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Fighting or Flowing - How Is YOUR Life Going?

I feel an immense sense of freedom. Want to know my secret? I just let go…. That’s it, I let go! I stopped fighting against the current and let the stream of life just flow. I became aware and open to the synchronicities that the universe has in store.
My First   A-Ha! moment:
A few days ago, I had been listening to workshop by Esther and Jerry Hicks-Abraham called The Art of Allowing (it’s included with their book: The Astonishing Power of Emotions, Let Your Feeling Be your Guide.) Mind you, I’ve heard this CD at least five times before, but on this day I needed another boost of it to remind me of their message and it was music to my ears.

Esther spoke about how many of us think life is supposed to be hard. We think it’s supposed to be a fight, a battle, or a struggle. She used the analogy of Life being a river and us being in a boat. We want to go upstream all the time, because of our belief. We have to fight, battle, or struggle to get anywhere in Life. Esther mentioned we should just go with the flow of the stream. To stop paddling against the current.

“The moment you let go of the oars, the majority of that resistance you have subsides.” – Esther Hicks-Abraham

You’ll begin to really enjoy Life’s lessons when you pay attention to the messages that cross your path—sometimes hurling straight for your head at 500 MPH!  I like to call those the RED FLAGS that we tend to ignore ? Red flags can be good signs and bad signs, we just need to WAKE UP and SEE them for what they truly are!

When you let go of the “oars”… relief comes, even though it might not come exactly when you want it, it will come!

My Second A-Ha! Moment:
Doing the work that I do, I no longer believe in coincidences! Yesterday morning, I popped in The Wayne Dyer Collection CD that I haven’t heard in probably a year or so. He started to talk about a childhood song that has a simple message that we should all take heed to.

Then he asks the audience to sing along…

“Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream….Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream.”

He said, and I’m paraphrasing here, “Row your boat, not your brother’s boat, not your wife’s boat, but YOUR boat!” LOL … He also used the same analogy as Esther and talked about the stream is like our life and how we need to go with flow.

I say, when you let go of the oars—you don’t even need to row anymore. Let the current take you and trust your intention and intuition to lead you to the right path of your soul’s journey.

When you go with the flow, you truly take time to remember who you are, and the honor values and dreams with the integrity your soul’s mission desires and deserves. You don’t go against the grain, but do what comes easy for you … what you LOVE to do.  It’s also about releasing your inner control freak and sending her or him away to a far off place! Come on … admit it. We all have one.  For this article, I’ll just call her Ms. Jackson. (Some of you 80’s kids might get it.) LOL

I’m saying good-bye to Ms. Jackson because:
•    She refuses to go with the flow. She won’t accept things that come with no effort. She believes that’s just being lazy!
•    She wants to have it all planned, scheduled, lined up, and the reservations called in three months in advance.
•    When things don’t go as planned, she loses it. She says, “Who needs some rinky-dink oars? I’m going to get me a high powered MOTOR and strap it on to my tug boat of life of fight against the flow, because I can!”
•    Not only would she want to fight for her life, but she wants to take every wounded soul around her for the ride. (You Suzy Save-em-Alls, know who I’m talking about!) Oh yeah, she’ll stuff them all in her little boat. She has a motor, so why not?
•    If she runs out of gas….aka BURNED OUT, no problemo, Ms. Jackson will try the oars again and pull the weight of EVERYONE in the boat.

But wait…it’s not moving. She isn’t going anywhere. The waves are hitting her in the face, she’s paddling with all her might, but she’s stuck. She can’t understand why things weren’t working in her life. Why her career, friendships, love life, and health were heading into a downward spiral.  But then, she looked back and noticed a few of those people she took along for the ride were just DEAD WEIGHT, like anchors holding the boat in place while she paddled, paddled, paddled with no success and no one was volunteering to help.

