Living Out Loud

It's all about Now!

(a Thought for the Week)

"If you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments." ~ Anne Morrow Kindbergh

"Let us wipe out the past, trust in the future, and rejoice in the glorious Now." ~ William R Evans III

"Do it now! Today will be yesterday tomorrow." ~ E.C. McKenzie

"Don't worry about the future, the present is all thou hast. The future will soon be present, and the present will soon be past." ~ William R Evans III

"You will never experience the earth with all its wonders in this time again. Don't wait for one last look at the ocean, the sky, the stars, or a loved one. Go look now." ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

You can view my Thoughts archive here

Laugh...

(part of the Happy Friday series)

"Our five senses are not enough for ideal living. We need to use our sixth sense: our sense of humor." ~ Chuck Gallozi

Do I have to sell this one?

Surely not...

But just in case:

• Laughter releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones which aid a sense of relaxation and promote a sense of well-being - ie. laughter makes you feel happier.

• "Laughter is the best medicine." It lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones and boosts your immune system.

• Laughter dissolves tension, anxiety, irritation, anger, grief, and depression - ie. laughter makes you feel happier.

• Laughter lowers inhibitions, allowing the release of pent-up emotions.

• Laughter helps people to bond with one another.

And that's just the tip of the ice-berg. I'm sure you could rattle off your own very long list of benefits.

But before you start thinking about horses and carts, and chickens and eggs, let me say that you do not have to be on top of the world to indulge in a bout of laughter. You just have to distract yourself from whatever else is occupying your attention and engage in an activity that generally makes you laugh.

So, hire an entire series of your favourite sit-com on DVD, buy a good joke book, or indulge in some really silly antics with your very best friends. Whatever floats your boat, just be sure you laugh as much as possible.

No excuses now. "Just do it!" ~ Nike.

And to get you started:

When Grandma Goes to Court

Lawyers should never ask a Mississippi grandma a question if they aren't prepared for the answer.

In a trial, a Southern small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the stand. He approached her and asked, "Mrs Jones, do you know me?" She responded, "Why, yes I do know you Mr Williams. I've known you since you were a boy, and frnakly, you've been a big disappontment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a big shot when you haven't the brains to realise you'll never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I do know you."

The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs Jones, do you know the defense attorney?"

She again replied, "Why yes, I do. I've known Mr Bradley since he was a youngster too. He's lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. He can't build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire state. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women. One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him."

The defense attorney nearly died.

The judge asked both counsellors to approach the bench, and in a very quiet voice said, "If either of you idiots asks her is she knows me, I'll send you both to the electric chair."

Happy laughing : )

Mistakes are good

(a Thought for the Week)

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is continually to be fearing you will make one." ~ Elbert Hubbard

"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." ~ George Bernard Shaw

"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave." ~ Mary Tyler Moore

"The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake - you can't learn anything from being perfect." ~ Adam Osborne

"What would you do if you weren't afraid?" ~ Spencer Johnson

You can view my Thoughts archive here

Stop resisting stuff

(part of the Happy Friday series)

What you resist persists.

This isn’t my opinion, it’s a spiritual law. I can tell you though that I have plenty of personal experience to back it up! If you think about it, I’m sure you’ll find you do too.

What is meant by resistance is not wanting what you currently have in your life, or focusing on the lack of what you do want. It’s the good old Law of Attraction at work again. Your thoughts, feelings and actions – the vibrations you offer out into the Universe – attracting like energy back to you – events and experiences that match your vibration.

Therefore, if there is a situation in your life that you are struggling with, either mentally, physically or emotionally, you are impeding your own ability to move through it. What you want to be rid of, you are continually attracting back to you. Or if it’s a lack of something you’re focussing on, then you’re continually attracting that lack to you.

So, what to do?

Accept the present as it is, that’s what!

“Accept the present and intend the future.” ~ Deepak Chopra

Intending the future is being clear about how you would like things to be, and trusting that they will in fact work out that way, or even better, eventhough right now it’s not looking all that likely.

Easier said than done? Definitely.

Do-able? Absolutely.

