There is no doubt that there are many of you hurting in some way out there. Your pain is real and your fears are amplified due to the current economic crisis. There is a way to peace if you really want it. To identify with your pain will only bring more to you.
In my morning prayers and meditations I am sometimes given a vision that reveals its meaning to me later as I contemplate it. Many times these visions lead to the articles I write to you. I never question what God gives me in these times. The guidance and the messages from the creator are always profound and powerful.
Yesterday while talking to God, I was given a vision of a badger that had become trapped in a cage. It was wild with fear, jumping and thrashing and biting the bars of the cage. It was panting and it looked like it would die of fright. It also appeared to be very angry at its fate. The badger slowed down and appeared to be rigid and statue like. It closed its eyes and its breathing slowed to a point where it appeared that the badger had died. A man approached the cage thinking it was dead. When he opened the door the badger flew out like a bolt of light and in a flash it was gone.
Then I was shown another badger in a cage. In this part of the vision the door of the cage was open and it was being set free but it would not leave the confines of the prison it was in. This man was poking it with a stick and it still would not move. It was fearful and felt safe in the cage. It would not take the freedom it was being offered. It had adapted to its fate. This badger did not trust what was being given to him. I could readily see what was being shown to me. We are like the badges in the vision. Which badger are you?
Confusing and conflicting times occur so that the soul will search for a different path to pursue and walk upon. When there is a better way for the soul to travel, it must begin to feel the struggle and the conflict; otherwise, our souls would stay where they are and miss the growth of a new path and the peace and resolution that is on this new path.
As often happens in life, when we fail to make tough decisions by our own choices that need to be made, life makes them for us by default.
Turning points seem to break us at first so we can be remade. Challenges are spiritual gifts in disguise. Look for the gift in everything that seems unfavorable in your life. It is always there. When you see the gift, the pain disappears.
Once you see the gift that you can always dig out of the suffering, decide how you will use it to influence other areas of your life experience. How can you use it to make your life better?
Walking through fear brings out our power and reveals our real self to ourselves. This brings you closer to the answers to the questions,
"Who am I?"
"And why am I here?"
The badger who stopped fighting against his entrapment won the moment the cage door was open. The other badger had adapted to his fate and did not seek freedom even when it was offered. He was fearful and did not make a decision except to stay where he was even though it was not the best place for him. This badger had chosen to remain a victim of his circumstances.
The only other thing that God shared with me was one word.
"Choose"
With the gift of our free-will it is clear to me what God means.
If you want to improve the quality of your life, you can start by improving the quality of the questions you ask yourself. Questions can be one of your most powerful allies or they can become one of your most formidable enemies. It’s up to you.
Our minds are always working and if you think about it, our minds are always questioning. “Why did I take this route to work?” “How long until lunch?” “How much money do I need save for my vacation next year?” “What’s coming on television tonight?”
Most of these questions are pretty mundane. But there are questions that have more power.
“Why me?”
“Why not me?”
“Why does this always happen to me?”
“How come I never catch a break?”
The funny thing about questions is that when you pose a question, your mind immediately sets out to find an answer. And any answer will do.
“Why me,” you ask?
“Well,” your mind replies, “because you aren’t smart enough.” Or, it may say, “Because the cards are stacked against you. You’ll never get ahead.”
What we ask creates a chain of thoughts designed to answer our questions. When our questions are negative and defeating, the answers will usually be negative and defeating as well, creating a downward spiral.
One negative question leads to a negative answer. The negative answer leads us to pose another negative question and so it goes. Depression, frustration, and overwhelm all are exacerbated by the questions we ask.
Yet on the other side of the spectrum, we can change our thinking by asking different questions.
If you were passed over for a promotion, you might be tempted to ask, “Why me?” The answers might include things like:”Because they like him better,” or “Because the boss doesn’t like me.” Yet are these questions and their answers helping you? Are these answers bringing you closer to the next promotion or pulling you further away from the prize?
The key is to retrain your mind to ask more powerful questions. Powerful questions are questions that can empower you and move you forward.
If you were passed over for a promotion, a powerful question would be “What can I do to improve my chances of getting the next promotion?” You could also ask, “What can I learn from the person who got the promotion that will improve my chances the next time around?”
If a relationship fails, it’s not about why you always attract losers but what you can do and where you can go to meet a better caliber group of people.
You can tell a powerful question because the answer is not based in blame or self-pity. The answer will often involve action on your part and instead of feeling like a victim, you will feel empowered or in charge. That’s the power of a powerful question.
Breaking a habit is hard, and that’s what our common thought patterns are, habits. When you find yourself asking disempowering questions, stop and ask yourself an empowering one instead.
It’s not “Why am I always broke?” It’s “What can I do to save money or what can I do to earn more money?”
"Why am I broke?” doesn’t lead to action. It leads to excuses. “What can I do?” leads to accountability and action.
