MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 

 

YOU & I

Oh well…

It has been quite – what it feels like – a long time since I’ve heard from you. Still you are on my mind and in my heart. And I am only beginning now to understand how we’ve gotten to where we actually are.

But I want to start off with saying this: My wish for you is your wish for you! And this is all that matters. Nothing more and nothing less.

Life is about being who you really are, because this is your road to your joy and happiness, your fulfillment. And while you are on your journey, no one, not even I, has the right to judge your path.

However, when we are children we are confronted with all these non-truths, e.g. you can’t be what you wish to be because this does not bring food on your table. Eventually we start believing these things and forget being who we really are.

The same is true in regards to relationships. Oh so many times people enter a relationship or a marriage for the “wrong” reasons – with intentions that go not hand in hand with being who you really are. We are all unique beings having been given free will. It’s our birthright. Yet, however, we do not always remember.

So it happens in our relationships that we tag our love with conditions. The significant other needs to live up to certain expectations. And subconsciously, there is an act of power. But love needs to be free of any (such) conditions. We cannot force our will on someone else. Others may even lose themselves just in order to please the other. Then they are denying themselves, suppressing who they really are. Until they change their minds and no longer wish to be "ruled" by the other simply only living up to the other's expectations.

And conditions already start with promises and the making of them…

Eventually, relationships and marriages fail because one or both partners do not wish to be defined by these conditions any longer. They wish to be who they really are. We should never give up on that and our free will.

People enter relationships thinking about what they can get out of it. But it is not up to the other to get you what you want. It should be about the magic of giving because whenever you give you also receive! Everything you give to another comes back to you multiplied.

There is only one person who can really give you what you truly want, and this person is you! We are all the creators of our own happiness. Our lives are our own designs.

Yes, it is beautiful to have companions, and it should be our intention to give the other our deepest friendship and love in a home, which is a place for growing and sharing, a place for laughter and music, and a place for love.

Marriages should not come as an obligation but rather provide opportunities for growth, self-expression, for lifting our lives to their full potential.

Today we meet many people with these so-called commitment issues. But I have come to understand that these people are not afraid of being with someone or marriage and relationships as such. These people simply know (either consciously or subconsciously) that obligations, expectations and conditions are no good for their souls. It is this current “popular” form of relationships and marriage that simply does not ring true with them, because it is their intention to be who they really are without denying, forgetting and suppressing themselves.

I may not have understood this in the past, but it is getting clearer. And this makes me see why we in our past “form” could not have been. I may have felt hurt, but I also do now understand that everything about my life lies in my very own hands. I am the creator of my own happiness. It is up to me whether I feel good about something our not. This fills my heart with joy.

 

Do I love you? Yes, I do! Purely and unconditionally. Do I want to be with you? Yes, I wish so and even more so. But I understand why we are where we are. Well, and hey... We have forever!

MAGICAL MOMENTS

Yesterday I went to this show, „Tabaluga and the signs of time“. When telling someone about this beforehand I was asked: “…but isn’t this something for kids?” No, it is not. Just because the main character is a dragon does not mean it is intended for children only. Nothing is. Everything, yes everything, is intended for s/he who wants to see it, feel it, enjoy it, experience it. There are no limitations. And why should I keep myself away from this dragon, who, by the way, is going on quite a huge quest – finding and understanding time? Tabaluga is asking big questions, and his journey is brought to us in such a beautiful and amazing way. This is not for kids only. This is for everyone. Two hours that take you someplace else giving you enjoyment. A huge magical moment.

In life we are accompanied by such magic, but sometimes we simply do not see it or feel it. But magic is always there. Magic is what you make it. Things and moments are magical if that is the definition you dress them in. Everything is what it is by what you define it. It is the same for example with right or wrong as well. There is nothing that is right or wrong to everyone. What is right for me might be wrong for you. What is perfect for me might be of lack for you. What is normal to you might sound totally crazy to me. Everything is what it is by everyone’s own definition.  

                People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost. – Dalai Lama 

So, how about adding some magic to our journeys? People dream of and about magic in life. How else would we maybe have TV shows like “Charmed” or “Once upon a time”. And what about Harry Potter. Mostly magic is linked to these magical wands with the magical stars etc., but this is only one way of magic revealing itself. Magic starts with each of us within ourselves. Creation is magical. It is quite amazing that we have all these technical devices. We have light, heating and electricity. Isn’t that magical already? We have grown so used to certain things and items that we have “forgotten” how wondrous they actually are. We take these things for granted. But it is all these little things that add to our experience called life. When I was little computers were a rarity, and the internet had not even arrived yet. But today they are of common use. We can’t even imagine ever having been without them. Or how about mobile phones? When I was little a landline phone was not even present in every home. Things advance, because creation is always happening.

