Change Your Life based on What YOU WANT!!!

                Good Morning Universe.  Here we are at the end of January 2013 and I am Proud to say that I have been sticking to my intentions for 2013.

                Those people who have followed my writings know that I spoke about my intentions for 2013 at the start of this year.  One of my biggest intentions for 2013 was eating better and exercising on a regular basis.

                One of the goals I desired to reach for this year was to weight loss.  Honestly, who hasn’t made the New Years Resolution to “Get Healthy” and “Lose Weight” at least once in their life.  I know I have made that resolution more than once, but I never really kept it.

                I have lost weight before in my life, the problem was that I didn’t lose weight in a healthy way.  In the past when I have focused on losing weight it was focused on the motto, “whatever way I can lose weight is Fine for Me.”

                This negative model for weight loss encouraged negative behaviors like, starvation, use of drugs that caused weight loss, or just plain unhealthy eating.  I was not focused on Long Term success.  I wanted results, and I wanted them NOW!!!

                As many of you know if you make significant changes in your lifestyle based on Negative Desires, you lose sight of the Real Goal.  The Real Goal is long term success and happiness, shortcuts just won’t stick.

                The difference between how I am achieving my goals now as compared to the past is that I have recognized where my true desire is.  Before now I just wanted to be Skinny so other people would find me more attractive or be envious of me.  Today I am more focused on how I FEEL ABOUT MYSELF, not how OTHER FEEL ABOUT ME.

                This is a MAJOR shift in my perspective, and has resulted in AMAZING RESULTS.  When I focused more on the worth other people assigned to me, I neglected the most important part of TRUE CHANGE.  True and lasting change in your attitude and behavior is only Successful and Fulfilling if it comes from YOU.

                It doesn’t matter what other people think about you.  What matters most is What You Think About Yourself.  If you are Operating from Love and not harming others you will see a path laid out for you that is More Amazing then you could ever picture.

                I am proud to share my journey with you, and hope that each of you will see the true value of Loving yourself and sharing that Love with the World.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Commitment to Work, Commitment to Workout….I AM READY!!!

                Good Morning Universe, I am ready to make a long term financial commitment.  Ok it’s a gym membership, but that HUGE for me.

                I have spoken about my path to better health and fitness over the past few years.  This year I have even made my weight loss goals public knowledge.  Letting others know how much I currently weigh and my goal to be under 200lbs by July 4^th was a HUGE STEP.

                Now I am ready to make another HUGE STEP.  I am ready to join a gym, and to get the best deal I have to commit to a monthly payment every month for 24months.

 

                How do I know I am ready?  Well I started out taking baby steps.  Last year I started walking and paying more attention to my diet.  This year I committed to measurable goals and sharing those goals with others in order to hold myself accountable.

               

                I also didn’t run out and join a gym on New Years Day.  I put exercise into my daily routine and made sure I could stay committed without the pressure of a 2year financial commitment on top of the physical commitment.

                I have tried working out in a gym in my twenties, but I didn’t stick with it.  At the time I had big dreams, but had no idea how to put them into action and how to stay committed.  Long Term Commitment can be difficult, it starts with one step but it DEMANDS that you keep moving.

                The problem was that I didn’t ease myself into the changes I wanted to implement.  I jumped in without a support system and when the initial excitement wore off I realized all the work ahead and became so intimidated and fearful that I gave up.

                Now that I have been taking “baby steps” towards change, I realize that as long as I keep moving forward I WILL succeed.  I don’t have to be so worried.   I only have to remember how I got to the top of Lone Mountain the first time.  I got to the top ONE STEP AT A TIME….

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Please come visit us at The Elevate Institute you can subscribe to my blog and get other tips to live a life FILLED WITH LOVE
http://theelevateinstitute.com/index.html

What do you Feed your Body? What do you Feed your Soul?

                Good morning Monday, I am glad to see you.  Wow, I just said I am glad to see a Monday and that is new for me.  I think I am glad to see the start to a new week because it means an end to last week.

