Welcome to New Moment New Energy!
By · CommentsThe Positive Perspective that supports:
- Emerging from negative patterns of the past
- Embracing the now with passion and positivity
- Moving forward into the future with joy, love and enlightenment!
A Personal Experience Story
My husband and I had been looking forward to this day for quite some time. We were celebrating my husband’s birthday with a mini vacation, several hours away from our home town. At the hotel spa, we had a luxurious side by side Swedish massage planned.
About 45 minutes before the massage, the cell phone rang. It was my daughter who was back in Long Island, panicked and speaking a mile a minute. She had my husband’s car and was traveling to another town for a lunch appointment. One of the rear tires blew out, was totally flat and the car was not drivable. She was on a parkway, a half mile from the nearest exit. In tears about how bad this all was, she lamented about how she had to cancel her lunch appointment with her former mentor/boss whom she hasn’t seen in a very long time.
(Now, you might be thinking that you have no sympathy for me in that my MASSAGE might be interrupted. But please realize this couple massage only happens perhaps every four to five years for us, and it was at the request of my husband who wanted it as a birthday present.)
So I had two choices – I could cry along with my daughter, getting caught up in her flow of fear (the old me would have.) Or I could remain calm, practical and clear-thinking. Of course you know the choice I will make.
However, in some duel Universe in a different dimension, I could almost hear the other me carrying on with a litany of “oh no, I can’t believe this is happening right now.”
My first priority was to calm my daughter, reassuring her that I will get some assistance for her. And I did point out that despite this unexpected mishap, SHE is totally fine and unhurt. That is the most important thing. She does agree with that.
As we were speaking, I was noting the time on my watch, wondering if roadside assistance can get to her before I get to relaxing on a massage table. So I hung up with her and immediately called the roadside assistance where I am a member.
This roadside service is not allowed on the parkway, but the helpful operator put in a call in to the only towing company that IS allowed on the parkway. We determine that the easiest course of action is to simply have the service change the blown tire and replace it with the spare.
After this was all put into action and we notified my daughter (she was quite relieved), my husband and I headed to the spa — a lovely, zen place fragrant with the scent of aromatherapy. We each headed off to our respective changing areas, accompanied by spa attendants.
Part of me wanted to simply blurt out and vent to my attendant: “I’ve planned this for so long and wouldn’t you know it — my daughter is stuck on the parkway back in new York. She is freaking out, and I am nowhere near the zen state I had hoped to be in at this particular moment.” But I simply say nothing and quietly follow the woman to the locker room. As she explains how to choose a pin to lock and unlock the locker, I force myself to focus. Or I could just see all my belongings being stuck in the locker with me having no clue at how to get to them.
As I changed into a long white soft fleecy robe, I noticed a text flash up from my daughter that the roadside service had arrived. I then moved into the relaxation room, sipping a glass of herbal iced tea but still nervously clutching my iPhone. As I sat and began to TRY to relax, I congratulated myself on remaining centered and focused during this minor, but distracting, challenge. I noticed the sign on the table next to me, which read something like “This is a relaxation area. Telecommunication devices are not allowed.” Inwardly, I managed an ironic smile, but I can’t possibly “abandon” my daughter until the tire situation is resolved and she is able to safely drive home.
As I waited, I noticed a text finally flash onto my phone “Done. I am going to drive home now.” And then I shut my phone and placed it in my locker (remembering the sequence to unlock) and awaited the voice of the massage therapist beckoning me to my hour of luxurious relaxation.
My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the next hour (and I even opted for the “add-on” of some aromatherapy scented lotions) — it was pure indulgence. And I allowed myself to let go of the tire incident.
Unexpected things happen — that is part of life. And they usually don’t happen at a convenient time. After all, is any time truly “convenient” for something difficult to occur? Flexibility is a powerful life lesson to learn, but an essential one. As I always say, we can’t control everything that happens to us. But we CAN control our reaction to it. And it’s important to keep our perspective on these occurrences. A blown tire is an inconvenience to deal with, but the bottom line was that my daughter was safe and unharmed. From that perspective, it is easier to let these happenings go and to move back into the more harmonious flow of life.
