How to Keep Hope Alive During the Holidays

Do you look forward to the holidays? Or do you wish you could pull the covers over your head and wake up when they are all over? Not to fret! I have learned the trick to enjoying the holidays, no matter what is going on in my life, who is with me or not with me, whether I have money or am on a tight leash, and I am sharing it with you this month in our new holiday series. 

 

The First Week of Advent

This is the first week of Advent and I want to help us focus on something that will keep us going all through the year whatever it may bring and that is the first gift of Christmas, which is the gift of HOPE.

In case you might not know, Advent means "coming" or "arrival". It is a time of expectation, anticipation, and preparation leading up to the celebration of the birth of Christ. The Advent wreath is made up of evergreens to remind us that even though we may be in a season of winter where things seem dead and we don't see any growth happening, new life will come again.  It is a time to focus on the true gifts of Christmas which do not come in a nicely decorated box. Instead they came in a manger with straw, hay, and farm animals. Can you picture the scene?

How do we keep hope alive during the tough times? 

When people mistreat us or leave us? When the world feels unjust, unfair and scary? When life hasn't panned out the way we would have liked? When events of the world have taken a turn? When inflation threatens our very existence and our families?

Biblical Story 
Let's look at the example of the young girl named Mary, who was probably no more than 13 or 14 years old. The angel of the Lord appeared to Mary and told her she was going to be with child without having known a man. Now, these days unwed mothers are a regular occurrence, but not in those days. In those days, being pregnant outside of marriage was a huge sin and a crime punishable by being stoned to death. But what was Mary's response? 

"Let it be done unto me according to your word."

Mary's response was not one of fear or anxiety. It was one of willingness, trust, and surrender. She submitted her life and her will for God's purposes no matter what the cost. She was willing to endure the shame of being an unwed mother and possible death by stoning to be obedient to God. Mary had no idea of the pain and suffering she would endure to bring the Christ child into this world. Mary had received the first gift of Christmas - HOPE. 

The Source of Hope 
Mary's hope was in God and in His great love for her. For this same reason, we, too, can have hope this holiday season. When we are secure in the knowledge of God's immeasurable and unfailing love or us, no matter what comes our way, good or bad, we can rest in God's promise to always be with us and to never forsake us, no matter who else does.  And what better partner to have in life than the Lord God Almighty?

God is Always With You and Me
Jesus is also called Emmanuel, which means "God with us". God promises to be with us, particularly during the tough times. One of my favorite verses is Ps. 34:18 which says: "God is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." We all get down at times, but it is in these tough times, that the Lord is closest to us. He is always drawing us to him, if only we listen to that still small voice. 

The Future is Brighter after the Darkness 

Like Mary, sometimes we don't know what the future holds, but we can hold fast to the One who does because God is faithful. One of my favorite verses from the Bible is John 1:5 "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness will never put it out." Keep your eyes on the light. 

When we look at our lives through our spiritual glasses and through the lens of faith, it is possible to maintain hope even when things look dark and desperate. When plan A has failed, God always has Plan B. Sometimes God doesn't give us what we think we want. He gives us something BETTER! 

As we enter this Advent season, let's choose to focus on the gifts of the season, rather than what may be missing or not so perfect in our lives. Above all, let's trust God. His timing is perfect and he is working ALL things out for our good, even if we don't see it at the moment. God's ways are higher than our ways, and God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts. 

For Reflection 

What are your hopes this holiday season? What is the longing of your heart? Whatever it is, give it to the Lord, and trust that He will surround you with His amazing love this season. His gifts are for every child of His and that means each and every one of us. When all else fades, Jesus is still there to light our way. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12). Choose to walk in the light this holiday season. 

If this post has encouraged you, join our community to receive my weekly posts. You'll also receive my free ebook entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". All you have to do is enter your email address in the box provided. While you're at it, pass it on. Someone you know may need a little hope this season. 

Need a gift? Consider giving a copy of my inspirational true story, "The Power of Faith: a journey to healing, wholeness, and harmony" available on Amazon and your favorite online booksellers. Audio version is now available on Google play. Or my latest book on spiritual growth entitled "Ignite the Power Within: 10 Steps to Supercharge Your Spiritual Growth" also available at your favorite online bookseller. 

