Addicted to Busy

I often have conversations about how little good comes from being distracted. When I step back to look at my busy life, I see a struggle to focus my attention and balance my life. 
I am fatigued, and a perfect example to back up recent research showing creativity diminishes when you are constantly busy. 

Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin reported in 2014, from extensive study, that daydreaming is important to support creative problem solving. Effective focused linear thinking diminishes with busyness. Boredom and idle time is necessary for balance and to create true inventiveness.

In a time where we are processing exponentially more information than we were 10 or 20 years ago, it is vital to take time for our brain to reset. Creative thinking lives in our brain’s default network. If we never give ourselves downtime, we do not allow time and space for ideas to flow freely. We have forgotten that quiet reflection brings about creative association. We have a tendency to force ideas and rush process and it is damaging our creative problem solving. In our need to get things done we are undermining our productivity.

We literaly change our neural pathways by constantly ‘doing’ to distract and avoid down time. We need the ‘do nothing’ time for our brain to rest and process.

On a leisurely walk in Budapest, Nikola Tesla visualized rotating magnetic fields.  Albert Einstein enjoyed listening to Mozart on breaks from his intense thinking. 

Make a commitment to create space for doing nothing, meditating, being bored or sitting around. We tend to reach for our phone or find something to distract, because we have trained ourselves to be busy. Most of us find ourselves anxious and irritable when we have no stimulus. We are creating anxiety about the very thing that could be balancing us.

We have too much information and not enough time to process. We suffer from a need not to miss out in anything. Think about the things you feel compelled to do or be a part of that, if you didn’t know about them, your life would not be less. In fact it may be less stress, less anxiety, less pressure, less overwhelm.

Take time to just be: to walk in nature, meditate, sit in the backyard, play a game with a child, sing songs or doodle on paper. If you find yourself waiting for an appointment or a friend: people watch, daydream, count ceiling tiles or follow the pattern in a carpet. Don’t be afraid to do nothing and let yourself be bored, knowing you are heightening your creativity and innovative thinking.

The Ancient Forgiveness Ritual HOʻOPONOPONO

HOʻOPONOPONO is an ancient Hawaiian practice for forgiveness, historically performed by priests called Kahuna. Anyone can benefit from this ritual. Creating a meditative, healing atmosphere adds to the ritual, light a candle or a salt lamp, burn incense or infuse essential oils. Start to list down the names of the people you have issues forgiving or that may need to forgive you.

When life is overwhelming and you find your self easily irritated include even those people who have remotely bothered you. If you have a conflict or altercation use this ritual to decompress the high emotions from the experience and let go of the place in your mind where resentment may build. It can be used for a single situation or with a list of resentments.

Ho’oponopono is a tool for atonement, for correcting errors, erasing the effects of past actions and memories that cause havoc and grief in our lives, the lives of others and on mother nature as a whole. The practice is meant to change your inner most emotional state to change perception from negativity to allow positive energy to flow in.

In the formal Hawaiian ceremony you would include all the people whom you have hurt across lifetimes. It repairs relationships for the highest good. We often find it difficult to forgive people who have hurt us and it is human nature to practice blame and justification. It is important to release anger, resentment, hurt and blame to find inner balance.

Obviously you will not know the names of the people you have hurt or who have hurt you in you in other lifetimes. So, just mention it as “everyone I have hurt across all directions of time.” and “everyone who has hurt me across all directions of time.”

Now begin the process and go through each of the names, mentally hold an image of the person in your mind and say.

‘HOʻOPONOPONO (name of person),

I am sorry, Please forgive me, I love you, Thank you

do this 2 – 3 times with each person and each time you say thank you, exhale through your mouth to release any negative attachment to that person and the resentment you had towards the person

All misunderstandings can be cleared with this ritual. HOʻOPONOPONO sends a message to the souls of the people, that all resentments are forgiven and let go of for the greater good.  This healing is taking place at a spiritually energetic level and is about letting go of the emotional attachment in our mind by working at a soul level.

Finish the process with an interaction with a power greater than yourself:

Dear Giver, Souce of Life…Use whatever term is meaningful to you and your spirituality; Giver Of Life, Creator, Universe, God, Spirit, Gaia, or anything that identifies a higher power of your understanding.

This is the acknowledgment of a power greater than ourselves who gives unconditional love and whose hands we can put our resentments into to a have them taken from us and cleared. 

Addressing a power greater than ourselves is fundamental to this process, since only something more divine and of pure unconditional love can fix the mess that we (and our ancestors) have created. 

