Quieting negative thoughts

We hear so much about ego these days and some of us, having the awareness of the harm it can cause, have tried to rid ourselves of it. I sure have! Recently though, I decided to lay down my sword with ego and it's irritating, endless chatter and bad advice, and let it be my teacher instead. The thought came to me that perhaps ego is using my unfinished business as a way to strength it's power which means if I resolve the issues, then there is nothing to fuel it anymore...ego will have nothing to chew on. I know that the things I've made peace with, no longer have a story attached to them. When there is no story, ego loses it's grip.

 

For instance, if you have low self-worth, ego will be harsh on others...endless stories about who did this or that wrong, in a futile attempt to build yourself up. Ego will also find ways to rip your esteem using comparison, perfectionism... When you build your esteem, ego wouldn't be able to hook you into it's stories.

 

I've been listening more to ego, letting it point to the disturbance rather than trying to quiet it. Ego will quiet on it's own when I have addressed the cause of the disturbance. It is helping me to live more mindfully. I like that!!!

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Life's precious gifts

The most precious gifts are the ones

we may have underestimated;

The ability to see your innocence,

dissolving all guilt from your life.

Eliminating chaos so only peace remains.

Knowing who you are

and being content with yourself.

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Be your own hero

lunch time for these guys....

Don't idolize anyone! It's ego tricking you into thinking someone is better than you, and they will be able to provide for your needs. You will only get a false sense of safety. And spend a lot of time worrying about losing what you have. Dig for your own strength. As children, we looked for heroes, but as adults, we need to be our own hero. It's okay to admire people as long as you're not trying to get something from them...something they will never be able to give you. Thinking they posses what you need is an illusion...

 

 A Course in Miracles says " seek not outside yourself. It will fail. You will weep each time your idol falls.... There is no peace there. All your pain comes from a futile search for what you want.... It is only an illusion that there is something outside of us that will bring happiness and peace... Idols are feared and worshiped both. They are never seen as they truly are. You value an image...".

 

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Your authentic self

“Sincerity is the fulfillment
of our own nature,
and to arrive at it we need
only follow our own true Self.”  

 

― Tzu-ssu

 

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Getting more real

 

 

Do you often find yourself disappointed or hurt in relationships?

Do you choose broken people, thinking you can change them?

When you do, you set yourself up for future problems.

The best thing is to choose those who are genuine.

But know that in choosing genuineness,
it will force you to become more genuine too.

If you're used to hiding parts of yourself (wearing a mask),
this will not be easy.

You may have a fear of being judged for who you are.

You don't feel good enough so you try to be someone you're not...
so others will like you. 

The only way though, to create an authentic life...
 is love and accept all the interesting aspects that make you unique.

You begin the journey to authenticity by choosing those...
 who risk showing you who they are.
 They will help you to feel safe enough to be your truest self.
 

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Shining your light

“The brightest stars emerge out of the blackest darkness”  

― Shri Radhe Maa

 

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The road to recovery

 

“The road to healing is a rocky one, and you need to know that. 
There are times when every fiber in your body will scream out to give up. 

In these moments, God is right there with you, holding your head up,

and carrying you when you cannot walk anymore. 

Even if you are holding on with your teeth, and your knuckles are red and bleeding,

it is crucial that you still hold on. 

Don’t give up! You have too much to lose!”

 

― Coralleie Buchanan

 

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Transforming pain

 

 

I unpacked a few old projects this week hoping to inspire myself to sew again. Creating dolls was one of the ways I used to cope with emotional pain. There was a time in my life when my soul cried for help, but I didn't listen. Instead I hid my pain...

 

Eventually life forced me to get real. It was the best thing that could have ever happened. A miracle! As I began to empty out all the hurt I had shoved down into my gut, the chamber of my heart peeked open...

  

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“Behind every dancer there’s someone that broke her,

a song that moved her,

a moment that inspired her

and a dance floor that healed her.”

 

― Hope Alcocer

 

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A gift to ourselves

 

 I saw this amazing statue in Naples.
It makes me think of the joyful experience of birthing a new self.

The most important gift you can give yourself is to do your work. Make peace with old hurts, sorrows, disappointments, unresolved anger, and resentments. You may have shoved your feelings deep in your gut, and now live in denial that you have any issues.
But better to face the pain you've stuffed than to spend your life trying to numb it.

Regardless of whether you choose to look inward, you have stuff. We all do! And it's toxic because it influences every relationship; the way you feel about yourself and others. Your wounds bleed into every crevice of your life.

Below your wounded self is the pure innocence of a child...a child who can love unconditionally, who explores life without fear, and opens her arms and heart to each day.

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Living fully

 

Picture yourself as a woman

 

who has become her own hero.

 

 She is everything

 

you ever desired to be.

 

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“Certainly survival is important,
but at some point surviving wasn't enough.
I felt ready to complete my surviving journey
 and start thriving and just living.”

― S.A.R.K.

 

Looking deeper at ourselves

We can't transform our lives through our intellect. Intellect opens the door to new possibilities, but to get results, we have to remove the barriers that prevent us from deeply learning all the wonderful ideas that wise teachers such as Eckhart Tolle and Louise L Hay offer. In other words, change comes from doing our inner working.

