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Tag Archives: faith

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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Out on a Limb!

27 Mar

Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

This is where the biggest and most rewarding opportunities exist, the question is do you have enough faith to walk on the weaker branches in the hopes that you may find what you truly desire?  It takes great risk to gain a greater sense of freedom and happiness and even though I know this I sometimes hesitate to step ahead and away from the safety net that I prefer.  That safety net provides me with stability but not unlimited movement and it’s within the unlimited movement that an abundance of options and opportunities are waiting for me.

out on a limb

It’s crazy to think how easy it is to talk ourselves out of an opportunity that can ultimately change our lives in so many ways but I’ve done it, so I know it’s possible.  The reason I believe we sometimes talk ourselves out of pursuing something we desire is because “what if I can’t do it” or “what if I fail”.  The truth is it isn’t actually failure, we are meant to try but we aren’t always meant to succeed because it’s through that attempt that we find an inner strength that is needed to serve us in another endeavor, one we may not have gained otherwise.

I like to think of these instances as creative mistakes, mistakes that help point us in the direction we are supposed to be heading.  It’s as simple as searching for a friend’s home and turning down the wrong street, would you think you failed if you did that?  Not likely, you would just think “Geez, went down the wrong street”, now how do I get there from here?  The reason it is so minimal when it’s in that context is because going down the wrong street isn’t a big issue because there isn’t a huge emotional investment in searching for a friend’s home but there is in say a career choice or matters of the heart.  Of course the bigger goals and dreams will definitely carry a bigger emotional attachment because there is so much more riding on it and I can totally relate.scare yourself

The biggest indication for me that I am on the verge of a great opportunity is that I feel like I am scaring myself and sometimes that vulnerability can impair the courage that drives me forward but I know that I need to feel that so I can learn to trust and believe in myself.

My moment of truth in making the conscious decision to step outside of my comfort zone more than I stay in it will create the shift that will open up my world to a beauty that is beyond what I can imagine.

Not everything occurs as we may hope, believe or expect and if we knew the outcome of every experience we were in then I don’t think we would truly experience it as we are meant to.  All experiences that occur in our lives are there to teach and help us grow into the life we are meant to live.  If you aren’t living the life you want or desire, venture out onto the weaker branches as far as you can bring yourself to go, it is there where the best fruit is waiting for you!

We are all given the necessities that we require to achieve what we desire.  If you never try you will never know what you could really accomplish!

Imagine, Believe, Achieve!

three simple rules

 

 
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Posted by on March 27, 2013 in Blog

 

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What’s On Your Mind?

30 Oct

Even if you Can’t See your Life Plan, It’s there!

We all have a life plan that has already been determined, it is called Destiny and I believe in it!  The reason our lives are referred to as a journey is because we are meant to discover and find our way towards it and if it was revealed to us too soon how would we go through all the challenges, tests and lessons that are meant to shape us into the person we are meant to be to fulfill that destiny?  Sure it would definitely be comforting and convenient to know what’s at the finish line, but learning to navigate your way on your own will build a reserve of strength and character that you may not have realized had you not had to rely on that faith.

What’s in your head can either help or hinder your journey, what are your thoughts about yourself and where you’re going on a daily basis?  What do you think of yourself, really?  What do you think of others?  Do you believe that you are worthy of all this life has to offer you?  What you tell yourself through your thoughts is very powerful whether you realize it or not and the most empowering words you can apply to all your phrases about yourself begin with “I Am”.  It’s a challenge at the beginning to incorporate this “I Am” ritual into your mindset but it’s well worth it and can be life changing.

–          I Am Healthy

–          I Am Worthy

–          I Am Happy

–          I Am Capable

There are so many “I Am” rituals to choose from that you can apply to your life and it really is all about you, the “I Am” thoughts need to be specific to you, whatever you want to attract into your life begins with changing that mindset.

I’ve been at work, been really tired, thinking “I Am” so tired and feeling even more tired because I’ve reinforced and enabled that mindset with my thoughts.  Now obviously if had only 2-3 hours of sleep, for whatever reason, and have to report to my daily grind, it’s definitely difficult to change that around with a thought, but I have been successful at it, although I didn’t realize it at the time.  I was thinking ahead to when it would get to the last hour of the work day and how great that was going to feel, somehow that created and energy that took me out of that really tired place.  Everyone is different so you just need to find a mindset alteration technique that works for you or one that works for someone you know and tweak it specifically to you.

When you allow your life to flow as it is naturally meant to, which I’ve done, not every single minute we all have our moments, but when I remain aware and cognizant of what my body is telling me and when I step out of that field of good energy it’s a matter of hitting the reset button on my mindset.