I AM SORRY

• This statement opens the door to atonement.  Recognize, without judgement, any negative manifestation you experience or witness to create opportunity for healing. 
• Higher power does not require our apology because as this spiritual energy is without human emotion, but the vibration of our own energy that we use to communicate with the universe changes when we say we are sorry. 
• The apology is an acknowledgement that we are sorry for whatever it is that we (or our ancestors before us) have done to cause adverse circumstance to take place.
• There is no guilt or shame attached to this simple acknowledgement.
• We are not giving permission for wrong done to us to go without addressing. We are letting go of the perceived responsibility we need to address it or hold on to its negativity to ensure justice. 
• We say sorry to let go and accept the universe will set it right.

PLEASE FORGIVE ME

• Ask forgiveness for having forgotten how much our higher power loves us.
• Ask forgiveness for having shut out unconditional love and willingness. Fear often drives the need to be willful and we can ask to be absolved for mistakenly asserting the need for perceived control.
  
• Ask forgiveness for any harm we have done to others and ourselves.
• Do this with the faith that we have already been understood and forgiven, we just needed to complete the process by asking.  The Creator is Spirit and Unconditional Love, without human characteristics like that include emotions like anger, resentment and all other ego related behaviours. It is our humanity that blocks us from feeling the unconditional love that is without shame and guilt. This process connects us to an energy that will allow us to forgive ourselves.
  

I LOVE YOU

• Love is the energy of creation and of healing.  Sending out the universal energy of love will allow this energy to be returned through you to bring peace and well being.
• Source, Spirit, the Creator, does not need your love, but the very act of thinking loving thoughts will tune your mind to that frequency with remarkable power and fill you with a positivity that generates more of the same good energies.
• Fulfillment is found in becoming unconditional in giving and receiving love.
   

THANK YOU

• Saying thank you is the acknowledgement that your desire for  greater good has been heard.
• Exhale remaining animosities and breathe in gratitude as you acknowledge the  power of changing energies and perception within this process.
• Be thankful for the opportunity to learn and change.

 

The moment you take responsibility for your resentment, challenge or concern, and seek healing you will experience change. The response may not be immediately apparent or what you expect, but it will be what you need to start the process of healing and reconstruction. Trust it is happening inside you to bring resolution, and the reward will be worth your patience.

 

“If we can accept that we are the sum total of all past thoughts, emotions, words, deeds and actions and that our present lives and choices are colored or shaded by this memory bank of the past, then we begin to see how a process of correcting or setting aright can change our lives, our families and our society.” ~Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona

Your Ideal Life Cannot Find You When You Are Standing Still

Picture yourself standing on a plateau. It is not so high you can not jump down to continue, but beside you there are rocks that create natural steps to get back on the path. You stand there looking back and forth at the two options analyzing which way to go. You contemplate both options painstakingly while you stand in the baking hot sun with others fading into the distance as they continue on the path they may have jumped down to or taken the steps to continue on. I am illustrating those times when you want to take action to move towards your aims and life plans, but you can’t decide which mechanism is the right one. You wonder why others seem to get ahead with little effort while you worry and plan, so that your ideal expectations can be met.

This type of inaction can cause a sneaky paralysis in our life. The root cause comes down to fear.  We often have a fear of making the ‘wrong’ decision and the fear of making a mistake keeps us stuck or plateaued in the over thinking and analyzing. We get so caught up in avoiding  a perceived misstep, we are not moving forward or taking any action at all.

This is our only mistake. Any action can not be truly wrong because it keeps us moving and learning. Staying on the plateau with our fear and indecision keeps us from our aims and the creation of our life. Making a decision that unexpectedly takes us in a direction from where we intended, gives us an opportunity to learn and understand how that choice did not happen as we may have thought but it is not a failure; simply an opportunity to try something different.

We create attitudes and energies towards fear, feeding it with analysis and overthinking that does not serve us. Instead, taking action even if it ends up feeling like a mistake, can be accepted as moving forward on a journey of purpose and adjustment. The message to our inner self is much more empowering. There is no productivity in trying to predict how to adjust without ever taking the steps. As we become willing to to learn what adjustments need to take place as we are in motion, we remain open to possibilities we may not have seen in our over analysis when we were stuck.

It is time to create momentum by letting go of fear leading to the need to predict and control outcomes. As much as we try, it is not possible anyway, so jump from the plateau or take the steps. It doesn’t matter which you choose just keep taking action toward your ideal life, understanding it can only find you when you are in motion.

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What is REIKI?

