When is enough enough?

May be Never…..Unless you become AWARE!!!
I feel like my life has been spent rushing around chasing the Carrot…The Carrot of Happiness, Freedom, Peace and Joy! Can you relate?
First it began as once I get my College Degree I will be happy and feel good enough…Then that led to once I get a better job, Once I find the right partner, Once I make more money, Lose weight, become successful, I know what will really do it…A Masters Degree!!!
I FINALLY after 41 years understand that this way of thinking is very common to many of us mere Mortals…We are always wanting more to be more and because of the way our media and society have been set up (Possibly unknowingly) we compare, contrast and mentally compete with this GROUP of phantom people who all have it better than us. Who live a perfect life with no issues, no problems, they have it all and feel good about themselves every minute!!! OH and their children are perfect superstars to!

Unfortunately the creation of Facebook has only contributed more to this…You see Jack from high school and his cute little family. Jack doesn’t go to New Hampshire on family vacations he goes to Paris and his nights are spent at the Opera and hanging with Celebrities. Meanwhile you are trying to get your small business to make a profit, your child has issues and your husband is in a midlife crisis! So, more compare and contrast. But, is any of it real. Do you really know what is going on with the people you compare yourself with? Probably not!!!!!!! I know when things are not going my way I DO NOT post about it on Facebook and I am a regular user!

Being aware of this behavior and noticing when I am doing it has helped me “LET IT GO”…I realize that it is not true! None of it makes any sense. The only thing it does is keep me stuck in the Victim role. Everyone else has what I want.WAH!!!!!!!!!! I have had years of spiritual growth and understanding. I know better than to get into this. So, I stop!! I look at my own life as a gift, I appreciate all that I have daily.(THIS IS A PRACTICE) I recognize this is how we are wired. Maybe I should dump Facebook and stop reading magazines… ..But, WHY? why not go within to change my beliefs rather than take away what is reflected back to me for my own growth? The world we live in provides daily reminders of what we need to work on.

Who I am is enough right here and right now! And, who YOU ARE is enough right here right now!!!! The race is over because it never really began!

Here’s to BELIEVING in your Best year yet!

Here we are again the beginning of a New Year. What’s YOUR Resolution? Could this be the year for Change?.I have been reading the many Facebook posts, Blogs and Newsletters on this topic. I love the beginning of a New Year because we really have a chance to assess our lives and see what has been working and what has not..Where we have been and where we want to go? What goals/dreams we want to reach. ….This year I have taken a good look at what goals/dreams are still the same as last year that have not been realized and why? I am also recognizing what goals/dreams did get realized and noticing how differently I approached those…. I noticed that it’s my belief system around the goals that I did not reach that doesn’t work..Nothing more… I tried beating myself into submission, I tried FORCING myself to do the things that would bring the results I wanted but, I never REALLY believed it was possible..Because the old insidious voices popped up time and again. You know the ones…Who are you to do that?, You cannot change, You don’t know what you’re doing, etc.. So, I continued to do what I have always done and got the same results I have always gotten…In certain areas…..But, I now notice where I was stronger than those voices and challenged those beliefs I made alot of progress and reached some goals I never knew were possible for me…You can do the same, check in with your thoughts around what goals you are not reaching. Do you believe they are possible? What old voices are stepping in to say they are not..Challenge those voices, listen for the voice of your wise self, get support around it, shift your beliefs, You Can do anything you desire! This can be YOUR BEST YEAR YET!.. As I consider the things I desire to change this year, there is no feeling of Resistance and Will there is a feeling of Peace and Freedom and the realization that we always become what we believe…I choose to not always believe what I think, but to challenge and shift it for my highest good!..What about you? as the song says… FREE YOUR MIND AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW..

~Give Peace a chance..Not DIETS~

I have been on the Road of Recovery to finding freedom around my Body Image and weight for the last 3 years… Ever since I had my son I felt I recognized what my body was truly for and I vowed never to diet again while still going back to my ideal weight…This Summer I was under stress about some major life changes and guess where I went? To my oldest and dearest friend …FOOD!!!!! I gained some weight, I gained weight while training for my very first Triathalon. SO, I became the fittest I have ever been and the fattest I have ever been all in 10 short weeks..Yahoo!!! I was feeling really bad about the weight and of course  myself, since the 2 are so clearly intertwined.

