HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

This is always an exciting time for me. It’s a time of reflection, review and remembrance. 

This year I’m reflecting on the events of May 19th when I was given what I now call “The Be Love Principles.” This experience was truly life changing for me and you’ll hear more about it in 2019. I’m reviewing my business and what worked and what didn’t. I’m celebrating my successes and noting things to change. And I’m remembering, with gratitude, the people who impacted me this year. Not all those “impacts” were pleasant, by the way. But each unpleasant situation gave me an opportunity to realize I was being called to be more loving, compassionate and kind. Not always an easy lesson, but it has become my life’s work.

I’m also remembering those who were here to celebrate last year and this year are not. Life is indeed short, and I understand, more than ever, we’re here to live love in the way we’re being guided.

One more thing that I understand. How the new year unfolds for me is up to ME. Oh, I love the numerology, astrology and other predictions that I see this time of year. Who doesn’t want a sneak peak into the future? But I understand that nothing, not what the President does, the stock market index, how my husband behaves, my health, what money comes in…NOTHING is as important as my thoughts about each of those things. 

As I do my best, day by day, to keep my thoughts dedicated to love and to being the presence of love for myself and others, my experience of the world is more at peace. No matter what the TV news reports.

In addition to the success review I discussed in the last blog, I’ll be asking myself these questions as we ring in 2019:

• What is most important to me now?
• How can I live more deeply into that truth?
• What new habit(s) do I want to anchor into the new year to support me?
• How open am I to allowing spirit to guide my actions? 
• And how can I be even more open?

I am so grateful for your support and surround you in love, light and the truth of who you are.
Happy New Year!

How Was Your 2018?

I know what you’re thinking.

“Here it comes…another lame request to ‘review your year.’”  

Nope. Well, sort of. 

Yes, I’m suggesting you review your year but in a very different way. Ask great questions, be curious and really relish the last 12 months. I trust you’ll remember the times you screwed up, wished you’d made another choice or never started that project that was doomed from the start. I hope you’ll learn the lessons that have been presented to you from these challenges and look at them as a way to grow. 

What I want you to do now is spend as much – or more – time reviewing your success!

What were your greatest successes of the year? I encourage you to ask yourself questions like: 

• What made the most positive impact on me this year?
• How did I make a positive impact on others? At work? Home?
• My biggest success?
• Where did I shine this year? 
• What brought me the most joy? 
• How was I of service? 
• How did I grow personally, professionally? 
• Where and when was I the most loving? 
• As a result of this past year, what do I want to do more of next year?

While we’re all quick to remember our failures, I find we seldom spend significant time identifying, understanding and celebrating our wins! And while you’re at it, be sure to remind your loved ones, friends and colleagues how they contributed to your year. Help them remember their acts of love, encouragement and support. Perhaps you’ll even suggest they do their own year end success review.

Find some quiet time to reflect on your year, acknowledge your successes and be grateful for the opportunity to be the love that you are.

Diane

May 19, 2018 is a day I will never forget. 

It's the day I received a message from God, Source, Universe, Love...whatever you want to call the intelligent, expansive, creative energy that creates galaxies and makes the tides come in and out. 

So what was I told? In essence, I was told to "be love" and given specific principles on how to do that:

• greet everyone with an open heart without an agenda
• see the divine in everyone and everything
• forgive quickly, completely and unconditionally

And one more thing. I was told to remember "you (meaning we) are the light."

To be honest, I struggled with this experience all summer. I've thought of little else in the days since May 19th. These "Be Love Principles" have become a part of me as I strive to incorporate them into my everyday life. I often fall short. But I keep my focus on these and understand it's a process. Some days a looooong process.

I’ve started to talk about my experience and you can hear the story in Part 1 of ‘How to Be Love” on my recent TV show “Heart-Centered Success.” You can see it on YouTube HERE. I also write about it in my article published in the book “Magic and Miracles.”  

You'll be hearing a lot more about this soon. These "Be Love Principles" are ready to be birthed into the world in a bigger way. 

As this December gets busier, I invite you to remember this first principle. "Greet everyone with an open heart, without an agenda." What would that look like for you? How could you open your heart to others, without judgement? With no expectations? Oh, and remember a very important point. Vital, really. 

