I want to share a recent conversation I had with someone because I think this situation is common and the insight can help many people. Mary had written a message to Sue, someone that hurt her in the past that she feels hatred towards. Mary read me what she had written. She was letting Sue know how she felt about her and that she never wants to see her again. Mary was asking me if she thought she should send it. Mary thought by sending this it would make her feel better once she lets Sue know how she feels about her. I was glad she hadn’t sent it yet.
 
Mary told me this came up because in unpacking and sorting from a recent move, she kept seeing a photo of Sue and knew that it was time to deal with these feelings towards her. I told her she definitely needed to put this to rest so that she, Mary, would be free of these negative feelings. The photo was just a reminder to deal with it now. I then suggested a better way to release this negativity towards Sue.
 
What Mary had initially written was short. I suggested that she write down on a piece of paper everything she wants to tell Sue. Really get her feelings out and on the paper. After she has done that to then take the paper and burn it or shred it. This would allow her to get all her feelings out and release them.
 
The act of burning or shredding is symbolic and the idea behind it is important. When actually doing the shredding or burning, you want to mentally release the feelings you’ve written on the paper. See yourself happy and free, feeling the way you want to feel once you’ve released the negativity. After you let the feelings go, don’t look for them to see if they’re really gone. Let them go all the way. Notice in yourself an uplifted free feeling. For some, letting these negative feelings go may be a very emotional experience. Besides feeling free you may also feel relief, joy or exhilaration.
 
And then express gratitude for your feelings of happiness and freedom. (Don’t express gratitude for not having the negative feelings anymore. It takes you right back to them.)
 
We never want to carry hatred inside of us. It only hurts the person holding on to it. It will literally eat you up from the inside out. It must be released so that you can live freely without carrying that burden. Do it for yourself. Let it go!
 
Had Mary sent the letter to Sue, the feelings would not have been released. In fact, it would most likely have created deeper hatred or resentment. It’s not likely that she could have made Sue feel bad. Even if she did that wouldn’t have solved anything. It only would perpetuate the negative feelings and Mary would not have experienced the release she was looking for. The best place to heal anything is within ourself. It’s our own thinking and feeling about anything that can be changed and healed.
 
I also suggested to Mary to include forgiveness in this process. Forgiveness means to let go of completely. The person being forgiven usually never even knows you’re forgiving them and often they don’t recognize they need forgiving. They don’t need to know they’re being forgiven. It’s for the benefit of the forgiver, which can be life changing. In the forgiving, the hatred can be released. Forgiveness comes from the heart, not from the head.
 
This reminds me of my daily gratitude which includes sending love to those that bother you. It too is a transformative process. I’ve created a gratitude journal template, with instructions, that explains the practice of daily gratitude, including asking for daily guidance and sending love. If you’re new to gratitude you will find these tools very helpful. Download your free copy through this link: https://bit.ly/2nlU3TY.
 
I know this process of releasing bad feelings works. I share this in hopes that it will help you. I want everyone to enjoy a life of freedom, good health and positive energy. We grow by going through experiences such as Mary’s. Each time we move through any difficulty, it proves to us that we can do it and we can become a better version of ourself when we do. I encourage you to release your negative feelings and step into a life of larger freedom and happiness.
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Image by Mariana Marquez from Pixabay.

Everything vibrates. All living beings and even things that seem solid. They’re just vibrating at different rates. When you’re in a high vibration you’re feeling great, things are going your way, good things are happening. On the other hand, when you’re in a low vibration you are feeling down, not so good, and often it seems like one bad thing after another happens. Feelings are really an awareness of the vibration you’re in.
 
Being aware of your vibration or your feelings is the first step to altering your vibration. But how do you do that? I get it that sometimes staying down there is just easier. You want to wallow around in self-pity awhile and feel self-justification for being there. But that only allows that negativity to get a firmer grasp. If you stay there it leads to more misery. Whatever put you there has no part in who you truly are as a spiritual being. It’s not your true genuine self. We are in this experience to grow and evolve. There are lessons to learn all the time. Take time to reflect, back off, and listen for the message. Find the lesson, learn what you can from it so you can move on, wiser than you were before.
 
