Allowing Your Life to Flow

There is a big difference between allowing your life to flow and trying to "make things happen." In my experience the difference is that allowing life to flow represents a gentle, easy unfolding of life's experience. It means releasing the need to "figure it out" on your own and instead, allow the inner voice of guidance direct you one baby step at a time towards what you truly desire. It means letting go of the inner pressure and timetables and trusting the beauty of the twists and turns our paths take. It means relaxing into life -- enjoying every moment and expecting miracles (big, small, gigantic and minuscule) to appear all the time.

So many of the circumstances of life are NOT in our control. What we can control is the approach we take to our lives -- the thoughts we think about our life experience, about who we are as beautiful beings in this wonderful life experience. We can control the focus of our mind -- thinking upon the passion we have, the dreams that are in our hearts and the wonder of change that we can bring to our World. By focusing on our desires, we open up to allowing life to flow to us.

Life does flow to us. So not only do we need to allow the flow of life, but we need to be able to see that flow coming to us clearly. I realized this weekend that there is so much good flowing into my life all the time -- the question is, how much of this flow can I allow myself to receive? I can only receive that which I am open to and that which I have the eyes to see. Will I receive the beauty of my child's smile in the morning or will I focus on the rush of getting her on the bus? Will I receive the kindness of a friend offering to help me on a project or will I decide I have to do this on my own? Will I enjoy the money in my wallet and buy something my heart desires or will I be afraid that money may not flow to me in the future and hold myself back from buying something that is just right for me?

Will you take a new approach this week and release the need to make things happen? By allowing your life to flow easily from moment to moment, you harness your personal power -- no longer expending your energy and power on worry, the desire to control circumstances and fear. Flow with life moment-by-moment. Then, notice the miracles that come your way in all shapes and sizes. Next, open to enjoy and receive all these wondrous opportunities that flow your way.

Life is as easy or as hard as we make it to be. So, why not allow yourself an easy week this week? Refresh your spirit. Relax into the moment. Celebrate the grandeur of your spirit! Dance in a way that you haven't danced in a year. Be YOU on purpose and enjoy every second of this life experience.

With love, light and all blessings to each one of you,

Trish

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Harness Your Power: Make Fun a Priority!

As we focus on creating the lives of our dreams, it is essential that we remember to make FUN a priority. My daughters, Maggie (pictured on the right, age 5) and Skye (on the left, age 2 1/2) have mastered the art of having fun. They remind me all the time that smiling is essential to life and that playing can be integrated into everything I do. (Just check out Maggie's hair -- if that's not fun, what is?)

As part of the life coaching process I suggest to my clients that they make a point to have fun as they are walking life's journey each day. Why not celebrate each day and make each day something special? Why wait until a future date or until a goal has been achieved to have fun? Each moment of our lives can be filled with laughter and enjoyment if we remember not to take ourselves and our lives too seriously.

Having fun should be something we plan into each day. Fun means different things to different people -- for some it means getting to Barnes & Nobles to read books and magazines for a few hours, for others it means looking around for wonderful treasures to find in thrift shops. Some of my clients schedule time to get together with a good friend for coffee and others try something new like Belly dancing, pottery or painting.

A client I have been working with since August forgot to prioritize fun during the holidays -- she got so wrapped up in taking care of her family, getting to Christmas parties and getting the gifts together that she forgot to schedule time for herself. As a result, she ended up feeling angry and resentful about her holiday experience. As she entered the New Year she took the time to reflect on why she was feeling out of sorts -- and it occurred to her that she had forgotten to schedule time into each day for having fun. She told me that taking time for fun each day, even if it is just a few minutes a day, has helped her to feel greater joy and satisfaction in her life.

