The Navigator

Archive for November, 2008

“You can complain because roses have thorns; or you
can rejoice because thorns have roses”—Ziggy

What is a complaint anyway? There are statements of fact and then there are complaints. So what’s the difference?

Facts are neutral, complaints are charged with negativity. Here are some examples:

“It’s hot today” [FACT]
“I am so tired of this hot weather; will it ever cool off?” [COMPLAINT]

“I feel tired” [FACT]
“I’m so tired!!!! [COMPLAINT]

“She’s wearing a green sweater and purple pants” [FACT]
“I can’t believe she’d wear that ugly outfit” [COMPLAINT]

“This food is cold.” [FACT]
“This food is really cold. I can’t believe they can’t get it right.” [COMPLAINT]

There are times when we are just stating a fact and that’s ok. It’s how we do it and where we go from there that matters. How long an you go without complaining?

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.”

Denis Waitley
Isn’t that the truth? I have been in a state of gratitude for the entire day today and these past couple of months I feel just truly happy to be alive. These are exciting times and I find my family closer than ever (we are even cooking meals and eating together which hasn’t happened much for years – at least not where I was the one cooking) and work is going wonderfully and, most importantly, I’m having fun! Isn’t that what it’s all about?

What’s going right in your world?

Often our conversations are centered around the weather, the price of gas (good or bad), the economy or some other newsworthy topic. While a little of this is not a big deal, I have become increasingly aware that I hunger for more.

I long for conversations about our hopes and dreams. Conversations about our deepest passions. About our most intimate struggles in life….Something I rarely find.

Why is it so hard to share those intimate pieces of ourselves? Why must we spend our time talking about things of little value?

I had the opportunity to spend last Saturday night with good friends and enjoyed the flow of conversation. Yes, some of it was light and fluffy but we also talked about things coming from the depths of our soul.

I invite each of you to tell one person this week one of your many dreams and desires in your life. I’d love to hear how the conversaiton goes. Have a wonderful week.

Last night my husband noticed that it appeared I had a leak in my car, transmission fluid. I called this morning to the dealership where I purchased the vehicle and asked them if I could get it in to be looked at. I told them I’d need a loaner vehicle while it was in the shop.

They could get me in today but didn’t have any regular loaners available so they offered me a different car which was fine with me. I dropped my car off and asked about a couple of maintenance items it needed soon and they said they could take care of those as well.

Before I left, the Service Advisor gave me his card and said he’d be caring for my car while they had it and I could contact him if I needed anything or had any questions. Yes, he said “caring”.

Off I went to the mall thinking I was going to spend all afternoon hanging out with my daughter. Within 2 hours my car was done and I was back there picking it up (fully washed and vacuumed), paying a bill that was less than they told me it would be.

Now that’s customer service! I share this because in a time that many people find challenging, tempers are often short, people have higher levels of stress, etc. Sometimes all it takes to make someone’s day is a kind word and a smile. They sure made my day enjoyable.

Have you gone anywhere lately where you received great service? Have you done anything special for someone else lately? How about for yourself?

When we come to it
We must confess that we are the possible…
We are the miraculous, the true wonders of this world
Free to choose our ends, and our new beginnings
That is when, and only when…
We come to it.
Maya Angelou
American Author, Poet and Actress
What are your thoughts about this poem?

One of my favorite quotes is this one…

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

—-from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.

Even though it is one of my favorites, I have been very afraid to live it. I didn’t feel safe.

We are living in great times where we can be whoever we want to be and wonderful things are happening around us. It is time to completely embrace all that you are and share it with the world. By allowing your light to shine, you really do give others permission to do the same.

Isn’t that what you want for everyone around you? I know I do. I pulled a card from Doreen Virtue’s new deck called Angel Therapy (a beautiful deck if you haven’t seen it) and it was the card of the Solar Plexus Chakra. The Chakra that governs our sense of personal power.

The card suggests calling on Archangel Michael and asking for his help with this… “Archangel Michael, I call upon you now. Please cut any cords of fear from my solar plexus to anyone whom I’ve given my power away to.”

It also says it is safe for us to be powerful and take charge in our life. I am going to do a meditation before bed tonight calling on Archangel Michael’s help and I invite you to do the same if this is a challenge for you. Let’s all embrace our greatness starting now!

Expectation sets you up to be disappointed, while intention frees you to focus on the moment. When you expect you are in waiting mode hoping others will perform just the right moves to make you feel loved. In intention you are proactive and accountable for your own love quota. When you expect you do all the thinking and deciding by yourself. There is no connection instead guilt and insecurity lead the way and no one wins. But when you live with intention you know you are not alone in any relationship. ~Rhonda Britten, Fearless Loving