Spiritual Insights By Ms. Kara

New Beginnings

2010-02-14T21:56:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we find ourselves in places of new beginnings. These new beginnings can be by choice or they can be thrust upon us unexpectedly. They can come in the form of break ups, bankrupcy, death, divorce, a new job, a new marriage or the birth of a child. Whatever the form of your new beginning it can bring forth a plethora of feelings from excitment to shear terror. Even in the best of circumstances you may still find yourself going through the stages of grief, mourning for the past. Over the next few articles I will be discussing how to cope with change wether they were happy changes or sad changes. However, rest assured that you will find the tools to cope with the changes you may be going through. Until then I leave you with a quote for the day.

Today: I will work to live through this one day. I will not struggle to find solutions to every problem today. I will be still and allow peace to fill my soul.

Overcoming Lies and Learning to Trust Again

2010-01-24T13:28:00.000-08:00

Lies! We have all told them. From small little white lies meant to avoid hurting anothers feelings to big giant whopping lies meant to manipulate and control. We don't always see them as destructive and yet no matter how well intentioned the lies are, they cut a path of destruction through the very foundation of our basic fundemental beliefs that we are, in some small way, safe. The simple truth is that lies hurt. They don't just hurt the person we lie to, they hurt our ourselves by sitting inside us rotting our souls. Sounds a little over dramitic? Try telling that to the woman/man who has been mentally abused and has, over a long period of time, begun to believe that her/his life has no worth or value or the child who learns the promised toy will not arrive. Everytime a lie is told is steals a small part of our humanity until we find there is nothing left to believe in after all. And, what about the lies we tell ourselves?

For instance: "Our significant other is not cheating on us." They truly were out till 3 am with a married buddy, whom we know, grew up with an alcoholic parent and can't stand bars. The perfume/colone we smelled on them really did come from a trusted friend who hugged them. That unaccounted for money missing from our account? That really was just a bank error. The friend we told her new guy seems like a "really nice guy that was into you" when we saw the signs that he would take advantage of her and treated her with disrespect. Down the line when she looks at us with pain filled eyes and ask us "why we didn't say anything". What will you say?

So, how do we get past all these lies? First, we start with ourselves. We must learn to be comfortable not giving full disclosure on our lives. There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm not comfortable saying" or to find a way to tell the truth with kind, loving hearts. There is nothing wrong with simply not saying. I have a friend who always say "Do I have to say?" and that always makes me smile because I know that she loves me. I know that eventually, she will find a way to say what it is she is afraid will hurt me. She only needs some time to find the right words. I trust that she loves me enough to tell me the truth.

Second, we have to stop giving our power away to people that don't deserve it. If someone lies to you about little things that don't make a difference, then you can be damn sure they are lying about big things. So, if you end up getting hurt you really have no one to blame but yourself...you gave away your right to the truth by trusting someone that didn't deserve it.

Why do people lie? There are a variety of reasons why. Some lie for attention. We all have a friend that embelishes stories so that they come out looking as if they were the most important figure in solving the problem. It's a vital part of their emotional needs. Often times it has become such a habit, they aren't even aware of it.

Others lie to prevent arguments. To me this is the saddest of lies because it means the person is so uncomfortable with speaking their own truth, they have lost touch with their own voice. When we lose touch with our voice it leads to a variety of physical manifestations such as upset stomach, head aches, migraines, sleep disorders, panic attachs and depression just to name a few.

These are just a few of the reasons why people lie but, it is safe to say that none of them are healthy. When people lie it builds a wall between them and the people they love. So, how do we begin to learn to trust again once our very foundation of faith in human nature has been shaken. We begin by becoming vigilant observers. We watch carefully to see if consistently words are in line with actions. This doesn't mean that there are times when we cannot live up to our words but that as a whole we do our best. We don't have to give up on people that lie, we only accept them where they are at without judgment and never forget where they are coming from. We call this detaching in love.

Thought for the day: Today I will accept what I cannot change without judgment and let go in love.

