Daily Inspiration 7-31-16

"The real voyage of discovery 

consists not in seeking new landscapes, 

but in having new eyes." 

-- Marcel Proust 

I was thinking about yesterday's post about the value of anger, and then flashing on how so many people get caught up in a story about themselves that doesn't serve them. Well, the truth is that it does serve them, but they may have gone to sleep and aren't paying attention.

Then, that song from My Fair Lady, I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face, popped into my head. Or rather, I should say that the melody for the first line popped into my head, but it was attached to these words instead: I've grown accustomed to this place. Of course, like so many musical interludes in my head like that, it refused to leave.

And, it's true, isn't it? We grow accustomed to that place. This place, that place, the other place. Just because something is a negative story, it doesn't mean that it isn't also a comfort zone. There is comfort in this place. . . I've grown accustomed to this place. . .

When we tell the same story, we get the same results. It's always moving because everything is energy, but it keeps becoming that story again and again. I'm sure you know people who are like that, where their story is that all these things are just happening to them without their control.

I'm into a new audiobook and yesterday, she said that attraction was the most powerful force in the universe. The book is about Buddha principles like acceptance, and this pops up. Abraham, Esther Hicks also says that the most powerful law in the universe is the Law of Attraction, or that which is like unto itself is drawn.

That is how a story keeps drawing the same results. The energy, or the thoughts and feelings are the same, though the circumstances may change slightly, and like it is on cue, in rolls more of the same vibrational situations to match what is offered.

It always works. It doesn't play favorites. We ask, we receive. But, the good news is that good news comes the same way and in the same quantity and quality of our asking energy. So, paying attention to what we want is of primary importance.

Some might say, I don't know what I want. But, I think that we always do know. There's really only two choices. Do we want to feel good? Or, do we want to feel bad? Abraham, Esther Hicks say, "If you're not selfish enough to want to feel good, then you can't connect with the energy that is your Source which does always feel good." 

So, like yesterday's post where he or she says, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!" is such a powerful tool to pry ourselves out of our old familiar story. First, we decide we are finally tired of it, then we create movement by moving up the emotional ladder step by step toward feeling good.

That's how those people I know that tell the same story over and over again can escape. Here's where a simple and yet extremely powerful tool called an affirmation can be of help too. Here's a really good one to get started with: Everything is always working out for me!

So, instead of, I've grown accustomed to this place, we can change our tune to, I'm sick and tired of this old place, and then to, I'm looking for a better place, to, I'm more myself in this new place. . . and all of that movement comes from the simple decision that we know that we want to feel good.


Energy Is Constantly Vibrating, Moving, Changing. We Are Energy. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by allowing yourself to be in that place.

Daily Inspiration 7-30-16

"I'm as mad as hell, 

and I'm not going to take this anymore!"  

-- From the movie, Network, 

written by Paddy Chayefsky 

What is the value of anger? Does anger have value? Is anger good? Excellent questions, all.

The clip from the movie, Network, is a great example of some of the value of anger. It entices movement, sprouts decision, it releases the anchor of powerlessness and depression, unworthiness, despair, and more. It is an improved feeling. Yes, it has value--plenty of value. The main value is a movement from a feeling of despair and resignation to a feeling of power and ability. A decision to do something by being mad as hell is a powerful change from powerlessness.

Although in this case, anger is a positive movement from what was, it is still considered a negative emotion, and staying in anger would not be much different than staying depressed. The ultimate value of anger is the movement from a worse feeling place to a better feeling place. From the improved view from the plateau of anger, we can move into more improved feelings such as blame, and disappointment. From there, we can improve toward overwhelment, frustration, and pessimism. From this clarity, we can reach hopefulness, and once we reach hopefulness, the entire array of positive emotions are within our grasp.

The value of movement cannot be overrated. Anger has value, but being an angry person has little value. Pessimism has value, but being a pessimistic person has little value. Being frustrated and irritated has value, but being a frustrated and irritating person has little value. It isn't the place as much as it is the movement to an improved feeling.

Once we cross the border of hopefulness, optimism is just over there. We can reach out and touch it, feel it, experience it, and see the more pleasing view from that vista that is optimism. Optimism has value, and being an optimistic person begins to attract a different set of circumstances and people into our lives.

From optimism, we don't need binoculars to see enthusiasm. It's right there within reach. Enthusiasm has value, and being an enthusiastic person shares value with others. Next door to enthusiasm is happiness. What a great place to get to. Happiness has all kinds of value, and being a happy person spreads a wealth of value wherever one may roam.

We are now on the cusp of love, appreciation, joy, and peace. What are the values of these? I don't have enough room to count the ways. Being a loving person, appreciative person, joyful person, and a peaceful person will spread value to all the world right from where we are. Just being here is enough. And the really good news is that there is layer upon layers of levels of improved feelings within love, appreciation, joy, and peace.

Wherever we are on the emotional scale from the very bottom to the very top, it is not the place that has value, it is the movement to an improved feeling. We all get to choose what we will experience, and how we will flow energy. We are creators. We have the power and the expertise to create despair, powerlessness, or love, appreciation, and joy. As we get to a place where we desire a change, that movement is power. What we do from there is the creativity of our flowing of energy.


Where Are You Now, And Where Would You Rather Be? 

Spread Some Joy Today--by moving into joy.

Daily Inspiration 7-29-16

"Three Rules of Work:

Out of clutter find simplicity. 

From discord find harmony. 

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." 

-- Albert Einstein 

These three rules could just as easily be about any aspect of life, whether it be our life at home, with our family, our friends, where we work every day, in any relationship, in any group we happen to be a part of, and even within our own minds as we consider our own inner dialog, and our thoughts about ourselves, and that world that is outside of ourselves.

Out of clutter find simplicity. It seems to be human nature to complicate rather than simplify, but once we realize what we are doing, we can choose to clarify, and in so doing find the simplicity. Everything is simpler than we make it, and when we can simplify things, clutter doesn't have much of a chance. Neither does the drama.

From discord find harmony. It doesn't matter what kind of relationship it might be, whether intimate or global, discord is easily achieved, but in all cases, it is harmony that is the holy grail. It doesn't even need to apply only to relationships with people, but is perfectly appropriate in our relationship to things, to nature, to our world, our environment. Having harmony as our fundamental goal, puts discord in its place by having it only be a reminder that harmony is our real objective.

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. As with the idea of clutter, and the idea of discord, the idea of difficulty is best thought of as a reminder to look not at the thing that is vying for our attention; the clutter, discord, and difficulty, or we could look at that also as 'what-is,' or the 'problem,' but to look toward the solution which is not this. The solution is found in simplicity. The solution is found in harmony. The solution is found in seeing opportunity.

What a great message to write down and give it some of our energy. Another great sign for my wall, except I will change it to the Three Rules of Life..


Simplicity. Harmony. Opportunity. Love. Peace. Joy. 

Spread Some Joy Today--because it's Friday. Any excuse is a good one.

Daily Inspiration 7-28-16

"Turn your face to the sun, 

and the shadows fall behind you." 

-- Maori Proverb 

To add to this great idea, Abraham, Esther Hicks say, "If you knew everything was really all right, and that it always has a happy ending, then you would not feel trepidacious about your future. Everything is really so very all right! If you could believe and trust that, then, immediately everything would automatically and instantly become all right."  

Enjoying some heart-opening quotes today!


"Love Does Not Compete Because It Knows There Is Enough Of Everything For Everyone." -- Alan Cohen 

Spread Some Joy Today--by considering how joyful it feels to be joyful.

Daily Inspiration 7-27-16

"Insanity: 

Doing the same thing 

over and over again 

and expecting 

different results." 

-- Albert Einstein 

When I saw this very famous quote again, I immediately thought of it this way: Insanity: Talking about the problem, reliving the problem, analyzing the problem, restating the problem over and over again while expecting a solution to magically appear.

I've given a great deal of thought to problems. So have most of us, I'm sure. And, although we want solutions to our problems, it seems that we are enamored with the problems, finding it hard to let go of them long enough to reach for the solution.

I think I've found at least one of the most effective methods to solving problems. Here it is in two words: Celebrate them!

Don't analyze them, rehash them, refry them, take them apart, or any other playful tricks. Simply appreciate them, celebrate them, rejoice in them. For I've found that through gratitude, I have released my hold on the problem. The problem has never had hold of me, it is and has always been me holding on to the problem. When I celebrate the problem--when I am thankful for it, and sincerely grateful for it, the problem is immediately transformed into a wonderful tool, and solutions begin to pour into my brain.

Try it yourself. Next few problems you think you have, see if you're not the one holding on to it instead of the other way around. Next, celebrate it, love it, praise it, be thankful for this problem. I believe that through your gratitude for it, the solutions will be evident. And, I said solutions, not solution. There are always many more solutions than we imagine there are.


Loving My Problems Into Solutions. 

Spread Some Joy Today--The word for today is enjoyment!

Daily Inspiration 7-26-16

"It's not whether you win or lose,

but how you play the game."  

-- Grantland Rice

I might even modify Grantland Rice's quote to say instead of it's how you play the game, to it's why you play the game that matters. 

For some odd reason, I was thinking of all manner of things. My head was in overload, and in comes this message: It just doesn't matter! It just doesn't matter. It just doesn't matter! It just doesn't matter! that came from the movie Meatballs and this amazing scene with Bill Murray. It was perfect in that it stopped me in my mental merry-go-round, and felt so good in it's inspirational message. What really matters is releasing the pressure, having fun, enjoying ourselves, sharing some enjoyment with others, feeling good. 

Winning and losing is fun and no fun, but to just play to have fun, to feel good, that is the best. 

I was watching a Marie TV video from Marie Forleo that came in my inbox today, and she was answering a question about someone having multiple passions and how other people might think her flaky because she isn't focusing her concentration. One of the points Marie made is that you don't have to make everything a business. You don't have to monetize everything. Just have fun. Enjoy. Release your inhibitions. Exercise your energy. 

Then earlier today, I was reading a quote by Abraham, Esther Hicks that said, "Wherever you are, is just fine. . . You can get to wherever you want to be from wherever you are. . . It's time to stop measuring where you are in relationship to where anybody else is. The only factor that has anything to do with you is where you are in relationship with where you want to be." 

Chill. Enjoy. It just doesn't matter. It doesn't have to be anything more than helping you feel good. Happiness is a fine goal. And it is so much easier to get there without all that baggage that just doesn't matter. 

Enjoy. Create. Love. Appreciate. Smile. Love. 

Spread Some Joy Today--because that does matter.

Daily Inspiration 7-25-16

"I've always believed 

 that brick walls 

are only for people 

 who don't care very much." 

-- Wayne W. Dyer 

I was watching an old YouTube video with Wayne Dyer on the Ellen Show, where he was talking about small acts of kindness and how far reaching they can become. In this case he was talking about his desire to get into Wayne University after being turned down flat because of his poor high school record. He said, "I kept running into this brick wall. I've always believed that brick walls were only for people who don't care very much. But, I wanted this badly." He persisted, found someone at the college who would listen to him, and this person went to bat for Wayne and eventually got him in on a provisional basis.

After Wayne got his PhD, and became a professor teaching college level courses, it amazed him how that small act of kindness changed his entire life. Over 40 years later, he gave a one million dollar endowment to Wayne University to help fund a college education for those who have the drive, but may not have the money, and hundreds of young people were awarded the opportunity to attend college as a result. So one act turned into hundreds, and that is just one example.

One never knows what will come of one simple act of kindness. 

That's one part of the story, and certainly a powerful one, and the other part of this story is his strong determination to achieve what he decided he wanted--to get what he wanted--regardless of the obstacles.

How many times have we wanted something, or wanted something to be a certain way, and have found brick walls in front of us that are so long and so high that they seem impenetrable. But brick walls, or any other kind of wall or obstacle is no match to the determined will. The power of decision is a very powerful thing. Imagining it the way you want it is a very powerful tool. Believing that you are unstoppable will pierce the strongest of walls. Benjamin Disraeli said, "Nothing can resist the human will that will stake even its existence on its stated purpose." 

I don't know about you, but I have never had to get to that unstoppable place, or stake my very existence on getting what I want for them to come true. Fortunately, those ideas can be saved for the completely impossible dreams. The good news is that a strong desire and a belief in the achievement of the desire are generally more than sufficient to get the job done. Everything that I have ever truly wanted has come to pass. Those things that didn't come to pass are stuck on the brick wall because I just didn't care enough.


Where There's A Will There's A Way. Actually, All Kinds Of Ways. . . 

Spread Some Joy Today--by believing that joy is in your present. It may be hiding under the anger rug, or boredom furniture, but it is there ready to reveal itself when you are.

Daily Inspiration 7-24-16

"Nothing tastes as good 

as looking good feels." 

-- Anthony Robbins 

Over a week ago, I saw this magical quote above. It settled into my brain, and has so far yet to leave. I think that for anyone who loves food and is also not liking their weight or shape, this quote might help. It is helping me.

It is helping me to think of how I look differently. Actually, it is more about how I feel about how I look, and really, that is the whole of it in a nutshell--how I feel versus how I want to feel.

I also know, that when how I want to feel becomes the dominant theme in my thoughts, how I feel will change without effort. When you don't care, it doesn't matter. When you care, it matters.

This year for me has been a number of subtle changes. I'm fascinated by the changes and more importantly, how I feel about the changes. I'm not a slob, as they say, but many people might have thought so because I didn't care so much. It's not about what others think of me that has the power, it is about what I think about me that is more powerful, and even far more powerful than this is how I feel and what I think about how I feel. Does that make sense?

I'll highlight just a few of the changes. I've hired a house cleaning service every two weeks. I hired a gardener/doing-all-manner-of-things guy to come every two weeks. How does that make me feel? I feel rich. I feel pampered. I feel good. I love it. I enjoy the house dusted because I almost never got around to that, nor cared so much about it. All of a sudden, or so it seems all of a sudden, I care about things that I didn't much care about before.

To say I didn't much care is not as accurate as I would like. What I really mean is that it wasn't important to me, and I was okay with the way it was generally. Only once in a while did I even notice. Now it seems that it is more important to me, and so it has a whole different priority.

There's been many things around the house that have been repaired, cleaned up, changed. I'd like to take credit, but it is all due to my step-daughter, Alisa, who has inspired me. She likes everything in its place, and it didn't matter to me. She likes a clean kitchen, and mine saw that once in a while. She likes to have lots of plants and flowers in the yard, in all manner of pots and containers, I like that but made no efforts.