How? Well, I’m sure different people have different techniques for that, and really whatever works best for you is just fine. Personally, I always use affirmations when I become conscious that I’m resisting something. By using affirmations appropriate to the situation, I begin to change my thoughts about it and consequently change the vibration I’m putting out there.

If you want to try this technique ~

1. Write out an affirmation (or several) that resonates with you
2. Post them on your fridge, bathroom mirror, inside your front door, car dashboard – anywhere that you’ll get to see and read them several times a day.
3. Recite them as often as possible – with positive feeling

If you’re new to using affirmations, it might (scratch that, it probably will) feel a bit silly to begin with. Especially as what you’re declaring doesn’t match what you believe and feel.

Yet!

But repeated use of affirmations can have a very calming effect. AND they help you to change your beliefs, and build your sense of trust in yourself and the Universe.

Here are some of my favourites:

“It is the way it is. I accept that.” ~ Stuart Wilde

“I do not struggle against the whole universe by struggling against this moment. My acceptance is total and complete. I accept things as they are this moment, not as I wish they were.” ~ Deepak Chopra

“All is well, no matter what it looks like. It’s all happening perfectly.” ~ Susan Jeffers

“I am safe; it’s only change. I cross all bridges with joy and ease. The ‘old’ unfolds into wonderful new experiences.” ~ Louise L Hay

“I do not resist this situation. I put it in the hands of Infinite Love and Wisdom and let the divine idea now come to pass.” ~ Florence Scovell Shinn

“I am at peace. I trust it will all work out perfectly.” ~ Hilda Carroll ;-)

There are two keys to using affirmations:

1. Repetition
2. Feelings

As you’re reciting them, feel the feelings as though the future you’re intending has already manifested in the present. (yes, really!)

Ya, ya, I can hear your loud objections from here. But you can do this – all it takes is practice. And if you do practice this it will help you to accept the present as it is. And when you accept it, you will feel better about it. It think that’s what they call a virtuos circle ;-)

Well it beats a vicious circle, doesn’t it! And let me tell you, if you choose resistance over acceptance the vicious circle is where you’re more likely to get stuck.

My challenge as ever: try it for a week (with an open mind), and see how you get on!

(For a short and helpful post on how affirmations work, read this on Kirsten Harrell’s site. She has a tonne of affirmations for you to choose from too.)

Similar Posts:

Accept the present as it is

All is well

“All is well, no matter what it looks like. It’s all happening perfectly.”

This is an affirmation offered by either Louise Hay or Susan Jeffers. Apologies for not being certain where I borrowed it from, but I do use it on a regular basis. It helps me to stay grounded in the present moment, and to stop worrying about how things may or may not work out in the future.

It also helps me to remember that there is a blessing disguised in every challenging situation and experience. I am reminded to look for the silver lining, instead of feeling sorry for myself. (Though in all honesty I have to admit that I do usually indulge myself in a small bit of self-pity for a while too – you move through your negative feelings more quickly when you allow yourself to feel them rather than repress them).

“Along with the sunshine, there’s gotta be a little rain sometimes.” ~ Lynn Anderson

For growth in nature, both sunshine and rain are required. For our own growth this is just as true. We need ups and downs. Without the downs, we wouldn’t appreciate the ups. Because they have a tendency to stop us in our tracks, we’re also a lot more likely to become introspective and learn from the downs. And those lessons empower us to create more and more ups in our lives. And so, it is all good!

“Life is a rollercoaster, you just gotta ride it.” ~ Ronan Keating

The secret to enjoying a rollercoaster ride is to relax, knowing and trusting that you won’t crash-land but will slowly start to ascend upwards again. Eventhough it feels scary, you are perfectly safe. It’s the same with everything you experience in life. When hitting a scary or rough patch, don’t struggle or resist it. Relax, trust that you are safe. Accept the present as it is, knowing that this too will pass.

Everything is temporary. And everything serves a purpose, even if it is not immediately evident where the path you’re on is taking you. All will be revealed in good time, and you may be delighted as well as surprised by where you end up.

