Living Out Side the Box

Living Out Side the Box

I’ve never really like the term “outside the box”.  I didn’t know I was in a box but I guess that’s the point. You don’t’ know you are until you start thinking differently, viewing the same criteria but from another angle.

Now there are ways to get you to think outside the box - by accessing your right brain.  You can do something physical like run, play a sport, meditate or just take a walk.  Some people can access it by reading, painting, writing, listening to music or having an enlightened conversation.  Figure out what works for you. 

You know you’re accessing your right brain when out of the blue the solution to a problem you’ve been working on suddenly pops into your head and Ka...BAM there’s the answer. This has happened to me many times. I’ll be sitting at my desk working on a solution to a problem and not getting anywhere with it yet I can feel the answer is just eluding me.  I decide to take a break. I get up from my chair and take a few steps and ka...BAM the answer suddenly pops into my head. Four seconds ago I was stuck and now I have the answer.  Amazing!

But how do you go about living outside the box? The box represents your comfort level.  In order to live outside it, to excel and become what you know you can be, you need to have the courage, strength and perseverance to continue to grow.  And you know you’re growing and expanding your world when the thought of doing something makes you a bit scared yet excited at the same time. It’s what takes you to the next level. 

People don’t just fall into their greatness.

People don’t become fulfilled by playing it safe.

People succeed by their growth spurts, each one elevating them higher and higher to greater outcomes until one day they stop and realize it was all the little things that made them who they are.

I know living outside my own box is not always an easy thing to do. For me it’s much easier to fall back into the comfortable business aspect of my business instead of expanding my spiritual aspect.  It’s a conflict of interest.  My spirit says to speak my truth while my natural talents want me to fall back into the to-do list of running a business.

Guess who wants to win?

My spirit continues to push me to live outside my box.  I’m not going to lie, it’s a bit scary and uncomfortable but I’m getting so much more out of life. How about you?

All You Need is Love

Boy the Beetles sure did get that right. It’s such a simple phrase yet behind it lies so much meaning.

Let’s break it down. It’s like happiness in that when all the expectations you may have for someone else or yourself doesn’t come through, if you’re still happy, in the end isn’t that all that matters?

To really to the jest of it let’s look at from a devastation point of view. A family has lost everything they have for from war, theft, natural disaster, or fire. I mean everything. All their material possessions are scattered, burned, stolen even their clothes are gone. They have no food or even utensils to make it if they did. No home, just the clothes on their backs. And yet they manage to carry on surviving. They take care of each other. Some would call it faith. When the outlook is so dire where do you go? You go inward to your heart and soul looking for the strength to pull you through. Amazingly with much searching you realize you have everything you need, the love of your family and friends. It’s a strong bond that gives you hope and pulls you through.

Now you don’t have to find yourself in such a crisis to have the same experience. People who go through drug addiction, abuse or a bad marriage can also drag you down to where you have little hope. However, just like the other examples you need to look within for the love that exists in all of us. Look around at all the people willing to help. That’s others showing their love.

Love, it’s the four-letter word to move you forward, calm your emotions, and ultimately pull you through. In the quiet still voice within is the Creator reminding you to love yourself because you’re worth it. The Creator doesn’t make mistakes. He gives you opportunities to grow. It may not appear so at first but in the spiritual world making it through the hard times pays dividends.

In the end love is all we need. 

What Cell Phones can Teach us About Faith?

What Cell Phones can Teach us About Faith?

 

Telephones still amaze me.  You can dial a number across the world and in just a few seconds you’re connected.  Amazing!  It just baffles my mind how Alexander Graham Bell even had the thought that it was possible.  Look at us now!

How about radio?  Who knew all those radio waves were always around us just waiting to be tapped. Makes you wonder what else is out there to be discovered.  We’ve probably only scratched the surface.

Combine the two and what have you got – cell phones.  Who today doesn’t have a cell phone, not many? They’re everywhere and being used for all sorts of things.  How many applications do you have?

They’re getting to be so common and such an integral part of our daily lives that some people can’t live without them. Teenagers practically can’t communicate without them. If they’re not talking on them they’re texting, listening to music or playing a game. They’re taken for granted.

What confuses me about some people is how they can grasp the concept of everyday technology that they can’t see or understand yet question the existence of a higher power because they can’t see, hear or feel it. They need proof.