                Last week wasn’t all bad, just Sunday.  I did not feel well yesterday, I was tired, my body felt bad, and emotionally I just felt off.  It was like a trifecta of bad feelings that cultivated to make Sunday a rough day for me.

                We all have bad days, but I realized that I needed to know what made me feel so bad.  If it was just an average sickness like the flu or a cough that would be easy to understand, but with The Trifecta I needed to know the causes.  If I knew the causes then I can try to avoid those bad feelings and actions next time.

                Trying to find the cause of our emotional and physical state of mind is important.  This is part of The Work and The Practice we need in order to grow.  If we never try to understand our Negativity we can never learn how to work through it and spend the Majority of our lives in LOVE.

                This is what my self-reflection about this weekend has led me to realize.  I was feeling crappy because I didn’t sleep well.   I can remedy that by focusing back on my regular sleep schedule.  I was feeling crappy because I overate on Saturday night and Sunday morning.  I can remedy that by paying more attention to my diet when I get busy or go out to eat. 

I was feeling crappy from guilt.  I had indulged and it led to a tummy ache, then I let my guilt toy with my emotions.  What I should’ve done is recognize where I went wrong then forgiven myself.  Holding onto negativity can spread from your mind into your body, and Trust Me that feels doubly crappy. 

What you put in to your body and your soul is often what you get back.  If you feed yourself positivity and healthy affirmations, that’s what you get back.  What are YOU Feeding Your Body and Soul?

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Do Something Different, Nutty, Silly…It’s Friday Let Loose your HAPPY!!!

                I just finished reading an article about letting your inner child come out and play.  It basically touted the benefits of remembering the simplicity and joy that children often experience, but doing this as an adult.

                One of the people who was referenced in this article carries around a bottle of bubbles.  You remember these, a little colored plastic bottle with the round ended stick you blow into…then POOF, bubbles come out.

                Blowing bubbles was so simple, so fun, and so amazing as a child.  So why don’t we include some simple, silly, and happy things like this into our lives as adults?  Speaking of bubbles when was the last time you blew a Bubble Gum Bubble so big it popped?  Simple happiness at it’s Best!!!

                I wonder how much stress, unhappiness, apathy, and negativity could be avoided just by including some silliness or child-like innocence and wonder into EVERY Day of Our Lives. 

                Maybe you think that this is immature or a waste of time.  If you really feel that way then I think you are probably one of the people most in need of some silliness in your life.  Don’t take yourself too seriously, it’s bad for your health.

                I KNOW that being silly, dancing around when no one is looking and other activities like this can reduce stress and increase your happiness.  Give it a try.  What do you have to lose?  Don’t just trudge through your life…LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST!!!

To The Universe

Love Brandy

What are YOU INSPIRED BY?

                Of all the questions we pose to ourselves everyday, I am pretty sure that MOST People don’t ask themselves this.  People spend most of their days focused on basic questions.  Questions like, “Which route to work has less traffic?”  “What should I make for dinner?” “Do I look good in these jeans?”

                The smaller questions we pose to ourselves daily are a major part of our ability to function in society and they often can form how we process information about ourselves and our environment.

  

                The problem is that when we focus on basic information and feelings we can often forget to question who we are right now, and who we want to be in the future.

                Ask Yourself, how often do you REALLY CONSIDER what your inspiration is.  The answer should come from deep inside yourself.  A comprehensive answer to what inspires you requires contemplation and the ability to draw your answers from deep within your heart.

                Some things that inspire you are obvious, like friends and family or something beautiful in nature.  These are great, but the more you can identify what inspires you the more you can draw on those emotions in times of need.

                I am inspired by my family and friends.  My mother is filled with SO MUCH LOVE and KINDNESS she inspires me.  My Best Friend is a FIGHTER in the face of a deadly illness, he has survived and thrived since the 90’s.  My father and his fiancé Susan have a vision to Heal the World with Love and Accountability, and I share that vision.

