How to Stay Joyful During Frustrating Times

Life can be stressful: finances, health issues, relationship problems, daily frustrations. Today I had another call from a collection agency threatening me over a bill that has already been paid in full. Talk about frustration.

It's easy to lose our joy amidst these challenges. We all have our struggles. The key is how we perceive them and how we respond to them. No one wants to be around a sourpuss or someone who is constantly talking about their problems. Much of this behavior comes from our personality type and the people we have been around. 

Today I’m sharing a few more techniques I use to maintain my joy during frustrating times. When things get challenging, it’s easy to lose track of what’s really important and to keep my focus where it should be, which is on staying in peace and living in joy.

So how can we be more joyful during times of peak stress? Here are a few tips I've learned over the years that help me keep my joy level up and my stress level down.

1. Learn to use that two-letter word "NO". 

Setting a firm boundary is one of the best ways I know to get back my joy and peace and I can't stress this strongly enough. 

Say no to the boss. Now this is a tough one, but you can do it. I worked for a large corporation whose IT department gave in to the unrealistic demands of the business partner. I was a single mom who had a family to take care of. I remember a gal who worked a lot of overtime one year. When bonus time came around, she was very disappointed. She learned a hard lesson - extra time doesn't always pay off in extra pay. 

On a social front, I only accept offers and invitations my heart is into. I say NO to everything else, especially around Christmas. 

I let go of relationships that drag me down and suck my energy. I take a break from stressful relatives. Just because they are a relative doesn't mean we  should allow mistreatment, disrespect, or tolerate their anger or negativity. Giving them distance allows them to think about their behavior but don't assume they are mind-readers. I am clear and direct about what is bothering me and what I want or need from them. Then it is up to them to decide how to behave if they want to move forward. Setting boundaries is risky because many people don't want to acknowledge their behavior or its impact on us. Many don't want to change. 

Say "no" to requests that are not your responsibility. The above mentioned collection agency wanted me to fax the payment to them for a bill that had already been paid and I told them "no". It was not my responsibility.

2.  Ditch the guilt.  

When I say NO, I am being true to my values. I don't need to feel guilty for saying "no". We are not respecting ourselves if we say yes to something when our heart is not in it. We are not respecting ourselves if we let someone else disrespect us. If I feel overly stressed doing something with someone, it's not worth it. Pay attention to that small voice inside, your gut, or however else your body speaks to you. 

3.  Look at the big picture. 
I ask myself this question "What's really important here?" The answer always is "My peace." 

When the stress level rises, it is easy to get bent out of shape over things that are trivial in the big picture. The logic side of our brain gets hijacked by the emotional side and we can't think straight. By stepping back, taking some deep breaths, and calming ourselves down, we can turn an upsetting situation around and regain our calm.

4. Learn to lighten up. 
I know I need work in this area. Still. Take a breath. Exhale the tension. Relax your shoulders. Calm your emotions. Then try and make a funny. Tell a story or a joke that doesn't offend anyone. Laughter decreases tension. Make a joke, just be sure it is not at the other person's expense. My youngest and I practice this whenever one of us is venting about something stressful. Ending on an up note helps everyone feel better.

5. Overlook people's mistakes. 
We are all human. People won't always be on time, say the right thing, give the perfect gift or respond the way you would like them to. The world is a messed up place. Communication is not optimum. Being aware of your frustration levels is key. Let go of the frustration quickly and don't dwell on what someone said or did that really won't matter tomorrow anyway. Frustration has an insidious way of building up and then we explode on an innocent person.

6. Focus on the positives.
Nobody's life is perfect, not mine, not your friend's, not the Hollywood or sports stars you admire.

We all have stuff. No church is perfect. No mate is perfect. We are not perfect.  The 6th key to maintaining our joy is to focus on the good things in our lives: the fact that we have a home, a car, a job, good health, friends. The fact that we have a tremendous amount of freedom in this country, that we are financially better off than most of the world and the fact that God gave us another day to enjoy. Despite the upsetting phone call this morning, I am focusing on the fact that I have the freedom, the time, and the tools to write this blog post to help encourage others.

