Frequency Facilitator

How To Go Into Your Heart Space

The following piece is an excerpt from my book, “Word, From Your Mother,” a daily guidance journal written for my children, Liv and Pierce-Gabriel.

Excerpt #11

I strongly recommend that you do a little research regarding quantum physics. It’s a fantastic field to study and helps one to see the connection between science and spirit. I was listening to Greg Braden today. I call him the Heart Scientist. He very eloquently explained our heart energy in terms of its electric and magnetic power. Most people believe that the brain is the most potent and energetic center of the body, but as he explains, it is not.

It’s projected that the heart is ten thousand times more energetically powerful than the brain. I might have mentioned that our thoughts create our reality, and our thoughts form beliefs. Abraham (Hicks) would put it, “A belief is a thought that we keep thinking over and over and over.” Sometimes our thoughts are not that great, and unfortunately, they may become part of our belief system. For example, if you keep thinking, “I’m not worthy, I’m not smart enough, etc.,” it eventually becomes a train of thought, which then becomes (an unfortunate belief), and therefore manifests in your reality.

Getting back to the “heart of the matter,” if you can go deep into your heart energy, you can change it. Our hearts hold the most sacred messages within. The heart center can alter matter or material reality. So, your mind says, “I’m not smart enough.” How can you change this thought? As before, become aware of your thought, be that bystander, and observe it—don’t judge it. Let yourself feel the feelings associated with that thought—even if it doesn’t feel good.

Now, go into your heart space. What does your heart tell you about that thought? Your heart, which I believe is part of the soul, would never project such negative things about the self. Attempt to transmute that thought to a better feeling thought. It can be as simple as, “I am so loving and kind. I use my intelligence to serve others. I am valuable. I’m am loved.”

Then, be aware of the feeling(s) you experience when you affirm these positive thoughts. You may not feel an immediate shift in your energy vibration; however, with practice, this shift of processing thoughts from the brain to the heart will start to happen by default. Eventually, your heart will speak to you even more and give you messages without your asking it. Thank your heart for the messages you receive from it.

If you practice accessing your heart space each day, you will be amazed at how wonderful your world will become. I feel that heart exercises are the key to discovering and embracing self-love. I am sure you’ve heard that to love others, you must first love yourself. Try to make this a daily practice. It doesn’t take long to tap into the haven of your heart. Trust that the communication you receive will heal you. Always keep in mind that when you heal yourself, you are also healing others.

How To Surrender To What Is

The following piece is an excerpt from my book, “Word, From Your Mother,” a daily guidance journal written for my children, Liv and Pierce-Gabriel.

Excerpt #10

Is it possible to truly surrender to “what is?” Surrendering to the present moment has become a daily practice of mine. Surrendering to what is, means surrendering to now. It’s always now. Tomorrow will be the now of that day. Yesterday was the now of that day. It is always now.

Why do I find that I typically have the same experience in almost every now I have? (I’m about to go on a grumpy kick). I’m going to refer to the hamster on the wheel. The continuous thought(s) that run through our heads that don’t mainly serve us. Here’s one of mine: Why am I still doing this? Why am I still working in education? I’m not too fond of it nor feel comfortable in my skin. Yet, here I am in year 18.

Every day for many years, I’ve had this badgering, perpetual, complaining thought. Depending on my mood and frame of mind, I have answers. “Well, it’s good enough for now.” “Well, what else are you going to do?” “Well, you do have a job, at least.” “Well, you need insurance.” “Well, this is all part of the plan; you might as well accept it.”

When I’m grumpy, it sounds like this, “I can’t stand doing this,” “There is no gratification or satisfaction in this job.” “I don’t fit in.” “I’m an artist, not an educator.” “I’m feel stifled.” “I’m meant to do greater things.” “I’m worth more than this.” “I’m not satisfied with this work even if I try to make it my spiritual practice.” “I really can’t stand this type of work.” “I’m so friggin’ bored.” “I have so much more to offer.” “Why do I stay here?”

I’ve spent years looking and trying to reinvent myself without any luck. I’ve taken “action steps.” You know me, I’m a spaz. I’m always doing something. The real issue is that I’m not having fun! That must be it. I need to have more fun. No, wait, I need to quiet my mind and let the answers come through. Sometimes, I wouldn’t say I like the answers, though. I do know in my heart of hearts that things are always working out for me. I chose this path.

