I get to the airport with a half hour till departure time. I’m still optimistic until I turn into the wrong parking lot in the wrong terminal. Oh God, please help me! A little bit of me begins to panic. Not only do I have to walk through this large parking lot to the terminal, I’ve also got to then walk to the correct terminal (if you’ve ever flown through ATL International Airport, you know this is quite the feat).

Twenty minutes left and I’ve made it to the correct terminal to find that the ticketing station for my airline is all the way at the end of the terminal! I’m still walking as fast as I can while a small voice inside says that I’m definitely gonna miss my flight. I ignore it…and keep walking. I finally get to the self check-in with fifteen minutes left to find that my flight’s been DELAYED!! YES!! Not only will I be able to make my flight, but I’ll also be able to get something to eat!

I was sooo happy and I stopped to think…what if I had given up? How many times are we almost there, but things look bleak, so we throw in the towel? And, I’m not just talking about catching a flight.  How many times do we get discouraged when something in our lives isn’t working out the way we want it to, and so we just quit? I’ve learned that when it’s something I want to really give it my all. If I’ve given it my all, and it still doesn’t work out, I have no regrets…:)

There are so many things that I want to accomplish and I feel like I want to do them all right NOW.  But, I have to remind myself that life is about the journey not about the goals we set.  It’s about how we operate in attaining the goals.  It’s about enjoying the process, having fun, relaxing, actually living my life.  It’s about taking it one day at a time.  I don’t always have to know how I’m getting to where I’m going.  I don’t have to have all the answers either.

Morning Messages
by Peggy Black

Joy is the elixir for all things. Bring more joy into your tasks. When you radiate a vibration of joy, however mild, there is a shift in response within your body that is reflected in the response of your reality.

It can be an easy as a smile on your face as you do one of your many tasks. This will create a different message to your body and you will shift the usual stress responses to your work and busyness into a more conscious relaxed state of mind/heart.
Become aware of the stages or subtle frequencies of the emotional vibration you label joy. There is ecstasy, rapture, bliss, jubilation, delight, happiness, cheer, gladness, and pleasure. Practice the different frequencies of joy.

Be delighted. Celebrate the small wonders all around you. Rejoice with your breath. Smile for no reason, just smile into the moment. Allow new face muscles to be discovered as you smile into your concerns and worries.

Find cause to laugh, giggle, or radiate cheerfulness, practice being light-hearted, carefree, and elated about the miracles in your life or the miracles of the moment. Be happy, be bright, rejoice and enjoy. Be in Joy.

The skill of maintaining an attitude and frequency of joy is a most important skill. Imagine that you have a joy muscle and you have not exercised it enough. You need to stretch it, expand it and fully express it. Allow joy in any form to proceed you.

Smile as you answer the phone, make a meal, and pay your bills. Smile into the mirror each time you look at your image, smile at your reflection. Smile as you are falling asleep at night. Practice smiling even while you are thinking.

Place your awareness in your heart when you smile. This is a powerful alchemical practice. The simple act of smiling from your heart will attract more joy, bliss, and happiness into your life.

The physical tasks will flow easier, your body will respond by being relaxed with less stress. The worries will evaporate; the tasks will be completed with ease and grace. Joy will clear the way for incredible miracles and expansion. This is a wonderful skill to practice and use that will enhance everything in your life.

The energy field that radiates from joy will transform any experience, activity, outcome or results. Your joy will be like a healing balm to yourself and others in your life. Practice your joy in all is wondrous forms.

www.morningmessages.com

image from frankfarm

Like every other day this week, my alarm has gone off at exactly 6am. My goal is to wake with the sun, lol…and do my yoga and meditation and my morning routine before work. And, like every other day this week…I’ve hit snooze and rolled over. Yes, I still do my yoga and morning routine, but it’s rushed…sigh. I get up and I say, everyday, “I’m just not a morning person.” Aha!! I’m reinforcing the negative belief that I just can’t possibly wake up early and feel good about it!

