Lamisha Serf-Walls

Lessons Learned in Attitude, Faith, and Signs

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I don’t know about you, but this week has offered me many opportunities for growth which also means it has had it’s fair share of challenges…and by fair share I mean A LOT.  However, I would like to think I have taken each one in stride and learned a little along the way.

Lesson: Attitude is everything. Attitude

In the last week my family and I have been in a car accident (everyone is ok thank goodness), I found out the company I work for full-time is eliminating my position in the next 3 months, and our washer died-all of which happened before we were heading out-of-town for a nice relaxing weekend away.  While any one of these occurrences could have sent me into an anxiety-ridden-tizzy, I took each one as it came and tried to focus on the good.  I couldn’t change the fact that we had tons of paperwork to deal with due to the accident, but I could be grateful we were all safe.  I couldn’t beg to stay with my current company, but I am able to be grateful that they gave me 3 months notice.  I can’t fix the washer on my own, but we can figure out a way to make it work.  Did it seem like the Universe was delivering a huge storm of gloom this past week, yes, but in changing my attitude even just a little, I was able to see the bright side.  Did I get there immediately?  No.  After a little bit of shock and some tears I decided the only thing I could change was my attitude and that is just what I did.

Lesson: If you have faith that everything will work out for the best, nothing can stop you.

FaithMoments after I received the news about my full-time job, I broke down into tears.  There was a distinct feeling of “what am I going to do?” coupled with a feeling of overwhelming calm.  It sounds weird I know, but it was almost as if, part of me knew without a shadow of a doubt that this moment was the beginning of something far greater than the job I had.  I gave myself a few minutes to feel the worry for the future and afterwards, I felt the faith and trust in my heart that all would be just fine.  And while I have had moments of “I wonder how, or when, or what…”, my faith is there keeping me moving in the right direction.

Lessons:  If you are open, the Universe will deliver signs that let you know you are on the right track.

I have talked about inspirational nuggets that serve as gentle nudges leading us to the next step in our journey and while I didn’t receive any specific signs of where to turn next, I did receive (what I believe to be) signs that everything is going to be just fine.

Right after hearing the news about my full-time position being eliminated, I had an appointment to go to.  On the way I was talking to a friend about my faith in the process and how I just knew this was opening my world to something far greater than I could imagine.  As I was going on about what may be in my future, I saw a field of probably 100 white birds that I had never seen before.  There were so many, I had to take notice and as I did, I saw one was perched on the fence close to the street.  He seemed to be watching my car drive by.  I told my friend about what I had just seen and she said this was my confirmation that all was going to be ok and I had a feeling she was right.  A bit later when I drove by again the bird was still perched on the fence and he caught my eye again.  At this point I was convinced there was some sort of message or sign.

Photo from: www.jrcompton.com
Photo from: www.jrcompton.com

Now I am all about symbolic meaning, synchronicities, no coincidences etc. and this felt like one of those moments so I was eager to know what type of bird it was and any symbolic meaning behind it.

I found that the bird was either an Egret or a Heron and they symbolize peace, going with the flow, patience, prosperity, good luck, self-reliance etc.  I was amazed and comforted, but most of all excited for what the future holds for me.  As it unfolds, I will continue to be open to the signs, symbols, and inspirational nuggets that will guide the way.

So, that is what I have learned this week.  What have you learned?

Gratitude: Patience & Clarity

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gratitude

I can’t tell you how happy I am that today is Friday.  This has certainly been one kind of week.  From financial mishaps that I thought were cleared up to even more confusion, I am ready to change my focus a little bit this weekend and relax.

Often when we are in the midst of the proverbial storm, it can be difficult to see beyond the mayhem.  Finding the silver lining in the middle of a chaotic situation can be darn near impossible, yet once the dust has settled a bit we realize there really is a positive side to every seemingly negative situation.

