Journey to Joy

And What Now?

2011-09-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

What have I lost in my discovery of how I am? What have we all lost in this age of intolerance? We’ve embarked on a journey together but yet in the current times all we seem to do is draw lines in the sand that define who we think we are. Why is it so important to be so certain? Know that it’s only the Ego that needs certainty & the louder the drum beats the more certain we think we become. But, really do we have all the answers? Search deep in your soul & understand that we are all searching, some of us are more enlightened then others but does that mean we should all join in? NO! what it means is that we each experience our own path to discover, each in our own unique way. So each of us is charged with understanding that just because someone else doesn’t agree with our point of view doesn’t mean they are wrong, it only means that they have experienced different things then we have.

This enlightenment that each of us are only trying to discover what we truly need is the awaking that we all need to find. For each of us is connected deeper then we’ll ever understand & we are on a journey together & separately to discover what is important in our lives. We forget, unfortunately, that we are all on the same journey & only by coming together & letting go of our Ego…and the need to be right, can we truly move onto a common ground that can change the world.

The noise is loud & sometimes deafening especially in the current environment where governments daily draw the line in the sand & challenge everyone to find a solution. Stop the noise, listen to your heart, believe that you can make a difference & that everyone who crosses your path is there for a reason.

Yes, sometimes the quietest voice is the only one you should be listening to because the noise is loud but doesn’t really ring true to who are. Let go, find common ground & discover that no matter who we are that we all journey for the same thing. Don’t judge, instead accept. For through acceptance of our differences we grow together instead of apart. We’ve lived far too long apart, we are one people with one journey & that journey is to make the world a better place. So let go of the acrimony & discover that through love & acceptance we can all get along.

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “In my heart I know you are my brother & regardless of our differences I understand that we are one & will always be that way.”

When Enough is Enough!

2011-07-31T16:47:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-06-16T19:20:00.001-07:00

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!

2011-06-09T16:08:00.001-07:00

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!

2011-06-05T11:22:00.001-07:00

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

2011-06-01T16:24:00.001-07:00

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.”

Understanding your dark side

2011-05-22T12:40:00.001-07:00

Yes we all have one even if we don’t want to admit it. In fact trying to bury it away is one of the biggest problems we can face. The trick, I’ve found, with the dark side is to acknowledge it & know when it’s needed. Yes, there truly are times that we need to allow ourselves to slip into the dark side.

What do I mean by the dark side? To me it’s the part of myself that's selfish, cranky, rude & sometimes wishes ill will to ours. We all have those moments in our life when we snap at someone or do something truly for our own benefit even if it means hurting someone else. I’m sure if we explored deeper we would find even nastier parts of ourselves & exploring is the key. If we can’t understand ourselves how can we expect anyone else to understand where we’re coming from or what motivates us. It truly is impossible! What often happens next is a feeling of frustration because we feel misunderstood & alone.

In the fast paced world we live in today everybody is looking for the quick fix, the miracle cure & many of us are unwilling to take the time needed to discover who we truly are. A big reason for this is we’re afraid of what we’ll find. So how many skeletons have you buried inside of yourself? How much hurt & pain have you tucked away for fear of experiencing it? We all do it but does that make it right? I think not!!!

There are two things you need to remember when you begin the exploration of yourself:

1) Anything you discover about yourself can be changed. This is a proven fact by many studies throughout the last decade or so. Granted it’s not always easy to change things that you’ve been doing for a longtime but it can be done with work & repetition.

2) Only by dealing with the emotions & feelings that we have deep inside can we move beyond them to a better a life. That fear or pain that you’ve buried will always come back to haunt you at the most inopportune times until you learned to move beyond it..

I’m not going to kid you sometimes it’s a difficult process to really look into yourself. I know for me it’s was very hard process but I discovered so much about myself that it was very worthwhile. I shed many a tear looking at the pain I buried inside & realized the pain that I caused others because of my selfish actions at different times in my life. I am a better person because I understand now that if I get angry or feel hurt or act in a selfish way, where that feeling comes from & how to move beyond that feeling to a better place.

So, the question you’re probably asking yourself is, how? The answer to that is a difficult one. We all process things differently because of the life experiences we have so there’s no set pattern (although you could read books that tell you an easy way). I believe that it all begins with taking time for yourself. Go into a room alone turn everything off & allow your mind to run with whatever it wants to. I always brought a pad a paper in to jot down the thoughts I had & the feelings associated with those thoughts.; Then backtrack through your life till you get to the earliest thing you remember. Throughout this journey pay attention to the feelings that emerge as you recount the events of your life. Give yourself praise for getting through any & all the difficult times you’ve had, for by making it through you proven you can get through anything that life throws your way.

Understand when you acted selfishly or were angry or cruel to someone. Try to think about why you acted that way & if now you could think about a better way to handle the situation. Forgive yourself for the mistakes you made & for the times you didn’t act as your best self would. Understand that the past can’t be changed but that you can be the person you want to be in every situation if you understand why you acted the way you did.

Everything is possible in life & the journey we are on together or separately should always be to act as the best person we can be. We all make mistakes, we are only human but by learning from those mistakes & growing into the person we know we can be, we can change the world one step at a time.

Always remember that no matter how dark the storm becomes nothing lasts forever & you will endure because you have before. Sometimes through the darkest parts of our lives we gain the most knowledge, I wish it wasn’t so but for many of us it is. Relish the dark by discovering the joy even in the worst….it’s always there.

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “Only by understanding the dark side of ourselves can we become who we truly want to be!”

Love for Life

2011-05-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

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.”

Moving out of your own way

2011-05-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

For many of us this title sounds like an easy thing to do. We believe we know where we’re going & just what steps we need to take to get to our ultimate destination but in fact this can be one of the hardest lessons to learn in life or at least it was for me.

I know I haven’t written much lately & I apologize to all of you for that. Life has been very busy settling into a new job & relocating to a new state. I’ve had many thoughts but not the time to write them all down & then yesterday I was reminded that so often we get in our own way of happiness. In fact we set ourselves up for disappointment, how do we do this? For many of us, it’s expecting a result.

I’m not going to tell you that all expectations are bad, but I’ve learned in my life that there really is no place for them. The best result that can happen way we expect a result is that we get what we expected &, for me, that diminishes the result because we only met our expectation. On the other side of the coin if we don’t get what we expected we can be crushed & left wondering why? or what’s next?

So often in life we make up our mind that “this” is what we need to be happy & when we don’t get it we blame God/universe for our sadness because all we needed was “X” & you didn’t give it me.

The truth is we set ourselves up for this disappointment because we think we know what’s best for us. I have found in life that opening your mind to possibilities will allow things to happen in your life that you never thought could or would happen. That’s truly the way we create our future. It’s an ever evolving path that we create cooperatively with God/universe. It is only through this ebb & flow that we can create the life we want to live, for when we get set in our path or in our ways we close off the world of possibilities & stay stuck where we are, which may not be the best place.

How many times in your life have you discovered after the fact that the thing you thought you wanted the most wasn’t really all that great. I can’t answer for you but for me it was often. When I was a young man I made things happen by sheer will. I wouldn’t take no for an answer & I moved through life knowing that I could get the “brass ring” anytime I wanted.

The sad part was I was never truly happy because I thought I knew what I needed to be happy & I believed that I knew what was best for me. I went through my younger years with great highs & sometimes very deep lows because the truth was I had no idea what I wanted & I allowed my EGO to dictate what was best in the moment. The EGO always wants the instant gratification & by following the EGO we can discover tremendous highs. The problem is that the EGO is never truly satisfied it always wants more & when it doesn’t get it, we crash & burn.

I have discovered that by stepping out of my own way that life is on a much more even keel & expectations play a big roll in that. I allow the best outcome to be created, rather then expect the result that I believe is the best.

The bottom is it’s all up to you: Open your mind & allow possibilities or close your mind & expect results. Trust me when I say this choice is life changing.

Until next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “To expect an outcome only diminishes the result, be surprised, be open to the possibility & watch the world change around you.”

Life's questions

2011-01-02T10:14:00.001-08:00

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!!!

2010-09-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

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!!

2010-09-01T05:20:00.001-07:00

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!!

2010-08-30T05:12:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-08-05T04:12:00.001-07:00

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!

2010-08-04T04:17:00.001-07:00

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!

2010-08-03T04:11:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-02T03:22:00.001-07:00

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!

2010-07-29T04:11:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-07-28T03:46:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-07-27T03:44:00.001-07:00

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

2010-07-26T03:59:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-07-22T04:01:00.000-07:00

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!"

I will Hope and dream!

2010-07-21T03:56:00.001-07:00

Today I welcome my next "Guest Blogger" Rachana Shakyawar she writes a wonderful blog called "Humming Today" please check it out.

I will Hope and Dream!

He said, “Hope and dreams are incentives of life”…and those little words just echoed my life!

How beautiful was it seeing that these little words, “Hope and Dream” are so much interlinked and liberating! I hoped to happen and dreamt to dare!
I silently prayed, wished and expected someday my aspirations shall come true. I had no perfect sketched picture to view but I knew, “if I hope, I already have”! And I kept that high spirit.
Hope and dream have been ever since the beginning. It brought change, a beautiful magic with it. A series of miracles and high drive in imagination in the group of thoughts! While I was dreaming, I was discovering me in every aspect. The varied options I had and ability to cope and overcome all the hurdles. The defeat and disappointments were not the end but the new fresh beginning, it was understood only then. It was hope and dream in combo that motivated me every stage.

A power of dreaming came with an ability to view what we liked and hope it to happen, the change as we loved it. We worked hard...focused and with the dedicated sincere step by step we reached our goal, our target, and our dream! To dream has been an act of being fearless and is infinite! A dream supported with a pat of hope, an optimistic belief of gesture.

But many times you come to a juncture of life when you feel you dream hopelessly like a loser. Perhaps, you might have! But great thing would be if you move with the aspiration and turn the tables round, you will see that a loser was being just so temporary stage of life. It was the dreams and hope that actually sailed you safely away from the thunderous fall every time. It gave you a reason to smile and a reason to firm up your beliefs. Every challenge in your life helps you to grow. It is the hope and dreams that gave you a chance of change for better a choice to make and create a motivation to value the worthy thoughts and ideas you got. Perhaps, it was not at all about only you what you got…it was about what you got and could contribute to the well-being of others…directly or indirectly.

A man perhaps by profession a doctor had a dream to owe a big hospital for the Cancer patients. Though, the dream was his, his dream could serve many-many longing families of the Cancer patients with better facilities and medicine. Perhaps, he hoped for the best and dreamt indirectly for everyone.

Never give up when you still have something to give…hope and continue to dream. Do not dismiss your dreams…and lead a fearless life to expect the change and a chance in sight.

Only hope can heal the pain and the haunting moments. When you are hurting, your strength shines through the hope and dreams! Such is the power of hope and dream. Even if you think you are getting selfish, it will still serve and sparkle for all and sundry.

Hope is the outcome of self-confidence, circumstantial benefits, and courage to conquer whatever you choose. Dreams are not your self-seeking wants, they are just beautiful norms that’s brings a genuine smile on your face and on other’s too if shared. We cannot control any of them but strive and thrive to optimistic lane.
Life is not a race; Life is a sweet journey of joy to be savor and cared with hope and dreams the purpose of life..!
I learned something valuable from every trip and every turn I made, I’m no more afraid to make mistakes. I learn from the choice picked and chances created in life..! I don’t hold back but hope, Dare to dream and don’t doubt your beliefs!

We all will not live forever..
We will not last eternal..
What we create, paint, dance, say words..
Perhaps will share our dreams..
And hope till the last breath..
And it will be THE WILL behind the hope and dreams that will last forever!

~Perhaps well said… “Hope is a waking dream. (Aristotle)”

Rachana - ~ Hotel Management Graduate. MBA (HR & Tourism) A Learned Chef by Nature. A Beauty Painter by Mood. A Stunning Dancer by Birth...

I have an odd mix of emotions and practicality, perfections and common sense.
Lover of humming Butterflies, colours, chocolates
Who fears of unknown
Who needs little appriciation in sincere words with a tint of charm over the top
Who gives sharp feelings for taste, time, hearing and sense of smell.
Who would like to see bloom and bliss with rachi creations..
Resident of Incredible India with One Billion votes.
A Complete Unconventional "Creation"..!

The smallest things

2010-07-20T03:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I'm amazed at beauty of our world. It seems to me at times to be so big & diverse. Of course, slowly we've taken over more & more of the "wild" & natural spaces in the world, if we continue there won't be any place we can go that brings us back to nature. Yes, I could make this piece a political statement of how we need to protect our natural world but that's not what I write about. I only mention how big the world is to give you an understanding of how the smallest thing can be so important.

I've written a lot the last few days about how busy my life has been & I've tried to explain how I stay focused in the current moment even through all the noise in the busyness of my life. I try to relate these stories to help you understand how important it is to stay focused in the current moment.

When things get busy in my life, I always try to take time to focus on the littlest things around me. I can lose myself in the beauty of a flower. I can find joy in watching the birds in my backyard. I can find the wonder in the way the wind moves the tree branches. Yes, I love nature but to me it's through focusing on the smallest things that I can return to the joy I have inside.

