Small steps to big change

''When making big change in our life, it can be easier to break it up into a few small changes to avoid overwhelm.

When we decide that it’s time for big changes in our lives, it is wise to ease into them by starting small.

Small changes allow us to grow into a new habit and make it a permanent part of our lives, whereas sudden changes may cause a sense of failure that makes it difficult to go on, and we are more likely to revert to our old ways.

Even if we have gone that route and find ourselves contemplating the choice to start over again, we can decide to take it slowly this time, and move forward.

Sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are merely indicators of the need for change and are useful in getting us moving in the right direction.

But it is possible that once we try out what seemed so ideal, we may find that it doesn’t actually suit us, or make us feel the way we had hoped.

By embarking on the path slowly, we have the chance to look around and consider other options as we learn and grow.

We have time to examine the underlying values of the desire for change and find ways to manifest those feelings, whether it looks exactly like our initial goal or not.

Taking small steps forward gives us time to adjust and find secure footing on our new path.

Life doesn’t always give us the opportunity to anticipate or prepare for a big change, and we may find ourselves overwhelmed by what is in front of us.

By choosing one thing to work on at a time, we focus our attention on something manageable, and eventually we will look up to see that we have accomplished quite a bit.

Forcing change is, in essence, a sign that we do not trust the universe’s wisdom.

Instead, we can listen to our inner guidance and make changes at a pace that is right for us, ensuring that we do so in alignment with the rhythm of the universe.''

(DailyOm, Madisyn Taylor) 

Disapproving faces

''Not everybody we meet will like us and it is ok to move into acceptance rather than trying to make somebody like you.

It is not necessarily a pleasant experience, but there will be times in our lives when we come across people who do not like us.
As we know, like attracts like, so usually when they don’t like us it is because they are not like us.

Rather than taking it personally, we can let them be who they are, accepting that each of us is allowed to have different perspectives and opinions.

When we give others that freedom, we claim it for ourselves as well, releasing ourselves from the need for their approval so we can devote our energy toward more rewarding pursuits.

While approval from others is a nice feeling, when we come to depend on it we may lose our way on our own path.

There are those who will not like us no matter what we do, but that doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with us.

Each of us has our own filters built from our experiences over time.

They may see in us something that is merely a projection of their understanding, but we have no control over the interpretations of others.

The best we can do is to hope that the role we play in the script of their lives is helpful to them, and follow our own inner guidance with integrity.
 
As we reap the benefits of walking our perfect paths, we grow to appreciate the feeling of fully being ourselves.

The need to have everyone like us will be replaced by the exhilaration of discovering that we are attracting like-minded individuals into our lives—people who like us because they understand and appreciate the truth of who we are.

We free ourselves from trying to twist into shapes that will fit the spaces provided by others’ limited understanding and gain a new sense of freedom, allowing us to expand into becoming exactly who we’re meant to be.

And in doing what we know to be right for us, we show others that they can do it too.

Cocreating our lives with the universe and its energy of pure potential, we transcend limitations and empower ourselves to shine our unique light, fully and freely.''


(Daily Om, Madisyn Taylor)

Staying in pain

''Pain can serve as one of life's great teachers, but it is important to move through it and not become stuck in our pain.

Pain comes and it goes. It is just one component to the grand cycle of life. And when experienced as such, pain can serve as an important teacher.

It is when we get stuck in our pain that it becomes detrimental to our well-being and development.

If you notice that you feel closed-off, resentful, heavy-hearted, or that you try very hard to avoid being hurt again, there may be a part of you that is still stuck in pain.

We can get stuck in our pain for many reasons.

As children, it was natural for us to cry, throw a tantrum, and let the experience move through us.

By fully feeling our pain in this way, our emotions would wash us clean, leaving us open and available to new experiences.

With age, though, we might have determined that expressing emotion was no longer appropriate, and so we developed a variety of coping strategies to deal with our discomfort.
We may have learned to stuff our feelings down or to run away from them.

Perhaps we began thinking that staying closed and unwilling to try new things would keep us safe from heartbreak, safe from rejection, and safe from failure.

We may have even gotten so used to being in pain that the thought of being without it scares us.