So, today, I accept that I still don’t have the answers. “I give up.” That’s the surrender bit. Now I will turn my thoughts over to my senses and observe that there’s so much more to life than me thinking and complaining about my job. I will focus on better feeling thoughts. The air is clean where I sit. I hear lively conversations of teenagers in the classroom next door. I just offered some support to a colleague who needed an ear. My lunch was satisfying, and today it is warm and beautiful. I’m sitting in an ergonomically correct chair, and I have access to the internet. I’m writing.

Here goes my one long conscious stream of thought to transmute my negativity: Wouldn’t it be nice to find a job where I can help others and bring light into their lives as their spiritual teacher? Wouldn’t it be nice if this job just landed upon me without me always searching? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a consistent stream of clarity and satisfaction in my life? And, wouldn’t it be nice to be joyful each day and in every way? —To wake up and look forward to my day. To feel refreshed and renewed and rejuvenated? Wouldn’t it be great to feel that exhilaration of happiness in my heart? Wouldn’t it feel liberating to open my heart full and trust and believe that there is something out there that will bring forth such happiness?

Happiness is our birthright! I desire to be happy in always, every day. Isn’t it great knowing that I’m surrounded and protected by angels? I can feel their presence. I sense the Christ consciousness within me, and I want to share it always. Isn’t it amazing that we are all one? We all experience pain and suffering—we all get stuck—some of us longer than others and with even more difficulty. Isn’t it great knowing that we can heal each other? Wouldn’t it be pleasant to live in the now and let the ego die? I know that these things are all possible. That anything is possible. I also recognize that my heart is always in the right place and that I would never make decisions that might hurt others, especially my family.

I can shut off the voice in my head that is a relentless broken record that tells me stories that don’t serve me. I know in my heart of hearts that those stories also hurt the ones around me. Isn’t it great knowing that I am so free and that I can choose enslavement? How crazy is that? I can choose to be a slave to my mind. Or, I can let it go, surrender, and accept what is.

Internally, we are spiritual beings having an outward material experience. No one said it was going to be easy. What is the purpose of all of this? Many spiritual teachers explain our lives here on earth as our evolution as beings. That we chose this tough earth assignment to learn, grow, and evolve. I agree, and it’s all good.

How To Find Peace Through Guided Imagery

The following piece is an excerpt from my book, “Word, From Your Mother,” a daily guidance journal written for my children, Liv and Pierce-Gabriel.

Excerpt #9

Guided Imagery has been around for quite a while. I’ve read a few how-to books, myself. I was unaware that this practice has been used in hospitals and other healthcare institutions as a powerful healing technique for many years.

In the book, Healing and Transformation Through Self-Guided Imagery, Leslie Davenport explains the relevance of incorporating this form of meditation. She equates it to a kind of meditation that taps into one’s heart space to ask questions/seek answers to any scenario in your life. Many refer to the heart space as your inner being, your internal guidance system, or your divine self, etc. During any form of meditation, often the goal is to be still and quiet the mind. Once you achieve stillness, you can ask a question or questions, and then answers will arise in the form of words, phrases, images, sounds.

I’ve experienced this first hand. Sometimes, as I’ve written before, it is nearly impossible to get the hamster on the wheel to stop spinning long enough to still the body and hear the messages that come through. However, using techniques in self-guided imagery help give one a focal point and aids in concentration. It provides the mind with something to do and is useful in replacing the hamster on the wheel.

First, you need to find a peaceful, quiet place. Close your eyes and breathe. I always follow Eckhart’s rule to take “one conscious breath.” The rhythm of your breathing is up to you.

Some people breathe fast; some more slowly, I just breathe at a soothing rate and try to center and still my body and mind. Once, I’m there, I imagine someplace lovely. Often, it is on the beach. The beach is one of my favorite places and is the easiest for me to form an image. I imagine sitting on the warm summer sand and digging my toes into it. Then, I become aware of the air, the breeze, and the ocean’s smells and sounds. Then, I think of one word that would describe my focus for receiving help. For example, maybe it’s “decisions.” Some people might need guidance with their health, so they would put “health” out there.

As you relax and focus on your surroundings, an answer may arise. It doesn’t matter if it makes sense or not. Hang on to the word or the image. More will emerge, usually. Whatever comes through, try to remember it. After a few minutes, thank your heart for the message. Open your eyes and record what your message was. It may or may not make sense, but eventually, it will piece together like a puzzle. When I’m able to focus and make this a consistent practice, it almost starts to happen by default.

