Transform Your Life - Part 1

What is it you would like to see transformed in your life today? Do you want to lose weight? Be more assertive?  Get a handle on your finances? No matter what our circumstances we can transform our lives. We each have a secret power within us - I like to call it our spiritual muscle - that when exercised properly - can bring about miracles you never thought possible. 

What kind of change would you like to make? You have the power to do or be anything you desire even if you've tried and failed many times before. We've all been there and done that, I can assure you. But this time can be different. 

If you want to renew your zest for life, it's time to transform it! We were meant to move forward in life, not stay at the boring status quo. When we stop learning and growing and changing, we become stagnant, bored, lethargic, joyless. Since this blog is about personal and spiritual growth, today I want to inspire you to take the first step towards transforming YOUR life!

Get Really Clear
First, we have to get really clear on what we want our life to look like, not just for the here and now, but for the long haul. Really take some time to decide what your most important values are because our values drive our decisions and our decisions determine our actions. For example, when I was growing up, in a single family home, I decided I wanted to be able to support myself and not have to depend on a man to support me. That meant I had to study hard, get good grades and go to college so I could get a decent paying job. That one decision structured the path of my entire life. 

What would you like to change in your life? A job? A relationship? Start a new endeavor like learning a new language or perhaps taking a course to get a better job? What would really light your fire?

Now is the time 

Often we procrastinate and put off taking action on things that could change our life. We make excuses like "I'm too busy" or "Maybe next month" or "I don't know how to proceed." These, my friend, are all excuses. There is no better day than today to take action on your goals. 

Contrary to what some say about old dogs and new tricks, I believe most people can change anything if they really want to. To stay young at heart, vibrant, and alive we must keep growing and improving our lives. I believe this is you which is why you joined our community and I am your personal cheerleader!

The Very First Step 
Perhaps you've tried before and failed. Or you just don't know where or how to start. As with any journey, the first step is always the most important. Now you may be thinking the first step involves some sort of action. But I want to challenge that perception. What you may or may not realize is this: the first step in any journey, change, or forward movement in life begins with a decision.

That's right. A decision. What really determines whether you are going to succeed or fail in your endeavor, is the commitment to your decision. In other words, it is the strength of your resolve to your decision that energizes you to take action.

The key is commitment. So what do you have to have to do in order to commit to something? What is the one thing you absolutely have to have in order to follow through? I think you may know the answer to this question. The answer is this:

FAITH. 

You need to activate the power of faith. Faith propels us into action and keeps us going.  We must believe in ourselves, in others, and in the power of God to transform our lives. Nothing, and I do mean absolutely nothing happens without faith. Faith is the foundation to any successful undertaking.

If you've tried before and failed, don't sit on the sidelines. We've all failed at some point in life so join the club, but don't throw in the towel. Check out this video on famous people who have failed miserably in life and see how it makes you feel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Y6hz_s2XIAU

For reflection 
What is it that you would like to accomplish in your life? What change would you like to see? Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone?  Have you made a strong commitment to your goal? Do comment below. I love hearing from you. 

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

Stay tuned for part two on this mini-series to learn more about how you can transform your life, ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Ignite the Power Within Step 2: 5 Ways to Enjoy a Life Without Limits

There’s a lot of talk these days about living the abundant life. What does that really mean though – “the abundant life”? Does it mean having a million dollars? Finding the perfect mate? Living a life of ease and pleasure? A single friend who is going through a rough time, said to me the other day “I just want the abundant life.”  Having recently been through some very challenging circumstances myself, I have pondered the concept of the abundant life and so I thought I’d share the answer that came to me. It might surprise you as it did me.

Life can be rough at times and the seasons can seem like an eternity. Singles have it particularly tough as there is no one beside them to help carry the load.  Many singles have a tendency to try to go it alone, but, as I encouraged my friend, we all need someone.  No man (or woman) is an island.

An Inspirational Life 
When we start to feel down in the dumps, it helps to think about those who are less fortunate. We all know people living in dire circumstances, working at a menial job,  who still have a smile on their face and a spring in their step. Nick Vujicic is one of several paraplegics in wheelchairs who are great contributors to society, travel the world, and speak to thousands. He has no limbs. No arms and no legs. Imagine what his life must have been like at the beginning. 

Take a look at this video see what this man has endured and what he has become. http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=nick+vujicic+life+without+limbs+video&FORM=VIRE5#view=detail&mid=DFD399391E38C99F29E1DFD399391E38C99F29E1

Change Your Attitude 

If it is possible for people in these circumstances to be joyful, content, and productive, could it be that the abundant life has more to do with our perspective rather than our circumstances?

Jesus said “I have come so that you may have life and have it more abundantly,” (John 10:10). I believe that to mean he came so we can live a life of healing, wholeness, and harmony.  Times of adversity are allowed into our lives for a purpose: to strengthen us, to teach us, and to heal us emotionally and spiritually. We are then free to follow our dreams and discover our destiny.

When the flames of adversity seem to engulf us on every side, we have a choice to make. We can either become angry, bitter, and resentful or we can ask ourselves this question: “What am I supposed to be learning here?”  Yes, I know the tendency is to want to point the finger at other people: what they are doing wrong, how insensitive they are, why they don’t make more time for us, ya da ya da. But when we expend all our energy focusing on other people’s issues, we don’t have any left to focus on ours. I don’t know about you, but I want to learn the lesson so I don’t have to repeat the grade.

Break the Cycle 
When we ask the question “What am I supposed to be learning here?” be prepared to take a good hard look in the mirror. The reflection may not be so pretty. 
The key to breaking the cycle is:
1) to surrender to/accept what is and 
2) to learn whatever lessons are being presented

It is up to us whether or not we choose to learn those lessons. We can be stubborn and refuse to change in which case, we will keep getting the lesson over and over again. Or we can push our egos out of the way, make whatever changes we need to make and move forward in life. I believe life is about the growth and development of our souls and trials have a purpose which is to purify us, to grow us up and to remove the imperfections in our minds and make us whole. 

It is possible to live the abundant life, no matter what our circumstances may be. When we learn to view trials as stepping stones to a better tomorrow, they will be less difficult to endure. When we understand that there is a purpose to the pain, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

To summarize, here are a few techniques I’ve learned over the years that have helped me to live an abundant life, despite trying circumstances and I know they will help you too:

1. Learn to be thankful for our blessings and also for the trials and difficulties we encounter.
2. Live to give. Find some way to give back, sow a seed, help someone else. This is a main reason why I have been writing these blog posts all these years. It is my small way to give back. 
3. Expect victory. Know that God is on our side and He is faithful to bring us through every situation  better, stronger, and more aware than we were before.
4.  Keep our joy. When we lose our joy, we lose our strength to persevere. God is the source of our  joy and when we keep our focus on him, we can be joyful  even during the trials of life.
5. Look for the good. I believe there is always a positive outcome from negative circumstances. When we change our perspective and put on our spiritual glasses, we will see it.

If this post has helped you in some way, please leave a comment below. It means a lot to me to hear from you. If you'd like to join our blog community, enter your email address in the box provided. I will send you out a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".  And if you know someone who needs a lift, do send them the link to this page.

Until next time, stay tuned for more on how to ignite the power within and remember, 

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Facing the Hurricanes of Life

Hurricane season is upon us. We never know where one will hit or how strong it will be. Kind of like life. We never know when something not so pleasant will come at us, many times out of the blue. Today I'm sharing on how to handle the storms of life by developing our spiritual muscle. Just as we strengthen our physical muscles to lift weights at the gym,  it is even more important to strengthen our spiritual muscle so we can bear the emotional and psychological loads of daily life. 

Life is full of trials and tribulations. Some of them are brought on by our own choices and others are not. Some are small and others are hurricane-size. Many are out of our control such as the pandemic. So who or what do we turn to when life starts handing us lemons instead of lemonade? Our bank account? Our spouse? The wine bottle? Amazon? Or..... someone bigger, stronger, and more powerful than us?

The truth is God sees everything that concerns you and he allows difficult situations to grow us up, teach us, and strengthen our character.  God is more interested in our character, than our comfort. You know that phrase "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Well, it's true, but it is our choice on how we will respond to these adversities. 

Faith in Almighty God - no matter what name you call Him by - is the only thing that can sustain us through the trials of life: faith to believe that we will get through the tough times, faith to trust when the path before us is not clear, faith to have hope for a better tomorrow, and, yes, faith to even be joyful in the midst of our trials. Impossible you say? Not at all!

In fact, James 1:2 says "Count it all pure joy when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." Notice the emphasis (mine) on the words "all" and "joy". If we look at trials from this perspective, we will see them as opportunities for spiritual and personal growth. 

As for me, someone who was raised in an anxiety-ridden family, I have learned to trust my troubles to someone who can handle the weight of the world as well as my problems. Someone who is always there and never turns his back on me or distances from me. Someone who has conquered pain, isolation, broken relationships and even death. His name is Jesus and he is the one and only Son of God. He has experienced everything you and I go through. 

