When Enough is Enough!

We all have our breaking points, they can be vastly different from one person to the next but we all have them. Sometimes they’re triggered by life events; Marriage, Divorce, A Death or Moving & sometimes they’re triggered by our own internal strife; Being unhappy, not knowing our true self, listening to the noise around you rather then to that small voice inside. There are dozens of more examples of these things & of course we can always add ‘people’. Yes, people can push over the edge. I personally try to move away from this because I’ve come to understand that I have no control over how people react in my life. Certainly in the moment I can get caught up in the energy of the other person but I quickly realize that whatever they’re upset about may not have anything to do with me. No matter how well you think you know another person, you can never know truly what’s ‘bothering’ them unless they’re willing to talk about it & you’re willing to truly listen (not an easy task always).

My point here isn’t what triggers the feeling of being overwhelmed or having enough. The reason you reach that point isn’t as important as being in that state of mind & how you react when you get there. So when you reach your breaking point, what do you do? Do you scream & yell, to hide away from the world? Do you avoid people or situations so you don’t go even further over the edge? Do you drink more or take drugs to dull your feelings until you get through to the other side of this tipping point?

I personally have no perfect solution to the feeling of being overwhelmed; I have discovered though that there are ways beyond the feeling & although I have fallen into this trap from time to time myself, I have discovered ways to minimize the length of time for feeling overwhelmed. What makes this situation even worse is stress. When stress is added to the equation of feeling overwhelmed you can really dig yourself a tough hole to get out of.

So what I have learned? First, give yourself permission to feel overwhelmed. It’s ok, really it is. We deal with so much in our lives today that no other generation had to worry about. Everything happens so much faster & the world expects an answer now, not tomorrow, not next week but now. So it truly is ok to feel overwhelmed, it’s ok to feel you’ve had a enough, allow the feeling, feel the feeling & then let it go. This may sound easy & after you practice releasing feelings or any kind it will become easier. For now just trust that by slowing down, relaxing & releasing the situation to God/universe you can begin to heal from this overwhelming feeling.

Secondly, I give myself time. I try to push as much stuff in my life to a future date or I ask for help from friends or family explaining that currently my plate is full & if you can do xy or z for me it would really help me right now. This can be a tough thing for some people to do but think about how wonderful you feel when you’re able to help a friend or family member with something. Don’t deny them that same wonderful feeling allow them to help with whatever they can.

Thirdly, be grateful! Find something in your life that you’re grateful for, no matter how bad things are you can always find something to be grateful for & by experiencing true gratitude you will begin to feel less overwhelmed. I have personally found that this step alone can lift me back up, for through gratitude everything is possible.

Finally, for me, the final step is to understand that this to shall pass. Nothing lasts forever & even though when we’re in the middle of a situation it can feel like it, it will come to end. Think through all things you’ve gone through in your life; give yourself credit for making it through everything that’s happened to you in the past. We all tend to be the hardest on ourselves so instead give yourself credit & know that you’ve made it through all the things you’ve experienced before & you’ll make it through this as well.

We all are beautiful divine creatures & we can’t control everything that happens in our lives. We can learn from what we face & grow into a better understanding of how to face uncertainty in the future. You have the power within you to create the world you want to live in. You have the power to transform your life into anything that you want it to be. Believe in yourself; believe in the process of life & growth. Know the joy in every moment even the moments we’d rather forget. Joy is all around us & if we allow ourselves to discover it even in the hard times, imagine how much we’ll find in the good times.

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “You are beautiful, you are love & you can change the world, believe & it will be.”

WHY?

The timeless question of why? It may be the first thing you remember asking as a child. It fuels our curiosity & drives us to find a better way. The truth is ‘why’ is one of the cornerstones of who we are as human beings, we question everything & although this can lead to new & exciting answers, it can also lead to a spiral of despair.

I understand that when you look back over the last 200 years or so you’ll know that only because of great men asking why have we had all the inventions that we’ve become accustom to. I know that through our curiosity we can grow to a higher level of understanding but I’ve learned first hand of the downside of an active mind. A mind that questions everything & is never truly satisfied with the answer. A mind that lacks contentment & peace, that knows not the joy of the beauty around it.

Yes, that was my mind for many years. I did find beauty from time to time but my mind was always onto the next best thing. I could figure out complex puzzles while watching a movie or walking the dogs. This wasn’t all bad but on a spiritual level I never felt satisfied. My EGO was going wild because there seemed to be nothing I couldn’t do, except find true joy.

The quieting of my mind took me most of my life, thus far, to figure out. I learned painfully well that by ‘over-thinking’ everything in our lives we miss out on the most important thing & that thing is….how we feel. I learned to understand that by allowing myself to feel that deep feeling that comes from my heart, I could discover joy.

Now, I’m not going to sit here & tell you not to think, that’s not the point of this blog. The point is to understand the difference between acting out of pure thought & understanding how you feel in any given situation. There’s always times when you need to look at & analyze things, as there are times when you act on pure emotions without regard to thought. We don’t live in a vacuum where one thing is better then another, we instead live our lives everyday doing the best we can & because of this we look for ways to bring more joy into our lives, to me that way is by understanding our true feelings.

We can grow only so far by reading & thinking & staying on an intellectual level. The longer we stay there the harder it is to move away from it & before you know it you’ll talk yourself out of some the best things in the world. Our hearts won’t lead us stray very often if we truly listen to them. In fact, as we begin to understand how we feel about the things in our lives, we begin to understand ourselves better. It is through this understanding that God/universe acts to give us more of what makes us happy. Each of us was born a pure spirit that knew nothing but joy, we’ve learned to be cynical, we’ve learned to hate & fear. By opening our hearts we begin to discover the joy we knew as a child, the joy that knew no bounds, the joy makes a moment last a lifetime.

