Stop Waiting!

Are You a Clock Watcher?

Life has become so busy that many of us feel rushed and stressed throughout the day. Some of these feelings arise from the annoyance we cause ourselves by always waiting for the next activity. When you are in a mindset of "waiting", you are not present. If you are at a stop light, in a checkout line, or a Doctor's office you are in a traditional "waiting" situation. By switching your state of mind to being present, you can relax and enjoy these few minutes of non activity. In a busy day, these moments give us a much needed opportunity to take a break.

Many people have experienced the agitation of “waiting” while stopped at a red light. For some reason there seems to be a lack of acceptance when it comes to traffic. Logically, we know that red lights, detours, and accidents are a normal part of traffic. Yet, when faced with a couple of minutes at a red light, some people feel irritated. They spend these couple of minutes dwelling on how long the lights are, how many lights are on their route, how the car in front of them should have gone through the yellow light so that they could have sped through the light before it changed red. Sometimes they even start to verbalized derogatory names about other drivers. In these few minutes, instead of peace and relaxation, these drivers have worked themselves up into a fit of anger.

Its time to stop waiting and start relaxing. . Use this time to take a few deep breaths, feel your body, hear the music of life, and be aware of the details around you. When you bring your attention to your physical body and it's surrounding environment you are forcing your awareness outside of your head. This is an automatic tension reliever. Nothing can bother you when you are present in the moment.

When you are in a waiting situation, give yourself a break!

* Take a few deep breaths. Slowly inhale feeling the air expand your lungs. Then feel the tension leave your body with each exhale.

* Think an affirmation of gratitude for these few moments of tranquility that you are about to experience. “This is wonderful! I am so grateful for these few minutes of peace.”

* Bring your attention to your surroundings. Engage your senses and be aware of sights, sounds, and smells. Get out of your head and reconnect with the world.

Start actively relaxing in situations where you would normally find yourself waiting. It's time to reclaim these precious minutes of your day! Begin to experience the peace and serenity that you can enjoy in these same few minutes. This is one simple step to enjoying life.

Be happy, my Friends-
Laura barrette Shannon

It Is What It Is...

ACCEPTANCE- When we cultivate acceptance, it will begin to strangle the weeds of discontent. You’ve probably heard the saying, “It is what it is.” When we can begin to accept that certain things in life are beyond our control, then we can understand the uselessness of complaining about them.   When we complain, we are planting seeds of misery in our minds, and spreading those seeds to other people.  Complaining will amplify your fixation on a negative circumstance.  If you can change what it is you are wishing were different, then have the courage to do it.  If you choose not to, then stop complaining.  If it's something beyond your control, then the complaining serves only one purpose- to aggravate yourself and others around you.  
Be aware of what you talk about, and see if you can notice how much you complain, and how others will complain about the littlest things.  Be aware of hoe this makes you feel.  
Practice focusing on the positive aspects of life.  This will improve your moods, and raise the moods of others around you.  Living with acceptance doesn’t mean that you condone the imperfections of this world, it means that you have chosen to see beyond them in order to allow yourself to enjoy life.
Be HAPPY, my Friends!-
 Laura Barrette Shannon

The Wild Boar

Two men from different villages were out hunting for food. They both had hungry families at home waiting for some small bit of meat to cook into a stew. They didn't see each other in the dense forest, so when they both aimed and shot at a wild boar each man thought it was he who had hit it. As they approached the wounded boar, who was just lying there, they began to argue about who shot it and who had the right to bring it home. As they argued, they didn't even notice that the boar wasn't dead and had run away.

Don't be so caught up in arguing your point of view and trying to be right that you miss the big picture. When we come from a place of selfishness and lack, we are operating out of fear. The fear in these two men blinded them to the fact that there was enough to feed both families. Be aware of the benefits of working together toward a common goal.  When you are too attached to your view point it will hinder seeing other view points, which might prohibit you from seeing win/win resolutions to problems. Otherwise, everybody loses. 


Many Blessings-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Is It Hard to Accept a Compliment?

 

DO YOU FIND IT HARD TO ACCEPT A COMPLIMENT? When we shy away from compliments, uttering something to diminish the praise, or even negate it, we are showing and reinforcing our lack of self worth.

See if you can catch yourself diminishing compliments and ponder why you do this.  How does it make you feel?  How do you feel when you give a compliment and someone doesn't receive it well?  Can you see the lack of confidence in others when they do this?  This is what you project to the world when you shirk off a compliment. 

