On this day of your life

I believe God wants you to know ...

... that the biggest question in life is,

How much good can you accept?

Good is flowing to you every day.  How much of it

you experience depends on how much of it you can

accept. And how much of it you can accept depends

upon how 'worthy' you believe that you are.

God, of course, knows the answer to this. You are

worthy of all the good in the Universe.

How about you? Do you believe that?

You will not have to think but a second to know

exactly why you received this message today.

Popularity

Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. -Albert Einstein

Why do I seek to be popular? I want to be loved. I want you to like me, and this desire to be liked often makes me hypocritical. In the last few years, as I've danced more and more in Spirit, I find that I'm moving closer to honesty. I still want you to like me, but I need to tell the truth. My truth is who I am.When I betray my truth and seek to appease the majority, I'm uncomfortable. Spirit is making me more real. Spirit is feeding integrity into my life. Spirit makes my life enjoyable.

I want to be popular, but not at the expense of truth.

The Quote

Communication (OM)

by Madisyn Taylor Expressing ourselves honestly in any relationship is essential to our well-being. When we are in a relationship where we feel listened to and understood, we count ourselves lucky because we know how rare that experience is. We reserve our most intimate selves for the people who, along with us, cocreate an open space where we feel free to express ourselves and listen without judgment. These relationships, which thrive on open communication, can mean the difference between existential loneliness and a deep sense of belonging. We all long to feel heard, understood, and loved, and clear communication makes this possible. Sometimes problems arise in the process of expressing how we feel, but it is always worth it to do the work. Even in our less intimate relationships, expressing ourselves honestly is essential to our sense of well-being. Whether at home with family or in the outside world, successful communication requires some forethought; otherwise we risk blundering through our relationships like the proverbial bull in a china shop. However, too much forethought can stifle us or cause us to pad our words so extremely that we end up saying nothing at all or confusing the matter further. The good news is that there are many methods that can come to our rescue, from meditation to visualization to journaling. If the person we need to communicate with is open to sitting in meditation together for a set period of time before speaking, this can be invaluable. When we are calm and centered, we can count on ourselves to speak and respond truthfully. We can also meditate on our own time and then practice what we need to say. A visualization in which we sit with the person and lovingly exchange a few words can also be a great precedent to an actual conversation. If writing comes easily, we can write out what we need to say; it may take several drafts, but we will eventually find the words. The key is to find ways to center ourselves so that we communicate meaningfully, lovingly, and wisely. In this way, we honor our companions and create relationships in which there is a genuine sense of understanding and respect.

The 2 tiny Words that keep us from Living.

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“I can’t ____ because ____.”

Much of my work as a coach and teacher involves questioning this thought—not only in others, but in myself. And what a huge stinking cow patty it is (to put it mildly).

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term “cow patty,” I’m not referring to a hamburger. (See also: cow pie, cow chip, cow dung, steaming pile of manure.)

Getting back to the topic at hand.
  
“I can’t…” is just a ridiculous thought. Others are available and much more useful. At least that’s what my own coach says when I’ve stepped into said patty.

As I’ve been going through the transitioning process myself, starting a new business and having to do and learn things that make me horribly uncomfortable, it’s one of the thoughts that gets me fired up when I hear it from others.

Not at them, but for them. It’s like we approach middle age and just go, “Well…I guess this is it, Dorothy. This is all I can do.”

Is that really true? Is it all you can do? No one in your situation has ever been able to do whatever it is that you want to do? No one out of over seven billion people currently on the planet, let alone all those who have come before us?

If you’re able to read this, you have access to every single resource you would need to find a way to accomplish whatever your statement entails. 

You have access to Google, which can find an answer to any question. You have access to YouTube, which has over 300 hours of content uploaded every minute.

You have access to online public libraries and forums from all over the world. Heck, you have access to actual human beings from all over the world.

You have access to coaches and therapists online and don’t even have to leave your computer or phone to make an appointment or have a session.

Try this statement on instead the next time your inner Debbie Downer tries to keep you safely in your comfort zone.

“I can’t ____ because no one has ever done it before.”

 Sooooo…

>> “I can’t improve my life because no one has ever done it before.”
>> “I can’t find a loving partner because no one has ever done it before.”
>> “I can’t get in shape because no one has ever done it before.”
>> “I can’t get out of debt because no one has ever done it before.”
>> “I can’t leave this soul-crushing job because no one has ever done it before.”
>> “I can’t learn how to be a better (parent, spouse, friend, boss, employee, human) because no one has ever done it before.”

Ouch. Do you see what I mean now?

We all trick ourselves into believing these little lies of “I can’t.” And they are lies. If you don’t believe that, take your “can’t” statement to Google or YouTube and someone will prove to you that you can.

