Harness Your Power: Leave a Legacy of Love...

So, I poured my heart onto the page for a new article I wrote for my column in Vanguard Newspaper (Nigeria)...I am giving you a sneak peek this week...it came from deep within....

Fast forward again. On March 15, 2010, I receive word of another shocking loss.



Taking the braids out of my younger daughter, Skye’s, hair should be a normal experience, right? It wasn’t this time. These braids were special. They were put in by a 16 year old Sierra Lionian girl named Mattu. “Why is this a big deal?” you might ask. Let me explain.


Several months before, I had met Mattu at a local restaurant through a mutual friend. She noticed that my girls’ hair needed braiding and kindly offered her services. We accepted. This opened the door to a friendship that grew quickly into shared meals and enjoyable times together with Mattu and her brothers and sisters.


Mattu became dear to us. We were very sad when she told us she would be moving to Florida with her family. On her last evening in our neighborhood, she came over for dinner and braided Skye’s hair one last time. We bid the family goodbye comforted with the promise of her return to Philadelphia for a visit in the summer. That was Saturday, March 13th.


Then Monday I received a phone call, “Mattu is gone! She was hit by a car and killed instantly.” I felt total disbelief. My whole body went numb. “What? Are you sure? This can’t be true!” The reply was simple and somber, “Yes, it’s true.”


Last week I attended a memorial service given by friends of Mattu’s in the Philadelphia area. I was struck deeply by the words of the many who shared their memories with the group. Mattu had touched each of them with her joyfully vibrant spirit. She is remembered as a happy young woman who loved friends and food and shared everything she had with her mother and her siblings.


Just yesterday I unraveled the braids that Mattu wove in my daughter Skye’s hair. As I did I was smiling through tears remembering Mattu, still touched by her generosity.


As I move through my days these past few months I often feel surges of grief quieted by waves of joy. I am poignantly aware of the fragility and mystery of life. A beloved father joined his wife in heaven after 86 full years; a beautiful young woman was called home by God at age 16. Both are remembered for the greatest legacy anyone can leave. That legacy boils down to L-O-V-E.


What do you want to be remembered for? Don’t rush over this question. Contemplate it. Meditate on it. Open your heart. Why not be make a conscious decision about the way you will choose to live each day?


Life does not come down to who has the biggest house or the most expensive jewelry. It has little to do with the highest title or the fattest bank account. Rather, it comes down to simple acts of love. Each loving gesture is a deposit we make in the hearts of those we meet. A smile, a kind word, a prayer said on someone’s behalf, a meal prepared with care, time spent listening, laughing and sharing in meaningful conversation—any act of compassion or understanding makes a lasting impression.

....
I pray that these words have you thinking deeply about your purpose in life...Focus yourself.  Enjoy each moment.  Be YOUR best :)

Sending you love this week,
Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
http://www.patriciaomqoui.com/

Harness Your Power: Love and Give

This has been a shocking week for me. On Thursday I received a call from my mom. She told me that my grandfather had passed away. I could hardly believe the news. Even though he was 87, he was strong, positive and a constant in my life. Saturday we had a simple but touching memorial service to celebrate his life. As people shared stories about my grandfather and talked about how he had impacted their lives, the theme became clear: he loved and accepted every person he encountered and he had a giving heart. (This picture shows my grandfather and my niece, Trinity on Christmas Eve this past year).

It's amazing to see the ripple effect that my grandfather's love had on our family. Because of him, my mom learned to be kind and truly accept people. Thus, she passed that gift on to me and taught me, through her example, that every person I encounter is important, special and worthy of love.

My grandfather was extra-special to me. After my parents divorced when I was 16, my dad was absent from my life. During those years, my grandfather played a vital role. He came to all my volleyball and basketball games. He was one of the loudest voices in the stands, "Go Trish!" I heard that throughout every game and it was so comforting and encouraging to have him cheering me on. He was there when I scored my 1,000 point at Souderton High school. He walked me down the aisle at my wedding. He was at the hospital soon after each of my children were born. No matter where I was traveling or what I was up to in my life, I knew my grandfather was thinking of me, supporting me and praying for me.

An amazing life. I believe life is so very simple. Our true purpose is to be love, to share love and to engage in loving acts to show others they are important to us. That's it. Very easy to do. So, why does it get so complex?

It's ironic to me that today our pastor spoke about being a generous giver. It's like the Universe continued the theme from the memorial service yesterday -- what joy comes when we are willing to give from our heart lovingly. As we do, we receive tremendous gifts in return. There is no need to be stuck in a "MINE" mentality -- guarding our possessions, striving constantly after more stuff, postponing our joy for a day when we have more.

On another note, I had the opportunity to spend some extra time with my daughter Maggie this week when we went to a doctor appointment. On my way home she said to me, "Mom, I love my life. I love our neighborhood. I love my house. I love my friends. I love my school bus. I love my family." Wow. She has never so clearly expressed her gratitude for her life. I smiled wide as I heard her words. I am SO thankful to have a 6 year old daughter who loves life. There is very little more that I can ask for than that my children be happy, grateful and full of love.

I desire to pass on to my children what my grandfather gave to me: I want them to understand that every person is an incredibly unique creation of God. I want them to learn by my example that each person deserves to feel respected, accepted and loved rather than judged.

My joy in life right now is so profound. Though my grandfather's death has brought many tears, it has also shown me how simple, loving acts can make a tremendous difference in the world.

May you be filled with inspiration to LIVE LOVE this week.

All my love for each of you.

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Live Life Fully

I saw a wonderful movie on New Year's Eve called The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It was the story of a baby who is born with the makeup of an old, 80 year old man. As he gets older in age, his body gets younger and younger. It was a heart-warming story and I found myself in tears at several points in the movie.

First, during childbirth Benjamin's mother dies. So the father, in great despair over the baby's monster-like appearance as well as the death of his wife, runs through the town and leaves the baby on the steps of a home. Little did he know that it was a home for the aging. What touched me early in the movie is the way that Queenie, a woman who worked at the home, accepted and loved this baby, adopting him as her own child, even though others found him difficult to look at. Benjamin was given a loving home that supported him during his early years.

The movie showed how quickly the cycle of life moves . People were continually dying in this old folk's home and babies were being born. It caused me to notice how fast my own life is moving -- I am 35 now and my children are growing bigger and smarter by the day. I don't want to miss out on any of the richness of life's experiences. I want to be tuned in and engage all of my senses on this wonderful adventure that I'm living. I want each day to be full of joy and purpose.

