Clearer Heads Prevail

Clearer heads prevail...not fearful heads, not judgmental heads, not angry heads...clearer heads!
Clear your head today of all stress and judgment. Withhold your opinions and expectations. Keep that beautiful head of yours clear. It will do you a world of good.

Try to clear your head for at least a couple of minutes this morning and then do it later this afternoon.
Try it once more before you go to bed.

A clear mind will give you the opportunity to be in the moment. It will feel very pleasant.
If it is helpful, think of something that makes you feel good, something that will take you beyond the stresses of the day.

Feel Good Tuesday

Get out a piece of paper and a pen.

Write a list of what you have accomplished over the past several months. Things/activities/situations/relationships that you should be happy about and reinforce.

It may seem like you are bragging and being boastful but you really aren't. This is for your eyes only.
See what you have been able to accomplish instead of what you have failed to accomplish.

This activity will help you see your positive attributes (the light!) and shift your focus.

Now get to it...start that list and feel good!

Seeing the Light

It is rather ironic and sad...we seem to cling to the darkness instead of the light. I imagine that much of this is due to our conditioned habits and behaviors. Fear of course is a HUGE factor too. We tend to see all the obstacles before us. Sadly, the opportunities may not be visible at all.

Life is full of light. Unfortunately, we frequently block it out. We cling to the darkness.
It is a very bad habit that needs to be broken. A new habit needs to be created. Make your light so bright that your darkness will cease to exist.

Your new mantra: Cling to the light!

An Affirmation for Today

I have knowingly and unknowingly placed limitations upon myself.
I choose to see the limitations that I have placed upon myself with the intention of removing them.
I choose to see beyond the constraints of my narrowed mind and see life differently.
I choose peace and love.

Fear Not

This is the best advice that I can give today...
FEAR NOT.
Follow it and make your day much more peaceful and pleasant.
After all, what good will your fear do?
NO good at all.
Let your positive, loving thoughts be stronger than your fear.
Give yourself permission to feel love instead.

Trust

- Trust that you will get it done.

- Trust that you will be okay.

- Trust that you will know what to do.

- Trust that you will find your way.

- Trust that you will learn what you need to learn.

- Trust yourself with all your heart...

Trust is your motto for today.

Feel Good Today

Here is a challenge for today: feel good. Make it your mantra. Keep your thoughts positive. If negativity rises, shift. Allow yourself to create this reality for yourself today, all day. When you sense some anger or frustration coming on, take some deep breaths and recall your mantra for the day.

This will exercise your muscles of self-control. Building those muscles will teach you that you are in control of how you respond to life. Sometimes we forget that we choose what we think, say and do. Or, we get sucked in to our own drama and let it lead the way.

Not today. You have better things in mind. Feel good.

Worry-not Warrior

Are you tired of worrying? Are you unnecessarily thinking about potential worst case scenarios and how to deal with them? Do you waste away precious energy imagining how difficult life will be once this fantasy situation comes to fruition? Do you spend more time experiencing anxiety about what might happen instead of enjoying what is happening? Do you feel that you are stressed more than you really should be?

How much time have you spent worrying about things that have never happened? What positive impact has your worry had on you and your life? What negative affects has it had on you emotionally and physically? How has it impacted your choices? How has it limited your perceptions?

Sure, we benefit from acting responsibly and taking care of ourselves and others in a caring way. We benefit greatly from looking at a situation head on and determining the best course of action to take to solve problems and make life better. These are all positives until worry comes into play. Worry does not have to be part of our internal process. Worry sometimes becomes a part of the process, but it is not a requirement.

Knowing these things, which many us of do, doesn’t necessarily help us stop worrying. Sometimes worry just takes over. Our stomach starts getting queasy and our heart starts speeding up. Then our worrisome thoughts take control.

Soon we start believing our worrisome thoughts and, before you know it, another worrisome thought rises, and then another, and another. After a while, depending on how fearful we feel at the time, the thoughts eventually subside. Shortly after, we start to feel a bit better.

Often we feel great frustration with ourselves because we know that worry really isn’t necessary. We just can’t figure out how to stop it. On some level it just seems inevitable and a normal part of life.

Here is a suggestion to help you beat worry. Adopt the attitude of a warrior. Imagine that you are capable of winning all the battles that are coming your way. Picture yourself wearing full armor. Imagine that you carry all the weapons needed to handle the situation at hand. See yourself as being capable and courageous, and readily equipped with an endless arsenal of solutions. Look your worry in the eye and move past it with confidence and strength.

Take a few moments and let yourself vividly create this new reality in your mind. Take some deep breaths and make a commitment to win the battle against worry. Visually see yourself winning the fight; fending off worry as you move through the day. Picture yourself with the confidence and determination of a warrior, winning all your internal battles against worry. Imagine yourself taking your sword and striking your worries away. See the pictures in your mind and let it flow into your reality.

