Category Archives: Encouragement

Shine your soul

Shine Your Soul

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My friend, have you forgotten the magnificence of your soul? Do you allow your soul to shine daily? I invite you to wake up each day and intend to be more aligned with your soul. To move through your day using your highest gifts. You are a gift to the world and you have things to share. We all have majestic offerings to share with others.

Our skills and talents are our nature. We often dim our lights to fit into the expected norms of our cultures. We can forget that our differences are what we bring to the table. The more we can be authentically aligned, the more we have to offer another. Rather than trying to fit into expectations, we can choose to notice our unique qualities as strengths given to us to shine and share. We may think of our differences as disabilities, but they may have been given to us to help uplift or connect to another. You can inspire others by embracing all of your qualities. What appears to us as flaws may be exactly what others need to see.

Instead of spending so much energy on fixing ourselves, we can empower ourselves by accepting that we are already capable and beautiful just the way we are. Our souls are designed to shine through, not be hidden. When we focus less on micromanaging our flaws, we have much more energy to shine. We are all made wonderfully and beautifully different. We were not born in a doll factory. What you may see as imperfect may be what another sees as our alluring quality. In other words, what stands us apart can be a strength, not a weakness.

When you can embrace all of yourself, you give courage to others about the important qualities in life. We also can shine our light to help them to be less embarrassed about their insecurities. We when are able to show up and fully be ourselves, we empower others to do the same. The more we appreciate all of our qualities, the more ability our cells have in healing and improving our bodies. I have found appreciation for our bodies enables our nervous system and criticizing deteriorates it. Your nervous system and body responds to the thoughts you think. In a sense you are not only helping others when you operate more from the soul, but you are in turn truly helping yourself as well.

As often as you can, I invite your soul to speak.
Allow your heart to sing.
Let your spirit shine.
Leave your judgments behind.
Let your soul soar.
Spread your wings and fly.
Engage in the things that move you.

We are living art. Each of us our own artist. Embrace your rhythms and share your authenticity! Allow your magnificence to move through you. This is your gift to the world.

Intuition

How To Hear Your Intution

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My clients (and recently a few of you readers) frequently ask me about how they can hear their intuition. In a busy and often daily life full of noise, it can be tricky to recognize your intuition. It is often subtle and takes time and practice at tuning in. At times during danger and in crisis, we can feel those instincts and vibes loud and clear, but in our daily life they may not appear as obvious.

Another reason they are not so easy to identify is because we may not be very used to tuning in and listening to our inner selves. When we get caught up in our busy lifestyles and do not take the time to be quiet and tune in, we can be rusty at acknowledging when our intuition is giving us clues. It is important to take some time for ourselves to listen and develop ways to recognize those messages.

Receiving our intuitions and gifts feels different for everyone. There is no recipe that works exactly the same. There are many paths to tune in, but what resonates with one may not work as well with another. It’s also a good idea to explore and try many avenues to see what helps you the best. Be gentle and easy with yourself. This is a fun way to do things that feel good to your soul. The more you pay attention to the little feelings, the more you are able to connect within.

Meditation is a practice that helps you tune into the messages from your intuition. (I know I start often with this one, but it really is a good tool if you give it the time, space, and practice.) It is called a practice because the more you do it, the more you can allow those feelings to flow through. You can take it slow and work your way into a longer practice and utilize it when and how it fits into your life. Meditation is clearly not the only avenue, but it can be a strong ally to those that develop a habit. If the thought of meditation is really intimidating to you, you can always think of it as sitting in the quiet for a few minutes to concentrate on your breath and calm yourself. Sometimes that is all you need to recognize the next step or simply feel a little better.

Another wonderful way to connect is by using your creative energy. For some this may be though painting, sewing, knitting, writing, drawing, dancing, praying, practicing tai chi or yoga, playing an instrument, gardening, hiking, or doing anything that brings your soul joy or relief. It is through these practices that you move out of your head and more into the flow of the activity. These are also other forms of meditation. To understand meditation a little better, I like to think of it as an act that helps you slow down the 10 million fast-moving thoughts that occupy much of your mind daily.

