No Matter What Happens

A couple of nights ago I had an interesting dream. I don’t know a lot about dreams, but I understand that all the participants in my dreams are me, even if the faces are different.

In this one, there was a younger version of someone I barely knew, and he was asking me, “How do you take care of the jitters when performing in life?”

“The way to do it is by understanding and knowing that everything is going to be fine no matter what happens!” I answered. (My higher self?)

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS everything will be fine. Do you have to be reminded of that sometimes? When we look at some parts of life, they don’t always look so pleasant on the surface. It’s not always easy to see the good. How could an accident be good? How could being kicked out of a job be good? How could someone asking you for a divorce be good?

As you are going through these things, you may feel like you are drowning. The moment you catch your breath and begin to reflect, it’s a perfect time to put your feelings to one side. Feelings tend to blind us. Now you are able to see that before the accident you were going to embark in something you were not ready for, or you were doing too much in your life and the Universe gave you a reason to slow down. Maybe the job you were in was not fulfilling you, or you were no longer being productive, and you were forcing it. Maybe you two had grown in different directions, and it was time to be “you.”

Experience should teach us that in the long run it will be fine. In the short run, we should also remember that being grateful is a great way to find the good in the now. Even when we don’t yet see it in something, it’s helpful to keep the saying, “All things happen for a reason,” handy, to remind us that NO MATTER WHAT, all will be well! All is well!

Feeling Successful?

A person who feels successful has three characteristics. First and foremost, they do what gives them a state of wellbeing and joy. At the same time, they also give regularly of their time, talent and treasure, and finally, they love who they become in the process. Success is not just being promoted to CEO, getting a degree, getting married, or getting a job. That is just part of the process.

The first two go hand in hand because if we do not take care of ourselves first (i.e. Putting our oxygen mask in an airplane), we cannot take care or give our best to others. I remember being drained of energy, and always tired, when giving my all to serve in all the possible committees at church and the school where I worked, I ended up sick because I did not make time to pamper myself, and didn’t do the things that were good for my mental, physical, and emotional health. I now meditate daily, walk, eat as healthy as possible, and take time for me when needed by going to the spa, going on mini or long vacations, going to retreats or just being.

Giving, is an extension of being, is a satisfying activity that actually has many benefits. Just the act of giving with a generous, loving intention is more than enough. However, in the process of giving great things happen. You develop a sense of purpose, and a sense of wellbeing. According to Why Good Things Happen to Good People by Stephen G. Post, giving helps with stress and depression among other ailments. He also says that when people give to charities that have meaning to them, a region in the brain associated with pleasure and trust, create a “warm glow” effect – that fuzzy feeling. I talk about giving of your time, talent and treasure because it is a basic component in the ancient philosophies and then adopted by religions as well. People who understand the law of giving and receiving know that giving in these three areas results in amazing returns unimaginable to them.

People who feel successful do not just achieve a goal and say, “I have arrived!” They achieve a goal, celebrate, and continue growing and serving. When we decide to rest on our laurels after obtaining a goal, paradigms, old fears, and bad habits may creep up and keep us down. It does not mean that we shouldn’t take breaks or vacations, those are essential. It just means that Our dream must be bigger than a goal, for our lives to be meaningful. So, people who feel successful love who they are becoming in the process of life.