" Embrace The End ... "

" The ending

That peace could grow inside of you

Inspite of me ... Humanity

I hope you’re out there somewhere ... 

Does anyone care

To disagree with me

Admit defeat we bleed

In disbelief

I hear the whole world

Welcome the way that we

Embrace the ending ...

Humanity 

I hope your out there somewhere "

~ Mushroomhead ~ Embrace The End ~

***

Endings are not always easy, even when you see them coming.  Loss is traumatic, even when you prepare yourself for the experience.  Yet with endings comes new beginnings, an opportunity for transformation.

Beginnings start to shape into something joyful yet painful ... exciting yet uncertain ... all at once.  You could stay focused on all of the newness to avoid the farewells, but then you miss honoring the very best parts of what came before. By acknowledging the joy and the sorrow, you can bring your loves and lessons into your new beginning.

We may initiate some of the beginnings and endings, but ready or not, many happen on their own schedule.  I have found that it is more productive to drop the judgement and begin by embracing the end ... 

I am open.  

I let go of my need to hold on to the past or attempts to control the future.  

I allow things to unfold.  

I notice the small shifts as change can occur at snail or warp speed, regardless of my preference.  

I ask for help.  I admit that I don’t know what I am doing.  

I am grateful for the support which helps me find laughter and joy in the process.

I don’t filter my feelings.  I own them 

... I tell a friend, I write, I release them in a un-harmful way.  

I find stillness.  I can’t stop time but I can make room to pause and access before moving forward.  

By becoming aware that change in upon us, we can embrace endings with calmness and truly trust the process of life.

www.walkstrong.ca

" Great Expectations ... "

You've got great expectations 

You've got great expectations ... 

You've got great expectations, do you want to play the role 

You've got great expectations, you'd even sell me your soul ... 

You've got great expectations 

You've got great expectations 

~ KISS ~ Great Expectations ~ 

***

Expectations usually cause more stress than joy because we’ve attached ourselves to an outcome which is uncontrollable.  The disappointment happens when the kindness isn’t returned because what we imagined to be didn’t happen.   

Yet, when we release the need to control what we get, we also release suffering.  You see, tempering expectations of other people will reduce unnecessary frustrations and help you focus on the things that truly matter.

So how do we begin to do so ....

By realizing that we are not in the world to live up to the expectations of others, nor should others live up to ours.  The more you approve of your own decisions in life, the less approval you need from others.  Others progress or success has no connection to your life, because it is about spending your life happily in your own way.

By understanding that it is important to respect yourself more than anyone’s respect of you.  Have faith and trust in who you are and then the willingness to act upon it.  Your path, your purpose, your life.

By knowing your worth and spend time with those who value you because no matter how good you are to people, there will always be negative people who criticize.  Know that the toughest battle you’ll ever have to fight is the battle to be yourself.

By not expecting others to fit into your ideas of who they are.  Allowing others to be themselves is real love an respect ... start appreciating them for who they are instead of who you want them to be.

People rarely behave exactly the way you want them to.  The magnitude of your happiness will be directly proportional to your thoughts.  Remember that everyone deserves to be happy and live their live, not the life you want them to ... don’t let the opinions of others make you forget that.  

Releasing expectations doesn’t mean you give others the option to treat you thoughtlessly, it just means your motivations are aligned with giving with no strings attached.  And in the end, the people who care about you will naturally be there for you in return ... without any expectations for them to do so.

" 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 ...

" Spirit ... "

To live with grace, to ride the swell

To yet be strong of will

To love the wind, to learn its song

And empty space to fill ...

A winters journey from the moon

To reach the summer sun

To rise again, to sing for you

A song that's yet unsung ...

His spirit joined and so was formed

Ten thousand years ago

Between the swan and Hercules

Where even dark clouds glow

~ John Denver ~ Spirit ~

***

It seems that there is more and more information available about detoxifying your physical body.  Cleanses, shakes, supplements and foods.  But what about your spirit?  

Our spirit is suppose to be perfect and divine.  Yet sometimes we need to cleanse our essence after experiences.  You see each one leaves an imprint and therefore the impact remains, perhaps at a subtle level.  

If we were perfect, we would be in alignment with our true self at all times, even after difficult events.  But we know that this isn’t the case as the life happens and our emotional reactions occur.  We generate thoughts and they mingle into our emotions which create thoughts and patterns ... muddling our spirit.  And our soul expresses itself through our energy field with the brightest presence being our essence.  Hence when our energy field can affect the clarity of our light.

Recognize and Let go of Things That No Longer Serve You ...

Analyze your attitude and behaviours ... how do you view the world?  do you need to take out pettiness and cultivate generosity instead?  try to drop the negative and grow a positive outlook.

Analyze your relationships ... what is causing you stress? can you fix the issue?  are you willing to renew your commitment or is spiritually strong to let go?

Analyze your time ... what activities occupy you?  do you receive strength from what you do?  do yo burden yourself with too much senseless activity?  make more time to nurture yourself.

Analyze unfinished business ... do you have long-standing issues with someone?  can you approach them with love, warmth and honesty?  can you share a solution?  can you let go of grievances?

Analyze your abilities ... do you have unrealistic expectations of yourself?  do you compete against others or yourself?  strive for personal best that are in tune with your talents and let others shine where you can’t.

Analyze what will quiet your mind ... can you make peace with the past?  can you seek joy in the future?  forgiveness allows miracles to occur.

Cleansing our spirit allows us to embrace what is present, here and now, for our enrichment.  We release patterns that clog our aura.  And when we reach inside ourselves for strength to live each day to the its fullest our world shines a little brighter and our soul flourishes.