When she came to stay here for a while, and wanted to make changes, I said for her to have at it as she desired. And guess what? I sort of liked the new look. Then I began to appreciate all those changes, then I got involved, renovated the front yard and more. Then I found myself picking up after myself, doing the dishes more often, and becoming more interested. I began to care. It began to matter to me.

Now, I'm about ready to address one of the things that I've been most uncaring about of late--my weight and shape. For the majority of my life, I was tall and thin and now the first part is still true, but the latter is not so true. I've enjoyed the flavors very much. If it tastes good, more of it will taste better, right? Not. But, the thing that really stands out for me is how I feel about how I look. I'm entering the caring-how-I-look-to-myself corridor and about to walk the distance.

The quote above has inspired me. I can't get it out of my head. I printed it out and it is now on my wall in big letters. It tells me that tasting good is good, and looking good is good, and it causes me to consider how tasting good and looking good feels to me. I don't feel like I'm looking so good where I am now, and I have always loved feeling that I look good--especially when I look in my own mirror. So my journey begins in this change of venue because I want to refocus on what looking good feels like. And my success won't be measured in pounds, but in emotional delight.


Caring More About How I Feel Leads Me To Positive Change Because How I Feel Leads My Life. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by enjoying yourself more fully today. Take nothing for granted. Celebrate everything as if it is all a miracle. Because it is.

Daily Inspiration 7-23-16

"There are times 

when friends can prod or tease you 

into a better-feeling thought, 

but at other times 

their prodding or teasing 

just makes you feel worse." 

-- Abraham, Esther Hicks 

They continue, "Any success they may have had in helping you feel better has been, for the most part, about how far out of alignment you already were, because while it is easy to make small vibrational jumps, it is difficult, or even impossible, to make large ones."

The reason I am offering the quote above is because it says so much about how we are in relationships. The closer the relationship, the more we seem to want to help someone out of the doldrums. I have learned better. And much of that I have learned from Abraham, Esther Hicks, and Wayne Dyer.

As they said, "but at other times their prodding or teasing just makes you feel worse." I can't tell you how many times I have tried to cheer someone up and end up pissing them off instead. It's too big of a leap from powerlessness to happiness. It's even too big a leap from powerlessness to disappointment. It may even be too large a gap between disappointment and happiness.

What I have learned after much turmoil in trying to help another to feel better, is to just love them by sending loving thoughts, saying very little if anything. Now I don't try to change them or what they are thinking. I respect where they are by allow them to feel as they are choosing to feel by giving them space and time.

What can I do to help? I can be an example of well-being. Not in their face with it, but consistently being in alignment myself is the best I can offer anyone else. It's like in the airplane drill: you put on your mask (you get into alignment), then help others. It is our own example of well-being that is the best we can offer anyone.

Someone is upset, angry, disgusted, tormented, sad, and the best that I can do is to allow them to be as they are, as they choose for themselves, while simply loving them. That is essentially Wayne Dyer's most beautiful definition of unconditional love, which is, "allowing others to be as they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy me." I learn to allow others to be as they choose--whomever they may be, whether close to me in a personal relationship, or in the world news. 


Allowing Others To Be As They Choose For Themselves Is Compassion And Love. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by enjoying your own connection with Source Energy, which is God, which is Love, which is Joy.

Daily Inspiration 7-22-16

"I have come to the frightening conclusion

that I am the decisive element. 

It is my personal approach

that creates the climate. 

It is my daily mood

that makes the weather. 

I possess tremendous power

to make life miserable or joyous. 

I can be a tool of torture

or an instrument of inspiration. 

I can humiliate or humor, 

hurt or heal.  

In all situations, it is my response that decides

whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, 

and a person is humanized or de-humanized. 

If we treat people as they are, 

we make them worse. 

If we treat people as they ought to be, 

we help them become 

what they are capable of becoming." 

-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 

We each have considerably more power and prowess than we realize or make use of. Often we may imagine that we are not even really controlling our own lives, but we are in every single little way, and as we allow, we have more effect on the world around us as well. We each choose our own thoughts about all of it, and so, it is all in our control, and always has been.


How's Your Dream? 

Spread Some Joy Today--by dreaming joyful dreams.

Daily Inspiration 7-21-16

"We don't heal each other. 

We heal our perceptions of each other, 

which leads to healing." 

-- Alan Cohen 

My oh my oh my. My head has been swimming with conscious thoughts this morning, and here the morning is at an end and I still haven't posted my inspirational message. I could have started much earlier, but because the simple goal in every single post is that it need be inspirational in some way, and my thoughts didn't seem so inspirational to me this morning, I just went with it until something made sense.

This morning I had thoughts on recent politics in the United States, wars around the world and the whole idea of war to begin with, how history hasn't changed all that much, how rampant the ego is now and in all of history, and that it is normally attached to a penis, how it takes courage and peace to share, have those you've shared with reject you, and to not take it personally, and more. Whew! That's a lot.

So, I'll take the last one--taking things personally, and the courage and peace it takes to let go of that rope.

I grew up in the 50's and 60's with the Ozzie and Harriet Show, and I was a huge fan of Ricky Nelson. I always loved in when he would sing a song on the show, and Hello Mary Lou, was a great hit for him and a song that I love. Much later, as an adult, he wrote a song called, Garden Party. I never knew the meanings of some phrases in that song until I looked it up on Google today and found a Wikipedia site all about that song. Garden Party refers to a concert at Madison Square Gardens in 1971, where when he played his version of a Rolling Stones Hit, Honky Tonk Women, he was booed. He is said to have taken it personally and left the stage and didn't return. The song, Garden Party, is a compilation of some things from that concert.

Later still, I got the chance to see Ricky Nelson and his band at a Lake Tahoe Nevada casino/club, where he played Garden Party and many other songs. He was trying to focus his performance on his newer material, but about half way through the concert people impatient for his old hits started yelling, "play Mary Lou." Watching his reaction to this, and by the way, I was amazed it was happening and thought it was incredibly rude of all those yelling in the middle of his concert, you could see he wasn't liking it at all. He took it personally and left the stage for a time. He did come back, and he did play the song they wanted. It was an interesting experience to see that.

How many times in my life I have reacted poorly to criticism, demands, and even suggestions from others, and found myself feeling crappy is unknown, but it was a large number I'm sure. I've mostly let that go. For me, it has been a huge project to achieve that. I feel that feeling only once in a while now, and for a very short time; whereas, it the past I would feel it and rehash it for days on end. But, one thing I know for certain, and can shout from the mountain tops, is that there is such a freedom in releasing this taking things personal response.

Some think that they can control others using this kind of intimidation. But, as Abraham, Esther Hicks points out, "you have no creative power within the lives of others, for they are offering their own vibrations, which equal their own point of attraction, just as you are offering your own vibrations, which equal your own point of attraction." The best part of that to me is that I cannot help or control what others choose to think or say, or how they may choose to act. That is not my issue. It is their issue. Only they can think their thoughts. I cannot. I cannot sway their thoughts. They must change them for themselves whenever they are good and ready, if at all. I am not having a problem, they are, unless I choose to accept their thoughts for me instead of my own.