The more you can get lost in an activity that you love and that brings you peace, the more you allow space for your intuition to come through loud and clear. It can communicate in a variety of ways. It may be as simple as knowing of which direction to move next. You may feel or hear a “yes” or “no” come through to a question or situation you have been pondering. Many times when we struggle to hear an answer, it doesn’t come through immediately. I’ve learned if you put the question out there, you can receive some guidance through these acts of meditation.

I once heard a Buddhist lama speak on a walking meditation. The emphasis was focusing on an act to clear your mind through a moving meditation. You can accomplish this not only while taking a walk, but while performing simple acts like doing the dishes, folding laundry, sweeping, or any repetitive chore you do often. The idea is to learn to be present in the moment of what you’re doing. Many times when we are doing these activities our minds are also simultaneously thinking of many other things. We aren’t being in the moment and our minds are elsewhere. If you can take an activity where you actually focus or perhaps even try to enjoy what you’re doing, you are changing the flow and energy to open up more toward your intuition.

I think this is a good avenue to point out, because we often use the excuse that we are too busy to be quiet. This is a way you can tune in while getting some things accomplished that you feel you need to. It’s about being creative and present with your time and actions. I find when I bring myself more to the present moment I enjoy chores more. It’s not a dreadful thing I need to get done. I am more calm and peaceful rather than rushed and stressed trying to get my to do list done.

Whether you are taking some time to be present in your activities or enjoying activities you love, you are opening and allowing your connection to your intuition and your inner self. The more you practice, the more you deepen relationship. If you don’t have many hobbies and don’t feel you know how your creative energy flows, just follow any activities you enjoy. You can also explore some things you have been drawn to or always wanted to try. The key to know how you channel your creative energy is when you can get lost in what you’re doing, or anything that simply brings you joy. You don’t have to be good or a master at anything to enjoy what you’re doing. The point is to open yourself to the flow of your creative energy. The more time you spend in this flow, the more you can pick up on your intuition.

Your outlook

Your Outlook

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Your outlook in life is your compass. Often the results you get depend on how you project it to go. When I worked in surgery I started with patients in the holding area before their surgery and frequently took care of them in recovery. Through the years, I observed that when they declared their surgery would go well, it did. Those patients that were more fearful or worried about pain or being sick in the recovery room, sure enough those patients woke up sick and in a lot of pain.

Through my years of being a nurse, I found it fascinating to observe how often this played out. It was surprising to me how often their intentions were followed by their experience. It wasn’t always easy to try to ease a patient’s mind before surgery, but it was a big part of my job then. I felt the more calm I could help them be, the better their experience would be in the recovery room. When I focused on educating them and easing their worries as much as possible, I then found smoother results in the recovery room. I also noticed that I gave less pain medication in turn as well. We were very lucky in those years of having successful turnouts and very few emergencies.

In my position at a surgery center, I had the opportunity to be involved in their entire process. It started out that I would call the patient at home to schedule their surgery and answer their questions about taking care of them before and after their surgery. At the end of the process I called them at home to check on them. I got to experience their full circle of their outpatient surgery. I also did quality and assurance reports that helped me verify my observations. I had a really awesome privilege of working with some of the best nurses, technicians, and office staff out there. I believe it led to the patients doing so well.

I also had the opportunity to work in hospitals that weren’t so well-oiled. I was pulled to many floors working with crews that I wasn’t used to and in less operative conditions. Even though these environments had many differences in how things worked, I was still able to conclude many similarities. At one particular hospital, I floated and was assigned to a variety of floors/departments. A few floors were “known” to be very difficult floors because of the severity of illnesses in those patients and often a less smooth running system. In my attempts to balance out these situations, one advantage I used was knowing that if I could assist my patients in their outlook, I could survive my shift and take care of them better.

At one hospital, I often observed many of my co-workers starting the day with a big list of orders and being forced to “hit the floor running,” so to speak. I noticed that they struggled to keep up with their charting (mandatory legal documents that recorded all their actions ). When I worked these floors/situations, I was able to use my experience of my observations to assist me many times. I tried a different path to help navigate my experience with these challenging situations. For example, rather than jump right into my list of duties and responsibilities (as I noticed many nurses do), I took about ten extra minutes with each patient on my initial rounds to practice my skills of communication and calmness. When I felt they knew my intentions I headed towards my orders.

