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!

Debra Oakland

Happy New Year from Living in Courage!

“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

It seems appropriate to end the year of 2011 with Gratitude.  Of all the 144 Qualities of Love, gratitude is one of my personal favorites.  There have been endless words written about this quality, personal moments of sacred silence in gratitude, outward expressions of thankfulness in every imaginable way.  No matter what your belief system may be, there is one thing we all share, express and experience in our own way, and that is grate-fullness. It is hard to ignore one of life’s greatest qualities!

Reflecting back on 2011, it is important to remind ourselves to be grateful for all that is here and all that is yet to come. We are now closing 2011 and moving into 2012.  The coming year has been written about, predicted, discussed and dissected more than any year I can ever remember. All forms of media have jumped on the bandwagon, and we have the film industry for even more exposure, though usually fear based. People in every walk of life have formed their own opinions about what the outcome could be. Yes, we are in the midst of great change.  The world as we can see is changing daily.  In my humble opinion, this is a truly amazing time to be alive, to witness such individual and collective transformation calls for Gratitude with a capital “G.”

The very foundation of our inner truths are being tested. Subtle and not so subtle shifts are occurring for each of us, and we can trust that the process is in perfect order.  We also have a choice to lovingly embrace the momentum of change, or we can resist it out of fear. It is our responsibility to direct our power for good, not only for ourselves, but for the collective aspects of all life.  What difference did you and I make in 2011?  What difference will we make in 2012 and beyond?  How grateful are we for all that is here now, and for all that is yet to come into our lives?  What appears in our life now and in the future is a direct result of the choices we have made and continue to make.  What we do matters because there is a ripple effect that goes out into the world.  We forget how powerful we are.  As each of us aligns to the unity of love and peace in all the varied aspects of ourselves and our world, we connect to our source of infinite power. In this alignment we become open to unlimited possibilities.  That is the approach I will take as I walk into 2012, and I trust you will as well.  It’s the only way to expand and who wants to contract? That’s just a waste of our precious time and energy!

Our experiences can define us, for good or not so good. Yes, there are challenges in life, but what do we take away from them and carry with us?  By living in courage we move forward growing ever strengthened. This life is our dance. and gratitude makes an excellent companion.  By being grateful we feel richer in the appreciation for the small things, that way when the big things show up, life is that much better.  Find all that you are grateful for and hold that feeling of thank-fullness in your heart.  I am grateful for you, and I send you blessings for the beautiful flow of 2011 into the grand expansiveness of 2012.

Happy Holidays from Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage Online

How receptive are you? How receptive am I?  A tricky question we don’t ask ourselves often enough. The quality of taking in and receiving is being receptive to all life has to offer us. We often say no to life without even realizing it.  Mother Nature never says no to life, she is life.  We are the energetic force of life, living breathing receptors that have the ability to receive great abundance. When I speak of abundance, I am speaking of the flow of good into all areas of our lives.  By remaining in harmony we become receptive, allowing our greater good to come to us.

I don’t know about you, but I have found that by my own efforts alone, I dilute my power to fully live the life I desire and dream of. When I make powerful conscious choices to set up my future, I am then able to hand the details over to my perfected self, my higher self who knows exactly how to bring to me what I want and at exactly the right time.  My job is to stay out of the way by remaining harmonious and receptive to my good.  There are seen and unseen forces in the Universe that can go to work for us in ways we can’t imagine. I can tell you that when I use these Universal Laws and Principles, they work.  Test it out for yourself, take a little test drive.  If we want change, we have to be open and receptive!

We need to become receptive listeners who are open and responsive to what comes our way.  That is part of harmony.  When we are stressed, in a hurry or shut down to listening, it is hard to feel and hear the messages the heart is sending us in its infinite love, wisdom and power.  We have been trained to behave in a certain way since birth to survive in the world as we know it.  It’s not easy to re-train yourself to remain harmonious in a world full of chaos, but there is another world out there waiting for those who do.

