Monday, October 21, 2013

Keeping your Mind at Peace


When your mind is at peace, you have access to everything you need.

You can listen within and learn to hear it or feel it or be led into action in some way.

Reading inspirational authors is a great way to develop a vocabulary of peace for yourself.

As you follow each writer’s process, you will gain a practice for yourself.

You will find someone who speaks to you in one way at one time, and perhaps someone else whose has something to offer you at another time.

Being quiet and thinking about a phrase you have just read is a good way to settle your mind.

Sometimes it is just a word or two which catches my attention.

As I ponder this or just listen to the thoughts around me settle down, I feel a deep peace settle within me.

This is as type of meditation.

Putting yourself into a time of mediation several times a day for short periods will help you answer any questions you have about what you are doing or the direction you want to go.

You will find that you react much less to what is going on around you and that you see solutions as you maintain your peace of mind.

Although this is a quiet practice, it is a very active one.

Turning yourself into your quiet mental place of meditation during the day yields a constant flow of useful and calming ideas.

You will love how it flows into both your personal life and your work life.


© 2013 Kathryn Hardage
www.InspiredPractices.com

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Feel A Little Better


I remember being a little girl and wanting to make sure the new kid felt OK.

I remember wanting everything to be fair.

After I became a teacher, I remember teaching children from all over the city and wondering how I could make sure they all learned well, despite their differing backgrounds.

I wanted everyone I saw to feel better.

I wanted everyone to get along.

But how do you help that along?

As a student, I learned my skills very well, both academic and musical.

As I grew up, I saw a range of problems which needed solutions, for both children and adults.

And so I came to my conclusions.

I have now gained new communication skills.

I have defined what it is I want to communicate to uplift people.

I now use my skills, both academic and musical, to write inspiring blog posts. (www.InspiredPractices.com and www.MusicandBooksforChildren.com

I use my experiences growing into adulthood, and parenting and teaching, for reference points in sharing the inspiration I gain through my spiritual and self-improvement studies.

I am glad to inspire and help those who are willing to feel a little better through my writings, my songs, and my daily practice in how I think about my life, the lives of other people and our surroundings.


© 2013 Kathryn Hardage
www.InspiredPractices.com

Thursday, October 10, 2013

What Is Most Important To Me


What is most important to me actually supports me in every way.

when what is important gets done first, it sets the tone for the day.

It creates a flow in which the other important things get done.

Because I am focusing and acting on what is most important first, the creative and organizing flow for the rest of the day is done well.

When I focus on something which is not the most important, but still needs to get done, I find myself hopping from one thing to the next.

When I used to pray to get everything done, my day was like that.

Yes, it all got done, but there wasn’t a flow to it.

With the most important thing getting done first, the vibration or energy that is created includes everything else in an orderly and exciting way.

The things that are not that important don’t get done.

They will have another day.

And that is just fine.


© 2013 Kathryn Hardage

Anger


Anger is a way of pushing a problem onto someone else.

Even though you may have a “right” to be upset or disappointed, the solution will eventually be in how you respond, not in the anger of your response.

I am learning this over and over because I was trained in anger, not in solutions.

So I am learning how to create solutions more and more often, rather than just getting mad.

When I realize the source of the problem, usually someone else not getting something done, I can look for ways to take the pressure off.

That is a first step.

Then, I can look for what might make the project fun.

If there is a lot of discomfort around getting the project done, I can respect that.

I have learned it may be attached to something deeper.

I have learned to respect that, too.  I have that same issue.

Until the “something deeper” is dealt with, the project will not be able to go forward, no matter how important a keystone it is.

Also, I can’t necessarily address the deep issue, because that is something the person has to do for him/herself.

But, what I can do is to create an attainable goal that is worth it.

That creates a different route, eases the pressure, and makes it worthwhile and fun in a different way.

The route to that goal involves completing the project, but without having to shove a bunch of old garbage issues out of the way.

Sometimes, a different route helps lessen the garbage pile anyway.

Anger just piles up more garbage.


© 2013 Kathryn Hardage
www.InspiredPractices.com

Your Deepest Held Beliefs


You are operating according to your deepest held beliefs.

Some of these you are aware of and some of them you are not.

Nonetheless, the combination of these factors is running your life.

You may consciously practice being on time and doing good work.

There may be times where this does not work out, due to a few interruptions, but you may consistently live this way.

If you have good intentions to be on time and do good work but are constantly interrupted, then there are some unconscious factors getting in the way.

Looking deeply and quietly within, developing a practice of doing this, will reveal the obstacles.

Continuing your quiet practice will reveal the ways to dissolve or circumvent them.

Then, as you replace the obstacles with new routes, you will change your deeply held beliefs and they will aid you.

You will find you can build your life along completely different guidelines or find success where you were constantly agitated in the past.

It is worthwhile to find out what is running your life and to make sure you are living your life in the way that most uplifts you and benefits others.


© 2013 Kathryn Hardage
www.InspiredPractices.com

Monday, October 7, 2013

Paying for the Presence


Outside influences have a price.

Although I have a flow to my work which I enjoy, sometimes I allow emotional distractions to occur.

One of the ways I allow this is through the internet.

When it was called to my attention what this was costing in actual dollars, as well as emotional distraction, I was able to withdraw my attention and place it where I chose.

I am having my now, usual, harmonious day.

I am not having to correct for reactions to news stories or outside emails.

I have a separate and specific time when I choose to participate on the internet with my blog postings and my new product releases and relevant communications.

This is allowing me to experience higher productivity and fulfillment.

This time, I like what I am paying for.


© 2013 Kathryn Hardage

Living the Life!


I remember how impressed I was with the book titled, The Four-Hour Workweek.

I loved that the author chose fun ways to spend the rest of his time, that he was able to choose where he lived and to enjoy a series of adventures.

I am discovering my own way to participate in what I enjoy, including my work, although I do not get it done in four hours per week.

The first thing was to find out my purpose.

 Then I learned what I needed to know to carry it out.

Now that that is accomplished (with more room for it to continue to develop and grow), I have been able to both streamline both how I do what I do, and to expand its outreach.

Several enjoyable things fell by the wayside, because, even though I enjoyed them, they did not contribute to my purpose.

Other enjoyable things have continued.

They have the right “energy”.

I can’t explain it.

I only know how it feels.

When I am led or “allowed” to do the things with the “right” energy, it feels very different from the other enjoyable things, which are now simply blocked off, no matter how much I rearrange my schedule or attempt to stay involved.

I am learning that my Higher Life is living me.

I just go along for the ride.

My body takes me places.

My mind applies itself to creative solutions.

And I feel just great living this new way.

© 2013 Kathryn Hardage

I Am No Longer the Person You Think You Know


Reunions can be a wonderful thing, or not.

I am not sure I want to be identified with who and where I was in the past.

After all, I have had to overcome a lot to get where I am now.

And that might not look so impressive to someone else.

Why would I want to go back into relationships I have outgrown?

Is that something pleasant to remind myself of?

No, not necessarily.

I had a very uncomfortable platform back then.

My job was to solve my problems and move on.

So I did.

And I have.


© 2013 Kathryn Hardage
www.InspiredPractices.com

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

My Plan


I am going farther on my own plan that I can on anyone else’s.

My own plan has come to me and only me.

It has come through genuine authentic hard rigorous delightful spiritual work and guidance.

It is mine and I am satisfied with it.

It fulfills me.

It is the one thing, my pearl of great price.

I will not be distracted from its value by looking in any other direction.


© 2013 Kathryn Hardage