Author: Dottie Hager

It’s time to take the limits off of what you think your life can be.

Imagine the world you would see if abundance was what you saw in more situations.

What if you changed your inner game? Believe something greater is possible. I am amazed at how many people say, “Be realistic.” “Be okay with where you are.”

I am super grateful for where I am. I love, love my life. But what I’ve learned in this process is there is a great big world out there if I am willing to be open to receive it.

Just think about how much you can receive when you quit being resistant or thinking small?

Think of the abundance of energy that flows in your body when you aren’t constricted. The difference can be being healthy and not so.

Think of how much your body can relax when you aren’t uptight or trying to be right. Another thought or possibility can show up.

Instead of resisting, just notice when you are thinking differently than what is presented. Not right or wrong. Just hmm, or let the thoughts pass.

It’s your thinking that will keep you in lack. You don’t have to attach to whatever comes up, which keeps you in lack. Rather, stay open to another idea, to an abundance of solutions or ideas. For so long, I was resistant to anything but public education. But recently, I have seen a number of people feeling that their children are enjoying the learning they are receiving. When I look under why I thought that way, I want to protect and make sure ALL children have the options and opportunities to learn and achieve. Why – I believe education is your ticket to whatever you want. So my shift has been, it doesn’t matter how that is, just that all children have a chance to learn at their highest potential. Not be in resistance of one way that it has to happen.

How can you notice abundance instead of lack?
Is it in your thinking?

Is it in your understanding about where abundance can be?

Abundance is everywhere.

If you begin to notice the abundance all around you, then more abundance can come to you if you are allowing it. For instance, this time of year, there seems to be an abundance of leaves falling down. There is an abundance of joy for your favorite football league.

Too often you are limited in the way you think of abundance as only to do with money or stuff.

You have abundance in the choices you can make.

There is abundance in beauty, kindness and goodness.

There is an abundance of love all around.

There are an abundant amount of opportunities you can have each day.

How are you noticing abundance over lack in your all day every day?

What shifts or changes do you need to make to see through new eyes of seeing abundance everywhere?

I know when I started trying “to see more through the eyes of God,” it took a lot of consciousness and discipline for me. I can say I catch myself more often these days because it is something I truly want. I can see where I go off track pretty easily too.

Allow yourself some grace as you look to see how beautifully designed our world is full of abundance for your taking.

Take the limits off yourself.

Create your world full of abundance.
Be amazed.

Dreams are what you make them.

Dreams without actions, stay as dreams instead of reality.

There’s not one way or the right way to live your life even though most have been taught to do life this way or that.

I know growing up I thought things needed to be my Dad’s way or the Church’s way. I didn’t feel I had a say in anything. Felt powerless.

As David Hawkins writes, “Power comes from integrity and accepting responsibility for the consequences of one’s own actions, choices, and decisions.”

One of the nice parts about being in my 70s is to look back and see how many dreams have come true for me.

I see where some came more easily than others.

I see where some were shattered.

I see where some were way better than I imagined.

I see how important it is to create the life you desire again and again because each stage of life offers you many opportunities. Many you couldn’t have seen or thought about because of where you were with your life.

As Cleo Wade says, “We are the builders who are building a world that has never been built before.”

I ask you, are you creating the world you want? Personally and collectively?

You have the power.

Fall is nearly upon us. How could you use this time of year to create or recreate some dreams you have?
Ask yourself some questions to gain clarity into what really matters to you.

What makes your heart and soul sing?

What have you always wanted to do but keep putting off?

What would make you feel fulfilled and content?

We were in Idaho this last week hiking and fishing. At the top of a pretty steep hike, there was a bench with some people’s names on it. It made me think about what could be some neat legacy like that I could set into motion. We were really glad to have that bench to rest on.

Where are you on the scale of taking responsibility to create the life you desire? Do you believe you are responsible for creating it or that life just happens?

Find the areas of your life more out of whack or uncomfortable for you. Decide how you would want those to look life. The more you take charge of your life, the more fulfilled and happy you will be. If you feel like a victim and life happens to you, you will carry a lot of resentment and frustration of how life can be.

