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Tag Archives: life’s challenges

Change is a Gift

02 Nov

Let it Be

Change is inevitable, how you view change is ultimately going to define your state of being, happiness and outlook on life.  Not every change is welcome but every change is necessary because without it you won’t progress or have the opportunity to evolve your level of consciousness.  It is through change that you become more defined or shall I say more refined but you will end up becoming more connected to your world and those in it which is definitely a gift.

I don’t know if there is some cosmic shift going on or not right now, I know the astrology forecasts are always talking about specific shifts but I feel that some kind of change is in the air even though I can’t quite figure out exactly what it is, it feels positive though and hopeful and I sense it will be fulfilling.

The shift itself feels similar to how you feel when you are coming out on the end of some sort of emotional process that you had to work through like that of failure, disappointment or heartbreak because these kinds of experiences change you in ways you wouldn’t have expected, they seem to cause a deep stir in the make-up of who you are.

How do you make it through the transition of tough and emotional experiences like failure, disappointment or heartbreak; are you letting these experiences define you or are you defying the odds you feel are against you to overcome them?  Probably the most soul-crushing experiences because they ultimately alter who you were and from there who you are to become and while the words “growth period” is usually what is used to describe these kinds of experiences it doesn’t ease the challenges or hurt any less.you get to choose

Finding the light at the end of that “oh so long” tunnel sometimes seems non-existent and that is because you are so enmeshed in the grief period that the other side is unseen and unimaginable.  Growth periods take time, patience and your personal understanding in realizing that there isn’t anything wrong with you even though you may feel broken.  Jane Fonda described this particular experience as “not being broken but rather broken open” which I think is the best description because when you are broken open you are fully exposed, fully vulnerable and fully open because there is nothing left to damage and nothing left to give.

This is the key moment to change that is now to become a part of your path, because you have been stripped bare and are open there is no resistance left, there is now room for new and positive experiences to enter your life.  I think how you view each of these experiences is ultimately going to be your guiding force to get you back into your life and feel positive and hopeful about your future.

Sometimes the presence of emotions over failure, disappointment or heartbreak is not existent during a major time of transition but I think the process in getting through it is similar in that you aren’t really sure of what you are doing or where you are going but the need for some kind of change feels imminent.  Balancing a sense of peace and patience (knowing that things will work out in a positive way) when things feel a little scattered or misdirected will be what grounds you.

Failure:  I’ve always been hard on myself and viewed my own personal failure as a huge sign of defeat but in the last 5-10 years I’ve taken on a different view.  I no longer believe it to be failure, instead I’ve come to the understanding that the word failure is the word I had interjected into my experiences because my faith that “everything happens for a reason” and “all things happen as they are meant to” conflict, my faith and failure cannot logically co-exist.  If all things happen as they are meant to then how could it possibly be failure, it would have to be an intended outcome, which I do believe it is.  It is the ego that constantly tries to override the soul and the emotions that our soul relates to us are our signals that the ego is trying to gain control.

Disappointment & Heartbreak:  I think these two are the more heartfelt emotions because they are usually connected to your hopes and dreams.  Everyone gets caught up at one time or another in the fairy tale idealism and why not, there’s a wisp of it in almost everything within our view through magazine, television, books, etc.  I think problems start to arise when the ego tries to control who and what is going on, and of course to make people, places and things that are currently in your life fit into your soul’s hopes and dreams.  As a result disappointment and heartbreak happen because this is not something that is guided by the ego but rather felt by the soul, you can’t rush or fit it.

I really believe that “everything happens for a reason”, I really believe that “all things happen as they are meant to” and I really believe that when the time is right all of that falls into place and not a moment too soon.

Without gratitude for where you are now how could you ever get any further without struggle or resistance while trying to rush the future?  It’s all about allowing your soul to speak, enjoying the moments in between and appreciating what you have in the now.

the experience of gratitude

 
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Posted by on November 2, 2015 in Blog

 

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Shutdown, Walk Away!

18 May

Or Live to Fight Another Day?

I imagine everyone has come to a moment or feeling like this and the big question to ask yourself is “am I going to let one moment of fear or vulnerability define me”? As much as I’ve always been a go-getter and/or team player I think the part of this that defines me is that I have no intention of ever giving up until I’ve exhausted every last avenue that leads to the road I want to get to.

fall-down-seven-timesI can definitely say that this determination has paved the roads I have travelled in a very big way! Nothing in life is so big that you can’t overcome it, the biggest obstacle in your life in the face of adversity is you, if you let it. There is no reason you can’t change the obstacles in your life to fit you better and by that I mean that it’s not just the obstacle but how you look at it. A lot of times you may give up simply because the obstacle seems too big to overcome not because it actually is but because you’ve allowed it to grow too much in your mind. Have you ever tried to minimize something that is challenging only to discover that your change in thought about it has actually made it become more manageable?