Be receptive to the beauty of life. There has always been human suffering simply because of the choices people make. When we are unreceptive to love and its family, only sadness, regret and fear can occupy that space.  By making the choice to live in and from the heart, you remain open and receptive to your highest and greatest good. We must take a stand if we want change, because we are the change-makers and each decision we make matters. Receptivity is a superpower, and so are you!

“Not only do your thoughts and words and actions affect others in an obvious way, but they also have an impact far beyond any that you might have intended. And, to complete the concept of the Golden Rule, what you send out will come back to you, so the actions you take or the words you speak or the thoughts you conceive should be ones that you feel comfortable returning to you, for they inevitably will.” ~Lessons from the Source by Jack Armstrong

Debra Oakland

Vision, creativity and passion carry us to places we did not know we could go.  Believing in oneself and evolving into a state of knowing is a long path to travel, with many bridges to cross. Knowingness is an ever evolving process within ourselves.  How do we learn to believe in ourselves so much, that we dispel fear and doubt? This is a question I ask myself often.  Intellectually,  I know it is found through opening many doors. Spiritually, I know it is from connecting to the heart.  I want to believe I am capable of excelling at my passion, but a lifetime of voices, lessons, schooling and all manner of dictates have told me otherwise, at least for the most part.  It is up to me to have a vision, to know that I am capable of achieving my desired outcome.  The most important part is knowing that I am the only one that stands in my way.

Neale Donald Walsch said “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”  I like my comfort zone, thank you very much, but as the years roll by I know that what creates growth is change, and that means leaving your comfort zone from time to time. Often we are like children, holding on to our ‘blankey” with a thumb in our mouth, trailing our blanket of comfort behind.  Part of growing into an adult means leaving the blanket behind, if we want to evolve.  To grow into spiritual adulthood, it is wise to leave fear and doubt behind, which can allow us the clarity to see our vision for the future we wish to create.

What is your personal vision?  What is your vision for the Collective?  When following your heart and envisioning the future, is it for the highest and greatest good not only for yourself, but for everyone?  A very big responsibility sits on our shoulders if we hold the vision of living from a place of love, wisdom and power.  By connecting to the heart in a profound way, the obstacles that clouded our vision begin to clear.  Our connection to source grows stronger, we grow stronger, allowing knowing-ness to be an essential guide.  There seems to be a sense of dis-rest in so many people, no matter who they are, or their station in life.  Until we each learn to hold the vision of love for ourselves and our fellow man, there will be dark clouds in the way. Sri Aurobindo said “ In order to see, you have to stop being in the middle of the picture.”  Getting out of our own way is not always easy, but well worth the repeated effort.

Spend as much time as possible in-visioning the life you want to live. Examine what is truly important for that vision to succeed.  What is the motivation behind the vision and how do you see it unfolding?  Your vision is powerful and when you use it wisely and with love, it will bless you in all areas of your life.

Debra Oakland

We are energy.  Let’s talk about this briefly.  Our thought is energetic and holds within it – power.  We as creators have the power to direct this energy.  Cause and effect would be how things manifest outwardly in our lives, and is a direct result of how we manage that energy.  The cause is our focused thought, or the recurring habits of our thinking, feeling and acting, which create effects or outcomes in our lives.

Thought is a by product of thinking.  Healthy, happy creative and constructive thoughts impact all areas of our lives in a positive way, whereas worrisome and fearful thoughts impact our lives in a negative way.  Simple math really!  As we vibrate to this positive or negative energy, it is important to know that our multi-body system is taking orders from headquarters!  We birth our thoughts through feelings as they take root and are nurtured into reality.

Energy is alive waiting to be directed in any way you choose.  Consciously creating brings much more satisfactory results than unconsciously creating. Again, you do the math!

Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage Online

“You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay? Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.”

-Jim Rohn

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.

Debra Oakland

Replay of my August 19th Interview on Living in Courage with Margie Scott of Bliss 101 Radio