Exchanging Obstacles for Soulful Joy

(Photo from Dia Singh)

The question was asked how to overcome obstacles.  Whether the obstacle is blocking you from manifestation or it is blocking you completely from that soulful joy that is sought after; the obstacle can be overcome.  Remember, that in every journey, even within the most spiritual of beings journey, there will be obstacles.  You are not alone in facing them.  The real secret is how to transform any obstacle into an opportunity.  An opportunity in which you can find the positive life force energy within it and to use that energy to manifest dreams, goals, and soulful joy.  It is one thing to learn from an obstacle, but quite another to become enriched from it. 

Many obstacles are based around similar blocks when they are boiled down to their essences.

Obstacle One - Fear 

The first block we will look at is fear. Fear is one of the most identifiable obstacles in every person's life. Overcoming fear can become one of the most powerful tools to manifest your own personal dreams that you will ever have in your arsenal. How do you transform fear into courage when all you do is freeze and panic? 

To start with one must define what fear is. Most of us think of fear as simply being afraid of something. Fear is deeper than the surface fright many of us experience. Anxious, apprehensive, concerns are all emotions connected with fear. Now that we know fear is simply an emotion, let's look at courage. 

Courage is a quality of spirit that allows one to face danger or pain without the emotion of fear. Fear itself is simply a negative emotion that fuels things such as self-doubt, anger, insecurity, anxiety and worry. When decisions are made on a journey based on fear, and then they are based on self-doubt and can reap nothing more than self-condemnation and fill you with emotional toxins that will keep you in the cycle of fear. 

So now that we know what the problem is and the definitions, how does one literally transform the emotion of fear into the spirit of courage? The first is to make a choice. The choice is either to stay in the fear or to "transform" the fear into a positive energy. The decision to make the choice is simple. "I choose to remain in fear or I choose to face the fear". I have heard that fear is either face everything and recover from it or screw everything and run. This choice either will transform or cripple your ability to manifest dreams. Once you have made the choice to change, you are further along the transformation process than you realize. The simple choice will allow you to begin to feel I am courage and I can find a way to live my every dream. 

Having courage has nothing to do with the absence of fear as many of us have been brought up believing in. Having courage has everything to do with standing still and facing the fear that is in front us. Standing up for our human spirits and not having the overwhelming panic feeling. There are many exercises that can be utilized in order to help you identify your fears, however, the simplest exercise that I have used is to simply take a piece of paper and write out my fears list. What am I afraid of? Is it financial? Fear of approval or not receiving approval? Fear of controversy? Fear of emotions? Fear of success? 

Once you know what your personal fears are, then you can begin to make the personal transformation to courage by simply making the choice to change them. To do this, simply next to each fear right a positive statement. Financial - I have everything that I need today. Approval - I approve and love myself today. I need only my approval and the Divine's approval. Controversy - I remain calm always. Success - I deserve my dreams. 

Obstacle Two - I Don't Deserve It 

Deserving your dreams is the second block or obstacle in our spiritual paths. It can be near impossible to overcome an obstacle of any sort when you do not believe that you deserve to overcome it in the first place. Sounds too simple; yet, it is one of the biggest blocks that face us. Self-doubt will stop every dream, every goal, and every person dead in their tracks. 

The first step in changing your mental thought process is to realize everyone has some moments when they are blocked by self-doubt. The simple act of a power mantra such as I deserve good things in my life will make an incredible difference. 

Obstacle Three - Lack 

The next obstacle identified is lack. We all know what the emotion of lack feels like. Those times when the glass is always appearing as half empty rather than half full. The Laws of the Universe are such that when we want, we receive want. When we lack and talk about lack constantly, we receive lack. 

The key to overcoming this is a simple gratitude list. Talk about what you are grateful for. What do you have in your life? Concentrate on what has been given to you and say thank you. The more you are grateful for, the more gratitude that you will receive. Over the years I have kept a gratitude journal for all the things in my life that I have been given. Some days I can write pages while other days I struggle to find even ten things to be grateful for. However, it has been many years since I could not find something that I was grateful for. 

Obstacle Four - Regrets

The next obstacle is regrets. Regrets can be turned into possibilities. The old adage "when one door closes, another opens" is profoundly true. This is the secret to manifestation. Instead of regretting a decision or a choice, try looking for the open door or even the cracked window. What are the new possibilities there? 

