Wake Up BEFORE the Wake Up Call!

Stories of two people that I'm connected to:

He was in his early 50's.  He started to not feel so good.  But he forged on.  He felt pain in his chest.  He died in his sleep.

She was feeling quite healthy, a mom of 2 kids in college.  She noticed this scab that kept appearing on her neck.  She'd pick it off and then it would reappear.  She figured she should ask the doctor about it.  She didn't think it was a big deal.  This was on a Thursday.  The doc immediately said, "This is not good.  Get to a specialist."  She sees the specialist the next day.  He orders labs.  On the following Tuesday, she gets the news that she has Stage 2 cancer.  Her life feels like it is turned upside down.

Folks, life is temporary.  Life is short.  Life is NOT about accumulation, status, titles etc. None of that goes in the coffin with you when you pass to the other side, right?

 Life is about LOVE.  Life is about LIVING YOUR PURPOSE WITH LOVE.

Why wait until you get that notice from the doctor or until that person close to you is suddenly gone to WAKE UP?

WAKE UP NOW!

WAKE UP TODAY!

WAKE UP IMMEDIATELY!

WAKE UP BEFORE YOU GET A WAKE UP CALL?

How would you be living today if you knew your time here is limited?

What would you do today that you've been putting off for a time when you are "more ready?"

What would be IMPORTANT to you today if you knew that your time here is temporary?

What a grand opportunity we have to be here on planet earth.

The time is precious, to be savored, to be maximized and enjoyed fully.

My prayer for each one of us is that we LIVE LIFE FULLY and PURPOSEFULLY in 2017!

Now is the TIME to emerge into your potential.

Now is the time to set aside remaining self-doubt and fears.

Now is the time to get moving on your dreams--starting where you are today with whatever resources you have right now.

Now is the time to love and enjoy the people who are most important to you.

Now is the time to re-orient your life and your way of  being to THRIVE in 2017.

I choose to be wide awake today and every day!

Join me, please ;)
It sure will be a lot more enjoyable if we all do so.

With my love, 

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.

www.patriciaomoqui.com 

Re-Emerging Into Child-like Wonder & Joy

More and more I am less and less serious.

More and more I am returning to my natural essence -- that of an open heart, an energetic excitement for life.

I came onto the planet and got serious pretty quickly.  I was born into a family where a parent had a mental illness and a proclivity toward intense anger and emotional violence.

Any joyful inclination my brother or I had was immediately squashed by the German "Stop that non-sense.  Be seen and not heard."

I became a great soldier.  I put on the armor of self-protection to survive each day, ever ready to defend my young spirit from the powerful fatherly surges of mean energy.

As I grew into a teen, I channeled my energy into feats of achievement and great success.  I was an unstoppable warrior.  Yet, as I emerged into adulthood the inner sadness I felt was so profound that I couldn't enjoy any of the accomplishments very well.

And so, the last 14 years of healing work has been full of becoming aware of and letting go the layers of defensiveness, of sadness that blanketed my young soul.  I gradually and slowly have peeled back the pain and depressed energy.

In the process, I eventually got to peace.  Peace felt really good.  I no longer had the fears.  I no longer had the yearning for fatherly love.  I felt a sense of stillness within.

Then I realized, I had no clue what joy meant.  How could I get from Peace to Joy?

That was my quest in 2016.  I had absolutely no concept of what it would mean to be filled with joy and wonder of life.  I had to numb all that within myself in order to survive my brutal childhood.

Yet, my request to God was -- God, help me to re-awaken to joy.  I could see joy in my children.  They loved life.  They laughed.  They were happy.  They wanted to have fun, to connect with friends.  They were silly.

My 3 daughters were a door, once again, to my awakening to being joyful.

I now am re-experiencing child-like wonder at life.  I am beginning to step back into what happiness is. After doing the inner work of peeling back the hundreds of walls I built to survive -- now, what I am finally reconnecting to is my pure, child-like awe and wonder at the gift of life.

As I meditated this morning and sat in stillness for some time with pen and paper in hand.  Here is what emerged:

To expand exponentially one must relax profoundly.

Striving brings tension and closes energy down.

Relaxed, joyful focus allows for creative surges of energy to flow into MANIFESTATION.

From courageous openness to one's heart's desires, 
Emerges the simple next step to take.

Then, one step after the other, the path unfolds--
twisting and turning with peaks and valleys on a 
MARVELOUS ADVENTURE.

What one small step are you
Ready to take today
On your path of Personal Evolution?

Like a joyful child, full of excitement--let energy surge through your body 
As you go forth into Today.

Release heavy mental stories.
Surrender fear and negativity.

Open the heart.
Unleash the spirit that yearns to finally be free of the mental prison.

The key of joyful personal choice is in your hands.

Emerge FORTH
NOW
Surpassing all expectations.
Flooded with Dancing enthusiasm for
The gift of Life Today.

Believe in your own miraculous potential...and
You are certain to
Step fully into it.

Dearest friends, this journey of life often means coming back to the child-like version of our self that brims with energy.  As we combine this wondrous energy with our inner wisdom, we skip along life's path, determined to leap forward into the unknown adventures that await us.

Follow the yearnings of your heart.
Keep healing.
Ask God to assist you in removing the layers of pain and protection you have accumulated.
As Layer by Layer falls away, the enormous potential of your spirit naturally emerges.

How I know first hand the process of intense healing and transformation....and I delight to walk side-by-side with others as they experience the same processes.

I'm only an email away.

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

Wrapping My Gift to YOU!

I've finished up my Christmas shopping.  I still need to wrap up my gifts for my husband, kids and immediate family.  I realized, though, that I still needed to take the time to wrap a gift for YOU!

You may think my gift is too simple.  Maybe what I am about to offer you is not "sexy" or on "the list of Top Gifts for 2016".

The gift I have to give you comes in the form of a reminder.

Beyond the glitter, the lights, the wrapping paper, the presents you have gotten for the ones you love.  Beyond any of the STUFF and the Glitz.

It is essential to remember that YOU, YOUR PRESENCE is the BEST GIFT YOU CAN OFFER the ones you love.  

Yes, that means all of you -- the parts of you that go through the highs and the aspects  of you that have felt tremendous lows.  That means the talents you bring to the table and the strengths you embody as well as the areas of growth that are calling for your attention.  YOU -- ALL OF YOU -- each and every cell of your body from your hair down to your toe-nails is a tremendous GIFT.

What if for the next few days you put aside any worries of what people thought of you?

What if you decided to show up--warts and all--and just had a blast being the best version of you that you can?

What if you put aside all pressure and expectations and came to the parties and to the family celebrations with total presence -- a willingness to just BE FULLY with the people you love.  Your whole self -- mind, body and spirit -- listening, looking in awe a the magnificent people in your life, loving them in a fuller way than you have ever done before?

What if the real gift of this time of year is the togetherness, the late night heart-felt conversations of loving comfort you can give to someone you care about?

What if the deeper gifts of the Holidays is acting on those intuitive promptings to help a stranger in a special way?

What if the magic in all of this Holiday Hulabaloo (did I spell that right!??) is YOU?

Friend, my prayer is that you begin to recognize how essential YOU are to our human race.  Each one of us 7 billion traversing this planet at this time brings a unique, remarkable configuration.  The gifts you have, the experiences that have shaped you, the resilient spirit flowing through your body--all parts of you are designed to be a GIFT to your realm of influence.

So, why not relax yourself a bit.  All that is needed is for you to share the beauty of your heart and spirit as you move through the next few days...is to fully relax into the moment.  Come out of your mind, and just open your heart and bring the FULLNESS of your love to the table.  As you do, the space for miracles open and you just never know what love will spark in your life and the lives of those you are closest to.

Ok...I admit it.  Beyond the gift of my own being, I did find you another great gift to share with you.

 I hit the Jackpot the other day.  I'm a positive psychology practitioner...so as I was searching YouTube to fill my mind with Positive Psychology videos, I found a series of 30 videos of the original, renowned Harvard course on Positive Psychology.  For those of you dedicated to growth and fulfilling your purpose, this will be some of the best 30 hours of learning you can find.  And, this Harvard course is FREE.  Sounds to good to be true, huh?  Well, seize the day and listen to these lectures. (They happen to have Chinese sub-titles in case you have any Chinese friends).  Pretend that you are actually attending the course and give the ideas this amazing professor offers a try.  It WILL change your life if you take the time to learn and apply what he shares.

Harvard Positive Psychology Open Course - 30 lectures


Have a blessed, and happy holiday,

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

I Chose to LEAN IN -- To My Life

Life is often very ironic.  Often the deepest realizations come from the most painful of circumstances that arrive unexpectedly and break us open.

It was 2002.  I was climbing the corporate ladder at a fast pace.  With my Princeton work-ethic and my belief that I could achieve anything I put my mind to, I had my sights set on becoming a V.P. as quickly as I could. Underneath the surface, though, there was a mild dissatisfaction brewing--that question that lurked in the dark moments, "Isn't there something more to all of this?"

Life stopped me in my tracks.  Soon after my first child, Maggie, arrived, we were given the message by doctors that "There is something wrong with your baby.  She might not walk, talk or be normal." That was the message delivered after 6 months of inconclusive testing at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

I went from feeling a mild, inner discontent to my life being broken open into intense personal suffering.

Rather than Leaning In to climb the corporate ladder to numb my pain.  I instead Leaned In to my LIFE. I Leaned into my Pain.  This radical choice has made all the difference for me.

In the years just after Maggie's arrival, I learned that Pain could not overcome me.  Pain was a vehicle to my personal awakening.  The intensity of these circumstances had no outer solution.  Nothing could make me feel better anymore--my work addiction lost all it's magic. All the things that had caused me a sense of excitement no longer did so.  It was just me and the pain.

What I quickly realized as I sat in the intense discomfort of my life was that there were deeper messages beckoning--even screaming for my attention.

"Trish, you are here for something more, something deeper than this external rat race."

"Trish, it is time to come back to yourself...to the clear callings you had as a young person."

"Trish, mild suffering is overrated--the status quo of stressful striving is not the only way."

"Trish, you searched for excitement in outer activities and it never satisfied you, look within and look above."

"Trish, you can find the way beyond Pain.  You can find a way to peace--even joy--regardless of the circumstances."

Leaning In to my Pain cracked me open and allowed me to discover who I was on a much deeper level.

Leaning In to the Fires life brought me burned away all that didn't really matter.

Leaning In to the inner messages that had, for years, been trying to get my attention allowed me to finally get on the path to deep self-discovery, spiritual awakening and incredible Life Transformation.

I fell apart and I was purposefully reconfigured into a better, connected-to-my-true-essence version of myself.

We live in a world that tells us pain is a bad thing--AVOID IT ANY COST.  Numb if you must--with alcohol, drugs, mindless device surfing, unhealthy relationships.  Stay so busy that you never have to be with yourself in quiet moments.

The results of that are clear.  We live in an age where depression is on the rise and mental health issues are becoming a massive, world-wide epidemic. Suicide rates are at their highest.

There is a better way.  The path through the fires of Pain may not be easy at first.  Sitting with discomfort to understand the deeper messages of our lives can seem daunting.  But, the good news is, that once we take the time to do this, life opens up into joy, peace, wisdom and self-understanding.

There are life-long payouts for dealing with our inner demons and becoming free of them.

The alternate path of constant numbing keeps us stuck in a perpetual pain cycle that has no end.  It eventually becomes so destructive with time that it forces us to break down into such a crisis that we have to face the pain ANYWAY.  So, why not, right now, instead, PAY ATTENTION to what Life's circumstances are trying to tell you?

As I sit here 14 years after Maggie's birth I feel at peace.  I did the soul searching to reconnect to my purpose on the planet. I cleaned out my mind one thought at a time--identifying my fears and negative self-talk and replacing it with optimism and self-compassion.  I began a journey of deep self-realization that has allowed me day after day to find ways to build a thriving, joyful life.  I learned to struggle well.  The journey of having a child with a rare disease (Prader Willi Syndrome) has not been an easy one....but, in the midst of the ups and downs I can now keep my peaceful center, knowing that everything I experience is for my highest growth and learning.

Now, I have the joyful honor of sharing all that I learned with others as a coach, speaker and writer.  Having survived the fire of Pain, I can tell you that on the other side is deep healing and amazing hope.  The greatest gifts in our lives often come in forms we don't expect.

Take the time to open to the gift of your life circumstances.
What is it your Life is speaking to you?
What is it time to get honest with yourself about?
What is your inner voice whispering (maybe even shouting) to you?
What transformation is your deeper self yearning for?

As you finish up 2016 and move into the New Year, I encourage you to stop running from what you are afraid of.  Instead, be curious.  Open to your life and your self in a new way.  With courage, you will be amazed at the treasures of wisdom and awareness that await you!

Choose to Lean In....to Your Life.
You'll never regret doing so.

(Hey -- I got support from many people during my intense life transformation.  I could not have done it alone.  So, if you need someone to be with you, guide you, walk with you through some of these inner and outer circumstances, I am a professional certified coach and my greatest expertise is in Life Transformation.  For those ready to dedicate themselves to this process, I'm only an email away patricia@patriciaomoqui.com).

With my love,
Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

Getting Things In the Right Order

I've been thinking of the greatest realizations I've come to this year.  One of them is:  Take Care of Things in the Right Order.

It's quite tempting, isn't it, to be so passionate that we go out and serve the World around us....and we often do so to the extent that we become completely depleted.  Not to mention, we can become so focused on using our gifts to serve the outside World that we forget to offer our gifts first and foremost to those closest to us.

I admit it.  I've been guilty of this.  I'm such a passionate mentor and dedicated agent of positive change that it is easiest for me to pour all my time and energy into these efforts.

Yet, one day this year, my husband came to speak truth to me:

"Trish, you are exhausting yourself to the point that you have very little left for us at home."

Woa. That message stopped me fully in my tracks.

My husband has this way of observing me and my patterns...and then, when it's time, he delivers one of those poignant truths to me that cuts through me and brings me out of my unconscious fog to a new awareness.  (I do the same for him.  Actually, that is one of the best parts of our relationship--to have the level of deep love and comfort that we can actually speak the truth to one another as we grow into our best selves.)

So, I stepped back to look at myself.  He was RIGHT.  I had gotten a bit out of synch with my deeper priorities.

I was personally depleted.  Why would I be offering the energy I had to others when I wasn't fully taking care of me?

And, I was getting so focused on offering service to the World, that I was overlooking opportunities to invest all that I needed into the people I cared about most:  my husband and my 3 amazing daughters.

I had new awareness and I created a motto that I now live by:  Do things in the right order.

A move away from Deficit Living is essential now for me...and for all agents of positive change.  It is actually SELFISH to serve others to the point of exhaustion.  Yep, you did hear me right.  Here's why:  You cheat yourself out of enjoying life AND you cheat others out of getting the BEST of your gifts.

There is a NEW PARADIGM for Service -- one that fosters well-being, a stable home and allows you to bless the World through service too.

The key is to get things in the right order:
For me, here is the right order:

1. Thriving Self:  First, I must be in full alignment with my Source.  I must feed my spirit and nurture my soul.  I must make sure my physical body is well so that I am charged up and feel healthy as I walk my daily journey.

