Being afraid does not make you less than or weak. It’s part of life. How you respond to it is on you. What is so beautiful to know is that love can be part of the journey even when you are fearful.
Daily Moment of Awareness [10.27.2019]
Moments of awareness shared with you
Life is the experience. Of course, our choices influence the experience. How we perceive it affects the experience. How we feel about our life experience is on each of us to explore.
People so often misunderstand and ultimately, become jaded, about how much YOU determine what your life experience will be. The work, meditation, praying, positive thinking, law of attraction. vibration, visualizing, etc. are all means to discover and move through the life experience.
The great majority of us will go through the the end of a relationship. And all of us will witness the loss of a loved one. It’s not about avoiding such happenings or pretending they do not evoke strong emotions within us. It’s all about the choices we make to accept, to learn from, and to move through them. Those are the times when we can, very much so, affect, influence, shift, our life experience.
Feeling pain? What are you doing to heal? Feeling stuck? What are you doing to grow?
Daily Moment of Awareness [10.20.2019]
Moments of awareness shared with you
While we enjoy the majesty of this life, we will also experience pain. We all will. There is no avoiding it. In fact, a life spent trying to avoid pain leads to suffering.
Pain happens, whether unexpected (loss of a loved one, natural disaster, etc.) or as a result of our own doing (ruminating in resentment, allowing fear to influence our choices, etc.). The lesson is no matter the source of pain, it’s how (or if) we decide to face it that will shape us. Choosing not to embrace pain will lead to suffering. Facing pain in unhealthy ways (through numbing = drugs, sleep, pretending, etc.) will also lead to suffering. And it is suffering that gives pain power to manipulate you into believing you cannot heal.
Pain is another experience we must move through. Don’t get wrapped up in the pace of it. Do notice if you are stagnating.
Give action to pain. Ask for help (friend, family, counseling, etc.) Meditate. Pray. Journal. Engage in healthy activities (exercise, reading, walking, etc.). Other forms of action include: expressing your truth, acceptance, forgiveness, love.
Move through your pain so you can heal in love.
Daily Moment of Awareness [10.17.2019]
Moments of awareness shared with you
There is no blueprint for me.
There is no blueprint for you.
There is only acceptance of our truths.
Daily Moment of Awareness [10.9.2019]
Moments of awareness shared with you
It is something special when you are seen and heard. I felt that way this morning. A friend of mine shared some very kind words with me about how I affect a particular aspect of his life. See, we both play music together and he expressed how my drumming is opening him up to new ways of how he plays bass.
Why this is so special is because I’ve been playing drums for almost 25 years and I’ve been in a couple different bands. Each has been a unique experience and each has helped me grow as a musician. However, during my short stint with this current band, I’ve let go of my fear of feeling inadequate. It’s freed me to explore and to have fun.
I’ve mindfully been expressing my creative side and it has shown in my playing, my feeling, and in gratitude from others. It is really special to be seen and herd for who you really are.
Daily Moment of Awareness [9.30.2019]
Moments of awareness shared with you
Meditation is an experience which gives the individual the opportunity to see oneself. Unfiltered. Non-judged. Without fear.
This does not mean it is without intense emotion, but it is emotion grounded in how you see yourself. This is powerful. Many of us chip away (sometimes strip away) our authenticity in order to be accepted, to be loved, or we do it to be invisible. We then begin to see ourselves as others want to see us.
My meditative practice has been about eight years in the making. Where I am at is leaps and bounds from where I began. But what I realized today is, when I meditate I am seeing and feeling my authentic self. It’s liberating. It’s inspiring.
I’m also reminded I have work to do, but I’m not embarrassed by it. I am accepting of it. I am accepting of me.
Your Truth
Who YOU are can only be discovered and realized by YOU. What others may think or say is their own deal.
You make choices. You make decisions. You make mistakes. You learn lessons. You dance in bliss. You grow from pain. You express your truth. You reflect in silence.
Life is your most precious gift. The journey is yours to unwrap it.
words on image: Michael Barata / image: Ravi Pinisetti
I Am Strong
[I Am mini-series #2]
Have you forgotten about your strength? Your ability to overcome? To persevere? To move through the fear? To heal?
Your strength has helped you countless times. This power resides within you, for you, whenever you need it.
Honor your strength with gratitude
all words + words on image: Michael Barata / image: NordWood Themes
Your Inner Journey
We ask for advice. We get judged. We look for signs. We take wrong turns. We heed others’ opinions. We ignore our own intuition.
