Today’s Daily Prompt came just in time! This week, millions of people are working themselves into a state of anxious frustration due to holiday activities, expectations and schedules. This word is a clarion call to all of those people! Take 30 seconds right now and breathe deeply…4 seconds inhale…hold…now, 4 seconds exhale.

Oxford Dictionaries define ‘relax’ as to:

make or become less tense or anxious

Relaxing is a choice. Our external circumstances are only capable of impacting our choice unless we allow them to. We can choose to see the distraction and breathe through it…just breathe. The anxious feeling, stressful circumstance or congested shopping mall are all temporary. They will pass! But, your emotional wellbeing, family and friends are permanent and more important. Cultivate a mindset of peace and relaxation will be your state of mind and lifestyle. You will be capable of finding peace in the midst of a storm.

There is something powerful and magnetic about a person who is immovable in the midst of chaos. Peace is their lifestyle even though life is not peaceful. Joy is their response even when life is painful. These people are able to ‘see’ farther than they can ‘look’.  And it started by the simply decision to choose to trust the process and relax.

JUST.BREATHE.

via Daily Prompt: Relax

“I will attempt to make this coin vanish into thin air!” When we hear this word, our minds are taken to the images of magicians and magic tricks. To people who can manipulate our vision to see what is not there or to believe in something that is not visually possible.

This word seems pretty straight forward in terms of its definition, but, I enjoy exploring the word at a deeper level, so let’s see where it takes us!

Oxford Dictionaries define “vanish” as:

disappear suddenly and completely

I have a question for you: What do you see when you look into the mirror?

Your hair?

Your eyes?

Your acne?

Your crooked nose?

Do you see your beauty or your flaws?

For most people, their initial vision is not beauty, but their flaws. ‘Things’ that need to be corrected and/or eliminated in order for true beauty to exist. All of their existing beauty has vanished from their eyes and mind – it has disappeared completely! They cannot see it physically because their minds have convinced them that beauty does not exist there…isn’t that sad! I must admit that for most of my life, I have lived with that type of blindness. Despite what others have told me or what was right before my eyes, beauty did not exist as far as I was concerned…and I lived as such. I saw myself as less valuable and powerful than I truly was. My true self vanished from my consciousness…

Challenge yourself today – get in front of a mirror and look at your reflection. What do you see? Now, look into the eyes of your reflection…what do you ‘see’ now? Your true self has not vanished from sight – you have just refused to accept your reflection as perfect and needed. I believe you are here for a reason and that reason is waiting on YOU to accept it.

Choose YOU today!

via Daily Prompt: Vanish

Our perception shapes our reality. What we believe to be true and real IS. The mind is a powerful, creative tool in the design of our experiences. What we believe on a subconscious level, we create – whether we intend to do it or not. Let’s explore the definition of ‘construct’ from the non-building design position:

Oxford Dictionaries define construct as:

• an idea or theory containing various conceptual elements, typically one considered to be subjective and not based on empirical evidence

Many of our thoughts are a compilation of words spoken to us and over us as we journey through life. As children, we accepted these words as true and real without question. We trusted in the adults in our lives and internalized every word, action and belief directed towards us…and those words created our world. More specifically, our perception of the world. The answer to the question, “Who am I?” was deposited and immediately accepted which created the construct of our existence. We did not take the time to process what was being said, nor did we question its origin. As a result, our vision was filtered through that construct and projected an image that we accepted as real. But is it real? Or have we simply decided that it is real?

Words are seeds. Seeds produce fruit. Fruit recreate from the seed within.

As you may have noticed, I am fascinated by words and I respect them to the utmost. A carelessly deposited word can have impact for generations! Do you understand how powerful that is? There are people groups who have accepted an identity based on the words spoken centuries ago! There are children who believe they are mistakes based on the careless words of others. There are companies who hang their success on the words of consumers every day. Construct validity has shaped their experiences and beliefs.

But…

With a shift in perspective, these psychological constructs can be uprooted and destroyed – completely changed!

There was a time in my life where I absolutely REJECTED the construct of being a successful business woman. It was not a real possibility in my mind or heart. This belief was based on words spoken over me regarding my abilities to be strong, focused or competent. It was so real to me that I began to speak these words about myself, not fully understanding why. BUT NOW, I cancelled that construct and have changed my perspective. I know see the possibilities in life and the capabilities that were always within me. My perception, based on new words which I have spoken and accepted as truth, has shifted and created a new construct – one that sees possibility and not impossibility.

My current construct is seeped in possibility! And I intentionally accept this as truth. I set my filter to abundance, good and love and life has been amazing ever since!

via Daily Prompt: Construct

Have you ever had the opportunity to stand alone in a space and hear your own echo? Did you notice that every detail of your voice was reflected back towards you – quirks and all? You may wonder, “I didn’t realize I sounded like this?” Over the past 3 months, I have intentionally challenged myself to listen to my own voice and become comfortable with it. Today’s Daily Prompt reminded me of some lessons I have learned during this process. Let’s explore the word a bit more…

Echo is defined as both a noun AND a verb – a ‘thing’ and an ‘action’:

• a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener (noun)
• a close parallel or repetition of an idea, feeling, style, or event (noun)
• (of a sound) be repeated or reverberate after the original sound has stopped (verb)
• repeat (someone’s words or opinions), typically to express agreement (verb)

You can notice a basic premise within this word – REPETITION AND MOVEMENT!

If our vision was powerful enough to see physical energy move, we would experience the true power of our words and our actions. We would see just how far and deep our words can penetrate a space or a mind. An echo has impact – both physically and mentally. It originates in one place, makes impact and then returns to its origin. This can be a sound, a word, a thought or an idea. The reflection of the sound can bring wholeness or brokenness, dependent on the intention of the original sound. Music echos within our minds long after the sound has ended. Dance echos within our minds long after the dancer has left the stage. Words echo within us (emotionally and spiritually) for as long as we allow them flow in our minds.

What does your life echo?

Love?

Peace?

Hurt?

Abundance?

We have a choice in what we allow to be released from us. We have the ability to decide what will radiate from our spirit to the world around us. Look at the life you are experiencing…is it the result of words, thoughts or actions that you sent out into the atmosphere and are receiving in return? Is it what you want?

Decide today what your echo will be and release it wisely!

 

(Please note: Images are not my own. Google has provided them all!)

via Daily Prompt: Echo