At first glance, it looked like I was way behind the other nurses on our duties, but i found it to be an investment of time that rewarded me greatly later on in the shift/day. I only did a few simple things that paved a smoother day. I took the time to sit down, look the patient in the eyes, and simply explained my intentions for the shift. I wanted them to feel secure that I was there for them and would do my best to address their pain, illness, and needs during my shift. It sounds so superficial, but made a great impact later in the day when I had time to sit down and chart while I observed many co-workers struggling to keep up. They seemed to have many patients calling out at the same time and they couldn’t find time to sit down, eat, chart, or even visit the restroom.

I’m also not saying we didn’t have our emergencies from time to time and everything was always smooth sailing… I did work in a hospital, but I am convinced that if it were not for that extra little time to assist in my patient’s outlook, I would have also been struggling so much more to keep up with my responsibilites and neglecting what in my heart I felt was a good job. I certainly wasn’t the best nurse working on that floor. Nor am I comparing my capabilities to my co-workers. I’ve worked with so many amazing people. I just wanted to point out that I was able to use what I learned to benefit me in difficult situations.

I found when my patients felt safe and secure, they needed me less. They were less sick and in less pain. I felt I gave much less medication when the patients felt some confidence over fear. When you can meet patients’ emotional needs, you address the bigger ones easier. When someone is sick, in the hospital or facing a procedure, you don’t always understand the stress and fear happening on their inside. If you can assist with this aspect, the care and outcome can be more optimal. Patients tend to do better when they are less stressed. I’ve learned half the battle is in the communication and their outlook. A positive report and outlook you can establish with people seems to in turn greatly affect the experience.

Just as I had opportunities with the outlooks to help my patients, your outlook in whatever you do in life can help you leverage your experiences. To steer it better can depend on your outlook. We can often get in the habit of starting our day running and busy without intention. To help you have a better day, you have an opportunity in how you choose your outlook. We often get exactly what we expect. In my experience I can definitely say it’s worth the extra time to focus on your outlook daily. It’s like preparing the way for your day to be smoother.

Follow your intincts

Follow Your Instincts

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One of your biggest assets is following your instincts. No matter how much knowledge or background you have in what you’re doing, you can always count on your instincts. It is a gift that helps you navigate through life. So often our instincts are right while our minds may not understand it at the time.

So often our intuition has a feel for how things are going, or a feeling about a person you may be interacting with that your mind hasn’t been presented with evidence on. Have you ever given someone the benefit of the doubt even though your instincts gave you a funny feeling? Because your mind had no proof, you may have ignored that feeling… then later figured out your instinct was right. It’s like a little hunch you get and cannot explain. It is your internal guidance system.

Though we have choices in life of what we believe and which direction we take, our instincts give us clues about the world around us. Our brains are actually complicated in how they process and give us information. Our instincts pick up and work on frequencies that our brain may not process and download for us. I like to think of it as helpful nudges that serve you well. Sometimes it’s even not what we want to feel, but I have always found it to be true. We like the idea of believing the best in situations and people, but if your instincts tell you to go a different way, it is a blessing trying to assist you. Even though it may not make sense at the time.

This is where your trust in yourself comes in. We can let our mind talk us out of our instincts, but if we can have faith that it knows best, you may save yourself some heartache and trouble. If you can believe that your instincts are very smart, you can leverage your experience more powerfully. Possibly even more positively along your journeys.

Over the years in talking with clients, I can see many have lost their trust in their intuition. Perhaps because of a hurtful experience. Sometimes we tend to listen to others over ourselves. Many times we can get so caught up in stress and busyness that we drown out those little hunches and feelings.

A good way to tune in before making decisions or facing a situation is to give yourself some time and space to sit with it. When you can allow some silence and slow down your mind, you can receive guidance of what is your next best step from your intuition. It just takes a little patience with yourself. Just as you would take some patience teaching a child to learn, you can assist the growth of tuning into your intuition more. The more you tune in and practice listening to your inner self, the easier it gets to hear when things are hectic and busy. In those moments that a situation or circumstance arises quickly, you can trust those first instincts.

It won’t always give you all the answers in the instant, but you can get the feeling of a direction to follow. Sometimes you have to keep your instincts to yourself until you can understand the big picture better, but it really is your biggest ally. Think of it as your best friend—always cheering you on and attempting to guide you safely.