If we could see our words in the physical, our speech would be drastically different. Haphazard speaking, habitual sayings, and the like…would all cease. I look at the problems we have with the environment as a reflection of our problems with our thoughts, our speech, and our actions. The environmental problems are our words manifested. If our negative words were actual trash…we’d find that some of us are have a lot of “trash” all over our homes, in our cars, at work, in our purses, briefcases, etc. And, we wonder why things aren’t improving in our lives! Well, how can any positivity possibly get in when there’s all this negative “clutter” that needs to be cleared out???

We need to start “recycling” our speech. Transmuting it into positive energy…clean, crisp, fresh air we can breathe in deeply to nourish us. This positivity has the power to literally transform our lives! So, I will start with my morning banter that always gets me in the same place every time. I’ll update later with my progress. In the meantime…why don’t you give it a try?

What are you speaking that is holding you back???

—-from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.

-Louise Hay

Thanks Evelyn for this quote! 

So, how do we give attention to these thoughts without driving ourselves crazy and in turn creating something we don’t want? How do we take note of the thoughts without overwhelming ourselves and becoming depressed and non-productive? I’ve found that three things help me:

1. Acknowledge the thought…accept yourself lovingly, then replace it with a positive intention. For example,

“Even though I feel like I will never find a job (acknowledging the thought),

I love myself (having compassion for yourself, unconditionally loving yourself, placing no judgements)

and I intend to have a peaceful day (positive intention).

I know that my perfect job is waiting for me right now (additional positve affirmation).”

For those of you that are familiar with EFT (emotional freedom techniques), this is a great time to practice this while you acknowledge your thoughts and state your positive intentions. Taking a nice 10 minute break from your day to peacefully acknowledge your thoughts, while taking nice, deep cleansing breaths, can really make a difference in how you feel.

2. Do something creative. When I have a lot of stirred up energy and I don’t know what to do with it…I find that channeling it into something creative really helps. This is the perfect time for me to write. Not only am I letting out my energy, but it’s producing something that’s positive and will bring joy to someone else (if I so choose to share it). What is it that you like to create? Believe it or not, we are ALL creative beings. What you create doesn’t have to be perfect, just something you enjoy. If something in your life is really bothering you…this could be a good time to take an art class, learn how to make pottery, dust off the notebook and get back into poetry, visit your local arts and crafts store for ideas, or simply redecorate a room.

3. Exercise. My exercise of choice is yoga. But, whatever gets your blood pumping and helps you break a good sweat is perfect. When you engage in a physical activity, you’re literally purging yourself of a lot of negative energy. Plus, you’re releasing many feel good endorphins. It’s a great win-win situation.

Having negative thoughts is something that we all deal with. But, from time to time, we have our moments where they become overwhelming and immobilizing. These are three tips that I’ve found to work very well in my life. Give them a try and see how they work for you…:)

…Until…I find out that I'm going to be out of town THREE WEEKENDS IN A ROW!  Yes, it's exciting cause I'm going to have fun and be with people I love.  But, what about my time to do absolutely…NOTHING???  I feel myself getting cranky just thinking about it.  BUT, I realize that this is great practice for my future.  In my future, I'll have kids…I'll be a singer, writer, environmentalist, and a spiritual life coach.  Not many days off there!  So…how will I deal?

I'm trying something new. 

1.  Find something you like to do, and do it regularly.  I'm starting to practice yoga on a regular basis (just started Wednesday).  Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga…its very challenging, yet stills my mind, releases my stress, and brings me a sense of peace.  An hour and a half of pure sweaty bliss! 

2.  Treat your bedroom as your sanctuary.  I've read that people sleep better when they only use their bed for sleeping and sex…lol.  I think there may be something to that…cause I do EVERYTHING in my bed, working, talking on the phone,reading, journaling, blogging, websurfing, etc.  But lately, it's been hard for me to unwind and go to sleep when I'm done.  It's also suggested that we keep the number of electronics in the room to a minimum.  I'm kinda attached to my mac book…so, we'll see about that one…;-)

3.  Find time to pray or meditate each day.  It's so beneficial to find time, even if it's just 5 minutes, to steal away from the world and all it's worries and just breathe.  This is the ultimate vacation, just focusing on God/Source and who we are separate from our egos and labels.  Simply breathing and being still.  I've tried to do this in the mornings before work…haven't been so successful cause I'm so sleepy!  But, perhaps after I instill suggestions 1 & 2…this will become easier to do.

