Awareness isn't Enough?

Bali Stairs Photo Courtesy of Sean Newhouse

Being the W Chaser finds me asking a lot of questions. Hopefully the conduit opens the channels of communication.

Why is it so easy to obtain a habit but so hard to break it? What is at the crux of our own truth? Where do we go to cross the threshold? Who is holding our karmic puppet strings? When does having awareness become enough information to change?

Habits are hard to break. But what if we know that the best way to get over a habit is to replace it with another habit? We seek out the positive counterpart and de-brain wash ourselves. If we spend at least 21 days reprogramming ourselves our new habit will be born and hopefully the old one will retreat into the abyss.

The truth is hard to face. But what if we get into our place of courage and know that the truth will set us free?  Then we should become advocates for the verity of our own circumstances. Hopefully the candor will bring us closer to our true selves.

The threshold is hard to find. But what if we know that our authentic selves are waiting for us on the threshold? Then it should make it worth rummaging around for right. It doesn't matter how many steps we have to climb when hopefully each step makes us stronger in our intention.

The karmic puppet strings are loose. But what if we know that we can compel our own change with our fervent determination? We will control our own destiny. It is up to us to stimulate our own growth, summon our own answers, and consider that we are the ones hopefully influencing the outcomes of our own existence.

The Awareness is only half of it. But what if we know that we can appeal to our better nature? We will be able to use the information to actually change our own essence. It is a conscious choice to let go of the negativities instilled in us as children. It takes lots of practice and it is important to nurture ourselves during what can be an arduous process. Surrounding ourselves with compassionate people and being sympathetic to any of our own shortcomings is crucial. It is imperative to know that sometimes we react in fear. Fear of loss, fear of letting go, fear of failure. Even fear of success.

We need to create habits in ourselves that entice us to be better. It is through these new habits that we can get to the crux of our own truths and releasing the patterns of other peoples fears. When we find our truth and humility the threshold will become visible. We hold the answers within us, we create our own destiny and we possess the ability to shift our own karmic strings in any direction. At the heart of our change is our awareness and willingness to change. We can't be afraid to put ourselves out there and we need to stop pushing people away.

Even though we may encounter stumbling stones along the way, once you are aware of them you can just use them to play hopscotch.

Where is your awareness taking you today?




.

Course of Action

Photo Courtesy of Chris Fox

You can change your course of action in any given day by simply taking a moment to slow down the mind, take a deep breath and get into your place of new intention.

Ever notice that when you are running late that everything that could go wrong does? You get wrapped up in the stresses of over sleeping, losing track of time or being distracted by the task at hand. Once you jump into this place of frantic reaction it can take hold of you and wreak havoc on your entire day.

It can literally set off a domino effect of disaster if you're not careful. While running out the door you might stub your toe or break a heel or lock your keys in the house. If you're rushing you might get into a car accident or miss your exit or get a flat tire.

Life has a funny way of giving us what we put out. It is that simple. The worlds irony can be adjusted by your conscious intention to alter your state of reality. With a deliberate simple twist of fate you can and will call the shots of how your day will unfold.

You have power and you truly need to believe you have the power to change your circumstances by trusting that your thoughts really do become things. Your life was not meant to be a little boat on choppy waters. You were meant for smooth sailing. You were made for greatness. You need to just remember how simple it all is.

You can realign your sense of self and purpose and change your course of action. If you wake up in the morning having overslept thanks to your silent alarm, you should not jump out of bed in distressed trepidation. You should put your head back on the pillow, take a deep breath and say to yourself, "Okay I overslept but this will not set the precedence for my day. Today will run smoothly and effortlessly as I have the power to change my course of action starting now". Then you get up and start your day. Yes you should probably move a little faster than you normally do but not in an agitated state of mind. You must come from a place of peace for this realignment to work. And it can work if you believe in yourself and your power.

What actions are you taking today?





.

Lucky Is What Lucky Does

                                              Photo courtesy of Sean Newhouse

If you believe you are lucky than luck will find you. If you practice then practice makes perfect. When you're perfect the stars will align and will shower you with wishes. When you wish upon a star then lucky you are.

If you believe in fate than your destiny will retrieve you. Your karma will catch up with you and serendipity will obtain you. Be open to the possibilities and you will persevere. When you wish upon a star then lucky you are.

If you believe in your course of action than chance will catch you. Your energy will guide you and your potential will be unleashed. Let your sensibilities heighten your awareness. When you wish upon a star then lucky you are.

If you believe in yourself than good fortune will rain upon you. Your good nature will develop your senses and your intuition will guide you. Welcome the adventure and give in to the joy. When you wish upon a star then lucky you are.

Don't you deserve a little luck?



.

Is Your Door Open?

Bali doorway, Photo courtesy of Sean Newhouse

The truth is, trust takes a minute. It can be hard to come by and it is easily taken away. Only you can make the choice to trust again by trusting in yourself.

