Love Equals Caring as much as Caring Equals Love

Love Equals Caring as much as Caring Equals Love

Let’s make a distinction about love. There’s the romantic love that is felt between two people, the love of your children, family and friends. But caring encompasses a broader sense of love in that it’s the love of all that is. It’s the love of life and everything we experience in it.

We show kindness and caring to one another through the simple act of opening a door for someone, asking how someone is doing and actually listening to their response, even cleaning up after yourself so that others won’t have to deal with your mess.  These are but a few of the everyday acts of caring that we demonstrate to one another. The capacity to care and be cared for is a human strength. It’s what connects us to one another.

When you don’t demonstrate care to others consistently, life loses its color and connection. You may end up feeling less engaged with those around you. If you’re not making a point to be caring of others in your life, the people around you don’t feel cared for, love, appreciated, respected or engaged by you at the heart level. When this happens they may contact you less frequently, trust you less, buy from you less, and leave you more. It’s an easy formula to figure out: care more, connect more.

Our drive for caring, in a broad sense, makes us feel that we are safe, worthy, and loved, through our own actions and the actions of others, we are cared for.  Caring is something you do and receive.

Of all the human drives, caring seems to get the least attention. Instead, caring’s sexier sister, Love, gets all the attention, despite the fact that it’s probably impossible to feel or demonstrate love without caring.  Plus you likely wouldn’t be kind if you didn’t care. Kindness, caring, love - as you can see they’re all connected.  

We’re all hardwired to demonstrate care for others. Our brains are remarkably well equipped biologically to relate to and care for others’ emotions and experiences. What that means is our brains are built to mimic that which we see and feel in others. It’s why when you walk into a room you pick up the energy of the room and your brain starts to mimic it whether it’s a sad or happy occasion. The more we experience that state and behavior the more we start to mimic it. So if we constantly see others behaving a certain way our brains will likely tell us to mimic that behavior. It’s a key reason why kids smoke when others smoke, why infants smile when their moms smile, and why so many of us yawn or feel impatient when someone else does. We feel what we see.

Caring is more than just a nice action. It’s the basis for our human existence and experience and the foundation that makes love possible. 

You were born an original

“You were born an original.  Don’t die a copy” ~ John Mason

We don’t need another Einstein, Lincoln, or Bob Hope. They were originals. They shined when it was their time to do so.  They were original in their thinking, delivery and persona.  It’s what made them unique. They were classic and you don’t mess with a classic.  You cherish, learn and hopefully get inspired to also be an original.

Eleanor Roosevelt is quoted as saying that good women don’t make history.  A similar phrasing could be said for being an original, unique individual. Copycats don’t make history, only originals.  It’s the people who insist on amplifying their uniqueness that shine not the copycats.

The Beetles, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, BB King and Michael Jackson were way ahead of their time in musical talent.  They were each unique in voice, phrasing, delivery and style of music. Each was or still is an original that has inspired others to go beyond their comfort zone.  That’s why they are considered classics.

Copying someone else my help you get started in expressing yourself.  By copying someone else you are complimenting them because you can relate to them.  However, use the copy technique as a tool to find your own voice.  Discover how you can take what you’ve learned and add your own unique spin and flavor to it. Make it your own because there is nothing better than the feeling you get when others like what you love to do.

(This is a snapshot of my book, Pick Me Up – Inspirational messages to make you jump for joy) 

Want to Have a Green Thumb?

Have you ever noticed that people who are talented at growing plants talk to them?  I always thought it was just coincidence until I made the connection between Professor Emoto’s Messages in Water and the amount of water in plants.  If you’ve never seen the video go now to view it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAvzsjcBtx8

The message basically states that positive words and music have a profound effect on water crystals by producing beautiful or not so pretty crystals based on the type of words taped to the container or music played nearby.  When you take into account that the earth is 70% water and so are humans then what kind of effect are the language and music you’re listening to having on your body?  What effect does the word “love” tattooed on someone’s body have versus “hate”?  His work indicates that positive language is much more powerful than negative.  

It’s no wonder that people who talk to their plants have much better results.  Plants after all are mostly water too.  When a person talks to their plants they’re saying good things like how beautiful it looks.

Yep, I think Professor Emoto’s work confirms what those in the know already know; a positive outlook has more energy behind it and therefore produces better results.  Another way to say it is “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” That’s something to think about the next time you want positive results. 

Guess all those wanna be gardeners out there better start doing some sweet talking if they want to see the fruits of their labor, me included. Oh and, mind language too. 