Everything happens for a reason

Everything Happens For A Reason

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I was reminded today that everything happens for a reason. So many times in my life I have been on a new journey or course when life hijacked the journey and changed the course. Like your gps taking a different route that you did not intend to go, you still can arrive at your destination.

We can get so caught up in our egos and refuse to see that there’s a better course laid out ahead. Often it doesn’t make sense and we may initially think it’s either a no or isn’t going to work out. What I have come to learn after time and time again is that it is just a reroute for a better direction. Sometimes we intend on walking in a direction and it often doesn’t turn out the way we may have pictured it.

The journey is always unfolding ahead. If we can let go of the reins of how our brain thinks it has to go, we open up this marvelous space for beautiful opportunities to show up. The people we need to assist us on our journeys show up when they are needed. Often not before. We can stop ourselves from forward progress because our “game plan” isn’t unfolding the way we think it should go. Or I find often we delay beginning the journey because all the people and pieces aren’t yet in place. We can start and say yes to move forward without truly knowing how it will all unfold. Scary maybe, but it is the starting point.

That is where the beauty, excitement, and surprises get to come in. If I always knew what I was doing when I started any new project or journey, it would have probably lost its inspiration. If I had waited until I was sure I knew what I was doing, I could just bet you I probably never would have started. Many things I have accomplished or journeyed through in life started with an idea or an inspiration. Although I was sure my intuition was onto something, I truly did not know what I was doing. That is where the excitement came in for me.

It’s the unfolding and yearning to learn. I get to open up like a sponge and see where it takes me. Even with an end goal in mind per se, it always unfolds different than expected. Usually better than I could have planned. When I had my child, I certainly did not know what I was doing. Ask many parents how much trial and error they experience along the way. When I decided to leave my stable career in nursing and start a business, I certainly was not fully prepared. If I waited until I was sure it was all in place, I’m sure I would not have taken the leaps. Even mustering the courage to start publishing my writing to the public was extremely scary, but if I didn’t start somewhere unsure and knees knocking, I would still be torturing myself with my ideas and dreams.

It’s okay when your journey takes you down new halls or corners unplanned. Rather than seeing them as obstacles or failures, try to see them as opportunities and blessings to enable those dreams. The energy set forth with intention needs space for leverage to work on your behalf. When you can ask yourself what is happening for you rather than what is happening to you, you change your resistance into allowing. That allowing is the invisible creative energy opening doors for you. Hold your visions and be in anticipation for good things working in your favor. It takes some trust, but it’s worth the reward of your patience. Sometimes the biggest thing you can tell yourself in the meantime when things are taking a turn is that everything happens for a reason. Over time, you can see what those reasons are. I find often pleasantly things always happen for a reason. They are happening for you.

Critics

Critics

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I’ve learned over time, there are always some critics that will show up to critique you. This can stumble your momentum or stop you altogether. I think it is important to keep in mind that your movements and work in life will often open doors to misunderstanding. It takes courage to move forward. When we are criticized we may take it too personally. It can be beneficial to understand that someone else’s criticism generally reflects what they think inside, so why wage a war in your own mind when they show up?

If you frequently use your precious energy to beat up on yourself and internalize critiques, you can hold yourself back rather than launch yourself forwards. Most of us are looking for that momentum and we don’t realize how much we can slow our progress down by mulling over the critiques or embodying them in our minds. Repeating our critiques creates a negative effect.

When we can encourage ourselves from the inside, we gain confidence and positive momentum that can carry us further than you can imagine. It helps to be your own cheerleader. There will be times we need to be there for ourselves and if you have a positive foundation built within yourself, it can certainly help you through the tougher times.

It takes practice and repeating to really get in that space more often. Encouraging ourselves is how we have the opportunity to gain experience in anything we set out to do. In short: Practice! I see my writing, my art, my work, and my kindness as a practice. It’s not something I have automatically obtained or arrived at. Just like happiness our work, crafts, and art are a practice, not a final destination. We keep choosing it.

Choosing to encourage ourselves rather than criticize ourselves changes the energy we vibrate and operate from. Think about how it feels when you or someone else is constantly criticizing you. Now, think about how it feels when you or someone you know constantly encourages you.