The truth is, trust comes from knowing you have integrity and taking responsibility for your actions. When you have confidence in your innate power trust becomes imaginable.

The truth is, trust is hard to come by and it is imperative that you surround yourself by people who can be trusted. If you want to set a new precedence for yourself you must start with trusting your surroundings.

The truth is, you must trust your intuition and have the confidence that your innate abilities will keep you on your right path. You can't let life get in your way when your trustworthy instinct is trying to confide in you.

The truth is, if you leap the net will appear. If you take risks you are promised progress. If you strive to better yourself you will leave a great impression. If you believe in your decisions you will learn to triumph.

The truth is, when you trust yourself it is inevitable that when one door closes another one will open. Only you can open the door to your soul. Only you can trust that when you step through the threshold, life will give you what you ask of it. What lay behind your open door is everything you can imagine, conceive, envision, and apprehend.

Haven't you been behind closed doors long enough?

Is Your Light On?

                                        Picture from above Bali, courtesy of Sean Newhouse

Love yourself and you will know hope. Hope for the best and you will know faith. Have faith and you will know your truth. Your truth will release the sun from behind the darkest clouds.

Love is the light that will lead the way. Consider love your conduit to long lasting relationships. It illuminates your innate desires and feeds your passions. Loves benevolence will open windows, doors and hearts everywhere.

Hope is the light at the end of the tunnel. Consider hope your inner flashlight. You control the switch and your batteries are solar powered. It helps you keep striving, pursuing, and seeing the bigger picture.

Faith is where the light is. Consider faith your adhesive to keep you in your strength. Hold on tight and let it hold onto you. The optimism will stir your senses and motivate your aspirations.

Truth is to walk in the light. Consider it your path to freedom from the darkness. The assimilation of truth will enlighten your spirit and purify your humanity. Embracing it shall truly set you free.

Love yourself and you will know hope. Hope for the best and you will know faith. Have faith and you will know your truth. Your truth will release the sun from behind the darkest clouds.


Haven't you been in the dark long enough?




.

How Do You Do?

  

It's that time again. Time to look in the mirror. Look into the mirror and remember. Look into our own eyes and recall the beauty. Gaze, admire, look deep, see pure, and when you get enough courage together, smile. 

Smile big. Smile genuinely at the smile smiling back at you. A smile on your face, A chuckle in your throat, a giggle on your lips and the laughter that follows; this is the true you. The real you. 

You should be the person who loves you the most and believes in you undeniably and thinks you are stunning.

You are looking at the person who gets you out of bed in the morning. The person who no matter how many times they fall still gets up and try’s again.  

        The smiling person looking back at you is who you really are.  So take this smile into the world with you today.  Share it with everyone you come in contact with.  This is your free gift to the beauty of the planet and your simple yet tremendous contribution to society.

This smiling face is representative of you and the world looks forward to embracing your smile. Your very smile can save someone’s life. Your sad neighbor uses it to brighten up their day. A lonely stranger holds on to that smile triggering happy memories of their long forgotten life. The teenager who just broke up with his girlfriend embraces your smile as hope that his heart will heal.         
Your smile is the undeniable beauty of your true self and the world needs your smile.  

It starts with you. A smile will brighten up the darkest of days. If you smile it is impossible to be sad. If you start laughing then a true real laugh will take its place and you can release the sadness. The power in a smile is huge. A random act of kindness that doesn’t cost anyone anything and yet it will shower you and those around you with the riches of happiness. 

The best part of a smile is when it turns into a giggle. It’s subtle and you try to control it but why control it? Let it go! When you let go of it, it becomes contagious and when you look around everyone has the same expression as you. All you have to do is smile at someone and the faces before you become brighter and the energy that is transferred lifts you both up to a higher place of elation.  

It’s in this higher place of excitement that laughter follows.  After all laughter is a smile that bursts.

Have you smiled today?

Did You Know?

You were born to be a miracle so observe who you are.  Make your own decisions by listening to your life.  The hope will help you believe in you.

In the beginning there was... you.

You found your way into this world. You were strong enough to break free.  You were smart enough to know which way to go. You were clever enough to let the world know you were fine with a simple little cry.

And... A beautiful miracle was born.

You were courageous enough to take your first step. You were perceptive enough to form your first word.  You were gregarious enough to smile at strangers and make them laugh and make fools of themselves over you.

And... Then you became observant.

You learned how to speak in full sentences.  You started thinking for yourself and formulating opinions. You established friendships. You acquired knowledge. You started to form your own personality. You configured your own persona based on what you perceived and who you observed.

And... Then you came into your own.

You decided what course to pursue.  You knew what you liked and what you could do without.  You started to figure out who you wanted to be. You figured out what was important to you. You started dreaming.

And... Then you found decision.

You dreamt of being a super hero, a lawyer, a writer, a parent. You knew love. You knew that you were unstoppable. You were cognizant of your possibilities. You were eager to live your life and knew you could make a difference. You were unstoppable.

And... Then you stopped listening.

