Letting Go...

... For real this time. Well I've been missing for a bit threeish months, but no one's counting, right? You know when you ask for change it's always good to be prepared for anything. If only I could take my own advice, because I've been informed on numerous occasions that I give great advice. I've had a lot of things in the works for quite some time, how long I can't really say... but again no one's really counting right? However the consistent factor in me not receiving quite a few things, is my need for control.

Hi, my name is Michelle and I'm a control freak. I'm not one of those types who tries to force everyone around to do her bidding, or else. No, that's a bit too much even for me. I'm the type of control freak that wants experiences to happen the way I envision them. There is an underlying fear that if my requests are answered in any way, other that what I envisioned, they won't turn out as good. Thus, I am unable to truly let go, which is a very serious problem.

See the thing is I, from my limited human perspective, don't actually know everything, as much as I'd like to pretend I do. And in my resistance to experiences outside of my current perspective I am potentially cutting off the exact experiences I've been asking for. Neale Donald Walsch says, "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." Probably one of the most insightful quotes I've ever read, however consciously difficult to apply in every day life, because so many of us are only willing to trust in what's familiar.

The things is, in my experiences the best gifts have always come in the most unsuspecting packages. A person would think that I'd learn from that and just trust in the universe. Well I'm putting my money where my mouth is (I really don't understand that saying, but whatever lol). Over and over it's been reaffirmed that I truly DON'T know it all, and when I get the hell out of the way and allow the universe to do it's work, I am always surprised at how the universe truly shows up on my behalf in ways I'd never even thought to consider.

Score:
Universe - 254,365,125,565,455,125,845,458,231.23
Michelle - Zip

Letting go - Priceless

Talk to you all later.
Love,

Figuring it Out Vs. Allowing it to Happen

This is by far one of my biggest struggles. I am one of those control freak type people (hey don’t judge me) that likes to know from step A –Z, how I’m going to accomplish something, whether it’s a trip to the grocery store or buying a new car. If I don’t already know HOW I’m going to get something then I feel like I must “figure it out.” But that’s not really the point of all this life stuff is it?

Aren’t we supposed to be enjoying the journey of life unfolding, while trusting in the universe and allowing the potential of all there is to bring us exactly what we’ve desired? I mean, at least that’s what I’ve been studying since… you know… birth. Though I know the process, this allowing, this letting go of the control is by far one of my greatest points of expansion.

All through life we are basically told we should have all the answers and if we don’t have them we should find them. But what does this cause other than stress and a general lack of appreciation for what we have? In searching for something “better” we often lose focus on what we’ve already accomplished and push aside the importance of being grateful for what we already have.

What if today, we all decided to put just a little more energy into appreciating NOW (‘cause that’s all we really have anyway) and releasing the control over the things we frankly don’t know the answers too? I bet if we just allowed ourselves to feel genuinely good about what we have, we’d be one step closer to manifesting those things we so desire.

In the words of someone I totally adore, “Just a little something to think about.”

Love,

Current Score: Universe Four Hundred Fifty Skillion (Yes That Much), Michelle…

…Well that doesn’t really matter does it?

So, regardless of how the universe has been kicking my patootie I am still determined to get this stuff down. I will be the embodiment of my beliefs all (well most) of the time and I work pretty hard at practicing what I “preach.” Living by example is, to me, the best way to learn and teach. And with that being said, here’s a new little (or maybe not so little) tidbit of how the universe has worked its magic in my environment... AGAIN!

Typically (probably more like always) when we are struggling with a specific something (or specific somethings) and we’ve notified the universe (by way of intentional or unintentional means) the universe helps. By helping, I mean it bombards you with opportunities of expansion, as often as moment to moment until you acknowledge the issue and decide to actively take the steps provided to let it go.

SO this week (Week of 7/23 to be exact), I’d been receiving a lot of messages regarding worrying. *scratches chin* I mean why would I need to work on worrying? I certainly don’t have an issue with worry. *in my haughty know it all voice* Hehe, well, regardless of what I thought, I received many messages from avenues that provide profound guidance to me on a regular basis. Well after reading these messages (yes they were literal messages that I receive from regular sources) I started to feel that I should be looking deeper as to why there seemed to be so many coming at once regarding the same topic.

Well it turned out that I HAD been worrying. See when it comes to me, I hardly ever worry. I know I can handle anything (because I’ve shown myself many times over that I can), however my children are a different story entirely. I tend to immediately go down the path of worry when they’re involved. So as discussed in one of my last posts, I had to get my oldest son registered for Kindergarten (who told him he was allowed to become a school aged child, I still need to get to the bottom of that). Well, finally having completed registration (spiders and all), he still needed before and after school care. There is no way, with our work hours, either my husband or I could be there when the bus arrived to get him or drop him back off. Dropping him off and picking him up directly during school hours was also out of our reach, at least from our current perspectives.

This being our first time having this experience, we had no clue how to go about finding this type of care, and the school’s website left not an inkling of info regarding how it could be obtained (so helpful, really /sarcasm). Let me also add that I had about a week to come up with a solution. (no pressure /more sarcasm) Yes, I was definitely getting worried. BUT, I also knew that worry would not get the results we all wanted. So, I toned down the worry, and did some Google searching instead, which resulting in obtaining a starting point.

