Replacing the Wrong "What Ifs?" with the Right "IFs": A Reflection on Manifesting a New Attitude Towards Life

Rudyard Kipling

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream -- and not make dreams your master;
If you can think -- and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings -- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run --
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it...

And So It Is!

In Love & Peace,

Unlimited Return on Investment in Self: Your Greatest Asset

As driven, young, professionals you are probably very familiar with the concept of investments. More specifically, I am referring to the idea of Return on Investment. As a historian, I stayed as far away from the business and math regions of my undergrad campus as possible. But, I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by friends and family from diverse learning backgrounds. My love partner studies economics and was patient enough to give me a lesson in investments one day over lunch. He offered me the Reader’s Digest definition of Return on Investment. ROI is simply the amount of profit or return an investor receives on the time and money they spend on an investment.

Let me first establish that this is definitely not an attempt to equate our social and personal interactions with capitalist ventures. As a peace seeker, I am often thinking of ways to connect methods of obtaining inner peace and success to ideas that we are already familiar with. When we think of investments, profits, net gain, etc., we are most often referring to money transactions. But, I am offering an addition to this concept. At the center of every transaction we make on a daily, weekly, monthly (or add your time frame of choice) basis is one essential entity. That key factor is, our Self. This concept of Self is not just about your physical appearance or your public persona. Self is who we are on the inside. It is who we are in our most peaceful and successful state. Self is not just about how much money we make, but about the steps we take in the building our careers. Self is the central element of Self-Actualization.
Would you be willing to invest your hard earned money in a bad stock? Would you continue to buy a product that is dangerous, doesn’t work, makes you sick, or is plain and simply not a good return on investment? No? Then why would you invest your most precious asset-Your SELF- in something that is toxic, dysfunctional, and unworthy? Integrating this indispensable asset into your life investments increases the chance of success for every other investment we make. If you are unhappy, stressed out, and at your wit’s end, even a great financial return on investment losses its value. On the other hand, if we are on the path to peace and success from the inside out, we are more likely to enjoy the product of our financial/career and socially related investments. Here are a few tips, suggestions, and examples for building a positive, productive, and profitable Investment in Self (IS).

One of the most important investments we make is in our relationships. Positive and healthy relationships bring a sense of peace to our lives. On the contrary, negative relationships with friends, family, and colleagues can drain every last bit of positivity, optimism, and plain goodness from our lives. So, the first step in making a Positive self-investment is Eradicating Toxic Relationships. By no means does this mean to eliminate people and relationships from your life. What this does mean is to make every relationship that effects your investment as meaningful as possible. Spend some time evaluating your interactions with the people closest to you. Simply sit down and make a list of pros and cons of your relationships friends, family, and colleagues. Be honest with yourself. If you see toxic trends such as emotional abuse and selfishness that may even make you depressed, it is most likely time to start approaching the person(s) in question with your feelings. Lessons in politeness teach us that if we don’t have anything nice to say, not to say anything at all. But, being as honest and genuine as possible with those you love is not being unkind or mean. You are actually making a positive investment in your inner peace and in the future of your relationship with that person. An even more in depth exercise might include writing down your expectations and hopes for your connections with others. Focus on keeping the ideas you come up with dynamic by revisiting them often. You may even choose to share them with others or make them a part of your Peace Journal.

Another important aspect of your personal investment in relationships is your willingness to be a positive investment for others. Consider what you bring to the table as a child, friend, lover, and employee. Are you giving what you get? If not, then you have some work to do in yourself. Be mindful that great relationships are worth building, maintaining, and saving. They teach us that some people are meant to be in our lives for a lifetime. However, we should meditate on not being sad when we find that a relationship is not working. Bad return on investment relationships offer us a chance to understand that some people come into our lives for a season. They are only there long enough to teach us an important lesson. That lesson might teach us to be conscious when putting trust in others. Or we may learn not to make others a priority while allowing ourselves to be their option. Whether you encounter good or bad*relationships; building a positive Investment in Self makes all of your interactions more thoughtful, peaceful, and successful. In financial terms, if we forget to pay our bills or fail to meet important deadlines, our credibility and investment potential decreases. On a different level, investing in ourselves sends out a message to others that we are unique and irreplaceable. Ultimately, the commitment we make to our personal peace and success becomes a part of our Self-Investment Portfolio and a natural part of our interaction with the world.

Yet another important aspect of the Investment in Self is our Environment. Let’s revisit these ideas together, focusing on creating a peaceful and successful environment. Until we meet again…Remember that YOU are your most precious and indispensable asset.

And So It Is!

