As the holidays approach and 2018 begins to wind down, I think back on this very stressful and chaotic year.  Few lives have been left untouched by the shootings, hate crimes, racism, and misogyny in the USA that has defined this year.  Those of us whose lives were not directly touched by tragedy and violence, have been drawn into it by feeling completely bereft and helpless to intervene or help.  It is terrifying to see that people really do not learn from history or experience, and that fear and insecurity about the future now touches everyone in every country around the world

But I have hope. The symbol of infinity reminds me that change is happening 

Most people believe this symbol illustrates eternity.  That's not quite right.  The infinity symbol represents the principle of eternal kinetic movement and chaos in the universe

The symbol shows us that in order for any state of chaos to alters its current state, re-organize or change direction, it has to come to 'still point'.  It has to stop what it is doing before it can change direction 

'Still point' is defined by the narrowing between the two circles, the point where the circle changes direction to become another circle moving in the opposite direction.  At still point, chaos can transform into a different state

We use this quantum principle with our living essences.  Those who have taken our essence remedies to help change negative habit patterns, release painful experiences, and overwrite unhealthy beliefs stemming from the past, know that a sense of inner peace and happiness (Still Point) precedes a short period of painful chaos in which all that is out of balance within you comes to the surface so that you can release it permanently and restore true balance and inner peace.  In other words, you change from one state to another, just like the symbol of infinity

I'd like to hope that this is what is happening now in the world.  Bad habits, unhealthy beliefs, and negative ways of thinking and being are now coming up to the surface so we can examine them for what they are.  We get to choose which thoughts and beliefs we want to release, and which ones will serve our highest good, both personally and globally

It's a painful process.  More so when you resist or fight change.  But, as people awaken to what is no longer serving their higher good, others who feel threatened by change, and those who stand to lose something by way of this change, will naturally fight it and want to maintain the status quo and keep travelling in the same circle

How can we help these people see they will not lose anything, and they will have the opportunity to gain so much more?  

I believe it starts with women.  A great indian chief once told me that women hold the power, and always have.  They just haven't known it

Women are the moral compass of society.  Every son is the product of his mother.  WE raise the children.  WE teach our children our own values, and instil in them ethics and moral principles that will govern their lives.  We teach them how to love, how to treat others, how to have relationships, how to become productive adults  

Think about that. ...  How much power women hold to shape the very fabric of society through the power of our own values, our wisdom, our own self worth.  Our power does not come though COMPETING with men for equality and power (yang energy).  It comes from our INFLUENCE on men, on the marketplace, and on society as a whole (yin energy) 

Abusive, thoughtless, bigoted people aren't BORN that way.  They grow up in an environment that teaches them to become that way.  And it is their childhood, and in particular their mothers, that play the pivotal role in that development

For example, abused women are simply disempowered women, and they teach disempowerment to others.   When you neglect, abuse, or disrespect yourself, you show your partners and others how you want them to treat you.  Your self abuse and acquiescing to abuse in turn demonstrates clearly to your sons how to treat women, and shows your daughters how to treat themselves and how to be treated by men.  Whether you are rich or poor, powerful or obscure, if you are a woman and a mother, you are currently dictating what your children and what society ultimately will become

I was born into a dysfunctional home with a mother who probably should never have had children.  But, I was lucky enough to have been 'informally adopted' by a wonderful family many years ago, and that changed my life.  Mom and Pop both have stellar moral values, gentle love and respect for each other, and they raised their children to reflect those healthy values.  Their grandchildren, in turn are bright, considerate, happy young adults, raised with the same code of ethics and values  

These people are role models for what families should be, and what society could become.  I am blessed to have found them and was wise enough to allow them to love and support me 

At the same time, I learned many positive and important lessons from my birth mother.  She was a force to reckoned with, a consummate business woman, fearless in fighting for survival and respect.  When I was about 7 years old I watched my mother confront the leader of the Hells' Angels motorcycle gang.  At least 50 gang members surrounded her at our place of business.  She stood up to them fearlessly and defiantly, defending her property and children without anyone around to protect her  

I watched as that gang leader walked out into the middle of the street and stopped traffic.  He got down on his knees and bowed to her in deference.  From then on, she was treated with polite respect and deference by the gang members, and they left us alone.  And I learned a brave and important lesson from my mother

Since then, no one has ever stopped me from doing what I want to do.  I never see obstacles as barriers.  They are merely challenges.  I simply keep my eyes on my goal and go straight over whatever challenge is in my way to get to that goal.  I learned that courage and tenacity from my mother  

Women also hold power in another way ... When a man loves a woman who understands her value and respects herself, he will do everything he can to make her happy and to be worthy of her.  And that gives her great influence and power over his actions and choices.  Anyone who has ever visited the guilded-age mansions of Newport Rhode Island can clearly see the undeniable influence and power of women over wealth and society at a time when women were said to have no power at all      

Women CAN change the world simply by realizing the power we have to change how our children and our partners think, behave, and act.  It begins with self care.  Each one of us who acts to bring ourselves in balance and wholeness, shows our children and our partners how to do the same.  When we choose forgiveness, we dissolve the power of others over our happiness, and we teach our children the value of that freedom.  When we practice self respect and respect for others, we teach our children to respect themselves and others.  And that ends bullying 

When we choose happiness, every choice, action and decision is naturally for our highest good.  It then teaches our children to choose happiness.  And that benefits EVERYONE  

When we are happy, those around us begin to want to become happy too ... And so we influence others in positive ways.  We like to call that 'the Enlightened Feelings Effect.'  

It all starts with you ... Are you influencing your husband or partner in positive ways?  What are you teaching your children?  Are you influencing them in positive ways?  In what ways are you allowing others to influence your children?  What television shows, video games and movies are you letting them watch that are teaching them negative ways to behave, and sending negative messages about what to think or believe?  

It all starts with you...the person who is and always will be greatest influence in the lives of others.  Be the mother you wish you'd had