by Jo Lyn Cornelsen | Aug 10, 2016 | Happiness, Jo Lyn's Blog, Life Transitions, Personal Empowerment |
The Purpose of Unsolvable Problems
I didn’t do it.
I didn’t cause it.
I couldn’t control it.
It was bigger than me.
No matter what I did, I couldn’t fix it.
I had told God that I wanted a different life.
And that’s what I got.
But I didn’t like the chaos that ensued.
I wanted to keep the good things I had…
Family, faith, friends and financial support…
And my dream house, too, of course.
But I found out that to get a different life,
I had to let go of the one that I had.
Well, partly, anyway.
Denial.
Anger.
Bargaining.
Depression.
Those first four stages of grief dominated my life.
The struggle and resistance consumed my focus for seven years.
I could see the writing on the wall.
But I kept trying to fix it.
And I couldn’t.
It was bigger than me.
Why do bad things happen to good people?
My intent was good.
I thought my approach to living life was right.
I cared. I served. I gave. I worked.
But if I was so right,
Then why did the bad stuff happen?
Terrible
Horrible
No good
Very bad
Stuff.
The stress of it broke me.
It almost killed me.
And I wanted to leave this life and go elsewhere,
Because I thought my brokenness
Was burdensome to those I loved.
But their love kept me here.
And gave me the courage
To let go of the fighting
And to seek understanding
Of why bad things happen to good people.
And I learned
To shift my focus
From what I didn’t want
To what I did want.
And to lead with my heart
Instead of my ego.
To give it to God,
And to lean on the Lord.
Acceptance.
In this last stage of grieving
Comes the healing.
I didn’t do it.
I didn’t cause it.
I couldn’t control it.
It was bigger than me.
And no matter what I did, I couldn’t fix it.
Until I could.
I gained a new perspective
And began to align with The Divine.
I stopped resisting the loss of what had been,
And began accepting what was.
And then the doors began to open.
I allowed the needed changes,
And my joy in life returned.
Accepting.
Allowing.
Receiving.
Rejoicing.
Authentic Healing is possible,
And it’s easier than we may think.
The purpose of an unsolvable problem
Is to turn our hearts to God.
Because With God, All Things are Possible,
And therein,
Is the solution to the problem.
It is time
To Align
With the Divine.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
The joy has only just begun.
– Jo Lyn Cornelsen
by Jo Lyn Cornelsen | Jul 5, 2016 | Community, Jo Lyn's Blog |
Living History July 4 Presentation of Colors
We attended a 4th of July breakfast with our church group this morning.
Some participants did an early morning run, followed by a scrumptious breakfast and
then a presentation of the colors by a civil war reenactment group.
As they marched the gravel road up the hill toward us to post the colors,
I saw that these four young men and two seasoned soldiers
were not dressed sharply in freshly pressed uniforms –
they wore historic dress….
Rumpled blue britches. Darker blue boiled wool coats.
Funky old soldier hats with the insignia on the top.
Period weapons.
Dusty.
Old.
Rumpled.
Humble.
Dignified.
Suddenly it felt as if they were really soldier boys right out of history past.
In Quantum view, time stood still.
They had given their goodbyes and heading off to war,
knowing they most likely wouldn’t be coming back home,
or if by God’s grace they did make it through,
everything would be changed for them
and for their families
and their country
and their way of life
by this thing called war.
Dusty and rumpled, these soldiers of yesteryear seemed very, very real.
Colors posted, the trumpet blared out the Star Spangled Banner,
and the boys in their uniforms stood a little taller,
made stronger by the meaning of the music.
Hands on our hearts, we sang along…
“Oh say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light”…
Dressed in sport clothes, shorts, jeans and tees….
