Living The Life Of Your Dreams Is Absolute Bravery

I really enjoyed reading this article by Bethany Rosselit called Forget “Should” and live the life you want to live. Her article starts off with this awesome quote “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson. In today's world, it is an act of bravery to step out of the “norm” and be who you really want to be. If you are looking to be inspired to live the life of your dreams then I know you will love Bethany Rosselit's article.

I know how it is to really want something and people tell you that it is not good enough. I grew up with constant criticism. Even as an adult people will say if your dreams don't scare it's not big enough. If you are not working 2 jobs, you are not working hard enough. If you don't have a big house on a hill you are not rich enough. You know what's funny? All these people who say these things never really stop and ask anyone hey what do YOU really want? What will fill YOUR life with joy? What do YOU value the most? It might not be anything scary or a big house on a hill. It might be something simple as a tiny house by a lake with a dog watching the sun rise and sun set every day. To live a simple, peaceful and happy life. If this is the life that you want to live then be brave and strive to live a simple life. This is your life.

This is why I love Bethany's article so much. She asked herself what would really make her happy, she then went out and made it happen and it was faaaar from the “norm”. She is a huge inspiration to me because she was willing to brave criticism, brave the hard work to make it happen, brave her own fears and above all she stuck to her values.

Bethany said in her article “Ask yourself what you value rather then just doing things because you are supposed to. This is your life, and there is nothing that you must do. Everything is a choice, even when you think it is not.” A lot of times we don't take the time to think about what we really value. We are soo accustomed to being on auto pilot and we don't stop and think about what our values are and what would really make us happy. Take a moment right now to think about your values and don't be afraid to honor your values and dreams.

In Bethany's article, she also talks about how we should not be afraid of Change. She said, “Move with the flow of life rather than resisting it. Be ready to move on when it is time.” She is so right on point in what she said. To get from here to where we want to be we must change and our environment must change. Change is necessary for growth.

Don't be afraid of change and don't be afraid of criticism. Bethany said, “When someone criticizes or judges your choices, they are only showing their own misunderstanding. It is an insecure person who judges another person's choices.” People will criticize. Take it for what it is and move on towards your goals and your dreams. If you stick to your values it will be all worth it in the end. Trust me I know. Trust yourself and know that you have everything that you need in order to succeed.

If you are looking for more inspiration to live the life of your dreams please read Bethany Rosselit's article titled Forget “Should” and live the life you want to live. Read her article, be brave and live the life of your dreams... I see the best in you.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Let Go And Live Your Passion

I love this article written by Esther Litchfield-Fink titled Why hard work might not pay off (and what will). This article that Esther has written is a very well thought out and beautifully written article about how we should put our passions first. If you are looking for a life filled with passion, I know you will enjoy her article as much as I did.

In today’s world it can be sometimes difficult to put your passions first but with a few mindful changes that Esther perfectly written about in her article I believe anyone can live a passionate life. I have noticed that the truly successful people are doing what they love and all great success was done with passion. So if you really want to be successful you have to find what you are passionate about and do it to the fullest.

The best part about living a passionate life is that you don't have to quit your day job to live a passionate life. You can start right where you are. I know that you may be thinking that I am working a full-time job and I have 10 kids. How can I find the time to work on my passions? By the yard it hard but inch by inch anything is a cinch. Focus and Determination are key. First figure out what you are passionate about then work out a detailed plan to make it happen. Once you have all the details figured out work on it one hour a day and make those hours count. It may take a lot of patience, but those hours add up to the life of your dreams. Don't worry about motivation at first. Esther in her article said it perfectly “Passion is not always strong and powerful. It can be calm and deep. Don't worry about motivation. Once you feel the passion for something, the motivation comes with little effort.” I wholeheartedly agree with this. Just start and keep going.

One of the best advises in Esther's article that I loooove is “Hide from those that bring you down”. YES YES YES!!! Esther said, “Steer clear of the “hard work and little passion and play” people. Seek out those that understand how acting from passion first enhances your life and the life of everyone around you.” This is very important. I use to have people around me that use to sap my energy because I wasn't living up to their expectations. It was very hard, but I had to let those people go and avoid them like the plague because they were not helping me to get to where I need to be. Avoid people who bring you down and have no desire to help you achieve your dreams.

In Esther's Article, she said, “Know that sometimes life is hard. And work is hard. World and life events and tragedies bring us down and out of happiness and passion. Know that this is necessary so you can see the contrast of living from passion first to living from the work hard place.” she said Remember, when you have passion about something you are more willing to take risks. Everyone can decide to work hard, but passion means something different to each person. Follow yours.”