Love was another topic the movie addressed. Benjamin and a beautiful young lady found a soul connection. Throughout the movie they reappeared in each other's lives. It was a passionate, intense love that they shared for one another. Because of Benjamin's disease of growing younger, towards the end of the movie he chose to distance himself from his wife and family. What struck my heart deeply was the importance of fully loving and enjoying the people we care for because you never know how life's twists and turns might prevent you from being as close as you once were.

Live fully. Enjoy all aspects of life -- the upturns and downturns, the times that make you cry and the times that cause you to laugh. We are here to experience as much of our journey as we can allow ourselves. There are rich details of life that are very easy to miss if you are distracted or depressed. Slow your mind. Live in the now. Open your eyes further. See the textures, smell the scents, feel the touches of others, hear others in a new way. Don't miss out.

The time of your life is NOW! It's not in the distance. Will you allow yourself to start 2009 with a new awareness of how miraculous your life is? No matter what challenge you are facing or what mountain you have just climbed, enjoy where you are.

All is well, my friends. It is better than what the media tells you. Don't allow the sensationalized, fear-based news to get you worked up. Stop tuning in to these voices. Instead, look at your life right now and see all the blessings available to you. These blessings come in so many forms -- smiles, touches, laughter, sunrises, sunsets, clouds in funny shapes, flowers standing tall for you to see them, trees reminding you of your strength....take note of it all!

I send each of you a warm hug. May the comfort and guidance of the Universe fill your heart this week.

I'm always here if you need me, only ever an email away,

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Focus on Love

In thinking about this weekly blog, I considered writing a traditional Thanksgiving blog, reminding each of us to be truly thankful for the blessings in our lives. Of course, I will remind you: let's all join together in counting our blessings and focusing our hearts in gratitude! But, I'd like instead to suggest that this week we focus on seeing others through eyes of love rather than through eyes of judgment.

Big family gatherings can be challenging. We join together with relatives who are experts at pushing our buttons. Old conflicts arise, putting a negative, cloudy energy in the air that everyone perceives but nobody talks about. It feels uncomfortable. Yet we pretend and put on a smile. We try to be cordial.

I'd like to suggest a new approach this year. Before you go to your family celebration, take a few moments to sit down and open your heart. Get a pen and a piece of paper. Begin by making a list of all the people you will be encountering (if it is a big gathering, just list the people who you are not comfortable being around.) Now, begin to write down any and every positive thing you can find about this person. For just a moment, move beyond your judgment and open to a bigger perspective.

If you feel stuck on trying to find positives, then say a brief prayer -- "Spirit, please help me to see this person from a new perspective. Open my eyes in an expanded way and help me to move beyond judgment and see any spark of light this person has within."

These questions might also help you in thinking about the person: Have you seen this person offer kindness to someone in the past? Are they talented? Do they intend to be loving but just never come across that way? (Give them credit for the attempts they make.) Are they full of good humor and jokes? Even though they often may judge you, is it really because of their fearful beliefs that are motivated from a deep love for you? Might it be that their mannerisms, though they annoy you, are merely what they learned growing up?

The whole point of this exercise is to focus on the light, the love you can perceive -- no matter how small it appears to you. When you focus on the light, it grows! When you focus on the light, you change. When you focus on the light, your perceptions shift. The old ideas that you felt you couldn't let go of, are able to transform.

If we desire World peace, the peace must start from our own small circles of friends and family. We may not be able to change the people who offend, ignore, or annoy us. We can change the way we view them. We can release our judgments; we can open to love.

Prepare yourself for these challenging interactions. You could even carry this paper of loving qualities with you to the gathering. Keep it in your pocket or your purse -- so if you find yourself moving into the old patterns of judgment, go to the bathroom, re-read it. Breathe and allow love to fill you again.

Ask Spirit to assist you in approaching these interactions in a new way. Ask for miraculous healing to occur in relationships that have been broken and stuck in conflict for years. It is all possible -- IF we are willing to open our hearts to new possibilities.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving. For those of you in other parts of the World, use this exercise in the same way -- make a list of the people who annoy, bug and upset you in your daily life. Open to making the same types of shifts in these relationships. No special family gatherings are needed to experience this growth.

On one other note, I want to say to each of you how thankful I am to interact with you via this blog. It is an honor to share these ideas from my heart. I offer each of you love because I know that you are pure love in your essence. You are, we all are, aspects of Source Energy in human form. We are more similar than different. Are struggles are common ones and as we join together and learn, we begin to see how beautiful we are in facing our daily challenges in our life experience.

I close with a few affirmations to support you in your interactions:

I open to seeing the love and light in my friends and family.

I open to seeing more love and light within myself.

We are all in this together.

I move beyond the conflicts and see others from Spirit's perspective.

I notice the beauty in every human being.

I see them with compassion and empathy.

I realize that their words and actions are not personal to me.

I assume that they, and I, are capable of healing our conflicts and joining together in love.

I am an ambassador of peace.

My work begins in my circle of friends and family.

The peace that starts in my heart spreads to everyone in my life.

It moves around the globe and impacts World peace.

I see my power.

I see new possibilities in my life.

I give thanks for all that I am, all that I have, and all that I am becoming.

In love, knowing the beauty of each person who is reading this blog,

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

If you need any support in preparing for tough interactions, drop me an email and we can arrange a quick coaching session. Sometimes a few minutes of conversation can give you just the support you need!

Much love!

Trish

Harness Your Power: Belief, Hope and Courage

What a momentous week this was for our country. Whether you supported Obama or McCain, it was truly amazing to watch this election unfold. We saw the seemingly impossible become possible. What allows for these types of things to happen? Three of the key elements that brings a vision to reality are belief, hope and courage.

I am challenging myself to stay focused on these words in the weeks to come. There are many visions in my heart. It is easy for me to fret and wonder how these grand ideas could become a reality. It all boils down to a moment-by-moment choice for me to make -- will I believe or will I doubt? Will I worry or will I be filled with hope? Will I give up or will I walk courageously forward into the unknown?

I can choose. I will choose. I am determined to choose -- to walk by faith, rather than by sight. I have seen miraculous changes in my life in 2008. Things that seemed impossible to me have come about. Opportunities I never could have dreamed of dropped out of thin air and landed in my lap. The miraculous is wonderful to experience. We are surrounded by miracles.

I've been taking the time to recognize my miracles no matter how big or how small. My body is healthy and strong. My daughter Maggie is doing fantastically well given the challenges she faces. Skye shows such spirit and excitement for life. My husband is supportive, caring and courageous. I appreciate every small pleasure from a cup of hot cocoa to a spontaneous hug from my daughters. I am blessed. I am so grateful for all that I have.

