Listen Up!

Offering advice to friends is a loving gesture, as we can all use a little advice; heck, sometimes we should also take our own advice!

Much of the advice we have readily available for our friends is made up from our own experiences, our own “getting through” of the trying times.

But, there is also nothing more comforting than when our friends lend an ear, during these trying times.

Friends are our sounding board, making life more “sound” when our inner voices may be screaming at us from all directions!

We can certainly get through many of what we get through, on our own, but ultimately the support of friends is what helps us stand tall, when we may otherwise slouch.

Be aware of what your friends truly need… Is it advice? Or simply an ear?

We cannot understand, comprehend or recognize the moods, the emotions, or the underlying reasons for our friends’ need in us, unless we sit in the active role of “listening.”

LuCy sMiLeS

“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand.”~ unknown

"Time Out"

The holiday season is just around the corner!
Spreading good cheer over the holidays is always a great way to feel positive. This allows us to focus on all the good that we have to offer others! But what about spreading ourselves too thin?
 
What about taking time out to focus on ourselves, to be sure that we are giving our best to others, by first giving the best to ourselves?
 
There is a difference between giving out vs giving too much out, resulting in giving up time for our inner spirit... to keep our spirits up!
 
If you are like most, you don't only have one or two things on your plate.
The holidays add more to our plates, making it difficult to spend well deserved time we need to energize our batteries, leading to burn out.
We need all the energy we can get to burn off all those extra calories also added to our plates this season!
 
Life is like a balancing act, and not all of us are great "life" acrobats, nor can we walk the fine line without falling off here and there.
 
So do yourself a favour, take a "time out" for yourself whenever you can, so you can be the best you can when giving to others this holiday season.

LuCy sMiLeS

"You are Here"

Shopping Mall Directories; Condo elevator Diagrams; Hotel Room door Emergency Exits....
What do all these things have in common?

All locations give you a direct mapping to where you are, in relation to all that is around you, to guide you to a safely and efficiently to where you need to go.

You have to acknowledge first where you are, on the map, before you can move onto the next location.

So why, in life, are we so ignorant to where we stand? We pay no attention to how it relates to where we will go from this current position.

Instead our minds play "got to get there…" But, from no "here.”
And we wonder why we are not there yet....

Follow me....

We all want to “be” something more, to “have” something more...

But in order to attain all that we want in life, and where we want to be, where we want to go, and what we want to do, we must do something very imperative first.

We must recognize where we are; right here; right now.
We must recognize; embrace, and breathe in this place.
“Be” present.

Many times we may feel like we are trying to get somewhere, but we are finding ourselves running and running in circles.

Reason being, if you don't know where you are right now, how can you know how to get to where you need to be?

Instead of attempting to acquire all that you don't have as of yet, “be” with what you do have; live with this, and know that by doing so, you will be that much more successful in your journey to where you are going to "be" in the future...

We cannot get to point B, without a point A.
So don’t get too ahead of yourself…

If you ever get lost again, check your mind map for:
"You are Here!"

LuCy sMiLeS

Diss'in Dishonesty

If the law of the universe states that everything we put out into the world, we get back ten fold, there is no exception when it comes to honesty; moreover "dishonesty."

When we were kids, we were taugh to tell the truth.
Of course we were.

But every once in a while, we would hear our parents talk about little "white lies" they may have told us, and would admit to us as we conversed when we grew older.
A little fib here and there never hurt anyone.

This could then be imbedded in our heads, as adults, to justify our own actions with these little "white lie" tellings...

Think of the last little white lie you may told, had you ever been so bold as to tell one.
I am sure you haven't.
And if you had, say, who it didn't really hurt, anyway?

No one, if this is the case, right... I am sure it is, I mean, our parent's wouldn't lie.

But honestly speaking; truly, we are only hurting ourselves.
Just as we teach others how to treat us, we are teaching the universe how to treat us by what we put out there.

In a world lived in fear, judgement, apprehension; even doubt, there is one thing we can do for ourselves, that no one else is responsible for.
We can be honest with how we live our lives, honest with the people with whom we share our lives, and live life as honest as possible.

There is nothing worse than feeling as though someone we truly care about is being dishonest with us.
But, if you ever look back at how you feel when you are the one being dishonest to others, there is actually no worse feeling.

So, just when we have this preoccupation that people can easily hurt us with their deceit, causing us to live our lives with anxiety, and distrust for those around us,
as more law than luck would have it, you have more control over the honest intentions of others that you attract in your life, by having honest inentions yourself!