               These people are obvious answers to who inspires me, but this neglects the question, WHAT INSPIRES ME.  The WHAT is so important because you can’t live your life through or for other people.  It is YOU who must walk your path and at sometimes you may be alone.  What will keep you inspired and moving forward when you are alone?

                Some of my personal inspirations are very simple.  I Love Cloud formations, they make my heart smile.  I LOVE when my dogs get SO EXCITED to see me that they run around in circles so fast I can hardly see them.  I LOVE the feeling I get from hiking, it can be painful during the workout, but the beautiful nature I see and the pride upon completion is AMAZING.

 

                These are just some of the people, places, and things that Inspire Me.  What things Inspire You?  Write a list, keep it handy if necessary then when life starts to get you down take out “Your Inspirations” and draw them into your heart.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Big Project….Don’t Know Where to Start…Just JUMP IN!!!

                I am scared today.  I am Intimidated today.  I am a little lost today.  Whew, now that I got that negativity out of the way I can FOCUS, right?  If it were only that easy to say your feelings out loud and then…Poof, they would disappear.  Oh well it was worth a try.

                Honestly my negativity hasn’t completely gone away, but I ACTUALLY do feel better having expressed my feelings out loud.  I know that those feelings are still inside me, but now that I have Acknowledged them I don’t have to dwell in them.

                If I am to move past my negative thoughts and emotions the first step is to acknowledge them, otherwise how can I Really Know what to work on.  Without acknowledgement the only other option is to bury my negativity, and BURYING NEGATIVITY is only a temporary fix.  When you Bury feelings they ALWAYS come back to Bite You in the BUTT, and they come back with a vengeance.

                Now that I have decided to JUST JUMP IN, I know that I am on the right track.  I wrote the first part of this blog a few days ago and two things have happened to reinforce my decision to JUMP IN.

                 First off this morning I was reading a Blog written by Jenna Hall posted on The Daily Love website where she said, “A way cannot be made if you do not move. If you wait until you are ready, you will never begin.”  BAM!!!!  That hit me like a ton of bricks, procrastination can be the killer of our dreams.  Fear of not being perfect can COMPLETELY Stop us from moving forward, from creating, from living our dreams.

                I used to live in FEAR and ANXIETY about the “what if’s” in my life and I was stuck and unhappy.  A path cannot be made if you do not move. If you keep waiting until you are Absolutely Sure Everything is Perfect, you may never begin.  Now I constantly strive to MOVE, maybe I won’t always be moving forward, maybe i’ll stumble and fall, BUT I WILL ALWAYS BE MOVING.

                The second reason I KNOW I am on the right track is that the writer’s block that kept me COMPLETELY STAGNANT over the weekend, has lifted.  I have been creating not only my Blog but making good progress with content creation for The Elevate Institute’s Mastering Love program.  I JUMPED IN to the project I am dedicated to and I have been rewarded.

                What projects, tasks, desires, and dreams have you been putting off for FEAR of Jumping IN?  If you don’t feel comfortable JUMPING IN, are you willing to at least step forward into your future?

To The Universe

Love Brandy  

Don't be AFRAID of Life...Experience IT!!!

                I am afraid of more things than I would like to admit.  The fears that I am talking about today aren’t the run of the mill fears like “heights” or “the dark.”  The fears I am referring to are the fears we harbor about our lives and our future.

                Our natural instincts have evolved from fear.  Fear is how we have kept our species alive over the millennia, but natural fears for our personal safety are different then the fears we harbor that hold us back from living a GREAT LIFE.

            When we let the natural instinct of fear override our lives and thoughts, we never truly live.  If we turn tail and run away every time we are fearful, that will become our norm.  Every new experience would be wrought with anxiety for fear of how it will turn out.  This Fear would in turn rule our lives and prevent happiness and light from entering our souls.

            The trick is to find out which fears are necessary and which fears need to be examined and thrown away.  Try thinking of our fears as instinct, not reaction.  We all know that humans have instincts that are good and bad.  But society has taught us how to control and use our instincts to better ourselves and those around us. 

