Getting OFF the Fear Train

Wow! It's been May since I posted a blog! Life has been really focussed elsewhere for me, and I really miss the writing and connecting.

Today I would like to discuss the power of fear and what it does to people and also discuss the "mob mentality" that takes over when we are in fear. I also call it sheep herding. We become mindless when faced with over-powering fears. We react without thinking and this is detrimental to our health and well-being and sometimes even our lives.

Right now in our society, the biggest fear is death from a flu. It has people running around in panic--- angry, scared and desperate. The fear is the most contagious thing out there. It runs through people as quick as lightning, unless it is checked by reason and research.

You may relate to what I am saying and say that the fear is legitimate. I will not argue your beliefs, but only stress that before any decision be made, you have done your homework and researched every single angle of fact before you have made your decision.

This is my only hope and prayer. There are tons of different opinions, and opinions are personal to the owner. Take opinions into consideration but don't just accept them as truth either. Again, do your research and find the facts. Weigh the pros and cons. Get real data. Blindly believing in things you are being told can be deadly--no matter how credible the source is.

You empower yourself when you get the facts, and your fears will dissapate because you have taken charge of your own life. You will be able to trust your own guidance system when fear is out of the way. I stress, do not make vital decisions based on fear!! Stay away from sheep herding. It could possibly save you a trip from the slaughterhouse.

The Myth of Luck

I am always excited when I speak about beliefs. (and I don't mean religious) A belief is a thought that you have accepted as truth to you. Beliefs are powerful thoughts that lead to towards or away from what you want in your life.

A lot of people believe in luck. I hear statements "Just my luck", or "She's so lucky", or "I have no luck." Can anyone really tell me what luck is? I am still unsure. It is nothing tangible. To me it is just a belief.

Here comes the fun part: If luck is a belief, then we either choose to believe it or not. If we believe in luck, we either believe we are lucky or unlucky. Which one do you believe? Tricky eh?

Luck to me, is a state of mind. A belief system. If I believe in luck, and don't seem to have it, it just creates LACK in my mind and in my life. I will see lucky people all around me, but without any lucky things happening to me. This turns me into a victim. This means that I believe that powers outside myself are determining my worth and value.

When my mind tuned into to this paradoxical world of having beliefs and believing what I choose to, I decided to do an experiment. I was explaining to a friend that they have the choice to decide what they believe in, and if she chooses to believe something different, her perception and life will change. Her response was " I don't believe that." I began laughing at that statement, but she didn't understand what was funny. If someone says " I don't believe", then they won't. Period.

So, on to my experiment. I decided to start calling myself "Lucky Lisa". It helps that my name starts with L! So, as I began chanting this in my mind and out loud, something started to change. I felt lighter, I felt that my world was expanding, I felt a bounce in my step. I felt that things in my life began to move a little smoother, a little easier, a lot lighter. I only practiced this for a bit for observation purposes, and did not continue working on it to become part of my belief system.

So, I had let myself believe in the definition of luck, and all that came with it. It wasn't so hard, because luck is a word that all of society recognizes, and we accept it without thinking about it. That is what a belief is. A thought that is accepted as truth with no analyzing or dissecting.

Definition of Luck:
1 a: a force that brings good fortune or adversity b: the events or circumstances that operate for or against an individual

2: favoring chance

So, the bottom line? Luck is real for you if you believe it, and not if you don't. Your life is what you believe about it. Period.

Creating an Abundant Mind in a Fearful World

Fear is so icky. And fear of losing all of our money is even ickier. Right now, we are caught up in the drama of LACK. We are tightening our belts, fearing for our jobs, penny pinching, and believing that we are all going to end up in a cardboard box. The fear begins with the news, and then from then on we have no problem creating our own fearful scenarios in our minds about possibly losing our jobs, homes, cars, going into a greater recession, maybe even a depression.

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY!!

FEAR comes from our own thoughts, from what we choose to believe. Many of us have chosen to believe we are done for. Stress levels have risen, fights about money have increased at home, and no-name foods are the brands of choice. I am not saying that we shouldn’t be SMART, and possibly cut back on some things we over-indulge in, I am saying don’t let the FEAR take over. Fear makes us panic, it makes us miserable, and it makes us make horrible, hasty decisions.

