A light bulb moment for me this week, was the recognition that universal law is completely dependable and completely unchangeable in much the same way that we know this about laws of gravity, electricity and aerodynamics. ("Advanced Formula For Total Success" www.total-success-4u.com).

We can cry at the banks of this energy stream or we can be happy at the edges of this ebb and flow; we can take a teaspoon, a bucket or a barrel to collect its abundant treasures it doesnt care - this river is neutral and continues along its natural, dependable, unchangeable course.

This "a-ha" drew a line in the sand for me regarding my inner work and its value. It clearly is the ONLY work that is more than worthy of my time. My daily busy-ness will not produce anything close to the results that Im after. Not while my personal "transformer" is set to severely reduce the incoming energy current. Desired results are and will remain mere wishes until my mind truly expands - way beyond its comfort zone - my current capacity for Accepting, Seeing, Savoring, Expecting, Receiving and giving Thanks (A.S.S.E.R.T. www.sizzlingedge.com).

Many times a day I still relate to aspects of my life as a child would. Waiting to jump in while two other (not very friendly looking) kids keep turning a long, thin skipping rope they speed it up the more I rock back and forth in hesitation. To me that is a red flag, indicating that I still set the responsibility for my results firmly outside of myself.

We can only experience freedom in direct proportion to the amount of truth that we are willing to accept without running way. I might believe that Id progressed well with my work in the area of personal responsibility and growing up. Thats a bit of an egotistical, arrogant trap after you've accomplished a decent set of courageous, personal victories!

I recognise now, that although I rarely (if ever) consciously blame any tangible thing or any person outside of myself for a given circumstance, I do subconsciously still place responsibility firmly at the feet of intangible forces at work somewhere out there. The question is, which idea/s and belief/s am I willing to shed so that I now courageously leap into my game? When that mind shift (point of "metanoia"; in ancient Greece, metanoia meant "the shifting of minds") is reached only a quantum leap is possible for the kinds of results that I will produce. This need only take as much time as I choose!

Carefully watch your thoughts, for they become your words. Manage and watch your words, for they will become your actions. Consider and judge your actions, for they have become your habits. Acknowledge and watch your habits, for they shall become your values. Understand and embrace your values, for they become your destiny. ~ Mahatma Gandhi ~

Thea Westra

I'm a life coach and have enjoyed being a part of that profession since 2002. Before that I was an artist and managed a gallery space plus founded a non-profit organisation for artists. We organised and curated 30+ exibitions (large and medium) for a period of two years. I became involved in that directly after I had moved from Melbourne to Perth, in Australia. Up until then, I was a teacher for 23 years. While working full-time as a teacher I also completed four degrees at uni. and trained other teachers. Today, I live with my partner Greg who is a piano teacher. I'm not as prolific with article writing as I'd like to be, athough one of my favorite things to do each month is creating my monthly personal development e-zine. You can subscribe for that at my website. You are more than welcome to send me an email to ask me more about myself or ask me to expand on any idea introduced in an article. My email and further contact details can be found at my Forward Steps website.