2. Thriving Intimate Relationship:  I choose to ensure that my relationship with my partner in purpose, my husband David, is at it's greatest harmony and synchronization.

3.  Thriving Home:  I choose to devote my gifts to raising my 3 daughters into empowered, whole, healthy change agents that are happy and thriving.

THEN........

4.  Thriving Service to Humanity:  From the overflow of my personal well-being and from the stability of my joyful home, offer service to the World.

Sometimes our intention to serve the world with our gifts causes us to become unaware of other aspects of our lives that are important too.

If we take the time to get things in the right order, the foundation of our service is strengthened.  And, what we have to give to the World around us becomes a natural overflow of our well-being, our harmony with the ones we love and our strengthened relationship with the Source of Life.

It's a simple idea but it has helped me become clearer in my approach.  I'm now serving the World from a place of wellness and with the delightful knowledge that the people around me fully receive the gifts I have.

What's the right order for you?

Why not take some time to get clear on your priorities?

Life beckons us in so many directions.  Constant opportunities vie for our time and energy.  If we are clear on our priorities, we can say more purposeful "Yes" and "No" to the choices that come our way.

Praying that we all get things in the right order so we thrive each and every day,

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

On Syria & Healing the War Within

I've been watching the unfolding devastation in Syria and my heart has been broken.  To see the intense suffering the people of Syria are going through--their cities destroyed, the loss of loved ones, the desperation of leaving Aleppo in total uncertainty.

I've been asking, "What can I do? How can I be part of the solution?"

I've found many amazing organizations that are unifying and bringing together resources to help the situation at a grass-roots level.

Yet, I was yearning for something more, something deeper that would allow me to be part of the solution.

As I sat in meditation this morning, I was reminded of the saying, "As Within, So Without."

In my mind's eye I became aware that within each of us is a massive war.  Just as we have watched the Russian and Iranian war planes drop bombs upon Aleppo to cause destruction, so too, on a daily basis many of us allow the inner war planes of self-judgment and self- sabotage to come in and destroy our inner landscape.

As we drop those bombs within ourselves, we destroy the possibilities of peaceful co-existence in our inner world.

As we open fire on our dreams with the bullets of our fears, we create an inner slaughter of our deepest desires.  Bloody, wounded...our dreams and aspirations and hopes die within ourselves.

As we let loose the destructive self-hatred bombs on a daily basis--barraging ourselves with demeaning thoughts of Not Good Enough, Unworthy, Undeserving --we cause vital, alive aspects of ourselves to flee the war and hide, going underground or heading to refugee camps to wait until the war subsides.

This example I am offering is not extreme friends.  It's real.  The war within ourselves is wreaking havoc and destruction on our inner landscapes.  The factions within us--the parts that stand for peace, justice and a desire to build remarkable possibilities are at war with the aspects of ourselves that hate us and seek to destroy what we truly desire.

How can I make the situation in Syria better and be part of a solution?

Yes, I can donate to these grass-roots organizations who are working so hard to make a difference.

But, more profoundly, I can work to bring all the aspects of myself to the table for peace talks.
I can immediately call an end to the inner bombing campaigns of the self-sabotaging thought habits.
I can bring a cease-fire about and notify my fears that they no longer are permitted destroy the incredible dreams that exist within me.
I can create a humanitarian corridor within myself to allow safe passage for all the sad, disheartened aspects of myself to return to help re-build my inner world.
I can open the door for co-existence of all the various parts of me.
I can give comfort to my inner child who for a time was lost in the rubble of my inner war.

I can bring total peace to myself so that I can allow creativity to emerge so that I am a thriving, micro-scopic aspect of humanity.  If I do this, I am certain to be part of the macro-level changes I wish to see in the World.

I'm not sure if I have fully communicated to you the profound awareness I have gained this morning.

Change begins WITHIN me.
Peaceful co-existence begins WITHIN me.
Love for all aspects of humanity begins WITHIN me.
Eradication of fear, hatred and destruction begins WITHIN  ME!

Imagine for just one moment being at total peace within yourself.  Imagine for a second that love and kindness and compassion pervade your entire being.  Dream with me for a second and think of how the energies that have caused inner war are instead channeled into building the most incredibly beautiful, thriving inner World and life your heart so desperately longs for.

What would happen in our individual lives if we took the steps needed to bring this about?

Then, what would happen in our families....in our neighborhoods....in our cities....in our countries...and therefore, across this entire planet?

This is the highest call to action each of us can take on--to stop the war within and build a new world from WITHIN ourselves.

Sending you love,
I'd love to hear your thoughts if any of these ideas resonated with you via the comments section below....

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.

Take Time for an Awe-SOME December

When was the last time you sat for a few minutes and simply relaxed?

When was the last time you came out of your busy, mental frenzy and noticed the incredible, miraculous nature of the World around you?

When was the last time you tuned in to your breath, noticing that your body keeps functioning even without you paying it attention?

When was the last time you sat outside and felt the subtle breeze on your skin, the sun warming your body and the wonderful support the ground below you offers you all day, every day?

Too often our whole world happens in our little tiny mind.  We allow ourselves to become overwhelmed and zoned in only to the frantic mental stories of achievement, striving for success or striving for acceptance and love from those around us.

We constantly create "fight or flight" chemicals in our body living in fear, insecurity or worry that we are just not far enough along.

How is that working for us?  For me, when I used to live that way, I really didn't feel well.  I pushed myself to points of physical exhaustion.  I was mentally overwhelmed and running at high speed all the time.

Life is designed to be a miraculous experience.  Divine Grace is present all around if we take even a moment to get out of our thinking and pay attention to the World around us.

Become mindful.  Engage all of your senses right now.  Sit for a moment.  Take some deep breaths.  Notice your body from head to toe.  Tune in to this body that is supporting you all day, every day as you journey for life.  Your heart beats.  Feel it.  Your blood flows through your veins.  Connect to the sensations.  Your skin allows you the gift of connection and touch with other beings.  You are a living miracle, aren't you?

Now, feel the ground beneath you.  Notice that the planet keeps orbiting without you paying it an ounce of attention.  Galaxies stay in synch as you venture through your day.  The sun rose again today, offering you light, warmth...have you stopped to feel the sun on your skin and give thanks for the miracle of the Universe in which you exist?

What if all day, throughout the day, you took a few minutes to NOTICE the incredible gifts Life is offering you all the time?  What if you put aside the mental stories of "needing to achieve", "needing to prove yourself", "needing to make an impact", "comparing yourself to everyone around you"...what if you decided to give your brain a break?  And, then instead, make a conscious, regular choice to tune in, with all of your senses, and fully enjoy the incredible gift of life within you and all around you.

Awe...opens the door to Faith.  When you begin to realize all that is being done on your behalf--worlds turning, body breathing automatically--you begin to see that there is a much greater picture, one that is compassionate and actively seeking your highest good.  Why not take time to feel the awe of all of this?

When you tune into awe, you are opening up your creativity.  You are knocking on the door of joy.  You are creating needed pathways in your brain and body so you can stimulate good, natural chemical reactions that will allow you to FEEL BETTER.

Stepping back to take notice of all of this rejuvenates the spirit and will allow you a needed re-fill of your energy tank.

Will you give this a try this week?
Will you find a friend who might be interested in doing this with you and commit together to using the month of December to feel AWE-SOME together?

Just 5 minutes a day of this kind of present moment awareness may shift your life in ways you can't yet fully comprehend.  Clearly, it is worth a try.

