Love Conquers All..........MAKTUB!!

 

LOVE CONQUERS ALL!

By, Kelli Patterson

 

I'M LOVE, YOUR LOVE, HE'S LOVE, SHE'S LOVE....EVERYBODYS LOVE LOVE <3

 

 

Love is not a feeling, thought or action. Love is not a category, symbol, or label. LOVE IS THE TITLE….THE BASIS TO WHICH THE STORY WAS WRITTEN! MAKTUB!

 

What is love? This is a question that I have heard a thousand times, and probably had or heard nearly as many answers or responses. I have never thought of myself as a master or “super skilled” at any one thing, but I must admit, I think I have mastered one thing in my life, and that is LOVE!! 

 

I know what some of you may be thinking, “How does this girl know anything? At 34, she has never been married, has no kids, and is single. How can you consider yourself a master of love?” Simple, I master love because it is the very essence of my being, the core of my soul that I have taken the time to connect with and allow to prevail. I think it was the dominant energy force field that reached far beyond the creation and expansion of the universe. Written in my DNA, in all of our DNA, in fact, too bad many choose to attach love to everything except them. Cars, jobs, houses, significant others, friendships, materialistic goods, a certain food, friends, family, a new shirt or pair of shoes, a trip or place to visit, these are all things that people love, when really, when true happiness comes from right inside of each one of us, love, that many times, people choose to ignore unless they can attach a symbol, person, place, or thing to which all seem irrelevant when you compare it to everything that makes you who you are, and how the love within you chooses to manifest itself in the world around you. No love that can be attached to anything will ever equate to the process of connecting with, living upon, and expressing the love that you feel for yourself. It is this love that will make every relationship and experience spectacular and take it to a level that could never have been achieved without connecting with the very core of our being. It changes everything, how you view the world, your ability to understand and interact with others, how you feel about yourself, your ability to achieve great things, and how you choose to reflect upon your life, your passions, and the purpose you were meant to live.  

 

Just  because a couple has been married for a ton of years, people are in healthy relationships, and they are fully content with the “love” in their lives, does not mean, necessarily, that they are experts on the topic of “love.” In fact, most of the time, when I ask others to define love, they cannot even come up a definite answer, or put it into words or expressions; therefore, just because one is in a successful relationship doesn’t mean that they are fully aware of what love is or that they know how to love unconditionally. 

 

Love is not something that you think or show towards someone or something. Love is not an act, deed, or expression that one shows another individual or thing. Love is not the feelings that arise in your body when you are intimate or close with someone. Love is not a bond that two individuals feel. Love is not a reason for enduring pain or seeking fulfillment for something. Love is not a behavior that exhibits itself upon certain situations or experiences. All of these things are the consequences or manifestations that come about through love, but they are not LOVE itself, just meaning, labels, and perceptions that people have attached to it as a way to justify or rationalize their thoughts, feelings, or actions and take ownership over something or to place something in a category, that they call love. I hate to break it to all of you, love should never be used to exhibit ownership, possession, or preference over something, nor should it be used as a way to identify something. All too often, I see people use love as a label for something, or as a type of category to place things in, sad really!  

 

Love is SIMPLE and LOVE is EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING! Love is the core of our very being, the very thought and energy that God used to create the very essence of who we are. When a person truly loves, every word, every action, every thought, and every way that a person chooses to reason and processes thoughts and information is unconsciously fueled by love, a love which is pure, true, free, honest, open, and sincere because real love knows no boundaries and has no borders. Real love is shown in every way that we encounter with the world and others around us, not because we necessarily love our surroundings, but because it is who we are. Love is such a dominant force/drive in our lives, that, to view, act or perceive anything or anyone out of anything but love, would feel uncomfortable, unnatural, and unhealthy because love, acceptance, and compassion are normal, natural, and healthy. When connected with our inner love, we ARE LOVE, we see it, taste it, feel it, and experience it and it shows in everything we do. When one is connected to the love within their core, they are so grateful for every opportunity and experience and feel extremely blessed for have been given the time and life in which to do so and it shows in every way that they react with the world around them. To connect with our essence, our love from which we were created, allows us to view the world in a totally different way. Where some may see difficulty, madness, problems, challenges, crime, poverty, murder, hate, greed, or other negative things, lovers will see and focus on the good in all things, forgive easily, love our enemies as much as our family, and feel a very strong connection with the things/people who share the home we call Earth. These individuals, while feeling confident and secure because of their goodwill and benevolent intentions, and powered by the unstoppable force, known as love, become servant leaders who do everything within their power to serve others, stand up for what is right, and try to leave any place, situation, group, team, family, or community in a better state than which they entered it. Seeing the world through loving eyes will give you the hope, passion, drive, and motivation needed to encourage, inspire, and support others, producing a reality that matches their perception and contributing to the wellbeing of humanity and being a creator of the masterpiece that we will someday know as “WORLD PEACE!” 

 

Love should not only show its face or become known to others when we feel happy, at ease, or pleasantly surprised or excited about something, on the contrary, love should radiate and become much more intense when we are faced with hardships, such as, rejection, fear, trauma, obstacles, war, threat from others or our environment, economic and political turmoil, and other major threats to our wellbeing or stability.  

 

God knew this when creating us, with love at the core, because he knew that there would be evil, temptations, disagreements, differences in opinions, fight for power, government collapse, etc. and he knew that it would be the ONE antidote that would cure or solve all of the world’s problems. We must realize this in times of crisis, and in those times, be sure to always act upon this inner and complete essence within us because those individuals, who have not connected with their essence, will fail to look out for anyone but themselves. Powerful people will tempt people with money, resources, or unrealistic and deceitful and misleading ideologies, in order to gain their trust and commitment. Those individuals who are out of that “inner circle” could possibly succumb to fear and give into a “survival of the fittest” mentality, causing them to lookout for number one (or possibly their immediate family/loved ones) and do things that they feel that they “must” in order to be safe and free of harm. This will only lead people further away from the love God has placed within us, and cause more separation of people, fights and war being fought for resources needed for survival, and cause chaos and crisis in this world. For those who seek power and dominance or to be superior over others, our fears will allow them to gain ultimate wealth and cause others to suffer. We MUST connect with our core, inner love and not just think it, act on it, or be it sometimes; we must give into it and allow it to flow. No matter what our emotions, perceptions, reasoning, or environments may tell us, we must love freely, unconditionally, and break down any and all barriers that could separate us from others. No matter what religion, political party, race, financial bracket, status/title, education level, past, etc. we are….all of it is irrelevant if we stop focusing on those issues and just LOVE all people, both, those we consider good and those we may view as bad. This will allow us to unite, build trust, and prove that we care just as much for others as we do ourselves. In doing so, even those who may be critical of our kindness and not have faith in our words and actions, will come to realize that we can do this, all of us, healthy and happy, but only through love and unity. The governments, people, nations, groups, and individuals around the world who seek power or dominance over others for their own selfish and greedy reasons will, no matter how rich or powerful, not be able to measure up to the good intentions, visions of happiness, health, equality, and everyone on this Earth being healthy and nurtured.

