Holidays Make Memories!!!

                What a BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY!!!   What I meant to say is GOOD MORNING Easter, May we bring the Holiday Spirit with us ALWAYS!!!   I was laughing, and LOVING the Holiday experience ALL DAY.

                We made so many great memories, and we aren’t even done yet.  I have one more memory I want to remember, a great meal with my.  It hasn’t been a tradition for me to spend time with anyone other than my mother, but I am still grateful.  Unfortunately my Mother isn’t here with me today, because she is still in Sacramento, her Holiday Spirit is with me.  I LOVE YOU MOM!!!

                One of the greatest moments yesterday was given to me by my future step mother, Susan.  Susan is an AWESOME cook.  She makes wonderful food and many delicious healthy recipes, her kitchen skills are Legendary.  I was not only blessed with a wonderful meal, but wonderful memories.  Thank You Dad and Susan, it was a GREAT Easter Sunday.

                She put on an apron and was READY to GO!!!    I am blessed to be able to share my Holiday Traditions with my new friends and family.  I am blessed to give and receive LOVE at this wonderful time of year.  I will continue to share the LOVE I have in my heart with others, not just at the holidays, but ALL YEAR ROUND.

To The Universe

LOVE BRANDY

The Million Dollar Question...How do you Change Your Life?

               How do you change your life?  Well that is the Million Dollar Question isn’t it.  I think there are many ways that you can change your life for the better, it depends on who you are and what you want.

                One thing I do know is that even though each of our reasons for why we change and what we want may be different, there is ONE Thing We have in common.  There is a point when your desires outweigh your fears and that is when true change is possible.

                In the past I personally had Great and Amazing desires for how I wanted my life to unfold.  My mind was full of grandeur when I would envision what kind of life would make me happy.  The problem was that MY FEAR of change and FEAR of Failure stopped me in my tracks.
                I would convince myself that “my dreams” weren’t possible.  I would convince myself that I would fail.  I would convince myself that I would be better off staying put, rather than risk putting myself out there and Failing. 
                If it wasn’t my Fear of Failure that stopped me from changing my life, it was my lack of self-esteem.  I would convince myself that I didn’t deserve to be happy.  I would convince myself that The Universe was out to get me.  I was so afraid of failure, that I just gave up.

                What a waste of time living in fear can be.  I wasted so much time fearing failure, fearing connections, fearing pain and anxiety that I literally lost YEARS of My Life.  Thankfully today I am finally starting to live.
                When I refer to “living” I am talking about more than just existing, I am talking about EXPERIENCING LIFE, LOVE, and yes even Pain.  It is the entire pantheon of human experiences and emotions that constitutes Really Living. 
                We are not going to have everything we dream about, but that isn’t meant to be negative.  We can learn from the bad and thrive and rejoice in the good.  What can you do today to let go of FEAR?
To The Universe

Love Brandy

Focus on The Things YOU DO HAVE!!!

                Focus on The Things You Do Have….Such a Simple Statement, but I acknowledge that it can be hard.  So often in our lives we look around and fall into “wishing” for the things we don’t have.  The problem is when we spend all our time focusing on what we don’t have instead of being grateful for the things that we do have it can leave us in a place filled with negativity.

                I am not advocating for less “dreams, hopes, and goals” in our everyday lives.  What I am advocating is that we don’t simply focus on the things we want.  Only after when we acknowledge and appreciate who we are Now, who we have in our lives Now, and the things we Have Now is life truly worth living.

                Even if you don’t have much money, many positive people in your life, or even much that you feel grateful for, you still need to work on finding and appreciating whatever you can EVERYDAY!!!

                I have found that when I am sad, angry, doubtful, or apathetic, it really is difficult to be grateful for good things in my life.  Being grateful can take work, it is a skill that depending on where you are in your life may need A LOT of PRACTICE. 

                Just like with most things, the more you practice, the easier it gets.  I believe we are not meant to have everything we want at All Times in our lives.  If we had everything we wanted, nothing would be worth working for.  If we had everything we wanted, nothing would be special.  If we had everything we wanted, we may be prone to entitlement, cynicism, and a lack of gratitude and wonderment.

                I believe that we deserve all the happiness The Universe has to offer, but we have to be able to be happy within ourselves before we can truly appreciate everything we “think we want.” 

                True happiness comes from within.  It doesn’t matter who is in our lives, or what “things” we have, if we aren’t happy and capable of Love inside our hearts and minds, we will never Truly Be Happy.

 

                Think about people like Mother Teresa or The Dalai Lama, they don’t have all the material things the average person thinks they need to be happy.  I believe that they Truly Understand, that happiness, Real and Lasting Happiness comes from within.

                Once you are able to bring more Joy and Love into your own life, then you can share it with others.  What can you do Right Now to bring a smile to your face?  If you feel you can’t smile right now, PRACTICE…PRACTICE gratitude!!!  Find one tiny thing that lifts your spirit and carry it with you throughout the day.  This may take work and focus on your part, but if you keep practicing You Will see a difference.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Family and Friends MAKE our LIVES!!!

                Good Morning All!!!  This is the longest period I have spent away from my Mother, that makes me sad, but I accept it.  My mother is ALWAYS with me, wherever I am.  This year I am celebrating change with my father, his fiancé, and our family and friends in Vegas.

                This is the most time I have spent without my mother and best friend.  It is also the most time I have spent with my Father, at least that I can remember.  It’s a little bit of a trade-off.  I miss my mother and family in Sacramento but I am so grateful to be able to celebrate with family and friends in my new town.

                To my Mother Denise, You Are ALWAYS with me.  I am eternally grateful, because I have you as my mother.  You have always made my life so special.  You are filled with Love and Kindness and the rest of the world would benefit if more people were filled with the same qualities ALL YEAR ROUND.  I Love you more than Anything or Anyone.

                To my family, We have been through a lot, but I am grateful to have been blessed with you as well.  Sometimes we are inseparable, sometimes we drift apart, sometimes we fight, but we are always connected in LOVE.  You can change your friends, but your family is forever.

                To my Best Friend Jason, You are family and my Best Friend.  How lucky does that make me?  You have stuck by me through Good and Bad.  When I am not around you, I often feel like I am missing a part of myself.  You are One in a Million and my Love for you is Endless.

                To my friends, you may be small in number, but you are with me forever.  It is not the number of friends a person has that matters.  What matters is how close they are to your heart.  What matters is that you know your true friends share a deep love and respect with you.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Decisions Aren't Always Going To Be Easy

             Decisions are not easy.  Many times I find myself questioning if I am making the right choices which will bring me the happiness and security I desire.  I know I am not alone in questioning my decisions.  The difficulty comes with trying to stick to the choices I have made, or fall backwards into what I KNOW and what is easier.

               Last year I moved to a new city and for a long time I was Really Missing my friends and family.  My hometown is where I fought through my addictions, my apathy, and my sadness.  Though my hometown is where I grew up, where my most of my family and friends live, where I KNOW I will always have a place, and where I have re-invented myself before.

               I have already made the decision to stay in my new city, and have finally begun to feel at home here.  Originally I had to force myself to believe that once I had made the decision to stay my doubts would dissipate.  I can honestly say that the doubts I had last year have mostly disappeared, and I am So Grateful and Happy.

                Today I realize that doubt is natural.  Doubt is The Universe testing me.  My doubt doesn’t mean I made the wrong choice, it means the Universe wants to be sure that I am Completely Committed to moving forward on my path.

               When negative emotions and thoughts like doubt enter my mind I must work hard to control the negativity in my heart and mind.  This kind of control over my negative thoughts takes work.  The work that is required will be rewarded.  I know that everything worth having will take work and I am ready to put in the effort.

