Harness Your Power: You Are Being Prepared

I am fascinated by the way I seem to always be prepared for my next step in life. It is as if the Universe knows what I need and gets me ready for the situations that I am about to encounter. Seeing this and giving thanks for this preparation assists me in relaxing. I am more able to trust my path and walk forward in excitement and joy instead of feeling worried and afraid.

As I look back at my childhood I see that even then, I was being prepared for where I am today. My mom was a high-school English teacher when I was in elementary school. For many years she also was a speech coach and directed the plays at the school I attended. I was always encouraged to get up in front of audiences and speak. For some reason I had no fear -- I would write my speech (with assistance from my mom) and then practice my delivery. My mom coached me on the dramatic pauses to insert, the pace to speak at and the fine details of getting an audience engrossed in my message.

My mom coached me to win two speech contests as a junior high student. It was fun to be part of the national competitions. Little did I know how important this preparation would be.

In high school I was in a leadership position in my youth group. My speaking abilities came in handy in getting my peers to join together in spiritual learning and growth. When I went on to Princeton, my speaking ability established me as a strong voice on our basketball team. I never hestitated to step up and encourage our team to push ourselves hard on the court so that we could succeed as a team.

As I traveled during the summers between my college years, I continued to get up on stages and speak in various parts of the World. When I went to Brazil I got to combine my Portuguese language skills with my speaking skills as I spoke to kids in the public schools and taught them basketball and life skills. Never, in my wildest dreams, would I have thought that the fun I had with my mom working to win speech competitions was preparation for delivering messages worldwide.

I traveled to Nigeria last week for a Women on Wellness Seminar. It was one of the first seminars of its kind in Nigeria. I was a keynote speaker. The focus was on revitalizing Nigerian women in mind, body and spirit. I marveled at the fun I had connecting with close to 400 women. There was no need for any stress or concern, I was fully prepared for the event and felt at ease delivering two presentations. I even had people approach me after I spoke and say, "You changed my life today with the message you shared." Wow. These types of comments leave me speechless and joyful.

Life is wonderful. There is never a need for worry. The Universe supports us and wants us to reach our full potential. Why not chill out this week? Take a look back on your journey thus far. Can you see examples of how you were being prepared for an opportunity or an encounter and you didn't even know it? My guess is that if you take the time to reflect you will find plenty of evidenced that the Universe has been preparing you all along the way for the opportunities you have now to express your gifts and talents in the World.

Relax this week. Celebrate this on-going preparation. Preparation doesn't necessarily mean long hours and stressful training. It might simply mean following your heart and joyfully throwing yourself into the experiences in life that bring you a sense of excitement. Each experience prepares you for the next. Have fun in each moment. Laugh as you see the wonderful way your path is unfolding. There is so much joy on our path when we release our fears and self-doubts.

Having fun being prepared for the remarkable journey unfolding before me,

Sincerely,

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Choose Faith

I've been encountering circumstances recently where my faith has been put to a test. I find it so amazing to observe myself as I walk into the unknown. Sometimes I feel my heart race and my breathing get shallow as I take steps forward in faith. There are times when I feel exhilarated as I venture into new territory. Over and over I hear my inner voice guide me back to the phrase, "I choose to have perfect faith."

I love this affirmation. It keeps me focused. I stay on track when I trust the Universe to support me as I continue forward on life's adventure. Life is constantly in flux and always changing. I am always changing. Life is as rich as it is because of the changes we experience. When we venture out of our comfort zones and try new things, faith comes in handy.

I see so clearly that each moment I have a choice between fear and faith. Will I allow myself to get scared of what I'm not familiar with or will I relax and flow through each moment enjoying the adventures? More and more I make the choice to flow with life. When I stay centered in the present moment then flowing is easy. As soon as my mind jumps into the future trying to figure things out, then I get scared! So, the choice I have is simple. . .I've spelled it out for you the way that I see it:

I choose faith.

I choose to focus my energy in the NOW moment.

I choose to be hopeful in every situation.

I choose to know that I deserve a miraculous life.

I choose to hear my inner wisdom.

I choose to be silent and quiet myself when I see fear in my mind.

I choose to offer love to everyone I encounter regardless of how they treat me.