Could I choose fear right now? Sure, I could. I believe that suffering is totally overrated. Fear leads me into deep suffering. I know the familiar pattern all too well. To be quite honest, I am tired of fear. So, I've replaced it with belief, hope and courage.

Let's encourage one another this week to stay focused in positive, loving energy. We can do this. It is a choice. If you feel doubt creep into your heart, just stop. Take a deep breath. Then refocus. Remember that the Universe supports you in this amazingly rich journey of learning.

A big hug to each of you.

"Yes, We Can!"

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Take Care of Your Soul

I had the privilege this weekend of hearing two excellent speakers. The first was Thomas Moore who wrote some bestsellers such as Care of the Soul and Dark Night of the Soul. As I listened to Thomas Moore speak I learned of an important distinction that I had not considered before -- the difference between Soul and Spirit. I had used those words interchangeably. Thomas contrasted these words, suggesting that Spirit is that part of us which desires to transcend, to feel bigger and grander than our experience in a human body. Soul, on the other hand, is that aspect of us that lives day-to-day, walking through life.

He has spent time with many spiritual communities. He commented that those who are very focused on their spiritual practice are often time out of touch with their Soul. In fact, they have difficulty in relationships, challenges in their sex life and don't enjoy the basic aspects of the Soul like preparing a meal and enjoying it with family and friends.

As I sat listening I realized how true that had been for me until this past year. I felt there was something "lower" about the basics of life. In my mind there was a hierarchy of the ways I would spend my time and energy-- at the top was my spiritual life, then my career and then the basics of home life. Because of this view, I often struggled to enjoy the basic activities of daily life.

As I encountered the idea of mindfulness about a year ago and really began to practice it, I began to experience joy in every activity. I soon realized that I could find peace in folding laundry and get a sense of bliss from making a meal for my family. Before these two activities felt difficult and unhappy to me.

Thomas suggested we focus as much on our Soul as we do on our Spirit. Enjoy nature. Go to a museum and connect with some art. Learn to cook. Put together a dinner party and give it your all -- bring your favorite friends together to share in wonderful food, drink and talk. Focus on your relationships.

These are very basic ideas but ones that I felt glad to be reminded of. So many of us right now are facing financial challenges, losing jobs, dealing with relationship problems and health issues. It is okay to feel as if your Soul is walking through a very dark time. In fact, if you can embrace these times and move through them with an openness to learning and deepening your wisdom, you can begin to see the beauty in the darkness.

I speak about this from a space of experiential knowing. I've been in a very dark time the past eight weeks. Many miraculous things have come from wading through the mires of my fears. In the darkest moments I always found that if I just took some deep breaths and focused myself within, there was light to be found. Peace was within me even if my circumstances felt in chaos.

Embrace the darkness. Listen to your Soul. It will whisper to you and guide you to what it needs. Be honest. Find others to support and help you through these times. Most of all, go inside. Love yourself. Admire your courage for moving through this human journey.

You are resilient. You are courageous. You are learning and growing. This is what your Soul came to do! Be glad for each experience in life. It is all truly perfect and on schedule.

(The other speaker I listened to was James Twyman. He is a truly amazing human being -- encouraging all of us to see how connected we are. He recently wrote a book called The Moses Code. He is also an excellent musician. All of his work focuses on bringing greater peace to the World. http://www.emissaryoflight.com/_.aspx?t_t=5)

With deep love for each of you,

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

View my YouTube videos at: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=patricia+omoqui&search_type=&aq=f

Harness Your Power: THE KEY

I have been constantly reminded this week of THE KEY to peace and joy during times of change and uncertainty. It is simple. It holds open a space of all possibility and total power. You can even find wonder and beauty at all times in your life if you remember THE KEY.

THE KEY is the present moment. In a sessions with a dear life coaching client this week, we talked at length about the importance of being determined to live in the NOW. This client has his mom and step-father in the hospital, has a job that deals with the volatility of the stock market and a dog who has a torn ACL and needs surgery. Talk about stressful circumstances!

In our conversation we discussed a few helpful questions to use when the future seems overwhelming or the past brings us a feeling of shame. I want to share these with you in hopes that they will assist you in staying connected with THE KEY--living life one moment at a time, fully present and open to the miracles available in each moment of life.

Question #1: Do I have everything I need in this moment? Anytime I consider this question I come to the conclusion, "YES. I do have what I need in THIS moment." I am always provided for. Did I have enough food to eat today? Yes. Did I have a place to lay my head? Yes. Are there clothes on my back? Yep. Am I breathing? Certainly. Can I find peace right now? If I stay present, I sure can.

Question #2: What good am I missing in this moment? We often get so focused on the things we feel are wrong in our lives. We become so preoccupied with the additional money we want to give us greater ease in paying our bills, the new clothes we'd enjoy, the bigger house that would feel nice...our focus goes away from what we DO HAVE to what we DON'T HAVE. When we pose this question, it brings us back to take a fresh look at what good we already have in our lives. This question is also great in challenging situations -- there is always something good to focus on even when life feels difficult. Will you open to find the good? If you do, I am sure you will begin to notice it!

Question #3: When do I have personal power? There is only one answer to this question -- it is the NOW. In each moment if you will keep your mind fully focused, you open to divine wisdom, phenomenal strength and inspired hope. In the present moment we receive all the guidance we need to navigate difficult situations and make progress towards creating what we want to experience in our lives. It is our preoccupation with the future, our self-doubts and limiting thoughts (based upon our past experiences) that cut us off from the step-by-step guidance we need to move rapidly and supernaturally through our life circumstances.

I find in my life coaching work that whatever I share with my clients ends up being wisdom that I need to apply to my own life. So, all week long I found myself using these questions to focus my energy in the Now. It is refreshing to live in the present moment. There is such joy, peace, hope, wonder and love when we live life one moment at a time. Trust each moment of life. You are safe and secure. You are not alone -- Spirit surrounds you, fills you and infuses your life with all you need. Just open. Simply open to THE KEY -- to each present moment of your life.

Trust the moment. We each have THE KEY -- will you begin to use it? It will open the door to countless blessings if you do.

With great love for each of you,

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Study Your Emotions

Why is it that I am so surprised at the guidance I receive all the time? It is so consistent and it always shows up just at the right moment. Yet, I feel amazed when I am guided. Shouldn't I expect it by now?

I was led yesterday to purchase an amazing book at Borders. It is called, "The Heart of The Soul" by Gary Zukav and Linda Francis. I love books. I devour them. They stir and feed my soul, expand my awareness and stretch my heart. In a very simple, but profound style Gary and Linda share the importance of emotional awareness.

