Barbara Schmidt's Blog, page 35

Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable

Do you desire to lead a life filled with magic, excitement, growth, fulfillment and opportunity? I’m sure you do, that’s likely why you’re here! So if you answered yes, today I will share with you a simple shift that you can make for this to be possible in your life.

Perhaps in this moment you are feeling stuck, frustrated or unsure of how to create the life that you desire, You are not alone. I have definitely felt this way many, many times.

I have been sitting with these feelings, being curious and becoming aware of what’s happening for me in these moments and I notice that there is a common underlying theme for all of it. Fear. I see clearly, when life isn’t progressing the way we want it to, or we feel frustrated and blocked our minds are generally running rampant with fear-based thoughts.

We as human beings are taught to fear the unknown, fear uncertainty, and fear that which makes us feel uncomfortable. So let me highlight here the importance of being comfortable in the uncomfortable, and shifting those fear based thoughts.

Now some of you might be questioning me on this (I’ve also been in this position too). I used to really loathe the conversations that would stress the necessity of stepping outside of comfort zones. I’m a creature of habit, I like to be able to predict outcomes, and feel safe. So when this conversation would come up I would ask myself the questions you may be asking yourself right now. What is so wrong with the safe feeling of comfort? Why is it so necessary to put ourselves out there in the world in ways that feel odd or difficult?

Though the safety net is a nice place to touch down from time to time, it’s confined and limiting. There is meaning and purpose in the uncomfortable and a massive feeling of empowerment arises when we step outside of that comfy little box.

If you want to lead a magical life, embrace the unknown and the uncomfortable. Stepping outside of your comfort zone unlocks a world of infinite possibilities.

So, let’s begin to shift into living life this way. I break it down here into three simple steps:

Become Aware. Start to notice the patterns of your thoughts. Journal, witness, and take note of the common themes that swirl around your head day in and day out. See where the fears pop in, notice where your mind wanders, and observe the feelings that go along with it. State your intention of shifting your beliefs on feeling uncomfortable and fearing the unknown.
Get Clear. Cultivate a sense of clarity of what you really want. Start questioning your desires; be curious and develop a deep relationship with yourself. Ask yourself how you want to feel. Feelings are equally as important as goals and desires. When you envision that dream life, what are the feelings that go along with it?
Take Action. Create an inventory of aligned actions you can take on a daily basis that will lead you to your desired goals and ideals. This list should be created as if you had no fear, because ultimately you will be living comfortably in the uncomfortable place. Get familiar with your fears and notice what comes up for you when you think about taking some of these steps or putting yourself out there in a new way. Ask yourself, if the fears are even valid, or simply just excuses your mind is using to stay where you are. Ask yourself what’s the worst possible outcome from taking these new actions. Make it a priority to actually do these new actions, and be super aware of your feelings throughout the process. Keep your mind in check, remind yourself that everything is going to be ok. Commit to taking these new actions on a regular basis.

Once you start to put yourself out there in this new way, I promise you will begin to feel more confident and empowered. You will begin to see the shifts happening in your life that you really desire. I know because I am experiencing it!

It’s true what they say, life really begins at the end of your comfort zone; we just have to reframe those pesky thoughts of fear and uncertainty.

I can’t wait to see what happens when you all step out and take action! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, let’s keep the conversation going in the comments below!

xo, Michelle

 

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5 Affirmations for Cultivating Self-Love

Whenever I begin to write my blogs, I silently ask myself what would be the most useful and helpful for the people who will read it. I then think about my life: the main themes, challenges, and lessons that have been popping up. Of course, current events also undoubtedly influences our lives day in and day out. With that being said, this week I got the hit that we could all use a self-love boost.

As we know, love is the root and foundation of everything in our lives. Often times, we are too happy to share the love for everyone and everything else, but fall short when it comes to ourselves. Self-love is important. Self-love isn’t just a nice theory to write about every once and a while. It IS necessary and crucial for happy, purposeful, and meaningful living.

You are worthy of the love that you so freely share with others. Now more than ever, we need to focus on love, starting from within and emanating out to everyone else in the world. We must do the work on ourselves to bring about the kind of world we wish to create and live in.

