Who Is Responsible For Your Difficulties?

It's funny how quickly I can get down on myself when I feel that I have failed at something.  I re-live the events and find all the mistakes that were made.  I talk to myself continuously about what I should have done differently.   I start the "catastrophe" thinking.

So - what would it look like if I decided to leave behind the voice that says, "Why do you always screw it up?"  What if I decided to embrace the failure and see it as a gift of guidance?

What if I took responsibility for the choices that brought me to that point?

Now - I can see clearly that I am the only one who can deprive myself of anything.  Life is not holding anything back from me.  Life is not making it difficult for me to thrive.   Those are blame-game stories that let me step back into playing small.

When I have failed and feel like I will never be a success, it's a great time to take a look inside myself.  Maybe I have some old habit that I'm hanging on to that needs to be released.  Maybe it's just that I have been too busy to be present to the moment.

So, what if I just show up and am fully receptive to life?   What if I continue to hold onto the bigger picture for my life and am willing to just "be"?

For me, receptivity is the key word here. Being receptive to everything that life brings allows me to adapt and to be resilient when there is change or upheaval or failure.

Perfect example - with the moving I have done over the last few years resulting in living in an apartment, I started comparing myself to others.   As if out of the blue, I seemed to be surrounded by people who owned their own homes and would talk about how beautiful it was and how excited they were.  And, all I could feel was frustration.  I had failed at the great American dream - owning my own home.

Aha!  THAT'S the story I am telling myself!

So, how do I fix it?  Taking a tip from the book I've been reading, The Power of Intention.  I am determined to keep my thoughts on higher energy feelings around this supposed "failure".  I remind myself how fortunate I am to live in the place that I do.  And, I am truly grateful for the clutter-clearing that was required to downsize.

I do, some days, still question if this is how my life is supposed to look.  After all, if I am a co-creator with the Universe, why have I not created something "better"?

But - I also have great faith in the Universe.  I let go of the feeling that I have somehow compromised and settled for less by living in an apartment.  Instead, I focus on the fact that I AM resilient.  I can adapt to change better today than I ever could before.  And, I trust that the Universe is always guiding me and that I am NEVER in the wrong place.

Best of all, I refuse to play small.  I show up every day as the wise, spiritual person that I am.   And I dare to take big, bold action - even when it's scary - because I know that the Universe has my back.

So, have there been times you've needed to be resilient in your life?  How did you adapt to change?

Today, I set the intention to welcome change, knowing that I am always in the right place at the right time and it is perfect.

"You live in a universe that has limitless potential for joy built into 

the creation process.  Your Source, which we call the universal 

mind of intention, adores you beyond anything you can possibly

 imagine.  When you adore yourself in the same proportion, you're 

matched up with the field of intention, and you've opted for 

the path of no resistance."  

~Dr. Wayne Dyer, The Power of Intention

"Creation is eternally going on; change is always taking place 

within that which is Changeless."  

~Ernest Holmes

Affirmative Prayer:
In the morning dew on the grass, in the fog that blankets the coast, there is a Divine Intelligence that moves through all that is, covering everything in love.  It is a Life that knows only good, only joy, only happiness, and It is a Source that brings fresh wisdom each day.

Looking within, this Source of Love, of Life, moves through and around me, expressing as me, in all that I do and in all that I speak each day.  I am always connected to Source, to Spirit, and my life unfolds with grace and ease as I take each step in my journey.

Affirming that the Universe always has my back, I allow my life to be guided by perfect, Divine order.  I let go and let God provide for my needs as I remain open to change.  I am supported by a Source that wants my highest and best and I stay centered in feelings of trust and of peace.  I am safe as Spirit directs my path and I am transformed as I lean into the possibilities of playing big.  I release any thoughts of lack or failure and welcome the blessings that show up in my life, knowing I am loved beyond measure.

I am so grateful to the Presence within for the gifts that are given and shared as I show up for life.  And I am thankful for the love that surrounds my every choice.  I am filled with gratitude for the abundant supply that is always available to me.

From this place of gratitude, I release my Word to the Divine Action of the Law, knowing it is already done.  All is well.  And I let it be so.  And so it is.

How Do You View Giving?

How I view my money and my finances has come full circle over the past few years.   To be clear, I've never been destitute, however, I've had my financial challenges.

Looking back as 2013 has come to a close, I realize that I had become afraid to give for fear of lack and not being able to provide for myself or my children.  Of course, I am now very clear as to how the Universe works.  The tighter we hold on to the cash, especially when we can feel the worry and anxiety of "not enough", the less the cash seems to come to us.

And - the Universe tends to deliver us the lessons we need to learn around things like money.  Not always in gentle ways, I might add, but definitely in ways that get our attention and get us to listen.

So, in this last year, I've gotten my finances sorted out and am on a budget that works, thanks to help from my husband.  However, I'm still facing some demons in my giving financial help to others.

I've included intentional giving in my budget and am able to stick to that.  But - when I meet someone who's asking for money, I am torn with guilt  - and that's guilt on both sides of the coin.

I'm happy to give a dollar or two but, quite frankly, it starts to add up and my budget gets out of whack.  Then, I feel guilty about not sticking to my budget.  But, when I choose to say "sorry, not today", I still feel guilty because, let's face it - I just walked out of Trader Joe's with $50 of food.   Who am I to not give someone a few bucks?

To be in integrity with myself, what is starting to feel right is to listen to when I feel called to give - to not give out of guilt but to give because I feel the love in the moment.  And, to give within my budget.