I do my best to practice what I preach. I set an intention for 2008 to find a Hip Hop dance class in my area so I could literally and symbolically dance my way through this year. I love how the Universe conspires with us when we set our intentions. I went to the grocery store a week ago and there was an ad on the cart for a local School of Dance. It was an obvious sign to me that I should call them. Later in the week I called 411 to get their phone number. I called and left a message describing what I was looking for. That evening the owner of the school called me back and said, "Guess what? We have exactly what you are looking for!" They sure did -- and the best part of it all was that the time of the dance class was the perfect time for me -- it is the evening of the week when my husband watches the kids while I host my group life coaching call. Just after I finish that call each week I will head straight to dance class to feel the excitement of learning new dance techniques! The funniest thing about it all was that I told the lady how I had found her school. She laughed and told me that her school didn't advertise on those carts-- it was a different school in the area on the carts. So, 411 gave me the perfect # even when I didn't know who I should be seeking out.

Set the intention to have fun all day long. Why not set aside 5 minutes each hour at work to invigorate yourself -- play a practical joke. Stop by the cube of a friend you haven't spoken with for awhile. Do your best to make whatever work you do playful. Life is only serious if we approach it that way. I've learned that the hard way -- and I now choose to make fun my lifestyle.

Will you dance with me through 2008? Will you find time for fun? Will you stop your housework for a few minutes and tickle your children instead? Will you pick up a comic book or your favorite magazine and put your feet up and relax for 10 minutes this week?

Create the time for whatever feels fun to you. As you do, you will feel your energy return. You will feel young again. You will begin to harness your power with fresh, light energy.

With a laugh, a tickle and a smile,

Trish aka Thought Dr.

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Create Space for Personal Healing

As I work with Life Coaching clients I see clearly how essential it is to create space and time in our lives for personal healing. In the hustle and bustle of our lives it is easy to put aside our personal healing -- in fact, many of us deny the way we feel or push those feelings down deep within our hearts in order to keep up the frantic pace of our lives.

Until we clear time in our schedule and create opportunities for personal reflection and deep understanding of ourselves, those core issues and deep wounds manifest themselves in our lives time and time again. In my life, my personal pain would emerge when I was most tired or stressed out. It usually came in the form of tears or inner suffering where my heart would be crying out for change and for some relief to come into my life. But rather than stopping my life long enough to understand the depth of my pain, I would move even faster -- staying in constant motion to numb myself and make the pain go away (at least for a short time).

As you move through your week I would suggest that you take inventory of how you are using your time. For one full day keep a "Time Journal" that notes what you are doing throughout the day. By doing this, you will take yourself off of auto-pilot and be able to consciously observe the ways in which you are spending your time. In doing so, you may just find that there are "filler" activities or "busy-work" you are creating for yourself that could be set aside to create space for focus on nurturing and loving yourself.

Just as those of us who have been on a diet before take detailed watch over what we put into our mouths -- looking for opportunities to shift our eating habits to get different results in how our bodies appear, so too this focus on understanding how we use our time can give us the knowledge we need so that we can find the time to look at our emotions and understand why we are feeling the way we feel about our lives.


The life you are living right now is no mistake -- in fact, as you observe yourself you may begin to see how unaware you were that the deep hurt and pain you've carried with you is having a major impact on the results you get in your life. This week one of my life coaching clients realized that for years she had become the "YES" person -- she would say YES to every request for help from her friends and family. She was doing this on auto-pilot -- it had become a habit to say yes and take the responsibility to help anyone around her who needed it. She did this to her own detriment and kept herself so busy with taking care of others that she never fully healed from the trauma of losing her brother and from having grown up in very challenging circumstances. She got to a point recently of feeling so unhappy with herself and her life that she decided to stop saying YES all the time and instead make herself and her healing a priority.

This takes courage. It takes courage to recognize that a change is needed. It takes even more courage to see your personal pattern and the impact it is having on your life. And, it takes even greater courage to consciously stop those patterns and create the space and time needed to move through a period of deep personal healing. Her courage will pay off in tremendous blessings in her life.

Will you take the time in 2008 to begin to heal? Why not slow your life down a little bit so that you can begin the process of personal healing? As we heal ourselves and our lives, we impact the World around us in profound ways.