 But, if we continue to hold onto it longer than necessary, we are expending a lot of energy that could instead be channeled into making our life experiences more positive.

If you notice that you are continually connecting with the same familiar patterns of pain, consider embracing your feelings and letting go of your hurt.

Whether your pain is from childhood or from an experience last week, see if you can give it room to move.
When it does, you will reconnect with a wonderful source of your own vital energy.''

(DailyOm, Madisyn Taylor)

Taking the risk

''Most of us are familiar with the idea of keeping it real and have an intuitive sense about what that means.

People who keep it real don’t hide behind a mask to keep themselves safe from their fear of how they might be perceived.

They don’t present a false self in order to appear more perfect, more powerful, or more independent.

People who keep it real present themselves as they truly are, the good parts and the parts most of us would rather hide, sharing their full selves with the people who are lucky enough to know them.

Being real in this way is not an easy thing to do as we live in a culture that often shows us images of physical and material perfection.
As a result, we all want to look younger, thinner, wealthier, and more successful.

We are rewarded externally when we succeed at this masquerade, but people who are real remind us that, internally, we suffer.

Whenever we feel that who we are is not enough and that we need to be bigger, better, or more exciting, we send a message to ourselves that we are not enough.

Meanwhile, people who are not trying to be something more than they are walk into a room and bring a feeling of ease, humor, and warmth with them.

They acknowledge their wrinkles and laugh at their personal eccentricities without putting themselves down.

People like this inspire us to let go of our own defenses and relax for a moment in the truth of who we really are. In their presence, we feel safe enough to take off our masks and experience the freedom of not hiding behind a barrier.

Those of us who were lucky enough to have a parent who was able to keep it real may find it easier to be that way ourselves.

The rest of us may have to work a little harder to let go of our pretenses and share the beauty and humor of our real selves.

Our reward for taking such a risk is that as we do, we will attract and inspire others, giving them the permission to be real too''

(DailyOm, Madisyn Taylor)

Knowing Our Heart’s Desire

''Jealousy is a common human feeling and usually stems from a place of lack in our own lives.

Jealousy is one of the toughest feelings we come up against in our lives.

There is not much worse than this aching sense that somehow life has been unfair to us, while amply rewarding someone else.
It’s even worse if that someone else is present in our daily lives, making it difficult for us to get the space we need to feel and heal our pain.

We may be jealous of a sibling, a dear friend, or even famous personalities.

We may even face the challenge of feeling jealous of our spouse, our child, or one of our parents.

Whatever the case, we can normalize our experience by understanding that, as painful as it is, jealousy is a common human feeling.

Nevertheless, it is important that we not revel in our jealousy for too long, feeding it with inner talk or gossip with others. If we do, we run the risk of losing ourselves to its negative power.

Jealousy has something good to offer us, though, and that is information about our own heart’s desire.

When we are jealous of certain people, we want what they have, and if we are to be conscious, we must acknowledge that.

In this way, we discover what we want for ourselves, which is the first step to getting it. It may be a certain kind of relationship or a career.

Whatever it is, it is possible that we could create it for ourselves, in our own lives, if we are able to honor our own desires.

Of course, there are times when we cannot heal our jealousy in this way, and then the lesson may be about acceptance and the understanding that our path is different from the paths of those around us.

It may be hard to see now, but perhaps it will eventually be clear why our life has taken its particular path.

In the end, the best cure for jealousy is the recognition that the life we have is full of its own meaning and beauty, utterly unique to us—a gift that could never be found in the life of another.''

(DailyOm, Madisyn Taylor )

In Awe of Beauty

''Beauty speaks to us in soft whispers or bold declarations.

She calls on us to gaze in awe at her splendor. We are enticed by beauty.

We adore her, idolize her, and even court her. Beauty seduces all of our senses.

Beauty’s seduction can be as obvious as the striking good looks of a man or woman or as subtle as the charms of a shaggy dog with loving brown eyes.

We find beauty in the wonders of nature.

Beauty offers us a symphony of colors with every sunrise and sunset and reveals to us her brash power through a storm at sea.

Beauty teases us through the shy smile of a child and delights us via the brilliant flashes of fireworks.

