Tell Someone You Love Them; You Never Know What Tomorrow Brings…

Today I found out that one of my friends who was in fact my next door neighbor growing up, passed away suddenly at age of 50. We had just recently re-connected on Facebook and he took the time to reach out to me via private email. He asked me to call him to catch up which I very much wanted to do.

I never made that phone call. Not because I didn’t want to but I was in the middle of a dark moment of my own and needed to keep busy and to heal. A sad excuse to be sure. I’ll call tomorrow, I told myself, but after a few months I still hadn’t made the call.

Life is too short to dwell on the past or worry about the future. Imagine if you logged the time spent not living life to its fullest. How much time do you spend worrying about things that you have no control over? How much time do you spend lamenting about something in the past that you can’t change? How many times were you just ‘too busy’ to make the call? How much time do you spend worrying about a future that is only yours to create from the present?

This reminds me of the Harry Chapin song “Cats in the Cradle”. All those times we intend to re-connect, spend time with someone, tell someone we love them or forgive them are merely intention and while the intention is there unless you act on it, your moment might just pass; You never know if tomorrow you might not be able to do it.

Back in 1980 there was a man I re-connected with after living out of the country. It was a beautiful night, the moon was bright and the stars were shining. I so wanted to tell him I loved him but was afraid of his reaction. That night he asked me to call him in the morning. On my way home that night I decided to tell him when I saw him the next day. I called in the morning. His father answered the phone and told me he had been shot and killed after I left him. To this day if there is something I want to tell someone I tell them without fear or regret.

Life is much to short to spend it worrying. There should never be a time when you are too busy to pick up that phone and make amends, tell someone you love them or go on that lunch date. Don’t let time slip between your fingers until it’s too late. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

Live well, follow your passion, laugh often and spend real TIME with those you love. If you’ve intended on doing it, make time in your busy schedule to re-connect, reach out, forgive and tell someone you love them. How about right NOW? ~Shine Your Light Debbie

This blog is dedicated to and in memory of Alan Wolkoff. Rest in peace my friend.

SpiritLightInsight.com

Sep 9 2011

Commemorating 9/11

As the stories and images from 9/11 fill the airwaves we reflect upon not only the events of that day but how those events touched each of our lives in some way. Each and every one of us was affected in some way shape or form and each of us has a personal story about that day….

It was a beautiful sunny day in Chicago on September 11, 2001. I went out for a run and remember how the sun was playfully dancing on the grass, reflecting the crisp blue sky in the mirrored buildings and on the lake. Glancing up at the skyline and marveling at its magnificence I remember feeling happy yet at the same time, there was this nagging feeling I had to get home….

I cut my run short that morning. When I got home, I went into the kitchen ignoring the beeping of my answering machine, grabbed a cup of coffee and came back into the living room where I had left the TV on before I left. Charlie Gibson was on Good Morning America showing a clip of a plane hitting the first World Trade Center building. I thought they were showing a trailer for a new movie coming out. “Are you kidding?” I thought, “Who would make a movie like that?”

In this case, truth is clearly more horrible than fiction. I sat down and watched live as the second plane hit. I went completely numb! This was no movie! It was happening and happening NOW! I sat in stunned silence watching the events in New York, DC & Pennsylvania unfold. Yes, I remember that morning clearly even 10 years later and I’m sure I’m not the only one. All over the world people came together. There was an outpouring of love and it seemed for a moment the world came together as a family.

We honor the victims, survivors and everyone who rose in service on that day and in the days to follow. Our heroes are the firefighters and police who went well beyond the call of duty to save lives. Many of them made the ultimate sacrifice…their lives. We feel connected in some way as Americans and it does not matter if we personally knew anyone involved. We grieve and wrap our arms around all who were directly affected yet who among us was not affected?