We sang along,
standing by picnic tables decorated in red, white and blue,
with burlap table cloths, flag center pieces and bright shiny stars…
We stood up and sang along,
Bellies full of hash browns, eggs, sausage, cinnamon rolls, and fresh fruit…
Babies in arms and strollers,
Little ones playing at our feet,
Teens attention momentarily focused on the civil war living history soldiers…
We all sang…
“Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
Were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets red glare,
The bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there…
Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave”…
And the very air between us and the soldiers seemed to wave…
As though there were a time warp between today and the past…
And I became very, very grateful for their commitment and their courage,
For America’s freedom and unity…
“O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave”.
Prayer offered.
Colors retired.
Dust settled.
We remember.
And we are grateful.
For the brave,
Who made freedom possible.
Thank you.
It is done, it is done, it is done.
– Jo Lyn Cornelsen
by Jo Lyn Cornelsen | May 14, 2016 | Jo Lyn's Blog, Life Transitions, Mindfulness, Personal Empowerment, SoulTalk, Spirituality |
Black Wolf, Dark Horse, Sleeping Girl
THE AWAKENING
I awoke really early this morning – 4 am. My husband is working till after midnight tonight at a special event… so I’m doing whatever I want during this day alone today. I studied this morning – another of the 67 steps, then researched the YMCA swim times to see if joining would work with how I want to schedule my life – turns out free swim is early morning or late night… bad timing for me.
I needed to get out of the house– so I went to the grocery store just to walk around a bit and pick up a few small items. On the way I pondered this morning’s training about creating a consulting business using just a computer, a phone, a landing page, a thank you page with a video, a survey (which qualifies the client) and an appointment calendar for intake phone calls. They said the system works well in any niche, so I contemplate my options.
I already have the capability of creating that marketing funnel with the software I have at hand… it’s simply a matter of choosing the right niche, identifying my skills and what the market wants and create an attractive offer and a targeted advertising campaign. I need to muster up the focus to BEGIN and FOLLOW THROUGH. For that, I need to create a multifaceted plan for how to create meaningful and lasting success.
First… becoming clear on what I have to offer:
I have 3 main areas of expertise – holistic healing, internet marketing and eldercare… and people come to me asking for help going deeper with their own healing work, for mentorship with AFH startup, and for help creating a blog so they can have a voice. I continually get requests in all three, and yes, a few sales.
But what do I really want to focus on? What is in my heart to do in this next phase of my life since I closed my care home? This wavering of clarity, associated with an underlying feeling of loss and unworthiness has kept me stuck and spinning in study mode for the last few years. My recent path has been one of learning to energetically let go of scarcity and step into health and prosperity by raising my conscious awareness and aligning with a higher level of functioning.
I came back home and studied some more.
I’m still wondering what I want to do with my days, but this aloneness is fine, even restorative. But I feel that I am ready to reach out and meet people in this new community I live in. We’ll be here for 5 years while my husband finishes out his years of work before retirement. I have the blessing and the freedom to focus on anything I want. I am appreciative of the peace and quiet and REST… but I know I am capable of more.
My online search failed to produce volunteer opportunities that felt right. I looked for nursing jobs, thinking I might enjoy working part time. I found several daytime RN case management jobs that may be a good fit, paying $80-$100 K / annually, but they are full-time. Initially, my muscle testing said NO. I continue to ponder. What would God have me do?
At this point in my life, to create a sense of a life well-lived, I need to be contributing in a meaningful, generous way, not from fear or lack or scarcity, but for the joy of experiencing the beauty of learning, giving, feeling alive and sharing the light as it is given to me… and yes, for the feeling of receiving respectful compensation.
I studied until I fell asleep on the sofa…
Late afternoon naps are tough to wake up from… and I dreamed.
