Ride the Waves - Volume II: How to take control of your life one emotion at a time

by Tracy Friesen

Overview

Starting today, reading just one of the 366 ways to discover the fortune that lies hidden in your emotions, you will find wisdom and inspiration to guide you to what you really want in life.

In Volume II of Ride the Waves, Tracy continues to take you through another amazing year-long journey of a woman who lets you know that we are not alone. Tracy?s gift to us is the direct ?How?s that working for you?? wake-up call to how we can choose to be more aware of our daily thoughts and make better life choices based on discernment of our thoughts. In taking the journey with Tracy, we learn together that we have each created our current existence through our own choices. Life is choice?and every choice is a conscious decision. Tracy shines a light to the fact that you are responsible for your own life and you alone create your happiness. It?s up to you where you want your life to take you! Isn?t about time you learn to Ride the Waves?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452522494
Publisher:	Balboa Press
Publication date:	12/15/2014
Pages:	422
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.94(d)

Read an Excerpt

Ride the Waves - Volume II

How to Take Control of your Life One Emotion at a Time

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By Tracy Friesen

Balboa Press

Copyright © 2014 Tracy Friesen
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4525-2249-4

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CHAPTER 1

January 1

Lift the veil

What are all illusions except false ideas about myself? — A Course in Miracles

A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep. — Saul Bellow

il·lu·sion [ih-loo-zhuhn] noun – dictionary.reference.com

1. something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality.

2. the state or condition of being deceived; misapprehension.

3. an instance of being deceived.

4. Psychology. a perception, as of visual stimuli (optical illusion), that represents what is perceived in a way different from the way it is in reality.

5. a very thin, delicate tulle of silk or nylon having a cobwebbed appearance, for trimmings, veilings, and the like.

I think Saul is being too nice in saying that a great deal of intelligence can be "invested." Although I get what he means, I think the better word would be "wasted." I believe that using the word invested makes it sound more positive, when in actuality you are just throwing your life away by creating a story or an illusion that you are not at all responsible for your own life, especially what happens in it.

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 2

Choose your own adventure

You are the author of your own life story, and God is the publisher who makes it all possible. — Raquel Szann

Do you remember those Choose Your Own Adventure books you might have read as a child? Well, your life is exactly the same way: you are the creator of your life, and just as in those books, you are the one who makes the decision as to where you want to go next. Where to?

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 3

Who's running the show?

Our [personalities like] to be in control. [The personality] likes to know how things are and what's going to happen. Underlying this desire for stability and predictability is a deep fear that the world is a dangerous place.

The truth is: we cannot control what happens in life. And under the natural law of attraction, we tend to attract to us what we focus on. Explore substituting trust for fear and the world becomes a gentler, happier place. — John Robson

Letting your personality run the show sounds somewhat normal doesn't it? It's too bad that it's not that easy. If you look at your personality as something you cannot control, then you are perpetuating your own victimizations, and in the end, you are giving up your own power and control over your own life. And for what? Just so you can say "Ha! See! I was right! My life does suck!" Hmmm ... How's that working for you, anyway? I recently read that the personality fears it will not survive without continually being on guard so the more you let your ego think it's the big boss that runs the show, the more you'll be in struggle and strife fighting to be right. So it's about time you just let go and trust that the world isn't out to get you and there really is a place for you in it—and your place is to BE happy!

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 4

You are your biggest obstacle

Spiritual evolution occurs as the result of removing obstacles and not actually acquiring anything new. Devotion enables surrender of the mind's vanities and cherished illusions so that it progressively becomes more free and more open to the light of Truth. — David R. Hawkins

It's easy to hide behind a reason or an excuse. What takes courage is to get out of your own way and be able to admit where you are responsible, accept the consequences of your actions, and clean up any mess that you may have created (which means you get the impact you have on others). This helps you become aware so that the next time the same thing comes up, you can choose a new way of BEing—if you want to, that is.