For all kinds of interesting tips and info from exercise and diet, to mindfulness and meditation to the benefits of tea, pop on over to my Pinterest page at https://www.pinterest.com/arielpaz/boards/ 

Stay tuned for more encouraging and uplifting posts this month to help you enjoy this season.

Until next time,

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

How Faith is Good for your Joy and Your Brain

It's Thanksgiving week and we have much to be thankful for. I am thankful for you who are reading this now. I am thankful for technology, for faith, and for a good mind to be able to write this blog. I hope you find it beneficial. 

Difficulties are part and parcel of life and I want to remind us that it is in these difficult times that what we believe - our worldview - is crucial to how we get through the tough times and how we will emerge. 

Stressed out? Cynical? Dwelling on the negative? Or do you instead look for the silver lining in every difficult situation? Every challenge provides a lesson to learn. I have learned that "It's all gift", good or bad. 

Brain Science and Psychology 

I find an interesting correlation between psychology, brain science, and what the Bible teaches. Brain science is evolving and we are learning that we do, in fact, have some control over how we perceive the world. It has to do with what types of thoughts we think on a daily basis. And this is exactly what the Bible teaches, "think on things that are lovely,  pure, noble, excellent of good report". (Phil 4:8 - 9). 

"Hardwiring Happiness" is a book by neuropsychologist and best selling author, Rick Hanson, PhD, and the gist of it is to focus on the good, to take it in, and absorb it more. This is because the human brain is hard-wired since caveman times to focus on the negatives since it was a matter of survival way back then. With each thought we train our brains to be more either more positive or more negative. With every negative thought, we are programming our brains to continue to see and focus on the negative. But there is another way that has been written about for over 2,000 years. 

The Faith Component 

The key to positive outcomes in our lives is not simply based on our thoughts or our intentions, but also by utilizing the power of FAITH - believing in and trusting in a supernatural, all-powerful being who is able to move the mountains we cannot move. We've all encountered situations that are beyond our abilities to conquer and this is where the power of FAITH comes in. 

Faith and the belief in a loving and caring God gives us strength to persevere and carry on no matter how bad things seem at the time. Faith is both a gift and a choice and it is in the tough times that our faith is tested. It is in times of trials that we need something greater than ourselves to put our hopes in. I am a living testimony of how Faith can bring us out of even the worst of storms. 

Personal Story 

Read my inspiring true story of being raised in a dysfunctional family, leaving an emotionally damaging marriage, an ugly divorce, financial ruin and then raising two wounded kids and watching them struggle with addictions and overcoming all of it by the power of Faith.  "The Power of Faith: a journey to healing, wholeness and harmony"  will encourage and inspire you. Learn how I was transformed from a shy, timid, anxious girl to a woman of faith, confidence, and strength all by the power and grace of God. 

What do you put your hope in, friend? Your job? Your family? Your health? Your 401k? Your smarts? All of these can disappear in an instant  - just look at the story of Job - but faith in God is constant and eternal because God is constant and eternal. 

In fact, Scripture says God rewards those who seek him. Did you get that? REWARDS! I'm up for that. How about you? 

See the Good. 

Instead of dwelling on what is wrong with our life or our world, try focusing on what's right with it. I don't mean being a polyanna because we do need to know what is going on in the world, but we don't have to absorb it or talk about it 24 - 7. Often we take for granted the many gifts we have been blessed with: gifts of freedom, of sight, our abilities to walk, run, cook, dance, be with loved ones and friends, travel and enjoy our children and grand-children. These are all gifts from God. One thing I hope the pandemic taught us was to appreciate all of these more and not take life for granted. 

Let's also remember the Pilgrims who left bondage in England and courageously ventured across the ocean to come to a strange new land and start life afresh and anew. 

Let us do that this season. Let us leave behind us any bondage that keeps us from moving forward and enjoying a life of abundance, peace, and joy. Let us dream a new dream and leave behind any negativity and instead embrace faith, hope, and love. 

Thankful for YOU!

I am thankful for each of you reading and commenting on my blog posts. I am thankful for the gift of faith and the opportunity to write this blog as a way of encouraging and inspiring others. We are all on a journey and I am grateful that you have chosen to travel this journey with me.