And be on the lookout for the sinister sister statement of “I can’t,” which is, “That’s easy for you to say because…” 

Please, don’t waste any more time proclaiming that you can’t. Imagine the little six-year-old you, with stars in your eyes and all of your big hopes and dreams out there in the great beyond known as adulthood.

Now see adult you, crushing those hopes and dreams for little you because it’s hard, you’re scared, and you don’t want to risk failure. Oh, the humanity! Think of the children, for heaven’s sake. 

Just for now, humor me and try on the thought, “I could learn to ____ because the information is available.”

Or, “I can figure out how to ____ because other people have done it (or can help me).”

Or even, “Today I will ____ (insert baby step here) to get started.” 

Now…pull up your big-kid pants, clip on some suspenders so they don’t fall right back down into the “I can’t” patty, and get started already.

Life isn’t going to wait endlessly for you to snap out of your reverie and hold out a white-gloved hand to pull you up. But I will. And all of those other people in your life who see you in all of your unpolished brilliance will, too.

Don’t waste any more time listening to the naysayers who are holding you back. They are still blind to their own stories of “I can’t.”

~

AUTHOR: MEGHAN BASS-PETTI

IMAGE: @ELEPHANTJOURNAL ON INSTAGRAM

I F*cking Love Myself: a Guided Sleep Meditation, with Amanda Frances.

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Amanda Frances6 Followers

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“The measuring stick is not how tired we are or how hard we worked. I don’t need to show up and be an example of being exhausted, and miserable, but having some money.” ~ Amanda Frances

Let’s bring it back to service.

I have to have a deeper meaning in what I do—and for me, that is being of service to others.

On that note, I wanted to create something that would serve a lot of people.

So, I’m so excited to give you this meditation—a meditation that supports us in manifesting our desires. It would be perfect to listen to it right now (and again before you go to bed). Anchor into your truth and allow yourself to rest as you drop deep into this guided meditation.

These next 20 minutes are for you.

I pray this meditation will fill you with love, stability, and certainty while calming your anxiety and reminding you of your place on this earth.

It is full of positive affirmations, potent visualizations, and all the truly positive manifestation vibrations:

View Amanda’s Youtube channel here.

Some bonus journaling prompts:

>> How would you be feeling in your body…what would you be thinking in your mind…and what words would be coming out of your mouth if you had just received the thing you want?

>> What would you be feeling, thinking, and saying if you regularly and continually received this thing that you want?

>> What would you be thinking, feeling, and saying if you couldn’t even imagine a world where you didn’t absolutely always, without fail, receive this thing that you want every time?

~

AUTHOR: AMANDA FRANCES

IMAGE: AUTHOR'S OWN

The Quote

To See The Good (KB)

Karen Berg

AUGUST 25, 2019

This week’s portion is called Re’eh, which means “to see.” The majority of this biblical story surrounds the idea of blessings and curses, so why then, was it given the name, To See? Why not call the portion: Blessings and Curses?

"SEE THE GOOD IN ALL THINGS SO THAT WE MAY EXPERIENCE THE CREATOR IN ALL THINGS."

The kabbalists reveal that so much of our experience of life is dependent upon that which we choose to see. This is the portion that Rav Berg was born in. It is no wonder that he would often say, “If you look for the good, you will find it. If you look for the bad, you are sure to find that too.” It’s true, for almost every person and every situation, there is good in it, and there is bad. This is the deal we made when we ate from the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, we chose a reality where both must exist, so that we could choose.

Now our free will is the work of deciding to focus on what we want to experience. Even when it comes to life’s more challenging moments, we always have a choice: to see the hardship or to find the opportunity for growth that is there. In this way, we can come “to see” that the greatest blessing of all is to understand that everything and everyone is a blessing.

"EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE IS A BLESSING."

When God created the eye of man, he created the greatest vehicle to appreciate the Light force. It is through vision that we can appreciate the Creator’s many miracles. However, the eye is made up of black and white -- we see through the black of the eye and not the white. For the Creator, in His infinite wisdom, reveals to us that without the darkness it is impossible to appreciate the Light.

This is a powerful week that supports our effort with additional energy to see the good in all things so that we may experience the Creator in all things. How many seconds does it take for us to see what’s wrong with someone? How long does it take for us to judge a certain situation as a “bad” one? This week, take extra care to remove judgments and preconceived notions that happen when we are looking for justice, for what’s right. Especially if you dislike someone. It can be so rewarding to find just one thing about them that’s good, and to choose to focus on this instead. And if you can’t find even one thing, remember: The spark of God exists in every person, no matter what. By choosing to see that spark of the divine, we reveal more of the Creator’s magnificent Light for ourselves and in the world.