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 5

Follow your heart

He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened. — Tao Te Ching

Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you'll be criticized anyway. — Eleanor Roosevelt

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. — Confucius

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. — Abraham Lincoln

What's your passion? Do you even know anymore or have you been trudging along the same rut for so long now that you are numb to anything that might bring the slightest bit of joy your way? Confucius is right, although I'd like to expand a bit more. No matter what it is that you choose to do, whether it be for play or for work, if you do something that you love or find passion in, it'll never be difficult or even considered "work"—ever! In the end, it will not matter how long you've lived. What will matter is if you were happy.

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 6

Don't set the trap

A critic is a legless man who teaches running. — Channing Pollock

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. — Eleanor Roosevelt

Abilities wither under faultfinding, blossom with encouragement. — Donald A. Laird

Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business. — Norman Vincent Peale

The more you try to justify yourself to criticism—especially from your inner critic—the more it makes them or it right and the more it will perpetuate your fight to prove them or it wrong. You will forever be trapped in your own self-created vicious circle, battling only what you see in the mirror.

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 7

Give with joy

Joy is prayer. Joy is strength. Joy is love. Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. She gives most who gives with Joy. — Mother Teresa

Never miss a joy in this world of trouble—that's my theory! Happiness, like mercy, is twice blessed. It blesses those most intimately associated with it and it blesses all those who see it, hear it, touch it, or breathe the same atmosphere." — Kate Douglas Wiggin

This is really a no-brainer, but which emotion leaves you feeling all around better: joy or anger? If you don't know, then think about a time when you were quite angry at someone and you were screaming and yelling at that person to get your point across. Your hands were fisted, your teeth were clenched, and every muscle in your body was tense. Do you remember how you felt after your explosion? You probably felt drained, sick to your stomach, sad, lonely, and/or isolated. You probably felt that the world was against you. You probably felt unsafe and insecure.

Now think about a time where you were happy and sharing. You were laughing so hard that your belly hurt and tears were streaming down your face. You were so elated that you didn't want the moment to end. Do you remember how you felt after that event? You probably felt overjoyed, lighter than air, and possibly taller than normal. You probably felt as if you could take on anything and win! Hmmm ... Interesting, isn't it?

I can see clearly that joy is a better feeling than anger. Can you? If you can't, maybe you need to reread the above until it sinks in a bit. It's okay—I'll wait. If you are still not seeing it, are you really surprised that nothing goes your way and you feel that everyone is against you when you continue to choose anger over joy?

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 8

Let go of your illusions

Find peace within your heart today. It is there, hiding behind the illusions of ... fear. Your level of peace is a good gauge for where your connection to God/Source is at any moment. When you find peace in the chaos, you know that you are deeply connected to God.

When you have anxiety, you know that you may have lost that connection, or perhaps your "signal" is low. Go within to boost your connection. You will know you are fully connected by the level of peace that you feel. — Sherri Lane

If you think you are stuck in a world of chaos and all you see around you is confusion and pandemonium, are you surprised that you do not feel at peace? Why do you keep yourself in shackles and chains? It is so freeing to let go and release all that is blocking you and isn't moving you forward on the path that you were meant to travel. If you are able to let go of the need to be right and just accept "what is" now, wow! What a peaceful, happy life you will be living! Your peace is there waiting for you—it really is! If you don't believe me, it's just a choice—your choice—and how's that working for you so far in your life? Is your choice bringing you peace, love, and happiness? No? Maybe, it's time to let go and make a different choice?

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 9

Are you wasting your time?

Remember that useless emotions will always insist that they are necessary. — Vernon Howard

The more you want to yell, scream, fight, and justify your point to be sure that you are "heard"—because from your standpoint everyone needs to know that you have a point to make—the more that emotion you are feeling is a useless emotion and the point you so persistently have to make is unnecessary. Don't get me wrong: it's 100 percent okay to feel the emotion because it is "what is" for you in that moment. It's what you do with that emotion that may need to be questioned. To what lengths do you go to make your point so that everyone else knows you are feeling a certain way? This is not about being closed off and not sharing yourself but honestly, no one else needs to know how you are feeling—ever! If your fight to be right is more important than your desire to BE happy, then by all means keep up what you are doing. However, do not be surprised when the people around you seem like they are against you, are upset all the time, and perhaps do not want to be with you.

