Remember or Dwell

It is an amazing thing our mind.  It records everything.. but we only recall with regularlity that which has some kind of an emotional attachment. Unfortunately, that does not have to be a positive thing.  We can attach negative emotions.

Remembering where we have been is an important aspect. It is how we learn.  It is how we avoid repeating past mistakes.  Unfortunately, for many of us, rather then using this tool our mind gives us, we begin to dwell.

What is the difference?
Dwelling is allowing a negative memory to take root and take over.  Rather then moving forward with the lesson learned, we are suddenly angered in the past.  We rehash it over and over and over. We relive that pain and hurt again and again. To what end?? The truth is kind of scary. Because at some level we have become to believe we deserve it.  Only when we realize that we should only have to pay for errors one time, do we stop this hurtful pattern of self abuse.

Dwelling can become so powerful that it can create stress caused illnesses and depression.  Ulcers, heart disease, high blood pressure and many other ailments have been tied to staying in an increased stress state.  And the worst part is, most of us do this to ourselves.

How do I stop this?
 There are two major tools one can use.  First, the old cliche .. Let go and Let God.  The second thing is refuse to allow negativity to control your thinking.  The one thing that is almost possible to take away from man is his thoughts. You may lock away his body and still his mind is his own.  Even under the influence of the disease of addiction, there is still influence on thought.  When you catch yourself thinking in a negative manner; tell yourself .. STOP!  We are trained this word from a very  young age.   It will startle the mind for a brief moment. Then pick up something postive; a story, affirmations or a thank you letter.  Anything that has hope, peace or love within it.  This change in thinking will force the mind slowly to let go of the negative things in our past and move towards acceptance.


Remember.. do not dwell.  There is freedom to move forward with the assurance of not repeating a past mistake.

Make Today. .. just a little better then yesterday and your future will always be moving forward.

God Bless

What you are putting in.. is coming out!

Before you change your thinking, you h ave to change what goes into your mind.
                                              Zig Ziglar

The thing about universal wisdom is that it comes from so many mouths.  The above saying has been proffered a many ways by many teachers. It is in the bible, the Koran and in every self esteem curriculum out there.  TIt is a scientific fact that input is a direct influence on output.  What this means in regards to today's teachings is that if you are not having the success you want in life, if you are depressed, if you are unmotivated and even if you are just really negative all the time; what is your input?  Those things are the output.  What are you reading?  What music are you listening too?  What is your visual surroundings?  These things have a direct influence on what you think and how you act whether you are realizing it or not.

If you struggle with negativity but your only reading the Newspaper and the most uplifting thing you here is a sitcom and the evening news; it is no surprise.  Face it, newspapers publish what sells and saving puppies is nice for the occaisional piece but a full article on it will not sell.  Especially today where people can go online for fluff.

Ways to change this:

1.  Read uplifting stories.  Chicken Soup stories for example
2.  Make sure that even if you like hard core music, you take some time to add in something light and soothing whether it is elevator music, classical or nature sounds.  There are some cool sites you can just listen too like 
http://www.rainymood.com/ that really help with relaxing and stress.
3.  Practice positive affirmations.  "I am becoming happier every day."  "I am enjoying life."  They are most effective in the AM state with a verb ending in ing.  Never use can or will as the brain interprets this as someday down the road.
4.  Look at images of vacation sites.  They say just spending a few minutes looking at such pictures improves mood and stress levels.
5.  Eat right and drink water.  The brain needs nutrition to function and many of today's foods are just lacking.
6.  Talk to your higher power regularly!

Th gist of today.. what goes in.. comes out!  So watch what you are putting into your eyes, ears, mouth and body.

Higher Power - A Force That Moves Even When You Are Not Paying Attention

Regardless of what you have identified as your higher power, if you remain open to it, you can be amazed at the answers and guidance you can find. Some people only use that small quiet voice within as a higher power; others have identified a specific spiritual power. It doesn't matter who or what; what matters is that you remain open to it.

