Lorraine E. Castro, LMFT

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE ~ STAY JUICY!

•May 4, 2015 • Leave a Comment

This is a post from three years ago that is always so relevant, I thought I’d repost it.

Thoreau said “There must be the generating force of love behind every effort destined to be successful.”

This couldn’t be truer. Every effort you make that has the intention of loving service to others will generate success for you. What have you accomplished in your life that has satisfied you most and filled your soul? If you think about the events and accomplishments you are most proud of, they were probably motivated by love. This could have been the love of a sport, a hobby, a job, anything. You could have put that extra effort into something that made your parents proud when you were younger. As an adult, the loving effort you put into relationships has gained you good friends and rewarding experiences. The essence of love lies beneath every successful action. Love is a strong motivator.

What you might consider is that the greatest of this love must be for yourself. If that…

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FEELING CRAZY LATELY? ~ STAY JUICY!

•March 26, 2015 • Leave a Comment

HELP, I FEEL LIKE I’M FALLING APART!

Not really, but some days lately have felt very odd. Are there times you feel crazy and challenged simply getting through the day? Some mornings I wake up and know it’s going to be a strange one from the minute I get out of bed. You know that weird feeling of being out of synch with yourself, like you’re in a time warp or your brain synapses aren’t firing right? Come on, you know you’ve been wondering what’s going on.

Have no fear, you’re not going crazy. You are simply at the mercy of unseen factors that affect us all, like the fact that Mercury is retrograde, whatever that might mean to you. The planet is spinning faster and time has decided to speed up and send us whirling into a different way of being. We must accept this, whether we understand the particulars or not. It’s Not 1994 Anymore! Back then if someone told you about some of the inventions we have right now, they would have sounded like wild ideas. And that was only 11 years ago! There were no smartphones, no iPads, no flat-screen or 3D TVs, and, imagine this, no Google, no Netflix, no Dropbox.

If you aren’t someone who follows astrological changes or even believes in them, no worries. They will continue to happen and affect you anyway. For instance, the recent supermoon total solar eclipse on the Spring Equinox probably stirred up some powerful emotions in your personal life. As 2015 turns from winter to spring, we enter a time when light equals darkness / balance. We’re headed for many more of these events in the sky that unquestionably affect our lives. Watch the total lunar eclipse on April 4th for something profound. Metaphysically, all of these rare astrological events colliding at once is like a wave stripping away what no longer serves us and sending us on a new journey. You don’t have to know this, but it would help you make sense of the changes you are going through. Otherwise, you might be tempted to look for reasons around you for these unsettling feelings. It’s not about your job, although you may hate it anyway. It’s not about your relationships. If you are alive on the planet right now, just as in any other time in history, life is changing.

There is so much more than what we can perceive in the world around us. Not too many years from now, we will teach children about all the other factors besides the traditional materials they will need to know as they grow up. But no matter what we teach, we can never move away from the basic principles of operating as a human being. We have been living in our egos for way too long. Each of us views our own life as the important one, with everyone else just collaterally existing in Our world. You know this is true. With so many millions of us on the planet conceptualizing this way, it’s no wonder we don’t feel responsible for other people and the planet as a whole. Yet we are all linked, all connected. If we could all live from our hearts, we would never judge others for their choices. Because someone is a different race, religion, identified gender or different in any way, simply means that their soul is manifesting in a manner different than yours. There is no reason to hate, war against or condemn anyone who looks, thinks or identifies in a way that seems foreign or strange to you.

Your heart listened to would only advise compassion, tolerance, acceptance, forgiveness and unity. Your ego will always make you suspect anything that doesn’t fit within the parameters of what you believe is acceptable. How will we ever get to a united world that understands our natural resources are limited and we must find ways to share with all?

Find love in your heart for everyone. The more you live out of your ego, the unhappier your life will become. We are each responsible for our thoughts and actions because each of these affect the collective unconscious, that unseen energy we all tap into. It’s why people all over the globe can dream similar dreams, have fairytales with similar archetypal players. Every negative thought increases the collective negativity and each thought of love and unity adds to the positive. Let’s work on pushing the positive in order to change the global consciousness.

So the next time you feel like you’re experiencing a weird, difficult or trying day, don’t look for causes around you. Look within and know the elements are pushing us to evolve as souls. Make a practice of finding the good in everyone and imagine how wonderful life would be if we could all just get along.

And as always, ~ STAY JUICY!

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Tags: All you need is love, be the best you, change is necessary, embrace change, GOT GOD?, heal your fears, how to live, it's all simple

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? ~ STAY JUICY!

•February 25, 2015 • 4 Comments

DO YOU REALIZE EVERY THOUGHT YOU HAVE CREATES EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE?

This the truth. Every special gift you were born with and service you came here to deliver to the world is diminished when you constantly doubt yourself. You believe yourself unworthy of happiness, abundance, freedom and so many other wonderful experiences so you don’t experience them. Everyone has heard of self-fulfilling prophesies, right? What you believe will happen, will happen. “I know I’m going to fail that test” or “My boss will never recognize my contributions” or “I never win anything” thoughts and statements guarantee that you will fail, won’t get recognized or never win anything. There are countless studies done proving that what a person expects is what they perceive as true and act upon. What you believe to be true becomes your truth and manifests in your life. There was a great study done with elementary school age kids that was a perfect example of this theory.

