Susan Stackpole

Posts Tagged ‘joy’

Cherish your visions; cherish your ideals; cherish the music that stirs in your heart,
the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts,
for out of them will grow delightful conditions, all heavenly environment;
of these if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.
~ James Allen ~

I invite You to claim the next thirty minutes for yourself.  Notify family and roommates that You are on a mini-vacation for the next thirty minutes.  Turn off the phone, the television, and the like.  Breathe deeply, feel your body, and be present.  Be grateful.  Appreciate You.  All is quiet.  All is still.  All is well.  You are abundant, favored, healthy, joyful, prosperous, safe, and well.  Send all your thoughts, every single one, to a tropical island, and let yourself simply be.  Know You are Love(d), wholly and completely, exactly as You here and now.

I move and breathe and have my being in God.
~ Oprah Winfrey ~

Settle in.  Consume a large glass of clean, clear water.  Give yourself a deluxe bath/shower complete with your favorite soaps and lotions.  Wash away your cares, and You sing to yourself.  Slip into your most comfortable lounging clothes.  Breathe.  Keep breathing.  Play soothing music.  Light a scented candle, and enjoy delicious aroma filling your space.  Dim the lights to a festive glow.  Light a fire in the fireplace (or imagine one).  Make your favorite warm beverage, coffee, cocoa, eggnog, tea, and the like.  Slip into a cozy chair.  Wrap yourself in a soft blanket.  Imagine You in your ideal place, your paradise, whether it be a castle, swanky penthouse, a ranch, a rustic cabin in the woods, an exotic private island, and the like.  This is your moment.

        Dorothy: Oh, will you help me? Can you help me?
        Glinda: You don’t need to be helped any longer.
        You’ve always had the power to go back to Kansas.
        Dorothy: I have?
        Scarecrow: Then why didn’t you tell her before?
        Glinda: Because she wouldn’t have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.

~ The Wizard of Oz ~

Today’s message is important because it is especially for You and holds tools to help You successfully move forward.  The wisdom for which You have been yearning is here.  The change You have been desiring is here.  The answer for which You have been praying is here.  That which You have been seeking has been inside You all along and is revealed by your willingness to open the door and listen to the Divine Voice in your heart.  The life You dream of having and who You dream of being are through the door.  Accompany me, and meet your true self, a clever, fabulous, gorgeous, intelligent, powerful person making the world better simply by “being”.  Are You ready?  Here and now is your moment.

Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.
~ Keri Russell ~

The universe and the world were created in a very orderly, specific fashion.  Energy was organized into distinct forms governed by specific laws.  Every living being serves a beautiful and specific purpose in the circle of life.  Every atom, every cell, every fiber of life is crucial to the success of the universe as a whole, and every life is important and precious.  You, yes, You, are crucial to the entire universe’s operation and why it is imperative You step up and claim your destiny now.  You are God’s/J’s glorious masterpiece.  You, whether You feel it or not, willing to accept it or not, are divine art.  You simply existing and being contributes to the successful operation of the entire universe.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
~ Marianne Williamson ~

You were created for a special reason, a unique mission implanted as a seed in your heart, a voice defying all logic and reason whispering, “Yes, You are.  Yes, You can.”  Your heart seed is your purpose for being here and contains the blueprint for You to be perfectly, wonderfully, uniquely You.  The key is, like an apple tree growing and an egg gestating, trusting the seed to bloom perfectly.  You are a rare gem with a razzle dazzle only You bring to the world.  Consider yourself a diamond, and, like the diamond, your shine is revealed by extreme pressure.  You may be experiencing some stress; use it to reveal the very best You.

A real decision is measured by the fact that you have taken new action.
You haven’t truly decided if there is no action.
~ Anthony Robbins ~

You have an immediate opportunity to choose how You perceive what is happening in your life, which ultimately determines your destiny.  Does life happen to You or for You?  Are circumstances obstacles or opportunities?  How You view what happens for You determines your choices, emotions, actions, and results.  You can choose to view pressure as an opportunity for growth, an invitation to clear out the old and welcome the new.  You can refine your character.  You can embrace change.  You can establish new habits and a new standard for living.  You can receive blessings and rest in divine favor.  You can step into your dreams and allow them to become reality.  You can be empowered.

