LEARN GROW SURVIVE

We will continually have challenges in our lives. These are opportunities to grow and learn. On occasion we will be blind sided or hit directly with something major. When this happens, we should not expect to always win or shine. When hit by something major, we need merely survive. Don't be so hard on yourself. You have survived everything in your life so far!

TOUCH IS POWERFUL

We are very social beings. We need to hear other human voices. We need to experience physical touch from other human beings. Social groups that share more physical touch feel closer emotionally and feel generally more secure. Lets bring this closer to home. To maintain a feeling of connection and intimacy, our personal relationships need to feel physical touch from us. Do you touch your children everyday? How about your teenagers? It's easy to go for days without having had physical contact with our teenage children. It's also dangerous. How about your spouse, when was the last time you touched them? Take just a few moments everyday to physically touch the people with whom you have a close personal relationship. It helps maintain that emotional security we all need and will help prevent a drifting apart in a relationship.  Touch is powerful. It's presence enhances our relationships. It's absence threatens our relationships. 

THE POWER IN CHOICE

I remember as a child living in a rural mountain area, looking up into the night sky with feelings of wonder. What's up there? Who is up there? I felt so small in such a big universe. Being so tiny compared to the universe, surely I didn't have much control in my life at all. What kind of power could I possibly have? Surely the immense powerful universe would determine my success or failure, my joy or sadness. I would learn, in time, how incorrect I had been. We are each an amazing creation. We may experience  poverty, oppression, the horrors of war, disease, abuse, all kinds of conditions externally. We indeed have little control over that. We do, however, have complete control over how we respond to it. We always have the freedom to choose our attitude in any given set of circumstances. We have the power and freedom to choose. We determine our own thoughts. Our thoughts determine our emotions. Our emotions can be hopeful, joyous, sad, angry, happy, excited etc. We choose. I can look into the night sky and feel wonder, fear, lonely or even peaceful and comforted. I can choose. That is very powerful!

INDEPENDENCE WITH WISDOM

From a very early age we seek independence. The joy we see in the face of a child when they say, "I did it all by myself!" This continues throughout our lives. We want to pursue our individual life's purpose and take our own path. All too often we can become discouraged blazing our independent trail because of all there is to be discovered. Let us not be blinded by the desire for independence. We don't need to reinvent the wheel. That work has already been done. As we proceed on our journey, lets remember that we can learn from those who have gone before us. Let us be courageous enough to pursue our path and independence and humble enough to learn from those who have gone before. Independence with wisdom. 

AS ABOVE SO BELOW

There are many religious and new age teachings that reference the phrase "as above so below". Implying that the connection between heaven and earth or earth and the universe is one of similarity or pattern. There are many writings addressing the same. I know that 'as inside so outside.' We can plan the most amazing vacation to one of the paradise locals around the world. We can go there and experience next to heaven in peace and relaxation. That is if we are already able to experience peace and calmness within. If inward we are always nervous, anxious, angry or anything unpleasant, that is what we experience outward as well. You could be in Fiji but if you've brought trouble and contention with you inside, you'll get to enjoy trouble and contention in Fiji. It's not where you are that brings peace and joy, it's what you are and what you are becoming inward. 'As inside so outside' or that which Ye do send out shall return to you again. 

THE FLASH OF INSIGHT

Have you ever had a problem you couldn't sort through? Have you had a challenge for which you did a lot of research and still don't know the answer? Have you dealt with an issue that is still unresolved?  Quite often the answer has been presented to us from our subconscious but we are so occupied with continued study or problem resolution we miss it. Insight most often comes in a flash! When seeking that insight or inspiration, watch and listen for it. Create periods of stillness and quite. Once you've asked the question or presented the problem to the subconscious, let it work as its designed. Then quiet yourself, calm your being, and listen, watch, be. You just may catch a glimpse of something amazing. 

FRUSTRATION

At various times in our life we will have situations where we need or want to take action. Unfortunately, in some situations we will be unable to take the desired action. Unable to accomplish what we desire. Their will be situations where you feel a great need to do something but will have no idea what to do. These are all situations or periods of frustration. It is an uneasy emotion of conflict. When these times come, when these situations occur, stop! Remove yourself from the situation physically and / or mentally. Take a different path for a brief period. Allow your focus to be on something else entirely. This allows the mind to process and problem solve as it was designed to do. You will be surprised at the insights and understanding that surfaces. When frustrated, stop, redirect and allow the mind to work.