 

If there are individuals who wish to do you harm, conquer you, gain your acceptance, give false promises, or display power over you rather than empowering you, it is crucial that you step back and be sure that you have connected to your fully encompassing and complete loving essence and trusting in its ability to be strong and prevalent, especially in those trying times. When one has mastered connecting with their core; temptations, other’s actions, and threats of harm will seize to have any affect upon you because your good intentions, altruistic actions, and your vision of a loving and peaceful future are worth risking everything for, even your own life. No longer does anything or anyone stand in the way or veer you off course from a world that you know will exist someday, and you will do whatever it takes to be the change, hope, and person that you wish to see in others. No matter what one could say or do to you, you realize that the most important thing in this world is to love yourself, which, in order to do so, must include loving others as much as yourself. It is not possible to have one without the other. As you give into the flow of love, no longer does anyone control your actions or choose your path, because you, whether win or lose, die or live, or pass or fail, you know that your essence and love will follow you on whatever journey your life (or afterlife) could send you sailing upon. Eventually, discovering and staying true to your core will lead you back to where your story began when you were nothing more than a vision in God’s mind. A vision in which God chose to give us the ability to discover and live a life fueled on natural energy, love that he has engrained in every part of our very existence.  

 

Pretty awesome when you consider the fact that, at one point in time, we were just a thought, an idea, and a vision, in God’s mind. It was God’s faith in his vision for the future than gave him the confidence to act upon his vision and to create a loving environment for us to thrive, together, in peace. The same drive and motivation that God had when envisioning and creating us, we must replicate in our visions of a brighter future. We must reach deep down and take the love that lives within each of us and use it as building blocks to build something beautiful in this world. I mean, isn’t this the reason God has placed it within us in the first place? The same faith that God had in mankind, we must also have in our fellow humans, and learn to appreciate the gift of life that he has blessed us with. 

 

Give away your power by loving all people, even those who have wronged you because love is unconditional and cannot be turned off like a light switch. When your love is pure and true, it is relevant in every aspect of your life. We do not choose when, what, or who to love, but rather, love chooses us as soon as we let down our guard and face our fears. You can always trust in love, so go ahead, hand over the keys and let it take you on the wildest, most passionate, incredible, and magical ride that your mind could ever conceive. By succumbing to love and allowing it to flow freely and steadily, love gives us the strength to overcome anything that could normally defeat, discourage, or condemn us and will allow us to remain on our path that God had intended for us, a path of complete passion, purpose, and fulfillment.

 

So love like never before, love all people, love all animals, love plants and our beautiful earth, love the spiritual world, love others unique qualities and traits, and most importantly, love YOURSELF because you will never truly love anyone else if you don’t connect with your core being, and love and accept all that makes you who you are. Love is forgiving, love is enduring, love is unconditional, love is the protector, and love is everything that is good in this world. Never allow others actions cause you to show them anything but love because, in doing so, would cause you to distance yourself from the love inside of yourself and disconnect you with the Divine beings who are waiting there to gently guide you towards a life where magic does happen, dreams do come true, and life filled with limitless possibilities for adventure, growth, and wisdom. One thing is for sure, I may be single, but I love like no other and I don’t just show, think, talk about, or display love…I LIVE LOVE, I AM LOVE! 

 

. Eventually, it will be proven, LOVE TRULY DOES CONQUER ALL! 

 

Love is not a feeling, thought or action. Love is not a category, symbol, or label. LOVE IS THE TITLE….THE BASIS TO WHICH THE STORY WAS WRITTEN!   MAKTUB!  

I know what some of you may be thinking, “How does this girl know anything? At 34, she has never been married, has no kids, and is single. How can you consider yourself a master of love?” Simple, I master love because it is the very essence of my being, the core of my soul that I have taken the time to connect with and allow to prevail. I think it was the dominant energy force field that reached far beyond the creation and expansion of the universe. Written in my DNA, in all of our DNA, in fact, too bad many choose to attach love to everything except them. Cars, jobs, houses, significant others, friendships, materialistic goods, a certain food, friends, family, a new shirt or pair of shoes, a trip or place to visit, these are all things that people love, when really, when true happiness comes from right inside of each one of us, love, that many times, people choose to ignore unless they can attach a symbol, person, place, or thing to it, which all seem irrelevant when you compare it to everything that makes you who you are, and how the love within you chooses to manifest itself in the world around you.

 

No love that can be attached to anything will ever equate to the process of connecting with, living upon, and expressing the love that you feel for yourself. It is this love that will make every relationship and experience spectacular and take it to a level that could never have been achieved without connecting with the very core of our being. It changes everything, how you view the world, your ability to understand and interact with others, how you feel about yourself, your ability to achieve great things, and how you choose to reflect upon your life, your passions, and the purpose you were meant to live.

 

Just  because a couple has been married for a ton of years, people are in healthy relationships, and they are fully content with the “love” in their lives, does not mean, necessarily, that they are experts on the topic of “love.” In fact, most of the time, when I ask others to define love, they cannot even come up a definite answer, or put it into words or expressions; therefore, just because one is in a successful relationship doesn’t mean that they are fully aware of what love is or that they know how to love unconditionally. 

Love is not something that you think or show towards someone or something. Love is not an act, deed, or expression that one shows another individual or thing. Love is not the feelings that arise in your body when you are intimate or close with someone. Love is not a bond that two individuals feel. Love is not a reason for enduring pain or seeking fulfillment for something. Love is not a behavior that exhibits itself upon certain situations or experiences. All of these things are the consequences or manifestations that come about through love, but they are not LOVE itself, just meaning, labels, and perceptions that people have attached to it as a way to justify or rationalize their thoughts, feelings, or actions and take ownership over something or to place something in a category, that they call love. I hate to break it to all of you, love should never be used to exhibit ownership, possession, or preference over something, nor should it be used as a way to identify something. All too often, I see people use love as a label for something, or as a type of category to place things in, sad really!   

Love is SIMPLE and LOVE is EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING! Love is the core of our very being, the very thought and energy that God used to create the very essence of who we are. When a person truly loves, every word, every action, every thought, and every way that a person chooses to reason and processes thoughts and information is unconsciously fueled by love, a love which is pure, true, free, honest, open, and sincere because real love knows no boundaries and has no borders. Real love is shown in every way that we encounter with the world and others around us, not because we necessarily love our surroundings, but because it is who we are. Love is such a dominant force/drive in our lives, that, to view, act or perceive anything or anyone out of anything but love, would feel uncomfortable, unnatural, and unhealthy because love, acceptance, and compassion are normal, natural, and healthy. When connected with our inner love, we ARE LOVE, we see it, taste it, feel it, and experience it and it shows in everything we do. When one is connected to the love within their core, they are so grateful for every opportunity and experience and feel extremely blessed for have been given the time and life in which to do so and it shows in every way that they react with the world around them. To connect with our essence, our love from which we were created, allows us to view the world in a totally different way. Where some may see difficulty, madness, problems, challenges, crime, poverty, murder, hate, greed, or other negative things, lovers will see and focus on the good in all things, forgive easily, love our enemies as much as our family, and feel a very strong connection with the things/people who share the home we call Earth. These individuals, while feeling confident and secure because of their goodwill and benevolent intentions, and powered by the unstoppable force, known as love, become servant leaders who do everything within their power to serve others, stand up for what is right, and try to leave any place, situation, group, team, family, or community in a better state than which they entered it. Seeing the world through loving eyes will give you the hope, passion, drive, and motivation needed to encourage, inspire, and support others, producing a reality that matches their perception and contributing to the wellbeing of humanity and being a creator of the masterpiece that we will someday know as “WORLD PEACE!” 