Because I slowed my life down enough to heal myself, I now have joy, peace and extra energy to use in doing things I love to do. On top of that, I am less stressed and much more in tune with my husband and my kids. My choices for personal healing and growth caused a major shift in the stress levels in our house. It gave me the renewed energy to clarify what I really wanted to create in my life. And now, as I continue to focus on my growth, I have more and more love to share with my clients, the audiences I speak with and each person I interact with throughout the day.

I continue to take time for personal nurturing and healing -- this is an on-going, life-long process of honoring myself. I do my best to build time for this into my weekly schedule so that stress, negative emotions and "dis-ease" about my life does not build up inside of me.

Facing our pain head on is scary. But, the consequences of not doing this means we will not have the power we need to live grand, passionate and loving lives in the way our Souls long for.

If you have questions or thoughts on this matter I would love to hear from you: thoughtdr@patriciaomoqui.com .

Healing is self-love.
Self-love is key
To bring
Satisfaction,
Hope,
Joy,
Inner Peace &
More Personal Power to
Your life.

With love, light and healing thoughts sent your way,


Trish
www.patriciaomoqui.com
p.s. Keep watch for our next free Tele-class in the Harness Your Power! series. Details will be sent out soon to those on the Food For Thought email list.



A couple of affirmations for those of you who are ready to take the time for healing:

"I open to healing at the deepest levels.

I move through my healing process with grace and ease.

I create the space I need for my healing.

I listen to my emotions and to my body.

I hear my inner voice guide me towards greater personal wellness.

I am whole. I am healed. I am full of inner peace.

I honor myself."

What Sets Your Heart On Fire?

One important aspect of Harnessing Your Personal Power is to know what you are passionate about. If someone were to ask you, “What sets your heart on fire? What gets you excited about life?” How would you answer that question?

It is so easy to get lost in the day-to-day routine of life and get bogged down with the drudgery of our daily schedules. Yet, when we begin to connect with our passions, it totally transforms our lives – not to mention the way it can transform the World!

Several years ago when I was in my deepest personal despair, I would not have been able to tell you what I was passionate about. I knew what had made me excited in the past – traveling the World, learning about new cultures, working with kids, coaching. . .But, for several years I got so caught up in my personal misery, my worry and my fear, that I lost sight of how to incorporate these passions into my life.

In the past few years I have reconnected to my passion again. I wake up every day flooded with ideas, creativity and joy for the work I’m doing and for the volunteer work I am involved in. Now I can’t imagine what my life would feel like without doing those things that make my heart beat faster, my blood flow more quickly and get me smiling non-stop throughout the day.
If you are stuck in a rut in life, the beginning of 2008 is a great time to ask some new questions – if you probe your heart deeply and look for the answers, they will emerge. Please consider the following this week (pull our your journal and spend some quiet time with yourself):

• What do I absolutely love to do (or what have I loved to do in the past)?


• Have I ever felt my heart start pounding when I was about to do something I loved? If so, what was it?


• As a teenager, what causes or issues was I passionate about?


• Have I ever done volunteer work that brought me joy and great satisfaction?


• Is there an activity that I do or have done in the past that helped me feel “in the flow?”

While I was still in corporate America I began my quest to find more meaning. I got trained by the Montgomery County Mediation Association in transformative mediation so that I could mediate neighborhood disputes and other conflict situations. After that, they trained me on how to mediate Victim Offender Conferences. Each time I had the opportunity to do a mediation, I felt excited, purposeful and full of delight. It was a way I could use my talents to touch lives. It was also an opportunity for me to find meaning when I felt bored with my corporate work.

I have the pleasure now of working with some passionate people at the Book Bank Foundation (www.thebbf.org). One night last week from 10 pm – midnight we were on the phone strategizing about how to raise funds, find donors and do an even better job in 2008 serving the homeless. Though I am typically not a late night person, I didn’t feel tired at all during the call because I love talking about the ideas of helping others and because I was surrounded by people who are on fire with love and desire to bring about change in our World!

We can never truly be stuck in life – we are always a question away from finding something that excites us. Take the time this week to consider these questions and ideas. Jump out of the routine. Instead of watching TV, call an organization that you might want to volunteer for in 2008. Or, find a book that excites you so you can expand your mind and heart. Shake up your life in 2008! Why not do things that are out of the ordinary? Why not spend time and energy bringing joy to your own life?

The more of us who have our hearts set on fire for life, the more beautiful our World will become – for we will bring smiles, new energy and fresh creativity to each day! You will Harness Your Personal Power in a way you can hardly imagine if you connect to your passion this year.
Let’s BE THE CHANGE that we want to see in the World.

If you are smiling more, happier, more peaceful and joyful, you are sure to create that in your World.

Please email me with your thoughts and ideas on this subject! patricia@patriciaomoqui.com
If you are interested in helping raise funds, or get donations for the homeless, please email me and I can give you some ideas on how to help the Book Bank Foundation. Check out their website at http://www.thebbf.org/.

• Do you knit blankets? Would you like to knit some for the homeless?


• Do you bake? Want to set up a bake sale to raise some funds?


• Do you have extra sweaters, pants, coats and long sleeved shirts hanging around your closet? If you want to donate, please let me know.


• Do you have friends who would donate all their change (pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters) towards helping the homeless?
  

If so, let me know!

My heart is on fire with love for you, for life and for bringing transformation to the World!

Trish

http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Take Time To Clarify & Listen To Your Heart

How exciting it is to embark on a fresh New Year!

As you enter 2008 I challenge each of us to take the time to clarify what we really want to create. Take time for quiet as you enter this year. Be in the silence -- listen to your heart. Watch your fears arise as you look at your dreams -- and then tell those fears that you are BIGGER THAN FEAR.

The more you take the time to clarify what you want, the more likely you are to create what you want. It seems like a simple idea -- yet, how many of us jump right into doing and quickly set goals -- yet we don't really take the time to think in detail of what we want to create.

One of my life coaching clients has been working on clarifying his goals the last few weeks. One of his goals is to change professions. That's a great goal. Yet, as we've talked and worked together, I've posed question after question to him to get him to clarify what he REALLY wants to do next. By taking the time to do some soul searching before he starts his job search, he is setting himself up to get EXACTLY what he wants in his next job.

We have clarified things like -- how many hours per week does he want to work? Does he want to be sitting in an office or working from home? How much does he want to earn? What does he love about his current work? What does he want to change? Does he want to travel with his work? There are so many questions that you can pose in regards to your goals so that you can clarify your goal in such detail that you will KNOW what you really are looking for.

He is clearer now than he has ever been. . .and he continues to clarify what he is looking for each day. With this greater clarity, he will not waste his time and energy on interviews or job searches that don't match what he truly wants.

Each of us can take this time as we start the New Year to clarify our goals.

Make this your focus -- how do you really want the chapter of 2008 to look like?

• How will your health be?
• How much money do you want to flow into your life?
• How will your relationships grow and change?
• What type of service will you give to the World -- how can you volunteer your time and talents to make a difference?
• What new skills do you want to develop?
• What will you do for fun this year?

Isn't it exciting that we can be whoever we want to be? To know what you want, listen to your heart rather than your logical mind. Listen to your inner voice guide you rather than the voices of society, friends and family.

Make getting to know yourself a priority for 2008. You will be so glad that you took the time at the outset of the year to do this. From knowing who you are you will be able to move quickly to creating what you want. The being must come before the doing.

May this week's focal point be on YOUR BEING. Get a journal. Get reacquainted with yourself. Let the inner yearnings of your soul guide you into a blessed, exciting, passionate and joyful 2008. For, we are all capable and deserving of experiencing wonder in our lives.

If you need help or guidance in your journey, please drop me an email at patricia@patriciaomoqui.com .

My heart's desire and my goal this year is to assist others in knowing themselves again, clarifying their dreams and then supporting them in taking the steps needed to create exactly what they want.

With love, light and beautiful energy to each of you,


Trish
http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Check out this link to listen to the free tele-class I hosted several weeks ago: http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/harness.html - this tele-class introduces you to the first step of Harness Your Power - Observing Your Mind. More free tele-classes to come in the New Year!

