Life Gets Scary Sometimes! Breathe...

What I know today is that when life get tough, stressful or even painful (emotional and/or physical) our reflex seems to be to hold our breath!  Have you ever been aware that you are breathing shallow?  My theory is that when life gets scary we tend to lock up.  We want to freeze for fear of moving through the unknown territory.  It is like we really think time will stop and we can hold back from life for a while.  I would like you to ask yourself a question.  How is that working for you?

I once had a women in one of my meditation classes who said that when she was giving birth she was frustrated with how little the breathing she learned was helping.  So she made a decision to hold her breath on the next contraction to see if it was better.  She quickly found out that it only served to make the pain worse, so she returned to breathing through her contractions.

I had an aha with this experience that she shared and realized this really does apply to life - everyday we are giving birth to new experiences and opportunities.  It is natural to want to freeze up when we don't know what the outcome is going to be.  What we need to practice more of is having a little faith that the universe is taking care of us.   Going into uncharted territory can be so rewarding and we need to let go of the fear of making mistakes or failing.  This fear of making a mistake or failing is an illusion as there is no such thing.  All there is - is learning.  We learn what we like, what we don't and what we want more of in our experience through this process, which is called life!

So take some time right now and think about something recent that has you locked up in your life.  While you think about all of the different outcomes and fears that go with it, try breathing in through your nose and out through you mouth.  As you focus on the fear and breathe, you release the energy from your being.

Let it all go and know that where your mind goes it draws more of it to you.  Let go of those illusions of fear and worst case scenarios breathe them out so that you can refocus on where you really want your life to go!

You are awesome, thanks for taking the time to breathe.  You have made the world a better place by bettering yourself!

Much gratitude to you...

Grocery Store - Pay it Forward!

What I know today is that Pay it Forward is something that has been around for a while now and according to wikipedia's definition:  The expression "pay it forward" is used to describe the concept of asking the beneficiary of a good deed to "repay" it to others instead of to the original benefactor. The concept is old, but the phrase may have been coined by Lily Hardy Hammond in her 1916 book In the Garden of Delight.^[1]

I was in the grocery store the other day and ahead of me in line there was a little boy buying a pack of gum.  He didn't have enough money so he put the one he wanted back and picked a different one.  I thought to myself I should buy it for him, so I told the cashier to put it with my groceries (which happened to only be a pack of ground beef).  He looked at me with disbelief at first but then it quickly turned to gratitude.  I then said to him, "you know what I want you to do for me"?  He look up at me and sweetly said,  "carry your groceries"?  I laughed and said, "no I want you to pay it forward".  "Do you know what that means?"  He shook his head no and so I said I wanted him to do something nice for someone else that day.  As the cashier handed him his gum she reminded him to follow through on his promise.  It was an awesome feeling and such a small act.  It made my heart swell and made me feel so good!  I wonder what little ripple came from that and who the recipient was and what act of kindness they received?

What can you do for someone to create a ripple of pay it forward?  It doesn't have to involve money...

Here are some ideas:

*Brush the snow off of someone's car at the end of the work day.
*Shovel someone's walk way.
*Smile at a complete stranger and give a genuine compliment
*Plan to make a double batch of that casserole you are making for supper and tell them supper is on     you that day...
*Lend a book that you found helpful or interesting
*Write a letter and mail it to someone whom you admire and tell them what they mean to you or write a   letter to someone who made a difference in your life

What other creative ways can you come up with?  It should be something that is effortless for you and that just comes natural... We all have unique talents to share in this world!

Spread the Joy!  Would love to hear your comments on here, or stories of your random acts of kindness, no matter how old this post is! :)  Who knows you might inspire someone else with your unique idea!

Transform Negativity in your Workplace & Relationships

What I know today is that this past Monday was Blue Monday.  Blue Monday is based on six factors - weather, debt, time since Christmas, time since failed new years resolutions, low motivational levels, and feeling a need to take action.

My favourite all time quote by Zig Ziglar is: People often say that motivation doesn't last, well neither does bathing that's why we recommend it daily!!

With all this negative energy coming from every direction we can be susceptible to feel it or pick it up along the way.  Everything is energy and just like walking into a room after someone has had an argument we pick up on and feel these energies on many different levels.  More than we realize I might add.

If you find yourself feeling a little blue and don't understand why it may be that you are picking up this energy and it isn't even yours!  Try this little experiment.  Ask yourself is this mine or someone else's?  If the feeling leaves it was just something you picked up.

Last evening at my daughters soccer game I had a chance to chat with a friend.  She mentioned that the negativity at work was starting to get to her even though she is a positive person and knows she has so many things to be thankful for in her life!  What came of it was a suggestion that I find can be very powerful and yet the other person doesn't even know that you have helped them redirect their thoughts...

For example, if Bill is complaining at work let him vent for a few minutes.  Then simply ask him some questions so that you get his mind focused and redirected in a different direction.  If he is complaining about how things are around the workplace simply say, I understand your frustration.  If you could do it your way what would you like to see change around here?  Then it gets their thoughts focused on what they want rather than complaining and focusing on what they don't want.

This takes their mind off of the problem and opens up doors to finding solutions!

I have found this can take some quick thinking on your feet, but the more you do it the better you get at it.  This also works well with children.

Remember the goal here is to gently help them redirect their thoughts without them realizing you did it, then they feel like they are the one who is in the drivers seat!  It is a win, win for all!  Have fun with it!

I am back!

What I know today is that I have been away from my blog for some time!  I took a much needed break and have also had some major changes happen in my life!

At first it was shocking to think about moving over 700 miles back to my home town where my husband and I both grew up after being away for nearly 18 years!  The opportunity that was presented to my husband was an amazing one and in my heart it felt so right.  Everything was clicking into place as though it was all meant to be.  But my head was fighting it.  What about all of the friends and connections we had made over those years?  What about the kids, would they be ok with this move?  So many unknowns and yet I had to trust that it was all happening for a reason.  Now we are getting settled and it was easier than I thought!

The result?  My husband LOVES his job and being a business owner again.  The kids are loving their new schools and have made several new friends.  Our family is so happy to have us near again, and I must say it is so nice to have the kids able to see their Grandparents at a moments notice!

Thank you to all of my readers for being patient and not giving up on me!  I know many of you come here and just read old posts and are still gaining value from my past blogs.  That is the beauty of life we are always changing and yet an old article may give you something that you never saw before because  we always get what are needing for the time we are in.

For me there have been many changes and I am learning even more that I must go with the flow and know that there is no such thing as a mistake ever.  Timing and sychronicity is all there is and we have free will to change our reality by focusing on what we want and allowing ourselves to let go of what isn't working for us as individuals.

I love my new life and can't wait to see what grand and glorious adventures await!  My goal here is to be back posting regularly again, I would like to try to be consistent but again there is no right or wrong here I am only human after all and I can only work when I feel inspired and trust that I will connect with those who are meant to hear the messages that flow through me as I write.

Please know that you are unique and special, just by being who you are you make a difference in this world.  Love yourself and know who you are right now exactly as you are is enough to make a difference to others.  Always remember that!  Stop trying so hard and just be!  Thanks for who you are, live in joy!