Next time someone wants to praise you for your efforts or for just being you, practice responding with a self confident smile and replying with a genuine "Thank you." Remember, you are an amazing person! Let others acknowledge this when they experience your awesomeness! 

Feel your self worth and Be Happy my Friends!

~ Laura Barrette Shannon

Row, Row, Row Your Boat...

 FLOW WITH LIFE like water going down stream. When rocks appear, effortlessly flow around the obstacles without even slowing down. The only dams you will encounter are the ones you build yourself: 

Attempting move against the current (moving backwards).

Getting stuck in a whirlpool (repeating the same mistakes over and over).

Attempting to run off course (moving away from your dreams). 

These movements are unnatural and filled with resistance. If you feel like your natural flow is off track, ask yourself if you are causing this resistance by choosing not to flow with life.  Row gently down the stream, and be merry!

Be Happy my friends! ♥ ~Laura Barrette Shannon

How Can I get Over of This Pain?

"I FEEL SO HURT, how can I get over this pain?" This question is common. Emotional pain is like a vicious dog. When you direct anger it's way it will get an emotional surge and bark louder. The first step is to stop focusing on the pain, stop repeating the story over and over to your friends and to yourself in your mind. The second step is to make peace with the dog. To make peace with your pain you begin to realize that when people do and say things to hurt other people it is a reflection of their own fears and emotional pain. As you move toward happiness and peace of mind you will begin to have compassion on them, because they are stuck in the darkness and are suffering. What ever people do is never about you, it is about them and their state of mind at the time. Reflect on these thoughts when you feel anger and resentment towards another. This will help you move past the emotional pain and finally let it go. 

Many blessings to you all

~ Laura Barrette Shannon

Are You a Prisoner?

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." ~ Lewis Smedes

Who do you need to forgive in order to release yourself from the prison of repetitive emotional pain? How long will you hold onto this pain, like a deluded victim clinging to the knife that stabs them, pretending that you aren't the one holding the knife? Forgiveness has nothing to do with the other person. It is not condoning whatever actions or words hurt you. It is making a decision not to let the event keep hurting you over and over. It is an act of self healing. By releasing the thoughts of resentment and anger we release our attachment to suffering.
Some people think that you shouldn't forgive someone unless they deserve to be forgiven.  This is not being fair to yourself. You are the one who deserves to be free of this heavy weight.  The act of forgiveness releases you from the repetitive thoughts of being a victim.  You may have been a victim once, but until you forgive and let those thoughts of resentment go, you will be a victim of this emotional suffering again and again. 
Once you forgive a person, it does not mean that you should allow the same situation to repeat itself.  Just because you have forgiven something does not mean it is okay to play the victim again. Be forgiving in nature but be wise in your decisions to interact with others by not playing a fool.  
The act of forgiveness may take time, so be gentile with yourself as you move toward freeing yourself from this dark prison.   
Many Blessings~


Laura Barrette Shannon

Where Are Your Trains Going?

(photo art by www.dougwebbart.com ) 

Thoughts are like trains passing through your mind. You can either let the train go by, silently watching it flow through, or you can jump on the train of thought allowing it to bring you to a destination. Some trains go to happy places: warm memories, future dreams, gratitude, present surroundings. Others go to places of misery: regret, worry, resentment, complaints. Be aware of what train you jump on. When you pay attention to thoughts they grow stronger and come more often. Begin to be aware of how your thoughts affect your moods. Ask yourself, where is this train going? Then you can either stay on it or jump off! 


JUMPING TRAINS- The optimal gaol is not to allow ourselves to indulge in trains of thought that lead to misery and suffering. But since this takes time to master, most of us will occasionally find ourselves on a self destructing train of thought. To maintain peace of mind we must learn how to jump from negative trains to happy trains. There are many ways to do this. One of the easiest is to bring your awareness back to the present moment. Pay attention to your surroundings, concentrate on feeling your body sensations, sights, sounds, and smells. When you are fully present your mind will not be thinking about past trauma, today's complaints, or tomorrow's worries. You will be in the NOW, fully aware and free to experience life outside of your head, until you jump onto another more pleasant train of thought. Practice being aware of what train you are riding, and jumping trains as necessary. The more you practice, the easier it will be, until one day it will be second nature. The less attention you pay to the negative trains of thought, the less often they will come to mind, and the quicker they will pass through, eventually not coming much at all. Be gentile with yourself during this training phase. Any amount of effort you take will pay off more than you realize.
Many Blessings-
Laura Barrette Shannon

What Would You Do if the World Ended Tomorrow?