They suggest that each of us is a student in the Earth School of Life. The courses that we take are the emotions that we experience. We each choose a unique curriculum. Some of us are studying anger, others are studying joy, and yet others are studying jealousy. If we begin to pay attention to our classes we can move at whatever pace we want in finishing that particular course so that we can move on to the next.

The key to learning is that we must accept that what we are experiencing emotionally is INSIDE of us. Our emotions may be responses to our circumstances but we must own what we feel and learn why we feel it. As we come to an understanding of why we are experiencing the emotions inside of us, we become authentically empowered to choose the responses we want to any circumstance we encounter in life.

As I read these pages in the book, I smile. I see what my coursework has been the past few years...and I see that I am wrapping up some intense coursework in fear and anger. My heart has been yearning to start some new courses and I've been experimenting more with joy, peace and love. I'm ready to give more of my time and attention to the classes of happiness, trust and hope.

I see the importance of the courses I've been taking on fear and anger. Where does this fear come from that I experience so often? Why do I feel unsafe or insecure? What beliefs do I hold that cause me to judge myself and others? These are the questions that I've been pondering the last few years. It has caused me to do deep excavation and come to the core beliefs I hold in my life that cause me deep suffering and pain. Slowly, but surely, I've been shifting these beliefs and opening to expand my understanding of the possibilities that new beliefs offer me.

What courses are you focused on? Take time this week to note the emotions that you most often experience right now. That is your current coursework. Give thanks for wherever you are and the courses you are studying. By understanding that this is your coursework, you can lovingly begin to examine these emotions. You are at just the right point in your journey. Accept this. Then, purposefully begin to choose to move through this coursework so that you can experience a sense of authentic empowerment.

I love the School of Life even though it feels very painful at times. It is fascinating and invigorating to see the progress each of us can make in learning that we create our reality. Wow! We can lovingly shift our reactions. We can look at our lives through new lenses and begin to see the deeper meanings of what is happening all around us. We are not alone in our studies -- the Universe guides and tutors us by bringing us the people, circumstances and opportunities to take the next step in our coursework if and when we are ready.

Here are some affirmations that I have written for myself today...I share them in case they can be of support and help to you:

I choose to become authentically empowered.

I study my emotions.

I embrace all aspects of my life experience as perfect.

I choose to release judgment and offer myself and others love.

I choose to respond in love and trust as often as I can.

I am a spirit being in a human body.

The Universe supports me on my journey, guiding and directing me all the time.

I celebrate each day for it offers me new gifts of self-awareness and love.

With great love and admiration for all of us,

Patricia Omoqui

www.patriciaomoqui.com

Harness Your Power: Journal for Joy

(This picture is from my journal. Inside the letters JOY I've written the word NOW several hundred times to remind myself that if I stay focused in the present moment I can experience JOY all the time.)

Ever since junior high I've kept a journal. I'd frequently take time to jot down my thoughts and feelings. During my high school years my journal became especially important to me as I worked through the painful emotions of my parent's divorce. It became an outlet for me to express my feelings on paper, often crying and petitioning God for help as I wrote.

As I studied at Princeton and then played professional basketball overseas, I continue to write in my journal. It was a wonderful way to capture the exciting experiences I was having -- in travel, on the basketball court and in my relationships.

Once I returned to the U.S. from my years abroad, I stopped journaling. I'm not sure why this happened, but it did. As my inner turmoil grew, my need to write became important again so I started to use my computer as a journal. I'd sit down and write each day about my experiences. Again, the relief and refreshment I felt from getting my feelings onto paper was immense.

A few months ago I took a new approach with journaling. I had noticed my mom delving into art therapy. She would often sit with colored pencils and blank paper and create the most remarkable pictures. She told me that it was a very helpful exercise for her in processing her emotions and in understanding where she was in her life.

In May I was at Barnes and Noble (one of my favorite places to relax). I happened upon a beautiful journal there and it had blank pages (no lines). Perfect, I thought! Colored pencils happened to be on the adjacent shelf so I picked up a box and headed to the cafe. I am not an artist AT ALL (or so I had told myself all my life). I started by doodling words that were important to me -- Dreams, Expand, Fear focus, Joy, Peace. I am amazed what happened both in the page and in my heart.

Journaling in this artistic way became such a joy for me. It helped me to create a means to sit calmly and express my feelings again. Using pictures and words brought a whole new element to my journaling. By drawing and coloring I was able to connect with an even deeper level of who I am. Expressing my thoughts and feelings brought me joy and relief.

I've put a number of my recent drawings in the blog below so you can get a sense of what I'm talking about. I am finding that as I continue to allow my creative juices to flow and combine with my life experience, that magical things are flowing from my hand to the page. I NEVER thought I'd find such joy in this type of expression.

I'd encourage you this week to begin to express your feelings on the page. Do it in any way that feels comfortable to you -- writing in a traditional journal, doodling on a piece of scrap paper, coloring a mandala, sign-up for an online journal or type your thoughts into a Word document. How you go about doing this doesn't matter. What matters is that you provide yourself an outlet to release the pent-up emotions. Journaling is an excellent tool to assist you in healing yourself and expressing your joy.

A big hug to all,

Patricia Omoqui
http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Enjoy Every Moment

(This picture is of my children-- Maggie on the left, Skye on the right-- posing by their first pet, a little blue fish. They were so full of joy when they got it several weeks ago.)

This week I had three extra kids at home. My nephews and nieces from London came for a visit. They are 17, 11 and 9 in age.

When visitors arrive our schedules change and our spaces are full. In the past I would have felt a sense of resistance and pressure with this change but instead, I made a conscious effort to truly go with the flow. In doing so, I had a wonderful time. In fact, I found many opportunities to bring out my inner child and experience things I haven’t done in years.

In one week I’ve gone swimming several times, played miniature golf, colored pictures, played hide-n-seek and duck duck goose, drove a go-kart at top speed, ate water ice, ate Popsicles, cooked all sorts of meals and tickled a lot of kids. It’s been a freeing opportunity for me to simply have fun.

I’ve also found enjoyment in watching my children interact with their older cousins. There is a genuine care between all of them. While the big ones like to tease the little ones at times, overall, they all have gotten along well and laughed a lot together. My youngest one, Skye, particularly loves her 11 year old cousin Daniel. Each morning when she wakes up she hops in bed to snuggle with her cousin. It is very sweet to see the bonds develop within the group.

An insight I gained into myself this week is that I hold beliefs that certain activities are more “valuable” and “worthwhile” than others. For example, it seems that deep inside I believe that working is more important than having fun. I recognize this because of the resistance and self-judgment I experience as I have fun. My thoughts often move toward, “Your time would be better used if you were writing or coaching.” I know this pattern I have. As I see my mind go that direction I know that I can stop and shift my thinking to, “it is such a pleasure to have fun and engage in any activity when I give it my attention.”

