What To Do If The Shoe Doesn't Fit

Since taking a sabbatical a few months ago, I've been kicking around ideas and trying to get clear on what's next for me.  A few ideas have been very intriguing but things haven't quite lined up yet.

Admittedly, they may not have lined up because it's not what I think it should look like.  So, I'm trying to be more mindful of letting go of pre-conceived notions and simply allowing events to unfold.  And, I take a few steps in the direction that my heart's desire says I should go, waiting to see where this path will lead.

In the meantime, as I say yes to everything that comes my way, I'm starting to feel that my commitments are stacking up.  And, with my personality, it's not a great fit.  I start to feel edgy and not clear on which obligation I should tackle first.

The funny part about this is I have been taking small breaks for some rest and relaxation.  In fact, we just got back from the Napa Valley area yesterday.  My issue?  I've been carrying my to-do list with me wherever I go.  So, while I might be in Napa, I'm still logging hours toward things I've promised to do.

Here's the cool thing I'm learning from this.  Not every thing that I do during my day means it's something that is "meant to be".

What I'm noticing is that if I don't consciously claim what I want, sometimes what shows up in my life feels "not quite right" after I've spent some time working on it.  It's almost like wearing shoes that are too small or too big.  The shoes might be workable but you can also end up with blisters from the rubbing and chaffing.

Knowing this, I've decided that if the project or task I've committed to doing starts to feel like an ill-fitting shoe, I'm going to return it - just like I would do with a real pair of shoes.

Then, I can look at what DIDN'T work and consciously make a better choice, believing that the Universe is always conspiring for my good.  That frees me to leave some commitments behind and creates the space for a more balanced approach to how I spend my time.

The balance also allows me to remain open to new ideas and new possibilities for my life as I get a better mental picture for what I want.  I absolutely love this path that I'm on and I celebrate my journey every day, in part because I'm given so many opportunities to choose from.

And - I feel like I'm gaining the courage to live a little, trusting that something within me knows when the shoe is the perfect fit!

So, where in YOUR life are you wearing shoes that you need to return?

Today, I set the intention to step forward in life with confidence, knowing that I can always make a new choice if something is not a good fit.

"If day by day we have a greater understanding and a clearer concept, 

if daily we are realizing more of Truth and applying It in our actions, 

then we are on the right path and eventually we shall be made free." 

~Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind

"You are led through your lifetime by the inner learning creature, the playful 

spiritual being that is your real self.  Don't turn away from possible futures 

before you're certain you don't have anything to learn from them.  

You're always free to change your mind and choose

 a different future, or a different past."  

~Richard Bach, Illusions

Affirmative Prayer:
Settling into the now, into this moment, there is a spark of recognition of the life of Infinite Intelligence.  It spreads like wildfire, coursing through all that is with passion and with purpose.  It is all knowledge and surpasses understanding, a Divine Wisdom that is perfection and grace, beauty and joy.

As I sit in the stillness, there is a connection with this Intelligence that opens my eyes to the Truth of who I am.  I am perfect love.  I am perfect peace.  I am bathed in the brightness of a Source that reveals the unlimited wonder of Spirit.  And I am carried forward, in faith, surrendering to this Presence within that guides and sustains and directs my life.

Accepting that the power of the Universe is within me, anything that has held me back from my perfect path disappears.  I now see that all the answers I seek are available every moment of the day.  This adventure that I call life is filled with wonder and awe as I take small, steady steps forward. Daily, I am given so much goodness and prosperity in every area of my life, all Divinely appointed and filled with joy and bliss.  I welcome the confidence with which I make choices, aware that I can always make a new choice if needed.   And I live life to its fullest, letting things unfold as they may, trusting that my future is bright and vibrant and filled with possibilities.

Feeling my heart overflow with love and life, I am filled with thanksgiving that my conscious choices manifest in amazing ways.  I am deeply grateful for the easy flow of abundance that is revealed as I let go and let God.  And I am thankful that I need only say Yes and a perfect way is made on my path, everything working together for my good.