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 10

It's your concern

Select one person you have used as a target for your grievances and lay the grievances aside and look at him. — A Course in Miracles

If you are having issues communicating with a particular someone, have you ever thought that it may be solely your concern? I touched on this in the message that I wrote on June 8 in Ride the Waves Volume I, about having a preset way of BEing regarding a concern you may have about someone else. It went something like this: Say you have an issue with certain people; for example, you think they don't respect you, amid many other concerns. So you—with all your notions about them mucking around in your head—enter into a conversation them. How do you think this will affect your listening to them? Don't you think you will be judging everything that they are saying, justifying your disdain with "Well, they don't respect me anyway"? Then, when the conversation goes sour, you blame the other people for the way it went down. Really? Are you sure it's entirely their fault? Of course it is. It could never be that you already had these preset concerns about them and really didn't listen to them at all, now could it? Seriously, though, if you just laid your grievances to rest with them and saw them for who they are in the present moment, you may realize that you have no grievance at all—and wouldn't that be a great feeling?

What do you think you would be able to create in your life if you removed your concerns about the people you communicate with and started to listen to everyone from no preconditioned way of BEing?

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 11

Talk is cheap; action is real

Remember, a real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided. — Tony Robbins

It is so much easier to say you will do something than to actually do it. Talk is cheap; it's time to decide for real. So stop saying things to people to make yourself look better in their eyes. Stop saying things to make people think you are doing stuff when you are just sitting on your arse doing nothing, watching reality TV and wishing you had the guts to audition for one of those shows. Stop saying things just to fool yourself into believing that you've actually made a decision. Just stop already! It really is time to decide for real, and the only way you can say anything to anyone about anything you do is if you actually have the action behind it.

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 12

Create a world that works!

Are your words typically negative, critical, gossiping, deceptive, illusory, justifying, blaming, manipulative, and argumentative? Are they more uplifting, inspirational, positive, questioning, beautiful, loving, universal, truthful, accepting, and supportive?

The throat is our center of expression. Who we are sneaks out in our attitudes and in what we say. — John Robson

Words are powerful! Whether you mean them or not, they have impact. Not only do they affect you, but they also affect all those around you. I invite you today to be mindful about your words, especially to yourself. You will shape your world accordingly by which words you choose to define yourself and/or others. What passes over your lips today will be your experiences tomorrow so create a world that works! If you are always kind, positive and encouraging in your words you definitely will because you are not only affecting you but all those around you too!

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 13

BE an excellent receiver

Some of the biggest challenges in relationships come from the fact that most people enter a relationship in order to get something: they're trying to find someone who's going to make them feel good. In reality, the only way a relationship will last is if you see your relationship as a place that you go to give, and not a place that you go to take. — Anthony Robbins

Until we can receive with an open heart, we're never really giving with an open heart. When we attach judgment to receiving help, we knowingly or unknowingly attach judgment to giving help. — Brené Brown

I agree with Anthony—that your relationship will never work if you are always a "taker." I believe that in order to have a thriving relationship, you not only need to be an unconditional giver; you must also be an excellent receiver. There is nothing selfish and there is no expectation around BEing an excellent receiver. All you are doing is allowing someone else's unconditional giving to take place, and giving always opens the way for receiving, so why not just BE an excellent receiver? If someone offers you something, you are the only one that puts meaning behind its intent. If you just allow it and be grateful for it, there is never any reason to feel obligated or that you owe something to somebody. When other people actually put conditions on their giving, then it is their expectation and the upset is all on them and has nothing to do with you, especially when the conditions are hidden. So if someone offers you something, simply BE an excellent receiver.

Be grateful for whatever it is and open the door to your own unconditional giving.

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

January 14

You have the courage

Courage: firmness of mind in the face of extreme difficulty — Merriam Webster Dictionary

There is nothing hard about BEing courageous. The above quote shows that it is just a decision—nothing more—nothing less. Just a choice.

Think about it ...

Love and Sunshine, Tracy

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Ride the Waves - Volume II by Tracy Friesen. Copyright © 2014 Tracy Friesen. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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