Change Your Life Friday

2021 Restart, Reset, & Relaunch

49. Courage

Posted on December 6, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela (7/18/1918-12/5/2013)

In this life we are constantly confronted with circumstances and situations which fear seems to lead us away from where our hearts were carrying us. I know in my own experience it was fear that stopped me from taking a chance or investing my time in something I felt drawn to do. I do not believe that fear will ever leave me completely but I know that my reaction to fear will dictate what I leave the universe in my wake.

I think that courage and bravery can come in so many ways, luckily there have been some incredible examples that have walked the path of courage before us to show how truly strong we can be. I know the feeling I get on the other side of a challenge or an obstacle is such a great uplifting experience yet it still takes faith to conquer the next opportunity in my path.

Today I intend to face one of my biggest fears by leaning on the experiences of my fellows and my faith that I am making the right choice in my life. By making a conscious decision in this moment I believe I am setting forth the motion needed to follow through on my commitment. When it is time I will choose bravery over weakness and faith over fear, knowing the results will be exactly the way they are supposed to be. It takes lots of risks to learn the truth about fear, today I will grow in understanding and effectiveness.

Affirmation: In this moment I choose courage over fear!!!

Call To Action: I s there something in your life that you know inside yourself that you need to conquer? Why not make today the day that you choose courage over fear? The more courageous choices we make the better suited we will be to face the certain challenges ahead, today is the day to put in some practice and tell us how it goes so that we can all grow through each others experiences.

33. Willingness

Posted on August 16, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“The amount of good luck coming your way depends on your willingness to act.” – Barbara Sher

Over the last week I have been in constant thought about the idea of willingness. I had heard a story about how Socrates tested Plato’s willingness to seek knowledge by drowning him. To only explain that it would not be until he was as willing to fight for knowledge in the way that he was fighting for breath could he continue to learn. This example at first glance seems a harsh way to get a message across but it carries so much weight for me right now.

I believe today that I can effectively create just about anything I want out of life. This belief comes from all of the changes that I have seen manifest over the last several years of putting change at the forefront of my life experience. Without a doubt every avenue which I have taken the time to identify, the willingness to change it and the effort required I have gotten results and my life has gotten better, As I write this now I can see several other areas where I feel change could be good.

If I honestly ask myself why I am in the same place I was when I recognized that a change would be desirable in certain areas the answer becomes very clear. I simply have not become willing enough to work on them. I may talk about them and start to believe the lie that I am doing all that is necessary to change them, but I am not. If I really want a change in any area of my life I need to consider the lesson that Plato learned that day. If I truely want my current situation to change I should focus on it with the willingness of a drowning man. Only at that point can I say that I gave it everything I had.

Affirmation: In this moment I am willing to do the next right action. (immediately followed by action)

Call To Action: Years ago I would talk about wanting to get back in shape and I never did yet I would complain about my physical status and make excuses. At some point the excuses got old and something needed to be changed. I worked on one thing, being willing. Willingness brought on a commitment that has not left me since. What are you still waivering on? Are you being honest about your effort? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to get the result you want? Please share your experiences with us.

10. Evolution

Posted on March 8, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“Love is a sacred reserve of energy; it is like the blood of spiritual evolution.” – Teilhard De Chardin

Over the last five years I have been conscious of my ever growing life, and specifically I have been an active member in my own personal evolution. I am fairly certain this process has been going on my entire life, but I also humbly acknowledge I have not always been a participant in the development.

Today I get to be engaged in my personal growth. My greatest growth has come in two forms. First when I realize something in my life that is an internal block to Love, and in response to this epiphany work to dissolve that block. This usually occurs when some “crisis” occurs. It might look like an end of a relationship or perhaps a financial problem. The other is when I actively find situations that take me out of my comfort zone, and makes me aggressively do some deep soul searching. One personal example is a meditation retreat I attended.

Inadvertently this week’s topic has elements of the last 3 weeks of CYLFriday. The fact is it takes a great deal of self-love and persistence to evolve in breaking down internal barriers, and seeking barriers that I may not be aware of. The process has been such a wonderful adventure I now find it important to pass it on to others. If I am able to take action to be a better me this is the best type of leadership I can give my fellow wonderer on this path called Life.

