Sometimes we may feel as if we are completely and utterly stuck in our lives! And, we can’t help but focus on all the “proof” outside of ourselves of what is not working, and all we see are the ‘things’ that are in our way and out of our control. Our overactive minds create self fulfilling prophecies but when our thoughts are based on negative set points our mind is telling us that we are completely powerless, and that the world outside of ourselves has to change before we can change and feel any different.
Hence the cycle gets repeated, over and over again. Consciously and (mostly) subconsciously we fulfill our own prophecies. Whatever we focus on grows, and it gets bigger and bigger in our perception, rendering us more and more powerless against it or more and more POWERFUL with it… depending on the set-point we are coming from.
‘WE’ are always the ones who allow ourselves to be stuck! We choose not to change a thing, and whether we change something or not, we always have a choice! Not that deep down inside we know what it is that we have to change and let go of in order to move on and make real progress in our lives…
The path towards change and real movement is right in front of us; it is within us. But, we tend to get too busy shining the flashlight outside of ourselves that we do not allow ourselves to see it. All we have to do is turn the flashlight around. To find a way to move forwards, we simply have to look inwards.
If we resist this task, our focus remains outside of ourselves and we are always in reactive mode and can’t truly discover our inner creativity, thus life remains the same, or for that matter, seems to be gliding further backwards. We move farther and farther away from our dream lives because we simply resist creating it! Maybe it feels like it is too much work and effort but not taking action is what keeps the mountain growing larger and larger and the distance getting wider and wider. What we resist will persist!
Your thoughts and actions are your most creative choices. What you ‘think’ - becomes! ... and even the smallest action will create an effect. Your mind creates nothing without you using your body to create it. 1% action is better than 100% intention.…
Therefore, the question is always the same… “What can “I” do to change my situation?
“All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you. The only thing blame does is to keep the focus off you when you are looking for external reasons to explain your unhappiness or frustration. You may succeed in making another feel guilty about something by blaming him, but you won’t succeed in changing whatever it is about that is making you unhappy.” ~Wayne Dyer
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Learning to let go...
For some people there comes a time where we feel as if we just want to dump all that weight we’ve been carrying around with us. Throughout our lives we all have a tendency to accumulate. Whether it is the accumulation of physical possessions or status, recognition and responsibilities, or skills, knowledge and wisdom, somehow, we all accumulate something. Then, for some of us, it is as if we one day wake up and discover that what we have chosen to accumulate is starting to really weigh us down. A happy and joyous future seems unfounded and distant due to the heavy burdens of our past and present. The ‘price’ we are paying for what we have always perceived as being important is becoming quite substantial, and perhaps it is costing us to miss out on other ‘accumulations’ such as peace, love, joy, health and happiness.
It is only when we realize that the ‘price’ we are paying has become too high that we find ourselves ready and willing to let go of what no longer serves us in our lives. We are willing to cut the chain of burdens.
Letting go of what was once ‘important’ enough for us to hold onto is not necessarily easy, which is why it often takes us quite a while to get to that ‘place of surrender’. We want to hold on for the longest time, fearing what will happen if we let go of what holds meaning to us. Some of us hold onto dysfunctional, disserving patterns and behaviors because we mistakenly choose to believe that some of it serves us. Yet, others hold on to blame and anger, perhaps because that means we get to be right and feel more righteous, and perhaps we are wanting to prove to ourselves that ‘we are not that ones who have to change’. Still others hold onto fights and battles, even the constant battle for perfection and perfect balance and harmony in ALL we do. Personally, I learned the hard way that trying to be perfect, and let alone be perfectly balanced in ALL I do is exactly what will throw a person off balance in the first place. Nobody can do it ALL, and let alone do it all perfectly. Letting go of that never-ending pursuit is in and of itself a divine blessing!
To let go of the various ‘stuff’ we hold onto and choosing to simply ‘surrender’ is one of the absolute best gifts that we can possibly give ourselves. The Transformation tarot showed up for one of my clients today and it states that ‘we often cling onto the old at the expense of growth because we fear the ‘death’ of what once was’. It is quite common for humans to truly believe that the ‘devil’ we know is better than the one we don’t so we find ourselves holding onto our disserving ‘friend’ even when our souls are screaming for us to just let go and evolve!
No matter how scary it may feel at the time, letting go is never the end of the world, but it is always the beginning of a new life. It is the stepping stone for all positive transformations.
For this holiday weekend my wish for YOU is for YOU to exercise the ‘letting go’ principle and see how it serves you. Whatever comes your way and whatever seems to be throwing you for a loop…. practice the art of letting it go!
Better yet, before the holiday even starts, why not start by letting go of the idea of the perfect holiday or trip and vacation, or even the perfect you, the perfect balance, the perfect person, parent, spouse, family, kids, meal and perfect anything! Remind yourself that nothing can be perfected because everything already is perfect! Life is beautiful! You’re here! You’re alive! This is your NOW! What once was is what ‘once’ was. Let it go. The past is past. This is now!
Whenever you find yourself being pulled towards your ego’s anxious thoughts and emotions just breathe! With every deep breath you can let yourself be born again, calm and peaceful. In the words of Oprah Winfrey; “Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” So enjoy it! Enjoy the surprises, the love, the laughter, the relationships, the chaos, the excitement, the calm, the drama, the connections, the spontaneity, the memories, the action, the rest and simply the LIFE of it all! This is YOUR life! These are the people YOU LOVE! Soak them up and choose to show up as the best YOU that you can be! And, simply LOVE! The only thing you have to do is be conscious of how YOU are showing up! You can set the bar, and you can set the energy level that will infect everyone around you. This is how powerful you really are!
Have fun with this and just enjoy all of your experiences as perfectly imperfect they may be and then you are surely destined to have a wonderful thanksgiving weekend...
“In the end these things matter most: How well did you love? How fully did you love? How deeply did you learn to let go?” – The Buddha
It is only when we realize that the ‘price’ we are paying has become too high that we find ourselves ready and willing to let go of what no longer serves us in our lives. We are willing to cut the chain of burdens.
Letting go of what was once ‘important’ enough for us to hold onto is not necessarily easy, which is why it often takes us quite a while to get to that ‘place of surrender’. We want to hold on for the longest time, fearing what will happen if we let go of what holds meaning to us. Some of us hold onto dysfunctional, disserving patterns and behaviors because we mistakenly choose to believe that some of it serves us. Yet, others hold on to blame and anger, perhaps because that means we get to be right and feel more righteous, and perhaps we are wanting to prove to ourselves that ‘we are not that ones who have to change’. Still others hold onto fights and battles, even the constant battle for perfection and perfect balance and harmony in ALL we do. Personally, I learned the hard way that trying to be perfect, and let alone be perfectly balanced in ALL I do is exactly what will throw a person off balance in the first place. Nobody can do it ALL, and let alone do it all perfectly. Letting go of that never-ending pursuit is in and of itself a divine blessing!
To let go of the various ‘stuff’ we hold onto and choosing to simply ‘surrender’ is one of the absolute best gifts that we can possibly give ourselves. The Transformation tarot showed up for one of my clients today and it states that ‘we often cling onto the old at the expense of growth because we fear the ‘death’ of what once was’. It is quite common for humans to truly believe that the ‘devil’ we know is better than the one we don’t so we find ourselves holding onto our disserving ‘friend’ even when our souls are screaming for us to just let go and evolve!
No matter how scary it may feel at the time, letting go is never the end of the world, but it is always the beginning of a new life. It is the stepping stone for all positive transformations.
For this holiday weekend my wish for YOU is for YOU to exercise the ‘letting go’ principle and see how it serves you. Whatever comes your way and whatever seems to be throwing you for a loop…. practice the art of letting it go!
Better yet, before the holiday even starts, why not start by letting go of the idea of the perfect holiday or trip and vacation, or even the perfect you, the perfect balance, the perfect person, parent, spouse, family, kids, meal and perfect anything! Remind yourself that nothing can be perfected because everything already is perfect! Life is beautiful! You’re here! You’re alive! This is your NOW! What once was is what ‘once’ was. Let it go. The past is past. This is now!
Whenever you find yourself being pulled towards your ego’s anxious thoughts and emotions just breathe! With every deep breath you can let yourself be born again, calm and peaceful. In the words of Oprah Winfrey; “Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” So enjoy it! Enjoy the surprises, the love, the laughter, the relationships, the chaos, the excitement, the calm, the drama, the connections, the spontaneity, the memories, the action, the rest and simply the LIFE of it all! This is YOUR life! These are the people YOU LOVE! Soak them up and choose to show up as the best YOU that you can be! And, simply LOVE! The only thing you have to do is be conscious of how YOU are showing up! You can set the bar, and you can set the energy level that will infect everyone around you. This is how powerful you really are!
Have fun with this and just enjoy all of your experiences as perfectly imperfect they may be and then you are surely destined to have a wonderful thanksgiving weekend...
“In the end these things matter most: How well did you love? How fully did you love? How deeply did you learn to let go?” – The Buddha
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Simplify your surroundings, simplify your life!
As a business owner, creative entrepreneur, wife and mother, I am intrigued by all methods and tools that help me, as well as my clients in living our authentic lives in balance and harmony.
I am all for mindfulness, living in the now, and enjoying life to the fullest, but let’s face it; everyday life in a busy world requires much more than the act of being present. Whether we like it or not we all have to think about our future, and plan it to some extent. Waking up, getting dressed, preparing meals, raising our children, cleaning the house, doing laundry, paying the bills, shopping for necessities, exercising, going to work, having a productive day, responding to our clients, and creating the groundwork for our next step in life and in business…. well, all this and more involves future-minded planning efforts.
As much as I love being in a simplified, clean, calm and organized home, getting it to that point, meaning the cleaning and tidying part, is not exactly on the my top ten list of favorite things to do. I would not exactly label myself as a 'domestic goddess' and I would much rather be fully calm and present with a great book or even sit in front of the computer doing research, communicating with others, or writing or simply goofing off and having fun with my kids. But, since those pleasantly creative and leisurely activities do not provide me with the surroundings I love living and creating in, I choose to get off my butt every now and again and get to work on creating the environment of my dreams. Although, my ego sometimes dreads the thought of cleaning and organizing, once I am “on it” I can’t help but feel energized by the creative power that starts flowing through me and from me. Not to mention the bliss I get from getting to live in the results of my labor. A simple surrounding helps my overly active mind calm down and be present and I feel more energetic and creative which positively affects all areas of my life. So, every now and again, the ‘domestic goddess’ has to be called upon to whip things into shape!
A crucial component to finding balance and calm in your home or workspace is committing to simplicity. When our spaces are cluttered, our minds are cluttered and we are bombarded with stimulating reminders of the things we ‘should’ be doing or ‘should’ get to, making it hard to focus on whatever it is we are doing in the moment. Getting your surroundings simplified and organized can do more for your emotional well-being than a long relaxing trip to an exotic island because you are creating an environment that affects you in your everyday life. As an interior designer I have witnessed people completely transform as their surroundings get transformed. By simplifying your surroundings, you are destined to simplify your life!
Once you have a system in place the actual work of keeping it that way is not so hard, although definitely just as important. Getting your surroundings organized in the first place is the part that requires most of the planning and effort.
In case you are interested in embarking upon a simplification journey here is some advice on how to tackle such a project:
1. Create an action plan. List out the rooms or areas that you want to have organized and write out some goals for the spaces. State what you want to achieve and how you will feel when you have achieved just that. Start with the most important room or area, predetermine the order that follows and work ONLY on one space at a time.
2. Commit to the process. Rome was not built in a day! Acknowledge that it is consistency with the small things that makes the biggest impact. Many small changes will create a BIG change. Just keep at it, commit to the process and do not give up!
3. Get real with your time and decide how much time you can commit to doing the work. Whether it is a half hour a day or a couple of hours every few days, just make that time your “on it” time. Chances are you will get an even bigger ‘time reality check’ and get more skillful with your time management if you time yourself with a timer. We can learn a lot about how long things take to complete and how much we can get done in a certain amount of time if we apply a timing exercise. If you only have 15 minutes a day to work on organizing your spaces, then set the timer and use up those 15 minutes each and every day, one room at a time. Within a week or a month you will see an enormous difference and all it took was 15 minutes a day!
4. Make it fun. Setting the timer and treating this like a fun race can be lots of fun, and/or you put on your favorite music, and sing and dance while you are at it.
5. Organize with these three steps in mind:
a. Sort and Purge. Get rid of everything that is unnecessary. Sort like things with like things. Only keep what you need and use on a regular basis. If you have not used something for more than 2 years, chances of you ever needing it again are very slim. Remember that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure so make sure to donate all useable items, and do not add to yet another landfill for no good reason.
b. Create zones and homes. When a “thing” has a home to go to at the end of the day it is much easier to keep things simplified and organized. Use logical systems such as placing ‘like with like’, storing things in the areas you are most likely to use them, placing frequently used things within easy reach while seldom used items can move to the harder to reach storage spaces, placing heavy stuff at the bottom, and lighter on top, storing things in appropriate containers, and just label, label, label.
c. Customize to make it fit YOU. Make your organization system work for the way YOU work and just be realistic with it. Research some organizational systems and invest in the right storage system and containers for YOU but only after you know exactly what you intend to do with it and how you intend to use it. Otherwise, you may just be adding containers and stuff to the clutter instead of actually organizing it.
6. Celebrate the Outcome. Make sure to value your accomplishment and celebrate the simplified surrounding. You just created a fresh start!
7. Maintain, maintain, maintain. It is easy to forget to ‘keep at it’ once the system is in place but maintaining is the most crucial aspect of living a simplified life in a simplified surrounding.
a. Create an action plan of how you are going to maintain the order and calmness. Do a daily/weekly/monthly action plan of things to tackle, such as sorting through the junk drawer & pantry once a month, sorting letters and filing important papers once a week, doing a 15 minute sweep-through each day etc.
b. Commit to the process. Just keep at it, clean and organize as you go, every little action makes a difference; it is consistency with the small things that makes the BIG impact.
c. Get real with your time and make it fun. The 15 minutes a day “laundry basket exercise” is immensely effective. It entails briskly walking through your spaces with a basket to grab all things that are out of place and then taking them back to their ‘homes’, perhaps while you’re also blasting your favorite music or turn it into a race with your kids seeing who picks up the most toys and stuff.
d. Use the trip. This is a simple, little, mindful technique that I personally use to simplify my efforts and maximizing my ‘trips’. It entails doing a short, little peak-over the room that I am in when I am off getting something or doing something to see if there is anything in the room I am in that does not belong there and lives in an area I might be going back to or passing by on my way to where it is I am going next. The simple act of being ‘mindful and noticing’ can save you a lot of time and help you prevent the buildup of clutter in the first place.
