• Tending to our dreams has the ability to save us time in our growth and conscious development. There is a wisdom in dreams that assists us, when we allow it, in identifying areas of ourselves that are calling for attention.  We are able to gain access to the core of an issue at a heightened rate of speed as the images themselves hold the homeopathic medicine necessary for healing regardless of whether that healing is physical, emotional, mental or spiritual.

• The ego longs to understand, analyze, and logically explain a dream image, whereas the psyche and soul are curious and receptive by nature, and therefore long to relate to and with the living images.  As we meet the dream images on their own behalf, something shifts. We begin to develop relationship with the images, developing a respect for their presentation.

• As we hold the vision and intention of who we are becoming, dreams assist in keeping us on path, nudging us back on course each and every day so that mindfully, we move towards that intention.

• It is our responsibility to set up communication with our unconscious, to develop an intentional relationship with it so that we may work in conjunction with each other.  A wonderful way to do this is through dreamwork.  The reason this is so important is because if we do not “meet” the unconscious, if we do not develop a relationship with that part of ourselves that is so often at work in ways we are not even aware of, it can begin to appear in ways that are distorted. Nightmares are an excellent example of this vibrational discord. One of the quickest ways to see where we are out of alignment to that which we are wanting to create is to tend to our dreams, for they will almost immediately show us the areas in which attention is required to align with our highest self.

Incorporating dreamwork into our life allows us the ability to create an even richer, deeper life experience. Any time that we make a conscious choice to connect with a higher knowing, we are supported by the dreamtime as it offers guidance and information throughout our journey.  All we have to do is begin by paying attention, and listening.

If you would like to begin or improve working with your dreams, please click on the link below and access my gift to you, a FREE eBook titled, The 10 Best Kept Secrets for Remembering Your Dreams

Disappointment is one of these opportunities.  It’s so common to hear people say that life is full of disappointments and you just have to learn to deal with them.

Is it possible, however, that held within every disappointment is a blessing in disguise masked by the cloak of expectation?  It is after all just a belief about what we think should have happened but didn’t.  Maybe you didn’t get the job you were hoping for, perhaps a romantic interest you had turned out to be unavailable or uninterested.  Or maybe it’s something as simple as not getting to a theater in time to see that movie you were so interested in.  Regardless of what the disappointment is, if you were to look at life believing that there is no such thing as an accident, and trusted that a better scenario was working its way towards us in order to bring us closer to what we truly want, then there couldn’t be disappointments.

When we change our mind about that which has disappointed us and view it through the lens of opportunity, everything changes.  We are no longer victim to circumstance, but believers in the beauty of life.

Neale Donald Walsch says it wonderfully, “Disappointment is temporary.  Change your mind about what has disappointed you and you will change your life.  All disappointment is just advantage looked at from the other side.”

We have all been given the gift of choice, and that means choosing what and how to think. Next time you are faced with a situation that feels disappointing, just give this a try and see what might be directly on the other side because chances are, it’s so much better than you could have imaged. Just watch this month’s Motivational Video below to see a perfect example of turning disappointment into joy.

Turning disappointment into joy: From Service Dog to SURFice Dog

When you think about yourself, what do you think?

When you speak to yourself, what do you say?

When you want to take action on something, do you do it? Or do you talk yourself out of it?

When setting your New Year’s resolutions and goals or making any decisions to embark on a journey of self improvement, we always begin with great intentions.  Perhaps you want to get in shape, lose weight, eat better, start meditating, learn to dance, or any multitude of things that you know will make you feel better about yourself and improve your life.

These are terrific goals, however what can often happen is that the way in which you see yourself does not match the outcome you want to achieve.  For example, if you want to start meditating but you see yourself as someone who cannot sit still for even one minute and you believe it’s going to be really difficult to just sit quiet, then the prevailing thought you have about yourself is that you won’t be able to do it.  If, however, you decide to see yourself as someone who can learn new things and can envision all of the benefits you will achieve by meditating, then the way you see yourself immediately supports what you desire.

Or, let’s say you want to meet the love of your life.  You know what you want and have put yourself in all the right places and circumstances to find the right mate, but what you think about yourself is that you’re not really that good a catch, or you aren’t funny enough or soon they’ll see all of your imperfections. What you think about yourself will keep you from having a healthy, loving and successful relationship.

