Show Up. Speak Up. Don't Take the Bait.

'Let This Moment Be a Comma, Not a Period'

President Obama

What Storm is Brewing in Your Life?

What issue has stopped you in your tracks? Where do you need to gather your resources so you can turn this moment in your life into a comma, not a period? 

Perhaps you're dealing with an every day problem such as:

• Dealing with a bad boss or work place; 
• Trying to jump-start your career or finish college so you can get on with making a life; 
• Dealing with the break up of a marriage or relationship gone bad.

Or perhaps you're dealing with a more overwhelming issue freezing you in place. Perhaps you're one of the millions of men and women upset with the direction the country is going under a new administration and you want to stand up for what you believe. 

What ever it is you need to deal with to move your life forward in a positive direction, keep your strategy for being calm and effective to three simple rules: 

💚Show Up.
💚Speak Up.
💚Don't Take the Bait.

Show Up

'A simple definition of life: 

The chance you've been waiting for.'

Robert Brault

Speak Up

'Be Impeccable With Your Word. 

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. 

Avoid using the word to speak 

against yourself or to gossip about others. 

Use the power of your word 

in the direction of truth and love.' 

Don Miguel Ruiz

Don't Take the Bait

'Speak when you are angry

and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret.' 

Laurence J. Peter

Speak with a Calm, Bright Heart


'The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others 

and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, 

the divine floods of light and life 

no longer flow into our souls.'

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

I wish to live a life that causes my soul 

to dance inside my body

Dele Olanubi

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

Step Over Invisible Barriers: Be Pro-Active when You Think Your Actions Won't Matter

F E A R

 F  E  A  R

 F  E   A   R

False Evidence Appears Real

False Evidence Appears Real

          Forgo All  Insecurity  Trust  Hope

Forgo   All   Insecurity   Trust   Hope

Forgo All  Insecurity Trust Hope

Forgo All  Insecurity Trust Hope

F  A  I  T  H

F A I T H

F A I T H

When False Evidence Appears Real Why Try Anyway?

• The job you're interested in has 50 applicants and friends say it's futile to apply, so why bother submitting your resume?
• Your loved one lying unconscious on the ground doesn't have a heart beat so why even attempt to perform CPR?

Many times in life we come face-to-face with overwhelming situations like these--both large and small--making us feel helpless to do do anything about the situation. But before you look outside yourself for what's stopping you from taking action that could very well influence the outcome, take a look inside and you'll discover you hold the key to unlocking your ability to act.

Belief Barriers: It isn't because of external factors or 'evidence' that we fail to act on things that matter to us. It's our belief about our inability to make a difference getting in the way. 

When we believe our actions won't matter, we fail to act and our beliefs become truth: We don't speak up so we're not heard; we fail to apply so we don't get the job; we fail to do CPR so our loved one dies--further proof of the 'rightness' of our beliefs.

Belief Barriers most powerful deterrents: Our own belief barriers are the most powerful deterrents to our taking action when it really matters to us. If we allow our BELIEF BARRIERS to rule, 'false evidence appears real', and fear sets in and immobilizes us.

You Hold the Key

How to Forgo All  Insecurity toTrust and Hope

How do you step over invisible barriers when you think your actions won't matter?

➨  When False Evidence Appears Real and you're afraid to take action it's time to  change strategies. 

1.  Stop thinking--and 'act as if' you can make a difference.

2.  Practice stepping past invisible barriers when it really matters--again and again and again. Don't worry about the outcome. Focus on the taking of actions, not the outcomes.

3.  Stay focused on what you want--that job, relationship, or freedom--and despite 'all evidence to the contrary' continue to take steps to open the possibilities for the life or outcomes you want. Believe in your ability to take steps whether they'll matter or not. It is the taking action that is key.

Step by Step Worry-Free

Anyhow....Just Keep Taking Steps

Belief Barriers stop us from acting, so by consciously taking step after step--without concern for the outcome--we show ourselves we can step past those invisible belief barriers holding us back. 