For instance, our instinct when are tired is to rest.  Though to fit into our society we don’t just walk into any house and go to sleep.  So why can we control our “restful” instincts but believe we can’t control our fear.  We Can Control and Use our Fears to Grow.

            It’s a slow process but to grow you must acknowledge your fears and shed the belief that everything bad you fear will happen to you.  If you can’t shed your fear and negative belief, how will you ever experience GREAT NEW THINGS. 

Try to take your fears captive and turn them into something positive, something beautiful, or just dismiss them altogether.  The less fear you have in your heart, the more room you have for happiness and love to grow in your heart.

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

You Can Follow My Blog at http://theelevateinstitute.com/your-daily-elevation.html

Have you begun to turn Your INTENTIONS into Your REALITY?

                Good Morning All.  The question I posed in today blog title isn’t just for me, if you’re reading this I am talking to you too.

                Last week I wrote about setting intentions for 2013, now I want to talk about turning our intentions into our reality.  It’s great to think about what you want to cultivate in your life this year, but if you never go past thinking, desiring, or planning and into ACTION what’s the point.

                A few weeks into the New Year is when the work begins…All your resolutions, goals, and intentions are waiting for you. Are you taking action?  I AM.

                I am still eating healthier, I am still exercising, I am still writing, I am still focused.  Even better I am MORE EXCITED and MORE COMMITTED to my goals and the “Action” steps needed to get there than I was on New Years Day!!!

                For those of you that haven’t moved past your intentions into ACTION, don’t fret.  It is never too late to start, every day is a new opportunity to make your future brighter.  Remember that apathy will only keep you living in FEAR. 

                Don’t concern yourself as much with the “end point” of your journey, concern yourself with each step it will take to get there.  Step out into your future.  Walk your path with LOVE in your heart, and marvel at the GREATNESS that you will be presented with.

To The Universe

LOVE BRANDY

Don’t let Negativity INFECT YOU, Grow Stronger From It!!!

“Whenever the immune system successfully deals with an infection, it emerges from the experience stronger and better able to confront similar threats in the future.  Our immune system develops in combat.  If at the first sign of infection, you always jump in with antibiotics, you do not give the immune system a chance to grow stronger.”     -Andrew Weil, MD

                Good Morning Universe, let’s talk about why we should stay put during the storms we face in life.  The quote that I included today is specifically in reference to physical illness, but it includes a POWERFUL Lesson about life. 

Often times in my life I have referred to the saying, “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” and now I know where that saying may be based from.  I know that all the “infections” I have faced in my life like drugs, depression, low self esteem, abuse, and incarceration have brought me to where I sit today.  I sometimes wish that I could erase those NEGATIVE experiences from my life, but I also know that I have grown stronger and wiser because of them.

Unfortunately not everyone grows and learns from Negative experiences.  Many people become infected by the “negativity” and they dwell and live in their infection and often times spread that “negativity” infection to others.  I spent many years “LIVING” in the Negative Infection that had become my life, and I was barely existing. 

Don’t Despair, just like with our physical healthcare we have choices in how we care for our Mind, Spirit, Emotions, and Actions.  Are you going to “jump in” and try to treat an infection of negativity with a quick fix that will you deny you the opportunity to strengthen yourself. 

Or will you fill your medicine cabinet with emotions, thoughts, and actions meant to strengthen and heal your mind, body, and soul.  Will you “self medicate” with Fear, or Feed Your Life With LOVE?

To The Universe

LOVE BRANDY

It’s one thing to Expect Excellence, It’s Another to Require Perfection. No One is Perfect!!!

                Good Morning Universe, I need your help.  I need to let go of negativity.  I had a task a few weeks ago, I needed to arrange to have my Car (which is still in Sac) detailed so my father could photograph it for sale while he is visiting this week.  I had discussed this with my family in Sac, but I didn’t follow up.  That was my task and I forgot to follow it through to completion, but blame won’t help.

