A True Story

I’m sitting in a quiet room at the Millcroft Inn, a peaceful little place hidden behind the pine trees about an hour out of Toronto. It’s just past noon, late July, and I’m listening to the desperate sounds of a life-or-death struggle going on a few feet away.

There’s a small fly burning out the last of its short life’s energies in a futile attempt to fly through the glass of a windowpane. The whining wings tell the poignant story of the fly’s strategy — try harder. But it’s not working, The frenzied effort offers no hope for survival. Ironically, the struggle is a part of the trap. It is impossible for the fly to try hard enough to succeed at breaking through the glass. Nevertheless, this little insect has staked its life on reaching its goal through raw effort and determination. This fly is doomed to die. It will die there on the windowsill.

Across the room, ten steps away, the door is open. Ten seconds of flying time and this small creature could reach the outside world it seeks. With only a fraction of the effort now being wasted, it could be free of this self-imposed trap. The breakthrough possibility is there. It would be so easy.

Why doesn’t the fly try another approach, something dramatically different? How did it get so locked in on the idea that this particular route, and determined effort, offers the most promise for success? What logic is there in continuing, until death, to seek a breakthrough with “more of the same”? No doubt this approach makes sense to the fly. Regrettably, it’s an idea that will kill.

“Trying harder” isn’t necessarily the solution to achieving more. It may not offer any real promise for getting what you want out of life. Sometimes, in fact, it’s a big part of the problem.

If you stake your hopes for a breakthrough on trying harder than ever, you may kill your chances for success.

The first time I heard this story I can’t begin to tell you how many bells rang to me… One of the strongest values imprinted by my father was “Work hard” and still you will barely make it. He’s a healthy 78 yo man and spend every single day working on his or my brother’s yard – every day from 9 to 5 with an hour for lunch. He is happy doing what he loves, being with himself with very few social interaction. The way he learned, strongly believe and still is loyal to.

A year ago I entered into a program and when responding to a questionnaire question I realized I was still living my life based on that very same value… First I got shocked, then I smiled and realized that the program must be really good, bringing stuff like that to the surface and giving me the opportunity to work them out.

I’ve been learning about quantum leaps, the Laws of the Universe, The effortless way, how our mind works. Lots of stuff that have already convinced me it does not have to be hard. It shouldn’t, actually.

I see a lot of people trying to hard to look easy, but because I am very good in reading between the lines, I can see what they are hiding. Worse than that, all I hear is what they are not saying. I am an empath and connect with people’s energy very easily. You can’t hide stuff from me, ever. I just know.

Interesting how on the other hand, there are a few people that “made it” and are desperate trying to show everyone that they too can do it.

Look at me, a cancer survivor, if I started telling you all the stuff I went through, it would look like a terror movie. I know people are living terrible things right now, and don’t want to say my case was worse than anyone.

What I am eager to show to the world is that this is how it looks like on the other side. It becomes almost an obsession to help others, to “convince” them of their birth rights, that they are “entitled” to a happy, healthy, fulfilled life, regardless what they are going through right now. I did, so can them.

We tend to get blind as we are experiencing stuff, trying too hard to be in control and make things happen “our way”, but it doesn’t work like that. Faith is what you need, to replace the fear of the worse case scenario with the faith in the best case scenario. That is the bridge.

As soon as you do that, you will notice how things changed, even though they are all the same – it is because you’ve changed the lenses on which you see the world – your perception and that alone will shift your whole world to a complete different place.

The most important one: Be yourself and be sure it is the best thing you can be. This is the only thing that will release you to freedom. Know that there is only one of you, you are unique, special and beautiful just the way you are. Better than that, once you are not trying to be someone else, but your true self, you will feel a drop in a huge weight out of your back and finally feel free.

“Blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Luke 1:45

The effortless way is how you might be able to fly to an open door…

Those were the first words that came to mind as soon as I stepped out of 2020…

What a year that was, wasn’t it!?

What a wonderful thing this feeling of new beginnings… 

Nothing really happened, actually we just added “1” to the number and as in magic, everything transformed. Excitement, hope, willingness to do and try something different, new plans and of course, the old and so well known “New Year’s Resolution”.

For the first time, I decided I was not going to embark on that one, because it felt like a source of disappointment in the previous years and a realization how I did not follow through on my unconditional promises to myself. 

I changed my approach a little bit, though. I’ve been learning a lot about the whole mindset thing, manifestation and self-image. Gosh I feel like everybody is talking about that, so I decided to give it a try…

“Your results reflect the way you see yourself”. Ouch! I thought as I went through a self assessment in my mind and I heard my inner voice reviving a video lesson…

– Really!? How is that possible!? I started asking myself – upset about how some things were in some areas of my life.

It wasn’t too long ago when I realized that I was actually upset with myself, my lack of action and/or excess of bad planning.

Each time I thought about doing something great, immediately I would block that idea and think that wasn’t for me…

Maybe it wasn’t, but I could at least have given a try, right!?

“Whether you think you can or that you can’t, you are correct” – Thomas Edison reminded me of his wisdom. 

– Do I really want to hear all this stuff? – I asked myself.

– Yes you do, Sheyla! (exclamation point) yelled my inner voice.

– You said you were ready for a change, didn’t you!? 

Welcome on board and enjoy the ride! 

With love,

2021

P.S. Remember you can do whatever you want, one day at a time. Be grateful, all the time, because any second everything can be taken away from you. Make a decision right now to be healthy, happy and to Live Fully 2day. It is a privilege to be here, so enjoy the Present!!

How many times we live our lives on automated mode, we stop thinking and just go through the motions? We do the same things, make the same choices, go to the same places, tell the same stories…

Perhaps the life pattern you’ve defined a long time ago is still the same… When was the last time you’ve updated your “modus operandi”? Is it out dated? Many believe it is safe to take the more traveled road, to stay with the known, compared to something new…

Have you ever questioned yourself about old thoughts, behaviors, habits and attitudes? Do they still go along with you, or have you been caring and using the same for a very long time? Do they still reflect the person you are today? Better than that, do they represent the person you want to be?

People change cars, clothes, shoes, hair style… even electronic devices and operational systems require updates. How about you? When was the last time you “rebooted” to get your mind updated?

The way you see the world today and your inner voice, are they going along or there is an ongoing battle? Are your values and beliefs compliant with the way you see life now? Is it congruent with your internal dialogue (that little voice that talks to you while you do things)? Are your actions and thoughts aligned with what you really wanna do, be and have?

Free yourself up from the garbage of your past and things that don’t belong anymore. Get rid of the old stuff and make room for the new. We do take time to do Spring cleaning, renew our house style, decor, little gadgets, sometimes we rethink the whole thing and bring a whole new theme, colors and style, don’t we? Why is it so hard to make time, stop everything we are doing, close our eyes and start questioning all the outdated stuff we still carry around, but that we know, they do not belong anymore.

I invite you to stop for five precious minutes of your day, revisit and challenge whatever is going on in your mind. Get rid of the trash, dust, polish what is good and require care, make all the necessary updates…

Get your “New Best Self” Today!

Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.

There are so many things in life that we can count on people’s help and we often should. However, there are a few things that only we can do for ourselves: eat, exercise, go to the bathroom, learn, experience things like dancing in the rain, the first kiss, love, among so many other indescribable moments.

Sure someone can cook the meal and even assist us in the process, but the act of eating is our own job. The same works for exercising, you can go to the gym, follow someone’s program on social media, but you have to put your body into the motions to exercise. Learning is another one, there are tons of tools, methodologies and content available, but the act of learning is your own and no one else can do it for you. The same works for changing your life. There are external forces and many times environmental triggers that can somehow impact or even “motivate” us to the process, but if we decide to stay as we are, change won’t happen.

The changing process starts the very moment you make a decision to do so. Many say that the Universe starts conspiring for your wish to come true and it often happens once your mind is aligned and congruent with the idea. Many watched “The Secret” movie a decade ago or so and thought it was too much… Perhaps…

There are intrinsic forces behind somethings that are invisible to our eyes, but real. A thought impact our feelings, which impact our behavior, which affect our habits and change the outcome of our results. So the mindset to change something, if taken serious can actually have some kind of “magic power”. However, like putting the raw food on the top of the stove and expect it to be cooked by itself, to finally make something happen, an action needs to take place.

This is one of those things that only you can do if you truly want to change your life!

Today, I realize that what I want in life is up to me. There is no one in my way. If I want something, I know that desire is not enough. I need to do what it takes to be a winner, before I can win.

A very long time ago I’ve read “The Law of Success” from Napoleon Hill and learned The Philosophy of Success by heart (in Portuguese) – in English I don’t even know how to start… perhaps I should dedicate some time to it

I was touched by how someone was able to word in such a perfect way what I already deeply believed in my soul.

Before we start anything, we must see it complete, or it will not happen. There are so many quotes, books and testimonials out there reinforcing just that. Why go against the current, if using it in our favor can get us there faster!? – can you believe I just came up with this amazing quote!?

Envision whatever you are trying to achieve before you have any thought about how to do it. Then, make a decision to get it done – and that you can do it! And only after that get yourself in motion to take the very first step – only one – towards that dream.