July 19th, 2012 → 9:27 pm @ admin
I want to challenge you to take a few moments, right now, to search yourself for any bitterness or negativity that you may be clinging to. Do you realize the negative impact this unforgiveness has upon you? There is a saying that “It’s not the snakebite that kills us. It’s the venom that’s left behind.” This is so true.
It may not be easy, but to create true peace in our lives, it is important to let this negativity go and forgive those who have hurt us. Remember, when we forgive, we are not excusing the bad behavior that harmed us, but we are making a conscious decision to stop carrying the poisonous venom of bitterness with us as we go about our lives. And you know what? As soon as we make this decision, it is amazing how things will change within us, and we will actually be able to feel this poison leaving the body. We will begin to sleep better at night. Stress levels will decrease. Illnesses and other physical disorders may even be lifted.
If you recognize that you are carrying around the snake venom of bitterness with you today, I encourage you to let it go. You can’t control what happened in the past, but you can control how you react to it. Choose forgiveness, not bitterness. This truly is the key to finding peace in your life.
Many blessings to you!
June 1st, 2012 → 8:47 am @ admin
Dancing may have filled you with joy and inspiration when you were little. Dance practice, recitals, dancing in your room; that was everything in life. You may have played the piano when you were young. As a matter of fact, you may have been quite good and loved to impress people with your talent. Well, you may say, “I have no time for that now.” What about the art, the beautiful art you may have painted? You may have even decided to use the wall in your room as a canvas. And when your mother walked in and had every right to be furious, she just couldn’t…because it was too beautiful. Or perhaps it was something else that brought you excitement when you were young, but regardless, you feel as if those days are long gone.
It may feel as if life just doesn’t seem to have room for fun and creativity anymore. With all the REAL responsibilities in our lives, the activities that feed our creative souls may just seem, well, unnecessary. I’ve actually thought the same thing many times. Fun and creativity, those are things of the past, I thought. Then surprisingly, a ukelele came to enlighten me.
Yes, I said a ukelele. See, when I was youngER, I used to play the ukelele, and I loved it. So recently I made what I thought was a small decision and bought one, you know, just for fun. I could never have imagined what kind of impact it had on my soul! Playing the ukelele has brought so much joy into my life, not just when I play, but all the time. I find myself singing more in the car and dancing when I’m home alone in my house. It’s almost like that little ukelele has fed this creative soul that has been starving for attention. It is almost like I NEED that ukelele.
I think I know why. Go outside to your favorite quiet spot and observe nature for a few minutes. Observe the sky, the variety of the plants, and all the different sounds. Our universe is bursting with creativity! As human beings, we are woven with the same fabric of the universe. Look at our own bodies – we literally embody creativity! Creativity is fun, and fun is creativity. It is a freedom to let our ideas, thoughts, and talents flow in a way that brings us happiness. It feeds our soul. What you think is fun isn’t an afterthought – It’s YOU! It isn’t time wasted. – It’s life gained! So make some time in your life for something that you just enjoy; something that’s just pure fun. Who knows? It may change every other aspect of your life for the better. You might actually realize…it’s necessary!
Many blessings to you! xoxo
May 2nd, 2012 → 2:29 pm @ admin
There is something very special and beautiful about a mother’s love. Love is felt in many ways throughout our lifetime, and whether it comes from a significant other or from your family, the energy you feel is transformative. However, there is something unique about a mother’s love. Even as a child, when love might be a more abstract feeling, you just seem to know that mom’s love is different. The way she looks at you, the way she cares for you, and even the way she forgives you, has a way of lifting you up and giving you value in this world. Then it happens. One day, when you’re a bit older, maybe in your teens, you do something you think was wrong. You go to your mother with your head down and tell her what happened, expecting the worst. Instead, she lifts you up by the chin and says, “Don’t worry, we’re going to get through this.” Suddenly the loneliness of guilt turns into the hope that you’re no longer in this alone; mom is on my side. That’s when you realize what makes her love special; it comes without conditions.
As we near Mother’s Day, take a moment to focus on your mother’s unconditional love. Often as we grow older we come to a hard realization; parents are people, and they make mistakes. While this is true, it should not dishearten you. On the contrary, it should invigorate your love for them because, while mom was never perfect, she always is there to give you the perfect love. A love that doesn’t judge. A love that always cares. A love that never walks away. That is a love without conditions. — That is the best gift you can give your mother on this Mother’s day, and every day after. Never miss a chance to tell your mother you love her. As you know, life is unpredictable, and you never want to wait until you can’t tell her how you feel face to face. Tell her how much she has meant to you and how much her unconditional love gave you the confidence to be the person you are today. If your mother is no longer with you in the physical, know in your heart that she is with you in the spiritual. Talk to her; tell her how much you love her. She’s right there by your side…like she always has been!