Look around you this morning. What do you see? I see the glorious colors of the fall leaves, the sunshine streaming thru my windows, I feel the quiet presence of the Lord after another busy week. The whistle of my new dryer telling me my clothes are dry. The sound of the heat coming from my furnace to keep me warm. Many people struggle simply trying to obtain the basics. I bet if you look around you will notice the same types of things. Truly God is gracious to us!

Let's also make time to reach out, encourage, and bless some who is less fortunate. Donate to a food bank. Take food to an ailing neighbor. Invite a single person over for dinner. We are blessed to be a blessing.

For Reflection
What can you be thankful for this season? What can you do to be a blessing to someone else? Won't you take time today to offer up praise to God, the giver of all good gifts? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 exhorts us to give thanks. "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus."

I wish you and yours a healthy, happy, and harmonious Thanksgiving so until next time,

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

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How to Walk in Abundance

Are you struggling financially? Barely making ends meet? Maybe you've lost your job or your business is not going so well. Maybe you've made some poor financial decisions. Or maybe you wish you had more money to travel, buy a nicer car, get out of debt. 

As a single mom who has been through bankruptcy, and was in debt for years after an ugly divorce, I can testify that financial freedom is possible, whatever situation you are currently in. Today I am sharing a key principle to moving forward into financial freedom and abundance.  

                   

Learn to be Obedient

While visiting Houston years ago, I had the opportunity to see how animals learn obedience. The bird trainer came out with a macaw on her hand. Placing the brightly colored bird on its stand, she had the bird's full attention. Certain gestures of hers told the bird to lift its claw, wave, give her a kiss, flap its wings and perform a variety of assorted antics and tricks. The macaw's name was Louis and his reward was an unshelled nut which he pecked open with his sharp beak in great delight.

One thing I noticed was how intently the trainer gazed into the eyes of the macaw. Her eyes never left his and vice versa. The bond they had established was obvious.

"It takes years to train these birds," she explained.
"How long do they live?" I asked.
"Most live till they are in their 80s," the trainer replied.
"About as long as a human - interesting."

In a similar way, we humans learn obedience. From the time we are infants, our parents teach us how to obey and we receive rewards for doing so. Then we move on to adulthood and God takes over the training. Just as it pleases parents when their children are obedient, so it pleases God when we are obedient. 

Personal Story 

When I was married, we had to declare bankruptcy - on my birthday - because my then husband lost his job and we had purchased a huge parcel of land that we could no longer afford. We sold the land at auction and had to repay creditors for 7 long years. The financial stress was the breaking point of our marriage and I ended up in my worst nightmare - a single mom raising two young boys while holding down a demanding job in IT. 

As a result, I kept a tight rein on my expenses. I didn't buy the latest and greatest of anything. I shopped at Walmart and drove an old car. I didn't buy designer fashion or extravagant jewelry. But I was obedient.

Every January when the pastor at church would talk about finances and tithing, I would ask God how much I should give that year. Giving to the church was always a stretch, but I was faithful and so was God. He always provided for everything we needed: braces for both my youngest son and I, soccer uniforms & cleats for the boys, sports equipment & musical instruments for my sons, even family vacations at the beach. It all started with one decision: to be obedient. 

Trust the Promises of God

Many people have a scarcity mentality, holding onto and hoarding material possessions. Others do not know or trust the promises of God. God says this about giving: "Test me in this. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse and I will pour out the windows of heaven blessing after blessing" (Mal. 3:10). I am living proof that God keeps his promises.

For those who are unfamiliar, a tithe is the first 10 percent of our income. And yes, it is an old Testament commandment but it still works today. We are not to spend every red cent we make. We are to live below our means, not above so we can save for a rainy day and help others who are less fortunate. 

Start small. Buy someone's meal. Pack a Christmas shoebox for a poor child. Volunteer at a shelter. There are a million ways to give. Before you know it, you will move forward financially and be able to give more and more. I have sponsored a child in a third world country for 20+ years and she is now attending college, studying to become a nurse. I also have set up a scholarship for students from single mom homes to go to college. The mortgage on my condo is paid off and I am debt-free. It boggles my mind what God has done in my life since I started being obedient and tithing. 

For Reflection
Have you learned to obey God? When you hear that still small voice that says "Slow down", "Pay your bills", "Go exercise", "Call your mother," "Wear your mask?" do you listen? More importantly, do you obey? These are simple yet important acts that God watches. He is waiting to see if we can be trusted with the little things so he can entrust us with bigger things. 