                It is such a fine line between expecting perfection and being encouraged to stay on track.  When you inflict guilt on yourself or others because you are unhappy or disappointed, that is not LOVE.  How do you encourage accountability in yourself and in others, while remembering that we are ALL HUMAN.  We ALL make mistakes, We All have memory lapses, and We All experience Fear.

                It is my responsibility to work harder to “stay on top” of things, but it is also my responsibility to “let go” of the small stuff.  My old self wants to dwell in negativity and anger, but I KNOW that won’t help me or anyone else.  Sometimes things just happen, sometimes people just forget.  Sometimes we have to remember that when you criticize yourself or others it isn’t always coming from a desire to encourage growth, we are just upset. 

It is now my job to “let go” of this negativity and move on, it may be easy or it may be difficult, but letting go of my negativity must be done.  It is also my responsibility to work harder to stay on top of things better.  I will congratulate my successes, then learn from and discard my failures.

                Remember to temper your thoughts and words with Understanding and Love.  Remember that each of us makes mistakes, and we don’t need to dwell on Every Mistake made by ourselves or others.  Don’t be too critical.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Brrrr!!! When it's Cold Outside, we still have to Get Up and Do The Work

                Catchy title don’t you think?  Usually I write first, then come up with a title but I am trying something new today.  I try to write about things that are going on in my life on each day, and today I AM FREEZING.

                I just got back from taking my Dad and Susan to the airport, they are visiting family in Sacramento, and even though I have had the heater on for a few hours it’s still cold.  My hands are freezing, but I can’t type with gloves on.  LOL.

                What strikes me most this morning is that my “old self” would have just gotten right back into bed, not just because of the cold but because I could.  Thankfully my “old self” isn’t in control anymore.  She likes to come back and visit, but I have the tools to “put her in her place.”

                I had to put my “old self” in check because if I didn’t  I would have allowed myself to snuggle up, turn on the TV and delay the start to my morning.  That wouldn’t be good because then I would have to get motivated to start working all over again.  Better to just get up and start the day.

                Now I have one “good decision” under my belt and that is a decision I made from a place within myself that is filled with “LOVE.”  As my day progresses if negativity or tough choices come my way I can remember my first “good decision” and use that as fuel to stay on track.

                Every day is different.  Some days I have to “work” harder to stay on track and focus more on making positive decisions and operating from “love” not “fear.”  My job is to keep moving and keep working.  I must acknowledge the “good” things, and “Learn From” then “Let Go Of” the negative things.  The more I practice this, the better I get at it.

                What “good decisions” can you make this morning that you can carry with you throughout your day? 

To The Universe

Love Brandy

I REALLY WANT A COOKIE!!!

                Good Morning Universe I bet I got your attention with my title today.  Honestly who doesn’t want a cookie (or 10) now and then.  Before now I would have DEFINITELY just ate all the cookies.  Self-Control hasn’t always been one of my strong points, but that is changing these days.

                I have spoken before about my addiction to negative behaviors like smoking, drugs, and even self-harm.  Another addiction I have struggled with, and still struggle with is an addiction to food.  I partook in these negative behaviors to escape.  I was usually bored or depressed and made excuses as to why these negative behaviors were OK.  Not Anymore, I don’t want to make excuses I am making changes.

                It is very difficult to change behaviors that have been part of your life and your personality for years, but it’s DEFINITELY POSSIBLE.  The best part about changing your negative behaviors and habits is the pride you get upon success.  The hardest part is getting back on track if you fail.  Failure is common when making significant changes, but I BELIEVE the only TRUE FAILURE is never trying again.  The things people value most are things we have WORKED FOR.

                That being said, I REALLY WANT COOKIES.  I am aware that the OLD SELF wouldn’t be able to just have one serving of cookies, I would be in danger of eating half the box.  My NEW SELF has been doing really good this week.  I bought a small box of cookies 5 days ago, and still have more than half the package left today (and it’s actually a really small package) YEAH!!!  I am starting to gain some self-control, and with that comes PRIDE.