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation, that also promotes healing. It is a form of Japanese Buddhist therapy involving manipulation of universal spiritual energy. ‘Re’ means ‘Universal’ and in this case is a term for an unseen spiritual quality, which serves as channel for ‘Ki.’ Ki is‘Life Force Energy’, some call it Source, Creation, God, Buddha, Chi, Qi, Prana, Love Energy, or similar. It stems from the idea that everything in the universe is made up from energy particulars. Science has proven that each cell in our bodies gives off small electromagnetic radio waves, almost imperceptible to all but the most sensitive of equipment. When this energy or life force is out of balance or blocked we become susceptible to emotional and physical health problems. The body is a complicated system of functioning parts each generating a frequency and a continually changing energy field. Reiki works in conjunction with these energy fields.

Reiki is a specific type of subtle, yet powerful energy work in which healing is performed by the touch of the hands and through intuitive connection of the practitioner with the source energy. Intention set by the practitioner works on a level that reaches natural states of being allowing deeper connection with creation and the flow of the universe. Source energy is also influenced by the power of thought and emotion. Reiki healing promotes a comfortable state of being and releases emotional and physical toxins. When we are relaxed and stress relieved, we are able to restore our natural ability to heal and to cope with life on life’s terms. This form of healing simplifies the complication we create energetically by bringing balance and clearing to the body’s spiritual energy centres.

Through the use of hand-positions, the practitioner is channeling pure energy through the body’s meridian lines that correspond to the seven major chakras on the body. Reiki is meant to encourage a state of deep relaxation, combined with a general feeling of well-being. Reiki treatment stimulates the body’s natural healing processes both physically and emotionally. The practice treats the person as a whole; body, mind and spirit, creating many beneficial effects that include feelings of serenity and fulfillment.

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WINTER SOLSTICE: Shine Your Light In The Longest Night

Winter solstice, falling this year on Sunday, Dec. 21, marks the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Specifically, at 6:03 p.m. eastern standard time, when the Northern Hemisphere is pointed at its furthest distance from the sun. This means we experience the longest night and the shortest day of the year.

Since neolithic times winter solstice has been celebrated as a sacred time of renewal and rebirth. Winter Solstice is honoured as nature’s physical equivalent of a spiritual awakening. It is a time to find our own enlightenment.

Take time today to reflect upon and embrace all that is best in your inner most nature. Take time as well, to look into your shadows and fears, understanding awareness can allow for healing and change. Nothing is more powerful than compassion and love, find this for yourself and become renewed in it. Like the sun, the light of awareness, acceptance and love will overcome any darkness. Follow nature’s path to shift into a new empowered mindfulness.

Trust the possibilities that come in life lessons and find gratitude in challenges and hardship. The Winter Solstice marks this  journey we all have the opportunity to take, to live consciously,  accepting everything is as it is mean to be. Let go of anything that limits you and be reminded this present moment is all that has significance.

The word solstice is derived from the Latin word solstitium: sol meaning sun and stitium meaning stoppage. One ancient definition of solstice is “standing still sun.”

Take time today for stillness to consciously let go of times where there was fear the light in you life would not return. Embrace knowing the light is always there we just have to trust beyond the darkness. Listen for that inner wisdom that exists within us and surrounds us when we quiet our thought and doubt, to let our truth be revealed. Use this symbolic time to find the faith that you can feel your way through the longest, darkest times.

I wish you a winter solstice that is magical, contemplative and rich with renewal.

6 THOUGHTS ON MEDITATION

Meditation is the simple act of learning to take time to breathe, connect and quiet reaction to thought and emotion. The more you carry meditation practice into your everyday life, the more naturally you will align your mind body and spirit and tune into your authentic inner self.

Enlightenment: Some ideas about enlightenment involve a misconception of psychic phenomenon. Enlightenment simply means that you becoming quiet and open to let the truth enter into you. It is about setting aside the voice of ego to allow authentic thoughts and ideas to enter. It is like emptying the mind of busy, purposeless thoughts to make room for beautiful, meaningful thoughts.

Happiness: Many of us look to meditation when we are stressed, disconnected or unwell. The best enlightenment can be experienced when we are full of happiness. Meditating in joyful and contented times builds energy to assist in challenging times. Connection can be deepened more purposefully from a place of harmony.

Intelligence: We are often filled up with too much information and opinion. This can become our perception of intelligence. This perception can be an obstacle in the meditation experience. The peace and light of meditation can easily enter into the consciousness of someone open to learning. An educated person or someone who feels they are all-knowing can build walls of information that disallow open-mindedness. Avoid allowing your perception of what you feel you know block the flow of wisdom that meditation can allow.

Breathing: Pattern of breathing plays a very important role in meditation. Simply finding a comfortable and natural inhale-hold-exhale, you will bring grounding and relaxation. Focusing intently at first on breathing and redirecting your mind to breath if distraction enters keeps maintains a desirable state. Use breath and visualization to let go of thought and emotion. Inhale slowly and intentionally, hold with consciousness in the moment and exhale tension and thought, feeling the spread of relaxation. Experiment with a variety of breathing techniques.

Thoughts: Thought will come and emotions may surface. Learn to become the observer of your thoughts. Do not judge or analyze. Meditation is where we learn to acknowledge thought and emotion, then let go. We need to practice being neutral to the perception of our emotions, like happiness and sadness. Become conscious of them, like watching a recording, then witness as they are released.

Intention: Begin each meditation with an intention. Your intention will manifest your thoughts into reality. The intention may simply be to benefit from meditation and mindful practice. A meditation intention may be to relax, to clear thought and emotion or to find clarity to answer questions. Intention may be to release emotional stress or heal the body.

“MEDITATION IS A PILGRIMAGE TO OUR OWN CENTRE, TO OUR OWN HEART. IT IS A SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE AND PRACTICE WHERE WE FIND FAITH SIMPLICITY AND BECOME CHILDLIKE.”   ~John Main

Living In The Moment: what is mindfulness?

What is mindfulness?

The tendency is to allow the mind to wander through multiple thoughts that often become attached to emotion. As we indulge thoughts of the past or worry for the future we often reinforce emotions that cause suffering. The only moment we can truly experience is the present one and for most humans it is not an easy thing to do naturally. Practicing mindfulness allows a more natural and present existence. It is about quieting the mind and changing patterns to slowly move toward a more peaceful and purposeful existence. Mindfulness can be summed up as learning to pay attention on purpose to experience each moment in life without judgement.

For me mindfulness is

• Living with a focused awareness on the present moment.
• Finding serenity by acknowledging and accepting feelings, thoughts and physical sensations.
• Living presently in each situation without judging or analyzing.
• Simply being while experiencing life with every sense.
• Practice to find stillness and balance, aligning the mind, body and spirit.
• Learning to detach from anything that does not serve my spiritual growth without judging myself.

Mindfulness is moving to a place of accepting experiences of pleasure and discomfort equally without questioning. To me it is to become present in real time, moving through what I perceive as joyous, painful or simply indifferent and letting go to remain open to what is meant to come next. I feel this practice allows me to more easily find what serves me and gives me opportunity to be present and giving to those around me and to the universe as a whole. This makes the opposite true as well; living purposefully opens me to receiving all the world has to offer. I believe this kind of connectivity brings me back to my true self and opens understanding without the frustration of actively seeking it.

EMBRACE FAITH AND GRACE TO FIND YOUR IDEAL LIFE

Faith allows us to have trust as we take action guided by our connection with the higher power of our understanding. To me faith is a belief that everything happens for a reason and in its own timing. We can have deep faith without even really understanding what that higher power is. We can simply accept that there is something greater than ourselves that we are learning to believe in as our understanding grows. Living consciously with hope instead of fear, allows us to remain open to the deeper meaning in the lessons our higher power puts in front of us. Faith requires hope and courage. Sometimes, despite our anxiety and apprehension to live in faith rather than fear, there is opportunity brought to us to identify with others. Sharing these fears and listening, with an open mind, to the experience of others who have realized faith allows our own understanding to evolve. Within this evolution our faith can be strengthened and our natural purpose lived. A genuine connection with others reinforces humanity and lifts us to a deeper connection with one another, the world and a power greater than ourselves. We create a place in our lives where the grace of this connection can be found.

Grace is not easily defined. It is the kindness and favour of the universe that gives to us what we deserve simply because we exist. We exist as part of the universe and that which creates the energy that is the universal power greater than ourselves. Connecting to ourselves and humanity in a negative perspective moves us from grace, becoming open to serving our true self attracts grace into our lives.

There are some things we can’t do about grace. We can’t earn it. We can’t control it. We don’t have to deserve it.

If grace is out of our hands, so to speak, how do we engage in the spiritual practice of grace? Accept that you are accepted. Practice receiving. Receive objects, love, help and allow your needs to be met. Notice when physical presents and mindful presence come to you without your effort. Live mindfully and gratefully with the humility that limitless exists for each of us.

Grace confuses certain very natural human tendencies. We want to believe we are in control. We assume there are specific moves we can take to ensure that we are rewarded. We expect gifts to be doled out according to some recognizable plan.

But grace does not work that way. Instead, it teaches us to let go and let things unfold naturally. Not only are we not in charge, we don’t have to be. We just need to stay open to receiving what is divinely meant for us.

Becoming truly receptive requires that we give up shame self doubt and undermining. We have to reject those persistent feelings that we are unworthy, that we don’t deserve all that we have, that we’re not as good as people assume, that we’ve messed up, that our whole life is a mistake. Grace doesn’t listen to that litany. The universe isn’t based on a score keeping structure. Grace happens.

