What did I learn today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self Love

Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit. E. E. Cummings 1.  I am intrigued by the capacity and the resilience of humans, their ability to bounce back, to change, to grow, to do good in extreme circumstances. 2. I am intrigued by how the sun rises daily, with beauty grace and consistency...and in silence. No noise, no fuss, no fanfare. 3. I am intrigued by how we  humans justify many of our actions which we know are selfish, hurtful and dishonoring to self. 4. I am intrigued how we humans  don't take responsibility for our lives, but prefer to outsource blame and give away our power.  5. I am intrigued by how much power we have, how much we are afraid of that power, and how we don't use our power  because of fear. 6. I am intrigued by our capacity to love, to forgive, to do good, to share, to be compassionate. 7. I am intrigued by how relationships can heal us and sometimes...

  Believe it or not you don’t actually need to do much to self-generate love, either. You don’t need things to change. You don’t need a person. You don’t need a vacation. You don’t need the house or the meditation practice or the drugs. You don't even need to be in love yourself either (although, that will likely come as a fast follow). You just need to get your head to stop spinning in thoughts, creating such a strong centrifugal force that you become separated from the energy of love that’s all around you.  Maxie McCoy For those who have been on the journey with me since we started sharing lessons on the Journey have heard me say before that there is nothing outside of you that you can find that can prove to you what you are worthy, there is nothing outside of you that can prove that you are enough, you are loveable, you matter. A Course in Miracles says search outside of yourself for what is within and the search will fail. Basically you are looking for something outside of...

  Let people support you. Let yourself need. Let yourself not try to hold it all up on your own. Let your knees wobble in front of others. Let hurt and hope be held. Let your flaws exist out loud. Let yourself fail. Let yourself not know. Let yourself embrace help. Let yourself detach from the notion of  needing  equaling  weakness . Let yourself listen to what may be made easier by no longer trying to do it alone.  Lisa Olivera 11 THOUGHTS IN THIS 11TH MONTH 1. I recently had a penny dropping moment - the one where a realization comes with a type of force. Crying in front others is not a sign of weakness. I was of the view  for a very long time that if I displayed this emotion that I would be thought of as a weak person. Interestingly enough, when other people cry, display their emotions, I would feel so happy for them, hold space for them and see them as courageous. So why did I ever see expressing myself with tears as weak. I was taught to handle my busi...

  You don’t have abandonment issues.  You’ve experienced abandonment.  You don’t have an anxiety disorder, you get overstimulated.  You aren’t co-dependent. You crave support.  You don’t always get rejected. You get divinely redirected! Zodi Am Gentle reminder to self: I believe that in the mind of the Most High  Nowhere was smallness a part of the plan  You were not made to be a slave to an environment that does not grow you You were not made to settle because of fear & “ that’s how its been done, "it is how it is” philosophy You were not made to hide behind excuses of this is “who I am” or any other excuse you use to do or not do what you know you must.  And something in you knows this  But getting to it, is the sludge you must pass through to access everything that’s on the other side.

  You cannot come to God with your hands full - Iyanla Vanzant Very often we we seek the assistance, support, guidance of the Most High when we are filled to the brim with our own "stuff"  We come with preconceived notions, fixed ideas and opinions, judgements and criticisms of others, very structured demands of what we need, how we want it and what we are willing to do or not do to get it. The Universe does not work that way. Very often the things we cry out for in the moment are not the things we really want or need. And let us not forget when we ask for help while hiding something behind our backs. Something we did not want anyone else to know, something we were ashamed to admit, something hidden in our subconscious mind. We may not have remembered, realized or understood what it was , but the Universe did and responded accordingly. The Universe meets you where you are, gives you the responses for you to see. This is why its an "Inside Job" Determine how you be,...

  People are hard to talk to when: They don’t listen. They don’t create space for the other person to express themselves .They take over the conversation and make everything about them .They diminish what the other person is going through.  They don’t exercise emotional boundaries. Nedra Glover Tawwab Simply put, we want to be heard, we want reciprocity. ACIM has explained this in the way that I have resonated with the most. Giving is the same as receiving. There is no difference in the spiritual realm. Are you giving your full attention and time to everything and every where you are? Confessions - I find myself thinking about what I want to say things I have to do, things  I did not do. All of which takes me further away from the present moment which is all that we have for sure. Practice being where you are- fully Its challenging now because of social media and instant messaging to remain present. It is still possible to practice being in the moment. Practice active lis...