Love should not only show its face or become known to others when we feel happy, at ease, or pleasantly surprised or excited about something, on the contrary, love should radiate and become much more intense when we are faced with hardships, such as, rejection, fear, trauma, obstacles, war, threat from others or our environment, economic and political turmoil, and other major threats to our wellbeing or stability.  

God knew this when creating us, with love at the core, because he knew that there would be evil, temptations, disagreements, differences in opinions, fight for power, government collapse, etc. and he knew that it would be the ONE antidote that would cure or solve all of the world’s problems, love.

 

We must realize this in times of crisis, and be sure to always center ourselves and act upon this inner and complete essence within us .Eventually, as we begin to change the culture of our world, those individuals, who have not connected with their essence and who fail to look out for anyone but themselves, will someday have to choose to change for the better because they will lose thier power and privelige when they do not have meaningful, respectful, and trusting relationships, clients to buy thier products because they have other choices, people begin to care less about the materialistic world and more about the spiritual and inner world, and people find that they do not have to follow a leader, a government, rules, laws, or a society that they do not believe in or feel as if it is in EVERYONES best interests. Powerful people will tempt others with money, resources, or unrealistic and deceitful and misleading ideologies, in order to gain their trust, loyalty, and commitment, even when the person knows, in thier heart, that what they are doing is morally wrong. Those individuals who are out of that “inner circle” of the priveliged few or do not have access to food, shelter, money, gas, water, etc. could possibly succumb to fear and give into a “survival of the fittest” mentality, causing them to lookout for number one (or possibly their immediate family/loved ones) and do things that they feel that they “must” in order to survive.

 

We, as citizens, must realize this now, with these extreme times of policical changes and new rules, laws, and UNJUSTIFIED actions of our governement, and work together to come up with solutions that will empower individuals and create peace and harmony, through nurturing, advocacy, mental health resources, involving ourselves by paying attention to warning signs and not being afraid to become involved, rehabiitation, contribution, education, mentoring, and compassion and whit, not by taking away guns, forcing people to get/have health insurance, telling or forcing people to do things, or abusing the power that was given to you. We must lead, role model, and peacefully protest for the things we believe in and stand up for ourselves, not allow ourselves to be pushed around or intimidated by individuals, society, or government or authority. 

 

If we choose to allow the actions of others and the demands of life, society, and the governement determine our moods, actions, thoughts, and behaviors, we have lost the trust, in ourselves and in them. This will only lead people further away from the love God has placed within us, and cause more separation of people, fights and war being fought for resources needed for survival, and cause chaos and crisis in this world. For those who seek power and dominance or to be superior over others, our fears will allow them to gain ultimate wealth and cause others to suffer.

 

We MUST connect with our core, inner love and not just think it, act on it, or be it sometimes; we must give into it and allow it to flow. No matter what our emotions, perceptions, reasoning, or environments may tell us, we must love freely, unconditionally, and break down any and all barriers that could separate us from others. No matter what religion, political party, race, financial bracket, status/title, education level, past, etc. we are….all of it is irrelevant if we stop focusing on those issues and just LOVE all people, both, those we consider good and those we may view as bad. This will allow us to unite, build trust, and prove that we care just as much for others as we do ourselves. In doing so, even those who may be critical of our kindness and not have faith in our words and actions, will come to realize that we can do this, all of us, healthy and happy, but only through love and unity. The governments, people, nations, groups, and individuals around the world who seek power or dominance over others for their own selfish and greedy reasons will, no matter how rich or powerful, not be able to measure up to the good intentions of loving and caring individuals, coupled with thier visions and contributions to society that will produce happiness, health, equality, and peace for everyone on this Earth, 

If there are individuals who wish to do you harm, conquer you, gain your acceptance, give false promises, or display power over you rather than empowering you, it is crucial that you step back and be sure that you have connected to your fully encompassing and complete loving essence and trusting in its ability to be strong and prevalent, especially in those trying times. When one has mastered connecting with their core; temptations, other’s actions, and threats of harm will seize to have any affect upon you because your good intentions, altruistic actions, and your vision of a loving and peaceful future are worth risking everything for, even your own life.

 

No longer does anything or anyone stand in the way or veer you off course from a world that you know will exist someday, and you will do whatever it takes to be the change, hope, and person that you wish to see in others. No matter what one could say or do to you, you realize that the most important thing in this world is to love yourself, which, in order to do so, must include loving others as much as yourself. It is not possible to have one without the other.

 

As you give into the flow of love, no longer does anyone control your actions or choose your path, because you, whether win or lose, die or live, or pass or fail, you know that your essence and love will follow you on whatever journey your life (or afterlife) could send you sailing upon. Eventually, discovering and staying true to your core will lead you back to where your story began when you were nothing more than a vision in God’s mind. A vision in which God chose to give us the ability to discover and live a life fueled on natural energy, love that he has engrained in every part of our very existence.  

Pretty awesome when you consider the fact that, at one point in time, we were just a thought, an idea, and a vision, in God’s mind. It was God’s faith in his vision for the future than gave him the confidence to act upon his vision and to create a loving environment for us to thrive, together, in peace. The same drive and motivation that God had when envisioning and creating us, we must replicate in our visions of a brighter future. We must reach deep down and take the love that lives within each of us and use it as building blocks to build something beautiful in this world. I mean, isn’t this the reason God has placed it within us in the first place? The same faith that God had in mankind, we must also have in our fellow humans, and learn to appreciate the gift of life that he has blessed us with. 

Give away your power by loving all people, even those who have wronged you because love is unconditional and cannot be turned off like a light switch. When your love is pure and true, it is relevant in every aspect of your life. We do not choose when, what, or who to love, but rather, love chooses us as soon as we let down our guard and face our fears. You can always trust in love, so go ahead, hand over the keys and let it take you on the wildest, most passionate, incredible, and magical ride that your mind could ever conceive. By succumbing to love and allowing it to flow freely and steadily, love gives us the strength to overcome anything that could normally defeat, discourage, or condemn us and will allow us to remain on our path that God had intended for us, a path of complete passion, purpose, and fulfillment. 

