Month: December 2017

Grapes to Wine

.Reading time 5 minutes.

 

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Portugal. 2017.

Go outside. Find a wide open space. Imagine there are no people around. Everything in sight is a part of nature. The colors are rich, and beautiful. It’s quiet. Clutter-free. This space you are in, becomes your state of mind.

Listen to your heart, and pay attention to your body. How are you really feeling? Emotionally. How are you really feeling? Physically. What are your thoughts? You’re alone, so it’s okay to be vulnerable with yourself. It’s okay to take out a pen and notebook and write down whatever it is that you need to release. Sometimes, there are feelings that can’t even be expressed or processed in thought, but once the writing flows, surprisingly, words form to help make sense of all that is happening. Sometimes, these feelings are dormant burdens. They’ve been asleep for so long, you forgot about them, but they didn’t forget about you. Figure out what they are, acknowledge them, and drop them off in this space. These are burdens that cannot continue on with you in your life journey. They must evacuate the premises. As these feelings are released into the universe, you are then engulfed by a sense of liberation. Something amazing is about to happen.

Okay, so you’re outside in nature, writing, reflecting, and lightening your load. Now what? Well, what are your desires? You got rid of something, so now what would you like to attain? Write that down. The best part about the things in life that you may want, is that it’s either already lined up for you to have it, or there’s something better waiting. Sometimes, you may not allow yourself to want certain things because you’re too busy looking at all that you already have going on. There’s beauty in that. It’s not that the life you currently have doesn’t matter, it’s changing the perspective and realizing that you, as the sculptor, can shape your peace.

You are in this world, as one tiny person, out of billons. You can live very simply, and yet still make a major contribution to life on earth. You can make an impact. You can do this by tapping into your personal dreams, goals, and desires. You can become inspired by the peace and beauty found in nature, allow it to seep into your soul, and reap what you sow.

You’re outside, in this wide open space, in the middle of nature, surrounded by a clutter-free and quiet beauty. This has become your state of mind. Therefore, this will become your life. It doesn’t have to remain in this phase, but the transition is necessary for you to gain perspective on what in your life will change. This is the space where you become focused on unity, clarity and manifestation.

Taking time in this space is about the break. It’s the matrix. You’re watching your life play on an imaginary screen, in slow motion. The plot is either thickening or twisting. The shift is coming. In this moment, in this space, during this transition period, you have the power to reach in and change directions, or to simply say, “I am okay with this. I approve. I am ready for what’s next.” Taking time, in this space, is about returning to your roots. It’s about remembering where you’ve come from, where you are now, and where you are going.

The way grapes travel through various stages to become wine, discover your life’s main ingredient and create something special, something only YOU can offer. It can be anything! It can be many things!

While you’re outside, in this open space, embracing all the things you need it to be, pour yourself a glass of wine. Think about the grapes, and the journey they took to get to you. Think about the process; the steps they had to go through to end up in your glass. Think about how the wine makes you feel, the impact it has on your life, in that moment. Reflect on the journey of the grapes. Then transition those thoughts, and reflect on your own journey… It’s not necessarily about the grapes, or the wine, it’s not necessarily about where you were and where you are now, it’s simply about the possibilities.

Cheers.

 

 

 

Hold On, Let Go, Be Free.

.Reading time 6 minutes.

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Porto, Portugal. 2017

It’s December, the month that ends off the year. December is when many of us take a look back at all that has taken place, and we ask ourselves, “what are my goals for next year?” 

Let’s go back to January, a flashback to our “fresh start.” What new things did we get ourselves into, and what bad habits did we work on shaking? Are with you with me, are you reflecting? Okay, remember the things and the people that seemed to have vanished, and the things and the people that have mysteriously and miraculously appeared? What about the ones who have been around forever, but somehow they became more alive, shedding more light on our lives, this year in particular? There are no coincidences. There’s something special about the people who decided to exit stage left, and the ones who, surprisingly, became center stage. People were shifting roles in our lives, and we may not have noticed when it was happening, but now we can see that they created some of the most effective changes, placing us where we are today. Their roles don’t always last long, but hopefully we paid close attention to what they had to say, while they had the stage. 

As we reflect, we read some interesting books. We wrote some interesting things. We watched new shows and movies. Our topics of discussion changed. Our reasons for anger and frustration changed. Our reasons for smiles and laughter changed. When it came to decision making, we seemed to have changed our minds a lot, never being quite sure, but our actions turned out to be bold anyway. We spent more time with ourselves, making sure that we experienced self love. We were more honest. We hustled hard. We decluttered our spaces, and our minds. We shifted our eating habits and our exercise routines, and we were so excited to share our newfound lifestyles with our loved ones. 

As we reflect, we think about how we spent our time, and noticed that not every moment was valuable. We probably didn’t like the work we were doing, and we may have had epiphanies to shift gears and focus more on our passions. This relates quite heavily to how we evaluated our mental health. We had a lot of depressing thoughts, but when we were joyful – everything seemed great! We’re not sure if we’ve earned enough money doing the things we did, but it seems like we certainly spent a lot. We’re remembering some of our “storms” and our “sunny days.” We’re thinking about our stubborn patterns, and more importantly about the lessons we’ve learned.  

Looking back on the last year, we gathered some strength, and decided it was time to take off the bandages. It was our time to focus on dealing with our “wounds,” and seeing them for what they were. We decided to stop referring to the “quick fixes,” and take the time necessary to pay attention to ourselves, and do what was best for us to improve our states of health. Eventually, we’ll take the time to pay attention to the ones around us, making sure they too, are doing okay. 

In the last 11 months, some of us struggled with holding onto “things” that were old. We knew that if some of those “things” had legs, they would have left us a long time ago. And, some of us were really good at letting go. We became eager to create space for new things, new thoughts, new people, and new memories, because we understood and respected change. We were the ones who welcomed change, because we wanted growth. We were the ones who took risks. We didn’t all have it figured out, but because we had people we could count on, that gave us balance. 

It’s December, the time of year when many of us look back on all that has taken place, and we ask ourselves, “what are my goals for next year?” 

I have one goal of obtaining great health. If the main states of health are in great condition, I feel confident in knowing that I can reach any other goal, because:

Physically, I’ll be able to “get there, and hold on”

Mentally, I’ll be able to “comfortably let go”

Emotionally, I’ll be able to feel a sense of harmony

Spiritually, I’ll know that anything is possible.