I choose to be joyful and celebrate each new circumstance in my life.

I choose to be in awe of the life experience I am having.

I choose to join with others to bring greater harmony to the planet.

I choose to dance through each day rather than sprint.

I choose to take breaks and refresh my spirit.

I choose to create a schedule that resonates with who I am.

I choose to bless the World with my gifts and talents.

Wow. Doesn't that feel amazing to choose these things? We have choice. We have more choice than we realize. Why not choose to feel well and stay focused on faith all the time?

I know you can do it!

With faith, hope and love,

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Know You Are Gifted!

I had the honor two weeks ago of speaking for a large non-profit organization in the area called Kencrest. Kencrest is a 101 year old human services agency that provide services to people with developmental disabilities. I had the opportunity to deliver the keynote speech for a staff training day. In preparation for the speech I visited several of Kencrest's sites. Seeing the services they offer and the approach they take blessed my heart.

As some of the staff described their work to me it became very clear that they truly care about honoring the needs and desires of those they work with. They take a person-centered approach and allow their clients to develop a life that feels good to them -- with the work they enjoy, the house they live in and the activities they get involved with in the community.

Over and over I am reminded that each of us is specially gifted. Those with "disabilities" are merely differently, specially abled people who have brilliant gifts to give the World. We all have valuable gifts we bring to the World. Isn't it time we started to value ourselves so that we could more freely share the love and talent we have?

Many of us get lost in self-doubt and feel "not good enough." Because of this we sit on our couches afraid that we don't have much to give. This is insanity! If you really take a good look at yourself, you can find countless beautiful character traits, fascinating ideas, and wonderful life experiences you have to share with the World. So, what's stopping you?

The answer is....

YOU are stopping you. You are the only one who can stop yourself from living a full, incredible, courageous life.

I challenge you this week to know that you are gifted. Just know it. (That's my slogan -- I actually like it better than Nike's -- ha ha.) Know that there is no mistake in who you are. You have the perfect body for this life journey you are on. Your spirit is more powerful than you have yet begun to understand. There are so many ways you can begin to bless the World -- IF YOU JUST BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

Don't leave it to others to believe in you. Do it yourself. If you do, there is no stopping you from getting off the couch, getting out of the comfort zone and letting your talents loose in the World.

Watch out World -- change is coming! The change begins in your heart and spreads like a ripple effect to the entire planet.

Just know it this week... will you please just know it because I need you to be you and so does the rest of the human race.

With loving honor for the special gifts we each bring,

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Simplicity is Beautiful

Last night our power went out just as the kids were going to bed. We don't have central air conditioning so the kids camped out in the living room. I found my way in the darkness to candles and set up a few to give us the light we needed. We used my husband's IPhone to play the kids music as they went to sleep. After the kids were asleep my husband and I sat outside for an hour chatting by candlelight and enjoying cold drinks.

The power was still out when we were ready for bed so I laid as still as possible and went to sleep in the heat of the night. The simplicity of the evening was wonderful. It brought me back to experiences I've had as I've traveled the World.

During the summer after my freshman year at Princeton I went on a three month trip to Haiti. Electricity was not constant. In the evenings we'd sit by kerosene lamp. Our entertainment was listening to one of the guys in our group play his guitar or playing cards by the light of the moon. One hot evening we even found time to fit in a tarantula hunt using flashlights.

Sometimes the gadgets become cumbersome and the stuff we've accumulated crowds our lives. In my kitchen I have the word "Simplicity" hanging on the wall. It is my constant reminder that the little things in life are usually the most wonderful.

Today I spent an hour cleaning out my kids rooms. It felt so good to clear out clutter and remove things they no longer needed or used. As I released the things we no longer need, I felt energized and free. I need not be tied down or drained by clutter.

As you approach this week begin to notice how complex you may have allowed your life to become. Notice opportunities to simplify your surroundings.

Maybe you could even turn out all the lights and sit by candlelight in the still of the night. You might find, like I did, that your spirit is encouraged and refreshed by the simplest of things.

