The Love Lifestyle Coach

Are You a Superwoman Daughter?

2011-03-22T12:35:00.000-04:00

Are you always on the go? Busy making things happen on the job, in your business, or at home? When people see you, do they think of you as a successful and powerful woman? I can recognize this kind of woman in a split second.

She is normally a very successful entrepreneur or executive on her job. She carries herself very well, she is always improving herself by taking more courses or programs, going back to school or simply reading everything she can get her hands on about improving her life. She dresses well, lives in a great house and drives a really nice car.

While externally, she does have all the markings of success, but in many cases, if you were to take peek inside, would you really see the same thing? This is a question that all successful women must ask themselves. In my program “I’m not that Woman…Your Breakthrough to Love and Money,” I call this woman the Superwoman Daughter Archetype.

The Superwoman Daughter is a Fatherless Daughter, a woman who grew up with an absentee father…a dad who was absent either physically or emotionally, or both. This woman moves at the speed of lightning, she is has an unquenchable thirst or need to be better or perfect. Who she has become through all of her work and effort is never enough. She has to do more and she has to be more. While there is nothing wrong with self improvement and self mastery, I am all for that. But when your quest for improvement comes from a place of need for acceptance and the need to be perfect, this journey can be met with lots of pain. Knowing that you are already amazing and enough, but merely wanting to embrace a bigger expansion of who you are would be a more pleasurable goal.

Most Superwoman Daughters come from a real place of need. Her relationships are
strained because she fears being controlled by anyone and her take charge attitude has cost her real happiness within her relationships. She is what I call an “Extinguisher” when it comes to her love styles and patterns, where she quickly extinguishes the passion and love right out of her relationships due to her controlling and overbearing attitude. She is controlling, secretive and even sometimes combative within her relationships. This is because she believes that if she is in control and perfect, that she is safe and they want leave or hurt her.

She earns very good mo.ney, but she finds it difficult to hold onto it, because she is a pretender when it comes to money matters. She is usually in lots of debts and has a difficult time managing her mo.ney because of the deeper feelings of shame that comes with prosperity.
The Superwoman Daughter’s daddy wounds come from her underlying belief and controlling desire that says, “I want my daddy to protect me, validate me and accept me.”

If the Superwoman Daughter doesn’t deal with her daddy wounds, she will continue to push love and money away from her life. In addition, she will continue this never ending cycle for self improvement and self mastery, while at the same time never really achieving neither.

The validation that she didn’t receive growing up can be replaced with a deep realization that she is already enough and that makes it okay to be who she is. In realizing this and downloading it to a deeper level, she will understand that she no longer has to do anything to receive real love. She simply has to “be.” Sure we all need help clearing those old beliefs that no longer serve us and replacing them with ones that do, but we can know that we are the best that we can be right now. And for some reason, in God’s mind…that is enough!! You don’t have to be anyone’s Superwoman! You are God’s chosen daughter and at the end of the day, that really is all that matters!

A Good Man is Hard to Find...Or Is He?

2011-03-03T04:56:00.002-05:00

I often hear women say that a good man is hard to find. Then there are those who say that it’s hard to find a man who is comfortable with a powerful and successful woman. They say that men are intimidated by their success. While I can perhaps sympathize with this theory, I can’t say that I really agree.

First of all, there are very few things that a man is afraid of and a woman is normally not one of them. There are numerous of successful and powerful women who are experiencing beautiful and loving relationships with men who adore, admire and love them. But these women have discovered the hidden keys to making love work.

As I began to look a little deeper into this topic, I discovered the reason why so many powerful and successful women are having a difficult time in finding a real man.
Over the last forty years, women have made great strides in the workplace and in our careers. We have experienced as much success as our male counterparts and in some cases we have surpassed them. And we must celebrate this tremendous gain.

But somewhere during this era we have lost our sense of who we really are. We changed our clothes to look like the men in our tailored blue and black suits. We deepened our voices and tensed our faces so that we could be taken more seriously. We worked long tiring hours trying to prove ourselves and keep up the masculine pace. We wanted to be treated like one of the boys and when that didn’t happened, we cried discrimination.

In other words, we not only competed with the men, we became them. And while yes, we became what the world would deem as successful and powerful, but for many of us, it was achieved at a great cost. We gave up who we really are… our true feminine selves.

So when our “good man” showed up in our lives and didn’t stay very long, we automatically assumed that he was intimidated by our success. But in reality, he came looking for a woman (feminine energy) and what he found was himself (masculine energy), disguised as a woman.

While many women think there maybe times in their lives when they need to actualize their masculine energy in the workplace, it is important to remember that only your feminine energy and power will attract and keep a “real man.” It’s not your masculine, material power or success that a real man is seeking, it’s your true power of the feminine energy that he so desires and needs. Your masculine side has no place in your relationships.

Finding a good man is more about “being” than it is about “doing.” The masculine is active, the feminine is passive, the masculine is dynamic, and the feminine is magnetic. The masculine does while the feminine is. We want a masculine man, but we will never have one unless we become the feminine woman we were created to be.

Our real worth and our real power is not in our material power or success, it is in our feminine authentic self. A real man is not hard to find…but a real woman is.

Mind Stories vs. Heart Stories

2011-02-19T13:59:00.002-05:00

"Our past are the stories that exist only in our minds, but our future are the stories that exist only in our hearts."--Angela Carr Patterson

All of us have these stories swarming around in our minds. Stories of rejection, stories of betrayal, stories of abuse and stories of fear. But are they really real? They become real as long as we continue to give them life. We give them life when we continue to remember them, to talk about them, and to re-experience them. And when we continue to give these stories life, we re-create them in our lives as well.

It's time that we begin to tell a new story. The stories that we carry within our hearts. Those are the stories that each of us want to create in our lives. Stories of forgiveness, stories of hope, stories of renewal, stories of abundance and stories of love. Our love stories.

As a Fatherless Daughter or a woman who grew up without her daddy playing a "real and significant role in her life, it can become difficult to tell new stories. Not having daddy to contribute in our lives can leave a void and an emptiness that we spend a lifetime trying to fill through creating a world of "false power." This false power can come in the form of relationships, career, businesses, clothes, cars, jewelry, money, food, drugs/alcohol and even religion.

We try to fill our lives with these things, thinking they will help us replace the old stories. But as long as we don't learn how to release the old stories, we cannot tell new ones and nothing in our lives will change. The only way to begin telling new stories, the ones that live in our hearts, is to release the stories that still exist in our minds. There are 3 simple steps we can do to begin creating a new story.

1. Change Your Mind.
The stories that remain in our minds are the ones that entered there based on experiences from our past. These experiences have formed beliefs systems that are controlling our current lives. If you want to know what your beliefs are, take a look at your current life’s circumstances. They are all a direct reflections of what you are believing. But at any moment you can begin to change your mind. You don’t have to believe that you will never amount to anything. You don’t have to believe that no one will ever love you. You don’t have to believe that you will never be financially wealthy. You can change your mind by replacing those beliefs with new ones. The ones that live loud in your heart. The ones that say, you are loved and you are lovable. The beliefs that say you can live your dreams and you can have, you can do, and you can be anything you want in life. Begin reading new books, begin taking new courses, begin going to new seminars. Saturate your mind with new beliefs.

2. Change Your Company.
Who do you spending most of your time with? In order to begin telling a new story, you have to surround yourself with people who are telling the same stories. They are people who tell stories of hope, renewal, abundance and joy. It has been proven that who you spend your most time around influences your thoughts, your choices and your actions. It may be time to take a good look at the company you have been keeping and change it now. Begin creating you a new supporting cast of people who will encourage and empower your life.