The old saying, sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me, is incorrect. Words are the most powerful things because they are vocal expressions of our thoughts and beliefs. So, it is easy in our wanting to please everyone we can attitude to give them more credence than they deserve. Just like when the phone is ringing, we are not obligated to answer it, whatever someone thinks of us, or what we do, needs no response in kind, and certainly no resistance.

How does one get to this place? Love. Take to heart what the Course of Miracles teaches as it's primary agenda: There is only love. Everything else is a movement away from love. We love people for how they are, what they choose to think, how they choose to act. We respect their ability to choose. We need not agree with them, or join their cause, but love would respect their choices for themselves. At the same time, we love ourselves in that we have that same ability to choose.

So when someone attacks, love them. When someone is critical, love them. When someone disagrees, love them. Allow them theirs, while allowing ourselves our own. Therein lies peace.


What You Think Of Me Is Not My Business. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by allowing everyone to be who and what they choose to be.

Daily Inspiration 7-20-16

"Ask, and it shall be given you." 

-- Matthew 7:7, The Bible 

Is it hard to have trust and confidence in this Bible promise? Is it hard to believe it is true? Is it hard to have faith in it's fulfillment? Are we there yet? Why is is not here yet? When is it going to come? I'm tired of waiting. I have no patience for this. I'll do it myself! What do you trust in to have the accomplishments that you want?

Decision is one of the most powerful of vibrational acts. Equal to it, and in full partnership, is visualization. The two combine to rule the world. They say that "seeing is believing", but that isn't as true as "believing is seeing".

Abraham, Esther Hicks has some clarity to add in a couple of statements:

"Law of Attraction says, "That which is like unto itself is drawn." Vibrations are always matched. So, as you experience the contrast which inspires the new desire, this new desire, whether it is a strong one or a soft one, is summoning unto itself proportionately. And as it summons, it is always answered. It is the basis of our Universe: When it is asked, it is always given. Humans think they are asking with their words, or even with their action - and sometimes you are - but the Universe is not responding to your words or your action. The Universe is responding to your vibrational calling." 

And the other:

"There are two surefure ways to understand what your vibrational offering is: Notice what is happening in your experience (for what you are focused upon and what is manifesting are always a vibrational match), and notice how you feel (because your emotions are giving you constant feedback about your vibrational offering and your point of attraction)." 

Based on all of this, we have two jobs in life. One, to ask. Whatever we want. We ask. Our other job is to line up with our desire. To become that which we want. To vibrate as if it were already done. We can have confidence, trust, and faith, because the other part in between our two parts is that it is given. We ask, which is our part. It is given, which is not our part. And, we receive, accept, become a vibrational match to the asking, which is our part.

The Bible clarified that in this way from Matthew 21:22: "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." There it is. Step one, ask (our job). Step two, it is given (God's job). Step three, receive by lining up with it, by believing it is done as it was said. It requires our participation only in steps one and three. The rest, as it is said, is done.

I guess that's why wishes really are for fishes. . .


Trust. Belief. Confidence. Vibrational Match. Sweet! 

Spread Some Joy Today--by trusting in your true self that lives in constant joy.

Daily Inspiration 7-19-16

"It is what it is." 

-- An all too common phrase 

A more productive and effective way to say this would be, "it is what I think it is." It isn't what it is. It is what we say it is. It is what we think it is. It is what we allow it to be.

I had another ah-ha moment yesterday. As I was walking Charlie, I realized that I was having a negative thought about a client who is almost completely non-communicative, and certainly unresponsive. It is in his best interests, and his business's best interest to respond. It's a simple issue and yet a powerful issue that needs to be dealt with, and I found myself lamenting about his lack of response to my emails, texts and calls one more time. I can't even tell you how many times I've had that thought because I just don't understand his seeming disinterest, but it has been many, many times in the last few months.

I feel obligated to help, and I want to help and be of service, and I feel crappy that I am ignored, as well as feeling sad and confused that he seems to be disinterested in responding.

Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever had a situation where you are trying to help someone and they've gone radio silent? Have you ever wanted your child to be happy because you cannot stand to see them struggling? Have you ever felt crappy about the lack of communication in a personal or romantic relationship? Have you ever wished things were different or better at work? These are all the same thing as what I've described about my customer because they are all focusing on and thinking about what-is. If I added all of these up that I've experienced in my life, that number would be huge.

And, the sad thing is that I know better now. I've learned from much study, and though I might teach it, write about it, remembering to use it in my life is sometimes a different animal.

I've remembered this before and even put a new sign on my wall: Is My Focus On What I Want? Today, I am reminded to actually look at it more and read it, because this is the issue at hand. I have been stuck in the muck and mire of focusing on what-is, lamenting what-is, rehashing what-is, reeling from what-is, and all the while I could be focusing on what I want instead. How much more effective do you suppose that would be? It's huge--a huge difference.

Today, I've awakened again, and I am changing my focus on this customer. I will see it how I want to see it. I will see him responding. I will see him appreciative of my efforts to serve him. I will see him interested, engaged, and helpful in my helping him. Each time the what-is may come popping into my head, I will use my Judo move and step aside and let it go flying by, and then refocus on the reality that I choose.

Then, today, I will pay attention to what-is from a more global perspective, and as I have thoughts about something, I will ask, is my focus on what I want? If it is, wonderful. If it is not, I will let it go by and point my focus where I want it to be so that I am receiving what I want.

It's funny how we think we have to accept what-is at face value. We don't. It's like when the telephone rings, we think we need to answer it. No. We don't. We can choose to answer it, or silence the ring. The tail doesn't wag the dog, and we could easily use that visual to see what-is as the tail, and us as the dog. No. We are in charge. I am in charge. I control what I choose to think, what I choose to see, how I choose to feel. I simply have to re-member, or re-connect with that knowledge and ability. 

Maybe you have some what-is things trying to wag you. Join me in remembering that we are in control of our tail, not what-is. We need not bother, nor is is fruitful to try to abolish what-is. Just let it exist, but remain unattached to it. Let it come and let it go as fast as it comes. Then ask, is this what I want? If the answer is no, focus on what you want to see instead. 

"Today, no matter where I'm going and no matter what I am doing, it is my dominant intent to see that which I am wanting to see." -- Abraham, Esther Hicks


Enjoy Your Experience Today! Choose Ones That Delight You! 

Spread Some Joy Today--by choosing what you want rather than what may have been served you. Serve yourself.

Daily Inspiration 7-18-16

"People who fail 

focus on what they will have to go through; 

people who succeed 

focus on what it will feel like at the end." 

-- Tony Robbins 

Wishes are for fishes is a phrase that I heard a lot when I was a child. I must have said, "I wish. . ." often enough to catch the parental wish killing curriculum. Or maybe they were only trying to teach me to make a choice and go for it with confidence. I think it might have been the former. . .

As I became older, I heard less of I wish, and it changed into "Yes, but. . ." or "I can't. . ." or "It just wasn't meant to be. . ." or the more recent, "It's not in my DNA. . ." Maybe wishes are for fishes after all.

Figuring out what we want is our highest objective, yet whenever we get very involved in how it will or could come to pass, our wires get crossed shorting out the process. Plus we have some pretty sizable obstacles in front of us at any given time, such as, "I don't have enough money," or "I don't have the money to do that," or "I can't figure out how to do that," and thousands more like it. Well, hearing any of those clearly shows that as we get involved in the how of things, we can get those wires crossed.

