All it Takes is a Little Courage

I have come to know and understand the importance of courage better than ever before in my life. In my experience, courage ranks up there with faith and love. Although there are many levels of fear, this article centers around the fear of change or the fear of stepping into one's true potential and greatness. So often in life we hold ourselves back from living our true authenticity because we are afraid of what someone else will think about us or if we will be received well. I ask you this: If you knew that your authentic self was a gift to the world, would you go ahead and step up? Without an answer, I can know that you probably would!

After overcoming a dramatic life event, I discovered fear ruling my life. My self-esteem was in the toilet and my hopes and dreams were blown apart. Everywhere I turned there was some fear blocking my path! It was through my desire to get back on top and find my joy again that my courage emerged. Even when we are in our darkest hours, we still have that light burning inside. I took what little bit of light I still had and I kept feeding it until it grew larger and larger. Eventually I found the courage to take steps forward toward a better future. I began joining groups and taking part in outings that I would have shied away from due to my low self-esteem. I had daily, sometimes hourly, conversations with myself to encourage this movement. I treated myself gently and I said positive affirmations over and over again even if at the time I didn't even believe my own words! Miraculously, my life slowly, but SURELY, shifted, moved, twisted, turned and changed! My new life began to emerge like a phoenix from the ashes. It seemed the more courage I had, the more movement I initiated and the more movement I initiated the more courage I had! It was a win-win situation. Peace began to descend over me and I began to find my true joy once again.

Friends, life is not over when something big takes us down for awhile. Although we may get banged up a bit, our true beauty and essence is still there! The light inside can never be extinguished. It takes just a little bit of courage to get back up and once you are up, claim the magnificence that you are and continue your path forward! You have everything you need to manifest a beautiful life. All it takes is a little courage.

Kristen Brown is a transformational and spiritual life coach and author who has overcome and experienced many of life's unwanted situations. To work with Kristen is exhilarating and inspiring. Her ability to hold neutral space while helping one work through his/her fears and blocks is remarkable.

Divine Perfection of the Universe

A year and a half ago, I was put into (what appeared to be at the time) an almost unrecoverable situation.  It was one of those times in life that one can hardly keep themselves afloat much less anything else in his/her life.  Everything in my world was turned upside and shaken until there wasn’t one crumb left of what I perceived as “normal” in my life.  My 100 year old oak tree roots were ripped from my stable ground as simply as a new weed growing in a garden.  I was thrown into a whirling tornado with hardly even a glance at my solid Earth.  My heart was broken, my home threatened, my children’s well-being rocked and my faith tested beyond belief.

          But through this all, I kept one thing in my mind…  This is happening “for me” not “to me”.  When life got tough in the past, there was always a beautiful rainbow to follow.  I knew this, and I grasped a hold of that with my feeble grasp and I wouldn’t let go for anything!  I’m not here to say it was perfectly easy…  I lost a lot of weight, I was beyond depressed and scared to death!  But my faith, my unwavering faith in God and the Universe steadied my ship and allowed me just enough peace to move forward with grace and hope.  I kept one hand on God, no matter what…

          Here it is a year and a half later and I am stronger and secured with deeper roots than I even had before.  I am joyful, peaceful and most of all I have grown like I couldn’t have imagined possible!  Sometimes God will do for us what we are unable to do for ourselves.  There is Divinity in everything that happens to us.  Everything… 

          The magic and miracles that have appeared in my life since then are too many to count!  I have often heard people saying after having survived life-altering events how they are actually grateful that it happened.  I understand this.  When one is brought to his/her knees that is when we truly get in touch with our Higher Selves and start to actually listen.  Before this time, we feel like we have everything in control when in truth, we really have no control.

           I encourage anyone who reads this that may be going through a difficult time in his/her life…  Get quiet, release, allow your Higher Power to work through and with you.  Rest in the truth that you are not alone.  You are loved and being guided to your joy.  Sometimes the house needs to be torn down and remodeled for this to happen.  But it can not happen without us letting go…  Are you standing in your own way?  Are you fighting “What Is”?  We can not change “What Is”- we can only accept it and move on with renewed strength, tenacity and Love!

          Blessings to all,  KB

The Divine Essence of an Honorable Man

The Divine Essence of an Honorable Man

He lives a life of integrity and faith.  He knows to whom to share his love and to where his loyalties lie.  He is powerful in a gentle way. He is a protector and a safe haven for those whom he surrounds himself with.  He judges not but holds discernment in his friends.  His personal integrity is maintained without obligation to any form.  He is centered.  He is focused.  He is courageous.

From my soul to your soul,

KB

Faith Quotes

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.  Nothing can
       be done without hope and confidence.
                                                    - Helen Keller

Without faith a man can do nothing; with it all things
        are possible.
                                                                  - Sir William Osler

All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have
     not seen.
                                                                - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see.
                                                               - William Newton Clark   

Thought for Today

I relax and surrender all of my desires to God (Universe, Source, Spirit).  The infinite wisdom and love of the divine always provides for my needs in exactly the right way.  I breathe easily and open my arms to receive full faith.

