I seem to be addicted to gratitude and it’s so exquisitely wonderful.  I so rarely use that word ‘exquisite’ but I can’t think of another word to explain how I’ve been feeling. (In truth, no words can really explain the feeling.)

It started a couple of days before Thanksgiving, which we celebrated last week  here in the U.S.  I remember taking several moments to reflect on what I was grateful for this year. So many wonderful experiences!

Then on Wednesday this week I attended a Law of Attraction Meetup and we again talked about gratitude. Almost everyone had their gratitude lists that they shared with the group.  I didn’t have a list though. I shared that I prefer to just reflect, bring people/experiences to mind and connect to the energy of gratitude.

Since Wednesday, I’ve been on such a high from connecting to the energy of gratitude. I keep on finding more and more things I am grateful for to the point where I’m grateful for everything. And I feel SO amazing that I want more of it. I’m addicted…

But it’s easy to get more because all I need to do is bring my attention to it and what I feel amps up and expands!

This is what I want you to get.

It doesn’t matter whether you prefer to make gratitude lists or not. Some members of the Meetup group said they liked making lists. Great! I prefer not to. That’s okay too.

The point of connecting to gratitude is to feel good, to activate this energy in your body, to connect to yourself. And when you feel good, you open the doors to all that you desire.

Many years ago when I was first introduced to the idea that we could create our own reality, whether it was called the Law of Attraction or not, I was told to list what I was grateful for, even if I didn’t have that thing I wanted yet. Write it all down they said. And I faithfully made my lists. Every night I would write down what I was grateful for… my house, my car, having food to eat, etc….

But I was just writing down stuff just so that I could have my list of 10 items for the day. Well no surprise that it didn’t really amount to anything.

Making lists of what I was grateful for was just an exercise I thought I needed to do to get more of what I wanted. But in retrospect, it really didn’t have any value for me. That’s why I didn’t keep it up.

Since then I’ve learned that it’s about how you feel.  Do things that make you feel good.  When you feel good, you transmit vibes out that are ‘coded’ with information that say “Hey, there are good vibes here. Send over more good vibes.” And that’s how you attract more of what you want. It’s a vibrational match.

It’s important to note however that I don’t connect to gratitude so that I can have something else. I connect to gratitude because it feels good. And that’s why I keep on connecting to it and reflecting on what else I am so grateful for.

If it feels so darn good, why wouldn’t I want to keep feeling this?

Now because I am am grateful for everything and this makes me feel good, I will naturally attract more good stuff into my life because it makes me feel good. It’s a win-win.

So… what are you grateful for today? And how does it make you feel?

Would love to read your comments below.

My wife and I recently visited Paris. Here are pictures we took of and from the Eiffel Tower.  Stay tuned for other pictures of Paris.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRSkue71Phc

The reality show ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ has a practice that I believe everyone should adopt.

After they’ve announced which contestant will be leaving the show that week, Cat Deeley, the show’s host, says, “Let’s take a look at your best moments.” and then everyone watches a video montage highlighting that dancer’s journey.

I love this! Instead of focusing on the fact that the contestant did not win the show, they celebrate his or her achievements. They take time to review and reflect on that dancer’s best moments. The video montage they play is always so inspirational and touching.

What if we all did this for ourselves?

What if every time we did something wrong or experienced something we don’t like, we celebrated our achievements instead of beating up on ourselves? Can you imagine the effect this would have on us?

How would this effect the way you behave? How would this effect the way you feel about yourself?

(Please comment below.)

Over the last several weeks, I have been getting a consistent message:

Be Yourself.

I’ve heard this message from the radio shows I’ve been hosting, from movies I’ve watched, from TV shows and from the clients I’ve talked to.

Being yourself seems to be a lot easier than running around trying to be someone other than you. Trying to be someone else is just so tiring. (For a great enactment of this, watch the movie Soccer Mom.)

Often times we think people will like us better if we look or act a certain way. We’re afraid to act goofy or say something stupid. If you’re in business, you may think you will get more clients if you present your message a certain way. But unfortunately, our message or look is rarely congruent with ourselves. What usually happens is that we expend a lot of energy trying to please everyone and we are left feeling scattered, drained and unfulfilled. We’re afraid of being rejected but we reject our selves. This is no way to live.

In my recent interview with Purpose Coach, Jeff Baker, Jeff defined purpose as ‘that which you are most compelled to do.’ It is that thing, that activity, that subject matter that you gravitate towards. And when you are ‘doing this thing’ you are being yourself and you are enjoying your life. You are living your passion.

