Live Courageously by Choice

“The only place you can live in the land of not enough, is in your own mind.”

Debra Oakland

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2010 The Year of “Awakening”

“Self observation brings man to the realization of the necessity of self-change.  And in observing himself a man notices that self-observation itself brings about certain changes in his inner processes. He begins to understand that self-observation is an instrument of self-change, a means of awakening.” – George Gurdjieff.

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Love is Courage

All we need is love. Love is courage, loving is living in courage. It seems we are not very adept at loving our fellow men, women and children who walk this journey with us. We have all become so caught up in fear and doubt throughout our lifetime because of a great many factors.  I love to say “I command and I demand my freedom from all fear and doubt, and I ask that it be replaced with love.”  The more we step away from fear and into a place of love, our lives will generate new energy and light.

A simple question you can ask yourself in any situation is “What would love do now?”  That is powerful and is a courageous statement to make.

Have a wonderful day and I send you love from my heart to yours.

Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage Online

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Do Not Let Anyone DisCourage You!

Have the courage not to let anyone tell you – you can’t achieve your deepest dreams and desires.  There are naysayers everywhere in the world.  The worst crime to me is discouraging anyone from their soul’s desire.  Don’t shut that part of you off, it is there because it is the core of who you are.  Your Inner Guidance System knows exactly what you need.  Sometimes when we listen to our Inner Guidance and take action, people around us come up with all kinds of reasons why things won’t work out.  As a child didn’t you use your imagination and intuition all day long?  Trust that.  Go back to opening yourself to letting go of all the old “stuff” that holds no value for you any longer.  Say Yes To Life and No to Fear and Doubt.

Free yourself from old, boring, useless time wasting habits.  Free yourself from people who drag you down. Free yourself from anything that keeps you from your goals. Focus like a laser beam. You are powerful and do not let anyone tell you otherwise.  Find people who support you in your excellence. What do you want?  Do you imprint it in your mind, body and soul?  Do you give thanks that it is already here for you – NOW?  Stop believing – move into knowingness.  Know that what you want is here for you in this present moment.  Stay with that in a powerful way.  Let no one dissuade you.  Do not be impatient, for that brings in doubt and fear.  You are done with that nonsense, aren’t you?  Demand your freedom from all doubt and fear.  When you live in the moment you are in right now and nowhere else, shifts will occur rather quickly.  Don’t look back – there is nothing there.  Stay present in great peace and grace, standing in your KnowingNess.  Life is not supposed to be as hard as we have made it.  Do we have challenges, do we need to Live in Courage? Of course.  There will be bumps, challenges and many things to deal with.  That’s life.  How you handle these challenges is what makes you courageous, loving, joyful, fulfilled, peaceful and abundant.

Never be discouraged.  Disappointment is a feeling deep within everyone because of an accumulation of life’s experiences.  Release all disappointment, throw it away, along with grudges, judgment, criticism and blame.  You are the only one responsible for how your life turns out, so quit blaming yourself or anyone else for anything.  It is time to get on with your life. A life that can be filled with everything you can dream of and then some.  Invest in yourself, you are worth it.

Make it a great day in each NOW moment, for in each moment you have a choice as to how you choose to feel and think.

In Encouragement to you from Living in Courage,

Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage Online

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Gratitude is a Drug

Here is my newest quote at  Living in Courage – “Gratitude is a drug, it is free and non-toxic.” Yep, free as the air you breathe.  You don’t have to pay for it, travel around the world to find it, be rich, poor, educated, any particular race, color, creed or anything you can think of to find it.  It sits right in you heart.  Imagine if people walked around all day saying how grateful they were for every little thing!  Just imagine.  Our world would shift immediately.  But no, most people run around wanting more, feeling unappreciated (notice that comes out of not appreciating!) complaining, feeling stressed for uncountable reasons, and are just plain tired.  This does not go on all day, but for the parts of the day it does, well, it just brings more of the same.  The only way out of the cycle repeating over and over, is a feeling of love and gratitude to whoever you worship. To your body, mind/brain for carrying you through each day, to Mother Earth & the Kingdoms of Nature who hold you in their arms.  Gratitude to everything and everyone, for mirroring exactly what you need to see and experience.  If you want to look in the mirror and see a different image, then make some changes.

Saying a simple thank you is difficult for some people.  I see many parents raising their children without the courtesy of a thank you when they receive.  Simple gestures will alter the course of your life.  I know people get tired of hearing we are all ONE, but it is true.  What we do to ourselves, we do to another.  Everything connects.  Image the gratitude of a child starving in a third world country when they receive anything to eat. This child needs food and clean water, something we take for granted and expect to be there 24/7.  What is wrong with this picture?  When did we become so immune to our fellow men, women and children?  There are many people dying for no reason. Time to wake up folks, time is running out for us.  No joke.

There will be some powerful choices to make in the next few years for all of us.  Starting now will eliminate a great deal of pain for ourselves and others.  The time is now, now, now.  Not tomorrow, or when we have more time, money or energy.  Look deep inside, for you are courageous.  You came into this world with all the answers inside you, but fell into a hypnotic sleep.  This sleep is losing it’s hold on people all over the world.  When you wake up, what do you want to see?