My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves.
~ Hebrews 12:5-6 ~

You may feel as though You have taken all You can.  You may feel persecuted.  You may wonder where God/J is, and maybe even ask if He has forgotten Your or is punishing You (which is false).  You may ponder how your life got here and feel it is not working even though You have done everything You can.  You may feel it is not going to get better.  You may even feel like giving up.  You my friend, are in an excellent place.  Why?  You are ready.  You are ripe for change.  You are primed for something new.  You are open to receive, and You are willing to let go.  Surrendering is the key to your freedom and catalyst You have been seeking for change.

Beyond sculptures and symphonies, beyond great works and masterpieces,
is the greater, finer art of creating a conscious life. Genius appears everywhere
…and so magnificently in a life well lived.
~ Karla McLaren ~

2011 is a significant year and guiding You to step into a higher, more powerful, simpler consciousness, a space of mind where You recognize your power of creation and live life by design. The following insights may help You find peace, understand more about the macro-picture, and successfully navigate 2011 while preparing yourself for your stellar future.

What is 2011?

1)  2011 is The Year of Enlightenment and Truth.  Love is the only Truth, and everything else is falling away.  The beliefs and memories hidden in the emotional closet and swept under the mental rug are being brought to Light.  The veil of illusion is being torn to reveal Truth.  The Truth is Love, and Love is You.  You are God’s/J’s BeLoved just as You are in this moment.  Relax and be.

2)  You are a new creation.  (“Anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; the old has gone, the new is here!” ~ 2 Cor. 5:17.)  Be new, and do new.  Old habits, patterns of being, and ways of operating are void.  Today is the dawn of a new era of awareness, creativity, innovation, and simplicity.

3)  You are a clean, fresh canvas.  Old beliefs are disintegrating as people become so exasperated by the status quo that they are willing to experience something new.  Let go of the meaning You have attached to things.  Forget the past, and start from here and now.

4)  Data collection is complete.  Today is an opportunity to integrate knowledge, and discover areas for expansion and growth.  Recognize and welcome possibilities as the origins for miracles. Don’t forget there are plenty of other great online casinos in the United Kingdom if you want to entertain yourself, learn more info – www.nonukcasinos.uk.

5)  Students are the new teachers.  Great instructors, like Oprah Winfrey, are moving into new life phases, creating space for other teachers.  World-changers and leaders, like Steve Jobs, are leaving the planet to pave the way for others leaders.

6)  Authenticity is power.  People are discovering their genuine selves.  False identities found in things of the world are eroding and making way for people to recognize themselves as souls with spirits living in bodies.  Everything with which people identify themselves, including: career, finances, health, home, and relationships, is transforming, offering people the opportunity to experience their true identity in God/J as God’s/J’s BeLoved.

7)  Embrace lessons in the temporary and transitional.  This moment, and these circumstances are ripe with education and training preparing for what is to come.

8)  Be your best with what You have and who You are now.  Be happy now.  Choose wisely.  Create empowering beliefs and habits.  Cultivate yourself.  Learn.  Harvest wisdom.  Live fully your best day today as your actions, beliefs, feelings, and thoughts devise the foundation for your future.

9)  Release and surrender.  Miracles happen through a change in perception.  Let go of your ego’s desire to “do it myself” and to be “right”.  God/J has wonderful plans to prosper You when You cooperate and trust His Way, especially when it does not make sense.

10)  Be still and listen.  The collapse of the old world is a faith opportunity to rest in Grace, walk by Faith, and recognize God/J as the sole source of protection and provision.  Heeding and obeying God’s/J’s instructions reveals blessings and allows divine favor to flow.

11)  Ground yourself in God/J.  God/J is aligning all things for good even when it does not appear as such.  He is providing tools that to sustain and prosper You moving forward.  The devil is working tirelessly to coax people into disbelieve God’s/J’s Promises, which is part of the transition in career, finances, health, home, and relationships.  God/J transforms tests into testimonies when You align with Him.

12)  You are the artisan of your destiny.  Words have power.  You bring about what You speak and think about.  Command things not as they are rather as You desire them to be.  Keep claiming your destiny.

13)  Be kind.  Be kind first to yourself by loving yourself, nurturing yourself, and caring for yourself the way You would care for the person You most Love.  You are filling your cup and can share your overflow with others.