What is Right and Real and the Truth for You?

“The way to choose happiness is to follow what is right and real and the truth for you” ~ Oprah Winfrey.

How true.  The key phrase here is “right for YOU”. That means not comparing yourself to someone else. You won’t find happiness comparing yourself to others or believing that the grass is greener on the other side.  If you do, you lose your opportunity for happiness.  Happiness is discovering what’s right for you and that takes getting to know yourself well.

It means you need to be authentic, to be the true you.  How many times have you stopped doing, being or saying something because you were afraid you weren’t going to be accepted, respected or loved if you did?  In those moments, the fear becomes more important than expressing who you are.

The reason unconditional love, God’s love, is so comforting is that supreme love accepts your true nature.  It is seeing the true intention behind the words and actions.  It’s seeing you on a deep spiritual level, not just the physical level, and loving you no matter what you do or say.

When you get to what’s right and real for you, you will embrace the truth of the spirit of God in you and your true essence will shine.

(This is a snapshot of my book, Pick Me Up – Inspirational messages to make you jump for joy, on Amazon and ITunes. You can also purchase it from my web site. www.yourtrueheartsdesire.com 

Making the Most of What You’ve Got

“As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we’ve been given” ~ Mary Lou Retton

Every day you make choices that determine your future outcome.  Every choice you’ve made, every decision you make has brought you to the place where you are today.  From the friends you chose to hang out with to what you did with the education you’ve received has transformed you in to the person you are today.

Did you study hard throughout the school year or did you decide to cram for the test at the end of the year?  That was your choice and so was the result.  You chose whom to date and possibly to marry. Some of your choices were good and some not so good.  Throughout these choices, you were given the opportunity to learn from your choices, to filter out what you want from what you don’t want.  The choices you make give you clarity to make better choices with the intention of making you a better person.

Has there been a time in your life when everything was clicking, you were operating on all cylinders, you were at the top of your game, in the zone?  How did you feel?  Was it easy?  If so, you were in harmony with who-you-are and using your talents to their fullest.  That’s the funny thing about being who-you-are; you not only get to do what you’re good at but it’s easy.  Sweet!

So many people spend their time working on what they’re not good at, hoping that one day they will somehow become a balanced and therefore a complete person.  The Gallop poll has proven that the most successful people work on their strengths and find someone or something else to cover for the rest.  The best advice is to focus on what you’re good at and let the rest take care of itself.  You will always find someone or something else to cover for your weaknesses.

(This is a snapshot of my book, Pick Me Up – Inspirational messages to make you jump for joy, now on Amazon and iTunes. You can also purchase it from my web site at www.yourtrueheartsdesire.com) 

4 Keys to Creating Joy in Your Life

The 4 keys to create joy in your life are closer than you think.  It’s within you. Yes, you can create the space for it to happen.  All you have to do is bring it out. However, it’s easier said than done.

1)   First you must discover yourself.  By that I mean you need to become consciously aware of what makes you unique, what makes you stand out.  What gives you the most satisfaction?  What is it that you get a kick out of doing?  Could you do it all day long and not get bored? Do you get excited about it? Would you do it even if you didn’t get paid to do it?

2)   The next step is to believe you have what it takes to become who you are born to be.  No excuses.  No fear, just do it.  Accept your divine self for all your known and unknown attributes.  It’s being able to envision yourself doing what you love to do.  This is the hardest step.

3)   The third step is creating your desired goal.  It’s the nuts and bolts of the desired outcome.  It’s the “how”.  It’s bringing into fruition what you desire.

4)   The last step is living your dream.  Sometimes when people achieve their dream they can’t believe they deserve it and end up sabotaging their own efforts.  They go back to step two and start over again from there.  It means step two wasn’t fully completed.  They didn’t truly believe it was possible so that is where they go back to.  When you embrace the last step you are living your true authentic self.  Isn’t that what you want?

You can find out more about becoming who you were born to be by checking out my website at www.yourtrueheartsdesire.com 

Can I Get a Do Over?

Sure you can. You do it all the time.  It’s what you do with what you learned that counts.

Call me optimistic but I definitely like the, “Do Over” method of success.  A “Do Over” is when you get another chance to do what you initially attempted but this time you get a chance to do it correctly.

History is riddled with people who have had “Do Over’s”.  They didn’t succeed in their first, second or maybe even their third attempt but that didn’t stop them.  Each setback was an opportunity to evaluate what went wrong, make adjustments, and then attempt it again. Thomas Edison tried over 1000 times to create the light bulb. Imagine if he had given up. How many years would it have taken before someone else came along to invent it?