If you want to see more abundance in your life, may I encourage you to practice obedience. Nothing pleases the Lord more than immediate obedience. We all know the phrase "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today". What is it that the Lord is calling you to do today? What have you been putting off? We will not move forward in life until we have obeyed what God has already asked us to do.

If you enjoyed this post, join our community and enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my free eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom. Love to hear your thoughts on this important topic and do share with a friend.

Until next time, keep looking up!

@Ariel Paz 

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Three Keys to Enjoying the Abundant Life

Are you living the "abundant life"? What is your definition of the "abundant life"? Recently, a friend asked the question "What is the abundant life?" and I think she meant she needed more money, but living the abundant life is about more than money.

Jesus said "I came so that you can have life and have it more abundantly." (John 10:10). What does this verse mean to you? I think most of us have realized by now that material possessions and more "stuff" will not bring us the fulfillment our soul craves. Money is great and takes care of many of our earthly problems, but it is not the answer to the cry deep within our souls. What happens when a relationship ends? You lose your job? You encounter a health problem? You make a poor decision? What then?

My Definition
I think of the abundant life as this: a life full of joy, provision, inner peace, harmonious relationships, good health, and personal fulfillment and not necessarily in that order. It's about having more of all of these in our lives, not just more money. Money can only do so much and besides, how many of the rich and famous are miserable and turn to drugs and alcohol for relief from their inner pain? One of the reasons I write this blog is for personal fulfillment and giving back as well as to encourage, educate, and inspire others.

The good news is there is a path to achieving this abundant life but it is probably not the path you would think. So today,  I am going to share with you the three-step process that is promised to bring us the abundant life we desire.

We each have challenges. They may be different but each person, as they say, is fighting their own battles. The key to living the abundant life has less to do with our circumstances and more to do with our perspective on our circumstances. 

If you've read my book, "The Power of Faith", you know I've been through quite a lot and, like many of you, I'm still going through some tough stuff. As I often told my mom, "It's always something, Mom. That's life. Get used to it." We have to adjust our expectations and our focus if we want to keep our peace. 

If we think life is supposed to be a bed of roses, remember what Jesus said "In this world you will have troubles, but take heart for I have overcome the world," (John 16:33). Despite the seemingly never-ending onslaught of problems, it is possible to live a life of joy, hope, harmony, and abundance but we have to do our part to make it happen. 

The Apostle Matthew exhorts us to "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt 6:33). In other words, when we prioritize the spiritual over the material, God will take care of the material. Kind of puts a different spin on things, doesn't it?

Here are three keys I've learned that can put us on the road to the abundant life:

1. Do the right thing.
The first key to living an abundant life is to do the right thing in every area of your life.  This means in our finances, our health, our relationships, on the job. We each have a conscience and we all know what the right thing to do is in most situations. 

Every day we are faced with situations and decisions, and it is up to us to do what is right. The problem is we often fail to do it for one reason or another.  We get sidetracked by our feelings and emotions, our egos, other people, temptations and distractions, laziness. The list goes on. Allowing these to control us will prevent us from making good decisions and living the abundant life we desire.

When we have a choice before us, one of the ways to determine the right thing is to do is to notice which path is harder. The right thing is usually the harder thing. When we do the right thing, it will lead us into peace in the long run.

Notice the phrase "in the long run". We have to take the long view when making decisions. When we act out of emotion, without really thinking things through, we often make poor decisions. Something might feel good in the heat of the moment because it feeds our ego, but what about the lasting effects of that decision? Take time to evaluate "the long run". 

When I need wisdom and guidance, I turn to the Book of Proverbs in the Bible. Or I ask myself "Who in the Bible had a similiar situation and what did they do?" "La condition humaine"  is still the same and people are still dealing with the same kinds of problems they did back in Jesus's day. I can't understand why some people think "the Bible is outdated". It is not. The principles of life and the problems of humanity are universal and timeless. 

If we want to do the right thing, it would behoove us to ask God about it. His advice is reliable. Not everyone else's is. In fact, we can drive ourselves crazy asking everyone their opinion. When was the last time you asked God for his opinion on something? 

