Gratitude

“Gratitude can turn common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” When you express gratitude, you raise the vibrations around you to a higher frequency. You create positive energy that emanates out from you and returns to you as wonderful experiences. Good things and good people gravitate toward you because you’re such a joy and delight to be around. Moreover, an attitude of gratitude is naturally attractive. It has the power to turn challenges into possibilities, problems into solutions, and losses into gains. It shifts the energy. It expands your vision and allows you to see what might normally be invisible to someone with a limiting attitude. Gratitude is a prayer for goodness to abound. It opens the doors to our hearts and allows us to feel connected.Today, throughout the day consciously find things to feel grateful about and spend as many moments as you can being grateful for all the good that’s in your life. In doing so, you will discover even more to be grateful for.

Just for today, I consciously look at all the good in my life and I am grateful for them all. I express gratitude in every way. Doing so is an important part of my life. I focus on my many blessings and I watch them multiply. I am grateful for being alive. It is my joy and pleasure to live another wonderful day. And so it is

Full Moon Power

It is the last Full Moon of the year. This Full Moon because it follows just hours after our Solstice is said to of "immense power". That rare sequence of events is the Universe's way of insuring that you are letting go of the emotional baggage that you've been carrying around with you and that has been preventing you from making the changes that you desire.

This powerful Full Moon also offers you the opportunity to start the New Year with a fresh perspective and a liberated heart. Today, celebrate all that you have achieved all year long, and release what you no longer wish to take with you in the New Year. You are a different person than you were at the beginning of the year. Your light is stronger from within, and now you have so much more radiance to share with the world. Today, powered by the light of the Full Moon, be willing to do a final let go of any relationships, habits, patterns and beliefs that no longer serve you. You will need all of your focus and strength to fulfill your heart's desire in the coming year. Let go and let positive change and pleasant surprises come your way.

Just for today, I am willing to let go. I let go of childhood fears. I am a secure, empowered adult. I now choose to release all hurt and resentment. I release all expectations, knowing that Life will always take care of me. I let go and I let the new come rushing in. I feel safe in the rhythm and flow of my every changing life. All is truly well in my world. And so it is.

Winter Solstice-celebrate the dark and the light inside of you

Happy Winter Solstice! The Winter Solstice for us in the Northern Hemisphere marks the longest night and shortest day of the year. It is a time that we all enter into a new direction of energy and start moving towards a phase of completion. It is at this time that we begin wrapping up the year and start reflecting on the lessons that the cycle of this year has brought us. It is the beginning of an energy shift for all of us. Spiritually, the Winter Solstice is said to be about “honoring both light and dark”. It is said to be a time to go within, reflect and to honor the darkness so that you can know that light will return, once again. It is a time for you to see the duality of life and that in truth, everything is one and the same. In truth you cannot perceive light unless you have seen the darkness; you cannot understand summer unless you have seen the winter. Both of those concepts need one another to be real, to exist. The Solstice teaches us that no matter how dark the night, the light will always return. And no matter how light the day, the darkness will always return. Today, honor the cycles of nature, of life. Honor both sides of yourself-the light and the dark. Begin to the understand that it is not about how often you venture into the darkness or into the light, but how you allow these states to move you, to change you, to soften you, and to awaken you to wholeness, to the love, which resides within and all around you, and me.

Just for today, I am grateful for all that I am, for all that I have and for all that I have experienced. I know that challenges are opportunities for me to grow. The more I learn the more I am equipped to handle whatever situations come up. I relax completely for I know that I am safe and everything is working out for my highest good. All is truly well in my world. And so it is.

Intuition...

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.”

Tuning into your intuition during troubled times can be difficult. With so much noise, information, and clutter within the world, your thoughts can often be clouded with distractions. Adding to all that noise is your own self doubt, your ego and your brain that prevents you from trusting your intuition. Your brain and ego are powerful forces that can drown out your quiet inner voice-the voice that can tell you exactly what you need to know and to do, if you would only listen.

