The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer

"The Dolphin" is an enchanting tale of courage, and rising above fears and limits. A lonely dolphin named Daniel Alexander Dolphin sets out to fulfill his destiny and learns that to achieve his goals he must not only act, but dream, and not only plan, but believe. The wisdom he aquires can inspire we humans as well:

~ Following Your Dreams ~

"There comes a time in life

when there is nothing else to do

but to go your own way.

A time to follow your dreams.

A time to raise the sails of your

own beliefs."

~Remembering Who You Are~

"Never forget: When you’re just about to give up,
when you feel that life has been
too hard on you,
remember who you are.
Remember your dream."

~Overcoming Fear of Failure~

"Most of us are not prepared to overcome 

our failures, and because of this 

we are not able to fulfill our gifts. 

It is easy to stand for something 

that does not carry a risk."

~Overcoming Limits~

"Discovering new worlds will not only

bring you happiness and wisdom,

but also sadness and fear.

How could you value happiness

without knowing what sadness is?

How could you achieve wisdom

without facing your own fears?

In the end, the great challenge in life

is to overcome

the limits within yourself,

pushing them to places you would never

have dreamed they could go."

~Following Your Heart~

"Perhaps dreams are made of

lots of hard work.

Perhaps if we try to cut corners,

we lose track of

the reason we started dreaming,

and at the end we find that

the dream no longer belongs to us.

Perhaps if we just follow the

wisdom from our heart, then time

will make sure we get to our destiny."

~Letting Instinct Lead to Wisdom~

"Falling into the deepest desperation
gives you the chance to find
your true nature.
Just as dreams come alive
when you least expect them to,
so will the answers to questions
you cannot unfold.
Let your instinct
build a trail of wisdom,
and let your fears be
diminished by hope."

~Finding Great Depth~

"Some things will always be stronger

than time and distance.

Deeper than languages and ways.

Like following your dreams,

and learning to be yourself.

Sharing with others

the magic you have found..."

~Staying Forever Young~

"There are some things you cannot see

with your eyes.

You have to see them with your heart,

and that’s the hard part of it.

For instance,

if you find the spirit of the youngster

inside of you,

with your memories and his dreams,

you two will walk together,

trying to find a way through this

adventure called life.

Always trying to make the best of it.

And your heart will never become tired or old..."

~Discovering Your Greatest Treasure~

"Follow your dreams. Listen to your heart.

Whatever others might tell you,

never forget that you only live once

and that your dreams, big or small,

are the greatest treasures that will

guide your life to a unique and wonderful destiny.

Don’t let your fears stand in the way of your dreams."

Excerpted from The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer, by Sergio F. Bambaren.

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“Like the body, the soul must also be nourished daily.”

Daring To Take Risks

The first time anything new and creative is proposed, it gets labeled. And the label put on these novel things is likely to be "risky." Can't you just hear it?

"Let me get this straight, Orville. You and Wilbur are building a machine that will do what? Heavier-than-air flying machines are the riskiest hoax anybody ever palmed off on two gullible boys like you Wrights. Get a real job!"

Or maybe it was somebody's harebrained idea of talking pictures, black and white children attending the same school, or people walking on the moon. More than one person was berated simply for giving voice to such "silly" ideas.

It turns out that some of the people who dared to propose such outlandish possibilities are now regarded as geniuses - revolutionaries - heroes. And it was only because they dared to question others and to question themselves. They challenged the limitations others were willing to take for granted.

There is something in your profession or business, your family or church that could be done better. A situation could be more productive. A relationship could be healthier. An objective could be clarified. Some lofty ideal to which all in the group give lip service could actually be implemented. But I warn you up front: Like restoring a car or house, it will take twice as long as you thought, cost far more than you anticipated, and strain every important relationship in your life!

Only you can decide if it will be worth it to undertake something so ambitious and costly. There will be false starts. There will be embarrassing mistakes along the way. But the potential outcome could be as important to your personal situation as the achievements of the Wright brothers, Rosa Parks, and Neil Armstrong were to their time and place.

The problem with our world is not that there are no more frontiers to challenge and conquer. It's that there are too few explorers. There are too few people willing to ask the obvious questions and challenge the traditional wisdom. In a word, too few of us want to take the risks that could make us look stupid.

If you are fortunate enough to have a dream in your heart, be willing to make mistakes in pursuit of it. Be a risk-taker. You just might change the world.

By Rubel Shelly

Rubel Shelly is a Preacher and Professor of Religion and Philosophy located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. In addition to church and academic responsibilities, he has worked actively with such community projects as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, From Nashville With Love, Metro (Nashville) Public Schools, Faith Family Medical Clinic, and Operation Andrew Ministries. To learn more about Rubel please go to: www.RubelShelly.com

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“Like the body, the soul must also be nourished daily.”

200 Feet at a Time

by Kim Luret

I have the great pleasure of working with young people. They are so full of promise and potential as they stand at the threshold of their adult lives.

Sometimes, though, I’ll see a young person struggle with the belief that before they set out for their dream they must first know the precise plan to follow and its exact outcome.

Part of the work I do is to help such a person understand that not knowing is OK; it’s not even necessary. And I help them realize that their unique gift is always right there with them; though they might have a little trouble recognizing it. Because sometimes it looks very different than what they were expecting.

That was certainly the case for me.

“You! A model? You’re kidding, right?”

As if it was yesterday, I can still remember the stunned look on her face as I gathered up my courage and admitted my dream to a close high school friend.