For example, if you don't feel worthy, all the reading material in the world won't change that belief about yourself. If you want to love yourself more, you first have to be able to identify the wounded part of you that doesn't feel good enough. It's a place you got stuck..perhaps in childhood.

Being able to see your wounded-ness is the first step...
 

I admit that looking deeper into myself wasn't fun at first. Today though, I love the journey. I'm not afraid to look at anything about myself. My goal is to be whole. To be whole, I have to be willing to heal all that isn't. The more work I do, the happier and freer I am. These days there a feeling of bliss in me. Without a shadow of doubt, I know it's a direct result of the work I've been doing.

 

I hope you find the strength and courage to learn everything there is to know about yourself. That's where your power lies.
 

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The world is perfect. As you question your mind, this becomes more and more obvious.
Mind changes, and as a result, the world changes. A clear mind heals everything that needs
to be healed. It can never be fooled into believing that there is one speck out of order.

 

Byron Katie

 

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"There is nothing I can't heal"

Healing our wounds

 

 

We all have unhealed wounds from the past.

These wounds get triggered over and over.

Ever have someone say or do something to you...

and in the following moment,

you feel 2 inches tall,

your self-worth plummeting to a dark place.

 

Unhealed wounds trigger feelings...

of shame and low self-esteem.

Until you heal these wounds,

they will rob you of the life you could have.

 

No matter how hard you may try to ignore ...

 or deny that you don't feel okay inside,

the uncomfortable feelings never leave. 

 

The truth is this:

we were all wounded in some way or another.

Because of these wounds,

we over-eat, do retail therapy, use harmful chemicals, 

choose relationships that harm us, seek validation from others,

abuse ourselves, feel angry or victimized often... 

 

We have the choice to carry these wounds to our grave...

 or to dig for the courage to face them.

 

When they are healed,

we come to know a new freedom...

a life of peace, contentment and joy from within.

 

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To hold it in is to freeze the pain within us.

 

John Bradshaw

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"I am free of the past"

Change leads to transformation

Some of my greeting cards...

 

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It's no secret that I'm a BIG advocate for self-improvement. I spent a great deal of my life stuck in misery...fearing change...carrying guilt and shame...having low self-esteem. Once I began to feel the benefits of working on myself, I was hooked. I developed a passion for it that has never diminished for the last 16 years.

It's not always easy or comfortable to look deeply and honestly at ourselves. At least not for me. I discovered things about myself that initially made me cringe. Once I stepped out of denial, I had to be willing to change those things. It helped me to become a better person. It boosted my self-esteem.

Sometimes we have to dig deep for the willingness to do what's right. But in doing so, we build more trust in ourselves; trust that we will do the right thing. And as most of us know, procrastination is painful and self-defeating!

 

Is there anything you'd like to improve on? Surrender to change and if you don't like the changes, I'll be happy to refund your misery.

 

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 My office/meditation room

 

“Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love...

― Anais Nin

 

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"Change puts me on the path to transformation"

 

Reaping what we sow

 

 

Do you know that everything is made up of energy,

your thoughts, your actions, your reactions?

And do you also know...

that whatever energy you put out in the world...
comes back to you?

So here's one of the secrets for a better life:

 

If you want more love, you give more love.

If you want more peace, your thoughts must be peaceful.

If you're feeling judged, stop judging others and it will change.

Every minute of the day on a conscious level or subconscious level,

we are choosing our experiences.

If you're not happy with what you've created...

change your thoughts, actions, and reactions...

and your life will transform.

 

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“And I found that I can do it if I choose to -
I can stay awake...
 and let the sorrows of the world tear me apart...
 and then allow the joys...
 to put me back together different from before...
 but whole once again.”
― Oriah Mountain Dreamer

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"I freely share myself with the world"
 

An unrestricted life

One of my first attempts at doing mixed media art.

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I loved the fact that there are no rules when doing mixed media art. The crazier you get with your piece, the more fun it is, and the better it looks. As you can probably see, I was still in my cocoon stage with the piece above, not quite ready to play freely...just testing out my wings.

I spent so much of my life trying to color inside the lines, wanting to be perfect. I was raised to believe that in order to be loved, you had to be a good little girl. Boy, did I ever want to be loved.

I tried to be the best little girl I could...I tried to follow the rules the rigid rules and restrictions handed to me in childhood. But I paid a high price. I lost myself...my spirit...my playfulness...my true nature.

Art has been one of the ways that has helped me reconnect to my little girl. Together, we're learning to play by new rules. No more coloring inside the lines. No more fear of making a mistake.

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One of my newer pieces....creating it with no upper body is progress for me.

 

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It is important from time to time
to slow down, to go away by yourself,
and simply Be.

~ Eileen Caddy ~

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"I am free to be who I am"

In the quiet

In the silence,
we find climatic moments where...
 we are connected to a deep inner place called "our soul". 
From this sacred richness,

there is a strong sense of belonging...

 that links us to the sweet essence of who we are.

In the stillness, we are home.
 

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"I am only one, but still I am one.
I cannot do everything, but still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

~ Helen Keller ~

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"I am connected to my surroundings"