Affirmations:
- I swim with the current of life, remaining flexible and adaptable.
- I remain centered and calm during minor life challenges.
- I breathe into the flow of life, acknowledging that everything is happening for my Highest and best good.
Another day, another routine, maybe almost exactly the same as yesterday? Are you stuck in the rut of taking your life for granted? Do feelings of appreciation come to you often — or come to you rarely?
An early morning email from a wonderful, compassionate woman who has been quite inspirational to me has been a wake-up call, reminding me how precious a “normal” existence is. This woman has been suffering from an unusual condition involving her spinal fluid and has been bedridden for a half year now. Still she continues to do her inspirational tele-calls from her bed, reaching out her kindness and compassion to others in her internet community despite her own extreme physical challenges. Though it appeared she was healing, she has experienced a major setback and will be going in to the hospital for another surgical procedure. (Some of her symptoms are excruciating headaches and vision loss .) She is only in her early forties.
Another acquaintance of mine was recently hit by a van while she was walking in the street and was quite injured. Fortunately, after much medical care and rehabilitation, she is recovering.
I don’t share these stories for a “gloom and doom” effect. I share them for a “wake up and smell the beautiful fragrance of your life” effect.
Life truly does bring us along a road of many twists and turns, and sometimes we are never sure what we will find when we round the next curve. But that doesn’t mean we have to be filled with fear-based thoughts along our journey. We shouldn’t hide from living, and cower away, afraid of what could happen.
On the contrary, I am encouraging you to go out and live your life — and live it with grand appreciation! Life is a magnificent gift, and we should choose to treat and acknowledge it as such.
Embracing appreciation with a deep reverence for the beauty of our individual lives is probably the most joyful and productive thing one can do. Learn to bask in the clarity and exhilaration of each moment. Oh yes, some moments are definitely better than others. But as we make a conscientious effort to bring in more optimistic thought patterns, it becomes easier to find the precious good in our everyday experiences. Particularly the very simple ones — such as times spent with family, friends and even our cherished pets. Or times we spend connecting with nature.
Make an effort to greet each day with some form of appreciation. Bringing in the feelings of gratitude early in the morning can jump-start your day to be more positive, more productive, more inspired! And closing the day in the evening by just mentally revisiting those best moments of your day with authentic gratitude can be quite powerful.
It is said that those who are able to live their lives in a state of appreciation are generally happier and more fulfilled.
So what can you do, personally, to bring more thoughts and sensations of appreciation into your own reality? Give it some thought, and start now to begin to tap into that wellspring of appreciation that I do believe resides within each of our hearts. Let it flow forth… and enrich your life!
Affirmations:
- I am grateful for all the lessons I have learned along this journey called Life.
- I strive to let appreciation fill my heart and my senses… and know that my life is better for it.
- Embracing the concept and practice of appreciation brings joy, abundance, inspiration and fulfillment.
Are you joyful and enthusiastic about where you are heading? Or perhaps you are just accepting, and sort of moving blindly along, not sure if the direction aligns with your true “calling”? Or, are you possibly just plodding through each day, filled with uncertainty?
There is a wide range of potential attitudes toward’s one’s life. Of course, the optimum is feeling genuinely happy, vital and self-assured about your own path, invigorated and knowing that you are living your soul’s calling. Knowing that you are doing exactly what you are meant to do, and are where you are meant to be.
A young woman recently shared with me that although she was basically joyful with her work, she had a nagging feeling that she should have been or done more. And where did this feeling come from? Of all things, a recent visit to a psychic — a woman who she must have paid for a reading, but who spouted only negativity. This so-called psychic had shaken her confidence, informing her that she should be in a different career entirely, and should have done many things quite differently.
I was appalled at this destructive reading as it was detrimental to this young lady who placed sincere emphasis on what the psychic had to say. So I encouraged this woman to forget about the reading and suggested she focus on moving ahead with her life. “Do you like what you’re doing?” I questioned her. She assured me that she does, and she had put quite a bit of studying and practice into her vocation to get to the point where she is today.
I know that many people place too much credence on the negative remarks of others — and these others aren’t necessarily psychics; they can be one’s friend or family member who might need some lessons in tact and supportiveness.
