I trust that you are enjoying a whirlwind start to the new year-a period of new beginnings. We must boldly and deliberately forgive and let go of the past. There is no room for old baggage in our lives this year. This is the year to fulfill promises to yourself. This is the year to let your Soul and your Spirit Soar.

As you set your intent for 2008 to be the best year of your life, take into your heart the words of Betty Lue Lieber:

There are no limits except in our thinking. There is no sacrifice except in our choices. There is no pressure except that which we impose. There is no lack, except when we believe we do not have enough.

And so it is. Time to free our minds of the constraints of mass consciousness and faulty thinking. Time to let go and know we are free to choose again and yet again.

Let us begin each day anew with trust and freedom, the Love We Are. Let’s Start a Ripple… and Create a Wave

In a world of six billion people, it’s easy to believe that the only way to initiate profound change is to take extreme action. Each of us, however, carries within us the capacity to change the world in small ways for better or worse. Everything we do and think affects the people in our lives, and their reactions, in turn, affect others. As the effect of a seemingly insignificant word passes from person to person, its impact grows and can become a source of great joy, inspiration, anxiety, or pain.

Your thoughts and actions are like stones dropped into still waters, causing ripples to spread and expand as they move outward. The impact you have on the world is greater than you could ever imagine, and the choices you make can have far-reaching consequences. You can use the ripple effect to make a positive difference and spread waves of kindness that will wash over the world.

Should the opportunity arise, the recipient of a good deed will likely feel compelled to do a good deed for someone else. Someone feeling the effects of negative energy will be more likely to pass on that negative energy. One act of charity, one thoughtful deed, or even one positive thought can pass from individual to individual, snowballing until it becomes a group movement or the ray of hope that saves someone’s life. Every transformation, just like every ripple, has a point of origin. You must believe in your ability to be that point of origin if you want to use the ripples you create to spread goodness. Consider the effect of your thoughts and actions, and try to act graciously as much as possible.

A smile directed at a stranger, a compliment given to a friend, an attitude of laughter, or a thoughtful gesture can send ripples that spread among your loved ones and associates, out into your community, and finally throughout the world. You have the power to touch the lives of everyone you come into contact with and everyone those people come into contact with. The momentum of your influence will grow as your ripples move onward and outward. One of those ripples could become a tidal wave of love and kindness.