Writing (as Heather S. Ingemar)

Writing (as Heather S. Ingemar).

How to Open Yourself to Your Life’s Purpose by Oprah.com

This article is copied from oprah.com.  You can read the original by going to Oprah’s website and exploring other articles like Changing Lives, A course in Miracles 100, and etc.

This is quiet amazing and I would not be able to put it in better words than it is said, so I took the liberty of copying and giving credit to those who deserve it.  I hope it makes you think and take action.

 The one big question most of us ask ourselves is “What should I do with my life?” For most people, it’s very difficult to answer. Use these simple suggestions from people who have successfully answered this question and are now living the life of their dreams. Be inspired to pursue your dreams and discover the impact you are meant to have on the world!

1. Listen to your inner voice. It takes practice to hear your true desires. Your passion will often come as a whisper or serendipitous event that reminds you of what’s important and what makes you happy.

2. Recognize crisis. Does your job feel like a grind? Are you spending your free time on something you love? Take an opportunity to appraise your happiness. One of the keys to living a purposeful life is seeing that you feel unfulfilled.

3. Dwell in possibilities. Your passions could lead you in a lot of different directions to find fulfillment. Explore your life and unearth all of the things that bring you joy.

4. Tune out the voice of the world. Make the strongest voice in your life your own. Finding your purpose could mean going against the advice of close friends and family. Take a leap of faith and trust in your dreams.

5. Decide what kind of person you want to be. Rather than concentrating on what you want to do, think in terms of what kind of person you want to be. Let that guide your choices.

6. Bring your heart to your work. It takes passion and courage to find a profession that you love. Spending the time to discover that job is time well spent— it could make all the difference in your life!

7. Trust transformation. Hard times are a natural part of life. Don’t be afraid to change because of your experiences. Instead, let them shape and steer your course.

8. Have no regrets. According to the experts, it’s easy to regret the time you’ve spent being unhappy or unfulfilled. Realize that during that time, you developed the skills you need to succeed!

9. Take the first step. Destiny can’t help you until you are willing to step out of your comfort zone. Get prepared to make changes in your life…and start making them!

10.Be patient. Finding your life purpose won’t happen overnight. In every life, there’s a fast road and a slow road. Most of us take the slow road! Keep your commitment and take small steps to make it happen.

ECO Healing & Rediscovery

 

I attended one of the events put on by Pachamama Alliance in Calgary.  Even though, I missed most of it, I still got a great value out of it.  Wondering around and enjoying a wide variety of people is something I love to do. I usually pick a person or two and watch them. You will be amazed how much you can learn about people this way. You can save a lot of uncomfortable and awkward moments by learning about them, their way of communication and reading their non-verbal communication.  You can go and suffer trying to find something in common and ask a lot of questions to learn about them – or you can watch them for some time and get to know everything you need.  I don’t mean stalking.  I mean polite observation before you initiate any contact.

That day my eyes were laid on Teresa Chilkowich who was at the event to tell us about ECO Healing and Rediscovery and offer us exercises to experience awakening, awareness, and connection with our roots and inner selves.
I had to look up what this whole thing is about. Apparently, she is a part of a non-profit organization Ghost River Rediscovery organization that offers outdoor and cultural education programs based on Aboriginal traditions and values.

 Ghost River Rediscovery is a non-profit organization that offers outdoor and cultural education programs based on Aboriginal traditions and values.
“ECO Healing & Rediscovery” activities aim to provide opportunities for social change agents and community members to gather regularly to address the frustration, anger, denial, apathy, disconnection, burnout, & depression that arises as we work tirelessly to address major challenges such as global climate change, domestic violence, ecosystem & public health, hunger, mental illness, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, just to mention a few.

Identifying, honoring, & working through the feelings that arise as we work with these BIG issues day in & day out is an important step for moving forward in more empowered ways. Such healing steps will enable social change agents and community members to continue to take up the much-needed actions to help heal our fragile planet with renewed dedication, vigor, and well-being.