New Beginnings

2010-01-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

This year I have found myself off to an unexpected start. Once again, it's time to pack all that I own into the proverbial box and discard what is no longer useful in my life. New beginnings are a time of change for all of us and affect us in many ways, ranging from happy excitement to the shear terror of panic attacks. Whatever end of the spectrum you are on it's okay. You have to take your life one step at a time, sometimes one moment at a time and try not to think to far out in the future. Thinking about things that might happen is a waste of time. Some of you may think that I don't get what's going on in your life, that may be, but I do know that thinking about things that have not happened yet is unproductive. I call this writing a script, like in a movie, only this is real life and can always play out a million and one ways. So, why waste your precious energy on what might happen. Oh I understand, if you're like me you have a whole committee in your head voting on everything from what flavor tea you drink to how are you going to pay the bills on your own. But, these things are a waste of your energy and serve no purpose. Do we really think we can analyze why John is behaving like he is? And, since we can't change it we need to accept that some things just don't matter. It won't change anything to understand why John does what he does.

So, how do we get over the 3am panic attacks that wake us up with pounding hearts. We accept that first, we aren't going to die, no matter what each chamber of our heart is telling us. Middle of the night panic attacks are a chemical reaction to our sub conscious speaking to us about what is bothering us. We accept that our life will change no matter what we do or don't do, what we say or don't say and what we think or don't think. It's going to change end of story.

Next, we act. No matter how frightened we are, we do it afraid. Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to do it anyway, even though we are afraid. There are certain logical steps that we must take care of in life such as bills, work and responsibility. We must take care of our responsibilities to ourselves and to others. It's okay to do things while still being frightened. I even believe that we can still use the laws of attraction. The idea is to separate your spirit from your physical. I may physically feel fear but I don't have to operate my life out of that fear. My body feels chemically afraid, my shoulders are tense but mentally I refuse to live my life from fear. We must know beyond a reasonable doubt that Spirit is with us and will work together for the best. It's called faith. If you don't have it yet don't worry. It takes time and practice but, then that's another blog isn't it?

Overcoming Gridlock Relationship Issues

2009-12-21T10:11:00.000-08:00

There is a common misconception that love conquers all. I am a realist, so to me, the whole idea that you can just love your way through the difficulties is ridiculous. Love is, most certainly, the motivator for overcoming problems in a relationship however, it is a vice like grip on self control and steely determination that overcomes. Don't believe me? Think about the last time you came across a gridlock issue in your relationship and had to white knuckle your way through an argument to keep from reacting aggressive, immature and illogical. If you have been in a relationship for any amount of time, you understand that there are gridlock issues, issues we must agree to disagree on or get out. These issues always seem to reappear when our relationships are going through rocky times, thus, making said difficulties ten times harder to overcome. So, what should we do to overcome these gridlock issues and difficult times? The answer will surprise you.

There is new evidence that indicates the best thing to do to overcoming tumultuous times is focus on the good in the relationship. Sounds easier than it is but, we manifest what we focus on. So, if we are always focused on the gridlock issues or what the other person is NOT doing, then the energy we are creating is more of what we don't have. Relationships needs understanding in order for both partners to feel emotionally safe and secure. Sometimes we must all fight our own inner child to find that understanding and compassion for our significant other. If you have ever been through one of these arguments then you know it takes steely determination and self control. It takes those same things to learn to live with gridlock issues, and we can learn to live with them, if the relationship is important enough to us.

I am not suggesting however, that we learn to "live with" unhealthy boundaries or abuse of any kind. I am strictly speaking of learning to communicate and focus on the good in our significant other. Communication is, in my opinion, the most important part of any relationship. Eventually, if we communicate enough, we will learn to overcome issues and speak about gridlock issues without causing pain to our partner. Through this kind of behavior, we will eventually learn to focus on the best in our partner. It is that rose colored glass that we look through when we first become enamored with the blush of first love. The most important thing to understand is, difficulties come and go in all relationships. They cannot be avoided. So, why not quit trying to change the other person to your way of thinking and simply embrace all the wonderful qualities that attracted us to our partners in the first place.