7. Give yourself more down-time. 
The mind and the body need time to rejuvenate and process the events of the day. If you are one of those type-A personalities that is always checking their phone, consider unplugging. If you are a highly sensitive personality, like me, we need even more down-time. Respect your needs. Make time for quiet, reflection, exercise and rest. We must take care of our brains and our bodies if we want them to last and be functional for the long haul.

For Reflection

Who or what is stealing your joy today? Which of these tips can you implement today to restore your joy? With practice, we can learn to keep more of our peace and our joy even during peak stress seasons. I hope these 7 tips are helpful. Write me and share some techniques you use to maintain your joy so I can add them to the list.

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

This is the final post on this topic. Do write and let me know what topic you would like to read about in next month's series. Would love to hear from you. 

Until next time, keep your focus on living in joy, and above all, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

5 Practical Steps to More Peace and Less Drama

Isn't it great when you get to enjoy a peaceful day? No conflicts. No aggravation. No drama. One key to having more peace is to be more aware of our stress levels. When we are stressed, we are more likely to over-react and snap so today, I am sharing on the topic of healing our emotional triggers and managing reactivity so we can have more peace and less drama. 

Who likes drama? Not me, but, like it or not, drama is part of life. As long as we are interacting with other people, there will be drama. The key is to focus on how WE handle the situation, not what the other person said or did which is what we usually do. It's called "playing the blame game." 

The more exposure we have to family members such as during the Pandemic, the holidays, vacations, etc. the more opportunities there will be for drama. So today I am offering some practical steps to help us transform our emotional brains and manage our reactivity. Let's get started. 

What causes drama anyway?

Most of the time drama stems from emotional reactivity. The emotional center of our brains, known as the amygdala, gets hijacked and we react in an emotionally charged manner, rather than responding in a calm and kind way. 

We react for different reasons: because of unhealed emotional wounds from the past, judgements and labels we have attributed to others, and also because our egos get the better of us. 

Healing is part of our Soul's Journey 

You've probably heard the phrase "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear". What this means is that we are all on a journey and life is a school of sorts. It presents us with teachers in the form of people and situations to help us to recognize our wounds and then heal them. 

I like to think of this as a spiritual journey because at the root this journey is the development and healing of our souls. It is a journey to healing, wholeness, and harmony. To awareness and clarity. To living fully alive and in the present moment, not in bondage to the painful events of the past or the worries and concerns of the future. 

Healing occurs when we bring light into these dark places of our soul. This takes time, energy, and deep introspection. It also requires us to examine ourselves and be willing to change. 

Do you know your soul is here for a reason? You are not here by happenstance, just to have a good time for a few years, then be buried and that's the end of it. You are here to learn and to heal, to grow and to evolve, to move yourself and others forward. Life is a school, and if we don't learn our soul lessons we are going to repeat the grade, if you get my drift.

Why We Over-React 

Sometimes over-reaction is because our stress-tank is full. We are emotionally overloaded in the moment and we don't have the self-control we usually have. Someone calls at the wrong time and we let them have it. We have a tough day at the office and we take it out on the fam. It happens. Learn from it and make the necessary changes. And don't forget to apologize. 

I am reading a good book on managing stress, called "Unstressable" by Mo Gawdat. In it, the authors give some good tips on how to be more aware of our stressors and our emotional stress tank levels. They also discuss the techniques to manage stress, many of which I've talked about here on this blog. 

At other times, when we keep reacting to certain situations in an emotionally-charged manner. This is because we are stuck in mental patterns that keep us from seeing things as they really are and from dealing with life in a peaceful and healthy way. Rather, when we OVER-REACT to a situation, we can be pretty sure we are encountering what author and psychotherapist, Tara Bennett-Goleman calls "samskaras" or schemas. 

In her book, "Emotional Alchemy", Tara explains there are 10 major schemas such as the fear of abandonment, emotional deprivation, perfectionism, and the fear of trusting to name a few. Most of us have at least one or two of these unhealthy and unproductive emotional patterns that we need to heal from. 

