It’s easy for us to get caught up
With life’s crazy pace
Do we stop and take notice
Of our breathing space?
This week’s blog was inspired by a conversation I was having with a friend this week. We were talking about our recent experiences and where we were in life. Being the friend I am, I asked him if he was satisfied with his life. His response that followed had me asking “so would you say that you are breathing but not truly living?” He told me that was a good way to put it. He has learned to compartmentalize certain feelings in order to comfortably sustain his place in life. I know that he is not the only one who has done this. I know that I have and I’m pretty sure at one point and time most people have.
That had me thinking, maybe we take breathing for granted because it is easy and not something we have to think about. In this day and age, we have so much going on it’s nice to know that we don’t have to think about one other thing. But just for the few minutes that it takes for you to read this, I am going to ask you to pay attention to your breathing. Where is your breathing right now? Is it slow, deep and relaxed or is it quickened and shallow? Stop right now and notice where it is, just notice it, don’t try and change it. Was it what you expected?
The next question I have might not be so easy to answer. The question is this. Are you living and breathing? The good news is that we don’t forget to breathe but do we forget to live? Live as is experiencing the present moment, live as in keeping open to all the possibilities that lay before you? For most of us, including me, it’s not easy to live each day to the fullest but is there one thing you can do this week to get closer to living just one day or even just a few hours filled with inspiration and passion? What is that one thing? This is what I will ask myself every day this week. How about you?
Here’s to a week with lots of breathing space and making the most out of it!
Sharing the light with all of you,
Mary
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Living Inside Out
Some use external resources
This is the path they’ve taken
But as Carl Jung so eloquently wrote
Those who look outside dream
Those who look inside awaken
Dear Ones,
Hope you had a blessed week of going with the flow and living in the unknown. This week I’m going to start with a story that was told by Wayne Dyer in his latest PBS Special “Excuses Be Gone”.
There was a story about an old woman who lived in the Himalayans. Every day she would walk to the river to sit and rest. In her hand she carried a bag that held bread in case she was to get hungry. On this particular day at the river, she saw a shining rock at the bottom of the shallow riverbed. She fished out the stone realizing that not only did it take up the whole palm of her hand, but that this was not a stone but a precious jewel and could bring her anything she wanted in the world. She dried the stone and put it in her bag and went on with her day.
One day, a man approached her exclaiming that he had been traveling for a while and was hungry and asked if she had something to eat. She willingly took a piece of bread and handed it to him. While she was doing this, he noticed the stone in her bag. He said to her “that is a beautiful stone, may I have it?” She said “of course”, reached in her bag and handed him the stone. He held the stone in his hand knowing that all of his problems were solved as now he would have all the abundance, wealth, success, etc that he’s always dreamt of.
The next day, the man found the woman again sitting at the river. He came to return the rock to her. When asking him “why would you return such a precious jewel to me?” He told her, “what I want is more precious than this jewel could ever be, what I want is whatever that you have inside of you to offer me this stone”…
When I heard that story my eyes glassed over and I thought “yes”. I also began to think about how so many of us, including myself, put so much value on things, situations and even people that are on the outside of us. It used to be the only way I knew how to live.
Not until I started training as a life coach did I really see the importance of how we feel and what we belive about oursevles on the INSIDE is what shapes our realities and that while we could make sure that our lives appear pefect and happy on the OUTSIDE by acquiring the perfect job, the perfect mate, great clothes and a nice car, until we are willing to get still, quiet our minds and learn to look inside ourselves, we most likely will be left wanting. I’ve even found myself doing hundreds of affirmations, writing unlimited journal entries, buying bookshelves of self help books and attending dozens of seminars in order to find the answer that I thought I needed to get me to where I wanted to be in life. While yes, in a few of these workshops and books I learned to look inside of myself, I would find myself falling back into old patterns whenever it started to get uncomfortable to be quiet and still and start to delve into the depths of my existence. Action steps became too hard because it meant that I was going to have to face parts of myself that I thought were too scary or even worse, people wouldn’t like me and I would be left alone which would mean that I would really have to face my biggest fear, how I really feel about myself. It wasn’t until just last week that I realized I was going “half-way” with my coaching because it kept me safe and I didn’t have to really put myself out there.
In order to go full tilt and make my dreams a reality, I am going to have to go inside even more and uncover whatever limitations and beliefs are still there that continue to hold me back. I have decided to document this process not only in writing but also through a video blog that I will share on my weekly blogs and on my website. This will be my first step in getting out into the world and it is with hope and intention that other people will join me in the process of transformation and illumination.
I am grateful for all of you and look forward to being on the journey of transformation with you.
The light in me cherishes the light in you,
This is the path they’ve taken
But as Carl Jung so eloquently wrote
Those who look outside dream
Those who look inside awaken
Dear Ones,
Hope you had a blessed week of going with the flow and living in the unknown. This week I’m going to start with a story that was told by Wayne Dyer in his latest PBS Special “Excuses Be Gone”.
There was a story about an old woman who lived in the Himalayans. Every day she would walk to the river to sit and rest. In her hand she carried a bag that held bread in case she was to get hungry. On this particular day at the river, she saw a shining rock at the bottom of the shallow riverbed. She fished out the stone realizing that not only did it take up the whole palm of her hand, but that this was not a stone but a precious jewel and could bring her anything she wanted in the world. She dried the stone and put it in her bag and went on with her day.
One day, a man approached her exclaiming that he had been traveling for a while and was hungry and asked if she had something to eat. She willingly took a piece of bread and handed it to him. While she was doing this, he noticed the stone in her bag. He said to her “that is a beautiful stone, may I have it?” She said “of course”, reached in her bag and handed him the stone. He held the stone in his hand knowing that all of his problems were solved as now he would have all the abundance, wealth, success, etc that he’s always dreamt of.
The next day, the man found the woman again sitting at the river. He came to return the rock to her. When asking him “why would you return such a precious jewel to me?” He told her, “what I want is more precious than this jewel could ever be, what I want is whatever that you have inside of you to offer me this stone”…
When I heard that story my eyes glassed over and I thought “yes”. I also began to think about how so many of us, including myself, put so much value on things, situations and even people that are on the outside of us. It used to be the only way I knew how to live.
Not until I started training as a life coach did I really see the importance of how we feel and what we belive about oursevles on the INSIDE is what shapes our realities and that while we could make sure that our lives appear pefect and happy on the OUTSIDE by acquiring the perfect job, the perfect mate, great clothes and a nice car, until we are willing to get still, quiet our minds and learn to look inside ourselves, we most likely will be left wanting. I’ve even found myself doing hundreds of affirmations, writing unlimited journal entries, buying bookshelves of self help books and attending dozens of seminars in order to find the answer that I thought I needed to get me to where I wanted to be in life. While yes, in a few of these workshops and books I learned to look inside of myself, I would find myself falling back into old patterns whenever it started to get uncomfortable to be quiet and still and start to delve into the depths of my existence. Action steps became too hard because it meant that I was going to have to face parts of myself that I thought were too scary or even worse, people wouldn’t like me and I would be left alone which would mean that I would really have to face my biggest fear, how I really feel about myself. It wasn’t until just last week that I realized I was going “half-way” with my coaching because it kept me safe and I didn’t have to really put myself out there.
In order to go full tilt and make my dreams a reality, I am going to have to go inside even more and uncover whatever limitations and beliefs are still there that continue to hold me back. I have decided to document this process not only in writing but also through a video blog that I will share on my weekly blogs and on my website. This will be my first step in getting out into the world and it is with hope and intention that other people will join me in the process of transformation and illumination.
I am grateful for all of you and look forward to being on the journey of transformation with you.