In Love and Peace,

Against Proganda for Profit: Making Peace with our Personal Name Brand

Propaganda for Profit is not my thing. You won't find me representing the capitalistic gains of any unconscious celebrities by wearing their names on my behind. But, when I find something that is fun, funky, creative, and headed in the direction of bringing folks together, I don't mind buying in. We should all be conscious and mindful of the brands, products, and symbols that we represent. Wearing the name brand of a company that is undoubtedly connected to let's say, sweat shop production or unfair trade practicing, is a conscious decision that we make.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that clothes do not make a person and that many of us have to wear what we have or what we are given. I'm not saying that you should over-analyze every piece of clothing you wear. But, I am saying that if you are blessed enough to have a choice in what you represent, please take the time to think about how you are building up your personal name brand. Whether you are aware of it or not, your choices and your name are a marketable brand linked to your reputation. What do your choices and sacrifices in them say about you? I'm not just referring to what others think about you, but how your Personal Name Brand makes you feel. Ultimately, the most harmonious choices make us feel conscious, informed, and at peace. At the end of the day, we decide what we represent on our chests, our shoulders, or even on our behinds.  But, doing so with conviction brings us a sense of right, responsibility, and freedom.

With all of that said, I've been doing some research on a great new product  that recently came into my life. While browsing the freezer section of my local drug store for a cold drink, I stumbled upon Peace Tea. Now, don't think that I'm ready to try anything that says or claims to represent peace. However, I will concede that the words "peace" and "ceylon tea" drew me in for a preliminary taste. And may I say that this tea is fabulous! It's cool, refreshing, and affordable. Most importantly, the makers claim that the tea is all natural, preservative free, and helps to fund their free Peace Concerts. Check out their website for more information: Peace Tea

Let me know what you think! I am of the mind that it's impossible for every person to know everything. But, sharing our knowledge and wisdom with others makes us all more well informed. When we share and cast off selfish learning, we work for the greater purpose of universal peace and success!When the world around us shares in our efforts, it makes our personal goals towards peace more pleasant and easier to accomplish.

And So It is!

In Love & Peace☮,

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Finding Peace in Simplicity: One Word versus One Thousand

“Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.”

~ Gautama Siddharta

And So It Is!

In Love & Peace☮,

Temporarily Disconnected From the Matrix: Plugging in to Your Inner Outlet

On the verge of a "breakthrough," and the Universe forced me to reevaluate my modus operandi. I was working on a Guinness Book record in procrastination, looking up song lyrics, pictures, video game reviews, anything to avoid completing my graduate school applications. There's something to be said for teachable moments. The Universe has blessed me with many impromptu lessons. We are often given precognitive signals for our greater good. Sometimes we choose to ignore these signs in favor of an easier or more desirable course of action. But, more often, we are disconnected from our own intuition, that mix of wisdom and insight that fills our conscience. There's no wonder why so much of humanity feels like something is missing, something we have lost-or worse yet, given up.

Looking up from my keyboard in a near rage, I noticed my modem light change from a neon glowing green to a dull mustard yellow. It was as if the Universe itself was warning me to slow down and take a minute to reevaluate my motivation. I was forced into an involuntary separation from my personal Matrix, that part of life which requires that I disconnect from myself and plug in to technology. My productivity focused, efficiency minded self remains grateful for the twin efforts of my laptop and cell phone--keeping my life organized in single clicks. The other side of myself thirsts for the knowledge and connection that google and facebook can not give me. So, I invest in maintaining a connection to that which makes me human. My opinions, especially those that don't agree with popular opinion, make me human. My willingness to keep working with paper and pen when all servers are down, makes me human. My ability to tap into and appreciate human emotion defines my humanity.

When I now take a moment away from the technology of my computer for example, the disconnection is voluntary. I take that moment to reflect on how grateful I am for the humanity in me. I look around with my eyes, I take a stretch with my arms, and I literally use those few minutes to consider my own heartbeat. These simple actions require both a physical and mental connection to my Self-Hood and to the Universe around me. When we take these moments to plug into an alternate outlet, we work on making ourselves whole.

Our technology gives us amazing opportunities to interact with the world around us in ways that we could have only before imagined. In this way, our connection to technology has become as indispensable as our connection with ourselves. But, when our relationship to ourselves and others on a personal, emotional level starts taking an understudy role to our link with technology, it may well be time to slow down for a moment and plug-in to our inner outlet--for the sake of humanity.

Affordable and Sustainable ways to Unplug and Get Free


Unplug: Go for a Run (it's free)
Unplug: Practice Meditation (also free)
Unplug: Write a Poem (even more free)
Unplug: Write in your Peace Journal (can't get more free)
Unplug: Take a Spirit Journey (free yourself)
Unplug: Take a Bus Ride to Enhance your understanding of Humanity (not free, but affordable and sustainable)

And So It Is!

