HEARTSONG, ISSUE 16, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2007

WELCOME TO HEARTSONG!!!

In This Issue:
Quote From The Heart
A Note From Kim
From The Lighthouse, With Love
Home And Hearth
Prayer From The Heart
Heartsong Reflection

QUOTE FROM THE HEART
In each issue of Heartsong, I will open with a quote, poem or lyric, which I have found inspiring and uplifting. I hope they will inspire you, as well!

"To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love."
-Thomas A Kempis

A NOTE FROM KIM
Welcome to today's issue of Heartsong! February has proven to be a busy month for me thus far, what with reconstructing my website, working diligently on ecourses, and lots of other interesting things. I find that the more I allow God to lead me where God would have me go, the more excitement, self-discovery and delight I find awaiting me! (See February fourth's Lighthouse article for more information on letting God lead in your life). I hope you're having a wonderful month, also!

Before we go any further, I'd be grateful if you'd please think some thoughts and/or pray some prayers for Emily and her family. Emily, who is only in her early thirties, suffered a stroke earlier this week, and the doctors don't currently know what caused it. I know that Emily, her husband Chris, and their four children would appreciate your thoughts and prayers at this time. Thank you in advance.

My site is still in the reconstruction phase. I apologize for any inconvenience. I hope it will be completely finished by the time you receive your March issue. In the meantime, I'm available for one-on-one coaching services, and customized meditation scripts. Please drop me an email if you're interested. Thanks!
Kim@KimLoftis.com 

Until next time, enjoy the rest of today's issue, and I hope the rest of your February is all you want it to be!

Love,
Kim

FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE, WITH LOVE
A lighthouse serves as a beacon of hope in a violent storm. A lighthouse sheds light on our worries and troubles, and brings us joy and peace. Therefore, in each Heartsong issue, I will include an article, which will help to guide you through the dark and troubled times, or lighten and brighten your heart and life in a special way. In today's Lighthouse article, we're talking about the best surefire way to conquer our fears and anxieties.

"The Answer to Fear: How to Shift from Fear and Anxiety Into Contentment and Peace"

It can sometimes be quite easy to allow our fears to consume our lives. Almost daily, many of us find ourselves in situations where there's something or someone we could fear. Whether they are very trivial things or more logical in nature, many of us find ourselves often lapsing into a mindset of fear, anxiety and negativity. We travel on the highway and worry that we might get into a car wreck. We fear for our children as they attend school. Or we fear that we may become ill and not be able to support our families.

Though some fears are certainly grounded in solid fact, more often than not, we fear silly things that really aren't worth bothering with in the first place. When fear takes over our lives, it's easy to feel helpless and trapped. So how do we eliminate fear based thinking and discover contentment and peace for ourselves?

When I was just beginning to seriously consider establishing myself as an entrepreneur with my own practice, I had a lot of fear and anxiety. Did I really have anything unique to offer? Would people respect and like me? Did I really think I could ever become truly successful? What the heck was wrong with me, anyway? Fortunately for me, I had a wonderful teacher at that time, who was herself a successful entrepreneur, and who had experienced similar anxieties when she began her own business. Her answer to eliminating fear was this. "The answer to fear is love."

It sounds so simple, doesn't it? And in truth, it is quite simple indeed. Like everything else in life, however, it does take practice to get into the habit of loving instead of fearing. Yet, love is such a positive way of being, and so much more powerful than fear, that I'm sure you'll welcome the experience of learning to live from a place of love rather than a place of fear and anxiety, right?

For me, there are three vital components to learning to live from love. You may find other components that are important to you, and I would encourage you to explore and discover what works best for you. But just as a guideline, here is my own three-part formula for living in love while greatly lessening fear.

Part One: Loving God. I worship God as an all-powerful, all-knowing and eternally loving parent, confidant and friend. When I find myself thinking from a place of anxiety, I pray to God to replace my fear with peace and love. As I pray this prayer, I allow myself to relax and open myself to allow God's perfect love and peace to enter all parts of my body, mind and spirit. On doing this, my fear and anxiety is greatly lessened or disappears completely. You may want to try this for yourself. Sincerely ask God to assist you in living from love, and open yourself to receive God's peace. You may wish to repeat this several times daily to enjoy greater love and peace.