In order to conquer these schemas, we must first learn to recognize them so here are 5 steps to becoming more aware of our emotional patterns:

1. Pay attention to over-reactions.
An over-reaction is not necessarily a major outburst. It is an uncomfortable feeling - a bristling if you will - when someone says or does something that stings us emotionally. When we over-react we are not in control. Our hurt or wound is in control. Over-reaction is a signal that a schema is operating. It is interesting how the hurts and fears from our childhood or past relationships can still rear their ugly heads when a situation in the present in some way, shape, or form reminds us of something that happened in the past. Our reptilian brain has no concept of time.

Our minds are like computer programs which store all sorts of if/then statements and every now and then a bug shows up and they need to be reprogrammed. When we have these over-reaction bugs in response to current day situations, that is a sign that there is a hidden emotional issue that needs to be recognized, addressed, and healed. 

2. Be mindful of your thoughts and feelings.
Check in with how you are feeling on a regular basis. Explore the emotions you are experiencing. Do you feel angry? Anxious? Sad? Like you are being attacked?

Emotions give us a clue as to which schema is operating and it is up to us to recognize the schema and the pattern. I know when there is a pattern when I keep having the same type of issue with different people in my life. It's like God is saying "Here's an opportunity to heal. Will you deal with it?"

3. What does this situation remind me of?
When we have an over-reaction in the present moment, it often is caused by a painful event from our past. Our brains wire similiar negative emotionally-charged experiences together. Psychologists have a phrase "What fires together, wires together" which means emotions are stored in the brain with past negative events and repitition of these events makes these connections even stronger. Often we are not even aware of the trigger unless we try consciously to connect the dots. We have to look at both the past and the present situation and learn to respond, not react, differently. 

4. What need am I trying to get met?
Often unmet needs go unnoticed for years. Perhaps, like me, you had an emotionally absent father figure. Or your caregiver was super-critical. These kinds of traumatic events wound us. We don't get our emotional needs met by the person who was supposed to meet them. So we continue looking for someone to fill our emotional buckets, usually from someone who is just as emotionally unable to meet those needs. If you missed my post on having an open heart, here it is again. 

When we finally become aware of an unmet need, we can then look for healthier ways and people to meet the need and thus, put an end to the power of our subconscious unhealthy relational patterns, irrational fears, and finally heal our souls.

5. Look for a pattern.
When you have an over-reaction, don't be too quick to gloss over it, ignore it, or put it behind you. These events occur for a reason. It is an opportunity for healing, but it is up to us to try to piece the events together so we can understand what is going on beneath the surface. These situations can shed light on the dark areas of our souls so we can heal them.

The word of God tells us to be "transformed daily by the renewing of our minds" (Romans 12:2). It is only by replacing error with truth and fear with faith that our souls can be truly healed and move forward in life towards our dreams and our destiny.

For Reflection
Think of a time you over-reacted. How did you feel? Why did you think you felt that way? Can you think of a time in your past when you felt the same way? What was similiar in the present situation that might have caused your brain to bring up the negative emotions? 

I hope this post has helped you recognize some things and if you enjoyed it and want to learn more, check out my new book "Ignite the Power Within: 10 Steps to Strengthen Your Spiritual Muscle". 

Healing is a process that takes time. Be gentle with yourself and ask others to be gentle with you. It is not easy to heal from emotional wounds. It takes courage and willingness so be proud of yourself for making the effort. 

If you'd like to join our growth community, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". And do pop on over to check out all the cool stuff I've collected for you on Pinterest. 

Stay tuned for more postive and practical wisdom to help you ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

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How to Process Stress Without Losing Your Cool

So how have you been holding up all the world events? The wars? Inflation? The elections? Your relationships? If you've been feeling edgy, anxious, fearful, or impatient, this post is for you. And you are not alone.

The Importance of a Spiritual Path

Stress affects everyone and that is why it is so important to consciously cultivate a spiritual path. The more reactive we are to stress, the more important it is to learn, or rather unlearn, old thinking and behavior patterns. 