Encouraging and cheering yourself on as you go helps you maneuver through the critiques. Also, it is important to recognize when the art of criticism is good and useful as well as when criticism needs to be ignored. You do not have to accept every criticism as truth. Much criticizing is done from the place of doubt and uncertainty from others. It is a reflection of some doubts on the inside of them. Especially when it is mean and hurtful.

It’s about what you tune into. There is a difference in constructive criticism that may help you reach higher levels. Knowing the difference can help your perspectives.

For example, my beautiful writing coach has the tough job to point out mistakes and offer constructive criticism. This is our agreement with each other. This is how I learn deeper in my writing practice for publishing and so on. I have practiced the art of encouraging myself for some time now. I think if I hadn’t, it would be very difficult to receive my mistakes and feedback. Not that she doesn’t continuously give me encouraging feedback, but we often hear our critiques amplified.

The positive criticism comes from a place of help and love. We can take it the unintended way if we haven’t practiced speaking kindly to ourselves. It takes a bit of learning to stop beating up on yourself so easily and practice encouraging thoughts instead.

It’s baby steps in turning some of your inner dialog around. Perhaps a plan or idea came to a bust. You could give yourself a hard time on all the things you can find and focus solely on what went wrong, or… You could give yourself some encouragement for trying. See the opportunities and solutions. Open the door and give yourself some room for perspective. It may be the stepping stone you needed to reach the levels you’re striving for.

Things will happen in life. And the critics are plentiful out there. You don’t have to allow it steal your focus or joys. It helps to practice your inner dialogue and thoughts to a higher place regularly. Think of it like passing trees and cars as you travel down the road, you can let happenings, life, and criticism pass on by as well. Allow it to move through you more than becoming it. Just don’t let it sow a seed on the inside. Let the things that help you, help you. Let the things that don’t,go. We have to often let go of criticisms so we can fly.

Your work

Your Work

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What’s your work? Some think of it as how you earn money. What you do for a living. Many struggle to know their work. As if we have one purpose. To be a doctor, an artist, a singer, or perhaps a writer.

My advice: Relax. Even if we are blessed to “know” some of our greatest gifts and talents, it doesn’t encompass all you do. Or what you are. It is also not limited to one art or study. It’s the many things we do and experience in life.

Your work is to shine your light. Your work is to watch for the paths towards excitement and joy. Your work is to follow passions and what you love. Your work is to experience the journey. One becomes a doctor from many years of studying and being mentored along the journey. One becomes an artist over the hours and years practicing his or her craft. One becomes a writer from much contemplation, learning, and outpour. They are all journeys. Would you want a doctor who never studied or practiced to perform your surgery?

We can appreciate ourselves and each other by recognizing we are all on a journey. We are all at different places and infused with many journeys simultaneously. Your work is not getting caught up in end goals because the experience is in the journey. Besides, even when you meet a goal, there will be something next. Life doesn’t stop moving because of your accomplishments. I’m not here to say you can’t be appreciative and proud of your goals. Just a reminder that the experience is in the journey.

I have clients who feel there is something next and don’t know what that journey is. Or maybe you have gotten into a habit of not believing in yourself or your work. Your work is to notice what lights you up and share your light with others. The world needs you. Your talents and your gifts can only come from you. You never know who needs you somewhere out there or who may be waiting for your gift.

Your work is to focus on your passions and intentions. Your work and yourself can be held back if you worry about being good enough, comparing your progress with others, or maybe just doubting yourself and your work.

Do you worry if you’re good enough? Do you compare your work to others? This holds your work back. You can be in the same profession as others, but they can’t do their work the way you do. You will practice the art (any art) with your own style and fashion. Rather than comparing, you can empower yourself and your work better by realizing that each journey is individualized with its own rewards and remembering that there are people who need you and your work.

Maybe someone has already written on the topic you’re sharing. Maybe someone out there needed to read it the way you wrote it. Maybe someone else has spoken about the topic you’re sharing. Maybe someone out there needed to hear it the way you said it. Maybe someone else out there is also styling hair, teaching, selling, practicing law, but maybe someone out there needs the way you style hair, teach, sell, or practice law. You won’t often find yourself in your field alone, but you will be the only one executing your craft and gifts the way you do.