You experienced pain. You knew loss on a first name basis. You let others hurt you. You allowed people to persuade you or undermine your dreams. You were in denial and lost your sense of self-worth. You didn't know that it was always your choice to make. You forgot.

And... Then you found hope.

You found someone to remind you of your brilliance. You started pushing the envelope of intrigue. You remembered that you had dreams of greatness. You started to believe in your power again. You realized it was up to you.

And... Then you believe.

You listen. You test the theories. You experience the changes. You see the winks. You hear the connections. You grasp your inner beauty. You comprehend the messages your life is giving you. Your relationships blossom. Your career flourishes. Your sense of self-worth is unparalleled. Your dreams are your reality. You smile at the mirror and it smiles back at you. You make the right choices. You have found your strength. You have found yourself.

In the end there will always be... You.



Do you believe?


.

Don't Ask

      Being the W Chaser brings lots of questions. They seem to be never-ending.  I am constantly perplexed by people even if not always so surprised. For the most part people will prove us right, they will do exactly what we think they will do even if we hope they will do something different. With this knowledge, then why, if we already know the answer to a question, do we still ask it knowing we won't like the response?

      If we know someone can't give us the emotional support we need than we shouldn't ask them for it.

      How do we truly accept people and ourselves for who we are? How do we let go of the outcome? How do we stop setting ourselves up for the fall?

      Some people just aren't capable of certain things. They limit themselves without realizing they are doing it. And by reaching out to someone to fulfill an emotional need for us puts us at fault.  I've said it before, no one can let us down if we don't allow them to hold us up.

       For my mothers entire life I pursued a relationship with her that she was just not capable of having. Feeling bereft became a familiar sentiment, one that didn't feel good, but going back for more was my only known option. In exchange the need to be accepted, advocated and loved would propagate a very real lack of self-confidence.

       There would be a lot of searching over the years but I was looking in all the wrong places. The acceptance, trust, and approval would have to come from within. When we put our faith in ourselves we give ourselves power. When we find our own self-assurance we can stop looking for reassurance.

       Sometimes people are fundamentally unable to give you a compliment, wish you well, or congratulate you. It is possible they are essentially incapable of being happy for someone who is experiencing great accomplishments. Some people will tell you everything they are doing but not once ask you what you're doing or even how you're doing.

      It's okay. We can't let it affect us. We can't let it get us down. Our feelings may get hurt but we should just forgive. Forgiveness will fundamentally help us grow, improve and will empower us. Embrace the friends that are supportive of you and continue supporting them in their endeavors. Focus on what you do have not what you don't.

      Is there someone in your life you have a hard time being happy for? Why?




.

  

Part IV - Hearing the Silence

After what feels like many life times ago, my thoughts bring me memories of a very significant part of my past. On the one hand the struggle was inherently unavoidable and constantly threatened to ruin me. For as far back as my memories will take me, there has always been an unequivocal need for silence.  My inner conflict was more like turmoil and the disparaging voices had no volume control or on or off button.

          Years ago, living back home in New York City, an Australian sat next to me in a workshop.  He was world traveled, a scholar, and a gentleman.  Over french fries and draft beer one night after class we made a hand shake pact that we would be platonic friends forever.   Forever didn’t last because of me. Age and wisdom had yet to teach me of friendships and honesty and integrity.  I’ll always miss my ten year friend and will always be sorry for the unfortunate turn of events.  Lately, more than anything, gratitude embraces my thoughts of him. With his generous and caring nature he gave me the ultimate gift. 

During our friendship he arranged for me to do a weeklong retreat (The Hoffman Process) that helps increase emotional intelligence.  This would be the week that would change my life forever. 

What if we haven’t been able to resolve our inner conflict because we are fighting with ourselves instead of nurturing ourselves?   What if by only looking at two sides we are leaving out two other sides that exist?  What if we are comprised of four parts instead of the two we only ever address?

Well if this possibility holds any truth, no wonder we’re in conflict.  This could mean that at any given moment we are ignoring, denying or abusing one or two parts of us.  

This is what we learned during the process. We are actually made up of four fundamental parts:  the body, the spiritual self, the emotional child and the intellect.    Now think about this for a moment.  Sometimes we are really good about going to the gym (taking care of the body) but then we constantly listen to loud music or we don’t get enough rest (ignoring the spiritual self).  We can be workaholics (feeding the intellect) but never take time to play or smell the roses (nurturing the inner child). 

If we don’t find a way to coexist within ourselves the conflict will never be resolved. We need to take the time to know the importance of balance. We need to pay attention to what our needs are.  It could be quite simple actually. 

What if we were to take out a piece of paper and fold it into four columns.  At the top of each column put the four parts of our essence (the body, the spiritual self, the intellect, the emotional child).  Under each heading write down what you do for each part of you in any given week.  Is there one column that dominates the attention richter scale? Which column is lacking?

It’s not easy.  Life can get in the way, but we do need to be reminded.  My friend sharing her story with me jarred my memory and led to this four part series.

