Inspiration Archives

Deserving

So often we don’t we have what we want. Why? The more I think about this question and review my own life attitudes, the more I come up with the same answer: We don’t feel we deserve it. So many of us feel we must earn worthiness. Repeating Hail Marys, trekking to Mecca, toiling in the Amazon, writing incessantly, doing massive loads of laundry, cooking massive amounts of meals, denying ourselves massive amounts of what pleases us. Sometimes we think we can earn worthiness by stockpiling money, houses, fame, titles, awards, degrees, publications. When we’ve achieved these, we may look…

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School of HP: Fathers Are Special!

Fathers are a special breed They are there to guide and lead To inspire and protect Point out cause and the effect Separate the wrong from right Show when it’s OK to fight Be the man who’s standing strong And kiss the boo-boo so it’s gone Fathers play so many roles They help us achieve our goals While sometimes forgoing theirs Because all they do is care So today, we as a nation Offer thanks in dedication As collectively we strive And give our dads the Highest Five!

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Can I Choose to Stay Positive?

"I have been having a difficult time lately with staying positive. It seems as if there is so much going on that it's difficult to try and stay positive. I used to be happier... How can I get through the day being positive?" ~ Julie Hi Julie, Thanks for your question, I get this one a lot and I want you to know that even “Mr. Positive” isn't able to “Stay Positive” all the time! Even though your life is very busy here are three things you can do in ten minutes or less to immediately to shift your attitude when you are not feeling…

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School of HP: A 5-minute Shower Meditation

Looking to add meditation to your routine but not sure how to fit it in? Try this 5-minute shower meditation! Stand under the shower at a comfortable temperature for you. Let the water fall gently on the top of your head. Take note of your thoughts and your breathing. Allow your mind to slowly shift focus from the magnitude of thoughts running through it. Instead focus on the sensation of the water running down your body. Hear the sounds that the water stream makes as it first hits the top of your head, then as it trickles down. Focus on how…

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How Do I Become More Productive?

"Do you have any suggestions of tangible steps that I can take to help me fit everything on my "to do" list into my day? I feel like I need a 30 hour day!" ~ Jeff, Chula Vista, CA Dear Jeff, Unfortunately you cannot add more hours to your day, but you can get better R.O.T.I. (return on time invested) out of your day. Take the time to break up your day to fit your and your family's needs. First, determine when the most productive part of your day is. Then, dedicate one hour of your most productive time to…

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Solving the Mystery of Letting Go

Sometimes the greatest truths are laid right before our eyes, in the simplest of things, and yet we just can't see them. Take for instance our own hands: what a miracle they are. If we consider for even a moment all they are capable of doing, it's evident that a great wisdom sits hidden behind their incomparable design. But, with this thought in mind, permit me to add one other to help us see another part of their special purpose that lies "hidden" in plain sight. What good would our hands be to us or, for that matter, to the…

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How Can I Overcome My Fears?

"From the time I was a child, I've lived my life in fear. What if I lose my job? What if I can't pay the rent? What if I never find a wife? And so on... I'd greatly appreciate any insight on how I can let go of the fear and actually LIVE my life!" ~ Tim, Minneapolis, MN Dear Tim, As humans, we all deal with fear in one form or another. However, we can only focus on one thing at a time, so chose to focus on your dreams rather than the fear. In other words, focus on what you…

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How Can I Control My Emotions?

"I know that I create my own reality with my thoughts, but sometimes when I'm sad I can't seem to change my thoughts - even when I want to. How to I start to take control of my life?" ~ Evelyn, Jacksonville, FL Dear Evelyn, There was a time I felt the same way you did. But a family member I trusted "SNAPPED" me out of it. Soon I realized that the sadness I was feeling was just an emotion I was internalizing. In other words, I was investing too much time into feeling sad until I clearly saw that…

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Changes (Poem)

Our life is one of constant motion, forever changing like the ocean, Fearing the outcomes we cannot see, we stay where we are and constantly be, We stay in the pain of an old romance, we stay in the pain of not taking that chance, We stay in our grief of a love that has passed, not willing to move or let go of the past. We regret things we did, or did not do, we hold onto anger and emotional blues, We blame other people and then ourselves, for the hurt and the upset and our poor health. When…

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How Do You Stay Married To a Liar?