When you are being yourself and living your passion, people who resonate with you will naturally be drawn to you. You won’t ever feel rejected because you’re accepting of yourself. And others will accept you as well.

Over the last several weeks, I’ve come to a deeper understanding of what my purpose is. While I know that I’ve always enjoyed empowering people to let go of their baggage and create their best life, I realize that I’ve been leaving out parts of myself. I have been guilty of trying to put out the ‘right’ message, instead of just putting out my message.

I feel very comfortable talking about topics, such as, energy, global consciousness, spirituality, metaphysics, self-empowerment, awareness, paranormal ideas, Law of Attraction, conscious living and more. These are topics that some might consider ‘airy-fairy’ or ‘woo-woo.’ But that’s okay. Interestingly enough though, I also enjoy talking about science and technology. And this is perhaps how I am unique. I integrate the hard and soft sciences in a practical way to help people understand their lives and enjoy them more.

On this blog and in future issues of my newsletter, you will see more from me on the above topics.

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Realizing what your passion is can be easier than actually following it. We can often come up with excuses why we can’t do what we love. If we give more power to the excuses than ourselves, we can lose hope; we feel powerless to change the situation and eventually frustration and/or depression sets in.

There was one time when I really wanted to go on a retreat. It was for 21 days. Can you imagine all the thoughts that came up for why I couldn’t do it? At first I told myself that I couldn’t do it because… someone needed to pick up my wife, Olga, from work every night; I would be losing 3 weeks of work – how would I pay the bills? How was I going to pay for the retreat? How was I going to get myself there?

Well, I ended up going. It was one of the most transformational events of my life. I’m glad that I stuck with it. I’m glad that I did not let what I thought were big huge obstacles to limit me from experiencing what I really wanted.

Questions for you:
1) What do you love doing? What is your passion?
2) What’s stopping you from having this or more of this?
3) What needs to change for you spend even more time doing what you love?

I would love to read your answers below.

(If you need help making the changes or don’t know what needs to be changed, please see how I can support you.)

What do you think of when you hear the word prosperity? Most people immediately think of money and finances. In reality prosperity is more than money. It’s about well-being in all areas of your life – health, wealth, business, and relationships.  We are in total control and creation of our lives, and I believe prosperity describes our true nature as limitless spiritual beings. Our beliefs create our reality.

Taking a close look at your beliefs about prosperity will allow you to prosper. The dictionary definition of prosperity is a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, especially in finance. Imagine feeling successful and flourishing in all areas of your life. The suggestions below will get you in the habit of feeling prosperous no matter what’s going on around you.

Stop striving for perfection!
Perfection is just an illusion. Just when you think you’ve got the right formula for success, something changes.  Many people focus on getting things done perfectly — that alone can hold you back from taking action.  What is perfection and who decides what’s perfect and what isn’t? Prosperity aligns itself when you follow your heart, doing your best instead of holding back until its perfect.

No more multitasking
People have a tendency to do a million things at once rather than focusing on completing one task at a time. This cycle will make you feel like you’re spinning your wheels but not getting anywhere, without enough time to get everything done. Start completing one project at a time and you will see that you get more done, and faster.

It’s more than positive thinking
I’d love to say that positive thinking will make you feel more prosperous but if that were true, we’d all be winning the lottery because of our thoughts. Taking time to acknowledge how we really feel, and then choosing to see a more positive perspective, is much more beneficial than just forcing yourself to find the positive in every single experience.

Ditch the mind chatter
Do you say things like, I can’t afford it, money is tight, I have so many bills, with this economy…? Stop these vicious thoughts and validate them by taking the time to understand what you’re feeling and how you can change your current state.

Slow down and stop rushing through life!
When you take time to become aware of what’s going on around you, you will notice things that you never saw before. Being grateful for all that is already in your reality is a positive step to realize how prosperous you really are.

Look through the eyes of a child
Young children have the attitude that anything is possible. They don’t have the same limiting beliefs that tend to accumulate over the years. Hang out with a young child for an afternoon, and you’ll at least feel a little lighter, get a few chuckles and see another perspective.

Celebrate YOU
Everyday, you are a success. You’re building a business and creating a joyful life. Start celebrating all that you are and do each day. When you start recognizing how much you bring to this world, even more opportunities for prosperity will come your way. We get so much done in a day that we never take time to appreciate and value the many things we do accomplish.

