How to Transform Your Body and Your Life

Spring is here and pool season is right around the corner. I can't wait. It's been a long winter, hasn't it? Have you been exercising this winter? What about weight training? When we make the time to strengthen and develop our physical muscles, they have more tone, definition and strength. Our body is then equipped to do all the things we want and need it to do throughout our lifetime.

This week's post is about exercise and no, it is not a dirty word, so let's do away with any negative thinking or excuses right now, ok? Exercise is not a chore we have to endure. There's a woman at the gym who is wheelchair-bound and I have been watching and encouraging her as she makes the effort to move her body. She is making slow but steady progress. The other day I saw her climb onto the stationary bike. Imagine what it would be like to be in a wheelchair.

Exercise is a blessing and also a lifestyle. Exercise is a part of my life and has been for many years. There have been seasons when I have been injured and out of commission, so I know what it feels like to be immobile. It's not fun. Fun is being able to move, dance, and regular, consistent exercise helps us do just that. It helps us feel more alive.



It is important to make regular exercise a priority. I know you've heard it before, but it bears repeating, especially with the rate of obesity and cardiovascular disease on the rise all over the world. Did you know Mexico has surpassed the United States in terms of numbers of obese people - 32.8%. The United States now ranks #2 and that is not something to be proud of.

There are many fun ways to strengthen our muscles and get our bodies moving. Now that the weather is warming up, I love to get outdoors as much as I can. My grown sons still love to play soccer and basketball. I taught them to play tennis and took them to soccer and baseball practice. They saw me exercising in the basement to my videos. When I was raising my kids, I used to get up at 5:30 am and go for a run around the nearby college campus before the sun came up. Jogging is a great way to get a quick cardio workout in and all you really need is a good pair of running shoes. I'd sign up for 5 and 10k races and collect donations for charities. Then there is biking, working out at a gym, taking a fun group exercise class like Zumba, playing several sets of tennis, swimming, the list goes on and on. Let's not forget yoga and pilates - two great ways to tone, stretch, and strengthen our core and connect with our bodies. Two fantastic low impact weight-bearing exercises that can really train the heart muscle as well as strengthen the bones are fitness walking and hiking. Both are easy and free.

While I'm on the subject of strengthening our muscles, let's not forget our spiritual muscle. Did you know you have a spiritual muscle? Yes, indeed, and it's called faith. Think about this. We all have faith in something to some degree. We have faith that the sun will rise every morning even if we don't see it. We have faith that the chair we're sitting in will hold us. We use faith every day but there are times when we need it in extra doses. In the same way we lift more weight at the gym, or run longer distances, there are circumstances in our lives that put more demands on our spiritual muscle. If we haven't made the effort to develop our faith, we won't be able to endure the inevitable trials that are destined to come our way.

So how do we develop our faith muscle? By exercising it, of course! Faith needs to be used in order to grow stronger. Every trial we go through is an opportunity to develop and strengthen our faith. Just as we strengthen different muscle groups with different types of exercise, different situations in life cause us to develop our faith in different areas.

Here is a short video I put together about this entitled "How to Transform Your Life". I'd love to hear your thoughts.

What do you think of the idea of having a spiritual muscle? Does yours need to be exercised more? What concrete things can you do to strengthen it? If you're not sure, stay tuned and I'll be sharing simple yet concrete and practical steps you can use to develop your faith. If you want to be stronger and stay calmer through the ups and downs of life, now is the time to start strengthening your faith.

If you'd like to join our community and receive my bi-weekly posts, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll also receive a copy of my free guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". Also check out my newest ebook, "Streamline Your Life: 5 Fundamentals to Simplify Your Life, Reduce Stress and Have More Joy" 

Stay tuned for more tips on how you can achieve healing, wholeness, and harmony and enjoy the balanced life you deserve.

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

How to Wait for God's Best

We are all waiting for something.  What is it you are waiting for? A car? A job? A house or a spouse? To retire? To make it big?

