‘Random Thoughts’ Category

  1. Our plan might suck, but the Universe’s never does.

    May 17, 2013 by Heather

    Anyone else feeling super irritable this week? I am a very patient person but, this week, I found myself losing every last bit of patience that was left inside of me. I know the fact that I’ve only gotten 6 hours of sleep most nights this week has something to do with it. Lack of sleep = irritable Heather.

    This week has also been filled with lovely surprises.

    On Wednesday, I was working from home all day. I’d been working for a fairly long time and knew it was time for a break. Sometimes, I have problems taking breaks. My ego will pop in and tell me really crazy stuff, like “Nothing is going to get done if you don’t take a break” or “You’re lazy” or “You’re worthless.” It’s scientifically proven that taking a 10 – 30 minute break after 90 minutes of focused work is the most productive way to work. It keeps you focused, clear, and driven. You also get a lot more done. I know this. Yet, my ego still feeds me this stuff. 

    So, on Wednesday, as I sat debating over whether to continue working when I really didn’t feel like it, I heard a voice say, “Grab your keys and go to Wildflour.” Miracles always happen at Wildflour, so when I hear such a call, there really is no arguing with it. I grabbed my purse and drove to my favorite vegan bakery and cafe.

    On the drive there, I realized it was a good thing that I left my work…because I was starting to make it all about me. I had lost sight of the intention behind the goal for the project. And when we lose sight of the intention behind our goal, it’s always a sure sign that we need to step away and ask for guidance. So, that inner voice was right. Its plan is always far greater than mine.

    As I was driving, I asked the Universe to guide me to be of service to someone.

    When I arrived to Wildflour, I ordered a hemp bar and a cup of chai tea before sliding into the wall-length booth to read my book. A few minutes later, this man with gorgeous black skin, the whitest and widest smile, and glowing personality walked in. He ordered a coffee and sat a few seats down from me. After taking a look at the book I was reading (Ask and it is Given by Esther & Jerry Hicks), he gushed about it. Before we knew it, a half-hour had passed. We talked about everything from entrepreneurship to spirituality to love to jogging. His name is Ammanuel and he is awesome. He is an author and artist. I gave him some blogging tips and kicked his butt in gear towards social media. The world needs this man’s presence. I couldn’t believe that someone as talented as him wasn’t showing the world his goods!

    We’re both only children and talked about how we always wanted to have a physical sibling on earth. We both agreed that we’d found a brother and a sister in each other. Instant connection. My sister, who died three years before I was born, is definitely guiding me every day. I feel her presence all the time and now know that is just as beautiful has having her here on Earth with me. 

    I forget how but we eventually got onto the topic of A Course in Miracles. I mentioned how I’m studying it and, while I love the material so deeply, I have really been wanting someone to study it with me.. “I’ve always wanted to read it. Why don’t we do it?” Ammanuel said. “OMG! That would be awesome!” I said. And so it is.

    After we parted ways, I drove all the way home with a goofy grin on my face. When I got home, before getting back to work, I felt compelled to go on Facebook and look at Ammanuel’s “about” page. 

    His birthday is my sister’s birthday.

    Moral of the story: Our life is a map and the Universe knows our destination. Our way is not always the right way. Sometimes, our way sucks…particularly when we choose to try to push and make things happen, which never works. But the Universe’s way always works. It always guides us to the right people at the right place at the right time. That’s why it’s called Divine timing.

    Stay lovely, 
    Heather


  2. Pleasure vs. Happiness

    April 30, 2013 by Heather

    Yesterday, I watched this amazing interview that Jonathan Fields did with best-selling author Karen Salmansohn. She is a master creator/author/entrepreneur in self-development world. Towards the end of the interview, Karen talked about Aristotle’s distinction between pleasure and happiness and it totally got my wheels turning.

    Aristotle once said, “The reason why people are so unhappy is because they confuse pleasure for happiness.” Pleasure is about stimulating your ego or your body. She went to say that pleasure-filled things are the means through which we become happy, but they aren’t the sources of happiness themselves. So, for example, you might want to be more financially lucrative and that’s great. But if you’re using that money to spend, spend, spend and you’re not using that money to source your passion and to serve others, then you’re thriving off your ego. You’re thriving off pleasure. And you can’t find happiness with pleasure. It’s just not possible.

    True happiness, Karen said, is about growing into your Highest Self; it’s about being your greatest potential. Aristotle put it so simply and so brilliantly: everything that happens in your life that helps you grow into your Highest Self is what makes you happy. And sometimes, there is a time delay in this. So, your ego wants you to have stuff right now – and if you don’t have it right now, then you’re a failure. Your Inner Guide, should you choose to follow its advice, will give you small action steps. Instead of focusing on the big picture, focus on the small action steps that are revealed to you in the present moment. They’re like bread crumbs…a trail leading you to success. What if you knew that, no matter what, you’d be okay in the end? And that everything would be okay? You’d just follow the bread crumbs and enjoy the present moment, because you would know the end result was already taken care of.

