Path with a Heart

It requires an extreme amount of faith to follow your instincts and find your own path. If it is laid out for us then it was never ours to begin with.

It is a grand adventure when we set out to discover where it is we want to go. All the while never knowing where we will end up!

You don't have to prepare or change anything to begin your journey. All that is required is a willing spirit and you will find your path with a heart!

Balance

Being a very emotional person, I have often struggled with the extreme highs and lows of life. In “The Road Less Traveled” Scott Peck writes about the importance of maintaining balance in our lives. Along with delayed gratification, dedication to the truth and acceptance of responsibility; balancing is an essential component of a joyful life.

It is a function of releasing control or resistance in order to regain our equilibrium. Going too far to any extreme will result in chaos and unnecessary pain. That is rather ironic as most of the desire to control or resist was developed out of painful experience.

What I am learning is that the richness of life is balanced beautifully with peace and joy.

Questions

I need to remember to ask questions when I am uneasy about something. It is usually just anxiety about something that hasn’t happened as soon as I thought it should! Impatience really gets the best of me, especially when I am excited to move forward.

It helps to calm my mind if I can shift my focus and ask myself a few questions. What do I need to learn from this and where do I go from here? That along with some deep breathing and meditation will get me back on track.

It is just so easy to forget and let the stress of everyday situations overwhelm me. That is where I need to really practice mindful awareness and focus on the questions.

Happy Birthday

Today is my mother's birthday and she would have been 87 years old. I would have loved to have seen her at that age.

She was such a strong and dynamic woman with a very tender heart. When I think back on what she had to endure in her lifetime I am grateful that she is now at peace.

I have wonderful memories of her sitting with her dear sisters laughing like little girls at the kitchen table. I hope they will do that today and celebrate the life of beautiful woman.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Becoming or Being

Early Greek philosophers contemplated the concept of 2 different states that we occupy in our existence – Becoming and Being.

One theory is that we are “becoming” until we finally arrive into “being”. The other is that we never achieve “being” as everything is constantly evolving and “becoming” something new.

I believe the latter to be true because the first implies endedness and in the universe of eternal life and energy nothing ceases to be. For me, I will love the journey and hope to never stop becoming who I was meant to be!

Beautiful New Day

There is a change happening within me right now that is difficult to explain. I woke early this morning feeling so happy and alert. I am more of a night person so mornings are usually a little slow for me. Today felt very different... As soon as I opened my eyes I felt refreshed and ready to get on with my day.

I am generally a very optimistic person but what I am feeling now is much deeper and very profound. It’s like being in school, when you study something and understand well enough to get a passing grade but then suddenly you really get it! You now know and feel it in a way that surpasses anything you did before… that is the beginning of a beautiful new day.

Open the Door

There seems to be a bit of a theme developing… fairy tales of magic and wonder. Unbelievable things coming true, that is what my life feels like right now. Just like “The Frog-Prince” cast under a cruel spell until the princess lets him in and releases the charm.

I have often struggled with the fact that life can be very difficult but over the years I have come to appreciate what we gain from those challenges. Now I realize that all of our hopes, dreams and desires are piled up outside – all we have to do is open the door and let them in!

Looking Glass

Somehow I feel as though I am Alice stepping through the looking glass… This past week has been a definite turning point for me and it is incredible what I have discovered.

My life has evolved in such a wonderful way and I am so very grateful! I suppose that is what “The Law of Attraction” is really all about. Whatever we think, feel and do draws more of same.

What I learned this week is that when you approach something with pure love and kindness that is what you will receive. Not necessarily from someone else – but from your higher self. Some will say that is not reality but they don't see what I see in the looking glass...

Mother Earth

Today as we celebrate Earth Day I make a commitment to love and cherish our planet; to honor the animals, plants, air, oceans, mountains, deserts and forests in any way that I can.

I want to help mother earth stay healthy, strong, vibrant and clean for all of us. Native Americans have a tradition of honoring that which they hold sacred. We must have respect for the sacred space we all share.

Expansion

The nature of life is one of expansion. Everything grows and changes whether we like it or not. We can resist and inhibit the growth within us or embrace it and look forward to all the new opportunities it brings.

As much as I enjoy the changing of the seasons in nature I love the experience of it in my life. With each passing year I become more engaged and connected to the beauty of the ever changing cycles of life. I always appreciate that because of those changes and expansion it is a life worth living!