Sitting in Awe every day with you,

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

What's the Rush? Trust the Process

Tense.  Wound up.  Stressed.  Overly intense.  Working to the point of physical and mental exhaustion.  Pressing, pushing.  Must MAKE it happen.  Attempting to control outcomes.  Anxious.  Push to the limit.

Any of that sound familiar to you?

It does to me.  I used to adhere to that method of working to bring my dreams into reality.  And, yes, results would come but the process drained the life force of my body, mind and spirit.  Funny thing was, the results that came were so hard fought that I couldn't even fully enjoy them.  And, before I took the time to celebrate, my mind would be pushing me to achieve the next set of results.

As I've been growing and continuing with my inner work, I've seen that living life stressed, anxious, and driven is merely one way of doing it.  There are many paths to the same destination.  For me, personally, I'm waking up to the fact that enjoying the entire journey--yes, EVERY single step of it, has become just or more important than getting a set of specific external results.

Why can't I feel well and also move forward into living my full potential?  What if living my full potential means that I can be well, experience peace, focus my energy in a joyful flow --and allow the results to come in due time.

What's the rush anyway?  Thirteen years ago when I began this intensely amazing process of personal transformation, I received clear vision of what I was made for.  At the time, I assumed that the vision I received would happen quickly.  Some of it did.  I realize now how grateful I am that many of the things my heart and soul has yearned for has not yet come about in full.  I was not ready for it all.

Life has been growing me, purifying me, bringing me all the exact circumstances and learning partners to help me grow.  I can see how I am being prepared for a much more joyful, full manifestation of those initial visions I received.

It's like this.  When a woman gets pregnant, those 9 months seem like a long time, don't they?  As much as she wants to get that baby out of her body and into her arms, she would never want the baby to be born prematurely.  If the baby comes out too soon, he won't be fully developed  and he could have issues that affect him for the rest of his life if he comes before the appointed time.

The same is true with living our dreams.  There is a Divine timetable in place.  Rather than being afraid of why something isn't coming to fruition when you want it to, why not instead know that it will arrive at the time you are truly ready? Then, with that peaceful knowing, turn your attention to the day you are in. Do your best today.  Take the steps of action joyfully that you are guided to take. Open yourself fully to where you are, the people you are with, the experiences you are having and HAVE FUN GROWING TODAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE.

As I look at myself, I see that even the last 6 months of my growth have been VITAL to living my purpose.  There may not be major breakthroughs that the external world can see yet.  But, I FEEL different. I FEEL so much better.  I have moved from inner peace to finally being able to experience joy.

All the right situations have been showing up to teach me just how much further I need to heal so that I can access my inherent gifts and so that I can be the best version of myself to fully maximize and live out my vision.  I am trusting the process more than ever.  I realize that even moments when it appears there is outer chaos, the circumstances are truly here for my highest good and development.  I choose now to RELAX into whatever is happening, knowing that my calling is to live my best life right here, right now.

The beautiful thing is that there just isn't a rush.  The calling within me is for a LIFETIME.  So, why be so intensely focused that it MUST ALL come about immediately?  Why not instead go with the flow more, relax and have fun in each step of the journey knowing fully that the consistent efforts will bring about the manifestations in the Divine Moments when they are meant to come about?

Friends, as we relax into life, the vortex of possibilities and energetic convergence come about in a better, more comprehensive way anyhow!  So, I'm choosing to get out of my own head and get into the joys of living.  Believe me, I'm more committed than ever to living my purpose on this planet.  But now, I am ENJOYING the entire ride...not just waiting for moments of external results to celebrate.

There really is no rush, is there?

Notice opportunities to release the tension and stress.  Notice opportunities to be your best self today.  Notice opportunities to use your gifts today, right where you are even if it doesn't look exactly like you think it should.  We are each called to be fully present and open to our current circumstances.

Rather than judging yourself and your progress, why not relax into the miraculous flow.  Divine grace is providing the perfect path for your Best Self to emerge.

Your life is on schedule, dear friend.

Trust.

With all my love,

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

Powerful Technique to Expand Your Thinking - A Quick, MUST READ, if You Want to Feel Better Today

Woke up this morning with a mind flooding with fear and judgment about a situation one of my daughters has been facing at school.  I sat in meditation and watched the thoughts.  I noticed that my mind was going straight into worry mode -- that I had zoomed in on what was going wrong, what could go wrong and as I went down that thought path, I was finding all kinds of evidence to support my worries.

Good news is that I learned years ago that in any moment, I can change the focus of my thinking.  I leveraged my awareness and told myself gently to "STOP!"

I had taken my belief:  Things are going wrong with my daughter at school and proved that to be true.

But, I realized that I could easily shift my mind and do the same thing with the opposite idea.  What if I took 5 minutes and focused on the thought:  There are things that are going well with my daughter at school.  I wrote that thought down.  I searched for evidence and I filled an entire page with supporting evidence of things, both small and large, that were good about the situation.  I searched my mind and the situation for signs of progress, moments of good.  Yes -- my mind is powerful:  I have so much EVIDENCE OF THE GOOD.

So, which is true-- are things going wrong or are things going right with my daughter at school?

Friends, anything that we focus on can become our truth.  The amazing thing about our minds is that we literally can prove any thought we have to be true.  And, guess, what -- there is a concept in Positive Psychology called the "Negativity Bias" --it says that as humans we gravitate most easily toward searching for and focusing in on the one thing that is wrong rather than looking for all the things that are right!  As we tend to focus in on the wrong, the "Velcro Effect" kicks in:  any evidence of that negative bias will stick to the thought and cause us to feel the negative is really big, bad, harry and ugly!

So...how do we counteract this human tendency?

We can learn to stop ourselves when we notice our minds are focusing in on the negative.
We can step back.  Take a deep breath.  Become aware.  And notice an opportunity to shift our mental gears.
We can make a purposeful decision to search for the good, to challenge our mind to find as much evidence for the good in ourselves, in our lives, in situations so that we open our minds and transform our perspectives.

Why bother with any of this?  What I have personally seen, even this morning, is that when I focus in on my fear, worry or difficulty, it triggers a set of emotions in my body that make me feel on edge, bad and upset.  When I am upset, I am not very effective in handling the situation or enjoying my day.

BUT, if I focus in on the good and find some supporting evidence for it, I then trigger a set of positive emotions that lift my spirits, release good chemicals and support me in having a good day.  I prepare myself for a day of solutions and new possibilities.  And, that feels so much better!

Our minds can always find proof for what we choose to believe is true.

Why not take time today to try this idea for yourself?

Pick a belief or fear that is causing you to feel bad.   Write it down so you can see that thought in black and white.

Then, ask yourself, what is the opposite of that thought?  (For me, I was thinking:  Things are going wrong at my daughter's school.  So, I flipped the thought to, Things are going right at my daughter's school.)  Once you have the new, more positive thought, work hard at finding some evidence to support that being true.  This may feel awkward and uncomfortable because you are entering new territory as you search for the good.  You probably are not used to looking for good stuff. But, if you persist, you will find evidence.  Remember the simple idea:  What you seek, you find!

This simple, powerful technique, when practiced regularly, will expand your mind and help you see that you have more power to create your reality than you have yet tapped into.

In a few minutes, my daughter will wake up.  Because I took the time to search for all the good, I feel upbeat.  I feel full of possibility.  While I acknowledge the challenges we are still working through, I will look at her and see someone who is making progress, who is trying very hard to do well.  I will speak to her with peace and love rather than from a state of anxiety and judgment.  The energy that I just took the time to foster within myself will fill our home as we all prepare for the day ahead.

The situation at school has not changed.  It is my focus that has changed this morning.  With the positive energy I just generated within myself, I will be more capable today of being creative in finding new solutions to support my daughter's progress.  I will be in a state of gratitude for everything that the school is doing to help her.  I will see the progress, not just the obstacles.

