Most of us start out feeling fresh at the beginning of a new year. We get our plans, activities, intentions, and goals written down and then, unfortunately sometimes a few months into it, and as our calendars and lives fill up, those resolutions begin to lose a little steam, if not outright go by the wayside. We live in a busy world with so many wonderful and life-enhancing activities to choose from on a daily basis.

Choice is a great thing. It gives us opportunity and variety, but it also has a cloudy side: too many choices can add to our overall busy-ness by causing us to take on too much. It can cause us to lose sight of our ultimate goals, and can lead to mental vapor lock. With so many voices and BSO’s (bright shiny objects) vying for our attention how can we choose wisely and well?

When I start getting too much on my plate, I use the “good, better, best” filtering system. This system is a tool that helps me achieve my goals and aspirations, because some things we have to just let go or not go after because although they may be good, or even better, we are going for the best goal!

Since there is never enough time for all the good things you’d love to do, you need to choose wisely, and choose things that match up with the goals you’ve set for yourself. In a more general sense, they should line up with your core values as a human being. Often, this alone will help you weed out a good many choices with very little trouble.

Set aside some writing/journaling time to prioritize what’s in your life at the moment. Write out a list of all the important elements in your life, such as family, work, education, hobbies, church, activism, self-improvement, etc. Ponder which parts are most important to you (there are no wrong answers here, by the way). Any choice you face in your life will fall into one of these categories, so if you rate their importance, it gives you a good measuring stick to begin with. Arrange the items so the top third of your list is the best, the middle third is better, and the bottom third is good.

When you are presented with a choice to participate in an activity or otherwise invest your time, where does that activity fall? If it falls in the upper third, the best, then your choice is clear. If it falls in the bottom third, and you have many projects going in the upper third, that option can be dropped without remorse. If you have little going on in the top third and a bottom third option presents itself, by all means, go for it!

This may sound like a no-brainer, but for me, seeing those

three categories in my mind when trying to make a decision

about a new idea or project makes decisions SO much easier!

Even if now, in this particular season of your life, you find you can’t participate in some of the good stuff, remember that seasons change. In a future season of your life, you may have more time to devote to the good activities, in addition to the better and best.

So take a breath and slow down. Take the time to use the good, better, best system to decide your BEST course of action is every day. You’ll find you have more time, energy and are closer to your goals than you would be otherwise.

Holidays are coming up and for many of us that means we’ll be attending some family gatherings. I’ve worked with enough clients over the years to know that although for some families it is tons of fun to be all together, for other families get-togethers can be a bit strained and awkward, and…well, even end up a little unpleasant.

To set an intention that your family interactions this season will be peaceful, pleasant, and even fun, I’ve written up this list of energetic AND practical tools I hope you find helpful.

Prepare ahead:

Visualize a bubble of light surrounding you. With intention fill it with love from your heart, and picture the bubble emanating the light outward.That way, anything you perceive as negative coming at you will contact your bubble and bounce back to where it came from 10-fold in light and love.

Try repeating these affirmations out loud by yourself, before you get there, and in your head if needed while there:

I own my own power ~ I let my light shine ~ I attend this gathering as my best self ~ Anything negative bounces off me and transmutes into light and love ~ I belong here ~ I see the good in others ~ I’m a beacon of love ~ I am secure in who I am ~ I am always good enough ~ I see evidence of how my family supports me ~ I am supportive of my family

If you have a family member(s) you have uncomfortable feelings toward, pray and meditate on how you can let go of those negative feelings. Ask for the ability to catch a glimpse of them as God sees them.

We all have a team of angels – I believe they are our ancestors who know us and love us, so of course they want us to have pleasant and successful family gatherings. In your mind, ask your angels to go ahead of you and clear up any negative energy in the location of the gathering, and to keep the space light and clean while you’re all together. (I know, this one sounds woo-woo, but it works!)

