There was a time in my life when I used to go to the movies every single weekend. During a recent discussion with my husband, I noticed for the first time that as I became happier, the desire to see a movie just kind of disappeared. So now in order for me to see a movie, I have to feel like I need to see a particular story.
It is like deciding which book to read…the book calls you…the same is true with movies, at least that is the case for now. So last week, when I was able to leave work early, I felt drawn to go see Julie & Julia. Initially, when my husband asked me why did I want to see this movie, I told him that it felt like I had to see it. So off we went to the movies and within the first fifteen minutes of it, I knew why I felt so drawn to this particular film.
The movie is about the life of Julia Child and the life of the writer Julie Powell. The movie starts with how Julia Child came to discover her passion for cooking. She was in her late thirties, living in Paris and was working as a secretary for the American government at the embassy. She complains to her husband about how she has no idea what to do and through a series of events, she goes after her passion of cooking and a career is born. Her life story is so wonderful, that at the end, when she finds out that her cookbook will be published after eight years of writing it, my eyes filled up with tears.
In between learning about the life of Julia Child, we see the life of writer Julie Powell who is a secretary that wants to be a writer but cannot seem to find a break. She decides to start a blog that is dedicated to spending a year cooking all the recipes from the first cookbook that Julia Child wrote. Julie is a big fan of Julia Child and through her project, she comes to discover her passion for cooking. Also through a series of events, she comes to be discovered and her career as a writer is born.
As I watched the movie, I felt to some degree that I was watching my life on the screen. Replace cooking with spirituality and boy, there are a lot of similarities in terms of how our writing careers came to fruition. On the one hand, the whole story filled me with joy and inspiration and on the other hand, I kind of realized for the first time the implications of where I am in terms of my writing.
Sometimes when you want something so much, you kind of forget what it will be like to actually attain the goal. So here I am working on my dream and I have to tell you, I am so happy and tremendously humbled. Humbled, not only because this whole visualizing thing works but also because there is a guiding hand in life and that is what I want to focus on with this post.
The Power of Belief
Many times in life, we are so afraid to let go and have faith or trust that life will work out for the best. The irony is that we trust a GPS system to take us to the exact location. We have more trust in a map than we have in life. Think about this for a minute. When you go to a new city, you look at a map and know for a fact that what you are looking for will be there. Why can’t people do that with other aspects of their life?
When I was a miserable human being, I felt that this whole thing called life had no purpose and I truly felt lost. I was like a ship searching for a port and I had no idea where the port was, let alone the belief that a port actually did exist. I felt that I was to blame for every single “bad” thing that happened to me.
If a boy I liked did not like me in the same way, I thought I had done something wrong. If I took an exam and did badly, I blamed myself for days for being an idiot. To make matters worse, the world around me endorsed that point of view. It was as if I carried the weight of the world on my back.
Then one day while I was in college, I was visiting my mom while my dad was away on a trip and we decided to watch a news program because there was an interview with this new spiritual teacher and my mom felt we should watch it. So we did. The interview was with Marianne Williamson and it was about fifteen minutes long. My mom loved it and I had to admit, Marianne came off as pretty cool but there was no desire to read her book or to learn more about her.
Two weeks later, I had to buy a Mother’s Day gift and the only thing that felt right was to get the book A Return To Love which was the first book Marianne Williamson wrote. So I bought the book and had no idea what the road ahead would bring. To make a long story short, my mom told me that my writing style was like Marianne’s and suggested that I read the book. I had no intention of reading that book at all. I figured I would read one or two pages. Well, I ended up reading the whole book within a day or two. I still own it because it brought spiritual awareness into my life and introduced me to the concept of faith.
Faith is not just some religious doctrine that promotes the idea of worshipping a certain prophet or teacher or version of God. Faith is a knowing that at any given moment, you are where you should be and what is happening is what should be happening. This does not mean that you do not have free will, for where you are at any given moment is the result of a choice you have made in the past on some level.
Sounds confusing but let me clarify to the best of my ability. The Universe is a loving and kind entity. Whatever it is that you want to experience or whatever it is that you think the world is will be mirrored back to you. Think the world is a horrible and tough place, then that will be your experience.
