Once your mind is still ask yourself “Am I living the life I want? Am I really living, or just existing?” It is in answering these two questions that many people find their “aha” moment. The moment when you realize that if you do not change your life, your life will not change. Simply there can be no change, without change.

For the next 2 minutes write down all your obligations. Now spend a minute and look at your list. What can you eliminate? The point of this exercise is to assist you in identifying what you need to do to get off the hamster wheel of life. If you are ok with running nonstop with no destination or purpose in mind, this article does not apply to you. If however, you are; tired, ragged, worn out, exhausted then take heart help is on the way.

When deciding what to eliminate from, or keep  and add to, your daily schedule remember this. You can not be all things to all people until you mean something to yourself. Loving yourself is the only way you can gain strength to love others. Nourish and feed your mind body and spirit first, then you will have an abundance to give to others.

Be Blessed

We all have our flaws. No one is perfect. However, if your story leaves people with their mouth gaped open you probably need to speak less and reflect more.

I have listened to conversation where one crazy is trying to out crazy another crazy. This is nuts (I am not talking about the mentally ill here). If your entire world is out of whack. Get someplace quiet and do some serious soul-searching. Try to figure out the root of the problem. Brainstorm on some non violent, peaceful solutions to the problem and then take action.

Do not waste your time nor someone else’s brain space trying to convince someone you are in the right when you know you are in the wrong. If you made a mistake own up to it and take responsibility for it. Apologize, try to learn from it and not repeat it and move on. Yes it is easier to sit and complain. However, that will change nothing. May all the craziness in your life be short-lived, and not a chronic condition.

Blessings

Sometimes it is the little stuff we do automatically, that holds within it, possibilities to make real change. For today examine every word you say- are your words positive and encouraging or mean and spiteful? Examine every bite you eat- is the food you consume nutritious and satisfying? Focus on your activities. Are you spending your time wisely or are you throwing it away on meaningless, non productive pursuits?

If you are unhappy it is up to you to turn your word upside down and inside out if need be to find what it is that will bring you joy, peace and fulfillment. You are the only person who can make you happy. Choose to make positive and healthy choices…….. You may just love the new you!

Blessings, Donna

While a person that may have been physically abused as a child may not be living life in a physically abusive relationship they may be finding themselves in circumstances of emotional or verbal abuse with friends, co-workers or family. Or they may go through life always trying to prove their worth to others, and never feeling worthy.  When we don’t learn the lessons of self worth, forgiveness, responsibility, and empathy we walk through life with a view of the world distorted from our past experiences,  and the way we see the world will BE the world will live in, we will draw people into our lives that validate our beliefs.

If you have the belief that people aren’t trustworthy the people and experiences will be given to you in life to validate this belief.  Whatever patterns you may see, whatever circumstances that occur repeatedly that bring about the same feeling within yourself are opportunities for healing. Many life changing lessons will come out of our pain.  We can not leave the past in the past until we have truly reconciled in our hearts and minds the events that took place.  The pain and anger we  experienced will be a part of our being and become a part of our decision making, and actions in life.  Pain, anger and fear must be healed and released if we truly want to be free and live in love, joy, and hope.

It is up to you to break the cycle, Universal Laws are unchangeable, accept that and do the inner work required to free yourself.  If you don’t know where to begin, ask your God for help, believe that you are divinely supported and be willing to stand strong and face the past hurts/anger/fear with the determination to bring love and healing into your life as your driving force.  Your pleas will be heard, pay attention and don’t overlook words spoken to you, songs heard, articles read and every little thing that evokes the emotions that need to be healed.  Much inner work and reflection is required, know that you are never alone, you are divinely supported and created for this life and this lesson.

Be Blessed!

It is important that you frequently remind yourself of the benefits in your life that you will experience when you have transformed your bad habits to good ones. Remember to treat yourself kindly. If you falter, you and you alone have the option to view the lapse as a set back or you may choose failure. I view failure as giving up. I have adopted the motto: FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION! Good Luck

Blessings

Replacement for you might look like this. Instead of having a second helping you immediately clear the table (and put left overs away) or get up from the table after you eat. Instead of reaching for a snack you go for a walk or drink a glass of water.

This step of positive replacement is absolutely imperative. If you want change you have to change. If you are in the midst of change you are at high risk for replacing one negative behavior with another. Therefore select a minimum of 4 positive ‘go to’ behaviors that you can use to counter temptations or feelings of weakness/defeatism. YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU SET YOUR MIND TO!!!

Blessings

For example if losing weight is the goal identified then the chance of seeing this goal realized is slim. However, if the goal is to lose 40 lbs in 3 months, then you can divide 40 pounds by 12 weeks equals 3.3 pounds per week of needed weight loss.

Using this model you would then calculate how many fewer calories per day you would need to consume to drop 3.3 pounds per week. The amount of caloric daily intake can then be adjusted to incorporate calories lost by physical exercise.

