Laughter

¨People who laugh actually live longer than those who don´t laugh. Few people actually realize that health varies according to the amount of laughter.¨ by James J. Walsh

Have you laughed today? Too often do people go through their day without laughter. Be mindful of this today and make sure to include plenty of laughter to your day. :)

Speak Your Truth

Speaking your truth is important for you and for your health, especially the throat and the thyroid.

Though you may not want to hurt other people´s feelings by speaking your truth, you are doing yourself a favor in that you are resonating  at your highest potential, AND though you might be at first hurting someone´s feelings, you are truly doing them a kindness too that will resonate with them in time too.

Stengths, Gifts

Everyone has different gifts. What may come easy to someone else might not to you and vice versa. As an outsider you can identify such strengths easier in others than they might themselves.

Take time today to share your appreciation of someone else's strength to that person. Whether they are or aren't aware of their strength is not important. Either way they will appreciate you noticing it. :)

Cycles

Engineers and people who follow logic are used to thinking in a linear fashion, i.e. if you have these parameters this is what will follow based on data and facts.  Life has a way of following its own rules as does nature.  The patterns seem to be more cyclical than linear.

It applies to human nature as well.  Emotions make you 'unpredictable', though, what if, even in this human experience there are repeating patterns that are not linear, but cyclical, meaning that they repeat themselves? The forms may vary, but if you look closely, every person's patterns are deeply entrenched. Even when you are consciously working on yourself, you find that you will recognize these patterns (take two steps forward), address them (another step forward), and then retest/retry the old pattern (take a step or two back?).

The good news is: IT IS ALL OKAY! There is nothing wrong with taking a step back and seeing where you are at, meaning what does it feel like being the 'Old You" vs. the 'New You'? If you are a linear thinker, you are still one to two steps ahead of where you were before! Either way you are learning and that means you are changing/evolving.  :)

Weakness

It is one thing to be judgmental of yourself and another to gently admit to yourself (or someone else) that you have a weakness. The first approach is destructive to you and your core, with no way out.  The second is a realization and conscious approach that leads to healing through seeing, accepting and changing.

The more you see yourself realistically, the freer you become.

Dance In The Path Of Greatness

"You dare to dance in the path of greatness!" is what Paula Abdul told Adam Lambert after one of his performances on American Idol.

I love that quote. Today dare to dance in the path of greatness.  Challenge yourself to do something out of the ordinary, or do something you already do but better, using a new approach or perspective for example.

Teachers

"In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher." by The Dalai Lama

Inspiration and learning can come from different types of people.  It is not only from people who reach for the stars and achieve great things that you learn.  Many times you learn more from people who challenge who you are, who make you feel uncomfortable and push your limits. They stir up emotions and thoughts in you that require more immediate attention due to the imminent 'threat' they pose to you.

Nevertheless both paths lead to the same place of enlightenment.  :)

Veils

When you are in a situation that does not feel good to you, stop and focus inward. Ask yourself: 'What is this situation mirroring back to me? Do I feel left out? Do I feel lonely? Do I feel scared?' etc.

Find out which emotion resonates with what you are feeling and then turn it into a positive personal mantra specifically targeting that emotion of imbalance, such as 'I am whole. I am always in company (with your inner light, God, your guides, your inner child, etc). I am safe.'etc.

Then look at the situation you are in again through the eyes of that mantra. This exercise helps you see past the self-imposed, skewed reality veil you create and get a less biased view of what is going on around you. You start seeing other people's veils too, which in turn can lead to the expansion of your understanding of others and thus also your level of compassion.

Make Peace

Making peace with your family/family members is important on many levels.  First it helps you heal your wounds, lay old demons aside, and find inner peace. Second you restore the family structure or at least do your best to aid that process. Third, it ensures a smoother passage for future generations, i.e. your children, who learn from you how to work their way through life.

There is a continuity to life. You are here to learn and evolve your soul. AND we are all one. As you help yourself, you are helping your children and your ancestors. We are all interconnected.

Astrology And Surgery

Here is the link to an interesting article on how astrology affects surgeries. It also gives some helpful tips on when it is most advantageous to schedule a surgery.  It is amazing how interdependent we are with our surroundings, how even the moon and the planets affect our bodies. Enjoy!

http://astrostar.hubpages.com/hub/Astrology-and-Surgery-When-Not-To-Perform-A-Surgical-Operation

Choose Your Mindset Today

Shake your day up a bit today.  Go into this day with the mindset that the world is your oyster. Life is here to provide you with all you need. Abundance of energy is all around you and yours for the taking. Ask your guides for a gift. Feel the abundance in you. Keep it all alive throughout your day.

Have a blessed, joyful, and abundant day! :)

Who Am I?

Who am I?

Who am I inside?

Beyond the labels of mother, father, your job, your degrees, all the titles and things you have accumulated, who are you? Beyond what you brain tells you that you are, can you feel who you are? When you get in touch with this essence, one of the first impulses is to try and put it into words, cage it in something that your mind understands.

To answer the question 'Who am I?' work on meshing the two together, giving your essence space for its expression and letting you mind have the space and time to observe, appreciate and learn about your essence, versus immediately forcing a mental label on who you are. In time it will become clearer to you who you are.

Your Essence

Think about this: What if you cannot change who you are? Your essence is always your essence.  All you can do is add to it.

You come to this world as an innocent child and then you start evolving as you react/respond to those around you and your environment. Then, at some point, you start working on undoing all the walls you have built to get back to your essence. This work of recognition is what adds to your essence.

Alignment Exercise

Here is an interesting quote by Steve Jobs: "For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."

What a great way to stay to start the day. Check in with your inner self and how, what you have planned for the day, jives with you.  You are getting your inner and outer self aligned on a daily basis. And it does not take a long time!

3 Steps

It is interesting how you can get caught up in your "problems" and forget all the blessings you are surrounded by, how everything is relative, and choose not to be in the moment.

Take time today, when you find yourself being caught in one of those "problems", to breath yourself back into the present moment, to recall at least 5 blessings in your life, and to see the good in your "problem". Take these three steps and find your way back to you, to your center. Peace.

Clarity Within

Clarity within yourself is the foundation to following your path, to hearing your intuition, to living in harmony with the Universe, etc. Clarity within, brings you peace. There is nothing you need to hide from, nothing left to be afraid of. It brings lightness and ease.

Move Into Action

Taking action is important for the simple reason that if you don't do anything, then the Universe cannot do its part either. Any action, positive or negative, big or small, gets the energy flow moving. Of course you may want to choose positive action, since like attracts like in the energy world...


If you feel stuck in your life, in your thoughts, in any way, then do something.  Move yourself forward. Even something as simple as a walk or a jog counts!  :)

Twists And Turns

The twists and turns life presents you with are never ending. When you think you have life figured out, it changes on you.  The more you know the more you realize that you don't know anything. Every page you turn in you own life's story brings something new and different to you.

The journey of acceptance and surrender is filled with wonder, new perspectives and insights. It shows you glimpses of the vastness, the infinite that is out there, our interconnectedness and limitless potential. In our limited beingness we are only scratching the surface. So just think of all the potential...

Reconnecting With Friends

Life gets busy and sometimes friendships take a backseat. While the heart connection is always present in true friendships, it is also healthy to reconnect through a visit, a phone call, skype, email or even a letter. Not only are you touching another life, it is also invigorating, stimulating and refreshing. You give each other energy and support.

Today, take time to reach out to someone who is in your heart, but that you haven't connected with in a while. You will be glad you did.  :)

Blessing Or Curse?

Wind is an extraordinary force of nature.  During a gondola ride it was so strong that it lifted and carried off a pair of skis. Though there were 6 pairs of skis out there only one pair flew off.

Stunned disbelief and then annoyance reigned on the owner's face. When such specific, isolated events occur I believe there is a higher purpose involved. For whatever reason this person was not supposed to ski down at that particular moment. Whether this is true or not, it did take the annoyance edge off of the person involved when I suggested that maybe there was a reason for the delay.

This goes to show again the power of perspective. You can choose to see events as blessings or curses. You have a lot of power in shaping your life.

"I Just Gotta Be Me"

One of my kids had friends over today.  I love all the energy these young adults bring with them and enjoy having them around.  One of my dogs, on the other hand, gets overwhelmed when too many people come into the house. She chose to hide away in one of the bedrooms, though her 'pack' was out enjoying all the attention.

It made me think about how important it is to do what is right for you and not to follow what everyone else seems to enjoy.  The other dogs loved having more people around.  As far as they were concerned, the more the merrier! She needed peace and distance, so that is what she chose to do.

Today honor yourself. Listen to what YOU want to do and do it. Pay attention if there are things you do to maybe "fit in" that do not harmonize with who you are. Likewise see what you do where you do harmonize with who you are. This will help you come on step closer to deeply knowing yourself.  :)

Weekly Fasting Update

Just about a year ago I started fasting every Thursday. One of the major advantages I have noticed is that it helps me refocus and pay attention to what I put into my mouth. I am a stress eater and it is easy for me to fall back into old habits.

This weekly routine of fasting 1 day a week is shifting these habits and helping me to be more conscious and self aware. This type of routine can be a practical way of gaining perspective on your eating habits as well as altering them, if your health permits it.  :)

Touching Lives

Lives come and go.  You are born and you die. Most, if not all people have a wish to leave an impression on this earth that outlives their lives. How do you achieve this? Not everyone can become famous, or be a hero, a guru, etc. And yet you touch other people's lives everyday.

I believe every time we positively impact another person's life, we are laying a seed of us in that person. This seed can then grow into a metaphorical plant.  The seeds from this new plant can then be passed on by that person in turn to the next.

Though your name will get lost over time, your deed, and thus your essence, lives on in the hearts of others. Touching other people's lives is what makes us eternal.