The best strategy is as Tony Robbins suggests: focus on the end result, not the journey. The journey will always be interesting and full of challenges, and that doesn't mean that it must be painful. It could just as easily be delightful.

The interesting part of this is that the destination isn't even the most important thing. So, it really isn't so much what that is our job, it is how we will feel when we are there that is the key. In other words, it is an emotional journey.

I've talked of the sign on my wall that says, "What is my job. How is God's job." True enough. What is our job, how is not our job. But that is only part of the story. For me it's enough of a reminder to stay out of the how domain and focus on what I can control rather than what I have little or no control over. Plus, it's short.

I suppose that it should say: "What I want is very important, but what I really want in getting anything is the feeling of getting it or having it or being there. What my real job is would then be to imagine how it will feel when I am where I want to be. Then, since how this will happen is not in my ultimate control, I release myself from that crazy responsibility, and give it to God, who is all knowing, and all powerful. I trust in God to be my guide through the billions of nuances, and to what I may not even yet see as the real what. And, whether that what is exactly as I decided or it is morphed into something that I didn't quite see, I know one thing is certain--I know how I will feel when I am there. God, this is what I decided that I want and I am imagining the feeling place of it. I now give the rest of the task to You, thanking You in advance." It just doesn't fit so well on my wall. 

Remember that wonderful Bob Dylan song where that awesome chorus begins with, "How does it feel?" That's close. Simply change it to, "This is how it will feel. . .


The Feeling Place IS The Place. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by making lots of decisions, and giving them all to God. What a concept! Joy could be one of those decisions, and the feeling place all at the same time!

Daily Inspiration 7-17-16

"Often, the most powerful 

stories we tell ourselves 

are the stories of what we think 

other people are thinking about us." 

-- Albert K. Strong 

That quote probably sums up part of our collective trauma, with another large portion devoted to what we think about what has gone before. A great question would be, how does that feel? If it feels good, that would be called ease, or health, and if it feels off, ugly, or tormenting, that would be called dis-ease, or illness.

The gist of it though is the attempt to accept responsibility for what others may be thinking, and also what we are choosing to focus on.

For July 14th on my Ask and It Is Given perpetual calendar by Abraham, Esther Hicks, this beautiful and telling statement summarizes the effects:

"When you remember an incident from a past experience, you are focusing Energy. When you are imagining something that may occur in your future, you are also focusing Energy. And, of course, when you are observing something in your now, you are focusing Energy. It makes no difference whether you are focusing on the past, present, or future. . . you are still focusing Energy--and your point of attention, or focus, is causing you to offer a vibration that is your point of attraction." 

As we look into our past memories of events and interactions with people, we get to choose what in that we will focus upon. As we look around our neighborhood, our city, state, country, and world, we get to choose what aspects of those environments and events we will give our Energy to. As we look into our potential, another word for future, we choose again. It's all our point of view, or as Abraham says, "our point of attention, and point of attraction."

Plus, whatever we have chosen to focus on before can be changed in any given moment, and as we feel how those thoughts are feeling, we can choose better feeling thoughts. To some the future will be much as it has been in the past and present, and to others it is a brave new world full of interest, passion, excitement, flowing with change, creating change, loving change.

We have the power and the full control of how we see ourselves in our past, present and future. That would be accepting our own responsibility for what is and what is being created. By allowing others to think as they will, accepting no responsibility in their thinking, we can free up a lot of Energy to focus on our constantly improving experience of this glorious life, in this magnificent body, in this perfect time, on this delightful planet.


W.Y.S.I.W.Y.G. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by choosing to see and experience all the joy you can possibly stand. To Infitity And Beyond!

Daily Inspiration 7-16-16

"Everything in your life is there 

as a vehicle for your transformation. 

Use it!" 

-- Ram Dass 

This morning, I'm still reeling from watching the just released 2-hour first time ever documentary of the Tony Robbins event he calls, Date With Destiny. The film is on Netflix and is titled, I'm Not Your Guru!

I loved it and was filled with emotion and tears because there was some very powerful transformations going on. It was also a bit of a trip down memory lane from the live three and a half day event I experienced with Tony in 1993. My goodness, has it been that long? Can it be 23 years? Wow. I remember as if it were yesterday.

So many people come out of a powerful event like that transformed, and in some cases it might last, but Tony says it will last if they develop renewed strategies and daily rituals that will move their lives forward in a more effective, and pleasing way.

I know in my case that I did not develop new strategies and rituals right away. In fact, I found myself back in my comfort zone pretty quickly; however, there has been a lasting positive effect in having spent that time with Tony and allowed myself to release some of my inner fear, anxieties, and limiting beliefs during the intense program. And, I believe that it helped put me on a path of accelerated learning.

We all have walls, I think. They are built to protect ourselves. Some were built at a very young age, others have been built in the interim. None of the walls are really helpful for our psyche, and coming to the conclusion that something needs to change can lead us on a path toward transformation. Once transformed, it is a little like being born again, and now if we don't want to go back where we were, we need a new focus toward how we live in the moment and where we are going from here.

I don't know about you, but I have had many transformations in my life. Tony Robbins used to express that as the power of decision. In fact, chapter two in his groundbreaking book, Unleash the Power Within, which is also the new name of the seminar I went to, the chapter title is Decisions: The Pathway to Power. I think we can all relate to those times when we finally got to a point where we actually decided to change, and the decision was such a powerful place to get to and experience. Those kind of decisions are indeed transformations, like moving from a place of accumulated pain and regret, into the relieving realm of space and freedom.

There are so many ways to get there. A Tony Robbins seminar is a good way, and there are thousands more. I've gotten there from a particularly powerful audiobook, or book, or song, or TV show, lecture, recording, or movie, interaction with someone, or seeing an interaction with others, to name only a few.

It seems that we all want change but we resist it at the same time. We want better, but we get to a point where holding on to our familiar pain has become a badge of courage, a treasured blanket, our favorite hiding place, and more. We then see change as hard. We feel that breaking down those walls is too much for us. And these are all illusions, of course. We only have to give ourselves permission to let go, and to move into a more pleasant and fulfilling place. Others can help us do that by reminding us that we do have that power, and then encouraging us to make use of it.

It's interesting to write this now and realize that my life journey has been more like a series of letting go. It's like picking up the rope here and a rope there and pretty soon I've got all this resistance going on in so many areas. Then I let one go, and sometime later another, and so on. Hopefully, I'm letting go of more than I am picking up, and then I realize it is just the journey. It's all okay. I'm transformed again. I grew some more. I'm not a size 32 anymore (that was a long time ago. . .). I'm becoming, expanding, unfolding. I'm growing in love, expanding in appreciation--even for my pain, as in the film with Tony where he tries to have people be thankful for it all, rather than just the things that feel good. I'm unfolding in my spirit, and enjoying that unfolding to the hilt.

I'm grateful that this documentary was made and that I saw it last night. I'm grateful that I was able to attend the one I went to. I'm grateful for all of the teachers on my journey, which number in the hundreds. I'm grateful for the transformation I made at Tony's event in 1993 and the many transformations that have expanded me to where I am today. This morning I find myself filled with gratitude that I flow to all that might be touched by it, as I delight in it personally. 


Here's A Toast To Your Own Many Decisive And Delightful Transformations. And To Your Next One! Maybe It Will Be Today! 

Spread Some Joy Today--by spending some time in gratitude.

Daily Inspiration 7-15-16

"The smell of new office supplies 

is so satisfying while being 

kicked out of Staples 

for inappropriate behavior 

with a file folder 

is so embarrassing." 

-- Ryan Lilly 

I was walking through my living room and I caught a whiff of what I thought might be a perfume that I remember liking, but it was sadly a short experience. That caused me to think of aromatherapy. 

Over two years ago, I bought some Scentsy products at a vendor show to try them out. I'd heard about them, and $60 later, I was going to experience wonderful odors dominating some of the rooms in my house. I tried several of the melting bars that seemed to smell good to me, and found my favorite after a couple years of trying several to be called Cinnamon Bear. It reminds me of that Christmas-time cinnamon bark boiling in the pan smell.

But, even though it is good, it is nowhere near my favorite. So, I mentioned to the main person I buy these from that it would be good to have more scents for men. Of course, I know why they don't waste R & D monies there--that market is insignificant to their normal female market. At least that's my supposition.

What would I like? I want eau de sawmill, eau de carburetor cleaner, eau de strawberry smell urinal ice, to name but a few. Oh, when I was a mechanic in the Air Force, I loved that 5 gallon can of carburetor cleaner. Sadly though, like gasoline fumes, which I've often enjoyed a waft of, breathing certain chemicals are not conducive to good health--at least that's what they say. It doesn't stop me from loving that smell though.

When I walk Charlie around the bank property (one of his traditional favorites), there is one spot where I get a quick, short burst of landscaping bark odor. What a glorious smell. It is so close to the sawmill smell, which, I have to say, is among the best smells on the planet. I've been known (not lately, as I'm trying to be good) to go to the feed store, buy a sealed bale of wood shavings, take it home and put it in a box and lift the lid periodically while inhaling. Covered, it lasts for weeks.

Oh, and that strawberry urinal ice. . . I haven't seen or smelled that in a long, long time. It must have lost favor with the powers that be. A reasonable second in that smell though is Shaklee At-Ease natural scrubbing cleaner, although it is best when it is new, and it isn't new very often because it lasts so dang long.

And now, it is summer. Another smell that I adore is someone nearby barbecuing. It's not the same smelling it in my yard, but I like that too, and it even gets all over me, on my clothes and skin and speckles on my glasses. How many hundreds of times I've barbecued has not been recorded, but it is many.

Then there are the restaurants. Near the bank is a barbecue placed called Kinder's. Love walking Charlie near that place! Yum.

And, of course, one of my long-time favorites is eau de wet concrete in the hot sun. I think it reminds me of being a kid laying face down on the hot wet deck around the plunge at the park smelling that combination of chlorinated water, concrete, heat from the sun, and my body at the same time. Washing down the driveway is about as close as I get nowadays. Still, that is pretty dang good on its own.


Thank God It's Friday. I Think I'm Ready For Some Aroma Therapy. 

Spread Some Joy Today--have some fun today. Thank God It's Fun!

Daily Inspiration 7-14-16

"We live our entire lives 

through our perspective." 

-- Albert K. Strong 

Okay, be honest now. How many times have you been is a situation where you cannot seem to find something, and in your mind you are accusing others of doing something with it, or maybe stealing it? That's a great example of "what's wrong with this picture?" Something is wrong, or something is missing, and the first inclination is to blame. It couldn't have been misfiled, misplaced, done wrong by us. . . it has to be something else.

Being honest myself, I have to admit that this used to be the typical scenario in my head. Sad, but true. And, it still happens like that once in a while, but I've learned to let go of blaming for the most part, and just relax and I'll remember where it is sometime soon.

I was looking at a CTS Daily Inspiration post from 10-28-14, where I talked about learning from Tony Robbins and his Awaken the Giant Within book about what he called, The Problem Solving Questions. In that post I focused on question number one: "What is great about this problem?" What I love about these questions, and especially the first one is how it flips our learned thoughts and behavior completely around. Instead of what is wrong or what is bad, he asks us to look at what is great about this problem. I took that and asked it in a simpler way, and from a larger perspective, what is good about bad? 

It seems true that many of us have this tendency to see the bad, or what is wrong, and to lament about it, and even expand the size of that ill. Things then easily go from problem to crisis, from inconvenience to disability. But, if we learn to ask some of these freeing questions that can shift our perspective, we have a whole new opportunity to change our world within immediately.

We may also be so trained in our negative perspective, that it clouds over us so that we cannot see anything else--at least for the moment. But, asking some good questions can help the sun shine through again. The result is what Tony Robbins calls changing your state. It isn't about physical geography, but mental geography. Happiness is a state, and so is unhappiness. You could express any and all of our emotions, whatever their name, as a state, or that place that we are in. And all of it is learned. All. Why not learn a way that feels better? What is great about this problem is an excellent start. 

Whatever the state we are in, or what is going on in and around us, we each have the power of perspective, and that perspective controls the event. Because we have this power; albeit, we may not be consciously aware of that individual power, we can learn to see it consciously and to use it to our benefit and the benefit of those around us.

Here's a good plan on how to do this. First, look at the situation, or problem, and admit that it is there but from the perspective of it not being attached to us. I see this problem here. I recognize that I am not feeling good right now. This problem seems to be causing this. Second, after accepting the situation for what it seems to be, ask question one: What is good about this situation or problem? If the clouds are so dark as to not see the sun, ask it a different way: If there could be something good about this, what might it be?

Tony also has what he calls The Morning Power Questions. There are seven, and they can be so helpful to change our mental geography:

1. What am I happy about in my life now? 
2. What am I excited about in my life now? 
3. What am I proud about in my life now? 
4. What am I grateful about in my life now? 
5. What am I enjoying most in my life right now? 
6. What am I committed to in my life right now? 
7. Who do I love? Who loves me?

I highly recommend this book that I have brought up many times. There is an entire chapter titled, Questions Are The Answer. They do seem to be that, or state changers if nothing else.


Questions Are The Best Cleaning Solution For Our Revitalized Perspective. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Absolutely. Joy is a perspective.

Daily Inspiration 7-13-16

"Reality can be beaten 

with enough imagination." 

-- Mark Twain 

It made me laugh when I saw this perfectly delightful quote because I could relate to it on many levels, and the main level that it resonated with me on was the knowledge that my imagination can always use more time and more inspiration.

It's not that reality and imagination are opposing ideas, although in some ways that might seem true. It is that imagination has infinitely more power, and yet I, for one, love that idea and yet focus less there than would be beneficial in my life.

I also love this quote from the master, Mark Twain: "You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." 

The power of imagination is right up there with the power of love. We are creators. We create our lives. And though we may do much of our creating with what we see around us, our better power of creation is that that is invisible, or in the ether.

The best thing about imagination, I think, is that it is always an option for us. I would even go so far as to say it is a miracle, because I believe this is where miracles actually come from.

When we imagine what we want, how we want to feel, to be, to become, we generate power that when exercised in increasing clarity, comes to pass. We've all done it unknowingly. It's a power that is universal; that is, it is in every single person. It is also Universal, in that all the power that is in the Universe is at our disposal as we see fit. It is also the focusing of that power where the creator best creates.

