Why? Inner urges are calling me to something new. What it is exactly, I’m not sure yet.

One thing I do know: For greater things, and anything new, to show up in life, one has to create a void. You have to create space for it to exist. You have to let go. And then, just let it be. So that’s what I’m doing now by shedding some current things I currently do, creating a void for something new to enter. Space opens up and expansion becomes possible.

Sharing these posts with you has been a wonderful experience. I’ve learned the discipline of writing on a regular basis. I’ve explored topics at a personal level that I may not have shared any other way. I revealed truths about my life that I hadn’t spoken of before, except to very close friends. I tried to challenge you to explore your own depths, too. I hope it has been worthwhile and fulfilling for you as it has been for me.

One of the hardest things to accept about our human existence is the absolute impermanence of everything. Things change. They move and shift. Nothing is as we knew it only moments ago. And so, too, our lives change and shift.

 Most of the time, we fight against the shifts with resistance, denial or excuses. Emotional energy can build up, especially when a change is forced on you such as with my hiatus here, and one can easily feel resentful or want to whine a bit.

What would it be like to embrace change? To relish in it? To feel exhilarated by it? To let go and wander expectantly into the unknown?

Why not give it a try for yourself? That’s what I’ll be doing!

Best wishes for now. I may show up again when something burns to be shared.

I hope that this discourse has helped you in some way. I’d like to leave you with these words:

Forever Young

By Jim Cregan and Rod Stewart

May the good Lord be with you
Down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when you’re far from home
And may you grow to be proud, dignified and true
And do unto others as you’d have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you’ll always stay
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young 

May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to heaven
With a prince or a vagabond
And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young 

And when you finally fly away
I’ll be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell
But whatever road you choose
I’m right behind you, win or lose
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
For, forever young, forever young

I’m off to reside in the void and expand once again.

For more of what Sarah has to offer about living an inner-inspired life, visit InnerVantage

To work with Sarah in a one-to-one confidential relationship that brings you confidence, self-esteem and inner peace, contact her to explore your promising future

Every period of real growth I’ve experienced has come from internal pain, suffering or uneasiness that I was not willing to bear any longer. My calls for “enough” were truly wrapped in rescuing myself from what ailed me at the time. So I drew the line.

What might that call be for you? Could it be:

• A relationship not going as you’d like?
• A career that leaves you unfulfilled?
• Not feeling enough support from people you know?
• A general dissatisfaction with how your life is going in general?
• Perhaps lots of self-doubt?
• Living into your weaknesses or self-imposed limitations?

I’ve felt all of these things and each has helped me open a grander path through life. To get there, I had to face up to what wasn’t serving me and do something about it.

Another way to see this is in terms of the 4-Step Cycle. The impulse you feel is the realization that you are not in Integrity, the first of the 4 Steps. Misalignment is what causes your pain or discomfort.  

You now have a new Awareness, the second step. Further exploration of that awareness surfaces discoveries you can use to grow.

With these first two steps, the groundwork is in place for you to stop saying “enough already” and start living in a new way – a way that puts you in complete Integrity and alignment. However, there is one thing left to do.

That one often overlooked step is making the choice to grow, embracing whatever it takes to make the shift. Oh yes, you could ignore the call and simply stay as you are. That’s always a valid choice and it’s up to you, if you choose to make it.

You can hear the call, but making the choice is relieve the distress is what it is really all about.

How do you choose to answer your call?

For more of what Sarah has to offer about living an inner-inspired life, visit InnerVantage

To work with Sarah in a one-to-one confidential relationship that brings you confidence, self-esteem and inner peace, contact her to explore your promising future

Do you get these inner conflicts, too? How do you handle them?

I prefer to let my conscientious nature take precedent over my Type A. I always seem to be happier that way. For our type, inner happiness means a lot.

But sometimes, even the best intentions get fouled up. I was catching up on much overdue housecleaning tasks today. When I picked up a freshly-watered houseplant to dust beneath it, plop it went all over my beige carpet. Yuck, what a mess. So with my meticulous nature engaged, the work just got longer and more involved.

The trick here was keeping my inner critic out of the picture. It could have said, “You klutz” or something a bit stronger than that. Instead, I intentionally asked it to step aside so I could cope with this moment of moist, dark dirt on the light backdrop. Vacuum in hand, I did the best I could, noting that this job was much more bearable without chastising myself for an innocent accident.

Often, good qualities can run amok and turn against you. We can turn into our own worst enemies, making an already difficult situation even worse. So it’s our own personal choice in that moment to find its perfection instead of focusing in on calamity or blame.

