Shake It Up, Baby

This is a good time of year to remember to get out of your rut and try something new. This is especially true if you find yourself shaking your head and wondering, “How did I get here?” or “Where has the time gone?”

Life is supposed to be about having fun and being creative. Sure, most people have to work for a living, but that doesn’t mean your life has to be a grind.

So if you’re tired, bored, or it just seems like life isn’t going your way, then it’s time to shake it up, baby.

Don’t think of these changes as resolutions that you have to keep.

I’m talking about having fun, not making more rules that you have to remember and follow.

So if you’re going to make it a resolution, make it something like this: “I resolve to have more fun this year.”

Shaking it up may include creating a “Bucket List” of things you want to do before you die, like in the movie of the same name, but not every goal has to be huge.

Be willing to try a variety of different activities, especially if you’re out of practice with “playtime.” You might start by writing down any idea that sounds like fun. They can be small things that take just a few minutes or longer adventures. It could be as simple and potentially silly as getting on the swing at your local park.

Having a variety is a great idea. That way when you notice you’re in a rut and having difficulty getting out of it, you can reach for your list and find something that’ll fit in the moment.

I encourage you to have fun with family and friends. If you’re a parent who’s been stuck for a while, be prepared for your spouse and kids to maybe wonder about your sanity at least at first. Be okay with that. Explain what’s going on to them and I bet that most of them will climb on board.

Just because you sit down and write a long list of activities, it might not be necessary do all of them. You don’t have to suddenly take up skydiving just because you wrote it down, but there’s no rule against that either.

While you can start at the top of the list and work your way down, I would encourage you to have more fun than that. After all, this is about shaking things up. You’re not creating another to-do list where you check off each task after it’s accomplished.

One of the best ways to help cull your list down or to determine the best things to do in the moment (with or without consulting your list) is to check with your Internal Guidance System (IGS). It’s a good indicator for determining how excited you are about doing something.

There will probably be things that bring about a neutral “eh” response while other things will be a sure “nope.” By checking in with your IGS, you’ll be able to distinguish between true disinterest in the moment and fear or hesitation because you’re climbing out of your rut.

So get on your climbing shoes and have fun.

For more, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com.

Parenting a Special Needs Child

Parenting is not something that I would term “easy.” Joyful, certainly. Rewarding? Most definitely. But parenting has its challenges even when we are fortunate enough to have perfectly healthy children.

Parents who have a special needs child face additional challenges that most parents never have to consider.

Fortunately, there are many tools that can help all parents raise their children to live the best lives possible today.

If you have a child with special needs, you are very aware of the extra challenges that you and she face.

It is natural for parents to want to protect and fight for their children, especially when they are very young, or appear to be weaker than others.

While this is a natural response for everyone’s sake, it is important that you also take care of yourself and the rest of your family.

One of the best ways you can do this is to be sure to tap into your Internal Guidance System (IGS) on a regular basis, and to teach the rest of your family to do so as well, to the best of their abilities.

As a parent of a special needs child, you will have many choices to make. The exact decisions will be determined by you and your child, as to what her specific needs are. Some of the common issues you will face are whether your daughter should be “mainstreamed” or in special education classes. You may also need to decide if she should be on medications or have special training or equipment to assist in her education and life skills.

No matter what the exact situation with your daughter, you will also have to face that her health will very likely cost you extra time, energy, and money. For some families, this comes at the expense of other relationships, perhaps with your spouse, your friends, or even your other children.

Some parents feel guilty that they are not giving their “special” child everything that she needs. Perhaps you have to work to pay the bills. Maybe you love your career and don’t feel like you are called to be a stay-at-home parent. Or you may stay at home and still not feel like you are doing enough, because you don’t have enough money, enough support, or the proper tools to help your daughter.

Other parents will feel guilt that they are not being “fair” to their other kids. You may be aware that more time and money is being spent on your daughter while the other kids get less attention. Or your other kids may be part of the “team” that helps care for their sister, and you worry that they are not getting to be kids themselves.

I know that you want the best for your entire family, so let us be clear about one thing: feeling guilty will not help you or any of your children.

There is no one path that is right for every family with a special needs child. So much depends on the specific circumstances you are facing.

But just because a majority of parents, who have children with the same diagnosis, follow one path does not mean that is what you should do. You need to find the right path for you. That is why it is important to tap into your IGS, which will help you to determine the best path for your family.