Beauty sometimes piques all of our senses at once, appealing to our taste buds, as well as our eyes and nose, when she appears in the form of a deliciously baked cake.

Beauty calms us with floral scents and excites our aural lust through the passionate sounds made by an orchestra.

Beauty can be cruel, and our pursuit of her can be in vain.

We may go to the opera in anticipation of finding beauty there, and she may bore and disappoint us.

Instead, beauty lavishes her attention on another suitor who may be more appreciative of her charms.
Or, we may try to capture beauty’s essence in a photograph, painting, or sculpture, and still she is nowhere to be found.

Beauty will forever inspire works of art, and she will always pose for her portrait, selecting the artist who is most worthy of her catching her likeness.

Depending on our personal tastes, beauty can be found in every color, flavor, scent, and texture.

She lives among the poor, as well as the rich, and appears in the faces of the young and the old.

She is at home in the city, as well as the country, decorating skylines as well as landscapes.

She is the ultimate shape shifter.

Beauty is a weather beaten barn beloved by one person and an awesome testament of naval craftsmanship revered by another.

Beauty knows no bounds, and we can find her everywhere.

All we have to do is look for beauty, and she is there.''

(DailyOm, Madisyn Taylor)

the secret of surrender

''Most of us were raised and live in a culture that emphasizes the ideals of independence and control.

The general idea is that we are on our own and we don’t need any help from anyone else, and if we are really successful it’s because we are in complete control.

However, true lasting success comes only with surrender, which is the opposite of control.

We cannot accomplish anything truly great on our own, without any help, and the idea that we can is an illusion that causes most of us a great deal of suffering.

Surrender comes when we see that illusion and let go of trying to attain the impossible.

Surrender can then be seen as a great strength rather than a weakness.

Even small moments of surrender are powerful indicators of how different our lives could be if we would only let go.

We’ve all had the experience of extending huge amounts of effort and energy to reach a particular goal only to realize that we can’t make it happen after all.

At the moment of letting go, realizing that we need to ask for help or simply release our agenda entirely, a profound feeling of relief may rush over us.

This warm, open sensation is the essence of surrender, and if we didn’t feel that we didn’t really let go.

But it is never too late to let go, even of things in the past that didn’t work out the way we wanted them to, because surrender is always an option in every moment of our lives.

When we finally do surrender, our goals actually become possible, because the act of surrender is, in essence, asking for the help we need.

This help may come in the form of other human beings or unseen helpers such as angels or inner guides.

It may also come in the form of shifting circumstances, the small miracles that we call grace.''


(DailyOm, Scott Blum)

worthiness

''The issue of worthiness may come up in many areas of our lives, as we ask, often unconsciously, whether we are worthy of success, love, happiness, and countless other things, from supportive relationships to a beautiful home.

In the end, though, it all comes down to one thing: our willingness to claim our space in this life as humans on this planet at this time.

When we accept our divinity, we no longer question whether we are worthy, because we know that we are meant to be here to fulfill a particular purpose, a purpose that no one other than us can fulfill.

There are no replacements who can take over and live our lives for us, no other person who has had the experiences we have had, who has access to the same resources and relationships, who carries the same message to share with the world.

Our purpose may be large or small, and in most cases it is multi-leveled, with important actions taking place on the interpersonal level, as well as in terms of the work we do in the world.

Small acts of kindness share the stage with large acts of sacrifice, and only through accepting and honoring our divinity can we know what we are called to do and when.

Ultimately, we are all equally, exactly, completely worthy of being here in this life.

Moreover, we are all essential to the unfolding plan of which we are each one small, but important, part.

If we suffer from low self worth, it is because we have lost track of understanding this truth, and allowing it to guide our actions in the world.

Seeing ourselves as part of something larger, as beings called to serve, is the ultimate cure for feelings of unworthiness.

In the end, it’s not about evaluating ourselves as worthy or unworthy, so much as it’s about accepting that we have been called here to serve and taking the steps required to listen and respond to what our lives are asking us to do.''

(DailyOm, Scot Blum)

 

Extra weight

''Our bodies are like living temples, and deserve all the love and care we can give them.

