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June 17, 2009
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Dear Friend,
Well, this week is another article related to happiness.
Yes, I am going to be talking about how to let go of intentions so that
they have maximum organizing power. Interestingly, this has quite a lot
to do with happiness, as I will explain. The more happiness we can
cultivate in the present moment, the easier it is to let go. And the
more we let go, the easier it is to be happy. It is a circular process.
Be happy, let go. Let go, be happy. Back and forth, back and forth, like
waves breaking on the beach and then flowing back out to sea. (Yes, as
you can probably tell from the metaphor, I am spending some time near
the ocean, as I enjoy my new home in San Diego. It is finally getting
sunny after a month covered in fog!) Keep reading for specific tips on
how to be happy and let go, how to let go and how to be happy...
Peace, Love, and Beauty,
Sarah Maria
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Happiness: A Moment-by-Moment Feeling of Well-being
I have come to discover through personal experience that happiness
is a moment-by-moment event. Happiness is not some fixed state, but
it is an ongoing process. What do we even mean by happiness? Here is
one definition that I like a lot: Happiness is a moment-by-moment
feeling of well-being.
As human beings, we are constantly searching for this feeling that
we call happiness. All living organisms desire to feel good and are
constantly searching for how to feel good. Unfortunately, when we
are not feeling good, and often chronically not feeling good, we
usually turn to destructive habits, such as over-eating,
over-drinking, over-TV watching. We become tense and frustrated. The
worse we feel, the worse decisions we make, and the less we get what
we want in life. And then the worse we feel. Pretty frustrating,
right?
Fortunately, there is a way out. And it starts with generating
feelings of well-being. These feelings of well-being can be just a
thought away. We can make choices as subtle as picking another
thought to improve our state of mind. We can also take actions that
will help improve our mood.
So how does all of this relate to Intention? Intentions are most
effective when you set the intention, and then get out of the way.
Let the universe handle the details. The universe will orchestrate
the fulfillment of your desires, but if you are attempting to
control the outcome, you will completely miss the orchestration that
the universe is conducting.
Now for many of you who have been pursuing a spiritual path for a
while, this is not news. Spiritual teachers have been sharing this
news for years. And yet a question I hear over and over again is:
How do I let go? It is a question that is usually asked with angst
and frustration: How to heck to I let go of something I really,
really want? How can I get what I want if I let go? Won't I lose my
desire? Won't I not get it? Isn't the whole point of fulfilling my
desire having the desire in the first place? And how am I supposed
to let go of it anyway?
I understand the frustration - I really do. I have been in a similar
place. Yet I have discovered a beautiful thing: you really
can let
go. And the more you let go, the more you can allow, the easier
everything will be and the more you can allow the universe to handle
the details for you.
So here are a few suggestions on how to let go, and I am going to
tie it back into happiness:
* Know that you can change your story any time, any place.
When you find yourself stuck on something, a negative thought, a
negative feeling, a negative behavior, remind yourself that you can
drop it, that you can let go of it, and then focus on feeling good.
In that moment, what could you do to make yourself feel good? What
will make you feel good will change depending on the circumstance,
but always ask yourself what will make me feel good right now? Here
are some suggestions that I have been using in my own life:
- Step away from the computer! Seriously, technology is amazing, but
when you spend long hours in front of one, it is important to take a
break and make sure there is more to life than the virtual.
- Get outside. A brisk walk in the sunshine, even if for a few
minutes, can do wonders for your mood.
- Spend time with friends. Loving human interaction has a tremendous
impact on all areas of health.
- Focus on creating time for what you enjoy. It might be music; it
might be exercise; it might be reading, and it is probably a
combination of many things. Remind yourself that your feeling good
is important - the better you feel, the more you can give, and the
greater impact you can make in the world.
Sometimes we can't change what we are doing - we have kids to take
care of, parents to take care of, health challenges, economic
realities, whatever they may be. When you find yourself in a
situation you can't change, shift your focus to being. Realize that
you are not a human thinking, nor a human feeling, nor a human
doing, but a human being. Picture an infant who is simply happy to
be (when they are not crying, that is.) Shift your focus to being,
and think about someone or something that you love. It could be a
person, a pet, a place, anything that generates a feeling of love in
your heart. Then focus on that. The feeling of love and affection
immediately creates that feeling of well-being, and you can carry it
with you wherever you are, whatever the circumstance. You can repeat
the following mantra to remind yourself:
Being Love, Being Love, Being Love
Love Being, Love Being, Love Being
Over time you will discover that this is all you ever need - to be
love. And the more you feel love in your heart, the more you reside
in this place of well-being, the greater your ability to let go of
your desires, and the more you let go, the more you will allow the
universe to give back.
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Free to Love, Free To Heal by Dr. David Simon
I am so excited to be able to tell you about the book I am reading
this week! It is called Free to Love, Free to Heal and is by a doctor I
respect and admire tremendously. It is written by Dr. David Simon who is
the co-founder of the Chopra Center for Well-being and Deepak Chopra's
business partner. He is a physician who has been at the forefront of
combining modern western medicine with ancient wisdom and healing for
decades. His book shows you how to heal your body by healing your
emotions.
In my experience, negative and painful emotions are one of the primary
causes of ill-health, physically, mentally, and spiritually. If you have
any emotional pain that you are struggling with, I recommend this book
without hesitation. Buy it for yourself; buy it for a friend. You will
be glad you did!
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Sarah Maria is a body-image expert and teacher who can help you
discover the beauty that you already are so that you can create a
body and a life that you truly love. Her first book, Love Your
Body, Love Your Life, is being published by Adams Media and
will be available for purchase in November '09. She combines ancient
spiritual wisdom with modern science and shows you, step-by-step,
how to pacify your mind, heal your heart, befriend your body, and
transform your life.
She has studied with the leading experts in health, spirituality,
personal development, and success, including Deepak Chopra,
physician Dr. David Simon (co-founder of the Chopra Center for
Well-being in Carlsbad, CA), Dr. Wayne Dyer, Jack Canfield, renowned
Ayurvedic physician Vasant Lad, and many others. She is a lover of
eastern philosophy and spiritual wisdom and passionately shares
these teachings that have so transformed her own life.
Before founding Break Free Beauty, Sarah Maria received her law
degree from Stanford University and her Master's in International
Affairs from Columbia University in NYC. She has lived and traveled
throughout Latin America, and has also visited many countries around
the world. Her greatest passion is helping people discover the
beauty and the greatness that resides inside so they can live from
this place of grandeur, transforming themselves and the world.
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© 2009 Break Free Beauty by Sarah Maria. All rights Reserved. |
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