The Power of Like-Minds

Last night I was at a gathering of people who want change. They want change in themselves and then, in turn, change in the world around them. When people come together for the same purpose, there is power in that. We all know that. When we all have the same intention, magic happens. You can feel it! It's palpable.

It is HUGE to know you are not alone. When you realize that there are other people who feel the same way you do, you breathe a sigh of relief. Suddenly, there is no more need to keep quiet, to stay in the shadows. You can step out into the light and shine! When like-minds gather, the ideas flow like water. It's effortless and easy. You feed off each other and what starts as one small notion becomes a full-fledged movement!

If you have yearnings for change...If you feel like you can make a difference, go searching. Google your particular passion, post ads, put up posters...do all that you can to seek out others who feel the same way. Start a posse of people who want positive change and watch as your hopes & desires are manifested. There is power in where 2 or more are gathered, and when harnessed, miracles happen.

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The Universe is Good

We expect a lot of things in our lives and not many of those things are good. We expect to be late, to be laughed at, to miss out on that bonus. How often do we expect the good stuff? More than that, how often do we *ask* for something good?

Albert Einstein is known to have said that the most important question a human being can ask is "Is the universe friendly?". So in other words, do we live in a world supported by laws that can work in our greatest favour? The answer is Yes.

We are powerful beings with infinite capacities for all things positive. When we tap into that most central part of ourselves, the core of who we are, we can begin to ask the important questions: "How can I best serve this world?" "What are the talents and gifts I possess that can help to further humanity?" or even "What am I here to learn?". These are the questions that lead to miracles. These are the questions that cause your greatest good to unfold.

Remember, there is power in the asking and there is even greater power in the listening and receiving. The Universe is Good.

I Hear You

I find I am becoming a better listener as I get older. It really sheds some light on what a terrible listener I used to be. Don't get me wrong, I was interested in what other people had to say. It's just that I was also very keen on sharing my own thoughts on the subject. This often meant repeating "Uh-huh", nodding impatiently waiting for my turn to talk or just plain old interrupting.

We all want to be heard and to be accepted for what we are trying to express. When I was younger, I really only spoke in order to be agreed with...to feel noticed, to feel smart. I seldom spoke to express my true feelings or my genuine self. That would be too scary! I became an expert at "Feeling the room"...sensing the vibe, where people were coming from and then just saying what I thought would get the most amount of "Yeah exactly!" from people.

When we really listen though, I believe we open up to kindness and understanding. If we are truly hearing the other person we send out the "It's OK. I love you." vibe. This kind of listening allows us to speak truthfully from the core of who we are. We feel safe and cared for knowing that our words land in the lap of love.

Isn't this the kind of communication we want? When we see the people we love, don't we want to *really* know how they are? Aren't those honesty breakthroughs amazing?

I start by blessing the person I am talking to. I make sure I maintain eye contact and encourage them with smiles, looks of concern etc. I also make sure I reach out and touch them when appropriate. This kind of listening continues to help deepen my relationships. I still fumble now and then, but when I make the commitment to send out the message "I Hear You", I have the luxury of actually doing just that.

A People-Pleaser No More

I was a people-pleaser since birth I am certain. My main goal was to look for approval, praise or both in everything I did. Such an empty, fruitless pursuit. We all have our own perceptions. We each see a situation differently, and therefore it is impossible to please everyone every time.

Take this story I heard once: A couple buy a donkey from the market. On the way home,a boy comments, "Very stupid. Why do neither of them ride on the donkey?" Upon hearing that,the husband lets the wife ride on the donkey. He walks beside them. Later, an old man sees the party and comments, "The husband is the head of family. How can the wife ride the donkey while the husband walks?" Hearing this,the wife quickly gets down and lets the husband ride on the donkey. Further on the way home, they meet an old Lady. She comments, "How can the man ride on the donkey but let the wife walk? He is no gentleman." The husband quickly asks the wife to join him on the donkey. Then they met a young man. He comments,"Poor donkey, how can you carry the weight of two persons? They are cruel to you." Hearing that, the husband and wife immediately climb down from the donkey and carry it on their shoulders. It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on a narrow bridge, the donkey is frightened and struggles. They lose their balance and fall into the river.

When we try to please others, we step outside of who we really are. We lose our balance. We know this. We feel it. When you are doing something you do not truly *want* to do, you tighten up, feel nauseous etc. Your body rejects the idea on all levels, but the ego trudges on....desperate for that pat on the back.

No more! My main goal now is to bring love into every situation...love for myself, love for others. With love I cannot go wrong. I walk with confidence, compassion and wisdom. Now that I know I cannot please everyone, I resolve to please myself. I follow my heart and my heart is full...full of kindness, empathy and resolve.
I am a people-pleaser no more.

The Importance of Creativity

I watched this video last night of Sir Ken Robinson talking about the Public School System and the effect it can have on Creativity. I just had to share it here.

I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this. I think he is so right-on! Our children deserve so much more then we are presently providing. How can we begin to encourage more creativity in schools?