Sometimes giving up isn’t a form of weakness; it’s realizing you deserve so much more, it’s a form of strength.” The Boxx1
This is one of the most profound statements I have read in a long time. It is up there with the quote by Steve Jobs when he said, “It’s not what we do in life, it’s what we don’t do.”
Sometimes in life you have to know when to walk away, know when to run in a lot of cases in order to preserve your dignity and your honour. Sometimes when you are down and out the greatest challenges come to test you to see what you are made of and what you will and will not take. It is these challenges that help to define who we really are and sets us on the path for the next stage of our lives. These challenges also help us to close the door on whatever it is we definitely do not want in our lives and sometimes this stage can be tough because it’s tough to walk away without exactly knowing what’s next. However it is this trying stage that allows us to free space for our greater opportunity to present itself.
Sometimes people mistake stillness, inaction and walking away as signs of desperation or weakness because we live in a world where everything is immediate and people tend to react before they even know what they really want. The wise people are the ones who take the time to reassess where they are in their lives and what brought them to that stage before they do anything. They are aware of the noise made by others but they do not allow this noise to interfere with their desire to learn the lesson they are meant to learn. They care about what people have to say about them but they do not let their comments drag them down. They understand that they have to retreat, to give up, to just let the chatter around them die down so they can listen to their own inner compasses and be guided by them to where they need to go next.
After the period of giving up passes and the lesson is learned, it is only then that these people resurface much stronger, refreshed, free of old baggage, with a clearer picture of where they need to be because they know they are worthy and are able to accept that they are deserving of the greater gift that is coming their way.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Learning to move beyond ego
Last night I watched some of the excerpts from Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday on the Internet and I was blown away as usual by the people she gets to interview. Oprah has access to the best therapists and spiritual teachers in the world and listening to their words of wisdom always allows me to awaken to the wider meaning of life.
Last night’s treat for me was listening to Dr. Wayne Dyer talking about the concept of Ego. He observed that ego is an acronym for Edge God Out. He says that ego is nothing more than a collection of ideas we have as follows:
“I am what I have
I am what I do
I am what other people think about me
I am separate from everybody
I am separate from what’s missing in my life.”
Listening to him talk I realised more than ever that ego is actually what limits us from being what we are truly meant to be because it forces us to be fearful, critical, and judgemental about everything we do. Ego is what ring fences us in because it forces us to try to define everything we do as well as places expectations on whatever we do rather than accepting that every decision we make is a stepping stone to becoming whole. We may sometimes take longer to reach our destinations based on the decisions we make but at the end of the day if we go without judgement or expectations we will learn invaluable lessons along the way.
Look at the way Wayne Dyer defines ego and reflect on what each statement says about us as individuals. Each statement no matter how you read it or interpret it places limitations on our life experiences because it forces us to look outside of ourselves for validation when the greatest and strongest validation we could ever receive comes from within us. When we look to others or things as measures of our success, we are rejecting our full potential to be more because should we lose these people or things, how then will we define ourselves? Who are we without these external validators?
The question we all need to ask ourselves is does our core personality change as a result of the loss of material possessions or status? I know my core does not change. It’s only my ego that does. I am always the same fundamentally no matter what and I will try my best from now on not to let ego prevent me from reaching my full potential because I am that I am and no one but me can change who I am unless I allow them.
Last night’s treat for me was listening to Dr. Wayne Dyer talking about the concept of Ego. He observed that ego is an acronym for Edge God Out. He says that ego is nothing more than a collection of ideas we have as follows:
“I am what I have
I am what I do
I am what other people think about me
I am separate from everybody
I am separate from what’s missing in my life.”
Listening to him talk I realised more than ever that ego is actually what limits us from being what we are truly meant to be because it forces us to be fearful, critical, and judgemental about everything we do. Ego is what ring fences us in because it forces us to try to define everything we do as well as places expectations on whatever we do rather than accepting that every decision we make is a stepping stone to becoming whole. We may sometimes take longer to reach our destinations based on the decisions we make but at the end of the day if we go without judgement or expectations we will learn invaluable lessons along the way.
Look at the way Wayne Dyer defines ego and reflect on what each statement says about us as individuals. Each statement no matter how you read it or interpret it places limitations on our life experiences because it forces us to look outside of ourselves for validation when the greatest and strongest validation we could ever receive comes from within us. When we look to others or things as measures of our success, we are rejecting our full potential to be more because should we lose these people or things, how then will we define ourselves? Who are we without these external validators?
The question we all need to ask ourselves is does our core personality change as a result of the loss of material possessions or status? I know my core does not change. It’s only my ego that does. I am always the same fundamentally no matter what and I will try my best from now on not to let ego prevent me from reaching my full potential because I am that I am and no one but me can change who I am unless I allow them.
Monday, 28 November 2011
Each day is a blessing
When I was very young, I used to love to get up really early so that I could spend some time alone with my mother who was an early riser – just her and I. There were six of us vying for her attention plus our dog. So the earlier I got up the more time I had with her.
As I got older I wanted to sleep the day away because it seemed like the days stretched for too long, particularly after my mother died. I could not handle the idle hours that stretched ahead of me so I would not get out of bed before noon because then at least a large part of the day was gone. When I was in my twenties and feeling totally insecure about everything in my life, on weekends I would stay in bed with the blinds closed for the whole day because then I didn’t have to face anyone or anything. I lost myself in movies that I rented to escape the reality of my nonlife.
After having children my sleeping habits changed dramatically because I stopped sleeping. I have two children who never slept through the night – my son woke every four hours until he was two years old then he slept through the night lulling me into a false belief that if I had another child he or she would sleep through the night. My daughter came along four years later and woke up every two hours until she was two as well, got a bit better but now even at eight years old she comes into our bed at about two in the morning pressing her body against mine or my husband’s to go back to sleep. Now I understand why I slept all those years before to prepare my body for nonsleep.
Now in my late forties, I love to wake up with the sun rising, just before the sun rise is even better. I love to look at the promise of a new day to see how the day will turn out, to watch the clouds to see whether they are angry or kind, to see the dawn burst into daylight, to see the silhouettes of the trees bending in the breeze, to listen to the stillness of the day before everything bursts into action.
I love waking early because now I want the days to stretch, to feel endless because time seems to be speeding up with each year that I get older. I now understand why the elderly tend to get up at three in the morning because they are so pleased to have another day on this earth and they want to stretch out their last days as much as they can. I can totally relate to how they feel now because time is not waiting for me or anyone else. It is marching on and I just want to make sure I enjoy every second, every minute, every hour of each day because seeing another day is truly a blessing.
As I got older I wanted to sleep the day away because it seemed like the days stretched for too long, particularly after my mother died. I could not handle the idle hours that stretched ahead of me so I would not get out of bed before noon because then at least a large part of the day was gone. When I was in my twenties and feeling totally insecure about everything in my life, on weekends I would stay in bed with the blinds closed for the whole day because then I didn’t have to face anyone or anything. I lost myself in movies that I rented to escape the reality of my nonlife.
After having children my sleeping habits changed dramatically because I stopped sleeping. I have two children who never slept through the night – my son woke every four hours until he was two years old then he slept through the night lulling me into a false belief that if I had another child he or she would sleep through the night. My daughter came along four years later and woke up every two hours until she was two as well, got a bit better but now even at eight years old she comes into our bed at about two in the morning pressing her body against mine or my husband’s to go back to sleep. Now I understand why I slept all those years before to prepare my body for nonsleep.
Now in my late forties, I love to wake up with the sun rising, just before the sun rise is even better. I love to look at the promise of a new day to see how the day will turn out, to watch the clouds to see whether they are angry or kind, to see the dawn burst into daylight, to see the silhouettes of the trees bending in the breeze, to listen to the stillness of the day before everything bursts into action.
I love waking early because now I want the days to stretch, to feel endless because time seems to be speeding up with each year that I get older. I now understand why the elderly tend to get up at three in the morning because they are so pleased to have another day on this earth and they want to stretch out their last days as much as they can. I can totally relate to how they feel now because time is not waiting for me or anyone else. It is marching on and I just want to make sure I enjoy every second, every minute, every hour of each day because seeing another day is truly a blessing.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Mud pie delights
Yesterday afternoon after my daughter and her cousin had finished their ballet recital rehearsal, we came back to the house and because they had been inside the dark hall, they jumped out of the car and ran with abandonment through the yard, arms flailing, shouting for joy, as they inhaled the beautiful fresh air. They headed for the rope swing that my husband had made. The sound of their laughter was infectious and filled the air with such merriment and youth.
I stood at the kitchen window watching them and thinking about how easy it was to be their age. How delightful it was to just run outside and play. I was thrilled they were outside enjoying the air. I watched them chatting like two little ladies and saw flashes of what they will be like when they get older.
I called them in for a snack then my husband came home so we made him a gourmet salad with the girls’ advice about how it should be presented. Then the light bulb went off for them about what to do next.
They disappeared into the yard chatting about their next plan. They then wondered into the house to get water containers but didn’t say why. Then they came in with culinary masterpieces they had created from mud, flowers, leaves, twigs and whatever else they could find in the yard. By that time my cousin and her friend had arrived so we oohed and aahed over the “food” they had prepared.
They presented their creations as appetizers, main courses and desserts. Their presentation was amazing. We all laughed and said, “When we were their age, we didn’t even know what an appetizer was and neither did we know anything about presentation. When we made food out of mud it looked like food out of mud. It didn’t have the gourmet look nor did it have such terms as seaweed salad, clams, or mocha, to name a few.”
I said, “It’s because we had never been to a restaurant when we were their age so we would not have known what an appetizer was nor did we have the diversity of people that we have now living in Bermuda so we would never have heard of seaweed salad!”
It made me reflect on how much more our children have been exposed to than we ever were but at the end of the day they still want to play in the mud, they still want to create and they still want to be acknowledged for what they do. It was truly a wonderful late afternoon treat to see my daughter and her cousin sitting at her little outdoor table creating food masterpieces from nature, getting their hands dirty and just being little girls using their imagination rather than sitting inside having their imaginations suppressed by the television or computer.
I stood at the kitchen window watching them and thinking about how easy it was to be their age. How delightful it was to just run outside and play. I was thrilled they were outside enjoying the air. I watched them chatting like two little ladies and saw flashes of what they will be like when they get older.
I called them in for a snack then my husband came home so we made him a gourmet salad with the girls’ advice about how it should be presented. Then the light bulb went off for them about what to do next.
They disappeared into the yard chatting about their next plan. They then wondered into the house to get water containers but didn’t say why. Then they came in with culinary masterpieces they had created from mud, flowers, leaves, twigs and whatever else they could find in the yard. By that time my cousin and her friend had arrived so we oohed and aahed over the “food” they had prepared.
They presented their creations as appetizers, main courses and desserts. Their presentation was amazing. We all laughed and said, “When we were their age, we didn’t even know what an appetizer was and neither did we know anything about presentation. When we made food out of mud it looked like food out of mud. It didn’t have the gourmet look nor did it have such terms as seaweed salad, clams, or mocha, to name a few.”
I said, “It’s because we had never been to a restaurant when we were their age so we would not have known what an appetizer was nor did we have the diversity of people that we have now living in Bermuda so we would never have heard of seaweed salad!”
It made me reflect on how much more our children have been exposed to than we ever were but at the end of the day they still want to play in the mud, they still want to create and they still want to be acknowledged for what they do. It was truly a wonderful late afternoon treat to see my daughter and her cousin sitting at her little outdoor table creating food masterpieces from nature, getting their hands dirty and just being little girls using their imagination rather than sitting inside having their imaginations suppressed by the television or computer.
Saturday, 26 November 2011
Idyllic rural setting in the midst of chaos
This morning I am sitting outside of my daughter's horseriding lesson. The sun is streaming into the car after a downpour. The birds are chirping in the trees and I am looking at the most beautiful lilac bush blowing in the wind. My daughter horse rides in one of the few remaining untouched rural settings in Bermuda where there are trees that you can't see through and very little traffic. It is an oasis onto itself, tucked off the main road and a place that takes me back to my childhood days when I used to run free through the hills without worrying about tomorrow or the day before, without worrying about my safety, simply without worrying at all.