I’ve been learning to allow myself to be in each moment more fully. As I release these judgments I have and fully engage myself in whatever it is I’m doing and with whoever it is I’m interacting with, I find that my life experience becomes truly joyful.

I encourage you this week to watch the judgments you place on spending time and on the different roles you play. Do you think work is more important than play? Do you find yourself feeling more important when you are at work than when you are playing a parental role? Just watch your judgments. Learn from them. Understand the beliefs you hold.

What if there were no hierarchy of ways to spend time and instead, the attention you gave the moment was the only standard you really needed. Am I fully present right now? Am I giving my full attention and energy to what I’m doing? Am I allowing myself to experience the intensity, joy and wonder of any activity I’m doing?

Lots to think about!
Enjoy the contemplation. Have fun.
I certainly am.

Hugs to all,
Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Become Self-Aware

I happened to watch another kiddie flick this past week called Monsters, Inc . It was the first time I'd seen it. For those of you who aren't familiar with the movie, the story centers around monsters who scare children at night in order to capture their screams. They capture the screams to fuel the electric supply in their city. Sullivan, the main monster in the movie, is the best monster in town when it comes to scaring kids.

In one particular scene Sullivan is videotaped as he scares a little girl. As he sees the playback, he is shocked to see how upset and scared the little girl was because of his behavior. He had never realized the impact of his actions on the children he scared each night. In that one moment, as he saw himself in action, he was changed.

This scene really got me thinking. We are often unaware of how we come across to others. It would be fascinating if we were videotaped all the time and could see playbacks of our interactions and the way people responded to us.

I challenge you this week to notice yourself in conversations with people in your life. Pay particular attention when you feel anger or frustration. Hear the tone and volume of your voice. Imagine the facial expressions you have. Feel the energy you are giving out. Watch the other person's response to you -- are they shocked? Scared? Upset? What is the impact you are having on others?

I have become aware of myself particularly in situations when my children are misbehaving. I do my best to keep cool but sometimes my anger builds and I erupt. Watching Sullivan in action last night caused me to look more deeply at my responses and give more thought to how I want to respond in situations where my "buttons get pushed."

Awareness is the key to great change. Become more self-aware this week. As you do, you can learn to consciously choose your reactions, gain greater control over your emotions and spread more peace and love in all your interactions.

With great love and great thanks to Monsters, Inc. for this wonderful insight,

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: 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: Observe Your Timetables & Expectations

Do you feel pressure inside because of internal timetables? Do you get upset with yourself if things don't happen in the time you want them to? Do you have certain expectations of yourself that cause you to push yourself so hard that you exhaust yourself in the process of going after your goals?

I pose these questions this week because I have been observing in myself some interesting characteristics. Just when I think I'm finally learning to relax and go with the flow, I see that I'm not!

This week I've noticed that even when I'm not life coaching, speaking or writing, I'm thinking about my work all the time. I am thinking about all the projects I want to get done.

There's nothing wrong with being excited and passionate about work. What I have found is that I struggle to release my work so that I can fully relax when I do have time for myself.

Why is this so challenging? For me, I believe it has to do with certain expectations I have of myself. I have very high expectations of how much I "should" get done each week. When I'm not meeting those expectations my inner critic starts to make noise. I thought I had gotten rid of this inner critic.

This week I asked my Observer to work over-time so I could get a sense of why I felt so tired. What I saw was that this inner critic had regained some ground in my mind.

I tell my life coaching clients often that their Observer is their best friend. The Observer, the part of yourself that can watch your mind, can help you become highly aware of your judgments about yourself and others. In understanding these personal judgments you can determine if the self-judgment is helping you or hindering you.

My self-judgment hinders me. I see clearly how judging myself drains my energy. When I push myself harder and harder to reach certain goals, I get exhausted and worn down. When I can release the timetables and unrealistic expectations, I begin to feel better. I am able to relax. As I relax, my work actually gets done faster and better!

Timetables and expectations can be a useful tool OR they can be something that hinders you and drains you.

Isn't it funny how often we impose these artificial timetables on ourselves? Who says that a book needs to get written by the end of March? I say it. No one else expects this of me. Who says that the wash needs to get done by Thursday? I do. No one else imposes this on me. Who says that I need to reach all the goals I put on my vision board by the end of 2008? I do. It's me who is driving myself crazy! I laugh as I see this.

It's funny how we've learned to put pressure on ourselves. In doing this, we make life feel heavy and serious. We begin to feel that if we don't meet our goals in a certain time frame that we are failing ourselves. Is that true? It is only if we choose to believe that it is true.

I've been practicing The Power of Now (read Eckhart Tolle's book, it's awesome) for the past few years. When I am truly able to live in the Eternal Present Moment, my work flows beautifully and I am able to simply enjoy each moment in my life. As soon as I impose those time frames and then begin to worry if I will reach them, I impose heaviness and suffering on myself.

I took the time this week to determine what I WANT to choose for myself. Here it is:

• I choose to have fun as I work towards my goals rather than feeling a heaviness about them.


• I choose to aim to reach my goals in certain time frames -- but if I can't, I choose to not be tough on myself.


• I choose to live in the moment.


• I choose to lighten up about life and enjoy the ride.


• I choose to enjoy the journey rather than being so focused on certain results or achievements I want for my life.


• I choose to take time to rest and refresh myself.


• I choose to trust the Universe's timetables.


• I choose to become so aware of my patterns with time and expectations, that I don't allow them to control me.


• I choose to release the pressure that builds up inside of me.


• I choose to be inspired in the moment and release myself to the flow of life -- in doing this, miraculous things occur.


• I choose to envision what I want in my life and then release it to the Universe -- for the Universe sees a grander picture for my life than I am even able to conceive.


• I choose to be free from self-judgment.


• I choose to harness my power.

What do you choose? Be the powerful chooser of your thoughts. Don't let those inner timetables and self expectations control you.

Take time to observe this week and become aware of these beliefs you have that cause you to exhaust yourself. As you understand these beliefs, step back and determine if these beliefs are serving you or if you are serving these beliefs.

We are more powerful than we realize. Our power comes from a deep awareness that in each moment we are choosing our life experience. Let's become fully conscious of what we are choosing.

Laughing at myself this week and having fun unravelling these deeply entrenched beliefs I have,

Trish

Patricia Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Speak Your Truth

This week was one of the most difficult weeks I have experienced in years. It also brought the most personal transformation I've experienced in years.