Naysayers in our Lives

     Have you ever had a really good idea or inspiration that you shared with someone else only to be faced with a look of doubt, scorn or negativity?  They couldn't possibly see themselves stepping outside their comfort zones therefore they look at others like they are "nuts" to even think about taking a risk.  They put their fears and doubts onto us and we oftentimes believe them.  These people are the naysayers in our lives.  They can stop us dead in our tracks, steal our enthusiasm and excitement and hold us back.  True? Only if we let them.....  :)
     Spirit speaks to us all individually.  Spirit also has a different plan for each and every one of us.  What may be presented to one person may be the complete opposite of what may be presented to another.  We are all unique individuals.  We have different personalities, talents and gifts.  To allow someone else's opinion to guide us is just that...  an opinion.  The real truth lies in what is good for you and only you and Spirit can know that.  Trusting Spirit and having faith in ourselves is the sure way to bliss.
     How do we do this, you might ask....  It starts with embracing all of who you are.  You are a perfectly perfect child of God who has been blessed with his/her own special gifts and talents.  Connect with who you are.  Believe in yourself and the messages being sent your way.  As we can not truly know for another what their path is, they can not truly know for us....  Trust your deep inner knowing and allow yourself to follow your divine path without anyone telling you "you can't do that!" or  "are you kidding me?"  Your life is between you and God.  Don't believe the naysayers that want to hold you back.  It's time to live your best life!
Namaste'

Note:  I feel it important to say, I'm speaking merely of following guidance for bettering one's life.  Taking the urges and hunches we get to go after our dreams and/or goals without letting others deflate our desires.  This is not to condone or excuse unsafe or unkind behavior for self or others.  Thank you. 

Whose Business Are You In?

     There are 3 types of business:  Yours, someone else's and God's (Spirit, Source, Universe).  Whose business are you in at any given point of the day?  Check yourself.  Do you find yourself constantly thinking of something that is not yours?  Do you analyze and/or complain about something going on within another's life?  Take a moment.  Examine and explore.  Look inside and ask yourself- Whose business am I in?
     My mother has had cancer for 5 years.  I love my mother more than anything.  Do I sit and wallow and worry about her cancer?  I do not.  I gave that up to "God's Business" a long time ago.  I pray for her.  I send her healing light and I assist her in keeping positive.  The rest I give to Spirit.  And she does the same.  In 5 years, I have only seen her sad or angry probably twice.  She and her doctors believe that her longevity through this is 90% due to her attitude and light.
    When I find myself thinking or talking about someone else's "stuff", do I get upset and dwell on something that is surely not mine?  I do not.  I am responsible for my stuff and no one elses.  I send them love and compassion and know that they will work it out themselves.  "When you are in someone else's business, you have no time for your own."  (Byron Katie)  This does not mean we don't care.  It only means we don't waste valuable thought time and energy dwelling where we do not belong.  This does not mean I don't listen and be the best friend I can be, but I don't hang there emotionally long after the conversation is over. 
     Additionally, when we worry over a situation we are sending negative energy their way.  Sending them compassion is a higher vibration and sends them positive energy instead.

    For more information I invite you to explore the work of Byron Katie.  She is an international speaker and has several books to her credit.  Truly fascinating work!  

Namaste'

Divine Timing

What is divine timing? 

Divine timing is the intersection of all favorable circumstances for your desires to manifest.  Know that your prayers and affirmations have been heard and are being answered.   This is where our faith and patience comes in.  Rest in your trust and patience knowing that everything is being taken care of behind the scenes on your behalf.

You may be seeing or feeling markers that are a sure indication of great things on the horizon. Hold the faith!   Let go of the big picture and trust that everything is going according to plan.

Peace.

Living in the Gap

    
     So many times in life we find ourselves in the midst of waiting for a certain something to happen. We fret, we worry, we obsess... We feel our life cannot start until we get that certain something! We are thrown into a gap in time that feels like an abyss... an unfathomable or immeasurable void where we feel we will never reach what it is we are waiting for... This is where our true faith comes in.
     I remember when my ex-husband had told my son about this "cool" bicycle that his friend "might" be giving away. My son wanted that bike so badly! It was a very expensive motocross trick bike that was left in the garage of the friend's rental house. The renters had moved out and left the bike. The friend was waiting to see if they came back to get it. He had no contact number for them, therefore he chose to hold onto it for sometime to see if the owners came back for it.
     It was all my son could talk about. He asked me constantly about the bike and if I had heard from dad. I would gently tell him that was between him and his father and I knew nothing of the bike or the story behind it. Day after day, week after week, he obsessed about the bike. Finally, I explained to him about "letting go, letting God". I told him the worrying and obsessing was just keeping him from focusing and from being happy right now. I asked him if he was willing to give it up to the universe and let it go- kind of like a puff of smoke.  If it was meant to be, it would be his in divine right timing.   He told me he could and he actually did it!
     I did not hear another word about that bicycle until the day he told me his dad had called and the bike was to be his! It was approximately 6-8 weeks in time before my little boy had his answer. To an adult that may not seem like a very long time, but to a boy wanting a certain cool bike, that was forever!
     The truth is, we can not speed up time any faster with our obsession and we waste precious time by not being fully present in our life right now. Time is constant. It stops for no one. Although, it is fully in our power to choose what to do with our time.
     If you have something right now that is pending... That you want so badly you can taste it, consider giving it up to the universe. Say a little prayer of release such as, "I give this to you, God (Universe, Spirit, Source) and may you deliver this to me in divine right timing if  ________ is for my highest good. And so it is." One may have to repeat this prayer several times to fully feel and believe in its power...  Then sit back and trust that Spirit will bring to you what is truly for your highest good.
     Live in the NOW! Enjoy your life and the processes that it brings to you. We are learning and growing and evolving everyday. Enjoy NOW, for we only truly have NOW.