Category Archives: Spirituality

It’s the Day Before Thanksgiving – Take the Time to Show Gratitude By Doing This One Gesture

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Thanksgiving is not only a time to enjoy some amazing food and be with your loved ones but it is also a day to feel gracious and to take the time to be thankful! While practicing gratitude should be an everyday practice, it is especially nice to acknowledge the people who are closest to you. Why not express to them how you feel at Thanksgiving this year?

I recommend taking the time to hand write a letter or card simply to show your gratitude towards at least one person or a few people whom you really care about. You can give specific instances in which they have been there for you and/or write about the qualities that you value most about this person. It can be short and sweet or you can take the time to write a longer message. Remember, it is the quality of the content and the effort that you took to write a message that will mean most to the other person. It may be a simple gesture but it is a gesture that holds meaning, makes others feel appreciated, and a great way of practicing gratitude! 🙂

As always, I love to practice what I preach and will go ahead and write a gratitude message below to my readers this year!

Dear Readers,

I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to read my blog! This is a place where I like to share empowering messages, spread positivity, and provide enlightening wisdom about life! Whether or not you tune in regularly or once in a while, just know that I appreciate all of you who spiritually invest their time reading my content! Blogging is a rewarding hobby that allows me to express my creativity and innermost thoughts. Thank you for being a part of my world!

To all of those who celebrate Thanksgiving, please cherish these moments with your family and friends. Please also take the time to self reflect and count all the lucky blessings that life has granted you up to this point along with focusing on the manifestations that will come into your fruition within your future!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!
Meli – “Make Up the Life You Love”

Dating Advice for Women – Stop Rushing Into Serious Relationships and Here’s Why

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As a woman, I understand that most of us cherish being in a long term relationship that will hopefully lead into a solid marriage and perhaps the opportunity to create a family in the future. I am not against this desire and I believe that if this is something that a woman wants to manifest into her life, then she should hold onto this vision and not give up until she makes it a reality. However, the way a woman approaches this can vary and oftentimes I see women rush into serious relationships as soon as possible which usually ends up either scaring the man away or she ends up settling on being with the wrong man because she was on an agenda to lock someone into a permanent relationship as soon as she can.

My best advice for women is to simply, TRUST THE PROCESS and to take things slow. People in general need to learn to trust the process when it comes to just about everything in life including personal relationships. When you trust that you will manifest what you want in the right time in your life, you are left feeling confident within your soul and you banish any anxiety or stress related to your goals because you know that your desires are on the way and will be delivered to you. I find that many women put themselves into a scarcity mindset where they panic if they do not find a husband by a certain age or they have this mentality that they will never find the right man for them at the time that they want which is usually right now. The key is PATIENCE paired with a POSITIVE outlook and focusing on embracing the PRESENT moment as opposed to obsessing over the future and/or in certain situations, dwelling on a failed past which will also hinder someone from the long term relationship that they are looking for.

It is human nature to strive for instant gratification but it is much more rewarding to not only trust the process but to enjoy the process as you are experiencing it! Rather than rush into a serious relationship the moment you find a man that you like or question if you are going to be a part of his future, it is much wiser to enjoy getting to know the man on every level and to determine if there is a MUTUAL CONNECTION first and foremost. If there is a genuine connection where you both feel the same way about each other, the sky is the limit when it comes to how bright your futures will be together. There will be zero uncertainty, you won’t be left feeling uneasy and having to question his every move, and everything will just flow naturally in the right direction.

There is no need to force relationships upon men or to get overly emotional over anyone that is not deserving of your love. This is why you also need to pace the relationship and let the man earn your affections. The question should not be, “Does he see me in his future?” It should actually be along the lines of, “Is this man worthy enough to be a part of my future?” There is a huge difference between those two questions. The first one comes from a weak mindset where the underlying question is, “Am I good enough?” whereas the other question is from a strong minded female essentially asking, “Is he good enough for me?” Women of high value already know what they bring to the table and already know that they are good enough. They also are not willing to settle on just any man who walks into their lives and take the proper time that is needed to examine them from the inside out to make sure that they are qualified enough to stay in their future. As a woman, it is important to always stay true to the core of your values, know your worth (the right man will know it from the get go and want to invest in you from the start, trust me), and to NEVER settle on a man just for the sake of having one. Although life is short, there is no need to rush your relationships because what is meant to be–will BE! If you are casually dating, take your time in getting to know people and do not overly invest in one person until you both establish that you are on the same page. If you are currently single, in the meantime, relax and just continue to enjoy that fabulous life of yours. If someone is worthy enough to join you, that’s great but if not, your life is still fabulous no matter what! 😉

The Truth About Youth And Why Life Should Only Get Better With Age

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We live in a society that is obsessed with youth. Whether you are consciously aware of it or you are not, there is no denying that people want to stay young and that there are many out there who get depressed at the thought of aging. While celebrating a birthday should be seen as a happy milestone each year, as people get older, there are many who do not view it this way and do not enjoy acknowledging that they are getting older. While it is understanding up to a point why people feel this way, I am here to remind you that this is not the right mindset to have! I remember talking to someone awhile ago about this subject and the person was saying that people should be grateful for each year that they get to live and embrace the physical changes that come along with that because there are some people that never get that opportunity to experience aging because they passed at a young age. This was something that stuck with me because this is all very true. We all need to appreciate our lives today because there is never a guarantee that there is a tomorrow.

On a brighter note, I want to share my mindset when it comes to aging: Life should only get better with age. What I mean by that is that as we get older, we should have collected more life experiences along with heightening our very own self development. These are both great spiritual assets that are often not received until much later in life. When I look back on my youth, while I might have appeared to be at the “prime” of my life; I did not have as much then as I do today. I would still choose to be where I am at the present moment rather than wishing I could go back to my younger days because life is always moving forward and day by day, I am continuing to progress. While being younger might have its perks, the truth comes back to my mindset that life gets better with age! Remember that if you choose to think this way, you will be able to manifest much more abundance into your life and attract the positive experiences that you have yet to live! It is all coming your way if you believe that the very best is in your FUTURE and that “the best is yet to come!” 😉

Why Practicing Generosity Matters In This World

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When I think about some of the most desirable traits to possess, one of the first things that always comes to mind is generosity or simply the act of being generous. When I use the word “generous,” I do not want anyone to interpret that to solely mean someone who gives an exorbitant amount of money to charity or someone who has the money to buy lavish gifts on a regular basis. While the act of generosity is often associated with money, practicing it can be done so on a regular basis and in very small ways that still can make a lasting impact on others. It does not need to be a grand gesture at all times and even the smallest of gestures can still be rather significant.

Being that this is something that I highly value, in the back of my mind, I try to proactively make this a habit. When you are generous towards other people, you are not only showing your appreciation but also making the other person feel good inside which ultimately makes you feel good in return. It is a win win situation in my book because it not only uplifts the other person but it can fulfill your soul with positivity. It is for this reason that I associate generosity with good karma. Do you want to attract good karma in your life? Then consider finding ways in which you can practice generosity. I also find that when people are generous towards me, it promotes me to want to reciprocate and be extra generous in return. While some people will take advantage and take from people who like to give, it is good to be cautious of people with these behaviors because people with a “taker” mentality tend to never change. However, sometimes people can learn from other people who give and slowly develop it into a habit as well.

From a spiritual standpoint, I truly believe that in order to attract more abundance, generous gestures and the act of giving are essential because there is so much to go around in the Universe–one should never have to worry that there will be a shortage of anything. If you are constantly holding back and taking from others as opposed to giving, this comes from a scarcity mindset that there are not enough resources. It is always far more superior to give more than you take because we live in an abundant world with lots to go around for everyone. Aside from money, time is also a spiritual gift that you can choose to give to someone generously. So if you genuinely feel that your financial resources are tight at the moment, remember that there are plenty of other ways to be generous that do not have a monetary value. All that matters is that you are making the effort to practice generosity because oftentimes, it will not go unnoticed and you could be making a positive difference in someone else’s life–especially someone who is less fortunate than you are.

You Can Be Both Smart AND Beautiful – You Can Actually Be ANYTHING

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Sometimes you hear people say that people can either be intelligent or attractive but why can’t people CHOOSE to be both? I emphasize the word “choose” because it is up to us as individuals to determine what our best qualities are. Even if other people might not perceive you to be a certain way, what ultimately matters most is how you perceive yourself. For example, you might not be someone’s type look wise but does that mean that you are not attractive? Absolutely NOT! Of course you are! The key is to train your mindset to truly believe that you are! 😉 Remember that your thoughts do become things so if you believe that you are a certain way, then you will possess these qualities because your mind determined that they are indeed factual. This goes for intelligence and pretty much any desirable quality that is out there. Just because someone doesn’t classify you a certain way, that should not be an indicator of your authentic being.