Your attitude and choices matter.

Spend some time dreaming about how you want this next year to be for you. Savor in how things will feel for you. Allow yourself to really play and be in the dream situation. Take time daydreaming.

When you live your dream life, life is more joyful and fun. You feel powerful and successful.

Are you ready to step up and take responsibility for creating your dream life?

It’s a choice or two away.

Today is precious. It’s a gift.

If you think about it, there will never be another today.

How can you make today simply amazing? Take time to ponder that idea. Feel inside of you.

What makes for a wonderful day for you?

Is it being peaceful? Notice what that looks like for you today.

Is it sharing the day with loved ones? Or, maybe by yourself?

Is it being outdoors in nature?

I know for me, that a having a wonderful day can change. But, I know that my day becomes the best when I start my day off meditating, reading my spiritual books to get me focused on what’s most important to me, and exercising.

If I do that, I know my day can be magical even if,

Chaos comes in.

Disruptions happen.

I have grounded myself. I have decided how my mind and my focus will be.

Knowing what makes for a wonderful day for you empowers you. It makes you feel strong.

So when the wind blows, you are flowing with it rather than taken away and thrown around.

A wonderful day for me is when I can resolve frustrating situations with ease and flow. Like recently we changed internet and TV provider because the cost of the other was skyrocketing. At first, it seemed like a great deal, saving at least $150 a month. But, almost 2 months later, I’m realizing things are still not resolved. We couldn’t get the TV to show the OU game. Can’t get the internet in parts of my study. My emails quit showing up. Add to it, I lack an understanding of some of these technologies. I just want it to work. Frustrating. I think that savings might not be worth the loss of peace I’ve, we’ve encountered. Now, I have to face the music, and work on a solution. But, what I know well, is the frame of mind and the vibration I’m at, will determine the results I get. First, I must find the radio station frequency of solutions that goes with ease and flow. I have to “be that ease and flow” before any encounter with others.

I know I want a wonderful day.

What is it? Can you envision this magical day of delights?

Think about being a kid. What made you jump for joy? What brought that unbridled laughter? The joy of a friend coming over. The excitement when you got on your bike and headed over to meet a group of friends.

How can you make for a wonderful day with the simple pleasures? A big part of it is with gratitude and appreciation of what actually brings out that complete pleasure for you. It’s taking time to KNOW what matters to you having this amazing day.

Life is more simple than we make it.

Are you feeling that life just gets better and better? In one of my exercise classes this past week, one of the ladies has recently become a grandmother. She is ecstatic about it. Her daughter called her right before class and asked if she could watch her son. She was flying high. She couldn’t quit talking about how fabulous being a grandmother is, and how much she loves this new role in her life.

What makes you feel better and better? Do more of that.

Take time today to notice when your mood changes. What brings you up? Whether that is something you are thinking, something you are doing, or some way you are being.

Create more of what lightens your life.
Life is calling you to wake up. Wake up to what lifts you up, to live a more magical life.

Decide today what makes a wonderful day for you. Choose to live it.

Learning helps you move forward.

Learning is empowering.

As you think about where you are in life right now, what is it that you want to learn?

Is that because there is a passion?

Are you ready to do something you’ve always wanted to and have put off?

Is there a need? Maybe because of a sickness, phase of life?

Learning opens your mind and heart to greater possibilities. Bo and I have been doing Duolingo Spanish for about a year and a half. We laugh at how slow it’s been for us to get it. I’m better at reading it and Bo speaks it way better than I do. Neither can hear others speaking Spanish and know what they are saying. We laugh if we can pick out a word or two. We were so excited on our recent trip. We saw a sign on the highway in Spanish, and both of us immediately figured it out. Success!

Being retired you have more time to take on other projects. Bo has taken on home projects when things don’t work. It’s been fun to see and feel how good it feels to figure it out.

YouTube videos are very helpful. We understand why our grandsons want to watch them to help them figure out how to beat their games. How smart is that!

Think about something you are struggling with. Instead of seeing the problem in it, seek solutions.

Decide you are going to change the station in which you are seeing it. Just like a radio station.