The very first person you could greet with an open heart, without an agenda is you.

Be the love you are,
Diane

The Holidays are in FULL SWING...So is the STRESS!

The Thanksgiving turkey is now a faint memory which can only mean one thing…the holidays are ON!

What are you expecting this holiday season?

• Frantic shopping and spending more than you planned?
• Indulging in too much food and drink resulting in extra pounds and lots of guilt? 
• Hectic schedules that only create more stress and feelings of overwhelm?
• Waaay to much time with the friends and relatives who get on your last nerve?

Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Of course not! These results usually occur when we forget to go within and ask Love (God, Universe, Spirit) for guidance. Make this year different.You could experience a truly divine holiday with just a little planning and intention. 

Here are a few tips on how to connect to your inner wisdom (divine voice of love) to enjoy the season:

Gift giving: think about the goal of the gift. Is it to reward or recognize an employee or coworker? Show your love to a child? Demonstrate your appreciation to a loved one? Participate in a gift giving party activity? Ask yourself, “what am I trying to show with this gift?” 

Next imagine the recipient, close your eyes, take a deep breath in, relax and simply ask, “show me the perfect gift for ___.” You may get an image, hear an ad for a specific product, get the idea to bake or make your gift, give a charitable donation in their name or offer an experience (dinner, concert, drive in the country) as your present. Take your time and allow the answer to come. This may even take a day or two. Remember you have a choice. You can be overrun by our consumer culture or be guided by love in your gift giving. 

Over indulging: what is it about the holidays that implies you must eat and drink yourself silly? Stop. Set a silent intention before the party or trip to the grocery store. The reminder here is to stay present with how your body feels. Stick to your drink limit and be aware when you feel full. If you’re going to be in a social situation for a few hours, simply pace yourself. Say no to offers of additional drinks and food that you know makes you feel uncomfortable afterwards. It’s OK to politely refuse to indulge when you know you’ve had enough. At the grocery store stick to your list and when that all too tempting goodie appears at the end of the aisle (like you know it will) ask yourself, “do I really want this or am I just responding to clever product placement?” Feel your answer. Act accordingly.

Hectic schedules leading to stress and overwhelm: here’s the BIG SECRET everyone forgets about holiday schedules. YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR SCHEDULE. Yes, I know you simply must make it to the neighbor’s party and it’s on the same day as that work thing which is right after the school play…guess what? The way to truly enjoy the holidays is to be more intentional about what you do and where you go. Period. Yes, that means you could SKIP some of those events! How do you decide? Tap into your inner wisdom and ask, “Which activities will bring me joy and allow me to bring joy to others?” It’s that easy. Of course, you want to attend a child’s play and see your beloved Aunt Elna and Uncle Bill for brunch but be more discerning about where and why you choose activities. Ask Love to help you! Think of it this way. Is it more important to attend more activities and feel resentful and stressed or fewer events that you truly enjoy? It’s an easy choice if you let it be.

Waaay too much time with friends and relatives who get on your last nerve: Love’s got you covered here as well! You probably know which people tend to trigger you. Before you interact with them, ask Love questions like, “How can I see ____ differently? Show me the lesson here? How can I be more at peace with this relationship?” A few days before that big, uncomfortable holiday family event you could sit quietly, go within and journal the responses you get to your questions. Above all, go into these situations with a loving attitude and intention to enjoy yourself.

Now this doesn’t sound too hard, does it? Just a few more tips to help this holiday be your best:

• Remember to get enough rest, stay hydrated and eat your veggies! Yes, have some of the holiday stuff but don’t forget the basics of self care.
• If you don’t think you have time to meditate, that’s a sure sign to double your efforts! This is a practice that will not only help you feel more connected to the divine within, but you’ll feel connected to the meaning of the season and to your loved ones even more.
• Give yourself a break. Forgive yourself and others when things don’t go the way you planned. Allow the divine to come into to every situation and look for the love there.

Now go forth and enjoy the next few weeks! When you feel unsure, stuck or at a loss remember to go within and ask, “Love, what do you want me to know here?”