But I wasn’t kidding. Not only would I become a model, but I had every intention of becoming the world’s next supermodel (though I decided that moment probably wasn’t the best time to share this particular detail with my friend).

In fairness to her, I should say that most people would have been hard pressed to share my vision. I was by anyone’s account less than, shall we say, “glamorous”.

Actually I was about as far away from glamorous as one could get. Yes, I was taller than everyone I knew, including the boys in my school. But I was also rail thin, freckle-faced, with frizzy hair and braces. Oh, and did I mention awkward and painfully shy?

No matter. I knew I was going to ‘make it’; it was only a question of time. How I would make it was something else entirely. The truth was, I had no idea how I would get from my small town school to the covers of the world’s top fashion magazines.

But therein lies the true power of pursuing your dream. It begins with seeing your destination clearly and starting to move towards it, even if you can’t say for sure how you will reach it.

Bob Proctor has compared this to driving in a car on a dark night and I agree. All you can ever see is 200 feet at a time by the glow of the headlights, but that’s enough to advance you the next 200 feet, and so on all the way to your destination.

Sometimes you may take a fork in the road and discover that your destination changes as a result, and that’s OK too. In fact if my name is not a household word today, that’s because my own destination changed along the way.

Don’t misunderstand—I fully expected to be the world’s next supermodel and I did all I knew how towards that end. But early on I realized one crucial fact—I’m not particularly photogenic. And when it comes to supermodels, being very photogenic is pretty much ‘Square One’.

The ‘light of my headlights’ had brought me to the awareness that I would not be an international cover girl. This was a blow to both my ego and my plans. But because I had begun the ‘drive,’ I was about to discover something about myself I hadn’t realized beforehand.

My ‘fork in the road’ presented itself to me a while later in San Francisco, where I was attempting to get a modeling job, or ‘booking’—any booking—in print work. I would have been happy to appear in a flyer for the local car wash, but no client seemed to want me.

Then one day Calvin Klein himself came to town to put on a gala fashion show at the San Francisco Opera House. He brought with him several models from New York, but he was holding a casting to select a few local models as well.

Any girl in San Francisco who called herself a model was there, including the most successful and in demand print models I was trying so hard to emulate.

I remember my interview with Calvin Klein. He was smiling and gracious. He asked me to try something on and walk for him, and I did. Then, I watched as his smile grew wider and he booked me on the spot!

And then came the evening of the show. Everything changed for me on that runway. I felt totally natural, at ease and inspired there. I could sense that I had found my ‘true place’.

Afterwards people came backstage and asked me where I’d learned to walk like that. I answered, “I don’t know!” and it was true. I didn’t know because I’d never done it before!

All this time I’d been trying with all my might to be a cover girl when it was now clear to me that runway was my gift. But I never would have known that had I not believed in my original dream and started moving towards it as best I could, ‘200 feet at a time’.

Soon afterwards I moved to Europe where, unlike San Francisco, ‘high fashion’ was the look and the runway market was very strong. I went first to Milan and then to Paris, where I still live today.

Ultimately I became an international high fashion runway model, working with top designers such as Armani, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, and many others. I enjoyed a fantastic career spanning more than a decade.

I traveled to over 50 countries and have done shows before royalty and heads of state. I met some of the world’s most interesting and fascinating people; some of them rich and famous, some completely unknown but rich in other ways.

And I got the education of a lifetime.

None of this would have happened if I had been ‘stuck’ on just one possible outcome and continued to try and become a top international cover girl at all costs. As Ken Keesey Jr. says, “To be upset about what we don’t have is to waste what we do have.”

Each of us has what I call a ‘Unique Package’; that singular combination of our unique inner and outer selves. And through that package comes our gifts.

Discovering what our gifts are and then expressing and sharing them is what we’re all here for. There are no ‘better’ sets of gifts and talents. They are all needed. We are all needed.

Or as the French say, “Il faut de tout pour faire un monde,” which translated means, “It takes everyone to make a world.”

The dream you have inside is not there by accident. There’s a reason it’s calling to you.

I firmly believe that if you’ll step onto the path of your dream, always giving your best, the Universe will step up and meet you more than half way.

And even if your destination changes, as did mine, I can promise you this: You will definitely have more, do more, and above all be more for having made the journey.

Kim Luret (Then)

Kim Luret (Now)

Kim Luret is a former international high fashion model and is presently a model scout for a major Paris model agency. In addition she coaches aspiring models, teaches modeling seminars and writes about the modeling world at www.inner-modeling.com.

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“Like the body, the soul must also be nourished daily.”

Book Review of The Power of Intention

The Power of Intention – Gift Edition
Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way
by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer’s book The Power of Intention has been re-released in a beautifully illustrated gift edition. In The Power of Intention Dr. Dyer writes about this force and how we can work with it to create the kind of life we have always wanted.

The Power of Intention is divided into three parts. In Part I, chapter one through six focuses on what intention is, obstacles connecting to intention, and how to connect to intention. Chapter One defines and describes intention in a new way. Here, intention is thought of as a powerful force which can help one manifest his or her desires if they are properly aligned with this energy. The remaining chapters continue to look at intention and explain attributes which are supposed to help define intention even further. In order to give a recognizable face to intention, Dr. Dyer lists the seven faces of intention which include creativity, kindness, love, beauty, expansion, unlimited abundance, and receptivity. All the chapters conclude with five suggestions for implementing the ideas in each chapter which are easily manageable. These suggestions also offer the reader a short summary of what was discussed in the chapter.

