what’s in it for me?

Yesterday, I had to run out to a winery to pick up a donation for this big fancy-pants fundraiser I’m planning. When I finally found the place high on a mountain top, it was a construction zone. I had two addresses for the winery, and the other one was exactly 20 miles away. For half a minute, I thought about tip-toeing through the hard hat zone to see if I was at the right place, but I dismissed the idea. I got back into my car and drove to the other location, only to be told that what I needed was back where I started. Sigh!

Going with the flow, going with your intuition always seems to work out best.  And when you don’t, it kind of bites you in the ass. Have you noticed?

Last weekend I was invited to dinner with a friend, and I almost opted out but then thought, what the heck, life is short, carpe diem. And wouldn’t you know, I sat across the dinner table from a woman whose company I’d been trying to make contact with, but without much luck. We were just casually talking and when I found out she was with Company X, I asked her if I could call her the next day, and of course she agreed.  So cool!

A couple of days ago, I had to dash to Macy’s at lunch and pick up some mascara. Yeah, why can’t I just wear the drug store brand? Anyway, I got to the cosmetics counter, and got my order ready, then the computer wouldn’t accept my card. So, Kat, my super-cool sales associate, placed a call. She was so sweet and apologetic about my “inconvenience” — and I was very aware that I was standing  at the intersection of amused and beotch, and could go either way. Long story short and about 3o minutes later, I learned that my account had been closed. What? Yeah, not by me, but whatever. The upside? I got a sack full of groovy cosmetic samples, Kat and I are now buddies, and she’s very excited about getting to know Two Girls.

You know, I could have got all righteous about the screw-up at the department store, but instead, I had fun with it. After all, no one lost a limb or a life, and I made a new friend.  Love, C

My two cents: Sometimes you need to leap first and ask questions later. Sometimes you just need to relax and ask for samples.

♥♥♥

I always ask for samples, so cute, perfect size to toss in your purse.  I just love getting free stuff.  A few months ago a friend from work and I decided we were going to get something free, everyday, just for fun. Every morning we would make the statement, I’m going to get something  free today.  Then we would let it go and go about our business.  It usually didn’t take long before a client brought in a coffee or a bottle of wine.  It didn’t have to be anything big, just free.  So much fun!

Just set an intention, let it go with no attachment to the outcome. Don’t worry about it not happening or all the ways it can’t happen, just toss it out there. . . and before you know it, there it is.  So cool.

There have been times that I thought I wanted something to happen,  then forgot about it completely until it showed up, just the way I had hoped it would.  This has happened the other way around too.   I wanted something soooo bad, thought about it constantly, thought I would die without it, and guess what?  It didn’t happen in the way I had planned, it played out differently –and much better.  Thank goodness.

I can’t tell you how many times I have been rushing off to work  and can’t find my keys for a few minutes. Aghh! So frustrating!  When I finally get in my car and on my way I find that had I left a few minutes earlier I would have been involved in the accident that I am now slowly driving past.  Seems like a stretch  to connect misplacing your keys with missing a traffic situation, but you can’t make this stuff up.  There is so much going on out there that we don’t know about , that we can’t understand.

I have come to the conclusion that there is something to be learned from everything that gets our attention.  And when something comes up over and over again. . .well, I try to take some time to ask my guides or my angels,  “what’s in this for me?”

Oh, and I never forget to say a little thank you for all my gifts.  xo-K

My two cents:  Be clear about what you want, but be flexible about how it manifests.

"the way it is"

I haven’t always believed in a benevolent universe; it just isn’t what I was taught about the world. But even as a kid, a scary world view just didn’t ring true to me.  As a child, when a situation didn’t feel good, I would make an escape, usually in one of two ways. Either I would go out and play in the lush forests surrounding my home, hanging out in nature; or I would exercise my active imagination, play with my dolls and go to make-believe land. Either way, I went to my “happy place.”

As a grown up person, it isn’t always convenient to run off to the woods. Sometimes I have to stay in place and “be present” with a situation. But often, looking at “what is” and studying it and hanging out in Whatisville doesn’t make me happy. Why is that? Is it because I’m always desiring the next best thing, or because I’m not allowing happiness in? Ouch!