As contradictory as it may sound it is also important to not get over-consumed with organization and feel as if you have to keep everything ‘perfect’ all the time. ‘Stuff happens’ and it can actually happen quite quickly. We all have different preferences for aesthetics and different tolerances for clutter in our surroundings, and we all operate differently. Personally, I may be on the somewhat extreme end of the spectrum in that I simply love complete simplicity and would like nothing more than to have a totally clear and calm house and office with every little thing out of sight and in its place. But, the truth is that this is contradictory to how I actually operate which is often moving quickly from one thing to the next, not wrapping up the last thing I was working on before I am off floating along with the power of creativity. In addition, I also share a home with two active and creative kids who do the exact same thing, and tend to move from one project and experiment to the next one so clutter can accumulate quite quickly in our home. And, since I consciously choose to be a pretty laid back mom, I do not let myself get bent out of shape about every little thing that is out of place so our commitments entail sticking to our system of consistently cleaning up after ourselves ‘after the fact’. As a result, the 15 minute ‘laundry basket exercise’ is a regular exercise at our house and those 15 minutes can literally create a major transformation. Fifteen minutes a day is usually all the time needed to put everything back in its place. The thing is that when we have no more stuff than we actually use and need, and every little ‘thing’ has a ‘home’, it really is no big deal to have it all go out of its place for a while because the system you’ve created ensures that putting it back in its place is fast and easy, and you can easily recreate simplicity, balance and calmness in your surroundings and in your life. Then, all that is left is sitting down with a warm cup of tea and a great book… and just enjoy!
I am all for mindfulness, living in the now, and enjoying life to the fullest, but let’s face it; everyday life in a busy world requires much more than the act of being present. Whether we like it or not we all have to think about our future, and plan it to some extent. Waking up, getting dressed, preparing meals, raising our children, cleaning the house, doing laundry, paying the bills, shopping for necessities, exercising, going to work, having a productive day, responding to our clients, and creating the groundwork for our next step in life and in business…. well, all this and more involves future-minded planning efforts.
As much as I love being in a simplified, clean, calm and organized home, getting it to that point, meaning the cleaning and tidying part, is not exactly on the my top ten list of favorite things to do. I would not exactly label myself as a 'domestic goddess' and I would much rather be fully calm and present with a great book or even sit in front of the computer doing research, communicating with others, or writing or simply goofing off and having fun with my kids. But, since those pleasantly creative and leisurely activities do not provide me with the surroundings I love living and creating in, I choose to get off my butt every now and again and get to work on creating the environment of my dreams. Although, my ego sometimes dreads the thought of cleaning and organizing, once I am “on it” I can’t help but feel energized by the creative power that starts flowing through me and from me. Not to mention the bliss I get from getting to live in the results of my labor. A simple surrounding helps my overly active mind calm down and be present and I feel more energetic and creative which positively affects all areas of my life. So, every now and again, the ‘domestic goddess’ has to be called upon to whip things into shape!
A crucial component to finding balance and calm in your home or workspace is committing to simplicity. When our spaces are cluttered, our minds are cluttered and we are bombarded with stimulating reminders of the things we ‘should’ be doing or ‘should’ get to, making it hard to focus on whatever it is we are doing in the moment. Getting your surroundings simplified and organized can do more for your emotional well-being than a long relaxing trip to an exotic island because you are creating an environment that affects you in your everyday life. As an interior designer I have witnessed people completely transform as their surroundings get transformed. By simplifying your surroundings, you are destined to simplify your life!
Once you have a system in place the actual work of keeping it that way is not so hard, although definitely just as important. Getting your surroundings organized in the first place is the part that requires most of the planning and effort.
In case you are interested in embarking upon a simplification journey here is some advice on how to tackle such a project:
1. Create an action plan. List out the rooms or areas that you want to have organized and write out some goals for the spaces. State what you want to achieve and how you will feel when you have achieved just that. Start with the most important room or area, predetermine the order that follows and work ONLY on one space at a time.
2. Commit to the process. Rome was not built in a day! Acknowledge that it is consistency with the small things that makes the biggest impact. Many small changes will create a BIG change. Just keep at it, commit to the process and do not give up!
3. Get real with your time and decide how much time you can commit to doing the work. Whether it is a half hour a day or a couple of hours every few days, just make that time your “on it” time. Chances are you will get an even bigger ‘time reality check’ and get more skillful with your time management if you time yourself with a timer. We can learn a lot about how long things take to complete and how much we can get done in a certain amount of time if we apply a timing exercise. If you only have 15 minutes a day to work on organizing your spaces, then set the timer and use up those 15 minutes each and every day, one room at a time. Within a week or a month you will see an enormous difference and all it took was 15 minutes a day!
4. Make it fun. Setting the timer and treating this like a fun race can be lots of fun, and/or you put on your favorite music, and sing and dance while you are at it.
5. Organize with these three steps in mind:
a. Sort and Purge. Get rid of everything that is unnecessary. Sort like things with like things. Only keep what you need and use on a regular basis. If you have not used something for more than 2 years, chances of you ever needing it again are very slim. Remember that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure so make sure to donate all useable items, and do not add to yet another landfill for no good reason.
b. Create zones and homes. When a “thing” has a home to go to at the end of the day it is much easier to keep things simplified and organized. Use logical systems such as placing ‘like with like’, storing things in the areas you are most likely to use them, placing frequently used things within easy reach while seldom used items can move to the harder to reach storage spaces, placing heavy stuff at the bottom, and lighter on top, storing things in appropriate containers, and just label, label, label.
c. Customize to make it fit YOU. Make your organization system work for the way YOU work and just be realistic with it. Research some organizational systems and invest in the right storage system and containers for YOU but only after you know exactly what you intend to do with it and how you intend to use it. Otherwise, you may just be adding containers and stuff to the clutter instead of actually organizing it.
6. Celebrate the Outcome. Make sure to value your accomplishment and celebrate the simplified surrounding. You just created a fresh start!
7. Maintain, maintain, maintain. It is easy to forget to ‘keep at it’ once the system is in place but maintaining is the most crucial aspect of living a simplified life in a simplified surrounding.
a. Create an action plan of how you are going to maintain the order and calmness. Do a daily/weekly/monthly action plan of things to tackle, such as sorting through the junk drawer & pantry once a month, sorting letters and filing important papers once a week, doing a 15 minute sweep-through each day etc.
b. Commit to the process. Just keep at it, clean and organize as you go, every little action makes a difference; it is consistency with the small things that makes the BIG impact.
c. Get real with your time and make it fun. The 15 minutes a day “laundry basket exercise” is immensely effective. It entails briskly walking through your spaces with a basket to grab all things that are out of place and then taking them back to their ‘homes’, perhaps while you’re also blasting your favorite music or turn it into a race with your kids seeing who picks up the most toys and stuff.
d. Use the trip. This is a simple, little, mindful technique that I personally use to simplify my efforts and maximizing my ‘trips’. It entails doing a short, little peak-over the room that I am in when I am off getting something or doing something to see if there is anything in the room I am in that does not belong there and lives in an area I might be going back to or passing by on my way to where it is I am going next. The simple act of being ‘mindful and noticing’ can save you a lot of time and help you prevent the buildup of clutter in the first place.
As contradictory as it may sound it is also important to not get over-consumed with organization and feel as if you have to keep everything ‘perfect’ all the time. ‘Stuff happens’ and it can actually happen quite quickly. We all have different preferences for aesthetics and different tolerances for clutter in our surroundings, and we all operate differently. Personally, I may be on the somewhat extreme end of the spectrum in that I simply love complete simplicity and would like nothing more than to have a totally clear and calm house and office with every little thing out of sight and in its place. But, the truth is that this is contradictory to how I actually operate which is often moving quickly from one thing to the next, not wrapping up the last thing I was working on before I am off floating along with the power of creativity. In addition, I also share a home with two active and creative kids who do the exact same thing, and tend to move from one project and experiment to the next one so clutter can accumulate quite quickly in our home. And, since I consciously choose to be a pretty laid back mom, I do not let myself get bent out of shape about every little thing that is out of place so our commitments entail sticking to our system of consistently cleaning up after ourselves ‘after the fact’. As a result, the 15 minute ‘laundry basket exercise’ is a regular exercise at our house and those 15 minutes can literally create a major transformation. Fifteen minutes a day is usually all the time needed to put everything back in its place. The thing is that when we have no more stuff than we actually use and need, and every little ‘thing’ has a ‘home’, it really is no big deal to have it all go out of its place for a while because the system you’ve created ensures that putting it back in its place is fast and easy, and you can easily recreate simplicity, balance and calmness in your surroundings and in your life. Then, all that is left is sitting down with a warm cup of tea and a great book… and just enjoy!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Tuning into YOU - Committing to YOU!
How aware are you of your inner Self? Who really is this person you refer to as “I” or “ME”?
Who is the YOU that rests behind the story of who you “think” you are?
You are not your body nor are you your mind although both are tools that are absolutely necessary for you to live and thrive in your human existence.
Our mind is our ego's tool and it likes to believe that it is in charge! It is the computer that comes up with all the stories we consciously and subconsciously create for ourselves and for the people and events in our lives. Our brain’s job is to make sense of everything so it constantly analyzes and groups and categorizes information and creates systems of how everything works and operates.
In your first few years of life your brain is like a sponge, soaking up all the information that comes its way, trusting that this information is true and authentic, working non-stop on grouping and categorizing the information so it can create a system that ensures your survival in the world. When we were children our minds did not really question what adults said and did, we simply received the information, analyzed it and judged where it belonged and speedily placed it into the “right” group and category. “OK, to stay out of trouble - do NOT do ‘this’”, “To get approval – Do ‘that’” etc.
The variable is that not all of us are raised in the same environment and not all are raised in a truly positive and nurturing environment. Some are raised in a more ‘negative’ environment than others and receive less unconditional love, and affection, freedom and encouragement so the lens from which we view the world gets skewed or “dirty” and we view the world as if we are looking through grey colored and spotted lenses. The world may even appear to be quite dark and scary and it does not feel like a safe and happy place in any way.
When we let our often poorly programmed minds run the show we tend to be strictly reactive in our responses to whatever stimuli we receive. We come only from what we know, and use our past as a sure predictor of the future. We see and we hear, and feel we can completely trust our perception for nothing has ever proved to us that what we see and hear is not what really is… so it must be true! Our facts are THE facts!
People look at us funny and we assume they must be thinking something negative about us so our reactive mode kicks in, thinking, “Oh, I know ‘this’ look!”… “I’ve seen it before somewhere (or at least one similar to it) so it goes into ‘that’ category, it means ‘this’ to me”. And, our mood goes down, perhaps for the rest of the day or even for the rest of the week, and we feel completely out of balance, angry or belittled or embarrassed or anxious or something. While the fact of the matter could be that the person looking at us was having indigestion issues and just happened to look your way at the same time as their intestines cramped and they frowned and gave an impression of dislike. What do we know?! That might just as well be the case for we simply assumed we knew exactly what was going on, and our mind created a story based on past events of having been judged in some way. It can actually be quite funny to catch your mind in the act of judging and reacting. It does it so quickly that you often do not catch it until it’s already far ahead in the process.
We all have a tendency to judge, but we also have a choice on whether or not to believe or even react to those often automatic judgments.
To become less reactive in our lives we have to train ourselves to ‘catch our mind in the act’ and we can choose to retrain our minds to be more open, loving and thankful or in other words more positive and optimistic and hence much happier!
“It used to be that ‘positive thinking motivators’ of the past like Norman Vincent Peale, Napoleon Hill and Emmet Fox were ridiculed by intellectuals as being secular evangelists who purveyed false hope to hopeless followers. The only thing they couldn’t explain was that their recommended thinking practices actually WORKED and made people successful. They couldn’t explain that. But now! Now that biology has caught up with people who motivate people (and people who motivate themselves) it is proven that the brain actually physically changes and adds capacities it didn’t have when you practice self-disciplined learning and new thinking. (Like learning to think like an owner and not a victim. Like creating rather than reacting.)" –Stephen Chandler, 2009.
Our way of thinking is not permanent or fixed, nor is your personality determined by your DNA.
At any given moment you can choose to modify or even completely change your habitual ways of thinking and your habitual ways of viewing the world and instead create something you actually WANT in your life. You can create the YOU that you want to be! There is no truth in thinking, “I am who I am and there is nothing I can do about it!” for too many people have already proved that hypothesis wrong by doing a 180 in their lives and changing themselves completely and have become more authentic and expressive of who they REALLY are… and are now much happier and more joyous and peaceful. Today’s neuroscience discoveries are backing this human ability up 100%. (For more on that research a wonderful book to read is “The Brain that Changes Itself”).
So why are some people so much more open, loving and thankful than others? And, why are they so darn happy all the time? Why can some people see the best in every situation while others see the worst?
Yes, some had a great head start by being raised in a positive and upbeat environment, learning early on to use their minds in a positive manner while others had to learn the hard-er way and perhaps noticed much later on that what they had been told was true was not the absolute truth at all! Those people began looking around and started wondering; “Is this really all there is to this? Could there be something more? Could there be another way of being?”… and… then they simply declared to themselves that they would seek that out and start doing things differently! They decided to change and in essence CHOSE to be positive and optimistic, and they chose to embark upon personal growth journeys so they would make sure they’d get there and they chose to see the best in every situation, and by making all these courageous choices they went ahead and even changed their brains! It seems that all we have to do is make a choice of who we want to be and how we want to live. If something is not serving us anymore… we go ahead and do what it takes to change it. We commit to figuring it out and commit to putting ourselves first.
By committing to yourself and to your personal growth and creating time to reflect and be with your Self in solitude every now and again, you can start to truly create your dream life into existence and not just be a reactive being on autopilot mode. By asking your spirit questions such as “What do I want?” “Who am I really?” “What is truly important to me?” “What truly matters in life?” “What do I want to create?” “What do I have to change to live the life I want to live?” “Who do I have to be to get everything I want out of life?”… Not only will you be able to find the answers to life’s big questions but you will be tuning into the REAL YOU and find that you are able to create what you want into existence.
So to truly hit the START button towards a courageous, creative and HAPPY life we have to work on some positive programming and do that on a regular basis, by creating the discipline to do the following;
1. Journaling on whatever is resting in your mind… challenges, accomplishments, breakthroughs…
2. Placing ourselves in a positive and creative mindset by writing out words of gratitude for what already is wonderful in our lives and writing out words of affirmations for what it is that we want to achieve and can see ourselves achieving….
3. Placing ourselves in a positive and happy mindset by seeking out positive and uplifting people, reading positive and uplifting books, watching positive, funny and uplifting movies, listening to upbeat and inspiring music, playing and goofing off with friends, and our spouses and children and doing the activities we love doing.
4. And, last but not least, find a mentor with a clear perspective who can serve as our motivator, challenger and accountability partner to keep us working towards our goals and helping us create new launching pads from which to jump even further forwards than we ever dreamed we could!
We often get caught up in the trap of “thinking” that if only the outside world would change then we would be so much happier and everything would be better but the truth is that the only thing you can change is YOU! Positive change that comes from within radiates out into the world like a bright beacon of light and affects everyone around you in a positive way. By changing ourselves for the better we change everything for the better, and we change the dynamics in your relationships with other people, and hence create even more joy and happiness in our lives. For the world to change; we have to change! So commit to YOU!
Why not start tuning into YOU today?!
Who is the YOU that rests behind the story of who you “think” you are?
You are not your body nor are you your mind although both are tools that are absolutely necessary for you to live and thrive in your human existence.
Our mind is our ego's tool and it likes to believe that it is in charge! It is the computer that comes up with all the stories we consciously and subconsciously create for ourselves and for the people and events in our lives. Our brain’s job is to make sense of everything so it constantly analyzes and groups and categorizes information and creates systems of how everything works and operates.
