Mel's Two Cents Blog

Hello Friends, It takes courage to stay the course even when things appear bleak or impossible. Take it one day and one step at a time. Let the past go and fret not over the unknown future. The safest and most peaceful place is the present moment, the NOW. If you stay in the present, aware of your body and your surroundings, doing what you can do and expressing gratitude for what is here now, then your mind can't play tricks on you wreaking havoc with your emotions. Instead, you will feel calm and even find joy in the simplest [...]

Hello Friends, There are times when we may feel powerless. What do I do? Where do I go? Who can I turn to? The answer is simple: decide what you want, make a choice, and move forward in that direction. It may not feel easy and you may not reach your goal quickly, but you will feel peace about it and maybe even enjoy the journey. It's all about choices. What are you choosing for yourself? Is it aligned with your heart's desires and does it make you feel peace and joy? Or are you just going along to get along [...]

Hello Friends, I just wanted to share an idea that my be helpful, especially during challenging and uncertain times. Surrender + Acceptance = Freedom I'll spare you the vocabulary lesson as I trust you all are smart enough to know the meaning of these words or can at least look them up on your own :) In order to be free from worry, frustration, anxiety, or stress, try surrendering and accepting what is. Release the need to control or change anything or anyone a.k.a. stop fighting against what is and insisting it/they should be different. I've said: "It is what [...]

Hello Friends, So how's your equanimity quotient these days? equanimity 1: evenness of mind especially under stress 2: right disposition : BALANCE In order to achieve and maintain equanimity, you must control your mind. Thoughts and ideas floating through our minds, once accepted or held on to, lead to feelings. These feelings, if persisted in, lead to the beliefs we create for ourselves. Out of these beliefs we act and react to circumstances and people's behaviors. If you find that you have a strong negative reaction to something or someone, take some time to do a little research within yourself [...]

Hello Friends, During challenging or turbulent times, it is especially important to take time to be still, breath deeply and quiet the mind. This will enable you to clear your mind and calm your body so you can hear your innate wisdom / intuition and know how to proceed. If sitting still is difficult for you, practice deep breathing while walking in nature, staring at the clouds, star gazing, or doing a quiet, repetitive activity. This will immediately calm you and allow new ideas to flow into your mind. Practice being still for a few minutes a day, just BE. Simply [...]

Hello Friends, Just a friendly reminder that our thoughts have creative power. What we think about, talk about and believe creates the life we experience. During this challenging time, a sort of global time-out, we are being forced to take a break from the busyness of our lives. So, how are you using this time to your advantage? I recommend practicing mindfulness to ease any anxiety or fear, and contemplation to take stock of your life and see if you'd like to continue as is or make some changes. Try less news and social media; focus more on quality time [...]

Hello Friends, Here's a simple reminder: gratitude and appreciation are the magic keys to peace, joy and abundance. gratitude : the state of being grateful : THANKFULNESS appreciation 1a: a feeling or expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude; b: JUDGMENT, EVALUATION; c: sensitive awareness 2: increase in value What we focus on, give our attention to and decide to believe in is what will expand in our lives a.k.a. what we will get more of a.k.a. what will become our dominant life experience. So... as you feel and express gratitude and appreciation for what you already have and what is [...]

Hello Friends, Have you ever noticed that sometimes when we try to please others, no matter what we do it doesn't seem to work and then we feel like poop? people pleaser : someone or something that pleases or wants to please people often : a person who has an emotional need to please others often at the expense of his or her own needs or desires passé 1 : past one's prime 2 a : outmoded; b : behind the times That's because our actions are most likely coming from a place of fear: trying to please others to [...]

Hello Friends, Sometimes it can feel as if the Universe is against us, as if we can't catch a good break no matter what we do, and because what's happening doesn't seem to make sense we start fault finding - someone else has to be to blame for our misfortune. blame 1 : to find fault with 2 a : to hold responsible; b : to place responsibility for 3 : an expression of disapproval or reproach lame 1 a : having a body part and especially a limb so disabled as to impair freedom of movement; b : marked [...]

Hello Friends, Sometimes we become jaded through the many difficulties we experience in our lives. I believe the antidote is love. jaded : fatigued by overwork: exhausted : made dull, apathetic, or cynical by experience or by having or seeing too much of something love : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties; maternal love for a child : warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion : the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: such as the fatherly concern of God for humankind; brotherly concern for others [...]