I have never been satisfied with the statement “that’s just the way it is.” I can’t figure out why anyone would just stop wondering, no question, end of story. I have always loved exploring new ways of doing things, new ways of thinking. Seems to me that “what-is-ness” can leads to shutting the door on future happiness, and why would anyone do that?

Focusing on “what is” is just a habit. A pretty ingrained habit, but a habit nonetheless, which means it can be changed. Relief! But resistance is sneaky. Just last night, I woke up and my mind started churning. Then, I decided to  list everything I am grateful for in my life, starting with A, then B, and so on. I got to about D and got distracted by some little worry, some little “what is.”  After a while I realized what I was doing, and resumed my gratitude list.  By the time I got from A to Z, I was so exhausted from the effort to focus, I fell peacefully back to sleep. Why are we so easily distracted by “the way it is?”

I don’t have it figured out. Yeah, just when I think I’ve got it worked out, I’ll discover a super sneaky belief about what-is, one that is keeping me stuck, one that is overdue for healing, and needs to be let go. Super fun! Love, C

My two cents: it’s okay to visit Whatisville, just don’t move in!

♥♥♥

It has been really challenging for me to not chime in my two cents when someone I care about is arguing for their limitations.  I can see that they want something so badly yet they are putting so much energy into all of the ways they think it won’t work out; wanting their child who recently graduated college to find a great job but affirming there are no jobs out there, wanting to be abundant but affirming no one is getting ahead in this economy. No wonder it takes so long to get what you want,  if you even do.  Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy.

I know I can be. Just today with one little phone call, there I was all pissy, arguing for my limitations.  Damn, I still get caught up sometimes and I know better, which makes it even more frustrating.  Seems like the more I do this stuff the harder it is when I am not on track.  Thrown off of the merry-go-round, straight into the bushes as Abraham would say. Not a fun place to be.

We all have beliefs, things we put in the “just the way it is” category, whether we got them from our parents, school, history, the news, it doesn’t matter.  It’s really easy to get going on some perceived injustice and really dig your heels in. Pretty soon everything in your life is going down the tubes, or so it seems.  I was on a rampage on about four different topics this afternoon.  What a crummy way to spend  my day off.

That’s just the way it is

Some things will never change

That’s just the way it is

But don’t you believe them ~Bruce Hornsby

I always loved that song, and don’t you believe them, great line. When someone says something with such conviction but it really doesn’t resonate with you, and you know in your soul it’s not true, don’t believe it, don’t take their word for it, don’t buy into it.

Nothing is set in stone, and no one can say what’s right and true  for you.  I know what’s right for me and even though I got a little off track today, hey it happens. With a little help from my friends and a little tapping with Brad this evening is feeling much better.  xo-K

My two cents:  As much as we want the things outside of us to be the way we want them to be to make us happy, it’s even cooler when we are happy regardless of what’s going on out there.

tuned in, tapped in, turned on

Unless you have been hiding under a rock, out on some deserted island or just don’t have a computer you have undoubtedly seen the YouTube video of Jessica’s affirmations.  We posted it a few weeks ago on our facebook page and it was amazing to see how it was just, well, everywhere.  Suddenly, it was all over facebook, it was on the front page of Aol,  and now the original post is at close to two million hits.  Everyone is loving little Jessica and her robust, enthusiastic affirmations.

That little girl, who was four at the time of the video, is what Abraham calls tuned in tapped in turned on, or, in the Vortex. She is in alignment with herself and what she wants and affirming it to the universe with such joy and clarity, you just can’t help but get swept up in it.  Even the most negative, doubting people I know were mimicking that little girl and posting similar affirmations on their facebook pages or walking around exclaiming to themselves and the world.

We have all known about or have at least heard about affirmations. I use them on a daily basis and have for years, but a lot of people I know don’t, and don’t think affirmations have much power.  Well they do. They get you to focus and line you up with what you want so you can actually start to feel what it would be like to be having or doing or being what you want. Oh, and don’t forget the most important part: it feels good!