Everyone is on a spiritual path, whether they know it or not. What's more, everyone needs a spiritual path, not just those who have been abused, addicted, or abandoned. 

We all need healing.   

How can I say this? Because after years of thinking dysfunction happens only in "broken" or "alcoholic" homes, I've seen enough people from seemingly "normal" families have the same kinds of drama and issues. I'd scratch my head and ask "How did that happen? Her parents weren't divorced/alcoholic/addicts or whatever."

Until one day, it dawned on me - each of us is in need of healing of some sort be it from our past or something that was handed down to us generationally. This is what a spiritual path is all about - healing so we can become whole, integrated, and harmonious beings. We are, after all, body, mind, and spirit and we whether we realize it or not, we each have areas we need to heal.  Author Wayne Dyer says "there is a spiritual solution to every problem," and if we look deep enough, we will find it.

The Need for a Spiritual Path 

The problem is that many of us are not aware that we are on a spiritual journey or that we need healing, so we fail to look for spiritual solutions to processing the stress in our lives. Often, people turn from God or deny his very existence. They shy away from any kind of spiritual path because they are hurting from something or afraid of something. Or it could just be their ego not wanting to admit they need to grow in some area. We look to medications, drinking, food, fun, activities, work, and relationships to console them but sooner or later we realize, we must go deeper. The answer lies not in distraction, but in introspection. 

We are thirsty for peace. 

Jesus knew this when he said "I will give you  living water and you will never thirst again." (John 4:13). The organized church has let many down, including yours truly. Hence, the popularity of such alternative ways to healing and peace. Groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, meditation groups, and yoga classes are thriving these days. Participants realize there is a spiritual struggle going on underneath the covers of the suffering they are experiencing. 

Personal Story 

We are a three part entity: body, mind, and spirit. An injury to any one part affects the other parts. The Chinese have known this for centuries. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has long correlated physical ailments with emotions. For example, a few years ago, I went to an acupuncturist for treatment of an asthma condition I suddenly developed. I had never had asthma in my life and I wondered what was going on.

"Asthma affects the lungs and the lungs store grief," the specialist explained.
"Have you experienced any grief lately?"
"Grief!" I exclaimed, suddenly bursting into tears.
"Yes, I have experienced grief in several very close relationships all in the same year."

The light bulb went on. My body was reacting to the emotional pain I had experienced. Once I gained awareness of all the grief I was experiencing, I was able to process it and the asthma symptoms completely went away. When we bring light to the darkness of the pain in our spirits, we can process the wounds and the emotions, which then allow us to heal at the physical level as well. So how does one know if one is in need of some kind of healing?

Signs of Needing Healing:

1) Physical symptoms and pain
Diseases such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, high blood pressure, IBS, migraine, depression, addictions, and back pain may all have emotional and spiritual roots.

2) Incessant chatter 
Are your conversations self-absorbed monologues (all about you)? Do you focus on the negative circumstances in life more than the positives?

3) Fear of the future
Does anxiety about what may happen steal your peace and joy? Do you feel a need to keep up with every negative news story, gossip, or Hollywood drama? Do you make decisons out of fear?

4) Overdependence on entertainment and other people
Do you always have to be around people? Are you uncomfortable being by yourself? Do you dread being alone? Are you always planning the next activity or event? There is nothing wrong with entertainment but when it becomes a major focal point that indicates a problem. 

5) Preoccupation with any one area of life 
Are you a workaholic? Exercise fanatic? Overly involved with your kids? Is there any area others would say you put too much time into?

6) Inability to overcome addictions 
Some addictions are overeating, alcohol, drugs, gambling, porn, and codependency. In fact, anything done to excess may be an addiction, a way to cover up emotional pain. 

For Reflection:

Did any of these hit home? What do you think is at the root of the issue? If you are not in a spiritual growth group, consider joining one that fits your comfort level.  

My goal is to do my part to help the world heal one person at a time so we can all conquer stress, live in harmony, and pursue our destinies! 