Believe in yourself; know that whatever challenges you are facing, big or small, can be overcome by growing your spirit & understanding who you are. Allow yourself to trust in your heart, it will open the world to you. Know that you will make through no matter how difficult it gets. I believe in you & in your spirit, you are special & I am blessed to know you.

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “Trust in your heart & everything is possible.”

It's not easy being green!

Boy I miss Jim Henson; to me it’s always sad to have such a great talent go away way before his time. Jim Henson changed what children’s television was, through programs like Sesame Street & The Muppet Show. His genius of using the Muppet characters to teach children about difficult situations is still a benchmark that other’s should look to. This is especially true of one little green frog that was the embodiment of his creator. I am, of course, talking about Kermit the frog. Kermit was often misunderstood & sometimes overshadowed by the likes of Miss Piggy, Elmo & Big Bird but to me Kermit always spoke the truth & often tackled the hard

subjects that the Muppets would deal with. His classic song from Sesame Street “It’s not easy being green” is a great example of how to deal not only with race but with the feeling many of us have, even as adults the feeling…..that we don’t like who we are. In these wonderful lyrics Kermit discovers that he is content with being green after thinking that green isn’t a great color to be.

Here’s the Lyrics:

“It's not that easy being green

Having to spend each day the color of the leaves

When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow or gold

Or something much more colorful like that

It's not easy being green

It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things

And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're

Not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water

Or stars in the sky

But green's the color of Spring

And green can be cool and friendly-like

And green can be big like an ocean, or important

Like a mountain, or tall like a tree

When green is all there is to be

It could make you wonder why, but why wonder why

Wonder, I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful

And I think it's what I want to be”

Have you ever thought that life would be different if you were someone who you weren’t? Many of us go through our lives wondering what would happen if…… & although it’s great to dream (in fact I encourage it) the truth is we have to get comfortable in our own skin before we can tackle the bigger questions in our lives. The greatest gift any of us has to give is love & if we don’t love who we are, we can’t possibly give our love to everyone else in our life. As in the song, sometimes we just need to realize how great we actually are. We are all created out of love & through love we can accomplish anything we want. It really is ok to be green or purple or red. Embrace who you are & the world will embrace you back. This isn’t meant to say that we we’re perfect, as human’s we never will be, but by loving who we are & working to improve

ourselves we will continue to grow. It is through this growth that we can become the person we want to be. Remember that everything is possible it only takes the first step to get you started & the desire to change.

Jim Henson brought out the best in people by showing them that even a little green frog can find happiness. Magic & miracles happen everyday around us. All we need to do is look for them & they’ll appear.

We’ve become so jaded as a society that we look right past the miracles in our lives, which brings me to another great Kermit the frog song; Rainbow connection, here’s the lyrics:

“Why are there so many songs about rainbows

and what's on the other side?

Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,

and rainbows have nothing to hide.

So we've been told and some choose to believe it.

I know they're wrong, wait and see.

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.

The lovers, the dreamers and me.

Who said that every wish would be heard

and answered when wished on the morning star?

Somebody thought of that and someone believed it.

Look what it's done so far.

What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing

and what do we think we might see?

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.

The lovers, the dreamers and me.

All of us under its spell. We know that it's probably magic.

Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?

I've heard them calling my name.

Is this the sweet sound that called the young sailors.

The voice might be one and the same.

I've heard it too many times to ignore it.

It's something that I'm supposed to be.

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.

The lovers, the dreamers and me”

Even in this simple song we find that just by believing we can make it so. That’s the way God/universe works believe or in today’s lingo, set your intention. Know that God/universe will create the perfect solution; sometimes it’s not what we think it will be but often it’s even better. The key, as I’ve written about before, is to let go of the EGO & set the intention on something that will make you better as a person, not something that satisfies the EGO.

Life is a journey that becomes whatever you want it to be. Trust in your power, believe in yourself & change the world one step at a time.

Boy I miss Jim Henson……

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “Know in your heart that you have the power to change everything in your life, it’s all up to you….believe & it will be.”

Lifting each other up!

Times have been hard for many of us over the past couple of years. I know for me it’s been a very difficult time, starting with 15 months of unemployment & ending with moving my family halfway across the country after being apart for 6 months. I’ve written often about how I kept positive & continued to move my life forward even through this difficult time.

The one thing that stayed consistent for me was helping others. I believe strongly in the law of attraction which simply states “Whatever we give out comes back to us magnified.” The reason I could continue leading a joyful life even when things weren’t great for me is because I knew that I would in someway be given back for everything I’ve done to help others.

This happened to me over & over again with small & large gestures from family & sometimes from people I hardly knew. The bottom line was that I found great joy in all the little surprises that came my way & helped me to get through a difficult time.

In addition to receiving the benefits of the law of attraction, I rediscovered the simple joy in just helping others. The acts of kindness that each of us undertake on a daily basis can truly change the world. We don’t always see the ripple effect of what we start by helping another person but trust me the ripple continues well beyond what you can imagine.

The smallest gesture can change another person’s outlook & that person can then affect everyone they come in contact with & so on & so on. Sometimes you may never see how a simple word or gesture changes a person’s life forever but trust me it happens all the time.

The challenge we all face is understanding the way we can affect others that pass into our lives, even when they are chance encounters with someone we don’t know or will never know again. Your actions are like a pebble in the pond of the universe & I challenge each of you to take action everyday to lift another person up. Help a neighbor, help a friend, help someone you don’t even know but take action today.

Don’t make this about money, it’s great to give to organizations that help others or help causes we believe in but this is about a personal daily connection in your life that will make a difference. Smile, do the smallest thing & watch the ripples grow. Your life as well as many others will change for the good because of your actions.

Take the first step today & watch the world change around you!

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “Take the first step today to lift someone else up, by taking this action your life will change forever.”

