Recently I endured a situation with a co-worker of mine where I was wrongly accused.  I knew how far I’ve digressed in my spiritual progress because of the way I reacted to the situation.  There had been previous altercations between my coworker and me, as a result I was a little on edge.  I got really upset which further proved to this person (in their eyes) that it was my fault.  I had a mini-meltdown and was on the verge of quitting my job.  My coworker sought mediation through my manager.  Thinking that this was a potentially peaceful meeting I agreed only to find out it wasn’t.  I understand that my position here was to not react (which is my usual position, unfortunately), it was to listen.  Even though I knew he was wrong in his accusations and he persisted just to get a rise out of me, I can only control me.  I understand that I manifested my part in this situation, I never applied the necessary forgiveness to the previous situation.  Which only made me a prime target for more of my coworkers negative energy.  Forgiveness is so important because, I’ve learned, it is less about the other person and more about me being able to move on.  Who knows, if I had done the necessary spiritual work I would have been out of the line of fire and it would have been directed elsewhere.  So today and for the next couple of days I am going to be actively focused on forgiveness.  First starting with other people, then moving onto myself, then moving onto the past.  It feels really good to be the person I AM in spite of the actions or motives of other people.  It helps to reinforce this spiritual journey and the person I’m growing into continuously.  I can SEE my growth and it looks GOOD.  People continue to give me good lessons to learn more about myself and grow from, thank you!  God is SO good!

Intention: Forgive anyone and everyone who I feel is harming and/or slighting me.  And then forget (essential part!) and move on.

Follow through has always been a slight problem for me. I’ll say I’m going to do it. I’ll mean to do it, but somehow in the process of execution my well meaning intentions get lost. I really think what was meant by the term “the pathway to hell is paved with good intentions”, it actually means that all the things you planned on doing but never did, even with good intentions, is what leads you to your own personal hell. I understand that completely. But it’s not just about follow through, it’s also about being realistic about what you’ll do, what’s in the realm of possibilities for you, and what you actually hope for from the experience. A lot of times I know I’ll start something not to finish it but to see if I can actually get it started. It’s about if I have enough courage to put the plans forth or if I can pull together all the resources to get it started. I used to get down on myself about not finishing things, but I’ve come to find out that the reward for me is not always in the completion of a task. Another aspect of integrity for me has come from knowing when to say ‘no.’ Just as I’ve been given the ability to accept a task I also have the ability to reject a task. If I can not be my best when taking on a task and/or if no personal growth can be gained from a task I am responsible for saying ‘no.’ I understand that I lose nothing for refusing the things that do not serve me. I allow myself to enjoy this path and process more with every task that I agree to that aids my personal growth. I open myself up to the blessings that are constantly being set up for me in my path. I exclaim to the Universe “Yes, I am open, I am receptive!” This allows me to display more integrity with each action and choice. God is SO good. And I’m ready to consistently prove all that I’m learning throughout this process.

Manifestation: It’s not an easy task to do things out of integrity, when you’ve shrunk from it for so long. It’s a laborious process, but if I don’t start now, when? I’ve noticed that in as little as 24 hours the speed that the Universe works. I have had distances placed between negative situations and myself. I’ve allowed myself to be honest with all parties involved and had the usual confrontations deferred elsewhere. It’s almost as if the moment I said I’m ready the Universe had been ready! I opened up and realized how open all the opportunities have been to me. I feel a sense of calm and expectation but without the anxiousness. I’m really, really excited. God is SO good.

