MONITOR YOUR THOUGHTS When you have fear or thoughts that disturb you, refocus to thoughts of hope and joy. If you live from the perspective “bad things always happen to me,” you keep yourself blinded from joy in the moment. Switch to the perspective of gratitude, no matter what happens. Look for the positive in each given situation. Take time to monitor your thoughts throughout the day. One way to get into the habit of monitoring your thoughts is to set a timer and let…

NEVER-ENDING JOURNEY Have you discovered the bonds that material objects hold on you? Take stock of how much time, money and energy is needed to purchase, maintain and replace the physical items you have amassed. How many of these items brought you true joy? How long did that joy last before you were online shopping for something else to fulfill your desire? Take notice of the people that you associate with. Do you bring joy to each other? When you expect something in return for…

BE JOY FULL! Even in your darkest hours, there are lessons to be learned. Reflect on what is occurring in your life now and in past situations that were challenging for you. What were some of the positive outcomes that came from past scenarios? Perhaps you were in a job you didn’t enjoy. One day you were fired; you felt angry, embarrassed, you developed an attitude of why did this happen to me? Yet now you are in a job that you enjoy. It was…

PERFECT IMPERFECTIONS Look into the mirror; what do you see? If you like your face, you will smile back at yourself. If you look at your face and notice what you consider to be imperfections, there will be no smile. Continue to look into the mirror until you can embrace your imperfections as perfection. Beauty truly is in the eyes of the beholder. Practice beholding everyone as an equal spiritual being, perfect in all ways. Observe nature in all its glory, noting how everything works…

USE TIME WISELY Discover the priorities in your life and use time wisely to fit what is important into your lifestyle. Begin to filter out relationships and events that drain your energy and expend your time. Balance the time and energy you offer in service to humanity. Make sure you take time for relaxation. Pay attention to idle words and what you do with your recreational time. It is not only what you do that is important, what you do not do can be of…

12 R’s LEADING TO SELF-FORGIVENESS Are you riddled with regret, guilt and shame for choices you have made? Do you plague your mind with thoughts of “If only, “ I shoulda...” “How could I be so stupid... so insensitive... so naive...?” The Bible reminds us that “We all sin and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Did you catch that? We ALL sin! Did you know that the word “sin” is an archery term? It means “to miss the mark.” There is…

MIRROR IMAGES When you feel emotions such as anger, fear or frustration, they are often the result of unresolved issues. Like a mirror, other people and events trigger memories of a past experience which was too painful to deal with when it first occurred. Your senses also bring up emotional issues from the past. Looking at photographs, scents, songs, fabrics and certain foods all have the ability to instantly take you back to a memory, sometimes one that has been deeply locked away for years.…

GO WITHIN OR GO WITHOUT There is an adage that says, “As above, so below.” There is another that is equally true, “Go within, or go without.” As you look at yourself in the mirror, pay close attention to every detail of the way you present yourself to others. Starting from head to toe, look at everything: your hair (or lack of hair), make-up (or lack of make-up), jewelry, why you do or do not shave various parts of your body, tattoos, nails (manicured or…

Peace IS the Path Although your life may be in turmoil, you have within yourself the ability to stay calm and peaceful every moment of your life. In your daily life, an attitude of gratitude will open doors to realms of deep personal peace that you have possibly never experienced before. If you often get upset over small details or things that others say or do, it is likely you would benefit by taking more quiet time to remain balanced. With practice, you have the…

INNER PEACE Besides breathing and eating, the most important daily activity you can engage in is to spend quiet time going within and connecting with God and your Inner Self. There are also many health benefits associated with daily prayer and reflection. PHYSICALLY you will experience health benefits as you relax and relieve stress. As you work through problems, you will become better equipped to handle stressors as they emerge. MENTALLY you will become more alert and focused. EMOTIONALLY you will begin to balance yourself…