I think the biggest aspect of realizing or minimizing your challenges lie within your gratitude for the experiences, if you cannot find gratitude in the littlest things in life, how do you ever expect to really appreciate the bigger experiences when they occur and really how will you know how to recognize them?

One thing I know, don’t allow the passion in your heart to flame out, don’t allow your dreams to die and don’t allow anyone to determine what your dreams are worth.

Don’t die with your music still in you……Dr. Wayne Dyer

One of my “go to” paths to re-connect with my inner strength is knowing what motivates and strengthens my resolve, I listen to my power song which seems to feel like my anthem, I think everyone has one of those songs. As old as the song may seem, it takes me back to the time when I felt the most determined and willful, I would play “The Warrior” by Patty Smyth, and I would feel energized, of course I was I was 16 then and had no fear, you know how that goes.  I was ready to tackle all that life had to throw at me head on so I could show everyone and prove to myself that I could handle whatever came my way.

What is your power song, the one that you would identify with as your anthem?  If it inspires you and makes you feel strong then play it when you aren’t feeling as determined and watch how it changes your perspective. I think you’ll find that it will build your inner strength back up to task the challenges that lie ahead and more.

Don’t ever allow yourself or anyone else to make you believe you are unable to take on or overcome any obstacle. When you find yourself in difficulty that is time to check in and ask am I going to “shutdown and walk away or live to fight another day”?

Honestly I think we all have the strength we need to carry us through all challenges or difficulties, we are not given more than we can handle and at times we defeat ourselves worse than any other person could. The best chance you can give yourself when in the face of adversity is to get back up and try again, that is the biggest confidence booster and it’s something you can do for yourself. Pep talks are great, inspiring and motivating but the person that makes or breaks you is you!

Don’t be your own worst enemy, be your biggest fan! Find your footing, stand your ground, walk your path and don’t give up until you get everything you want!

never-give-up-ever-picture-quote

 
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Posted by on May 18, 2015 in Blog

 

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Looking Ahead

09 Apr

While Staying Present!

It’s necessary to find a happy medium between these two states in order to find success within both.

Looking Ahead – Of course everyone looks ahead to the future, that’s where we place all the beautiful and dreamy things we want to accomplish. Rome wasn’t built in a day, right? Obviously, which is why we set goals within timeframes that are attainable but keep in mind that those timeframes can be flexible, just because you haven’t reached a goal at a point when you expected doesn’t mean you give up or abandon the dream, it just means the timeframe gets extended. I’ve always set my goals a little higher because I have big dreams and high expectations and at times I’ve been told I’m a dreamer but so far the dreams I really wanted to work out have manifested, maybe not always for when I planned them but usually when I’ve used every last bit of effort I have and left nothing on the table. Success from really hard work has both internal and external rewards but honestly I think internally, pride of accomplishment when in pursuit of your dreams is more rewarding than the actual success.

–        If everything in life is easily accomplished then where’s the challenge?

–        How do you know how far you can push yourself if you never extend past that comfort zone?

–        How do you know what you’re capable of or how far you can go if you’ve never stood near the edge?

Staying Present – I think this is where balance is most needed, at least for me because it’s easy to look ahead and dream but it’s difficult to know what you see in the picture ahead and not yet be there, especially if patience isn’t your strongest suit. I’ve struggled with this because I have a lot of energy for moving forward and getting things done and most of the time I get impatient with the stride, especially if it gets slowed down for any reason. Even though I know that all things happen for a reason, it’s a difficult thing for me to accept when I want to be on the fast track, when I can see what lies ahead but I can’t quite get there yet. Similar to a long distance runner, they pace themselves, they find a comfortable stride and stay in that zone to maintain it. This is a great asset although I haven’t fully developed it yet, I’ve been forced into it at times and even though I think it’s necessary to help increase aspects of my character through obstacles that help build and challenge me sometimes I overthink it and it becomes overwhelming.

Just recently I had to slow my stride and I think it’s because I wasn’t balanced between these two states, I was overanxious to move ahead and tried to push past the Universe’s timeline for all things progressing, not just my own.

Not everything in life progresses as we initially envision it, as events unfold, the picture transpires, adapts or changes. Sometimes the end result we initially saw or wanted changes into something we desire more or didn’t realize at the time because emotionally we weren’t there yet.

As I challenge myself personally so do those in my life and the Universe challenges us all through experiences that we sometimes face together. Through those experiences bonds are formed and/or strengthened by an immeasurable faith in humanity and each other.

thank-you for being there

 
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Posted by on April 9, 2014 in Blog

 

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From Great Sacrifice……

12 Feb

Comes Great Success!