2. Work towards peace and unity. 
Peace is an integral key to the abundant life. There are a lot of things in this world that can steal our peace, if we let them. Relationships can steal our peace. Unfair treatment can steal our peace. Our own thoughts steal our peace.

What we often fail to realize is that Peace doesn't just happen on its own. We have to work towards it and it has to be a joint effort with those around us. This is what unity is all about. Everyone needs to be on the same page. We will never achieve peace by refusing to change, trying to blame or control others, digging our heels in, or isolating ourselves. 

Personal Story 
As a child of an alcoholic father, there was no peace in our home. I learned that chaos was the norm and so I allowed that into my marriage and my dating relationships after that. Recently I came to the sad realization that most of my family members don't care about working towards peace either but you know what - we can't control others. All we can control is ourselves. And that in and of itself brings peace. 

One evening while I was soaking in the tub, the Holy Spirit said to me. "Whatever you bind on earth, shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you allow on earth, shall be allowed in Heaven." (Matt 18:18).  It was a revelation! I needed to stop allowing other people's behavior to steal my peace if I wanted to live the abundant life. This is the importance of memorizing scripture, so that the Holy Spirit can bring it to our conscious awareness when we need it. 

I have found that a major key to peace is to set firmer boundaries with others. If I am overwhelmed, I need to say no more often. If I am being treated poorly, I need to stop allowing it and confront the other person. If someone does me wrong, I need to put a stop to it immediately - not let it go on and on. In the past,  I have made the mistake of allowing mistreatment from close relatives and boyfriends. This is both enabling and unhealthy. It sends the message "It's okay to treat her this way." when no , it is not. It does not matter who it is, we should not tolerate verbal or emotional abuse from anyone.  If someone is not willing to treat you right, let them walk away and live in peace!

When we achieve peace in our hearts, and in our minds, then we will begin to experience that delicious feeling everyone is searching for - Joy!

3. Keep the joy flowing. 
First let's be clear: joy is not the same thing as happiness. Happiness depends on our circumstances which may not always be pleasant, but we can still experience Joy. How?

First, we have to make sure we have done steps one and two. We are doing the right things which means keeping our consciences clear. We do not harbor bitterness, anger, or unforgiveness. Even then we don't always feel joyful. When we start to feel down, lonely, hopeless, frustrated etc, there is something we can do to feel joy when we remember that joy is a gift from God alone.

God wants us to have joy and he gave us a way to access that joy. It involves turning our focus from our circumstances and onto a holy, loving miracle-working God. No matter what has happened the day before, I start my day by singing and praising God. This is called WORSHIP.

Worship brings us into the presence of God who is the source of all joy. Worship lifts the heaviness that may be trying to take us down. Worship dispels darkness and brings in the light. It is a spiritual principle. I do not understand exactly how it works, but I do know it works. It may be the last thing we feel like doing, but when we praise God we get his attention and he sends his angels to assist us in our time of need.

When we choose to uplift the Creator of the universe, we lift our energy to a higher vibration if that language resonates with you. Expressing gratitude also raises our vibration. Praise and worship remind us that God is with us and that we are alive on this earth for a unique purpose. Hope is restored. 

Despite the difficult circumstances we all have to endure, we can still have joy because we know and trust Who is really in control of our lives. God has a good plan for each of us and although the plot may twist and turn, we can trust that the ending will be good.

So there you have them: the three keys to living the abundant life. The kingdom of heaven is within. All we have to do is follow these three steps and most importantly - BELIEVE - that it is possible for each of us to enjoy the abundant life. After all, that is what Jesus died for us to have!

For Reflection

Where would you like to see more abundance? Your job? Your finances? Your relationships? Start by doing the right thing, even when the wrong thing is easier. Choose peace over strife and finally start giving God praise for all your blessings and watch the abundance flow in. 

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our blog community plus receive a copy of my free e-guide entitled " 7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path", enter your email in the box provided. Feel free to share with a friend and leave a comment below. I love to hear from you and appreciate you taking time to read and comment.  

If you'd like to learn more about how to find the abundant life, check out my true story of how I went from stress and anxiety to peace and joy. "The Power of Faith: a journey to healing, wholeness, and harmony. Ebook format available on Amazon and your favorite online bookseller as well as hard and paper-back copies. Audio book format is available on Google Play. 