And then again, you could turn the whole thing into a blog post. Ah, my Type A feels better now.

How can you relish all your qualities?

For more of what Sarah has to offer about living an inner-inspired life, visit InnerVantage

To work with Sarah in a one-to-one confidential relationship that brings you confidence, self-esteem and inner peace, contact her to explore your promising future

Click here for the second part of this thread

Moving along, you begin to avoid Toxic people and conversations. And you stop wasting time and energy rehashing your situation with family and friends. You learn that talk doesn’t change things and that unrequited wishes can only serve to keep you trapped in the past. So you stop lamenting over what could or should have been and you make a decision to leave the past behind. Then you begin to invest your time and energy to affect positive change. You take a personal inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses and the areas you need to improve in order to move ahead, you set your goals and map out a plan of action to see things through.

You learn that life isn’t always fair and you don’t always get what you think you deserve, and you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment. You learn to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that these things are not an act of God…but merely a random act of fate.

And you stop looking for guarantees, because you’ve learned that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected and that whatever happens, you’ll learn to deal with it. And you learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time – FEAR itself. So you learn to step right into and through your fears, because to give into fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. You learn that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophesy and you learn to go after what you want and not to squander your life living under a cloud of indecision or feelings of impending doom.

Then, you learn about money… the personal power and independence it brings and the options it creates. And you recognize the necessity to create your own personal wealth. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart’s desire. And a sense of power is born of self-reliance. And you live with honor and integrity because you know that these principles are not the outdated ideals of a by-gone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build your life. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful opportunity and exciting possibility. Then you hang a wind chime outside your window to remind yourself what beauty there is in Simplicity.

Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you fake a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

A word about the Power of Prayer: In some of my darkest, most painful and frightening hours, I have prayed, not for the answers to my prayers or for material things, but for my “God” to help me find the strength, confidence and courage to persevere; to face each day and to do what I must do.

Remember this:- You are an expression of the almighty. The spirit of God resides within you and moves through you. Open your heart, speak to that spirit and it will heal and empower you.

My “God” has never failed me.

Copyright 1999 by Sonny Carroll [Emphasis added]

For more of what Sarah has to offer about living an inner-inspired life, visit InnerVantage

To work with Sarah in a one-to-one confidential relationship that brings you confidence, self-esteem and inner peace, contact her to explore your promising future

And you begin to love and to care for yourself. You stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors, including participating in dysfunctional relationships. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and exercising. And because you’ve learned that fatigue drains the spirit and creates doubt and fear, you give yourself permission to rest. And just as food is fuel for the body, laughter is fuel for the spirit and so you make it a point to create time for play.

Then you learn about love and relationships – how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving, and when to walk away. And you allow only the hands of a lover who truly loves and respects you to glorify you with his touch. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say, intentionally or unintentionally, and that not everyone will always come through… and interestingly enough, it’s not always about you. So, you stop lashing out and pointing fingers or looking to place blame for the things that were done to you or weren’t done for you. And you learn to keep your Ego in check and to acknowledge and redirect the destructive emotions it spawns – anger, jealousy and resentment.

You learn how to say “I was wrong” and to forgive people for their own human frailties. You learn to build bridges instead of walls and about the healing power of love as it is expressed through a kind word, a warm smile or a friendly gesture. And, at the same time, you eliminate any relationships that are hurtful or fail to uplift and edify you. You stop working so hard at smoothing things over and setting your needs aside. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is your right to want or expect certain things. And you learn the importance of communicating your needs with confidence and grace. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that eventually martyrs are burned at the stake. Then you learn to distinguish between guilt, and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to Say NO. You learn that you don’t know all the answers, it’s not your job to save the world and that sometimes you just need to Let Go.

Moreover, you learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to be, and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name. You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and relationships, and that that not everyone can always love you the way you would want them to. So you stop appraising your worth by the measure of love you are given. And suddenly you realize that it’s wrong to demand that someone live their life or sacrifice their dreams just to serve your needs, ease your insecurities, or meet “your” standards and expectations. You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the love that is given freely without conditions or limitations. And you learn what it means to love. So you stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that “alone” does not mean “lonely” and you begin to discover the joy of spending time “with yourself” and “on yourself.” Then you discover the greatest and most fulfilling love you will ever know – Self Love. And so it comes to pass that, through understanding, your heart heals; and now all new things are possible.

