Living life to the fullest

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 105

We've now harvested most of our peas. What we've discovered is that these peas are so fresh they're even tasty when eaten raw. The first set was cooked in coconut oil which added quite a delightful flavour to it. Now, we've skipped the cooking process, just open the pods and enjoy their natural flavour. Some plants have reached their full maturity and began to dry from the roots up. We uprooted these and set them aside for compost for the garden.

Our pea plants have lived and fulfilled their innate life purpose - bearing peas. These peas have nourished us as a healthy addition to our diet. There is no more to do. There work is done. We have pleasant memories of our harvest and we would definitely add peas to our garden again.

When you live your life with purpose, you are an added nourishment to the social diet of society - whether emotional, spiritual, physical or mental - you are a welcome addition to the lives of others. Once you have come to full fruit bearing maturity and it's time for you to pass on, you would have left a legacy behind that others could continue on because of what you have done. The memories of your work are the footprints left behind as compost, nourishing the lives of those you've impacted.

What memories were you designed to leave behind? What unique flavour do you have that's different from others? What would you choose; to let your aroma and essence leave with you when you die or would you allow the world to see what you were put here to do?

Everyone has that 'it' inside of them that makes them sing or dance. You may just have to remove the debris that's blocking you from seeing it. But if you are determined to living life to the fullest that which is your driving force, your energizer will emerge.

Creating change that lasts - Part 1 - Make a decision

Getting my body back - Day 122

If you desire to create change that lasts, you first need to made a decision and stick with it. This is what I refer to as making a 'focused determined decision'. It is much more than making a wishy washy decision. You know, the kind that goes like this, "I'll try to do this someday," or, "I guess I could do that," or, you may say, "I'll do it," but deep in your heart you know that you're not really going to.

When you make a focused determined decision, you know within yourself that you are determined to do whatever it takes to get the job done or to get your desire manifested. You know that you will find a way to do what you set out to do even if you had no idea how it's going to be done. You know somehow you'll get the answer and you start moving or working with what you already have or know.

When we don't experience change it's because we've stopped moving forward. We've changed our minds or we've given up. We become disinterested and distracted by other things that take the place of the original desire. It is not that you can't have what you desire. It is that you've given up, perhaps when things got a little rough, or you're not seeing the desire manifested right away.

Sometimes, at first, you may not see any results, but if you keep digging in, keeping your eyes and ears open for the changing in the tide, you'll reach your goal. The 'changing of the tide' could mean a shift in the way you're doing something not necessarily changing the actually desire.

For example, I mentally see my ideal weight target and I'm engaged in physical activity that's in alignment to bring me to my goal. At first, I didn't see any physical results, but I felt it - I felt the difference in my body. As I kept going, I knew that I needed to increase my activity to optimize my results. Because I wasn't visibly seeing the results I desired didn't mean that I should give up completely on my goal. It just meant that I needed to overcome whatever hurdle was in the way of increased progress. I looked for others way to get better results.

Similarly, not because something may not be working out right away does not mean that you throw in the towel and give up. It may just mean that you have to evaluate the progress and make some necessary adjustments.

Make your decision to achieve your goals and stick with it no matter what and renew that decision daily.

Fuelling words: I make a focused determined decision to reach my ideal weight goal no matter what.

Workout - walking, endurance exercises, weight lifting

New Book Launch - The Truth (I’m a Girl, I’m Smart and I Know Everything!

If you ever remember your life at age 10, like mine, it may have been quite interesting - packed with optimism along with hidden fears. It was the beginning of my personal spiritual journey. Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein has published her new book, The Truth (I'm a Girl, I'm Smart and I know Everything!), written as a 10-year old girl's diary. It's a treasure for kids and adults alike as it reminds us of what it was like to be ten. Whether you are a mom, dad, uncle, aunt or grandparent, you probably know a 10-year old girl who could be empowered by reading this book. Here's what Dr. Holstein has to say:

I am preparing to launch my new book, The Truth (I’m a Girl, I’m Smart and I Know Everything!) and I wanted you to be among the first to hear about it.

As you know, I have many years of practicing as a positive psychologist which has convinced me that women can draw tremendous energy and vitality from their deepest and most precious well - themselves. Yes, inside of ourselves are the positive memories from late childhood into teens, the talents, the strengths, and the untapped potential to give us all the resources we need.

Girls between 8 and 12 can and do everything. However, adolescence can be very hard on girls and years later many a woman has lost touch with her earlier talents, strengths, potential or what makes her happy. I worked to develop a companionship with the 10-year old inside myself. Suddenly, getting to know myself as a child again was serious psychological business.

That’s when I wrote a journal-style book, The Truth (I’m a Girl, I’m Smart and I Know Everything!) If you are a woman, it will make you want to dance with your inner 10-year old and make her energies a part of yourself again. If you are an adult, you will see the child in your life in a much more profound light. You will want to help her hold on to her wisdom, wit, sense of competency and self-esteem. If you are a kid or a ‘tween, you will feel understood and connected to this fictional girl. After all, she is like you. The girl sees so much and knows so much as we all did at 10 or 11. And wouldn't it be great to hold on to the energy and confidence that can go with that stage of life?

Women and girls of all ages, kids, tweens, teens, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles thank me for bringing this book to them. It opens the door to communication, and they see themselves, their daughters, nieces and granddaughters in the girl. Girls feel she is speaking for them while women remark that they wish this book had existed when they were growing up.

Now, this book is available on Amazon and those who buy it will also receive nearly $6,500 in free downloadable gifts! Check it out here:

http://tinyurl.com/m8ooto

or http://thetruthbooklaunch.homestead.com

Recognize & honour your protectors

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 104

Some of our broccoli leaves has small holes on them, evidence of the presence of caterpillars. We noticed that the broccoli whose leaves were still intact were planted either next to the marigold or had onions planted among them. We decided to transplant some of the green onions next to these eaten broccolis and have noticed that the new leaves that came up were untouched. Marigold and herbs, like green onions and garlic, have a pungent odour that ward off certain pests and are beneficial as protectors to our vegetables.

Some people in your life are your protectors warding off the ones that will only take from you and destroy your talent. Honour your protectors. These invaders, though they like hanging around you, are on a different energy wave or matrix from your protectors and will avoid coming close to you once your protectors are around.

Don't try to change your protectors for it is their natural essence that protects you, creating a special link between you and them.

We all need each other in some way or the other. Some are better suited to together than some because of the unique energy waves between them. When you are around some people, you may feel a sense of what we sometimes call 'bad vibes'. What you are feeling is there energy waves which is the level of consciousness they're at and it's obviously not along the same path as your own.

We can feel each other because we are all interconnected and when a person is heading in the direction of love; you could sense that, if they are heading in the other direction, we could sense that as well. How well we pick up on this inner knowing is in direct relation to how in tuned we are internally. However, we don't condemn or be critical of others just because they are not on the same energy wave as we are. We bless them in our hearts and let them be.

How do you recognize your protectors?

1) You feel safe around them

When you are with your protectors you know that you are safe. They'll never let anything happen to you. They'll come to your rescue whenever you need them.

2) They're supportive of you

Your protectors will support you in achieving your goals. They will encourage you to be the best you can be and give you the freedom to do so.

3) They'll take a stand and defend you

No matter what you face; they will stand and defend you even in the face of danger, if necessary. They're not afraid to open their mouth and speak up on your behalf and they really don't care what other people think of them either.

4) You can be yourself and thrive in their presence

You don't have to pretend around your protectors. They already know who you are and like you. They see your weaknesses and that's why they're there; to protect and help you.

5) They grow right alongside you

As you grow; your protectors continue to grow alongside you. They thrive in the same environment, like our broccoli and green onions grow together, they both live together in harmony.

6) Your so-called friends don't stick around when they're with you

When you are with your protectors, your so-call friends disappear. Your protectors' natural essence wards off your predators.

7) They're not trying to change you

Your protectors accept you for who you are and allow you to be who you are. Imagine the green onions saying to the broccoli, "Listen up here, I'm on the scene now and, you know something, see these caterpillars that are biting up on you, if you just be like me maybe they'll stop bugging you." Funny, huh? That's what we put each other through at times. Be 'the broccoli' that you are and let your protectors, 'green onions', be who they are and let love and togetherness prevail.

Take the challenge - Part 5 - The Ultimate Challenge

Getting my body back - Day 121

The ultimate challenge in achieving any goal is letting go and trusting the process to bring the results you're expecting. Many times I have to remind myself of this; feeling at times that I want to go from A to Z and skip the process - B down to Y. It is the B Y process where we build strength, stamina, character and integrity and the lessons we learn during this time are invaluable. These lessons could never be experienced at A or at Z, which are the beginning of any desire and the ending - the attainment of that desire.

If you're making a dress, you must go through the process. If you're building a house, you must go through the process, if you are writing a book, you must go through the process and in writing this blog post I must go through the process from the start, through the middle and then the end. There are no short cuts. Even if you someone bought you the dress, or built you the house, you still had a preparatory period before you even got it.

The alphabet is incomplete if you only have the A and the Z; no words are formed this way. As you work on your goal, when you've done all that you can do, relax and allow the process to work for you.

I've done all that is within my power to do - my workout, watching my food intake. Now, I must allow my body to do the rest - I must trust the process to get me to my ideal weight. I visibly see my body changing and patiently allow my body to reshape itself to manifesting my desire.

While we must be determined to achieve our goal, we must equally be patiently determined to let the process bring us to the finish line and disallow anxiety to hinder our progress.

Fuelling words: I take the ultimate challenge - release my anxiety to get to my ideal weight - and allow the process to bring me to the finish line.

Workout: walking, jogging, weight lifting, endurance exercise

Nurture yourself

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 103

As we transplanted our broccoli in spring some of them became so droopy before we could get them in the ground, we thought they wouldn't make it. Some of the stems were broken and lifeless. Nevertheless, we put them in the ground to see what would happen. We didn't give up on them, we watered and nurtured them and now, they are the first to grow the broccoli head even before the healthier looking ones.

There may be people in your life who you might have disregarded because they don't act according to the norm - they may have been labelled the misfits and outcasts. But love heals and if you took the time, gave them a chance, and nurtured them, they can see through your eyes that they have worth until they have come to a place in themselves through which they can see their own worth.

What about you? This may not even apply to someone else. Perhaps you see the worth of others but are unable to see the worth in yourself. Change your mind about who you are because you are worthy. The mere fact that you are here, right at this moment, shows that you are worth more than you think. You are a vital part of this great family - the human race. Take the time to nurture yourself, nurture your inner spirit and grow and allow the person you were created to be emerge from within.

How do you nurture yourself?

Love. Love who you are. You may not be at the place that you feel you should be. Take the time to look at yourself in the mirror and say, "I love you." At first it may feel really strange. But keep repeating it over and over every day until your mind stops objecting and agrees with you, "Yes, I love you."

Spend time in quietness and stillness. There is power in silence. As you connect to your Source, your inner entanglements become loosened. It may not happen all at once, just like our broccoli, they did not just stand erect the first day we watered them, but day after day, we consistently cared for them and now they are standing tall and showing signs of bearing fruit. And so will you, if day by day you nurture your heart in the silence of the Spirit and allow the debris of your life to be moved away bit by bit. You begin to feel different and look different. Your life will never be the same.

Open yourself for the warmth of love from the Spirit. Bask in the rays of love and let all your hurt be healed of those issues that have caused you to be bent over in difference and hardened with harshness. Allow the gentleness of the Spirit's embrace soften your heart, break down those walls that you put up to keep the hurt out that are in fact keeping the love out, as well, and melt into true Love.

Learn from the Spirit, your Life Source, how to live; no longer in bondage but in freedom. Learn how to think, learn how to love again, dream again, and truly enjoy living. In you contain the breath of life and the Light Source. Open your life and don't be afraid, for you will shine and shine brightly as this Light illuminates from within your inner being.

Take the challenge - Part 4 - Mind, Body, Spirit

Getting my body back - Day 120

In the process of taking the challenge for maximum results to achieving your goals, you need to get your mind, body and spirit to come into harmony. When you are in complete harmony you feel joy and freedom. There's no struggling - the mind working against the body or vice versa - but all in one accord working with ease.

How do you get your mind, body and spirit to work in harmony?

Years ago, my husband was a karate instructor, and as he joined us in our workout routine the pace was slowed down a bit but to one being quite focused, not so much on physical intensity but on becoming in sync in our minds, bodies and spirit.

We became in tuned to the sound of nature around us - the birds, the sound of the wind as it gently blew through the trees and the graceful swaying of the trees as the leaves wave in the breeze.

As our minds became in tuned, not only to nature but also to the quietness and the stillness of our inner spirits, we consciously connected in oneness to our Source. When we relaxed our minds and our bodies, we connected even more to the inner peace and tranquility of the Spirit.

With our minds now at peace and flowing in oneness with our spirit and our Source, our bodies followed suit and adapted to whatever movement we felt we should follow. My eldest daughter even commented, "Mom, I didn't know you could move like that," as she saw me perform what I would call my version of Tai Chi. I could feel the movement even before I actually performed them with ease.

Whether it's exercise or something else you're working on, the time will come when you need to slow down the busyness of the mind, become in tuned with nature and allow your inner spirit to connect with your Source. At this point of synchronicity, inspiration and ideas are birth and your body follows through to perform the action required for physical manifestation of your desires with ease.

Fuelling words: I bring my mind, body and spirit to work in harmony that I may receive fresh new inspiration and insights to manifest my ideal weight goal.

Workout: walking, endurance exercise, weight lifting

Pay attention to the signs

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 102

Sometimes we become so absorbed in our internal conversations that we disconnect from our Spiritual Source and are unable to recognize the signs that were meant to grab our attention to what our Spiritual Source is saying to us. When we make a conscious decision to stay connected to our Source on a regular basis, we begin to pay attention to the signs that are presented to us as we become more in tuned with the Spirit.

One of my daughters recently borrowed a book about tea from the local public library. While I was cleaning up, the book fell off the dresser. I picked up the book and felt that I needed to read this book, a feeling I also had some previous days before. I put the book back on the dresser and continued cleaning. A few days ago, while I doing my workout, one of my other daughters came outside with the same book. My attention was immediately drawn to it even though I was in the middle of doing my workout. The thought came to me again - I need to read that book.

When I finished my workout, my husband and I were looking at one of flowers in our flower garden which had gone through the petal stage. The petals had now fallen off and all that remained were a couple of buds, which one of them was accidentally broken off by one of the children. My husband took the bud and put it aside leaving the other bud still on the stem. The flower was the only one of its kind in the garden and we were not sure what kind of flower it was.

We had taken pictures of it because it was so beautiful and so that we would later on be able identify it. That day, my husband decided to break open the bud exposing the seeds hidden inside. He replanted them in the garden.

While he was doing that, I noticed something on the stairs; yep you guessed it, the tea book placed on the steps, obviously by my daughter. I reached over and picked it up and began to turn the pages. As my husband and I continued in our conversation about the other bud, still admiring its uniqueness and curious about its identity, my fingers flipped the pages of the book onto a picture that was quite similar to the bud we were looking at. I looked at the picture, and then looked at the bud, looked at the picture again, then looked at the bud and said to my husband, "Is it me or is the bud the same as in the picture?" We were both so amazed, it was a poppy and the book gave some information about its history.

When we're in tuned with the Spirit and pay attention to the signs we become in sync and are in a state of readiness at the right time when the opportunity for whatever the purpose of the moment presents itself. Each time I encountered the book was an opportunity for me to pay attention to the signs and an opportunity to prepare for the right moment when the real revelation was about to unfold.

Different signs have different meanings for different purposes in our lives and in paying attention to them, you not only go through the preparatory process for the moment of opportunity, but you become more aligned with the energy flow of the Spirit. You become yielded to the movement of the Spirit as I was moved at the right time to pick up the book my daughter brought out and as I flipped through the pages found the picture of the same bud at the exact moment when we looking at it and asking questions about it.

It is in the same manner, when we yield to the Spirit's guidance that the Universe brings together in synchronicity all persons and events for the main attraction, the final desired outcome. Miracles happen at that moment and lives are blessed.