Living a passionate life is not always easy. It may mean looking deep within yourself and making changes from within. It may mean reevaluating your relationships and prioritizing your time, but I know that the main ingredient to success is passion. Without passion all we have is a feeling of being stuck, depression and anger. Passion gives us balance. It is the thing that fills us with life.

What are you passionate about? What gives you life? What feeds your soul? You have everything that you need to succeed. Don't be afraid to live the passionate life... If you are looking for ways to put your passions first please read Esther Litchfield- Fink's article Why hard work might not pay off (and what will). Read her inspirational article and learn to put your passions first because you are worth it.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Go Ahead Dance To The Beat Of Your Own Drum

I really enjoyed this article written by Skylar Liberty Rose titled Who Cares What They Think? (Why You Don't Need to Fit In). This article by Skylar touched my heart on so many levels. If you struggle with fitting in and find yourself worrying a lot about what other people think then this article is for you.

In this short but beautifully written article, Skylar and her husband was invited to hear one of her yoga student's play the piano. When they got to the place where her student was playing they were turned away because of how they were dressed. Understandably Skylar and her husband were angry and upset, but instead of leaving they decided to stand out side of the door. When they heard the music of student playing they started slow dancing in the lobby. They were happy. Aaaahhh I can sooo imagine this beautiful scene.

They didn't let the craziness of the moment rob them of experiencing the beautiful music. Skylar in her article said, “Life will always throw us curveballs. Always. But we can still find our own joy. We can still hear the music. She goes on to talk about how our happiness should not be dependent on the acceptance and approval of others. She said, “If our happiness is only ever dependent on the acceptance and approval of others then we are giving away far too much of our power. It's human nature to want to be liked, To want to be included, but it's damaging for our self esteem if it's something we have to fight for."

I myself have struggled with wanting acceptance and approval of others. Just in writing a blog post doubt and fear use to stop me from typing a single world. In the beginning I lacked a lot of confidence. Fear of rejection was the number 1 reason I didn't start a blog for the longest time. I have learned that it is ok to march to the beat of my own drum. I have made Mispellingz and punctuation issues;;; a part of my unique character ^_^ Every day I am learning something new and getting better and better. Even though I am far from perfect I love to write. I may not always have the right words to say or always be understood, but those who wish to truly understand will take the time to know me and understand my heart.

Sklar beautifully said, “ We can waste our time caring about what others think of us OR we can get ourselves a great big slice of empowerment and dance to our own music. We can be subdued and spiritless OR we can be original and unique and stand out.”

I want to share this amazing poem that Sklar wrote. This poem really inspired me and I love it a lot...

I Will Not Hide

I will not hide who I am

Who I was born to be

Just because it blots your landscape

I will not mute my colours

Nor dim my light

Just because your eyes are sensitive

I will not lose my flavour

Nor relinquish my spice

Just because your palate requires a different taste

I will not dilute my strength

Nor water down my spirit

Just because you have no desire for this drink

I will not walk with less confidence

Nor diminish my flare

Just because you prefer me to be meek

I will not stop my torrent

Or calm my waves

Just because you want shelter from this storm

I will not stay in silence

Nor sensor my speech

Just because you have no appetite for my words

I will not lessen my love

Nor subdue my passion

Just because you fear my fire

I will not hide.

By Skylar Liberty Rose

Has it ever accrued to you that maybe you were not meant to fit in? Maybe you are meant to be the brightest star in the room. Don't let anybody reduce who you are. You weren't meant to fit in. You were called to stand out. If you struggle with fitting in and caring about what other people think please read Skylar Liberty Rose's Article Who Cares What They Think? (Why You Don't Need to Fit In). Play your own music and learn to dance to the beat of your own drum.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Let Go And Live Your Life To The Fullest.

I really enjoyed this article by Marc Chernoff titled 4 Questions that will change your attitude (When you can't change anything else). I am starting to be a big fan of Marc. He has written so many great articles and this is another great one.

In this article Marc talks about how our attitude plays a major role in our success in life. I know it's hard to keep a positive attitude when you are going through a lot in your life. Trust me I know. I have gone through childhood traumas, overcame illness after illness then ending up being told by the doctors that I have Macular Degeneration and I am about to go blind soon. Sooo Yea I know how hard it is to keep a positive attitude, but I know that it's because of my positive attitude lol and A LOT of prayers I am where I am today.

Marc said it perfectly “Regardless of what you're going through, it's about choosing: Will I allow this to upset me? Will I choose to make this bad or good? Will I choose to stay or walk away? Will I choose to yell or whisper? Will I choose to react or take the time to respond?” He also said "Peace of mind arrives the moment you come to peace with what's on your mind. It happens when you let go of the need to be anywhere but where you are, physically and emotionally. This acceptance of the way things are creates the foundation for inner harmony. The need for something to be different in this moment is nothing more than a worry, and worries simply lead you in circles."