I'm hoping that these three changes will help.  I'll keep you guys posted.  I'm learning as I'm teaching on this one!  But, hopefully I won't need a whole Saturday to "recover" from my week anymore.  Hopefully I'll learn to practice mindfulness, living in the present moment and being grateful for each moment.  Hopefully I'll learn how to bring joy into my daily life so that each day feels like a lazy Saturday, even with a jam packed crazy schedule! 

How do you deal with YOUR daily stresses?  I'd love to hear your suggestions!

-Abraham-Hicks

Sometimes, you have to learn as you go.  Sometimes the least desired choices bring us the most valuable lessons!  Life is supposed to be about learning, exploring, taking risks…having fun!!  They also say, it's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.  Guess it's more important to enjoy the journey than to get all wrapped up in how we're gonna get to the destination.  No one can tell you which way to go, it's all up to you…

image by nati 

Peace comes automatically with Faith in God(Source).  When we are truly trusting in God/Source as the captain of our ship, we can truly rest peacefully through any storm.  Peace comes when we truly relax in the flow, trusting that our spirit is safely guiding us through the waters of life.  The universe is always behind us and will never forsake us, as long as we have faith.

Right now, I'm experiencing a lot of major changes in my life.  There are a lot of unknown variables in play that make me nervous.  There are times when I worry that something is going to go terribly wrong.  This is when I work feverishly to try and make a plan B and C, and then a plan D in case those don't work…lol.

But, this is when I have to remind myself who is the captain of my ship.  I quickly begin to calm down and remember that everything is under control.  All I have to do is relax in the flow, stay focused on my goals, and keep my mind's eye on the end result.  I breathe deeply and trust that everything is going to be okay.  Sometimes this is hard to do.  But, this is an opportunity to PRACTICE my faith.  In practicing, my faith increases and becomes stronger.  I'm then able to maintain my peace and have a peaceful day.

Joy is everlasting when we are truly grateful.  When we pay more attention to the good things happening in our lives…how can we be depressed or sad?  There is always something to be thankful and grateful for!  We are blessed more than we know…:)

Whenever I find myself in a funky mood, I do this little exercise that really helps to lift my spirits and bring me back to a joyful state.  I simply make a list of 5 to 10 things that I'm grateful for.  This helps me to keep things in perspective and appreciate my life…no matter what the circumstances.

Love simply is when we know who we are.  When we truly know who we are, we know that we are all one.  I am you and you are me.  When we truly treat each other as the spiritual beings that we are…we find that there's a lot more kindness to go around.  We find it easier to let things go, to have compassion, to be respectful, to have integrity, to be giving, and to be forgiving.  We find it easy to do unto others as we would want done to us.  Because, in all actually…those "others" ARE us.  We are all one, we all originate from love and we all are love.  No matter how dirty, wrong, or sinful the world may label some…we ALL deserve to be loved. 

Patience is a virtue.  This is one that I'm really working on…lol.  Some people seem to be born patient.  While others want what they want, when they want it, and they want it NOW.  I'm learning, however, that when I allow things to happen in their own time, it's usually a lot better than when I rush them.  In fact, when I'm patient, I find that my experiences EXCEED my expectations. 

You know what they say…good things come to those who wait.  It's kinda like waiting for a cake to bake in the oven.  You can bake it at the appropriate temperature for the appropriate time.  Or, you can rush it, and turn up the heat to make it bake faster.  That rarely works, right?  I'd rather have a nicely baked cake than to have one that is half good and half gooey.  And, if you're really patient, you can have some yummy icing on top!! 

1.  Stop criticizing.

2.  See the bigger picture.  When it seems that every little thing is going wrong…maintaining a vivid picture of your goal, and focusing on that, can really keep you going. 