What I’m Grateful for NOW

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite time of the year. No. Question. Some people think that’s kinda weird, since I’m a vegetarian, but it’s not about the food for me. 

It’s all about the gratitude. 

I love gratitude lists, gratitude journals, TV shows about gratitude, magazine articles, blogs…you get the idea. I even published an eBook earlier this year, “Living from a Grateful Heart: 10 Gratitude Practices for Individuals, Families and Groups,” to share some of my favorite ways to say “thank you.”

This year is no different. I feel blessed and full of gratitude. In the past 12 months I’ve made new friends, blossomed as a member of a spiritual mastermind group, watched my beautiful grandson grow, experienced spiritual growth when I least expected it, started new projects and continued to love and be loved by my family and friends.

To be honest, this year hasn’t all been easy.  Like many of you, it’s been a year of ups and downs. I have to admit the “downs” seemed more plentiful at times, especially when I worried about loved ones in the path of hurricanes or wild fires, supported others through unspeakable trauma, felt the all too familiar pain of mass shootings and lived through a particularly intense election cycle.

Through it all, I remembered one truth. Gratitude is the doorway to love. To my mind, no drama, trauma, challenge or chaos can triumph over love. When the world seems dark, I do my best to remember the light of love. 

When I sit down at our family Thanksgiving dinner this year, I’ll be grateful for these five truths:

1) No matter what happens in my family, community or the world at large, I know I’m in control of my thoughts and how I choose to react. I can choose love or fear. I choose love.

2) While I often see what’s wrong in the world, I know there’s more light than dark.  I see the legions of neighbors helping each other during natural disasters, organized meditation and prayer groups that have been scientifically proven to positively effect mass behavior and the kindness of strangers. I see love at work in the world. 

3) I am not my circumstances. I am, like you, the essence of the divine in human form.

4) The more I am grateful, the more I have to be grateful for. I absolutely know that sincere gratitude expands exponentially.

5) I am grateful to know that God, Universe, Source Energy – whatever you want to call it – is at work in my life and in the world calling us all to expand even more into the love we are at our core.

I’ll continue to practice gratitude and marvel in the many gifts that are constantly presented to me, even in the darkest times.

I’m grateful to each of you and wish you a most beautiful Thanksgiving. May the spirit of true gratitude live in our hearts throughout the year.

Obstacles on the Road of Life

You know what I mean…those obstacles that you believe prevent you from living your best life.

Divorce. Health crisis. Family drama. Death of a loved one. Financial issues. Yep, in one form or another we’ve all experienced road blocks, obstacles and difficulties on our life path. But what do you do with the road blocks? That’s the challenge.

Sometimes the obstacle is just a bump in the road, sometimes it feels like the only bridge “off the island” has been washed away and you feel “stuck” in place until you can be rescued.

I know the feeling. While I’ve weathered my share of obstacles in life, I realized I was given a fresh insight recently. I’ll explain.

My sister and I were traveling back from a delightful weekend at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York where she attended a workshop. I spent a blissful few days reading, writing and walking the grounds of this beautiful wooded campus.

On our way home to Virginia, my sister was mindfully driving south on the busy interstate through a rocky and winding section of Pennsylvania. We were talking, laughing and enjoying the trip when we rounded a corner and suddenly – in our lane – was a heavy industrial metal double sink and additional debris. In an instant, she navigated traffic in the adjacent lane to miss the wreckage and bring us safely forward.

In a split second it was over. I looked at her and realized our lives could have taken a drastic turn if she had hit the debris which could have propelled us into on coming traffic or plunged us off the steep ledge into the valley below.

Scary, but it happens.

We both gave a sigh of relief and said, “Thank you, God!” several times as we continued our journey. Not ten minutes later, in an even more perilous situation, more dangerous road debris suddenly appeared. This time an unsuspecting car merging into traffic from an on ramp, sped forward not knowing my sister had to quickly cut him off to avoid the rubble thus risking a collision. She didn’t have a choice. No time to react, no safer way to avoid a crash. She just did it and, again, a chorus of “thank you, thank you, thank you!” resounded through the car.

Evidently my sister can drive like Mario Andretti. Who knew? Not me!