Practice being humble to see this limitlessness is there for everyone. Practice being grateful to avoid feeling unworthy. Changing perceptions to see the world from a view that comes with the exercise of faith and grace will allow your ideal life to unfold. Invite grace and faith to work powerfully your life, know you deserve this simply because you are part of universal energy, and then remain open to receiving it.

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GRATITUDE MOMENTUM

Gratitude creates a state of mind based on and perpetuated by positive belief; just as being ungrateful becomes a state of mind based on and perpetuated by negative belief.

The conscious construction of our reality begins in our thoughts. The manifestation of that reality is cause and effect based in emotion. If I choose to focus on and give attention to what I am grateful for rather than what’s wrong in my life I am choosing abundant and fulfilling thinking. Resentment and gratitude are opposites, as are faith and fear. These sentiments evoke opposite emotional responses and create opposite states of being.

All things begin as a thought, an idea or concept. Thought and perception creates reality. Deeply felt and consistently expressed sentiments of gratitude can transform the perception of life. It is an important part of consciously giving energy to abundance and fulfillment. This is what I aspire to and deserve in my life. Participating as co-creator in my life where ideas are shared with spirit and trust is put in the process, will allow for the ideal result. Manipulating and coercing outcomes has only created frustration and an illusion of chaos.

Becoming genuinely grateful in every aspect of life, both in the present and toward possibilities for the future will cause more of the same to be attracted. I choose to align my thoughts in a conscious and intentional way, to create positive flow of energy. As I learn to be grateful for the possibilities in my life that unfold and remain connected to positive energies, inner peace will be realized.

Over thinking, rationalizing, and looking for logic, results in a limiting and self-sabotaging thought process that originates outside me. Coming to and understanding that anything and everything, both seen and unseen is comprised of energy that has originated in collective consciousness opens endless possibility. Maintaining inner peace by aligning mind, body and spirit and consciously choosing to connect with harmony by simply being, rather than chasing, will allow for acceptance of outcomes. Both the process and the outcome will be orderly rather than chaotic. Making congruent thought, intention and action will bring empowerment.

Understanding my perceptions and beliefs create my reality, I will consciously align my intention, thoughts, words, and actions to attract and experience outcomes without judging details of how, or doubting if it will be achieved. In doing so I am letting go of free will and letting faith work with the energy of the universe. Heart felt gratitude and living in the moment can keep my perceptions based in hope and possibility. The actions I take must be inspired by this and taken with faith the next right thing will bring more. Remaining grateful in the moment and practicing grace in regard to transgressions of the past and hopes for the future to me is remaining grounded.

Once the intention is set and action is taken, there needs to be a level of detachment to allow the perfection and simplicity of the process to provide the desired outcome. Accepting and overcoming false beliefs from the past will be the key to change and maintenance of that change. Living consciously and staying aware such false beliefs are undermining will require patience and persistence. Practicing genuine gratitude for learning and being provided with everything needed for being in this moment, to me, ensures positive momentum.

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QUESTIONING YOUR INVOLUNTARY THOUGHTS TO KEEP YOUR EGO IN CHECK

Your ego is there protecting you from embarrassment and failure, eliciting fear and self doubt. It has built for us a cognitive distortion based on automatic thought and emotional response.

Become aware of the involuntary and automatic thought based on emotion elicited by the voice of ego. These thoughts involve speculation and judgment of the present situations based on messages from the past or anticipation of future situations. The thought may or may not be reasonable or true.

In any situation where a strong emotional response is provoked, ask yourself the following questions to bring more awareness to your involuntary thoughts:

• What was going through my mind just before I started feeling this way?
• What does this say about me if it is true?
• What does this mean about my life at present?
• What does this mean about my life in the future?
• What do I fear might happen?
• What is the worst thing that can happen if it is true?
• What images or memories do I have about this situation?
• When there is someone else involved what does this mean about their thoughts of me?

Keep in mind your answers may be based on subconscious conditioning and your protective ego. Begin to practice listening to the voice in your head without judging it in any way and avoid getting caught up in its contents. Consciously move from fear and doubt based instinct, to knowing you are in control and can choose to build upon positive experience and create a habit that interrupts the negative patterns reinforced by ego. Accept and focus on possibility and your ability to persevere and overcome any situation. Replace self doubt with hope and faith. Let go of defensiveness, blame and resentment that originate in the needs of ego and feed the needs of your inner self. Move from a place of self protection to a place of self discovery.