Stay tuned for more tips to help us all find more peace and joy this season!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

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How to Spiritually Connect with Your Higher Power

We are all on a spiritual journey, whether we realize it or not. We were made to know our Higher Power, the Divine, God, or whatever name you want to use. A relationship with God is the most important relationship we could ever have. 

The Problem 
The problem is many people have been turned off by organized religion, wounded by churches, priests, fathers, and past experiences. I wonder how many people read the Bible these days. Because of this, many of us don't have a clear path on how to connect to the Divine and we lack the courage and faith we need to move forward in this challenging world we live in. So this week I am sharing some ways I have found to connect with my Higher Power and strengthen my spiritual muscle.  

The Solution

1. The Word of God 

First, let me say this. I believe the clearest and most direct way to know and connect with the Divine is through reading the Bible. Even though the Bible is 2700 years old, human nature has not changed. The need for guidance has not changed and neither has the need for comfort, assurance, and consolation changed. All of these can be found in the Bible. There are many translations out there and you can easily check which you prefer by visiting this website. 

Whenever I had a big decision to make, I go straight to the Bible. The book of Proverbs is a good place to find wisdom about all sorts of important topics. Sure you can go talk to a bunch of friends, but you have no assurance that their "wisdom" will be what you need. Other times, I think of situations in the Bible and apply what God said about it to my circumstance. It gives me peace and guides me to making wise decisions. For more on making wise decisions, enter "decisions" in the search box on my blog.

2. Prayer and Meditation 
As I've stated in my previous posts, prayer is talking to God and meditation is listening. Both of these activities are helpful in connecting with the Divine. 

Prayer is powerful and it is even more powerful when we infuse it with scripture. There is supernatural power in prayer. The Lord is required to fulfill his word so when we quote scripture back to him it does many things. Read about the importance of praying scripture here. 

Meditation is listening to God. With our hectic schedules, how often do we make time to just be still and get quiet? This is when we can hear that still small voice inside. There are many benefits to a regular meditation practice. To learn more about meditation, its benefits, and how to do it, read my posts on it here. 

3. Journaling

I have been journaling most of my life. It helps me process the events of the day, connect with my emotions, reduces stress, and much more. Did you know it has been scientifically proven that journaling can also help boost the immune system and decrease the symptoms of chronic ailments such as arthritis, asthma and other health conditions? Read this article for more. 

The key to journaling is to get your feelings out on paper. Many people, including myself, have a hard time expressing their feelings. Journaling is a good start. The next step is to communicate them to others. Journaling also helps us to identify habits and unhealthy behaviors and their triggers. I have used it to help me manage migraine and break bad habits. 

For Reflection:

Getting to know God is not as scary or as difficult as it may seem. These three activities are a great start. Which one will you pick today? Write and let us know and why you chose that. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. If so pass it on to a friend who could benefit. To join our community and receive my weekly posts simply enter your email on the pop up page or in the space provided on this site. You'll also receive a copy my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Until next time, I wish you peace and stillness and remember...

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

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Why You Need to Journal Daily

A lot happens during the course of the day. And that means a lot of thoughts. I've read that the average person has approximately 60,000 thoughts per day. That is the average person. Many of these simply float by not even recognized by our conscious minds. That's why we wake up in the middle of the night, our brains are trying to process the events and emotions of the day. So this week, I'm sharing 5 tips on how and why it is important to start a daily journaling practice.  

Journaling is a Spiritual Discipline
Did you keep a diary when you were younger? The keeper of secret thoughts and dreams for no one's eyes but yours to see? Writing in a diary is a form of journaling, which is a key component of a spiritual practice. And it is not just for girls either. We all need to get in touch with our thoughts and emotions. Men have a particularly hard time doing this because of the way their brains are wired. And we all know how bad accumulated stress is for our brains and our bodies.                                                           

Benefit #1:Reduces Stress
We all have it. Some days more than others, but it important to process stressful events before our head hits the pillow at night or at least, schedule a time to process the events of the day. When we journal, we gain clarity about situations. It helps us feel less anxious and helps us get to the root cause of our moods so we don't take it out on an innocent friend or relative. Here's an interesting article that talks about sleep and stress. 