Amazingly flexible and strong, they allow us to experience the world.

If we notice that we’re not feeling our best, that we’ve put on extra weight, or that our favorite clothes don’t fit, we can make the choice to be good to ourselves in a new way today.

There are times we become conscious of a deeper hunger that will not be satisfied physically.

We can make a new, healthier choice for ourselves in any moment, regardless of the hour, day, week or month.

And when we make the choice lovingly, we work from a creative place of improving our lives and nurturing the best within us, so there is no need to punish ourselves.

From this place, we can be gently honest with ourselves about the reasons we want to eat certain foods.

We can reach out to doctors to help us determine if our bodies are out of balance at a level that requires something other than basic nutrients.

We can also reach out to our friends for support and to share the journey of health, which is just another part of our adventure on the physical plane.

When we treat ourselves and our bodies as we would a trusted and loyal companion, we keep our energy free from negative thoughts that would complicate our journey.

Our bodies are not our enemies, and we are not fighting a battle.

Instead, we are investing our love and attention into the care and support of a beautiful creation - our selves. ''

(DailyOm, Scott Blum)

Saying Thank You

''We may have become accustomed to asking for help from the unseen world—whether from angels, guides, or ancestral spirits—but sometimes we may forget to close our connection afterwards with a thank you.

When we connect to these energies for assistance, it is much like a phone connection. Forgetting to close the conversation with a proper “goodbye”  [[THANK YOU ]]  is like not hanging up.

While that line is still connected, others can have trouble getting through, while in the meantime, batteries are being drained.

Saying “thank you” is a way of releasing our concerns into trusted hands and getting out of the way so that the universe’s divine order can work on our behalf.

As spiritual beings, we may talk about “staying connected,” but our connection needs to be with our source.

We can plug in and recharge, but we run on batteries in between, and every connection we make utilizes some of our personal power.

Even being surrounded by people that energize us has its limits, and at some point we will feel ready to go off on our own to do what is ours to do.

Instead of trying to be constantly connected, we can turn to these beings for help in a way that is more like placing an order.

We contact them, ask for what we need, and then say thank you and goodbye.

Beings of light  don’t  require our gratitude; it is an energetic acknowledgement of trust and release that benefits us.


When we bring ourselves to a sense of being grateful, we affirm that what we have asked is already done.

Then we can move forward with confidence to do the things we are meant to do, while knowing that all will be well.''



(Scot Blum, Daily Om)

afraid of the truth

''Most of us have had the experience of being in possession of a piece of truth that we were afraid to share because we knew it would not be well received.

There are also instances in which we ourselves have been unable to handle some truth confronting us.

This might be a small truth, such as not wanting to see that our car needs repairs because we don’t want to pay for them, or a large truth, such as not fully accepting that someone close to us is pushing us away.

Usually the truth is evident, and we can see it if we choose, but we have elaborate ways of hiding the truth form ourselves, no matter how apparent it is.
 
For the most part, we avoid the truth because it scares us, or makes us angry, or makes us feel like we don’t know what to do.

We often create our lives based on a particular understanding, and if that understanding turns out to be fully or even partially incorrect, we may feel that our whole sense of reality is being threatened.

It takes a strong person to face the truth in circumstances like these, and many of us run for cover instead.

Nevertheless, we can only avoid the truth for so long before it begins to make itself known in ever more forceful ways.

Ultimately, there is no way to avoid the truth, no matter how painful it is, so the sooner we let down our defenses, the better.

When we know the truth and accept that we may have to adjust our lives to accommodate, we are in alignment with reality.

At the same time, we can be patient with people around us who have a hard time seeing the truth, because we know how painful it can be. 

Whatever the truth is, we make a sincere effort not to close our eyes to it, but instead to be grateful that we have access to it.''

(DailyOm, Scott Blum)

milagres - you were born for

Showing up for life

''The way we walk into a room says a lot about the way we live our lives.

When we walk into a room curious about what’s happening, willing to engage, and perceiving ourselves as an active participant with something to offer, then we have really shown up to the party.

When we walk into a room with our eyes down, or nervously smiling, we are holding ourselves back for one reason or another.

