Letting Go of the Past

Letting go is the process of releasing people, situations, thoughts, habits and patterns that no longer serve us and cause us pain. Letting go means surrendering our ego and self-will and trusting that our highest good and greatest joy will be given to us.  Many of us tend to want to remain in control and refuse to let go even when we know it is in our best interests to.  Letting go is realizing that even when we really want something to occur in our lives, that sometimes it isn’t the right time and trusting that if it's God's will, then it will come to us in His time and His way.  His plans are better than our plans and His ways are higher than our ways.  (I will be using the word “God” from now on for consistency).  Know that timing is perfect.  Something so wonderful, so incredible, beyond our wildest dreams is in store for us.  We have to BELIEVE it in order for it to happen.  The key is getting out of our own way and making space for something bigger and better to happen.  We are the only one limiting our good.  Get out of the way and stop trying so hard to control everything.  LET GO, SURRENDER!

Many of us need to let go of negative past belief systems that are controlling our lives today. Some of our belief systems that we formed at a young age are faulty and don’t work to our benefit, but we cling to these beliefs because, although they don’t work for us, they are familiar. We may find ourselves in situations that repeatedly lead to unhappiness and frustration.  We don’t realize that there is something better and different available to us because we are blinded by our current reality.  As long as we remain stuck in these patterns, we don’t have to change. Change can be scary.  When the pain of staying the same is greater than that of change and growth, we make a change.  We don't need to wait until life gets so painful to change. This may include releasing drama and stress from our lives by changing jobs, friendships, moving to a new place.  All of this suffering can be avoided if we let go on a daily basis to the will of God and take the necessary actions, He guides us to take.    

The first step in letting go is becoming aware that some aspect of our lives is not working. Once this is acknowledged, we can take some time to just observe whatever feelings, thoughts, body sensations arise. As we are present in the moment, we can see the issue more clearly in order to know what to do next.

Next, we need to decide if we are ready to release whatever it is. Until we are really open to change, nothing will budge. Letting go is up to us.  It is an action.  Letting go doesn't mean defeat.  It is an act of courage and strength to admit some aspect of our lives isn't working.  Once this is acknowledged, the next thing is finding new ways of being. This step may take some time. We usually need to try new things and fail at times to see what truly works and what doesn't.  Starting individual therapy, reading books, meditation, prayer, acupuncture, etc. are excellent ways to find answers.  Once you realize what the negative belief is, replace it with more self-affirming one.  Consciously practice this new belief when the old one creeps in because it will until the new belief take hold.  Once practiced over and over, the new one will become second nature.  As we heal ourselves, we break old patterns and find new, more effective ways of living. This is the path of letting go. When we release what no longer works, we are making room for something amazing to occur. 

Letting go is a continuous process. We may surrender something only to latch back onto it.  It's important to remain present in the moment and continuously monitor ourselves. When we fear letting go, we don’t trust in God to provide the best for us.  Trust and faith are a necessary part of letting go.  Breathe through the fear and discomfort of new situations and ways of being.  Letting go, and releasing that which doesn’t serve us is a process that takes time, gentleness, flexibility and forgiveness.  May you walk gently on your path with God beside you every minute of every day and be guided to a life of greatness.  Don’t live another day in suffering and pain.  It’s a simple choice you can make.  Let go and let God!

Affirmation – I am letting go and releasing people, situations, thoughts, habits and patterns that no longer serve me.  I am open and receptive to all the good that my Higher Power has in store for me.  I live joyously, with love, peace, and prosperity always.

P.S. If you know someone who would like to learn more about letting go of what isn’t working and allowing in what will, please have them contact me.

Peace and Blessings,

Jill

Transforming Fear into Courage

Did you know that over 87% of the world's population lives their lives ruled by FEAR?  That’s an ungodly number!  The research done by Dr. David Hawkins for his best selling book Power vs. Force shows us that this is a reality of not only the times in which we are now living, but a representation of the whole of human existence.  It comes down to how we THINK about fear that has to power to destroy us or lift us up to the highest heights.