"How do you stay married to someone who lies repeatedly to you and then twists things around when confronted?" ~ Joni, Agoura Hills, CA Dear Joni, Most of us wouldn’t tolerate someone intentionally being dishonest with us, whether it’s from the person we are dating, a family member, friend, coworker or even an acquaintance as that’s usually a standard cardinal rule deal-breaker in continuing most relationships. The difficulty lies (no pun intended) when it’s with our spouse or children.  If it’s our children, we would love our way through it, teaching them about consequences, character, trust, kindness, compassion and the other…

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How Self Esteem May Be Holding You Back

I recently read an interesting excerpt from the book NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman. The book focuses on teaching and parenting styles, but I think it also provides an interesting glance into the power of self-empowerment over self-esteem. Let me try to explain how I see the difference between self-esteem and self-empowerment. Self-esteem comes from the praise of others, therefore it is outside ourselves and something we can not control. Self-esteem is based on the belief in unchanging facts, like “you are smart.” Self-esteem is a noun. It is a descriptor. On the other…

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How Do I Find My Gift In Life?

"I work at a hospital and I'm not sure what my gift is in life -- I'm not sure what I like doing. Need help!" ~ Vivian, Chicago, IL Dear Vivian, I can so appreciate your question! Just a few years ago I was in the same place myself - in a job I was good at but didn’t love and feeling empty inside, like I didn’t know where I was headed. I think I can help you with this by sharing a bit of my journey with you. First, it’s important to recognize that even if we are good…

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Honoring Those Who Have Fallen

Today we celebrate Memorial Day in the United States. When we hear "Memorial Day", most Americans think of it as the beginning of the summer, a day filled with picnics, parties, warm weather and fun times. Yet when we look back to the origins on this holiday, the way we celebrate it is quite different from the original intent. According to History.com, Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the American military. First observed in 1868 as Decoration Day, it was designated for the purpose of strewing…

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When There Aren’t Enough Hours in the Day

“When you have that feeling of there just aren’t enough hours in the day, where do you suggest one starts to relieve the stress?” ~ Diane Beaulieu, Entrée Kitchen owner and B.I.G. pod leader Great question, Diane! There are four places to find relief when you feel there are not enough hours in the day, there is too much to get done, or the stress of your workload is too much. As a recovering Type-A, I have a tendency to think that EVERYTHING needs to get done RIGHT NOW and by ME. If you have the same struggles, take a look at…

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How Can I Overcome Procrastination?

"I want so much out of life, but I procrastinate. How can I overcome procrastination?" ~ Jonas, Ipswich, UK Dear Jonas, Eradicate procrastination, before it destroys you. You get more out of your day with an action-oriented, do-it-now attitude. When you complete the unpleasant or hard jobs first and act on the big tasks little bits at a time, you trim anxiety and stress while gaining self-respect and self-confidence. After you exert this type of discipline long enough, you will establish a routine and create a new habit. Behavioral studies suggest that if you do something every day for 21…

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Using Your Relationships to Realize Real Life

The greatest, most abundant resource on planet Earth is also its least understood and utilized. Its unlimited supply is found virtually everywhere, anytime, and under all circumstances, even though few recognize its real value. What is this most precious collective resource? It is our relationships. Consider these truths: It is within relationships that we grow as individuals in everything valuable, because it is through them that we become stronger and wiser, allowing us to realize a love that transcends our unseen self-limiting self-interests. Yet, even though we may acknowledge the existence of this path to self-perfection, the essential mystery of…

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How Can I Stop Judging Myself?

"I don't know how I am ever going to do my spiritual journey when I am so stuck in judging my physical appearance." ~ Cindy, Santa Fe, NM Dear Cindy, Our bodies continue to serve us to the best of their ability, regardless of how often we have cast blame in their direction for failures in our love life, sports life and inner life. Love does not arise out of body image. But we can keep love away by continuing to deprive ourselves of self-love. It's not the size of our body parts, it’s the size of our issues that count!…

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A Stressed Out Baboon

We all complain about stress, but what is it really? National Geographic did a wonderful report on what stress is by not only looking at humans and our environment, but also through baboons and science. In watching specific tribes of baboons who ate the same food, lived in the same area, and experienced the same natural threats, scientists found it was not environment but social interaction and social rank that caused stress. The baboons that experienced stress and the physical symptoms of stress were those on the bottom of the food chain. They were the weak males being picked on by…

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