Fresh Thoughts for Your Monday: Let Your Worries and Fears Float Away

We hang onto them as if they were among our most prized possessions. We keep a firm grip on them so we can draw upon them throughout our waking—and especially our nighttime—hours. They are our worries and fears.

When we give them our attention and energy, our fears and worries become bigger, darker and more foreboding, especially in those middle-of-the-night hours when all seems darker, bigger and scarier.

Today, this week: Turn those worries and fears around and scoot them out the door. Let them float away with the wind. Fill those empty spaces instead with gratitude. Focus on the blessings of this moment, and your worries and fears won’t find room to come back.

Fresh Thoughts for Your Monday: See the Light. Be the Light.

We are quickly approaching the longest day of the year. Yet, there is darkness all around us. The storms of grief, the shadows of worry, the clouds of concern can prevent us from seeing the light that is also all around us--the light that is beaming brightly within us.

Instead of focusing on your cares and worries, redirect your view to your blessings, to the sources of your joy and gratitude.

Then, cast that light outward to others so that they, too, feel the light. The weight and intensity of their storms, shadows and clouds will lessen.

When you see the light, you become the light.

A Lot in Life

Just recently, I made a comment about someone having been given a lot in life.  What I meant was that some people are burdened with their lot in life, where life seems to be extra-hard and good luck difficult to find.  Then, I thought about my statement and realized that I could turn the meaning around so that it was focused more on blessing than burden, that we are each given a lot in life -- a lot of good things, that is.  Sometimes, it's easy to get caught up in the hardships, forgetting that each day is blessed with many wonderful experiences and gifts, as well.  Some of those hardships can even turn out to be blessings as they teach us how to look at our lives with new eyes of appreciation, compassion and understanding, and then choose to live our lives differently because of those newfound lessons and blessings.  Truly, we are each given a lot in life.