As Wayne Dyer used to say, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."  My view on the situation on school is MUCH different than an hour ago.

I hope this very practical, personal example I've shared with you this morning will help you in seeing a simple way for you to do some mental aerobics.

If you get stuck and you need support, I am only a comment or email away.

We can all make the world a better place as we transform ourselves one thought at a time!

With all my love,
Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

Practice, Practice, Practice WILL Pay Off: Key Insights to Support Your Transformation!

I want to share with you today the most worthwhile work I have ever done in my life.  The efforts I have put in have brought me more awareness, peace and transformation than I would ever have thought possible.

True, deep, lasting transformation happens from the INSIDE OUT.  When the painful news arrived 13 years ago that my baby might not walk, talk or have a normal life, I fell apart.  It was the best thing that could have happened to me.  (Please check out the first two steps of this process if you want to understand the entire process. Step 1: Observe the Inner Realms    Step 2: Consciously Create & Choose New Thoughts )

Because of Maggie's arrival, I felt such intense pain, uncertainty, anxiety, depression and discord within myself that I decided to uncover why I was suffering so deeply.  Divine synchronicity led me to the root of it all:  My thinking was literally causing my inner chaos.  I learned at that time that my thoughts about a situation triggered my emotions...and then how I felt led me to the actions in my life.  The result of this all-day, every-day process was my life experience.  And, at the time, I experienced my life as stressful, intense, upsetting and overwhelming.

I began to study my thinking one thought at a time.  I took pen and paper and began writing down all of my thoughts so I could see them clearly.  I got more honest with myself than was comfortable.  But, in this discomfort, I found all the reasons that I felt inner suffering.

I saw that my current thoughts were just one particular way of looking at things.  I noticed there were many other possible ways I could be choosing to look at things.  My old thoughts were what I had by default been programmed with.  My thinking patterns were an accumulation of what my parents, the church, the school teachers and society at large had told me.

When I first discovered this MESS inside myself I was overwhelmed with Grief and Anger with myself--How could I have been doing this to myself all these years?  How could I have suffered this much and not realized that I had the power to change all of this?  I allowed myself to experience the grief and then I took the time to offer myself grace:  I had been doing my best through my life. I literally did not know any better.  But, now, with this discovery, I sat on the horizon of AMAZING possibilities.

I now had the information I needed to transform my life from the inside out.

I consciously created an entire new thought system.  Then, came the intense work of Practice, practice, practice until I could create new habits.  Just like it had taken me 30 some years to be really good at my old thinking patterns, so too it took me time, energy and practice to create a new set of mental habits.

What I want to share with you today are some key insights that might help you if you choose to take on this work of transformation.

1.  Get ready and be excited for lasting transformation!  This will be the best, most important, most life-changing work you can take on.  The results of this inner transformation will pay off for the rest of your life!  This mind-shifting will allow you to create a foundation of new thinking for experiencing a truly happy, peaceful, deeply satisfying life.

2.  Prepare to sweat.  Transforming our minds is some of the most challenging work to do.  This inner work is not for the faint of heart.  Like anything in life you want to get results from, this work takes focus, it takes willingness to keep showing up, it takes practice.  This work is like going to a mental gym and lifting weights in your mind.  You are literally re-programming your brain, creating new grooves for new thought patterns to move through.  Like doing anything new, it may feel super-uncomfortable when you start.  But, with time, you will get the hang of it.  And, just like you start to develop some muscles after you life weights at a local gym for a few months, you will gain new mental muscles!  Results will come to those who practice.

3.  Don't worry if you feel like you are falling apart for awhile.  You are literally taking the step to remodel your mind.  Just remember, to get the new look and feel, you may have to break everything you thought was true apart -- and then put it all back together in a new and improved way.  It is natural to feel a "breaking down" before the new, improved YOU comes together.

4.  Trust the Process. This work WORKS.  The results come.  The experiment of your new thinking does come together in due time.  If you feel like you are going backwards a bit, sliding into old patterns, don't stress.  Just notice.  Swinging through old patterns is merely an opportunity to "test your progress" and use a new level of awareness to guide yourself back to the practicing of your new thoughts and perceptions.  What is certain:  if you choose to transform your mind, you will transform your life.

5.  Transformation happens piece by piece.  When you first discover that you can transform your thinking, sometimes in eagerness, you want to take it all on at once.  Take a deep breath.  Remember, this is Life-long work.  You will be presented layer after layer of opportunity to do this inner work.  Pace yourself.  Start where it feels natural.  Perhaps you will begin with your self-talk.  Then, maybe you will discover that your beliefs around money have been sabotaging you and you will then work on that area of your thinking.  Maybe then your thoughts and beliefs about relationships will emerge and it will be time to take care of that.  Next you may find that your approach to health needs some re-vamping.  Trust me, you have the rest of your life to do this work.  Don't overwhelm yourself by thinking you have to do the transformation work on EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.  Instead, remember, you remodel a home one room at a time.  You can do the same thing with the house of your mind--one room at a time you will clean it out, deconstruct what doesn't serve you and then re-paint, re-decorate and create the room in a luxurious upgraded way.  You may choose to take a break after one room is done and enjoy the results of that new room before putting back on the hard-hat and going into the next room.  There is no right or wrong way to do this. But notice that you will need strength to sustain yourself through the transformation journey so...pace yourself.

6.  Inner work takes energy.  As I started this work, I felt EXHAUSTED.  I literally would feel drained of energy from the amount of focus it took to observe my mind and practice my new thinking.  Sleep helps.  Naps help.  Backing off on things in your daily schedule that can be put aside for a time may be just what you need to fuel yourself in this initial period of thought-transformation.  Remember to put on the glasses of self-compassion and grace as you take on this rewarding project.

7.  Create a support team.  You may feel crazy at times.  That's ok.  Sometimes we just need a little reassurance, some support and a bit of wisdom to keep on this path. Find a coach, a trusted mentor, a friend who has done this inner work--someone who has experience and insight to assist, stand by you and guide you when needed.  We don't have to go it alone.  And, it is quite enriching to share this journey with others.   (Yes, I do coach people through these processes.  If you need professional support, please reach out to me.)

These insights come from my own experimentation with transformation.  I am excited for you if you are going down this path!  Our planet is ready for more of us who have the awareness to do this thought-transformation work.  Imagine how much more peaceful, compassionate and graceful our world becomes if each of us cultivates the thinking that allows us this kind of inner experience!  As each of do this changing within, we literally begin to create a ripple effect of positive, uplifting change for our families, our communities and the world at large.

With all my love and a big hug to the courageous beings on the path to self-discovery!

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomouqi.com

Encouragement for Your Heart Today! My World was Rocked this Week - But I came Out Stronger!

Just this week I had a person from my past attempt to re-enter my life.  He is the type of person who I'd call one of my "greatest learning partners" so far in this lifetime.  He is a person who comes with gifts to offer me in disguise.  Perhaps I should just say this bluntly -- it is because of the intense pain that I experienced from being abused by this person that I have gained the strength of character, the resilience of spirit and the compassionate heart that I have today.

Even seeing this person's number show up on my phone or hearing this person's voice in a voicemail causes my heart to pound.  I literally can feel the body systems go on high alert -- whatever is left of the old traumas cause my being to go into a panic.

Yet, each round of interactions that this person brings me way continues to help me heal and grow.  Of course, with time, I've learned to do this on my terms.  And, for the most part, I have had to put a dead bolt on the door to my life because I now understand that it is up to me to determine whether or not I want to allow this person even a moment of entrance into the peaceful life I have cultivated without his presence.