Does everything have to be proven first to be believed? Science is an avenue for proof.  It’s the mind saying convince me or to say that it’s right. Technology is the vehicle for the possibilities.  It’s the concept put into physical form.

You can’t see radio waves but we know they do exist.  It’s evident in the cell phones we use every day. In fact we can have various types of information transported by using a different frequency.  We know that carbon monoxide can kill you but we can’t smell it. We know there are sounds that the human ear can’t hear but other animals can hear them. Why then is it so hard to grasp spirit? Seeing, hearing and feeling aren’t a prerequisite for believing.  Sometimes you just know something is right because it feels right.

Intuition is like that.  It just feels right.  It directs you to do what’s best for you. You can’t see it but you can hear it if you pay attention to it. It’s not about proof but about trust, it’s trusting yourself enough to listen to what’s best for you.  It’s having the faith that it’s coming from a higher power.

All is One

All is one. What could that possibly mean?

From a quantum physics point of view it is. We are all one and the same from the tress to the tiger to the crunch of sand beneath our feet; once you break it down we all come out to be the same thing – light.

And what is light but energy. Everything around us is made up of energy. Of course to the naked eye it doesn’t appear that cement or a wooden chair has energy but it does. Under a microscope there is movement but it’s very slow. Even a dead plant has energy otherwise it wouldn’t decompose. It dies, crumbles and melts into the earth. The energy never dies it becomes something else. In this case the decomposition of the plant has provided food to other living organisms and the process just keeps repeating. It never stops. The human body is the same. Beyond the molecular the common and final ingredient in all life forms in the universe is light. This means at its core everything is the energy of light. Some light shines brighter than others because of the frequency it holds, nonetheless it’s all light. We are all one and the same when we’re broken down to our minute core element.

The question then becomes what is light? I’m not referring to the bright light of the sun but the kind of light feel good light that illuminates acceptance and unconditional love.  It’s a warm shining light that emits goodness. It’s the light, thus energy, of our Creator and we are all bit of the Creator. 

We all have this light within us. Every living thing within the universe has this light, this bit of light reminiscent of the Creator because it is of the Creator.

In the big picture that means we are all One. We (universe) are all One with the Creator. How cool is that?

Now here’s another thought to think about. If everything in the universe is made from the Creator it only stands to reason that we all posses the ability to communicate with each other in some form. But how to we communicate from a light level? Universal consciousness perhaps!

Celebrate What Unites Us Not What Divides Us

Celebrate What Unites Us Not What Divides Us

“As world events reflect, we remain far from mastering the art of human relations.  We have invented no technology that will guide us to the destinations that matter most.

After two world wars, the Holocaust, multiple genocides, and countless conflicts, we must ask how long it will be before we are able to rise above the national, racial, and gender distinctions that divide us, and embrace the common humanity that binds us.

The answer depends not on the starts or some mysterious forces of history; it depends on the choices that you and I and all of us make.” ~ Madeleine Albright

 

Nothing tears people more apart than pointing out what separates them from one another rather than what binds them.  Take any natural disaster and suddenly nationality, race, gender or political affiliation doesn’t matter anymore.  People unite for the common good of solving the problem at hand.

As the saying goes, “Where attention goes energy flows”.  When you focus on what divides us, even more things that divide us will come to mind. Things that you didn’t even give much thought to now rise to the surface and become important simply because you put your attention on it.  However when you focus on what binds us you can actually feel yourself becoming more calm and relaxed. Try it.

I’ve traveled to many places around the world and for the most part everybody is the same. They want the same things out of life like raising a happy and healthy family, finding fulfillment in their work and being able to worship in their own way.  There are things that are understood in any culture like laughter and compassion. These are the things that we should be focusing on instead of our differences.

The real kicker is you and I have the power to bind us rather than divide us by the choices we make every day.  It could show up in what we do or say.

Make the call.

Remember how to have fun

Remember how to have fun

Remember as a child, just the sight of a swing set, or a pony, or a hula-hoop, would get your heart racing and your imagination somersaulting?

And without even thinking in words you felt that surely the world revolved around you, that you were the most blessed creature ever to live, and that having fun was all that really mattered?

Well, how did you know so much at such a tender age?

