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Serendipity is Magical!

24 Apr

Don’t Chase Destiny, Let it Find You

My interpretation of Serendipity is allowing destiny to unfold as the universe has intended and embracing those moments along the way.  Even if that Serendipity is not something you’ve had on your radar of desires I think it’s important to at least acknowledge and consider the possibilities.  I’ve attached the actual definition I googled below:

Serendipity:  an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident

I experienced specific times when Serendipity was at play and I always used to refer to those times as Divine Intervention, although I don’t think it really matters how you personally interpret it, just that you recognize and/or allow it into your life to work its magic.

If you think back to the insignificant moments in your life that ultimately had a bigger impact then you had realized at the time, ask yourself, did you embrace those moments or resist them?  Or were they so casual at the time that you weren’t aware of their part in the bigger picture?  When you make these connections later it’s amazing to see how integral certain moments were and how different the direction of your life may have been had those casual encounters not occurred.

There are probably a lot of ways you can reflect and evaluate each and every occurrence in your life but I think mostly I’m asking about the moments that felt oddly familiar or significant in some way, but you can’t quite put your finger on it.  I’m sure there are many and there are a few for me that are still unanswered that I haven’t put the pieces together on yet and I’m looking forward to that moment of clarity.

destiny

It’s a matter of trusting and believing that your destiny (whatever that may be) will present itself when the time is perfectly right and having faith that your destiny is in alignment with all the seeds you have sewn so far.  We are all meant to have good in our lives, it’s unfortunate that we can get too sidetracked by the negative aspects in our human existence but they are there to test our strength of character and sometimes tempt us down the wrong path.  These challenges can seem impassable but they are always valuable lessons that are necessary to our destiny.  I do believe that there is always hope to change a path that is causing any kind of turmoil in your life and I think the best way to interpret difficulty is to realize that these tests are tough because you are meant for greater things that require greater strength and that difficulty will shape you into the person you need to be to live your specific destiny.

My bottom line:

–          Don’t cut yourself off from embracing something just because it is unknown, have faith that “Everything happens for a Reason”, the reason will become clear to you when you are fully ready for it.

–          Don’t let negativity win, you are more powerful than you may think or realize at this time

–          Do try to find the silver lining even in the difficult times for it will lead to a more positive state of being, which is the kryptonite to negativity.

Serendipity occurs to remind you that there is still magic left in your life and when those moments occur; embrace them, allow them to play out without resistance and I bet it will lead you to a life you couldn’t have imagined or written for yourself.

serendipity

 
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Posted by on April 24, 2013 in Blog

 

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Thank-You for the Experience

22 Jan

Your Presence was Necessary!

There are many times I’ve wondered to myself and aloud what the greater reason is behind some of the challenges and/or experiences I’ve had and actually as I write this I’m thinking that I’ve never wondered why when it’s something easy or delightful only when it’s something that has been difficult.  Although I guess the difference is that I’m not always thankful for the challenging times at the beginning like I am with the blessings.  It takes some time to figure out how to adapt and accept when there are bumps in the road but when I come to that moment of clarity is when I realize the greater purpose behind the newest challenge or difficulty and I can be thankful for the experience because it has brought me to a greater awareness and understanding.

Not everything is easy and I don’t think it’s supposed to be, if it was our lives would be too predictable, and without the challenges we wouldn’t experience the lessons or growth.  We all are here for a purpose, figuring out my purpose was something that I struggled to discover for many years and I believe that until we find our calling we remain wandering and wondering.

I do believe that there is a higher purpose and plan in place and that everyone in our lives plays out their part as if we were all in a big play, we have the scenes where some enter and some leave but all are an integral part in each of our life plans.  That includes everyone that is in our immediate circle of family, friends and those that cross our paths briefly; from a look, a moment, a conversation, an encounter or a relationship, it is all part of the grand design.

painful goodbye

To those that have left my life, I wish you well and I understand that you weren’t meant to stay.  When people leave our life, whether it is our decision or forced upon us, I believe the reason is because their purpose has been served, not just in conjunction with our lives but theirs as well and we are no longer essential to each other’s growth and must move forward onto the next leg of our personal journeys.  For both people involved when we move out of each other’s lives an opening is created for the next person that is destined to come in for the next scene of our life plan.