Mixed Signals

I have written often about the connection we all have with one another & with God/universe. With this connection we can discover a pathway to a better life. We can learn to set our intentions & watch them materialize. We can understand that anything is possible & that everything unfolds perfectly before us.

So what happens when you feel you’re connected & things around you begin to change but God/universe sends you “mixed signals”? What do I mean by “mixed signals”? To me, mixed signals are when you receive messages from God/universe that seem to contradict one another, as in: You apply for a new job that seems perfect & out of the blue your old job gives you a raise & a promotion. These two things seem to contradict one another but truthfully it’s all in the way you look at it.

In life, it’s much easier for all of us to stay where we are, even if the place we’re at isn’t the best place. We find a great comfort in knowing what to expect in our life even if we’re not as happy as we’d like to be.

So why does God/universe send us mixed signals? The answer to this can be very difficult but there are two very easy answers that allow us to understand how the process of intentions works. The first answer is that often God/universe gives us choices to see if we’ve learned what we need to know to move to a better place in our life. I believe that if we don’t learn & grow in our life the lessons will continue to repeat themselves until we learn the lessons we need to learn. So, in the case of “mixed signals” God/universe is saying, you have a choice of moving forward to a better place or staying where you are because it’s comfortable. The choice is always ours & it’s always more difficult to take a risk then it is to stay in a safe place.

I personally took along time to learn this message. Early on in my professional career I would always chase the job that paid more money regardless of how happy I was where I was at. I thought that money was the answer to my happiness & I learned the hard way that being happy has nothing to do with money & everything to do with enjoying where you’re at. In this first example God/universe is giving you the choice to learn & grow.

In the second answer, we need to look within. The truth is that since we create everything in our lives consciously or subconsciously we alone may be the cause of the mixed signals in our lives. We may be uncertain of what we want so the intentions we set are unclear to God/universe & thus we receive “mixed signals” in return. The setting of our intentions are in fact one of the hardest things to master & the clearer our intentions the better the result we will see.

I have at times, found it difficult to be certain of how clear the intention is that I’m setting, releasing & allowing God/universe to act on in the perfect way. So I have discovered that the only way, for me, to set an intention is to take time to be quite & focus on what feels right in my heart. Then I release the intention & ask for God/universe to allow my intention to unfold perfectly before me. The hardest part for me in this process is moving beyond my head & into my heart. I’ve written before of the power of the EGO & its need for instant gratification. This hurdle can be a tough one to overcome & until you do you may continue to discover mixed signals in your life.

The bottom line is when “mixed signals” appear in my life I take time to evaluate what God/universe is trying to show me. Self reflection will always bring more clarity to the situation & the “mixed signals” will begin to dissipate as you begin to understand what you truly want in your life.

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “Through self-reflection we can begin to understand the mixed signals that appear in our lives. Through this understanding we can grow to a better life.”

Love for Life

Yes, it’s a phrase we hear often in life “He/She has a love for life” but what does it really mean & how can each of us discover a true love of live? I’ve debated this thought often in my life because although most of the time I’m a very joyful happy person there are times that I too struggle. In fact when I was younger I struggled much more often then I do now.

The secret of this phrase to me is to enjoy the moment. I know this is another often heard phrase & in today’s busy world it’s actually becoming a little cliché. I never throw things out into the world unless I truly believe them & I honestly know in my heart that they make a difference & that’s the way it is for me with living in the moment.

Many of you know I’ve had a huge transition in the past year. Going from being unemployed for 15 months to working half a country away, from home, on my own to finally being offered a full-time job & moving my family to a new home in a new state. I’m not going to sit here & say that it was always easy, in fact the truth is there were many times that were very difficult but the one thing that kept me going was just living in the moment. I discovered that overall things that we think are so important in our life actually find a way to take care of themselves if we allow them to.

I wrote a blog a while ago on the Prayer of St. Francis, in that blog I described how everything has it’s time & in the journey I’ve taken over the past 8 months I’ve discovered that not only do things have their own time but if we allow them they will find their own time. Now don’t misunderstand this, certainly there are things that we all have to take care of now but we put the “now” tag on many more things then we should. The truth is that most things in life can wait & if we allow the choice or the event to find its own time things will flow much more easily.

You see to me the joy of life is what is in-front of me right now. I discover joy in the littlest things & that joy gives me a true love of life. The love that I have for the world around me comes from the deepest part of me. It’s a quiet place that can always bring me back to a calm feeling even in the biggest storm around me. I believe with every fiber of my being that if we allow it things will work out as they should.

In today’s world that’s a difficult lesson because there’s so much hype to have everything now & to do everything now! Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in this hype. The material world will never bring you the joy you are looking for. It is only through our connection to everything & everyone that we discover the joy around us. We are made of love. Just take a moment & think back to any child you’ve known. Think about the joy & wonderment in their face over the smallest thing….like the flower in the grass or the way the clouds move. Children show us our true self. The self that only knows love & trust & goodness, the part of us that we never loose but sometimes forget about.

Take time to remember wonderment, look at the world anew in each & every moment. Practice this “letting go” until it becomes apart of you again. Through this “change of focus” the smallest things will affect you like never before. Joy is all around us but it’s up to us to discover it. Open your heart, change your focus, discover the wonderment of a child. Laugh that little giggly laugh that only a child knows because there’s so much to enjoy in this world we live in.

No matter how dark the world seems to get, there is always something to find joy in & when we as a connected community of spirits begin to discover that through our thoughts & our thoughts alone we can change the world, amazing things will begin to happen. We are at the doorstep of a new age of man, together we can cross through to a world that knows love first & that understands that we are all one.

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “A true of love of life begins within each us of. Open your heart & mind & discover the joy in this moment.”