In your first few years of life your brain is like a sponge, soaking up all the information that comes its way, trusting that this information is true and authentic, working non-stop on grouping and categorizing the information so it can create a system that ensures your survival in the world. When we were children our minds did not really question what adults said and did, we simply received the information, analyzed it and judged where it belonged and speedily placed it into the “right” group and category. “OK, to stay out of trouble - do NOT do ‘this’”, “To get approval – Do ‘that’” etc.
The variable is that not all of us are raised in the same environment and not all are raised in a truly positive and nurturing environment. Some are raised in a more ‘negative’ environment than others and receive less unconditional love, and affection, freedom and encouragement so the lens from which we view the world gets skewed or “dirty” and we view the world as if we are looking through grey colored and spotted lenses. The world may even appear to be quite dark and scary and it does not feel like a safe and happy place in any way.
When we let our often poorly programmed minds run the show we tend to be strictly reactive in our responses to whatever stimuli we receive. We come only from what we know, and use our past as a sure predictor of the future. We see and we hear, and feel we can completely trust our perception for nothing has ever proved to us that what we see and hear is not what really is… so it must be true! Our facts are THE facts!
People look at us funny and we assume they must be thinking something negative about us so our reactive mode kicks in, thinking, “Oh, I know ‘this’ look!”… “I’ve seen it before somewhere (or at least one similar to it) so it goes into ‘that’ category, it means ‘this’ to me”. And, our mood goes down, perhaps for the rest of the day or even for the rest of the week, and we feel completely out of balance, angry or belittled or embarrassed or anxious or something. While the fact of the matter could be that the person looking at us was having indigestion issues and just happened to look your way at the same time as their intestines cramped and they frowned and gave an impression of dislike. What do we know?! That might just as well be the case for we simply assumed we knew exactly what was going on, and our mind created a story based on past events of having been judged in some way. It can actually be quite funny to catch your mind in the act of judging and reacting. It does it so quickly that you often do not catch it until it’s already far ahead in the process.
We all have a tendency to judge, but we also have a choice on whether or not to believe or even react to those often automatic judgments.
To become less reactive in our lives we have to train ourselves to ‘catch our mind in the act’ and we can choose to retrain our minds to be more open, loving and thankful or in other words more positive and optimistic and hence much happier!
“It used to be that ‘positive thinking motivators’ of the past like Norman Vincent Peale, Napoleon Hill and Emmet Fox were ridiculed by intellectuals as being secular evangelists who purveyed false hope to hopeless followers. The only thing they couldn’t explain was that their recommended thinking practices actually WORKED and made people successful. They couldn’t explain that. But now! Now that biology has caught up with people who motivate people (and people who motivate themselves) it is proven that the brain actually physically changes and adds capacities it didn’t have when you practice self-disciplined learning and new thinking. (Like learning to think like an owner and not a victim. Like creating rather than reacting.)" –Stephen Chandler, 2009.
Our way of thinking is not permanent or fixed, nor is your personality determined by your DNA.
At any given moment you can choose to modify or even completely change your habitual ways of thinking and your habitual ways of viewing the world and instead create something you actually WANT in your life. You can create the YOU that you want to be! There is no truth in thinking, “I am who I am and there is nothing I can do about it!” for too many people have already proved that hypothesis wrong by doing a 180 in their lives and changing themselves completely and have become more authentic and expressive of who they REALLY are… and are now much happier and more joyous and peaceful. Today’s neuroscience discoveries are backing this human ability up 100%. (For more on that research a wonderful book to read is “The Brain that Changes Itself”).
So why are some people so much more open, loving and thankful than others? And, why are they so darn happy all the time? Why can some people see the best in every situation while others see the worst?
Yes, some had a great head start by being raised in a positive and upbeat environment, learning early on to use their minds in a positive manner while others had to learn the hard-er way and perhaps noticed much later on that what they had been told was true was not the absolute truth at all! Those people began looking around and started wondering; “Is this really all there is to this? Could there be something more? Could there be another way of being?”… and… then they simply declared to themselves that they would seek that out and start doing things differently! They decided to change and in essence CHOSE to be positive and optimistic, and they chose to embark upon personal growth journeys so they would make sure they’d get there and they chose to see the best in every situation, and by making all these courageous choices they went ahead and even changed their brains! It seems that all we have to do is make a choice of who we want to be and how we want to live. If something is not serving us anymore… we go ahead and do what it takes to change it. We commit to figuring it out and commit to putting ourselves first.
By committing to yourself and to your personal growth and creating time to reflect and be with your Self in solitude every now and again, you can start to truly create your dream life into existence and not just be a reactive being on autopilot mode. By asking your spirit questions such as “What do I want?” “Who am I really?” “What is truly important to me?” “What truly matters in life?” “What do I want to create?” “What do I have to change to live the life I want to live?” “Who do I have to be to get everything I want out of life?”… Not only will you be able to find the answers to life’s big questions but you will be tuning into the REAL YOU and find that you are able to create what you want into existence.
So to truly hit the START button towards a courageous, creative and HAPPY life we have to work on some positive programming and do that on a regular basis, by creating the discipline to do the following;
1. Journaling on whatever is resting in your mind… challenges, accomplishments, breakthroughs…
2. Placing ourselves in a positive and creative mindset by writing out words of gratitude for what already is wonderful in our lives and writing out words of affirmations for what it is that we want to achieve and can see ourselves achieving….
3. Placing ourselves in a positive and happy mindset by seeking out positive and uplifting people, reading positive and uplifting books, watching positive, funny and uplifting movies, listening to upbeat and inspiring music, playing and goofing off with friends, and our spouses and children and doing the activities we love doing.
4. And, last but not least, find a mentor with a clear perspective who can serve as our motivator, challenger and accountability partner to keep us working towards our goals and helping us create new launching pads from which to jump even further forwards than we ever dreamed we could!
We often get caught up in the trap of “thinking” that if only the outside world would change then we would be so much happier and everything would be better but the truth is that the only thing you can change is YOU! Positive change that comes from within radiates out into the world like a bright beacon of light and affects everyone around you in a positive way. By changing ourselves for the better we change everything for the better, and we change the dynamics in your relationships with other people, and hence create even more joy and happiness in our lives. For the world to change; we have to change! So commit to YOU!
Why not start tuning into YOU today?!
Friday, October 9, 2009
I am open, LOVING and thankful!
When you have an open, loving and thankful heart life is nothing short of perfect! Nothing really ticks you off that much and whatever occurs in your life you can handle because you know how to reconnect with love and recreate harmony and balance.
How open, loving and thankful are you in your heart?
Here are some questions for you to answer for yourself:
How open am I towards other people’s uniqueness and their differences from me and what I know?
• I am very open
• I am somewhat open
• I am a little open
• I am somewhat closed
• I am very closed.
How judgmental am I of other people?
• Very judgmental
• Somewhat judgmental
• A little judgmental
• Somewhat non-judgmental
• Very non-judgmental
How genuinely loving and affectionate am I towards other people?
• Very loving
• Quite loving
• A little loving
• Quite un-loving
• Very un-loving
How thankful am I for the people in my life and how expressive am I of gratitude towards them?
• I am very thankful / grateful
• I am quite thankful / grateful
• I am sometimes thankful / grateful
• I am quite unthankful / ungrateful
• I am very unthankful / ungrateful
The truth is that whenever you feel you are out of balance in your relationships with other people it is time for you to do something about YOU!
Our issues with other people have less to do with them than they have to do with ourselves. Are you lovingly asking for what you want and coming from a place of love in doing so? Do you feel that receiving other people’s love is based on fulfilling their conditions? Are you yourself being conditional in your expressions of love towards others?
How do you suppose you are really, truly coming across? How are you conveying your message and your point of view? What do your actions say? What are your words saying? Do your words come out clearly in your actions? What are your facial expressions conveying? How are you really communicating with other people?
What we give is usually very close to what we get! Which means that we have to start “owning the message” we give out into the world.
If we give a little love, we may get a little love, if we show a little acceptance, we may get a little acceptance, if we demonstrate a little gratitude, we may get a little gratitude, and so on an so forth. The same goes for not giving any of these things, if we do not give any, we can't be upset about not getting any. Yet, our whole motive cannot be about giving it “only” so I can get it! That’s not being unconditionally loving and it won't trick anyone for long.
Have you noticed how everybody loves being around people who know how to be unconditionally loving, and how those same loving people also seem to know how to respect and love themselves. Being an unconditionally loving person means we love without conditions, we are not expecting anything just because we are giving our love, but even so it still does NOT mean that we give our power away and take whatever we get and accept it!
Being unconditionally loving means we are willing to take the journey inwards and get real with where we are coming from and we are not focusing on receiving immediate results from the outside. We choose to stand by ourselves in knowing that our hearts will guide us and we rest assured in knowing we deserve to live life to the fullest and we deserve to truly love and be loved.
So if what we give is what we get, it makes sense for us to genuinely ask ourselves the following questions:
“What am I giving?”, “What am I REALLY giving?”, “What am I creating?”, “What am I putting out there?”, “How am I making a difference in other people’s lives?”, “Do I have a positive effect on the people I love?” “Am I open, loving and thankful as a human being?”
Whoever comes from an open, loving and thankful heart has a positive effect on other people even when they are not intentionally trying to do so. An open, loving and thankful person receives back what they put out, both from other people and from the Universe. Loving people are loved.
Our Creator designed us to be open, loving and thankful. It is our true nature and how we are intended to be. Jesus preached love and forgiveness. We all know this yet we sometimes find ourselves moving far, far away from exactly what it is we want most in our lives and are craving so desperately in our hearts and in our spirits.
You are here to love and be loved! You would not want to deny yourself of that experience, and you can quite easily have just this, yet only the first part is within your control. So how can YOU be an even more loving person?
You can start by getting real with what it is that you are REALLY putting out there.
You can ask yourself; “How can I express more acceptance, understanding, love, affection, gratitude and forgiveness to other people?”, “How can I be more godly in my thoughts, actions and in my being?”
If you are not feeling as loved as you would want to feel and not being as expressive of love as you would like to be, then you can change the little glitch in the system… you can elevate your spirit and reprogram the mind-computer:) and create balance and harmony in your life.
As a reprogramming exercise you can repeat to yourself, over and over again, until it becomes “ingrained” in your mind as a natural way of being, day after day until you truly feel it in your heart and in your soul;
I am open, loving and thankful
I am open, loving and thankful
I am open, loving and thankful
I am open, loving and thankful
I am open, loving and thankful…
If you want it – you have to give it!
If you give it – you will get it!
How open, loving and thankful are you in your heart?
Here are some questions for you to answer for yourself:
How open am I towards other people’s uniqueness and their differences from me and what I know?
• I am very open
• I am somewhat open
• I am a little open
• I am somewhat closed
• I am very closed.
How judgmental am I of other people?
• Very judgmental
• Somewhat judgmental
• A little judgmental
• Somewhat non-judgmental
• Very non-judgmental
How genuinely loving and affectionate am I towards other people?
• Very loving
• Quite loving
• A little loving
• Quite un-loving
• Very un-loving
How thankful am I for the people in my life and how expressive am I of gratitude towards them?
• I am very thankful / grateful
• I am quite thankful / grateful
• I am sometimes thankful / grateful
• I am quite unthankful / ungrateful
• I am very unthankful / ungrateful
The truth is that whenever you feel you are out of balance in your relationships with other people it is time for you to do something about YOU!
Our issues with other people have less to do with them than they have to do with ourselves. Are you lovingly asking for what you want and coming from a place of love in doing so? Do you feel that receiving other people’s love is based on fulfilling their conditions? Are you yourself being conditional in your expressions of love towards others?
How do you suppose you are really, truly coming across? How are you conveying your message and your point of view? What do your actions say? What are your words saying? Do your words come out clearly in your actions? What are your facial expressions conveying? How are you really communicating with other people?
What we give is usually very close to what we get! Which means that we have to start “owning the message” we give out into the world.
If we give a little love, we may get a little love, if we show a little acceptance, we may get a little acceptance, if we demonstrate a little gratitude, we may get a little gratitude, and so on an so forth. The same goes for not giving any of these things, if we do not give any, we can't be upset about not getting any. Yet, our whole motive cannot be about giving it “only” so I can get it! That’s not being unconditionally loving and it won't trick anyone for long.
Have you noticed how everybody loves being around people who know how to be unconditionally loving, and how those same loving people also seem to know how to respect and love themselves. Being an unconditionally loving person means we love without conditions, we are not expecting anything just because we are giving our love, but even so it still does NOT mean that we give our power away and take whatever we get and accept it!
Being unconditionally loving means we are willing to take the journey inwards and get real with where we are coming from and we are not focusing on receiving immediate results from the outside. We choose to stand by ourselves in knowing that our hearts will guide us and we rest assured in knowing we deserve to live life to the fullest and we deserve to truly love and be loved.
So if what we give is what we get, it makes sense for us to genuinely ask ourselves the following questions:
“What am I giving?”, “What am I REALLY giving?”, “What am I creating?”, “What am I putting out there?”, “How am I making a difference in other people’s lives?”, “Do I have a positive effect on the people I love?” “Am I open, loving and thankful as a human being?”
Whoever comes from an open, loving and thankful heart has a positive effect on other people even when they are not intentionally trying to do so. An open, loving and thankful person receives back what they put out, both from other people and from the Universe. Loving people are loved.
Our Creator designed us to be open, loving and thankful. It is our true nature and how we are intended to be. Jesus preached love and forgiveness. We all know this yet we sometimes find ourselves moving far, far away from exactly what it is we want most in our lives and are craving so desperately in our hearts and in our spirits.
You are here to love and be loved! You would not want to deny yourself of that experience, and you can quite easily have just this, yet only the first part is within your control. So how can YOU be an even more loving person?
You can start by getting real with what it is that you are REALLY putting out there.
You can ask yourself; “How can I express more acceptance, understanding, love, affection, gratitude and forgiveness to other people?”, “How can I be more godly in my thoughts, actions and in my being?”
If you are not feeling as loved as you would want to feel and not being as expressive of love as you would like to be, then you can change the little glitch in the system… you can elevate your spirit and reprogram the mind-computer:) and create balance and harmony in your life.
As a reprogramming exercise you can repeat to yourself, over and over again, until it becomes “ingrained” in your mind as a natural way of being, day after day until you truly feel it in your heart and in your soul;
I am open, loving and thankful
I am open, loving and thankful
I am open, loving and thankful
I am open, loving and thankful
I am open, loving and thankful…
If you want it – you have to give it!
If you give it – you will get it!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Fake it till you make it!
Many years ago when I was a quiet and reserved girl in college, my girlfriend suggested we’d sign up for the theater together. Something in me sparked by that suggestion and as outrageous as that felt for someone who was as afraid of judgment as I was, I simply knew I had to do it. It is amazing how your spirit has a way of guiding you in the right direction.
Our director was wonderful; a young and enthusiastic actor who showed up with passion and power for two whole semesters and picked out a challenging play for us to perform; Shakespeare’s Midsummer’s Night Dream.
On one of our first nights with him he used a common phrase; “you just have to fake it till you make it”. Man, did that one simple line resonate with me or what!? It pretty much became a mantra of mine for the next few years. I was definitely not comfortable with being in the “spotlight” in any way and feared even the thought of people judging me. Yet, that night I had a major light-bulb moment in realizing that nobody else actually knew this about me, meaning I could simply “act” as if being on stage and acting came easy to me. It sounded so simple, really. All I had to do was fake it!
