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!!!