This model of specificity of goal setting allows for greater success in reaching ones goals. So today’s assignment is to identify a specific goal. Then determine what action is needed by you to reach said goal. Smile you are one step closer to reaching your goal.

Blessings Donna

It occurred to me how much happiness this change has brought me and my life. This led me to think about what other changes I wanted or needed to make in or with my life. Being well versed on human psychology, I know what it takes to change. I know that the first seven days are the toughest when attempting to form or break a habit.

I am putting out a challenge to all our viewers. Join me in making changes you need in your life. I am starting a count down till July 4th. This will give you time to decide what changes you want or need to make. July 4th will begin our 30 day challenge.

Between now and July 4th some work needs to be done. We will cover the following over the next few days.

First step-      Name the behavior or habit that needs to be changed.

Second step- Identify one positive/healthy behavior to replace each negative behavior.

Third step-     Identify what reward you will get/have for making the change.

Fourth step-   Outline what needs to be changed and how you will change it.

Again, it is good to be back. I am excited about the positive changes that we will make singularly and together.

Blessings, Donna

I had allowed myself to turn into a person that I did not like.  I did not know how to deal with the pain and anger of living with an alcoholic that lied to me daily, stole from me and my children, and blamed me for his behaviors. I was a very angry woman and that anger was coming out in impatience with my children and futile attempts to get him to change his behavior. I occasionally get a chuckle out of picturing myself wielding a frying pan, but more often than not I am ashamed of myself.  I have never hit another human being in my life and I was ready, willing and eager to wallop him.

It’s hard to admit that I had allowed myself to get to that point, but 12 years have passed and I have learned  much, number one being that no matter what precipitated the night of the frying pan, that night was a blessing. I stood up for myself. I made it unmistakably clear what I would NOT tolerate any longer.  And then I took the first step on a long journey of learning to love and appreciate myself.

I am grateful to a frying pan!

That frying pan brought me vision;  I saw that nothing was going to change unless I changed it.   I overcame the fear of raising three children under five on my own.  I overcame financial worry.  I gained faith, in God and myself.  I just recently totally let go. I accepted and forgave myself for becoming so angry, for being a person that I did not like. The memory will always be there, especially considering I still use that frying pan regularly, but it’s a faded memory when it pops it’s head and now I can laugh with the joy that comes from hindsight and success.

Be Blessed!~Joy

We feel free when we escape – even if it be but from the frying pan to the fire.~Eric Hoffer

I recently had the opportunity to donate a kidney for a friend.  It was a series of “coincidences” that led me to picking up the phone and calling the transplant coordinator to have the blood work done.  These “coincidences” led me to what I knew in my heart, that I would be a kidney donor. Of course I was a match, and elated!  I was so happy to be helping him and have always felt strongly about organ donation, having had an Uncle that was given an extra thirteen years of life through a heart transplant.

Exactly two days after the news that I was a match “John” was called by the hospital, they had a kidney for him!  By eight that night he had a new functioning kidney in his body after years on the transplant list. But what about me?  What about the strong feelings I had, the coincidences that led me to being an eligible donor? I was so happy for him and so sad for myself.  I had already given my kidney away in my heart and mind, but more importantly I had given him the hope that he needed to receive what he wanted most.

In the course of testing and waiting to see if I would be a match for “John” I had been contacted by an acquaintance that wanted to know more.  She wanted to help a friend of hers find a kidney.  Because I felt like I had already given the kidney away, I contacted him about 6 weeks after “John” had his transplant. I went through the initial process with a new hospital and scheduled the blood work.  Then my daughter was hospitalized.  It was another three weeks before I could have the blood work drawn, and those nine vials once again proved me to be a match!  Again with the heartfelt elation.  Now more tests were scheduled requiring about 5 hours in a hospital that’s an hour away.  A date was scheduled; 4 days later a mandatory meeting for work that I had to be at, was scheduled for that day.

So, here I am, three weeks after a wake up call by a friend.  Me, who relies so heavy on guidance by Spirit, and coincidences was unable to see the signs.  Apparently because I just plain didn’t want to.  The first patient gets a kidney, the second, obstacle after obstacle has popped it’s head.  For the most part, in my life the signs I see are affirmations; not so in this case, and I did not recognize them for what they were. I was seeing the physical signs that I was a match and nothing else.  No sooner did I decide to stop the process and wait, in the past 48 hours two friends have had kidney infections, one being hospitalized.  So what does that mean for me? What’s up with the kidneys around me?

It means I wait.  I will wait on the Lord, and I will say to Him what I say in times like this,  Lord, give me a sign and make it a big one!

I still feel that organ donation is in my future, maybe the lesson was to prepare my heart and mind for the process, for which I am ready when the time comes.  I will wait and wait until the sings are clear, with no conflict, whether it means I sit and do nothing or end up flying across the country.

Learn to wait, learn to wait with your heart and your eyes open, with faith and belief, and the Spirit will lead and guide, will provide signs, will make things in your life co-incide.

Be Blessed in your waiting!~Joy