I dreamed that I was sitting on a couch type bed in some kind of open sided dugout shelter that had just a partial roof and a small sink. I looked out over the grassy knoll and saw a black wolf staring at me. Our eyes locked, then he looked behind him to draw my gaze to a dark horse carrying a heavily wrapped burden strapped to his back. The horse appeared exhausted, “on his last legs”, and trusting in the black wolf to lead him to safety. I have “known” this dark horse forever. When he recognized me, the horse came right down into the dugout and actually laid down, positioning his bound bundle on the bed… and rolling over right on top of me with his legs in the air. Somehow I managed to slide out from under him in the gaps between his flank and the corner of the armrest… and noticed the form of an emaciated girl strapped and now trapped and nearly suffocating under the horse. I was able to unlatch the wide leather strap and the horse slid away from her onto the floor in a coma of exhaustion. I turned to the girl. Nearly incoherent, but now suddenly relieved of the suffocating pressure and weight, she hurriedly stripped off the dirty ragged scraps of clothing from her starving frame and curled naked into a fetal position, burying her face into the softness of the bed, whispering the word, “sleep”. I felt compelled to care and comfort this vagabond soul, and managed to get her arms into the sleeves of a large cotton flannel shirt, it’s plaid softness covering her nakedness and hiding the dark and dirty sores on her shoulder blades, evidence of lengthy privation. “Sleep” she murmured again, burrowing her face in the bed. I fetched a small cup of water and turned her face. “Here, you need this. Drink”… she roused enough for a few sips, curled up and fell asleep again… deeply this time.
The dream faded, then shifted.
Now I find myself dreaming about dreaming and being unable to wake up. I dream that my husband finds me asleep on the sofa. I reach out to him but I am yet unable to open my eyes. Knowing that if I sleep too long in the afternoon, I will have a wakeful night, so he takes my hand and pulls me up, embracing and steadying me protectively as my own energy awakens.
But I know this is still a dream, and I drift away deeply again.
Upon awakening from this late afternoon nap, I am in a state of knowing. I know that I want to contribute in a greater way. And I know that God is allowing me to CHOOSE. I don’t have to wait for permission or direction to choose what I want to do or where I want to create. Enough healing has occurred that I am strong on the inside again. I feel whole. My physical body still shows residual effects of former lack, but I am inspired and feel sufficiently aligned to know that God trusts me to do whatever good in the world I choose to do. On the inside, I feel I am in a state of capability, energy and grace, which gives me the power and permission to make my own choices.
I can continue to live very quietly and very small in my current situation, resting in the comfort of this concise, cozy and protected existence. I appreciate this time of quiet. It gives me the opportunity to rest and fill my cup… to study, to breathe, to feel comforted, supported and to experience some relief.
OR I can choose to grow and contribute in a new way.
We now have enough stable economic systems in place that I need no longer fear starvation. I no longer feel like a vagabond upon the earth. I know I am okay, even if I make no further effort to create additional income. I have no more need to struggle for my daily bread, just the simple responsibility to manage our resources well.
For the first time since I was a child, I have time freedom. It feels delicious. I do as I please each day… chunking my time to attend to the business of living as well as my studies, but with less stress than I’ve had in years. Currently, I am learning from the 67 Steps to Success… a condensed compilation of wisdom from peak performers from all over the world throughout the ages.
“Life hacking” – is what I call these condensed pearls of wisdom for effective living. I’m using this as a mentoring process to help me integrate all I have been learning and to empower my transition into to a new state of clarity and focus. I ask myself, “What is it that I can create in my life now, that will allow me to contribute meaningfully, and in a manner I find soul satisfying?”
An RN case management job?
A holistic consulting/coaching business?
Authoring another novel?
Complete my SoulTalk book?
Eldercare AFH startup coaching?
Local business marketing?
Opportunities abound, but I have yet to focus and engage fully in one massive course of action.
No worries. The message came clearly today in my dreams…
“Your focus will come soon enough, dear sweet sleeping girl. The knowing you seek will emerge when you are fully conscious and awake. For now, enjoy the sweet peace and freedom of solitude as you rest.”
***
The meaning of the spirit animal totems in my dream:
Black Wolf Totem
“Wolf is reminding us that although we see ourselves as civilized creatures – we are still animals with our own wild spirit. He is here to teach us about our inner selves and to discover our own power and stamina.”