Personally, I believe that we are pretty much where we need to be on our live path. Not everyone is completely content — that is the usual human condition. But I feel it is important to trust that as we move along our road of both self-discovery and life experience, we retain a clear understanding about the direction we need to follow. And often, we come to the figurative fork in the road and must make some personal decisions about which way to turn. And if you are truly not content with where you are, then you can always make a shift in another direction.
Embracing your path with confidence is essential for peace of mind. As I always say, tune into your own innate sense of self-guidance that lies within for assistance with what steps you need to take. If you are feeling strong and positive about your goals and plans, then you can easily let the remarks of “naysayers” roll off and not effect your self-assurance.
Not everyone is going to be your champion, and it’s key to understand that. That is why you need to be your own best and focused champion. Have confidence and insight into your own desires and wishes. And you may need to work on striving to ignore or be non-reactive toward those who cast obstacles in your path.
Yes, everyone wants to be passionate about their particular life path, but it is not always possible to maintain a high level of this as we move along our day-to-day schedules. If you can hold on to an overall sense of optimism in your heart, greet each day with even a little enthusiasm, then your life path will surely unfold in a gentle, welcoming, uplifting way. Be confident of this. Be sure of this. And don’t listen to psychics who tell you otherwise.
Affirmations:
- I feel genuinely confident that I am aligned with my life path as I move forward each day.
- Tapping in to my innate sense of self-assurance helps me overcome obstacles that I may encounter.
- I gravitate toward those who are supportive and encouraging about my life choices, plans and goals.
Additionally, we all have acquaintances, those who lives touch ours, brush against our reality, but who do not impact us so closely.
And of course, we all experience a range of relationships that span the gamut in between those two ends of the spectrum.
The challenge is to balance it all out, to acknowledge and cherish all of the above in the best and most sincere way possible. Clarity, contact and communication are what I think of as the “Three C’s” of a healthy friendship. These three aspects also need to be offered in an authentically caring, supportive and nurturing manner.
Most essentially, these need to be offered in a non-judgmental way, which is, perhaps the most difficult perspective to cultivate. Over the years, I have been learning to infuse my friendships with as much of this perspective as I can muster.
However, this doesn’t mean sitting back and accepting unhealthy or uncaring treatment from certain “friends” who may not always have your best interests at heart.
In the last few years, I have “lost” a few long term friendships which I never expected to be gone from my life. They were painful losses, but in the long-run, appear to have resulted in a healthier and less stressful aspect of my life experience. These were profound life lessons for me, and helped me understand how important it is to cherish, nurture and support those healthy friendships. I have also begun to distinguish between what I personally need from a friendship in order for it to be a strong, happy and beneficial bond.
Most everyone is familiar with the classification of “fair weather” friends — those who only stay with us when we are in a joyful, optimistic or positive stage of our life. These kind of friends seem to suddenly and conveniently disappear when challenges arise for us.
But I have also experienced that there are “foul weather” friends — those who might gravitate toward taking charge of us in our misery, drama or tragedy. They may feel the extreme need to be needed, thrusting themselves into that role of caretaker or life manager. They often DO serve a genuine role in assisting us through the hard times. However, when the turbulence is over for us, giving rise to more radiant days, these friends seem to suddenly relegate themselves to the background of our lives — or become completely absent.
The very bottom line is that friendships have to be genuinely sharing — an exchange and flow of emotions, talk and genuine concern (yes, even LOVE) for each other.
Anyone who is in a friendship that does not encompass these essential facets will feel slighted and even taken advantage of.
So it is important we set conscious intentions to feed and nurture those friendships that lovingly surround us in order to maintain them and help them grow.
Here are seven basic suggestions:
- Connect in person. In this age of a million technical communication devices, it is still key to connect face to face. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that a blitz of text messages will do the trick. Spend quality and pleasurable time with those who are close with you. And do this regularly — or as often as both your schedules will allow.
- Stay in touch between actual visits. Sometimes nothing beats that old-fashioned phone call with a good friend, just catching up with what is happening in both your lives. And of course, emails and text messages here are a perfectly wonderful way to say a quick hello or give an update. Even using Facebook or Twitter to give brief updates to friends is a newer and far-reaching way to get messages out to a group of friends.