Sessions introduce participants to ways they can embrace “BEING the CHANGE” in their lives and find inspiration within themselves and through their connections to others and the natural world.

Participants also have the opportunity to take part in a few experiential group activities aimed at supporting community members & social change agents dedicated to important causes as they working to heal different aspects of society to help make the world a better place.

Interesting, isn’t it?  There are so many organizations out there trying to make a difference and making a difference.  Shame on us as most of us can’t even name 10, me including…
It is something to think about and maybe a reason to finally step up and be the change.

It is about time…

This will be my first post on this wonderful blog that Dace created, in part, because of me.  I have been a little slow to start, ha ha.  Dace has a way with words that I truly enjoy.  I am passionate and committed to making a positive difference in our world, therefore it is time for me to share myself.

Happy for No Reason

Why do women dance with joy in the slums of Nairobi, despite the AIDS
virus ravaging their entire family?

Why did the homeless in Calgary look gleefully at their Passion Test lists within their weathered wallets, in the minus 20c of last Saturday’s dawn?

Why, on Friday evening, did 140 people in Albuquerque weep with joy as their stagnated dreams came to action when old friends united and new friends joined their ranks, birthing the plans for a local resource center?

Why did two Icelandic women have this exchange on skype this week?
–”Your house sounds like an echo”
–”That is because I sold my belongings and the room is empty”
–”Oh, you were lucky then to get cash for them”

What impact does HUB have as it moves past $1,000,000 into your world,
and $1.4 million into your homes?

check it out

“It is not easy to fathom our social capital as your brilliance moves into action. Yet I sense when Humanity truly is United by Brilliance, “Happy For No Reason” prevails in the collective hearts of our community.”
Charlie Stuart Gay

Your Beliefs Determine Who You Are

You are never going to get results different than your thoughts, your feelings and beliefs – Do you believe that if you have a dream but you make same decisions and do what you have done before, then this dream will come true?
Let me put this in perspective for you. Do you believe that you deserve to be wealthy? Do you think you will be wealthy?
Do you feel that everybody else is luckier than you are and that things just align for them? Do you feel that you are underappreciated? Do you believe that there is no way on this earth you can be one of the richest people in the world?
Well, let me tell you – your answers just told me that you will never achieve your goals or dreams because you do not think or believe that you will. Nobody else will bring your dreams to you on a platter? If you do not think that dreams come true, if you do not feel that you are worthy and you believe that good things happen to other people, not you, then your life is going to stay exactly where it is and you will be living your life the same way as you are right now.

You Attract What You Believe In

 Take a look around you. Is this your ideal life? If yes, perfect-my point is made. If not, why do you think this is what it is? Do you think that somebody else made choices that lead you to where you are? Do you believe that you can’t do better and that there is no way it can be different? Do you believe that other people are lucky or that somebody else is responsible for their success?  Do you believe that good things happen to others, not you?  If you do, then this is your answer – you attract exactly what you believe in.

Happiness is a decision

Picture by DesignFlute

What is happiness? No matter how we look at it, it is a feeling. Is this something that we can buy or borrow? Can somebody give it to us as a gift? Of Course not! Feelings are caused by us experiencing something that we consider positive and fulfilling. And what would that be? Can the same thing or events make us all happy? The answer is no! And that leads to a conclusion that HAPPINESS is something that we choose to do. It is a choice – to be or not to be. I want this and this in my life, and if I have it, I will be happy. It is a state of mind at one particular moment when we make a decision if we are happy about what we have or don’t.

Giving & Receiving

Image Via Neiman Marcus.

Have you ever thought about the concept of giving and receiving? And how about giving versus receiving?
Do you even know what GIVING means? I never thought about it and didn’t bother trying to understand as it seemed self explanatory. However, then I met Elisabeth Fayt and I got a glimpse of how it is to be in total harmony with yourself and the world that surrounds you.

We all want to give! That is the nature of any human being. We live and breathe the thought that one day we will be making the difference, either that is in lives of our loved ones or strangers, or nature (Mother Nature, animals).