Avoiding Jet Lag

Today I would like to share a link with you describing a method to avoid becoming jet lagged when you travel across time zones:

http://www.jadeinstitute.com/jade/acupuncture-to-eliminate-jet-lag.php

I was recently introduced to these concepts and found them fascinating. I used a modified approach based on the same principals where instead of using pressure points you trace the respective meridians, as described by Donna Eden, just last night.  I have been VERY productive today and can't believe I am still awake AND functioning despite the 8 hour time zone difference I went through just yesterday!

The article above describes everything beautifully and is simple to do. Give it a shot and get over/eliminate jet lag!  Wish I had know about this sooner in my life!!!

Technological Changes

Technological changes/advances are happening all the time. While immigrating back into the US through New York, a whole new system with kiosks was set up to speed up the process, that wasn't there just a year ago.

It is amazing how fast these technological changes happen and how, if you don't keep up with it all, you become "disconnected". In a way you are forced to embrace change. Makes you wonder where it is all going...

Consistency, Loving Presence, Physical Touch

There was a period of time when my son had closed himself off from me. During that time I gave him all the space he needed as it is something all young men and women go through in order to find themselves.  At night though I would go into his room, wished him a good night, gave him a kiss on top of his head, and then left him alone.  After almost a year he started coming around and opening up on his own when I would come to say good night. Now we end up having long conversations and have built a very strong bond.

Showing tenderness and being physically affectionate is so important, especially for your children. Your consistency, loving presence and physical touch, even if it is only two words and one kiss on the top of the head for a year or however long it takes, are all integral parts of the bonding process, through highs and lows, no matter what.

Extended Families

Today is my mom's 80th birthday!  All us kids were blessed to be able to be with her to celebrate this wonderful milestone. It was also an occasion to meet her extended family, who are people that she lives around and interacts with, when we are in our respective countries of residence.

It was eye opening and touching to see and meet all these people who have taken her into their hearts and who care for her too. I am so thankful for their presence in her life and to have been able to share this great celebration together, in every one's presence.  Meeting everyone in person has made her "extended family" a part of me too and vice versa.

This special celebration has brought us together in the Spirit of a shared appreciation and love for a very special person.

It is important to, if possible, take an interest in the human interactions of those you love. It enriches every one's life.

Asking For Clarifications

There are so many times, when you feel insecure, that you think you know what other people are thinking about you.  Your imagination takes on a life of its own and all kinds of scenarios, thoughts, and judgments, that seem completely real, come to life.

The truth is though, you won't know what others think unless you ask them point blank. The key there too is, when you do ask, to listen to what they say WITHOUT your internal judge going off.  Invariably you will pick out the things your judge is expecting, but more importantly listen to everything else that is being said too, as well as the context of what is being said.  You might be surprised and more likely than not hear things you might not have expected.

Also, always know that what you are hearing is a personal interpretation of someone else, an interpretation of how your life affects and touches the other person.  Listen to the part that applies to you.  Accept the "good" and the "bad" with open ears and an open heart. Be thankful for the feedback.  It is not always easy to deliver your "unfiltered truth". The person delivering their truth is also taking a chance and being vulnerable in their own way. 

And, again, ask for clarification, as many times as it takes, to understand what is going on. It may not be what you are used to, but it may save you many hours, weeks, etc. of needless and fruitless pondering and ultimately the creating of fictitious worlds.

Loneliness

Isn't it amazing how you can feel lonely in a crowd? This can mean two things: 1) you are not connected with yourself and/or 2) that you need time for yourself.

Either way, honor what your body and emotions are telling you.  Don't force yourself to do what doesn't feel right. Nurture yourself and most of all LISTEN to yourself.

Loneliness often leads back to your inner child that is lonely, though you are feeling it as an adult. Reach inside (the adult you) and reach for your inner child. When the two of you join forces there is no more room for loneliness. You become complete and you are in each other's company. This is very healing for you. When you become whole again you will not feel lonely in a crowd anymore. :)

Age - Real Or Belief?

Are you more frail the older you become? Today I heard an older lady say that she is more delicate in her advanced age. It made me wonder how much of it is perception and how much reality.

As I advance in age I do realize that my body is not that of a 20 year old.  Nevertheless, you do find that people who are the same age as you have varying degrees of stamina, endurance, health, and immune resistance, etc.  I am sure there are a lot of variables that play into this question.

I do believe though that a large factor in all of this (if not the main factor) is your personal belief! What do you believe? Your belief will influence significantly your actual state of being.

1 Year Of Daily Insights

Today completes one year of daily insights, 365 blog posts. It is hard to believe it has been a year and at the same time so much has happened. I am thankful for having started this written journey and for having been able to share it with you. Thank you for your feedback and support. It has been an invaluable learning experience that has enriched my life.

The future is wide open.  While I finished the task I set out to do (blogging daily for a year), these daily insights have become a part of me and my everyday life.  Insights are always around us as long as we are willing to grow and see beyond where we are. So I look forward to continue my journey with you and Daily Insights. :)