    PleasureVShappiness

    Another part of this is really becoming clear about your intention underneath why you want something. I want more money and I am unapologetic about the fact that I want more money. I want more money so that I can start a life together with Matty and so that we can create a space that inspires us. This will create a better work environment for me, which will then allow me to create more and give more to others. I also want more money to source a bunch of creative projects that I have brewing. These creative projects bring me joy to create them and they also bring joy to others because they will be of service to them. So, the intention is one of service.

    Now, this isn’t to say that we shouldn’t have nice things. I love shopping and I love fashion – clothes are part of an expression of who I am. They amplify my inner light and are the pleasure-filled things that fuel my creativity in many ways. But they aren’t the means to an end. Happiness, as Karen said, is growing, learning, and stretching into your relationship with yourself and others. We can have those moments of bliss with others that are so effortless – and that is happiness and that is beautiful too. But happiness also comes through enduring difficult times. It comes from busting through fear and having the courage to look at your fear. It comes from embracing the journey and becoming that nonjudgmental witness to your fears, acknowledging them but doing things that bring you joy anyways.

    What do you think? Are you living a pleasure-filled life of a happy life?

    I definitely have some work to do. I mean, we all do. But I think that I need to focus on all the good that’s going on and really LIVE that idea of embracing each bread crumb from the Universe.

    Stay lovely,
    Heather


  3. Why I Chose to Get Off the Coff

    April 24, 2013 by Heather

    Three weeks ago, I started breaking out on my chin. My skin was becoming super dry too. I’m not used to this sort of thing. I’m not prone to acne and my skin is typically soft as a baby’s beautiful bum. I use organic and earth-friendly face wash. My make-up bag could certainly use an overhaul but I’m not there yet. Anyways, as I stared at my face in the mirror, seeing the mini volcano that made its way onto my chinny chin and the small white cracks of dryness, I sighed. “Where is this lovely stuff coming from?” I wondered.

    I traipsed downstairs and did some yoga and then sat down to meditate. When I finished my morning meditation, I heard a distinct and authoritative voice inside of me say, “You have to give up coffee.” 

    “What?!” I thought. “HELL NO.” 

    The voice spoke again. “You have to clear your channel.”

    I sighed again and thought for a minute. My lifestyle is so balanced. I eat lots of veggies, fruits, nuts, and seeds. I drink lots of water. I said “peace out” to meat, dairy, and gluten because the only thing those foods serve me is an energy zap. Aside from the occasional glass of wine, cup (or two!) of coconut milk ice cream, and my morning (and sometimes afternoon) cup of coffee, I thrive on a plentiful amount of plant-based foods and it works wonders for me. Why was this one thing holding me back? Bottom line is I didn’t want to change. I said another “HELL NO” to the voice and went upstairs to make a cup of coffee. Ha!

    Then, #RESTWEEK happened. 

    On Wednesday, after my morning meditation, I received the same message: “You have to give up coffee.”

    “Really?” I thought. “Haven’t we already had this discussion?” (Note to self: When it comes to Universal guidance, it’s never a discussion. It’s guidance that is meant to make you an improved version of yourself. This is not something to be ignored or bargained with.) Since my inner guide decided to have a second go-round at this, I figured it was probably important. But I still didn’t listen. I enjoyed my piping hot cup o’ Joe and moved onward with my day. I’m stubborn sometimes.

    That evening, I met up with a couple of my girlfriends. When one of my girlfriends, Kristen, sat down to chat, she immediately started talking about how her skin was dry, she broke out on her chin, and she was getting an intuitive sense that she had to give up coffee. Oy. Sign number three. Here’s the thing: When the Universe attempts to communicate directly to us and we don’t take the guidance, it doesn’t give up on you. Instead, it works through people who also can benefit from whatever you’re going through and/or gives you situations to give you that extra push. In this case, Kristen was upping her coffee intake more than usual lately and was starting to feel the effects of it. So, at that point, we decided to embark on this off-the-coff challenge together.

    Now, I’m 14 days in and I feel incredible. My skin is softer and more glowing but, more importantly, I feel cleansed internally. The first week sucked and I was definitely feeling the detoxification process set in but I knew that if I could just get past those seven days, I’d be fine. And I’m better than fine. I feel amazing. I’ve been reflecting on what exactly this off-the-coff journey represents for me. I’ve decided to kick the coff for 30 days and then reintroduce it back into my life like I would wine or coconut milk ice cream…as an occasional thing. I don’t believe in restriction. I believe in freedom. I would feel restricted if I told myself that I couldn’t have coffee again. Instead, I’m telling myself that I can have coffee on occasion and that makes me feel free.

    But that’s not even the point here. This is NOT no-coffee advertisement. If you love coffee and it works for you, that’s awesome! The point is that, when we get an intuitive hit from the Universe that comes from the voice of our Internal Teacher (inner guide, spirit), we can’t ignore it. Because that guidance is here to help us become a better version of ourselves. It’s here to help us release what is blocking us so we can show up for life with more energy and vitality. It’s here to help us show up so that we can be of service. It’s here to help us be better.

    When we look at it from a spiritual perspective, it really is about clearing our channel. Our body is the channel and, when things in our life are clogging that channel, it is up to us to be willing to listen to the Universal guidance that we receive to let those clogs go. 

    What’s clogging your channel? Are you willing to let it go?

    Stay lovely,
    Heather

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