As Louise (or Susan?) reminds us, all is well – no matter what it looks like. It’s all happening perfectly : )

Time is precious

( a Thought for the Week)

"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for time is the stuff life is made of." ~ Benjamin Franklin

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still-a- flying. And this same flower that smiles today, tomorrow will be dying." ~ Robert Herrick

"Time WAS is past - thou canst it not recall. Time IS thou hast - employ thy portion small. Time FUTURE is not, and may never be. Time PRESENT is the only time for thee." ~ inscription on a time dial

"You don't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you're going to live. Now." ~ Joan Baez

You can view my Thoughts archive here

"Shine" your way to happiness with uplifting music

(a part of the Happy Friday series)

I’m sure if I did a search I could find numerous studies out there that have proven the effects of music on our moods. But I’m not going to go to that trouble because I’m also fairly certain that you’ve all experienced it for yourself.

The point I am going to try and sell on though, is the importance of the lyrics as well as the tone of the music. You really do want both to be uplifting!

When the music itself is upbeat, your spirits are uplifted. That’s what you already know. But if you’re not a dedicated follower of the Law of Attraction, you might not be aware of the importance that lyrics have also.

All of your words are very powerful. What you say about yourself and your life is a vibration you are offering to the Universe and you’re going to attract like energy back. Words that you express with feeling will manifest in physical reality with greater speed. When you sing to upbeat, uplifting music, the lyrics you’re reciting offer a very powerful vibration. So be careful that the lyrics you’re offering reflect what you want in your life!

Choose the songs you sing out loud to with great care.

Last summer I started a project here called Songs to make your Heart sing. I wanted to make a compilation of songs that did just that for me, and I asked for help in coming up with as big a list as possible. Afterwards I made my own personal choices from the list taking not only the music but also the lyrics into consideration. Why not ask your friends to help you do something similar? Or if you want a kick-start check out the playlist suggested by those who took part in my project.

My own nomination for the playlist was Shine by Take That. Click below to see the video. The lyrics are further below. I think they are fabulous, and I always sing them from the perspective of my Higher Self (she who knows and trusts that all is well) speaking to my Ego (she who resists the present moment rather than accepting it).

For me, it creates a wonderful shift in my energy and my thought process. Why not try it and see for yourself?

You, you're such a big star to me
You're everything I wanna be
But you're stuck in a hole and I want you to get out
I don't know what there is to see
But I know it's time for you to leave
We're all just pushing along
Trying to figure it out, out, out.

All your anticipation pulls you down
When you can have it all, you can have it all.

So come on, so come on, get it on
Don't know what you're waiting for
Your time is coming don't be late, hey hey
So come on
See the light on your face
Let it shine
Just let it shine
Let it shine.

Stop being so hard on yourself
It's not good for your health
I know that you can change
So clear your head and come around
You only have to open your eyes
You might just get a big surprise
And it may feel good and you might want to smile, smile, smile.

Don't you let your demons pull you down
'Cause you can have it all, you can have it all.

Hey let me know you
You're all that matters to me
Hey let me show you
You're all that matters to me.

Hey let me love you
You're all that matters to me
Hey let me love you
You're all that matters to me

So come on
See the light on your face
Let it shine
Just let it shine
Let it shine.

Be wary of your assumptions

(a Thought for the Week)

"Our perceptions are mostly wrong, and they are responsible for 90% of our suffering." ~ Brother Phap Dang

"Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in." ~ Alan Alda

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." ~ Marcel Proust

"Don't make assumptions. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life." ~ Don Miguel Ruiz

You can view my Thoughts archive here

Commune with Nature

part of the Happy Friday series)

photo by Kirsten Harrell (a selection of Kirsten's photos are now available as calendars, note pads, mugs, posters and framed prints - check them out here)

on choosing Happiness

(a Thought for the Week)

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections." ~ Unknown

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have." ~ Frederick Keonig

"The foolish person seeks happiness in the distance; the wise person grows it under his feet." ~ James Oppenheim

"Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain." ~ Unknown

"Remember that happiness is a way of travel, not a destination." ~ Roy Goodman

You can view my Thought archive here