It's a Sunday in America and the news feed is abuzz with NFL players, standing or not, for the National Anthem - and what it means.  I am watching with deep fascination, as I like to when people give their argument for opposing views.  One news commentator talks about the financial impact to the players as ratings will drop due to their actions.  Hmmmm... financial impact... that is exactly why the Protestors who destroy property, destroy property - so that there is a financial impact, so that they will be heard.  Two very different sides of the issue, same conclusion, do something with financial impact so the other side will "get the message".

What most people don't realize is what they think the "other" group should do or not do, is just a reflection on what they are or are not doing.

When you point a finger at another person (or group), you point four back at you.  What you think the other person/group should be doing, is EXACTLY the thing you/your group is NOT DOING.

Each time someone comments on the other group, they entrench themselves deeper into the position from which they need healing. A Course in Miracles says, "Only what you are not giving can be lacking in any situation."  If you are seeing lack, it informs me that there is an area where you are resisting, and therefore not giving of yourself fully.  In the areas where you are fully giving, you do not comment, because you do not see lack. 

Unfortunately, we are living in a time where we so want someone else (anyone else, really) to fix these problems for us.  And, the truth, over and over again, is that only as we change will the problems around us change (and fix themselves).  If you are not happy with an aspect of your life, the best thing you can do is neutralize your judgment of it.  That is when a miracle can emerge and a new way of being with that area of your life can show itself.

Let me be clear.  This is NOT the time to DO nothing.  This is the time to take inspired, aligned action to add to the solution, not the swirl.  This is not the time to stop watching the news; to turn a blind eye; to not get involved because it is so toxic... this is the time to jump in fully, but jump in with a strong heart, a clear mind, and jump in to create a better solution that uplifts everyone involved for the highest good.  This is definitely our time.  This is the time to take meaningful action.  Meaningful action comes from a place of peaceful love and true desire to heal, not from a place of pointing out the "right way" to the solution.  If you are reading this blog, you probably know and have known... this is Our Time more than ever.  The world has been waiting for us.  And, as such, we have a strong responsibility to take meaningful action that at the least, causes no harm.  And, at the most, transforms the situation into a place of love and healing.

Here is a spiritual practice to help you release your attachment to what "should" happen so that there is space for a miracle.  This is very much in line with Byron Katie's the work and a Course in Miracles, looking for a change in perception.

1.  Identify a person or group who is "not doing it right".
2.  Take a piece of paper and fold it in half length-wise. 
3.  On the left hand side, write sentences about what the person is or is not doing.  Write at least three sentences, leaving a bit of space between each of them.
4.  On the right hand side, write how you are either doing or not doing the EXACT same thing.  In order to come up with these, think about where you are holding back because you think someone else should.  Where you are holding back, when written down, is a huge release that will allow for a miracle to come into the situation.
5.  Take ownership for your behavior, and allow the miracle to emerge.

Here are some examples:

If Only  I understood that I am in the perfect place right now.
If Only I trusted the Universe has the best plan for me.
If Only I could see how all of those "bad" decisions lead to the best moments of my life.
If Only I knew that this was perfect, exactly as it is.
If Only I would allow the miracle to show itself to me.
If Only I would understand that no one has it figured out.  And, no one's life is how they expected it would be.
If Only I remembered there is someone out there who would LOVE to have my problems (all of them, in bulk, happily, joyfully).
If Only I remembered how much I have in any given moment, instead of the one thing that is missing.
If Only I realized that life is made up of the little moments and thoses are the ones to treasure.
If Only I could see how brilliant, wonderful, and amazing I am right now (I don't need anything else).
If Only I could see myself the way so many in my life see me - the real me.
If Only I took all the time I spend thinking, analyzing, and worrying and invested it in making the world a better place.
If Only I remembered that this time will fly by; I will not remember this incident; and that so much good comes at me at every moment. 

I spend a lot of time manifesting.  I spend a lot of time helping others manifest.  Manifesting is a normal activity for me and I am always amazed at how well it works for me.  Lately, my manifestations have gotten lightening fast.  I spend a lot of time thinking about how I manifested the things I did.  When I get something particularly fast, I analyze what I may have done differently to get it so quickly and then I share those tips with you.  Recently, I noticed a deep connection between integrity and manifesting.

I was recently in a situation where I believe someone took advantage of me.  It was the feeling I got in addition to the action that was taken.  I'm doing a series of training classes, and as part of that, we have had the locations order in breakfast and lunch for the participants to have more time in training.  I have asked them to order, and then payed for it myself (and i will be reimbursed by the client).  Most places have ordered lunch around $200 (or less).  One place, ordered lunch over $1000!  WHAT?!?!?  In addition, I kept asking for a receipt, and they never gave it to me, etc, etc.

Now, I am proud to say, I did what I would tell any of you to do:
1.  I admitted that I have NO IDEA if they did this on purpose.  Maybe this is a normal ordering lunch for them.  I do not know what their intentions are, nor will I ever.
2.  I noticed the story I was telling myself and asked if I could find facts to tell the EXACT OPPOSITE story, and of course, I could. I could find all the facts to tell the story of how they did this to provide participants with a good lunch to make the training and the company look good, etc.

And, then, this is what I concluded.  They may get a very nice free lunch.  And, they very well may deserve that very nice free lunch.  They may have used this as an opportunity to get what they want (at the expense of someone else).  And, if they did, the company will more than likely still pay for it without saying anything to them (a thought that was filling me with fire earlier).  If they do, the gain will be a really nice lunch and the loss will be their integrity.

Losing your integrity is one of the most painful ways to be.  Your integrity is everything.  When manifesting, we tell ourselves a number of things that are not yet real in this 3D world, but that we are connecting with the energy of to be real.  Sometimes, I say, I lie to myself for a living.  In a post about integrity, this can sound really bad.  So, why is it ok with manifesting?  Because of the intention behind it.  When we manifest, we tell ourselves something to create a desired outcome.  Our mind, our body, our cells have to believe what we are saying and feel the way they would feel if we have it.  In order to do that, they must connect with our words, thoughts, and feelings.

If our words, thoughts and feelings are unbelievable, because we have used them for short term personal gain, then no matter how well we apply the rules of manifesting, our own body will not believe it and thus will not allow our manifestation to come into reality.  This month, I invite you to join me, as I really step up my integrity practice.  Everything from complaining, blaming, finding fault, to thinking no one would notice if I just did this one little thing - you are probably right, no one would, but your integrity would suffer.  I love to complain in my head.  I love to get really dramatic and complain, complain, complain.  I think it is ok, it is just in my head... but as Marianne Williamson says, "that is the worst place it can be!".  This month, we want to keep "our heads" (i.e., our thoughts) as clean as possible.  This month, we want focused thought on that which we do want and to clean out the junky mess of the thoughts that do not serve us and do not create the outcome we desire.  It is Fall Cleaning time, y'all (I have been traveling to the South a lot recently).  If you are not manifesting your desires, make a list of all of the ways, you are not in integrity in that area of your life, and commit, this month to doing one, simple action to improve your integrity with that area.

I love this song by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay called Something Just Like This.  And, I love the message from a manifesting standpoint.  Sometimes, we think we have to have it all figured out before starting.  What I know about manifesting is that it is a process of failing forward.  There is such a desire to understand how to, and study the masters, all great ideas to get the basics down, but at some point, you are clear what you want "something just like this" and have to trust that who you are today is good enough to get it.  Knowing what you want it to feel like is the only component you really need to manifest.  It is all about the feelings and when you relate to a feeling and can say, I want something just like this, you are ready to manifest.  When we do, though, many times, we get caught you with how it is supposed to be and what we have and do not have.  The song references superheros and fairytales and wanting things but not feeling like we have enough ​skills, knowledge, etc to get them.

The message of the song goes on to have someone affirm, I don't need all this, I just need you where you are today.  That is a HUGE message.  The reason that we get clear on our fairytale bliss and our superhero desire is to take action because right now, somewhere, there is someone waiting for what you have to share with the world.  They need you where you are right now, not where you will be when you have it all figured out.  The time to start being of service, to start creating and to start manifesting is now.  You don't have to have it all figured out, knowing that you want "something just like this" is a great place to start.  There is a good chance that the people that need you the most are right next to you right now.  You don't have to go looking for them.  Just start connecting with the energy of "I want something just like this" with everything you see that brings you joy, and the path will show itself to you with no effort!