Debra Oakland@ Living in Courage Online

“There are only two ways to live. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.

~~~ Albert Einstein

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I See Your Courage, Do You?

There are possibilities, probabilities and certainties in life.  There is believing and then there is knowing.  There is perceptual mind (tree of knowledge, altered ego) the OLD mind set that loves to question your choices and dreams. That’s the hard way of doing things. Then there is the conceptual mind (tree of life) the NEW mind set, the whole mind.  This is the easy way to do things.  Big concepts to ponder.  Be very clear that your consciousness will go out and do things for you.  Make a decision on what you are going to do.  Let your consciousness go out and draw to you everything that is required to fulfill your desires. Become a courageous magnet for the life you want.

The altered ego is the massive liar.  It loves to set you up and tell you that all manner of things are going to happen in your life.  The altered ego has had a ring through our nose and leads merrily on it’s nasty little way.  It is up to you to stop the altered ego. Call up some courage by taking control of your life.  How do you take control?  You create.  How do you create?  You have to think, feel, turn to what you are desiring, make choices and decisions.  You have to put them out as the most powerful declarations of intentions and set them into perpetual motion.  You will be wise to remember not to listen to the altered ego’s  what, when, why, where, how, but and if’s.  It loves to trip you up.  Be the messenger for yourself. Be courageous.  Don’t beat yourself up if something goes wrong in this great learning process.  Be kind and gentle with yourself.  The altered ego can kick up a fit of hysterics when you try to take over. Pick yourself up, dust yourself of and  keep moving in the direction of YOUR creations and choices.  That is what I call Living in Courage.

What kind of a day, month or year are you going to have?  If you are waiting for something good to happen and you take no action, then don’t be surprised when things don’t work out.  You have to pre-pave your life.  Feel it, think it, breathe it.  When you do this, over time, the altered ego becomes less of a nuisance.  Reminding the altered ego that you are not trying to destroy it, but bring it back into a balanced state is essential.

Remember, don’t hold on to anything.  Life loves to be in perpetual motion.  Many times we get in the way , which plugs up the flow of the gifts trying to reach us.   Keep everything flowing and you will see the proof yourself.  Set up a little mantra “I let everything flow easily and effortlessly in my life).  Oh, and do remember, gratitude is a most important part of the journey. I hope you find the tools I present to you of  value.  Add each one to your tool belt of life.  I applaud your success as you move up the ladder of your highest and greatest good.

Debra Oakland@ Living in Courage Online

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The Pink Rose Holds A Secret For You

There is an ancient story of a wild pink Rose of incomparable beauty and perfection.  The Rose knew it had only a short life in bloom.  So time was precious, magical really.

The very essence of the Rose entered into each passerby who touched the beautiful petals.  The Rose held a soft pink with streaks of silver running from its base to the exquisitely curled edges of perfection.  This Rose held secrets, as all roses do.  This secret was different.  This single Rose held the secrets of Freedom through Love.

Standing tall and gracefully regal in the light of the sun, Freedom’s Love Rose whispered to everyone passing by.  For those who heard the call and came forward, each found a different secret, unique to their needs.  For some it was forgiveness, for others it was healing, prosperity, health, kindness, peace and joy.  Freedom from all that is not love.  All day the little pink Rose touched the lives of unsuspecting passers by.

The real magic occurred when a person stopped to touch and take in the fragrance of this special pink Rose.  By the power of attention to the Rose, each person was given the gift of recognizing their own love, light, abundance, beauty, freedom, courage, strength and perfection.  This made space for the miracle of their life to unfold by growing deep inside their heart.  Recognition of this Rose burst open the Flame of Love’s Freedom for those wise enough to see what others had missed.  Sometimes the best things in life are hidden in plain view.

I like to think that for some it is a Rose, for others perhaps someone who is cold and hungry on the street, a butterfly fluttering close, the smile of a stranger or a song the breeze carries to you.  Love can be everywhere when we let it in.  There are many ways to unlock the heart and all of its amazing secrets.  All in plain sight.  Like the beautiful Rose who wilts and moves on, leaving seeds behind for more roses to bloom.  Everything changes, morphs and shifts holding secrets waiting to be discovered and shared.

Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage Online

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The Courage To Carry The Flame Of Freedom

Do you have the courage to carry The Flame Of Freedom? It is time for Unity. A time for the damaged hearts and minds of people who would do or cause harm – to stop.  The fires of change have been lit.  Many people now carry The Flame Of Freedom in their hearts and minds.  Change is spreading quickly around the world.  Peace will become a predominant force that pushes at the borders of fear.

The human heart holds a space for miraculous things.  The heart is a doorway to the unbroken soul that can swing wide open when given the right direction.  Our future can be built on solid principles of truth, integrity, honor, courage, love, right action and anything that is a positive for the human race.  These qualities are of no small consequence.  This world is intended to shine as the true diamond it is.  There is light and brilliance under the surface of the darkness that many see in the world.

I intend to walk a smooth journey full of joy and happiness.  What is your intention?  Will you live a courageous life or one of fear? You will have to choose, for no one else can do it for you. Fear is not and never has been the answer.  We just forgot where our power is.  We each have a unique gift.  To wake up and remember who we really are.  We really aren’t broken, but we have been through tremendous pain and suffering as a planet.