Benefit #2: Helps Process Emotions
Journaling helps us to process the difficult emotions and feelings of our day. Often we brush aside any negative feelings, or ignore them completely but our emotions are messengers and we need to pay attention to what they are trying to tell us. Journaling gives us time to process and see just what is bothering us. I have a sticky note to remind me to check in with my feelings during the day. 

Benefit #3: Helps Us Be More Creative
When we slow down our minds, ideas and solutions surface. We can hear from God and that still small voice inside. Thoughts go by so quickly, if we don't write them down, we may lose them entirely. 

Benefit #4: Helps Us Get in Touch with our Needs
When we find ourselves easily frustrated or short-fused, there is a good chance we are not getting some need met. Asking "What do I need right now?" is a good starting point. Many of us are really good at taking care of other people's needs, but not so great at taking care of our own. The other day I was journaling and I remembered I wanted to make a massage appointment. I haven't had one in years, and had forgotten the visit to the local beauty spa. It is important to recognize our needs and make sure they get met so we are in a better frame of mind to deal with others. It's called self-care. 

Benefit #5: Helps Us to Heal from Painful Events
I am a strong proponent of "getting it out", whether it be to a person or on paper. Verbalizing or writing it down is a healthy way of processing an issue or an event. If you don't feel comfortable talking about a situation with someone else, journal it. I guarantee you will feel so much better. Whatever you do, do not keep it bottled up inside you. That is both physically and mentally unhealthy. 

For Reflection
Are you ready to try journaling? I suggest buying a notebook of some kind. I like the spiral-bound kind, which are easier to flip the pages. Choose a nice writing tool, something that feels good in your hand. And then focus on writing down your thoughts and feelings from the day, not your daily to-do list.

If you are angry or overwhelmed, write about it. If you feel depressed or anxious about something, write about it. The key is to get it out of your system and onto paper. There is some sort of spiritual process that releases stress and tension when you put your feelings on paper. You want this to be a sort of clearing process so that when you finish you feel more at peace and calm. 

If you enjoyed this post, do join our blog community by entering your email address in the box on the right. I post weekly on Tuesdays. In addition, you will receive a copy of my FREE eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path"  - a short eguide to get you started on the journey of a lifetime. 

Stay tuned for more on how to ignite the power within so you can DISCOVER YOUR DESTINY!

Until next time, 

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

  

4 Ways Meditation Will Make You a Calmer Person

Life is busy, stressful, and complex. No matter what season of life you are in. It's always something, as I used to tell my mom. Our minds are on overdrive trying to process everything that comes at us in a day. And then there is the nightly news. 

The result? Racing thoughts. Sleepless nights. Overeating, pill popping or drinking alcohol to relax. Sound familiar? This week I'm sharing a spiritual practice that can help you tame your monkey racing mind and stay more present and peaceful during your day as well as hear from God on a regular basis. 

An Ancient Practice 

Archaeologists and scholars believe meditation has been around for over 5,000 years. In this information-over-loaded culture we live in, it is critical that we make time to not only rest our bodies, but our minds as well so this week I'm sharing on the ancient practice of meditation. 

No matter what beliefs you have, you should know that meditation practices have been part of both eastern and western religious practices for ages. The earliest documentation of meditation is found in the Hindu sacred text known as the Vedas from ancient India but it has its own place in Western religions as well. St. Ignatius of Loyola is famous for his book, Spiritual Exercises. The Bible continually exhorts believers to "meditate on things above", meditate on the Word of God day and night and to "Be still and know that I am God". Also we are exhorted to "take every thought captive." That is meditation. 

Can You Please Sit Still? 

In the same way the body needs a good amount of rest to restore and renew itself, so too does the mind.  Often, even when the body is asleep, the mind continues to churn away on the problems and issues of the day. No wonder we wake up feeling unrefreshed. The mind didn't know it was bedtime.

So, how often do you sit down during the course of the day, close your eyes and just observe your thoughts? Most people are so tired that when they do sit down and close their eyes, they fall asleep. Others find it difficult or even uncomfortable to sit still and do nothing. I know, because I used to be this way. 

As a single mom of two boys working at a mentally exhausting career while balancing the demands of home, health, & child-rearing plus trying to fit in a social life, I wish someone would have suggested meditation to me years ago. Sit down and rest my weary mind. 