Ms. Jackson, aka your INNER CONTROL FREAK, wants Life to have no waves and wants everything to be perfect! However, we all know that the waves (things we call problems) bring with them gifts of abundance and love. Though, at times, we don’t see it in the moment. A gift can be sickness that allows us to sit still and really evaluate our life or let people take care of us for once. Or, a break up with lover who may have been taking advantage of you. Or, a huge blow out with your teenager that taught you that you CAN’T CHANGE anyone. Or, the unexpected layoff from a job of 10 years that allows you to finally focus on your dream business.

Of course, it looks like a tidal wave about to take us under when it hits,  but the gift is coming in the form of a lesson.  Stand strong and don’t worry. When it’s over, you’ll be able to wring out your wet clothes, shake off that water, and continue down the stream to realize that there are more gifts all along the way.

Don’t Be A Control Freak Like Ms. Jackson
Oh, if she only knew from the beginning to go with the flow!  You can, too, when you consider the following:

1.    Do things that come effortless to you in your life. Focus on your God Given talent, even if it’s not your main way of making money right now. Work on it part-time, until it is!

2.    Dump  the heavy weight out of your boat. Focus ON YOU FIRST! Those anchors can be toxic relationships with friends, co-workers, and even family members and lovers who might be holding you back or draining your energy and nay-sayers that are not interested in your personal dreams.     they are not reciprocal relationships, and can’t or won’t support the vision you have for yourself.

3.    Honor your values and stand by your beliefs!

4.    Become an allower!
The Art of Allowing is finding a vibration that feels SO good when you find it, feels better and better as you maintain it, and gives you evidence of that connection through THRIVING. You’ll learn to recognize an immediate response of to that connection … It is joy in the moment (NOW). The long long-range evidence is abundance in all things you consider good — like health, relationships, and dollars.  —Abraham-Hicks, Phoenix 3/29/2003

5.    Get good at finding an appropriate release. Let go of what it is that doesn’t make you feel good.

6.    Realize you are the creator of your experience. You do have a choice … downstream with the flow or upstream with the struggle? Take your pick!

Once you begin to flow — circumstances and events become immediate. It will feel like magic and you’ll be slapping yourself in the head for not “letting go of the oars” sooner.  The only thing holding you back is yourself. Come into vibrational alignment with who you are.

Most importantly, RELEASE THE OARS and go with the flow of life. Pay attention to your A-HA! MOMENTS. Oh, what a ride on river it will be!

Sources:

Tune into Love, Atttract Romance Through the Power of Vibration Matching
By Margaret McCraw, PHD

The Wayne Dyer CD Collection

The Art of Allowing CD

One of my favorite guys… Mr. Wayne Dyer. Set your intentions each day. What would you like to happen in your world?

Own Your Power!

Simone

Kimberly joined our family as a Give ‘n Take member over five years ago! She’s a pleasure to know and passionate about what she does…hence the name of  her NYC business, Passion For The Palate.

Main service/product:
As a Culinary Instructional & Catering Company, we provide women with the necessary cooking skills to empower them in the kitchen. Passion for the Palates’ services are specifically designed to our clients needs. We will bring gourmet delicacies to your door, and create events that will be forever memorable. If you are looking to do something different on a Friday night? Get a group together or enjoy a date night for a fun-filled evening while learning, laughing and eating.

How long in business?:
I have been catering events for 10 + years. I began my business late 2008, when I started offering personal chef services to high profile, corporate and celebrity clients.

What does your business do?
We are a full-service Instructional & Catering Company. We also offer Gourmet Cupcakes ! Tourists often sign up for our Soul Food Cooking Lessons.

Any interesting fact(s) you can share about your industry?
Food is the bridge that connects people; I am the architect of that bridge. Cooking doesn’t have to be stressful, once you have the basics and learn the main techniques! You will be whipping up tasty dishes in no time.

Most popular problem you help people solve?
Time Management Cooking. I teach my clients that they can have healthy tasty meals on the table in 30 minutes or less. It’s all about planning in advance and preparing.

