The Secret to A Life You Want

One little question could change your life. What could that be, you might ask? What's making you feel good, right now? That's it. That's all.

What if we go through life looking for what's good, what's right? Life, as we know it, would change instantly. Of that, I am sure! We are conditioned to look for all the things that are wrong, the ones that are making us feel bad, the things we don't want in our lives. What if we could make this one little shift and start trying very hard to see what is right in our lives? Just imagine what a difference it could make!

Makeovers

I love makeover shows! They never fail to bring tears to my eyes. I feel their joy when they reveal a new Self to the world. I think of it as getting one step closer to recognizing their own true beauty. They get to "try on" a persona that they would never have imagined for themselves. They are getting nudged outside of their comfort zones and may see a new reality for themselves. I'm so excited for them.

Welcome to the Dark Side

I realized how much energy I spent trying to push away negative thoughts and feelings. Along the way, they have been assigned to the "you-can't-see-the-light-of-day" category. To be a good and positive person, I must never acknowledge the existence of such things. What an exhausting effort it takes to push them out!

It is such a relief to welcome them in. Hello there, why don't you come on in and sit awhile. Have some tea and biscuits. I will consciously decide whether to invite you to stay or politely thank you for stopping by and voicing your opinion. Welcoming these dark thoughts and feelings does not mean accepting them and acting on them. I am learning that in order to be a whole person, there is no denying the dark side.

Work-in-Progress

It is finally OK for me to be a work-in-progress. I am enjoying the process and am excited to see what is around the next curve.

Dumb and Dumber

Sometimes I feel like I am a child learning English all over again. At first I felt dumb AND dumber about this. Now, I am much kinder to myself and have had this insight.

When we work in one environment, we are immersed in one vocabulary. Then if this work is draining and we are too exhausted to do anything much in our personal time, we don't develop any other vocabulary. Workspeak does not work for our inner landscapes. That's what I found out when I tried to find the words to describe what was going on inside my head and my heart, when I finally heard its beat again. When I found that my heart had messages for me, that voice had a narrow choice of words to use. That explained my wonder when I encountered "new" words. It was almost like I was seeing them for the very first time. They were long lost friends. Slowly these dear friends are coming back to me and I am again in awe as they come together to help me find my way back to my heart and soul.

Should's

Those darn should's have been following me wherever I go. They've been my constant companions for so long now that I am not even aware of them anymore. Now that I'm more awake though, I see them trailing me. No matter where I am, there they are too. I'm not going to try to run away from them though because that'll just make them run faster and stronger. No, best thing to do is just to see them for now. If I acknowledge them, maybe just maybe they'll disappear on their own..

Lightness Tip #1

What if I was able to look at every moment and think that it was absolutely OK the way that it is, right now? I won't get carried away and use "perfect"... yet. "Ok" will do for now. What is this incredible feeling of lightness? What a tremendous sense of relief!

Shine a light on the darkness that comes from judging the moment, resisting what is and being down right annoyed with it because it should be something else and voila, instant peace. Simple yet challenging. I have spent many years unconsciously practicing this skill and I feel that I have mastered it. Now all I have to do is change that habit as often as I remember to. Baby steps!