Teachers were given their classroom of children at the beginning of one semester, but the past histories of the children were changed in their records. The kids who usually got poor grades were changed to inflated ones and the prior “good” students with much better grades were downplayed. Not knowing the records were changed, the teacher didn’t expect normally poor student Tommy to get bad grades because she believed he was an A student. Similarly children who normally did well, when believed to be poor academically because of their altered records, were likely going to be treated as poor performers. What did the experiment show as a result of altering the teacher’s expectations?

Sure enough, the teacher’s expectations altered the children’s outcomes. The true poor performers did exceedingly well, completely out of character with their past history, while the better performers under normal circumstances, did worse and their grades plummeted. Nothing changed but the expectations, and therefore behavior of the teachers toward these students. If other’s expectations of us have been put on us our entire lives, who is doing the thinking after all? Are we just a collection of our programming and other people’s expectations of us or will we choose to create our own futures?

SO, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF?

If you’ve been telling yourself that you’re not smart enough or as talented as others, that’s probably an old entrenched belief you have that was reinforced over time through many different experiences with people. The repeated messages have made you feel less than others. This doesn’t mean it’s true. When you are in a new relationship or job, as soon as you notice yourself thinking any negative thoughts about yourself, challenge them and nip them in the bud before they also become rooted in your beliefs about you. You are the only one who can change your outcomes and you can do this by believing you are as worthy of a good life and happiness as everyone else is worthy. You can begin telling yourself positive things.

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF MIRROR WORK?

Decide to try this for two weeks: look into a mirror five times a day for one minute each time. Say out loud “I love you” and “I love you (your name). Look directly into your eyes as you make these statements and mean them. This simple exercise is guaranteed to change your self-esteem. You will have a greater sense of worthiness and your life will widen and flourish because the truth is that your unconscious doesn’t know the difference when you say something you might be kidding about or being sarcastic. If you say “this job is killing me” often enough, your unconscious will believe this as truth and react chemically, shutting down your systems and creating ill health. This isn’t a wild theory. Neuroscience and quantum physics have repeatedly proven that your life and the ways you experience it are largely a consequence of your thoughts, beliefs and expectations.

True enough. You are exactly and uniquely who you are supposed to be. Never compare yourself to anyone else because they aren’t you and you aren’t them. Everyone has their own strengths as well as areas in which they aren’t particularly strong. That’s why the world needs each of us with our unique gifts to help one another and working together.

DON’T BE A SLAVE TO YOUR PROGRAMMING!

Choose to change what you say to yourself and make sure you are being as loving towards yourself as you would like others to be. When you have the expectation of being treated well, you will be. And always remember that staying young, vital and filled with life comes from having ageless thoughts and never forgetting that you and everyone else are wonderful human beings.~ STAY JUICY!

Posted in ENJOY YOUR LIFE!, LIFE AFIRMING CHOICES, Uncategorized, ~ STAY JUICY!
Tags: abundance, be good to yourself, create a happy life, happiness, heal yourself, help yourself, it's all simple, life lessons, LIVE NOW!

LOVE YOURSELF ~ STAY JUICY!

•February 5, 2015 • Leave a Comment

ARE YOU FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO FIND THE RIGHT PERSON TO LOVE YOU?

Have you found yourself trying to meet someone special only to be disappointed and hurt time after time? Does this make you think there aren’t any decent guys or ladies out there? You could be a big part of the reason no one viable has shown up in your life yet. Believe it!

We literally attract to us what we believe we deserve and need, and so many of our thoughts and beliefs are not even conscious. Your behavior and attitudes always contribute to your outcomes. This could be something you haven’t realized yet. Life has a way of putting experiences and people in our faces that are intended to help us learn and evolve into more integrated whole people. When you look back at the past relationships that have caused you pain and suffering, do you see any patterns? Consider the behaviors of these past partners. How did they treat you? What kinds of messages did their behavior toward you send you about yourself? Are you the kind of person someone really wonderful would find just as wonderful back?

You can only attract to you someone who is vibrationally a match. If you are critical and judgmental, naturally you will get that behavior from others around you. So the first step is to do an objective analysis about what you bring to a relationship.

If you can’t be objective about yourself, and who really can, ask someone you trust to give you real feedback. If you hear negative traits named, instead of getting upset, think about how you might be coming off that way and what you can do to change this behavior. Remember that no one is perfect but if you have aspects of your personality that might be pushing others away, this would be a great time to work on these aspects.

The other huge factor that might be getting in your way is a lack of self-love and self-acceptance. If you don’t really love and accept yourself, it will be difficult for someone to love and accept you. This is because your behavior will push the person away in some form or another, often without you even realizing you’re doing this or why. Someone who is loving and self-accepting will be interested in another person who holds those same traits.