Copyright 1999 by Sonny Carroll [Emphasis added]

To be continued…

For more of what Sarah has to offer about living an inner-inspired life, visit InnerVantage

To work with Sarah in a one-to-one confidential relationship that brings you confidence, self-esteem and inner peace, contact her to explore your promising future

You realize that it is time to stop hoping and waiting for something or someone to change, or for happiness safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there aren’t always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you. Then a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

So you begin making your way through the “reality of today” rather than holding out for the “promise of tomorrow.” You realize that much of who you are and the way you navigate through life is, in great part, a result of all the social conditioning you’ve received over the course of a lifetime. And you begin to sift through all the nonsense you were taught about :

- how you should look and how much you should weigh,
- what you should wear and where you should shop,
- where you should live or what type of car you should drive,
- who you should sleep with and how you should behave,
- who you should marry and why you should stay,
- the importance of bearing children or what you owe your family,

Slowly you begin to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin re-assessing and re-defining who you are and what you really believe in. And you begin to discard the doctrines you have outgrown, or should never have practiced to begin with.

You accept the fact that you are not perfect ,and that not everyone will love appreciate or approve of who or what you are… and that’s OK… they are entitled to their own views and opinions. And, you come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a “perfect 10″…. Or a perfect human being for that matter… and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head or agonizing over how you compare. And, you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others. Then a sense of confidence is born of self-approval.

And, you stop manoeuvring through life merely as a “consumer” hungry for your next fix, a new dress, another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration from family, friends or even strangers who pass by. Then you discover that it is truly in “giving” that we receive, and that the joy and abundance you seek grows out of the giving. And you recognize the importance of “creating” and “contributing” rather than “obtaining” and “accumulating.”

And you give thanks for the simple things you’ve been blessed with, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about – a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, the freedom of choice and the opportunity to pursue your own dreams.

Copyright 1999 by Sonny Carroll [Emphasis added]

To be continued…

For more of what Sarah has to offer about living an inner-inspired life, visit InnerVantage

To work with Sarah in a one-to-one confidential relationship that brings you confidence, self-esteem and inner peace, contact her to explore your promising future

The answer to that can be quite individual and I often work on this issue with private clients. However, there are some trends that complicate life for all of us:

The pace we are beckoned to assume is quicker than we find comfortable. Think back to your life 20 years ago now. No internet or e-mail. Fewer things to do. Yes, it has changed quite a bit, hasn’t it?

We are overloaded with input. I heard recently that what we take in during one day is equal to what our ancestors took in for a decade. Yikes! That’s a lot!

We generally search for meaning and significance outside ourselves. Society has its values and it seems many people search for bigger and better things: houses, cars, clothes, etc. We are conditioned to see these things as bringing us happiness. Has it done that for you?

We’ve lost touch with ourselves and who we really are. We’ve let ego take over and run our lives beyond its own usefulness. That’s why I’m glad to see the rising interest in spirituality and consciousness.

What can the introverted, highly sensitive person do? Embrace self-defined simplicity by designing it into your life. I’ll be giving a one-hour call on that exact topic this week.

Join me this Wednesday, April 21, for Simplicity is Possible!

For more of what Sarah has to offer about living an inner-inspired life, visit InnerVantage

To work with Sarah in a one-to-one confidential relationship that brings you confidence, self-esteem and inner peace, contact her to explore your promising future

So what do you do when you are introverted and highly sensitive and it’s hard to find others who “get” you? Remember that longing? You just wanted someone to understand your quietness, your overwhelm, your distress at what others took as common happenings. You simply wanted to be reassured and soothed. Is that too much to ask?

If you are like me, these upsetting experiences caused you to feel all alone, like no one else understood you at all. Like you were some alien from a different planet. Like you were so different that something must be wrong with you, because no one else felt like you did. Gee, it all comes rushing back to me when I think of it, feeling into the barren landscape that was my childhood.

I tried the comparing thing for way too long and finally realized it didn’t work for me. Doing it was deflating my self-worth. I had no capacity to love myself as I was and therefore no way to release my gifts and potential. Everything I had was bottled up inside. It wasn’t serving me nor was it serving this world.

Then, one day I had a revelation. My maker wouldn’t put me here as some joke or play toy for their own amusement. I was as valuable to the plot as everyone else was. What was happening is that I was limiting myself with my own beliefs. I narrowed my own horizons. Suddenly, a new world opened up for me.

I started to unravel the knot of self-limitation that was holding me in the place I didn’t want to be in any longer. It was quite an intricate web. Some of it was my own thinking. Some of it was healing from life’s rude experiences. Some of it was recasting my interpretation of certain events. Another part was learning to love myself just as I am. It all melded together into a great revealing of my true spirit.