The highest form of wisdom is kindness.
~ The Talmud ~

©2011 Susan Stackpole  www.susanstackpole.com

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Care to use this article for your e-zine or newsletter?  Please include the following
Susan Stackpole, certified creative consultant and results expert, is the #1 coach helping celebrities, VIPs, and You celebrate your inner superstar and manifest destiny.  Ignite your potential, jump-start your success, and achieve quick, effect results while living your dreams.  Please visit www.susanstackpole.com for free resources on living your best life.  Sign up for the monthly newsletter, which includes celebrity tips on manifesting destiny in style.   Contact Susan to map your destiny today.

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong.
There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right.
To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

Do what You can with what You have from where You are now.

Bryan Gaynor, computer science major of Kennesaw State University, Georgia, has a secret love.  Dance.  He also has a not so secret health issue, scoliosis, which influences his dancing.  Bryan is charismatic and instantly endearing with an obvious passion for life, music, and most especially dance.  He knows the secret of success as has collaborates with his body and creates a unique dance style that stirs the hearts of audiences worldwide.

“You’ve taken your physical appearance, your size, and everything else and you’ve used it to your advantage brilliantly.  What else could anyone ask of you.  That was just sensational.  Brilliant!”

~ Nigel Lythgoe, So You Think You Can Dance ~

Bryan Gaynor’s So You Think You Can Dance Audition – “Ain”t No Other Man”, Christina Aguilera

Bryan Gaynor’s So You Think You Can Dance Audition – “Fireflies”, Owl City

Bryan Gaynor & Remote Kontrol

Bryan chooses to believe in the beauty of creation, the power of art, and Love, his love for dance.  Bryan parented an entirely new form of dance because his dance was too much a part of him to let it go.  He made a way and inspires others in the process of doing what he loves.

“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

Taylor Swift is another prime example of someone who has created her own road.  Taylor’s decision early on to become a country star stayed her focus upon her goal transforming every block into a stepping stone.  She shattered the music industry’s illusions by going against everything she was “supposed to be” to succeed.  Taylor channeled her feelings of social outcast into teaching herself guitar and writing songs, developing her trademark candor ultimately catapulting her to international success.  Taylor’s determination to live her passion led her to create an entirely new sound that redefined the music industry worldwide.

What if we listen to our dreams and passions?  What if we allow our talents to lead us?  What if we believe in ourselves?  What if we know we are enough and feel lovable and worthy of every blessing intended for us?  What if we chose to perceive everything a gift of wisdom helping us to live our dreams?  What if we celebrate what is going right and use our strengths to bless one another?  What if we choose to believe life is happening for us?  What if we make a conscious choice to exchange being victimized for being victorious?

I made a life-altering decision this year …to find the blessing and to choose Love and Peace in every situation.  It required something unexpected …for me to be gentle with and kind to myself.  Those who know me would suggest it is an understatement when I say I was harshly self-analytical consistently focusing on what could be improved and how to improve it.  I was in a constant mindset of “not enough” being critical of everything because I believed it was motivating me to grow.  My spirit, one day, grew very weary of feeling as though it simply could never measure up, and it said, “Time to rest.”.  Spirit is our life force and pretty much runs the show.   “Now what,” I asked?  Spirit said, “You are Beloved, so just Be.  Be Love and Be Loved.”

Everything changed in an instant, and I began to see more clearly exactly how loved we are that God/J created an entire universe as our classroom and playground.  We are here to grow and learn, and beauty and strength is found in our imperfections.  My entire paradigm shifted, and everyday has become a gift.  How am I growing?  What am I learning?  Who am I becoming?  I choose to celebrate everyone’s uniqueness and focus on the positive.  I also seek to identify the blessings in everything, which sometimes requires creativity and deeper thought.

I used to think acknowledging one’s strengths was conceited, narcissistic, and self-aggrandizing and was certainly surprised to discover the opposite was true.  There is a difference between touting one’s self from a position of insecurity versus being grounded in peace and true self-love, and it is okay if it sometimes takes the former to get to the later.  Self-Love is fruit from the Tree of Life, which nourishes one to be a blessing to others.

“Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love”, a heartwarming story by Larry Levin, chronicles Oogy’s harrowing tale of barely surviving after being baited for fight dogs.  He was left in a cage for five days without food or water with a hole in his head and other serious wounds.  Oogy eventually connected with an amazing family, who adopted him as one of their own.  Levin pondered, “I’ve often wondered what kept this dog going – this dog, who never knew any human warmth or kindness …and he couldn’t stop kissing us.”  He is an excellent example that imperfection provides a greater opportunity to connect more deeply, heart-to-heart, spirit-to-spirit.  Levin shares, “Oogy is a sign of encouragement because inevitably everyone’s going to go through some horrible stuff in their lives.  You just can’t skip it.  This dog is living proof that you can go through the most obscene experience and come out okay on the other side and find love on the other side.”  Oogy’s story confirms the reality that we are all spiritually connected, beyond the physical, reminding us that, at our core, we are Love.

Larry Levin talks about Oogy

Faith is easy when things go well.  Love is simple when people behave lovingly.  What about when someone or something is imperfect?  Do we give up, walk away, write it off, or do we recognize the opportunity for deeper Love?  Do we celebrate the beauty, strength, and gifts in imperfections?  Choosing Love goes beyond, helping our hearts, minds, and spirits mature.  Love nurtures potential, recognizes possibilities, and is the seed for miracles.  I choose Love.

May You see yourself through the eyes of our brilliant Creator understanding You are a glorious gift and a blessing in the world.  Know your “flaws” are “on purpose”, beautiful to the Creator, and offer You the opportunity to Love yourself more deeply in order to Love others more genuinely.  Imperfections are greater windows through which Love can flow.  May You celebrate the unique and wonderful treasures You bring to the world.  May You courageously be your marvelously authentic self  radiating brilliant light and inspiring others to shine with You.  May joy, Love, and peace fill your heart, mind, soul, and universe.  Know You are cherished, exquisite, and protected.  You are a divine miracle.  You are BeLoved.        ღ

©2011 Susan Stackpole  www.susanstackpole.com

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Care to use this article for your e-zine or newsletter?  Please include the following

Susan Stackpole, certified creative consultant and results expert, is the #1 coach helping celebrities, VIPs, and You celebrate your inner superstar and manifest destiny.  Ignite your potential, jump-start your success, and achieve quick, effect results while living your dreams.  Please visit www.susanstackpole.com for free resources on living your best life.  Sign up for the monthly newsletter, which includes celebrity tips on manifesting destiny in style.   Contact Susan to map your destiny today.

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today,

and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

~ Anonymous ~

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Thank You.  Merci (French).  Efharisto (Greek).  Mahalo (Hawaiian).  Grazie (Italian).

Click here to learn to say “Thank You” in other languages.

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What is gratitude?

The Princeton Dictionary defines gratitude as “a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation”, and Wikipedia describes it as “a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive”.  Gratitude is mutually beneficial for the giver and receiver, a win-win situation.  “Thank You” feels good whether you hear it or say it, especially if you are blessing someone’s life.  Recent attention has been brought to the importance of gratitude in manifesting one’s desires.  Law of attraction suggests advanced praise activates attracting one’s desires.  Spirituality also confirms the importance of remaining grateful in every situation as a way of activating and receiving blessings.

“Gratitude helps you to grow and expand;

gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life

and into the lives of all those around you.”

~ Eileen Caddy ~

Why is gratitude important?

Neale Donald Walsch, author of “Conversations with God”, suggests our souls choose certain situations ripe with valuable lessons to gain greater wisdom.  He reveals that accessing this knowledge shifts one’s perspective to automatically engage gratitude.  Gregg Braden, author of “The Divine Matrix”, suggests gratitude is fundamental to our survival as we approach 21 December 2012, the dawning of a new world age.  He reveals the future of the world is currently being shaped by what people choose to believe, and the future is literally being created by the thoughts people think.  Gregg states this new world age accounts for many people who have been affected by the random passing of loved ones and other curious events in recent years.  He shares that we are being offered massive growth opportunities to step into higher consciousness and experience a greater sense of gratitude than ever before.

How can gratitude work for me?

2010 has been a crazy year for many people, including me.  I found myself searching for a deeper understanding of God and universe in an attempt to make sense of the year’s weird happenings.  I explored religious philosophies and scientific theories, which only led to more questions.  My life began to seem like an alternate reality, and one day I simply prayed to know The Truth.  It seemed like it was one thing after another, and I was at my wit’s end.  I was attempting to make a note of something with a brand new ink pen that simply wasn’t cooperating.  Have you ever had one of those weeks where it seems everything is going the opposite way in which you’d like?  Well, I was there, and this just was just too much.  I asked aloud, “What do you want from me?  How do I get things to work out for me?”