Being a mom and an entrepreneur is the experience that you create for yourself, and I view it as an ever-changing adventure. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to master adapting to change.

Schedules change all the time between juggling the kids, your husband or partner, house maintenance and running a business. While most days work at maximum flow, with everything on task, on time and on schedule, there are days that seem as though you are hitting every rock on your path down the peaceful river.

How can you easily adjust to the moments in the day that don’t go as planned? Consider surrendering to what is. The only change you can make is in how you respond to your experiences. Your emotional response is what creates feelings of joy or anxiety.

Here’s an example: both kids are home sick today. Both my 5- and 3-year-old woke up with temperatures and stomach aches, and suddenly a day of chaos flashed before me, which was nothing like the productive day of deadline driven work that I had planned on. A wave of anxiety passed over me as I wondered, How am I going to pull everything off?

In the past, I would have continued to focus on my problem for the rest of the day, getting more and more stressed, knowing that I had a class to teach that night on top of everything. Instead, I realized that I wasn’t going to get anything done feeling anxious. I stepped back, took a few breaths and did an exercise that helped me shift from feeling anxious to accepting that this was a challenge I could overcome.

Instead of running around being the mom-taxi, I would be at home all day, working at a leisurely pace and taking hug breaks throughout the day! As a result of shifting how I felt about the changes, what was needed to get done, got done! I lowered my expectations of what I wanted to complete for the day down to one important task. It ended up being an easy day.

Over the past few years, I’ve become an expert at living my life while my business grows. I have created a program called Beyond the Overwhelm for Mom Entrepreneurs to support other women who are tired of living an overwhelmed life. This six week group coaching program will address moving Beyond the Overwhelm as a woman and as a businesswoman in order to achieve abundance and balance.

For more information and to register, visit ProsperityLighthouse.com/moms

P.S. In celebration of Mother’s Day, we’re offering a few bonuses. You’ll want to be one of the first so sign up so that you can take advantage of our gifts!

My good friend, Marci, sent this to me today. I’ve seen it before but want to share it with you because it can remind each of us how to enjoy our lives more.

Enjoy!

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MAYBE…  We were supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that, when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

MAYBE…  When the door of happiness closes, another opens; but, often times, we look so long at the closed door that we don’t even see the new one which has been opened for us.

MAYBE…  It is true that we don’t know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we don’t know what we have been missing until it arrives.

MAYBE…  The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way

MAYBE…   The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; after all, you can’t go on successfully in life until you let go of your past mistakes, failures and heartaches.

MAYBE…  You should dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you dream of, and want to do.

MAYBE…  There are moments in life when you miss someone — a parent, a spouse, a friend, a child — so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real, so that once they are around you appreciate them more.

MAYBE…  The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you’ve ever had.

MAYBE…  You should always try to put yourself in others’ shoes. If you feel that something could hurt you, it probably will hurt the other person, too.

MAYBE…  You should do something nice for someone every single day, even if it is simply to leave them alone. ?

MAYBE…  Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don’t expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but, if it doesn’t, be content that it grew in yours.

MAYBE…  Happiness waits for all those who cry, all those wh o hurt, all those who have searched, and all those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of all the people who have touched their lives.

MAYBE…  You shouldn’t go for looks; they can deceive; don’t go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.

MAYBE…  You should hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy

MAYBE…  You could send this message to those people who mean something to you, to those who have touched your life, to those who can and do make you smile when you really need it, to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down, and to all those whom you want to know that you appreciate them and their friendship.

And if you don’t, don’t worry; nothing bad will happen to you. You will just miss out on the opportunity to perhaps brighten someone’s day

Listen to Julie share her story about being a ‘crazy busy’ mom and entrepreneur and learn a few tips on creating balance even when you feel you have too much to do.

(Length: 41 minutes)

Just a few years ago my life was way out of balance. A chaotic mess to be brutally honest. I was an unhappy, successful spa owner trying to figure out how to be mommy, continue to contribute financially and find the joy I had lost. Luca was almost a year old and Sessina was almost 3, I was numb, overwhelmed and running around trying to find the path out of my “crazy busy” life. There was a large part of me just wanting to be home, a traditional housewife raising the kids. I envied my “stay at home” friends and clients. Although, they didn’t have an answer to the balance question either.  The more I chased happiness, the more out of balance I became.