I am listening to the sound of the wind in the trees rustling the leaves almost as if they are sighing and singing at the same time and I am feeling much calmer by the minute having rushed out of the house to get my daughgter to an early riding lesson because she has rehearsals today for her upcoming ballet recital.
I even got up early to fit everything in, check my son to make sure he has started his homework because he has a busy weekend, tennis, guitar, playdate, today tomorrow Boy's Brigade parade and guitar performance. My mind was racing this morning when I woke up about all the things my family has to do this weekend and wondering how we will fit it all in so that everyone gets a little bit of quality time in.
Even driving here I felt the pressure of the weekend coming down on me, my daughter has her first starring role in her Christmas play at school and her costume needs to be in by Monday but it doesn't look like we will have it on time to take in the morning so that means I may have to reschedule my whole day on Monday to work around getting this costume to school in time for her dress rehearsal then her ballet recital starts on Thursday through to Saturday.
My son has lots of exams next week because the term is winding down and I panic about whether I will be able to give him enough time splitting my time between both their schedules.
But sitting here watching the trees bending, my daughter riding her horse under her instructor's direction, hearing nothing by the sound of nature, an odd cow mooing, I am reminded of the old Bermuda days when everyone was free and easy and we did not have so much going on with our lives. All we had was nature and our imaginations to keep us occupied. Sitting here surrounded by nature, I am reminded that the solace I seek is all around me, I just need to step back sometimes and accept I can't do it all but I will do the best I can.
So I don't feel guilty sitting and looking at this rural setting taking me back to a different place and time when my life was not so complicated because it is allowing me to understand that life doesn't have to be about being busy and run off our feet all the time, sometimes it can just be taking a moment to appreciate all that we have right in front of us for free without racing past it and not even seeing it.
My mind has already started to slow down, the steam is seeping out of my head and I am feeling so much better about everything I have ahead of me because now I know without a doubt everything will happen in its own time. And all I have to do is breathe and take quiet moments to centre myself and it will all work out.
I am listening to the sound of the wind in the trees rustling the leaves almost as if they are sighing and singing at the same time and I am feeling much calmer by the minute having rushed out of the house to get my daughgter to an early riding lesson because she has rehearsals today for her upcoming ballet recital.
I even got up early to fit everything in, check my son to make sure he has started his homework because he has a busy weekend, tennis, guitar, playdate, today tomorrow Boy's Brigade parade and guitar performance. My mind was racing this morning when I woke up about all the things my family has to do this weekend and wondering how we will fit it all in so that everyone gets a little bit of quality time in.
Even driving here I felt the pressure of the weekend coming down on me, my daughter has her first starring role in her Christmas play at school and her costume needs to be in by Monday but it doesn't look like we will have it on time to take in the morning so that means I may have to reschedule my whole day on Monday to work around getting this costume to school in time for her dress rehearsal then her ballet recital starts on Thursday through to Saturday.
My son has lots of exams next week because the term is winding down and I panic about whether I will be able to give him enough time splitting my time between both their schedules.
But sitting here watching the trees bending, my daughter riding her horse under her instructor's direction, hearing nothing by the sound of nature, an odd cow mooing, I am reminded of the old Bermuda days when everyone was free and easy and we did not have so much going on with our lives. All we had was nature and our imaginations to keep us occupied. Sitting here surrounded by nature, I am reminded that the solace I seek is all around me, I just need to step back sometimes and accept I can't do it all but I will do the best I can.
So I don't feel guilty sitting and looking at this rural setting taking me back to a different place and time when my life was not so complicated because it is allowing me to understand that life doesn't have to be about being busy and run off our feet all the time, sometimes it can just be taking a moment to appreciate all that we have right in front of us for free without racing past it and not even seeing it.
My mind has already started to slow down, the steam is seeping out of my head and I am feeling so much better about everything I have ahead of me because now I know without a doubt everything will happen in its own time. And all I have to do is breathe and take quiet moments to centre myself and it will all work out.
Friday, 25 November 2011
Finding the rainbows in every cloud
Hamilton was buzzing this morning because Bermuda has introduced the American Black Friday shopping sales. There were people everywhere. Normally I can get in and out when I go in early because everyone is at work. This morning was different.
I was looking for miniature pom poms for my daughter because she has decided she wants to make her own Christmas cards for her class which I think is wonderful. As I was walking from store to store trying to find these pom poms , I bumped into several people I have not seen for a long time. One out of three people I spoke to told me they had been made redundant from their jobs – some have been able to find part time employment while others have not been able to find anything.
I felt really sad for these people because though they had light in their eyes because of the excitement over shopping for Christmas and the sales, I could feel their sadness underneath of it all. I sent them as much love and light as I could as I can totally understand their feelings having been in the same position myself.
Then I bumped into one lady who had lost her job and she said she gets up every morning and says thank you Lord for another day and asks to be led to where she needs to go. She said her situation could be worse then smiled and walked away.
I stood on the spot for a moment watching the retreating back of that dignified lady and felt like I had been spoken to by an angel. My sadness lifted, a smile came on my face and you know what it is so true no matter what we may be going through there is always someone who is in a better or worse position than we are. So all we have to do is keep smiling, keep ourselves open and remember to give thanks for simply waking up in the morning.
As Maya Angelou says, there are always rainbows in heavy clouds; we just need to be open to see them.
I was looking for miniature pom poms for my daughter because she has decided she wants to make her own Christmas cards for her class which I think is wonderful. As I was walking from store to store trying to find these pom poms , I bumped into several people I have not seen for a long time. One out of three people I spoke to told me they had been made redundant from their jobs – some have been able to find part time employment while others have not been able to find anything.
I felt really sad for these people because though they had light in their eyes because of the excitement over shopping for Christmas and the sales, I could feel their sadness underneath of it all. I sent them as much love and light as I could as I can totally understand their feelings having been in the same position myself.
Then I bumped into one lady who had lost her job and she said she gets up every morning and says thank you Lord for another day and asks to be led to where she needs to go. She said her situation could be worse then smiled and walked away.
I stood on the spot for a moment watching the retreating back of that dignified lady and felt like I had been spoken to by an angel. My sadness lifted, a smile came on my face and you know what it is so true no matter what we may be going through there is always someone who is in a better or worse position than we are. So all we have to do is keep smiling, keep ourselves open and remember to give thanks for simply waking up in the morning.
As Maya Angelou says, there are always rainbows in heavy clouds; we just need to be open to see them.
Thursday, 24 November 2011
Happy Thanksgiving
It’s the American Thanksgiving Day today and it is always a day that resounds around the world because of the power of the US and its influence on many nations. And today that’s a good thing because our world needs as much positive energy as it can get.
There is so much sorrow, upset and disappointment all around. The economic downturn has impacted someone that just about all of us knows. Riots are taking place globally because the balance of wealth has been skewed to a small percentage of people and people are fighting for answers.
Today is the sort of day that pushes those ill feelings aside as people forget their troubles and immerse themselves in love. It is a day of sharing, loving and joy. When I look at the posts on Facebook and Twitter and even the stories on the news, there is a definite shift toward gratitude and inner joy because people are thinking about the food they are preparing and the family and friends they will be spending the day with. It’s a day to breathe and get away from hardships and heartache.
Though my family does not celebrate Thanksgiving, I will take time today to give thanks for all the blessings I have in my life at the present moment and there are many. I will smile at everyone that I see – it’s amazing to watch the effect when I do this – both for me and those I smile at. I will spread joy today pushing aside bad thoughts. I will add to the feeling of wellbeing today experienced by many which means many of us should feel a shift in consciousness because there is more joy than unhappiness today.
Happy Thanksgiving America and to my many friends and family that will be celebrating this day of joy, love and peace. May the abundance of the Universe warm your heart and remind you that everyday should be a day of Thanksgiving. Look around you today and spread your joy, open your hearts to love, set aside any differences you may have and allow the love and light we all have inside to surround us, seeping out into the world, touching the hearts of even those we do not know.
I can feel the love already.May peace be unto us all.
There is so much sorrow, upset and disappointment all around. The economic downturn has impacted someone that just about all of us knows. Riots are taking place globally because the balance of wealth has been skewed to a small percentage of people and people are fighting for answers.
Today is the sort of day that pushes those ill feelings aside as people forget their troubles and immerse themselves in love. It is a day of sharing, loving and joy. When I look at the posts on Facebook and Twitter and even the stories on the news, there is a definite shift toward gratitude and inner joy because people are thinking about the food they are preparing and the family and friends they will be spending the day with. It’s a day to breathe and get away from hardships and heartache.
Though my family does not celebrate Thanksgiving, I will take time today to give thanks for all the blessings I have in my life at the present moment and there are many. I will smile at everyone that I see – it’s amazing to watch the effect when I do this – both for me and those I smile at. I will spread joy today pushing aside bad thoughts. I will add to the feeling of wellbeing today experienced by many which means many of us should feel a shift in consciousness because there is more joy than unhappiness today.
Happy Thanksgiving America and to my many friends and family that will be celebrating this day of joy, love and peace. May the abundance of the Universe warm your heart and remind you that everyday should be a day of Thanksgiving. Look around you today and spread your joy, open your hearts to love, set aside any differences you may have and allow the love and light we all have inside to surround us, seeping out into the world, touching the hearts of even those we do not know.
I can feel the love already.May peace be unto us all.
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
I have nothing to lose
“I have nothing to lose.”
I’ve heard this statement voiced by several people, people I know and people I don’t, recently because of the current economic downturn. And I have been reflecting on this statement to understand why it is resonating with me. And I believe it’s because I feel much empathy toward these people.
Fortunes change overnight. Circumstances change in seconds. Life throws us wobblers. At some point in our lives we will all experience upsets and misfortune but it’s not what happens to us, it’s how we deal with it that separates the people who get through life’s difficulties versus those who don’t.
When people bottom out, if they leave their minds open, they will open themselves to one of the most creative and resourceful periods of their lives. Bottoming out allows us to come face to face with issues we have been suppressing because there are no longer any excuses for why we are in the situation we may find ourselves in. We have reached the depths of our despair and the only way out is to confront ourselves.
People who have nothing to lose have the opportunity to be who they truly are meant to be because no one can take anything from them as it has already been taken. These people are confronted by their inner most desires, fears and shadows. They have the opportunity to completely change direction and head to where they want to go. They can drop all the baggage and pretence and move forward with a lighter load.
I’m not trying to diminish the difficulty people experience when they get to this point as I do recognise that having nothing to lose is an extremely terrifying place to be in because people often find themselves backed into a corner, the weight of the world on their shoulders, and people making demands on them that they can’t do anything about. But if they stopped and really assessed their situation they will see they are free now to operate in the present moment in order to find their way out. They cannot go back and rewrite the past. They cannot go forward and worry about tomorrow. All they can do is focus on the now and how they will pick themselves up, dust themselves off and start all over again.
Having nothing to lose is a freeing feeling when you realise you have the chance to start all over again. It also signals the end of the downward spiral because you are at the bottom looking up. For all those people who have nothing to lose, please remember to have faith and no matter how bad you feel, this time in your life will pass when you accept you are where you are meant to be, learn the lesson and move on.
Remember you may have nothing to lose but you have everything to gain. Here’s to the first step to the new you. We’re all cheering for you sending you love and light and encouragement because you are not alone in your struggle.
Repeat this mantra to yourself as Sir Lancelot said to King Arthur, “I have nothing to lose so what do I have to fear?”
I’ve heard this statement voiced by several people, people I know and people I don’t, recently because of the current economic downturn. And I have been reflecting on this statement to understand why it is resonating with me. And I believe it’s because I feel much empathy toward these people.
Fortunes change overnight. Circumstances change in seconds. Life throws us wobblers. At some point in our lives we will all experience upsets and misfortune but it’s not what happens to us, it’s how we deal with it that separates the people who get through life’s difficulties versus those who don’t.
When people bottom out, if they leave their minds open, they will open themselves to one of the most creative and resourceful periods of their lives. Bottoming out allows us to come face to face with issues we have been suppressing because there are no longer any excuses for why we are in the situation we may find ourselves in. We have reached the depths of our despair and the only way out is to confront ourselves.
People who have nothing to lose have the opportunity to be who they truly are meant to be because no one can take anything from them as it has already been taken. These people are confronted by their inner most desires, fears and shadows. They have the opportunity to completely change direction and head to where they want to go. They can drop all the baggage and pretence and move forward with a lighter load.