               As much as I wish serious change was always easy, I know that when I come out the other side the trials and difficult choices I have been faced with makes my joy even sweeter.  My goal is to stay on the path that The Universe guides me down.  I must constantly evaluate my choices and what influences them in order to allow myself an abundance of Happiness, Love, and Security.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

I got a message from the Universe...In My Inbox!!!

 “It was perhaps one of your greatest acts of love, Brandy.  Choosing to be alive at a time when so many live so deeply in the dark.  And already things are looking brighter.”  --The Universe

                Good Morning Universe, thanks for the inspiration.  I REALLY do get messages from the The Universe on a regular basis.  It’s a regular inspiration message send by tut.com, but it comes into my inbox from and signed by The Universe.  How cool is that?

                The message I received this morning touched me because it reminded me just how far I have come.  As many of you know I spent YEARS in the darkness.  The darkness in my life started small when I was much younger.  My life was overshadowed by low self-esteem and this lack of LOVE for myself developed into negative behaviors and unhappiness,  which would plague me most of my adult life.

                My low self-esteem and inability to truly LOVE myself led to physical self-harm then addiction.  My addiction led to the loss of my job, my indepence, my freedom, and the loss of the last bit of Self Love I had at the time.  I began living in darkness.

                Then a MIRACLE happened, I chose LOVE.  I chose to work for a better life instead of dwelling in the swamp of negativity my life had become.  Once I chose LOVE I thought everything would be easy, it wasn’t.  It was better, and would continue to be better every day.  The only thing I had to do was take the first step, not look back, and focus on Loving myself, my Life, and the people, places, and things I have around me.

                Two of the greatest tools I have used to keep myself on a positive path have been GRATITUDE and LOVE.  When you are grateful for who you are, what you have, and the path you are walking it is much easier to LIVE IN POSITIVITY.  When you operate from LOVE, from that place inside you that feels warm and kind, then your thoughts, emotions, and actions always guide you to a better place.

                It’s only when we stop listening to our heart that we are in danger or living in the dark.  What can you do today to bring more light and love into your heart.  Are you ready to LIVE in LOVE and STOP Dwelling in Darkness.  Make a choice to see where the path of LOVE and LIGHT leads you.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Practice Happy and Banish Negativity

                Ugh…Why is it that we have difficult being happy, and banishing negativity?  Well first off, if it is a matter of contrast.  How can we truly understand what happiness is unless we have had something to compare it to.

                I am not advocating allowing yourself to wallow in negativity.  I am not saying that we shouldn’t expect happiness as our norm.  What I am saying is that we have to start looking at things we consider to be negative and trying to grow from them.   

                I believe that the things we see as negative in our lives can often be changed by changing our perspective.  What you think about your life will usually be reinforced by what you “see.”

                 If you think your life is crappy then that is how you will see everything.  If you think your life is filled with possibility then that is what you will see.  If you work to find joy every day (no matter how big or small) then that is what you will find. 

                Changing our old patterns of thinking from “seeing the negative” to “Seeing The Positive” will take practice and effort, but IT IS WORTH IT.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

You Are Strong!!!

"Tough times never last, but tough people do."    Robert H. Schuller

               This quote is so short in length, but it’s genius is enormous.  It calls to mind the tough times I have experienced in my life like depression, low self-esteem, and drugs just to name a few.

               I would describe my past as tough, though I am not blaming my mistakes on my “tough” past.  I wouldn’t say that I used to describe life as fair.  In fact, I spent a lot of my time looking at other people’s lives and how I thought they had it “easy”.

               By focusing all my attention on other people’s “easy” lives, or at least how I saw other’s lives, I didn’t have to look at my own.  It wasn’t that I was ashamed of everything I did, but I didn’t have the strength to make the changes I wanted.  I wanted life to change for me, not for me to change for life.

