Have you ever seen what looks like a healthy person, park their car in handicap
parking? See it all the time, right? Ever see the elder one shovel the driveway while the kids just sit around? Do you ever wonder why someone isn’t pulling their weight at work?
But, no one know the weight another person carries. These could be physical or emotion weights. The issue is that we DON’T KNOW! And we will probably not have compassion for people until we under go the same trial.
What do you think about stress? It is in everybody’s life. Stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We actually need some stress to keep us healthy and on our toes. Too much stress will make you sick.
Some folks are underwhelmed by life or shut down by the riggers of life. Other people are very overwhelmed by life. could be work or family or life in general.
Did you ever have one of those days? Well about two months ago I had “one of those days” and I want to share it with you. This is a story in learning to trust your Angles.
This story revolves around these keys and the remote to be exact.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to practice what I preach navigating emotional marshes. We all can slide down the slippery slope of negative thinking. It is particularly true if you have had years of practice thinking about and expecting negative results. You have to be on guard.
I have had a very interesting January 2012. Everything has stopped! Yes,I mean that. Life has very much slowed down for me. What do you do when everything either slows way down and/or stops? …You blog!
Happy New Year! It is the first day of 2012! This is the much talked about year, the end of the Mayan Calendar. Hopefully it will be non-apocalyptic 2012!
Actually the year will be what it is. That we will have to find out as we move through the year. Many things are not “in stone” so to speak. That means it can be changed.
How can that be? Well, if we change our choices, the out come will change. If you always do what you always did and expect different results, you will be very disappointed. That actually is a definition of insanity.
But, if you make some different choices today, it can make a big difference down the road.
For example: If you start meditating on a daily basis, you may notice a peace and calm that envelops you. If you were to stop meditating, you might find that you are less friendly, more curt, or just unhappy.
If you are experiencing more peace and calm in your life, you will make different choices than if you are unhappy. Think about it.
Blessings, Mary Pat
Mary Pat FitzGibbons RN MS
You have lost your job and there seems to be nothing on the horizon. Are you into the “woe is me” and “my life is ruined” thinking?
Last August 2009, my husband was released from a profession job. We had moved to the area 16 months earlier for this job. It is devastating at any age and particularly when it occurs in the mid 50 age. As the wife of the recently unemployed, I am also very stressed. I have my own professional dreams and goals and I think they may be going down the drain.
I was talking to a professional colleague. I was in the negative self talk. “My husband doesn’t have a job, woe is me”. She called me on it and rightly so.
My friend is right. What we think about and talk about is what we get. It is the Law of Attraction.
Most of the time I do pretty well. I realize that my husband and I have been carried. Don’t know how, but we have. Sometimes I get so discouraged. I feel like I have been standing on shifting sands for a long time.
My friend got me to thinking. When we feel good about ourselves we are connected to Source (Divine or God and Mother Earth). We get our spiritual energy for God, if you will . It comes from above our head down into our heart. Our physical body draws energy from the center of the earth up into our hearts. In those times we feel good about ourselves, we have a continual ‘source’ of energy from above and below.
When we get scared, we un-ground and break our connection with Source. There is no longer a ‘source’ of energy. As people, we have learned that it can be easier to take “your” energy than reconnect ourselves. Negative thinking, emotions and self talk is a way of creating a cord that attaches to someone else’s energy field. In that moment we (I) become a “vampire” stealing energy. Oh, what a thought that I could steal energy.
We as a people are so enmeshed in the “system” that we forget that we are 100% responsible for our lives. When the “system” spits us out, we get confused. We forget that we are responsible for self. It is easy to slip into “woe is me” and victim thinking.
There are moments that life sucks. The less time we spend in “life sucks” the better. When we have a setback, it is an opportunity to rethink our goals and reprioritize our lives. It is also an opportunity to trim the fat, so to speak. My husband and I are cleaning house. We are getting rid of a lot of things that no longer serve us. It is interesting to watch each other’s process. Each of us is going through the grieving process. We are never in the same spot at the same time.
The house is on the market. We have a back up plans A, B, and “seat of our pants”. The thing to remember is that every negative thought moves us closer to ruin and the “poor house.” Every positive thought and comment moves us closer to the next fabulous opportunity and new life.
Think positive. Dream positive. Then figure out the steps that will lead you to your knew dream.
Blessings, Mary Pat
Mary Pat FitzGibbons RN MS writes on life issues that empowers you to become your highest dream for yourself.
Do you have enough money? What would you do if you had enough? What is enough anyway? Do you know how to be a steward of your resources?
How do you think about money? Is money your friend? Or is money and evil lurking around every corner (coming from the belief that money is the root of all evils)? This article is about belief systems that hold us back.
Money is just energy. As humans we have the right and responsibility to learn how to use money to our benefit and the benefit of others. You can’t be a good steward if you are afraid the thing of that which you are a steward.
In “Rich Dad Poor Dad” Robert T Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter, CPA explore what it is to work with money from the point of view of being rich and the rest of us. That is the beauty of this book. Twenty percent of the population makes eighty percent of the wealth. That is the 80/20 rule. If you are in the 80% making 20% of wealth, you may have judgments about that other group. But have you walked in their shoes?
