Quote of the Week

"Excellence is not a destination; it is a continuous journey that never ends." Brian Tracy

What a simple yet powerful statement. I find this idea to be valid regarding all aspects of life. Often we tend to think of excellence or greatness as something to be completed and achieved, like a class or a lesson in school. We often feel that we have to conquer some great obstacle and once done we’ve completed the task of reaching excellence. But really, excellence is the drive that pushes us harder and further to do better and better. Excellence is not the end goal, but rather the ongoing desire, that pushes us to be all that we can… and more.

Allowing Others To Be Who They Are

I know some are already saying, “I already do that.” But do we? We are all governed by our beliefs, whether they are moral, spiritual, political, etc. And pretty much everyone likes to believe that their POV is valid or right. So in our humanistic way of thinking sometimes we fall into the trap of believing that if our beliefs are right then someone else’s must be wrong. And then we feel that we want to do the right thing by helping others change “the error of their ways” by bringing them over to our way of believing or thinking.

Often I see others who are living lives that don’t seem to benefit them or serve their highest good, but nevertheless they seem to be hooked into their way of life. It is very difficult to watch others (especially others that we care deeply about) travel down a path that seems to be harmful to them. To stand back and do nothing may seem wrong, but what if we’re not standing back and doing nothing, by attempting to not force our personal views upon them? What if our negative viewpoint about what someone else is doing, produces more harm than good all around? What if when we believe we’re providing enlightenment to someone, form a place of negativity regarding their behavior, we are actually hurting those we are attempting to help as well as ourselves?

We can never force someone else to into a pattern of thought or belief they don’t desire. To try to pressure them into “changing their ways” only creates negative tension between them and us. In all cases, the most we can do for people is to love them where they are and allow them to be which they have chosen to be, even if it’s in direct violation with what we feel to be right. No matter what, we can never think, live or create for anyone else and to try will only bring frustration and negativity to everyone involved. Though it may be difficult, the most we can do in these types of situations is to allow others to be who they are while doing our best to think positive thoughts for them. They are here to gain their own personal experiences from life as are we, and it’s not our job to cheat others of their experiences, even when we don’t understand or agree.

Quote of the Week

"Sometimes people get the mistaken notion that spirituality is a separate department of life, the penthouse of existence. But rightly understood, it is a vital awareness that pervades all realms of our being." David Steindl-Rast

Short, sweet and to the point. Some speak of spirituality as if it’s something you only work on one day a week or when you can squeeze it in, but truthfully (you know how I love the truth) it is a lifestyle. Spirituality (or even the lack thereof) is something that guides every action, every consideration, every thought, every reaction, etc. When a person is truly aiming to be one with who they really are (their source) then spirituality becomes a way of life.

Missing But Never for Long

So I’ve sorta been MIA. Shameful I know. *hangs head in shame* But in my defense sometimes you need to take a little break and hit the refresh button. Since I’ve been away (absolutely not slacking off) I’ve been thinking of the direction I would like for my life to take. Things in my life are far from bad and I am thankful every day for the opportunities that are presented to me. However things aren’t quite the picture I have in my mind of my “dream life.”

I know that a lot of people feel that living their dream life is nothing more than a fantasy, but you know me, it’s all or nothing. I’m not going to dream big if I’m not going to take a shot (or even multiple shots) at trying to attain them. Anyway, since I’ve been taking my little breather I’ve had time to really narrow down the type of lifestyle I’d like to have and I’ve honed my focus in on it like never before.

Recently I was presented with an opportunity that will allow me to have everything I’ve asked for and my inner being is yelling, “GO FOR IT!” So, even though I am absolutely scared as this opportunity is nothing that I’ve ever even tried before, I’m still going for it. What I won’t do is allow my ego to hold me back out of fear and a desire to keep me in the mundane and familiar. My soul is chanting, “Do it!” So I’m doing it! Wish me luck!

Quote of the Week

“If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. It's very important to be aware of them every time they come up.” Deepak Chopra

I love how this quote just spells it out. The ego (the human mind) thinks it knows everything, even though everything it knows has been garnered from the physical perspective. The human mind is forever threatened by change or that which it deems as different. As a result if we grow up being taught that the human mind is above all and kept ignorant of the guidance of the higher (spiritual self), our growth will forever be stunted. The ego (often) believes or accepts what society and those around us tell it. So we grow up believing that we have to work to gain others approval, when it is how we feel about ourselves that matters most, especially with regard to creating and enjoying the lives we want. The ego believes that its way has to be the right way and tends to judge others who walk a different path. The ego likes to try and control the atmosphere around it in order to feel superior, though in reality it will never be able to match the true wisdom of the spiritual self. When the ego is in charge everything is the hard way, it will do what it can to hold us back so that we do not try to change and grow past its limited vision. But, when we allow the true spirit within to be the beacon that guides us there are no limitations to how far we can reach.