But the greatest magical moments are the ones when we create ourselves. It does not matter at all what kind of creation it is. It could be anything scientific. It could be another new technical supply. Or it could stem from the creative arts such as music, writing, television etc. I myself am not too involved with the first two but I do enjoy the finished creations. However, I like the process of writing music. Just a few weeks ago inspiration had given me a very deep kiss, and I was sort of pushed to the piano. Before I knew I had written new pieces. This time, however, the pieces were not my classical pop songs but creations a touch more classical. Subconsciously the concept had evolved, and the second mind had decided to keep the instrumentation very thin. Instead of dressing songs in full costumes of drums, piano, bass, etc., the new pieces were to be dressed in piano and strings only. This idea moved to the full frontal conscience, and I stuck with it. I was creating and creating in the absence of my thought machine, and before I knew it I had put together 11 pieces. A more weeks of creation followed, and this whole project was in the can. I was startled. I was surprised. I was excited. And I feel proud. To me this has been a totally magical experience.

Magic has so many different faces. We just have to see them. There are so many magical moments. We just have to feel them. Magic is everywhere. We just need to identify it.

Normally, children learn from the grown-ups. But when it comes to magic we should let them teach us. Children see fairies. Children have the so-called invisible friends. But above that, children have a far more vivid imagination. They dare much more. We grow so much out of this because we are told over and over that all this really only is an imagination, not existing in what we call the real world. But what if they are right? How about the things they see exist? Children believe in magic much more than grown-ups do. Let’s bring the magic back. We have created the world we live in. Created. We can create anything.

Everything in our lives is a result of a decision made. Yes, we always have a choice. In the morning we decide what clothes to wear for the day. After school is finished we decide how to proceed this life’s journey. We decide what we drink, what we eat, what we do to and with our bodies – exercise, yes or no and how much. We choose which things we allow into our lives. We choose if we are happy or not. We choose whether or not to believe in certain things or values. It is all up to us ourselves. We choose the definition of everything. We choose to let magic in or keep it out, and we decide what magic is to us.

A sky full of stars at night is a magical view. A song that touches our heart is a magical creation. Happiness is a magical state of being. Unconditional love is pure magic in itself. The form of our being is a physical magical embodiment. We have a heart that beats and mind that thinks, and we can choose where to lead them. We can sow all these magical seeds and watch the magic evolving – growing, becoming, simply being. It is all up to us.

LIKE A PHOENIX

There comes a time in your life, when everything seems to fall apart and you seem to see the world from below – being outside looking in. And then there it is, the one big question circling around in your mind daring you for an answer: What is the meaning of this life?

Is it having or starting a family? Is it having a job? Is it aiming at good health?

One famous person once said: When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. – John Lennon

So, happiness is the key to life. Everything else is either an outcome or a tool in reaching happiness. Happiness is what inspires you, what moves you, what makes you do things. It is happiness that brings you forward in this life. It is happiness that makes you see love. It is happiness that makes you achieve things. It is happiness that takes you towards your dreams. And your happiness starts with you and only you. It does not depend on things or other people. Your happiness only depends on you. You just have to make that choice. Once you have decided that happiness is what you want for yourself, all the tools will be given to you. You will find them automatically.

Your happiness starts inside you, inside your mind. Go and ask yourself what you want from life for yourself. Find all these little things that you like and concentrate your thoughts on them. Ban all other thoughts from your mind so they can’t rule you because you only have this one life, and your choice should be to live it and live it well.

You have your values, and they are important. They define you. So never sell for less just to please anybody. As Doe Zantamata said: You can never be a nobody when you believe in yourself, because somebody always believes in you. So always believe in you. You are the most important person in your universe, and all that matters is your happiness and that you are pleased with yourself. Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.

Your life is all about finding your light, the one thing that makes you shine inside and out. Only if you spread your very own light people will see you and love you for the one you are.

Every now and then doubts may be appearing at the surface. Listen to them but don’t allow them to turn off your light. Keep the faith about the one you are and want to be. The same with fear. It walks hand in hand with doubts. So listen to them but don’t let them occupy all the space in your mind. Raise the rent and kick them out. Still, it is important to listen to them since they are telling you something. But don’t let them overtake your light.

When life knocks you down, roll over, and look at the stars. See how they are sparkling. They might appear tiny, but even though they are millions of miles away, they are shining their light so strongly. And you can do the same.

Since like attracts like, and energy flows where attention goes, it is positive minds that live positive lives. It is all up to you. It is you choice to shine your light strongly. Only you can do that. And if there is anything negative crossing your path, do not let it get to you. Instead, turn it into a stepping stone. It might be something taking you in the right direction for your destination. Or it might even take you to something bigger and better, bigger and better than you could have imagined. Sometimes a detour might even be the shortcut you were looking for. A detour might be the much clearer path.

Whatever it you wish to accomplish or achieve, move towards your destination with a heart full of happiness and love for your life. All that matters is you. And the key to life is happiness, your light.

So if you are lying on the ground, do not allow anyone to kick you. Take this as a chance since this open a new road for you and rise like the phoenix from the ashes.

TIME...

Time. There we have four tiny letters forming such a big word. But what is time exactly?

Things about time being said are: Time is money. Time is a healer. I don’t have enough time. Etc. Often time is treated as a possession, but in reality it is not. We are not able to physically hold it in our hands. So maybe time is just an illusion?

Today we measure time in different ways. We have years. We have seasons. We have hours, minutes, and seconds. And we use clocks and calendars telling us the day and how late it is – assigning some numbers. Also, it looks like many of us have become a slave of time, a slave of these numbers. Constantly we do hear the clock ticking, be it the clock telling us the hour, or be it the biological clock.