Have you ever known someone who is really an amazing person, talented, beautiful, intelligent, but they don’t see it?  No matter what you tell them, they don’t believe it about themselves so they go about their life believing they are not those things while everyone around them is baffled by the obvious.   How you see yourself is more important than how others see you and it will determine your outcomes long before you even get to them.

When we go through life thinking that when “this” or “that” happens, then we will be happy, then we will be successful, and then we will enjoy life, what is really happening is we do not see ourselves as capable of having or being all of that now.  Life is not about pushing the “pause” button and waiting to feel good later. Life is about living in the moment with as much joy and appreciation as possible which means that you learn to love yourself and appreciate who you are first.

“You cannot perform in a manner inconsistent with the way you see yourself.” ~ Zig Ziglar

“If you see yourself as prosperous, you will be.  If you see yourself as continually hard up, that is exactly what you will be.” ~ Robert Collier

Your thoughts are things, and they are constantly creating your reality.  Whatever you think about expands in your life, which is why it does not matter what others think about you, it’s what you think about yourself.  Attaining any of the goals you have set for yourself this year will come about by the thoughts you think about you.  There will always be things that we want to improve on within ourselves, but let me encourage you to mindfully celebrate your best qualities and make the way in which you see yourself a priority this year because it is the actual foundation from which all your choices, decisions and actions are based and makes all the difference in attaining any goals you have set for yourself.

Amidst all of the things that make you distinctively who you are in the physical form, there is also encoded someplace within your soul and your DNA particular gifts and talents that further make you so special.  This can be anything from being fantastic at writing computer code to being kind to everyone you meet. It can be being of service to other people, animals or the environment or it can be running a successful company that employs people so they have income to feed their family.  Your particular gifts are your soul’s unique expressions of who you truly are.

Each and every one of us has been born with special and unique qualities to share with the world.  Whether this is the world within your own family, neighborhood or community, or whether this is the world at large matters not.  What matters is that when you feel the call to live life in a bigger way than you have been living, feel the longing to express something about yourself that perhaps you have not shared, or want to make a difference because you see a need, this is part of your Life Purpose.

What is the key to finding your life purpose?  It’s passion.  Look for what ignites you, find the things that excite you and drive you to take positive action, watch the language you use while talking about that which you are passionate about.  Your passions are your gifts and your talents.  Sometimes, however, over the course of our lives we forget what our gifts are or what we are passionate about. Maybe they have never been given their own voice or expression or perhaps they are buried so deep inside that you have forgotten that they exist, but they do.

If you have ever found yourself asking the questions, “Why am I here?”, “What am I supposed to do with my life?” or “There must be more to life than this”, then you have most likely had an encounter with your Life Purpose, a calling to take action.

Many people believe that we are born with a destiny in place and that a higher power will show us our Fate.  Others believe that we create our own destiny by the choices we make and the lives that we lead.  Regardless of your belief about destiny or purpose, I think it’s important to embrace the idea there is “something” that beckons to us to “be” or “do” something because what you do in this life matters.  Over the course of your life you will have multiple “purposes.”  A Life Purpose will look much different at 20 than it will at 50, for example.  During the course of your own life journey, your purpose will also evolve.  During child-rearing years, one’s purpose may be to be the best parent possible, whereas after the children have left the house a new purpose will likely begin to show itself. One may feel a shift when their career is no longer as fulfilling as it was and they feel a call to do something with more meaning.  You will know when you are having an encounter with your Life Purpose by the feeling within you that summons your attention, evoking a feeling of longing for something more, in fact a knowing that you must do something more.

Remember that your Life Purpose and your gifts, talents and passions are directly related.  If you find yourself feeling pulled by something greater than you, perhaps it’s time to begin looking within to find out what it is that shows how unique you are and how to begin sharing your special gifts with others. By following the call of your Life Purpose, you will feel more fulfilled and life will have even greater meaning.

Do you ever wonder why you keep ending up in situations that keep you from reaching your goals no matter how big or small?

The truth is, sometimes we all engage in self defeating behaviors such as procrastination, fear, envy, obsession, anger, self pity, compulsiveness, neediness, guilt, rebellion or inaction. But for others, these are a way of life and when left unaddressed, these behaviors can keep us from ever living the fulfilling and meaningful life we desire.

Do any of the following sound familiar?

• Saying Yes when you want to say No
• Waiting until it’s too late
• Letting other people control your life
• Chasing after love and approval from parents or loved ones
• Getting involved with the wrong people
• Playing it safe
• Always having to be right
• Focusing on what your partner/children/co-worker is doing wrong
• Not learning from your mistakes
• Trying to change others
• Letting fear run your life
• Holding it all in

And the list goes on.

If so, then you are engaged in self defeating behavior. So what do you do about it?

The first thing to do is to acknowledge what it is that you are doing.  Understand that by continuing to live like this, for even one more day, you will keep yourself from ever living fully. Therefore, the time to take responsibility and take charge is now, right now.  Only you can make the deliberate choice that is required so that you can change self defeating behaviors into self empowering ones.

Ask yourself what the payoff is for engaging in these behaviors and how they are allowing you to play “small” in your life.  Not only do you hurt yourself, but you hurt others by not being the amazing person you were born to be and sharing your gifts.

The biggest obstacle to change is often self confidence and the belief that you can actually learn new and effective ways of dealing with old patterns.  But like everything else, the journey begins with the first step and if you can imagine living a life that brings you great joy, abundance, love and fulfillment, then you are already part of the way there.

There is no better way to earn personal self respect than by overcoming self defeating behaviors.  Find small ways of shifting your thinking to empowering actions. For example, the next time you try to change something about someone else, stop and ask yourself how you can change something about yourself to be a better person.  The next time you find yourself procrastinating, take an action towards completing a project. Set your timer for 15 minutes and go at it with all your might.

Decide what you DO want and place your focus and attention on how you want to live your life and how you want to wake up feeling about yourself each and every day. Get in the habit of acknowledging all of the things you appreciate about yourself and start living into your Greatness by making small changes to unhealthy behaviors that don’t support you. Live your life “on purpose”, one choice at a time.

Maybe you are in a relationship that you really want to work out but you just can’t seem to make it succeed. Maybe you have been pursuing a career path that you believe is right for you yet it’s not coming to fruition.  It may even be that you’ve found yourself trying keep your home, your employment or your finances intact, yet the external circumstances seem to be prohibiting the result you desire.

In the Abraham-Hicks teachings, there is a metaphor used to describe this type of resistance.  Basically, it goes like this; imagine that you are standing at the edge of a raging river.  You watch the water as it runs downstream, but you are determined to get upstream because you believe or have been told that what you want is up there.  So you place your boat in the water and use the oars to turn the boat around and begin paddling with all your might. The current of the river is strong but you are determined to get up the river so you paddle even harder, pushing against the force, meanwhile, exhausting yourself in the process.

Living with the belief that what we want is upstream; we work hard, play hard, live hard and end up tired, lifeless and unhappy.  We get stuck on “how” things will manifest, we fight for them to come about in the way we think they should. We have all been taught to never give up, to go for things with all our strength and to fight for what we want because our interminable effort will eventually pay off.

So, what do you do when you want something so badly yet all the results you are getting are that of struggle or conflict? Instead of paddling upstream, try pulling the oars into your boat and allow the river to take you where it will. In other words, surrender and learn to go with the flow of life. If you are determined and passionate, then something will always happen, it just doesn’t always happen the way you want it to. When you are not stuck on the “how”, you can allow opportunities to present themselves that may not have otherwise existed.

Do not view surrendering as giving up; there is a huge difference. To surrender means to yield, to concede to the way things are and to give way to something else without forcing it to happen our way.  Giving up is entirely different, it means to quit, to stop and to resign yourself to the idea that something is just not going to happen.  It’s important to know what you want and to take action steps every day to achieve your goals. However, you must also incorporate the Law of Allowing into the equation because there is a greater power at work in your life and surrender is the invitation by which we summon the mystery of life’s unfolding.

Never give up, but do surrender by waving that spiritual white flag and choose to go with the flow of whatever is happening that is causing great resistance because you just never know what may be right around the next corner when you’re willing to be unattached to the outcome.

“If things don’t work out the way you want them to, it just means there’s something better yet to come and you may never have found it if you hadn’t been forced too. With each change that you’re forced to make, life will take you into new worlds, introduce you to new people, open your eyes to things that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Just one introduction to one person, one person you would never have met had you not been forced into change, could re-arrange and re-shape your entire life into something you never could have even imagined before. With each change you have to make, a great many more options will open up to you; they always do. I know that change can be frightening, but you can’t let that hold you down, or hold you back. Tomorrow is a new day, so pull your shoulders back, raise your head up, and greet the morning sun with a smile on your face.  This could be just another day… or the beginning of the best day of your life. Step into the new day with a thirst for challenge and you might just be surprised with what comes your way.”

~ David Crawford, Author and Poet

Dreaming of people is probably the most common image we remember when recounting a dream.  Sometimes we dream of people we know, other times it’s someone we’ve never met.  And sometimes, we dream of celebrity actors and actresses. Regardless, we tend to dream of people that represent significant character aspects or qualities of being which is called an archetype. Simply stated, the word means a universally recognized image that is used to repeatedly represent the same thing.   Examples of this would be dreaming of people who represent the warrior, the damsel in distress, the lover, the tyrant, the injured, the child, the addict, the healer, the martyr, the victim and so forth.  In the dream we can be the one witnessing people displaying these qualities or we may actually be the ones exhibiting these qualities.

As an example, actresses that represent the archetype of the Goddess or Enchantress include Marilyn Monroe (Some Like it Hot), Scarlett Johansson (Girl with a Pearl Earring), Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Halle Berry (Catwoman), Michelle Pfeiffer (Scarface), Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct), or Angelina Jolie (Wanted), etc.

Examples of actors that represent the archetype of the Hero or Warrior include John Wayne (The Alamo), Christopher Reeve (Superman), Russell Crowe (Gladiators), Tyrone Powers (The Mark of Zorro), Mark Hamill (Star Wars), or Sean Connery (James Bond), etc.

Actors are frequently recognized as the embodiment of these archetypal energies or recurring character types who have starred in story after story throughout the human experience just as they have for millennia.  Part of the movie experience is suspending our disbelief and allowing ourselves for a time to become part of the story. That in turn evokes an emotional reaction from us which we often experience for hours after the movie has ended. If the person we watched on the screen resonates with something happening in our life, consciously or unconsciously, we might dream of them or their character.

For example, in the movie Serendipity, John Cusack plays a man named Jonathan who unexpectedly meets a girl named Sara who believes that fate should determine whether or not they should be together. Over the course of the film, we watch as their own stories unfold and they both end up engaged to other people. Despite their situations, they each hold the dream deep inside that they will one day meet again.  Throughout the film, Jonathan’s qualities include being the seeker, the detective, the visionary, the knight and ultimately, the lover.  Now let’s say I’ve just watched this movie and I go home and fall asleep and in my dream John Cusack appears.  Since I have associated him with the qualities above, one of the ways I could work with this image is to notice the desire for that type of fateful love in my life, or I might observe the way in which I feel called to pursue my own dream, whatever it is, with that much passion, purpose and determination. What will determine my interpretation is looking at everything that happened in the dream.

Whether it’s battles or reconciliations, hopes or disappointments, beginnings or endings, heartbreaks or soul mates, we identify on some level with what we perceive the actors to represent because it mirrors something happening within us. They play the parts of people fighting or masterminding crimes, taking or saving lives, finding or losing perfect love, creating or destroying, saving or being saved and overcoming the impossible against all odds.

Have you recently had a dream of a celebrity?  If so, here are a few questions you can ask yourself when finding yourself conjuring celebrity images to see what they may be representing in your dreams:

~ Have you recently seen this actor in a show or movie? If so, what part did he/she play?

~ What archetype, or quality, does this actor represent to you? Use adjectives to describe him/her.

~ Are there any associations you make with this actor?  For example, what comes to you as you think about that person?

~ What emotional response is evoked within you as you think about them?

~ How are you similar to, or opposite from them or the part they played?

~ Is anything about this person’s behavior reminiscent of anything currently happening in your life?

Working with celebrities in your dreams will give you additional insight into what stories may be playing out within your own life. They can often show you changes in behaviors or beliefs that need to be integrated or eradicated in order to live more authentically.  As always, dreams are constantly communicating with us and it’s up to us to discover what they’re saying. Sometimes they appear to reveal how you truly feel about something or demonstrate what you desire to be, do or have in your life.

“As you perceive something, you give birth to a thought, and this thought now thinks. Now that it exists, now that it has been conjured, now that it has been focused, now it vibrates. Now, by Law of Attraction, other thoughts that are vibrationally same will come to it. So it begins its expansion immediately.”

I receive a daily quote from Abraham-Hicks Publications and this one is worth sharing.

Here, stated in this quote is a perfect example of an act of conscious conception, that infamous moment when you begin creating your reality with every thought you birth into existence. For some, it is a deliberate choice, intentionally thought out and followed through while for others, it happens as if by accident without much regard to the outcome. Placed in this context, it gives us a broadened perspective about how the thoughts we think directly affect the quality and outcomes of our lives and why.

Consciously or unconsciously, the thought we have given birth to begins to grow and we either find ourselves trying to force it into what we want it to be or we help it blossom into the potential it is imbued with.  Care is taken to nurture our perceptions which we either defend and protect or allow to grow and evolve as they bump up against that which challenges them and forces them to shift and change into something even healthier.

In manifesting the life you desire, it’s imperative to give birth to positive thoughts that support and empower you. And though it’s not difficult to change your thinking, it does require practice because the mind tends to dwell on that which is fearful, lacking, doubtful or wrong.  When allowed to run around uncontrolled in your mind, these kinds of thoughts have the ability to affect every area of your life without your even realizing it

Try this for the next few minutes. Watch everything that comes across your mind and notice what kind of thoughts you’re giving birth to. Are they the kinds of thoughts you want to keep multiplying into your reality? Do they make you feel uplifted or disempowered? Are they deliberately chosen or do they randomly burst forth based on habit?

As the deliberate creator of your life, practice restating your thoughts with conscious intent.  Choose what you think about with discernment and mindfulness because thoughts are things and will undoubtedly create your reality. Find ways to recreate your thoughts in a way that allows you to feel like you just gave birth to a new life with the power to help you achieve your dreams.

Have you ever had someone ask you if you knew what your life’s purpose was and felt completely stumped?  I certainly have, it just sounded so daunting and so big that all I could say was, “Oh gosh if only I knew! I’ve been trying to figure that out for years!” But when asked what I was passionate about, well I could go on about that for hours!

Here’s a little secret; our passions and our purpose are directly related.

Each of us has things that excite us to the point that our entire energy shifts just by talking about them.  Let me share a small example; I recently posted the following question on Facebook:

“What one thing completely lights you up when you talk about it or think about it?”

I immediately received all kinds of responses like:
Art!
My children!
Flying!
The Sea!
Mythic Stories!
Kittens!
Spirituality and bass guitars!
The love of my life!

…and the list went on.

These are things that people truly love, they are passions that make them who they are and they are actually clues to these people’s life’s purpose.

Abraham says that, “The basis of your life is freedom, the purpose of your life is joy.”  Though it sounds pretty simple, what does it actually mean to say that the purpose of your life is joy?
It means that it is our responsibility to find that which brings us true happiness and share it. Our life is our message, and how we do anything is how we do everything. So living our life’s purpose is about the way in which we live our lives each and every day. It’s about sharing our passions, experiencing things we love to do and it’s about taking small steps to invite our passions into our lives so that we can further connect with that which brings us joy.

Here is my invitation to you… find something that you are passionate about and do one small thing every day to bring the experience of that passion into your life.  It could be as simple as buying books or tapes on the subject you are passionate about, signing up for mailing lists with like minded people, donating time to your favorite charity, taking a walk in nature, attending seminars or workshops about what you love, anything counts as long as it’s an action step!  Then, send me an email at Bambi@BambiCorso.com and share what you’re doing so I can celebrate you!

There are so many ways in which to take small steps towards a purposeful life, it just takes the decision to do so.  The more you can surround yourself with the types of things you most want to manifest in your life the quicker you will begin to see them show up in your life.

Not quite sure what your deepest passions are anymore?  Then give me a call for your 20 minute, no-cost Life Fulfillment assessment just for taking action and making the call. I hope to hear from you!