choices
Put Your Phone Down, And Start Living!
I was blessed to be born before the arrival of the Internet and smart phone technology.
It was a time when kids were playing outside all day, and we often did not want to go home, because we were having too much fun.
It was also a time when people still connected with each other in person, and on a deeper level. It was a time when we lived life in a much simpler way.
Since then the rise of digital technology, smart phones and social media seemed like it happened overnight, and everyone was instantly hooked, including myself!
It was exciting, because information was now ‘just a tap away.’ Communication was faster and easier, and you could ‘connect’ with just about anyone, anywhere, anytime.
But then social media and smart phones came along, and before we realized what hit us, it began to gradually cripple our ability to focus, to truly connect, to be present in the moment, and to be in touch with our spiritual nature.
To make matters worse, we started comparing our lives to others: friends, enemies and idols… only to diminish our sense of self-worth.
Last weekend, I was playing the board game Monopoly with my teenage son and his best friend. His friend seemed unable to put his phone down and pay attention to the game. I asked him why, and he said it was because he was addicted to knowing what others were doing, and that he didn’t want to feel “left out.”
When To Act On A Fantasy, And When To Let It Go!
How many thoughts do we have per day? Nobody seems to know for sure and the experts don’t agree, but they all seem to concur that it is ranges somewhere in the thousands. We also have many daydreams and fantasies that cross our minds on a daily basis.
Many of these thoughts and daydreams we would never share with our mates, friends, or family.
Many of us never act on our fantasies, for various obvious reasons: we want to stay married, or we want to stay in the same job, or we fear failure should we attempt something new and different. Some of us may even fear that we could end up behind bars in extreme cases.
There is a considerable difference between reality and fantasy. It is true that sometimes our fantasies should be left in our minds, unspoken or not acted upon.
Most of us are very grounded and would never act on most of the ‘mini movies’ that we let roll in the back of our mind.
Watching the news there are many people that do extremely horrible things and can’t control their desire to act out their evil thoughts. We see many divorces, and more and more single people, because many just can’t stay committed to one person.
But we can also take our imagination and fantasies to a positive place when it comes to getting healthy, starting a new job, trying a new hobby. It all starts with a thought and it is up to us to act on it, and be proactive. Continue reading
Let Your Spiritual Gifts Flow Naturally
We are all metaphysical beings born with a variety of spiritual gifts. Some of us intuitively know how to use our special gifts early in our life, while others may have difficulty embracing them.
Expressing our natural spiritual gifts takes a certain mindset. The key is to not try too hard. That’s right! No blood, sweat or tears are necessary.
Just relax, surround yourself with calm and positivity, and clear your mind. Our metaphysical gifts and psychic talents flow naturally when we don’t try to force it.
We experience intuitions, signs and synchronicities every day, but often we do not pay enough attention. You may have felt someone was coming to visit today, or a vision of that person flashed through your mind, and then you bump into them later.
Maybe you smelled a sweet scent that reminded you of someone, or you knew the phone was going to ring, and it just did. We may have a feeling not to drive a certain way home today, and later discover that we missed a major traffic jam.
We all have an inner voice that talks to us when we have important choices or decisions to make.
Some people have won the lottery, after the numbers just ‘popped into their mind.’ We all have dreams that reveal important information to us about the past, present or future.
Some of us feel sadness or despair when we walk by strangers. We feel soul connections with some people we meet for the first time.
Finding Your Unique Soul Path And Purpose
Sometimes life on the Earth plane seems overly difficult, or perhaps even futile. Depending on where you are in life, what you have achieved and how satisfied you are with the outcomes, these thoughts can be dreary indeed.
Take heart. There is no magic timeline within which you must accomplish great and wonderful things to impress others. You are at liberty to structure your life in a myriad of ways, in the time frame that suits you best.
Take the opportunity to reframe your criteria for success. There are unlimited possibilities when it comes to realizing your ultimate purpose in life. Each person is unique. No two paths are the same. Your journeys, therefore, will not be identical.
Give yourself permission to contemplate your life’s purpose. Allow yourself the latitude to try different ideas before making a lofty commitment. Do not judge yourself harshly for not taking action yet.
Be willing to try a different avenue that better suits your temperament or talents. In general, the end goal can be achieved in many different ways by taking different routes to get there
Avoid comparisons that cause distress. Being inspired by an accomplished master can be wonderful, however, you do not need to pattern your efforts after those of another.
Nourish Your Mind, Body & Soul With Real Food
My relationship with food evolved the day I decided to start my own garden. I didn’t have much space where I lived, so I rented a plot in a community garden nearby, for a very small fee.
Although it soon became a part-time job, it also turned into my sanctuary. Any stress from the day cleared when I went there.
I was always eager to go there and visit my growing family of fruits, herbs, flowers and vegetables. It made me feel like a child again!
Connecting with the Earth on such a deep level also gave me a new perspective on my spiritual identity.
From being inspired by fellow gardeners to teaching my son important life skills, I was motivated to get serious about treating my body like a temple and also raising awareness in others.
Something I once took for granted and paid little attention to, became a great passion and concern for me.
I saw our society falling into a downward spiral health wise and knew it started with the quality of our food and water.
I began to educate myself more on how everything we consume was being processed and came to the conclusion how vital it is for us to re-adopt some of the old traditions of our grandparents and ancestors. By taking their wisdom and applying it to our current food crisis, we can raise the consciousness of our world, feed the poor, and heal ourselves in mind, body and spirit.
How To Keep Your Relationship Strong
Why is it that some relationships are successful, and some are not? When you fall in love your hope is obviously that it will last forever.
There is nothing worse than falling for someone, only to end up heartbroken and confused about what had gone wrong, and wondering how you can go back to the way things used to be.
So, the question is, how do some relationships manage to last and stay so strong?
I believe it begins with the simple things, like how we greet each other every day, for example. Making the effort to kiss our partner hello and goodbye every time we leave and arrive, is a thoughtfulness that can go a long, long way. It keeps the flame of intimacy burning so much stronger.
We should also learn to say “I love you” without any restraints. Those three little words mean so much.
Sometimes of course there will be arguments in a relationship. Developing healthy conflict management skills is therefore essential.
We might hit a nerve with each other, but just because we’re mad does not mean we don’t love each other. Every fight does not mean that your relationship is over. Any couple that goes the distance can rise above fights and realize what’s most important.
When it comes to conflict and disagreements, I feel that the two things one should never do is say something that you cannot take back later, and never go to bed angry. Words can hurt terribly and even if you forget about it, your partner won’t.
I Am Responsible For Me
We all make mistakes. Each one of us has looked back on our life path and thought, if only I could go back and change it.
I wish I would have bought that house while it was still available at a lower price, because I would be on easy street by now.
Or if I could go back and take that amazing job, which I did not realize was so wonderful at the time, due to my youth and inexperience, I could have retired with a huge pension and many benefits by now.
One of the biggest regret that comes up quite often, is wishing to go back and tell relatives and friends that we love them… before they passed away so unexpectedly. I have so much to say to them right now, I wish I would have said it then.
My favorite saying, and yes, I am guilty of this myself: if I could go back to my teens with the knowledge I now have as an adult, I would change the course of my life and do things differently.
Yes, it would be nice if such a magic wand or time machine was available to us, so we could travel back and start over. However, truth be told, in our youth, we probably would have done the same things again.
The knowledge I have now, is because of the life lessons and mistakes that I have made. My errors and poor decisions created who I am today!
Am I perfect? Heck, no. Do I still mess up? Oh, yes. However, do I carry the things I messed up in my backpack of hardships, or do it let them fall to the ground and return to Mother Earth, and not let them move forward with me?