To those that have come into my life and those that have taken up permanent residence, you’ve brought me more joy and blessings than I could have imagined.  Your continued presence in my life is a sign from the universe that our lives are not just a point of juncture but rather a circle of light, love and learning.  Your impact is continually evolving yet steadfast and true, I look forward to all the new adventures we will share and our future of “keeping it real”.

To All:  Without our shared experience I may not be in the place I am today and regardless of whether or not the experience was easy or difficult I know that I would not change it, nor do I have regret because ultimately it helped me to grow.  The lessons, experience and wisdom I gained from your presence in my life has helped me to develop a greater understanding, perspective and clarity of my direction and focus in life.

Thank-You!

life quote

 
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Posted by on January 22, 2013 in Blog

 

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Is it really a Failure, Mistake or Divine Intervention?

08 Jan

All Experiences Carry Wisdom

Have you wondered why you are where you are, wondered why certain people and experiences enter or leave your life?  Every experience carries wisdom with it and the bigger question to ask is at the end of every experience; do you recognize the experience has played out and do you finally see the wisdom?

everything happens for a reasonFor the longest time I was very hard on myself when it came to any sort of mistake or failure, I never adjusted well, nor did I see the wisdom at the end.  In the last 10 years I’ve started to see things from a different perspective that has led me to question whether what I’ve viewed as failures in the past are not actually that of divine intervention or destiny.  I’m a huge believer in “Everything happens for a Reason” and that would mean that mistakes (big or small) aren’t actually failures but rather part of the grand design that is in place to help us progress in the direction we are meant to go so we can live the life we are meant to live.

One thing I’ve come to recognize is that the people I admire, look up to and respect can feel like lifelines at times because we can relate to each other in a very specific and identifiable way.  Their energy is not only magnetic but familiar and comforting and there are times when that is just what I need to balance me out.

I listed some of my favorite quotes from Oprah’s Master Class, there is so much to we can learn from others experiences and lives, whether they are successful at times or not.  It’s learning from the experience; that is the success.

Honestly when I was younger I didn’t have enough confidence or comfort level in my own skin to maintain my beliefs.  I knew I believed in some of the quotes below, although some of them I wasn’t even aware of because I just didn’t have enough life experience but those I believed and wanted to stand strong on fell to the wayside.  I needed to develop inner strength and learn how to set boundaries, and I wouldn’t have learned how to without the life experiences I’ve had so far.

Oprah Winfrey:  (Every Life Has a Story) – Everybody has a story and there is something to be learned from every experience.

Jay-Z:  (Be True to Yourself) – Knowing who you are, that’s the foundation of everything great.

Simon Cowell:  (It’s Better just to be Honest) – Emotion is absolutely key to this, trust your gut instinct.

Condoleezza Rice:  (Faith Helps) – You can’t plan every step in Life.

Maya Angelou:  (You Have to Live your Teaching) – When you learn teach, at our best we are all teachers.

Sydney Poitier:  (Instinct Guides Us) – Instinct is a force that lives within us and we call upon it when we need to.

Diane Sawyer:  (Be Curious) – Wake up curious and wake up determined to try to get an answer.

Lorne Michaels:  (Art is Like Life) – There’s always just ahead of us the chance for redemption.

Oprah Winfrey: (Learn from Every Experience) – Use your Life as a Class.

I believe that as long as you are being true to who you really are inside and not who you present to the world then you will have true happiness, inner peace and a blessed life.

what lies behind us

 
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Posted by on January 8, 2013 in Blog

 

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Things Aren’t Always What You Think

07 Aug

Are your Signs Getting Through?

Sometimes the signs aren’t always what we expect, or even how we expect them to materialize in front of us.  Sometimes the strangest occurrence is what makes the most sense later and I’ve always found that to be so odd when it happens to me. 

Some of the biggest challenges I’ve had seemed so senseless at the beginning but have turned out to be the most valuable lessons and not one of them materialized in the form even close to what I had envisioned.  I believe the signs we receive are much like the old tale that everyone repeats about finding love.  It comes when you least expect it and it’s not at all what you had in your mind.