I must admit that I did not show any remarkable acting skills playing Queen Titania, as I had a hard time stepping out of my self-consciousness, but the experience helped the ‘Real Me’ peak out of her shell a little bit even though only for a few seconds at a time. My choice to sign up for the school’s theater was definitely instrumental in my life and taught me new things about myself, such as that there were things I could do that I might think I couldn’t do. Whenever we step out of our comfort zones we tend to surprise ourselves with our own strength and courage which helps us gain more confidence for future challenges.
Later, I even jumped on the opportunity to participate in beauty pageants which felt somewhat “wrong” and outrageous at the time, and still later I decided to take some classes in public speaking to get more comfortable with speaking in front of people.
The girl that once clung on to her own few friends at parties and usually kept her head down to avoid having to make eye-contact, often counting the lines in the pavement, had surely faked her way towards appearing somewhat at ease in front of groups of people. Who would have thought she could do that?! Yet, nobody really knew that this wasn’t at all that easy for me. It is not as if I ever acted as if it was all that hard. I sort of kept that part to myself because in a way I was embarrassed for not having more confidence and for having so much self-doubt and fear in me.
The good thing is that I ended up being so good at faking it that eventually I fooled even myself and developed a new persona. In a way, faking it had caused me to make it! I really had become more comfortable with being in front of people; I was actually able to talk to groups of them and present my designs and my thoughts and ideas fully knowing I would get responses and even judgments, and that I might have to defend (or at least clarify) my creations and my perspective.
So, even though I purposely "force" myself to practice the art of simply being myself and I preach that same message to others, a part of me will always be the insecure little girl that once lived in a subsidized housing complex, and was embarrassed about who she was and where she came from. But, that part of me is the “old me”. The “old me” was brave enough to fake her way to become “the new me”, a designer, business consultant, life coach, writer and blogger, openly sharing intimate details about herself with no specific fear or remorse.
One day, I hope the “new me” will have become the “old me” as I will have taken even more steps towards being the absolute Real Me.
Perhaps the next time YOU hear that “old you” saying things such as; you can’t do something, or that you’re too shy, or not good enough, or don’t know how, or are too afraid, and what would people think?!, and so on and so forth, why not just disregard that voice altogether and choose to fake your way towards creating a “new you”? One who in essence is the “Real YOU”, who's just waiting for you to finally let YOU come out and play! It may not be easy at first; it may feel unreal, and even forced, and scary but know that with commitment, practice and repetition you are destined to get to where it is you want to go. All you have to do is let go of your fears. You may at first have to completely fake your way towards fearlessness, but rest assured in knowing that by faking it you are destined to make it!
Our director was wonderful; a young and enthusiastic actor who showed up with passion and power for two whole semesters and picked out a challenging play for us to perform; Shakespeare’s Midsummer’s Night Dream.
On one of our first nights with him he used a common phrase; “you just have to fake it till you make it”. Man, did that one simple line resonate with me or what!? It pretty much became a mantra of mine for the next few years. I was definitely not comfortable with being in the “spotlight” in any way and feared even the thought of people judging me. Yet, that night I had a major light-bulb moment in realizing that nobody else actually knew this about me, meaning I could simply “act” as if being on stage and acting came easy to me. It sounded so simple, really. All I had to do was fake it!
I must admit that I did not show any remarkable acting skills playing Queen Titania, as I had a hard time stepping out of my self-consciousness, but the experience helped the ‘Real Me’ peak out of her shell a little bit even though only for a few seconds at a time. My choice to sign up for the school’s theater was definitely instrumental in my life and taught me new things about myself, such as that there were things I could do that I might think I couldn’t do. Whenever we step out of our comfort zones we tend to surprise ourselves with our own strength and courage which helps us gain more confidence for future challenges.
Later, I even jumped on the opportunity to participate in beauty pageants which felt somewhat “wrong” and outrageous at the time, and still later I decided to take some classes in public speaking to get more comfortable with speaking in front of people.
The girl that once clung on to her own few friends at parties and usually kept her head down to avoid having to make eye-contact, often counting the lines in the pavement, had surely faked her way towards appearing somewhat at ease in front of groups of people. Who would have thought she could do that?! Yet, nobody really knew that this wasn’t at all that easy for me. It is not as if I ever acted as if it was all that hard. I sort of kept that part to myself because in a way I was embarrassed for not having more confidence and for having so much self-doubt and fear in me.
The good thing is that I ended up being so good at faking it that eventually I fooled even myself and developed a new persona. In a way, faking it had caused me to make it! I really had become more comfortable with being in front of people; I was actually able to talk to groups of them and present my designs and my thoughts and ideas fully knowing I would get responses and even judgments, and that I might have to defend (or at least clarify) my creations and my perspective.
So, even though I purposely "force" myself to practice the art of simply being myself and I preach that same message to others, a part of me will always be the insecure little girl that once lived in a subsidized housing complex, and was embarrassed about who she was and where she came from. But, that part of me is the “old me”. The “old me” was brave enough to fake her way to become “the new me”, a designer, business consultant, life coach, writer and blogger, openly sharing intimate details about herself with no specific fear or remorse.
One day, I hope the “new me” will have become the “old me” as I will have taken even more steps towards being the absolute Real Me.
Perhaps the next time YOU hear that “old you” saying things such as; you can’t do something, or that you’re too shy, or not good enough, or don’t know how, or are too afraid, and what would people think?!, and so on and so forth, why not just disregard that voice altogether and choose to fake your way towards creating a “new you”? One who in essence is the “Real YOU”, who's just waiting for you to finally let YOU come out and play! It may not be easy at first; it may feel unreal, and even forced, and scary but know that with commitment, practice and repetition you are destined to get to where it is you want to go. All you have to do is let go of your fears. You may at first have to completely fake your way towards fearlessness, but rest assured in knowing that by faking it you are destined to make it!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The POWER of Money...
As a service professional I found it interesting to discover that aside from our necessities (home, car and monthly groceries) our home’s lucid financial output goes to service industries, and I definitely would not want it any other way. I have been repulsed by mass consumption for too many years, so to actually get to be alive and witness that era come to an end and see it dwindling down is pure bliss for me. Why fear the state of the “current” economy? I was literally terrified of the “old” economy, the one we lived in 2007, merely two years ago.
The inevitable outcome of our mass consuming ways would surely be the utter completion of our natural resources, and if nothing would have stopped the shopaholics in their tracks, we were headed for disaster faster than we could have imagined. To me this felt like watching a train wreck in the making and wanting to desperately to slow down time so you can come up with some sort of a plan. The beauty of Creation is that the Universe has a way of taking care of itself. A house of cards, built on greed and ignorance is sure to come tumbling down, eventually. The international financial recession is the greatest blessing our future generations could have been given. It was as necessary as can be for the mass-consumption ideology to hit a major roadblock and for us, who are out to change the world to be given a platform from which to come up with a plan for creating a fresh and more sustainable world order.
Happiness can not be found inside of a handbag, shoes or designer jeans… although I do admit that all those things of man-created beauty do have their unique appeal:)… but who needs to have 10 pairs of jeans or designer bags, let alone 20 or, 40 or 100!? Contrary to what we all have been seeing on TV for years and years, happiness is not about getting and having stuff! You can NOT find it by acquiring more and more pointless and eventually useless junk! Yet, this is what the entire western world was lead to believe by large scale corporations and their ingenious marketers.
Capitalism in its old and traditional form is dead! It will never again be as it once was. Our future transactions will more likely be about investing in each other’s services than investing in meaningless, and inevitably deteriorating, materialistic things, and hence depleting our planet of its beauty and splendor. Now, isn’t that great!? I mean, who wants their life to be about materialism and consumption anyway? Isn’t there much more to it than that?! And, isn’t it time we all found out!?
Now, I must say, that a certain level of happiness can be found by using money as the positive and creative energy that it can be. Immense happiness can be found by making a difference in the world, by supporting a good cause, by giving to others, to strangers, family and friends, and giving to yourself when you take care of you, body, mind and spirit and do what you love doing. And, once again, for the record, taking care of you is NOT about buying you some more stuff.
How you use money affects the world we live in, and creates the world our children will inherit. Money is energy and POWER so set your priorities straight and get conscious with what you are creating each and every time you choose to make a transaction. You truly hold the power to shape the world.
I would much rather pay someone $100 to give me a healing massage that heals my body, mind and spirit, than buy a new piece of clothing that is destined to end up in a landfill.
I would much rather pay someone $1000 to teach me a new skill and mindset that will help me live a fuller life and be of greater service to others than buy a fancy designer handbag to add to yet another landfill.
I would much rather spend $400 more a month on ethical and organic food than support corrupt corporations that do not care about the health of their consumers.
I would much rather give Unicef $5000 and help educate and feed hundreds of beautiful children than get a tummy tuck to soothe my ego’s vanity.
I would much rather buy a small, sustainably designed house that minimizes our environmental impact than invest in a large, wastefully designed McMansion for the same price.
Now, what would YOU like to do with your money and how do YOU use the creative power it holds? If every transaction you make helps shape the world… what kind of a world are you creating? YOU are, and always will be the POWERFUL CREATOR of YOUR REALITY! Now, go get creative with the way you use money...
The inevitable outcome of our mass consuming ways would surely be the utter completion of our natural resources, and if nothing would have stopped the shopaholics in their tracks, we were headed for disaster faster than we could have imagined. To me this felt like watching a train wreck in the making and wanting to desperately to slow down time so you can come up with some sort of a plan. The beauty of Creation is that the Universe has a way of taking care of itself. A house of cards, built on greed and ignorance is sure to come tumbling down, eventually. The international financial recession is the greatest blessing our future generations could have been given. It was as necessary as can be for the mass-consumption ideology to hit a major roadblock and for us, who are out to change the world to be given a platform from which to come up with a plan for creating a fresh and more sustainable world order.
Happiness can not be found inside of a handbag, shoes or designer jeans… although I do admit that all those things of man-created beauty do have their unique appeal:)… but who needs to have 10 pairs of jeans or designer bags, let alone 20 or, 40 or 100!? Contrary to what we all have been seeing on TV for years and years, happiness is not about getting and having stuff! You can NOT find it by acquiring more and more pointless and eventually useless junk! Yet, this is what the entire western world was lead to believe by large scale corporations and their ingenious marketers.
Capitalism in its old and traditional form is dead! It will never again be as it once was. Our future transactions will more likely be about investing in each other’s services than investing in meaningless, and inevitably deteriorating, materialistic things, and hence depleting our planet of its beauty and splendor. Now, isn’t that great!? I mean, who wants their life to be about materialism and consumption anyway? Isn’t there much more to it than that?! And, isn’t it time we all found out!?
Now, I must say, that a certain level of happiness can be found by using money as the positive and creative energy that it can be. Immense happiness can be found by making a difference in the world, by supporting a good cause, by giving to others, to strangers, family and friends, and giving to yourself when you take care of you, body, mind and spirit and do what you love doing. And, once again, for the record, taking care of you is NOT about buying you some more stuff.
How you use money affects the world we live in, and creates the world our children will inherit. Money is energy and POWER so set your priorities straight and get conscious with what you are creating each and every time you choose to make a transaction. You truly hold the power to shape the world.
I would much rather pay someone $100 to give me a healing massage that heals my body, mind and spirit, than buy a new piece of clothing that is destined to end up in a landfill.
I would much rather pay someone $1000 to teach me a new skill and mindset that will help me live a fuller life and be of greater service to others than buy a fancy designer handbag to add to yet another landfill.
I would much rather spend $400 more a month on ethical and organic food than support corrupt corporations that do not care about the health of their consumers.
I would much rather give Unicef $5000 and help educate and feed hundreds of beautiful children than get a tummy tuck to soothe my ego’s vanity.
I would much rather buy a small, sustainably designed house that minimizes our environmental impact than invest in a large, wastefully designed McMansion for the same price.
Now, what would YOU like to do with your money and how do YOU use the creative power it holds? If every transaction you make helps shape the world… what kind of a world are you creating? YOU are, and always will be the POWERFUL CREATOR of YOUR REALITY! Now, go get creative with the way you use money...
Friday, September 25, 2009
Where do YOU want to go from here?
I once heard a wise person state that human beings are always in one of three situations; headed for a crisis, in a crisis or coming out of a crisis. Which one of those three they choose to belong to is a matter of personal choice...
Life brings us many roadblocks and crossroads, which in the moment they appear, may seem “bad” or limiting. Yet, each one is a gift to you… but only if you choose to accept it.
When something we are striving for is not manifesting it gives us an opportunity to reflect on our true motives and get more focused, authentic and creative with our efforts. When we are facing a crossroad, whether in our professional or personal lives, we are being presented with an opportunity to ask ourselves the most magnificent question; “Where do I want to go from here?”
This is a question asked by Spirit and it creates new awareness and allows creativity and motion to freely follow.
When we put things on the table and shine light on the issues that have been holding us back in life, we are truly creating something astonishing. Not only are we voluntarily facing our crossroad but we are courageously contributing to it and creating a set-point for a new beginning. It means we are ready to get REAL with ourselves and with the people in our lives and boldly face the BIG questions; “Where do I want to go from here?”… “What do I want in my life?”… “Who do I want to BE?”
Allow yourselve time to ponder those three questions and let them rest in your mind and spirit for a few days. Then, you can sit down with them and let the answers come out in writing. When you ask… the answer will appear. When the answer appears… the blueprint for your life starts falling into place.
Life brings us many roadblocks and crossroads, which in the moment they appear, may seem “bad” or limiting. Yet, each one is a gift to you… but only if you choose to accept it.
When something we are striving for is not manifesting it gives us an opportunity to reflect on our true motives and get more focused, authentic and creative with our efforts. When we are facing a crossroad, whether in our professional or personal lives, we are being presented with an opportunity to ask ourselves the most magnificent question; “Where do I want to go from here?”
This is a question asked by Spirit and it creates new awareness and allows creativity and motion to freely follow.
When we put things on the table and shine light on the issues that have been holding us back in life, we are truly creating something astonishing. Not only are we voluntarily facing our crossroad but we are courageously contributing to it and creating a set-point for a new beginning. It means we are ready to get REAL with ourselves and with the people in our lives and boldly face the BIG questions; “Where do I want to go from here?”… “What do I want in my life?”… “Who do I want to BE?”
Allow yourselve time to ponder those three questions and let them rest in your mind and spirit for a few days. Then, you can sit down with them and let the answers come out in writing. When you ask… the answer will appear. When the answer appears… the blueprint for your life starts falling into place.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Seven steps to rekindling and creating an open and loving relationship
1. Recommit to it wholeheartedly! You must decide that you truly want your relationship to work.
2. Reflect back on the things that made you fall in love with your spouse in the first place. If either of you have changed then look for qualities in your spouse that you are still attracted to, and acknowledge the great aspects that came into light later.
3. Be completely honest with your spouse. Let him or her know what you are feeling and thinking. If you have concerns in your life and/or about your relationship, share those concerns in an open and loving manner.
4. Communicate, communicate, communicate!!! Do not accuse, threaten or nit-pick. Those are wedges that will drive the strongest of relationships apart. Lack of communication is the reason relationships get stuck or start sliding backwards.
5. LISTEN! A solid relationship needs both partners to express themselves but more importantly to HEAR and understand what the other one is saying on a variety of subjects, without fear of judgment, rejection or being put down. Let the other person speak out before you read into what they are saying or give a response, and do not get stuck on single words or phrases and nit-pick on how the message is phrased or delivered. You can always ask for clarifications later and do so in an open and loving manner.
