The right time...

There are many things that I need right now and some things that I really want....but I am not lacking. This may seem contradictory because being in a position of want and need are usually synonymous with being without. Notice I say usually. However, my mother told me a long time ago that what is for me, will be for me. And so today, I realize that I have everything that I need. I have made a conscious decision not to chase after things that don't......won't......will never, ever really belong to me. I let go and let God.

Ok Universe, I release my grip in order to better grasp what truly is mine.

As the singers said in that classic song based on Ecclesiastes, to everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season, turn, turn, turn. We are truly living in a time of change. The first African-American president is in the White House. To be honest, I didn't think I would ever see the day. Pandemic, life-threatening diseases, wars, high unemployment rates, foreclosures, global warming, etc. have many of us living in a constant state of fear. I heard once that fear is nothing but False Events Appearing Real. What are we really afraid of? As horrible as it all is, these events have a place and a reason. I'm not implying that we are supposed to sit back passively and watch the world go up in smoke. But it does seem a good time to put things into perspective and know who holds our future.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

True talent

I'm so loving this new artist!

 

Laura Izibor is an extremely talented, twenty-something songstress from Ireland, of all places. She's touring with India Arie right now. Move over Beyonce, Alicia Keys and all the other "artists" they play on the radio ad nauseam. I just hope the radio execs market her for staying power. I can't help but wonder why those with talent, like Corinne Bailey Rae and Chrisette Michele (who by the way has a new album coming out soon...yahoo!), don't get more visibility--just enough so we know they exist, but not so much that we get sick of them. Anyway....YAHOO!  I get so excited when I discover new music and it's good!

Protect your neck...

....it's a vampire! Energy vampire that is! I interviewed Dr. Judith Orloff, a few years ago, for a magazine article that I was writing. Unfortunately, I don't remember what the article was about, but I remember the lesson I learned about energy vampires.

Just as the name suggests, an energy vampire, is anything or anyone who leaves you feeling like a casualty of emotional warfare. They literally suck the life out of you. It's the conversations you have with someone that make you feel as though you've been slimed with a substance that even a nice hot shower wouldn't wash off? If you're feeling drained, tired, or unmotivated after an encounter with someone, you might have fallen victim to a sob sister, drama queen, constant talker or criticizer. If you don't remember encountering such a person, have had a good night's sleep, have no health issues and you still feel run down, you my friend may be the reason. Your own negative thoughts might be sucking your energy.



So what do you do:

1. Awareness is always the first step. Recognize the situation for what it is.
2.Easier said than done, but if it's overwhelmingly negative, you must change your thought pattern.
3. Don't be a hostage to a conversation that's moving at a drop-dead speed off a cliff, into a brick wall, or towards oncoming traffic. Get the picture!
4. Protect yourself. Remember your garlic or wooden stake. If it's a family member that you can't avoid, you still have the power to limit interaction with this personality.