When he arrived via voicemail this past week, the old energy that had settled down into my cells was suddenly churned up.  There were moments when the pain of my past felt like it could overcome me.  But, I just observed, with great compassion, the emotional storm that was triggered within me.  There were even moments when I could chuckle at the storm--I could see that these old memories and emotions were stored in a part of my brain and that this was not my present reality.  How fascinating it was that my body, mind and spirit were having these ridiculously intense reactions to a person's voice.  Wow.

After a few days of journaling, meditating, praying, and talking through my experience with people who care deeply about me, I came back to a state of peace.  I also came away with a deeper understanding of myself, my past and the incredible gifts this "learning partner" had offered me.  He is who he is.  I have no control over him nor can I change him.  Yet, when he shows up, I have the grand opportunity to work on myself, to take further steps of healing, to learn to honor myself in a deeper way and to connect to a sense of GRATITUDE for who I have become because of the intense moments of pain that came about from our interactions.

I am better because of this person.  I have chosen to become a stronger, more resilient, vibrant and whole person because of those childhood wounds.

It doesn't feel good when our old painful memories get triggered, does it?  Yet, I've learned that the Divine plan allows for patterns to resurface so I can study, observe, and then more deeply heal whatever remnants of pain I am ready to release.

After these interactions, I feel more free to be me.  I feel like my cells have literally been shaken out and empties of junk that was stuck.  I feel the flow of love, gratitude, peace and joy increase in my being.

I would NEVER wish upon anyone some of the experiences that I've had.  Yet, I see that the Divine plan of my life brought me a series of events from which I can find great gems of wisdom.  I see that each experience of my life can be for my highest good.

I write this blog today as encouragement.  If you are going through hurtful situations, take heart.  If you have pain from your past that is resurfacing, perhaps you can begin to see it as a great opportunity to heal more deeply from your past and come into a deeper experience of personal wholeness.

None of our lives are perfect.  In fact, there is a lot of "messy" stuff that goes down in the course of our daily lives.  As we honor these experiences and the emotions we have, a great space opens for beauty to emerge in and around us.  As we realize we are not alone in having struggles and pain, we become more compassionate and understanding to the other 7 billion people on the planet.  As we seek and find the precious gems of wisdom that exist from the pain, we then have remarkable gifts of wisdom to offer the planet.

Take heart, dearest friends.  You can heal.  You can grow through whatever challenges come your way.  You can begin to see the deep lessons emerge from the interactions with some of the difficult learning partners who have been in your life.

Healing and growing with you,

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

The Divine Space of Not Knowing -- A Peek Into A Constant Challenge I Face

As I woke up this morning to spend time in meditation, I noticed anxious stories swirling in my mind and body.  No matter how much I tried to relax, this relentless thinking kept begging for my attention.

As many of you know, my oldest daughter, Maggie, has a rare disease called Prader Willi Syndrome.  It is a highly complex condition --because the constant backdrop of her life is that she feels hungry no matter how much food she has eaten.  Her hunger can never be satisfied, so thoughts of food never cease for her.

Maggie, is resilient and strong--and she forges ahead through each day with such love in her heart.  She is full of potential and purpose.  Yet, certain situations create tremendous stress for her, especially in the school environment.

Thus, I am often "on-call" and need to be available to collaborate with her school to create solutions that support her success.

The past few weeks have been particularly challenging.  So, I have had my "advocate hat" on and I've been working with the school team to come up with the next set of solutions for Maggie.

In creating new solutions, sometimes we also then stir up new challenges.

So, this morning, the moment I woke up, my mind was working on over-drive.  Even as I tried to settle down and empty myself for a few moments of Divine silence, I found my mind on high speed.

As I sat in this state, I realized that once again, I was trying to figure it all out.  I was trying to get into the future to predict what would happen and conjure up a million possible scenarios of how to make things better.  I suddenly smiled.  And, took a deep breath.  I went back to my understanding that no amount of worry right now will solve something in the future.  All I have is THIS moment, the Present moment.

The intense challenges that surround Maggie's rare disease have been one of the greatest teachers of my life.  Because there is no easy solution, I truly CAN'T figure it all out.  So, I have over and over been forced to surrender and open to receiving solutions that are BEYOND ME.  When I finally stop the frantic thinking and open my heart, "God, what do I need to know about this situation?  God, what is needed for Maggie?"...it is then that quiet whispers and solutions are shown to me.

As I smiled at my own inner, insane struggle this morning, here are the words that flowed to me:

"Trish, not knowing the solution is a Divine place to be.  When you surrender and admit that you just don't know what will help in a situation, the space for Divine revelation and inspiration open up for you.  When you are fully present and open in the moment, everything you need to know will be revealed to you.  These inspired ideas come from beyond what you can think of, beyond what you can project into the future...Fresh thinking, creative solutions that will help you pioneer a new path for yourself will flow in and give you the next step needed."

So, here I am once again at the cutting edge of my growth.  I find myself in a space of not knowing what to do or say.  I find myself in tears as the patterns of fears emerge.  Then, through the stream of hot tears that come down my cheeks I receive that perfect ah-ha:  I don't have to figure this all out at 5 a.m. this morning.  I can relax into God's loving arms.  I can trust this process.  I have been given the Divine answer in every situation I faced with Maggie for the past 13 years, so that will be the case today as well.

It is as if the built up worry that filled me from head to toe finally began to drain into the ground beneath me.  This human journey is CRAZILY INTENSE sometimes.  But, I see that the struggles that are on my path are what is causing me to rise to my next level of understanding and compassion for myself and others.

I'm grateful for it all.  And, each day I am learning to find the humor in it rather than taking it all so seriously.

I pray that what I've shared from my heart helps or inspires you in some way.  First, I don't have a perfect life.  I have messy struggles and challenges too.  That doesn't mean anything is wrong --it just means that I'm being trained and grown.  And, for that I am truly grateful.  I say that my life purpose is to help myself and others reach their full potential.  Thus, I am given the set of "training" situations that will allow my potential to emerge further so that I am forced to apply and learn everything I teach and share with others.

From the deepest part of my heart to yours, let's choose present-moment peace....and know that Divine answers come just when we need them.

With all my love,
Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

Hope for the Heart: What If You Were Made to be Different?

From my heart I sense a need to share hope today.

Too many of us have gotten stuck in the Comparison Game.  We look at people around us and compare our journey to theirs.  We take in commercials of perfect looking people living in Martha Stewart Homes, wearing designer clothes and seeming to "have it all" and we choose to spend time comparing ourselves to this "ideal life."  These patterns of thinking cause us to  feel "less than" or "not good enough."

The comparison game is draining, isn't it?

It saps the vital life force, the creative energy and zest for life we each have at our disposal.

Who said we were all made to live on this one specifically deemed "success track" of life?  Striving, exhausting ourselves day in and day out to live this picture perfect life and then feeling a sense of inner despair when what we have just doesn't seem to satisfy our soul.

Today is a day we can each choose to question the status quo.

Today is a fresh opportunity to ask ourselves some vital questions that can lead toward a deeper awareness and a sense of new possibilities.

Today is a day to investigate the "Comparison Thinking" that leads us toward depression, stress and a sense of just not ever being good enough.

So, put your seat belt on.  Challenge yourself a little bit.  Just because you have thought one particular way your entire life doesn't mean you have to continue doing so.

In fact, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE YOUR THINKING ANY MOMENT YOU WANT TO!

For those of us yearning to wake up and feel better, perhaps a little thinking tune up will be just what the doctor ordered.

Here are some questions to shake up the old thought patterns a bit....to stimulate your awareness of the myriad of new choices we each have to wake up and become free within:

What if you were BORN WORTHY and you don't have to spend all day every day trying so hard to convince people that you are worthwhile?  What would you be doing differently today if you knew that you were born acceptable just as you are?