The light in me cherishes the light in you,
Do you really want to know
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a crystal ball
To show us which way we need to go
But the Universe gives us the gift
Of being with “I just don’t know”
Dear Ones,
I hope you all had a great week of being in the moment and experiencing your life.
As many of you know, I am going through some major life shifts. There have been so many days where I wake up wondering where life is going to take me next. I’ve considered consulting a psychic for guidance and find myself on some days asking my friends for advice. While it’s important to get validation for my decisions, I am ultimately the only one who can decide if what I’m doing is right for me. What is even more important is being comfortable with not knowing where life might be taking me.
It’s funny, I’ll be at work and I will hear people get frustrated when they ask someone a question and the answer they get back is “I don’t know”. Is that because none of us are comfortable with not knowing? Is it because we have set expectations that we should know? Of course, it’s important to know what we’re doing when it comes to work and often I might say “I don’t know but let me see if I can find out for you”. It’s just another form of being in service to others. But on the other side of the coin, if more people were ok with living in the unknown, would that make things easier for them?
Debbie Ford, my spiritual teacher and mentor says that “knowing is the boobie prize.” We can make plans and set goals for our lives but I think by needing to know what is going to happen can set us up for disappointment. It can also limit us to what we can accomplish. If we are set on needing to know what is going to happen, we pigeon hole our possibilities. It’s important for us to make plans and set goals that will help us to become who we were meant to be in our lives, but it is equally important to being ok with not knowing what the specific outcome might be. By sitting in the not knowing-ness of it all, we open ourselves up to unlimited possibilities. When we do this, we can ride the tide with the flow of the Universe and stop exhausting ourselves swimming upstream and trying to control our outcomes.
So here’s to a week of unlimited possibilities and not knowing where we are all going to end up.
To show us which way we need to go
But the Universe gives us the gift
Of being with “I just don’t know”
Dear Ones,
I hope you all had a great week of being in the moment and experiencing your life.
As many of you know, I am going through some major life shifts. There have been so many days where I wake up wondering where life is going to take me next. I’ve considered consulting a psychic for guidance and find myself on some days asking my friends for advice. While it’s important to get validation for my decisions, I am ultimately the only one who can decide if what I’m doing is right for me. What is even more important is being comfortable with not knowing where life might be taking me.
It’s funny, I’ll be at work and I will hear people get frustrated when they ask someone a question and the answer they get back is “I don’t know”. Is that because none of us are comfortable with not knowing? Is it because we have set expectations that we should know? Of course, it’s important to know what we’re doing when it comes to work and often I might say “I don’t know but let me see if I can find out for you”. It’s just another form of being in service to others. But on the other side of the coin, if more people were ok with living in the unknown, would that make things easier for them?
Debbie Ford, my spiritual teacher and mentor says that “knowing is the boobie prize.” We can make plans and set goals for our lives but I think by needing to know what is going to happen can set us up for disappointment. It can also limit us to what we can accomplish. If we are set on needing to know what is going to happen, we pigeon hole our possibilities. It’s important for us to make plans and set goals that will help us to become who we were meant to be in our lives, but it is equally important to being ok with not knowing what the specific outcome might be. By sitting in the not knowing-ness of it all, we open ourselves up to unlimited possibilities. When we do this, we can ride the tide with the flow of the Universe and stop exhausting ourselves swimming upstream and trying to control our outcomes.
So here’s to a week of unlimited possibilities and not knowing where we are all going to end up.
Cleaning up our mess
As we move through life
There is much to address
Instead of leaving our trash behind
Let’s clean up our mess
Hello everyone. We are half way through summer, can you believe it? I hope you are all staying cool and remembering to stay hydrated as well as helping to keep children and elders hydrated.
Last week, I wrote about learning lessons as we navigate our way through life. This week I’ll be touching on the lessons we learn as children and pass on when we have kid’s of our own. One lesson that I am constantly teaching my daughter is that of reminding her to leave her surroundings the way she found it which includes cleaning up after herself. Just yesterday as we were leaving, I asked her to put her toys away in her room and pick up the blanket she had left on the floor. When we got in the car and were leaving I thought of the type of example I am being to my daughter. Do I pick up after myself when she is around me and more importantly what other messes in my life do I need to clean up to be the best mom I can be?
Many of us have “messes” that may not be seen by others. These could be considered secrets or shame that we might be holding to and we don’t want anyone to know about. These are things in our lives that we might not want to face in terms of our finances, our health, our relationships, our personal and professional lives. You can consider these issues “clutter of the soul” and until you clean up the mess around those areas, your soul will not be free to help you be the best person you can be and shine your light and special gifts to the world.
I have a lot of clutter around my relationship with money and how I manage it. So this week I will finish the budget chart I set up on my computer and will keep accurate records of where I spend my money so that I can start to clean out the mess around this situation which will be the first step in regaining and maintaining a healthy relationship with money.
What can you do this week to help clean up your mess? Do you need to make that doctor’s appointment you’ve been putting off, spend more time with your children and loved ones, or perhaps you need to have a conversation with a co-worker, spouse or friend that you’ve been putting off until later. Whatever it might be, you will feel better once you’ve started to clean up your personal clutter and it will trickle down to other areas of your life that will open up more space for you. Consider it a small but important step in helping clean up the collaborative mess that we’ve all created.
Here’s wishing you a week of getting rid of clutter and letting go of what no longer works for you or serves your best interest.
There is much to address
Instead of leaving our trash behind
Let’s clean up our mess
Hello everyone. We are half way through summer, can you believe it? I hope you are all staying cool and remembering to stay hydrated as well as helping to keep children and elders hydrated.
Last week, I wrote about learning lessons as we navigate our way through life. This week I’ll be touching on the lessons we learn as children and pass on when we have kid’s of our own. One lesson that I am constantly teaching my daughter is that of reminding her to leave her surroundings the way she found it which includes cleaning up after herself. Just yesterday as we were leaving, I asked her to put her toys away in her room and pick up the blanket she had left on the floor. When we got in the car and were leaving I thought of the type of example I am being to my daughter. Do I pick up after myself when she is around me and more importantly what other messes in my life do I need to clean up to be the best mom I can be?
Many of us have “messes” that may not be seen by others. These could be considered secrets or shame that we might be holding to and we don’t want anyone to know about. These are things in our lives that we might not want to face in terms of our finances, our health, our relationships, our personal and professional lives. You can consider these issues “clutter of the soul” and until you clean up the mess around those areas, your soul will not be free to help you be the best person you can be and shine your light and special gifts to the world.
I have a lot of clutter around my relationship with money and how I manage it. So this week I will finish the budget chart I set up on my computer and will keep accurate records of where I spend my money so that I can start to clean out the mess around this situation which will be the first step in regaining and maintaining a healthy relationship with money.
What can you do this week to help clean up your mess? Do you need to make that doctor’s appointment you’ve been putting off, spend more time with your children and loved ones, or perhaps you need to have a conversation with a co-worker, spouse or friend that you’ve been putting off until later. Whatever it might be, you will feel better once you’ve started to clean up your personal clutter and it will trickle down to other areas of your life that will open up more space for you. Consider it a small but important step in helping clean up the collaborative mess that we’ve all created.
Here’s wishing you a week of getting rid of clutter and letting go of what no longer works for you or serves your best interest.
Life's Lesson Plan
We’ve had our share of heartbreak
Even say we’ve been burned
Instead of wondering what went wrong
Look for the lessons learned
Hi friends. I hope last week was filled with moments of gratitude and abundant blessings. Last week, I introduced you all to Shelly who is fighting for her life against a rare form of cancer. We are keeping her in our prayers and are keeping hope and faith alive that she will beat this and be one of the greatest success stories ever told.