Part Two: Loving Others. I've found it very important to keep a loving support system of friends and family around me to bolster my confidence and give me strength and encouragement. Find two or three loved ones to confide in, pray with, cry with, laugh with and talk to openly and honestly. Help one another to see the good and the positive things in life, and assist one another through love, support and open communication. With loving and trusted friends around you to support and love you, you'll find it much easier to express yourself completely, and thereby discover ways to live from love rather than fear.

Part Three: Loving Self. This can sometimes be the hardest part of the formula. And yet, I find that loving myself is of vital importance. When you find yourself trapped in fear based thinking, try not to scold yourself or beat yourself up. Rather, try to find ways to nurture yourself through the place of fear. Read an inspirational poem or story, cuddle a child or puppy, indulge in a piece of chocolate, a nourishing cup of tea or a hot shower. Remember that you truly are a gift to humanity, and that nobody else on Earth is quite like you. Find ways to love yourself, and this will be of great help as you discover how to live from love.

Love truly can set you free from a life plagued by fear and anxiety. Take courage! The journey towards living life in love can be challenging at times, and like most things worth pursuing, it's a process, so be patient with yourself. But I promise you, the challenges are nothing compared to the rewards of lessening your fear and increasing peace, love and contentment in your life. I wish you much happiness and love on this exciting journey! If you'd like some extra help in learning to live from love, I'd be honored to be your partner and coach. Please contact me for more information.

HOPE AND HEARTH
In this section of the newsletter, I will provide tips to help you to bring your own creativity, spirituality and unique talents into your everyday life, and, more specifically, into your home.

"Making Each Day Valentine's Day"

We celebrated Valentine's Day on Wednesday, and love, romance and the smell of flowers and chocolate filled the air! Each year around February 14, I find myself reflecting about love and the importance of loving others. I think it's wonderful that we have Valentine's Day; a day when we take time to honor those who mean the most to us. But as much as I love the holiday, I'd like to make a suggestion to everyone. Why not make every day a day to honor those we love?

Think about it. We don't need a holiday to be able to express our feelings of love, appreciation and deep gratitude. We should express a lifetime of love to those who hold our hearts, and not just on special occasions. Buy flowers and chocolate "just because." Don't wait for an occasion to have a nice dinner out or go dancing the night away. And find ways to express your love each and every single day! If we all took time to do this, I whole-heartedly believe that the world would be a far more loving, peaceful and happy place. I love you all!

PRAYER FROM THE HEART
Each issue of Heartsong will feature a prayer, either from my own heart, one which I hold dear in my own life, or one suggested to me by others. I hope they will speak to your spirit, as well.

Dear God, please help me to learn to live my life from a place of love and contentment. Help me to focus on the good and the positive, and if I see things that I feel aren't so positive, help me to use my unique talents and gifts to be of assistance, if that's what you would have me do. Fill me with your infinite love, grace and peace. Thank you, dear God. I ask these things in your Holy Name. Amen.

HEARTSONG REFLECTION
Until our next issue, rely on love of God, love of others and love of self to assist you in leading a less fearful, more peaceful life. Reflect on the love that God and others have given you, and express your own love in return. Remember, you're truly special, and deeply loved!

Love, Light and Blessings,
Kim

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Heartsong is a biweekly publication, and is published on the first and third Sunday of each month. All content is copyright Kim Loftis, unless otherwise indicated.
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Have any questions or comments about this issue, or about Heartsong in general? If so, please don't hesitate to email me.   Kim@KimLoftis.com  And who knows? Your questions may inspire an article for an upcoming issue! Your questions and comments help me to make Heartsong as engaging, fun and inspiring as possible, and I thank you in advance!
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To learn all about my compassionate, personalized life and spiritual coaching services, and to schedule your free forty-five minute coaching session, please visit my website:
http://www.kimloftis.com 

I would be honored and delighted to be your coach!

Until the next issue of Heartsong, let your heart sing, and I send you all my love!

Kim