“Our deepest wishes are whispers of our authentic selves. We must learn to respect them. We must learn to listen.”  Sarah Ban Breathnach ~

 

BREAK EGO’S ILLUSION AND REVEAL YOUR INNER VOICE

“If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. It’s very important to be aware of them every time they come up.” ~Deepak Chopra

The ego forms as we begin to think from a perspective imposed on us by interaction with others, particularly adults. We are given false messages about our true nature. It leads us to make assumptions about what will fulfill us. At two years of age it becomes reality that many boundaries are imposed upon us, and as we comply or resist, we become less governed by natural feeling and more driven by fear of consequence for not being compliant.

The ego then creates an image of self that appears true. Trying to fulfill this ego based self leads to frustration. As we pursue an ideal life, we become centred on the false self-image, feeding the ego. The ego will often provoke negative messages that are not truth, but have been reinforced by environment and circumstance. Recognizing these automatic thoughts and focusing on the fact this is ego’s voice not our true voice is the first step to not giving ego power. Such automatic thoughts can be recognized by the emotion experienced. Messages that incite negative feelings should be met with distraction or replaced with affirmation. Our true identity is hidden by the automatic responses sent by our ego, confusing our emotion. Awareness that you are not causing these thoughts breaks the egos illusion and reveals your inner voice.

Ego seeks out fulfillment outwardly. True satisfaction is an inward journey that is unique to each individual. We need to let go of identifying ourselves on the basis of achievements, need to be right, reputation and other ego based ideas. Be reminded negativity from another person is purely a reflection of something inside them. What anyone else says or does is none of our business and is not to be taken personally. If we each learn to consistently become aware of the voice of our ego and refocus on something we feel good about, it will become natural to live life as it happens, rather than being driven by ego.

While ego’s illusion fades, become mindful to approach every situation with love; love for ourselves or for anyone else. Doing so will move us further toward living without ego. Let life happen, feel automatic emotions, embrace the positive and let the negative go. Stop chasing happiness and resisting despair, live in the moment and let go of trying to control outcomes lead by the ego. Being patient for the natural outcome, then experiencing it with awareness, will teach us lessons and reveal our ideal life.

Lisa Colbert  http://www.vitalsparkca.WordPress.com

“The ego is only an illusion, but a very influential one. Letting the ego-illusion become your identity can prevent you from knowing your true self. Ego, the false idea of believing that you are what you have or what you do, is a backwards way of assessing and living life.”
~Dr. Wayne Dyer

“But nothing can satisfy the ego for long. As long as it runs your life, there are two ways of being unhappy. Not getting what you want is one. Getting what you want is the other.” ~Eckhart Tolle

10 Ways To Improve Your Life Outlook For A More Positive And Purposeful Future

Life is for the most part a challenge, and as it brings us expected and unexpected ups and downs, we can take some control of our lives through our thoughts. Ultimately we are the constructors of our reality, often without doing so consciously. Moving to a more conscious thought practice can change our life outlook and ultimately provide positive direction in our lives.  Neuroscience has shown that pathways can be strengthened and positive messages are powerful in regard to altering the complicated neural connective make up of our brain.

The following are practices that can help to steer some of those connections to build a more positive and purposeful future.