Decide you want to find examples of how others have overcome the situation.

Decide you are going to learn and grow from this circumstance that is problematic for you.

Decide that your attitude will be one of trusting and believing that life is for you, and that there is something Higher here for you.

Try to take whatever is before you, and learn and grow from it. Make it a game. It’s more fun and it allows you to be in the flow of it. Rather than being in resistance and fear.

Think about all the kids and adults going back to school right now. Think about all the different feelings and situations they are in. How scary it can be to start something new, see new people, and deal with entirely new situations and ways of being.

Mostly, people give you grace and support as you begin again.

Can you give yourself some grace and kindness in the process?

How can you allow yourself to feel whatever is there, but go for whatever you are wanting to learn? Know that it can be tricky, uncertain and a long haul. Don’t make any of that wrong. Pat yourself on the back that you are willing to step up and grow in new ways.

How can you take this month, and the rest of the year, and learn something new? How can it be joyful and invigorating for you?

I love learning so when I hear some grumbling, I will say, “That sounds like old people talking.” You know – you can’t teach an old dog, new tricks. I don’t believe that. That’s a choice.

Learning allows you to see new perspectives. Like on our recent mountain bike trip to Colorado. We were on lots of rock and gravel. Some of the guys were helping me understand how to maneuver the gravel coming down steep mountains. They were helping me know how to use my gears better so I don’t slide out. I learned about the impact of tire pressure in differing environments. I was open because I wanted to ride with more ease and safety. I challenged myself to trust the situations and myself because of my new understandings. It worked. I rode more, and in lots harder places than I had done before.

Where do you need to be more open and learn something that could have an impact on your life rather than thinking you don’t have anything to learn and grow about?

Life is about expansion.

Life is about finally seeing how everything and every experience is there to bring you to your Highest and Greatest.

Life is about finding your way to your well-being even if that is sometimes through tragedy and great sickness.

How can nature help you feel better? Whether that is with:

Your attitude Your physical abilities Your appreciation and gratitude

How could you ask yourself in whatever situation you find yourself, “What are you here to teach me?” Could you be open to asking this question rather than staying stuck on the problem?

Nature is a wonderful teacher. There’s such magic, awe and magnificence out there. Having the opportunity to live around little lakes has been a huge journey in understanding more about life cycles, and exploring the seasons with the wildlife around. I hadn’t noticed or paid much attention. It’s been fun to experience it, and be curious about what might happen next.

Having been in Montana, Tahoe and now in Salida, Colorado these last few weeks, I’ve been blessed to be filled with even more expansion and experiences. I’ve really come to understand how nature improves your well-being. It’s magical.

Sitting outside by the Arkansas River writing this blog feels so different. As the water is flowing, I feel my words flowing. I feel my being flowing. I am more open, expansive and connected. I feel the power of nature. I feel the messages and words coming to me.

My attitude is gratitude, excitement and possibilities. We were biking past this skate/bike park. These 3 men in their 20s were in heaven flipping their bikes up and down and all around. They were seeing how much air they could get, what tricks they could land. We stopped and watched them for a bit. It was unbelievable, nothing I could ever have imagined doing. One of the ladies I was with, said, I wonder if they have health insurance. Our thinking stops us and limits what’s possible for us. Could we instead see the joy, the fun and the benefits they are receiving from pushing, believing in themselves and trusting all is well?

Attitude is everything.

Nature can bring out the best in you. Yes, it can be scary. Ask yourself, how could you allow nature to expand you? Whether that is in your walk outdoors, working in your yard or garden, swimming, or any other way you can experience it.

How can nature give you permission to allow it all?

How can nature free you from some limited thinking?

How can nature remind you to check your attitude? Are you looking for the greatness, the magnificent? Or are you complaining about the weather, the bugs, or the outside not being for you?

Your attitude about nature probably mirrors your attitude about life and all that is happening around you.

How does nature affect you?