When we begin to truly love ourselves everything changes. Make the decision today to love yourself, and never let it be open for discussion again. The love that you cultivate for yourself will be the foundation for everything else you desire in life.

As we know, our thoughts are very powerful and can create the change we wish to see, so what better way to kick start our self-love journey than with some powerful affirmations to bring you into that loving place.

These five affirmations are powerful, meaningful, and effective. They have served me and continue to benefit me in my journey to fully loving myself.

I love myself fully and completely.
It is safe for me to trust my thoughts, beliefs, and desires.
My body is a healthy and supportive home. It takes care of me always.
I am worthy of love, happiness, and peace of mind.
My life is purposeful, meaningful, and a powerful force in this world.

I hope you take these affirmations, tweak them so that they suit you, help you feel aligned, and use them often on your journey.

My desire is that these will help you shift any negative thoughts about yourself back to love and help you to feel more at ease, content, and at peace. Remember, loving yourself is not selfish, it is required. Just as you absolutely benefit greatly by cultivating self-love, so does our world. It starts with us!

Let me know what other affirmations you have been using, and keep me posted on your progress!

xoxo, Michelle

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Michelle’s Summer Reading List

Happy Sunday Peacemakers!

I hope you all are enjoying your summer! When I was a kid, one of things I loved most about summer, was the list of books we were given to read for school. There was something exciting to me about all of the knowledge contained in a great list of books. Upon opening each book for the first time, I would feel eager to know what was about to unfold in front of my eyes, and often times teach me valuable life lessons.

That enthusiasm lives within me today, and while I’m not given required reading lists for homework as I once was, I often search out inspiring reads that lift me up when I need a boost, motivate me when the time is right, and give me real life examples to rely on in maneuvering life. Inspired reading has been a critical cornerstone in my spiritual practice.

For a little throwback to the olden days, I decided to put together my special list of inspired reads for you to dive into this summer (it’s not required, but it is suggested! :)). On my list this year you’ll find books new and old, all equally inspiring in their own ways, and all are books that have touched me deeply at some point in my life. The great thing about inspirational books is that you can read them time and time again and always get something new from them. They are like the friends you can go back to for advice when you need it.

Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle

I was riveted by Glennon Doyle’s memoir Love Warrior. I think I read it in two days. Her honesty, realness, and strength are truly inspiring to me. It’s one of my favorite new books this year.

Tears to Triumph by Marianne Williamson

I consider Marianne Williamson to be one of my greatest teachers and a huge influence in my life. I have read all of her books, but I put Tears to Triumph on the list this time around because of its relevance to managing difficult times. I know we have discussed lately that many of us are feeling like life is extra challenging right now. This book is an amazing guide for getting through setbacks to prepare for your comeback.

Strong in the Broken Places by Quentin Vennie

Quentin is a dear friend of mine who just published his first book, a memoir documenting his life growing up in Baltimore under difficult circumstances. He battled chronic anxiety and depression, which led to a dependency on prescription drugs. Quentin healed his demons through holistic health with meditation, mindfulness, and juicing, and he’s now teaching others to do the same. This is a beautiful read that you won’t want to put down!

White Hot Truth by Danielle LaPorte

If you’re tired of the same old self-help book, and are looking for something with a little sass and a whole lot of truth, Danielle LaPorte’s White Hot Truth is for you. I found myself nodding along as I read, and even yelling “yes!” in excitement because she is so spot on with her wisdom, and her fierce way of telling you how it is.

The Practice by Barb Schmidt

The Practice is a wonderful book designed to teach you how to incorporate a spiritual practice into your life, and maintain it. I might be biased based on my relationship with the author; however, I have heard comments from people all over the world how about impactful this book is, especially in the gentle, manageable way it teaches meditation and mindfulness. This book is a staple on my spiritual bookshelf.

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

In Daring Greatly, Brene Brown tackles the idea of vulnerability, courage, and self-identity. This book truly changed my life, and challenged me to look at the events in my life from a different vantage point.

Maybe It’s You by Lauren Zander

If you’re feeling like you are in a rut and need to make some changes in your life,  Maybe It’s You, is a great guide for life improvement. In her book, Lauren Zander takes you through her step-by-step process, called the Handel Method, for uncovering your true desires, finding what’s holding you back, and teaching you how to create the life you truly want. This book was the kick in the pants I needed, at a time where I was feeling stuck.