I think that sometimes the signs are repeated through various forms until we recognize them for what they are supposed to signify to us.  I’ve recognized that when it finally clicks for me in that moment and the sign (whichever way it came in this time) finally made it through to that part of me that says “aha!”.  I then realize and remember the previous times it came through and I didn’t catch it because it was either too subtle for me or I wasn’t open to receiving it in that way.

I think the biggest sign is the “pay attention now” sign that the universe supplies to us when we don’t listen or just can’t seem to get it.  It’s like a slap upside the head (metaphorically) that is meant to jerk you back to reality.  Depending where you are at in that moment could determine the severity of this sign but I believe it comes at a time when you are about to make a very bad decision that could be either severely disastrous or fatal.  Hopefully at that point you realize what has been staring you in the face all along because if you don’t this will continue to happen and that slap gets stronger and stronger until you become aware.  It’s better to notice much sooner than later, I’ve had a lesson repeat and it’s not fun, second time around was much more difficult than if I’d learned it right the first time.  Given the extent of the downtime for experiencing the lesson a second time around, I’m so glad I didn’t head for the third. 

If you are running into a same issue or difficulty on a repeated basis within your life then you may be in this cycle.  Experiencing the same thing over was a big eye opener for me that ignoring something doesn’t make it go away quietly, it just hides it for a while, only to resurface until you find resolution and/or closure.  The outcome of that resolution or closure is something that will be a personal and reflective process specific to each of us and I believe we all go through it at one time or another in our life.

I do believe that “everything happens for a reason” and if I was meant to go through a specific lesson more than once then I believe it’s because it was necessary to my personal growth and development and would aid me later in life, that is my faith and what helps me to look at these lessons in a more positive and productive light.

I don’t have an “aha” moment every day but I’ve had more than one in my life so far and they are such monumental moments that I view them as blessings.  Blessings I hope for, look forward to, welcome openly and appreciate.

 
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Posted by on August 7, 2012 in Blog

 

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Your Life, Your Choice!

31 Jul

Every Move Counts

We all make choices in our lives every day, some are good choices, some are bad choices, the question is, are they the right choices for you?  Are you being true to the person you know you are inside, and where you envision your life to be going?

We all have positive and negative experiences but I do not believe that the experience itself is the downfall or a valid reason to hold anyone other than ourselves responsible for where we progress or don’t progress to. 

All choices, good or bad, are ours to make, which makes us, the individual, the sole person responsible for where things go from there.  I do believe that we have events, occurrences and situations that help to shape and teach us.  Everything happens for a reason and I believe the opportunity that lies within each challenge or blessing is to create an awareness that we had not yet grown into until that time. 

I’ve had the opportunity to observe many different personalities in my life so far and I know that there are many more out there that have yet to cross my path.  Some of these people I thoroughly enjoyed and some not so much, but all of them have had an impact and brought about a greater awareness for me,  some in areas I hadn’t really explored, and some I wasn’t yet aware of.  I have learned some very valuable aspects of life from very specific people, ones I really don’t think I could do well without.  Regardless of the lessons, challenges or blessings I have experienced so far, the outcome and how I perceive things from then on, whether I’m stuck in a good or bad mindset is mine alone.

I’ve come across some very inspiring individuals that have blown me away emotionally because at the core they are truly beautiful, in ways that has absolutely nothing to do with anything in the physical.

I have come across others that are the polar opposite and fully believe that life and society has failed them, owes them and they are not responsible for any of the bad circumstances or choices that have plagued their lives.

There are various degrees of both of these drastic and opposite personalities but the one thread that seems common to me is that regardless of the challenge we all have the choice to let it inhibit us from personal growth and happiness or let it help us to flourish and experience a better and more meaningful existence.

  • Are you making the right choices for you and being true to your conscious and sub-conscious self?
  • Are you making the right choices for where you see yourself 5, 10, 15 or 20 years down the road?
  • Are you making the right choices for a personal happiness plan ( PHP ) that is in better alignment with who you really are within?
  • Are you making the choices that don’t leave you with regrets when closing in on the last chapter of your life?

I think we’ve all had our moments of making good and bad choices, it’s how we handle them from there that defines us.

