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An easy technique to stop your monkey mind
Published October 1, 2011 | 
When your mind is spinning on stuff, worrying about the bills or the to do lists or just thinking about stupid things, it is hard to have much peace.
Here is a simple technique to do to stop the monkey mind.
When you find your mind is controlling you, take back control by simply stating: “I Am consciousness”.
It might take a few times to get used to saying it but this statement will effectively stop your mind. It immediately gets you in the now and more present.
Write it down a few times in your journal.
I Am consciousness.
Breathe. Be still for a few moments. Just BE
I have been experimenting with this technique for the last two days and it really works! Try using it right as you are drifting off to sleep too.
In peace,
Debra
Resource: The Power of Decision by Raymond Charles Barker
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Focusing on our power with the help of the moon: a meditation and journal writing exercise
Published September 13, 2011 | 
Confidence.
Take no prisoner attitude-
You are enough. Believe it. Own it.
I truly believe that believing in ourselves and loving ourselves is the best cure and medicine for anxiety.
Tonight, I invite you during your meditation and journal writing time to focus on your strengths and your power.
Close your eyes and get silent. Breathe. It is a full moon time so harness that energy. Think of the moon light shining on you. Breathe.
Be in that special space for as long as you wish. Don’t think. Empty your cup and bask in that wondrous moonlight.
When you are ready to, open your eyes.
Here are a few journal prompts for your journal writing…
1. What are your strengths?
2. What makes you feel strong?
3. When people compliment you what do they compliment you about?
4. What thoughts put spring in your step?
5. Are there any times when you feel like you are giving your power away? (to circumstance or other people for instance)?
A blessed evening to you,
Debra
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Posted in Affirmations, anxiety, Benefits of Journal Writing, Breathing exercise, Journal Prompts, journal writing, Meditations, Positive living, Self-empowerment, Visualization | 
confidence, focus on our strengths, full moon, journal writing, journal writing prompts, meditation, moonlight, our power, power of the moon, what do people compliment you on | 
6 CommentsLetting go with Indigo, a simple meditation technique
Published September 10, 2011 | 
Five years ago, I was really working on getting a handle on my anxiety. I learned about meditation which helped me tremendously. Meditation is a wonderful tool to train, focus, and calm your mind.
There are many meditation techniques out there. This morning I would like to share with you one that is very simple to do and has worked very well for me.
I discovered indigo when I began to meditate on the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet….
I always sensed a greater concentration when I focused on indigo. Perhaps it is because blue has always been my favorite color and indigo is a very rich shade of blue. Some say indigo is a very spiritual and powerful color. At the end of this post I will share some links to sites about indigo if you would like to learn more about it.
My meditation technique is this: Letting Go With Indigo
I will close my eyes and simply visualize the inner deep indigo layer of a fire flame. That is it.
If I am taking a bath I will burn a candle and focus on the flame. In our living room we enjoy lighting candles or using our fireplace too.
Even if you are not near an actual burning flame, this technique works very well.
Recently when I had an uncomfortable medical procedure done, I had the nurse hold my hand and I closed my eyes , breathed, and concentrated on the indigo in a candle flame the entire time. I was surprised when my doctor told me it was over. The dreaded procedure went by much quicker and painless than I had imagined.
The power of indigo! Try this meditation when:
1. You are feeling afraid
2. You are feeling anxious
3. Your mind is overly active
4. You feel disconnected
5. You wish to develop your intuition or need an answer to a question
6. Anytime you want to be calm, focused, and in touch with the divine and your own power.
I find you can reap the benefits by doing this for only a minute or two. It is truly amazing.
Some resources if you want to learn more about indigo:
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Posted in anxiety, Breathing exercise, Depression, Meditations, Self-empowerment, Spirituality, Visualization, worry | calming anxiety, calming fear, connecting, developing intuition, fear, focusing the mind, getting answers to questions, indigo, meditation, meditation candle, power of indigo, the Divine, your power | Leave a commentSeventeen things to let go of to get a good night sleep
Published September 7, 2011 | 
To get a good night sleep, here are 17 things to let go of as you turn off your light and put your head on your pillow:
1. Let go of any resentment you are feeling. Just let it go!
2. Any hurt feelings you may have. Let it go. You are safe. You are loved. You are enough. If you need to share something with your spouse or partner, do so. Have them listen. They can hold you. Then let it go. If you are feeling hurt by someone who is far away or not with you, consider writing a letter (just the process of writing itself will be healing). You may or may not decide to send it. Write it, let it go, and go to sleep.