The amazing thing about Jesus is this. No one else other than He - not Buddha, not Allah,can give us resurrection power - the power to get up and rise again another day, the power to turn any situation around supernaturally and He alone is our source of peace during the hurricanes of life. All we have to do is call out His name and he will answer. 

At some point, every person will have to ask themselves this question: "Who is Jesus?" The answer to that question can save your life and your eternal soul so I implore you to give it serious thought. 

Today, if you are going thru a storm, remember Jesus is in your boat, right there beside you.  He promises to never leave us or forsake us, so we don't have to feel alone even when others have abandoned us. Pastor and best-selling author, Rick Warren, once said this: "At any given time, we are either going thru a storm, just coming out of a storm, or getting ready to enter a storm." Isn't that so true? 

For Reflection
Do you know Jesus? Do you trust him? No matter what hurricane is in or around us, we can rest assured that Jesus is with us and sees all our storms. Whatever is happening in our around you, trust that God is with you and will get you through it. 

If you'd like to join our community, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts and also a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". Also, be sure to follow me over at Pinterest where I have tons of delightful tips and information including recipes, diet and exercise, health and wellness, and much more. Well, go visit for yourself and check out my boards and pins. https://www.pinterest.com/arielpaz/pins/

Stay tuned for more practical wisdom on how to ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time,

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Ignite the Power Within Step 4: How to Win in the Game of Life

Baseball season is upon us and Baltimore is  once again full of hopeful excitement. Loyal Orioles fans pack the stadium sporting their orange and white jerseys, ready to watch the game and socialize with friends and loved ones. Kids hug their blue cotton candy and the smell of hotdogs activates our taste buds.

Imagine a runner rounding the bases at full speed. Excitement mounts as he heads toward home base. Sensing the urgency of the moment, he makes a courageous dive towards the plate, the fans hold their breath and then the umpire signals "You're out!"

As I watched the game this past weekend, I was reminded that life is like baseball in more ways than one. Sometimes life throws us a curve ball. Other times we strike out a time or two.  It could be a broken relationship, the death of a loved one, an unresolved health issue, or a financial setback. It could even be a grand slam of all of the above. What to do then?

At such times, it is imperative that we pull out the secret weapon we all have deep within.  I call it the power of Faith: an amazing gift we each have been given to help us cope with the curve balls of life. Some of us, for whatever reason, get thrown more curves than others, but we must trust that a power greater than ourselves has a plan and a purpose for each time we strike out.

When we realize we have this great gift, despite the odds and our circumstances, Faith gives us the ability to stay in the game. Yes, it takes courage and yes, it takes strength but when we activate our faith during the tough times of life, God gives us both of these. He equips and empowers us to do what we need to do even when the game seems all but lost.

Just as we need to strengthen our physical muscles to handle the demands of life we also need to strengthen our spiritual muscle. As I share in my book, "The Power of Faith", there are specific steps you can take to develop your personal power so you will be equipped when life throws you a curve ball.

So, next time you feel like you've struck out once again, remember every play can teach us something about ourselves, others, life, and God. If you enjoyed this post, join our community and  enter your email in the box provided. You'll also recieve my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".

Until next time, stay in the game and keep your eye on the ball. You're bound to hit a home run sooner or later!

Ariel Paz 

Is God Trying to Get Our Attention?

Another shooting. Another tragedy. Floods. Hurricanes. Earthquakes. The list goes on and things are seem to be going from bad to worse.

Many people today don't believe in God. Others believe but don't understand the nature of God and the battle between good and evil. "How could God allow this to happen?" is a question I hear often. My answer is that there is evil in this world. And if you don't believe that, then just turn on the nightly news.

We cannot fully comprehend why God allows terrible things to happen to innocent people but it has been happening since the beginning of time.

We do know that good can come out of a bad situation. People make bad choices because we have free will and a sinful, uncontrolled nature. Now, I don't want to get too deep here, but bear with me.

Much of the bad stuff that happens in our world is a result of:
a) our poor choices or
b) someone else's poor choice. 

If we were all born inherently perfect, as some philosophies claim, then we wouldn't have these bad things happen, now would we?

Remember Noah and the ark? Due to the sin of the people, God sent the great floods to wipe out humanity. All except one faithful family - Noah's. By the way, did you know there is a flood story in every major religion? Interesting, huh? But, I digress. The point is God got disgusted with the way things were going back then and decided to wipe almost everybody out.