Looking Deeply Into Their Eyes

My dearest friends, I write this blog after an intense week. It was intense in a most delightful and wonderful way.

I had the privilege on Thursday of joining Mr. Glenn Toby, founder of the Book Bank Foundation, for a day called "Shelter from the Streets." (Please check out the Book Bank Foundation website at http://www.thebbf.org/).

Glenn was a homeless child from age eight until the seventh grade. He has had a remarkable life journey and now represents big names in the entertainment and sports World (you can learn more about him at http://www.glenntoby.com/. ) As he told me several days ago, supporting and working with the homeless through his foundation is a passion that found him. I have had the privilege to work with Glenn in 2007 and he is one of the most helpful, caring and giving men I have ever encountered. He is passionate about bringing change to our World.

During the day a group of volunteers traveled in cars and mini-vans filled with clothes, toys, books, toiletries, coats and blankets through all five boroughs of New York City. We made stops at Hempstead (Long Island), Family Rescue in Jamaica (Queens), Auburn Family Shelter (Brooklyn), The Concourse House for women and children (Bronx) and the New York Rescue Mission (Manhattan). After stopping at these shelters we then hit the streets and stopped to give those in the cold the blankets, coats and clothes that so many of you donated.

There were many touching moments throughout the day -- but what struck me most throughout the day, is that when you look into another person's eyes -- when you look into their eyes deeply, you lose all sight of their clothes, their "societal status," their looks, and their disabilities. In fact, when you look deeply into any person's eyes you see a remarkable, resilient spirit shining through.

Throughout the day I experienced so many touching moments. I had the privilege to look deeply into the eyes of homeless men, women and children. I also was able to see the beauty, warmth and passion in the eyes of those who work in the shelters. Those who work in these shelters are Earth Angels of the World -- giving their time and energy to make a difference each and every day.

Those who are homeless are people like you and me -- and they need a helping hand, a kind smile and someone to take the time to support them in their time of need.

It is a touching experience when you realize that we are all the same -- we are made of the same flesh and blood. . .and we all have love that resides in us at the core of our beings. We all have tremendous potential waiting to be unleashed. We all have unique gifts and talents to share with the World. We all have intrinsic, eternal value. We all have more in common than we realize.

I count it an honor to have been part of this transformative day. I was surrounded by heroes -- people like Marvin Brown and Rene Napoleon who spent hours upon hours behind the scenes organizing this event. Free (former host of BET's 106 & Park) also joined us for the day -- she has a humble, beautiful spirit. It was touching to observe her in action and in service to the community.

Hundreds of homeless people were filled with joy and provided with a few gifts to brighten their spirits during this Christmas Season. We spent the day laughing, crying, singing Christmas Carols and giving away the beautiful items that so many of our friends and family donated.

The gift I gave to those I encountered during the day was a simple one. It was a 5 x 4 piece of paper with a set of Daily Affirmations for Self Empowerment. I want to share these with you (see below).

Affirmations are a wonderful way to help you remember the beauty you have deep within you. The best way to use these affirmations is to say them in the morning when you rise, keep a copy with you in your purse or wallet so you can read them throughout the day (especially when you find your mind focusing on the negative)-- and then before bed, make sure to read them aloud one last time. Affirmations are beautiful, positive, helpful and transformational thoughts you can use to focus your mind in a way to unlock your fear, self-doubt and worry so that you can walk through the door into your full potential.

Before I leave you with these affirmations, I challenge each of you this week as you spend time with friends and family and as you finish your shopping -- look deeply into the eyes of those you encounter. Look at them with new eyes -- look into their eyes without judgement, with no thought of the person's status, financial position, or past. Instead, look with fresh eyes. . .

May your week be blessed.
Use these affirmations as you prepare for the New Year ahead.