-Fear has made a lot of people panic, “jump the gun” and make hasty decisions that have led to the ripple effect-

The ripple effect is working on two levels; physical and emotional. The physical ripple is people actually being laid off, and the emotional is the fear that comes with seeing this. This fear ripple, creates the physical ripple. It’s not the other way around. If we stopped seeing lack everywhere and got a hold of our fears, the physical ripple would stop.

You will say, “We are in a recession, look what is happening out there!” and I will respond yes, we have created this reality out of fear. Fear causes people to react, and we have reacted by batting down the hatches and stopped spending on credit. When a river doesn’t flow, it becomes stagnant. The same applies about money. Money is an energy exchange. It is an exchange of service for supply. Back in the old days, we didn’t use money, we traded goods. An exchange of goods kept people in business. Now, since we are holding so tightly to our money, the abundant flow has been strangled into a trickle, and if we don’t release the fear, we will all be standing knee-deep in mud!

The Tools

How do we stop the fear? We stop it, by each of us beginning to practice seeing abundance everywhere in our lives; trusting that there is plenty for everyone, believing in FAITH instead of FEAR. I didn’t say it was a drive-through fixer upper! Of course, it takes work. The choice is always yours to make: FEAR or FREEDOM? FEAR or HAPPINESS? FEAR OR LOVE?

Look around you and start seeing the abundance in your life. All abundance, not just money. You may have an abundance of shiny teaspoons, abundance of love from your pets, abundance of fluffy towels in your linen closet, an abundance of garden tools, and abundance of light in your home, abundance of friends, family, clients, abundance of cds...

Next, begin to feel GRATITUDE for all that you do have. Count your blessings. Can you feel the fear being replaced by a warm glow in your chest? Is the sun shining in your heart? That is the magic of LOVE, over the illusion of fear.

The more we focus on, and believe in the ABUNDANCE in our lives, the more we will have. The more we focus on, and believe in, the FEAR in our lives, the more we will have.
Test it out for yourself.

May Abundance Be Ever-Flowing in your Life!

Creating your Own Divine Space

Guided by your own desire for change and your own motivation, find some time in your day to be completely alone; alone, but with a purpose and a goal. If you have time to before your day begins, this is an excellent starting point to your day. Your purpose and goal is to sit with yourself, be with yourself and get to know yourself once more. If you have a private physical space to go to that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed without any distractions, this helps, but the main purpose for this Divine space is time for you.

Take out a piece of paper or journal and a pen. Now write at the top of the page: “What do I want?” Now go with it, let it flow. Write without thinking, freeing your mind from limitations as you go. Let your feelings flow, let it all go. Do not worry if nothing happens right away. Sometimes, we are like a rusty joint that just needs a little WD40! Your oil will be your practice, combined with your passion for change.

Side Track: A very easy way to start the flow is to write about what you don’t want any longer. Whoa! Stop that pen! It is very, very easy to get caught up in all of that negative stuff! You do want to change the negatives into positives, so what you can actually do is a clarifying exercise, but it needs to be done correctly to get the best results. Split your page down the middle. Now on the left side write one thing you do not want in your life, and immediately afterwards write that sentence in a positive format.
For Example:
If you wrote: “I do not want to be under appreciated at work” on the left side, on the right side you would write: “I want to be respected, recognized and valued for the work that I do.”
This exercise is in the book “Law of Attraction” by Michael J. Losier. Website: http://www.lawofattractionbook.com/ . He has templates of the Clarity through Contrast sheet that you can download. The purpose of this exercise is to clarify what you DO want, by listing what you DO NOT want any longer. It is a great exercise!

Ok, you are now on the path to empowerment! You have made space for yourself in your life! Do not worry right now about how to make the changes or find your happiness. Right now is the time to reconnect to Who you are and what you want. Play with it, make it fun. Paint, draw, or sing what you want. Add colour to your life! It is a research project, the topic: YOU.