3. Anger
4. Worry about what others are thinking of you. None of your business. Let the whole people pleasing thing go. You can’t please them all- never will.
5. Fear. Imagine the worst thing that can happen and the outcome. Then see yourself deal with it. Now, let it go.
6. Worrying about the future. No reality here. It doesn’t exist. Let it go!
7. Fretting and regretting the past. Again, this is not your reality. This is not your life. This is your mind wanting to play with your peace.
Let it go!
8. Your mile long to do list can be a real sleep thief. Before you turn in, Cross off everything except for maybe the 1,2, or 3 most important things on that list. Tell yourself that even if you just do one of those things the next day, you will have a wonderfully successful day and the rest of the items of the list don’t matter or can wait- yep, let them go!!
9. Criticism of others. It is easy to fall into the blame game. Know that we are all trying our best. Putting our energy into wanting to change others is only setting us up for disappointment and insomnia. It won’t do much for our relationships either. If you are tempted to think or say a critical thought about another, imagine them as an innocent five year old child.
10. Criticism of yourself. Don’t spend another tortured night beating yourself up. It is cruel. You don’t deserve it. Give yourself the love and peace you deserve. Let the critical self talk go. Now!
11. Inhibitions. Are you holding yourself back? Consider letting go of the voice that is always telling you “no”. Go to sleep tonight with a smile at the thought of doing things you want to do.
12. Let go of clutter, anything that no longer serves you.
13. Let go of perfectionism
14. Let go of over committing yourself or your family. Your kids don’t have to be involved in every extracurricular activity your community has to offer. You don’t have to bring work home.
15. Let go of needing to be in control all the time
16. Let go of high expectations. This can be exhausting! Let things be as they are. Let them go.
17.Let go of caring too much.
Let it go. Breathe. Let it go. Ahhh… Let it all go… Your life and peace of mind and getting a good night sleep are much more important than any of the nonsense listed above.
Good night.
In peace,
Debra
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Posted in anxiety, Family life, Getting a good night sleep, Happiness, insomnia, Positive living, Self-empowerment, stress, Tips to help insomnia, Visualization, worry | bringing work home, control, criticism, fear, going to bed angry, hurt feelings, letting go for a good night sleep, overcommitting, peace of mind, people pleasing, perfectionism, saying no, to do list, worrying | Leave a commentI Am the composer of my life, a special composition: this morning’s verse
Published September 3, 2011 | To compose: To write or create
A composer: is one who writes or creates
Composition: the way in which a whole or mixture is made up, or the action of putting things together.
To be composed: to be serenely self-possessed, calm
As the composer of my life, what can I do to compose what I want in order to have the most beautiful composition (my life!) possible?
I Am composed
I Am peace
I Am listening with grace and confidence; calm and poised
Smiles
Love
Peace
Excitement
Knowing the way from deep inside….
I am creating something very special
and I Am thankful.
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I Am peace because of these ten reasons. A journal writing exercise
Published August 10, 2011 |
In your journal write “I Am peace because….” Then list anything that comes to mind.
My journal entry this evening may begin like this-
I Am peace because:
1. I am focused on my journal writing and nothing else.
2. I know I Am enough
3. I know that what others think of me is none of my business
4. I only have this moment so I will not squander it by worrying about some future projection.
5. I just took a lavender bath
6. I am enjoying some quiet time before having dinner with my family.
7. I am loved.
8. I love myself.
9. I am taking action on making my dreams come true.
10. I am surrounded by many supportive people in my life.
Your turn. You Are peace because…
In Peace,
Debra
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Finding your voice, part 2
Published August 8, 2011 | 
What does finding your voice mean to you?
For me, it means:
1. Not apologizing for being myself
2. Not being afraid to voice my opinions
3. Not being afraid to ask for what I am worth
4. Not being afraid to promote myself
5. Sharing with others the quirky way that I see things
6. Having the confidence to live an authentic life
7. asserting myself
8. Saying no when I don’t want to do something
9. Having more fun and joy in my life because I am not critiquing, judging, or silencing myself all of the time; in other words:
10. Not holding myself back because I am afraid of what others think!
How do you find your voice?
1. Journal writing: explore any fears you may have, do some creative writing, ask yourself some good questions…
2. Blogging: there is nothing like writing something that you know others are going to read. In time as you get more comfortable and confident, your true voice will begin to come out and shine!
3. Public speaking: Yes, this is a scary idea for many of us. Putting yourself out there will increase your confidence. I recommend attending a Toastmaster’s meeting. They have a great program that supports anybody who wants to improve their communication and leadership skills.