~ The Universe

Not much has changed. You still get excited only the events and objects have changed to hugs of children, the heart-felt conversations with friends, and the trip of a life time.

You still are the most blessed creature to ever live and having fun still matters to you.  Remember?

Get use to it.

Life isn’t fair. Who said it was Supposed to be?

 

It just doesn’t seem fair that your sister is better looking than you.  It doesn’t seem fair that you brother is smarter than you, or is he?

 

Life isn’t fair.  Who said it was supposed to be?  In fact, it is not about being fair.  It’s about doing the best with what you have.  Sometimes people are so focused on what others have that they don’t see the fine qualities that they possess. If they did they’d realize that even though their sister is better looking and their brother is really smart- they have different qualities that the other two aren’t as gifted in.  It could be that they have the ability to connect with others in a short about of time, mediate and diffuse a situation, are blessed with the ability to speak well, to use well crafted words to illicit the response and emotion that they intended.  These things aren’t measured in the educational system and yet they are a tremendous asset. A case or push needs to be done to address this omission of overlooked talents. Credit needs to be given to those people who are naturally talented in other intelligences such as; nature, body, verbal, emotional, social, picture and music instead of basing someone’s intelligence strictly on logic which is evident in the sciences.  Life isn’t just about science, math, and reading.  Don’t get me wrong, these are all important.  What about all the people who aren’t talented in those subjects? They go through the school system believing that they won’t be successful just because they didn’t excel in the core subjects.  They aren’t failures.  How about building up their self esteem by giving them credit for what they are talented in? 

 

·        Everyone is talented in something.  Sometimes you have to look deeper to figure out where you stand out.  Ask yourself which of the intelligences you excel in.  Pinpoint exactly what it is that makes that great. 

·        Figure out what are your strengths and use them to your advantage.

·        Appreciate the character traits you have, even the quirky ones.

·        Learn to design your life around what you are naturally gifted in.

 

If you’d like to learn more about how to make your life run smooth, you can visit my website at Your True Heart's Desire.

You Have All the Resources You Need

 

I have good news. You can’t have a desire without the resources to fulfill that desire presently. It’s one of the universal laws.

What that means is that you have all the resources you need in this moment in time to achieve your desires otherwise you wouldn’t have the desire. Interesting, huh!  It means it’s within your reach and all you have to do is allow it to come into your experience.  However, this is where people tend to get stuck.  Their mindset is stuck on unworthiness and/or lack.  They feel they are not worthy of their desires or that they lack the skill, knowledge etc to achieve them. They falsely believe they don’t have the resources available to them to achieve their goals. Or maybe everything isn’t in perfect order yet so they don’t allow that which is ready to appear.  Another false belief is that there is a limit to the amount of joy, happiness or material possessions etc. they can have so they don’t allow that which is ready to come into their experience to manifest itself. 

Hey, don’t get down on yourself. We all have had moments like that. In times like that it’s good to catch yourself and get back into a good feeling emotion of what it would feel like when you do fulfill your desire.  Remind yourself of all you have to offer and that you wouldn’t have the desire if you didn’t have the ability to achieve it. 

Having the desire is the easy part, not believing and trusting in yourself is what keeps you from getting what you want.  All the classes, applications, assessments and seminars won’t help you until you allow and accept what you want to come to you without hesitation, questioning and judging. 

Here’s Looking at You Kid

 

"What a jerk! He's always getting away with something, and her, what a gossip. You can't tell her anything unless you want the whole world to know it. They're so arrogant and pompous. What a pair!"

"Look at that big boat they just got. How can they afford it with the two trips they already took this year? I heard he lost money in his business last year".

Mmm. Have you ever found yourself talking about someone in a negative way? Of course you have. We have all done it at one time or another. But what are we really saying? In "The Work" that Byron Katie uses there is the turnaround question. In it you are asked to replace yourself with whomever you are speaking about. It's not easy. It's not pretty. But, it is probably true that what you dislike and/or envy in another person is what you don't like about yourself or an item or quality you wish you had. It's called looking in the mirror. A mirror is a reflection of your physical self but in this case it is a reflection of your inner self.

I highly recommend the book, "Loving What Is" by Byron Katie. This is but a speck of what The Work is all about. There are four questions in the book to ask you along with examples of how others used the model. I call it self-awareness therapy.