The instability of life still threatens me sometimes. My work hours can sometimes leave much to be desired and my inner child stomps her feet for attention.  For years the gym escaped me but my meditations embraced me almost everyday. The instability was getting the best of me but the denial covered me like a blanket.

In the weeks leading up to this final part in the series finds me finally heeding my own advice. It’s working. The nurturing of each part of my essence has given me stability, balance and forgiveness.  Befriending myself has left me feeling full, nurtured, and whole.

The epiphanies and synchronicity of it all are living proof that the path of least resistance is within all of our reaches.

Being able to find the balance in my life has helped me to tap into the silence. The quiet has been the greatest gift ever bestowed upon me. So much can come from silence when all of you are listening at the same time.  

Are you ready to level out the scale and find your inner peace?


.

Part III - Is That An Angel On Your Shoulder?

Since the beginning of time there has been a struggle between good and evil. It is prevalent in comic books, movies and literature. It is evident in our lives with others when we have arguments, misunderstandings or altercations. It is apparent in our lives when we experience inner contention, hostility and conflict.

Most of us want to do the right thing. Our intention in the moment is to take care of ourselves and others but once in a while (and sometimes more often for some of us) the lure of our dark side prevails.

Have you ever heard the saying "he wears his heart (or emotions) on his sleeve"? Well we all do in some way, shape or form. We can carry the weight of the world (burden) on our shoulders if we're not careful. We can carry our stress, tension and anxiety on our shoulders and as we have heard in cartoons, songs and poems, we can have an angel on one side and the devil on the other.

Representing our inner conflict in such a way tends to make sense. The little devil on the left side shoulder wants to be naughty, get into mischief and inflict havoc on our lives and those around us. The angel on the other side of us wants us to fight the desire to give in to the devil and focus on being pure, healthy and loving in every way.  

For centuries we have all had to confront the sides of us that keep us in conflict. The pure vs. corrupt. The virtuous vs. unethical. The good vs. evil.  How do we find the strength to hear the angel on our shoulder?  Is it really within us to overcome our inner contention?

Who do you want to be?  The protagonist in your story or the antagonist?

Here is something interesting.  Why does there have to be two sides to everything?  This isn't Willy Wonka's office where everything is cut in half.  There are actually three sides to every story right?  Yours, mine and what really happens? So maybe it isn't so black and white as all this.  Maybe there really is a grey area and it's within this grey area that all our sides are visible.

What if when it comes to our human psyche it's not just two halves make a whole?  What if our peace depends on something more profound than left brain/right brain or subconscious/conscious or even good vs. evil?

Maybe it's time to open up the circle and view it from another perspective all together.  Maybe it's time to look at ourselves as we were meant to be seen.   Maybe it's time to listen to ourselves and hear what each part of us has to say.

Maybe it's here that we can know silence.

Are you ready to really get to know you?

Part II of the Series - A Conscious Whisper

There may not be explicit directions or a road map that can show us how to think but we can train ourselves to be our own compass.  We can look from one side to the other for a definitive description of our essential qualities.  We can embrace our creativity or ponder logic.  Sometimes we can do both.  

But what if we were to take our brain and shift it?  What if we delve deeper and farther away from your typical right brain/left brain analogy.  Would the classification then be inside/outside?  Does that mean that the conversation my friend is having with herself is actually her sub-conscious mind whispering to her conscious mind?

Our subconscious is gaining a lot of recognition and notoriety.  It's where we are learning we can find some answers.  For all good will and intents and purposes, our subconscious has our best interest in mind.  It is our true self, hidden from the ego and the day to day grind of life.  Our subconscious knows us and knows who we can be if we could just get out of our own way.

We either think to much or not enough.  We are moving so fast in this
tele-conditioned society of ours that we have forgotten how to listen.  My friend is starting to see and hear the signs of her life telling her it's time to pay attention.

Malcolm Gladwell refers to it as our Blink Moments.  The power of thinking without thinking.  Have you ever had an experience where something happens like you spill your coffee and as it's happening you realize that you had thought for a blink of a second that you shouldn't put your cup there but you did it anyway?

Squire Rushnell references it as the power of coincidence in When God Winks.  Again, using our own inner powers to guide our life and change our circumstances.

In The Power of the Subconscious Mind, Joseph Murphy refers to the law of belief and the abilities to use your subconscious mind to solve problems, create wealth, and bring about inventions.  He even speaks of the relationship between our dreams and our subconscious.  There are lessons to be learned.  If we believe.

It is possible that the strength my friend has found is her subconscious reaching out from the depths to help her make better decisions.  She is embarking on a new part of her journey.  After recently experiencing a break-up with someone she has been with for a long time, she expressed to me a fear of being alone.

It's ironic that she would find this new hidden talent of self-power during such a crisis.  Perhaps her subconscious is showing her that she is not alone.  She has an ally she can always call upon for help, strength and assistance.  She can overcome her conscious fears and insecurities by listening to her true self.  Her subconscious mind is educating her in the power of self-discipline.