10 Mindful Minutes by Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn’s 10 Mindful Minutes is a beautiful book on mindfulness for parents and children. Goldie has been walking the walk for decades.  Her work with the Hawn Foundation through her MindUp program, is incredibly inspiring. It has been teaching nearly 1 million children in schools across the world mindfulness.

Kicking Sick by Amy Kurtz

Kicking Sick is a beautiful book by my dear friend Amy Kurtz about learning to become your greatest ally when standing in the face of chronic illness. We all have to deal with health concerns in our lives, and Amy’s book is a beautiful, empowering, and informative guide that includes tips from the top health and wellness experts. It is a must read for anyone feeling left behind by the healthcare system, or who is feeling lost on how to get well.

The Invitation by Oriah

This book is poetry, inspiration, and magic rolled into one. I first read The Invitation last summer, and it transformed my soul. One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from this book, “It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing. It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.”

I hope you get a chance to check out some of these books this summer! Let me know how any or all of these gems have touched you.

I’d love to hear what some of your favorite inspiring reads are! Let me know in the comments!

 

xo, Michelle

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Change This Habit, Change Your Life

Have you ever done something that you knew was bad for you, but you continued to do it anyway? I bet you probably could answer yes to this question. At some point in our lives, we all fall into the trap of habitually repeating actions that make us feel pretty crummy. Lately, I have been falling into this trap. I’ve come up with four tactics I use to change this habit and transform my life. The habit might not be what you’d expect.

It’s not about food or exercise or work― it’s about the mind. My bad habit is not something that you can see. You probably wouldn’t be able to recognize it just by looking at me or talking to me, but it’s there in my thoughts. It has a way of taking over and eating away at my own happiness. Yet I have been letting it, even though I know better. Do I have you at the edge of your seat curious what habit this could possibly be? I hope so!

My habit that has been causing me an increase of anxiety, stress, sadness, anger, and even depression has been judgment. I have been allowing myself to go down a judgment spiral, and I’m outing myself for it now. The truth is, I know that making a judgment about someone or something else is a reflection of a judgment I have about myself.

I know that judgment only takes up part of my mental capacity. It doesn’t actually produce the results that I think it should or that I desire. But just like any bad habit that gets its way with you, a bad judgment spiral quickly snowballs before you are aware it’s happening.

Perhaps I could blame my judgment binge on the state of the world, the state of my country, and the tangible feelings of separation. I probably could arguably use this as an excuse, but again, I know better. I know that in order to find the happiness that I desire, the happiness that stems deep from within, I have to take responsibility for the judgments I’ve been delving in,  and I need to uncover the feelings deep within that are creating these thoughts for me. This is how true change and shifts happen, and it feels way more empowering this way.

So where does judgment come from? How do we release it to find true happiness? How can we transform it into something more productive like compassion or inspired action?

From my own experiences, judgment stems from the insecurities we have about ourselves. Judgment grows from a dissatisfaction with something in your own life, a disownment of something within you, or a disapproval of something in your own life.

Sometimes judgment can even stem from boredom or from not having enough positive mental stimulation. Your job is to find the root of where your judgment comes from, so that you can release it. For me, lately I’ve been too much in the habit of comparing, complaining, and deflecting my own issues by judging. It’s not a cute look to have, and believe me, it really doesn’t feel great. Since recognizing this in myself, I’ve found that my judgment keeps me stuck, small, and stagnant. It keeps me action-less, which is exactly where my judgy ego would like for me to stay.

When your mind is free of petty judgments, you have more space to create, love, and appreciate life. You are more capable of making your life the best possible. You have more time, energy, and motivation to be your best. Possibilities become infinite. Releasing judgment lifts you up, so it’s time to remove the judgment anchor in of all of our lives.

Ready to begin? Here are some simple shifts to make when you notice judgment creeping up:

When judgment arises about…

…someone else, ask yourself what judgments you’re feeling about your own self, and then cultivate compassion, forgiveness, and love for all parties.

…an injustice in the world, ask yourself your desired outcome, and shift from tortured ruminating into inspired action.

…a competitor in the workplace, notice what it is about that person or institution that they are doing right. Ask yourself what you could be doing to move yourself in the right direction to achieve your own career goals.