Think about it: the reason anyone does anything is because they think they will be happy in the doing/having  it.  Why do you want more money?  You think it will make you happy.  Why do you want a great relationship?  You think it will make you happy and will make you feel good.  This pretty much applies to anything out there that you desire.

Yesterday I took my daughter to the orthodontist. When she went back, I sat in the reception area.  They have a brand new huge flat screen TV that always seems to be on CNN.  I am aware of what is going on out there in the world but I tend to stay away from things like CNN.  It never feels that great when I watch, so I just don’t.  Well, it was on and I was watching for a few minutes and they have one of those ticker things at the bottom of the screen and it is recapping the same 4 or 5 negative stories over and over.  Urrrrg, I felt terrible and went  outside to make a phone call.  Watching that ticker, play over and over is an affirmation, a negative one.  It is repeating something over and over until it is the truth to you.  You can affirm what CNN wants you to think or you can be like little Jessica and affirm what you want to focus on and what feels good to you.  It’s your choice.  xo-K

My two cents:  We say it over and over: focus on what you want, not what you don’t want and be in your joy while doing it.

♥♥♥

I wasn’t crazy about facebook at first. When I joined a year ago, it just seemed like a giant time drain. I checked in once a week, just to see if anyone I knew was there. I wanted to see what clever thing they said, or photo they posted.  It took a while, and then I became a believer. Videos like Jessica’s affirmations are a good example of how we can change the world with one post at a time.

I have come to realize that my fb page is my “station” and I can play anything I want on it. No CNN, no hand-wringing ain’t-it-a-shame media, no filtering out annoying talking heads just to have the good stuff I want flowing into my world. Nice! You may have noticed that Two Girls likes to post graphics and videos. And it’s all stuff we like! Once upon a time, I worked in radio. The best part of that gig was programming the music. So much fun! This is like that, but better.

Two Girls promotes information that feels good, books that are uplifting, teachers who can take us all to the next evolution of our souls, music that puts us in the vortex, and of course videos like sweet Jessica’s affirmations.  I don’t know about you, but my heart just opened like a big flower when I watched her for the first time. There is a lot of good news out there, and it is our mission to share it because that’s the world we want to affirm: all is good, all is well, we are loved, and we are never alone.

For me, being tuned in, tapped in, and turned is a  daily practice. When you consistently affirm the pleasant things you wish to experience: peace, harmony, joy; you begin to look for them to show up. When you look for them to show up and expect them to show up, they do. What you focus on shows up. What you expect to happen, happens.

If you start to “forget” for a minute and catch yourself afraid of what might happen, just pause, take a breath; and affirm a better outcome, allow a better outcome. It’s that easy and it’s that hard! If you are all wound up and needing to release a burst of energy, fear and anger are a shortcut that can work. It’s just better for your peace and well-being if you take a moment to connect to what is your real power. In case it matters. Love, C

My two cents: begin your day tuned in and watch the magic that is your world unfold in a whole new way.

we just want to give gratitude

It is so important that you are grateful for everything in your life. Many people focus on the one thing they want and forget to be grateful for all the things they have.

Without gratitude you cannot achieve anything, because if you are not emanating gratitude, then by default you are emanating ungratefulness. Be proactive… and use the frequency of your being to receive what you want. (The Secret Daily Teachings)

And we are grateful for YOU!  xo-K

love is good for your heart

According to famous heart doctor Dean Ornish, “When you feel loved, nurtured, cared for, supported, and intimate, you are much more likely to be happier and healthier.”  He goes on to say, “You have a much lower risk of getting sick and, if you do, a much greater chance of surviving.”

See? Love not only feels good, but it’s good for you! Love, C

What is your resistance to love?

So, last week I got one of those e-mail forwards, you know the ones I’m talking about, the ones that are somewhat funny but kind of a waste of time.  I usually just delete them because I don’t really find them funny or clever, but for some reason, I opened this one and wow was it ever a can of worms.

The subject was something like the “Next Survivor.”  It went on to say that the next season of Survivor should be fathers with three kids and challenged by all the  things moms have to do on a daily basis.  Each task was more exhausting than the one before!  I’m sure some of these things were spot on, but as I was reading it, I could feel myself getting annoyed and irritated.  It all just seemed like so much work. Don’t get me wrong, I am a single mom, and I do everything.  But the way it was written, I don’t know, it didn’t seem that appealing.  I guess on some level I thought when I had a partner, I would have a partner, someone to make my life easier, not harder.