So love like never before, love all people, love all animals, love plants and our beautiful earth, love the spiritual world, love others unique qualities and traits, and most importantly, love YOURSELF because you will never truly love anyone else if you don’t connect with your core being, and love and accept all that makes you who you are. Love is forgiving, love is enduring, love is unconditional, love is the protector, and love is everything that is good in this world. Never allow others actions cause you to show them anything but love because, in doing so, would cause you to distance yourself from the love inside of yourself and disconnect you with the Divine beings who are waiting there to gently guide you towards a life where magic does happen, dreams do come true, and life filled with limitless possibilities for adventure, growth, and wisdom. One thing is for sure, I may be single, but I love like no other and I don’t just show, think, talk about, or display love…I LIVE LOVE, I AM LOVE!

 

. Eventually, it will be proven, LOVE TRULY DOES CONQUER ALL!

 

Love is not a feeling, thought or action. Love is not a category, symbol, or label. LOVE IS THE TITLE….THE BA

 

 

Domination or Vulnerability, which would you choose?

Some people see vulnerability as a sign of weakness. I see vulnerability as a tool for empowerment and blessing in disguise. For some, when they are vulnerable, their defenses go up, for me, I follow my heart.  To be vulnerable means you are open to attack or damage so by being vulnerable, it means that someone or something feels threatened by you. If you give this statement serious thought, you will realize that the attacker is not threatened by “what you did,” but rather, what you are “capable of doing.” Since most people do not enjoy being vulnerable and would do anything to avoid it, I think it is safe to say that attackers are unjustifiable in their reasons for wanting to attack in the first place. When you know that your heart is in the right place, and your intentions are for the good of mankind, it is very easy to choose the role of one who is vulnerable over the role of the attacker, even when the attacker has a full arsenal of soldiers and weapons ready to take you down.  

Most people associate being vulnerable with signs of being easily defeated, weak, or under qualified or educated. Unenlightened individuals are those who seek personal power and gains will try to defeat the vulnerable. This could include things like personal injuries, lies, spreading rumors, hurting people to rise the top, greedy tendencies, forcing thoughts and opinions upon others, or manipulation. Something as simple as “challenging” another person or competing with another person who doesn’t wish to play the game could also be considered an attack by these ruthless individuals. One thing is obvious, they try so hard to make it a point to others that they are the “winner,” or “master” that, to the enlightened individual, that simple fact is already a sure sign that they are they have no mastery because winners are the ones who believe in the power of their “goodwill” and positive intentions to carry them through the battle, even at the greatest of odds.   

 Where the unenlightened see vulnerability as a weakness, the enlightened see vulnerability as an opportunity. In my opinion, being vulnerable is a great thing because it represents a chance for growth and an opportunity to “arm yourself.” When I say “arm yourself,” I am referring to obtaining skills, knowledge, and resources so that you are satisfied and able to live your life to the fullest, being happy and on purpose, and having no regrets when you are faced with death. Those who view being vulnerable in a positive light is more resilient, able to easily overcome obstacles, and want to share their experiences with others so that they can contribute to humanity in positive ways.   

Many people associate the word “master” with people who are experts at something, or individuals who think of themselves as superior to others and the “all powerful” while considering themselves the ruler or king above all others. Any individual that chooses to think of themselves as a “master” while displaying power and force over others, only shows that they do not believe in their own strength which is why they force their power upon others in the first place. If a person calls or considers themselves a master, they are already admitting defeat in my eyes because “master” should not be a state of being but rather a work in progress. Mastery should not be used as a title or noun, .but rather; mastery should be used as a verb and a continuous effort that is never achieved.

The most empowered individuals are those ordinary and everyday individuals who do not claim to be a master or exhibit their power, through their positions or otherwise, over others. They will admit to vulnerability but never surrender to defeat because their willingness to evolve allows them to continue to seek information while keeping an open mind and connecting with others. Where unenlightened individuals seek to get their needs and wants met first and foremost, the enlightened will recognize that by fulfilling and contributing to the world’s wants and needs, it will contribute to their own personal fulfillment.  

 The enlightened individuals are not afraid to stand up for what is fair and just, whether it is alone or with the support of many, because they know, in their heart, that their intentions are based upon love and equality for all. They will choose to be vulnerable because they know that it is the materialistic items that they obtain in life that make them who they are, but rather what purpose or gift they offered to the world and the essence of their soul that makes them who they are. For them, the process of “attempting” to climb the mountain and achieve greatness is far more valuable than ever truly reaching the peak. Titles, statuses, recognition, or any benefits that could come from their hard work and efforts are worthless compared to the value that came from experiencing and reflecting upon their personal growth and the quality of life that comes from living in moral ways with love, compassion, and kindness for all. 

In my opinion, I never want to think of myself as “over” “above” “better” or “more qualified” than anyone  because there is so much that we could all learn from one another and ways in which we could share our experiences, knowledge, wisdom, gratitude, resources, and skills that would greatly enhance and enrich one another’s quality of life. These are the things that we all need to motivate and inspire us so that we can continue to evolve and grow on our journey and live a life that is full of joy, hope, happiness, and peace. It is this lifelong journey of “attempting” to master ourselves that will keep us connected to people and the universe around us and continue to feed our hunger for personal growth that will allow us to be open to change. By never considering ourselves a “master,” we will allow ourselves to be vulnerable and learn to openly embrace the unique expressions and information that others bring into our lives by being their own original and unique self. Not judging others and allowing them into our world, we will realize just how much we influence and affect one another and the benefits of working together and treating one another with patience, respect, compassion, and appreciation for the fact that others, just like us, are on the same journey towards their own personal fulfillment. 

Our personal journey of achievements and victories that are achieved through the love, support, and encouragement of others will contribute to our confidence and ability to continue on the path of fulfillment and discovery and motivate us to take on bigger responsibilities, gain more knowledge, and overcome even greater obstacles. . As you continue to reach greater heights of achievement and personal growth, you will also notice that your feelings of inner peace, joy, and happiness also arise, putting you even closer to becoming self-realized..  Eventually, this inner joy and peace will be so insurmountable that nothing in the world could overcome them, causing you to be filled with gratitude and an appreciation for, both, life and the world around you. The positive energy that you feel from living life with gratitude, passion and purpose will affect the world in tremendous ways by your attitude, words, and actions being mirrored by others around you. As others witness the courage you display when displaying your vulnerability, you will inspire them to have the courage to stand up against the things are destructive or not beneficial within our relationships, people, and our world. By opening up to change, you are letting go of things/thoughts that no longer serve your purpose and allowing God to bless you with everything you need to fully develop so that you can achieve that everlasting inner peace, joy, and harmony that each of us deserve. 

So many individuals think that “things” will make them happy; running around in circles, obtaining nice cars, big homes, vacations, nice clothes, etc,. forever searching for that one thing that will quench their desires and bring them happiness, but never truly feeling satisfied. They jump from one thing to the next, spending their days working hard and going the extra mile so that they can earn the money to buy the things that they want or that they think will make their family happy, but not appreciating the moments and experiences that are right in front of them because they are too focused on what their efforts are going to bring them. Unfortunately, sometimes people are faced with events that will not allow for that future to manifest, and people are forced deal with the regrets that come from not appreciating the things in life that truly matter, each and every precious moment with loved ones that God blesses us with. True happiness comes from knowing that you try to do the best you can, appreciate every moment, treat all human beings with kindness and respect, and try to live in enjoyable and moral ways, all which are completely free and able to be awakened inside of each of us at any time.    

