I Hate When That Happens…

Ever know you need, should, could do something…and you don’t? You mean to, you really do, but other tasks pop up. In your mind you say, “I’ll get right to it after I finish this.” But you never do.

And you end up regretting it.

I hate when that happens.

Mostly I hate knowing I could have easily avoided an unpleasant situation. All I had to do was listen to that little voice within that I rely on for guidance, support and balance. The divine voice from my soul that speaks truth to my life and always guides me to my highest and best. It’s the part I teach my coaching clients to relax into, to trust, to follow above all else.

Now why wouldn’t I listen to THAT?

The same reason you don’t always listen. We’re human. We make mistakes and we don’t always follow through on the guidance we receive. Even when we know better. We think we don’t have time, we’ll “get to it later” or we come up with a million rational sounding reasons why the guided action can wait.

Nope. You get specific guidance at the perfect divine time for you. That’s how it works. Every. Single. Time.

And still we resist.

That’s what happened to me last month. I’ve had a beautifully busy few weeks and realized some days my schedule was so tight, I didn’t even have time to eat during the day. To make matters worse, I was so excited about new projects, that I was finding it hard to sleep. Very unlike me.

I kept hearing “schedule more meditation time,” “relax,” “eat clean foods,” and “no need to rush.” I was tired, not paying attention to the signals my body was sending or what I was feeding it. All the while my divine voice was doing its best to guide me.

But I didn’t listen. I received the message and didn’t take the action I was given. (Sound familiar?)

I got sick. Like had to “go to the doctor” sick. I came home to start my antibiotics and eat a slice of humble pie. (Not my favorite.)

I’ve learned – again – that no project, work schedule or even family obligations can have my full attention when I’m in the land of “busy.” Only my ego thinks I’m “too busy.” My soul trusts everything is happening at the perfect time and will guide me each step of the way.

I only have to listen…

The Secret to Life is in the Asking

What Does Love Look Like Here and How Does Love Move Me Forward?

           Life can be hard. We all deal with harsh situations like the pain of loneliness, a broken heart, deep grief, losing a job or serious health concerns.

           I’ve learned difficult life lessons over the years and remembering to ask myself a key question has been the secret to my sanity. Remembering to ask “What does Love look like here and how does Love move me forward?” has been one of my most challenging lessons. It’s certainly the most rewarding.

While I’ve actively used this query for many years, it took me being an observer to really understand the meaning of this practice.  I got to see firsthand what love looked like when my friend Jim passed away at home after a long illness. It was life changing.

           When she knew Jim’s time was short, his wife Linda asked me to come by the house. It was here I witnessed a pivotal lesson about what love looked like at work in the world. I arrived at their house and was greeted by the family, their faces red from crying. I went into the back room to see Jim lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by equipment. He was weak with labored breathing, but a dim light still shone from his eyes.

           I can tell you what love looked like that Wednesday afternoon at Linda and Jim’s house. I saw love in tear stained cheeks, in colorful posters made by the grandchildren, in the gentle stroking of Jim’s skin and in loving hands administering Reiki. I saw love in the fussing with the bed sheets, in the loving gestures toward Jim and each other, in the position of the bed so he could see the emerald green lawn and softly swaying trees in the back yard. I saw love in the medications and the essential oils, in the whispered “I love yous” and in Jim’s determination to hold on a little while longer. I saw love as patient, kind and resolved.

           As the grandchildren arrived from school, I witnessed love move the situation forward.

           We all gathered around Jim’s bed, gazing at his face, hands on him and each other. I heard his daughter whisper in his ear. “We’re here Dad. We love you, Dad. We’re all one. We’ll always be together.” Love moved forward with dignity, grace, respect, strength and surrender. And relief for physical suffering that would soon be over. Love moved with deep gratitude and appreciation to our Creator for a shared life and unique journey.

           Jim’s breathing became faint and we watched as he peacefully slipped from this world to the next, surrounded and supported by love. It was a beautiful experience. What a privilege to have seen love in action with this amazing family.

           This experience was profound. It brought home to me the value of recognizing what true, unconditional love for oneself and others looks like in any given situation. Love for yourself is not long-suffering sacrifice which always breeds resentment; it’s not always having to get your way or even putting yourself first.  Love asks us to recognize the Divine Spark within and treat it with the same respect that’s given to others.