We do hold a lot of power.  It's up to us whether we choose to believe in that power or not.

It's time to stop getting in our own way and to resolve the conflict that lay within us.

Can you hear it?


.

Part 1 of the Series - What side are you on Anyway?

               

There are two sides to every story.  And at certain glance, two halves to every whole.  We know it takes two parts to complete a circle and there are two distinct cerebral hemispheres in our brain.

Based on research in the late 60’s American psycho-biologist Roger Sperry, 1981 Nobel Laureate in Medicine, made a ground-breaking discovery.  He proposed that each side of the brain controlled different types of thinking.

You’ve probably heard people ask, “Are you a right brainer or left brainer”?  As the theory goes, our creative abilities ruled by the right side of our brains are emotional, creative, musical, expressive and intuitive.  The left side of our brains are comprised of logic, critical thinking, reasoning, numbers and language.

If we take this theory and combine it with the possibility that we can actually use one side of our brain to talk to the other side then we invoke the power of persuasion.
  
The equilibrium of our existence is essential to our composure.  We must find a way to coexist within ourselves or we will find ourselves stepping outside the boundaries of our own comfort levels.  

Balance is essential to our existence and we cannot let one side of us take over the other side against our will.  This is conflict at it's finest.  When we are in conflict with ourselves it puts us off kilter.  We need to find a way within ourselves to find strength. 

Do we have to pick sides?  My friend was able to pick a side and make it her stronger side.  But which side was it really?  Which side is the one that tells my friend, “Let’s go to the gym”, when the other side says, “Let’s have a glass of wine”?  It would make sense to me that the logical side would want to be healthy while the creative side would want to kick it and enjoy the scenery. 

How did she know that she could overcome the disparaging voice of that side of her brain that tried to keep her from doing what she wanted?  She has given herself the power to override the chatter.   But what if the conversation isn't what she thinks?  

What if looking from left to right is looking in the wrong direction all together?  

Want to delve deeper? 

Labyrinth Painting - Monica Erosa

No Judgement

We need to embrace who we are.  We can't worry that people are judging us.  We shouldn't hide.  Our truths are our own.

People are either going to understand us or they're not.  Let's face it.  Some people are judgmental.  They don't mean to be.  Sometimes they don't even realize they are doing it.  Admittedly, once upon a time my thoughts found me guilty of judgement.  Not just of others either.  Mostly of myself.  Growing up in a house where the unspoken welcome mat was "what will the neighbors think" leant itself to prudence.

Most of the time when we judge, it's because we don't understand something or someone.  We can't wrap our heads around things that are different to us.  We inflict our own beliefs on how things should be and we can't steer away from that narrow path.

If someone wears off beat clothes embrace them for their creativity.  If someone had a troubled past commend them for their courage.  If you don't understand who someone might be and you walk away you might miss out on a valuable lesson, a long lasting friendship or even love.

Maybe it's time we all heed the advise of the old adage, never judge a book by it's cover.  Let's just stop judging all together.  Especially ourselves.  Nurturing our truths is a brave endeavor.  Cultivating each others can be an intrepid adventure.

Life should be filled with adventure, sharing, and risk.  Take a chance on someone you might not normally talk to.  Be openminded.  Step outside your circle.  Your comfort zone.  Something really special could await you.

After all, you wouldn't want someone judging you, would you?

.

Check in Number 11

It's been a long week.  I don't know whether to pout, cry, laugh, stomp my feet, or throw in the towel.  Of course, it's a given.  I am going to do everything but throw in the towel!

The hours I am keeping are ridiculous but welcome to music videoville.   I have to remember that I love what I do.  But it's hard when my true love is left to sit by the wayside and the neglect is evident.  The delay in writing my four part series breaks my heart.  I have been so excited about it but a girl has to choose to get some sleep sometimes.  The series will come soon.

Today I couldn't return to the office it feels I just left before getting some things off my chest.  I woke today with a heavy need to remind us all of something that could prove to be important.

Everyone has an opinion.  And for the most part we want to share it.  Guidance, advise, counsel, suggestions, even constructive criticism are all someone else's opinion.  We should, (if we trust them) listen.  Hear what they have to say and then sit with the information so we can figure out what we deem appropriate to us in the moment.

I have received praise for my writings even though some people out there might think it's narcissistic.  Some people read everyday and share with me how my words have changed them while others laugh or snub their noses at my messages.

The beauty of life is there is something for everyone.  It is up to us to choose, select and appoint what is right for us.  

Someone that I admire told me recently that she loved my postings because they are personal and from the heart and she relates to what I say thanks to the way I say it.  She said she looked forward to reading what I have to say and that it would replace the Daily Om for her.  If you can imagine, this was the highest praise I could receive because I myself read the Daily Om!