It is my hunger, my thirst for growth that will keep me on the path to my destiny. It is this hunger that will keep me on my never ending journey to grow and evolve. I will never consider myself a “master,” nor will I allow another to determine my actions and behaviors. I will always choose vulnerability over mastery because if I were to claim to be a “master,” that would mean that I had reached the “top” of the mountain, and therefore, there would be nowhere to go but down! Personally, I like the climb.

RIGHTEOUS REBEL & IDEALISTIC INNOVATOR

While reading my juvenile delinquency book, I had to respond to Merton’s 5 modes of strain theory and how they contribute to delinquency. It really got to me because these modes were presented in a negative light, whereas, I viewed them (the last two, rebellion and innovation) as a Wonderful thing! 

According to my textbook:

“Rebellion occurs when a person rejects both the means and the goals of the social mainstream and replaces them with new ones.” (1)  (sounds good to me J). ““Rebels” deviate from the social mainstream perspective and try to introduce a new social order. Eco terrorists and political terrorists are good illustrations of this mode of adaptation.”(1) 

It describes innovation as: “The fifth mode of adaptation, innovation, represents individuals who have accepted the cultural emphasis on success, but not the prescribed norms for reaching it. An innovative person rejects institutional or approved practices but retains the culturally induced goals. This approach is most likely to occur when a person has little access to conventional means for attaining such success. Innovative individuals, therefore, adopt unapproved means, such as theft, burglary, or robbery.”(1)

 

      These last two really got to me! I consider myself, both, a rebel and an innovator. Part of the problem in today’s society is what they value and what their definition of “success” is!  It seems as though money, nice things, and status are more important than morals, respect and love for one another, life forms, time, family, and values. SAD REALLY! Society needs to wake up and realize what is important and what they are creating for their children. This is why I love WV because people seem less concerned with these things and value the simple things in this world that God has given us! 

I am a REBEL because I do not need laws or society telling me what to do because I have a strong moral compass and COMPLETE respect for all life forms while valuing their lives just as much as my own.  I do not and WILL not conform to laws or anything else that I do not believe in my heart is good for humanity as a whole, even if it were to cost me my life….I will fight for the rights of every human being to be happy, healthy, and have their needs met, and personally, I’m sick and tired of taking orders from people who have their own selfish reasons for doing the things they do, changing laws, or making people do things, and the sad thing is that people take orders from these “officials” simply because of their wealth and status, yet those same individuals are only out for themselves, and will, eventually, do the same to the people who work for them! We need to create a society where MONEY and Materialistic things are irrelevant, and where kindness, compassion, love, and helping one another is what is GOLDEN!  So, yes, I am a rebel. I will NEVER give up my guns (because my family uses them to feed us, just as many people in the mountains would not eat if they didn’t have guns) and NEVER will I pay to get insurance because I don’t need it and I don’t use it so why in the world would I pay for it! Like I said before, my core is love and light, and never will I conform to anyone or anything that is not out for the good of our entire universe, even if it costs me my life or a lifetime in prison!

I am also an innovator in the sense that I have reached my highest level of success, a level of success that many individuals do not reach in their lifetime, self-realization/self-actualization, and it has nothing to do with anything but what makes up “who I am” not “what I have, do, or have done!” I will use my success to help others reach this inner peace so that they can radiate that inner peace and create a world where people give to others. We do not need government that has to control and use force (but rather a government that connects, organizes, and maintains the platform for individual happiness and equality for all), we do not need taxes, we do not need money, we NEED to barter and share what we have (gift, purpose, talent, skills, knowledge) with others and allow them to provide, in return, what we need or lack. Then people will learn to love, support, appreciate, and help one another and the world will get back the morals, ethics, and value that God was able to “foresee” when creating our World!

 

My being a Rebel or an Innovator has absolutely nothing to do with delinquency, fighting, arguing, or deceiving; it has EVERYTHING to do with peace, giving, empowerment, and sharing so that everyone can be happy and healthy! 

REF:

(1) Bartol, C.; Bartol, A. (2009).  Juvenile Delinquency and Antisocial Behavior 3^rd edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

HEAVEN MUST EXIST BECAUSE GOD HAS SENT ME AN ANGEL

Never let anyone out there tell you that Heaven does not exist because God has sent me an angel <3

 

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT THINK THAT BY SIMPLY BELIEVING IN SOMEONE, YOU CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIFE. 

THIS IS THE STORY OF THAT SPECIAL TEACHER WHO WENT THAT EXTRA MILE. SHE WAS THERE TO ENCOURAGE, INSPIRE, AND GENTLY GUIDE ME SO THAT I COULD FIND MY PLACE IN LIFE. IT WAS HER MENTOR SHIP THAT HELPED ME REACH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SUCCESS THAT I COULD EVER REACH...SELF-REALIZATION.

I REMEMBER A TIME WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS HAPPY, I MUST HAVE BEEN FOOLING MYSELF THOUGH, BECAUSE WHAT I WOULD SOON REALIZE IS THAT IN ORDER TO BE TRULY HAPPY, YOU MUST ALSO BE CONTENT.

So, what words would i choose to define what it is like to be "content," the only words that come to mind are inner peace and gratitude. Now, looking back, i realize that i couldn't have been happy or content back then because i was wrapped up in "my future."  My desire to be successful in life, kept me on a constant goose chase and brought tons of stress and worry about how i was going to reach success. During that time, my thoughts of success meant that i would be just where i wanted to be in life, with a good job, have a family, graduating college with my doctorates, living in a nice house in my dream location, driving a nice car, and someday owning my own business. With these thoughts of how i was going to achieve these goals for my future. So i began focusing all of my attention on what i needed to do to get these things in life. Instead of living in the moment and enjoying my time with the people that i loved, i spent my time worrying about my grades and how they would affect my chances of transferring to a good college, what major i should choose so that i could find a job that paid fairly well and that i enjoyed, how i was going to advance or get promoted at the place that i was working at the time so that i could learn more about running my own business, etc.,  

The funny thing is, looking back on these times, i realize that i was chasing something that was within me the whole time, happiness, and it had nothing to do with achieving those goals or anything that i envisioned in my dream of a "happy future." Everything in life that was truly invaluable was all the things that i was breezing by without being thankful for, which is every part of me that makes me who i am as a person, and all of the things i was passing by without gratitude while focusing on the things i wished to acquire, such as being lucky enough to be blessed with such a loving family, awesome friends, caring teachers and mentors, children who i could be there for, and coworkers whom i adored. Not to mention all the beauty that great mother Earth had blessed us with that i had not been taking the time to stop and appreciate.

At that moment, my focus shifted from the future to the hear and  now my mind shifted to my higher consciousness, as i realized that i had already reached my highest success, inner peace and contentment. From that point forward, i have been able to feel blessed by every moment, and although i am still working on achieving many of my goals, I definitely do not depend on any of them to create my happiness or define who i am as a person! 

MEETING MY MENTOR, MISS PEGGY CLIFFORD............and the journey begins!

Interpersonal communications class would lead to a crucial turning point in my life, thanks to one special teacher, Miss Clifford. Her methods of teaching by encouraging introspect would turn out to be the best thing that has ever happened to me. Her unique approach to teaching would not only include the curriculum, but also exercises and self-assessments that would end up being just as beneficial as the course itself by contributing towards our self-awareness and personal growth. Personality and multiple intelligence tests, tests to determine whether we were right or left brained and how it relates to our abilities, evaluations to determine our style of learning and communicating, as well as weekly journal assignments to reflect upon topics related to our self-concept. By assigning these assignments, we were forced to focus inward, which resulted in my desire to make changes and become a better version of myself. With each change came an increased confidence in my ability to accomplish goals, and a greater sense of self-worth.

 

In the midst of hard times, especially when realizing my faults, Miss Clifford was always there to coach me through the tough times. In doing so, she has taught me the most important lesson in life, that is was not the words that she spoke to me, but rather her intentions and unspoken words that contained the most meaning. When I would go to her during times of emotional crisis, seeking answers, rather than answering my questions, she would respond with a question. At the time, I was not able to see the significance in her actions and often time left feeling more confused than before I got there. It would not be until days later, upon reflection, that I would come to realize that she was not trying to confuse me, but rather she understood that in order for me to be fulfilled and happy with an answer, I must discover it from within myself.

 

She has taught me that there is no real truth, only a truth for me. By focusing inward, I was able to become my true and authentic self, good and bad, gifts and faults but because I know that my intentions that I base each and every action upon is based upon love and respect for all, I am able to accept all that is me. With this acceptance comes contentment in life because I have nothing to prove, I have already reached what I consider to be the highest level of success one can achieve, self-actualization. 

 

Ever since this moment I have been able to stay grounded, even in times of chaos because I am filled with an inner peace that nobody could ever take away. With this inner peace comes a special joy that allows me to live in and cherish each and every moment, and also the desire to want to help others in the same way that Miss Clifford has helped me. 

 

Although I may never reach the level of skill that my teacher has set as an example, she has helped me to realize that it is my good willed intentions that will help me to find a way, even when their doesn’t appear to be one. When something truly touches our hearts, we remain motivated and keep working towards the realization of our dreams.  So, here I am, dedicating myself to a lifetime of learning, and challenging myself and doing what I can with what I have, while having faith in my God to take care of the rest.

 

 

My transformation to a superhero A.K.A Woman-of-Wonder

Do i think i am anything special?  Nope, but i do think i am the SUPERHERO of my own story!

In my opinion, far too many individuals spend so much time trying to get to know other people, meeting other people, and building relationships; however, very few of them have taken the time to truly know themselves.  If asked the question, “do you think you know yourself?” I think many individuals would immediately reply “yes, of course,” without really giving the question much thought.  I guess that people tend to think that just because they have spent a lifetime with themselves, that they really know the person that they are, and how others view them; however, In order for a person to “truly” know oneself, one must spend hours upon hours, days upon days, and weeks upon weeks looking within, and maybe then a person can satisfy their cravings just enough to realize that we are constantly a piece of work in progress.

 

Just because you are the one exhibiting behaviors, actions, feelings, or thoughts, it doesn’t mean that you fully understand what it is that is going on inside of you.  Since most individuals tend to view life from an “I am” perspective, it is important that p person learn to adopt a third person perspective when remembering, evaluating, and determining the events, situation, and messages behind their actions or behaviors. 

 

If one can put in the time needed to really get to know them, they will, along the way, begin to make changes and eliminate the parts of them that no longer serve a purpose.  If a person can dedicate themselves and focus solely upon themselves, a person should be able to peel back each layer of their being to determine which qualities and traits they wish to keep, and in what ways they wish to change.  As these changes occur, and a person becomes more of “Who they were meant to be,” rather than a product of their upbringing, environment, conditioning, social standing/acceptance, or what others want for them to be, they will begin to become in tune with who they are meant to be, their true and AUTHENTIC self!  As a person continues to peel away the layers, they start to become who they were always meant to be, and should be able to realize that there is absolutely nothing standing in their way of becoming whomever they wish to become, reaching great heights (financially, emotionally, career wise, etc..)  As the positive changes occur, one should become overcome with feelings of pride for who they are as a person and as well as what they have to offer the world.  No longer are they having to change who they are depending upon who they are around, but rather, they are so proud of who they are, as a person, that they feel confident to be this authentic person in all of their roles (parental, job, friendship, relationship, church, etc.)  As you evaluate the different areas of your life, one must realize that if they are trying to hide certain characteristics or certain experiences that you have gone through, it’s a pretty good sign that you have not accepted who you are as a person and before you expect others to embrace and like who you are, you must do some soul searching and decide what it is about yourself that needs changing.  On the contrary, when you are doing things the “right” way, or in an “ethical” or “moral” way, then you do not think twice about allowing others to see and know your “real” self.  Suddenly there is no need or room for lies, deception, imitation, fakeness, or envy in your life because you have discovered the root of your being, that which is worth more than anything else in this world, YOUR CHARACTER, and when your character is in place, all other decisions stemming from it are ones that you are proud of and willing to take ownership for! 

 

I try to make it a point to tell the at risk youth that I work with, “If you’re worried about people finding out about you, your actions, your problems, or your behaviors, it’s a pretty good sign that you should take a minute to reflect and determine why you do not want others to know about these actions because if you are doing the right thing, you wouldn’t care who knew what you were doing, thinking, acting, or behaving!”  In simpler terms, if you feel uncomfortable or are not willing to be honest and hold yourself accountable for your actions, then it is likely that you need to change your course of action or make another decision.  Sometimes I may even give them the definition of habeas corpus that I learned in my Criminal Justice class to help them to being to see the importance in weighing their decisions based on the possible outcomes to decide if their actions are worth the risk.  Pretty simple theory that a person can practice that could possibly keep them from making decisions that could have lifelong or dire consequences.

 

When establishing relationships with others, some people, when encountering a less than desirable trait from their friend/partner, will turn around and run the other way.  They will not communicate with the person about this “trait” in question, nor will they give the person a chance to change, but rather decide that they do not wish to continue to build the relationship.  You cannot run from these less than desirable traits within yourself, but what people tend to do in order to keep their confidence and save face is they tend to overlook or disregard their own less than desirable traits, qualities, or habits.  The best part about becoming self-actualized and transforming into your authentic self is you are able to acknowledge and accept your negative qualities as much as your positive ones.  Through recognizing our own imperfections, and realizing that we hold our own views, opinions, thoughts, and feelings on certain issues, you are at peace and able to fully respect and understand the same in others.  After you have realized how you have been molded into the person you are today, you realize that every individual out there has their own unique experiences to tell that comes along with their reasons for feeling and acting the way that they do.  It’s a wonderful thing to be able to realize that we are all human, with good qualities and bad, we all have our own individual story that has helped to mold us into what we are today, and we all can affect one another tremendously, it just depends on our actions whether or not those affects will be good or bad.

