About Us
Journey to Happiness is the home of Conscious Change International. The founder is Jacqueline Stone McGovern, an honored member of the Biltmore Who’s Who registry.
Jacqueline is a member and chapter officer of Phi Theta Kappa, working toward the goal of a doctorate degree in philosophy. Jacqueline represents her college in the All-Arizona Academic Team, 2008. She is also a mother of five, business owner, and author of the soon-to be-released book, “Journey to Happiness.”
In addition to this web site, Jacqueline has created two blogs. On the Journey is a forum for discussion of spiritual principles and techniques for personal growth. Recovering from Abuse is a forum for people who want to heal the wounds of domestic violence and become empowered individuals. You may also enjoy the Squidoo lenses by Jacqueline, Conscious Change and After The Secret.
"My greatest joy is in sharing what has helped me and watching others heal and grow from it. I believe that everything I experience has something to teach me about myself. Once I understand and successfully apply the lesson, it is my responsibility to pass on what I have learned.
The people who have been my inspiration and my guides are : Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Emmet Fox, Neale Donald Walsch, James Twyman, Jack Canfield, Mike Dooley, James Arthur Ray, Dr. Michael Beckwith, Hale Dwoskin, Dr. Usui, Abraham/Hicks, Buddha, Joseph Campbell, Ghandi, Yogananda, Confucius, and Jesus.
My highest goal is to live in constant conscious communion with God, fully realized that we all are part of God. As I get closer to this goal, I share what I have learned to help others know the unspeakable joy of awareness of oneness. This is the founding principle of my life, of this web site, and of Conscious Change International.
I know that world peace is a result of personal peace, that brotherly love follows self-love, and that individual success leads to community and global success. Therefore, we address the individual who wants to heal and awaken in order to bring healing and awakening to the world."
To change your life, you have to change yourself.
Do you know what beliefs are limiting you?
Do you know the source of your disempowering behaviors?
Is your subconscious sabotaging your efforts to improve your life?
You CAN change your life,
by changing your consciousness.
Someone recently left a comment on one of my blogs in which she mentioned God, and then apologized if the word offended me. I understood her concern because so many people seem to have a problem with it. The funny thing is, it’s not just agnostics and atheists that don’t like to say “God.” People of every religion, nationality, race, gender, and personality type are afraid that they will offend someone by using the word. I confess, that I have sometimes had the same concern. My business could be adversely affected if I declare my perception of God openly and it offends people. But it is now and always has been God that gives me the courage to do things I’m afraid of, things I don’t know how to do, or things that may be harshly judged by others.
When I replied to the comment, my feelings about it came out too fast to be censured by political-correctness and I realized that it’s time to be bold. I believe in God. My understanding and experience of God does not include judgment and wrath and certainly not rejection. I have read the Christian Bible cover to cover, attended churches of a few different denominations, and studied all the religions of the world. My God is not the one confined by religious dogma, with human personality weaknesses. God needs nothing from me and puts no conditions on loving or supporting me. God is not a person, sitting on some far-off thrown that I can never be good enough to reach.
My experience of God is an all-encompassing love with total acceptance for everything that is; it is pure joy, as a living energy. God is not a personality, but a conscious field of living light, an incomprehensible presence of pure love. God knows everything because everything is part of God; not just made by God, but actually a part of the whole that God is. Nothing exists that is not God. Science supports my personal experience of God with the explanation that the universe, having been formed of a singularity, can only contain elements of the original one thing. Put another way, God is the universe and everything in it, seen and unseen, known and unknown. Some may think that this makes God impersonal, but it does not.
To understand how the universe can actually be the body of a loving God, we have to advance our understanding of the word, “Love.” The human understanding of love generally includes fear, rejection, disappointment, frustration, possession, lack, and hurt. Our limited awareness and consciousness of separation prevents us from experiencing what love actually is. Love is a living energy who’s only objective is to support and nourish. Love does not judge, it just loves. Love does not condemn or reject, it just loves. We have heard that God is love, but you could also say that Love is God.
I do not, in fact could not impersonalize God because all that I’ve ever done or learned or been has been because of God. I pray to God. I give thanks to God. I seek guidance and inspiration from God, and when God prompts me, I follow. God prompted me today to be bold, honest, and open about what I believe and know to be the truth about God. I avoid using, “He, Him, Her,” or any other humanizing term because that would be talking about only one aspect of God. All That Is is neither masculine nor feminine, but all-inclusive. Nor do I condemn or judge those who do refer to God with such terms, because any relationship with God is a step on the journey to fully remembering God.
I believe the most important thing we can do in this life, in fact the whole purpose of life itself, is to remember who and what we really are; part of God. The more we remember this and live accordingly, the more we will see peace, joy, abundance, and wellness manifest in our world. The greatest service we can ever do in this life is to awaken our own consciousness and assist in the awakening of consciousness in others.
I realize that this writing may offend some people. It may be objectionable, confusing, or uncomfortable to some. My hope is that it will help people feel more comfortable with saying, “God” without reservation and possibly expand someone’s understanding of God. I don’t as a matter of habit seek out controversy. In fact, I usually try to avoid it. I much prefer reaching people gradually and gently so they will not close their minds and shut down their heart. It is not my way to shout from the rooftops what I believe and then try to make everyone else go along. I don’t like to force anything. But God pushes me beyond my comfort zone, (frequently!) If I really believe what I believe, then I should have no fear in stating it to anyone. The time for apprehension is past. It’s time to be bold. It’s time to show who I am and live my truth openly so that others will be encouraged and supported in doing the same. It’s hard work to hide who we are and it creates a stress that we really don’t need. Relationships are diminished by our fear of exposing who we really are. To truly love we have be truthful and open enough for people to know us and get close to us. We have to live our truth. This dissertation is my truth. This is what I believe and know, based on personal experience. This is who I am.
Within the writings of every religious tradition you will find the directive to know God, to have a personal one-on-one relationship with God. Every great master has tried to teach us about oneness and how to experience it personally, how to live on Earth as if we know that all is one and we each are part of the one whole. Some of them knew this so deeply that they sacrificed their lives to help us awaken to the truth that we are never separate from God because we are part of God. The message remains the same as it ever has been; All is One.
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You may also find Jacqueline on Self-Growth.com, Squidoo, and on Zimbio where she created a Wikizine called Conscious Change.
Jacqueline has dedicated many years to the study of the human mind and emotions. She has worked extensively with affirmations and positive-present questions as a way of accessing the unconscious mind to rid it of dis-empowering beliefs. Meditation is a part of her daily life as a way to increase awareness of and harmony with Divine Truth. Jacqueline’s daily practice of expressing gratitude has made her a positive, uplifting person with the ability to see the blessing, opportunity, or lesson in any situation.
As a former victim of domestic violence, Jacqueline has committed herself to helping others recover from the mental and emotional devastation of abuse. She freely offers guidance based on personal experience in personal counseling sessions and on her “Recovering from Abuse” blog.
Jacqueline’s personal journey from helpless, homeless, single mother to debt-free homeowner, straight-A student, wife, and mother of five has given her the experience and knowledge to help others overcome fear, doubt, insecurity, hopelessness, and victim-hood. She openly shares not only her triumphs, but also her tragedies in order to encourage others to never give up.
Quotable Quotes
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
Plato
We can make a difference in the lives of kids.
This article is shared with love by Dr. Annette Colby.
Self-Love is the First Step to Lasting Change
Do you love yourself? Or, would it be closer to the truth to say that you are your own worst enemy? Self-love means to regard yourself with respect, to recognize and value yourself, and to appreciate your life.
Self-love is the process of breaking free of the need to gain others approval and instead gaining your own. It involves letting go of the paranoia of what other people think of you, or the desperate need to be liked. You see yourself as worthy of expressing your own preferences and opinions, regardless of what others think.
Some benefits of self-love include feeling good about yourself, dropping the need to be reliant on others approval for self-validation, freedom from binge or compulsive eating or other addictive behaviors, the courage to pursue your dreams, and freedom from depression or despair.
As you can see, gaining self-love sets the foundation for a happy, fulfilling life. But, what if you currently lack confidence in yourself? Read these insights and discover new ways to promote your own well-being and raise your love of self.
Self-Love Checklist
Before you can begin to raise your level of self-love, it helps to know that self-love does not happen by luck or magic. Instead, you have to create it. Self-love is an active state that expands through specific thoughts, actions, and behaviors. Read the list below and check the many different ways that you can take action and increase your level of self-love.
____ I do things which nurture, strengthen, and comfort my body.
____ I honor who I am becoming, recognizing that I am constantly evolving.
____ I accept my vulnerable feelings like sadness, fear, and mistakes.
____ I'm responsible to bring myself back to a state of feeling good.
____ I look in the mirror and notice my whole being.
____ I comfort myself with positive thoughts.
____ I recognize my efforts and achievements.
____ I use healthy activities (exercise, hobbies, friendships) when I need comfort.
____ I share my true feelings with others.
____ I express my anger in healthy ways.
____ I assert my needs and ask for what I want.
____ I recognize and value my need for solitude and alone time.
____ I recognize and value my need for fun and light heartedness.
____ I am generous with praise towards myself.
____ When I make errors, I am responsible instead of guilty.
____ When I make errors, I forgive myself.
____ I pursue and maintain friendships with others.
Empowering Questions to Raise Your Level of Self-Love
To raise your level of self-love consider asking yourself questions that lead you in that direction. The following questions empower you to make choices that create joy and success instead of pain and suffering. You have the power to choose the direction of your life.
• Do I use my intuition with myself?
• When I feel emotional, do I explore deeper to understand what I would need to feel better?
• Do I give myself what I need to feel better?
• Am I kind to myself?
• What is good in my life?
• What in my life do I most enjoy?
• What stimulates me?
• What's missing in my life - and what can I do about it?
• What can I do to add more joy into my life today?
• Do I follow through doing what I say I am going to do?
• What is my preference, and do I let people know my preference?
• What can I do to feel happier right now?
Imagine a future in which you totally love yourself. Imagine being powerful and responsible for your life. Remember, self-love doesn't happen by luck alone. Follow these tips to create a healthy self-love and reenergize your commitment to happiness.
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Dr.
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