3.Change Your Talk
Our words shape our lives. What are you saying? Are you talking your life into a continuous rut? Your words have power. But not just any words. The words we speak from our hearts are the ones that have the most power. What does your heart say? Your heart will always speak love and life into existence. Why? Because, your heart is where God lives. Begin speaking from your deeper voice. The Voice of God will fill your mouth with words that bring abundance, joy, and love into your life. Be sensitive to this Voice and only speak that which you hear from Him. As you change your talk and speak “heart words,” your life will begin to take on a new story of its own.

We do have the power to change our stories. It is not an option any longer. It’s time for all of us to tell new stories in order to have a new life and in order to create a new world. We want to hear from you.. Share your new story below by writing a few short sentences. Your story will inspire others, so let’s share.

Create a Space for Love Today....

2011-02-14T10:28:00.003-05:00

It's Valentine's Day!

For many people Valentine's Day is a time to show your significant other just how much you really love and care for him. But for many people who do not have a significant other, this can be a very difficult time. And of course the all the retail stores are smiling all the way to the bank.

While this day has become so commercialized and really is designed for a large population of people to make lots of money on people who are in love, it doesn't have to be a day of gloom and doom for those without a mate.

As we celebrate this day, it is the perfect time to focus on love...but not just romantic love. Why not use this day as a time to focus on what love can do for our world?

Of course we all want to be romanced and swept off our feet, showered with wonderful gifts. Yet, we can never ignore the fact that God has called each of us to bring love to the planet. So why not do something different this Valentine's Day? I have come up with 3 unique things you can do to celebrate Valentine's Day differently:

1. The money you would have spent on a gift, use it to purchase some items that are needed for the local battered women's shelter. Many of these women don't even have basics, such as underwear and socks.

2. Instead of going out to dinner, donate some items to the local food bank. The number of people they now served has doubled and in some cases trippled in the past two years.

3. The money you would have used to purchased a Valentine's card, why not purchase a "Thinking About You" card for a friend who may be going through a difficult time and need some encouragement.

I can assure you, that if you take your focus off of what you don't have and who you are not spending Valentine's Day with, and place your focus on making a contribution of "Real Agape Love" to the planet, the love you desire will surely begin to make it's way to your doorstep...sooner than you think. Because only what you are not giving in any situation is missing. It just happens to work that way.

I Found Love

2011-02-08T03:14:00.000-05:00

Are You a Champion?

2011-02-01T11:37:00.003-05:00

How is 2011 working out for you? Are you still excited about making this your best year ever? Or are you starting to lose your momentum because of the challenges and obstacles that are showing up?

If you are starting to slow down, I want to remind you that these challenges are not meant to create failure for you, but they are meant to strengthen you and help you to grow.

Often times, when things begin to get hard or difficult, we start to question whether are not we are doing the right thing. I’m here to tell you that sometimes doing the right thing will be met with challenges.

It takes courage to walk through in the midst of and inspite of the difficulties. That’s how champions are made. Champions are folks who understand their reasons for going for the goal and are steadfast, unmovable in their pursuit.

I want to share with you four distinct traits that separates a champion from everyone else.

1. Champions have a burning desire to succeed.
Champions not only have goals, but they ardently desire them. Robert Collier, summed up the idea of desire beautifully in his 1926 self-help classic Secret of the Ages." He said, "Very few people know how to desire with sufficient intensity. They do not know what it is to feel and manifest that intense, eager, longing, craving, insistent, demanding, ravenous desire which is akin to the persistent, insistent, ardent, overwhelming desire of the drowning man for a breath of air, or a desert-lost man for a drink of water, or the famished man for bread and meat." Champions have burning desire. They want it and they want it badly.

2. Champions are persistent.
Champions never, ever quit. Thomas Edison was the epitome of persistence: He conducted 10,000 experiments before finally finding a filament that would burn in the electric light bulb. Champions approach their goals with the same diligence of an Edison. They know that if they persist long enough, eventually they must succeed.

3. Champions learn from their failures.
Champions don't view losses as failures, they see them as learning experiences. When asked how it felt to fail 10,000 times, Thomas Edison replied, "I didn’t fail, I learned 9,999 ways that wouldn’t work." Champions know that they haven’t failed until they quit; but once they quit, then they have failed. A champion finds a lesson in every apparent loss and finds ways to grow from it.

Champions have incredible powers of focus and
concentration.
Champions set goals and then maintain a laser-like focus on them. They have the ability to always keep the long term objective in their sights while focusing 100% on what they are doing at the moment. If you watch a champion train you will notice that they are completely oblivious to their surroundings. 100% of their focus and concentration is on what they are doing. They almost appear to have slipped into a hypnosis-like trance. This peak physiological and psychological state has often been referred to as being in "the zone" or being in "flow." Champions can access this state instantly at will. When it comes time to train they turn everything else off and zero in on what they are doing. Are you focused or do you allow distractions to take you off course. Champions have laser focus.

Remember, Champions are not born, they are made!!
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Why Are You Still Sitting?

2011-01-25T02:12:00.002-05:00

I was sitting in church on yesterday and as I listened to my Pastor speak about the story of Jonah, I was compelled to share with you the lesson I learned from his message. His message was taken from the book of "Jonah," in the Bible.

God gave Jonah an assignment to go to a specific place and share a specific message with a specific group of people, who were in a troubled place. In business we call this "your niche and your ideal client:...providing solution for their problems. I like to think of it as "your purpose and vision." Instead of Jonah accepting the assignment on his life and obeying the Voice of God, he ran away to another city called Tarsus and hid.

I began to think back to how many people know somewhere in their deeper parts that God has placed them on the earth with a specific assignment, to share a specific message with a specific group of people? Yet these same people are hiding themselves behind excuses such as, I don't have time because I still work a full time job; I will get started when I get my website up and running; I will do it when I learn how to master social media or I will get started when I get the money.

When Jonah went to Tarsus and hid, there were consequences for his disobedience to God. He found himself in the belly of a fish. He was in a place of deep dark despair. Nothing changed for Jonah, until he relinquished his own agenda and took on God's agenda for his life.

Just like nothing will change for you until you discover that thing God has called and assigned you to do in life. Nothing will change for you until you stop hiding and take action.

There were people in Nineveh who were heading for destruction and God called Jonah to go and speak to them. There are people whose lives are filled with despair and it will not change until you go to share with them what God has given to you. God will fill your mouth with wisdom and witty inventions, programs, products, services and ideas. These talents and gifts that you possess will change lives. But they can't change lives until you take action.

Not only will nothing change for you, think of the many peoples whose lives will not get better because you refuse to take action. God has an assignment for you. Your assignment can keep others from being destroyed...so why are you still sitting?

When Life Gets Distracted.

2011-01-18T10:46:00.003-05:00

How are your New Year’s resolutions going? Often times we make New Year’s resolutions and before the end of January we become distracted. Something usually shows up in our lives to get us off track and move us away from our desired journey.

It's a fact that our lives will be interrupted by distractions, yet we do not have to allow the distractions to move us away from our goals and dreams. So how do we stay on track and not allow distractions to get us off course? I want to share with you 3 things you can do to manage the distractions in your life.

1. Take ownership of your time. You are the only who can allow distractions to get you off course. When all is said and done, you own your time. You can decide not to take that call, you can decide to turn the television off, and you can choose to turn the computer off. You can also choose to exercise everyday and you can choose to write that book for 30 minutes each day. We give into outside distractions because we have not made taken ownership of our time.

Perhaps your girlfriend needs you to do a favor, but you have already scheduled that time for your daily walk. If you cannot schedule your walk before you render the favor, then you have no choice but to say “no.” “No” is not a bad word and for many of you it will become a necessary word to use during this time. Remember, you are the only one who has the power to change your life. Take ownership of your time and exercise your power to choose.