Unfortunately, not all people dealing with life altering situations make it through their struggles. At some point in our lives, we have all experienced loss of loved ones, jobs, friends, relationships and some of us have even lost ourselves along the way. Sometimes we feel so much heartbreak we aren’t sure if we can go on. We ask ourselves why it had to happen and try to make heads and tails of our lives.
Any type of loss is a sort of “death” in our lives. What I mean by this is that when we suffer any type of heartbreak we go through stages of anger, denial, bargaining, depression and acceptance. It’s important to remember that these stages don’t necessarily appear “in order” and that even though you’ve started to accept the situation you may still experience depression, anger, denial and bargaining again. One day you may find yourself waking up really angry and can’t figure out why. Eventually you connect it to your experience of heartbreak and may say to yourself “wow, I thought I was over it”.
You’ve heard the sayings, “there is always a silver lining” and “the gold is in the dark”. These sayings are to remind us that even when we experience heartbreak and loss, there are important lessons for each of us to learn. I recently heard in an interview done with Louise Hay that once we think we learned the lesson, it will come back to us at least one more time to see if our reaction to that lesson has changed. In a movie that I just watched tonight, I was reminded that these events, however traumatic, make us who we are and often remind us of our compassion and our ability for forgiveness which helps to open up our hearts.
So maybe we will never completely be over the loss and heartbreak in our lives, but once we learn what was specifically laid out just for us from the Universe, we will be able to move forward and be well prepared for the next lesson that comes along and will face those lessons with more courage, love and strength than we had before.
Wishing you a week of opportunity.
Even say we’ve been burned
Instead of wondering what went wrong
Look for the lessons learned
Hi friends. I hope last week was filled with moments of gratitude and abundant blessings. Last week, I introduced you all to Shelly who is fighting for her life against a rare form of cancer. We are keeping her in our prayers and are keeping hope and faith alive that she will beat this and be one of the greatest success stories ever told.
Unfortunately, not all people dealing with life altering situations make it through their struggles. At some point in our lives, we have all experienced loss of loved ones, jobs, friends, relationships and some of us have even lost ourselves along the way. Sometimes we feel so much heartbreak we aren’t sure if we can go on. We ask ourselves why it had to happen and try to make heads and tails of our lives.
Any type of loss is a sort of “death” in our lives. What I mean by this is that when we suffer any type of heartbreak we go through stages of anger, denial, bargaining, depression and acceptance. It’s important to remember that these stages don’t necessarily appear “in order” and that even though you’ve started to accept the situation you may still experience depression, anger, denial and bargaining again. One day you may find yourself waking up really angry and can’t figure out why. Eventually you connect it to your experience of heartbreak and may say to yourself “wow, I thought I was over it”.
You’ve heard the sayings, “there is always a silver lining” and “the gold is in the dark”. These sayings are to remind us that even when we experience heartbreak and loss, there are important lessons for each of us to learn. I recently heard in an interview done with Louise Hay that once we think we learned the lesson, it will come back to us at least one more time to see if our reaction to that lesson has changed. In a movie that I just watched tonight, I was reminded that these events, however traumatic, make us who we are and often remind us of our compassion and our ability for forgiveness which helps to open up our hearts.
So maybe we will never completely be over the loss and heartbreak in our lives, but once we learn what was specifically laid out just for us from the Universe, we will be able to move forward and be well prepared for the next lesson that comes along and will face those lessons with more courage, love and strength than we had before.
Wishing you a week of opportunity.
Teach Your Children
Value, ethics and love all start in the home
We can’t always be where our kids will roam
But what we can teach
Instead of scarcity and lack
What it means to live abundantly and give back
Hello all. I hope you had a good week and that this week is starting out well for you.
As my poem states above, values, ethics and love start in the home. Unfortunately, with the stress that many people are under and with the programs that have been taken away from our schools, our children end up being the ones who suffer. Many times we sit and wonder how we are going to pay the bills and make sure our kids have enough food on the table, not to mention having enough left over for after school programs and events that help our kids with social skills while teaching them the importance of giving back to society. We do all we can for them and yet sometimes we end up falling short or wishing we could do more but aren’t sure how one person can make such a difference.
One of my goals as a coach is to provide guidance and support to kids so that by the time they finish high school, they have such a strong sense of themselves, they will go out into the “real” world with confidence and the ability to do anything their heart desires while knowing the importance of gratitude and giving back. Yet, I too get stuck with wondering how I am going to do this, what additional schooling will I need, who I should contact, the list goes on. So many times, I dream about how cool it would be to be able to do this instead of doing the research needed to make this a reality. And then suddenly this week, I stopped knocking on the door of “how” and looked to the open window that was called opportunity.
A few days ago, I was introduced to a like-minded soul who is giving back to humanity through his music. I have been told many times that I have a knack for connecting people to one another. A conduit of such, so this week my way of giving back and contributing to the greater good is to introduce you to Christopher Milo Productions, a musician and crew that is dedicated through music to help a 5 year old beautiful angel by the name of Shelly. Shelly is suffering from a form of cancer called Neuroblastoma. You can see more of Shelly’s story at www.christophermilo.com. I have spoken a few times with Christopher and I told him that I would share his mission in my blog and ask that everyone that reads this to say a healing prayer for Shelly and to pass on the information to keep the prayer circle going. That’s all we’re asking for is one minute out of your day to say a prayer for Shelly. If you aren’t the praying type, please send out healing energy to Shelly and all who are in need of it.
As the days run into each other this week, please take time out to bring yourself and the world healing energy. Think about it, if all people that read this blog focus on healing energy and then share that with others, what a difference it can make.
Here’s to a week full of inspiration and contribution (remember that doesn’t have to involve money) J
We can’t always be where our kids will roam
But what we can teach
Instead of scarcity and lack
What it means to live abundantly and give back
Hello all. I hope you had a good week and that this week is starting out well for you.
As my poem states above, values, ethics and love start in the home. Unfortunately, with the stress that many people are under and with the programs that have been taken away from our schools, our children end up being the ones who suffer. Many times we sit and wonder how we are going to pay the bills and make sure our kids have enough food on the table, not to mention having enough left over for after school programs and events that help our kids with social skills while teaching them the importance of giving back to society. We do all we can for them and yet sometimes we end up falling short or wishing we could do more but aren’t sure how one person can make such a difference.
One of my goals as a coach is to provide guidance and support to kids so that by the time they finish high school, they have such a strong sense of themselves, they will go out into the “real” world with confidence and the ability to do anything their heart desires while knowing the importance of gratitude and giving back. Yet, I too get stuck with wondering how I am going to do this, what additional schooling will I need, who I should contact, the list goes on. So many times, I dream about how cool it would be to be able to do this instead of doing the research needed to make this a reality. And then suddenly this week, I stopped knocking on the door of “how” and looked to the open window that was called opportunity.
A few days ago, I was introduced to a like-minded soul who is giving back to humanity through his music. I have been told many times that I have a knack for connecting people to one another. A conduit of such, so this week my way of giving back and contributing to the greater good is to introduce you to Christopher Milo Productions, a musician and crew that is dedicated through music to help a 5 year old beautiful angel by the name of Shelly. Shelly is suffering from a form of cancer called Neuroblastoma. You can see more of Shelly’s story at www.christophermilo.com. I have spoken a few times with Christopher and I told him that I would share his mission in my blog and ask that everyone that reads this to say a healing prayer for Shelly and to pass on the information to keep the prayer circle going. That’s all we’re asking for is one minute out of your day to say a prayer for Shelly. If you aren’t the praying type, please send out healing energy to Shelly and all who are in need of it.