When I was in pain, it was really hard for me to be open and let other people into my trust. Anytime someone would get close, I would somehow shut them out. I figured that I had to do this in order to protect myself because I just did not want to get hurt. Guess what? I ended up getting hurt just as I expected.
When happiness came into my life, I became so open and knew that someway and somehow things would fall into place and that I would be taken care of on all levels. Guess what? That has been my experience. Think the world is abundant, you will receive abundance. Think the world is evil and you will see evil.
You are not some random ball of energy that is here just for no reason. You are here because you are meant to be here. You are not a dog or a cat or an ant…you are a human being…how amazing is that? You have the power to move mountains, so why don’t you?
Note: Click here for my newest post at Elephant Journal.
Special Note: I was asked to be a part of the book tour for “Conversations with Richard Bandler” by Richard Bandler and Owen Fitzpatrick. The book is a series of discussions with Bandler on NLP. I was initially looking forward to reading this book so that I could learn more about NLP. Unfortunately, I found the book not to be something that I could really get into so I did not finish it.
As a result, I realized that it would not be right for me to endorse a book that I could not even read to completion. So I decided that I would mention it here and leave it up to the reader to decide whether or not they would like to check the book out for themselves and form their own opinion.
I am very grateful to have had an opportunity to be a part of the book tour. No matter what I think of the book, it is important to note that Richard Bandler did an amazing job of introducing NLP to the world.
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 55 comments }
Excellent post, Nadia! I’m really looking forward to seeing the movie and I’m so glad you shared your thoughts about it here. I’ve sort of been on the fence about seeing it but I’ve read quite a few blog posts that have really inspired me to buy a movie ticket ASAP!
Positively Present´s last blog ..5 steps for setting happiness resolutions (yes, in August!)
Hi Dani,
It is a great movie and since you are a blogger who loves writing, you will really enjoy the movie. Plus, both stories are true and very inspiring. So you should have fun.
” Faith is a knowing that at any given moment, you are where you should be and what is happening is what should be happening.”
I loved this. I have been struggling with myself for so long, blaming myself, the world and everything. I felt lost, exactly as you describe.
But things are changing. The happiness inside is reflecting is simple happiness outside. I am not blaming myself or anyone anymore. I am moving to a place of simple joy for now.
I love this. I love this post. Isn’t it amazing how similar people’s life paths can be. You see a movie and find yourself it in. I read a post and find myself in it.
We really are all connected. God bless you with every success in your writing.
Lots of love
Hi Uzma,
Thank you so much for the well wishes! I am so happy that the post resonated with you.
Yes, we are all connected. The sooner people see that and act accordingly, the world will be a much better place. What we project, we create.
This is something that I had been struggling with in my professional life for quite some time. I’ve only recently (as in last week) realized that there is a certain peace, a certain freedom, that comes with accepting the truth about a situation. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m just not a good editor….and I’m ok with that. I’m a much better writer, anyway
I have been struggling, fighting against the possibility that I might fail at something, and if I had just had faith, then I could have seen that this failure is only leading me towards a much greater success.
Jay Schryer´s last blog ..Finally, An Answer
Hi Jay,
I really appreciate you sharing your recent experience. We all, on some level, have struggled with trusting that things will be okay.
It is as if we fear letting go will mean that nothing is happening or that what will happen as a result will be something we do not like or love.
It is wonderful that you saw that what happened at work is leading you to a greater success. We are always being lead in the right direction if we just let go of our desire to control. It is like the joke: If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.
Hi Nadia
Lovely post. I’m curious to know if the Bandler book tour is the big project you have alluded to several times in recent posts. And what is a book tour exactly?
Hi Brenda,
Hope all is awesome! No, the big project has nothing to do with the Bandler book. The big project is not ready to be discussed yet but trust me, when it is time to announce more details, I will.
As for a blog book tour, it is when a book is featured on many different blogs.
What a lovely post Nadia. You’ve inspired me to both watch the film and read that book. I totally trust your recommendations – I resonated deeply with Anatomy of the Spirit, and my friend loved Saltwater Buddha – so I know I’m in for a treat on both counts
Hilda´s last blog ..Meditation: the benefits to the physical body
Hi Hilda,
Thank you so much for trusting my recommendations. Makes me more convinced about being careful what I choose to endorse.