I don't have to be everyone's Sugar Mama.  I am okay to occasionally simply give a silent blessing of love and light.  I have still given something precious - it's just not in money form.

I have had my financial wake-up call and I have come out the other side of it in much better shape.  Maybe, when I DON'T give, it's because the Universe is moving the other person toward their wake-up call.  Sometimes, it takes a dark night of the soul to realize we need to re-connect to our Source, to Spirit.

In either case, I now live in a place of trust that I am always provided for, regardless of the form it takes.   And, I have faith that I am giving in perfect and right ways - either financially or with my time or in a silent prayer.  I will not love myself less for the choice I make nor will the Universe.

So, how do YOU view giving?

Today I set the intention to practice intentional giving, releasing any judgements against myself when I choose to say "no" and to be open when I am called to say "yes". 

"Never be bullied into silence.  Never allow yourself to be made a victim. 

 Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself."  

~Harvey Fierstein

"At all times, I am aware of my immediate Oneness with God.  

There comes a warm sense of my oneness in essence

 and experience with all the good there is."  

~Ernest Holmes

Affirmative Prayer:
In the stillness of this moment, there is a Oneness, a Divine Intelligence, that is everywhere present and always available.  It is heard in a bird's song and in the gurgling of a running stream of beautiful blue water.  It is felt in the warmth of the sun and in the cold of the blanket of white snow that covers the fields and mountains.

Leaning into this moment, there is a knowing that I am one with this Divine Intelligence.  It lives within and has Its being in me.  It is God manifest in me and it is perfect just as I am perfect, whole and complete.

From this place of Oneness, I realize that I am abundance, I am prosperity and I am generosity itself.  I trust that as I circulate, it is returned to me multiplied.  I release any fears around lack, knowing that I am guided by a Divine Presence in all things, including giving.  I will always give in perfect and right ways when I stop and tune into my heart, into that space that knows Divine timing and Divine order.  And I release any judgments I have about myself and others, with the faith that there is a higher power for good that knows better than me when I am called to say "no".  I am the beloved and I step boldly forward into perfect, right action each and every day.

I am so grateful for this life of ever-growing prosperity and financial abundance that allows me to give in ways that are meaningful to me.  And I am thankful for a Universe that is supporting me and sustaining me and is filling me with a wisdom that goes beyond what I have experience before.

From this place of thanks, I release my word to the Divine Action of the Law, knowing it is already done.  My life is filling up with blessings.  And I let it be so.  And so it is.

Choose What's Good For Everyone

"If you can't quiet your mind, then what you see all the time is the trouble and turbulence - you don't see your divinity."  Those words by Dr. Bernie Siegel jumped out at me from the Science of Mind Magazine recently.

As I seek to understand the mysteries of the Universe, this is one truth that I know without doubt.  Taking time to be still and honor my connection to the Universe, even if only for a minute or two, is vital to my peace of mind.

It is NOT something that necessarily comes naturally.  As a Sagittarius, I know that patience is not my strong point so learning to be quiet and tap into my authentic self, even for a short time, takes some work.

What I did see manifest once I took the time to quiet the monkey mind was that my life flowed so much more smoothly.  And when I ignored those feelings and allowed my ego to direct my life, issues surfaced that seemed even more difficult to deal with.

It is important to realize that we are all, at our core, Divine beings.  We are all surrounded by the grace of Spirit that resides in each of us.  Beyond that, it is freeing to accept that everywhere we go, we are guided to experience a path for our highest good when we quiet our minds.

It does not mean there won't be stuff that might bring us pain or sorrow.  It does mean that we do NOT have to get caught up in that trouble - we can choose to see the Divinity within each person and each event and move through things with an awareness that we are connected.

So, what are you choosing to embrace?  Laughter?  Joy?  And - can you see your Divinity?

Claiming my Divinity, I set the intention today to see myself for who I am, the beloved of God, supported and guided in all that I do.

"The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, 

his influence, his power for good.  Calmness of mind is one of the 

beautiful jewels of wisdom." 

~James Allen

"Never let anything cause you to doubt your ability to demonstrate

 the Truth.  Conceive of your word as being the Thing."  

~Ernest Holmes, Science of Mind

Affirmative Prayer:
In the radiance of the sun, in the joy of the birds singing, there is a Divine Presence that lights the way and knows only love.  At the core, THAT is the essence - love, joy, peace, harmony and grace.  This essence is a Magnificence that is beyond words and it is a Power that permeates all of time.

Basking in that Power, there is a knowing that I am a part of this One Magnificence as It flows through and around and as me.  Every aspect of my life reveals this Divine Presence in beautiful and loving ways.  And, I am immersed in my Divine Nature, savoring the exquisite feeling of worthiness that comes from deep within.

It is from this place of worthiness that I lean in and realize that I am the beloved of God, filled with the wisdom to take perfect right action in every choice I make.  As I move throughout my day, I see clearly how I and each person I meet is reflecting their divinity within.  As we connect, I am filled with a sense of wonder that Life is supporting each of us in ways that direct us to our highest good.  And I claim in this moment that my life is filled with miracles and gifts beyond what I can even imagine, knowing that I am deserving of those gifts and miracles.

I am filled with gratitude for all of the right choices that I am guided to make as I tap into my Divine Nature.  And I give great thanks for a Divine Presence that knows only love for me and for my life.  I am so grateful for the perfect unfolding of each day, stepping out in faith as I follow the path I have chosen.

In faith and trust, I release my Word to the Divine Action of the Law, knowing it is already done in the One Mind.  My path is laid out perfectly and I need only start to walk.  And I let it be so.  And so it is.