Kiyosaki tells his story about growing up in a “regular” money household. For most of us we go to school, get an education, get a job, earn money, and pay taxes and the bills. Hopefully we save some money for the kids college and retirement. The masses: some make and have a little money, some eke by and many rely on government entitlements to make it to the grave.
Kiyosaki also tells about his friend’s dad who was “rich”. He knew how to work with money, play with money concepts, be with money and have money work for him. Kiyosaki had the best of both worlds. He could see where life would take him if he chose to be afraid of money.
He chose to learn about money. This book is about his journey. It is filled with stories as he learned how to make money, as well as stories where he helped others learn about money. Kiyosaki also gives his 10 point plan for getting started and staying on track.
1. “I NEED A REASON GREATER THAN REALITY” The dream can be great! But do you have the stuff to keep going when reality steps in?
2. “CHOOSE DAILY” You have to choose your dream every day. It is choosing to take the next step towards your dream every day, be it in thoughts, activities or learning.
3. “CHOOSE FRIENDS CAREFULLY” Pick friends that will support your. Share your dreams and process with people who support your and lift you up. Friends who are nay-says can stop a dream dead in its tracks. To keep on when reality sets in, you need good support.
4. “MASTER A FORMULA AND THEN LEARN A NEW ONE” Don’t reinvent the wheel. There are tried and true methods of making money (or reaching any dream). Find out the steps to your dream and learn them well. After that you can learn new or alternative ways to reach your dream.
5. “PAY YOUR SELF FIRST” I wish I followed that advice as a young women. This step is about self discipline. Saving (any amount) on a regular basis, no matter what financial pressures, will pay off big time in the end. Here he say that the 3 most important management skills to start a business are: management of cash flow, management of people, and management of personal time. Sounds like good personal stewardship to me.
6. “PAY YOUR BROKERS WELL” Your attorney accountant, real estate broker, stockbroker are professionals. They may be expensive but they should make you more money with their information. You usually get what you pay for. And until you are the expert, get good advice. It is well worth it.
7. “BE AN ‘INDIAN GIVER'” This isn’t what you might think. It is about getting something for nothing. You will have to read the section.
8. “ASSETS BUY LUXURIES” Don’t buy on credit. Buy from your profits. It is the cash flow game again. If you have to do credit, then you don’t need it.
9. “THE NEED FOR HEROS” As kids, we have heroes. A little boy playing baseball may pretend to be Yogi. During a basket ball game, a kid might think of Michael Jordan. I used to dream of I was Dorothy Hamill when I would ice skate. Heroes inspire us. They make it look easy and that convinces us to want to be just like them. Many people this investing is too hard. Find a hero who makes it look easy.
10. “TEACH AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE” He has one simple idea. “Whenever you feel ‘short’ or in ‘need’ of something, give what you want first and it will come back in buckets. That is true for money , a smile, love, friendship.” This is so true. Try it.
This is a great book. It will give you a great insight on how people with money think and act. Read this book. It can get you thinking about your beliefs about money. There is another side to the money story. You deserve to open yourself to all financial possibilities.
Blessings,
Mary Pat
Mary Pat FitzGibbons RN MS writes on leading edge issues for health, thinking and life.
Do you suffer from stress? Do you feel overworked and under loved? Are you worried about something? We all have moments of course. The question is, what do you do with the worries and stress. There are things in life you can’t change. You can change your attitude and thoughts. You have choice.
How do you choose to not let stress over run you? That is a very good question. Here are some of the way’s I am using to distress.
1. Take some deep breaths. When we are in a stressful situation, we tend to hold our breath. This causes physiological changes that prepare us to run or fight. Much of the time, neither of these are possible choices. In the “conflict” we hold our breath or we shallow and fast. Take some deep breaths. It will change your body response to a situation and allow you the best level for choice of action.
2. Meditation. There are many ways to meditate. A simple meditation is to sit still for 10-20 minutes and focus on your breath, the IN breath, the OUT breath and the Space between the breath. It will quiet you on all levels. You will have many thoughts come to visit. Just let them pass by.
3. I have used Centerpointe’s Awakening program for about 6 years. I am at Flowering level 2. I have 2 more levels to go. They use sound to restructure the brain. It helps with depression and decreasing stress. I highly recommend it.
4. I have recently started a Heart Math program called EmWave. It uses your heart rate and rhythm to calculate your coherency. You want to be coherent with yourself. It is a computer program that uses visual games and sounds as a biofeedback mechanism to teach you how to get into and maintain a coherent state. This is great for blood pressure, stress and other related issues.
5. Self talk. You have choice over your thoughts, emotions and self talk. What we think and feel is what we are. Thoughts and emotions produce our current experience. Don’t like your current experience, change your thoughts.
We have CHOICE. We choose our thoughts and emotions. Make the choice for better, lighter thoughts and loving emotions and you will have a better life experience.
Blessings, Mary Pat
Mary Pat FitzGibbons RN MS writes on leading edge topics concerning choice, and real life walk to enlightenment.
I am following a theme of “Choices” this year. I think that it is very important to realize that we all have “Choices.” Past choices will effect the number and quality of choices you have today. Past programing (traumas, successes, failures etc) will also effect the choices you have today.
If you don’t like how your life is right now, start changing the choices you are making.