Most of us are waiting for something. We are so used to instant gratification, waiting can seem like a waste of time but, in reality, waiting on God is a key ingredient to receiving God's best for our lives. Don't know about you, but that's what I'm holding out for.

Many of you know my God/car story #1; how, as a single parent, I waited for so many years for a new car and then, quite unexpectedly, my aunt offered to buy me one and it was the car of my dreams PLUS.

God/car story #2.

My youngest has been urging me to buy a new car for several years now.

"I'm not ready yet," was my usual answer. This past January, however, I decided to start looking, just to see what was out there and what I liked. On a cold and blustery winter day, I boarded the light rail and headed downtown to the car show. To keep this short, I decided on three models I thought I was interested in.

Spring came and I decided to test drive the vehicles on the weekends. It was a fun but time-consuming experience. The salesmen were mostly nice except for the guy who thought I didn't know what VW stood for - but anyway. I had it down to two choices and was planning on waiting till next year to actually make the purchase.

But God. Don't you love it when God steps in? I sure do. Two Saturdays ago, I was praying about how much to spend for the car and a figure came to mind. The plan for the day was to visit two other dealerships, and check out some models I had not originally considered.

As I sat at the salesman's desk, the topic of my book came up.
"What is your book about?" he asked. Reaching into my purse, I pulled out a postcard with the book information and gave it to him. Eddie paused long and hard gazing at the postcard. He put it down on his desk and rolled up the sleeve on his shirt. Tattooed on his left forearm was one word.

FAITH.

Now I ask you - what are the chances of that? So then, he proceeds to present the pricing to me.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"Well, it's late and I haven't had lunch. I need to go home and think about it," I replied.
Knowing I was about to walk out, he calls the manager over. Now, you know how that works, don't you?

The manager looks me in the eye and says "If you buy this car today, I'll give it to you for $X".
Guess what? $X was the exact amount God had given me in prayer earlier that morning. I knew God was stepping in and telling me it was time to buy a car.

So, dear one, what is it that you have been waiting for? Don't give up. Stay in faith, keep in prayer, and listen for his answer. God is faithful and he is also very clear. Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

If this post resonated with you consider joining our blog community. Enter your email address in the box provided and you'll  receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my free eguide entitled "How to Develop a Spiritual Path". 

Stay tuned for more on igniting the power within so you can discovery YOUR destiny and IGNITE THE POWER WITHIN!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Ignite the Power Within Step 7: What to Do When God Ignores Your Prayers

Do you ever pray and wonder why God is silent? Do you ask for answers and hear nothing? Do you feel like God is ignoring you?  It may feel like God is ignoring us, but the truth is He never ignores us. He may be silent and that is what we are going to talk about today.

Recently, I was telling a friend that God speaks very clearly to us. Now you may raise an eyebrow at this but in my experience it is true and that is what I write from - my experience.

Some picture God as some distance figure with a long white beard out in the heavens someplace.
They think there is no way God is going to talk to them but God wants us to understand what He is saying so he keeps things short and simple. His three responses are: "YES", "NO" and "WAIT". Today we'll talk about the third answer, which is possibly the hardest one to accept - WAIT.

We all want an answer NOW.  We want to move on, move forward, move ahead. But God is not on our timeframe, don't ya know? Nope, He has eternity to wait for us and sometimes that is what it seems like to us, right? An eternity? Remember that patience is a fruit of the Spirit.

So, what could possibly be holding things up? Why would our Heavenly Father delay his blessings in our lives? Let's put this in human terms for a sec. Why would a parent withhold something from their child say like getting their license or a new car? Because the parent is waiting till the child is ready for it, right? Kids need to learn responsibility, how to drive, how to be obey the laws and the limits of the road.

Same thing with God. He is waiting for us to learn some things. There is always a lesson to learn.  The problem is we are slow-learners and we are stubborn which is why we keep getting the same lesson over and over.