We all have deeply entrenched personal patterns of behavior and expression. As we understand our personal patterns and get to the "why," or the underlying beliefs, that are causing us to repeat them, we can then make more conscious choices for ourselves.

Let me explain on a simple, personal level. Growing up I lived in a situation where our family had to walk on eggshells all the time. My Dad was very unhappy and even threatened to commit suicide because he was in so much personal despair. My mom, brother and I would do our best "to make everything ok," so that we wouldn't cause my Dad to reaching a tipping point and move forward with his threat. We avoided conflict, keeping quiet at great personal cost.

I lived in fear that if I spoke my mind, something awful might happen.

We left my dad when I was 16 years old hoping that he would seek professional help. However, my Dad chose to remain angry and decided to be absent from my life. In fact, for almost 16 years, my Dad remained distant from my brother and me even though we both reached out to him, inviting him, asking him to be part of our lives.

Through this experience I developed the fear that men in my life would abandon me.

In every serious relationship I have had with a man, these underlying fears led me to repeat certain patterns. It looked something like this: Trish is in a relationship. She tries to keep peace at all costs. No matter how much something bothers her, she keeps her mouth shut. She hopes it will get better. She doesn't ask for what she wants. She doesn't even say what she needs. She holds too much fear that she will be abandoned.

Wow. I repeated this pattern over and over and carried it with me into my marriage. Even though my husband would ask me to tell him what I felt and to share what I really thought, my fear of being abandoned and my fear of receiving anger if I spoke my mind kept me in silence. Rather than asking for help in sharing responsibilities, I would take them on myself thinking I should be able to do it all. Change began a few years ago. I finally reached a point where I became so overwhelmed that I asked my husband to help. He gladly responded and gave me more assistance. Deep change began within me.

Yet, even though I was beginning to speak up more often, there were still many unspoken feelings in my heart because I still felt a great deal of fear.

The interesting thing is that in EVERY other relationship -- with my family, with my friends, with colleagues, with acquaintances, I am outspoken; I share my feelings freely.

This week was the first time I finally said everything I had in my heart to my husband. Don't get me wrong, my husband and I did communicate over the years -- but much was left unsaid between us because of our fear. My husband wasn't sharing many of his concerns with me because he was afraid of upsetting me. So, the two of us were operating in fear. This kept us from full honesty and openness.

Lack of communication in a marriage relationship causes difficulty. Lack of communication in any relationship causes misunderstanding.

I can't tell you how terrified I was this week to share everything in my heart with my husband. It's funny because he is a loving, caring man. There was no reason for me to hold back for so long. I faced some major fears this week. I looked them right in the eye. I looked at my fear of abandonment and said, "No matter what happens, I will be fine." I looked at my fear of conflict and said, "I am no longer afraid of an angry response, I must be honest and speak my truth."

This was a week of speaking my truth completely. My heart pounded as I did it. But, I did it anyway. I am determined to break my old, limiting patterns. I am determined to discover the parts of me that are still wounded and take the steps to heal. I want to experience a life where I can harness all of my power. I want a life so rich, joyful and full of love that I will never look back with regret.

I shed more tears this week than I have in years. The tears were beautiful -- they washed up deep layers of fear and self-doubt, that I didn't even know were there. By becoming conscious of my issues, I was able to sit with them and make deeper peace inside myself.

My husband and I have agreed that in order to create the relationship we both desire, we must speak the truth to each other. That is what loves does. It is new territory that we are walking together. These conversations have brought us deeper understanding and unity than I ever thought possible.

Are there areas of your life where you aren't speaking your truth? Look closely at these areas this week. As you do, you may find deep fears inside you causing you to hold back. These fears hinder you from becoming fully expanded and powerful. These fears keep you from experiencing the beauty and magnificence in life possible when you speak your truth from your heart.

Relief comes when we understand our patterns.

Joy comes when we see our underlying beliefs and realize there is a better approach we can take.

Beauty develops when we choose the belief we WANT to have and begin practicing it so that it becomes a new habit.

Excitement comes when we see that we can create EVERYTHING, literally EVERYTHING that our heart desires by moving beyond our fears, by releasing our self-doubt and by knowing that we are love embodied.

I am relieved. I am joyful. I feel beauty developing in areas of my life I never thought possible. I am excited for this journey. I anticipate all of my dreams coming true in the perfect timing of the Universe. I choose to know that love can be integrated into every aspect of who I am and every aspect of how I express myself in the World.

Part of me hesitated to share this with you because it is so personal. Yet, if just one of you reading this blog begins to speak your truth and move beyond your fears, I know it is worth it to have spoken my truth from the deepest part of my Soul.

With all my love and all my prayers that we finally begin to uncover and move beyond all our fearful beliefs,

Trish Omoqui
http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

If you are ready to move beyond some of your personal patterns, please contact me for life coaching. I have become an expert at helping people see their patterns. I can provide you a supportive, loving space to work through these patterns so that you can begin to live the life your heart longs for. Please stop suffering in silence -- I did this for years and it is NOT worth it. You are ready for joy now. You are ready for peace now. . .so, if you would like my help, drop me an email at thoughtdr@patriciaomoqui.com .

Harness Your Power: Know Your Expanded Self

I have had profound realizations this week that I am excited to share with you. Of course, many profound realizations come from the process of healing our inner pains -- and that was the case for me. I share that only to remind you of the beauty of working through healing -- it is not optional in our soul's growth process.

Yesterday I was driving my children home from a friend's birthday party at Chuck-E-Cheese. The rain was pouring down and it was very windy. As we neared our home, the sun was shining very brightly WHILE it was raining! It was an incredible sight. In the moment I took in the beauty of the sunshine, it struck me --- it is possible to experience sunshine even in the midst of the rain. Of course it is -- yet when we are in the rain we so often forget that just behind the clouds above us is the sunshine. The sun is still there and if we can stay centered and connect with our expanded self, we can envision and feel the sun even during a storm.

Let me explain further about "The Expanded Self." I am beginning to understand at a deeper level that I am far greater than the dramas and story lines in my life. I am far bigger than the emotions that are triggered by the circumstances that I experience. When we come to terms with the greater, infinite, eternal part of ourselves, we begin to see that we can find peace and rise above our "ego self" or our "small self" and feel the powerful, expanded self that we each have.

As I thought more about this concept the story came to my mind of when Jesus calmed the waves during the storm when the disciples in the ship were so fearful. In the midst of a powerful, overwhelming storm, Jesus was at peace. He could see the greater reality of the situation. He was so connected to Source that he had the capacity to calm the waters.

As we face the storms in our lives, the dark, cold times that we feel, we can find a space of calm no matter what is happening. Do you believe this is possible? Have you ever connected, even momentarily, to this truth?

