Your Mind is Your Power

                Did you know that the most powerful tool for change is our own minds?  There are so many sayings that express our individual power.  A few examples that I like are, “Mind over Matter” and “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?”  Well I have always believed these to be true.  I have also come to realize that most suffering is in the mind of those who suffer.  Everyone at one time or another has or will experience suffering.

                Knowing that we all suffer and choose what to internalize means is that no one can make us feel a certain way.  People can influence our lives in both negative and positive ways, but WE are the ones who decide what to do with those external influences.

            We are the only people with control over our minds.  Other people can influence us, but in the end we are the creators of our own thoughts.  Our thoughts come from our brains, and our brains can be controlled.  Just like many things control of our minds is never perfect, we are human, and part of a world which contains plenty of imperfection.

            Just because we are the controller of our own minds, thoughts, and emotions doesn’t mean we can always make ourselves stop feeling pain.  What it does mean is that we CAN and should continually work our minds.  We should never stop practicing having control of our thoughts and emotions.

                We also shouldn’t blame ourselves when we can’t ALWAYS be in complete control of our thoughts or emotions.  We just need to be aware of the choices we make so that we don’t hurt ourselves or others with our decisions.  What can you do with the power of Your Mind?  What kind of positive choices can you make today? 

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Leaving it up to "The Universe”

                Do you know how to “Leave It Up To The Universe?”  I didn’t know how to believe.  I was sure I had to have a perfect plan mapped out to achieve everything I was asking of the Universe.  It seems that’s what we are supposed to do. Otherwise how can we be working towards what we want if we’re just Waiting Around For It.  Well there is a distinction to be had between having a plan, which is important, and being able to bend “your plan” when The Universe speaks to you.

            A plan is just that, “A Plan” and plans just like our minds, are made to change and to alter when needed.  Think of it like this, when constructing a building the first step is to have an architect draw plans.  It is necessary to have these plans as a basis for the building, but that doesn’t mean the plans may not have to be altered. 

                They may have to be altered because the building needs different structural support depending on landscape and ground conditions.  This does not mean that the house will look different when it’s finished, it only means adjustments need to be made for the environment.  This is the same thing as planning your life and asking for what you want, but being able to listen to the Universe and make when adjustments when necessary.  It’s that simple.

            You have to believe in every fiber of your being that what you want and ask of the Universe will come to you, though you have to listen for the guidance of the Universe along the way.  You are the Architect and The Universe if you are paying attention and working with it, will the construct your life based on your desires and designs.  It requires faith in yourself, the Universe, and little bit of flexibility when necessary. 

                Never give up, if you fall you must try to get up and the Universe will be there to give you a hand.  If you fall and never try to get up, that’s where you’ll stay because the Universe can’t do all the work for you.  Every step forward is a step towards happiness and every fall is a learning lesson.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Connect with Your Spiritual Self

"It's not the idea of a particular religion that's important; it's the development of a spiritual life.  Because spirituality creates well-being, health, and happiness."  Goldie Hawn

                Spirituality is a very broad word, or at least that’s what I used to think.  I used to believe that to be spiritual you had to be religious.  I used to believe that in order to be spiritual you had to believe in God or attach yourself to a specific religion.

                I am not writing today to speak about religion or God.  I am writing about spirituality, but the spirituality I speak about is what is inside each and every one of us.  It doesn’t matter if you are religious, if you believe God, or if you are an atheist.  We are ALL spiritual in one way or another.

                The dictionary defines the word spiritual as relating to one’s spirit, relating to religion or one’s religious beliefs, and having similar values or beliefs.  What I noticed most about these definitions is that they all revolve around the individual.  It’s the individual who chooses how their beliefs will form into their spiritual nature.

                Even people who may not be conscious of their spiritual beliefs are practicing all the time.  Your spirituality comes from within, it’s part of your subconscious, it’s part of your emotions, your decisions, your beliefs, and your actions.

                When each of us works to connect with our spiritual side, we are really connecting with ourselves.  When we connect with ourselves we can understand our thoughts, emotions, and actions on a deeper level.  When understand our “inner self” and our “spirituality” we can grow and love in ways we never knew were possible.  Feed your Spirit with Love and it will Nourish You!!!

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Balance the Responsibility with the FUN!!!

                Good Morning Universe.  This morning I have been considering the importance of BALANCE.  More specifically the balance between the responsibilities we have as productive adults and the side of each and every one of us that Just Wants To Have Fun!!!

                A healthy and happy life is all about balance.  We should be eating a balanced diet to keep our bodies healthy.  But occasionally we just want to eat the “bad for you” stuff, like cookies, chips or whatever your indulgence is.  We shouldn’t deny ourselves the indulgent foods, we just need to remember balance.

                We should be going to work, earning a living, and working to achieve and retain our financial stability.  But many people just want to have fun.  I understand the desire to just enjoy yourself and forget about whatever responsibilities we have, but forgetting doesn’t make things go away.  We should experience as much carefree fun as we can, but not at the expense of our day to day responsibilities.

                Every day we choose to wake up and most people take care of the responsibilities of life like work, kids, bills etc.  Once we have a decent grasp on our responsibilities it is important to have fun.  As we walk through life sometimes we have more responsibilities and less time and money for fun.  Other times in life we will have less responsibilities and more time and money for fun.  Either way it is a balance, and you can balance anything in your life as long as you strive for it.