How the heck did I get here and where is the yellow brick road back to happiness? The way back “home” was to look inside, the answer was always there.

Some people are so out of balance they don’t even realize it! That was me… I was successful, had a family, home in the suburbs…what was wrong with me? I had everything I wanted! Why wasn’t I happy?

We have so many things we juggle: family, work, social commitments, etc. So, what does balance look like? Balance is a personal perspective. What seems like chaos to one person is a fun life for the other. You are the only one who can choose the pace for your life. What do you want?

Tip #1 – Take time for yourself.

Exercise, meditate, write, do something just for you every day to re-energize and recharge. What do you enjoy doing that gives yourself a mental vacation? At least once a month, give yourself a longer treat, a massage, energy treatments, take a bath.  Make the time for yourself, stop putting yourself last. Take time for yourself now, the future may be too late.

Tip #2 – Check in objectively throughout the day.

Get out of autopilot mode, connect to yourself and allow yourself to feel. What do you notice? Being aware of your emotional energy is an important tool in staying balanced. I honor and acknowledge all my emotions, feeling good or feeling bad. I use it as guidance in helping me understand the experience I’m in.  What do you notice about your body? What conversations are going on in your mind? Take a few minutes throughout the day to check in with yourself. The only control you have is how you respond to experiences.

Tip #3 – Be authentic in communicating and relating to others.

Listen without judgement or worrying about what you are going to say in response. Be who you are, not what you think others want you to be. It is so much easier to attract the friendships, relationships, partnerships and experiences into your life that are in exact alignment with who you are naturally. Difficulty in relationships show up when you resist.

Maintaining a balanced life can be challenging at times. But life would be boring if we didn’t have some experiences that challenge us. The tips above have given me a happier, healthier and more peaceful life. I hope they lead you there too.

A few weeks ago, my 19-year-old son came home from his new job completely elated. He spoke very highly of his workplace. They fed him unlimited catered food for free; they have foosball and darts for entertainment; there’s a big screen TV; he can dress casually.

These were all perks that a college kid could appreciate. And they helped to make a day of cold calling, his actual job responsibility, more than bearable. My son made a remark last night about his job that really caught my attention. He said, “It’s amazing how productive you can be when you’re happy.”

Wow. So true!

The point to notice here is that even though his actual job of cold calling isn’t the most fulfilling experience, he has chosen to focus on what does make him happy. And as a result his whole day is more rewarding.

If we can just focus more on what we appreciate – what makes us happy – I know that our lives will become more joyful.

So now I leave you with Jafree and Margot’s article about how to be unstoppably happy.

Hope you create an Unstoppably Happy Day!

Nat

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How to Be Unstoppably Happy
Written By Jafree Ozwald and Margot Zaher
www.EnlightenedBeings.com

People spend lifetimes striving to reach their goals and dreams which they believe will one day make them happy.  Yet many find themselves addicted to the pursuit of their vision, and the fantasy of what may come, instead of actually enjoying being happy in their lives today.  The truth is there are as many distractions inside us as there are on the outside of us, and they are ALL excuses that say it’s not possible to be happy right now.  The secret we’ve discovered to becoming unstoppably happy is simply to see how happiness is not far away at all.  It is always a choice readily available to you in each new moment.

When the understanding sinks in that your happiness is not based upon anything in the outer world, you start the journey towards being truly liberated from any sadness, negativity pain.  You can choose to embody the energy of joy and appreciation in this moment because it is always a choice!  Whatever you decide to feel about the outer world impacts how you feel about yourself.  You are always interpreting situations and events in your life, so why not choose the response that opens those doors towards feelings of expansion, serenity, appreciation and continuous jubilation!  Happiness is a FEELING that is always available, and can be accessed instantly whenever you remember that joy is possible in each moment.  It’s that simple!  Make the decision right now that NOTHING, yes absolutely nothing, can stop you from choosing joy, appreciation and relaxation in each moment.  There is nothing more powerful than this choice, and when you make it you’ll discover a deeper joy hidden inside you that is emanating from the very core of your being.

“Act happy, feel happy, be happy, without a reason in the world. Then you can love, and do what you will.”  ~ Dan Millman

How this email came into existence was that one morning Margot woke up very early and proclaimed that she was going to be unstoppably happy.  She decided that she was going to be happy NO MATTER WHAT came her way today!  This proclamation started acting like a powerful energetic shield that protected her, and freed her from any negative thinking.  It was evident that she felt liberated and was operating from a lighter place of gentleness and love.  When negative comments were directed her way, she’d just deflect them with her “Unstoppable Happiness Shield”.  Being vigilant of her thoughts, she did not let anyone drag her into the land of emotional negativity.  This shield allowed her to feel safe and protected, so that she could relax deeper into the core of her being where the source of positive thinking abides.

We want you to know that you can do this same experiment with your life.  Your state of mind is so precious and sacred.  Dedicate your life to keeping it healthy, wealthy, free and loving.  It’s good to know you can protect your mind from any negativity that comes your way.  It can come in the form of other people’s bad moods, intensity, anxiety or negative words.  You can sit safely behind your invincible happiness shield that allows yourself to relax deeper inside and experience those healing feelings that naturally emerge from your Divine essence.  So, whenever you can, realize that your happiness is NOT at the mercy of your environment or other people’s states of mind.  Know that you always have the power to create any state of mind you desire!  By simply practicing the choice to be an unstoppable source of happiness you will experience just how powerful your thoughts really are!

“Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response.”  ~ Mildred Barthel.

Creating a permanent state of happiness is possible, yet can only happen when you FEEL safe, protected and at peace behind your unstoppable happiness shield.  When you are freed from defending and protecting yourself in anyway, you instantly create a sense of spaciousness inside that leads into the greatest golden secret to becoming happy forever!  This is spacious feeling cultivates a heightened state of awareness of your thoughts.  The more awareness you have, the more you are conscious of each thought passing by, and the easier it is to step on the train which is always arriving in the land of appreciation and the town of “Bliss-ville”!

Greater awareness happens by slowing down in your life, so you can actually witness the thoughts that pass through your mind at lightening speeds.  It is this wandering mind that is always taking you down the paths of despair and self pity.  When you see that you are simply the watcher behind it, you are free from any thought patterns that float by.  Yet you must cultivate a mind that will support you in slowing down and clearly seeing the thoughts that create your emotional states.  This happens through the practice of being centered.  This means you develop the ability to be quiet, calm, and serene….listening to the thoughts without buying into them.  This is the only way to penetrate the deep seated chaos of the mind and remain unshaken by any thoughts that arise.  The more you look inside towards who you truly are, the easier it becomes to discover the et ernal joy that is your true nature.

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” ~ Fredrick Koeing

The feelings of joy and love can be cultivated to arise more frequently by focusing on what you are currently thankful for in your life right now.  In each moment, there is a plethora of things to be grateful for.  From 10,000 miles up in outer space you can easily see how we are all blessed to live on this awesome beautiful planet.  Yet, there are always two sides to every coin.  In any given situation you are given the choice to feel blessed, and you can also focus on what is not working and see things in a negative light.  In each moment there always exists at least two choices.  A person may miss their bus to work one day and can either focus on feeling late for work, or refocus on the beauty of the morning and how they get to enjoy the sunshine for a few more minutes until the next bus comes by.  It simply boils down to when life hands you lemons, do yo u make lemonade or just suck on the lemon with sour puckering lips?  Your reality is always a conscious choice!

“A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.” ~ Hugh Downs

It’s time to stop waiting for happiness to find you and choose to find the roses hidden in your inner garden.  At your very core is an eternal rose bush blooming, radiating its beauty and fragrance for all to enjoy.  Being in touch with the core of your being is pure happiness, and it naturally arises from within when you are relaxed.  Nothing has to happen for happiness to continue to flow.  This happiness IS HERE NOW because this divine creation inside of you is always rejoicing in it’s divine aliveness whether you are aware of it or not.  So when you wake up tomorrow morning, start your day by proclaiming to the world that you are choosing to be unstoppably happy NO MATTER WHAT happens!  This will push you deeper inside to fin your true natural bliss-filled state at the core.  Yet, after you proclaim this choice, gently remind yourself as you go through the day that you are committed to being unstoppably happy.   Practice vigilance with your thoughts, and you will naturally see how easy it is to choose happiness over any negative thinking.  It is always up to you.  You have the power inside you to make those decisions that will make today the happiest day of your life!!

Discover the manifesting routine that will increase your awareness so that you can be happy no matter what happens!  Download it instantly today at:  www.ManifestingVibration.com

May you always discover the joy abiding within you,
Margot and Jafree
www.EnlightenedBeings.com

Copyright 2008. Enlightened Beings Inc. All Rights Reserved.