Life's questions

Does your mind race everyday with the questions of your life; where are you going?, what are doing?, how can I make my life better? We all have times in our lives when the questions seem to outweigh the answers, when even though we're not thinking about the questions they're running around in the deep recesses of our mind. These questions gum up our life & can sometimes consume us to a point where we don't know what to do about anything. We can bring yourselves to the point where we can't sleep & no matter what we can't quiet our mind.

I know what this is like. I've been there before in my life & I've discovered that there are ways to move beyond these questions. My life this year has been one of transition. I have been away from home & my wife for 5 months now & I've gone from working a temp job halfway across the country to accepting a permanent position in a new state & trying to move my family here to join me. Prior to this new opportunity I was unemployed for over 14 months....it's been an odd but wonderful year.

The overwhelming questions & things that need to be done under these circumstances can cause anyone turmoil in their life but I've discovered that if you take time to be in the present & let go of the worry, you can deal with anything that comes your way. By breaking down the overwhelming amount of things to do into "what can I do today?"& allowing the rest of the questions to fall away until it's their time. Can ease the feeling of being overwhelmed & allow you to open your heart and enjoy the life you have in-front of you.

Life is to short to make the decision that I'll put it on hold for 'x' amount of time because once I do this, or that, maybe both my life will be better. This is a lie!!! To find joy in your life & to life your life to fullest you need discover the joy that is each & every moment.

Now, I'm not going to sit here & say that everything in this transition has gone easy or perfect but even when things are difficult by taking the time to discover the joy in the moment in-front you, you will live a better life. There is also joy even in struggles. The secret is to always look for it. The lessons we learn in the current moment are the lessons that will lead us onward to a better life.

Trust in the way God/universe works. Allow; let go of the need for control & the answers you're looking for will reveal themselves perfectly before you. Everything in it's time. allow God/universe to work with you in the creation of a more joyful life. Be grateful in every moment & discover the way life unfolds perfectly before you.

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: "The questions of life can be answered when you allow them to unfold in their own time. Let of tomorrow & enjoy today!"

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What Brings me Joy!!!

I welcome a new guest blogger todayPetrina. I met Pertina through this blog & she's also a memeber of the National Gallery of Writing as I am. Petrina is married with 2 boys, recently moved to Virginia from New York. Currently unemployed. Profession: Mental Health Professional. Presented Alumnus Address this year for Alma Mater High School. Enjoys laughing, dancing and writing. Her Blog is: Here

What Brings me Joy!!!

What an interesting topic to write on as by reflex I can tell you all the things that cause me stress and disappointment. It is challenging because it exposes my true spirit of pessimism; joy is secondary. There are many things that bring me joy. Besides making my husband and children happy, I enjoy helping the less fortunate. I have always had a generous spirit since I was young. Giving away my clothes and any little trinket given to me. I had to learn as a newlywed not to eventually give away things my husband would buy me. I know, it is a bad habit but it took a good friend having a good talk with me before I understood the connection. I just loved giving people things that they always wanted. If I had it and they wanted it, I would give it. I remember even giving away my toys when I was very young.

A life changing event happened to me that made me even more generous towards people. I had the experience of being so poor I might as well lived in a developing country. My mother moved from the West Indies to a poor neighborhood in New York. In those days it was okay to leave your children by themselves while you went out to work. I took care of my brother while my mother went to work, took courses for citizenship and attended classes towards a degree. I raised myself and my younger brother. That was pretty much my life as a teenager until my step father came along. The only thing he did was provide an income to pay the rent. My mother was strong and brave as she could not bare to have him in the house much longer and kicked him out. That’s when it happened. We starved. For one whole year while my mother was working in a lower than low position, my brother and I discovered new creations in an empty fridge. We ate crackers and mayonnaise or pineapple jelly with crackers and sugar water as we had no lemons. We were joking about it the other day and how happy we were when on rare occasions we would be able to have hospital made spaghetti and meatballs as my mom
worked in the kitchen at the local hospital. Weekends were the hardest as we had no school lunch.

After that stage I became a teenager and my mother now a college graduate helped me to go through school as well as my brother. She now has a Masters and it motivated me to get my Masters also. (Funny I just remembered how my peers in college and roommates used to joke that they could look in the fridge and find nothing to cook, but I would go in the fridge and bring out a tasty four course meal). I looked back at my life and became more spiritual as I realized I did not get through so many hard life experiences by my own doing. Then, out of nowhere, this great opportunity to go abroad and help others in a developing country had arise. I was on the next plain as I felt I could relate, although I understood the gravity of the situation would be worse than any of my experiences. There was eight people sent by a reputable organization and I went as the only Mental Health Consultant. I spent two years serving the poor.

Today, I still find philanthropic means for helping the less fortunate. The opportunity abroad bought me the most joy. My mother’s perseverance brought me much joy. My brother being a World Trade Center survivor brought me much joy. Becoming a wife and a parent brings me joy as my husband is also generous and I am hands on with my boys. As a parent it makes me happy to instill in them the importance of things learned from my past; a good education, spirituality, an altruistic view on life and lots of kisses. They could do without the kisses I bet, but I can’t. I couldn’t pick just one thing that brings me joy, as joy for me has no time constraints.

Petrina

P.S. Things are settling in in Denver I hope to get back to regular writing next week...sorry it's taken so long but it's been crazy...hugs & look forward to reconnecting with all of you next week....if you want to be a guest writing contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

The awakening of your true self!!

Do you truly know who you are? I don't mean your name or any other label you want to give yourself. I mean in your core in the depths of your soul, the parts of you that no one knows ….maybe not even yourself. The discovery of who we truly are is one of the oldest quests man has sought from the beginning of time. It drives many of us & consumes others. We put on so many different faces for the people in our life because we believe we have to be what “they” expect us to be. So we create the Mom or the Dad personality and there's the friend or the worker or the business leader....etc, etc. We create a complex life trying to please everyone & we believe that it's necessary because it's what's expected. What if I told you it's not what others expect......what if I told you that all you have to do is be who you truly are & you will be accepted by everyone in your life.

