Gigi Langer

Worry Less Now!

 Love More Now!

7 WAYS TO OVERCOME FEAR

These days, it’s really easy to fall prey to fear and insecurity about the future. So, I thought I’d share with you seven ways to overcome fear.

1) Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, focus on what’s right. Try a gratitude journal, random acts of kindness, finding something you appreciate about another person, or stopping to smell the roses (or in this case, our beautiful spring blossoming trees!)

2) Instead of obsessing about a negative situation until it seems to be a major issue, try to keep it in perspective. Remember that this too shall pass, and you’ve made it through worse things. Try to accept what is going on with calm trust that, even though things may appear scary or chaotic, all is well. For more on changing your perspective, see this post.

3) Instead of isolating with TV, media, and potato chips (or ice cream!), hang out with positive people striving to improve their lives. They will give you hope and make you laugh–the best tonic of all. Zoom has many meetings and gatherings to support your growth.

4) Instead of engaging in self-criticism, try self-compassion. Talk to yourself as if you were a small child who needs comforting and reassurance. Take good care of yourself by taking a hot bath or a soothing walk outside.

5) Instead of trying to change the past by thinking about how it could have been different, focus on what is going on right now, both inside and around your body. Savor the sensations of sound, touch, scent, vision, and taste.

6) Instead of living in the wreckage of your future, try being 100% in this present moment. Pay rapt attention to those you’re listening to and enjoy every moment of your life.

7) Instead of trying to change people, places, or things, admit that you have no power over them. Then focus on the only things you CAN control: your own attitudes and actions. Admit that you don’t know what is best in every situation. Practice acceptance. Let go and allow the mysterious power of spirit handle things.

What would you add? I would love to hear how you’re overcoming fear!
With love from Gigi, “Worry Less Now!”

Worry Less Now Cover overcome fear

Gigi Langer has been clean and sober for 33 years, and holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. She’s a sought-after speaker and retreat leader who has helped thousands improve their lives at work and at home. 

Order my award-winning book (50 Ways to Worry Less Now) HERE . Also available in e-book and audiobook.  4.8 stars on Amazon!

A Mystery Quote: “Songs of Plenty and Songs of Want”

a course in miracles

Several years ago, my friend, Mo, dictated into her 1990s tape recorder several selections from A Course in Miracles (ACIM).  I’ve spent many hours listening to the 90-minute tape; I even converted it to a CD when cassettes died. Now it lives in my phone’s music app. I love every wise word Mo recorded, and I often thank “Angel Mo” for this dear gift.

At the very end of Mo’s recording is a section called, “The Human Experience.” I’ve always thought it was taken from ACIM, because everything else on the tape was from there. But this beautiful section is NOT in the Course, and I can’t find its source anywhere. CAN YOU? If You’re The First One to Find It, You’ll Get A Free Copy of “Worry Less Now.” Here is part of the section I love so much. 

The Human Experience

“So dear are you to me. I see you struggle and let go, struggle and let go again. And that is the dance of life. Seek not to end the dance. 

The earthly dance moves from ballroom to ballroom, 
from dance floor to dance floor. The cosmic dance moves from era to era. But the dance must continue until all the music has been heard. 

You are now hearing different stanzas to the same song. The song is salvation. The verses speak of learning all there is to learn. 

All there is to learn includes songs of plenty and songs of want. You learn the dance of prosperity and the dance of scarcity, until you realize that all the dances are the same.

You move to the rhythm, sway to the beat. You pause to start again. You feel the heartbeat of the music until your heart and the beat of the music are one. Then that dance is over.

Worry not, my child. All earthly experiences teach only one thing: That you are a child of a loving God who punishes you not.”

Isn’t that beautiful? Although it’s very similar the the Course‘s style, it’s not from there. I hope you can find out where it was published.

What IS a Course in Miracles, Anyway?

