Christine Lewis - 365 Positive Intentions (flipbook version w social back cover)

powerful the energy we hold inside is, and make sure that today, the energy that we hold inside is fueling our dreams. Enjoy the day. Feel the power that is inherent in every molecule of our body and use that power to create magic in the world. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 143. Thought, Belief, and Action I am going to share a secret—the strategy to create everything we want our lives to be. All we need are three things to create everything. The first thing is the thought. We need the idea, the vision, or the dream. The second very important thing is belief. We need to believe that we can create it, that the universe is supporting us, and that it is possible. Even if that dream is so big it does not appear like it would happen in the physical reality right now, we have to believe that it is possible. The vision is the beginning, so we must believe that we are capable of making everything we envision a reality. The belief is the fuel for the vision, and once we have the vision and the belief, we just have to do the third thing- to take action. The magic of having a really big dream is that if we think about the big picture of that dream—what we want it to look like in the final stages, when it is at its optimal place, where it is at that place where everything we wanted to happen already exists—if we visualize that and believe in it, then everything that we do will start to get us closer to that. The action is really fueled from the belief, from the seed and thought planted to the vision. These three things—thought, belief, and action—get us our dream. If we can create the thought and believe in our ability to make it happen, then all we need is one step at a time to make progress in the direction of that dream. From there, action will make it happen. Thought, belief, and action for anything and everything we want. Allow the thought, belief, and action to make your dream your

reality. Enjoy the day. Focus on the thought. Believe in your ability and make certain everything you think, speak, and do is supporting everything you want in the world. Blessings. Blessings, blessings, spoken word Yoga. Namaste. Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 144. Never Step in the Same River Twice There is an ancient Hindu saying that says, we never step in the same river twice. The river is constantly moving, so whatever point we stepped into the river, that point changes the moment we step out of it. There is no way to step in the same river twice. What it means is that every experience is a brand new experience every time we have it—every circumstance, brand new; every interaction, brand new. Even if we eat the same meal every single day, it is a different taste each day. It might be familiar, but the experience is completely different from the time before. Every interaction and circumstance we have is different; it does not matter if we are hanging out with the same people doing the same things over again. Rather than thinking that we are in a routine doing the same thing every day, day in and day out, the same schedule and list of tasks all the time, try to make it a little more interesting. Remind ourselves that we will never step in the same river twice. We will never have a duplicate experience even if the circumstance appears the same. We have the opportunity to create something brand new and certainly, that should make us more excited about life. That should make us excited at the opportunity to make something brand new in this breath and something different in this moment than what was in the last two. Often, we find ourselves in a routine- following the same schedule, checking off the same list of tasks, engaging with the same people over and over, and maybe eating the same meal over and over, too. However, every time is a new experience and opportunity to create something new in the moment. Allow for that sense of enthusiasm

today, knowing that even if we are doing the same thing we did yesterday, now is the opportunity for something brand new. We will never step in the same river twice. Enjoy the day. Celebrate every moment today, knowing it is a brand new opportunity for greatness. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 145. Anger at Someone Else I was speaking to a friend who was very angry at a close relative who had done something very hurtful to her. In response to that hurt and pain, she found herself being very argumentative and aggressive in every exchange with that relative, increasing the amount of animosity and anger that she had in the beginning. I suggested that she start to be extra loving and offer a compliment to this relative every time she sees them. I suggested that she say something loving, compassionate, and nurturing to them, and she looked at me like I was a little crazy. I reminded her that the energy that she was giving was not even affecting the relative all that much. It was affecting her energy instead; every time there was a family function, she almost felt a sense of apprehension about attending because she knew she would run into the relative. I told her that all of these gatherings that should be a celebratory time have now turned into something that she does not even want to attend because of her relationship that she has created with this relative. She tried to convince me that the relative had caused the problems and that she was just reacting to them. I agreed, but I also said that she is reacting to them and in her reaction, she is creating more problems for herself. She agreed. The easiest way to smooth out those confrontational, difficult relationships that we all have with people in our lives is to offer them blessings and to be more loving. Frankly, if we love someone, even if we are faking it a little, we start to feel a little more loving towards them; but if we think aggressive thoughts or express

hatred towards somebody, we wind up disliking and hating them even more. This feeling of hurt is eating away inside us and it sabotages our entire experience with that person as well as the other people that are around us. If our attitude is changing as a result of how we feel about someone else, be very clear that the shift in attitude is not affecting that someone else as much as it is affecting ourselves. Decide today to be a little extra loving, compassionate, and caring to someone who we might not like very much. Know that the shift in energy is the shift we need to change the world. Be an example of the love we want more of in our life; doing it with the people we do not like very much is always the test of our ability to love unconditionally. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 146. Intention Behind the Word One word can change the way we feel about everything. One word is like that first ripple that radiates away from the disturbance caused by the pebble tossed in the pond. It is not merely the act of throwing the pebble because it is not until the pebble hits the water that it makes an impact and changes everything. The word is the pebble, and when we put the word out there and it makes an impact, it changes everything. It is the intention behind the word that determines the strength of the impact. Oftentimes, we have no control over how someone perceives our words once we let go of them. The intention behind what we say, however, is always felt. People always feel what we really mean, so the intention behind throwing the pebble, behind speaking the word, is what really makes the waves. The word is inevitably going to land in the same way that the pebble will land in the calm waters and make waves. The word is going to end up somewhere, but it is the energy behind the word that will make the impact. Think today about how our energy is intimately connected with that initial intention of putting the word out there—that initial intention behind throwing the pebble. Know that the intention must be pure because the momentum of the throw—in other words, the energy behind our words—is going to make an impact and ultimately is going to define how far reaching the ripples in that calm pond actually go.

The dream should be the intention while the pebble thrown is the effort. It is always the belief in the intention behind what we are doing that is propelling that pebble, the word, or the intention, in the world. Enjoy the day today. Make certain the words we throw have a pure intention so that when they make an impact, that ripple effect of energy has the power to change the world. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 147. Chaos Inherent in All Compounds The Buddha has a saying that chaos is inherent in all compounded things and we must strive on with diligence to create what we want. Think of the chaos inherent in relationships due to the merging of two energies, or the chaos that is inherent in cooking as we put together a bunch of different ingredients, hoping they will blend to create something tasty. How do we build anything without the merging of at least two things? Think about everything that exists in the physical space. It is all a result of a blend and interaction, like a compound of multiple things coming together to create the thing that exists now from the dirt, the trees and the water molecules. Think that everything requires something else to sustain itself. Think about the chemical compounds, like the difference between H2O and H2O2. They are the same ingredients. H2O is the water that feeds everything, flows easily, and provides nourishment. H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide, a corrosive agent that disinfects and bleaches—different from H2O but from the same ingredients. It is just a matter of what the balance is. Each of the components independently is stable, but depending on how those components come together, it can either give us water to nourish our body or hydrogen peroxide to bleach our teeth. Each is a very different result coming from the same ingredients. Luckily, the water and H2O has found some sort of balance in the convergence of chaos.

We must be diligent in the pursuit of our balance, knowing that all the components might feel a little chaotic when they first come together, but inevitably, they will come into balance and have the potential to create something great. All we have to do is focus on the balance we want to create right now. Inevitably, the chaos disappears. Enjoy the day today. Don't allow ourselves to get caught up in the chaos. Just know that when we strive on with diligence, we can find the balance in everything. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 148. Plug Into the Present When we are not plugged in to what we want, our energy is lost on other things. Imagine if we had one extension cord hooked up to an infinite power supply. We would have access to as much energy as we could ever want, but we could only plug one thing into that cord to access the energy that was available. It’s like having the choice between plugging in our refrigerator so that our food was maintained or plugging into a television so that we were entertained. It's an obvious choice. The food is necessary for our survival; the television might help the time pass, but we do not need it. It's the same way of thinking when it comes to our infinite energy source, our consciousness. We have the power to create a thought, a dream, and a vision, and what fuels that vision depends on where we focus our energy. The focus of our energy ultimately powers our dreams. The past teaches us, but we do not want to use up our power in the past. If we plug in to the future, certainly, it can inspire, motivate, and give us something to work toward, but we do not want to plug all our energy into a future that does not exist yet. Instead, the work is to plug in to the present. The present is sustaining us right now, so plug into the present and use our infinite energy source to create the life we deserve. All we have to do is plug in so that we can create anything we want right now. Just know that that infinite source of energy lies in here and all we need is our infinite energy source to fuel our dreams. Blessings, blessings, blessings. Spoken Word Yoga, Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 149. Evaluate Our Progress Take a moment to evaluate our progress. Give ourselves an evaluation in the same way that an employer might evaluate an employee on how productive they are working on their job. Give ourselves a test the same way that we would be given a test at school to evaluate our progress. Why not evaluate our progress in life? How efficiently are we moving towards our dreams? How productive are we in our communication and relationships? Thinking of how we might make improvements is the best way to evolve and create a better circumstance and a better life for ourselves. Once we objectively observe and evaluate ourselves, we can make positive and conscious changes. If we are distracted by something or not working consistently towards what we want, we can always shift and change. The beauty of giving ourselves an honest and objective evaluation is we can make small changes in this moment that could have a big impact on the rest of our lives. Set the intention to give ourselves an honest and objective evaluation. Think about how we might communicate more effectively. Think of how the vision we have for our life is inspiring and empowering what we are doing right now. Maybe there is something we can do a little better to create more of what we really want our life to be. We do not allow ourselves to get distracted by the little things. Instead, we are focused on the big picture, the end result, and the big dream. An honest evaluation can help us get there a little faster. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 150. See Who Is Listening Sometimes, we must talk quietly just to see who is really listening. We all know a lot of people who shout, who cause a scene, and who spend a lot of energy trying to communicate their point, but it is with those who take the time to listen that we have the most valuable connections and conversations. The funny thing is that people that speak the loudest don't always have a whole lot to say. It is those who speak softly that wind up communicating their point more effectively as we have to make more of an effort to listen. When someone speaks loudly, certainly, we hear them, but are we really listening? At some point, when someone is shouting at us, it's very easy to tune them out, focus on something else, and let our mind wander; but when someone is speaking softly, we have to make a whole lot of effort to listen to what they have to say. We wind up processing what they are saying more efficiently because we are putting a lot of effort into listening. The next time we want to get a point across, try to speak a little softer instead of shouting. Sometimes, we must talk quietly just so people can listen. Enjoy the day today. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 151. Beware of the Ego Beware of the ego and be aware of it. The ego can get us into so much trouble that there are laws and regulations that need to be put in place to protect us from ourselves. Think about this for a moment- we need speed limits to slow us down; warnings about consuming too much alcohol or bad food and toxic substances; a train horn, barricades, and guard rails to prevent us from going to places that are unsafe; and signs at the beach to help us avoid riptides, as if we are all children who do not know any better. The ego will put us into dangerous situations, but the self will keep us safe. The funny thing is that the ego can drive us into danger, but the self will always remind us to stay safe through the laws and regulations set in place to protect us from our ego. It is important to be aware of the role the ego plays in our lives. The ego demands that we are right. The ego wants conflict. It wants to argue because it wants to assert its strength. Worse, the ego can push us into very dangerous situations. The fact that we need regulations to protect us from our ego means that we should be aware and beware of the ego. Regardless of what is going on out there, the self—the higher self, the intuition, the instinct, and what we inherently know to be true— will keep us safe from those dangerous situations. If we listen, the ego becomes powerful, strong, and determined; and unless we channel that determination and do something positive and productive, it is very easy for us to put ourselves in a dangerous situation. Be aware of the ego and allow the self to keep us safe. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 152. To Be Right or to Be Happy There is an African proverb that asks, would we rather be right or happy? Is our need to be right overwhelming the happiness that we could create? We often try to make certain what is uncertain or define that we are right and someone else is wrong, but that’s it. There is no conversation and no room for compromise. All there is to it is blame and judgment, but where does that get us in life? How often does being right make us happy? How often does being right hurt someone else? Instead of trying to be certain about everything, leave a little wiggle room to move and maneuver. If someone else has a different opinion, just enjoy the dialogue rather than try to convince them that they are wrong. Enjoy the banter, the conversation, and the exchange of ideas because we never know, we might learn something even if we do not agree with what they are saying. We do not have to be right, but we do want to be happy, so instead of trying to create a sense of certainty about how right we are, create more sense of certainty about how happy we are. Let go of that need to blame, judge, or criticize. Let go of the need to feel right and to make someone else feel wrong. Allow for this beautiful space of ambiguity, this space where everything simply exists, and the space where we have the option to be right or happy. Choose wisely, be happy, and make someone else happy because that is the right thing to do. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 153. Be Clear About Our Fear Be clear about the source of our fear. Understand that we fear, not because it is inherent in the thing that we fear, but because our perception of the thing creates the fear. It might sound like a Doctor Seuss riddle, but if we think about what we are really scared of, we are not really scared of it. We are not really scared of the dark; we fear what we think is in the dark. We are not afraid of heights; we are afraid of falling. We are not afraid of the people around us; we are afraid of rejection. We are not afraid to love; we fear not being loved back. We are not afraid to let go; we are just afraid of accepting the fact that it is gone. Once we understand that fear does not exist in the thing or experience, that the fear is a product of our perception of the experience, and that we control our perception, we can eliminate the fear. Fear is this strange rationale and reasoning that we have applied to a thing, a circumstance, or an experience. Fear is created when we have decided that there is something scary about that thing, but once we understand the source of our fear, we can find comfort in it. The moment we find that comfort, the fear disappears. Set the intention today to be clear about our fear so that we do not allow ourselves to miss out on mazing experiences; so that we are not hesitant to love totally and completely because we are fearful of the response from the other person; so that we will not miss out on something that might be one of the most exceptional

365 Positive Intentions experiences of our life, just because we have created a fear about it. Be clear about our fear, and once we are clear about it, we are more likely to let it go. Enjoy the day today. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 154. Like Throwing a Hot Coal The Buddha has a saying that holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else, but what happens is we are the only ones who get burned. Anger is acid on the soul. It makes us feel frustrated, anxious, and insecure. Anger is really rooted in fear. There is no circumstance under which we are angry that we are not inherently fearful. Fear is the underlying emotion behind anger, so when we let go of the anger, we create space for something more positive. Next time we are tempted to express anger towards someone, replace it with a blessing. Replace it with unconditional love not because that person has earned it or necessarily deserves it, but because we do; we deserve the love, the happiness, and the balance that come with sharing a blessing instead of sharing frustration. Inevitably, holding on to anger does nothing more than deplete our energy. It is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else, but all that really happens is that we get burned. Let go of the anger and drop the hot coal so that there is no chance of being burned. Enjoy the day. Lead with love especially in the circumstances that seem most confrontational, particularly with the people we do not like very much. Lead with unconditional love and know that this love changes the dynamic of any situation, any relationship, and any interaction. By letting go of the hot coal, there is no chance of being burned. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 155. Inherently Vulnerable We are inherently vulnerable. We are so vulnerable that we feel everything. We like to assign an emotion, but it is the feeling that simply exists even without defining it. That feeling is an example of our vulnerability. The tragic thing is that most people in our society try to numb the vulnerability. We are the most in debt, most addicted, most obese, and most medicated society that has ever existed because we are trying to selectively numb the bad things, the hurt, the pain, and the sadness. However, there is a balance in the feeling. Without the hurt, pain, and sadness, we would never know the exhilaration of the happiness, the joy, and the ecstasy. The sad part is we cannot selectively numb because even if we numb the grief, the shame, the fear, or the disappointment, we ultimately numb everything. We also numb the joy, the love, the gratitude, and the happiness. Instead of trying to numb the feelings and trying to avoid them, acknowledge, embrace, and celebrate them. Celebrate the sadness in the same way we celebrate the happiness; appreciate crying as much as we appreciate laughing. Be aware that this vulnerability is really defining the quality of experiences in our life. Embrace the vulnerability so that we can walk through this life feeling everything. The feeling is our connection to the experience and ultimately our connection with each other. Embrace vulnerability today. Try to feel everything so that we are not stuck numbing the things that hurt and make us sad, knowing that at the same time, we are numbing happiness, joy, bliss, and all

the things that we want most in life. Set the intention to feel deeply today and allow that vulnerability to be a space of comfort, stability, and security. Allow the awareness of the feeling to create our reality. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 156. Moving Side to Side As time passes, it is easy for us to feel stuck—stuck in one spot, stuck in the same routine, stuck in doing the same thing. But what is the source of that stagnancy? What is preventing us from moving forward? If you have ever watched a crab walking on the beach, notice that crabs only move sideways. They cannot really move forward. Instead, they move from side to side, they dig a hole, they crawl in, and they come out. They are kind of doing the same thing without ever moving forward. Living in the past is almost like walking through life sideways, reliving the same thing, dwelling on the same history, and talking about the same thing over and over again. It is like walking sideways where we never move forward. Think about what area of our life we might be stuck in. Think if there is one thing—a thought, feeling, circumstance, or emotion—that is preventing us from moving forward. The work is to identify what that thing is and realize what is controlling it. What is the underlying cause of that thing? Oftentimes, it's fear. Usually, it's always fear. Otherwise, we would let go and move forward. We do not want to stay stuck in the same place talking about the same thing. We want to let it go so that unlike crabs that move sideways along the beach, we make progress in our lives. Once we identify what is preventing us from moving forward, we can address it and let it go. Spend a little time reflecting and thinking about where we are in our life right now and where we want to be. Give ourselves the freedom and opportunity to identify

what is preventing us from moving forward, and then find a solution. Instead of being like crabs—wandering from side to side on the beach, never able to move forward, and just stuck digging a hole to hide in—we allow ourselves to emerge into the light, into the happiness, and into the joy and bliss that we deserve. We create something magic in the present that creates the future we have always wanted. Never be like that crab that moves only from side to side; instead, always move forward in the direction of our dreams. Blessings, Blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 157. Sharing Is Perceived as Sacrifice Sharing is often perceived as sacrifice, as though giving something to someone else leaves us with less. Certainly, we may have less stuff in the physical space as a result of sharing it with someone else, but we are blessed with the energy of giving. What we have shared is enriching and enhancing the lives of the person we have chosen to share it with. Generosity is a sign of strength. The more we offer to others, the more secure we become in ourselves. The stuff does not hold as much value as the positive energy and love inherent in sharing. The more we offer, give, and open ourselves up to sharing what we have with others, the more we create more abundance for ourselves. Abundance does not come in the form of material things but rather in the form of experience and energy, in having an open heart and mind, and in sharing the best of ourselves with the people we touch. We should be aware of the things that hold the most value, knowing that value is assessed by the usefulness, longevity, and effectiveness of something. How many people can use the thing that we are sharing? How many people can benefit from what we have to offer? The things that we share abundantly and generously are the most valuable things that exist, and the beauty of it is that these valuable things that we can share unconditionally, like love and happiness, never decrease by being shared. In fact, they increase in abundance, not just for the people that we offer it to, but especially for ourselves. Share generously today and offer the best of ourselves to someone else. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 158. Talking to Ourselves Have you ever given someone advice knowing that you were just talking to yourself? That when you were giving the advice, you realized that much of what you were saying applies to your own life? The beauty of it is that the people in our lives are our teachers. They remind us of who we want to be. They give us insight into ourselves. Every person is brought into our space to teach us something. The funny thing is, oftentimes, when we are giving advice, it is usually coming from a place of our own experience. It might even be something we are experiencing in that present moment. The advice that we are sharing with others usually is the advice we have given ourselves, and many times, the smartest thing we can do is take our own advice. When I am teaching a class and weaving in life coaching, people often ask where I come up with the topic, points, or ideas that I share during class. Where do I come up with these positive affirmations? The truth is, they are all in my journal, and for the past 15 years, I have been writing a lot of advice to myself. What I am sharing is just something I have already told myself. Funny thing is when I am speaking to someone, I am also listening. Everything I am saying is something I have told myself at some point in the past and usually something I need to reiterate and repeat to myself in the present. Be aware next time we are giving advice. Listen to our own advice knowing that we are our best teachers. The people around us are

365 Positive Intentions teaching us valuable lessons and giving us insight about ourselves. Listen to our own advice today and make certain that what we are telling others is worth applying in our own life. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 159. No Easy Fight There is no such thing as an easy fight. In any fight, there really is no winner. All the energy that it took in the fight depleted the fighters. If we have ever talked ourselves out of something, criticized ourselves, or have been judgmental, it’s like creating a fight against ourselves. And who would win in that fight? There is no one to declare victory in the fight against ourselves. If we feel ourselves fighting with someone else, even with all the effort we might put in to show that we are right to win the battle, we have already exerted a lot of energy in the process. Instead of being argumentative and of trying to convince someone that we are right, just know that there is no such thing as an easy fight. There is no reason to battle, struggle, or force muscle. What's the point? We are just fighting against ourselves. Even if we think we are fighting with someone else and that it is a noble effort to fight that fight, be very clear that there is no easy fight. Make certain that if we are going to step into the ring, if we are going to step into battle, it better be worth it. There is no easy fight, and especially in the fight against ourselves, no one wins. Be gentler with ourselves today. Be a little nicer to the people we meet, especially those people we do not like very much. Because there is no easy fight, there is no point in starting the battle at all. Be easy today. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 160. The Game of Life In the game of life, we must understand that we are really the only ones playing. We design the playing field, we make the rules, and we create the strategy. Life is often viewed as a game, but in the game of life, we decide what the restrictions, limitations, and the rules and regulations are. We decide how many times we get a do over. We decide who wins and who loses. We have defined the rules of this game, and the fact that we define it means that we can change it. We can alter the rules, we can change the regulations, and we can broaden the playing field so that it wraps around the earth or moves across the universe into the galaxies. There are no restrictions or limitations in this game unless we create them. In the game of life, make sure we are always winning because we are the only one playing the game. We decide the playing field, we make the rules, we define the regulations, and once we realize the power that we have of creating the game, we will always win. Win at the game of life today because we are the only one playing. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 161. Holding on Is Slowing Us Down Holding on is slowing us down. If we hold on to pain, resentment, or guilt, that energy acts as a handicap. It is preventing us from moving forward and from creating something brand new in this breath—a brand new opportunity for greatness. If we choose to hold on to pain, resentment or guilt, it will hinder our progress, prevent us from evolving, and prevent us from opening ourselves to something new. If we were to lose a leg, we would not wait for the leg to reappear before we start the rest of our life; we would move forward, understanding that we would have to restructure our plan and vision to live with purpose even without the leg. Even when traumatic or tragic things happen, instead of letting that one tragic moment define who we are, we choose to restructure our plan to move forward and create something better so that there is no reason to spend our life dwelling on the fact that we have lost something. We choose to use this moment to create something, and we choose not to allow pain, resentment, or guilt to handicap or prevent us from creating something new. We choose to create everything we want from this moment forward and never allow ourselves to feel stuck or stagnant. Instead, we are always moving forward, advancing and expanding into something brand new. Letting go is the easiest way to move forward, so we let go to invite in everything we want more of in this moment, in this breath, and in every moment that follows. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 162. Word Choice I Am It is so important to be mindful of the words we choose. The words \"can't,” \"always,\" and \"never\" are binding. They create a circumstance. “Can't” implies it is not possible. “Never” implies there is no access and no possibility of it ever happening. “Always” implies that it is constant, never changing, and never evolving. Give ourselves the freedom to create possibility and to be open to the infinite with our word choice. It is so important, like the words \"I am.\" When we say, “I am,” we must be certain that what we say after it is exactly who we want to be. If we say, “I am scared” or “I am fearful or nervous,” we are reinforcing that feeling and leaving no room for anything else. Instead, say “I'm confident,” “I'm secure,” or “I'm supported.” Say “I'm stable,” “I am loved,” and “I am all the things that I want to be.” We start to be an objective observer of our own thoughts in our own words so that everything we think and speak is an affirmation of what we want more of. “I am everything I think,” “I am everything I speak,” and “I have the power to create the energy that I choose.” Set the intention to be mindful of our word choice today, knowing that the mind processes the energy behind the thoughts and the words, and that energy is ingrained into every cell and fiber of our being. “I am mindful today,” “I am powerful today,” and “I am strong and determined to create everything I want my life to be, one thought and one action at a time.” Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 163. Space Above Our Shoulders We tend to look at our physical body and see limitations; we critique and judge. We must realize that we are not residing in the entire physical structure of our body, we really just reside in our head—the rest of our body is just along for the ride in the stream of consciousness and in the space of our thoughts and belief system. What do we allow for the rest of our body? Do we perceive ourselves in health, wellness, and balance? Do we choose food that is nutritionally beneficial for our body? Do we exercise enough to keep our body fit and functioning at an optimal level? How much energy do we put into maintaining this body, knowing that we only occupy the top portion of it? The space above our shoulders is really the only space that we occupy while the rest of our body is just along for the ride. If you don't believe me, think about somebody who has experienced paralysis or has been in a coma. The body is just there, but the mind is always working. There is always energy that can be recorded from our thoughts. Stephen Hawking was confined to a wheelchair, but he was one of the most profound geniuses of our time. His IQ is off the charts, and if he relied only on his physical body to define what he was capable of, we would have missed out on one of the most influential minds of our time. Close our eyes, focus on what we are allowing in our life, and understand that what we create in our minds is allowing for everything that we create in our lives. Spend a little more time in that space above our shoulders and we will be able to access a lot more of ourselves. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 164. The Value of Space I was listening to a talk by Eckhart Tolle who was referencing how challenging it is for people to appreciate the potential that lies in space—the space that exists around us, between our thoughts, and even between our breaths. He talked about walking into a room and how the first thing we notice is not the space of the room but the contents. We notice the fixtures, the furniture, and the people in the room, but we do not have an appreciation for the space. He told a story of two fish that have never experienced time out of water. One fish asks the other to explain what water is, not being aware that water is surrounding him everywhere. Because he had never been out of water, he had no concept of what water was. The same thing applies to us. Because we live in infinite space, we do not really have a concept of what space truly is. All we focus on is what occupies the space. Think about how limiting that is for our lives. If all we are focusing on is what’s occupying the space, we get consumed with that, restricted by it, and limited by the contents of the space rather than the possibility and the potential that exists in the space itself. This is a lot about perception. What is our perception of the possibilities for our life? Are we only focused on the contents? Or are we focused on the potential that lies in this moment? In this breath? With this thought? We do not want to live like a fish who has never been out of the water. We do not want to be so unaware of the potential of our surroundings that we do not acknowledge them at all.

Next time we walk into a room, focus more on the space than the contents of it. Next time we focus on our life, focus more on the potential for opportunity rather than the circumstances that exist right now. The circumstances and contents are limiting, but the potential for greatness in the infinite space that is available is where our opportunities lie. Focus on the space today and allow for infinite possibilities to fill that space. Enjoy the day today. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 165. What Happy People Actively Do I want to share one of the secrets for happiness. Happy people are actively looking for happiness, and for reasons to be happy. It is easy to find a long list of things to complain about, so the work is to actively look for reasons to be happy. Sometimes, it’s easiest to be aware of those who are less fortunate than us. When we see someone who is struggling, homeless, or physically disabled, we find a sense of gratitude for what we have. It is just putting a spin on the circumstance to create something that is going to benefit us in the long run. Happy people actively create happiness. Instead of living in complacency and focusing on all the things that have gone wrong, we must try to focus on all the things that go right. It’s like building our happiness muscles. We go to the gym and lift weights—we start with a little weight, a lightweight, and eventually, when it gets easier to push that lightweight, we increase the weight until it gets easier to lift that heavier weight. Activating happiness is kind of like that process of strengthening a muscle. Focus on the little things—maybe we are grateful for a glass of water, for a hot tea, or for a good meal; maybe we are grateful for good company or a stimulating conversation; maybe we are grateful for an experience, the opportunity to travel, or frankly, for the opportunity to wake up in the morning, a car to drive in, a grocery store to shop in. We have all these things around us that can contribute to our happiness, if only we actively create happiness. Do not wait around for happiness to just pop out of nowhere. We must create it. Otherwise, it's like waiting around and

hoping that we would become physically fit by sitting on the couch. It will not just happen because we must actively create it. Check in today. How active are we in our own happiness? Actively create happiness today. Start to be grateful for the little things and blessings and realize that those small blessings add up to a whole lot of happiness. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 166. Emoji Energy I was recently talking to a friend who uses emojis to communicate emotions. These emojis are little symbols that people use in a text message, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media and messaging applications. Emojis are supposed to communicate an emotion, but I have not figured out yet what emotions they are communicating. I guess a smiley face is happiness, a little kiss is love, and a peace sign is self- explanatory. Some of these emojis, though, have different facial expressions, so I am not entirely clear what those facial expressions are communicating and what the intention is of the person sending them and how they think I am supposed to interpret it. It would seem a lot easier to just express the emotion and just verbally communicate how we are feeling. If we are going to rely on text messaging and typing to communicate, at least be descriptive enough so one can figure out what it is the other is communicating. Certainly, trying to interpret a facial expression on a cartoon emoji is challenging—much more challenging than even trying to interpret a facial expression on a friend. There is no way to really know what someone is thinking unless they tell us, so trying to figure it out from an emoji is cutting the lines of communication. It is true that we are living in fast times and instant gratification. If I send someone a smiley face with a kiss and it means something to that someone, that is great. Ultimately, however, they will never really know what I am feeling because all they get is the smiling emoji with a kiss. If we want to deepen our connections and the

effectiveness of our communication, stick to the old-fashioned way of doing it. A feeling, emotion, or expression through verbal communication will always get us farther than an emoji ever will. Try to vocalize how we feel today so that people really know how we feel instead of just letting a cartoon emoji communicate the depths of our feelings and emotions. Give people insights into our soul and don't let the insight to our soul be communicated with just a smiley face and a kiss. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 167. Jealousy is Like Stubbing Our Toe Think back to the last time we accidentally kicked something and ended up stubbing our toe. It hurts and we immediately regret doing it. Certainly, we would not go ahead and do it again. There are several emotions we create for ourselves that are like stubbing our toe. Jealousy is one of those emotions. Jealousy never works in the way that we want it to. It does not impact the person we're jealous of. It impacts us. Envy, in the same way, does not change the action or intention of the person we are envious of. It changes us. They are hurtful. They eat away at our soul, just like stubbing our toe. We would not voluntarily injure ourselves, so why voluntarily cause ourselves emotional pain? Jealousy, envy, anger—these emotions rarely have a positive impact on the people that we project these emotions on. Instead, they just wind up injuring us. Be careful about the emotions we create today. Be mindful that we create our emotional space and energy, so if it is painful, there is no point in recreating it. Learn a lesson from the emotions. We learn a lesson from stubbing our toe, so we are a little more mindful about running into things. Similarly, we want to learn a lesson about jealousy, envy, and anger, so we are more mindful about running into them and creating these emotions and energy that are not serving us, and in fact, are very painful. Any emotion that is not productive, not focused towards resolving an issue, or not getting us into a better place, is probably not serving us.

Try to be a little more mindful about where we invest our emotional energy. Make certain it is an emotion that is productive, an emotion that serves us, and an emotion that helps us enhance the connections we have with the people in our lives rather than creates a distance. Jealousy, envy, and anger are not productive. They do not work for anyone, especially us. In the same way we would not kick a table and stub our toe more than once, try not to allow jealousy, envy, and anger to come into our space more than once. Enjoy the day today. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 168. Being Consumed by the Extremes There is an irony inherent in anything extreme. Anyone who lives in the extremes becomes preoccupied by the extreme itself. If we have ever known people who are extreme in their fitness routine, exercising hours and hours a day, they are consumed with the extreme. There are those who sit around on a couch and do nothing—they are kind of consumed by the extreme. People that are extremely poor often are consumed by their poverty and are focusing on money all the time. The irony is that people who are extremely wealthy also wind up focusing on money all the time. Living in the extremes affects us; it winds up consuming us. The work is to try to find the balance and happy medium so that the extreme does not wind up consuming us. Find the balance so that we are not doing one thing nor too focused on one thing all the time. Instead, we give ourselves a balance and we must consciously live it. That is where meditation comes in. Even if we are rushing through the day, we spend a few moments in stillness, silence, and calm. There is a strange irony that exists in extremes that if we spend too much of our energy focused on one thing, there is not enough left for anything else. The work is to find that happy medium and balance. If we notice that we are consumed by any one thing, try to balance it out by getting out of the extreme and finding that happy medium where we focus less energy on one thing. Try to distribute our energy

evenly to focus on all the things that we want to bring more balance to in our life. Try to get out of the extremes today and find the balance that exists in the now. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 169. We Create What Is Real We are constantly creating what we perceive is real and unreal. We are creating our reality. When we think someone is judging us, we focus our awareness on that judgment that we create and start to think about what they are thinking and perceiving about us. We realize that in that space of trying to interpret what someone else is thinking, we have ultimately lost ourselves. We have no idea what someone else is thinking—they are probably thinking about something completely different, but we like to think it is about us. That is a lot of thinking going on. Wouldn't those thoughts be more productive if we focus them on what we want rather than on what someone else thinks? We are constantly creating what is real and what is unreal, constantly creating a reality. We can perceive circumstances one way from a distance, and it can be something entirely different when we get close to it. We spend a lot of time looking at others and creating a belief about what is going on in their lives. There is no way to know what is going on until we get intimately involved with them. Why spend time trying to create an idea about what is going on with someone else when we can create a reality that exists for ourselves? We are constantly creating what is real, so we might as well create a reality of everything we want our lives to be. Don’t get distracted by what is going on with someone else. Instead, spend the energy in creating what is happening for ourselves. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 170. Don’t Mess up Today There are many people who will start today by thinking of what happened yesterday. Don’t mess up today by dwelling on what happened yesterday. Today is a brand new day. What we create today can be completely independent of anything that happened yesterday or any day before. Instead of dragging the things from our past into our present, create something brand new now. Too often, people insist on bringing whatever happened yesterday into what they are creating today. The magic of waking up in the morning is that we have a clean slate, a blank canvas, a brand new opportunity to create anything. Make certain that we do not mess up today by focusing on what happened yesterday. In fact, make room for something more magical to happen today because we can create anything we want right now. Let today be a brand new day, a brand new feeling, and a brand new energy. Allow this brand new space to open up the infinite possibilities for everything we want to bring into our life so that we will never mess up today by dwelling on yesterday. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 171. Overflow of Energy in Our Hearts A wise old sage said that our words are an overflow of what is going on in our hearts; what we say is really a reflection of how we feel. Sometimes, I don't feel all that positive. I know it's a shocker, but sometimes, I get into a space that is not my optimal space of being. In those times, I give myself a little pep talk, and I create a mantra or words that create a feeling for me—a feeling that I am empowered, inspired, and encouraged. I try to say those words to as many people as I can- to strangers on the street, to people that I am frustrated with—I say it to everyone. I make an effort to say everything I want to feel, so when somebody asks me how I am feeling, I am spectacular and nothing short of it. Regardless of what is going on in that moment or circumstance, I want to maintain this feeling that I am happy, inspired, and can create anything I put my mind to. I create energy with my words and my thoughts, knowing that everything I think and speak reflects the energy I hold inside. The only way to change the energy inside is to be consistent in changing the energy that I put outside. It is a strategy for happiness. It might sound like delusional happiness, but as I always say, delusional happiness is a lot better than realistic misery. Enjoy the delusional happiness today. Create a conversation in our mind that feels encouraging, empowering, and inspiring because our words are an overflow of the energy in our hearts. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 172. Reality as an Illusion The yogic spiritual texts talk of our reality as being an illusion. They call it Maya, the illusion that we are all separate because we are a physical construct, a physical body, and we have this egocentric way of looking at the world that places us as just a body of energy rather than a being of pure consciousness. As a being of consciousness, we have the power to create a reality. We have the power to create emotions, feelings, and awareness. As a physical body, all we would do is feel the impact of what is happening around us so that the external reality is impacting us without us having any influence over what that external reality is. When we come into a space of meditation, we realize that the reality that exists for us starts with what we create in our minds. We can separate ourselves from the Maya—that illusion that exists externally—by tapping into the power of our minds. When we close our eyes, we create what is real. When we open our eyes and focus on what is out there, it is very easy to believe that what is out there is real. The funny thing is that what we see is not all that exists. It is like that old cliché, \"If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it fall, it does not make a sound.\" What side of the illusion do we want to stand on? Are we choosing to believe that on the opposite side of the world, people are existing, living, working, sleeping, eating, and breathing? Just because we are not intimately connected with those actions does not mean they do not take place somewhere else. We have to know that they still exist—that even if

365 Positive Intentions the tree falls in the forest, we know that it makes a sound whether or not there is anyone around to hear it. There is one stance to take that is limited- looking at our physical body, staring at ourselves in the mirror, and thinking that what we see is all that exists. Then, there is the opposite end of the spectrum- thinking that everything can exist all at the same time in balance in this moment. It is not an illusion of what is out there; it is the creation of what exists in here. This might be a lot to digest first thing in the day, so take time, explore the illusion, and just make certain the illusion we choose to focus on is everything we want our life to be. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 173. Encourage to Inspire Courage The word encourage means to inspire courage. Imagine if we all put a little extra effort into encouraging each other. We know the effect that encouragement has on children—it gives them the ability to perceive that anything is possible. Maybe all any of us ever need is a little encouragement to inspire us to do something better. Imagine that every successful person has, at some point, had someone who encouraged and who believed in them. How magical would it be to be that person for someone else? Imagine the change we could inspire in the world just with a little encouragement. If we all started to praise each other for our accomplishments or give each other a little encouragement to become something better, our community...our world would be a much more pleasant place to be. Next time there is someone who seems like they need a little extra boost and energy, give them a little encouragement. That might just be the encouragement to smile or laugh. Tell them how beautiful they are, what a great job they did, or how something they said impacted our life. Try to share some words of encouragement today and notice how that encouragement can inspire courage in ourselves and others. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 174. The Source of Suffering Most suffering is caused by a feeling of impermanence. We fear change and death. We fear that over time, the changes in our lives will be beyond our control. That fear of impermanence is an attachment to wanting to know exactly what is going on. It makes us feel vulnerable because we realize we have no control at all. Life becomes easier once we let go of the attachment and the need to control what is happening. Instead, we embrace impermanence and change as natural evolution. Whatever happens, we create a perception of what is possible regardless of the circumstances. We create our perspective of the world in our mind. Regardless of what is happening out there, we create what we want in here, so it does not matter how often things change. No matter how quickly things evolve, we are not attached. We do not need to control. We do not need expectations. All we need is now. In this one moment in time, we can create anything we choose so that we do not suffer as a result of a feeling of impermanence. Everything is changing and evolving, and all we have to do is be an active participant in the present. Enjoy the day. Know that things are changing, time is passing, and things are evolving, and all we have to do is go along for the ride. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 175. Changing Time Zones I always look forward to changing time zones because it just reinforces the fact that time is a very arbitrary concept. Where we are in the world or where the sun is rising and setting creates a relationship with time. We all have a body clock- we are hungry at different hours of the day, more alert at certain hours, start to feel more lethargic and tired at different hours of the day. We all have cycles—each of us has an individual cycle. Some people are more productive in the morning. Some are more productive in the evening or late at night. We have creative bursts of energy, and sometimes, we get better ideas or think more clearly at certain times of the day. Once we switch a time zone, we start to realize that we have the ability not only to acclimate to any time, but also to be independent of it. Who is to say that we should eat lunch at 12 o'clock in the afternoon when we are not hungry until three or four? Who is to say that we should wake up first thing in the morning and feel energized and rejuvenated right away? If we are not particularly a morning person, it might take us two or three cups of coffee before we feel that reinvigorated, energized, and restful space. It just matters how we feel during the day. What are we giving ourselves and offering ourselves to help with that balance—that internal clock that we have? Maybe wait until the afternoon to have a cup of coffee or green tea or change our schedule so that we get our work done in the most productive time of day for us. The more flexible we can be in our timing, the easier it is for us to

365 Positive Intentions adapt. If we change time zones and things are two or three hours off or we change time zones in a big way and things are 12 hours off, we realize that it will just take us a couple of days to adapt and come back into a balance, and we can do that at any point, wherever we are, whatever time zone, and whatever space because it all just exists in the mind. Change up our time zone, whether we leave our physical space or not does not matter; just change up our routine to make it more conducive to our productivity and the way that we want to live. Maybe change work hours so that we can work when we feel most productive. It is just about finding what works for us, knowing that when it works for us, then we will work better for everyone else. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio