Don’t be surprised if this blog is a little delayed! Right now, I’m standing outside the AT&T store watching my cell phone battery slip into the red zone. Yesterday, after multiple delays, I flew to Boston for a family event and after I landed, realized that I had left my phone charger on the airplane.

As soon as the store opens, I’ll be picking up a new charger and moving on with my day.

Am I frustrated about having to run this unplanned errand? Yes and no.

Aside from the inconvenience, I consider incidents like this to be blessings, reminders from my guides that I am not being present in the moment.  Spirit has taught me that when I’ve left my coat, my phone, or my headphones behind, I should stop and assess what is going on. Over the years, I’ve realized that when I leave things behind, it’s not a coincidence – it’s a wake-up call. Instead of getting upset, I have learned to ask myself a few questions. Am I preoccupied, tired, or just trying to do too many things at once? What do I need to do to bring myself back to a place of mindful awareness?

The whole situation reminds me of when I was a boy and occasionally misplaced my homework. I would get so frustrated as I searched through the papers in my three-ring binder – imagining what my teacher would say if I didn’t turn in the day’s assignment. The more I searched, the more frantic I would become until my mother become aware of the situation. She always said the same thing to calm me down.

“James, stop looking and take three deep breaths, there’s plenty of time to calm down and think about where you left it.”

She would put her arms around me and breathe with me until my heart rate settled. All of a sudden, things didn’t seem so dire. Inevitably, I would find the missing paper, and all would be well.

My mother passed many years ago, but I can still feel her presence during stressful times, reminding me to breathe. We picture our Spirit Guides as angels, ascended masters, or ancient ancestors – even spirit animals. Many guides fall into those categories, but our loved ones in Heaven also serve as our guides, and they are always with us. They can see our lives so clearly from their divine perspective, and send us subtle signs to nudge us in the right direction.

All we have to do to benefit from their loving guidance is to be open to the signs they send, and not discount them as simple coincidence.

Here are a few ways to recognize a wake-up call from your guides:

• Look for patterns. When I’m running in too many directions, I can count on my guides to point that out to me. Over time I’ve learned that when I leave something behind, it’s a signal to slow down. Other people have shared their own recurring signs. I have a friend who always has the exact same dream when she’s in need of some self-care. A member of my team loses her ATM card when she’s stressed, and another friend knows when his life is out of balance because he will suddenly trip and fall for no reason.
• Listen to your gut. How can you tell a sign from your guides from happenstance? Your intuition knows! Signs from your guides have a certain “vibe” that makes them stand out. When in doubt, sit in silence for a moment and ask for insight, then listen to what your inner voice has to say.
• Meditate and Journal. Being in touch with your guides and recognizing the signs they send you requires awareness – and meditating and journaling are my very favorite ways to bring mindful awareness into your life.

I’ve picked up my new charger, and I’m heading to my hotel to plug in my phone and meditate for a few minutes. I look forward to gathering my thoughts and resting a bit so that I can fully enjoy the upcoming weekend with my family. I know that my mother – my favorite Spirit Guide – will approve!