Omnieve

Life is like a CAMERA.

FOCUS on what’s important,

CAPTURE the good times

DEVELOP from the negatives

and if things don’t work out

TAKE ANOTHER SHOT!!!

Anonymous

“It is the things that you cannot do anything about and the things that you cannot do anything with, that do something to you.”  Richard Rohr

Managing my emotions during my daily commute still takes practice.  I’m not a driving enthusiast.  It’s something I do out of necessity.  Over the years I’ve experienced my share of “highway unpleasantries” and created a few of my own.  Being a “shared space,” the roads and highways became the platform that amplified my deficiencies in patience, tolerance, understanding, mindfulness, and consistent good judgement.

Overtime I realized that rather than endure my commute, I had to find a way to diffuse anger & frustration, exercise measured responses to “road idiots” and reduce my overall stress level while driving.  It all boiled down to managing my emotions and changing a few things in my immediate environment that I had could control.

Besides the usual, slow down, give yourself extra time, avoid rush hour traffic whenever you can, take the service roads, find alternate routes with less commuters and stay off the expressway, I have a few tips of my own.

Aromatherapy!  That’s right.  I purchased an aromatherapy car diffuser and lavender is diffused during the entire trip.  One of the benefits of lavender is it reduces anxiety and emotional stress.  As a result I’m much calmer.

Practice courtesy.  Make allowance for the person who’s trying to merge in front of you in the lane.  After all, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll need the same courtesy extended to you.

Avoid negative media and programs.  Turn off political debates, news, and any broadcasts that recycle fear, mayhem and drama.  SIRIUS XM has multiple options.  Tune in to comedy, lite music or one of the positive uplifting messages from Joel Osteen.

Breathe.   Periodically take a few deep breaths, it’s  calming and reduces anxiety.   Tension in our bodies can sometimes be related to stressful thoughts and emotions.

Pray.  Before leaving home my prayer is “God surround me with safe drivers who compensate for me as I compensate for them.  Thank you!”

I’ve personally benefitted from these simple practices.  Perhaps one or two, will do the same for you.

“Interview with God”

My first introduction to “Interview with God” was while skimming through the pages of a magazine.  I read that the Dali Lama was asked what surprised him most about humanity and this was his response.  “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

Being moved by the profundity of the statement and wanting to know more about the speech, I did some research. To my chagrin I discovered that the quote was part of a poem written by Jim Brown, a Christian sage born in 1923 (Pen Name, James J. Lachard).   I read “Interview with God” and was so moved that I decided to share it in its entirety.  I hope you find the words as inspiring as I did.

 I dreamed I had an interview with God, by James J. Lachard (Jim Brown)

“So you would like to interview me?” God asked.
“If you have the time”, I said … God Smiled.
“My time is eternity, … what questions do you have in mind for me?”

“What surprises you most about humankind?” …

God answered. “That they get bored with childhood, they rush to grow up and then long to be children again.”
“That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.”
“That by thinking anxiously about the future, that they forget the present, such that they live neither in the present or the future.”
“That they live as if they will never die and die as if they had never lived.”

God’s hand took mine and we were silent for a while. And then I asked. “As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons that you want your children to learn?”

God replied with a smile. “To learn they cannot make anyone love them, what they can do is let themselves be loved.”
“To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to other.”
“To learn that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.”
“To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love and it takes many years to heal them.”
“To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.”
“To learn that there are persons who love them dearly, but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings.”
“To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it differently.”
‘To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others, but that they must forgive themselves.”
“And to learn that I am here … ALWAYS.”

“Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken” – Oscar Wilde

I believe that living our truth and being authentic is the best way to fully express who we really are. Trying to be like someone else or living our life to please others only stifle our growth, stunts creativity and create frustration.  The truth is, it’s a lot easier being who you are, than trying to be someone’s replica.  Honor that which you are.  Be yourself!

In the “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying,” written by Bonnie Ware a palliative care nurse, the number one regret of terminally ill patients is, “I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

Life is to be lived, not endured. Find what you’re passionate about and pursue it. Get into the habit of doing things that make you feel good about yourself and discover the things that genuinely bring you joy.   Give yourself permission to get out of the strait jacket you agreed to put on, in order to make someone else happy.

Incidentally, the other four of the top five regrets (in the order mentioned) by Bonnie Ware were:- I wish I hadn’t work so hard; I wish I had the courage to express my feelings; I wished I’d stayed in touch with my friends and I wished I’d let myself be happier.

Be well.

To many of us, self-care is an important part of a regular routine that supports and maintain the body temple.   Unfortunately for others,  this activity only occurs with intentional planning, or, when there’s a wake-up call that forces them to address their emotional, physical and/or mental well-being.