The negative stories that we tell ourself, about any situation, alter our thinking and put us in a negative vibration. In nearly all cases, we falsely perceive something to be a certain way when in reality if we stop thinking that’s the only way and be open to a change in perspective, we could rise above that “stinkin’ thinkin’” and find a better way. Negative thinking and stories do not serve us well. They make us unhappy. When we put our attention on the negative stories, they just grow stronger, but that’s always a choice. It takes a change of mind to improve things.
 
To raise your vibration, there are several tools you can use. The following list are suggestions. You may have things to add to the list that you enjoy. Discovering what works for you is part of the journey. Make it fun. You deserve all the goodness this life has to offer. Don't delay, get busy, use these tools and get back to the high vibration you're meant to be in.
                                               
Going for a walk in nature – be outdoors and notice your surroundings, take it in.
Physical exercise – do some strenuous activity or exercise that makes you sweat.
Dance – put on your favorite music that makes you move and dance around by yourself.
Do yoga – if you aren’t a yoga studio member find videos on TV or online.
Play with your pets - have fun with them. Love on your cat, or play ball with your dog.
Call a friend that listens well but that won’t try to solve all your problems.
Listen to music – calming music or energizing music, whichever serves you best in the moment.
Take a bubble bath, light some candles and relax, put on some calming music.
Sing your heart out - like no one is listening.
Listen to transformational audios or watch personal growth videos on YouTube.
Think into the feelings of Gratitude – make a list of what you have to be grateful for, FEEL it!
Journaling – write with pen and paper, after a few minutes the deeper feelings come out.
Create a vision board – gather words and pictures of what you really want your life to look like.
Meditate – if meditation is new for you try some guided meditation. There’s lots on YouTube.
Pray – no matter your religion, connect with source, God, or your higher consciousness.
Read spiritual or inspirational books
 
My favorite is spending time outdoors, no matter what I’m doing. For me being close to nature is very satisfying and brings me great peace. I also like to physically work or clean house.
 
We are here to enjoy life. Don’t let yourself stay down very long. Use these tools to get your vibration up where it should be. Life’s purpose is the expansion of happiness. Get back up into happiness. Let me know what tools work for you to get you back into a higher vibration.
 
Photo by Fernando Brasil on Unsplash

February 14th is an unofficial holiday when many people celebrate their love for others. It’s a wonderful occasion for celebrating that love but we should not need a holiday to do so. Don’t get me wrong, I am not against Valentines Day. It is a day that reminds us to be grateful for someone special and to express that love in a way that lets them know how much they mean to us. It’s a day that reminds us of the importance of doing so. It reminds us not to take for granted the love we have for others and the love others give us.
 
Expressing feelings may be difficult for some and having Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for them to more easily show their love. I would like to challenge you to let someone know how much they mean to you everyday, not just on Valentine’s Day. This can done with words, affection, gifts, or just simple acts of kindness. One never knows how much a simple compliment or kind word or deed can mean to the receiver, how much it can brighten their day.
 
I’ll never forget the year I had been going through some difficult times. On my birthday that year I received an abundance of cards and love, from so many people that I didn’t normally receive birthday wishes from. It felt so nice. I felt loved and it was just what I needed. It stands out to me because I recognized at the time that I was receiving more than I had ever received before. We don’t need to wait for a special occasion to let someone know we’re thinking about them. We can spread love and thoughtfulness everyday, even to strangers that cross our path.
 
Everyone wants to feel love. When we feel down, one of the best things we can do for ourself is to do for others, to give in some way. We can never be deprived or suffer when doing good for another. The good we do and give always comes back to us.
 
It’s also important to remember to show yourself some love. We should love ourselves, appreciate our own goodness, and treat ourself like we would like to be treated. It’s OK to love ourself. It’s not done in an egotistical way but just with genuine care and love. Tell yourself, “I love you”. Look in the mirror and say it. It may be uncomfortable at first, but it will get easier. It’s a good daily habit to get into and will strength your self-esteem.
 