As for “Julie & Julia”, I have not read the book but after seeing the movie, I will have to read it. It is a great story about two amazing women. I like biographies because we can learn so much from the experiences of others.
Hope you are having a beautiful day!
Hi Nadia .. I am looking forward to seeing the film and have been ever since when … not sure when it gets down here, but I’ll get to see it. I love cooking, and these pioneering women of food – Isabella Beeton (who had a terrrible life and only lived til 28), Elizabeth David .. great ideas of food, recording their times etc .
I like your recommendation of Marianne Williamson’s book – another to add to my list, which I shall enjoy reading in due course.
The mirror of your life reflects your joy, or reflects your negativity – lighten up and take the rough with the smooth .. we remember the good things, the bad things get left behind – as you say “The Universe is a loving and kind entity”.
Thanks Nadia – food for thought ..
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
Hilary´s last blog ..Aquitaine, Dormitories and a Crab …
Hi Hilary,
You are most welcome.
And yes, the Universe is a loving and kind entity. I have no doubt about that at all. Unfortunately, all the negativity that we see in the world is the result of the negativity in people. People so often talk about wanting peace, well…peace starts with the individual. We truly have the power to change the world and yet people choose to be stuck in their misery. I have to admit I used to do this too but then realized it was not much fun and was not really doing anything to get me out of my misery.
It is so simple…be what you want. The how of the equation is not in our hands. Meaning the details of how whatever you want will come is not up to us to figure out. It (whatever it is that you desire) will come when it is supposed to come.
And yay for cooking. I love to cook and bake when I have the time.
Nadia:
Thanks for writing this post…I really connected with it. I’m in a really interesting “life situation” where I feel weird and out of sync with myself. Your post really reminds me that we all have choices on how we want to deal with these challenges. I also love your description of the GPS system and the power of belief – it blew me away!
Besides that Marianne Williamson book, I’d love to hear about any other books that had a powerful influence on you sometime in the future. Thanks again for your post!
Tim´s last blog .."Like" Part Three
Hi Tim,
You are most welcome. I love it when a reader connects to a post. It fills my heart with joy. Sounds funny but truly, I get really happy. So thank you!
Regarding the GPS system, I was walking to work one morning and I was thinking about faith. It is a subject that has been on my mind so much recently. And somehow, I thought of a map and how people trust that the GPS (which is so small and man-made) will get them to where they want to go but with the Universe/God they have doubts.
As for other books, here are some that come to mind that really have made an impact on my life: The Architecture of All Abundance, The Anatomy of the Spirit, Man’s Search for Meaning, The Power of Now, A New Earth, A Razor’s Edge, The Art of Happiness, Brother of the Third Degree, and Creative Visualization.
I will let you know if any other books come to mind. Most of these should be available on Amazon or the library.
Hi Nadia,
This post could be a wonderful lecture at university. It’s very well done. I love the way you weave together your different points. Your article for The Elephant Journal is excellent, too (beautiful, really!). Recently, I am discovering what you are writing about here and at EJ. I am listening and following my intuition but I am not being patient with the life-timing part. Your metaphor of not trusting in life the way we trust in GPS is powerful. Same with your EJ analogy of trying to grab life by the horns…I have a very strong goal and vision for my purpose here but have been trying to force it. It’s inspiring a post which will be out soon, along similar lines to what you have shared here. Thank you for so artfully explaining all of this! You are a gifted writer!
Jodi at Joy Discovered´s last blog ..The Inner Voice vs. The Voice in Our Head
Hi Jodi,
You are so kind. Thank you for all that you wrote. I am so grateful to receive such positive feedback.
I, too, used to struggle with the whole faith issue. Patience is a virtue and it is a virtue that I have had to work on.
That said, I have come to see that everything boils down to timing and it is out of our hands.
I remember the first time I tried to let go and let God (as the saying goes), I was so scared…I felt that if I let go, disaster would strike. It took a lot of time to be able to just learn to let go.
Some people master this quickly, others need time. Whatever the case may be, the fact that you are aware of what is happening is a great thing. So you are on the right track and if you (or any other reader) need a reminder, feel free to contact me. We are all in this journey together!
Another wonderful post, Nadia! I really needed a reminder about the kindness of the universe! Thanks you for the reminder! And you are right about the fact that we experience what we project out. Yesterday I was uptight and nervous about work and it ended up being a rather stressful day. Last night, I reminded myself that it will be a great day, if I chose to make it a great day! And your blog article reemphasized that to me! And today was just wonderful!!