All joy begins with the love we have inside & sometimes when life gets busy, we just need to rediscover the joy we have inside. For me that journey always begins with focusing on the beauty around me & paying attention to the smallest things that come into my life. Sure, "things" in your life can bring you joy & people in your life can bring you joy but this kind of joy is only a fleeting feeling that disappears quickly after the "thing" is over or gets old or when the person leaves or the moment passes. The joy we have inside is always there. It's just a matter of tapping into that deep well of joy we have inside.

When life gets busy we tend to get caught up in the busyness & forget the things that brings us joy. I have discovered that in this busy time is when I need to reconnect with my soul (true self) more then any other time. This connection with my soul is the doorway to the wealth of love & joy I have inside. Each of us is a truly loving being & it is only because of our disconnection from our soul that we search for love & joy outside of ourselves.

Our connection to God/universe is all encompassing & the depth of love we have inside is amazing to discover. The key is to take the time to discover it. Let go of the past, move beyond the filters we create & discover the joy & love you have inside!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers, if you're interested in being a guest blogger contact me at: Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day:"When things get the busiest in our lives, take time to appreciate the smallest things & rediscover the joy you have inside!"

Shall we dance?

2010-07-19T03:43:00.000-07:00

Life has been odd lately. I wrote last Thursday on just how busy things have been & the truth is they haven't slowed down at all. I actually appreciate the busyness because I believe all movement in life is good movement. I know others will disagree with that thought but it's ok, I've just learned in my life that all movement, even negative movement, leads to new things. I love the discovery of new things & I believe strongly in change. I think we all need to embrace change as it will happen with or without us. I told Heidi the other day that to me, right now, I feel like I'm in a snow-globe & every time I think things have settled down someone shakes the globe again & mixes everything up.

It's truly been an odd few weeks & as I have learned to do, I take time to reflect on the events of my life & try to find some pattern or reason that I can learn from these events. As I was reflecting on the events of my life I started to think about dancing. I like the analogy of life being a dance. A dance that can change at any moment & a dance that can have many partners.

You see at times life can be as simple the box step, gently flowing across the floor with your beautiful partner. You're leading the way as things unfold before your eyes. Then at times life can be like a freestyle, moving to the beat the way that you feel is correct. You may be on your own but you're just enjoying moving your body to the music. For me, right now, life seems to be a Tango. It continues to entice me with every step but there's never anything beyond the dance.

I continue to dance with the universe & wait for things to unfold before me. I know when the timing is right that all this movement will lead to the perfect opportunity. My life has been a glorious dance & I enjoy the beauty of it with each step I take. I love to listen to the music & feel where it moves next. Enjoy the dance of life & live it to the fullest in each step you take.

Till Tomorrow,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers. If you're interested send me an email at: Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "The beauty of life is like a dance, it unfolds with each step we take. Enjoy the movement & feel the music of life!"

When life gets busy

2010-07-15T04:15:00.001-07:00

Wow, it's been busy. I use to have a very busy life. During tax season I've put in as many as 80-90 hours a week but since I've been off for a year now life has slowed down. Overall I'm very happy for that. I've learned to really enjoy my time but the last couple of weeks have been crazy busy! I have no complaints I've been doing a lot of good things & I've been enjoying my daughters visit but it dawned on me that when life gets busy it's harder to stay focused in the current moment.

I've written many times about how life is about living in the now & enjoying every moment of everyday. I've learned to do this almost automatically. Just enjoying where I'm at & what I'm doing without worry about what's next. Even when I've had things planned I never worried about them, I just enjoyed where I was at. Then the last 2 weeks happened & I became busier then I've been in a long time. Did I lose living in the moment? Did I create expectations about what will happen next?

No, what I discovered is that even in the busiest times you can can enjoy the moment you're in. It's not easy. You can get swept away with all the busyness. But with practice it is possible. I've really enjoyed the past couple of weeks & in addition to living in each moment, I enjoyed looking back at the end of the day & reflecting on the things I did & what I learned from the day. This is a daily practice we can all do & allowing yourself to stay open to the lessons of each day can move your life to new heights!!

Trust that even in the busiest times living in the current moment is the best way to be. Practice letting go of the list of things that are yet to come. Focus on where your at & what your doing & enjoy!! Life is about living & it unfolds in every moment of everyday...don't miss out. Enjoy your life today!!

Till Monday,

Hugs,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for more guest bloggers. I would love to help promote your blog. If you're interested email me at: timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "Even when life becomes extremely busy you can slow down & enjoy the moment your in right now. By staying in the current moment you will discover more joy in your life."

My Journey

2010-07-14T03:23:00.000-07:00

This week I introduce another guest blogger; Tony Anders. Tony is a great friend that writes a wonderful blog called: "Artisan of the Human Spirit" Check out Tony's blog & enjoy this wonderful post.

My Journey........

Joy was always out there- the key words being "out there." Interestingly as I was invited to post on Journey to Joy, I had a blog brewing on this topic. I was always sure that even in the storms, in the peril, and through the pain, joy awaited.

I look back and have found many times when I was able to find joy. As a young lad, I could always seem to find a bunch of it every Christmas morning. A trip to the mall to get my new school clothes would definitely fit the bill. A puppy. A new bike. Ice cream.

Joy was simple, abundant and obtainable. I didn't have to look far, travel much, or struggle to find those things that brought me joy. They seemed to simply manifest. Maybe that is why I did not spend much time looking for it. It appeared like the morning sun.

I have always been blessed growing up to have a roof over my head, food in my belly, and loved ones surrounding me. However for some reason, once my life's odometer turned into double digits, the usual difficulties of teenagers set in. Daily struggles became as predictable as pimples on prom day and joy seemed to prove to be a bit more elusive.

"I don't have enough for the Jordache jeans, so I guess I have to wear Wranglers."

"Dude, can you spot me a few for gas money?"

"Why don't girls like guys who are in the chess club?"

Ah, yes - the big issues. It sure was rough being a teenager in America. Joy seemed to runs away as fast as we chased it. Broken hearts, scratched CD's, and parental dictators made the world a cruel and formidable opponent.

Fortunately the distance between here and joy was often narrowed with dances, football games, and handwritten notes passed in the hallways allowing us to forget the “doomsday” that was yesterday. Sometimes.

Adulthood - the point where we finally get to celebrate our liberation and make our own choices. We are now free to make our own decisions forgetting that the bad ones can be as useful to our growth as the good ones.

We go from being parented to parenting. I have often said: "Kids and golf - the most fun you can have being pissed off!" (I adore my kids)

We don’t have to ask for money anymore, yet now we have to earn it. This pungent ingredient in life's mix is often the machete that severs our tether to the security of our dock. This coveted item often causes some of the most joylessness in our lives. Whether it be abundance or abandon, money can paradoxically hide the path to joy like no other.

It is often the "things" we seek joy in that are often the things that contain the least amount of it. Titles, adoration, money, power, toys, and treasures are what many place as the true north on their compass in their journey to joy. This compass has a wavering polarity held in place by the magnetism of our soul.

I have found in my journey to joy, the further I searched, the further I ventured, the longer I traveled, the further I distanced myself from that which I sought. The more I cast my eyes down the road, the harder it was for me to see what was right in front of me.

The lighthouse we seek to lead us to joy must first have a beacon burning inside of us. We will then see the lights that shine, often illuminate the path to the same place. It illuminates the spaces closest to us.

It is in these familiar spaces we reconnect with our soul. Joy is not as much "out there", as it is inside of us awaiting release.

Once the beacon is lit, we then see bathing in that light, those around us who support and love us. The joy and wealth in life is found in our relationships and our ability to recognize them.

Joy is not found in a destination, but the path we tread upon and those we venture with.

In our journey to joy we should not resign ourselves to the exclusive appreciation for those people, and experiences around us currently, but to continue to open ourselves to the new experiences awaiting us. Both the pleasant and the punishing cultivate the people we become along our way.

Along your journey, find solace in the fact that in your preparation, you are going to encounter potholes and bumps. You will encounter things that test your emotional shock absorbers. However it is with gratitude and appreciation for those you journey with and encounter along the way that make your journey to joy a soul nourishing adventure.

Thanks for walking in my journey with me! Return here often for friends to accompany you in your journey as well. Godspeed...

Tony

After spending a quarter century in the beauty industry, Tony realized his passion had shifted from what was happening on the outside of people to what was occuring on the inside. Years of listening to other’s stories led him to seek a deeper spiritual understanding of how all things are connected. Tony’s own challenges and experiences give his writing a warmth and compassion, and are shared through the perspective of a “regular guy.”
Tony is an active blogger and a published author and his work can be found on:
http://artisanofthehumanspirit.blogspot.com/
and on his website:
http://www.tonyanders.com/

Soccer & Life

2010-07-13T03:47:00.001-07:00

With the end of the World Cup & with my youngest daughter in town for a soccer camp, I started to think about some of the similarities between life & soccer. I'm not going to go into great depth here but whenever something comes into my head the best way to get rid of it these days is to write about it.

To give you a little background. I coached my eldest daughter's team for 3 years & have continued to watch soccer off & on for most of my life. I don't claim to be any kind of expert but I least of a fair idea of the game.

1. Field Vision - To be a good soccer player you need to see the field well & anticipate what's going to happen next. In life being able to look beyond your current view & pay attention to the world around you, can open your mind to the messages God/universe is sending you. By opening your mind to those messages, you are able to anticipate & adapt your life as needed.

2. Team Play - In soccer it's possible to score a goal without any help but most of the play is dependent on assistance from the other player's. In life, finding the people who will assist you can be life changing. These people could be anyone that give anything from moral support to being a mentor at your job. We all can use a little assistance here & there. On the other side of the coin, we should always give assistance to others. It is in give that we truly open our heart to love & in giving we will always receive.

3. Fair Play - In soccer if you don't play fair, you get a yellow card & two yellow cards you're kicked out of the game. In life, if you don't play fair, you might have some short term gains & get the things you think you want in life but eventually karma will make you pay for taking advantage of others. Treat everyone in your life with love. Open your heart to the world & you will find joy!!

Some people believe that life is game & we have to pay it to win. I believe life is about the journey. Enjoy the ride by enjoying every moment of the journey.

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: "Soccer & life have many similarities, enjoy every moment of the game & your life will unfold before you."

Joy is more then just a word

2010-07-12T04:01:00.001-07:00

I've written a lot in this blog about "Joy" & my journey to discover more of it in my daily life. As I began writing this blog, I started to observe my life more closely over the past year & one thing has become abundantly clear to me; to many Joy is just a word. It's something to shoot for. It's a dream, it's not really obtainable.

To me Joy is a part of my daily life. Does this mean everything goes perfectly? No not at. I have good days & bad days just like everyone else. I have doubts & concerns but I've learned that joy can be found even in the times that aren't perfect. Life is rarely perfect & if you search for perfection in your life you'll be disappointed. Every life has it's up's & down's even the best of them. The trick is to not get caught up in the down's & to enjoy the up's. I've learned to not dwell on things when they aren't going well. I've learned that by changing my focus, in difficult times, to what I can learn from this situation, generally smooths out the difficult situation & makes it better.

We have the ability to change everything in our life. All it takes is a change in focus. If we can look at life differently then how we're looking at it now....everything changes. The great thing about changing your focus is that you can do it over & over again & the world will change around you. You are the director of your life. Don't blame others for the life you have, it's all up to you.

Discover the joy in every moment. Create the life you want to see. Everything is possible, just believe in it.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "Joy is the way to live your life. Discover the joy in everything & live a more joyful life!"

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

What's Important to you?

2010-07-08T04:16:00.001-07:00

My friend Tony Anders wrote an interesting blog on "Who am I?" yesterday & it got me thinking about how we define ourselves. He had many interesting thoughts about how people define themselves but I also believe that people define themselves by what's important to them! So I started to explore this question in my mind & I thought I would share the 10 things that are the most important to me. I'm going to exclude the obvious: Wife, Kids & Family. I hope you like this list & I would love it if you'd leave me "What's important to you" below (in no particular order).

1. Getting a job - As many of you know it's been over a year that I've been unemployed & although I'm not hung up on not having a job, I believe it's time to find one again.

2. Self Growth - The best thing about not having a job is that I've had time to truly explore who I am & continue to grow through the work I do on myself.

3. Be Love - I continue to work on loving everyone that comes into my life & trying to radiate the love I feel out to the rest of the world. When someone challenges my love, I try to understand why this person is a challenge & grow through the challenge.

4. Be Sustainable - Heidi & I continue to work on doing what we can to be more natural with local products & recycling, etc. I believe if we all take even small steps we can make a huge difference in the world.

5. Help Others - I have been volunteering since I was very small but as my work-life got very busy over the past several years I didn't have time to volunteer or help others. I have rediscovered the joy of volunteering the past year & I'm currently involved with many groups.

6. Be an instrument of peace - I have learned in my life that war is unnecessary for the most part & the differences between us make us unique, they aren't something to fight over. Through dialogue & understanding we can end war in our lifetime & have a world filled with peace.

7. Continue to write - I have discovered that the process of writing this blog has been very fulfilling not only because of the wonderful comments people leave but because it's helped me give thought to things that are important to me.

8. Be with Nature - I have truly rediscovered my love for nature. It's always been & even when my life has gotten busy I would go back to nature to reconnect but with the limited budget I've started camping again & truly appreciate being back in nature & the earth. I will never allow this connection to go away moving forward.

9. Exercise - Along with reconnecting with nature I have truly enjoyed my daily bike rides & our increased hiking. I will continue to push myself forward with these small joys in my life even when I am able to get back to work.

