I AM...Are You?

               “I AM…These are two of the most powerful words in the English language, because what comes after them shapes your reality.”  -Unknown

               I AM feeling powerful, I AM feeling happy, I AM feeling loved.  Those statements are powerful, beautiful, and not always easy to believe. 

               I AM are two words that shape your life, your perceptions, your emotions.  It’s so easy to believe things that are negative and unfortunately I think that is the way the world has shaped us.

               Most of us need other people’s approval, or we end up believing a lot of what other people say about us.  We are taught from a young age to do what we are told, because that makes us good.  This is the basis for when we grow up and need approval to be happy.

               It’s normal to seek approval from others, but not if we forget to approve of ourselves.  If we base how we feel about ourselves on other people, we are not living from “I AM.”  We are living from, “I AM…BUT only if others approve.”

               It is important to take others feelings and opinions into consideration in our daily lives, but not to the extent that we forget about considering ourselves.  If we want to live an “I AM” life that isn’t filled with doubt and a need for external approval, we must look towards ourselves first.

               I spent most of my life trying to make myself worthy of others, this only made me feel worse about myself.  If I am looking at my life through someone else’s eyes how can I ever be happy?   Well, the answer is you can’t, happiness is not achieved by looking at yourself through another’s eyes.

               The more I search for what makes me happy, the more I laugh because I want too, the more I feel complete.  When I feel complete, when I feel worthy, when I feel happy, that’s is when others will see this in me.

Changing your life requires changing how you see yourself, if you want other people to see value in you then you must see it in yourself first.  This realization has freed me to be happier inside and surround myself with others who feel the same way.  It’s Awesome.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Building Your Future Today

               This morning I was thinking about my future, I was deep in thought about when I could say my future was now.  I wanted to know when I would have my perfect relationship, my own home, my perfect job, and when would I be travelling the globe.  That is when I realized the future is never now.  The future is my dreams, my actions, my expectations, and my reward for living the life that the Universe wants me to.

               I know that I am building my future with my thoughts and actions today.  I also know that the Universe requires my patience and belief before I can manifest everything I want and need. 

               Many times in my past I would “want” things and whether I worked for them or not, I felt slighted when they didn’t work out.  I wanted to have more money, more a career, stability, and love.  When these things didn’t appear for me I just became apathetic about “wishing”. 

               The thing I realize is that “wishing” doesn’t work.  Apathy and Negativity will not bring about positive results, and we just need a little faith in the Universe.  When we have faith, not necessarily faith from a religious aspect, just faith in life and in the Universe that’s when great things manifest.

               Now I rarely wish for more money, more love, more happiness, and more forgiveness.  I work with the Law of Attraction to manifest more specific desires that will bring about the feelings I want to experience in life.  I start from a positive place, I try to forget my past addictions, pain, and guilt in order to live from heart.

               When I live from my heart and stop “wishing” for everything to be perfect, that is when I can concentrate on what I truly want.  I can allow the Universe to speak to me and guide me to the wonderful life I deserve.  My future won’t look just like I picture it today, it will be even better.  I love myself, my life, and the people I surround myself with.  I am grateful for everything I have and KNOW that I have so much more to come in my life.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Life is Balance

"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.  Especially cool about this retrospection is that tomorrow is my Birthday, and don’t we all look back on our lives when we are about to be a year older.

               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

People Pleaser? Does it come from Love or Fear?

               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.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

We Are All Connected

               It is strange what can inspire us and cause a visceral reaction, one that we may not even be sure  of where it came from.  I just watched a clip of an upcoming movie called, “The Cloud Atlas.”  I don’t know anything about this film project, or if it is any good.  What I do know is that it inspired me.

               I am confused about the storyline, but what I got from the trailer was that this film would follow different people through different times (past, present, future), even through different identities.  This concept, though complicated, got me thinking about circumstance.

               How many times in our lives have we wished we were someone else, I know I have done this many times.  I never stopped to wonder if I wanted to BE Someone else, or if I just wanted to be me but with different circumstances.

               Today I know that I don’t want to BE Someone else, but in my past I did.  I realize that wanting someone else’s life isn’t healthy, and truth be told it could never fulfill me. 

