Are you flowing with the current of your life?

Have you ever gone on a river rafting trip? If so, imagine your guide starting your water adventure upstream instead of down. Your excitement would disappear very quickly as you rowed with no avail against the flow of the river current.



You wouldn't accept that type of behavior from an adventure guide, so why do we accept that type of behavior from ourselves? Often times our attitudes and beliefs about what others may think of us, launch us into the river of life and cause us to struggle upstream. For instance, I had spent 10 years of my adult life building my teaching career, only to have it ripped away one hot July Summer day (the 21st - yes I do remember) with one phone call "we will not be renewing your contract this year." The aftermath of that phone call had left me with a meager supply of self respect, happiness, and money. For two years after that faithful day, I felt a lot like I was bucking upstream - going against the current of my life.

I had come face to face with the limiting beliefs that would keep me from entering into a "new" life overflowing with abundance. It took me a while, but I soon realized that I am not a paycheck. I am not a job. I am not bound by any contract in life - legal, state, or otherwise. I am human. I am a woman. I am a daughter. I am a wife. I am a mother. I am worthy to be loved and accepted regardless of my earning potential. My job description in no way shape or form defines who I am. I am strong. I am resilient. I am resourceful. I am smart. I am lovable. Most of all, I am and always will be - me! I am my own personal life adventure guide. I get to decide in which direction my life will go. I've decided the best course of action for the rest of my life is to go down stream, and finally after three arduous years I am finally flowing on the river of life taking on all the gifts my life has to offer. I am no longer struggling against the current. Today and every day of my life - no matter my circumstances, I will flow joyfully with the current of my life. How do I know? Because I've learned to be happy. In the words of "Yoda" from the movie Star Trek "happy am I."

Instead of valuing yourself in terms of your income, your job, or how many zeros are in your bank account, set your mind to view prosperity as freedom - freedom to do more for ourselves and to be of better service to others. You are worthy to receive all the gifts this world has to offer, you just need to adjust your thinking - abundance is after all, in large part, an attitude. You deserve to live abundantly. Life is a blessing. When you take the time to care for your own needs, you feel well cared for and wealthy no matter the circumstances. In what way will you encourage yourself to learn to live "abundantly" today?

How to keep your marriage Red Hott!

Relationships are easy, People are complicated. It's the people evolved in ANY relationship that keeps things complicated. Once we learn more about our spouses likes and dislikes, we can begin to journey to everlasting love. First a marriage is much like an very long rope with each spouse on opposite ends. Each time there is an unfavorable act (lies, arguments, betrayal, etc) on behalf of either spouse that hurts the marriage causing a knot to form in the rope. Pretty soon neither person can move around freely, because the rope is too small. Has your love dance become a hassle? Wouldn't it be nice to get rid of those love knots to allow the love between the two flow freely again?



For a long time I thought that "loving" my husband was enough to keep us together. In time I learned that "doing" things for the man I love, will show him that I want us to be together. We feel in love with one another when we were dating because every thing was fresh and brand new. Each date was exciting because we "did" things that made it so - I would dress my best each time I saw him. He would take me to his favorite places, and send me special gifts - exotic flowers, pashmina scarfs, hand crafted ceramic figurines. We would walk hand and hand in public. I would laugh at his jokes. He would impress me with his hidden talents - juggling and Akita. I would give him candle lit massages. We wrote each other love notes. Then we got married. Over time the kids, the house, the bills, our jobs all became priority over DOING things that helped us fall in love with one another in the first place. So what did I do - I went back to basics. I began dating my husband again - I wear his favorite outfits. I dress to impress every day. I make regular trips to the hair and nail salon. I cook his favorite meals and desserts. I brought plenty of candles for those intimate late nights. I LISTENED, LAUGHED, and LEARNED from our conversations every day. I wanted him to know that I didn't take our love or our marriage for granted. I appreciated everything about him, about us, and about our marriage.

So how do you keep a marriage red hot? Never go to bed angry. Talk. Talk. Talk. Sleep in the same bed every night. Sleep together in a bed no bigger than Queen size so you two can snuggle together. Find out what your spouse loves, and just make the magic happen. Finally, in order to hold on to the love you have - recycle, reuse, renew everything about your relationship. A new hairstyle, bright colored outfits, or wearing his favorite color lingerie will turn up the heat to your marriage, and best of all - your spouse will appreciate your efforts. 

Women like to be adored. Men like to be supported. Work together to keep your love rope free of knots, and it will definitely turn your marriage red hott. Good marriages are great on purpose. If he buys you an outfit, wear it. Give the kids a bath, so she have a few hours to herself. Do something on his "honey to do" list. Load and unload the dishwasher a few times a week, and give her time to do something other than housework. Wink at him from across a crowded room.Whisper something sexy in her ear at a party. Get a blanket, a small picnic basket of wine, crackers and cheese, go in the yard. Gaze into each others eyes or the stars above, and talk out your dreams for yourself and each other. Compliment his achievements in the house, and on the job. Tell her how much you appreciate everything she does to keep the balance between family and work. Buy her small gifts to show her that you are thinking of her outside the bedroom. Surprise him with his favorite dinner and dessert after a particularly difficult week at work. In other words, let your marriage become the best "date" you ever had.

Remember, you want 911 red hott when it comes to your marriage. If you don't hear "love" sirens, it's time to turn up the heat. Believe me - you can never be too hott for your spouse. Make him sweat!!!