As the days run into each other this week, please take time out to bring yourself and the world healing energy. Think about it, if all people that read this blog focus on healing energy and then share that with others, what a difference it can make.
Here’s to a week full of inspiration and contribution (remember that doesn’t have to involve money) J
Problem Solved
We are faced with problems
And we wonder what to do
What if solving the issue
Is to first admit that the problem is you?
Hello all. How did you do with letting go of some of your control last week?
I realize that this week’s topic might rub some of you the wrong way and the first four lines of this blog have caused you to close your email and delete this. I hope that it peaks your curiosity enough to keep you reading. I am bringing about this subject because of an email that I received this week that partially read: It's really a nice day when you can sit by yourself and not have any problems. When you do that, then you'll find out that you were also the source of your problems. And all the people you blamed for being your problem, were only reflecting to you your state of imbalance.
That statement made me take a hard look at what I see as problems in my life and challenged me to see my so called issue’s for what they are. We all have many challenges and situations that we see as problems and we rack our brains to try to find solutions. Instead of looking to ourselves, we look around for things and people that we can place blame on. When we do this, not only do we bring in more negative energy but we give up our power to those very things and people that we believe have brought on our grief. As the above states, these people and things are just reflections of ourselves where we could be “out of balance” with ourselves. I prefer talking about being in harmony with ourselves, but for the cause of this blog, either one works.
In coaching, we discuss different areas of your life; there are several including relationships, career, play and fun, health and wellness, finances and a few others. While I think that we won’t have a balance of all of these at one time, I think that we can create harmony in all of the areas of our lives by first accepting what is not in harmony or what we see as being “out of balance”. So when a situation in your life comes up and you quickly decide who and what is to blame for your problem, try and take a step back and see where you might feel out of balance with yourself about that situation. If it is someone at work that annoys you, maybe you need to create a shift in the area of your life around career. Just like if you and your spouse or significant other can’t stop arguing about money, maybe there is something you are feeling about your financial place in your life that you haven’t seen yet.
For this week, when I start to blame something or someone for what I see as a problem, the first thing I am going to do is take a step back and see where I may be out of balance or harmony with parts of my life and then see what new opportunity there might be for me in seeing something new and different about myself that I hadn’t seen or wasn’t willing to see before. What will you do differently?
And we wonder what to do
What if solving the issue
Is to first admit that the problem is you?
Hello all. How did you do with letting go of some of your control last week?
I realize that this week’s topic might rub some of you the wrong way and the first four lines of this blog have caused you to close your email and delete this. I hope that it peaks your curiosity enough to keep you reading. I am bringing about this subject because of an email that I received this week that partially read: It's really a nice day when you can sit by yourself and not have any problems. When you do that, then you'll find out that you were also the source of your problems. And all the people you blamed for being your problem, were only reflecting to you your state of imbalance.
That statement made me take a hard look at what I see as problems in my life and challenged me to see my so called issue’s for what they are. We all have many challenges and situations that we see as problems and we rack our brains to try to find solutions. Instead of looking to ourselves, we look around for things and people that we can place blame on. When we do this, not only do we bring in more negative energy but we give up our power to those very things and people that we believe have brought on our grief. As the above states, these people and things are just reflections of ourselves where we could be “out of balance” with ourselves. I prefer talking about being in harmony with ourselves, but for the cause of this blog, either one works.
In coaching, we discuss different areas of your life; there are several including relationships, career, play and fun, health and wellness, finances and a few others. While I think that we won’t have a balance of all of these at one time, I think that we can create harmony in all of the areas of our lives by first accepting what is not in harmony or what we see as being “out of balance”. So when a situation in your life comes up and you quickly decide who and what is to blame for your problem, try and take a step back and see where you might feel out of balance with yourself about that situation. If it is someone at work that annoys you, maybe you need to create a shift in the area of your life around career. Just like if you and your spouse or significant other can’t stop arguing about money, maybe there is something you are feeling about your financial place in your life that you haven’t seen yet.
For this week, when I start to blame something or someone for what I see as a problem, the first thing I am going to do is take a step back and see where I may be out of balance or harmony with parts of my life and then see what new opportunity there might be for me in seeing something new and different about myself that I hadn’t seen or wasn’t willing to see before. What will you do differently?
What are you trying to control
To accomplish our dreams
We set up our goals
Is one of your first steps
To give up control?
Peaceful greetings to one and all. I hope that you had a great week and that you are continuing down your path that was meant just for you. We all have our own paths to walk down. Some of us walk down the path that has been set out for us and some decide to blaze their own trail. Whichever one is right for you is for you to decide. One thing I am almost certain of is that whatever path we choose, from time to time we set out personal goals for ourselves in regards to our jobs, our families, our future and ourselves.
Some of us give up our goals when what we set out to accomplish doesn’t work out they way that we think they should have. I know that in the past when I had set up a goal and it was too hard or it took too long or it was just too much work, I would give up and start over again. There were those times where I would “white knuckle” it, holding on to the control I thought I had of the situation. I find that when I “white knuckle” life and try to hold on to it, I am faced with struggle and sometimes unhappiness because what I thought I wanted didn’t happen the way I thought I wanted it to.
I think that we limit ourselves when we try to control the outcomes that we strive for. We limit ourselves by seeing the outcome as only one way. Sometimes we even dig our heels in pounding on that proverbial door that never opens and we are so busy trying to control it, we don’t see the other door that just opened wide for us. It’s been said that when you make a plan, God laughs. It was John Lennon who wrote in his song Beautiful Boy “life is what happens to us when we’re busy making other plans”.
This week, while making my plans and setting my goals, the first guidance from my spirit guides I will be asking for is to let go of the control and show me opportunities I may not have seen before if I had held on to tight to the control I thought I needed. What is it that you may need to let go of?
Wishing you a new week of endless opportunity…
We set up our goals
Is one of your first steps
To give up control?
Peaceful greetings to one and all. I hope that you had a great week and that you are continuing down your path that was meant just for you. We all have our own paths to walk down. Some of us walk down the path that has been set out for us and some decide to blaze their own trail. Whichever one is right for you is for you to decide. One thing I am almost certain of is that whatever path we choose, from time to time we set out personal goals for ourselves in regards to our jobs, our families, our future and ourselves.
Some of us give up our goals when what we set out to accomplish doesn’t work out they way that we think they should have. I know that in the past when I had set up a goal and it was too hard or it took too long or it was just too much work, I would give up and start over again. There were those times where I would “white knuckle” it, holding on to the control I thought I had of the situation. I find that when I “white knuckle” life and try to hold on to it, I am faced with struggle and sometimes unhappiness because what I thought I wanted didn’t happen the way I thought I wanted it to.
I think that we limit ourselves when we try to control the outcomes that we strive for. We limit ourselves by seeing the outcome as only one way. Sometimes we even dig our heels in pounding on that proverbial door that never opens and we are so busy trying to control it, we don’t see the other door that just opened wide for us. It’s been said that when you make a plan, God laughs. It was John Lennon who wrote in his song Beautiful Boy “life is what happens to us when we’re busy making other plans”.
This week, while making my plans and setting my goals, the first guidance from my spirit guides I will be asking for is to let go of the control and show me opportunities I may not have seen before if I had held on to tight to the control I thought I needed. What is it that you may need to let go of?
Wishing you a new week of endless opportunity…
When Life Isn't What We Want It To Be
Life experiences, they say
Are the best teacher
And it’s usually the negative ones
When we become the seeker
I hope that you all had a great week last week. A good friend of mine had called and she’s in a very dark place right now. She had requested to be removed from the mailing list because she was having a hard time seeing the positive out of the negative events in her life. Don’t get me wrong, she has a lot of, to be blunt, crap be throwing at her right now and I don’t blame her in the least for where she is. It got me thinking about how sending bright and positive messages out in the world might not be what is always needed. In the coaching work that I do, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows; it can get very deep, very negative and very dark for some. However at the end of that dark path, the light starts to shine and the lessons that are taken away are nothing short of amazing and the most incredible part is that the person travelling down that path finds their own answers and their own way.