Take some quiet time and check in with yourself rather than always reading about how others handled their situations. How does it feel when you consider staying at your current job (or getting one, if you do not have one now)? What does your IGS indicate when you think about confronting the school administration about mainstreaming your daughter?

Your IGS can help you distinguish between your ego, feelings of guilt brought about because someone else thinks you “should” do it, and what is best for you and your daughter. You may be surprised when you feel you should let go, and when you are guided to pick up a torch. No matter what path you take, by allowing your IGS to guide you, you will have a rewarding, joyful, parenting experience and a lot less guilt.

For more, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com.

Skills Over Fancy Tools Key for Both LOA and Photography

Everyone knows people who have taken up a new hobby and before they have even taken one lesson, they have gone out and purchased the best equipment money can buy. Truth is, almost everyone has done this at least once in their lives. 

That is why so many people have closets, basements, and garages filled with stuff they don’t use and why there are a plethora of garage sales, listings on sites such as Craigslist and eBay, and resale stores.

While it may be necessary to invest some money in new tools, it’s often true that you can get excellent results with either what you already have or with a simple, lower cost investment.

This is certainly the case for both learning to apply the Law of Attraction (LOA) and taking up the art of photography.

There are ample opportunities in either of these endeavors to spend lots of money.  You may choose to do so over time, depending on your own goals and desires. For most people, spending large amounts isn’t necessary and certainly not a prerequisite to beginning your studies.

To take a good photograph, you don’t need to have the fanciest camera. While it’s true that professional photographers often have several cameras, each costing thousands of dollars, it isn’t necessarily the equipment that earned them their standing. Even if your goal is to become a pro, starting off with fancy gear may actually inhibit rather than inspire you.

While the camera on your smartphone may not be top-notch, it’s convenient and something you probably already carry, so it’s a good place to start. With this simple camera, you can move beyond the “Ooh, isn’t that cool” snapshot and learn what it takes through practice to more consistently capture the image.

The first place to start is to learn the equipment you already have. Your phone/camera has a user’s manual. Read it. Learn the basics of photography and then begin shooting.

You’ll discover that getting the shot does require taking lots of pictures, but also requires patience, lighting, etc. No matter what, some of the best photographs are “happy accidents,” captured only because the photographer was in the right place at the right time with their gear.

Once you’ve learned more about photography and have more confidence in your abilities to capture the desired image, you may decide to upgrade your camera. You may buy different lenses and a bag to carry them in.

By tapping into your Internal Guidance System (IGS) you’ll know which type of photography you really enjoy as your skills grow. This will help steer you to the proper equipment to buy for your goals. If you love taking portraits, you’ll likely want different gear than if your thrill is taking shots of wildlife while out hiking in nature. Some photographers will be excited about tiny details, while others prefer broad scenic shots. This will also impact your purchasing decisions.

Learning to apply the LOA is a similar process. You don’t need a lot of fancy courses or tools, but you do need some basics. Rather than a smartphone, your basic tools will be yourself and learning to trust your IGS.

Learn about the LOA, what it means, and how it works. Try a variety of simple tools to see what suits you best. Regularly tap into your IGS and it will steer you in the proper direction. You may decide that you like guided meditation and so you buy CDs or DVDs to assist with that process. Or you may discover that you like to meditate by listening to the sounds of nature outside your own door for free.

As you practice your basic LOA skills, you’ll probably discover that you’re pulled in one direction or another. You’ll find the gear that helps you to feel peaceful and abundant. Then you can focus on learning more about this area of interest and practice those specific skills rather than attempting to be an expert on all of them. You may also decide that you need a professional life coach.

Other people will decide they want to become professional LOA coaches, just as some people choose to become professional photographers. If you’re guided to take this path, then you’ll spend more money on tools, lessons, and coaching in order to reach your goal.

Whether you’re a photographer or a student of the LOA (or both), you should be open to learning more with what you have at hand right now. Allow your skills to develop. Tap into your IGS to determine which path to take as you grow. If you do this, you’ll find you’ve become an expert without having acquired a bunch of things you never really used or needed in the first place.

For more, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com.

Law of Attraction in Sickness and Health

Many people don’t believe that they can apply the Law of Attraction to their health. While it is easier to believe that you’re either healthy or not, you should know there are lots of things that you can do to improve your health. 

