I Choose to BELIEVE

            Do you know the Universe is always talking to us, it’s just waiting for us to listen.  The Universe is always offering us a path to our dreams.  We must keep our eyes and ears open so the Universe can guide us. 

An important thing to remember as we walk our path is that it is rarely a straight line.  The Universe gives us opportunities to alter our path to fit our needs all the time, whether it be daily or even hourly.  Don’t ignore these whispers just because they are coming at you fast, grab hold of your future because it starts today.

                Now don’t despair because the Universe isn’t yelling at you about your path daily.  If the Universe isn’t yelling at you every day, if you don’t see the signs of your future every hour don’t despair. 

                Remember the Universe doesn’t work on your timeframe.  The Universe will give you what you want and need at the opportune moment.  The Universe can see where you are going long before you can.  I had to surrender my path to the Universe today. 

It may seem small, but my scale may or may not have mislead me in regards to my weight loss last week.  At first I was upset not knowing which weight is right, but it doesn’t change my goals or my work ethic. 

I am still going to walk and hike regularly and watch what I eat.  Those things are good for me, and I don’t need immediate rewards because in the long run I’ll be rewarded.  The Universe has a timeframe for my health and I choose to Believe. 

Most Important is to Believe that what you want and need WILL COME.  The Universe will respond to your Belief, never give up, never stop believing, and the Universe WILL manifest a wonderful existence.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Giving to Others, Give to Yourself!!!!

                Good Morning Universe, once again I am Super Excited!!!  As you know I have been making an effort on many fronts to improve my life.  I am working towards better physical health with good food choices and exercise, this week I was rewarded with a loss of 5lbs.  YEAH!!! 

I am working towards a more complete social life in my new city.  At first I was unsure how to make friends, but then a light went on in my head, GIVE BACK. 

This week I am giving my time and energy towards volunteering.  Today I will be volunteering at a local animal shelter with a friend.  This weekend I am volunteering to help with The Ugly Sweater Run, which is accepting toys to help those in need. 

I haven’t been this excited in a while, I am looking forward to socially interacting with new people.  Even better is that I am able to donate my time to REALLY be of assistance to others, and that fills me with LOVE and EXCITEMENT.  Helping Others is one of the Greatest ways to Help Yourself.

When you are of assistance to others, whether it be monetary, giving your time, or even giving a smile to a stranger to “Spread the LOVE” it feels GREAT.  I have said before that the more Love you put out into the Universe the More Love you get back for yourself, and I Meant IT.

It’s the season of giving and we should all be thinking about what we can give back to The Universe.  Will you give a kind word or encouragement to a stranger today?  Will you commit to volunteering to give back to those in need?  Will you give Yourself a kind word or encouragement today?  Will you commit to operating from LOVE not just during the holidays, but ALL YEAR?

Let’s make this holiday season and New Year all about LOVE.  Love for ourselves, Love for others, and Love for the planet. 

To The Universe

LOVE BRANDY

Filter Criticism through LOVE

                CRITICISM.  Like most people that word makes me cringe.  I have often felt that when someone criticized me I was being attacked.  I didn’t want to hear other people point out my faults.  I didn’t want to acknowledge my own faults, let alone have someone else do it.

                Criticism is a difficult concept to grasp, it can be constructive, negative, or unnecessary.  The problem with criticism these days is that so many people do so in order to put other people down.  Many people put others down as a way to make themselves feel better or control other people through their feelings.

                When you are being criticized by another person it is possible to look past your fear of “being called out” and grow.  When you are being criticized by someone who is only trying to make themselves feel better, how do you distinguish that?

                The first step to dealing with criticism is to realize that you are in control of what you will do with the things being said to you.  No One can make you feel bad about yourself unless you allow it.

                When someone is being negative and critical simply because they want to feel better about themselves, use LOVE as a tool.  First you must fill your heart with LOVE for yourself.  Love is the best defense against negativity.

                The more difficult step when being criticized is to practice Love for the person who is being critical towards you.  Whether they are being critical because they are negative, or are being critical because they Love you and want to see you grow and succeed doesn’t matter.

                The person using criticism as a weapon is in need of LOVE, they are trying to fill a place of lack within themselves by putting others down.  It is often said that what you put out in the world, you will get back.  When you are able to put LOVE out into the world, in the face of negativity and criticism you can help to grow that LOVE in others.

                The person who is critical out of LOVE can be more difficult to spot.  The people who are operating from Love aren’t simply criticizing you, they are truly concerned about you.  The people operating out of Love desire to change themselves and others through personal growth and LOVE.

One sure way to distinguish a critical person who operates from Love, is how they treat themselves.  A person who operates from LOVE will not only point to areas where growth is lacking in others, but will be able to acknowledge areas in their own lives that are in need of growth.  The person operating from LOVE won’t feel better when you feel worse.

