dailydatewithgod

My favorite made up synonym for perfectionism is stuckism.  Because that is exactly what it is.  When I am being perfectionist I am in fear that I need to get it right, make the right decision, and there is no room for mistakes.  Of course, when I stop and pay attention to what I am doing I see the absurdity.  Most decisions I make are not the be all end all of everything.  Usually, they just lead to a different set of decisions to be made next.  The point it is to choose something and go from there.  I can make the best decision given the information and insight that I have at that moment.  The key for me is trusting that whatever happens I did my best and I will be okay no matter the outcome.  I think my reluctance to make a decision or perfectionism comes from a deep seeded fear that I will step into territory where I will lose myself or not be able to make my way back. Clearly I think I am much more powerful than I am.  But when I am entrenched in this fear I am not able to see the absurdity and I get stuck.  There is no God in this equation.  The experience I am having is all in my head and I am only relying on my own resources.  If that is the reality then yes, it makes sense that I get stuck.  Maybe it is an imprint on my brain from childhood experiences of fear, maybe it doesn’t matter where it comes from.  The most important thing for me today is to recognize that life is about making decisions and as a child of God and an instrument of God, things will go smoother if I involve him in the process.  Now, I still need to use my brain as God is not going to send me a lightning bolt telling me what to do. And, if I get quiet enough I might hear that still soft voice that says, “Hey Colleen, I got you on this one.”  In other words, whatever happens as a result of my decision, I will not have to face it alone.  It’s always nice to know you’ve got back up. 😉  My prayer for you today is when faced with a decision big or small that you stop and connect with your heart (God) and know that you are not alone in this decision.  Make it a great one! Peace~Colleen

Everyone on this planet has something to contribute.  Every creature, every movement of energy, every thing that exists has a purpose.  The reason that you are here on this earth is because you have a gift to give.  Do you know what that gift is?  One way to discover it is to pay attention to those things that bring you joy.  What are the things that you do or way of being that you have that make your heart sing?  It is typically something in which you will experience a timelessness.  Some people refer to it as being in the groove.  This not only includes specific talents but also ways of being.  Think back to compliments that you have been given–thanks for listening, what a great smile, you make me laugh, what great insight, etc.  Those simple ways of being make a contribution on a daily basis and those two are things to celebrate about you.  God did not gift us to then run and hide from those things.  Those are the very things that glorify God.  So listen for your heart and your spirit when you are involved in something because when you are being those gifts there is no other place you would rather be.  My prayer for you today is that you listen and celebrate who you are as God for the world.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

Life is more than what happens.  Life is about what I perceive about what is happening.  Two people can be present at the same event and have two completely different experiences.  This is because we each create our own meaning about what is happening.  We have no control over the reality of what actually happens but we have control over our thinking about what happens.  For me it’s about turning my attitude around if it is causing me pain.  I used to think I had a high tolerance for pain but found out that was because I was pretty numbed out.  When I am fully present to what is happening in my life I find out that I am actually very sensitive.  Last week, I was facing a long day at work and I was tired from the day before so I knew that I would be particularly sensitive and to be on guard not to take anything to heart.  There was some joking in the office and before I knew it I was feeling defensive and uptight. In that moment, I had enough presence of mind to stop to stop and remind myself that it was not about me and to let it go.  I asked God to help me to turn my thinking around.  Funny how the rest of the day went better.  If my thinking is working for me, then I have not reason to change it.  But if I am suffering because of how I am perceiving the situation in front of me, then I need a turn-around.  My prayer for you today is when you find that your thinking is not working, stop and asked God for a turn-around.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

Reality is what we are looking at each day.  Our relationships, our occupations, our bodies, our possessions, our ideas, etc. are all our day-to-day reality.  It is easy to look at them and think that is all there is especially given that so much of our time and energy is spent on these elements of our lives.  If they are not the way we want them to be or think they “should” be then we either fantasize about how they would be different or we take action to make them different.  Given how much time and energy we spend on our thoughts about our circumstances it is easy to get caught up in lack of acceptance.  But how much greater would our energy be spent by being fully present to what we are experiencing and enjoy it or grow from it.  Sometimes, I just need to set aside my thoughts and get in and get involved in my life.  My prayer for you today is when you find yourself dissatisfied by your circumstances, step into them fully and try them out before working towards changing them.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

I was reminded very recently of how during the first 7-8 years of our lives we are being imprinted.  All our experiences place brain patterns of how life is to be in everything.  This is designed for our survival.  So, the good news is that we have what we need to survive anything and we have.  But given that most of us are not needing to worry about running from bears or having enough food to maintain us through hibernation or ensure the propagation of the planet, our survival instincts may be slightly out of proportion.  In fact, as we grow older in this modern world, we may realize that the patterns for survival are actually hindering a fuller life experience.  So when we embark on a spiritual journey to right our souls calling with our day-to-day life, we find ourselves in conflict with some of those well-grooved patterns.  Not only will we need God’s help to create new patterns but we will be required to be very patient with ourselves.  We have had many many years of practicing life in auto-mode, changes will not happen overnight.  We will need to be patient with ourselves and trust that the process we are going through is also the gift.  The journey is the destination.  Within ourselves we have the true reality of who we are which is neither our brain patterns or our outside experience.  Who we truly are is love, so we must demonstrate love and patience with ourselves as we reconnect to our core and let go of the ego-identities that we have created for survival.  For those who have chosen to embark on this valiant journey, thank you. We cannot do this alone.  My prayer for you today is that when you find yourself on automatic pilot and want to be frustrated, just stop, acknowledge what has happened, say thank you for being able to see it and step forward in the next moment with love for where you are.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

Stop, breathe, take a moment.  These are words that run through my head sometimes several times per day depending on how frenetic I am feeling.  I have had the privilege the last few days to spend a lot of time in the hospital and medical clinics where I work.  They are there everyday but the arena in which I work does not have me in the thick of it all day after day.  It definitely gave me an even greater respect for the doctors and nurses and support staff who work with all these sick people day in and day out.  I am not sure if it is being a sensitive soul but it was hard to look at the faces of all the people suffering.  The energy was palpable and overwhelming at times.  At the end of the day I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry my eyes out.  I was not in a position to help these people.  What I do assists those who do help them directly, but I was helpless to help those who were in pain.  That is a defeating feeling.  So I asked God, what can I do so that I don’t spend another day of my life feeling helpless to those faces that seem to cry out “soothe me.”  Then it struck me as I was walking through the hospital the next day. “Smile Colleen.”  Of course, my mind simply rebuffed, “Smile? What good is that going to do, they are not smiling.”  Then I remembered, it wasn’t about what they were doing, it was about what I could give.  So I began to smile at all the people who I passed, there were even a few that smiled back.  When I began to give what I could, I was no longer drained by my experience.  I was able to soothe others by being who I could best be in that situation.  I don’t know if it made a difference for them, but it reminded of the simple ways that we can be a light and shine God’s presence in the most unassuming ways.  My prayer for you today is that you find a way to bring what gifts you have to soothe someone else.  Do it whether or not they will receive it. As Mother Theresa said, “do it anyway.”:

Life is a series of letting go.  We become very attached to the world in which we live, the bodies we inhabit, the things we accumulate, the titles we receive, the relationships we are in, the labels we give ourselves in those relationships–sister, wife, brother, father, etc.  These are all good and wonderful elements of being human.  When we take a step back or rather inward–ultimately we see that those things are outside of ourselves and do not bring us the lasting peace that our hearts desire.  Fulfilling our hearts desire means connecting to who we really are and recognizing that these elements we are attached to are simply vehicles through which to live out our spiritual journey.  Thus all that time we spent building up these roles and stories must be placed in perspective and let go of.  This requires a surrender and the surrender requires God.  My prayer for you today is that you take a closer look at which part of your life you are most attached to and ask yourself who would you be if you were not that–just explore.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

We have full and busy days in which we complete tasks and make decisions.  We are probably more productive than people were 100 years ago given how much we can do because of technology and science.  We live in amazing times.  Each day new discoveries and cures are being made and new inventions to make our lives easier and even more productive.  It is funny then that it is the little stuff that causes us to stop and pay attention.  I can almost hear the warning from Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it.”  Very ominous words from a prankster high school kid who played hookey one day.  He does have a point though. Often we go through our day with our list of things to do and we are so committed to accomplishing our tasks that we don’t see what is right in front of our noses.  We miss really connecting with others and looking them in their eyes because we don’t have time.  It is only when we get stuck in traffic or our phone stops working that we approach life a little differently.  This little mishaps are our greatest gifts because they awaken us to the fact that we are not in charge and it is good to slow down.  One of the many gifts of daily time with God is that it gives me an opportunity to start my day in a space of no time (even though I set a timer on my meditation time ;).  It is during that time that I reconnect to a space of rhythm and life that surpasses time.  I have found over the years is it allows me space throughout my day to be mindful of how I am spending my time and where my attention is. There is always time to pause.  My prayer for you today is to take a moment and ask yourself, if there was no time limit or deadline, would I do what I am planning on doing today? Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

Life is about the little moments.  Yesterday I was facing another long work day after not having a day off in over a week and as positive as I was trying to be and grateful I was not “feeling” it.  During one of the first encounters I had assisting someone, I felt my whole attitude shift because I laughed during the course of the interaction.  I saw a poster that made me smile and I was able to assist him and answer some questions.  It really is true that when we get out of ourselves, things get better.  I was able to focus on being of service instead of what I wasn’t liking or feeling.  I think this happens because it is in those moments we experience love.  It is a time of grace to see others and to serve others.  When we do that we get to be like God=love.  My prayer for you today is that if you are experiencing lack of acceptance or any type of discontent that you reach for an opportunity to serve another and receive the gift of being love in that moment.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

When I feel thrown about by life, I have to stop and ask myself what am I putting my faith in.  The question is not why am I not trusting, but what is causing me to be out of alignment with my own heart.  Within our hearts lies the knowledge of who we are, where we come from and where we are going.  If we spend too much time in our heads it is easy to lose sight of the big picture.  I then begin to think it is up to me to figure it all out.  Time spent with God reconnects me to my own heart and allows me to continue to trust in the greater plan for my life that my Creator has designed for me in love.  Then when I face disheartening situations, I do not becomes disconnected from my own heart.  My prayer for you today is that you be reconnected to the trust in the goodness of yourself and your creator when you experience situations that challenge that.  Make it a great one! Peace~Colleen