Next week I head to Nigeria for an amazing speaking engagement. Vanguard, the newspaper I write for in Nigeria, invited me to be a keynote speaker to open their two day conference called Women on Wellness. I will have the joy of speaking to over 400 Nigerian women. The conference highlights the importance of taking good care of body, mind and spirit. It is one of the first of its kinds in Nigeria so I am grateful to be a part of it.

While I'm there I will be speaking at two elementary schools. I plan to bring 25 - 50 books to contribute to each school's library. (So, if you are local and want to donate some money or books before I leave, just drop me an email: patricia@patriciaomoqui.com ) . I am excited about the many opportunities I will have to share love with others while there.

Have a blessed and simply beautiful week!

With love,

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Take Time for Refreshment

I spent time this week with my best friend, Carrie, who I met over 10 years ago. The Universe brought her and I together as friends through a friend I had at Princeton. His parents were missionaries on the island of Madeira (situated off the coast of Portugal). The three of us spent a summer together there helping his parents with camps and other work they were doing. It was a fun, intense learning experience. The most important thing I gained from the summer was a soul sister and life-long friend.

I had fun with her 2 year old daughter Keira. We went to the park together on a gorgeous, sunny day. When Carrie told Keira it was time to go home, Keira said, “No go home. Live in park.” She kept saying that over and over. It was so cute. It was so beautiful how Keira loved nature and felt connected to the animals, trees and sunshine.

Keira reminds me this week of getting back to the basics of enjoying the small wonders in nature. The night I arrived at their house Keira invited me outside to see a frog family that lived in the backyard. She was fascinated by the frogs. She also was excited by the beautiful fire her daddy built for Carrie and me to roast marshmallows and make S’mores. Keira was intrigued by the flames, amazed when the fire crackled. I regained a sense of wonder by observing her fascination with life.

Carrie and I sat in the dark after Keira was asleep. She lives in a small town in Connecticut full of apple orchards. It was wonderful to be under a starry sky listening to the noises of the night. I felt at peace in nature.

Earlier in the week I also had the privilege of visiting Rickets Glenn state park situated just outside of Scranton, PA. My mom was my guide as we hiked a trail to the most breathtaking waterfalls I’ve seen in years. She also introduced me to the Hemlock Temple, a virgin forest with trees hundreds of years old. We walked in total silence through this forest. I could feel my feet sink into the soft Earth beneath me. I felt so supported by the ground. We both felt intense energy, life pulsing in this forest.

Time in nature reinvigorates me. My energy tank had gotten really low the past few months with all the challenges I’ve been facing. I could sense myself close to empty so I finally listened to my body, mind and spirit beckoning me for a break.

I encourage each of you to take some sort of a break this week – even if that means ½ of a personal day to go to a local park or a few hours of “YOU” time where you can do something that boosts your energy. Why put this off? Why not purposefully schedule time for yourself ASAP. Your well-being is a priority!

After experiencing this week of refreshment I’m determined to schedule mini-breaks more often. I am a better mother and wife when I feel well. I’m more effective as a life coach, writer and speaker when my energy is high. It feels good to be in this space.

I beckon you to remember the importance of self-care. You won’t regret giving your body, mind and spirit what it needs.

With much love,
Patricia Omoqui
http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

p.s. I think I may start living in the park like Keira suggested. It would be fun to make the slide my bed and use the water fountain to brush my teeth:)

Harness Your Power: Affirmations for You!

A wonderful friend of mine painted the picture you see here. She had a stroke 6 years ago and was able to paint this with her left hand (she was right handed before the stroke).

After her stroke she was unable to walk, talk or use half of her body. She never gave up and learned everything (walking, talking, reading etc.) from scratch. She is resilient and is an example to all of us that we can take our circumstances and become even more beautiful because of what we experience! Amazing, huh?

This week I'd like to keep the blog very simple and share with you some new affirmations that flowed onto the page after I spent some time sitting in silence. I trust these will be helpful to you.

Trust, trust, trust I trust myself to the remarkable hands of the Universe.

I release all past hurts and pains.

I choose to know that the past and the future have no connection unless I allow them to.

I choose to release the future to the hands of the Universe.

I know that my work is staying centered in the moment.

In each moment is love, peace and hope.

In each moment, I tap into the silent space to hear whispers of guidance and love.

I exude love.