Negative and traumatic experiences that rock our place in this world, I believe, are necessary in order to knock us off balance, wake us up and make us take a look around. A few days ago, I received an email message that read:
We learn from our experiences in this world, and we often learn most effectively from the negative experiences. It's not necessary, but sometimes when things are going well, we tend to get a little complacent and a little sluggish in our approach to life. Then something comes in that upsets us, that shakes us up, and we may stop taking things for granted…
There was a little more to the quote but the part that spoke to my heart was the last line about how we may stop taking things for granted when all is going “right” in our life. This being said, I’m not wishing any of you trauma and grief but maybe, just maybe, the trauma that shakes us up is exactly what we need in order to take us where we need to go…down our paths, feeling our way through the dark times so we can be even more grateful when the light shines again.
Are the best teacher
And it’s usually the negative ones
When we become the seeker
I hope that you all had a great week last week. A good friend of mine had called and she’s in a very dark place right now. She had requested to be removed from the mailing list because she was having a hard time seeing the positive out of the negative events in her life. Don’t get me wrong, she has a lot of, to be blunt, crap be throwing at her right now and I don’t blame her in the least for where she is. It got me thinking about how sending bright and positive messages out in the world might not be what is always needed. In the coaching work that I do, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows; it can get very deep, very negative and very dark for some. However at the end of that dark path, the light starts to shine and the lessons that are taken away are nothing short of amazing and the most incredible part is that the person travelling down that path finds their own answers and their own way.
Negative and traumatic experiences that rock our place in this world, I believe, are necessary in order to knock us off balance, wake us up and make us take a look around. A few days ago, I received an email message that read:
We learn from our experiences in this world, and we often learn most effectively from the negative experiences. It's not necessary, but sometimes when things are going well, we tend to get a little complacent and a little sluggish in our approach to life. Then something comes in that upsets us, that shakes us up, and we may stop taking things for granted…
There was a little more to the quote but the part that spoke to my heart was the last line about how we may stop taking things for granted when all is going “right” in our life. This being said, I’m not wishing any of you trauma and grief but maybe, just maybe, the trauma that shakes us up is exactly what we need in order to take us where we need to go…down our paths, feeling our way through the dark times so we can be even more grateful when the light shines again.
Find Your Spark
Three legends left the earth last week
Lives of legacy, they left their mark
What a great reminder for all of us
To find our uniqueness, to find our spark…
How was your week last week? I hope that you were able to get in touch with that spirit within you that encourages you to being the greatest you there is.
We lost some legendary celebrities last week. Say what you will about these three who are now among the angels; they all brought a unique spark. Ed McMahon and his “here’s Johnny” voice, Farrah Fawcett and her signature hair and Michael Jackson and his talent to light up a stage and entertain with his voice and dance moves. It got me to thinking about how each and every one of us has a unique talent and some of us might not know yet what that talent is and other’s might be afraid to find that talent and let it shine.
So, for this week, I am sending along a poem written by Marriane Williamson that begs to ask us what stands in the way of us of finding that spark inside that is aching to be released.
"We fear that we are inadequate, but our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be these things? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people around you won't feel insecure. We are all meant to shine as children do. We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically releases others."—Marriane Williamson, from 'A Return to Love'.
After reading that poem, I hope that you are inspired to find your own special spark and go out into your world encouraging others to do the same.
Lives of legacy, they left their mark
What a great reminder for all of us
To find our uniqueness, to find our spark…
How was your week last week? I hope that you were able to get in touch with that spirit within you that encourages you to being the greatest you there is.
We lost some legendary celebrities last week. Say what you will about these three who are now among the angels; they all brought a unique spark. Ed McMahon and his “here’s Johnny” voice, Farrah Fawcett and her signature hair and Michael Jackson and his talent to light up a stage and entertain with his voice and dance moves. It got me to thinking about how each and every one of us has a unique talent and some of us might not know yet what that talent is and other’s might be afraid to find that talent and let it shine.
So, for this week, I am sending along a poem written by Marriane Williamson that begs to ask us what stands in the way of us of finding that spark inside that is aching to be released.
"We fear that we are inadequate, but our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be these things? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people around you won't feel insecure. We are all meant to shine as children do. We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically releases others."—Marriane Williamson, from 'A Return to Love'.
After reading that poem, I hope that you are inspired to find your own special spark and go out into your world encouraging others to do the same.
A Conversation on Spirituality
We all experience times of
Sadness and grief
When you are feeling lost
What’s your belief?
First of all, I would like to wish each and every dad out there Happy Father’s Day. I hope you had a restful day filled with love and relaxation.
I wasn’t sure about this week’s blog on spirituality. When people hear the word spirituality, it is often associated with religion and for so many that is such a sensitive topic. Today, I ask that you read this blog with an open mind and heart and be willing to see spirituality in a different way.
I have had many a conversation with people about spirituality and what it meant to them. Most of the time, it was associated with what we were taught growing up. Some of us went to church every Sunday, some of us only went to church on holidays and some of us never went to church. And then there is the spectrum in between. No matter where you fit in to this picture, I believe that we all have a spirit within us and that it is very personal and very sacred to each of us. For me, spirituality is the belief of something “bigger” than me out in the Universe. Whether it is a “universal energy” or “God” or even mother Earth, I believe that there is something out there that connects us to ourselves, to our beliefs and to each other. That “something” is what gives us the inspiration to dream and create the lives that we desire.
I have had a lot of change in my life recently and have had the opportunity to be still and get in touch with my spirituality. My spirituality exists within me, on the outside of me and through me. It is what keeps me going when all I want to do is stay in bed and pull the covers over my head. It is what drives me to learn more about who I am and how I want to show up in the world. It is the one thing that I have learned to lean on when all else seemed lost, even my faith. It is what has helped me navigate my life through the storm and has encouraged me to dance in the rain.
As I said, spirituality is very personal to each and every one of us. Maybe some of you never thought of yourselves as a spiritual being. Maybe you aren’t sure what it is to be spiritual.
I found a website that explains spirituality (in a non religious way) that I wanted to share with you. At the end of the article, there are some questions that might benefit you as you look at your life and what drives you to get up every day and keep going. Click here for the article.
I wish you a week filled with opportunities to find the spirit within you.
Sadness and grief
When you are feeling lost
What’s your belief?
First of all, I would like to wish each and every dad out there Happy Father’s Day. I hope you had a restful day filled with love and relaxation.
I wasn’t sure about this week’s blog on spirituality. When people hear the word spirituality, it is often associated with religion and for so many that is such a sensitive topic. Today, I ask that you read this blog with an open mind and heart and be willing to see spirituality in a different way.
I have had many a conversation with people about spirituality and what it meant to them. Most of the time, it was associated with what we were taught growing up. Some of us went to church every Sunday, some of us only went to church on holidays and some of us never went to church. And then there is the spectrum in between. No matter where you fit in to this picture, I believe that we all have a spirit within us and that it is very personal and very sacred to each of us. For me, spirituality is the belief of something “bigger” than me out in the Universe. Whether it is a “universal energy” or “God” or even mother Earth, I believe that there is something out there that connects us to ourselves, to our beliefs and to each other. That “something” is what gives us the inspiration to dream and create the lives that we desire.