What if there are as many versions of a "successful life" as there are people on this planet?  What if you could create your own definition of a successful life--one that might have to do with more than just the material world, titles and status symbols?  How would you define success for you?

What if you realized you don't have to prove anything to anyone?  What if you allowed yourself to just BE YOU FULLY all day today without pretense or effort?  How would life feel if you gave yourself this type of inner freedom?

What if you are not meant to FIT IN?  What if instead, you were meant to be unique, quirky, unusual, outside the box (what the heck is this BOX anyway??)?  What if the best gift you can give the world is to allow yourself the opportunity to be your naturally gifted self?

My prayer today is that each of us will begin to become aware of how often we allow "comparison thinking" to take over our minds.  Remember, your thoughts trigger your emotions, your emotions trigger what you do and the cumulative effect of all of this is your life experience.  If you feel dissatisfied with your current life experience the key is to go back to the THINKING that got you where you are today.

Do this with a playful, light heart.  Like a child walking around a vast field with a magnifying glass studying flowers, grass, bugs, and dirt...imagine yourself taking a tour of your thinking in the same way.  Be curious, interested.  Grow your awareness.

Who knows, you might just find that one small thought you can change that will change the entire trajectory of your life!

If you need support in this process, you can always leave a question or comment here on this blog and I will take the time to answer.  Or, you can contact me via my website:  www.patriciaomoqui.com .
Exploring the inner realms with you,

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

Heart Overflowing: A Call to Flourish...Simple Tips to Thrive Rather than Merely Survive

This morning as I write my heart is wide open and my eyes are teared up.  It is difficult to explain and express just how full I am with deep love for humanity.  This translates today into a deep desire to share with each of you that there IS more.

We each have this deep, often unspoken, feeling that "There Must Be Something More".  That little whisper within that sometimes build to a piercing scream in our soul is meant to be heard.  As we pay attention to our inner yearnings and our deeper knowings, we enter the space for miraculous transformation.

Today, I want to bring you a bit of exciting news.  I had the fortune this weekend of spending 2 full days with 40 amazing new friends at a course for Applied Positive Psychology offered by the Flourishing Center.  My inner cup was filled with information and inspiration to the point where I am literally OVERFLOWING with possibility.

Before I give you a few nuggets of opportunity, I want you to know that we each have the possibility to Thrive rather than Survive.  Too often we think that living in dread is "just the way it is."  We have learned to accept high levels of stress as normal.  We experience states of dismissal physical and mental health and figure that we just have to get by.  We have come to believe that since everyone else is doing it this way, it must be the way it has to be. Hmm, is it?

What if we would begin to honor our inner yearnings?  We can begin to pay attention to the constant signals our bodies, minds and spirits are offering us throughout the day.  We can begin to find new ways of being, of thinking, of feeling and doing that allow us to feel better on daily basis.

In fact, the research shows that while 50% of life satisfaction is related to our genetics (our biological set point), only 10% of our happiness is based on life conditions. Guess what?  The remaining 40% of our Happiness Pie is attributed to intentional activities--what we think, do and feel!  We each have the power to influence our daily well-being and happiness in more ways than we have been aware.

You may ask, "Why the heck didn't anyone teach me this in school?"  GOOD QUESTION!  I wondered the same thing.  The good news is this -- we can learn now to find very simple, practical ways to increase our well-being.

Friends, GET EXCITED!  We can begin to choose to feel better each day!  We can begin to experiment with new possibilities--to not just trudge through each day--but to foster enjoyment each day and feel better each day.  Are you ready for that?  I know I am.

So, as a small start, here are a couple of easy opportunities for the day ahead that will begin to re-orient you to a new, fresh perspective:

1.  Shift your questions.   When we ask a question, we get a certain type of answer.  What we seek, we find.  So many of us have been programmed to ask, "What's wrong?" Focusing on what's not working can causes us to feel sad, upset, depressed and dis-empowered.  What if instead, we started asking:  What's right?  What's right with me? What's right with this person?  What's right in this situation? What's right in the World?  What's right with this situation?

When we search for what is good, we open ourselves to feeling better.  As we feel better inside, we increase our energy, our creativity, our sense of possibility to handle and deal with the vast set of opportunities to improve ourselves, our lives and the World around us.

2.  Appreciate the good.  Practice gratitude.  Guess what?   Research shows that taking the time to express gratitude increases happiness by helping us see the good things that are already happening! It has been shown that those who take time for gratitude sleep better, have more optimism and find grater satisfaction with life.

Establish a daily gratitude routine and place reminders to express gratitude all around you.  Place a note on your bathroom mirror, a gratitude alarm on your phone, a post-it in your cubicle at work that keeps you asking throughout the day, "What am I grateful for?"  You can even put a gratitude journal by your bed and before sleeping, write a quick list of the good things that happened throughout your day.

Want to make gratitude even easier?  Get a friend, family member or co-worker to commit to doing this with you for the next 30 days.  Imagine how invigorating it would be to spend a few minutes in conversation doing gratitude "Ping-Pong"--going back and forth in conversation sharing specific things in your life that you are grateful for!  (Use your break at work to do this together rather than lamenting about the negative news or chatting about politics).

You may even want to take gratitude a step deeper.  Who is it in your life that you know it's time to write a letter of gratitude to?  Choose a person.  Write a deeply, heartfelt letter filled with specific examples of why you are grateful for them.  Then, rather than mailing it, go visit them in person.  Don't hand them the letter--read the letter aloud to them.  Imagine the depth of connection and beautiful emotion that will come about by sharing an experience like this with someone in your life who you deeply care about.

I don't want to overwhelm you friends.  So, I will stop there for now. There will be many more blogs to come where I share proven ways to improve your life experience.

If you are hungry for more right now, check out the hundreds of blogs I've already written!  There is a treasure trove here of information to increase your well-being.  And, then, take it a step further--share this blog with your realm of influence.  You have the power to start a positive wave of change!

My heart yearns for a happier, more positive world where we all THRIVE together.

I'm practicing with you!

With all my love,
Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

Letter of Urgency to My Human Family: There Must Be a Better Way

 Dear Sisters and Brothers of Humanity,

I write today with urgency and sadness, wishing so much for you to hear on a deep level what I need to share.

We lack awareness of the essential nature of caring for our energy, of fostering a relaxed, happy, lighter-hearted way of Being.

Consider how most humans literally bathe in nasty, stinky, rotten energy all day (hey-that is what we have been taught to do and what we are used to):  Fearful news stories 24 x 7, gossip, complaining, worry, and the dark, abyss of traumatic pain within ourselves that we have put aside and not taken the time to heal and clean up.

Clearly, living this way would create a reactive, raw, upset earth Being.

Yet, there are so many other choices, other streams of energy to live within:  gratitude, uplifting stories of those helping others, affirmation of self and others, belief in the possibilities of one's dreams.

Our choices must go far beyond just "thinking positive."  There is a whole deeper level of true caring for one's energy field.

Think of it this way, the human's energy field has many "landmines"--bombs that were dropped in it as far back as childhood, that have never been cleared.  Most humans are unaware of this.  Yet, they explode and implode regularly as they navigate their day and get triggered by someone who steps in just the wrong place in their energy field.  Yet, why don't we ever realize what's going on and take the time to clear our own land mines and help others to do the same?

Frazzled, weary, driven human beings...what are you doing to yourself?

The constant rush-rush, over-scheduled, no time to just be with yourself and truly decompress and process the experiences of the day with yourself and your family?  How is this really working for you?  For your family?  For your society?  For your World?