What I like most about “Do Over’s” is that there is no such thing as failure.  It’s as if you’re getting a free pass-go to the school and collect more knowledge- now go back and try it again.    With each setback you’re able to evaluate and refocus your energy on the achieving the task at hand.

It is only when you give up on the “Do Over” that you have truly failed for succumbing to failure drains the life blood of creativity that runs through your veins.  You must create and be better than your former self.  You must move forward by creating and it’s only through the “Do over process” that you continue to learn a new and better way to achieve your desires.

Therefore my friend, there is no such thing as failure as long as you continue to believe in “Do Over’s”.  

What’s the Main Channel of Your River?

Nature provides the perfect example of how we should be.  For example, a river doesn’t have to work at being a river, it just is. When it comes to an obstacle it doesn’t try to force its way through it.  It finds the path of least resistance and goes around it.

Rivers have a channel in them where the water runs faster than the rest of the river.  Sure the whole river continues to flow but you’ll notice that the water along the banks runs slower while the main channel moves faster.  A river might also have outside channels that weave around islands.  As scenic as these may be they’re typically not up to the speed of the main channel.  What does this have to do with you?

You are also part of nature.  Like the river you don’t have to work hard at being you.  All you need to do is find your main channel and get into the flow of who you are.  How do you go about doing that?  By using what you’re naturally gifted at.  You don’t need to reinvent the wheel.  You already have what you need to succeed in your endeavor. Universal law states that “You can’t have a desire without the resources to fulfill that desire, presently” Isn’t that good to know?

If you’re going to work, work at what you’re naturally gifted at.  Don’t be a copy. Be an original.

Please! Try and Keep Up

Try and keep up with where your true awesome self is trying to take you. Seriously, sometimes you can be your own worst enemy.  There are enough people out there trying to stop you from being your true self. You don’t need to buy into it.  It’s just their way of keeping you small so they can feel better about themselves.

Remember when you were young and had a dream.  It was a really big dream.  You could go on and on about it.  The more you talked about it the more grand it became.  Details started to emerge and then you’d add even more to this grand plan of yours. 

And then what happened?  I’ll tell you what happened.  Some well meaning adult likely shattered your dream by throwing their version of reality in front of you. They told you that it wasn’t possible or started asking you how you would go about making it happen thereby forcing you to see all the obstacles in the way. 

The Universe doesn’t work that way.  It takes care of the how.  You just have to think about what you want, believe that it will happen and bit by bit you’ll start taking steps to make it happen.  The Universe provides the tools and contacts for you.  What you have to do is take advantage of the opportunity placed before you. Oh, and it’s not always going to show up all peaches and cream without a hint of struggle.  Sometimes those struggles are what you need to go through to prepare you for the next step.

It sounds so simple, doesn’t it?  Can it be that easy?  You’ll never know unless you try.

So get busy and start dreaming big.  And for Pete’s sake, try and keep up with what the Universe keeps giving you. It’s for your own good.  

Make the Most of What You Have

Making the most of what you have is exactly what Michael Oher the NFL player did. Who would have thought that scoring within the 98 percentile for protective instincts would lead to an NFL career?  That 98% instinct is what gave him the ability to protect the quarterback’s blind side.

Of course his journey didn’t come easy. He certainly didn’t start out life on easy street, on the contrary. It takes a lot of discipline and morals not to succumb to the pressure of the streets. It takes a lot of self perseverance to continue to move on with your life when you have no family to financially and emotionally support you. What kind of driving force does a person like that have to keep moving forward?  If those obstacles weren’t enough, he still had to overcome his lack of education before he could even think about playing any kind of sport but with the help of the Tuohy family and some key educators he became more than what he thought he could be.  So many people could see the heart behind the man that they took it upon themselves to help him out.

 

Football didn’t come naturally to him because he didn’t understand the game and what was required of his position.  Once he tapped into what he needed to do he was able to activate the key ingredient that makes him stand out, natural protective instincts.

Protective instincts are one of his greatest talents and he’s found a way to capitalize on it.  What’s your natural talent and how can you tap into it to shine like Michael Oher has on the football field?

Want to Change the World?

Before you go out promoting change in areas you think need fixing, you need to take a good look at yourself.  The first step to making change isn’t “out there” it’s in the mirror that is where real change begins and also what becomes the model for others to emulate. It’s just like what Michael Jackson sang about in, “Man in the Mirror.”

I’m looking at the man in the mirror.

