Primary Gift

Awaken to the Excellence of Your Life's Journey To awaken to the excellence of your life’s journey is to allow appreciation to find your heart—for all that you have seen, for all that you have lived, for all persons that you have known. It is to allow humility to find your character—to embrace rather than to resist, to love rather than to judge, to respect rather than to disdain the teacher in all human diversity. To awaken to the excellence of your life's journey is to allow love to find your life when you have loss, when you have betrayal, when you have hardship. It is to trust that the process of life is leading to your greatest knowing—of love, appreciation and wisdom. It is to discover the joy in life that you came here to live. To awaken to the excellence of your life’s journey is to receive life’s primary gift.
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From a place of self-love and respect, I have awakened to the excellence of my journey. Early in my life, I faced great challenges. I could not be a child like my siblings or my classmates. My journey was different. In my school, I learned about schizophrenia, struggling to breathe and dealing with physical violence. My teacher was very powerful. As an adolescent I began to use drugs. My father was never a part of my life and my mother suddenly vanished one day while I was at school. I then became a ward of the court and completed my high school education while living in a state group home. At age 26, I met an exemplary professional who began to show me the way, mostly through love. For the next 20+ years, I learned lessons of discipline, love and respect for self and others. I learned of my love for academics and physical fitness and eventually I became a licensed physical therapist with a specialty in mechanical therapy. I also learned lessons of great humility when I was assigned the legal guardianship of my mother, and it was then that I became her friend. In 1999, I became on fire for my life, because of the excellence that I had witnessed in another human being, a professional singer. I began to dream of talking to the world about the excellence that lives within each one of us, but only when I could do so from my own place of excellence. Gradually, I freed myself from drug use as I relocated my life to the desert southwest. It was there that I began to hear my heart’s song and awaken to the excellence of my life’s journey. It was there that I gained mental clarity and discovered the wisdom of my life’s teachings. No matter where you start in life, no matter what your circumstances may be, a life that you can dream, you can make happen. The key is to permit your story to unfold in a way that allows you to move past what inspired you to make a change, and then to become that change. From the universe and from loving, qualified professionals, I asked for assistance to become this change. I continuously looked for the answers that allowed my success through education, physical fitness, psychotherapy, spiritual teachings, and helping others. I began to utilize the love of my heart and the creativity of my mind rather than the “troubles” of my mind to lead me each day. I discovered the power of positive thought and unrelenting focus on my life's dreams. I utilized the resources of our world and eventually opened the door to what was possible in my life. I allowed the greatness in others to teach me about the greatness that lived within me. For it is known, that which we admire in others is merely a reflection of what lives within us. I have learned how to clear the debris from my path by being ruthless in my life's choices, professionally and personally. In doing so I am able to make more powerful decisions and associate myself with those who have my best interest at heart and who share a common bond of electricity, passion and excellence for life. I have allowed appreciation to find my heart—for all that I have seen, for all that I have lived and for all the people I have known. I am learning to cherish all that is life and I am learning to cherish the teacher I have become. Allow the light to shine on all that is good and recognize the champion that lives within you. The success of your life begins with the success of your relationship with you. How you treat yourself is truly how you will treat others and the world. Be kind, be gentle and be rewarding and generous to yourself every day. Focus your mind on your dreams and your dreams will become a reality. Find love, respect and forgiveness for yourself and you will then forgive, respect and love others. For it is from the enormous power of a loving, stable relationship that all abundant life can evolve. Ask yourself, who do you want to be in this world? No one can truly see what lives within your heart. People will see what you show them and most will not look beyond that. Allow your creative mind and inner genius to emerge and become part of the world where only excellence lives. As I awaken to the excellence of all that I have lived, I have come to realize it is okay to have a journey that is not typical and to emerge on the other side standing tall. We are all individuals with a life story that is unique to each one of us. This is our life's primary gift! I have learned that when one person in a family benefits from psychotherapy, many benefit. I have learned how to hear the person behind schizophrenia and how to have the courage to be there when needed. I have learned that by standing in a place of inspiration, even persons with mental illness can be called to a place that is greater than what limits them. I have learned that mental illness is only the vehicle in which our lessons are carried. Had I not had my mom as a teacher, and the great teacher Denise none of this would have been possible. The contrast between my mom and her illness and the loving professional, Denise, is a union that only the universe could have orchestrated. It was a perfect fit for me. It gave me what I needed. The universe sent me several powerful teachers and the lessons learned with each have been profound. From my mother, I learned humility and inner strength beyond description, which helped my character, evolve. From Denise, I learned the excellence of respect for self and for others, and the enormous power of a loving, stable relationship/foundation from which all abundant life can evolve. From Celine, I learned the power of the dream. I want my life’s journey to demonstrate what is possible when you seek the opportunity in life’s adversity. Let your direction in life be your measuring stick for where you stand rather than letting your shortcomings be what leads your life. While I know that I have fallen short in many phases of my life, my desire is to become and live world-class as well as to admire the excellence in others. Be on fire for your life everyday and watch the incredible life that unfolds before you!