Ok, Paris Hilton is facing her demons. Or is she acting? Either way, she’s spending 23 hours a day by herself for the next 3 weeks.

Paris probably normally goes to a spa to relax and detox, and I’m sure she’ll seriously need to once she gets out.

But in the meantime, she’s alone in a small room with not much to do but sort through her thoughts and feelings. She’s in a medical facility which is part of the L.A. county jail, which is good; she can be safe and still serve her sentence.

This was well-orchestrated by her lawyers and public relations people. Her statement today about how she hopes the media will cover more important topics like wars and people who really are going through a hard time was good strategy. It sounds like she’s contrite and not in need of attention no matter what. Hopefully her brief, one hour per day, time outside her cell each day will give her a glimpse of what life is like for people less financially-fortunate than herself. She and Nicole Richie certainly avoided empathy while they invaded people’s homes and lives for their tv show “The Simple Life”.

While I’m totally unimpressed with her callousness, I admire her marketing abilities. And, you have to hand it to her, she’s not just sitting back and relying on her trust fund. She’s made herself into a very profitable business. Her career is all about her lifestyle, one that many would love to experience and do so through her portrayal in the media and a few movies. I don’t know if she’s really as spoiled and uncaring as she acts in front of the camera, but it would be great if she’d capitalize on the life experience she’s having now and look at it as an opportunity for self-development.

As you work on your own self, what opportunity has the Universe recently handed you? Often the worst situations offer the most room for personal growth. Here are several examples of what on the surface seem like things aren’t working out for you but which provide positive surprises:

• broken leg – time to catch up on some reading
• car breaks down – someone kind stops and helps, restoring your faith in humanity
• cell phone dropped – time to think your own thoughts and not everyone else’s
• storm knocks out the electricity and takes out roads forcing you to stay home – you get romantic time with your partner

All of these things involve stopping normal activity and forcing you to think and react differently. The Universe has an interesting way of making us sit up and think when we haven’t been getting the gentle messages. The key to avoiding crises is to be open to receiving the messages we need before the Universe has to resort to “getting in our face”. But the great thing about crises is that they give us the opportunity to change our lives by shifting our inner focus.

Paris Hilton is hopefully thinking about what lead her to jail, her deeper issues. Maybe this whole thing is a publicity stunt. Paris’s behaviors certainly seemed like she was “asking for it”, but there are ways of getting positive publicity and attention. Angelina Jolie literally goes around the world doing good works and helping people. I haven’t checked any statistics, but I bet Angelina has had way more publicity and magazine covers than Paris. Angelina has some wonderful achievements under her belt. What’s the difference between the two women? It seems like Angelina took stock of her life and what she wants out of it, and set her mind on those things. Some people call that manifesting. Of course, Angelina chooses many positive things, and has evolved priorities like social justice and feeding the hungry. Paris Hilton’s priorities seem to be feeding the media so that her own pockets will be filled.

What are your priorities? Are they positive or selfish? It’s good to have a healthy amount of “selfishness”, along the lines of taking care of yourself. Pursuing money, making money, and having money are also very good and healthy things. We must be safe and cared for so that we can take care of others — you know, the “put the airmask on yourself first, then on others who need help”.

Questions for you today:

• How do you use your money?
• Do you use your abundance in positive ways?
• What opportunities are available to you even, and maybe because of, the circumstances you’re in?

Do good and do well.