 

So what set me off on this journey of self-discovery?  It’s kind of funny actually because it all started with the topic of “SUPERHEROES.”  My nephews had come up to my home to spend some quality time with their aunt Kelli.  We had just gotten done watching a Disney movie, and we were off to camp out on the floor of my bedroom.  As they usually stated when spending the night, they requested that I tell them a bedtime story.  “What kind of story?” I asked.  “A scary one,” they replied in unison.  For some reason these boys love scary movies and stories, and they always tell me that my stories are not scary enough, so I knew this time I needed to step it up a bit.  As I was telling them the scary story, my dog made a loud noise just outside the window of my bedroom causing us all to jump out of our skin.  We all giggled when we realized it was just the dog, but I figured I’d better end the night on a more pleasant note.  I thought up a heroic story, one where the main character battled evil.  I was conjuring up the story in my head, while trying to think of the characteristics that I wanted the hero of my story to embody.  As I was contemplating, in my mind, what kind of person I wanted this person to be, how they would act, and what all they would accomplish, I realized, hey, anyone could become a superhero.  One does not have to have superpowers or inhuman characteristics to be a superhero, but rather, the right mindset, actions that they are proud of, integrity, and of course self-sacrificing character and behaviors.  I decided, at this time, that no longer would I waste my energy on griping and complaining about “things wrong in the world,” but instead I was going to work on myself, I was going to take on these heroic attributes, and I was going to go out there and change the things I did not like about this world.  Since that transformational moment, I have torn myself down and built myself back up, to become a better person, a stronger person, and a person who is proud of who I am, my actions, my thoughts, my intentions, and my behaviors.  What’s even better is knowing that it was myself who made those choices in who I was to become, not society, not my family, not conditioning from my environment, not expectations, and definitely not because of what others think that I “should be doing” or allowing past events or experiences to determine my actions and behaviors!

 

I was taught, through my education in dealing with “at risk” youth, that you can tell a lot about a person by asking them to fill in the blanks on the following statement:  “I am _____, people are ____, the world is ______.”   When I was first asked this question, I did not understand the significance and we were asked to reply in quick manor.  My answer to the question was:  “I am curious, people are confusing, and the world is fascinating.”  When I look back on this statement now, I am able to realize just how much it explains who I am as a person.  First of all, “I am curious” would explain my thirst for knowledge, adventure, and the unknown.  I am happy with life as long as I am continuing to learn, in fact, I am like a sponge, wanting to absorb every piece of knowledge I encounter.  The second part, “People are confusing,” would describe my need to help others, figure out their needs/wants/and motivations, to want to build relationships so that they have my support, and my ability to never judge but rather seek to understand them.  The third part:  “the world is fascinating,” would describe my thirst for adventure, my ability to adapt to different cultures and diversity, my desire to travel and visit distant lands, and my curiosity with the social sciences and humanistic endeavors.

 

As I started out on my journey to self-discovery that I was going to strip back all of my layers and into the core of my being, something I knew would not be easy!  I had to find out what part of my essence was part of which I was when God created me.  What was one thing that I could not question that I knew was an undeniable characteristic of who I was?  The one thing I knew for sure was that I had a big heart, was created, raised, and acted upon the essence of Love.  I knew aspect within me was true because after the many negative experiences in my lifetime, I was able to maintain the good faith of my fellow man and base my actions out of love for all living things, in unison.  With this newfound discovery of where I came from, I decided that love was to be the foundation to which every other building block of who I was to become would be based upon.  I would allow this foundation to guide my actions, thoughts, behaviors, feelings, and even doubts, because, in knowing that my love for all living things on this planet was my driving force behind my choices.  This made it almost too easy to have confidence in myself while allowing my instincts and conscious to guide me

 

At times, like all individuals, I would make mistakes and still do, but I have chosen to learn from these mistakes, while acknowledging the fact that without dealing with the bad, how would I ever know or appreciate the good in life.  Also, when you allow your instincts to guide your actions, even when they turn out to be the wrong choices, you do not allow these regrets to affect your esteem or your confidence because when your actions are based upon one intention, LOVE, these mistakes don’t seem to matter nearly as much.  As you are living life with this clear conscious, you do not feel the need to explain yourself or your actions because, in your heart, you knew that you have acted with nothing but the best of intentions.  Let me tell you, it is the best, most liberating feeling when you are able to stand by your choices and decisions, even when things do not go the way you had hoped.  It is humbling experiences, such as these, that connect you, even stronger, to all the different types of people in this world because as you begin to understand it within yourself, it, in turn, helps you to accept and even appreciate the same fact in others when they, too, make wrong decisions. 

 

Confronting, judging, and evaluating all that you are is not an easy process.  It definitely takes a certain someone to be able to face the good and bad within themselves.  In order to heal and move forward, out of the past, a person must dedicate themselves to constant change for the better which takes being able to acquire the education, training, and experience that it will take for them to be able to successfully partake in this positive transformation.  One must be willing to be one hundred percent, both, with themselves and others and be willing to become indifferent on many subjects, as well as the ability to view thing in life from many different perspectives.  You must spend immeasurable amounts of time reflecting, not only on events, situations, and experiences but also upon emotions, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, intentions, spirituality, and all physical aspects of your life and body. 

 

As time goes on, one should continue to reflect upon matters as well as attempt to come up with a rational and shared perspective to any given event or situation.  As one recalls these events, one should not only determine their own feelings, thoughts, and emotions that are connected with the event, but also be able to accept the perceptions of others could be extremely different than their own.  When recalling any given event, a person should evaluate the event itself, internal factors going on within themselves, outside variables, as well as any predetermining factors that may have contributed to the event, such as conditioning, social acceptance, motive, self-serving bias, and anything else that may have contributed to the event in any way.  As a person becomes more comfortable at identifying these factors, feelings, etc., it starts to become a natural aspect in their lives which will raise their emotional intelligence (EQ), and allow them to enjoy healthier interactions and relationships with everyone around them.

 

In order to fully grasp why my thought process worked in the way that it did, I had to delve into every aspect within my life which would include areas such as my upbringing, world views, religious views, social views, relationship views, family values, morals, character, ethics, dependency, education, outlook on life, resilience and ability to bounce back from failure, views and opinions on controversial matters, and many many more.  The goal was to really dig deep within my mind and see how every aspect of my life contributed to my opinions, feelings and thoughts on each one of these areas within my life.  The purpose was to determine whether or not I was indifferent to what was going on around me, while allowing myself to be my true authentic self, or was I a product of conditioning or adapting to my environment and allowing my decisions to be based upon other peoples thoughts, feelings, and opinions?   