Fear is something we all deal with.  Fear holds us back and stops us from doing what we know we need and want to do to live a joy-filled life.  Fear paralyzes us.  It steals our life right out from under us.  Worry and fear beget worry and fear and our lives mirror this negative belief system.  Fear is a real emotion from a real or perceived threat.  A real threat is when a lion is about to attack you or when a car is about to collide head on into you.  It causes all kinds of biological changes in the body that help you to make quick decisions and take quick actions based on survival.  This type of fear benefits you.  It helps you to react and take care of yourself, if there is time.   There are other fears that are perceived, ones that may or may not happen, usually future fears of some sort.  Fear of going broke and living on the streets, fear of losing your job, etc.  This unreal fear is based on past experiences and has nothing to do with the present situation, but we believe it does.  It’s your ego protecting you from something that reminds your subconscious mind of a past negative outcome or of someone who has projected their fears onto you.  Just because it happened in the past doesn’t mean it will happen in the future.  Most likely it WON’T happen again.  Many of us live with fear and are not even aware of it because it’s become a way of life.  Now if you were aware of your fears and faced them consciously, you would actually see them as a great opportunity to grow and become a more courageous person.  Future outcomes are imagined images that we have made up in our heads.  When considering a certain course of action, you can't know what the outcome will be.  You can only make your best decision with the knowledge you have in the moment.  Be true to your intuition and trust in your own abilities.  The future will be revealed and it usually is nothing like you imagined it, or if it is, it has happened for the best, for us to grow, to learn and to become better, more loving and compassionate people.

Here is a quick checklist of how to identify what your fears are and to discover if they are actually YOUR fears and not just the residual effect of someone else's fears you happened to have taken as your own.  Finally, a few steps to start overcoming them.

Overcoming Fear:

·         Acknowledge it. Become conscious of how it feels in your body.  Become fully aware of what is stopping you from moving forward.

·         Identify what's behind the fear.  Is it real or perceived?

·         Talk yourself through the “what if's.”  If you can accept the worst that can happen, fear won’t control you.

·         Be objective, the fear is only there to test you

The feeling that you have when you break through fear, is utter joy.

You Can Do It!

Don’t live another minute of your life in fear.  It’s up to you to change your mind about fear and live a life of courage, adventure, excitement, love, trust and joy!  Take your life back into your own hands and trust that your Higher Power, God, Source or whatever you call it, has a great plan for you.  

If you or someone you know would like to delve deeper into becoming free of fear, please call me at (805)279-4686.  

Blessings,

Jill

The Benefits of Living in the Moment

“Accepting means you allow yourself to feel whatever it is you are feeling at that moment. It is part of the is-ness of the NOW. You can't argue with what is. Well, you can, but if you do, you will suffer.”
 – Eckhart Tolle

Learn to live in the moment.  Your life depends on it...LITERALLY, to avoid life passing you by. The present moment is truly all we have.  The past is gone, and the future is but a thought in our minds that may or may not happen the way we plan it.  Accepting the present moment allows us to actually live our lives, to experience our lives, to get to know ourselves - our wants, needs, desires and values.  It may be a time of celebration, of grieving, of peace, of fear, of boredom, of joy, etc.  Why don’t more people live in this place more of the time?  Mostly because we are a society of more, more, more, constantly striving for something better in the future.  We aren’t satisfied within our hearts and souls, not happy with what is and therefore are obsessed with acquiring and achieving because that’s what we have been taught to do, thinking this is going to lead to lasting happiness and fulfillment.  By not being satisfied with what is, we will never be satisfied, period!  Material desires are great to have as long as we aren't dependent on them for our happiness and are balancing other areas of our lives with our values and purpose for living.  Pain from unresolved hurts and traumas can also be a barrier to living in the present by causing addictions of all kinds.  Alcohol, drugs, food, sex, gambling, work, obsessing, money, power, fame, control, are just a few.  We spend so much time and energy avoiding the moment that we are exhausted.  The energy that we are using up can be channeled into more positive, fulfilling tasks and activities that will bring us joy. and give us a life we can be proud of.  Get the support you need.  The only way out is through, so start to open up to the pain.  It may last a while, but most likely, won't be as scary as you thought it would be.  Freedom and peace are on the other side.  Don't let pain control you another day.  Take charge of it. 

In order to start to cultivate presence, become aware of your senses.  Throughout the day, stop and ask yourself, what am I feeling right now, what do I see right now, what am I listening to right now? Go through your five senses one at a time.  Becoming aware of your senses brings you in touch with the moment.  It takes you out of your head, and into your body and environment.  

Another thing you can do to get in touch with the moment is to listen to the voice within you.  Some people call it God, intuition, higher force, higher power.  You’ve all heard the voice before.  What is it telling you?  That is the force that guides us to our highest and best. It's called the still, small voice because it is only heard in the present and quiet moments.

You are worthy and deserving of a life filled with more joy, fulfillment, peace, success, prosperity and love, where life flows easily and effortlessly and miracles happen on a daily basis.  An extraordinary life is your birthright.  Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift.  That’s why they call it the present.

Affirmation: I lovingly accept and embrace each and every moment of my life.  I peacefully handle anything that comes my way and trust the guidance of my intuition, knowing that my life is unfolding perfectly, exactly as it is supposed to. 

