Who You Are as What You Do - Heal the Energy Reversal and Come Back to Life

There are times in life when we find that we are living in reverse. It is at those times that our energy is scrambled and we are quite literally doing things backwards. So, in that spirit, it only makes sense that I will address this issue in the same manner. Let's start with the end in mind.

Here's what you ultimately need to know: Who You ARE is the Energy that you can choose to consciously align yourself with and allow to be the determining factor in What You DO. It is NOT the other way around if you want to live a Life of Vibrant Energy, Joy, and Peace. You can choose to live that way in hot pursuit of those things, but you will end up exhausted as it is not a sustainable way of life. To do so is to mistakenly turn Gifts into goals and to place those things at the finish line rather than embracing them as the Source of All that is Good.

Who are you? There are a myriad of ways to answer this question from the surface and share such things as name, marital status, age, gender, job title, family roles, religious and other affiliations, hobbies, etc. But, that's not who you really are, is it?

Ask the question again, this time addressing yourself at the deepest level of your Being. Simply ask: Who AM I? and wait. Again, the typical answers will come as you skim the surface, but wait, as the infomercials remind us...there's more. Much more.

Some of what may surface comes in the form of bodily sensations. Perhaps you are feeling tense or ill or are in chronic pain. Notice whatever comes up. Choose not to judge it as positive or negative. Just let it be as it is for now. All physical conditions change over time and this too shall pass.

Notice too your thoughts and feelings. They arise in conjunction with the bodily sensations and often in reaction to them as you may find yourself labeling your experience. Again, let it be. Notice it, become aware of it, and let it pass through.

Whatever your experience may be, the surface issues will  begin to settle over time, and as this happens, you will notice that you are able to release more and more of the "stuff" you have believed yourself to be. Eventually, you will at some point find yourself in the Silence of Your Heart and it is in that beautiful space that you will be able touch your Inner Core. Some call it the Soul. Some call it the Christ Within. Some call it the Presence of God. And as Wayne Dyer has said, it doesn't even matter if you call it Louise! You will connect with that part of you which is Eternal, that part of you that is the Essence of Pure Love. You will KNOW that what you once heard about being made in the image and likeness of God is True. This is when you will KNOW the Truth that will set you free - in spite of all the dogma and dysfunction that may have clouded that message in the past. You will not just hear the words, you will at last embody the Truth and Oh, what a relief that is!

Once you Know Who You Are, you are Guided in all you do. Your intentions and inspired actions will at times almost effortlessly spring forth from the Everlasting Fountain of Wisdom and Love and all that is Go(o)d. Love is now properly reclaimed as the Source rather than the goal. You will know the Joy that comes your way when you choose to live a Life of Love, so that Love is extended as a natural outcome, rather than shouldered as a burdensome obligation that weighs you down as you strive to prove that you are who you already are. And that, my dear, really is all you need to know to heal your energy reversal and come back to Life and Vibrant Living.

Stop living life backwards in pursuit of the Good that is already yours. Live from Love as the Source of All and Who You Really Are and you will be taking the most Powerful Action for the Highest Good of All Concerned - including you!

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

The Basket or The Backpack? Powerful Paradigms for Processing Pain

The issue of pain and suffering is one that has undoubtedly plagued human history perhaps more than any other since the dawn of creation. I know that it surely has been that way for me. That said, I humbly present a perspective on pain that is a useful analogy for me in the event that it may provide something helpful for you as well.

Pain is often viewed as an unexpected and unwanted guest. We are unprepared for arrival, unsure of ourselves during the visit, and wondering when it will end. Rather than willingly accepting the inevitable once this guest has entered our house, we get steeped in the thought that what is happening in our house is wrong, so we send the guests away before we get to know them. We never allow ourselves to be open to the gifts they may come bearing. Just get them out of my house. Out of sight, out of mind. Or are they?

It seems that our guests have left some things behind. Now, even though they are gone, we are left to deal with the aftermath. What in the world is all this stuff? Why do I have to deal with it? I don't have time for this! It's not fair...etc. etc. etc. So, what do I do now? Clearly, this is my responsibility now. I cannot leave it unattended. I now, seemingly by default, must carry this with me wherever I go. That way, at least I stand a chance of sorting through it all and letting it go.

Here's where it gets interesting...

What happens if you put all of this "stuff", this pain, in a backpack?

You have quite literally taken it upon your shoulders to lug around, but at least you are attempting to deal with it by putting it behind you. You carry the weight of it rather easily at first. This makes you feel strong and proud. But, you notice that after time, it begins to weigh you down. The extra weight makes it difficult for you to get around and to do what needs to get done. Perhaps if you were stronger it would help, so you make attempts at building your muscles. This does help, but you realize that in the process, you allowed yourself to take on even more weight. Again, you can handle it. Again, you just need to continue to get stronger and stronger and to be able to bear more and more weight as time goes on. In addition, you begin to realize that perhaps your greatest challenge is maintaining your balance with this ever-increasing load. But that's ok. What choice do you have but to learn how to balance it all and still function? Some day, when you're not so busy, you will sort through it all, but not today. Today you just need to keep moving.