Each and every person will have to turn the key to the doorway to freedom and peace by their own hand.  Everyone will choose a different time for this.  As this happens you will see changes everywhere and the momentum is building.  People are tired of being lied to and not feeling safe in a world that was meant to be a place of beautiful perfection. Changes are coming and they are coming very quickly. Let your inner peace, light and love translate to the outer world.  We really can live in a symphony of perfection.  Maybe not tomorrow, but soon.  A new dawn is here for all those who have The Courage To Carry The Flame Of Freedom.

In Love – Debra Oakland @Living In Courage Online

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The Courage of Children’s Book “Imagine That”

I have a most delightful friend in Rosemary Holmes-Gull.  She has written the magical children’s book “Imagine That” -  a book of true inspiration that represents courage to me.  Part of the proceeds from sales of the book go to “Mothers Without Borders.” Rosemary’s son Bentley did the beautiful illustrations.The campaign day for the book May 26th 2009.  If you would go to Rosemary’s website (Children’s Imaginings) that day – May 26th to order to order “Imagine That” this will help her get up the best seller charts!!  I know you will love this book.  Please share it with your family and friends.  They will thank you for it.

Imagine That…A Picture Book of Possibilities

This delightful picture book inspires and motivates children to see and believe in their magnificence. Using examples from nature–the ant, the butterfly, and the bumble bee–children come to understand their power, their ability to overcome difficulties and challenges, even the ability to do the seemingly impossible. All of this because they have been blessed with the gift of imagination. A recurring theme throughout the book is: If you believe it, you will find a way to achieve it.

This has truly been a labor of love for Rosemary,” a work of heart” as she plans to donate part of the proceeds from sales of the book to Mothers Without Borders, an organization that works with AIDS orphans in Zambia. Rosemary is traveling to Zambia in July to work as a volunteer with the children.
She is especially proud of the wonderful illustrations that her son, Bentley provided for the book. It was joyful experience to collaborate with him in this venture.

For details on purchasing the book, please visit www.childrensimaginings.com

Children are our future, so it is vital that they realize they hold joy inside through the power of Love.  This lovely book teaches children how to Live in Courage.

Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage Online

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Be The Courageous Artist Of Your Life

We are all artists. Every one of us. We all have courage. Put the two together and what do you have.? A courageous artist who is the creator, painter, director and architect of their own life. We think of an artist as someone who creates, correct? Beautiful music, paintings, designers, renaissance masters of days gone by.

Each one of us, each human is a work of art, a work of courage. We are all here to design and create, yet we do it outside of ourselves for the most part. What about designing from the inside? In this way we each become the unmistakable master artist of what shows up in our lives. How about the art of seeing yourself as you really want to be – in all your perfection. Creating a perfect vision of your life and holding that so close to your heart KNOWING and FEELING the reality of it. There are universal laws that apply to everything. We KNOW the sun will rise in the morning and set in the evening. This is a universal law that will act as long as the intelligence behind it desires it to. Universal law is changeless, eternal and in perpetual motion.

The “Great Art of Becoming” who and what we want always includes the “Great Art of Undoing.”   How about deciding that any unacceptable appearance that comes into your life has no universal law to sustain it?  Remember, you are the intelligence behind the appearance and have the power to undo it.  Move into a place of Knowing.  Feel the difference between Knowing and Believing.  Compare the feeling or vibration of the two words.  Knowing is light, Believing carries a heavier feeling.  When you Know it is so easy to feel secure and safe.  When you Know, you are the artist painting a life of beauty and perfection.

There is only one universal law that has no opposites and that is LOVE.  When you have a belief in two powers that is duality.  I like to think of it as The Tree of Knowledge (duality) and the Tree of Life (love) – we have a choice.  What kind of artist are you?  Will you live from fear or love?  Because you are a great artist now and Know the universal truths of perfection – when an appearance shows up, you know it is a complicated and compromised manifestation that has shown up from a belief in duality (good vs evil.)  You do not believe in that anymore – no no no, you believe in the Tree of Life which is the one law, the law of Love.  In fact, you take another step as the artist, you do not believe at all! Believing has been replaced with Knowing.  When you Know, you do not have to Believe.  Are you getting this?  Just know that love is the answer and has no opposites.  Love is a universal law that is changeless, eternal and in perpetual motion.  In truth, you are Love and nothing else.  The return to Love is the long journey you are on.  I am here to provide you with the tools to take that journey.  These tools have been given to me to share with you for a life that is well lived and a life of Living in Courage.  It takes courage to live from the Love of your heart, but I KNOW you are the most exquisite artist in all the universe.  By the way, this journey is supposed to be fun, so while you are painting, do it with joy and laughter.  The universe will hear you and respond with gifts you can only imagine. Oh, and never forget to express gratitude for that is the signature on your beautiful painting of a life well lived.

I send you Love from my artist heart to yours,

Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage Online

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