               If something good happened I didn’t rejoice, I usually thought it was an anomaly.  If something bad happened or I was going through a tough time, I thought I was being punished unfairly.  I never truly stopped to think that I could grow from the tough times, I just felt self-pity.

               Today it’s easier to look at my past mistakes and the tough situations I have gone through without blame, guilt, and pity.  I am not perfect.  At times blame, guilt, and pity still sneak into my thoughts.  Though today I know I can take those thoughts captive and work on changing them into positivity and love.  It takes work to change inside and out, but it’s worth it.

               I am tougher then I knew I was, but am tender as well.  It’s a balance between being tough and being tender that I feel will benefit me most.  It’s a balancing act that I KNOW I can do.  Who knows, I heard “balancing” on a tightrope can be exciting.  Life is my circus and I’m ready for it.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Are You A People Pleaser?

               How many people have been called a “people pleaser?”  Is this a bad trait or a good trait?  One thing I know for sure, is that it’s an intriguing question.  The problem is that in today’s society, “people pleasing” is a negative personality trait.

               I have been a “people pleaser” for many years, though I realize now that I only acted that way out of Fear.  I was desperate to have others like me.  I needed other people’s approval in order to feel good about myself, and in that need is where the negative aspect of “people pleasing” revealed itself.

               As I continue to focus on my future and what makes me happy, I often consider my reaction to others.  In my past I never wanted to cause waves, I wanted to be invisible, I wanted to avoid conflict.  These are all things that held me back.  I was worried about being “seen” as something other than happy.  I felt that no one would want to be around me if I didn’t appear positive and happy.

               It is true that no one wants to be around a selfish person who is constantly negative, but trying to be SOMEONE because you are afraid of how others will react won’t bring you happiness.  That kind of behavior can often morph into cynicism and unhappiness because you feel others don’t treat you the same as you treat them.

               Today I realize that I still have a little bit of “people pleaser” as part of my personality.  Today I like to see it as kindness, happiness, compassion, and helpfulness.  The difference today is that I don’t need to “act” or “do” nice things in order to avoid conflict or make people like me.  I finally like myself, and I believe and live one of my favorite motto’s.   “Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You”..….unknown author

               If we all treat others as we wish to be treated the Universe would be a totally different place. Let’s remember ourselves and others with every step we take.

Our Human Experience

            Today I was reminded how beautiful life is, and I am truly thankful for that.  The beauty in life is so simple and so natural, maybe that’s part of the reason that people stop seeing the beauty around them every day.

                So often we are bogged down with problems, stress, disappointment, and expectations that we forget to be thankful.  People can forget to be thankful for the simple beauty of life and for the human experience.

            The human experience isn’t meant to be perfect, but deep down it’s perfectly simple.  We as humans are given the gift of life, not just existence, but life and higher consciousness.  We experience emotions that other creatures in the natural world will never be a part of.  These emotions that we are blessed to have access to are the basis of our lives.

 

                Many times when we are experiencing painful emotions it’s difficult to be thankful for the experience that we are given.  Though when we come through the pain, the happiness and beauty of life is even sweeter.  It is only because we are aware that pain and negativity is out there, that we can truly appreciate beauty and happiness.

            When we realize that every emotion and experience we have is important.  It is then that we can influence our lives with the choices we make.  We can choose to be stuck in pain, or choose to try and see beauty.  We can choose to accept that negativity is part of our world, but we don’t have to let negativity be part of ourselves.

 

                We can choose to forgive ourselves and others for our imperfections.  When we choose to have as much good in our lives as we can, it’s then that we are choosing a Great Life.  What kind of choices can you make today to start Your Great Life.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Be Honest, But Don't Be Hurtful

                Good Morning Universe, let’s talk about honesty.  I grew up hearing that “Honesty is The Best Policy” and that is generally true.  The problem we face these days is when does honesty cross the line and become hurtful.