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;

knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;

and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

~ Matthew 7:7-8 ~

Ask, and You shall receive.

God (or Jehovah as I call Him), or however you choose to address Him, spoke to me as clearly as if you and I were having a conversation.  He said, “Stop asking me for things, and start trusting Me.  Surrender your heart to Me.  You are my child, and I know your heart.  I love you and am working all things out for your good even if it doesn’t make sense now.  Pray with praise as if you have your heart’s desires.  Say ‘Thank You’ instead of ‘Please’, and remember to praise on others’ behalf, too.”  The Voice disappeared as quickly as it appeared, and I sat in humbled in silence.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.

The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation,

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

~ Philippians 4:4-6 ~

Did I imagine The Voice?  Could something this simple really work?  The ink pen had embossed lovely scrolls on the paper where I had been scribbling without success.  I took a breath and said, in my head, “Thank You for this pen writing.”  The pen magically began writing within seconds.  I was certain it must merely be coincidence.  I began testing the gratitude principle on other things, including a challenging situation beyond my control, and even that began to transform almost instantly.  I was quite pleasantly surprised by the immediately positive results …all from saying, “Thank You” in advance.  I was, in a word …astonished.

Why is gratitude so effective?

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘Thank You,’ that would suffice.”

~ Meister Eckhart ~

Doors open.  Light bursts through windows.  Possibility blossoms.  Blessings bloom.  Miracles manifest.

Gratitude is the ultimate confirmation of faith because it is so certain of receiving that it praises in advance.  Someone once explained it to me this way –  we know gravity is a law; therefore, we go through the day trusting it is active without questioning it.  True faith is the same principle.  We walk in belief knowing that we will see what we believe versus waiting to believe until we see.

Gratitude is our Love Song to The Creator.

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The Power of Gratitude is dedicated to Amazing, Gorgeous, Talented, and Wonderful You.  Thank You, My Dear Readers, for sharing your kind comments and radiating your awesome light.  You are a gift.  You are BeLove(d).  Shine on.

©2010 Susan Stackpole  www.susanstackpole.com

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Care to use this article for your e-zine or newsletter?  Please include the following

Susan Stackpole, certified creative consultant and results expert, is the #1 coach helping celebrities, VIPs, and You celebrate your inner superstar and manifest destiny.  Ignite your potential, jump-start your success, and achieve quick, effect results while living your dreams.  Please visit www.susanstackpole.com for free resources on living your best life.  Sign up for the monthly newsletter, which includes celebrity tips on manifesting destiny in style.   Contact Susan to map your destiny today.

“I’ve got to keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise, and who knows what the tide will bring?”

~ Chuck Noland, Castaway ~

Do you enjoy films? I do. Very much. I especially savor movies that magically transport me to another world entirely. Amazingly, I seem to learn the most about myself in films that are far-removed from my reality, perhaps because my brain relaxes and views life from a broader perspective. The walls disintegrate, and the silly rules behind which I hide to protect myself from the illusion of fear dissolve. I dance gleefully in the garden of possibilities delighting in the luscious trees ripe for harvest. I swim freely in the ocean of peace as sunshine glistens upon me as if to say, “It’s alright.” My dreams transform into glittering stars frolicking upon an infinite ebony canvas basking in the moon’s radiance. I am transported, enthralled, and empowered by the sheer force of the human will’s survival instinct. I am inspired as determination, perseverance, and persistence emanate. My heart, much like The Grinch’s, grows exponentially as Love, once again, is the catalytic for miracles with a dual existence as both a reason to hang on and to let go. I am transported, transformed, and renter my body renewed and refreshed with greater insight into myself and deeper wisdom about life.

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged

to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

~ Nelson Mandela ~

Castaway is the story of Chuck Noland, played by Tom Hanks, who is stranded on a desert island …for years. The story profiles the strength and innovation of the human spirit to keep pressing forward, or as Chuck says, the determination to “keep breathing”. His journey is one of courage, determination, vulnerability, and total self reliance sans modern conveniences and expert input. Chuck’s return to “normal” life is particularly striking as he finds himself lost in places that were once comfortable and familiar. “Home” and “Self” become question marks as he searches within and outside of himself to rediscover and redefine his life.