I know it sounds like an easy solution to a complex problem that has been plaguing mankind for our entire existence & the truth is it's not easy because it takes a commitment from you to take the time to discover who you truly are.....not what the PTA expects you to be...no....who you are...your true self. I believe that is our connection to everything. Our true self or what many others call our soul....can you commit to taking the time for self discovery? Aren't you worth it? I know you are because I the love you have inside that needs to be shared with the world. I know the beauty & purity of who you truly are because at our core we are all connected & anything that people perceive to be evil is truly only born from a lack of love & the need to know who we truly are.

So, how do we take the first step to begin the process of self discovery? There's no perfect way, but what I've found is simply to be. Quiet your mind, focus on your breathing, listen deep inside & feel the peace & connectedness of your true self. There is a feeling of being grounded when you're able to move beyond the thoughts going on in your busy mind. For me, I also enjoy being out in nature. I have discovered for myself that the depth of my connection to my soul/true self is much deeper when I'm in nature. There is for me, a profound awareness to the beauty around me & a knowing that I am a part of it. Whatever works for you, use it. Take the time today to discover who you truly are. Let go of the noise & the expectations, release the fear & move beyond the pain from the past. Understand that you are love. Listen to that small voice that comes from deep within & become who you were truly meant to be!! Let go of the veils of life that you hide behind & discover that when you are truly who you are suppose to be you are love & everyone will accept you for who you truly are.

Life moves with an ease when you can be who you truly are. It's a very freeing experience!! Believe in yourself & discover who you truly are!!

Hugs,

Bill

Quote of the day: “The journey of self-discovery is the most important journey any of us can take. Stop pretending & be who you truly are.....LOVE!”

Living in the moment!!

I've talked a lot over the past year about letting life come to you & living life in each moment but what does that really mean.....”living in the moment”. I think as with many things in life you can interpret the meaning of that phrase in many different ways. For the purposes of this blog it's not important to me how literally you take the phrase or what this phrase means to you personally. What's important to me is that you begin to learn to live your life in each moment.

I've been challenged over the past few weeks to work myself through a huge shift in my life. I have moved (at least temporarily) to the Denver, Colorado area. I have left my beautiful wife, our two dogs, my house, my friends & everything I know as part of my life, for the past 12 years, behind to move to a state that I've spent only 3-5 days in for my entire life. The only thing that has keep me in a state of joy is living in each moment & discovering the joy that each moment has for us. The truth is there is joy all around us even when things aren't easy, but it's up to us to discover the joy that is hidden even in challenging times.

How do I this? I don't worry about tomorrow. I believe in the very core of who I am that tomorrow will unfold perfectly before me just as it should. It is in this shift of thought that all possibilities are born. I read from many people that they believe the key to life is to “live from the end”, in other words see the end & work backwards to today to see how to get there. This may work for some but for me it's the furthest from the truth that we can move. I know that if I set my intention for the future & release that intention into the world with no attachment to the results, God/universe will lead us to where we want to end up by living in each moment in-between. You see life is only about the now. The preoccupation with what will happen tomorrow steals away the life we can have right now. There is no promise that we have anything beyond this moment we share together right now. So why be concerned about what will happen tomorrow? The only thing that matters is right now & if you're willing to live each moment to fullest your life will always unfold perfectly before you.

Are there never setbacks? Is life always perfect going forward? Of course not!! We need adversity in our life to help us learn the lessons we need to know to move on to a better life. I was laid-off from my job in June 2009 & the past year hasn't been easy financially but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I have discovered more about myself in the past year then I have in almost 50 years before this....would I have asked for this? No!! But God/universe knew this is what I needed to grow into the person I've always been inside. You see none of us truly need improvement we just need to get back to who we truly are in our soul!! Our truest self only knows how to live life perfectly.

You can change your life today, all you need to do is start right now let go of the expectations of tomorrow & discover the joy in this moment.

Hugs,

Bill

Quote of the day: “Everything is possible in the present moment....open your mind & heart to the joy right now in this exact moment & begin the change”

Raising the bar!

Do you set goals in your life? Do have a standard for your work career or for your life? I've always set high standards in everything I do in my life and I am always present in anything I'm engaged in. Being present may sound like an easy thing but with the busyness of life today it's sometimes hard be present in something right now. This especially true with work or something else that can be mundane. When we are engaged in a mundane task our mind tends to wander & think about what's next or what we want to do tomorrow. I've worked hard in my life to move beyond this wandering. I try to be present in everything I do & do the best job I am capable of doing. I allow myself to make mistakes, I don't try to make mistakes but I understand that mistakes happen so I allow myself mistakes.

Being present in every moment of your life will open your mind to the joy that's right in front of you. Even in that mundane task you can find joy!! Joy is all around us in the most ordinary things & by discovering the joy in the ordinary we can discover the joy in everything.

So what does "raising the bar" mean to you? Obviously it means reaching for more in everything you do but I would like to open us all up to raising the bar of our own consciousness. There's been a lot said & written about the making the world a better place. To me, the way to make the world better is to challenge each of us to be better people. If we each grow & become the source of love we all can be, we each improve our own part of the world. This improvement then grows exponentially because everyone in our life is affected by our love & then they learn to love more & so on & so on.

I believe in the human spirit & I believe that all change begins with us individually. Work on improving yourself, grow in your consciousness, become the light in your own world & watch that light grow around you!!

Have a great weekend,

Bill

PS I'm going to Denver to start a 2 month contract job, I may not blog next week until I'm sure of my new schedule but I promise I'll be back as soon as possible.