Many blessings to you!
April 3rd, 2012 → 2:29 pm @ admin
Spring is here! The air is crisp, the sun is shining, and the flowers are blooming. This is the time of year where the beauty hidden in the flowers shows itself to the world. Their true colors are out on display and life begins anew.
I find so much inspiration from our magnificent universe. When I saw the first flowers blooming on the trees this year, I smiled and thought, “This is the perfect time of year to show our true colors. What a perfect time to leave behind anything cold and gloomy in our past and create new beginnings!”
It’s only fitting that so many of life’s lessons are revealed to us in nature. When I look at nature, I see a canvas filled with color, creativity, and diversity. Everything in nature has its purpose. So it stands to reason that nature has a lot to teach us. The flowers blooming in spring are a perfect example of the universe saying, “Come outside and play, open up to the world, and bask in new beginnings.”
During this springtime, let’s listen to the flowers. Let’s take a look at our lives and do some spring cleaning. We can throw out anything that is holding us back or isn’t filling us with positive energy. Let’s make an effort to build more positive relationships with those we’ve already encountered and build brand new relationships with wonderful people we don’t know yet. Let’s go to places we haven’t been to before with the goal of experiencing life to its fullest. Let’s do at least one thing we’ve always wanted to do, whether it is learning an instrument, taking dance classes, or learning how to meditate. I think you get the picture. — This spring, take a bold step towards new beginnings. Chase your dreams, open up to what the world has to offer, and find true color and creativity in your life!
Many blessings to you!
March 1st, 2012 → 4:32 pm @ admin
One evening, a grandfather sits to talk with his grandson about a tragedy that occurred in their village. He says, “My son, there is a battle of two wolves that happens inside every human heart. One wolf is fearful, angry, and vengeful. The other wolf is a loving and compassionate one.” The grandson then asks, “Grandfather, which wolf wins the fight?” The grandfather places his hand on his grandson’s heart and replies, “The one you feed.” Native American folklore has a beautiful way of putting our lives into simple perspective.
Our world often seems to us like a complicated maze of circumstances where we have very little control. This is simply not the truth. Although the outside world may seem unpredictable, the grandson in this story learned one of the most important lessons in life; control comes from within. What an amazing gift that is! Just simply knowing that how we manifest our energy from the inside affects everything around us on the outside is a realization that can change our entire life in an instant. With that gift not only comes great power, but also great responsibility. Every conversation, relationship, or situation in our life has the potential to be the best thing that happened to us, and to those around us. It all depends on what “wolf” we decide to feed. Once we realize that our world can be changed by feeding a loving and compassionate consciousness, then it is up to us to continue feeding that “wolf”.
Often when we continue to reach undesired outcomes, it isn’t because we are consciously choosing to feed the wrong “wolf”. It is more that we are unconscious to the fact another “wolf” exists. However we do have a choice! Fear, anger, and vengefulness tell us lies about how satisfied and happy we will be if we just keep feeding them. Yet, even when we continue to feed them, they never seem to deliver what they promise. They take more than they give.
Love and compassion, however, seem to sit quietly in a peaceful corner of our hearts with arms open – waiting for our embrace. They never push us, and every time we choose to feed them, we always seem to get back more than what we put in. If we learn to feed this “wolf,” we’ll never be empty, rather we’ll always have more than enough to give abundantly. If we feed that “wolf,” one day we’ll realize,…that “wolf” is feeding us! :)
Many blessings to you!
February 6th, 2012 → 5:20 pm @ admin
The thought of Valentine’s Day puts a smile on my face, and that smile has little to do with flowers and chocolate. My greatest memories of Valentine’s Day actually started only a few years back when a transformational event happened on that special day. As I was searching for a way to experience my “life review” in the present, rather than waiting until my physical body had passed, a light bulb turned on, and I knew that the best way to experience a life review was to put it on paper. Those words would recount my entire life in relation to the loved ones in my life.
I could never have imagined how transformational this whole process was. And here’s the best part – - YOU can do it too! Imagine getting a letter from one of your loved ones. In that letter they recounted memories in your past that you didn’t even remember, but they did. They expressed to you how important you had been in their lives, all the things you taught them, and how you literally changed their lives. Maybe they expressed how proud they were of you, even if they never got a chance to say it. Maybe they had some regrets. Wouldn’t it change your mood, your heart, and your life in an instant? What if that moment could be preserved in time? You have a chance to do that for someone this Valentine’s Day.