On another note, I recently received an amazing heart felt letter from a publisher.  He actually took the time to evaluate my self-help memoir that I sent him.  He said that I am a good writer and that I have talent.  But he also felt that my book should be written in the third person, I used to many "I's" and that the story had no point.  He said the part II (the self-help part) felt forced.

Of course this email has been on mind and I realized today that I was spending so much time thinking about what was said about my writing that it was keeping me from writing!  So here I am again.  Getting it out.  Working it out on paper with you.  Have you ever had someone give you their opinion on something you were proud of and you let it get the best of you?  Maybe you second guessed yourself enough that you let the opinions of someone else keep you from following through on a dream?

That would have been me before.  I would have put the book in a drawer and walked away.  But I am now cognizant of the fact that everyone has an opinion. Not everyone will relate to me or my stories.  I have also had four people read my self-help memoir from cover to cover in one sitting and want to turn it into a screenplay right away.  Everyone is different and everyone has something else to say.

I like what I am learning.  And I am going to heed the publishers advise and try the exercise in writing some entries never using the word "I" (although that's obviously not today).  I even find myself considering a re-write.  I also find myself figuring out a way to make part I and part II more of a collective whole.

The message here is that I am considering these things.  The book didn't get thrown in a drawer and I didn't let someone's opinion deter me.  I listened with an open mind and while I almost let it get the best of me.  Now I choose to keep believing in myself, keep pursuing and keep doing.

We are powerful beings and we can be influential in so many ways.  While we may have a lot to think about, we can't let our thoughts keep us from action.  Stay positive, keep smiling and most importantly, stay encouraged.  Know where you're heading and let your heart take you there.  Never, ever give up on yourself.

It's time to stop over-thinking.

What are you going to do today?





.

A Four Part Series

It's amazing how different we all are.  Our perceptions really do make us truly unique.  The way we view life, the things we say, what we do and the company we keep, says a lot about who we are.  Our approach to any given situation is our tell.  We have our philosophies, our belief systems and our convictions.  The principles we follow are based on views that agree with our ideologies.

Fundamentally we must evolve like a tree of life.  If there is an immanent desire to be better, to learn more, and to prosper then our natural development is inevitable.  We will innately find new and innovative ways to stretch ourselves to new limits.  

Do our impressions change as we grow?  Most certainly.  Does our thinking adjust as we learn new things?  It would have to.  Do we adapt by coming up with innovative ideas for self-motivation?  We do when where we are isn't good enough anymore.

This series we are about to embark upon is born from many conversations with one of my best friends.  She is embarking on the art of revision and adaptation. Like the rest of us, she is learning new things about herself as her circumstances and relationship statuses change.

"Life is about change and it is those that resist that change that shall fall upon their greatest obstacle, themselves".       ~Pepper Carlson

We can all tap into our own resources.  We can adorn ourselves in the jewels of wisdom and transformation.  We can look within to see that if we don't make an attempt at evolution we will stifle our creative resources.  If we don't learn to take care of ourselves we will be off balance.  We don't want to stumble through our lives.

My friend has been a huge source of encouragement for me.  In one of our most recent conversations, she shared with me her excitement about an epiphany she had.  She kept calling it her left brain right brain.  During a recent moment of motivation, she was getting ready to work out when all of a sudden part of her brain thought, "Instead of working out I could watch my new Netflix or catch up on some reading or take a nap."  The voice of that side of her brain was loud and clear and had other ideas that didn't include a gym.  But then the other side of her brain was like, "No!  Go work out.  You're dressed, you'll feel good, now get to it."

It worked.  She was able to redirect that part of her that was trying to keep her down.  And the excitement in her eyes when she was telling this story was like she had placed first in a marathon.  Accomplishment!  She figured out a way that works for her to quiet the disparaging voice of the side of her that has a mind of it's own.  Now when she finds herself in a conflicting predicament she taps into her own power of motivation.

This kind of self conflict got me thinking.  We know we can be our own worst enemies, our own worst dichotomies, and we can seal our own fate.  But what if how we view ourselves and the conflict we put ourselves through is an ego driven fallacy?  What if we can override, or join forces with our selves by implementing a relationship directly with the selves as separate entities?

There are many sides to every story right?  And we are all our own story right?  Well how many sides does our story have exactly?  Can there even be more than one?

This is going to be a journey into hypothesis.  I leave it up to you to decide what belief system works best for you, if any.  Or you can be like me and just embrace the possibilities.  Theories were meant to be mulled over and tested and squeezed and stretched beyond the imagination.  I am not sure where this is going to take us.  But I must admit I am excited to find out what I have to say about it all.  I don't know how long each part will be or how long this will take me but hopefully it will all make sense and the rhetoric is persuasive in that it challenges you to delve even deeper into your journey.

Self forgiveness, encouragement, conflict, tests, strength, will, creativity, intellect, emotional, serious, consistent, supportive, rhetorical.   

Part I  -  What Side Are You On Anyway?

Part II -  A Conscious Whisper

Part III - Is That An Angel On Your Shoulder?

Part IV - Hearing the Silence

Stay Tuned... 