10. Be the change you want to see in the world - This is the most important to me. I want to be able to help change the world even if it's in a small way. I hope to always be an example going forward & when I falter I want to learn from the experience & become a better a person because of it.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into what's truly important to me. I do find joy in every moment but I also understand that I still have much to learn in my life. Life is an amazing gift & I appreciate the opportunity to become a better person everyday. Thank you for being apart of my journey.

Till Monday,

Hugs,

Bill

PS I am still looking for Guest Bloggers. My hope is to help introduce people to your blogs/thoughts. If you'd like to be a Guest Blogger drop me an email at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

"Did Pooh ever use the word 'holistic'?"

2010-07-07T03:22:00.000-07:00

This week I welcome another guest blogger Dawn Sievers. Dawn is a great writer & a good friend. She is one of the founders of the Authentic Blogger group on Facebook & she writes a blog entitled Healing Morning. Enjoy her blog and then see her bio at the end!

"Did Pooh ever use the word ‘holistic’?”

How's that for an opening statement?! That was a reply to a post of mine on the Facebook page of a girlfriend who is suffering a lingering, nasty recovery from swine flu...current incarnation, bronchitis. I posted earlier with one of my favorite standby quotes of, "Think, think, think," said Pooh, "wondering what we can do from a holistic perspective to blast that out of you?" The second part of the quote is my own ad lib, but the beginning is pure Pooh.

I was delighted with the follow up inquiry about Pooh's possible use, or non-use of such a word as holistic, and thus, a blog was born. I am a firm believer that Pooh and all his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood are much deeper than we see at first glance. Pooh was born out of inspiration from A.A. Milne's son, Christopher Robin's stuffed animal collection (yes, my friends, there really is a real Christopher Robin!) and grew into a worldwide, beloved storyline. I suspect that many Pooh-isms were also inspired by A.A. Milne's little boy, as they speak with childlike clarity and wisdom we often lose as we grow up.

So, back to this holistic Pooh business. Has anyone recently looked up some Pooh quotes? If you haven't, I strongly suggest you give it a whirl. Just type "Winnie the Pooh quotes" into your search engine and prepare to laugh, feel warm inside, maybe get choked up here and there.

"Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there someday."*

....and....

"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to
watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known."*

....and...

"Some people care too much; I think its called love."*

Methinks that A.A. Milne was a crafty soul who possibly chose to slip very deep messages and thoughts into the world of Pooh, perhaps to touch young hearts in a positive manner and hope they would take those thoughts with them into adulthood. Fast forward to today and here I sit, typing away about Pooh and holistic health. Okay, no, Milne didn't write the word "holistic" in any of his works about Pooh, but as a child, Pooh captured my mind with his unique way of thinking, and clearly it stuck with me. I still think Pooh, if I could sit down and talk with him for a spell, would have very deep thoughts to share on holistic health! That's my take on it....

*all Winnie the Pooh quotes taken from http://www.great-inspirational-quotes.com/winnie-the-pooh-quotes.html

Here is the link to the original post: http://healingmorning.blogspot.com/2009/09/did-pooh-ever-use-word-holistic.html

And here is Dawn's writing bio:

Dawn is a Freelance Technical and Creative Writer and Social Media Management Consultant. She's worked as a professional writer for over 15 years, she ventured into the world of blogging in 2009. Healing Morning is a forum to give voice to her musings on a wide range of topics, with the common theme focusing on healing, spiritual and holistic concepts. A positive, uplifting and oftentimes humorous tone runs through her words, and she chooses to write about moments that capture her heart, cause her to ponder deeply, and encourage her to think differently as a result.

“Writing is how I make my living; it is how I help others both professionally and personally, and it is how I express myself in the most rich, vital manner. I consider myself blessed and fortunate to be able to touch the lives of others with my writing.”

If you enjoyed this post, you can find more at Healing Morning blog. Dawn is also a contributing writer to Writers Rising blog, at http://www.liveandinspire.com/ and http://www.vividlife.me/ website. She can be reached for writing and social media consulting services at http://www.sdawnsieverswritingservices.com/

Feeling Lost

2010-07-06T04:48:00.001-07:00

Have you ever had the feeling of being lost? Where everything in your life seems to be just not in step. Where any choice you make seems to be the wrong one. We all have times in our life when we feel totally disconnected with everything in our life. When you're going through those times it's difficult to believe that there's an answer that will help you get your life back.

I've had times in my life that I have felt completely connected to everything. Where every move I make is the easiest simplest decision I could ever make & I've had times where I've felt completely lost. As I've grow in my spiritual development I've learned how to smooth out these extremes. Don't get me wrong they still happen to me but I've learned over the years how to move beyond the feeling of being totally disconnected or completely lost quicker then I could in the past. Here's the steps I've learned to take:

1. The most important step is to not get down on yourself. Understand that life like nature is all about cycles & we all go through ups & downs so forgive yourself for feeling lost.

2. Observe what is happening in your life, sometimes during this "lost" time there are very clear messages that God/universe is trying to send you. If you pay attention to the messages sometimes that alone will bring you back to feeling connected.

3. Take time to connect to your true self (soul) understand what you're feeling & rediscover the love you have inside. Love will often lighten your mood & bring you back to a connection with everything.

4. Reconnect with nature whether it's taking a walk in a park, spending time in your garden or escaping to a national park. There is a deep & meaningful connection between all of us & nature. By taking the time to reconnect with nature we connect with everything & this connection will lead us back from being lost.

These steps are only the beginning but they are a great way to lead yourself out of the feeling of being lost. There are always things to be learned from everything we go through in our life. The key is to understand this & to move forward in the current moment. Many times this lost feeling can be a shadow of our past & by staying in the current moment we can reconnect with who we truly are & what we want in life.

Till tomorrow,

Hugs,

Bill

Quote of the day: "When you feel lost in your life, take time to acknowledge what your feeling. Rediscover the love in your heart & reconnect with everything."

Down the rabbit hole

2010-07-01T03:48:00.000-07:00

How far down the rabbit hole of self discovery are you willing to go? In this day & age we rarely take the time we need to understand who we truly are. We are pressured by the people around us to "suck it" & move on. So, for most of us, no matter what we've been through, we bury the pain & move on. We move forward without ever looking at what's happened to us & often we are thrown back to the same feelings over & over again in our lives. We wonder why we aren't able to manifest the things we want in our life & our life is never as fulfilling as we'd like it to be.

Does this sound like you? This was me for many years. I have mentioned before that I grew up in a family of 5. I have 4 sisters so I'm the only boy. I went through some big crisis in my life when I was fairly young including a car crash that broke my younger sisters back. Because of the crisis I had to deal I was always regarded as someone who excelled in these situations. I seemed to think clear & quicker then most people in the crisis situations I had to deal with. This sounds wonderful but the downside of it was that I would bury how felt to get through the situation & most of time once the crisis was over the feelings were buried so deep that I never really looked back on them.

I struggled often in my younger life to find out what I really wanted in life. I was outwardly successful (having a good job, etc) but inside I was a mess. I was grasping for anything to give meaning to my life. Don't misunderstand I was still a very happy person & I had a pretty good life but once you got beyond the surface I didn't really know who I was or what I wanted. So I started to take time to get to know me & as I did this I realized that many of the things that happened to me in my life were based on the same feelings or in the same patterns. I discovered that in order to move forward in my life I needed to learn & grow from everything I'd been through. Part of this learning was acknowledging the feelings I had & trying to understand why I felt the way I felt.

This self discovery can be painful but through the process of feeling the emotions & understanding where the feelings come from you can move beyond the feelings & onto a better life. God/universe wants to help us learn & grow. God/universe wants us to become the person we truly can be. Because of this if we avoid the lessons God/universe sends us, those lessons will be sent back to us again & again. It is only through the process of self discovery that we able to move onto a better life.

Take time to look deep inside yourself, acknowledge all the feelings you've hidden away in smallest places of your heart & soul. Learn from these feelings & allow your life to grow into a more joyful life.

Till Tuesday, have a great holiday weekend.

Hugs,

Bill

I am still looking for guest bloggers. I would like to have Wednesday's be guest bloggers day on my blog, if you're interested contact me at Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "Take the time you need for true self discovery. Learn & grow through the things you've experienced & begin to lead a more joyful life."

Gateway

2010-06-30T03:43:00.000-07:00

Today I welcome my first "Guest Blogger" Erana Leiken. I have enjoyed Erana's blog "Just doing my thing" for a longtime now. I was introduced to her through the "Authentic Blogger" group on Facebook.

Erana Leiken, principal of Tiger Marketing, is a marketing and PR consultant and freelance writer. She also teaches communication courses at the University of Phoenix and Web marketing and interactive content for the Art Institute of Phoenix. Formerly an NBC reporter, magazine editor, and Web business writer, she is writing creative nonfiction and doing Web consulting.

Please welcome Erana & be sure to check out her blog.

Gateway

By Erana Leiken

I close my eyes and breathe deeply. As I take deeper, longer breaths, in my mind, I am transported.

I stand before an arch looking at the path that takes me into a golden field on the way to the garden, my beautiful, tranquil garden.

I follow the path to the water and the secluded garden where my guide awaits.

It is a spiritual retreat, and only I have access. It is an inner resting place I have created when there is nowhere else to go.

Life’s pressures and stresses are not allowed in my secret garden.

Once I am there, I escape the cares and weight of life. My guide is always there …when I am afraid, uncertain and alone. We are connected. We sit beside the water, and my guide listens to my doubts and apprehensions.

I know I can rely on my guide to help me when life is too much, and I need refuge. This is our time and place, an inner world untouched by others where there is peace and comfort from external reality.

In the garden, I am comforted by my gentle guide. We are detached from the material world.

In this oasis of meditation, I transcend responsibilities, worries and anxieties.

In my garden I am calm. I am safe. I am free.

Copyright © Erana Leiken, 2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://justdoingmythingcom.blogspot.com/
Archway photo by Maureen McGarrigle

Rose colored glasses

2010-06-29T04:00:00.001-07:00

I have often been asked if my positive attitude about life is really just looking at the world through rose colored glasses. My answer is always the same, "No" I see the pain, the ugly human behavior & the need to grab power. I understand all of these things, I just choose not to focus on them. I've been hurt in my life & I've known pain & bad times but even in those times I've found the joy in each moment as I move forward in my life.

Life is about choices & you have a choice in each moment that you live. You can choose to accept all the negative that surrounds you or you can acknowledge the negative & move beyond it to place of joy. The choice is really up to you. Your life is really your own choosing. Don't blame others for your misfortune. Understand that what happens in your life is your own creation. This can be a difficult lesson to learn especially when bad things continue to happen to you but it is a lesson that you should learn.

I'm not saying that there aren't random bad things that happen to everyone from time to time. What I'm saying is that by understanding how we create our life we minimize these bad things & bring more joy into our life. We can't control much in our life but we can allow the God/universe to create the life we envision. Our biggest challenge is allowing not controling. We become very attached to our dreams/intentions & the more we're attached the harder it is for the God/universe to create what we envision.

To me detachment works like this; I want a job that is fulfilling & that pays enough for me to be able to pay my bills. I then allow God/universe to create the circumstances for this intention to be created. You can be more specific but the key is to allow God/universe to create the path to the fulfillment of your intention & to not be attached to the results.

Take time each day to create the life you want to live. Let go of the negative in your life & live a more joyful life today.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers. I would love to hear from more of you so I can promote your blog here. Contact me at Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "Life is about choices, choose joy & you'll discover more joy in your life!"

The Gulf Crisis

2010-06-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

I try to avoid the headlines. My vision for this blog has been to discuss the ways I've learned to live a more joyful life. I've varied a few times because when I can't get something out of my head I truly need to write down my thoughts. I thank all of you for indulging me when I've moved a bit off topic!!

The crisis in the Gulf continues to have a greater & greater impact on so many things (fishing, tourism, marine life) that I left it was time to address it. I have become a little more involved with this cause in the positive way I try to deal with everything in my life. On Saturday I was involved in a phone call creating positive intentions to help the Gulf. (Here's the link if you want to listen). I have also become very involved with a new group that Deepak Chopra has started called "Collective Creativity" . The idea behind this group is to come together to & creativity come up with solutions for the current Gulf crisis but also for bringing the Earth back into harmony. Deepak leads the group with an 8 point plan on how you can help right now.

I ask each of you that reads this blog to let go of the negativity involved in this crisis. Look for positive solutions. Look for ways to help & get involved. I am a strong believer in the human spirit & I believe & know that together we can do anything. Remember that thoughts create things & if we all get mired down in the negative we will create more negative events around this crisis.

I understand that there is a lot of anger involved with this crisis but anger will never solve anything in life. Anger only helps to destroy what has already been built. There's more then enough blame to go around for everyone involved in this crisis but I ask for you to let go of the anger & the blame, focus on the positive things you can do to help. Envision the recover of this area that has just begun to recover from Katrina.

The negativity that surrounds all of us on a daily basis holds us back from leading a truly joyful life! Let go of all the noise, come together in love. Release the need to be right all the time & instead become apart of the solution. I believe in the human spirit, I've seen what can be accomplished when we come together & I know the best of us shines through when the need is the deepest. Join me in bringing the world together & the earth back into harmony!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

I am still looking for guest bloggers, if you're interested please email me at: Timberwolf12345@gmail.com.

Quote of the day: "When things look the darkest always reach for the light. Together we can make a difference, start today!!