When you find yourself spiraling down into depression, despair and hopelessness, it helps to break out the pen and the paper. On the top of the paper, write an empowering question and make yourself come up with a few answers.
It also helps to replace the why questions with how , what , who and where questions.
“Why am I broke?” turns into something much more positive.
“How can I change my spending habits?”
“What can I do to save more money?”
“Who can advise or help me get control of my finances?”
“Where can I go to get some financial counseling?”
Each of those powerful questions leads to action and real answers. You are constantly asking yourself questions anyway. By changing the kinds of questions you ask; you can change your attitude and by changing your attitude you can change your actions and that can be the start of changing your life.
As we fast approach the halfway point of this year, it isn’t too late to start making the changes that can make 2009 a life-changing year! Thank you to Paula Koval for submitting this great list.
1. Take a 10-30 minute "Thank you" walk every day. While you walk practice gratitude. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. Buy a TIVO, tape your late night shows and get more sleep - it’s the ultimate energizer.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement: My purpose is to___________ today.
5. Live with the 3 E’s. Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.
6. Read more books than you did in 2008.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Do the "one thing" you have always wanted to do.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat fewer foods that are manufactured in plants.
11. Mentor someone and be mentored by someone.
12. Engage in daily random acts of kindness.
13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing positive energy into your life.
14. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
18. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished____________.
19. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.
I encourage you to pick one and try it today!
This list of great tips was submitted by P3 Lifeline member Paula Koval
Finally, it was a quiet day in the office of CEO and President of The North Carolina Minority Support Center, Paula McCoy. I was particularly struck by Paula’s humbling presence and her passion for helping communities succeed.
What a fascinating story! How often have you heard people talk about finding a mentor to coach you along the road to success or get the education to teach you how to be successful? Paula is the epitome of a leader who finds what she needs within the scope of her environment.
Imagine being born in a family of 13. Imagine having a child at an early age and returning to a home where no one knows your true passions. Imagine standing at the crossroads of one the biggest decisions of your life. What choices do you make when you’re standing at the crossroads? And how do you choose with power, passion, grace and dignity. Paula candidly shares how.
Early on, Paula learned the power being competitive. From being born into a large family to single motherhood to standing at the crossroads and making one of the most difficult decisions ever, Paula found ways to navigate success out of each and every moment. You will be inspired by her story of optimism, hope, and leadership.
Paula’s vision from an early age was about helping others realize their potential; but little did she know she was on a journey to helping "communities" realize their potential for success.
Sit back and enjoy this interview as Paula shares what she knows for sure and how self discovery is the key to being a great leader and finding a greater vision.
Grab a pen and paper to jot down some notes as you learn from one of our great P3 Pearls of the World.
I was sitting in my office today looking at a white sheet of paper. I couldn’t seem to find the words to convey to you, so I just sat there staring. The white sheets seemed dark and lonely. What could I place on this lonely page to make it come alive? I mean no answers came, no overwhelming thoughts rushed to the forefront of my mind, nor did inspiration overtake me. I was stuck in the moment. Have you ever had days like that? You’re stuck and you’re stumped with no answers, no motivation or action to take. Most of us have experienced that a time or two in our lives haven’t we? What do you do when that happens?
Funny, the words come to me as I allowed my heart to speak through me. I placed the pen to paper and let the words flow easily and freely. Without worry or concern about doing it right or saying the right thing, the words came. As they began to flow, something magical happened. My inspiration was bubbling up, my motivation was beginning to emerge and the message I wanted to deliver was very clear.
It was that moment I "tried" to write something earth shattering that I couldn’t. And it was when I just gave in to my heart that words came. The magnificent art of allowing my heart to sing opened me up to write a wonderful message that will touch someone’s life.
How often do we stop allowing ourselves to be free? We "try" too hard or we attempt to make things happen. However life is a free flowing experience. Grass never strains to grow nor does the water in the seas therefore nor should life. It is a free flowing experience if we "allow" it be.
Are you embracing and allowing life to emerge or hindering life from blossoming? Give yourself the gift of embracing life and allowing your heart to sing.
YES, "allow" your heart to sing!
A few steps:
1. Let your heart sing.
2. Let your mind be free.
3. Allow your thoughts to roam.
4. Give into the moment.
5. Write it all down and let it be without judgment.
You might be blown away by the beautiful message that emerges from you and the amazing level of peace of experience after you’ve done so.
The power lives within you and it’s always been there, you just have to let it come through you!
As founder and president of The Power, Passion & Purpose Group, Lisa Thomas brings over twenty years experience in business, relationship and individual life coaching. Her vision is every woman lives a life of power, passion and dreams come true. To read more writings like this one. Visit the P3 Power Boost Magazine for Women at http://www.TheP3Group.com !