2. Raise Your Level of Happiness. Happiness is a mood or a feeling. But this feeling has proven to help us become more productive, more giving and offers us a sense of overall well being. What are the things that make you happy? Begin adding those things into your life on a daily basis and you will find it easier to remain focused and stay on track. Raising your level of happiness will also serve as an inspiration to you personally, as you take on new tasks that may not be comfortable for you. For example, one of your new year’s resolutions is to exercise more. When your level of happiness is up, you will tackle that treadmill with no problem and perhaps do even more time on it. Each morning when you awaken, you want to purpose to be happy. Find something to do first thing in the morning that raises your level of happiness and then throughout your day, reflect back there to keep your happiness level up. You will find that doing this simple exercise will make staying on track easy.

3. Find Your Supporting Cast. It doesn’t matter how small your New Year’s resolution is, you will need an accountability partner to help you stay on track and eliminate distractions. I will always have life coaches/mentors because they help me eliminate distractions and remain on course. An accountability partner can see things that you may not be aware of and show you a different perspective.

Remember you were not created to be alone. You were created for connection. Be sure this person is committed to helping you on this journey and that they also are not hindered by distractions. They cannot help you do something they have not mastered.

I know life can sometimes be fraught with difficulties and distractions. This happens to all of us. But you don't have to allow these distractions to take you off course or to steal your dreams. Don't allow your distractions to become the dream snatchers in your life. Remember, you own your time, and you can at any moment choose to be happy and know that someone is ready to help you and support you on your journey. Live You’re Dreams…Now!!

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Reposition Yourself for The Game of Life

2011-01-04T11:37:00.005-05:00

My husband was glued to the television this past weekend watching the football and basketball games. It was a weekend of sheer joy for him and my father. They are both huge sports fans and I have learned to go with the flow. During one of the football games, I watched as the quarterback passed the ball to the running back in one of the plays. Now the goal of football is to move this ball into the end zone for a touch down. But there were a lot of things that had to take place before repositioning this ball into the end zone.

1. There had to be a coach that would help the players come up with plays to run in order to move the ball into the end zone.

2. There were certain players that needed to be in position before the play could be executed and they also needed to know when and how to change their positions as the ball got closer to the end zone.

3. But throughout the game, the players had to communicate constantly with their coach and with each other in order to know when to execute certain moves.

After observing this, the Lord began show me how this relates to the game of life and what we must know in order to win.

What We Must Know!!

If we are going to win in 2011, we must have a game plan. We must know how and when to move toward our goals. It is important that we spend some time in prayer and sometime writing out our dream plan for 2011. When we pray to God for the plan for our life, we cannot go wrong, because God knows the plan He has for our lives. When you receive this plan, you must write it out in detail. You cannot hit a target you can't see. This dream plan serves as a road map to help us stay on track and on task as we move through the year.

We must have a coach/mentor to help us create this game plan and to be with us to walk us through each play and hold us accountable to reaching the goal. The Ultimate Coach is God. God knows exactly how to open doors and create unlimited opportunities for you. But you must be in the right position to hear and to know what actions to take next. That's why it is very important to remain in constant prayer in order to know what to do and how to do it.

We must have players as our supporting cast to help us carry out the plan, to run interference for us and to protect us. You cannot play the game of life as a loner. You will need help. Whatever you do, find yourself a supporting cast of trusted people to help you carry out the plan. I would highly recommend a mentor or life coach as one of your supporting cast members. These folks can help you see things that you would not ordinary be able to see. They will be there to support you on your journey.

In summary, the game could not be won if the ball had not been moved into the end zone enough times to out score the other team. It took the entire offensive and defensive teams working together, repositioning themselves in order to take the ball to the end zone. Just as it took the entire team, it will take all of the above in order to score in the game of life. If one of these elements are missing, we could lose in this game.

I want to encourage you to began repositioning yourself for success today. Call upon the Ultimate Coach, get your plan and write it out, assemble your supporting cast and move into the zone...the zone of success and abundance today!!

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To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before!

2010-12-21T09:56:00.006-05:00

I've never been a real Star Trek fan, but what I do remember loving was when the announcer spoke of "to boldly go where no man has gone before." It was always something about that statement that just resonated within me.

Now as I continue to grow on this incredible journey called, Life, I understand that outer space is not the only place we can boldly go where no man has gone before. We all can incorporate this hope of transformation and change into our lives in large and small ways. I want to share with you some ideas about moving beyond the fences you've surrounded yourself with.

Because if you remain within the fence..within your comfort zone, you're condemned to repeat your history over and over. How can you break the patterns of familiarity?

1. You must decide to become something different. In order to boldly go where you've never gone before, you've got to become what you've never become before. How do you do such a thing? We do this by getting clear about who we really are at the core. By living from an authentic place. By ridding ourselves of all the false layers of identity that don't originate from our core. I want to remind you that this kind of work can never be done alone. You will need to solicit the help of a life coach, mentor, clergy or someone who can see over the fence farther than you. So begin seeking the help of a good life coach or mentor to help you discover your authentic self. Then you will become that real, authentic person to go where you have never gone before.

2. You must get clear about why you are here. What have you been placed on the planet to do? We all have been given our part to play in this theatre of life. I cannot truly fulfill my part, until you are ready to step up and fulfill your part. Why? Because on some deeper level we are all connected and together we fulfill God's purpose on the planet. Getting clear about your earth's assignments helps you go beyond the fences, but it also helps others as well.

3. Do it. Like Nike says. Just Do It! Stop procrastinating and stop hiding in preparation, stop hiding behind your job, your husband, your kids or whatever reason you have given yourself permission to remain stuck or inactive. It's time to get moving and moving like never before. We can begin to transcend time and space...to live beyond the limits...to boldly go where no man has gone before.

You can stop repeating history and experiencing the same mistakes, the same misfortunes, the same overdrawn bank accounts, the same heart breaks, the same weight issues, the same career issues, and the same relationship issues. Life can be different, and it will be different when you decide to become someone different. Reach out and find your supporting cast to help you make 2011 the year to do it...do it now!!

Please leave a comment below. We want to hear from you...what's your next move..your next step. Write your comments to below and share with all of us.

Have You Made Your Decision?

2010-12-14T09:03:00.003-05:00

Are you really ready to move from your comfort zone? I have been sharing for the past two months the power of expanding our comfort zones. I am amazed at the many people who have become very satisfied with where they are right now. And then there are those who are very unsatisfied with their current situations and have brought into the illusions that they have to remain there and there's nothing they can do about it.

In my opinion and please remember it is just my opinion, we are never really stuck. We always have options. The key is determining which is the best option for us in any given situation. But we must make a choice. Just settling for your life as it is and remaining stuck is never the answer. Even remaining in your comfort zone can be dangerous, because what was once a comfort zone will eventually become a danger zone. Why? Nothing ever remains the same, it has to change. It will either get better or it will get worst, but you have the power to determine which direction it will go.

I want to share with you 3 things you can do to move from where you are to where you want to go.

1. Decide that you want to change it. Make a decision that you no longer want your life to be this way. Decide that you will no longer allow your life to remain stuck or that you will no longer remain in your comfort zone. Realizing that miracles, promotions and next levels don't occur within comfort zones, they occur outside of them, will encourage you to make a decision to move forward.

2. Have a strategy plan. Have you set aside time to determine how you will expand your comfort zone? What do you need in place? Do you need a supporting cast? Are there people you need to surround yourself with for moral and spiritual support? Do you need a budget in place so that you can uncover any money leaks in your finances in order to better save and get out of debt? Do you need a mentor or coach to help you lay out a plan of direction for next year and become your accountability partner?
Do you need a group of friends to start that weight release and exercise program with you? Whatever you want to change, you must put a plan of action steps together. This strategy should include specific, concrete goals, time lines and step by step actions needed to get you there. You cannot hit a target that you can't see.

3. Take action. If you make the decision to change your situation, and you have a strategy and plan of action in place...but you don't do anything...you are just dreaming. A decision really has NOT been made until you take ACTION. So get moving and take action now. Don't wait until the first of the year, start right now.

These 3 steps will help you gain control of your life and begin to expand your comfort zones...a space where your life can transform and grow onto new levels. A place where miracles can happen.