What would happen if you chose instead to put all of the same stuff, AKA "pain," in a basket?

Here you are with all this unwanted stuff to lug around. Oh well, how about finding a beautiful basket to put it all in? At first, you carry the basket with you wherever you go. You just don't know what to do with it all, but it is right there in front of you. Each time you pick it up by the handles, you can see at least some of what is in there. This allows you to literally "handle" its contents. Although the contents are indeed heavy, you realize that you can set it down. You also learn very quickly that if you do not choose to set it down, your shoulders round, your head is drawn forward, and your heart is closed but not really protected by the contents of the basket before you. Although you are busy, when you have the time, you choose to spend it looking through the basket to determine what to do with the contents. Some of what is in there you simply inherited from someone else and it has no value to you at this time. You remove it from the basket. Clearly this is not something that you would choose to continue to carry. Some of it, you realize, is not useful to anyone, and you choose to get rid of it. The basket continues to get lighter each time you set it down and sort through the contents. When you finally reach the bottom of the basket, or perhaps well before you get there, you find the unexpected treasure - the "gift in the garbage" as it has been called. You feel blessed that you had the opportunity to carry this basket on your journey, in spite of the temporary discomfort it may have caused you. You are grateful for what you have been given. You leave the rest of it behind.

In this lifetime, we all face a certain degree of pain. It is part of our earthly existence. Rather than carrying it like a backpack that weighs you down for the rest of journey, place it in a beautiful basket that you can sort through with full awareness and at your own pace. You too will be blessed with gems of compassion or wisdom or whatever your soul needs to find. You too will be able to lighten your load, live with grace, and move forward into the life that is your potential to lead. Don't get bogged down by pain. Carry, sort, and discover the treasure. Repeat as often as necessary. Joy awaits.

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

Unmasking the Hero - The Surprising Face of a Victim

If I were to go out and ask people from all walks of life to describe the archetype of "victim" to me, I can almost guarantee that I would get a similar response. What do you think of when you hear the word "victim?" Chances are that you think of people who have experienced events and circumstances that rendered them feeling powerless, even if only temporarily. Furthermore, you may acknowledge that at some point or another in life, we have all had the feeling of being victims of something - only the specific content and the intensity of our experiences vary as well as how long we choose to remain in that role. Are you with me so far?

If you have been in Earth School long enough, you begin to see that people can be victimized by the trivial, such as the weather, or the tragic, such as the death of a loved one or other dramatic loss. In fact, some people appear to be victimized by just about everything they encounter from their daily commute and the demands of their job when they get there, to the family and home they return to, and just about everything that does not go smoothly in between. Clearly, they are in reactive mode and no longer choosing their response. Perhaps we have seen this. Perhaps we have lived it. Perhaps we just stand in judgement of those who do.

As loving and as compassionate as we strive to be, judgement rears its ugly head, especially with regard to victims. We may respond with the most disdain to those who appear to be the most depressed and have lost the drive to fight their way back from whatever life has thrown at them. There's a voice in our head that tells us that we must never let that happen to us. And so it begins...

We see the world through the eyes of fear which closes our hearts, contracts our energy, stresses the body, restricts the mind. We need to work very hard to make sure "that" - whatever it may be - never happens to us. We need to be alert. We need to be on guard. We need to be smart. We need to be _____________________(fill in the blank). We need to change, to accumulate, to fix, to manage, to ____________________ (fill in the blank). We need to save ourselves and others from the pain of life. In short, we need to be a Hero.

On the outside, we may have all the bells and whistles that are the sounds of success. We may have the body, the looks, and a flair for fashion that others see and may even envy. We may have an intellect that allows us to not only compete in the marketplace, but to win fame and fortune as well. We may have the means to buy whatever the latest thing is that will allow us to feel safe and ok - at least for the moment. But as life happens, everything changes from people to styles to circumstances. Try as we may, we just can't keep up. Being a hero is exhausting. We think we are running out of fuel. If we are lucky, it is at this point we stop and look at our lives and realize that we are victims too - reacting to life rather than choosing our response. Yep, people can fall into the victim's role of playing the hero just as easily as they can be the damsel in distress. The only difference is in how society views and reinforces the role and that's where the greatest trouble lies.

Society today encourages and rewards the victim as hero lifestyle: Work, work, work, and then work some more - not just at your job or in your career, but in all things. You must get better, faster, smarter, and accumulate more, more, more...Like I said, if this pace continues unabated, exhaustion is sure to set in.