If there is anything such as work involved, it is focus and clarity which are essentially the same thing. But, there is one thing that greases the wheel so to speak, and it is the joy of the imagining. Imagining what we want and feeling good at the same time is loaded with power. At the same time, and from the same authority, imagining what we don't want and feeling fearful, angry, or generally bad is also loaded with all the power needed to create that which is imagined.


We Cannot Not Choose. We Always Get To Choose. Choice Is A Given Or A Taken.

Spread Some Joy Today--by remembering to imagine joy in your life today.

Daily Inspiration 7-12-16

"If life is a journey, 

as so many have said, 

then wherever you are 

is where you've been led. 

But it isn't the other 

that leads you this way. 

It is purely your choices, 

that guides you each day." 

-- Albert K. Strong 

I had a bunch of interesting thoughts this morning, that on the surface didn't seem to go together, but they do.

One was about God's Will. When I was going to church, I heard so many people talking about God's Will for them, praying that God's Will be done, asking for God's Will in their lives, seeking the guidance in decisions by knowing God's Will for them in that. I always found that strange and it made me think of a puppet on strings waiting for the puppeteer to make the choices. I have come to think that God's Will is only for me to be alive and have the power of choice within.

I don't think I'm separate from what is known as God like my finger isn't separate from my body. So, all that is mixed together. But, the best thing that I have learned about this is that because everyone has the power of choice, they can choose to see the external God as the authority in their lives. It's all good. Everyone chooses. Every choice is good because it is a choice. I celebrate their choice to see God in that way, as I celebrate my own view.

Then I was thinking about my life as a journey. There was a time that I imagined external circumstances ruling or directing my life. Now I know better. I know that all of this journey has been directed by my choices, and by my thinking. Everything as I look back along the journey traveled thus far, I see clearly now that I was in charge of it all. And that is all good too.

So called mistakes were simply choices and activities that didn't feel good to me after they occurred. So called successes were simply choices and activities that did feel good to me after they occurred. I always had the power to choose better feeling situations, but I just didn't realize that I had that power back then. Now it makes so much more sense. Now I choose with more purpose knowing the larger picture.

Next I was thinking about levels of competency and knowledge. I realize now that it is my ego, which I control by the way, that causes me to feel greater than or less than any other. I am neither in reality. Everyone--even those that seem to be the same--are on different levels and it is constantly changing. It is alive and moving.

I've heard some people put others down as if we are in the Pee-Wee league while the they are in the major league. That is purely their ego talking, and if I am feeling less than this, it is my ego responding. I get to choose again. I get to choose to be open to learning from them, or to reject them. I get to choose to become more, or remain where I am. Everyone is at varying levels of competency, knowledge and skill. That will never change. What I think about that, and how I respond to that idea is how it will feel to me. I'm so much more okay being in the Pee Wee league on my way to the majors than I ever would have been before.

Back to God's Will for just a moment. What would God's Will be? It would be God's Choice, wouldn't it? Think about it this way: If you had a child, would you want to make all the choices for that child throughout their life? Or, might it be more interesting to watch them make their own choices, watch the journey that their choices take them on, and delight yourself in their inherited autonomous power.


Enjoying Our Independent and Interdependent Journeys. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by living your dream.

Daily Inspiration 7-11-16

"If it feels good to you, 

it's productive." 

-- Abraham, Esther Hicks 

I was just listening to a recording from a Boston event with Abraham, Esther Hicks where I gleaned the above quote. It was interesting to me because there were two main topics in this recording, one about asking a child (or anyone for that matter) about something they are no longer connected to, such as, "how was school today?" and such, some time after they have left that event. It was quite insightful in suggesting that we not burden others with questions like that, and especially ones that may have some negative responses.

They often are negative responses mainly because they are no longer connected to that experience, and because they may have likes and dislikes about it too. For example, the child enjoys some of school and interactions, and yet very much dislikes the lack of freedom, or the lack of individuality, and so on. So, when asked about the day and not being able to think of something worth sharing, the child may simply shut down, or try to blow it off, as in saying, "it was okay," or. "nothing."

This caused me to consider when I ask such questions and open myself and the other to a negative and probably uncomfortable exchange. I will pay more attention now to the kinds of questions I might ask and also when I ask them.

The other valuable topic in the recording was about how when someone has decided to be a positive person and how they want to avoid negativity in general, but sometimes they enjoy certain things that can be construed as negative by some. The example in the recording was a woman who loved to sing certain songs, but the lyrics in the song were not positive lyrics that she would write, but combined with the music, she receives a glorious feeling and loves to sing out loud. She was concerned that maybe just saying the words was bringing negativity on to herself. This is where the quote at the beginning came into play.

It has more to do with how we are feeling than what is being said, or what we are saying, or anything else. Esther Hicks was mentioning that one of all of our inner desires is to feel empowerment, to feel empowered, and that she was feeling good singing the negative sounding lyrics because she could perhaps feel the empowerment that the original artist, or lyricist was sensing by expressing that situation they were in and how they felt about it.

Based on my own past experience, I think that many may want to pay so much attention to every word out of our mouths or written down be positive and to suck back any negative thoughts or expressions. But the key point here is that this act doesn't feel good. It is fear. It is being overly concerned about the thoughts or the words and not paying better attention to how we are feeling. If it isn't feeling good, that is an indication that we have a powerful desire for something other than what we are now experiencing. And, the best way to move toward that is to just let go of the rope or let go of the resistance we are experiencing there. This then, allows the better flow of emotion into our experience.

I love how these two topics came together in one recording because they are so similar in real life. We may often ask questions, that we would realize if we were paying attention, would cause us and the other to feel poorly in that interaction. And, we also can become fearful about expressing negativity, when it is better to focus on how we are feeling. In both of these, as in so many other interactions with people, and circumstances, we all want to feel good. That is a given. And, that is the ultimate solution too.


How Do I Feel About That? How Would I Feel About That? 

Spread Some Joy Today--by finding the feeling place of joy.

Daily Inspiration 7-10-16

"If you're irritated by every rub, 

how will your mirror be polished?" 

-- Rumi 

Yesterday, I was thinking of days gone by where I found myself so often upset about something, and all those somethings were universally insignificant, yet at the time, seemed so dang important.

At the same time, I was thinking about watching other people being upset about several somethings that I could clearly see were insignificant, and in days past, I might have thought, she must be having PMS, or it was a full moon, or he didn't get enough sleep, and more. I thought something outside of them was causing it, I suppose.

Then I was thinking that all of that was me back then. I was easily upset by rumor, harsh remarks, angry looks, people doing careless or stupid things without thinking, you name it. I was easily upset enough to speak out about it, if only under my breath to myself. As well, I spoke often enough to others about many of these upsets. I suppose that I was looking for agreement and support in my point of view.

Rumi moved beyond this trivial place. He says, "out beyond the ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there." 

Being upset is all about wrongdoing and rightdoing. They are doing it wrong, and I do it right. They could be upset with us because they think that they are doing it right and we are doing it wrong. But, all of that is strictly a personal point of view. In reality, there is no right or wrong because everything is neutral. The rightness and wrongness is totally a decision that we make, and that rightness and wrongness place is always in a state of flux.