“Learn to balance the responsibility of family needs without losing your identity. Use wolf medicine to develop strength and confidence in your decisions.” – Wolf
Dark Horse Totem
“If horse has crossed your path, know that you have the power to change anything and everything you choose in your life. Understand that the wild freedom of the horse can be harnessed and used for your own benefit and for those around you. This understanding comes only when man and beast enter a silent contract acknowledging mutual respect and awareness of responsibility to each other. Alternatively you are being asked to understand that true power is wisdom found in remembering your journey as a whole. Compassion, caring, teaching, loving and sharing your gifts, talents and abilities are the gateways to power. You are also reminded that all pathways have equal validity. Understanding this will give you insight into the power and the glory of a unified fami
ly and humanity. Understand that every human being must follow a pathway to empowerment before galloping upon the wings of destiny.”
“Believe in your freedom to make your own choices. You are never forced to do anything. The choice is always yours.” – Horse
“Dark Horse Meaning: a candidate or competitor about whom little is known, but who unexpectedly wins.”
by Jo Lyn Cornelsen | Apr 8, 2016 | Jo Lyn's Blog |
The Law of Mirrors
Lesson from The Law of Mirrors: Recently, a client stopped making the promised payments for services he had already received. As money was tight and I don’t particularly enjoy accounting and management of finances, I reached out and expressed my frustration to some of my Facebook friends, saying, “It is said that when the student is ready, the teacher / or lesson appears. I’m enduring a lesson right now that I don’t much like. Wonder what I’m supposed to learn from it. UGH.”
As expected, some of my cherished SoulPrint friends responded supportively:
“You and me both, Jo Lyn! LOLOL! We’ll get it, eventually! Until then, just do what you LOVE!!!!”
“Hang in there! Sometimes it’s complicated. Sometimes it’s to develop discernment of preference.”
“Everything will be good, Jo Lyn Cornelsen! In time the message will reveal itself.”
Encouraged by that loving support, I chose to trust that I would soon understand the purpose in my challenge. As I explored the practical options of dealing with the issue, I made a conscious effort to listen more attentively to the intuitive messages that came my way.
One that showed up was a message about the Law of Mirrors:
“When people insult you, don’t take it personally, but do listen to their words. They are telling you how they see the world, and they are telling you the exact negative qualities that they possess. The Law of Mirrors states that one can only see what’s in them, regardless of what is actually present in reality or not. Release the need to defend or try to explain to them that you’re not being whatever-nasty-insult-they’ve-thrown-at-you, but evaluate instead, all of these insults, and realize that this is who they are. Then, decide if a person with those qualities is one who you’d like in your life – or not.”
Further, my friend Adrianna Hirschman shared some of her wisdom: “In my personal experience, the other is always a mirror of ME. If the other is showing negative traits that triggers me then it means I also share the same with them, and that’s why they are showing up in my life, so I can see myself”s reflection on them. The opposite is also true, when the other has positive traits, it means I share those with them…. I have been doing experiments with “mirrors” and I can see that they never fail. Pay attention on what you criticize on others….that’s precisely what you need to change on yourself! It is also very true that people can only see in others what they carry in their hearts. We are constantly projecting ourselves on others and vice-versa.”
The message to me: if the Law of Mirrors rings true, then the business challenge I was facing was simply a mirror of my own inner projection of my old familial pattern of economic scarcity and hardship. My intention the past few years has been to release that old scarcity and exchange it for affluence, prosperity, ease and joy. I have made much progress in this process… so why was this same challenge showing up again? Am I still projecting scarcity? I realized this was an opportunity to practice what I have been learning about the law of attraction. But how could I turn this negative into a positive? I wasn’t quite sure, but I do know that I cannot control other people’s perceptions, beliefs or actions. I can only control my own. Still in a quandary, I took a deep breath and prayed for guidance.
Then another message crossed my path – aTEDxBayArea video of Anita Moorjani, who explained her dying experience, her awakening, her healing, and the 5 biggest lessons she learned in the process. This was exactly what I needed to hear at the time – especially her lesson number one. Here’s some of my notes from the last half of her TED Talk.