We can't guarantee that our lives are going to be free from bites and bruises, but isn't it nice to know that for every white lie you turn into the truth, positivity will come back at you 10 fold?

Hey, It's better than a kick in the a**....

Override your Gremlins

Just as easy as it is to think negative thoughts, we can override them with positive.

It is up to us to realize whether these thoughts in our heads are of reason, or are irrational.

We know the difference. We can simply use our intuition; go with our "gut" feeling.

There are so many programmed thoughts in our heads from past relationships, experiences, and "issues' we have not only dealt with, but have NOT dealt with properly... bringing forward in our lives, to present and to the future.

It is always important, "imperative" to take all that we have learned, to help us with our forward focuses, and satisfy our hunger for a better life, of growth and happiness within ourself, and for our lives with others... the quality of life we truly deserve.

We can spend just as much energy on tredding water as swimming forward in our lives, and just as much energy on thoughts that will sabotage our dreams, as with thoughts to progress to the fulfillment of living the life of our dreams.

Where is your head at?
What is in your headspace?

Do you have thoughts that are active in the vitality of your mental and emotional health, and are supporting you in your every need for success?

Or are you playing back and forth thoughts in your mind that are making you question people's intentions, support, and compassion in your life?

If your thoughts, are your "gremlins", from the past, and are irrational thoughts that are not helping you become all that you deserve to be, it's time to override these thoughts...

What does your gut tell you?

LuCy sMiLeS

Excuse me, you are in my way...

Experiences truly happen to us when they need to.
It is funny how wonderful life is in that way.
Even when we think a situation is crazy, hard,
unbearable, and unfair, it is meant to be right there, ready for us to react.It is how we react that is key.
When you find yourself talking down to yourself,
or justifying negative behaviour, STOP!

Demand yourself to get out of your way.
We have no guarantees in life, but we do have ourselves.And we have to be with ourselves all day, everyday.

So treat yourself with respect and love, and you
will see that you are able to get through just about anything!And if you don't believe me? Please prove me wrong.

But, have you not survived every single crisis to now?
We are always given options.
There is never only one choice in life.

So, do yourself a favour… accept all that you are, and make the best choices, and smile the brightest smiles.

Smiles will never go unnoticed.
We can replace many things in our life.
But we, ourselves, are irreplaceable.

Treat yourself as such…

LuCy sMiLeS

Ready, Set, Go!

“Ready, Set, Go”

Change is inevitable. Of all things we may be uncertain about in life, at least we can be certain of this. It is our one constant, in a world of unknown…
 
No matter how much we try to resist change, it will always be in front of us.
How do you react to change? Do you resist it or do you embrace it?

There are many things in our lives that we can control, but how we succumb to change is not one of them. We can control how we acknowledge change.

Just as we would prepare for when the seasons change, we can be just as ready for when change takes place, in other areas of our lives. By being open to it.
Get “ready” for change to come, “set” your gears to take it on, with fearlessness,
and “go” with the flow.

It is not “what” is changing, as much as how you deal with change that counts!
“When you change the way you look and feel about things, the things you look at change”

LuCy sMiLeS

Etch a Sketch

Remember Christmas toys, that were powered by… imagination?
Yes, I said it, “IMAGINATION”

We were given tools to allow us to use our minds to come up with glorious and exciting pictures, ideas,
and visions from whatever our imaginations had in store for us at that moment.

Better yet, if we decided we were not too excited about what we had created, we can shake it up;
and voila, just like that, the picture disappeared!
Erased, and the slate was ready for yet another new and exciting vision…

Yes, the all magical “Etch a Sketch.”

We can look at the “Etch a Sketch” and how it represents our minds.
The left and right knob representing the left and right side of our brain,
and its ability to focus, and then create the pictures in our mind,
that in turn are the pictures of our life.

What does your picture look like?
Do you like it?
Is this “Etch a Sketch” creation you drew a projection of what you see for yourself as fulfilling,
successful and satisfactory to you, for going forward?

If not, you have every opportunity to sit back, reflect on this picture, with as much time as you need,
envision where you feel you need to revamp, recreate and refocus, where things may
not be as wonderfully drawn out as you know they can be!

With all of the money that will be thrown around for the newest and best electronic toys and gadgets,
this holiday season, do yourself a favour…
Invest in one priceless item for yourself… your life.
They just don’t make them like they used to…

LuCy sMiLeS

Gift with Purchase

How many times have you bought something, specifically because you see “free gift”, when you buy….”

Free gift? Aren’t all gifts free?

I used to always even buy for the sole purpose of “ buy 3 get the 4th free!!!”

Funny... how many of that one item do we really need?

I can see if it were bars of soap, or other household supplies, since chances are we have the intention of continuously cleaning our homes.

But when is it too much?

Same thing goes for other aspects in our lives. Sometimes more than one is “too much!”

Heck, sometimes 1 of something is too much!

When we bombard our thoughts and our personal space with too much “stuff” it takes away from our spirituality.

We are not able to live a calm and serene life, when we are overcompensating with material things.

Decluttering your life, means de-cluttering your thoughts and mind as well.

And it starts with the material things…

“In order to be great, you must be willing to give up everything”

Are you willing to give up everything?

Or, does what you have surrounding you mean “everything” to you?

I hope not!!!

I realized, and happily so, that all these years of shopping didn’t actually lead to a life of abundance.

Quite the opposite, actually...

My ABUNDANT life would begin, once I gave up all of the material things that surrounds to me, that I do not need!

How crazy is that? I would have never guessed.

We spend so much time looking and commenting “She has…!”
“Did you see his new….?”
“When I make more money, I am soooo buying a bigger…”

I wish I’d have known better, earlier. I could have used the extra thousands of dollars I spent making sure I had the "new this that and the other" to pay off those nasty school loans, that still sit there waiting for me to give in, and fork over my hard earned cash to pay off in full.

So, instead, I sit here, and pay monthly interest, not only on those loans, but also on the scarves, the numerous jeans, boots, jackets, and jewelry, frames, coasters, and vases I thought I couldn’t live without months ago…

It is certain in our minds, when we buy something, we truly want it, why else would we buy it in the first place, right?

But it is just stuff. Stuff that fills our closets, our rooms, and our homes…


Don’t get me wrong, we need certain things to survive, and it is nice to surround ourselves with beauty, and quality that represents our styles, our passions, and our sense of self, but how much is too much?

Many times we hear ourselves and others complain about wanting to live a life of serenity, our minds are so cluttered, our days are so stressed.

But, have you really looked around your atmosphere? What you have in your life? Have you reflected on whether or not you need everything surrounds you? Maybe you would be better off without, maybe the “less is more” concept really does have meaning!!!

If you had to give it all up, in an instant, if it meant you could be the most powerful you can be, would you be able to?

I know I would.

I have always been the type of person who loved stuff. Be it clothing, shoes, scarves, furniture and room accessories, books, you name it, I was always buying, and I always had 4 of one item when it was buy 3 get the 4th free.

One in every colour, even!

But when I look back on why I bought these items, and how my life was at the "time of purchase", I can say many a times, it had nothing to do with how much I liked the items, and how I was lacking without them in my home, or on my feet, or in my closet, but moreover I was feeling a lacking inside of me. I didn't need more stuff to feel I was more important, I really just needed more love. Love of myself. That is something one cannot find in a store, and not have more of if you can buy 3 and get the forth free.

Enjoy the fine things in life, because you are worth it. Surround yourself with beauty that reminds you of "you!"

Quality vs. quantity.


Love is the "gift with purchase" when you are willing to buy into the fact that true happiness doesn't have a price tag.


LuCy sMiLeS

"CoLLeCtiVe sOuL"

Remember in high school, when certain girls would spend so much time talking about certain girls?

And judging certain girls for certain things?

I don't remember guys doing this they were too busy not worrying about anything but certain sports, and well, certain girls.
In highschool there was so much pressure to be part of the "in", crowd, that we never really sat back to realize that there is absolutely no such thing as an "in" crowd.

If we are lucky (by this I mean "aware") when we get older, we start to learn more about "ourselves", rather than how to become everyone else. We start to create groups of friends who are similar to us. Genuine friendships, without judgement.

Now that we start to "accept" ourselves for all that we are, we are capable of creating and maintaining relationships with those around us, who are likeminded. We can now grow powerful friendships in abundance, instead of sitting back, and wondering why people can't just be like us... When really this always just meant we hadn't the faintest idea who we were...

We must be compassionate and loving in our friendships, and loving to those around us, and what they have to offer, we are here on earth to learn about others, and in turn learn more about ourselves. If we feel the need to judge someone, and create any conflict within our relationships with others, perhaps we need to look inside at ourselves and recognize the conflict within ourselves.