…yourself, remind yourself that no matter what, you are doing the best you can. We all are. Cut yourself some slack, practice self-love and self-care. Bring joy and lightheartedness back into your life.

I hope these simple shifts help you to release judgment from your life. I think you will find that in due time a sense of freedom and peace comes from releasing these toxic thought patterns. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments below!

xo, Michelle

 

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Using Intentions to Transform Your Life

“You are what your deepest desire is, as your desire is, so is your intention, as your intention is, so is your will, as your will is, so is your deed, as your deed is, so is your destiny.”  Upanishads

When seasons change, when I start a new project, when I embark on an adventure, or even when I begin a yoga class, I love to partake in the practice of setting intentions. As you all are aware, we just entered the summer season, a new chapter for 2017, so it felt right to cover intention setting to mark the occasion! Intentions are a powerful tool that can truly help transform your life, no matter what your circumstances.

So what exactly is an intention? How is it different than a goal? How do you know what intention is right for you at this moment? You’re in luck. We’re going to go through the intention-setting process this week step-by-step, so you can feel clear, confident, and empowered to cultivate whatever you truly desire for your life.

WHAT: An intention is a soul’s desire, the starting point of a dream, and a determination from deep within. Differing from a goal, intentions brew inside us. They stem from the internal. They are our soul’s way of speaking to us. I view intentions as little whispers from our intuition, guiding us on where to place our focus. Intentions show us where we want to place our priorities, and how we want to spend our time. They are also the building blocks to manifesting all the outwardly goals you have for your life.

WHY: Intention setting is a powerful practice that gets you in tune with your soul’s true desires. It declares them to yourself and to the universe, and acts as a guide for you along your journey in life. Every action we take in life starts with some sort of intention, whether we recognize it or not. When we are aware of this, we are empowered and feel massively creative with our lives.

HOW:

1. Connect for clarity. Take a few moments to close your eyes, breathe, and connect with your intuition and your higher self. Ask yourself what it is that you truly want. Notice what answers come to you. Try not to overthink or micromanage the response. Allow whatever comes to you. Take note.

2. Choose a word. I love choosing a simple, solitary word as my intention. It feels powerful and makes a statement. Based on your experiences while connecting with yourself, choose a word that feels aligned with you, with what’s happening for you right now, and what feels right.

3. Remember to be positive. Rather than focusing on the things that you do not want, try to stay in the positive of what you’re trying to call in or enhance in your life. Remember this intention is your guide, your aim in your life right now. What you put out into the world with your intention, you will receive back.

4. Affirm you intention to yourself and to the universe. This is your declaration of your desires. Make sure you feel confident in it. Own it!

5. Take aligned actions. Start to notice what is and is not in alignment with what you really want. Give yourself the freedom to say no to the things that no longer serve you, while saying yes to what does!

6. Release the outcome. You may feel compelled to try to control how your life plays out with your new intentions. Try to avoid holding on too tightly to them. Intentions work best when affirmed, claimed, and then also released. I like to think of it as an equal partnership with the universe, you’ve done your work, now you can let the universe catch up and meet you half way.

I hope this process of intention setting helps you in getting clear on what you want, and helps you feel empowered to bringing it into your life in a fun and simple way! Even though it is so simple, intentions are truly powerful, and I cannot wait for the all the transformations to come into your life!

I’d love to know what words you choose for your intentions. If you’re up for sharing, let me know in the comments. I’ll share mine too!

xoxo, Michelle

 

 

 

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Becoming Proud

What do you think about when you hear the word proud? What immediately comes to mind? Do you think about your family, your accomplishments, your career? How long down the line do you have to go until you think about yourself? Are you proud of you? What does it mean to you to feel proud? I’ve been thinking about the feeling of pride this week, when the smallest of incidents brought it into my consciousness and of course, taught me one of the biggest life lessons. I’ll explain…

For my entire life I have been a nail biter. That’s right 31 years of picking, biting, and somehow always fidgeting with my nails. I’m not really sure where this habit came from or how it began; nevertheless, it’s a habit that’s been mine for the duration of my life. There are a few consequences to a nail-biting habit: short nails, picked cuticles, and the sight of a grown adult with her hands constantly in her mouth. Though none of those things felt good to me, my nail-biting habit felt like an addiction that I couldn’t break.