The rapid advancement of technology has dramatically increased the pace of life and the hurry up, get-it-done-yesterday mindset has side-lined this important discipline. As the rate of stress-related illnesses soar, many are realizing this non-stop physical and mental freneticism is not only unhealthy but unprofitable as well. So how can meditation benefit you?

Benefit #1: Meditation calms our minds and our bodies. 

In the same way the body needs a good amount of rest to restore and renew itself, so too, does the mind. Often, even when the body is asleep, the mind continues to churn away on the problems and issues of the day. No wonder we wake up feeling unrefreshed. The mind didn't know it was bedtime.

When we sit down to meditate, we allow the "mental clutter" to settle. The breath and the heart rate slow which reduces blood pressure naturally. Meditation allows confusion to dissipate and clarity and creativity to spark so we can find answers to our problems and creative solutions. 

There are different forms of meditation so whether your spiritual path is eastern, western or a combination of both, you can benefit from this ancient practice. In eastern religions, there are several different meditation styles. One of them is to focus the mind on something constant such as the breath, a candle flame, or a mantra, which is a word or a phrase such as "peace', "be still", or "I am calm".

The basic premise is that by focusing the mind, the practitioner becomes increasingly aware of the flow of thoughts as they occur and is able to disengage and enter the place of rest where the mind is calmer. I practice what is called Vipassana meditation which focuses on finding clarity and insight in addition to calm. 

Benefit #2: Helps us to connect with ourselves and with God. 
When we still our bodies, the thoughts that jump around like monkeys in our minds settle down as well. This allows us to see what is going on with our feelings and emotions and to get in touch with our inner selves. When we are moving so fast all day, we ignore that still small voice and our deep thoughts and emotions rarely get noticed or even attended to.

The practice of meditation in Christian religions is similar in that one of the goals is to focus and calm the mind. In addition, Christian practitioners also have the goal of calming the spirit and connecting more deeply with God which is done by reading or repeating phrases or words of Holy Scripture or Christian devotions. Early proponents of Christian meditation are St. Teresa of Avila, St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. John of the Cross.

Benefit #3: Brings awareness of our thoughts, feelings and actions.
Whatever your spiritual path, meditation is an important skill that helps us bring more awareness to our daily lives.  Often we go through the day on auto-pilot, barely noticing anything inside us or around us until we plop into bed at night, exhausted. And then we spend the night processing what happened during the day. 

When we deliberately calm our minds, we are more able to identify our thoughts on a moment to moment basis. I've read that the average person thinks 60,000 - 70,000 thoughts per day, and being the deep reflective thinker I am, I probably process a lot more. Yikes!

Meditation helps us become more aware of our thoughts and the type of thoughts. Is this thought positive or negative, anxious, or angry? Thoughts are energy and negative thoughts bring us down and lower our energy and steal our joy. Notice whenever you have left the present moment - today - and wandered either into the past or the future. Meditation helps us to stay in the present moment which helps alleviate anxiety. It also helps us to stay focused and pay attention to what we are doing, rather than be unaware and easily distracted. 

Unawareness of negative, anxious and angry thoughts lead to a vicious downward spiral which often leads to depression and reactivity. Becoming more aware of our thoughts and emotions is a tool to stop this cycle and keep us grounded and calm.

Benefit #4: Breaks the vicious activity cycle.
Many of us run around all day frenetically going from one thing to another. As a single parent, this pace was my norm. Since retiring, I have made a conscious effort to slow down, do less and take more breaks. I have a sticky note that says "Take the pressure off." Continuous activity is akin to an addiction, something that makes us crave more and more. Meditation helps break this cycle as well. 

When I feel like I'm moving too fast, an alarm goes off in my mind "Break time!" and I make myself sit down and meditate for 15 - 20 minutes. If I fall asleep, then that means I'm tired but I don't berate myself for falling asleep. This stopping to meditate breaks the "to do" cycle and mentality. We are human beings not human doings! As meditation becomes a daily practice, we realize stillness is a gift and we will look forward to our times of being still. 

For reflection:

Have you considered incorporating meditation into your daily routine? How might it benefit you, personally? Meditation is not difficult. All it takes is a few minutes a day, start by closing your eyes and taking 3 deep breaths a few times a day. Here are some more posts on meditation to help. 

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If you 

Until next time, I wish you peace and stillness and remember...

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz