and support. They can also be the vehicles of delivery for what you desire in your life. They can be the messengers, bringing you guidance and introducing you to the next thing which is unfolding in your life. They can make your life a heaven or a hell, but it is all up to you. It is not up to them. You have power over this part of your life, even though it may appear that you do not.

There are several aspects to this power. Know that people will be drawn to you in several ways. One is by the power you have inside yourself, toward yourself. If you love and honor yourself, you will draw to you people who love and honor you. If you are insecure and doubtful, you will draw toward you people to reinforce this side. as well. If you are afraid, you will draw toward you more of what you fear.

In other words, you will draw toward you reflections of yourself in the people who surround you. They will also be themselves, of course, but on the whole, you will attract much of what you are sending out.

This attraction is not control. You are not in control of what is around you and around other people. It is more like magnetism. There is a tendency for this to happen. It is not absolute. It is a tendency.

So, you might as well have this tendency working in your favor. You do this in all of the ways we have discussed, by building a strong and calm central core, so that you know who you are. You love and honor yourself for who you are, and you shine out all over with who you are. Do this, and you will naturally attract to you people, who are looking for someone just like you.

Now, I am going to ask you to do something which will be quite a challenge. It is an assignment for you to follow, and you will find is surprisingly difficult. Yet, it is truly very simple.

I am going to ask you to be honest, truly honest. I am going to ask you to show who you are, speak what you truly mean, and act in a way which expresses your true being.

Now, as I ask you to do this, please note that I am not asking you to subject anyone else to temper and anger, tears and recriminations. I am not asking you to give way to the immature emotions which may have stayed within you, regardless of how far you have traveled. I am certainly not asking you to disrespect anyone else.

When you truly reach your core, your honest center and self, when you are able to reach up into your higher self, you will find that the truth which must be spoken always flows out of love, compassion and forgiveness. It does not flow in anger. It does not flow in frustration. Those are aspects of fear, not truth.

So, when I ask you to be truthful and honest, I am asking for your very best self to step forward, and for you to express that self that highest self, in truth.

Now, as you go through your life, begin by being aware of what is untrue. Begin to notice and take responsibility for all of the dishonesty in your life, the people you allow to treat you with disrespect, the things that you do which you do not believe should be done, the things you see which should be done that you left undone, the things you believe, you know, which should be spoken out loud, which you leave in silence. Even if you should decide that you cannot follow through on this, that you cannot speak or do these things, at least notice them, at least acknowledge them to yourself. Know this, that each time you leave truth on the table and walk away, you are creating illness and disharmony. Truth has power. When you succumb to fear instead of truth, then you have given away your power. If this happens enough, then you will lose energy, which is necessary to keep you well and whole.

It is very important to learn to confront people in direct, open and loving ways. It is not something which is taught. What is taught is manipulation, avoidance and dishonesty. What you need to learn, to teach yourself, is how to look someone in the eye and speak the truth, simply, directly and without overblown emotions. Just speak simple truth, your truth.

You need to learn to speak it, as it comes from you, and take full responsibility for it. It is not about trying to change other people. It is about the truth which you see and feel. Again, it is not anger. It is observation. This is my truth. This is what I see. This is what I know, and this is what I must do.

Take a look at the situations in your life, the relationships which are difficult. What would happen, if you were able to actually just tell someone how you feel, not trying to manipulate them, just speaking your truth and asking nothing of them except, perhaps, to cease disrespecting and dishonoring you?

What would happen if you were to do this? If you could just say to that neighbor, "Please call before you come over". If you were able to say to your mother or your spouse," I love you, but I need more privacy and space", what would happen? What would happen if you spoke to your boss, "I enjoy my work and hope to continue working here, but I must respectfully ask you not to speak to me in that tone".

This is your assignment. Find the truth, your truth, the things you feel deep inside. Look at it and see if it is loving, mature and responsible. See if it honors you and other people. Breathe deeply and reach down into your heart of rightness and ask, “How shall I approach this?”, and then jot down the words which pop into your head. You will know if you are getting the right guidance, if they are words which honor both you and the other people, words which flow from consideration and love.

You might find that you are guided to leave this job and find another. You might be guided to take up the challenge of a difficult relationship and make it better by learning to speak loving truth.

The truth has such power because its' knowledge is shared. There is some level at which everyone knows the truth. When you mix the truth with love, it has the ultimate power. When you mix it and dilute it with fear, it loses its power and force.

So, this week, come from truth. Begin with observation, just observing yourself when you gossip about someone instead of speaking directly to them. Make it a rule not to say anything about someone else that you have not already spoken directly to them. If you are not doing this, then change your behavior and see what happens.

Then, learn to speak and live truth. Learn how to stop trying to twist and turn yourself into someone you are not, in some attempt to be what you think others might want you to be. Stop doing this to yourself or to others. It is dishonest. It is manipulative. It dishonors both you and them.

Yes, this will be a challenge. If you will take it up, your life will begin to transform. When you find you want to complain about someone, stop and turn it into responsibility. You are responsible for either repairing relationships in your life or moving on to others. Either action can be valid and correct. It is not healthy and does not accomplish anything positive to stay in bad situations, and neither change them nor move on.

Break the harmful patterns, the old patterns. Establish new patterns based on love and honor, on respect and mutual caring, on forgiveness and compassion, based on truth, your truth, the truth which glows in the deepest and best part of you, deep in your heart, deep in your soul. Let this shine out in everything you say and do, shine out in truth. Live what you believe. Live what you are. Show us all exactly who you are every moment of every day.

Shine! Shine out with the wonder that you truly are! [End of message]

Have a wonderful and truthful week.

Love and Peace,

Carrie

[ NOTE: The sentence structure, grammar and punctuation were corrected in this article to make it readable and presentable on Fourwinds. PHB ]

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