What is next?

Stay tuned for Part 3... the Action Plan

Your Divine Space

Your Divine Space

What is your divine space? It is the space reserved JUST FOR YOU. It's the space you take for yourself, the space where you go to reconnect with who you are and what you want in your life. It is a space that most women have erased from their lives.

I have noticed an increasing desire in the women I have spoken with lately to find themselves again, or to find and keep that good feeling they have felt before but never seems to stay. There is an increase in the level of frustration these women are feeling about where they are, who they are, and what they want. I believe that this is because they have reached that very sharp point in their lives where they are tired of being unhappy, tired of not liking themselves, tired of failing in their own eyes, tired of striving, and they want something better right now!

Well, I see this sharp point as a wonderful and exciting place to be! It is only when you reach this point that you can begin to make the changes you want in your life. Before this point, you can listen forever to all sorts of wonderful advice given to you on how to make your life better, but you will do nothing about it. It is only through self-motivation by feeling this contrast in your life so intensely that you will be willing to make the changes you desire.

(By contrast, I mean that you are recalling a point in your life either recently or in the past where you felt REALLY GOOD, and want to feel that way again, or, you are feeling so desolate and frustrated that you can't take it anymore and want changes now!)

So, how will being in this "Divine Space" help you? It will help you because this space is powerful. Why? Because you made the CHOICE to put yourself FIRST. This is why it so powerful; because you have made the choice to put yourself in a place of self-nurturing. You have made the choice that you are valuable and deserving of this space. This space is the beginning of your happiness, the commencement of wonderful and amazing things to happen in your life. This is a space of reflection, of peace, of choice, of freedom. Taking time to yourself in this Divine Space opens the door to YOU. Here you will be able to begin your journey to re-connecting to, or learning for the first time in your life, WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU WANT.

Stay tuned for part II.. Creating your own Divine Space

Making the words "Happy New Year" Meaningful

01-01-2009

New Beginnings

“Happy New Year” is the standard greeting we say to everyone on this glorious day of firsts. First month of the year, first day of the year-- and for this year, when you add 2009 up you get 11! There are “ones” everywhere. As I write this, I am curious to deeper meanings of the number one and have found this:

One: One primarily deals with strong will, positivity, pure energy. The number One reflects new beginnings, and purity. The symbolic meaning of number One is further clarified when we understand One represents both kinds of action: physical and mental. This combined with Ones urgency for new beginnings, we begin to see Ones recurring in our lives indicates a time to exert our natural forces, take action, and start a new venture. One encourages us our action will be rewarded in kind.
(Reference: www.whats-your-sign.com)

So, in these terms, today is a very powerful day to put your energy into visualizing what you want in your life now and in the months to come. What do you want? Be creative. Use the power of your imagination to visualize a life for yourself that isn’t based on yesterday’s thought patterns. Here is a way to do this:

Goals VS Resolutions

Today is the day that everyone makes their resolutions, but in my way of thinking, resolutions are a too cut and dried list of “things to change” rather than a motivating process that has reasonable attainability. Resolutions set the bar too high for achievement because they don’t leave any room for being human. (And we are human, and we do make mistakes, and we do feel bad when we fail, and we do give up.)
Making Goals, and setting intentions are much more user friendly AND they make you feel good too! A goal is a motivating process with a timeline that makes allowances for our habits of falling back into old routines. (They allow us to be human) Goals are much gentler on our self-esteem as they are fueled from within; they are choices we WANT to make, rather than judgmental choices we think we HAVE to make. Here are some examples:

Resolution: Quit Smoking

Goal: This year I intend to look for alternatives to smoking because I want to be healthier. This month I will research ways to help me do this.

Resolution: Start diet.

Goal: I intend to change my eating habits to include more healthy foods in the next 3 months. I will start by adding a salad to my lunch and dinner.


Goals don’t have to be demanding. They work best when they are shaped around your life, rather than trying to shape your life around a resolution.