And also remember:

Elenore Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”. Only YOU are in charge of how you feel. No one can make you mad, or make you upset. The emotions you’re feeling are yours, and they get activated within you because of your perception of what the other person is saying.

If you get offended, ask yourself what is it that brings up those emotions in you? Generally, it’s somewhere within us that feels insecure in some way.Usually something from a past incident, that’s still holding on to some residual emotions. Give yourself permission to acknowledge that, and let those emotions go with a couple of deep cleansing breaths.

It’s also helpful to say to yourself, “Cousin Bob (or whomever) thinks totally differently from me and that’s ok”. It’s the “and that’s ok” part, that is most helpful when repeated in our mind. It doesn’t mean you need to shy away from a respectful or enlightening conversation, it just helps us to be more gracious and accepting of others.

Seek to understand. Get to the heart of things by asking questions in a relaxed, open, non-defensive way. To quote Stephen Covey: “Seek to understand before seeking to be understood.”

Try any or all of those at your next family gathering or business get-together – they can be adapted to any situation.

If you want more help on letting go of stubborn emotions, (just in time for Thanksgiving!), join me on my Group Call on Forgiveness you can learn more and sign up here.

This is part 2 of my “Letting Go” series. If you missed Part 1 “When your buttons get pushed how well you you manage?” you can find it here

Whether you’re letting go of a cherished idea or person or a vision of how life was supposed to be, it can feel excruciating to leave something or someone behind. It can feel as though you’re losing a part of yourself.

Sometimes you might even feel attached to your anger and resentment. But letting go can be an empowering act, because it pushes you to develop important resources like courage, compassion, forgiveness and love.

Answer the following true/false questions to discover how well you release what’s no longer viable:

Set 1

1. I have a hard time letting go of grudges. When someone does me wrong, they are permanently on my “bad” list.

2. I somehow feel it’s “noble” to never give up, and this has caused me to stay in unhealthy relationships or situations.

3. When an intimate relationship ends, it can take me years to get over it.

4. I spend a lot of time living in the past—sometimes reliving old glory days, sometimes replaying what I wish I’d done differently.

5. When I make a mistake, I can’t stop dwelling on it and kicking myself.

6. I feel paralyzed by my fear of the unknown. I can’t let go of what I have when I don’t know what will replace it.

Set 2

1. When negative emotions arise, I allow myself to fully experience all my feelings, and I quickly find myself in a better emotional state.

2. Leaving behind a situation that isn’t working for me is the most self-caring thing I can do.

3. Finding a way to forgive someone—and sometimes myself—allows me to release anger and blame.

4. When I’m in conflict with someone, sharing my feelings allows me to feel heard, release my negative feelings and return to a place of peace and connection.

5. Although keeping the status quo may feel safer, I am committed to making choices that help me get out of my comfort zone and grow.

6. When dealing with the grieving process around the death of a loved one or the end of a relationship, ultimately finding a way to accept what IS, even though still sad, brings me greater peace.

How did you do?  This isn’t to judge yourself, only to observe so you can put words to your feelings, validate those emotions and move on. If you answered true to any in Set 1 and could use some support I’d love to have you join my Group Call on the topic of Forgiveness on April 19th @ 1pm MT. Sometimes finding peace is simply a matter of be willing to forgive ourselves and others.

Author’s content used under license, © Claire Communications

Over the years in my work as a teacher of Energy Healing, one of the questions I get asked a lot is…”how can I keep my vibration high and maintain it even on tough days?”

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a magic formula to keep our personal vibration strong and positive at all times?

Well, it’s not about magic formulas, or an ancient secret or new age discovery that will teach us how to make that happen, but it is about remembering what you already intuitively know to do.

Truth is, anything that makes you feel joyful and alive is a vibe-raiser.

Here are 6 easy actions that you can put into action right now that will help raise and strengthen your vibration:

As I always say, our energy speaks louder than our words, and there are simple things that we can do to keep our energy vibrant.

