Managing the Mundane

A funny thing happened as I began this blog entry...

As I was typing in the title, I inadvertently typed "Managing the Mundance," which I believe was a serendipitous error that lends itself to even greater clarity of my message!

For as long as I can remember, I have experienced some degree of resistance and quite honestly, at times, an all-out struggle with "managing the mundane." By that, I am referring to those day in and day out chores and responsibilities that we not only should do, but in essence, we really must do, like paying bills, doing laundry, cleaning, organizing, and maintaining our living space as well as our many possessions. Failure to do these things has some ugly consequences that we would rather not deal with. Even a delay in completion or a lapse in attentiveness to these tasks can create everything from a minor irritation to a major disruption in our daily living.

This tendency was a long-standing source of stress for me, not only due to the nature of the subtle (and the not so subtle) chaos it can cause, but also because it simply doesn't fit the profile of who I know myself to be. This type of pattern is one we would expect to see in those that we consider to be lazy, sluggish, unkempt, and a myriad of other not at all flattering adjectives with perhaps the occasional expletive thrown in for good measure! Clearly, I am none of these things. Thus my distress and puzzled expression as I gazed into the mirror of self-reflection. What gives?

In the past, I always blamed this pattern on being too busy, too stressed, not having enough help, not enough time, etc. In other words, too much of this, and not enough of that. Well, as we all know, life happens. We will always be dealing with "this and that" in the many and varied ways that they are outwardly manifested in our lives. So it is time to shift from the outer to the inner perspective to literally get to the heart of the matter.

We have all heard it said that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. In fact, that expression is so prevalent these days, that I hesitated to use it for fear of being dismissed as being trite. That said, anyone who has walked this earth for any length of time, and has attempted to answer the "big questions" in life, knows that it is true - even with regard to the mundane.

We do not tame the ego and strengthen the spirit in spite of the circumstances of our lives, but rather through them. We have the power to experience the deepest of transformation right here, right now - in this place, with these people, and in these circumstances.
(Don't just read those words, pause and let them sink in!)

Ah-ha! All of those expressions about life happening in the present moment finally made sense to me.

So, in the past (and yes, still at times in the present) in my inflated ego state, my quest for achievement, fame, fortune, success, wisdom, and even deeper spirituality, along with many other socially acceptable and sought after disguises that a desire for that ever-elusive sense of security and perhaps even a feeling of superiority might take, I was indeed too busy and exhausted to attend to the details of living. I was longing for non-stop fabulous adventures with family and a plethora of fascinating friends. Surely, there are more worthy uses for my time and talent than taking out the trash! And let's face it,  maybe I was even hoping or wishing that I was (or soon would be) too advanced and above dealing with the menial - AND wouldn't it be great if I WAS indeed deemed to be too good to expend my efforts on the mundane? Although certainly this is not what I would have actually verbalized or even admitted to on a conscious level, this apparently was a part of the subconscious train of thought that derailed my efforts with regard to a more balanced allocation of my time. Although time management is a multi-factored issue, I knew that I had touched on one of the deeper threads creating a pattern in my life.

Well, how's that for a personal revelation? Humbling? Yes. Humiliating? No, not if I continue to allow it to soften my way of being in the world and to use it for further growth and development. Even better, because I took a risk to share what I learned, now you can consider what truth these words might hold for you too. Words shared from the heart with a loving intention have the power to set into motion a transformative shift in thoughts, speech, and actions, and ultimately, a new direction.

The shift intended here is one of perspective. All aspects of our lives hold the transformative power of Spirit as we let go of resistance and allow our Light to shine and radiate Love into ALL we do - even the most mundane tasks of living. Through this way of "being" as we are "doing," we allow for an abundance of  grace to flow into the ordinary circumstances of our lives, and even the simplest of tasks become an opportunity for a blessing. It is only in this way, that the mundane becomes a "mundance" as we mindfully partner the physical and the spiritual to step more fully into the present moment, and since the present is where we do all of our living, this dance is truly a gift.

As always, I trust that these words will find their way to the right people, at the perfect time, and have the intended impact on the lives and hearts of my readers for the best and Highest Good.

With Blessings, Love and Light,
Nurture U

Fool's Gold: A Goal as a Hole That You Dig

We are indeed a goal-driven society. From education, to career, to money, and all forms of success, goals are touted as the be-all and end-all on the road to achievement. Not only must goals be formulated, they must be written down succinctly and be SMART: specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and timed. (There are different ways of teaching the acronym. This is the one I have taught and followed myself.)  Goals must also be periodically reviewed for progress and re-evaluation. In pursuit of our goals, we must remember that there is no failure, only feedback. And on and on goes the "coach speak" with regard to getting anywhere in life. The motivational strategies are research-based and proven to be effective. So...the message is, "Keep on keepin' on..."

But wait...!!! I have followed these formulas to the letter. I have done all I can with regard to pursuit of my goals. I am motivated. I am determined. In fact, in many cases, I have achieved the goals. Sometimes my success has been greater than I expected. My ego is stoked. My ego has been stroked. I am happy. At least for now...

Then Boom, Crash, Zap, Poof...That happiness is gone! Now what?

Back it up...

Goal setting is indeed a powerful process in climbing the ladder of success, but as it has been said, you need to be aware of where you choose to place that ladder. Otherwise, you will get to the top and simply find yourself trying to maintain your excitement and your balance on the highest rung with perhaps nowhere to go but down. That's why we all need to dig deeper to uncover our highest intentions. Otherwise, what seems like climbing the ladder of success becomes tantamount to digging ourselves into a proverbial hole. The more we try, the more we spin our wheels, the more we find ourselves stuck. It is at that point that we may become deeply embedded in the false belief that life is not fair and that all of the positive things we have read, heard, and been taught must be the ramblings of the chosen few who can afford to preach such rubbish from the comfort of their ivory towers. Lest we lose heart, be assured, there IS another way.

Many of our goals are likened to fool's gold. We dig, and we dig, and we dig our heels in further until we at last have that glistening lump of gold that we thought was a gem in our worn and blistered hands. We paid the price. Here's the prize. Oops. Not so fast. The shiny object is indeed worthless and our efforts are for naught. We only wanted the real thing. Not a cheap imitation.

Here's where we can claim the true power of manifesting our heart's desire. In order to manifest your heart's desire, you must KNOW what it is! In order to know what it is, you must be open to receiving this information. In order to be open, you must soften your stance. In order to soften your stance, you need to be present. In order to be present, you must cultivate a degree of inner peace. In order to cultivate inner peace, you must be willing to align your personality with your soul. In order to align your personality with your soul, you simply have to know and trust that it is the highest part of you that always seeks to manifest the highest good of all concerned, including you. In order to know and trust your soul, you need to choose to connect with the Great Power of the Universe that is Your Source of Being. And that brings us to the "Good News." You are already connected to Your Source.  Your Source is Pure Love and all that is Go(o)d. You are a Spark of the Divine. Therefore, there is only One Power, One Way, One Intention, and that Intention is to BE the Love that you are and seek to express that Love in all that you do in an ever-evolving upward spiral. Just choose Love and your goals, whatever they may be, will be backed by the Power of the Universe for your Best and Highest Good - all the time - Guaranteed!

So, behind all of the glitz and glamour of the image of climbing the ladder of success, you may find a multitude of haggard laborers digging deeper and deeper holes that lead them nowhere but into greater darkness and isolation. That is the aftermath of the goals of fear: Fear of failure, fear of lack, fear of being unworthy, fear of _________________________(fill in the blank). Even if you manage to reach the goal through the sweat of your brow, that same brow is soon furrowed as you ponder your next move. Surely, the next goal will be "it."

The lesson here is simply this: Beware of a goal that stems from fear no matter how noble it may appear. A goal motivated by fear will weaken and disappoint you every time. It is the ultimate fool's goal that leaves you exhausted and discouraged. You truly have a choice in this matter - no matter how far you have come or how far you feel you have left to go. You can now choose to have access to the fuel behind any goal you may set, whether it be a wellness goal such as weight loss, a career goal, a financial goal, etc. The form that your goals take will be as individualized as your journey itself. Ultimately, it is not the goal that matters. It is what fuels the goal that determines your destination as well as the quality of your experience along the way. And that, my friend, is all you really need to know. The power of your intention is the power behind your goal and you have the power to choose. 

Start now - Tap into the Ultimate Power of the Universe. 
Begin in Love.
End in Love. 
And just watch how that one decision changes everything in between.

Namaste.
It makes me smile to hold this vision for us all. Go in Peace, and Love, and Joy.

As always, I trust that these words will find their way to the right people, at the perfect time, and have the intended impact on the lives and hearts of my readers for the best and Highest Good.

With Blessings, Love and Light,
Nurture U