- Be bold and confident enough to share true sentiments and emotions. A friend will understand just where you are coming from and be supportive through all emotions, scenarios and challenges.
- Be a good listener — and a good ASKER. Cultivate the skill of listening patiently. And afterward or in between, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification, for more information about what your friend is feeling or how they may want to approach a challenge in their life. Everyone loves having focused attention on themselves, will know that you are listening — and will appreciate this.
- Express appreciation verbally. Let your friend know how much they mean to you in whatever way you are most comfortable. With a really close friend, you may be able to say “I love you.” On some verbal level, let the friend know that you DO cherish the bond. If a friend has gone over and above what you have expected, tell them so, gratefully.
- Let your actions speak for your commitment to the bond. Go the extra mile, particularly for a friend who is down or facing life hurdles – send a bouquet of flowers, a card (even an eCard) or make an in-person visit to help out, cook a meal or lend a shoulder to cry on — whatever will be helpful to a friend in need. Remember birthdays and anniversaries too!
- Know that friendships can ebb and flow over the years, and be understanding of this. If a relationship is truly unhealthy and severely negative, you will sense it and feel it in your heart. And if it continues in a prolonged way, you can always let it go as diplomatically as possible.
Friends exist at every level. I treasure my friendships — the full range of them — from those who are close in-person friends to those whose lovely and uplifting energies I have connected with on Facebook and the internet. Be open to all new friendships and possibilities. Let your life unfold with a heartfelt desire to joyfully connect with others who resonate with you, as this will definitely enhance your journey!
Affirmations:
- I gratefully cherish all the close and caring friendships that warm my life.
- I make the time and effort to express appreciation to my friends, and I feel joyful!
- It is easy for me to listen patiently and supportively to others and I know that I will receive the same attention.
How is the good old Law of Attraction (LOA to those who are well-versed in this principle) working for you personally? Are you manifesting at least some of those magnificent desires that bloom in the wellspring of your inner thoughts and dreams?
When I get a bit off-track myself, my daughter (who is in her late twenties) admonishes me, “The Secret, Mom — use The Secret thinking.” Which of course refers to the movie that ignited the general public’s interest in this amazing universal law. Though I happily engage in LOA thinking often, it is certainly not 100% or anywhere near that much. My daughter can be very wise beyond her years at times and she professes that LOA thinking has enriched her own life dramatically.
It can enrich anyone’s life if you are ready to release limiting beliefs and embrace this powerful form of positive thinking.
Those times when you can sit in a meditation — or a peaceful state of anticipation — and realistically conjure up those visions of what you genuinely want to appear in your life need to happen frequently in order to bring the required attention to what you wish to create.
However, the first big step is to DECIDE what you do wish to create, and you must get profoundly clear on this. Being indecisive or wishy-washy (that is an old term, but fits here) is not going to move you in the right direction. You have to be specific in what you want.
Some of the well-known motivational teachers state that you must be extremely specific. For instance, if you want financial abundance, you should not just request “Show me the money” or “Bring me great riches.” Instead, say “I intend to manifest $10,000.00 by next month” or “next week,” whatever time frame you relate to.
But personally, I find that when I sit with an open heart and mind, and embrace the richness and abundance of the Universe, that abundance does seem to magnetically flow in. For me personally, this involves working with very powerful affirmations. And I find that though I am not always specific, I am quite clear on the emotions that I am feeling as I embrace the joyful sensations of what it would be like to already have what I am wishing for.
But the key is to really believe — and be in that state of receptiveness. You may need to experiment and find what feels right for you. Maybe that classic “vision board” resonates, where you paste up photos of what you are intending to attract. Or watching short inspirational videos that make you feel a rush of exhilaration and eagerness for what you are intending to manifest. Or just going within, and taking ten minutes to meditate on your wishes and goals. Try to capture very realistic mind pictures of what your manifested dreams will look like.
Part of this LOA equation is being able to focus. This means brushing aside distractions and really concentrating. Placing all your energy into the envisioning. And it means taking time every day to call forth that which you yearn to bring into your life experience.