I have noticed that often when I don't get the message, God sends it in multiple areas of my life at the same time. It's like he is saying "Well, let me put this another way." God is a good god and a good father and like a good father he wants us to learn and to grow. God says "WAIT" because we are not ready to receive whatever it is we are asking for.

What is God trying to teach us? The same things we try to teach our children: patience, responsibility, obedience, and most of all He is trying to teach us to LISTEN. That is why God gave us two ears and one mouth, so we would listen twice as much as we talk.

How are you doing at listening these days? Are you spending time with the most important person in your life and are you really listening? Are you listening with an open mind and heart? God speaks to us through various ways. Sometimes through His Word, sometimes through circumstances, and sometimes through other people. We may not like the messenger but don't miss the message. God will use whatever it takes to get through  to us.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on listening to God, answers you have heard, and even if you have a question I'm happy to try to answer it. If you'd like to join our community and receive my bi-weekly posts, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll also receicve 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!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

How to Detach From the Pull of Busyness

We live in an activity-driven, productivity-based world. The emphasis is on more - do more, make more, have more. This is all supposed to be a sign of "success" and make us happy, but does it really? The more we push ourselves, the less fulfilled we feel and the more stressed we become. We run faster and faster like rats on a wheel going nowhere. So today I'm sharing on the 3 keys to detaching from busyness.

1. Realize the fear that drives you.
Often we push ourselves due to fear - a lack of trust that things will work out without our having to kill ourselves in the process. We fear we won't have enough saved for retirement. We won't have enough to make a down payment on a house. We won't have enough.....to ..... You fill in the blanks. This is what is called a scarcity mentality which is based on fear. When we realize that we are in the loving, caring hands of God, we won't allow fear to drive us. Yes, we do what is necessary and responsible but we do it with faith that God is the ultimate source of all we have.

2. Unlearn the reactive response. 
We all have a lot to do. There will always be stuff to do. It is how we go about the doing that is key. When things get really hectic, that is precisely the time to take a step back and slow down. It seems counter-intuitive yet it works. Tune out the raging inner taskmaster that screams "What are you going to do?"  In the same way many of us learned to be anxious, worried, hurried, and stressed, we can learn to slow down, relax, and trust. Slowing down is possible despite the tug of the world.

3. Make time to be still.  
We can let go of all our worries and cares when we learn to trust and to have Faith. Jesus said,  "Come to me all who are heavy-laden and I will give you rest." We were not made to wear ourselves out physically, mentally, or emotionally. Jesus never rushed or hurried. He never let harsh comments ruffle him. He always made time for solitude. We would do well to model his example.

What does it mean to be still? It means to make time for solitude, prayer and meditation. It may even mean fasting for a while so we can focus less on the things of this world and more on what the will of God is. Turn off the television, the computer and the phone.  Get quiet and listen.

So, the next time you feel like you are losing the rat race, I encourage you to make time to get off the wheel and be still. Go for a walk, work in your garden, meditate. You will be amazed at how refreshed you will feel.

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

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

Until next time, do less and and trust more.

Ariel Paz

How to Move Forward in Life

Are you moving forward in life? Or do you feel stuck? Are you harboring negative feelings towards anyone? A grudge? Anger? Bitterness? Resentment?  Do you suffer from arthritis, cancer, or other ongoing physical pain? These can all be related so this post is dedicated to helping you be set free emotionally and physically so you can move forward in life and have more joy.

Today I'm sharing on the importance of forgiveness and how it can propel us forward in our relationships and personal lives by freeing us from emotional bondage and improving our physical and mental health.

First, let's talk about the damaging effects of unforgiveness. 
1. Destroys families and relationships
2. Steals our mental focus
3. Steals our energy, joy, and inner peace
4. Keeps us from receiving God's blessings
5. Prevents us from moving forward in life
6. Causes physical and mental disease

When we hold on to negative thoughts and feelings, we are doing ourselves much harm. Negative feelings fester until they consume us. They keep us from being the kind and loving people we were created to be. They snare us into making hurtful decisions that further alienate us from others. Why do you think so many people have a sour look on their face? They are harboring unforgiveness and this affects the people around them. This may account for much of the violence we see in the world today.