Also, I have said this earlier, but will say it again.. it is just amazing how your words flow!!
Have a blessed day!
Hi Lotus,
I love it when I hear stories of people who saw the power of their thoughts and how it manifested itself through the day. So often people do not realize that what fuels a bad day is our thoughts about it.
I deal with that too at my day job and I often remind myself to see the beauty that is in my life and when I do that, being at work becomes more fun. So it truly is a matter of perception. See life as bad, life will be bad. See life as beautiful, you will see the beauty. It is that simple.
Thank you also for what you said about my writing. I love to write. It brings me joy. I have been working on it for nineteen years. So I have had a lot of practice.
Hi Nadia.
I too want to join everybody in praising your writing. It is so clear and yet I feel your compassion.
I do think that having faith in a loving Universe is the way to create a different world. I am convinced that how we look at life currently is NOT the way to do it. The explanations we have how life is to be lived are not very powerful and not serving us, as Marianne Williamson also keeps explaining. However to accept another explanation and then live according to it, takes a lot of doing. Trusting goes against the grain, have we not been told to take care of ourselves and NOT to trust? And when you love, are you not being accused of being naive? Then we have given our mind total control and we ignore that this mind is fickle and is totally susceptable to outside influences. Who can I trust? I sometimes do not even know what my own heart has to say. I can so relate to Marianne Williamson when she says we need to work really hard to return to love and that we underestimate the work that that takes.
@ Tim, for me the book ‘Love without End’ by Glenda Green has been the most profound book ever. It explains the power of now very well and it also give very pracital guidelines and explanations how life can be lived and how the power of the universe works. It is a book full of promise and possibility and it really has helped me to know what to do to create a different world. Because for a long time I actually did not know how an alternative world actually would look like, so how could I change?
Nadia, this is an absolute wonderful post. Hugs to you, Wilma.
Wilma Ham´s last blog ..Who Am I?
Hi Wilma,
It is interesting that we live in a world where fear is considered normal or even rational. But to trust or to have faith that life will be okay is considered strange or weird or ignorant.
I do think initially when we are born, we do love and trust naturally but then we are taught by the world around us to have fear. People judge and label one another in an effort to feel safe and secure. The irony is that fear will never make a person safe and secure. It will only make a person paranoid.
Unfortunately, there are people in this world who thrive on that fear and do violent things as a result. A happy person will not cause pain. An unhappy one will.
There was a time in my life when I was scared and miserable. It took a lot of time to see and learn that the Universe is loving and kind. To surrender is not an act of weakness but one of strength. So to surrender, like any muscle, it has to be trained.
It is great that you have found a book that helped you see that there is alternative way to live. Yay!
Hugs back to you, Wilma!
Hi Nadia,
This is such a beautiful and insightful post. Its so true that before you truly find your purpose in life…you lame yourself for everything thats wrong with you and the world around you. BUt, once the realization of your true purpose in life comes….everything seems beautiful and nothing can then deter your spirit. I have come to realize that all our experiences and the people we meet out mirrors to our own self. Its how we feel that about ourself that matters most.
I loved the concept of the movie..and will catch it as soon as it releases here in India. As for Marianne’s books….I have read her work…and its amazing but now that I think about it…your writing styles are quite in sync…Wow!
Zeenat{Positive Provocations}´s last blog ..Good Will Bank
Hi Zeenat,
The more I think about it, the more obvious it becomes to me that what we feel on the inside, will be mirrored on the outside. We truly have no idea how powerful we are and so we think of ourselves as being insignificant and therefore, nothing of significance will happen in our lives and then people complain.
Gandhi put it so well when we he said “be the change you want to see in the world”. I have used this example many times and I think it is so true. People talk about wanting peace…well, then be peace. We truly are powerful and can do amazing things. The problem is we are consumed with fear and doubt. And that fear and doubt also gets in the way of seeing what our purpose is which can be many things or one thing…the options are numerous.
I can imagine you really connected with Julie and Julia.
> where you are at any given moment is the result of a choice you have made in the past on some level.
Beautiful precision and insight.