I noticed I started to become ashamed of my hands. I even created this whole story in my mind that I had ugly hands. I would even avoid having them photographed, and I felt self-conscious getting manicures. You can see how far one small habit, and the feeling of shame can take you. You are trapped, by limits that you place upon yourself.

I recently decided I had had enough. I made an appointment at a nail salon in New York City with a well-recommended nail technician, and I declared was going to kick my poor nail habit. This place also does super cute nail art, so I’m adding fun into my assignment (which I highly suggest to all of you when kicking bad habits). I’m a few months in, I have long nails for the first time in my life, and every single day I have people giving my compliments on my nails. I feel proud. And the pride I feel for something so small like my nails, now allows me the freedom to feel proud of myself entirely. I had no idea how much something so small was holding me back in such a way, and affecting my confidence, my self-esteem, and my sense of self-worth. Really. Who knew?

This is just a small example of something in my life that got me thinking, how many other examples are eating away at my life? And now I ask you, what is eating away at your sense of pride? Are there small, hidden parts of your life that are bringing you shame that you don’t even know about, or that you haven’t yet recognized? It could be something so small that you would never imagine or maybe it’s something life changing, but this week, I urge you to take a look.

The way I see it, the world doesn’t benefit from us not showing up fully and completely, and so, if we have these little habits and traits that hide the real us, we are robbing the world of the gifts that we have to share. Each and every one of you reading this blog is an amazing human being with special gifts and talents and an unique purpose in this world—start becoming proud of that today by releasing whatever shame you are carrying around.

The first step is noticing it, and you can start today. If you’re up for it, you can write whatever you’re ready to let go of in the comments, and we’ll all be here to support one another. I’m proud of all of you!

xoxo, Michelle

 

 

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The Four Questions I Ask Myself Every Day

This week I have been thinking a lot about daily practices, rituals, and habits. When you think about it, the small, simple practices we do every single day, have a great, meaningful impact on our lives. In my opinion, the habits that we create first thing in the morning are the most important and most beneficial for our lives in mind, body, and spirit.

Over the years, I’ve created my morning spiritual practice to be a time that I honor, respect, and genuinely look forward to. As many of you know, a meditation practice is a large part of my daily morning routine. Following my twenty minutes of seated meditation, I sit silently with my eyes closed and ask myself these four simple questions:

Where would you have me go?

What would you have me do?

What would you have me say?

And to whom?

These questions are a prayer from the metaphysical text A Course In Miracles. I have been including them into my daily meditation practice for almost four years now, and it has become a permanent part of my practice.

Asking these questions first thing in the morning reminds me that I don’t have to control everything. I remember that it’s easier to surrender the details and ask to be guided. When I ask myself these questions every day, it reinforces my belief that everything that happens from moment to moment has purpose and meaning. It is my version of intention setting, prayer, and conversation with God.

For me, these questions also remind me of my commitment to service and to my purpose each and every day. When you ask these open ended questions, you are literally opening yourself up to unlimited possibilities. For those of you with big life questions, perhaps you could start incorporating this practice into your life, and see what answers start showing up for you. What I have found is that I am always guided in some way, shape, or form to the right place at the right time. This simple practice of prayer and trusting that the answers will come, always produces beautiful results in life.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! Have you read any of the A Course in Miracles text? If yes, maybe look at it again, and if no, I really suggest it for your inspirational reading this week.

Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments below!

xoxo, Michelle

 

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Creating a Healthy Relationship with Time

I in almost every conversation I have had over the past few weeks, I have made a comment about how fast I feel like time is passing. Are you feeling the same way? My relationship with time is on my mind lately. Perhaps it’s because I feel that I’m getting older, or maybe it’s because have the desire to get a lot done, and fear that I might not have enough time to do it all. Sometimes it feels like time is actually speeding up; even though, there are still 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour, etc. You all know the math!

What I do know for sure is that we all have very unique, probably equally dysfunctional, relationships with time. We are all very busy people with full plates. Many of us feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get all the stuff done that we have to get done, let alone get the stuff done that we want to get done.