And I do firmly believe it works.
For I find that when I have been lax with LOA thinking, my days become more stressful, less optimistic and I feel somehow diverted from my life path. So consistent thinking and making time to envision are essential.
However if you merely sit around and imagine all day, there is no guarantee that anything much will happen. You DO need to back it up with some real ACTION steps. But begin with the clear vision of your goal, and define exactly what you want and where you wish to go with it. Know you must take inspired action, but also know that if your heart is in it, you don’t have to do ALL the calculating about how to make it happen. Trust that if it aligns with your overall highest good, then the wise Universe will figure out exactly how to bring forth your desire in a way that is uniquely amazing and fulfilling for you.
Affirmations:
- I use my senses and inner guidance to clearly envision that which I wish to manifest.
- I am receptive to all the good, joy, and abundance that flows from a loving, supportive Universe.
- Each day, I awake with clear, optimistic intentions and take inspired action steps toward these goals.
The Vibration of Love – Your Core Essence
By · Comments“Love is the answer and love is the way
Love is in knowing just what to do and what to say
Love is the reason, love is the why
And love is in heaven right here on earth and peace inside.” ~John Denver
Do you find yourself more often in the powerful vibration of love, as in “heaven right here on Earth and peace inside” as the song says? Or are you constantly challenged by fear-based beliefs?
Some people live their life in a state of worry, chaos and disconnection. They may not enjoy living in that place (“worry” is not an exit on the highway that anyone would willfully choose) but perhaps they lack the awareness of their power and capability of making other choices. They don’t realize that there is an alternative to negative thought patterns. They remain stuck.
I do believe that some individuals are comfortable being the eternal victim. (“Nobody loves me” or “everything bad always happens to me.”) Joyful moments are rare, and their lives are in a perpetual downturn.
It’s certainly easy to be a victim, to walk in the shadows and cling to the known discomfort of limiting beliefs.
Sometimes it takes a personal crisis — even a small one — to shift one’s perspective. Sometimes it is a quick and amazing epiphany. And often it just happens over time, or in response to the influence of someone or something else, or from pursuing new spiritual paths and studies.
Awakening of consciousness goes hand in hand with letting in the very light of love. Learning to turn away from the shadows and step into the light of our core essence allows those very shadows to dissolve behind us and fade into our past.
And it’s never too late to wake up to the realization that one can go from victim mentality to that of joyful, loving creator. Love is merely letting go of fear.
So today, in this moment, acknowledge that you are a being of love, one that comes from love. Tune in to the love that is strong in your heart. If you are already on the lively, exhilarating path of illumination, then re-affirm your steps along this road. We all have moments of weakness, as our human-ness sometimes causes us to have episodes of disconnection. Our lights feel dimmed. That’s perfectly normal. It’s okay to experience your human range of emotions, even while reaching for your soulful range of goodness, compassion, and understanding.
I do firmly believe that part of our life here in this physical plane is to learn how to truly experience and express love in human form — love in all kinds of relationships and on all levels including love of our planet and its creatures.
Extend the reach of your love. This extends the reach of your light. And it will brighten not only your life, but the lives of many others in a magnificent ripple effect.
Affirmations:
- I tune in to the love that exists deep within my heart, for love is my core essence.
- Compassion, tolerance, patience and understanding are qualities that I cultivate within myself.
- I allow the brilliant light of love to emanate from within and flow out to those around me.
It had begun in the morning, when I’d had a session with healing client. After the table session, we began speaking about being in the mindset of joy and how important it is to be in the present moment in a feel-good way. I say “we” began speaking, but it was really me. Suddenly I felt myself going into a joyful “rant” if there is such a thing — reciting all my favorite points and methods about my belief in free will and free choice and how it is better to make the conscious effort to choose positive thoughts. I spoke about The Law of Attraction, though I didn’t call it that, but just tied it in to focusing on positive aspects and attracting positive flow into one’s life.
The more I spoke about joy, the better I felt and I had this electrical surge of happiness just stream through me in one of those moments. And I found that my joyful feeling was contagious as my client began to smile and I could see her eyes light up, as if yes, she truly “got it.”
