Happiness.

What does happiness mean to you?  It is the one thing that every human being on the planet seeks.  Billions of dollars are spent trying to acquire it; lives are lost fighting for it; people and situations are blamed for the lack of it and a tremendous amount of our own personal energy is ultimately expended looking for it.  The last few months have been some of the happiest of my life and I have to be honest it really is not that complicated.  It didn’t cost me any money (okay maybe a few dollars on books, candles, coffee, wine, food, music), I didn’t have to blame anyone or anything and the energy I put into making myself happy has been given back to me ten fold. First of all let me say that you will never find happiness looking outside yourself.  You won’t find it in another person, you won’t find it in exotic trips, you won’t find it in a new job or a new house, you will only find it in your own heart. I have always been a seeker which has led me to study many different philosophies, which I am grateful for, but in the end it was my own divine teacher (my soul) that taught me the most. Through meditation, yoga and coaching I learned to connect to my body, learn from my emotions and have gotten to know myself on an intimate level.  I have learned to listen to my true self, be authentic in all of my communications and interactions and accept all that life sends my way. I have found joy in the simplest of things, morning coffee on my deck, practising yoga and dancing (often by myself), sharing a bottle of wine, good food and conversation with a friend, reading inspiring books (and sometimes a trashy novel!), hanging out with my kids, connecting with my soul pod and walking my dog in the forest or just petting him on my lap.  I remember the days when I was planning big trips, climbing the corporate ladder, shopping, organizing parties, filling my life with superficial things hoping they would bring me happiness.  Sometimes it brought me short term pleasure, but ultimately I still felt that deep yearning for something more.  Turns out that something more was actually something less! Fall in love with yourself, live from your authentic self, share your gifts, have faith and move in the flow of life, those have been my keys to happiness. Oh yes and LOVE, love yourself, share that love with others and above all LOVE your life. . . .every minute of it!

Join me for the FREE Oprah & Deepak Chopra meditation series on

“Expanding your Happiness”

Starts August 11, 2014 Register for free at:  www.chopracentermeditation.com

Your TRUTH is YOUR truth.

I follow author Jeff Brown on Facebook (facebook/soulshaping) and today while reading one of the comments on his post I was inspired to reply.  What inspired me was a need to clarify for us all, that one person’s truth in this moment in time is their truth alone.  Having the courage to share their experience through words, photos, painting, singing, dancing should not be judged based on our own perception. These “sharings” (not really a word, but I like it) are meant to be an expression of someone’s life journey and we need to appreciate that.  Can we voice our own opinion, agree or disagree, share our own experience of a similar thing?  Absolutely! But do we have the right to suggest that another person should change their own truth to suit our needs? Absolutely not! Such is the beauty of art in all forms, some of us respond to certain things and others to different things.  As a writer, I write from my heart what is my truth and my own experience.  My goal is to share with you in the hope that something I say may help you along your own personal life journey.  But I know there are lots of people who will not understand, or “get” what I am saying.  There are also lots of people who will flat out disagree and that’s okay.  I love that there are so many people out there sharing their stories, it is what helps me to learn and to grow.  We all process information in different ways and understand meaning at different times, that’s why you can pick up a book and not be able to get into it and two years later it is life changing for you. Or someone says something over and over (so true in yoga) and finally it just clicks.  Isn’t this great?!  It speaks to our ability to grow and learn.  The important part is that we remain open, open to receiving what we need at the time.  Allow what resonates to settle in and let go of what does not.  And maybe just maybe what does not resonate will come back to you later and you will say “ah. . . I get why I could not see that before”.  Now that is progress and isn’t that what this is all about?