This week I was hit with a bit of a storm.  Not a huge, rock-my-entire-world-kind of storm, but a sort of chaotic-lift-me-out-of-my-comfort-zone kind of storm.  My personal financial mishap that I thought had been fixed, reared its ugly head again.  After a few more calls (hopefully the last calls on this issue) and a lot of patience, I think I have it taken care of.

I learned this week that like many other unexpected situations that arise in life, this particular situation could have caused me major anxiety, frustration, and possibly anger.  But with a little patience and calm thinking, I was able to handle the situation not once, but twice.  And what is even more interesting is the fact that one of the books I am reading in order to review is titled The Power of Patience by M.J. Ryan.  Coincidence?? I think not.

It seems that with each new batch of books I receive for review (books I don’t select myself), they are almost always the exact books I need to read at that moment in my life.  Books that speak to my soul and assist me in whatever I am dealing with at the time.  And since patience is one of the things I am growing everyday, it is so nice to see it go to good use.  Especially over a pretty large mistake.  So for that, I am so grateful and appreciative.

The other thing that hit me this week is the idea of clarity.  When negative things come into our lives or situations arise that are less than desirable, we have an opportunity to be more clear about what we would like instead.  Basically, when you know what you don’t want, you know what you do want.  (Something Michael Losier and Abraham Hicks speak on quite a bit.)  Sounds simple right?  It can be, however we often get so caught up in the thing that we don’t want, that we forget to switch our focus to what we want.

The difficult situations, frustrations, and negative things in our lives provide clarity for our desires.  It is that simple.  So instead of harping on the negative, lets turn our focus to the feelings, circumstances, and situations we want in our lives.  This week was a very good example of me focusing a bit too much on the not wanted instead of focusing on what is wanted and I am grateful for the lesson.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend full of all the things that bring you joy.

As always, thanks for reading!

Meditation Challenge: Update

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I would love to be able to begin this post with a celebration for Day #83 of my consecutive 100 day mediation challenge, however I cannot.  I not only missed one day somewhere in the first 50 days of meditation, but this past weekend I missed about 3 more.  (Insert disappointed face here.)

While there is a part of me that is slightly disappointed that I missed so many days in a row, a larger part of me is proud for only missing a total of 4 days in the 83 that I have been practicing.  I recognize that to be a mighty accomplishment for myself.  Especially since I wanted to start a meditation practice for many years and could never stick to it.  Now I know I can and despite my disappointment for missing so many days, I have learned a great deal about myself and my practice.

I have learned:

  • The type of meditation I do depends on my mood.  Sometimes I like guided meditations, while other times I do my own to music or in complete silence.  None of them is the right way or better than the other.  I simply listen to what I need in the moment and proceed with what feels right for me.
  • The ideal amount of time for me on a daily basis is about 15-20 minutes in one sitting and it feels really great to do a morning and evening meditation.
  • My patience for the ups and downs of everyday life is much better when I have meditated on that particular day and I feel a more calm sense of peace after I meditate.
  • I am definitely more optimistic and positive in the moment and spend much less time focusing on what hasn’t yet materialized in my future.  It is true that meditation is a mindful practice for the moment, at least for me.
  • Meditation has become a habit for me, not just a ritual or a challenge.  It is a habit I have wanted to create for many years, but never thought I had the time or the focus to do it, and now I have.

With that said I realize missing 4 days of meditating is not the end of the world and while I may not have made it to the 100 consecutive days of meditating like I wanted in the beginning, I have learned a lot in the process not only about meditation in general, but how it applies to my life and my practice.

I have also decided to begin a new 100 day meditation challenge (officially starting April 1st for ease of calculating days), but this time the motivation for the challenge is to simply reap the benefits of meditation on a daily basis while reaching (and surpassing) my goal of 100 days.  Much like healthy eating and exercising, meditation is a daily practice meant to be a lifestyle change, not something you do only when you feel frazzled.  So with that ultimate purpose in mind I will begin again.

Not meeting a goal doesn’t automatically mean failure, sometimes it is just a reminder to take a moment to reset and begin again.