If this post was helpful, consider joining our community by entering your email address in the box provided. In addition to receiving my weekly posts, I am offering my free eguide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". I'm not talking about religion here, so please don't confuse the two. Spirituality is very different from "organized religion" although we may find our path in church for a time and that is quite alright. When you enter your email in the box provided, I'll get it right out to you. 

Also, do pop over and check out my many Pinterest boards on a wide variety of topics you are sure to find of interest. https://www.pinterest.com/arielpaz/pins/

Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom on how you, too, can find healing, wholeness, and harmony so you can ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

How to Have More Peace In the Present Moment

Every day is both a gift and a challenge. We never know what the day will bring.  Some days go by smoothly and others have things that spring up out of the blue. I consider these events tests. I love a day with no tests, don't you? 

In this season of Covid-19 and heightened stress levels, the challenge to keep our peace is even more crucial so this week I am sharing some tips on how to do just that. 

If you've read my book, "The Power of Faith", you know I've been through some stuff. Since that book was written, I've been through a lot more tough stuff - losing my job, losing my health, losing members of my family. The past seven years have been a tough road to hoe, yet I'm still here and learning as I go from these experiences. 

Personal Story 
So I'm in the sauna at the gym, before Covid that is, and I start up a conversation with the gal next to me. She mentions she does mindful meditation. Interesting. Then she mentions she's done EMDR, which is another type of healing therapy using eye movements, and tells me a short list of her past traumas including sexual abuse as a child, her father killing her mother, and more. Wow. What she's been through makes what I've been through seem like a walk in the park. But she seemed happy and moving on with her life. How is that? 

Practice letting it go

I think we can all learn a lesson from this woman. We ALL go thru STUFF. Some of it ain't too pretty. But we do have a choice. Each day or rather each hour we get to CHOOSE our ATTITUDE. We don't have to dwell on the rude comment, the driver who cut us off, the jealous boss, the inept rep on the phone. Realize you are irritated and then DECIDE to LET IT GO! Keep your peace!

Resist the Urge to Visit the past

When we're young, we live more in the present moment, not thinking about the past or worrying about the future, but this mindset seems to change the older we get. We dwell on past hurts and regrets usually without even realizing we are doing it. Try to catch yourself thinking about a negative event from the past and bring yourself back to the present moment. 

Notice your surroundings

There is always something positive or beautiful to notice. The birds chirping or landing on my balcony. The color of the trees in the fall. The beauty of the clouds. The brightness of the sunshine streaming through my windows. We humans have a tendency to focus on the negative. Our brains wire that way, but we can change that wiring by learning to focus on our blessings and the beauty all around us. 

Take a deep breath 

This is such a simple but powerful tip. Simply pausing a few minutes to breathe will recalibrate our energy and our emotions. Deep breathing brings more oxygen into the body and calms the mind. Practice abdominal breathing. When we are stressed or hurried, we breathe through the chest instead of the belly. Check out this link for more on the breath. 

Say a Prayer

Never underestimate the power of prayer. I have learned that prayer is powerful. Whenever something crops up and I start to feel agitated, I say a prayer. Works every time. We were not made to handle all these stresses by ourselves. God is more than willing to step in and help out, if we let him, that is. Why? Because he wants to make himself known to us. 

A flat tire? Say a prayer. Disturbing news? Say a prayer. Worried about the virus? Say a prayer. Try it and you will see how much more peaceful you feel after. As it says in Phillipians "Do not be anxious about ANYTHING, but in ALL things, with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understaning will guard your hearts and minds thru Christ Jesus". (Phil 4:6) Notice the use of the word ALL. 

For reflection

What types of things upset you? How often do you dwell in the past or the future? Do you practice deep breathing and prayer? Choose a word that is calming to you. I like the word "serenity". It has a nice sound. When you stop to breathe, meditate on that word. Let it soak into your spirit. Memorize some scripture verses that resonate with you. 

If this post was helpful, do share it with a friend. Join our community by entering your email in the box provided and you'll receive my free eguide "7 steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" as well as my weekly posts. Do leave a comment and let me know how this post touched you. 