You can be still, present, and pray anywhere. Eventually, you will receive answers. None of them will be “right” or “wrong;” they will just be. As a result, you will feel more peace in your life regardless of the challenging events that may be taking place. You will realize that the things that we view as issues or problems are just life lessons that lead to our spiritual advancement.

We Are a Collective Consciousness

The following piece is an excerpt from my book, “Word, From Your Mother,” a daily guidance journal written for my children, Liv and Pierce-Gabriel.

Excerpt #8

Do you know that we are all part of the collective? In other words, there’s no separation between you and I or anyone, for that matter. We are all one. That’s why you may hear some people say they are God. Hopefully, the people who say this are not on a major ego trip, thinking they are the only God.

According to the big book, we are made in the image and likeness of God; therefore, we are part of God…we are God. Many people make affirmative statements in this respect to acknowledge this oneness. “I Am” affirmations.

When I was a little girl, I read Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. It was a very intense read for a 12-year-old. I didn’t fully understand a lot of the stuff written in the book. After reading that book, I followed up learning about Buddhism. I pondered why the Buddhists claimed that we were a part of everything in the world from a pencil to castle to the beasts roaming the Earth. How can we be “one” with everything?

I understood oneness in terms of the collective consciousness of this world. Still, I couldn’t quite understand a connection with everything else, animate or inanimate. I’m just starting to get a handle on it now.

If we bring it down to an atomic level, we can start to gain some understanding. Everything contains energy, from the inanimate to the animate. Energy is not created or destroyed; it changes in state. It’s just, well, recycled. Think about that. Here’s my attempt at an example (it will be very brief because I’m not a scientist). We start as a tiny fertilized egg that was formed by the energy of two individuals. The little egg grows and is being nourished by the vitality of the mother through her intake of food (which is also energy). Let’s say the food just happens to be a little mackintosh apple, which itself started as a seed that was planted in the soil of the Earth and energized by that soil, along with the sun and water. The sun is energy in the form of light and heat. The water is a powerful, flowing energy of life-sustaining liquid in the way of a drink for living creatures. It also provides a home to aquatic animals. Anyhow, you get the picture.

The baby grows and is born. The mother’s energy pushes the baby out of her body. The baby exerts its birth cry as it enters her phase of living life in the external world. She breathes in the air, the same breath that gave life force and energy to the dinosaurs many years ago. The same air that DaVinci breathed. The same air that has provided energy to move oceans and seeds.

The baby grows and lives her life, becomes an adult, and finally an elder. She then returns her material body to the Earth in the form of ashes or beneath the daisies. The body decays, or the ashes strewn into the ground or the water. This energy feeds the Earth or feeds the fish, depending, and provides continued, recycled life force, the same as always and in all ways.

Our energy as a collective consciousness is the vivacity given to us by Source, in which we are all one. We are all one energy. We are all affected by one another in every thought we make. Are you making the right decisions? How do your choices affect yourself? Others? Always keep these questions tucked in your back pocket and ponder them often.

What Are You Manifesting?

The following piece is an excerpt from my book, “Word, From Your Mother,” a daily guidance journal written for my children, Liv and Pierce-Gabriel.

Excerpt #7

The world is chaotic, according to most. I deliberately choose to not feed into that idea. As you know, I haven’t watched the news for the past 8 years, or more. I don’t listen to politics in any way, shape, or form. I’d rather live in my private little world and understand who I am and my legend, so that I may serve others on my journey.

To make any sort of positive change, you need to start with self. Some people may say that’s selfish, but it’s not. In his book, The Essential Path, Neal Donald Walsch brings these questions to light: “What are we choosing and why? Is it possible that there’s something we don’t understand about ourselves, our life, and God? —The understanding of which would change everything?”

I believe there is. We’ve become so consumed, even programmed in this world by the complexity of concepts, ideas, perceptions, and beliefs, that we’ve managed to manifest the very things that we don’t want by placing all of our attention on it.

Walsch explains this much better than I can. He describes it from all angles: politically, economically, spiritually, effortlessly, and understandably. His explanations have helped me unravel many of my own skewed perceptions that I would have otherwise remained ignorant of.

Maybe it’s okay to be ignorant? Perhaps, in my heart of hearts, I have this knowing that I’m better off not knowing all the destruction and complexity of this world? Sometimes, I do become aware of the statistics. The senseless number of children who die each day of hunger while we’re throwing our leftovers away. The selfishness and mindlessness of war and murder. It disturbs me. I’m compassionate, as you know, and these things keep me up at night.

