Showing posts with label competition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label competition. Show all posts

Friday, December 27, 2013

5 Really Good Reasons to Say Goodbye--To Friends, Lovers, Social Media, and Even Your Phone




Note: This piece is for introspection, you are fully responsible for all choices you make in your life.

A Brief Intro
When I was in elementary school I had to learn how to say hello and goodbye a lot. I went to 6 different elementary schools and had to hear that infamous "Hello class let's welcome our new student Diana".  Each time, I was scared to death I would not be welcomed or worse be un-welcomed. By the grace of the universe I was never treated badly or made to feel un-welcomed, but that's because I had a strategy. One I still use to day and will share at another time.

The worse part of moving around was saying goodbye to the friends I made. It was heartbreaking every time. You know what they say, with practice you get better. And I did. As a child and being an *empath, it was extra hard to detach, and even as an adult I have a very difficult time letting go of people and things when the time comes. But the time does come when it is time to move on for the greater good of all. 

I deal with a lot people in one way or the other. Again as an empath, I have to be extra self-protective. Something I learned the very hard way. I can't afford to have close and ongoing encounters with individuals who are on a significant different frequency (mismatched goals, ideologies, values) than me. How about you?

Do you know when it's time to say goodbye? As a child I didn't have a choice, I was moving. But as an adult it was a bit more vague. I felt I wanted my "bff" and be with my family/friends forever, but that isn't realistic. People and circumstances come into our lives for a reason. You may not know the reason for a long time to come, but chances are you will know and see the signs it's time to say goodbye.

  1. When the greater good is no longer served, what does that mean? You know inside your mind and heart when a relationship, of work, personal or even casual is not serving the highest good:
  2. When there is an ongoing, uneven exchange of energy and resources. 
  3. When there is emotional, physical, spiritual depletion and damage to one or any of the parties involved.
  4. When you feel frustrated, confused and fatigued dealing with the person or circumstance.
  5. When you just know in the deepest level, and you do not need any logical reason.

You don't have to wait until you are so sick, upset, betrayed or experience any other negative emotion, before you move into your own peaceful space physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

The key is to move on with finesse, class and proper manners. There is no point in creating more negativity when you are trying to be in a healthier place. Many people wonder just how to do that. Here is when you use that incredible brain you were given and tap into common sense. 

Family, Friends, Acquaintances
With personal contacts it can be very sticky. Particularly family and long time friends. But it is your right to have peace, love and good things should you choose it. So you begin with creating boundaries. Oh, I guarantee you it won't be a piece of cake, but it will bring you peace eventually. You don't have to run to someone's rescue all the time. So choose if you want to continue doing this. You will have resistance so prepare yourself. But hold strong, because that will pass. There are also so many support resources you can use to do a little research and give yourself that gift.

Many people come into our lives for a reason. To share experiences with, and/or to learn lessons from. Often, we are not meant to be around the same people our whole lifetimes. This includes family. Once you understand the relationship dynamics, the lessons to be learned, and karmic implications, you can begin to decide how deeply invested you want to be. 

Romantic Relationships 
This is a topic for a separate and much more involved post/episode. But the quick of it is, that if you are in a romantic relationship, you are absolutely exchanging energy in every way. Is that energy exchange a healthy one? Only you know. Check in with your body, your mind, your circumstances at various times and see what you find. From thousands of people I've consulted with, too many are inexcusably unsatisfied with their relationship. Feeling they give too much and not receive any energy equally. 

Don't be fooled thinking, "Oh, this is just a casual fling/hookup/affair." There is no such thing in the true energy field. Most people are settling  hoping something changes or until something better comes along. They may feel pass the phase of fixing their karma or learning a lesson but still hold on. This only creates more karma debt and harsh unbalance. Choose now what you want in your most intimate relationship. Peace, bliss, pleasure, joint learning, passion, respect, joy...or conflict, illness, confusion, violence, abuse, heartbreak, loneliness (while with this person). The choice is truly yours. Begin with knowing what your patterns are, who are you typically attracted to, and why? As I said above, personal romantic relationships are very complex and this is just a snippet. There will be more on this in future posts.