By choosing an action-oriented life you are choosing to create a habit of thinking that lets you more effectively by-pass hard to catch belief barriers.

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.


Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

It's All Good: Everything Seemingly Good or Bad Works in Our Favor

It's All Good

'When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.' Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sometimes life throws us a curve ball we didn't see coming that overwhelms us on impact. In that moment--when we need time to garner our inner strength and resources before meeting a situation head on--a shroud of denial envelopes us.

Too often we think of tension, stress and denial as bad,  and relaxation, calm and consciousness as good. The truth is, used properly, they're all good.

It's All Good

For Everything there is a Season

Being in denial isn't a bad thing. Denial is a wonderful coping mechanism, born out of the body's wisdom, designed to protect us when we're overwhelmed and frightened.

Sometimes we just need to 'turn the world off' and pull the covers over our head. Denial is an effective survival mechanism that has served humanity for thousands of years.

But being stressed or experiencing the associated tension isn't a bad thing either. It is the stress response that provides us the momentum to actively deal with the challenges of life when we're ready--and it is the tension that creates our readiness. 

'Sometimes we need to go on high alert and be nudged into taking action. Like denial, the body's stress response is another effective survival mechanism that has served us for thousands of years.'

Stress, Tension and Denial Guide us through life

Think of stress, tension and denial as the three physical states working in tandem to successfully nudge us through life's challenges.

Denial provides a soft cushion 

Denial provides us a soft cushion against the onslaught of the harsh realities of life and gives us time to wrap our minds around something we just aren't ready to deal with. 

Stress is our noble warrior and

Tension arms us with courage and focus 

Our stress is our noble warrior preparing us to do battle with those harsh realities of life, while our tension keeps us focused and uncomfortable until we're forced to act in ways that brings our values and beliefs in alignment with our actions--and then it gives us the courage to act.   

A Good and Worthy Battle for Balance

We all wage private battles to bring together where we currently are with where we want ourselves to be.

Sometimes we just aren't ready to speak up or we're too anxious about the consequences of taking the next step so an inner battle rages between denial, stress and tension.

As uncomfortable as this battle is, it is a good and worthy one. It's what helps you take suitable action by choosing what to do in your own time.'

So let the balance battle rage. Sit in denial awhile as your brain works off-line preparing you to come to terms with what's caught your attention--raising your heart rate and blood pressure. And be still, letting the tension rise while you're discovering what you're going to do about it if you're to move on with your life.

The time you sit in denial does not weaken you. You are merely idling while you're feeling vulnerable and afraid. Your strength and courage are still there ready to emerge when the time is right for you to competently handle the issues that initially overwhelmed you. When the time is right, you will act in ways that are right for you. It's all good!

'This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.'  Ralph Waldo Emerson

It's All Good
Recapture a Childlike View of the World

I see the moon and the moon sees me,

God bless the moon and God bless me.

Children's Nursery Rhyme

💙  'From wonder into wonder existence opens.'  Lao Tzu

💙  'Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.'  Ralph Waldo Emerson

💙  'Best of all is it to preserve everything in a pure, still heart, and let there be for every pulse a thanksgiving, and for every breath a song.'
Konrad von Gesner

💙  'Even in the mud and scum of things, something always, always sings.'   
Ralph Waldo Emerson

💙  'When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it's bottomless, that it doesn't have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there, as well as how much space.'
Pema Chodron

💙  'With no desire, at rest and still, All things go right as of their will.'
Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

From Doomed to Revived: Restoring Trust

'Every journey begins with a single step.'     Lao Tzu

Recovering from Shattered Trust 

Did 2016 leave you feeling like giving up? Don't know who or what to trust? Lose your faith in life and humanity? Want to regain your ability to trust life and move on feeling secure with your place in the world?

If we are to regain equilibrium in 2017 we need to back away from our fear-inducing focus paralyzing us into daily inaction, and return to an action-oriented attitude showing ourselves we can make a difference in our world and our thoughts through our daily actions. 