Stay tuned for more positive and practice wisdom to help us all find healing, wholeness, and harmoney so we can ignite the power within and discover our DESTINY!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

The Surprising Solution to Stress and Pressure

How is your pressure meter today? With the added stress of this pandemic, anxiety is going through the roof for many. Financial pressures. Scares of being infected. Shifting responsibilities. All of these things can steal our peace unless we do something so today I have a surprisingly different solution for our hectic lifestyles. 

As a single-parent, I regularly felt the stress of having too many responsibilities and not enough support. Everything fell on my shoulders so I learned to push and pressure myself to "get it all done". I've always lived by the old adage "Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today." no matter how tired or exhausted I was.

I have realized living on the rat wheel is not a healthy way to live. Contrary to what our culture tells us, the answer to all this hecticness is not to do more and do it faster. The answer is to do LESS and do it slower! Yes, SLOW DOWN AND DO LESS. Don't tell this to your boss, however. 

When we slow down, we are able to be more present. We will make fewer mistakes, think more carefully, and we will actually be more productive. We won't have to have so many do-overs. 

Slowing down also allows us to focus on how we are FEELING in any given moment. Our feelings are so often ignored and then we blow up or over-react at someone close to us. Slowing down also enables us to be more mindful of our actions, habits, and behaviors. Perhaps this is another gift of the pandemic. By making us slow down, we have a chance to reconnect with others and ourselves and that is always a good thing. 

It's funny because - as you may have noticed - God is never in a rush. His timetable is SLOW. Jesus never rushed. He was mindful of everything. Remember when the woman with the issue of blood touched his robe and amidst all those crowds, he noticed it? Slowing down allows us to notice. 

Now I am not advocating a lazy, do nothing approach to life. We are called to be responsible for ourselves so that we will not be a burden to others.  What I am saying is that it's time to take a more relaxed approach and stop pressuring ourselves needlessly. The house will get cleaned, the bills will get paid, and eventually we will go to the gym and exercise. Rather than stress, talk to yourself and remind yourself that everything will get done in its own time. As it says in the book of Ecclesiastes, "there is a time and a place for everything under the sun."

How are you feeling today?  Are the pressures of life caving in on you? 

Thought for the week

Today, I will take things slower. I will not pressure myself or others. I will do what is right in front of me and I will take regular breaks. I will not do too much in any one day and I will trust that all will be taken care of in due time. I will relax and enjoy my day. 

If you enjoyed this post, consider joining our community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll also receive a copy of my free eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom to help us all find healing, wholeness, health, and harmony. 

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

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Twas the Month of December

Twas the month of December and all through the house, the women were hurrying and bustling about. There is shopping, and cooking and decorating the tree. Oh, my goodness, will I ever have time for me?

Tis the season to be jolly it is said, but with these extra activities, I just plop into bed. So much to be done, so little time left. Visions of gifts and deadlines swirl in my head.

But what to my wondering eyes should appear, but an angel of peace beckoning me near. "Come now, my child, sit at my feet. Dwelling in His presence is so very sweet. Do not be afraid, all will get done for God has sent you his own precious Son."

The true gifts of Christmas are hope, peace and joy, the angels proclaimed to the shepherd boy. Let me be like Mary, so calm and so mild. Her focus instead on the new born Christ child.

O Lord, forgive me I am such a sheep. I pray for my family in your protection to keep. It's not the glitter or the red velvet bows, but the peace and love within my spirit where his glory shows.

Enjoy this season. Take time to relax and have fun. God loves us so much He gave us His Son.

May the true gifts of Christmas be with you today and all through the New Year.

If you enjoyed my Christmas poem and would like to receive my weekly posts please enter your email address in the box provided. I'll also send you out a copy of my free guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" to read or share with a friend. 

Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom so you can ignite YOUR destiny!

Until next time, cherish the true gifts of Christmas and keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Managing the Busyness of Life

Life is busy, isn't it? We have a list of things to do a mile long and we run from one thing to the next trying to get it all done. Seems someone always wants our attention: our family, our boss, the spouse, friends. All this busyness can lead to anxiety, stress, fatigue and a host of other symptoms. Often we are not even aware of the stress load we are carrying and we ignore the signals our body sends us. Today, I am sharing on the importance of managing busyness and how to recognize when we are too busy. 