I’m not trying to diminish the difficulty people experience when they get to this point as I do recognise that having nothing to lose is an extremely terrifying place to be in because people often find themselves backed into a corner, the weight of the world on their shoulders, and people making demands on them that they can’t do anything about. But if they stopped and really assessed their situation they will see they are free now to operate in the present moment in order to find their way out. They cannot go back and rewrite the past. They cannot go forward and worry about tomorrow. All they can do is focus on the now and how they will pick themselves up, dust themselves off and start all over again.
Having nothing to lose is a freeing feeling when you realise you have the chance to start all over again. It also signals the end of the downward spiral because you are at the bottom looking up. For all those people who have nothing to lose, please remember to have faith and no matter how bad you feel, this time in your life will pass when you accept you are where you are meant to be, learn the lesson and move on.
Remember you may have nothing to lose but you have everything to gain. Here’s to the first step to the new you. We’re all cheering for you sending you love and light and encouragement because you are not alone in your struggle.
Repeat this mantra to yourself as Sir Lancelot said to King Arthur, “I have nothing to lose so what do I have to fear?”
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Taking some time to listen to me
Yesterday after I finished writing my novel, I felt both exhilarated and nervous at the same time. I had been writing nonstop for 21 days, waking up thinking about my characters, going to sleep thinking about my characters and then all of a sudden yesterday their voices were no longer in my head, gone. It felt like a death to me of some sort. I kept waiting, listening to see if they were going to come back, to chat to me, to let me know what I was meant to do next. Nothing came. I became listless, not knowing what to do next.
I wondered if I should call a friend and go out for lunch or coffee, surround myself with the noise of others but somehow that didn’t feel right for me. I decided I wanted to be with me, to just listen to me and my thoughts without the interference of characters or anyone else. I looked out my office window and I saw the perfect blue sky and the sun streaming in. I felt the call of nature telling me to come outside.
So I did. I got up from my desk and went outside, placed a chair directly in the line of the sun, sat in it and closed my eyes. I thanked the Universe for all that I have and for all that I am about to receive. I asked the Universe for guidance for the next stage of my life, to help me find inner peace with whatever I am meant to do next, to give me the courage to be who I am meant to be, to give me the strength to continue to radiate the love and light so prevalent in the world, to be free of judgement and to love as unconditionally as I humanly can.
I asked for a sign to let me know I am on the right track. And then I listened to the sound of silence. No questions, no answers. Silence. I felt myself floating away to a place where all is possible, a place deep within the recesses of my brain, a place all of us have when we sit in silence and reverence opening our minds to the infinite. I felt such peace and abandonment and my body, mind and soul felt remarkably lighter.
I opened my eyes and there above me was the form of an angel, a goddess of the Universe in the clouds looking down on me, suspended, floating and letting me know I am a part of a much bigger plan and all I have to do is to continue to have faith and all will be well.
My whole attitude shifted after that, gone was the listlessness, gone was the feeling of death and in its place was the feeling of rebirth and change and infinite possibility. Thank you Universe for shining your light down on me.
I wondered if I should call a friend and go out for lunch or coffee, surround myself with the noise of others but somehow that didn’t feel right for me. I decided I wanted to be with me, to just listen to me and my thoughts without the interference of characters or anyone else. I looked out my office window and I saw the perfect blue sky and the sun streaming in. I felt the call of nature telling me to come outside.
So I did. I got up from my desk and went outside, placed a chair directly in the line of the sun, sat in it and closed my eyes. I thanked the Universe for all that I have and for all that I am about to receive. I asked the Universe for guidance for the next stage of my life, to help me find inner peace with whatever I am meant to do next, to give me the courage to be who I am meant to be, to give me the strength to continue to radiate the love and light so prevalent in the world, to be free of judgement and to love as unconditionally as I humanly can.
I asked for a sign to let me know I am on the right track. And then I listened to the sound of silence. No questions, no answers. Silence. I felt myself floating away to a place where all is possible, a place deep within the recesses of my brain, a place all of us have when we sit in silence and reverence opening our minds to the infinite. I felt such peace and abandonment and my body, mind and soul felt remarkably lighter.
I opened my eyes and there above me was the form of an angel, a goddess of the Universe in the clouds looking down on me, suspended, floating and letting me know I am a part of a much bigger plan and all I have to do is to continue to have faith and all will be well.
My whole attitude shifted after that, gone was the listlessness, gone was the feeling of death and in its place was the feeling of rebirth and change and infinite possibility. Thank you Universe for shining your light down on me.
Monday, 21 November 2011
Resisting Change is the equivalent of resisting living
Yesterday I came across a woman called Elizabeth Lesser. She is the cofounder and senior advisor at the Omega Institute – a mind, body and soul facility.
She said something that stuck with me all day and it was, we all long for change but we resist it at the same time. In order to stop the war that we carry constantly within, we must make friends with the never-ending process of change. Change lubricates our lives. Resisting it clogs our arteries.
I thought about this all day trying to understand why we try to resist the only constant in life – change. If we look around us we can see change in everything – we are different from the person we were ten years ago and sometimes as little as ten minutes before. The trees, the day, the flowers everything around us changes all the time.
Why are we so nervous about breaking out of what is causing us to decay and doing something that resonates with us? Why do we do the same routines every day complaining that we are not stimulated but do nothing about it? Is it because we are afraid of failure, of being judged? If this is the case then we should ignore that because no matter what we do or don’t do there will always be someone who will judge us. So what the heck? We have to come to terms with the fact that the failure is from not starting or completing. It does not come from going for it. Never.
Then I read this quote today from Arianna Huffington who said, “When you expose yourself to the opportunities that scare you, you create something scarce, something others won’t do.”
Break free from your routines. Change it up a bit, Give yourself a chance to be exposed to those opportunities that scare you and see where they take you. I have been challenging myself lots lately and I am happy to say I completed my November writing challenge today. I wrote 50, 658 words in 21 days! And I feel pretty proud of myself for doing so. Now I am exhausted and I am going to take a well deserved break.
Let’s keep challenging ourselves by remaining open to the only constant in our lives – change and see where we end up. Who would have thought I could write a 50,658 word novel in 21 days? I didn’t know I could but I stepped up to the challenge and did it and I feel like I can do anything I set my mind too now. Anything is possible if we stop resisting. And stop being afraid of failure.
Embracing change challenges us and moves us closer to who we are meant to be.
She said something that stuck with me all day and it was, we all long for change but we resist it at the same time. In order to stop the war that we carry constantly within, we must make friends with the never-ending process of change. Change lubricates our lives. Resisting it clogs our arteries.
I thought about this all day trying to understand why we try to resist the only constant in life – change. If we look around us we can see change in everything – we are different from the person we were ten years ago and sometimes as little as ten minutes before. The trees, the day, the flowers everything around us changes all the time.
Why are we so nervous about breaking out of what is causing us to decay and doing something that resonates with us? Why do we do the same routines every day complaining that we are not stimulated but do nothing about it? Is it because we are afraid of failure, of being judged? If this is the case then we should ignore that because no matter what we do or don’t do there will always be someone who will judge us. So what the heck? We have to come to terms with the fact that the failure is from not starting or completing. It does not come from going for it. Never.
Then I read this quote today from Arianna Huffington who said, “When you expose yourself to the opportunities that scare you, you create something scarce, something others won’t do.”
Break free from your routines. Change it up a bit, Give yourself a chance to be exposed to those opportunities that scare you and see where they take you. I have been challenging myself lots lately and I am happy to say I completed my November writing challenge today. I wrote 50, 658 words in 21 days! And I feel pretty proud of myself for doing so. Now I am exhausted and I am going to take a well deserved break.
Let’s keep challenging ourselves by remaining open to the only constant in our lives – change and see where we end up. Who would have thought I could write a 50,658 word novel in 21 days? I didn’t know I could but I stepped up to the challenge and did it and I feel like I can do anything I set my mind too now. Anything is possible if we stop resisting. And stop being afraid of failure.
Embracing change challenges us and moves us closer to who we are meant to be.
Sunday, 20 November 2011
We are not our children
Emotions are such inner compasses of where we are in our lives and how we are feeling at the present moment. They are gauges to what we can and do not want to take yet why do we cast them aside, push them to the background. Why do we override them the majority of the time rather than letting them guide us to where we need to be?
I think it’s because we have been conditioned from children to do what’s best for everyone else and not ourselves. We are told how we should behave in certain circumstances, we are told what to wear, what to say to the extent that we lose our authentic selves in the process. Or if we don’t lose who we are completely we become confused about who we truly are.
I look at my children and see how they are growing and changing and how I want to shape them so they don’t experience the issues of abandonment and loneliness I experienced in my growing years. And sometimes I overpower them too much because I am trying to shape them into near perfect beings because in my parent mind I am trying to protect them from any sadness and hurt. I always know when I have overpowered them because I can see the light go out in their eyes, I see them hanging their heads in disappointment because I failed to see their individuality, failed to listen to their desires. And whenever that happens, I get a pain in the pit of my stomach but sometimes I can’t pull back because I feel I know better than they do because I have the battle scars of life to prove it and they don’t yet.
But am I right? Should I be letting them gain their own battle scars because though they came through me, they are not me. They are part me, part my husband, part themselves and part the Divine so I can’t and won’t know all the answers for them because I am only a small part of who they are.
How do we as parents know when to draw the line to allow our children to blossom into the individuals that they are without filling their heads with our dreams, limitations and fears? I pray that I am able to give my children wings so they can fly rather than giving them wings then clipping them so they are never able to get off the ground.
Because as the great prophet Khalil Gibran says,
“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not of you.
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrow may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.”
I pray that I accept I am not my children and cannot live their lives but can be strong enough to be there for them whenever they need me without judgement or expectations.
I think it’s because we have been conditioned from children to do what’s best for everyone else and not ourselves. We are told how we should behave in certain circumstances, we are told what to wear, what to say to the extent that we lose our authentic selves in the process. Or if we don’t lose who we are completely we become confused about who we truly are.
I look at my children and see how they are growing and changing and how I want to shape them so they don’t experience the issues of abandonment and loneliness I experienced in my growing years. And sometimes I overpower them too much because I am trying to shape them into near perfect beings because in my parent mind I am trying to protect them from any sadness and hurt. I always know when I have overpowered them because I can see the light go out in their eyes, I see them hanging their heads in disappointment because I failed to see their individuality, failed to listen to their desires. And whenever that happens, I get a pain in the pit of my stomach but sometimes I can’t pull back because I feel I know better than they do because I have the battle scars of life to prove it and they don’t yet.
But am I right? Should I be letting them gain their own battle scars because though they came through me, they are not me. They are part me, part my husband, part themselves and part the Divine so I can’t and won’t know all the answers for them because I am only a small part of who they are.
How do we as parents know when to draw the line to allow our children to blossom into the individuals that they are without filling their heads with our dreams, limitations and fears? I pray that I am able to give my children wings so they can fly rather than giving them wings then clipping them so they are never able to get off the ground.
Because as the great prophet Khalil Gibran says,
“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not of you.
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrow may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.”
I pray that I accept I am not my children and cannot live their lives but can be strong enough to be there for them whenever they need me without judgement or expectations.
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Immortality is something we can't escape
This morning I was about to hang my clothes on the line before taking my daughter to horse riding when I got a phone call from a voice from the past - my old room mate from University- calling to tell me one of our neighbours who was near and dear to both our hearts had died the day before at 5pm. She had been suffering from seizures and died. We chatted for a long time about days gone by, people that have come and gone in our lives, relationships and their challenges as well as the prospect of so much coming from all directions - "everything at once," was her statement to be exact.
I said to her, "It's because death is getting near to us."
She defensively said," What do you mean by that?"
"We are getting older so people our age and the generation before us are dying," I said.
"Yes," she said reflectively. And we both went quiet thinking about what my statement meant and how it felt for both of us. We hung up on a good note wishing each other well, me telling her she needed to start living and stop cooping herself up because she had been hurt before. Me telling her that she was too young to cut herself off from life. She thanking me for the pep talk.
After we hung up, I went outside to the line to hang out the last bit of clothes still thinking about the conversation I had just had then my mind wondered to the fact that a woman I had gone to high school died last week and was buried on Wednesday. She was my age, 48, and she left behind a husband and two children. I thought about whether she was happy when she died. Wondered if she was satisfied with what she had accomplished. Wondered how I would feel if I knew I was going to die tomorrow, could I say I had lived my life to the fullest?
Despite going on with my Saturday activities, my mind kept wondering back to the two deaths that were fairly close to me and the conversation I had had with my ex roommate when I bumped into my cousin who told me about a mutual friend who is in her early forties who was air ambulanced out last night to a hospital in the US in grave condition and I got chill bumps.
I said to her, "You know I have decided that I am not going to deprive myself anymore of anything I want because life is too short. I am going to eat whatever I feel like - bread, cake, potato chips, whatever I like of course in moderation - because you just never know when your time is going to be up."
She agreed wholeheartedly. Of course I was saying these things in jest but once I walked away from her and started driving home the fact that our mortality is something we have to face and think about struck me. I thought about how we take so much of our every day actions for granted because they are always there.
Finding out about these deaths and the grave condtiion my friend is in made me truly appreciate how much we have to be happy in the moment we are in, we need to make the most out of what we have, we need to be grateful for every breath we take, and for having another day on this earth. And most of all we need to live a life of joy, throwing out our inhibitions and fears because at some point we will all have to face the fact that we are mortals. We all have to face the fact that our mortality is ticking away each second, each minute, each hour, each day. We can't stop it or change it but we can enjoy each second, minute, hour and day we have. That's my promise to myself.
I said to her, "It's because death is getting near to us."
She defensively said," What do you mean by that?"
"We are getting older so people our age and the generation before us are dying," I said.
"Yes," she said reflectively. And we both went quiet thinking about what my statement meant and how it felt for both of us. We hung up on a good note wishing each other well, me telling her she needed to start living and stop cooping herself up because she had been hurt before. Me telling her that she was too young to cut herself off from life. She thanking me for the pep talk.
After we hung up, I went outside to the line to hang out the last bit of clothes still thinking about the conversation I had just had then my mind wondered to the fact that a woman I had gone to high school died last week and was buried on Wednesday. She was my age, 48, and she left behind a husband and two children. I thought about whether she was happy when she died. Wondered if she was satisfied with what she had accomplished. Wondered how I would feel if I knew I was going to die tomorrow, could I say I had lived my life to the fullest?
Despite going on with my Saturday activities, my mind kept wondering back to the two deaths that were fairly close to me and the conversation I had had with my ex roommate when I bumped into my cousin who told me about a mutual friend who is in her early forties who was air ambulanced out last night to a hospital in the US in grave condition and I got chill bumps.
I said to her, "You know I have decided that I am not going to deprive myself anymore of anything I want because life is too short. I am going to eat whatever I feel like - bread, cake, potato chips, whatever I like of course in moderation - because you just never know when your time is going to be up."
She agreed wholeheartedly. Of course I was saying these things in jest but once I walked away from her and started driving home the fact that our mortality is something we have to face and think about struck me. I thought about how we take so much of our every day actions for granted because they are always there.
Finding out about these deaths and the grave condtiion my friend is in made me truly appreciate how much we have to be happy in the moment we are in, we need to make the most out of what we have, we need to be grateful for every breath we take, and for having another day on this earth. And most of all we need to live a life of joy, throwing out our inhibitions and fears because at some point we will all have to face the fact that we are mortals. We all have to face the fact that our mortality is ticking away each second, each minute, each hour, each day. We can't stop it or change it but we can enjoy each second, minute, hour and day we have. That's my promise to myself.
Friday, 18 November 2011
Who is great?
Yesterday I bumped into several people who are feeling the economic pinch at the moment. Some have been looking for jobs with no luck for two years others for shorter periods of time but no matter how long the period has been each one of these people was feeling the exact same thing – rejected and feeling like they are on the outside looking in. Their sense of worth has been deflated and they feel defeated.
Some were saying how amazing it was that they were flying high one day with everyone lauding their success to the next day being cast out on the street with no one wanting to even talk to them. They see people that were happy to be in their company the day before cross to the other side of the road to avoid making contact with them. Some people have been blacklisted by people who feel they now have control over the person who is jobless and that makes the jobless person feel even smaller because nothing about their work ethic or capabilities has changed and they can’t understand why suddenly they are being treated like they have some contagious disease.
To each one of these people I was able to shine some light on them to let them know that the reason why they are facing such battles and difficulties is because they have been set on a path to learn more about themselves and to tap into their vast inner spirit. I told one person who has had one door after the other shut in her face that she is being prepared for something much greater and all she needed to do is to remember that no matter how horribly people may treat her it is up to her as to how she responds to them. I told her no one can break her spirit but her. I told her if nothing feels right at the moment to do nothing and wait – the wise man is the one who has the courage to be patient and act when he feels deep in his soul the right opportunity for his growth has presented itself. The foolish man is the one who feels he has to prove his worth to the outside world by doing something immediately just to show the outside world that he can.
Sometimes it takes us a lot longer to learn the lesson that we really need to and in those cases we wonder through the valley of darkness deeply entrenched with our shadow selves, slouching our shoulders and not believing in our own worth. But once we get through that valley of darkness and we learn the hard lesson of having to face our own shadow selves then we are much better people when we emerge.
For all those people yesterday who I spoke with and encouraged on, whether you realised it or not you also were my teachers because you helped me to see your pain and to know that no matter where I end up I shall not take for granted the feelings of another person, I will not disparage another person, and more importantly I will not judge another person. Because I know more than ever that every person that comes into my life is a mirror to my soul and is presenting me with the opportunity for growth.
For all those seeking, remember this one quote from the great Sage Thiruvalluvar, “Who is great? The one who does not what is easy.”
Some were saying how amazing it was that they were flying high one day with everyone lauding their success to the next day being cast out on the street with no one wanting to even talk to them. They see people that were happy to be in their company the day before cross to the other side of the road to avoid making contact with them. Some people have been blacklisted by people who feel they now have control over the person who is jobless and that makes the jobless person feel even smaller because nothing about their work ethic or capabilities has changed and they can’t understand why suddenly they are being treated like they have some contagious disease.
To each one of these people I was able to shine some light on them to let them know that the reason why they are facing such battles and difficulties is because they have been set on a path to learn more about themselves and to tap into their vast inner spirit. I told one person who has had one door after the other shut in her face that she is being prepared for something much greater and all she needed to do is to remember that no matter how horribly people may treat her it is up to her as to how she responds to them. I told her no one can break her spirit but her. I told her if nothing feels right at the moment to do nothing and wait – the wise man is the one who has the courage to be patient and act when he feels deep in his soul the right opportunity for his growth has presented itself. The foolish man is the one who feels he has to prove his worth to the outside world by doing something immediately just to show the outside world that he can.
Sometimes it takes us a lot longer to learn the lesson that we really need to and in those cases we wonder through the valley of darkness deeply entrenched with our shadow selves, slouching our shoulders and not believing in our own worth. But once we get through that valley of darkness and we learn the hard lesson of having to face our own shadow selves then we are much better people when we emerge.
For all those people yesterday who I spoke with and encouraged on, whether you realised it or not you also were my teachers because you helped me to see your pain and to know that no matter where I end up I shall not take for granted the feelings of another person, I will not disparage another person, and more importantly I will not judge another person. Because I know more than ever that every person that comes into my life is a mirror to my soul and is presenting me with the opportunity for growth.
For all those seeking, remember this one quote from the great Sage Thiruvalluvar, “Who is great? The one who does not what is easy.”
Thursday, 17 November 2011
The magic of sunsets
My friend took a most beautiful picture of the sunset last night over our magical home Bermuda and posted it online.
When I saw the photograph I thought back to my daughter and I driving home last night and witnessing that magnificent sunset. The red light sometimes snaking red tendrils through the sky almost like they were dancing to time moving on. Other times blanketing parts of the sky making me feel warm and safe. While other times so red it made me nervous then it would shift to a softer red almost pink in hue and then my nervousness would shift to joy to wonderment at the spectacular light show nature was putting on for us as the day was giving way to night leaving us in such a romantic and mesmerising way filling me with hope because no matter what the day brought for me, no matter how many of my expectations and dreams were not met, it was giving way to night – an end yet a beginning in such a way that it was beautiful. Endings don’t always have to be final and in all cases they are not they are just portals to new ways of being.
My daughter and I were oohing and aahing over the setting sun together as we drove home and she said, “It’s going to be a beautiful day tomorrow.”
I said, “How do you know?”
She said, “What’s that saying mommy about if the sky is that colour?”
“Red sky at night shepherd’s delight. Red sky in the morning sailor’s warning,” I said.
Then she said, “Maybe it won’t be then because the sky is pinky red not red,” she said. “But it is so beautiful.”
“Yes I said, it is and we live in a truly beautiful place,” I answered. “I think it will be a beautiful day tomorrow though I agree with you.”
“Yes mommy, look at the red behind the trees,” she said in a magical way sweeping us both into the fairy tale like world we live in. The one we often take for granted because we are too busy to see the magic all around us.
It was then that my friend came into my head and I knew she would be out on her balcony snapping a picture of this wonder of nature and she did and I knew I had to write something to remind myself and everyone else that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it is available for us to see every single day if we would only take the time to stop and appreciate it and say thank you for its presence. How our outlooks would change, our view on the world would shift from a constant state of negativity to hope and just maybe we would understand that there is something for all of us because the universe has so much to offer. And just maybe we would understand that we are constantly changing and evolving and ending and beginning and sometimes we have to experience pain to get to the next stage but we do not have to give up in the process. Instead we just have to have faith that the sun will come back to us. It never leaves we just move away from it for the night but move back to it on our new day.
Thank you my friend for posting your photo reminding me to give thanks and to never give up – to always have faith and to always believe in magic and fairytales.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Scattered thoughts equal scattered actions
Today I am all over the place. Not knowing which task to take on first. Writing, talking to friends, doing my blog, feeling pressure as I see time ticking by and I have not started anything.
Then it dawned on me that sometimes we just have to do rather than think about all we have to do, rather than projecting into a moment that isn’t even here yet. Instead of worrying about what we have to do next or what our goal for the day was, or what our dreams are we just have to savour the moment we have, take a deep breath and begin.
That’s what I am doing right now, taking a deep breath and just writing to see where I end up. My writing challenge has been going so well that I am panicking because I can see the end coming up and I’m trying to rush my characters so I can try to understand where they are trying to take me and they are pushing back, resisting me making my writing feel halted, fake and pointless. I was also writing while I was talking to someone on the phone – half listening to the person and half listening to my characters and that’s why none of them worked. Sometimes we just have to do one thing at a time to allow our brains the chance to catch up with us to focus on one thing and when we do the results are amazing.
My characters and my day so far have been trying to tell me that sometimes we just have to go with the flow and see where it goes. We can’t always be in control of everything that happens in our lives but we can be in control of how we respond to them.
My lesson today is, scattered thoughts equal scattered actions – not what I am trying to achieve today so I am focusing on being in the present moment with no expectations in order to allow myself to be open to whatever it is I am meant to be doing today.
Then it dawned on me that sometimes we just have to do rather than think about all we have to do, rather than projecting into a moment that isn’t even here yet. Instead of worrying about what we have to do next or what our goal for the day was, or what our dreams are we just have to savour the moment we have, take a deep breath and begin.
That’s what I am doing right now, taking a deep breath and just writing to see where I end up. My writing challenge has been going so well that I am panicking because I can see the end coming up and I’m trying to rush my characters so I can try to understand where they are trying to take me and they are pushing back, resisting me making my writing feel halted, fake and pointless. I was also writing while I was talking to someone on the phone – half listening to the person and half listening to my characters and that’s why none of them worked. Sometimes we just have to do one thing at a time to allow our brains the chance to catch up with us to focus on one thing and when we do the results are amazing.
My characters and my day so far have been trying to tell me that sometimes we just have to go with the flow and see where it goes. We can’t always be in control of everything that happens in our lives but we can be in control of how we respond to them.
My lesson today is, scattered thoughts equal scattered actions – not what I am trying to achieve today so I am focusing on being in the present moment with no expectations in order to allow myself to be open to whatever it is I am meant to be doing today.
