EMBRACE CHANGE

Good morning!  It has been some time since I have written anything.  Summer mode I suppose.  I will get right to my quote for today which is, "Change is the inevitable part of life you cannot avoid - do your best and embrace it."  That one struck a nerve for a lot of people today.  The only thing constant is change!  Certainly sounds like an oxymoron but it is true.

Things stay the same, no movement, flow, flow, flow then BAM!  Something happens and everything is different.  I will relate this change to myself.  My husband and I took our daughter to college over the weekend.  I look at my daughter and still see the adorable two year old she once was.  Nevermind the fact that we need to send her braless bra.  I still see that sweet little three year old coming down the stairs telling me the dress I picked out for her to wear will be worn when she goes to college! 

Who was this little person?  She is little no more.  She is at a university doing exactly what she is supposed to be doing.  That is not only a big change for her but for me as well.  The house is not just quiet.  It's more than that.  There is a big personality that isn't here.  The other big personality is her brother but because he is older and has come and gone more times than her, I am used to that.

There is one more big personality in the house and soon he too will be gone.  Talk about change.  It's not that I don't have plenty to do and keep me busy.  No.  It is about such an enormous change in their lives, in my life, my husband's life and even sweet Mia.  She has already been feeling it.  But hey everyone, listen up.  Change is part of life and what we all have to experience whether we like it or not.  So like I said, embrace change.  It is inevitable, it is unavoidable and it is what is supposed to occur. 

Don't resist it or put up a fight.  It's going to happen anyway!  Have a wonderful day everyone! Love, Amy~

THERE IS NO PERMANENT

Good Morning!  It's a beautiful Saturday.  The weather had originally called for rain but instead the sun is shining brightly!  What a wonderful surprise.  Today's quote reflects that perfectly, "The only thing permanent about life is it's impermanence."  Very true.  Nothing is permanent.  There was a phrase a long time ago that said the more things change the more they stay the same.  Not any more. 

Technology for one has changed so many things but of course I am not talking about technology.  I am talking about us.  I am talking about our lives.  Sometimes we think we want one thing but it turns out we want something else.  Now we need to change the way we go about what we want and how to get it.

Flexibility is important because with impermanence we need to be flexible.  We need to be open to change because sometimes that is what we need.  Another phrase is the status quo but we become bored with the status quo.  We want more or less or different.  Know that change is good and is what lets us grow. 

Without change we are in a circle.  No beginning and no ending.  Release yourself from that circle and know that change is always a good thing even if at first you think it isn't.  Change is the only way we grow.  I am wishing you all a wonderful Saturday and hoping this beautiful day changed you plans to something really fun!  Love to you all!~Love, Amy

THINK THE THOUGHT BUT DON'T BE THE THOUGHT

Good Morning!  I'm back from my weekend meditation retreat and like last time, it was wonderful.  Retreats are definitely things you can and should go back to as you get something different out of them every time.

Reflecting on my time there, today's quote is "Human beings have thoughts - our challenge is to observe them and not become them."  That was just one thing I got out of my weekend but certainly an important piece.  We all know that and we have all heard that but how many of us can really do just that?  Observe our thoughts and not be our thoughts.  That is a very difficult thing to do.  In meditation our job is to watch as our thoughts come and go.  To allow them to enter our minds and to easily let them leave.  But we don't do that. 

We hang onto those thoughts for dear life as if they are a life preserver but they don't save us.  In fact they help us drown.  The thoughts we usually hold onto are the ones we are afraid of.  The things we are afraid of such as "what will happen if?" "What am I going to do if?" "How am I ever going to?" and on and on.  Why is it that we don't hang on to, "Look what a great job I did when I," "I can't believe I was able to," and so on. 

We don't hold onto good thoughts because we don't believe in ourselves enough.  We don't give ourselves enough credit and positive feedback.  What this weekend's meditation taught me to do is to be an observer of my own thoughts and once I observe them to release them.  To free my mind so there is room not just for positivity but for observation for the pure sake of observation. 

A bad thought comes in.  Look at it.  See it.  Feel it.  Maybe you know where it came from or maybe you don't but after you have looked at it, seen it and felt it, you can let it go.  Things happen to us.  Things that are good and things that are bad.  Don't hold onto good things either because you need to make room for more good in your life.  Some of us walk around with the notion that you can't possibly have too many positive things in your life.  That is absolutely wrong and it comes from a place where you feel you don't deserve to be happy.

Everyone deserves good things and everyone deserves happiness.  If you have tried meditating but feel you are not good at it, try again and again.  It takes time, patience and practice.  Don't be afraid of your thoughts.  Only you know what they are.  Understand that you have more power and control than you are aware.  Don't give that negativity power that it does not deserve.  Remember, you are stronger than your thoughts, after all, they are not real, they are figments of your own creation. 

Have a wonderful Monday all!~Love, Amy

GO WITH THE FLOW

Good Morning all!  It's the first Thursday in August.  As usual summer is flying by.  I never like to see it end so I am really trying to enjoy every single day no matter what it is I do.  Yesterday we had a plumber come to the house to fix our hot water.  Nothing that a credit card and an experienced plumber couldn't solve.  $1,200 later we have hot water. 

I am not expecting anything to go wrong today but one never knows!  Today's quote, "Even if you plan your day - the day may already have plans for you."  That is something we can all relate to, of that I am sure!  I really didn't have any plans for yesterday but I was forced to make some phone calls and wait around until my problem got taken care of. 

The wonderful thing about yesterday was that I got to reconnect with a friend I hadn't spent time with in a long time!  Although spending all that money on a broken thermostat wasn't high on my list of things to do, it was wonderful being with this person.  While my quote focused on the day, it is really a metaphor for your life.

We all know the lyrics written by John Lennon that say, "life is what happens when you are busy making other plans."  Very true.  You can plan from today, tomorrow, next week and after but you can't plan for all the things that happen in between.  Sometimes the only thing you can do is to go with the flow.  Be flexible and most importantly, don't freak out and expect disaster.  The unexpected can bring a wonderful surprise.  You just never know! 

If you have plans for today, I hope they go smoothly and if you don't, I hope something wonderful happens to you all today!  Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!~Love, Amy