The second part includes chapters seven through fourteen and center on how to apply intention in one’s life. Each chapter focuses on intention in regards to self-respect, purpose, relationships, abundance, peace, positive connections, healing, and creative insight. Every chapter ends with Dr. Dyer’s ten step program for implementing the ideas into one’s daily life. In working with intention, manifesting, and understanding what helps the process work, it is no accident that Dr. Dyer’s tenth step in all the programs includes remaining in a state of gratitude.

The final part and the last chapter illustrate a person who is connected to the field of intention. A person who is connected is called a Connector. Though this person looks no different than any other person, he or she is different because of what is going on inside their minds. Dr. Dyer goes into the mind of the person who is connected to this higher vibrating force to give examples of what this person says and thinks and how this person feels and reacts. If one is aiming to become a Connector, this chapter demonstrates how to become embodied in spirit.

As part of Hay House’s New Release Reviewers Program, I received this book for free to review. About a month before I knew I was going to receive this book, I caught Dr. Dyer’s Power of Intention PBS special on TV one night. I thought it was phenomenal and thought to myself that I should really really read that book. It was just a thought and nothing more as I never got around to purchasing it. Four weeks later, to my great delight, I heard I was going to receive it to review.

I loved how this book was transformed into a piece of art. With each turn of the page, I found myself stopping to examine and appreciate the artist’s drawings and depictions of the chapters’ content. The book in itself is special however the vibrant illustrations add to the meaning of the message of this book and really allow it to come alive.

Overall I did enjoy many aspects of this book. It did take longer to read than most books, not because it was extensive, but the content was so rich that resting periods were needed to absorb the information. I have been immersed in the fields of personal and spiritual development so the concepts in this book were familiar and easily understood. It takes the philosophies of a higher power and manifestation and looks at them in a new perspective. I believe looking at an established idea in a new way brings new life to it. In this way it allows a person to relate to these principles whereas they might not have been able to before.

Many passages were memorable but these two were part of my top ten:

“Your willpower is so much less effective than your imagination, which is your link to the power of intention. Imagination is the movement of the universal mind within you. Your imagination creates the inner picture that allows you to participate in the act of creation. It’s the invisible connecting link to manifesting your own destiny.” (42)

“When you’re just like everybody else, you've nothing to offer other than your conformity.” (256)

In tradition, Dr. Dyer uses real life stories, personal experience, research, quotes, and poems to support and enhance the teachings in his work. I enjoy this writing technique which makes an idea easier to understand because the author is trying to help you relate to what they are trying to convey. I usually pass on the books I read to someone who I think would benefit from it however I will have to keep this book a little longer so I can read it again. The Power of Intention is filled with indispensible knowledge that should be looked at more than once.       

The Power of Intention can be purchased at the following websites:

Hay House

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Chapters Indigo

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“Like the body, the soul must also be nourished daily.”

Marlin Page's Always Believe

Marlin Page

I am a former Executive who left (or perhaps escaped is a better word) Corporate America to pursue my passion of empowering people to reach “their” definition of success. I am currently a National Keynote Speaker, Author, Vocalist and CEO of Soul Support and Knowledge Brokers Technology Solutions. Soul Support is a company that motivates working wives and moms to follow their dreams and embrace their uniqueness. Knowledge Brokers is a staffing firm that allows me to empower others through employment.

As a child I was 5’6 and wore a size ten shoe. Growing up in the inner city, children often teased me about my height, big feet, and for being an unrealistic dreamer (wanted to be a speaker, vocalist, author, and mortician), and was constantly told that I was cute to be so dark. It was not until my college years that I realized how those comments dictated many of my life decisions. I began to feel very inadequate and constantly tried to prove my self worth.

I used those emotions to fuel my new sense of self. I put myself through college by working two jobs. It was not unordinary for me to work into the wee hours of the morning, sleep in my car, and head straight to class. This was a trying time, but my self-confidence shot through the roof.

I recorded my first singing demo, but was told that I needed to lose 50 pounds if I wanted to make it in the music industry. Luckily I didn’t starve myself and the demo caught the attention of Whitney Houston’s musical director. This prompted my move to Los Angeles. Not being one to wait around for anything, I started the first Gospel Choir at the University of Southern California and have had the opportunity to work with many musical greats including Montel Jordan, James Ingram, Greg Freeman, Randy Scott and Techno Guru Robert Hood in Switzerland. One of my proudest moments was being selected as alternate speaker for the late Civil Rights Activist, Coretta Scott King for annual diversity celebration.

My book “Always Believe” came about when my daughter began having some of the same self-esteem issues I experienced years ago. Immediately, I knew that the only way for my daughter to accept herself would be from within. It was this experience as well as countless conversations with mothers who were going through similar situations with their daughters that lead to my new book. Always Believe is a book designed to empower girls to believe in themselves and uncover their self worth.

Marlin lives in Detroit, Michigan with her husband, RJ and their daughter Morgan.

Marlin's book is available for purchase here: Always Believe

Thank you for reading! If you have a story/message that you would like to share and it fits into the topics on Always Believe, please email us. Guest Writers are always welcome!

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“Like the body, the soul must also be nourished daily.”