As I marveled at her driving skill and tried to calm my nerves, yet ANOTHER near miss occurred. I can’t make this up! A tractor trailer in front of us quickly swerved to reveal some sort of huge beam that spanned the entire lane…another brush with disaster that my skillful sister avoided “just in time.”

We looked at each other in disbelief. That was the last brush with possible tragedy for the day and we arrived safely home a few hours later.

Thank you God, thank you Sis!

Within twenty-four hours, I was driving the fifteen minutes from my home to town and took “the back way” along an unmarked country road to enjoy the summer day. As I rounded a tight curve, I saw a downed tree blocking my lane. Whaaat!?!

Not knowing if a car was coming towards me and not having an option to pull over or turn around, I swerved and safely avoided yet another possible calamity.

“WHAT IS HAPPENING?” I thought, truly terrified and fearful I had been cursed and doomed to certain catastrophe.

Then it happened.

Amid my frantic thoughts, a calm internal voice arose.

And I knew. I suddenly knew, without a doubt, what had happened.

My sister had repeatedly avoided certain disaster the day before by instinctively following her inner guidance. The divine within her safely ushered us both around the road blocks to safety.

No question. I was there. She didn’t have time to recognize, assess and react to the road conditions. We couldn’t discuss her options, Google possible scenarios or call anyone for advice. She followed her guidance, without having time to think about it. And we were safe.

The next day, yet again, I was delivered from danger by surrendering to my own inner guidance. Following my unconscious “instincts” brought me to safety. Again.

I got it.

I suddenly knew that the road debris was a symbol for “road blocks” in life. Whether it’s stress over upcoming bills, concerns about weight, relationship challenges – the specifics don’t matter. The truth is that the God within each of us, that inner divine spark of the Universe…whatever you want to call it, knows how to navigate life for our highest and best. Our job is to relax into spirit and trust. I realized the “rescue team” comes from within. 

Once I understood this message, I was suddenly calm, my breathing steady. I felt totally serene.  

I get it. Rest assured I’ll be doing my best to fully utilize my internal GPS in the future and I hope you do too. What does that mean?

Guidance Provided by Spirit.

From Caterpillar to Butterfly...

Have you ever felt…stuck? Totally, utterly and without a doubt stuck?

Not much energy.

Waiting. 

Waiting. 

And no clue what you’re waiting for? That was me these past few months.

I felt like a caterpillar in a cocoon. It felt dark, scary and very mysterious. And not mysterious in a cool way. Mysterious in a “what the hell is happening” kind of way. I had a dim feeling like something great could be happening, but no idea what it could be. 

And it wasn’t comfortable. Not even a little bit. I didn’t feel settled inside the cocoon. As the weeks dragged on, I had a feeling of distant hope and maybe, just maybe, even trust that something deep within me knew what was going on. 

But I wasn't going to submit quietly. Oh no, I wasn't going to make this easy! I resisted. My ego fought the changes that I felt were coming.

What did I do?

I stopped resisting the “stuck.”

I surrendered to the process. I settled into the stillness. I asked for help. I waited some more. 

During the long weeks in my dark cocoon, I turned inward and sought guidance from my inner wisdom. I immersed myself in spiritual teachings, meditated and listened to hours of personal development lectures. 

I imagined, just like the caterpillar, that while I didn’t fully understand the transformation taking place, I would eventually emerge better for the experience. After many fights with my ego, I learned to trust that everything was for my highest and best. 

Then, one day. I felt a shift.

I realized I was out of my cocoon!

I’m experiencing a new clarity…about everything. I feel refreshed, happy, on purpose and more excited about my work than I’ve been in years.

The best part? I really like my new wings.

My Seven Days of Silence

I’ve signed up for meditation classes where I spent significant time in silence. I’ve attended retreats where silence was a part of the program. I planned for these times, understood the purpose and made sure my family knew the schedule. I made sure everything was neat, tidy and effective.

I’m finishing up a seven day period that has been anything but planned, neat or tidy. Has it been effective? 

Try mind blowing. Life changing. I’ve experienced pain, healing and an honest to God epiphany. Yeah, I’d say it’s been effective.

Early last week I returned from a trip to Toronto with what I thought was severe laryngitis and flu like symptoms. I was diagnosed with a particularly nasty “bug” that sometimes effects travelers and was given heavy duty antibiotics with steroids. And ordered to be on “total voice rest” for seven days. SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT TALKING. This seemed impossible but since I could barely speak anyway and was in such pain, I agreed. I had to teach in 12 days and couldn’t have my voice compromised long term.

I believe physical symptoms are a result of internal issues and I tried to go to work figuring out my psyche. I was too ill. I decided to surrender to the experience and asked for guidance. I got it.

The first few days I was weak and stayed mostly in bed or on the couch. I began to notice a few things. Because I couldn’t speak, people stopped talking to me. I could text and had a small wipe off board to communicate with my husband, but he even stopped talking to me besides an occasional, “How do you feel? Need anything?” By the afternoon of day three, he took me for a ride to get out of the house and we went to a couple stores and to dinner. I had a note from my doctor that stated “total voice rest” that I’d show to store clerks or people we saw. To a person, when they realized I couldn’t speak they stopped talking to me. They’d gesture the way I had to or simply nod. What was THAT about?

My daughter tried a video chat with my beloved 15-month-old grandson but he was confused and uninterested when his GiGi couldn’t speak. He’s used to my voice and didn’t seem to connect to my image on the screen without sound. I missed talking with my kids and my cat was downright traumatized. Evidently, I usually talk A LOT.

My dear sister did her best to cheer me up with a visit on day four. We’d both been on trips and as she did her best to talk to me, it was obvious our normal communication style was severely altered. Bless her heart, she stayed for several hours as she told me about her trip and tried to interpret my gestures and the short hand notes I wrote on my board. We laughed, and I felt better.

The magic of the experience came as a result of looking at the events that had transpired in Toronto and keeping a small journal of my thoughts and feelings during the seven days. I did understand the emotional reason for my illness but didn’t yet realize the gifts that were in store.

As a result of not speaking, I felt terribly isolated and alone. I felt like no one understood or was “listening” to me. I felt like a burden to my husband, although he never did anything to insinuate that. It was all in my head.

I realized something. While this experience was only seven days for me, millions of people live with the feelings of isolation and loneliness every day, sometimes their entire lives. 

That realization was a physical blow to my heart. I felt it. Who could live this way? I saw the image of someone I know who recently took their own life. For a split second, I felt the agonizing pain of this person before the final event. Suddenly, in my mind’s eye I saw a cascade of pictures…elderly, refugees, prisoners, struggling parents, children in abusive situations, addicts, the terminally ill. The images went on and on. I couldn’t get them out of my head. 

I realized each of these haunted images were children of God, just like me and those I love. Suddenly they seemed more real. A part of me. Since I believe that we are all part of the energy of an intelligent Universe, of course they are each part of me. And part of you.

So what do we do? I asked that question and heard the answer very plainly, “Be love.” 

How does that work? Be the love you are. Live from your divine core. Start by being more kind and loving to yourself, your family and everyone and everything you encounter. Open your heart to hear divine guidance and you’ll always know what to do. Read about divine love, study it and talk to others about how to implement this in your own life. The divine intelligence within you knows exactly what to do. I was shown that by creating these “ripples of love” we can absolutely change our world.

Can these individual actions ease the pain of the people I saw? It’s a start.

I’m amazed by the changes and insights this quiet week has “gifted” to me. I know this level of understanding couldn’t have come about without the silence that allowed me to learn these vital “heart lessons.”

On day six of my seven days, this passage began my daily reading from Eileen Caddy’s “Opening Doors Within:”

“Every soul needs to withdraw from the world from time to time 

to find the peace which passes understanding.”

Perfect. Now to do my best to “be love.” Join me.

Three Reasons to Be Optimistic Right NOW

I’m always surprised when a quick note on Facebook gets more attention than I expected. Maybe it’s because often my “well thought out” topics are more ego driven than I’d like to admit and the “quick posts” often come from a deeper part of me. The part that really knows what’s going on. The same divine part that’s in you.

One of those posts came through a few weeks ago. I remember that morning being aware I “needed” to post on my business page when this popped into my head and I quickly typed:

Three reasons to be optimistic:

1. You're alive.
2. You're responsible for the life you create.
3. The tools/resources/opportunities you need are within your reach NOW.

Go inside and ask the divine intelligence within you for guidance. Keep asking, be open to answers and ALLOW the divine to work through you.

Yes, it can be that simple! I've found that when my life was the hardest, my thinking greatly contributed to my difficult experience.

There's always another way. Your ego loves the drama, your divine self loves to see you happy and peaceful. Which inner voice will you listen to?

So why did people respond to this? Maybe it resonated with a current personal issue or maybe it reinforced their own beliefs. Here’s a few more thoughts on each point:

1) You’re alive. 
No matter the physical or emotional condition, humans on some level know where there’s life, there’s hope. There’s a chance to change something of consequence even when the only thing that can be changed are your thoughts about the situation. THAT changes everything. When your perspective changes, your experience changes.

2) You’re responsible for the life you create.
Here come those pesky thoughts again! While you may not believe you create issues such as family drama or serious situations like tragic accidents, natural disasters or acts of war, you are totally responsible for how you react to everything in your life. Your thoughts about life situations – big and small – create the quality of your life. Will you grow from challenges or stay a victim of circumstance? Do you want a more peaceful, happy life? Are you willing to stretch out of your “comfort zone” to find new ways to be in the world regardless of the situation? It’s not easy. 

I find encouragement from the words etched on a favorite bracelet: “If you want something you’ve never had, you must do something you’ve never done.” These words remind me that I must change my thoughts and actions to create anything new in my life.

3) The tools/resources/opportunities you need are within your reach NOW.
When you can relax into this truth, everything changes. EVERYTHING. Just like MacGyver can think his way out of any dangerous situation, so can you. And you don’t need fancy science tricks to do it (but that IS super cool). While your ego thrives on fear, stress and overwhelm the true part of you, call it your soul, divine self, highest self or whatever you believe it to be, knows only peace, love and joy. Even in the most brutal situations, it is possible to tap into your divine core for guidance and to find the peace you crave. 

Remember this: the divine intelligence that is in you knows exactly what to do. Use prayer or meditation to go inside and ask that part of you, the part connected to all there is, for direction. I often ask, “what is my next best step here?” Sometimes I have to ask more than once. Or several times. That ego is strong when I’m fearful. But it’s not stronger than love. Love is the energy that will manifest in new ideas, a call from an old friend with an exciting opportunity or a new workshop on just the topic you need. Whatever you need to go forward will be provided when you allow divine intelligence to direct your actions.

And yes, that divine part of you is present in everyone else on the planet. While it’s tempting, and sometimes feels justified, in pointing out when others are acting from ego, it’s not your job to judge others. You’re responsible for your own thoughts and actions. Period. Trust that everything is happening for your ultimate good and, just maybe, the actions of others are giving you an opportunity to choose a more loving life.

Yeah, I know that doesn’t seem fair, but I didn’t make up this life thing. I just know life is better when I understand, accept and act from these truths:

1) I’m alive.
2) I’m responsible for the life I create.
3) The tools/resources/opportunities I need are within my reach NOW.

The Quality of Your Life Depends on THIS...

I’ve noticed that life gets simpler the older I get. Maybe I’m wiser, maybe I’m just done with needless drama…or maybe I’m opening to truths that were always there, waiting for me to be ready to discover them.

I recently found one of those truths.

The quality of your life depends on the quality of the questions you ask yourself on a daily basis.

It’s that simple.

Are you waking up only to have questions running around in your head like:

“Why does life have to be so hard?”

“Why do I always feel so tired?”

“Why is he/she/a group/whatever out to get me?”

“How can they be so stupid?”

“Why can’t I find a great relationship?”

How do these types of questions make you feel? Horrible, right? Not the way you want to start your day. These questions lead to frustration, overwhelm and more stress. Forget that! These questions look outside yourself and can reinforce feelings of being victimized or hopeless.

To help create a better quality of life, start the day asking questions like:

           “How can I be healthier/happier/more productive today?”

           “What do I need to do to have more clarity in my life?”

           “How can I serve today?”

           “Who can I surprise today?”

           “What am I grateful for right now?”