I am light.

I lighten up so much that I float through my journey.

I am a fairy of love, fluttering here and there and dropping fairy powder, love potions on all those I encounter.

My mantra is NOW. I am now. I release myself to the present moment so fully that I literally float through life with ease and with little effort for the wings of love carry me wherever I journey.

My flow of finances is equivalent to the flow of love I encounter in the moment.

I release all worries and fears so that the flow of my desires can rush into my life, sweeping away the old and preparing the way for the new to arrive.

I am magnificent, full of possibilities.

I am miraculous, the very notion of walking the earth in a human body is intriguing to me.

I watch the dramas and situations of my life unfold in awe, with no worry or attachment for all is well all the time.

I choose to know this and live this truth

All is well in my life.

All is on schedule.

I need not worry. I choose to trust.

I relax, breathe and rest.

I heal within and without.

As I heal beauty exudes from my life.

I am beautiful in body, mind and spirit.

Beauty bursts through me in fantastic ways, ways I had never imagined.

The power of Spirit rushes into my life transforming all the old hurt into dynamic love.

Dynamic love is my nature, ebbing and flowing, constantly growing and expanding so that I join in greater part with the oneness of love that is reality.

I'd recommend that you choose one or two of these affirmations that strike you and write them down. Repeat them over and over to yourself until they sink deeply into your subconscious mind.

As we trust that each moment in life is perfect, that it is exactly what we need for our growth, we relax and begin to enjoy every aspect of life's journey.

May you experience warmth and growth this week,

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Allow Time for Healing

Healing is not optional -- unless, of course, you want to carry wounds with you as you move forward on your journey.

When I was 16 years old my parents divorced. It was a messy situation. After the divorce my Dad chose not to be involved in my life for the 17 years following. That was extremely painful to me during those years.

I spent many days and nights during my college years crying and working through the pain of the situation. It was no fun experiencing such intense emotion, but after I moved through the inner healing process, I was certainly glad I had taken the time to heal.

This week has been a week of healing in our house. My daughter Maggie had her eye surgery on Monday. It was a short procedure. After the procedure her eye was blood red. It still is. Yet, I watch her each day and it is amazing how her body has been healing. She bounced back quickly from the surgery because she spent extra time resting each day.

I've been healing too. My knee was intensely swollen at the beginning of the week. I wondered whether or not it was going to heal. I listened to my intuition and decided to keep off my feet as much as possible to allow it to heal. It's good that I did. The swelling is going down and the pain is less each day. Had I pushed myself to be active, it certainly would not have gotten better.

I'm also moving through inner healing processes right now. It's actually a beautiful process to experience. I believe that in order for our lights to shine brightly in the World, we must allow the dark, heavy emotions we have in the depths of our being to bubble up. If we allow this to occur and we take the time to acknowledge our pain and work through it, then it transforms to beauty and wisdom.

There are no shortcuts to this process. One of my clients this week was feeling intense sadness. She didn't want to feel sad. She grew up being the "cheerleader" at home. For years she overlooked the pain in her life because it was uncomfortable. Yet, years later, she still has layers of sadness that are still inside of her. I encouraged her to allow herself to feel the intensity of the sadness. I suggested that she sit with the intensity of the emotions and watch herself as she moved through it. I reminded her that if she didn't heal now, she would continue to cycle through patterns of sadness until she finally healed. I assured her that the painful emotions would transform with time.

Our pain is not bigger than us. It is small in comparison with the grandeur of our Spirits. Our pain can only overcome us when we think we are the pain -- and when we allow the pain to become our identity.

I offer you the suggestion this week to allow any dark emotions that you feel to come up for healing. Shine the light of love on these emotions. Understand and feel the emotions deeply. Know that you are a powerful, grand being! The emotions need not overcome you right now. Watch the emotions. Observe yourself as you feel them intensely.

Simply allow yourself the time for healing. Ask the Universe to assist you as you heal. Then, relax and let love be the salve that heals your inner wounds.

Inner brilliance comes when we release these layers of pain. We become new. We are more alive. Our inner light shines brilliantly to the World around us as we release the heavy energies and lighten up.

May your week be full of beautiful, effortless healing,

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/