In addition, holding onto hurts, either real or imagined, is not good for our health. Studies show that unforgiveness affects our health in more ways than one. Of all cancer patients, 61 percent have forgiveness issues. Now that is sobering news. But it doesn't have to be this way.

If we want to live long, healthy, and joyful lives and move forward in our personal goals, it is critical that we learn to forgive. Some of the benefits of practicing forgiveness are:

1.  Frees us from emotional bondage
2.  Energizes and strengthens us
3.  Promotes a positive and peaceful outlook on life.
4.  Allows us to focus on our dreams, goals, and aspirations.
5. Opens the path for good things to flow into our lives.
6. Heals damaged relationships.

Like most things good for us, forgiveness is a practice, just like exercise. It is tough at first, but over time it becomes easier and easier. I've had so many people hurt me but I knew I had to forgive before I became in bondage to the pain. Forgiveness frees us to live in peace and joy, instead of pain and bitterness. Before we know it, it becomes part of who we are - a forgiver. Soon, we won't be able to tolerate discord in our relationships and we will know immediately when we need to forgive or ask forgiveness.

The difficulty we must overcome is that forgiveness goes against our ego and our pride.  This is why we need God's help. We can only truly forgive someone who has hurt us deeply by the grace of God and the Holy Spirit. We must be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. When God says "Apologize" or "Forgive" or "Let that go", we must be quick to obey.

When I think of all Jesus has forgiven me for, who am I to hold something against anyone else? And if you think you've never done anything wrong in the eyes of God, think again. We have all sinned and we all need to be forgiven by God.

In the end, forgiveness is a choice. We can either wallow in our misery and victim-mentality, stewing on past hurts or we can choose to let go and move forward into a freer and healthier life.
Who do you have ill feelings towards? A relative? Friend? Coworker? Decide today to let go of the pain they caused you. That is why Jesus died on the cross so you can be set free.

If the post has encouraged you, consider joining our blog community by entering 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".

Until next time, stay tuned for more practical and positive wisdom to help you find healing, wholenss and harmony and ignite the power within!

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

How to Live With Loss: the Hope of the Resurrection

It is 4 am. The sun is not up yet but I am. The birds are chirping their love songs already. I can imagine Mary not being able to sleep, walking slowly to the tomb where her best friend, Jesus, was buried. Who is your best friend? Your spouse? Your friend from high school or college? Your mom? How would you feel if they died unexpectedly?

My dad died last year and I know how it feels. Jack was a kind & gentle spirit who loved Jesus and could recite 1 Cor 13 by heart. His passing was quite a shock and a loss to our family. I rejoice knowing he is in heaven, playing golf and dancing with the angels. Perhaps you, too, have suffered a loss.

So it must have been with Mary, when she saw the stone had been rolled away. As she crept into the burial place and saw the empty tomb, she was shocked.

"Where is my, Lord?" she cried out in fear. Do we not all do the same when pain, loss, and tragedy strike our lives? "Where is God in all this?"

Jesus's answer is the same today as it was two thousand years ago.

"I am not here. I have risen."

Jesus conquered the grave. He healed the sick, made the blind to see and the deaf to hear. He cast out demons and performed many miracles. He is still in the miracle-working business today because He is alive!

What miracle would you like to see in your life? What dream or hope have you given up on? As the angel said to Mary, "Fear not" only believe and you will see miracles happen. The choice always remains with us.  Will we be like Thomas or like Mary? Will we walk in fear or faith over our circumstances?

When we walk with Jesus, we don't have to carry our cross alone. As my youngest son recently reminded me of the two sets of footprints that became one in the sand. When we go thru our darkest nights of the soul, as we all do and as Jesus did on Holy Friday, God is merciful. When we don't know where the road ahead leads and we are at our weakest, Jesus carries us.

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31).

