Finding our own goodness

You are such a beautiful person,

but sometimes we are blind to our own goodness.

Perhaps to find the essence of who you are,

you must be willing to meet yourself 

in ways you never have before.

By virtue of an honest self-examination,

you can find your way back to truth.

The softer your eyes and heart,

the more the old ideas about yourself

will be pushed into the background

until they no longer belong to you.

Each new discovery will offer seeds  

of truth, compassion, 

confidence, and self-acceptance.

Some days the seeds may be tiny

so look carefully for them,

for they are going to help you grow

 into your wonderfulness.

And at the end of your journey, 

you will know what I have known all along. 

That there is no one more special than you.

Infinite joy

Sometimes our world has to first

be turned upside down 

in order for us 

to have a more panoramic view 

of whether we are fully living 

or merely existing. 

When our world is shaken, 

it not only awakens us, 

but it brings us to 

the threshold of change.

As we gain new insight,

we begin making better choices.

We move closer to living a life 

of purpose and inspiration.

Now is the perfect time for renewal.

Can you let yourself be swept up 

by the current of change?

Be child-like as you place trust in a Universe

that not only loves and supports you, 

but is offering you the gift

of infinite joy and possibilities.

Though things feel topsy-turvy right now, 

can you allow yourself to lie back in the grass 

and let the warm sun caress your fear?

Soon things will begin anew…

*****

Trusting life

You may not feel secure at this moment,

but know there is a wondrous rhythm 

to all that happens in life.

Though you may not be able to see the big picture,

just breathe and surrender to the mystery of all things.

****

A heart filled with gratitude

Thank you God...

for helping me design a life of ease and grace

for teaching me what's really important

for all the teachers you have placed in my path

for helping me to see the world differently

for softening my jagged edges

for filling my life with inspiration, hope, and love

for the gentle nudges when I get stuck 

for letting me fall when I need to

for the rainbows, as well as, the storms...

A leap of faith

Her life was filled... 

with the vibrant colors...
 of a fearless woman.

With courage and faith,

 she took a joyful leap...

 into the unknown.

Seeking perfect answers

We think we know the path to peace - 

if could we find the right job, 

the right man, the right house,

if things would just go our way,

we would be happy and content. 

This is simply not true! 

Ideas that come from our mind (ego)

are very different from those of God. 

The path to joy and freedom lies in...

 our ability to give up our will

 and align ourselves with God's. 

Only God has the Perfect Answer.

If we listen to what our mind tells us,

things get messy and complicated.

Remember that ego thrives on pleasure,...

 conflict, worry, problems.

It is only in surrendering the insanity 

that we come to know peace.

*****

Moving forward

There is more than one kind of grief. 
There is the painful feeling of loss we experience 
when we lose someone we love, 
but there is also a sorrow we go through
 when our lives are changing and transforming. 

Grief is part of the process that helps us transition 

into the promise of tomorrow...

Royal treatment

A queen…

honors her feelings,

claims her right to happiness,

grows more beautiful with age,

shares her heart with the world,

refuses to compromise her values,

creates a life of passion and purpose.

****

Unexpected dreams

Don’t play it safe or small.

Be confident and fearless!

Pursue life with heart and passion.

Step over the edge of your comfort zone,

trusting that life will always support your efforts.

Don’t put perimeters around your desires.

Open up to unexpected dreams and infinite possibilities. 

Remember to build your wings so strong…

that you will soar effortlessly where ever you go…

****

Surrendering

Reaching a breaking point is often...

 just what we need to move forward. 

The harder we resist change,

the more it takes to break our will.

This is when pain becomes the teacher.

When we hurt enough, we will surrender...

****

Picture yourself...

Picture Yourself as a Woman Who...

Loves herself completely 

Is passionate about her dreams

Expresses herself with graceful honesty 

Is true to herself 

Awakens to blissful happiness

Has the soulful desire to touch her divinity 

Flings open her imagination 

Bravely throws caution to the wind 

*****

Awareness

To understand others, you must know yourself.

To be forgiving, you must make peace with your own mistakes.

To give generously, your heart must be open.

To gain wisdom, you must learn from your lessons.

To live openheartedly, you must free yourself of old hurts.

To connect with God, you must be still and listen.

To serve God, your actions must be selfless and intuitive.

*****

A beautiful rhythm

In your heart is a song that's yours.

Listen carefully for it,

 for when you follow the rhythm...

 of your own truth,

you will dance joyfully with life.

Don't settle for the ordinary!

Pursue life with a new found passion,

and be while fearless doing it!