It saddens me that in the last few weeks I’ve read about conspiracy theories and more recently that first responders, Police, Firefighters etc were not ‘invited’ to Ground Zero memorial ceremonies. I agree with the outrage. As one article put it “they weren’t invited on that day in 2001 either. They just showed up”. What would have happened if they didn’t respond until September 12th? How many more lives would have been sacrificed?

That said, this is not about a rant because I seriously think all of that must be put aside and our focus should stay on healing. It is time to put aside the judgements or we are no better than the terrorist who planned the attacks. It is time to stand tall and become a family again. For on that day in 2001 we were a family, grieving together, mourning together and watching a real life horror story.

This is a time to honor those who died and thank those in law enforcement, the Fire Department, the Military and anyone else who stepped up to go beyond the call of duty for their contributions and sacrifice on that day and since that day. It is time to embrace our loved ones and teach tolerance and love. It is a time to find peace within as we remember~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Sep 1 2011

The Risk of Shining Outweighs the Risk of Blending In!

Photo Courtesy of Lake County Forest Preserve

Making the decision to live from the truth of who you really are verses blending in with the status quo is indeed risky. It might mean people will see ALL of you even those parts where you feel you are imperfect. It might mean everyone won’t like you for speaking your mind or not giving up space to their dramas.

You can blend in, going with the flow of others instead of your own but in the end, you’ll find you are asking yourself why. When you blend in, you lose a part of yourself. For some, blending in is the very thing they need and want to do. They don’t want to upset the apple cart so to speak. They are content living their lives from the programming set up for them by parents, teachers or society. They are not wrong for wanting this and you are not wrong for wanting something different!

The rare pink katydid shown in the picture is beautiful! She runs the risk of being seen and eaten by any number of predators. Unlike the other katydids she does not blend in with the leaves for safety. She shows herself. What a shame it would be if we did not have a chance to see her! This katydid is rare and unique…just like YOU! There is no one like you anywhere and you have a contribution to make. You might not realize it but you do. We ALL do!

When you bring your rare, unique energy in to your body you stand out in a crowd. There is no camouflage and it might feel uncomfortable at first. Although standing out in a crowd, living life to the beat of your own drum is risky you will find great value in doing so. It allows you to bring forth and create a life you are passionate about living! What’s the point of living a day-to-day existence if you are not living your dream?

Deciding to be your own person may take some healing in areas of your life where you’ve lived from someone else’s picture of what or who you are. You might need to clear pain, heal past wounds or let go of being responsible for someone else’s pain. There is nothing noble or enlightened about carrying around other peoples pain and not shining so others are comfortable. You have a divine right to be here and you have a divine right to shine.

Choosing to show your true colors to the world opens up a whole new world for you! Isn’t it interesting that the rare pink katydid flourishes despite the risk of showing herself? She might be rare but she exists, proudly showing her bubblegum pink self for all to see. So to you I say; Show yourself and make your contribution to the world! Come out, come out wherever you are!~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Playing it Safe Doesn’t Serve You… (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
How will you show up in the world? (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
Live on Purpose! (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)

Aug 25 2011

A Lesson on Letting Go

Image by jah~ via Flickr

The words ‘letting go’ are thrown about as if it’s an easy thing to do. Letting go is never easy but if you shift your perspective and take time to first clear the energy that might be holding it there the process becomes a lot easier!

Letting go doesn’t mean wiping it clean from your memory banks. It is about is de-energizing an experience and taking back your energy from something you’ve given it up to. Letting go means freedom for you and whatever (whomever) you’ve held on to. You’ve heard of smothering? Well, holding on tightly feels that way so at the very least breathe!

If you are holding on to a picture or energy, all your energy is in the “holding on” and you are right in the middle of it. Not letting go takes your valuable energy away from other things like creating. It also takes up space which could be used for bringing in something wonderful. Here are a few tips for letting go…

Clear the effort: If you find yourself in effort “trying” to let go remember there’s a bigger picture. What does the situation represent? What are you or did you learn from it? Is holding on comforting because it’s so familiar? Don’t worry about what you’re actually trying to let go of. Create the intention of letting go of the EFFORT.