What is the antidote to this toxic lifestyle? Must we run away to an ashram and isolate ourselves from the people, circumstances, and events that are ever so demanding? Of course not. As with all things, the change will come from the inside-out beginning with the awareness of what is happening. By going within, consulting our own intuition, and opening the possibility to living life another way, we create the shift that is needed to do just that.

The shift does not require a change in lifestyle as much as it does a change in consciousness. That's not to say that a change in outer circumstances will not occur. Maybe it will. Maybe it won't. What changes is our perspective. What is needed is a return to our Power. What happens is that we flip the switch that allows us to stop reacting and to start choosing our response! Rather than being swept away by the dance of the whirling dervish, we willingly step out onto the floor and consciously choose our next move. We once again know what it is like to choose our intentions, thus living from Cause rather than reeling from effects.

Yes, you are the Hero of your own Life. Let it be a role that you choose and a part that you play with plenty of room for improvisation. Some days you will be in a comedy. Some days a tragedy. Embrace what is there before you in every moment knowing that how you play your role in the present, determines the next act in the play and ultimately where you will end up as the curtain closes. Be an authentic Hero by remembering that in the Game of Life, choice trumps regret every time!

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

Permission to Subsist - Taking a Much-Needed Break from the Pursuit of Excellence

Strive for excellence. Always do your best. Be all you can be...
Who could argue with this advice? It is the foundation for success from the time we are so very young until the time of death. It is the backbone of personal and professional success and extends from our closest relationships to society in general and the effects are so far-reaching that the energy of the Universe shifts because of the choices we make throughout our incarnation.

Ok, how's that for pressure when you are not feeling well?

Although I am speaking of excellence in a seemingly cavalier manner, it is simply meant to draw our attention to the fact that we are after all human. It seems to me that while religion, psychology, new age philosophy, and the self-help movement, along with any other push for excellence,  have the best of intentions to inspire and motivate us to be our best, there comes a time that we have to face the fact that we are feeling depleted or already have run out of steam. In fact, there are times that we are just plain "done" or knocked down so far that we can't get right back up. Yep, even the best of us get ill.

As if the symptoms that are the particular manifestation of our body's chosen crisis are not enough, we add in a strong dose of guilt that we have failed in our super-human wellness efforts and succumbed to the lot of the masses of people who do not practice healthy self-care. The guilt is then another layer that needs to be exposed and takes energy to heal and move past before the illness passes. Add to the guilt, the feeling that it is not fair to be feeling this way and it certainly shouldn't have happened to me! What a waste of time and energy! (Trust me, I know...)

So, here's the deal...As a human, how about if you accept that there are times that you just need to shut down, take a break, get some rest, blow off some steam, do nothing, read a good book, go for a walk, and yes, you may even need to realize that in spite of your efforts, you are down for the count. Once that happens, it is time to give up, give in, and hopefully renew and refresh your energy as quickly as possible and move on. If you find that you are feeling less than your best, you need to accept that while it is not the experience you may want, it is the experience you are having. Time to shift into rest and recovery mode. Your excellent life will be there waiting for you when you bounce back into full force action.

Rather than wallowing in guilt and self-pity, use your downtime to affirm that you are investing your time and energy to once again connect with your wholeness. Respect whatever intuition comes to you about what your body, mind, and spirit need. It is important to love and deeply care for yourself at all times, but especially be mindful of the tendency not to when stressed or ill. That is the destructive downward cycle that can lead to debilitating disease when you refuse to allow yourself time to just exist or God forbid, to subsist.

Simply put: Drop the Perfection. Practice Self-Love.
As you allow your Spirit to soar in an atmosphere of support, you will be once again shift back into the Power of Creating from Cause and excellence will no longer be the goal, it will be the Effect.

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

Claim Your Life's Purpose

Claim your life's purpose? Now there's a tall order. Let's get right to the gist of what I am saying before you get bogged down by that heavy feeling that can seem to descend upon you in the blink of an eye and linger in your consciousness until you can literally feel like you are dragging the weight of this issue like the proverbial ball and chain as you drift aimlessly in a sea of possibilities...

Okay, so I was being a bit dramatic...but c'mon...just a bit. If you have ever been in that mode of searching for your life's purpose, you know the feeling of trying to navigate in a thick fog. That's why the key is to claim your life purpose not find it. Your life's purpose is NOT about what you do, it is about being WHO YOU ARE. And that's where you need to start; you need to stake your claim.