 

The best thing that ever happened in my entire lifetime was my soul searching and being able to find myself, so that I was able to begin living life on my own terms.  This has made me realize the significance and worth for a person’s overall wellbeing when they are able to be true to themselves, and what others want them to be, what others have molded them into, or what others expect them to be.  A person will never find true happiness within the latter.  This is one of the reasons, although I enjoy voicing my opinions, I would never try to force them upon others because we must all be true to ourselves by being our authentic self.  People need to make decisions on their own, through introspect and reflection, but always remember to place the same value upon other’s opinions, views, thoughts or feelings.  I must admit, a little bit of active listening and open ended questions can help to give a person that little push that they may need to want to take that journey within.  In the process of finding yourself, you are able to pull out any weeds, or negative thought patterns, behaviors, or opinions that no longer work for you, and replace them with the ones that you are completely satisfied to stick by because you know that you are being true to yourself.  Dr. Wayne Dyer states that in order to reach a higher consciousness, one must be indifferent to the opinions of others, well this paragraph pretty much explains, in vague terms, how to reach this higher consciousness.  The only ones who do not benefit from this reflecting upon themselves are the external locus of control individuals, pessimistic individuals, or people who refuse to compromise with others to come up with a shared perspective and reality.  For the individuals who are willing to face up to their fears, accept their imperfections and shortcomings, and believe that they have control over where their lives will go, they will do what it takes in order to strengthen and improve themselves so that they are strong enough to control where their lives will go and the energy it will take to climb any and every mountain in their path!

 

Life is meant to be lived to the fullest.  One should always be looking for ways to grow by becoming smarter, stronger, healthier, and more enlightened.  For those who agree and accept the fact that life is a never ending journey of evolvement, growth, and exploration, they will tend to live a more satisfied, peaceful, and content life because they have found what is most important in life, themselves, which means that they are no longer searching anywhere but within themselves for their happiness.  For others, it seems as though they spend so much time working, running around taking care of things, moving on from one event to the next, and trying to find happiness by means of materialistic items that they are not appreciating the undeniable beauty that every moment on this Earth provides us with.  As they continue day to day, with their lives on fast forward, seeking an unquenchable desire for happiness through a world of materialistic and symbolic things, they are not even able to slow down long enough to realize that they are missing out on the greatest accomplishment they could ever achieve, the moment they are in.  As they run around, worrying about the future, they are missing out on the realization that all the happiness and joy that they could ever imagine, the grandest of mountains that they could ever climb, and the highest level of achievement that they could ever reach lies within them at this very moment, and YOU hold the master key.  Master your life, choose to embark on this journey, because there is a doorway within you waiting to be discovered, opened, explored, which will show you a whole new world full of beauty and joy that is ready to awakened and brought to light. 

 

I promise, for those of you who will take this journey inward, every experience thereafter will be filled with so much more beauty, significance, and worth.  No longer will you race around trying to find that one thing that you can’t quite identify that will bring you the joy that you so terribly seek.  No longer will you look for your happiness in materialistic things; no longer will your happiness depend on another person, because you now live out of the love that embodies you, the love that surrounds you with loving and supportive individuals.  Things that you use to think matter, like keeping up with the Jones’ or that job promotion you so desperately “have” to have no longer hold the significance in your life.  It is as if time slows down so that you are able to enjoy each given moment to the fullest, and the things that truly matter come to the forefront like family, health, relationships, goals, nature, spirituality, and all the other things that money could never buy.

 

It is as if someone has turned on the light switch in a room full of darkness as you embrace the spiritual awareness and appreciation that comes from this “REBIRTH.”  The glass remains half full, the rainbow is worth putting up with the storm, and you begin to always see things “on the bright side.”  Once you have transformed into this spiritual and higher conscious self, in times of sorrow, disappointment, and trials and tribulations, you allow this spirituality and appreciation for life direct you back to the center core of who you are, the love.  Knowing the power of this force and the ways in which it can transform, it is very easy to allow yourself to flow with any given situation, while riding it out, because you already know that in the end, love conquers all!  There is never a doubt to your faith in the power of this energy because you have already proved, to yourself, that the power of love can produce miracles!

 

The best way that I can think to describe it is (for those of you who have experienced a near death experience,) when you are faced with that life changing event that puts you at God’s mercy, time seems to slow down and everything that has ever mattered in life comes flashing before your eyes, your loved ones, your legacy, your hopes, wishes, dreams, and even regrets.  In that 10 second period of time when you are facing death, it is as if you are witnessing a lifetime of memories, and if you’re lucky, you are able to escape death, but do not forget the sights, and feelings you encountered as you were cheating death.  At that moment, your life is forever changed and you are filled with a newfound appreciation and outlook on life.  It is now very clear which things are important, and all the things that used to seem important no longer matter, like money, job, status, or that new car or home, all of it is irrelevant.  You are overcome with feelings of gratitude and joy for the chance to live and spend your time with your loved ones.  Self-actualization is very similar to this “near death experience.”  It is as if you have been reborn, all cares slip away, things that truly matter mean the most to you, while you make every moment count, and the best part is, you are able to live your life with no regrets because you are acting upon all the qualities that were embodied to us by God, love, nurture, compassion, empathy, sympathy, hope, faith, forgiveness, and understanding!

 

My outlook, my actions, and my intentions all are all formed through the most prominent energy in this world, LOVE.  With allowing my appreciation for the circle of life to influence each decision that I make, the world in front of me is forever evolving into what I dream it will be, a world full of hope, love, and dreams.  With each experience that I encounter, it is only I who has the power to choose how to look and feel about any given event, but when you choose to be optimistic, you manifest a reality that will mirror everything that you feel.  You create a ripple effect that is sent out into this world where we all affect one another, so please choose to see the beauty in everything around you, and watch even more beauty unfold as you manifest your reality. 

 

And there you have it!  Voila, I have now turned into the superhero of my own life story.  I embody all the traits and qualities of the heroines who battle evil and stand, in glory, in the face of opposition.  I will never understand why people will stand back and allow bad things to happen, or feel the need to only look out for the interests of themselves and those whom they love because I have found, in all circumstances, that it is possible for all of us to win, even when there doesn’t seem like a way in the beginning.  We need to choose to work together, strive for peace, and choose to do the right things in life in order to keep the evil forces at bay.  We must live our lives with just as much regard for others, animals, our environment, and the planet as we do for ourselves.  My outlook, my actions, and my intentions all based upon the foundation of LOVE, with the circle of life embracing every decision I make, and my view of the world evolving to match my love, my peace, my spirituality, and my compassion to mirror what already lies within me.  Can you see, feel, and experience the same beauty that I do in the world that surrounds you?  If not, please take the journey inward, face your fears, accept your faults, embrace uniqueness and you quirks, and in doing so, you too will be set free………….

 

To end this blog, I want to incorporate one of my three favorite quotes of all time.  When I stated earlier that self-actualization is the highest form of success and achievement, it truly is one that will set you free.  If every person on this earth would journey within, and make changes to become all that they can be, world peace could be achieved!

 

I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, then I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible in everything I do! Robert E. Heinlein