A Medicine Cabinet Full of Fruits and Vegetables

By Lia Threat

Click aqui para español- >Un botiquín lleno de frutas y vegetales

Now that businesses are reopening and more interaction is taking place, I have increased my intake of various foods to help my body stay strong. I believe in a food first approach to boosting the body’s immune system. If you see something new to you, try it!

 

Foods rich in antioxidants with protective qualities include watercress, onions, cilantro, kale, red leaf lettuce, dark berries, cherries, green tea, apples, broccoli, and citrus fruits. These foods are rich in an antioxidant known as Quercetin. It plays a vital role in protecting the body from oxidative stress on a cellular level. Oxidative stress is the type of stress that damages cells and tissues.

Zinc, which has immune-boosting properties can be found in pumpkin seeds, beef, chicken, lentils, quinoa, cashews, garbanzo beans, shellfish, and sesame seeds.

Foods rich in Sulfur and Glutathione (our body’s master antioxidant) are cabbage, kale, swiss chard, bok choy, garlic, and cauliflower. Don’t forget about Brussels sprouts! Brussels sprouts are great roasted with garlic.

Also, make sure you are getting fresh air, sunlight, and lots of healthy fats from foods like fatty fish, eggs, mushrooms, chia seeds, flax seeds, and walnuts. This will help to increase your levels of Vitamins D and A.

A note to remember: seasonal, frozen, and canned items are great alternatives and more affordable options!

Another item, although not food-related, that you should consider keeping at home right now is an Oximeter. If you have

ever gone to the emergency room or urgent care, you may remember the small device placed on your, or a loved one’s finger while the vital signs were being taken. This device measures the saturation of oxygen in your blood. If you feel like you may have COVID-19, and you or a loved one are having trouble breathing, this is an excellent way to see if your oxygen levels have decreased, which may be an indicator for early stages of pneumonia.  If levels have dropped, call your doctor to discuss results and optimal range for you. Oximeters can be found online and at major drugstores.

Stay safe!

Time Is an Illusion

By Cristy Cali

Click aqui para español- >El tiempo es una ilusión

Fear and anxiety seem to be at an all-time high, not only within ourselves but globally. In the midst of this world crisis, it can be easy to forget how powerful we are as individuals. Our conscious thoughts, and personal energetic state, have a direct effect on the world consciousness.
The future and the past do not exist outside of our own imagination. All that truly exists is the present moment – the now. Anxiety, worry, and fear of what the future holds is a self-generated emotion as a conscious or unconscious consequence.

When we are unconscious about what we expose ourselves to – news, social media, negative people – we are allowing anything to enter the sacred space of our minds. Your input, what you absorb, has a direct effect on your entire being. The information enters your thoughts, and if negative, can stimulate fear, which creates a chemical reaction in your brain that triggers your pineal gland to secrete reactive hormones to protect you in a fight or flight state.
Too much stress, worry, fear, and anxiety will cause your body to chemically overreact; thus, compromising your immune system because it has been overridden with cortisol.  Your body is trying to protect you by giving you a boost of energy to run from a bear, but you’re worried about paying your bills or when you can return to work. You become mentally exhausted and your body is not far behind.

This is the hamster-wheel cycle of living in the future or the past, and not in what matters most – the present moment. So, what can you do to be more proactive about your thoughts?

I have a few tips to guide you in the right direction:

Treat your mind as a sacred space. 
Choose. Your attention is energy. Consciously decide what you want to invest your energy into. Fear is contagious because fear is electrified energy. You do not have to absorb this energy if you have the willpower to choose a counteractive thought or activity.

Breathe.
Breathe consciously. Your breath is what gives life to you and to the trillions of cells that make up your being. Oxygen is your friend. YouTube breathing exercises to explore different techniques to bring you back to the present. This is a great exercise to practice in the beginning of meditation to relax your mind, body, and spirit.

Express yourself creatively.             
Bring back your inner child. Remember that worry-free child you once were? That child spirit within you still exists. Stop taking yourself & others so seriously all the time. Laugh at yourself. Play. Draw. Write. Color. Create. Creativity is how the soul expresses itself and major innovations or inventions are the direct results of this divine creative energy.

Rhythmic motions.
Dance. Exercise. Yoga. Walk. Run. Your body encases the energy of your spirit. When you dance or move your body in a rhythmic pattern, your mind is concentrated on the motion and staying in rhythm. Seriously, have you ever worried about your taxes in the middle of a salsa or bachata dance?!

High Vibe Reads. 
Read a mystery novel, a self-empowerment book, or even an educational textbook about how magical Planet Earth is. Remember, your input determines your output. If all you read all day is nerve-stimulating news, your output is going to be nervous energy, and that’s not fun to be around.

The Bible refers to our bodies as temples, which I strongly agree with. If we treat our bodies as temples and sacred spaces, we are much more mindful of what we choose to expose ourselves to. We always have free will. We do not have to give in to the fear. In fact, I believe we have a responsibility, a spiritual duty, to say no to fear-stimulating energy. The imagination that has the power to create fear is the same imagination that has the power to create inner peace. You may not be able to eliminate fear & anxiety for everyone else, but you can for yourself – that’s where world-healing begins. 

Small Steps to Improve Our New Daily Normal

By Lia Threat

Click aqui para español- >Pequeños pasos para mejorar nuestra nueva normalidad

So, here we are. Many of us are still wondering what happened to our normal life and when or if our old life will return to the way it was. Our jobs may change, we may lose a loved one or a vital person from our community. Our finances and living situations may be altered, and we may be walking around wearing face masks for months. However, there are ways to retain a sense of normalcy through routine, human connection, and tuning into our fragile emotional and mental state.

 
I wanted to share a few tips I am implementing to stay sane during 
“Stay at home orders.”

Keep Devices out of the Bedroom
Blue light can be very disruptive to your circadian rhythm. Keeping these devices out of your sleeping environment will make it easier to get to sleep. A disruption in your circadian rhythm can influence mood as well as insulin levels. 

Disconnect to Reconnect
It is hard to disconnect when many of us are working from home. Try to establish a designated workspace and consistent work hours. Even if it is a tiny corner of your home, keeping work separate can be helpful. Be consistent about your hours of availability. Having a schedule gives you something to look forward to when your workday is over and will help to minimize your hours online. Check out apps that disable you from scrolling mindlessly while you are supposed to be working.  

Reconnect with loved ones, especially your elders!
Many are battling mental decline along with loneliness, anxiety, and despair. Volunteering to pick up groceries or prescriptions is a great way to help them feel cared for.  

Practice gratitude daily!
It is easy to look at the negative aspects of the current pandemic and feel hopeless or discouraged. Instead, start your day by writing in a gratitude journal.

Getting fresh air and sunshine is an easy way to lift your mood
Bonus if you get in exercise! Find free workout videos to stay active. You will feel refreshed after a few minutes in!

Wishing health and wellness for all!

A Life with Christ

By Dr. Cristy Cali

Click aqui para español- >Una Vida con Cristo

From a metaphysical point of view, Christ represents the God-consciousness personified - a real, incarnate representation of Divine Energy walking the Earth.
In 1 John 4:7-8, the bible reads,
“7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love.”

Love is the absolute highest-vibrational energy frequency in the Universe. In fact, this energy is so strong that studies have shown miraculous healing through an intense concentration -  a unification and reconstruction of atoms even after destruction - and so much more. The point is, every human being is born with the capability and, I would argue, the responsibility to love.

So, if God is love, then the energy of the God-consciousness lives within us. Compassion and empathy are the results of harnessing and aligning with this Divine power. How powerful, beautiful, and poetic is that? Nevertheless, included with this inherent power of love is the contrasting polarity of hate, division, and destruction. To the extent that we have the ability to utilize this power for the greatest and highest good comes the potential to do the opposite to the same degree. In other words, we can hate at the same level of intensity to that which we can love if that is a path we choose to take. 

We must recognize the responsibility of free will with the Divine grace of love. Each one of us has access to the greatest power of the Universe - love. To lead a life with Christ is to consciously and intentionally align ourselves with the mission of unconditional love through the acceptance of ourselves, of others, the respect for free will and the recognition of self-responsibility.

Whatever we are capable of, we realize others are capable of as well. Self-acceptance means we accept ourselves fully for who we are, acknowledging our strengths and weaknesses. Accomplishing self-acceptance is the first step to self-love and the development of unconditional love for your neighbors. Respect for free will is necessary for world peace and harmonious living, which includes the right for others to make the necessary mistakes to learn life’s greatest lessons. This leads to self-responsibility, the principle of not doing for others what they could and should do for themselves. This, essentially, is accountability for your own actions. Jesus demonstrated this very principle in Matthew 4:19 when he said, “19 And He said unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” By teaching his followers how to fish, Jesus created a ripple effect that allowed his knowledge to be passed from person to person.

We live a life with Christ whenever we utilize our free will to teach and inspire others, respect their decisions, respecting and allowing the learning processes of others to play out. How many times did we “see something coming” for someone we love or care for? Especially our children, family, friends, and partners? Sometimes our role is simply to be an observer and have the compassion and empathy to be present as a support system to others. This is kindness, and kindness, in turn, is an expression of love.

The challenges and obstacles we experience in life may never go away, but the way in which we respond when they appear is the only variable left within our own control. When we have self-control, we have self-mastery. Our bodies obtain both the power of love and of destruction - it is the necessary opposite required for us to understand all the options available to us under free will. Therefore, self-mastery is consciously aligning with our hearts, the home-base of our love frequency, where the God-consciousness we channel lives. This is how we come from a place of love by default and how we lead a life with Christ. 

Meditation Exercise
Read the following quote out loud:

“Let me help you through this day. The challenges you face are far too great for you to handle alone. You are keenly aware of your helplessness in the scheme of events you face. This awareness opens up a choice: to doggedly go it alone or to walk with Me in humble steps of dependence. Actually, this choice is continually before you, but difficulties highlight the decision-making process. So, consider it all joy whenever you are enveloped in various trials. These are gifts from Me, reminds you to rely on Me alone.” - Psalm 46:1; Psalm 63:7-8; James 1:2-3

Now read the quote again, but this time imagine Jesus speaking directly to you from your heart chakra, radiating green rays of light. In this quote, Jesus is saying you always have the option to walk with Him, but usually, you forget that He lives in your heart until a great challenge is presented before you. Jesus is asking you to depend on him by consciously making the decision to align with his energy of unconditional love. He lives in you. You are born of the same Eternal Flame as Christ himself. By trusting in Him, you are essentially allowing His words and actions to be lived through you channeled through you as a vessel of Truth. 

Boosting immunity amid the CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) outbreak

By Lia Threat

Click aqui para español- >Mejore su sistema inmune en medio del brote de Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The world is on high alert from the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus. Stores are selling out of hand sanitizer, chemical-based cleaning solutions, and cleansing wipes. My first instinct was to think about ways in which I can naturally support the body’s immune system and ability to heal. Many foods are already incorporated into my diet on a daily basis, but others can be added for additional support. Below are some of my favorites:

Cook and consume plenty of herbs and roots daily
Garlic, onion, and ginger are at the top of my list. Other foods and herbs that are known for their antiviral and antimicrobial properties include thyme, oregano, cilantro, tea tree oil, rosemary, and lemon. Incorporate them into your meals by making garlic and oregano pesto, adding tons of garlic and cilantro to guacamole, soups, stir-fries, and adding ginger, lemon, and dark leafy greens to smoothies. You can also brew roots and herbs in boiling water to drink as a tea.

Get adequate sleep
When a body is able to rest and recover it will be that much stronger to fight viruses and bacteria.
Wash your hands and practice good hygiene
Always wash your hands before eating or touching your face. Also, sanitize frequently used surfaces, like your smartphone, and those used for eating. You can make a natural solution by adding some of the essential oils above to a spray bottle with white vinegar.

Take plenty of vitamins and minerals
Boost your immunity with vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin D, Zinc, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. My favorite supplement to get a boost of Vitamins D and A is cod liver oil - one of the highest orally ingested sources available.

A calm and vibrant body is a strong body
Practice stress-reducing activities such as being in nature, mediation, and plenty of exercise.

 

Do You Know Your Life Path Number?

By Dr. Cristy Cali

@drcristycali

Click aqui para español- >¿Sabes tu número de vida?

The moment we are born into this life we are blessed by the stars with specific numbers that represent the energy of our identity – why we are here, the lessons we should learn, the essence of our soul and the personality that others see.

Should you allow yourself the opportunity of being open-minded to identify and understand your personal numerology, you could discover supportive information on your mission to knowing yourself on a level you had not yet explored.

Your personal numerology data is derived from your birth date and the legal name your parents gave you at birth. Your life lesson number is calculated by adding the numbers of your year of birth together, with your month and day. For example, mine is 2/8/1990: Add 1+9+9+0 = 19, plus 2+8 = 29. In numerology you work with numbers 1-9 or master numbers, which are pairs limited to 11, 22, 33, and 44. The last step is reducing the number, in my example 29, to a single digit by adding them together: 2+9 = 11.

If during the process of reducing the number to a single digit you notice one of the master numbers, this means you have bigger responsibilities and challenges since you have been blessed with special gifts, such as a heightened sense of intuition, an inner knowing, intelligence and all around potential. These numbers have their own unique meanings; yet, you may still refer below to the reduced single digit meaning.

Here is a brief description of each life lesson number meaning:

1 You are here to learn to be original, strong-willed, creative and innovative. Pioneer is your keyword. You may be stubborn in the sense that you do not like to be restricted or directed. You are efficient, well-organized and work best alone.

2 You are here to learn to be a good mixer through your gift of persuasion. A career in sales or marketing would be suitable for you. Playing a supportive role behind the scenes is where you excel because you achieve greatness through helping others achieve. Bringing people together is what you do best.

3 You are here to express your creative, artistic and intellectual abilities. You must manifest and see the results of your visions; self-expression and freedom is essential. Beauty, fruitfulness, luxury and pleasure are your keywords.

4 You are here to build a solid foundation on which to base your life, which includes a well-ordered system of conduct and morals. You are a provider through honest, hard work and prefer to save your money, cautioning on the safe side.

5 You are here to express your freedom. Boundaries and limitations hurt your enthusiasm for life. Traveling and learning different cultures or schools of thought fascinate you, which makes you a great conversationalist with lots of knowledge of different things.

6 You are here to learn a sense of responsibility for your family and community. The number six is the love and domestic vibration which requires you to be responsive to the needs of others. This requires a fine balance of self-love and nurturing to care so much for others.

7 You are here to use and develop your mind. Your words should be full of wisdom when you decide to talk. Understand the difference between solitude and isolation. You are going to spend a lot of time alone, but view this as a blessing to experience a deeper connection with yourself and you will experience connection to everything around you.

8 This is the number of power and ambition. This is the number of the executives and bosses. You can encourage and inspire others to be successful. You are here to learn how to handle power, authority and money. You could build a business empire through your desire to create success for your family.

9 You should be the universal lover of humanity, patient, kind and understanding. You easily acquire money and wealth and know how to preserve. Communication and service through leadership is your key. You usually always know exactly what happiness means to you.

If you have a master number, please refer to the blog section on my website for a description of the significance of these numbers, plus more detailed information on the numbers discussed, at drcristycali.com.

What Exactly Is a Health Coach?

@wellnesswithlia

By Lia Threat

Click aqui para español- > ¿Qué es exactamente un entrenador de salud y bienestar?

Health coaches are becoming more recognizable since the wellness industry has been exploding in recent years. Doctors are taking note and have been working closely with health coaches in their practices.

Starting January 1, 2020, the National Board of Medical Examiners introduced new billing codes that have been approved by the American Medical Association for health and wellness coaching. With new codes in place, health coaching sessions may be included in your insurance policy!

However, some may be confused about exactly what a health coach does. It is easy to learn more about a health coach by looking at their scope of practice.

What a health coach is:

A person well versed in dietary trends, eating, and lifestyle habits.

A means of support

Someone who may provide information, such as published and peer-reviewed studies, resources, and food-related content like recipes or articles.

Someone who can help identify lifestyle and eating habits that may not be conducive to a state of well-being.

A means of support alongside doctors and practitioners to help a client meet goals that a provider may set, such as losing weight, working to lower blood pressure, etc.

What a health coach is not:

Someone who gives medical advice

Someone who provides a diet

Someone who advises a patient to start or stop taking any form of medication.

If you are looking to make lifestyle changes, a health coach may be able to help you. It is best to find the right fit.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a free 15-minute discovery session, see the related information below.

@wellnesswithlia Lia Threat is a certified health coach based in New Orleans. She works with individuals, groups, and schools throughout the Greater New Orleans area. You can reach her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Choosing Nutrient Rich Foods For Lent 

By Lia Threat

Click aqui para español- >Escoge alimentos ricos en nutrientes durante la cuaresma

As Mardi Gras season ends, many start thinking about Lent. During Lent, Catholics abstain from their usual indulgences, such as alcohol, sweets, or sugar. Lent also includes abstaining from meat on Fridays. Choosing a nutrient-dense replacement can help you stay full longer and avoid those dips in blood sugar that may lead to cravings for junk and sweets.

Choose a fiber-rich meal with legumes.

Seafood is popular on Fridays, but another option is to go meatless and even vegan! Choose foods rich in fiber, such as lentils, black beans, or green peas.

These options are high in iron, easy to cook, and full of nutrients like B vitamins and minerals such as zinc. Soaking your beans and legumes will help to lower levels of phytic acid, which impairs the absorption of iron, zinc and calcium. Cover your beans or legumes with water in a bowl for at least four hours or overnight. Make sure to rinse thoroughly before cooking!

Try to source seafood options that are local, wild-caught, or responsibly farmed and raised seafood has been the top choice for meatless Fridays during Lent. If you can’t afford to buy fresh, wild-caught seafood, there are other options rich in fatty acids, Omega 3s, and iron that fly under the radar. Some more affordable choices are clams (one of the most iron rich foods), mussels, canned salmon, or sardines (great for heart and brain health, as well as inflammation). Frozen seafood is the next best option.

Remember to add color and variety to your meal to avoid filling up on carbs! Most of all, enjoy this time with family and focus on abundance rather than restriction.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Dream Medicine

By Cristy Cali

Click aqui para español- >El sueño como medicina

Are you experiencing a lot of challenges in your life? Are you getting sick too often? Are you dealing with a chronic illness or disease? Are you feeling stuck? My suggestion may shock you, but I invite you to consider the idea that sleep may be the answer. Especially if you are feeling sleep deprived!

Sleep is not what you think it is. For generations, we have been told and we have been telling ourselves that we often cannot remember what occurs during sleep or that we do not always dream. If you believe you cannot remember, you will not remember most of the time. If you go to sleep and ask or command your psyche to remember, with practice, you will start remembering. I invite you to try this.

The body naturally heals itself during sleep. Your brain can operate on a multitude of frequencies, some of which you may have heard of before. According to BrainWorks Neurotherapy, Delta Waves are generated in deepest meditation and dreamless sleep. “Delta waves are the source of empathy and can suspend external awareness. Healing and regeneration are stimulated in this state, and that is why deep restorative sleep is so essential to the healing process.”

In a way, you die to your human self when you sleep. The only energetic difference between a corpse and a sleeping person is a pulse. During sleep, your individual consciousness is returning to Oneness (i.e., the collective consciousness), while still having a connection to your human body. When you are asleep, your psyche is most awake. In fact, it is while you are awake that you are “shutting down” and focusing on one aspect of reality. You are more awake and connected to your spirit while you sleep than when you are awake.

When you sleep, you are healing emotional trauma and energetic wounds. Your psyche is resolving problems that it cannot while you are awake because there is no opportunity to do so. Waking life is so focused that your psyche cannot use the energy it needs to resolve issues hidden deep within your subconscious.

Nevertheless, know that many wonderful and amazing things occur during sleep. You, as the operator of your consciousness, have the ability and responsibility to take charge of your life and direct your energy. Command and ask for what you need during sleep. If you are being too hard on yourself, before bed say, “I command an energy shift to be kinder to myself.” If you are experiencing an illness, try saying, “I ask the Universe to bathe my body with healing energy to overcome this discomfort.”

There is so much more to learn about the importance of sleep, how to direct energy and embracing the possibility of lucid dreaming to enhance our lives. If you would like to learn more, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I enjoy the opportunity to educate others on all metaphysical topics- especially sleep!

The healing power love

@drcristycali

By Cristy Cali

Click aqui para español- > El poder de sanación del amor

Why am I still so surprised at the healing power of love? On some level, I am not surprised; yet, I find myself witnessing and experiencing situations with so much positive transformation.

Recently, I had a situation in my life where someone spoke ill of me publicly. When I heard about this, I was feeling conflicted, confused and not exactly sure how to proceed. I did not understand why this person would have claimed that I had behaved one way when I knew for a fact this was not the truth.

Despite the fact that my perception of what had occurred was different, it was obvious she had a completely different perception and she truly believed this to be true. This is going on a lot in the world right now, especially in the world of politics. Different media outlets are painting a different version of their truth to millions of people, leaving some people to believe one thing while others simply have no idea what to believe anymore. The defining lines of the truth have been blurred. No wonder there is so much chaos on the world stage!

Motivation

From a metaphysical vantage point, what matters most is how we respond and what we allow ourselves to feel. After I found out about the incident, I waited at least 24 hours before I responded so I could have time to meditate about the situation. First, I recalled something my metaphysics professor once told me, “What other people think of you is none of your business.” What he meant was, you should not care so much what other people think of you; rather, if you are truly being honest with yourself, what you think of yourself is far more important. I know where my heart is, so I had to accept she did not see me in a way I wished to be seen, but I cannot do anything, nor should I waste my energy trying to change the opinion of someone else. When I meditated, I imagined my heart chakra opening up and connecting with this individual and I had a mental dialogue with her soul. I imagined my soul speaking directly to her soul. I asked her for forgiveness, compassion and understanding. I told her I loved her as a soul sister, and that I meant no harm. I prayed that she be blessed with positive energy so she could experience happiness. Then, I wrote her a letter in response to her accusation where I acknowledged and respected her feelings. I let her know I cared and understood by responding with compassion, while also standing my ground and being assertive.

“even if you believe you have done nothing wrong, believe you can always make things right”

Almost a week went by and each day I thought of her in a loving way. Although the situation had bothered me, I had come to terms and accepted what had transpired and I was in the process of putting it all behind me. Then, to my surprise, this individual reached out to me over the phone and sincerely apologized for their untrue remarks and asked me to accept her apology. If that is not proof of the power of loving energy, I do not know what more I could share with you. This is a real story. This is how love heals and how we can transform and elevate the vibration of the Earth so we may all live in harmony. It begins with us. Even if you believe you have done nothing wrong, believe you can always make things right.

Meal Planning for the New Year and Beyond

By Lia Threat

Click aqui para español- >Planeación de alimentos para el año nuevo y más

Even though I am all for New Year’s resolutions, I believe more in making changes that will last through the whole year and not just that first month! One of the behaviors that I notice the most when people try to make a new change with their eating habits is an attempt at meal prepping. Some people go all out and meal prep seven days a week, and others may just prep their lunch. Start with a few days a week and build your way up to get a feel for how meal planning can fit into your schedule. Before you get started, here are a few things to keep in mind so you can begin with confidence. Good luck and happy prepping!

CHANGE IT UP
Our bodies love a diverse menu! Chicken and the same vegetable seven nights a week is not enough variety to get all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to thrive. Choose a mixture of proteins, complex carbohydrates, fruits and veggies each week

SHOP ONE DAY,PREP ANOTHER
For those of you who work a traditional Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 job, weekends may be your best bet for prep and shopping. Trying to do both in one day can feel overwhelming. Pick a day like Saturday to shop and cook in bulk on Sunday.

EAT FROM THE RAINBOW
If you have red peppers one week, try raspberries or beets next. Switch between different shades of fruits and veggies for various antioxidants.

BE A SMART PREPPER
Delicate salad greens are not the best option to prepare ahead. Instead, choose hearty greens like kale, and collards, root vegetables, or pureed veggies. Also, cooking for three to four days and freezing the remainder can get you through the week while reducing the amount of food waste.

Gratitude

By Dr. Cristy Cali

Click aqui para español- >Gratitud

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

-   James 1:2-5 New International Version (NIV)

This biblical passage really spoke to me because many of us are experiencing cycles of challenges and uncomfortable periods, which ultimately stimulate growth. If you are experiencing difficulties in your life at this time, there is a very simple, yet powerful way to shift your perception and regain the energy and vitality you seek.

Here is the secret: gratitude.

Our suffering is never in vain when we understand that every single challenge is an opportunity for growth and transformation. The word transformation requires reformation and the breaking down of older patterns in an effort to create new ones. This can be uncomfortable, painful, and all-around stressful if we forget to remember the Divine power that lives within us. Good always has the potential to rise out of all suffering.

Remember this holiday season that the Spirit of Christ and Divine Love lives through you always. Nothing can take that away from you. I am here to remind you of this very important fact so that next time you feel broken and wish to cry out in prayer “why?” as if you were a victim of circumstances, instead, say, “thank you” as Jesus gave thanks for the opportunity to exemplify a life in the image of God, despite all He experienced.  

When you consciously change your behavior for the greater good, the patterns that make up who you are also change on a quantum and molecular level, including our own DNA.

Science now reveals that our DNA renews itself every two months. All the cells within your brain renew within one year. Your epidermis (skin) renews itself every month. And so on and so on.

You can change everything about yourself, transform your being for the better by elevating how you think and act. As above, so below. Elevate your thoughts and you will elevate your life.

So long as you are conscious of your Divine Power and connection to the Universe, you will always have the ability to instantly be at peace and show others the way there.