3.  Forgive those who have hurt you. 

4.  RESPOND, don't react.

5.  Reward yourself.  Don't wait for someone to give you a pat on the back…you won't always get that.  Instead…pat YOURSELF on the back.  If you've been keeping up with your budget, go ahead to splurge on something you've wanted in a long time.  If you've been keeping up with your exercise program…go ahead and have a piece of cake.  (Within reason, of course…;-) )

6.  Maintain a balance in your life by knowing and keeping your priorities.  Only you can define what is important to you and only you can maintain those priorities.  Doing this will help you feel at peace with your life.  Doing this will help you in making a choice between, say…working late and spending time with your family.  Which choice will you be able to sleep with at night?  Which will leaving you feeling resentful?  Will you regret this decision 5 yrs from now? 

7.  Don't give unsolicited advice.  Nuff said…just don't do it…

8.  Have integrity.

9.  Invest in yourself.  This isn't just about money.  This is about taking the time to take care of yourself.  Listen to your body and your spirit.  If you need to rest, REST.  You know what you need to maintain your wellbeing…do it.  Nothing is more important than YOU.  You can't help someone else if you're sick and worn out. 

10.  Remember that YOU are the creator in your life.

11.  Be CONFIDENT!

12.  Expect great things.

13.  Exercise.

14.  Eat what truly makes you feel good and energizes you.

15.  Continue to learn and to grow.  Look at EVERY life experience as a chance to learn something and to grow to another level.  Everything happens for a reason.

Dictionary.com says that confidence is someone with "belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance."

Does this sound like you?  If so…congrats…you are one sexy-shut-yo-mouth! 

If not…does this sound like someone you wanna be?  Usually when helping others build confidence, they are advised to think of someone they admire and emulate them.  But, I have an even BETTER exercise to boost the confidence in anyone!

Sit back and really think about why you're not confident.  What is it that you believe is really holding you back from being all you can be. 
1.  Make a list.  Don't worry about if anything sounds silly, be totally honest and make a list of everything that's making you insecure.     

2. Close your eyes, and use your imagination.  Imagine you have a magic wand and can get rid of EVERYTHING on the previous list.  Imagine how your life would be different. 
a.  What are you doing differently?
b.  How do you feel about yourself?
c.  How do others feels about you?  How do they treat you now?
d.  How do you look?  What are you wearing?
Just totally immerse yourself in your vision.  Totally feel it!!

3.  Now write it down, the whole vision.  Don't leave out any details!

4.  Realize that the only thing holding you back from being this super sexy confident diva or having a super sexy confident swagga…is your THOUGHT about who you are and what you're capable of.  You just proved it because as soon as you removed the thoughts about what was holding you back (step 1), you then were able to envision this new you!!  So, begin to hold the vision of who you want to be and work to attain that.  My friend calls it manifesting SEXY!!

Next time you're feeling down or insecure…think…what would the super sexy confident ME do?  How would she be acting right now?  How would she walk?  What would she say?  Then, just do it!  Hold your head high, smile…and exude the CONFIDENCE that is already inside you!! 

Manifest SEXY!!

Do what is good for you, and trust that good things will happen.

You see…I used to be the type of person that would preface doing or saying anything by asking myself…What will they think if I do/say this?  What if I'm wrong?  What if I mess up?  What if they don't wanna have anything to do with me anymore?  This causes inner turmoil, confusion, pent-up anger and frustration.  All of which would paralyze me and keep me stuck…never really moving forward.  I'd always wait for someone else to give me the ok and say that what I wanted to do or say was ok.

But, you know what?  I also like what Dr. Seuss had to say about it.  He said:

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

This is so true.  We have to have confidence in ourselves, who we are, and in our abilities.  Those that have problems with that, don't need to be in our lives anyway.  We can lovingly let them go.  Sometimes we won't have others' support until we first support ourselves.  There will be times when we'll have to stand alone in our own truth. 

In stepping outside my box this month…I've realized that I was the one making the box in the first place.  I was the one setting the limits on what I could and could not do.  Therefore…I can remove that box…I can remove the limits I've set and I can reach for whatever it is my heart desires.

And…so can you…:)

PS  I'm still working on that post-series I promised.  Stay tuned!!