A safe harbor where beliefs are respected and kindness prevails.

Reflections – Fall 2014

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_MG_2725I’ve worn glasses all my life, and last month mine needed to be sent back to the manufacturer to be repaired. At my age seeing anything close up without help is, well, nearly impossible. After all I read and write for a living. So out came an old pair (that I had to dig through boxes to find). Wearing them for a week, it turned out, provided clarity for my life, in spite of my blurry vision.

It’s no secret that I’ve experienced a series of life-changing events. With the exception of my marriage, every other part of my life has been turned upside down in these last five years. What was important to me before . . . in my career, my climbing-up-the-ladder days . . . was gone in an instant. My security, my confidence, my peace of mind were all based on my job and what it enabled me to do.

As I moved through the last few years of turmoil, I judged my now by my past. When I put those old glasses on, it became blatantly clear to me that they didn’t work very well anymore . . . and, likewise, looking at my current life through the lens of my past doesn’t either.

What I thought or did before may have brought me to this point, but it is what I choose to see right now that enables me to be happy, now. And now is all that matters.   Because now is when I can make a difference.

Reflections – June 2014

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Mt-Hood-ReflectionRegret and worry. In my life I’ve had more than my share, and they have robbed me of the ability to enjoy my life.   The funny (ok, sad) thing about regrets and worries is they are self-inflicted. There is no person or thing outside of us that can ever force us to experience them.

If you find yourself falling into that “blue” space of worry and regret, be ok with that. When we allow ourselves to feel what we feel, then we have the ability to release it … to let it go and clear a path to living in the now.

When it comes to enjoying life now … for me at least … it means giving myself permission to set aside the regrets and worries. And by appreciating all the blessings I do have in my life, right now, I realize that there is more to life than what I have allowed to hold me back. Therein lies peace and power.

What If Can’t Is Just A Misspelling?

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Fotolia_58396711_Subscription_Monthly_MIs your vocabulary filled with “can’ts?”  Do you come up with one reason (aka excuse) after another of why you can’t live the way you want to?  Are you discouraged because you believe you can’t have what you want?

What if your “can’ts” are just a typo?  What if you really can?

Can’ts exist because you’ve erroneously decided that you can’t do or have something… and in doing so you’ve squashed your own hopes and dreams.  No one else does that for you… you do it to you.  The cool thing is that you CAN do the exact opposite and  be just as successful at doing as you have been at “can’ting”… if you want to.

For years I told myself I’d never be as successful as my boss, my best friend or even my sister.  The funny thing was I didn’t really want to be what they were.  I didn’t want to be a corporate employee.  I didn’t want to be a nomad and I sure didn’t want to be miserable.  Somehow though I saw myself as less than… but it wasn’t until I realized I didn’t want to be them that I realized I could be the person I wanted to be.

What about you?  What if you dropped the “t” and decided you can:

  • Be happy
  • Take a risk just to see how it works out
  • Decide every morning to do the best you can do
  • Bless the people around you
  • Be grateful for what you do have

And if you do all of those things you’ll also realize that you can take the steps necessary to live your dream, to love without conditions and be a blessing to the world.

You CAN do or be whatever you decide you CAN do!

Book Review – Born to Receive

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Born_to_Receive_CoverHow long have you been giving & giving and getting nothing back in return? If your energy well is dry yet you’re still facing unending demands on your time,

your mind & your soul then Born to Receive may just be the cool drink of water you need. Filled with seven steps this book provides you practical advice you can use right now to flow energy back to you… where you need it.

Discover your birthright, to receive, first. Once you understand that implementing the 7 steps is, well, simple. Those steps include (1) learning to pay attention to your feelings and trust your intuition, (2) know what you want, (3) ask for help, (4) be grateful, (5) create reciprocity in your relationships, (6) don’t put yourself last and (7) be respectful of your past, have a vision for your future and live in the moment.

What I liked most about this book is the practicality of it all. As I worked through the steps with my own life I found that the simplicity and sheer common sense of it all was a refreshing approach that shifted my perspective while honoring my needs.

You can find Amanda’s book HERE on Amazon.com.
Check out some of Amanda’s articles for Simple Steps Real Change Magazine HERE.

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