We are all needed somewhere. It can be uplifting and life giving to know your work is needed and has a place in the world. Your work is of you. Embrace your journey. For it can’t look like anyone else’s anyway. Your work is your creation.

Love

Love

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How does one describe the endearment of love? I think love is infinite. Love is kind. Love is eternal. It is something you take with you always. It infuses your soul. It is the highest expression you can give someone. Love also has the power to heal.

Love is described in an infinite number of ways. Love is felt, seen, give, and touched differently. Each experience with love is unique. We can help others with love. One of the highest gifts is love.

How we feel love, how we show love, and how we infuse love into what we do reflects a powerful high vibration. I believe this vibration not only heals us, but also helps to heal loved ones, and in turn our earth. Love is magnified throughout the universe.

Can you believe that when you love yourself and others, you are contributing to a positive vibration within the collective consciousness? To give and receive love you are part of helping the planet. Love can guide you to feeling your connection with the earth, in this universe, and with each other.

I often hear “How can I make a difference?” Love. What can I do? Love. How can I contribute? Love. Love where you are. Love yourself. Love those around you. Whomever you come into contact with daily. Before you smirk about those annoying or pesky individuals in your life, could you instead try to see them with more loving eyes? It can change the energy you interact with and receive from that person. If you don’t enjoy their presence so much, you can use love to shift your experience with them.

Sometimes people are moody or unkind because of how they feel about themselves. Show them some love and see what can transform. Love has the power, the ability, and the magic to transcend. Even what may seem impossible to change. Everything is energy and everything moves on some level. So there is always the power of change.

Love is something you can believe in. Love doesn’t have one definition, description, or language. Through hardships, love can uplift us. Love gives us hope. Love gives us peace and love gives us possibility.

No matter your job, your titles, your family dynamics—-you have the opportunity to infuse them with love. Love is boundless and timeless. We may not take our material belongings with us when we transition from these bodies, but I do believe we take our love. Our status, our finances, our home all stay behind. Love goes with the soul. The bonds through love are never ending. No matter what you believe, love helps our journey in life.

Love is also linked with happiness, gratitude, and joy. They dance in this artful experience of life. Our lives and joys all look different from one another, but all joy is a root of love.

Every day when you arise and move through your day, you have the option to bring more love. To show love and to see love. No matter what is blaring on the news. No matter what fear and stresses have been amplified by so many. You have the option, the opportunity, and the ability to love. In small or big ways. Maybe it’s making breakfast for your family. Providing transportation, smiling at customers, helping your co-worker, holding the door for someone, helping someone that has their hands full, paying a compliment, being gentle with an animal, being patient with the elderly, or simply showing up with your presence.

Pay attention to what energy you infuse. Then pay attention to what is coming back to you. The more love you can infuse, notice if anything uplifts. Pay attention to how it make you feel. The atmosphere around you. Consider this as an experiment. And I’d love to hear your feedback!

Uniquely You

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When you ponder if you’re good enough, worthy enough, or even talented enough, I think it’s worth remembering you are uniquely you. No one can do any task, role, or job just like you. You may come across kindred spirits or friends that have much in common with you, but no one can be exactly like you.

So before you continue to measure yourself, compare yourself, or simply doubt yourself, remember you have a unique ability that only you bring to the table. You entail your own strengths, perspective, and style. Your smile, your laugh, and even the place of some freckles. Even twins have distinguishable features. There is room for a variety of contribution in this world. What a boring place it would look and feel if we were all moving around and looking the same!

When I was growing up, I was lucky my mom pretty much let me pick out my clothes and dress myself. Looking back at pictures, that clearly showed through. I have to admit I may have come off pretty tacky at times, but no one else had my style. From the way we fix our hair, to the way we wear our clothes, we could be more encouraging and do more to embrace each other’s uniqueness.

When I notice people making fun of how others dress or look, I think we are disempowering ourselves. When we do this, we reveal our inner judge and critic. Maybe this is their sense of style. Maybe it’s all they had available to wear. Perhaps they were having a bad day and that was the best they could do at the time. Maybe they don’t look in the mirror and try to please other people.

We have plenty of ways we can help and uplift each other without cutting down our appearances and feelings. The next time you’re in a store and perhaps someone has their pajamas on, give them a smile or high five for courageously being themselves. Be happy they are able to be in the store and make purchases to begin with. Some people out there on limited budgets have to miss out on those luxuries we may take for granted.