As a single mom, I had it all on my shoulders: the house, the job, the car, the kids, the yard, the housework, the bills, nightschool....I could go on. I learned that I had to make time not only for myself but also time with God if I wanted to have the energy and the wisdom to get it all done and make the right decisions on how to do it. People would ask "Where do you get all your energy?" I know it was from spending time with God.

Don't make excuses 
Now you might say "I don't have time to :
a) exercise
b) clean my house
c) spend time with God 
d) go to church or wherever 

Friend, I say this in love, if you don't have time for God or for the basics like keeping your house clean - you are too busy. What you are basically doing is prioritizing everything else ahead of the basic fundamentals of life which I talk about in my e-book "Streamline Your Life: 5 Fundamentals to creating a balanced and joyful life". If we don't manage the basics, we are building a faulty foundation and eventually any life built on a faulty foundation will collapse. 

How to Make Good Decisions It is especially important to make time for your spiritual development. Without the wisdom of God, you will make more mistakes - in your finances, in your relationships, and in your decisions. I know because I've done it. 

God is the source of true wisdom and when we don't care to find out what he thinks about stuff, when we think we know it all and don't need to run it by God, we set ourselves up for another big mistake. This is pride in all its fallen glory. And you know what they say about pride going before a fall!

Make time for God 
So what do I mean by "making time for God'? The mind and the body were not built to handle so much activity on a daily basis. We need regular periods of rest, relaxation, and solitude. I don't mean go to the gym or exercise, I mean get alone, go for a walk in nature, meditate, read sacred literature, do something slow and contemplative. 

We need to let the dust settle, so to speak. We give God a phone line to speak to us through.  When we keep our minds and bodies constantly on the go, we block the flow of communication. Otherwise, God says "Oh, the line is busy again." Just like any healthy human relationship, we need to make time for  a relationship with God. Good relationships need time and regular communication.

Learn from Jesus
Stress is nothing new to society. People in Jesus' time had stresses of their own. They had no modern medicine or conveniences like we have today, and were, for the most part, poor and uneducated. They had to walk everywhere and thousands clamored for Jesus time and attention. Ever feel that way?

So when things got hectic and the crowds and activity got to be too much, what did Jesus do? He went away to be quiet and spend time with the Father - in solitude, prayer, and meditation. And that is exactly how I am suggesting we manage our busyness as well. I know it sounds counter productive, but it works. No matter how much is on your plate, make time to get off the fast-track and get quiet. You will be surprised at the clarity you will get and you will be more productive in the long run. 

Reflection
How often you do make time alone and get quiet? Do you make it a priority? How has it helped you maintain your stress levels? Send a comment and share your thoughts. I'd love to hear from you and if you enjoyed this article, do sign up for my weekly posts by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll also receive a copy of my free eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" .

In the meantime, stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom on finding healing, wholeness, and harmony so you, too, can ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Getting Ready for a New Season

Hello, friends. 

I hope you are having a lovely summer and getting some well-deserved down-time. I know I am. Today I want to reach out and get some feedback from you so we can "hit the ground running" in September. What topics do you most enjoy reading about from me? The topics I write on run the gamut from motivation and tranformation, to health and healing, to faith and spirituality, to relationships and communication.  Send me the top three topics you are interested in. I have received feedback from a few of you, but would like to hear from the rest of you. You can comment on this post or drop me an email at arielpaz08@gmail.com. 

As you know, I post once a week to give you plenty of time to read the post, digest it and give us all feedback! 

As we head into fall and leave the lazy days of summer behind us, I'll be sharing on how to manage the upcoming frenzy of fall activity and how to stay grounded and at peace.  Every season is an opportunity for changing our ways, and making our lives more stress-free, enjoyable and fulfilling as we pursue the opportunities presented to us. 

Stay tuned for my fall series and as always, 

Keep looking up!


Ariel Paz