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

So Much Is To Be Found In The Preparations

We prepare for many different things in our lives. Everything from the arrival of a guest, moving to a new location, a favorite meal, a special event, or even the ending of relationship. Preparations help us be more fully present in our lives. They help us move through painful memories or to engage in positive ones.

As I prepare for the arrival of family for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I am aware of the way preparations that feeds my soul. As I prepare the guest rooms for my returning family, I lovingly create a familiar haven for them to step into to feel embraced, welcomed and at home. As I prepare the menu for our family meals, I am sure to include favorites of my children to please their palates and tease their memories. As I give thought to the gifts for the following holiday season, I bring loving and appreciative energies into the gift choices, enjoying the anticipation of the recipients pleasure when they are gifted.

The preparations add to my delight, my connections and my intentions. My soul awakens with delight as I plan and create. My heart is full as I fix and fuss and enjoy the beauty about to unfold. My mind recalls memories of holidays past and is filled with appreciation and warm thoughts.

Preparations help us garner the energies for the moment. Sometimes those energies help us move through a difficult situation. Sometimes the energies help us to remember the important details. And then there are those times that the energies help us to connect to the needs of others and be sure that we tend to ours as well.

Preparations, an important part of living a full life. An important part of being present and open to the possibilities. When we are prepared, it is that much easier to embrace what the moment brings us. We feel complete, whole and empowered. We move with the flow and embrace the gifts in the moment. Even in times of loss or disappointment, we can be prepared enough to be present and in the discomfort, find our truth.

We never can really know all that we need to be prepared for, but if we move through our days seeking our truth, aligning our intentions, stepping forward in integrity and holding love in our heart...everything seems to flow as it should. Everything we need is to be found in the preparations.

Blessings, Lisa

Is There A Duty To Serve?

Often there is great pride to be found in doing our duty, in answering the call and bringing our best self to the duty for others. But sometimes people have a different response to being told it is their duty. For some it feels forced, not authentic or genuine. 

To be in service to others and to have it be a a beautiful and intention filled gift, one's heart needs to be in it. The energy behind our service or duty to others is the primary gift. The results will be far more impacting, inspiring, supportive and beautiful if this energy comes from a place of fullness and joy. For it to be a gift to others, the genuine intention held with desire and love needs to be present.  Anything less, the purpose is lost.

So how can we be sure that our service to others is a heart filled duty? Perhaps it comes down to giving ourselves permission to gracefully say no.  Putting ourselves first sometimes feels uncomfortable for some. But we must be sure to tend to our own needs with as much love and intention as what we bring to others. When our heart is full, our body is whole and our soul's messages are heard, we come from a place of fullness and are able to give without conditions. We respond with the most beautiful Yes.

Pearl S. Buck once said, "To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart." Understanding that it is an act of self-love to look after our needs before we take on those of others is an important part of giving and being in service. It is not a selfish act.

Serving with intention and integrity will insure that the bringing of our devotion to our service will be delivered with love and positivity to all that receive it. Being in service to others needs to be fluid and gentle, filled with our passion and our grace and hold the best of our energies and insights.

Blessings, Lisa