Say hello to fear: Let’s face it there’s fear in letting go so while in meditation identify what you are afraid of if you let go. Fear comes up when you don’t feel safe. Grounding & centering brings you into present time and makes your body safe. It also helps to find neutrality; Let go of the wanting to know why or why not.

Clear the resistance: It is common to resist an energy picture or difficult memory. If you find yourself resisting letting go of something in particular, don’t concern yourself with whatever it is. Let go of the resistance. Resistance acts a bit like glue and what you resist persists!

It might not be YOUR energy: If you find yourself trying to solve or fix an energy and it seems impossible to clear no matter what you do, it’s not YOUR energy. You can’t solve or fix energy in your space. Your energy feels good to you. It is comforting and familiar. Once you recognize an energy isn’t yours shift your focus and attention back to you. Ground and simply allow anything that isn’t you to move out.

Ask for help: There is a tendency to isolate when your inner world is in turmoil. This is precisely the time to get out there and make things real. Don’t sit at home swimming in it! Take a meditation class, get an energy healing or get a reading! (I know shameless plug )

These are only a few of the things you can do to help in the process of letting go. There is a big bright world of possibilities in both your inner and outer world to experience so GROUND, BREATHE & LET GO of the small piece your holding on to!~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Ready to De-Clutter? (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
What’s Stealing your Energy? (mpoweredopportunities.wordpress.com)
Meditation: What’s the Purpose & Benefit (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)

Aug 19 2011

Invent Your Life!

Have you ever been told (or told yourself) ’you can’t do…(something)’ or this is just the way life is? It might be followed by a reason like you’re too old, too young, too fat, too thin, not good enough or my personal favorite; This is who you are and you can’t change your lot in life. If so, it’s time to re-invent your thoughts about what you can do, the life you can create and who you can be!

You know what you want and how you would like to design your life. You are the inventor and creator! YOU are the one who has the ability to create or re-invent yourself. Do you show your amazing invention with the world? Does someone other than you hold the patent for your life? Is the patent pending, waiting for someone else’s approval?

As the inventor of your life you get to choose the direction you take and the ‘parts’ you want to include. No one can infringe on your creation unless you allow them to. You hold a patent that doesn’t need anyone else’s approval.

So often the focus is on all those things we want and don’t have or the things we wish to create yet we ‘but’ them to death with excuses as to why we can’t do it. Oh yes, the big BUT! Can you imagine what life would be like if the great inventors in history said ‘but it’s never been done, but it won’t work, but there’s no time, but it’s always been done this way, but this is just the way I am’. If they listened to all the naysayers who laughed at their ideas we certainly wouldn’t have cars, airplanes or telephones let alone the internet. These inventors had courage, strength of conviction, curiosity to try something new and the passion to keep trying. If one way didn’t work, they would try another; re-inventing until their creation finally came out as they dreamed it would.

Your life is an ongoing invention. The beauty of it is that you get to invent and re-invent yourself each day if you allow your curiosity and zest for life lead you. Give your dreams a voice and take the steps necessary to make them real. Listen to your inner voice to give you direction. Allow your creativity to flow. Raise your vibration and having-ness. Find healthy ways to heal your mind, body, spirit & soul.

“And in the end it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”~Abraham Lincoln

You have the ability to turn your life around by creating it every day. You re-invent your life by living the life YOU want regardless of your past or what anyone has said you can or can’t do AND you are only limited by your imagination. Put life in your years and ENJOY your creation! ~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Please EXcuse the exCuse’! (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
How Much Can You Have? (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
It Takes Courage to Heal (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)

Aug 3 2011

Life is a BEACH are you Having Fun?

While walking along a quaint little street in Cape May New Jersey I came across a bed & breakfast that had these shells on the fence. Each shell had a different saying and when I saw the one you see on this blog it reminded me, as I hope it will remind you, that although there are times of challenge and growth, life really is like a beach and you get to play in the sand!