Diaries are filled with plenty of appointments and activities. People feel they have to fulfill as many duties as possible in order to be of value to society. But by doing so they actually put themselves aside. Haven’t we learnt that quality means more than quantity? The same should apply here.

We all have our qualities and talents and should enjoy them.

Whenever we are doing something we really like, it feels like time is flying away. Whereas when we are engaged in less favourable activities, time seems to be going very slow – like a snailing snail.

However, when we burden ourselves with too many responsibilities within a too small frame of time, we’ll eventually get hit by the mystery of the burn-out syndrome. The result is that our free time is not defined by any quality at all anymore. Instead, we’ll get trapped in depression and a total lack of inspiration, which would normally kick us forward to get active with something – things we like. Hence, by pressuring ourselves with too much quantity of doing something we actually and indirectly aim at the opposite target. So stop just busying yourself with all these things. We should always desire a certain balance and pay attention to quality.

This need to please everyone and hence being so busy with everything at the same time does not do YOU any favours. It is not wrong to take a day off and get a little lazy here, a little lazy there. By doing so you are absolutely not decreasing your value to the world. Actually, you might add to it. By taking time for yourself and concentrating on who you are and on what you like doing, you are setting an example. The key to life still is happiness, and only if we are happy ourselves we able to spread that happiness, which reminds other people of being happy too. What would be the point of being right here and right now only keeping (too) busy? This does not conclude living. This simply means being. But we should all want to live and do the thing we like without being pressured by society putting (too) many deadlines on you. Deadlines – the first half of that word already says so much.

But we all have our own rhythms in this life. Let’s take that biological clock, for example. This is only a tool to spread panic. Someone once said women should have children by the age of 35. That is in people’s heads. And after that you are too old. But looking around us today, we are proven the exact opposite. Women start having children after the age of 40, rarely also later than that. And that is when society starts attacking. But who are we to judge?

We all lead different lives writing different life stories, and we all age differently. Just put two random people of the same age next to each other. Let’s use the example with two people at the age of 30. But looking at them, we are not able to tell how old they really are. With one of them we guess (s)he is at his/her early twenties, whereas with the other person we say (s)he is nearly 40. But according to some calendar this person is 30 years of age. To everyone time means something completely different, and we use it in so many different ways. Hence, time and age should not be defined by some numbers that we were once assigned. And a saying goes: You are as old as you feel. So, secretly we all know more about time than we can truly fathom.

Measuring time pretty much is a tool used to organize ourselves. That way we keep our appointments etc. Very many years ago it helped improving trade and economy. Today, we cannot imagine a life without it. We have schedules for everything, which has widened possibilities of getting from one place to another in a shorter frame of time. But still, this is just a tool. Very many years ago people might not have worried about things like that. Their journeys took longer, but that did not decrease the value of spending time. These days we are such a fast living society. We pass by things and people and do not even realize it. We do not see the tree right in front of us. We do not hear the bird singing just for us in the morning. We simply rush. And we event more and more tools to keep rushing. But we must remember to breathe and also feel alive. It is a gift to ourselves if we decide to slow down and simply be there for us. Every once in a while we should forget about this fourth dimension. We need to be without this pressure – just like when we go on vacation.

A trip away simply shows that we then try to run away from time and the pressures it seems to bring. We are yearning for more freedom and less boundaries. We should even do a little of that when we in the circle of this everyday life. Slowing down is soothing the soul. Every now and then we need stop to link everything we do to time. Just go out there and enjoy being you. This is preciousness with value.

So, can we say what time is exactly? Not really, I guess. It has always been there. But it is really down to all of us individually what we do with it , how we use it and how serious we take this business of these assigned numbers. It is down to all of us individually how and how much value we place in our lives. As long as we remember that our own individual happiness is the key to life we shall succeed! It is not time that is pressuring or ruling us, it is only us ourselves, the human beings we are. It is not time that can heal us, it is only us ourselves. It is not time that equals money and making it, it is only us ourselves (if that is what we desire). It is not time that defines the value of us, it is only us ourselves. It is not time that makes us do this and that etc., it is only us ourselves.

In its very own way time exists in this material world. On a spiritual level, however, it is an illusion.

LIVE AND APPRECIATE

Well, here I am on a train leaving Prague, going back to Berlin. It is nice for a change riding a train than travelling by plane. And a weekend away make you forget time and responsibilities for a while, giving you a sense of freedom. But aren’t we always free?

While in Prague I also learnt something about my past before this life. In the American Wild West I was a woman who sold her body but who also risked everything for her one true love, and so did he. It got us both killed – he was shot, and I was hanged because of this love. Somewhere in this world at some other time I was also a queen who had it all – living in a palace bathing in wealth – but still happiness was very far away. This queen was simply very lonely even though there was a king by her side. And today, today I am here. Right here, right now. And the question is what the mission of this one life is. The one goal is happiness.

Can we all be happy? I say yes, we can. As long as we concentrate on our happiness and all the joy it brings, then this is where the road of this life can take us. Happiness. And we have to live and appreciate it.