It is a bit more difficult when reflecting back on old regrets. I have found that repeating the same exercise as talked about with fear works just as well with regrets. Write your regrets out on paper. What do you regret that you will never tell anyone? Do you regret hurting someone? Put them all down on paper. There is something very magical that happens in the process of putting pen to paper and writing all of your hidden secret thoughts down. It allows you to release them and let go. 

Take your regret list and bury it in the ground or tear it up and let the wind take the pieces. The purpose here is to let go. 

Obstacle Five - Hopelessness 

Hopelessness is by far one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome. I know that the despair of feeling hopeless is a deep dark pit that seems bottomless. It is not. You can transform your hopelessness into faith, hope, belief and trust. It does not matter what you have been through, it can be transformed into hope. 

Many times hopelessness is based on fear of what tomorrow may bring. We get caught in that cycle between fear and hopelessness that we cannot seem to break. Shifting the energy from the dark negative into a brilliant positive pattern is hard work, especially if you have suffered a loss or betrayal. The key is to concentrate on connecting your personal energy with your spiritual self. You may not feel that you even have a spiritual self at the moment, it exists whether you believe in it or not. When you strengthen your spiritual self you will reconnect with your hopes and dreams. 

I have stood many times where I believed it was hopeless. The hurt and pain unimaginable. The loss devastating. I know the way it feels to have the wind blow right though a big hole in your chest. It is possible to overcome and rise again to be filled with hope, love, belief, trust, and faith. Even if you feel like you cannot recover from this particular setback or loss, you can find the energy to move ahead. 

The key is to stay connected to your "field of love". Stay connected with those around you that build you up. If no one else is building you up, build yourself up. I believe in me. I love me. I have hope in me. These positive affirmations to yourself will slowly begin to take hold. 

Obstacle Six - Defeat and Obstacle Seven - Low Self-Esteem 

The last two blocks identified are really interwoven. Transforming defeat into persistence and low self-esteem into self-worth are intertwined and one cannot be looked at without the other. Learning to discard the old thought patterns of fear, regret, and lack will greatly improve your self-worth. The key to overcoming an obstacle is persistence. None of these obstacles can be overcome in one day. Reading this article is not going to make the blocks in front of you disappearing. It is your effort, your work that will transform them. If you practice and apply these simple techniques into your life on a daily basis, you will have transformed your personal defeat into a persistence that will be an asset in your tool kit for a life time. 

Persistence is the key to overcoming and transforming every obstacle and stumbling block that you will ever encounter. It was told to us as children through the story of the Little Train Who Could. I think I can, I think I can transformed into I can I can!! This is a tool many of us forget. When you begin to see the transformation, when you begin to experience the gratitude, and when you begin to have faith in yourself, you will begin to realize you do have self-worth. 

Low self-esteem is a block that cannot change without your own active involvement. Take the paper and pen exercise again. Write down the things that you like about yourself. What qualities do you have that are inspiriting? Fulfilling your goals? If you are working on a quality, write it down as I am working towards being a patient and loving partner. You need to feel that the only you can fill the hole back up. Only you can reconnect with your spiritual self. Only you can change your thoughts and your attitudes. This is empowering. When you realize you get to make the choice, you become confident and self-worthy of having every 

dream and goal.

The vital KEY to overcoming any obstacle that was shared with me many, many years ago:

"Anything is possible if only you believe, are willing to do the work, and trust in the Divine"

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What Happens to Your Soul/Spirit When You Live in Fear: You may not know it but when you live in fear it creates dis-ease within your soul and spirit.  Learning to live more courageous can dramatically reverse this dis-ease and restore your soul to the revitalized state necessary to live a fearless and free life. I share an inspirational message about the energetics of living in fear, how to find the essence of your fears, overcome them and reclaim your soul. 

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Answering the Question: How Do You Find Your True Passion?

Questions:  Can you share how to actually figure out what your true passion is?

Life is all about passion.

A vital love, an undeniable thirst,

passion drives all living things.

Success in life, the art of living,

springs from our passion for it.

From One Passionate Life

Answer:

I often share that finding your true passion in life will spark your love of life, both experiencing at home and in your career.  There are seven key principles that I share with those who I work with.  These simply principles, when applied on a daily basis, will create a revolutionary change to happen.  It will happen in your mind set.  Why is shifting the mindset so important?  Many of us are focused on getting through the hectic and frazzled lifestyle society has created that we no longer take time to create the self-awareness necessary to discover your true passion in life.

