Empowerment is food for the thirsty soul. The essence of power flowing through our cells, nourishing body, mind and spirit. Don’t you feel unstoppable when you think, feel and act empowered? I know I do. It feels good and you want to stay in that high vibration of energy. Imagine living in a world where we are empowered 24/7 with all life as our cheerleader. Wow, who would not want to live in this In-Power-Momentum that propels us forward? Well, we don’t live in that world, YET! But while we are here, the more inner strength and courage we can use to propel us forward into our expanded self, the more Joy-full and creative we will be. Momentum builds a platform for you to share your message on.
Unshakable resolve comes to mind, which ties into courage. Sometimes we just need to dive into the deep end of the pool holding tight to our dreams. Sure, you may get bounced around by challenges. I am going through a few myself right now. But if I cling to the shallow steps of the pool afraid to go farther, that is exactly where I will stay, at the shallow end of the pool. I want to play with the big kids who aren’t afraid of the deep end. One thing I have learned from experience is that challenges make you stronger, more empowered.
In January, I got to play with some of the big kids at Motivation Marathon. Now, these kids have been having fun in the deep end longer that I have, and a couple of times I felt like running back to the shallow end! It can seem daunting to follow them, but I must! This event and all the speakers encouraged me to take the steps to propel myself forward into my dreams. My challenge is thinking it has to be done tomorrow. I have so much to learn, and I trust in myself to know that I will be courageously successful in my own authentic way. We all can, so jump into the pool wherever you like and when you are too comfortable, go farther until eventually you find yourself having fun and enjoying life in the deep end of the pool.
I feel very honored and grateful to have been one of the 47 speakers for Motivation Marathon. For those of you who missed this event visit www.motivationmarathon.com and register for your Free E-Book and while you are there listen to Gary Kobat’s one hour presentation along with the video of Dr. Michael Beckwith & Gary Kobat. Click on Listen to Free Highlights of the speakers with more speakers to come…all FREE! I promise, you will want to dive into the deep end of the pool when you hear these speakers!
“The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage.” -Thucydides
I wanted to share a bit of my year in 2011 with you, and to tell you that I am very excited to walk into 2012 with the gifts and lessons of 2011 under my belt. Here goes!
Wonderful lessons occurred in many areas of my life, and truth be told, some frustration and challenges. These are things that are important for personal growth and change, so I remind myself that living from the inside out, as well as living in courage is my best way forward. I am learning to be more patient and embrace stillness, to commune with nature daily, to embrace my writing heart to pen, and to always enjoy the chapters of my life. I have an amazing husband, family and friends that I am ever grateful for. Better said, I am grateful for all that is here and all that is yet to come. My personal freedom is of utmost importance to me, and that freedom means living my best life from a place of love, wisdom and joy. I am grateful for you and your support of Living in Courage. I wish you a very Happy New Year in 2012!
Wouldn’t it be great to see everyone living the dream of freedom? Free will gives us the power of choice, and I like to think that true freedom lives within, as do all the great qualities of love. When we make the choice to live from the inside out versus the outside in, our lives can transform. We each have to find our own place in a complex world, but what a wonderful world we have to play and create in! Freedom from the ties that bind, whether physically, mentally or spiritually is a task worth pursuing with gusto. The importance of your personal freedom will determine your course of action. I can’t tell you what that course is, only you know what is right for you. I feel freedom is our birthright, and one that goes beyond our limited thinking feeling reality. We can feel limited when we think our freedom is in jeopardy. There are many forms of freedom. What does freedom mean to you? We can bring a sharper focus and more clarity to our sense of freedom when we understand that we are solely responsible for our life by the choices we make and the actions we take.
The voice of freedom is knocking. We can all make a difference in 2012 by making choices that reflect love, wisdom and joy. We have a collective choice to change or not to change, to grow and expand, or to contact, which restricts life, and who wants that? Freedom of choice is a gift to be treasured, so in conclusion, be a good person, be harmless to yourself and others. Respect the freedom of everyone, no matter the cultural differences. We are more alike than different. After all, if we expect to engage and enjoy our freedom by living from the inside out, that takes responsibility. In that way we can each be responsible for our own inner freedom. The one that really matters!
Let Freedom Ring in 2012 and Beyond!
Debra Oakland
By being flexible, expansion and growth become our companions on this journey in an ever changing world. Learning to sway like a branch in the breeze is a skill. We can resist change, but it will occur regardless. Bruce Lee said “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless – like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” When times are unfavorable many people break down from fear and non-flexibility. I find when I have challenges in my life, most of the time it is because I am being inflexible. Ahhh, the need to be right. Gets us every time!
There are many changes going on in the world requiring us to be more flexible now than ever. With the internet and all the new technologies, we are able to connect on many different levels. The world stage is changing, challenging many old worn out beliefs and lifestyles. A much needed shift is occurring and flexibility is key to our happiness. People who are able to adapt to change are better equipped mentally and emotionally. Being resilient in times of challenge insures inner and outer flexibility, leading to a more joyful life.