Being able to receive love can be a challenge if no one in your life has given you positive regard and complimented you on your strengths and efforts. You’re a grown up now. The good news is that you can compliment yourself. Find opportunities to give yourself credit for good deeds and jobs well done. If you aren’t doing any good deeds, that might be part of the problem. The more you open up to helping others, the better your life gets. When you are kind and generous, the same comes back to you. Where can you volunteer your help? If you have no free time, what else can you do that will benefit others?

So many people feel they have a big empty hole inside them that they are waiting for a “true love” to fill. The truth about those big holes is that nothing outside of ourselves can heal them. That gap inside must be healed by beginning an effort of self-introspection, increased positive self-talk and doing esteemable acts that make you feel proud of yourself.

Start your morning with the thought that this is going to be a great day, because every day you get to wake up and experience life is a great day. Get in the shower and thank God for the hot running water, the fact that you have indoor plumbing and a roof over your head when so many don’t have any of these luxuries. I’ve found the more grateful I am, the better my life goes. Adopting an Attitude of Gratitude can have amazing impacts on every aspect of your life. If you experiment with this, you will find out how much better you will feel. I find myself stopping to thank God for so many things now, it’s almost like being in a continual state of gratitude, and the blessings keep on coming.

Self-love has nothing to do with selfishness. You are simply loving yourself as a creation of God and allowing the limitless blessings and goodness to find you when you are grateful for all that you do have and for who you are. Attitude is truly everything. In every moment, you can grumble about what you don’t like or be glad for what you do. The happier and more content you become with what life currently offers you, the more you will begin to experience additional blessings, which could include someone who has the same orientation you do and is looking for a partner to share their life with.

Coming to a relationship filled with self-love means you will have enough to share. That sense of contentment and balance is very attractive to others.

These are some ways to begin showing others the respect and caring you would like for yourself. When you practice these ten ways of loving others, your life will begin to smooth out in many ways and you will begin to feel better about yourself. Changing your behavior and attitude are key ways to increase your positive self-feelings, thereby increasing your self-approval and self-regard. Do this long enough and you will see what a loveable person you really are. So will others

No matter what life has thrown at you in the past, you can turn everything around. It’s never too late to become the person you were meant to be.

So try this formula of gratitude and positive attitude and find out your destiny can be one of joy and contentment. And doing this will also help you…. ~ STAY JUICY!

Posted in ENJOY YOUR LIFE!, HOW TO HAPPY!, LIFE AFIRMING CHOICES, ~ STAY JUICY!
Tags: "Life is what happens while you are making other plans.", attitude is everything, create a happy life, self-worthiness, Wish you were happier?, you can change your life, you deserve good

HAVE FUN WITH YOUR LIFE ~ STAY JUICY!

•January 19, 2015 • Leave a Comment

ALTHOUGH YOU MAY FEEL LIKE YOU’RE AS OLD AS DIRT, YOU ARE REALLY SO YOUNG!

I hear many people making comments about getting old and starting to slow down or feel aches and pains. They talk about needing to get serious now and having to stop fun and frivolity. Every twinge in the knees or joints make them sure arthritis is right around the corner. Okay, if these comments were coming from “old” people, I would get it. But we’re talking about 30 year olds and up who look like they think it’s all over and they have to play Atlas supporting the weight of the world on his shoulders. Aches and pains? Tell them to go away and ignore them. If you focus on these aches and fear the worst, that’s what will manifest in your life. Where your attention goes, there you create. In other words, what you choose to focus on is what you will see in front of your eyes. You can talk yourself in or out of anything.

LIGHTEN UP PEOPLE!!!

If you are going to waste your time feeling old because 16 year olds look so young to you and since you’re past your twenties, feeling life is all downhill from now on, you are wasting your time and your life! We only have right now. Really. You go to bed at night and through the glorious arrangement of God, you get to wake up the next morning and live another day. You have experiences with other people that show you how you view the world and what issues you still need to work on. Hopefully at the end of the day you’ve taken inventory and learned the lessons of those interactions and experiences. Then you go to bed, and through the miracle of life, wake up yet another day to further improve your consciousness through more new or even recreations of some of the same though slightly altered experiences because it’s clear to your spirit that you haven’t quite gotten that particular lesson yet.

This is what you have; a series of days that you string together and call your life. Why waste any day thinking about getting older or feeling bad about yourself for any reason? Of course you’re getting older. The only alternative is death, right? Life is the choice. Life is about enjoying every experience and thanking God for the sheer amazement of being alive. Each day is an opportunity to recognize the incredible freedom and gift of having another chance to say the right thing to someone, to make amends for errors and to just appreciate the beauty and splendor of nature. Each day you drag yourself out of bed and grump through the day is a day you miss enjoying that you’ll never get back again. Why waste any of these precious opportunities?

So stop worrying about when your true love will finally show up or the fact that you don’t have as much as other people seem to have (you may also not have their debt). Wake up eager to find out what kind of lessons life has to offer you this day and recognize everyone you interact with is a gift, offering you a mirror of self-reflection. If someone ticks you off, it’s your issue. You spot it, you got it! So what; we’ve all got issues. How about having fun and remembering how to be playful and carefree? Life passes far too quickly not to enjoy the ride. It’s the journey that counts. Like James Taylor’s lyrics state, The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.