Daily Affirmations for Self Empowerment

I am a being of great value.
My worth is not dictated by my circumstances.
I am worthy of creating and experiencing beauty in my life.
I am full of potential.
I have unique gifts and talents.
I move beyond my fears. I begin to express love as often as possible.
I focus my thoughts on what I want to create in my life.
I allow myself to dream again – to imagine the life I desire.
Each day I take baby steps towards what I want.
I ask for miracles to occur in my life.
I open to receive the gifts the Universe has to offer me.
I release all guilt and shame. I forgive myself and others.
I open to love. I am love at my core.
I allow the light of love to shine through me anywhere I go.
Each day, I find something to be grateful for.
I choose hope. I choose peace. I choose joy.
I choose to connect to the power I have within me.

With Love & Joy,
Patricia Omoqui - The Thought Dr.
http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/
©Patricia G Omoqui, All Rights Reserved 2007

P.S. We are already starting to collect donations for next year's event. Please collect as much of the following as you can:
Gently used blankets, coats, and winter clothes
Books for children
Coloring Books, Crayons, and new toys
Toiletries of all kinds (even the ones you get in a hotel and never use)

When you have donations ready, please contact me at patricia@patriciaomoqui.com

We plan on making next year's event even bigger and better so that we brighten the lives of even more homeless people.

(If you'd like to read more quotes from the day, please visit Ed Tseng's blog -- http://www.edtseng.blogspot.com/ . Ed joined us for the day and he is a delightful person as well as a remarkable tennis player, inspirational speaker and coach.)

Let Your Light Shine This Week!

I was reminded of a wonderful analogy this week -- one that I knew from my days growing up and going to Sunday School. Do you remember the song, "I'm Going to Let it Shine?" The part that really got me thinking this week is where it says: "Hide it under a bushel, No! I'm going to let it shine." I never understood what the "bushel" represented before. But, as I was coaching my clients this week, it became so obvious to me.

I believe that our inner lights are hidden under fear, stress, worry, self-doubt, shame and guilt. These are all part of the "bushel" that we put over our inner light. Our inner light is still shining inside of us. . it is just waiting for us to remove the layers of fear that have built up over the years. As we peel back these layers one by one, we begin to get a peek of our inner light. The more fear we remove, the more our inner light shines. When that light shines, it illuminates our World!

One of my clients this week was focused on some challenging life circumstances -- and he was feeling overwhelmed by what was happening. As we talked, it became evident that he was making a lot of assumptions -- assuming that the worst case scenario might happen in each situation. As we talked and looked at the assumptions and the fear behind the assumptions, he began to see that it was possible to shift his thinking and focus on the BEST CASE scenarios instead.

We can begin to shift our thinking and make new assumptions. The key is that in every situation where we feel the panic, the fear, and the worry set in, we have to step back to understand "WHY?" we are feeling the way we do. If we observe our mind and watch our thoughts we can clearly understand the feelings we are having. Then, we can learn to shift our thinking.

As my client finished up the week, he started to see that much of his worry was needless -- the situations were turning out in a very positive way for him. The energy he was spending on being worried and upset was keeping him from focusing on clarifying and moving towards his dreams.

The question for each of us to answer this week is, "Can I assume the best will happen rather than the worst?" As you do assume the best of people, of situations and of yourself, you will allow your light to shine in the World.

The World needs more of us to unleash our Inner Lights. Let's shine this week. Why feel the worry and stress of the holiday? Could we instead feel the joy, the excitement, the beauty of sharing our love? How we feel and how bright our light can shine is merely dependent on how we focus our mind.

It's exciting to know this. It's even more satisfying to live this truth.

Ok, so, no more hiding your Inner Light. It's time to shine again! "Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!"

A big hug to you all.
May this week ahead of you be full of positive thoughts and wonderful excitement.

I trust you can see and feel my light shining. I send you beautiful energy this week and hold this truth for all of us.

Trish

p.s. I still have a space or two left in my Circle of Power Life Coaching Group. Check out http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/circleofpower.html for more details. If you sign up by Dec. 17th you will receive a discount.

p.p.s. If you really want to start off the New Year moving at the speed of light towards your dreams, then sign-up for one-on-one life coaching. You will be launched into 2008 in a way you could never have imagined! Check out what other clients have said: http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/lifecoach.html (see the bottom of the page).