1. Allow life to happen and accept what is. If you are unhappy with something you can change, take action to change it. There will always be things; however, you will not be able to change. Your own resistance is what becomes frustrating when it comes to things in life beyond your control. Accept people and situations as they are and decide instead if there is action to take concerning your own perception.  Choose where in your life there is a place for what you cannot change; and allow yourself to learn as you adjust your thoughts and viewpoint.
2. Take chances to expand your comfort level. Become excited to not know what may come next. Explore your curiosities and follow your dreams. Healthy risks are inspiring and motivating, look for and embrace opportunities to experience everything to the fullest. Don’t hold back, embrace your fear and express your enthusiasm as you feel the rush of overcoming it.
3. Allow yourself to feel emotion, really experience it. This is the essence of being human. Even heartbreaking emotions, need feeling to the fullest to move beyond. An outpouring of tears can begin with desperation, but with a conscious mindset there is a progression where the tears will begin to cleanse and bring a new understanding. Feeling joy and ecstasy to the fullest, releases positive chemicals in the brain. Feel positive emotion to its height to counter life’s painful aspects.
4. Make the most of every moment and be grateful. The small things are often lost in the busy nature of life. Take time to notice the beauty of the world and practice being thankful for nature and for the people in your life who make your day better, even in a small way. Nothing that makes you smile inside, even for an instant, is insignificant.
5. Tell yourself again and again you deserve all life has to offer. Every day brings a new beginning. You should expect great things to come to you. If opportunities do not turn out as you expected, or you experience a moment of misjudgment, learn, adjust and move on. There will always be more and better things to come. If you are too busy being regretful or thinking yourself unworthy, terrific things will pass you by. Regardless, there is a new moment ahead always, just continue moving forward.
6. Build relationships with people who have a healthy outlook and lifestyle. We adapt to our environment and enhance ourselves by being with others who are like-minded. Try to become comfortable asking people around you to talk less in a negative manner or remove yourself, wherever possible, from these situations. Notice the change in your own perception when you are influenced most often by those who live their life with hope and optimism.
7. Deal with moments where your mind is reactive. When you have a negative reaction, stop, stand back, take a few deep breaths, and observe how you’re feeling. It is important to address issues around emotions such as fear and anger.  Take time to evaluate and understand where the emotion stems from and if there is a constructive action to take. Be your authentic self, do not try to hide negative feelings, and instead learn to express them in a way that allows you to be true to yourself, then let go and move on.
8. Make time for play and relaxation. Ensure you experience laughter and inject humour into your every day. Allow for time to seek out activities you enjoy, look to your artful side. Personally, spending time with children refreshes my perspective. Embrace the childlike spirit inside you and follow it to the lighter side. Have fun, be silly and give yourself permission to be reward with the things you love and the experiences that allow you to unwind.
9. Practice stress management. Meditate, exercise, eat healthy, and practice a healthy lifestyle. Take care of your body and your mind will function more effectively. It is especially important to find quiet reflective time to turn off patterns of thought and find your inner voice. Scheduling time for self-care and meditation should become as important as booking a check-up at the doctor or dentist.
10. Do something for someone else and make giving to others a part of your life. Something as simple as a genuine smile or recognition to someone for a job well done is a place to begin. Consider becoming part of a worthwhile project or take on a mentoring role. View yourself more globally, as part of a world that needs you to give graciously and receive gratefully. The feeling this perpetuates is priceless.

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https://www.facebook.com/vitalsparkca

Just for Today and on to Tomorrow

Flicker Behind Delusion

My spirit diluted by the chemical toxifying my brain
My heart becomes deluded, feeling so raw to pain
I close my eyes to picture the voices telling me I am not alone
Reluctant to reach for tools that feel like they’re on loan
Walking through a journey so adverse to what I dreamt
Knowing life is encouraging me toward a happiness attempt
Insanity is, that there is familiarity in escape
Then I am reminded to play out the tape
Picture darkness and loss
Alienation and shame
The chemical path is merely a game
Played against me,
To kill my spirit, quietly cruel
But guess what? I can make my own rules
For my spirit is stronger and I more clever
Just for today and on to forever.

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SERENE CHAOS

As I experience life through times of crisis, it becomes an important lesson when I accept it is not possible to have control over the chaos that enters my life. I have looked at the underlying benefits that appear, in time, as I allow them and embrace them. Doing so has restored my power. I intend to tell my story soon and hope it inspires others who are frustrated as they try to control life outcomes, or become reactive to life crisis, allowing the defeated feeling to remain when feeling over challenged. Pursuing or resisting is a futile practice that reinforces negative energy. The negative energy embraced is perpetual.

Instead, let go and take time to reflect as your own coach rather than judge in order to ultimately begin to focus on and reinforce your own strengths, the strengths of your friends and family and other relationships including the community you live in and globally. Most of us know the motivating joy when we are giving and grateful. Other times we allow the feeling of self doubt to be accentuated rather than felt and released. Everything is about emotion and the energy it carries.Recognizing then turning toward the supports and opportunities in any situation will bring strength.

Opening myself to support and acceptance is bringing me contentment in a very volatile time in my life. I thought I had to find my inner strength and take what life gave while fighting to remain positive in a nature that involved needing control. Now I let life happen, feel the automatic emotions then accept in time I will have something in my life that came from what was once a heartfelt negativity that I was able to feel and let go. Happiness is attainable if I patiently allow positive outcomes into my awareness then allow myself to feel how I can actively move forward and take gratefully all the lessons and opportunities that appear when you quiet yourself. Patience if sometimes for me hard to find and other times I realize I need to wallow in my misery and feel the hurt, grief sadness, etc. Feeling victimized I recently fell in and out of the hopeless and victimized place in my spirit, but ultimately regained the strength to choose to take steps that can quickly allow me to let go of the fear and regret and move forward.

The Roller Coaster ride continues, but I see the end and will lean into the turns and scream every so often then move on to a more serene ride.

JOURNALING TOWARD AN EXRAORDINARY LIFE

Using a journal as a meaningful tool to self discovery and growth is invaluable. Instead of the ‘dear diary’ once used to vent negativity, this outlet can be used to better understand yourself and to foster emotional growth. Once you make a commitment to examine your values and motivations through writing, you will define the characteristics that guide the choices you make in your life. Your journal is a place to align focus on what you want, rather than what you do not want. Through writing you can better organize your thoughts, define goals and create action plans.

