This is the time of year many of us go on vacation...

We begin to slow down....

My favorite places to visit are religious or spiritual in nature - mostly connected to a spiritual titan of the past. I relish walking the same land and perhaps the same path that someone I hold in high esteem for their thoughts or insightful writings once walked.

But don't get me wrong, I like a beach trip or a European trip as much as much as anyone else as well!

For several years, at least before the pandemic, I loved going to Florida, where I went to college, to visit many friends, and relatives that live there.

But I've especially enjoyed exploring places - or journeying deep inside of myself just as much as getting on a plane. Yes, I call it - taking a journey of the heart...

Whether you go away this summer, or whether you are unable to venture forth, go on a pilgrimage of the heart, It doesn't take much or cost anything. Just some quiet time is all that is needed. And some stillness. A good meditation. A leisurely walk. Or, reading a good book.

​Just try it and see. You might surprise yourself and venture much further than you ever imagined or thought possible, without stepping out anywhere!

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Recently I came across this wonderful African word - "tinogona." It simply means, it is achievable.

We do not have a similar word in English. It often amazes me, how in other cultures and languages there can be tens of words to designate unique qualities or aspects of emotions such as love or things like snow - but English is not really that kind of language - perhaps it is more precise than it is nuanced.

Tinogona - it is achievable - is an incredibly hopeful word - at least to me. It seems to convey encouragement and positivity and the belief that anything can be possible. There is a certain solace and comfort to that.

Take a moment to consider your greatest and seemingly most insurmountable challenges in this moment of your life. Close your eyes. Hone into the scene. Then imagine a different outcome from the one you have been playing out in your mind. See the situation resolved with ease and grace. And perhaps, a solution arises in your mind you could not have have envisioned otherwise.

Or, consider the same scene or another experience or challenge. Perhaps something you would like to achieve or create. Focus on the perceived difficulties but imagine that they can be overcome. Simply say to yourself, "It is achievable."

We can turn this simple word into a practice in our lives. It is both plain and powerful. I invite you to follow these suggestions or one of your own making and see if the challenge in question does not become achievable in some way.

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One of the hardest things to do is to simply observe things. As they are. Without judgment.

Often, when we observe we are already imagining an outcome to our liking. Or we allow ourselves to get involved emotionally in the situation in question. Then we absorb everything going on in that situation, whether it pertains to us or not.

Have you ever noticed how others are quick to give advice on social media? Someone recently posted on a thread I was following, that the ones who are often most prone to offer advice, especially to people they don't know, are the least equipped to do so.

This morning, I had a person call me and unload her personal drama on me. I tried to be empathetic without involving myself in the drama, and merely listen. At the end I suggested that perhaps she and the other person involved were seeing things from very different perspectives. And perhaps the behavior that was being perceived as aggressive really stemmed from the other individual having a deep fear of losing a grip or control in several areas of her life..

I don't know if what I suggested was received. I don't know if it made a difference. And, it really doesn't matter. I don't have all the information or both sides of the story. I simply tried my best to observe, and not absorb and most especially not be drawn into the drama.

Normally, I get emotionally tied up in other people's drama, but not today. I choose to listen. To observe. And not absorb. And then at the end, I let go of it all. At least for today. Tomorrow is another day.

All I can do is observe. Not absorb. One day at a time. And try to make this a habit over time.

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Today's entry is very simple. It is summer in one part of the world and that invites us to live in greater simplicity. In another part of the world, it is going into winter, and that invites introspection and one to slow down as well. Either way, the season invites rest.

Are you too busy? Feeling overwhelmed?

Then rest! Take time to:

REST.
REFLECT.
AND REPLENISH.

That is what I am doing right now. 

Last night I gave myself permission to let go of tasks and goals I had set out for the year. It felt instantly freeing. Instead, I thought to myself - "Let's just see where things go. Let me be open to whatever presents itself." So yes! Just:

REST.
REFLECT.
AND REPLENISH.

