STRESS.  A 6 letter word that is used so frequently…”I’m so stressed out”, “I’m sorry I yelled at you.  I’m just stressed right now”.  Really?  Is stress that prevalent in our world today?  I know it is, but sometimes I wonder if it’s just an overused word.  I wonder if sometimes the word stress is used instead of “busy” or “beat”.  Is stress used just because that’s what we’ve been taught or because we hear that word so frequently that we want to be part of the “stress crowd”?  Is it cool to be stressed?  Does being stressed mean we’re successful?

Absolutely NOT!

I rarely use the word to describe myself.  I guess mainly because I just don’t stress.  I may have a lot on my plate, or I may be under a time crunch but I wouldn’t say that I’m stressed.  I just know what I have to do and do my best to get it done.  But really I believe the secret to not being stressed is to believe in well-being, to believe that everything will be okay, to trust that it’ll all work out.  And this is what I do!

When we’re stressed, we’re basically feeling and thinking negative thoughts, our confidence is low (“I can’t do this”), and we’re dreaming up what an awful future we have.  And when we do this, we feel terrible.  We have anxiety and nothing is right.  If we continue this pessimistic view, what we will see is more of the same…more shit to be stressed about!

But it doesn’t have to be this way!  There’s really no need to stress, no matter what your situation is.

To believe in well-being is to be optimistic, and when you have optimism you have hope.  When you change your perspective to seeing the glass half full, it is!

So I’m not saying that you should look at something that is dark and yucky and call it light and shiny.  I’m just saying shift your gaze.  Instead of looking at your problems and stressing over them, look for the solutions.  When you take your focus off what you don’t want and focus on your well-being, then the Universe will bend over backwards to give it to you.

Next time you start to utter the word “stress”, or you feel stressed and overwhelmed just remember to look in another direction.  Think back to the last time you were stressed.  After the stressful situation ended, didn’t everything work out?  You’re still here, you’re still alive, and you have so much to be grateful for.  It really is okay.  No matter what happens, it all works out in the end.  It may not work out like you had planned, but it did work out and may actually even be better than you planned.

Have Faith.  Believe.  Have Hope.  Live Easy.  Now these are cool words!

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As I sit here on the eve of a new year I think about all the people making resolutions…lose weight, quit smoking, no caffeine, be nicer, get a good job, work less, work harder, the list goes on.  And then I think about all the people in Feb (or sooner) giving up on those resolutions.  We’ve all done it, right?  We all do it, which is why I don’t make new years resolutions.

I totally respect those that come into the new year with resolutions, and I’m blown away by those that actually follow through…although come to think of it, I can’t recall ever meeting anyone who has.

As I’ve grown over the years I’ve learned the value of the present moment and how every moment is a brand new one and it’s okay to start over at any moment, so January 1 doesn’t really mean much to me other than it’s another moment!

So with that in mind, here’s my very simplistic intention for this moment, the next, the next and the next moment:  TO FEEL GOOD AND TO HAVE THOUGHTS THAT FEEL GOOD!  I truly believe that if in every moment I can feel good, then all will be well.  I will have anything and everything that I want and I will be living my dream life.  Period.  It’s that simple.

Now, I’m sure you’re wondering how I will feel good when something bad is happening and how feeling good will bring me anything and everything I want.  Let me explain — if something bad is happening it’s really just my perception of whether it’s good or bad, so if I can perceive it to be good, or at least see a bright side, then I’ll feel better.  Does that make sense??  AND, as you know I’m a HUGE believer in the Law of Attraction so the better I feel, the more things I’ll attract into my experience to feel good about, and I won’t be having “bad” things come into my life!

So there you have it.  My intention now, on Jan. 1, or any other day, any other moment is to feel good.  Wanna join me?

Happy New Year, Everyone!

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We all get crazy busy with the holidays, right?  Remember this:

Just do your best to keep yourself in balance. One of the first things that causes Energy misalignment, is asking or demanding too much of yourself in terms of time and effort. In other words, you just cannot burn the candle at both ends, so that you are physically tired, and then expect yourself to have a cheerful attitude. So, the rule of thumb has to be: “I’m going to be very, very, very happy, and then do everything I have time to do after that.”

This is from Abraham (Ester & Jerry Hicks) at an LOA workshop in 2005.

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This is such a great affirmation.  The entire thing is probably a bit too long to memorize, but just the beginning of it is pure greatness!  This is by Ester & Jerry Hicks.

Life Will Always Be Working Out For Me. . .

I like understanding that things are always evolving, and while there are many things that could be better where I am, it is not really a problem because “where I am” is constantly changing to something better. I like knowing that as I look for the best things around me where I am, those things become more prevalent in my experience.  It is fun to know that things are always working out for me, and as I watch for the evidence of that . . . I see more evidence of that every day.

Life Will Always Be Working Out For Me!

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Day 21.

I can’t believe it’s been 3 weeks since I started this challenge.  Life goes by way too fast, which is why there’s no point in stressing, worrying, doubting, complaining, etc.  It’s all a complete waste of time.  Just think how different your life would be without doing all those things.  How different would your life be if you enjoyed every moment…if you took in all the little things that life offers you at that moment (good and “bad”) and were just totally grateful for it?  That’s what this challenge has helped me realize.

I’m understanding that what I consider problems or issues or stress or crazy situations is just my perspective of it.  When I shift my perspective to a more positive one, I get different results.  If I just shift my perspective to a grateful one, it changes the entire circumstance.

This challenge has made me feel better, and I’m so grateful for that because I know that feeling good is what it’s all about.  Don’t we all just want to feel good?  Doesn’t our life basically boil down to that one statement…I want to feel good!

When I would get irritated with toys strung all over the house, I would think how grateful we are to have all these toys.  When I want to honk & cuss at the car in front of me for not going fast enough, I would think how grateful I am for being safe and how grateful I am that I get to go wherever it is that I was headed.  When I had to make a choice, I was grateful that I get to make a choice and that I have options.  When I didn’t feel like making dinner, I was grateful that I had food to make, that I had a house to cook it in and clean dishes and gas to heat it.

This feels good!

This gratitude challenge has made me stop, take the time, and write about my gratitude.  I’m so thankful I did.  It puts things in perspective.  I realize more and more everyday just how great I have it, just how great my life is.  It has given me peace, and allows me to just relax and take it all in…to enjoy the now moment.

This feels good!

As you know (or maybe you don’t), I’m a HUGE believer in the Law of Attraction, where like attracts like.  When I have a feeling of appreciation it’s an energy that I radiate.  That energy is drawing to itself more energy of the same quality, so more things are coming into my experience for me to be appreciative of.

This feels good!

The challenge ends today, but I will never stop being grateful.  I will continue to write in my gratitude journal, and I will continue to be open to receive more good things in my life.

WOW – THIS FEELS GOOD!

(And thank you so, so much to everyone that reads my blog!)

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Okay, so I’ve totally slacked on this.  I could easily just blog about my excuses as to why, but I’ll spare you.  Plus, it doesn’t matter.  So, what I’ve done is list the assignments in the 21 day gratitude challenge for the days that I slacked, plus today’s.

Day 16 – Stand in front of the mirror for five minutes and focus on at least five things that you love about yourself. Write them down in your journal.

5 minutes, really?  This was not as easy as it sounds.  Fortunately, it didn’t say stand naked for 5 minutes!!  Looking at myself in the mirror for 5 minutes…I interpretted that to mean “what are the 5 things physically that you love about yourself”.

1.  My hair

2.  My arms

3.  My ass

4.  My complexion

5.  My stomach

I’m truly grateful for these physical attributes, but more than that I’m grateful that my body is healthy, strong, and functions properly (without me knowing how it all works!).

Day 17 – Write about something you feel grateful for in your life today.

This was last Saturday and that day I had lots to be grateful for.  I taught a yoga class that morning.  I hung out with my niece & nephew, enjoyed some gorgeous weather, and had Max’s 4th birthday party.  I could go on and on, but I’d like to just focus on one thing this day.   I’m so, so thankful for the students that show up every week and allow me to guide them in their yoga practice.  They are extremely dedicated students and I’m inspired by them every week!  I’ve been teaching this group of students for many, many years now (I could figure out exactly how many, but it’s late! ) and I’m so thankful to have them in my life.  I learn so much from them.  They are great people, and I really do appreciate them.