We are in Salida with our biking group. A group of them are fearless. Today they are going 40 miles in some difficult terrain. A small group of us are going to something a lot less strenuous, me included. I honor I no longer have the mindset that I have to go to the extreme. I love biking. I love the outdoors and a little challenge. I’m proud I’m more comfortable being okay with what feels right for me today. I can expand based on where I’m still feeling joy, excitement and a little uncertainty.

Being okay with honoring myself and my limitations is great growth for my well-being.

How can the healing powers of nature help you find a higher vibration?

What can bring out more joy or fun for you by being in nature? Where could you be more curious about life outdoors? How could nature bring more peace to you?

What benefits can you receive from nature?

Choose to lift your sights and understanding of what nature can do for you.

Nature is powerful to healing your well-being.

Feng Shui is used to change the energy in your life. Whether that is for your home or your life.

Feng Shui is about bringing harmony and balance to your life.

Feng Shui suggests things like decluttering and opening spaces so energy can flow.

Where do you need to unblock some energy so you can create a calm and serene life?

What feels stuck?

Life is about flow.

Think about where you feel you are most blocked.

Is it around rooms in your house?

Is it with thoughts in your mind?

Is it with your body’s aches and pains?

Is it suppressing your emotions?

Illnesses are about being blocked. Dr. Perry Nicholson with Stop Chasing Pain shares many tips about unblocking the flow of blood and the lymphatic system.

Notice where you are resisting what is happening in your life or the world. It’s creating blockages for you whether you realize it or not.

Feng Shui is about opening up. Finding ways to have the energy flow.

You are in charge of what happens in your life.

How can you begin the process of creating space whether in your home, in your mind or in your life?

One of the simplest things I have heard about using Feng Shui was to get rid of 27 things a day. Find one room in your house, a closet, or your attic. How could you discard 27 things? Like me, we have this junk drawer in our kitchen. I know it would feel grand to trash some of the things in there – like outdated coupons or old glue sticks that have lost their zest. I know how good that would feel because we could see what’s in there.

You could become aware of your thoughts. Begin noticing where you are resisting. How could you instead just notice what is happening? Oh, yeah, I don’t really like that idea but NOT hold on to it or blow up your emotions with it.

Keep the concept of a buffet in your mind. At a buffet, there are many choices. You don’t make them wrong, resist, or go ballistic about them, you choose what you like. Contrast is meant to help you decide more about what is right for you today.

The more you notice what triggers you and not get involved with it, the lighter and more calm and serene your life can be.

Decide to use Feng Shui each day. Whether that is moving things around to feel more space, cleaning up some old habits and thoughts or bringing more joy to your life.

I know when we remodeled a few years ago, one of the factors I used in choosing what I wanted was to have things that felt light. It allowed me to get rid of lots of things that were dark and heavy. Our house feels lighter and brighter, more flow and joy.

Use simple tools like Feng Shui to make your life simpler and easier.

As children are going back to school, use this time to recreate how your life will be.

Put fewer things on your calendar.

Choose only things that give you a feeling of a 10! Get rid of all those things that aren’t close to that.

Let your life be one of harmony and balance.

Think Feng Shui.

Simplify.

The happiest people in life are not focused on themselves. They know that the real purpose and meaning of life are beyond themselves.

I know one of our friends shares that he starts his day asking himself, how can he make his wife’s day the best it can be?

Just think about being curious about making another’s day better. Feel how that feels. Feel how it will feel knowing you are giving because you want to, not have to, not should.

Think of how our world would change if each person thought about how they could make someone else’s day better.

That is why I love nonprofits. People choose places of interest that matter and work for them. People volunteer for a cause and purpose they care about. Their hearts are open and filled. Even if things aren’t like they wish but they serve because they have hope and concern for something better.

That is why I love that I chose education as my career and vocation. Each day was a blessing to me. I could be lifted by knowing my, intention was to make another’s day better. Planning and focusing on how I could help children and adults learn, be curious and understand more.

When you think about others, there is a great sense of connection, of purpose. Life feels more valued, you feel more fulfilled and satisfied.

One of the ways to ensure you are living bigger than yourself, is as you are saying your evening gratitudes and prayers, is to ask yourself, “How did I make someone else’s day better?”

