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
“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.”
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.
“Life is Delicious. Devour it with joy in every cell of your body, mind and spirit. You will see it’s perfect qualities reflected back to you in many ways, seen and unseen.” -Debra Oakland
I like to remind myself that my life is the sum of my choices, and the more I enjoy life, the happier I am. It’s simple, yet can take a lifetime of self awareness to embrace life with open arms. Quite a journey we all share!
Use Courage to expand each and every day. Smile more often, be kind and loving to others, gossip less, let criticism of yourself and others go, be the joy you want to experience. Life WILL respond back to you. – Debra Oakland
Pablo Casals the famous Spanish Catalan cellist and conductor said “Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that never was before and never will be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know who you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.”
The children are our future, and what we teach them matters. By reminding children of who and what they are, we are teaching them to live from the inside out as the marvelous beings they each are. Sometimes we forget our uniqueness and the power in that individuality. Let’s all remind young children who they are, so they can pass it on for future generations who want to live in a marvelous world.
The song you will hear recently brought tears to everyone’s eyes on Korea’s Got Talent. Sung-bong Choi was a sad young man who called himself a ‘manual worker’ living on his own since he was 5yrs old. He represents Living in Courage in many ways, and stories like these always tug at our heartstrings.
This amazing young man has become an overnight sensation, and will no longer be living on the streets. The judges cried, the audience cried, I cried and you will too! Prepare to be blown away by this beautiful voice.
Are you in the flow or out of the flow? We are either flowing with our good or going against it. How is the energy flow affecting each of our lives and how can we harness it? Watch this video of Oprah Winfrey for some insight. Oprah is a woman who delivers gifts of love to the world. What a wonderful example of Living in Courage.
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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
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!
