Click on the link above for my upcoming classes, workshops and events in the Chicago area.

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Not everything is going to go according to plan. The tiniest span of time can ease our day or add considerably more hours of any number of things we didn’t expect.

The easy stuff opens us to positive possibilities and often puts a spring in our step. But when we’re thrown off in a direction we hadn’t intended, it can add chaos and put our attitude in the dumpster.

This is when we can count on the present moment, your now. “It’s all in how you look at it.” We’ve heard this and used it countless times.

Play with it.
The present moment is ripe with possibilities. You choose. We can wallow in our troubles or drop into a better feeling. I know from experience that this isn’t easy and can take some practice. I have two questions for myself, my family, and my clients: "Does it feel good and does it serve you?"

If the answer is no (and it usually is when we are sad, angry and/or terrified), then there is always an option to bring in a better thought, a better now. It may not stop the discord right away but it sure feels better to rearrange the image, to accessorize the moment with humor, stillness, faith, breath or whatever devices we can muster at the time.

We might have to dig deep to see some light...
so surprise yourself and dig away.

Here’s a To Do ~ Breathe! Stop now and give yourself a moment to take a deep, cleansing breath. Even when we don’t think we have it in us, we can turn a situation around by remembering that this small bit of breath is a life line, a direct connection to your higher self. I know that sometimes it is difficult to find that breath when we are in a state of panic but find it we can when we try. Just try. As you do you will see each breath get stronger and longer.

It’s kind of like the adult version of a “time out.” We can stay in our muddy, angry, unhappy feelings or choose to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Admittedly we might have to dig deep to see some light–so surprise yourself and dig away. You might just discover it really does feel better to use your life line once in a while.

Here’s a To Do ~ Imagine a majestic light washing over your entire body. Let it enter the top of your head and move through your body and see it anchor your feet into the earth as it exits. Honor yourself as you do this powerful ritual and be reminded that you have come into this life to experience great love and joy above all else.

We can call in our allies, this beautiful, divine energy that is always present and bathe ourselves in its reassuring light. Start trusting that your vibrational, energy self is always working properly. God, the angels, the ascended masters, even a beloved family member or friend from the past is just a breath away.

Start trusting that your vibrational energy self
is ALWAYS working properly.

Here’s a To Do ~ Call in the angels! Just ask, put it out there, either by your thoughts, on paper or verbally. They will come when called and know that they are available to hear your desires.

Each moment can be an oasis. A space of time to let go, breathe, and tell yourself that all of this is just another part of your journey, your package. We have that small space of time to make the package into a gift of grandness.

Here’s a To Do ~ Let go of your past. While part of your story is there, it doesn’t have to rule your life anymore. It’s over; even it was just a moment ago. Now sit and visualize the perfect future. Be as elaborate as you like! Your imagination is a spectacular fountain flowing beautiful experiences your way. If it detours to something sad or unhealthy, gently ease it back to a beautiful feeling.

By stepping into the moment we are in at any given time, we begin to see the possibilities or notice things that we might have missed otherwise. Chance encounters, people we run into, signs and messages seem to randomly get our attention.

I love to watch others as they discover that this is all we ever have–this moment. It’s almost as if the past never was and the future never comes. This is it. It’s all you’ve got. It is your everything. Here you are, right here, right now. How do you want it to feel? You choose.

Blessings,
Rebecca Smith Hill

Facebook: Rebecca Smith Hill Pathways
Twitter: Becky Smith Hill

What are you anticipating this moment, this day, this week, for now and for the future?

Lately I’ve been having a positive, anticipatory feeling wash over me. This funny, happy, goose-bumpy sensation feels incredibly supportive and healing. It seems to encourage me to stay upbeat during some crazy and rather intense personal moments that I am experiencing right now.

I can tell you exactly where I am getting this sensation: right smack in my abdomen—the good old butterflies in the stomach! The feeling comes from two of my main chakra energy centers, the second chakra in the lower abdomen and seat of our creative energy, and the third chakra, the solar plexus region, an area where we honor ourselves and also the area which keeps us true to our course.

The flip side...

As I sit here writing about this wonderful, expectant feeling I have in the midst of a whole lot of personal chaos, I see the flip side. It is quite fascinating to study our energy centers and watch what happens when one or more of them are not vibrationally up to par. Any physical or emotional concern will appear in our energy field first, before manifesting physically as something we recognize as illness or emotional pain. Paying attention to hunches and gut feelings helps us understand ourselves and this energetic stage we perform on every day.

Watch how and what you put out in thought and vibration.

I started to notice how many of the postings on Facebook are anticipatory. I usually respond silently, but emotionally, to these postings. They made me think about all the things in life we anticipate...how we look at our lives, and how often our glass is half empty or half full. Just look at some of the expressions we use:

Doom and gloom, a pain in the neck, it’s not a pretty picture, it makes me sick, we’re going to fight this, look what the world is coming to, what are they going to do about this…

These are just a few examples. I bet you can come up with many more! Of course, I will allow others their feelings and continue to enjoy Facebook for the varied tapestry of expression it lends. It is not for me to interfere with the free will of others; however, it is my wish that as you read this, you will begin to see how simple words can shape our future, and how negativity and conflict bring more of the same.

The acceptance of these differences in others—finding them interesting rather than conflicting—and the awareness of our sameness are the keys to healing our world. I am grateful to see so many now leading the way with peace and understanding instead of division. It would be wise to practice what children insitinctively know: anticipate joy and live in wonder!

Our thoughts are valuable, and contain divine vibration. What is it you anticipate?

My happy feeling means I am in a place of acceptance for the work I am doing, in the way it makes me feel and in the hope I can offer to others. Remember the second and third chakra and what they mean? I must be receiving some validation that I am on the right track! I am anticipating the continuation of my passion, this work I build day by day, with enthusiasm and living from the heart. I know that if I anticipate the worst I won’t feel very good, it won’t serve me and it will not help the situation. It doesn’t feel good in print, to my ears, or out of my mouth.

Watch how and what you put out in thought and vibration every day, from your work and home, both in the present and directed at the future. Are you mostly lackluster, or full of hope? There’s a clever television commercial about an optimistic sunshine teaching the tired moon and gray planets how to eat a good breakfast so they can bring a little joy, color and movement into their day.

Metaphorically, it speaks volumes doesn’t it? Practice hope. Nourish your physical and emotional self with loving, positive feelings. Our thoughts are valuable, and contain divine vibration. Use them wisely and remember we are energy beings first. Remember, in this time of immense change there are great opportunities! Anticipate fantastic beginnings!

There are numerous books on the chakras. I encourage you to get to know yourself better by learning about your “energy self.”

I offer personal readings in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and via telephone and email throughout the world. Calls within the continental United States are free. Click here for my services.

Blessings,
Rebecca Smith Hill

Facebook: Rebecca Smith Hill Pathways
Twitter: Becky Smith Hill

I spend a good deal of time encouraging my clients to “shift.” Since positive energy is so much a part of my speaking and teaching, I feel the means to reach it should be here on my blog. By the way, I do a lot of shifting myself!

Sometimes we find ourselves in a funk for whatever reason: a stressful day, waking up on the wrong side of bed, challenges at work or at home... Admit it—we’re all bombarded with a myriad of difficult situations every day. How we stack them up is a barometer of our feelings at any given time. More importantly, it’s a way to see what else we may be allowing into our energetic field that might be creating a tornado of chaos.
 
These moments are a great time to acknowledge that we feel out of sorts. They can teach us to reach for a better thought, to invite peace and harmony. We can ask ourselves how these unsettling feelings are serving our greater good.

Find your own way to shift to the positive.
Sometimes a good, deep breath will help, or a change of scenery. A walk outside or even to a different room may do the trick as well. Laughing out loud, singing, or being silly for a few minutes is wonderful medicine. It doesn’t matter how you choose to shift as long as your shift takes you to a positive place emotionally.

You may be called to shift more at various times or under stressful circumstances. It’s hard to control our fear-based selves, but with practice it will become second nature. The outcome is always a wonderful feeling of renewed strength, peace, and contentment. You’ll wonder why you didn’t use this simple technique a long time ago!

When you shift, you expand your energy field to one of joy and allowing, which in turn helps create positive energy.

There are always going to be those who say they can’t shift, or won’t. We all know people who are continually complaining about this “problem” or that “circumstance.” Knowing we have a choice in where we put our attention is a huge reminder that we alone have the power to decide whether we will walk toward the positive or live in conflict.

Once, I “shifted” myself right out of a personal appointment that was already underway! This happened quite recently, and it’s interesting that it happened as I was writing this piece. Of course I carried the guilt mightily for the rest of the day, and the next day asked myself  how this guilt was serving me. I truly put the incident behind me. I grew instantly in that moment of recognition, and there was wonderful inner awareness that shifting had brought positive change. I am standing a little taller today because of it.

The bottom line is to love ourselves and honor our own path through this lifetime, no matter how hard it seems and how many times we have to pick ourselves up when we fall. Through it all, we must never think that we have lost our value. Each of us is a beautiful, loved soul.

Ready....SHIFT!

Some time ago my daughter was walking near her apartment in New York City and happened upon my first name written on the street with white paint, very graffiti-like. She took a picture of it and sent it to me in an email without explanation and I was taken aback because it looked rather bizarre in the shimmery cast of the evening light. When I asked her about it later, she laughed and said how strange but fun it was to see it and had she not looked down at that very moment, she would have missed it.
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When we notice change and think about it (or agonize about it as the case may be), we realize we are continually evolving, changing, becoming. If we don’t embrace change, then what are our options? It seems much better to feel good, even if it requires a bit of “reorganizing”.

I try always to focus on the present moment, because the present is the only time that offers us choices. The past is over and the future, like a dream, seems to be “out there somewhere”. When the future finally arrives, it’s always in the present moment! It is much more invigorating and productive to view each moment as an opportunity to be at our best.

Personally, I allow what I call the “buffer zone”, a short time to reflect on the old story that is about to change. We all experience bumps in the road. What we require is a little time to access these issues that are turning our life inside out.

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Click here to ask Rebecca a question!

Reader Question:
"My 4 year old daughter is very smart and creative, but sometimes has trouble focusing and following rules in preschool and at home. We haven’t yet found her niche, or what she really loves to do. How do we encourage her intuitiveness and creativity while still making sure she succeeds in school and other social situations?"

The first thing to understand is that your daughter is young enough to be very connected to the other side. While she may not have the words to communicate this, nonetheless she has a foothold in both places. This is a wonderful, imaginative time indeed!

I see her not following rules because she is sometimes ahead of the game. She's already thinking outside the box, and can’t understand why she has to conform to a certain set of experiences. While we do need rules in a civilized society, sometimes the "boxes" we create for our children can seem a little overwhelming.

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Click here to ask Rebecca a question!

Reader Question:
"I live in one of the busiest and noisiest places in the world, New York City. I often have difficulty sleeping some nights due to outside distractions. How and where can I find peace and quiet in my everyday life?"

We all have moments when it is difficult to surrender our repetitive thoughts and let go of the difficult aspects of our day. This is usually a reminder to breathe, be still, and come fully into the present. Mindful breathing is crucial to your higher self. It is the one thing you can do to become more present with any distraction in your life, whether on the street, in the office, or late at night when you are restless. So breathe deeply and consciously whenever you can!

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This Journal entry begins with the words printed on my tea bag. My tea bag said: "Your head must bow to your heart."

As a teacher, I know my sixth sense is the most important. While I honor the other five, I know that our sixth is the biggest in the scope of sheer power if utilized on a regular basis. Like a muscle, we can use it or lose it. It is the most divinely connected, like an always-available telephone line to our higher consciousness. It is always ready, just like a trusted friend who will gladly drop everything when you call.

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Click here to ask Rebecca a question!

Reader Question:
"Food, shelter, happiness and love are the necessities of a healthy life. But oddly, money is what most wish for. What would happen if we wished directly for what we want?"

Great question! We are very much a society that feels we should “see” something to believe it, aren’t we? When we have money, we surely must have everything. We wear it like a badge of honor. This makes me remember the old saying, “Whoever has the most toys wins.”

Through the centuries, we gradually forgot our inner world and nurtured only the physical aspects of ourselves. The ones we can see, feel, and touch. Almost as if we were masking our true identity with “stuff.” The paper became important because we made it so. Since we all needed to be alike, we “perfected” our lives with it.

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