In life we have certain responsibilities. And most of us have a job, pay the bills, and raise the children. But is that all there is to life? No! One thing we must not forget on this life’s road is ourselves. At the end of the day these are our lives, not the lives of others. And that means while taking care of our responsibilities we also should take time every single day for ourselves to simply enjoy what we are seeing while for instance venturing through nature or the city. We should take time to reflect and breathe and remember our dreams. And besides, our responsibilities should be in tune with our dreams as well. We go to work and cover our responsibilities there, but, on the other hand, it should be a job that we like and enjoy.

Dreams exist so we can make them come true. If you want to be a writer, go and write these books. If you want to be a singer, go and sing your songs. Etc. No dream or profession is less valuable than any other. All that matters is that it contributes to your happiness.

Even if you have your own family and raise your children, you can still always dedicate yourself to your dreams. If that is what you really want then you will find a way. Your kids have been your dream, too, and there they are…

You don’t know what your dreams and wishes are? Well, then it’s about time to find out. During the time take some time away for yourself and listen to that little voice of yours. Day by day the picture will get clearer.

Prioritizing yourself every day also helps you keeping your balance, which will allow you to keep tending to your responsibilities whole-heartedly.

In case you find yourself in moments with nothing to do, cherish these moments as well. Some people get frustrated of such moments believing that having nothing to do decreases their value for this world. But this is not true. Such moments are of the highest value, and we should cherish them. These moments are a gift you give yourself allowing you to listen to your soul. It is always good to turn off that auto-piloting so we can listen to that little voice in our heart, our intuition. Being stuck in auto-piloting mode might blind us and we could easily lose sight of what really matters. Embrace these moments of silence and solitude, which will open the road further to the mountain top of your dream.

Your happiness always should be your No.1 priority instead of trying to please everyone else. Because truth is that you can’t please everyone. But as long as you keep in tune with yourself and your happiness, everything else will be in tune too.

Right now you only have this one life, so live it well and appreciate all the beauty and magic it is filled with.

SLEEP WELL

A good night’s sleep is one of the most precious experiences we can have. Our batteries are recharged, and we refill our tanks with energy. But it is not always easy to simply drown in the feathers of our beds, fall asleep and disappear into the land of dreams, is it? However, there are a few things we can do to drift off into sleep so wonderfully.

First of all, your body does actually tell you when it’s tired. You start yawning etc., so you have to recognize these little signs. They tell you it’s time to go to sleep, so prepare yourself for your trip to dreamland. It should not take you longer than 15 minutes. Why? Because the sleep window opens every 90 minutes. If you don’t jump in before it’s closed it will take another 90 minutes for a new sleep window to open. Missing it will result in tossing and turning in bed without being able to sleep even though you are actually oh so tired.

But there is more to a good night’s sleep than catching the sleep train in time. What also helps is calming yourself and your body down before entering dream territory. About an hour before your night kicks in step back from all kinds of artificial lights. This includes the light in your room, the light streaming from your TV or PC etc. Instead, light some candles. Natural light helps your sleep hormone to put you where you need to be.

Additionally, this calm period before sleep can be used for reflecting on the day passed or listening to your thoughts and realize which wires of your brain they travel. Here you can go and ask yourself “What am I thinking? or “How do I feel?” because it is still your thinking machine that presses the mood buttons as well. Take the time to listen to your subconscious mind. There are so many thoughts being active all the time that we often don’t realize that they are there and make us feel either good or bad. The second mind (as Paulo Coelho called it in one of his books) is always creating.

So find yourself a comfortable spot and relax. Start a meditation session. Concentrate on your breathing trying to empty your mind. So whenever a thought appears don’t try to push it away into the unknown and subconscious. Instead, listen to what is saying, recognize, say thank you for its appearance and then gently let it go. Go back to your breathing. Everything around is quiet and you simply enjoy this present moment.

This time before your sleep can also be used for visualization. Concentrate on what you want for yourself in life and feel it. When I myself started visualizing I was not there the correct way. I was simply watching a movie with my inner eyes. But recently it dawned on me that this was not the right way for me to proceed. Why should I just be observing something? That would result in me simply keeping observing things instead of experiencing them for myself. I realized I really had to be in this visualization – not on a movie screen but inside myself. I realized I had to see things the way I see things when I really look at them and experience them. I mean when you walk down the street, are you able to see the back of your head etc.? No! Exactly. You see what’s before you, the people you look at and so on. So when visualizing this is where I have to put myself as well. When picking up a child I see my hands picking up the child and looking into his eyes instead of seeing someone (me?) picking up a child from a distance.

Hey, but don’t get hung about it if visualization is not working straight away. As with everything it takes a little practice. And besides, it is not only seeing it that makes it good but also feeling it and hearing it. If you see an ocean hear that waves and smell the breeze, and simply feel the gratitude for this beautiful moment.

I usually finish my visualization session with a little bit more of meditation again, and then I am ready for bed simply feeling good… I jump on the train of sleep when the window is open, and when the new day has come I can go about it with recharged batteries and in a good mood. Another perfect day lies ahead, and it is up to me and all of us to embrace it.

Well, I am off now getting ready for another trip to the subconscious. Good night!