Knowing it is done as I believe, I release my word to the Divine Action of the Law.  My word cannot return to me void; the answer is always provided.  And I let it be so.  And so it is.

Photo courtesy of Carmen Jost/Flickr

Why You Should Treat Yourself As Someone You Love

"But it is not enough simply to clear the debris of the past.  We must plant what we love in the garden of our life.  As the Tao Te Ching insists, our center will heal us.  When we attend to what is loving and beautiful, we are brought forward into our most exquisite manifestation."  In the book, How, Then, Shall We Live?, Wayne Muller makes that beautiful statement.

I have been staying the course in my personal development work to clear out things that I no longer absolutely love to do in order to be able to judge what I do love and spend more time doing them.  And, I know that in staying the course and taking one step at a time, I am discovering more about what makes me happy.

Those things, then, that make me happy are not only what I should plant in my garden of life, but those are the things I should do A LOT.  For example, knowing that I love music, where is it that I can spend A LOT of my time around music?

As I make those kind of choices, I am realizing how empowering it makes me feel.  I get excited and a little scared at the same time.   That's when it hit home - this is how I felt when I first started dating someone new.

So, maybe I should go out on a date with....myself?

There is a story in the Wayne Muller book that is a beautiful example of treating OURSELVES as someone we love.  The woman in the story, Elizabeth, loved being a mother above all else.  One day, her younger son suffered a traumatic injury resulting in the loss of three fingers and a mangled hand.

Elizabeth felt responsible as there was nothing she could do to "make him whole again".  Recognizing that there were things with her children that were out of her control, the part of her that she loved most - being a mother - started dying and she became powerless.

What also became clear was that it was time for Elizabeth to start something new.  As her children were growing and evolving, so was she.   And, as her children were discovering what they loved, she was free to love herself again.

Treating herself as someone whom she was falling in love with again, she turned to meditation.  Not just 5, 10, or 15 minutes a day.  She jumped into meditation A LOT - a 10-day retreat.

From there, a meditation practice turned into a mediation business which in turn fueled a passion to help others.  That passion ultimately became the Empty Bowls project which serves the poor and hungry in local area communities.

When I read Elizabeth's story, it reminded me that when I love myself first, letting go of the labels of mother, wife, daughter, employee...the Universe celebrates.

It's not that I don't love being a mother or a wife but - MY life has meaning BEYOND that.  And if I postpone what feeds my garden, my garden can wither as the seasons change.

My journey from this point, then, is to treat myself as someone I am in love with.  I will not postpone what has heart and meaning for me.  Instead, I will spend A LOT of time with what nourishes me.

What would you like to spend A LOT of time doing?  What makes you happy?

Today, I set the intention to treat myself as someone I love dearly, spending A LOT of time doing activities that have heart and meaning for me.

"All that we are arises with our thoughts.  Speak or act with a pure mind or heart

 and happiness will follow you as your shadow, unshakable."  

~The Buddha

"Whatever you wish to marry, go absorb yourself in that beloved,

 assume its shape and qualities.  If you wish for the light, prepare yourself 

to receive it; if you wish to be far from God, nourish your egoism and drive yourself away. 

 If you wish to find a way out of this ruined prison, don't turn your head away from the Beloved,

 but bow in worship and draw near."  

~Rumi

Affirmative Prayer:
Breathing in and breathing out, there is a realization of a Creative Source that is present in each moment.  And as the night falls and the stars light up the sky, there is a deep knowing of a Power that is filled with the energy of love and of life.

This energy, this Creative Source, is individualized in me and is seeking an outlet through me.  I step into the embrace of the One, letting everything that is the opposite of peace, of passion, of purpose, fall away and I dwell in the beauty of the Now.

Letting go of any resistance, I feel an amazing grace swell from within as my heart overflows with love.   Affirming my worthiness to receive, I welcome the laughter and the joy that bubbles out from me as I spend time with myself.  The activities I choose make me so happy and I welcome the freedom I have to spend A LOT of time enjoying those activities.  Expressing the Divine Source that is seeking to emerge through me, I am nourished and fulfilled as I follow my heart in my daily choices.  Mundane details are no longer important as I claim the passion and the purpose that is my Divine birthright.  I shine from within as I live my purpose and everyone I meet is touched in beautiful ways that remind them the Universe is working for everyone's highest good.  We simply need to say Yes and let life unfold perfectly.