 
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Posted by on July 31, 2012 in Blog

 

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Don’t Lose the Lesson!

29 May

Carry the wisdom forward

I’ve heard the phrase “forgive and forget” many times but I’ve learned that while it is essential to forgive, it is just as essential not to forget, carry the wisdom forward.  The most significant aspect of the events I’ve experienced so far, whether desirable or not, were the lessons I learned and the personal growth I gained.  Without some of my lessons it may have taken me longer to realize that I needed to develop a stronger set of boundaries, boundaries that should have already been in place.  If I was to forget my lessons I would lose along with them, the wisdom and experience I need to prepare me for the future I am meant to live.  I really believe that “everything happens for a reason” and if I am able to step outside these events, even for a moment, then I am able to provide myself with the necessary insight and awareness that directs me to the bigger picture.

When I have things going on in my life that are upsetting or disappointing I always find that if I were to look around there are others that have much more difficult situations to deal with.  It’s at this time that I realize how insignificant my issues are in comparison and that I need to remain thankful for the guidance and greater knowledge that these situations offer.  I’m not saying the problem or issue doesn’t matter but it does help me to scale down the severity, especially when I am too emotionally connected to a situation to be objective.

We have one of two options when faced with adversity:

1)      Use it as a positive force, a catalyst, to change and create a better future

2)      Use it as a negative force, an excuse, to hold you back from having the future you desire

I’ve read and heard so many stories of people that have come from terrible upbringings and backgrounds and have used that pain and sadness as a force of positive strength and determination to change their circumstances and create a happier and more fulfilling life.

It’s amazing how much we can learn from others if we just pay attention, and care to listen.  We are all here to learn and progress and there are so many people that have been and still are in my life that have taught me some very significant and invaluable aspects.  I don’t believe that any one person or event in my life has been a coincidence.  I believe that we all come here with a purpose and passion and those involved in our lives are here to help us along that path, our conscious is not aware of it but our inner voice is.  Our inner voice is always whispering to us and I can honestly say that since I started paying attention to my inner voice I’ve had great things occur and discovered a deeper sense of happiness.

For me experience has been a good teacher, mistakes have been an even greater teacher.  Everyone makes mistakes, no one is perfect, but without the mistakes I’ve made I wouldn’t have gained the knowledge or insight on how to navigate and discover my life’s purpose.  Through making mistakes I’ve developed a stronger sense of inner strength, depth of character, a clearer definition of the future I want to manifest and the importance of carrying the wisdom forward.

 
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Posted by on May 29, 2012 in Blog

 

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Enhancing the Faith

08 May

Another Level of Contentment

I thought that I had found my fullest form of Contentment when  I finished writing my 1st book “Finding the Balance” but as it turns out I had only just stepped onto that path.  When I finished it I felt a certain level of contentment, the key word here is level, something I have come to understand and recognize after some time has passed.  When it comes to personal growth the period of time it takes is different for everyone because of our individuality and because we all learn in our own time.  What I should have considered is that with all areas of learning there are many levels and varying degrees and I had only thought I reached full contentment because I felt more empowered, engaged and aware.  Little did I know that there was much more, much better to come.

I now know that what I had experienced then was a level of contentment because I now feel that I have moved to another level.  The only way I can describe this level is – it feels to be an unshakable faith in myself, where I am, where I’m going and that all things will occur as they are destined to along the way.  This level of contentment reinforces my belief that everything (positive and negative) happens for a reason.  Both are meant to teach and bring us to a higher level of ourselves and without them we may remain stuck in a never ending cycle of frustration and confusion. 

If I allow the little things to bother me along the way I am allowing my ego to inhibit my own growth cycle and that is not something I want to do in any way.  Of course there are still times when something I did not expect occurs but my reactive behavior to these unexpected occurrences is starting to adopt a more negotiable mind and I am approaching things from a far more relaxed state of being.   I’m not entirely sure if this is something that comes with age, experience, time or all of these but I welcome it because it’s providing me with such a unique, profound and irreplaceable  form of happiness.   Within this level I have also discovered a greater passion, a greater reason and a greater experience within my purpose.

