10 Ways to Shift the Direction of Your Life, Part Two

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Stretch.

Fill your lungs with breath. Get in touch with how you feel. Be aware of where you hold stress in your muscles, and then learn to stretch those muscle groups so that you care for your body. It has to carry you through life!

 I have a tough one with this one. I literally have to schedule it in, and many times, I punt it for another activity. I find, though, if I stretch in the morning, I feel much better during my day!

Be open to the Divine in everyday life.

Being open to the Divine is far deeper than listening to a sermon in church every Sunday. There are miraculous moments every day taking place if we turn our gaze to them. An ocean wave, the sounds and flight patterns of a flock of birds,

reminds me of you, Elle

periennials sticking up through the ground after the last snow, unexpected generosity of a stranger, the miracle of love, an emotional or physical healing. The list goes on.

What if we open our eyes to all that is?

Listen for what you would normally not hear.

We only really hear part of what others say. What if we hear with sharper ears? What if we read body language with sharper eyes? What if we tune into our own intuition? It's about more than words.

How much do we take our senses for granted?

Let go of the need for material success.

Let me give you an example taken from a news article by CNN on 2010 Heroes. Narayanan Krishnan was a bright, young, award-winning chef with a five-star hotel group, short-listed for an elite job in Switzerland. But a quick family visit home before heading to Europe changed everything.

"I saw a very old man eating his own human waste for food," Krishnan said. "It really hurt me so much. I was literally shocked for a second. After that, I started feeding that man and decided this is what I should do the rest of my lifetime." (direct quote from CNN)...

 Narayanan Krishnan

Since then, he has served more than 1.2 million meals to homeless and destitute people in India. He let go of a need for financial wealth and followed a passion to help save his people. He is now recognized all over the world. Amazing man.

When I say he is a wealthy man, it's not at all about material success.


Choose joy.

I went through a period in life in which I thought I could certainly not get through it. I would certainly never want to re-live it. Everyone goes through at least one or two of these distressing times in their lives.The only thing that got me through was a conscious decision to choose joy.

Every morning, I looked in the mirror. At that defining moment, I decided on my day. I could choose joy or not....

I don't know about you, but I'd rather be around a positive person than a pisser!

My hope is that at least one of these ten "direction shifters" speak to you. Let me know...

Who has changed your life?

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Who has changed your life??

The good stuff is easy to appreciate. It's the next step that is more difficult.

Even changes from struggle or loss come with a gift

 if you can shift your vision to see it.

Think about it...

WHO has changed your life?

Thank them!

Not soon. Not later....

Now!

Photo credit: Don Paulson at http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6950516

Lesson of the Day: End the Day with Something Special

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I've made it just in time...

pulled the Forester into the bumpy dirt parking lot

on the cliff directly above the rough Pacific waves,

cut the engine, and

taken several deep and appreciative breaths.

I try to end the busy portion of my day right here.

Taking in the transition.

Reviewing the beauty of the day that I have been given.

Some of you already know that I dig sunsets.

Really, they make my whole day.

October 23, 2011  Spectacular Sunset over the Pacific

I am going through a recent shift.

I can't describe it, but I can tell you

that it has to do

with concentrating on what is really important in life.

God, family, loving each other, forgiving each other, being the best people we can be, helping others...such valuable priorities.

What we must do is

take care of ourselves

so that we can honor those priorities.

If we are exhausted, hurt, angry, hungry, lonely or depressed,

we can find it difficult to focus.

So...

how about transitioning every day with 5 to 30 minutes

of something that

feeds your spirit?

I watch sunsets.
You?
You can take a bath,

rub your feet with lotion (or let the kids do it!),

put on your favorite music,

rest in your favorite chair,

read an interesting book,

meditate,

write in your journal,

choose your 5 favorite things that happened today,

make love with your one and only,

talk with your best friend,

stretch,

breathe,

thank our Higher Power,

be gentle with yourself!