Exercise & Spirituality

2010-06-24T04:16:00.001-07:00

The longest hike that Heidi & I went on in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park recently was Bote Mountain. The hike turned out to be a total of 8.5 miles, on it's own that doesn't sound too bad but to reach the top of the mountain we hiked up 3,000 feet in a about 3.5 miles from the parking lot. The day was hot & the humidity was very high again. I was carrying a framed pack with our water, lunch & my camera in it....probably 20-30 pounds. The difficult part of this hike was that there were no switchbacks so we literally hiked straight up the mountain.

On the way up we enjoyed the scenery very much but were annoyed by a bunch of flies/gnats that seemed to continue to fly around our heads. As we hiked I thought about my deep connection with nature & the beauty all around me but as I began to get tired I started to understand why exercise (like yoga) is connected to several of the worlds religions. The endorphins that are released from physical exercise lift your mind to a new & amazing place. It allows you to move beyond the EGO & into a deep spiritual place.

I use to be a pretty good athlete when I was younger & although I had experienced this release of endorphins when I was younger the body/mind connection has never been clearer to me then in the last year. Exercise has become a bigger part of my life over the past year. I currently ride my bike between 18-25 miles a day & Heidi & I hike with the dogs about 4 miles a day. I have experienced this body/mind connection often in the past year but never to the extent I felt it on Bote Mountain.

I wish I had a bunch of great pictures to share from this journey but the sad part of our climb was that there was never a clear vista to look upon. We did see some lovely views through the trees but nothing that came out well in pictures. We sat on the top of the mountain for a long time & ate our lunch (a bunch of granola bars). As we sat there I reflected on the wonderful feeling of accomplishing this great climb & I began to realize the extent of this body/mind connection.

So, what's the point of this blog? Take care of your body, exercise & eat well. Your body is the shell that holds your spirit & the better it works, the easier it is to connect to your spirit. Exercise is one way to move beyond the EGO & listen to your true self (soul). The connection to your true self is the most important connection you can make & whatever helps you reach this deep level of yourself I encourage you to do.....for me exercise & silence are the two easiest ways to get there.

I hope you have a great weekend!!

Till Monday,

Bill

PS I am still looking for guest bloggers, if you're interested in writing something for my blog contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "The deep connection to our true self can be realized through daily exercise. Take time to grow the body/mind connection & discover the joy in your soul."

Magic

2010-06-23T03:57:00.000-07:00

Heidi & I have always been big fans of Disney & as I've mentioned before we were married at Disney World in 2000. Disney does many things very well including their movies, parks & merchandising but the one thing they do above everything else is create an atmosphere of joy. In our recent visit to Disney World I saw this phrase in many places "Where magic happens everyday". What does this have to do with my blog? Well, I believe in Magic. I think magical things happen all around us everyday. Beyond my love for the magic in the world this statement creates an atmosphere that each of us should consider.

I've written in the past about how thoughts become things. Therefore, if we focus on thoughts that create the world we want, we will create that world. For me, I can't imagine a world without magic. I am continually awed at the wonder in the world. I find great joy in the smallest things like; watching the birds, seeing the clouds or talking with the animals that enter my life. I also believe that magical things happen all around us everyday. I choose to believe in magic & therefore I see magical things happen all around me....that's the way it works.

In your life you can choose what you want to see. The power of thought is an amazing power. The problem is that we can have an internal dialogue that creates our world even when that dialogue is never expressed, that's how powerful thoughts are. By choosing a mantra or certain thoughts that you want to create in your life & repeating that mantra many times throughout the day we can focus our thoughts on what we want to create. This focusing won't eliminate the internal dialogue but it will begin to minimize it's effect.

When what you want to create isn't being manifested in your life one of the first places I look is my internal dialogue. This internal dialogue is often your EGO talking. For me it works like this; "I don't have time to pay attention to the flowers right now I have too much that I need to do for me." this might be my internal voice & my immediate reaction to what I'm facing but through my personal work & experience I have learned to let go of that thought & take the time I need to enjoy the flowers. We all have this internal dialogue. We can choose to listen to it or try to ignore it but it won't go away easily. By repeating a mantra over & over again we can change our initial thought from the EGO to what we truly want to manifest in our life. Quieting our internal dialogue can be a long process because of the years & years we've allowed it to flourish. Don't get discourage you can change your thoughts & create the world you want to see.

Believe in magic!! Discover the wonder in the world today & find the joy in each & every moment!! I believe in you & I know there's magic in everything!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for more people who would like to be a guest blogger on my blog (thanks to those who have responded thus far). If you're interested contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com.

Quote of the day: "Take time to see the magic in everything around you because magic happens here everyday!"

The beauty of the human spirit

2010-06-22T04:19:00.001-07:00

I've always been an optimist, many of the things I discuss in this blog took me years to learn but I've always been a positive, optimistic person. I bring this up because I was truly renewed over our vacation by the beauty of the human spirit. I was able to meet, assist & talk to many people from all over the world. I smiled at everyone who walked into my world & without exception I was smiled back at. I offered assistance & said hello to the people who responded with more then a smile. I had some long discussion with people from many places in the world on the Disney World buses or people camping next to us in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Why do I bring this up? Because I know that together we can do anything. I'm tired of hearing how no one cares & that the challenges we all need to face in the world today are insurmountable. The news we all watch is generally depressing & it robs our spirit. I'm not trying to make light of the challenges in front of us, some of them like the Gulf oil spill, are a difficult lesson that we all need to learn. But, I believe that we will rise to the challenges that we face. We always have & in times of great crisis some of the best ideas are generated.

We are coming together as never before in the world. The world is getting smaller because of the technology that we've invented & by being able to interact with people from all over the world we slowly remove the barriers of differences. The differences we have make us unique, they no longer need to divide us.

I love people, I love the human spirit & I believe that there is a new consciousness being born & the true spirit of cooperation will lead us to a new world order. Let go of the negativity around you. Discover the joy in every moment. Find the best in every person in your life. Help change the world & believe in beauty of the human spirit.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I am looking for guest bloggers, if you'd like to write a blog here about discovering the joy in your life please email me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com I'd love to post your thoughts.

Quote of the day: "Believe in the beauty of the human spirit, together we can accomplish anything. Start today & discover the best in everyone in your life."

The power of water

2010-06-21T04:04:00.001-07:00

Over the past couple of weeks I've experienced many amazing things. I allowed each moment to be the only moment, regardless of what was going on. I was able to deeply feel things in myself that I had lost my connection to. One of the things that impressed me the most is water. We can learn a great deal from water, water always finds a way. The path that water takes may not be the path we expect but water always takes the path of least resistance. Water has patience beyond anything we can imagine (just take a look at the Grand Canyon) & it has a deep power that should be respected.

Heidi & I hiked out to Abrams Falls (The above picture) overall it was an easy hike. The path was much more rocky then I remembered but it was still only 2.5 miles each way. We hiked up & down several mountains to get to this special place & if it wasn't for the 90+ degree heat & the 90%+ humidity it would have been a really easy hike (although the national park calls it strenuous). Once we made it to the falls we sat & admired this beautiful place. We had started early so it hadn't gotten crowed yet & we were able to sit & listen to the power of the water.

In the moments we had at this beautiful place I reflected on how important water is to my life & as I stated above, how much each of us can learn from water. I realized that many of my favorite pictures that I have taken over the years were pictures that included water. Water is needed to sustain life & fresh water may become as precious as gold in the future if we don't take care of it now. Water can wear away the strongest rock yet it flows right through our hands.

Water is a true mystery it can be present as a solid, liquid or a gas (water vapor) & in each of these states it can effect the environment around it. The same is true for each of us. We have the power to effect our own environment & our thoughts & actions can change things without us even realizing it. Take time to appreciate the things around you. Take time to learn from water.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I would like to have a few guest bloggers on my blog. If you have something you'd like to post here that reveals your own path to joy send me an email timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "We can learn so much from water, take time to appreciate the power of water in your life!"

Believe in yourself!

2010-06-03T04:00:00.001-07:00

I've written before about how we're not allowed to make mistakes anymore. In the world today everyone is trying to do things better & faster. Mistakes are held against us & we are judged for every one we make. It didn't use to be that way, people use to be allowed to make mistakes & discover who they are or what they are good at but because of all the pressure that's associated with trying to live a "perfect" life we lose who we are. Discovering ourselves is one of the most important things we can do in our life & I've written before on the ways I've used to discover my true self & my true life's purpose. The most important aspect of discovering yourself is taking the time to look inside & learning to move beyond the EGO.

Today I want to discuss the other part of getting through your daily life & overcoming the mistakes you make. Besides getting to know who you are, the most important advice I could give anyone is to believe in yourself. We all get caught up in the labels that everyone else gives us. We listen so carefully to what others say about us. We worry that we're not liked or that we're misunderstood. Stop it, stop being concerned about what others think. Live your life for yourself. Be true to who you are & believe in yourself.

I'm not saying that you should blindly go through life believing that every action you take is always the right thing to do. No, just the opposite, you need to pay attention to the signs that God/universe sends you in your life. You need to take the time to discover & connect to your true self (soul) & you need to live your life from a place of love. But, the world can be a cruel place & we can encounter people in our life that are very difficult to get along with. To move beyond the hardships we face in life we need to have a deep seated believe in who we are & what we want to do. This believe needs to be flexible & ever changing as we discover the world as it unfolds before us in each moment. But, we need to believe.

Trust in who you are & let go of the need for approval from others. Believe in the process of discovery & life will open up before you. By believing in yourself you move beyond the influences of others & onto a more joyful life.

I believe in each of you. I believe that at our core we are all loving, good people. Take the time to love yourself, open your heart to others & believe in who you are!!

Hugs,

Bill

P.S. I'll be away for a couple of weeks. We were fortunate to get a nice anniversary gift from my in-laws & we're going to travel to Disney World (where we got married) & then camp in the Smoky Mountains. I'm not sure how much internet access I will have at either place so I won't be writing this blog until I return. Please take time to read some of the topics I've written in the past...I look forward to hearing from each of you....hugs

Quote of the day:"Believe in yourself, trust in love & the world will become more amazing then you can imagine."

The skin of our teeth!

2010-06-02T03:52:00.000-07:00

I played the lead character of George Antrobus in Thornton Wilder's "The skin of our teeth" when I was a sophomore in college. Why do I bring this up today? because that was a longtime ago & I woke up this morning with the line that's repeated over & over again in that show in my head: "We got through that by the skin of out teeth, one more tight squeeze like that & where would we be!". For those of you that don't know the play "The skin of our teeth" it's about the history of man & how close we were at different points in our history to not making to the next step. We as the human race are very fortunate. We've always found away to survive, even when things get really tough.

So you're wondering what the play has to do with this blog....aren't you? I think there's a lot to be learned from from the line. Remember that our thoughts create actions & if we walk through life believing that we're just getting through it by the skin of our teeth, we will create situations that we just barely get through. That's not a life that we should want to live. We can & should give ourselves credit for making it through difficult times. We tend to not want to give ourselves a pat on the back at all let alone for making it through the things we've had to in our life. I was taught a while ago to stop being so hard on myself. As part of being less hard on myself I was told to reflect on everything I've been through in my life. We're talking about the life changing moments or the difficult times that we all have to get through, if we look back at what we've gotten through & give ourselves credit for still being here, we can begin to understand that we can get through anything. We truly can!!

Life is about the things we experience. We are only an accumulation of our past experiences. I've spoken often in this blog about how we need to let go of the past & live in the current moment. We all get too hung up in what's happened to us in the past. We should, however give ourselves credit for surviving through the challenges we've faced. Don't wear your challenges as a badge of courage. Instead just give yourself credit for getting through these challenges & understand how strong you really are.

The other important message in the play "The skin of our teeth" is that together we can do anything. Each of the characters in the play has their part to help the family survive. We are all part of a great family & we each have our own role to make the world a better place. Trust in your abilities. Believe in your strength!! & remember that thoughts create things. Change the words you use & open your mind to the possibilities of a more joyful life.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"The seed of joy grows in each of us with care & love. Take care of your thoughts & let joy grow & thrive!"

Finding joy in difficult times

2010-06-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

This week I will celebrate 1 year of being unemployed. It is the first time in my life that I haven't been able to find a job. In the past I've been unemployed before but always found work within a short period of time. This time it's been very different, I've only had 2 interviews in the past year. One of the interviews I was way over qualified for & knew I wouldn't get the job. The owner of the company even told that but it was nice to go through the process anyway. The 2nd interview just happened recently & it was in another state which could be the hang up. I've been told that companies won't move people anymore because there are so many people out of work.

I've been asked how I stay so joyful with all of this going on. The answer, to me, is continuing to live in the now. I have times when I get down just like anyone else but because of the practices I learned in my life these times don't last very long. I get frustrated because of not being able to find a job or doing anything to help contribute to the finances of our home but again I move beyond these troubled feelings because of trusting in God/universe.

The truth is I'm just like anyone else struggling to get by. The only difference is that because of the time & energy I've put into self growth I've been able to look at this time as a bump in the road of life. Over the past year I've continued to grow & writing this blog has contributed to my growth. In many ways this time has been very good for me. My self growth & spiritual growth have truly amazed me. It's rare in this world today to have time to focus on yourself the way I have & that's why I encourage each of you to take time for yourself even in your busy life.

I've gone through all of the emotions any of us would go through when something like this happens. I was truly scared to death when I was let go. I didn't believe we would make it through last summer but slowly I began to understand that with a little help anything is possible. I'm not sure, at this point, when I'll discover my next job but I remain open to God/universe & continue to stay living in the now. I truly can't be concerned about tomorrow because I don't know what tomorrow will bring.