Quote of the day:" Raise the bar in your own life, live life to the fullest, be present in each moment & grow your own consciousness. You are the key to changing the world, start today!!!"

When life doesn't flow!

I have found in my life that when I stay connected to my true self (soul) life seems to flow with little effort. Things unfold perfectly in each moment of everyday. But, when life isn't flowing when everything is a struggle we need to examine what's caused this disruption to the flow of life.

When I was younger I didn't understand how to connect to my soul. I'm not even sure that I understood what a deep connection was. I knew that I always felt at peace in nature but beyond that life seemed very disconnected. I've written before here that I would just "make" things happen in my life. What I mean by that is, through sheer will I would find a way to make what I thought was important happen in my life. This actually worked to some extent but the results weren't very good. Here's an example; Lived in Northern CA for a time & at that time I was working in banking. My ex-wife didn't like to live in CA so to appease her I flew back to Chicago (where we were from) & looked for a job. I found a job at a bank in Chicago & they were willing to give me some money to move back. The bank was a very small neighborhood bank & the bank I worked in in CA was the 3rd or 4th largest bank in CA (they had something like 200 branches) so needless to say the environment was completely different.

The day I started at this bank things didn't feel right to me & the job they wanted me to do changed completely (we had discussed me being a loan officer as I was in CA but instead they wanted me to be a "personal banker" that opened accounts). Needless to say I was fired within a month of moving back home. I wasn't fired because I couldn't do the job but because I didn't fit into their environment & they had someone else that had turned down the job before they offered it to me that changed their mind...the perfect person to them.

So this worked because it got me back home & I was making some good dollars but it turned sour very quickly. This is what happens when we're not connected to our true self (soul). We can have an immediate success but in the long run things never workout the way we think they will. The main reason for this is because of the EGO. I written a lot in this blog about the EGO & I would invite you to look back & read those blogs. But the EGO wants immediate satisfaction, it always wants the next best thing & as soon as it gets what it wants it wants something else because of this it's never satisfied.

Your life in an EGO state is filled with huge swings up & down....successes & then big challenges & even when the success out weigh the challenges life never feels fulfilling. We all have to deal with this EGO state to live a more joyful life. I personally don't believe the path to a better life means suppressing or ignoring the EGO is the way through. To me each part of us works together in harmony & the EGO is no different. It has a place in our life, we just can't allow it to take over.

So how do we move beyond the EGO? The easiest way is to acknowledge the voice of the EGO. This voice tends to be the quickest & loudest voice we hear when we are trying to make a decision. The EGO says "Listen to me, Listen to me"! So, if we acknowledge what the EGO is saying we can quiet the noise from the EGO. Once we quiet this noise we are able to move to the deeper connection of our soul. This deeper connection takes practice to accomplish but once you've gotten into a routine of listening to your true self (soul) it gets easier & easier. The voice of the soul is quiet & when it speaks it feels right in every part of your body. It will not lead you in the wrong direction.

When things don't seem to flow in your life, slow down & reconnect with your true self (soul). Through this connection you will rediscover the natural flow of a joyful life!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers, if you'd like to write a blog here...let me know. Contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "When life feels disconnected, take time to reconnect to your true self (soul) & discover the joy your life can have."

Be true to yourself!

I've always had one big issue in my life. This issue has at times lead me to take detours in my life away from my true path. The issue I'm talking about is when push comes to shove I give into others & neglect myself.

I have learned over the years that I need to be first. This was a very difficult lesson for me because I always put others first. You see I've always loved people & if you are apart of my life you're a friend. I believe in friendship & to me it means something to be a friend. I know in this day & age that it's a casual thing to say, especially on-line. But to me its always meant something & I don't use it casually. When you're my friend you're important to me.

So over the years I would do whatever I could to help my friends & many times I would sacrifice what I wanted to do, just to help my friends. I've learned that although this is a wonderful thing, it's not the way to lead your life. In order to give of yourself you have to have something to give & if you always sacrifice what you want in life you'll never have as much to give as when you're living the life you should.

I have learned to take time in my life. I have learned to listen to my soul (true self) & I have learned to put myself first. Because of this, my life has blossomed beyond what I could imagine. I've been living my life in joy for a longtime now & I believe it's because I've learned to put myself first. I still help many people in my life, this act of giving is woven into the fabric of my life & giving to others doesn't have to be exclusive of taking care of yourself. In fact they work in perfect concert with one another when you truly take the time to know who you are & what you want you have more to give to others.

Think of it this way; If you are a glass of water filled to the brim & you continue to give a drink to everyone in your life.....sooner or later there won't be any water left to give. Whereas if you replenish the water every time you give a drink, your glass is always filled!!

When your life gets busy or when you have to make important decisions; these are the times you need to be sure to take care of yourself first. Start a daily practice now of checking with your true self (Soul). Realize what you need & where you want to go. Promise yourself, even in tough times, to always put yourself first!

It's still not always easy for me. I watch for signs of backsliding. I know that it's the best way to live my life & my life has better because of it. Take time today & refill your glass!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS Still looking for guest bloggers for "Guest Blog Wednesday" if you're interested drop me an email at: Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day:"Take time to fill yourself up & you'll always have enough to give to others. By being true to yourself first you'll find a more joyful life!"

Defining Moments

Our lives are full of "defining moments" sometimes they're subtle & go by without us even realizing them & sometimes they're obvious & we realize that we have a life changing decision to make. Many of us avoid these big decisions because we can't clearly see which way to go. We think that by making no decision we can keep the life the way it is but the truth is that no decision is still a decision & the change we are trying to avoid will happen with or without us.