You may have heard that there is a group of people who believe that the world will end tomorrow, May 21, 2011. There has been a man with a sign like this on a street corner warning people in my area for years about this coming judgment day. My thoughts about this are: Who knows if it's true, I tend to think not, but if it were true how would that knowledge affect your life today? Would you pay attention to the little things more, the birds chirping, the sun setting, your children vying for attention, the taste and texture of your food? Would you offer forgiveness of those who you hold grudges and resentment? Would you express your love more freely to those around you? Would you take time to pray, even though you may not ever pray? If so, why wait for your last day on Earth to do these things? You may have one day left, or 10,000. Either way, don't wait till the last minute to live in awareness, joy, and love.


Whether the world ends tomorrow, next year (Dec 21, 2012), or just ends for me when I die, I will not live any different than I do today.  I am not afraid to die.  I'm more afraid of not living while I'm alive.
Many Blessings-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Don't Get Stuck in the Dark

DEALING WITH LOSS- Sometimes in life relationships will end, your health may decline, and people will pass on. We all have to deal with loss and grief eventually. It is important to allow your emotions to flow, to allow yourself to feel any way that you feel, without judging or suppressing your emotions. Let the emotions flow, then let them go. The sadness will eventually pass if you process the emotions.

Part of being happy and enjoying life is learning to move through the dark times without getting stuck.  Some people have a tendency to cling to the loss much longer than is healthy.  There may be thoughts of what ifs, should have beens, or even blame.  All of these thoughts are unhealthy and will not help you move out of the darkness.  There are others that cling to grief like a victim clinging to the knife that stabs them.  They think that by letting go of the emotional pain, they are dishonoring the relationship- as if by not feeling sad they are expressing to the world that the relationship wasn't that strong.  These type of thoughts can keep them in the darkness for the rest of their life.  There is no dishonor in moving past grief and being happy again.  When we cling to grief, we dishonor our own life and our own spirit.  


I realized this after my 11 yr old daughter, Nicole died in 2000.  There were times when my victim mentality would creep into my mind and tell me lies about how I should never be happy again.  I came to the decision that the best way to honor her memory was to move forward and make the best of my life. It is then that instead of destroying my life, her death became a catalyst for personal 
transformation.
  
Many blessing to those of you going through the darkness at this time.  Please know that you can move through even the darkest time in your life- if you allow it.  


Namaste-


Laura Barrette Shannon

The Palm Rose (1 minute story)

(photo at patterns-and-spirals.deviantart.com)

 

A Grandmother and her young granddaughter are walking down a busy city street. They pass by a homeless man. He is sitting against the granite wall of a high rise building. The man doesn't have a sign, or a cup for begging; He is busily making roses from palm leaves. There are two roses beside him. The Grandmother stops and asks if she could buy one of the roses. The homeless man smiles and says, "For you kind Lady, it is free." The grandmother takes out her purse and gives the homeless man $5. As they walk away, the young girl asks her Grandmother, "Why did you give him money? He will probably just buy beer and cigarettes. You can't help every homeless guy you see." The Grandmother replies, "Dear One, it may be his nature to take the money and buy beer and cigarettes, but it is my nature to help a man in need."

GIVE without expectations or without conditions. Give because it is your nature, not because you want something in return.



Namaste-

Laura Barrette Shannon

Who Do You Choose to Be?

Take charge of life by accepting that who and what you are today is a direct result of all of the thoughts and actions that you have made in the past, not because of someone else, or something outside of yourself. Everyone has the power to choose to be any way they wish to be. Once one accepts responsibility for their own life, true change occurs.  

"Choose to Be"

I am now whom I choose to be,
Consciously guiding my destiny.
I once blamed fate for losing my way,
But, actions past formed me today.
I was asleep- slumbering life;
Dreaming daily; Seeding strife.
Now, I pick, plan persist,
Intending to be whom I insist.
Dueling demons; Fighting fear,
Actions my weapons; Thoughts my seer.
I will endure until the end,
Minding each moment that I spend,
Knowing that I'm forever free,
Being now whom I choose to be.
(from Awakening Perception, by Laura Barrette Shannon)


When I realized that I alone was responsible for my interactions with other people and responses to situations in my life, it gave me the power to make different choices.  I was no longer a victim of life.  I began to choose to look at myself and how I interacted in the world.  I discovered my habits based in fear were not working to create the life I desired.  I learned to face my fears and to focus on love, joy, and life's beauty.  In doing so, I chose to be a happy free spirit.  Who do you choose to be?