On NLP, I like the fact it’s a way to model and share excellence. I only like a few of the NLP books I ever met. I’ve actually been boiling down my lessons in NLP into some practical “everyday NLP.” I think the main power of NLP is just knowing how things work. I also like the fact it’s focused on language (how we communicate with ourselves and others to produce results.)
J.D. Meier´s last blog ..Motivation and Technique
Hi JD,
The power of communication is so vital. In my work as a lawyer, I have come to see that the vast majority of disputes can all be boiled down to one thing: miscommunication. Someone said one thing and the other person heard something completely different.
It is amazing how we all assume that we hold the same definition to words but we don’t. Three people can see the same event and chances are there will be three different stories.
As for the line about choice, it is really important that at any given moment we choose wisely because the future will be based on that choice.
As Jodi said, I loved the GPS/map analogy as it relates to having faith in a greater force that is guiding all of us. My experience in the past was always that it’s easy to have faith when things are going our way, but much harder when things get tough. However, that’s when the rubber meets the road.
And like you, I’ve learned that this world is all projection and reflection. Whatever I think ends up being what I see in the world. As I’ve learned to shift my beliefs to love, openness, positivity and the unlimited opportunities in the Universe, my world has become full of all of those things.
Blessings & love to you!
Megan “JoyGirl!” Bord´s last blog ..What Do You Know About Love?
Hi Megan,
Thank you for sharing your experiences in regard to faith. When I first started to learn and practice having faith, I found it was easier to have faith in regards to things I really did not care about. But when it came to things that I really wanted, it was so much more difficult to let go and trust. It took a lot of time and practice to learn to trust when it comes to things that I really want. I think I could even be better in having more of that faith but I am much better than I used to be. We are all works in progress, right?
One more thing, in my experience, I have found that when I have given any situation my ultimate best, it was easier to let go because I knew that there was nothing more that I can or could do.
Hey, I only read the first 2 paragraphs of this, just in case you divulged more of the story than I’d hoped. Which you probably did NOT, it ’s just weird little me. But I can’t read about movies until I see them and this is one I MUST see, I feel drawn to it too. I’m sure I will tomorrow.
So, I’ll be back to read this in full after I see it.
Please forgive me.
I will go on to your previous post now.
Jannie Funster´s last blog ..Yes, Kids Do Say The Darndest Things
Hi Jannie,
You are so sweet, no worries at all.
Let me know what you think after you see the movie. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Have a beautiful day, my friend!
Hi Nadia .. in your reply to JD you mention three people will see the same event, but report three different stories.
The same with everyone’s comments!
Bye for now – Hilary
Hilary´s last blog ..Aquitaine, Dormitories and a Crab …
Hi Hilary,
Great point! The same is true with comments.
Oh Nadia, this is wonderful! I love the whole Power of Belief belief – and what you said about trusting maps! I never thought of maps that way. Great tool-type metaphor! And you DO remind me of Marianne! I’ve been a fan of hers for……….hmmm, let’s just say forever. I saw in her person at a conference years ago – just her voice alone is so soothing.
The words of “you are not just some random ball of energy here for no reason” struck a chord with me. I had a day yesterday of spinning energies out of control, all seemingly going nowhere but in circles. I must have created a lot of static in my energy because things weren’t working properly, (appliances etc), it seemed everything I tried to do went nowhere. By days end, I was literally sitting in a chair, just breathing and trying to unwind the tight ball of yarn I felt I’d become, really visualizing this. It worked! I am not surprised it worked as much as I am relieved! We’ve got power to do amazing things!
Thanks for another heartfelt post – oh, and the movie review as well!
hugs
suZen
suzen´s last blog ..Optimizing Life: Body, Mind and Spirit
Hi Suzen,
Yay for unwinding and visualizing!
I am so happy that you were able to unwind and relax. As I mentioned in one of my replies to a comment, what often fuels a bad day is the thought that you are having a bad day. And things just snowball from there.
As for the GPS/map thing, it is pretty funny, if you think about it. People will drive a car trusting a man-made machine yet tell them to let go and trust that things will work out, they think that is crazy. We humans can be funny.
Regarding Marianne Williamson, she has been an idol of mine for years. I think she is so great and real. To read that my writing reminds you (and a couple other people who commented) of her is just awesome and humbling. Thank you!