So, I try to focus on making small improvements in my life and the lives of others. Isn’t this where we should start? Absolutely, is my thought. Walsch is right, we are in a spiritual funk. We’re missing something that can quite possibly be very simple in nature, but we’re translating it, incorrectly. We don’t have a proper perspective because it’s been skewed for so long.

“What are we choosing, and why?” “What am I manifesting?” As I’ve expressed to you and what I’ve learned from my teachers, your thoughts create your reality. Whatever you think about or whatever you place your attention, whether it’s “good” or “bad,” will manifest. What do you choose to focus on the most? The new car? The stellar career? The straight A’s?

What you choose to identify with becomes your identity. If you wish to identify with the outer world, the material world, once you fail at getting what you want or even get what you want, you’ll identify with that. Do you define success in getting a nice car? Or do you determine success with opening your heart and sharing?

Inner world or the outer world? What do you feel will be the most rewarding when your time here is done? Is it important what other people think of you? Will that be your take away? Is it essential to compare yourselves to others? Are you into one-up-man-ship?

What are you choosing, and why? A simple question but a profound, philosophical one. I’m going to ask this question to myself as a new practice. I do believe it comes with a little key that will open my heart.

How to Dedicate Some Time to Silence

The following piece is an excerpt from my book, “Word, From Your Mother,” a daily guidance journal written for my children, Liv and Pierce-Gabriel.

Excerpt #6

How are you, “right now?” I hope all is well. It always is, as long as you reside in the present moment. I remember one of my teachers saying, “If you’re thinking about yesterday or tomorrow, then you’re robbing yourself of the here and now.”

The “Now,” is all we really have if you consider it. If you’re thinking about an event from the past, it was once the “now” of that moment. This is why the mystics say, “There is no such thing as time.” Time is a concept developed by humans that keeps us trapped and wrapped up in our many yesterdays and our many tomorrows.

Tomorrow’s events, next month, next year’s events will always be in the now when we arrive there. So, why do we worry about the past and future? It’s not real. It’s made-up stuff.

We pretend to know and predict why things happen when we should just let them play out naturally. They will always be in our best interest as all life events have already been predetermined.

Yes, we picked this stuff out before we got here. I highly recommend reading Dr. Sue Morter’s book called, The Energy Codes. She has great examples of how we made these predeterminations, metaphorically.

Humorously and playfully, she describes the “cosmic bus stop conversation.” These are the sorts of conversations we have with our spiritual energy as well as others’ spirit energy between our trips to the physical plane. Essentially, it’s all about planning your agenda for life on earth and how you want it to go with each reincarnation.

If we silent our minds and go deep within our heart space, the answers to everything are there. We have limitless access to this information and it is during quiet moments that we can access this already known information. It goes beyond intuition. It is our Divine Self that we tap into that provides answers to all the questions and queries about life.

How do we access our Divine Self? Well, supposedly, it’s super easy in theory. You quiet your mind and think of “no-thing.” You just let the stream of life energy flow through you. I try this to do this as much as I can. It is a discipline or habit that needs to be established and practiced as much as possible…until your mind (or ego) doesn’t interrupt you.

In my experience, I’m constantly interrupted. Why? Well, as you know, I have a pretty active brain. I’m always thinking about something. If I’m not thinking about it, I’m doing it, if I’m not doing it, I’m thinking about it. And, in the interim, I’m compounding thoughts and ideas and concepts and predictions and hindsight either on separate occasions, but more typically, all at once.

Here’s an example, okay, I prep myself to sit in lotus position on my bed and close my eyes….take deep breaths…still, my body…still, my mind…I’m doing pretty well for about 5 minutes then the prompts begin, “don’t forget, you have to finish the last load of laundry,” –okay, let that one go…return to breath. Relax. “In 20 minutes you need to leave to work out…and then be done in enough time to pick up Pierce…and run to the grocery store to get bread for dinner.” –Okay, ego, I get it…go away! Return to the breath. Relax. 3…2…1…” Is it this weekend that I said I was picking up Liv? She picked out her new courses for next semester…one of them is art (how exciting!), speaking of art, I have to get to the art studio….rent is due and I have to complete all the decoupage pieces for the Christmas Craft Fair…speaking of work, shit, I have to write up an observation…shit, I forgot my laptop. I accessed my home email on my laptop…I hope I don’t get caught doing that. I don’t want to cause any trouble at work…, I really don’t care, I don’t like my job…. why am I still in the same job…I need a new life which includes travel…I really want to go to Aruba. Oh, wait, I’m supposed to be meditating. Ego…go away…. I can’t concentrate…I need to go to the gym.

