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A few years ago, I created a vision board, and I decided to put it on my bathroom wall. One day, when I was stepping out of the shower, my eyes homed in on that vision board. In particular, I zoomed in on this one image of a cruise ship that I had pasted onto that board. I remember thinking to myself, “Oh yeah, I put this cruise ship on there because I wanted to experience a cruise this year as part of my vision. Maybe I'll call Princess Cruises later on and see if they have any good deals.” That thought came and went, and I just went about my day. I was reminded of this experience because I had a session with one of my coaching clients recently, where we talked about the unlimited possibilities in life. One of the insights that I learned from one of my spiritual teachers is that whenever you come up with a vision statement, a list of intentions or a declaration of goals, I always add this particular statement at the end: “This, or something better.” When you say “This, or something better,” “this” refers to your vision, your intentions and your goals. You have a picture in your mind of what you'd like to experience. “Or something better” refers to that good that you didn't imagine was possible, that joy that you didn't even know could happen. Here’s the truth: You don't know what you don't know. If you’re like most people, you operate largely from the realm of what's known and what's familiar to you. The known includes things like the places you live and enjoy visiting, the people that you love and connect with regularly in your life, and the grocery stores that you shop at or coffee shops and restaurants you like to frequent. The known encompasses your habits and ways of being that are very comfortable and familiar. The known gives you a sense of comfort and your place in the world. And yet, it's in the realm of the unknown where most growth happens. In the realm of the unknown, things happen that you might not have expected. Sometimes, when you encounter these new experiences, you become surprised. But you become surprised not only because of the new experiences, but also because of how you show up in response to this new challenge or opportunity. In the realm of the unknown, you have the opportunity to rise to the occasion. When you rise and show up, that's how you’re actually transformed. You become more of who you are. You enlarge your sense of who you are and what's possible for you. And so, when you say, “This or something better,” what you're doing is making a signal to the universe that you’re both open and willing to experience more good than you might have ever imagined. You come to believe that you are equal and worthy to the idea of "something better." So back to my story about the cruise. When I first made that vision board, I made a declaration to myself with “This, or something better.” After seeing that vision board in the bathroom that one day and immediately forgetting about it, I received a letter in the mail a few days later. I opened the letter and it said, “Congratulations, you have been offered a free seven-day cruise to Alaska!” I thought, “What is this? Some kind of scam?” I was ready to toss the letter aside but then, I paused. I thought, “Well, what if this letter has some validity? Let me call the number.” I called the number and spoke to the representative, who exclaimed, “Congratulations!” I responded, “Oh well…yeah…thank you. I'm curious and have a few questions about this. Is this some kind of timeshare presentation thing, where I have to sit and listen to someone for three hours?” “Oh no, it's nothing like that,” she replied. “You get to go on this cruise and it’s on us.” “Well, I probably will get an inside stateroom, right? Like, right next to the boiler room at the bottom of the ship?” I asked skeptically. Again, she responded, “Oh no! We're actually going to put you in a balcony stateroom on one of the higher levels of the ship!” “Hmm, okay,” I said, still not quite believing her. “I'm probably going to be rooming with a stranger, right? You're going to put two of us who don’t know each other together!” “Oh no,” she laughed. “You get to bring anybody that you want. For that one other person, we're covering all of their expenses for this cruise too!” This seemed too good to be true! In my last ditch attempt to burst my own bubble, I said to her, “Oh I see now. This cruise is leaving out of Seattle. I live in San Francisco. I'm going to have to fly up and find my way there to be able to get on this cruise ship.” This was her last response to my barrage of questions. “Oh no," she replied. "We’ll actually pay for your and your guest’s flights to Seattle. We’ll also cover your stay the night before the cruise, as well as any meals and other expenses you might have before this trip.” After realizing that this was real and truly something better than I had ever thought possible, I finally replied, “Okay! Go ahead and sign me up!” By this point of the story, you're probably wondering how I got offered this free cruise (and how you can get offered one too!). You see, I had bought some artwork on a previous cruise. The cruise line targeted passengers who previously bought artwork. As part of a promotion to get people to buy more artwork, the cruise line offered this free cruise! And despite my doubts that this "something better" cruise was the real deal, I finally came to embrace this unbelievable good that showed up. I ended up going on this cruise and asked my friend Myra to come along with me. We had a fantastic time, truly one of the best memories I've had for a cruise. My question to you today is this: Where in your life do you have a sense of what you want to experience? And are you open and willing to entertain the possibility of something better showing up? If so, simply add the statement, "This, or something better." Ultimately, my intention for you is that for whatever it is you want to experience, we create this field of possibility that this, or something better, is available for you. All you need to do is be open to receive it. Abundant Blessings and Namaste. ** I'd love to hear your thoughts about today's article. Please feel free to leave a comment below. I used to teach a class at my spiritual center called “The Power of Your Word.” In the class, the students and I would have very provocative discussions about a particular kind of prayer called affirmative prayer. The students wondered why they would feel conviction and belief with some prayers, and others not. Here's what I would often tell them: The power of your word isn't so much about what you are praying for, or even who you are praying to, but where you are praying from. “Where you are praying from” refers to your own