The Love of Self

For many, the criticism and comments that are said in their minds to themselves would never escape their lips and be spoken of someone else. The inner critic has a sharp tongue. It cuts one off at the knees, it draws blood, it keeps long hours and it is the ultimate opportunist. If someone spoke to them the way they speak to themselves, they would leave the relationship. And yet, the inner dialogue continues. It does not like to let up and always knows the best time to strike, or perhaps that is the worst time.

The inner critic has the poorest opinion of you and you allow it. You allow the power of your thoughts to create these inner conversations and they influence your personal view of your body, your life, your choices and more. Your soul shrinks from its touch, your heart aches, your mind stirs with more negativity and your life suffers. You accept mediocrity.

The only way one can interrupt this cycle is to begin with small acts of kindness and self-love. Simple steps taken will eventually lead to major gains made. Start with a simple kind mantra that you can repeat throughout the day. Or perhaps a gentle cup of tea and some quiet time to think positive thoughts about yourself.

Keep a gratitude journal or a blessing jar. Make note of what you are grateful for in your life day by day or the blessings that shower upon you. With time your perspective begins to shift and the focus is far less on the negative and more on the positive. Life becomes a bit brighter. Finding beauty becomes easier. Embracing a bit of self-love is welcomed.

The only way one can find the love of self is by seeking it and welcoming it. There are enough voices and images, messages and lies as well as slogans and opinions that bombard our day that try to detract us from our love of self. We need to be committed to this act of self. It becomes a choice we make each and every day, but a very worthwhile one. With time, this self-love radiates out to those around us. We model it, we share it and we spread it. Love's energy is contagious and very effective. And it is cyclical. The beauty of loving self is that it vibrates out the the world around us and then opens us up to receive more back. What a wondrous and beautiful thing! All for the love of self.

Blessings, Lisa

The Unique of You

Society often is uncomfortable with those who do not conform. Conformity creates a sense of stability, order, and known expectation. Yet, if you were to ask anyone are we not all unique, don't we all bring our own personal gifts to this world, or are we not all beautiful individuals, we would get a resounding yes. So how do you thrive and shine within this paradox?

You have tremendous energies that have been passed onto you from your ancestors that shine brightly in your DNA and make you who you are. You carry archetypal vibrations that are as unique as your swirling fingerprints that are part of your beautiful and wondrous identity. And yet, you are encouraged again and again, from a very young age, to conform. You are told how things are, how they should be (if things have gotten out of order) and how you fit within it all. Everything from your looks, your roles, your living styles, or your beliefs are encouraged to fit within this definition of normal, acceptable, beautiful or correct.

But a dynamic force resides within you! It stokes your passions, it tickles your sense of wonder, it plays with your imagination and calls to you each day. This energy is uniquely yours and yours alone! It is the creative ingredient that you bring to everything. It is the powerful voice that you lend to conversations. It is the amazing special touch that you share with others. It is exactly what this world requires of you and longs for you to bring to the day. Your special one of a kind essence is what the Universe has been waiting for!

Conforming does not support this aspect of you. It does not encourage it to grow or expand. Following the standard just adds more of the same to what already exists. It keeps things constant, but it also keeps things from growing, evolving, spreading and reaching, from birthing and releasing....all things that the vibrancy of life needs. All things that you need to be your fullest self. Staying small, silent, and average does not bring your highest self to the forefront. There are times and places for that, most certainly, but it is important to not make that your norm. Find ways to stretch. Explore ways to share your voice. Encourage others to shine bright. Join forces with those who are ready to take on the adventure of newness and possibilities.

As more and more share the unique and amazing nuances of who they are, the more the levels of creative energies rise. Consciousness awakens and change occurs. Amazing acts of healing, teaching, beauty, giving and creating are waiting for your exclusive energy to step forward. Bring it on!

Blessings, Lisa

Going Deeper

In this world of instant information, extensive possibilities and experts on nearly every given topic we have a treasure trove before us of sampling that we can partake in. Sometimes that is all we want or need. But then sometimes we seek more substance. We want a fully satisfying portion of experience, wisdom or inspiration to play and explore in.

Knowing when to go deeper to gain the fullness of what is offered to us is an important life lesson. Yes, sometimes less is more. But not always. Sometimes these offer quick fixes that do not manifest. Sometimes these offer relief that does not last. Sometimes these offer experiences that fall short. Depth is needed.

It is easy to hop and jump from one lily pad to another in this pool of possibilities. We skim the surface. We are gathering tidbits of information that really don't carry us very far. Our soul is left seeking more. Our energy becomes depleted. We realize this is not going to be the necessary path to follow for our personal growth. We are only visiting, not setting down roots in order to thrive and flourish.

For us to manifest change in our life and to expand we need to understand more fully the work we are undertaking. We need to deeply tap into our soul's energies. We need to reach further than the surface. This takes time. The quick fix is not an option. This means change. Doing things the same way over and over again only leads us to the same results. It also means allowing time for taking chances, which could mean different approaches, different successes and failures and time for pause. Contemplating what we are learning is equally important as the actions we are taking.

Jumping from one technique to the next, one lily pad to the next or even one pool of knowledge to the next does not give our body, mind and soul the needed time to integrate the fullness. We are only allowed a sample. We walk away feeling unprepared, unsure, anxious or confused. Every part of our being will benefit if we slow down and go deeper to what calls to us, what is inspiring us, and what is challenging us. That is where we will find our personal growth and evolution.

It is often not enough to splash around in the shallow end, although it can be fun. But when it comes to moving on our personal path, finding our authentic truth, exploring who we are and where we are going we need to take a deeper plunge. We need to find the motivation to stick with it. We need to commit to a longer time frame and value the complexity it may bring us. As with most things in life, quick fixes have short durations, small experiences don't satisfy and insufficiency of anything leads us to feeling weak, dissatisfied and incomplete. Going deeper provides us with the opportunity to be fully present, immersed and full.

Blessings, Lisa

The Artist Within The Chaos

There is a quote by Nietzsche that I so understand and appreciate, "One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star." I love finding the creative energies of thinking and living outside of the box. I love the challenges and newness that is found there. It is where I grow. There is an abundance of wonderful to be found there!

So much of our day is organized, scheduled and planned. We fall quickly into habits and patterns. Some that serve us, but some just because it is comfortable and familiar there. Sometimes these habits and patterns keep us from exploring and wondering. They can limit us from experiencing life fully.

Whenever I begin to feel a bit stuck or a bit disappointed in the way my life is flowing I stir up a bit of chaos. I begin to rid my life of aspects that no longer serve it. They may have made sense at one time, but when it is time to be rid of something...it is time. I also begin to seek new and fresh perspectives. I have "what if" conversations with people whose opinion I value and with myself. This helps my mind stretch a bit and my soul dances through with its creative juices. The depth of my soul's resources goes beyond time. It reaches into a universal resource of opportunities and a vast scope of energy.  I challenge the many possibilities. I expand the simplest of idea and build upon it. I recall dreams and see them as reality.

When life becomes too routine, I order up a dose of chaos. I live outrageous dreams. I step outside of the normal habit or expected thought. I awaken my inner artist and bring new colors into the picture. I try out new theories and practices. Creativity blossoms within the chaos and a freshness gets added to my life.

Blessings, Lisa