I’m asking if he’ll change his ways. 

And no message could have been any clearer.

If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make the change.

The lyrics say what’s been said my times before but in a different way. It’s similar to the phrases; “What comes around goes around” and “You reap what you sow” They’re said in different ways to capture the attention of different audiences.  Obviously the song Man in the Mirror captures the attention of our time while the others resonate with everyday life and those who are familiar with the Bible.  I guess we need to keep being reminded of it.

The fact of the matter is you can only control your reaction to whatever is happening around you.  Therefore, you have the power to create peace, kindness, love, hate, rudeness or war.  It’s your choice.  Choose your words and actions wisely for they have more power than you realize. They create your future.

Power is good when it’s used for a good intention. To be super powerful it has to come from a place of love.  History has proven that power from a place of fear like Dictatorship and Monarchy doesn’t last. In contrast, look at how effective Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King were in their peaceful methods for change. They came from a heart centered place to illicit change.  They were so powerful in their peaceful movements that others saw them as a threat.  They had the power of the people behind them and that made those in power fearful, so much so that they were assassinated and imprisoned.

What it comes down to is if you want peace, be peace.

If you want to see more kindness, be kind.

If you want more love in the world, show your love.

Look at the man/women in the mirror. If you don’t like what you see make the change.

Embrace the power you have to change the world. 

Show Your True Colors

Show Your True Colors

What are your true colors? Most people are only vibrating at a pastel hue when they could be a vibrant orange, red or blue.

Come alive. It takes not only knowing but acting on what makes you come alive that makes your true colors shine. Unfortunately what holds people up is the belief that what they want to do or be won’t be liked, accepted, respected or acknowledged. That is a shame because then it’s fear that is holding you back from being who you are and thereby letting your true colors come shining through.

The song True Colors sums it up quite nicely.

“You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It’s hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow

Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow”

So what colors will your rainbow be?

It’s More Important to be Right

Is it?  Thank about how many arguments and disagreements, whether personally, professionally or even by governments have escalated and continued on simply because one or more individuals made it more important to be right? Even after the agreement is long over sometimes and individual wants to have the last word by either out right saying or it or by implying that they were right.  Take it for what it is, insecurity.

Instead of looking at the disagreement from a broader perspective and being diplomatic the person is focused on his own viewpoint and insists his way is correct. Of course, if he’s right than you must be wrong and must be smarter than you, none of which is true.  It just makes him better. Instead of taking his emotions out of it and doing what is best for all concerned he’s made his emotions and viewpoint more important.

It takes a wise person to rise above the chaos of disagreements and tactfully convey to those involved to see the broader perspective.  It can’t be achieved in a lecture, shouting, telling tone of voice but in a confident, calm rational and objective voice.  Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa are examples of people who calmly state with conviction their point of view and still got results.

When you find yourself in and argumentative tone, ask yourself what you’re making more important.  Ask yourself, “If I took out my emotions so that I had no involvement in the content of the discussion, would I react the same way?”

It’s something to think about.  However, it’s far more likely that you won’t think to ask yourself that question in the heat of a discussion but likely later when you have time to reflect on it.  That’s okay. That’s how you learn.

Have you found yourself making your viewpoint more important than the broader perspective? If so, please share your experience.

You were born an original. Don’t die a copy

“You were born an original.  Don’t die a copy” ~ John Mason

We don’t need another Einstein, Lincoln, or Bob Hope. They were originals. They shined when it was their time to do so.  They were original in their thinking, delivery and persona.  It’s what made them unique. They were classic and you don’t mess with a classic.  You cherish, learn and hopefully get inspired to also be an original.

Eleanor Roosevelt is quoted as saying that good women don’t make history.  A similar phrasing could be said for being an original, unique individual. Copycats don’t make history, only originals.  It’s the people who insist on amplifying their uniqueness that shine not the copycats.

The Beetles, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, BB King and Michael Jackson were way ahead of their time in musical talent.  They were each unique in voice, phrasing, delivery and style of music. Each was or still is an original that has inspired others to go beyond their comfort zone.  That’s why they are considered classics.

Copying someone else my help you get started in expressing yourself.  By copying someone else you are complimenting them because you can relate to them.  However, use the copy technique as a tool to find your own voice.  Discover how you can take what you’ve learned and add your own unique spin and flavor to it. Make it your own because there is nothing better than the feeling you get when others like what you love to do.

