Getting back to NOW!

BLiSS TiP: 

Which one of your 5 senses gets you MOST present?  Which one can cut through all of your streaming thoughts and being you back here?  Mine is SMELL.  It is the one physical sense that I value the most.  And knowing which one gives me the tool of accessing it when I need calm.  If I am having trouble quietening my mind - all I have to do is grab something that awakens my nose and I can return to the now.  Here are some things that I use:

- hot tea

- chocolate (I own CHOCbite.com)

- perfume

- orange peel

- rose body cream

If I am at a dinner and someone is being rude and I am getting agitated - you will see me smelling my fingers - to help me know that all is well.

Pay attention to your personal and individual needs so that you can be ready to respond in a conscious way to triggers that take you of course of happiness!!

Tea time.

When I began journaling, meditating and spending relaxed time with nature, I realized that the thoughts in my head were very negative indeed.  I had a lot of fear, jealousy, anxiety and horrible self talk too.  No wonder I was overweight, unhappy and lethargic!!!   

The first step for me was noticing the thoughts.  Just imagining that I was sitting on a couch and watching the thoughts pass by on a TV screen.

Next was disassociating from the thoughts themselves.  Knowing that those thoughts are just there and I don't have to "feel" them in my body.  They could just float by like they are on clouds.

And finally I became accustomed to redirecting the thoughts to positive ones.

This was a fun exercise and the more I practiced it the better I got at it.  I love knowing that I have this power.

Then came times when I was really low, scared or angry - for those times I needed different tools.  One of the amazing ones that I found was the H'opo'ono prayer.  It is just four statements - repeated in any order you choose - and it goes like this:

I am sorry.

I forgive you.

Thank you.

I love you.

I realized that anything other than LOVE, FUN, COMPASSION and BLISS is not real for me - but sometimes I disconnect and get deluded.  So in order to return to my true divine state - I make myself a beautiful pot of tea - and I say this prayer while taking slow deep breaths and inhaling the aroma of my tea.

For me - total bodily presence is pure ecstasy- and the reason that we are here - to be as human as possible without shields or protection.  All is well.

Our thoughts are immensely powerful!!!

Today I woke up feeling great.  I have been a little ill the last two days and the contrast of waking up feeling healthy made me excited to be alive!!!  And today when I looked in the mirror I thought - "you look good!!!"  

And that thought is SO powerful.  Just because of that ONE thought:

- I have a spring in my step

- I have a smile on my face

- I dressed in a cute outfit

- I put perfume on

- I have a happy tone in my voice

- I put some makeup on

- I am standing tall

- I am swinging my hips when I walk

- I feel HAPPY!!!

And you know what?  All of these things that I did because I THOUGHT that I look cute today......MADE me look cute today!!!

Pay attention to your inner chatter...it truly rules your experience of life!!!

My happiness - my choice.

My husband and I were playing tennis at Riviera Country Club on Friday night with a networking group.  It was really fun.  We first play tennis and then go to dinner at the private dining area all together.

After the tennis - one of the men asked if Robert was my son!!!  (He is two years older than me).  Anyway - I calmly said, "no he is my husband."  I didn't think anything of it at all.  There wasn't any getting upset, or being outraged or feeling bad.  Why?  Because I feel sexy and young looking!!!  I didn't make his words mean that I look old and haggard. There was no element of my thoughts that attached to his words.  

There have been other times when someone said something that really upset me.  The difference now is that I notice when I am having "charged feelings" and I get to CHOOSE to feel differently.  My feelings are DIRECTED BY ME!!!  At any moment - if I wish to - I get to rewrite the script that is playing in my head.  It's awesome.

So more and more I am writing comedy screenplays for my life - and less drama and action.

This is how I keep my life sweet!  (Well - AND I happen to be a chocolatier too).  Take a look at www.CHOCbite.com 

(Pictured here 74% CHOCdark with Himalayan Pink Salt and Natural Marshmallows)

Have a blissful day - because you can!!!

Attention To Details.

I take pride in keeping my environmental pretty, clean and organized.  I have noticed what a big difference this makes to my happiness level.  If my space is tidy, the right temperature and bright - I am energized and eager for the day ahead.

The same goes for my car!!!  If it is polished, clean and well functioning with good CDs in the system - driving is FUN!!!

And also with my food and eating habits. I pay close attention to which foods uplift me physically and emotionally.  When I serve any meal - however simple it is - I give thanks with a small blessing and make the plate very appetizing visually.  Here is a celery and chicken stew that I cooked yesterday!!!

My 7 chakra BLiSS by Adeline piece is always a reminder to stay aligned and connected to my joy at all times!  It is a choice after all!!!

To your health and happiness!!!

A system for BLiSS.

Do you want to be happier?  The absolute FIRST STEP is to LOVE YOURSELF MORE.  Whatever it takes.........you have to learn to forgive yourself for past transgressions and fall madly, deeply and utterly in LOVE WITH YOURSELF IN EVERY WAY.

When I was younger, I didn't like myself much.  I believed the bullies and family members that said that I was ugly, fat or "the devils child" (yes, really, that's what I was called - product of a divorced family where the Mother and Father HATED each other).  I allowed other people's opinions of me to dictate how I felt about myself.  When I was told that I wasn't smart - I took that role on and played stupid.  This went on until around my mid twenties.  

The turning point was that I realized that I had been financially supporting myself since I was 17 years old.  That I had built a successful construction company of my own hard work (nothing handed to me) - that I had bought my own cars, clothes, food, shelter - all with no concern from any family members. I realized that - even thought I wasn't perfect - I had been a generally good person.  

The next ten years were my biggest growth spurt.  I started reading books to help me improve as a person.  I attended seminars. I stopped smoking.  I picked up a healthy sport (tennis).  I paid off all debt.  I started saving.  I started volunteering.  I surrounded myself with good loving people.  I started conscious companies (like www.ARTSYer.com).  I treated my staff well.  I adopted shelter dogs.  I got fit and lost 50lbs (take a look at that www.chocbiteexperience.com).  I made amends for past mistakes. I forgave the abuse of my childhood.  I learned to quiet my mind and become more humble (I am still working on this one!!!)  I cleaned up my eating habits.  

And every day, ever so slightly, as I improved my actions one by one, I developed more and more self love and happiness - from the INSIDE OUT.  Why is this important?  I believe that you can NOT love another person - let alone the world - unless you first completely LOVE YOURSELF.

So whatever actions would make you proud of yourself today - start implementing them.  Tell me one - what can you do today to show great love and affection for yourself?