Nadia,
I know how deeply connected you are to your soul, and I believe very much that that’s the spot this post came from. It is written with such clarity of purpose, that take me right into my own faith life. Which is really a journey into my soul, and what I experience there. The world is indeed full of so much potential, and that’s each one of us, listening to that deeper self. So good to read this today, especially for me, Nadia….your spirit shines!
Lance´s last blog ..The Jungle of Food Choices
Hi Lance,
Thank you so much for all the kind words. I really appreciate it.
The more I think about life and happiness, the more I am convinced that in order to be truly happy, a person needs to be in touch with their soul. For the soul holds all the answers and is our true self. All the external stuff is fluff and really does not mean anything. So to be in connection with the soul and the beauty that surrounds us is truly the best way to live. The key is to remember that all the time.
Each one of us is important, meaningful and powerful. We just don’t see it. With time, may more and more of us see it.
Wow! As I read your post, I smiled because it is so nice to find other women going through a similar transition in their life. I find it rewarding for me now to write about the transition and the big move we are about to make as a family. I don’t feel so alone. A Return to Love is one of my favs. I read it over decade ago. Great book. I now look forward to seeing the movie.
Thanks for sharing!
@GotPassport´s last blog ..Why I Started Blogging
Hi Got Passport,
Thank you for stopping by. I saw your blog and I think it is wonderful how you are documenting the travels your family is taking. So what made you all decide on Thailand?
Have no worries, you are not alone. Many people are in the process of transforming their lives and it is great to see how each one’s story is unique yet similar in some ways.
Hi Nadia,
You write with such ease, grace and clarity. I always get something from reading your posts, Thank You.
Believing that the Universe delivers, that it is perfectly aligned to us is a big thing to take on board in my book. It involves giving up all my fears and worries, totally focusing on my purpose and staying true to it amid all the chaos. And most importantly of all, I need to trust and have faith that it will all work out, that the Universe does indeed collaborate with me so I can, as you say, ‘move mountains’.
Integrity has a lot to do with it too, being my word, be-ing integrity and taking actions that are consistent with it. Only when I am in integrity with myself and my world can the Universe respond to me.
And as Marianne Williamson said ‘We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it’s in every one’
Hugs to you
Ann-Marie´s last blog ..Who Am I?
Hi Ann-Marie,
Thank you so much for the kind words on my writing.
Yes, surrendering can be a huge thing to take on. However, whether we do it or do not do it, the laws of the Universe are still in play. The key is whether someone chooses to be responsible for how they are showing up in the world. You called it integrity and I agree that it is important that we consciously choose how we want to be or how we want to act. I disagree that the Universe will respond to you only if you are in integrity with yourself.
The Universe will respond regardless of what someone does. The Universe does not discriminate in responding. It will respond to anyone and everyone. The quality of response depends on the person. Shine bright, the Universe will respond equally bright.
The distinction is that when you are acting from integrity, the response will be more in line with what you truly want. When someone is showing up in the world petty and small, their response from the Universe will match that pettiness and smallness. It is that simple.
Hugs back!
Hi Nadia
Thanks a mil for your reponse. I may not have been clear in my use of the word ‘integrity’. Instead of using it as ‘being morally good’, I’m using it in the sense of ‘whole and complete’. When the whole and complete sense is applied to who I am being and how I act, then I am completely aligning myself with the laws of the Universe.
By being and acting in integrity, I’m aligning myself with God and the flow of life. When I fail to and play small for example, God still, as you say “responds regardless of what I do”, but that response is always consistent, God always responds consistent with the laws of integrity, so playing small will consistently deliver a ‘small’ result, as this is the level of wholeness that I ask God to partner me in.
This realization that to be ‘in integrity’ in the whole and complete sense has made a huge difference for me personally. As I ask myself what is the best thing for me to do in any situation, I’ve found clarity in asking the more specific question; “what can I do to be complete and have my world be in integrity?”
Thanks for this conversation, appreciate it.
Ann-Marie´s last blog ..No matter what I have been told, I am NOT selfish, I AM base camp.
Hi Ann-Marie,
Thank you for clarifying. I understand what you are saying but I still do not think the word “integrity” is the right word to use. Here is why: you and I and everybody else on this planet are already whole and complete. We just do not see it. We are not lacking in any way but we are so consumed with the illusion of fear, that we think we are incomplete.