“Who am I?” “Where is home?” are two questions Castaway offers for viewers to answer for themselves, taking it a step further, inquiring, “Who would you be, and how would you define home if your world was suddenly turned upside down?” Chuck’s character is a metaphor for every person on the planet. Everyone is lost in one sense or another and searching for self and home. All people are wayward travelers plucked from the ether and gifted with the opportunity to experience the journey to self. Self is discovered through the mirrors of relationships infused in every facet of life. Every living being in existence begins with a seed, an individual blueprint, guiding it to grow into unique creation, a watermelon, a tree, an animal, a person, etc.. The primary purpose of life then becomes one of “being” in which on comes to know self .

“Fabulous, Rich, and Homeless” a television show on Planet Green, profiled several prominent, successful, wealthy social figures as they voluntarily became homeless. The arduous experiment revealed surprising results, and the participants almost unanimously cited the issue’s root stems largely from missing identity and no sense of community. It suggests a primary definition of “self” and “home”, even artificial, is crucial in developing the confidence. curiosity, and stability from which to springboard and further explore and expand one’s self-awareness.  True freedom is when one recognizes the interconnectedness of all beings, which reveals that one’s sense of self and home are ultimately however one chooses to define them independent of external circumstances.

What if we recognize we are all castaways searching for ourselves on our journey home? What if we encouraged, inspired, and uplifted one another? How would our attitudes and behaviors change if we viewed every person as a cherished friend and trusted travel companion? Would we be more open-minded and understanding toward one another? Would we be more willing to help others? Would Love unite us as one big family by celebrating our diversity as beautiful threads weaving the world’s magnificent tapestry?

I declare myself a “castaway”. I am casting away anxiety, apprehension, doubt, fear, hesitation, and judgment of others and replacing it with adventure, exploration, joy, kindness, and Love. I am casting away living as a human doing and choosing instead to live as a human being. I am releasing preconceived notions of who I think I am supposed to be and instead acting as The Creator’s Beloved. I am nurturing that special seed inside me that “knows” allowing it to grow into what it was destined to be while praising the glorious journey on which it has brought me. I am forgoing shrinking in fear and instead opening my heart in Love as a conduit for manifesting a magnificent masterpiece. I am casting away my yesterdays and tomorrows and celebrating the blessings and miracles in this moment. Here’s to doing less and being more, to knowing “self” and “home” are a choice, and to casting away fear to live in Love.

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Care to use this article for your e-zine or newsletter?  Please include the following

Susan Stackpole, certified creative consultant and results expert, is the #1 coach helping celebrities, VIPs, and You manifest destiny.  Ignite your potential, jump-start your success, and achieve quick, effect results while living your dreams.  Please visit www.susanstackpole.com for free resources on living your best life.  Sign up for the monthly newsletter, which includes celebrity tips on manifesting destiny in style.   Contact Susan to map your destiny today.

“Cages or wings, which do you prefer?  Ask the birds.

Fear or Love, baby?  Don’t say the answer.

Actions speak louder than words.”

~ Jonathan Larson – “Louder Than Words” Tick, Tick …Boom! ~

(click here for video)

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“Doesn’t it all go by in a blink?” ~ William Parrish Meet Joe Black

Life is…Strong.  Spontaneous.  Purposeful.  Precious.  Loving.  Joyful.  Fleeting.  Fragile.  Beautiful.

It seems yesterday I was a gawky, zealous six year old awkwardly scrambling up trees tracing animal shapes in cottony clouds.  Seemingly overnight stars transitioned from wishing vehicles to the methodology by which one determines suitable hotels and restaurants.  Carefree days became angst-filled teen years, the precursor to identity-shifting adulthood.  Decades evaporated in a blink.  Confidence became caution.  Playfulness became purpose.  Dreams became disappointments.  Letting go became holding on.  Yes became no.

Children are naturally inclined to say and believe in “Yes”.  Yes, I can fly.  Yes, let’s play.  Yes, let’s pretend.  Yes, we are friends.  Yes, I will be president.  An abandoned refrigerator box becomes a spaceship, a clubhouse, an automobile …a dreammobile.  Possibilities are everywhere dripping from the vine of life ripe for the picking.  Parents and authority figures say, “You can do and be anything you desire.”  That is, of course, until we don our superhero cape crafted from the dining table fine linen as we leap from the second-story window onto the trampoline and into the pool believing we are saving the world in a single bound.  We grow into adults and become inundated with rules and restrictions “for our own good”.  We censor ourselves to please parents and teachers.  We edit ourselves to be more acceptable to friends.  We abbreviate ourselves for the workplace.  We numb ourselves for relationships.  We become alternate versions of ourselves confused by own life choices as we wake up one morning wondering how we got here.