Wishing Your Love and Success,

Angela Carr Patterson, The Love Lifestyle Coach

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Three Important Questions!!

2010-12-06T14:13:00.003-05:00

As we move into the final days of 2010, I have been reflecting upon all the things I have done or haven't done this year. But more importantly, reflecting upon who I have become or who I haven't become? I know that who we are, impacts what we think, say and do in life. Our identity is tied to our behavior. Your behavior will always be consistent with who you really are. Everything we think, say and do becomes a statement of who we are. Simply stated...behavior never lies. Change the identity, the behavior automatically changes.

So during my time of reflection, I wanted to exaimine the driving forces behind my behaviors and actions this year. There are 3 questions that I always ask myself as I reflect and I want to encourage you to do the same.

1. Who am I? Who am I really? There is in the mind of God a perfect image of who we are and our job is to discover and uncover that image. I want to know if I have remained aligned with that image or have I moved to the left or right of that image during this year?

2. Why am I here? We are here to do one thing: Love! Love is the answer to every question. God's vehicle in the earth is the human heart and we have been commissioned to live from it daily. So, I want to know where have I forgotten to love? Only what I am not giving in any situation is missing. Where I have forgotten to love, love has been missing. Love attracts everything to our lives like itself, such as abundance, health, energy and joy!

3. What am I here to do? We all have been given a purpose in life. We each have our own personal part to play in this theatre of life. It is our job to discover our true purpose. I want to know if I did all the things that I should have this year that were consistent with my assignment to the planet? Where I have failed to do so, I look for ways to self correct.

I hope these three things will give you something to ponder and reflect upon as you close out this year to begin a new year. Another year to be who you were born to be. Another year to love in ways you have never loved before. Another year to fulfull your purpose in life. Another year to think, to do , to be all that God wants you to be!

Wishing You Love and Success,

Angela Carr Patterson, The Love Lifestyle Coach

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Is That God Speaking to Me?

2010-09-13T18:27:00.006-04:00

Are you looking for the thunder and the lightening? We've heard many people say that God speaks to them. But is there a special way that God speaks to us? How do we know it’s God who is doing the talking?

God speaks to us in many ways. The question is not whether or not God is speaking. The real question is, “are we listening?”

Yes, God can speak through others, through our dreams, through life's experiences and even through small hunches and nudges, but if we're not accustomed to listening to God’s voice, we are missing out.

I want to encourage you to begin looking and listening for ways in which God maybe speaking to you. You might feel an urge to call someone or perhaps that dream was an answer to a lingering question you had. What about running into an old friend as a reminder of something God has wanted you to do?

The more time you spend listening to God, the easier it will be to recognize His voice. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me"- John 10:27. God has the solutions to all of our problems; maybe we just need to listen more.

Forgiveness Opens the Door to Joy!!

2010-08-29T19:40:00.002-04:00

Let’s face it! We cannot escape being hurt or wounded in life. Many of us have experienced heart break, un-met expectations, being abandoned, rejected or even abused at the hands of a loved one.

We all know the pain of betrayal and hurt, yet it is imperative that we forgive. Forgiveness is the entry way to a brand new tomorrow. Forgiveness has immense power to transform our lives as we know it.

Forgiveness is more about you, than the person who wounded you. And it helps to remember that people only hurt others when they themselves are in pain. As we recognize the other person’s suffering, our hearts can open in compassion.

We can also remember that at some time or another, we too have hurt someone through our own actions. Through forgiveness, we can experience a shift in our perception.

As we practice the art of forgiveness, we are releasing the past and creating a joy-filled, brighter and bigger future for ourselves and our world.

"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future." -- Paul Boese

We would love to hear what you have to say about this topic. Please leave your comment below.

Decisions or Choices?

2010-08-23T23:58:00.001-04:00

Many people are indecisive. Why? Because most people are afraid of making mistakes, suffering consequences, judgments and criticisms.

I no longer make decisions in my life. I now make choices for my life and they are so much more fulfilling. Let me explain. Decisions are based on logic, rational thought and sensibilities to your family’s situation. Choices are based on energy and the inner wisdom you experience as you remain connected to God. Choices always resonates with the real you and creates fulfillment and satisfaction.
Within you, lies the wisdom of God, who will lead and direct you to your true choices. Choices come from within and decisions come from outside of your authentic self.

Anytime you allow love to lead the way instead of fear, you will most always win. So instead of struggling with being indecisive or even making decisions, try checking within, the right choice is there waiting for you.

Write a comment below and let me know what you think about this post.

Are You Really Happy?

2010-08-03T14:06:00.001-04:00

Are you really happy with your life? Do you wake up each morning ready to live your life with joy, happiness and love? Are you days filled with laughter and pure bliss? Most people that I meet would answer “no” to these questions.

But it does not have to be this way. Life can be joyous and happy for us when we are able to answer three critical and important questions. These questions are: Who am I? Why am I here? What am I here to do?

When the answers to these questions become the most important and central reality of your life, every choice you make and everything you think and do will reflect that reality.

True satisfaction with life will only come when we discover the authentic core of who we really are and what we are placed on the planet to do. When we are aligned with the who, the what and the why God created us, our joy then becomes filled. When that happens, we will be able to say with a loud shout...I am really and truly happy today!!

What choice can you make today that would be truly consistent with who you are and make your life a joy to live?

Who Are You?

2010-07-27T02:27:00.001-04:00

Throughout time, we have been asked, “Do you know who you are?” Most of us would answer by saying, “Yes, I know who I am!” but we are so much more than we are consciously aware of. Our challenge as women is to become conscious of what is now unconscious in us. The time has come for us to explore those parts of our nature that are presently hidden from us so we may express ourselves more authentically.

So the real question would be, “how much of yourself are you really aware of?” Do you really know who you are at your core? It takes time to uncover and discover the authentic you.

Yet it is imperative that we do so and we do it quickly. Our hidden self image is the governing influence in our lives. Everything we think, say and do is a direct reflection of who we believe our selves to be at the core. And the results of those beliefs are producing what you are currently experiencing in your life at this very moment. So if what you are currently experiencing in your life is not what you want, change who you are.

Notice I didn’t say change what you do, I said change who you are. Your defining moment in your life will be when you are willing to let go of who you are not (your false beliefs of yourself) and become who you were born to be. There is in the mind of God a perfect image of who you really are.
When you align yourself with that image, then you will begin to see your life automatically change for the better.

You won’t need to struggle to change habits or gain more will power. You will automatically change effortlessly. So as they say, “to thy own self be true.” Discover the real you and begin to live your best life.

Let me hear from you. Leave your comment below.

How Much Love Are You Giving?

2010-07-14T00:30:00.000-04:00

How much love are you giving? I work with people everyday who often feel that no one really loves them. Or they wonder if they will ever experience a real love relationship with another.

But the question we all should be asking is...”how much love am I giving?” Because only what we are not giving can be lacking in any situation. The purpose of relationships is to expand us and where our love is conditional, we need expansion. Wanting to be loved when you are not ready or willing to give love is really a very selfish and self serving desire.

Can you love even in the absence of love? Can you love even when it seems that no one is reciprocating?

True love has no expectations...all true love wants to do is love...to give it. So I ask you once again...how much love are you giving? Take a look around you...if your life is not overflowing with love...maybe you are the missing link.

'Attend Single and Seasoned Free Teleseminar....Dating After 40!'

2010-07-11T02:00:00.000-04:00

'Attend Single and Seasoned Free Teleseminar....Dating After 40!'

Who Do You Judge?

2010-07-11T00:43:00.003-04:00

A few years ago I met a woman who just seemed to get on my nerves. Let’s face it! There are some people that you meet and something about their personality feels like fingernails on a black board. Her mannerism, what she said, how she said it just got to me. I was within myself being judgmental.