Take the challenge - Part 3 - Getting out of the comfort zone

Getting my body back - Day 119

When it comes to getting out of the comfort zone, many people find it difficult to leave what has become their safe zone, to venture into unknown territory. Leaving the 'safety' of the comfort zone, in many cases, is the only way to get the results you're looking for.

If you keep doing the same things over and over and you're getting the same undesired results, then, it's time to shift gears, get out of the comfort zone and do something new. Sometimes it may require just a little shift in what you're already doing and other times you may need to make some drastic changes to gain dramatic effects in getting the desired results.

For example, my drastic shift in gear would be going from my indoorzy type workout routine in the spring that included stretching, aerobics etc. to total outdoor high energy workout in the summer that includes walking, jogging, weight lifting, steps, gardening etc. The latter is quite a dramatic change from the former.

Now that I've gone from the low end of the spectrum to the high end, making a slight shift from that would be to add an extra set or two to my weight training routine. I'm constantly monitoring my progress and looking for ways to get out of my comfort zone into a new level to achieve more.

Maybe you have challenged yourself and left your personal comfort zone. Check the results you're getting, and if they're not as you expected, then, consider perhaps shifting just a bit more out of the rut or you may need to change completely.

Getting out of your comfort zone may not entail any physical activity for you but may be that you need to change your habitual way of thinking or change your perspective on life and your relationship with others. You may need to get out of your comfort zone of negativity and enter into a more positive way of being. Perhaps you may need to see life from the angle of good coming to you and not that 'bad things' always happen to you.

Assess your results thus far and consider the progress you would make and how much more you could accomplish in your life if you got out of your comfort zone and entered into unfamiliar territory which may prove to be beneficial for you.

Fuelling words: I constantly look for areas to get out of my comfort zone so I could get closer to my goals.

Workout: walking, jogging, weight training, endurance exercises

Respect for others

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 101

We have noticed that just like the four o'clock flowers, the flowers of the squash usually open up when the day is not as hot and closes when it is extremely hot. We have noticed that the poppies remain open all day when the sun is the hottest but closes up as it gets closer to the evening when it begins to get cooler.

Although the poppies and the four o'clocks are growing side by side, they are very different in nature and respond very differently in relation to the rays of the sun. The poppies welcome the heat and fully open their petals to absorb the heat of the sun, later closing up to preserve the heat for the cooler night temperatures. The four o'clocks, on the other hand, closes its petals from too much exposure to the sun's rays and welcome the coolness with open petals.

Many of us respond differently to external temperatures of pressure and we need to have respect for others when they do not respond as we do. Each one of us has a built in mechanism that protects us as we endure adverse conditions. Not because someone responds differently from us mean that they are less than us. Respect them and let them be.

Adversity may cause you to be more open to others, whereas it may cause others to appear closed and introverted. It does not mean that they are not loveable, they maybe going through a process where they need to dig deep within themselves as they go through this time of growth. Once the situation has passed and adverse temperatures have cooled it is safe for them to emerge and open up fully to engage with others outside of themselves.

Make no mistake, that even though these petals are closed, the growth process continues. The four o'clocks are healthy and are growing well, displaying their petals of pink, yellow, orange and white colours.

When you have respect for others, you allow them to be who they are and handle whatever situations come their way in a way that is natural for them. Be a friend, share your experience, show them love, but let them be the ones to make the final decisions on their own accord.

We nurture our four o'clocks just as much as we nurture the poppies. We don't try to change them because, guess what, we can't. We appreciate and admire them both for their unique beauty and respect these flowers for what they are.

How much more should we show respect for others.

Take the challenge - Part 2 - Take two steps

Getting my body back - Day 118

From time to time we need to monitor our progress and take two steps up from where we are. The transition, however, should be a natural flow. One in which you feel that it is necessary to take it to the next level to achieve greater success to getting you closer to your goal.

When I first started out exercising, I began at the level I felt that I was most comfortable with. As I monitor my progress, I felt that I needed to advance to the next level. It was a natural progressive move. It made no sense trying to force something that I did not feel I was ready for. I went at my own pace and even though I knew that I needed to start walking, my feelings did not quite catch the message. I came to the point when I was ready. I made the decision and off I went.

Going to the next level, taking two steps forward, require some willingness on your part, but once you have made the decision to follow through with your advancement everything else falls into place.

Now, my step workout has also gone to the next level, I not only do one step up but I have gone two steps up, adding more intensity on the muscles. My 10, year old daughter, my workout partner has gone up 3 steps. I am trying to keep up with her; however, every time I advance, she advances one more ahead of me. She is quite a trooper and keeps me on the ball. We now have company, Dad and the other children have joined in our routine adding variety and fun.

Decide to take the challenge, take two steps more than you are doing now and advance to the next level of your goal achievement.

Fuelling words: I move to the next level as my body gets comfortable with each new challenge.

Workout: walking, endurance exercises,

Be determined to get results!

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 100

We noticed a couple weeks ago that even though our squash was growing nicely and the flowers were wide open displaying their brilliant orange petals, the fruit was not coming in. Some of the flowers closed up and then fell off.

We were really looking forward to having squash through the winter. Disappointed, we searched for information and asked our informative neighbour, but could not figure out what the problem was. To make matters worse, after our heat wave, the temperature dropped causing more concern for our precious squash.

Something happened inside me, the thought of not having any squash at all was just unacceptable. I thought, you what, regardless of what the weather was doing, we are going to have squash. I got really determined. I am expecting squash. I said to myself, "I do not know how, but I know that we are going to have squash from this garden."

The following day we went out to the garden, as we always do. My husband looked at the squash and was about to say something regarding the growth and as he began the words, "I do not expect....," I jumped right in and said, "No, no, no, I expect to have squash from this garden. I do not care what the weather is doing. We are going to have squash!" He immediately raised his hands and said, "Okay. I take my mouth off of it."

Today, we have about 3 - 4 inch squash, 3 - 2 inch squash and quite a few small ones coming up, too many to count.

The lesson here:

If we accept external conditions as they are, that is what we will get. But if we, in our determination, decide that our situation is going to change, regardless of whether or not we see how it will change, then the Universe, God, will go into active mode to orchestrate events to bring us whatever we desire. When you set your intentions in your heart and release it to God, then your hands are open to receive the miracle of having your desire met and having your squash harvest for the winter.

Take the challenge - Part 1 - Go the distance

Getting my body back - Day 117

The decision to achieving your dream could be quite exciting and challenging at times but once you've put your gear in motion it's time to take the challenge and go the distance.

What does going the distance means to you? This is a question you have to decide for yourself. One way to know is that if you have put a routine in place to achieving your goal, you could think of ways to stepping it up a notch to get more results faster. For example, I've added jogging to my walking routine, as well. For me, that's stepping it up a notch. I'm not a regular jogger, so for me, this is challenging myself to go the distance. I walk, then I jog, then I walk some more.

Perhaps in your own routine, you have jogging as your main fitness routine. Then, you could take the challenge, go the distance to adding an extra mile.

Whatever target you are aiming at, look for ways to advance to the next level. Just that extra nudge could make a difference in the results you are looking for.

When you go the distance, you are digging deep within yourself and finding the extra strength you need to climb higher, build stamina and endurance. You are setting the foundation for inner character building as you not only change externally to attain your desire but more so, you change inwardly, stretching and expanding your inner person to achieve personal growth.

Reaching the finish is great but the journey there and lessons learned along the way are priceless.

Fuelling words: I take the challenge and go the distance, knowing that I am creating inner strength that will change me from the inside out.

Workout: walking, jogging, weight lifting, endurance exercises

Preparing for the harvest - Part 5 - Keep some seeds

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 99

From the seeds of some of the vegetables, like the cucumbers and peppers, we'll keep to sow again next season. We know that we don't have to, we could purchase them again from the store, but we decided that we'll use some of our own seeds to start a new batch next spring.

Fruits have the capacity to propagate themselves. One seed grows and reaches maturity and produces fruit which has seeds in them to start the process all over again. Without seeds in the fruit that would end the circle of it's life - there would be no continuation. A seed gives the gardener the opportunity to sow again and prepare for harvest.