The message I have for each one of you, is to know that life is a joyful celebration & no matter what is happening in your life there is always joy to be found. Look for the joy & let go of the pain. The choice is yours, you can live each moment to the fullest or you can coast through life amusing that when the next big thing happens you'll finally be happy. You have the power to change your life, I know because I've done it. Believe in the process & most of all believe in yourself.

Till tomorrow,

Hugs,

Bill

Quote of the day: "The discovery of joy in each moment is a choice we all can make. Let go of tomorrow & live your life to the fullest today."

BTW, if anyone is curious my last position was Tax Controller of a large real estate company, before that I worked 9 years with a Big 4 accounting firm. I also have 8 years in Banking/finance & have volunteered & worked for non-profits.

Celebrating my 200th Blog!

2010-05-27T04:08:00.000-07:00

Today I am blessed to write my 200th blog post. I have never been big on milestones, I enjoy living in the moment & allowing the world to unfold around me. If you asked me last June if I would still be writing this blog, I would have said I really don't know. I began writing here through the urgings of many friends on twitter who enjoyed what I had to say about life. I have worked hard to keep this blog on topic, I veered off to share my daughters wedding last August & talked in Feb. for a week about my favorite national parks but all in all I've tried each day to write about the ways each of us can discover more joy in our lives.

The amazing byproduct of writing this blog is how much it's helped me to continue to grow & learn. The responses I've received for all of you have blown me away & I appreciate each & everyone of you. I don't claim to have all the answers. I only know that my life has changed dramatically over the years & I've been able to live an incredibly joyful life for a longtime now.

Things aren't perfect in my life & that's just fine with me. I've learned to roll with the punches & find the joy even in difficult times. In a small way I've tried to help to change the world. I believe in people & I know that each of us can affect the world more then we can imagine. Believe in the power you have inside of you, you are connected to everything & in that connection to God/universe everything is possible.

Thank you for your love & support but more importantly thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts & change your life. You are a co-creator of everything in your life. Create the life you want to live & watch it unfold before you.

Till Monday, enjoy your weekend.

Hugs,

Bill

Quote of the day:"You can create the life you desire. Believe in the power you have & know that love is the catalyst to finding a more joyful life."

Exercise

2010-05-26T03:51:00.000-07:00

Do you exercise? I believe that keeping your body fit helps to lead to a better life overall. I was always very active in sports & I had one of those metabolisms that worked overtime until I was in my early 40's. I never really had to worry about staying in shape or gaining weight. That all changed when I hit my mid 40's after many years of sitting behind a desk doing taxes & not having the time (so I thought) to exercise I put on some weight. Once I realized it I got back into an exercise routine. Currently I ride my bike between 16-20 miles a day in the morning & hike with the dogs through our state park approx. 4 miles in the evening. Sure there's times it's a bit hard but overall I feel much better because I'm getting myself back into shape.

The type of exercise I actually want to talk about today is spiritual exercise. Everything I've written over the last 11 months about spiritual growth & living a more joyful life depends on taking the time to work on the things in your life that you need to work on. I know we're all busy & I know that many of us put our needs behind everyone & everything else that comes into our life. We need to stop doing that!! We need to put ourselves first at least most of the time. The work you do on yourself will lead to a more joyful life which in turn will help everyone else in your life. Take time delve into the subjects I've discussed. Find the trouble spots in your life. Work through these issues & reconnect with your true self (soul).

In taking the time to reflect, grow & work on the things we need to work on in our life we will discover the path to a better life. I know, you think about it all the time. You mean to get to it. I understand how life can get away from you, before you know it you'll be looking back & wondering where your life has gone. Stop coasting through life & learn to live life to the fullest. I believe in each & everyone of you because I've been there & I changed my life through the very things I write about. I love my life (other then the looking for a job part), I'm very happy with who I am. It took me a longtime to get there. I know how much work is involved but just like exercise for your body the return is amazing.

Take time for yourself today. Start an exercise program to improve yourself. Move beyond the norm in your life. Find a way past the EGO, let go of the need to help others for just a short time & take care of yourself, grow, learn & become everything you can be!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

P.S. Tomorrow is my 200th blog I'm not sure what I'll write about yet but I would love to hear from each you on what blogs were your favorites. Thanks for all the support.

Quote of the day:"Exercise not only your body but your mind & spirit. Take time to do the work on you & discover a more joyful life today!!!"

Priorities

2010-05-25T04:06:00.000-07:00

Have you set priorities for your life? Do you make a list of the things you want to accomplish? Do you even think about what's important in your life? So many of us just try to get through the day. Somewhere in our head we may have thought about what we want to accomplish in our life but we never spend much time really thinking about it. Before we know it we're 10, 20 or maybe even 30 years down the road in our life & we wonder what happened to the priorities we had for this life of ours.

It's easy to look back & figure out the big events in our life but to live the life we desire takes thought now. I've talked a lot in this blog about living in the current moment & discovering the joy that each moment has for us but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have priorities in your life. One of my first blog's was about creating a vision board & spending time each day in front of this board. This vision board should be filled with your life priorities. You should take time each day to sit quietly & focus on the pictures or words you post on this vision board.

If a vision board isn't your thing, write down the priorities for your life. Writing can be a strong way to focus on what you want to accomplish in your life. Look at the list of your life priorities, take time to focus on what you want to accomplish. Whether you use a vision board or just a list the important thing is to take time to think about what your want to accomplish.

Don't be rigid with your priorities, be willing to change them as new things come into your life. Being flexible in your life is extremely important. Things change all around us & as we grow things that were once important are no longer that important to us. It is by being flexible that we open our lives to the greatest number of possibilities. This flexibility is especially important in achieving our life priorities.

Taking time each day to think about what is important in our life will bring more of your priorities into your life on daily basis. Remember that the path we take to achieving these priorities isn't as important as achieving them. We need to release the results & allow God/universe to work for us.

Set your life priorities today, take time each day to think about your priorities & watch the world unfold before you. You have the power to create anything you want in your life. Believe in yourself & believe in the help that God/universe will send you.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "To accomplish your life priorities, take time each day to reflect on what's important in your life. Open your heart & allow God/universe to assist in creating the life you always dreamed of."

Seasons

2010-05-24T03:56:00.001-07:00

With this weekend being the unofficial start to summer I thought it was time to look again at the seasons. As many of you know I've always had a very close connection to nature & to me the seasons of nature mirror the seasons we all go through in our life. With the start of summer we look to the fulfillment of all our efforts. The summer is a time to enjoy the hard work we've put into our own personal growth. We've made it through the darkness of the winter where we reflect on the past seasons & wait for the spring where we can begin to grow again.

Each season has a purpose within our life & within nature. Whether the timing of the seasons in our life coincide with the actual seasons in nature isn't important. Each of us goes through the cycles of nature: Winter (fallow times, time to strength our roots & self-reflection) Spring (rebirth, growth, storms) Summer (time to enjoy, time to relax & reap the rewards of our hard work in the winter & the growth we experienced in the spring) Fall (time to harvest everything we've planted & prepare for the winter). These cycles are something to remember & observe in your life. No matter how good or bad things are in your life you will move into the next cycle sometime. If you prepare for these cycles, as nature does, you will be ready to experience everything you should in the cycle you're in & you will understand that we all have fallow times & times to enjoy.

As we all get out into nature & enjoy the outside, whether it be our own backyard or a National Park, take time to reconnect with nature. Enjoy the summer, enjoy your life & remember the joy of this season so you'll be prepared when winter comes around again. You are ready to bloom, let go & be everything you can be.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "The seasons of our life mirror the seasons in nature, enjoy the summer & discover the joy in this special time of year."

Regrets

2010-05-20T04:29:00.000-07:00

"Regrets, I've had a few; But then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do And saw it through without exemption."

A great old song from Frank Sinatra, I know I'm showing my age, LOL but the message is something to remember. There's really two parts to this message. The first is to let go of regrets. I've talked before about moving beyond the past. I've even given some techniques that I've used. Regrets will eat you up inside, know that what has happened has happened & there's no guarantee that things would have turned out perfectly if you had done something different. We love to imagine where we'd be if only I would have done this!! Or if I hadn't given up on that!! The truth is that you are exactly where you're suppose to be. The only time that matters is this present moment because it's all we really have.

The past is what formed us but by holding on to the past we limit our future. This is especially true with past emotions. We hold onto the emotions that formed us even when we believe we've moved beyond the event. We create triggers & sometimes we don't even understand that the reason why we react, in a certain way, is because of the buried emotions we've never let go. These buried emotions can cause extreme reactions like crying, fear or anger. The only way to live in the current moment is to understand these emotions, learn what the triggers are, acknowledge the feeling & then let it go. I know this sounds easy & truthfully sometimes it can be easy but other times it takes work. To allow yourself to feel the original emotion can be difficult. The longer it's been buried the harder it can be but to move beyond but you need to feel the hurt you've buried or you'll always be stuck in the past.

Regrets can be the same way. You are immediately pulled into the past looking at what would have turned out differently if you had done this or that. We wear our regrets as badges of courage sometimes. "If I hadn't taken that job I would have been a pro golfer" or something like that. The truth is we have no idea what would have happened if we had gone on a different path. We create a glorified reality to lift ourselves beyond the life we are living right now. We love to dream what would have happened & it's so easy to imagine the great successes we would have had. Let go of the regrets in your life & enjoy where you're at now!!

The second part of this song to me is to live your life without regrets. If we live in the current moment & stay connected to our true self (soul) we will find more joy then we can imagine. Understand that there's a reason for everything that happens in your life & although we can all run into rough patches in our lives. The way to move beyond these tough times is to stay focused on the beauty in the current moment. We have an amazing strength within us & this strength is born from our connection to everything. You have the ability to create the life you want, believe in yourself & trust in God/universe. Begin today & discover the true joy in your life.

Till Monday, enjoy your weekend.

Bill

Quote of the day:"Let go of the regrets you have in your life. Live in the now & discover more joy then you can imagine."

Harmony

2010-05-19T04:28:00.000-07:00

Do you think about living in harmony? What does harmony mean to you? Everything in the world that we know both within us & outside of us is perfectly balanced. "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction" as Issac Newton told us many years ago. Newton was talking about the physical world & his description is the law of motion but I believe this statement is goes much deeper then he ever intended.

I always look to nature. I think above everything else in my life my connection to nature has been the most consistent. I don't claim to be a naturalist, I just love to observe the way nature works. The harmony in nature is very apparent if we allow it to be. Animals control their numbers depending on the resources available or they are culled to an acceptable level by predators. We use to have a great connection with the earth & the creatures that live on it. Unfortunately through the industrial age we have begun to lose that connection. The earth is in disarray but I believe it will self-correct and return to a state of harmony.

In our lives harmony is just as important as it is in nature. When we live outside of the flow of life, we don't feel quite right. We become ill or depressed because the natural cycle of our life has been interrupted. Rediscovering the harmony in your life isn't difficult, it only takes time & an open mind.

Each of us should strive to only take what we give. We should take time to listen to the natural flow of our life. We should discover the joy of living in perfect harmony. I believe we all have a life's purpose & God/universe guides us along the path of life to lead us to this life's purpose. Sometimes we take a wrong turn but I believe that God/universe gently tries to nudge us back on course. Sometimes we get so lost the and path back to our life's purpose can take us our entire lifetime.

We become lost in our life because we've stopped listening & allow the EGO to take over. The EGO isn't interested in harmony, it only wants more & more & more. It's thirst can never be quenched. Allow the harmony to return to your life. If we each learn to live in harmony within ourselves the world will be a better place. Life is to short to be disconnected from your true source. Open your heart & listen to the natural flow of everything within & without yourself. Be in harmony & discover more joy in every moment.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "Rediscover the natural rhythm in your life. Discover harmony & find the joy that's missing."

A Chance encounter

2010-05-18T04:09:00.001-07:00

A chance encounter that lead to love. Today is my 10th anniversary. If you've read this blog for a while you know I believe in miracles. I think amazing things can happen in your life everyday if you just look for them. How do I know this? Because miracles have happened to me & one of the greatest miracles was meeting Heidi.

Here's the story of our meeting: Heidi & I were both working at a professional theatre in Kentucky in 1996. Heidi was a stage manager & I was an actor. The theatre had community mailboxes for everyone in the company to pick up their mail. I had been working at the theatre for nearly month & went to pick-up my mail & Heidi was there. I said: "Hi, what are you doing this season?" she answered: "I'm stage managing" I replied "Oh, I don't like manager's". That's how a chance encounter changed my life.

Heidi didn't stage manage any of my shows that summer but we became friends & stayed friends. We would explore the area on our off day "Monday" & just have a lot of fun together. Three years later on the stage of the theatre we met in-front of 250 people & the former governor of Kentucky, I proposed to Heidi. She was stage managing the evening performance & I was doing the curtain speech. The "ring" was actually given to her by the light operator (a woman), as she was up in the booth getting ready for the show. We were married on this day in 2000 at Disneyworld, yes Disneyworld. We were married behind the Polynesian resort at a place called Sunset Pointe. The picture that is my profile picture is from that special day.

So why I am I writing about this here? Because we never know who we're going to meet in our life. The challenge in everyday is to be open to the people who come into your life. You never know who's going to walk into your life & make a difference. I would have never thought that this chance encounter would change my life but by being open to anyone who enters my life, I was able to change my life forever.

