Keeping the Faith in Ourselves

One of the trickiest parts of achieving our goals and dreams is not to give up when we hit a speed bump or someone throws us a curve ball. If we keep the faith in ourselves and the goals we set, then we focus on our vision and keep moving into it.

The most important principle to remember is that all things come from either fear or love. When we choose from love it is always our best choice. Choosing from fear is always a lesser choice.

During my time developing my business, I have frequently been tested in this way. For example, when an opportunity came my way that I felt was not quite right for me, I passed on it, and within a day, other opportunities came my way. This has happened several times over the years. I keep reaffirming my vision and that energy of “like attracts like” brings more good developments my way.

Aligning with your vision is a very important thing. There are practical actions we can take to make our dreams come true, such as putting up a good website so that people know what we are about and what we have to offer. Handing out business cards to people we meet and attending events that appeal to like minded people are certainly positive steps toward bringing our dreams into reality.

Whenever we find ourselves presented with a choice that does not really suit us but we fear that if we do not take this option that we may not get any other good offers, then we are letting fear make our choice. Times in the past when I gave in to those fears and did something that didn’t really align with my vision, I usually regretted it. Time wasted acting out of fear is time not spent in a more positive way, in alignment with our dreams.

Notice how when we choose from love, even if the progress we make is small, we feel good because we know that we are making progress. When we choose from fear and people see us doing something else they begin to wonder if we changed out minds and we wouldn’t really rather be doing something else. So the signals we send out can start to put out a “like attracts like” message in a way that leads us away from our goal rather than towards it.

Obviously, some visions take a longer time to manifest, and we may be heading toward that goal by taking small steps at first. So whether you are at the stage of taking small steps rather than big ones still keep reaffirming your vision. Eventually small developments lead to bigger developments.

Another important thing to remember about this process is that sometimes we may discover that the way we make progress toward our goal may vary from the original plan. The important thing is that if our goal or vision for ourself is something that we really want then we will find a way to get there. The thing is that we may be provided a different route than the one we originally planned. As long as we see it leading toward our goal, rather than away from it, this change will serve the purpose.

Sometimes it is hard for us to keep the faith in ourselves because we may have a belief that we are not smart enough, strong enough or good enough to achieve higher levels. Perhaps others have said things like this to us in the past. That does not make it true. If we accept these judgements that others have put on us, then we are allowing these obstacles to block our path. We have the power to remove these self imposed limitations. We have the power to change our beliefs about our selves.

Notice what happens when you give yourself permission to succeed. Notice how all of a sudden this person who was told that they are not a good dancer is suddenly dancing and enjoying it. Notice how this person who was told that they were not a good singer way back when they were younger, all of a sudden is standing there singing and other people are enjoying hearing it. Notice how the person who thought that they didn’t have what it takes to be a salesperson now sees no obstacle being a great sales person now that they are selling something that they really believe in. Notice how a person who didn’t think that they were strong enough or creative enough to start their own business is now running their own business and making a living with it.

When you keep the faith in your own vision, you are giving yourself the gift of a happier life. And doesn’t it feel better to choose from love rather than fear when aligning your thoughts and actions with your vision? Remove those self imposed obstacles. Keep the faith in your self.

The Interwoven Fabric of Reality

We all have those moments when we look back at our life and try and second guess the choices we made. We wonder how our life would have turned out if we had taken this job instead of that one, or if we had chosen to form a relationship with this person instead of that one.

Yes, there certainly are things we have done that were triumphant, brilliant and beautiful and there are other things we have done that were mistakes, errors in judgment, and screw ups.

Thinking like that is nothing more than indulging in fantasies because we are who we are now because of the sum of all the choices we have made in our lives. We can start over fresh right now by making new choices, we can refocus and rededicate ourselves to setting out on a new path now.

In my own personal journey, my path took turns that I had not planned on. For example, years ago I worked for a corporation that transferred me to different cities to work. These were raises and promotions for doing excellent work. However, personally it meant moving to places where I had no friends, no relatives, nothing but the job they sent me there to do.

So during the weekends I looked around for interesting things to do and meet new people. In one city, my best option was to join Sierra Club, go to their meetings and go hiking with them. That opened up a fresh perspective in my life, not just getting out and getting some great exercise, but also seeing other perspectives on the world that were totally separate from anything I did in my work. I began to notice more aspects of nature than I ever had before. I got a close look and listen at stuff that usually would not have captured my attention, and found that extended experiences like that were very calming.

In another city, I went to my first psychic fair and had my first readings. I had no expectations because it was an entirely new experience for me to be in a room with a whole array of different kinds of readers and healers. I not only got my horoscope chart done for the first time, but I also started getting massages regularly. Who knew? I didn't grow up in a world where people did these things. I had been experimenting with doing tarot readings myself before then, but I regarded it as a hobby or experiment. I didn't know that there were all these kinds of people doing this stuff professionally all year round. And I was amazed at what I discovered.

So I began to assimilate these new experiences into my life on a regular basis and little by little, the old me evolved into a new me. The old me that used to like to go to bars for drinking and dancing was eventually replaced by someone who liked to take long walks, do more readings with tarot cards get astrology readings and massages.

Then later on I was working in advertising and just to add a little variety to my life, volunteered to write articles for a metaphysical magazine, a music magazine, an arts magazine and a book review magazine. I craved other assignments besides writing ad copy and brochures. Then one day my mentor at the metaphysical magazine died and they asked me to become the editor and take his place, and I got paid to do it. So my life changed again. Who knew that fun would turn into a work opportunity?

So then my whole schedule became busy with meeting and interviewing all kinds of people, trying different things, going to workshops and talks, experiencing rituals and experiments in living that I had not known about before and being totally immersed in a world where all this was normal every day. I was always learning how to do new things myself because of this. And then I was responsible for giving other people assignments that changed their lives and mentored them as they changed. I helped create events as well as publications. Who knew?

As I look back, I could have taken different career turns, moved to other parts of the country, formed relationships with different people. But I did not. I made my choices, and that is why I am here now.

When I was younger, I never had any inkling that I would ever make a living reading for other people or doing healing work for other people. On another level, these arts that we choose to practice may stir something undefinable up inside us, something that hints at deeper meanings, profound lessons, and realizations that emerge out of the fog and darkness.

The level of communications from spirit, we are in a zone that electrifies our senses. There is a quickening and excitement of suddenly getting a flash that lets us see in a different way.

Reading cards, healing with reiki, doing house blessings, mentoring writers, reading without any tools, helping to mentor people as they shift into more positive thinking and exploring possibilities, our visions expand as our horizons expand. There is an aphrodisiac quality to it all, to be in love with life to be able to go beyond the immediate to the other currents that swirl around us and energies that flow through us. There is a beauty to the way art opens the soul and touches our core.

Sometimes there is humor as the meanings unravel themselves, and sometimes there is sadness at the changes. Whatever the specific answers to specific questions, there is always a mystery to the process as we unwrap these gifts from spirit.

And who knew years ago that the path we were on would lead us here now? When it looked like our path was defined and there was a track to follow up ahead, we thought we knew. Then when we shifted our path, whether by design or by accident, everything changed. Even our mistakes became opportunities.

This is what synchronicity means. There are no accidents in life. We are just not always able to see the pattern until someone else helps us see, then the whole world looks different and we change the pattern of our life.

I am happy to be where I am now. Are you happy with where you are now?