There you have it. A typical mom meditation. Sometimes they’re better and at other times, way worse. My point is that we are getting super hard-wired to not be able to do this. To do what? To be still. To enjoy absolute silence. To rest in “no-thing.” To access our innermost truth. Yet, this is where all the answers reside.

I’m still going to reserve several times each day to return to silence. It doesn’t have to be an hour at a time. Short bits do work. Try to be still for 5 minutes per day. Make the goal small but make the habit consistent. You will rest assured that everything that “happens” in life is meant to be and is happening in perfect order. This is also why we’re told to surrender to “what is.” If you add resistance or try to fight “what be,” you won’t be able to experience the true joy life offers.

Nifty Organization Ideas

It’s been a while since I’ve written an article on organizing. Typically, I visit homes, see what folks have on hand, and streamline a method of organization for all rooms in the house. I encourage others to use what they have on hand instead of purchasing expensive bins, closet organizers, containers, and such. This proves to be more economical, budget-wise, and environmentally conscious.

For storage and sorting of toys, clothes, books, veggies, etc. I’ve used milk crates, recycled apple baskets, Easter baskets, rigid shopping bags, and recycled Amazon boxes (which come in many shapes and sizes).

If you have milk crates on hand, they’re an excellent stacking tool for storage. I use them to organize and store shoes, sandals, and sneakers. Boots get transferred to the basement during warmer months. We are just beginning to warm-up in my neck of the woods. I came with a great way to keep boots upright while in storage. Grab a couple of pool noodles and cut them to size. Insert them in your boots to prevent collapsing (see photos below)

When storing extra supplies, organize them by category:

1. Canned goods: place soups, beans, veggies, in order & condiments

2. Pasta, rice, and starches can be categorized together. Baking goods can store together with cereals and oatmeal

3. Snack foods can go in one spot

4. Paper goods such as napkins, tissues, and toilet paper & cleaning products

I also keep an inventory list of the extra items stored in the basement and cross them out as they get brought to the kitchen for use. This helps to keep your shopping list organized so you don’t buy repeat items. Keep it simple and keep it organized!

Enjoying the Evolution of your Goals

The following piece is an excerpt from my book, “Word, From Your Mother,” a daily guidance journal written for my children, Liv and Pierce-Gabriel.

Excerpt #5

What are your thoughts and feelings towards setting goals? I feel that goal setting is a good motivational tool, however, you shouldn’t place emotional attachment towards the completion of a goal. In other words, try not to solely focus its outcome, enjoy the process and evolution of your goal while striving to attain it.

There are so many valuable lessons to learn before a goal can come to fruition. Careful planning and patience are key. Perseverance and optimism are catalysts as well.

Some goals are short term and easy to achieve. “Today, I will finish 5 loads of laundry in the basement.” Others are more daunting and require a good amount of will power, determination, and endurance. “I will obtain a master’s Degree in Business.”

It’s usually easy to initiate a goal. It is more daunting to achieve it. During the process you might hit a roadblock and want to give up. Don’t give up! Draw your attention towards the associated feelings of achieving your goal. How will it feel once you get that master’s degree? Make that your focus no matter how long it will take.

All goals are attainable if you desire them enough. Sometimes, in the middle of achieving a goal, you may want to alter it. Perhaps, in the beginning, the goal served a purpose in your life, then through the process of trial and error, you determined it wasn’t a good fit.

This doesn’t mean you have to give it up, but instead, alter it to make it more achievable. In other words, recognize how the goal can be modified or reformulated to meet your expectations. There’s always a solution to every perceived problem.

No matter what, there is no failure in goal setting. Every experience you have in life leads you to the next greatest chapter. If your intentions are right-minded respectful of how they make you feel, you’re on the right path.

I recall a recent quote from a spiritual teacher. He said, “Right action emerges out of presence, living in the now.” Don’t let anything get you down, especially “failures,” in life, such as an unaccomplished goal.

Beautiful awakenings come out of the dark experiences. If we can expect, accept, and flow with these experiences like paddling downstream in a river, all will be well. Resistance to “what is,” is synonymous with paddling upstream. It’s an exhausting struggle that will get you nowhere. Set realistic goals and go with the flow, as it will move you in the right direction.

These Are a Few of my Favorite Things…

It’s time to raise our frequencies to a desirable height and keep it there! I’m finding it very challenging as the weather becomes warmer and more pleasant to sit still at my home office to work.

I find myself gazing to the right (out the window) or to the left (out the sliding glass doors) to hear the sun and fresh grass calling me. “Come on out…it’s way better on this side of the house.”

It makes me feel sluggish or unmotivated to finish the day when I know, as a New Englander, that warm, rain-free days are limited as with our short summer.

Sometimes, I just want to flee and lay on the grass or do some gardening before the workday is over. I start to feel sadness, boredom, irritation, and agitation. Then, the “little me” starts reeling its negative chatter.

It is in that instant…as soon as you feel whatever it is coming through, that you should take action. Recognize what the little voice is saying and how it’s trying to drag you down to a lower frequency. Then, go for the better feeling thought!

Yeah, right. That doesn’t always work for me, either. Sometimes, I just get into a funk and it’s hard to redirect it. However, I figured out a way that helps squelch the negative stuff a bit better. Instead of replacing the negative thought or feeling with words, visualize something pleasing, and sense the associated feeling that goes with that visualization.

The first thing that came to mind was my dog’s mouth, which to me is just precious and irresistible to observe. It looks like she dipped her lips in sugar, hence her nickname name, “sugah mouth” (I had to put the New England accent on that). It brings me a feeling of joy and immediately puts me in a happy mood.

This, along with other visualizations inspired me to reinvent my “vision-board-of-desired-wants,” to the “feelings-board-of-transmuted-funk.” I have to admit, this little board helps me redirect my feelings and thoughts right at the moment, and raises my frequency.

Create your own feelings board either 3D or digital. You can cut out pictures from a magazine, use photos, or you can pull photos digitally from your phone or computer. I simply took 6 pictures of my favorite happy-feelings-things. Then, using a phone app., created a collage board-of-happiness.

When you start to feel the funk arising, refer to your feelings board. Change it weekly or as often as you’d like. As you’ll see in my videos, nature brings me the most joy and highest vibes. Birds, trees, sunrises, sunsets, the moon, and flowers are my go-to, good feelings stuff. Anything that’s meaningful to you will works.

Above all things, be creative and have fun!

How to Transmute Your Thoughts

The following piece is an excerpt from my book, “Word, From Your Mother,” a daily guidance journal written for my children, Liv and Pierce-Gabriel.

Excerpt #4

You are enough. I was listening to Marissa Peer this morning. She’s a famous psychologist who has helped many people overcome addictions. Her message is to know that you are “enough.” A common thread that she’s noticed in those having addictions is that they feel as though they’re not enough. Therefore, they fill-up the void with an addiction.

She stated that addictions replace bad feelings with something that “feels good,” but is not necessarily good for the person who is suffering.

Marissa gave an example of a young man who had met his father in teenage-hood after having been abandoned as a baby and young child. His father showed up when he was seventeen to proclaim him, “a man.” He then proceeded to take his son to a bar to get him to drink with other men. This episode caused him to become quite drunk. He, therefore, began to associate being a man with drinking.

As a result, the young man associated closeness to his dad with getting drunk. Unfortunately, he carried that perception or inner dialogue into adulthood resulting in alcoholism. He couldn’t realize that he was enough in the absence of having a father.

I’ve suffered through several addictions during my life. Fortunately, I had to strength and intuition to overcome them with lots of help and support. Eventually, I realized that addiction was a way to avoid the painful feelings that were within my heart.

Did you know that your own negative thoughts can trigger addictive behavior? Negative self-talk triggers my desire to overeat. For example, I might be thinking about a problem that I can’t solve which leads me to believe I’m “not smart enough to solve it.” All of a sudden, I’m reaching for chips.

Instead of believing the thought that triggers a bad habit, transmute it and redirect it. How do you transmute the thought? Go for a better feeling thought!

Here’s a common negative thought, “I hate my job.” Transmute that thought to, “at least I have a job.” How about: “I like the people I work with” or, “I’m surrounded by nice people who have good intentions.”

If you’re feeling that you’re not enough, know that you’re either thinking about the past or worrying about the future. If you let negative thoughts take over, it may manifest into an addiction. Be mindful of your inner dialogue and your perceptions. Be the bystander of your thoughts.

Tell yourself, “I am enough.” Life is beautiful…and above all things, love yourself.