Thought for the day: Today I will embrace and focus on all things good, pleasing and unique in my significant other. I will take the time to appreciate all the rose colored qualities that made me fall in love and I will share those thoughts with him/her.

Trust In God and Tie Your Camel To a Tree

2009-12-19T19:50:00.000-08:00

There is a saying in places where people depend upon camels for transportation, "Trust in God and tie your camel to a tree".

To me this is a colorful way of telling us we must do our part as well as trust Spirit to guide us on our path. We all have free will and because of that, nothing is set in stone except our point of arrival. How we get there is our own choice. When a client comes to me and asks if they are going to move back in with their parents or are they going to take a job offer, I must remind them that it is their choice as to whether they will choose one path or another. It is the phrasing of the question which will tell whether you are taking an active part in your life or passively blowing about by every wind. For example let us look at the question

"Will I move back in with my parents?" when phrased like this is implies that you are counting on the universe to make the choice for you. This is a very passive way to approach your life and relinquishes your responsibility for your own choices. We were not given free will so that we are passive. We are given free will so that we may actively participate in our life lessons.

To make this question more active. it should be phrased more like this "I have decided to move back in with my parents, is this the best decision for me?" by asking this way you are declaring your intentions to the universe and then asking for direction.

Thought for Today: I will actively seek to be proactive in all that I do today and trust that the universe will guide me towards the best path.

Thought for the Day

2009-11-23T13:54:00.000-08:00

Today: Let me not yield to apathy or defeatism, let me instead focus on finding the positives in my life. Negative or Positive, tomorrow will happen anyway so why waste time being unhappy, uncertain or lacking abundance. Life is far to short to spend it trying to be anyone's idea of perfect. Stop trying to fit in when you were meant to stand out.

Overcoming Stressful Times Without Cutting Yourself Short.

2009-11-09T11:49:00.000-08:00

Each person views change differently, not all of us see change as a challenge or an opportunity. After all, change can be difficult and threatening to accept. We fear change because it brings with it uncertainty and knocks us off balance. It makes our stomach clench, our hands tremble, brings on moments of inability to think rationally and can cause intense panic attacks. We stumble to find a solution to right ourselves and often times grasp any solution, when we should be digging for our faith. Be still. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes connect with your breath and when you feel ready, draw your awareness out of your body and into the universe. Soak up the feelings of serenity and peace. You are safe, repeat the words over in your mind "I am safe, I am not alone." It takes consistency and practice, so don't give up. Breathe.

Once you have made initial contact with stillness, spend some time there. Feel the knot in your stomach loosen and your burden lift. Allow the positive flow of energy to wash over you until the noise in your head subsides. After all, drama and uncertainty is noise to our spirit. We need to turn it down until we can find the balance we once had.

You cannot cut corners when it comes to finding the solution. Being off balance causes certain physiological changes in our body that return when to normal when the stress factors are gone. But, when the stresses are long term (persistent or repetitive) such as, death, divorce, buying a house, selling a house, marital problems, problems with our children and even planning a wedding, these stresses can actually cause long term responses and stop us from finding solutions. Remember the body is always seeking to keep itself in balance by compensating chemically. So, what do we do to find emotional and physical balance.

First, we start with slowing down. When we have noise in our soul we cannot drown it out with more noise because it causes more stress. We cannot reasonably cease to function so we need to identify what noise can be eliminated. If you have very little to eliminate then we need to look for time to add little moments of relief.

Meditation is a very good way to bring the body to a momentary stand still. It doesn't have to be the kind of meditation that comes with hours of complicated processes. Meditation made simple will work best at this point. If you have head phones, music and a chair you are set. I utilize pandora.com which is a free internet music site and has great meditation music that plays continuously (also you can access it from any computer anywhere, anytime) or you can download music to your favorite mp3 player. Whatever works for you just keep it simple you don't want to create more stress.

Once you have found what music works for you simply sit comfortably in a chair or if you are pressed for time you can meditate as you go into sleep while listening to one of those noise suppressors with the timer. The idea is to connect with your breath until the chatter in your mind quiets. Breath in through your nose to the count of six, hold for two and release quietly out your mouth for a count of six. I also use a trigger word. Once I begin to feel myself slipping into the meditative state, I repeat this word over and over a few times until the word becomes associated with the bliss feeling of meditation. The reason for this, when you are in a stressful situation you can use the trigger word to instantly feel relief from the stress, clearing your body of the physiological changes it undergoes during stressful moments. It works like the Pavlovian theory of conditioning.

A vitally important part of stress relief is proper diet. I won't spend to much time here because this is a topic all on it's own. But, I cannot stress the importance of a healthy diet that includes lots of antioxidants. It is my belief that a dose of Chlorophyll (available at a health food store in many forms) daily carries renewed oxygen to cells as well as contains helpful amino acids, vitamins, minerals and enzymes that will help reduce the damage done by long term stress. Your body needs good healthy low fat, non processed food to survive so don't drive by Carl's Jr for a western bacon cheeseburger and call it good. Fast food has become a necessary part of our society but it doesn't have to power you all day, everyday.

Another important key to overcoming a stressful cycle is rest. This can sometimes provide the biggest challenge. How does one stop from waking in the middle of the night with a heart pounding panic attack. In severe cases such as panic attacks it is better to consult a physician. But, if you find yourself in the middle category of restless sleeping I suggest a holistic approach. Limit napping completely or cut it back to 20-30 minutes. Establish a good routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time. Limit alcohol and caffeine intake as well as limit exercise a few hours before bed. Establishing a good bedtime routine like reading, taking a warm bath or meditating yoga will help to promote healthy patterns as well.

Finally, get plenty of exercise. Exercise releases endorphins which will help to balance healthy brain activity. Be gentle with yourself. Life is meant to be enjoyed and taking an active part in your overall happiness is empowering, by following simple steps everyday you will soon find yourself back in balance.

Today: I will commit to doing one good thing for myself to promote healthy balance in my life.

Trials By Fire Coming Out Golden

2009-11-06T14:54:00.000-08:00

We have all experienced moments or a series of events in our lives where we have stood with bewildered expression upon our faces and asked "Why is this happening". We chose to view them as "victims" or "victors". Sometimes these situations are simply a matter of making bad choices. Others are more profound. These are the moments where, had the circumstances not been so tragic or life altering, they would be almost laughable in their timing. When we find ourselves in one of those predicaments we must first train ourselves to be still. We need to identify whether this is a circumstance of bad choice or a trial by design. If it is simply a matter of bad choice, then we need to recognize it and move forward with better wisdom. You wouldn't keep traveling down the path to Home Depot and expect to get to Lamps R Us would you? Of course not, that is the definition of insanity. So we must change the behavior or suffer the pain again.

If however, it is a trial by design then, how receptive we are to the lessons and how positive our attitude, can often time determine how fast we go through our lessons. We are all put here to leave this world wiser then we entered it. So we are going to look at the process of purifying Gold because after all, in the eyes of the universe, we are all Golden.

The process of refining Gold starts with preparation. We can liken childhood to this stage. It is during those early, formative years that we learn how to move and function in the world. We learn manners and develop habits that carry us through our life. We develop a moral compass in which to direct our paths. We learn dependency or independence, depending upon the parenting in our lives. We learn to have confidence or we develop confidence issues. Children learn what they are taught by the behavior modeled in front of them. That's why the roll of parenting is so important in my eyes.

Once we have mastered our coping skills, the universe begins to add things into our mix. We learn about relationships, personality flaws and conflict resolution. We begin to simmer. During this time, we learn to be aware of our flaws and behavior patterns that cause us pain. The problems we experience in our lives are obstacles in which we need to overcome. A popular prayer said at funerals say "We go through the valley" we aren't meant to wallow in the valley or sit down and take a nap in the valley. We are suppose to go through.

We learn from each new experience that heats us up and puts us under pressure. During this time all of the impurities(bad habits, selfishness, negative thinking, etc) within us are beginning to come to the surface where they can be strained off and discarded. Why would we want to hold onto them, they are impurities that cause us difficulties and suffering. Again, attitude is important here. Whining, complaining and grumbling leaves us wandering the desert drawing more negativity towards us, not going through and coming out wiser, purer.