As the Bible states as do other traditions, we were created in the image of God and God does not create imperfection. So we at our core are whole and complete.
Like I said above, I know what you are saying and agree with it, I just think there is a better word to use than integrity and I cannot think of one at the moment.
If I do, I will let you know and thank you for the discussion. I love it! 
I loved this post.
I know the feeling of pain and hurt due to my depression.
I’m going to see Julia and Julia for sure because of this. I was drawn to the movie because of the blogging idea within it. And using it as a way to start towards your dreams/passion/life.
I’ve been working towards it myself. It’s not an over night success and I think even 1 year is fast.
I love the message here.
Hi Scott,
One of the interesting points in the movie is that it took Julia Child eight years to write her book and get it published.
Each person has a timetable, if you will, that works and suits them. No two journeys should be compared and the same is true for timetables. Some peope need a year and some need more. The key is to enjoy the journey. Easier said than done at times, but that is the reality.
As for your depression, I know how tough it can be. My mom struggled with it for most of her life and it was hard to watch. I have had my moments of feeling depressed too. If I can be of help, please let me know.
Hi Nadia,
Thanks so much for your replies. Ann-Marie and I have been chewing over this post and the notion of being whole and complete and yet not living our lives like that.
How come we start of whole and complete and then make such a muddle of our lives and NOT live to the full and behave like an ant?
Because I agree with what you say here; “As the Bible states as do other traditions, we were created in the image of God and God does not create imperfection. So we at our core are whole and complete
This does not mean that you do not have free will, for where you are at any given moment is the result of a choice you have made in the past on some level.”
I think that in the process of living and how our world is organized at this moment in time we do out of integrity things that lead us away from our whole and completeness and have us make choices that not always serve us. It starts from a young age when we are told to NOT say what we think. For example we do not like aunty’s food so we say so to aunty. Then we get told off by our parents but on the way home in the car our parents too say how horrid the food was while having praised it at her house.
So what to think and what choice to make next time in situations like this? Gone is part of our whole and completeness and from then on it is a sliding slippery path to being out of integrity and getting into a muddle, not knowing what we are allowed to think, say, choose or even dream. No wonder we are confused, depressed and utterly disjointed and making muddled choices and behaving like a dog, trying to please others and waiting for a bone.
To get back to whole and completeness Ann-Marie and I are determined to support each other in getting back into integrity which means getting out of this muddle and getting clarity about what we choose and how to behave and thus we are claiming our power back. Once we are clear, honest, do our part well and consistently, then we can also cooperate better with the Universe and our lives will work out much more joyful.
At the moment our performance is randomly good and bad, observing and correcting our integrity support us to perform more and more consistently and thus we can create better results. We also have become easier for the Universe to work with, we have become a reliable partner.
Wilma Ham´s last blog ..No matter what I have been told, I am NOT selfish, I AM base camp.
Hi Wilma,
I think it is awesome that you and Ann-Marie are helping each other to re-capture your awareness of being whole and complete. That is a great example of friendship and I am happy you two are willing to help each other.
As for why we lose our awareness of our innate wholeness…it is because we start to be taught to be afraid and then we experience pain when someone hurts us which is not a wonderful feeling. As a result of the pain, we want to protect ourselves from pain so we do things thinking it is wise which then only leads us to more pain. What I just wrote is a very quick summary of the process. I just hope I conveyed the point that we start out whole but due to fear and painful experiences, we start to think we are less than what we truly are.
I guess the best example is a young child before they go to school, they are like a blank slate. They talk to anyone and have no awareness of self-consciousness. Once they start to be taught to be scared and experience being with other people, that blank slate is no more blank.
There is another topic that ties into this but you will see that with the new post that will be published tomorrow.
Hi Nadia
Thanks for your reponse. I completely agree with what you are saying; “we are already whole and complete.” That certainly has to be the case as we were created in the image of God. However the other dimension that God gave us was ‘freewill’ and it is because we have freewill that we are free to choose to turn our back on God and our own integrity.
For me the word integrity (or the lack of it) has been very useful to clarify what is currently going on for us human beings. It is always true that in any moment we can choose and return to integrity, being whole, complete and perfect as we are meant to be. But we do have to use our freewill and choose it in any given moment. Because we and life is dynamic, we actually flow out of and into integrity in every moment depending on the choices we make.
