Monday, August 16th, 2010

Dare to Thrive

For most people thriving means a life of health, wealth, meaningful work, and loving relationships. So who wouldn’t want that? Surprisingly, many people choose to live small. It feels safer – drawing less attention to themselves. They hold back and spend a lifetime trying to be like everyone else or what everyone else wants them to be. They never realize all the gifts that life has to offer them. Their talents go unused and their potential joy of self-discovery is wasted on their efforts to conform. They do not thrive physically, mentally, or emotionally. Instead they choose a life of just getting-by. They think they are being humble, but in truth, they are confused. Their spirits would never agree with this strategy of limitation. It is the nature of all of life to expand and evolve.

Thriving requires a commitment to ourselves – a decision to step into a life plan that is bigger than most of us allow ourselves to be. It requires us to stretch beyond our comfort zones; perhaps new foods, new experiences, new ideas. It includes living consciously with a willingness to listen to our inner guidance and an honoring of the lessons we are learning day by day. Thriving is living true to our purpose – using our abilities to inspire ourselves and others. When we dare to thrive, we express our creativity freely and without fear of judgment from others. Thriving isn‘t something that happens to us; it is a courageous choice to live the life that we came to live. It is an agreement with ourselves to explore all that we are capable of. And most importantly, thriving demands recognition and appreciation of the brilliant Source energies that run through us and through all of the natural world. Thriving flows from a place of respect for the magnificent intricacies of our physical bodies and implies a deep love of the unique life force that is the essence of our being.

It is our nature to thrive. Only our fears can prevent it. When we love who we are and allow ourselves to be what we came to be, then we will inevitably thrive. It is the Divine plan and the promise of Nature. Look around and notice the abundance of flora and fauna that surrounds us season-after-season always renewing itself. We are an integral part of that cycle of life. But unlike the plants, we consciously choose our destinies. Do we choose to be a part of the stream of well-being or do we pinch ourselves off and settle for mediocrity? When we choose to thrive, we align with the powerful forces of the Universe. And as we dare to thrive, we give others permission to do the same.

Friday, August 6th, 2010

Choose Joy

It is our nature to tie together the daily happenings of our lives. As we experience confusing or disparate events, we create stories for ourselves to explain what has happened – he likes me, she doesn’t like me, we’re better than them, I’m not smart enough, it’s impossible, etc. Many of our beliefs and stories come from cultural myths or family legends that are passed down through generations. Others are unique to our own circumstances and are the products of our vivid imaginations. Stories are how we make sense of our experiences. Without an understanding of where we fit into the web of humanity, we would feel lost.

However, what often gets overlooked in this process is that our narratives are personally created. They are subjective interpretations of what we or others have experienced. They are the mind’s best guess about what is really going on. They rely heavily on past experiences, ours and others. Missing or unknown information is filled in with assumptions and personal projections. Everyone is a story-teller in this respect. Making sense of our lives is important for our survival, but we often forget that we are the ones who have developed this innovative coping strategy. Our selective amnesia causes us to be controlled by our own inner narratives. When we fail to realize that the stories are our creative inventions, they act as straitjackets for our being. We allow their rules and limitations to define who we are and what we can become. When this happens our narratives become the mechanism for continuing our past into our future. Everyone is living their thoughts moment by moment. Our beliefs and expectations flow from the stories we tell ourselves. If we don’t want to relive our past, then we must change our minds and create a new story, personally and collectively.

Rather than focus on our own transgressions or childhood traumas at the hands of others, we can choose a different perspective. We can find ways to soften our thoughts to allow ourselves and others their mistakes. We can give people the benefit of the doubt… they have their own struggles and may be doing the best that they can. We can search for explanations that feel hopeful…a job loss may inspire us to finally do what we have always wanted to do. The Universe is constantly opening up opportunities for each one of us, but we must be in a place to see them. When we release the old beliefs that no longer serve us, we let go of the blinders that have limited our perception of empowering possibilities. We, in turn,  shift our personal point of attraction and become aligned with a more positive future.

It is time to remember we are the story-tellers. We are not victims of fate or fortune. Each of us has the power to choose our story and, in choosing, we determine the quality and direction of our lives. We can focus on struggle and pain, or we can choose joy. So why not choose joy?