               As I grow within The Universe I see that by desiring someone else’s life over my own, the only thing I am doing is De-Valuing myself.  Who I Am is a direct result of my experiences in life.  Who I Am is how I react to, interpret, and learn from the experiences and circumstances I go through.

               I realize that “someone else’s” life could not bring me the happiness and fulfillment I desire.  The only way to have the life I want is to create it.  Envy will never bring about my perfect life, because what I want, No One Else can create.  I am the Creator of my Universe, I am the Originator of my Happiness, I am worthy and capable of living my Dreams.  I Love Me.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

Worth Begins With YOU

            Have you ever though about worth?  I am not talking about monetary value, but what you find worthy in others, and what you find worthy about yourself?

            I am guilty of not believing I am worth much at various times in my life.  If I am being honest, I think I have felt “unworthy” more often than I have felt “worthy” and that is sad.

            I felt I wasn’t pretty enough, I wasn’t skinny enough, I didn’t have enough money, I didn’t have enough friends.  I have spent so much time worrying about what others thought of me, and not NEARLY enough time thinking about what I thought of myself.

            I realize that it is unhealthy to worry about only OUR OWN happiness at every moment, that’s extremely selfish.  Though I realize the importance of taking time to make myself happy, time to enjoy myself, time to give myself credit for things I like about “ME”.

            This “me” time is a vital component of my happiness, and in turn for the happiness I am able to share with others.  It is the same concept with worth.  How can I find others worthy and deserving of happiness, if I can’t do the same for myself.

            Don’t be selfish.  Share the love you have inside with others, but never forget yourself.  Happiness is contagious.  When you smile it infects others.  It is impossible to smile and frown at the same time. 

Always remember you have a choice about how you see yourself, and how you see the world around you.  See Beauty, See Happiness, See Hope, See Kindness and you will SEE a Great Life.

Don't HIDE Your Emotions

            I love FEELING life, and not just the Good Stuff.  I am filled with emotions and I am beginning to appreciate just how wonderful that is.  I spent so long trying to only acknowledge my Happy feelings.  Wow, I completely underestimated the POWER that comes from ALL emotions.

            I am not saying that feeling the “bad” or “depressing” emotions is good.  What I am saying is that when I have a thought or emotion that I would classify as negative I realize I can change it, I can learn from it, and I can grow from it.

            My thoughts and emotions are one of the things in life I Have Complete

Control of.  Many times my thoughts and emotions seem out of my control, but I realize that is not true.

            I gain strength, pride, and power when I control my thoughts and emotions.  I even like a good cry every once and a while.  For me it’s like a day of work where I am hot, sweaty, and uncomfortable.  When the day is over I feel empowered to have persevered through something that is technically not “fun” or “happy”. 

            A hard day of work is just that, it’s HARD.  That hard day of work can result in an emotional state of gratitude and pride that I couldn’t accomplish without it.  That hard day of work makes my down time that much sweeter.

            My father likes to say people should operate from “love” and an “attitude of gratitude” and I agree with him.  Gratitude leads to an appreciation of what we have in life, good and bad, we can CHOOSE to see our lives for whatever we want.

The Weather Is Changing, Are You?

                        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.

            There’s been flash flood warnings, rain, and a lot of clouds in Vegas but I have actually enjoyed the weather.  Don’t get me wrong a beautiful sunny day can elevate my mood in wonderful ways, but I am really enjoying the darkened sky.  It’s beautiful.

            I think I am finally able to enjoy the clouds and rain, 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?

Only YOU Can Create Your Life

We Are All Connected 

               It is strange what can inspire us and cause a visceral reaction that we may not even be sure  of where it came from.  I just watched a clip of an upcoming movie called, “The Cloud Atlas.”  I don’t know anything about this film project, or if it is any good.  What I do know is that it inspired me.

               I am confused about the storyline, but what I got from the trailer was that this film would follow different people through different times (past, present, future), even through different identities.  This concept, though complicated, got me thinking about circumstance.

               How many times in our lives have we wished we were someone else, I know I have done this many times.  I never stopped to wonder if I wanted to BE Someone else, or if I just wanted to be me but with different circumstances.

               Today I know that I don’t want to BE Someone else, but in my past I did.  I realize that wanting someone else’s life isn’t healthy, and truth be told it could never fulfill me. 

               As I grow within The Universe I see that by desiring someone else’s life over my own, the only thing I am doing is De-Valuing myself.  Who I Am is a direct result of my experiences in life.  Who I Am is how I react to, interpret, and learn from the experiences and circumstances I go through.

               I realize that “someone else’s” life could not bring me the happiness and fulfillment I desire.  The only way to have the life I want is to create it.  Envy will never bring about my perfect life, because what I want, No One Else can create.  I am the Creator of my Universe, I am the Originator of my Happiness, I am worthy and capable of living my Dreams.  I Love Me.

To The Universe

Love Brandy

I'm Elevating My Life

Monday September 10^th, 2012

               Good Morning Universe, I am grateful because I am sleeping well.  For those of you who don’t understand my greeting today, let me explain.  I have been suffering with insomnia for almost 10 years.  It started in my late 20’s and has ruled my nightly patterns since.

               I was also suffering with severe anxiety, depression, and cutting episodes for which I was receiving medical treatment.  My psychiatric diagnosis were intertwined and most of the past decade I was under the care of a psychiatrist.  My doctor would prescribe different medications which would include pills to help me sleep.

               Earlier this year my father began encouraging me to learn about the Law of Attraction.  He sent me a copy of “The Secret” and that is when I was introduced to the concept of “The Universe” and The Law of Attraction.  Even with this information I was still hesitant.

My father also shared with me that he had started a group called “The Elevate Institute” in which he hoped to share his message about using “The Seven Keys” to Elevate people’s lives.  More information about the Seven Keys and The Elevate Institute can be found at The Seven Keys - The Elevate Institute

               I was hesitant and didn’t want to consider change or anything that required a true emotional investment.  I didn’t want to face my past, think about my future, or work on myself.  Thankfully my father was insistent and continued to encourage change.  He also invited me to move to Las Vegas to work with him and The Elevate Institute.  I took that leap and I am developing a life I never imagined.

               One of the first things we spoke about was trying to stop relying on medications to help me sleep.  Honestly I didn’t sleep very well with the medications anyways.  I was scared, nervous, and doubtful, but I tried. 

Today I sleep better than I have in years, and I don’t need sleeping pills.  I still don’t “sleep like a rock” but I am truly grateful for the improvement.  The best part is that I KNOW it will only get better.  I Believe that my sleep will continue to improve, therefore it will.  

What a beautiful morning it is.  What a beautiful life it is.  I am FILLED with GRATITUDE.  Can you find something to be grateful for?   Do you truly believe that change is good?  Can you take a step towards the future of your dreams?

To The Universe

Love Brandy

I'm Uncomfortable & It's Great!!!!

Monday September 3, 2012

               I have been taking a few days off.  Actually, I have taken a few days off from writing, but I have been extremely busy.  I have been either packing, moving, cleaning, or unpacking every day for the past week or so.  I am tired, sore, but happy.

               It occurs to me that my physical pain would be much worse if I wasn’t already happy.  I am aware of my pain, and I wish I could make it go away, but I realize that it is a result of all the hard work I have done.  That hard work causes me to be proud, especially because earlier this year I was apathetic, lazy, and unhappy.  Pride was not a word I used in my vocabulary at that time and stepping out of my comfort zone was not something I was willing to do.

               Now I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone to move to a new city.  I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone to start a new life.  I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone to start new relationships with the people who I surround myself with.  I’m getting used to being out of my comfort zone.  Maybe that is why it is easier for me to realize that the physical discomfort I am experiencing is temporary.  Just like I realized that my emotional discomfort would dissipate and I would adjust to my new surroundings.

               I know that being comfortable is a wonderful thing that is a necessary part of a happy and balanced life.  Though what I also realize is that being uncomfortable, at times, is also a necessary part of a happy and balanced life.  If we are never uncomfortable it is WAY TOO easy to forget what makes life great.  It’s the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the smiles and the frowns which give life meaning and value.  Let’s all get a little uncomfortable, step out into the unknown, or just take a tiny detour and see what happens.  Live Life to The Fullest.

To The Universe

Love Brandy