YES, I admit, I did it again… I did!! I started a “DIET” I went back to my trusty plan that always worked. I weighed myself and vowed I could easily lose the 20 lbs in 5 weeks…Just in time to look GREAT at my company’s Christmas Party… I ate vegetable s and lean protein, I drank tons of water and swore off sugar and Wine for the rest of my life….I white knuckled it through one week!!! Woo hoo!!! I got on the scale to see that my miserable attempt only yielded me a 4lbs loss…Back in the day I could easily lose 10 in this time…Then I got a GRIP! I remembered everything I have learned…Why diets don’t work, Why self-loathing is never going to bring us to where we need to be. How working out like a maniac can often lead to injuries, but not weight loss! In my experience deprivation leads to binge eating! I know this as a proven fact, I have experienced it time and again but I still don’t seem to believe it. I always feel like if I can just do it..I will miraculously get my weight BACK down and be happy ever after.…I make mental notes of anyone I know who has lost weight and kept it off for more than 2 days..I ask them what they did and how…I think if they can do it Why can’t I?? Then I slowly notice over time they too are putting the weight back on…..They too, are fighting the mental battle against Food, Body Image and Society’s skewed view of beauty! I have made my way to PEACE around this issue before and I am heading back there again…Diets lead to the 4 R’s Restriction, Resistance, Rules and Rebellion!!! I choose PEACE.. Perseverance, Eating what my body needs when I am hungry, Acceptance of myself exactly where I am NOW!! Clarity on how the diet industry and media manipulate us, and finally Excellent self care!!! Do you care to join me?

~ASK JOANNE~

I am very excited to add this new feature to my blog. Each week I will take a question from a reader. Anything you would like some guidance on? Struggling with the same patterns that keep you stuck?  Please send me an email with the subject    : Blog ? …….I will be happy to answer your questions.. I look forward to connecting with you and answering your questions…:) Have a wonderful day~

Jackie Lopez Waitkus, Reiki I @ Heaven on Earth

This week we still have spots available for Amazing medium “Jackie Lope Waitkus” Thursday the 23rd 7-9 pm 60 Kilsyth Rd., South Easton Cost $40

Saturday, September 25th

Reiki I 10-4pm Heaven on Earth Pembroke MA, Cost $150

Come and learn the Amazing hands on healing energy of Reiki. You will be attuned to the energy and able to utilize it immediately to help heal self, family & friends..

What false beliefs about yourself are you allowing to limit your choices?

Throughout my life, I have discounted myself from certain things that I thought I could not do. I have certain things I think in my mind are impossible for me. One of the things I have always believed is that I cannot do sports or athletics. As a child, sports and athletics did not seem to come easy for me.  I began to believe I wasn’t good enough and couldn’t do those things.

One of my close friends pointed out that it is just a false belief, and asked me to challenge it to the root to see where it came from. Once I did, I recognized where it came from, how untrue it is, and that I can do anything I desire. WE ALL CAN!!!! I have the physical ability – I just need the guidance. I needed to LEARN how to become an athlete.

Sometimes it’s not that we are not “GOOD” at something - it’s that we need to learn how to be “GOOD”. We need to be nurtured and guided to our greatness!! Now that I have my son Jason, I can easily see how he needs to be taught things, nurtured, and guided to find his way and his belief in himself!    

I have recently joined a triathalon training class that a good friend I admire and trust is teaching. She is patient and kind, and will get us all where we need to be!!! I AM DONG A TRIATHALON ON JULY 25th!! If I didn’t have someone teaching, guiding, and encouraging me, I could not  learn. I would not reach this desired goal. I feel strong and empowered physically and mentally just by trying these new things and seeing that I can do them!! Pretty easy stuff with very powerful results!!!

I challenge you to look at any of the beliefs you may be carrying about what you cannot do. Where do you limit yourself? I ask you to take one small step in the direction of challenging those false beliefs and allowing yourself to move forward!! You can do it – I know you can. Maybe you need to LEARN something. Maybe you need to be nurtured, to nurture yourself, or to be guided to your “GREATNESS”. But it is there within you, waiting to emerge!

Everything we need is within~

Upcoming Inspirational Events!!

Hi Everyone!

Thank you for taking a look at the blog. I am offering a Reiki I class at Uplifting Connections next Sunday and Monday evenings, 1/31-2/1, from 6:30-9:30pm.

Also, amazing soul Coach Jennifer Lawson is going to be doing an incredible 6-week Soul Coaching Journey at my space beginning Monday 2/8. It will run for 6 weeks, and she gave us a very nice discount price. It is also a LIFE-CHANGING course!!

I am having my first “Night of Inspiration” on Thursday night, 1/28. Come and be yourself. Join in group energy to manifest, release, recharge. Whatever is needed, I will provide for the group: meditation, visualization, Tong Ren, sharing, laughing. Just trust me and come on over! I promise you will leave feeling lighter and brighter in every way!