I certainly think it would feel a little weird if everyone showed up looking like me. We can appreciate our differences and uniqueness as we all add special ingredients to life. Our attire, our cars, our jobs, our homes, and our hobbies are all uniquely for our own choices. Sure, it’s fun when you encounter people that enjoy similar things. I’m just pointing out trying not to lose sight of the beauty in our differences and diversity.

The next time you’re up for a job, or meeting someone new, or perhaps questioning your appearance before you leave your home out into public, remember your unique strengths. You have a beautiful uniqueness no one else can occupy. For example, let’s use the possibility of new job or position for instance. You may find yourself not getting picked for the position. Rather than feeling not good enough for the position, you can feel like the position wasn’t good enough for you. You want to embark on things suited for you. There is a straight line to misery when you try force something that isn’t for you.

Your unique strengths give you an advantage of what you offer. Carry this confidence in your heart and if the position or situation doesn’t work out, you can be grateful that a more unique opportunity for you is on the way. Changing the energy of feeling unworthiness or something being wrong with you to feeling vibrant and uniquely you can open space for more empowering energy and opportunities.

It’s a feeling and a blessing to carry with you. You are uniquely you!

Yes

Yes

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Often our yes is more than an answer or response. It is often an opportunity. An invitation to a journey. A journey of experiences, lessons, and growth. It is a gauge to help you towards the direction in which you intend to go. We say yes when we are ready to learn.

When you say yes, it certainly doesn’t mean that you are ever fully ready or know how things will go. Yes is the opening of a door. Perhaps many doors. No guarantees, but there really aren’t many in flow and energy in life.

It helps to be cautious with the expectation of yes. Yes is where you intend to go, but I think it is helpful to understand that all yeses come with a journey that can be full of ups and downs.

The important thing to note is the opportunity of yes. It can be an avenue to a successful business journey. You will learn over time from your yes what works and often what doesn’t work. Saying yes is an invitation to the opening of what is possible.

Where no simply shuts all doors, yes allows. Yes is an opportunity to be more understanding and more open to life. Yes allows the energy to move in the direction of our dreams, hopes, and desires.

Yes can also move through failures to your success. Think of it this way: When a baby is first learning to walk, just because he falls several times does not mean he/she won’t ever walk. Just because you have a fight with your significant other doesn’t mean your relationship has to be over. It’s an opportunity to say yes and continue to try and move forward.

Yes is allowing yourself to be less rigid. Energy can flow better when we don’t try to block the flow. Yes can use the energy to leverage the universe. How can you attempt any new career, idea, or dream if you aren’t willing to say yes?

Yes opens the space to be picked by ideas and inspiration. When you say yes, you certainly don’t have to have all the answers to move forward. Most often that is impossible to know. Until we are all given a crystal ball in seeing the future, we have the unknown to rely on. There is such beauty in the unknown as well. It can feel shaky, but how boring life would be if we could see the entire staircase! We would kill our desire to strive and accomplish anything right there.

What would be the point of moving if we knew how the whole movie would play out? Yes is a step. Yes is a try. Yes is a permission slip to the journey. Yes is embarking onto a path. And though there is also great power in when to use the word no, we often throw it out before thoroughly considering the yes. We can get into a bad habit of automatically saying yes or no. When we do this, we miss so many options and opportunities and blessings in life. We need to take time to consider things before a quick response.

I have a tip that has helped myself and many through the years. Anytime you are proposed an opportunity in anything in life, before saying yes or no, think about it. Give yourself the space to see and feel if the fit of opportunity is there for you. I certainly think we should all give ourselves that space before any decision. When we answer on the spot without giving it some room in consideration, we can regret our answer. Tell the other or others you will have to take it into consideration. You reserve the right to figure out what is best.

Once you give it a little time to examine and contemplate, you can allow the space to receive guidance and information. Explore the opportunities of your yeses and noes. Will the yes be the direction you are wanting to head? You won’t have all the answers to begin with. Your yes is the beginning. When you say yes, be ready. You are granting access to infinite energy. You open up a portal to a journey and lessons. Be aware of the opportunities and beauty of your YES!