So I began to surrender my thoughts to God and prayed for a miracle because I didn’t like what I was feeling and thinking. As I got a chance to get to know this woman, one day she began to tell some of us her story. Her story was one of such dysfunction that all I do was cry. Now I understood why she behaved the way she did and why she got under so many people’s skin. She was trying to act like an adult, yet never really having had any functional adulthood modeled for her.

That same behavior on her part that had once brought up judgment from me now brings up compassion from me. The miracle was not that she had changed, but I had changed.
Of course we all judge sometimes, because we have limited understanding and we don’t see the whole story. I’m not telling you to suppress the judgmental thoughts; deny and pretend they don’t exist. Nor should you indulge them in secret. Healing is like a detox, things have to come up in order to be released.

Be honest about your feelings and then release them to God. God cannot take from you what you will not release to Him. When we ask the Spirit of God to enter our thoughts and literally remind us of the truth, we can create a miracle. Behavior from all people is derived from two things: Love or a call for Love.
Many people have shifted away from God until they don’t know how to express themselves and really don’t know how to be their best selves to get their needs met.

If you choose to focus on someone else’s guilt, you will become guilty yourself, no matter how they treat you. If you choose to focus on someone else’s innocence, you will become innocent, even when the other person hasn’t shown it to you. That’s the key to walking in unconditional love. You see the innocence in people no matter what.

Because God created it there, it didn’t go away. It was just covered up by layers of fear that led to dysfunctional fear based behaviors. But a loving vessel knows there’s love inside the person and your power lies in having the faith that it’s there even when the person hasn’t shown it to you. My spiritual power lies in knowing you are a good person even though you may not act like it.

So now each morning when I get up, I remind myself that “today I judge nothing.” We don’t always know people’s story, but we can choose to love in every situation.

Awaken Your Global Heart

2010-05-20T01:15:00.001-04:00

For years we have been inundated with information on personal growth, spiritual growth and self help...and we all get the concept. But now we have reached a pivotal point in history whereby we must begin turn this knowledge into action and move this collective conversation forward. In doing so we will shape the future for our daughters.

I try very hard not to read the newspaper or listen to the news...but lately my mother has made it a point to keep me updated on all of the natural disasters that have been happening around the world. From earthquakes to erupting volcanoes and more. The screaming emergencies of these disasters challenged all of us to look deep within our hearts and wallets to help.

But what about the silent screams within the hearts of so many women around the world that are never heard? Daily my inbox and my telephone get flooded with stories from women around the world who are hurting and suffering from what I call an "identity crisis." Having been told they are ugly, fat, not pretty enough, not smart enough and just "not the one?"

While I thank God to have been one of the ones chosen to listen and even on occasion offer help...there is so much more to be done. I'm reminded in the animal species, how the fierce the female can become when she feels her young are being threatened. As with the Hyenas...the adult females encircle their baby hyenas while they're feeding and will not let the adult male get anywhere near the food until the babies have been fed.

So I began to ask the question? Who's protecting our daughters? From what you might ask? From the biggest predators of them all, "THE MEDIA." The influence of the media, such as the internet, television, and radio, has threatened the very existence of our daughters. Our daughters are in a crisis....but what's even more alarming? So are the MOTHERS!!! So who's protecting who? No One!!

Ladies our sisters and their daughters are suffering...and suffering on a level I have never witnessed before. I've worked with women and girls for over 20 years, and I have never seen such heart break, on this level...never! We must forge forward collectively to slay this giant that is trying to wipe out a species.

What can we contribute to bring an end to the suffering of the world? Isn’t that why we’re all here? All of us must do our very best to alleviate suffering? Someone once said, “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice. It really can be and those of us who have heard the call to “heal the broken”, the time has come to awaken your global heart.

If enough of us move beyond getting what "I want” to "what WE need”...we in return will begin to change the planet....to protect......to restore...to re-establish.

While all of us do our individual effort to make a difference in the lives of many...I'm calling for a collective effort of life coaches, teachers, ministers, authors and speaker to awaken your global heart. It’s time to live our lives with impeccable responsibility. Your mission, your purpose and your vision for life is larger than any challenge or issue you are facing today. Let’s all get busy pursuing purpose and sharing our gifts in a more powerful way while holding onto this one reality..."The power of possibility is greater than any wound that binds them to the past."

Where is the Love?

2010-05-04T00:43:00.001-04:00

There are numerous of books out that offers advice on how to find true love. They tell you to get a new makeover, lose some weight, make a detailed list of your requirements or even go hang out where eligible single folks hang.
While all of these things are certain to help you find your love, they do not promise true love. Because that kind of love can never be found outside of oneself, it can only be found within.

Whenever we look for something outside of ourselves, we are saying that we don’t already have it. But when it comes to love, that just isn’t really true. The truth is we do have love. Love resides within all of us.
To understand this, we must first come to realize that we are all connected to a Life Force, The Love Powersource…God. God is love, pure and simple. And we all have been given the capacity to connect with, become one with God. As we begin to accept and allow this connection to grow and evolve, we become the very essence of love we seek.

But when we go looking for what we already possess, it’s like walking around the in a panic looking for your keys, not realizing they are already in your hands. Once you realize you are holding your keys, do you continue to look for them? Of course, not. You immediately begin to use your keys to unlock the door or whatever you needed them for.

Once you realize that you have love already exist within, you now can begin looking for ways to share it with the world. Compassion, forgiveness, and peace within becomes your home. You begin to live your life from a space of fulfillment instead of need or void. Then guess what will happen? The love you’re already experiencing will also show up in your life wrapped in the package of your divine right mate. Become that which you seek and your life will never be the same!!

Entreprenuerial Appeal

2010-04-26T23:31:00.000-04:00

Are You Ashame to Die?

2010-04-20T07:07:00.000-04:00

Horace Mann once said, "Be Ashamed to Die until You Have Won Some Victory for Humanity." Many people think this quote is a call for you to do something huge or extraordinary for all the world to see. Absolutely not! I don’t believe this is what Mr. Mann was speaking about.

There are numerous things that we can do to make a difference in the lives of the people we encounter each and every single day. We can begin by loving the people we live with more. By telling them each and every day what they already should know…that you love them. While our children, spouses, siblings and parents already know this to be true, telling them just reinforces and enhances it more.

There are many things we can do in our daily journey through life for humanity and to make this planet better than it was before we arrived on it. Why don’t you try doing something special today for that boss who seems to give you hell on the job?

You never know what he goes though each morning before he arrives to work. Perhaps this could be the cause of his behavior towards you.
What about your neighbors? When was the last time you baked a delicious dessert for them simply because you wanted to brighten up their day. Just doing so could make a person feel valued when the rest of the world sees him/her as invisible. What you do for others will be multiplied back towards you. Because in giving, we really do receive.

It’s those small things that goes un-noticed and never make the news that keeps this world alive and turning. Those things like paying the tab for the car behind you in the fast food drive through window or offering to baby sit for the young couple at church who have three small children. What about volunteering at the women’s shelter to mop and clean the bathrooms? We don’t always need to be awarded and highlighted on television, write a book, sing a hit song or give an amazing presentation to have it said that we made a significant contribution to the planet.

It really is about using what’s in your hand and expressing it with your heart that will make this world a better place to live. It will also allow us to die without shame but with a sense of purpose, worth and value. Then Horace Mann will have declared the truth for us all.

Where Do You Choose To Live?

2010-04-13T03:12:00.001-04:00

One of the things I love about this journey called life is the many lessons that comes our way. Often time people or situations show up in our lives to teach us valuable lessons about who we are and where we are.

I was recently confronted with an issue that challenged me in a way I had not been tested in a very long time. In the midst of this challenge, I must admit that I was tempted to shift from my place of love and allowing to a place of resistance and protection.

Although I chose to remain on God’s ground of love, I did feel a little resistance at first. But I immediately shifted and began to remind myself that I have chosen to live from a space of love and not fear. I could choose to react or I could choose to respond….I chose the latter.