How do these types of self-directed questions make you feel? Empowered? YES!

YOU have the power to change the way you experience your life and asking better questions is a great way to start. Ask questions that help trigger ideas on actions you can take. You will certainly have challenges in your life. We all do. The quality of your life can be determined by the questions you ask yourself every day especially in the wake of challenges.

AN EVEN BETTER WAY TO ASK QUESTIONS…is to ask the divine part of you for guidance.

           “What would my best self do in this situation?”

           “How can I take action from my divine self here?”

Get quiet, go inside and ask your questions. Use meditation, concentrate on your heart space or simply declare “I’m asking from my highest self…” It may take some practice, but you get the idea.

Here’s a couple quick ways to remember to ask yourself empowering questions:

• Put a sticky note by your bed to remind you to ask great questions as soon as you get up.
• Put a reminder on your phone.
• Add another note on top of something you use in your evening routine before bed. Questions for the end of the day could be: “What went great today?” “What could have been better?” “What could I do differently tomorrow?”

Ask better questions – from your divine self – to live a happier, healthier more fulfilled life. Monitor your thoughts and reword questions when you catch yourself in an unhealthy pattern.

One last question: how will you use this insight to change the quality of your life for the better?

Staying on Track

Staying on Track

I hate when that happens. You know when you spout some deep wisdom, a brilliant insight, a shining truth to someone…only to have your words come bite you in the you-know-what?

Yeah, that.

Today I was working with a client who is capable, focused and extremely successful. She has a lot going on. Most capable, focused, extremely successful people do. Her challenge was learning to move past tantalizing distractions and plow through necessary mundane tasks.

Oh, I had the answer. It was stunning in it’s simplicity and brilliance. I felt like a real smarty pants. But that feeling didn’t last long.

“When you’re evaluating these opportunities,” I told her, “ask yourself, does this bring me closer to, or further way from my goals?”

“WOW,” she said, “that makes it clear!”

“It really does,” I continued. “Ask yourself that same question when you’re caught up in specific actions and see if that makes a difference in your overall result.”

We included a spiritual perspective as part of our discussion and concluded the call on a definite high note. I felt great about her progress as I finished my notes and went on to my next task. 

A couple hours later, I took a break to have lunch and check the local news. Snow was predicted for the overnight hours and even though my commute would not be affected – I walk from my bedroom to my office on the bottom floor of my house – I was concerned. (I have a thing about snow...)

Next thing I know, it was nearly two hours later and I was sitting in front of the TV, still eating, mesmerized by a perky blonde journalist recounting the latest scuttlebutt in Washington. 

“Is this bringing me closer to, or further away from my goals?” I heard the voice in my head say.

“Oh, CRAP!” I thought (the exact phrase might have been softened here but you get the idea).

I quickly got up, turned off the TV, and got back to work…

What's your word for 2018?

I've often heard my friends say they pick a specific word to guide their journey at the beginning of each new year. I've never done that. At least not consistently or consciously. I'd pick a word that I thought sounded intellectual and oh, so spiritual to respond to my friends queries when asked. But I can't say I was dedicated to living from my word. Until now.

I have a word. And it was given to me by my inner divine voice.

Yep, that's where it came from. I was in meditation, minding my own business, being lost in the vast nothingness of the "all," when I heard - yes, HEARD - "Your word is expansive."

"Ugh, what?" I thought. But it was clear. Expansive is my word. But what did it mean for me?

And that came as well. In a flood of images, feelings and a strange knowingness it all came in. 

I'm dedicating my year to more consistently tapping into the creative, intelligent, expansive divine spirit within to expand in all areas of my life. 

I'm expanding into love, understanding, compassion and peace. 

I quickly found out that my ego is still very much in play as my immediate thought was, "OMG! I don't want everything to expand! My belly doesn’t need to get any bigger!" Silly ego.

I had to start again. I had to remind myself that the divine within wasn't trying to "trick" me into gaining weight, losing friends or becoming too "woo woo." That's all ego stuff.

I think my opportunity is to learn to expand beyond my usual self judgement, fear and worry. To really allow myself to expand into the consciousness of love as my guide in daily life. 

And when I fall short of that goal, I’ll choose again.