Let go of the judgment of others in your life. Open your heart & listen to everyone. We can all learn from the people who enter your life & the message they bring may change your life forever. Miracles happen, I've seen them happen in my life. Today the miracle could be yours.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "A chance encounter can change your life. Open your heart to everyone who enters your life & amazing things can happen."

A new blog that I have checked out. It's about healthy foods & natural remedies. Healthy family

To sleep perchance to dream...

2010-05-17T04:14:00.000-07:00

Sleep is very important to each of us. The research has shown that it is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. One of the big problems with people in the States is that they don't believe this fact. They think they can function on 4-6 hours of sleep a night. I've written before about how we are too busy in our lives & sleep is a by-product of that busyness. We believe it doesn't matter, that we'll be just fine with a little bit of sleep.

Why am I writing about this today? I believe sleep is important & I had a night where I just couldn't sleep. I have had these nights, as I'm sure most of you have, before but as I've grown in my spiritual practices they happen very rarely. I may have a night where I wake up several times because of vivid dreams but I rarely don't sleep.

I have learned in my life to deal with most things that are thrown at me. I have always been good under pressure & I have excelled even in life threatening situations but I don't do well without sleep. I really never have. What I have learned as I've grown in my spiritual life is to pay attention when this happens. To allow the thoughts that are filling my busy mind to flow freely. Then I just become quiet. I allow the silence to take over my body. Any thought that comes into my mind once I've become quiet is acknowledged & let go.

We can learn a lot from the thoughts that come to us in times of being quiet. These thoughts tend be our greatest fears & some of our most self limiting thoughts. If we allow ourselves the time to listen we can move beyond these thoughts & create a true shift in the energy of our life. Open your mind & discover silence, it can lead you to a wonderful new place.

God/universe works in wonderful ways & sometimes to get your attention God/universe will reach you at times you don't expect. When you're having trouble sleeping rather then getting upset about the lack of sleep, embrace the silence & discover the keys to a better life.

Until tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"Take time to get the sleep you need & if sleep eludes you. Take the time to be silent & find the answers you're looking for."

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The meaning of life

2010-05-13T03:59:00.000-07:00

Possibly the oldest question in the world; What is the meaning of life? I think we all have a time in our life when we question why we're here. As part of that question we wonder what the meaning of life is. I think there's a big difference in this question between what our life's purpose is & the meaning of life.

A life's purpose is what drives us & hopefully what we end up doing. So maybe it's to be a teacher or to help children or to raise money for your favorite cause. There are hundreds of things you can do with your life & each one is just as important as the others. I've written before about finding your life's purpose. I truly believe that we are all born with a life's purpose. There is one thing that we are meant to do. Sometimes it takes us our whole life to discover what this purpose is & sometimes unfortunately, we never discover our true life's purpose. Life has a way of getting in the way of things sometimes, mostly because of our EGO. We move away from our true purpose for the instant gratification of the EGO & become more & more disconnected from our true self (soul) & our true life's purpose. Also, sometimes we can't make money at our true life's purpose, it only gives us great satisfaction. In these cases I always say you should volunteer or take time to do what fulfills you, so it's always a part of your life.

The meaning of life, to me, is the same for everyone & that meaning is to love. Through love our life is defined. Love is the greatest gift we have to give the world. I'm not necessarily talking about romantic love, that's a part of love. I'm talking about growing in love to the point that we give it freely to everyone in our life. Love is the answer to everything, there are no other questions! When we become pure love we are our most like God/universe. Unconditional love is the purest feeling we can know in this human form. It will bring us the greatest joy we can find in our life.

Each of us has the ability to love unconditionally it is only the EGO that keeps us away from this beautiful feeling. We are connected to everyone & everything. This connection is born in love. Learn to love with an open heart. Let go of the need to "get something" in return & make the world a better place.

Till Monday, have a great weekend,

Bill

Quote of the day: "The meaning of life is simple, it's to love unconditionally. Open your heart to love & you will be filled with great joy!"

The Start..........

2010-05-12T04:00:00.001-07:00

The start of everything begins from nothing. Sometimes that's an important thing to remember. To me the idea behind this line is that we never know what we are going to create. The important thing is to begin!! What you begin isn't as important as beginning something. God/universe is amazing in the way it guides us through our lives. The difference between people who live in joy & those who don't is often just paying attention to the signs that come into our lives.

I've written in the past about "The beauty of each day" & how I start each day anew. This practice has allowed me to stay in a state of joy because regardless of what happened yesterday, I realize that yesterday is the past and can't be changed. The only way to stay in the present moment is to release the past & move onto a new day. The start of your day can be the most important part of it. How you begin can set the tone for the rest of the day.

To continue to grow in joy we need to learn to slow the world down. We all get caught up in the busyness of each day & because of this often we don't pay attention to the signs we are receiving from God/universe. What are these signs? The can be very diverse & often very simple. In James Redfield's book "The Celestine Prophecy" he says that the signs that are important in our life will "glow". In my life the signs that appear on daily basis that I need to pay attention to make them self's visible. What do I mean by this? I find that my attention is drawn to these signs, here's an example: I'm driving down the road listening to the radio. My attention is drawn to the side of the road. There I notice a sign that tells me something I needed to know. It doesn't have to be a sign it can be anything that your attention is drawn to. Often for me this "sign" is repeated in different ways throughout the day. The important thing is to pay attention.

We don't always know the destination of our daily journey. We only know that we are on a path. The path you take is truly up to you. Remember that the start of everything comes from nothing, so we don't have to know the destination to start the journey we only need to begin. By paying attention to the signs that God/universe sends us & starting each day anew we will find more joy in our life. Let go of yesterday & start the journey to your new life today!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "The start of each day is a great opportunity to begin anew. Letting go of the past & moving into a life filled with joy."

When I'm feeling blue

2010-05-11T04:02:00.001-07:00

No, I'm not going to break into song. I thought it was important to discuss what I do when I feel blue. I've always been a very positive person & feeling blue or depressed doesn't happen often to me. It's not that I deny the feelings, in fact just the opposite is true. When I feel blue the first thing I do is acknowledge the feeling. We all have bad days & there's a lot to learn when we're feeling down or out of sorts. Sometimes we need the change in feelings to understand what's going on with us or what's going on around us.

Since I've always had a strong connection to nature many times when I feel blue it's because it's not the greatest day outside. It could be raining or snowing or just dark & cloudy. I'm not sure why many of us feel blue on days like these, I just know that many times these days can be the most difficult.

After I acknowledge that I'm feeling blue I take time to try & understand why I feel the way I do. Lately for me it's tied up with my search for work. There are times that I feel overwhelmed because as much as I've been trying to find work there's been nothing happening in my job search. Once I understand why I'm feeling the way I do, I look at what I can do to help the situation. In my job search there's little that I truly have control over and that is what I acknowledge. I give myself credit for continuing to move forward with my life regardless of the fact that I have been unemployed longer then I ever have in my life (11 months now) & I acknowledge that I can only do what I've done.

No matter the reasons behind your blue feeling the way to move beyond is to understand what is causing the feeling & what if anything you can do to help. I've written before that the truth about our life is that we have very little control over anything in our life. Understanding this fact & accepting that most things are beyond our control is a great first step to move forward.

We all put way to much pressure on ourselves to solve every problem that we encounter in our life. The truth is that this "created" pressure can be the cause of feeling overwhelmed. We start a chain reaction of events that are going to happen because of "x". This chain reaction hasn't happened. It's all conceived in our head & because of our past experiences we are sure we know what will happen next. Let go of that feeling!! Understand that all we have is the present moment & we can't know what will happen next in our life. This will free you from being overwhelmed, simply understanding that we create all this pressure on ourselves because of what we believe will happen.

The final step for me to move beyond the blue feeling is to release the feeling. I just let it go & remember all the good things I have in my life. I acknowledge that I am blessed & that I have always landed on my feet. Sometimes the feeling will stay around for a while but it never stays around for long. Learn to acknowledge all your feelings, understand why you feel the way you do then release them and move back into a place of joy.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"When I'm feeling blue, I acknowledge the feeling, understand what I can do to help the feeling & then release the feeling & remember all the good I have in my life."

Negotiating the maze of life

2010-05-10T04:21:00.000-07:00

I think there are times in all of our lives that we feel a bit lost. Where every turn we take leads us to a dead end. Where the simplest navigation seems impossible to do correctly. Yes, we are lost in the maze of our own life & it seems that every decision we make is the wrong one. We are confused because we've walked this path many times before & yet right now it all feels so different.

When I was a child I loved to do books & books of mazes. I loved the challenge of figuring out the path through some of the trickiest mazes & I even enjoyed the challenge of timing myself to see how quickly I could solve the answer. These books taught me one important lesson about life. The path to the end isn't always straight. Sometimes we take a very winding path to get to where we want to end up & sometimes we get lost & end up at a whole new place.

The journey we take in life is always a very individualized one. The important thing to remember is to enjoy the walk & not worry about the destination. When you feel lost in the maze of your your own life. Take a deep breathe, let go of the fear of making the wrong choice. Open your mind to paying attention to everything that comes into your life. God/universe will show you the way out of the maze, we just need to pay attention to see the signs. Reconnect with your true self (soul) & let go of the EGO & the need to be right. I understand there are life changing choices we all need to make at times in our lives & I don't want to diminish these important decisions. But if we allow ourselves to pay attention to the signs God/universe sends us, the decisions will always be easier.

We worry so much about being right in our life. We all want to know the answer & we're very afraid when we don't. We put up a facade to try & fool everyone else. In the process we try to fool ourselves too. We move boldly forward without knowing where we're going because we don't want to admit that we don't have all the answers. So we stumble through the maze of life. Blindly making turns without knowing which way to go. I know this story because this use to be me. I would "make" things happen & then end up not being happy with the results.

Let go of the need to be right. Take time to discover the signs God/universe sends us. Listen to your true self & ask for help when you need it. Negotiating the maze of life isn't as difficult as we make it out in our mind. Enjoy the journey & discover the path as it unfolds before you.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "When uncertain of the path of your life. Open your mind to the signs all around you. Enjoy the journey & the path will unfold before you."

Seeing through the eyes of a Child

2010-05-06T03:55:00.001-07:00

Do you remember being a child? Do you remember the wonderment in each day? The beauty of a child's smile. The joy you see in their eyes or the way they can get lost in the smallest thing. The world would be a better place if we could all return to our child like ways. The EGO doesn't exist in a child until we teach them that they are separate. Love & compassion are always a child's first thoughts. Children love to love.

I know what you're saying, "There's no way for us to be child like because the world would take advantage of us". Isn't that a sad way to be? If what we think becomes real in our life then just by thinking we can't be child like creates a world where we can't be child like. That's a world I don't accept.

I believe in wonderment. I look at each moment with the same joy I had as a child. My 3 girls would tell you that I love to play. I've never lost that & I hope I never will. Allowing yourself to rediscover the the wonder in the everyday will open your eyes to the beauty of the world around you. Shift your focus from knowing what everything is in your life.....that's a stapler. To finding the wonder in discovering every object or person that enters your life. Bring play back to your daily life. Allow yourself to laugh! Remember the things you loved as a child & allow yourself to enjoy them again.

I challenge you this weekend to rediscover the child within you. Do this even if it feels awkward. Just try it & discover the beauty & the joy in the world around you. I promise you that if you take the time to explore being a child again you will lighten your heart & discover the joy in your life. Let go of all the things you know & rediscover the joy in looking at everything anew!!

Till Monday, have a great weekend.

Bill

Quote of the day:"Discover the wonderment of the child within you. Rediscover what it's like to get lost in the joy of the moment!"

The Sound of Thunder

2010-05-05T04:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, the sound of thunder. To me I've always been connected with lightning & thunder but for this blog I'm talking about what others may call AHA moments. To me true AHA moments don't happen often in our life. I'm talking about the big moments that can be life changing. The moments that as soon as they occur you know they're big. The moments that we can't escape. If we're lucky, I believe we may have a few of these big moments in our life & I believe we need to embrace them for what they are. They certainly can be scary but I believe they always happen for a reason.

I've talked before about how so many of us walk through life in a malaise. Not really paying attention to our life & just coasting through. We think that as long as nothing happens that's too bad or that takes us out of our comfort zone, life is good. I believe these AHA moments happen to take us out of this malaise & to bring us to a better life.

I've had three of these moments in my life. The first was when I was 15 years old & I was struck by lightning...yes actually struck. I was on a golf course with my bother-in-law (my oldest sisters husband). There was a pop up shower & my bother-in-law said let's just wait it out under this tree. The next thing I remember was falling in slow motion. I then woke up with a crowd of people around me saying "He's dead, he's dead!". Luckily, I wasn't but the doctor who treated me told me that the amount of electricity that went through my body would have killed at least 90% of the people that were hit by it. That statement & surviving this accident changed my life.

Off topic for a minute because everyone asks how it felt & the best I can do to describe it is being hit by a sledgehammer in every muscle in your body at exactly the same time. I was thrown 6-8 feet in the air & about 25-30feet across. I had a burn mark on my left shoulder where it entered & a burn mark with singed hair on my right leg where it left.

The next AHA moment I had in my life was the death of my father. His death had a profound impact on my life. I was surprised & taken back by this because he & I didn't see eye to eye much in my life. His death was the next major step in my transition to a better life. I started my own journey to joy many years before his death but his death pushed me towards more change & the self reflection I need to move onward.