Resolutions are not realistic at all. After you have compiled your list of resolutions, how do you feel? Do you will feel an overwhelming sense of panic? Is there pressure to change and pressure to succeed? And who says you have to do all this changing at once? And NOW?

Yes, the New Year is a good time to start, if you feel it works for you, but tomorrow is also a new beginning, as every new day is. So, whatever your choice is for this New Year, be good to you and remove the high pressure demands of resolutions and make some empowering goals instead. This will definitely make the "Happy New Year"greetings you receive meaningful.

A fun way to work on your Goals:

If you haven't already taken down your tree, here is a fun way to get your creative juices flowing: For every ornament you remove from the tree, think of one thing you want to have happen for you in 2009. Alternatively, you can use this same technique for putting your decorations away, for every plate you put back in the cupboard after washing it, for every piece of clothing you fold, or even one for each sock you put on in the morning....and so on. Be creative, and get that creative muscle working in your brain, and before you know it you will be living what you have been only thinking about as you do your chores and every day routines!

Cheers!

Wreathing You a Merry Catmus!

(This is my cat JR, about 5 years ago. I had set the wreath down and he got up on the stool and "posed" here!!)

Inspired Quote

Blessed is the Season which engages the Whole World in a Conspiracy of Love!
-Hamilton Wright Mabi

The Art of Waiting

When I first read about the concept of feeling peaceful when waiting (re: Power of Now) I didn't get it much. Many times I have had to wait and found myself very impatient, growing irritable, and usually taking an impulsive move because of it. And many a time, I have peeled away in a u-turn at a railway crossing with an insanely slow-moving train, only to be delayed further in traffic. The alternate route is usually the longer one!

Recently I have begun to appreciate the wait. I mean waiting in lines as well as waiting for the right timing of things. Today as I drove home, in a angry funk because a small detail I was working on wasn't ironing out, I let my thoughts briefly settle on the train going westbound over the road I was heading North on.

If I was paying attention, I would have realized that the train was going to turn North and cross the street I was going to turn West onto to get home. But, this point really doesn't matter, because the next street turning West also had train tracks... and believe it or not, the same tracks took the train to cross the main street I took to get home, one town over. ( I have been known to play "beat the train" in the past. )

So, I turned West, and drove up the hill, only to be stopped behind a row of cars. I had just finished asking for light to be shone in me, as it was getting darker by the minute, and for me that makes time* feel so much shorter. It was 3:45pm. The sun was shining brightly through the passing train, and a rainbow shone straight up from the ground it seems, straight into the clouds in front of me. I was awed, and grateful for that vision of beauty because my mood was pretty foul.

The train was passing at a regular rate, and then about half a kilometre from it's end it stopped dead in the tracks. So I put in a CD, thanked the Universe for the beautiful rainbow and sat back and waited 5 minutes....and waited 10 minutes....and waited 15 minutes. I was about 15 cars back in the left lane. In those 15 minutes, I watched as one by one, all but two make a u-turn and go back the way that they had come. I enjoyed the setting sun, the rainbow and the tranquility of the moment. I was at peace, in the Now of Waiting.

Detoured from Desire

Again, I muse about what I have been doing with my life. I am caught up in some "pain-body"(re: Ekhart Tolle), some illusion, a fable, a tale that keeps my mind absorbed and away from my desires, my passions, my joy. Obsessing with perfection. That is what it is. Who needs to be perfect anyway? Everyone! We have been brainwashed by society that we have to be perfect, and in doing so, we lose our essence, our mojo, our inspiration and creativity. Forget Perfect! (An amazing book, btw!)
OK, so I am deciding to take off the cloak of ego illusion and be myself. It is not a silky cloak like the ones magicians have that glisten and slide to the floor into a pool of cool silk, but more like a cloak with suction cups, burrs and gum, rope, and some cement thrown in there as well--holding tight to block you from all the good emotions. Basically, it doesn't come off easily. It doesn't want to. The ego wants power. It is a parasite of power. It keeps you blinded, and distracts you with nonsense.
And so, again, I have caught a glimpse of it while it pretends to be me, and my life. As I stepped back and viewed how it has made me miserable, I am shocked at the power of illusion it holds.