The more intense the feelings of pressure, the more we are learning and purifying. It's difficult enough without a bad attitude and a bad attitude will lead us to repeating the lesson, something I for one would rather not do. We can spend many lifetimes during this process of refining. We each have a path to walk and it will take us to a different destination. One that was made specifically for us. We all have potential to live great lives of spiritual abundance. Free will gives us a choice how we get to our destination. My "God" is a loving God. One that measures the weight of our hearts not how strictly or rigidly we adhere to the rules. The Universe/God/Goddess (whatever term you are most comfortable with) is omnipresent and is lover, mentor, confidant, friend and parent. One that loves unconditionally and wants to see us succeed as quickly and painlessly as possible. But, in the spirit of unconditional love is willing enough to let us learn our own lessons at our own pace and will be there to kiss our boo boo's when we fall.

Unconditional love allows for us to make our own mistakes and is still willing to offer us love in spite of our flaws. How will you chose to get through your trials by fire?

Today: I will take the time to refine my attitude to gain the most positive energy from each experience in my day.

Law of Attraction Moment of Indulgence

2009-10-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

I am positive energy radiating out into the world. Today I am receiving abundances in every area of my life. I am at peace.

Namaste

The Battle for Control Ego vs Spiritual

2009-10-26T07:42:00.000-07:00

I have had issues with trying to force a change. There are times I still have issues of trying to force a change if I am totally honest here. I recently noticed myself having a lot of conversations about the Ego.

Now I don't mean Ego in the negative way, but as a separate part of ourselves that we must constantly struggle over who will be in control. I look at the Ego side of me as always being in opposition with the Spiritual side of me, because after all it's all about me (the Ego place). The Spiritual side of me recognizes that there is so much more to life than just me. It wants to understand my place in the overall picture. It's all about perception. I look at my Ego as some strange science experiment....it is there to teach my spiritual side (which on a good day is the one in control LOL). But, it is important to realize that we are exactly where we are suppose to be in the overall grand scheme of things. I found a quote the other day that was so powerful to me that I will share it here.

"The Ego is our mental power turned against ourselves"

Marianne Williamson

Our Ego is constantly contending with our Spiritual side for control. After all to allow the Spiritual side to lead and control, the Ego is effectively issuing its own death sentence, at least from the Ego's perspective. The Ego can't imagine a world where it isn't in control. So our frustration over "being still" is actually the Ego fighting to remain on the surface. What it doesn't understand is that we need it in order to grow and change. We have no desire to kill it or even live without it, but it is so far into survivor mode it has yet learned how to work with our Spiritual selves. Ultimately, that is the desired goal, to bring Ego and Spirit into harmony where it can achieve balance in order to effectively work and teach others. We are light workers all of us. That is our path in this life. But, that doesn't mean we are immune to the same struggles in our everyday life. We both learn and teach in a well oiled machine but, occasionally we all push hard enough to tilt the pinball and that's okay as long as we start over again using the three keys of change.

Today: I am becoming aware of when my Ego is controlling my thoughts and actions.

Three Keys to Change Part 2

2009-10-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

Part 2

Last time we took a look at awareness which is the first step to change. Today we will look at admitting we have something that needs to be changed and conscious action. On the surface these two things seem reasonably easy but upon closer inspection we find that in matters of change our Ego will always stand in our way.

One of the arduous things for some will be admitting that there is a flaw they need to change. For others, this step will happen easily and naturally. It will depend upon how well you and your Ego are cooperating. For some the admitting needs to be spoken out loud and other are good with just a mental acknowledgment. There is no hard and fast rule here about admitting so go with what feels right for you. The challenging part is action.

Action for me usually involves shutting my mouth. This is something that can often cause more pain for me because my Ego always likes to believe that it knows best. My gifts lie in cutting to the root of the problem. This isn't always beneficial to the person on the other end of my truth. To many times we fight about the circumstances when what we should be doing is looking below them to the root of the issues. We need to identify if there is any common factors and we must be willing to give ourselves honest insight. So, we must accept that our truth isn't always the truth for others. Nor, is it something they might be ready to hear.