In Love & Peace☮,

You are one in a Billion: Real Love From the Inside, Out

Dedicating one day out of the year to love makes us all feel special. But love should not be something that we only celebrate annually. Love is a feeling and an expression like no other. One that can truly make the highs of life higher and the so-called lows of life less important. Learning how to recognize true and real love from false love is a process much like building inner peace.

As we recognize that which is unique and irreplaceable about ourselves, we are encouraged to look at the world around us in the same way-With love, respect, kindness, and gratitude. The only way that we can truly come to appreciate our love partners, our family members, and our precious environment is by first learning to love ourselves. Self-Love is not a selfish emotion, but rather a healthy sense of our own self-worth and love-worthiness. Our Self-Love illuminates the message that we are to be loved and respected and that we are fully capable of extending the same love and respect to others. This inner love travels with us on our journey through life and on our path to peace, feeding our self-esteem and empowering our purpose. There are approximately 7 billion people on this planet and there is no one just like you. That truly makes you one in a billion!

As peace seekers, you have probably already encountered one of the most beautiful and inspirational tributes ever written in ode to Loving Ourselves. Marianne Williamson's excerpt from A Return to Love has been celebrated and re-purposed by international peace ambassadors and peace seekers alike. Her words are a reminder to those sojourneying on the path to inner peace and Self-Love hat we have the right and a responsibility to be "brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous!" Today as you celebrate the love you have in your heart for those you cherish, remember to also take some time to reflect on the love you have growing inside for yourself.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other

people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

                               ~Marianne Williamson

And So It Is!

In Love & Peace☮,

Thoughts on Mindful Success: Avoiding Pyrrhic Victories

Great friends provide love, support, and advice that encourages you to be the better you. I had yet another beautiful conversation with a great friend in peace. She called just to remind that I am a Queen. That I am exactly where I need to be in my progress towards peace and success. Most importantly, she felt drawn to remind me to be mindful of the path I choice in  success. She hoped that I would meditate on building discernment between true victories/success and pseudo-victories (negative situations wearing a positive costume).

For those on the path to peace, success is inevitable. Simultaneously, success is a measure of our character and maturity. Through many personal encounters with the ebb & flow, the yin & yang, of success and failure; I have learned more than I have lost. Undoubtedly, the most important lesson I have learned is to graciously handle "defeat." Defeat can mean many different things to every individual. However, I believe that the peace-minded person will look at defeat as a relative concept, and not necessarily as a bad thing. Defeat, as we call it, can simply mean not getting what we think we want when we want it.  In this view, we should reflect on not getting what we want as part of a peaceful balance in our lives.

It is said that "when one door closes, another one opens." This is so true in our everyday being! How many times have you faced a situation in which not getting what you want has
A . allowed you to avoid some terrible mistake in the long-term also known as a (Pyrrhic victory \PIR-ik\; A victory achieved at too great a cost: loss of life, emotional well-being, or humanity)

B. given you the opportunity to learn, grow, and be prepared for something so much better? I know I have-MANY times.

So, for peace's sake, and in light of the discouraging social, economic, and political climate we often experience in the world around us-let us work to change our perceptions of success and defeat. Let us work towards seeing those two impostors as one in the same. Success is a very positive experience, but it is the path that we take to get there that matters most in the grander picture of our being.

The next time you encounter a road block to what you want, sit with the experience for a while and write down some of the pros and cons to getting what you wanted. Look within yourself and even speak to people you know and trust about their experiences with success and defeat. After looking at the situation from multiple perspectives, revisit your feelings about your "defeat." What, if anything, have you really lost? But more importantly, what have you gained? In taking this action towards positivity and peace, we open ourselves up to achieving true and long-lasting success.


And So it Is!

In Love & Peace☮,

The Light Within: Building Your Inner Light Reserve

We sometimes experience times when it seems as if darkness has been directly cast over our lives. At these times we can be tempted to look only outside of ourselves for the light that we seek. But, if we take time to cultivate and harness our our own inner light, then we can become our own source of illumination during these dark times. Practicing light-building activities during times of peace prepares us for victory in life's battles.


One way that I take advantage of peaceful and light-filled experiences if by keeping a peace journal. A peace journal can look any way you like and have any "theme" you desire. It's only set purpose is to hold your desires, ideas and activities that bring you peace, and your plans for manifesting peace.