I have had a lot of change in my life recently and have had the opportunity to be still and get in touch with my spirituality. My spirituality exists within me, on the outside of me and through me. It is what keeps me going when all I want to do is stay in bed and pull the covers over my head. It is what drives me to learn more about who I am and how I want to show up in the world. It is the one thing that I have learned to lean on when all else seemed lost, even my faith. It is what has helped me navigate my life through the storm and has encouraged me to dance in the rain.
As I said, spirituality is very personal to each and every one of us. Maybe some of you never thought of yourselves as a spiritual being. Maybe you aren’t sure what it is to be spiritual.
I found a website that explains spirituality (in a non religious way) that I wanted to share with you. At the end of the article, there are some questions that might benefit you as you look at your life and what drives you to get up every day and keep going. Click here for the article.
I wish you a week filled with opportunities to find the spirit within you.
When it's time to make a change
We all have our own reasons
To take a new direction
Accept that mistakes will happen along the way
It’s about the journey, not perfection
Hello all,
Because I believe that moving through change with ease is an important part of life, I dedicated this week to “ok you want to make a change, so now what?”
I found this quote from President Obama who said “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” While he was talking about us together as a nation, I think that we can also use that for ourselves. In order to create change and movement in our lives, it depends on our thoughts, our words and our actions. It has nothing to do with another person, what they think or what they do. Yes, we are interdependent of each other but we don’t need to wait for them to do something in order for us to make the changes that we want to make.
I ran across a great article last week about what motivates us to change. And instead of making this blog only my point of view, I thought I would CHANGE it up and include other’s ideas as well. Click here for the link to the article. Though you might not relate to every word in the article, there are some good tips at the end that will help you make the change you are seeking.
Wishing you a week of positive changes (even if it’s just in your attitude) and as always lots of opportunities to be the amazing person that you were put on this planet to be.
To take a new direction
Accept that mistakes will happen along the way
It’s about the journey, not perfection
Hello all,
Because I believe that moving through change with ease is an important part of life, I dedicated this week to “ok you want to make a change, so now what?”
I found this quote from President Obama who said “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” While he was talking about us together as a nation, I think that we can also use that for ourselves. In order to create change and movement in our lives, it depends on our thoughts, our words and our actions. It has nothing to do with another person, what they think or what they do. Yes, we are interdependent of each other but we don’t need to wait for them to do something in order for us to make the changes that we want to make.
I ran across a great article last week about what motivates us to change. And instead of making this blog only my point of view, I thought I would CHANGE it up and include other’s ideas as well. Click here for the link to the article. Though you might not relate to every word in the article, there are some good tips at the end that will help you make the change you are seeking.
Wishing you a week of positive changes (even if it’s just in your attitude) and as always lots of opportunities to be the amazing person that you were put on this planet to be.
Change - It's not just for the jar anymore
It can be found at the bottom of your pocket
Or under your couch
Finding that sort of change is always fun
But is how you deal with the “other” sort of change
That matters
When the day is done…
How was your week last week? Did you remember to find your ME moments and celebrate that? If you forgot or were “too busy”, what do you think would need to change in order for you to recognize the magnificent self that you are?
My apologies for the lateness of this blog. Life happens when we least expect it sometimes and we have to be able to adjust and change which is a perfect segue into the topic for this week. This week is how you deal with change. For me, not getting this email out for the morning was driving me a bit crazy but then I realized that it is the ones who know how to adapt and change with grace and ease that will be most successful in their lives. So instead of freaking out and worrying about getting out the email, I chose the opportunity to look at the situation with new eyes and thought "what a great example this will be for the blog."
Change can be scary, exciting, nerve wracking, anxiety driven and so much more. I found the following quote by Alan Cohen on change: It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. Wow! There is power in change! That is good news because while we are all dealing with our own personal change and growth, the world has experienced changes that can cause us to feel very uncomfortable and insecure about the future. From the wars around the world, to the economy issues, the polar caps melting, and a new leader of our country, I would say most of us have seen more change in the last year or so than we might have ever expected in such a short period of time.
It’s important for each and everyone one of us to be the change that we want to see in our homes, in our communities, our schools and our world. In order for us to be that change, we need to be comfortable with change and accept that maybe it’s not the change itself that we are in fear of but how we react to it. You have an opportunity every day to change what is not working for you anymore in your life. If there are any areas in your life that are no longer meaningful to you would you be willing to look at changing what you would need to in order to get one step closer to having the time of your life? It can be as simple as changing your attitude and perspective and see where that takes you. This week I welcome you to think about what change, no matter how big or small you are wishing to take. Next week, we'll talk about wanting to make a change and what gets in the way for us.
And speaking of change, check out the new front page of my website, complete with an inspirational video I created about having the time of your life. Just click on website and find the video on the top of the page where it asks you "Are you ready to have the time of your life?" Great question, isn't it?
Have a great week full of lots of loose change while you practice adapting to the changes that are going on around you and within you.
Or under your couch
Finding that sort of change is always fun
But is how you deal with the “other” sort of change
That matters
When the day is done…
How was your week last week? Did you remember to find your ME moments and celebrate that? If you forgot or were “too busy”, what do you think would need to change in order for you to recognize the magnificent self that you are?
My apologies for the lateness of this blog. Life happens when we least expect it sometimes and we have to be able to adjust and change which is a perfect segue into the topic for this week. This week is how you deal with change. For me, not getting this email out for the morning was driving me a bit crazy but then I realized that it is the ones who know how to adapt and change with grace and ease that will be most successful in their lives. So instead of freaking out and worrying about getting out the email, I chose the opportunity to look at the situation with new eyes and thought "what a great example this will be for the blog."
Change can be scary, exciting, nerve wracking, anxiety driven and so much more. I found the following quote by Alan Cohen on change: It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. Wow! There is power in change! That is good news because while we are all dealing with our own personal change and growth, the world has experienced changes that can cause us to feel very uncomfortable and insecure about the future. From the wars around the world, to the economy issues, the polar caps melting, and a new leader of our country, I would say most of us have seen more change in the last year or so than we might have ever expected in such a short period of time.
It’s important for each and everyone one of us to be the change that we want to see in our homes, in our communities, our schools and our world. In order for us to be that change, we need to be comfortable with change and accept that maybe it’s not the change itself that we are in fear of but how we react to it. You have an opportunity every day to change what is not working for you anymore in your life. If there are any areas in your life that are no longer meaningful to you would you be willing to look at changing what you would need to in order to get one step closer to having the time of your life? It can be as simple as changing your attitude and perspective and see where that takes you. This week I welcome you to think about what change, no matter how big or small you are wishing to take. Next week, we'll talk about wanting to make a change and what gets in the way for us.
And speaking of change, check out the new front page of my website, complete with an inspirational video I created about having the time of your life. Just click on website and find the video on the top of the page where it asks you "Are you ready to have the time of your life?" Great question, isn't it?
Have a great week full of lots of loose change while you practice adapting to the changes that are going on around you and within you.
Supersize Me!
Give yourself kudos for even the smallest of things
Take a breath, hold and release
Bear witness to the joy it brings
Look at your life through new and fresh eyes
Lo’ and behold
Fries aren’t the only thing
That can be super sized…
Last week we addressed the elephant in the room and this week I thought I would focus on celebrating the smaller things in life.
I had an interesting conversation with a good friend of mine last week and we were talking about steps he had taken to live full out in order to have the time of his life. He had told me a few things he had done in order to take a step in the right direction and then ended with something like “though they aren’t a big deal”. Sorry, I had to paraphrase a bit there but you get my drift. Being the coach and confidante that I am, I asked him “do you notice how you minimize almost everything, even the good things?”