I have moved out toward the field with Rumi. It is a practice. I've got this letting go of the rope idea in my head and it is the single most helpful idea to allow me to practice being at peace within rather than upset. I cannot express with sufficient delight how wonderful this is for me. It is as if I lived my entire life to get to this place. Abraham, Esther Hicks calls this place, the Art of Allowing. It is allowing things to be what they are without my needing to control them. It is allowing others to be what and who they choose to be without any need to have them be something or someone else. It is allowing "the world" to be what it is. It is a lack of resistance. It is letting go of and laying down the rope.

Do I ever get upset? Yes, but very rarely now, and when it happens, it is more from past habit than anything else. When it happens now, I realize what is going on and I catch myself so to speak, and consciously imagine myself letting go of the rope.

I used to get upset when I was around someone who was upset. It must be something like being around someone who is yawning. But now, I can watch them be upset and allow them that place, while at the same time, sending them loving thoughts.

I crave to be in that field with Rumi. I love everything about being in that field. I live to learn the Art of Allowing that I learned from Abraham. I live to not only exercise expressing love, but to love unconditionally as Wayne W. Dyer so lovingly taught me. I have been an eager student, and I have loved each and every one of the the teachers that I have attracted. It's not Nirvana, yet near enough. Now I am at peace, and in joy much more than I am not. It has moved to the majority from the minority. It has become the delightful driving force in my life. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for where I am on this increasingly delicious journey.


May The Force Be With You, As You Choose. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by becoming a joy seeker, a joy allower, a joy becomer.

Daily Inspiration 7-9-16

"The real source of "stress" 

is actually internal; 

it is not external, 

as people would like to believe." 

-- David R. Hawkins 

I've heard many people say that they need a vacation to get away from all the stress at work. Or at home. Or anywhere else outside of themselves. But because stress is simply caused by a point of view, or more accurately how we think about something or someone, how does one run away from oneself? It seems more likely, based on what causes stress, that we would take it with us everywhere we go.

Taking a vacation does seem to relieve stress for so many, but it isn't the distance from the thing or the other people, it is the releasing of the resistant thoughts by focusing on something pleasurable and enjoying the thoughts about that. Yet, when we return to our home base, it doesn't take very long until our resistant thoughts return the stress we vacationed to escape from. It's still not the place, people, or things. It is purely our own internal thinking and resultant feelings. Stress is simply a feeling, which is demonstrating physically from our thoughts. The source can certainly feel as if it is coming from the outside environment because of this, but it is all internal.

Stress can become debilitating, as can depression, powerlessness, anger, grief, fear, and more. As we think the thoughts that are causing these physical symptoms, we are unknowingly attracting more of them via the Law of Attraction.

Maybe you've heard one or more people say something like, "these things just keep happening to me. I don't understand it. It's not my fault. I want it to stop." This is all "being against the world," like the song by Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams that Helen Reddy popularized, You and Me Against the World. Isn't that the grandest picture of resistance!

Of course, an excellent and effective plan is to simply let it go and think about something that feels better. That would be the best answer in virtually every conceivable situation. Pay attention to how one is feeling, then if not feeling good, stop thinking the thought that doesn't feel good by replacing it with a thought that feels better, one that when thought causes a better physical feeling. Simple, and many might find this not so easy, but that is another form of resistance in play.

Because we get to choose our thoughts always in all ways, any stress or other kinds of negative symptoms have no power over us without our permission. They are all voluntary in that way. We may feel that they are thrust upon us, but how we feel about that which is demonstrated physically as stress, powerlessness, depression, etc., is caused by how we think about our situation or about others or about things. They have no power in and of themselves. We give them all the power they need. And, equally, we can remove all the power we choose. It is all internal, and always in our control, though we may certainly not choose to control it. There are rewards involved, though many might not like that concept. If not for the rewards, we would choose something else.

Moving away is strictly a temporary relief as in a vacation. And choosing a better feeling thought is an excellent answer to the situation in general, but the single best solution possible is to see the situation, people, things in a different way than we have been seeing them. This is the cure rather than just treating the symptoms. When we change our mind by changing our thoughts about that person, that job, those circumstances, or whatever it may be that is causing the negative feeling that we label as stress, and other names, they change. It seems ridiculous on the surface, but it is so true in practice. As Wayne W. Dyer said so many times, "when we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change." 

Here's the good news. We are in control. We get to choose. We can choose stress. We can choose depression. We get to choose powerlessness, anger, frustration, grief, despair, all of it. We choose it all. At the same glorious time, we can choose happiness, contentment, hopefulness, optimism, enthusiasm, eagerness, passion, freedom, joy, appreciation and love. No one has the authority to choose for us. No one. Because no one can think our thoughts for us.


Choose As You Will. That Is Your Will Power. Joy Is A Pretty Good Choice, Don't You Think? 

Spread Some Joy Today--by making choices that feel your way to joy.

Daily Inspiration 7-8-16

"T.G.I.F. 

(Thanks Giving Is Influential!)" 

-- Terry Minion 

Giving thanks is to be in appreciation of someone or something, and since appreciation is the same vibration as love, we might as well say that we are giving love by giving thanks.

Abraham, Esther Hicks says that "the greatest gift that you could give to anyone you love is the gift of positive expectation." But, really, are there those that we love and those that we don't love? Are there those that we would give thanks for and those that we would offer no thanks for? No matter where I look, everything comes back to love.

A friend responded to my post yesterday, by saying that it is much more challenging to be an encourager or to be in appreciation of a boss who rules through threats and intimidation. My response is that love is the most powerful force in the Universe.

Think about that for a moment. The ones we love and the ones we don't love. But the ones we don't love are simply the ones we don't know well enough. Every human on this planet came from the same Energy. We are made of the same Energy. We may use that Energy in varying ways, but it is still the same Energy in the end.

But, here's a more fun way to go about looking at those who we don't love. Let's love them anyway. I love how Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, "If I love you, what business is it of yours?"

A long time ago, a friend of mine taught me the meaning of loving someone who appears to not care, or seems to reject it, or acts in an intimidating way. He just loved them. He told them so. He wouldn't accept anything else for himself. And, even one of the most tenacious of seemingly negative people, was overcome by that love. Though he maintained a certain facade of an impenetrable wall, I could see through the new gaping cracks myself. It was one of the most powerful things I've ever seen demonstrated. He is that way too. He simply loves people, appreciates them, is interested in them and he expresses that with his entire being.

What I think is the most effective and useful is simply allowing others to be what they choose for themselves without my needing to control any of it. Whenever I try to control anything in another person, I find no success and no satisfaction either. It is a waste of time and energy. Yet to allow is not so much a letting go of our own beliefs, desires, preferences. It is really taking ownership of them. These are my beliefs and preferences, and you have yours, and I can appreciate the ying and that yang, this way and that. There is no one truth, they are all truth.

So, the message today is just this: it might be good to check our not loving list from time to time and do some purposeful allowing. Like many other things, practice is helpful. The more we love the more capacity we have to love. The more we love the so-called unlovable, the more capacity we have to love the so-called lovable. And, besides, what is love really when it has any of our expectations attached to it? It isn't love then, is it? The only love that really matters is that love that is freely and openly given without any conditions at all. It truly is none of their business. It is all my business.


I Love Thee. I Love Thee Not. NOT? I Love Thee. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by allowing yourself and others the freedom to be.