Day 18 – For the past three days, you have focused on appreciating what makes you unique. Write about all the things that make you so lovable. Take a moment to appreciate your personal style, talents and charm.

I think what makes me “so lovable” is that I don’t take myself too seriously.  I have a great sense of humor.  I’m completely easy going and don’t get bothered by what others say or do.  I listen more than I talk, and for the most part I like everyone.  And ya know what??  I love all that stuff about myself.  I’m really thankful that I’m this way.  I haven’t always been all these things, but as I’ve grown I’ve really come to love myself more and more.  Thank you for this.  I think it’s a fantastic feeling!

Day 19 – Have confidence in the all the choices you have made today and be grateful for being able to believe in
yourself.

I’m grateful that I believe in myself.  It takes work and I’m glad that I work on it!  I, like you, have doubts.  I really try to identify those doubts, and doubt my doubts.  Sometimes it easily works and others not so much, but I do recognize that it’s all me; that I’m the one that holds myself back, that gets in my own way.  And for that I’m grateful.  I’m grateful that it’s in my hands, and I have control over it.  My confidence and belief in myself starts with me and ends with me.  I’m grateful for the awareness, the pep talks that I give myself, and for the choices I make.

Day 20 – As The Challenge winds down, write a thank you note to yourself. Thank yourself for taking the time to stop and focus on all the little things for which you feel grateful.

Dear Self,

I’m really glad I did this challenge.  Thank you so much for taking the time each day to be aware, to be grateful and to be challenged.  I have been reminded to appreciate the little things and the big things.  My eyes have been opened to just how great I have it.  I have an awesome life and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I’m thankful that this challenge was brought to my attention, and that I’ve inspired others to take the challenge as well.  I’m thankful that on those days that I didn’t feel like actually blogging about my gratitude, or didn’t have time that I didn’t quit.  It never once entered my mind to quit.  Thank you!

I’m thankful that I’ve put myself out here, so to speak, and have been more exposed.  It has made me open up in ways that I would have normally kept to myself in a personal gratitude journal.

I’m thankful for the way this challenge has made me feel, and I’m so glad and grateful I did it!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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According to Webster’s, appreciation is defined as an expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude.  But more than that, it’s a feeling!  It’s a feeling of being in awe, a feeling of something having great value, and a feeling of positivity.  When we have true appreciation, we are energetically vibrating at a high frequency.  When our energy is vibrating at a high frequency, we attract more of the same…which means we attract more things to be appreciative of.

I think Abraham-Hicks says it beautifully:

The key to experiencing the absolute absence of resistance; of achieving complete alignment with all that you have become and all that you desire, and of bringing to your physical experience everything that you desire – is being in the state of appreciation.

Here’s a few ways to appreciate.

1.  If you normally have a negative emotion about something, start to feel appreciation for it instead.  It may take some time, but eventually that negative feeling will fade away and your appreciation of it will become more dominant.

2.  Feel appreciation for something you want to have in your life.  While you may not currently have your desire, act as if!  Appreciate as if you’ve already achieved it.  The Law of Attraction doesn’t know time.  It only knows the present moment, so in this moment act/think as if you already have what you want, appreciate it, and you will attract it.

3.  Write in a gratitude journal.  Write down things you have that you are grateful for, as well as things that you want.  Read back what you wrote down, and when you read it really feel the appreciation.

Another thing you can do to cultivate a sense of appreciation and to keep that feeling alive throughout your day is to use one of my “Be Charmed” charms.  I have one on my purse and use it as a reminder to be present, connect to my Self, and just Be, but now I think I’ll use it as a reminder to feel appreciation!

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One of my favorite book of poems is by a guy that I randomly met at one of the yoga studios I taught at.  He wasn’t a yoga student (of the studio), but he was there promoting his book at an event the studio was having.  His name is Dan Coppersmith.  I was trying to find my favorite poem of his, but I literally could not pick my fav.  They are ALL so good and beautifully done.

