Stepping stones toward your unique destiny.

You Are More Than Your Job, Title or Degree

Healthy self-esteem is vital to moving forward well in life.

Losing a job or retiring can trigger feelings of doubt, insecurity as well as a dip in self-esteem. You may wonder, Am I still valuable and worthwhile?

Did you know, however, that categories, jobs or titles do not make us who we are? We are much more than that!

It’s been said that we are great spiritual beings having a physical experience. It’s also been said that this life is a testing ground for the next—the ultimate Next Level.

So what does that mean to me, Luba?, you may wonder.

Viewing life as a glass half full instead of half empty means that losses are stepping stones to new, better opportunities.

When we really hope for something that doesn’t happen right away or doesn’t happen at all, or lose something to which we’ve ascribed much meaning, we may feel sad, despondent and even begin to despair. But the truth is that this non-gain or loss happened in order for something more fitting and much better to fill the gap.

In many ways, life is like a playground. Some people will play with you, and others won’t. Some will bully you, and some will offer unexpected gifts. Sometimes, the game itself changes midstream. Adaptability works much better than rigidity, in any case.

Figuring out how and what we want to play means doing the inner, spiritual work. Figuring out who we really are and what we really want out of life.

We need to change the definitions and terms that society uses to define us. Instead of saying ‘unemployed,’ we should say ‘free to pursue dreams.’ Instead of saying ‘retired,’ we should say ‘ready for new adventures.’

We are more than outward physical, observable signs of success.

Time is the most important commodity that God gives us, and how we use it vital in aspiring to our goals.

Have you asked yourself, Who am I really?, What do I really want? and What should I focus on now?

These self-identification questions are key to determining next steps, steps that will take you to the next level.

It’s important not to go through life blindly but to walk gently with sensitivity. Take time to smell the roses! If you run, you will miss seeing the surrounding beauty. If you hurry, you won’t taste the richness of life.

Each of us is unique, as is our life destiny. No two people are created alike. Do not compare yourself with others because your path is unique.

5 Questions That Will Help You Decide What’s Next

  1. What do I dream to be, to have, and to do? (Write a list.)
  2. Where is my intuition leading me?
  3. Has a particular path been blocked? (If so, what else can I do?)
  4. What answer is forthcoming when I pray about the direction I’m to go?
  5. How do I feel about the path I’m choosing now?

Let’s Take it to the Next Level, book your appointment today.

Luba

The Heart of the Matter

Photo by Daan Stevens on Unsplash

Our hearts know much.

They inform us about what makes us happy, and what doesn’t.

They speak to us regarding what we are versus what we could be.

The ancient Maya believed that the heart could ‘think’ and, contrary to the brain, was the sacred center of our being. You can read an article I wrote about this in Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global called ‘The Power of a Grateful Heart.’

In a materialistic society, the temptation to fill the empty ‘hole’ in our hearts with ‘stuff,’ material goods, is strong.

The hole represents the dissatisfaction I refer to in the introduction to Take it to the Next Level. It’s the hole or emptiness—even in the midst of great material wealth—that, if it could speak, would say, ‘I feel really empty right now. I seem to have it all, yet I just don’t understand why I feel so depleted.’

The main image I chose for this article is a tunnel lined with hearts. The tunnel represents movement toward the center of your being; the hearts represent loving thoughts, feelings and attitudes; and the lights at the top are pointers to what is good and true. At the end of the tunnel is the center of your being.

The title of this blog post, the heart of the matter, implies that at the center of the matter is the heart. This can also be phrased as, at the heart of all material ‘stuff’ is the heart because without the heart, matter is mere emptiness.

Black Friday, Boxing Day

We are bombarded with advertisements that promise fulfillment. We are falsely led to believe that shopping is the panacea to loneliness and isolation. ‘The more things you own,’ the voice seems to say, ‘the happier you’ll be.’ But the truth of the matter is that buying stuff isn’t going to fill the hole. You’ll only start to feel better when you decide to talk about your feelings in order to know yourself better—the person you’re with 24 hours/day—and drop the pretenses.

Pretenses are the sum of those things, attitudes and facades that, together, make up the fake self that you present to the world.

The reason that we present a false self to others is because we deeply doubt that people will like us for who we really are. This is pathological thinking—or faulty schemas—that needs correction. That’s because the core of our being is, according to the Maya, filled with compassion, love and beauty. (Source: ‘The Power of a Grateful Heart’)

The truth is that the Creator equipped you with everything you need to be content and complete. That which you seek is within you, within the core of your being, the core of your being itself.

When you’re able to tap into the compassion, love and beauty that are the core of your being, you’ll be able to feel the same in the world around you. When you’re able to do this is when you’ll fill the emptiness on the inside. Doing so fundamentally has to do with finding real meaning in your life. Is your life meaningful? Have you discovered the true purpose of your life?

If you ever hope to rise in life, to move up in levels, you will need to drop the mask. You’ll need to cut out everything that is phony in your life.

Real Talk

I can only help you if you are willing to allow yourself to be helped. If you are able to admit that the life you’re living—although quite high by worldly standards—is an empty shell.

In a world where we like to hear sweet and lovely, ‘honey’ words of comfort, what I say in this piece surely sounds harsh and bitter to your ears.

Wealth is a perspective; growth is a direction; and non-manufactured contentment and satisfaction are the aim of taking it to the next level.

Let’s Take it to the Next Level, book your appointment today,

Luba