So many times we get caught up in day-to-day challenges, worrying about the future, or trying to resolve the past we forget to have FUN! Life is cyclical like the ebb and flow of the tides. Sometimes there are storms that churn the waters and destroy those beautiful sandcastles you’ve built. You can dwell on the destruction or you can choose to notice that the sand you built them with is still there. It is merely smoothed out so you can build a bigger and better sandcastle!

What if every day you went to the beach to play in the sand? Do you approach each day looking forward to it as much as you look forward to a vacation? Do you watch with neutrality & amusement and stand your ground as the waves hit the shore or do you get swept out to sea?

There is so much life to experience, so why not have fun doing it? If you haven’t been having much fun these days, why not? Where is your attention? Are you remembering to have fun? If you’re not having any fun it’s time to explore how you choose to view your beach. Do you see it as a place with sand that gets everywhere constantly needing to be brushed off or a place to create sand castles?

Are the impending storms a thing of beauty or is there fear of the destruction? Are you protecting your beach and hanging on so successfully that there are limits to having fun or what you can build? While life isn’t always a bed of roses, you were born on this earth, at this particular time, for a reason. If you consider each moment a learning experience and let go of the stuff that doesn’t feel good you will soon be having fun and playing in the sand again.

It is that which you hold on to and how you choose to experience it that makes the difference. You can’t contain the ocean or control the weather. The sun rises and sets each day. There is flow and movement whether you want it or not. You can fight the waves and struggle or you can play in the sand. You can explore the coral reefs or you can be swallowed up by the waters.

Life is indeed a beach! Choose to play in the sand and build sand castles. Choose to let go of those things you have no control over, learn from them and experience life playing and having fun in the sand. Life isn’t a ‘bitch’ it’s a BEACH and I’m just playing in the sand. How about you?~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

How To Build A Sandcastle (superdoodadsblog.wordpress.com)
Playing in Your Sandbox (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
Choose Your Adventure (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)

Jul 6 2011

Please EXcuse the exCuse’!

How many times in your life have you asked someone to excuse you? Asking to be excused is a form of politeness and in some cases, like when you were in school and needed to be excused from class, you brought a note from your parents.

The english language is tricky if it is not your mother tongue but it is interesting that the same word is used to pardon or release someone AND to offer a reason for something you cannot or won’t do. Have you ever taken note of how many times you say “excuse me” or how many “excuses” you make each day?

Who or what are you exactly excusing and to whom? Are you somehow justifying or rationalizing something to yourself in the process? Do you find yourself making excuses for someone else? More importantly are you being truthful when you are asking to be excused or making the excuse? If you take ownership of the things you do or say there is no need for an excuse! Ownership means taking responsibility for your actions, words, and choices and how they may have affected someone else…or possibly even how the excuses you make affect your own life.

Being polite is wonderful and I’m sure you’ll agree that we try to be polite to each other but when you excuse and make excuses to yourself you are not taking ownership of a decision that consciously or unconsciously you have made. Exploring WHY you chose a particular word, action (or inaction), or why you made a certain choice leads you to learning more about yourself. Taking an inner journey and becoming aware of the “why” opens the door to change those things you wish to change. Why did you say or not say this or that? Why did you choose that action or inaction? Why did you make that particular choice at all?

Every thought, deed or action has a learning experience tied to it. Your awareness and ownership of the choices you make can lead you on a very interesting journey of the soul. You don’t have to change for others and in fact it’s not a good plan to try to fit in with the status quo because it doesn’t come from your heart; If however there are things you’d like to change about yourself, look within to see the foundation that you built those choices upon.

Did YOU build that foundation? Is it built on your truth? Who was the contractor who helped you build it or have you built that foundation on outdated habits and/or ego? It may be that the foundation of the choices you make excuses for today was laid or programmed by someone else yet you’ve built upon that foundation for so long, it has become a part of your reality!