More people admire you than you will ever know. You’ve touched people lives indelibly even though you may never see or know the results of your actions. You know this is true because people have done this same thing for you. Be someone who has a healing uplifting effect on people in your life. Always hold on to your sense of humor because life can be tough, but if we remember to take things in stride, to enjoy the passage of time, to be grateful for the best things life offers like love, family and all the gifts God provides, we can be free and have fun living each day to the maximum.

Be someone who bravely faces their life and embraces all the ups and downs, all the challenges and has fun doing it. Remember that age is a mindset. If you feel old, you will act and appear old. If you decide to be ageless, to always remember the child within and to wake each morning with the anticipation of a child, you will stay young always. That’s the secret to staying vital and appealing. It’s an inside job!

~ STAY JUICY!

Posted in ALL YOU HAVE IS RIGHT NOW, ENJOY YOUR LIFE!, HOW TO HAPPY!, LIFE AFIRMING CHOICES, ~ STAY JUICY!
Tags: attitude is everything, create a happy life, Every day's a new beginning, GOT GOD?, happiness, New Beginnings, Stay Juicy!, Wish you were happier?, You can stay young forever

WHAT AWAITS YOU IN YOUR NEW YEAR? ~ STAY JUICY!

•December 30, 2014 • Leave a Comment

IN 2015, ARE YOU PLANNING TO MAKE ANY CHANGES? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS YET? I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT MAKING RESOLUTIONS ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT OR ANY OF THE USUAL PROMISES WE MAKE OURSELVES WITH SERIOUS INTENTION BUT LET SLIDE AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES. ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE EXTERNAL AREAS YOU WISH TO CHANGE, LIKE YOUR WEIGHT, THE IMPORTANT THINGS ARE WHAT SHOULD ACTUALLY GET YOUR ATTENTION. WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT IN YOUR LIFE? HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE?

HOW ABOUT EMBRACING 2015 AS THE YEAR TO EXPLORE BEING WHO YOU ACTUALLY ARE, RATHER THAN WHO YOU THINK OTHERS WANT YOU TO BE. IF YOU CHOOSE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU DO HAVE AND FOR HOW WELL YOUR LIFE IS WORKING RIGHT NOW, JOY, PEACE AND PROSPERITY WILL BE WHAT YOU REALIZE YOU ALREADY HAVE AND YOU WILL BUILD ON THIS BASELINE CONTENTMENT.

DECIDE TO BE FEARLESS AND COURAGEOUS IN THE PURSUIT OF YOUR VISIONS AND DREAMS. OWN YOUR PASSION AND ACT UPON IT.

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MORE THAN YOU MATERIALLY. WE HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT A NEW IPHONE OR CAR WILL FILL THAT GAP BETWEEN FEELING WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH AND KNOWING THAT ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES CAN ONLY MAKE US HAPPY FOR A MOMENT. HAPPINESS AND CONTENTMENT IS AN INSIDE JOB. WHEN WE ARE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT ONLY WE HAVE CONTROL OF OUR EMOTIONS AND ATTITUDES CAN WE BE FREE OF THAT NEVER ENDING RUSH FOR THE NEWEST AND GREATEST, ONLY TO FIND WE ARE STILL UNHAPPY AND UNFULFILLED.

YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED INSIDE OF YOU. NO ONE TELLS YOU THIS GROWING UP BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE FEELS INADEQUATE TOO. AS ALBERT EINSTEIN SAID, “EVERYBODY IS A GENIUS. BUT IF YOU ONLY JUDGE A FISH BY ITS ABILITY TO CLIMB A TREE, IT WILL LIVE ITS WHOLE LIFE BELIEVING THAT IT IS STUPID.”

IF YOU ARE JUDGING YOURSELF BY AN EXPECTATION THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR TRUE ABILITIES AND TALENTS, YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO DISCOVER WHERE YOUR PARTICULAR GENIUS LIES. THE WORLD NEEDS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. WE ALL BRING DIFFERENT TALENTS AND ABILITIES WHEN WE ENTER THE WORLD. THE TASK IS NOT TO COMPARE OURSELVES WITH OTHERS, BUT TO FIND OUT WHO WE UNIQUELY ARE. SO WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

YOU ARE WORTHY OF LOVE, HONESTY AND RESPECT. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THIS FIRST BEFORE IT CAN MANIFEST IN YOUR LIFE. YOU ATTRACT TO YOU THAT WHICH YOU THINK ABOUT ALL DAY. IF YOU FEEL DEFEATED AND LOST, NO ONE CAN MAKE YOU FEEL SUCCESSFUL AND WHOLE. YET SOMETHING MAGICAL HAPPENS WHEN WE EMBRACE OURSELVES EXACTLY AS WE ARE AND KNOW WITH CERTAINTY THAT LIFE IS HERE FOR US TO LIVE AND ENJOY. WITH SELF-ACCEPTANCE COMES THE GRACE TO RELAX AND APPRECIATE WHO WE ARE, TO BE AT PEACE WITHIN OURSELVES AND TO KNOW OUR FUTURE HAPPINESS IS IN OUR OWN HANDS.

EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL AS WE ARE EACH A UNIQUE EXPRESSIONS OF THE GOD FORCE FROM WHICH WE ORIGINATE. IF YOU COULD SEE YOURSELF AS THE DIVINE BEING YOU ARE, YOU WOULD HAVE NO MORE DOUBTS OR FEARS. EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUENESS AND FIND OUT WHAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT AS THEREIN LIES YOUR GENIUS. WHETHER THIS TAKES THE FORM OF HELPING PEOPLE, ART, BUILDING THINGS, BEING ORGANIZED OR ANY NUMBER OF OTHER POSSIBILITIES, FINDING WHAT YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IS THE PATH TO FEELING GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF.

SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO CHOOSE DIFFERENTLY IN THIS NEXT YEAR? WILL YOU LIVE EVERY DAY WITH THE WONDER AND GRATITUDE FOR HAVING ANOTHER DAY TO LEARN AND LOVE? THE CHOICE IS YOURS ALONE.

CHOOSING TO EMBRACE CHANGE, LOVE, SERVICE AND THE GIFT OF LIFE ARE WHAT KEEP YOU YOUNG AND VITAL. ~ STAY JUICY!

Posted in LIFE AFIRMING CHOICES
Tags: attitude is everything, create a happy life, Every day's a new beginning, GOT GOD?, heal yourself, how to live, it's all simple, keep it real, Life is an adventure!, love yourself, New Beginnings, You can stay young forever, you deserve good

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE ~ STAY JUICY!

•December 2, 2014 • 4 Comments

IS LIFE CAUSING YOU PAIN AND SUFFERING?

Life can be a real challenge unless you understand the rules. We are taught from the time we are born that the rules are something external to ourselves. We learn how to act through our families, school and the world around us. Certainly we have to obey traffic laws, harm no one and follow the general guidelines required for an orderly society. There’s no getting around this. But what rules we really need are not the things anyone ever teaches us, with rare exceptions.

I am talking about how to navigate this unwieldy process called “Life”. If you really want to have ease and comfort, you must have trust that everything you experience is exactly perfect for you, even the difficult times. This is a challenging concept. We think no one would willingly sign up for a disability or a life filled with abuse and neglect. This is not true. We sign up for what we need to learn to advance our soul’s growth.

We have all co-created this script with God prior to our births. You knew which challenges you wanted to face, how many betrayals you wanted to navigate, yet when they show up, since you don’t remember signing on for the experience, you feel hurt and betrayed. We all do this.

There’s a way to get through these experiences with more ease, and that has to do with surrendering to the betrayal or whatever else is presenting as a challenge in your life. If you have the faith that everything happens for the highest good of your soul, you can pay attention to the dynamics. Instead of feeling like a victim of these circumstances, you can learn from them. We are all trying to learn how to be successful adults. Mastering the challenges you are faced with help you become smoother, more fluid, in flow.

Flow is the state of being where you allow everything to happen, rather than kicking and screaming along the way. We are all control freaks. We need to feel like we are in control or we don’t feel safe. Actually, we are always in control because we are the only ones who ultimately decide whether we are going to play along in a drama or not. Usually we get involved because we think we need to defend ourselves or react to what’s being thrown at us. All we really have to do is decide not to play.

DO YOU FOCUS ON WHAT YOU HAVE OR WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE?

Having gratitude for everything is the easiest first step toward taking responsibility for your life and being able to change what you don’t like.

Remember, when any part of you refuses to take responsibility for everything about you, you are allowing someone else to run that part of your life. Whomever this someone is, they get to set the tone of your emotions. They get to decide whether you are happy or sad, anticipatory of good things or defeated. They get to do this because you are giving them permission to project at you whatever they desire, no matter how untrue it may be.

You can either accept your own individual truth, which may differ greatly from theirs, or you will agree with something untrue about you. It comes down to this choice; In every moment of life, you will either take your power or you will give it away. Each time you give your power away, you diminish your choices, your possible outcomes and you increase your separation from joy.

What do you choose for your life today? Happiness is a state of mind you have to choose from within. Nothing outside of yourself can make you feel satisfied or content with your life. You must choose this in the way that you take responsibility for all of your choices.

Choose to be in charge of yourself, it’s the best thing you can do to make your life more enjoyable. And remember, choosing ease and happiness regardless of how your life looks at any particular moment allows you to stay young and vital. ~ STAY JUICY!

Posted in LIFE AFIRMING CHOICES
Tags: abundance, attitude is everything, be good to yourself, Every day's a new beginning, GOT GOD?, Hard to find happy?, help yourself, how to live, it's all simple, life lessons, New Beginnings

LIVE NOW ~ STAY JUICY!

•November 3, 2014 • Leave a Comment

This post didn’t actually make it on my blog so I’m reposting it.

Lorraine E. Castro, LMFT

ARE YOU WAITING FOR YOUR LIFE TO GET BETTER, HAPPIER OR SMOOTHER? DO YOU FIND YOURSELF CONSTANTLY DISAPPOINTED THAT IT’S TAKING TOO LONG FOR THE THINGS YOU WANT TO MATERIALIZE? DOES IT SEEM LIKE YOU NEVER GET A BREAK? DO YOU WAKE UP DREADING ANOTHER DAY OF WORK, OR SCHOOL, OF BEING ALONE AGAIN, OF FEELING SAD, REGRETTING THE PAST OR FEELING GUILTY?

WAKE UP!

YOU HAD THE ENVIABLE BLESSING OF WAKING UP THIS MORNING. YOU ARE ALIVE ANOTHER DAY AND GET TO EXPERIENCE ANOTHER ADVENTURE IN EARTH SCHOOL. WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE WILL YOU INTERACT WITH? WHO WILL SAY OR POST SOMETHING OR SEND YOU AN EMAIL THAT TURNS YOUR WORLD AROUND? WHAT IMPACT WILL AN ACT OF KINDNESS FROM YOU HAVE ON SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS SUFFERING SILENTLY? A SMILE FROM YOU COULD CHANGE SOMEONE’S LIFE. THERE IS SO MUCH INSPIRATION AND JOY TO BE HAD IF YOU FOCUS ON WHAT YOU HAVE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR, INSTEAD OF WHAT…

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LIVE NOW ~ STAY JUICY!

•October 30, 2014 • 1 Comment

WAKE UP!

YOU ARE BETTER OFF THAN 92% OF THE WORLD POPULATION. IF YOU SPEND MORE TIME FEELING GRATITUDE FOR THE BASICS IN LIFE THAT YOU’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE IN ABUNDANCE, LIKE THE AIR WE BREATHE, FOOD, AND ESPECIALLY THE WATER THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR LIVING, YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE AROUND COMPLETELY

EVERYONE ULTIMATELY JUST WANTS TO BE LOVED. EVERYONE HAS EXPERIENCED A BROKEN HEART, BEEN REJECTED, FELT UNWORTHY, UGLY, INSECURE OR INSIGNIFICANT. THIS IS THE HUMAN CONDITION AND WHAT MAKES US ALL THE SAME. WHEN YOU REALIZE EVERYONE IS STRUGGLING JUST AS YOU ARE, YOU CAN HAVE COMPASSION AND REACH OUT WITH A SMILE OR TOUCH. “DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO ONTO YOU” IS ABOUT AFFORDING OTHERS THE QUALITY OF MERCY AND GRACE YOU WISH FOR YOURSELF AND EVERYONE YOU LOVE. IF YOU WISH PROSPERITY, GOOD HEALTH AND EASE FOR THOSE YOU LOVE, THE FASTEST WAY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN IS BY WISHING THE SAME FOR EVERYONE.

WITH OUR MORE SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY, OUR WORLD IS LARGER AND EVERYTHING HAPPENS MORE QUICKLY. THE BANDWIDTH OF POSSIBILITIES IS LIMITLESS. NOW IS THE TIME TO REALIZE THAT EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE A TRUE DESIRE AND PASSION. IT CAN LOOK COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE. THAT’S HOW “NEW” GETS DISCOVERED, THROUGH SOMEONE’S IDEAS AND PASSION. THEY EXPECT WE WILL HAVE SCORES OF NEW JOBS THAT WILL EVOLVE OUT OF OUR CHANGING WORLD. IT’S NO LONGER JUST THE SAME SET OF POSSIBILITIES.

HAVE YOU DESCOVERED THE REASON YOU WERE PUT HERE ON EARTH? WE ALL HAVE A UNIQUE MISSION TO BE OF SERVICE IN A PARTICULAR WAY. WHEN YOU DISCOVER YOUR PASSION, AND IT NEED NOT BE ANYTHING LIKE YOUR REGULAR MAINSTREAM JOB, YOU HAVE THE WAY TO FEEL FULFILLED, HAPPY, GRATEFUL AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, VIBRANTLY ALIVE IN YOUR LIFE! FIND OUT WHAT MOVES YOU AND DO IT!

THE MORE POSITIVITY YOU SURROUND YOURSELF IN, THE MORE POSITIVE YOUR LIFE WILL BECOME. THAT OLD SAYING “BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER” IS ALL ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU ATTRACT TO YOU WHATEVER EXPERIENCES AND THE PEOPLE WHO MATCH YOUR VIBRATION. NEGATIVE FOLKS ARE JUST PLAN DOWNERS TO BE AROUND. IF YOU ARE CONSTANTLY COMPLAINING, HOW CAN GOOD THINGS FIND YOU? THE MORE HUMBLE AND APPRECIATIVE YOU ARE, THE FASTER YOUR LIFE IMPROVES.

IF YOU CAN’T SEE CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE, MAYBE YOU AREN’T LOOKING IN THE RIGHT PLACES. OR MAYBE YOU DON’T LIKE THE CHANGES YOU’RE EXPERIENCING. AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE TO FEEL LIKE WE’VE “ARRIVED” AND ARE SAFE, HAVING ENOUGH OF EVERYTHING WE NEED FOREVER MORE, THAT JUST ISN’T WHY WE ARE HERE. SAFETY IS A STATE OF MIND, NOT A NUMBER IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT OR SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH MATERIAL BARRIERS SO THE “BAD THINGS” CAN’T COME IN. LIFE IS ONE LESSON AFTER ANOTHER, CLOAKED IN DIFFERENT DISGUISES UNTIL WE LEARN THAT LESSON AND GO ON TO THE NEXT.

LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE YOU MUST EMBRACE. IT MAY LOOK CRAZY TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE IN ANGUISH AND SUFFERING ANXIETY ABOUT THEIR JOBS, FAMILY, PARTNERS AND THE REST, BUT THIS IS JUST THE WAY LIFE IS. RIDE OUT THE WAVE AND YOU WILL HIT SMOOTH WATERS AGAIN. BUT IF YOU HIDE AND FREAK OUT, YOU WILL BE MISSING THE LESSONS THAT LIFE IS TRYING TO TEACH YOU.

GET OUT THERE AND VOLUNTEER WITH A GROUP THAT INTERESTS YOU. TAKE CHANCES, BE BRAVE AND FEARLESS IN YOUR PURSUIT OF YOUR PASSION. FOLLOWING A DEEP PASSION IS WHAT MADE EVERY SINGLE BILLIONAIRE GET THERE.

IT TAKES MOTIVATION, PERSERVERENCE AND DETERMINATION TO GET WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT COMPETITION. I MEAN THE DETERMINATION TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE. THIS INCLUDES HARD WORK AND LISTENING TO WHAT YOUR DIVINE GUIDANCE IS TRYING TO TELL YOU. WE ALL GET OFFERED SO MUCH HELP WE NEVER HEAR BECAUSE WE ARE TOO BUSY AND THERE IS NO QUIET SPACE IN OUR LIVES.

DO YOU HAVE A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE? DO YOU TAKE TIME TO BE IN A QUIET PLACE AND TO LISTEN TO YOUR GUIDANCE OR IS THERE ALWAYS NOISE AND BUSTLE AROUND YOU? YOU KNOW THAT HUGE HOLE OF EMPTINESS INSIDE YOU? THE ONLY THING THAT WILL FILL THAT IS GOD AND YOUR CONNECTION TO YOURSELF AS A DIVINE BEING. WHEN YOU ALLOW GOD’S LOVE TO FILL YOU, YOU FIND THE MISSING PART WAS A CONNECTION TO SPIRIT AND TO WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR YOU TO FEEL COMPLETE AND WHOLE. GET YOUR SPIRIT GOING. WALK BAREFOOT IN NATURE, EVEN IF IT’S JUST ON THE GRASS OUTSIDE. FEEL THE NATURALNESS OF NATURE AND REALIZE YOU ARE PART OF NATURE TOO.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, LIVE LIFE NOW. DON’T BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO BE HAPPY UNTIL THIS OR THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET TO THAT PLACE, YOU WILL FIND YOU ALWAYS HAVE ANOTHER “THERE” YOU WANT TO GET TO. THIS PROCESS IS CALLED LIFE.

LIVE YOUR LIFE NOW, APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE ALIVE AND GET TO PRACTICE IMPROVING YOURSELF EVERY DAY AND HAVE GRATITUDE FOR EVERYTHING ~ STAY JUICY!

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: attitude is everything, be the best you, change is necessary, create a happy life, Every day's a new beginning, GOT GOD?, happiness, Hard to find happy?, keep it real, Life is an adventure!, life lessons, live from your heart

IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE ~ STAY JUICY!

•September 29, 2014 • 2 Comments

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO LOVE AND BE LOVED IN RETURN?

I’VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY’VE TRIED LOVE AND LOVE WASN’T ENOUGH TO GET THEIR KIDS TO ACT RIGHT, THEIR PARTNER TO DO WHAT THEY WANTED, OR FILL IN THE BLANK, ANYTHING ELSE PEOPLE THROW LOVE AT IN ORDER TO INFLUENCE CHANGE. YOU CAN’T CONVINCE THEM THEY DID ANYTHING OTHER THAN HAVE THE VERY BEST INTENTIONS FOR THE PERSON WHO ISN’T BEHAVING THE WAY THEY DESIRE.

HOW CAN LOVE BE ABOUT EXPECTATIONS OF A PARTICULAR OUTCOME? I MEAN THIS KIND OF LOVE IS NOT WHAT’S COMING FROM ANYONE’S HEART. IT SOUNDS MORE LIKE A NEGOTIATION OR MANIPULATION; KIND OF A SILENT BUT LOUD AND CLEAR MESSAGE OF HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH IN ORDER TO REMAIN IN THEIR GOOD GRACES.

SOMETIMES NO ONE SAYS THE WORDS, BUT YOU STILL UNDERSTAND THEIR MESSAGE CLEARLY. THEY WILL LOVE YOU AS LONG AS YOU RESPOND THE WAY THEY EXPECT YOU TO BEHAVE. FORGET ABOUT BEING WHO YOU REALLY ARE AND RELAXING. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A LOOMING SENSE OF POSSIBLE LOSS OF THEIR LOVE IF YOU AREN’T CAREFUL. WHAT A DIFFICULT WAY TO LIVE.

GUESS WHAT? NOTHING ABOUT THIS IS LOVE.

THAT’S RIGHT. LOVE IS A FEELING OF CONNECTION, CARING AND COMPASSION FOR ANOTHER.

IF YOU SAY YOU LOVE SOMEONE, YOU COULD BE MISUSING THE WORD IF THAT LOVE COMES WITH ANY EXPECTATIONS OF QUID PRO QUO, OR “WHAT DO I GET OUT OF THIS?”

AND IF YOU SHUTTER TO IMAGINE PEOPLE OUT THERE THINK LIKE THIS, CONSIDER HOW MUCH YOUR GOOD FEELINGS ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE ARE CONTINGENT ON ANY “UNLESS YOU DO THIS OR THAT’S.”

IT’S NOT OUR JOB TO HAVE ANY ATTACHMENT TO OTHER PEOPLE’S BEHAVIOR. WE CAN’T LOVE THEM IN ORDER TO GET WHAT WE WANT FROM THEM. THAT ISN’T LOVE. PEOPLE LOVE OR THEY DON’T, AND ANYONE WHO REALLY LOVES WANTS THEIR PARTNER, CHILD, FRIEND OR RELATIVE TO HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE LIFE, AND WILL SUPPORT THEIR DREAMS AND PASSIONS.

LOVE ISN’T A COMMODITY TO DISH OUT FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR LIKE A DOG BISCUIT. REAL LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL.

THIS MEANS YOU LOVE SOMEONE REGARDLESS WHETHER THEY DO OR SAY SOMETHING YOU DISAGREE WITH. YOU CAN HATE THE BEHAVIOR OR WORDS AND STILL LOVE THE PERSON. THIS MEANS 24/7 LOVE REGARDLESS.

BE ANGRY, UPSET AND DISAPPOINTED, BUT DON’T LET THAT ERODE YOUR LOVE.

IF SOMEONE ISN’T ACTING IN A LOVING WAY TOWARDS YOU, THEN WHY ARE YOU STAYING THERE? HOW MUCH UNCONDITIONAL LOVE DO YOU HAVE FOR THEM? WHAT LESSONS DO YOU NEED TO LEARN FROM THIS RELATIONSHIP? SOMETIMES YOU CAN LEARN THE LESSON AND MOVE ON INTO A TRUE MUTUALLY LOVING RELATIONSHIP INSTEAD. WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT?

WE ARE ALL JUST TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN. WE ALL WANT TO LOVE AND BE LOVED IN RETURN. IT’S A PRIMAL NEED. IF YOU DON’T HAVE LOVING RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOLKS IN YOUR WORLD, TRY BEING MORE OPEN AND AVAILABLE. GET OUTSIDE YOURSELF AND YOUR PROBLEMS AND HELP SOMEONE ELSE. JUST LISTENING TO SOMEONE CAN CHANGE THEIR WORLD. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE NO ONE WITH WHOM THEY CAN BE REAL.

EVERYONE HAS SOME PAIN DURING THEIR JOURNEY THROUGH EARTH SCHOOL, WE ARE ALL HERE TO LEARN HOW TO BE BETTER PEOPLE, WHICH IS WHY WE ALL NEED TO LOVE AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER. HAVE MERCY WITH OTHERS AS YOU WOULD BE OH SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE THEM BE MERCIFUL TOWARDS YOU.

WE ARE ALL THE SAME. WE ALL WANT TO BE LOVED.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO BEHAVE IN A MANNER WE BELIEVE WE MUST IN ORDER TO GET LOVE, NOT REALIZING WHEN WE ACTUALLY LOVE OURSELVES FIRST, THEN SOMEONE WONDERFUL CAN LOVE US TOO.

HELPING OTHERS AND DISPLAYING YOUR LOVE THROUGH SERVICE IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO BEGIN HAVING BETTER SELF-ESTEEM BECAUSE IT REALLY FEEDS YOUR SOUL LIKE NOTHING ELSE. GIVE IT A TRY.

IT’S TIME TO STOP HIDING FROM YOURSELF. WE ARE ALL POWERFUL BEINGS, HERE TO BE OF SERVICE AND TO DISCOVER OUR PURPOSE FOR BEING BY FOLLOWING OUR PASSION. LET YOURSELF RISE TO YOUR HIGHEST POTENTIAL AND SPREAD LOVE AND LIGHT EVERYWHERE YOU GO.

REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE ETERNAL. STAY YOUNG, STAY AGELESS ~

STAY JUICY!

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: All you need is love, create a happy life, find love, happiness, Life is an adventure!, Stay Juicy!, Wish you were happier?, you are loveable

Lorraine E. Castro, LMFT

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE ~ STAY JUICY!

Thoreau said “There must be the generating force of love behind every effort destined to be successful.”

FEELING CRAZY LATELY? ~ STAY JUICY!

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? ~ STAY JUICY!

LOVE YOURSELF ~ STAY JUICY!

HAVE FUN WITH YOUR LIFE ~ STAY JUICY!

WHAT AWAITS YOU IN YOUR NEW YEAR? ~ STAY JUICY!

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE ~ STAY JUICY!

LIVE NOW ~ STAY JUICY!

LIVE NOW ~ STAY JUICY!

IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE ~ STAY JUICY!

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