So lo and behold I stumble upon “MavenD’s Path” after over a full calendar year of inactivity.  What have I been doing with my life and why am I so off path?  I revisited my previous posts and realized how much I’ve changed over the last year.  I’ve lost not only a sense of myself, I’ve lost all sense of faith in this process of growth.  Thinking about the last year I’ve started so many things I haven’t finished.  I’ve been an inconsistent friend.  I’ve looked for the easiest way out of and into things.  I blamed a lot of things on a lot of people.  And all the while I’ve sworn that it wasn’t anything I was doing, it had to be a product of the forces outside of me.  I continued on this path expecting things to get better and wondered why they didn’t.  Sounds a little insane, right?  Same things (expelling negative energy) and expecting different results (positive manifestations).  There’s no amount of praying (trust me) that will change the outcome because I was continuously focused on the negative and asking for God to take this burden from me.  How in the world is God going to take something from me that I keep holding onto and re-manifesting?  Free will, right?  I had lost sight of the Universe’s modus operandi – I will support you, whatever you focus on, whatever you consistently choose.  I have come to the point where I’ve literally stepped out of my mind.  Sometimes that’s the place you have to get to so that you can refocus and rebuild.  That’s the reason I’ve titled the post “Ground Zero”, because I’ve destroyed a lot just so I could rebuild something stronger, more efficient, and more reinforced than it’s predecessor.  I’m working on rebuilding, one brick at a time.  I hope you enjoy the ride, ’cause it’s going to be a fun one!

So I’d just like to start this off by saying God is SO good and be careful what you ask for. I’ve slept in my own bed for all of 4 days in the last 4 weeks. Yes I said that right. So what did I ask for exactly? I set forth the intention that I wanted to travel a lot. And what have I received? The ability to travel A LOT! Its gotten so bad some of my friends are complaining about not seeing me anymore! But they’ll be okay. Lol. So this is what happens when you intend and you really mean it with no fear behind it. As soon as I get stationary I’ll be updating this blog with my testimonies and the continuation of Maven D’s 100 Day Challenge. God is SO good!

I blogjacked this from the IPopin website. I think I’m going to start posting affirmations 1-2 times a week. They help to get you in a better mindset for creation. Yay affirmations! (I know, I’m corny!)

I choose healthy relationships based on mutual love and support.

And I do, this day and everyday. God is SO good. Enjoy!

So I’ve been neglegent with my posts, so I’ve decided (insert groan here) that I’m counting the days in my challenge by days I’ve actually, actively devoted to the challenge! Surprise! So I know I should be around Day 30, but I’m actively at Day 25.

Intention: Honesty and Wholeness

So honesty is the best policy, right? Then why does it seem like most people don’t constantly apply this policy? I know it tends to be difficult, especially when you are already in the midst of lying, you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, or you’re just not comfortable being straight forward. But it’s still NECESSARY. It prevents situations of guilt, mistrust, and deception. Being honest creates freedom, freedom from the burden of lies. So over the next couple days I will apply this policy and allow myself to be aware of the manifestations of it in my life. I am a whole being, I came to this earth worthy as I am. I don’t need to have give people an “idea” of me, I can give them the honest truth of me. I won’t leave things that are an essential and important part of me to being revealed when they are “relevant”. All of me is relevant right now, all of me is dynamic, all of me is whole. I will know who is for me by who chooses to accept me. I will not know who chooses to accept me until I am my honest and authentic self in all interactions.

Manifestation: Wow, God is SO good! So, so good! I’ve had a ball this week. I made a trip to Atlanta to visit one of my closest friends and cousin. I expected it to be an amazing week, but I really had no idea! Currently I am a happily single woman, but boy does Atlanta make it hard. The manifestation of my focus on honesty and wholeness this week came into play with my encounters with the opposite sex. Why is it so hard when you are tempted by a beautiful man (or woman for some of you)? I had to make sure that I was extra clear with several young potential courteirs that I know what I want. Now mind you I slipped in one way very poorly. My eyes and body knew what it wanted. But of course my heart and mind were like, “Dayna freeze!” My impetuous tendencies always seem to get the best of me. And my intuition is always on point, but do I listen? Nope! This time however I stopped the madness before it could begin. Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy. Be clear about what you want because conflicting agendas always breed bitterness and resentment. So I careful withdrew myself from a potential heartbreak situation and I am ecstatic about it. He was honest and I was honest in turn. I stepped away and I’m happier for it. That’s a lot to happen in only one week, you think? Well there was history behind it and this week it all came to the light. I get to have what I want, I am whole. This is God’s promise to me. I need to start with myself first, be honest with myself and I can be honest with everybody else. God is SO SO SO good. And I love her for it!!!!

So this is just me testing out posting via cellphone. I will be traveling and won’t have immediate access to a computer so I pray that this will suffice. I’ll have to add pics and quotes when I do get to a computer. But until further notice, MavenD’s 100 day challenge is hitting the road!

Top 25 Simply Successful Secrets

Rounded up by David Potts of todayistheday.com

I need to revisit this list often. It’s very helpful and I find myself doing many things on the list! Make sure to click on the link above to view the rest of the list. Enjoy!

1. Exercise/Eating Healthy Foods – Including walking, running, swimming, rollerblading, bicycling, resistance exercise, yoga, pilates, taking the stairs, drinking plenty of water, drinking healthy tea, taking vitamins and/or minerals, practicing martial arts, and eating foods in the proper proportions and at the proper times of day.

2. Read – Including books, textbooks, blogs, helpful magazines, newspapers, library books, children’s books, fiction and non-fiction, articles, newsletters, mind puzzles, comic books, and the Bible.

3. Practice Productivity Habits – Including Simpleology, “tickler” systems, time management, focused intensity exercises, responding to email/telephone calls in a timely manner, being organized, finishing tasks once they are started, keeping a to-do list, turning off the TV, reviewing tasks the night before, doing tasks in chunks or blocks of time, prioritizing, only focusing on things within our control, knowing when to stop spending time on any given task, knowing which tasks are even worthy of your time, keeping it simple, using the proper tools, doing something right the first time, and controlling the flow of information.

4. Switch Off/Quiet Time/Recreation – Including taking down time to watch TV, playing games/video games, getting out of the house, knitting, spending time with friends, making time for yourself, working on community activities, shopping, taking a bath, rewarding yourself, sitting in a hot tub, and other recreational activities. – 51 Votes

5. Staying Focused on Mindset and Tasks – Including being mindful of the proper mindset for any given situation, avoiding stress by knowing when to say “no”, staying focused on the task(s) at hand, listening to your intuition, consistently working on tasks that lead to goal attainment, being persistent or having a high level of perseverance, being focused on the journey rather than the reward, taking one step at a time, reminding yourself why you are doing what you are doing, giving your best effort every single time, and practicing affirmations.

6. Finding Joy/Happiness – Including the realization that we can create joy from our own state of mind, observations of the many things in our lives to be joyful about, having fun, smiling, laughing, appreciating life/nature, not taking life too seriously, enjoying the little things, doing what you want to do at any given moment, having a cheerful attitude, loving your work or your career, living/working with passion, celebrating your successes, living every day as if it is your last, and acting silly.

7. Practice Gratitude – Including reflecting on life, being grateful for wonderful events, for lessons that have been learned, for health, for opportunities, for other people in our lives, for the beauty of nature, for jobs and careers, and for technology. Also, thinking of things before bed and again upon rising to be grateful for, and not taking people or situations for granted.

8. Visualize/Clarify short and long-term Goals – Including visualizing the future, setting new goals, reading goal lists, clarifying and documenting desired outcomes, saying goals out loud, making/focusing on vision boards and other goal reminders, setting intentions, practicing Law of Attraction principles, and reevaluating and refocusing on your goals when circumstances change.

9. Writing – Including blogs, business and personal journals, articles, stories, notes, websites, and copywriting.

10. Family Time – Including play time, family meals, watching TV, reading to children, spending time with spouse/significant other, talking to parents or other relatives, spending time with children.

11. Learning from other People – Including emulating successful behavior, avoiding mistakes that other people have made, learning something new every day, and engaging in interesting conversations.

12. Practice Personal Growth/Self Development – Including asking “How can I?” questions, reading personal development articles, books, & blogs, surrounding yourself with positive/empowering people, committing to personal or spiritual transformations, being self-sufficient, and listening to, reading, or watching motivational or inspirational content.

13. Becoming Still/Letting Go – Including a conscious effort to stop thinking about how things are going to work, taking mental down time during which you do not think about the future, practicing resistance releasing techniques, not overly thinking situations, simply being quiet, and listening when others speak.

14. Research/Gain Experience – Including Internet research, asking others for their opinions, trying new things outside of the norm, and getting job/personal/career related education or experience.

15. Not being Afraid/Pushing your Limits – Including taking on challenging projects, setting hard to reach goals, accepting difficult employment assignments, trying new things, asking for help, saying “no”, and taking risks. Also includes getting outside of your comfort zone, continuing to focus on a task even when you think you can’t do it anymore, doing things that you wouldn’t normally do, putting yourself in difficult situations so that you have no choice but to perform, having big dreams, and embracing the unknown.

16. Helping Others – Including social work, forgiving others for past misgivings, being available when others need assistance, opening up, donating time or money, giving back/paying it forward, giving advice/feedback to others, knowing when not to give advice, helping others to attain greater heights, and being generous.

17. Meditate – Including guided meditation, mind-clearing meditations, Holosync, hypnotherapy recordings, brain-wave recordings, breathing techniques, deep thought, reprogramming of old belief systems, and paraliminals.

18. Planning/Scheduling – Including planning tasks to be accomplished on any given day, planning days or weeks in advance for upcoming tasks, scheduling the proper amount of time at or away from your place of business, and starting or stopping work according to a preset schedule.

19. Be Creative – Including writing, making jewelry, metal works, painting, gardening, designing graphics, drawing, cooking, doing something crazy once in awhile, sculpting, daydreaming, singing, writing poetry, sewing, crocheting, and just generally allowing the mental flow of creativity.

20. Communicate Online – Including instant messaging, email, message boards, telecommuting, and sharing files online.

21. Be Confident in who you Are – Including coming up with your own solutions to problems, choosing appropriate advice to take that is given by others, believing in yourself and your abilities, believing in your career or choice of business, leveraging your personal strengths, knowing your weaknesses, having great love for yourself, and making eye contact with other people. Also, not being afraid to be yourself, admitting your mistakes, not modifying your personality to suit the needs of others, allowing yourself to be at ease as you go through life, and making personal observations about yourself so that you can make modifications as you see fit.

22. Get up Early – Including getting out of bed before other members of the household, getting up early enough to accomplish tasks before the busy parts of the day, enjoying quiet time before the world wakes up, and getting up at the same time on the weekends as during the week.

23. Having a Positive Attitude – Including looking on the bright side, not succumbing to negativity, not allowing circumstances to dictate your level of happiness, practicing forgiveness, and removing negative people and influences from your life.

24. MasterMind Groups/Partnerships – Including working with or being influenced by others for the purposes of goal setting, best practices, growth strategies, conference calls, sharing ideas, networking, and spending time with others who have similar interests.

25. Get out in Nature – Including going for walks, hiking, gardening, sitting outside, enjoying fresh air, and general communing.

I love finding sites that help me get clearer about what I want. This site is so wonderful, you get to create your own floor plans and rearrange furniture, etc. I’m using it to map out my house (I’ve drawn it out and I’ve used a software on my computer, but this web tool is the most fun!) There are some fun features too, like you can change the color of the car in the garage to match the car you have or want. There are a variety of furnishings to choose from as well as colors. There are many more features so check out the site yourself: Floor Planner.

Some good applications for this:
1. If you want update your home and are trying to get an idea of how your furniture will fit.
2. If you’re attempting to visualize your new home you can work through an iteration of layouts to your liking.
3. If you’re expecting to add an addition you can work out the possibilities.

I think it’s wonderful, I was told once that you have to clear about what you want so you recognize it when it comes. Words to live by, and I’m using this tool to help me get closer to it.

Here’s an example that I pulled from the website: