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Do You Look At Your World Through The Lens Of Your Ego?

2/23/2016

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Does your ego sometimes get the better of you? I know mine sometimes does. Our egos are powerful. They can make us believe that everything is about us. They can make us feel defensive when others offer up criticism. They can allow us to believe that people are slighting us when it's actually our own insecurities. They get wounded when relationships end painfully. Our ego will make us feel separate and superior to others and it will work to preserve its sense of self-importance at any cost. 

Spiritually, ego means considering oneself to be distinct, or separate from others and from God. It's the opposite of identifying with the Soul or God within us and living our daily life with this consciousness, the concept of...we are all one. The ego fools us into becoming overly identified with our bodies, our thoughts and emotions. 
I've often heard the acronym for ego to be Edge God Out. I really like this description of ego.

The ego identifies itself as just a physical body that is born and dies, instead of seeing ourselves as spiritual beings having a human experience.

​Deepak Chopra describes the ego this way, "The ego is our self-image, not our 
true self. It is characterized by labels, masks, images, and judgments. The true self is the field of possibilities, creativity, intentions, and power. We can go beyond the ego through self awareness - awareness of our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and speech. Thus we begin to slowly move beyond the ego to the true self."  Deepak describes the coats, the hats. the masks that we wear to in essence "hide" our true self. 

I believe that awareness is a huge step toward making shifts. Paying attention, being mindful of how we feel, what we are thinking, what we are saying and how we are behaving. Just having awareness, just paying attention causes a big shift in our response. 

Self-inquiry is an important tool when being mindful. Working to understand, to be curious about what we are feeling and thinking and why and then accepting it. Once we understand and accept it then it no long has a hold over us. 


It helps me to remember to not let my ego make decisions for me. Instead, I work to let my higher self make the decisions. My higher self makes decisions based on love, empathy, compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, peace and joy. 

​It helps me to remember to follow these guidelines:

Don't be quick to judge...be quick to listen, to empathize, to be compassionate, to apologize, to forgive, to love.

Don't be quick to be right...be quick to understand, to hear another perspective, to be open to a different way, a different thought, a new direction, to love.

Don't be quick to bully, to manipulate, to control, to compete...be quick to collaborate, to compromise, to respect, to partner, to love.

You don't need to be those things, you are okay, you are safe, you are enough. Take the time to pause, to connect to your higher wisdom. Don't Edge God Out. 


​What do you think, is it possible to set aside our ego? Is our ego bad? Do you recognize when your ego is playing a role in your decision-making, in your thoughts, in your emotions? I would love to hear your thoughts on ego and on this post. Leave me a comment or send me an email.


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How To Get More Love

2/16/2016

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How do we get more love in our life? To some degree love, like gratitude, like forgiveness, like compassion, is a muscle and the more we exercise the muscle the stronger it gets. The more we practice it for ourself and for others, the more we are able to give without feeling fatigued. I know, you're probably thinking, Tracy you said how do we get more love in our life, not how do we give more love.

Darren Hardy explains it this way, "I do something that sounds a bit odd, but I send love to someone. The way to get love is to give it, and one thing I want more of is love. I give love by thinking of one person, anyone (it could be a friend, relative, co-worker, or someone I just met in the supermarket—it doesn’t matter), and then I send them love by imagining all that I wish and hope for them. Some would call this a blessing or a prayer; I call it a mental love letter. This process turns my love magnets on every morning. It’s amazing how the world changes around me when I have these magnets on."


I love that..a mental love letter. Last week I shared about writing love letters and I love the idea of sending a mental love letter. You see, not only does it make us feel good and change our vibration and our energy, but I believe that it energetically goes out into the world and impacts the world around us, and ultimately the person that we direct the mental love letter to.

​I also love the idea of turning on my love magnets each morning, what a super cool way to start the day! You change and the world around you changes when you have on your love magnets!


Love expands in our life through the power of momentum, taking small steps that build our energy and our momentum.  Once we set it in motion, momentum can be an amazing and abundant force, a magnet for more and more and more. 
​

As Deepak Chopra writes, “The more you give, the more you will receive, because you will keep the abundance of the universe circulating in your life. In fact, anything that is of value in life only multiplies when it is given. So if you want joy, give joy to others. If love is what you seek, offer love.” As Deepak suggests, "You can give a small gift to everyone you encounter, whether a smile, a heartfelt compliment, a flower, or a silent blessing. When you do something to make someone happy, you immediately feel more happiness yourself." 


The thing is, it’s easier to share love with other people if you’re happy with yourself, if you accept yourself and love yourself first. 

A big thing to keep in mind (and this can be a tough one) is that the universe doesn't always give back love from where you gave it. Your gift of love to one person may be returned by a complete stranger. The key is to keep putting it out wherever you see that it's needed and you'll keep getting it back in return.

Love is the most powerful force in the universe. I believe that one of the biggest reasons we are here on earth is to love and to be loved. Love has the power to heal. Love is the path to living a life of happiness and of well-being. Love shows up in what we do for others, what we give to others. Love forgives faults and imperfections and allows for differences of opinions. Love is compassion for others. Love is gratitude for others. Love is empathy for others. Love doesn't judge. Love listens and love inspires. Love is who and what we really are.


If you want more love, give more love. As Darren Hardy says, "Don't want what you want. That will only create more want. Instead give what you want, that will ignite the process of creating it. Wanting wanting wanting creates more wanting."

If you want more love, be brave and give more love, become a love magnet!