Create an “I Am” ritual for yourself, something specifically designed for you and where you want your life to go, what you want to experience along the way, what you envision as the final destination and always, always live in appreciation for every lesson, difficult or not, because they are all a part of the journey.

 
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Posted by on October 30, 2012 in Blog

 

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No More Seconds For Me!

25 Sep

Don’t Settle for Second Best

The defining moment of either of these for each of us is the intention within when making the conscious choice.

  • Compromise:  An agreement or a settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions.
  • Sacrifice:  A sacrifice is a loss or something you give up, usually for the sake of a better cause.

Both of these are good choices but only at the right time for you and only for the right reasons.

The questions to ask yourself when you are contemplating either compromise or sacrifice are the genuine reasons behind your consideration.

1)      Do I have all the facts?

2)      Is it because I don’t have the patience to wait?

3)      Is it because I don’t think I deserve any better?

4)      Am I sacrificing one need for another?

I have compromised in the past and each time I’ve done this it hasn’t been a good decision, mostly because the intention for compromising was influenced by either lack of wisdom or lack of faith.

My lack of wisdom was that I did not pay attention or listen to my inner voice, my gut instincts, my soul.  The wisdom I lacked was not recognizing when my inner voice was struggling to be heard and allowing my ego to quiet that inner voice.  The ego can lead us into such turmoil and can do so easily because it overinflates our thoughts into believing a tainted version of the truth.  It’s so important to allow your inner voice to help guide you during important decisions, every time I’ve ignored my inner voice it has turned into a very rude awakening and has set me back significantly.  It’s really hard at the beginning when allowing yourself to hear and listen to your inner voice but once you make that shift, it will become your default and you will hear it more often and much clearer.

My lack of faith was that I did not trust in what I wanted or saw for my future or that it would come into my life when the time was right.  I felt that it was out of my reach or a too big a dream so I decided to settle for what was available and easy to obtain in the now because I had become too impatient to wait or believe.  In settling I found that I still had passion for those bigger dreams and because of that realization I now try to recognize when that is happening so I don’t ever settle again.

I have sacrificed, although in looking back at the past it doesn’t feel so much like sacrifices now because it has taken me in directions that has opened up my world and brought in such great people, opportunities and knowledge.  It seems like sacrifice for me has been more of a leap into a greater unknown that has ultimately been of huge benefit.

Regardless of the reason you need to be at peace with the choices you make and if you’re not then it will keep showing up in your life until you make it right.  The inner voice, gut instinct, soul; no matter how you refer to it, it is what aligns you with your physical body.  If the two are not in sync then it will keep trying to align and the longer you resist the more damage you do to yourself, the more conflict and turmoil you will feel within.

I’ve realized that settling for many different reasons at different times in my life, regardless of the reason I may have had at the time, was never a good enough one and inevitably left me still looking toward what I was initially striving for.

I’ve tried to take advantage of every opportunity whether it has turned out to be a good or bad one because I would rather take the chance so that I don’t spend the rest of my life wondering “what if” and have regret. 

I’ve realized that I want to take on the challenge because then I am at least giving myself the chance to discover if it’s really something I still want to pursue, or it could lead me in a totally different direction that I might have not otherwise discovered.

 
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Posted by on September 25, 2012 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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We Are Who We Are!

17 Jul

Don’t Let Anyone Else’s Opinion Define Who You Are

I used to be very aware and very conscious of what others opinions were of me, a little too conscious of it actually, and at times I still am, but I’ve realized that those opinions do not define me.  It’s those closest to me that really know who I am and it is their opinions and advice that have the biggest impact.  I can’t control every comment or opinion that comes my way but I can choose to not allow it to affect me negatively or to change my life direction.

No matter what the circumstances or environment we all have the choice to live either positively or negatively.  I choose positive and happy over negative and unhappy easily every time.  I know that is very easy to say but can be very difficult to do for some.  I’ve always had a positive outlook on life and I’ve always been very motivated, driven and impatient to get to the next phase.

Although it’s the “in between” where the tests, challenges and lessons that come our way are meant to teach, to build and to shape us into who we are meant to be. 

Challenges don’t just reveal character they build it.

I believe that each milestone of our age we can discover many things:

1)      A new understanding to old problems

2)      A greater focus on the bigger picture

3)      A more direct approach in life

4)      Less concern with quantity, more quality

5)      Deeper form of Contentment, Balance and Peace

 

I always used to think that I needed to get everything I wanted done when I was younger and now that I’m a little older I see the insignificance of that belief.  It’s just not my focus anymore and there are so many other things that I’ve developed an appreciation for that I never would have thought possible.

I spent my 20’s playing around, doing whatever I wanted, when I wanted.

I spent my 30’s trying to get my grounding and figure out where I was going, who I was.