Today, begin to trust what you know, and be willing to trust it enough to act upon it. Trust that your assessment of the things in your life is accurate, that your feelings are valid, that your observations are not all in your head. Trust that you know what is true for you. And then, trust that you have enough courage to take action on what you know. In truth, YOU always know what you need and how to proceed next, but fear can creep in causing you to second guess yourself. Today begin to know that you can never make a wrong decision because you can always “right” your decision down the line. Know that whatever you are experiencing now is an opportunity that has presented itself to you, which means on some level you are ready for it..Trust in your truth. Have unwavering faith in yourself and know that your intuition always wants to guide and support you in every moment.

Just for today, I trust my intuition. I am willing to listen to that small still voice inside of me. And when I do, I hear all the answers to all the questions I shall ever ask. I trust my intuition. It is always on my side. I am safe and all is truly well in my world. And so it is.

Integration

“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.”

Do you ever feel like it is "Ground Hog's Day" repeating the same trying situations over and over-with different scenery and different actors but, always the same struggles and challenges over and over again. Well, then you are human and you and I all need to learn that whatever we've tried to outrun, can’t be avoided forever. It will follow us until we face it and work through it.

And, that is what this year has been trying to teach you. It has taught you and I so much about where and how we limit ourselves and our lives. However, once we learn the lessons we need to learn, we can break free of those patterns. In truth, by not learning what you needed to learn years ago, you have faced the same situations over and over and you will continue to have the same experiences until you get the lesson, and start applying it.

Today, is that day that you begin to integrate the lessons that you need to learn so that you can move forward into a New Year. Today, make time to look for the lessons in your challenges. If you can find a way to learn something from what is happening, then you will change for the better. None of us like learning lessons about ourselves. None of us like to be wrong, or to acknowledge a part of ourselves that is flawed or frightened. This is why our lessons have to keep coming back over and over again. Today, accept that everything that happens to you in your life, especially the most painful experiences, there is a lesson and a reason. Today make time to integrate the lessons of this year and most importantly be grateful for the experiences and subsequent lessons. Painful though they may have been, they can make you stronger, wiser, happier, and better able to love and to be loved. Knowing this makes it much easier to let go of what was so you can receive what is to come. Today, stop fighting, struggling and suffering and allow yourself to learn your lessons and to love yourself more for your new knowledge.

Just for today, I am willing to see where and how I need to change. I am willing to let go of everything that no longer serves any purpose in my life. I cross all bridges with joy and ease. The old unfolds into wonderful new experiences. My life gets better all the time and everything is working out for my highest good. And so it is.

Gratitude...

As we head into the frenetic end of the year whirlwind, it is important for you to stop and remind yourself to appreciate everything that you have, everything that you've let go of and how much you've achieved and accomplished this year. And although your ego may be telling you that the changes in your life aren't happening "fast enough" or in the exact way that you thought it "should", you have changed. Today, remember just as trees grow toward the light in barely perceptible spurts and then suddenly they stand tall reaching towards the sky, you too have been growing and changing in small ways, every day. Today, allow yourself to slow down and appreciate the beautiful life and world that you live in and how far you in reality have come. You are exactly where you need to be right now, accept it and be grateful for it all.

Just for today, I look at all the positive things in my life and I am grateful. I recognize that every experience that I have is perfect for my self growth. I am always in the right place, doing the right thing at the right time. All is truly well in my world. And so it is.

Your future starts today

As we begin to wrap up this year, it is natural to begin to look forward towards your future and what you would like your future to look it. This year definitely showed you a lot of what you don't want and glimpses of what you would like to become. Now, it's time to begin to prepare yourself for the NEW you! One of the best ways to create the future you want is to visualize yourself doing what you want to be doing-to visualize yourself in your daily activities of your new life. And, not just the awesome aspects but also the mundane activities.

Today, begin to prepare yourself in every way for the new life, which you are creating right now. Remember, you might have let go of some people or circumstances, which have previously brought you security, but now just don't serve any purpose in your life. You are re-building some of your life from the ground up and although it might feel shaky at first, you in reality are building a more stable foundation on which you can build your amazing new future. Be willing, dream big and most of all do not hold onto your past, because you are headed into a new chapter of your life. Today, see it happening!

Just for today, I recognize that is is a great day to create, imagine, produce and visualize. I act as if I already have what I want. It is an excellent way to create happiness in my life. I recognize that every thought I think today is creating my future. I choose to think positive loving thoughts and I know that my future is bright and beautiful. Everything in my life works now and forevermore. And so it is.

Self respect

"The only people who get upset about you setting boundaries are the ones that are benefiting from you having none."

Sometimes you just have to stop making excuses for people's bad behavior and actions. Sometimes there just aren't any excuses left. And, that is exactly what this year has shown you and I, if you were willing to stop old repetitive patterns and stop following your ego who longs to keep everything as it was, even if none of it is working for you any longer.

It is time to let go of all the people, places and things that you continue to allow to exist in your life that only take from you and in some cases are even toxic to you. People do not change! But, you can change by finally letting go of them all- even if your ego tells you that you'll be missing out on something. Believe your intuition, believe what you see and believe how people act. Do not create stories why they really didn't mean to do what they did because...(you fill in the blanks). Believe and know that no matter what anyone else says-such as you are too sensitive; don't take things so personally; or that you should just get over it, that you are allowed to have your feelings no matter what judgements other may place upon you. Today, finally let go, do not look back and totally trust that by finally letting go of toxic people, places and things that you make room for the new people, places and things that will respect and honor who you are today. When you treat yourself with self-respect, other people respect you.Today, treat yourself with respect and finally let go-you deserve so much more..you deserve better.

Just for today, I recognize that I cannot change another person. I let others be who they are and I simply love who I am. I release all things that no longer benefit me-objects, ideas, habits and relationships. I now create a wonderful new relationship. Instead of isolating myself, I am choosing to open up and let love in. Other people respect me because I respect myself. I am safe and all is truly well in my world. And so it is

The gift that keeps giving you peace of mind

“Would you rather be right or would you rather be happy?” We all have opinions on who was right and who was wrong according to our own perceptions, and we can all find ways to justify our feelings. In fact, you may even want to punish others for what they did to you. However, in truth you are the one who continues to run the story over and over in your own mind. And in doing so, you actually punish yourself in the present because someone hurt you in the past. Today, consciously forgive everyone, including yourself, for all past perceived wrongs and set yourself free. Remember, the person who is hardest to forgive is the one who can teach you the greatest lessons. When you love yourself enough to rise above the old situation, then understanding and forgiveness will be easy. And you’ll be free. Today, and throughout this holiday season, give yourself the gift of freedom and allow yourself to forgive.

Just for today, I am ready to be healed. I am willing to forgive. I know that the person that is hardest to forgive is the one that I need to forgive and let go of the most. I lovingly forgive and release the past. I forgive everyone for not being the way I wanted them to be. I forgive and set myself free. And so it is.

Shame

“But shame is like a wound that is never exposed and therefore never heals.” Shame. Everybody has it. Nobody wants to talk about it. The less we talk about it, the more power it has over us. In fact, shame goes to the core of your person and makes you feel there is something inherently wrong with you.In our society, shame and guilt are often intertwined. However, these two emotions are quite different. Guilt's focus is on behavior. It’s about what you did. When you experience guilt, you have gone against your own code of ethics. Guilt usually serves as being an internal conscience. It helps you to not act on harmful impulses. Shame’s focus, on the other hand, is on the self. It’s not that you did something bad, but that you are intrinsically bad. It gives you the sense that you do not measure up to others; that you are defective; that you are damaged goods.This concept is like saying “you are worthless and incapable of change. And, when you are in shame, you can't see the bigger picture. You feel alone, exposed, and deeply flawed.Today, it is time to shine a light on your shame and then let go of it. Begin to become aware of where and when you feel shame. Recognize that shame is an emotion and does not need to be your state of being. And the true antidote to your shame is to be brave enough to share it with another trusted person. Just by removing the shadow and secrets around your shame, it will begin to dissipate. Shame cannot exist in conditions of light, sunshine, and humor. Today, lighten and let go your shame. You are always enough just because you exist.

Just for today, I am enough. I now free myself from destructive fears and doubts. I release the need to blame anyone, including myself. We are all doing the best we can with the knowledge understanding and awareness we have right now. I forgive myself for not being perfect and all is truly well in my world. And so it is.