Namaste-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Become the Watcher

(photo from openhandweb.org)

CONNECT to your higher self! You have the power to be however you choose to be in any situation. One easy way to connect to your higher self is to BECOME THE WATCHER- see how you usually react to people and situations.   Bring your awareness into watching mode by paying attention to your patterns of being, and questioning your thoughts and behavior. Then you can see if how you are acting is in alignment with who you desire to be.  You may be surprised to find that when you come from a place of reaction you are not in alignment with how you would choose to respond if you had given the situation a moment of thought.   Once you have attained this "watcher" awareness you will have the power to respond to life instead of operating with your automatic default reactions. Then you can choose love over fear, peace over conflict, and happiness over despair. ♥
Don't judge your efforts.  Any amount of attention you give to this practice will enhance your ability to move into watcher mode at will.  Have fun with this exercise.  You may learn things you never knew about yourself.  :)


Namaste-


Laura Barrette Shannon

What Are You Worried About?

Master Yoda

"FEAR is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering." ~Master Yoda~

Be aware of your fears, face them with courage, for it is not that which you are afraid of that will destroy you, it is the fear itself that has that power. It isn't always the big fears that destroy our peace of mind, it is usually the little fears, called "worries" that bring us suffering.


When a worry comes into your mind, recognize it for what it is- fear.  Do not allow fear to rule you. There is never a need to worry, because worrying does not change the outcome of an event.  It is wasted mental energy which will cause suffering.  Worry will destroy peace of mind and happiness.


Take a look at this chart:

Anytime that we allow ourselves to indulge in worrying, we have given into fear. Bobby McFerrin had it right,  "Don't worry- Be happy!"


Namaste-


Laura Barrette Shannon

What's Your Story?

Your story is what you tell yourself and others about your life. We do this all the time when we meet new people.  The longer we know them, the more we fill in the life story with whole chapters and characters we have met. The key is to know that you are telling the story, so you have the power to change the point of view of the narration.  
Is your story one of being a victim of circumstances, or is it one of triumph through adversity? Recognize that either version of the story is just a different perspective of the same past events. I could tell my story from a negative point of view:  My 11 year old daughter was tragically killed in an accident, and I have to deal with disabling health issues everyday, therefore my life is sad and depressing.  Woe is me...
Or I can tell my story with positive passion:  Many years ago I went through some emotional and physical trauma.  These events provided an atmosphere of deep introspection of life and were a catalyst for self transformation. I am grateful for my past, because it has given me the opportunity to grow into who I am today. Life is good!
Both versions of the story are describing the same past events.  The past hasn't changed, the way I look at it has changed.  This change in perspective changed my life.
 The choice in how you see and tell your story will affect your self image and how others see you. Don't play the victim in your life story and you won't feel like a victim.  Today ask yourself, "What's my story?"  If you don't like the story, then change it.  You write your own story!  Make it a happy one!


Many Blessings-


Laura Barrette Shannon

Love Yourself First

(photo from seefurtherthaniam.com)

Don't confuse the desire to share your time and love with another, with the need to complete yourself or feel whole. When people convince themselves that they are incomplete with out being with another person they are deluding themselves into thinking that somehow another person can make them feel whole. No one can make you feel happy or whole. These are feelings that can only come from within your own heart. 


Sure, a new love will provide feelings of elation and a temporary feeling of fulfillment, but as the newness wears off in the relationship, so will the feeling of completeness, unless you have learned to love yourself. The void you may feel in your heart is because you haven't embraced your own perfection. LOVE YOURSELF FIRST, and then you will be offering a complete person with a whole heart to the relationship.


It can be challenging to overcome a lifetime of self judgement.  Be gentle with yourself.  I use a positive affirmation every morning to remind myself that, "I AM healthy, happy and whole."  Whenever I feel self doubt, I repeat this phrase a few times.  It may sound like it won't make a difference, but I assure you that it will.  Loving yourself first is a fundamental step to being happy.  


 Namaste-


 Laura Barrette Shannon 

What Is Important to You?