           “What does Love look like here and how does Love move me forward?” I’m embarrassed to admit that I know how resentment, anger and jealousy move me forward. I’ve been shoved, prodded and pushed by those emotions many times and always with disastrous results. But how exactly does Love move you forward?

           While your head will never know the answer to that question, your heart already does. Go inside, into the quiet wisdom of your own heart, and ask. Listen. While I don’t know what your answer will be, I know it comes accompanied by a feeling of peace. And freedom.

           Following Love’s guidance from the heart allowed Jim and his family to gracefully move through one of life’s greatest challenges. Love will guide you as well in any situation big or small.

           You just have to ask.

Happy New Year! Welcome 2020 and How to Move Forward in Love

HAPPY NEW YEAR!   

                    
This is what I call the "twilight time." The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve. It's a great opportunity to reflect on the past twelve months and bring your best energy into the year ahead. Take a few minutes to try these three simple exercises to bless 2019 and welcome in 2020.

1)  Make a list of at least 10 people/events/ideas that you are truly grateful for from 2019. While many people will spend hours creating lists of what they want to release from the past year, few remember to note the amazing things they experienced individually, as a family or as a community. What would be on your list? New job? Did you read a life changing book? Did your sports team win a national championship? (GO NATS!) Did you meet a new friend or take a great day trip? Even when we experience trauma, there's always something to be grateful for. Start your 2019 gratitude list now.

2) Make a list of your major positive life lessons or shifts from 2019. This is different from your gratitude list. For example, I am deeply grateful I was introduced to the work of Lynne McTaggart last year. From that, I gained a major life lesson in the collective power of intention...and that's been life changing for me. (More about that in the new year!) Make sense? Life lessons could include understanding the grief process, realizing how to shift your thoughts to create your mood or anything else that helped you see your world with new understanding. It's those "aha!" moments. Take a few minutes to remember those now.

3) Reach out and thank people who helped, supported and loved you through last year.  Did an individual, organization or group make a difference for you in 2019? Send an email or text, write a letter (use a pen and paper and mail it the old fashioned way), post on social media or call and let them know their efforts were noted and appreciated. Whether it's a close family member or an author you never met, take the time to let them know they made a positive difference in your life.

I'm all for release rituals and other ways to close out the year AND I believe strongly in bringing the energy of gratitude and love into the next year. I hope you take a few minutes to think about your 2019 and do one or all of these exercises above to move forward in 2020 with love.

I deeply appreciate each of you! 

Oh, SHIFT!

This is a photo of me last week on beautiful Hilton Head Island, SC, walking on the pier outside the condo my husband and I called home for a few days. Our trip was sunny, hot and filled with adventures to new restaurants and visits to familiar places we've loved on past vacations here.

After a very busy few weeks for me, I realized this trip gave me an important...shift. A shift in perspective. I love the mountains. My heart swells every time I drive the curvy roads at home, pop a hill and get a glimpse of my beloved Blue Ridge Mountains. I love their strength, beauty and the idea that they've witnessed so many generations of life in our area.

My husband loves the beach. We went to Hilton Head to celebrate his birthday and I decided to use the first principle of my Be Love Principles during the week to help adjust to my temporary beach environment. That one says "Greet everyone with an open heart, without an agenda." And I did my best to do just that.

I opened my heart to every person we met at the condo complex where we stayed, each salesperson and waitstaff we encountered and anyone we met on our travels. And I didn't stop there.

I greeted the ocean with an open heart. The tiny crabs we saw scurrying along the beach, the noisy seagulls, the hundreds of colorful butterflies and thousands of blooming flowers were all greeted with an open heart.

So were the mosquitoes that bit me, that driver who flipped me the finger after I may, or may not, have accidentally cut him off on the highway and the skin rash on my face that wouldn't go away. I did my best to greet everyone and everything with an open heart, without an agenda.

To me, "without an agenda" means without expectation or attachment. Not always easy to do, but I've been working on this for a while now. And I see the results.

When I'm able to "greet everyone with an open heart, without an agenda" I'm genuinely happier, more peaceful and free from the stress and worry I've experience for much of my life. I could even see the actions of my dear husband that would have normally "triggered" me, didn't have the usual effect. WTF? (That stands for "well that's funny" in case you didn't know.)

I realized I've experienced an authentic shift in perspective. And I like it!

So what is the shift? Think of it as seeing from a slightly different angle. That's all it takes to see things with a fresh perspective. On the second day of a recent workshop I was facilitating, I had the participants stand up, shift four chairs over to their left and sit down. You should have seen their faces! Several mentioned parts of the room, outside view or desk area they hadn't noticed before. Each was a little more awake, aware of where they were in the room. Just that little shift had changed their perspective.

For me the shift has allowed me to more clearly see my life and everything in it. It's an increasing awareness, at the heart level, of the divine love in everything. EVERYTHING. I've intellectually known this concept for years, but practicing this principle has brought my understanding to a true mind-body-spirit level. Amazing.

 So how will you shift to create a life you can love even more? I guarantee your investment in time and effort are well worthwhile. Check out some ideas here on my Be Love Principles website.

I'll see you on the beach...

The Power of Your Thoughts

This is it. The key to a happier, more fulfilled life. 

YOU hold the power to change your experience in every aspect of your life by changing the way you think about it.

YOU ARE IN CONTROL. Not your jerk boss, cranky kid or some politician in D.C.

YOU.

Controlling your thoughts doesn’t mean you escape life challenges; it means you are equipped to move through them with more grace and ease. Let me explain.

Recently, an accident occurred that injured a family member. When I first heard the news, I was scared, and my mind went to the worst possible scenario as I waited for the details to slowly emerge. I made an important discovery in the following days:

While we can’t change the trauma, succumbing to drama is optional.

I realized my fearful thoughts did not change the facts or the outcome. Although many saw my fear as “justified,” “natural” and even encouraged legal retribution, none of that helped me feel better or allowed me to lovingly support other family members. 

For me, only one thing helped.

I went back to the Be Love Principles and asked the divine within:

• How can I greet everyone involved with an open heart, without an agenda?

• Show me the divine essence in this situation.

• Teach me how to forgive everyone involved quickly, completely and unconditionally.

• Remind me that everyone is part of the light of All.

I did my best, minute by minute, to be the presence of love and stay in that space as we moved through the situation. I did it for me and my family. It wasn’t easy and, at times, I failed to stay centered in love. It happened whenever I fell back into fear, anger and overwhelm. Once I became aware of those thoughts, I went back to love as quickly as I could. Full disclosure, I wasn’t the most popular with some people who didn’t understand my perspective. They thought I was “naive,” “nuts” or in denial. 

But I remembered the truth. I am responsible for my thoughts and how I react to life. 

Here’s an important point: I allowed myself to feel my feelings as they came up. Feelings that are ignored simply go underground then resurface later. I’ve learned that too! The difference here is that I felt my feelings then consciously decided how I would think about them. I could continue to fuel the fear, or I could choose to be the presence of love, as much as I could, throughout the challenge.

I’m grateful to add our situation has had a much better outcome than I first feared. All is well. And I understand that while Life wil certainly present more tough days in the future, my thoughts will dictate my experience of both life’s joys and sorrows. 

I choose to experience both with love.

P.S. Check out this episode of “Heart-Centered Success with Diane L Haworth” on “The Power of Your Thoughts”  for deeper insights on the topic and for more on the Be Love Principles, visit www.BeLovePrinciples.org. 

Pivot

Did you ever have those times when nothing seemed to go as planned? That’s what’s happened for me the past few days…

Last week, my friend and I were scheduled to record a few episodes of a podcast, but Life had other plans. I used the same recording program I’d just used to successfully record a couple weeks ago but this time, nothing worked. Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

I mean NOTHING. First, only half our conversation would record. Then I attempted to call and – while she was seated, waiting for my call – her phone failed to ring. I sent a connection link to her that never arrived. This happened over, and over again for more than an hour before we both agreed to walk away from the project for the moment. Time to pivot. We rescheduled.

I decided to record a meditation and struggled FOR HOURS this weekend to get everything to work. I’m still trying! I worked for a while, became frustrated and realized I needed to walk away. I learned long ago that when a project isn’t flowing, take a break. Pivot.

Outside events seemed to intervene on my plans as well. My husband was working all day Sunday, so I planned to get a fresh start on my meditation project before I left to attend a friend’s birthday party late in the afternoon. I was set! My perfect plan began…until I spoke to my adult son who’d been sick and needed to go to a doctor. He was too sick to drive and feared that what he thought was a case of food poisoning, was really a serious strain of flu. Off to an urgent care office we went and as I waited in the lobby, I texted my friend that I wouldn’t be able to make the party. Pivot again.

