Trusting your instincts

 

I'm pretty certain we were all born with the ability to know right from wrong. Children are intuitive, but when they begin to get conflicting messages from the outside world, they learn to listen to others instead of trusting their instincts. Then what happens is they grow up with a flawed belief system which attributes to a low self-image and poor choices. Can you relate?

One of the ways that used to make me feel a bit crazy and was a breeding ground for shame in my home growing up, was that if I tried to express my feelings or needs, I was shut down quickly. My parents wouldn't tolerate anything that didn't match their needs and feelings. This lead to hurt, confusion, and frustration, which then caused me to express myself in another way, through tears. However, crying was not tolerated either. The messages I got taught me stuff my feelings, my intuition, and my needs.

I'm not blaming my parents or society for it's flawed system. What I'm saying is that most of us have had this experience and because we did, it has robbed us of peace.

No matter who taught you what, it is your responsibility today to change. You change by aligning yourself once again with your conscience, doing what's right, listening to your own needs rather than projecting your needs unto others (being a fixer/co-dependent)as a way to unsuccessfully heal, and breaking the cycle of numbing feelings with addictions. Feelings are essential to your well-being. It's okay to feel!!! It lets you know how alive you really are.

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Celebrating the milestones

 

For my 50th birthday, I did a wardrobe make-up. I got rid of all the clothes that I bought because they were on sale and went shopping for things that made me feel good in them.

 

This year I turned 60 and did a house make-over. Everything is light and soft. I feel more at home. Love, love, love it....

 

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 “If you celebrate your differentness, the world will, too. It believes exactly what you tell it—through the words you use to describe yourself, the actions you take to care for yourself, and the choices you make to express yourself. Tell the world you are one-of-a-kind creation who came here to experience wonder and spread joy."

― Victoria Moran

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Resilence

 

“The unknown is scary the Unknown can also be exciting.

Your life could change in an instant anytime.

But sometimes, that change is the best thing that will ever happen to you.

Maybe I don’t have to know what my fate is to know that everything will be okay.

Maybe the not knowing is how we move forward.

Wherever I’m headed, I know it’s exactly where I’m supposed to be.”  

 

― Susane Colasanti

 

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Going forward

 

 

“It is always important to know when something has reached its end. 

 Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn't matter what we call it;

what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.” 

 

― Paulo Coelho

 

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Growing pains

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud

was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. 

~Anaïs Nin

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Fearless and free

 

The world we see that seems so insane is the result

of a belief system that is not working.

To perceive the world differently,

we must be willing to change our belief system,

let the past slip away, expand our sense of now,

and dissolve the fear in our minds.”

 

― Gerald G. Jampolsky

 

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Saying goodbye to yesterday

 

 

"It was the in-between time,

before day leaves and light comes,

a time I've never been partial to because

of the sadness that lingers in the space

between going and coming."

 

Sue Monk Kidd

 

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Changing the things we can

The in-between place is

 when we are letting go of our old stuff,
 

(old beliefs, habits)

but aren't comfortable yet

 with the new person we are becoming.
 

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Change

“We can't be afraid of change.

You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in,

but if you never venture out of it,

you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now,

may be the very reason why you don't have something better.”  

― C. Joybell 

 

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Postive thinking

 new designs...playing in the glitter

 

Life changes drastically when you stop listening to your thoughts... believing everything your mind says. It is your thoughts that are creating most of your unhappiness. Fear distorts and pollutes everything it touches. In surrendering your old fearful way of thinking, you will see how truly magnificent the world really is.

 

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Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. 

Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”  

― Rumi

 

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New thoughts

 

Most of us accepted without question,

the same fearful beliefs our parents had.

The good news is we can change any belief...

 with a little determination.

Examine your beliefs.
If you don't like the result you've been getting,

adopt a new belief that will work better for you.

 

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Being positive, but not perfect

 

 

There are no neutral thoughts according to A Course in Miracles. Our thoughts are either positive or negative. There's nothing in-between. By being positive, we feel at peace with the world. Negative thoughts are at the root of our suffering. 

 

It's a choice! 

 

Though I try to keep it positive, old habits die hard. I have to stay on my toes or ego will jump back in at every opportunity. It's really important to be positive towards yourself when you fall back into old patterns of negative thinking. It's going to happen over and over. After all, nobody is perfect! We can just give it our best!

 

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Making changes

love taking photos of dragonflies...

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I've become aware of how often I can lie to myself-

 

lying about my feelings by minimizing them.

 

I will hear myself saying things like...

 

"it doesn't matter" or "I don't really care",

when it really does. 

By doing that, I ignore my rights, my desires, my needs...

It's a pattern I've had all my life,

making myself less important than others.

Time for change!!!

I need to get more honest and treat myself kinder.
 

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Everything that happens to you is a reflection of what you believe about yourself. We cannot outperform our level of self-esteem. We cannot draw to ourselves more than we think we are worth.”  

Iyanla Vanzant  

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Accepting change

“Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.” 

 

Eckhart Tolle

 

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“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” 

 

Lao Tzu   

 

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I give you this to take with you:
Nothing remains as it was. If you know this, you can
begin again, with pure joy in the uprooting.” 

 

Judith Minty

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She grew to love herself

She was willing to change

 

in order to become

 

all that she dreamed to be.

 

She was her own hero.

 

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Pippi's checking out the flowers

 

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A new way of life

 

 

The Awakening
By Sonny Carroll

There comes a time in your life when you finally get it ... When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out "ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on."....This is your awakening.

...slowly you begin to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin re-assessing and re-defining who you are and what you really believe in...

You accept the fact that you are not perfect, and that not everyone will love appreciate or approve of who or what you are...and that's OK...and you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others.

...you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" hungry for your next fix...another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration... you recognize the importance of contributing rather than "obtaining" and "accumulating."

...you give thanks for the simple things you've been blessed with, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about - a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, the freedom of choice and the opportunity to pursue your own dreams.

...you learn about love and relationships - how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving, and when to walk away...you stop lashing out and pointing fingers or looking to place blame for the things that were done to you...

You learn how to say "I was wrong" and to forgive people for their own human frailties. You learn to build bridges instead of walls...and at the same time, you eliminate any relationships that are hurtful or fail to uplift...  

Moreover, you learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to be, and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name...

...you stop appraising your worth by the measure of love you are given... You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the love that is given freely without conditions or limitations. And you learn what it means to love. So you stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes...

You learn that "alone" does not mean "lonely" and you begin to discover the joy of spending time "with yourself"...

You learn that life isn't always fair and you don't always get what you think you deserve, and you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment...

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You will either step forward into growth

or you will step back into safety.

 

Abraham Maslow

 

 

"I no longer play it safe. In order to grow,

I have to be willing to take new risks"