The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.  ~Stephen Covey~

Take a look at your life. Is it over scheduled with activities to the point where you feel that you don't have time for self improvement, creative endeavors, or quality time with loved ones? If you make a list of the top five priorities in your life, do you make time to attend to them? Decide what is important, schedule it, and then schedule the rest. You will be surprised at how much your life will be enhanced when you focus on what is important to you. ?


My top priorities are:
1.  Peace of mind
2.  Relationships
3.  My dogs
4.  Health
5.  Creative endeavors- writing


Because these things are a priority to me, I make time for them.  It is easy to get so caught up in the multitude of activities that are vying for our attention that we neglect what is important to us.  Evaluate your schedule, and ask yourself, "What is important to me?"


Enjoy your journey~


Laura Barrette Shannon

Don't Make Assumptions

"Don't make assumptions."  don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements

When we make assumptions about people by the way they dress, their occupation, level of education, hair styles , or any other label we place upon them, we are deluding ourselves into believing stories about them. This happens all the time. We see through the perceptions of our own limited beliefs. We might see a teen dressed as a Goth and assume that they are depressed, have evil thoughts, or are failing school.  This may or may not be true. 


 We assume that the stereotype is the rule for the group.  My son went through a goth stage in high school.  He and most of his friends dressed in black, wore chains, and had unnatural hair colors and wild styles.  They were the nicest group of kids.  Every one of them had an after school job.  Not one of them was depressed.  It was just a form of self expression and promoted a feeling of belonging to a group, instead of feeling like social outcasts.  Still, there were plenty of people who judged them by the way they dressed.  


Become aware of the tendency to judge a book by its cover, and be open minded and tolerant of others who may be different than yourself. When we release the habit of judging others we free ourselves in the process. 
Enjoy your journey!
Laura Barrette Shannon

What Are You Feeding Your Mind?

It's time to take a look at what we feed our minds everyday.  Every source of input you allow into your mind will become a seed of thought.  That is how advertising works.  They bombard you with the same ads over and over until you are brain washed into buying their product.  Life in general is the same way, filled with sensory input, which when focused on over and over will sway your thoughts which in turn affects your moods.  What you choose to pay attention to feeds your mind.  If you are feeding it an over abundance of pointless drama (reality TV), negativity (news), and meaningless distractions (video games) then the result will be a life of drama, meaninglessness, and negativity.  

Here is a simple test:  Take a look at your facebook news feed.  Is it filled with more uplifting posts or more drama filled negative posts?  Facebook is just one small refelction of your overall life focus.  What you choose to read feeds your spirit.  If you want to be happier and enjoy a life of meaning then begin feeding your spirit with more uplifting input.  Forget reality TV and come back to your own reality.  Take time to see and hear your natural environment.  Pay attention to the people in the room with you.  Switch your attention and change your life.

Enjoy your journey~

Laura Barrette Shannon

What Is Life Saying to You Today?

"Do what you like. Like what you do." I read this on a Life is good.® T-shirt tag. I have worn this t-shirt a hundred times, and until today, I never noticed this mighty message on the tiny tag. Life is the same way. Daily, we are surrounded by subtle messages that can guide us and teach us, but most of the time we aren't even paying attention enough to see or hear them. Life works in mysterious ways. Sometimes a word of wisdom is in the next song you hear on the radio, or a conversation at the next table.


By paying attention to your environment and the often overlooked details of life, you are not only raising your awareness, you are honing your ability to be present.  This itself is worth the effort.  But it is those subtle messages that seem to speak directly to me that always amazes me.


I am a student of Life.  I have studied different philosophies and followed many  teachers, but Life itself has been the best teacher.  When I look for the lesson in a past experiences I always find one.   When I need guidance or a nudge in the right direction, Life always provides the perfect message.  What is Life saying to you today?  


Enjoy the journey!


Laura Barrette Shannon

Break Out of Your Box!

(photo from ambassadorscare.com)

BREAK OUT OF YOUR BOX- Conquer fear, do something new, something that pushes you outside of your comfort zone. When you break out of your box you push beyond self limitations, regaining personal power and freeing yourself in the process. 


When we avoid doing things that are new and different we remain inside our comfort zone.  This may feel safe, but it limits our experiences.  When you push yourself into doing something you normally would never do it is called a "Not Doing".  It doesn't have to be a big change to reap a big reward.  Even the smallest Not Doing will effectively decrease your self limitations and increase your personal freedom.