Could it be that God is trying to get our attention once again?

Who turns to God when everything is going smoothly? It's usually only when the tough times hit that we run to God in tears. God sees what is going on in the world and I bet he's not too happy. What is it going to take for us to turn to God? How many more acts of violence and disasters have to happen before we cry out and say enough?

God sees the future and knows just what we need to go through in our lives to build our characters and make us stronger. God knows what it takes to get us out of our complacency. Setting things right takes action and effort. It also requires a changed mindset.

Look at World War 2 for example. The United States didn't want to get involved with what was going on in the rest of the world. Meanwhile, Hitler's aggressive and violent policies were murdering thousands of Jews. It was a wake-up call then and perhaps this streak of violence and natural disasters is another one to perhaps not only America but to the world in general. We cannot tolerate violence of any sort and action must be taken.

We may not understand at the time, but eventually we can look back and see good that has come from bad. I know this is true in my life, how about yours?

If this post resonated with you and you'd like to join our community, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my bi-weekly posts plus a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".

Stay tuned for more practical and spiritual wisdom.Your thoughts are always welcome.

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel 

Ignite the Power Within Step 4: 5 Strategies for Conquering Setbacks

Are you going through a tough time? Adversity strikes us all, often when we least expect it. On the way to seeing our goals and dreams come true, there are setbacks along the way. I like to think of these as potholes in the road of life. They come in different forms: relationship breakups, job loss, and health issues to name a few. They jolt us out of our complacency and sometimes side-track us for awhile. Although most of us would probably prefer a smoother life, I believe the reality is that problems are part and parcel of our personal growth journey and that they really are gifts in disguise. So what to do to when we hit a pothole in life?

1.  Realize life was not meant to be easy.
If that was the case, what would be the point? Sit on a beach somewhere and drink margaritas day in and day out? Spend our lives partying? What would we learn? How would we grow? Would we be motivated to help others? I think not. The pains we experience in life are, as author Rick Warren says in his book, "The Purpose-Driven Life" delivered to us for a purpose.

Take Jesus' life, for example. Talk about suffering. He reminded us that  "In this life you will have trials, but take heart, for I have overcome." (John 16:33). Life was not a bed of roses for him because he had a great destiny to fulfill and so do we.

2. Learn to surrender to what is.
 Accept the fact that we don't always understand why things happen in our lives: an illness strikes, we lose our job, a friend or loved one betrays us. An old friend of mine has a saying "It is what it is". In other words, accept things the way they are.

Now I'm not saying don't do anything to try and change a situation, but some situations are not within our control to change. We can't change other people. We can't change the events of life, but we can change ourselves and how we respond to these. We each have been dealt a hand for a reason, probably only known by God, and we have to live out our lives the best we can so we can be reasonably happy.

3. Choose how to respond to adversity.
When we complain and bemoan about the trials of life, this only magnifies them and makes us more miserable. We ruminate at night about the what ifs and how we are going to handle a situation. We become fearful and irritable.  We expend just as much, if not more energy, being anxious and fretful. This energy could be channeled into positive solutions. The way we choose to respond to adversity is paramount to overcoming life's challenges.

4. Cultivate a positive attitude.
Uncertainty, loss, and overwhelm can make us fearful, but we don't have to let fear overtake us. What we believe about ourselves and, more importantly, what we believe about the existence of a loving and all-powerful God have a lot to do with how we manage the challenges that come at us.

As a single parent who went through an ugly divorce, I faced overwhelm, loss, and uncertainty quite often. I chose to look through the lens of faith rather than fear. Faith pleases God and He will step into our situation when trust Him to work out our problems.

5. Look for the lesson.
Trials are stepping stones to our destiny and I believe every trial has a lesson for us to learn. It is up to us to find that lesson because this is the blessing. Difficult circumstances are meant to refine us, purify us, and make us more like God. When we learn the lesson before us and make the appropriate changes, we propel ourselves to the next level.

Sometimes it takes us a while to figure out what the lesson is. I've noticed that God often presents the same lesson in multiple areas of my life at the same time. It's like "She's not getting it. Let me give it to her over here." As an ex-teacher I can understand this. Here's a quick personal story.

In the late seventies, during the disco era, I was teaching hustle to a class of thirty some adults. I noticed most of the couples grasped the step I was showing them, but a few of them were struggling. As I gave them personal attention, it dawned on me that not everyone learns in the same way, so I explained the step using different terms until there was the "Aha!" moment every teacher lives for.

In the same way, our souls have lessons to learn. This is part of the healing from the wounds of the past. Our parents try to teach us some things. We can learn from them, but they can only teach us what they know. We do ourselves a disservice if we rebel against what they try to teach us but rest assured, God will continue the process throughout our lives.

If we want more peace and harmony during the tough times, it is important to:
1) realize life is not easy
2) surrender to what is
3) choose how to respond to the adversity 
4) have faith 
5) look for the lesson

When we realize trials have purpose, it makes them easier to get through.

If this post was encouraging, leave a comment here or on Facebook.I value your feedback.

If you'd like to join our community, enter your email address in the box provided and you'll receive my bi-weekly posts. You'll also receive a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".

Stay tuned for more on igniting the power within and discovering YOUR destiny!

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

Ignite the Power Within Step 4: What to Do When You Feel Like Quitting

Ever feel like giving up? Tired of fighting the battles of life? We all feel this way from time to time, especially when we think we're doing the right thing, but we're not seeing any results. If we're going to see our dreams come true, we have to be push-thru kind of people. No matter what we're facing, there is always someone who has it tougher.

Think you have it rough? Well, how would you like to be born without limbs?

While down in Jacksonville, Florida this past week, I happened to be on the beach where the Never Quit Beach Challenge was taking place. Thousands of competitors wearing shirts with the motto "Never Quit" filled the beach. There were swimmers, surfers, and runners. The marines wore shirts that said "Pain is weakness leaving the body". Young girls 5 - 6 yrs old were doing chin presses on the bar. Parachute jumpers decorated the sky. It was quite a sight to behold.

Then I heard the opening prayer by a man named Nick Vujicic. He praised my lord and savior, Jesus Christ, right there in public amidst thousands of people. "Who is this guy?" I asked as I tried to hold back the tears welling up in me.

Nick Vujicic is an australian born in 1982 in Brisbane, Australia - with no arms or legs. Today he is a college graduate with two degrees, an author, a CEO, and a motivational speaker. He was also a participant in the three part race.

Now how's that for faith and inspiration? Check out this website for more info on the race and it's origins. The whole event certainly inspired me. So next time you think you're having a hard time, think of Nick Vujicic and remember his motto and mine - Never give up!

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, enter your email address in the box provided and you'll receive my bi-weekly posts. I'll also send you out a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".

Stay tuned for more on how to stay in the game of life and see your dreams become reality.

Until next time, keep the faith and keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

This is Only a Test

Has the weather got you down? Things taking longer than you'd like to change? Traffic getting on your nerves? Or maybe you've picked up a few pounds, lost your job, or are just plain stressed out by life in general? It seems winter can be a particularly grueling season to get thru. If so, you are not alone, trust me. Everywhere I go people are asking the same question "Is this ever going to end?" And the answer is always yes. Or as I like to say "This too, shall pass."

Trials and difficulties are not unusual. Things don't happen as quickly as we'd like. Our plans get side-tracked by accidents, illnesses, or other unforeseen circumstances. I call them tests. What irritates you? What makes you lose your peace? What makes you ditch the diet and hit the sweets or the peanut butter? If you stop to take a look at your life, I bet you'll
see a few patterns of your own.                          

This week, I've had a lot of tests and I'm sure you have as well. Like when the smoke detector on my cathedral ceiling went off at 4 am. Or when the heavily coughing neighbor stepped into the elevator with me. Or when I couldn't get the casters on the newly delivered office chair to fit into the base.

Every day is usually a series of tests. Will I be kind? Will I guard my tongue? Will I not react? Will I ask for help? Will I trust? Will I be positive? Will I reach out to help someone else? Will I be generous? Will I be patient?

A good day is when I only have one or two tests and I pass them both. When I reflect back on my day, I think about how well I handled a certain situation. Then there are those days when I remember  how I reacted or what I said or thought and have to ask the good Lord for forgiveness. Self-reflection can be quite a humbling experience, that's for sure.

The good news is every day we start with a clean slate.  God's mercies are fresh every morning. I try not to hold a grudge against anyone, including God or myself. Forgiveness is the key to moving on and staying in peace and living in joy. Faith is knowing that whatever happens, God will see us thru it.

So, what kind of tests have you had this week? Pick one scenario that really gets your goat and then resolve to be at peace with it the next time it happens. Resolve to have faith and trust God to provide whatever is needed for the situation and He will. All we have to do is ask.

Until next time, repeat after me "This is a test. This is only a test." Before you know it, you'll be speeding along the highway of life and getting an "A" on the quiz!

Ariel Paz