As soon as we see that we are discriminating, it is time to acknowledge our own inner intolerance, and re-focus on who we believe is deserving of judgement.

We, in our own minds, do not feel deserving of loving compassionate friendships, therefore we actually sabotage the creation of them, and the creation of friendships around us.

This is not fair to us, and not fair to others.

We can all look back at the bully or bullies in highschool. Back then, they may have been scary, confident and in charge of the school yard, when all the while they were the loneliest kid on the block.

When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself.
~Wayne Dyer

I sat around a table of gorgeous women last night, many of which I have had the pleasure of introducing to each other.
And all of these women have grown strong and beautiful friendships with each other, not just with me.

I realized how blessed I was to have a wonderful circle of Goddess women.

Now that I am so close to knowing who I am, and what I value in life, I have attracted amazing and powerful women to share my life with me, and to share their lives with each other.

We are a "Collective Soul"

There were a few who couldn't make it, but your soul was there in spirit...

It is enough in life to try to keep up with the pressures of work, financial stability, time management and breathing in a moment for ourselves amidst the chaos of day to day stresses. It is a breathe of fresh air to be surrounded by people who are understanding, empathetic, and share many of the same values and morals as we do.

And even better to know that our circle of close ties can enjoy eachother, all together and branched off, creating many dynamics of friendships within our one circle.

We cannot do everything for everyone, or be everything to everyone... that's what friends are for!!!!

LuCy sMiLeS

Write On... Write Off?

Think of how many thoughts we have in a day. Think of how many times we write things down on either a “post it” note, the corner of a workbook page, the back of a receipt, or even on our hands, to remind us of things we don’t want to forget. Things we wish to follow up on, either with ourselves, or others.

Now, for all of those times, answer me this.
How many times have you gone back to these important “reminder” notes, but only days, weeks a months later? A bit too late, for its purpose… The receipt that falls out of the book you were reading, 3 months ago, that had the reminder for you to start a diet regime, Monday, because you saw a clip on Oprah Friday afternoon, with a world famous Author on a new health book, to help you feel your best in two weeks flat!

Only that two weeks ago, was to be 3 months ago, and so 3 months have passed, and you certainly don’t feel any better than you did writing down the reminder on that receipt?
I know, I have been there.

For me, I actually found the Health Book I urgently ordered on Amazon, because of this world Famous Author.
And it was not 3 months ago, it was 9 months ago. I know because, I glanced at my bookshelf this weekend, and picked out a book, and the receipt for my payment fell out of the front cover, that had the date on it. A book I ordered… A book I never read.

I was so adamant, and it was so important to me, at the time, to get it. But I never even opened the book. Except of course to place the folded bill of sale in it, for safe keeping.

We need to take more ownership for things that are important to us. This is a reflection of how important we are to ourselves.
If we are going to write something down, because it is important enough to us, that we want to follow through, then well, let’s follow through.

I have found the best thing for me is to carry around a small book that will be convenient no matter what I am wearing, where I am going, I will always have the opportunity to take it with me, and hold it near and dear to me, just as the thoughts, the follow through notes I write to myself.

And it doesn’t do any good to write, without reviewing. So make a plan to have review and reflect so you don’t only follow through 9 months after you wrote it down.

Recommended reading:

“YOU- the Owners Manual”
By Dr. Oz
“as seen on Oprah”

I haven’t read it yet, but it must be good, if I so urgently ordered it on Amazon- 9 months ago.

LOL!
THE IRONY!!!!!!


write-off
–noun
Informal. a person or thing that is given up as hopeless or pointless
a reduction in book value; depreciation.
A reduction or depreciation of the entered value of an item.


LuCy sMiLeS

Whip Lash

It is important, in life to stay flexible with the existing conditions in our lives, and to know above all else, that everything in life changes.
Nothing is constant, just as the leaves change colours and the seasons change, everything in our lives will be in continuous change.

We may be so comfortable with a life where we know everything, where we are the master of our domain, but this in fact means you are not growing.
Once you know everything about you, everything that surrounds you, and everything you are doing, it is time to find something that you do not know about, to continue a life of growth...
If we are too adamant about trying to live a life where every is stagnant, we are lacking development, and advancement, and when things do change, which they will, I promise, they will seem to be so abrupt, so unexpected, and hard to grip, we will suffer from whip-lash!Make sure you stretch your mind, stretch your imagination, and more importantly stretch before you start everyday, so you can be prepared for change. Make changes where you see fit, and stay physically fit, so you don't suffer from whip-lash when inevitable change strikes you!