                I have goals this year and like most people weight loss is one of them.  I have had success with weight loss, but not recently.  Two years ago I weighed 316lbs, as of today I have gotten down to 242lbs.  (Wow it’s REALLY DIFFICULT to tell people my actual weight)  The majority of my weight loss was accomplished in 2011, I just didn’t gain it back. 

Last year I still had the goal to be healthier, I just got lazy.  This year it’s not about maintaining my weight loss, but getting it moving again, and I am happy to report THIS YEAR is going GREAT.  This week I have lost over 3lbs, and I am SO HAPPY.

 Now my job in the coming months is to remember this POSITIVE feeling in order to keep me motivated.  It is my job to keep working even when I hit the DREADED PLATEAU, which I acknowledge will come.  I must take my thoughts captive, thoughts like “this is too hard” or “well I worked so hard and don’t’ see changes.”  I must remember how good it feels to succeed, even when my inner quitter is SCREAMING at me. 

                One step I have taken is to tell others my goals, that way I will be accountable.  Another way is to share my struggles and successes with a support system.  The only person I have shared my goals with for this year is my Father, but now I have shared them with ALL of YOU and it SCARES ME but it also inspires me.  Let’s all work to overcome our FEARS this year and look for the POSITIVE.

To The Universe
LOVE BRANDY

Dance and Be Silly!!!

               It’s time to enjoy life, have fun, and get a little silly.  This is something that I need to remember more often.  The best part about this motto is that I don’t need anyone else to make this happen.  I can have more joy in my life, even if I am on my own.

               Don’t get me wrong, being surrounded by people you can enjoy yourself with is great.  What I feel right now is that I can enjoy myself and celebrate my life even when I am alone.  Right now I have the music up and am dancing around without worry that someone will think I look silly.  It’s SOOOO freeing, it’s fun, and it makes me feel alive.

               When I smile, laugh, and dance it fills me with a kind of freedom and happiness that I often forget about in the daily grind of life.  I realize that we all have responsibilities, worries, and things that must get done to function.  What I AM Saying is that it’s very important to ENJOY your life.

               I am sure not everyone enjoys turning up the music and letting go of their worries.  Though I am sure the majority of people do.  If your one of the people who doesn’t think this sounds like fun then just try it.  One thing to remember is to listen to UPBEAT music, don’t turn up the sappy stuff.

               I challenge you to turn up your favorite happy music and try to be sad, it’s actually really difficult.  Enjoy something small today, be silly today, dance today, tell a joke today and see what happens.  If it doesn’t make you feel good now, try it again later.  If it’s not music and dancing that makes you silly, happy, and filled with laughter try to find what works for you.

               The pursuit of happiness is never a mistake as long as you are not hurting anyone else or doing something self-destructive.  When you are happy, you attract happy people and positive things.  The Universe wants you to experience happiness, laughter, and love.  What can you do today to bring more joy into your life?  Trust me PURE JOY is NEVER a waste of time.

To the Universe

Love Brandy

Happiness or Sadness…Where Do You LIVE?

                Good Morning Universe,  I LIVE IN HAPPINESS.  Yes, I said it and I mean it.  Today I spend my days in Happiness and I am Grateful.  I don’t want people to misunderstand what I mean by Living in Happiness, I am not saying I am Happy 24/7.  What I AM SAYING is that I don’t let sadness rule my life.

                I acknowledge that Sadness may come and visit me at times in my life, but I am not spending the majority of my life IN SADNESS anymore.  To me being Sad is only temporary, I don’t have to allow my negative emotions and experiences to dictate My Life.

                I contemplated whether or not I should write about Sadness.  I want my writings to be positive and uplifting when others read them, but I don’t want to be dishonest or let people believe everything is perfect.  My words wouldn’t help anyone if they aren’t honest or relatable.