Another aspect of giving love is to also be a good receiver. Don’t push away or downplay the love someone gives you. Be gracious and receive it well. It means something to them so appreciate it. You are worthy of receiving love.
 
I appreciate those of you who follow me, read my blogs and my newsletter, and who appreciate what I share. Thank you for letting me share with you. I wish all of you a very Happy Valentine’s Day. Now, let’s continue to spread the love to others… everyday.
 
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

We use our perception every moment of the day. It’s how we look at everything in life, good or bad. Our perception is formed from our programming. Our viewpoints have been taught to us. We have accepted the thinking patterns of those we were raised around. As we learn and grow, we come to realize that our perception can change. We have the greatest of freedoms – the freedom to think, the freedom to choose our thoughts and the freedom to respond however we want.
 
We don’t have to accept and stay stuck in the programming we acquired. It is only that paradigm, that programming, that keeps us locked into a point of view. We were programmed based on someone else’s understanding and perception. Now we know better and can shift our perception.
 
It’s time you claim your freedom.  You can raise your level of awareness and look at life with new eyes, not clouded by someone else’s viewpoints. You are free to create your own viewpoint, to perceive differently.
 
When we shift our perception, we can see what we’ve never seen before. We shift our viewpoint as we shift our perception. Nothing is neither good nor bad, but our programming alters our perception to make it one way or the other. It’s not bad unless we think it’s bad. For example, you lose your job. You could let it really get you down and start worrying and fretting about your future. When you react this way, you are accepting that this is a really bad thing to happen to you. That is your perception.
 
When you shift your perception, and don’t let the negativity get into your thought, you can look for the good in what has happened. Approach it from the viewpoint of, there must be something better for me, even if it was a job you liked. It’s an opportunity to be open to receiving something better in your life when you don’t let the negativity block the good that’s coming to you. You must have an expectancy of good and know it’s waiting for you and FEEL what it’s like to have it in your life.
 
When presented with challenges, ask yourself, “How would someone else look at this challenge?” Really open your mind to look at challenges from a different viewpoint, to rise above the problems. Don’t let your own limiting beliefs keep you stuck in a certain viewpoint or perception.
 
Bob Proctor teaches that when you have a problem, write it on a piece of paper and put it in the middle of the table. This removes the problem from you and puts it out there to be viewed differently. Next, sit down on one side of the table and look at the problem from that viewpoint. Then move to the next chair and look at the problem from that viewpoint. Do this all the way around the table so you’ve had a chance to view the problem from every angle. This may seem simplistic but when you approach this properly, it opens your mind to receiving answers to solve your problem. It helps you get unstuck from thinking there’s only one way and often that’s not a very desirable way to handle it.
 
The answer to any problem is already here, it’s our perception that causes us to look at things a certain way, good or bad. You must make up your mind that you’re going to beat the challenge, expecting to find a solution. Your level of thought must rise above the problem to find the solution. You can’t find the solution or solve the problem when your thinking stays down where the problem is. You’ll never find the answer there.
 
A shift in perception can improve your life in many areas. It will free you from negative, limited thinking about many aspects of your day and your life. If you really think about the depth of how perception is used every moment, you can glimpse how a shift will truly open up a new world of possibilities for you. It can turn you down the path toward creating the life you love.
 
Practice looking for the good. Don’t be quick to react or judge. Instead, take a second to pause and ask yourself, is this a learned reaction or is it really my choice. Is my belief about this positive or negative? How can I look at this differently?
 
Exercise your power to think differently. Choose how you want to feel. Don’t just react. Choose how you want to respond. Step into your freedom of thinking and the freedom to choose. The more you practice being aware of where your perception is coming from and how it serves you, or not, the more possibilities you will become aware of. Doors will open up that you never dreamed of before. You will feel empowered as you step into your freedom and you will become unstoppable.

Photo by Mathilda Khoo on Unsplash