There's no easy way to deal with these big decisions. Each decision has it's own unique set of circumstances so even if we've been through them before we can still struggle with the circumstances of the next big decision but the general framework we've discussed before is a great starting point; First - take time to reflect the decision that you have to make. Second - get in touch with your true self (soul) & understand how each of the decisions feel to you. Third - talk to people you trust & listen to the feedback they give you.

The decision in these defining moments is one that once made has to be owned. Move forward with the strength of the information you've gathered. Realize that as we discussed last week there are no wrong decisions there are only decisions that take you away from your true purpose in life. We will always have the opportunity to come back to our life's purpose.

Sometimes when we are faced with these defining moments we backslide to our old patterns. The same patterns we thought we had grown beyond & within these old patterns we discover the fear we never truly dealt with. Moving beyond these old patterns can be a challenge but the first step is to recognize that you are backsliding. Once you realize the pattern & the fear associated with it, it's much easier to move beyond this fear into a better place. Remember that living your life in the current moment means releasing the past & focusing on what you fell right now. I know at times this is easier said then done but trust me it is possible to move through these defining moments without repeating the past patterns that have shaped our life.

Defining moments can feel like a fork in the road & truly the decision you make at these moments can have a big impact on your life but remember that there are no wrong decisions God/universe has a way of bringing us back to where we need to be. Sometimes it's like going from Chicago to Denver via Atlanta. It works but it's not the most ideal way to go. Trust in your true self (soul) move beyond the logical solution in your head as this is solution is normally tied to your EGO. Believe in yourself & live the life you're meant to live!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers if you'd like to write a blog here please email me at Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "Defining moments in your life are time to slow down & pay attention to your true self (soul). By taking time & connecting with how you truly feel about these moments you can discover a more joyful life."

The need for power!

Why do we as humans want power so badly? Why do we feel the need to be in charge? Why do we feel better when we have control over our life? Whenever I think about absolute power I'm reminded of the "Fellowship of the Rings" trilogy & the "one" ring that will rule them all. For those of you not familiar with these books & movies it's based around a Hobbit named Frodo who's one mission is to destroy the "one" ring. The rings power corrupts all that come near it & only Frodo's pure heart allows him to finally destroy the ring. At the end of the movie it is noted that although he's gotten rid of the ring he will never be the same because of the way it affected him. It also shown in this movie that "man" is the first to try & take the ring or the first to be affected by it's power.

Why do we crave power so badly? I think the answer to this is two fold. First power is connected to the EGO. The EGO feels fulfilled with power because it can get what it wants. I've written before about the EGO and how it has an unquenching desire for everything. You more you give into it the more it wants. The EGO is something we all need to learn to deal with in our life. Some say we need to "banish" the EGO to become a more enlightened person. I believe we need to learn to live with the EGO & understand when we are reacting from a place of EGO. This isn't an easy task but once you start to understand what the EGO wants you are able to move beyond the EGO to a more centered/spiritual place.

The EGO tends to be the loudest voice you'll hear. It wants & needs you to pay attention to it. So to move beyond it we need to acknowledge the noise it's creating & move inward to our true self (soul). Once you're able to do this you can live in harmony with your EGO. It's voice will still be there but the noise will be less.

The second part of the need for power is one of control. We all want to be in control of our life. This control creates the illusion that we know what's going to happen in our life or that we can effect what we want to happen in our life. This may be true from time to time because of the circumstances of your control but the truth is control is sham. We can control only two things in our life; 1) Our reaction to others & 2) Ourselves. That's all we can truly control in our life, if we're able understand this we are able to release the need for control & open ourselves to God/universe.

Power can be good or bad but the need for power will only lead us to self destruction. True power is given not taken & true leaders rise without the need for power. In fact sometimes the best leaders are reluctant to even lead. Let go of the need for power. Understand the personal power you have inside is your connection to everything. Trust in God/universe & understand that life will unfold perfectly before you release the need for control & accept the joy that is in each moment.

Till Monday, have a great weekend!!

Bill

PS I'm still looking for "Guest Bloggers" is you'd like to write a blog here, let me know. Send me an email @ Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day:"Let go of the need for power & watch your life unfold perfectly before you!"

There are no wrong choices!

What? How can it be that there are no wrong choices? Well, I have found in life that the choices we fret over the most ultimately don't really matter in our life. We create distinct lines between these choices but in the end what should happen will happen regardless of the choices we make in life. We all have a lifetime to fulfill our life's purpose & sometimes when we miss the chance to do it at one point in our life, we find the opportunity again at another time. God/universe has a way of continually bringing us back to where we need to be or to what we need to learn in our life to move forward. Does this mean that we shouldn't take responsibility for our choices, absolutely not!! Every choice we have in life is important. As we grow in our connection to God/universe the choices become easier.

When I was young, actually from time I was 4 years old, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I always loved animals & always seemed to have a special connection with them. I could calm an animal even when it was upset. It was always a great connection & I enjoyed very much. At this same time I was very involved with the Cub/Boy scouts & I loved to camp & be outside. I always felt at home in nature. These two things that were very important to me in my youth were lost for many years because of the choices I made.

I moved from wanting to be a vet to wanting to be an actor. I still love to act & enjoyed the time I had as a professional actor. I have no regrets for making this choice but my connection to animals continues to grow & I have begun to understand how important that connection is in my life. I may never be a veterinarian but animals will always be an important part of my life.

As far as camping goes; I rarely went camping in my adult life. I choose the convenience of a hotel room over being outside in a tent. In the last year because of being unemployed I have rediscovered camping & I believe it will be apart of my life for a longtime now. To me there's no way to get closer to nature then to actually be out in it & for me this connection brings me closer to God/universe. I have found a great calm in the natural world & I will continue to try & help preserve nature anyway I can going forward.