5 Lessons from Anita Moorjani’s “Dying to Be Me”
“…So much more exists simultaneously and alongside the things that you can see. So much more exists than what we have experienced. When you flash your awareness on something, it becomes your experience. There can be something else right there, but if you don’t flash your awareness on it, you won’t even notice it. Think of the billions of dollars we are spending on cancer awareness. Think of all the cancer awareness campaigns. Imagine if we put that much money, energy and effort into wellness awareness, what a different world we would have. Imagine if we put all our effort into peace instead of into fighting and wars,
we would have a very different world.
5 lessons Anita Moorjani learned from dying and her choice to return to life:
ONE: The most important thing we have to focus our awareness on is love. One of the things I learned, is that one of the reasons I got cancer, is that I didn’t love myself. That is hugely important. When we love ourselves, we value ourselves. When we value ourselves, we teach people how to treat us. When you love yourself, you find no need to control or bully other people, nor do you allow other people to control or bully you. So loving yourself is as important as loving everybody else. And the more you love yourself, the more love you have to give other people.
TWO: The next biggest lesson I learned, is to live life fearlessly. Most of us are brought up on a diet of fear. We are taught to fear everything. I feared just about everything. People think that fear keeps you safe. That’s absolutely not true. Love keeps you safe. When you love yourself, and when you love other people, you’ll make sure you keep yourself safe and that you keep other people out of danger’s way. Love keeps you much safer than fear does.
THREE: The third thing I learned that is so important, is humor, and laughter and joy. We’re born knowing this stuff. We’re born knowing it’s important to laugh, because that’s what kids do all the time. We’re born knowing love and fearlessness. But it gets conditioned out of us as we grow up. Laughter is so important… and humor… and finding your joy in life. It’s more important than any other spiritual activity that you can think of, and if our politicians learned to laugh, we’d have a very different world. If we had more laughter, we’d have less people with illness, you’d need less hospitals and you’d need less prisons as well.
FOUR: The fourth thing I learned is that life is a gift. It really is. Most of us live as if life is a chore. But it shouldn’t be that way. And it’s unfortunate that only when we lose something that we value do we really realize the true value of it. It took me losing my life to realize the value of my life. I don’t want other people to make the same mistake, which is why I’m standing here sharing my message. Because I don’t want people to realize, when it’s too late, the value of their life. Your life is a gift. Even the challenges that come to you are a gift. When I had cancer, that was the biggest challenge I could ever have. But today, when I look back on it, I feel it’s the biggest gift I could ever have. I thought the cancer was killing me, but actually, I was killing myself before I got cancer. The cancer saved my life. All your challenges are gifts. In the end, you will always find that your challenges are a gift. And if you’re in a challenge, and it doesn’t feel like a gift yet, it means you haven’t got to the end yet.
FIVE: The fifth and final thing which is so important that I learned, is that the most important thing for you is to always be yourself. Be as you as you can be. Shine your light as brightly as you can. Embrace your uniqueness. Just realize and get to know who you are, love yourself unconditionally, and just be yourself. And with those five things, I invite you to go and live your life fearlessly. Thank you very much
Anita Moorjani at TEDxBayArea”.
That first lesson was specifically for me, in that moment. I’ve always been a giver – a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife, a mother, a healer, a nurse, a caregiver, an employer, a volunteer … and I happily served in all those roles. But eventually, I developed physical illness – brought on by chronic stress… and the basis of that chronic stress was inner conflicts. My physical illness was different than Anita’s cancer, but Anita Moorjani’s story of discovering a spiritual basis for her physical illness paralleled my own… I, too, had been spiritually killing myself. I realized that all my giving had a needy, scarcity component to it – a seeking for validation from others. This did not mean I was a bad person, or that my service to others had been in vain. I simply realized that my illness held a message for me… that I did not value or love myself as much as I should – that I valued others more than myself… and my lack of self love was simply another aspect of the old scarcity mentality.
In gratitude for this increased awareness and understanding of The Law of Mirrors, I prayed again, and listened further.
