Christina Sarich, Natural Society
Waking Times

As we get closer to the holidays, many people look for ways to cut back on sugar and other indulgences so that when the New Year rolls around, they won’t have to work so hard to lose those extra pounds. While it is a good idea to avoid sugar altogether, using the artificial sweeteners Splenda or Aspartame might be even worse. There are numerous reasons you should avoid the stuff in little yellow packages (or pink, or blue). Here is why.

Donald Rumsfeld, the very same politician who supports GMOs, is perhaps the singular man who got Splenda onto the market after the FDA initially refused it. If you have gotten sick from consuming this toxic substance, you can thank him, along with its makers. Splenda was created by the British company Tate & Lyle along with the pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson.

Why not simply surrender to this day with the intention of having the highest outcome possible? There is such a delicious freedom that comes from the act of surrender because you can then go about your day with complete confidence, flow and acceptance. It is choosing to live with intention and non-resistance, which allows the universe to work though you, and for you, in the most delightful ways. ~Archangel Gabriel

BE IN JOY! Enjoy!   Are you ready to embark on a journey towards everlasting joy? Take several long breaths. As you exhale, let out the worries of the day. Consciously pay attention to each muscle in your body, starting at the top of your head. Note the muscles in your jaws, tighten them for a second and then allow them to relax. Move down to the shoulders, arms, fingers, etc. tightening then relaxing each set of muscles, down to your toes. Breathe in as you tighten the muscles; breathe out as you relax the muscles. This is a good exercise to practice whenever you find yourself out of balance or wish to relax or meditate.

How do you find balance in all things? How can you stay centered no matter what event is occurring in your life? How can you find and experience joy even in times of extreme chaos? Start by simply telling yourself it is so, that you are balanced in this moment. That may seem overly simplistic, but it is the bottom line. With practice, it will become easier until it becomes second nature.

Where to begin? In this moment. Well up memories and feelings that made you feel good in the past or present. Feel these emotions. Send gratitude to anyone involved. Allow yourself to feel the joy you felt during that event. Bask in these feelings for as long as you desire. The purpose is to remind yourself how it feels to be in joy. Remember these feelings. Many of you have denied yourself the feeling of joy for eons. You can be the catalyst to help others out of their misery when you learn to find joy in everything.

Open your eyes to a new world. You are the ones who will awaken the Earth. You may think that you bounce off the world, yet it is the world that bounces off you. I am speaking of both the animate and inanimate world. You are a key player. The love you send out rebounds. The ill-will that you send out rebounds. Whether you think love or angst, you spritz them out to the world.
 
Before you draw conclusions to this, you do not play alone, nor are you to think that each wind that blows your way is something you earned or caused or is attributable to you. Thinking that way gets you nowhere. Besides, sometimes, often, you are simply an innocent by-stander. There may be ancient effects that suddenly alight on you, but you are a new consciousness now, and it doesn’t make sense that sins are visited upon you. Just don’t think that way. Don’t be looking for cause or reason. The fact is that now you have to let go of all the why’s and wherefore’s and simply get on with your life. Remember it is your life you live now that we are talking about, not some past life that creeps up on you.
 
You are in the business of your present life. If it is a cyclone that you get caught up in, don’t try to trace of the origin of your being caught in it. If life is climbing a flight of stairs, you are on a different step now. There is enough to deal with what is right now.
 

So, pulling from a decade of experience as a life coach, in an effort to help Lane walk more closely Sara’s footsteps, here are some toxic, confidence-killing behaviors to avoid:

Getting caught up in lots of needless drama.– Some people love to stir up controversy and drama for no apparent reason. Don’t buy in to their propaganda. Stay out of other people’s drama and don’t needlessly create your own. Instead, imagine what would happen if you spent this entire day, and every day hereafter, with all your energy directed toward your most positive possibilities. Rather than being annoyed, be amused. Instead of getting angry, become curious. In place of envy, feel admiration. Life is too short to argue, fight or be negative in any way. Count your blessings, value the people who matter and move on from the drama with your head held high.

Seeking approval from everyone around you.– Confident people have no interest in pleasing everyone they meet...