The final AHA moment in my life was being laid-off last June. This moment was filled with the fear of what would happen. The true fear of the unknown. But, instead of allowing the fear to take me over I discovered the joy of writing. I began this blog only a few weeks after being laid-off & I've discovered that the process of writing has given me the definition I've needed to codify my belief's & to help others.

These true defining moments don't happen often but they do happen for a reason. Sometimes they can be painful because we need to change the way we live our lives & sometimes they can just be enlightening. Let go of the fear associated with these moments & know that they're here to help you grow & learn. Enjoy every moment even these AHA moments!!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "When a defining moment happens in your life, embrace the shift that it brings & know that through this moment you will grow into a better person."

Giving & Receiving

2010-05-04T03:52:00.000-07:00

The act of giving to others is wonderful step to opening ourselves up to receiving gifts from the universe. For everything that we give out into the universe will return. This is the way the universe works. I've written before about the act of giving & the power it has to change your life but today I want to discuss the other side "receiving". How are you at receiving gifts from others?

One of the reasons giving is so satisfying is that it does actually fill the EGO. We've talked many times about how difficult it is to satisfy the EGO & giving doesn't satisfy it for long but it is one of the few acts that will satisfy it temporarily. So giving makes us feel good on several levels but receiving actually is against the EGO because we have to acquiesce to receive something.

I found in my own life that receiving any gift is difficult for me. I wrote early on that it took me many years to feel I was "good enough" for anything in my life because of the issues I had with my Dad. It is this deep seated fear of not being good enough that keeps us from being able to accept gifts graciously & this fear is connected to the EGO. The EGO is not happy when it's not in control & by accepting a gift it is no longer in control of the situation. This makes the EGO very uncomfortable & thus we feel uncomfortable.

So how do we move beyond this uncomfortable feeling of receiving? The answer is love!! In accepting a gift from another person we are actually accepting their love for us. If we are able to move from the uneasiness of the EGO into a place of love, the act of receiving becomes much easier. Realize that whatever has been given isn't the important thing. It's only the EGO that wants to judge & label things. The important thing is feeling the love of the person giving. Let that love fill you up, then you can continue to show love to the rest of the world.

Love is the strongest emotion we all share. It always needs to begin from within us & flow outward to the world. But, we also need to feel the love around us & the act of receiving gifts is one of the best ways. Open your heart to love & accept the gifts you are given with the love they are intended.

Giving & receiving are two very separate acts both can continue the flow of love in the world. Open your heart & be willing to accept gifts with the same love that you give gifts.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"Receive all the gifts you are given from a place of love & elevate your life to a more joyful place."

Thinking through change

2010-05-03T04:00:00.001-07:00

I've written a lot about change because I believe in it very strongly & the truth is change will happen with or without you. Today I thought we'd discuss the process that most of us go through before we accept "the change" as part of our life.

For most of us the first reaction to change is fear. The biggest fear we deal with in our life & especially with change is the fear of the unknown. This fear is based around what we create in our mind & not what will actually happen to us. In fact most of the time what we create in our mind is much worse then anything we ever actually go through. Why is this? Mostly because of the EGO, the EGO doesn't like change the EGO likes things the way they are because it feels it can control things easier if they are the same.

The way to move beyond the fear of the unknown is to stay in the present. Deal with what's actually happening & not what you think will happen. Understand that the first thoughts & the loudest thoughts are always the EGO.

The next step in the process of change is to take action. What I mean by this is to do whatever the change is, if you want to start an exercise program the action is to start. Once you take action on a change whether it be a change in thought or an actual action like the exercise program you will begin the shift that's needed to accept the change. There will still be resistance from the EGO but because you've taken action the resistance will be less. Part of this "action" step is also acceptance. If you fight the change it will never be as easy as when you accept it & move forward.

The final step is to make the change a regular part of your life. What I mean by this is to make the change a new habit. Until you're able to do this you will always fall back to your old ways. There's a natural excitement to anything we perceive as positive change but what happens is after that initial excitement we fall back to our old patterns & we haven't really changed at all. By making the change a new habit it becomes much more likely that the change will stay. Like anything else in life the more you "practice" something the better you get at it. Change is no different, the more you "practice" the change the easier it will be to make it apart of your life.

Understand the process of accepting change in your life. Remember that you can change anything if you want to. By changing your thoughts you will change your life but the changes you want have to be for you. If you're trying to change for someone else you'll face much more resistance because you have to want the change in your life. Old patterns take practice to move beyond & the EGO is always a stumbling block but true change can happen if you truly want to change.

Be the change you want to see in the world & you're new life will begin to unfold in front of you. Stay in the present, let go of the EGO & practice the change until it becomes who you are!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"The change you want in your life is possible. Believe in yourself & commit to the change you want to achieve!!"

Moving Beyond Praise

2010-04-29T04:05:00.001-07:00

Let's face it we all like to be praised for what we do. Whether it be for our job, our athletics or our family life we all love to be praised. It makes us feel good. It makes us feel fulfilled. It can make all the hard work we've done worth while. I believe strongly in giving people praise in my life. I thank them for their efforts & try to find at least a few things I can specifically praise them for. But should we get caught up with the praise in our life?

The truth is, praise feels so good because it fulfills our EGO. The EGO needs praise to feel good. In fact if the EGO doesn't hear praise it can sometimes create it itself. As with all things to do with the EGO the challenge is to move beyond the feeling of receiving praise. I've always believed that we should acknowledge any feeling we have & if it's a good feeling enjoy it. Once we acknowledge the feeling we should always try to move beyond it to a higher level. This higher level is always our connection to our true self (soul) & by moving through the acknowledgement to our soul we can discover bliss. Bliss is the highest level of joy we can discover in our life. It is the feeling we can strive to obtain because once we discover true bliss it's easy to return to that state.

When we are in bliss we are unaffected by the negative emotions that come into our life. We are able to remain in a state of true joy. In some religions bliss is consider one of the highest states of being & only the truly enlighten can achieve it. I believe very state of being is attainable. I think the challenge for most of us is to sustain the higher states of being for extended periods of time. With work we can all discover bliss & begin to truly enjoy the life God/universe has planned for us.

Accept & appreciate the praise you receive in your life. Move beyond the praise & discover the bliss we are intended to know. Each one of us has the power to become whatever we want to be. Let go of the EGO & open your heart to love. Discover your true self & help change the world!!

Till Monday, have a great weekend,

Bill

Quote of the day:"Move beyond the praise in your life & discover the true state of bliss!"

When Life throws you a curveball

2010-04-28T04:15:00.000-07:00

I've always loved baseball. I played from the time I was very young & eventually got pretty good at the game. Once I was too old to play "league" baseball I moved on to softball & enjoyed that for many years, in fact I still play on occasion. The one skill I was always the best at in baseball was hitting. At any level I played I could always hit. So I thought I'd share this analogy about how you react when life throws you a curveball. Do you tense up? Do you go on with your original plan regardless? Or do you adjust to the curveball life sends you?

Sometimes in life it's difficult to let go of the plan you have. The plan for the day or the plan for your life. Plan's are good, they give us a direction & something to strive for but if we hold them to tightly we'll be swinging & missing a lot. When you are a good hitter in baseball & a pitcher throws you a curveball there are several steps to go through to hit the ball. I believe these actions can be translated into working your way through a curveball in life. Remember that a curveball doesn't have to be a bad thing it's just not what you're expecting.

1. Relax - In baseball if you're holding the bat to tightly or if you're to tense. You'll rarely get a hit, the secret is to relax. In life it's the same thing, if we go through life worried or nervous or fearful we can never live the life we want to live. Relax & enjoy the moment!!

2. Pick up the spin on the ball - The next step to hitting a curveball is to pay close attention to the ball coming out of the pitchers hand. If you're truly focused you can pickup the spin on the baseball & recognize that it's a curveball. In life if we pay attention to the smallest details in our life we open our mind to the bigger things. This doesn't mean to become obsessive about the little things. It means to pay attention. God/universe will always send you signs to help you through whatever you're dealing with.

3. Slow down - The mechanics of a baseball swing is all timing. You have to be ready to swing at a fastball or you'll never hit one. So to hit a curve you need to slow down your swing & stay balanced. In life slowing down is always a good thing. In this fast paced world we rarely take time to slow down & just "be". Take time each day to slow down & reconnect with your true self (soul) to better keep yourself in balance.

4. Swing through the ball - In baseball this means striding forward & watching the ball hit the bat. Often people open up their stance when thrown a curveball & pull their head out of the hitting zone. If you do this it's only through luck that you'll ever get a hit. In life sometimes we need to move forward with the confidence that were moving in the right direction. If we follow the other tips I mentioned we'll be locked in & balanced so the odds of making an impact in our life is really good.

Don't worry when life throws you a curveball, react to what what's happening & find time to reconnect with your true self. Curveballs can happen at anytime in your life & rather then plowing through with your original plan it's better relax & react to the curveball. By allowing God/universe to send us the messages we need to hear, even when they're curveballs, we will lead a more joyful life!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"When life throws you a curveball, slowdown & pay attention to it. By opening yourself up to the messages God/universe sends you, you will live a more joyful life!!"

Love in the workplace

2010-04-27T03:43:00.000-07:00

(no it's not what you think)

Let's face it we spend a lot of time at our jobs. For some of us we spend more time at work then anywhere else in our waking hours. So how do we change the relationships we have with the people we work with?

As many of you know I believe love is the answer to everything in our life. If we can learn to love ourselves first & allow that love to flow outward to the rest of the world, amazing things can happen. But can we truly love the people we work with? The answer is a resounding YES!!

Changing any relationship in your life is never easy. We get entrenched in the pattern we've established in our relationships & because we"know" the other person so well we're quick to label them. This labeling in fact will only create more of the same behavior. What we put out we will get back!! & this is especially true in relationships.

Things get even more complicated with our work relationships. There is so much EGO involved in our workplace that moving beyond the EGO becomes increasingly difficult. We compete with others for recognition, promotions & bonuses. This competition is every much EGO based. So how do we move beyond the EGO & into a place of love?

It all begins with you, if you change the way you interact with the people you work with the relationships will begin to change. Remember that everyone in your work environment is trying the best they can. This "trying" may not be up to your standards but they are trying. I know there is always a few people who try to coast through life doing as little as possible but unless we're their boss we're not here to judge them. Let go of the need to judge others, Let go of the need to always be right & your relationships will improve.

If we treat people with love & compassion we will improve every relationship in our life including our relationship with the people we work with. Take time to center yourself in love & let go of your past patterns with everyone you work with. By changing the relationships in your life & spreading more love, your world will become a more joyful place.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"Let go of the old patterns you've created in your work relationships. Open your heart to love & compassion & discover more joy in your life."

Puzzles

2010-04-26T04:13:00.001-07:00

I've always loved puzzles, from the earliest time I can remember I always loved solving them. Throughout my work career I've been able to continue figuring out ways to make things happen. Several of my ex-bosses would be amazed at the way I get from point A to B. I don't think the same logical way that everyone else thinks. I can, but normally I don't because the "normal" solutions have already been tried & not gotten the results that were needed. This is especially true with computer issues, if I'm allowed to "play" I can usually figure out a way to make something work.

That hasn't been the case for the last week. My desktop computer had some major issues & after a week of trying to "solve" them I finally gave up. What does this have to do with this blog? Everything!! We all face puzzles in our life & how we deal with them can set the tone for the rest of our life. Don't allow yourself to let the puzzle turn you negative. I worked very hard to try & figure out what was going on the past week & although I got frustrated in not being able to figure it out, I never got upset. What I did was try & learn from what was going on.

This is my approach to everything that's a challenge or a puzzle in my life. Learn from what's going on in my life. The next step for me is to let go of the puzzle & allow the answer to come to me. Many times in my life I would only solve a difficult situation by getting away from it. I might be doing something completely different & the answer to the puzzle will come to me. This is the way God/universe works. The harder we try to get a solution to the puzzle the more difficult it can be to find that solution. But, if we allow ourselves to let go of the need to solve the solution, God/universe will send us the answer at the most unique times. It's in this detachment that everything God/universe has for us will be realized.

Detachment is one of the most difficult lessons any of us can learn. I have learned this the hard way at times in my life. I have "made" things happen that later didn't turn out the way I thought they should & I've learned that if I detach from the results the answer that comes is always better.

Allow yourself the time to let go of the need for the solution to the puzzle in your life. Let God/universe assist you by opening your heart & truly listening. Every puzzle has a solution & how we decide to discover that solution shapes the rest of our life. Don't be afraid to ask God/universe for help with the puzzles in your life. Then detach from the results & the answer will appear. Enjoy life through detachment & find the joy you've been looking for.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "We all face "puzzles" in our life. Detach from the solution & allow God/universe to help & you will discover a more joyful life!!"

Earth Day

2010-04-22T03:48:00.001-07:00

I realize it's not an original idea to write about Earth Day today but I have such a deep & meaningful connection with the earth that I feel compelled to do it anyway. I hope you'll indulge me & enjoy a look back & forward at Earth day.

Earth day began 40 years ago (1970)& the world has come along ways since the first earth day. Overall air pollution is way down & lead in the air is nearly non-existent. All these improvements have come about because of the people that support making the planet a better place. People like you & me. Without the grass roots support the changes in the past 40 years would have never happened.

Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go. In the past 40 years carbon dioxide has increased in the air to the point that the global average temperature has increased by 1 degree Fahrenheit. I know this doesn't sound like a huge increase but actually it is a sign that the Earth is warming up.

I personally believe that the Earth is a living planet that will do what it needs to do to survive. The extremes we've seen in weather & natural disasters is the Earth's way of trying to self correct, to bring the planet back to it's natural cycles. The earth will survive in spite of us but if we continue the way were going we won't be able to live here anymore.

All is not lost. Each of us can make a difference & together we can save the planet. Start by recycling everything you can, it's a small step but it will help. Plant a tree. Volunteer with a group that cleans up city, state or national parks. Talk to your legislators have the restore the national park budget to what it should be so we don't lose these precious gems. Also push them for stronger clean air laws & have them move forward with the climate change initiatives.

Take time to reconnect with the earth. This connection will help revive your soul & change the environment we live in. I believe in the human spirit & I know that there is nothing we can't do if we work together. Let's make a pledge to help the earth not just on Earth day but everyday of the year.

I hope you have a great weekend, till Monday,

Bill

Quote of the day: "Make Earth day everyday of the year & help us save the planet."

Birds

2010-04-21T04:06:00.001-07:00

The beautiful songs of the spring birds draw me into a wonderful place that I love to journey to. I listen to each of their individual songs & enjoy being back in nature. Yes, I've been back riding my bike. Many of you know that last summer & fall I started riding my bike. Two weeks ago I began riding again in the state park near our house. I've truly enjoyed listening to the birds every morning & I am often reminded of this quote: “Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” by Henry Van Dyke

Do you worry about what others think of you or are you willing to sing your song anyway? We talked before about living in a state of fear but is that fear holding you back from what you truly want to do? Can you be the bird & sing your song anyway? We worry too much about what others think in our life. Some of us even change our life based on what others think. The journey to living a life of joy always begins within & if there's a song within you that needs to be sung don't let anyone stop you from singing it.

We all need others in our life. We are in fact social creatures & God/universe uses others to show us messages that we need to learn. But, we shouldn't live our life to please another person. We should take the time to discover our true voice & sing our song to the world.

Imagine a world where we never heard a bird singing, I don't want to know that world. I love to listen to the birds. We each have a beautiful song within us. Believe in your talents & let them shine to the world. Today is the day to begin to sing your song. I believe in you & I look forward to hearing your song.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"Enjoy the beauty of the birds song & listen to your soul to discover your own song. Sing to the world & discover true joy."

Time

2010-04-20T03:46:00.001-07:00

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock why do we worry so much about time? We are consumed with the passage of every second, every minute, every hour & every day. We try to organize our lives around time. We stress ourselves out trying to stay on time.

It wasn't always this way. When clocks first started appearing in Europe in the 13th century many of them didn't even have hands. They were just bell-towers to call people to church. Then hands were added to the clocks but they still weren't very important in our society. Most towns only had one clock in the center of town to let people know what time it was.

Overall, people weren't concerned about time, they went about their daily lives without being concerned what time it was. They judged their days by the sun & appointments or meetings were set on a loose schedule. It wasn't really until the invention of the wristwatch in the early 1900's that time began to take over our lives.

So what's my point about all this? Make time in your day to just "be". Stop letting the clock rule your day. I understand that we have to be on-time for work or for appointments but stop stressing yourself out about every second of everyday. Allow yourself time with no expectation of results. Let yourself get lost in something you do with no concern about time. It's always amazing to me how quickly time can pass when we are totally into what we're doing. Allow yourself time to enjoy.

Don't allow the clock to rule your life. Take control by letting go of the constant need to have everything in life scheduled. Lose yourself in the present moment & discover the joy you've been missing in your life.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"Let go of the need to schedule every moment of your life & discover the joy in just being."

Uncertainty

2010-04-19T04:26:00.001-07:00

One of toughest things to deal with in our life is uncertainty. Uncertainty happens to all of us but how we deal with it in our daily life defines our path forward to a better life. I personally have had a lot of uncertainty in my life since being laid off nearly 11 months ago. Like everyone else I battle with uncertainty from time to time. But I've found different ways to deal with the occasional overwhelming feeling of uncertainty in my life.

I've discussed that change is part of our life whether we want it to be or not & many times uncertainty proceeds the change we're going to see. So how do you deal with uncertainty in your life. Do you become a turtle & hide? Do you just coast until things get clearer? Or do you embrace the uncertainty & open yourself up to the coming change?

In my life I've embraced change. I try to always look forward to new challenges in my life & I am willing to allow things to happen in my life without getting swept away into negative emotions. Uncertainty can make us very nervous & this nervousness can lead us down the path of negative emotions. So how do you work through the nervousness of uncertainty? For me, I follow the same path I do for most things in my life. I go within. I accept the uncertainty & ask for signs to help me find the path through the uncertainty.

I believe everything begins from within & one of the struggles that many of us have, is that we are always looking outside for the answers in our lives. If we take the time to know ourselves & set our intentions for the things we want in life. God/universe will always send us signs to help us along our path. When things are uncertain we need to be more open then ever to the signs that appear in our lives. Many of us struggle with this process because we don't see the signs appear in our lives. Usually when you've tried setting intentions to move yourself on in your life & you haven't seen any results. It's because you haven't detached from the results of your intentions.

Detachment can be the single hardest lesson that we all need to learn. (I wrote a blog on it a while ago take a look back Oct 2009) & many times when things aren't happening in our life the way we intended them to work it's because we are attached to the results. The easiest way to highlight this, without going into detail about detachment, is to say that when we're attached to the results it's like screaming at God/universe for the answer. When we detach from the results we are simply requesting an outcome & allowing God/universe to work with us to create the outcome.

Uncertainty can be a difficult time to get through but by opening yourself up & allowing God/universe to work with you, anything is possible. Embrace the change you see in your life be a Co-creator with God/universe & create the life you've always dreamed of.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"Embrace uncertainty when it appears in your life. Open yourself up to the signs God/universe is showing & you'll create a more joyful life!"

Guilt

2010-04-15T03:56:00.000-07:00

One of the deepest negative emotions we have is Guilt. Guilt has been used to manipulate people for thousands of years. Guilt is one of the main differences between us & other animals on our planet. Guilt is ingrained in our culture & in most of the major religions in the world. It can be one of the most difficult negative emotions to move beyond.

So, have you ever felt guilt? Do you know how to move beyond it? The basis of guilt is the fact that we are extremely hard on ourselves & the way to move beyond is to forgive yourself. We all make mistakes & no matter what mistake we make in our life, the way to move past the mistake is forgiveness. I know this sounds easy & to some extent it is. The hard part is to actually forgive yourself.

Remember that whatever happens in your life, once it's done it's in the past & can't be changed. We all battle with our past & the only way to move beyond the past is to forgive yourself or the others that have done you wrong. So, how do we forgive ourselves? For me, the first step is to realize that I am an imperfect being. I make mistakes, it's part of being human. Then I accept responsibility for the mistake I made. What does that mean? Correcting the mistake as best as I can. Asking for forgiveness from the other people that were involved in my mistake or admitting that I was the one that did something.

The next step for me is to allow myself the time to feel remorse for what I did. Once I move beyond that step, I forgive myself & I ask God/universe to forgive me as well. We live in a beautiful world & one of the most amazing things about it is that if we are truly sorry for our mistake we will always be forgiven. Once I forgive myself I let go of the guilt.

I live each day as a new beginning. This way I'm always in the present moment. Part of this process to let go of the past & part of letting go of the past is releasing guilt & forgiving myself. You are beautiful person but you'll never be perfect. Understand your faults, forgive yourself & move on to a more joyful life!

Have a great weekend,

Till Monday,

Bill

Quote of the day:"Guilt is one of the deepest negative emotions. Forgive yourself & let go of the guilt & you will discover a more joyful life!"

Releasing Anger

2010-04-14T04:17:00.001-07:00

I've learned in my life to let go of anger. Sometimes it can be difficult especially when life sends you some challenging situations. I had one of those challenging situations yesterday & it showed me how far I've been able to come in my life.

Many of you know that over the past couple of months I've been helping my friend out with his business. He's a great guy & I'm happy to help him while I'm looking for work. As I usually do I went up to his place yesterday, the day went well & I got everything caught up for him with his books. A few minutes before I was ready to go I hear an employee of his calling my name, saying come quickly. This employee tells me that my truck just got run into from a truck hauling a doublewide trailer. My truck was just parked on the street in a legal parking spot.

I went out & checked the damage. It wasn't too bad but I haven't been in an accident in a long time. I could of gotten really upset when the truck driver came back to talk to me about it. But I chose to take the high road. I made a decision that even though he crushed part of my truck it was still drivable & I was certain it would be fixed.

The policeman who came within a few minutes, even commented to me; "You're taking this really well". I said; "Things happen, I'm sure he didn't mean to hit my truck." The policeman then said to the truck driver; "How are you doing?" & the truck driver responded "I was better before this". I finished the exchange by saying to the truck driver; "Don't worry about it, things happen & it's not a big deal." He actually smiled at me.

So what's point of this story? The point is we always have choices in our life regardless of the situation. We can choose to get angry & be consumed by the negative emotions that surround us or we can choose to find peace in the situation & help others to get through it. In the past I wouldn't have always chosen to take the high road, as I've written before I use to have a very bad temper. But through lots of self work I've learned to move beyond the anger & take the high road in life. You can do it too!! Not just with anger but with any negative emotion. You can learn to let it go & move back to a place of peace & love.

Life is too short to allow negative emotions to take over your life. Allow yourself to feel what you're feeling & then let that emotion go & return to love. No matter how angry you get now at the littlest things, you can move beyond to a better place!! I believe in you & I know the process works because I've done it myself. Let go of the anger & discover more joy!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"By letting go of anger & moving back to a place of peace & love, you will discover more joy in every moment of your life."

Reality

2010-04-13T04:03:00.001-07:00

What if everything we think we know about life is wrong? What if everything we've been taught isn't really what our life or world is all about? I always look to expand my mind & I allow information to come to me from many different sources. I allow this information to come to me freely & if it peaks my interest I continue the exploration of it until I have more facts. Why do I note this? Because I know that everyone has their own process & I believe in letting people process information any way that works for them.

A little over a month ago Deepak Chopra hosted a conference in CA called "Sages & Scientists Symposium". In this conference he brought together some of the worlds leading scientists as well as some well known spiritual leaders. I'm including the first video in the series from this conference at the bottom of this blog.

In this conference the scientists discussed the fact that there is no reality except for what we create. Our mind does not "create" anything within the confines of our brain. The brain is like every other organ in our body it process chemical & causes actions but doesn't know what anything is outside of our body. What? Yes, there's a term that's used very often when discussing this it is "non-local" meaning it doesn't happen within us. Everything we know as reality is created by us & by our connection with everything else.

We are truly connected to a universal energy & it through this connection that we are able to share the experience of living our life. This is the reason that we can say that our thoughts truly do create our reality. The exploration of this connection isn't easy but there have been studies done showing the effects of positive thoughts on the molecules of water & on prayers & healing thoughts effects on people who are sick.

It's an amazing process to know that we can create anything we want in our life but also a little scary. So why don't we have the life we truly want? The answer to this question is easy because we're not connected to this universal energy. We become so wrapped up in the world we've created that we lose our connection to everything else. It is in this connection that all things are possible.

I've written at length about different ways to connect to your soul (true self). To me it's through this connection to our soul that we discover our connection to everything. Take time to quiet the world you've created. Pay attention to the things that come into your life. Quiet the EGO & discover your connection to everything. You can create anything you want in your life. Believe in the process & find the joy you seek in life.

Till Tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "Reality is only what we perceive it to be. Create the reality you want to experience in your life & discover the joy in the life you create!"

The Truth behind the Lies

2010-04-12T03:59:00.000-07:00

Why do we lie to ourselves? Do we actually think we can fool our true selves? So many of us are afraid of the truth especially when it's the truth about ourselves. We walk through our lives telling ourselves lies over & over again. The truth is we know the answers. In fact we know the answers to everything if we allow them to come to us.

Do the lies ever really work for you? For me there's times in the short term that telling myself a lie works. It's especially true when I'm doing something physical....I can make it to the top of the next hill. I can lift that box. But these lies aren't the lies I'm talking about. I'm talking about the lies we tell ourselves everyday. The lies we choose to believe because it's easier then facing the truth.

The real truth is that we deny ourselves the chance for growth every time we lie to ourselves. Many times the lie we tell ourselves is directed by the EGO. The EGO will tell us over & over again that xyz is what we need to be happy & when we're not happy after getting xyz it tells us it's because we need abc. The EGO tries over & over again to keep us away from our true self, why? Because it's afraid it won't be satisfied right now if we follow our true self.

The truth is that even the EGO will be satisfied if we listen & follow our true self. The EGO is afraid of everything that's not instant gratification but it will find joy when we are truly satisfied. It will still want more from time to time because that's how the EGO works, but it will find a state bliss that it's never known when it allows the true self to take over.

Stop lying to yourself, be honest & discover your true self. Find what will bring you true bliss, let go of the EGO & face the truth! I realize that sometimes this can be hard. We have to admit to ourselves that we're not perfect, that we don't always have the answer & that we're not always right. But it is through this truth that we will learn & grow. For realizing that we all make mistakes & we're all imperfect is the truth that will set us free.

Till Tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day:"Stop lying to yourself & discover the truth that will set you free!"