What could I do specifically toward resolving the challenge with this client? No particular answer was forthcoming, so I grabbed a pen and paper and did a little exercise I had heard about from Esther Hicks. I drew a line down the center of the page. On the top left side of the line I wrote “ME” and on the right I wrote “GOD, ANGELS AND THE UNIVERSE”. Under ME, I wrote what I knew I could do that day… and my little list had nothing to do with the business issue. Under “GOD, ANGELS AND THE UNIVERSE” I wrote a big list of things that I was concerned about, but had no real control over, including this business challenge. With the intention of being open to resolving the issue without legal intervention, I wrote a short email to the client, asking him to call me. Then I gave it all to”GOD, ANGELS AND THE UNIVERSE”, and I left the house.
A few moments later, I received a phone call from the client. I parked safely and engaged in a phone conversation. I was able to be respectful, but I did not allow him to bully me… and he agreed to resume his payments to completion of all that was owed.
This Law of Mirrors message, and the gift in this challenge, is the gift of having increased awareness about more aspects of the old energy that I can now release, and a confirmation that as I trust in Divine Guidance and take intuitive positive action, all will work together for good. I pray that in sharing my experience, that those who read this will be blessed.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you,
It is done, It is done, It is done.
Jo Lyn
by Jo Lyn Cornelsen | Mar 22, 2016 | Holistic Healing, Jo Lyn's Blog, Spirituality |
“I have the power!”
My 5 year old loved the toy action figures of “He-Man” and the other “Masters of the Universe”. I have a new perspective of that phrase now that I’ve been studying energy medicine, other natural holistic healing methods, the mechanism of the law of attraction and sacred spiritual gifts.
Recently, I had the opportunity to practice what I’ve been learning.
Walking into a public building before the office opened, I “passed through a gauntlet” of people already waiting in line, and heard a plethora of loud angry voices blaming the establishment, the neighbor, the landlord, the prison time, and everything else they could think of … rather than themselves… for their situation in life. Too much information!
I was grateful for the quiet strength of my husband at my side, and as we took our place behind them, I tried to not hear their words by attempting to focus on a digital number game. It was futile. We were subjected to a loud recounting of stories of fear, scarcity, theft, retaliation, anger and how they felt justified in taking the law into their own hands and causing bodily harm to others.
The negative energy was oppressive and beginning to spiral out of control. My husband was unaffected. He has a more broad worldly experience than I, as he worked in a prison setting for 14 years. But this focused, almost threatening energy affected me negatively. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t even speak. As the angry words became louder and louder, I began to feel overwhelmed and short of breath.
Until I remembered that “I have the power”.
I have the power to react or to respond
to whatever situation I encounter.
I have the power to create my own reality.
I am a “master of my own universe”.
And so, I quietly began to use the spiritual and emotional processes I have learned and gathered and developed, to defuse the anger and change the energy.
First, I turned on Wholetones healing music as a calm support.
I kept the volume low. It was imperceptible amid the raised voices, but the music helped me calm my own energy responded beautifully and I felt strong again.
Then silently, in meditative prayer I reached up to the Heavens and requested that Divine Light and Love become present and touch the hearts of all who were in that experience… I visualized a pillar of bright golden-white light enveloping each soul, sending love to each and all…
And within moments, there were changes in the conversation.
Softer tones.
Understanding expressed.
Compassion shared.
Encouragement offered.
Quiet rest between comments.
A lighter feel in the space.
The negative energy cleared.
And no angry confrontations when the office doors opened.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
It is done, It is done, It is done.
It is more true than you may sometimes think,
you are “Master of Your Own Universe”,
and “You have the Power” to reach up, to access divine help,
and send love and light to shift the energy in the world around you.
Blessings,
Jo Lyn
by Jo Lyn Cornelsen | Jan 6, 2016 | Jo Lyn's Blog, Mindfulness |
Receiving Gifts: The Blessings of Gratitude
I felt a bit frazzled by a demanding schedule early in my day, so I didn’t take the time to focus on counting my blessings this morning. I felt slightly discouraged, thinking that I wouldn’t be able to complete the whole 28 days as planned. But the universe had a different experience in mind for me.