I totally agree with what he said. Acceptance doesn't mean staying stuck in your situation. Acceptance simply gives you the space to move forward mindfully. When I was told that I was going blind my mind understandably was all over the place. I was deeply depression after the diagnosis. I eventually got to a point where I was able to sit with what is, embrace what is (pain and all) and eventually found calm and peace within myself. Enough calm and peace to create a whole new life for myself... In the famous book Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill I remember reading a story about a father who had a son who was born without ears and every night he would tell his son “Your disability will be your greatest asset.” His son grew up to do amazing things in his life. I thought to myself why can't this be me? Why can't what I have in this present moment be my greatest asset? There are many famous blind artist. Acceptance gave me a clear vision to set a course to where I really wanted to be in my life.

Marc said so wisely “It's always the right time to embrace the present- just the detached awareness and acceptance of right here, right now. Only then do you have the power to focus on your challenges and opportunities more mindfully- and that changes everything.” I have learned the last few years that any attachment to a certain outcome brings a lot of suffering. I had to learn to let go of my “plans” for my life and just flow to my greatest good. Flow to what really brings me joy. Years ago I would have never dreamed of writing a blog or being a Spiritual Mindfulness Life Coach but here I am living a life beyond my wildest dreams.

Marc said, “Your greatest weapon against stress and negativity is your ability to choose one thought over another. Happiness escapes from those who refuse to see the good in what they have. When life gives you every reason to be negative, think positive.” Letting go and learning to flow will open up so many doors and windows for you in your life as it did for me. Understand that your thoughts create your life and the only moment you have is right now. Choose your thoughts wisely because what you continue to focus on you will manifest.

If you are struggling with worry and letting go please read Marc Chernoff's article titled 4 Questions that will change your attitude(When you can't change anything else). Study each question and cultivate peace and harmony in your life. You have everything that you need to succeed. Learn to let go, relax deeply and success will be yours.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Wake Up And Be Grateful. You Have Greatness Within You.

I really enjoyed reading this short but sweet article written by Marc Chernoff titled 12 little known laws of gratitude that will change your life. This article really hit the mark on what is needed to achieve greatness.

Gratitude really is the key to everything you desire. In his very first paragraph, Marc said, “Gratitude leads to greatness. It can literally turn what you have into more than enough, jobs into joy, chaos into order, uncertainty into clarity, and bring peace to an otherwise chaotic day”. He goes on to talk about how whenever you show appreciation you get more of what you desire. This is overlooked by so many people. Gratitude is essential for personal growth and spiritual growth.

I know you probably heard about gratitude many times before. I have written about it many times, but this is something that really must be highlighted in your mind because gratitude really is the key to what you desire. So many people take for granted these little known laws. Maybe because it is too simple or we are forgetful. We must understand that if we want success in our lives we must show gratitude for what we already have. Gratitude is what gives you that spark to set off what you desire. Without Gratitude all you have is an unlit candle in the dark.

It is nearly impossible to be sad when you are counting your blessings and because of the joy you have you will have many more blessings to count. Marc in his article goes on to say “It makes no sense to condemn or regret an important life lesson”. Remember that what you focus on you get more of so don't sit too long wishing you would have done things differently. Focus on what you are grateful for now, make changes for the future and do better. Marc said, “Gratitude makes sense of yesterday, brings peace to the present and creates a positive vision for tomorrow”. Be grateful that you have room to grow and move forward to a better tomorrow.

Gratitude also puts things into perspective. Marc said “Good days give you happiness and bad days bays give you wisdom. Both are essential”. Gratitude helps us to see clearly and live our lives to the fullest. I love when Marc said in his article “What matters most is not what you say but how you live. Don't say it, show it. Don't promise it, prove it.” You don't have to say a word. Your life will show how much you are grateful for not just in riches and wealth but how content you are and how much joy you have for living life. It will also show in how you give to others.

Marc in his article said, “The highest form of prayer is giving thanks”. This is sooo true because giving thanks when you pray opens doors to what you truly desire. He ended his short article with an awesome quote by his grandmother. “Life should be lived with a little more gratitude and a little less attitude.” If you are still wondering why you are not where you want to be consider counting your blessings and take notes from Marc's great article titled 12 little known laws of gratitude that will change your life. If you challenge yourself to count your blessings every day, relax and let go, what you desire will come to you. I have seen it in my life and I know that you will see it in yours.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com