INDEPENDENTLY HAPPY

love never grows old

love has its own mysterious side to it all

so the magic evolves

love is neither big nor small

but it is the song that moves me

on this life’s road

love’s revealed

through your heart’s bravery

love survives

through abandoning slavery

and my happiness doesn’t depend

on anyone else

it only depends on me

my happiness doesn’t depend

on anyone

it only depends on me

I’m independently happy

love enters life

just like light enters a house

and the ocean takes a chance

love makes this planet turn

and it holds the stars at the sky

it makes the moon slow-dance

love’s revealed…

and my happiness doesn’t depend…

love’s not a possession

love is a treasure

because if you try possessing it

you can only watch it fade away

like a flower fades away

in possession it just fades away

the way a flower does

just let it live and grow

out in the fields

‘cos it needs to be free

love needs to feel free

[Want to read more?; Feel free to buy the book "LOVE | LIEBE"; available here: http://www.epubli.de/shop/buch/LOVE--Liebe-Stefanie-Strecker-9783844226317/16802]

DON'T LET NEGATIVITY RULE YOU

 source:
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/lessonslearnedinlife

IS WAITING IN LINE A CURSE OR A BLESSING?

Today we live life on the fast lane. So when we get stuck in a little traffic jam it irritates us. But wouldn’t it be good to stop and breathe?

With this speed of life we might not even remember what it feels like to stand still and breathe deeply, and listen to the little sounds. With life on this fast lane, can we actually truly enjoy it?

We could, but we don’t. There is a deadline here, another appointment there, and no time for it all. But are you doing this for yourself or to please everybody else?  We are so much hung up on pleasing everybody else - be it the boss or a friend - that we simply do not concentrate on ourselves anymore. So when we are forced to wait in line (e.g. in the supermarket) it aggravates us causing frustration. Suddenly we are there left with ourselves, but we do not really recall what it feels like to simply be with ourselves for a short moment and just – for a change – concentrate on us and pleasing ourselves. We always put everything and everyone else first. With the arisen frustration negative energy appears, grows and attracts more. Waiting in line feels like a curse. But stop right now!

Turn it into a blessing, and embrace this opportunity. It is only a short moment, but give it a positive kick. The world won’t stop turning if you stop rushing through everything. Au contraire. If you stand still for that moment, which the universe has given you as gift, you are given the chance to shortly refill your tank of positivity.

Also, on a note of honesty, we people constantly tend to put pressure on ourselves just adding more and more stress. With a rising stress level the tasks you do feel more difficult. That is when people start complaining. You become a magnet for negative energy. If you however apply a much more relaxed attitude to everything, things will flow much easier. Work will be more enjoyable, and you even get more done in the same frame of time. The work responsibility taken on flows faster without any stress, and before you know it, you can actually finish your working day on time. All of a sudden you are free again to enjoy your life and play with all the positive energy.

So, next time you are waiting in any line take it as a blessing. Here is a chance to free your mind and listen to your thoughts. You have the opportunity to consciously find out what mind is occupied with and move this thought machine towards a positive destination. You are reminded that there is a you, and that you deserves your attention. Think of things you like doing. Or think about your next step to reach that one goal. And be grateful that the universe gave you this wonderful gift.

Because truth also is that if we don’t concentrate on what is going on inside of us we get lost. Even on weekends with time away from work we tend to fall into this trap of stress even though there actually isn’t anything to be stressed about. So there you are standing and waiting in line. Take a deep breath and take it easy. Because, let’s face it, just because you stress about and have that attitude of impatience, the line will not feel faster. Instead you just add to it taking even longer because what we think about we attract into life since energy flows where attention goes. So stop worrying about that line and time. Time is just an illusion anyway. The value of what you have created for your life will not decrease because you are waiting in line.

The value might actually rise if you take this opportunity to add some sweetness. It is all up to you. Look around you and check for all the little details. It is the little things we tend to oversee when we fill ourselves with stress and negativity. But it is the little things adding all the spice to your life. Waiting in line you might see a little kid smiling at you or someone else smiling at you. And when receiving a stranger’s smile it automatically reminds us of feeling good because there are plenty of things to smile about.

Even when walking down a street or waiting at the traffic light for the green, look around you and observe. See the people passing, and I actually mean “see” instead of quickly glancing. Or there could be a dancing butterfly revealing all its beautiful colours. For a moment soak up the daylight. Consciously breathe in and out and hear and feel the drumming beat of your heart. It feels good, doesn’t it?

As with everything in life you are always presented with a choice. Always opt for the one attracting more positive energy. Everything else simply should be shrugged off. Life is what you make it. So define with beautiful thoughts. You are the creator of your universe!

EMBRACE YOURSELF

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.” – Maya Angelou

So there is something bugging you!? And what is your decision to do about it?

As with everything in life you do have two choices. One is filled with positive energy whereas the other option consists of negativity energy. Either you could dig deep into this one thing or person bugging you, get totally hung up upon it and dwell on it, or you could accept this one thing as what it is, listen to it shortly and then simply wave it goodbye; simply go back to the positive things in your life.

I myself used to be a big complainer. Every little new thing I found to be worthwhile complaining about it; and eventually this was all I was doing. I actually led to me being dissatisfied with everything. And with one existing thing in life that I didn’t like there was always another one following. It was like a vicious circle. I surrounded myself with so much negativity and did not really notice it. Hence, I did not even see the real truth behind all of this. The truth was that I actually was dissatisfied with my own life and with every little thing I did. All these little things I was complaining about actually were little indicators of this truth. Even though it was hitting me hard in the face, I did not see it.