Will the Truth Set You Free?

 

Recently I was in the hot seat for something I said. A person had accused me of some things to my superior and the superior’s reaction was to move me to another location for a while. What caused me to be in trouble is that I truthfully told others why I was being moved and what caused the move. Basically I got in trouble for telling the truth. Even my superior found it odd that I didn’t lie, fib or be vague about the change.

My question is why? Why should I lie? What do I have to hide? People who lie have something to hide or are trying to save face. In my case, I have no problem exposing myself. Why, because the truth will set me free?

How so you ask? Will it get me out of my bind? I don’t know but what it will do is free my conscious mind of any negative feelings. By telling the truth my spirit is at peace.

I think deep down my parents knew this. As a child I would have been is greater trouble for lying then by telling the truth no matter what the outcome.  I still may have received a lecture but there wouldn’t be any severe punishment.  My parents choose to reward truthfulness. I must say that the lesson was passed down as I too would be more upset over catching my child lying about what she did or said. It certainly sends a strong message of what is important.

I’ve spoken about this before but imagine if you knew the true intentions of your employer, spouse or politician? Would you make the same conclusion about them? Would you stay employed or move on? Would you still vote for the politician who only said the things you wanted to hear but in reality had no intention of following through with them? Everything is out in the open.

Let’s say you did choose to stay or vote knowing the truth, what then? Well then you only have yourself to blame when it doesn’t work out the way you’d like it to. It’s not what people like to hear but it’s the truth.

Truth, responsibility and freedom are intertwined. Knowing the truth and taking responsibility for your decisions really does give you freedom because knowing the truth helps you make better decisions. The truth can be harsh but in the end it really does set you free.

The Never-Ending Drama

 

What’s a never ending drama? Take your pick. There’s the Israeli-Arab-Palestine conflict, race relations and let’s not forget the Islamic discord. These conflicts have been going on for centuries and yet they’re not resolved. Why? Well, each position could give you a host of reason why, usually blaming the other guy or nation.  Notice the finger is never pointed at themselves. The funny thing is that’s the ONLY thing they have control over, their own words and actions. You can’t control or affect change with someone else unless they truly agree. In most all instances there was a wrong or perceived wrong done to a class, group, race etc and they want restitution for it.

Let’s explore the thought that what is desired really does come to fruition.  What if the Palestines get their own state and everything else they believe is owed them, what if the black community does achieve the equality and restitution for slavery they believe they are due, what if the Islamists are able to have their own sovereign government within the US to promote their own version of Sharia Law wo`uld that finally silence these groups? I seriously doubt it. In every example it would disenfranchise another group and eventually the next group would rise up and complain.  It becomes a never ending cycle of discontent. When will it ever end?

What these people don’t get is that the past is the past and it can’t be changed. You can only learn from it and make better choices going forward. There will never be enough money, land, forgiveness or whatever you’re looking for to make the negative feelings in the heart go away.  Only you can release this negative energy in order to open up to new possibilities. The answer or solution to discord isn’t by or through someone or something else but through the hearts and minds of those who hold onto being right and are hell bent on getting their way at any cost.

Unity, acceptance and forgiveness are the true paths to ending the drama. Who has the power to end this madness?  As you can see the answer lies within each of us, to accept others as they are and realize the past is the past because of the decisions made by those who came before us.

You Asked for it - You Got it

 

You get what you get whether by default or by design through your thoughts, words and actions.

That’s how the Law of Attractions works. This isn’t something new it’s been around since the beginning of time. There are many ways this has been expressed through different cultures and religions but it all means the same thing.

You reap what you sow

What comes around goes around

Do unto others as you would have others do unto you

 

These are just a few. The message is the same.

Your thoughts set the tone for what you’ll experience.

Let’s keep it simple.  If you expect to have a difficult altercation with someone, without even being consciously aware of it, your tone of voice, mannerisms and thought patterns are getting ready for it.  Your body may even get tense just thinking about it. When you do have this encounter it does become difficult because through your voice, language and body language the other person reacts negatively to you. You got what you expected.

Conversely, if you were to set the tone of a successful encounter in which there was mutual respect and understanding before hand, the likelihood of a successful encounter would greatly improve. Your voice, language and generally the way you come across would reflect your positive outlook.