This is not about being right or wrong in a situation. It’s about owning your choices and taking responsibility for them. If you make a mistake own it and learn from it. Clear the energy, the guilt and forgive yourself. Once the light of awareness illuminates an excuse consider it an opportunity to learn and heal.

So please excuse the excuse! Take ownership of your life and stop making excuses! If you find yourself making excuses for (to) yourself or someone else in your life own them, forgive yourself and meditate on why. YOU have the power to change, heal and create a better YOU when and if you choose to take responsibility! ~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

Excuses, excuses (love-simple.com)
The Benefits of ‘Home’ Ownership (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
Resolve to Evolve (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
Be Gentle with Yourself (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)

Jun 20 2011

Honor What You’ve Been Through

This post was inspired by a recent very insightful reading session

In life there are events that have a profound transformational effect on our lives. It could be an illness/disease, an injury, an accident, sudden death of a loved one, a major upheaval or uncovering truth about a person, a relationship or situation. Often times these events are traumatic and take years to recover from and heal.

The tendency when a major event happens is to ask ‘how did’ or ‘why did’ this or that happen. Sometimes we dwell on it or become a victim to it and other times we pack it away and ignore it altogether because we are just trying to put the pieces back together, make sense of it all and return to a ‘normal’ life.

It’s important to remember that the cathartic events in our lives are pivotal and lead to true healing and transformation. These events hit so hard that you have no choice but to open your eyes to the fact that you will no longer be able to live your life ‘business as usual’. They cause you to change direction and more often than not this reality shift is very positive even if it doesn’t feel like it while you are going through it.

Once you have acknowledged and accepted what has happened and you begin to see the ‘light at the other end of the tunnel’ it is time to embrace and honor the enormity of what you just went through. Letting go and then taking back your energy and power is only a part of the healing process. Honoring that you’ve just been through something, allowing yourself to process and feel your feelings about it is just as important as letting go and moving on!

It’s not so much about honoring the experience in detail but that you’ve actually come through something SO big that it rocked your world to the very core. This is precisely the time to be extra gentle with yourself, rest and meditate more. You may need to forgive yourself if you blame yourself and think it’s your fault for not being able to control the situation or that you somehow could have prevented it from happening in the first place.

Cathartic events are gifts! They open your eyes and make you realize what is really important to you! They offer you a chance to see with clarity how strong you are! They give you the opportunity to know you can persevere, change and heal those things which you have control over; Your energy, your thoughts and how you live your life.

If you are in the middle of one of these major life changing events remember that it’s always darkest before the dawn and this too shall pass. Once it has passed, honor that what you’ve been through has forever effected and changed your mind, body & spirit. Decide to move forward with renewed strength, fortitude and the knowledge you’ve just received!~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

You can’t do it for someone else….. (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
Spiritual Expansion – Honor Where You Are What does this mean? (angelladytm.wordpress.com)
It’s ALWAYS Darkest Before the Dawn (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)

Jun 16 2011

You can’t do it for someone else…..

All healing is self-healing and no matter how hard you try there are just some journeys that you are not meant to walk with someone else. You can understand, empathize, listen and be a good friend but you can’t heal everyone nor can you do it for them.

Taking on someone else’s pain and getting angry because they can’t or don’t want to heal in the same way as you will only make you frustrated not to mention, your attention and energy will be in their space. It will not only make them uncomfortable but they will resist even the best of intentions.

In this situation, it is best to find your neutrality and heal yourself first by seeking to understand what it is within YOU that wants to control someone else’s healing process. The difficulties and challenges that one person faces are very different from those of another and who is to say what internal process another person is going through.

Everyone heals in their own time…

To you it may not look like someone is healing if they are taking longer to do it than you would. Each of us makes our way as it is meant to be and the process takes as long as it takes. There is no time frame. It may take a day for one person, a week for another or a lifetime for someone else. Taking a step back to honor and respect the healing journey of another is the most loving thing you can do.