Social Media
Social media is relatively new but very powerful. We meet and re-meet many people we would not otherwise do so. This includes old friends, new lovers, business colleagues, and new contacts. With other social contacts as in social media, I can personally tell you, knowing who to stay in touch with and who not to has been a complex issue. I and many others don't want to "burn bridges" or create animosity with social contacts. Yet too many folks are just takers of your information, resources, energy and offer nothing in return except an attitude of entitlement, or even playing dumb. I tell those people the following.
  • Don't take it as a personal insult if I unfriend/unfollow/hide you. There is probably little that benefits us being in contact in this manner.
  • Should you want to stay in touch and increase the quality of our connection, you may contact me via email, or phone and make a proposal.
  • Respect my decision, simply taking from others does NOT benefit either party, yes including the taker. 
This is my personal standard: I believe in sharing resources and a paradigm of abundance, not a scarcity-based one of competition.

Your Phone, Car, House, Jewelry, Other Material Object (*not pets, they are sentient and should never be given up unless to a guardian who can better love them!)

We can get so attached to material objects we love them more than people, animals and ourselves. We can even become obsessed with these and that affects the overall quality of our lives. For that, I would definite go to a professional for help. But if you are just somewhat attached, like you really just like your phone or service but aren't satisfied with cost, plan, quality, but feel you must be loyal to it, then you have every right to shop around for something that better suits you. If it's a company, then bear in mind that it knows you as money or a number, not a person so trust me they will not take it personally.  

Basically, what I am saying is that it's all about YOU. but in good way. Giving yourself care, love, respect, and boundaries makes it possible for you to be whole. Always remembering that we are in a web of inter-connectedness regardless. But you have the choice to surround yourself with loving people and things. It's okay to give yourself permission for a life of peace. In a world that seems so chaotic, you have control, believe it or not, of your mind, brain, and spirit. Even if someone attempts to assault you, your heart, body and soul is YOURS so cherish it, love it and thank it. Let's get out of victim-hood and into power-hood. Feel empowered to walk a away from things that don't serve the highest good and make room to allow wonderful things to enter your life.

Have a question? Visit www.thisisdiana.com

*An Empath is an intuitive who in addition to expressing empathy (the ability to put oneself in another person or animals place emotionally, physically and spiritually), have abilities and characteristics that go beyond the normal senses. Empaths are extremely sensitive to their environment, people and animals. She/he literally “feel” and sense what others feel in many ways. Hence Diana received psychic information by feeling what others feel but also via visual flashes, dreams, and connecting synchronicities.

On a Quest to Bring Manners Back
With Light. Love and OM
Diana Navarro, M.S.
www.Thisisdiana.com
Psychic--Empath with a Psychology background, Radio and Video Broadcast Producer/Host, Social Commentator/Speaker, Entertainer, Consultant and features topics on Lifestyle/Manners, Humor, Entertainment, Health, The Paranormal and Causes.
Radio Show Address: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/this-is-diana
Radio Listener dial-in number: (347) 857-3160


Monday, March 11, 2013

Unacknowledged New York City Talent By The "Powers That Be"



Thisisdiana site,

Note: This is also a radio Broadcast with special guests named below.
Click here to listen: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/this-is-diana/2013/07/22/unacknowledged-new-york-city-talent-by-the-powers-that-be

Unacknowledged New York Talent

I was born and raised in New York City. Specifically in The Bronx, also lived in Brooklyn and did everything else in Manhattan. I sang professionally as a child from the age of 7 onward in The Bronx, Manhattan Brooklyn and Queens (sorry Staten Island I was just a kid and didn't control where we went singin'). Because I chose a path of academics and work my spiritual journey, I didn't sing professionally again until sometime after I returned back from living in San Francisco, about 2005). 

When I did return, I was graciously welcomed by a special group of talented musicians including, singer and event producer Sandy Jordan, musicians Grammy nominee Larry Luger, Bob Arkin, and Angelo Ferrara very early on. As the years have gone on I've gotten to know many others dear to me like Ted Muzio, Rick Bogart, and Steven Lowenthal. I have met amazing musicians and singers alike who I will be featuring on the ongoing basis, (see below). As an Intuitive Empath with a Psychology and Research background, I can speak from my observations, interviews, and an actual experiential point of view. Throughout these years I have made some observations that are simply, well bothering the heck outta me. 

There is a vibrant but hidden New York City music and artistic population...Why aren't they more recognized by the powers that be? And by "powers that be" I mean venue owners, critics, reviewers, media, music managers, promoters, agents and peers that influence what is seen and heard in the New York industry

Ponder this:
a) Where can we find places where vocalists, musicians, dancers, producers, directors, writers, actors, fine artists (painters, etc.) and other creative artists express their passion, 
b) Get compensated appropriately and generously, 
c) Get a fair chance of getting in without the current politics of who knows who? 

And how can we: 
  • Avoid greedy venue owner/managers ridiculously overpriced covers, dinners and drink minimums, 
  • Avoid being forced to see the same mediocre talent in the "top" venues,
  • Let these "powers that be", that we are taking back the power and the status quo, same ol' same ol' is just not good enough anymore?

Keep reading...

What is True talent and What is Mediocre? 
Therein lies the big question. There is 1) Natural talent, those born with an innate ability to create a particular art and/or, 
2) Those who are trained in their field of passion but with true potential to excel and therefore often do, 3) Then there is the mediocre circle, those who are determined and dogged about performing an art but fall substantially short in innate ability. They excel anyway due to misuse of their personal and financial resources, unethical practices, e.g., sleeping their way up, paying off the powers that be, etc.

True Talent:
For brevity's sake, I will include natural and trained talent here and mediocre separately. Some say talent is subjective. That it depends on the observer. However there are standards set for the arts to determine talent. For those standards and guidelines, you'll have to do your googling...but for the purposes of this piece I will give a brief example of a talented vocalist. Whether a born singer or trained one, a vocalist has to be able to love what they do, connect with their audience authentically, utilize their unique qualities (timbre, vibrato, volume), know basic technique (while working on making it better and better), sing on key, improvise if necessary, work well with accompaniment, have good phrasing and respect fellow musicians with a combination of confidence and humility. Ambition is great but not at the cost of running over others in the same field because, yes we are connected and there are consequences to that.

Mediocre:
On the other hand, a mediocre performer and singer is one that uses questionable tools (paying the gatekeepers off, mis-using their sexuality, phony personality, etc.) to find an audience other than using innate or trained ability. They may somewhat sound like they sing but even a child can tell that this is not a good singer. They may sings off key, or strange-unpleasant vibrato/timbre that doesn't work well with the music being expressed or, overly loud/low or what I personally call the roller coaster effect where there are so many ups and downs in the note you can't tell what it's suppose to be (and gives me motion sickness) and that doesn't work well with the music being expressed. 

As mentioned above, many "successful" but mediocre musicians in the New York scene utilize some of the questionable tools and do get the better venues, critics/writers to give them great reviews, and opportunities for gigs and exposure. There is nothing wrong with that if only it weren't for the fact that it is unbalanced. If it were interspersed with the truly talented and it wasn't so darn obvious maybe it would be more palatable. People do notice. Audiences don't want to come out to the same old mediocre performers and those who come in droves are desperate for live entertainment and get the tainted promotion from agents and critics. What a conundrum indeed.

