A safe harbor where beliefs are respected and kindness prevails.

The Universe Was Late Today

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Fotolia_63703584_Subscription_Monthly_MEvery week day morning I receive this really cool personalized email from The Universe – a.k.a. Mike Dooley’s Notes from the Universe (TUT.com). Literally thousands of people around the world get the same email personalized for them, of course.

The first time I received one was over four years ago. Unbeknownst to me one of my friends added my email address to the TUT list. When I opened that first one, I was just a little freaked out. (Am I the only one that still says freaked out?) Seriously, I thought I had a stalker because that first message was so completely in tune with what was happening in my life. I had to stop what I was doing and show my husband, who also thought I had a stalker. It took three days of receiving those personalized emails before I realized it was an inspirational daily message.

Fast forward to today and it’s still one of the highlights of my email experience. In fact some days it’s the only email I will open because the message is so empowering; some days it’s exactly what I needed to move me from down to up or from ok to awesome

Today – The Universe was late! Yes, that special personalized email was not in my email box when I opened it.

At first I felt a bit disappointed, once again sharing a TUT experience with my husband, hoping that they didn’t stop the weekday posts. (I wish they would post every day, not just Monday through Friday.) Then I thought to myself, “Now what?”

Yes, even I, The Bliss Lady, can get into a funk. Don’t we all? It’s part of the human experience. Over the years I have learned to keep those funks contained to moments instead of hours, days or weeks.   I have an array of resources at my disposal for lifting my mood. In fact, I surround myself with objects and people who inspire, uplift and motivate me. It’s essential to my overall wellbeing.

So what do I do when the Universe is late? You may find me resorting to anyone of these for a boost:

BlissnessPlan.com (of course)
SimpleStepsRealChangeMagazine.com (of course)
Empoweradio.com (of course)
DailyOm.com
Ted.com
ZenHabits.com
HealYourLife.com
SethGodin.com
Chopra.com
TinyBuddha.com
MindBodyGreen.com

These are just a handful of places I visit on the web for inspiration. Mainly, I start my day with a gratitude blessing, radiating love and light to every being in the Cosmo’s past, present and future. It’s the simple things that turn my downs to ups.

When that Note was late I read an old one. Here’s one of my favorites – can you guess why?

Teri, no matter what your faith is, or is not, no matter where in the world you are, I want you to know, even as you read these words, I’m with you. Behind the eyes of every child, and in the melody of every song. I’m the glimmer in the ice crystals, the rays in the sun, and the stars at night. And with each smile you see, every hug you receive and every laugh you hear, I’ll be there, reaching out through another, with blessing and good wishes…… And all of this because I love you, because I’ve always loved you, and because I always will. And because this has been true, and will be true, every day of your life, holidays or not.

Tally-ho, ho, ho –

   The Universe

P.S.

Happy everything to you Teri, to your family, and to every single wonderful, radiant Being in your shimmering, enlightened sphere.

What do you do when your life cycles downward? Share a few Blissings, I hope!

For additional resources or to work with Teri visit SoulcialLiving.com or TeriGriffinWilliams.com.

Gratitude Habits

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twWant to get through anything with ease and grace?  Be grateful.

Two of my favorite words are Thank You! It always amazes me how wonderful it feels to say and hear those words.

When I say them, I know that something delightful has taken place in my life. In fact, I wake up every morning with “Thank you” in my head – “Thank you” that I am alive to live another day, no matter what happens.

When I hear them, I know that someone has simply received something – a gift, a thought, a smile.  It might have been from me, or it might have been in a conversation I had the honor of overhearing.  (Sometimes eavesdropping is a good thing.)

Like most of you, I’ve had my share of ups and downs.  Those who know me well, know the “back story” of my life, sometimes ask me how I did it, how I managed to get through it all and still have a smile on my face.  One simple word:  Gratitude.

Replace old habits with new ones to create an attitude within that focuses on what works instead of what doesn’t!

What’s a habit?

According to dictionary.com it’s an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary – a learned behavior that we’ve repeated so often we don’t even think about it, we just do it.

What we focus on multiplies!

When we focus on what we are grateful for every day, gratitude becomes a natural part of our life, like brushing our teeth.  All habits are formed by repeatedly practicing or living a certain behavior over and over again.

How to make gratitude work for you?

  • Open your eyes in the morning with “Thank you!”
  • Close your eyes at night with “Thank you!”
  • Be grateful for everything in your life – good, bad or indifferent.
  • ·      Be open to seeing something good in every situation. Sometimes you might have to look a little harder than others.
  • Recognize your blessings: the breath you take, even if it’s labored; a sunny day, even when it’s cold; a warm coat, even if it has holes in it; shoes on your feet.
  • ·      Say “Thank you” often.  Pay attention to how many times a day you say “Thank you!”
  • ·      Pay attention to how many times a day you hear “Thank you!”
  • Create your own ABC’s of gratitude.