If we were to keep every seed from our cucumbers, we would probably have enough seeds to give to each family within our community. If they in turn sow that seed and tended it to maturity, the vine may bear at least three cucumbers. That's enough cucumber seeds to give a seed to each family in more than one community. If we kept up the same example we would have more than enough seeds to produce food to feed the world.

God has provided more than enough for all of us to live in this earth with more than enough. We need to use our gifts to full capacity and tend them until they reach full maturity. Then when the fruit of our talents have produced seeds, instead of tossing them out, look to see the capacity for them to propagate themselves and share them with others that the world may have seed to sow in their own lives and feed themselves and their loved ones.

If we all were to be mindful in this, we would have no lack of anything. For all of us together has been given talents that can satisfy every desire on the earth in whatever time we are to occupy this space in this era and complement the whole of humanity.

From the seeds of some of the vegetables, like the cucumbers and peppers, we'll keep to sow again next season. We know that we don't have to, we could purchase them again from the store, but we decided that we'll use some of our own seeds to start a new batch next spring.

Fruits have the capacity to propagate themselves. One seed grows and reaches maturity and produces fruit which has seeds in them to start the process all over again. Without seeds in the fruit that would end the circle of its life - there would be no continuation. A seed gives the gardener the opportunity to sow again and prepare for harvest.

If we were to keep every seed from our cucumbers, we would probably have enough seeds to give to each family within our community. If they in turn sow that seed and tended it to maturity, the vine may bear at least three cucumbers. That's enough cucumber seeds to give a seed to each family in more than one community. If we kept up the same example we would have more than enough seeds to produce food to feed the world.

God has provided more than enough for all of us to live in this earth with more than enough. We need to use our gifts to full capacity and tend them until they reach full maturity. Then when the fruit of our talents have produced seeds, instead of tossing them out, look to see the capacity for them to propagate themselves and share them with others that the world may have seed to sow in their own lives and feed themselves and their loved ones.

If we all were to be mindful in this, we would have no lack of anything. For all of us together has been given talents that can satisfy every desire on the earth in whatever time we are to occupy this space in this era and complement the whole of humanity.

Design your life - Part 5 - Putting the plan into action

Getting my body back - Day 116

The designer is now ready to put his or her plans into action. The pattern is placed on the fabric and the fabric is cut out to the exact shape of the pattern.

The designer knows that he or she must follow the shape of the pattern into order to gain success in achieving the best fit from the dress. Any flaws encountered in the fitting of the dress lies in the construction of the pattern and that's where correction of errors would be made in order for ease of fitting.

Similarly, once you have put a plan together, it is time to implement that plan, put the plan into action. Your plan is the map which you will follow to get you to acquiring your goal. Any flaws in the action would have to be corrected in the original plan and as a result the follow up action will follow the new adjustment.

A designer would have several fittings along the assembling time of the garment to ensure that he or she is still on course and there were no errors made in drafting the pattern.

Evaluation of your progress and regular reference and possible adjustments to your original plan is necessary in accordance to the progress being made in achieving one's goal.

I've made several adjustments from my original plan to accelerate my ideal weight goal. Some things you may not be able to foresee and as a result you evaluate and make provisions necessary to accommodate the change. You don't keep pursuing the same course if you can clearly see that the current one is not working efficiently.

If the designer is not satisfied with the fitting, adjustments will be made on the drafted pattern, as well as the garment, to improve the deficiency. Once he or she is satisfied with the overall fit of the garment, the designer continues to sew all the pieces together adding final touches and completes the garment. The final outcome - a perfectly fitted dress - a job well done. The designer is pleased with his work and feels a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction and so will you.

Action steps:

1) Put your plans into action
2) Evaluate your progress regularly
3) Make necessary adjustments to your original plan, as well as, your action steps
4) Keep moving until you reach your goal

Fuelling words: I consistently review my plans and evaluate my progress to ensure I'm on target and moving in the direction of my goal.

Workout: walking, jogging, endurance exercise, weight lifting

Preparing for the harvest - Part 4 - Preserve your harvest

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 98

Last year, a friend taught us how to use a canner to preserve our apple sauce. Armed with this knowledge, we made apple jam and apple butter and preserved them in jars for the winter. These tasted so good on bread that once a jar was opened the jam was gone in a flash.

This year we plan on extending the preserves into tomatoes and cucumbers.

That's all good for fruit and vegetables, but how, then, do you preserve your harvest in other areas of your life?

1) Finances

You begin by saving a portion of your money every month. When you get an increase, you can save more. But begin where you are even if it's $5.00. Start small and grow from there. Begin with what you know you will stick with. Soon enough you'd want to increase it. A time may come in your life, after your harvest, when you feel like 'opening that jar of jam' and enjoy the taste. You'd be glad you did save that money. Other situations may arise that may need financial attention and what you've put aside can pull you out of a jam.

2) Relationships

When you nurture and tend to your personal relationships, whether family or friends, in the winter months of your life they are ones to stand by your side and support you until you're able to get back on your feet again. When all is going well in your life never forget your family and friends. This is what I'd call your family and friend harvest time. It's in the cherishing and preserving of a loving relationship with them that will see you through whatever situation you're going through. Whatever adverse conditions you may face you'll never be left wanting.

3) Goal achievement

At the point of success in your goal achievement, write down the lessons learned to preserve these life-changing memories. Review them often and commit them to heart. For during the time of your next goal you will pull up on these experiences that will sustain you and move you through the process to the finish line.

Use these memories to teach and share with others to encourage them to press through in pursuit of their dreams.

The most important thing to remember in preservation as you prepare for the harvest is that you preserve your life. After you have gone through your journey, you have become the light to light the path for others to follow. You can now say in the winter of their life journey, I have been where you are, I know what you're going through and I know you will be okay. Here is my hand; I'll help you get there. I'll be a shoulder to support you until your harvest comes in.

Design your life - Part 4 - Gather your materials

Getting my body back - Day 115

When a designer has completed the pattern, he or she purchases the fabric that's suitable for the dress style. The designer also gathers all the other raw materials, such as thread, zipper and buttons etc., that are necessary to complete the dress.

Once you've put your plan together to achieving your goal, you have a clear picture of the direction in which you're going. Now, you can begin to gather your materials necessary to implement each aspect of your plan. Some materials you may already have on hand, some you may need to purchase. Having all your materials all together when you need them saves you time and frustration when you're ready to use them.

When I put together my plan for my exercise routine, I made sure I had suitable running shoes for walking. I also knew what route I'm taking for the walk. For my endurance exercise I use the stairs as my step workout and I have several weight sizes for my weight lifting. Other equipment could also include an exercise ball, skipping ropes or if you have a gym membership all the equipment is already provided for you.

When you are gathering your materials, depending on what your goals are, someone else may already have all the equipment needed for you to execute your plan, or you may have to gather them yourself. You decide what will be the best choice for achieving your goals. The important point is that you choose, and then, put your plan into action.

Action steps:

1) Make a list of all the materials or equipment you need
2) Decide if someone else has all the equipment you need and pay them a fee for usage
3) Decide if you'd rather gather the equipment yourself
4) Find a central area to set up your equipment
5) Get ready to put your plan into action

Fuelling words: I gather all the equipment I need to carry out my action plan, adding and changing as the need arises.

Workout: walking, endurance exercises, weight lifting

Preparing for the harvest - Part 3 - Eat some

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 97

We've already began to eat some of the fresh vegetables from our garden and we feel a sense of accomplishment that we could actually sit and enjoy the 'fruit of our labour'. As we look over the garden that we have nurtured, in spite of the work we put into it, which was quite enjoyable, we feel very appreciative that we had the opportunity to go through this learning process. It was quite an experience and journey for us and the lessons learned have caused us to see life from a different point of view.

As you prepare for your harvest, you may begin to enjoy the fruit of your labour even before the full harvest comes in. As you partake in the rewards of the work of your hands, allow the feelings of thankfulness to fill your heart.

'Eat some' with a thankful heart and reminisce on the journey that brought you to this point. These valuable irreplaceable gems become the foundation for all of your goal achievements. Even the disappointments play a valuable part in your personal growth because it teaches you how to look at life differently and see beyond the disappointments to a better opportunity that you would not have thought possible had things worked out the way you initially anticipated.