The walk with Jesus is not always the easy path. The journey to faith is paved with potholes. Yet it always leads us to higher ground. If we are willing to believe, we, too, can conquer our fears, doubts and unbelief, because He lives!

No matter what lies in front of us, we can trust that God has a plan and a purpose for it. No matter how many times we stumble and fall under the weight of our cross, or like Peter, fail and doubt, God is always there to pick us up, dust us off, and place us on solid ground.

As you celebrate this glorious day, whatever your beliefs, I encourage you to give Jesus a try. Jesus, like Coca-Cola, is the real thing. Every other path is a detour. As he revealed himself to Mary, He will reveal himself to you and you, too, will rise up with wings like eagles and soar!

Whatever your dream, follow it! Whatever your passion, live it. Whatever you dream, believe in it!
Enjoy this inspirational performance of the Wales boys choir.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AARrVAHnkdY

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

Happy Resurrection and as always, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

How to Have More Peace & Less Drama: Part 1

Is your life full of drama? One crisis after another? Constantly on the run? Perhaps you've become accustomed to this type of existence. Let me assure you - this is not the way God intended for us to live. If you want more peace and harmony and less drama and chaos in your life, then read on.

One of the first things to realize is that we are allowing this behavior in our lives.  Speaking from personal experience, it is because that is what we grew up with; it feels natural to us. Stress, drama, anxiety and turmoil are not natural.

I had an alcoholic father who could never hold a job. My mother was a worry-wort codependent. My parents argued constantly and there was constant strife, turmoil, and discord in the home. I learned anxiety and conflict was the norm. Then I married a man who smoked and drank, who was controlling and emotionally and verbally abusive,  like my father - again anxiety and conflict. We tend to perpetuate by our choices that with which we are familiar. Perhaps you can relate.

So this past weekend, I attended a wake for a friend of a friend. I went for emotional support more than anything. I had never been to a wake so was not sure what to expect. It turned out to be a gathering of family and friends to break bread, reminisce, and console one another. All was going relatively well until the ex-wife of the deceased launched into a litany of the baggage her suddenly-deceased ex-husband had left her with. As I imagined what the coming months would hold for her, it brought back old memories of my divorce and the mess my ex had left me to contend with years ago. I had to walk away.

Who is it in your life likes to vent all their troubles and play the victim role? Who is it you are always bailing out of something?

Much of the stress, drama, and conflict that comes into our lives is a result of people not taking responsibility for themselves. I've often said "There are two types of people in this world: those who shirk responsibility and those who take on too much." Those who fall into the first category typically have addictive personalities or have a victim mentality. Those who fall into the second category are typically codependent people-pleasers. Sadly, these two personalities tend to attract each other. They become enmeshed in each others' lives. So what to do?

If you fall into the first category, it's time to take a look within. Now this may sound a bit harsh, but it's time to GROW UP! Now I am all for having fun and enjoying life, but partying and socializing till the wee hours of the morning is fine when you're in your teens and twenties. By the time you hit your thirties, it's time to balance out the equation by taking on more responsibility for your own life. As Stephen R. Covey, author of the book "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" says, it's time to put first things first and you will be so glad when you do. You will feel much more confident, self-reliant and - dare I say it - grown up.

Here are 6 steps you can take to start taking control of your own life: 

1. Get a decent job.

2. Pay your bills on time.

3. Stop depending on others to bail you out.

4. Make commitments.

5. Deal with your hurts and insecurities.

6. Ask God to help you and to heal you.

I know this sounds like some work and it is. We each must put effort into creating a life we will be happy with, and sometimes we need to hear truth as tough as it may be to swallow. If you're in the second category and take on too much responsibility, feel resentful and taken advantae of, stay tuned when I'll share the steps you can take to stop your drama as well.

If this post resonated with you, consider joining our community. Enter your email address in the box provided. Your'll receive my bi-weekly posts plus a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". Begin the journey to transform YOUR life and discovery YOUR destiny!

Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom to help you ignite the power within!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz