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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I get a daily email from Ester & Jerry Hicks.  They send out excerpts from workshops they’ve done in the past.  Here’s one that I received last week.  I wanted to post it because I think it’s really important, and it’s something that I haven’t really thought about in this way.  Check it out:

What true patience is, is knowing that you want it and knowing that it’s coming and actually enjoying the unfolding along the way. Understand that you never get it done. So you might as well be patient. You never get it done, because every time you want and receive, you also receive a new perspective from which to want. Life is a constant unfolding of new desires and then a constant alignment to those desires.

Excerpted from a workshop in Larkspur, CA on Saturday, August 30th, 1997

So to be truly patient is to enjoy what you’re experiencing in the moment.  I’m sure you’ve experienced this…you really want something and then you get it.  You love it, enjoy it, and then a little while later you decide you want something else, probably something that you consider to be better.  But as you’re focused on your new desire, you forget about how great you have it now.  This applies to relationships, money, success, everything!  I believe there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting more or wanting something else  AS LONG AS you truly appreciate what you do have now, and  AS LONG AS you truly enjoy it in the moment.

Having true patience is really to have faith, because when we have faith we aren’t worried about how we’re going to get what we want.  When we have faith, we can sit back and enjoy the moment and all the things we have in the moment.  When we live in this state of joy, that’s how energetically we align with our new desires; which is how we’re able to have faith and patience.   We know that the things we desire are on their way.

To be patient is to appreciate and enjoy what you currently have, and to keep enjoying while you are waiting for your new desire.  The more faith you have that your new desire will arrive, the easier it is to be patient!

Keep wanting, keep learning, keep enjoying, keep in the present moment, keep the faith –

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This came to my inbox this morning and I just love it.  It’s an excerpt from the book “Money and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Health, Wealth and Happiness” by Jerry and Esther Hicks.

Love and appreciation are identical vibrations. Appreciation is the vibration of alignment with who-you-are. Appreciation is the absence of everything that feels bad and the presence of everything that feels good. When you focus upon what you want – when you tell the story of how you want your life to be – you will come closer and closer to the vicinity of appreciation, and when you reach it, it will pull you toward all things that you consider to be good in a very powerful way.

I find this to be so true.

I have a gratitude journal that I write in everyday…okay, not everyday, but 5 or 6 times/week!  And what I’ve found in doing this is that out of the blue, almost when it’s least expected, I’ll have this overwhelming feeling of appreciation.  It’s this amazing feeling that just comes over me out of nowhere.  Sometimes it’ll last for just a few seconds, and other times it’ll stay with me longer.

It makes me smile just thinking about it!

Each journal entry starts with “I’m so happy & thankful now that…”.  I’ll list things that have happened (or I’ve gotten), things I currently have, things I want to happen, and how I want my life to be.  So it’s important to understand that it doesn’t just have to be things that have happened, but how you want your future to be…all put into the present moment.

My suggestion today…get a gratitude journal!  Quick!

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I have a lot of favorite yoga poses, but if I just had to pick one it would be Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II).  It appears fairly simple, but so much can be achieved in this pose (so much can be felt in this pose if you hold it long enough!!).

At first, it’s all about just trying to stay in the pose while your thigh and shoulders are screaming at you, but once you find proper alignment and connect with your breath, Warrior II is so peaceful.  It’s like a peaceful warrior; strong, focused, and courageous!

With practice, you begin to feel how strong the thigh is and come to appreciate it, and the shoulders are there, but you’re relaxed.  This feels good.  You keep holding.  Then maybe it’s not so good, but wait I’m thinking about my thigh.  Breathe!  Okay, feels better.

As thoughts like this go on in your head, you must remember to breathe.  It’s with the breath that this pose becomes meditative.  And, it’s the breath that allows you to relax when you’re in an uncomfortable position.  It’s the breath that allows you to just be in the pose, rather than doing the pose.

Here’s some alignment points (based on the picture above):

• The left leg is bent to a 90 degree angle.
• Weight is on the center of the left heel, and the toes relaxed (knee is stacked over the heel).
• Open the hip by taking the left knee towards the left “baby” toe.
• Lift the left hip crease off the left thigh (this will help get the spine vertical).
• Outside edge of the right foot is grounded down.
• The spine is extended upward in a vertical line.
• Arms are open out extending in both directions, feeling the arms strong and long (so to gain space in the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints).
• Shoulders are relaxed down, away from the ears.
• Gaze is out over your left hand.
• Hold & BREATHE.
• Then hit the other side!

Physically, Warrior II will increase your stamina, and strengthen your legs, ankles, and arms.  It’s great for stretching and opening your chest, shoulders, hips, and groin.  It relieves backaches, great for flat feet, and get this…infertility!  It even helps with carpal tunnel and sciatica.

Practice Warrior II often…it’s a great spiritual teacher!

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Image by Hamed Saber via Flickr

I love being aware of the Law of Attraction (LOA) at work. If you’re familiar with the LOA you know that it’s working whether we know it or not. Well, it gets even cooler when you see it happening!!

Here’s the LOA at it’s finest. I received an email from a friend of mine this morning. I didn’t have time to read it so I just left it in my inbox. When I sat down to do this blog post, or at least attempt it, I was thinking about what I should write about and more so do I have enough time to devote to writing a post today (I have 2 small kids and I can’t have them watching Dora ALL day long!). Everything that I thought to write about I knew would take a while, so I decided to just let it go. Now, since I have all this “spare” extra time I decided to open my friends email and read it.

The email was a Powerpoint presentation on Great Advice. Thank you, Gail! Now I have a blog topic!! (Let’s hope I can type fast… Dora’s almost over!!)  And, thank you to whoever put this Powerpoint presentation together.  Good stuff!

1. Walk 10 – 30 minutes everyday, while smiling.
2. Sit quietly for at least 10 minutes everyday, in isolation if necessary.
3. Upon arising every morning, one must immediately say “My goal today is…”.
4. Listen to quality music everyday. This is nourishment for the soul.
5. Live with the three “e’s”: energy, enthusiasm, and empathy.
6. Play more games than last year.
7. Read more books than last year.
8. Look at the sky at least once a day, appreciating the majesty of the world that surrounds us.
9. Dream more while awake.
10. Eat more foods that come from trees and plants. Eat less manufactured foods.
11. Eat berries and nuts. Drink green tea, plenty of water, and a glass of wine each day; toast something beautiful in life, and if possible in the company of a loved one.
12. Try to make at least 3 people laugh everyday.
13. Eliminate clutter in the home, the car, and the office. Let a new energy enter your life.
14. Don’t spend your precious time immersed in rumors, things from the past, negative thoughts, or things beyond your control. It is better to invest your energy in the positive present.
15. Life is a school and we are here to learn. Problems are lessons that come and go; what we learn from them will serve us our entire lives.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.
17. Smile and laugh more often.
18. Do not let an opportunity pass to hug a friend.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating someone.
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Nobody else does.
21. It is not necessary to win every argument. One must accept that the other person is not in agreement, and learn from his position.
22. Make peace with your past, so as not to ruin your present.
23. Don’t compare your life with others. You have no idea of the highways they have traveled during their lives.
24. Nobody is responsible for your happiness, except yourself.
25. Remember well that we have no control over what happens to us, but only what we do.
26. Learn something new everday.
27. What others think of us is not completely under our control.
28. Appreciate your body and it’s marvels.
29. Whether the situation is good or bad, it will change.
30. Work will not take care of us when we are sick. Our friends will. Stay in contact with them.
31. Reject everything that is not useful, amusing, or beautiful.
32. Don’t lose time. We already have all the things we need.
33. The best is yet to come.
34. Nothing is as important as sitting, standing, getting dressed, and helping others.
35. Have fantastic sex, always in harmony with the other person.
36. Phone your family regularly, and tell them “Hi, I was thinking of you”.
37. Each day before going to sleep say: I am thankful for_________. Today, I succeeded in _________.
38. Remember that we have too much that is good to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the voyage. There is only one chance to be successful.

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I love it because little kids are absolutely living in the present moment, you can learn so much from them, and them from you (be careful of this one!!).

Since little ones don’t understand time, they have no stress and are always happy (as long as all their needs are met!).  They are totally playing in the moment – living in the moment.  My kids play well by themselves (fortunately!), but I’ve noticed that if they need my attention I can either completely give it to them or I can be there but have my mind elsewhere.  If my mind is on something else I’ve noticed that they need me longer.  If I am there for them completely, in the present moment with them, then the amount of time they “need” me is less.  If I’ve got things to do around the house, jewelry to make, or a blog to write I am able to get those things done if I just spend a little quality time with them.  It makes them happy, I feel great, and in turn I’m more productive.  It’s such a relief for me too because in that moment there’s absolutely nothing lacking…I have no stress and life is perfect!

Lately, my sweet Max (he’s 3) has been teaching me to let go.  His new saying is “but it’s okay”.

“Max, you’ve got food all over your face.” – “yeah, but it’s okay!”

As he’s hitting his brother with a stuffed animal (Miles is mildly laughing) – “Mommy, it’s okay”.

We’re running late for school – “but it’s okay!”

And what’s really cool is that as soon as he says that, I relax and say you’re right IT IS OKAY.  Sometimes we get so caught up in looking perfect, always doing things right, and everything being a certain way but does it really matter?  Can we just let go and have fun?  Because ultimately, it is okay!

Kids watch, learn, and sense our energy too.  The more rushed I am to get out of the house, the more uncooperative they are.  If I’m relaxed and calmly explain how we need to leave immediately, they listen and work with me.  The way I do something, they do too.  For example, I always rinse off the tooth brush and tap the brush on the counter before putting it up.  Max does this too, and can point out that his Daddy doesn’t.

I also came to the realization that Max got his new expression (it’s okay) from me.  I say it quite a bit – like if he drops his food, or can’t find a toy.  So it comes full circle!  I’m teaching him that it’s okay and he’s teaching me the same.  How awesome is that?

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