You have built up your muscle of endurance for the next journey. Situations that would have normally have you 'huffing and puffing', you would move through with ease knowing that all will work out in due time and everything has a reason and purpose behind it. You have now made it to the point that you can help someone who may now be taking the journey and help them to avoid the pitfalls that you went through. You can encourage others to pursue their dream knowing that they will make if they are persistent in seeing their dream materialized.

From this experience we see that next time we would do things a bit differently. We can clearly see what we should have done and what could have been done better, but all in all, everything worked out just fine.

Design your life - Part 3 - Have a plan

Getting my body back - Day 114

Once a designer has completed sketching the design of the dress, it is now time to draft a pattern for each individual section of the dress. A dress has many different smaller parts that have to be drafted independently of the whole and when put together forms the complete dress.

For example, a dress may have sleeves. The sleeve pattern has to be drafted independently but in such a way that when it is sewn together it fits into the armhole of the bodice part of the dress.

Similarly, the skirt of the dress is also drafted independently but with the measurement of the waist line to fit perfectly when also attached to the bodice. Each independent piece is drafted with precise measurements that they all fit together as a whole upon final construction of the garment.

We also have many segments of our lives that are seemingly independent of each other, but when put together complements the whole. Our family relationship may be independent from our business associations but when fit together, each affect the other. Troubles in your personal relationships may spill over into your business relationships and affect the way in which you do business or the effectiveness of your business.

It is imperative that when you implement your plan to design your life that you also consider how the construction of each independent piece of your life affects your overall lifestyle.

If a designer neglects to keep this in mind, he or she would have major problems when attempting to sew the pieces together. For example, the sleeve may not fit into the bodice or the waist of the skirt may be too small or big for the waist of the bodice. The design of the sleeves must also work in sync with the rest of dress. Shorter sleeves or a sleeveless dress may work better with a long flowing evening gown.

Adjust your plans to work in sync with your overall design and in relation to your loved ones.

Designing a plan for each area of your life:

Look at the areas of your life and consider how you would construct each area.

Finances - do you see a business that provides the opportunity for improved financial conditions or do you see the opportunity in your current job to propel you into a position to provide the finances you desire?

Relationship - how could you improve your current relationship? How could you change your perspective of your partner that will help you improve your relationship? What could you do differently? The onus is on you to change you not try to change the other person. You be the change you desire to see in your relationship.

If you are not currently in a relationship but desire to have one, what could you change to prepare you for a long term commitment?

What about relationship with your children? How could you improve in this area? Get closer to your children or release them to make their own decisions and help them find their way not your way.

What other areas of your life do you see that you can construct a plan to create change and design your life?

Action steps:

1) Write down each area of your life - finances, relationships, health, etc.
2) Within the parameters of each area, create a plan for change with precise steps you can take to implement those changes
3) Break down those steps into daily activities you could do. Small changes compound over time. Be consistent.

Fuelling words: I construct my exercise workout routine combining weights, walking and endurance exercises to increase my metabolism and burn excess calories and bring me closer to manifesting my ideal weight goal.

Workout - walking, endurance exercise, weight training

Preparing for the harvest - Part 2 - Thanks Offering

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 96

As we share our harvest with others we set aside a thanksgiving offering in gratitude to God for blessing, not only our garden, but our family.

When we physically express our gratitude, we are opening the doors of opportunities for other blessings to come to us. In the feeling of gratitude, our hearts are open in thankfulness and when we are open we are in alignment to receiving all that God, the universe has to offer us. Our thoughts, our inner feelings and therefore our bodies are all on the same wave length of the Spirit and in this moment is where the miracles happen.

The reverse is also true that when we withhold our thankfulness, we are closed to receiving the blessings. Even though the blessing is flowing - which it constantly is, it never stops - you are not open to receive it and therefore you cannot have it.

When we stay in constant gratitude, we make allowance for the constant flow of the universal blessings that belong to us.

Physical expression of gratitude is the outward symbol or display to the universe that you are ready and open to receive the energy of goodness as it flows through the matrix of life. Water constantly flows through the open river bed, but if the river is blocked by debris it hinders the natural flow.

Similarly, the debris of ingratitude hinders the natural flow of blessings from coming into your life. It is the law of giving and receiving at work when we release our thanksgiving offering.

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Design your life - Part 2 - Getting it on paper

Getting my body back - Day 113

When a designer has decided on the desired style of dress, he or she sits down with a sketch pad and sketches the idea out on paper.

Similar, once you are clear on the design of your life, the next step is getting the design out of your head and onto paper. Getting it on paper is the first step to engaging in magical creativity and solidifying your desires.

Some years ago our family went fishing but was not catching anything. It was raining a bit that day and the rainbow was set in brilliant colours in the sky. I had a pad and pen in hand and began doodling. The thought came to me - why not draw a fish and see what happens.

As I drew the first fish, to my surprise, my husband shouted out to me - I caught a fish. I told him what I had done and then I decided to draw another fish, and yes, he caught another fish and then another. After a while I had stopped drawing and he was not catching any more fish. He asked me if I had drawn another fish. I quickly sketched the outline of another, adding scales to make it look more lifelike, and yes, he caught another one. That was a very magical and certainly amazing moment for us.

The point is, whether you sketch your desire or get a picture of your life design, getting it on paper moves you closer to the manifestation of what you desire. It goes beyond wishing or wishful thinking to bringing it into reality.

Some have started dream boards - collecting pictures of their desire and gluing it onto a board. Others have called it book of possibilities. It is using whatever method that works for you to enhance your visual perception of your dream life and setting your intentions on both the spiritual, as well as the physical plain, working together in sync to bring about your desired reality.

Action Steps:

1) Select areas of your life you desire to design or redesign
2) One by one - sketch your desired outcome
3) Find and cut out pictures of your dreams
4) Create a dream board or a book of possibilities
5) Review your dream daily to form a clear vivid mental picture and feel the feelings to having it.


Fuelling words: I visualize an image of me at a point in time when I was at my ideal weight and I see myself then as if it is now.

Workout - walking, endurance exercise, weight lifting

Preparing for the harvest - Part 1 - Sharing

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 95

Some of our crops are ready for harvesting, like the Swiss chard, lettuce, some carrots, and thyme, while others are still growing as we await their full maturity, like our corn, tomatoes and squash.

Even though we have a large family and we could find ways to preserve many of our crops keeping it all for ourselves does not activate the law of giving and receiving and therefore can stop the flow of abundance in our lives.

Our family does not start and end with us only, it continues on to others in the human family and as we extend our harvest to others around us, no strings attached, no expectation from them, we are blessing them and allowing the cycle of blessings to continue in our lives.

We sow a different kind of seed - a seed of blessing that not only blesses us into our future but the lives of those with whom we share. To them it is a blessing - a sharing of the harvest, to us it is a seed - a starting of a new crop.

When you begin to reap your harvest, ensure that you keep the cycle of giving and receiving flowing in your life. Share with others outside of your immediate family circle activating the law of giving and receiving.

As you provide for their needs, you are providing for your own because we are one. We are connected in oneness on a spiritual level even though we may appear separate on the physical plain. Our giving or not giving affects all our lives on a deeper spiritual level and therefore manifest itself in the form of selfishness and uncaring leading to unnecessary suffering in the world.

In order to continue harvesting you must continue to sow and sow your seed in sharing with others.

Design your life - Part 1 - Clarity

Getting my body back - Day 112

As the designer of your life, if you are unclear as to what you desire manifested in your reality, you're allowing life to happen to you by default and not for you by design.

Before a designer creates a dress, he or she must first know what the desired design is. The designer must have a clear picture of the desired style of the dress before construction begins.

Similarly, you must know and be very clear with your image of your life.

How do you gain clarity?

Sit in a quiet place and search your inner desires and listen closely to what your heart is feeling. Listen for your true feelings and not what you think you want. For example, you may be looking for a job, willing to take whatever comes your way, but in your heart you truly desire to open your own business but you don't see how it's possible.

Sometimes we may say that we want one thing but deep in our hearts we desire something else. We may only think we desire something because we don't think we could get what it is we truly desire and therefore settle for the substitute desire.