                Everyone needs to share.  We shouldn’t hold in our fears, anger, anxiety or other negative emotions because they can poison us.  The problem is we can’t say everything that comes to our minds, it’s inappropriate, unhealthy, and selfish.

               So how do we know when honesty is best?  Well, if you are saying what is honestly in your head but your heart feels wrong.  Don’t Say it.  When it comes to sharing negative things about other people you should be filtering those things through Your Head and Your Heart.

                Another thing to remember is when you share what you are feeling and experiencing consider whether or not you are trying to elicit a specific reaction from who you are sharing with.  For example, if you are angry with someone and you share your thoughts with them simply to make them feel bad or hurt…EVEN IF IT’S TRUE it’s usually inappropriate.

                You shouldn’t be sharing with another person in order to hurt them.  You should be sharing in order to grow or heal.  Be aware that once you share something it isn’t up to you how the other person will react.  You are only in control of yourself, what other people feel and do is entirely up to them.

                Don’t let your feelings build up inside, just work on finding the appropriate time and words to share how you feel.  Honesty is the best policy, and we should be “telling the truth.”  But we should be examining our motives behind how and why we are sharing.

                

                It’s not brain surgery.  If we are paying attention and not working from our ego, we will know deep inside if what are sharing is coming from a “good place” or a “bad place.” 

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Change For The Better!!!

                OK Universe I’ve stepped out in faith and have been happy to receive multiple affirmations that I’m on a positive path.  I have been in a new town for about 10 MONTHS now.  When I first got here I didn’t know many people except my father, who I am finally getting too know.

  

                I have moved past difficult years of painful abuse by my father, mostly mental, in order to start over.  I made a pact with myself to try, because I’ve grown to realize that no one is perfect.  I realized that blaming my father for my mistakes was just a cop out.  I made the choices that led me to where I am today.

                 Now I am here in Vegas, and have spent more time with my father in recent months, then I have spent with him in the previous 37 years of my life.  Today I KNOW that I made the right decision to come here.  I understand that it was a risk.  I didn’t know for sure when I came to Las Vegas that things would be different this time.  The only thing I did know is that I wasn’t happy in Sacramento.

 

                I was so scared it would be like every other time I had ever spent time with my father.  I kept thinking he would break my heart again and make me feel worthless.  Thankfully the Universe spoke to me and asked me to try again.

                My father, like me, had been lost before.  I realized that in MY Adulthood I have made many mistakes and caused my family pain.  It was only from my pain and mistakes that I became willing to give my father another chance.  I stepped out in faith to see what would happen.

 

                I am grateful that I took the leap.  My father is different and more loving then I have known my whole life.   I am so blessed, and I finally realize that I can no longer base my life on how others treat me.  I am learning to love and appreciate myself, and if others in my life can’t do the same I must let them go until they are ready to give me the respect and love I deserve.

 

                I WILL no longer make excuses for people who harm me.  I Will no longer use the pain in my life as an excuse for my own bad choices. I Will expect the same amount of LOVE from others that I give to them.  I AM FREE to have Enormous amounts of LOVE and RESPECT from the people in my life.  Today my Smiles and my Happiness ARE REAL.  My life isn’t perfect, but it’s still great!!!

To The Universe

Love Brandy

It's Powerful to Dance Like No One Is Watching!!!

                Good Morning Universe…Let’s talk about “letting loose!”  I am not talking about letting go of your sanity, your respect, or your responsibilities as a law-abiding-citizen.  I am talking about letting loose, celebrating, dancing, letting go of your pain, and bringing some Pure Joy into your day.

                In the past I have talked about letting go and letting your “silly” out, but I KNOW this is a topic that can never “get old.”  Last year at this time I spent my evenings watching TV.  In fact I spent the majority of my day watching TV. 

                I never spent time with myself, I never wanted to change my routine, and the music I listened to was always “Sad.”  At the time the soundtrack of my life was extremely negative. 