                I remember last year when I went home to visit my mother for Halloween and she was a little shocked when I confided in her that I was Sad.  At the time I hadn’t found my place in Vegas, I was lonely and confused, but she didn’t know that because all my Blogs up until then were ALWAYS Positive.  I was afraid to admit that I felt negativity at times, but in that fear I was doing myself a disservice.  I was doing others a disservice, because how could I inspire others if I myself was unrelatable.

                Today I Live in Happiness for the majority of my days, but sometimes I must work harder to find the Happy and surround myself with it.  It is my job to move forward and find ways to bring more Happiness and more Love into my Life.  I have to work to leave the Negative in the past so I don’t end up living there.  I have to forgive myself when I am sad or negative, otherwise I may use that negativity as an excuse to live in Sadness. 

I am building a “toolbox” filled with ways to Live in Happiness.  What can you do to fill your “toolbox” with Happy?

To The Universe

Love Brandy

In the Aftermath of Destruction comes NEW LIFE!!!

                Good Morning Universe your power and beauty is amazing.  Today I am reminded of the amazing gift of nature and re-birth.  I am not physically outside experiencing the gifts nature gives us, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be constantly in awe and appreciation.

                I am simply inspired, and that inspiration came from something very small and simple, a photograph.  I was looking at different images of nature online and was struck by this image of a volcanic eruption. 

                It struck me how violent and scary it must be to witness something like this, but what also struck me was how Amazing it must be to witness the Power of Nature.  The best part about nature is that it’s beauty can come from something large and powerful like a volcano, or something as small as an insect resting on a blade of grass.  AMAZING!!!

                No one will disagree that nature is amazing and beautiful.  No one will disagree that the cycle of nature which includes destruction and rebirth is beautiful, necessary, and reflects Life Itself.  Nature isn’t just plants, animals, landscapes….Nature is Us.

                We are ALL part of the cycle of nature, our bodies, our minds, our lives.  The cycle of death and rebirth, positive and negative, isn’t just nature it’s OUR LIVES.  Next time something bad happens let’s try to remember that after the rain comes the growth.

                Let’s all work on taking the storm of our past, and using it to push our growth in the future.  We are ALL beautiful, not because we are perfect, but because we DIFFERENT.  We are ALL beautiful, not because of what others think, but because we are part of Nature.  RESPECT yourself, RESPECT others, RESPECT Nature, and LOVE YOUR LIFE!!!

To The Universe

LOVE BRANDY

Do you need a New You in the NEW YEAR?

                Well we made it…It’s 2013 and everything I’ve been reading is about creating a “New You” in the New Year.  What’s that supposed to mean?  We don’t need more people telling us we need to create a New person to go along with the New Year.  We need Love, Acceptance, Growth, and we need to tune into to what will make each of us happy.

                If you truly believe that you need to create a “New You” in the New Year in order to have more happiness in your life, Then DO IT!!!  I am all for self-reflection and growth, but make sure that the changes you consider implementing are changes that come from a deep desire within yourself.

                In the New Year you should focus inward on what desires you feel inside your heart.  What if you don’t really Want a New You.  What if you Truly Believe you are happy with yourself, if so then CELEBRATE.  No one is perfect and we are always growing, but don’t seek out changes unless you Truly Believe those Changes will manifest Happiness in your life.  In the New Year your desires, intentions, and the changes you implement because of them should be in alignment with your Heart!!!

                Personally I have many desires I want to implement within myself and my life, but I also realize I am happy now, I just want MORE HAPPINESS.  When I consider “changes” that I want to make in the upcoming year, I will filter these desires through Happiness.  I must ask myself if the road I am travelling and the decisions I am making will result in More Happiness for Myself and those around me.

                Here’s to EVERYONE bringing more happiness into their world this year.  Here’s to EVERYONE operating from a place within themselves that is filled with LOVE.  HERE’S TO THE NEW YEAR!!!! 

To The Universe

LOVE BRANDY

Feed Your SPIRIT!!!

"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 is part of your subconscious, it is 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