Is Anybody Listening? The Universe Is Always Listening

Sometimes, in spite of your best efforts, beautiful prayers, and endless study, life appears to betray you, forcing you into a "battlefield state of consciousness." You find you must ready yourself to deal with your worst fears.

Conceivably, it can appear in the form of unemployment, homelessness, divorce, the death of a loved one, etc. Just maybe, this nightmare is a combination many things. It could even be all of the above. Even though you have made your spiritual quest a priority, it does not take long to see the cold hard facts. This leaves you thinking you are not going to make it. To keep this feeling of dying a painful death at bay takes all of your energy, leaving you without the strength to forge ahead.

Like a good steward, you quickly pop in the tape of your favorite motivational speaker, pull out your favorite prayer vigil, open a journal and start to grapple with these unwelcome visitors. About sixty days later, you realize you do not seem to be winning.

You have followed all of the advice given by ministers and motivators alike. Yes, all seems in vain. Even God seems to be hiding. So you cry out, "Is ANYBODY listening?"

Abruptly my meditation was broken by the sounds of people jet skiing. Instead of being annoyed, I remembered that "everything is temporary" and I was grateful for the blessing of this real moment, no matter how short.

As you are forced to battle and slay the negative forces and circumstances that are occurring in your life, remember this promise- this too shall pass. Just keep on keeping on. This wonderful universe is listening and the mere fact you are alive is a testament to the fact you are winning in spite of how it appears.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warns of the danger of a single story and it is at times like these that we find ourselves focusing on the 20% of what is wrong in our lives and giving it our attention while ignoring and deflating the 80% of our lives that is working. Life does not give us problems or challenges, it gives us opportunities that are designed to help us to continue to step into our greatness.

When life presents you with a seemingly impossible opportunity make it an adventure - do the following: Look at your life six months from now. What must have happened for you to believe a miracle had occurred? As the answers are revealed to you, it is now time to start your new adventure today.

Live the life you've imagined. Dream Big!

Remember life is too short to drink cheap champagne!

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Why You Should Start A Passion Project

Is there something you yearn to do? Maybe you haven't told anyone... but still, you keep thinking about it.

Maybe you dream of publishing a graphic novel

or taking the world of knitting by storm with bespoke mittens.

Maybe you are fascinated by origami

or you've always wanted to learn Italian.

But so far you haven't pursued it because it doesn't seem practical. Or responsible. You've got a list of things to do and if it's not on the list, it's not important. Who has time to be frivolous?

I invite you to start a passion project.

A passion project is a trendy name for doing something that excites and inspires you. You do it for your own satisfaction, not for anybody else's. It piques your curiosity and spurs your energy. It doesn't need a purpose.

If you're already thinking "I don't have time for that", then consider this: passion projects are about fostering your well-being by doing something that lights you up.

Passion projects are about freedom too, because there are no rules about what a passion project should be.

The way to begin finding your passion is simple: be curious. Pay attention to what interests you. Your project is something you are drawn to, not something you think your way to. That's why it's a passion project - it elicits a strong emotion. It makes you feel like "Oooh! Yes, THAT!"

If you find yourself describing it with language like "implementing synergistically scalable benefits" you are probably heading in the direction of a resumé-padding project, not a passion project. Check in with your curiosity again.

Are you still resisting your project? Don't judge or censor your ideas with criticisms like "that's silly" or "I can't do that" or "what will people think". It's not about the results, it's about creative action on your terms.

You get to devote as much time and energy to it as you want. Remember, the main benefit of doing a passion project is this: it feels good. It nourishes your spirit. Do not underestimate the power of generating positive feelings - this is what happiness is made of.

A passion project may provide other benefits like learning new skills, meeting new people, contributing to a current career or developing a new one. These bonuses are like icing on the cake. But even if they don't happen, the inspiration, sense of satisfaction and meaning the project provides will carry over into other areas of your life in beneficial ways.

University of Pennsylvania professor Adam Grant writes about pursuing creative interests: "Relative to typical scientists, Nobel Prize winners are 22 times more likely to perform as actors, dancers or magicians; 12 times more likely to write poetry, plays or novels; seven times more likely to dabble in arts and crafts; and twice as likely to play an instrument or compose music."

Play with your curiosity and let yourself explore something new. You never know where your "Oooh! Yes, THAT!" will take you.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-You-Should-Start-A-Passion-Project&id=9496612

Why Waste Your Energy on This?

“Sometimes it's like: If something terrifies you, you should totally do it BECAUSE it terrifies you. And then you'll do it and you'll realise what you're capable of.” 

― Jonathan Saccone-Joly

3 Bad Habits That Are Killing Your Energy

As I've always emphasized, it's not about time management, it's about attention and energy management.

Without energy, nothing gets done.

Your ideas won't be turned into reality. Your passion won't be translated into career. Your genius wisdom won't be passed along to your students, apprentices or mentees.

Want to drastically boost your energy levels?

One of the most effective ways to regain your energy is to first look at the things in your life that are draining your energy right now and get rid of them.

Rather than discovering another innovative way to improve your energy, you can eliminate certain things that are sucking your energy away.

In other words, you are improving your energy by doing less and not by doing more. This is so much easier to begin with especially when your energy is so low while taking on new challenges can be exhausting.

Here are the top 3 bad habits that you must break as soon as possible to regain your energy.

#1 Tea and Coffee

If you use caffeine to power you through the day, then this is something you should start to strategically cut down.

While caffeine gives you a quick energy boost, it's severely hampering your energy levels in the long-term. If you take too much throughout the day, you'll find it difficult to get into sleep and get up in the morning. It's actually disrupting your biological cycle.

When you drink caffeine, it emulates the molecule 'adenosine' in the brain. This is a molecule that builds up over the day and which will make us feel tired and groggy later on.

However, since caffeine emulates adenosine, it can 'plug' the adenosine receptors thereby rendering it inert. And that's why we have an artificial feeling of instant energy and drive.

Over time, this leads to tolerance and dependence. The brain produces more adenosine receptors to counteract the perceived lack of adenosine and as such you need more caffeine to feel normal.

This leads to withdrawal and that withdrawal is one of the things making you feel so lethargic, sluggish and inactive in the morning!

#2 Smoking

Nicotine is a stimulant and is even used as a nootropic.

But when you smoke, you also inhale a huge amount of harmful gasses which can severely damage your lung capacity. Eventually, this can lead to a greatly impaired VO2 Max which makes it hard to simply move around without coughing.

For starters, try using vaporizers to break the habit. It's going to do so much good to your health, other people's health and the environmental health!

#3 Procrastination

Procrastination wastes your valuable time without giving you the 'permission' you need to properly rest.

Worst still, when you procrastinate until the last-minute late at night, you are in the worst mental condition to tackle the hard work you have avoided all day to engage with, which will likely lead to poor performance.

Burning the midnight oil does prove that you have great "work ethic" at all, it only tells people that you are bad with prioritization.

From now on, have an attitude of either being 'off' or 'on' for whatever you do.

Walk or sit - don't wobble.

In other words, when you notice your productivity starting to wane, embrace it and use it as a chance to properly recharge so you'll have more energy to get up and go later.

http://ezinearticles.com/?3-Bad-Habits-That-Are-Killing-Your-Energy&id=9527601

Beating Burnout: How to Overcome the Career Blues

Burnout is a common phenomenon in most industries, especially for highly dedicated and driven professional. If you've put all of your energy and time into a project or a job, it often can wear on you, especially if you don't see results right away. You may be tempted to quit, but don't give up just yet. There are many coping strategies that you can use when you are feeling burnt out that can help you get back on track.

Take a (short) break.

The best-known strategy for dealing with burnout is to just take a break. Although it is essential to take a break in order to recharge, many people don't approach the break with the right attitude and then end up experiencing burnout again. Your break should be short but very productive. Take a few days away from work and avoid using your phone or laptop for work purposes. Approach the break with the idea that you are going to do things that make you feel better, instead of just sleeping or watching TV. You might plan a weekend trip, go for a hike, meet up with close friends, or do something else positive that will make you feel better.

Remember what inspired you in the first place.

Everyone at one point likely had a moment when they realized this was the career for them. Go back to that moment and try to remember what sparked your curiosity about this profession. Did you read an article or watch a video that got you hooked? Whatever it was, thinking back on it can help you remember why you got started and push you to keep working towards your desired outcomes.

Determine the cause of the burnout.

In order to recover from burnout, you first need to identify what caused it. Some people experience burnout because they have taken on too much work and feel overwhelmed, while others feel burnt out because they feel dissatisfied with their work. Determine what the cause was for you and then identify concrete steps you can take to address it so it doesn't happen again.

Make a detailed plan.

Once you've taken a break and decide it's time to go back to work, create a very detailed plan for yourself that will help you manage your workload and take concrete steps to improve and feel satisfied with your work. This can help you avoid burnout again in the future, because if you start to feel like your career isn't going anywhere, you have a plan to turn to.

Although burnout can be incredibly frustrating, taking action to work through it can help you get your career back on track. Once you've worked through your first case of burnout, you will likely develop a new appreciation for your work that will help you stay motivated in the future.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Beating-Burnout:-How-to-Overcome-the-Career-Blues&id=9515536

7 Basic Hacks To Simplify Your Life And Accomplish More Each Day

Life is fast moving and complicated. There's a lot you can do to simplify your life and still get more accomplished. There's an apparently endless supply of "hacks" online. There are hacks for work, your love life, exercise, and everything else under the sun. Making it through all of the hacks requires a hack of its own.

Keep things basic and focus on a few effective strategies:

1. Make a list. The fewer things you aim to accomplish, the more you'll get done. Make a list of the 2-3 crucial things you wish to get done at work.

Before you drive home, make a list of the 2-3 crucial things you want to get done at home. Make a new list for the weekend.

The act of making the list will force you to prioritize so you can achieve the most important jobs.

2. Concentrate on one task at a time. Changing back and forth in between 2 or more tasks doesn't work very well. Discover how to concentrate on one job until it's completely finished prior to proceeding to something else. Attempt this for a week and notice the difference it makes.

3. Streamline your diet plan. The next time you're at the grocery store, stick to the edges of the shop. What do you discover there? Lean protein, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. Throw in some nuts and healthy whole grains and you have a healthy diet plan. You'll conserve time and money at the store and do marvels for your health.

4. Attempt to limit your emails to 5 sentences. If an email is five sentences, no one will complain that your e-mail is too short or too long. You can keep relationships without spending a lot of time typing a ridiculous e-mail. Use the phone as each scenario requires.

5. Go to sleep early. Any additional time you're awake during the night most likely isn't really being used efficiently. It's most likely invested in watching TV while nodding off in your favorite chair. Get to bed early and get up early. You'll get more done each day.

6. Arrange your mail as soon as you arrive home every day. Each day, get the mail and stand above the garbage can. Throw away the junk and sort the rest. Put all of it away in the appropriate location.

Prevent the frustration of lost bills and clutter. Conserve your energy and time for more vital jobs than going through a huge stack of junk mail each time you need to find a bill or other important paper.

7. Work offline. It seems that increasingly more work must be finished on the computer, however there are pitfalls to working online--the internet. The internet is both the best and worst thing ever created. It supplies tremendous resources, but it's also the best way to get distracted and waste a great deal of time.

Would you rather complete the billing report for your employer or watch a video of kittens riding on the back of a goat? See how easy it is to get sidetracked?

If you're at home, pull the Ethernet cable or turn off the Wi-Fi. You can find a comparable option at work.

One famous author once specified that the only way he could get any work done was to glue the Ethernet cable into the port and after that cut off the cable. He couldn't control himself if he had access to the internet. Try out these seven hacks and see how they impact your life.

What other hacks would you include? Think about where you seem to waste the most time. This is a prime area for developing a hack of your own. Keep your life simple and it will be much easier to get through the day with a sensation of achievement.

http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Basic-Hacks-To-Simplify-Your-Life-And-Accomplish-More-Each-Day&id=9490031

Redefining Prosperity

"The economy is in a slump."

"People aren't spending money on services."

You hear this, and more, every day. Sigh.

No wonder entrepreneurs lose sleep worrying about their financial future.

It can make you crazy, can't it?

But is this the only way to think? Do we need to 'buy into' the pessimistic view?

I hope not. In fact, I know we don't have to!

Let's redefine prosperity so that it encompasses even more than what's in our bank accounts.

Sound good? Let's go!

You've got a LOT going for you. Really.

Let's take a look at just how prosperous you are!

Your Strengths. What are you really, really good at? What traits do you possess that make you a strong person? What are your passions? Make a list of all the things about YOU that make you strong. Your creativity, your resilience, your ability to organize any project put in front of you, your crazy sense of humor, your intuition, your deep caring and empathy, your athletic ability, your calm-in-a-crisis demeanor, your head for numbers, your lightning speed efficiency, your stellar recipe for banana bread. Oh gosh, I could go on and on. But now it's your turn. Start your list and add to it regularly.