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Love Letters

2/9/2016

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My family was sitting together at a funeral luncheon a few years ago. We were visiting about how wonderful it is to hear so many amazing things being said about the person who had passed away. We discussed how nice it would be to hear those words spoken to us while we are still alive. How many of us do that? 

​I know that I will often say "I love you", or maybe even express gratitude for having someone in my life, but I can't say as though I completely express what someone means to me while they are still living. At least not the way we so lavishly do at their funeral. What would it mean for our relationships if we took the time, and we were vulnerable enough, to let people know?

Reid Tracy, President of Hay House, recommends writing a letter to all of your closest loved ones letting them know how you feel about them while you are alive and while they are alive. He says, "Because you never know", but I say, why not? How wonderful would it make us feel, and the other person feel, if we let them know what they mean to us? If we tell them, in great detail, all of the wonderful qualities about them that we love and admire?

In the past two years I have written four "love letters" and I aspire to write more. It made me feel awesome to know that I was sharing some intimate and important thoughts and feelings with someone that I love and care about. Thoughts and feelings that would make the other person feel loved, supported, appreciated, heard and seen. 

Valentine's Day and birthday's are great times to give a love letter, but any day is a great time! Wouldn't it be amazing to receive a love letter for Valentine's day as opposed to a store bought card or other type of gift? Or, to unexpectedly on some random day receive a love letter just because? 

Fact of the matter is, we don't know what tomorrow will bring. We aren't guaranteed that we will be here, or that our loved ones will be here. Not to be morbid, but I choose not to have any regrets and to lead with my heart. To put it all out there and let people know. I love you, I appreciate you, I see the goodness in you, I love this about you or that about you, that you matter to me. 

For Valentines Day this year I plan to write a love letter to my spouse and to my kids. Four important people in my life who I have not yet received a love letter from me. And guess what? I think I'll write one to myself while I'm at it! Last week my post was about self-love, self-care, self-acceptance, what better way to show myself some love than to express it in a love letter?  :)

What do you think? Are love letters a good idea? What would receiving a love letter mean to you? What would it feel like to write a love letter? I would love to hear your thoughts on this post!


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Put Your Mask On First

2/2/2016

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So you know when you are on an airplane and you are about to take off and the flight attendant goes over the pre-flight instructions? When they get to the part about the oxygen mask, do you remember what they always say? Yep, you got it, they make a point to tell you that before helping anyone else, before helping children or the person next to you, that you should put on your oxygen mask first. 

Why do they do this? They do this because you are better equipped to help others if you have taking care of yourself first. If in the middle of trying to put the mask on your young child you faint from lack of oxygen then you'll be no good to anyone. If you deplete yourself of oxygen then you are not going to be able to be of any service to anyone else.

​The same holds true for other things in life. If we deplete ourselves of the energy of love, of care, and we don't make ourselves a priority then we're not going to be able to give to others. We are not going to be able to help others. 


​Do you take care of yourself first, so that you are better able to take care of others? Do you make self-love, self-compassion, self-care a priority?

I believe that the most important relationship that we'll ever have is with ourself. Next comes our relationships with each other. Maya Angelou said, "I don't trust people who don't love themselves, but say I love you." 

​I believe that nothing sends a stronger signal to your unconscious self than when you conscious self places priority on doing things that nurture you. We often back-burner our own needs and get caught up in the tasks of life and in the tasks of taking care of others that we don't take care of ourselves deplete ourselves and don't make ourselves a priority. Even to the point of feeling guilty if we do prioritize our own self-care.


Refueling and reenergizing our own spirit, our own mind, and our own body is an important expression of self-love. It will go a long way toward allowing us to be more joyful and more productive in all areas of our lives.

Our treatment of our body is a representation of how much we love ourselves. When you treat it with love, it will love you back. 
Take a walk or enjoy a hot bath, go to a yoga or exercise class, ride your bike, meditate, nourish your body with good food, get enough rest, read a book, spend time with friends. Take time to nurture yourself...put your mask on first.

The month of February is a time where we celebrate love with Valentine's Day, so this month's posts will all be centered around the theme of
LOVE. 

Here is a beautiful affirmation by Louise Hay that I want to share with you. Enjoy!


​
I Love Myself Affirmation
By Louise Hay


Deep at the center of my being, there is an infinite well of love. I now allow this love to flow to the surface. It fills my heart, my body, my mind, my consciousness, my very being, and radiates out from me in all directions and returns to me multiplied. The more love I use and give, the more I have to give. The supply is endless. The use of love makes me feel good, it is an expression of my inner joy.


I love myself; therefore, I take loving care of my body. I lovingly feed it nourishing foods and beverages, I lovingly groom it and dress it, and my body lovingly responds to me with vibrant health and energy.

I love myself; therefore provide for myself a comfortable home, one that fills all my needs and is a pleasure to be in. I fill the rooms with the vibration of love so that all who enter, myself included, will feel this love and be nourished by it.


I love myself; therefore I work at a job I truly enjoy doing, one that uses my creative talents and abilities, working with and for people I love and who love me, and earning a good income.

I love myself; therefore, I behave and think in a loving way to all people for I know that that which I give out returns to me multiplied. I only attract loving people in my world, for they are a mirror of what I am.


I love myself; therefore I forgive and totally release the past and all past experiences and I am free.

I love myself; therefore I live totally in the now, experiencing each moment as good and knowing that my future is bright and joyous and secure, for I am a beloved child of the Universe and the Universe lovingly takes care of me now and forever more.

And so it is.

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