? Hocus-pocus? 

I encourage you to be open-minded.

When living with a chronic illness, having a bank of effective pain management practices and tools to draw on is essential to your overall holistic well-being.

And, at a personal level (and as someone with the genetic systemic connective tissue desired Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and many of its co-morbid conditions including the ‘suicide disease’ CRPS)  I find the techniques I share in this article (you can also find them in my #1 best-selling book ‘ Unhackable Soul: Rise Up, Feel Alive and Live Well with Pain and Illness‘ ) to be a godsend when my body is experiencing severe pain flares, and an integral part of my daily pain management toolkit.

The bottom line is, that knowing how to access and craft calm within, despite whatever turmoil or challenges living with an incurable health condition presents, allows the opportunity to live free of fear of whatever the next moments, hours, days, weeks, or future years may bring.

To read my article in full, and to purchase and download a copy of the magazine visit  www.iPainLiving.org

You will find my published article on pages 44 through to 47.

Many thanks to Editor-in-Chief Barby Ingle for giving me the opportunity to serve the pain community by sharing valuable and effective pain management strategies with the iPain Living magazine readers.

#iPainLiving #gratitude #thanks #chronicpain #chronicillness #reignitethelightwithin #livingwellwithchronicpain

 

 

 

 

#iPainLiving #gratitude #thanks #chronicpain #chronicillness #reignitethelightwithin #livingwellwithchronicpain

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Honoured to have contributed an article to the Summer 2023 edition of the iPain Living Magazine…. (Living Well with Chronic Pain- Strategies and Tips  – pages 36 through to 41)

 

The Summer 2023 edition of the iPain Living Magazine is now published –

and I am honoured to have served the International Pain Foundation by being a contributor!

My article ‘Living Well with Chronic Pain’ shares a wealth of strategies and simple tips to help you embrace and enthusiastically live life despite your challenges.

To purchase and download a copy of the magazine visit www.iPainLiving.org

You will find my published article on pages 36 through to 41.

Many thanks to Editor-in-Chief Barby Ingle for giving me the opportunity to serve the pain community in this way.

#iPainLiving #gratitude #thanks #chronicpain #chronicillness #reignitethelightwithin #livingwellwithchronicpain

The post Living Well with Chronic Pain Simple Strategies and Tips appeared first on Maureen Sharphouse.

If you are stuck in a dark place – and fed up with only seeing a bleak future ahead, I know how that feels…. I have been there also.

It is hard when you don’t know what or how you can change things.

You can feel stuck in a rut, in an ever-restricting world, and struggle to see any light ahead.

For me, the moment I yelled ‘enough is enough’ is so vivid in my mind I know the exact date and time: the memory is so vivid.

And what I learned from that fresh starting place of facing the truth of my story and reality, is that darkness is only ever the absence of light. And, whatever your circumstances or challenges,  there are always things you CAN DO to crack the light back in and change things.

Want some tips?

Want to know your starting point? (And what my first step was? )

And some simple language hacks and strategies to help you get out of your own way, so that you can start crafting that brighter future?

Then grab a coffee and get yourself comfortable.

I invite you to join me as the incredible Talia Lazarus interviews me for her ‘I Got Back Up’ Podcast.

Our conversation is full of insights, learnings, tips and strategies for you, to help you rise through your challenges – and is joyous and magical!

It feels appropriate to share it here with you on my Blog… I hope it helps you too to start to rise and Get Back Up – and speaks to you in a deeply soul-inspiring way.

Language is Power: Maureen Sharphouse on the   ‘I Got Back Up Podcast’  with Talia Lazarus:

The post It’s Time to Get Back Up: Language is Power appeared first on Maureen Sharphouse.

As a young child, I loved writing short stories. I dreamed that one day I would write a book, and that it would make others smile or feel better in some way.

I finally achieved that dream last year at the age of sixty-five years old, when my book Unhackable Soul: Rise Up, Feel Alive, and Live Well with Pain and Illness was published in April 2022.

