The Risk of Truth

There comes a time when it is imperative that we really listen to everything we are telling ourselves. We have to decide if we are being honest with ourselves or if we are telling ourselves a little white lie. In my experience, I have found that when we do not tell ourselves or others the truth it is because we are fearful thinking the lie will be protecting the person or ourselves. Lately I have become aware of the ways I have not been honest with myself . Often it was blatant but other times, it is often so subtle it is hard to recognize.

My past was abusive so I always lied about my living circumstances, the amount of danger I was living in and how much fear I really had. One might say that it was justified but I continued it long after the abuse ended and into adulthood. I never told the truth to anyone about my life but that was not really the problem; I never told the truth to myself either. And those lies affected everything.

I eventually had to make peace not only with what happened but with the lies I had told myself. That is where the risk comes in...it is not easy to look inside and realize what I had told myself and realize where that had lead me. Although one day I realized I could no longer be dishonest with myself.

This is where the subtly comes in...it is sometimes so automatic we don't realize we are even doing it. Paula and I just finished the Stories of Hope program where we focused on seeing the light in others but more importantly about seeing it in ourselves. I think many of us are dishonest about that. If we see our deception to seeing our own light it bears some risk. That risk is about knowing our own truth and creating new paths to follow based on a new truth. With this knowledge of who we are, we can no longer stay on a path that limits our vision and our purpose; we must live out our purpose in the world. It is the light in ourselves and others that opens us to the great possibilities that are already there for each of us...we only have to tap into the energy of it to be in sync with our highest purpose.

I would ask each of you to consider looking at the story you are living out each and every day and be sure that it is based on your highest good. That is our true calling to risk what we truly believe and to trust the light that shines from within.

Blessings to you~

Sandy

Living Each Day

There is no question about it, the busyness of our lives today have taken center stage. How many people are trying to balance work, kids, volunteer commitments, as well as keeping groceries in the house and a clean clothes in the closet? We have not even added to that the stress of how we live our lives with the stress that comes from the uncertainty in our world today.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed with everything that has to be done, cared for, decided upon or watched over. Sometimes we can even feel like a victim of our own circumstances; a never ending cycle that keeps repeating itself despite our best efforts to change it. As this cycle continues it often begins to feel like there is no hope of breaking it, which chips away at our spirits and does not allow the best of ourselves to come out. So the question becomes, how do you begin to break this cycle?

As with any change in your life, the most critical part depends on how much you want the change to occur. It will take a conscious thought and effort to create the life you desire rather than to be at the mercy of your circumstances.

Making this change, means taking control of your thoughts because your thoughts direct your actions. If you can, right now stop and jot down what your thoughts are? Are your thoughts based on fear? Are you telling yourself that things won’t change anyway? Thoughts are so powerful that you are right whatever you think. If you think things will not get better, you are right they will not. If you think that you can make a change, you are also right because you will be able to make the change you want. Having a mindset that empowers you is the first step to moving into what you want more of in your daily life.

With a positive attitude in place, ask yourself these questions. What are the most important things I want to create in my life each day? Do I want to meet each day with stress and anxiety or peace and joy? Which activities feel like I “have to” do them and which ones bring me contentment? Being honest with yourself and your situation will help you define what it is you want. It requires looking within to uncover any beliefs that may be keeping you stuck in old patterns and agreeing to change them so you can move ahead.

Answering these questions will give you a place to start. The next step is to ask how. How can I make the things I want in my life be a priority? How can I reduce stress in even a small way? What small thing can I change today that will bring a welcome change?
Making a change is hard work and requires constant and consistent effort to make it happen. It takes time and often the results you desire do not come overnight, but know that every small change gives you confidence to create the life you want. The most important part of this article is that each one of us possesses amazing possibilities to live a life that nourishes our spirits and fills us with joy. Remember this is a journey that is unfolding so be kind and gentle with yourself and you move into your unlimited potential to create everything you want.

Sandy Thibault is an author, speaker and life coach. She is part owner in Burnsville Counseling and Healing Center and co-founder of the Institute for Peace and Joy. She can be contacted at 952-435-4144 or http://www.counselingandhealing.com

A Call To Prayer

A few years ago I spent three weeks in Tanzania. While there I got to know people from many different cultures including people from the remote villages, members of the Maasi tribe as well as people who where Muslim. On the first morning there I remember waking up at sunrise to the Muslim tradition of calling everyone to prayer. Chanting comes over the loudspeaker that reminds everyone in hearing distance that it is time to stop what they are doing and turn their attention to a power higher than themselves. This call goes out 5 times a day and is strictly adhered too.

I was aware of what it was because we had been told about it...but it was different being there and hearing it. The chanting was loud and clear in the still of the morning with the sun just coming up. I could imagine people waking up and their first thoughts were about prayer. It reminded me too that it was important to acknowledge God's spirit within me.

This was on my mind because I was recently reminded of this tradition by the friends I had traveled with. As it sat in my mind I wondered how my responses to the world would be different if I was reminded of God 5 times a day. What if the call to prayer came during a difficult conversation with someone? What if the call came when you were overwhelmed and fearful? What if you were fighting with someone? As I pose these questions I can't help but wonder if I would drop my defenses and come to love and forgiveness faster. I don't know for sure but it would change the perspective.

Every morning when I wake up before I do anything else I mediate and ask for Divine guidance to open my heart and to guide my words and actions in a way that is loving to all. But I am like everyone else sometimes with my best intentions, I fall short of how I want to be. The call to prayer is not part of our culture but I think the idea of it reminds all of us that God is guiding us at every moment even when things are hard. It is a wonderful assurance.
Blessings,
Sandy

An Apache Blessing...