Our bodies should never be taken for granted.  We must learn to appreciate value and love them.  Without a physical body none would have the gift of life expression in the earth realm.  The truth is, we are not always mindful of how over time, the rigors, demands and stress of daily living takes a toll.   Often we ignore its subtle messages to pay attention, until physical discomforts forces us to tune in.

Self-care is an essential component of balanced living and it allows us to nurture and honor the body temple.    Make it a habit  to maximize every opportunity to enjoy some well-deserved “ME” time. Develop your own individualized practice,  find whatever works for you and stick with it.

If the “Kingdom of God” is within you (Luke 17:21), then why are we not taught to discover it within ourselves?   Your body is the temple of the living God  (1 Corinthians 3:16)  and God resides within each and every one of us.  Just saying…..

News Flash!!! God has no religion.  God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).  Religious denominations were developed around human belief systems. In God there is no separation or division.  There is a place for everyone.  You don’t have to be religious to have a relationship with God.  Spirit will meet you right where you are.  Just saying…..

In the beginning, God (Genesis 1:1)….. The origin of everything divine, spiritual, intelligent, life forms on every planet, quantum physics, music, solar systems, galaxies and multi-verses, all exists within God.  In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).  Just saying…..

Christ is not Jesus’ last name.  His name is Yeshua Ben Yosef (Matt 1:1-18).  Google it!  Just saying…..

Seventy times seven (Matt.18:22) is the number of times Jesus said we should forgive those who’ve wronged us.  How are you doing with your practice, patience and persistency lately?  Just saying…..

It is done unto you as you “BELIEVE” (Matt. 9:29)….  Faith is one of your spiritual gifts, you should use it more often.  Just saying…..

Our thoughts and actions are conditioned by our belief systems.  Do you think it’s time to update yours?  Just saying…..

“When you change the way you look at things the things you look at change.”  These words that resonated so strongly within me were uttered by the late Wayne Dyer during a PBS special.  I instantly had a Eureka moment, and at my core I knew I had to re-frame my perception of situations that were present in my life, and redefine the meaning I’d attached to them.

Instead of looking at the glass as half empty, dwelling on negativity or getting depressed, why not set the intention to look at things differently.   What if these unwelcome events that unravel our perfectly structured lives with effortless precision, are just things working together for our good?  Sometimes in the fog of angst, distress, worry, and fear, our good may appear to be temporarily eclipsed.

In hindsight you’ll look back and realize that the job termination which devastated you was really a stepping stone to a better opportunity; or, ending a long-term relationship was timely because it no longer served you, and the severing of ties allowed your inner strength and resilience to emerge.

 No one is exempt from set-backs in life.  Individual response will vary with each situation and so will outcomes.  Persistency, determination and focus, are key to bouncing back.   Success is not always linear and challenges, disappointments and failures are all part of the course.    It’s widely known that Michael Jordan was once cut from his basketball team in high school;   As an inventor, Thomas Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts before he succeeded at inventing the light bulb; Beethoven was deaf when he wrote five of his greatest symphonies; Walt Disney was fired for not having good ideas and lacked imagination; JK Rowling (Harry Potter author) was a single parent on welfare struggling to raise her kid.

Remember, the journey is not the destination and you can always rebound from a setback.   “When you change the way you look at things the things you look at change.”

Know Thyself: “We are human in expression, but divine in creation and limitless in potentiality”….. Eric Butterworth

Imagination is Key: “You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus”…… Mark Twain

Create an awesome Vision: “We are limited, not by our abilities but by our vision”……Author Unknown

Be Authentic: “Be yourself, everyone else is taken”….. Oscar Wilde

Mind your Thoughts: “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think”…..Buddha

Take the Limit off of God: “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this – you haven’t”….. Thomas Edison

There’s Light at the end of the Tunnel: “What the caterpillar calls the end of life, the master calls a butterfly”….. Richard Bach

“And the Day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”……. Anais Nin

As you awaken, your discontent with the status quo will be unmistakable. Your identity so carefully crafted around achievements, years of social conditioning, symbols of wealth, or lack thereof, no longer fits the person you are now. Although you’re not a hundred percent sure of what is happening, the signs of change are all around you. Will you give yourself permission and allow that which is emerging in you to come forth? Can you create the space and allow the process to be unhindered, so that life “in you” can fully express as “You”?

The territory may appear unfamiliar with a few unexpected detours, but trust that you are being divinely guided and you’re not alone. As you unfold, you will shift and more closely align with your true self and your status quo will transform into a new normal.