6. Change YOU & not your spouse. Accept that you cannot change your spouse, and realize that you do not have to wait for your spouse to change before you can start making changes for the better. Commit to practice the art of love and giving your relationship and your spouse truly focused time and attention. Put yourself in a loving frame of mind and say to yourself on a regular basis (and definitely prior to and during your communications with your spouse); I am open, loving and thankful.
7. Share YOU! Make yourself genuinely available to communicate and be intimate with your spouse and love and honor your relationship. Give your spouse what s/he wants the most; YOU! Share your story, your thoughts, fears, dreams, secrets, and hopes for the future. Your spouse is the one to whom you gave the key to your heart, but that heart can only be shared by your words and actions. The more we give of ourselves the stronger the bond between you gets and the more intimate and fulfilling the relationship becomes. All you have to do is give…
2. Reflect back on the things that made you fall in love with your spouse in the first place. If either of you have changed then look for qualities in your spouse that you are still attracted to, and acknowledge the great aspects that came into light later.
3. Be completely honest with your spouse. Let him or her know what you are feeling and thinking. If you have concerns in your life and/or about your relationship, share those concerns in an open and loving manner.
4. Communicate, communicate, communicate!!! Do not accuse, threaten or nit-pick. Those are wedges that will drive the strongest of relationships apart. Lack of communication is the reason relationships get stuck or start sliding backwards.
5. LISTEN! A solid relationship needs both partners to express themselves but more importantly to HEAR and understand what the other one is saying on a variety of subjects, without fear of judgment, rejection or being put down. Let the other person speak out before you read into what they are saying or give a response, and do not get stuck on single words or phrases and nit-pick on how the message is phrased or delivered. You can always ask for clarifications later and do so in an open and loving manner.
6. Change YOU & not your spouse. Accept that you cannot change your spouse, and realize that you do not have to wait for your spouse to change before you can start making changes for the better. Commit to practice the art of love and giving your relationship and your spouse truly focused time and attention. Put yourself in a loving frame of mind and say to yourself on a regular basis (and definitely prior to and during your communications with your spouse); I am open, loving and thankful.
7. Share YOU! Make yourself genuinely available to communicate and be intimate with your spouse and love and honor your relationship. Give your spouse what s/he wants the most; YOU! Share your story, your thoughts, fears, dreams, secrets, and hopes for the future. Your spouse is the one to whom you gave the key to your heart, but that heart can only be shared by your words and actions. The more we give of ourselves the stronger the bond between you gets and the more intimate and fulfilling the relationship becomes. All you have to do is give…
Friday, September 11, 2009
Taking Responsibility
The time comes in everyone’s life that we have to face the music and realize that, whether we like it or not, we ourselves are creating our reality. When we keep doing the same thing over and over again we can be considered mad to expect different results. When we keep making excuses and blame other people and external factors for the eventual outcome of something, then we are not only failing to take responsibility of our lives, but we are selling ourselves short and demonstrating a character trait common in people who fail to succeed in anything.
By accepting responsibility, we are giving the power back to us and shaping the outcome ourselves. We start creating versus reacting. You are and always will be the Powerful Creator of your Reality whether you are conscious of it or not. So it makes sense to ask ourselves; what is it that I am choosing to create?
It is only when you accept that everything you are or will be is up to you, that you will become skilled at ridding yourself of the unconstructiveness of excuse making. We all have free will, and this you know because this free will of yours, you exercise quite freely by doing what you actually “want” to be doing:) Your 'free will' means that you are fully responsible for all of your successes and failures and you are responsible for your own happiness or unhappiness.
This may feel like an enormous responsibility but in reality this is the exact blessing we are given to live out our human existence. When you truly choose to accept responsibility for the outcome of your life, both personally and professionally, you start to feel your power and you can even start playing this fun “game” with the choices you make because when you are present and deliberate in your choices there is virtually nothing that you cannot achieve and accomplish. YOU are the key for YOU to reach your ultimate goals. How exciting is that?! So why would you not want to have fun with that creative power of yours? Why would you not want to accept it and own it!?
Sometimes, we do not go for IT because we paralyze ourselves with fear of failure. Nobody likes to fail and nobody likes to be seen failing so we may make goals but then we create excuses and fill up a bag of “why’s” in case we do not succeed. We blame this or that, this person, that friend of mine, that client, my partner, my spouse, that enabler, this party, that game, that stress, that type of a week… and so on and so forth.
Yet, the truth is that the more responsibility you take, the more in control you are and the more control you have.. and the more likely you are to reach your goals.
Accepting responsibility for everything that happens in your life helps you find your answers and discover solutions more quickly, and in accepting responsibility you accept a willingness to develop your character, and in doing that the stronger you become as a person and your life is destined to become the life you always wanted to live.
Taking responsibility for your actions equals SUCCESS!
Are you ready to accept full responsibility?
By accepting responsibility, we are giving the power back to us and shaping the outcome ourselves. We start creating versus reacting. You are and always will be the Powerful Creator of your Reality whether you are conscious of it or not. So it makes sense to ask ourselves; what is it that I am choosing to create?
It is only when you accept that everything you are or will be is up to you, that you will become skilled at ridding yourself of the unconstructiveness of excuse making. We all have free will, and this you know because this free will of yours, you exercise quite freely by doing what you actually “want” to be doing:) Your 'free will' means that you are fully responsible for all of your successes and failures and you are responsible for your own happiness or unhappiness.
This may feel like an enormous responsibility but in reality this is the exact blessing we are given to live out our human existence. When you truly choose to accept responsibility for the outcome of your life, both personally and professionally, you start to feel your power and you can even start playing this fun “game” with the choices you make because when you are present and deliberate in your choices there is virtually nothing that you cannot achieve and accomplish. YOU are the key for YOU to reach your ultimate goals. How exciting is that?! So why would you not want to have fun with that creative power of yours? Why would you not want to accept it and own it!?
Sometimes, we do not go for IT because we paralyze ourselves with fear of failure. Nobody likes to fail and nobody likes to be seen failing so we may make goals but then we create excuses and fill up a bag of “why’s” in case we do not succeed. We blame this or that, this person, that friend of mine, that client, my partner, my spouse, that enabler, this party, that game, that stress, that type of a week… and so on and so forth.
Yet, the truth is that the more responsibility you take, the more in control you are and the more control you have.. and the more likely you are to reach your goals.
Accepting responsibility for everything that happens in your life helps you find your answers and discover solutions more quickly, and in accepting responsibility you accept a willingness to develop your character, and in doing that the stronger you become as a person and your life is destined to become the life you always wanted to live.
Taking responsibility for your actions equals SUCCESS!
Are you ready to accept full responsibility?
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Be + Do = Have
There is no need to wait on HAVING what it takes before you can DO what you want to DO and BE who you are meant to BE.
BE who you are!
DO what you love doing.
And HAVE the life you want to live.
This is a great video with a great message... Watch and feel your inner creativity rise!
BE who you are!
DO what you love doing.
And HAVE the life you want to live.
This is a great video with a great message... Watch and feel your inner creativity rise!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Living and Manifesting your Values
Within you lives the roadmap to your dreams. It comes to light in all the small things that you often take for granted, it lies in the collection of your deepest beliefs and values.
Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you truly lived your values? What would it be like to not sweat about the big picture but instead clearly see and honor the small things? Have you ever asked your higher self what it is that is most important to you, what you truly value?
When we get real with our values it is so much easier to not sweat about the stuff that really does not matter that much, the actual small stuff that we repeatedly mistake for the big and important stuff. What would it be like to live without the endless mind chatter, shallow and superficial dreams, competition and eternal longing for external validation? What we usually think of as the small stuff is the actual big stuff!
To get some clarity on this topic, why not list out the things/topics that are truly important to you; your REAL and genuine values related to what kind of a human being you really are and would want to be. It does not matter whether you are currently living by those values or not. Just list them out. Then move on to answering the following 5 questions.
Five important questions to ask your higher SELF:
1. If you were always true to your true values, what would your life be like?
2. What kind of a person would you be?
3. What would you be teaching your children?
4. What would you want to leave behind for future generations of mankind?
5. What, to you, would be a truly valuable life and a life well lived?
An example of value statements:
I value all of life.
I believe in the pursuit of happiness.
In order to truly love others, you have to first love yourself.
Honor your family and all of your relationships and genuinely love your children.
Respect, love and honor your planet.
Be a positive role model for your children, and teach them well.
Lead by example, and lead in love.
List out the values that come to mind and genuinely resonate with you and get real with how many of them you are actually living by. The ones you are not living by can help explain any imbalance you may experience in your life.
There is ALWAYS room for improvement and nobody has to be 100%, one hundred percent of the time but getting real with what it is that you value will show you the way and help you manifest your true self.
Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you truly lived your values? What would it be like to not sweat about the big picture but instead clearly see and honor the small things? Have you ever asked your higher self what it is that is most important to you, what you truly value?
When we get real with our values it is so much easier to not sweat about the stuff that really does not matter that much, the actual small stuff that we repeatedly mistake for the big and important stuff. What would it be like to live without the endless mind chatter, shallow and superficial dreams, competition and eternal longing for external validation? What we usually think of as the small stuff is the actual big stuff!
To get some clarity on this topic, why not list out the things/topics that are truly important to you; your REAL and genuine values related to what kind of a human being you really are and would want to be. It does not matter whether you are currently living by those values or not. Just list them out. Then move on to answering the following 5 questions.
Five important questions to ask your higher SELF:
1. If you were always true to your true values, what would your life be like?
2. What kind of a person would you be?
3. What would you be teaching your children?
4. What would you want to leave behind for future generations of mankind?
5. What, to you, would be a truly valuable life and a life well lived?
An example of value statements:
I value all of life.
I believe in the pursuit of happiness.
In order to truly love others, you have to first love yourself.
Honor your family and all of your relationships and genuinely love your children.
Respect, love and honor your planet.
Be a positive role model for your children, and teach them well.
Lead by example, and lead in love.
List out the values that come to mind and genuinely resonate with you and get real with how many of them you are actually living by. The ones you are not living by can help explain any imbalance you may experience in your life.
There is ALWAYS room for improvement and nobody has to be 100%, one hundred percent of the time but getting real with what it is that you value will show you the way and help you manifest your true self.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
What is the reason for you being YOU?
There is a reason for you being YOU. There is a reason your life has been the way it has been. There is a magnificent escalation to your life’s story. There is a reason you are where you are at in this very moment.
Life is about discovering and being your TRUE self. It is about your creativity. It is about who you are. It is about who you are being and becoming. It is about the gift that YOU have to give.
Perhaps it is time you ask yourself: What is the reason for me being ME? What do I want to create? What can I contribute?
Life is about discovering and being your TRUE self. It is about your creativity. It is about who you are. It is about who you are being and becoming. It is about the gift that YOU have to give.
Perhaps it is time you ask yourself: What is the reason for me being ME? What do I want to create? What can I contribute?
Friday, August 28, 2009
Hitting the START-button!
You might say that I have been in a bit of a funk lately... I have not been feeling very inspired as for what to write about. A writer’s block sounds odd to someone like me, who usually has a harder time shutting my brain off and my mouth up!
Then it hit me… stop waiting around for inspiration to hit you and just friggin’ START!
So here it is… a little experiment on this START-ing theory since at this starting point, I only have the vaguest idea of what it is that I am meant to share today…
I wonder how many things people put off because they are just not "feeling it" at the moment or feeling they do not yet have what it takes to get something done. How much time and effort is spent on gathering resources, doing research, reading books, and searching for inspiration and motivation when all that is really required is the simple effort of beginning?
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”… the only real effort towards propelling yourself forward in life and in creating anything really, whatever that may be… is choosing to hit your own START button!
Who cares if you do not exactly know where you are going? Who cares if you do not have the perfect roadmap, the exact plan, a thorough outline, or the final blueprint? Even the perfect plan was imperfect in the beginning, starting with a single line or a sentence; perhaps a statement of a dream!
I have learned that all successful people have one thing in common; they value active CREATION over active imagination… So they do not just sit around and think things over and over… they actually act on their ideas! Even when they have no idea on how to actually get something finished. If you do not start somewhere, you are essentially going nowhere... Sometimes it is just about starting, letting go and trusting your inner roadmap.
Within all of us lies the roadmap that takes us to our dreams. My dream life is pretty much the life I am living, coaching a few clients at a time, helping them (and me) grow and evolve in life, then spending the rest of my time loving and nurturing my beautiful family and doing what I love doing, one being the act of writing. Now, this is what we can call a statement of my dream life! But, in order to live that dream life I can’t spend my days thinking it over and over, waiting for inspiration to hit me… I have to actually create it… just start and trust that I will find my way because what I am seeking is already seeking me...
Is there anything that YOU want to create in your life that you are not creating as of now? Are there topics and things you keep exploring, researching, and gathering resources for but have yet to do and take into ACTION mode? Perhaps it is time for YOU to take out that pen and paper and see what comes out when you allow your body to be a tool for your higher self. What occurs when you express your true self’s desires… What answers show up to the questions: What do I want to CREATE in life? And, What is my dream life?
Your inner roadmap is in place, you were born with it, and the only time you truly feel lost is when you are simply not moving at all!
To find the inspiration to truly move forwards; start dreaming!
When your dream is clear to you it can be quite easy to hit that START-button even though you still may not know all the How To's. Just take that first step and... go for it!
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” ~ Goethe
And, herein, ends this experiment on what it is like to hit the START button without having a set plan in place... and LOOK!! I just completed a posting:)
Then it hit me… stop waiting around for inspiration to hit you and just friggin’ START!
So here it is… a little experiment on this START-ing theory since at this starting point, I only have the vaguest idea of what it is that I am meant to share today…
I wonder how many things people put off because they are just not "feeling it" at the moment or feeling they do not yet have what it takes to get something done. How much time and effort is spent on gathering resources, doing research, reading books, and searching for inspiration and motivation when all that is really required is the simple effort of beginning?
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”… the only real effort towards propelling yourself forward in life and in creating anything really, whatever that may be… is choosing to hit your own START button!
Who cares if you do not exactly know where you are going? Who cares if you do not have the perfect roadmap, the exact plan, a thorough outline, or the final blueprint? Even the perfect plan was imperfect in the beginning, starting with a single line or a sentence; perhaps a statement of a dream!
I have learned that all successful people have one thing in common; they value active CREATION over active imagination… So they do not just sit around and think things over and over… they actually act on their ideas! Even when they have no idea on how to actually get something finished. If you do not start somewhere, you are essentially going nowhere... Sometimes it is just about starting, letting go and trusting your inner roadmap.
Within all of us lies the roadmap that takes us to our dreams. My dream life is pretty much the life I am living, coaching a few clients at a time, helping them (and me) grow and evolve in life, then spending the rest of my time loving and nurturing my beautiful family and doing what I love doing, one being the act of writing. Now, this is what we can call a statement of my dream life! But, in order to live that dream life I can’t spend my days thinking it over and over, waiting for inspiration to hit me… I have to actually create it… just start and trust that I will find my way because what I am seeking is already seeking me...