I find now that the painful times I experience in life don't have the sharp edges they used to. Instead, I notice the pain come up. I watch the pain. I face it. I love my pain -- and embrace it knowing that I am greater than, more eternal than any momentary struggle in my life. By understanding this, the movement through my personal pain is exciting, invigorating and full of seeds of possibility. For, as I peel back the pain, I uncover new parts of myself. I transform. I begin to KNOW without a doubt my connection to Source, the Universal energy that we all have within us.

One last thought I leave you with today -- I am preparing a speech called, "How to be the Earth Angel You Are!" I love this speech. . .and am expanding it to a workshop. I believe we are all Earth Angels. . but most of us have not yet opened up our wings. We are carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders -- guilt, worry, fear, self-doubt, pain -- and it is keeping us from recognizing the wings we have. As we release all of this inner pain from our ego, we can uncover our wings. Once we have found our wings and we begin to use them, even in the middle of a rain storm we can fly up above the clouds and touch the sun. . . we can be so light and free that even while it appears dark, we can see the light.

Release all that weighs you down this week. In times of Silence, begin to touch the eternal nature that you have. Feel how grand a moment of silence can feel. Know that you are far greater, far bigger, far more than your personality, your drama and your personal pain. You are POWER. Will you recognize it this week? Even if you can feel it for just one micro-second, you will touch something so wonderful that your heart will begin to remember its true identity.

Much love to my fellow Earth Angels,

Trish Omoqui
http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

P.S. there is still time to sign up for the four-week Circle of Abundance tele-group that starts this Thursday evening from 8:30 - 9:30 p.m. If you are struggling with your finances, afraid to sit down and pay your bills each month and want a new way to approach experiencing and creating abundance in your life, this circle is for you! Please drop me an email if you are interested at abundance@patriciaomoqui.com .

Harness Your Power: Remove Self Limits!

I mentioned in my blog last week that I had been feeling an inner tension between accepting where I am in my life and feeling ready for certain things to change -- like my house and moving my life mission to another level of reaching people. I gained some amazing insights this week about myself and it helped me to realize how I created where I am right now, at this point in time.

As I felt the resistance to my current house, I noticed something important -- I felt dissatisfied with being in this space because it didn't match who I have become. Let me explain. Several years ago when we purchased our house I was in the depths of scarcity thinking -- feeling that we could never meet our bills, feeling that we were just scraping by each month and feeling that it wasn't necessary to spend money on "elaborate" things. Thus, we ended up buying a very reasonably priced place -- it is nice, don't get me wrong. We have had plenty of space as we started our family. We enjoy the diversity in our neighborhood. There are many aspects of our house that we enjoy.

So, as I asked for a deeper understanding of my resistance, I began to see that very clearly I had not only created this situation for myself in choosing to buy a lower priced house because of my fear of money but ALSO, because I was in "survival mode" in the way I lived, I ended up decorating the house in a way that matched who I was at the time we bought it.

At that time in my life I was all about functionality -- keeping our lives rolling day-by-day, feeling the daily struggle of life and feeling a lot of stress about getting by each day. What has changed over the years as I have released my fears and changed my view of myself and my life is that I now value BEAUTY. In the past, I didn't value beauty -- I valued functionality. Decorating the house was a chore, a means to an end. Now, I enjoy beauty -- in fact, those who are closest to me have visibly seen me change in the way I dress, the jewelry I buy, the way I do my hair . . .in so many ways. I look like a different person compared to who I was in 2002.

Another great example to show my beliefs and values -- my husband used to take the time to buy me flowers. Yes, I liked flowers but most of all, I would tell him not to get them again because I felt it was a waste of money! So, of course, he stopped buying them for me. My fear of not having enough money kept me from enjoying so many aspects of life!

Fast forward to 2008. I LOVE and CELEBRATE BEAUTY. I buy fresh flowers for the living room because I enjoy them so much. I no longer live in a scarcity mentality -- instead, I focus on the abundance in my life. So, to sum it up, I saw very clearly this week why I was feeling inner resistance to my house right now. The way I decorated it years back doesn't match who I am right now!

It was powerful for me to understand so clearly how my thoughts created my reality. Now my thoughts have changed and because of this, my physical reality is changing all around me.

It's time for me to get some beautifully colored paints, some new decorations for the inside of the house and to make my house an expression of who I am in 2008. It will be such a joyful process for me to do this! I never enjoyed taking the time for decorating because I thought it was a waste of time. Imagine this, "SOLDIER TRISH" is now taking the time to enjoy the variety in life, the beauty in life -- and she is finally having a blast experiencing it all!

I love it when we have these mental breakthroughs where our inner eyes and inner ears see and hear so clearly what is going on inside of us. It is such a wonderful exploration process to understand who we are and why we have created the experience we are living right now.

The power comes in knowing that at any moment I choose I can be a NEW & IMPROVED ME! I can be a Trish who loves interior decorating now. I can be a Trish who enjoys buying fresh flowers and receiving fresh flowers and plants all the time. How fun! I am learning to explore and express all aspects of myself. It makes life so rich, so delicious and amazingly delightful.

In what ways are you limiting yourself from experiencing life? Give thought to it this week. You may discover some interesting insights that will help you in your next stage of personal growth.

I love transformation. I love knowing that I can CHOOSE who I am. I love knowing seeing myself and others evolve and express their powerful spirits in new ways in life.

I wish you a week full of insights!

With love, hope and beauty,

Trish Omoqui

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

P.S. I am starting a 4 week Tele-group called The Circle of Abundance -- for 4 Thursday evenings from 8:30 - 9:30 starting March 13th I will help those who are interested transform their scarcity and "lack" feelings to beliefs of "abundance" in all aspects of life -- but primarily on the flow of money coming into your life. If you are interested in joining us, the cost is only $99 for the 4 week Tele-group. You will receive a customized set of affirmations that will enable you to move towards creating greater abundance in your life. On top of that, the first 5 people who sign up will receive a free 20 minute life coaching session with me during the 4 weeks.

Email if you are interested: abundance@patriciaomoqui.com .

Harness Your Power: Growing In Patience

This week I have experienced a personal challenge (no, do not assume based on the picture on this blog that I am pregnant! Ha Ha). The challenge has come in the form of one that I have experienced before. In fact, I believe that it is a personal pattern I have (and that many of us have).

The pattern is one where I see that inside myself I have grown into something new but my "newness" has not manifested yet in the circumstances of my life. As I see my heart longing for the changes I desire to come about, I feel impatience -- and the impatience creates resistance and suffering inside me.