(This is a snapshot of my book, Pick Me Up – Inspirational messages to make you jump for joy. You can find it on Amazon and iTunes) 

4 Keys to Creating Joy in Your Life

4 Keys to Creating Joy in Your Life

The 4 keys to create joy in your life are closer than you think.  It’s within you.  Yes, you can create the space for it to happen.  All you have to do is bring it out.  However, it’s easier said than done.

1)   First you must discover yourself.  By that I mean you need to become consciously aware of what makes you unique, what makes you stand out.  What gives you the most satisfaction?  What is it that you get a kick out of doing?  Could you do it all day long and not get bored? Do you get excited about it? Would you do it even if you didn’t get paid to do it?

2)   The next step is to believe you have what it takes to become who you are born to be.  No excuses.  No fear, just do it.  Accept your divine self for all your known and unknown attributes.  It’s being able to envision yourself doing what you love to do.  This is the hardest step.

3)   The third step is creating your desired goal.  It’s the nuts and bolts of the desired outcome.  It’s the “how”.  It’s bringing into fruition what you desire.

4)   The last step is living your dream.  Sometimes when people achieve their dream they can’t believe they deserve it and end up sabotaging their own efforts.  They go back to step two and start over again from there.  It means step two wasn’t fully completed.  They didn’t truly believe it was possible so that is where they go back to.  When you embrace the last step you are living your true authentic self.  Isn’t that what you want?

What is Right and Real and the Truth for You?

What is Right and Real and the Truth for You?

“The way to choose happiness is to follow what is right and real and the truth for you” ~ Oprah Winfrey.

How true.  The key phrase here is “right for YOU”. That means not comparing yourself to someone else. You won’t find happiness comparing yourself to others or believing that the grass is greener on the other side.  If you do, you lose your opportunity for happiness.  Happiness is discovering what’s right for you and that takes getting to know yourself well.

It means you need to be authentic, to be the true you.  How many times have you stopped doing, being or saying something because you were afraid you weren’t going to be accepted, respected or loved if you did?  In those moments, the fear becomes more important than expressing who you are.

The reason unconditional love, God’s love, is so comforting is that supreme love accepts your true nature.  It is seeing the true intention behind the words and actions.  It’s seeing you on a deep spiritual level, not just the physical level, and loving you no matter what you do or say.

When you get to what’s right and real for you, you will embrace the truth of the spirit of God in you and your true essence will shine.

(This is a snapshot of my book, Pick Me Up – Inspirational messages to make you jump for joy, now on Amazon.com and iTunes. You can also purchase it from my web site).

Making the Most of What You’ve Got

Making the Most of What You’ve Got

“As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we’ve been given” ~ Mary Lou Retton

Every day you make choices that determine your future outcome.  Every choice you’ve made, every decision you make has brought you to the place where you are today.  From the friends you chose to hang out with to what you did with the education you’ve received has transformed you in to the person you are today.

Did you study hard throughout the school year or did you decide to cram for the test at the end of the year?  That was your choice and so was the result.  You chose whom to date and possibly to marry. Some of your choices were good and some not so good.  Throughout these choices, you were given the opportunity to learn from your choices, to filter out what you want from what you don’t want.  The choices you make give you clarity to make better choices with the intention of making you a better person.

Has there been a time in your life when everything was clicking, you were operating on all cylinders, you were at the top of your game, in the zone?  How did you feel?  Was it easy?  If so, you were in harmony with who-you-are and using your talents to their fullest.  That’s the funny thing about being who-you-are; you not only get to do what you’re good at but it’s easy.  Sweet!

So many people spend their time working on what they’re not good at, hoping that one day they will somehow become a balanced and therefore a complete person.  The Gallop poll has proven that the most successful people work on their strengths and find someone or something else to cover for the rest.  The best advice is to focus on what you’re good at and let the rest take care of itself.  You will always find someone or something else to cover for your weaknesses.

(This is a snapshot of my upcoming book, Pick Me Up – Inspirational messages to make you jump for joy, now on Amazon.com and iTunes. You can also purchase it from my web site). 

What is Your Truth?

Engaging in behavior that you feel guilty or ashamed about erodes your self-esteem and self-confidence. Conversely, you can feel good about yourself by only doing that which you feel is right. Of course this is base on your own moral compass and no one else’s.

What is right and real of you?  You see, following your truth always makes you feel good about yourself.  Whenever you get the slightest emotional tug that something just isn’t right with what you’re saying or doing that’s you living outside of your truth. It’s your inner conscious gives you a wake-up call saying”This isn’t you.”  This emotional snap can happen in a nana second.  You may not even notice it or shrug it off as nothing, worse yet; you talk yourself into justifying your behavior.