1. The Desire to Change.

It sounds too simple, but not really.  We all have dreams and aspirations that we think about, we share them with close friends, but when it comes right down to it, how many of us are actually willing to change to achieve them?  What happens – fear sets in.  What if it doesn’t work?  What if I fail?  When these ugly creatures creep in, most will lose that desire to change. 

KEY:  In order to succeed at anything in life – including discovering you true passion in life, you MUST have the desire to change.  Change what?  At times, it is simple a mindset from fear into belief; at other times it is more drastic changes in lifestyle and being.

2. Willingness and Open mind

How do you change?  Willingness is the key to many of the aspects of change.  In order to succeed in the search you must have the willingness to try new things on and see how they fit.  You have to have the open mind ideology, to try someone else’s idea and see if it fits.  It is okay if it doesn’t – remember no one is an expert in all things. 

KEY: 

Willingness is the key to many aspects of change. In order to succeed in the search you must have the willingness to try new things on and see how they fit. You have to have the open mind ideology. Try on someone else's ideas on. No one is an expert in all things. The willingness to have an open mind and listen to new ideas is the lock in which the key of change goes.

3. Action

If change is the key and willingness is the lock, then you have to turn the key to open the door. Action must follow suit. But not all action is wise. The caveat here is to take proper action.

KEY:

There is a difference in action and reaction.  Right action will lead to the change you are seeking to find passion.  Reacting many times leads to discontent.  Pausing for a mere three seconds before acting can many times be the difference.

4. Soundness

The action we have to take must be in sound frames of mind in making decisions. In order to have anything succeed, you must look at all aspects and take them into considerations before taking any action.

KEY: 

Soundness of action begins in observing the entire decision without perception and without expectation.  In this way one is able to see all possible ripples of any decision.

5. Knowledge

How do you know what a sound decision is – it is when it is based in knowledge and wisdom. Spend the time obtaining the knowledge surrounding your decision. Talk to others that have experience in what you are attempting to do. Find out what actions they took and what actions worked.  Read everything you can about the venue you are pursuing. Don't take just one person's opinion. Especially just your own.

KEY: 

Knowledge is different than wisdom.  First, research the knowledge.  Investigation of facts gives you the basis of your foundation.  Then, ask others who have been down the path you are seeking.  This is where the wisdom comes in – experience in action of others.

6. Tools and Support

Where do you find the knowledge? Use the tools at your fingertips. Books, the Internet, other business owners, your local Chamber of Commerce, the SBA, volunteer organizations, adult education, and friends. There are many tools in this day and age that can help support you and assist you in obtaining knowledge. Use them.

KEY:  As individuals we do not have all the answers to all the questions.  Reach out and ask for help.  Asking for help is a sign of strength.

7. Attitude

More searches fail because of attitude. If you do not have the proper attitude in making any decision, seeking out any tool or learning any new skill, you will have a much more difficult time in your search. Attitude is Everything. 

KEY:

Positive attitude gives you the desire to change, the hope to change, the dream to change, and the willingness to take the action to succeed.  The only person that limits your chances of success in discovering your true passion is you yourself. Developing these few basic skills that build upon one another like a ladder is not always easy, but it is very simple.

Simple enough that even the most inexperienced person can become a visionary. As they say, the sky is the limit. Which rainbow are you shooting for - the one reflecting in the mud puddle or the one that crosses the horizon?

A Man Lying In The Road Among Cans Helped Define Community

It is interesting how the Universe works, the synchronicity can be astounding when you step back and reflect.

Artist Barbara Aliago

Late this afternoon I had to drive my 15 year old son to an interview for a position he is looking to obtain at our local hospital.  I opted to drop him off and run to the store to combine an errand with my trip.  The plan was to pick up my son, pick up dinner, and be back home in plenty of time to head out to my Tribal Belly Dance Class with my 17 year old.  That was the plan.