However, suddenly realizing that I had rambled on for awhile, I quickly stopped in my tracks, and apologized, “I’m sorry for the long speech.” But my client simply nodded and said “I liked the speech. I can use the encouragement.”
The explosion of joy within me during the session and then the “speech” stayed with me, more than I even realized… and showed up in very simple, but unexpected ways throughout the afternoon.
I had errands to run and I prepared myself for the most crowded, busiest of parking lots of the places I would be stopping at. After all, it was just after Christmas and right before New Year’s, so as I pulled my car into the first small, crowded shopping center, it appeared that there were lines of cars, no available spots to park, and other cars impatiently waiting. But somehow, as I pulled up close to the store where I needed to go, an SUV pulled right out in front of me, opening up a primo space that I pulled straight into — voila – like magic!
Next, I had to do a food shopping and I knew the supermarket lot would be like a circus, especially since the weather was so gorgeous and unseasonably warm. But again, even with the overwhelming number of vehicles, as I pulled up closer to the store, a car pulled right out, leaving an excellent spot for me!
The store was packed, but somehow my shopping just flowed as I happily wound myself through the aisles and around the clutter of many people’s shopping carts — in an unusually radiant and upbeat frame of mind! The appetizing counter — always a lengthy ordeal of taking a number and waiting, waiting, waiting — was like a dream. As I approached, a worker behind the counter looked straight at me and said “May I help you?” I couldn’t believe it — no wait — even though it appeared that there were quite a number of people up at the counter.
And even at the checkout counter, everything flowed smoothly and quickly.
What an amazing and pleasant shopping experience! Now I wonder how it would have played out had I not been in the attitude of exquisite joy that morning. I probably would have been bemoaning the fact that I couldn’t find parking anywhere…
Which just reinforces that lovely “Law of Attraction” thinking — the better we feel, the better it gets and life moves along more easily and harmoniously.
Affirmations:
- I bask in the mindset of joy, let it fill my heart and senses — and anticipate optimistic outcomes!
- I delight in simple pleasures and by focusing on them energetically, attract more of the same into my life experience.
- I adopt an outlook of positivity and expect things to go right for me!
New Year… New Moment… New Energy…
We are finally here in glorious 2012!
Though many of us feel instinctively that this is a special year, a happening year, a year of consciousness awakening and a year of dramatic SHIFT, most of us have no idea exactly how the energy of this much-anticipated annum will play out.
So we need to just sit tight, be open to exciting change and infinite opportunities and possibilities. Of course, by that I don’t mean to just sit there and only think about the upcoming year. You need to visualize, prioritize, “goal-ize” (I don’t think that’s a real word, but you get my meaning) and take some inspired ACTION! And if you put it together in that way, taking step-by-step forward movements, results will actualize in a quantum way!
But you have to believe in yourself and believe in your dreams. Set goals that are feel-good ones for yourself. Any doubtful or not-sure kind of plans are not going to manifest. We all seem to know that “Law of Attraction” principle, yet we still find it a challenge to set goals that feel joyfully right for us, ones that truly align with our life path and soul calling. Ones that magnetize our desires and draw them directly to us.
Though you have likely heard some of these suggestions before, I share them again here:
- First, celebrate your accomplishments and highlights of the previous year. When we spend some upbeat, feel-good time celebrating what we’ve done right or positive, it gets us in the high vibration of inspired joy. It is from that place that we can move ahead to create what we want in the new year.
- Commit your goals to paper. It is an established fact that those who write their plans down are more likely to manifest their goals and dreams. And do it with enthusiasm!
- Use your imagination to really feel what it will be like to attain and enjoy your success. This is where strong visualization comes in. Really immerse yourself in what it is you wish to create or bring into your life. Some people swear by “vision boards.” Do what feels right for you.
- Write some powerful positive affirmations that are meaningful for you. Say them regularly and get into the energy of what they actually represent.
- Take each larger goal and “chunk it down,” into smaller sections, to quote the highly successful Jack Canfield. Nothing is too daunting if we divide it into smaller, easier steps. So even if you tentatively place one foot in front of the other, you WILL get where you want to go if you keep moving forward, even slowly.