I finally watched “The Pursuit of Happyness” on the weekend, yes I know I couldn’t be farther behind on being current but I’m not a huge movie watcher, mostly because I don’t have the time to invest in watching one and interruptions are constant, thank god for the pause button and PVR’s!

There are so many great things one can take away from watching this movie, for starters;

–          It’s a true story

–          There isn’t anything one can’t do

–          What you get out of life is what you put in

–          Everyone is in control of their own destiny

It’s a true story; what I liked most and identified strongly with is that no matter what the life circumstances of the character (Chris Gardner), he never felt or behaved like he was the victim.  This is so true, life owes us nothing it is up to each of us to create and take advantage of opportunity when it presents itself, if you decide not to take it then you aren’t the victim because you’ve made the choice not to accept, regardless of why.  It is your responsibility to navigate your life direction and find your purpose and whatever state your life is currently in has turned out that way because of the conscious or unconscious choices you have made.  I do believe that there are certain events that can occur in life that can take you off course but it’s your decision whether or not to get back on at some point.  There have been some truly remarkable people that have taken bad pasts and experiences and turned them into positive outcomes and that has happened because they intended to do so, because they were determined not to let anything negative define who they became and because they knew their will to succeed was stronger than any circumstance thrown in their path. 

–          Know your worth!

–          Know your value!

–          Trust yourself!

There isn’t anything one can’t do; I am beyond determined when there is something I decide I want to do and anyone who has ever tried to tell me I can’t do something is usually wasting their breath (and they know it) because if I want to I am definitely going to make an attempt.  Obviously we can’t do everything and if we could there wouldn’t be much need for any kind of specialized profession but I am at least going to test the waters to determine where my strengths lie.  One of my favorite baseball quotes is exactly this and I hope that everyone keeps this in mind when they are feeling like there is something that they can’t do or accomplish, if you don’t even try, you will never know if you could or couldn’t.

quote, fear of striking out

What you get out of life is what you put in;  if you’re not living what you consider to be your best life now then just maybe you haven’t put you’re all into it.  If the work you’ve put in doesn’t match what you’re living, I believe it means more work is required of you and the question is, are you up for the challenge?  How much do you really want it?  I know that there have been times when I’ve had expectations that I haven’t put the work in for and honestly I can’t expect the universe to reward me for sitting back, kicking my feet up, dreaming of the change but not doing any work to make the room for it to manifest in my life.  The times when I’ve worked the hardest are the times when I’ve received the greatest rewards and the reason the reward feels so great is because it’s not just that you did the work, it’s that you put your all into it to achieve what you desire and the universe has rewarded you for that hard work through acknowledgement and success.  You can’t fail if you believe in yourself!

Everyone is in control of their own destiny; know that whatever happens or doesn’t happen in your life has the option to be guided or re-directed by you.  Obviously we can’t control the tide of the ocean but we can learn to navigate our way through when it becomes rough and foggy.  At some point things do settle down, the fog lifts and that is the opportunity to find a route that works better for you.  The route you need to find is one that resonates within, that provides you with the most comfort, contentment and challenges you personally need to feel alive.  Never stop challenging yourself to get to the next level because there is ALWAYS another mountain to climb beyond the one you’ve just gotten over and you won’t know how much more life is ahead of you if you give up before your journey is complete.

We are all part of the circle of life and we all have a contribution to make, do not minimize your place in this world.  There is someone who needs you and someone you need (although it is likely there are more than just one) for purposes higher than you may know at this time but the beautiful thing about the Universe is that it knows when the time is perfectly right for you to be enlightened and your hard work NEVER goes unacknowledged.

Everything achieved honestly is the result of hard work and hard work is the result of loving yourself and life enough to continually challenge and better yourself through any kind of adversity life gives you. 

Success is felt personally, lived luxuriously and expressed unconditionally.

confucius quote

 
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Posted by on February 12, 2014 in Blog

 

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My Life, My Way!

03 Dec

YOU Are in Charge

You are the one who has to live in your life every day so it should be going the way you want it to or at least some version of how you see it.  If it isn’t than it’s time for you to take charge of your role and do the work that takes you in the direction you seek.

I think having a plan is the driving force that you need to unleash because we all need something to work toward or gravitate to.  It is inspiration that nourishes the soul, a nourishment that I don’t think any of us should be without because it helps to maintain balance.

My biggest impediments have been allowing those that lessen my worth into my life and it isn’t just through being nasty that someone can lessen your worth.  When you are contributing to something that you know isn’t feeding your soul, you are lessening your worth from what the divine meant it for.