What are you hitting the “reset” button for today?

To Do or Not Do…That Is The Question

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Most goal setting techniques involve setting a list of steps and then acting on those steps one at a time.  It makes sense in some cases to do things that way, but that isn’t always the best method I am realizing.  Sometimes it is important to take some time away from “doing” and to allow your previous actions to take shape and to allow the Universe to work some magic.

I recently finished Marlise Karlin’s book The Power of Peace in You and in it she describes igniting the power of stillness and peace within and living from that space to discover a life better than you imagined.  You can read my full review here, but one quote I found that really hit me is one that discusses doing vs not doing as a way to accomplish your dreams.

“Often, the best thing to do is…nothing at all, allowing space for inspiration by leaving a void.  It is here, in this essential non-doing, where you release attachment to the outcome-that the miraculous emerges to show you a different pathway for getting where you want to go.  You can’t tap into the Energy field of inspired solutions or discover the unforeseen if you are always racing to get it done at all costs.” Marlise Karlin in The Power of Peace in You

This quote has proven to provide a profound shift in my thinking regarding attaining my goals and dreams.  I have since moved (albeit slowly) from a place of doing to a place of non-doing in some situations and while it has been somewhat uncomfortable there, I am learning that there is certainly some value in it.  The key for me is knowing when to do and not do.

I suppose like anything in life, this is a matter of balance.  Just like a farmer can’t continuously plant seeds in the same space over and over again and expect his crop to grow overnight, I must learn to be content with letting my own dream crop grow.  Sometimes that means allowing my ideas, creations, and thoughts to ferment before I do anything with them.   For instance, when I started this blog, I went through a long period of thinking, pondering, creating, and allowing the right name, niche, idea to come to me.  And when it finally did, there was no question as to whether I should act or not act.  Maybe that is the key.

Plant your seeds of imagination and plant as many as you come up with, but be patient as you allow them to take shape or die out because the ones that are meant to be will be.  When you provide the space of non-doing, you allow miracles to happen because let’s face it, if you are always trying to do, do, do, the Universe has no time to work on your behalf.  But, if you are like me, you might wonder what you are supposed to do in the time you are not working on your goals.  My answer (one I often need to remember myself)? Have fun.

When you are not actively working on your goals and you are providing a space for them to breathe and grow, do something fun.  Catch up on a hobby you have missed.  Read a good book, get outside in nature, have coffee with a friend.  Life is meant to be enjoyed and if you are working on your goals all the time, no matter how happy they make you, you are likely to burn out.

So what are you doing or not doing right now in regards to your dreams and life goals?

I Am Listening…

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This week has been one of those weeks, yet again.  It seems like time is speeding up and the number of things that must get done are adding up too and while I could very well freak out about what isn’t getting done, or get anxious about the long list, I am not.  Thanks to my meditation practice, I am staying pretty balanced in my mood and doing what I can each day.  With that said, I am human and I still recognize there is much to be done this week, but right now, I am simply listening.

I am listening to my body, my mind, and my inner voice and letting it guide me through my days.  My body is saying “rest” and I am sure it means I need more sleep.  And though I know I could stay up to get through the last few chapters of a book I am reading so I can get some writing done for it, I will not.  I will listen, and sleep.  My mind is telling me to step back, slow down, and breathe.  So I am.  I have taken far more deep breaths today than I can remember in the last week, simply to focus and center myself.  I am listening.

My inner voice seems to have a lot to say about all the “busyness” that is going on this week.  “Let it go. ”  “It’s not worth it.” “It can wait.”  This voice is gently guiding me to do what is best for me right now and to take care of myself and I am listening.  My inner voice is also providing an unlimited number of creative ideas that I truly can’t wait to begin.  When will that be? I am not sure, but one thing I know is that as long as I am listening and following the little nudges here and there, it will all come together in the right time and space for me.  Until then, I am listening.

What do you need to listen to right now?