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
I am seeing red today
I am seeing red today. Everywhere I go the colour red is in my face. Could that have been why my little garnet rose was calling my name yesterday? Was it because it was sending me a deeper message?
I am anxious today, don't know why either because the start to the day was just as peaceful and beautiful as was the day before but for some reason I feel like there is something in the air. Something I have no control over but have to be patient and wait to see what it is.
But this colour red is following me taunting me asking me to examine what it means so I decided to give into it and find out its meaning. And sure enough the colour red represents our root chakra in spirituality and reiki. It is the colour of physical energy, passion, courage, power, will, and desire. The Root Chakra is stable and grounding.
Red is powerfully linked to our most primitive physical and emotional needs of survival and self preservation. In other words red represents our desire for stability and grounding. Perhaps because I have so much swirling around me the universe is trying to tell me that I need to ground myself and not take everything on at once. Maybe I have to learn to think through the consequences of every decision I make before making them so I don't regret them later on. Confidence doesn't necessarily mean acting right away sometimes it means to wait and think.
Red also symbolizes energy, action, confidence, courage, and change. The colour red brings passion and strength to your relationships, your life and your work. Again I am on the cusp of change so perhaps nature is trying to let me know that I am on the right path but I must have patience and not force anything. I must continue to wait until the time is right for me to act. It’s near I can feel it and my root chakra is calling out to me telling me to stay grounded and focused. And today I will listen and hopefully my anxiety will ease ... we’ll see.
I also discovered that too much red can make us feel anxious and to counter that we should have the colour green around. Driving back into my gates today, I saw the most beautiful red bloom completely surrounded by green foliage and it nearly took my breath away so I stopped to take a photograph of it and realised that nature was trying to show me the natural balance between red and green and how beautiful they can be together. The yin and yang together balancing each other letting me know not to let my anxieties and desires overwhelm the divine plan in store for me because it is unfolding just as it should.
Monday, 14 November 2011
Perfect Imperfect Beings
Have you ever truly looked at a rose? A newly bloomed rose in all its natural glory. This morning I was standing at my bathroom window when this perfect little garnet rose peeping out from behind my husband’s truck called my name.
I went down to the rose tree, and looked in wonder at this little lone rose that had bloomed overnight and was waiting for someone to appreciate it. Looking at it took my breath away. Smelling it heightened my senses and I suddenly thought it really is true that out of the thorn bush comes the most beautiful rose. I witnessed it for myself and realised that we are always striving for perfection. Always feeling that if we aren’t perfect, we are failures. This little rose told me today that imperfection and perfection go hand in hand. The rose that bloomed was perfect, its petals perfectly formed, tight with each one making room for the other to form the most beautiful product of nature. Yet it sits atop a spiny and thorny stem – imperfection at its best. But it is this imperfection that protects the rose from its predators and allows it to bloom unthreatened and free.
And then I realised that’s what our lives are all about – our imperfections allow us to become the perfect person we truly are inside. My beautiful garnet rose did not try to hide its imperfect thorny stem from me but I did not see it until I went to cut the rose to bring inside with me. But when I cut the rose and examined it, I understood that imperfection and perfection are one in the same. I have walked by that little rose tree every day and forgot it was there until the perfection of the newly bloomed rose caught my eye because it had bloomed into exactly what it was meant to be. I brought it inside and placed it on my desk, its sweet perfume intoxicating my sense of smell, letting me know that sometimes we have to grow thorns before we bloom into the person we are meant to be – before we can display our natural beauty to the world, before we can be what we need to be.
Next time you see a rose in its natural environment, stop, look and smell it and you will find that all of your senses are awakened to the natural beauty of the world we live in – thorns and all. Side by side illustrating that we are all perfect imperfect beings.
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Life truly is wonderful
Life is truly beautiful. A gift when we recognise the abundance it offers.
This morning was one of those magical Sunday mornings with the sun streaming in through the windows. That perfect sound of birds chirping and then silence. Time to reflect on what it is we want from life and where we want to go.
A time to tell myself, I am worthy of my life and all that comes my way. I open my heart, body and soul to the well of abundance – giving out all that I can to enrich the lives of others while at the same time enriching my own. Because one thing I have learnt is the more abundant I feel, the more abundance I attract. The more I feel lack, the more lack I will attract.
Look around you today at the birds, the flowers, the trees, examine the wonder of children who truly believe there is a bottomless well and there is always more and see just how genuinely happy and resourceful they are. And then transfer that feeling to yourself. That’s what I am planning to do on this glorious Sunday. Live in the moment because there is really no such thing as time. Wayne Dyer really made me think about this concept when he said the past = the present= the future. What I just wrote is the past yet I am in a present moment and what I am going to write next is the future yet I am in a present moment. So why fret about the past or the future when all we have is the now and the abundance we attract.
Days like today put it all in perspective for me – it’s a day that can take your breath away, ease the pain you may be feeling and fill you with hope if you open your eyes to its abundance. And the beauty of it is, it's all there for us free of charge. Abundance is plentiful and there is enough for all of us if we open our hearts, souls and minds to it letting it flow through our beings recognising it is as infinite as our Universe. There is more than enough for all of us to share.
This morning was one of those magical Sunday mornings with the sun streaming in through the windows. That perfect sound of birds chirping and then silence. Time to reflect on what it is we want from life and where we want to go.
A time to tell myself, I am worthy of my life and all that comes my way. I open my heart, body and soul to the well of abundance – giving out all that I can to enrich the lives of others while at the same time enriching my own. Because one thing I have learnt is the more abundant I feel, the more abundance I attract. The more I feel lack, the more lack I will attract.
Look around you today at the birds, the flowers, the trees, examine the wonder of children who truly believe there is a bottomless well and there is always more and see just how genuinely happy and resourceful they are. And then transfer that feeling to yourself. That’s what I am planning to do on this glorious Sunday. Live in the moment because there is really no such thing as time. Wayne Dyer really made me think about this concept when he said the past = the present= the future. What I just wrote is the past yet I am in a present moment and what I am going to write next is the future yet I am in a present moment. So why fret about the past or the future when all we have is the now and the abundance we attract.
Days like today put it all in perspective for me – it’s a day that can take your breath away, ease the pain you may be feeling and fill you with hope if you open your eyes to its abundance. And the beauty of it is, it's all there for us free of charge. Abundance is plentiful and there is enough for all of us if we open our hearts, souls and minds to it letting it flow through our beings recognising it is as infinite as our Universe. There is more than enough for all of us to share.
Saturday, 12 November 2011
The Sound of Silence
At some hour this morning I was awakened by the sound of silence. Have you ever heard and really listened to the sound of silence? It can be frightening and unnerving when you’re not expecting it. It creeps into your soul and awakens your sense of awareness to all that is around you, challenging you to identify what it is that has changed.
We have had wind howling for the last week, its sound echoing through the trees, noisily moving anything in its wake, disturbing the peace; then suddenly and abruptly the wind went away this morning, leaving in its wake, the sound of silence.
The sudden change forced me out of my sleep as I am a very light sleeper – a common trait for mothers – and I sat up in my bed, looking around, trying to determine what it was that had changed. Why the air seemed so different and then I realized it was the sound of silence. Everything was so still, so calm, so eerie. And at the same time it was so peaceful so restful, the storm had passed. Feeling reassured, I pulled the covers back over me and drifted back off to sleep.
Then I was awoken in the morning by a blissful and hopeful sight - the sun was streaming through my windows pulling me out of my sleep, making me even more grateful for the brightness of the new day after a week of darkness, wind and rain. I went to my bathroom window and looked out at the day wakening. I watched the bluebirds return, going in and out of the bird box we had made for them trying to build their nest, trying to protect their nest from the sparrows, crows and kiskadees.
And then under the large golden shower bush, which incidentally held on to the majority of its brilliant yellow flowers during the storm, sat a brilliant red bird singing its morning song. The colours and peace after the storm were starting to return, the birds comfortable now to resume their daily lives, and the flowers on the trees. The garden was a flurry of activity as nature went about restoring itself amidst the sound of silence. Sending through me a sense of purpose. A sense of peace. Gratitude.
I often take my lead from nature because it reminds me of our inherent resilience - the ability to regenerate and renew and it often begins with the sound of silence. A place where we need to go after every storm to allow us to calm and renew in order to grow.
We have had wind howling for the last week, its sound echoing through the trees, noisily moving anything in its wake, disturbing the peace; then suddenly and abruptly the wind went away this morning, leaving in its wake, the sound of silence.
The sudden change forced me out of my sleep as I am a very light sleeper – a common trait for mothers – and I sat up in my bed, looking around, trying to determine what it was that had changed. Why the air seemed so different and then I realized it was the sound of silence. Everything was so still, so calm, so eerie. And at the same time it was so peaceful so restful, the storm had passed. Feeling reassured, I pulled the covers back over me and drifted back off to sleep.
Then I was awoken in the morning by a blissful and hopeful sight - the sun was streaming through my windows pulling me out of my sleep, making me even more grateful for the brightness of the new day after a week of darkness, wind and rain. I went to my bathroom window and looked out at the day wakening. I watched the bluebirds return, going in and out of the bird box we had made for them trying to build their nest, trying to protect their nest from the sparrows, crows and kiskadees.
And then under the large golden shower bush, which incidentally held on to the majority of its brilliant yellow flowers during the storm, sat a brilliant red bird singing its morning song. The colours and peace after the storm were starting to return, the birds comfortable now to resume their daily lives, and the flowers on the trees. The garden was a flurry of activity as nature went about restoring itself amidst the sound of silence. Sending through me a sense of purpose. A sense of peace. Gratitude.
I often take my lead from nature because it reminds me of our inherent resilience - the ability to regenerate and renew and it often begins with the sound of silence. A place where we need to go after every storm to allow us to calm and renew in order to grow.
Friday, 11 November 2011
11.11.11
Happy 11.11.11 everyone. This is a day of new beginnings and manifestation by those who believe in spirituality. People have been waiting for this day for a long time. There are a lot of expectations surrounding this day. People around the world are performing all kinds of rituals to mark this day.
I have to admit that I have fallen into the whole excitement of 11.11.11 because sometimes I just want to believe in magic, the unexplainable and the unknown because isn’t that what we all are. The other night my family sat at the dinner table debating about where we came from and how we got here. My husband stating that if there was a God where did he come from? How did we all begin? My son questioned how we keep regenerating and changing – what and where is the beginning. Even my daughter chimed in with her theories, probing trying to understand.
It was a very passionate and thought provoking discussion because it forced my family to accept there are some things that we just cannot explain. Whether we accept this fact or not is up to us but sometimes just letting go instead of trying to place our human limitations on the vastness of our world can stunt our growth. Accepting we don’t know it all can free us so much because it allows us to be open to possibility.
I believe we are a part of a much larger plan – a plan that is unfolding as per the Divine – whether we want to call it God, Allah or worship an idol – just as long as we have a belief system in something, we will have faith and it is faith that allows us to weather any storm that comes our way.
I looked out last night at the beautiful full moon and marvelled at the fact that the wind was still blowing like crazy, there was a Tropical Storm approaching, but the sky was as clear as could be full of stars and the moon was so bright, so radiant that it actually sent chills down my spine. Occasionally clouds, some wispy, others so dark and menacing, covered the moon and hid its light but within seconds because of the strong winds, the moon would come popping out again casting its magnificent light on me. I stood mesmerised by this sight, watching the interplay between light and darkness, between the wind and stillness, between the clouds and the wind and I knew that everything and everyone has a place in life – sometimes some are stronger than others and then the roles reverse allowing each one of us to feel the effect of the energy we put out.
Today is 11.11.11 – whether that means anything to you or not – take the time to give thanks for all that you have and all that you are about to receive because to me it is a new day, a new beginning, a magical time and I fully intend to make the most of it.
The birds are chirping, the wind is starting to die down a bit, the sun is holding steady behind the heavy clouds waiting for them to pass, knowing that when its time has come, it will be revealed and it will shine for us to see once again.
I have to admit that I have fallen into the whole excitement of 11.11.11 because sometimes I just want to believe in magic, the unexplainable and the unknown because isn’t that what we all are. The other night my family sat at the dinner table debating about where we came from and how we got here. My husband stating that if there was a God where did he come from? How did we all begin? My son questioned how we keep regenerating and changing – what and where is the beginning. Even my daughter chimed in with her theories, probing trying to understand.
It was a very passionate and thought provoking discussion because it forced my family to accept there are some things that we just cannot explain. Whether we accept this fact or not is up to us but sometimes just letting go instead of trying to place our human limitations on the vastness of our world can stunt our growth. Accepting we don’t know it all can free us so much because it allows us to be open to possibility.
I believe we are a part of a much larger plan – a plan that is unfolding as per the Divine – whether we want to call it God, Allah or worship an idol – just as long as we have a belief system in something, we will have faith and it is faith that allows us to weather any storm that comes our way.
I looked out last night at the beautiful full moon and marvelled at the fact that the wind was still blowing like crazy, there was a Tropical Storm approaching, but the sky was as clear as could be full of stars and the moon was so bright, so radiant that it actually sent chills down my spine. Occasionally clouds, some wispy, others so dark and menacing, covered the moon and hid its light but within seconds because of the strong winds, the moon would come popping out again casting its magnificent light on me. I stood mesmerised by this sight, watching the interplay between light and darkness, between the wind and stillness, between the clouds and the wind and I knew that everything and everyone has a place in life – sometimes some are stronger than others and then the roles reverse allowing each one of us to feel the effect of the energy we put out.
Today is 11.11.11 – whether that means anything to you or not – take the time to give thanks for all that you have and all that you are about to receive because to me it is a new day, a new beginning, a magical time and I fully intend to make the most of it.
The birds are chirping, the wind is starting to die down a bit, the sun is holding steady behind the heavy clouds waiting for them to pass, knowing that when its time has come, it will be revealed and it will shine for us to see once again.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Detours often point us in the right direction
“Often in life the things that go wrong lead to the things that go right.” Glamour Magazine
It’s a full moon tonight and the wind is still howling in Bermuda – it’s enough to drive anyone bunkers. So when I saw this quote it brought everything back into perspective for me.
We have had a few periods of sunshine today reminding me that it is there light even on the darkest days but then the clouds roll back in blocking out the light, plunging us into darkness followed closely behind by the heavens opening to release torrential downpours – making us all stop in our tracks to question whether what we were going to do is still necessary. Making us take a breather from rushing around to decide whether we were going to do something because it was easy and once the weather changed it became more of a challenge – forcing us to decide if we could do without that one action.
And that’s the same thing that happens to us when things go wrong. It’s not because we have failed at all but more because things go wrong to force us to stop and question whether we were moving in a direction that is good for our souls. Forcing us to decide whether we need to change direction to make things right again. And often times these detours put us on track for the outcome we were seeking in the first place but in a much more enlightened way.
Okay so now I’m going to drag myself back to writing, the sun is out again for the minute, giving me inspiration to write again; without feeling bogged down by the darkness.
PS Happy Birthday Brodie, a whopping 10 lb baby who came into this world two years ago pushed out by his Amazon mother without an epidural showing us all that often in life the things that go wrong ( a 10 lb baby trying to come out of his mother – I can only imagine her pain) lead to the things that go right ( a healthy baby boy thriving and flourishing). The power of the mind is totally unbelievable and shows that when we engage it we can move mountains or push out a 10 lb baby without any drugs!!!!.
It’s a full moon tonight and the wind is still howling in Bermuda – it’s enough to drive anyone bunkers. So when I saw this quote it brought everything back into perspective for me.
We have had a few periods of sunshine today reminding me that it is there light even on the darkest days but then the clouds roll back in blocking out the light, plunging us into darkness followed closely behind by the heavens opening to release torrential downpours – making us all stop in our tracks to question whether what we were going to do is still necessary. Making us take a breather from rushing around to decide whether we were going to do something because it was easy and once the weather changed it became more of a challenge – forcing us to decide if we could do without that one action.
And that’s the same thing that happens to us when things go wrong. It’s not because we have failed at all but more because things go wrong to force us to stop and question whether we were moving in a direction that is good for our souls. Forcing us to decide whether we need to change direction to make things right again. And often times these detours put us on track for the outcome we were seeking in the first place but in a much more enlightened way.
Okay so now I’m going to drag myself back to writing, the sun is out again for the minute, giving me inspiration to write again; without feeling bogged down by the darkness.
PS Happy Birthday Brodie, a whopping 10 lb baby who came into this world two years ago pushed out by his Amazon mother without an epidural showing us all that often in life the things that go wrong ( a 10 lb baby trying to come out of his mother – I can only imagine her pain) lead to the things that go right ( a healthy baby boy thriving and flourishing). The power of the mind is totally unbelievable and shows that when we engage it we can move mountains or push out a 10 lb baby without any drugs!!!!.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Let go to be in the flow
I am definitely restless this week as you can tell from my writings. Too many demands and pressure on myself – self inflicted of course – isn’t that always the way? Trying to be too many things to too many people and losing myself in the process.
I was wide wake at 4.30 this morning thinking about all the what ifs, listening to the howling wind, wondering when the wind was going to stop thinking it would help stop all the noise in my head. Again looking for external reasons for why I am feeling so uncertain at the moment instead of accepting that I need to face my own demons if I want to progress. Procrastinating is my middle name and I need to shake it.
I got up at 5.30 because I couldn’t lie in the bed anymore. I went into the family room and stood at the door for a while watching the trees swaying, bending, and in some cases almost toppling over in the wind. I thought about the Earthquakes in Oklahoma, the Cyclone that is approaching Alaska, the fact that we are on Tropical Storm watch and thought wow, there is a lot going on in this world – a lot of unrest, governments are being toppled, protestors are protesting Wall Street, so much anxiety. So much stress. Everyone and Everything seems to be trying to find a place in society.
To quiet the noise and apprehension, I meditated for ten minutes and came out still feeling uneasy. What is going on I thought? Then I turned my computer and read the quote from Tao Te Ching, “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.” I inhaled because this message was being sent to me to let me know that I have to let go in order to be in the flow.
Mantra for today, “Let go to be in the flow.”
I was wide wake at 4.30 this morning thinking about all the what ifs, listening to the howling wind, wondering when the wind was going to stop thinking it would help stop all the noise in my head. Again looking for external reasons for why I am feeling so uncertain at the moment instead of accepting that I need to face my own demons if I want to progress. Procrastinating is my middle name and I need to shake it.
I got up at 5.30 because I couldn’t lie in the bed anymore. I went into the family room and stood at the door for a while watching the trees swaying, bending, and in some cases almost toppling over in the wind. I thought about the Earthquakes in Oklahoma, the Cyclone that is approaching Alaska, the fact that we are on Tropical Storm watch and thought wow, there is a lot going on in this world – a lot of unrest, governments are being toppled, protestors are protesting Wall Street, so much anxiety. So much stress. Everyone and Everything seems to be trying to find a place in society.
To quiet the noise and apprehension, I meditated for ten minutes and came out still feeling uneasy. What is going on I thought? Then I turned my computer and read the quote from Tao Te Ching, “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.” I inhaled because this message was being sent to me to let me know that I have to let go in order to be in the flow.
Mantra for today, “Let go to be in the flow.”
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Swimming against the tide
If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you always got,” Doug Kaufman
Inspiration for today.
I laughed when I first read this because it occurred to me just how true this simple statement is. Then I wondered why I can’t always see the truth in it. How often do we feel like we are swimming backwards, paddling our arms as fast as we can but end up going nowhere fast. Leaving us exhausted, depleted, bitter.
This quote made me realise we can complain all we want about where we are and what we are doing but unless we change either our outlook on or direction to where we are and what we are doing, the only person we can blame is ourselves.
Take a deep breath today and allow yourself to go to a quiet space in your head, close your eyes and allow what you’ve always wanted to come to the forefront. Hold on to the image and whisper to the universe, “I am ready for this next chapter in my life.” And see what that feels like. I am saying this as much for you today as I am for myself. There is a cosmic shift going on right now and it’s up to all of us to embrace who we truly are and what we want to be.
Short and sweet today as I’ve got to write today for my writing challenge but when I saw this quote it made me want to touch base with everyone to say, if you’re sick of what you’ve always got it’s up to you to change what you’ve always done – simple but so hard to do.
Think about it, it’s not rocket science, if you always do what you’ve always done, isn’t it true that you will always get what you always got.” It’s up to all of us to claim what’s ours and go for it.
Inspiration for today.
I laughed when I first read this because it occurred to me just how true this simple statement is. Then I wondered why I can’t always see the truth in it. How often do we feel like we are swimming backwards, paddling our arms as fast as we can but end up going nowhere fast. Leaving us exhausted, depleted, bitter.
This quote made me realise we can complain all we want about where we are and what we are doing but unless we change either our outlook on or direction to where we are and what we are doing, the only person we can blame is ourselves.
Take a deep breath today and allow yourself to go to a quiet space in your head, close your eyes and allow what you’ve always wanted to come to the forefront. Hold on to the image and whisper to the universe, “I am ready for this next chapter in my life.” And see what that feels like. I am saying this as much for you today as I am for myself. There is a cosmic shift going on right now and it’s up to all of us to embrace who we truly are and what we want to be.
Short and sweet today as I’ve got to write today for my writing challenge but when I saw this quote it made me want to touch base with everyone to say, if you’re sick of what you’ve always got it’s up to you to change what you’ve always done – simple but so hard to do.
Think about it, it’s not rocket science, if you always do what you’ve always done, isn’t it true that you will always get what you always got.” It’s up to all of us to claim what’s ours and go for it.
Monday, 7 November 2011
Trust revisited
“Somewhere in between the ‘no longer’ and ‘not yet’ is trust.” Temple Hayes
This is my mantra for today. I have to trust myself and my instincts to make decisions that resonate with me. I can’t live my life for others because in the process I will lose me. And if that happens, I will not be good for anyone let alone myself.
In the process of making decisions, we all have to reconcile that once we move away from something, close the door on it, we are immediately thrust into the ‘no longer’ stage followed closely behind by the ‘not yet’ stage. The ‘not yet’ phase takes much longer and it is this window that challenges us the most because we are forced to learn patience, learn the lesson(s) as to why we are no longer in that space, and we must delve deep into who we really are and what we want next.
I woke up this morning feeling just as windy and stormy as the weather outside. After dropping my children off I drove slowly back home thinking about what it is I need to release today. I then drove into my driveway – a driveway I love because I always think I am in an Enchanted World when I turn into my gates. Turning into my gates always fills me with wonder. It always startles me how I can turn off a busy main road into an oasis of tranquillity and peace as I am embraced by a tree lined driveway, with birds chirping, and flowers blooming.
Today I couldn’t help but noticing how beaten everything looked, whipped from the wind but still standing bending and flexing. Some leaves were burnt while others lay brown and dead on the ground. The vivid green I am used to seeing was duller because everything is fighting to stay alive. To weather the storm. My serene setting had been changed in a couple of days as a result of the stormy weather but the trees are still standing buffeting themselves from the whipping winds knowing this weather will pass and all they need to do is bear it the best way they can and have the patience and wherewithal to weather the storm. Knowing their beauty will return stronger than before. And for this knowingness I am truly grateful.
And I will hold near to my heart today the lesson once again presented to me in its simplest form by nature affirming Temple Hayes quote, “Somewhere in between the ‘no longer’ and ‘not yet’ is trust.”
This is my mantra for today. I have to trust myself and my instincts to make decisions that resonate with me. I can’t live my life for others because in the process I will lose me. And if that happens, I will not be good for anyone let alone myself.
In the process of making decisions, we all have to reconcile that once we move away from something, close the door on it, we are immediately thrust into the ‘no longer’ stage followed closely behind by the ‘not yet’ stage. The ‘not yet’ phase takes much longer and it is this window that challenges us the most because we are forced to learn patience, learn the lesson(s) as to why we are no longer in that space, and we must delve deep into who we really are and what we want next.
I woke up this morning feeling just as windy and stormy as the weather outside. After dropping my children off I drove slowly back home thinking about what it is I need to release today. I then drove into my driveway – a driveway I love because I always think I am in an Enchanted World when I turn into my gates. Turning into my gates always fills me with wonder. It always startles me how I can turn off a busy main road into an oasis of tranquillity and peace as I am embraced by a tree lined driveway, with birds chirping, and flowers blooming.