It got me thinking of how some of us don’t give ourselves enough credit and we don’t celebrate the most minuscule of things. For example, sometimes getting up, getting ourselves ready and out the door for work is all we can muster for a day. How many times have you done that and then thought to yourself, “well I still wasn’t able to get this done or that done?” Instead of that thought, how might your day have turned out if you said “whooo hooo, I got out of bed and put in a good days work today?” We tend to overwork our minds and our bodies. I think it’s time to give ourselves the break that we deserve and shift our focus to super size our spirits and our passion for life.
So this week would you be willing to find one thing every single day to celebrate about yourself? You don’t have to share it with anyone but yourself. If you want to share with others, please do so. Celebrate your ME moment and don’t worry about looking arrogant or prideful. It’s what you feel about you on the inside that counts and I can bet that if you take the time each day to celebrate even the tiniest of things you will become a source of inspiration not only to yourself but to others.
So go ahead, super size your spirit and passion for life and see what unfolds for you.
Wishing you a week filled with goodies, smiles and lots of celebrating YOU!
Take a breath, hold and release
Bear witness to the joy it brings
Look at your life through new and fresh eyes
Lo’ and behold
Fries aren’t the only thing
That can be super sized…
Last week we addressed the elephant in the room and this week I thought I would focus on celebrating the smaller things in life.
I had an interesting conversation with a good friend of mine last week and we were talking about steps he had taken to live full out in order to have the time of his life. He had told me a few things he had done in order to take a step in the right direction and then ended with something like “though they aren’t a big deal”. Sorry, I had to paraphrase a bit there but you get my drift. Being the coach and confidante that I am, I asked him “do you notice how you minimize almost everything, even the good things?”
It got me thinking of how some of us don’t give ourselves enough credit and we don’t celebrate the most minuscule of things. For example, sometimes getting up, getting ourselves ready and out the door for work is all we can muster for a day. How many times have you done that and then thought to yourself, “well I still wasn’t able to get this done or that done?” Instead of that thought, how might your day have turned out if you said “whooo hooo, I got out of bed and put in a good days work today?” We tend to overwork our minds and our bodies. I think it’s time to give ourselves the break that we deserve and shift our focus to super size our spirits and our passion for life.
So this week would you be willing to find one thing every single day to celebrate about yourself? You don’t have to share it with anyone but yourself. If you want to share with others, please do so. Celebrate your ME moment and don’t worry about looking arrogant or prideful. It’s what you feel about you on the inside that counts and I can bet that if you take the time each day to celebrate even the tiniest of things you will become a source of inspiration not only to yourself but to others.
So go ahead, super size your spirit and passion for life and see what unfolds for you.
Wishing you a week filled with goodies, smiles and lots of celebrating YOU!
The Elephant in the Room
Out the window, sad elephant stares
Why is he locked inside?
How did he get there?
It’s time to face the issues
That we might not see
But are definitely at hand
It’s time to set that elephant free
To romp and play and roam the land…
I am sure all of you have heard of the term “the elephant in the room”. I was looking for a way to describe it and found this meaning on the internet. “Having an elephant in the room is a metaphor for living with a huge issue and either you see the elephant but do nothing to get rid of it or you don’t even see it”. In other words, there is some issue that you have been avoiding or denying because either it’s so big you don’t know where to start or you don’t think it’s that big of a deal and hope that it will just go away by itself. Unfortunately, not dealing with the issue or issues at hand will only cause the elephant to get bigger.
And because each of us are unique in our own ways, we will have unique issues but I would bet that most of them revolve around our relationship, our finances, our homes or our health. Probably for most of us, it’s more than one. I have been known to have more than one elephant in the house at a time and man does it get cramped and crowded and messy. In all seriousness, when you find yourself with one or more elephants, tackle one at a time. When you have the first one handled, you will find it that much easier to set the rest free.
For this week, challenge yourself to first recognize the elephant. Pay some attention to it and see what you would need to remove from your thoughts in order to set it free. Can you come up with one excuse you think of that helps you avoid that beast of burden? To get you started, here is mine for the week…”with everything going on in my life, I just don’t have time to…
OK, now your turn…
Wishing you a week of inner beauty, laughter and peace as you move through your days. As always, I am here to support and guide you in having the time of your life, no matter what that is.
Why is he locked inside?
How did he get there?
It’s time to face the issues
That we might not see
But are definitely at hand
It’s time to set that elephant free
To romp and play and roam the land…
I am sure all of you have heard of the term “the elephant in the room”. I was looking for a way to describe it and found this meaning on the internet. “Having an elephant in the room is a metaphor for living with a huge issue and either you see the elephant but do nothing to get rid of it or you don’t even see it”. In other words, there is some issue that you have been avoiding or denying because either it’s so big you don’t know where to start or you don’t think it’s that big of a deal and hope that it will just go away by itself. Unfortunately, not dealing with the issue or issues at hand will only cause the elephant to get bigger.
And because each of us are unique in our own ways, we will have unique issues but I would bet that most of them revolve around our relationship, our finances, our homes or our health. Probably for most of us, it’s more than one. I have been known to have more than one elephant in the house at a time and man does it get cramped and crowded and messy. In all seriousness, when you find yourself with one or more elephants, tackle one at a time. When you have the first one handled, you will find it that much easier to set the rest free.
For this week, challenge yourself to first recognize the elephant. Pay some attention to it and see what you would need to remove from your thoughts in order to set it free. Can you come up with one excuse you think of that helps you avoid that beast of burden? To get you started, here is mine for the week…”with everything going on in my life, I just don’t have time to…
OK, now your turn…
Wishing you a week of inner beauty, laughter and peace as you move through your days. As always, I am here to support and guide you in having the time of your life, no matter what that is.
Superheroes and their masks
Superheroes and their masks --- what is that all about?
Last week, I was thinking about superheroes and the masks that they wear. I was also thinking about how if they didn’t wear the masks and costumes, their super powers were taken away. Well most of them at least. I wonder if their powers were really gone or if that is what they were told would happen so they dare not try to be powerful in their own right unless they were wearing a mask. As I was talking to my sister about this, I was reminded of how superman still had his power. Yet, while this is true, when he didn’t have that huge S on his chest and was flying around town, he had to keep it hidden and take on the role of a “nerdy” newspaper reporter, which in itself was a mask. This to me was art imitating life. So many of us, myself included wears many masks at different parts in our lives while hiding our own true hidden power that lies inside of all of us. We don’t dare expose that part of ourselves unless we are wearing some sort of mask or costume.
I recalled one of my favorite movies, Never Been Kissed when the teacher was explaining to his students that when you wear a costume and pretend to be someone else you can do things that you never even dared to do with them on. So this got me to thinking about all the masks that I’ve donned throughout life to fit in, to blend in or to even grab the center of attention depend on what it was I thought I needed. Mine was the power of a chameleon, a comedian and a charmer. I played them all very well. But like most superheroes, at the end of the day, even though I had accomplished a job well done I went home alone and empty inside.
So I wonder do we keep our masks on because we are afraid of our own special abilities and the power that they hold? As you go through your week this week, see if you are wearing a mask and is it promoting your own personal power or diminishing it…
Some mask examples:
Happy girl/Happy guy: Are you wearing a smile just because you think it’s the right thing to do and you don’t want people to know what you’re feeling or maybe you don’t want to know what you’re feeling.
Martyr: Boy this is a popular one of mine, I even have it in different colors…where might you be a martyr this week?
Entitled supporter: This is my personal favorite. Are you in a supportive role at home or at work or with your friends? If you are, do you give unconditional support or do you expect something in return?
One thing I wanted to mention is that while I think that we wear masks at different times in our lives to get through our days, I also see many people being their authentic selves and that’s a beautiful thing. Hmm…since all people that we come in contact with are reflections of ourselves, perhaps I see these authentic beings when I myself decide to remove that mask for a moment and be my authentic self. That might be another blog in its own right...