During the course of this very day, I found myself constantly receiving gifts, freely given. I noticed them only because I have been cultivating an attitude of gratitude. They came in present moments… quietly, unobtrusively…
Here are my 10 blessings from today, day five of my 28 Day Gratitude Practice.
Receiving Gifts in Gratitude
1. I received the gift of free admission to an online Spiritual Mastery course.
2. I received another installment of payment from one of my clients. I do love working with my clients, creating the results they are looking for, and receiving their thanks. It’s win win.
3. I received the benefit of working independently when I exercised my freedom to change my schedule as needed.
4. I received one-on-one coaching in how to use a powerful online budgeting app. As I get better at using it, I am empowered for regular money management and future purchases. This is a big change for me, but I am beginning to find it fun!
5. I received two good books by great authors. Sweet.
6. I received an increase in gratitude for technology, especially including the internet and my computer, which allow me to reach out far beyond my tiny life and touch the lives of others.
7. I received kind expert advice from a professional… that helped me make a good decision
8. I received increased insight about myself, how my brain works, and what thought habit patterns are ready to be changed.
9. I received increased awareness that so many of my family and friends are like-minded people who care deeply about each other and about approaching daily life from an inspired perspective. They inspire me.
10. As my gratitude practice continues, I am again struck by the notion that we are God’s toddlers. A little wobbly sometimes, but we contain a full measure of divine attributes that we can develop.
Gratitude is magnetic. The more gratitude we show, the more blessings show up for us to receive. All we have to do is allow them in.
Thank you, it is done, it is done, it is done.
Jo Lyn
by Jo Lyn Cornelsen | Jan 2, 2016 | Jo Lyn's Blog, Mindfulness |
Creature Comforts – Day 2 of My 28 Day Gratitude Practice
What comes to mind today for my 28 day gratitude practice day 2, is that I am grateful for my creature comforts. I’m talking about the things that I take for granted in daily life… things that my ancestors and that people in some cultures of the world today do not have access to. And I wonder, why am I so blessed to have been born in a place and time where I could experience so many creature comforts? Why, in the design of this great universe, did I come into this mortal life in such a space and time as this? Who am I? What am I? Do I matter? “I think, therefore I am.”
I love that my thoughts are so clear in the early morning – and at that time I feel so connected and aligned with divine spirit. It brings joy to my soul.
I Love and Appreciate My Creature Comforts
Here are my joyful creature comforts for today, the 2nd day of my 28 day gratitude practice – creature comforts:
1. A warm bed. And it is comfortable.
2. Toilets that flush. And yes, mine is in a private bathroom just off the master bedroom of our home. So I am grateful for my bedroom and my adjoining bathroom, too. No, this painted throne is not mine. I found this photo on a real estate listing. I thought it remarkable that the owner loves their throne so much that they painted it so beautifully and with such obvious love and appreciation. I am grateful that this one is actually NOT mine…. 🙂 Mine is simple, white in color, and it flushes.
3. Indoor plumbing… I’m talking the ability to turn on a tap and instantly receive my choice of hot or cold running water… or lukewarm if I wish. So that means I am grateful for a working well, and for the water filtering system, too.
4. Electricity. Without electrical power, our well wouldn’t work. And the rest of our utilities wouldn’t work. And I wouldn’t be so comfortable in daily life. So that brings me to my next thing.
5. Electric lights. And light bulbs. So I can, with a flick of the switch, illuminate any room in my house that I want to go into.
6. Electric heat. This is such a creature comfort on these long cold winter days. We live in a mild climate, but still cold in winter. I don’t have to chop wood or build a fire to feel warm. And if one room feels a little bit cold to me – I can turn the heat up or turn on the space heater any time I want. Hmmm… that is a pretty powerful result for such a small, tiny action. Effortless even. Such a different experience than what was the norm in generations past… and the conditions that still exist in some places of this world.