Is there anything that YOU want to create in your life that you are not creating as of now? Are there topics and things you keep exploring, researching, and gathering resources for but have yet to do and take into ACTION mode? Perhaps it is time for YOU to take out that pen and paper and see what comes out when you allow your body to be a tool for your higher self. What occurs when you express your true self’s desires… What answers show up to the questions: What do I want to CREATE in life? And, What is my dream life?
Your inner roadmap is in place, you were born with it, and the only time you truly feel lost is when you are simply not moving at all!
To find the inspiration to truly move forwards; start dreaming!
When your dream is clear to you it can be quite easy to hit that START-button even though you still may not know all the How To's. Just take that first step and... go for it!
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” ~ Goethe
And, herein, ends this experiment on what it is like to hit the START button without having a set plan in place... and LOOK!! I just completed a posting:)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Time for Change?
Maybe it is that subtle, little voice in your head or that feeling of being drained and exhausted all the time. Sometimes it is that uncomfortable sensation of something crawling up your spine or perhaps a knot in your stomach. Whatever the clue may be, something in you clearly knows that things are not “right”! Something is out of balance. You are out of balance. It is time for a change!
Whether the urge for change is related to a specific something or to some kind of “something”, you just know... it is time! Something has to change... starting NOW!
Albert Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results”. Given that definition we have probably all had moments of insanity in our lives. Within us may rest all kinds of fears and resistance to changes. We may think that we will feel safe and secure if everything stays the same, but that brings out even more fears since we cannot resist change… change is constant and never-ending! Looking back just a few years we can most definitely list out countless things that have changed in our lives and in our world. So as far as I can tell, we can either choose to embrace change, flow with it, learn from it and help create it or we can keep beating our heads up against a wall…
What in YOUR life is due for a change? What factors are up for reexamination? What is due for an upgrade… and what can you do without all together? What is it that you keep doing over and over again… only to be getting the same (undesired) results? The real question is; “How long are you going to be beating your head up against a wall before you realize that it hurts like hell!?”
It may take a long time for someone to acknowledge and even realize that “something” has to change, and that it is time to embrace the process of change. It is time to let go of some things, destructive thoughts and behaviors and/or the need for control. It is time to let go, let loose, go out there and do something different, constructive, new and exciting… and in return inviting something different, constructive, new and exciting into your life!
It may take years to get to this point in time where you know and feel that you are ready for change! You are done beating your head up against a wall. You are done with fear, resistance and suffering… You are done being the one that keeps holding yourself back… You are just DONE! You are ready to surrender, ready to let go… and flow with it…
The blessing is that once the “awakening” has occurred, the change itself can happen in an instant! It can be as sudden as the flip of a coin… but first you have to get REAL with it!
So, what is it that you want to change in your life? What new reality do you want to create for yourself?
Ghandi's famous saying goes, “Be the change you want to see in the world”...
Be the change and you create the change!
Whether the urge for change is related to a specific something or to some kind of “something”, you just know... it is time! Something has to change... starting NOW!
Albert Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results”. Given that definition we have probably all had moments of insanity in our lives. Within us may rest all kinds of fears and resistance to changes. We may think that we will feel safe and secure if everything stays the same, but that brings out even more fears since we cannot resist change… change is constant and never-ending! Looking back just a few years we can most definitely list out countless things that have changed in our lives and in our world. So as far as I can tell, we can either choose to embrace change, flow with it, learn from it and help create it or we can keep beating our heads up against a wall…
What in YOUR life is due for a change? What factors are up for reexamination? What is due for an upgrade… and what can you do without all together? What is it that you keep doing over and over again… only to be getting the same (undesired) results? The real question is; “How long are you going to be beating your head up against a wall before you realize that it hurts like hell!?”
It may take a long time for someone to acknowledge and even realize that “something” has to change, and that it is time to embrace the process of change. It is time to let go of some things, destructive thoughts and behaviors and/or the need for control. It is time to let go, let loose, go out there and do something different, constructive, new and exciting… and in return inviting something different, constructive, new and exciting into your life!
It may take years to get to this point in time where you know and feel that you are ready for change! You are done beating your head up against a wall. You are done with fear, resistance and suffering… You are done being the one that keeps holding yourself back… You are just DONE! You are ready to surrender, ready to let go… and flow with it…
The blessing is that once the “awakening” has occurred, the change itself can happen in an instant! It can be as sudden as the flip of a coin… but first you have to get REAL with it!
So, what is it that you want to change in your life? What new reality do you want to create for yourself?
Ghandi's famous saying goes, “Be the change you want to see in the world”...
Be the change and you create the change!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
What ever happened to REAL beauty?
This is some of the best social advertising on this topic.
Our perception of beauty has been grossly distorted through constant adjustments and manipulations. There is nothing beautiful about being fake… be a REAL beauty!
Our perception of beauty has been grossly distorted through constant adjustments and manipulations. There is nothing beautiful about being fake… be a REAL beauty!
Monday, August 17, 2009
I am perfect!
Or maybe not? There are things I do that I should not do, there are things I consume that I should not consume and there are things I say, that I should not say. That’s me! There is a yin in every yang. Like I tell my clients; nobody can be one hundred percent, one hundred percent of the time. Trying to be perfect all the time is actually a pretty solid recipe for failure. It makes more sense to find a balance you can live with, and a balance you are proud of, and feel good about. Then all you have to do is stick with it!
I go by what I call the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of the time I am at my best behavior and then I have the flexibility to allow myself 20 percent indulgence. If I eat 80% healthy 80% of the time, I feel great. If no more than 20% of my consumption is indulgence such as coffee, toast and chocolate, I feel content and not deprived of anything. Every now and then I like to up my antics when it comes to my diet, health and lifestyle, and raise the bar to 90/10, and occasionally to 100%. One hundred percent is what is required if you get on a detox program, which is great for your health yet only realistic as a lifestyle change when it is a shorter term commitment, and you can see a light at the end of that tunnel:)
When at work, I am content with being 80 percent productive and 20 percent indulgent. It makes work so much more fun when I also create time to goof off on the internet, read the news, do research, take a break with a book, call a friend and listen to music. These are some of the wonderful perks I get from working for myself. Plus, the 20% indulgence time is what usually provides me with much of the inspiration I receive for wanting to create something so it makes the 80% productive time, even more productive. For me, 80/20 is a good balance. It is actually so good, that it is pretty much perfect!
So let’s talk about this notion of perfection. Who decided what constitutes the idea of being perfect? Who made the rule that you have to be 100% all of the time? I mean, isn’t it you that creates the rules for your life! People, who are obsessed with being perfect, suffer, because they repeatedly tell themselves that they are not good enough. So who created the standards that you go by? Was it your parents, your friends, family members, society, and popular culture? Do you feel like you have repeatedly received the message that you are not good enough!?
It is worthwhile to ask yourself where your thoughts are coming from, and where and how the filter from which you view the world was created. Because when you think about it, you may be living in an old story of what perfection really is. You may very well realize that you are indeed perfect just the way you are. You are the only YOU there is so that alone makes you perfect at being YOU!
So, as far as I am concerned, I am perfect! At least I am perfect at being me:)
I go by what I call the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of the time I am at my best behavior and then I have the flexibility to allow myself 20 percent indulgence. If I eat 80% healthy 80% of the time, I feel great. If no more than 20% of my consumption is indulgence such as coffee, toast and chocolate, I feel content and not deprived of anything. Every now and then I like to up my antics when it comes to my diet, health and lifestyle, and raise the bar to 90/10, and occasionally to 100%. One hundred percent is what is required if you get on a detox program, which is great for your health yet only realistic as a lifestyle change when it is a shorter term commitment, and you can see a light at the end of that tunnel:)
When at work, I am content with being 80 percent productive and 20 percent indulgent. It makes work so much more fun when I also create time to goof off on the internet, read the news, do research, take a break with a book, call a friend and listen to music. These are some of the wonderful perks I get from working for myself. Plus, the 20% indulgence time is what usually provides me with much of the inspiration I receive for wanting to create something so it makes the 80% productive time, even more productive. For me, 80/20 is a good balance. It is actually so good, that it is pretty much perfect!
So let’s talk about this notion of perfection. Who decided what constitutes the idea of being perfect? Who made the rule that you have to be 100% all of the time? I mean, isn’t it you that creates the rules for your life! People, who are obsessed with being perfect, suffer, because they repeatedly tell themselves that they are not good enough. So who created the standards that you go by? Was it your parents, your friends, family members, society, and popular culture? Do you feel like you have repeatedly received the message that you are not good enough!?
It is worthwhile to ask yourself where your thoughts are coming from, and where and how the filter from which you view the world was created. Because when you think about it, you may be living in an old story of what perfection really is. You may very well realize that you are indeed perfect just the way you are. You are the only YOU there is so that alone makes you perfect at being YOU!
So, as far as I am concerned, I am perfect! At least I am perfect at being me:)
Monday, August 10, 2009
No is a small word that has yet to turn into a big YES!
Saturday afternoon I was feeling a bit discouraged and somewhat indifferent about an idea I have been carrying around in my passionate mind. The idea is based on making a significant contribution to thousands of individuals but it requires a few people’s ‘buy in’, and I had just come up against a closed door!
My mind started playing games with me; Why not just let this go and get on with your life? Why focus any more time on this when there is so much else you can be creating? Why do you even care so much?! There is basically nothing in it for you, so let it go!
And, I did… for about 2 hours…
Unbeknownst to me my husband had rented a movie called Yes Man for our movie night Saturday. It was the absolute right movie to watch in this moment in time, highly entertaining, and had a great message. Interesting how the right things just show up at the right time, huh?
Yes Man is about this NO-guy who starts saying YES to each and every opportunity that presents itself, a courageous shift indeed. It so happens that even highly questionable occurrences or opportunities start leading to great things happening in his life. All because he said YES!
The movie ended up being a ‘wake-me-up-with-a-hammer-to-my-head’ reminder of how much I wanted that YES!!! I really, really want this person to say YES to what it is that I want to create! That three letter world can change the lives of so many people, and can lead to so many good things which means I have to say YES to the opportunity of bringing that significant someone to a solid, butterflies-in-your-tummy-excited, heartfelt YES!
A NO is just an opportunity for you to change your approach in getting to YES! So how do we get people to say YES to us? We help them see how saying YES will enrich their lives. That is all that is needed. Everyone wants to say YES to life! People want their lives to mean something; we are all here to make a contribution. Coming to a closed door simply meant that I had not been clear on the benefits; that I had not appealed to that person’s sense of contribution. I now have an opportunity to create a much clearer understanding of what I am offering.
So, I am thankful for that door not opening up right away. How else would I have gotten the opportunity to get even more creative in my approach?
I am saying YES to this challenge and saying YES to life!
My mind started playing games with me; Why not just let this go and get on with your life? Why focus any more time on this when there is so much else you can be creating? Why do you even care so much?! There is basically nothing in it for you, so let it go!
And, I did… for about 2 hours…
Unbeknownst to me my husband had rented a movie called Yes Man for our movie night Saturday. It was the absolute right movie to watch in this moment in time, highly entertaining, and had a great message. Interesting how the right things just show up at the right time, huh?
Yes Man is about this NO-guy who starts saying YES to each and every opportunity that presents itself, a courageous shift indeed. It so happens that even highly questionable occurrences or opportunities start leading to great things happening in his life. All because he said YES!
The movie ended up being a ‘wake-me-up-with-a-hammer-to-my-head’ reminder of how much I wanted that YES!!! I really, really want this person to say YES to what it is that I want to create! That three letter world can change the lives of so many people, and can lead to so many good things which means I have to say YES to the opportunity of bringing that significant someone to a solid, butterflies-in-your-tummy-excited, heartfelt YES!
A NO is just an opportunity for you to change your approach in getting to YES! So how do we get people to say YES to us? We help them see how saying YES will enrich their lives. That is all that is needed. Everyone wants to say YES to life! People want their lives to mean something; we are all here to make a contribution. Coming to a closed door simply meant that I had not been clear on the benefits; that I had not appealed to that person’s sense of contribution. I now have an opportunity to create a much clearer understanding of what I am offering.
So, I am thankful for that door not opening up right away. How else would I have gotten the opportunity to get even more creative in my approach?
I am saying YES to this challenge and saying YES to life!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Create a New YOU by letting go!
Life is not as much about finding yourself as it is about creating yourself!
When we want to “find” ourselves we electively embark upon a personal growth journey and push ourselves out of our shells, continually trying out new things, exploring the world and ourselves in it and incrementally we grow by expanding our comfort zones. This is how we learn that we can be bigger, better and happier than we thought possible. It is a given that pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone can be quite intimidating at first, otherwise it would not be called a “comfort zone”, but anything worth achieving is often very scary at first.
People who hold onto their fears and always choose to “play it safe” simply do not grow, at least not electively so. They merely respond and react to whatever life brings along and for the most part they try and stay exactly where they are at. Does not sound like a recipe for a fun life now does it?
So the question is; Who are YOU when you are not holding back?
The answer to this question applies to any and all areas of our lives. What could you create and what kind of relationships would you have if you did not care about what other’s thought of you, if you were not concerned about being judged or about receiving someone’s approval. You would just be YOU, the amazing, wonderful, laid back, joyful, fun-loving, carefree YOU!
Create a New YOU today by simply letting go of all the made up inhibitions that no longer serve you. Who are YOU when you are not attached to The Story of You? Who are you when you let go?
If you let go a little, you will be happy a little. If you let go a lot, you will be happy a lot. But, if you let go completely... you will be FREE!
Have fun:)
When we want to “find” ourselves we electively embark upon a personal growth journey and push ourselves out of our shells, continually trying out new things, exploring the world and ourselves in it and incrementally we grow by expanding our comfort zones. This is how we learn that we can be bigger, better and happier than we thought possible. It is a given that pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone can be quite intimidating at first, otherwise it would not be called a “comfort zone”, but anything worth achieving is often very scary at first.
People who hold onto their fears and always choose to “play it safe” simply do not grow, at least not electively so. They merely respond and react to whatever life brings along and for the most part they try and stay exactly where they are at. Does not sound like a recipe for a fun life now does it?
So the question is; Who are YOU when you are not holding back?
The answer to this question applies to any and all areas of our lives. What could you create and what kind of relationships would you have if you did not care about what other’s thought of you, if you were not concerned about being judged or about receiving someone’s approval. You would just be YOU, the amazing, wonderful, laid back, joyful, fun-loving, carefree YOU!
Create a New YOU today by simply letting go of all the made up inhibitions that no longer serve you. Who are YOU when you are not attached to The Story of You? Who are you when you let go?
If you let go a little, you will be happy a little. If you let go a lot, you will be happy a lot. But, if you let go completely... you will be FREE!
Have fun:)
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Things to be grateful for when stuck in transit with two young children
In the past three days I have learned that my easygoing demeanor and tendency for being a bit absent minded can get me into a lot of trouble very quickly.
As I showed up with my two children to JFK airport, after an amazing trip to Iceland, I did not have a care in the world. All I needed to do was get through immigration, reserve our seats, get through the security checkpoint, feed the kids and then wait at our gate for our flight to leave. Sounds simple enough, right? A few minutes before boarding my almost three year old son had a potty accident and we go running for the bathroom. Then a good 10 minutes later we get back to our gate and take a seat next to a nice gentleman who strikes up a conversation with me. He asks me where we are going and I tell him “Phoenix”. We sit and chat and I notice that there is no action taking place at the gate. I say to the man, “I wonder why nothing is happening at the gate”, and he replies, “I heard someone talk about a delay”. So I reply; “Ah, I see” and decide to sit patiently and keep the man company in between calling out to my little rascals who were running around in the waiting area. Actual departure time arrives and I walk to the desk to ask what is going on with the flight. A very frustrated lady replies; “What?! You off to Phoenix? Well, that flight just left! Did you not hear the announcement about the gate change? Did you not hear them call your name?”!