.

Beloved

Being the eternal optimist that I am it is no wonder that I might be branded the hopeless romantic.  Maybe I was born to the wrong era.  Maybe I just think old fashion should never go out of style.  Fads are what we make them.  Some things are meant to hold onto, an old locket your great grandmother wore or your fathers favorite ring.  

The most important thing we hold dear are our memories.  But what if the memories haven't happened yet?  Or they happened in a dream?  Or they happened in a poem because your romantic nature always promises to get the best of you?  Maybe these memories can be called wishes.  They are the ones that haven't happened yet but maybe they still will... These memories right around the corner are called...

 My Beloved

I spent my youth by the waters edge

Immersed in a prayer that you would find thee

Waiting patiently as the years passed by

I began to wonder if you could hear me

Would you listen to my beckoning call

Or would I wonder aimlessly without you

Perhaps I was just a hopeless romantic

And you were never really supposed to

But if we inherently believe in miracles

To the entire world we must profess

That anything is possible and

So we adhere to its bequests

There is someone for everyone

And this I hold true

From the bottom of my heart

I have waited patiently for you

I thought that I was dreaming

When you walked through the door

The first time our eyes embraced

And I knew I wanted more

Years would pass with more encounters

Yet never a word of happenstance

We would always just walk away

Leaving our connections to chance

How ironic that you should find me now

Within reach of your similar path

Only time can reveal the truth

If there’s such a thing as our other half

Humble Admissions

Okay it's official, I am a lamb chop. As much as I hate to admit it, I do have feelings. I am not the strong, knights shield of armor, New York tough girl, exterior shell I show to the world. I am susceptible to harm, I get sad, and my feelings get hurt.

Sometimes I am lost, I lack direction, and I go in plain old circles. Sometimes my friends hurt my feelings, I feel left out or I am just breathing through the denial.  I am vulnerable.  Eek!  The V word!  Once upon a time I couldn't even say the word vulnerable.  To me the V word was the equivalent to most peoples L word.  But here goes.  I am trying something new.  Humble Admissions.

I am convinced that we attract that which we know.  If we are not careful we will find ourselves creating situations that prove us right.  We will keep repeating our patterns and we won't be able to get off the hamster wheel.

These confessions are not casting blame.  They will come out very one sided but that's good!  This journey is about us anyway right?  No one has to see the list you make.  And you certainly shouldn't have to defend it.  We each have our own story.  We have our perception of how we are affected by our relationships and they may differ from everyone else in the room.  

You see, we react to things based on our own knowledge, feelings and upbringing.  What might make you feel bad might make someone else laugh.  What might scare you could be invigorating to others.  But the work we do with ourselves should be open, raw and life changing.  Have you ever been hurt by something or someone but shrugged it off?  How often do you that?

  

I guess the truth of the matter is, if you show one side of you to the world then that's who the world will think you are.  I was talking to one of my friends one day, after one of my other friends hurt my feelings pretty badly.  While I was explaining what happened, I got triggered.  All of a sudden I started talking about all these scenarios of how our friends had left me out of things over the years or did wrong by me in some way even though I included them when they needed it most.  I started sobbing so hard that I ran to my room, slammed the door, sat on my floor against my bed and sobbed into my hands.

  

I had another one of my many why me's, how many more tears can there be kind of moments.  My friend opened the door, my puppy came running into my room, jumped on my lap and started licking my face.  Of course, I started laughing.  And apparently, from the look on her face, I scared my friend which made laugh even harder.  She had never seen me cry.  To her, I was the description above of all the things I am not.

I finally realize something else too. The people that care about us don't hurt us on purpose (well we hope not).  They are acting toward us the way they are.  Chances are highly likely that they are not aware of what they are doing.  How can they be?  They don't have our same perceptions.  We can't take it personally.  If it hurts, feel the pain.  Cry it out or work out or do whatever it is you do to feel better.  Find the place of love in your heart and forgive them and forgive yourself and move on.  Even if it's without them.  Do whatever is best for you.

Challenging myself to be this humble has been the hardest thing I have ever done.  It's actually been physically uncomfortable for me.  When you spend your life behind your façade of protection it is scary as hell to step out from beyond the veil.

But I am doing this.  You with me?  Every time we do something it gets easier.  Things are only scary if we've never done them before.  

What are you too scared to admit?

.

Shifts & Check In Number 9

Time sure does pass when you are focussing on other things.  Spring is trying to decide if it's really here or not with warm weather one day and cold wind the next.  But the sun is out and brings promise.  How's your check in experiment going?  Are you still pursuing?

This morning on my walk I took it all in.  I checked in with nature, myself and where I am on the path.  I feel the shifts.  Patience is still holding on tight and I am trying not to fight with it.  My thoughts are finally starting to catch up with the advise I give.  Why is it so easy to give everyone else advise but not so easy to heed it?