When you bask in self-love, you sense your unique worth, regardless of what any signals from the world indicate. You realize you are beyond compare. Wow! It’s amazing when you feel it fully.

Know that there is no one like you on this Earth path EVER. You have gifts to give and lots to live ahead of you. Without your full participation in this journey, the course of the world is forever changed.

Take time to find how you are beyond compare.

For more of what Sarah has to offer about living an inner-inspired life, visit InnerVantage

To work with Sarah in a one-to-one confidential relationship that brings you confidence, self-esteem and inner peace, contact her to explore your promising future

So you’ve identified some negativity in your thoughts or in your life. It can be quite a drag, eh?

Negativity drains your energy and also drains everyone around you. So having and keeping relationships can be a problem when your outlook is like this. And it also is a signal that you could have more negativity than you want.

It also lowers your vibrations and contracts your beingness, a la the Law of Attraction. So if you don’t have what you want or cherish in your life, there’s another signal.

Now for the BIG question: What can you do about it? In my last post, I showed you it is possible to shift. Here are some things you can start to do to make the adjustment for yourself:

Adopt a positivity partner. You really don’t know how much negativity is in your life until you see it reflected back to you. That’s one thing a positivity partner can do for you. Another is to help you stay positive.

What you do with your positivity partner is this: Whenever you are together or on the phone, you promise one another to only talk about positive things. And when the other gets off track, you gently remind them to stay positive.

Wow! What an eye opener this can be because people love to get together to complain, berate others or just crab about what’s happening. And you know misery loves company. When was the last time you heard someone compliment the government? Or express gratitude for the economy? Ah…exactly!

This is a big step in the direction of raising your awareness. By working with your positivity partner, you start to identify your negativity and eventually catch it in your thoughts. Then you can really start to shift.

Go on a negativity fast. What if you took all negativity in every part of your life and shifted it whenever it came up? What could be possible? Lots!

I recently read about an inspirational man who did this. Whenever any negativity came into his life, he immediately went inside to shift to something positive, like a short meditation, gratitude or reciting a mantra to uplift him. After 21 days (the period of time most people quote as needed to change a habit), he felt completely renewed as if he were a new man.

Check out the complete negativity fast article here with tips for starting your own negativity fast

You can erase negativity! Won’t you give it a try? It’s your choice.

For more of what Sarah has to offer about living an inner-inspired life, visit InnerVantage

To work with Sarah in a one-to-one confidential relationship that brings you confidence, self-esteem and inner peace, contact her to explore your promising future

Now, it can be quite easy to become jaded or negative when you consider the media and news. They focus on whatever is not right, like the economy. Yet, I know that many who are like us avoid the news and any other downers simply because it can cause too much inner turmoil. So that can’t be the source.

For me, the source of my negativity was instilled in childhood. And it became my habit. I grew up with a mother who was a chronic complainer and criticizer. Everything and every person were subject to her verbal assaults of fault finding. Oh, she was nice to your face, but she’d rip someone up one side and down the other afterward. Seeing that duality was confusing, but it was all I knew for many years.

What can you choose to do about it? Many people just want reinforcement for their negativity. They want others to agree with their viewpoint and to console them. Others choose to withdraw, turning to isolation when their beliefs aren’t echoed by the environment they are in.

I took a different route. I reprogrammed my point of view from looking at what’s wrong to seeking what’s right. My motivation came when I saw the impact the negativity was having on my spirit. I wasn’t enjoying anything and I knew it needed to shift.

My first step was seeking my own negativity. I heightened my awareness to hear it as I said it. Wow, that was an eye-opener when I realized I sounded just like my mother. Then came the compassion for myself, as I realized that before then, I didn’t know anything different. I had to create that difference for myself.

Next, I learned to pause before speaking, creating my own personal censorship of my thoughts. I’d still think the negative things, but I didn’t want to say them. Practice with more compassion followed that. Finally, the negative thoughts went away. Whew, I’d made the shift.

And where am I today? I feel completely reprogrammed, granting the benefit of the doubt, looking for the best in people and situations while extending compassion when others come off as negative.

We’re all going to have negative times. Yet, it doesn’t have to infect your outlook. It’s important to realize that your life doesn’t have to remain that way because we are the creators of our own happiness.

What happiness are you creating today?

For more of what Sarah has to offer about living an inner-inspired life, visit InnerVantage

To work with Sarah in a one-to-one confidential relationship that brings you confidence, self-esteem and inner peace, contact her to explore your promising future