We all spiritually grow at our own pace so relax and let others change at their own pace. Remember if you aren’t in a job like mine where people ask me to pull their covers, you must keep it on your own side of the fence. By that I mean, we can only change ourselves and decide what is right for us. We can communicate in a non combative, non critical way what our issues are with another person. In other words, we need to learn to use phrases similar to “When you do this I feel that” then allow them to choose how they will respond.

In any relationship we have the right to decide whether you are being treated fairly. If you aren’t and someone’s behavior is causing you pain without change, you have the right to leave. Even if that behavior is coming from your adult child. We need to take back our power and make healthy decisions for ourselves. It doesn’t mean that we stop loving, it means we let go in love and appreciate the “other” times. After all that is the true meaning of unconditional love. No matter who it is, we can still let go in love. After all unconditional love goes both ways and should be applied to ourselves as well.

Take the time to act in your own best interest. Be brave and face the hidden flaws that are causing chaos in your life. What have you got to lose? What you have been doing so far isn’t working so why not try something new.

Today: I will make one small change towards a more positive lifestyle.

Three Keys to Change Part 1

2009-10-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

Part 1

There comes a time when you wonder if the things that people say to and about you are true. It is safe to say, for me, that I am the type to question myself first. I am accountable for my own behavior, because I view the world from a place of growth. I am not the type to run away from my flaws. We all have them and it doesn't make us weak to have them. It makes us human. To refuse to admit my flaws would devoid my life of purpose and allow the Ego to be take control. Over the course of the next three days we will explore the three keys to change and growth. Try to remember life is about progress, not perfection. We set our long range goal on change and growth and will not allow ourselves to be caught up in self condemnation. So, let’s begin.

If the purpose of life at its basic level is growth, then awareness is the first step to change, followed by admittance and finally conscious action. Sometimes, we need a reminder of our flaws because our Ego always wants to believe that it is perfect. Why, because the nature of the Ego is self centered and if we allow our Spirit to guide us then the Ego becomes afraid that is will lose its identity. It helps to recognize that the Ego and Spirit are two separate entities existing in the same body. The Spirit and the Ego must cohabitate in harmony to achieve its purpose but the Ego is very child like with its resistance. If I don't grow then the Ego remains in control and I am in effect dead to my purpose. Don't get me wrong, I need my Ego to survive. It has a purpose in my life. It reminds me of when I need to take care of myself and when I am being treated wrongly. It also tells me when it is time to act. The proof of growth is action.

Without the Ego it would be hard to grow. As children we come into the world with an Ego to communicate through cries, laughter and facial expression. We are pre-programmed to allow it to guide us to achieve the care we are not capable of giving ourselves. The goal is to learn to allow the soul, which is the bridge between Ego and spirit, to guide us into a better future where growth can happen.

The challenge is to develop the ability to listen to the soul’s guidance. It is an ability that takes practice and if you are seeking to take the easy way out, I strongly suggest that you stop reading now. This is not to be undertaken lightly and is not for those that give up easily. It is a venture that must be taken on every single day. We must all rise to the occasion if we are to succeed. It's hard to change. The good news is that if you are still reading this you recognize that what you have been doing so far isn't working for you.

So, how do we change? It starts with a commitment to awareness. The first step in awareness is recognition. Awareness is that burning feeling that something is not right and no matter what you do you cannot simply forget it. We have all experienced this in our lives, the key is to identify when it is happening. When you notice that you are thinking of something over and over, you are probably becoming aware of an issue that needs change. This is a process and will not happen overnight. We are the masters of denial. It is the nature of the Ego. However, if you have chosen a path of growth it won't go away and it will become too painful to ignore, so you might as well act. Remember, this is not about getting someone else to change so if you find yourself obsessing over someone's behavior, your Ego is seeking to distract you from your personal growth. When you become aware that your Ego has taken charge you are now ready for action. Next time we will discuss Admitting and Action.