I thought about it for a few days. What was it about that e-mail that just got to me?  I know that I’ve had resistance in the past to being in relationship, my stuff with my parent’s relationship, etc., but I thought I had dealt with that.  I talked to C about it on the phone a bit ago, it was right there, but I just couldn’t put my finger on it.  There is still some part of me that is feeling a little, no, a lot of resistance around being in a relationship, especially if it’s going to be like that!

I have heard on more that one occasion that if there is something that you want and it is not showing up for you, then you have some resistance to it.  Sorry, but I know that is true.

We want to put the blame out there for our lack of  a boyfriend or husband. We say things like:  “All the good ones are taken.”  “I need to lose 10 pounds and then I will feel good enough to get out there.”  “I live in a small town.” “I live in a big city, it’s too hard to meet people.”  “All the men are gay.”  Shall I go on??

Now I am not trying to speak for anyone but myself, but it is worth just giving it a little bit of thought.  I know for me as much as I would love to share my life with someone, my life is pretty amazing right now. And I know that there is some part of me that feels, on some level, what if I lose myself? I’ve done that before, too.  What if I have to compromise, and things change and I don’t like it?

Well this is big for me, huge, and I’ve got some big work to do. So, I am going to pass you off to C.  Let’s see what she comes up with.  I’m sure this won’t be the last time we discuss this.  Wish me luck! xo-K

My two cents:  Remember when you pray for patience, a lot of things come in that require patience.  That’s how you learn.

***

Okay, we Two Girls have pretty much gone on record saying the universe is conspiring to give you what you want. “Oh yeah?” you say. “Then where’s my stuff?” Fair question.

Well, yes, the universe always says yes. But it’s complicated. It says yes to every thought you have. Studies have shown that we have in excess of 100,000 thoughts a day. Have you ever monitored the thoughts zipping through your head? Please! If all the mental chatter that goes on in our head was dollars, we’d all be millionaires!

Bottom line: not all of the thoughts we think are in alignment. Dude — some of the thoughts we think just out and out contradict each out.  And when you send out conflicting messages, guess what happens? They cancel each other out. How do you know if you’re sending out conflicting signals? Well, if you’re not getting what you want, the bottom line is, you have resistance to actually manifesting it. Ouch.

Maybe you’ve been single for a while and you’re ready to date. You join an online dating service, fill out the forms, upload a flattering photo. There are thousands of people online, looking for love! It’s a virtual date-fest! So why aren’t you finding The One? Okay, it’s time to get brutally honest with yourself. You have issues. Don’t take it personally, we all have issues. We’re human, we have issues. The problem is, if you really want to get what you want and be happy, you have to own your issues, and work to resolve them. Here are some examples of conflicting thoughts:

I really want to be married.

I’m afraid that if I get married, I’ll always have to do what he wants and I’ll never get to do what I want. Ever.

I want to fall in love.

The last time I fell in love, he left me. Just like the one before him, and the one before him, all the way back to my dad. All men leave.

I want to settle down.

Only losers settle. No one’s going to tell me what to do!

I want someone to share my life with.

He better not be a cheater. The last guy I dated cheated on me. All men cheat.

If any of this resistance stuff rings a bell, don’t be sad, pookie. It’s good news! Once you can be honest enough with yourself to own what’s holding you back, you can heal it and move on with your life. You can have what you want. You just have to decide what’s holding you back and do something about it. This is our work. Love, C

My two cents: you don’t have to believe everything you think.

 

 

I am willing to love

“All you need is Love.” — The Beatles

Okay, I’m going to go out on a limb here. I’m willing to bet that you don’t love yourself enough. Yes, you, my darling. You don’t love yourself enough. Do you want to change that? Are you willing to change that? Repeat after me: I AM willing to allow myself, to love myself, fully and unconditionally, just as I AM.