I’ve had this book for 5 years or so, and I always go back to it.  At times, I read from it to my yoga students and when I do I always have someone ask me what I was reading from.  So…I randomly picked one today to share with you.  Here it is:

Food For Thought

Sometimes we whine
Gripe and complain
Singing the victim’s
Familiar refrain

Blaming the world
For all that’s wrong
Each new day
The same old song

It’s a trap we crawl into
A place where we hide
Keeping our spirit
Stuffed deep inside

Somehow forgetting
We determine our fate
That the life which we lead
We chose to create

Each decision we make
Each thought we embrace
Affects the complexion
Of the world we face

If our food for thought
Is a negative meal
That is what
We will taste as real

If we dwell on anger
Injustice and pain
We’ll tend to attract
More of the same

If we suffer, hopeless
At the mercy of all
We are the ones
Keeping us small

Placing the blame
On somebody else
Puts the solution
Outside of ourselves

Recognizing
We are Source
Awakens the captain
To master his course.

Dan Coppersmith

I highly recommend this book.  It’s called “The Elusive Here & Now”.  And, as a bonus, Dan is an amazing nature photographer and the book is filled with beautiful pics.  You can click here to buy it.  Or, go to his website (which I have been browsing and loving) and look at all the amazing nature shots he has gotten!

Have a great weekend you guys and don’t forget…You are the captain!

Do you worry about things all the time?  Do you fret over everything?  Do you think of the worse possible scenarios?  If so, do you realize that worrying is just your imagination creating something that you don’t want?

I catch myself worrying about the craziest, most ridiculous stuff!  Actually, it’s not really worrying that I do so much, but I’ll just have crazy ideas pop in my head.  For instance, almost every time I drive over a train track I think, for just a brief moment, what if a train comes barreling down and slams into me.  Or if I’m driving behind a truck that has a ladder or something sticking off the back I might think what if that ladder slides off the truck and goes right into my windshield and nails me in the face.  Basically, I just think of freak accidents happening to me &/or my family.  It’s so weird.  I hate it.

Like I said, worrying is just the imagination creating scenarios that you don’t want!  So, when I have these wild thoughts I immediately catch myself doing it and I snap out of it.  “Only good things come to me” is one of my mantras!

Being a firm believer in the Law of Attraction, I understand that thinking about things I don’t want only brings those unwanted things to me.  So I stop in my tracks (not on the train tracks – haha) and I think about what I want.  I only want good things to come to me.  And honestly…only good things do come to me.

If you worry a lot all you’re doing is imagining things happening that you don’t want to happen.  With all that energy focused on those unwanted things, you’re likely to manifest what you don’t want.  Then you get this scenario that you don’t want and it causes more worry.  More worry, creates more worry.  It’s a vicious circle!

The good news is that this works in the opposite way as well.  The less you worry, the less stuff you have to worry about.

The worrying has to stop.  Seriously.  If you think about it, most of the things you worry about don’t ever happen anyway so what’s the point?  It’s wasted energy.  It’s puts you in a funk, and it causes stress.  And I won’t even get on the topic of what stress does to you!!  Worry cannot change your circumstance, it only enhances it.

So here’s the deal.  Next time you start to worry, notice what you’re doing, and immediately stop.  Give yourself a mantra or affirmation.  They’re extremely powerful.

Only good things come to me.

I choose to let go and allow goodness.

I am safe.

I choose to let go of things I have no control over.

I trust that everything will work out.

At first you may be saying these things as you’re rolling your eyes, but eventually you start to believe it.  When you start to believe it, you start to have faith that everything will work out.  That faith is what allows you to stop worrying.

**Side note: I sell charms that help you to remember your affirmation.  They work beautifully.  Click here.**

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Okay, so I’m limited in time today to write something profound and genius like I usually do…haha  But – this came into my inbox and I find it so enlightening (no punn intended…read more and you’ll see what I mean!).

“Enlightenment means literally aligning to the Energy of my Source. And genius is only about focusing. Law of Attraction takes care of everything else. Physical humans often want to make enlightenment about finding some process and moving through the process that has been pre-described. But true enlightenment is moving to the rhythm of the internal inspiration that is coming in response to the individual desire. Enlightenment is about allowing my connection to the Source that is me for the fulfillment of the things that I have individually defined here in my time/space reality. That’s as good as it gets!”  –Abraham

Excerpted from an Ester & Jerry Hicks workshop in Boulder, CO on Saturday, June 7th, 2003

Sweet, huh?  So your job (and mine) is to know what you want, know what you desire, get in touch with your Source Energy, and then just let go and allow! Aaaahhh, so sweet~

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