Moving Into A New Phase

Every one of us lives a life mirrored by individual and changing experiences, perceptions, needs, and desires. We connect with others, becoming friends and confidants, most often because they share something with us, such as an interest or need. But as time goes on there is change, and the bonds that brought you close to a treasured friend may not be enough to sustain the relationship. You may find your lives have gone in wildly different directions and you no longer share the same aspirations, or you may have changed on an energetic level. It is not unusual in such a situation to find that the comfort you found in the other person has vanished and that you have trouble relating as you once did. Outgrowing a friend can be confusing or painful, but it is a natural part of one's personal growth.

You have a right to choose to surround yourself with those people who understand you, are helpful and compassionate, and put you at ease. Months or years into a friendship, you may find your friend no longer seems like the same person he or she once was. The change may have been within them, but may also have come from within you. Moving on does not mean that your past shared experiences were not meaningful or important to you both, but rather it acknowledges your needs in the present.

Ending a friendship can be difficult. You may not feel comfortable explaining your reasons for doing so. Even so, you can still be kind, respectful, and considerate, and simply state that you can no longer devote time to the friendship. When you have made the conscious decision to let go of the relationship, it will most likely happen naturally.

The people who are or have been a part of your life each taught you something. Some friendships are long-term while others are brief. In all relationships, however, it is important to embrace changes and to let go of regrets. While you may outgrow the need to maintain a friendship with someone who was once very special to you, that person will nonetheless always occupy a place in your heart.

Small Acts: Large Impact!

We often feel that we don’t have the time or energy to extend ourselves to others with the small gestures that compose what we call common courtesy. It sometimes seems that this kind of social awareness belongs in the past, in smaller towns and perhaps, “slower times”. Yet, when someone performs an act of kindness to us, we always feel touched.

By doing something simple like helping someone with the groceries and can make n impression because many people just walk right by. Even someone who simply makes the effort to look us in the eye, smile, and greet us properly when entering a room stands out of the crowd. Common courtesy is a small gesture that makes a huge difference. An important component of common courtesy is awareness and common sense—being aware outside yourself to see when someone needs help or acknowledgment.

As a courteous person, you are aware that you are walking into a room full of people or that your waiter has arrived to take your order. Then, allow awareness to lead to action.

It is usually quite obvious what needs to be done—open the door for the woman holding the baby, move your car up two feet so another person can park behind you, acknowledge a shy person with a smile and some conversation, apologize if you bump into someone.

A third component is to give kindness freely, without expecting anything in return. People may not even take notice, much less return the kindness, but you can take heart in the fact that you are creating the kind of world you want to live in with your actions. When you are out in the world, remember to be aware of others, lend your hand when one is needed, and give this help without an ulterior motive. Through these small acts of kindness, you make this world a better place in which to live.

Affirmation: 3/27

The thoughts I choose to think and believe right now are creating my future. These thoughts form my experiences tomorrow, next week, and next year.

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Today, I give my best to that which I do, knowing that when one experience is complete, I am led to even more fulfilling and rewarding experiences.

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I only give out that which I wish to receive in return. My love and acceptance of others is mirrored to me in every moment.

Visit SpreadKindness.org

Worries Be Gone

I went to Cost Plus today. I love Cost Plus - they have so many beautiful things....

I purchased a beautiful decorative box today, not the one pictured here, but my own perfect box to put my worries in.

There are times when our minds become too full. Our to-do lists, worries, plans, and dreams may be so crowded together in our heads that we don’t have room to think. We may believe that we are somehow taking care of our desires and concerns by keeping them at the forefront of our minds. We think that we're maintaining our mental hold on every detail, however, this is not really what's going on. We may actually be delaying the our hopeful dreams and the resolution of our worries, fear, or anxiety because we won’t let them go. They are constantly in our minds.

At times such as these, we may want to use what I call a worry box. A worry box allows us to let go of our worries and desires so the universe can take care of them for us. We write down what we want or need to happen and then place the note into a box.

By writing and placing our thoughts in the box, we are taking action and letting the universe know we need help and are willing to surrender our feelings. We are giving ourselves permission to not concern ourselves with that problem any longer and trust that the universe is taking care of it.

The box I purchased today will be very special to me, as it will carry all my worries so I can let them go. I think that if you decided to get a worry box, it should be a sacred container for your worries. By doing this ritual, it will not only free up space in your mind by letting go of our worries and desires, but you are giving your burden over to a higher power. Once we drop our worries and desires into the worry box, we free our minds so we can be fully present in each moment.

Surrendering our worries and concerns and placing them in the hands of the universe doesn’t mean that we’ve given up or have been defeated. Instead, we are releasing the realization of our desires and the resolution of our worries and no longer concerning ourselves with their outcomes.

I think it'll be really fun in a couple of months to go back and pull the slips of paper (folded sticky notes) out of the box once your requests have been granted. And as you could imagine, it would be amazing how quickly problems can go away and dreams actually come true when we finally let go and allow a higher power to help us.

10 Things: Life Lessons for the Busy World

10 Things: Life Lesson for the Busy World

1. Live simple and live it like you really mean it! By choosing not to get caught up in the details of this fast-paced world, you'll discover that you have more time to enjoy being alive. The colors are more vibrant!

2. Stay in the present moment. Soul searching, meditation, and journaling are just a few of the many activities you can take part in to stay aware and learn as much as you can about your emotions, reactions, likes, dislikes, dreams, and fears. Having a solid sense of self gives you a firm foundation for living in this world.

3. Support or teach others as often as you can. This can help you form connections with people while also giving you an opportunity to make the world a better place.

4. Consciously choose what you will allow into your being. The media presents us with visions of negative issues and at times just unnecessary topics. Be wise about what you read, watch, and listen to.

5. Acknowledge the beauty that resides around you. Whether you live in the Big City or a stereotypical suburb, there are natural and man-made wonders just waiting to be discovered by you.

6. Nurture your ties to your group of friends & family. If you don’t have one, create a one! When you have a network, you have a circle that you are a part of. Its members – loved ones, friends, or neighbors - can be a source of support, caring, guidance, and companionship.

7. See the larger picture. Remember that the way that you choose to live is not the only way to live. Widen your viewpoint by exploring other types of being through your own research, travel, and discussion.

8. Embrace the challenges that life presents to you, and challenge yourself often. After a time, even the most exciting jobs or lifestyles can seem like routine. Never stop incorporating new knowledge about whatever you are doing, and your life will never seem dull.

9. Move your body. In this busy world, it can be easy to live an inactive life. Movement reacquaints us with our bodies and connects us to the earth in a instinctive way. It also restores our energy.

10. Make time for stillness, silence, and solitude. The world can be noisy, and we are subject to all kinds of noises nearly every waking hour. We are also often "on the go" and unable to relax. Being alone in a peaceful place and making time for quiet can help you stay in touch with yourself.

Finding your inner voice

Within each of us, there are numerous voices often that compete for our attention. It can be difficult to decide which one to listen to, particularly when their messages are all quite different, sometimes conflicting, and even alluring. One voice, however, is the speaker of truth. Among all your inner voices, your true inner voice is the one which encourages you, gives you hope, and pushes you to trust and believe in yourself. Conflict within oneself is often caused by dueling voices inside of each one of us. As we move through life, we get mixed messages from the various aspects of ourselves. Some of our voices can speak so loudly that they drown out the voice of truth. Listening to your true inner voice – often the voice of understanding, support, and self-assurance - can help lessen and even resolve internal conflict.

If you’re looking toward the future but your faith in your ability to succeed in life is indecisive, you will benefit from finding and listening to your true inner voice. You can connect with it by remaining relaxed and alert, while listening carefully. If you have trouble distinguishing your true voice from the others, meditation may be helpful. You may hear many voices as you meditate, but the one you should pay attention to is the one that speaks to you with love, understanding, and compassion. It will strengthen your spirits and urge you to go after your dreams. And it will never cause confusion, remind you of past mistakes, or cause you to doubt yourself.

The more you listen to and believe in what your true inner voice is telling you about your value and your potential, the stronger that voice will become. And the more you disregard the voices that can interfere with your resolve to succeed, the quieter those voices will become. Saying no to the voices that are judgmental and make you feel ashamed will help you stop being critical of your failures and afraid of success. By finding and strengthening your true inner voice, you will be able to ignore internal conflict and pick out the one that speaks the truth.