Today I couldn’t help but noticing how beaten everything looked, whipped from the wind but still standing bending and flexing. Some leaves were burnt while others lay brown and dead on the ground. The vivid green I am used to seeing was duller because everything is fighting to stay alive. To weather the storm. My serene setting had been changed in a couple of days as a result of the stormy weather but the trees are still standing buffeting themselves from the whipping winds knowing this weather will pass and all they need to do is bear it the best way they can and have the patience and wherewithal to weather the storm. Knowing their beauty will return stronger than before. And for this knowingness I am truly grateful.
And I will hold near to my heart today the lesson once again presented to me in its simplest form by nature affirming Temple Hayes quote, “Somewhere in between the ‘no longer’ and ‘not yet’ is trust.”
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy
Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. We are experts at sabotaging our own abundance, happiness and welfare. I woke up with this thought in my mind because I have been listening to so many people, myself included, saying that life is so unfair right now. There is so much anxiety, unrest and general feelings of animosity everywhere.
No matter where you are in the world right now we are being bombarded by bad news, war, violence, gossip and it is all contributing to that negative vibe of fear. Fear ultimately leads us to second guess everything we do and holds us rigid in the place we are because though we are suffering in that place, we know that place and are comfortable so we become too afraid to step outside that place and find whatever it is that will genuinely make us happy.
I had a conversation with a friend of mine the other day and somehow we got around to the topic of why some people are luckier than others when an epiphany hit me and I realised with great clarity that there are no lucky people in this world. There are people who follow their dream full heartedly and believe totally in themselves that doors open for them. And then there are people who believe they have no luck, carry dark thoughts around with them about their lack and as a result they never achieve anything no matter how hard they think they are trying.
In order to move out of our sabotaging ways, we have to repeat positive affirmations and get into the habit of thinking positive thoughts. Right now it is so difficult because our world right now is in a perpetual state of fear. What’s so amazing is that each one of us as individuals can help to shift the negative energy by acknowledging the dark thoughts that enter our minds then we can use positive thoughts to replace them. I’m going to try this today and see just how much I can change my outlook.
I also posted on my Facebook wall the twelve inspiring quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh posted by the O magazine under the title, Simplify Your Life. There is one in particular that resonated with my thought process and it says, “People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”
Belief in ourselves, our ability, and our power is what we need to free ourselves from suffering. As Thich Nhat Hanh also says, “Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice... No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out.”
In other words, the way we chose to live our lives lies in how we believe in ourselves, treat ourselves and others. Simple but powerfully true.
Happy Sunday on this blustery wintery and dark day in Bermuda but today it’s beautiful for me and just what I need – the power of positive thinking, I love it!
No matter where you are in the world right now we are being bombarded by bad news, war, violence, gossip and it is all contributing to that negative vibe of fear. Fear ultimately leads us to second guess everything we do and holds us rigid in the place we are because though we are suffering in that place, we know that place and are comfortable so we become too afraid to step outside that place and find whatever it is that will genuinely make us happy.
I had a conversation with a friend of mine the other day and somehow we got around to the topic of why some people are luckier than others when an epiphany hit me and I realised with great clarity that there are no lucky people in this world. There are people who follow their dream full heartedly and believe totally in themselves that doors open for them. And then there are people who believe they have no luck, carry dark thoughts around with them about their lack and as a result they never achieve anything no matter how hard they think they are trying.
In order to move out of our sabotaging ways, we have to repeat positive affirmations and get into the habit of thinking positive thoughts. Right now it is so difficult because our world right now is in a perpetual state of fear. What’s so amazing is that each one of us as individuals can help to shift the negative energy by acknowledging the dark thoughts that enter our minds then we can use positive thoughts to replace them. I’m going to try this today and see just how much I can change my outlook.
I also posted on my Facebook wall the twelve inspiring quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh posted by the O magazine under the title, Simplify Your Life. There is one in particular that resonated with my thought process and it says, “People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”
Belief in ourselves, our ability, and our power is what we need to free ourselves from suffering. As Thich Nhat Hanh also says, “Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice... No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out.”
In other words, the way we chose to live our lives lies in how we believe in ourselves, treat ourselves and others. Simple but powerfully true.
Happy Sunday on this blustery wintery and dark day in Bermuda but today it’s beautiful for me and just what I need – the power of positive thinking, I love it!
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Doing the best I can
Okay everyone. It’s crazy Saturday. The day I wake up in the morning with my head spinning – thinking of the number of activity drop offs I have to do for the children.
I start checking off the list - okay where do I fit in doing the laundry, getting the groceries, making sure the children are at their activities. Then on top of this I have this challenge to do so what am I doing instead – procrastinating. Doing nothing because I’m so overwhelmed with everything I have to do. Why do we do this to ourselves??
Why do we make life so complicated? I feel just like the weather outside today – moody as can be. One minute it’s so dark outside, I have to turn the lights on. Next minutes it’s beautiful sunshine and clear blue skies then I have to turn the lights off. Flicking in and out of darkness and light. That’s me to a tee- flicking between joy and panic!!!
Okay so I am looking for inspiration when I should be getting my daughter ready for horse riding but I need some time for me as well to get me on the right track and feel like I can accomplish something today too. I can’t stand still today because I’ve got too much going on. So I have to just go with the flow and steal moments when I can to get back inside my character's head today. I’m going to take my lap top with me everywhere today making my overstuffed large mummy bag even heavier than it normally is.
My son is brooding because he is being challenged at school and doesn’t know where to put himself either. There seems to be a thunder cloud hanging over my world today. I need to change my energy today so that the energy around me can change as well. Taking a deep breath and just getting on with it is what I have to do.
I’m trying. My mantra today, I’m doing the best I can.
I start checking off the list - okay where do I fit in doing the laundry, getting the groceries, making sure the children are at their activities. Then on top of this I have this challenge to do so what am I doing instead – procrastinating. Doing nothing because I’m so overwhelmed with everything I have to do. Why do we do this to ourselves??
Why do we make life so complicated? I feel just like the weather outside today – moody as can be. One minute it’s so dark outside, I have to turn the lights on. Next minutes it’s beautiful sunshine and clear blue skies then I have to turn the lights off. Flicking in and out of darkness and light. That’s me to a tee- flicking between joy and panic!!!
Okay so I am looking for inspiration when I should be getting my daughter ready for horse riding but I need some time for me as well to get me on the right track and feel like I can accomplish something today too. I can’t stand still today because I’ve got too much going on. So I have to just go with the flow and steal moments when I can to get back inside my character's head today. I’m going to take my lap top with me everywhere today making my overstuffed large mummy bag even heavier than it normally is.
My son is brooding because he is being challenged at school and doesn’t know where to put himself either. There seems to be a thunder cloud hanging over my world today. I need to change my energy today so that the energy around me can change as well. Taking a deep breath and just getting on with it is what I have to do.
I’m trying. My mantra today, I’m doing the best I can.
Friday, 4 November 2011
On the Write Track
I woke up this morning feeling so inspired so uplifted and ready to take this writing challenge on - head on.
I feel like I have angels by my side guiding me encouraging me, leading me on.
I read a bit of my novel to my husband this morning and he loved it and all I was doing was writing. Not thinking about it. Letting the main character speak to me and develop as she saw fit. A lesson to me about life, my husband, my children and the people I encounter. Life is all about letting people develop and become who they are meant to be without us putting our expectations on them. Just like with writing once we allow expectations in, everything stalls and it becomes that much more difficult to move on.
After I read to my husband, I began to feel so good about my writing that I started thinking too much about the outcome. I am now at a particularly difficult part of my novel because I want the character to do one thing but I can feel that’s not where she wants to go because my writing has become less fluid than it was. So I decided to take a break, check my emails and breathe.
The first email I opened was from the Hay House called, ‘Your Writing Life’ and it is the Premiere Edition. Your Writing Life is described on the site as “a quarterly newsletter for all who have a passion for writing, speaking and taking your book, your product and your business to the next level”. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing or reading! The synchronicities of life never cease to amaze me.
The guest author was Dr. Wayne Dyer. When I read his column, I instantly knew I was being delivered a message from one of my angels. Dr. Dyer’s message was all about how people can get their message out there by writing and he said, “”...it all hinges on what Abraham Maslow taught me many years ago when I was a young doctoral student. He told me to put forth what I wanted, my work, my message, and then detach from the outcome.
“This is true for any life work because the work itself must be what is satisfying and fulfilling for you. Writing is challenging work because it's so easy to get consumed with how it's going, what's going to happen to it, who's going to like or not like it. You want to get all of that stuff out of your head and just let the work flow. If you incarnated to be a writer, if that is your passionate calling, then you'll be getting messages from Source, from Spirit, leading you in that direction.”
After reading and getting this message, I know more than ever that when we are truly on the right path, doors open unexpectedly. Angels and spirit guides pop out of the least likely places lending us a helping hand, guiding us to where we need to be. I am so open to the Universe right now and for this I am truly, truly grateful.
Thank you Dr. Dyer and the Hay House for being my angels today and for letting me know that if I want to meet this writing challenge I have to let go off the outcome and just let my writing flow. So off I go back to my novel...
I feel like I have angels by my side guiding me encouraging me, leading me on.
I read a bit of my novel to my husband this morning and he loved it and all I was doing was writing. Not thinking about it. Letting the main character speak to me and develop as she saw fit. A lesson to me about life, my husband, my children and the people I encounter. Life is all about letting people develop and become who they are meant to be without us putting our expectations on them. Just like with writing once we allow expectations in, everything stalls and it becomes that much more difficult to move on.
After I read to my husband, I began to feel so good about my writing that I started thinking too much about the outcome. I am now at a particularly difficult part of my novel because I want the character to do one thing but I can feel that’s not where she wants to go because my writing has become less fluid than it was. So I decided to take a break, check my emails and breathe.
The first email I opened was from the Hay House called, ‘Your Writing Life’ and it is the Premiere Edition. Your Writing Life is described on the site as “a quarterly newsletter for all who have a passion for writing, speaking and taking your book, your product and your business to the next level”. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing or reading! The synchronicities of life never cease to amaze me.
The guest author was Dr. Wayne Dyer. When I read his column, I instantly knew I was being delivered a message from one of my angels. Dr. Dyer’s message was all about how people can get their message out there by writing and he said, “”...it all hinges on what Abraham Maslow taught me many years ago when I was a young doctoral student. He told me to put forth what I wanted, my work, my message, and then detach from the outcome.
“This is true for any life work because the work itself must be what is satisfying and fulfilling for you. Writing is challenging work because it's so easy to get consumed with how it's going, what's going to happen to it, who's going to like or not like it. You want to get all of that stuff out of your head and just let the work flow. If you incarnated to be a writer, if that is your passionate calling, then you'll be getting messages from Source, from Spirit, leading you in that direction.”
After reading and getting this message, I know more than ever that when we are truly on the right path, doors open unexpectedly. Angels and spirit guides pop out of the least likely places lending us a helping hand, guiding us to where we need to be. I am so open to the Universe right now and for this I am truly, truly grateful.
Thank you Dr. Dyer and the Hay House for being my angels today and for letting me know that if I want to meet this writing challenge I have to let go off the outcome and just let my writing flow. So off I go back to my novel...
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Ego get out of my way
Okay so I’m running out of steam for my writing contest and it’s only day 3.
Ego is eating away at me. I know I need to stay off Twitter because that’s where the chatter is for the writing competition. People have written as much as 10,000 words and I thought I was doing well at 6000 so of course I start thinking I’m not good enough and that I can’t make it. My character is taking too long to develop. I can’t figure out where to take her from where she is now. She’s in a rot and so am I.
Thanks to all of you yesterday who expressed your support. One of the reasons why I decided to put the fact that I have entered this competition out there in the public domain is because I wanted to challenge myself more to complete it. Knowing that all of you who follow me are waiting to see how I do is giving me more incentive to reach my goal but today because of insecurity creeping in, I am feeling a little bit of pressure now to see this through.
Last night my neck was hurting from sitting at the computer for so long. My hands were sore – carpal tunnel syndrome and I was feeling a little defeated when I walked into my son’s room for reading time. He asked, “What’s wrong mommy?””
I said, “Just feeling a bit challenged from this writing competition.”
He sweetly said, “Mommy if you want to go back to writing instead of reading with me, that’s fine. I want you to finish.”
