Ups and downs ~Life's Joy Ride!

Emotions are always high during the holidays. We feel elated, depressed, stressed, joyful. Which one is the one though, that you share with your neighbor, your workout partner, your kids, the love of your life?

Start telling a better-feeling story about the things that are important to you. And don't be fooled...take a moment to really consider what is important. The line at the market check out? A cookie that you feel guilty about? A missed workout? Talking to long distance relatives? Volunteering in the soup kitchen? An anonymous gift? Knowing the hearts of your children?

Do not write your story like a factual documentary, weighing all the pros and cons of your experience. Honestly, how long did you go on about how long it took to park at the mall? Your online ordering experience? The politics of today's water cooler chat? Um, needless FB viewing? Instead tell the uplifting, fanciful, magical story of the wonder of your own life and watch what happens. It will feel like your life begins to transform right before yours eyes, but it is not by magic. It is by the power of intention, creation and your perspective and deliberate alignment with your spirit. If you aren't paying attention to the joyful moments in your life, who is?

You don't have to feel good every single moment, that would not be real. You can feel better in those moments though. Sad news from a friend, listen to an uplifting song. Tough day at the office, dedicate your workout to someone that you could be a little more understanding of. Feeling lonely or missing a loved one, pour a glass of sparkling cider and honor their memory by sharing stories of the past.

Here's to finding your joy whether up or down ~jgirl

"We act, behave and feel according to what we consider our SELF IMAGE to be and 

we do not deviate from this pattern."  ~Dr. Maxwell Maltz

This time of year always finds us with emotions high, stress in abundance and the pressure to deliver unrealistic. Time for reflection, enjoyment and gratitude can be lost in the holiday shuffle. Treat yourself to a moment, close your eyes and imagine a time in your life when you felt anything was possible and wishing was like that feeling of riding your bicycle full speed ahead, confidently. Wind in your hair...ultimate freedom to fly!

There really is magic in the season but the real secret is that it lasts all year long. God chose his son to show us the way home. What a gift! Don't get lost in the matrix, follow your heart.

Love transcends all!

A Magical Mind
Wish 

When we wish for something our consciousness opens to receiving it like a flower unfolding its petals to receive a bee. 

From blowing dandelion seeds into the air to throwing a penny into a fountain, we have all felt inspired to make a wish, to whisper our secret desires into the ears of the universe and wait for signs that we have been heard. Some wishes come true while others remain ethereal visions that either stay with us or fade like a star in the light of morning. Whether they come true or not, wishes are important missives, expressing our heart's desire as well as our intention to create something new in our lives. When we wish for something, our consciousness opens to receiving it, like a flower unfolding its petals to receive a bee.

There is something innocent and magical about making a wish, something that recalls the energy of childhood. Wishing is not about formulating a plan and following it step by step to attain a goal, which is the realm of adulthood. Wishing is more like a playful volley across the universe, an invitation to play. Waiting for the response is an integral part of the process. Wishing inspires an innocent opening to the possibility of magic as we wait to see if the invisible realm will bring our wish to life. This opening is a beautiful gesture in and of itself, regardless of the outcome. We place ourselves in a magical mind, and this mind is arguably as wonderful as the fulfillment of our wish itself.

In our straightforward, action-oriented society, we may tend to dismiss the power of this seemingly passive process, yet the power of a wish is well known, hence the cautionary phrase, "Be careful what you wish for." If you have given up wishing in favor of more adult pursuits, you might want to bring its magic back into your life. The next time you see the first star of the evening, or find yourself in front of a birthday cake covered in flaming candles, give yourself the gift of the magical realm that you knew so well as a child—close your eyes, open your mind, and make your wish.

Internal Chatter
Being Aware of Your Thoughts
 

We seldom accept negative comments from others, however, we so often accept our own inner negative chatter.
Few people enjoy the company of individuals whose attitudes are persistently negative. Yet many of us tolerate the critical chatter that can originate within our own minds. Since we are so used to the stream of self-limiting, critical consciousness that winds its way through our thoughts, we are often unaware of the impact these musings have on our lives. It is only when we become aware of the power of such thoughts that we can divest ourselves of them and fill the emptiness they leave with loving, peaceful affirmations. Many people, upon paying careful attention to their thinking patterns, are surprised at the negativity they find there. But when we take notice of involuntary thoughts in a nonjudgmental way, we initiate a healing process that will eventually allow us to replace intimidating and upsetting self-talk with positive, empowering thoughts.

While the occasional downbeat or judgmental thought may have little impact on your contentment, the ongoing negativity that passes unnoticed can have a dampening effect on your mood and your outlook. When you are aware of the tone of your thoughts, however, you can challenge them. Try to be conscious of your feelings, opinions, and judgments for a single day. From sunup to sundown, scrutinize the messages you are feeding into your subconscious mind. Consider your thoughts from the perspective of an observer and try not to judge yourself based on the notions that come unbidden into your mind. Simply watch the flow of your consciousness and make a note of the number of times you find yourself focusing on gloomy notions or indulging in self-directed criticism.