May this Light that is revealed by using our eyes to see God in all people transform the negativity that exists to being one of a positive nature.

Courage

"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace." Amelia Earhart

How true this saying is. Whatever peace has been achieved in this world has been created by men and women who have shown great courage. Not only did they risk their lives, but many gave their lives for the cause they championed. Along the way they also suffered ostracism and persecution. But they could do no other.This is the physical reality of Say Yes to Your Spirit. It is the lived-out drama of what it means to dance in God. And the world has changed. Racism, sexism, homophobia, witch burning, slavery, and many more exploitations have shriveled in the world, although they have not been completely obliterated, because great men and women showed courage. Celebrate the power of the heavenly Spirit.

I affirm courage in my life.

CoDA Weekly Reading

Conventions and retreats with the larger CoDA fellowship have been a big part of strengthening my recovery over the years. It was at my first CoDA convention that I witnessed functional ways of dealing with conflict. I watched two workshop presenters who were preparing their presentation and struggling to be on the same page pause, say the serenity prayer together and start their conversation over.

At conventions and retreats, I receive the gift of fellowship and an expanded understanding of the worldwide fellowship of which I am a member. I am able to attend extra meetings with recovering codependents from all over the world, build my personal recovery phone list with phone numbers of members whose recovery I admire and keep in touch via outreach calls. I hear speakers and attend workshops that strengthen my recovery toolbox and I bring home materials to use for myself and share with my meetings. I take time for self-care in the form of journaling, rest, fellowship and play.

A CoDA convention is where I met the woman who has been my sponsor for the past 7 years. At times while attending CoDA events, difficult stuff has come up for me and support has been available. Over the years, I have enjoyed long car rides with members from my local groups traveling together to and from CoDA events. I come away feeling like my recovery has gotten a booster shot. I feel more connected and proud to be a part of such an amazing program. I am very much looking forward to this year's International CoDA convention!

Robin C. – 8/1/19

Wonder

"We love to wonder, and that is the seed of science." Ralph Waldo Emerson

In sobriety, the world is a wonderful place. I often sit back and am amazed at the splendor of life, the simple happenings that bring such joy, the nobility that is revealed in humankind, and the creative adventure and mystery of life. I see how drugs kept me blind to so much. Alcohol held me prisoner to mediocrity, and much of the wonder of life passed me by. As a drinking alcoholic, I existed rather than lived life. I was a bored spectator rather than a participant. I reacted to things, rather than initiating events. Alcoholism equals dullness. Recovery symbolizes energy. Today I dream dreams and bask in the wonder of it all.

Divine Spirit, let me see the wonderful mystery of life even in the ordinary.

On this day of your life

I believe God wants you to know ...

... that all the changes occurring right now on this planet
are leading to a better life for all.

The movement here is going to be back to basics,

back to what matters, back to our true values in

families, in relationships, in business and commerce,

in politics, and in the world.

Do not worry, therefore. This is the Time which has

been predicted. And only good will come of it.

Common Fears (OM)

by Madisyn Taylor Our minds are powerful, and moving into fear is a common experience that we can each look at and change. Everyone has fears. It is a natural part of being human. Fear can protect us from harm by sending a rush of adrenaline to help us physically deal with potential danger. But there are times when fear may keep us from participating fully in life. Once we realize that fear is a state of mind, we can choose to face our fears, change our minds, and create the life we want to live. Our minds are powerful tools to be used by our higher selves; like computers, storing and using data to make certain connections between thought and response. We have the ability to observe these and choose differently. No matter where the fear came from, we can create new connections by choosing new thoughts. When our souls and minds are in alignment, we create a new experience of reality. This journey requires many small steps, as well as patience and courage through the process. Here's an example: You decide to overcome your fear of driving on the freeway. Your plan of action starts with examining your thoughts and finding a new way of seeing the situation. When you're ready, you enlist a calm companion to support you as you take the first step of merging into the slow lane and using the first exit. Your heart may be racing, but your confidence will be boosted by the accomplishment. Repeat this until you are comfortable, with or without help, and then drive one exit further. When you are ready, you can try driving in the middle lane, for longer periods each time, until you find yourself going where you want to go. This gradual process is similar for conquering any fear, but if you find it overwhelming, you can always seek the help of a professional. You may think that you are the only one with a particular fear, that nobody else could possibly be scared of ordinary things such as water, heights, public speaking, or flying. These types of fears are very common, and you can have great success overcoming them. Remember, it is not the absence of the fear but the courage to take action anyway that determines success. When we learn to face our fears, we learn to observe our thoughts and feelings but not be ruled by them. Instead we choose how to shape the lives we want.

“Where’s my F*cking Top?!”—How Sharing a Room made me a Minimalist.

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“Where’s my f*cking top?!”

I raged in a 15-year-old full-blown meltdown at my younger sister by three years, who was my unwelcome roommate for the majority of our childhood.  

“I don’t have it,” she would stubbornly deny—all the while stuffing the cigarette-smelling top she’d worn to Friday night’s youth club down the side of our pine bunk bed.

“Arghhhhh—I hate sharing a room! It’s not fair!” said sisters bunking-up everywhere. 

It’s true that I rallied vehemently against sharing a room for most of my life. The fight for space, possession-stealing wars, and a complete lack of privacy didn’t make coming-of-age easy. 

I envied the girls in my class who had the luxury of making their room their own. “You’ve got a double bed?!” You must be a princess, I’d think. 

With only 50 percent of the room available to me, learning how to personalise my small space, limiting what I owned, and prioritising the display of certain possessions over others became a way of life. It would also influence my home-making behaviour long into adulthood. 

My first experience of single occupancy was at university. I deliberately covered every inch of a space the size of a naval cabin with my worldly belongings—a rebellious middle finger to the oppression of once sharing space. 

As I upgraded from a dorm room to a room in a shared house, I continued to proudly display my eclectic mix of charity-shop bargains and childhood possessions in clear sight, as a car-boot salesman would show off his wears. 

At 28, after several years of living in shared accommodations, I was finally able to afford rent on my very own one-bedroom flat. And I took to “nesting” with all the repressed enthusiasm of a beaver building her first dam, messily and with no care for the “proper flow.”

Seeing myself reflected in the objects occupying every space in the flat felt liberating—at first. 

But after a while, the explosion of stuff that laid waste to every room had the opposite effect. It brought with it a kind of dysfunctional chaos—with every new expression of self layered on other objects, everything became a mess, my personal space felt smaller, and, in fact, my identity felt less well-defined. 

The bigger the place, the more stuff I felt I needed to make it feel like home. But, the harder I tried to do that the less homely it felt. The build-up of too much stuff was starting to negatively affect my well-being. 

There was the ornate, glass lamp with a large satin shade, a wardrobe full of bargain buys, and surfaces decorated with souvenirs brought back from my travels. The things I’d bought to remind me who I was started to close in on me, suffocating every thought.

Until only one thought remained: “What does it all mean?” 

The clutter on every surface became irritating, the comfort dissolved, and I couldn’t relax from thinking, “Do I need that?” I couldn’t even look inside my wardrobe without hating myself a little for wearing only a tenth of its contents. 

I suddenly wanted rid of it all. But purging myself of my possessions and reverting to small-space living went against everything I’d been fighting for my entire life. I was confused. Surely happiness is found in stuff, not with it? At least that’s what early years of advertising had me believe. 

Apparently, feeling overwhelmed by things is not unusual. Recent studiesconfirm how household clutter can indeed impact our stress levels, and is particularly true of women and older age groups. 

Too much stuff can also negatively affect our well-being in other ways, like by reducing our productivity levels, which makes us more likely to procrastinate over activities that may improve our quality of life, and become dissatisfied with our lot, according to psychologists. 

Most alarmingly, in Current Psychology 2017, Procrastinators and Clutter: An Ecological View of Living with Excessive “Stuff” (37,2), Professor of Psychology at DePaul University in Chicago Joseph Ferrari (et al) wrote about how an overabundance of possessions can negatively impact our sense of identity—without seeing ourselves reflected back in our immediate environment, our sense of home can be displaced.

Three years ago, when I sold all of my stuff to pursue peace in simplicity, lifestyle concepts like Hygge, minimalism, and tiny house living were only just gaining traction. Now, thanks to the work of The Minimalists, Marie Kondo, and other non-conformists, unconventional living and a less-is-more mentality is more widely understood and accepted. 

How I would love to go back to my 15-year-old self and tell her that bigger isn’t necessarily better, and it’s okay not to have it all—in fact, she’ll feel a lot better if she doesn’t. 

I would tell her that home is anywhere we feel at peace and it doesn’t need to be decorated in this season’s hottest colour, or include random, meaningless, space-filling objects. 

To her I’d say, don’t be imprisoned by the idea of what you think you should have and instead find freedom in individual expression, the things that spark joy and provide space to be who you really are. 

I’d also say, be kind to your sister, one day the space will feel very large without her. 

~

AUTHOR: SARAH RUSSELL

IMAGE: @ECOFOLKS/INSTAGRAM

IMAGE: AUTHOR'S OWN