It's About the Lessons

It's About the Lessons
Wowzer - life can be so challenging at times, right?  Just when we think we are doing ok - BAM - a challenge is thrown right in our path. Sometimes they can be pebbles that we need to maneuver around and sometimes it's a giant boulder that stops us in our tracks.  Whether the challenge is big or small, see it for what it truly is and nothing more.  No it's not a way to take you of course but rather a life lesson to strengthen who you are. Life, in general, is about the lesson - what you need to learn about yourself while you are here. It's not about the house you live in, the clothes you wear, what you drive, what neighborhood you reside in, how much money you make, your job title, how many friends you have or even how fabulous your lifestyle is.  Those "things" are a byproduct of living a genuine and purpose filled life. If you try and take the easy way around what life throws at you by ignoring it or just moving quickly past it by whatever means necessary, well then expect to get the lesson in a grander way later on. We all owe it to ourselves to see every challenge, every moment as life teaching us about ourselves. How brilliant is that! We are our greatest lesson. Does that take work and patience and introspection? YES it does ~ and lots of it! But you are strong enough and deserving enough to make it through to the other side of the obstacle. See each life lesson as another rung on a ladder getting you to higher ground.

Good Enough

Today you are You, that is truer than true. 

There is no one alive that is Youer than You!

~Dr. Suess

Good Enough
Today is the day to recognize and important truth - you are truly doing the best you can right in this moment. You are not perfect, we are all flawed, but you need to cut yourself some slack and realize that you are and have been doing the best you can and that's ok. Not only are you doing your best but everyone around you is also doing the best they can at that given moment as well. Sometimes we are on our games and can go full speed ahead, other times we are lucky if we can make it out of the bed. Either way, you are doing what you can and you need to let that be ok. Don't judge yourself for "what else" you should be doing or the fact that you were only able to accomplish a part of your list for the day. Guess what?  That's perfectly OK! There is no need to beat yourself up and there is certainly no need to sit and pass judgement on yourself. Feel the joy of being you and release the energy of trying to be somebody else.

Signs

“All you have to do is to pay attention; lessons always arrive when you are ready, and if you can read the signs, you will learn everything you need to know in order to take the next step” 

~Paulo Coelho

Signs
When you drive there are signs all around you telling you what to do and where to go. You stop at red traffic lights, go on green, merge with oncoming traffic, stop at a stop sign and so on. The signs are put there to help get you safely to your destination.

Well life is like that. We receive signs all the time.  It normally does not come in the form of a traffic sign but they are constantly around us.  It's our job to pay attention. Especially when we have asked life to guide us or show us the direction we need to go in. It does but you have to be open and wide-eyed enough to not miss them.  Sings can come in all forms. The stranger who comes up to you and gives you advice.  The song that starts playing on the radio. The article you open up to when reading the paper. Sometimes it's a literal sign that is posted that speaks to your soul.  Those are real messages helping guide you to your destination. Don't ignore them.  Don't chalk it up to coincidence.  The more you recognize that help is all around you, the more you will feel confident along your journey.

Inner Compass

It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy.

~Lucille Ball

Inner Compass
When life presents new opportunities, it's your inner compass that should guide you on which way to go. It's good to seek opinions from trusted sources but don't discount your own inner feelings because ultimately this is your life, not anyone else's. Get still, get silent and listen to what your "gut" is telling you. You ultimately know the answer ~ you will feel it in every fiber of your being. Change can be scary but what's more frightening is staying where you are instead of embracing this new path before you. If you listen to your inner compass, you will never be steered in the wrong direction.

Storms

Rainbows apologize for angry skies.

~Sylvia Voirol

Storms
Storms can be scary. They fall upon you quickly. You don't always have warning signs when they are about to approach. They bring high winds, pouring rain, lightening and thunder. Everything and everyone runs for cover until it's safe enough to emerge again. And what happens when we "emerge" after a storm. We usually watch the tail end of it make its way across the sky. We might even sit in silence for a few moments caught in the wonderment of the sheer silence and how everything looks slightly different. There is a feeling, even for a moment, ok - let's begin again.  

Let the storms of your life be just that, a time for you to begin again. Recognize that in the midst of the storm that has fallen upon you, not only will it pass but it will make you look at life differently and that could be quite beneficial for you. Allow yourself to feel the emotions, even while your storm is on the tail end out. Feel all of it. Learn from it. Grow from it. Let the storms of your life literally help wash away the hurt and the pain.  Know that as the sun begins to rise again, so will you.

Sacred Space

Never be afraid to sit awhile and think.

~Lorraine Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun

Sacred Space
Everyone should have a space that allows them to breathe, to dream and to reconnect to oneself. This space should calm your mind, your body and your soul and help you shut out the world, even for a few minutes. This space can be literally anywhere - that's for you to decide. If you don't have a space like this, your job is to find one! This space can be on a porch, a spot at the beach, inside a closet, a park bench, a comfy chair or anywhere that you can think of that when you are in that space, you tend to be able to relax. You can also create an intentional sacred space if you desire to.  You need to visit this space at least once a day for however long you can. You deserve that. You deserve a space that brings you back to center. We all need that. Go ahead and locate or find your sacred space and make sure you visit it often. By giving yourself the gift of a sacred space, you are opening up yourself to endless abundance.

Shine

May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks

May your heart be as light as a song

May each day bring you bright

Happy hours that stay with you all the year long.

~Irish Blessing

Shine
You are meant to shine brightly. Today is the day to show your inner light to the outer world. Be playful, dance, sing, laugh and allow all of the wonders of life to flow through you today. Be joyful and be silly. Find the light and the love in everything around you. Don't take yourself or your situation too seriously today. Be guided by your inner bright light and watch how you help illuminate others as well. Look inward, find your light and allow it to shine brightly the entire day for all to see  ~ for it is radiant and so are you!

Have A Nice Day

Your life is your garden,

Your thoughts are the seeds.

If your life isn't awesome,

You've been watering the weeds.

~Author Unknown

Have A Nice Day
Today is a day to sit back, relax and let yourself enjoy the day.
Enjoy the singing of the birds.
Enjoy the sounds of laughter.
Enjoy the smells of food being cooked.
Enjoy the sun shining upon your face.
Enjoy the sound of little feet racing across the floor.
Enjoy the splashes of water.
Enjoy the pop of a cork.
Enjoy the snoring of your pup.

Feel blessed that you are a part of this day and recognize all of the moments of pure joy and love that surround you.

Own It

If you could kick the person in the pants responsible 

for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month. 

~Theodore Roosevelt

Own It
Life doesn't just happen to you.  You are a participant, no the driver if you will, of your life. Yet most of us go around thinking that "things" just happen to us and we have no control over any of it. Here's a secret - you do! Life will challenge you all of the time but it's your choice on how you deal with it, what you learn from it and how you decide to grow from it. The most important thing you could ever own is own your life. Take responsibility for it - all of it. Just as you own the good, own the bad. Own your part in why a relationship failed. Own your part in why you didn't continue your education. Own your part in why you walked away from a friendship. Own your part in why you didn't finish a goal. Own your part in gaining the weight back. Own your part in all of it.

The more you decided to get real and own your stuff, the freer you become. By telling the gut wrenching truth to yourself, guess what - you heal your past wounds, your past hurt, and your past pain. But you can't fully do that until you are willing to own the role you play in your life. It's the most liberating thing you can do. Go ahead. It's safe. Take charge of your life today.

Know Thyself

All men should strive

to learn before they die

what they are running from, and to, and why.

~James Thurber

Know Thyself
Why is it that we take so much time getting to know another person but we hardly take the time to figure out who we are?  We are great at sitting with a new friend or colleague and want to know all about them and yet there are places inside ourselves that we have yet visited. Maybe we are scared of the possibility of turning over every corner of our being or maybe we just haven't ever really thought about it.  Either way, you owe it to yourself to get to know who you are first before you get to know anyone else. Why do you like the things you like? Why do you respond to situations the way you do? Why do you feel the way you do? Go ahead and delve in deeper. By knowing yourself first, you then can truly connect with another human being and not just on the surface. By taking the time and the energy to dig deep, you will unlock your blessings, remove self doubts and blocks.  Make a decision to get to the know the most important person in your life inside and out ~ YOU. 

Negativity Diet

Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings. 

~Marianne Williamson

Negativity Diet
When life feels stuck and you can't seem to get off the hamster wheel, it's time to go on a negativity diet. Most of the day you allow yourself to be inundated with negativity.  Whether it's watching something stressful or scary on the television, participating in gossip at work or with friends, or being around negative people, it permeates your soul ~ and your soul is calling out for some rest from the chaos. It's time to turn off the negativity and turn on the gratitude. Make a conscious effort today to surround yourself with only positive people and thoughts. Quickly shut down and shut out any drama. If that means not watching the news today, choosing an uplifting movie to watch or dusting off that book that you've been meaning to read about helping you along your path, well do it. Start you day with naming 3 things your grateful for. During the day remain open to seeing the beauty and wonder around you. Before you lay your head on the pillow tonight, name 3 more things you are grateful for. You might even want to break out a journal and write them down. The more you can shield and remove yourself from the negativity around you the more abundance and blessings you welcome in to your life.

Vulnerable

Vulnerability is not weakness. And that myth is profoundly dangerous.

~Brene Brown

Vulnerable
Life is full of smoke and mirrors.  We portray to the outside world what we want others to see and not what actually is. Just look at Facebook, Instagram, twitter and all of those social media outlets. According to our pages, we are always on an adventure, taking just the right angle selfies, eating incredible meals out, enjoying parades, events, concerts, etc. etc. etc.  Are we really living a "perfect" life ... um, probably not! But it's rare that we get real, that we share some of the struggles the pain and the hurt that life throws at us.  Do we need to plaster everything on social media? Well absolutely not but we do need to have an understanding that what we are showing to the world and what we are looking at on other peoples pages is what they want us to see, not necessarily what is.  The more we can start to be vulnerable and transparent, the more we will connect on a deeper level with others. We are all sharing the same story. It might look a bit different but underlying it's all the same - we are all struggling through trying to get to a place of peace. By sharing some of the realness, we can not only help others but we can also start to heal ourselves. Be vulnerable enough to share. You just might change a life for the better - including your own!

