Everyone's heard that actions speak louder than words ...

So why do so many people not take action in order to change what is not making them happy or successful? Why do so many people look to others to make a difference for them in their lives?  Why is it that so many people cannot figure out why this world is seemingly crumbling around them?

_____________________________________________________

All this intention toward change and responsibility and “wellness” sometimes adds up to feeling weighed down. It takes effort to do good, and there are times when there’s just nothing left to give.  Those are the times to recognize when to rest and when to ask for help.

It’s a commonly known fact that goal attainment is achieved largely through disciplining self. It is also widely accepted that the self is referred to as “I.” So it goes, almost without saying, that in order to achieve a desired change, it’s helpful to focus on “I.”

Once the black and white wolves of internal conflict are tamed, it’s time to carry that balance over when dealing with external influences. The second step to living in conscious wellness is to establish and respect personal boundaries; those belonging to you and to others. Understanding that life’s give and take – its balance – occurs on both physical and energetic planes is tantamount to making the choices that generate wellbeing and happiness. Sometimes just being made aware or reminded of this fact starts to solve problems and situations of imbalance.

A wonderful lesson can be had from an old Indian story which tells of mankind's inner struggle with good and bad. Good represents our white wolf. Bad represents our black wolf. One version of the story explains that the wolf who wins the struggle is the one who is fed the most. Another version, though, tells a truer story: We need both.

Being one who looks for the unique, I found this newest book of Caroline Myss’ to be mixed material.  At first, it is a fresh thought in some stale spaces.  Personal growth, healing, and self improvement seem to be facing the doldrums with the “been there, heard and tried that” syndrome.  Defy Gravity opens up with a refreshing breath of fresh air; sharing and lacing in a bit of personal experience from the author, along with some new ideas of how to take action and create change for the positive in life.

It is time to stand up and recognize that we are fighting for freedom from our dependence upon expectation.  Think about it ... what are the usual responses to this question?

A very dear friend of mine experienced the loss of a feline loved one and, as I was writing to console her, my own words made an impact of awareness and understanding in me. It never ceases to amaze me; how we learn our life lessons, and then live them without really stopping to understand how the experience and the awareness have changed our lives... until we share it with someone else...

I admit, inspiration is hard to come by lately. And I am an advocate of positive thought and the power of intention, by the way.

It takes noticing the little things.  It also takes:  Gratitude.

How often do you say thank you each day to other people?  The bank teller, the waiter, the grocery store clerk, the mocha stand girl …

How often do you say “you are welcome?”  Not “thank you,”  but “you are welcome?”

Has anyone else ever noticed that life is just full of simple pleasures if we take the time to look? Pleasures that make you melt with happiness and tranquility they feel so good, both during and afterward?  Ones that make you say, "Wow, I want to do that again sometime!"

I’m talking about simple things that don’t involve emotional dynamics, or financial dynamics, or any of the such.  I’m talking about just sitting or hiking in nature; feeling warm sunshine on your face; sharing hot chocolate by the fire on a cold wintry day; shooting hoops with friends afterschool; roasting s’mores over the burn pile after a good day’s cleanup efforts ...

Well, speaking from my own experience, at the center of my self doubts I always find ego and fear.

When was the last time you sat down and asked yourself some really deep questions, without answering right away?

Who hasn't stared out an airplane window on yet another red-eye and thought, What exactly is the point of this exercise? Or sat through a particularly senseless meeting and wondered, How in the world did I get here? Or wrestled with a set of strategic choices -- all of which seem hard and unpleasant -- and said, What happened to the fun part of being in business? According to Peter Koestenbaum, those uncomfortable questions -- those existential quandaries -- are at the root of issues that great leaders deal with all the time, and they influence every decision that must be made.

How can a person brimming with self confidence be found speechless and uncomfortable? Expectation.

There's always more than meets the eye. Have you noticed? Even when it comes to knowing your Self.

It seems I'm always meeting a new perspective, side, or understanding of my Self and my life. I've always known that I am a unique individual. I admit, too, I've not always known just how and what I was supposed to be doing with my Self - my individuality - let alone my life.

 

Why is it humans, the ultimate predators, feel safety in numbers? Is it because we are the only ones who intentionally hurt ourselves? Is it because we are the only ones who intentionally blind ourselves?

It's all in the perspective of the moment.

What's your perception of that statement? There must be periods of time that are good and periods of time that are bad?

But what's your perception of time? Mine says, when there is an instance of bad in my life, I can choose to focus on it and draw it out as long as humanly possible, or I can choose to accept it and let it go as quickly as I'm humanly capable. Same rules apply to the good instances ... I can draw them out for all they are worth, or take them for granted and lose them in a search for something better.

 

 

What was in my life three years ago is still in my life, yet is not in my life. If I look at it from one perspective, my life is mostly the same. If I look at it from a different perspective, it has changed dramatically.

 

At the beginning of the year, you may find yourself stuck between celebrating the success of last year, planning for the New Year and perhaps overwhelmed by everything you have on your full plate. You're not alone. Most conscious entrepreneurs go through this type of celebration, anticipation and yes, sometimes even overwhelm. That being said, the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to take some time to get laser-focused on what you want to experience and manifest this year.

 

Life is about different things at different times. It is retaining and developing what you learn in each experience that gets you to the next step of your journey, the next rung on the ladder.

 

Self Conscious. When did the term take on negative or weak connotations? I wonder.

 

I feel as is if there is some wicked nasty being clawing at my back of late. The feeling comes and goes ... it was horrendously strong last night.

What is it?

It is the old energy, the old ways, the last throes of those who won't release their grip on the zone of acceptable misery.

If this world was meant to be wrinkle free we wouldn't draw ripples into the water or puffy edges into the clouds.

We wouldn't cry over the past or hope for the future.

 

All you need is to be smart about your personal development.

Everyday life is full of trials and tribulations. No matter how we look at it, we all face problems. Some are big problems, some are small problems. Some are easy to solve, some just seem to have a life of their own, and keep coming back to haunt us again and again no matter how hard we focus on solving the problem.

We've all heard the saying, "lead by example," but not everyone embraces the theme anymore. Seems we're crying out for change. Have you noticed how easy it is for some to tell but not do? And how the listening to those "tellers" seems to be going out the door?

 

Don't shake your head yet! Because, no, this isn't another pitch about the law of attraction, though I do believe in and utilize that as much as I'm humanly able. No, this is a thought process in awareness; one that identifies one of the many facts of life.

#1 Let go your expectations, drop ‘em right there, mister (this equates to Awareness)

Identify, Establish, and Feed your connections to life  ... those things that make you feel alive.

 

More than 200,000 kids spanked at school

That title was in the online papers this morning. I don't follow the news very closely. I find the media unceasingly one-sided. I do have CNN and USA Today on my homepage, and glance at the headlines occasionally. This mostly because of the time we were at war and I didn't know it.

Anyway, I saw this headline today, and actually had to post a comment on it. The topic is so pointedly ridiculous and blown out of proportion it is laughable to me and many others. When is humanity going to think it out? This was my post, I thought I'd share it with the many individuals who are moving ahead on the right track with ThinkItOut.net and the rest of the holistic movement:

 

Maybe this should be titled, The Finer Points of Give and Take ... or The Oft Forgotten Finer Points of Give and Take.

To give genuinely is to give what the recipient feels and believes they need, not what you think they need. To receive genuinely is to accept what is given as being the best that the giver is capable of giving. To solidify the trust, both must speak honestly from the heart.

Here's a very concise example:

 

Do you feel judged? When you are conversing with people you love, or with a friend, or even a stranger, do the words coming out of their mouths often feel like judgment? Where is it coming from? Why do so many people feel the need to pass judgment?

Ever feel guilty?  I’m not talking crime.  I’m talking everyday human interaction.

Maybe it was someone’s thoughtless comment that you’re selfish or did something wrong.

Dogs take what they get ...

One very important lesson I learned came from the animals in my life. Some people will identify with this, and some won't. People can take it or leave it, but this is what I observed:

I don’t know about you, but I’m running into more and more people who aren’t satisfied with the general norm. They are looking for personal answers.  There seems to be a quantum shift heading toward more responsibility, more honesty, more intuitiveness, less control.