I reminded myself of who I was and who am constantly becoming, regardless of what someone else’s opinion of me may or may not be. I realized that we can never convince a person of something different when their minds are already made up. As Bergson says, “The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.”

We have no control over how we are perceived, we do however, have control over how we choose to love. When we understand that all things happen in life to teach us something about ourselves, we will blame less and learn to grow more. I am grateful for this test because it forced me to take a deeper look within myself for places where I may be in need of more love or more healing.

So the next time you are hit with a situation that challenges you, take the time to ask yourself “what is really happening here?” “What am I to learn from this?” I passed this test with flying colors. And what happens when you pass a test? You get promoted!! Now that calls for a celebration!

Will we make mistakes in life? Of course we will. Will we get it wrong sometimes? Absolutely! Will others misinterpret who you are? You better believe they will. But when this happens, will you respond or will you react? Where you have chosen to live, love or fear, will determine your next promotion in life.

Let The Sunshine In!

2010-03-08T23:10:00.000-05:00

Today was an absolutely beautiful day here in Columbia, SC. The sun was shining; it was not too hot or too cold...it was just perfect. But the weather man is calling for cooler temperatures and thunder storms on Thursday. Isn’t that exactly how our lives can be sometimes? One day everything is great and the next day it seems that all hell has broken loose.

It’s in those times when we must understand that life is going to happen to all of us. We can’t prevent things from happening. It’s just the way it is. We will have some sunny days and then we will have some rainy days, but it’s the meaning we give to the experience that determines our outcome. If we allow the circumstances in our lives to change our outlook on the life or our emotions to dictate our responses to life’s challenges, we will always find ourselves on the up and down roller coaster. Don’t allow external events in your life to control your internal state. Joy comes from within and from knowing that this too will pass.

So today I will enjoy the beautiful sunshine and with laughter in my heart and on Thursday I’m going to also enjoy the day with laughter, but I won’t forget my umbrella.

Dare To Be Different!

2010-02-26T12:33:00.001-05:00

When I began my path of personal growth, one of the things I had to do was to step away from the pack. In order for me to gain control of my life and my destiny, I had to move away from the loudness of everyone else’s voice, so I could hear the whispers of God’s Voice.

Moving away from the group or the tribe can be a difficult transition, but a necessary one. It can become difficult because when you move from being a willing and obedient member of the pack, you risk being labeled as a rebel. But the move is necessary when you are ready to answer the call and assignment placed on your life.
We have been trained to believe that conformity is right and individualism is wrong. But at what point are you willing to release your fear of being unique and different? It is when we step away from the group that we find our real authentic self, our power and we become open to new possibilities.

In order to create the kind of change that will bring about a better world for all of us, we must step away from the pack to discover new ways of doing things. We must ask the hard questions, we must become adventurous and daring. It is when we make these new discoveries and find the new answers that we can share with the rest of the world; we will learn that together we can all create lasting change.
Martin Luther King was not afraid, Nelson Mandela was not afraid, Ghandi was not afraid, Oprah was not afraid, Obama was not afraid and Jesus certainly was not afraid. What are you waiting on? Stop waiting on other’s approval; quit vying to be accepted or popular. It takes courage to step away from the pack and shift into becoming a leader of the pack.

A new era is approaching and we need leaders to rise up and dare to be different and unique. Risk the labels if you must, risk being an outsider if you will, but do what is necessary and everyone will benefit. Because in doing so, not only will you have shifted from being a member of the pack, you have now become their leader and their servant. A servant leader is not a rebel, but a rare breed! Now that’s what I called daring to be different.

What's Your Motive?

2010-02-08T23:20:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wondered why you do some of the things that you do?
Asking ourselves 'why?' helps us to dig deeper into our motives -- why we do what we do.

Often times we do things for the wrong reasons and when our motives are wrong or unclear, the results can sometimes be damaging for all involved. Just this weekend I had a situation to arise that I was not pleased with my response. While my response didn’t cause any real damage to anyone, except my own self disappointment, it did cause me to re-examine my real motives. It was not a pleasant experience for me, but a necessary one.

Interesting enough all human actions stem from motives. It is our job to make sure that we are absolutely clear about our motives for doing or saying anything. I want to encourage you to start right now and ask yourself, “Why am I….?” Listen very closely for the answer that surfaces and write it down. Listen with your heart, not with your reasoning mind. Your heart will yield you the truth. Once you have written your answer, look at it and ask why again. Continue with this process until you reach the true source of your motives. You will know the truth in your heart and in your body.

Once we identify our underlying motives for doing anything, we can also choose to change them if we wish. Keeping our motives pure challenges us to tell the truth even when no one knows the truth but you. The right motives will always contribute to the good of everyone and the results can create massive transformation not only in our own lives but also in the lives of others as well.

I'm Not That Woman!

2010-02-04T14:25:00.000-05:00

A few months ago I was riding in the car just thinking about how much I have changed since starting this love lifestyle journey, years ago. My life has really changed and so have I. I am clearer about who I am and what I want and I truly love myself authentically. For those of you who know my story, you also know this journey began in 1994 when my friend asked me the question that would change my life forever. She asked me, “What do you want?”

It was at that moment, I realized I couldn’t answer the question. I didn't know what I wanted because I had no clue of who I really was. Today, I know exactly who I am and what I want. And I was reminded of that during my recent car ride, that “I’m Not That Woman.”

I’m no longer the woman who my friend asked that question to in 1994. No, I am transformed into the creative, brilliant, magnificent divine woman that God created me to be. And more importantly, I love this woman.

When we become clear about who we really are and who we really have become, we also become clear about who we are not. I must warn you, however, that people will still try to treat you as if you were that former person. It’s because they refuse to accept the fact that she no longer exists. They refuse to accept the fact that she now lives life on her own terms not trying to please and get the approval of others any longer. There are times when my husband and children forget that I am no longer a slave to their every want and needs. They sometimes forget that I have given myself permission to put me first.

When this happens, I gently remind them with a loud shout “I’m Not That Woman!” I cannot tell you how good it feels to be “this woman.” So the next time someone tries to mistaken you for the “old you”, just gently remind them as I do with a loud shout, “I’m Not That Woman!” I can promise you it will feel fantastic!!

Book Angela now for “The I’m Not That Woman Tour” starting the Fall of 2010. Be on the lookout for soon to be released, CD single, “I’m Not That Woman” and The “I’m Not That Woman” product line.

Just Blink and Smile!

2009-12-23T10:55:00.000-05:00

I am sitting here as I anticipate spending time with family and friends during the next few days of Christmas and New Years. I glean with excitement because I can visualize the smiles of my grandaughter and grand-neices/neprews as they open their gifts.

It is so refreshing because I know how geniune their smiles are. They don't have a need to fake the smiles and joy on their faces like so many people I know because life has not hit them with the many blows that we adults face. Their smiles are innocent, real and free of pain. I just love watching their little faces light up with such joy and excitement. Wow, what an incredible vision of Authenticity!

It always amazes me how many people, especially women, who walk around with a smile on their faces while their eyes tell the true story. Their story of pain!! We can't hide pain as much as we try. It has a voice of its own; it speaks loudly and will let you know that it exists.

I want to encourage you to face your pain. Get real with what is going on inside of you, acknowledge the emotional hurt, wounds and pain. Who has hurt you so deep that it still lingers inside of your soul? Forgive them, release it and release them!

A new year is approaching and you don't have to carry those emotional wounds into your new year of promise.

Yes, you can live a life free of emotional internal pain. I did not say that pain would not exist, but it doesn't have to live inside of you. You see ladies, I know that pain all so well. But I also know that I could no longer play the victim and allow emotional pain to rule my life. I had release it all and let it go. I also learned how to remain free.

When we learn to live a life of forgiveness and authentic love, not only will our lives change, but the world around us as well. You deserve to be happy, joyful and free. And you deserve to smile, but this time let it be from the inside!! So the next time pain tries to knock at your door....just say no...blink and smile!!