                Don’t misunderstand me, I LOVE Sad Songs and that type of music evokes powerful and useful emotions, but that is not the “ONLY” music I respond to. 

                I have found a LOVE for music that makes me want to move.  Music that makes me want to get up and shake my body in ways I really never thought of before.  I LOVE TO DANCE LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING!!!

                I define dancing like No One Is Watching as….PURE FREEDOM with a quite bit of awkwardness on the side.  Imagine watching The Original Footloose, but seeing All The Characters doing moves that aren’t choreographed.  Maybe even doing moves that are so CAREFREE and SILLY that you aren’t sure if you LOVE IT or HATE IT. 

                Well, that is my version of dancing like no one is watching.  I just put on some music that “MOVES MY SOUL” and see what happens.

                The best part is that I can feel “pure emotion” at it’s finest.   Sometimes the emotion is a little sad and introspective.  Though most of the time the emotion is FUN, SILLY, CRAZY, and EXCITING.

                When we dance like no one is watching we are truly connecting to OUR SOUL.  When we dance like no one is watching we can experience and work through our best and worst feelings.  When we dance like no one is watching it is Therapy For The Soul!!!

                What is the soundtrack of your life?  What songs move you to express your True Emotions?  What songs help you “work through” the best and worst parts of your life?

 

To The Universe

Love Brandy

What you Believe...You Perceive!!!

“The truth is that we co-create our experience CONSTANTLY, as you believe, so will you perceive.”  Dave Elliott

                How often does how we see our lives come true, it’s more often than we realize.  If we think our lives are sad, impoverished, loveless, and desperate, that’s what we will see.  When we believe our lives are filled with negative people and emotions, that’s exactly what we will.

                If you can look at your life as a gift, even the bad stuff, then you will begin to see the greatness of your life.  It won’t matter how much you have, you will always feel happy and blessed. 

                When you look for the negativity in your life, you are sure to find it.  Everyone has “bad experiences” in their lives, it’s what we do with that negativity which will set our course.

                Are we going to grow from the negative, do we learn from our mistakes, are we grateful?  These are questions everyone should take the time to think about.  If you can honestly answer “Yes” to those questions, then you are on a path to believing, perceiving, and living a Great Life.

                It is up to us what steps we take, what decisions we make, what steps we are willing to take to create the lives we dream of.  It is also up to us how we see ourselves NOW. 
                If you see yourself surrounded by negativity it will drown you, and it will be that much more difficult to bring happiness into your life.  If you work towards seeing positivity in your life, it will lift you up and make it that much easier to have more of the same greatness come your way.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Sometimes You Have to JUST GET UP and DO IT!!!

                Good Morning Universe…This morning I wasn’t feeling right.  I woke up groggy, cranky, fatigued, and sad.  I moved through my morning, getting my work done, writing, and even figured out how to make new changes to our website www.theelevateinstitute.com.  This is a Big Accomplishment for me because in the past I have gotten very nervous and frustrated doing new technological things.  

  

                Accomplishing my morning tasks and learning, on my own, how to do new things made me feel better for a while.  Though it didn’t last long, I started to feel down and apathetic, AGAIN.  As the time when I normally go to the gym approached I found myself making excuses.

                I began to tell myself that it was OK to skip my workout because I wasn’t feeling 100%.  I began to tell repeat “my old story.”  What is “My Old Story” you may ask?  My Old Story is always based in procrastination and excuses.   I have been pretty proficient in my life at making excuses and procrastination at least on a personal level.

                I began to tell myself things like, “It’s Ok to go tomorrow and who is really going to know if you don’t go to the Gym?”  I am not saying that it’s always bad to change your routine, or take a break because those things are necessary sometimes. 

                What I am saying is that if you are unaware when you are making excuses, it can easily result in your life and goals becoming stagnant.  It’s one thing to take a break, but if that break goes on Too Long your daily routine and habits can be negatively impacted.