If you feel moved to, take some time this month and show your loved ones how much you love and care for them. In a foundation of positivity and love, write a letter that only you could write, that only you could express — because it was YOUR life that was impacted by them. You have the chance to give that gift to the people you love most in this world. The beautiful thing is that as you write these letters, your own soul will be transformed, and you’ll find that maybe you received the biggest gift of all.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Many blessings to you!
January 4th, 2012 → 8:55 pm @ admin
The hustle and bustle of the holidays is over and the new year is here! As excited as we are to get the new year started, it is important we don’t forget to recharge and renew our spirit. Now that the shopping, the cooking, and the road trips are over, let’s take some time to wipe the slate clean for 2012. Let us take a moment to enjoy the silence, clear the mind, and recharge our soul.
I read an article the other day about a successful businessman who started a company. He was describing his typical day, and something he said stood out to me. He said, “I make sure I take at least one minute out of every hour to do…nothing.” He literally shuts down every electronic device he has on, and goes into this wonderful state of “nothingness.” It sounds so simple, but as we all know, some of the greatest wisdom in the universe comes in these simple quiet moments. I thought to myself – this is what we need to focus on in the beginning of the year – clearing our minds and recharging our souls.
Take a few hours each week to do something that is devoid of agendas, lacks time constraints, and releases stress. This can take many forms, whether it be a well deserved massage, a long walk on a beautiful day, or maybe taking the day off to just hang out with an old friend. I suggest you leave your usual environment so you don’t get distracted by what usually keeps your mind occupied. And no matter what you do to recharge, don’t forget to find a quiet and peaceful place to meditate by yourself. Listening to how the universe is guiding you will be one of the most important pathways to peace this year – even if it is only for one minute of each hour.
So take the opportunity to recharge in 2012. You will be so happy that you did!
Many blessings, and a health and Happy New Year to you!
December 1st, 2011 → 4:38 pm @ admin
It doesn’t matter how old we get, everyone loves getting gifts on the holidays. When we were children, our excitement grew in proportion to the size of the box our present was in. Remember? The bigger the box, the cooler the gift had to be, right? Funny enough, when we got older, the opposite effect was often true. The smaller the box, the more we thought there might be something expensive and special inside. We couldn’t wait to open it! However, as material things go, everything has a shelf life. Whether we grow out of that toy or one of our presents break, we often realize one important thing; it’s not the size of the gift, it’s the size of the thought that endures.
What is worth more than a thought? A thoughtful gift means the world. It means someone truly thought not only about what you like, but also thought about YOU. That is why an inexpensive gift with meaning often means more than an expensive gift without thought. It’s the same feeling you get when an old friend calls out of the blue and says, “I was just thinking about you.” What an impact such a small thing can have!
Do you want to have an eternal impact on your loved ones this holiday season? Do you want to give your loved ones a very thoughtful gift? Do you want to give your loved ones something that’s totally original and can’t be bought by anyone else? Well, it’s time to get your pen and paper ready:)
When you think about it, a letter is a collection of thought. As a matter of fact, there is no other gift that can hold as many thoughts as a heartfelt letter can. It is literally the most “thought-full” gift you could ever give anyone. Letters are powerful tools for any occasion, but for the holidays, there really isn’t a more perfect letter than the “Gratitude Letter.” The gratitude letter overflows with love and positivity, and most importantly, the letter is ALL about your loved one.
So put your pen to the paper and let your heart and mind open up to the loving vision you have for this person. What kind of impact has this person made in your life? What do you admire about him? How has he grown and what are you most proud of him for? Be specific. Talk about some of the times and situations when he truly helped you and made a lasting positive difference in your life. You often hear people say, “All I want is love for Christmas.” Rest assured, this is love on a page.
The power of this letter will absolutely amaze you. Your loved one’s life will be transformed as he reads everything you didn’t know how to say, or just forgot to say. The process of taking the time to think about your thoughts of love for that person, and having the time to write them exactly as they should be said, holds a special loving energy that nothing can match. In addition, those thoughts can be read over and over again whenever your loved one needs to be picked up emotionally or needs to feel loved. Now THAT is a gift that endures.
And finally, you’ll find that this letter will have a transformative healing power on YOU, the writer. A client of mine took the time to write a letter to everyone in her family. After this long labor of love, her therapist had told her, “These letters have done for you in one month what three years of our meetings together couldn’t even come close to!”