Have a bright and blessed week of self discovery and if anything comes up for you around this and you need additional support, I’d be happy to lend an ear, a shoulder and my heart.
Peacefully yours,
Mary
Last week, I was thinking about superheroes and the masks that they wear. I was also thinking about how if they didn’t wear the masks and costumes, their super powers were taken away. Well most of them at least. I wonder if their powers were really gone or if that is what they were told would happen so they dare not try to be powerful in their own right unless they were wearing a mask. As I was talking to my sister about this, I was reminded of how superman still had his power. Yet, while this is true, when he didn’t have that huge S on his chest and was flying around town, he had to keep it hidden and take on the role of a “nerdy” newspaper reporter, which in itself was a mask. This to me was art imitating life. So many of us, myself included wears many masks at different parts in our lives while hiding our own true hidden power that lies inside of all of us. We don’t dare expose that part of ourselves unless we are wearing some sort of mask or costume.
I recalled one of my favorite movies, Never Been Kissed when the teacher was explaining to his students that when you wear a costume and pretend to be someone else you can do things that you never even dared to do with them on. So this got me to thinking about all the masks that I’ve donned throughout life to fit in, to blend in or to even grab the center of attention depend on what it was I thought I needed. Mine was the power of a chameleon, a comedian and a charmer. I played them all very well. But like most superheroes, at the end of the day, even though I had accomplished a job well done I went home alone and empty inside.
So I wonder do we keep our masks on because we are afraid of our own special abilities and the power that they hold? As you go through your week this week, see if you are wearing a mask and is it promoting your own personal power or diminishing it…
Some mask examples:
Happy girl/Happy guy: Are you wearing a smile just because you think it’s the right thing to do and you don’t want people to know what you’re feeling or maybe you don’t want to know what you’re feeling.
Martyr: Boy this is a popular one of mine, I even have it in different colors…where might you be a martyr this week?
Entitled supporter: This is my personal favorite. Are you in a supportive role at home or at work or with your friends? If you are, do you give unconditional support or do you expect something in return?
One thing I wanted to mention is that while I think that we wear masks at different times in our lives to get through our days, I also see many people being their authentic selves and that’s a beautiful thing. Hmm…since all people that we come in contact with are reflections of ourselves, perhaps I see these authentic beings when I myself decide to remove that mask for a moment and be my authentic self. That might be another blog in its own right...
Have a bright and blessed week of self discovery and if anything comes up for you around this and you need additional support, I’d be happy to lend an ear, a shoulder and my heart.
Peacefully yours,
Mary
Penny for Your Thoughts - May 10, 2009
Thoughts come in and out
A natural flow
Where they go next
Only you can know…
Greetings and to all the mom’s out there I hope you had a fantastic mother’s day.
So imagine if you truly got a penny with each thought you had? I guess there would be no national debt, no bailout packages, and no stimulus checks. We’d have all the money we ever wanted. Well, unfortunately that “penny” is make believe and if we were truly paid for our thoughts, I think they are worth a lot more, for it is what we are made of, our reality and our perception is born from our very own thoughts.
Last week I had mentioned that I would keep a thought journal during the week and then write a little bit about the outcome. Even in this moment, thoughts are coming in a mile a minute…let me take a deep breath…why don’t you do the same just for a moment…inhale and count to 3..hold for a count of 3…and now exhale for a count of 3. There much better.
OK where was I? Oh yes, the thought journal. Did I journal everyday about my thoughts? The truth is no but I did journal about them and what was created by them. I had both positive and negative thoughts and some were even transferred to other people (it’s called blame and judgment in case you were wondering). One thing I did last week was practice a tool that I had learned from a friend of mine who has worked with a coach by the name of Byron Katie. It’s called Judge Your Neighbor and once you have the thought of the person you turn it back around to yourself. For example, a person at work had said something and I immediately thought “how can this person be so negative, how sad for them and how rude”. As soon as I had that thought I turned it around to me and looked to see where I was showing negativity and where I was perhaps being rude. I did this through the day that day and into the next. It became a sort of a game for me. I realized that whether the thoughts were negative or positive and if they were coming to me by way of a person in my life, I was able to see that this wonderful being on the other side of me was just showing me myself and qualities that I might not have been seeing at the time. I was able to let go of blame and resentment and now when I thought of this person I quietly said to myself “thank you for the lesson you just gave me.” It turned things around for me and all in all, with what I have going currently in this crazy game of life, the week turned out to be a pretty great one. At least I THOUGHT it was.
Your mission this week, should you choose to accept it, is to turn your thoughts around. When you are blaming someone or some circumstance for something in your life, turn that around and see where you do it. For example, “he must not care for me or he wouldn’t….” can be turned around to “I must not care for me because…” No, it’s not an easy process and if any of you are courageous to give it a try and need some encouragement around it, let me know, I’d be happy to listen.
As always, I wish you a week filled with many lessons, lots of extraordinary moments and an abundant supply of joy.
Peace to your body, mind and spirit,
Mary
p.s. for more on Byron Katie and The Work please go to http://www.thework.com/thework.asp#1
hasEML = false;
A natural flow
Where they go next
Only you can know…
Greetings and to all the mom’s out there I hope you had a fantastic mother’s day.
So imagine if you truly got a penny with each thought you had? I guess there would be no national debt, no bailout packages, and no stimulus checks. We’d have all the money we ever wanted. Well, unfortunately that “penny” is make believe and if we were truly paid for our thoughts, I think they are worth a lot more, for it is what we are made of, our reality and our perception is born from our very own thoughts.
Last week I had mentioned that I would keep a thought journal during the week and then write a little bit about the outcome. Even in this moment, thoughts are coming in a mile a minute…let me take a deep breath…why don’t you do the same just for a moment…inhale and count to 3..hold for a count of 3…and now exhale for a count of 3. There much better.
OK where was I? Oh yes, the thought journal. Did I journal everyday about my thoughts? The truth is no but I did journal about them and what was created by them. I had both positive and negative thoughts and some were even transferred to other people (it’s called blame and judgment in case you were wondering). One thing I did last week was practice a tool that I had learned from a friend of mine who has worked with a coach by the name of Byron Katie. It’s called Judge Your Neighbor and once you have the thought of the person you turn it back around to yourself. For example, a person at work had said something and I immediately thought “how can this person be so negative, how sad for them and how rude”. As soon as I had that thought I turned it around to me and looked to see where I was showing negativity and where I was perhaps being rude. I did this through the day that day and into the next. It became a sort of a game for me. I realized that whether the thoughts were negative or positive and if they were coming to me by way of a person in my life, I was able to see that this wonderful being on the other side of me was just showing me myself and qualities that I might not have been seeing at the time. I was able to let go of blame and resentment and now when I thought of this person I quietly said to myself “thank you for the lesson you just gave me.” It turned things around for me and all in all, with what I have going currently in this crazy game of life, the week turned out to be a pretty great one. At least I THOUGHT it was.
Your mission this week, should you choose to accept it, is to turn your thoughts around. When you are blaming someone or some circumstance for something in your life, turn that around and see where you do it. For example, “he must not care for me or he wouldn’t….” can be turned around to “I must not care for me because…” No, it’s not an easy process and if any of you are courageous to give it a try and need some encouragement around it, let me know, I’d be happy to listen.
As always, I wish you a week filled with many lessons, lots of extraordinary moments and an abundant supply of joy.
Peace to your body, mind and spirit,
Mary
p.s. for more on Byron Katie and The Work please go to http://www.thework.com/thework.asp#1
hasEML = false;
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