Nadia I value this conversation. And I hope I’ve explained why I’m so passionate about integrity being a useful concept for me in my daily life.
Hugs to you.
Ann-Marie´s last blog ..No matter what I have been told, I am NOT selfish, I AM base camp.
Hi Ann-Marie,
No worries.
Just do whatever works for you regardless of what you or I choose to call it. Each person has a method and path which works for them. If the word “integrity” is what moves you then so be it. 
I am happy you have found a way that speaks to your soul.
I enjoyed the conversation too. It showed me yet again that people may mean the same thing but call it differenty and that is kind of cool.
Hugs back!
I had to see the movie Julie & Julia three times – I saw the preview and ran to see it just by myself the day it opened. Next I took my husband to see it for my birthday and when my daughter dropped in on her way back to Grad. School I made her go. I have just bought the original book – as the Kindle version in modified.
Julia Child’s cooking show was the only show I was allowed to watch on TV when I was recovering from my cancer surgery as a child – she made life and mistakes such a joy for me
and Julie P is a successful blog/writer – inspiring.
I am only now beginning to truly understand my relationship with this movie and story and it is feeling very good to find some more discussion about it here on line. Thank you for sharing your relationship with this movie – enlightening
Patricia´s last blog ..I Spy…Beauty
Hi Patricia,
One of my friends and I both decided that when the movie comes out on DVD, we will each buy a copy. There is something about true stories that inspires us and gives us the ability to go after what we desire. I think it was C.S. Lewis who said we read so we know we are not alone. I think there is truth in that.
I have not read the book version of “Julie & Julia” but would like to at some point.
As for Julia Child, she was real and I think Meryl Streep did a great job depicting her. Then again, Meryl Streep is a brilliant actress.
Hope all is awesome!
Nadia,
Meryl Streep is so amazing even in Momma Mia – a whole new person each movie.
I have had 3 people say the book is even better than the movie – three recommendations is all it takes for me to read a book!
I will purchase the DVD too….that will make 6 I own and that is a good number in the universe!
( I see I typed in instead of is above – in light of Jannie’s typos post I thought I should make a correction ) All is awesome.
Patricia´s last blog ..I Spy…Beauty
Hi Patricia,
Meryl Streep always does a good job whether it is a drama or a comedy or whatever. She really loves what she does and it shows.
And yay for all being awesome!
Nadia, You always manage to tap the essential message of each experience. What you shared about the shift of happiness coming into your life after a state of misery is so pertinent. Lately, I have been watching in amazement some powerful shifts in my life…ones that are so cool that they make me giddy with excitement.
The other day at a reiki session I drew the card….Acceptance. I looked at the practitioner kind of with a disappointed look. And I said, “Oh does this mean that I have to accept that one of my dreams will NOT come true and that I need to allow that?”
She laughed and said….”Oh no, Katie, this time is all about accepting how brilliant your life can actually be and allowing these dreams to be realized.”
How cool is that? We can live brightly and brilliantly….that simple. We just have to let it in. Makes me want to throw a party for all of us.
Thanks for the movie mention…I really want to see it!
Katie
Katie West/The Levity Coach´s last blog ..Let’s All Live Like Desperados
Hi Katie,
That is awesome that you are noticing powerful shifts in your life. I know exactly what you mean about how that awareness makes you so amazingly happy.
As for acceptance, I agree with what the person told you and also to accept who you are and what you are capable of doing. So often people have no idea how powerful they truly are. We get so caught up in what we think is missing, we forget that we do have so many blessings and we can do wonders with what we have.
And I am all for a having a party!
Thanks Nadia
Looking forward to reading your new post.
Appreciate this conversation.
Bye for now ;0)
You know I really have nothing to comment or add to what you have written. Nothing special. I don’t even remember any incidents occurred in my life – which ‘match.’
But after reading your post I felt very nice. Very beautiful. Something connected. So I am commenting.
Thank you.
Meghashyam Chirravoori´s last blog ..Sep 6, How to not forget life changing ideas?
Hi Meghashyam,
You are so kind, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate it and I am happy that you felt a connection. That is awesome.
Comments on this entry are closed.