One day, suddenly, I realized that I put all this negativity on myself, and I decided I did not want to do this anymore. I felt in my heart it would be much better to concentrate on the good things in life. My biggest object of complaints was my job and everything linked to it. But we must not forget that the work area is the place where we spend most of our time. And if that place is covered in so much negativity, then the majority of life’s contents is coloured black already. This had to stop.

Once I had made the decision on abandoning this negativity and seeing things in a much more positive light, things started shifting without me needing to do anything major. I was assigned a new field of tasks. Even though I was still sharing an office with the same people I was also introduced to a new team outside these four walls of work. New people, new duties (even though it was still the same kind of job), new everything. Even though this new challenge sort of scared me in the beginning, I was also doing the best I was able to do concentrating on the task before me. Additionally, this was my beginning for growing as a person. Suddenly I became a happier worker, and I liked going to work much more than I did before.

A few months later I was facing a huge personal challenge, which brought me down completely. Looking below the ground because I was lying on it did not really match my wishes and desires, and again I had to make a choice here. After a lot of fighting and hitting walls and being covered in fear and discomfort about this situation I knew I had to find my way out of this mess. I already had some literature on my shelf, but to this point in my life it was only catching dust. Now was the time in life to read it. I started reading and got hungry for more and more of it. It was lifting my mood and putting me back into light, the place I knew I truly belonged. Once I had accepted that it all was lying in my hands, that my life was up to me, and only up to me, I gained my control over it back, and the discomforting situation got resolved. Instead of dwelling on the negativity it brought I started concentrating on the goal ahead of me. I took the steps I could take without any distraction and casting the doubts aside. And I did it because I had some good people in my life.

The same year, the year of my personal transformation, taught me even more. I learnt (the hard way) that I have to take good care of myself in order to be a happy and healthy person. After a really needed vacation of two weeks I changed my routines. I now sleep longer and start my day quietly with a proper breakfast and a good coffee. Instead of worrying about catching the bus in the morning I rather walk. Whenever and wherever possible, stress has been cut out. Being relaxed opens the door to much healthier and balanced life. It is all little things, but as we all know little things do add up to something big. My choice is to make a big of positive.

So, everything really is a result of our own attitude. So dwelling on something negative always only attracts more negative things, because like attracts like. Hence, it is much better to concentrate on positive things to attract more positive energy into your life. Feeling good about your job helps you enjoy it more and even leads to success. You suddenly start shining, and your light is seen.

If you really don’t like your job, think of being in your favoured and perfect job. Always know that you are your perfect best at what you do, and if you want a new job, take the necessary steps getting it.

If you’re feeling not 100% healthy at all, concentrate on all the parts of you that are healthy to attract more health into your life.

This really is for everything in your life, think of the positive things about it in every area, and more good things will follow automatically. Have a blast and be the most perfect version of yourself there is. Always feel good about yourself to be the perfect you. Embrace yourself.

And just remember, like attracts like, and energy flows where attention goes.

"Don't let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out!" - Robert Tew

AN INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEY

Once upon a time there was a postman who had a dream. He dreamed of having his own palace. Not just a palace, but something very unique unlike any other palace. Whenever he was doing his job he dreamt of having this palace. He believed in it. He never doubted it. He had faith.

One day while on his route, he was dreaming again of his imaginary, beautiful and unique palace. He was drowned in his own little world that he did not follow the road, and he stumbled and fell. When he came to he saw what had brought him down. A rock.

It was mighty and quite unique. He looked at it, and he felt inspired. He listened to that little voice in his voice and picked this rock up. This was his first rock, and many others followed. He kept believing in his dream, and with this first rock he was sure nature would supply more. The following years he collected more material for his wonderful palace.

One day he knew it was time, and he was ready for the next step. At the border of his village he purchased some land and he laid the corner stone. Without any architectural knowledge or construction knowledge he started building his palace, and he continued building over the next 33 years. Every spare moment he spent on his palace with only an oil lamp giving him light to see.

His neighbours and people in his village laughed at him and thought he was crazy.

After 33 years, 10’000 days or 93’000 hours he completed his palace despite very many people’s disbelief. But he, the simple mailman, always had faith and believed in his dream, and so he went and made it come true.  The palace spreads on 26 x 14 metres and measures a height of 20 metres. It is a wondrous building made out of stone, cement and clay. And it is the work of one man and one man only, Ferdinand Cheval. He completed his dream palace when he was 76 old.

These days this Palace of Fantasy attracts many visitors, but around 1905 before the completion of this monument the first tourist came to see it. Even famous artists like Pablo Picasso came to pay a visit and were deeply impressed. Picasso even made sketches of it and praised the builder’s talent.

After the completion of his palace, Ferdinand Cheval had another dream – being buried in his beautiful and unique palace together with his wife Marie when the time had come. But authorities declined his request. Hence, he started his next project following his dream. On the local cemetery he then built a mausoleum. Eight years after having laid the first stone he completed building it.