Never a moment built into the daily schedule to stop and breathe?  To see how you are feeling?  To notice your physical body and the messages it is giving you?  To check in emotionally with self and those around you?

Wouldn't you all thrive and be more effective in all you do if you thought more holistically about wellness at school and in the workplace?

What if we as a group of humans took time together to really open to a new way of approaching life?  Imagine the possibilities that would pour forth as we joined hearts and minds and gave consideration to a new design of our days?  What if we could start fresh, with all the wisdom we have from what we know is definitely not working--what if we could have a white board in front of us and have some fun recreating the schedules, the systems of school and work, and incorporate as the foundation that which is deeply important and valued?

What if we stopped running helter-skelter like our hair is on fire and instead became purposeful in questioning the status quo?  Just because all the other families in your neighborhood live non-stop lives and wear a stressed-out badge of importance doesn't mean that their ways are truly laudable, does it?

Can you see the humor in what we have all come to esteem and think is "success"?

See the crazed, worn-out adults and children all around you.  See yourself in the mirror.  Be willing to step back long enough and ask, "Is this really working for any of us?" The smallest bit of self-reflection and societal-reflection could bring about waves of transformation.

Brothers and sisters, we are wiser than we know.  We have just been put on the train of non-stop doing and we think it relates to how important we are -- so, we have failed to pay attention, to really question the way things currently are...but at any moment, of any day...we can ask the train's engineer to turn off the engines so we can gain perspective.  If we don't do so soon, unfortunately, our trains will crash and we will be forced to deal with the energetic and life consequences of having crashed ourselves.  Is all that really necessary?

If there are a few key questions to take away from this letter of great concern they are:

Are my life choices creating a sense of ease, peace and well-being?
Could I design my day so that I and my family feel a sense of thriving rather than stress?
What aspects of our societal status-quo are working?  What aspects aren't working?
What power can I begin to connect to within myself to make some simple changes so that I foster good, healthy energy throughout my day?
Am I willing to make choices for my well-being even if it means stepping outside the crazed status-quo?

I implore each one of us to do a bit of soul searching and to take the time for awareness.  These simple questions and times of contemplation can bring remarkable personal and societal "ah-ha" moments.  The inspired ideas that rise up from within us can become the catalyst for change.

What I know is...there clearly must be a better way of doing this as a big human family.
What I know is...we are capable of bringing about these changes in consciousness.
What I know is...it starts with you and me.  It starts with opening to a new set of possibilities.

I write from a deep sense of caring and concern, a longing for a better way of doing life together,  Clearly there is far more that I desire to express but I pray this is a good starting point.

With all my love,

Patricia Omoqui,
The Thought Dr.
www.patriciaomoqui.com

Stop The Worldwide Epidemic of Silent Suffering: Take Off Your Mask!

Why Are We All So Ashamed?

Do you like to look in the mirror?  When you do, what do you see?  Is it a friend or someone you don’t like very much, maybe even someone you are ashamed of?  If your answer was self-critical, ask yourself why?  What is it that dissatisfies you? 

We are embarrassed about ourselves, our relatives, our incomes, our accents, the shade of our skin, our tribe of origin, our education…you finish your list.  Have you considered the effects of these self-judgments?  Have you really sat with them and let yourself feel their impact on your heart and mind?

I have.  There have been many points in my life that insecurity has dominated my self-view.  In my teenage years I disliked my “big” body.  I felt fat, uncomfortable in my own skin.  I was consumed with how to change my body so that I could feel better about myself.   

When I attended Princeton, I carried my dislike of my figure with me.  I couldn’t see myself as a tall, strong athlete.  Instead, I interpreted myself as heavy and clumsy.  At Princeton my self-criticism increased.  I felt less than many of my peers—they were rich, from elite families and I was from a single-parent home where we had to trust each month that we would meet the bills. They were all so intellectual and I wondered if I had the academic prowess to fit in.  My insecurities caused me to hide – to stay away from certain gatherings and if I went, to be quiet, unsure of how to present myself.  I couldn’t fully see my successes on the basketball court or in the classroom because my vision was clouded with fear of not being good enough.

These shameful feelings are the source of deep, personal pain that we try to ignore and hide.  We don’t want anyone else to know who we really are.   Shame colors all of our relationships.  Somehow we have concluded that we are flawed while others are “normal”. 

So, we create a mask that hides everything that is real about us.  We build up an identity to support our chosen image.  As others accept it, we become more and more invested in maintaining that false image.  We have worked hard to give people certain impressions.  Everyone else appears to be doing just fine.  We fear that if they “really knew us” they might laugh, disapprove or even worse, reject us.   We become proud of this artificial view of ourselves.

So, we keep up the pretense.  We are experts at putting on smiles, even when we’re crying inside.  We feel terrified that if the “truth” about our life is uncovered then our lives will be shattered.   The irony is that we are already shattered inside.  We feel helpless, unsure of how to put ourselves back together. 

Silent suffering is a worldwide epidemic. 

What we think of as our own private and unique suffering is actually very common.   It’s ironic we feel so alone when the heartaches of the human experience visit us all.  Because we reject ourselves we continually feel unacceptable to others. Many of us know the despair of having conclusively judged ourselves as just not good enough.  The result?  We become lost in addictions.  Our anger festers.  Physical, emotional, sexual and mental abuse from family, friends or strangers remains secret and unhealed.   We ache inside, wanting agonizing memories and feelings to fade.   Ironically, the more we push them away, the more power we give them. 

Once we give voice to our story we realize we are not the only ones suffering!   I’ve had encounters recently with people who were trapped by shame and pain of the past.  One person in particular was unusually embarrassed by his family background and level of education.  He was a warm, friendly articulate person but that wasn’t his view.  He believed he didn’t know how to talk to people.  Those who knew him were baffled and frustrated.  They couldn’t understand why he felt this way. What did it matter that his family was poor and promiscuous?

For years he had kept a painful secret:  he had been sexually abused as a child.  He hadn’t told anyone because he assumed that it was his fault that it happened when he was just a child, barely 11.  He had suffered intensely for over 10 years, feeling completely alone.  He couldn’t sleep.  This shame poisoned every aspect of his life.  Finally, after years of silence, he confided in someone he trusted and the door opened for healing to begin.

I have found that most people relate to stories of people who honestly admit the pain of abandonment, disappointment, and other kinds of brokenness.  If our experience as humans is so similar, why do all of us think our stories are unique and fear embarrassment if someone would ever discover the details?  As William Blake once said, “Shame is pride’s cloak.”  What we feel shame about and are most afraid to tell others is not what makes us different, it is what binds us together.  How it does is our choice.  It is either in mute discomfort or in compassionate connection if we are willing to take the risk to speak it aloud.

I’m not suggesting that you should blurt out your deepest secrets.  What I am saying is that in private moments with yourself that you take off your mask.  Begin to look differently in the mirror.  Instead of looking with judgmental programming, look with the compassion of your Source.  See your fears and insecurities, your wounds and secrets.  Lovingly acknowledge them to yourself and the Divine.  It might seem like a tiny step but it is a profoundly powerful move towards personal transformation.

As I sat in a coffee shop finishing this blog, a man walked through the door.  I was astonished at the message on his t-shirt, “Take your mask off.”  It reminded me of how much the Universe loves each of us.  What we need always appears in the moment.  Start where you are.  Imagine this week how different you would feel if you took off your mask, looked in the mirror and opened to the possibility of absolutely loving yourself?

I will leave you with a beautiful poem to bring all this contemplation deeper....

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That is how the light gets in.

(By Leonard Cohen, lyrics from his album The Future)

With Love, 

Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.

www.patriciaomoqui.com