Let go of attachments

“Most of our troubles are due to our passionate desire for and attachment to things that we misapprehend as enduring entities.”

If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s that we want to feel happy; and on the other side of that coin, we want to avoid pain. Yet, we consistently put ourselves in situations that set us up for pain. We do so by pinning our happiness to people, circumstances and things and then, holding onto them for dear life. We stress about the possibility of losing them when something seems "wrong". Then we melt into grief when something changes-we "lose" something that we "thought" belonged to us and that we should have forever.

As much as you can attach to people, places and things, you can also become attach to feelings and thoughts as if they define you, and ironically, not just to positive ones. And, if you’ve wallowed in regret, self pity or disappointment for years, you can even become attached to those feelings-you can actually begin to feel safe and comfortable in your sadness and suffering.

However, your attempts to hold on to what’s familiar, are limiting your ability to experience joy in the present. Today, allow yourself to let go! Stop trying to grasp, own, and control the world around you. Instead, consciously experience, appreciate, enjoy, and let go to welcome another experience. Know that you have the power to choose from moment to moment how you experience things you enjoy: with a sense of ownership, anxiety, and fear, or with a sense of freedom, peace, and love. Today choose to let go and set yourself free.

Just for today, I am willing to let go. I let go of all fear and doubt and Life becomes simple and easy for me. I let go of all the people, places, things and beliefs that no longer serve me to make room for the new to enter my life. I am safe and all is truly well in my world. And so it is.

Take a risk! You will be rewarded!

"Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.”

Living your truth and growing requires risk. And, not all risks pan out the way you hope or imagine. Sometimes those risks temporarily take you to places that are darker than the life you were living before. They may even require you to let go of what you think you need or what once brought you joy in order for you to grow.

However, with each risk comes the opportunity to discover something about yourself—a hidden talent, a new passion, personal insight or it simply shows you how courageous and strong you are-things that you need to know about yourself. There are never guarantees that you will experience more joy than before, but the only way to discover what’s possible is to take a chance, make a change, and find out.

Today, consciously take a risk. Step out of your comfort zone and make a conscious effort to see your life and its challenges in a whole new way. The truth is that no matter how much you try to avoid risk and hide from pain, it will still find you, even if it is just in the form of regret. It’s far better to weigh each risk for yourself and decide which risks are right for you to take than to always let the fear of risks force you to take the risk of doing nothing.Only by taking a risk will you be able to change your life and move forward towards the future that you have been dreaming of.

Just for today,I do something different. I am willing to step out of my comfort zone and experience life in a whole new way. I will not allow noise, chatter or setbacks to distract me. I will allow courage, commitment, patience and grace to guide me. I feel safe in the rhythm and flow of my every changing life. All is truly well in my world. An so it is.

Surrender!

“You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are.”

Over the past couple of years I have learned time and time again that our reality is a reflection of what we believe we deserve, often on an unconscious level. And as I started to look at self-love, and practice affirmations, meditating and getting in touch with nature, it was like a light went on, mostly unconsciously, until the day came when I consciously realized: I deserved better in every area of my life. And, although it sounds way too simplistic, that was all it took. The moment I made that connection, I released my fear of not having enough, of never being enough and took action to improve my reality-everything changed. Once I took the first step of surrendering and trusting that the Universe would indeed take care of me, the more everything changed for me. Today, I highly recommend that if you haven't yet surrendered and begun to trust in the Universe. despite your belief in your best thoughts, that you do so, now.-surrender and trust that whatever is in your highest good will manifest. Today, begin to trust and believe that you are deserving no matter who or what tells you otherwise. Surrender all the mental gymnastics that are keeping you mired and confused. Today, surrender, begin to truly love yourself like you love your children or your significant other. Everything starts with that love. Love yourself first and the world will love you back.

Just for today, I trust my higher self. I release all blocks within me and surrender to the Divine Source within me. I am willing to release the need to be unworthy. I am worthy of the very best in life and I now lovingly allow myself to accept it. I am worthy of all that is good in life and everything is working out for my highest good. And so it is.