                So what did I do?  I forced myself to get dressed, stretch, and go to the gym.  I used “One Good Thought,” to overcome my lack of desire.  My good thought was…”I always feel good after I workout.”  Exercise releases dopamine and endorphins that elevate my mood.  I also knew that I would be proud of myself for overcoming my desire to stay stagnant.

                I am back from the Gym and couldn’t be happier that I basically FORCED MYSELF to go.  I am not advocating that you force yourself to do things which are unhealthy, uncomfortable, or just plain stupid.  What I am saying is that sometimes on the road of growth We Are Going to have to move forward, even when our “Old Self” tries to make us quit.

                What can you do today which you know will give you a positive benefit in the long run, but you just don’t really feel like doing?  What are you proud of today?  If you have slacked off on keeping up with your positive intentions and growth, are you willing to recommit and Just Get Up and Do It!!!

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Breakthrough The Clouds...The Sun Will Shine Bright!!!

                        How many times do people say things like, “I feel down, I think it’s the weather.”  I know that many times “Good Weather” can bring a smile to my face, though I wonder why bad weather often makes people gloomy.

            It has been cold, cloudy, and windy.  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Clouds, they are beautiful and can Elevate my mood in wonderful ways.  But I miss the warmth and beauty of Nice Sunny Day.

            I think I am finally able to enjoy the clouds, not because I need it to appreciate the Sun, but because I find beauty in it.  Like the ups and downs of life, the “good” and “bad” weather is beautiful if you are able to view it in the proper context.

            If it never rained, how would we grow food?  If it was always sunny, how could we be witness to the amazing cloud formations that the sky creates?  If it was never “too hot” or “too cold”, how could we appreciate the perfect temperature?

            Just like in nature, it is the opposites of life that make appreciation possible.  I don’t want to live in a perfect world, with perfect people, and perfect weather.  Perfect is nice, but if that’s all there is then boredom would soon set in.

            If people worked as hard to see the positive as they do at dwelling on the negative, then we would have a revolution.  A revolution that could inspire beauty, kindness, greatness, and compassion.

            I want to live in a “perfect” world, but my “perfect” world would be where everyone can see the Bad as just another way to increase their perception of the Good.  We could see that darkness isn’t Bad, it’s just waiting to be LIT UP.

            How can you Light Up your world?  Can you look at life from a different perspective and truly appreciate it?  Can you see the “bad weather” as just another example of the greatness of Mother Nature?

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Change Doesn’t Always Start Big!!!

Sometimes people are waiting for “the big moment” or epiphany to start a change.  One day you can wake up and realize that things are different, your life is different, YOU ARE DIFFERENT.  Often times change can be so gradual you can’t pinpoint it.

   

I have been trying to pinpoint when I started truly feeling happy, and not just believing happiness would be mine.  I can’t remember a specific day, week, or even month when I was sure that my happiness was more than just belief.

The first step to change is desire, then belief, then action, and perseverance.  All of a sudden you look back and realize not only is your life different, BUT YOU ARE DIFFERENT.  It works both ways, with positive changes and negative changes. 

I have had experience with the “positive changes” and the “negative changes.”  When I became addicted to drugs, I didn’t just WAKE UP like that.  It was gradual, I knew I was taking chances using drugs but I told myself I was stronger and smarter than that.  I was wrong.

When I quit using drugs I didn’t just wake up and everything was great because I was sober.  My road to sobriety and ultimately to happiness was long and difficult.  When I was using drugs, I didn’t want to be an addict.  I was afraid, I was ashamed, I was unhappy, I felt unworthy and unloved….That is a lot of negativity to face sober.

Today I am SO VERY BLESSED.  My life isn’t perfect and I’m not always happy and chipper, but I feel different deep down inside.  I don’t dwell in the bad stuff.  Negativity, Anxiety, and Fear come to visit me sometimes, but I DON’T LET THEM STICK AROUND.

To The Universe
Love Brandy

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