Incredibly, a month after its release date, my book hit the Amazon.com best-seller list at #1 in the category of Personal Transformation & Spirituality, #1 in Pain Management, #2 in Faith & Spirituality, #2 in New-Age Self-Help, and #3 in Family & Relationships.  Not only had I achieved my dream of writing a book, and having it published, it had become an international best-seller.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aware of the success of my book Unhackable Soul hitting the Amazon.com bestseller list shortly after its release, I was recently asked to write an article for the wonderful online writers platform Writing.ie on how to write a great self-help book.

Here are  the Top Strategies, Hints and Tips I shared with them:

Questions I asked myself:Who are you writing your self-help book for? Who is your ideal reader?What pain or problem does your reader have?What are the benefits to your reader of reading your book? What solution does your book offer?What tangible and meaningful lasting results can your reader expect to gain from implementing into their lives what you share?Why should your reader listen to you? What relevant experience, credibility and expertise do you have?Things I reminded myself of:

A self-help book is not a DIY manual:  Your reader doesn’t simply want to know or be told about the steps they can take to– they want to be shown, guided, and supported on the practical do-able how.

A self-help book is not a memoir: Whilst sharing your personal story has power, draws the reader in to connect with you at a deep level, lets them know that you understand their problem and confirms to them why they should trust you and listen to what you say, it is not about you saying ‘Look at me. Here I was. Here I am. Look at what I have achieved.’ – and then not sharing the steps and guiding your reader on the ‘how’ so they can achieve similar meaningful transformational change.

Your reader wants to know:  that your book is relevant to them, that they can trust you as the author, and that you can help them (in an easy-to-understand, doable and practical way) solve a pain or problem they currently have.

Strategies I implemented:

Write from a place of serving your reader, and not from your ego: Write from a place of compassion, understanding of your reader’s problem- and your heartfelt desire to help.

Draft a clear plan/table of contents: Draft out a plan/framework/table of contents that will make it a clear step-by-step journey for your reader from their ‘x’ (their pain or problem/where they are now), to their ‘z’ (their solution/some form of transformation/brighter place) – via their ‘y’ (i.e. their ‘how’ – the practical and doable, easy to implement steps).

Keep your writing tone conversational and flowing: Use first and second-person terminology… I/You… to speak directly to your reader and make an emotional connection.  Vary sentence lengths and structures, keep paragraphs short, and aim for clarity, conciseness, connection, engagement, and flow.

Imagine you are speaking to one person only: Write your book as if you are speaking directly 1:1 with your reader, as their best friend, guide, and mentor. Have a clear image of that reader in your mind when writing.

Craft a working title and subtitle that keeps your writing focused: Your title and subtitle need to let your reader know your book is relevant to them, what to expect inside, and make it clear to them the benefits they can get from buying and reading it.

Keep the layout of your book interesting – with the content in easy-to-consumable chunks: See each chapter as a self-contained mini-book, which begins with a story or illustration that draws the reader in, leads into the specific chapter topic, and to a specific message for the reader to take away – and to a practical ‘how’ – a way for the reader to take the learning on board (e.g., a summary of chapter points or an exercise for the reader to do).

Keep your content relevant and connected to your overall core message: If a section of writing and/or paragraph/sentence doesn’t add something to deepen your connection with the reader and/or their understanding of either their problem or the solution to that problem, take it out. It doesn’t need to be there!

Trust and have confidence in your voice: Be authentic and true to who you are. Don’t try to emulate the writing of others. Own your unique story, magic, and voice!

 

And so:

If you have a dream of writing a self-help book also, know I believe in you.

You have got this.

The bottom line is, if writing a self-help book feels important to you, then it is up to you to get clear on your book’s core message and get a plan and strategies in place to make it happen!

I hope what I have shared with you helps.

Know that the light in me honours and respects the light that is in you.

 

 

 

 

If you would like to read my article on Writing.ie and explore the further writing support and encouragement their community can give you, CLICK HERE

If you would like to read or listen to a preview and/or purchase a copy of my book Unhackable Soul (available in Paperback, Hardback, Kindle, and Audiobook) on Amazon CLICK HERE

To order a gift-wrapped signed copy of my book, to include a personal message from me  CLICK HERE

And, if and when you are ready to dive deeper, I invite you to check out my 30-day  Unhackable Soul: Reignite the Light Within online course CLICK HERE

P.S. You can watch the Global Live Stream Launch(4th April 2022)  of my book Unhackable Soul with my publisher below!

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