Two weeks ago, a bunch of us gathered in my living room to watch the DVD, "You Can Heal Your Life".  It is an inspiring true story of a woman and reknowned author, Louise L. Hay, and how she changed her entire life by the power of positive affirmations & self healing.  

If you have begun the wonderful journey of healing your own life, perhaps you are using affirmations to assist you daily?  Perhaps you have become frustrated that you feel in a cycle of "nothing is happening" yet? And maybe you want to give up and return to the old negative self talk?  

Well, please let me remind you that you are not alone.  In fact, once you've begun saying and thinking your affirmations, it's important to practice patience. One of the biggest mistakes people make when using affirmations is giving up too soon! But would you not water your garden because the seeds didn't become grown plants overnight?  No, of course not!  Try and think of yourself as a gardener of your own life! You must cultivate the soil, water, weed, and fertilize to grow a beautiful life. To grow a wonderful life takes releasing the past, learning to think more effectively with affirmations, and trusting that your beautiful garden will blossom fully in time. 
  
Using meditation and visualization can actually speed up the body's receptivity to positive changes,  because these practices take you to a more powerful connection with your subconscious mind and Universal Energy.  Meditation is simply a process of focusing your attention on your breath or on a short phrase. This will help you to balance emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. When you're in that quiet place, your heart and mind are connected, so doing your affirmations at this level is even more powerful than simply repeating them when you are in your usual busy, conscious state. 

Many of my new clients, my friends and listeners on my radio show, tell me that they just can't stay focused enough to meditate!  What if I told you that many years ago, I also struggled with "sitting still & quieting my busy mind"?!  I want to offer a simple exercise to get you started.  

Sit comfortably and relax.  You don't need to sit cross-legged on the floor, if that isn't comfortable for you.  Simply sit in your favorite chair, with your head rested & your feet firmly on the ground.  Focus your attention on your breathing. As you breathe in, think to yourself, "I AM", and as you breath out, think to yourself, "relaxed." Count your breaths from one to four. Simply count mentally each time you exhale, starting with one and going to four. Repeat the counting over and over.  Think to yourself, "calm and at peace" with each breath, or any other phrase that is relaxing for you.  Imagine yourself in a beautiful, peaceful setting. 

I also recommend Creative Visualization.  This is something we all do every single day, yet we do not always visualize positive scenarios.  Instead, we focus on that person who cut us off on the way to work, or how much we have on our to-do list, or all of the bills we have to pay, etc.
 
Creative Visualization is imagining, seeing, feeling, or describing something you would like to create. They bring in all of the senses along with affirmations to give your subconscious mind the EXPERIENCE of the reality you are creating. Your subconscious mind doesn't know the difference between the reality "out there" and the one you create inside, so visualizations create a new "inner landscape" that in turn produces results on the outside. Many people say they cannot visualize, yet they can always describe their backyard, vehicle, or kitchen!  

When we can somehow picture or feel what it is we want, then we're visualizing. It's really that simple. The feeling part is actually more important than really "seeing" the new reality, as the Universe responds most quickly to the feelings you send out (this is called your vibration).  So, go ahead and give it a try!  Once you are in a relaxed place, think or quietly repeat your affirmations, and visualize what your life would be like when they have already happened! Visualize as many details as you can!  Is your desire to live on the ocean, start your own business,  be happily married, or in a better state of health?  Whatever it is that you want to create in your life, YOU have the power within you to do so.  All you need is to be in alignment with what you say you want in your life.   Take time everyday to meditate, affirm that you are achieving your desires easily, and visualize it as so -- really FEEL what it would be like,  to BE living the life you desire!  

Last night, I held a gathering at my home for the sheer purpose of bringing people together who are on the path of healing their mind/body/spirit.  I want to reach out to as many as possible about the positive message of creating the changes we desire. The theme of the evening was for us to view the film based on Louise L. Hay's teachings, "You Can Heal Your Life". The film was so very poignant about the power of our thoughts and how they create our reality. What stood out for me the most during this film was the many testimonials from others, of various backgrounds and professions, and how they discovered this for themselves when faced with a challenge to make a big change. Our conversation after the film ended, made it very clear to me that so many of us are on this journey of making change.   This film was inspirational, motivational, and emotionally profound.  

You all know people who are stuck in a mind set that they’ll never meet their soulmate, have a career that they really want, or leave an abusive relationship, and so on and so forth. The way they speak to themselves and rationalize why they cant do this, or that, just keeps them held in ransom within fear. But guess what? What if its never too late to make a change? What if you just stopped what you were doing right now and said to yourself, "I am willing to change"?

I have been sharing the power of our thoughts, emotions, and affirmations with hundreds of people, for many years.  And as a life coach, medium and healer,  I have seen a multitude of people make positive changes in their lives. One day very soon, I will write my own story for all to read but one person stands out to me in this moment. My husband's grandmother began vaudeville dancing in her early 20's, when it was unusual for young women  not to be married, let alone have a career. She met her soulmate during her stage career, and later took care of him for seven years after he had a massive stroke.  She did so never complaining about it, as she would not place him in a nursing care facility. After he passed on, she kept on working until she was in her 80's! When she retired, she turned to her passion of oil painting and was quite good at it! She woke up everyday, put on a stylish outfit, took great care of herslef,  played cards with friends and enjoyed the presence of others. At age 92, she was learning Spanish.  Was it ever too late for her to pursue what she desired? She clearly didn’t think so.  She felt that everything was possible if you believed in yourself, and she lived by that example.

When we make excuses not to change, we block positive people and situations from manifesting in our lives. Why do we hold ourselves back? Because our self talk tells us that we don't think we are worthy, or we are too afraid, or we are too fat, not pretty enough, we are too broke, or we do not love ourselves enough to trust our own heart.   I have news for you though......we are never too old to make a positive change. Our physical body ages but not our spirit.  If you listen to your heart and the energy that flows from it, you can feel the vitality in your physical body when you think of a thought that feels good. It all comes down to how you approach your life -- as positive, or negative. If you take care of yourself by allowing healthy relationships and situations into your life, if you are eating well, exercising and getting enough rest -- you will find that your life will begin to change in the positive direction you intend. 

It is our Divine purpose to live with JOY.  You CAN change.  You ARE worthy. 

Our time on earth now is quite unique and we have the ability to create positive change -- right NOW.  So, go ahead and rent the dvd "You Can Heal Your Life".  It may just be the message you have been looking for.