 The biggest Not Doing for me was overcoming my fear of the ocean.  I used to be afraid of sharks, so I would never go past my knees in the Gulf of Mexico near my home.  I had convinced myself that since there were indeed sharks in this area that it wasn't safe to swim over my head.  (Very rarely is anyone attacked here.) I decided to conquer this fear by swimming out to a buoy that was 30 yards out from shore.  I stood at the water's edge for a few minutes, pondering my fear, and my chances of swimming there and back without getting attacked.  Finally, I started walking into the water.  I was almost half way there, waist deep, when the most unexpected thing happened.  As I continued walking I was walking up hill!  By the time I reached the buoy, I was in two feet of water standing on top of a sand bar!  All these years, I never knew that my fear was unwarranted.  I realized that it was the fear itself that had paralyzed me.  I regained so much power from that experience that I can now swim without anxiety.  


You can start by Not Doing some little things.  One of my favorites is wearing silly hats. Change how you normally dress, or change your hair.  If you are an extrovert, try being quiet.  If you are an introvert, become the life of the party.  Challenge yourself to push beyond your self limitations.  What can you Not Do today?


Enjoy your journey~


Laura Barrette Shannon

Ride the Wave

Are you riding the wave?
(photo from surfingsecretsrevealed.com)

RIDE THE WAVE- We live in a dynamic universe, where nothing ever stays the same. Life is never static. It flows with ups and downs like the ocean tides.  When we fight the nature of these tides we cause undue stress within our minds.   Enjoy living in the present as it is, but don't get too attached to it, because it will be different soon enough. By riding on top of the waves instead of being caught up in the middle of them we have the ability to steer ourselves along the wave.  Learn to flow with the waves of life by riding the extremes with awareness and acceptance, or those waves will knock you down for sure! 


May you have a happy journey!~


Laura Barrette Shannon

Is Your Cup Overflowing?

Is Your Cup Overflowing?
(image from Superstock.com)

When your cup is full -STOP POURING!

Do you take on more than you can handle and then feel stressed? Do you have a problem saying "no" or try to please everyone all the time?  Trying to do more than you can handle is like pouring hot coffee into a cup that is already full.  If you keep pouring it will burn you.  It's alright to pace yourself, choosing to do what is important to you, and not committing to everyone and everything that vies for your attention.  Remember, if you are overworked and over stressed, then you won't be much good to anyone. Practice setting boundaries and limits on how many things you schedule, then you will have time to drink that cup of life with joy!

Many Blessings~

Laura Barrette Shannon

Are You a Puppet?

Are You a Puppet?

ARE YOU A PUPPET? When we blame other people for our problems and personal issues we become a puppet of life. To be completely free and at peace with yourself and the world you have to stop pointing the finger away from yourself for being who you are, and the way you act.  


Unhappy people tend to blame their parents, boss, past traumas, ex-spouse, or even God for their problems, preferring to play the victim with "Woe is me" stories, rather than look at their own actions and life choices.  Don't be a victim of life!

Reclaim your personal power by taking full responsibility for who you are and how you interact with the world. Take responsibility for your life- Cut those puppet strings!


Many Blessings~


Laura Barrette Shannon

Redefine Free Time

Time is free, are you?

Do you feel that there isn't enough free time in the day to do everything you'd like to do? Realize that everything you do is exactly what you have chosen to do, and therefore you should do it with all your heart. There is no "free" time, just time. You can either spend it in joyful awareness, or spend it wishing you were doing something else, building feelings of resentment. It's a matter of committing yourself to whatever you are doing at the time. Either do it with joy, or don't do it.


I used to resent doing housework, especially washing the floors.  Then I realized that I choose to do it, no one is forcing me to wash floors.  I choose it because I want clean floors.  Why should I resent doing something that I choose to do? Now I put the radio on and practice singing while washing.  It becomes a joyful chore.


I often hear people complain about having to take care of their parents, grandparents or children's needs.  "I have to take Joey to karate and then help him with homework, I have no time for myself."  Well, actually, the time you have with Joey in the car is time for building your relationship.  The time you are waiting for his karate lesson is time you could be reading, meditating, or catching up on phone calls.  The time you are helping with homework, you are fostering a better understanding of your child and nurturing his academic growth.  What part of these examples is wasted time?  All of it if you are doing it with resentment in your heart.   