So give that gift of love this holiday season. It will change your life and the life of the person you give it to. Who knows? You may even receive a letter of appreciation back from him letting you know how much you have made a difference in his life as well! Now that would be truly awesome!
Angel blessings to you!
November 4th, 2011 → 4:04 pm @ admin
“Where did the year go?” That is a common phrase we hear every year around this time. Most of the time when we hear the phrase, we can’t help but agree that it truly did fly by. When I heard a friend of mine say it the other day, however, my response was different. I paused and reflected on everything that happened this year. It was amazing how many great things had happened this year when I took the time to think about it. It occurred to me that maybe the year didn’t fly by at all. Maybe, I was just so focused on the next thing that I forgot one of the most important rules of life. Enjoy the journey!
Life is our own personal adventure, and it’s meant to be enjoyed. Some would argue that it’s unrealistic to be happy all the time. Well I’m not sure that’s true. It’s important that we don’t get caught up in labeling everything as good or bad. Sure, life has its ups and downs, but along the journey there are always wonderful lessons to be learned. That’s why it is so important to savor every moment. We often tend to focus our lives on major events rather than living in the now, and we miss the important message. Every step we take in life has special meaning. The love we share, the decisions we make, the people we meet, and every small victory of the day is the flavor of life. Take the time to taste it. More importantly, take the time to be happy.
When is the time to be happy? It’s an odd question when you think about it. Well, it can’t be in the past, because the past doesn’t exist anymore. It can’t be in the future because it hasn’t happened yet. So really the only time to be happy is — right NOW! So take a deep breath, let that energy of happiness flow into your body, and smile. Remember that every destination has a “lead up” process. During that process is where most of life happens. It’s the place where you grow, it’s the place where you learn, and it’s the place that molds you as a person. That adventure is guided by the love of the universe, and you will see how amazing the plan is if you accept each moment with a smile.
So as we approach the end of the year, let’s take some time to set our minds and souls at peace and bask in the moments of life. Don’t rush through a moment to reach a destination. If you have a few minutes to spare, get to know that new person a bit better and sit for a while. If you have work to do at home but it can wait, do something that you would rather do instead, and enjoy life! Live these moments to the fullest. Then take the time to stop throughout the day and reflect on what has happened, whom you’ve met, and what you’ve accomplished. You’ll realize quite quickly that life is not flying by at all. In reality, you’re living a lifetime each and every day. Remember, it’s the journey, not the destination, and the time to be happy is now.
Angel blessings to you!
October 19th, 2011 → 8:25 am @ admin
Remember the days when people used to write letters? Maybe you had a pen pal when you were a child and you would wait anxiously for the mailman to arrive because he might just have a little envelope addressed to you. Maybe you were dating someone and unbeknownst to anyone in the world, he or she used to write the most beautiful letters to you. You would sit up at night reading them and quickly hide them in the shoebox under your bed if you heard someone coming. Yes, of course, things have changed, but that is totally fine. See, even in the age of email, Facebook, and texts -nothing is stopping us from writing letters. Letters still have amazing power and personal reach. In my book, Through the Eyes of Another, I stress how important and life changing it is to write letters to others. But you know what? You deserve a letter too!
Yes, it’s time you wrote yourself a letter. It’s time you looked at your life from an outsider’s perspective and take an objective, yet positive account of your life as a whole. Out of all the letters that we may write to our loved ones, this one tends to be the most healing and beneficial. It stands to reason that as human beings it tends to be easier to look outside rather than look inside of ourselves. We seem to grasp why people do certain things, yet we have a tough time analyzing why we did some of the things we did in our lives. The purpose of this letter is not to judge yourself, but rather it is to come to terms with what has happened and letting the past go.
Consider this letter a review of your past, accompanied with a positive roadmap for the future. You, as an outsider writing to yourself, will see more clearly how things happened, why things happened, and how you are making positive changes. This doesn’t mean you won’t have to delve into painful memories of the past, but the outcome should result in letting go of any negativity and seeing your true beautiful soul shining through. Make sure you start your letter with the things you love about yourself and all the wonderful things you’ve accomplished in your life. We tend to forget those and too often put ourselves down. I’ve had clients say that they really had a tough time writing things they liked about themselves, but after they wrote their letters, they felt so good. So write a positive, loving letter to yourself! The universe already knows that you are a magnificent, lovable being…and you should know that too!
Angel blessings to you!