Part of the change is my focus and where I am directing my attention to and where I’m taking it away from.  I’m directing more towards where I want to go, what I want to achieve, how I want to get there and what I want to project along the way.

I’m retracting it from the trivial areas, areas that my ego contributes to.  We all have an ego, the hardest thing to do, at times, is to keep that ego in check.  It can divert our minds into focusing on things that shouldn’t really bother us.  I think we’ve all had one of those days when we got dragged down to a level of communication and behavior that we later regret, that’s our ego winning the battle.  It can wreak havoc within our lives when we allow it to carry our thoughts away from the bigger picture. 

This really is something that comes from within and I’ve found that in everything I do and commit to if my subconscious isn’t in it 100% then I won’t succeed.  I wish I could offer a “one size fits all” process that would help everyone to get to their own “greater meaning of their life”.  My own journey to has had its share of ups and downs along the way but knowing how far I’ve come and having faith that there is so much more on the way makes it entirely worth it.

There is a quiet strength and resilience hidden with the state of Contentment.  My personal peace and happiness have become the most important state of being that I covet.

 
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Posted by on May 8, 2012 in Blog

 

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It’s Not You!

13 Dec

Don’t Take It Personally

Even to this day I struggle to not internalize the shortcomings of others.  Those shortcomings do not belong to us in any way, shape or form.  People act out for many reasons and even though it’s difficult to do this you have to remind yourself constantly that what they are projecting at you comes from a place of their own insecurities and has absolutely nothing to do with you.

Regardless of this it can still be emotionally upsetting and hard to take.

I’ve found that one of my remedies for such a disheartening encounter is to think about and acknowledge the positive things I have in my life and how lucky and blessed I am because of it.

Even with this response there is still much anguish involved when others are harsh towards you.  It’s obviously not a desired encounter but sometimes the positive effect is that it might have helped you to establish healthy boundaries that should have been there to begin with. Boundaries you might not have otherwise invoked if such an encounter had not occurred.

In most relationships there are usually expectations, some are unrealistic and some are in keeping with the Golden Rules of Respect, Trust & Loyalty.  Regrettably some have higher expectations on others then they put on themselves when dealing with their relationship.

Not all relationships are meant to last forever, some are there to teach us lessons, build strength or develop a more balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Everything happens for a reason!

Trust in that, have faith that everything works out as it should.  We can’t always see the end of the tunnel but we need to keep walking towards the light.  Even when you can’t see it, have faith that it’s there.

 
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Posted by on December 13, 2011 in Blog

 

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We’re All Human

17 Nov

Respect and Forgiveness for yourself first!

We all have many challenges and tests throughout our lives, some are much harder than others and when we are in the middle of the harder lessons it can sometimes be really difficult to find the light at the end of the tunnel.  Once you finally come through it though it’s important to recognize and honor how much you have learned and progressed from it.  Have gratitude for having the strength to make it through and all that you’ve learned about yourself along the way.

I always find that at the beginning of something difficult I try to find answers and solutions.  It’s hard for me to have patience and it challenges my faith in my own belief that “Everything happens for a Reason”. 

Whether you’re successful or not depends on how you view it.  Everything happens for a reason, success or failure could be exactly that reason.  I find that the expectations I have for myself are so high that I don’t allow myself any room for error, when I fail I am very hard on myself.  So it’s very likely that when I experience failure, that is the lesson – to allow myself to make mistakes and handle them with integrity and to know that NO ONE is perfect so why should I expect perfection from myself 100% of the time.  Eventually the understanding of each lesson will come at the time when you are ready to accept it for the greater purpose it serves.

It’s so important to acknowledge where you’ve come from, how you got there, and the person you have become along the way.

When we hold on to resentment or anger ultimately we are hurting ourselves, not the people we have these feelings toward, and what we are really holding onto is the hurt.  In forgiving you are allowing yourself to move on and away from the terrible feelings, you’re allowing yourself to no longer hurt and to move forward to a happier life.  It’s such a hard thing to do but I can assure you, you can’t even imagine how much better life will be when you do.  Make the shift , forgive and move on to happiness, the LOA (Law of Attraction) will increase that state of being.

 
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Posted by on November 17, 2011 in Blog

 

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