Everything was smooth and flowing.  Dropped my son off and headed to the store, found exactly what I was looking for (amazingly at 70% off), and was headed back to my car to return to pick up my son.  The parking lot seemed busier than usual which was surprising since there were relatively few people in the one store that was left at the plaza.  As I pulled out to sneak out the back way to avoid the busy traffic of the main road with my windows and sunroof open, I was enjoying the afternoon breeze as a storm was building in the sky.  There were three cars in front of me.  A vehicle went to pull out of the parking lot, a car was coming up the road from the right, that was the extent of my view for that moment in time.

It was then that everything began to move in slow motion.  The front vehicle began to move forward,  an odd sound echoed.  I could not determine for a moment its origin.  Then my stomach grew a knot.  Slamming my car into park and off to jump out.  The car on the road screeching tires as it sped away.  Moving towards the road.  Second car in line swerving out of line and squealing tires as though disturbed at the scene speed off in the same direction as the vehicle racing away.  I felt as though I was even running in slow motion towards the road.  Voices from behind me screaming into the air "get an ambulance FAST".  Another scream from another vehicle of horror.  My only thought why was it taking so long to reach the road.

I won't go into the next few minutes.  The scene was not pretty as a man had been struck by the first vehicle that speed away.  The soda cans strewn across the road beginning to roll down the hill only added to the chaotic picture.   The second vehicle to scream from the parking lot returned and was able to give the arriving officers detailed information as to the incident including plate numbers.  There were many who witnessed the event first hand that were in their own stories full of trauma issues.  There was for a moment a sense of community based upon the trauma.  One person helping another, comforting another, and offering support.  The man lying in the road now under the capable hands of police and EMT's.

My phone rang, my son was wondering where I was as now I was late.  As I got back into my sports car to head out (as did everyone at the scene), the skies darkened and lightning began.  Driving home in a thundering and torrential down pour was requiring my attention as many roads (including my own road to my house) had flash flooding issues.  By the time I arrived home (without dinner), it was time for my class to begin and I was over an hour drive away.  My class would be over before I even arrived.

As I sit here writing this, the rain has already stopped as it does in Florida.  I granted myself a few moments to reflect.  Earlier I had been speaking of community and suddenly one was created.  The dynamics of it based upon a traumatic event.  I did not meet with the community of women at the Tribal Belly Dance Class due to another community.  One based upon trauma and one based upon sharing of energy through dance.

Back to the first community.  It was divided into small "nodules" within the community.  There were some focused solely on the man lying in the road.  There were some focused solely on the anger at the vehicle that left (some taking action upon that anger).  There were some focused solely on their own emotional reaction.  Yet, the entire community shared a commonality.

Different communities, different communities within communities.  Each engaging differently with one another, each communicating differently with one another; yet equal in value.

Community:  A connection bond that unifies individuals as equals each individual in a way that is supportive.

Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together In Defining Community

The word community comes from the Latin word communitas which is a broad term for fellowship.  By definition, the simple term community, has different meanings in different area's of study.  For example, in biological terms it is simply "a group of interacting organisms sharing a populated environment".  Among sociologist, interestingly, there is no agreement as to what the concept of community is that is in agreement with all.

In a human community, most do agree that simplistically, is a group of people with common conditions that affect the identity of each which leads to their cohesiveness.

I asked the question how do others define community.  It was interesting that many comments were based upon what is wrong rather than the idealistic term definition.  What did emerge as to the workings in defining was that there is a greater need for a process of deep respect and true listening of all equally.

In having substantive conversations with others what is truly happening is the creation of a community - even if that creation is temporary as the commonalty of problems discovered.  To go deeper into the conversation revealed what causes the problems and begin to allow the co-creation of solutions.

In the conversation, communication equal between all, without judgement and in equal exchange of speaking and listening creates a connection bond of unity.  Each being responsible for both speaking and listening honestly in order to support and have the ability to learn from one another.

Going deeper still, in the global world we live in, many "communities" are popping up across the virtual world.  My question then is:  how are virtual communities different than face to face?  The conversation went to many feeling that the virtual communities are "safer", provide more "positive" experiences, and are easier.

I asked "safer" how?  The conversation lead to online communities allow for less risk and fear of rejection.  My question is does this not miss the mark in eliminating the judgmental action a real community has?  Does it not miss the mark in supporting?

If virtual community is offering the positive support that is easier, how do we translate that back into our own physical communities?  Is easier better?  Is easier simply a way out of being responsible?  Are we actually creating more illusion by engaging in virtual community rather than face to face community as we reveal only that which we don't have to risk rejection upon?