I am not perfect, nor need to be. I am healthy, and I have a life to be grateful for. I will continue to step back and observe how things are going, and continue to count my blessings. ( I tend to forget when lost in the ego-mind.)

(For those of you who find this rant confusing, read "The Power of Now" by Ekhart Tolle for a better understanding of the ego and the pain-body.)

Hello Everyone!

I missed being here....I have been distracted by life, and of course, by my Egoman. He has kept me busy believing that I needed to focus on worry and mind made stuff rather than open my heart up to love and joy by expressing myself here, sharing and connecting with others. Other than that, I can't really recall what has kept me away since Thanksgiving. The weather has been wonderful here in Ontario: warm and sunny with a pale mist hovering, making everything look like a watercolour painting. I was loving every minute of it, knowing that Old Man Winter is gearing up to take his throne for the next 4 or 5! months.

As for Egoman, I came across a wonderful book that was written for children, (but definitely can be utilized by adults) called: "Mister Ego and the Bubble of Love"

Read Below for more information. It is an amazing book to help you master that "EgoMan"!!

http://www.amazon.com/Mister-Bubble-Love-Amber-Hinton/dp/1897238363/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/185-6706228-8139858?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226195895&sr=8-1

Namaste Publishing is pleased to announce Mister Ego and the Bubble of Love, its first book for children. In it Amber Hinton conveys a key aspect of the ego in a simplified manner appropriate for children who are pre-readers and early readers.
In Mister Ego and the Bubble of Love, Nico and Leo, who are playing with blocks, get into an altercation. After the squabble is over, Leo is mad at himself because he s spoiled all the fun. How can a child who tends to get upset and cantankerous learn to stay calm when he or she doesn't get his or her way?

This exquisitely illustrated children's book introduces children to an imaginary figure called Mister Ego a character who represents the part of us that so easily becomes out of sorts and ruins a good time.
Drawing on the wisdom of the world around us, Mister Ego and the Bubble of Love coaches children in how to tame their difficult side so that they are able to get along with each other a whole lot better.
With Mister Ego at rest in his bubble of love, the sun is out again and the house is once more a happy place for the children to play.About the AuthorAmber Hinton is a grandmother and teacher. She lives in Monona, Iowa.

Gabreyhl Zintoll is an artist and graphic designer. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia

The Optimist Creed

Hi Everyone, Happy Thanksgiving! I found some good words to share. Enjoy.

The Optimist Creed

Promise Yourself…

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give to every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.
From Christian D. Larsons book: “Your Forces and How to Use Them”

The little monster in my mind--The EGO

Hello Everyone,

I want you to meet the this little monster that I caught (became aware of) reeking havoc to my peace of mind, and common sense a few years ago. I call him ego-man, to be nice. I have called him much worse, but I now refrain because even though he is the Tasmanian devil in my mind, he has also taught me vital lessons.

First of all, I want to tell you that he must be watched constantly ( which is exhausting) but over time, as you remain in control of your thoughts, he gets tired of trying to convince you to listen and gives up when you don't let him win. He is a big suck. But--if you let him run his mouth off, he will push all of your "nasty" buttons. By nasty, I mean self-defeating thoughts, anger, resentment, jealousy, envy, doubt, revenge...to name a few. He is a bully, and we all know how to defeat bullies: Understand that they are just misguided, full of fear and wanting love.

I can't really blame him though. He was placed in our psyche to protect us from dying a painful death way back when we were living in caves and chasing our food. The ego-man kept us alert, in fear, so that we could survive.

The kick is, we are not chasing our food any longer, and the ego has had to take up a new profession; instead of protecting us from death with fear thoughts, he has been very creative in expanding his fear thoughts to keep us miserable. (Something like a payback for not needing him any longer.)

So, he had built his enterprise, and was rolling with glee in the power of making me miserable, until one day I became aware of HIM.

My awareness was taught to me through the book "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. Everyone knows who he is now (re: Oprah) and that is a good thing. I read the book in 2005 and I am very grateful that I did. It opened my eyes to the chaos and negativity that was reigning in my mind, and to the power I had to overcome it.