As you become increasingly aware of your patterns of thought, whether positive and negative, you will gradually learn to control the character of your stream of consciousness. Endeavor always to remember that the images and ideas that pass through your mind are transient and not a true representation of who you are. In training yourself to be cognizant of your thoughts, you gain the ability to actively change your mood. The awareness you cultivate within yourself will eventually enable you to create a foundation from which you can build a more authentic existence. 

Challenge
Take action on today's OM. Make awareness the key and decide what to do with the information that you have gathered later. ~jgirl

The Art of Manliness

The Four Archetypes of the Mature Masculine: The Warrior 

What a great read! This falls closely in line with John Eldridge's writing Wild at Heart and our missing rites of passage, societal cues and characteristics. As a woman, we can certainly see the lack of manly men in society and while I cannot even begin to understand that side of it, this offers some fantastic insight. ~j

DO NOT miss the full read, The Mature Masculine Warrior

Every great civilization has a great warrior tradition and accompanying warrior myths.

Today the Warrior archetype lives on in our reverence for those who serve in the armed forces and in modern books and movies. William Wallace from Braveheart and General Maximus from Gladiator embody the Warrior archetype.

But in general, modern culture is not comfortable with Warrior energy. 

Putting Yourself First 

Putting yourself first means that it may be necessary to say no to someone else in order to say yes to yourself.

This is daily OM is oh, SO VERY IMPORTANT :)~ 

Be sure to be aware that if you don't take care of YOU no one else has it on their agenda. You are responsible for your life, your happiness, your health. Check in regularly. Have you let a few things slip? Are you eating healthy, moving, playing, relaxing? Have you taken care of your hygiene? Your house, your car? Seriously, it may seem like little things, but they all add up to YOUR LIFE.  

The oxygen you need is all around you, sometimes you just need to be reminded to breathe! ~jgirl

We have all heard the instructions of an airline attendant reminding us to put on our own oxygen mask before we help anyone else with theirs. This advice is often cited as a metaphor for self-care because it so accurately expresses why it is important. It seems to say, ironically, that if you can’t take care of yourself for yourself, do it for others. Few situations in our daily lives mimic the wake-up call of an airplane emergency, so it’s easy to keep putting self-care off—easy, that is, until we get sick, overwhelmed, or exhausted, and suddenly don’t have the energy to care for the people who count on us. That’s when we realize we haven’t been getting the oxygen we need to sustain ourselves. We begin to understand that taking care of ourselves is neither selfish nor indulgent; it’s just plain practical.

Putting yourself first means that it may be necessary to say no to someone else in order to say yes to yourself. For many of us, there is always something we feel we could be doing for someone else, and it helps to remember the oxygen metaphor. You can even encourage yourself by saying “I am caring for myself so that I am better able to care for others” or some other mantra that will encourage you. It also helps to remember that self-care doesn’t have to be composed of massively time-consuming acts. In fact, the best prescription for taking care of yourself is probably small, daily rituals; for example, taking one half-hour for yourself at the beginning and end of the day to meditate, journal, or just be. You might also transform the occasional daily shower or bath into a half-hour self-pampering session.

Whatever you decide, making some small gesture where you put yourself first every day will pay off in spades for you and the ones you love. The oxygen you need is all around you; sometimes you just need to be reminded to breathe.

Head in the Clouds

Sweet little OM ~jgirl

  

Following a cloud with our eye and drifting through the sky with it can be an easy and relaxing meditation.
When people use the phrase “head in the clouds,” they usually refer to a mental state that appears to be drifting rather than concentrating. For this reason, putting our heads in the clouds can be a wonderful meditation tool. Whether puffy and white or tinted with the colors of dawn and dusk or shades of gray, those vaporous sky dwellers can remind us of so many things about life and about ourselves.

For this meditation, we can find a physical place to relax and look upward, or we can look to the skies from within our imaginations. Directing our thoughts to the endless of expanse of sky that clouds inhabit, we feel our souls expand to reach beyond any seeming limitations. Following the clouds, we are free to unleash our imaginations. We may choose to merely drift along with them for a time, enjoying their distanced perspective on the world. Or we can look for messages in their fantastical shapes, or feel the joy of bounding between their immense billowy puffiness. However we interact with them, we do so from a peaceful place. Clouds drift above the hustle of the world below, knowing they belong to another realm that cannot be affected by its frenzy, reminding us that peace is always available to us. By directing our vision beyond the ordinary, clouds also remind us of the illusion of appearances. While appearing to be solid, their vapor and mist appear like cotton balls ! from below, giving little indication of the heights they reach. Sometimes they may cast shadows, leaving us in shade, but like life’s difficulties clouds change shape and move onward, revealing the shining sun, twinkling stars, and blue sky that are behind them.

When a ray of light breaks through the clouds, their dramatic filtering only makes the light more beautiful by contrast, just as we can shine more brightly in the midst of life’s challenges. When we allow clouds to offer us a welcome respite, they help us visit the realm of illusion to see the truth beyond.