So Where are the Truly Talented?
So I ask again, why aren't there more truly talented singers out there in the known venues? Why do we see the same so-so performers spoken, promoted and written about over and over again by a handful of "elite" but somewhat powerful promoters and critics, discouraging audiences to come out to live events of many authentically talented performers? That's where the unseen, unacknowledged talent comes in. The talented are intermixed with the mediocre and emerging, yet to be discovered, talented. They are often in the small, unknown venues. This brings me to another point. Many venue owners want to keep their venues afloat financially and care very little about booking actual talent. They simply want people who will draw audiences, fill their rooms and buy their food and drinks. That's just the way it seems to be. If more venues opened with more emphasis on talent, and creative shows, I'm sure they would cross from the red to the black quickly and with quality. That is another reason why so many venues come and go and are marginally filled with customers. 

What about the rest of the artists, writers, directors, producers, actors, other performers, and painters? I would say with some confidence that the information is transferable to other artistic industries. Why? Because as a trained observer I have spoken to, read, and seen the same characteristics in other music industries, writing, and entertainment in general. Unless something happens where the right connection, introduction, discovery is made, many talented souls in any of these above mentioned fields, through no fault of their own, will remain undiscovered and un-shared with the world. But not if I can help it...

What am I Doing About it?
I can't change the world...but I can do my bit to live my life purpose...Spread light, love and truth anyway I can. I took a page from my predecessors in the business and every chance I get I create a space and event to gather all this amazing talent in pure celebration. For Instance The Sunday Summer Soirée with Diana and Friends https://www.facebook.com/events/195156540643755/

I also use my presence, blog, radio broadcasts, social media and personal resources to support those who genuinely care about their craft, themselves and others.

I share the space and make introductions via my intuitive social connection abilities to appropriate associations. 

Additionally, I would recommend to these artists:
  1.  To keep working on your craft. 
  2.  Stretch yourself out of your comfort zone, 
  3.  Don't allow anyone or anything discourage you, 
  4. Gage your talent accurately by having several objective ways of being judged on your particular artistic expression, 
  5. Activate your freewill ability of empowerment. Meaning, stay true to you and remain strong at your core
  6. Restrain from over-sharing your work projects until the deals are sealed to prevent competition from unfairly taking your opportunities, 
  7. Use social media, it's not that difficult to use and you don't have to use them all at first. Thanks to this, anyone can record themselves, and at least share your wares with the world. 
  8. Cultivate your audience, following and SHARE, there is truly enough for us all.
Meet the First Group of the Best
I am grateful to have met some of New York's MOST talented performers...this is just a few of the dozens my absolute favorites who are not only talented but support their peers in multiple ways. For the purposes of this article will mention in no specific order David Giardina, ESTEREdiva, David Vernon, and Maria Giorgio. We are also speaking Sandy Jordan who knows the business for many years and will share her point of view.

Believe me I don't mean to leave out any of my dear ones, so forgive if you are not mentioned in his piece. I fully plan to do follow-ups and features so just email me...to be featured.

While some not quite so talented people will always slip and slide UP to society pages for various reasons but I will do my part in making sure those who are there truly talented, working, sharing and loving what they do, get the credit they deserve. The powers that be come back to us all. 


With Light. Love and OM
This is Diana
Diana Navarro, M.S.
Psychic--Empath with a Psychology background, Radio and Video Broadcast Host, Speaker, Entertainer, Consultant and features topics on Lifestyle/Manners, Humor, Entertainment, Health, The Paranormal and Causes.
The "This Is Diana" Radio Show On Blog Talk Radio Listener dial-in number: (347) 857-3160
More Contact info:
For in depth information on events, services and information check:
This is Diana

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

9 Ways You're Resisting Happiness and How to Change This



As an Intuitive consultant and trained observer I have consulted, counseled, taught and advised thousands of people. By far, the biggest issue people talk about is that they are just not happy. There is mass depression, anxiety and despair out there. That's the bad news. The good news is that much of this oppressive emotion can be shifted to acceptance, joy, contentment and feeling moments of happiness more and more frequently. If your desire for happiness includes what is for the highest and greatest good of all, you are already on your way.