Film has a beautiful ability to transport us outside ourselves offering us the opportunity to witness ourselves more clearly as we identify with colorful characters on the screen.  “The Boys Are Back”, is an endearing film in which Clive Owen plays Joe Warr, a widower, raising his son alone.  Joe vacillates between licking his own wounds and nurturing his son.  The movie speaks to the unpredictability of life, the vulnerability of asking for help, and is a sweet reminder that we are all doing the best we can with who we are and what we’ve got.  The vastness and infinite capacity of the human heart to Love intermittently weaves tenderness and truth throughout reminding us that life is a dish best served living passionately and wholly.  Colorfully scrawled across Joe’s refrigerator a child’s alphabet magnets spell, “Just Say Yes”. The phrase cleverly referenced from a youthful perspective suggests it is the openness of youth that fully embraces the “Yes, Life” philosophy.

“Just Say Yes.”

Yes is …bursting with possibility, exciting, exhilarating, freeing, invigorating, life-altering, rejuvenating and wonderful.

How easily we become engrossed in the busyness of life convincing ourselves it’s really living.  Budgets, errands, housework, obligations, and projects occupy thoughts and create an infinite “to do” list.  How quickly our feathers ruffle in petty squabbles with family members, friends, and coworkers.  How much we ponder inadequate thoughts of “if”, “then”, and “when”.  If it works out, then I’ll be happy. I’ll be happy when… How much time we invest in distracting ourselves from really listening to our hearts.  How quickly we abandon our dreams for practical choices that later require us to devise some elaborate escape from our self-crafted birdcage.  How willingly we mire ourselves in nonsensical things that in the end amount to little more than distractions.  How guilty we feel for indulging in life’s pleasures, in savoring moments, convincing ourselves we should be more …more efficient, more organized, more successful, etc..  We sacrifice adventure and whimsy for the “known” because we’ve convinced ourselves change is somehow unnatural or negative.  We become hypnotized by fear, holding on to our illusions about self and the world, nervous about change, pruning and miniaturizing our wings like bonsai trees.

How quickly our priorities shift when there is a perceived loss of some sort.  The sudden removal of someone or something from our lives seems to open wide a vast chasm for self-introspection into which we either delve deeper for a closer view or recoil abruptly horrified.  Loss is a license to drop the veil, to cast away illusions, to allow ourselves to just be.  Powerlessness and mortality are met by divinity us staring squarely in the face, asking, “Now what?  Now that you know, what will you choose?”  We have the opportunity to choose faith or fear.  Faith is claiming our desires, professing our blessings, proclaiming our championship with tangible results to appear only after our leap.  Fear magnifies the worst-case scenario with all the grit and gore of a scary movie, rooted in the identity-crisis, “who will I be if this happens?”  Fear is only no, and faith is always yes.

Every event offers an opportunity – the opportunity to decide the meaning we will attach to it.  The meanings we choose formulate our thoughts, which generate feelings that power actions to form habits and become the character that ultimately determines our legacy.  I’ve begun thinking about the legacy I am creating every day and what will remain behind when I am no longer in this physical body.  I used to choose based on what I’d hoped others would think of me. Lately, I’ve been asking myself what I’d like the movie of my life to be.  How am I investing my time, resources and energy?  What type of person am I choosing to be?  Am I being a blessing in the world?  I’ve moved from reacting to responding and recognizing my opportunity to plant Love seeds every day.

It seems that what goes by in the blink of our life is Love.  Love usurps the logical and rational.  It mystifies and mesmerizes.  It is the stuff of epic novels and love songs.  Love is fodder for fantasy and miracles.

Love is… the only legacy.

Just Say Yes.

©2010 Susan Stackpole  www.susanstackpole.com

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Susan Stackpole, certified creative consultant and results expert, is the #1 coach for celebrities, VIPs, and people serious about getting results and living their best lives.  Are you ready to ignite your potential, jump-start your success, and achieve quick, effect results while living your dreams?  If so, please visit www.susanstackpole.com where you’ll find free resources for living your best life.  While you’re there, sign up for the monthly newsletter, which includes celebrity tips for manifesting destiny in style.   Contact Susan today for more information on mapping your destiny.