Nope, I did not!!! Although I did hear someone call out a last name somewhat similar to my children’s last name but only the first half of it so I did not think it applied to us. (My children and I do not have the same last name since we are named after an Icelandic tradition).
So, here I am, two days later, still in New York with my little ones, having waited standby at the airport through five flights.
Yesterday, we were told our odds were good for this morning; we were first on the list so we should not spend money on new tickets. Then, a thunderstorm hits the city and all of today’s flights get filled in an instant with twenty people on standby and all of tomorrow’s flights are full except for a single one that had three seats left! I decided to purchase those three seats so we are finally out of the airport and into our third hotel room. As the kids are watching TV, mommy has time to ponder these past three days and the gifts they have given me.
An old girlfriend asked me earlier; “So, you haven’t snapped yet, I would be freaking out by now if this were me!?” No, I have not snapped, probably because it is not really my style, and my 5 year old daughter has been kind enough to take care of it for me with a few challenging moments:)
When my clients go through times of adversity I usually suggest they list out the positives in their challenging situations, and list out things they can be grateful for.
I decided to take me up on my own advice and do this same exact exercise.
So here it goes… :)
Things to be grateful for when stuck in transit for three days with two young children:
1. My active imagination for I have thought up a dozen reasons for why I just had to miss this (overbooked) flight. (Pretty convinced someone was REALLY grateful for getting on board).
2. Complementary toothbrush and toothpaste... life savers in their own right, for me personally as well as for the people that cross my path:)
3. Getting to jump into a warm shower after a long day on standby with the new shampoo and conditioner that I found at the airport.
4. Clean hotel sheets… crawling into a fresh and crispy bed is simply divine.
5. For choosing to wear my denim dress for the travel. It actually looks just as good on day three as it did on day one. Only denim can get away with a four day wear.
6. For having worn underwear that dries really fast after a wash in the hotel sink. This should actually be on top of the list, it is that important:)
7. For packing two extra outfits for the kids, (once a mom, always a mom).
8. For my kid’s sense of adventure and active imaginations, even an airport can be an exciting adventure land.
9. For having a husband that misses us dearly but only shows support and encouragement.
10. For having a mom who calls and checks up on us each and every day.
11. Vending machines.
12. For packing a deodorant in the carry-on.
13. For travel companions who are far more excited about going on the air train for the fourth time than they were the first time.
14. For my tweeps who have been quite entertaining.
15. For now knowing Terminal 7 like the back of my hand.
16. For my 5 year old daughter announcing, as we walked into the third hotel we stayed in, a rather worn and outdated Holiday Inn with brass décor, dirty, sticky carpets, and faded floral patterns on old lounge chairs; “This place is gorgeous!”
17. For having little ones that keep me so busy that three days in an airport terminal go by in a blink.
18. For packing the DVD player AND the charger.
19. For wireless internet connection.
20. For my iPhone, it is like a home away from home, and has helped me search for flight availabilities, find and book hotels; keep connected to my peeps and my tweeps, and it has also entertained the kids with music and the several amazing game apps.
21. For the beautiful, caring and giving strangers that I have met along the way such as the nice man who held the elevator open for us and helped me push our luggage, and the lovely receptionist lady that let me check in 4 hours early.
22. For my fellow human beings for they never seize to be fascinating to observe.
23. For my instinct that helped me decide to put my son’s anti-bacterial eye ointment in the carry-on, even though it looked as if he was fully healed. The following day my daughter and I both woke up with the same eye infection.
24. For strollers, they push tired little ones and in between they can hold the carry-on luggage.
25. For being able to yell out in a foreign language; “Get your little butts over here, right NOW!”
26. For make-believe games, made-up stories, stickers, and paper and crayons.
27. For having a sense of humor.
28. For having had money in my bank account to rent hotel rooms, buy food and necessities, and purchase new tickets (the thought of having to spend many nights in a terminal without showers and clean sheets, with two little kids in tow is not so pleasant, so I feel very fortunate).
29. For all the interesting stories I have heard along the way.
30. For being allowed to jump on hotel beds.
31. For learning the lesson I was meant to learn.
32. For three seats having been available for us and knowing for sure that we will be going home tomorrow! Yay!!!
As I showed up with my two children to JFK airport, after an amazing trip to Iceland, I did not have a care in the world. All I needed to do was get through immigration, reserve our seats, get through the security checkpoint, feed the kids and then wait at our gate for our flight to leave. Sounds simple enough, right? A few minutes before boarding my almost three year old son had a potty accident and we go running for the bathroom. Then a good 10 minutes later we get back to our gate and take a seat next to a nice gentleman who strikes up a conversation with me. He asks me where we are going and I tell him “Phoenix”. We sit and chat and I notice that there is no action taking place at the gate. I say to the man, “I wonder why nothing is happening at the gate”, and he replies, “I heard someone talk about a delay”. So I reply; “Ah, I see” and decide to sit patiently and keep the man company in between calling out to my little rascals who were running around in the waiting area. Actual departure time arrives and I walk to the desk to ask what is going on with the flight. A very frustrated lady replies; “What?! You off to Phoenix? Well, that flight just left! Did you not hear the announcement about the gate change? Did you not hear them call your name?”!
Nope, I did not!!! Although I did hear someone call out a last name somewhat similar to my children’s last name but only the first half of it so I did not think it applied to us. (My children and I do not have the same last name since we are named after an Icelandic tradition).
So, here I am, two days later, still in New York with my little ones, having waited standby at the airport through five flights.
Yesterday, we were told our odds were good for this morning; we were first on the list so we should not spend money on new tickets. Then, a thunderstorm hits the city and all of today’s flights get filled in an instant with twenty people on standby and all of tomorrow’s flights are full except for a single one that had three seats left! I decided to purchase those three seats so we are finally out of the airport and into our third hotel room. As the kids are watching TV, mommy has time to ponder these past three days and the gifts they have given me.
An old girlfriend asked me earlier; “So, you haven’t snapped yet, I would be freaking out by now if this were me!?” No, I have not snapped, probably because it is not really my style, and my 5 year old daughter has been kind enough to take care of it for me with a few challenging moments:)
When my clients go through times of adversity I usually suggest they list out the positives in their challenging situations, and list out things they can be grateful for.
I decided to take me up on my own advice and do this same exact exercise.
So here it goes… :)
Things to be grateful for when stuck in transit for three days with two young children:
1. My active imagination for I have thought up a dozen reasons for why I just had to miss this (overbooked) flight. (Pretty convinced someone was REALLY grateful for getting on board).
2. Complementary toothbrush and toothpaste... life savers in their own right, for me personally as well as for the people that cross my path:)
3. Getting to jump into a warm shower after a long day on standby with the new shampoo and conditioner that I found at the airport.
4. Clean hotel sheets… crawling into a fresh and crispy bed is simply divine.
5. For choosing to wear my denim dress for the travel. It actually looks just as good on day three as it did on day one. Only denim can get away with a four day wear.
6. For having worn underwear that dries really fast after a wash in the hotel sink. This should actually be on top of the list, it is that important:)
7. For packing two extra outfits for the kids, (once a mom, always a mom).
8. For my kid’s sense of adventure and active imaginations, even an airport can be an exciting adventure land.
9. For having a husband that misses us dearly but only shows support and encouragement.
10. For having a mom who calls and checks up on us each and every day.
11. Vending machines.
12. For packing a deodorant in the carry-on.
13. For travel companions who are far more excited about going on the air train for the fourth time than they were the first time.
14. For my tweeps who have been quite entertaining.
15. For now knowing Terminal 7 like the back of my hand.
16. For my 5 year old daughter announcing, as we walked into the third hotel we stayed in, a rather worn and outdated Holiday Inn with brass décor, dirty, sticky carpets, and faded floral patterns on old lounge chairs; “This place is gorgeous!”
17. For having little ones that keep me so busy that three days in an airport terminal go by in a blink.
18. For packing the DVD player AND the charger.
19. For wireless internet connection.
20. For my iPhone, it is like a home away from home, and has helped me search for flight availabilities, find and book hotels; keep connected to my peeps and my tweeps, and it has also entertained the kids with music and the several amazing game apps.
21. For the beautiful, caring and giving strangers that I have met along the way such as the nice man who held the elevator open for us and helped me push our luggage, and the lovely receptionist lady that let me check in 4 hours early.
22. For my fellow human beings for they never seize to be fascinating to observe.
23. For my instinct that helped me decide to put my son’s anti-bacterial eye ointment in the carry-on, even though it looked as if he was fully healed. The following day my daughter and I both woke up with the same eye infection.
24. For strollers, they push tired little ones and in between they can hold the carry-on luggage.
25. For being able to yell out in a foreign language; “Get your little butts over here, right NOW!”
26. For make-believe games, made-up stories, stickers, and paper and crayons.
27. For having a sense of humor.
28. For having had money in my bank account to rent hotel rooms, buy food and necessities, and purchase new tickets (the thought of having to spend many nights in a terminal without showers and clean sheets, with two little kids in tow is not so pleasant, so I feel very fortunate).
29. For all the interesting stories I have heard along the way.
30. For being allowed to jump on hotel beds.
31. For learning the lesson I was meant to learn.
32. For three seats having been available for us and knowing for sure that we will be going home tomorrow! Yay!!!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
What are YOU thinking??!!
There are a few sayings that start with; “blessed are the simple…” and whether the sayings end with simple in heart or simple in mind there is great truth in this statement. It seems that the people who suffer the most are not necessarily the ones who are living in the poorest of situations but the ones who THINK the most.
It so happens that we have this little organ in our heads that we call our brain and it really, really likes to think! Which in principle is perfect for that is what it is designed to do. Our brain does its job so well that it can even do it without noticing what it is doing and without seeing its job as 'a job'. Our brain is continually scanning, reading and interpreting whatever reaches its way through the stimuli’s of sight, sound, touch and smell.
The glitch in this otherwise perfectly designed system is that it is so perfect that we may not know how to use it. Instead of us using our brain as the clever and productive organ that it is we can and may find ourselves being ‘used by our brains’. If we buy into, believe and react to every single whimsical notion produced by this organ we will be nothing more than slaves to our own creative minds. But, why worry about that!:) Like Steve Chandler says; “Worry is a misuse of the imagination”.
Instead, it may be time to fundamentally examine where your thoughts are coming from. Even the simplest of thoughts come from somewhere. Our sensors are influenced by our own unique perspectives or the filter that we in essence view our lives from. Our perspectives are based on our past experiences and it seems accurate to state that none of us have had the same exact experiences in life. We are born into different countries, cultures, families, values, and beliefs and so on and so forth, and in effect have quite a few filters through which we are viewing the world. So who is to say that your specific perspective is the absolutely true perspective? Could your brain be playing a trick on you?
Over-thinking, over-analyzing, and over-identifying with your thoughts will only lead to unhappiness. If you did not have the thoughts you have now, how do you think you would feel? Could it be that everything in your life is really wonderful but your filter is flawed and blurry?
Byron Katie says; “Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don't have to like it... it's just easier if you do."
Byron Katie's famous "WORK" asks people to examine limiting thoughts by asking the following four questions:
1. Is it true? (If the answer is "No," move to #3)
2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?
3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
4. Who would you be without the thought?
Turn the thought around.
Find three genuine examples of how the
turnaround is as true or truer in your life.
Can you find other turnarounds? How are these
turnarounds true in your life? Give examples.
(Source: www.thework.com)
So what are YOU thinking??!!
It so happens that we have this little organ in our heads that we call our brain and it really, really likes to think! Which in principle is perfect for that is what it is designed to do. Our brain does its job so well that it can even do it without noticing what it is doing and without seeing its job as 'a job'. Our brain is continually scanning, reading and interpreting whatever reaches its way through the stimuli’s of sight, sound, touch and smell.
The glitch in this otherwise perfectly designed system is that it is so perfect that we may not know how to use it. Instead of us using our brain as the clever and productive organ that it is we can and may find ourselves being ‘used by our brains’. If we buy into, believe and react to every single whimsical notion produced by this organ we will be nothing more than slaves to our own creative minds. But, why worry about that!:) Like Steve Chandler says; “Worry is a misuse of the imagination”.
Instead, it may be time to fundamentally examine where your thoughts are coming from. Even the simplest of thoughts come from somewhere. Our sensors are influenced by our own unique perspectives or the filter that we in essence view our lives from. Our perspectives are based on our past experiences and it seems accurate to state that none of us have had the same exact experiences in life. We are born into different countries, cultures, families, values, and beliefs and so on and so forth, and in effect have quite a few filters through which we are viewing the world. So who is to say that your specific perspective is the absolutely true perspective? Could your brain be playing a trick on you?
Over-thinking, over-analyzing, and over-identifying with your thoughts will only lead to unhappiness. If you did not have the thoughts you have now, how do you think you would feel? Could it be that everything in your life is really wonderful but your filter is flawed and blurry?
Byron Katie says; “Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don't have to like it... it's just easier if you do."
Byron Katie's famous "WORK" asks people to examine limiting thoughts by asking the following four questions:
1. Is it true? (If the answer is "No," move to #3)
2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?
3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
4. Who would you be without the thought?
Turn the thought around.
Find three genuine examples of how the
turnaround is as true or truer in your life.
Can you find other turnarounds? How are these
turnarounds true in your life? Give examples.
(Source: www.thework.com)
So what are YOU thinking??!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Dare to be YOU!
Everything in your life starts with YOU! You can be whoever you want to be. The only limits that are placed on you are the ones you place on yourself. So who is this person that you call ME? What are your hopes, dreams and aspirations? Who do you see yourself being and who are you becoming? Are you living as your most authentic, powerful self or are you living as the shadow version of that amazing being?
When you strip away the story of who you are and why, and take away the influences of your tribe (nationality, culture, family, friends etc.)then who would YOU be? Would you be the exact same you that you are being today? What is the utterly real and genuine version of you? What would the YOU who is not concerned with other people’s opinions or concerned with trying to please other people be doing in this very moment? What would that ME be doing with their life? Would that completely real, limitless and free YOU be doing what you are doing today? The REAL YOU is never limited by the story of who you are "supposed" to be and not held back by old ideas and images, or a flawed perspective.
You already are the REAL YOU. Perhaps it is time that you got to know that being a bit better and just got REAL with it!
When you strip away the story of who you are and why, and take away the influences of your tribe (nationality, culture, family, friends etc.)then who would YOU be? Would you be the exact same you that you are being today? What is the utterly real and genuine version of you? What would the YOU who is not concerned with other people’s opinions or concerned with trying to please other people be doing in this very moment? What would that ME be doing with their life? Would that completely real, limitless and free YOU be doing what you are doing today? The REAL YOU is never limited by the story of who you are "supposed" to be and not held back by old ideas and images, or a flawed perspective.
You already are the REAL YOU. Perhaps it is time that you got to know that being a bit better and just got REAL with it!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Finding your Light
“Your True Self is the light, the beacon by which you should guide your life. You have to let it shine. Otherwise, you are living in darkness, wandering helplessly among the fears and anxieties that surround us. In the darkness, even the fleeting light of the firefly looks bright. And you spend all your energies chasing after these lights, not even realizing that a far greater light lies inside you. Don’t throw away your life chasing after an insect that will blink out and die soon after you catch it. Don’t spend all your time chasing after a momentary high. The single best source of health and happiness lies within your True Self. If you search within your True Self, you will find absolute health and everlasting happiness. If you search within your petty needs and greed, you will wander the darkness forever. Without lighting up your True Self, you won’t find out what health and happiness truly mean”. –Dr. Seung Heun Lee
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Powerful Creator of Your Reality
YOU are the POWERFUL CREATOR of YOUR REALITY!!!
Your reality today is the result of an accumulation of past choices, whether consciously or subconsciously created. Other people’s choices will always remain beyond your control, and events will inevitably take place in our lives that we have no control over… but we can always choose HOW we respond, and HOW we react, and we can choose to use any and all obstacles as opportunities to grow and evolve and CREATE a new reality.
The way I see it, when it comes to life, you have two choices; either you CREATE what you want into existence or you wait around and REACT to what hits you.
Which choice do you want to make?
Unfortunately, LIFE does not come with an actual manual, at least not one that we can read black on white. However, there is sort of an imprinted version of a manual resting in your higher self, above the ego and its stories. It sometimes shows up as a little voice inside of you, some sort of an all-knowing YOU that reminds you when you are doing what you want to be doing and being who you want to be. It is the YOU that is happy and fulfilled without having to receive anything external or materialistic to be that way.
When you exercise your "presence muscle" you are able to get in touch with that higher self, the part of you that is calm, and present, thankful, open, loving and peaceful. Simply by paying attention to your life and exercising awareness.
At any given moment you can be that person, but only if you set your ego aside and choose to pay attention to your life.
So what does the POWERFUL CREATOR want to create in life? How will we know unless we ask our higher self that question... If you want to get to know YOU some more, the authentic REAL YOU... then answering the following questions will be helpful.
What do I REALLY want in my life?
What am I REALLY wanting to achieve?
What do I want to CREATE in my life?
WHO do I want to BE?
When you discover the answers to these questions you can start defining the answers, i.e. writing out what the results would look like, for example, "I want to be a good parent"... Now, ask yourself What does it mean to be a good parent? What does that look like?
When you ponder what is the REAL goal and define what that looks like it will be much easier to create that into existence.
Then, each and every day you can take a few moments to consciously pay attention to WHO you are BEING and remind yourself of Who it is you REALLY Want to BE because who you are being in the NOW is who you become tomorrow.
Joy and Light,
Maja
Your reality today is the result of an accumulation of past choices, whether consciously or subconsciously created. Other people’s choices will always remain beyond your control, and events will inevitably take place in our lives that we have no control over… but we can always choose HOW we respond, and HOW we react, and we can choose to use any and all obstacles as opportunities to grow and evolve and CREATE a new reality.
The way I see it, when it comes to life, you have two choices; either you CREATE what you want into existence or you wait around and REACT to what hits you.
Which choice do you want to make?
Unfortunately, LIFE does not come with an actual manual, at least not one that we can read black on white. However, there is sort of an imprinted version of a manual resting in your higher self, above the ego and its stories. It sometimes shows up as a little voice inside of you, some sort of an all-knowing YOU that reminds you when you are doing what you want to be doing and being who you want to be. It is the YOU that is happy and fulfilled without having to receive anything external or materialistic to be that way.
When you exercise your "presence muscle" you are able to get in touch with that higher self, the part of you that is calm, and present, thankful, open, loving and peaceful. Simply by paying attention to your life and exercising awareness.
At any given moment you can be that person, but only if you set your ego aside and choose to pay attention to your life.
So what does the POWERFUL CREATOR want to create in life? How will we know unless we ask our higher self that question... If you want to get to know YOU some more, the authentic REAL YOU... then answering the following questions will be helpful.
What do I REALLY want in my life?
What am I REALLY wanting to achieve?
What do I want to CREATE in my life?
WHO do I want to BE?
When you discover the answers to these questions you can start defining the answers, i.e. writing out what the results would look like, for example, "I want to be a good parent"... Now, ask yourself What does it mean to be a good parent? What does that look like?
When you ponder what is the REAL goal and define what that looks like it will be much easier to create that into existence.
Then, each and every day you can take a few moments to consciously pay attention to WHO you are BEING and remind yourself of Who it is you REALLY Want to BE because who you are being in the NOW is who you become tomorrow.
Joy and Light,
Maja
Thursday, June 4, 2009
45 Lessons from life by Regina Brett 90 yrs. old.
Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled
over to 90 in August, so here goes:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. Love your parents because they will be gone before you know it.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry
13. Don't compare your life to others'.. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled
over to 90 in August, so here goes:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. Love your parents because they will be gone before you know it.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry
13. Don't compare your life to others'.. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Fear of Death
Ever experience your ego's fear of death?
Physically we all die eventually. Life on Earth is a gift, a time to live, learn and grow, a time to be, perhaps just for the fun of it...
Here is a script for your fearful self:
"You who is afraid of dying... Let us hope you do... so the healthy YOU can really start living!"
Physically we all die eventually. Life on Earth is a gift, a time to live, learn and grow, a time to be, perhaps just for the fun of it...
Here is a script for your fearful self:
"You who is afraid of dying... Let us hope you do... so the healthy YOU can really start living!"
Monday, May 4, 2009
Don’t wait for the storm to leave, learn to dance in the rain!
Don’t wait for the storm to leave, learn to dance in the rain!
I love dancing in the rain, especially in the warm summer monsoons in sunny Arizona. It can feel both scary and serene at the same time with all the lightings and thunders, a sort of a liberating and calming experience. I make sure to get a rain dance into my schedule each July and August:)
For much of my younger life I sort of felt like I was surrounded by a storm, as if my life experiences were collections of gusts and winds, and lightning’s and thunders that I was to go through and weather. And, just like in storms and tornado's insanely random things would pop up every now and again, just to keep life interesting:) Storms like to grow large and strong and preferrably suck up anything they come in contact with to take it along for the ride.
Somehow, I always managed to remain in the center of it all and I have never initiated any storms, at least not ones I know of. As much as I used to internalize things when I was a young girl a part of me was still and calm and just a quiet observer, watching, learning and growing, never getting fully sucked in to any kind of drama or chaos. I have often taken on the role of being the eye of the storm, sorting through the stimulation, emotions and information, trying to make sense of it all even when there is hardly a sense to be made, at least not until years later. Eventually all winds subside and die away.
Life can come with quite a few storms and we may even get hit by a few lightings along the way. It is in the face of our greatest challenges that we truly learn and grow and take leaps beyond our wildest imagination. Whatever winds come your way, you always have a choice in the matter. You choose how to respond. You choose whether or not to get sucked into a wind and let it take you for a mad spin or you can choose to move to the center of the storm where there is infinate calmness and observe the magic of your life from a distance. All situations can be seen clearly when we detach from the illusions that like to circulate around us. Whatever storms come your way, may it be imbalance, sickness, dis-ease or loss, YOU always hold within you your inherent power to choose. All storms are teachers, and sometimes it is simply so that when the student is ready the teacher appears. What we choose to create out of a situation is far more significant than the situation itself. You are the creative force in your life, you are the CREATOR of your reality.
Why wait for the storm to leave? Try dancing in the rain.
I love dancing in the rain, especially in the warm summer monsoons in sunny Arizona. It can feel both scary and serene at the same time with all the lightings and thunders, a sort of a liberating and calming experience. I make sure to get a rain dance into my schedule each July and August:)
For much of my younger life I sort of felt like I was surrounded by a storm, as if my life experiences were collections of gusts and winds, and lightning’s and thunders that I was to go through and weather. And, just like in storms and tornado's insanely random things would pop up every now and again, just to keep life interesting:) Storms like to grow large and strong and preferrably suck up anything they come in contact with to take it along for the ride.
Somehow, I always managed to remain in the center of it all and I have never initiated any storms, at least not ones I know of. As much as I used to internalize things when I was a young girl a part of me was still and calm and just a quiet observer, watching, learning and growing, never getting fully sucked in to any kind of drama or chaos. I have often taken on the role of being the eye of the storm, sorting through the stimulation, emotions and information, trying to make sense of it all even when there is hardly a sense to be made, at least not until years later. Eventually all winds subside and die away.
Life can come with quite a few storms and we may even get hit by a few lightings along the way. It is in the face of our greatest challenges that we truly learn and grow and take leaps beyond our wildest imagination. Whatever winds come your way, you always have a choice in the matter. You choose how to respond. You choose whether or not to get sucked into a wind and let it take you for a mad spin or you can choose to move to the center of the storm where there is infinate calmness and observe the magic of your life from a distance. All situations can be seen clearly when we detach from the illusions that like to circulate around us. Whatever storms come your way, may it be imbalance, sickness, dis-ease or loss, YOU always hold within you your inherent power to choose. All storms are teachers, and sometimes it is simply so that when the student is ready the teacher appears. What we choose to create out of a situation is far more significant than the situation itself. You are the creative force in your life, you are the CREATOR of your reality.
Why wait for the storm to leave? Try dancing in the rain.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Vision and Action
Creativity is man’s strongest weapon.
Love his greatest ability.
Fear his primary source of failure and…
Narcissism his inherent weakness.
A vision without action is nothing more than an illusion. What is your vision?
Envision - Create - Live
All it takes is action.
Love his greatest ability.
Fear his primary source of failure and…
Narcissism his inherent weakness.
A vision without action is nothing more than an illusion. What is your vision?
Envision - Create - Live
All it takes is action.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
“Top 10 List of Priorities”
Sometimes we are so utterly out of tune with ourselves and our actual needs. I have been experiencing restlessness, rush and perceived pressure in the past few weeks as I am finding myself wanting to create so many things at once and impact so many people that I forget about myself in the process. I start to ignore my body, my mind and spirit and push myself off of my “Top 10 List of Priorities”. In order to truly move forward we may forget that the real trick is to simply slow down. When one travels at 100 miles an hour to nowhere the end destination is always a crash and burn.
The interesting part about pressure is that in one way or another it is 100% created by our selves or in other words, our egos. This can actually be seen as very encouraging since it means that YOU can un-create whatever perception it is that you created. Your ego created the mess (or in some cases calm) that you are in at any given moment by placing itself in a story about what, who and how you are. Our minds (egos) place meaning into tasks, things and thoughts that enter our existence and it is essentially our choice if we believe those perceptions or not. The I, who created the perceived mess that it is in can choose to step outside of the turmoil, see it for what it really is (a created reality or perception) and choose to part with it and redesign my reality the way I want it.
In my life, at this very moment this means that I will choose to slow down and place my health and wellbeing at the top of my list of priorities which includes creating time to prepare and enjoy nutritious foods, exercise, simplify my surroundings and do what I know will soothe my mind and spirit. What soothes my mind and my spirit is getting back to and being in alignment with my values and creating time to do what I enjoy the most which is reading and writing.
So what do you have on your “Top 10 List of Priorities”, and how can you restructure and redesign your life so your list of priorities will truly honor and serve you in your life?
The interesting part about pressure is that in one way or another it is 100% created by our selves or in other words, our egos. This can actually be seen as very encouraging since it means that YOU can un-create whatever perception it is that you created. Your ego created the mess (or in some cases calm) that you are in at any given moment by placing itself in a story about what, who and how you are. Our minds (egos) place meaning into tasks, things and thoughts that enter our existence and it is essentially our choice if we believe those perceptions or not. The I, who created the perceived mess that it is in can choose to step outside of the turmoil, see it for what it really is (a created reality or perception) and choose to part with it and redesign my reality the way I want it.
In my life, at this very moment this means that I will choose to slow down and place my health and wellbeing at the top of my list of priorities which includes creating time to prepare and enjoy nutritious foods, exercise, simplify my surroundings and do what I know will soothe my mind and spirit. What soothes my mind and my spirit is getting back to and being in alignment with my values and creating time to do what I enjoy the most which is reading and writing.
So what do you have on your “Top 10 List of Priorities”, and how can you restructure and redesign your life so your list of priorities will truly honor and serve you in your life?
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Fear and Inaction
"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." - Dale Carnegie quote.
Failure to act on a vision is based on the ego's fear and fear-based desire to maintain a sense of control over the REAL you. The REAL YOU is essentially fearless. It does not matter how fast we move in life as long as we are moving. The world is always moving, change is constant and neverending. Opening up to the possibilities of your life and the reality of change can set you free. Whatever change we desire, we can make it a reality. You can be the change you wish to see in the world. If your mind is on the right path, you will get there. Committing to YOU will keep you on the path.
“It is what a man thinks of himself that really determines his fate.” –H.D. Thoreau
Who is the REAL YOU?
Failure to act on a vision is based on the ego's fear and fear-based desire to maintain a sense of control over the REAL you. The REAL YOU is essentially fearless. It does not matter how fast we move in life as long as we are moving. The world is always moving, change is constant and neverending. Opening up to the possibilities of your life and the reality of change can set you free. Whatever change we desire, we can make it a reality. You can be the change you wish to see in the world. If your mind is on the right path, you will get there. Committing to YOU will keep you on the path.
“It is what a man thinks of himself that really determines his fate.” –H.D. Thoreau
Who is the REAL YOU?
Friday, January 16, 2009
Power of Words
People's perceptions are quite fascinating to witness and explore. According to someone in my family I am a “looser-lover” for defending people who do not "deserve" to be defended. Wow, that sounded quite harsh to me but I did not let me ego get too wrapped up in the message. Misery seems to like company and when you are a happy and loving person someone who remains fearful in your circle of people may want to hold you back just to hold on to you in keeping them company. A judgment like this may sometimes prove fruitful in "putting someone in their place". I chose to get attached to this person’s statement and quickly realized that it was not an accurate reflection of me but was simply a reflection of the lens in which this person is viewing the world.
Our words are powerful weapons. Words create change. Words motivate, and inspire and give hope and love and joy. Words can transform. So how are you speaking to yourself and to others? Are you communicating from a place of love or a place of fear? It only takes a single person to create change and it can only take a few words to set a tidal wave in motion. Change starts with YOU! You can be the optimistic and loving voice in your world that takes on the role of teaching and inspiring others. The only trick to it is to choose to always speak from a place of love. There is no room for judgment when you speak from a place of love. LOVE is mankind's only true religion. It is the common thread of all faith regardless of the labels we place on our connection to a higher power. If all of us would choose to listen and speak from a place of love we would already be eternally joyous and peaceful beings. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Speak from LOVE!
Our words are powerful weapons. Words create change. Words motivate, and inspire and give hope and love and joy. Words can transform. So how are you speaking to yourself and to others? Are you communicating from a place of love or a place of fear? It only takes a single person to create change and it can only take a few words to set a tidal wave in motion. Change starts with YOU! You can be the optimistic and loving voice in your world that takes on the role of teaching and inspiring others. The only trick to it is to choose to always speak from a place of love. There is no room for judgment when you speak from a place of love. LOVE is mankind's only true religion. It is the common thread of all faith regardless of the labels we place on our connection to a higher power. If all of us would choose to listen and speak from a place of love we would already be eternally joyous and peaceful beings. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Speak from LOVE!
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