" Who Are You ... "

I took the tube back out of town

Back to the Rollin' Pin

I felt a little like a dying clown

With a streak of Rin Tin Tin ...

I stretched back and I hiccuped

And looked back on my busy day

Eleven hours in the Tin Pan

God, there's got to be another way ...

Who are you?

Who, who, who, who?

Who are you?

Who, who, who, who? ...

~ The Who ~ Who Are You? ~

***

Who are you today?  Who were you yesterday?  Who will you be tomorrow?  What popped into your mind?  Did you immediately think of your job title?  Did you identify yourself with a relationship?  Did you describe your body, your personality or favorite hobby?  

The notion of identity, of who we think we are ...

We are so quick to identify ourselves using our circumstances, how others perceive us, our behaviours, or our positions in life ... which limits our growth, leaves us lost and confused.  Ironically, these same labels can give us a sense of belonging, security, shape the way we act and feel but they are misleading because none can fully describe the multifaceted reality of being human. 

I think the most damaging is when we cling to negative identities ... “I am diabetic, I have cancer, I am no good with money, I can’t sing” ... we cling because it is part of our comfort zone.  You see we know our boundaries, what we can and cannot do, so we never venture out.  

Think about it ... if the labels we give others stem from our shallowest impulses and prevent us from really knowing another person, the labels we assign to ourselves are even worse. They destroy us from within. No matter what the label, the more we cling to it, the more pain we are going to suffer. 

So how do you expose the real YOU?  Start with recognizing the identities you are holding on to.  Next speak about them in a different way allows you to detach from them.  The reality is that you are not your circumstances, you are not what you do, you are not roles and you are not your thoughts and beliefs.  

Here are some examples of how looking with a different perspective changes things ....

phrase                                             re-worded

I have cancer                                   my body has cancer

I am broke                                       I would like to have more money

I am disabled                                   I am a person with a disability

I am fat                                            I would like to be more healthy

I hate my job                                    I would like to find another job

I am just a stay at home mom           I raise my children

The idea is that after you can no longer do what you do, whether by choice or not, you will still be you.  Knowing how to let go of any given identity without losing our essential selves yields a security we'll never get from fame, power, money, beauty, or any other personality prop.  Through stillness we remain ourselves no matter what happens ... loss or gain, pain or pleasure, fame or disrepute.  

Hence when the bad labels come at you glue-side up, or the positive ones are stripped away, ask yourself “who are you really?” ... 

" Inner Search ... "

You've got a right to take what life offers you

don't let others mark out your scope

You better break out from all what chained you up

there is more to be than they said

The inner search needs more than words

Just hear the call for the inner search

You can hear a lot, but to understand

let the confusing voices die first

blow the flickering light out that's in your head

see the one that's always been there ...

Get up for a sense, take your life in your own hands

hear your inner voice leading you to the right choice

That you are is yours, belongs just to you ...

~ Rage ~ The Inner Search ~

***

Sometimes I just need to get my Kali on.  Kali, being the Hindu Goddess of empowerment and shakti (strength).  Sometimes I just need to be strong and stand up for myself.  And this is hard when striving for a non-violent, yogic lifestyle.  

The yogic calm can at times be a mask that is covered with difficult emotions, knotty feelings and desires that feel socially unacceptable.  Yet the deeper I reflect on my yoga practice, I learn to confront those parts of myself that may be suppressed by fear, trauma, or social conditioning.  I uncover what squelches my joy, undercuts my confidence, an sabotages my health.  

So where is the gift in all this ... bringing forth repressed passion and purifying it into energy ... accessing sublimated anger and wisdom that is now owned and channeled to renew my mind, body and soul.

“Invoking deity energy is a way of opening yourself to energies within that can support, protect, and act with a kind of numinous power ... “

The goddess Kali can be found in yogic art and is suppose to have arisen out of the warrior-goddess Durga during fierce battle with demons.  This would explain her association with spiritual and psychological liberation.  Kali symbolizes enlightenment ... freedom from conditioned beliefs, false personal identities and preconceived notions that keep you from recognizing your true identity.  Kali represents the power to release that which is true in you.  

Personally, I am finding that Kali in my daily life often means tuning in to aspects of myself that I normally don’t have access to.  I don't become free just by going with the flow. I become free by knowing when to say no, fighting for what is right, and engaging with the fiercer forms of grace.  So by “getting my Kali on”, I seek out permission ... to realize in those moments when suppressed anger or fear is threatening to overwhelm me, I can look to discover and integrate Kali, my energy.  

You see we seek Kali when we feel like we are living in dissonance with parts of ourselves we may not fully understand or know.  Kali helps us by pointing toward those parts of you that you have rejected, feared, or ignored.  Kali inspires you to transform your identity over again, letting go of the old rigid ideas of who you are, stretching your emotional range, your mind, and life itself in beautiful ways.

So explore your daily dose of Kali and bring an extra dose of ferocity ... just what is needed to keep growing through this wild journey called life.

" Vegetables ... "

If you brought a big brown bag of them home
I'd jump up and down and hope you'd toss me a carrot ...

I tried to kick the ball but my tenny flew right off
I'm red as a beet 'cause I'm so embarrassed

I know that you'll feel better
When you send us in your letter
And tell us the name of your
Your favorite vegetable

~ Beach Boys ~ Vegetables

***

I have to start off with my amazement ... finding song lyrics about vegetables, so cool!  Anyhow this post does not have the intention to sway anyone to become a vegetarian ... just wanted to find out more about this choice of a meatless path.

Where vegetarianism originates ... The word vegetarian is derived from the Latin world vegetus which means lively or vigorous ...

Historical records show a long tradition of ethical wrangling with respect to animals.  Some time between 4000 and 1500 BC and within the four sacred Indian texts known as the Vedas, the wondrous power of the natural world was explained and set the stage for vegetarianism.  The concept of the transmigration of souls with Gods taking animal form and human beings having past animal lives.  All creatures harbored the Divine so the idea of meat on the dinner plate was less palatable.

Also, many yogis follow the practical guidelines within the Bhagavad Gita, religious book of Hinduism.  It specifies that sattvic foods such as milk, butter, fruit, vegetables and grains promote vitality, health, pleasure, strength and long life ... whereas bitter, salty and sour rajasic foods such as meat, fish and alcohol cause pain, disease and discomfort.  Vegetarianism is the spirit of the Indian tradition.

The idea of nonviolence towards animals even dates back to ancient Greece in the 5th century BCE.  Yet following the Christianisation of the Roman Empire, vegetarianism disappeared from Europe only to re-emerge during the Renaissance in the 19th and 20th centuries.  The first Vegetarian Society was founded in the UK in 1847.  In the Western world, the popularity of vegetarianism grew during the 20th century as a result of nutritional, ethical, and more recently, environmental and economic concerns.

And thankfully, scientific endeavors in the area of vegetarianism have shifted from concerns about nutritional adequancy to investigating health benefits and disease prevention.  Vegetarian diets are being used to support treatment for chronic illnesses and avoid the transmission of a number of diseases from animals to humans.

In many socieities, there is controversery over the ethics of eating certain animals.  These objections are based on the consideration for animals, the act of killing and the opposition to certain agricultural practices surrounding the produciton of meat.

Personally I have been vegetarian for 2.5 years now, being vegan for 2 years of that time.  I will never again eat anything that has parents.  Just doesn’t work for me ... and it is a personal choice.  Some feel they can’t live without their burgers and steaks, others love their tofu and soy.  Do the research and make an educated decision but in the meantime if you were wondering where you will get your “protein” ... check out this delicious list of foods ... 