Losing My Job But Not My Dream

by Ms. B

I drove to work as usual and parked the truck I was driving. The principal was at the back door usual I thought to myself but students were outside and we always watch students while they leave the campus for safety. When I got into the building, the principal came in with me and said that she needed to see me in her office. As I sat down in her office, another employee came out of the closet. I was startled but had no knowledge of what was about to take place. The principal told me that they had found papers that were used to help students cheat. I responded, "Are you sure the papers were used for that reason?" Both persons in the office responded yes. The principal asked me to turn in my keys because I was being terminated for misconduct. I guess I was in shock because without any further conversation, I gave them my keys and drove home. It was surreal in the sense that I had worked for this company for four years and had never been accused of misconduct. I settled myself at home but my mind did not comprehend what had just taken place. My husband welcomed me home and was glad I didn't have to work two jobs anymore. I withheld emotion and spent the evening watching television.

The next morning it hit me hard. I had been fired. I had been dismissed from a job I loved participating in, without any investigation or warnings. I became very depressed. Although in my mind I knew it was the best thing for my health and well being, the conduct that was shown to me as a professional was thoughtless, hurtful, and disappointing. My students had always been my priority not my health. I wanted to help students who wanted to better themselves by graduating from high school. My dream was shattered by a decision that I was not privy to. I could not feel sorry for myself but I could feel disappointed with the outcome. I went to my first job and the class assignment was to read The Alchemist. I had never read this book before so it would be a new experience for me that I could share with my students. After reading three chapters, I found something. I discovered that I still had dreams of helping others and doing it by writing. I had begun writing poetry when I was fifteen years old. I never thought about sharing these private experiences I wrote about with anyone. But, this was a new day and a new time. I looked over my manuscripts and picked the poetry that I felt could help someone else if they could read about their feelings. I was on my way but I still didn't know where I was going.

I surfed the internet until I found Publish America. I had been playing publisher’s clearing house on the internet for years so I took the word publish as a sign that I should contact this company. I sent them my manuscript and they accepted it. I was doing something I had only dreamt of doing. If I could write about my experience and help others then this is what I should do. Today, I am very happy that I get a chance to be published. I have not forgotten my students that I left behind. I gave them something and they too have found ways to complete their education. I am very proud of them. I am also proud that I didn't just succumb to depression and resentment because of a decision someone else made. We are not in control of other people and what they do. We are in control of our destiny. Believe me when I say that if this door had not closed, I would not have found another door to the room with the window overlooking the ocean. I am happy now. I get to continue my dreams.

Brenda T. Brown (Ms. B) has published her first poetry book entitled Every Mother’s Daughter. She continues to write, teach, and help others take steps in the direction of their dreams. Visit her website at: www.brendatbrown.webs.com

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“Like the body, the soul must also be nourished daily.”

Every Mother's Daughter is a book of poems that share experiences of a woman who is a daughter, mother, and grandmother. Brenda Theretha Brown started writing words at fifteen years old. Writing for her made the world less threatening if she could put the joys and pains in a form outside of her mind. To see things clearer it was easy to write down the experiences in her life. Some times joy was all that surrounded her self imposed will but other times the darkness of the day was written in words that could seperate her from death's wishes. Today, the poems are for everyone to read and accept that life is a worthwhile journey and the walls that are constantly before us are just challenges that need to be accepted.

Purchase Every Mother's Daughter from: Publish America

Or

How to Get What You Want

In theory an adult is a mature person who is responsible, logical, and capable of making decisions on his or her own. Based upon their knowledge gained from experience, adults are people we look to for answers about love, life, and all of the above. Adults are supposedly holders of wisdom and truth.

Ask any adult what they want, really want, and more often than not you will find an adult who is at a loss for words. Grown-ups need time to think, contemplate, and weigh the pros and cons of said desires to ascertain if any outcome is really feasible or worthwhile for their gain. They think of one thing and all its possibilities and then go on to imagine another thing and then something more. One does not make a decision because he is caught up in this whirlwind of indecision.

“Yeah. But since when does anyone have a clue about what they want?”

(God, Bruce Almighty)

Children on the other hand have no problem deciding what they want. If you ask a child what she wants for her birthday, she will quickly give you a list. It is direct, clear, and concise. A child’s simplicity should not be brushed off as being naïve but regarded as a golden treasure to be retained throughout life. This approach towards deciding what you want can be useful for any adult.

Have you ever gotten what you wanted only to find out after you received it that you did not want it anymore?

“Our heart knows what our mind only thinks it knows.” (Noah benShea)

This usually happens when you only think you know what you want. Your desire stems from your mind and not your heart center. In order to get in touch with your heart center, consider the following:

• Contemplate Simply – The heart is humble and modest so unburden yourself with superfluous information that fills up your mind.
• Get to the Point – The heart is direct and unwavering because it knows what it wants and stands firmly by its decision at all times.
• Feel the Passion – The heart is passionate about its desires and emanates joy whenever it is near what it wants.
• Know Its Love – The heart’s purpose always consists of love. Whatever it desires, does, or wants to do, it will do so because of love.

Too often we think we know what we want without really knowing anything at all. We think we want the shiny car, the luxurious house, the perfect partner, fame and fortune, and a million other things that do not coincide with the heart’s desires. All the things we want are not necessarily bad however if behind everything we want is a reason other than love then that is when problems occur.

After years of getting things they do not want, many find what they really want is to love and be loved. Once you love yourself and love others, everything you want next is an extension of that love.

So how do you get what you want?

You must first decide what you want.

How do you get what you really want?