If you don't take time to rest, you can't reflect. And if you don't have time to reflect, you won't be able to figure out what you need to replenish - and make your life better, more peaceful, and joyous. 

It's really that simple. Try it!

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Are you one of those persons always in motion? Always trying to get from point A to point B?

Have you spent most of your life acquiring things - degrees, trainings, certificates, collectibles? 

Is life always about "more this" or "more that?"

Is it about traveling to every state or as many countries as you can? Or learning more languages? Or getting better at a game - a sport - or something?

Are things always a means to an end?

We spend a lot of our lives working towards something. But what I am coming to realize more and more as I get older is - that it's not about the destination. It's always about the journey.

Now, looking back at my life, I am seeing more deeply that "less is more."

If I could do some things again - I'd certainly acquire less. Now, I am consumed with establishing a more zen like life - with less material things - less striving - and less "to do" things on my list. But it's not easy. There is the continual matter of what to do with stuff. There is an overwhelming urge to simplify.

It's the journey that matters. It's what shapes us and makes us who we really are.

But here's the thing. It's never too late to change.

Stop. Slow down. Simplify. Savor and enjoy the journey. Don't worry about getting anywhere! It's all about the ride!

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Recently, on a walk, I was almost oblivious to the beauty surrounding me, worrying about something that I can't even remember right now. And then, out of nowhere - I felt this message, very clearly, in the depths of my soul:

What was, was.
What is, is.
What will be, will be.

I sighed.

What does this even mean, you might ask? I certainly did.

I cannot change the past - or maybe even what is happening right now. Whatever happens will happen regardless of what I may or may not do. I could influence some outcomes and change my life and its direction - but I can't be assured of any of those things.

What I can change is my attachment to whatever happened in the past - whatever cards I am dealt with now or in the future. 

I can look at things with dispassion - and accept them as they are - without attachment. I can also consider things from a non-reactive place. I can change my perspective of what happened in the past or what is occurring right now.

I know, it is easier said than done.

I can also strive to be the best person I that I can be - live the best life that I can - and not beat myself up for whatever happens or what I consider my failings to be. Because, after all, we all fail. 

How many of us live and re-live past infractions over and and over again in our minds, as if we could possibly change the outcomes? I know I do. But here's the thing. We can't go back and change what happened. But we can look at it differently. There are always lessons for us in every experience or past event. There are lessons we are learning right now, it this moment. And others that we have yet to experience and digest.

I felt I was also being reminded to live in the present moment and to let go of the past and future. For really, now is the only moment there is. To really live this way, would be to live in a way that is unencumbered. 

Maybe you need this message as well:

What was, was.
What is, is.
What will be, will be.

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I have this yard stick, or as a dear soul friend today pointed out - a litmus test - that helps me navigate this often confusing and turbulent world.

We live in times filled with misinformation, violence, and division. If I chose to focus on that, I would constantly live in fear and erode years from my sanity and life.

How to decide what is real?

How to know whether to trust or believe in anyone, most especially, those in leadership or seeking it?

The answer for me, is very simple. It contains the essence of every ethical, spiritual, and practice traditions:

Are the words and actions rooted in Love?

I look at the information, I consider the character of a person and what and how they are presenting their information - and:

I simply ask myself whether what they are saying or how they acting - is in alignment with love.

Does it engender love - or at least strive to? We may not always succeed in all of our endeavors, but what is our intention in the long run? Is it to be a better person and make this world a better place? If it is, it will be evident in the overall pattern of what we say and do over time.

I apply this yardstick or litmus test unconsciously now, almost all of the time. This is how I decide what to read, who to spend my precious time with, and what news to pay attention to. Important news information and messages need to be delivered - but how is it being delivered? Is it in a way that is meant to inform, or in a way that will sow more division among us? 

It is a simple practice for me, and I share it with you in hopes that it may be useful. If it resonates, great - and if it doesn't that's fine too. You might have a better method, and if so, I'd love to hear about it. I am always in search of good tips and better ways to live my life!

May our words and actions, always be rooted in Love!

May we live in such at way that at the end of our lives, others will say, that we lived it in alignment with Love.

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There are days that are filled with good things. Those days are easy and bright.

And then there are days that are challenges - filled with anxiety and fear. And perhaps without even a ray of hope or sense of possibility.

And in those days, we must especially hold on to hope - grasping it as tightly as we can. Yes my friends - despite everything - we must:

Hold on to hope.

As I went to a park near where I live this morning, feeling all kinds of things, this beautiful instrumental piece came on the radio, and it just happened to be titled, "Hold on to Hope." I sensed immediately that it was a message for me sent from the Beyond.

Holding on to hope may not always be an easy thing - but it is a necessary thing. Hope gives us life. It helps us put one foot in front of the other when everything else seems challenging and bleak. We can even turn it into an affirmation, to repeat over and over again until it becomes ingrained in us:

I hold on to hope.

I used to come down to the river every day for years, when I was going through a challenging period in my life. Today, I was reminded how this beautiful spot was teaming with life - cardinals dancing in the air, birds of all kinds chirping, the riverbanks containing the inevitable flow of the river, the magnificent greening everywhere of a gorgeous spring. In the midst of all this beauty and life, I asked myself:

How could I not hold on to hope?

I thought of the birds eating seeds off of the pavement - oblivious to the news and all the frightening things going on in the world that can fill me with anxiety and dread. They do not concern themselves with such things. They simply live in the present moment. There is a lesson in this for me. Whatever might scare me is not permanent. It too shall pass. Every day is a new day. Every day the sun sets but it rises again with its promises of new beginnings.

Hold on to hope.

This was my message for today. This is truly a message for all of us. I hope it speaks to you.

To hear this beautiful piece, click here:
"Hold on to Hope."

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I have the power to change.

Read that again.

I have the power to change.

To change what?

EVERYTHING!

But first of all, I have to power to change myself - and the direction of my life. Because I can make choices.

I can change what I allow into my energy field, what I focus on and dwell on - what I read - who I spend time with. Even the direction of my life. Yes, especially that. I can end what does not serve and always begin again. Every single day. The list goes on.

Even well known figures like Nelson Mandela and Viktor Frankl who were incarcerated, have written about what enabled them to survive. It was ultimately about changing their thoughts and seeking and finding meaning in their lives.

You may not believe you have the power to change. I'll be honest and tell you that at times, I don't either. But we can "change" that by converting our long held beliefs into a simple mantra:

I have the power to change.

Commit to saying this to yourself several times a day for a week, and let me know how it goes. Many blessings to you in this endeavor. Together, we can change the world - one person - one action - one thought at a time.

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​

Recently, I heard Marie Forleo,  the marketing guru, speak about a mantra she uses that is life-changing for her.She was able to reverse all sorts of situations, attitudes, and outcomes, by simply by saying to herself, something like:

"I don't do overwhelm."

The key is to implement the words at the beginning of the sentence: "I don't do..." and then finish it with whatever speaks to you in a particular moment or situation.

I immediately asked myself, what would speak to me in this moment? What do I want to most let go of right now? I had an instant response:

"I don't do fear."

I went around repeating this mantra over and over again, particularly in anxious moments, and I found myself slowing down, becoming more calm, and being able to handle situations that normally paralyze me.

"I don't do fear."

What speaks to you? What do you need to let go of? Where do you need more strength?

Simply say to yourself - "I don't do....(and fill in the blank)."

I don't do anxiety.
I don't do bullying.
I don't do undermining.
I don't do ignorance.
I don't do intimidation...
I don't do lack.

Say whatever your sentence - your mantra is for yourself - and do it out loud. For more effect, pair it with a gesture, as if you were pushing something away or breaking chains.

I guarantee, as Marie Forleo pointed out, you will let go of whatever limitations you need to let go of in this moment.

Try it! It may be very freeing!

For more information and gifts to support you on your journey, visit:
​GIFTS 4 U!