My eyes welled up. I was so touched by his sentimentality. “No,” I answered. “This is our time and I don’t want to lose that. I’m done for today anyway, I think.”
Then my daughter walked in and said, “What’s the prize mommy?”
I said, “I don’t even know if there is a prize because I am doing it as a challenge to myself to prove to I can write a novel if I want.”
After reading to both my children, I was exhausted and decided I would call it a night from writing. I showered then came to turn off the computer so I thought. But ego came creeping back in and I couldn’t resist going back on to Twitter to see what the tweets were for the competition. The word count from people was all over the place – some were well over 10,000 words, others at 0 but which ones did I focus on? Of course I focused on the ones whose word counts were higher than mine rather than being grateful for being able to write 6000 words in two days.
I immediately opened my story and tried to write some more. Because I was trying too hard, my writing was forced and my character stalled. I was frustrated so I turned the computer off in exasperation and went to bed. This morning I decided to write this blog so I could vent my frustrations, push ego aside, deal with my insecurity head on by acknowledging it and give myself a pep talk to continue.
I’ve decided to go to Yoga this morning to find that quiet place in my head to refocus and reconnect with my main character so I can hear her voice again and then I’m going to lunch with one of my friends. Hopefully by then I will be back in the rhythm again of writing, without question, without expectation and most of all without ego.
I’m counting on you for your positive vibes everyone. Chat to you tomorrow and hopefully I’ll be in a better space and on a roll again...
Ego is eating away at me. I know I need to stay off Twitter because that’s where the chatter is for the writing competition. People have written as much as 10,000 words and I thought I was doing well at 6000 so of course I start thinking I’m not good enough and that I can’t make it. My character is taking too long to develop. I can’t figure out where to take her from where she is now. She’s in a rot and so am I.
Thanks to all of you yesterday who expressed your support. One of the reasons why I decided to put the fact that I have entered this competition out there in the public domain is because I wanted to challenge myself more to complete it. Knowing that all of you who follow me are waiting to see how I do is giving me more incentive to reach my goal but today because of insecurity creeping in, I am feeling a little bit of pressure now to see this through.
Last night my neck was hurting from sitting at the computer for so long. My hands were sore – carpal tunnel syndrome and I was feeling a little defeated when I walked into my son’s room for reading time. He asked, “What’s wrong mommy?””
I said, “Just feeling a bit challenged from this writing competition.”
He sweetly said, “Mommy if you want to go back to writing instead of reading with me, that’s fine. I want you to finish.”
My eyes welled up. I was so touched by his sentimentality. “No,” I answered. “This is our time and I don’t want to lose that. I’m done for today anyway, I think.”
Then my daughter walked in and said, “What’s the prize mommy?”
I said, “I don’t even know if there is a prize because I am doing it as a challenge to myself to prove to I can write a novel if I want.”
After reading to both my children, I was exhausted and decided I would call it a night from writing. I showered then came to turn off the computer so I thought. But ego came creeping back in and I couldn’t resist going back on to Twitter to see what the tweets were for the competition. The word count from people was all over the place – some were well over 10,000 words, others at 0 but which ones did I focus on? Of course I focused on the ones whose word counts were higher than mine rather than being grateful for being able to write 6000 words in two days.
I immediately opened my story and tried to write some more. Because I was trying too hard, my writing was forced and my character stalled. I was frustrated so I turned the computer off in exasperation and went to bed. This morning I decided to write this blog so I could vent my frustrations, push ego aside, deal with my insecurity head on by acknowledging it and give myself a pep talk to continue.
I’ve decided to go to Yoga this morning to find that quiet place in my head to refocus and reconnect with my main character so I can hear her voice again and then I’m going to lunch with one of my friends. Hopefully by then I will be back in the rhythm again of writing, without question, without expectation and most of all without ego.
I’m counting on you for your positive vibes everyone. Chat to you tomorrow and hopefully I’ll be in a better space and on a roll again...
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
November Challenge to Myself
As many of you know I am at a major transition point in my life where I have to make some serious decisions about where I go next. I am nearly there and a lot of my direction has come from taking part in the Oprah LifeClass Webclass. Listening to the many people that have come on the class and shared their stories and having access to some of the best professionals to assist people via Oprah has been ground breaking for me.
My passion is and has always been to write. I was so afraid that if I did not pursue writing than I would have failed to reach my heart’s desire during this transition period. And I was really beating myself up about it. But one night when watching the show with Iyanla Vanzant and Oprah, what I realised is if writing is my true passion then I can do it whether I am working fulltime or not at all. I don’t have to abandon one to do the other. I was so relieved to know this because I had been procrastinating about moving forward with my life because I did not want to make the wrong decision.
I now know each decision that I make will help me to get to where I need to be and I feel I am on track for making a decision that will propel me to heights I hadn’t’ dreamed possible. This sabbatical has allowed me to explore so much about myself, life and people I encounter. It has taught me that as Martha Beck stated, “the difference between success and failure isn’t about fear but having the determination to pursue your heart’s desire no matter how scared you are.” And that’s why I have embarked on the National Writer’s Month Challenge for the month of November to write a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. Before I would have found every excuse not to do so because I would have been afraid that I was not good enough or that I was not capable of writing the novel but I am doing it and I am enjoying it. I have released all expectations for meeting the challenge and though I am afraid I may not complete it, I have to have the determination to try. If I don’t try I will never know whether I am capable.
So this month my blog may be spotty as I embark on this challenge. But I hope you understand this is something I need to do, to prove to myself that I am capable. I hope you will encourage and support me as I embark on this challenge.
I know this month I have to repeat positive affirmations over and over again to myself to keep me motivated to meet this challenge. And I hope you will use this month to challenge yourself to think positive as well and pursue something that resonates with your heart and soul.
Signing out now as I have to write 2000 words a day to meet my challenge. Wish me luck and send me positive vibes please.
My passion is and has always been to write. I was so afraid that if I did not pursue writing than I would have failed to reach my heart’s desire during this transition period. And I was really beating myself up about it. But one night when watching the show with Iyanla Vanzant and Oprah, what I realised is if writing is my true passion then I can do it whether I am working fulltime or not at all. I don’t have to abandon one to do the other. I was so relieved to know this because I had been procrastinating about moving forward with my life because I did not want to make the wrong decision.
I now know each decision that I make will help me to get to where I need to be and I feel I am on track for making a decision that will propel me to heights I hadn’t’ dreamed possible. This sabbatical has allowed me to explore so much about myself, life and people I encounter. It has taught me that as Martha Beck stated, “the difference between success and failure isn’t about fear but having the determination to pursue your heart’s desire no matter how scared you are.” And that’s why I have embarked on the National Writer’s Month Challenge for the month of November to write a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. Before I would have found every excuse not to do so because I would have been afraid that I was not good enough or that I was not capable of writing the novel but I am doing it and I am enjoying it. I have released all expectations for meeting the challenge and though I am afraid I may not complete it, I have to have the determination to try. If I don’t try I will never know whether I am capable.
So this month my blog may be spotty as I embark on this challenge. But I hope you understand this is something I need to do, to prove to myself that I am capable. I hope you will encourage and support me as I embark on this challenge.
I know this month I have to repeat positive affirmations over and over again to myself to keep me motivated to meet this challenge. And I hope you will use this month to challenge yourself to think positive as well and pursue something that resonates with your heart and soul.
Signing out now as I have to write 2000 words a day to meet my challenge. Wish me luck and send me positive vibes please.
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Oh what a night
What a wet and fun night we had last night for Halloween. There were puddles everywhere and the rain was bucketing down. All of us parents wanted to head back indoors but the children were all screaming for more.
We went back to my Aunt’s house to try to dry off but the children were restless and wanted to go back out again. When we looked around at the sad faces – at least twenty of them peering back at us, my cousin and I relented and piled as many as we could into the car and took them around the neighbourhood to continue trick or treating. The squeals of delight were enough to make the coldest heart melt as we drove out of the yard to start the fun again.
We stopped at several houses and they all piled out shouting treat or trick. The mood was ebullient. The homeowners grateful to be giving out their candy so they wouldn’t have to eat it. And then the suspense began to mount the closer we got to the Haunted House. Dares were being taken as to who would venture in this year.
Despite the rain the children decided they would walk the last few houses before they got to the Haunted House – my guess was because they were trying to delay getting there. As soon as we were in front of the House, they all piled back into the car peering wide eyed at the house, no one daring to move. Then two of the older children got out and went into the House rushing back out full of wonder and fear.
I turned to my cousin and said, “Let’s go in and get our fright for the night.”
Her eyes grew wide, “Are you serious?” she asked.
“Yes, let’s go,” I dared.
“Who will take care of the children?”She asked trying to find an excuse not to go. But there were two cars in our group so I said, “Let’s get the others to look after the children so we can go in.””
We did and they agreed. My daughter heard I was going in so she insisted that she wait on the other side of the Haunted House for me to come out. This year it was much bigger than last. Each year it gets larger. Cars were parked all along the street as people come from near and far to go into the Haunted House. Anticipation hung in the air as people of all ages came out screaming, laughing or wild eye.
I couldn’t disappoint my daughter as she stood in the pouring rain waiting for me to go in and come back out again. So in we went.
We walked into the House, down a long narrow corridor and when we turned the corner, the terror began as I screamed and swung my arms to stop anything from getting near. I won’t spoil the fun of the Haunted House by giving you all the gory details but suffice to say it was scarier and better than the year before and well worth venturing in.
I came out the other end with my cousin draped around my back, screaming and laughing at the same time to the sheer delight and relief of my daughter and her cousin.
“Did you hear us scream mommy!”She yelled. “We heard a loud thump and we screamed because we were scared something happened to you.””
“We were screaming so much that we couldn’t hear anybody else but us,” I answered between laughter. And did I ever feel proud of doing something I would not normally do and you know what it wasn’t that bad.
And so there ends another Halloween night, no egging, no trouble, just good old fashion fun. Until next year.
We went back to my Aunt’s house to try to dry off but the children were restless and wanted to go back out again. When we looked around at the sad faces – at least twenty of them peering back at us, my cousin and I relented and piled as many as we could into the car and took them around the neighbourhood to continue trick or treating. The squeals of delight were enough to make the coldest heart melt as we drove out of the yard to start the fun again.
We stopped at several houses and they all piled out shouting treat or trick. The mood was ebullient. The homeowners grateful to be giving out their candy so they wouldn’t have to eat it. And then the suspense began to mount the closer we got to the Haunted House. Dares were being taken as to who would venture in this year.
Despite the rain the children decided they would walk the last few houses before they got to the Haunted House – my guess was because they were trying to delay getting there. As soon as we were in front of the House, they all piled back into the car peering wide eyed at the house, no one daring to move. Then two of the older children got out and went into the House rushing back out full of wonder and fear.
I turned to my cousin and said, “Let’s go in and get our fright for the night.”
Her eyes grew wide, “Are you serious?” she asked.
“Yes, let’s go,” I dared.
“Who will take care of the children?”She asked trying to find an excuse not to go. But there were two cars in our group so I said, “Let’s get the others to look after the children so we can go in.””
We did and they agreed. My daughter heard I was going in so she insisted that she wait on the other side of the Haunted House for me to come out. This year it was much bigger than last. Each year it gets larger. Cars were parked all along the street as people come from near and far to go into the Haunted House. Anticipation hung in the air as people of all ages came out screaming, laughing or wild eye.
I couldn’t disappoint my daughter as she stood in the pouring rain waiting for me to go in and come back out again. So in we went.
We walked into the House, down a long narrow corridor and when we turned the corner, the terror began as I screamed and swung my arms to stop anything from getting near. I won’t spoil the fun of the Haunted House by giving you all the gory details but suffice to say it was scarier and better than the year before and well worth venturing in.
I came out the other end with my cousin draped around my back, screaming and laughing at the same time to the sheer delight and relief of my daughter and her cousin.
“Did you hear us scream mommy!”She yelled. “We heard a loud thump and we screamed because we were scared something happened to you.””
“We were screaming so much that we couldn’t hear anybody else but us,” I answered between laughter. And did I ever feel proud of doing something I would not normally do and you know what it wasn’t that bad.
And so there ends another Halloween night, no egging, no trouble, just good old fashion fun. Until next year.
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