Ask your heart what it desires.

Thank you for reading! If you have a story/message that you would like to share and it fits into the topics on Always Believe, please email us. Guest Writers are always welcome!

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“Like the body, the soul must also be nourished daily.”

The Conformity Belief

Doing the same thing and expecting different results is how Albert Einstein defined insanity. Following the crowd and embracing the status quo, when everything in your soul tells you not to, can also evoke madness. When you feel you were meant for more and know that your path lies outside of the norm, what do you do?

If the thought of working a nine to five schedule causes your skin to crawl, you are not alone. Many people would rather invest in their own dreams rather than work for someone else’s vision. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 1 in 9 workers were self-employed in 2009.

To go against the dominant thinking of your friends,
of most of the people you see every day,
is perhaps the most difficult act of heroism you can perform.

~Theodore H. White

The individual wanting to make a name for him or herself may find the ambiguous path filled with obstacles, heart break, and the derision of others. Loved ones who are supposed to be in place to be supportive can quell you with doubt and try to deter you from your dreams. It is easier for them to see you walk the road taken which is why they say, "Conform, Conform, Conform!!!"

Your ambition and determination to follow your dreams frightens them. Because you are unwilling to fall into line, you are rattling their belief system. By watching you live out your dream, everything they know to be true has now come into question. Their belief system is immersed in this notion of following a certain way of life in order to survive and remain safe. Instead of supporting you they have to defend their own way of life in order to keep moving forward. Their belief in what is true about life is not the same as yours. Your loved ones want you to be safe and fear if you challenge the so called standard way of life, you will not be protected.

Following your dreams may also bring about resentment and regret in others. We all have dreams. Some of us have the courage to follow them and see them through immediately. Others become distracted with the busyness of life. They forget about their dreams and then pile on a bunch of excuses, problems, and fears so the dream remains buried deep within. When they see you progressing forward with your vision, their hidden dream begins to rise to the surface. An unfulfilled dream causes sorrow in the heart of the dreamer.

For the creative, out of the ordinary, wonderfully weird, fierce, liberated, and wild at heart types, I say follow your heart’s desire and know that the journey, although long and arduous at times, will reap many rewards. The destination may seem far away and difficult to reach but perseverance and patience will be your two best guides to help you reach your end result. Do not let others dissuade you for they do not know better. Stand up for your heart and answer the calling that you hear within your soul. It is speaking to you for a reason. It wants you to be successful and happy.

Do not be afraid to follow your dreams; be afraid not to. You are never too old, too young, or too anything to achieve all that you desire. If your dream seems obsolete, imagine a new one. "Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born." The only thing stopping you from attaining your dream is your reason why you can’t.

Set the example and be the light to show others the way. Anything is possible if you believe. Perhaps if you follow your dreams, those who don’t will be able to see a path to follow their own.

Thank you for reading! If you have a story/message that you would like to share and it fits into the topics on Always Believe, please email us. Guest Writers are always welcome!

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“Like the body, the soul must also be nourished daily.”

What Am I Doing This For?

We do not need to know “how” or “where”, but there is one question that we should all ask whenever we start something: “What am I doing this for?”
~Paulo Coelho

(This is a great free writing exercise to do! I asked myself a lot of what and why questions about the things I wanted to do and found some interesting answers. It provides useful insight and gets rid of any doubt or confusion.)

I have wanted things in my life to change for a long time. I was not happy what I was doing in my career or where I was living. I felt stuck and did not know how to change anything mostly because I did not know what I wanted to do next. I was lost, confused and felt alone and scared. Although I was not sure what I wanted to do next, I was certain I had to take action. I had to take the necessary steps for change to occur. I began to change one thing by leaving my career even though I had no idea what would come after. That decision created a domino effect and spurred forth a momentum of transformation.

The decision to make the change followed by the deliberate action of making a change allowed more opportunities to come into my awareness. In my previous state I was experiencing tunnel vision and could not see past my own circumstances but initiating change allowed me to open up to new possibilities and see beyond the limitations I had set on myself. My new vision ignited old dreams I thought could never be resurrected. I could see an infinite amount of possibilities for myself. I knew that as long as I had breathe in my body I was in an opportune position to do, be, and have anything my heart truly desired.

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” Almost everyone I know, family and friends, hold a perspective that I do not identify with anymore. They are focused on lack, worry, struggle, and survival. Some say they believe but their actions prove otherwise. It is not enough to say you believe. You need to follow that belief in action. When you truly believe, you will be able to stand strong behind that belief even when others try to dissuade you. Your passion will be so strong that no one will doubt your faith. I would like to show them that anything is possible if they would only trust that an unwavering belief in anything creates a certain reality.

I did not have to have all the answers to begin to change things in my life. All I needed was the desire and the courage to take one step toward the direction that made my heart happy. René Descartes famous philosophical statement, “I think therefore I am,” can be revised into, “I believe therefore it’s real.” What is real exists because it is believed so. To the people I know I say, “Look what I created because I believed I could. And do you want to know a secret? You can do it too!”

Faith in Words and in Action

I do not think faith is something that God tests us with. I do not imagine that God is sitting up in Heaven with a scorecard on every human being. We either choose to live in faith or we don’t. But like everything else, it is always our choice.

There is this…if we truly have faith that God/Universe/Spirit will provide for us now and always then we should have nothing to fear. I have come to believe that it is not enough to just say I am faithful but it is also vital to act in a faithful way. Isn’t it stated that actions speak louder than words? Or, I am not what I choose to say, I am what I choose to do.