Hunger

People everywhere are starving - some for food, some for attention, and some for love. All are desperate for nourishment of their body and soul.

Each one of us has to learn to end the cycle of deprivation on our own. It is only as infants that we cannot provide for ourselves. We learn very early who will help feed us or when we must seek it on our own.

It is amazing the things we are capable of when we no longer feel lack or scarcity in our lives. We become healthy and vital, well able for the challenge of life.

Succulence

Succulence - I love the sound and meaning of that word! Full, juicy, tender and luscious – truly what could be better than that!

How many of us live a full and meaningful life or do we pass from day to day hoping it will improve “when”…. when I have more money, when I lose weight, when I finally find a partner? Our lives are right here and now, not tomorrow or next year.

Living in the moment means to appreciate every single thing just as it is. Even though I may not clearly understand my purpose I know I am here for a reason and I am going to have the best, most succulent experience I can possibly have!

Authentic Self

In Simple Abundance – Sarah Ban Breathnach writes that the “Authentic Self is the Soul Made Visible”. I remember reading that for the very first time and it took my breath away. What a beautiful thought.

It has taken my entire life but I am finally beginning to recognize who that person really is. Not what someone else needed or wanted it to be but ME, my true authentic self! I feel like I am on this grand adventure and everything leading me up to this moment has only been a prelude to the real attraction!

I am thrilled to continue the excavation because I am ready to let my soul be visible!

Simple Pleasures

I am always so amazed at how much joy can be found in the simplest of things. Last night as I prepared my dinner I looked out of the window. I smiled and shut everything off so I could just stand and watch the lovely setting. It was like a miniature wild kingdom in my front yard. There were several little finches at the bird feeder in the tree and rabbits peacefully grazing in the grass.

It reminded me very much of when my girls were growing up and we had pets and animals of all sorts in our back yard. Those beautiful, simple moments were the happiest times of my life....

Hope

Hope is that wonderful emotion that lets us relish in the excitement of something that has not yet arrived. Waiting can cause some anxiety but I prefer to focus on the positive expectation of what is coming.

I really like the concept of “acting as if it has already occurred”. I love how it feels to put myself into the joy that I know I will experience when it really does happen.

A man I once knew said that he enjoyed the anticipation more than the reality of most things. I suppose that is a matter of perspective. But to me, there is nothing better than a lovely fantasy that comes true!

Self Doubt

Sometimes when I am going through a lot of changes I begin to let self doubt creep in. I hesitate when I should move forward and second guess myself. That can be very dangerous. Left unchecked it will grow out of proportion and create indecision where there should be none.

I don’t mind questioning myself or even rethinking something but I can’t let it go too far. I have to remind myself that I am capable and always try to make the best decisions I can. I have to trust the process and get back on track quickly so I can regain my momentum and accomplish all that I know I can!

Thank the Pain

I am grateful when I experience pain because of all that it teaches me. At 54 you wouldn’t expect me to be overly naïve but as it turns out I am. I still look for and expect the absolute best in people. It is only when they prove me wrong that I am forced to see the other side. I do try to remember the old saying - Fool me once shame on you – fool me twice shame on me.

Even with that, I have no desire to change who I am or how I view the world. I believe in the inherent goodness in people and that will always be my first thought. If it turns out otherwise I will thank the pain and move on.

Acts of Kindness

They say that witnessing an act of kindness is as powerful as actually doing it. To see someone do something that is not required benefits everyone.

I like to give and it always makes me feel good but sometimes I need to step back and appreciate what someone else is doing. As my awareness increases I am noticing many things that might otherwise have escaped me.

Today I will look for random acts of kindness by others....

Change your story

There is a saying - Change your story, change your life. This is part of the "we are what we believe" philosophy that for me is very true.

I had a great revelation this weekend. After a week of dealing with some difficult people I spoke to the one person who is always honest, fair and consistent. She has been a trusted friend for many, many years and has never wavered in who she is or how she treats people. She is also very good at setting appropriate boundaries. If I ever had a role model she is it!

What I realized is that I have been trying to create a new outcome from some old and very dysfunctional materials! I can’t go back to redo or change anything from the past but I can begin right now to move forward and have the life I want and deserve.