It’s easy to see the answer for someone else if you have not walked in their shoes. There may be a very good reason they are taking their time. Furthermore if you had a similar experience the answer YOU found to heal is not necessarily THEIR answer. If you have judgement about how to do it or how long it should take, it invalidates the person AND the healing that is already in process! Always take time to really see how much progress has been made.

Each of us must take responsibility for our own energy and healing process. Each of us has the ability to find our own answers. Heal yourself and honor the journey of others. Support and love those who are healing without judgement. Be there to offer a kind word, a warm hug, an ear to listen. Heal yourself to show someone else it is possible to heal. That my friends is how you CAN do it for someone else!~Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

It Takes Courage to Heal… (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
One small change, changes EVERYTHING! (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)
Healing those who don’t want it (dailymuse.spiritlightinsight.com)

Jun 7 2011

One small change, changes EVERYTHING!

“Life is an ever shifting kaleidoscope: A slight change and all patterns alter.”~ Sharon Salzberg

A kaleidoscope is a circle of mirrors containing colored objects and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other end creates a colorful pattern, due to the reflection off the mirrors. The word “kaleidoscope” is derived from the Ancient Greek καλ(ός) (beauty, beautiful), είδο(ς) (form, shape) and -σκόπιο (tool for examination)—hence “observer of beautiful forms. (Wikipedia)

Like a kaleidoscope, on an energy level there are many different patterns, colors and vibrations that are uniquely yours. There is your original essence, the vibration and light that you came into this world with, the various vibrations you tune in to and energy centers that spin (chakras) which create your personal energy field (aura). Everything works together as a fine tuned unit and when you heal or make changes in any one area it has a direct effect on all the others.

What does it mean to heal?

On your life’s journey you are affected by and take on energies and programming that are not yours. There are also patterns that continue to repeat until you acknowledge and change them. Clearing out the energies, patterns and in fact, anything not yours is what it means to heal. You may want to heal several areas however to heal you don’t have to do everything all at once.

Your energy system works much like the mirrors in a kaleidoscope; Light & vibration hit the mirror and reflect out to illuminate, brighten and shift everything around it.

Healing and change can be overwhelming because once you begin you must face your fears, let go and clear out repeating patterns and take ownership of your life. When you break it down and consciously work on one small part instead of all at once, you will notice shifts. One simple meditation that creates tremendous healing is to simply bring yourself into present time. Physical activity will connect you with your body more. Changing bad habits into healthy good ones, giving up addictions or adopting a daily meditation practice empowers you.

Profound changes happen in your life when you clear out anything that is not what you originally came here with. Look through your kaleidoscope and turn the wheel. See the different vibrations and light of YOU! Become an “observer of beautiful form”…the beautiful form that is YOU reflected back! This is a no effort healing from the inside out!

Your energy is “an ever shifting kaleidoscope: A slight change and all patterns alter.”~ Shine Your Light Debbie

SpiritLightInsight.com

More Inspiration on the web:

Debra is a gifted clairvoyant reader, spiritual healer and intuitive coach providing insight and guidance to clients around the world. Based in Chicago, Debra also leads meditation workshops that help people awaken to their own truth and spiritual gifts. To schedule a session or for more information on readings and workshops please visit her website or send an email request to Debra@SpiritLightInsight.com

Daily Muse

A Clairvoyant Look at Everyday Life

Category Archives: healing

Tell Someone You Love Them; You Never Know What Tomorrow Brings…

Commemorating 9/11

The Risk of Shining Outweighs the Risk of Blending In!

A Lesson on Letting Go

Invent Your Life!

Life is a BEACH are you Having Fun?

Please EXcuse the exCuse’!

Honor What You’ve Been Through

You can’t do it for someone else…..

One small change, changes EVERYTHING!

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