Your Energy. Yes, you. You, the one who can usually get "it" done no matter what. You are an energetic dynamo. When the chips are down, you're there. You've always got energy for what's most important in your life - the people, the projects, the behind-the-scenes tasks, etc. If you feel your energy reserves getting low, you know what to do - get yourself recharged. It's time to remind yourself just how energetic you are and how much you have to offer!

Your Love. You are a loving person. You have so much to offer and you have an abundance of love to give. Right? You are indeed a prosperous person. Make sure you give and receive love as much as possible. That's the most important type of "deposit" you can make (or receive). Keep that in mind. Reach out to someone today and keep those love accounts active!

Your Options. I know, in difficult times it can feel like you have no options. I understand that. And yet, I'll bet you can come up with several times in your life when you accomplished something that you thought wasn't possible or that you thought wouldn't happen for you. I encourage you to start a list of options you have.

Open your mind to possibilities and they will appear, seemingly out of nowhere.

If we are open and receptive, opportunities present themselves.

I encourage you to be on alert for the possibilities in your life.

Spend some time recalling the possibilities and opportunities that you have experienced so far in your life. They are there.

Be on the lookout for this definition of prosperity. It's around every corner for those who have their eyes and ears tuned for it.

You are prosperous!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Redefining-Prosperity&id=9321788

Your Inner Power - Three Ways to Cleanse and Raise Your Energy

You are an energetic being living in an energetic Universe. You have the Source Energy that creates worlds flowing through you. It is your responsibility to be vigilant and guard your energy. It is especially important to use your sacred energy wisely. As you cleanse and raise your energy, you release negative emotions. You feel the power of your Source Energy, Breath of Life, pulsing within you. You align with your true Self and your inner power.

Cleanse and raise your energy with your good-feeling thoughts.

Your every thought vibrates and attracts similar thoughts. You are either raising or lowering your energy with them. Be aware of your negative inner voice. Don't express negative energy when you talk. Don't trash your energy with strong, negative emotions. You increase your stress with thoughts that make you feel bad. Instead choose good-feeling thoughts or at least thoughts that make you feel better. With consistent mental practice you can change your ways of thinking and feeling.

Repetitive thoughts and feelings impact your life experience. They create the self you are becoming. You can transform your feelings with your thoughts. You have the freedom to choose your own thoughts. You limit yourself. You are more than you think you are. Cleansing your energy comes from a place of honoring the Divine within you.

Cleanse and raise your energy through your breath work.

The link between breath, life and the divine appears in both Eastern and Western spiritual texts. For millennia yogis have used breathing practices to calm the mind and emotions. Your breath is a powerful ally. The daily practice of breath work is a simple yet effective way to enhance health and well-being. Think of your breathing practice as a pause button in a busy life.

Studies show that breath work has immediate and long-term positive effects on your well-being. It can be done sitting at a traffic light or in a quiet room. Breathe in a long, slow and comfortable manner. Relax into each exhale. As you inhale, you breathe in oxygen and the Source Energy, Breath of Life. As you exhale, you release carbon dioxide and negative emotion. You raise your energy level. Breathing slowly with awareness renews body, mind and spirit. It increases clarity, vitality and well-being.

Cleanse and raise your energy during time spent in nature.

The natural world is alive with energy. Spending time in nature helps keep your energy fresh. Observing nature helps you align with the essence of your being. You deepen your experience of the Divine. You feel a sense of expansion beyond the ordinary self.

A walk in nature has a powerful energetic effect on your state of being. This energy affects your mood, your immune system and the self you are becoming. It flows into the core of your being. Modern science shows these changes happen in real time. Nature's energy cleanses and raises your energy.

As an energetic being, you must guard your energy and use it wisely. You must choose ways to cleanse and raise your energy. Meditation may be the best life practice. Studies show that meditation promotes inner peace, lowers blood pressure and boosts the immune system. It restores the body, calms the mind and empowers the spirit.

Explore the gentle, ancient practice of meditation. It creates a quiet space in which to know your true Self and reclaim your inner power. It offers a way of tapping the divine energies of love and wisdom. Meditation transforms your life. It helps you live with joy, vitality and well-being.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Your-Inner-Power---Three-Ways-to-Cleanse-and-Raise-Your-Energy&id=9004643