Anyone can say they are faith filled but it is even greater when someone lives what they speak.

I was staying in a career that made me so miserable but hung onto it because I was waiting for God to create another opportunity to appear before I left because I did not believe I would be okay. That was not acting in faith. Faith is not putting requirements on faith or demanding that God prove Himself by asking Him to do something my way. If I only believe after I receive, then that is not faithful.

All of my actions only supported the act of staying in a career I despised. My actions not only contradicted what I felt in my heart, they were not aligned with the new life I wished to create. God may have had something greater in store for me but was waiting for me to act first. God could not call up all my clients for me and tell them I was closing up; that was my job. In hindsight, God was sending me signs to go ahead and close up but I was not paying attention to them. He was nudging me to act but because I was not in a state of awareness I only saw what I wanted to see which was nothing.

If I really believe God will guide and help me in my life then He will. My role is to be patient, be aware, and act when guided to do so. It’s not about making things happen but letting them happen. I trust that everything I need will come to me exactly when I need it. I live my life being grateful in the present and know that the future will unfold exactly as it is meant to. Living in faith is not always easy but it is possible. In my mind, I have set up a scenario to remind me to let go and let God. I picture myself behind the steering wheel of a sailboat and I am standing there knowing where I want to go but not knowing the best way to get there. I think “hands off” and trust that God will take care of the ‘hows’ by letting the wind guide me through the best route. When I am close to my destination, I know it is safe to grasp the wheel and bring her in. While living in faith, I always work together with God and His angels.

I sense most people are too scared to leap so they stay in a place of false security never really soaring as they were meant to; fear has restrained them. All I can say is that I took that leap of faith back in January and nothing bad has happened to me. I am still here and of course will always believe.

Thank you for reading! If you have a story/message that you would like to share and it fits into the topics on Always Believe, please email us. Guest Writers are always welcome!

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“Like the body, the soul must also be nourished daily.”

Find Fulfillment in Work

To do something you truly love, to find fulfillment in your career, to impact someone else’s life by touching the deepest part of their soul through your work, has to be a great part of living the most amazing dream. I know it is mine.

Pat Monahan, lead singer in the band Train, describes this feeling:

"I still remember what it's like to paint houses," he recalls. "I had fun because I loved the people that I worked with, but it's really not what I want to do – not because it's a degrading job or anything, but because when I'm on stage I feel so much more connected to who I think I truly am. I just want to stay connected to the highest level myself can be and I think it comes through music.”

I believe when we are truly in tune with the divine, especially in our working life, we connect with something that is so ethereally magical that it manifests in the most beautiful ways. It connects people, mesmerizes people, it touches people’s hearts and stirs their emotions. By being connected to the divine, you also connect them. These people who are in sync with this power are said to be brilliant, talented, and gifted and indeed they are. They have discovered their divine gifts to share with the world and in return not only have they been blessed, we have been blessed by them. Their gifts shine brightly, not to diminish anyone, but to inspire others to find their own light. Some people know their gifts immediately and other people’s gifts lie dormant within waiting to be discovered. Even though I have always written, I never considered it to be a part of my life purpose. It was not until I was guided to write and share my story with others that I became aware of how this gift of writing affected and helped others. It helps heal the reader and author at the same time. Writing has been a true blessing in my life. I consider writing to be one of many gifts to be uncovered for my life purpose. Writing connects me to who I really am. It is never too late to go after your heart’s desires and if you think it is then a change in perspective and belief may be on the horizon. Everyone was born with gifts to share so do not let them depart this life with you. As stated by many, “Don’t die with your music still in you.” People can realize their dreams and achieve all the happiness and success they deserve.

Great inspiration below…

Click here to see a boy who discovered his gift at age six: The Child Who Paints Like An Old Master

Experts have said that the six-year-old's atmospheric paintings, which began with harbor scenes and expanded to include rural vistas, animal portraits and landmarks, have perspective, shadow and reflections that demonstrate an ability well beyond his years.

At age 73, Ken Mink has made a triumphant return to college basketball. Not as a fan or a referee, but as an actual member of the team. “OK, my dream’s coming true,” he said. A fine example of never being too old for a second shot. Click here to read his story: At 73, he’s oldest player shooting college hoops

A Leap of Faith

When you come to the edge of all the light you know,
and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown,
faith is knowing one of two things will happen:
There will be something solid to stand on,
or you will be taught how to fly.
~Barbara J. Winter

Taking a leap of faith is leaping without knowing what will happen but trusting that the outcome will be okay. There are no preparations, no safety nets, no calculations, there is just you, you making the choice to leap. The ego goes into overdrive because it knows it is about to lose its power over you. It will try to keep you shackled down in fear and so will other people’s egos. It’s as if the entire egos band together to try and stop you by using the ultimate vice of fear because they know someone is preparing to rise up to silence one of them. The egos will tell you lies and try to distort the messages that come from your higher self. The ego knows all of your fears and weaknesses and will use them to keep you enslaved in a false reality, in a false sense of self. The ego is relentless in its deviousness and will do whatever is necessary to remain in power.