Your inner “feel good emotion” is your barometer for you living your truth.  Simply put, when you feel good about yourself you’re living your truth.  When you don’t feel good about yourself they you aren’t.

Living your truth encompass every aspect of your life from the relationships you have to how you take care of yourself.  When you find yourself disappointed in yourself because you were silent on an issue you are very passionate about, then you aren’t living your truth.  Your words and actions have to match what you feel inside to live your truth.  It means being honest with yourself and honoring your integrity.

When it comes to speaking your truth no one can tell you what it is.  You have to discover it for yourself.  Your truth is not the same as anyone else’s.  Only you know what will make you feel good about yourself and what will not.  Your emotions are your barometer for maintaining your truth.

Now I ask you, “What is your truth”?

Need a Quick Pick Me Up?

Need a Quick Pick Me Up?

When you need a quick pick me up when you’re feeling down remind yourself of all the compliments you’ve received over the years, you know the ones you brush off as nothing, these are your strong points, the ones that you’ve embodied to thoroughly they are just a part of who you are.  Your unique blend of strengths, missteps and view point is what makes you stand out. Embrace it.
Typically, someone or something reminded you of an attribute that isn’t your strong point and now you’re dwelling on that instead of acknowledging it and focusing on what are your strong points.  We all have areas that we’re strong in and other areas that we are not. No one is perfect. Don’t worry yourself silly over it.  It’s just a waste of time.

There are far too many influences in your life that can literally stop you from becoming who you were born to be.  Your well-meaning parents, colleagues and friends may have talked you out of what you wanted to do for fear you might be get hurt or not make enough money.  The list could go on and on.  I know I’ve done it myself.  At the time I thought I was looking out for my friend. I know now that it was what she wanted and I talked her out of having that experience. It won’t happen again.

Too often you can get caught up in the day to day activities of your life that you forget who you are and what you wanted.  The demands of earning a living and societies’ pressure can make you lose sight of what you initially wanted to do.  Some day you may even wake up and ask yourself “Why am I doing this.  Am I happy doing this? Is this bringing me joy? Am I out of whack with who I am? Does this really fit who I am?” Are you lost in the “doing” of life instead of the “being” of life? To “BE” is to be who you are in an authentic, in the moment way.  It’s a “Here I am take it or leave it attitude” A good question to ask yourself is if money, time and education weren’t a factor, what would you be doing now? When you’re young and contemplating what you want to be when you grow up you are actually closer to who you are then when you start factoring in the above criteria.

Who are you anyway?  What makes you stand out? What are the unique blend of talents and experiences that only you can offer? Figure out what that is and use it to your advantage. When you’re feeling down and losing confidence in yourself, pick yourself up by reminding yourself that you do have a unique blend of talents and you just need the right venue to express them.

You can also like my FB page, Pick Me Up, Please, to receive daily inspirational messages.

https://www.facebook.com/Pick-Me-Up-Please-217921961610979/

What’s Your Calling?

What’s Your Calling? 

Many years ago I was having a conversation with my aunt who’s been a teacher for over 20 years. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life and told her that I was leaning towards being a teacher but that my Dad advised me not to do it. He said there are three things you don’t want to get into; teaching, banking and insurance. They don’t pay very well. That’s when my aunt told me that you don’t get into teaching for the money. It’s more of a calling.

From time to time I’ve heard others talk about it’s their calling. What does that mean? To me it means they’re drawn to it, a pull towards it. A calling doesn’t appear to happen often but some people do feel that pull. It’s not that it doesn’t exist in everyone but that we may have tuned it out, aren’t listening to it or that we are aware of it but has put it on hold. Perhaps life has been so busy that we haven’t had the time to reflect on it, to bring it to the forefront of our consciousness. If we did, we’d start manifesting it. I feel a pull but it’s usually not to a profession but more an interest. A calling is not only something you’re drawn to but also something that would give you great joy and satisfaction.

Unfortunately many people don’t act on their calling when they’re deciding what they what to do in life. They make their decisions based on salary, work hours and conditions which end up overriding the calling. Sometimes it takes decades, usually in middle age, that the person finally rediscovers they’re inner calling and acts on it. This is sad because society lost the person for all those years. They contributed to the economic structure of society but the person probably would have been more fulfilled and society in the end better off if the person had followed their calling.

So what’s your calling? What are you drawn to or compelled to do or be?  That’s the question you need to answer for yourself and then act on it. Just do it!