Of course, eating nutritious foods and getting exercise are healthy choices you can make that have a great impact on keeping your body strong.

However, you should also remember that your ability to affect your health goes far beyond what you do physically.

The first thing that you must recognize is that your current physical condition is merely a result of everything you’ve done in the past.

You can’t simply blink your eyes or snap your fingers and have an illness or extra pounds vanish.

If your current condition is a result of your past, then it stands to reason that today’s actions will affect what your body looks and feels like in the future.

When you study the Law of Attraction, you learn that it’s not only your actions that impact the world around you. It’s your thoughts and feelings that have the most profound impact. So if you want to change your physical appearance, whether it is to be stronger, healthier, to eliminate illness, or to lose excess fat, you have to change the energy that you send out into the universe through your thoughts and feelings.

Let’s be clear that this is not always easy. Most people have had many years of practice criticizing their bodies. You repeat the mantras of your various illnesses and woes. You tell everyone that you suffer from allergies, that you’re accident prone, or that you constantly get sick all winter long.

You complain that you aren’t strong enough or that your back hurts. If you have a serious disease, you might even explain your illness and symptoms to your family and friends.  You join with others who share your illness and form support groups and raise money to fight against this physical foe.

What the Law of Attraction teaches you is that in order to get what you want, you must focus your energy on what you want. If you want to be healthier, you must focus your energy on feeling healthier now. You must feel health inside yourself. You must visualize doing the same things as the healthy people who have the level of health you desire.

Once you can feel this inside and you’re focusing on this positive energy, then you’ll feel inspired to take the appropriate action to help yourself reach your health goals. The action may be as simple as getting off the couch and walking around the block instead of watching television.

You may be inspired to buy a pair of good walking shoes. Perhaps you’ll be guided to start simply by getting some fresh air and taking more breaks from your desk job. Maybe you’ll even be inspired to go to the local farmer’s market and buy some fresh produce for dinner.

What you will be inspired to do will be as unique as you are. Follow this inspiration. Don’t expect to see your results manifesting overnight, but do expect to continue to feel improved health. Spend as much time being hopeful and positive about your body and your health as you can. With this new attitude and by taking inspired action, you will manifest better health.

For more, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com. 

You are the Most Powerful Person in Your Life

Is your life filled with people and experiences that you want? Or do you find yourself doing things you do not enjoy, surrounded by people you don’t even like? You are the most powerful person in your life and whether you believe it or not, you are the one creating your life whether you love it or hate it. 

This is great news. It means that you have the power to change your life if it isn’t going the way you want. You aren’t a victim of other people, of fate, or even of your past.

What you are experiencing right now is happening because of the choices you made and thoughts and beliefs you have held in the past.

So while your past creates your present, it does not have to create your future.

By applying the Universal Law of Attraction, you can shift your life so that you are experiencing the magical life that you desire and deserve.

The Universe is constantly sending out a stream of well-being. Your negative emotions and limiting beliefs are like a dike that you put up, temporarily blocking the stream from reaching you.

There are many natural laws such as the Law of Gravity, but the Universal Law of Attraction governs the Universe. Like all natural laws, it doesn’t judge or choose. The law only responds. That is all it can do.

Your thoughts and feelings are sent out to the Universe as a signal; a vibration. The Law of Attraction simply states that what you get back in response to your vibration must match. When you send out positive vibrations, you will attract things that match that vibration and get things that you want. When you send out negative vibrations, you will attract things that you do not want.

The things that you attract may be literally things, or they may be thoughts, people, or experiences.

If your life experience is not what you want, then you can change it by changing the vibration that you send out to the Universe.

Often people believe they are sending out positive signals and are disappointed when they do not manifest their desires. If this is happening to you, then you are out of alignment with what you want. As much as you believe you are on the same frequency, the energy that you are sending out does not match what you want -- it always matches what you are getting.

In order to get what you want, you must remove any dikes that you have constructed that are blocking that flow of well-being. You must think about what you desire and you must also believe that you deserve it.

The key is to feel good as often as you can. When you feel bad, you block the flow of positive energy that the Universe is trying to send to you. That doesn’t mean you should push down or deny your feelings. It just means that you should work to feel better.

Fortunately, there are many tools that you can use to raise your vibration. It may be as simple as getting a breath of fresh air or petting the dog. You might put on some music and dance around the living room. Or you might take a few minutes remembering a specific time when you felt really good. These are just some of the ways you can improve your vibration so you’re in alignment to receive the stream of well-being.

