Hell in the Hallway

Mother Earth is changing. 

 Tax season is nearing an end.

Daylight savings is upon us. 

Winter is on its way out and Spring playfully, 

almost cautiously, flirts for our attention.

It tis the season for letting the old go and embracing the new.

May we be kind and loving with ourselves and others 

as we do the same. 
 

If you want to change, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable.

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; 

but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see 

the one which has been opened for us."
 

These words from Helen Keller soften the reality, that feeling of being 

stuck or what I call  "Hell in the Hallway!"
 

 I have a sign above my office door that reads:  

"Life begins at the end of your Comfort Zone!"  

Upon reading this message, most experience a hint of amusement 

and at the same time, an inkling of inner discomfort.

Needing to be comfortable is one of the strongest driving energies that keep us from making changes, taking risks or actually experiencing and manifesting what we want in Life.  

It's quite subtle really. We stay where we are, in the familiar, having the same experiences over and over again.  Some of us convince ourselves that it's not so bad ~ that our health, our relationships, our daily activities and even our contribution ~ are good enough. We are accustomed to this plateau in our life; it feels safe. It can also be an empty and boring existence if we hold tight to this position for years. Denying ourselves growth and change ~ smothers our very spirit and squeezes out the passion of our dreams.

 Letting go of "needing to be comfortable" frees us up immediately for new experiences.  When we allow ourselves to feel vulnerable, to lower our "shield of familiar", we liberate our courage and enthusiasm for Life and welcome new possibilities!

In the past, I broke out of my comfort zone kicking and screaming- sure that I would drown or be lost.  Then after treading water uncontrollably, (again letting go) I would come up for air to find new information there waiting for me. 

A new identity, a new consciousness with a whole new set of beliefs and understanding, would present itself.   Over the years as I've learned to stop judging myself and the process, making changes in my life have become easier, more enjoyable and definitely more rewarding.

Yet standing in that middle space, that place between "letting go" and "embracing the new" can feel like oblivion, even Hell.  No longer aligning with the old, and not yet recognizing the new.

"When you choose to create harmony, cooperation,

 sharing, and reverence for Life, 

you activate all the parts of your personality that prevent 

you from creating those things 

so that you can recognize them and heal them, 

one by one, choice by choice, decision by decision, 

as they arise."    

~Gary Zukav

 So, when you choose to let go of someone or something 

that no longer serves your highest good,  it's helpful to remember; 

When one door closes, another door. . . will open.  

Yet sometimes, 

it's Hell in the Hallway!

Stepping into Charlie

There's a reason why they call it "puppy love"!

I picked up Charlie, our new puppy last Friday evening, and of course, nothing has been the same since.  He is adorable and a very good pup. Still, he is a puppy and quite a double handful. 

Those of you who have "survived" the puppy phase know the choice to move forward with a dog, starts with this demanding, exhausting responsibility.  Other than very little sleep and a lack of personal accomplishment , this little guy has already blessed our home, and me.

Charlie will meet Bryan tonight as he gets home from his annual trip to Cancun with his father and brother.  It actually has been a good opportunity for Charlie and me to bond and to begin to get into a structured schedule.  HA!, Charlie is doing a fine job of structuring me and my life around his schedule.

Making the decision to expand our family has been a process. Our beloved Ernie made his transition a year ago last December. He certainly lives among us and we are reminded of him daily in so many ways.  Yet our home and our lives became too quiet, empty, perhaps too convenient.  Not unsatisfactory by any means, just not filled with that daily unconditional love and joy that only a canine partner brings.  Ernie came to us at a time when our family yearned for a balancing, loving companion, and needed a source of comfort and entertainment.  Along the way, he served each one of us when we needed him the most.

During our search for the next perfect dog, I saw a photo of Charlie.  On paper, he met all of our criteria. Yet it was his eyes that called to me.  As I studied and stared into his eyes, I saw a familiar spark, a reminiscent light of love ... I sensed Ernie reaching out from that photo of Charlie. 

We made the decision.....to step into Charlie.  Almost immediately, the lessons and gifts began.  

So, this is what I have learned:

Even life's positive contributions can challenge and activate us.  Self doubt, insecurities, fear, and judgment run rapid in those early days of stepping into a new role, a new routine, a new way of being. 

No matter how tired, confused or frustrated we feel, it is still within us to do what is necessary. Each time I crawl out of bed, fumble to put on my boots, somehow attach his leash and successfully get him out to pee in the cold backyard,  I recognize my contribution to Charlie's health and success. And it's a good thing. (especially as I crawl back to bed for another 2-3 hours surface sleep.)  

Caring for another, no matter how small, is an act of kindness and compassion.  The passage of time has been altered and my heart has been cracked open to again, express itself.  That part of me that is selfless, loving and accepting shows up for Charlie. Similar to my experience when caring for my Dad, our new little puppy provides new meaning and fulfillment to my life.

Getting outside of ourselves, brings us back home. The priorities of the day have definitely shifted. My focus and  activity revolve around Charlie's needs and well being. He gets me out of myself and invites me to stretch to a broader perspective while focusing on what's in front of me. 

There's nothing like a puppy to give new meaning to living in the present. Charlie's energy and curiosity  are exhilarating.  Yet he is so fast at grabbing and chewing everything in his path, all I can do is attempt to keep up with him.  There is no room for my own distractions, activities, or electronics!

