A Course in Miracles Experiment (by Pam Grout) Day 162

An abundant life filled with joy, purpose and peace – that’s the promise that I’m buying into now.

For many years I suffered from depression.  I was diagnosed and prescribed, and honestly, I did do better with chemicals.  I faithfully took my scripts for probably twenty years. 

Things changed in our lives.  We moved to Kentucky to be closer to my husband’s family.  For several years, we had no health insurance and I simply had to do without.

In the intervening time, I found meditation and journaling, began a conscious process to improve my mental health and coping skills, and by the time I could see a doctor again I no longer needed chemistry to live well and happily.

I am NOT suggesting you try this!  It’s not the best way to reduce chemical dependency!  We managed to get by, and I am grateful to have survived, but it was no picnic.

But the fact remains that I no longer have the need for that kind of support, and I count that blessing every day.

We each embody so much more power than most of us ever realize!

You have the power to turn your life around, or upside down.

Greet your intrinsic power with a smile today, and join hands with it as you move forward into the life you want to lead!  You can become anything you want to be.  Drink your coffee, and get after it!

Have a marvelous day today!

Photo by  Senjuti Kundu, courtesy of Unsplash

With Grace and Gratitude, 

LeslieAnne

A Course in Miracles Experiment (by Pam Grout) Day 161

There’s an old saying that we should “Walk a mile in another person’s shoes” before deciding you know anything about them.

The ability to do this is, I believe, completely human.  We can choose to try to fully understand another human being, and by making that choice, we ourselves embrace our own humanity.

Until you’ve experienced what that person has been through (or under, or around!) you don’t really know what drives them or what motivates their actions.

Try it today, in your mind.  Picture one person in your life who maybe annoys you, aggravates you, just rubs you the wrong way.  Imagine their face, their gestures, the way they walk and move.

What do you really see?  When you toss your ego out of the driver’s seat and open your heart, what do you see?

It’s another human being, trying her best to get by, trying to do the “right thing”, whatever that looks like to her.

Give yourself that gift today.  Really look at someone else.  Try to walk in that person’s shoes.  

I’ll bet they give you blisters!

Photo by Bert Ferranco, courtesy of Unsplash

With Grace and Gratitude, 

LeslieAnne

A Course in Miracles Experiment (by Pam Grout) Day 160

If I can just get the heck out of my own way, the Universe will shower blessings on me like a thunderstorm.

All I have to do is accept this, and quit struggling so damn hard to make it happen.

If I can just take the song “Let It Be” (written by Paul McCartney and performed by The Beatles) and make it my mantra, the Divine will take care of me in every conceivable way.

Why is it so hard for me to get this idea through my head?

I work on this every day, sometimes every hour (it seems) and yet I have to repeatedly remind myself.

Every day, I start the day with thanks for another chance.  Every day, I wonder if I’ll ever really get the concept hammered in.

And every day, I try again!

What about you?

Don’t get discouraged!  We both know that our egos don’t have the “true story”, just the loudest voice.

Keep your spirits up!  Take a few deep breaths, and relax.  

We can enough to let the Divine send us blessings, and we will succeed.

How do you remember to “Let It Be”?

I walk down my driveway and look at the flowers…

Photo by LeslieAnne, courtesy of FlamingPurpleJellyfish

With Grace and Gratitude, 

LeslieAnne

A Course in Miracles Experiment (by Pam Grout) Day 159

The more you give, the more you receive.

You’ve heard it.  You know, somewhere deep down in your heart, that it’s true.

But have you ever actually been able to practice it?

It goes completely against the grain – it’s totally opposite of what we’re trained to do.  But if you look around, you can find examples of people who have literally stepped out in faith to give.

Take the story of Captain Tom Moore – the British veteran who decided he would raise some money for the health care workers who had helped him through illness & cancer to 99 years of age.

He announced that he was going to walk 100 laps in his garden (with his walker and cane) to benefit heroes in UK healthcare, before his 100th birthday.

He figured he’d raise a few thousand pounds.  By the time he finished his 100 laps, he’d amassed donations in excess of 39 million pounds!

This wonderful gentleman wanted to give back to people who had taken care of him.  He had no thoughts of what he’d get out of it, other than some exercise and fresh air.

He was knighted by the Queen for his selfless service on May 20th.  His actions have undoubtedly made all British healthcare workers realize how much they’re appreciated – a gift by itself.

No matter where you live, you can grow, and you can give.

What can you and I do today?

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel, courtesy of Unsplash

With Grace and Gratitude,

LeslieAnne

A Course in Miracles Experiment (by Pam Grout) Day 158

Look for the Divine spark in every person you contact today.

Remind yourself that you and “them” are actually each an important part of the rainbow of colors that arches over everything.  Without every color, the rainbow is diminished.  Without every spark, we’re each suddenly lessened.

The author  (Pam Grout) uses the example of minestrone soup, with each of us being an important ingredient that contributes to the whole.  If you leave out one ingredient, you don’t get the same flavor.

What a bland, flavorless life most  people seem to want!  How much more interesting to have different ingredients, different flavors adding their uniqueness to the end result!  How boring to have a rainbow of one color!

As you move through your day today, collect new ingredients to use in your daily diet.  Greet your neighbors with a smile.  Be courteous to the lady in front of you in the checkout line.  Because until you get to know them, you haven’t the faintest idea what new color or flavor they’ll bring into your life!

The world around each of us is part of that rainbow, an important ingredient in the soup .  We each have our color and flavor to add.  We’re none of us really alone.

Add some flavor today.  Use a new color in your palette.  Experiment.  And most importantly, enjoy!

Photo by Zoltan Tasi, courtesy of Unsplash
With Grace and Gratitude, 

LeslieAnne

A Course in Miracles Experiment (by Pam Grout) Day 157

Feel the joy of being alive.

Accept that the Universe will provide for you.  

Don’t try to understand.  Don’t try.  Just allow the possibility that the Divine wants to send you blessings, wants to cradle you in her hand.  Let the good things in life come to you!

As the angel Aziraphale states over and over (in “Good Omens“ by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman), it’s all ineffable.

So we don’t need to understand, we need to trust that everything will turn out the way it should.  We don’t need to worry about whether what we did yesterday was part of the plan; we just have to trust that it was and is.

We struggle along each day, trying to improve this or that, but the important part is to experience the journey.  Hopefully we learn a bit more each day about doing better, about being better, but that isn’t human nature.  We tend to take the proverbial two steps forward and one step back.

Take those two steps forward today, then lean into it and don’t slide back!  Grab that joy with both hands and hang on for dear life!

Because life is dear, and precious, and full of ineffable events.  Let’s at least have some fun with it!

Have an incredible, ineffable day today!

Photo of Blue Tiger butterflies by Nandhu Kumar, courtesy of Unsplash
With Grace and Gratitude, 

LeslieAnne

A Course in Miracles Experiment (by Pam Grout) Day 156

You are the Universe.

You are the physical embodiment of the Divine.

Your purpose today is to just be.  

Experience today without coloring your thoughts in past prejudices, without any expectations except that the Universe will take care of you.

Let the world occur around you, and look for the best to come to you.

Allow the Divine to give you everything you need, and everything you want.

Let it happen. Don’t try to control it, direct it, or make it do anything in particular.  

Give grace a chance.

And have an EXTRAORDINARY day today!

Photo by Tyler Horsley, courtesy of Flaming Purple Jellyfish

With Grace and Gratitude, 

LeslieAnne

A Course in Miracles Experiment (by Pam Grout) Day 155

You are a miracle.

You are truly unique, one-of-a-kind, rare beyond imagining.

Your purpose is to be grateful for all the gifts you’ve been given, to celebrate your miraculous manifestation, and to always do more than is expected of you.

These are the true “facts of life”, the only facts that matter.

All the attention you possess should focus on these three things, letting all the rest fall to the wayside in your journey.

Anything else is a distraction, a detour meant to send you down the wrong road.

Anything else is a waste of your time.

By practicing gratitude, acknowledging your uniqueness, and contributing more than you must, you fulfill all the requirements needed to receive more love, more blessings, more of all the good things life offers.

Don’t get distracted by the evening “news”.  Don’t dwell on all the wrong in the world.  Focus on the good, on the positive.  Keep your eyes on the prize!

And if you need any help, I strongly recommend “The Greatest Miracle in the World” by Og Mandino!  It’s beyond inspirational, and a wonderful way to start your day with a gentle reminder of the truly important things.

Have a remarkable day today!

Photo by Drew Farwell, courtesy of Unsplash

With Grace and Gratitude, 

LeslieAnne

A Course in Miracles Experiment (by Pam Grout) Day 154

Here are some reminders of how the world really works:

1) The world is accommodating, and abundant, without limits.

2) Everything always works out for my good.

3) If I follow my heart, I can live a life of limitless joy, purpose and meaning.

4) The more love I give away, the more love I receive.

5) Whatever I give most, I receive back the most.

In today’s society, taking a leap of faith is pretty tough.  But if you think about it, it’s always been a hard choice.  That’s where the faith comes in.

If you can willingly give control over to the Divine (remembering that you don’t have real control anyway!) the Universe will watch your back and reward you for your trust.

Have you ever been around someone who always “looks on the bright side”?  Ever noticed how often they have good things happen to them out of nowhere?  With that positive outlook, that person is much more likely to attract positive results compared to the person who is perpetually expecting the worst.

Which side will you choose today?  Will you be the light on the path, or the grit in someone’s eye?  

Have an incredible day today!

Photo by Madhu Shesharam, courtesy of Unsplash

With Grace and Gratitude, 

LeslieAnne

A Course in Miracles Experiment (by Pam Grout) Day 153

You and I are in charge of changing the world today.

Aaaaaggh!

No, honestly.  Not only are we in charge, we’re capable of doing it really, really well!

If you’re thinking right now about how hard a time you have getting out of bed, remember that’s your doggone ego talking.  Remember the jerk who’s always saying “You can’t do that!” or “OMG, you wouldn’t be good at that!”. That’s him.  His agenda has nothing to do with your true mission.

Shut him up!

Gag the little bugger, and lock him in the basement, kicking and screaming!

He has NO–ONE‘S good in mind.

Forget him!

Let’s move on and change ourselves for the better.  Start with something small.  Let the ripples spread out like echoes through the atmosphere, moving things as they go.

Write in your journal.

Remind yourself of all you can be grateful for.

Take your beautiful photos.

Create your art.

Add to the beauty and diversity of our world.

Together, we change it for the better.

Have a marvelous day today!

Photo by Mike Lewinsky, courtesy of Unsplash (Photographer noted that he rescued the insect after he took the photo!)

With Grace and Gratitude, 

LeslieAnne