Change is inevitable.

It’s all around us. Fight is as we may, it’s gonna happen. We just need to learn to welcome it.

Yes, change, my friends, is the one thing that is constant in this life.

Transformation just takes it a bit further.

Dictionary.com defines the word transform:

–verb (used with object)
1. to change in form, appearance, or structure; metamorphose.
2. to change in condition, nature, or character; convert.
3. to change into another substance; transmute.

When we commit to change, it’s as if it’s half-hearted. But to transform, we give it that little added something. Even the difference in the tone of the words seems to point at transformation as being something a little more than mere change.

I picture something changing as no big deal.

But transformation… I think of a butterfly.

The grace, the beauty, the majesty was once far from a butterfly in appearance.

It was always a butterfly… It just hadn’t shown itself to the world yet.

Last Wednesday, I was blessed to see Joyce Meyer speak in person at the church I just started attending. Her message was that of transformation. Interesting how she spoke on the very thing I had been contemplating…

Being a Light in This Sometimes Dark World

Lately I’ve been focusing on being a light to others. After my headlight episode, I felt even more compelled to I personally don’t do it in a big way, such as people who get their writing/speaking out to millions of people. But if I can touch just one person’s life through putting my thoughts to pen and paper (or typing them out) it’s all worth it. Maybe may words were exactly what that person needed to hear and was guided to me.

I know I’ve stumbled across some writings that were just what I needed to hear and I found them in the most mysterious of ways. I choose to think of that as Divine Intervention.

All I know is I’ve been directed to open myself up more and give more of myself through my writing so that’s what I intend to do. The posts may be sporadic, or sometimes regular. They may be profound or they may be lame. Such is life…

As I said before, sometimes I write and it’s in article form and other times, I just update you on the craziness that is my life!

Will write more on this later…

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Here I am again, opening up about the signs I’m noticing in my life. It’s as if they’re flooding in now that I’ve opened myself to receiving them.

A couple more things I’ve noticed in the last week:

When driving home, I veer off to the right from one highway to another. Usually there’s a long line waiting to go to the right. Most people just wait in line. However in the past week, three different times a 18 wheeler pulled up in the left lane, waiting until the last minute to go to the right. Normally I wouldn’t notice this, except it happened repeatedly when I hadn’t ever noticed it before.

Clue #1:

If a sign appears more than once, someone’s trying to tell you something.

So, of course, after the third time, I started wondering what it could mean. Hmmmmmmm, people waiting until the last minute to get over.

Nothing.

Try again.

All three times, they were trying to go right.

Getting warmer.

Dig a little deeper.

Go right. Waiting until the last minute.

Ahhhhhhhhh, now I get it.

Don’t wait until the last minute to go right. (go right, get right, etc…)

When I thought of that, it was as if that validation hit me like a parent patting a child on the head for doing a good job.

I knew that was it.

I’ve bounced back and forth for years with religion (raised Catholic,) spirituality and the like. Always yearned for the answers but not finding my place in all of it.

Merging Christianity and Universal Law

This could be a blog post all by itself. (and probably will be)

I won’t elaborate too much at this point but let me say I am a Christian. A Christian who also understands the Universal Laws make an awful lot of sense.

When I merge both together, I find peace.

Apart, for me, I find emptiness.

That’s good for me and most certainly wouldn’t be for everyone.

I find my place in church but also can absorb law of attraction information with a non-judgmental open mind.

That’s what’s wonderful about spirituality… It’s individual and we can each own what’s right for us.

Another Curious Occurrence

Sunday night, I was driving behind my friend and her taillight was out. I let her know since she didn’t have a clue.

Two days later, I came out of work to find my driver’s side headlight out.

CRAP!

Oh, well… Will just get it replaced.

I’m driving home after I find that and look in my rear view mirror and guess what I see? The person behind me has their passenger light out. I think, “Man, it must be going around.” I glanced over in the next lane by them and that person had their driver’s head light out and the one behind them has their passenger side one out.

I’m now paying attention.

I’m sure there are always people with head lights out driving down the road. When you’re open to signs, it’s not that they weren’t there for all to see… It’s just that you notice them.

So my mind went into overdrive trying to receive the sign. I got to thinking about it… Head lights and tail lights out. What happens when you have a light out?

You don’t shine as brightly as you should.

(yes, that one was easy.)

With what I’ve been thinking about lately, how I’ve been letting fear hold me back, how I’ve not given it my all for fear of not getting it right, etc… I got to thinking how perfectly this all makes sense to me.

Oddly enough, yesterday I was telling my friend, Jamie, this at lunch when we were driving back to work in her car. She laughed and said, “You can’t get away from it because I have a tail light out too.”

Go figure.

Life’s a classroom when you’re sitting there with a fresh pad of paper and pen, just waiting for your answers.

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Yes, I know shouldda, wouldda and couldda aren’t actual words.

But how many times have you said:
• I should have done…
• I wish I would have…
• I should have known better…
• I could have…

Well, the only SHOULD you should do, is stop saying should!

S - Stop
H - Hearing
O - Old
U - Unimportant
L - Life
D - Decisions

(hey, YOU try to come up with something better! LOL)

I know when I play these tapes of what could have, what should have or what could have been over and over again, all I do is second guess my ability to decide for myself and make myself miserable.

Ask yourself this: Why beat myself up over something that’s already happened?

It’s over.

Forgive yourself if necessary (because we all make mistakes.)

Move on.

Did you learn a lesson from what you did? If so, great. If not, then brace yourself for the next thing that’s headed your way. (because there always will be if you don’t learn from your mistakes - you’ll get more chances to learn!)

I’ve made so many mistakes in my life. I’ve taken many years to learn a seemingly simple lesson. I’ve focused on the little things and beat myself up repeatedly for things I did years ago.

