Articles

If you are from a cold place like me sometimes it rains or it’s cloudy for a few days.  The clouds are hiding the sun, we may feel as though this will not change.

When it comes to our circumstances we feel the same way.  We tend to give up or give in. After a good fight to remove that circumstances from our lives, we sometimes come to terms with the fact that this is now part of our lives. This is the way we will now live our lives and we give up on seeing the sun again.  At this point we of course talk about our circumstance as if it is inside of us. It usually has a large place and space in our lives, in our minds, our thinking and in our speech.

This is where I want to use the example of the clouds hiding the sun. The sun is not part of the clouds.  They are in fact very far from each other and therefore, we cannot think of them as one. It may rain for a few days, but seasons change, the weather changes, everything changes and evolves. There is no way that it will rain for the rest of the lifespan of this world.

Now translate this to your situation. First of all this circumstance is not inside of you. It does affect you but it is external. This is how you start freeing yourself from it. Recognize that though you may not have the power to change an external issue, you do have power to separate yourself from it and of how much you allow it to affect you.  How?  By viewing it from different angles. By acknowledging that as inevitably everything evolves this will evolve too and it will be directed by your choices unto it.

Something else to point out is the importance of is educating yourself about the circumstance affecting you, it in order to make the wisest choices, so that you will have the best possible consequences.

We all go through circumstances in life, some are short term and easy to deal with, some are long term and or hard to deal with. Yet, you have more power in your choices than you know.

I pray and hope that these details, perspectives and tools will enable you to change the quality of your inner life today.

With much love,
Alicia Yombalakian

Life is like a mirror, which shows on the outside what it is in the inside.  You can’t mask what you really look like from it.  Neither can you mask who you are in the inside from showing it up on the outside. It is usually short lived.

It is important to be aware (or become aware if you were not) of this fact. Why? Because awareness will allow you to realize when you aren’t being true to yourself, your conscious mind will speak the right things to you when you needed most.

For example, if you are reacting to a trigger, being aware will allow you to recognize that trigger, think and decide on an action plan, and act upon it. Giving you a totally different outcome than you would have had otherwise. This practice also, allows you to grow within.

Now that we understand that awkwardness is key, let’s talk about the mirror effect.

It isn’t fruitful to try to be someone you are not with people and who you are when you are alone. It isn’t healthy because you are not valuing, accepting and embracing who you really are, but are rather trying to fit in into someone else’s understanding of life.

This is why ideally we should spend time alone to think. Yes, think about you. Ask yourself questions like. Where am I in life?  Where do I desire to go? Am I accepting, loving and respecting myself? What can I work on to become my best me?

Therefore, instead of trying to behave differently with different people, you will behave in your best you all the time and in all places.  “You deserve your uniqueness.” You were created that way.

We are all a work in progress and we should accept who we are at each given moment.  Do it with love and respect for yourself rather than judgment.

From this moment on you are aware that the mirror effect will show what your reflect on it, and you always have a choice on what you want your inner life to be like.  Maybe circumstances cannot change in a moments time, but the way you perceive them and the way you act toward them can surely change the outcome.

With much love,

Alicia Yombalakian

Happy New Year!!!

The earth and everyone in it is being blessed with a new beginning as we enter into 2016. We have an opportunity to start something new, to stop a negative behavior, to forgive, to love; absolutely to shift the direction of our lives in any way we choose to at any given time.  However, as we start a new year we all experience the feeling of newness and hope for change.

Let me ask you a question: Are you ready to embrace that change you know you need, that change you desire to make?

We tend to start up with strength. Yes!  I am going to do this!  Yes! I can do this! We go into the new year with all that hope and strong desires to succeed.  However, after the second or third month of pursuing the change we tend to slow down or give up completely.

I think I know why this happens and I would like to share it with you.

I think it is because we did not really make a conscious decision to change. We probably made a light decision (Yes! I will and Yes! I can!) because of the emotions involved in the new year and the festive environment which drive us into the hope that we can do anything we set our minds to do; yet, but we did not sit down by ourselves in observance of what we can realistically need to change, what we want or need to change and what are willing to give toward that goal and or change.

The key is to either think or write down (a method that I suggest you use) question that could be realistically answered without emotions. Emotions tend to change the way we view thing and the way we do things. For example: In the first scenario, I just got a Christmas gift from a loved one. It’s an exercise machine.  I am are so happy and I begin to experience those feelings of exhilaration and excitement.  I start using the machine, but 2 months in the machine is sitting unused collecting dust.

The second scenario, is making a decision without external emotions. You tell yourself that you have to get healthier and you are willing to include exercise in your day.  You look at your calendar and schedule the realistic possibilities of you doing this. You even set alarms on your phone. Two months in you are starting to lack and slow down, but because this was a conscious decision you pick yourself up and continue to do what needs to be done regardless of how you feel because you know it is good for you an because you carefully made the decision to pursue this to the end. Also, because the responsibility that was created in your conscience through that conscious decision will allow you to produce the tenacity you need to not give up and to continue working on this goal until the end.

Therefore, I encourage you to sit down, jot down in a peace of paper what you need to change, what you would like to change and what can you realistically give into this to pursue that goal. Think about how you answer your question before you write that answer down.

Also, ask yourself the reason why you would like that change.  If you would like to pursue a change because your friend is doing it.  Think again and decide consciously.

I wish you the very best for 2016!!!  The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26 NIV) May the Lord bless you, heal you and deliver you. May He provide for you and favor you. May you be abundantly blessed. In Jesus Christ name I pray.  Amen.

With much love,
Alicia Yombalakian