Today I will take the time to become aware of my own inner world and set my intentions.

Pointing The Finger

2009-10-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

The evil we perceive in others, we dimly perceive in ourselves. Awareness is to understanding what jelly is to peanut butter. What does all this mean? It means that without awareness we would never obtain understanding. We would just free float through our lives, continuing to make the same mistakes over and over again. I don't know about you but, there are some mistakes in my past that I would rather not repeat. For instance: do I really want to live through over processed hair that left me looking more like the straw man from the Wizard of Oz? Or, maybe I'd like to relive the very public lesson of why it's not a good idea to jump into the lake with a tube top bikini on? Right, I could absolutely live without that reminder.

When we look at those we love and think "Gosh I really hate it when he/she talks over the top of me, it makes me feel unimportant" that is our first awareness that Spirit might be convicting us of our own behavior. It opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for learning. It also may be our subconscious trying to tell us that we have become involved in an unhealthy relationship. Whichever it is, there is a lesson to learn when we are left feeling uncomfortable about a situation or an action.

It's important to remember there is a difference between conviction and condemnation. Condemnation is negative energy used to keep you down, while conviction serves to positively lift us up and encourages us to grow. We were meant to live our lives in victory and progress, not in perfection. We are all put here with human imperfections and it's okay to discover that we are as imperfect as everyone else. Embracing our imperfections will allow us the freedom to become aware and therefore understand where we need to improve.

Today: I will take the time to examine my flaws from a healthy perspective and embrace my awareness

Living Imperfectly Today

2009-10-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

I live a real life, complete with all the dysfunctions that constantly surrounds me. I used to think that I was always striving to live a normal life. Then I began to read Sacred Signs by Adrian Calabrese and I started noticing that what I was striving for was off in the distance. It was some abstract destination place I never quite seemed to arrive. I felt as if I was failing all the time at everything. My life was passing me by while I was throwing all the balls into the air, trying to control where they were going. My eyes were always off in the distance, instead of seeing what I was juggling. I was not living my life. I was always striving to live a better life, striving to be a better me. I needed to stop looking to the future for what I wasn't and start looking at today and what I am. I needed to appreciate and embrace who I am with all my imperfections. I needed to step back and look for guidance in the here and now. I was not put on this earth to have a miserable life full of burden. I was put here to learn and to be a blessing. Each one of those balls I threw into the air had a face and a place in my life. I had to stop trying to be perfect and work on progression. I had to stop trying to control my circumstances and control myself. I have to live today and let tomorrow take care of itself.

It order to achieve this it is important to first work on retraining the brain to stop worrying. It takes time and lets face it, we didn't get this way over night, it is unrealistic to expect that we could undo it in day or two. Like every issue we need to overcome it starts with awareness. If we mentor ourselves as well as we do others, we will learn to talk ourselves off the ledge. That means that when we notice that we are acting out our dysfunctional behavior, we must remind ourselves to take things one day at a time. We wouldn't leave a friend in need on the ledge so, don't leave yourself there either. Talk to yourself, be your own best friend. It's important to have goals and a plan to get there but, it is not necessary to go over the plan everyday all day. We miss today when we do, so stop. If you don't have all the answers, don't worry.

The Universe will always provide answers to each and every problem. If we just take the time to ask for a sign and be willing to receive it when it comes we release ourselves from the burden of being perfect. There is no right or wrong way to ask. There isn't a correct order or sign to ask for but, you must alert for your sign and remember that no sign is also an answer. The sign can be as simple as a penny or a bird, whatever is significant and meaningful to you. Remember we don't have to sort out every mess in our lives but we must have faith and ask for guidance. We must be willing to take responsibility for our mistakes and learn from them by taking action on the guidance we receive.

Faith, like trust is something that must be developed one step at a time, one day at a time, one person at a time. Sometimes the person we need to learn to trust the most is ourselves and it starts with living in the present.

Today when I am tempted or pressured into irrational behavior or too far into the future, I will ask myself to stop and think before I do or say something I will regret. I will live in the present and accept the blessings of this day.