Remove mental limitations. You can't focus on the truth of your desire if you are focused on limitations and obstacles like "I can't see how I could achieve this. I can't see how this is possible. I don't have enough money. I don't have enough time. I don't have the qualifications." When you lay aside limitations and focus on your true desire then you can see a clear picture of your desired life and participate emotionally in the joy of living your dream.

Action steps:

1) Sit in a quiet place
2) Search your heart for your true desires
3) Remove all mental limitations and obstacles
4) See a clear mental picture of your desired life in vivid images
5) Feel the feelings of you enjoying your desired life

Fuelling words: I keep a clear mental vivid image of my desired weight goal and fully participate in the joy of its attainment.

Workout - walking, endurance exercise, weight lifting, deep breathing, gardening

Weeding the garden of your time

Tending the garden of your heart - Day 94

When it comes to gardening in the colder climates time is of great essence. The gardener knows that he or she needs to use the time wisely, observing the weather conditions and getting the seeds in the ground as quickly as possible - not too early due to frost that could kill the seeds and not too late so that the plants have a chance in the warm weather to bear fruit before the cold weather comes again. The gardener learns to use his or her time wisely to ensure a successful harvest.

Once our time is gone, we could never retrieve that moment, it is gone forever. Therefore observing how you use your time will give you indicators as to how it's being spent and what adjustments need to be made to gain the maximum benefit of your time.

6 tips to weeding the garden of your time

1) Observe your daily routines.

You'll begin to see patterns emerge - things that you do on a regular basis. Be the silent observer of you.

2) Prioritize your regular daily activities.

Which activities are high priority and which ones are low? In your rating of these priorities, are you placing low priorities before your high priority activities?

3) Look closer at your low priority activities.

Are these necessary to engage in or can you limit the amount of time you spend on your low priority activities to give more attention to those high priority tasks?

4) How would you feel if you got all of your high priority activities completed?

Would that give you a sense of accomplishment or even a sense of empowerment knowing that you've finished what you set out to do? Once you've completed your high priority tasks, then you can either focus on your low priority activities or look for other items which you can complete before engaging in low or non-essential activities.

5) Delegating

Some of your high priority items and even some of your low priorities can be delegated to free you up to get more done.

6) Measure the amount of time you spend on a project.

When you give yourself a certain amount of time to work on a project, i.e. 15 minutes, 30 minutes etc. you set yourself to work faster within the allotted time as opposed to just saying you'll finish the assignment without a time limit. You're tempted to go slowly using more time to complete the task than if you put yourself on a timer.

When you put a system in place using all of the above, you'll find you get more done within a shorter period as you continue weeding the garden of your time.

Decluttering your life - Part 5 - Sentimental Attachments

Getting my body back - Day 111

In the process of decluttering your life, you may not have a difficult time getting rid of clothing that no longer fits, or you may not have a problem ditching your bulky exercise equipment, but when it comes to sentimental attachments that just pulls at your heart strings, how do you cut the ties and determine what you should keep and what to get rid of?

From time to time I've struggled with the other areas of decluttering and just made a decision to get rid of some of the stuff, but when it comes to sentimental attachments, I'd admit I have a more difficult time just tossing some of these things. I think this one boils down to personal value.

Sentimental attachments come in the form of irreplaceable memorabilias. For example, after many years, I still have a handwritten note from my dad when we were working on a project together. I loved my dad's handwriting and I guess this was and still is a really special memory for me.

No one could really decide for you what sentimental attachments you should keep and which ones are more important. This is an internal job. But here are some questions to ask yourself in making your final decision to keep or toss:

1) Purpose

What is the purpose of me keeping this? How is this serving me at this point in my life?

2) Value

What is the value in keeping this memory alive? Is it bringing back good memories of love or unpleasant memories of past hurt and disappointments? Know the value of the sentimental attachment. If it is greater than the need, then keep it.

3) Thoughts

What thoughts do I get from this memorabilia? Are the thoughts I imagine ones I wish to relive in the future or is this a place I never want to return to again?

4) Tied to the past

Is this thing an outward expression that I'm tied to the past and have not let go or afraid to let go? Is this sending a message to the universe that this is who I choose to continue to be? Sometimes we are sending subconscious messages to the universe of what we desire and don't understand why we're getting the results we're getting or not getting the results we desire.

The New Testament tells of a young man who wanted to follow Jesus but felt that he needed to go bury a family member first. Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury the dead."

Let the things of the past stay in the past and move on. The issue is dead let is remain there and the things that go with it. There is no life in it and it will not add to giving you life.

5) Open yourself to new experiences

When you open yourself to new experiences letting go of the past becomes easier. You can only embrace the future when you release your tight grip on the past.

Declutter your life from all non-essential sentimental attachments and move forward to greater experiences.

Fuelling words: I keep only sentimental attachments that add value and bring positive memories to my current reality.

Workout - walking

Weeding the garden of your social life

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 93

Whether it's a vegetable, fruit or flower garden, a gardener is very particular about what he allows to grow in his garden of choice. Therefore, he or she keeps a constant watch over the garden and regularly weeds it for unwanted 'social' interaction.

Because the people we hang out with on a regular basis tend to influence the way we think and ultimately behave, it is therefore imperative that we choose our friends with care. Our friends should lift us to a higher level than where we are and encourage us to be the best we can be. If you find that the friends you're hanging out with are not leading you in a way that enhances your life it's time to think about weeding the garden of your social life.

Consider the following 4 tips to weeding the garden of your social life:

1) Know where you're going

When you know where you're going in life you drive in the direction to your destination. You'd probably think it crazy if someone got into their car and just started driving and had no destination in mind. "Where are we headed?" you ask, "I don't know," they reply. You might probably want to jump out of the car at the first stop sign.

Similarly, if you don't know what direction your life is headed, how could you make plans to go there and more so how could you then harbour relationships that move you in the direction you're going?

2) Place people in their rightful place

It is important to see everyone you meet through the eyes of love and place them in their rightful place. Some are there to go with you to the next level to reaching to your destination while some are put in your path to receive something from you. The people you meet who are there to receive from you may not necessarily be the ones to be regular friends.

I would use Jesus as an example here. Jesus choose 12 disciples - friends he would regularly communicate with - he would regularly hang out with these guys and they'd go practically everywhere together. Then there were all the other people he would come in contact with. He loved them all but they were not his regular companions.

3) Choose your friends with care

After you know where you're going and you're consciously aware of the type of friends you desire, you can now choose your friends with extra care. Jesus handpicked his 12 disciples - those with whom he would impart his knowledge and wisdom and with whom he shared a deeper spiritual bond, his deepest secrets and his life.

4) Choose your social events with care

Some events, like some weeds, may not be in themselves bad but they may be misplaced meaning that they may not serve your purpose. If you decided to grow a vegetable garden, dandelions have no business in your vege garden. Certain social events may suck the life out of you instead of enhancing and uplifting you. Have you ever gone to an event and you left feeling more drained than when you arrived? Then perhaps this is not the place for you at this point in your life.

Choose social events that add to and draw you closer to your destiny.

Your social life can be a power house for your growth and ultimately your fruit bearing success if nurtured with care.

Decluttering your life - Part 4 - Your Clothes

Getting my body back - Day 110

With the changing in seasons and fashion trends, we accumulate a lot of clothing to fill our closets and some of them are never worn or worn only a few times. If you have clothes hanging in your closet that you've not worn for a long time and clothes that have gone out of fashion, it's time to declutter your closet and free up that space.

If you are keeping clothes you've not worn in many years with the thought that one day you'll fit into, why not consider giving it away to someone who could use it right away instead of it waiting for someday that may never get here.

Why would you want to get rid of that fancy dress or suit that you love so much, even though it can't fit you? Because you're getting out of the attitude of hoarding and you're activating the law of giving and receiving. You're allowing the flow of renewal into your life.

How does holding on to my favourite outfit affect my life?

Holding on to anything so tightly is a reflection of something on a much deeper plain than we can physically see. It's more of a psychological effect than physical. Holding on to things is evidence of an underlying fear - whether of loss or fear of not having.