Just like with any other aspect of our lives, I believe we can manage our relationship with time. Yes, it might take work, some uncomfortable moments, and shifting of our beliefs and perceptions. That’s what we do when we are on a spiritual path, our life path, right?

Let me mention one more thing about time: it’s a human creation. This may help you when you feel deeply stressed out by it. We created time, not nature. We created the concept that we have to adhere to a timeline. We created calendars. We created years with months, weeks, and days. If it weren’t for the structure of time we would be just living, freely in the moment…. Take that it for a moment. It’s interesting to think about that, right?

Since of course we live in a society of time, I’ve come up with some simple ways for you to manage how you relate to time in your day-to-day life:

1. Start to monitor how you think and speak about time. As we know, our thoughts are incredibly important what we think, we manifest! In my case, if I always talk about time going by so fast, of course I’m going to feel like time is going by fast.  Now, I will start to remind myself that time is unfolding at just the right speed. Everything is coming together exactly as it should, and I am always at the right place at the right time. That feels much better!

2. Try to make your to-do lists a bit more manageable. Each week, take a look at the things that must be done and rank them in order of importance. Place priority on the obvious and worry less about the things that can be set-aside for a later date. When we try to squeeze every part of our to-do lists into a small period of time, of course it feels like there’s never enough time. Cut yourself some slack. You can get it all done, (or what’s most important anyway!) if you lighten your load and prioritize.

3. Be one-pointed in your actions. I know multitasking may feel efficient, but really, it might actually be what’s making time feel sped up for you. It might also be the reason why you are feeling more stressed and less productive. Be focused on one thing (or one person) at any given moment. Be all there. Be present. Give yourself to each and every moment. Not only will you feel better, but your productivity will increase, and your relationships will improve as well. Win, win!

4. Start to appreciate life in the present moment. Time seems to slip away when you are living in the past or dreaming of the future. Each moment truly can be precious when we learn to really value what it has as it comes. It can be hard to train our minds to get back to that place, but it absolutely helps us be in sync with time.

I hope this helps you to start managing your relationship with time in a healthy way. I have found that when time is on my side, I’m much happier and at peace! I always love hearing from you each week, let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

xoxo,

Michelle

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Remembering the Importance of Gratitude

Sometimes I get stuck in really negative mind games with myself. I think everyone does. Some days we have bad days. Maybe we spend too much time watching the news, or on the Internet comparing ourselves with others.  Or, maybe we’ve eaten poorly or have received bad work at news.

Whatever the situation may be, we’ve all been there when our mind runs amuck, and takes us down a rabbit hole to a pretty negative place. It’s not the nicest place to be, but over time, I’ve learned how to get myself out. That’s been my saving grace, especially in this day and age.

The world we live in gives us a million reasons why we should think our lives are in shambles, or why we should think we aren’t good enough, and that’s really unfortunate. Fortunately for us though, there are tools that we can use to combat that. One of the most powerful practices for overcoming the comparison, depression, and rabbit-hole thinking mind games is gratitude.

So what is gratitude exactly? I’m sure by this point you’ve heard the word a million times on lots of other websites similar to this one. This is my definition: gratitude is being present to what is, honoring the present moment, whatever it may contain, and accepting it. Gratitude is saying thank you and being truly appreciative for the privileges of your life. Gratitude is also paying it forward and showing kindness to someone else. It is acknowledging life in ourselves and others in each breath. Gratitude is never taking for granted anything that we rely on every day to survive.

So, how can we remember to be more grateful, every day?

I’m glad you asked!

Here are some fun ways to incorporate gratitude into your daily routine:

―Wake up, open your eyes, and say thank you for another day of life.

―Every time you go to eat, silently bless your food.

―When walking down streets, thank your body for the ability to move with ease. If this doesn’t apply to you for physical reasons, you can use other parts of your body instead.

―Randomly select a loved one each week to text (or better yet call) to tell them you appreciate them in your life

―At the end of each day, take a few moments to recap your day, say thank you for all that you experienced, and all the breaths taken.

Remember gratitude is the positive attitude, I hope this little list serves you. Keep me posted in the comments below!

xoxo, Michelle

 

 

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4 Common Spiritual Myths & 1 Spiritual Truth

I’m my years in the spiritual and self-help world, I’ve spent much of my time as a student watching, witnessing, and taking it all in. Perhaps this is due to the deep desire in me to always want to learn more and understand more. Treading the spiritual waters at times can be tricky because there’s much information, and it is all labeled as truth. Truth in itself can be tricky. How can one define something that can be so unique to each and every person?