Make your happiness the highest priority. When you do that, you will begin to see your life shift right before your eyes. Soon you will be living the life of your dreams.

For more, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com.

Photography as a Metaphor for Manifesting Your Ideal Life

Photographers are visual artists. Using a camera, their brain, and their creative eye, they select a scene and take a photograph of that scene to share with the rest of the world. You can do that with your life as well, choosing what you want to show to the world and what you do not. 

Some people think that a photographer is merely documenting events or places.

That is only partially true.

The image may be true and accurate, but it never tells the entire story because a photograph is only part of the bigger picture.

What is outside the frame of the camera lens may be less interesting or it may actually be more interesting. You as the viewer may never know. The photographer tells a story, albeit an incomplete one, choosing what to relay to the viewer and what details to leave out.

Photographers often manipulate the images as well, so that even though they started off as an accurate representation of something, it may be no closer to the original truth than a dream by the time it is shown to the viewer. Whether the photographer was documenting an event or creating something completely original, the end result is always something uniquely their own.

You can take a cue from the photographer. You are in control over what others see and know of your life. You can tell a story that you want others to know and leave out details that you do not deem important or interesting. You can also embellish your story so it bears no resemblance to the facts of your life.

Some people might consider this lying and believe that not telling the absolute truth is wrong. Others will say they are making positive affirmations, declaring their desired life into existence, and that is a good thing.

Who is right?

To answer that question, you must check in with your feelings. How does the statement feel? How do you feel when you are being deceitful, attempting to fool someone for personal gain? How do you feel when someone purposely deceives you, tries to take advantage of you? That doesn’t feel good, does it? Does this statement feel like that?

On the other hand, how do you feel when someone tells you about their latest promotion at work or the wonderful person they met? Do you suspect they are not telling the entire truth, or do you feel their joy? Does the statement feel hope-filled, positive, or optimistic?

You can take any situation and decide how you are going to frame it and present it to the world, just like the photographer. If you want to land your dream job, which photographs would you show a prospective employer? Would you show them the images of work you are most proud of or the tasks you did that you felt bad about?

Showing your best to the world is not the same as being false, unless you feel like you are being false. Appreciate the beauty in the snapshots you display. Believe in them. Know the power of your thoughts and feelings to create your reality. Accept in your heart that you have a “photogenic” life and you will manifest the life of your dreams.

For more on using the Universal Law of Attraction, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com.

Shifting Our Thinking Creates Heaven on Earth

Many people think of Heaven as a reward for life here on Earth. Some even believe that in order to receive that reward, our life here must be difficult. What if you can actually have “Heaven on Earth”? 

When you are open to all the possibilities in life, then you are in a blissful state of mind.

That is what Heaven is, so surely you can consciously set out to achieve that goal.

The shortest, fastest pathway to bliss is to have fun.

Your self-talk plays an important role in whether or not you are going to experience fun.

When there is a task before you, how do you think and feel about it? Listen to how you describe what you are doing or going to do. Do you say to yourself and to others that you “have” to do this? Do you feel like the task is a heavy weight, bearing down on your shoulders?

It doesn’t feel very good when you think you have to do something. How much better does it feel when you get to do something?

Do you think fun is your treat for working hard or accomplishing an unpleasant task? Rather than reserving fun as a reward, how about shifting your thinking to make every task fun?

To shift your thinking about the tasks you must do, think about the things you enjoy doing. What are the activities that you refer to as “getting” to do? What about those activities makes them fun for you?

In order to manifest what you want in life, you need to be in a place of allowing. You are far from a state of allowing when you feel burdened and impressed upon. It all boils down to this: you want to be having fun with everything that you are doing.

Let go of the idea that “work” must be dull, boring, or difficult. Be open to the idea that it can be exciting, stimulating, interesting, and fun. Now, go back to the thought of the activities that you enjoy. What can you take from those activities and apply to make your “work” activities fun?

You can manifest Heaven on Earth by shifting your thinking. Make a conscious decision that whatever you are going to do, it is going to be fun.

The task may be one of your own choosing, something you have been directed to do by a boss, teacher, or family member. It could be a significant task or something quite mundane. Regardless of the source or scope of the task, choose to have fun.

For more, visit SharonBallantine.com.