Would you say no to that? Many people do in many ways and every second of every day. It's called resistance to happiness. But by being aware of the resistance, knowing what factors to consider and with a slight shift in mindset, (e.g. opening your mind to the possibility that there is more out there) we can achieve a different perspective. We can begin to feel this elusive happiness and find it isn't so elusive after all.

We are creatures of habit and habits take time to create, break and change. So it is likely that it took years for you develop the habit of feeling defeat, frustration, lack of power, pain and think that this is the normal way of life. But habits can be broken. 

There are few things to think about should you want to explore ways to attain happiness. We are going to experience resistance almost immediately the moment we want to try to change the habit of feeling unhappy. This resistance will show its familiar head in various areas of our lives. To be aware is key. Then you can develop the stamina and determination to break through the resistance and push your way through your birthright which is to be joyous. 

Resistance 1 You don't deserve happiness
The first and largest form of resistance is the belief that we don't deserve to be happy. The reasons are endless. Perhaps someone told us this once as a child, cultural beliefs say we must suffer to be good, we've tried and failed so we think we are meant to be miserable, or we have no context of what happiness is so we just assume that it is normal to be unhappy and on and on... I say you are entitled to happiness. It starts with the decision to use your free will to find ways to explore happiness and joy in your life in endless ways.

Resistance 2 Your relationships are going to be affected
Once you choose your path to happiness, people around you will most certainly react. Not all will be "happy" for you. It's not their fault. It just means things will change and too many people just don't like change. Family members, romantic partners, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, will find ways to convince you that you should stay the way you were. Some will even be blunt enough to ask "who do you think you are? Do you think you're better than me to actually be happy?" Be prepared for a true shift in many areas of your live. Those who truly want the best for you (and themselves) will join you on your path to joy and support you. You will also naturally as if by magic (but actually by the simple laws of the Universe), attract like minded people in to your life who will want to share your goal t happiness for all.

Another issue is that some people often feel that happiness lies in finding the perfect relationship with someone or something else. But this will and have left billions well, unhappy. This will lead to great disappointment. Because nothing or no one is perfect and if we depend on others for happiness, this dis-empowers us.

Begin with your SELF. Show love, compassion, and acceptance of your humanity. For many of us, deep down and sometimes not so deep down inside, we have unresolved traumatic issue(s). In turn, we tend to repeat the same patterns over and over again in an attempt to resolve them, most often unsuccessfully. With increasing self-evaluation some of these issues will bubbles to the surface. THEN we can begin to heal, deal and release them for a happier life.

Resistance 3: Life will be boring
People often confuse happiness with stagnation. Or put another way, they believe that troubles, problems, drama, is what makes life interesting. Well the fact is that things in life will always happen to offer us challenge so I wouldn't be too worried about life getting boring. Happiness is action, dynamic living, along with deep down inner peace.

Resistance 4: Health improvements are too much work
Sometimes people believe making healthful changes is too much work or uninteresting. That gorging on food, drinks, sex, salt is more fun. While some things should be avoided all together.

We know we should watch our weight, quit smoking, increase fitness, eat healthier, drink less sugar, eat less salt, drink less alcohol, sleep more (YES sleep more), use sunblock, and so on... but we just don't commit to these healthy changes to improve our lives. Often we will find a landmark day like a New Year's resolution, a birthday, or anniversary are a good time to begin our road to something better for our health. But old habits and busy-ness quickly set in and our plans go awry leading us to give up before we really try. 

The reality is that it is much more work to fight illness, be in pain, complain, suffer and struggle with the result of not treating this precious vehicle called our body, with respect, and love. While some things should be avoided all together. others done in moderation is a much better way to enjoy the good things in life. 

Resistance 5: Emotional/Spiritual development is for dummies
Many have been trained to believe that logical, linear, left brain "scientific"  reasoning (even if it's made up), and following what authorities say is THE right way to live and believe. That people who believe in spirituality, emotions, sacred living are weak and silly. 