1 avocado - 10 grams

1 cup broccoli - 5 grams

1 cup spinach - 5 grams

2 cups cooked kale - 5 grams

1 cup boiled peas - 9 grams

1 cup cooked sweet potato - 5 grams

1 cup soybeans - 28 grams (1 cup tempeh - 30 grams)

1 cup lentils - 18 grams

1 cup refried beans - 15.5 grams

1 cup garbanzo beans (and hummus) - 14.5 grams

1 cup pinto, kidney, black beans - 13-15 grams

1 oz peanuts - 6.5 grams

1 oz. cashews - 4.4 grams

1 oz. sesame seeds 6.5 grams

3 tablespoons of tahini - 8 grams

1/4 cup (2 oz.) walnuts - 5 grams

1 oz. pistachios - 5.8 grams

2 tbsp almonds - 4 grams

nut butters - peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter - 2 tablespoons has about 8 grams of protein

Soy, almond, ancient grain. 1 cup gets you 7-9 grams of protein.

Quinoa is versatile and delicious. 1 cup - 9 grams.

Oatmeal - 1 cup = 6 grams.

Sprouted grain bread products - 7-10 grams

Hemp - 30 grams of hemp powder ~11 grams of protein

" Somebody's Watching Me ... "

Who's watching
Tell me, who's watching ...

Hey, hell, I pay the price
All I want is to be left alone
In my average home
But why do I always feel
Like I'm in the twilight zone

And (I always feel like)
(Somebody's watching me)
And I have no privacy
Whooooa-oh-oh
(I always feel like)
(Somebody's watching me) ...

Who's playing tricks on me

~ Rockwell ~ Somebody’s Watching Me ~

***

You may not have any trouble with your thoughts but I do.  Random thoughts that most of the time serve me no purpose.  And until what is in your mind is corrected, the external world, how you perceive and experience it, will be a mere reflection of your mind.  

So is your world unfriendly and full of judgement?  Have you ever sought to know why?  ... Often we project onto the world and other people negative thoughts and emotions we cannot admit or refuse to acknowledge.

You create the world in which you live ...

So how do you change your inner world and control your mind ... by becoming the observer.  Observers don’t judge their thoughts.  You see, instead of dismissing negative thoughts and judging yourself harshly for having them, start from the premise that thoughts are neither right or wrong.  They are neutral ... it is what you do with your thoughts that introduce the right or wrong of them.  

Eastern practices use meditation to help with witnessing presence.  By being the observer of your own thoughts, you practice detachment and stop suffering because you don’t have an expected outcome.  Support this by cultivating the space between thoughts.  This space is the place of internal peace or as some refer to as pure consciousness.

As simple as this may sound, it can actually be a terrifying experience because the idea of emptying our mind of thought challenges our very existence ... we think we are our thoughts yet we are far greater than what one can explain.

As the observer we are capable of anything with no limitations.  As the observer we can witness everything that we are and know everything that we can be.  As the observer we can learn to detach ourselves from all things of this world as we know it.  

Begin by asking where our thoughts come from, who is thinking these thoughts, are you your thoughts, do they belong to you or just pass your mind? ... and through stillness you will discover YOU, the real you, awakened ...

" Glitter and Trauma ... "

Your potential is underused, 

your skin will break into 

jigsaw shaped pieces of meat, 

you'll fall apart.

You can save them all.

I believe that you can.

Even though... you never listen.

You never listen ...

But you are, the human, strobe.

You are the human strobe ...

We are, like lightening, surrounded.

You are the human strobe.

~ Biffy Clyro ~ Glitter and Trauma ~ 

***

Experiencing a traumatic event such as a cancer diagnosis can be emotionally devastating.  Without support, the traumatic event can get struck in the nervous system leading to long-lasting distress.  Yet there can be a benefit to stressful life experiences ... psychological growth and positive changes can result.

Trauma ~ you can either go through it or grow through it

Upon reflection, I am focusing on growth during this leg of my journey ...