 Of course the idea of the place I THOUGHT I liked the best had a wait list. (YAY! /had enough sarcasm yet?) Regardless, we came up with possible alternatives that could suffice until that particular location would be able to accommodate the care of my son. Well (I really do say well a lot), The Man called the number provided on the website and the location we called was specifically for a certain school, as they were located onsite. Turns out, the company has multiple programs for the majority of public schools in the area (onsite). Why I was not informed of this from the get go… really doesn’t matter at this point.

What does matter, is that I didn’t give up and go back to worrying, after this “set back.” Again I had some tools at my disposal and chose to use them. I decided to go back and perform another Google search this time with the name of the school and “before/after school care.” Would you know it, this is exactly how I found just what I needed. I called the number listed, got the info needed and made arrangements to complete the registration for the program… THAT DAY!  Can you believe that LESS than 24hrs after I’d decided to stop worrying, and instead start using the tools I already had in my possession, everything I needed was given to me? There’s something to be said about trusting the process. I’m just saying. ;)

Love,

Quote of the Week

“A mind too active is no mind at all.” Theodore Roethke

I can relate to this quote on so many levels as I used to consistently have so much on my mind, at one time, I’d get massive headaches. Not so good. I was taught some very good meditations to help alleviate this situation. The most effective one I was taught had everything to do with allowing/letting go and nothing to do with control.

The basic premise of this meditation (l like to call it Void) was to become still, and instead of trying to “control” my thoughts (which is pretty much impossible anyway), I would let them flow in and then out of my mind, never latching on long term to any specific thought. This way, nothing ever got the chance to get stuck. I couldn’t take the opportunity to ponder, linger or dwell upon any certain thoughts. What this allowed me to do, was stay in the moment, which is where most of us trying to be anyway.

What this caused was a fantastic allowing and releasing of energy that I had been clinging to. When I was able to allow that energy to flow, instead of just clogging me up, it made it easier for me to be openly receptive to my good, especially when it came to creative inspiration. Because I wasn’t busy worrying about how things would come, they just came. Just some food for thought.

Quote of the Week

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” Eleanor Roosevelt

You have to admit, the lady makes an excellent point! This quote captures the essence of the process that so many of us struggle with, in one simple sentence. Life is to be lived and enjoyed to the fullest that we possibly can. In immersing ourselves in our present, we embrace life and appreciate the journey that our spirits/inner beings came forth to embody. When we let go of fear, doubt and worry there is nothing we can’t experience and/or achieve. Here’s to letting go and living in the now.

Rearview Mirror

This actually happened to me last Tuesday and I shared it with a few close friends. The experience is still with me today so I'm sharing it again.

“There’s no need to continuously look back in order to successfully move forward.” I thought of this, as I realized that The Universe has been trying to teach me this lesson apparently for the last 6 years. When I was pregnant with my oldest son, my husband disconnected my rearview mirror from my windshield mere weeks after I’d gotten my Cadillac. I tease him all the time about “breaking” my mirror. Then shortly after, we experienced one of the harshest times, but greatest expansions and moments of clarity and learning we’d ever been through. Well the ole’ girl outlived her time and now I have this car (My Malibu)… today as I went to adjust my rearview mirror guess what happened. Yep, that baby just came right off in my hand. I fell out laughing then and there. I use my rearview mirror obsessively, constantly checking on it, worrying if I am inconveniencing the people behind me, if someone is riding my bumper, etc. Well I can’t really do much of that anymore can I lol? No rearview mirror means I am solely dependent on trusting my instincts regarding what I see in front of me, and now I only need to check behind me when it’s really, really, necessary (i.e. changing lanes or backing up for some reason). I’ll be making sure I get the lesson this time, because worrying about my past surely isn’t going to help me positively develop my present or future, but using it wisely when needed absolutely will be to my benefit.

It’s never too late to get the lesson, even if it takes six years to get it. The Universe will provide you with opportunities until you acknowledge the gift and accept the offering. What’s your rearview mirror story? I’m sure we all have one.

“There’s a reason your windshield is larger than your rearview mirror.  It’s more important to know where you are going than to look back at where you’ve been.” I don’t know who said this, but I’ve always known there is a reason that I like this quote. ;)

Just so you know, I decided to leave the mirror down for a few. It's interesting living life through an altered perspective. 

Comfort

There are times in life when we all need a little comfort. As much as we all want to be strong and positive all the time, sometimes we just get down… and it’s okay. But what do we do to pick ourselves back up? It’s one thing to fall, but it’s another to stay and wallow in the dirt. Wallowing only allows time for more negativity to sprout and grow roots within our minds. Though there may be many things that have the potential to get me down, there are also many, that have the potential to lift me up… if I allow them to.

One of my favorite and most effective methods of getting my mind right, is to clear my mind as much as possible. If I’m not focusing on anything in particular, then I can’t be focused on anything bad. I’ve also noticed that my mind and body both feel more at ease when I ease up on my focus. Even when we are focused on something good, if we press to hard we can focus the fun right out of it. Sometimes we just have to let go of the control and go with it (whatever it may be). If clearing my mind doesn’t work I find something else I love to do like playing with my kids, calling a good friend, listening to music, watching or reading a nice romance (happily ever after how can you go wrong with that), learning to cook a new dish from scratch (talk about something to consume your mind) and there is always retail therapy. So the next time you feel a little off or down try distracting yourself with something you like or even nothing at all and see how it goes. You may be surprised at the results.

Love,