In moments of clarity, I have been able to quiet my ego so I could hear what my higher self was saying. Those who try to dissuade me from leaping do not know what I know. They cannot feel what I feel or see what I see. They are still controlled by the ego yet they do not know they are. I could hear the angels reinforce what my heart already knew. I have come to a point in my journey where my chosen path entails taking a leap of faith so I can continue on in order to get to my desired end result. I am standing on the precipice and I feel the angels next to me supporting and encouraging me and I know on the other side more angels are there with welcoming open arms ready to embrace me even though I cannot see them yet. If I could see them, I imagine they are all jumping up and down in joy cheering me on but all I can see is this deep, dark chasm before me and it scares me which awakens the ego and of course hesitation and doubt, allies of the ego, follow. The deceit begins and I am just standing there frozen terrified to leap. My angelic support stands their ground. They will never leave my side. The angels try to tell me it is all going to be okay but their silent whispers are hard to hear over the treacherous chatter of the opposition. Standing there, my mind goes back and forth between what I see in front of me, which is nothing, to what I feel, which is a knowing everything will be just fine. I either trust what I see or trust what I feel. Having successfully enclosed me in a cloud of confusion, the chatter fades away for now. The angels patiently wait. I ask them what I should do and they lovingly respond, “Just go.” I do not know how. I ask for reassurance about what will happen after, however when taking a leap of faith, there is none. I wish the angels would just push me across and I hear, “We are all here for you yet we cannot make you leap. We cannot interfere with free will. It is your choice but know we are here for you, now and always.”

The time has come and the spotlight is on me. My next step determines whether or not I choose to continue down the path I have been on this past year. This path leads to fulfillment and it seems a waste to throw it away just because I am scared. Everything I have learned thus far has prepared me for this moment however the moment is here and I am unsure. Do I really trust that God, Source, Universe, will come through for me? Do I trust that I am courageous enough to handle what comes next? I can leap or I can stay where I am. What would be more frightening, to take a leap of faith or not to?

My decision is made. I choose to…

I Choose Who I Am

"To be nobody but yourself, in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle that any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." ~E.E. Cummings

I mentioned briefly in my last journal entry how I was working on being who I wanted to be and not who others thought I should be. A lovely comment was left that brought back this memory from my eighth grade retreat and the above insightful quote from E.E. Cummings. During this retreat, we were sitting around in our small groups talking about ourselves and this girl, to my surprise, was so envious of me because others thought me to be this quiet girl who didn’t say much so I was never expected to say much. She was what some would call the class clown and always felt the need to perform for others because that’s the role others expected her to play. She wished that she could just be quiet sometimes like me. Even then, she knew that when people put labels on us, we then naturally become what others expect us to be. What she didn’t know, and of course what I didn’t share at the time, was that I was not this shy quiet girl. I felt I was actually quite friendly and outgoing on the inside but it never came to the surface because from my childlike perspective I thought I must be wrong and what others saw must be right.

Moving into young adulthood, I carried that label with me until someone saw something different. I was in a marketing class I loved and at the end of the class my teacher told me how friendly, well spoken, and charismatic I was and it completely shattered the inaccurate mold I had been suffering in all those long years and reinforced what I had always believed deep in my heart. She never knew what an incredible gift she gave me by shining the light on who I truly was but I am indebted to her for her clear vision. One person absolutely helped changed my world and I promised myself to continue to live up to who I truly was thereafter. I think we spend so much time living up to others people’s expectations that we tend to forget who we really are and what we really want. Then there are times that we have been living with this mislabeled life so long that we do not know how to let our true selves out.

Fear and guilt may hinder our true light from shining. I was definitely the devoted daughter who always cleaned up everyone else’s mess. I was the friend who always said yes even when I didn’t want to. I was the passive girl who did not take a stand when I felt wronged. I was all these things and realized I was destroying myself by not honoring who I actually was. I learned that if I stepped back, the people I always used to take care of, would begin taking care of themselves; and if they didn’t know how then they would learn because that is part of being a responsible adult. It was not my job to take charge of anyone else’s life or to change it.

People will not fall apart without your help. They can and will go on but if you choose to remain in a role that enables them to misuse you then they will never learn what they need to. You are actually impeding their growth. I learned that people needed someone like me to take on a supporting role in their life because it made them feel better and it meant they didn’t have to work as hard. Upon this realization, I no longer felt obligated to play second best. There was no reason living a life less than I deserved. I was miserable existing with the label others placed upon me. I had my own life in which I was the starring role and it was time to start living it. Even though other people expect us to serve certain roles for their own purposes, we do not have to become them. I may entertain a character every so often but not so much that it overtakes who I am. 

The late, great Jim Rohn stated, “If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much."

Say it loud and proud: I deserve to be happy and I will no longer be what everyone else needs me to be. I am my own person who follows my heart and will become who I want to be. I will live my life, choose my role and make my rules all for me.

In certain moments, at certain times in your life, a stand must be taken and a choice must be made. You are never who others say you are. No one gets to decide who you are except you. It is always your choice to choose who you want to be. Who do you really want to be?

Feeling My Heart

I think like most people, I have come to the bitter realization of how much I appreciated something or someone only after experiencing the loss of its existence in my life. A new perspective of being filled with complete bliss in the presence of an exciting opportunity has been born into my emotional consciousness. This joyous feeling is more than being excited about a new beginning it is rather an insight into how much my heart yearns for this to come to fruition. I actually did not know how much I wanted this opportunity until it was right there in front of me and I was feeling the effect of its affect. I know logically what I want but now that I am becoming more heart focused I am feeling how much I want things to change. The heart that has been stifled for years is now breaking free and expressing itself at such a level that it is impossible to ignore.