My word for 2024 is generosity. I have a little piece of paper that reminds me to reflect on how I was generous today. This has helped me expand my understanding of generosity. At first, I was thinking about money, giving more money to others in need. But as the year has gone on, I’ve seen generosity is a much broader meaning like making someone else’s day better.

How can you open yourself up to thinking more about making other’s day better than what you need?

I know some of you might be triggered by thinking how can you serve another when you might be barely getting by? But, what I know for sure, is when my mind thinks like that, it’s a reminder to me to get bigger than myself. See ways I can step out of myself. Get bigger. Know there is something more for me and my life.

I know you can only give what you have. If you have a lack and poverty thinking, it’s hard to think about giving. Maybe your growth and making another’s day better is by finding your abundance, your prosperity. Like if you have your health, whew, how abundant you are. If you have a family or friends, you are blessed. If you have a roof over your head, be grateful. Be an example of being blessed for others.

Decide today is a new beginning for you to be more of a giver.

Decide you are going to give more than you take. Does that begin with smiling, and saying Thank You?

Let the miracles of life happen for you as you open to making someone else’s day better.

You are meant to live your life as a powerful You.

You were created in the image and likeness of God, Your Highest Being.

It’s time for you to step into that version of yourself. To believe in who you REALLY are.

Pay attention to the people you admire. They are shining a light on you to see the greatness you are. Think about 3 people you admire. Then name 2 or 3 qualities you admire in each of those 3 people. Notice how they are qualities in YOU! Maybe some of them have been covered up. Maybe somewhere in your past, you were told that it wasn’t okay for you to shine your light in these areas. For instance, if you are energetic and enthusiastic like those you admire, you might have been told to tame that down. Figure out what part of that might be helpful. But realize if those qualities show up for you, be that. Allow yourself to step into your power, your joy and be enthusiastic and energetic. That is choosing YOU!

For too long, most people have chosen other people’s opinions to guide what they choose to do or be in life. Allow their comments to be a choice, but CHOOSE YOU.

You always have a choice. If you are like me, I certainly didn’t realize it. I thought I had to follow what others said or I’d be in trouble or bad. What I now realize is all of this past experience is meant for us to create the real me, the authentic me. Feel what’s out of alignment and make new choices. New ways that are RIGHT for me. Like:

Let it be okay that I have a lot of joy and enthusiasm in me.

Let it be okay that I share possibilities.

Let it be okay that I see great potential in who you can be.

As Marianne Williamson says, “With every thought we think, we either summon or block a miracle.” She goes on to say, “It is not our circumstances, then, but rather our thoughts about our circumstances, that determine our power to transform them.”

Where are you blocking your ability to feel empowered? Take notice of all the ways to begin with. Then break it down to begin shifting the energies. Fear is probably guiding most of the choices to stay limited. For instance, for me, we are up in the mountains near Yellowstone. There are lots of bears and other wildlife roaming. I love hiking and being outside. But the thoughts about bears coming near me, petrify me and keep me from doing what I love. Instead of feeling powerless, I’m working on how I can feel more empowered. Like trusting myself, keeping my distance, having the bear spray, knowing where to go and what to do. It’s all in my mind. I have become more aware of how these thoughts limit my freedom and fun of doing what I love, of being who I am.

How can you begin to transform your victimization into freedom and feel more alive? Use one of the ways you block your empowerment from the above question. Take baby steps. The first thing is noticing where you are limiting yourself to do what you’d like. Whether that’s speaking out, or taking on a new habit.

Allow all those feelings to be there.

Hold yourself up with compassion and kindness.

Decide today that you will move the needle at least 2% more to feel more empowered. Decide ways that are right for you. Sometimes that’s letting others help you be a role model for you.

Life is calling you to be more uniquely you.

Answer the call.

Pay attention to what you focus on.

You receive what you focus on.

Your life is a living example of your focus.

Is it what you want?

Do you want to keep creating what is happening in your life or are you open to something else?

In my Living The Course, one of the exercises we did was to look at our own version of The Kingdom of Heaven versus My Tiny Kingdom of Life. As you can imagine the Kingdom of Heaven is unlimited abundance, love, peace, joy, freedom, etc. Then looking at my small self, My Tiny Kingdom, I have fenced myself with limiting beliefs and thinking. I’m in contraction. I have limited my focus and attention. It was a great way to see how we keep ourselves small, not live in the vastness we are.

I’d encourage you to really take notice of how boxed in you might be. How limited you are focusing.

I know how easy it is to lose focus. There are so many distractions today. It is why I speak to this issue. To remind you to take charge of the life you desire, to the way you’d like to live.

Dr. Kim D’Eramo talks about 4 ways we lose our energies and stay stuck if our focus is on our past, our future, our identity and others.

Are you stuck in the past? Is your past the focus of your future, Groundhog Day all over? What about the present?

Are you always looking to the future? When this happens, I will… like when I retire I will travel. Can’t you do that now?

Are you trying to live up to certain images, instead of focusing your attention on all you are? What is running your life?

Are you giving up your power to others? Allowing others to decide how your life will be. Who is really in charge of the life you are living?

I know for me, the future has captured a lot of my attention. Always chasing – the when I look this way, when I have this degree, when I’m not so busy.

How are you deciding how you will focus your attention?

Is it on your Highest and Greatest You?

Is it listening to your Soul and emotional guidance system?

The more you know what you want in your life, and align how you act in life with that, the more satisfying your life will be. But, it takes focus in the direction of what you want.

Throughout your day, notice ways you are distracted and taken away from the tasks at hand. Then notice how much of your day is focused on your dreams, your soul’s desire.

Awareness and consciousness are the tools for today’s peace and joy in life.

The more you know yourself, what you desire and how you are being in your world, the easier it will be for you to self-correct your attention.

To keep you on track, add reminders on your phone twice a day.

The more you keep your focus and attention on what you desire, the quicker you will receive.

Create some discipline and watch how your life is blessed with what you want.

Focus matters.

Life is precious.

Life is a gift.

Life is what you make it.

Let your vision be a light in this world.

Let Spirit or God be part of your solutions.

Let whatever is happening in your life encourage you to be part of the solution. Stop and ask, what is being asked of me right now. See the messages behind whatever you are facing. There’s something there for you.

How can you be a light or example for others?

You never know the impact of your actions on others.

As Howard Thurman shares, “Whatever may be the tensions and the stresses of a particular day, there is always lurking close at hand the trailing beauty of forgotten joy or unremembered peace.”

Are you struggling with a certain situation in your life? Know that In the darkest of times, you are usually more open to solutions, to a higher way than what is presenting itself.

Remembering that life is full of peaks and valleys can help you know there is a way out. Stay out of the gutter.

If you are living in a faith higher than yourself, you can feel hopeful and surrender. Give it over to God or your Higher Power.

Know you are going for the solution. Even if you don’t know what that is. Make it your tendency to seek Higher.
As you look at a conflict in your life, are you being part of the solution or part of the problem? These days I’m trying to live more in the solutions, the light, love, and kindness. So whether in a disagreement or upset at others, I try to remind myself, I can choose – love or kindness or peace instead of being right or thinking I know best.

How can you view unsettling times as opportunities for you to live in a Higher Place? They are wake-up calls to find something deeper inside of you.

If you choose the more positive outcome, you are being part of the solution. Often the path to that is hard and hurts but in the end, you have a bigger heart or bigger space for love.

The world needs more love. You need more love. I need more love. Love is who we are.

How is your life part of the solution for this world? I know I write my blogs and send daily tips to help awaken people to a greater life, to know there are greater possibilities.

I know from experience, that life is for you and everything happening is for my, your, greater good. I also know I’m not always ready to see it or be in that space. Give yourself grace if that is where you are. You will be given plenty of opportunities to open yourself up, to heal those dark spots and blockages.

Be willing to be part of the solution. Be willing to reach Higher.

Would others say you are living your life as part of the solution, or more like part of the problem?

It’s time to rise up. See more peace. See more love. Speak more peace. Speak more love.

How can you make little shifts in your life to be more of the solution to live and create a more kind and loving world?