The Benefits of Gratitude

The holiday season and Thanksgiving is upon us. A time to appreciate all of the wonderful people and gifts we have been given throughout the year. Actually, taking this attitude of gratitude a step further and making a decision to be grateful each and every day will reap benefits beyond your wildest dreams. Research on Gratitude and Thankfulness from the University of California, Davis has shown that grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, an increased sense of well-being, life satisfaction, alertness, determination, vitality, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress. According to the findings, people who feel grateful are also more likely to feel loved, exercise regularly and make more progress toward personal goals. Gratitude also encouraged a positive cycle of reciprocal kindness among people because one act of gratitude encourages another. Considering all of these benefits, why aren’t we in this state all the time? Being in a state of gratitude is simple, but not always easy. It just takes a little practice. If you are speeding through life, chances are you, like many, are whining, wailing and missing out on blessings that are right in front of you. Imagine a tiny shift in your perception moving you into a state of joy. Something to reactivate your thinking and make your life work again. Living in gratitude and counting your blessings is that something. Each moment counts when we are grateful for it. We value who we are and what we want to accomplish. Our heart opens, our life changes, it feels good, and it’s free. We laugh at our setbacks because we know we can redirect our mind from its turmoil to a state of peace in the blink of an eye. Consciously utilizing the power of gratitude is an extremely important aspect of attracting the Abundance and Happiness that we all desire and deserve. We can't possibly control everything in the world, but we can control our perceptions about ourselves and what is going on around us. The unwavering systems (Universal Laws) have been put into place, and we only need to learn to operate in harmony with them to allow the good into our lives. When in a sincere state of gratitude, the energy (vibrational resonance) is one of acceptance and harmony, and as a result projects a much higher vibrational frequency, thereby attracting the events, conditions, and circumstances that we desire and all the good that God or Source wills for us. Gratitude is an acceptance of life just the way it is, which in turn projects a much different resonance of energy creating a magnetic force that is conducive to attracting more blessings and miracles into our lives. Once it is fully grasped and understood that our current experiences are merely guideposts showing us that we are either on the right path of creating desired outcomes or that some adjustments need to be made in our thought processes, we will become empowered to express heartfelt gratitude for whatever is currently happening in our lives. In the bigger scheme of things, Nothing EVER goes "wrong." It is only based on a lack of deeper understanding that you "perceive" something as going wrong. The process of creation is, has been and always will be perfect, precise and unfailing 100% of the time. It is only negative thoughts and perceptions that are responsible for igniting emotions that tend to attract creations that show up in life in the form of events, conditions and circumstances that are perceived as "going wrong." It's important to recognize and express gratitude for the fact that EVERYTHING in your life is a miracle. Those miracles which show up that aren't in harmony with your desired outcomes are merely signs that YOU need to make adjustments within yourself and with your relationship to God, Higher Power or Source. The way we can do this is to shift the focus to something more positive and productive. When we have developed a clear understanding that all things work for the greater good no matter how seemingly “bad” things may appear, it becomes much easier to stay in a state of gratitude. When that awareness is fully developed, not only is it extremely freeing, but we are setting ourselves up for a much greater flow of Abundance and Happiness to occur. God, Universal Consciousness or whatever you perceive Source to be, loves each person unconditionally, exactly the same and only delivers precisely to the extent that we are ready to receive. "As you sow, so shall you reap." If you’re interested in living a life of gratitude, here are my suggestions: Pay close attention to the good that is all around you. Singing birds welcoming the morning, sweet fragrances of flowers, the beautiful changing seasons, wonderful friends and family, pets, a smile from a stranger, a roof over your head, food to eat. A fond memory is created by remembering to focus on the gifts that are all around us as well as a kind word, or a thank you received, after doing a good deed. Take a few minutes each day to give thanks, to who or what you’re grateful for. Make a list and look at it whenever you are feeling down. When someone does something nice for you, however small, try to remember to say thank you. And really mean it. There’s always two ways to look at something. Many times, we think of something as negative — stressful, harmful, sad, unfortunate, or difficult. But that same thing can be looked at in a more positive way. Giving thanks for those things is a great way to remind yourself that there is good in just about everything. Problems can be seen as opportunities to grow, to become a more virtuous person. Remember the wise words of Abe Lincoln, “A person is just about as happy as he makes up his mind to be.” Choose gratitude every day and you will be happier. Gratitude is an opportunity to deepen your capacity for love. It shifts anger and upsets. It balances suffering and hardship. And finally, the real secret of gratitude is, the more you are grateful for, the more you will have to be grateful for. Life is a gift ~ be grateful for each present moment.