Pick Yourself Up

Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't.  

~Erica Jong, How to Save Your Own Life, 1977

Pick Yourself Up
The time it takes for you to complain about your life and the list of wrongful things that have been done to you is the exact amount of time you could have been planning, strategizing, researching and taking action on how to get yourself moving forward on a better path. Every single person on this planet has challenges. They come in all shapes and sizes.  Some may seem more manageable than others but challenges are just that - situations that are not easy and there in lies the lesson. Instead of looking outward for the answers, turn the mirror around and look at yourself. You are the answer and you have always been the answer. It is only you who can pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep moving forward. Take the lesson.  Don't leave it on the ground, stomp all over it and kick it to the curb.  Grasp it, look at it, evaluate it. Be honest with the part you have played in your own life up until now. Realize that the true beauty of life is that you can make another choice. You can choose to say enough and instead of being the victim, reach for the life you know you were meant to live and become your own hero.

Imagination

We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of dreams.

~Willy Wonka

Imagination
When you close your eyes an envision the life that you dream about, what does it look like? Who are you surrounded by? What are you doing? Now open your eyes but keep your imagination flowing. Start to write down what you see for your life, the goals that you pictured and who you had around you. Add more to your dreams and goals. Don't put limitations on it; it's your dream and who are you to stop thinking as big as you can! Now stop and answer this, why haven't you achieved this bigger dream for yourself yet?  What has stopped you up until this point? Why have you stifled your imagination and thus your life so far? Well what a gift you have in front of you and that would be another day to start taking the steps, even small steps, to start achieving your bigger dream. Place that piece of paper somewhere you will see if every single day. Refer to it as your foundation. Work on your dream and don't get discouraged. Remember, it all starts with you and this moment. How exciting is that?!

Truth

Speak the truth, but leave immediately after.  

~Slovenian Proverb

Truth
You have heard the saying, "dare to speak your truth" but sometimes we might find this to be harder than it seems. The truth is a funny thing, everyone expects to hear it yet seldom is one brave enough to tell it. You might be intimidated at times to speak your truth for fear that you will be "punished" in some way if you do or others will look at you with judgement. But the truth, as corny as it sounds, will truly set you free. See, along with speaking your truth comes freedom ~ real freedom. Is it tough to do all of the time, why yes!  But there is also something so invigorating about speaking your truth and living your life in such a way where others know that they can't control how you feel or how your day is going to turn out. Only you do! Try it. Start stepping into your truth. If you don't want to go out on a double date, so no! If you don't want to take a "working lunch" then let the group know that doesn't work for you. If you feel run down or sick, stay home!  Listen to your gut, tell the truth out loud and watch how your life starts to become more open, less stressful and above all more free.

Fear

I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one.  

~Mark Twain

Fear
There are many things in life to be fearful about. If you wanted to, you could spend all day worrying about what could possible happen or go wrong in your life. You probably already have sometime today so far.  Well, that's a whole lot of wasted time though! Instead of constantly living in a state of fear try choosing something else; how about living in the moment? Just try it. Do not think about what happened 5 minutes ago or what you need to check off your list in the next 15 minutes but right now, be present in this moment. Listen to the sounds around you. Take in the laughter or the noise of the people around you. Take a deep breath in and feel your lungs expand with air.  Close your eyes and feel the stillness that is around you. This is real, not the made up scenario you have floating around in your head all the time. This moment right here, this is what counts. So live life as much as you can in the present, without fear and without regrets.

Loneliness

It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence 

that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, 

as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts.  

~K.T. Jong

Loneliness
Do you ever find yourself feeling lonely? Even when you just hang up the phone with a friend or come home from a night out, that feeling of loneliness creeps in and you just can't seem to shake it. You think right away, well if I only had someone with me, then I wouldn't feel lonely. But is that the truth or would they just be distracting you from that feeling until they were gone?

Loneliness is a funny thing. We all seem to run from it when the truth is, if we embrace it and meet the feeling head on we would grow in miraculous ways. Loneliness is a gauge for your soul. It's you basically telling yourself that you are not comfortable in your own skin. That's where the attention needs to go to, not outwards but inwards. Take the time to get to know who you are, what makes your heart sing and more specifically are you on the path of fulfilling your life purpose. These are big questions to answer but you have all the courage and strength you need right inside. The next time you are feeling lonely, don't distract yourself, allow yourself to feel it and listen to your soul for guidance on what you need to do in order to feel whole and happy. Let loneliness be the catalyst to transform your life for the better.