How can we stop the cycle
Of these habits we’ve created?
Letting go of just one
Would leave us free & elated

So let us take the journey
To our present state of mind
Where conclusions simply happen
They have not been designed

And judgments or comparisons
Simply make us feel ashamed
Or we shame other people
So our mind must be re-trained

To merely take notice
And that may conjure up a thought
Which can then be questioned
- It doesn’t have to be bought

Guilt is a great companion
If we want to wallow in misery
But it’s important to let go
If we ever want to be free

Free of all the should’s
Of what we think a good person would do
We convince ourselves we’re not good enough
And it simply isn’t true

We might worry about this very thing
And so many more things, too
But worry inhibits motion
Therefore it restricts you

Life is best experienced
And we each hold the key
To unlock the limitations
Allowing ourselves to be free

Copyright © Cybil Smith

There is always room to improve
even though I do my best
The key is to understand
when to push…when to rest

If I’m unhappy with my best
then there is room to grow
And so I continue practicing
I seek to learn, to know

But if I sense my effort
is all that I can give
I can reach out to others
and together we can live

In harmony, in pursuit
of fulfilling our purpose & goals
By practicing…patiently
staying present & in control

Copyright © Cybil Smith

No right, no wrong,
no expectations at all,
Just let loose, let go
and get up if you fall

Dance to celebrate,
dance to rejoice,
Dance to connect,
dance and raise your voice

Let go of the words
…of any attachment, too,
And dance, just dance,
to appreciate you

Copyright © Cybil Smith

deflecting all judgment,
allowing energy to flow,
not knowing, but doing,
and by doing, i know

being wide open,
vulnerable and free,
to feel all the emotions
swirling inside of me

embracing each one,
then letting them go,
not to be empty,
but creating space to grow

allowing others inside,
for shelter or sharing,
not out of obligation,
simply from caring

letting love be the message,
and my heart be the guide,
through the infinite possibilities
i can see from inside

my body is but one
of the universal whole,
all spirits join together
in peace – that’s the goal

Copyright © Cybil Smith

longing for love
…from without and within
…unfailing, unprejudiced
that never ends, only begins

searching for joy
…a reason to smile
…for laughter and playfulness
that lasts more than a while

praying for peace
…for myself and the world
…one prayer from within
that has power when unfurled

practicing patience and presence
…awaiting these things
…and being in this moment
that’s what life brings

Copyright © Cybil Smith

Like why is the sky blue?
Why is the grass green?
We can find out the answers
and gain knowledge & esteem

But when it comes to our behaviors
“why” is not the best question;
it doesn’t offer solutions
and so I have this suggestion:

Ask “how” you can change it
or how you can have what you want.
Asking “how” opens doors,
where asking “why” can simply haunt.

So open yourself up to solutions
by asking “how,” not “why,”
empower yourself to make a change
and soar in that big, blue sky

Copyright © Cybil Smith

You can see and focus
on all of the negative & bad
Or you can look deeper
& be grateful for the experience you had

Perhaps it gave you strength,
maybe you learned something new,
No matter what happened,
there is a benefit to you

It may not be clear…
and it might take time to see
But it’s worth it to figure out
for the truth can set you free

You’re free to be a victim
or you can empower yourself instead
It’s all in the choices you make
- what you choose to believe in your head

I choose to be empowered,
no longer a victim to my past
But a hero to myself,
I claim victory…at last!

Copyright © Cybil Smith

When we say we made a bad decision
based upon what transpires
we criticize unnecessarily
and put ourselves under fire

For decisions are not good or bad
they are simply our choice
and can offer us feedback,
results we criticize or rejoice

If you know the decision
would not turn out like you wanted it to
you probably would not have made it
so calling it bad only berates you

Sometimes we do make choices
that we know are not the best,
like eating cake for dinner
or skipping exercise for rest

This happens when we perceive
we’re picking pleasure over pain,
but the pleasure is short-term
and long-term pain we gain

So sometimes it may seem
we have to make a painful decision,
incurring short-term “pain”
to fulfill the long-term pleasure we envision

Whatever you choose is OK,
it’s neither good nor bad, and when
you don’t like the outcome
then choose again…and again…and again

Copyright © Cybil Smith

In life there are facts,
things that cannot be disputed.
And there are also desires
that should not be refuted.

In between there are things
called judgments, thoughts & opinions.
These are 100% debatable
and reside in your dominion.

You also have control over
the things your thoughts lead to,
…Your feelings and emotions
are an important part of you.

But they are not who you are
so do not identify with your emotions.
“I am angry” means you own it
& allows for no solution and no motion.

So explain how you are feeling
with “I am angering myself by…”
And you give yourself solutions
…even if it’s just to cry.

The compass of communication
is designed to remind
That communication can be complicated
with all this intertwined.

Thus, return to the facts
when you fail to achieve your desires,
For the judgments have been made
and set your feelings on fire.

You can always cool it down
by re-examining the facts.
And your judgment & emotion
can be taught to relax.

Copyright © Cybil Smith

When we’re mindful of what’s going in
as well as what comes out,
we exhibit our control
…something we often forget about

I don’t know if it’s possible
to always be fully aware
but we can always bring awareness
on certain matters and affairs

And with that awareness
we can learn things both old & new
and that knowledge will help guide us
to know what to do

Now we have been informed,
we are cognizant and alert;
all different ways to have awareness,
there is not much to exert

Simply choose to pay attention,
take a moment to slow down,
and in that awareness
you’ll find your throne and crown.

Copyright © Cybil Smith