Being heart centered instead of analytically focused is a shift my soul has been suggesting I make. I trust this shift will guide me to what is best for me. I am now coming to the belief that the heart is happy to guide the person who always walks in faith. Shifting focus will help me explore new avenues and embrace new circumstances. I will become the person who I was meant to be and not the one everyone else thought I should be. I will learn to shed the many layers of my old self and let the true me shine forth. As said by Noah benShea, “Our heart knows what our mind only thinks it knows.” If I asked my mind what I really wanted it would scream whatever I wanted to hear, but if I asked my heart, it would quietly tell me what I needed to know. I work everyday to keep myself quiet long enough so I can hear the thoughtful whispers of my soul. It takes only seconds to be quiet, be still and listen.

The Long Pauses

The period between the dream and the realization of the dream can be filled with excited anticipation on good days and permeated with frustration on other days. This waiting around can truly test a person’s patience and faith. I have often wondered what I should do when I experience a slight pause. I came across a new book, Infinite Possibilities, by Mike Dooley (www.tut.com) and found he had some insightful answers to my quandaries.

He writes, “Lulls can be looked at as gifts – the calm before the storms of glorious manifestation – and when you recast them in this light, they can even be transformed into some of the happier times of your life, almost as vacations between spurts of creative living.” (143-144) I believe this to be the most beneficial way to look at these pauses in between the idea and the actual completion of the goal. Instead of standing still waiting for something to happen, get moving and make your dream life happen. You don’t have to do everything but you do have to do something. A small action will create a great ripple effect within the Universe and help deliver to you what you desire. I ask myself what can I do that will add more happiness to my life. I can take a class I have always wanted to take. I can start planning vacations I wish to go on even though I may not have the funds as of yet; It doesn’t cost anything to do the research. I can go test drive a new car. I can review my vision board and make sure it serves as an accurate reflection of everything I want. I can review my thinking to make sure I actually believe I can have everything I desire so I can really help manifest it. I can start exercising again and not necessarily at the gym but rather outside in Mother Nature’s fresh air. The point is there are many things I can do besides sit around and wait. Misery doesn’t just love company; it also loves immobility so take action.

And of course, I can always choose to keep a positive frame of mind. “The lull you’re experiencing is just giving the Universe time to orchestrate a relatively complicated yet fantastic, ‘surprise party’”. (141) I’m ready for my surprise!

Focus Out

“Sometimes a miracle is a seed that is planted in time. Years later it manifests, and you never know what part of the sunlight you were to help it germinate to fruition. Maybe what you are currently doing is not about you but about the miracle you are creating for someone in need.” (What Is Your Life’s Mission)

I receive this monthly newsletter called, Angel Scribe, and the above story offered a perspective I easily overlook at times. In my current career, I hear wonderful things from my clients such as, “You are a blessing” and “We are so grateful we found you” and while I appreciate the comments I don’t really think I stop and actually “hear” them. Even though I am in the process of moving onto something else I need to recognize that I have served a great purpose for others. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been what people have needed at the time they needed it. We all serve a purpose and are placed in moments not necessarily for ourselves but to be of service to others. We are specifically chosen to be someone else’s miracle because of our unique talents, gifts, and character; no one else could do it better. That knowledge, in and of itself should make anyone feel like a star.

As Mary Ellen, from Angel Scribe has said, “So, the message is...not everything is about you. Be the sun's radiant magic to someone's miracle; change a life.”

“The Best Laid Plans…”

I receive these short but sweet weekly inspirational emails from different people and more often than not they are usually very helpful. Some offer what I need to hear at the exact time I need to hear it; some offer insight to help further expand my thinking and open my heart; and some are simple reminders to lessons I have already learned.

Today I received this inspirational email from Neale Donald Walsch which stated, “When life is 'falling apart' things could actually be falling together...maybe for the first time.”

I’m in the middle of many changes however other important people in my life are in the midst of great change as well. I had a plan in mind to get from here to there which involved some of these friends but because changes have begun to occur in their lives my plan is no longer viable. I have resigned to the fact that my idea of how things should go was not in accordance to how the universe saw what needed to occur in order for me to stay on the path for my desired end result. I could have become upset but instead I am choosing to trust that another plan, a greater plan, is in the works and even though it appears as if everything is falling apart, everything is actually just being reorganized so it can all come together as it should.

Give Wings to Others

I’ve been thinking a lot about my spiritual path and my life purpose and trying to figure out what it is that I am meant to be doing. I’m keeping an open mind and exploring new options. I am in the middle of planning a Reiki session with a Master/Teacher. Reiki intrigues me because it involves working with energy and your hands; two things which greatly interest me. I know I enjoy helping others but I am not quite certain in what capacity. It gives me joy to help my friends realize what they love doing and offering guidance in taking steps toward the directions of their dreams. It’s kind of like giving them a pair of wings, so they can begin to fly. On the other side of that also lies frustration because just showing someone the door they’ve longed to see doesn’t mean they will go through it. And I can’t shove them through it because it’s not my place or decision to make that choice for them. I take solace in the fact that I’ve helped them acknowledge that an opportunity is there and as their friend I will support whatever decision they would like to make. As I reflected on this I believe it is always important to be encouraging or inspirational to someone else. It never takes a lot of effort to say, "I believe in you!" or "You can do it!" You never know how a simple supportive statement can affect someone. It may just be what someone needed to hear to change their lives.