I was talking to someone the other day and the person said to me that they thought this was funny…. They were having a conversation with someone else a couple days prior and between them, they had mentioned a third person that they hadn’t heard from in a while. Then the following day, one of them got a phone call or email from that third person. They thought it was funny because that wasn’t the first time that had happened to them. Thought maybe it was coincidence.

I chuckled when they told me that, because a couple years ago, I probably would have thought the same thing. Coincidence. But, I’ve been learning a lot of new things in the past couple years. One of those things is how you can put “stuff” out into the universe. All your thoughts are a conversation with the universe. So, the chat those 2 people were having above, when they mentioned that other person who happened to get in touch…not as much coincidence as it is manifesting.

Have you also experienced this? I have many times. You think about a hamburger and then you see a commercial for one. Or you think about how you haven’t talked to your nephew in a while and he calls the next day. It’s all the little things you put out in the universe…. and the big things too.

You probably always hear people saying things like: “Be Positive” and “Be Kind to Yourself”. Well, there is merit and meaning behind this. As I mentioned before, all the things you think and say is a conversation with the universe. So when you say negative things, the universe hears this as a want or a demand. So that’s what you get. A good example of this would be hitting all the red lights while you are driving. Has this also happened to you? You are rushing out of the house and you probably should have left 5 minutes earlier. And you think that you will likely get stuck at all the red lights on your way to your destination. And sure enough, you do. Well, my friend, you might have created that for yourself, unless some other Divine intervention is happening. You have thought about the red lights and are now stuck at them.

So with this logic, if the universe hears your negative thoughts and delivers them, how about delivering the positive thoughts? Yes! They can be manifested too! When you are thinking your thoughts, make sure they have a positive spin on them. The best way to speak in the positive, is to avoid the negative! What do I mean exactly? Well, say or think about what you actually want. Here is an example. The statement “I don’t want to get sick” is a very common expression. You might have said it at times too. But how many times have you heard someone say that and then they end up sick? Uh huh. A more positive way to say, what we intend to be the same thing, is to say “I want to be healthy.” See what I did there? ;)

There are endless ways and situations where you can work on changing your words into the positive. It does take some practice and in frustrating or upsetting situations, it is easy to fall into speaking or thinking negatively. But the more you practice this are of manifesting, the easier it becomes to speak and think positively and the quicker you can change your own thoughts around. Even in those troubling times when negativity surrounds you.

So manifest away! Say and think all the positive things you want. And remember, the universe is infinite. You can never ask for too much. But remember….the universe hears all your thoughts….
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~Lynn

Interesting things happen when you’re alone. I mean, truly alone.

I recently completed a 21 day Self Care Detox Challenge. I made up the Challenge, and hence the “rules,” but in a nutshell, I pushed myself to set aside 30 minutes a day to do something for myself.

Yea, I used the word “pushed.” As if you really need to “work hard” at doing nothing for 30 minutes! Well… some of us struggle with that. We are so caught up in work, running, chaos, bills, productivity, squeezing more out of life and into our days, that we neglect the most basic form of self-care.

When I say basic, I mean basic. Being quiet. And alone. Basic.

What I noticed as I began my 30 minutes for 21 days is that we often make things super complicated. I had this whole conversation in my head about, “Well, what is self-care? What activities ‘count’ as taking care of myself? What is a good enough use of my time? Is one thing better than another?”

I hear you, as you think this is all ridiculous. And it is. But, how many times have you tried to outdo yourself – to top your own ideas – to weigh what is “better”? I bet you have.

I think we really use money to level the playing field. It’s a language we understand. You can break things down into dollars, and therefore, now we know which “thing” is more valuable.

News flash – value is in the eye of the beholder.

So, during my 30 days, I did a range of activities. Some cost me money. Some cost me nothing. They all took time. In the beginning, I was wrapped up in making the experience super meaningful. So, as one of my first activities, I got a massage. A massage, to me, is obviously self-care. Everyone knows that…

As my 21 days went along, I realized something very interesting – my belief that money made something more valuable. It’s not hard to know why I think this; we are programmed to believe this our whole lives. So, therefore, the money I spent on the massage made it more valuable than the quiet meditation I did in my hammock at home.

I also stumbled upon my own irony – tying my own self-care to activities to other people. I’m not getting a massage without a therapist, right? Then I raise the question: How much responsibility of my own self-care do I place on others? Is it the therapist’s job to make me feel great? So, if I don’t feel great, does that mean that self-care is hogwash?

Raising the bigger question: How much of my self-care do I actually do MYSELF? When I walk, I use headphones. When I get a massage, I see a therapist. When I got to the chiropractor, I see a doctor. When I zone out at night, I watch Netflix. When I want to escape my reality, I read a book. When I have a few minutes to disconnect, I do the opposite, and scroll through Facebook. The list goes on and on.

What I found in the 21 days is that the best quality of self-care I received is when I spent time alone. In my head. Just me. It is in that space that I found peace, calm, and freedom. That’s where great ideas are born. Revelations are made. Strength and answers are found.

That isn’t to devalue a massage, a facial, the chiropractor, a good book, etc. It’s just my realization that it’s different. I think many of us struggle to be quiet in our minds. We struggle to be alone. We struggle with our own thoughts when there is no one around to listen.  We want validation from others. We judge our worth and time based on how much we spent or by the qualifications of the person we were with.

The bottom line is, you are enough. Just you. Just your thoughts.

We also have so much power within us. So much of what we seek truly lies in our souls. Just be comfortable enough inside your own skin to hear and feel your own thoughts. The guidance we receive in the quiet spaces in our mind is our true path. No road signs and flashing lights of approval are needed by anyone else. Trust yourself.
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If you struggle with being alone in your own mind, whether it’s fear or just a hectic life you lead, I challenge you to put aside the busyness and connect with yourself, even if you have to make an appointment with yourself to do so.  No need to rely on anyone else. You are enough.
 

• Cheryl