Abide by a new strategy: perceive yourself as a victor and settle for nothing less. Put your vision to action and make it happen. Give yourself the opportunity to become a worry-not warrior and feel victorious during the battles that ensue throughout your day.  

Raising the Bar (follow up to Survivor or Thrivor)

Raising the bar is reaching beyond what you currently know and possibly fear. Being in a state of allowing and putting your limiting thoughts to the side and doing your best to silence them. It is not an easy feat to go into the unknown and it may feel unsettling. However, it certainly does not mean that you should turn around and fall into old habits.

We have many bad habits and one of them is judgment. Sure, judgment has a place in life, but very often we use it in a way that stunts our growth. We use it in a way that limits our perceptions. We see the past instead of the bright possibilities of the present moment and future. We are judge and jury and we are viewing life through a veil of fear.

Life would be much more peaceful if we just dropped the judge and jury mentality. If we just felt good about what lies ahead and trusted our abilities to do what we will need to do each moment of the day. As you know, sometimes it is easy to transcend judgment and other times it is not. Sometimes we just feel good no matter what and that all is well. Sometimes we spiral into a bit of a frenzy and get caught up in our judgment and fear.

Believe me, I know. That is when you need to just let it go and shift to a more loving perspective. This may require that you go boldly into the unknown. That you hold your head high and trust the loving voice that tells you that you are really fine. You surrender to raising the bar....yes, surrender. You let your guard down and raise that bar. You give yourself the opportunity to rise to the occassion and push yourself forward.

You become you own advocate. You help yourself out. You let the past fade and be in the present and listen to the loving voice that will guide you forward into the unknown. The loving voice will always be there to see you through and provide you with wisdom that will enable you to do whatever it is that you need to do.

Today, raise your bar. Combat that feeling that is keeping you where you are and listen to the loving voice instead. Think about what thriving means to you personally and take action to make it your reality. Go a step beyond survival. Allow yourself to do even better than you have in the past.

Survivor or Thrivor?

Are you a survivor or a thrivor? You have to pick one. Yes, one. Which one overall describes you the best? Read on after you pick one.

A survivor is a person who has dealt with adversity, difficult circumstances and has lived to tell about it. Survivors can handle what life throws at them and come back for more. Survivors fight the battle and end up being okay after it is over. When the next battle comes about, they do what they need to do to get through it. Yes, they have scars, but they made it and are ready to do it again.

A thrivor has a slightly different approach to life. Yes, they too have dealt with difficult circumstances and rise above adversity; however, they go beyond being okay. One could say that they raise the bar. They find ways to make life easier, more fulfilling and satisfying. Thrivors want what is best for the situation, and take their wellbeing into consideration. Many thrivors are former survivors.

If you are a survivor, be thankful for your ability to cope and get through battle. Be grateful for your scars and what they have taught you about life. Know that your courage is an admirable attribute and it has helped you through many difficulties. Feel good about yourself and what you have done.

If you are a thrivor, be thankful for what you see. Be grateful for your wisdom and the love that you possess. You have realized what matters in life and practice it openly. You have an understanding that many do not. You are gifted in ways that others are not. Feel good about yourself and what you have done.

Now ask yourself which you would prefer to be: a survivor or a thrivor.

If you are a survivor, you may want to become a thrivor; make life easier and more fulfilling, allow yourself to get more out of life and feel even better. Learn to do what is best for your wellbeing and come to understand what matters most in life.

Thrivors, I am sure you like where you reside and that is understandable; however, you can raise the bar even higher and get more out of life and feel even better. You can embrace life in a bigger and more loving way.

I have been a grateful survivor and I am thankful that I am learning to thrive. Thriving certainly makes life more satisfying and fulfilling to say the least; however, the bar can always go higher. So I raise the bar once more today and will do it again tomorrow.

What about you? What are you going to do to help yourself move past survival? How can you thrive instead of survive? How are you going to raise the bar today? How about tomorrow?

See yourself as deserving a life filled with total peace and joy. Keep moving forward each and every day.

Monday Morning

It's Monday, a new week is upon us. Mondays can be a very difficult day for many people. The weekend has ended and now back to the grind. Unfortunately, the dread of Monday often creeps into Sunday evening...a bit of apprehension sets in as Sunday comes to a bittersweet end. Yes, I know the feeling.

I have a challenge for you on this beautiful Monday morning...go ahead and guzzle that coffee of yours first or eat something that will get your body going...Are you ready?

Take three breaths...slowly and deeply. Ask yourself why you should feel miserable today and what it is that you hope to accomplish from feeling this dreaded way. Seriously, ask yourself.

Did you come up with an answer? If you did, take note. This answer is reason that you are not feeling good this morning. You may have a good reason for feeling bad today. Or perhaps you are just sulking wishing things were better.

Either way, try looking at life differently this morning. Ask yourself instead why you should feel good this morning and what you would accomplish if you did.