Replenish the Well

Why are some people so surprised when the well runs dry? Are they so focused on taking what they want from the seemingly endless supply that they never envision a shortage?

Me on the other hand, I consider every drop to be precious because I know if it’s not replenished in an equal amount to what is taken it will run out.

So it is with relationships, it always feels so full and bountiful in the beginning but if you don’t honor and respect the limit you will soon pull up an empty bucket.

Happy Friday

I love Fridays, even when I'm not working. It signals the end of the week and beginning of the weekend! Immediately my mind shifts out of what I have to do into what I want to do.

That is a state of mind I am trying to achieve more often in my life. I am exploring new ways to have a truly joyful life experience. So maybe the way to do that is to think of everyday as Friday!

Boundaries

Setting and maintaining healthy and appropriate boundaries has been a lifelong challenge for me. I really struggle with remaining true to who I am and not offending or deliberately hurting someone, even when it is someone who has been very unkind to me.

As with everything, I have new opportunities to learn about this every day. What I know now is that it is my responsibility to set the limits. I have to value myself enough to enforce my personal boundaries and not allow anyone to trespass against them.

Serendipity

Serendipity is that happy surprise we were not consciously expecting. Sometimes the smallest thing like thinking of a friend at the same moment they call or wandering into a bookshop and a book you have always wanted to read accidentally falls off the shelf.

We often have those lovely encounters in our day that we dismiss as mere coincidence. I don’t allow many of those things to go unnoticed anymore. I believe that everything is connected and even though we may not understand the relevance at the time, there is a reason behind it. There is no such thing as a chance encounter, we have created or drawn to ourselves exactly what is occurring.

I have gotten much better about asking “what does this mean and what do I need to learn?” It helps in even the most trying situations. When the answer comes, it usually is when I least expect it and it always makes me smile because I know it is Serendipity.

Resistance

“Resistance is Futile” said the Borg from Star Trek and they are right. The more I try to fight something the worse it gets.

Once I relinquish my opposition the conflict ends and everything smooths out. This does not mean standing in the middle of the road waiting to get run over but it does mean not trying to force something one way or the other.

Just like those Chinese finger puzzles we used to play with as kids. The harder you try to pull the tighter they get. As soon as you relax they slip right off… That is a good lesson for me to remember!

Harmony

Harmony is a lovely combination of thoughts and spirit in concert. I love when something blends together to become more than the sum of its parts.

In "Simple Abundance" Sarah Ban Breathnach writes "Harmony provides us with the inner peace we need to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us each day and that beauty opens us to joy".

Today I will spend more time listening to that lovely melody….

Life Celebrations

Today we celebrate the ancient tradition of “Eostra”. It began as the pre-Christian festival of spring and fertility – the rebirth of life after winter. 

The rabbit and egg were classic symbols of fertility and new life used to honor the Vernal Equinox by many different cultures.

Traveling to other countries I have been fascinated to discover a common thread – the ancient origins of the traditions we practice now.

One of the most striking examples was in Ireland at the Hill of Tara and Newgrange. At these beautiful and sacred sites, you will see both Pagan and Christian beliefs honored. 

Respect for all is a true celebration of life.

Expectation

Generally, I don’t like having too many expectations. I prefer being surprised rather than disappointed but that doesn’t always serve me very well. Especially when it comes to how I allow others to treat me.

When I treat someone with kindness and respect I hope they will treat me the same way in return. Setting healthy boundaries is no longer an option but a requirement in my life. Now, I will raise my expectations so that I honor and respect myself in the way that I deserve.

Today

Living for today can be a challenge. Somehow my mind tends to wander back to the past or spin dreams of tomorrow... When I do that I realize that the day has vanished into just another yesterday.

Our lives happen in every moment that we are alive. I want to slow down and appreciate every day for its unique beauty and gift.

The lovely Leo Buscaglia reminded us "Live each day as if it were your last, one day you will be right".

On with the dance

Mark Twain wrote "On with the dance, let joy be unconfined". I don't know if there is any higher purpose in our lives but to seek joy.

Someone told me once that selfishness is an underrated virtue. At the time I thought that was a very odd statement but I've come to believe it is true. If we are happy and content with ourselves then we have so much more to give. Without it we have nothing.

So I intend to love, laugh, play and dance with all of my heart and live a truly joyful life!