I started with regular meditation, moved into visualization and now I am doing transcendental mediation. It’s life changing. It doesn’t happen over night, or even in a couple of days, a week or month. It happens because something in you starts to let go and just allow things to unfold. It happens because you start doing things you’ve never done before. You start finding courage in place you never knew existed. You start saying yes and why not?

It happens organically, naturally and over time. You have clarity and make decisions based on a part of your brain that you’ve failed to use before and the results are magnificent to say the least.

In Luke 17:20-21 it says, “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation;  nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.“

I never got this, until I got this. Everything we need is right inside of us. Whatever you’re searching for or looking for it’s all within you. You don’t have to go any further. You just have to get to a place where you’re able to receive the information and accept it.

Here’s what I do: I meditate daily for 20 minutes, twice a day, I do longevity energetics, which is similar to qi gong for 15 minutes a day. I am grateful for everything in my life. If I see a butterfly, I know it’s my mom, whom passed away when I was younger, sending it to me and I am grateful for it.

If I get to paddle board, I am grateful for the feeling of peace, comfort and athletic prowess that allows me to paddle board. If I do yoga on the beach, I am grateful for the amazing people that I’ve met and for my flexibility and strength.

If I am in my dance class, I am grateful that it makes me feel so alive.

Basically, I see miracles when no one else does. Even rejection because I know it’s God’s protection. The more you do this along with meditation, the more your mind begins to change. Be present. Enjoy the moment.

Don’t worry about tomorrow or yesterday, all you have is right now. Whatever it is you’re doing right now, do it well. I pray like nobody’s business. I pray if I need guidance and/or help that day. I pray if I can’t sleep. I pray to make the right decisions and to touch the right people. Lastly, find the things that make you happy and keep doing them over and over again. For me it’s dancing, paddle boarding, traveling and being with my family and friends. Get out of your head with the self judgments that you will look stupid or you’re not skinny enough or you’re too awkward. No one cares and even if they do WGAF (Who gives a fu**?!)–we’re all that way.

Instead of people pleasing and trying to appease everyone, I only do things that make me happy, that are fun and that I am passionate about. I’ve adopted the attitude WGAF because if you’re going to worry about what other people think of you, you’re going to wait your whole life to become the person that is authentically you. I wasted a lot of time thinking if I was only skinny enough, when I have a boyfriend, when I have more money, when this person let’s me, blah, blah, blah. That list you have, do it now. Don’t wait. The more afraid you are of something, the more you should do it.

At first, you’ll suck and you’ll probably be embarrassing but WGAF, who cares? Do it anyway. You’ll get better and eventually you’ll look like a rock star and feel like one too because you’ll have overcome your limitations.

Some people use yoga, Tai Chi, martial arts, religion, meditation, prayer, and whatever else is out there. Whatever it is, if it works for you, it’s the right way. Don’t compare yourself to other people or try to run somebody else’s race because you’ll fail miserably. Do what works for you. The bottom line is try it and do it for a while and if it works, then you know you’re onto something. I still have challenges and I go thru stuff, especially most recently with the diagnosis of cancer, to one of my closest family members. However, once you have tools, and you change your mind and outlook, you no longer are attached to the outcome.

I can quote the bible, Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu and Carl Jung all in one foul swoop and I am not afraid to be me. For the first time, I can just be me.

That’s it people. Just be you. Find that which allows you to be you. Don’t ever give up on your dreams or allow someone to tell you that you can’t do something, because you can. That desire/passion that you have inside of you to do that thing that you’ve been waiting on is your soul’s desire to expand and grow. Everything I’ve wanted in my life, thus far, I’ve made it happen.

In the beginning, it seems impossible, but if you don’t give up, it’ll happen. When you have a good heart, pure intentions and a desire to help people, it’ll happen.

As biggie smalls sings, “You know very well who you are, Don’t let em hold you down, reach for the stars, if you don’t know, now you know…”