- Cultivate an attitude of perseverance! Know that some things will materialize fast and furiously — in a good way! But other things will take longer, so be sure to be in the mindset to stay the course. Tap in to your inner guidance system to bring up your personal strength and ability to persevere.
- Call a lifeline! Absolutely get some help if you feel guided to. This can be in the form of a friend, family member, counselor, life coach, etc. Just make sure it is someone who can be truly supportive and encouraging to you, someone who can help keep you motivated and focused.
So as we move into 2012, leave behind what hasn’t worked for you, what doesn’t feel right or uplifting to you, and get in the energy of the powerful shift that is in the air! Embrace the newness of the year. Inhale the breath of beginning brand new from the blank, waiting canvas of your life. And know — just know — that you are going to create the reality you desire!
Affirmations:
- I set intentions and goals that resonate with my heart, mind and spirit.
- I cultivate an attitude of perseverance to help me through trying times.
- I enjoy the support and motivation I receive from loving family members and close friends.
Self-Empowerment – Moving Away from a Victim Mentality
By · CommentsDo you often (or even occasionally) find yourself making statements such as “Everything always happens to me,” “I never have any luck” or similar comments that undeniably cast you into the role of victim? I see this as the “poor me” syndrome and unfortunately it is something that appears to be all too common. Let’s face it, there are times we all fall into that trap of playing the hapless victim in our ever-shifting life story.
Mostly, we know this is not a healthy place in which to wallow. But sometimes we don’t know. Sometimes we are so caught up in the drama of the “woe is me” outlook that we can’t see or think clearly, and certainly have no clue about how to find a much-improved and joyful path upon which to move forward.
I’ve written much about this topic, but was inspired to revisit this after someone wrote to me the following — and I am paraphrasing: “What about those personalities who thrive on and exploit the compassion of others? How do you limit the damage they can inflict on you?”
Take a good, hard look at that question. What is it about the way it is worded that indicates that the writer of this might be stuck in a victim mentality? (Of course, my question is rhetorical.)
The lesson I have learned — and I am constantly continuing to learn – is that each of us has the power of choice. It is essential to begin to not just grasp this concept, but to profoundly embrace it with all your might and heart.
Well, you might think, we certainly don’t have the power to choose everything in life — and yes, that is a keen and true observation. But we have the power to choose a huge percentage of what happens in our lives. As for the rest, we have the power to choose our own REACTION. If something troubling happens, if a challenge arises, you can either meet it with fuming, raving and negative drama — or you can meet it with strength, understanding and perseverance. You can crumble under the weight of it, or you can take it in stride as a meaningful life lesson. Which outcome would YOU choose? (another rhetorical question that is a no-brainer.)
Another can only “inflict damage” on you if you allow it to happen. I’m not saying it will be easy to keep your cool and and stay in a mode of neutrality, but it is doable.
This is not to say you should enable a troubled or difficult personality or let someone walk all over you or abuse you.
As a powerful adult individual with free will and choice, you are capable of staying tapped in to your inner strength while holding the light of compassion in your heart.
You are capable of holding that peaceful, good-feeling sense of caring and surety within your being. You are capable of retaining a relatively harmonious outlook. You are capable of being peaceful and as neutral as possible when dealing with others who try to “inflict damage” on you. And did I remember to say “you are capable”!!!
It always comes down to doing the inner work to get to the place where you can cast off any vestige of a victim mentality and confidently take on the strength which all of us possess deep within. Sometimes it requires guidance or assistance from others (even a counselor or therapist) but it is certainly a positive path that we can all aspire to trod. Look within yourself — trust that your own personal strength vibrates powerfully in your heart. Genuinely make that commitment to tune in to the powerful, enlightened you that waits to come forth, especially in these spectacular, consciousness-awakening times.
Affirmations:
- I knowingly tune in to my inner strength and guidance to help me make decisions that are beneficial for me.
- Perseverance and patience are qualities that I consciously work on cultivating.
- I am a powerful creator and use my ability of choice and free will to design a life experience that is healthy and joyful for me.