What if?

What if nothing was real?
What if everything was an illusion?
What if everyone was an actor in the play of your life?
And what if each and every scenario was choreographed only for your highest good?

On some very deep level, I believe this to be the case (or at least enjoy imagining this to be true).

When someone betrays me, perhaps it's just God in disguise. When someone criticizes me, perhaps that too is God. And when someone takes something from me, what if it's just God once again? The challenge come in figuring out what we're to learn from each encounter...

Earlier this evening, after showing some friends a sneak-peak at footage from my show, two made several critiques and suggestions about my future wardrobe. They spent MANY minutes sharing every thought they could muster about what I should wear, what looks best, and what colors I should consider for the future. And I got....... well....... PISSED.

Sitting on the subway ride home, I looked around at the faces. God disguised as strangers on the train. God smiling at me. God staring at me. God ignoring me. God fighting with another passenger. All sent here to hold up a mirror - for me to see my beliefs projected outward, and a chance to undo one more limiting thought so that my life (and heart) can be lighter.

Then I saw it. God disguised as wardrobe-critiquing people: here to show me where I still seek approval, here to shed light on any remaining insecurity about my own appearance, and here to shower me with another opportunity to see where I defend and separate myself from others. (But perhaps most importantly, here to shower me with constructive wardrobe advice that I obviously needed to hear!) What a gift, what a gift, what a gift.

So what if everyone that has caused you [perceived] pain was really just God in disguise? What if it's all lovingly planned so that we each learn exactly what we've come here to learn? What if we're all surrounded by nothing but angels? What if everything you encountered was nothing but GOOD.

What if?...

What if?...

What if?...

Now what will you say next time someone cuts you off in traffic?
(Say hi for me, won't you?)

It's all about love...

Love. It's the foundation of every single thing on the planet. It's the energy that we arise from. It's our nature, our core. It's who we are without our limiting beliefs.

But are you like me? Do you sometimes find it FAR too easy to find flaws in those you love? Isn't it exhileratingly painful to cut down our partner, picking apart every single microscopic way that they appear to be "less than perfect"? I've found myself holding an emotional magnifying glass up to my partner lately, at moments only choosing to see the flaws of our connection. I make a mental list of the ways I'm not getting the love I deserve. I see him as less. And it hurts...

Then a good friend of mine, who's an amazing support in my life, was telling a tale that sounded awfully familiar. She too was holding her partner to the perfection fires, and was voicing this frustration to a woman at a recent workshop she was attending. The woman turned to her after hearing this loveless tale, and asked "But how do YOU love?"

It's SO easy to get caught up in what others should be doing for us. How they should love. What they should give. Who they should be in order for us to feel fulfilled and cherished. But it is never the act of receiving love that is deeply satisfying. Yes, it feels fleetingly fabulous, I'll agree. But the deeper, exhilerating, blissful experience of GIVING love is the true gift to ourselves and others.

Ask yourself this question: What are you doing for those you love? What are you contributing to the planet? How could you make someone's day by doing the simplest of gestures? Where is it that you've forgotten the joys of giving?

Do it. And do it for the basic fact that it FEELS good to do so.

Now go put down that critical inventory list of others, even if just for 5 minutes -- long enough to batt a smile at a stranger, or give a compliment to your sweetie. Go "love-up" someone - anyone - today. You'll be glad you did (and so will they)!