What year did you kiss Corporate America goodbye and why do you hope to never go back?
Great question! I officially will kiss Corporate America goodbye June 19th 2010…

How do you stay motivated?
I am always eager to learn new dishes and techniques. I buy tons of cookbooks and test numerous recipes to perfect my dishes. I look for new and different ways I can incorporate great food into my clients’ lifestyles. I am a very spiritual person, and I have a talk with God regularly.

Biggest pet peeve in business?

When clients text me questions instead of picking up the phone. When I am conducting business, I always remain professional. I want my clients to know and feel they have my undivided attention! If you cancel at the last minute, there will be a fee. I value my client’s time and they should value mine.

What’s a bold move you took that turned your business around?
I have to say finally getting my Website done! Instead of giving out my business cards hoping I’d get a call, I just now tell them check out my website for the services I provide. Business is starting to boom since the site launched!

One thing that you would change if you could?
Make a NO BLACKBERRY Holiday !!!! LOL, no one will be able to use their BlackBerry to call, check emails or text! This would be a day to reflect and spend with family and friends with no interruptions unless you are Barack!

What’s a unique talent that you have that might surprise us?
I created a Sugar Scrub line for the body. They are very nice Spa-like quality. I love creating things. I am a very creative person, and it’s one of my gifts that God has blessed me with.

You know the expression, “You can’t take it with you”… well, if you could, what would ‘it’ be?
My make-up bag (I love Mac) LOL

It’s sadly time for your last meal on earth…what would it be?
My last meal would be Fried Chicken, Cream Corn & Rice, String Beans and My Grandmother’s Infamous Rice Pudding, Ahhhh I am hungry now!

Have you used Social Networking to gain new contacts/business? If so, what have been any results?
Yes, I mostly use Facebook and I’m getting acquainted with Twitter. I have gotten new clients to sign up for my classes on Facebook.  http://www.facebook.com/chefvankline

Most exciting moment that you got your time to shine?
When I cooked for the Rapper/Actor Common.

What was your last barter and what was if for?
Made a Romantic Dinner For Two in exchange for bookkeeping for my business.
Add Kimberly as a friend on Own Your Power!

Website (s):
http://www.passionforthepalate.com

http://www.thespicerack.blogspot.com/

Contact info:
hello@passionforthepalat.com
212.862.1800

I came across this on DailyOm.com and wanted to share. I know there are many people who have experienced this whether its in a social setting or even on their resume so that they won’t intimidate others.  Ask yourself where have you been out of intergrity with WHO YOU REALLY ARE. Don’t dim your light for anyone!

Own Your Power,

Simone

DAILY OM:

There is a difference between shifting our energy to accommodate people we are around and dumbing ourselves down. The ability to go into any social situation and sense the level of consciousness in that situation is a gift. It enables us to move considerately in a world that holds people of all levels of awareness. However, there is a difference between shifting our energy to accommodate people and dumbing ourselves down to a regrettable degree.

Sometimes, when we get into a particular social situation, we may feel pressure to play it small in order to fit in. Perhaps everyone is drinking or smoking excessively, engaging in gossipy small talk, or complaining bitterly about politics. It is one thing to notice this and modify our expectations and another thing entirely to join in. When we notice where people are coming from and acknowledge to ourselves that their energy is not in alignment with ours, we have several choices as to how to proceed.

One viable option is to quietly endure the situation, keeping to ourselves until it is time to leave. In this way, we take care of our own consciousness and protect our growth process. Another option is to interact in a way that honors and pays respect to the people in the group, while gently attempting to shift the level of consciousness with our input. In order to do this, we must maintain our own vibration, which means that joining in by dumbing down is not an option. When we choose to dumb ourselves down to fit in, we not only sell ourselves short but we also lose a possible opportunity to influence the situation for the good of all concerned. Our desire to join in may come from our natural yearning to feel connected to the people around us. There is no shame in this, but being able to stand on our own, separate from the crowd, is a powerful milestone on any spiritual path. It can be difficult in the moment, but when we arrive on the other side, our integrity intact, we may find ourselves feeling positively smart.