When we make the decision to keep only what we need and release all excess we are relinquishing the fear in exchange for the reassurance that whatever we need is already supplied and if at the time when I reach my desired weight goal I would like to have that outfit, it will be supplied, as well, or a better one will come to me. When we look at life from that perspective, the grip of fear is loosened from our minds and we can be free to let go and live one day at a time.

Free your closet from the heavy load as an outward symbol of inwardly freeing your mind and spirit and decluttering your life.

Fuelling words: I keep only the clothes I need now knowing that what I desire when I reach my ideal weight goal is already supplied.

Workout - walking

Weeding the garden of your career

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 92

Every seed contains in it the life it was meant to lead - cucumber seeds sown in soil to grow, blossom and bear cucumbers. Plants and trees follow their path, naturally. However, weeds can hinder the process if neglected and inhibit nutrients going to the fruit.

At times we find ourselves in careers that do not reflect who we are and our innate passion. This may be because we've considered the current career for only the monetary gain one gets from it and not from one's inner passion.

If you find yourself despising your job, your career, then, it is time to consider doing some weeding to getting into the place you were meant to be. Or if you find that your career is not fulfilling your inner passion and life purpose then you need to re-examine your position and move in the direction of beginning to make changes.

How do you weed out the garden of your career?

1) Decision

Knowing what you feel joy in doing or what you feel passionate about is the first step before you can make a decision to do what you love to do. Once you know that then you can move to the next step. What do you love to do?

2) Look for ways to get into the area of your passion.

If you are in a career you love generally but you are in one section that you despise, look for ways to get into the area of your passion.

For example, in the insurance industry, which was my previous field, there are many facets to work in, you could either be an agent or work in claims as an adjuster and even as an adjuster you could work as an auto adjuster, property adjuster, liability adjuster or all of these and more. So if you are currently an auto adjuster and hate it, but prefer being a proper adjuster, then, you look for opportunities to go in that direction.

Staying in a position that you hate is not healthy for your inner being and therefore you are not living your inner passion and fulfilling your destiny.

3) Develop the skills

If you feel that you lack the skills in what you love to do, stay where you are for now, if you can, and look for opportunities to develop the skills necessary for your area of passion. The internet is packed with information you can read on 'how to's'. You can go to your local library and get information, talk with other people in the field or even take local, online or correspondence courses.

If you'd like to start a business in your desired field but lack the confidence to do so, look for the opportunity to work with someone who is already in the field.

If you are open and willing to get out of your 'comfort zone' and take the risk of living your passion, doors will open for you to do what you desire to do one step at a time.

When you set your mind and intention to do what is natural for you and weed out the other things that are occupying your time, you'll find that you'll feel a sense of accomplish, joy and freedom in being you.

Take the steps necessary to begin weeding the garden of your career now.

Decluttering your life - Part 3 - Exercise Equipment

Getting my body back - Day 109

Cluttering our lives can become such a habit that we continue to add more and more stuff that we probably don't need or will never use and that could include the purchase of exercise equipment and other stuff that sit in our basement, attic or garage taking up space for many years.

I remember a friend telling me that she had bought an exercise ball years ago and it was still new in the box sitting in her closet. If you have equipment that you've not used for years, it's probably a good time to get rid of it.

Here are some tips for decluttering your exercise equipment:

1) Decisive decision

If you haven't used an equipment for several years make a decision to either get rid of it now - sell it or give it away to someone who will make use of it - or decide to begin to use it right away. "I'll use it someday," is not an acceptable response because it will most likely sit there for another decade.

2) Opt for a simpler routine

Sometimes we don't get rid of our junk because we think that we might need it after and if it's gone we would regret we got rid of it. To address this feeling, opt for a simpler but effective exercise routine. You can benefit greatly from walking - not only are you burning calories but you get to go outside and enjoy the fresh air. You also have the opportunity to add variety to your routine.

3) Get rid of heavy bulky exercise equipment

If your place is too small for bulky exercise equipment you might want to consider purchasing something that takes up less space or at least that's collapsible and can be stored underneath a bed or in the closet. This will free up some of the space for you to move freely through your home.

4) Add more activity

If you add more activity into your daily routine the need for exercise equipment will be greatly reduced to perhaps a pair of dumbbells for your weight lifting. I've found that with walking, gardening, weight lifting and just simply being active in and around the house give me enough opportunities to exercise and therefore there's no need to purchase any or at least expensive exercise equipment.

Sometimes I give my younger children piggy back rides and neck rides to act as extra weight for my walking or even repetitive lifting up and down to work out my arms, which they greatly enjoy.

You can even be very creative and use your own body weight for strength and endurance workout.

There's no need to keep holding on to exercise equipment just in case when you know you're never going to use them. Eliminate the clutter and declutter your life. Besides, if you ever need to relocate, you wouldn't have to worry about logging around with the heavy load. Been there, done that. Time to declutter and move lightly!

Fuelling words: I simplify my exercise routine by removing cluttering exercise equipment which allows me to use my creativity to add variety and excitement to my daily routine.

Workout: walking, strength training, weight lifting

Weeding the garden of your spirit

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 91

The garden soil provides essential nutrients for plants to grow. In order for the plants to receive the most benefit from the enriched soil, we need to keep it weed free.

The same is true of our spirit. If we are not constantly keeping watch and regularly weeding the garden of our spirits we will not be able to benefit from receiving the full 'nutrients' from our Source.

If our lives are cluttered with weed which choke out that which is essential for our survival and growth how can we expect to live to our fullest potential doing what we were meant to do naturally without being inhabited?

As the gardeners of our own lives, weeding comes with the territory and maintenance of your inner spirit is your responsibility.

How do we weed the garden of our spirit?

1) Spend more time in the silence

Every day we go out to the garden observing with watchful eyes to ensure that all is well. We are making connection with our garden and staying in tuned with what's occurring. Any changes are noticeable to us because we have familiarized ourselves with the daily changes of the plants.

It is this same daily acquaintance we have as we spend time in the silence with our Source. We become more familiar and in tuned with the things of the unseen. We are able to move freely with the changes of the Spirit and pick up more quickly on the Spirit's language.

2) Choose what you desire to come into your life

We have a vegetable garden and a flower garden. They are both in separate areas of yard. However, in our flower garden we have some tomatoes, watermelons and cantaloupe growing there. One part of the vegetable garden is bordered by marigolds and we have one other flower, not sure what it's called, growing in our garden which we decided to leave - it looks beautiful so we decided to observe it's growth.

Now, what we call weeds in themselves is not really bad, they're just misplaced. There may be things in your life that may not really be bad but they are taking up space which you have set aside for your 'vegetable or flower garden' - what you decided to grow in your life. At another place and time, they may be okay, but not just right now. You need to decide what is important to you and allow those things to come into and occupy your life and remove all that is not adding value to your desire at this point in time.

3) Encourage those things that contribute to your growth

The marigolds bordering the vegetable garden were placed there intentionally to aid in pest control. Marigolds are not vegetables and neither are they edible but they do add value in their contribution by helping our plants grow without being consumed by pests.

Now, say for instance you are a singer, you may read books about personal development. The books do not show you how to sing or perform but they may give you the tools necessary to conducting yourself in a manner that will keep you from falling into some of the traps that other singers have found themselves in and did not know how to ward off these 'pests' which eventually consume and destroyed them.

As you continue to weed the garden of your spirit, you awaken to new life, energy and unique creativity.

Decluttering your life - Part 2 - Exercise & Food

Getting my body back - Day 108

In the process of decluttering your life, there are three levels which you could follow for this undertaking.

1) Start small or start slowly

Instead of undertaking a very ambitious approach which could lead you to feelings of overwhelm or discouragement, start with something that you know you will stick with and when you've completed it you'll feel a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.

When I first began exercising I started with what I was comfortable doing, knowing that I could stick with it. I did stretches only just to get my body loosened until I felt the need to go to the next level.

The same it is with food. Start with small changes in your diet - changes that you know you could stick with. For example, eating less of your favourite ice cream or having it on the weekend only. That way you don't feel the effects of deprivation and lessen the temptation to go right back to your old eating habits.

2) Take it up a notch - mid range

If you feel that starting small or going slowly is not for you, then feel free to do a bit more. The key is to do what you can without going into overwhelm and discouragement.

After I got used to the stretches I was ready to take it up a notch - adding some aerobics and weight training in addition to incorporating exercises into my daily activities.

The same adjustment can be made with eating habits, as well, making more of a conscious decision and effort to make healthier food choices, adding more salads and fruit into the daily diet.

3) Going all out

When you've had enough and you just can't take it anymore, you're then at the point where you know you are willing to go all out. What we've done with our home is going all out to make a complete overhaul and taking drastic measures to achieve our goal.

It is the same approach I took with my exercise routine. Even though I had some results, I felt that my results could have been better. So, I decided that it's time to take drastic measures. For some this may have been small steps, but this is the level I'm at and for me that means brisk walking, endurance training, weight lifting, gardening and incorporating exercise in my daily routine. My first week of my drastic move? Yes, I began seeing results in my ideal weight goal. I set my intention to gaining weekly results and it's showing.

I also took it up a notch in the food department - adding more salad and fruit and cutting back on my portions of other foods, such as rice, pasta etc.

I take one day off to rest just to let my body rejuvenate itself, especially from the weight training. The extreme end for me would be to go completely vegetarian which is something I've considered but I'm not ready to completely give up on meat just yet. So I've decided on a working compromise - eliminating one day of meat to start. In this category, I'll say I'm back to #1 - start small or slowly.

It's all about where you are and what you're willing to do to get the results you desire to declutter any area of your life. But regardless of your level, you'll only make progress when you begin.

Fuelling words: I do what I can do with all the willingness that I'm willing to do to get to where I need to be.

Workout - walking, endurance exercise, weight lifting

Weeding the garden of your mind

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 90

Garden weeding is a regular and sometimes daily occurrence in order to maintain a well cultivated garden. If you're not paying attention to your garden, your precious crop will be competing for the essential nutrients in the soil.

Our minds entertain many thoughts on a daily basis, many of them recurring over and over again, and some being more dominant than others.

And like our garden, you need to regularly monitor and weed your thoughts from the weeds of negativity in order for the positive thought crop to have the opportunity to grow from your focused attention.

If you pay attention to your thoughts, you begin to see a pattern to the thoughts that most dominate your mind. From there you can measure if these thoughts are positive in their creativity or negative. Are these thoughts creating the future I desire or am I trying to push away things from my life by focusing on that which I don't desire to see manifest in my reality? How can I change this thought to one that is positive? What is it I desire?

As you focus on thoughts that are more desirable and beneficial to you, they become your dominant thoughts and therefore feed off the nutrients of your focused attention, manifesting itself in your outer reality.

Whoever it is you've decided to be, you must allow those thoughts to take root and dominate your mind. Whenever thoughts come that do not match up with what you are becoming, replace them with that which you desire.

Practice renewing your mind daily. If you're used to allowing any thought occupy your mind, you can change this and create a new habit. Decide today that you will practice mental shift from negative thought or unwanted thought to positive or desired thought. Then, take it in small increments - one day, then two, then three and keep increasing it until it becomes way of life for you.

Your life will begin to change as you weed and maintain the garden of your mind and focus your attention to that which is enhancing your life.

Decluttering your life - Part 1 - Your body

Getting my body back - Day 107

This week we are decluttering our home. It's amazing how much junk you can collect in a short period of time. And with us having such a large family, the junk is probably more than the average size family. So we're taking it room by room, cleaning every nook and cranny and getting the carpets all shampooed and ready for the winter. There's much to be done but when it's completed, the house would feel much lighter.

If we look at our lives like our home we can begin to examine the areas that are cluttered with all unnecessary things that weigh us down and take the place of that which is necessary to enhance our lives. No one really likes a complete overhaul because we're removed from our comfort zone. It's not that our comfort zone is necessarily beneficial to us, but because we have gotten so used to it, it becomes a bother to pull up everything and start again.

When you begin to declutter, your life may seem topsy turvy and chaotic at first, like our home right now, but at the end when we've completed the facelift and put only the essentials in their rightful place, we can move forward freely.

Take an overall survey of your life like we've done with our home before we've started decluttering. We looked around at each room and saw that the way it is just won't do. Adjustments need to be made and it required drastic change in order to get the best results.

Take one area of your life, like your body for example. Survey it. Do you have excess fat that's cluttering your cells? Then, now is the time to make a decision to declutter your body from the unwanted excess weight and freeing up your system from the extra work it has to do. Think of the benefit to you if you felt lighter, healthier and more energized. Your system will thank you for it.

Make a decision to declutter your life to make allowance for a healthier you.

Fuelling words: I give my body the workout it needs to declutter my cells to create a healthier lifestyle.

Workout: walking, gardening

Dealing with transition periods - Part 5

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 89

When our corn reached a certain height, we had to transplant them to give them more room to grow and position them as well so they can pollinate each other. We were very careful in exposing the roots and when digging them out we made sure that there was enough soil around them so their roots were not disturbed.

Some did well and kept growing while others seemed to struggle a bit. We put small trenches through the corn and watered them real well. With all the water they got these staggering corn picked up in growth and are doing well. Some have already begun to show their ears.

During a time of transition, in order to bounce back quickly, staying close to your Source, the rich Soil of the Spirit is your lifeline. If you make this your way of life, when transition comes, your roots will remain strong. Though shaken and perhaps disoriented, and even if at times things make no sense, you know that all is working out for your good. You know that this too will pass; it's only a passing cloud. After every storm, the clouds clear and the sky is visible again.

Nature shows us clearly so we have hope that the sun will shine again. Go deep into the soil of the Spirit, have an open heart, be flexible and flow with the Spirit.

Even if you may not have been connected with the Spirit as you'd like, no worry, it's never too late to start. Get close and get deep so you can begin to see your way clearly and come out of the confusion and frustration that transitions can draw you into. Get closer to the Light that your way may be brightened.

5 tips to satisfy your spiritual hunger

Getting my body back - Day 106

We satisfy our physical appetite when we are hungry. But sometimes when we've eaten, and still feel like eating some more, we need to look deeper into what's missing in our lives.

Spiritual hunger sometimes manifests itself into physical hunger in order to draw us to look deeper into ourselves and draw us back to our spiritual heritage and connection. Our spiritual hunger which is our life sustenance needs to be satisfied. Without this satisfaction, we look to the external, outside of us, to fill the gaping hole in our inner being.

But the more things we add, the more activities we engage in, the wider the hole seems. It's like drinking soda to satisfy the thirst and no matter how much soda you consume your thirst is never quenched. The only thing that truly satisfies this thirst is water. Other drinks are a temporary fix and most times add to and increase our thirst.

How do you satisfy your spiritual hunger?

1) Silence

In the silence the soul sings. When you sit in silence and allow yourself to just be in the presence of the Spirit your soul is refreshed, your spirit is renewed. Allow your mind, your thoughts to be fixated on the inner spirit and feel the refreshing of the Spirit flowing through your inner being. There is healing in the silence.

2) Saturation

When you sit in the silence with the Spirit, allow your soul to be saturated with the presence of the Spirit. You can drink a little bit of water and feel your thirst partially quenched. But when you drink enough your thirst is quenched completely. Allowing your inner being to be satisfied by Spirit quenches the thirst of your soul. When your soul is satisfied the temptation to fill your life with things that are not beneficial for you is eliminated.

3) Becoming one with nature

In observing nature - plants, trees, insects, animals etc. - we begin to understand how connected we are and draw upon the vital lessons that nature has to remind us of whom we are and see ourselves from a deeper level.

4) Be open

When your heart is open to Spirit lessons and wisdom, you need not look for superficial patches to resolve your life issues but you get to the root cause to find the answers you need.

5) Read the Bible

Allow the Living Word to speak through the written word. The Bible contains wisdom that transcends time and provides a road map for living. When you are open to the Spirit as you read the written word you're allow the Living Word to reveal the hidden mysteries of the scripture and feed your soul in a way that no one else can.

In all of our eating, let us not forget to first satisfy the spiritual hunger. For in doing so our lives will be enriched in many ways we never thought possible.

Fuelling words: I quench my thirst with the Living Water of Life from the Spirit. I satisfy my hunger with the Bread of Life.

Workout - walking, endurance exercise, weight lifting