The surest path to our mutual destruction and inertia is paved with an eroded faith in life, a disbelief in our ability to influence outcomes, and a loss of belief in the basic goodness of others. Without trust in these basic foundations of life we are doomed to remain stuck and afraid. 

If the events of 2016 have left you suspended in a state of shattered trust--choose to begin the trek back to enjoying a life based on trust and faith by first re-building trust in your inner circle~within yourself, with your friends, and in your own life~before attempting to restore trust on a grander scale.

There is in every

True woman’s heart

A spark of heavenly fire

Which lies dormant

In the broad daylight

Of prosperity-

But which kindles up

And beams and blazes

In the dark hour of adversity

'To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.'     Confucius

Take Action to Build Trust

To recapture trust in your ability to act in meaningful ways in the world, you need to begin with yourself.

Act 'As If': When trust is shattered, and you even lack the faith in your own inner wisdom to lead you back to a secure and more hopeful existence--then act as if--and take a step. 

Act as if you are a role model for others by doing something to make someone's life better. Then do it again. You have to start somewhere and starting with yourself is key. Seek to do something good for others daily.

Verify: If you don't trust yourself to know the right steps to take--test the truth of your wisdom by taking action. You'll know soon enough if you want to continue down this path or choose another direction. You can never go wrong taking actions that improve another's life or actions that restore trust with a loved one.

 'Allow the heart to empty itself of all turmoil! Retrieve the utter tranquility of the mind from which you issued.'   Lao Tzu

Trust Your Friends

Seek evidence of the basic goodness of others. Make it your mission each day to find evidence of the basic goodness of others. Begin with your friends and family. Look to surround yourself with people who serve others--including animals and the environment. 

Your trust in humanity and life will revive as you collect and share more heart-warming stories of people doing good to offset the heart-wrenching stories of people doing harm.

Yes, there is evil in the world and people do horrible things to others. But to come from a place of strength rather than defeat, you need to get your eyes off the horrors to see what is going well in the world, and on the goodness and compassion you surround yourself with.

Trust Yourself to Seek Truth

Each moment of life is an opportunity for renewal. Seek truth about what makes you re-engage in life and allows you to trust again. Actively pursue directions that make you feel fully alive and engaged in creating your life. 

Dare to Dream the Impossible Dream During Difficult Times

Don't let recent events keep you in a state of shattered trust and relationships. Dare to dream the impossible dream during difficult times. Choose to triumph over the obstacles that get in the way of you coming alive and fully engaging in life. You always have another step to take. 

Step Back into Trust & Hope

Turn F E A R into F A I T H

F E A R

 F  E  A  R

 F  E   A   R

False Evidence Appears Real

False Evidence Appears Real

          Forgo All  Insecurity  Trust  Hope

Forgo   All   Insecurity   Trust   Hope

Forgo All  Insecurity Trust Hope

Forgo All  Insecurity Trust Hope

F  A  I  T  H

F A I T H

F A I T H

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.


Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

Twitter-patted? Tension is who you think you SHOULD be~Relaxation is WHO YOU ARE

'Tension is who you think you should be~Relaxation is who you are.'

Chinese Proverb

Tension is who you think you should be

Think back over the last week. What caused you tension? How did it relate to who you think you should be? Did you apply for or get a new job? Are you considering a change in your relationship status? Are you starting or finishing college? Are you considering a major life change such as becoming a parent, starting a business, retiring or buying a home?

We do it to ourselves—tie ourselves up in knots when embarking on a new direction, job or relationship. We get hyped and twitter-patted as we anticipate other's as well as our own expectations. Secretly, we fear we'll regret our choices, or fall flat on our faces as we attempt to navigate the future.

With the excitement of stepping out in a new direction comes the anxiety of living up to our own expectations. We want to do good, create a good life, and engage in meaningful and fulfilling work. But we worry.

To calm the out-of-control beast within, we need to tame the tension so we use our heightened energy to propel us forward without allowing it to tip us over into overwhelmed mode.

'A violent wind does not last for a whole morning; 

a sudden rain does not last for the whole day.'

Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

Tension is useful when you tame it and name it

We all wage our private battle of bringing together where we currently are with where we want ourselves to be. The battle creating tension isn't the issue. It's what we choose to do with it.

Too often we think tension = bad and relaxation = good. The truth is, used properly, they're both good.

Tension will wear your body down if you fail to pay attention to it. But when you pay attention, you raise your awareness of what's causing the discrepancy between where you are and where you want to be, and you free yourself up to make conscious choices about how to effectively deal with the tension.

'In the dew of little things the heart finds it's morning and is refreshed.'  Rumi 

Relaxation is who you are

Stop, look and listen to yourself. It doesn't take much to calm yourself and make a better use of the natural tension created by your desire to grow and move forward with life. Look for little ways to ease the tension while still harnessing the energy to propel you forward. 

💜 Take one small step toward your new direction to ease the tension.

💜 Take one moment to revel in your good fortune.

💜 Take one nap to relax.

💜 Take one moment to enjoy a cup of tea and contemplate your next step.

💜 Take one moment to think about nothing.

Stepping into a new phase of life can be intense. Give yourself time to ease into it. Show up, do your best, and find a way to relax into it. Above all else, be yourself.

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

Speak Up! How to Get the Quiet Colleague to Talk to You

The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't being said.  Anonymous

Do you show up to meetings hoping for lively dialogue but despite your best efforts to pose great questions and stimulate discussion you produce nothing but veiled eyes and blank stares? Do you feel you're pulling teeth trying to get your less-than-talkative co-workers to speak up? 

If your more forceful efforts to get introverted colleagues to talk have failed, try using a gentler approach to open them up.

Gentleness Achieves what Force Cannot

Know what drives introverts. Introverts aren't shy. They simply don't like to speak before they've carefully considered what they think and want to say. The fastest way to get them to share their thoughts is to give them time to think before you ask them to speak.

Let time work for you. The worst thing you can do if you want introverts to talk is to put them on the spot—ask a question and expect an immediate reply. Don't wait until you're in meetings to ask questions. Give introverts time to mull over and process information in depth. Prior to meeting send out lists of questions or issues that need to be addressed . Or have them submit their own questions or issues ahead of the meeting. Ask everyone to think about the issues and come prepared to discuss.

Shhhsh...Silence is Golden

Get comfortable with silence. When you're faced with a moment of silence in a meeting, let it be. Don't try to fill all the empty spaces by talking. Show respect for more introverted colleagues by giving them time to think in silence. When you leave an opening, your quiet co-workers are more likely to speak up.

Practice the 3-minute test. If your habit of always filling lulls in the conversation is strong, get in the practice of giving others three minutes to talk before you speak again.

Give everyone time to talk in small groups. If keeping quiet this long makes you nervous, set up the topic of discussion for meeting members to deliberate in pairs for five minutes and walk out of the room for that period of time. This gives everyone in the group an opportunity to speak up.

Surprise!--that quiet colleague is an extravert. You may be surprised to discover some of those quiet colleagues who fail to speak up in your meetings are actually extraverts. Extraverts aren't shy either--so what makes these more gregarious coworkers hold their tongue? You haven't made it safe for them to speak up. Just like introverts, extraverts need a safe environment to join in the conversation and share their ideas.

Small group discussion works for extraverts too. Extraverts may not feel safe jumping into the discussion in their preferred manner of thinking as they talk. Extraverts are the ones who want to engage in a dialogue to figure out what they think—they work best by bouncing their ideas off others. You need to make it safe for extraverts to speak up without already having their ideas fully formed.

Small group discussions are good for everyone. Not only do small group discussions stimulate fruitful talk from the introverts in the group they make room for the extraverts to jump in and freely play with their ideas too.

'An inability to stay quiet is one of the conspicuous failings of mankind.'      Walter Bagehot

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

If you're interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, sign up for free e-mail subscription.