So what the heck was happening? Was it some weird energy, ancient curse or the dreaded effects of Mercury Retrograde? I don’t know about any of that, but I do know a couple things. While we all must make plans in life, we also need to understand when to be flexible (pivot) and when to choose another course. I’m not suggesting you totally give up. I suggest you connect to your own inner wisdom and ask for guidance:

• Show me what I’m not seeing here.
• Help me understand how to shift my thinking to execute this in the highest and best way for all, or the wisdom to know it’s time to abandon this project.
• Show me the lessons I can learn from this.
• Help me trust the process.
• Show me how to be the presence of love in this situation and allow Love to guide my thoughts and actions.

Every morning for months, I’ve had the same prayer before I get out of bed.

“Show me how to be love today.”

When battling frustration, I sure didn’t feel I was being love, but I do know I was able to recognize when to pivot, much quicker than I did in the past.

And I’ve decided to trust it’s all part of my path to love.

The Solution to Chaos

I see my nation and world rife with turmoil, hate and fear. Egos rule and we are all suffering the consequences. My recommendation to the President, Congress (and all of us) is a simple one.

Surrender.

Surrender to love.

Forget political party, stubborn rhetoric and “dug in” positions. Surrender to love. Forgo “saving face,” talking points on the cable news shows and your political legacy. Let your legacy be love.

Love of country, ALL of the country, every man, woman and child, citizen or not.

Love of humanity, regardless of race, nationality, social or economic standing, gender or gender preference.

Let your legacy be love.

Not the soft, warm, fuzzy feeling of love when you hold a puppy. The strong love. The real love that comes not from ego but from the divine wisdom within.

Tap into the love that guides you to make strong and fair decisions for the highest and best of all. Not just your constituents, not your campaign contributors, but for the highest and good of all those living on our shores AND for the good of our neighbors on this planet. Long gone are the days when the impact of our decisions were confined to our boundaries. We need to be loving global citizens. Period.

We are a nation of people living together, held by the glue of love. We love our families, our jobs, our communities…we are a nation that loves. Beyond our current love of wanting to “be right” we have to want to “be love.” We need to remember who we are and what unites us. We want the same things. To be free to love, and be loved. We want to be healthy and happy. We want to “live love.”

So how do we do that? By living the Be Love Principles:

• ·        Greet everyone with an open heart without an agenda
• ·        See the divine in everyone and everything
• ·        Forgive quickly, completely and unconditionally
• ·        Remember you are one with everyone in the light of love

I know many will view this opinion as naive. To you, I have a few questions: How well are current ego-based systems working now? Do you want a nation and world ruled by ego or love? What stance do you think will ensure a bright future for our world?

I say to all who will listen, surrender to love.

#TheBeLovePrinciples    #LessPanicMorePeace   #SurrenderToLove

www.DianeHaworth.com

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!

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.

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.

Ego vs. Divine

 
“How can I tell if a thought is from my divine intuition or from my ego?”

Think this is a weird question? Not for me! As a spiritual coach, my clients and students ask this all the time.

My clients are everyday people with normal life challenges. They all want better health, great relationships, to feel fulfilled in their work and, most of all, to experience true happiness. They want to feel connected to something bigger than themselves. They want to feel connected to Source.

If their desire is serious, they do the work required and wonderful changes start to occur. They feel calmer. They feel more at peace. They even catch themselves feeling happy for no reason! Their intuition increases and then…they get scared.

They start feeling inspired, more creative and become motivated. And sometimes confused and nervous. These great feelings may be new, after all, and even “happy” can take some getting used to if you’re normal state is “sullen and sad.”

And that’s when I get the question.

“How can I tell if a thought is from my divine intuition or from my ego?”

The answer is quite simple. When you get an unusual thought (not the “I need to buy eggs today” kind of thought, but the “I want to write a book about the creative process” kind), ask yourself “how does it make me feel?”

If you feel scared, nervous or worried, that’s a sure sign your ego is trying to keep you safely “in the box” you’re accustomed to. Messages from your divine intuition, or Spirit, are gentler. With these messages you’ll often get repeated little “nudges” and notice signs or synchronicities that all point to the message you’ve received.

Here’s the bottom line: the ego likes things the way they are while Spirit is always encouraging you to do more, be more. Think of the ego as a restrictive energy and divine as an expansive one.

So how does your thought make you feel physically? Restricted and tight or expansive and open?

That’s how you tell the difference.