To Be Happy

I posted earlier today a Tedx video of a 13 year old boy sharing among many things the answer to the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" He talked about the difference in perspective of a child versus an adult. He talked about living life fully, keeping things in perspective, being present and fully active in his day's energies and ended by saying while he is not quite sure what he wants to DO when he grows up he is certain that he wants to BE happy.

So what keeps us from this state of being happy? What gets in our way, trips us up and boxes us in. Why do we lose the perspective of our inner child instead of bringing it along with us in our life journey the same way we bring along our other characteristics?

To be happy requires less than we think it does. We over complicate it. We place expectations upon what it needs to look like, feel like, and cost us. We dictate when we have time to be happy, who we can be happy with and where we can find happiness.

What if we flung open the door to our happiness. What if we looked for it in the most unexpected places, made room for it in the least obvious relationships and were willing to  take a few risks and chances at creating it? What have we got to lose? We know we have everything to gain.

Our soul seeks happiness, bliss, delight and beauty. It is everywhere around us and if we take down the barriers and open our doors wide to the energies, so that they flow through and around us, the shift happens. Our bad days are not quite as hard, our ill moods not quite as sour, our frustrations not as taxing and we see light where we could only see darkness before. We feel brighter, lighter, stronger, and more alive!

And as an added bonus, this energetic shift spreads quickly. Those around us cannot help but be drawn into the flow of the happiness. Each day holds more smiles, more laughter, more tenderness and care.

Yes, as I grew up I found out what I wanted to Do. But more importantly I found how to Be happy!

Blessings, Lisa

The Simple Touches of Beauty

The beauty industry and media and advertising world want us to believe that we need their assistance somehow in uncovering or discovering our beauty; money needs to be spent, certain actions must be made, trainers and coaches sought, gadgets bought, supplements taken, injections given, creams applied and so on. Yet, beauty is most often found in simplicity.

The simple touches of beauty surround us. They are found in the laughter you share with family and friends. The exist in the compassion you bring to  your community. It twinkles in your eyes when you gaze upon a loved one. It is felt in your embrace. It is imparted in your praise. It is received in your thanks.

Beauty, true beauty, cannot be packaged or sold. It is something that lives within our essence. It grows brighter and becomes more expansive with our positive energies. It becomes alive the more we share it and embody it. Our beauty is unique to us and that in itself makes it even more stunning and attractive.

We need to do what we love, dress in what makes us feel amazing, dance to the songs that get us jazzed up, wear make up if it delights us, AND always be true to who we are! We can't be fooled into thinking that someone else knows what makes up our beauty. We ARE our beauty!

So many of the gifts in life come within the simple wonders and moments. We don't need to over complicate our beauty. Learning to embody our strengths, to celebrate our vulnerabilities, to honor our talents, to share our gifts...then our beauty shines through. Remembering who we are and embracing what we bring to the moment is the most effective way to show others our true beauty.

Blessings, Lisa

Thinking Positive

The shaman knows that everything in life is made of energy. This energy is diverse and alive. Its vibrations are what set it apart from other energies. For example, a  living pine tree has a higher vibration than a fallen dead branch. You and I  have different vibrations as well. This diversity is what makes life so beautiful.

Our thoughts are filled with vibrational energies as well. Imagine the difference between a positive thought and a negative one. Imagine how your soul resonates with this energy. We know how others do. We can see it in their eyes, hear it in their words and feel it in their energies when we are sharing our positivity versus sharing our anger or frustration. If we find ourselves focusing on the past, reliving past wounds, angry feelings and even dysfunctional relationships over and over, without any kind of forward movement we are said to be dwelling, even stuck in the past. But we can shift those energies and make efforts to move away from them. Each step that we take to stop a negative thought from growing we shift the energetic vibration that surrounds us and flows within.

Now, imagine how this energy ripples outward to those that cross your path, influence your day, participate in your choices and more. If you bring positive thoughts to your relationships you are more likely to have a positive flow to the way things unfold. And if for some reason you hit upon a stumbling block, your positive vibrations will help you discover a resolution more readily.

Keeping our thinking more positive takes intentional effort. It is easy to slide down the slippery slope of negative thinking and have it impact our actions. Some use affirmations to help support their thoughts. Others use rituals and connection to Source. Some find honoring the body temple through healthy food choices and movement keeps the vibrations of their thoughts high. Others meditate or journey. And then others utilize the relationships with others to help keep them in a positive frame of mind. Sometimes it takes a distraction, a new practice or a supportive conversation to remain in the positive and away from the negative, but that black cloud does not need to remain and if it seems to hover, it does not need to drag us down. We can observe it, but not let its energies drown us in negativity.

Finding what supports your efforts of thinking positive is an important part of your day's energies. It is worth the effort and intention brought to it. By bringing positive thinking into balance for yourself you will find that your energies will begin to shift. You will see it reflected in your relationships, your work, and your overall life.

Blessings, Lisa

The Thoughts That Bind Us

Thoughts are powerful. We hold and move energies with our thoughts. We can shift perspectives, influence opinions, offer encouragement and more. Judgments are thoughts with quite powerful energies as well. Especially if our critical judgment is sensed by the person that they are about.

Imagine if we are judging someone and we are thinking to ourselves that this person is saying something dumb or foolish. If that person happens to be sensitive, they will pick up on the energies that our thoughts are creating about them and if they are perhaps worried about what they are saying, or if they are feeling a bit uncertain, well we just reinforced all of that! Even if they are not sensitive or intuitive the energies are transferred.

If we can become aware of our judgments and know that whether we speak them or keep them to ourselves, the energies have been created. Being mindful of this fact, we can train ourselves to step away from judgment. Critical judgments have the power to be perceived by whomever we are judging. It is not in alignment with our integrity. It is not of love.

There is a saying if you have nothing good to say, then say nothing at all. Well, if you have nothing kind to think, then refrain from the judging. Criticizing someone, more often than not, is done without knowing all the facts or the person's story. So, we then create further story around them to support our judging thoughts. This dis-empowers, tears down, and separates those from us. When we walk with our heart and soul, we find it is far more peaceful and beautiful to refrain from this behavior. And that is what it is, a behavior. Behaviors are learned and can be changed and altered, with focus and intention.

The next time a judging thought creeps in, realign your self, seek the love to be found, the beauty, the gift of grace. Not only will it serve the one being judged, but it certainly will serve you as well.

Blessings, Lisa