feelings; only the mind does. Therefore, we don’t have to force ourselves to forgive.
negative toward yourself and others? When you become aware of this, stop, accept, and allow the thought to be; then, send love to yourself and to the other person and say, “I am loving awareness.” It’s important you allow that feeling to surface, but it’s even more important to allow yourself to let it go and replace it with something much more powerful. Remember, we create our reality through our thoughts. What you focus on expands. Choose loving thoughts, and more love will come your way. 6. Surround yourself with love. It’s much easier to find love for yourself when you’re encapsulated in it. Do what you can to move away from the people, places, and things that drain your energy. Surround yourself as much as possible with loving and supportive people. The more you begin to honor yourself and do what you feel is best for your highest good, the more love you will begin to feel. 7. Follow your intuition. As you start to love yourself, give yourself permission to trust yourself, too. We receive little nudges for a reason; our intuition is directing us. Many times, we feel urges to do certain things, but our thinking stops us from acting. It can be difficult, but don’t allow your fears and doubts to muffle this voice within you. When we listen to those feelings and take baby steps to act on them, a whole new universe of possibilities opens up to us. I have been practicing this for the last five years or so, and it has taken me down a path my mind could never have conceived. You, too, can begin to take baby steps each day in the direction of your passions, hits, nudges, or internal insights. Just start. The more I practice these seven steps, the easier they become. I feel a general sense of peace I have never experienced before. It’s not easy at first, but as you continue to step forward in faith and trust your internal hits, I promise it will get easier. And above all else, as you continue on this journey, remember three little mantras: You are worthy. You are loved. You are enough. –Danette May
It’s vital we remember everyone is doing the best they can with what they know. What matters more than anything is not what the other person is doing but what we are doing in response. I would encourage you to practice sending the other person love no matter what they have done to wrong you or what you perceive as their wrong. Look at the situation from their standpoint and release the tight grip you may have on your own point of view. Find peace in acknowledging the wrong and responding in a way that serves your soul.
you start, it only matters that you try! Approaching everything with love will get easier and easier with practice.
“And through it all, I’ve learned that when we are in a state of love for life and ourselves, we have a tremendously
I began this months ago when I found myself complaining in my head about the same old daily routine. I decided to see how peaceful and loving I could be while I was doing whatever I was doing. Not only did it make the actual activities more pleasant, but a deep sense of peace also took over me. Even our most mundane activities can be more fulfilling if we approach them this way. 2. Practice complete acceptance in your life. We can get caught up wishing life had gone differently. Sometimes, what is more painful than the actual experiences are our thoughts about the experiences. They haunt us with what we should have or could have done. We get stuck wishing instead of acting. The fact is we have all experienced painful situations, and to deny them or say they should not have happened only creates more pain. They are part of your existence. You can’t wish them away, and trying to do so only limits your ability to embody love in everything you do. Complete acceptance of the past for what it is and of yourself for being exactly where you are right now is truly powerful. 3. Have compassion for others. Many like to use the word forgiveness, but it’s a far more complex concept than it appears to be. Our true essence never suffers hurt
positive effect on so many around us.”
Remember, when we forgive and release the energy cord of someone, we are giving ourselves the greatest gift: freedom. 4. Be still and know you are love. Humans are many things, but our true, infinite nature is love. I believe we must recognize our infinite nature by retreating into stillness and nature as much as possible. There are many ways to still your mind, but the most effective one for me is getting out in nature and noticing it all. Pay attention to the details hidden in the trees, the wind, the birds, the sky, and the clouds. Be present in their power, stillness, and action. Let them fill you. Each time I practice present noticing, I relax and find peace. 5. Pay attention to the thoughts you have throughout the day. What is scrolling through your mind? Are your thoughts critical, judgmental, and
2 Danette May’s Lotus Journal
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