A year later, on 29.08.1924, Ferdinand Cheval passed away at the age of 88. His body is gone, but his spirit lives on. Today he is seen as a visionary, an artist of cement, as France’s Hieronymus Bosch.

Ferdinand Cheval did not only leave a Palace of Fantasy and a mausoleum, but also a message of faith and inspiration. “With this building I wanted to show that with a strong will you can reach anything!”

So what is your dream? Are you making it come true. Ferdinand Cheval has proven that no matter what your dream is you can turn it into reality. Keep the faith and follow your intuition. Listen to that voice of inspiration, and everything will flow automatically as long you believe in yourself and your dream. No dream is too big or too small!

So go and follow that hunch of yours. If you want to write a song, put your fingers on the keys or the strings, and let the music flow through. If you want to write a book, sit down, relax, and start typing, and the words will flow through you. If you want to be a football player, go out on the field, and kick that football, and the energy will flow through.

No matter what your dream is, take that first baby step to turn it into reality, and your voice of inspiration will tell you what to do next. You do not need to worry about anything. Just ask and believe, and you will receive. It is like placing an order online. You choose what you want, put the product into the basket, you go to checkout and pay for it. And some days later it is delivered.

So go for your dream, and make it come true. You are the master of your universe and you and you alone can make it come true. So go for gold! Always!

ENERGY FLOWS WHERE ATTENTION GOES

How come that these days people are complaining about everyone and everything? And for some reason this trend appears to be growing stronger. But why?

This only causes negative energy flowing around, and present negative energy attracts only more of it.

And, let’s be honest, we have the choice to go for something else instead, but since people have wrapped themselves up in this negativity, that is where they remain. Unconsciously.

Our mind is a very powerful thing, more powerful than we might fathom. And yes, thoughts do indeed become things, so let’s focus on the good ones. Let positive energy flow through.

Let’s do a little exercise here. Find yourself a quiet and tranquil spot, sit down and let every burden fall off you. Now only concentrate on your breathing. And then there it is, the first though appearing. You’ll follow it, and then at the same time there’ll be another thought popping up. So what kind of thoughts are they? Good ones or negative ones?

Even when we are fully engaged in a conversation or a task the thought machine is working at full speed. We are just not aware of our mind’s work. But it is our thoughts that determine whether we feel good or not, whether there is positive or negative energy surrounding. And once we become aware of this thought machine we have the power to program it. There’s different ways of training awareness, e.g. meditation or by simply continuously asking yourself: “What am I thinking right now?” Then listen to this thought, let it go, and concentrate on something that makes you feel good like a good memory of someone, of a vacation or of a recent success. Once you start consciously concentrating on the good things, more of these positive thoughts will start pouring in. As a result, this will make you feel better, and everything will be much easier. So go and grab the good things.

In the evening you can already remind yourself that the next day will be a good one. Already see it in your mind, and picture yourself woohoo-ing when getting up in the morning. Embrace every new day as a perfect day.

I start my day with my affirmations, and when I leave the house for work in the morning I walk down the street smiling, and I am dancing and singing inside.

Happiness is a state of mind. And when someone asks you what you want in life and what you wish for yourself, happiness should always come first. If your mind is set on happiness, everything else will fall into place. Intuition will be your best companion, and together you will march through this life being at your best.

If you’re happy, you will also automatically concentrate on the things that make you happy, and you will start or continue on fulfilling your dreams.

You will attract people and circumstances into your life that are in tune with your own frequency. So if you bathe yourself in positive energy thinking all these good thoughts you will attract more of it, whereas the complainers always attract more things to complain about since they are emitting this negative frequency. You have a choice here, and it is all in your hands.

You are the creator of your own happiness, and it does not depend on anyone else. Your life is about you, and it is solely your responsibility. Yes, your responsibility alone. It is not your Mr. or Mrs. Right or the perfect job you are waiting for that create your happiness but only you. You have to decide being happy first, and then all the little sugars will appear automatically. Depending happiness on other things or certain people leads to some kind of obsession, which then again leads to negativity due to some arising frustration.

The little hows in matters of happiness are a curse and actually not your job. That job is done by the universe as long as you tell in total faith that you’re a super-happy-cool-perfect being. But also, just like love, happiness needs to be independent, free of boundaries. It needs to be without any conditions. Everything needs to be free and simply flow.

And always remember: Energy flows where attention goes.

BELIEVING & RECEIVING

Sometimes I have wondered if we are all following some kind of mass movement instead of choosing what we really like, saying what we really think, following our guts. With that question there are some pros & cons…

But here is an observation I made the other day as I was riding the underground to work. When I arrived at the platform it was announced that the next train was only passing through. The train for your destination or stopover was due a few minutes later. When the first train came I was a bit dazzled because it obviously was not a pass-through, but I jumped on it. Other passengers remained on the platform not even second-guessing or questioning the initial announcement. And another third of passengers actually started questioning the event but did not follow their instincts. They sort of felt and knew the announcement was wrong but did not dare going against it. I observed the same scenario at the following stops.

Well, that already silences my first question about the mass movement as such, but it leads to another question: Where are we with our beliefs and even intuition? I have the feeling this is all going back to childhood and evolving from there.