4. Challenge yourself regularly by trying new things and meeting new people.
5. Meditate and write down this affirmation: ” I Am enough” Say it, feel it, and believe it!
6. What do you say “yes” to?
7. It is okay to say no to things you don’t want to do. It is your plate. Don’t let others load it up for you with their demands and requests.
8. If you start to worry about what others think, realize that they are probably worrying about what others are thinking about them!
9. Sing in the shower
10. When you are home alone try some verbal chants when you are meditating. Simple “oms” work nicely. The vibration of your own voice is healing and quite empowering.
Have a blessed day!
Debra
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Posted in Affirmations, anxiety, Benefits of Journal Writing, Blogging, creative writing, Meditations, Positive living, Self-empowerment, worry | ask good questions, blogging, chanting oms, expressing yourself, finding your voice, journal writing, public speaking fear, saying no, saying yes, self confidence, singing in the shower, Toastmasters, worrying what others think | 1 CommentHave insomnia? Six ways to getting recentered, turn that monkey mind off, and get back to sleep
Published August 1, 2011 | 
Sometimes we can do all the right things: not drink caffeine, worked and played hard all day, be tired and ready for sleep and yet we still don’t sleep because our monkey minds still want to be active. I usually don’t have a hard time going to sleep initially. My biggest challenge is getting woken up in the middle of the night (my bladder, a cat, my snoring husband, etc.). When I return to bed I’m still very sleepy and I think I won’t have any problem going back to sleep. Fortunately that is the case some of the time. Some nights, however, my mind little by little wakes up and begins its monkey running on a treadmill thing… you know, I start thinking about a post I want to write for The Warm Milk Journal (how ironic is that?) or I am thinking about my job or what I want to cook for dinner the next day…
The way to get back to sleep as soon as possible when this middle of the night insomnia occurs is to get your mind to stop thinking and yourself centered. Here are some good ways to do this:
1. Get up and write in your journal for a few minutes until you feel sleepy again.
2. Get up and read a book.
3. Try recalling what you were dreaming about when you were previously asleep. Focus on that dreamland and it may just take you back.
4. Do a breathing excercise. Two of my favorites are breathe in “So”, breathe out “Hum” and also breathe in to the count of 5, hold breath for count of 3, and then exhale to count of 4. Repeat.
5. Sex (making love with your partner or masturbating will turn your mind off and relax you back into sleep)
6. Visualize the colors of the rainbow slowly. Red, orange, yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, violet….
Try not to worry about not sleeping. That will just provide bananas (fuel) to the monkey mind.
In peace,
Debra
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Good morning ! A waking up verse
Published July 30, 2011 | 
Sitting up straight and tall
gathering energy from a recently sleeping body;
I thank God and life for giving me another day.
A new day is always a new beginning
Each time I focus I create something new.
Do I set a particular agenda for myself or
Do I just see where this day takes me?
I think I will just sit a moment and listen…
Have a blessed day, all
Debra
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Posted in creative writing, Meditations, Morning verses, poetry, Positive living, Prayers | god, life, morning verse, prayer, sleepy, thankful, waking up | Leave a commentDo these ten things and Life can be a day at the beach (whether you are actually at the beach or not)
Published July 29, 2011 | 
A huge source of our stress is what we put on ourselves: hurrying, putting too much on our plates, being perfectionists, multi-tasking, and feeling overwhelmed. There is an easier way. This easier way will pave the path to a more balanced day and restful night.
Wherever you are and whatever you are doing today, life really can be a “day at the beach” if you do these things:
1. Focus your attention on one task at a time.
2. Do your best and live for this day only. Quit beating yourself up about past days and fretting about days in your future (they are not reality).
3. Remember to breathe.
4. Every hour take a mental break by stretching, taking a walk, or doing a breathing exercise.
5. Spend time with people you like.
6. Smile
7. Sit up and stand up straight and tall.
8. If you are particularly worried about something, write the worry down in your journal. Ask yourself, “what is the worst that can happen?”
Meditate on that worst case scenario. Visualize yourself experiencing it and in your mind accept it as if it could be real. Now visualize ways you can improve that situation. Write those solutions down. Start taking action. This exercise will eliminate 99% of the stress you put on yourself with worry (something we all do).
9. What are you thankful for? Think of those things frequently. Write them down.
10. Look for and see the beauty in all things.
That’s it.
Do those ten things and your life will be a day at the beach each and every day.
In Peace,
Debra
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