Growth ... difficult experiences deepen relationship bonds and give me the opportunity to see how deeply people care for me ... new appreciation for the relationships I have.

Growth ... difficult experiences lead to new activities, lifestyles and/or relationships that make my life more meaningful, rich and satisfying.

Growth ... difficult experiences help me learn how strong I am and what I can bear.

Growth ... difficult experiences give me a spiritual message to change the direction of my life & deepening of my faith.

Growth ... difficult experiences provide a greater appreciation of the life I have and connection with the simple pleasures of life.

Surviving a trauma may represent a second chance to rebuild your life and implement the lessons learned.  Even if you make mistakes or do some things you regret, you did what you had to do to survive and that is something to be proud of.

As well, a traumatic event helps you find everyday happiness in the life you have now.  I think about what I have learned by going through my current challenge and how I can use this to help not only myself but others around me, to create something of personal or societal value.  

Primarily, I have learned that growth and hope can co-exist with grief.  These are my ups and downs.  I learn to anticipate and I learn to manage.  More importantly, I am gentle with myself on  days when it is just too difficult to see the positive in the chaos of the trauma.  I trust that all is as it should be for my highest good ...

" Resistance ... "

Is your secret safe tonight? And are we out of sight?
Or will our world come tumbling down?
Will they find our hiding place? Is this our last embrace?
Or will the walls start caving in? ...

If we live our life in fear, I'll wait a thousand years
Just to see you smile again
Quell your prayers for love and peace, you'll wake the thought police
We can hide the truth inside ... 

Take us away from here
Protect us from further harm
Resistance

~ Muse ~ Resistance ~ 

***

Resistance is futile or is it?  The bigger the resistance the greater you potential.  You see the biggest achievers in the world got to where they are today only after overcoming endless resistance.  

Think about it ... whenever you face a roadblock it may be telling you that there is something worth going for.  Could it just make the end result even sweeter when you overcome and achieve your goals?

Obstacles are those frightful things you see 

when you take your eyes off your goals ... 

Sydney Smith

There are moments when I spend more time staring at the obstacles instead of locking my eyes on my dreams.  I get discouraged.  I get overwhelmed and all I want to do is hide.  Yet I know that negative thoughts will give me negative fruit because my thoughts are like seeds in my mind.  Hence to empower myself I try to focus on why I want to do something and what it means to me ... which spurs me to take action.

Resistance = Fear ...  we are afraid of who we may become, we are afraid of the unknown, we are afraid of change.  We may be ignored, we may be laughed at and we may even be ridiculed but it is important to go for what you believe in.  

I have learned that no matter how bizarre or out there your dream is, don’t fall into the common trap of prematurely deciding what is important and what is not.  It can be tempting to write it off as too mundane, normal or even boring.  I know I have been guilty of it ... or thinking that my vision is too complicated.  Fight for what you want and stand your ground.

We can always choose to do things the easy way or the hard way.  We can muscle through or we can let go of the oars and let the current carry us.  Being receptive and allowing things to happen is a skill ... surrender and know the universe is friendly and supporting you at every turn .  Focused energy that accompanies intention is magic ... just believe.

" Altruism ... "

What have we done, where do we want to go?

The city sleeps forever

It slithers away as we speak

And we tell ourselves to deny it ...

Humility it's creation

Altruism and freedom

Rethink traditions at last

Let this be our manifest

Their lies dominate our inner eyes

While the sounds of laughter shake our dying earth

~ Deadlock ~ Altruism ~

***

To be altruistic is to reach out to help others in a generous way.  To be altruistic is to reach out a hand to lift someone else up ... the greatest gift for the heart.  

And not only does it benefit the person being helped, but practicing altruism also has many benefits for the person doing the helping.  The gifts that one receives from giving back and from reaching out to help others are immense and priceless.