Wouldn't it make sense to have a balanced life? To contemplate the option that we don't know everything and never will? That to keep an open mind and explore different possibilities keeps  us alive and growing?

Resistance 6: Life changes are going to happen
This is when acceptance is crucial. Acceptance, however, does not equal giving up. 
Aging, health, relationships, moving, natural disasters, cultural beliefs are all ever changing. Much of this may not be under our control but since change is inevitable anyway, why not drive the force of change in the direction of whole living? Be in the moment. In other words, don't spend so much time in the past or the future because those are two things you absolutely cannot change. Now is where you can take action, shift your mood, create, love, laugh, and simply BE PRESENT.

Resistance 7: Feeling Disconnected 
There is tremendous resistance to accepting we as humans are connected. This makes us feel isolated at times and unnecessarily lonely. But the question is, connected to what? Foremost, connected to ourselves, then each other, animals, our spaces,and places in this complex, beautiful and yet still-to-be understood matrix. No matter how lonely you may feel, there is a way to reconnect. Just know that for now, the rest will follow.

Resistance 8: Knowledge and truth are unattainable so why try
Some say the Truth is out there and that it will set you free and by free we mean happy. But what is the truth? The truth about what? Being human, what works to create happiness? If there is a truth then why are there so many different views and people passionately believing their truth to the point of killing and dying for it? Even if we don't know the truth, I think the search for it is worth living for. We are physically mortal so why not live the best life we possibly can while we are still here?

Resistance 9 To cooperation 
Too many of us were conditioned to believe that life is about competition. Though competition does have its place in our society, it is too often used to hurt each other. Believing that competition is the only way to succeed causes people to think that the norm is to compete for resources, jobs, relationships, and well everything. This creates a winner versus loser society. However, we all have the potential for something great in our own way. It can be a great untapped talent while for others is to simply do our part as human beings in this world and take care of ourselves and the environment we all share. If we put competition in its place by keeping it friendly, we can go a long way on the road to happiness. 


Important things to consider on your path to happiness:
  • There is no panacea to happiness. But every effort counts, so keep on trying. It's worth it.
  • If you have to pay for a program, workshop or seminar to happiness, you've just wasted your money. Happiness is free and in your hands.
  • If you complain, you will continue to receive that which you are complaining about
  • If you explore the gifts in your challenges, disasters, adversities and problems, you will begin to experience a shift in perspective and see things more objectively, e.g. find the big picture. A step closer to TRUTH.
  • If you stop blaming others and  your self while taking rightful accountable, you can see the truth a bit clearer. 
  • Forgiveness is NOT easy but worth trying over and over again. With time, you WILL notice a difference in your own inner-self of freedom and peace.

  • Gratitude for the good and the bad is one of the biggest ways to experiences glimpses of happiness. 
  • If you express compassion to yourself (which is separate from stroking the ego) you will feel something larger and better than pain you've become used to.
  • No one has all the answers. If you are stuck believing you know it all or someone else does, you are heading to trouble-ville (that's place that's full of trouble).
  • Don't forget to play and laugh. As adults someone, somewhere told us that playing is just for children. The shared a lie that being serious all the time is adult and mature. Oh what a shame, for laughter is a gift we should all partake in and doesn't interfere with our ability to be mature or make important life decisions.
Being OPEN to new ideas keeps you alive, not just living. If you believe you've learned all there is to living, then say hello to the coffin because here come death of the mind, spirit and body. Why rush it, live in the present and live with joy. It is truly your choice.

Have something you want to share, email or comment? Kindness and insight are always welcomed.
And click here to buy the latest book

This is Diana
Diana Navarro, M.S.
Intuitive and Lifestyle Consultant, Speaker, Host, Writer, Animal Lover, Vocalist, Paramormal-ista and LIGHT WORKER 

Dianan4839@aol.com
Twitter: @DianaTheempath
ThisisDiana.com


Self-love is not Selfish