Be free to experience your time with awareness and joy.  Don't be a victim of your ego mind telling you that you could be doing something else instead.  These types of thoughts create unease and stress. Realize that you are free to spend your time however you choose.  Time is always free, are you?


many blessings~


Laura Barrette Shannon

Warning: Don't Postpone Happiness!

“Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thought that is forever flowing through one's head.” ~Mark Twain

Is happiness something that you believe will come attached to some future event, or some special person? Are you postponing happiness until you have the ideal job, live in your dream home, find the perfect mate, retire, or some other future situation?  If you find yourself caught up in these thoughts you will always be waiting for happiness to arrive, which it never will, because those types of events will bring only temporary fulfillment.  

Don’t fall in the trap of delayed happiness! By repeating these type of thoughts, you convince yourself that some outside circumstance or future event will bring happiness. This is one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves. Be happy NOW, because that's really all we ever experience; the present moment.  The root of happiness is not connected to the circumstances in our life. Benjamin Franklin described it like this, “Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.”  If your not happy now, then you won’t be happy no matter what happens in the future unless you change yourself.  You hold the key to your own happiness. 

The only constant in life is change.  Instinctively we know this, so it is only natural to dream of a future aligned with our deepest desires.  There will be hopes and dreams along the path of your life, each one eagerly anticipated as you walk through life. Focusing on these dreams and goals is a healthier mind set than focusing on the past, yet do not forget to also stay present as much as possible. Enjoy today.  These are the good ol’ times that you will talk about someday. Life is what’s happening while your waiting for the future.  Experience the journey with joy and awareness, because in the end, most destinations are just stepping stones to bigger dreams.

Not only are life situations not connected to happiness, but neither are people. Other people can’t make you happy, any more than we can make other people happy.  Happiness isn’t something that can be given to someone.  Happiness is something that we can only give to ourselves.

 There are many seeds of happiness, but none of them are attached to future events or people.  

Exercise:

Is there something that you’ve been waiting for before you’ll allow yourself to be happy?  Contemplate what those thoughts do to you.  Thoughts like that convince yourself that you can’t be happy until something happens.  Begin to believe that you can be happy regardless of what the future holds. Begin to believe that you have the power be happy now.  Begin to believe that you hold the key to your own happiness.

many blessings~

Laura Barrette Shannon

Do You Always Have to Be Right?

"Confidence is being able to share your beliefs, wisdom is not being attached to them." Laura Barrette Shannon

There are so many unhappy people who would rather be right than be happy. It's easy to get caught up in sharing our point of view with others. It's a natural mode of communication. I share what I think about a subject and you share your thoughts about the subject. This type of communication goes on all day long. While it can be quite pleasant to talk to someone who shares your view, it can be frustrating to talk to someone with an opposing view.

More often than not, unhappy people will hold on to their view to the point of arguing. They would rather be right than to let it go. Somehow they have convinced themselves that if they can't get others to agree with them, then they feel emotionally attacked. This usually results in pompous thoughts of being smarter than the other person; obviously they are wrong and are too stupid to see it. The thoughts of judgment, the aggravation, the bitterness that can arise from these confrontations is all because they had to show everyone that they were right. It was more important to be right than to be happy.

So how can we interact with others who have conflicting points of view from our own without conflict arising? It starts with being flexible with our own beliefs. Listen to their viewpoint. Ask questions like, "Why do you think that is?". "Where did you learn that?". The second key to interacting with opposing viewpoints is to understand that it is not always necessary to share your conflicting thoughts. It isn't your job to teach everyone around you to see things like you do. It's ok to allow them to think differently than you do.

The most noticeable instances in my life concerning differing opinions is always politics. I've reached a point where I no longer put my two cents in these conversations. People are entitled to see the world from varying points of view, as each of us is unique in our perspective. By not attempting to invalidate other's opinions I maintain peace of mind amongst some very opinionated people. Sometimes I even listen and ask questions so that I can possibly understand why they see the world the way they do.

Example:

Man #1: "I think the moon is a spaceship for Martians."
Man #2: "That's an interesting point of view! What makes you think that?"
Man #1: "My grandfather told me when I was young."
Man #2: "Your grandfather sounds like an interesting guy. What else did he teach you?"

Example #2:

Woman #1: "I can't believe you are still married to John, after he cheated on you again!"
Woman #2: "It's understandable why you would feel that way. So, how's the new job going?"

It's not necessary to validate your actions and viewpoints to others. Be confident in your life choices and beliefs, but be willing to hear different points of view.

many blessings-

Laura