Psychologists refer to a term called “helpers high”, the feeling charity volunteers have they perform an act of kindness.  You see when a person practices altruism the brain produces dopamine and endorphins, feel good chemicals.  Physically, our nervous and cardiovascular systems relax.  And if the act of kindness is face to face, the body produces a bonding hormone, oxytocin, which binds to the lining of our blood vessels and causes the dilation of arteries, reduction of blood pressure.  At the same time, kindness benefits our nervous system because of a more active vagus nerve.  The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the human body which controls inflammation in the body.  

So do you have to go and change someones life to feel these benefits?  Not at all ... the smallest of acts can make a difference ... pay a compliment, buy someone a coffee ... do something you wouldn't usually do, but which will make a difference.

Good deeds are rewarded in kind ...

And have you ever noticed that altruistic people are happier?  By helping others, they focus outside of self, away from the inward looking nature of anxiety and depression.  The feeling of having acted humanely brings joy.  The fulfillment of a deep impulse of the soul  it is the satisfaction of an ethical impulse—one of the elements, along with free-will, that makes up our humanity. 

“There is real happiness in responding to our 

impulses to do good, 

to rise to our humane dimension. 

One must experience it to grasp the joy and feeling 

of having acted in conformity with one’s true nature.”

Practicing altruism is participating in the Divine’s work ...

So instead of taking a 21 or 30 day challenge to practice altruism, try to incorporate it into your day.  Because practicing altruism is at the heart of natural spirituality and developing this practice support the development of a whole range of moral qualities ... kindness, generosity, listening to others, being attentive to others, being affectionate.  Practice altruism and challenge yourself to go against your deeply ingrained tendency to seek your own well-being, your own comfort.

“ Altruism is innate, but it is not instinctual.  

Everybody’s wired for it, but a switch has to be flipped” 

~ David Rakoff

" Fear ... "

Morning smiles 

Like the face of a newborn child 

Innocent unknowing 

Winter's end 

Promises of a long lost friend 

Speaks to me of comfort 

But I fear 

I have nothing to give 

I have so much to lose 

Here in this lonely place 

Tangled up in our embrace 

There's nothing I'd like 

Better than to fall 

But I fear I have nothing to give ...

~ Sarah McLachlan ~ Fear ~

***

FEAR ... it can be controlling, it can be paralyzing and it can keep you from living the life of your dreams.  It has only been with my practice of mindfulness I have come to recognize the fear within me and the process of facing it.

I have been sitting in meditation, watching my fears arise and learning to allow them to become part of the stories that make up my life ... I observe them instead of reacting to them.  I have felt how they manifest in my body and move into physical discomfort.  I have have not allowed myself that before and it takes getting use to be in a that space.

Upon reflection, there were certain activities, compulsive and addictive in nature, that kept me in a place of fear.  I would overeat.  I would search the fridge to fill my stomach up and create a fullness in the exact place that fear was beginning to dig a deeper and deeper hole inside of me.  And if that didn’t satisfy, I would sit in the comfiest chair and mindlessly watch re-runs of my favorite shows to vanish into TV land.  Yet probably the most addictive activity is surfing the net.  Hours upon hours of faceless interaction, hiding behind my keyboard and keystrokes ... a few pokes, comments and incessantly checking of my homepage, I would continually stare at a glowing screen as the minutes tick by, unable to disconnect myself from the cyber world and face the fear of being alone with my self-pity and self-hatred.

Consciously taking the role of the observer, I realize most of my fear-based suffering begins by creating stories in my head.  Therefore taking the time to sit, reflect and watch what comes up allows me to choose if I want to be an active participant.  Accept that in order to become more mindful, we must recognize that we are solely responsible for the thoughts our minds produce.  While we can’t stop our minds completely, we can take control over them and create moments of peace for ourselves.

The following technique has helped me when thoughts or fear arise:

• Stop
• Take a long, deep breath in and out
• Next, use all your senses ... feel, smell, touch, see, taste the present moment
• Keep coming back to recognize the breath as it will give you the control you need to stay in the now
• Continue until you feel that the thought or story has moved on or has dissipated

The idea is to take back control of you mind.  And the more you practice, the better you will get in stopping the stories in your head and the pull to distract yourself from all the pain they cause you.  