1. Remember that energy follows thought. In any situation, you can use positive affirmations to boost your energy field.

2. Own your power! Reminding yourself that your personal energy field is vivid and powerful will naturally boost your vibration.

3. Picture yourself surrounded by a field of strong and vibrant light, and even better, see that light originating within you. This, by way, is my favorite way to ‘shield’ myself. Watch my short video about it here.

4. Look for the good in others. Don’t allow negative energy to overtake you through gossiping or complaining. By speaking only well of others, you stay connected to the “best version of you” which feels happy, increases self-confidence, and of course strengthens your vibration.

5. Acknowledge your own good qualities. Don’t dwell on what you believe are your negative attributes. When faced with a challenge, an unfamiliar situation or a stressful social occasion, don’t buy into the false beliefs that you are awkward, or that you have nothing to offer conversationally, or that you are in any way less than others. We all have light sides and shadow sides, it’s part of being human. Self-pity is heavy energy, so dismiss those negative thoughts by flipping them to something you like about yourself.

And number six, is my personal favorite. It is an age-old, tried and proven, definitely-works remedy for a waning personal vibration. Are you ready…. Drum roll please…

6. Be kinder than you need to be.

Yep, that’s it! Kindness through service to others literally raises your energetic vibration!

Of course, you know that, because you’ve experienced how warm and rewarding it feels to reach out with kind service to another. Since what you send out is what you get back, it makes sense that if you seek for happiness, helping someone else experience happiness will automatically bring it your way as well.

When we help our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. It’s a win-win situation!

The sound may be faint as the stirring of a soft breeze through the trees or as loud as a brass band in a parade. Or you may not hear a sound at all, but feel an urging, an inner pull, a sense of excitement and longing that resonates from within. This is the call to create, and it is universal, bidding each of us to bring something new into being.

“Creativity is the Self searching for itself,” said George Gamez, Ph.D., author of How to Catch Lightning in a Bottle. We create in order to express our unique visions and perceptions. We create to communicate and to form a bond with our fellow human beings. Creative expression helps us feel connected to the world and builds bridges of understanding. It nourishes us and helps us grow, provides insights and deeper understandings. Creativity is fun, exciting and playful. It relieves stress and releases tension. It provides a way of communication when normal channels may be blocked or are insufficient—when we must speak in colors and textures and shimmering visions and music.

Creativity is love expressing itself; it heals and renews. Our creations are mirrors in which others may see themselves and the signature of our lives that says, “This is how I saw it.”

Everyone is Creative

No matter what you may have been told, every one of us is creative. It is as much a part of us as our voice and breath and fingerprints. Creativity isn’t just about making “art.” Cooking, gardening, handiwork and crafts, keeping a journal are all creative acts. Arranging flowers or rearranging furniture, painting a picture or painting a room, singing on stage or singing in the shower—these are responses to the call.

Creativity is a way of living. It is being spontaneous and playful, exercising the imagination, finding solutions, and embracing possibilities and doing it all with passion.

Yet for all the joy and fulfillment it brings, some resist the call to be creative. In our culture the ideas that “Time is money” and “Art is frivolous” are common, and old messages such as, “Stay inside the lines” or “You can do better than that” have remarkable staying power. It takes courage to look beneath the surface of what we’ve been told in order to find our heart’s desire.

Creativity requires risk-taking. It asks us to surrender, to let go and to trust. “Committing to our creativity is an act of faith,” wrote Jan Phillips, in Marry Your Muse. “A promise to believe in ourselves.”

Honoring the creative Self means finding time, making space, being patient and taking the chance of looking foolish. You cannot care too much what others think or say. You must be willing to start over and stay with it; creativity takes stamina. There are no magical secrets or absolute rules. Creativity can’t be taught. You just do it.

Like the body’s natural urge for motion and the human need for connection and community, the spirit longs to express itself. So when you hear the call to create, answer, “Yes.” It is your self searching for your Self, a movement toward being whole.

Author’s content used under license, © 2008 Claire Communications