Let’s look at what GIVNG means:

G stands for GRATITUDE:  we have to be thankful for the things we have. We have to learn to say thank you for what this life throws at us as we do not get more than we can handle. Everything we experience, everything we have to go through is for a reason – to learn, to understand and see the path we have to take.

I stands for INTUITION: intuition doesn’t mean six sense alone. It means that we have to be more aware of what is going on around us. We have to listen to what your inner self has to say. You know, the feeling that you get, bursts of thoughts or predictions that come true. We have to be intuitive when it comes to people. Listen to small things that they say or comments they pass and you will understand.

V stands for VISION: we have to see the big picture before we make any decisions. Small things add up and can make a huge mess. Elisabeth has a story that illustrates this quiet well.

I stands for INITIATIVE: you have to take action and be in control of your own life. If you want something, you have to make a few steps towards it, otherwise it is going to be a watching game. You can’t expect things to fall into right places without actually participating.

N stands for NO EXPECTATIONS: if you give without expectations, you will receive more than you can imagine. Selfishness is not going to get you far. Only pure hart and selfless giving can make this world a better place. Don’t expect anything, do it from the bottom of your heart, do it for other people and you will not be forgotten. If you do not expect anything, you will not be disappointed.

G stands for SILENT GIVING.

Have you ever received an anonymous gift? A gift that has made your heart skip a beat? A gift that you needed the most? and you never found who it was?

If you have, then I do not have to tell  you about the feeling one gets, but imagine the uplifting, empowering feeling that the giver is experiencing.

If you are grateful for what you have and open to receiving, you will create a higher frequency for receiving.  Many people concentrate on giving and do not know how or feel bad when receive.  If you can’t receive, most likely you are not a good giver either. I am not talking just about material things, but also spiritual and emotional. You have to have an equal giving – receiving. Without harmony, we struggle.  Some people have hard time receiving a compliment or an acknowledgment.  If you can’t receive with dignity, most likely you have taken away somebody’s willingness to give. Not receiving properly, we go against the grain. Receiving at times is more important than giving. We empower people to give and create a flow of energy. I give, you receive. I receive, you give.

Just a simple “thank you” will do. That proves that you are open to receive and open to create uninterrupted flow of energy that will light up a lot of smiles.

Awakening The Dreamer

 

Awakening The Dreamer

Go Pachamama go!

We recognize that we have a lot of challenges that require us, humans, live our lives being aware that crisis precedes positive transformation, either physical or emotional. Challenges we face are not just economical but also ecological, social and psychological.

The Pachamama Alliance is here to raise awareness of these challenges we face and to explore how to create meaningful relationships between people and the world around them.

They take you through the process that facilitates the understanding and relevance of music, dance, stories and various levels of spirituality, creativity and ancient traditions.

It all comes down to the state of conscious being that allows us to clarify, prioritize and choose the right path to pursue our dreams.

Pachamama Alliance is all about awareness. When do we reach within ourselves to determine what we want and desire? I would guess when we daydream. Dreams are what set us apart from others and unite at the same time. Being aware of the world that surrounds us; The World that brings us fresh air, trees, harmony and peace – is the greatest state to be in!

Have you ever listened to the sound of rainforest? Have you ever listened to the sound of rain hitting the window? Then you know what it feels to experience this immense peace and state of trance. Everything suddenly steps back and when you come to senses, you realize that you were in the state of stillness. Time doesn’t matter, surrounding doesn’t matter….world doesn’t matter. It is you and the rain drops that quietly find their way to nowhere. It is a magic moment, when you are taken by the spirit of nature…

·         Where Are We? – an examination of the state of environmental, social and personal well-being

·         How did We Get Here? – tracing the root causes that lead to our current imbalance

·          What’s Possible for the Future? – discovering new ways of relating with each other, with the Earth and looking at the emerging Movement for change

·         Where Do We Go from Here? – considering the stand we want to be in the world and our personal and collective impact

Check this out…it is amazing!