7. Soft, warm socks. In the summer, I love to be barefoot. I walk better that way – more balanced. But in the winter, I love my soft, warm socks keeping my feet cushioned and warm. Mmmmm.
8. Shoes that fit me. And that I can actually walk in. And that’s a story for another day.
9. The beautiful Belgian wool carpet in my bedroom. And for the trip to Belgium, but that, too, is a story for another day. Besides being gorgeous, this carpet, one of my favorite creature comforts, is thick and soft enough for me to be comfortable doing my morning stretching exercises on – including the Yoga Plank exercise. Yes, I am doing a 28 day Yoga Plank challenge with my daughter… along with this 28 day gratitude practice. I have a short enough attention span that New Year Resolutions often get forgotten just a few weeks into the year. But 28 days? I can do that!!
10. Grocery stores. Yep, I am really grateful that less that 3 miles from our home is a grocery store where I can buy fresh fruit, vegetables, and pretty much anything I want to eat. The prices are reasonable and it is open 24 hours a day. Now that is a creature comfort. Mmmm again.
Thank you for listening to my 28 Day Gratitude Practice Creature Comforts ramblings. Because this is my personal 28 days of gratitude practice, it is totally ok for me to be talking completely about myself. And I am grateful for that, as I love to talk.
You are invited to my 28 days of gratitude party, and to create your own 28 day gratitude party if you want to. If you do, I’d love to be invited to yours, too. Gratitude is magnetic. The more we share words of gratitude, the more things will show up for us to be grateful for.
Blessings,
Jo Lyn Cornelsen
by Jo Lyn Cornelsen | Nov 20, 2015 | Jo Lyn's Blog, Self Improvement |
In my coaching, I love working with people who are fully committed to doing whatever it takes to heal and thrive. Sometimes, that process can be quite uncomfortable… so we humans look for ways to avoid the issues and stay in what’s familiar – even if our current status quo is keeping us stuck. In that sense, we prefer our disabled state – and our disabilities actually serve us, because choosing to let them go means we will have to show up differently in life.
Being coached can be challenging.
But It can bring clarity and focus and reveal our purpose.
It can be kind. It can be supportive. It can be encouraging.
It can help us turn around the un-turnaroundable.
It can even help us be wildly successful beyond our wildest dreams.
It can be what we choose it to be.
Someone who knows my coaching work recently reached out in desperation,
Begging me to help them get clear to the core…
Then they pulled back, too afraid to even begin.
Dear Friend and Almost Client,
You knew that in reaching out, you would ultimately get me involved.
But then, upon finding that something significant is required on your part, you pulled back.
Is this a pattern? If yes, it’s time for you to explore it.
Because in the conflict are your answers.
You said you were ready to discover and heal what’s at your core.
But this morning you have switched voices.
You don’t sound so desperate…
You have decided to go traveling…
You are going away to rest so you are not available to do sessions….
And besides, it’s too expensive and you can’t afford it.
You got my attention. I’m listening to those inner voices of yours.
The question is, are you?
Here’s the rub…
If you are truly committed to healing, wouldn’t this time of rest be a perfect time to begin?
Now is always the perfect time.
Now is the only time there is.
Let now be the best time.
“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
– Marianne Williamson
by Jo Lyn Cornelsen | Nov 20, 2015 | Jo Lyn's Blog, Mindfulness |
“Be like the bird, who
Pausing in her flight
Awhile on boughs too slight
Feels them give way beneath her
And yet sings,
Knowing she hath wings.”
Victor Hugo
by Jo Lyn Cornelsen | Apr 20, 2015 | Career, Jo Lyn's Blog |
Beginning a new venture but don’t know where to start?
Begin where all good stories do.
Begin in the middle.
Imagine your project as already established.
Jump right in.
See yourself already successful.
Visualize your platform as fast growing, meaningful and on purpose…
For yourself and for those you serve.
Begin in the middle.
Write a great story.
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