I have a lot to be thankful for and even though my fears try to get the best of me sometimes, my nature is coming to the rescue.  My endeavor is protected by my patent, my career is still paying the bills and I found my life's calling with the words that seem to pour out of me on a daily basis.

My check in Number 9 has me optimistic.  Everyday I get into my power of intention and I send out another inquiry for help in finding an investor to partner up with me.  Someone is out there who is meant to be my business partner.

Even though I haven't received a positive response to any of my query letters I know that my book will be published and I will get to share it.  In meditation I see people reading my book and sharing it with love ones and friends who will benefit from the messages.  I even saw myself doing a high school and college circuit  where I get to go and share my story with students and introduce them to the power of positive insight.

You would be surprised how many people out there still don't believe in the possibilities.  They stay trapped in their limiting beliefs and think it is the life they were meant to be living.  Astonishing.

We were meant to be great.  It is up to us whether we suffer or survive, if we just get by or if we live abundantly.  Coco Chanel went from an orphanage to a style icon.  Oprah born to a poor teenaged mother went on to become well, Oprah!  

There are many success stories we can seek out to uplift us, remind us, and encourage us that we can be one of the hand full.  We just need to believe.  Happiness comes from within and so do the answers to our lives, if we can figure out what it is we are meant to be doing.

Have we forgotten what our childhood dreams were?  Do we have intellect over-ride?  What happened to wanting to be a Doctor, a Fireman, a Super Hero?  We need to find our irrevocable belief in ourselves that it is never too late, we are always enough, and we were meant for greatness.

Figure out your "what" and let the Universe take care of the "how".

Who were you meant to be?



.

Power Vocabulary

“You can create the energy to turn your dreams into 

 reality by knowing what to say when you talk to yourself.”

                                                                 Shad Helmstetter, Author 

Need some self inflicted uplifting?  When we are in a place of personal power we are more apt to be open to the solutions needed to conquer the tasks at hand.  Most companies start the week with a Monday morning staff meeting.  Instead of walking into the day wishing it was still Sunday and the Laker game was just starting instead of having ended in embarrassing defeat, let's get into our power of intention.

When we take time to nurture ourselves we feed ourselves energy.  And energy can come from many sources (not just coffee).  We can use our own words to make us stand taller, breath deeper and keep a confident smile throughout the day.  When in a place of positive thinking and speaking we manifest the positive around us.  If we utilize our own means of lifting ourselves up with purpose, people will have to stand taller to greet us.

Words have power.  They bring happiness or inflict pain.  They give us hope or bring us sorrow.  They can keep us stuck or help us believe in ourselves.

Find a mirror.  Stand in front of it and take a good long look!  Smile.  Smile as big as you can and keep the smile until it actually turns into a real smile.  It might even make you laugh.  Good!  Then tell yourself how great you are.  I know it might sound silly.  It might even sound scary.  But seriously if I told you to go stand in front of a mirror and insult yourself I bet that would be no sweat would it?

Why is that?  Why is it so easy to believe the insults rather that absorb the compliments.  How many of you can actually take a compliment and say "thank you"?  If someone tells you they love your outfit, do you say "Oh, this old thing" or if someone tells you your hair looks good, do you reply, "Really, I didn't even have any of my good hair product left so it came out weird".

Can we snap out of it?  If we practice using our own power vocabulary we can change the way we think about ourselves.  I find using a quote or an affirmation works really well.  You can find them on-line or in your favorite book.  Write it on a piece of paper and keep it with you.  Say it everyday.  Learn it by heart and say it over and over until it becomes your reality.

I have even had times in my life when I have left little notes to myself all over my house.  On my bathroom mirror I had a post-it that said, "You are beautiful" and in my sock drawer I had a note that said, "You can go anywhere you set your mind too".  In my underwear drawer, I put a reminder that said, "You are sexy" and at my front door I put a large colorful memo that said, "Have a fabulous day".

Seeing these little reminders everyday made me mindful of cherishing myself as a human being and when we are in a place of purity we are more inclined to show our best sides and our love to everyone we come in contact with.

Practicing the art of power vocabulary can help us live up to our true potential and assist us in setting good examples to everyone around us.

One person really can make a difference.  If we are our true selves then we encourage people to be their true selves.  When we are all coming from a place of purity and personal power great things can happen for all of us.

What do you have to say?

**************

Some power vocabulary to play with

Love, Happiness, Accomplished, Prepared, Focused, Approved, Strength, Laughter, Joy, Completed, Supported, Huge, Gifted, Ultimate, Willpower, Truth, Unlimited, Attractive, Growth, Promising, Beautiful, Special, New, Excellent, Destiny, Terrific, Breakthrough, Informative, Unique, Strong, Rare, Valued

Here are some links to encouraging quotes

www.inspirationalspark.com

www.quotegarden.com

www.quotelady.com

Life With One Eye Open

Life With One Eye Open has a Facebook Fan Page!  Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Life-With-One-Eye-Open/208915395799619

Thank you everyone for your continued support!

Peace, Love & Light,

~Pepper