When I talk about flexibility, I am not talking about being weak or passive, just open to adapting in a way that will serve you and your life. Just as keeping our bodies flexible is important to our health and well-being, keeping our minds flexible is essential to our mental health and well-being. By making conscious choices, being clear about our intentions, living our passion and being open to the change needed for a perfect outcome at the right time and place, we are expanding, never contracting. Have the courage to become a living example of flexibility and others will follow. Remember a bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you refuse to take the turn.
What motivates us as humans? I was pondering this subject thinking about various things that motivate, such as courage, inspiration, encouragement, and all the great qualities of life. There are many forms of motivation, for example fear is one. It does not take much to scare people into action. When fear is the motivating factor, the results will be different than those motivated by love, yet it may be an important stepping stone to acting from a place of love.
I have been motivated by many things in my life, but it always comes back to the basics. Living an authentic life doing what my heart leads me to do. By trusting that motivation comes from life all around me and from inside my soul, I am able to determine my best path. Like everyone I have made decisions out of fear. Many of those decisions were not the best, but they taught me what I do want. That is the power of contrast, which is essential for growth and expansion.
What and who motivates you? Does it last, or are you motivated in the moment and quickly lose momentum? Think about what fires up your soul. Inspired passion for excellence is a key factor in motivation. Passion, creativity, inspiration and productivity keep us alive and vital. This video on the life of bamboo motivated me to remember to plant the seeds, water them, encourage them and be patient for the growth that can explode from being nurtured.
CHALLENGE “Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.”
Recently “Life By Me” described me as a writer, joyful experiencer and courage advocate. I will take that and run with it! In the article I wrote for them I said “We’re incredibly powerful beings, and yet, as Sting sings, “how fragile we are.” There’s a bridge between being broken and living in power. We get to choose which side of the bridge to be on and who we’ll assist to the other side. It takes courage to believe in ourselves, to be our true authentic selves, never apologizing for who we are. If we can create a spiritual space inside ourselves, a place where we can overcome life’s biggest challenges, we’ll truly live in courage. By navigating the bumps in the road wisely, joy becomes a very good travel partner.” I truly believe this. We are fragile, powerful, courageous beings experiencing and expressing ourselves in a multitude of ways.
Courage comes in many forms. I like to think of the everyday hero, like you and me. By making wise choices throughout the day, being the best ‘you’ is courageous, because you are making a conscious choice for good. Sometimes challenges are put in our pathway, not to discourage us, but to call up the qualities of courage that are required, to find the opportunity in the challenge. How you handle these challenges, and the choices you make determine how smooth or rough the experience will be. It takes courage to be harmless to yourself and others, to ask the question “Is the choice I am making in this moment for the highest and greatest good for myself and for all?” Life expresses out from us according to what is going on inside. Every cell of our body emanates what we are thinking, feeling and acting upon. You may be able to hide things from other people, but never from yourself. We all need ‘purpose and direction.’ Being true to yourself should be the first order of business, and that my friend takes great courage. You can grow and be strengthened by challenges. It is a choice, which can create a grand bridge to your joy.
In one of my quotes I say “Courage is required, down to the very fiber of our existence. Use your will, desire and persistence to develop the qualities you need to materialize your dreams, whether they be mental, physical, or spiritual.” You are more powerful than you realize. We all are. Step up to yourself, for yourself. Find your point of power and connect to it like your life depends upon it, and make courage your constant travel partner.
“If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. Minister, Civil Rights Activist (1929-1968);
British Street Artist Banksy
Hope carries a vibration of optimism for the expectation and outcome of change. It is obvious that our world is quickly changing before our eyes. Even though there has been ongoing devastation around the world that has presented untold challenges, there is also a feeling of hope that people carry in their hearts. As world events continue to bring waves of change, we as a world community are coming together, to assist our fellow man as never before. There are no borders where love and compassionate support are concerned. We are all the child, the mother, the father, sister, brother and family member who feel compassion. We hold on to hope when others are in pain or suffering. Everyone wants to be happy, safe, healthy, abundant and whole. We all want for the same basics in life, and in that way we are no different. It is in that same-ness that we forge a bond of hope for our brothers and sisters around the world. It is that bond of hope that can bring the end of separation and allow change to carry us and our planet to new heights of awareness and peace.
Hope is a beautiful thing. Carry it close to your heart in the expectation of the magnificent changes that can and will occur from a place of love. Hope is energy. You are energy alive, border-less and free. Emily Dickinson wrote in a poem that “Hope is the thing with feathers/ That perches in the soul.”
I love this lighthearted article from Alan Cohen about death (just changing your address) and his new spin on Facebook. I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did!
Alan Cohen * From the Heart * April 2011
Eternal Life through Facebook
I was surprised to receive a Facebook friend invitation from Eric Butterworth, a respected author and minister who introduced me to the new thought movement many years ago. The astounding element of Dr. Butterworth’s invitation is that he is dead. He passed away eight years ago. How he found his way onto Facebook is a matter of great interest to me.
The Internet and Facebook bear huge metaphysical lessons. In truth no one ever dies and we are capable of communicating inter-dimensionally. In the movie The Last Starfighter, a young Jedi-like disciple grows sad when he learns that one of his heroes has been killed. His mentor tells him, “He is not dead. He is just battling evil on another dimension.” On a more earthly plane, a friend of mine told me that his mother had just passed away. When I offered him my condolences, he explained, “She really just changed addresses.”
Just as the essence of a person never dies, neither do relationships. All real relationships are eternal. You might break up, get divorced, move away from each other, or one of you might pass on. None of these logistical shifts diminishes the relationship. Only the love is real. Everything else is just story line. A Course in Miracles tells us, “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists.”
One of my favorite John Denver songs is Annie’s Song. When I attended one of John’s concerts, he mentioned that Annie’s Song is the most popular of all of his compositions. “When I went to India, people would stop me on the street and sing to me, ‘You fill up my senses. . . .’” he recounted. When I read John’s autobiography, Take Me Home, I learned that he wrote the song for his wife Annie, from whom he later got divorced. Initially I felt sad that such an exhilarating romantic song yielded to divorce. Then I realized that the love John expressed when he wrote the song was genuine. What happened after that is less important than the passion that flowed through him at that moment. Though the marriage ended, the passion that inspired the song is eternal and available to anyone choosing love at any time. Forms of relationship may change, but the energy that joins people in their finest moments cannot be destroyed.
I met John Denver when I was walking along a remote road on Maui. Driving a rental car, he pulled over and asked me if I wanted a ride. I was enjoying my walk, and much as I would have liked to ride with him, I told him thanks but I would continue walking. I took John’s hand and told him how much his music had inspired me over many years. He smiled, told me, “Thank you,” and continued on his way. A few years later I learned that John had died in a small plane crash. Upon hearing that news I was so grateful I had that moment to touch him and say thank you. Like John’s music, that moment is mine forever.
If you have gone through a breakup or divorce; or parted ways with a friend; or experienced the death of a loved one, take heart. The precious elements of the relationship are yours always. People and circumstances come and go, but your connection in Spirit is inseparable.
That’s why and how dead people can friend you on Facebook. They don’t really go very far from you, just behind a curtain. You can’t touch them with your fingers, but you can touch them with your mind and heart. That’s why I’m establishing an alternative to Facebook. I’m calling it Faithbook. We’re making a movie about it called The Spiritual Network. On Faithbook you are connected to everyone everywhere all the time and you don’t need a computer to communicate. There are no annoying ads or silly games, and the organizers don’t keep changing the rules. You make friends only by the Law of Attraction, and messages that you would have to block on Facebook never get to you on Faithbook because they don’t match you. You can easily communicate with departed loved ones because on Faithbook no one ever dies.
All relationships offer us the opportunity to discern between reality and illusion. We make up all kinds of stories in relationships that cause us pain and sorrow. The relationship journey evolves from the stories we made up to stories that are true. Contrary to what soap operas, romance novels, and movies tell you about relationships, the only real purpose of relationships is to experience deeper love. That love does not depend on what our bodies are doing. It depends solely on what our heart and minds are doing.
When Facebook became popular I resisted joining because I did not want to spend any more time on the computer. Now I like it. Where else can you get messages from dead people you love? In the old days you would have to go to a medium to get messages from the departed. Now you go to social media. It’s kind of cool when you think about it: No one ever dies. They just move to Facebook.
Alan Cohen is the author of many popular inspirational books, including his newest book of uplifting messages, A Daily Dose of Sanity. Listen to Alan’s weekly radio show Get Real on Hay House Radio at www.hayhouseradio.com, and join him for Life Coach Training beginning in September 1, 2011. For more information about Alan’s books, programs, or his free daily inspirational quotes via email, visit www.alancohen.com, email info@alancohen.com, or phone 1-808-572-0001.
Here is the replay link to my April 13, 2011 radio interview with Deb Scott on The Best People We Know. Deb is the bestselling author of ‘The Sky is Green and the Grass is Blue‘ which talks about how to turn your upside down world right side up. Deb and I had a great talk on this interview about Living in Courage. I hope you enjoy it!
I am honored to be featured in Life By Me this week. I would like to thank my wonderful friend Chris Cade for recommending me to Life By Me. Chris is featured on their site as a writer, speaker and empowerer. I am listed as writer, joyful experiencer and courage advocate. In fact I like the sound of courage advocate so much I think I will call myself “The Courage Advocate.”
Life By Me posts only one question “What is most meaningful to you?” Every day there is an original answer from all people such as Gary Zukov, Michael Beckwith, Judith Orloff, Dean Ornish, Leigh Taylor Young, Seth Godin, Marci Shimoff, Jack Canfield and many others. It is a wonderful space to get lost in…a real gem.
Click the link below to read my answer to the question “What is most meaningful to you?”
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Endorsements
“Debra Oakland has clearly written Living in Courage from the heart. This is a book that guides people to summon the courage to face life's biggest challenges. You will find wonderful nuggets that you can apply to your life now.”
~ David Riklan, Founder of SelfGrowth.com,
the #1 Self Improvement Website on the Internet
www.SelfGrowth.com
