The Key to Happiness

“The key to happiness is not to make yourself into a different person; it is to let yourself be more of who you really are.” ~Dr. Robert Holden

Making myself different sounds like such challenging work, yet letting myself be, reminds me of John Lennon and of a time in my Life when I was adventurous, creative and excited about moving forward in self expression. Funny how cyclic Life can be. Today, my passion to grow, change, and live authentically thrives.   

I still can do a cartwheel and at (almost) 61, this is something I am very proud of. In fact, the next time we meet if you’d like to see for yourself, just ask and that little kid in me, will most likely comply. 

Teaching, mentoring and coaching others to “let themselves be,  brings me joy and affirms my sense of purpose. I am excited to share my evolving expression with my new website, www.janimccarty.com and of course with this new Celebrate blog format.  

I’ve made a decision (which is the first step to choosing change) to share Celebrate with you on the 1st and 3rd Friday mornings of each month.

Thanks to all who have responded to Celebrate over the years. I always appreciate hearing how my topic inspires, reminds, or empowers you in your Life experience.  Now you can choose to click on the link below in Ponder This to make your comments directly to my blog and to share with others!

Another way to Claim Your Freedom and allow yourself to be ~ is to join me in my introductory transformational workshop, Freedom to Change Stems from Within.

Ponder This:

What is one way you can acknowledge who you really are in the coming week?

Share your reflection in the comment section below.

FOCUS is a Personal Choice

 "When you direct your thoughts toward good, 
you attract positive experiences
and people into your life;
but when you focus on 
what isn't working,
you create even more challenging situations."
  ~Denise Linn

March is our month to focus on. . . Focus!  I have been diligently focused on expanding, refreshing, and rebranding myself in my present transformational journey.  Life is; more is revealed, and daily I get to choose which direction to take and what attitude to contribute.

Watch for my new website and Celebrate Blog format launching later this month.   I am very excited to share with you my evolved vision of who I am, what I am passionate about and how I might empower you to reconnect with your best self and claim your freedom.

Whatever we focus on, expands. Look at the direction of your focus. Are you choosing to concentrate your attention, energy, and time on what you want in your Life?  Or have you been focusing on the negatives, the lack, or what's wrong with a situation, a relationship, or yourself?

We create or manifest whatever we focus on. Our freedom lies in our power to choose our focus.  Focus is a personal choice. 

Take a moment to look at your Life. Choose one aspect that has been challenging or disappointing.  In this situation or relationship, where is the direction of your focus? What do you continue to hold in place by focusing on it?  What thoughts and dialogue continue to attract more of itself to your present experience?

Why not exercise your power to shift your focus? - Make a conscious choice to center your interest on what you want. Concentrate and pay particular attention to it. Give whatever it is that you want more of in your Life; permission to reveal itself further and to expand!

It could be that simple!

To Your Heart's Content

"If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there the whole while waiting for you; you find the life you ought to be living is the life you are leading." ~Joseph Campbell

As we end this snowy month, 

I reflect on February's theme of forgiveness, of Love.  

In our Art of Extreme Self-Care monthly workshop, we focused on Cheryl Richardson's Chapter 5, "Take Your Hands off the Wheel". She essentially encourages us to let go of needing to be in charge of everything! Ha! When we let go of the wheel, we can allow others to drive and to actually respond to our requests for assistance. Letting go and allowing others, frees us to participate in those most important activities that bring us joy.

The Soul Sisters Journey found release and healing in a Forgiveness Experience; letting go of resentment and judgement, giving up the struggle to hold the "hurt" hostage, thus recognizing, the prisoner freed, was them.

When we choose to look within and to honor the message of our heart, we experience a different perspective. We are the only ones who can free our illusions of burden.  

And when we do, 

we can step into the Life we want ~ where the miracles happen. . .

My Forgiving Heart

"Imagine what it would be like to wake up one morning 

and find you have forgiven everyone, 

and have only feelings of appreciation and love for your life." 

- Robert Holden

Now imagine that today, you make a decision to let go of whatever evidence you've been holding onto, against another.

 What if you forgive others for. . . 