  Not to spoil the ending for you, but everything is going to be okay. Soul Vibes Trusting yourself Trusting your intuition Taking the guidance and action from your intuition takes courage. Following that divine guidance can be tough for so many reasons, there are no guarantees, you may not know the final outcome with certainty, the action or non action you take may look crazy to others, you may not even know the how, you may not know the next step. Nothing changes until you do. Sounds Cliché right?  Nothing changes until you do YOU! You have to do things differently. Its your choices, your habits, your power You have to check your destructive and unconscious habits You have to rest You have to set boundaries You have to change your self talk You have to have the hard conversations  You have to forgive yourself You have to believe in yourself YOU Quick fixes will not work- there is no amount or manner of external stimulation or validation that can substitute for you doing...

  The ego is our sense of self-importance. It's the part of us that believes we are the center of the universe and that everything revolves around us. And while a healthy ego is essential (we all need to believe in ourselves), an overinflated ego can be destructive. Stacey Herera Confessions on the Journey - I have been thinking -  a whole lot  lately- about my ego (the destructive part) Why? Over the past few weeks I have been doing quite a number of interviews, meetings and meet ups. Some of them have not been going the way I anticipated. Rejection is a bummer! Hearing no has been a reminder that keeping my self confidence high despite the appearances is important. Hearing no has also been one where I thought, how could they ever say no to me? This is where the ego stepped in. I mean after all, its me! Akosua! Keeping everything in balance has been the challenge. Falling into a state of feeling depressed or falling into a state of self importance. Both can be destructi...

  Contrary to popular belief, courage is not a trait that takes years of experience to build, it is a choice that only requires two components: belief and willingness. ACIM Has anyone ever told you that you were courageous? Yes? then believe that! Do you believe that you are courageous? Yes? wonderful! hold on to that. If no one has ever told you that you are courageous, let me tell you now. It's inside of you, what is now required is a level of belief to go with this knowledge Practice it, daily, small acts. small acts of courage adds up, makes it easier You are courageous when you have hard conversations You are courageous when you show up with love and compassion for tough situations You are courageous when you do things your way You are courageous when you speak up You are courageous when you listen to your intution You are courageous when you start that hobby, that business, that class when in fear Keep at it Peace Akosua's Books Nyabo (Madam) Why Are You Here? Now What? T...

  " Go out into the countryside and teach the Gospel", they said to him, "What will we say?" And his response to them was, "I'll tell you when you get there ." Book of Thomas The small voice within is a guide, it tells us what to do and where to go, and it works particularly well when we ask, it works even better when we get still, when we pause. It's usually a small voice, sometimes a whisper, you will miss it if you are too "busy" if you are moving around too much, if you are drowning it out with excessive "noise". "Noise" can be judgement, drinking too much alcohol. working too much, toxic relationships, judgement and not taking responsibility for your actions, too much TV and Internet to keep you occupied. Noise can also be not being present and minding other people's business. To teach is to demonstrate, or the combination of demonstrating what you have paid attention to when the small voice speaks to you work...

  Here's what willingness "looks like": first, you have to  be open. Then, you have to be ready. Finally, you have  to be determined, and committed to action.  Neale Donald Walsh To begin and continue any journey, I have learnt that we must be willing. I love Neale Donald Walsh's definition of willingness.  First you have to be open - be open to doing a new thing in a new way, be open to change, be open to changing your mind, be open to vulnerability and being wrong!  On the Journey to Surrender, we must be willing.  Why? Surrender requires a level of courage patience and trust that can only happen if we are open. Surrender is an act of acceptance, it is a release, an acknowledgement that there is a higher power that guides us when we have done the work. Be open this month. Be willing this month. Be ready to journey to Surrender Peace Akosua's Books Nyabo (Madam) Why Are You Here? Now What? The Flipside What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to...