How long does it take for a habit to form?  Who knows. There are too many variables.  It doesn’t take long though to know we want to be happier; sometimes we simply choose not to act.

Focusing on gratitude takes your attention off of the lack or negativity in your life and puts the focus on what’s working, what’s positive and joyful.  Remember, what we focus on multiplies, thus gratitude raises our vibration to our own place of joy.

 

Change Brings Opportunity

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teriYes!  Change brings opportunity.  My husband, who has lived in over 50 houses in his 51 years of age, says that to me on a regular basis.  It’s one of the reasons we get along so well; we are committed to embracing change instead of fighting it.

When we are deep in the middle of change sometimes we can’t see where the opportunity lies.  The process may seem daunting and fearful.  How can we stay open to change instead of fighting against it?  Here are 8 ways to embrace change and make it work for you!

1. Take baby steps. Make small changes.  Break big changes into small steps.  For example:  if you are moving, plan ahead by packing early in 30 minute segments – start in one area and pack for 30 minutes.  Making slight progress makes you feel much better.

2. Stay flexible and go with the flow.  Be like the tide.  Sometimes it’s high, sometimes it’s low but it’s always flowing.

3. Adapt a Pollyanna attitude.  Find the good in the moment.  A break up leaves you available to find your perfect match or get that dog you always wanted.

4. This too shall pass. Change happens which means things may make you feel overly stressed.  Remember a time in your life that was extremely hectic and have faith that you will eventually get through to the next moment; you will adapt to this new change.

5. You are not alone.  You don’t have to cope with change on your own.  Reach out to friends, family or colleagues for support or keep a journal to share your feelings for strength and relief

6.  Take time to adjust.  Give yourself time to accept the change that is happening in your life.

7.  Be Prepared.  Don’t let unexpected surprises rock you.  Stress and change are a part of life.  The better equipped you are to maneuver through them, the less likely they will through you off kilter.

8.  Change brings opportunity.  Henry Ford said, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”  Sometimes change and a little stress can open our eyes to new ideas, new opportunities and new ways of living our lives.  Be open to the possibilities.

My story is not unlike many of yours.  I’ve had my share of tragedy and triumph, of ups and downs, of loss and heartache.  Sometimes I’ve seen deep despair.  By practicing the suggestions above and much more, I’ve learned to embrace the moment and not let fear or sorrow stop me in my tracks.  As REO Speedwagon suggests, I’m learning to roll with the changes!

“Oh, you got to learn to roll with the changes (got to, got to, got to, got to…)
Keep on rollin’ (got to keep on)
Keep on rollin’
Oh, you got to learn to, got to learn to, got to learn to roll”

Stepping Up to Fear

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TeriWilliams
“Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it.” – Bill Cosby

Could facing your fears really be that easy?  In most cases, I say YES loud and clear.

There is nothing that keeps us stuck more than fear.  It can be paralyzing both physically and emotionally.

Believe it or not there was a time that I was so afraid to speak in front of a group that I had to hire people to do it for me.  I would literally make myself sick.  Talk about NOT practicing what you preach.

When my father died, I wrote part of the eulogy – for my sister to read at his funeral.  I couldn’t do it, even for him, the man that constantly told me,“If you want to get anywhere in life, you have to stick your neck out”.  (After all, he was a turtle.)

When my son was a little boy (ok, he’ll always be my little boy).  Seriously, when he was 11, I took on the role of Pack Master for his school district.  That meant I had to speak to over 100 parents on a regular basis.  Nope!  Not me.  I coerced one of my friends to partner with me.  I did the writing and she did the speaking!  It was a great plan until she got sick.  With trembling knees I stepped up to the podium and read my speech.  Guess what – it was warmly welcomed.  I didn’t die, no one laughed at me, well maybe a little, I didn’t trip and fall; I’m still here to write about it.

Hindsight is a great teacher. What I realized was that I had been facing fears my whole life – MY WHOLE LIFE!  When you think about it, I bet you have too.  We all have a story around fear.

After that night, I made a list of all the ways I had stepped up to fear in the past.   Some were big fears, and some were little fears.   Here’s what part of my list looked like, and here’s what I did:

  • Fear of dogs after being bitten more than once – I have 2 dogs, really big dogs
  • Fear of being alone – I spend time alone – a lot
  • Fear of change – I embrace it
  • Fear of speaking – I host a radio show and give motivational speeches before hundreds of people
  • Fear of sobriety – I don’t drink (maybe that should be facing my demons)

There’s a lot more where that came from.  You get the picture.  Sometimes I take giant steps, and sometimes I take baby steps – I keep stepping into them and come out shining on the other side.

So when I read that quote from Bill Cosby, I shook my head up and down with a resounding YES.

Almost everything we do begins with a choice.  Simple as it sounds, you can choose to step past your fear and step into your greatness.

May I suggest you begin by imagining yourself as Gandalf the White Wizard – tell your fear “Thou shall not pass!”

 

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