The more I explore fear the more I realize to overcome it I have to be prepared and willing to redefine myself ... and keep practicing.  No one can do it of me and the more I get use to it, the more naturally it becomes.  With the discomfort and vulnerability comes peace and miraculous solutions as I surrender to the fear and release what no longer serves me ... 

" In The Way ... "

Underneath the bridge 

The tarp has sprung a leak 

And the animals I've trapped 

Have all become my pets 

And I'm living off of grass 

And the drippings from the ceiling 

But it's ok to eat fish 

Cause they don't have any feelings 

Something in the way 

Ummmmm 

Something in the way, yea 

Ummmmm ...

~ Nirvana ~ In The Way ~

***

Do you get in your own way?  You know what I mean ... your intentions are pure but you may be sabotaging yourself.  Now your instant reaction may be “no” but subconsciously is where the truth lies, where the real you is.

Another way to ask this is whether your beliefs help you or hinder you?  What is your programming?  What is your patterning?  What are you resisting and why?  Are you even aware of what is being orchestrated again at the subconscious level?

Can you let it go ... Will you let it go ... When?

My practice is teaching me how to listen to the story I tell myself, how to observe this story and detach, how to release this story, how to relax and how to repeat.  As you can imagine, the repeat part if often! ... my reality is that I “start over” all the time, all day, every day.  And I guess if we are all honest with ourselves, we all do this.  We start over.

I write about this because personally, this week I had an event that triggered “stuff”.  Thankfully I have the awareness to know what emotions and feelings are coming up and I ask the question why.

Event ... the “chance” that I walk into the breast cancer “survivors” march/demonstration.  Picture this ... I take a stroll into a building to pick up some tea only to be greeted with “and there are your survivors Calgary” ... pink t-shirts everywhere, the biggest pink ribbon you can find hanging from the ceiling, music, cheering and a crowd - celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness month.  My reaction ... flight.  I couldn’t get out of there fast enough as nausea started to take over.  Wow - what a reaction and why so intense are the questions I have been sitting with.  Why didn’t I feel that I am inclusive of this group and instead why did fear take over?

Having courage is to keep going without knowing the outcome ... is to have the ability and willingness to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation.  Well I sure wasn’t courageous in that situation.  

So do I beat myself up over it ... already did.  But then something unexpectedly happened ... a realization.  The reason I reacted the way I did was due to my subconscious beliefs.  My fear comes from believing what the mass media, the doctors, the statistics, the “stories” ... tell us.  They tell us that there is no cure, that once you have cancer then you are terminal ... it is not if but when.  Period.  No discussion.

Yet my reality shows different.  

Three years since this part of my journey began 

I think of four words ... I AM STILL HERE.  

So powerful and so true.  

Against the odds, maybe.  Could things be worse, always.  

Am I healing, most definitely ... 

And I still get in my own way.  My health practitioner told me today to keep doing what I am doing as my body is reacting extremely well.  I replied with “at least I am doing something right” ... right then right there ... I am getting in my own way.  And here I thought I was being entertaining but unfortunately at my own expense.

So the next time my anxiety, doubt, ego, concern and critical inner voice starts up, I am going to consciously try to get out of my own way and re-focus.  Refocus on embracing my success, celebrating my milestones, and enjoying my victories however minute they may seem.  

By changing my focus, I can release what no longer serves me and make room to receive what is available for my highest good.  It is progress, it is improvement, and hopefully it is the path to who I really am.  

Oh yes, always a work in progress ...

" Be Your Own ... "

Maybe then we could get somewhere
Instead of going in circles and circles
Just to end-up right back here
Tired and with nothing but our good intentions ... 

Stop trying and trying
(Stop trying)
To be what I need and just be what you are
(There's nothing to prove)
I don't have the answers but I know ... 

Yeah, just be your own
Yeah, just be your own ...

~ Rebekah ~ Be Your Own ~

***

Well I’ll admit it ... I have spent a fair amount of time looking for a guru, you know that person who would just blow me away with their presence, kindness, compassion, vision and guidance.  The one that would give me answers.  The one that would tell me about enlignment and awareness.  The one that would tell me that I had finally “made it”.

I have attended my share of workshops, lectures, teachings, seminars, retreats ... but it hasn’t happened.  The one that would do so much I couldn’t find.  

realization ... 

the person I was looking for was the one I would need to become ...

Now I understand that we are eternal students of Life ... and I have found great teachers who inspire me to be humble and learn more.  Yet I am not driven anymore to find that one who will make everything okay, show me the light or bless my decisions by diminishing uncertainty.  

And perhaps we get on this path of searching outside of us because when we lack answers we look to others.  There is often some form of connection, safety, comfort, and support in receiving answers from others.  

do you believe that someone is better qualifed than you 

regarding what you need to know, be or do?

I know that in the past I have been asked to trust my instinct, my core, my intuition.  And at times when I feel like things are muddy, I look outwardly for affirmation ... am I doing the right thing? am I on the right path? 

Thankfully, my meditation practice has allowed me to explore my spiritual path, discovering my core truth ... that the highest answers needed for my life is within me right now. 

Being your own guru doesn’t take away from books, swami’s and other inspiring organizations as these can support your own inner guidance.  Being your own guru means you believe that being guided by YOUR inner guru is empowering.  Being your own guru allows you to trust your own inner light as sufficient to draw to you the right people, circumstances and opportunites for all situations ... just trust yourself, you're smarter than you think you are.

" Creation ... "

My friend, my brother, my foe, my ego 

My mother, my father, my bride, my pride 

New life I can see it in your eyes 

Improvise, watch your spirit rise 

(Please god) Watch the spirit rise ...

A real summer breeze that's gonna be 

When they don't exist and neither do we 

I'm talking 'bout creation 

I'm talking 'bout relation 

I'm talking 'bout creation 

We need a combination ...

~ Stereo MC ~ Creation ~

***

Are you the co-creator of your future?  Recently I was asked this question and it stirred up a lot of “stuff” for me.  It was in the context of fear of the unknown ... the idea is that if we are actively involved in what we want, then excitement replaces anxiety.  

So where do you start?  By discovering who you are.  Gaining a clear perspective ... you need to know where you are now so you can know where you want to go.  Sometimes it is hard to really know who you are, your core values, your beliefs, your desires, you motivations, etc.  Personally, the answers come when I become still and listen.

When you feel like you have located yourself in your narrative life, visualize plausible personal futures.  Think about the various domains of life that impact your future pathways and quality of life, ranging from health, relationships, finances, creativity, learning, and what you do for fun.  Consider how you engage in these domains and to what degree you imagine integrating them into your future.

Next use the law of attraction ... feel it, own it and be it.  Become a magnet for manifesting.  Another way of looking at it is to show up for your own story because you are the only one living it.  Ask yourself what do you want your life to look like in one year or five years?  how are you building your capacities?  what milestones are you working on?  how are you staying engage across life domains? 

And like anything to achieve your goals, you need to develop strategies and processes ... by setting short-term, measurable, achievable goals.  Make sure you are flexible to changes in priorities and vision.

This is the time, the moment to create and manifest all dreams and visions for yourself.  The frequencies of Divine are accessible as you hold the heart vision of your highest possible self.  We are always living the present based on future projections, unconsciously asleep to the the power of co-creating.  Yet, we can choose to step into conscious self-mastery and utilize our higher heart consciousness.  We can choose to release our ego’s control and align with our higher self ... we can choose to see the big picture and focus on the joy and hope ... opening ourselves up to receive the endless possibilities.