I've experienced this in many forms the past few years. A few years ago, I was sitting in a corporate job. I had outgrown the job and the situation as a whole. Yet, for over two years I sat there knowing I needed to have patience until the time was right to make a change. At first, my resistance to the situation in my job was strong. I just wanted change to come. I was so focused on my desire for change that I felt restless and sometimes exhausted by waiting. After awhile I grew to realize that if I simply embraced the moment and the current circumstance, amazing possibilities would open up in the situation.

The possibilities in that particular situation were remarkable -- I was able to clarify that I wanted to start my own business. I was able to remember the gifts and talents I had and determine how I wanted to express myself in the World. AND, during that time I started my business -- I would spend my lunch hour and evening hours doing life coaching. I also began to use my vacation days to get on stage and start speaking again. When I was finally laid off from my job, I was ready to fully launch my business. How gracious the Universe was in allowing me those years of transition.

None of that possibility would have opened up for me if I stayed in a state of resistance to my circumstances.

So, I find myself again in a similar situation. My heart is ready for a new home that "fits" who I have become the last few years. I find myself wanting to be "in the next stage." Yet, by fighting my current circumstances, I feel that resistance inside myself. This resistance to the NOW causes intense inner struggles for me. I have trained myself to observe my mind -- so I can clearly watch the mental patterns going on inside me.

I've realized that it all truly does boil down to choice of thought and choice of mental focus. It is a moment-by-moment choice to either resist the NOW or to flow with the NOW. It is a moment-by-moment choice to accept our circumstances or to judge them as "less than" what we expect. It is a moment-by-moment choice to feel gratitude or to find what is not quite right with a situation.

How powerful can we become? We can become as powerful as we choose to be in each moment.

I realized something the last week -- when we are developing new aspects of ourselves, it is as if a fetus is growing within us. I remember when I was pregnant with Maggie and Skye how long those last few months of waiting for my children to be born felt to me -- it felt like another 3 months would be an eternity. Everyone around me kept telling me to enjoy the time of quiet and rest. Yet, I just wanted the baby to arrive.

The last months of a baby's development in the womb are essential for the baby to be born thriving and in wonderful condition for entering the World. I would never want a premature baby -- because of the risks associated with it. I want my babies to be born fully ready for the World around them.

It is the same with those desires that form within us. The Universe is so kind to us by not allowing those desires to be birthed in form until they have matured -- and until we are fully prepared for their arrival in our lives.

So, here I am. I choose this moment to accept where I am. I choose to be embrace the desires of my heart and trust that they will be born at the perfect moment in time. I choose to be calm and peaceful as I grow. I choose to harness my power by growing my patience and by growing my trust that the Universe allows my desires to manifest into reality at the perfect moment.

I know this in my head. Slowly, but surely, it is seeping into my cells and I am seeing that I can embody these truths rather than just mentally acknowledging them.

Can you relate to this feeling? If so, please leave a comment or drop me an email at patricia@patriciaomoqui.com .

I am blessed to be learning and growing. I am blessed to be able to share these thoughts with you via this blog.

Have a week filled with patient accepting of your NOW moment.

With love, light, joy, peace and hope,

Trish

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Enjoying the Discomfort of Growth

What struck me most this past week is that for some reason I have created several situations in my life that have caused me some discomfort – not in a painful way, but in a way that caused me to feel very unsure of myself again. As I watched this feeling of discomfort, I realized how beautiful it is because when we find ourselves uncomfortable in situations it means that we have tremendous opportunity to grow and expand who we are.

I started my hip-hop dance class 2 weeks ago. The first week I went I quickly realized that I had a lot to learn. I tried my best to keep up with the rest of the class and get the moves down. It was hard work to keep my mind from judging me harshly! I felt the thoughts come up like, “You can’t do this. You aren’t good at this. Why are you even trying to learn. . .” I quickly stopped those thoughts and brought myself back to the present moment. Once I was fully present, I just decided to throw myself completely into the dancing and not worry about how I compared to others around me.

I felt such joy in dancing and saw how much fun it is to learn something new again. It was exhilarating listening to the music and diving in head first to something that was new. The discomfort of the situation turned into pure bliss – because I was putting myself out there – I was deciding to do something that made me uncomfortable so that I could get the results that I wanted in my life. I have been passionate about dancing for years and I’m finally taking a class.

Today I sat doodling in my journal after an event I attended for the Book Bank Foundation in AZ. As I drew and scribbled on the page, the following phrases popped out of my subconscious mind:

In the center of the page I wrote in big letters: GROW!

Around the word GROW I doddled these ideas:

Dive in head first!

You are ready!

Love your Journey (all aspects of it even the seeming negative,difficult and challenging).

Allow life to flow to you – just expand yourself in faith for what is to come.

Have courage.

Trust yourself.

Trust the process of blooming.

Trust others to their own journey.

Trust the Universe.

Let love expand.

That says it all for where I’m at in my journey. I am living what I teach you in this blog. I am living what I speak about to audiences. I am living what I teach people in life coaching sessions. Because I am living what I teach, I am constantly growing. I can also relate to people I am working with because I am constantly encouraging them to take baby steps to become what they want to be. Well, I am taking baby steps and feeling the challenge of growing in new ways too.

It takes courage to grow and expand. Yet, the fun, excitement and passion that flows from having courage and trusting yourself to navigate new situations allows you to Harness Your Personal Power in ways you never thought possible.

If you are sitting in a very comfortable life that you can navigate with very little thought or effort, it might be time to try something new! What have you always wanted to try? Is there a class you have been saying you’d take for years? Are there relationships you’ve wanted to develop that you keep putting off? Is there a cause that you care about that you’ve been meaning to get involved in? Life is what we make it. Why not create something extraordinary?

It feels a bit uncomfortable to put yourself into the unknown but the payoffs are wonderful. I never want to live my life saying, “I wish I had… or I should have done…..”

My children enjoy every aspect of learning. They don’t care if they can’t do the dance moves like the other kids in their class – they haven’t yet been taught to worry about these things. Our habits of worry and self-judgment can be released. Let’s make learning and growing our habits instead.

I love my life. I finally love every aspect of my life. I believe this is true for me now because I’m expanding beyond my initial discomfort with the new activities, events, classes and people I’ve put into my life.

Harness Your Power this week – EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS. Don’t sit and wait for life to bring excitement to you – instead, create excitement each day by trying new things. You may feel some initial discomfort in trying something new, but you will be so glad you did.

I’d love to hear about the new things you try and that initial discomfort you experience. . .isn’t the human experience fascinating?

With love, enthusiasm, and wonder for life,

Trish

www.patriciaomoqui.com