For example, if visiting your local farmers market and setting aside a budget for fresh flowers (activities in my own my gratitude list), then you can journal about why those activities bring peace into your life. When you feel darkness setting in, reviewing the lists you have made and light-filled activities you have been a part of will remind your spirit that this too, truly shall pass. Although it can be hard to believe, our lives mimic nature, and in nature, the darkness and the light balance each other out. One is a reminder of why the other is so vital to that balance. However, sadness, sorrow, and chaos DO Not have to be part of that balance. As we build our inner peace and cultivate our light, we will find that the light outshines the darkness.




How to make your own journal by Curiously Crafty

 

And So It Is!☮

In Love and Peace,

And So It Is: Cultivating and Manifesting Peace in Our Lives

Resolved to have a peaceful and fulfilling experience today. Instead of meticulously planning out every detail from first light to glorious night, I decided to let this day flow through me and around me. I'd come to the conclusion that  the lack of order and intention in my world was responsible for my epic fail in inner peace 101. But, that is precisely the opposite of what's going on. In reality, constant worry about what might happen (anxiety) and inability to manifest tranquility because of that fear (procrastination), has turned my life into one big WHAT IF? Everyone can relate to "what ifs" syndrome, but few of us every examine the effects (and affect) that kind of thinking has on our ability to make peace within ourselves and in our world. Some truisms come to mind as ironically relevant illustrations of this point:

That Which Does Not Kill Us Makes Us Stronger

What you think means more than anything else in your life. More than what you earn, more than where you live, more than your social position, and more than what anyone else may think about you.

In addition to examining the literature, I'm adding some personal tips for beginning this journey to inner peace.

1. Cultivate an "AND SO IT IS" Attitude
There is a replacement or supplement (however you choose to look at it) for the traditional prayer ending, Amen that many people in the spiritual community practice. "And So It Is" is symbolizes the fact that what you've prayed for and/or meditated on is already part of the Universe. It is believed that whatever we send out in prayer, action ,and intention comes back to us (what goes around comes around-it's worded differently in every religion, but the essence remains the same). If we do, talk about, think about, and simply BE about positive things for ourselves and others, there is at least a better chance that those things will come into existence. Even if you don't believe that believing can make things come into being, isn't it much better to have positive things on your mind than the "what ifs" or "whoa is mes?"

2. Resolve to change the things that you can, acknowledge and let go of the things you absolutely cannot 


As much as I am the first one to believe in personal power to transform our own minds and external situations, there are those things that we simply CAN NOT change, no matter how hard we try or how hard we punish ourselves. Letting go of the unchangeable and superfluous aspects of our being allows for more time to focus on the things that we can change. Letting go is not always giving up when it gives us the opportunity to attend to what matters most.

The Serenity Prayer:

[Your Higher Power],

Grant me the serenity;

To accept the things I cannot change;

The courage, to change the things I can;

And the wisdom, to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace...

So that I may be supremely happy in this life

And supremely happy

Forever and ever in the next.

AND SO IT IS

Occupying your mind with positive activities seems easy enough, but the net gains are priceless. No activity is too small or "insignificant." Don't think that collecting stamps or watering your garden are not worthy spiritual building activities because they aren't yoga or meditation. Incorporating things into your life in that enrich and "Serenitize" YOUR BEING is the most important factor.

3. Don't feel forced to (blindly)*  follow anyone else's guidelines or prescription for a happy life.
There are many times in our lives when we feel unable to address an issue on our own. Perhaps we don't have the necessary experience to inform us about a solution. Or, we seek the guidance of someone who can not only provide information, nut can also serve as a support system along our journey (Think Dorothy trekking along the yellow brick road with the Tin Man, the Lion, and The Scarecrow). However, blindly and insecurely following the instructions of others simply because we doubt our own abilities or because that person seems to know more about something or in general than we do, can lead to unwelcome consequences.
     Remember that you are more powerful than you may be able to imagine, accept (right now), or can understand (at this moment). This power comes from your ability to make things happen within yourself and in the world around you
     ex. you may feel like a servant to BIG business or the government, but if you start writing letters of complaint about faulty products or practices, and use your sincerity and voice to organize others, you can change the way that business does business, or whether it does business at all. At the very least, you will influence a change of policy for your local branch of that BIG business.

*People you know, trust, and who have genuine experience with the goals that you seek to accomplish are great resources. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and support can greatly enhance your journey.

4. Eradicate Toxic Relationships!
This part of the post got deleted, so I will rewrite it later. Thanks for understanding :)

These are things that I've come to learn along my journey to inner peace, and I am definitely still learning and experiencing. Therefore, this post will be something to revisit. I hope this helps.

You alone decide what inner peace means and looks like to you. So, at the end of the
 day, nothing else matters besides making every day count in your book.

 

And So It Is!☮

In Love and Peace,