We are here to learn, to grow, to inspire and nourish our spirit to evolve in as many directions as we can while trying to navigate the lessons and challenges that were planned for us while carefully riding the wave of the hidden influences that can interfere.

souls growth

The end result of each challenge is always greater knowledge, awareness & gratitude (if you learned the true meaning of your lesson), if you don’t it will keep cycling until you do.  Your gut instinct will alert you to imbalance but the cycle will only stop when you begin to listen.

We all have an inner war that needs to be battled at one time or another, sometimes more than once and I believe that the way to win your inner war is to take your weaknesses and expose them. 

The cycle is your own inner war (no one else’s) and until you embrace whatever is holding you back resistance will serve as your coat of armor.  Unfortunately that coat of armor will also prevent you from progressing forward because a repetitive cycle will remind you of every experience that bears resemblance so you will never truly experience closure. 

Without closure it is difficult, if not impossible, to move on.

If you can’t be honest with anyone else at the very least be honest with yourself.  Allow yourself to be vulnerable even if it feels uncomfortable or scary.

Vulnerability is the ultimate healer and I think that’s because when you peel back the layers you expose the core and at your core you aren’t negative, you aren’t hindered by insecurity, you have unconditional love and compassion for others.  Being completely vulnerable is the only way to shed the layers of life that have weighed you down and lowered your hope.  Once you have reached that point there is only one way to go and that is up and why not “go for it”?

Allow your imagination to reach into every depth of your interests, somewhere within your imagination is where your passion and purpose can be found but only if you allow it.

To begin changing the world around you, try one act of random kindness at a time.

act of random kindness

 
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Posted by on December 3, 2013 in Blog

 

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Don’t Ever Be Done!

05 Nov

There Are So Many Levels

There is always another mountain beyond the one you’ve just climbed and continually challenging yourself to be all that you can be is the best motivation for your personal evolution and growth.  Honestly I think my best competition is trying to best myself at something I’ve achieved and I always enjoy the challenge.  If I am unsuccessful at first I find it personally motivating to try that much harder again and again until I achieve my goal.  While I recognize that I am stubborn, this trait has proven to be of great assistance because it helps keep me motivated to persevere even if something is more challenging than I had initially anticipated.

I do believe that the people we surround ourselves with in life can either help or hinder our efforts to progress.

If someone believes in you, do them the honor or letting them know their belief in you is not wasted, rise to all that you can be.  One person can make a difference because on the flip side one person’s lack of belief can plant the seeds of self-doubt and that doubt can destroy not only your faith in yourself but your faith in them.

mark twain quote

I don’t believe that we’ve chosen the people that enter our lives but rather it has been destined to evolve because that was the plan from the beginning, whether we realize it or not.

Everyone that crosses our path, negative or positive, are there to teach us how to determine who we want to walk with us through this life.  All of it is a challenge, some challenges are more obvious than others and I think the ones that are the most obvious are our mistakes or missteps because they hurt and we tend to pay a lot more attention to them whether that is trying to dissect why something happened or trying to determine how to avoid it in the future.

It’s amazing how some of the most monumental developments in my life have evolved from humble beginnings, I mean I’ve literally fallen into great opportunities that have seemed so effortless that had I planned for it I would have expected to have to put more effort into it.  I think that’s the beauty of the destined path especially if you are continually pushing yourself onto the next level of your life.  If you are not open to embracing the challenge and the change you become stagnant and that state of being can deteriorate your spirit into so many negative and non-productive directions.

Everything in life is evolving whether you choose to evolve with or not and it’s your personal and life challenges that can either make or break how you far you end up going but these challenges build character and strength whether we desire it or not.

There is a lot of reference now to the “bucket list” which I think is a great motivator but only if you don’t take yourself for granted and have enough belief in yourself to know that you will work as hard as you can to do all the things you have on your list.  The “bucket list” is similar to the vision board and whichever format works best to aide you is the one you should use.  I use both actually, mostly because the more I see something the more ingrained it becomes in my mind and which makes manifestation inevitable.  I must have a million different notepads that I’ve written goals in along with the pages I’ve written them on, torn out and carried around with me.  My process works for me, I’ve done clean-ups where I’ve found these notepads or notes and discovered that everything on them was now a checkmark of success.

I know that these successes are the inspiration for my continued climb onto the next level because I want to challenge and push myself to the limits so I can be happily surprised when I achieve success.  It is a joyful feeling to create and induce your personal confidence level when you achieve something that you didn’t know if you could but challenged yourself anyway because of the inner strength it builds.

perseverence quote

 
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Posted by on November 5, 2013 in Blog

 

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