Affirmation: I draw from the sacred well of life to bring in the Love that helps me to evolve to a new outlook and new me.

Call to Action: You are an ever-evolving, ever-unfolding expression of love and life. Take some time to see where this growth has taken place recently, truly take the time to honor that growth and share it with the people around you. I know the best teachers that I have ever had in my life are the ones that knew and lived their passions. You are one of those teachers, head forth and find your students!

7. I Love Myself

Posted on February 15, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship you have with yourself.” –Steve Maraboli

Once a year our culture is reminded to put forth some effort in an expression of love to the people we care about with gifts, kind words and amazing gestures. I hope that all of our community was able to find someone else to share their love with, whether it was a friend or a lover, a parent or a child, maybe even a stranger. If you had this chance and were graced with the joy of another I think you got it right. The process of bringing the love we have within to the physical plane can quickly lift the giver and the receiver up in an instant.

That brings us to today; the day after all of the Valentines giving is gone. This seems to me to be the perfect time to give a little love back to ourselves. Actually it may be better served today to give yourself a lot of Love. I have often heard throughout my lifetime that is wrong to pat ourselves on the back or to put ourselves first. What I know today is that if I am not right with myself and I do not love the me that I see, I will not be able to love you or anyone else fully and completely.

So on this day after Valentines, I am going to spend some time reminding myself of all the good things that I do and all the good that I am. It is very easy to put ourselves down and most of us do it very often. Just as we shed those feelings about our partners yesterday let us shed those feelings about ourselves today.

Affirmation: I love who I am in this moment, exactly as I am, as I really am.

Call to Action: Make it a point to give yourself some love today. Write a note to yourself about how much you love those things that make you you. Put it somewhere that you can see it throughout the day as a reminder. Take this as a chance to woo yourself, you deserve it, and who knows you better than you?

6. Preparation

Posted on February 8, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” -Abraham Lincoln

Over the last 24 hours it seems every news break I heard on the radio was about a gigantic snow storm that is supposed to hit the East Coast today. The first half of each report talks about the magnitude of how powerful this force of nature could be and the second half of the stories seem to detail how everyone is preparing for the worst case scenario. I sure hope that everyone who is touched by this storm is safe and protected thanks to the ability for science to predict such a massive event, without such a warning some storms seem to be so devastating mostly due to a lack of preparation.

Throughout life it seems that most of the biggest storms that we face in our lives are ones that come out of nowhere as well. They deal out extreme pain due to a lack of preparation on how to cleanup the aftermath. When we lose friends or relationships, jobs or dreams, the most painful ones arrive without a chance to see them coming. It is hard to forecast anything in life since so much that goes happens, some would say all of it, is outside of our immediate control. What we do have control over is the how prepared we are to cope with the inevitable storms that come through.

When life is going well and everything seems to be just the way it is supposed to be I often find myself pulling back on the time that I spend trying to grow. I find myself getting lazy in relationships and responsibilities then seemingly out of the blue something painful comes my way and I am running around trying to pull everything back together. The truth is that the out of the blue moments come when I let up on the things that keep me connected to the universe and the people about it. I know today that storms can come at any time and if I am not doing something each day to grow I will find myself overwhelmed by the challenges that life has to offer me. I choose to grow today, to put in the time to get a bit better, understand a little more and prepare for the changes that life is bringing me.

Affirmation: I am working on myself today to be the best I can be tomorrow.

Call To Action: No matter what our circumstances are, today is the perfect day to grow. Find a place in your life where the leavey is a bit weak and do what you can to fortify it. Please share your experiences with us below.

5. Others

Posted on February 1, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

“In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being.” – Dalai Lama

Over the last two weeks I have been doing some readings from two different spiritual books. One talks about loving your enemy and the other talks about praying for someone for two weeks who you have bitterness towards. I thought that praying for someone that annoyed me and to love someone that is my adversary was a nice ideal to live up to, but not realistic.