Adopting Charlie into our family has been both life challenging and enlightening. The quiet moments of connection, the sacrifice of my agenda, and the forced slower pace, fuel my awareness of what truly matters and celebrates my sense of connection and love.

February is the Month of LOVE

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY 

For some, observing this holiday can trigger depression or resentment, as we look outside of ourselves ~ for Love. As long as we hold on to any resentment, we deny ourselves our ability to receive love or to be loving. 

Think about someone in your Life (it could be you) that you have been harboring resentment toward. There may be several, yet focus on the first person that comes to mind.

What specifically about them do you feel resentful? How long have you felt this way? Did these feelings originate with this person or have they been suppressed in you for a long time? Your answers may surprise you.

The origin of resentment is to "re-feel", a continuous re-feeling of an emotionally disturbing experience felt over and over again or relived in the mind. When we feel resentment toward another it can be identified in negative emotions such as anger or spite. Resentment toward ourselves expresses itself in bitterness and remorse.

If you were able to forgive this person, how might that make you feel? 

What would change as a result of your forgiving them?

To forgive...is to set a prisoner free

and discover that the prisoner was you.

~Lewis B. Smedes

Forgiving frees us from the past. It frees us from our limited thinking and false beliefs. When we forgive ourselves and others, it unlocks the chains that bind our hearts. Forgiveness allows us to reconnect with ourselves, to the light and love of who we are.

FORGIVENESS is our pathway to LOVE

LOVE is a state of being.

Right here. Right now, in the present moment ...

where LOVE resides.

Journey Home to You

"The on-the-spot practice of being fully present,

with an open mind can be done at any time;

feeling your heart, and greeting the next moment

with an open mind 

can be done at any time.

When you wake up in the morning, before a difficult

conversation, 

whenever fear or discomfort arises.

This practice is a beautiful way to claim your warriorship,

your spiritual warriorship.

In other words, it is a way to claim your courage, 

your kindness,  your strength."
                                                                                                                                                            ~Pema Chodron

From Buddhism, a spiritual warrior is a person who battles with the "universal enemy" self-ignorance; the ultimate source of suffering. Warrior,  a brave or experienced soldier, and the suffix "-ship" denotes a skill in a certain capacity. 

So, how do you claim the evolution of  your Spiritual Warriorship?

With the closing of  January, I reflect on the theme for this first month of 2014.

In our Soul Sisters Journey group, we focused on reconnecting & aligning with others, in Freedom to Change Stems from Within, we shifted from blaming sources outside of us to taking personal responsibility for the world we create. 

 And throughout the month, there has been a steady gentle whisper, to live in the moment, to express gratitude, to slow down,  to just...Breathe.  We can change our thoughts and reclaim our power by going within, listening for and trusting;  the voice of our "inner wisdom".

However, Life in the fast lane is addictive and we must continually remind ourselves to slow down and smell the roses.  The beauty of social media and of immediate, unlimited access to information, is that we experience such an abundance of choice.  The other side of this freedom, is the overwhelm and distraction that too much data can deliver.  One minute, I will be looking up a subject on-line and two hours later, my surf has morphed into topics and sites out of sync from where I started.   

So again, I come back to this simple message of truth, as I understand it, practice it, and vow to live it.

There is nothing more fascinating or fulfilling than journeying inward to discover ourselves!  

The really cool thing is, everything we ever yearned for, is available 24/7 ~ just like on the internet!  Only the data revealed, the direction defined, and the freedom granted,  have been uniquely created~ custom designed ~ just for you!

As I think of being the heroic pioneer of my own Life,

I find myself humming a tune from Jana Stanfield, a favorite folksinger of mine...

"I'm Not Lost, I am Exploring"

Success in Gratitude

Without gratitude, you may focus only on what's lacking in your life, rather than what you appreciate.

Gratitude 

keeps you optimistic, and evidence shows that optimism improves your health."  ~ Lissa Rankin, M.D.

It is the New Year and January is already over!

What emotion does this statement conjure up for you?  For many of us, we experience a twinge of panic.  Whether we made New Years Resolutions or just pretend we did, this opportunity for a fresh start, to change something in our Lives and the pressured hype to be successful can be a powerful impetus for feeling frustrated and disappointed.

When did the turning over of a New Year ~ trump, living each day to the fullest? Whatever happened to "Today is the first day of the rest of your Life"?  Many of us remember that slogan and the Smiley face of the same era:  Have a good day!

Changing for the better is the preferred, positive, direction.  Yet when we set our focus on someone else's plan or version of what "better" looks like,we set ourselves up for chasing the elusive butterfly.  We separate ourselves from our own power, guidance and direction.  We waste our promise of infinite possibilities.  To feel better ~ we put our faith into something outside of us.

What if you turned your attention, within?  What if you decide to stop chasing, anything?  What if you slowed down a bit ~ to hear your own wisdom and see your own direction?  What if you focus on feeling and being Grateful?

Gratitude is an acknowledgement of something greater than ourselves, not outside of ourselves. Perhaps it is a broader perspective than cherishing our limitations or holding on to a belief ~that we are alone in this world.

 Let's list the 7 top aspects of our Lives, for which we are Grateful. 

Let's focus on those each day.

Let's allow the other stuff to just~ slough off from lack of attention.

Let's Celebrate all our Successes that come to us daily... when we Live in 

Gratitude!