You may already know about the Course, perhaps from Marianne Williamson’s best seller, A Return to Love–a wonderful introduction. The three books form a “curriculum” that people study on their own or in a group, thus the reference to a “course.” It’s main purpose (the “miracle”) is to help us align our thoughts and actions with love rather than with fear.
Here is my summary of some of the key ideas presented in ACIM (from Chapter 3 in 50 Ways to Worry Less Now)

•  We are spiritual beings living inside a physical body. The confusion of the human experience comes from thinking our body represents the full extent of our being. The true essence of a person, however, is not the body. It is the spirit, also known as the soul, positive power, love, true self, and so on. Most of us seek to connect with a loving source of safety, comfort, and wisdom.

•  Fear separates us. When we believe we are merely a physical body, we think there isn’t enough love, attention, or material security to go around. We live in fear as we constantly compete against others to fulfill our human needs. In this survival state, we separate ourselves from one another. The Course and many other teachings refer to this self-centered fear as “the ego,” and consider it the main source of unhappiness. (Note that Freud defined the ego differently—as the decision-making part of the personality.)

•  Love connects us. When love (positive power) is our driving force, we trust there is enough of everything we need to be happy and secure. We connect with others in loving care and compassion. We are no longer driven by our fears and we find joy.

To simplify: Fear, judgment, and separation create negativity and worries. Loving connections cure them.

What do you think? Do you agree? What’s your experience with ideas such as these? I’d love to hear from you!

Worry Less Now CoverGigi Langer has been clean and sober for 33 years, and holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. She’s a sought-after speaker and retreat leader who has helped thousands improve their lives at work and at home.
Read her blog here or order her award-winning book (50 Ways to Worry Less Now) from Barnes and Noble, Amazon (5 stars), and all e-book vendors.

FREEDOM FROM SELF-SABOTAGE (by Harriet Hunter)

miracles of recoveryHarriet Hunter has written one of the best daily meditation books I’ve seen in a long time. I just love reading it each morning. Below is an excerpt of the April 21st meditation (p. 123) from Miracles of Recovery: Daily Meditations of Hope, Courage.    (Order book Here)

“How many times have we heard others put someone down with, ‘You’re not good enough to do that,’ or ‘You’ll never be able to. . .’?  Do these or similar statements resonate within you?

“These are the telltale signs of self-sabotage“Self-sabotage is the mechanism used to denigrate our power, as if we have none at all.  “We become what we think. We need to stop rehearsing our rejections.

“Over time, self-sabotage becomes form fitting, snug in the mis-identification of our self-worth. It feels familiar, safe and warm. We know self-sabotage well because we’ve endured it for a lifetime.

“Somewhere we heard we should promote others while sacrificing ourselves to gain friends and keep the peace. To do so would be to tell ourselves the greatest lie of all: We deserve nothing, but others do. Treating ourselves with the same gentleness and loving care we give to family and others is what we need.

“There is plenty of inner strength and fortitude already deep inside, and we deserve to hear it reflected in our voice.

“So why not let it begin with us? No longer can we allow ourselves to take part in self-deprecating talk. Our voice is listening, waiting for the echo of words that promise love and kindness for who we are.

“When we change the way we see ourselves, we get to change our lives and the way others see us too, with resonating confidence.”

Today’s Meditation
“Today I am conscious of how others speak to me and how it makes me feel. I will not accept negative, demeaning talk from anyone–even me–as I recreate with loving care who I want to be.“

harrietHunter GigiLangerHarriet Hunter (shown here with me at the Venice FL Book Fair) is the author of the 2018 Miracles of Recovery: Daily Meditations of Hope, Courage. She is a person in long-term recovery, an expert on journaling, and an inspiration to all who know her.  Her book is fabulous! Order book HERE Website here     FB: Harriet Hunter Author

JUST LOVED THIS RETREAT!

This is why you didn’t get a blog post this week. I was the retreat leader and it was a huge privilege. And it took a lot of planning plus airplane travel to and from St Louis. I’m on my way home now and am just sending you this quick update.

Here’s my FB post about this wonderful retreat:

it was a WONDERFUL WEEKEND retreat in Springfield IL with an incredible group of women. I had asked my FB friends to pray that our time together benefit all of us, including our loved ones. It worked!

?❤️?