Winter Inspirations from

[Guest guest]

Winter Inspirations

Winter... it's the time of year when we reflect on the past, and

look forward to a new year and possibly a new self. In seasonal

spirit, presents inspirations to guide you in becoming your

very best self in 2007.

Empower Yourself and Others

When you feel powerful it is because the power of spiritual energy

is shining through and helping you focus on a situation, a goal or

an intent. You can direct this power in a positive way to achieve

results. Use your power wisely, and empower others to be powerful

too! Have a positive attitude to life, and help others see " the

bright side " and recognize their own abilities and strengths. The

more you helps others to feel great about yourself, the more

spritually powerful you become.

Heal Your Inner Hurts

Every day is an opportunity to heal some part of you which needs to

be brought into wholeness. It is only by becoming conscious of ways

in which you hurt, that you can really heal those parts of yourself.

You may be jealous of a friend, for example, and perhaps by looking

at your inner landscape you can discover why you feel this way.

Maybe you'll realize it has little to do with your friend at all.

Feelings and emotions are fleeting, but they can help reveal deeper

aspects of ourselves. You may also find it helpful to look at the

bigger picture when you are angry, sad or upset, so that you can see

everyone's needs - you may even feel better instantly.

Trust the Process

Life is a process of events which are continually unfolding.

Sometimes you may stop and question this process because you want

life to be different. Perhaps you want something that you haven't

got and think you " should " have it. Everything in life is there to

teach you some essential lessons, however, and by accepting them as

best you can and learning the lessons they are teaching you, then

you can move on. The process of life is an unfolding story. Think

how your book will look by the end of your life. Some interesting

bits, some highs, some lows, and out of it all there are the lessons

you learned along the way.

Spread Sunshine

When others are feeling low, spread a little sunshine in their lives

by radiating your inner sense of joy. Joy is an inner state of being

that allows you to feel free to express the light of your soul to

the world. Radiating joy is a sure way to attract other joyous

people, and together you can uplift and influence those who come

into contact with you. Make way for joy even on days when the clouds

seem to hang over you and darkness prevails. Always remember that,

like the sun which sometimes hides behind clouds, joy is always

there in your heart. Be open to joy in your life.

Be Free

Everyone is essentially free because nobody can own your soul. It is

good to remember that, especially at times when you feel trapped or

hemmed in by life and expectations. For instance, you might feel

that your best friend is too possessive of you, and it makes you

feel like pulling away, or yelling, or just wandering off to find

new friends. It may help you to realize that they couldn't possibly

own you - the real you, your soul. However, in some way you have

contributed to creating the situation you are in. Relationships are

two-way mirrors. Realizing that you are both free can be liberating

for both of you.

Understand that Dramas are Tests

Dramas often occur: You lose your front door key and lock yourself

out; your dog gets rushed to the vet and you have to console your

little sister; you have to change buses on the way home because

yours broke down, etc. But these things are all part of life - they

don't have to become major dramas (even though sometimes it may be

challenging not to see them that way). Dramas are tests - they test

your strength, your ability to remain calm when things fall apart,

and your ability to carry on. Sometimes, seeing past the drama to

the lesson that it is trying to teach you can be really useful.

Get Motivated

Motivation comes from your emotions. Have you ever noticed that when

you're in love and feeling good, you have much more energy to devote

to your life? Or at times when you feel low, how it is much tougher

to get up and drag yourself to school? At these times, making a

little effort to do something can jump start your engine and get you

back into the swing of things. For example, you are tired at the end

of the day and don't feel like attending your exercise class. But

afterwards, you are buzzing with energy and ready to go again! Life

is life that too. Sometimes a little effort at first means a happier

or easier time later on.

Share a Passion

What is your passion? Singing, dancing, talking, playing a musical

instrument, painting, cooking, drawing, fashion styling? There are

so many from which you can choose! Passions are wonderful teachers

because they connect you with your gifts and your inner self which

guides you to use them. When you have a passion you can light up

others' lives with it too. Perhaps someone can share their passion

for art with you (it may even encourage you to earn to draw!), or

you can share your passion for books by going to an author reading.

When you have a passion it feeds all other areas of your life as

mind, body and spirit and connected, and it can make you feel more

alive.

Look for Goodness

It is easy to feel harrassed and battered by life at times,

especially when everything seems to be going wrong. You may feel

defeated by ending a relationship, not getting a job you wanted,

receiving a bad grade, or having to go to the dentist - perhaps all

in the same day! " What a life " you may think. But it is at these

exact times when it can help you to look for the goodness in people,

in life, and most importantly, within yourself, because it is always

there. Indeed, at these times you may blame yourself for being

a " bad " person, but by being caring towards yourself, you open up

the door to allow others to get close to you and to love and care

for you too. Today look for the goodness in life.

Like Yourself

Being kind to yourself, and learning to like yourself, is an

important skill to learn. It might be pretty easy to like yourself

on good days when the sun is shining all around you. But you must

also learn to like yourself on days when situations in life are

trying to tell you " you're not such a good person. " For example,

maybe someone said something mean about you and you take it to

heart. Or you break up with someone and they call you selfish. That

kind of situation is when it's especially important to tell

yourself " I'm a really good person, I'm just having a bad day. " When

you are kind to yourself, it allows room for others to be kind to

you too because it welcomes them in. Perhaps you can be kind in your

attitude to people around you as well. It may help you to focus on

the positive aspects that you like about yourself and others. Do so

and you bring more warmth into the world.

Break Out of the Mould

People generally feel safe within their own limits. When something

happens to challenge these boundaries, they may feel very

uncomfortable and nervous. For example, maybe your family is rich

and you are in love with someone who is poor (but the answer to all

your dreams). Or perhaps you are upset because your mom has decided

to start wearing clothes that you don't think are " appropriate " for

her age, and this is making you angry with her. When people do or

say things that appear rebellious, others may desperately try to

convince them to act like everyone else. But breaking out of labels,

and what other people expect, can be very freeing! Today, let go of

living in any mould and learn to be adaptable to change, and to

life.

See Life As a Luxury

Every time you feel low, remember that this is a big, wide world to

which you belong and that you have been allowed the luxury to

experience life on earth. If you are healthy, that is your biggest

luxury. If you have all the things you need to survive (such as a

home and food), then that is another luxury. If you have the love

and warmth of family or close friends, that is still a greater

luxury. When you start to think of life this way, all the things

that you used to think of as " luxuries " will begin to seem

like " extras. " For example, a visit to the movies, owning a car,

traveling, having the company of a wonderful pet at home - these are

all extra luxuries that you are tremendously lucky to have. Notice

what regular luxuries you have in your life, and what are extras -

see what you've got and know how fortunate you are.

[Guest guest]

Gretchen, what wonderful wisdom! I have a friend who, no matter how she feels or

what her current problems are, starts each day by writing in a special journal

three things that she's grateful for. I've begun doing it too, and it gives each

day a " positive charge " .

Holiday blessings to all,

Ruth