I am so grateful for the grace of Spirit within me that tells me every day how deserving I am of self-love.  And I give great thanks for my Divine talents and abilities that make me unique and that emerge in amazing ways.  I am filled with gratitude for the Creative Source that magnifies my joy and happiness as I dwell in the areas of life that have great meaning for me.

From this place of gratitude, I release my Word to the Divine Action of the Law, knowing it is already done.  I am now a magnet for opportunity and for success.  And I let it be so.  And so it is!

It's Time To Focus On What We Love

I like trying new things.  I've tried candle-making, stand-up paddle-boarding, snow-skiing, volleyball, playing an instrument, learning a language and much more.  As I move through my life, knowing that where I place my attention is what I become, I question if I need to STOP trying new things and START focusing on building up the two or three things that I really love.

So, how do I choose what to focus on?  I definitely don't want to jump into this decision-making process too quickly.   I don't want to make my choices based on what others think I should be doing with my life.   Nor, do I want to make my choices based on my ego.

"If I choose this, I will look more successful."   OR, "If I choose this, I will impress so many people."

Maybe my choices come back to living my purpose here in this life.

In Deepak Chopra's book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, the Law of Dharma says that "you have a unique talent and a unique way of expressing it.  There is something that you can do better than anyone else in the whole world - and for every unique talent and unique expression of that talent, there are also unique needs.  When these needs are matched with the creative expression of your talent, that is the spark that creates affluence."

If that's true, then choosing the activities that I focus on should start with one question.  How can the activities that I choose best help others live their purpose?

The other question that Deepak suggests we ask is, "if money was no object and you had all the time and money in the world, what would you do?"

These are big questions that will take a bit of time and contemplation but I can now put first things first and start clearing out the clutter of things that do NOT bring me joy.  By starting there, I can uncover what I really LOVE to do.  And, I can move in the direction of co-creating a life that is more beautiful than anything I can imagine.

So, find out what YOU love and start to live the life of your dreams.

Today, I set the intention that I easily uncover what is mine to do and what is NOT mine to do, knowing that the Universe will always support me in creating a life well-lived.

"Discover your divinity, find your unique talent, serve humanity with it, 

and you can generate all the wealth that you want."  

~Deepak Chopra

"It's not the career you choose, the friend you marry, or the path you take

 that determines success or happiness in life, but that each day, in some

 small way, you seek to amaze as much as be amazed."

  ~Mike Dooley, Notes from the Universe

Affirmative Prayer:
In this moment, there is a sufficiency of grace, of love, of power and of peace.  This sufficiency is revealed in recognizing there is only One.  One Divine Presence that is always the same, never changing and always guiding to bigger and brighter expressions of Itself.

As this Divine Presence expresses through me, I am filled with wonder and amazement at the perfection of knowing this truth.  I am never separate from my good, always a part of Source Energy that gives me the strength to expand and the potential to co-create a life of Divine purpose.

As I co-create, I say Yes! to ideas that move me in the direction of doing what I love.  I am not defined by what I have done in my past but can look back and see that I am now guided to make better choices, to choose activities that inspire and motivate me.  I embrace the Divine Presence and Power of the Universe and I allow my path to be directed by an infinite Source of unconditional Love, affirming that something meaningful and beautiful is seeking to emerge through me and as me.  My gifts and talents are enough.  I am enough.  And I welcome more situations and experiences that bring me evidence of that very fact.

I give thanks for the perfect life that is being revealed daily as I make choices from a place of love.  And, I am filled with deep gratitude as I see the good that is being made manifest as ideas are put into action.  I am so thankful that as Spirit express through me, there is a ripple effect that reaches out and touches others lives, moving them to create a life well-lived.

From this place of gratitude and rejoicing, I release my Word to the Divine Action of the Law, knowing it is done.  I am alive and filled with joy.  And I let it be so.  And so it is!