We may be hurting inside and in need of healing, or we may lack the confidence required to really be present in the room.

Still, just noticing that we’re not really showing up, and having a vision of what it will look and feel like when we do, can give us the inspiration we need to recover ourselves.

Even if we are suffering, we can show up to that experience ready to fully engage in it and learn what it has to offer.

When we show up for our life, we are actively participating in being a happy person, achieving our goals, and generally living the life our soul really wants.

If we need healing, we begin the process of seeking out those who can help us heal.

If we need experience, we find the places and opportunities that can give us the experience we need in order to do the work we want to do in the world.

Whatever we need, we look for it, and when we find it, we engage in the process of letting ourselves have it.

When we do this kind of work, we become lively, confident, and passionate individuals.

There is almost nothing better in the world than the feeling of showing up for our own lives.

When we can do this, we become people that are more alive and who have the ability to make things happen in our lives and the lives of the people around us.

We walk through the world with the knowledge that we have a lot to offer and the desire to share it. ''

(DailyOm, Scott Blum)

just being

    








      

Eternal Dance from Axel M. Cipollini

beautiful world

Translating our feelings

''When new challenges and opportunities show up in our lives, we may diagnose ourselves as feeling scared when what we really feel is excited.

Often we have not been taught how to welcome the thrill of a new opportunity, and so we opt to back off, indulging our anxiety instead of awakening our courage.

One way to inspire ourselves to embrace the opportunities that come our way is to look more deeply into our feelings and see that butterflies in our stomach or a rapidly beating heart are not necessarily a sign that we are afraid.

Those very same feelings can be translated as excitement, curiosity, passion, and even love.

There is nothing wrong with being afraid as long as we do not let it stop us from doing the things that excite us.

Most of us assume that brave people are fearless, but the truth is that they are simply more comfortable with fear because they face it on a regular basis.

The more we do this, the more we feel excitement in the face of challenges rather than anxiety.

The more we cultivate our ability to move forward instead of backing off, the more we trust ourselves to be able to handle the new opportunity, whether it’s a new job, an exciting move, or a relationship.

When we feel our fear, we can remind ourselves that maybe we are actually just excited.

We can assure ourselves that this opportunity has come our way because we are meant to take it.

Framing things just a little differently can dramatically shift our mental state from one of resistance to one of openness.

We can practice this new way of seeing things by saying aloud:

I am really excited about this job interview.

I am really looking forward to going on a date with this amazing person.

I am excited to have the opportunity to do something I have never done before.

As we do this, we will feel our energy shift from fear, which paralyzes, to excitement, which empowers us to direct all that energy in the service of moving forward, growing, and learning.''

(DailyOm, Scott Blum)

Storytelling

''Ever since our ancestors could first communicate, we have gathered to share our stories.

We have passed along creation tales and tragic stories of love lost.

We have repeated accounts of real heroism and simple stories of family history.

When our forebears lived closer to the land and to each other, the practice of storytelling was imbued with ritual and occasion.
Members of the tribe would often gather around the fire to hear their genealogy recited aloud by an elder or master storyteller.

Listeners could track how their own lives, and the lives of their parents, interwove with the lives of the other tribe members, as everyone’s ancient relatives once played out similar life dramas together.
  
As a custom, some cultures’ storytellers repeat the same tale over and over because they believe that each time you hear it, you come to the story as a different person and view the plot and characters in a new light.

Hearing the story over and over is a way to gauge where you have been and where you are now on your path of personal evolution.

It also helps the younger generation learn the stories so that they can pass them to forthcoming generations.

When we hear others tell stories, we can laugh at their humorous adventures, feel the thrill of exciting encounters, see parts of ourselves in them, and learn from the challenges they face.

Though most of our formal traditions of storytelling are lost, it does not mean we have to be without. We can begin new practices in our own families of listening to one another, of honoring our own journey, and witnessing the journeys of those around us.

We can revive the fireside communal by gathering around the campfire or hearth with family and friends, sharing in stories.

By building new practices of storytelling, we give ourselves and the ones we love an opportunity to draw ever closer in our shared human experience.''

(DailyOm, Scott Blum)