Let go of things that are meaningless.

When you open up to new adventures,

you'll soon discover what feeds your spirit...

******

The peaceful path

If we're not comfortable with ourselves, 

we will judge our feelings.

When we judge our feelings,

it produces guilt.

Because guilt feels terrible, 

we attempt to rid ourselves of it by... 

justifying, blaming, over-explaining.

However, this only produces more guilt

 because it doesn't marinate with our conscience.

The solution is to gently explore your feelings...

 so you can understand them,

then validate how you feel without creating a story.

Many of us did not get our feelings validated as children.

This wound will continue to play out in our lives...

until we stop reacting defensively.

Instead we can choose to honor all our feelings,

rather than feel guilty for having them...

*****

Telling your story

 

We all have a life story...

 

The first time I shared mine, I was trembling from head to toe. I was worried what people would think of me because some parts of my life have been messy. Initially, I felt raw and ashamed. Being so open and  honest brought up feelings of vulnerability, but at the same time, I felt an incredible sense of freedom. Finding the courage to do this was no small feat. Looking back, I see how healing it was to share myself so intimately. It was a big step towards releasing shame.

 

What is your story?

What have been your biggest hurtles, your saddest moments?

What makes you laugh, cry, feel afraid?

Does shame have a grip on you?

Or can you be honest and vulnerable?

 

*****

 

 

Gratitude

 

Thank You God...

 

for helping me design a life of ease and grace.

for teaching me what's really important.

for all the teachers you have placed in my path.

for helping me to see the world differently.

for softening my rough edges.

for filling my life with inspiration, hope, and love.

for the extra nudges to move forward.

for letting me fall when I needed to.

for all the rainbows, as well as, the thunderstorms.

 

******

Self-acceptance

Accept the fact that you're not perfect. 

 Others may not always approve of you. 

It doesn't matter when love yourself. 

Stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors, 

dysfunctional relationships, and negative self-talk. 

Don't look for someone to make you happy. 

People can only enhance our happiness. 

Love and accept who you are. 

You are wonderful.

*****

In the flow

Girl's day at Jungle Gardens

My head must have been in the clouds this morning because I forgot to put a filter in my coffee maker. After a couple of moments I heard gurgling and splashing, so I went to check on it. There was water and coffee grounds everywhere but in the pot. What a mess! 

It reminded me of how messy life can get when I try to get my way rather than surrender. Just as the coffee maker knows exactly what to do when I do my part right, so does life. There is a perfect rhythm to life. When I disrupt the rhythm, there are consequences...

*****

In the light

The darkness holds the key to our freedom because...
 it is in the darkness that our deepest fears and insecurities hide. 
We must step towards it rather than avoid that which we fear,
otherwise fear will always remain in charge of our lives.

When you shine the light on the darkness by being with it, 
you will see that there everything you have believed is false.
The fears and insecurities have been created by your mind/ego.
The darkness is merely the result of a child's game of avoidance.

Listening for guidance

In the past, I ignored the struggle...

between my conscience and my will...

until the pain became too great.

When I finally surrendered,

a new world opened up.

A world that made my soul sing.

I began to listen...

to the wise, whispering voice... 

that had always been in me.

My intuition became my guide,

my road map, my trusted friend.

*****

Erasing the past

Having fun with my new camera

Begin your day with a clean slate,

forgiving yesterday's errors.

We learn through our mistakes.

 Open your mind to all possibilities.

Your future is bright!!!

Accept the person you are.

You are special and unique!!!

Don't get stuck in a rut.

Let go of behaviors that no longer work.

Create the best life possible.

You deserve it!!!

****

A strong foundation

The whole ego structure is based on a false sense of security. Because at our core there is a frightened child, we seek safety in ways that are harmful. We unknowingly have dedicated our lives to fear and illusion. We may think we are escaping fear, but in fact we have structured our lives around it. 

Fear plays out in many ways; people-pleasing, an insatiable craving for validation, molding ourselves into someone were not, trying to perfect because making mistakes brings up our unhealed shame... 

We have learned to run when things makes us uncomfortable. We find ways to stay busy or numb ourselves out. We hold unto anger and blame in an attempt to deflect our unworthiness. We choose chaos and confusion rather than truth.

When we face our demons, we won't fall-apart. Instead we experience a sense of relief. It's a lot more work to manage fear than to face it.The ego structure will begin to dis-assemble because it has nothing to strengthen itself on. We will feel empowered. Without ego misleading us, we have the opportunity to build a new foundation resting on faith, truth, love, and connection...

*******