...to be continued with more adventures of the Ego-man v.s. Empowerment of the Mind and the lessons I have learned.

Happy Fall Everyone!

"IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT" -Walt Disney.

!

Finding Joy

This is just beautiful.

http://www.findingjoymovie.com/

Empowering Affirmation

My WILL steps forward. My engine, once rusty with apathy now surges forth in well-oiled determination. I choose to be the Empowered Woman I've always desired to be!

I love this commercial: It's a "Warm Fuzzy'!

I Love The World~Discovery Channel Commercial

I saw this commercial for the first time yesterday and I loved it! Thanks to You tube for making this available! Today I am grateful for technology!

Empowering Blog of the Month: Clever Girl Goes Blog

I came across this blog while searching the blogs of note today. Here is a woman who is following her passion to write and she expresses the essence of who she is without hesitation or fear. She is funny, she is witty, and she is empowered!

The blog dated September 14, 2008 is an example of a woman speaking her own truth. It is truly inspiring and empowering. Enjoy!

The Price of Fame

http://clevergirlgoesblog.blogspot.com/

Daily Affirmation

In the Infinity of life where I am,

All is perfect, whole and complete.

I am one with the power that created me.

I have within me all the ingredients for success.

I now allow the success formula to flow through me

and manifest in my world.

Whatever I am guided to do will be a success.

I learn from every experience.

I go from success to success and glory to glory.

My pathway is a series of stepping stones to ever-greater successes.

All is well in my world.

~You can Heal your Life ~Louise Hay

Mind Bending

Consider changing the words in your vocabulary from"I have to" to "I choose to" for one entire day. Notice anything different?

Finding a Safe Harbour in Turbulent Times

In the moments when we feel lost, alone and scared-- In the times when we feel raw, exposed, and depleted--When our hearts are squeezed, our bellies knotted, or our worlds are turned up side down and inside out...

Seek out a safe harbour. Find a place of respite and renewal to give you the nurturing you need to replenish your mind, body and spirit. Wrap yourself in a cozy comforter. Have a bubble bath, sit in the sun, ask a loved one for a hug, go for a walk in nature. These things will bring you the comfort you seek when you most need it.

My favourite is wrapping myself up in a comforter. I feel warm, safe, and protected. I am guessing I am trying to re-create my time in the womb; the time when all was really well in my world, where I was warm, cozy, and fed regularly!

Find your own personal "womb therapy" and nurture yourself. While you are doing that, say to yourself "This to shall Pass" and know that it will.

Freeing yourself from Fearful Thoughts, Part 1

My favourite acronym for FEAR is "Forgetting Everything is All Right"

It brings me back to a place of peace and relief when I am caught up in the gruelling grip of it. Here is what I have to offer you, when you too are sideswiped by this powerful emotion:

Breathe. It’s all OK. The horrible feeling you are experiencing is not real; it is mind-made. Think about it: What created the fear? What are you thinking? Is what you are thinking a real event occurring right now? Most likely it's not. Acknowledge this amazing discovery. The fear is not real! It’s only in your mind.

*Your mind is a very powerful tool that can be very good or very bad for you depending on your thought patterns.*

Fear is one of those thought patterns. Your mind believes that your thoughts are real, and the funny thing is, your body cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined. This is why you feel sick when you think fearful thoughts. Your body really thinks you are in danger.

I'm sure you can remember a time when you were in the middle of a fearful experience; Your heart pounded, your palms were slick with sweat, your stomach was clenched in horrible knots, and you lost your breath and your peace of mind all at once. It is a horrible feeling, and I want you to know it is not something you have to live with. You can conquer it.

The next time fear has you in its clutches use this acronym to get you back on track:

S.T.A.R:

STOP and be aware of how your body is feeling.
TAKE a deep refreshing breath.
ACKNOWLEDGE that the fear is not real. It is mind made.
RESET your mind. Replace the fear with positive, nurturing thoughts and know that you are in charge of what you choose to think.