As kids we simply believe what we are told since we do not know better. This is where our values and beliefs are shaped. But this does not mean we have to stick with them. Au contraire! As we continue through life our perspective shifts or widens, and it is up to some events that make or break or question these values and beliefs.

As long as we feel happy content we accept them as we know them because they suit us very well. However, should darkness one day trap us we tend to growing to believe the opposite of what we have been told. All of a sudden everything is black.

But if then we decide to rise like a phoenix from the ashes it can truly transform everything. We can also go back to who we were before, but that could actually just create a repetitive circle. Actually, I believe we then just start deceiving ourselves. Trust me, I was caught in that circle, and breaking free came as a salvation. For me it has started a rolling stone that’s growing ever so beautifully.

Rising like a phoenix from the ashes puts you on a new path of learning about life and yourself and seeing it all from a different perspective. Even so you might feel unsure about this big bang in your life, embrace it. Dare it. Listen to your mind and your intuition, and take these baby steps forward. This new road is a new road of growth shaping your well-deserved individualism, which has been there beneath the surface all along.

Furthermore, embrace your talents. Yes, your talents, they are there, and they are a part of you. Living them will add so much value and happiness to your life.

It is not wrong being a musician or a writer, because your parents declined those beliefs believing and telling you these talents were worthless since they would not put food on your table. But look around you, there are so many musicians and writers who do just that and even more so because they have always believed they could.

If that is still too big to fathom start with something small to develop that faith of yours and regrow it and make it stronger. Let’s face it, Rome was not build in one day either, as they say. And honestly, time does not really matter here at all. The only thing that counts and matters is that you rise like that phoenix and touch and embrace your light, your true light.

If something does not feel right, you have the right to question it and turn right instead of left. It is your life, and only you know best what’s right for you. Just listen to your intuition.

Sometimes you need to fall or even fall harder to grasp the beauty of life right in front of you. It took me years, and I am still learning, but I can guarantee you it is so much better, so much greater to bathe in your own light than to keep being trapped in darkness. In light, things just flow so much easier, and life is meant to be easy. Life is meant to be fun. Life is meant to be lived well.

All you have to do is take one step at a time and enjoy your ride. ‘Cos life is a joyride. Just do what is good for you – without hurting or harming others – and be true to yourself. Be yourself. Trust your intuition and jump on that train even if someone else says that it is not going anywhere (because it is meant to be a pass-through). That train is bound to take you to your destination stopping at different stations for you to enjoy, grow and progress.

He who believes shall receive.

BEAUTIFUL & PERFECT

These days we have become too consumed with the images that society lie on us. Society puts a lot of pressure on us when it comes to things like the way we look etc., and we start thinking just as this society. So when you look into the mirror, who do you see? Who do you want to see?

Do you want to see the reflection of some supermodel (who, by the way, is getting photoshopped all the time)? Or do you want to see yourself? Do you see you?

What are you thinking right now? “Oh, jeez, look I weigh like three grams too much! And those wrinkles…” And then you’re on the verge of walking away from that image. But hey, before you’ll become a guest in one of these Nip/Tuck-agencies, there’s one question you really do need to ask yourself: Why? Why do you really want to change the way you look?

Honestly, there is no reason and no need to! Go to that mirror and look again. Keep looking until you’ve found the real person of that reflection. You!

You are perfect just the way you are. Look at that smile! Look at those eyes beaming! Look at this beauty, this natural beauty! I see a perfect person!

And you also have to remember that irony has it about this society. They change their minds just the way the like it. I mean, today people look at me and might say I weigh too much. Me being the same me some thirty years ago would have been considered too skinny. So, which one is it? Well, actually, what do I care about what others think?! Exactly!

No one can take away that little wrinkle beneath my left eye, because it is mine. It is a sign of my happiness. Because where does it come from? It comes from me laughing and smiling in my very own way. So that little wrinkle is mine, and I am going to keep it and embrace it because it was born out of something good, and it is part of my uniqueness.

I don’t want to look like everybody else. Au contraire! I just want to be this unique me with all there is, and I am perfect just the way I am. So why would you want to change your true uniqueness? What are you afraid of?

See, there is no reason to want to be changing that image you see in the mirror. Beauty comes from your inner grace, and as long as you embrace it you can also see this true beauty of yours! Again, look at that person in the mirror. This person is smiling because it is seeing you. It is looking behind these beautiful eyes, and it is happy. Such a perfect person!

So don’t take any of these perfect features away because they are all you, and they create this one truly unique being that is you. Let your beauty shine, and your heart is shining too. So, do you feel it? Your heart is skipping a beat or two because of this non-ceasing joy it is experiencing.

Now go back to that mirror again and look at this perfect you so your heart can keep having this everyday birthday celebration. Every day there is a reason to celebrate you because you are special.

Simply appreciate who you are and embrace your beauty and being this perfect version of you. As long as you keep believing in yourself and your beauty, the rest of the world will too!

“Never neglect the person you see in the mirror. This is the only person in the world, who has witnessed the entirety of your life. This person has experienced the thick the thin, the highs the lows, the good the bad. There are not too many certainties in life, but here's one. This person will stick with you for life, so in exchange for its lifelong service make sure you place a high value on them”. ~ Patricia Nocerino