Last Thursday I saw someone that I had not seen in months, since that last encounter, a person that is very close to me told me some disturbing information about this individual. A light bulb went off in my head, I knew this is where it had to start. During the last week, if I get a twinge in my stomach when I see or think about someone, I add them to my list. Writing this edition of CYLFriday, my list contains 12 people, including family, an ex-girlfriend, a bully from elementary school, and a bank. I have been specifically wishing health, prosperity, and happiness for these people.

I am not sure if these people are receiving the above things because I do not talk to most of them. I have noticed that I feel healthier; I have more joy and happiness throughout my day, and my pay checks today were bigger than they had been in months. Last week this was going to be an experiment, but in a short time I feel that this needs to be a lifelong practice.

Affirmation: I lift my brothers and sisters up in my mind and in my heart. Thank you life for the Good that others receive and thank you for the Good I receive.

Call to Action: Who is that person or institution that brings a knot to your stomach when you simply think of them? If you dare, think of three things that you want in your life, and wish these things for them. If you are brave, do this for 2 weeks and please report back what happens in your life.

4. Stand up

Posted on January 24, 2013 by changeyourlifefriday

We have decided to get our community involved with our mission of inspiration in a new way. This year, the last Friday of each month a guest writer will have their submission posted. If you have a thought, stance or story to share please send it to our email @ changeyourlifefriday@gmail.com If you feel called, please listen to the words of our first guest this week and…

4. Stand Up

Speak Truths And Never Doubt yoUr Position……S.T.A.N.D. U.P.!
by Lalli

I think it’s harder to try to fit in
Than it is to be a martyr for what you truly believe

So persecute me in the name of free speech
Throw the rocks of your verbal abuse
Lash at my skin with the words from your lips
Because I respect your freedom to use them!

Don’t hold back your uncensored opinions
Let them fly from the deepest cavern hidden behind formality
Where in the name of being “proper” is the source to your restriction
I beg for you to release them!

We come into this world without expectation
Yet, we are met with nothing but expectations

Laugh in the face of conformity
Scald the tongue of its language
Crucify the image of expectation as a symbol
A symbol of independent rebellion
Since how is a person supposed to develop as an individual
If they are constantly held to the expectations of the masses
How is a child, unique with a talent to bless the world
Ever going to find it, if it’s raised as a drone
That means that Martin Luther King, Edgar Allen Poe, Ghandi, Jesus, the Joan of Arc
Bob Marley, even Helen Keller would never have lived within the scope of famous existence
They would have never created history
If they hadn’t learned how to turn their dreams into memories
To let the nay-sayers speak with kindling words that fueled their flame
They fought for what seemed unattainable
They stared into the eye of animosities driven fear
They didn’t cower afraid of their peers but they became references of inspiration

Hero’s

Who with each day flew higher
Thrusting wings flapped into footsteps of advancement through the freedom of self-expression
And anyone questioning whether you should S.T.A.N.D. U.P. for what they feel is right
Well I can think of one reason
That has more weight than many reasons equivalent to all the granules of sand on every beach and the ocean floor
Because every building will fall
Every star will fade
And although an end is inevitable it doesn’t change the impact its existence made
Live, today like you’ll never see another one
Like you won’t be able to take another breath
Quit looking for depth in the shallow end
Search underneath society’s Lilly-pad façade’s for the anchor of truth hiding out of sight
Be the phantom in the night riding a horseback guided by a lantern without a light
Listen to your hearts beat
Dance to the rhythm of your own drum
Follow your passions and have faith in the unique design of your snowflake
Trust the path in which you fall
Because you never know
You could quite possibly shine as the beacon of light that the people need
Just by being the person
you know you’re meant to be

Affirmation: Today I will stand up for what I know is my Truth, I walk fearlessly through this day and affirm what is Right.

Call To Action: This is an amazing day to feel what we know is true and stand for it. Today is not a day to play small to any situation whatsoever, in fact this is the perfect day to address and stand up in the face of your fears. By doing this you may experience some of your greatest freedoms and inspire others through your actions to stand up on their own. Get out there and see what kinda good you can do then come back and share it with our growing community. Thank you life!