Why do I bring these things up? These are just two examples in my life of how things come back around to you. I could have listed many more. Life isn't always a clear path & the choices we choose are rarely definitive. Sometimes we need to understand this & forgive ourselves for the choices that don't turn out the way we expect them to. We all make mistakes. Life is about learning from this moments & moving forward. Sometimes this forward movement actually brings us back to what's important to us. So in reality there are no wrong choices!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers, if you're interested in writing for my blog please send me an email at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day:"The choices we have in life aren't as important as we imagine. Life has way of bringing us back to where we need to be. Believe in the process & forgive your wrong choices!"

How deep is your love?

How deep is your love towards a stranger? Are you willing to help someone you don't know? Are you willing to go out of your way for a stranger?

How deep is your love for nature? Are you willing to stand up & stop the destruction of our natural world? Are you willing to change the way you live to help reduce your carbon footprint?

How deep is your love for your friends? Are you willing to listen to their grief or bad feelings? Are you willing to let them stay in your house if they have no where else to stay?

How deep is your love for the person you love in your life? Are you willing to forgive infidelity? Are you willing to let go of the hurt or pain that your loved one caused you?

How deep is your love for yourself? Are you willing to move beyond a mistake you make? Are you willing to forgive yourself for doing something wrong?

In the world today we live in so much fear that we withhold our love from everything in our life. We justify this action by telling ourselves that we're protecting ourself from some unknown hurt that we just create to feel better. I've written a fair amount about love in this blog because I truly believe that love is the answer to all that ails us.

In order to begin the process of loving more we must understand the limits of our love & especially the love of ourselves. Love begins within us. Far too many of us look for someone to give us love & never truly discover the love we have inside. This love is our true connection to everything & if we're willing to take the time to understand & connect to this love, all other love is possible. When we begin the discovery of love within us we will open our heart to the love of everyone that enters our life.

By changing the way we look at love in our life everything in our life will change. Love is the key to finding true happiness & a true connection with someone else. Let go of the limits to your love, open your heart to everyone that enters your life. Make the decision today to love unconditionally. Release the need for love & discover the love you have inside!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS Still looking for a guest blogger for tomorrow. If you're interested contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day:"The discovery of the love we have within us is our true connection to all the love we could ever want in our life."

Blank Canvas

I have always found the mind interesting. The things that motivate us, the things that we react to & the things that we think about are just amazing to me. Our minds can create anything & yet at times we can have so many thoughts it's hard to focus on anything. I have often thought of the mind as a blank canvas, a canvas of possibilities.

For me there are times that this canvas can be filled with a masterpiece, every detail beautiful as I look deeper into the painting. So rich & full that just being apart of it makes me feel beautiful. At other times I fill my canvas with crayons & coloring it's totally the picture from a child. I laugh & play, have fun with the simplicity of the picture & I enjoy the process of drawing this simple fun picture.

Still other times can be dark & scary. The canvas can be filled with the fears I've not dealt with in my daily life. Just looking at this canvas can lead me down a path I don't like to go on. I've written before that I strongly believe that we all need to acknowledge these feelings in order to deal with them & move beyond them. Too often we bury these feelings & the paintings our minds create from these situations stay with us forever. They will flash back before us at the most inopportune times until we deal with the fear that helped us originally paint this canvas.

I have learned that by focusing on what is being painted on the canvas of my mind in the current moment allows me to enjoy the process of discovery. I'm never sure what the painting will become, sometimes I'm involved with the actual painting & other times it seems well beyond me. I watch as the painting unfolds in my mind & look on with wonder at what has been created. Then I return the canvas to a blank slate & start the process all over again. I have no specific timing for this cleaning of the canvas. I allow God/universe to let me know when the painting is complete & there are times that more then one painting gets started. You see sometimes the filling of the canvas can take a longtime & it's work is in the background where we can't clearly see it until it's unveiled. Yes, I am always amazed at the process & I love to look at the finished product!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I am still looking for guest bloggers, if you'd like to be a guest blogger please contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day:"Start each day with a blank canvas & allow the masterpiece of your day to be created before you!!!

The ability to learn!

Are you willing to learn? Willing to learn from anyone who enters your life? One of the oldest questions that people like to throw around in life is "Would you go back in time (if it was possible) to change something in your life?" I've always replied that I wouldn't because I'm happy with the person I am & the reason I am who I am is because of the experiences I've been through in my life. I've always loved to learn & even when I was the most stubborn in my life I was still able to learn a few things.

As I've grown in my spiritual life I have learned that one of the most important things any of us can do is to be open to learning. Learning in our daily life isn't always easy there are times when we think we know the outcome we want from a particular situation. But, I have learned that God/universe always knows what's best for us & if we don't learn the lessons we need to learn to move forward in our life, God/universe will continue to send to us these messages, again & again until we learn what we need to know.

This wasn't an easy lesson for me. I always enjoyed learning new things in my life but life lessons seemed to elude me. I had to, at times, be hit over the head with a lesson before I actually learned what I needed to know to move forward in my life. My life hasn't always been easy & I've been through a lot in my life. I have no regrets about the things I've experienced though because I've been able to continue to grow through the difficult times.

The lessons I've needed to learn haven't always come from the sources I would imagine & I discovered that everyone who enters your life is their to help you learn. The key to discovering what this person has to teach you is to be open to receiving the message they have for you. This isn't always easy but in order to continue to grow in your life you need to be open to the messages God/universe is sending you. No matter who the messenger is.

Be open to the people that enter into your life. Take time to listen, really listen to the messages that come to you. Let go of the need to be right & allow yourself the opportunity to learn. By continuing to learn in every moment you will continue to grow. This growth will lead you to a more joyful life!!

Till Monday, have a great weekend.

Bill

PS I am still looking for guest bloggers, if you'd like to contribute to my blog feel free to contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "Be open to learning in your life. Through the discovery of life lesson in every moment we can discover a more joyful life!"