Of course there are people in your life who can help you. That’s a beautiful thing. But that doesn’t mean you ignore what YOU can do for you. We are taught as children to heed, to obey, to get in line, to follow, to respect others. All of this leads to a dissolution of self. Is it any wonder why so many people don’t know much about themselves, even worse, scoff at the notion of going within to discover more about themselves AND life?
Your willingness and wonder about who you are can reveal your gifts, your talents, your passion, and yes, your strength. The journey within is lifelong. Along the way, we hit detours, obstacles, and even deadends. What do those things look like? Well, they could be family and friends, authority figures, failures, and traumatic experiences. However, as long as you have breath, the inner journey can continue.
If you’re looking for answers, for love, for direction, start within. What you discover inside of you will be YOUR truth rather than their suggestions.
words on image: Michael Barata / image: unknown
Patience To Heal
Life is filled with joy and pain. And when we are joyous, we don’t want it to end. But when we are hurt, we lack patience for the healing process. We are closed off to recognizing that healing can take on many forms and be an experience of much diversity. Healing can be transformative and restorative.
The not knowing is the challenge. When? How?
Healing can be transformative in that your whole life changes AND your pain subsides. But healing can be restorative in that you gain a deeper understanding of the situation or person you feel hurt by. Your lessons help you so that you can re-engage in a healthier, more grounded way.
Pain doesn’t always lead to loss or end. Healing can reveal the pain is resulting from misunderstanding. From that lesson, healing can better equip you with compassion, empathy, patience to listen.
Healing can lead to new beginnings.
words on image: Michael Barata / image: Ümit Bulut
What Are You Telling Yourself?
Are you aware of the dialogue you spin in your head?
Are you rehashing a painful, past experience?
Are you doubting yourself?
Are you replaying somebody’s harsh judgment of you?
Are you what if’ing yourself into an oblivion?
Are you judging others?
Are you amplifying your fears and piggybacking them with anger?
Are you aware you can change all of that?
words + words on image: Michael Barata / image: Henry Be
Your Inner Badass
Inside each of us is a badass. Our inner badass lives authentically. Loves boldly. Speaks confidently.
To our inner badass, fear is something to overcome. Pain is the teacher and healing is the lesson. Vulnerability is an opportunity for growth. Our inner badass will only express our truth.
What stops our inner badass? We do. We quiet it. We hide it. We ignore it. We deny it. We doubt it.
No more. Give way to your inner badass.
words on image: Michael Barata / image: Mabel Amber
Begin With YOU
We can spend so much time and energy wondering what others are saying about us. If you’re not there, you’ll never know the what, the intent, or even the sincerity. It’s ok to not know.
What you do have complete control over is your own self-dialogue and how you express yourself to the world.
We tend to forget or hide ourselves in the curiosity of “the other.” Why? Because sometimes being you can be excruciatingly vulnerable and scary as hell. But it can also be magical, freeing, and healthy. Yes. It can be ALL of that and more if you choose it.
Find yourself. Accept yourself. Love yourself. For all that is unique and beautiful about you. That all begins within you - not with the other.
words: Michael Barata / image: Leah Kelley
Acceptance Is...Is Not
Forgetting You
Why do we forget to speak our truth?
Why do we forget to love who we are?
Why do we forget to move towards the passion burning within?
Why do we forget to give ourselves time, space, and attention?
Perhaps fear is the problem? Or uncertainty? Or conditioning? Or we don't feel heard and valued? Maybe we just don't care?
The more you forget about yourself, the more you become someone else.
image: Joe Longo Photography
Truth
“If you don’t speak your truth, people will manipulate your voice to serve their agenda. ~ mjb”
image: Joe Longo Photography
We all have those moments when we feel tested. You look inward and take stock of your principles. You connect with your truth and decide, "It's time." Of course, mulling over how others may respond is natural, but it is also fear based. Being fearful is not a unique experience. Engaging fear, moving through fear, and experiencing life after fear is not only courageous, but also authentic.
The above quote came to me during one of those moments. I found myself going back and forth between stepping up or cowering behind inaction. And then I realized, it's not about the response from others that matters. Speaking and living your truth is about valuing who you are, trusting who you are, and accepting who you are. If you don't, people will misconstrue your silence and exploit your inaction for their own benefit.
Your truth is your responsibility. Speak it. Live it.