• whatever you perceive they did to you?
• not knowing what you needed?
• disappointing you?
• not acknowledging you?
• showing up differently than you expected?
• not having the skills or understanding you wish they did?
• not being perfect?
• making mistakes?
• being unavailable?
• lashing out in fear and pain?
• not making you feel. . . loved?

Could you now forgive yourself, the same?

We recognize February as the month of LOVE.  Actually, every month, week, day and moment are of Love.  Yet in seeking Love outside ourselves, we ignore and push away the very source of Love and all its gifts. 

Look today at your relationship with yourself, at the true nature of your Heart.  However you are with others directly reflects this primary relationship you have with yourself.  When you forgive yourself,  you are free to forgive others.  When you love and accept yourself, you easily love and accept others.  Your heart is open to receive all the love that is already yours.The way to unblock ourselves and to release self-bondage ~ is to Forgive. Forgiveness is our path to Love.  When we forgive, we ultimately discover the truth.

LOVE is. . .all there is.

False Sense of Security

"It takes a lot of COURAGE to release the familiar 

and seemingly secure to embrace the new,

but there is no security in what is no longer meaningful. 

There is more security in the adventurous and exciting

for in movement, there is Life and in change, there is Power!"

~ Alex Cohen 

Most of us can relate to something we are accustom to that has lost its appeal or element of satisfaction.  We feel indifferent about it, ignore it, or even complain about it. Yet, the thought of making a change or trying something new sends us into a mini panic, or at the very least, out of our comfort zone.

Last week I took my Jeep Overland into AutoNation for a maintenance service appointment. The Overland is spacious, powerful, and luxurious. It has a unique feature that allows the entire vehicle to lower itself down to car height for ease in getting in and out. It was a perfect vehicle for transporting my Father and convenient for loading his walker, wheelchair or groceries. It is a solid, heavy vehicle that delivers a smooth, quiet ride. He loved it and with him, so did I.

Yet the past several months, I've had some different thoughts about my Jeep.  While I'm grateful to have it, it doesn't fit in so well with trips to the barn, local jaunts, or in cramped parking lots.  After celebrating my 60th birthday last year, I felt kind of old and sedate touring around in this big vehicle.  And since my Father died, some of the very features that made this jeep so special to me, no longer have meaning or are important.

So while I waited at the dealership, John Urban, my favorite salesperson, gave me a closer look at the new Jeeps I'd noticed around town.  They have a distinct new look; sportier and definitely cool.

John introduced me to the Jeep Trail Hawk and as we took it for a spin, something inside of me awakened. Though unfamiliar, I immediately appreciated the more rugged ride and connection to the road. This new "drive" tickled my fancy and released a dormant energy.  This was FUN! 

When circumstances are right for us, things progress and flow in a supportive manner. By late afternoon, feeling a bit timid yet excited, I drove my new Trail Hawk home. 

I awoke the next morning feeling sick and disoriented and almost afraid to look in the garage.  Sitting with Bryan at the kitchen table, I began to list the reasons for contemplating its return.  After patiently listening to me justify my feelings, he asked me one simple question.  "In one sentence, Jani, what is the specific reason you don't like the car?"

His question helped me to zero in on my thoughts and feelings. There wasn't anything I didn't like about the Trail Hawk. I hadn't had it long enough to even know how I felt about it.  It was something else.  I felt vulnerable.  I felt insecure.  And though this new path had called to me, I felt afraid and undeserving of this new freedom. There was a tug of remorse, almost regret, at having left my Overland behind.

A bit beside myself I decided to go to my office and let go of needing to make any decision for now.  I allowed myself to just be with it, park it and get focused on my first appointment.  A couple of times during the day I looked out over the parking lot from the third floor, just to check in on my new vehicle and to insure it was alright. It looked good out there.
 

As I walked out to the Jeep at the end of the day, I noticed a new energy in my step and an eager anticipation at driving it again. Snapping my seat belt, I knew my decision was made.  There would be no turning back!                     

                                                                                           
Indeed, that evening I experienced new excitement and enthusiasm as I sped around the lake in my sporty little Trail Hawk.  I found myself smiling from ear to ear.  In one ultimate moment, I celebrated my new sense of power ~when I joined Katy Perry at the top of my lungs, with "your gonna hear me ROAR...."