When prevents people from being the best version of themselves is a weak mindset paired with a lack of confidence. If you recognize that you do not think very highly of yourself, the good news is that there are ways to change that and like most things in life, it is never too late to start! The best way to change your outlook is to create positive affirmations for yourself. These can be written down on index cards and read aloud as a reminder. This might sound like a silly thing to do but that is how manifestation works is by repetition and a strong focus on a desired outcome. It is amazing that when you are consistent and persistent, the internal work that you put into your self development actually transforms into a reality. Ultimately you can be ANYTHING that you want to be as long as you are in control of your mind and you are always striving to be the best that you can be! 🙂

Happy Two Year Blog Anniversary! – Welcome New Subscribers & Some Blog Updates for the Upcoming Year

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Exactly two years ago, I created this blog makeupthelifeyoulove.com. I can’t believe that I have been blogging for the past couple years as the time feels as though it goes by faster and faster. I noticed that I recently have picked up some new subscribers over the past couple of months in which I want to extend a warm welcome! 🙂 If there is ever a topic or subject matter that you would like me to write about, please do not hesitate to send them my way as I am always thinking of valuable content for my readers and if there is something that is of interest to you, there is a good chance that other readers will also find it interesting.

My writing schedule has been twice a week but I decided that I will reduce it to once a week as we are moving into the summer months as I would like to enjoy more of my free time off to catch up with friends/family and hopefully get back into travel again even if that means local travel. In addition, I actually want to begin a new writing project. It has always been on my bucket list to write a book and getting into the practice of blogging has motivated me to take it a step further. I wanted to get into the habit of writing a blog as a hobby first before even considering taking on writing a book. So the extra time during the week that I usually use to blog, I want to put some of that time towards writing a book that will be a work in progress. I might not work on it consistently each day but at the very least, I want to get started and invest my energy into something that could add even more spiritual meaning into people’s lives. I appreciate all your support and loyalty thus far and I will keep you posted on my progress as time goes on. In the meantime, I will still be here to blog! 😉

It Does Not Matter Where You Started – You Determine the Direction of Your Path

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Oftentimes when you turn on a news station, the focus tends to be on bad news and all the negative events that are shaping the modern world that we live in today. I recognize that it can sometimes be hard to hear good news when most media outlets only highlight the bad things. Over the weekend, I was listening to a headline that caught my attention and left a lasting impression which propelled me to want to share the news in my blog this week. It was about a graduating high school senior from Paterson, New Jersey who got accepted into Harvard University. While on the surface, you might be thinking, “What’s the big deal?” For starters, this specific area in New Jersey is not the most affluent of areas and the student was raised by a single parent. While most would look at where they started and declare that they did not have the same opportunities as someone who was in a much better starting position, she did not use her childhood or socioeconomic status as setbacks but instead, realized that with hard work and dedication to her goals, she can turn her dream into a reality! This leads me to the title of this blog, one of many important facts of life–It does NOT matter where you started because YOU determine the direction of your path!

The news station I was watching interviewed Isabela Gonzalez and it was truly a beautiful story that touched my heart. She was talking about how when she was a young child, she heard of Harvard University and she was told that prestigious people such as presidents went to Harvard University. In response, naturally, she was like, “Well then I want to go to Harvard University!” Her family members laughed and then explained to her that not just anyone gets accepted and that it is one of the hardest schools to get into. Did that leave her discouraged? Nope, quite the contrary. Fast forward her life a decade later and she will be attending Harvard University this fall.

This also brings me back to the power of manifestation and what I call “planting the seed.” In this example, it is so evident that the seed had been planted in her mind as a child that she was going to go to Harvard University. She was too little to understand what that meant or the academic excellence that would be required of her to get into a school like that but it was a decision that was planted in the back of her mind and stayed there. I truly believe that her belief that she was worthy enough to go there along with her desire to go to Harvard University is what subconsciously and perhaps consciously had motivated her to put in the work that was needed to receive her acceptance letter into the school. This by no means is a sheer coincidence but exemplifies manifestation at work. Please take note here that when you “plant the seed,” the seed eventually grows as long as you water the seed or in this case, take the action that is needed to help the seed grow into a miraculous plant.

Mind you, in the article I shared above, I was reading about how fear almost crept in and she almost did not take the time to apply but that she had a teacher who pretty much said he would not supply her a teacher recommendation unless she followed through and still applied to Harvard as planned. Even though she had some moments of doubt, she had someone who told her to apply anyway which points out two other important lessons which are to always believe in yourself and to try no matter the outcome! There is an incredible amount of spiritual value and life lessons that can be taught from this wonderful story. Congratuations to Isabela Gonzalez for her success story and to an even brighter future ahead!

Manifesting Abundance – The Possibilities Are Endless When You Want Them

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It is important to live your life with what I call an abundance mindset. It is obvious to me when people live this way versus people who do not apply this way of thinking. When I say abundance, I am not referring to manifesting strictly money and/or material goods although at times that can apply like manifesting a dream house or car; however, I meant it from a spiritual point of view. It really comes down to two very valuable trains of thought.

For one, you need to recognize that we live in a world with unlimited possibilities and opportunities. There is no need to really be in competition with anyone because there is so much to go around and this applies to everything in life! This goes for jobs, relationships, housing, etc. (On a side note, in regards to housing, many areas are facing housing shortages which is driving the housing market to great heights but generally speaking, if you really look and you can be patient, then you will be able to manifest what you want when the time is right). My point is, the Universe is already filled with abundance so there is no need to ever be discouraged when you do not get something that you want at the time or ever feel that there is a shortage of anything.

Oftentimes in order for your greatest desires to be fulfilled and manifested, you need to have a driving force from within to want to obtain them. It is important to know that the opportunities exist as I mentioned previously but you need to also have that burning desire to go out and chase after what you want. I think that golden combo of knowing that there are unlimited possibilities out there paired with wanting to go out there to get them will ensure that you are able to up your manifesting abilities and also increase abundance within your life.

How Self Love Impacts Your Life on All Levels

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One of the many themes of this blog is the topic of self love. What is “self love” exactly? I would describe self love as having a good level of inner confidence along with self respect. When you possess self love, it serves as a spiritual asset to guide your life’s path and allow for you to make the right decisions in order to live your very best life. For example, when you are dating, having a high level of self love will ensure that you are not being mistreated or taken advantage of because you love yourself enough to set the right boundaries and terminate any relationship that does not best suit you. In your professional life, self love can be used as a self motivator by pushing you to strive for everything that you believe that you deserve.

If you do not feel that you are in a good place within your life, it is a good idea to examine self and determine what areas need improvement and ways in which you can increase self love. I truly believe that if you have self love, you will pursue your life with a purpose and find genuine happiness no matter what you do in the outside world because of the fact that you feel so good on the inside. It is natural to feel down every so often but if at the core, you love who you are as a person and know your self worth, you will always rise above. This is why you have to make it a point to focus on building self love because it will not only enhance you as a person but also have the capacity to enhance your life.

Why Delayed Gratification is More Gratifying

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We live in a society that thrives on instant gratification. People tend to want immediate results and everything to be an easy process. For example, if someone is looking to get in a shape, even though one knows that consistently putting in the time to work out effectively and cleaning up their diet would give them those results over time, this person might give up pretty easily on getting fit because it is not an overnight process. What people need to realize is that most big successes or anything that is worth having do very well take a good amount of time. It can take months, years, or perhaps decades! It is crucial to always stay focused on the end goal and to put in the work that is needed day by day. Even if that means that you have to go through long periods of time not seeing results, that is not a reason to give up on what you want. This might even be a time to reflect on a new approach, to work a little harder, or maybe take a short break if it is needed to prevent burnout–which is totally okay.

Although delayed gratification might not feel as enjoyable as receiving something instantly, you actually hold a higher value on something that you have to work harder towards. I always like to point out that is often why people perceive expensive items as higher value because it takes up more time to save up to purchase these goods. Whether or not the quality is actually worth its price is up to the individual to determine but people tend to gravitate towards desiring the things that are more out of their reach as opposed to something that was given to them or was easier to obtain. It can be an incredibly rewarding feeling once you finally receive something that you desired most and that you had to work hard towards which is why it is actually more gratifying than instant gratification because you earned it yourself.

Although the process might feel like a never ending one, delayed gratification is not a bad thing because it adds many positive attributes to one’s character such as patience, motivation, and discipline while also building one’s work ethic. If someone was to receive everything that they wanted very easily without any effort, this person would never feel challenged in life and probably would remain a very lazy individual. It is for this reason that it is also good to set the bar high and want to strive for bigger and better things. People should always find ways to challenge themselves for the greater good of their self development and for a brighter future. Everything is within reach, no matter how long it takes to get there. Don’t forget to enjoy the journey as you are experiencing it and remember that all your efforts are worth it to achieve and receive everything that you want to manifest most in your lifetime.