Daily Gratitude: I’m always amazed at how simple most of the “instructions” for a good life are. Here is another one. It seems pretty obvious that we should always have our attention on loving and loving others. But we don’t behave like that all of the time, do we? And some of us don’t behave like that most of the time. It’s also interesting if you look at how you behave based on “control the controllables”. You can’t control who loves you but you certainly can control who and how much love you give. Saying these things and doing them aren’t always the same and aren’t always easy. However, if we can remember a basic question such as that, it might help to recenter us. You know that little icon on google maps (and probably on Apple Maps too) that says “recenter” to bring you back to where you are right now? We need a similar button in our personal lives too. Something we can hold on to that will get us to recenter ourselves. Do you have a saying or mantra that helps you get back to center ?

Daily Gratitude: Whenever I take time to stop and reflect on my life, I wonder what I could have accomplished had I not been so ruled by fear. It’s kind of funny how in some respects I’ve been fearless and yet in so many others I’ve cowered away from life like a caged dog. Things began to change, though, 5 years ago when I learned about IFS (Internal Family Systems). What an amazing turnaround that created. Prior to this the most daring thing I ever did was push the application button to do Vol State in 2014. I think that’s one reason I love it so much. And then in 2019 I got the courage to try to fulfill a 30 year dream of crossing the US on foot. I didn’t succeed but still have that desire especially to conquer New Mexico. But I can’t tell you how that experience was so difficult yet so rewarding. And I’m not talking about difficult from a physical perspective (since I only made it 716 miles) but from an emotional standpoint. I was (and still am) shy. I was afraid to talk to people and i certainly didn’t know how to ask for help. All of those things were required. But my desire to do this seemingly impossible thing (for a short old woman anyway) outweighed those fears. That was the dream in my heart and it had been there growing and blossoming for all those 30 years. I think that tiny section of my life is exactly what Roy Bennett is talking about here. When you feel something you want to do and feel it with all your heart, don’t bury it. Nourish it and keep it alive while trying to figure out how to make it happen. My biggest reason for not doing it sooner was, of course, work. But I often wonder what would have happened had I tried it at a much younger age. Would I have made it all the way? And how would my life have changed then? It is futile to spend a lot of time wondering but it does give me a little bit of a push when i have something else I want to do but feel too scared. This past experience helps me get past those fears. What do you have in your life that you can use to stimulate thoughts about what would have happened if……?

Daily Gratitude: You know my most important mantra – “everything always works out for me!” Such a simple sentence. But it’s also a command – a command to the universe to coordinate my life so that things do work out for me. The caveat here, though, is the hardest one to accept. I am NOT the one who knows what that means. The universe is! I have to let go. It’s not in my control. The more I try to control it, the further away I drift. Once I accept that whatever circumstances are in front of me really are the best for me whether I can see it right now or not, then I can become less agitated and I can stop trying to orchestrate the events and situations. I will tell you that absolutely everything that has happened to me that I thought was horrible has actually turned out good. In addition to giving up control we have to stop being creatures of instant gratification too. Things happen as they should and WHEN they should. That’s not necessarily along the timeline we’d like. Just accept that and move on. If you believe that everything always works out for you, there will be much less struggle and much more interest and intrigue as you say “hmm this is interesting. I know everything always works out for me so I am excited to see what this will lead to; to see what the universe has in store for me.” That kind of attitude will increase and improve your vibration and as a result you’ll attract more good. You have to remain steadfast in this belief, though, because if you waiver from it, your vibration changes and it will take much longer for the “good” to arrive. It’s like ordering something to be delivered via regular mail vs via Amazon prime or overnight delivery for instance. Your primary job once you recognize what you want, is to remain focused on knowing that what is best for you will come. And be open to the fact that the universe is much wiser than you. Remember how I told you that my developing epilepsy was the best thing that ever happened even though it destroyed my lifelong desire of becoming a neurosurgeon? Or how the excruciating pain of the postherpetic neuralgia (post Shingles nerve pain) may have saved my life because in an indirect and long way my kidney disease was discovered earlier rather than later? These are just two examples. Look back at your life and see if this isn’t true for you.