Don’t let others negativity control you.  Practice how to accept criticism as a tool for growth.  Practice distancing yourself from people who use criticism as a tool to make themselves feel better.  A little bit of criticism can be healthy if you are operating from LOVE and aren’t using it as a weapon against yourself or others. 

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Take Your Thoughts CAPTIVE

                Good Morning Universe.  Lately I have been practicing, doing the work, and making changes in my life.  People that read my blog have been a party to “this work,” and unlike years in the past, I am really doing the work, not just pretending.

                I have been working on my physical and mental health.  I have been creating goals and taking steps toward those goals, and it’s been difficult. 

                The hardest part is overcoming my brain, is that it often seems wired for “what if’s.”  Those “what if’s” have been the basis for worry, anxiety, laziness, and excuses.  I have focused so much on the “what if’s” that I had forgotten how to move forward.

                I was stuck in a hole that I dug for myself.  I was so concerned with worrying about what might happen, that I did nothing.  I was stagnant, unhappy, and filled with apathy.

                Today I have learned, through my work with The Elevate Institute, that I am the only person who can take my negative thoughts captive.  This is often times easier said than done.

                Many times I get overwhelmed with my inability to control my thoughts and emotions.  The difference now is that I am not giving up.  I realize that it’s Human Nature to have anxiety, fear, and doubt.  Now that I realize, and truly believe that others go through the same thing I can stop putting myself down because of it.

                Once I accept these thoughts as part of me, I can practice taking control of my them.  Like with any exercise, it will take time to master.  Like with any exercise you just need to start with a commitment.  Like with any exercise, you need to put in “The Work.”  Once you start to take your thoughts captive, you will have more control of your own life. 

Never give up, and if you fall down, forgive yourself and get back up again.  Remember you are not perfect, but you it’s your imperfections that will keep you growing.  What negative or fearful thoughts can you work on “taking captive” today?

To The Universe

Love Brandy

I AM responsible to PUSH MYSELF

                Good Morning Universe, I want to be lazy today.  I woke up really early, before the sun was up, and really didn’t sleep well.  Oops, that sounds like an excuse in the making.  It’s sounds like an excuse not to keep my exercise commitment.

                If I didn’t just get dressed, stretch out, and acknowledge that only I can make myself exercise I would be worried.  I wanted to let The Universe know that I experience a desire to be lazy today.  Now that I have expressed that desire, it’s up to ME to push myself forward.    

It is my choice to get past my desire to be “comfortable” and “a little lazy.”  This morning I am making a choice to keep my commitment, out of Love and Respect for myself and my desires.

It helps to know that once I am done with my exercise commitment I KNOW I’ll feel Great.  I am off to exercise, and will continue this day’s blog when I get back.  I know that once I overcome my “lazy” I’ll feel “even better” because I have kept my commitment.

I’m BACK, and no surprise here, I feel Great.  I just completed another 4 mile walk today, and not just any walking, Power Walking.  It was enough exercise to have me sweating, even though it’s pretty chilly this morning.  Even during my walk, my “Lazy” tried to sneak back up on me.  My “Lazy” whispered in my ear and told me to go home early.  Thankfully I didn’t listen, and that makes me proud.

I am proud to have pushed through my “Lazy” phase and completed the exercise which I am committed to.  No one else can make me do it.  I am responsible to Push Myself towards my goals.  When I focus on my goals and what I want to accomplish I know that I am operating from a place of Love within myself.  Today is going to be Another Great Day.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Loving Yourself Can Be Rough

                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.”

                As you know last week I hiked to the top of Lone Mountain, and it was GREAT!  This week I have been exercising every day trying to prepare for my next great adventure.  I made a commitment to myself to walk/exercise for 30-60minutes every day, and So Far I am keeping my commitment.

                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

Spread the LOVE

“True love is unconditional and we do not have to do anything to earn it or become anything to be worthy of it”  Chris Assaad

This quote is powerful and full of truth.  One thing I feel I need to add is that we may not have to do or become anything to be worthy of love, but if we are TRULY Operating from Love we will be compelled to be worthy of Love from others by expressing our own love to the world.

If you have been blessed with Love, you Must share that Love with others.  True Love is meant to be shared.  True Love isn’t selfish, therefore you Can’t keep it to yourself.  When you TRULY operate from LOVE, you will be compelled to share the Joy and Love with others

When you share your Joy and Love with others, that’s when that LOVE within you will GROW EVEN GREATER.  If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, LOVE is an Unlimited Resource.  Don’t be stingy, the more love you give, the more you get.

Try to make it a part of your daily workout, to be grateful for the Love you experience.  Make sure your daily workout includes sharing your Love and Gratitude with others.  Be sure those “others” include random acts of kind words and actions for people you may not know.

One act of Love or Kindness can spread like Wildfire….

To The Universe

Love Brandy