I recently had a real life example of this spiritual force at work. I was not looking for work and was enjoying both my brick and mortar job and my two online businesses. I was doing counseling work with inmates in a medium security prison which I loved. I had helped build the program and was able to see day to day changes in people's lives and families. Online, I was enjoying my combination business which is both face to face and internet and my straight internet work with http://drinkact.tv/cherylmatthynssens and http://EZWealthSolution.com/home.php?balanceguide One day as I was cleaning my email, I saw an email I almost deleted not recognizing the name or subject but something about it made me check it. It was a request to apply for a position in a little town across the state. Curious, I emailed them back for information. Mostly, I was curious as to how in the heck they even knew who I was.

I went for an interview, still curious. I really did not need the job. Things were going well for me financially and personally. I was well liked in my job and had the satisfication of watching something I had helped create within the prison I was employed at work wonders in lives. The position was in a somewhat isolated county. It was small, rustic and warm. It was barren geographically compared to the lush green coastal area I was used to enjoying. But for some reason, I fell in love with it and.......
was not chosen for the position. Where I had not sought the position in the first place, I chuckled and went back to my life, unaware that my higher power had other plans for me.

Four days before Christmas, I received a call that the original hire had not worked out, would I come for another interview on the 22nd of December? Surprised but again curious, off I went and this time I took my 21 year old son for the six hour journey to the remote center. It was a great time. My son saw a frozen river for the first time and made jokes that he was not moving with me if I moved, he was not living any where that a running body of water freezes. (this will become relevant soon) After I left, I had decided I would not take the job. I mean, why move off into the wilds and it would even mean a cut in pay. When I got the call offering the position, it was a warm and friendly call with three individuals. I found myself agreeing to take the job. I sat down afterwards and for a brief moment, wondered what in the heck I had just done.

My family has lived in the county I would be leaving since I was five. I had left it for brief forays into the world such as college but had always returned. My children were raised there and two were still at home and going to school I would be wandering off all by myself? After a few moments of "what in the heck did I just do.." I felt this strange sense that everything would be all right. For me, this is where the story gets a little wierd and it was only after looking back that I could see that my higher power had been at work all along.

My employer was horrified when I gave notice. I had been by her side the whole time. My co-workers were stunned. I had always been there and it was believed I would be there till I either burned out or retired. My family was even more stunned.

I began to look for a place to live by phone due to the six hour drive. Much to my horror, there were no places that were within my price range. I looked for a place to rent, but no one wanted my chihauha in their place. I had resigned myself to renting a motel by the week type room until I could find something face to face. On a whim, I called one place that had been listed the first time I interviewed and that was still in the paper. It was larger then I wanted, I really did not need that many bedrooms. However, I was getting desperate. I called it many times but never got a call back. Finally, I got lucky and someone finally answered.

As expected, the owner said "no pets." Frustrated, I asked for any referral. She listened to my tale and then asked where I would work. She took my number and about fifteen minutes later, she called me back and said I could have the place. I could have my dog.. .no pet deposit. Puzzled, I asked her why she had changed her mind. Turns out.... she would be in a referring agency and we would work together on those referrals. Her house had been sitting empty, and she had not been inclined to call any of the applicants back due to the damage done to the home from the last renters. A shiver went down my spine.

It just continued on and on until today. It snowed heavily before I moved, making me fear the trip with a u-haul across mountain passes. Yet the roads were amazingly dry and smooth for the six hour drive. The house turned out to be only a few miles from work in a quiet area. And then came the news that sealed it as a higher power movement. My 21 year old son calls me. This was what he said. "Mom, I met this girl that I really really like. I think this is the one. Here is the thing, she lives in (town I was going to work in). Is your place large enough that I can move with you and go to college there?" I sat down. The only place I had called with enough bedrooms was the one I had amazingly managed to secure. I, of course, said yes and then made sure to spend a great deal of time teasing him about love and a place where moving water freezes.

Oh, and the pay cut, it was only on paper. Turns out the benefits package was so much better that I didn't even notice the difference in my deposited check. There are many other small and strange factors that add to this experience for me. Probably the most significant was when I stepped into my office (which was not a renovated cell for the first time) I felt like I had come home.

The reason I relayed this story to you is that I could have shut down this strange series of events at any time. However, I remained open to internal guidance and opportunity. I did not allow the many fears I felt at any given time take over in my decision making. Our higher powers, regardless of whether it is more minds then one or a divine being; are offering us the answers we need every day, week and month. The problem is, we often are not listening. Or.. if we don't like the answer, we will shut down the response as "not an answer." The biggest reason we don't listen... we fear the answer. Our lives are filled with opportunities if we do not remains so focused on the problem that we cannot hear it. So remain open to new ideas no matter their source. Your higher power may even send you a strange ... curious email... I know mine did for me!

"Life With Woody" 10 inspirational quotes than can improve yourself

(A friend sent this to me and gave me permission to share it. They have rights. I liked it and thought it fit into what I love to share with you all)

How do people go through the usual part of life when faced with vein-popping stress? I mean, the new age thing like Zen or yoga is one of the good things and it actually works. Is there room for the intellectual side of people who can actually smell the roses-in-a-can while on the move? It kind of had me thinking that there really must be something in this 'mind-over-matter' thing.

Humor is indeed the best medicine there is whenever you are. I mean anyone can pay good money to listen to a comedian just to make you wet your pants after laughing so hard. Despite of what's been happening, and to those who has gone though the ordeal, it's better to just laugh while facing the troubles with a clear mind than anger with a clouded vision. One of my favorite celebrities of all time may have to be Woody Allen. Now this is one guy who gives you the in-your-face bluntness that he pulls out with gusto, even without even trying. You can talk just about anything with a man, and he's bound to mock the subject and you'll end up laughing rather than being upset about it.

Woody Allen has this to say:

1. "Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." It sounds good to me, I mean the practicality of all things does involve money but it doesn't have to take an arm and a leg to get it.

2. "I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it's the government." 'Nuff said.

3. "There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?" This happens to be one of the classic ones. I mean the issue about life's little problems isn't all that bad, until 'he' shows up.

Sure, relationships can get complicated, or does have its complications that probably any author about relationships is bound to discover it soon. We follow what our heart desires, unless you're talking about the heart as in the heart that pump blood throughout your body.

4. "Love is the answer, but while you're waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions." And if you want more, just keep on asking!

5. "A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to go to bed with me, she said 'no'." It sounds, 'practical', I think.

And when it comes to everyday life, he really knows how to make the best out of every possible scenario, and it doesn't involve a lawsuit if he strikes a nerve.

6. "Basically my wife was immature. I'd be at home in the bath and she'd come in and sink my boats." I never had a boat in my bathtub before. Just staring at it while soaking in hot water makes me seasick already.

7. "I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens." If it rains, it pours.

8. "I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose." It could get worse when you're guzzling on beer… or mouthwash, and it happened to me once!

9. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." At least he doesn't smite us with lightning, and I'm thankful for that.

And despite of what may happen to all of us in the next ten, twenty, or even thirty years, I guess we all have to see things in a different kind of light and not just perspective. I can't seem to imagine life without any piece of wisdom that could guide us. Whether we're religious or not, it takes more courage to accept your fears and learn how to deal with them is all that matters when it comes to even just getting along.

And to sum things up, here is the last nugget of wisdom to go by… however, whenever, and wherever we may be.

10. "The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have."

That is it, that is the ten my friend sent to me. However, I would like to point out that laughter does release neurotransmitters that are responsible for easing stress and that feel good feeling. So maybe... laughter really IS the best medicine. Test it for yourself, make yourself laugh right now. Go on, don't feel stupid. Get that belly laugh rolling... and see if YOU don't feel better.

Have a prosperous day!

Internal Motivation versus External Motivation

Strong reasons make strong actions.

- William Shakespeare


Having troubles succeeding at something? First question you need to ask is what is motivating you. If it is outside YOU such as another person's desires, bills or even society; it is almost impossible to really find what you are looking for in life. The first ingredient for success at anything whether it be recovery from addiction or $100,000 in the bank is a strong reason for doing so and being able to name that desire.

One you have an internal reason for anything, the brain has a much easier time helping problem solve possible solutions and paths for achievement. When a roadblock shows up or a set back, you will push through rather then give up because it is YOUR reason you are working for.

So today's ingredient for success and balance is.... what do you want and why do you want it? It is the first step to reaching any goal.