Wow. Doesn’t that feel good? Go to your quiet place and repeat that for about five minute and see how you feel. You can change. Start today. Start by being willing to love yourself more, and before you know it, you will. Love you! C

the unimaginable life

I want to give a shout-out to Kenny Loggins, who wrote The Unimaginable Life book and companion cd many years ago. Up until that point I had never witnessed a conscious  spiritual relationship, let alone imagined that it was even possible.    Thanks Kenny, for showing me that I could be on a spiritual path with a partner. xo-K

I prayed every night and day for something to believe, some brand of magic that could lift me up and bring me to my knees, and there you where. “Just Breath,”  —  Kenny Loggins

it’s all about the love, baby!

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re going to do a little something special. Love  it or hate it, you get what you focus on. Don’t be a hater! Let’s all manifest a little extra love in our lives. In addition to our regular posts for the next few weeks, we’re going to offer tasty morsels of love. What’s your love story? Let’s all make a little magic! Love, C & K

“Only love is real. Nothing else exists.”  — Marianne Williamson

i feel good

If you want to be a good partner, mother, friend, anything to anybody, you have to feel good yourself first.  You can’t be helpful to anyone when you are depressed, out of alignment, out of sorts, or even slightly bummed out.

So many people, especially women, put themselves aside to take care of others.  That’s what we do, right?  We do the work, we pick up the slack, we get things done.  If we don’t who will?

I know this for sure because I have done this for years, and guess what? You are not doing anyone any favors when you rush in and try to take care of things when you’re not filled up and feeling good.   You are probably just making things worse.  (And you are going to make the ones you are trying to help pay in some way or another.)  So that said, can we just make a pact that we are not going to do that anymore? I am going to, and I hope you will too.

On the long list of things you “should” do, there is probably something you don’t want to do. Here’s what I suggest: don’t do it. Period.  Practice saying no to the things you don’t want to do and yes to the things you do. You’ll start to feel better.

Another way to turn things around is to clean up your thoughts.  I don’t know why we feel that constantly thinking about things we don’t want will  make them go away, doesn’t really make sense, but people do it all the time.  How’s that working out for you?  Okay, so if you have a problem and you are not supposed to think/obsess about it then what are you supposed to do?  I try to change my thoughts.

Affirmations are amazing and can be so helpful.  One of my favorites is, “Things always work out for me.” Got that one from Abraham-Hicks and I have to say it is general but pretty much covers everything.  Starting to worry?  Repeat in your head, “things always work out for me, things always work out for me, things always work out for me.” Over and over.  Might seem kinda weird at first like you are trying to brainwash yourself and I guess you  are but think about it this way: the media, and your family have been brainwashing you for years, filing your head with all kinds of things.  Why not put stuff in there that you want in there, things that makes you feel good?

If you want to get more specific, you can do that too.  When I get a bill in the mail that I wasn’t expecting or something else comes up financially I do this one: “I pay my bills with ease, and I always have extra money!” That is one of my favorites  I got it from numerologist Glyniss McCants.  She recommends saying it over and over for 15 minutes.  I’ve done it and I’ll tell you, as soon as my mind starts to worry about money I start that affirmation automatically now.

Try one of those or find one that feels good to you.  And don’t let your mind go on auto-pilot anymore. Choose thoughts that feel good. xo- K

My two cents:  There are so many wonderful things to feel good about, just look for them.

***

OW! I feel good. . .just like I knew that I would, now! James Brown really knew how to amp up the energy. I can’t even think of this song without feeling my heart smile. I feel nice, just like sugar and spice!

I know, it sounds all moonbeams and lollipops to say that we can always feel good. But seriously? Why not? Especially since our thoughts are like magnets, pulling in the things we think about.

The universe always says YES. I don’t know where I first heard that, but just for giggles, let’s assume it’s true. So, if you faithfully watch the news every night, your thoughts will be something like, “the world is a dangerous place, life if tough, there isn’t enough to go around, people are out to get me.” Guess what? The universe says YES! If your thoughts are “I’m so happy and I love my life,” guess what? The universe says YES!

The fact is, gloomy thoughts are just a lazy habit. My number one goal in life is to feel good. And since daily news programs are reliably dismal, they’re out. As K suggests, I’m very choosy about the messages I program myself with, and by the way, there’s plenty of good going on!

All we really want, at the end of the day, is to be happy, and getting there is completely within our control.  Wayne W. Dyer says “if you want to change your life, change your thoughts.”  A good way to start is to think of something that makes you happy. Kiss your puppy. Pet your cat. Sing. Dance. Wallow in joy. Surrender to bliss. The more you do it, the happier you’ll feel, and before you know it, ‘happy’ will be your new habit. Love, C

My two cents: when you make feeling good your number one priority, good things naturally follow.

appreciate you!

Have you ever looked back at an old picture, maybe from high school or maybe from just a few years ago and thought, “I can’t believe I used to think I was fat then, I looked amazing”? I did, just last week. I have a picture of my Grandma, mom, me, and my daughter,  taken about six years ago that I keep on my dresser. I love to look at it every day to remember my grandma who passed away a few years ago. Anyway, I look at myself and I look beautiful. I can remember that time, even that day, and I was not feeling beautiful or thin or anything good about myself at all. What a shame.

So I have something to propose to you: can we stop doing that to ourselves, right now, today? Personally I am tired of feeling bad about myself and beating up on myself for not looking or acting or being perfect or what I think perfect should be. Let’s start looking at all the things to appreciate about ourselves. You have so many things that are great about you. Can we focus on those, start with one or two things a day?

Some friends and I did this with Gratitude for a few weeks before Thanksgiving: everyone posted something they were grateful for every day on Facebook. It felt to nice, shifted the energy completely. So I am going to continue that now with appreciation, of myself and all the wonderful things in my life.

If you have stuff you’re going through now that is not wonderful, put it aside for a bit. There is probably nothing you can really do about it anyway, plus the fact is worrying isn’t going to help, period. So for now, really look for things you like about yourself and let’s focus on those. It’s probably been a long time if ever, that you gave yourself a pat on the back for a job well done or noticed that you really do have beautiful hair, or that you really are a good friend and a great listener.

See what happens when you start out with one or two a day. It will take on a life of its own. And to quote Seal, “I want you to always feel you’re amazing”. xo-K

My two cents: When you put your attention on what you like about yourself, you will start to see more to like and so will others.

***

Ah, yes, appreciation.  Did you know that appreciation is a wonderful tool for manifesting? Yep, it’s true. Try it. Try shutting down the inner critic. Well, that actually takes a bit of practice. Maybe to begin with you can try observing your thoughts and when you find that you’re being critical of anyone else or even yourself (it’s the same thing, really), turn that thought around. Instead of naming what’s wrong, find something that’s right. There, now. Doesn’t that feel better? And when you feel better, when your energy is higher, the outcomes you desire can more easily manifest. Who can’t love that?

To take appreciation a step further, make a list of things to appreciate. Obviously, this works better when you’re in a groovy, flowy, non-judgmental  mood than when you’re all cranky-boots about something. If you’re in a bad mood, it will cheer you up FAST. If you’re in a good mood, it will lift you up higher. I promise — this is some serious magic!

First, get out your journal and  title a page “ME.” Or “Things I Appreciate About ME.” Number the rows 1-10, and start. Begin with something easy, like “eyes.” Maybe you have beautiful eyes. Own that, you dazzling goddess! Then find something else about yourself to appreciate, like how you make the best hot chocolate in the known galaxy. Write it down. Keep going, you’re on a roll now! If you get stuck,  write what your best friend would say about you. Not enough? Try “I appreciate the fact that I’m willing to write a list about things I appreciate about myself.”

Self love is important. Especially if you’re looking for love “out there” because after all, if you can’t love yourself, how can you expect someone else to do it?

Oh, and, about the list? Here’s an extra-credit challenge for you. If you breezed through the list of ten without a hitch, amp it up. Try a list of 20 or even 30. You’ll find that once you get past the obvious, it’s a little harder and you may even have to start appreciating those things about yourself that you had not previously been so kind about. You can do it ~ and let us know what wonderful gifts you discover about yourself. Love, C

My two cents: No one can be you like YOU. You’re amazing!