Options

Using the power of decision gives you the capacity 

to get past any excuse to change any and every part of your life in an instant. 

~Anthony Robbins

Options
The world is full of options and you, well you are full of options as well. No matter how "stuck" you might feel in any given situation there are options. You might need to step out of the way to see them because you might be too close to recognize what they are - but they are there. Sometimes, well most of the time, they are not packaged how you would expect them to be and so you might miss them or stumble right over them and keep going but not any more! Starting today, you will be able to see all of the different paths you can take. Today you will pay attention to all of the whispers life brings you, all of the people that cross your path and all of the conversations that are happening around you. Your options will become more than visible, they will become tangible and with this new insight and clarity you will ultimately make the changes to your life that you are desperately seeking. Never rule out any possibility for that could be the path that leads you straight into peace.

Forgiveness

Hurt people hurt people.

~Will Bowen

Forgiveness
We often wonder what the key to true peace and happiness is. The answer has always been and will always be forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn't mean erasing what has been done, pushing it aside or forgetting it; forgiveness means that you are no longer willing to carry around the hurt and the pain. The most powerful person you can forgive, well that is yourself. Start there.

Forgive yourself for allowing fear to make you immobile.
Forgive yourself for not recognizing the image in the mirror.
Forgive yourself for letting your voice be muted.
Forgive yourself for missed opportunities.
Forgive yourself for the choices that took you further from your path.
Forgive yourself for not loving yourself enough.
Forgive yourself for not owning and standing in your truth.
Forgive yourself for allowing chaos into your circle.

Forgiveness starts and ends with only one person ~ you.

Authentic

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. 

~e.e. cummings

Authentic
It's time to live in your truth and integrity.  It's time to live an authentic life.  Trying to be who you "think" you need to be instead of who you truly are has not been working for you has it?  We think we need to be a "super" person who can do it all and be all to everyone - and sometimes all in one day.  Who are we kidding?  When we try to be anything other than who we are, we tend to not do anything well.  It may look like we have it all together from the shiny surface but underneath we feel numb, like a failure and just going through the motions.  Well let this serve as your permission to say no more.  You are and always have been an incredible soul with so much to offer but you can't do that when you won't give yourself permission to be you.  Rip of the mask today and start taking the steps you know you need to in order to live an authentic and unapologetic life.

Clear

Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or encouragement - and we will make the goal.  

~Jerome Fleishman

Clear
When you are driving and it starts to rain, you put on your headlights and turn your windshield wipers on.  This way you can see the road clear ahead despite the rain falling down.  You may wait to the very last second in order to put them on but you eventually do.  If it rains really hard, you may even have to adjust the wiper speed so that your view remains as clear as possible.

Life is the same way.  It will throw challenges right in your path and when you least expect it.  See the situation for what it truly is, a challenge, and then turn on your own life support mechanism.  Whether it's turning to family, friends, a therapist or someone that can help give you the life jacket you need ~ reach out.  You can't always do it alone and you shouldn't have to.  A car can't clean the windshield by itself, it needs support when it gets covered in rain and we need that same support from time to time.  We also need others to shine the light on our path when we can't find the switch ourselves.  Be willing to reach out for support and then be willing to receive it.

Routine

You can awaken each day to obligations you never chose — 

or you can decide now to choose them. 

~Robert Brault

Routine
Life can get very chaotic. You might find yourself at the end of the day not knowing exactly what happened. You get up and go and don't stop until your head hits the pillow at night. That's when you think...I should have taken a lunch today or I wish I could find at least 10 minutes to exercise or even wishing for just 5 minutes to breathe deeper. What you want can happen but you have to make it a part of your routine. Be realistic, you may not be able to fit in 45 minutes of working out at first but you can find 5 minutes to stretch. You may not be able to take hour long lunches at work every day but you can carve out 15 minutes to eat somewhere other than your desk. Look at your day and find the spots where you can start to bring to life not only what you yearn for but what you truly need. Create a list on a giant piece of paper and pin it up if you have to as a reminder of what aspects of your life you need to concentrate on in order to find your center. You aren't meant to lose yourself in the process of life, you are meant to find yourself. Start building a routine that works for you and not anyone else.

Patience

Patience is also a form of action. 

~Auguste Rodin

Patience
When something major happens in our lives, our tendency is to just plow right through it and do our best to "fix" something.  By reacting too quickly though, we miss out on walking through the doors of opportunity that the universe brings to us simply because we are too busy forcing open another door.  Take a step back and wait ~ have patience.  Life will unfold in miraculous ways but you have to be open to seeing the right path at just the right moment.  Sometimes all you need is a little patience and practice the art of letting go.  It's then that the world will answer your prayers in ways you couldn't have even dreamed of.  Go on and sit back.  Watch the miracles start to unwrap themselves and allow yourself to be showered with blessings!