This may not be your first time using a journal, and if so you understand the commitment it takes. Set aside 20 to 30 minutes a day to work in your journal and practice this to make journaling part of a healthy lifestyle.

If you have are not sure where to begin start by defining the ideal situation in all facets of your life:

Career, Business and Finance

Relationships (family, career, friends and yourself)

Health, Fitness and Body Image

Fun and Recreation

Physical Environment

Emotional Development

Spirituality and Life Contribution

As you describe the details of your ideals (dreams) visualize being there using all your senses and become very specific using descriptive language to bring it to life

Move on to create action plans that you can begin to implement to move toward what you have described in the various areas of your life. Start out broad then narrow your thoughts down to very specific details. Break your goals into steps by setting small attainable goals that will create a path to achieving those ideals in each part of your life. Use your journal as a place to evaluate and adjust. Look back at each step and reflect. It is all about learning, even when things do not go as expected. Set palatable timelines and become accountable to yourself. At the same time forgive your missteps, learn and move on. Ensure you take time to celebrate your journey and reward yourself often, sometimes by simply allowing yourself to feel pride.

As you plan and progress, you will undoubtedly have thoughts that provoke fear and doubt. Use these feeling to be reflective and proactive. Practice in writing changing these thoughts and overcome the negative voices that will surface. When you have a negative thought try to relate it to a belief you have about yourself, the world or others. This belief is neither right nor wrong, but it may be not moving you forward and indeed holding you back. Define the belief, look at where it came from and write about how you can change it. Continually ask are my thoughts words and actions supportive of my ideal future, if not how can I think or do things differently? Record these exercises in detail and revisit when a similar situation arises

The journaling experience is intended to create a momentum in your life and to give a satisfaction that has you looking forward to recording your thoughts and refining your life plan. Your journal will create a clear picture of where you intend your life to go and build an agenda to get you there. Start your journal today and soon you will have a record to look back on that will reflect how much you have learned and how considerably you have grown.

To learn more about using a journal, to purchase a Vital Spark interactive journal or to seek support from journal coaching email Lisa at vitalsparkca@gmail.com

Author: Lisa Colbert http://www.vitalsparkca.wordpress.com

BRANDING IS NOT JUST ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS

If you are a true entrepreneur your business is your passion. Most of us marketing our business have learned about the importance of logo and branding. Beyond the solid principles related to branding, in regard to marketing, are the motivational aspects tied to your brand. I am not just talking about your customers. What about you? Did you have a vision for your logo or your website and when you saw the design as it as it progressed did that not build your momentum?  If not, why not?

You need to completely engage in your brand. Your business is part of you. A large percentage of your time, energy and finance go into your business. When you are excited, your enthusiasm is contagious. Your customers and you staff will also engage when led by your sincere enthusiasm toward your business and your brand. If you love your product or service and the marketing you have done to promote it reflects that, you will naturally attract an audience. Your loyalty will build theirs.

When I had my sign company my designer would sometimes vent about customers who wanted multiple tweaks to their logo design. I understood and felt his frustration, but at the same time I knew the vested interest a person has in their brand. When you view artwork you have commissioned on behalf of your business you want to see your vision

The process of logo creation and design of promotional materials should be exciting and inspiring. Whether you sell parts for machinery, make decorative candles or have a yoga studio; whatever you do, build passion into it and it will reflect to your customers.

Author: Lisa Colbert  www.vitalsparkca.wordpress.com

IGNITE SOMETHING THAT WILL CHANGE THE WORLD

BE INSPIRED AND INSPIRE OTHERS
PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM

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IF EVERYONE…

by Lisa Colbert

 

If everyone celebrated the things they have, the world would be a better place.
If everyone gave appreciation for a job well done, the world would be a better place.
If everyone treated children as our most precious resource, the world would be a better place.
If everyone rejoiced over small acts of kindness, the world would be a better place.
If everyone loved without expectations, the world would be a better place.
If everyone lightened up and laughed together, the world would be a better place.
If everyone appreciated the earth’s amazing beauty, the world would be a better place.
If everyone looked for adventure in change, the world would be a better place.
If everyone encouraged strength instead of judging challenge, the world would be a better place.
If everyone forgave their mistakes and learned, the world would be a better place.
If everyone took responsibility for their destiny, the world would be a better place.
If everyone stopped settling for less and reached for more, the world would be a better place.

*The world can be a very negative place but, if everyone focuses on the positive we can create a power that will overcome the negative.  Of course everyone will not change, but a fire starts from only a spark.

*You can only count on yourself, so read this again, but change the word everyone to I and
you can help to change the world.

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