The one truth I do know is that we are all seekers looking to find a comfort in our experience here on earth. We look to spiritual paths and truths for this comfort. Sometimes we are misled, fall off our path, or leave the path all together. It’s all a lesson and part of the journey.

This week, I hope to shed some light on some to the spiritual myths that I have come across in my journey. I’ve experienced many ups and downs along my path, and though I wouldn’t trade my experiences for anything because they have brought me to this moment here today, I feel that it is important to share some of these spiritual myths with you today.

Myth #1: Once You Are On A Path, Life Will Get Easier

While is true that once you adopt a spiritual practice you become more patient, kind, and in the flow of life, you are still dealing with the ins and outs of life. A spiritual path is not a quick fix to life, but rather it is a toolbox equipping you with how to manage whatever life throws at you on a day-to-day basis. Life doesn’t get easier― you just get better.

Myth #2: In Order to Receive, I Must Have

One of the biggest traps I fell into on my path in spirituality and self-help was materialism. I’m so happy to see that meditation and mindfulness have become popular and mainstream, and yet they have also become a multi-billion dollar industries.

We have fallen into the notion that we need all of these “things” in order to receive the benefits of our spiritual practices. We need the green juice for our health. We need the yoga pants for our practices, the oils for our meditation, the crystals for chakras, and the list goes on. I enjoy all of these things, and I still own all of these things (but I am much more sensible than I once was). However, it is important to remember that these are material items, and they are not the means to which we will attain mental peace.

All of these products are businesses. I hope we all can remember that when we feel frustrated that our rose quartz hasn’t brought us the love our life yet, or when we don’t feel totally zen from our new essential oil. The material items are not necessary parts of the path. They are simply accessories.

Myth #3: There Is Only One Path

This is a tricky subject, as we are all very dedicated to our own paths and lineages, and even religions. I put this myth here in hopes of opening our minds to the idea that there is more than one path to happiness, love, peace, compassion, understanding, and co-existing. We are living in difficult and uncertain times, so I think it’s safe to say that any path you may find yourself on that teaches love, compassion, and understanding is a good one.

Of course, there are going to be different methods of meditation, mindfulness, mantra, yoga, etc. Search those out and experiment. I’ve enjoyed testing the waters and finding a path that works for me. I’ve found that a spiritual path cannot be forced, or it will never be enforced. When I finally found my path, it immediately was part of my day-to day life. There was no question about it. So I encourage you to find yours, and allow others to do the same without judgment.

Myth #4: The Goal of the Path is to Fix Myself

Most of us search out spirituality when we feel low or broken. Life has left us in a place where we feel like there is nowhere else to turn. That was my experience at least, and I’m certainly grateful for it. Entering the self-help world has given me a wonderful foundation upon which I can live my life, but it is not a quick fix or a one and done, go back to your regular life, kind of deal.

It is called a spiritual path for a reason; it is your path for life. The path might change, turn, stop, wind, twist, and curve, but it’s yours. And you don’t need to be fixed. You need to be given tools so that you can mange the incredibly difficult world that we live in.

You need to be given time each day to connect with yourself so that you can be aware of your thoughts, so that you can recognize that you are great just as you are. You need to be given space to breathe, relax, think, and not compare yourself to others. However, you certainly don’t need to be fixed, not now, not ever.

The Truth: You are Your Greatest Teacher

All of the answers are within you. You do not have to go anywhere, listen to anyone, or search outside yourself to find peace or to be “fixed.” The answers that you seek, the “wholeness” that you desire, and the truth are all within you.

We are our own biggest teachers, and it is time that we take back our power. It’s time to come back home, to who we are, and to our own personal truths. It’s our own person independence and truth that will “save” us.

I hope this helps you on your own path. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! If you’re looking read more amazing commentary on spiritual truth, check out the amazing new book by Danielle Laporte White Hot Truth. It has been resonating deeply with me, as I have been reading it this week!

Any requests for future blog topics? Let me know in the comments also!

xoxo,

Michelle

 

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