Your life's purpose is not about your career or your job or even your hobbies or avocation. It doesn't begin when you start working and end when you retire. You don't need to take a vacation from your purpose or rest up on the weekends to return to it. Your purpose is a part of your life every moment of every day. Your life's purpose is your Divine Assignment. Your purpose is to be an expression of the Divine - and so is mine. Essentially, we ALL have the same purpose whether we choose to embrace it or not. We are united in purpose, and only separate through the exercise of free will and choice.

So, how do we express our Divine Nature? By being as the Divine is. For me, the simplicity of the Bible description of God works best because it all comes down to this: God is Love. We are told that we are made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, WE ARE LOVE and that is what we are here to express. Simple, but not easy...

That's where the idea of staking your claim comes in. We are conditioned throughout our lives, some to a greater extent than others, to question our Divine Connection and our worthiness to receive all of the blessings that are ours to receive as a beloved Child of God. This questioning comes from our experiences with our parents, other family members, teachers, preachers, peers, the media, and our society and culture at large. Virtually everywhere we turn, we are apt to encounter the beliefs and mores of those around us not just through experience, but through all that we see and hear and read. We are indoctrinated in this way, both directly and indirectly, by the pervading environment in which we live and this profoundly affects not only our thoughts and feelings, but also impacts our ability to function and experience the joy of healthy, balanced, conscious living. That is why the admonition of Jesus to remember that we are to be "in this world, but not of this world" holds such sway and why, through His powerful example, we can indeed be cheerful that He overcame this world. 

By following the example of the Spiritual Masters that have gone before us, tuning into the guidance, grace, and gifts we are freely given, and strengthening our connection with the Source of our Being, we will have the power to claim our ultimate identity and purpose to live a life of Love. Once committed to that, all the rest begins to fall into place as the journey continues and our personal transformation takes place and we continue to evolve. 

What is your life's purpose? To love. What does that look like? It looks like YOU - at work, at home, at rest, at play, alone, with friends, with family, in a crowd, in your car, in youth, in old age, in sickness, in health, and even on your death bed. In the end, as it has been said, all that ever matters and will endure forever is Love. 

Choose Love and you will ALWAYS be purposeful.

Namaste!

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

Healthy Self-Care and Spirituality: A Marriage Made in Heaven

Ultimately, everything I teach and preach, whether as a meditation group facilitator, a writer, a book discussion group leader, a workshop facilitator, a motivational speaker, a Life Coach, or even as a mom, spouse, grandma, family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker, or yes, even a stranger, if it comes from my heart of hearts, is intended for the Highest Good of all concerned, including me. The Highest Good, in my mind, is to be committed to Conscious Living as we continue our daily walk along the path of the Spiritual Journey that we simply call our "Life."

So, what is the role of healthy self-care and why is it so important?

Healthy self-care truly provides the essential foundation not just for wellness, but for Conscious Living as well because without the benefit of healthy self-care, the mind and the body can become distractions or even perceived to be obstacles in the process of Transformation. As it has been said, your body is the vehicle that houses the soul and I might add, your mind is the bridge between the two. Anything you wish to manifest in this lifetime, which runs the gamut of all you wish to have, be, and do, will be manifested through the combined Wisdom and the Power of Mind, Body, and Spirit. That is true whether we are referring to attracting more money, enjoying the mutual support of loving relationships, sky-rocketing to career success, or any other aspect of living. If any one component of the triad is out of balance, it will inevitably have an effect on your entire Being. 

Let's face it, it is far more difficult to function, let alone shine, if we don't have the energy to get out of bed. How can we expect to live a life of purpose, when we are so busy and stressed that we never take a break from the hyper-beta state of the racing, thinking mind to relax, renew, and refresh? How do we purport to know what the next action steps we need to take are when we haven't even stopped long enough to even consider the direction in which we are heading at the speed of life? Can you imagine driving your car, but not taking the time or making the effort to maintain it and, at the most basic level of care, to provide the proper fuel and fluids needed for it to run smoothly and efficiently? Of course you know what would happen! We care for our cars as the vehicles that get us where we want and need to go. Well, guess what? In this lifetime, your body is your vehicle, your mind is the driver, and your Spirit is the GPS! Again, as I stated before, if one component of the triad is out of balance, it will effect your entire Being and your ability to get where you intend to go. There's no way around it.

Lastly, can you imagine thinking that it was "selfish" to allot the necessary time, money, and energy to fueling and maintaining your car? Of course not! That is absolutely ridiculous. Sit with that thought for a moment, let the analogy sink in, and I don't ever want you to question whether you should allot the necessary time, money, and energy for healthy self-care ever again. And if, for whatever reason, you still need additional prodding, here's a little Biblical wisdom to seal the deal: Love your neighbor AS YOURSELF. Self-love, properly understood, is not in conflict with any Spiritual Truth - it is a foundational principle.

Healthy self-care is NOT a luxury; It's a necessity. It's time to Nurture U!

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