An interesting comment during this conversation was that it is validating when you post something for example in an online community and people "like" it or post on it.  It is a "conquest" that yes I am validated.  This leads to another question of why are we looking to the external world for validation of who were are?  One thread lead - through the action of others we learn that which we believe.  So if we watch a drama play out on media, we see the action of others through this drama being played out in a community, are we learning our belief system from media?  Is society creating community based upon illusions belief?

This thread leads me to ask do people have a say in the decisions that shape their lives?  Are the values that motivate us really our own or is society determining our value system?  There are more questions than answers that only each of us as individuals can answer for ourselves.   Community can be inclusive or exclusive in nature by design.  I belong to a community of women, which by the nature of the design is exclusive to men.  I belong to a community of family which is exclusive by the very nature of which I was born into.  We all belong inclusively to the community of human beings.  I love the definition that was shared of "community is one nodule belonging to a web of nodule's".

As we vision and rethink community, I invite you to look at your own community and ask yourself how you define it.  Do you show up honestly, without judgment, sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly?  Do you listen as much as you speak?  Do you include or do you exclude?  Do you see it as a sacred fellowship?  Do you stand in your own truth or are you defining values by what media drama plays out?  Big questions.  Would love to hear your voice in the conversation.

Transition + Growth = Expansion or Choosing Which Fork In The Road To Take

Transition. Growth. Expansion.  I have written on each many times in this journey called life.  At one point or another, we will all come to the proverbial fork in the road and have a choice. A choice of which direction we will travel. A choice in whether we will grow or remain stagnant no longer expanded into the infinite Universe.  We all face them. We all go through them. 

As I have approached these choices many times in the past what I have often craved for a neon sign that would embark the knowledge of which direction to follow.  So many times we face these choices, these forks in the road, and simply wish for a quick, fast moving transition to hurry up and learn the lesson so that we can get to the next agenda item.  Patience was never a characteristic I was fond of. 

In the world we exist in today, so many are facing vibrational frequency shifts that is sought after.  Always seeking, striving for balance, like a pendulum swinging back and forth and never finding the stillness of being.  Over the years, I have come to embrace and savor the stillness of being.  Being at one with the pendulum as it swings back and forth smoothly as though a gentle breeze was blowing has become a way of life. 

But what happens when the hurricane force winds arrive and you swing higher and faster than ever before.  That is the proverbial fork in the road I am referring to.  Voices echoing to “let go”; while the external society screams “hang on”. A paradox.  Yet, really a simple choice.

So you feel the winds picking up, for a moment that adrenaline rush of speed fills you and perhaps is even a welcome shift from the stillness of being.  A choice has to be made even now with the winds whipping at hurricane force.  Why is letting go so difficult?  Fear?  Repeating an old story?  Old patterns?  We certainly can not “hang on” as the whole point to the journey was to transition, grow, and evolve.  One can not do that by “hanging on”.  So is there really even a choice?

I have mentors in my life that will share with you that every choice in my life at one time was full of fear, doubt, and claw marks.  Some mentors even needing to push me over the edge to get me to take that leap. 

Yet, last evening as I faced another fork in the road, another gateway to go through, another choice to transition, grow and expand, the time to stop talking about making a choice and to simply do it.  There were no claw marks, no pushing off a cliff; only a free fall into the knowing that the flow of the Universe will carry me.

About a year ago, I began to receive some symbols and pictures in my visions by the fire.  I did not know, at the time, the purpose, or even the understanding of what they meant.  I only knew they meant something to me.  Slowly over the past year more pieces of the puzzle have been gifted because of those forks in the road taken.   As the players shift, each one showing up bringing different thoughts, different truths, and different ideas to the table; we began to collaborate, co create, and shift into new paradigms. 

I was told once by a mentor that when you have a project, be it a small gardening project or a global movement, blow holes in it and when you can no longer blow holes in it, it is time.  Today it is time.  Today I make my choice to “let go”, free fall, and know (as another friend of mine is fond of saying) the “Universe Has Got My Back”.

We are not just Awesome, We are ...

Many have asked what the Awesome Women Hub is really about.  What is the movement's mission and passion?  Why are we doing this?  Take five minutes and listen to the visionary and found of the Awesome Women Hub share ... it is not all about just being Awesome

We're Not Just Awesome, We are ....