                Don’t forget your responsibilities in place of fun, and don’t let your responsibilities overwhelm you so much that you forget to have some fun in your life.  Work every day to balance your life, and you will be much happier and more secure.

To The Universe
Love Brandy

Pull Yourself out of The Rut!!!

            I have been in a creative rut for days, or at least that’s how I saw it.  Though, if I look more closely at the situation I am able to see it differently.  Last week I started a new job, it’s a marketing job and it’s very difficult for me.  It’s new to me and this change had caused me to be happy but extremely preoccupied.  Thankfully today I am starting to feel better, but I am nervous that I may lose these positive feelings if I am not careful. 

                I look back and realize I can view my creative rut as a Circumstance or a Reaction.  If I sat here today and let my thoughts turn negative or see my lack of creativity as failure then that is a reaction, and an unproductive one at that.  That type of reaction will not help me get back on track.  That type of reaction will only cause me to extend my current situation.

               I can choose to see my lack of creativity as a Circumstance that simply resulted from a significant change and therefore is completely normal and expected.  Well that thought is what has helped me get back to Belief.  Belief that I would get back on track with my writing.

            Now look at me, I’m writing.  Some people will like what I have to say and some people won’t, but I feel good to be doing it again.  Those good feelings are going out into The Universe and I know they will come back to me.  I know that my positive thoughts and feelings will bring more Positivity back into my life.  It’s like KNOWING the check is in the mail and it will be awesome.

                I feel like I already have the things I want and it’s THOSE FEELINGS that make life worth living.  It’s not the things you have that bring you happiness, but how you FEEL about the things you have.   How can you feel good about what you have today, no matter how small?

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Love Yourself Enough To Make BIG CHANGES!!!

               I am loving myself, and it can be rough.  This week I choose to show Love and Respect for myself by not only committing to positive changes, but holding myself Accountable to those commitments.

                I have spoken before about my journey to better health.  Some days I do really good, I eat well and exercise.  Other days I get lazy, apathetic, and a little entitled.  Thankfully I have been able to resist my previous history of saying “Well, I already messed up so I might as well just give up.”

                A few weeks ago I joined a new gym.  I really like my new gym I have been going almost daily!!!  This week I continued to exercise but I let some outside stresses enable me to skip days.  I came up with reasons to stay at home.  Reasons like...I don't have the Gas Money to go to the gym, or I am emotionally unable to give 110%.

                In the past I have made many commitments to myself that I didn’t keep, in fact I didn’t even try.  The best part about today is that I am not afraid to try anymore.  I am not perfect, and I am sure I will have days when I don’t exercise.  The realization I have today, is that falling off the wagon isn’t what is most dangerous to me, IT’S NEVER GETTING BACK ON!!!!

                Everyone needs encouragement and can benefit to being held accountable by themselves and others when True Change is desired.  Anyone can make a commitment, but it takes LOVE to keep those commitments.  Let your heart lead you, listen to your intuition, and BELIEVE that when you listen to the LOVE inside you it won’t steer you wrong.

                What positive commitments can you make to yourself today?  Do you need to forgive yourself for dropping the Ball?  Are you willing to Work on increasing the LOVE in your life?

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

Comfort and Happiness are NOT The Same

“Comfort sells easier than happiness. Comfort is easy. It requires no effort and no work. Happiness takes effort. It requires being proactive, confronting fears, facing difficult situations, and having unpleasant conversations.” –Author Unknown

                Today I have been considering some words that we think are synonymous with each other, but are actually very different.  If you read the quote I included today I am sure you can guess that I am talking about the differences and similarities between comfort and happiness.

                When I was young and people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up my answer was always the same…I wanted to be Happy and I wanted to be a Doctor.  Well here I am today and I am not a doctor, though thankfully I am Happy (but I had to WORK at my HAPPINESS).

                Comfort is another thing, many people think that if they have all the “comforts” of life they will be happy.  People think if they have nice things, a nice car, a nice house, and other material comforts that they will be happy and successful.  NOT!!!

                I am not saying that people who have all the material comforts in life are not happy, but I am sayings it is not those “material comforts” which are providing them with happiness.

 

                Happiness seems elusive to many people because they don’t truly understand that you can’t buy happiness and you can’t borrow somebody else’s happiness.  Happiness takes WORK.  It takes work simply because life isn’t perfect.

                When life throws us curve balls, negativity, and lack we must work to find the happiness within ourselves.  True happiness only comes from within and it starts with Love, Pride, and Gratitude.  The comforts in our life as well as the people we surround ourselves with life can increase our happiness, but only if we start out with happiness from within.

 

                What is one thing you can be Grateful for today?  What is one thing about Yourself that you are Proud of?  What is one thing that you Love about yourself?  Ask yourself these questions every day and that is a great way to start to increase the happiness in your life.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

The People You Care For are Always With You

                This past year 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 be 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 back home, 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

Just Because It’s Not Easy Doesn’t Mean It’s Wrong

             Decisions aren’t always supposed to be easy.  Many times in my life I have found myself questioning if I am making the right decision.  Decisions 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.  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 made the decision to stay in my new city quite a while ago, and I really 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