Then finally I realized a very simple lesson:

I’m human. I make mistakes.

I make my own happiness or misery.

I choose happiness.

So the next time you’re shoullda, wouldda or couldda-ing all over yourself and everyone else around you, take a step back and think about how ridiculous it is to punish yourself over and over again for something you did. You did the best you could at the time. Hopefully you learned from your bad decisions.

Focus on the good things. There are always good things. That’s why I preach gratitude so much! When you get in the space of gratitude, there’s no room for the negatives…

Don’t you think it’s time you retired shouldda, wouldda and couldda for yourself?

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Image by richardmasoner via FlickrYesterday when driving to work I got a perfect example of why worrying about what could be or what may happen is useless and can cause more harm than good.

I’m driving down the highway, a couple of cars behind someone I know when coming upon an exit, the traffic is slowing down dramatically.

I immediately went into stress mode and thought:
• What if there is an accident and traffic is slow all the way to the next exit?
• Will it be easier to get off at this exit and take a different route?
• Which of the ways will be faster?
• But if it’s barely slowing down now and speeds back up, it’s all for nothing.

All valid concerns…when you’re in the midst of stress thinking.

So I let the stress cloud my better judgment and decided to get off and go up the outer road. As I started up the outer road, I noticed the traffic on the highway was starting to speed up. Shortly thereafter, I noticed it at full speed.

And then it happened.

The line of traffic.

Waiting for the stoplight to get back on the highway!

Because of my stress level, I didn’t consider the consequences.

22 minutes after I stopped in the line of traffic, I got back on the highway again.

My friend who was in front of me was already at work.

And I was late.

How many times have you let the stress of what might be cloud your better judgment?

Consider the Alternative

Instead of allowing yourself to think stressful thoughts about all of the things that could go wrong, just stick to your plan and realize that your journey may slow from time to time. But letting the ego take over and direct you in a different direction may just slow you down more than if you just stuck to your path.

There have been so many times in my life where I tried to take the easy path. The “get around.” The “quick fix.” And lo and behold, it was those very times I ended up either in trouble (a common occurrence growing up,) with an unfavorable outcome (usually unexpected and definitely not wanted) or just barely sneaky by.

You know, that feeling of “Wow, I just barely got by with that.” And that’s a short lived feeling that gnaws at you later because you know it wasn’t right. (voice of experience talking)

Sticking to Your Path

It’s not always easy.

You may temporarily slow down.

And you WILL be tempted to find a shorter, easier route.

But, trust me, the person unnecessarily sitting in traffic for an extra 22 minutes, it’s not worth it.

Just dig in and keep moving forward — slow as it sometimes may be.

Another Consideration

You WILL veer off on the wrong path.

It’s inevitable.

We ALL do from time to time.

When that does happen, first off, forgive yourself. Don’t be your own worst critic. Don’t beat yourself up for making the wrong choice. Forgive yourself, learn from it and move on.

Did you catch the “learn from it” part?

One thing I’ve learned to do is not let things get to me like they used to. A couple of weeks when I saw flashing lights behind me I didn’t stress. I didn’t know what I had done wrong and knew I wasn’t speeding. I just knew that I didn’t stress over it. My plates had expired during the move and I didn’t realize it. The renewal must have not been forwarded with my other mail.

I realized the officer was doing his job. I was thankful he was nice about it (as he wrote my ticket - which I realized I deserve because it did break the law.) He even followed me home to make sure I got home ok.

My point is this:

Years ago, I would have been totally freaking out, trying to get out of the ticket and dwelling on it long after it was over.

I’m growing.

I’m learning.

I’m grateful.

And I’m happy.

Life is good if you just let it be and don’t sweat the small stuff.

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I was in a meeting today and someone said, “Make yourself known to the world” and it stuck with me. Out of everything that was said, that one phrase stood out to me. I’ve been working toward getting my name out there with my writing and that phrase just resonated with me.

I’ve made it a point to listen up when something hits me like that. Whether it’s a phrase, a road sign, a curious happening, or something that someone else may not even notice.

My daughter told me a few weeks ago that I notice things that others don’t. I’m not saying everything is a profound sign from above. Some are just curious or funny, such as the one my daughter was talking about.

We were standing in line at a haunted house and a local radio station was broadcasting from there. Their van had “105.7 The Point Everything Alternative” painted on the side but when they opened the door, it said, “The Pot Everything Native” on it and it just cracked me up. (Yes, I amuse easily…)

My point?

I wonder how many people even noticed the humor in that? Did anyone else notice it?

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our everyday lives that we fail to notice the things around us. I know in my case, I get a lot of inner guidance through external signs. I’ve also found a lot of amusement I’d not otherwise enjoyed. I am open to learning and guidance through things around me and lo and behold, I receive what I’m looking for a lot of the time.

It’s the being open that’s the trick.

When I get all stressed and close off my positive energy, it’s like I’m pinching a hose and losing the flow. When I relax, chill out and loosen up (my laptop keyboard always reminds me of that - the loose “n” key still sticks up as a reminder - “loosen up”) I seem to receive what I need. It’s amazing what that connection with God, Source, Higher Power, etc… can do for your life once you accept it and receive it. I’ll write more about that at another time.

I’ve given up worrying about what I write on here. Either you like what I have to say or you don’t. You’ll not always agree with me. If you do, I’ll worry about you since no one should always agree with anyone else.

I also am giving up trying to write each post as an article. I’m just gonna write from now on. Just be real. Just be me. And just BE. That’s the important part.

So, the next time you are running around, busy as can be, step back, breath deeply and open yourself up to the signs all around you and see what you may notice that you were asking for all along…

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