Thought comes first. Your belief that it will work out successfully is paramount.  If you don’t believe it will, it will show up in your words and actions whether you intend for them or not.  This is why you get what you get whether by default or design. It’s better to consciously set your intentions, believe in them, and finally carry them out then to go with the flow, take your chances and maybe get lucky.

Let’s Dance

 

In relationships if a person gives 50% of themselves and then the other person gives 50%, what are you getting, Fifty percent? People think that if they give 50% and then the other person gives 50% they'll end up with 100%, but it doesn't work that way. You get what you give. What if you gave 100% of yourself and the other person gave 100%? Imagine the possibilities of a relationship working at 100%. Look at how much more you're getting. One hundred percent commitment to making it whatever you want to make it. Are you giving all of yourself or are you holding back. If you are holding back, what makes you hold back? Fear of being hurt, betrayed, used, or a lack of trust. What is it about the other person or relationship you can't count on?

A relationship is a dance. One leads and one follows and then the roles switch. The leader needs to look out for the other person, to direct them in such a way so no one is stepping on the other person's toes. On the other hand, the follower needs to trust that the leader is going to look out for them both, notice I said both, and guide them through the blind spots. When they are in sync even the slightest movement by the leader and the follower is right there. It is a dance. Are you in sync and if not, what can you do to make it so?

Let it Flow, Let it Flow, Let it Flow

 

"As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit." - Emmanuel Teney

When you’re in your zone everything just flows effortlessly. What does it mean to be in the zone? It means that your talents, strengths and passion are perfectly aligned. You are in a situation or event that is utilizing every aspect of what you do best. You may look back at the event and say to yourself that it went by so fast but that it was actually quite easy. Why, because it was easy for you? You were in your zone. Every aspect that was needed from mental, physical and emotional challenges was met. It was a breeze. That is being in the zone. That is letting go and letting your true nature take over. By having faith and going with the flow of who you are in that moment great things can happen.

So let it flow. Have faith, let go and let the good times roll.

Celebrate Jesus’ Life, Not Death

Even when I was a young girl in church I thought it was a bit morbid to put so much emphasis on Jesus crucifixion. It just didn’t seem right but my young mind couldn’t articulate why. Now as an adult who has expanded her realm of spiritual understanding, I can.

I compare going through the Stations of the Cross to modern times. What if instead of remembering how your family friend or relative lived you focused on the stages of his last few months of cancer treatment? Each radiation treatment was documented with pictures and when the person passed you focused on the loved ones last few days. How depressing that would be. Here a vibrant person with a hearty laugh and quick smile passed on and you focused on his last few months instead of the 50 plus years the person lived as if it had no meaning. I think not. It just wouldn’t happen.

When my grandpa passed from cancer my Mom didn’t want the pictures of him when he was sick. No, she wanted the pictures of the Dad she remembered, the one with the kind smile and soft eyes. The healthy, full of life kind of guy she grew up knowing.

How we celebrate Jesus should be the same way. He taught many lessons through his words and examples in his short life. That is what we should focus on, a way of navigating life on this planet, a way of being. That is what we should celebrate, life!

What’s Your Happiness Barometer at?

That’s the measurement tool we should be using when deciding what we should be doing. Stop. Check your emotions. If it makes you happy than do it, if it won’t, then don’t do it.

There’s a misconception that rich people are happy but that’s not true. In fact, some of the poorest people rate higher on their happiness barometer then rich people. They usually place a high value on family and relationships. They also live their truth and are very grateful for what they have no matter what the condition they find themselves in.

Thinks about it, the things that really make you happy are free like smiles, sharing a laugh with friends, hugging family members and the fresh smell of nature after it rains.

Material happiness is really short lived. As seniors advance in age they start to give away their belongings but keep sentimental items like a gift from a friend or pictures of family members. Everything else can go because it’s not important.

An important point here is that everyone’s happiness barometer is unique to their self.  In other words, what makes you happy isn’t necessarily going to have the same effect on another person.  Their happiness may come in a different form. You can’t project your view of happiness on someone else anymore than they could on you.

What do you think?

Instead of viewing success in terms of wealth, how about we measure it in happiness? After all isn’t that what we’re all after?