~LuCy sMiLeS

EXTENDED

Just when you think you know everything you need to know, be prepared to not know anything.
And be excited for the unknown, for this is where you know you are growing...

In life, we have to be prepared for the unexpected.
Not to say that when everything seems wonderful, that we need be worried that something will come along to make it less wonderful.
Not knowing could mean that something sooo amazing has come into our day to day lives, that will change the course of our lives, and we now have to make changes in order to progress, and this is lovely...

Life is only as wonderful as we make it.
We can only be offered beautiful new things into our lives, when we are ready to accept and receive them.

In order to have a fulfilling live, and live a life of complete contentment, it is important that we recognize change, acknowledge change, and embrace it, move with it, and be versatile.
No one likes to be struck from behind, no one likes to have to change the direction of their life, when everything is working so well in the direction they are presently in.

But is what you are doing right now, as much as you enjoy not having to re-evaluate, really allowing you to move forward?
Or are you simply happy with not having anything shake up where you are.

Would change and abrupt change cause you whip -ash?
Or would you simply roll with it, twirl into new, unharmed and charged with energy for what is next to come?

We like what we like, and we like having it all the time.

But as much as we like what we have, can we benefit from having something more? Something new? Something different?
Do we realize that there is more out there, for us? Or are we simply looking forward, but not looking beyond the walls that surround us.

It is important, in life to stay flexible with the existing conditions in our lives, and to know above all else, that everything in life changes.
Nothing is constant, just as the leaves change colours and the seasons change, everything in our lives will be in continuous change.

If we are too adamant about trying to live a life where every is stagnant, we are lacking development, and advancement, and when things do change, which they will, I promise, they will seem to be so abrupt, so unexpected, and hard to grip, we will suffer from whip-lash!

And to have a mindset where anything new can be looked at as negative, or too much to take, we are limiting our successes, and not living to our highest potential.

We may be so comfortable with a life where we know everything, where we are the master of our domain, but this in fact means you are not growing.
Once you know everything about you, everything that surrounds you, and everything you are doing, it is time to find something that you do not know about, and continue a life of growth...

Make sure you stretch your mind, stretch your imagination, and more importantly stretch before you start everyday, so you can be prepared for change. Make changes where you see fit, and stay physically fit, so you don't suffer from whip-lash when inevitable change strikes you!

LuCy sMiLeS

What's In the Cards?

Communication is essential in building and maintaining lasting professional and personal relationships.

In this information age, where we depend on technology for most of our business interactions, be it cell phones, email, fax, you name it, it is wonderful to be given a tool that allows for us to actually slow down, pay attention and really embrace our communication, and our relationships with people we care about.

Sending cards of love and appreciation to all those in our lives is therapeutic, and calming. The words of love and care just roll of the tongue, and we brighten our days and our loved ones days just by sharing positive energy out into the world.

Bringing smiles to all those who have been given the opportunity to receive these wonderful gifts of recognition for what they have brought into our lives!

Many of our communications get distorted when put it in an email, or leave voice mail. We may speak out of haste, we may not be transmitting the message that we wish, and things just don’t come out right. So how wonderful to convey a message we know will not be distorted!

What about the messages you are transmitting in your mind?
How are you communicating with yourself?

With love, compassion, and acceptance? Like these messages we send to others?
Are you focusing on the positive, and the power that you have, in the cards that you hold for your future?

Taking ownership? Realizing you are the one who chose this deck, you will be the one to hold them, fold them, and hopefully know when to walk away?

Or do you catch yourself repeating in your mind “What is going to happen? “What is in the cards for me, for my career, for my relationship?”

We must work hard for what we want to achieve, attain and maintain in our lives.
Nothing will ever progress if we continually sit and wonder what is in the cards for us.

If we do, it is going to be along, and trying road to success.

We can discover that there is an abundance of everything out there, that we have the power to improve our lives, our careers, our passions, if we can understand that it is not “for some reason”, it is because we chose our thoughts, be that what they may be.

No one can decide for you what you want in your life, and what you need to release and let go of in your life, in order to have all that you want! This for you to decide, you hold the cards, and every choice you make is yours, and only yours.

The more powerful you realize you are, the more powerful your life will become.
This is living a life of abundance!

What’s in your cards?

LuCy sMiLeS