May the sun
bring you new energy by day

May the moon
softly restore you by night

May the rain
wash away your worries

May the breeze
blow new strength into your being

May you walk
gently through the world and know
its beauty all the days of your life


I am wondering how many times we take a moment to send a blessing to those people that are important to us? I wonder further... how many times we send a blessing to those people who have hurt us in some way? I choose the picture I did because it represents to me what happens inside when we bless the people around us. And as we do it that, the same blessing happens in us. May you be blessed beyond measure.
Sandy

You are invited to attend Stories of Hope on Nov. 7th at St. James Lutheran Church in Burnsville. Visit our web site for more information
www.counselingandhealing.com/stories_of_hope.aspx

Holding Hope...

In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. ~Albert Camus

With Stories of Hope right around the corner I have been thinking a lot about the idea of hope. My question over the last few weeks has been, how do you hold on to hope when all the evidence is to the contrary? It is an interesting and complex question to answer.

I have been trying to answer this for myself. My life circumstances as a child were very hopeless. As an abused child, my life continued to get worse with the violence escalating against me. It literally felt like no way out and and my future looked bleak indeed. In the face of all odds stacked against me, I knew that there was a different life for me and that would change my family.

I have been asked how I knew that and I have had difficulty putting into words. It was not something that came from my logical mind but from my spirit. I had a knowing at a young age that I would be given everything I needed to make a different life for myself. It is hard to hang on to that feeling when the world around me was crumbling, but in the darkest hour the feeling would come back to me. It would allow me to get up and press on. I came to realize at an early age how resilient the human spirit is. This knowing was not in my mind but in my heart and I could feel it in every part of my body. I realize now what an incredible gift I was given to experience this Divine knowing that helped me hold hope in my heart.

I know that this is not only true for me but for you as well. We all have times in our life that seem hopeless and out of our control, but yet we continue on moving into the future with a hopeful heart. That is what our world needs; for each one of us to hold hope for healing our own lives so we can create a future for our children that is hopeful.

That is what Stories of Hope...We Are The Hope For Our Children is about. It is about how we can each look at our own lives, heal the places were we feel wounded and create a world where love and compassion is a generous outpouring of who we are.

I invite each one of you to come to this free gift to the community on Friday night, Nov. 7th at St. James Lutheran Church. Invite others to join you for inspiring program.

Blessings,

Sandy

For more information visit us at www.counselingandhealing.com/stories_of_hope.aspx

Healing Stories

One of my favorite things to do is to get up early and sit on my deck with my coffee to welcome the day. I am often looking at the moon and stars, thinking about the beauty of this world, and the opportunities that lay waiting to unfold in the day before me.

This morning, I am in the after glow of a presentation that my business Partner, Paula and I did last night at our center called, Living Stories. Long ago, story was the way a family or culture would pass down their history, values and beliefs to the next generation. When these stories were told it was much more than passing on the information, it was an eye into the person's heart that was telling the story. When we speak our truth, however painful that may be, we open the door where we can connect to others through the heart: a powerful and transformative tool.

Last night we had an opportunity to do just that. Using my story of abuse as a basis, we talked about the healing journey. I like to call it, A Story of Love and Forgiveness ~ A Journey to Peace.

That is not just what I wanted, we all want that in our lives, regardless of our story. I believe there are some universal principals to healing. An essential part of this process is forgiveness for yourself and others, acknowledging the Divine guidance in your life, seeing God in everything and everyone and offering everyone, including yourself unconditional love.

Is this an easy task? Of course not, it does not come from a logical mind but from a spiritual perspective. They say that you cannot heal a situation with the same consciousness that created it. Forgiving someone, or offering love to a person you think does not deserve it, does not come from your mind; it comes from your heart and for that you need a higher perspective.

I sat in awe last night as I watched the people who had gathered there to hear about what it means to heal. How courageous they were to open themselves to the idea's being presented. I listened as Paula spoke about the ideas that she has always believed since she was a small child.

Early in her life, she had an understanding that is uncommon even among adults now. She was given a gift to help people see God in everything and everyone. She knew early about the power of forgiveness and how that frees you give love and compassion to yourself and others. I watch her as she lives this out each day.

Individually and together, this is our message to all who want to hear it. We each have to refuse to carry anger, judgement and hatred toward ourselves and others. Healing the wounds we carry is a light that shines brightly for others along the path. The picture above shows it best...we all need each other and when we allow our heart to open, we offer our hand to others. I would invite you to come to Stories of Hope...We Are The Hope For Our Children. Healing ourselves is how we create a better world for our children. Please join us on Friday night, November 7th at St. James Lutheran Church in Burnsville, MN . For more information http://www.counselingandhealing.com/stories_of_hope.aspx

May you be blessed and be a blessing,

Sandy

Sonnet To Morning

Let me wrap the gift of this new day

and view its contents as a innocent child

accepts the world: with eyes that see the way

to sun beyond dark clouds, where skies are mild;

with voice that lifts in prayer, as birds praise dawn;

with hands that touch each miracle, in awe

of budding leaves or flowers on a lawn

or furry friends with hoof, horn and paw.

Lead me along a path where I will find

in all the precious hours that stretch before,

the chance to help,to listen,to be kind;

to heal the wounds that make the world heartsore.

Oh, let me fill each second so that I

may greet the day with an appreciative eye.

~Sheila Forsyth

Spend a quiet moment this morning to contemplate the day that is yours to create. Blessings to you this day.

Sandy