inner state of being and what you truly believe. Imagine that you were wanting to make a declaration today, to set an intention for something that you'd want to experience in your life. Your intention could be for things like experiencing abundant opportunities, a loving relationship, or maybe a particular health outcome. Your prayer could also include your intentions for greater clarity and guidance about a decision you need to make, or even more confidence and poise in your life. Where you are praying from refers to the states of being that you bring to these different intentions. Imagine if your state of being was shaky, ungrounded, maybe even pessimistic, where you wonder, “Will this even happen? Isn’t this impossible? I've tried this before and it won’t work.” Then, the state of being that you’re bringing is similar to driving a car, where you have one foot pressed on the gas pedal while the other foot is pressed on the brake. The gas pedal represents your intentions and what you want to experience, and the brake puts a hold on those intentions, that part of you where you’re saying, “Whoa, not so fast there!” In this example, it wouldn’t be a surprise if you weren’t moving anywhere or making any progress. Now, imagine if your state of being was more open and more expansive. You look forward to the possibilities and potentiality of all that exists. Then, when you set your intention, your prayer becomes like a potent seed being planted in fertile soil. Here, the seed must grow and blossom into the fullness of its expression. This is what it means to pray from a state of possibility and fullness, where you live your life from the place of the Infinite and the Eternal. What can you do to get to that place of feeling the Infinite and the Eternal in your own life? What I do is engage in affirmative prayer, which is one of many different forms of prayer that exist. I'll give you an example of affirmative prayer. == I ground myself in the knowingness that all of Life is Infinite. This Life is boundless. It is the Divine, Creative Energy that it is Whole and Perfect. This Life is Love. It is Joy. It is Possibility. It is Abundance. Because All of Life is Infinite, that means that there is nothing outside of it. Who I Am, then, is a Divine Expression of this One Life. I am One in It as It is One in me. In this Consciousness of this Divine Union, I speak my Word of Love, Joy, Wholeness and Abundance, expressing fully as my Life this day. I plant my Word as a seed in this fertile soil. I know that my Word must be made manifest! For all this, I give Thanks. I release my Word, knowing it is done and done well. I simply let it be. And so it is. Amen. == That's what I do to speak and proclaim the Power of my Word. I invite you today to cultivate your awareness of your own state of being as you set your intention. See if you can sense the Infinite nature of all things, and recognize your union with It. When you recognize the Infinite Potentiality that is already within you, then speak your Word and plant the seed of your intention into that potentiality. Then watch as magic unfolds. Abundant Blessings and Namaste. ** I'd love to hear your thoughts about today's article. Please feel free to leave a comment below.
Today, I’d like to introduce a special guest, Avocado!
I first met Avocado this past December when my fiancé Richard, my mom and my sister Marie traveled to Singapore for a cruise. While we were there, we stopped at a mall. In the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Christmas-shopping crowds, I spotted Avocado! Immediately, I fell in love. Why is Avocado here as a guest today? Well, last week, my dear friend and colleague, Shawn Shepheard, and I were leading a Zoom conversation for an organization on the topic of Building Resilience. One of the questions we asked was: What are some things that you do to help alleviate any stress or anxiety, or help to bring you into the present moment? One of the participants shared that he would touch something, like a door frame, and that feeling of touch allowed him to get out of his head and out of his thoughts. The physical sensation of touch brought him to the present moment. As I listened to him, I wondered if I had something in my own life that I touch and brings me to the present moment. But not only that, I also wanted to invite and feel a sense of joy or connection. Immediately, I thought of my dear friend, Avocado! Whenever I’m feeling stressed out (or even when I’m not), I feel great whenever I touch Avocado and give Avocado a big squeeze and a hug. And so, my question to you today is, what is your Avocado? What is one thing that you can do that helps to bring you in the present moment, to feel connected, and to feel joyful? It could be a stuffed animal or fruit like Avocado here. (Yes, I had to google and confirm that Avocado is actually a fruit and not a vegetable.) Or it could be prayer beads or a rosary that you use for spiritual practices. It could be listening to a song that you just love that brings you up and touches your soul. Or it could be having a picture or a memento close by, reminding you either of a loved one or of a place that you’ve traveled that brings back wonderful memories. Another one of the virtual workshop participants shared that every day, he changes out his Zoom virtual background with photos that he took from his travels all over the world. Those photos bring back for him the joy of his adventures. And his colleagues feel uplifted when he shares what those pictures mean to him. So, for you, what is that one thing that could help bring you into the present moment, and also allow you to feel connected to the truth and joy of who you are? Whatever that is, I encourage you to have that around you. Let that be in your environment, so that at any moment of the day, you can turn to it and feel that connection that is always available to you, whenever you need it. Let’s thank Avocado for making a special guest appearance in today’s article. Thank you, Avocado! And if Avocado gets enough love and encouragement, maybe he’ll make another appearance soon! Until then, Abundant Blessings and Namaste. ** I'd love to hear your thoughts about today's article. Please feel free to leave a comment below. |
About JoselitoJoselito is a spiritual life coach helping people create a purposeful, spiritual path to career and financial freedom. Popular Blog Articles Beware (Be Aware of) these 5 Unhelpful Money Stories How my body told me to quit my job How I was offered an all-expenses paid cruise after making my Vision Board Today I choose to live my GREATNESS You are not your stories. You are the story-teller. Your job is not your Source. Archives
August 2020
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