Hope and Courage!

2009-12-18T11:48:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning prepared to finish my Christmas shopping today....until I looked outside and realized it was raining and cold. Now it is one thing to be cold...but does it have to be raining too? I thought NO, NO, NO! I don't want to get out in this weather. But then I thought to myself an affirmation that my mentor taught me to say "I will do today, what others wont, so I can live tomorrow like others can't."

So I will move forward and complete the things that are on my list for today inspite of the weather. It reminds of me hope and courage, which is what I want to share with you today.

Is there something in your life that you know you need to do, but you just don't want to go through the "whatever it takes" process needed to get the desired results? Sometimes I wish that I could just wiggle my nose like Samantha from the television series "Bewitched." If you know what I mean? But it takes courage to take action even when you don't want to. Courage means "of the heart" which is where we women know how to live from...our hearts.

I believe as we become courageous we can continue to hope. A french proverb states, "Hope is the dream of a soul awake." Hope fills life with meaning by creating attainable goals congruent with reality. Sometimes hope might need to be redefined. Maybe your marriage has ended in a divorce or you lost your job recently, hopes held by you as a couple or an employee will need to be evaluated as you define yourself as a single woman and perhaps an entreprenuer instead of an employee. Attainable hopes could mean deepening your relationship with God, reconciling the past with forgiveness, re-inventing your work skills and connecting with whatever brings you joy.

Hope and courage does not need to be difficult. They can be as simple as seeing the sunrise and welcoming a new day....even if it is cold and rainy outside.

What's In Your Hand?

2009-12-14T12:37:00.000-05:00

In 1994, I found myself divorced with three children to support. My husband had left, taken all the money out of savings and checking. He even took the car that I drove. I had no money, no food and only a business that was not producing too much money.

At that moment, I looked at my 3 kids and I knew I had 3 reasons to make it. I was reminded of Moses when he offered God excuses for why he could not lead the children of Israel out of bondage. But God asked Moses one question that would change the course of his life forever. He asked “what’s in your hand?”

In other words, we can moan, groan and find many reasons why we cannot do something in our lives. We can complain about not having enough money, not being able to speak, write or get up in front of an audience or even start that new business in the middle of a recession. But what’s in your hand?

Sometimes we allow external circumstances to paralyze us with so much fear that we cannot see what is staring us right in the face. I answered that question at a time when I had no money, no husband and no transportation. Within sixty days, I had replaced my husband’s income through re-inventing my business. I traveled places I never dreamed of and I never once received public assistance of any kind.
Within 2 years I purchased a home, two cars and even took one year off to stay at home and spend time with God and developing myself personally and spiritually. I even sent two kids to college.

Over these years, I have realized dreams I never even thought possible. I’ve worked with people I’d seen on television or read in magazines, but more importantly, I have helped thousands of people all over the world transform their lives onto new levels. I don’t' say these things to brag or boast, because that is not the realm which I live. I say them to share that with God all things are possible.
Yet, recently I have been asking God about making my life count for something more. Not because of any ego or pride, but because I long to leave this planet better than I found it. I know there is more to do and more to be done.

What more can I do to make this world a better place? How can my life count for something? What am I willing to give my life for?
Again, God asked me that question, "What's in your hand." Moses used the rod that God had placed in his hand to make a huge difference in the lives of so many people and an impact on history.

We all have been given talents and abilities to use on this planet in a way that no one else can. We can all use what is in our hands to make the difference, to make our lives count for something!
I want to encourage you to look very closely to what you have in your possession right now and identify how can it be used in a bigger way to benefit humanity.

What's in your hand? Write it down, create your own blueprint for 2010 and take action now!

What I Really Know for Sure!

2009-11-16T18:11:00.000-05:00

My computer shut down on me the other day and I panicked. I panicked because I thought I had lost everything on my computer. When I say that I panicked, I really lost it. After finally realizing that I couldn’t fix the problem, I began to remind myself of the things that I really believe.

I know this happened to teach me something and I needed to find out what was the lesson here. When I surrendered to the possibility of losing all of my files, I felt a sigh of relief enter into me. I began to ask myself what would happen if I lost everything on my computer. Would the world come to an end? Would I have to close my business? Would someone die from me losing my files? The answer to all of those questions were no.

So why was I getting so upset about losing my files? I had to go deeper to discover the answer. And the answer I did find. I was upset because it was something that I didn’t have the power to fix. In my quest on this spiritual journey, I needed to be reminded that there are just some things that are totally out of my control. Yes I believe we can live our lives by design. Yes, I believe we have the power to change our lives. But we do not have the power to prevent life from happening to us.

Where my power lies is in my ability to response correctly to life’s problems in order to create the results I so desire. And that always happens by remaining on God’s ground…..Love! How can love enter and heal this situation for me? By me beginning to focus on the good that will come from my computer being down for an entire weekend.

I began to look for ways to spend more time with my family. Actually I was really forced to do it. I also went to visit a friend whom I haven’t seen in quite some time. I spent some time watching some comedic television and I laughed my socks off. My husband and I spent some real time together and I wasn’t rushed with the fact that I had a deadline to meet. I had one of the best weekends ever.

When my computer guy finally arrived on Sunday night, I was almost disappointed that he fixed the problem within twenty minutes. What I realized in that moment was I was too attached to my computer and my work. I needed to spend more time doing what is most important to me. I got it...I really did get this lesson. My husband told me that he was so happy the computer was gone. Now, I am grateful that my computer was down. Why? Because what I gained in this situation was worth so much more than any income I would have generated through my online businesses.

Sometimes when we think we are in control, but God has a way of letting us know what is really real and what is not. It is when we surrender the control that we can begin to step up in our full power!! And that’s what I really know for sure!!

What's Love Got to Do with It?

2009-10-12T21:44:00.000-04:00

The internet is inundated with lots of information, such as how to create wealth, the newest health craze, the latest fashion trend, relationship issues and even religious stuff.

But one subject that seems to fly under the radar is “Love”, yet this is the message of my soul. In a world where folks are losing their jobs, their homes, struggling to pay bills, get health care, or battling a bad relationship, the last thing they want to hear or talk about is love. While this is not a popular topic, it is the answer to every problem you have in your life. Love is the greatest answer to the world’s problems.

Perhaps that is why it gets so little attention. Really, how could love be the answer to your problems? As Tina Turner said, “what’s love got to do with it?” Love has everything to do with it.

The real reason we don’t embrace love as the solution to our problems is that it will force us to begin to take 100% responsibility for our own lives. It won’t allow us to play the victim any longer. But more importantly it will make us look within ourselves for answers instead of externally.

How can love pay my bills, find a job, or make my husband treat me better?” you may ask. We all live by two different driving forces, love or fear. Whatever force we allow to govern our lives, produces the results that we are currently experiencing.

Fear produces lack, scarcity, chaos, want, confusion, sickness, depression, fatigue, violence and etc.

Love produces abundance, increase, joy, health, energy, ease, harmony, peace, happiness, fulfillment and etc. It's not the devil that is playing havoc in your life. It is where you have chosen not to love. Fear produces a vibration in our being that summons or attracts all that fear represents to us.

But when we choose to love, embody love, become love, then it will begin to call forth or attract all the things that love produces. Learn to love at a new level now!

Creating a Space for Personal Growth

2009-09-12T00:30:00.000-04:00

In this fast pace life of noise and chaos there doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day for personal growth. We are living in some perilous times, yet there are answers to today’s problems inside of each us. We all have the potential to create, invent and solve many of society’s issues if we simply take the time to discover or uncover them.

There is an old saying, “Become the change you want to see in the world.” I believe as we begin to grow personally and change ourselves for the better, we can and will create lasting change in the world. I realize the bills have to be paid, the baby has to be fed, homework has to be done, and dinner has to be prepared. But what about time to seek God; to seek answers; to grow; and to evolve? These things are just as essential to our lives as food and oxygen for our bodies. They are our Life Force.

As you begin to plan your daily schedule, be sure to create a space for personal growth and change. Give yourself permission to grow and change. We all can afford to have our lives fine tuned. I challenge you to pursue change for yourself, your family and the world. Who knows, you may have the answers inside of you that the world is waiting on.

I See You!

2009-07-21T22:18:00.000-04:00

There comes a time in our lives when we must face the truth. The truth of who we are and the truth of who we are becoming.

Our dance begins each morning when we awaken unto our day. We do this dance very well. We dance for our kids, we dance for our spouses, we dance for our bosses, and we dance for our parents and even the church. But when do we dance for ourselves?
We dance to entertain and please everyone around us only to become invisible to ourselves.

But I see you. I see you when you look into the mirror each morning to do your hair and face while fighting the urge to break down and cry. I see you when you put that lipstick on the same lips that so desperately wants to shout to the world "I am so tired...I'm just so tired!" Not in the physical sense, but you are tired and weary from the inside...from your deeper parts.

I see you when you realize what is happening and you regroup, square your shoulders, take a deep breath and grab your purse to walk out the door. You are on your way into the world to dance all over again. Oh, did I mention that before you left home you had gotten the kids ready, fixed breakfast, made some beds, loaded the dish washer and folded that basket of laundry? You did that dance before anyone in your house woke up this morning.

Now it's time to dance for your micro-managing, never can please boss and that noisy, jealous, aggravating co-worker who just won't shut up.

I see you when you smile while wanting to break down and cry. I see you when you work all day on a job that brings you no joy or gratification. I see you when your mouth curves out a slight grin as you imagine what it would be to own that business you've wanted to start. But I also see you when you rationalize that thought away because you believe it is only wishful thinking. I see your grin disappear along with your hope.

As you drive home, I see you plan your next dance of what to cook for dinner, how much homework you have to assist with and what time you got to go to bible study. I see you when you grab your bible for church and adjust your dance just a little because your swagger may be too much for the sisters. Because you don't want them to know that you have not had time to pray or read your bible for 5 days. And you dare not act like you have any un-answered prayers. No, this dance....the one you've learned to do so well says to everyone, including the preacher,that all is well and everything is perfect because you love God!! Right?

But I see your pain, your hurt, your disappointments, your regrets and your unhappiness with your life. I see your desire for life to be more and I see your need for more. I see that you're stuck because you've brought into the false illusion that your life has to be this way.

You've learned to dance the dance of making everyone a priority above yourself. Your illusion gives you permission to believe this is okay.

Yet, I see your dance is getting weaker, I see you miss a few steps and turns only because you are getting older and think it's too late to change the music or your dance.

I cry for you, my sister and I pray for you. Why? Because I know this dance all too well, I've dance it for years. But I also know it can be different. Life can be different and it can be for you. I am now dancing a new dance with new music and it is wonderful!! I long to have all my sisters dance with me.

I invite you to join me in this dance, but until then I will dance for you... because you have forgotten to dance for yourself.

It's Your Time!

2009-06-18T07:40:00.000-04:00

There is creative genius inside of each us. Someone once asked the question, “what is trying to emerge in my life to express itself through me?” All of us have a creative genius inside of us. We have gifts and talents that we are not even aware of. Yet we sit by and allow these gifts to go un-noticed, un-used, un-tapped and lie dormant. But the world is waiting on you.

There is a paradigm shift that is taking place in our world. We saw proof of this by the 2008 Presidential election of Barak Obama. There is a shift taking place and everyone feels the emergency. Something is happening in our midst, in our world and we must all participate and do our part in this new birth. Most of us sit and wait on life’s emergency to happen which forces us to do things differently or make changes. However, we can have an emergence without an emergency when we realize how much the world needs our help. God cannot do for us, what He cannot do through us. Your gifts want to emerge now. You are full of possibility and potential.

You don’t have to wait until you lose your job to start that new business. You don’t have to wait until you get sick to begin living and teaching healthy living seminars; your teenage daughter does not have to become pregnant for you to start a personal development program for young girls.

Don't wait until life's emergency forces you to emerge, do it now. You can start right now, right where you are today. Whatever your hands find to do, do it now. If you are waiting on the perfect time, I stopped by to tell you that this is the time, this is our moment and we must move quickly and swiftly. It’s Your Time!

One Love,
Angela Carr Patterson
www.lovestorywomencircle.com, Founder

Let Angela coach you to discover your purpose and passion through her Lifestyle Coaching Program. Contact her at 803.920.6853 or angela@mlmglobal.net.

Balance Your Life, Not Your Check Book!!

2009-05-31T09:06:00.000-04:00

I heard someone ask the question, "Are you spending more time balancing your checkbook, than you are balancing your life?" It made me think. During these tough economic times we now live, people are running scared. They are pre-occupied with job security, having enough money to pay the mortgage, medical and credit card bills...and rightfully so.

With all the bad news coming from the media and our government, it is enough to send us all into a frightened panic. That is if you have chosen to participate in that world.

As for me, I have decided not to participate in fear, recession or financial failure. I have chosen to live by a set of laws that are governed by a God who owns more than I could ever imagine. When we place more of our focus on adding balance to our lives, than we do balancing our check books, then we can become free from financial failure.

We can chose to concentrate on being more thankful for our gifts, talents and skills in which we have been blessed and realize that these things are priceless. When we place our emphasis on giving of these gifts and talents to the world as a means to alleviate suffering, we will bring our lives back to balance.

I no longer walk in fear, but in love. I no longer focus on taking but on that of giving. Yes, we should balance our checkbooks to be efficient in our business dealings. But we must also be sure to pray and meditate regularly to keep ourselves balanced.

When I become more God focused, more love focused, when we remain balanced..something miraculous happens. My check book tends to be balanced and even increase in dollars.
Wow, isn't it great to know that we are apart of the solution.

Get Rid of the Chaos!

2009-05-21T00:19:00.000-04:00

Life can be hectic at times. Sometimes things just seem to get totally chaotic. When that happens, I tend to slow things down a little. There are times when I just bring my life to a complete halt. I have learned, when chaos arrives from all directions, it is a signal that something is going on inside of me. I ask myself, "what is going on inside of me to attract this stuff?" Then I slow my life down to go within to identify the problem. Sometimes, I just need more rest or to eat better and exercise my body. Often times it is because I have not been praying as much as I should or I need to adjust my thought pattern, and feed my spiritual mind. Whatever it is, once I identify the source of the chaos and I make the necessary adjustments...life goes back to order. It is easy to place blame on others for the chaos, but it takes effort and maturity to take responsibility for our own lives. We truly can live our lives by design. God is so smart for creating us this way!!

We Can Have It All!!

2009-05-19T21:09:00.001-04:00

There comes a time in our lives where we begin to think about how we want to live. We know inside there is more to life than what we are currently experiencing, but we just cannot seem to identify it. There needs to be a decision on our part, that there are things in our lives that we have the ability to change and that these changes will give us a better life. Simply put, "A Lifestyle."

There is no shame in needing to fine tune our lives as we move forward in finding our true purpose. We really can have, do and be anything we want in life. We do hold the keys to our life, not in some abstract sense, but in real time choices, actions, that have predictable results that are beneficial to our future.

That being said, this amazing discovery is not easily accomplished alone. It has been said that all successful people have Mentors. The turning point in everyone's life is when your Mentor arrives. I had to stop and take notice when my mentor arrived. I almost did not recognize her. When I discovered her, I realized there was no time to waste, each moment was an opportunity to further myself, a chance to make a choice that was life altering and life changing.

When my mentor arrived, my life changed forever. Now, I am paying it forward by doing the same for others. My passion is to see people live their lives bigger and better. I love to help people see themselves bigger and better. We all deserve to be happy and one thing I am sure...we all can be!!