I’m now in my 40’s and have found that all the things I was concerned with in my 20’s and 30’s seem so irrelevant now.  I’ve learned that my greater focus is on achieving all the levels of Contentment and enjoying all the great people in my life.  I’m looking forward to the many more impactful people I will encounter as I go along my path.  I always hear from others that have experienced more life than myself about how much better it gets as we get older and seeing how content they are encourages me to look forward to it.

 
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Posted by on July 17, 2012 in Blog

 

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Trusting in the Divine

10 Jul

Having Faith in What is Meant To Be

What a tough one this really is, especially for me because I am a planner, I like to know what’s coming down the road.  Even though I know that what is meant to be, will be, no matter what, it’s still difficult at times to trust in that faith.  I like change, I like the variety and I only like routine in specific areas of my life.  Unfortunately having such distinct and particular ideas can make acceptance and trust hard to manage and something I still work at to this day.  I have found that Wayne Dyers’ quote of “change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” has been significantly helpful when I remember to remind myself.  Please click on the link I’ve just attached to view his you tube video, he is an irreplacable source of wisdom.  When I’m in a state of being that is blocking my positive energy I find that sometimes I can’t summon the thoughts to carry me out of it.

My two biggest detractors have been trust and faith that what is meant to be, will be, no matter what.  My resistance to this, for whatever reason, will not change anything except to prevent me from finding resolution and peace sooner rather than later.  In resisting I cause myself to stay in that state for longer and there is absolutely no benefit.  I need to continually remind myself to let go, trust, have faith and stop trying to steer the course that is all part of the divine plan, a plan that I don’t know the outcome of.  The moment I remind myself of this quote is the moment that everything shifts into the perspective it should have been in all along.  I don’t think I could really explain it further, it’s something that you need to embrace to experience and something you can’t experience unless you embrace it.

When I do embrace it and accept that “everything happens for a reason” I find that things don’t seem to have as much power over me anymore.  It’s not that it’s no longer important it’s just that I’m reducing the impact it has on my life by changing the way I’m looking at it and in doing that what I’m looking at changes.  It’s amazing how one little alteration of perception can change so many things, like mood, disposition, attitude and outlook.  This could be the difference that determines what direction your life goes in.

As much as I inherently know all of this it really is a “work in progress” to apply it to my life, especially when I allow my emotions to overrule my mind.  I think it depends on where we are at physically, emotionally and mentally as to if certain circumstances are given more power than they should be at certain times in our lives.  We’re not expected to be strong and resilient every single day, sometimes things can get to you and my reminder phrase when they do is such a powerful tool to have with me.

I don’t believe that there is any one person that has all the answers we can only hope to learn from one another or through shared experiences.

I have to allow myself to let go and trust in the higher power that I have faith to, and know that regardless of whether or not I like or dislike a situation that it is there to teach me something and in time that reason will be revealed as long as I have faith.  Allowing that faith doesn’t mean I’m giving in or giving up it means I’m letting go of what was to allow what is.

Sometimes when you’re looking for answers, letting go is the only way to find it.

 
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Posted by on July 10, 2012 in Blog

 

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Ingredients for Life!

26 Jun

Life Equals Pie

I was given a fabulous concept from a very good friend of mine for a great topic this week!  The concept is creating an analogy between our life journeys and a favorite dessert and all the ingredients and layers create our own recipe for personal success, whatever that may be.

Much like the ingredients in any dessert, depending on which one you choose, there are usually layers and levels of design.  I’ve chosen Banana Cream Pie because it would contain a good level of ingredients to create this analogy.

Banana Cream Pie:

  • 3 cups of Love
  • 2 cups of Integrity
  • 2 cups of Pride
  • 1 cup of Self-Respect
  • 1 cup of Respect for others
  • 1 cup of Positive Attitude
  • ½ cup of Compassion
  • ½ cup of Empathy
  • 3 tablespoons of Confidence
  • 3 tablespoons of Determination
  • 3 tablespoons of Courage
  • A dash of Assertiveness
  • 12 ounces of water for personal wellness

Frosting:   The Law of Attraction

  • 1 cup of Intention
  • 1 cup of Faith
  • 1 cup of Appreciation
  • 1 cup of Gratitude

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together until they are well blended and you are feeling content.  I was going to add an ingredient to enhance humility but I believe that the emotion of remaining humble would be experienced as a result of living life through Banana Cream Pie.

Serve it to anyone and everyone you so desire and utilize the ingredients to your fullest potential.

I realize that the amounts of all the ingredients I have contained in this recipe are quite excessive but it is a global pie meant to feed the souls of as many as possible.  The frosting is also excessive but it is the Law of Attraction, and that’s exactly where you want to get really excessive in your vision and life.  You will attract exactly what you think and believe!

 
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Posted by on June 26, 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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