Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Change, History, and Peace is made!


I just wanted to share that recent events have provided us moments of hope, change, and peace. As everyone knows, the United States recently made history last night by electing Barak Obama as the it's next president.

During the evening last night, I sensed an energy and oneness with the world that I had not experienced since 9/11.

Regardless of who you were rooting for as President, what I believe most people want to see and feel is change. Either way, history was going to be made with either candidate and I was very proud to be a part of this historic event.

When the cameras scanned the crowds all around the world, I became overwhelmed with sensations of happiness and peace. I even shed a couple tears myself, because it is not often that there is a sense of oneness and connectivity with so many people in the world. Usually everyone goes about their lives and a sense of disconnect is often felt. But last night, there was absolutely a connection and I felt it deep within.

I also realize that the most important thing that each and everyone of us can do, is to feel and bring a sense of peace to every moment.

So if you haven't taken a moment to realize this historic event and feel a new sense of hope, please tap in, even if for just one second....and feel the energy and hope that we all share, regardless of where in the world we live.

Peaceful changes to all!!!

Shannon

Sunday, October 26, 2008

When problems come your way, don’t forget about checking internal solutions. *


OK….so the economy remains to be a pretty grim topic, and situation for that matter. Most people are seeing their investments decrease, unemployment continues to increase, and yet prices seem to be going up and up. YIKES! In fact, many people I know are not only concerned for their financial future, but their children’s and grandchildren’s futures as well.

Believe it or not, among all the worry and concern, I find myself not becoming overwhelmed by the economic crisis. This is mostly due to the fact that I am working daily on focusing in the present moment, with the use of a wonderful tool by a wonderful mentor…..*

Byron Katie founded, The Work, a simple and powerful tool to help people end the suffering they are afflicting upon themselves. The Work is extremely effective and a reminder that much of our stress and suffering is due to the thoughts and stories we tell ourselves, as opposed to actual external factors.

Much of the time, many people I know seem to believe that when they are faced with a challenge or problem, that something external needs to change in order to either stop the problem, or avoid a challenge. For example, a friend of mine was repeatedly getting upset with her husband who was occasionally getting home later then she had planned…..*

I suggested to my friend that she try using The Work by Byron Katie to see if she could check out her own internal processes, versus believing that the only way to correct this problem was to have an external factor change (i.e. her husband needed to make a change). Sure enough, after trying out The Work, my friend realized that she could work on her thought process and attitude toward her husband’s action.
So the next time you are faced with a problem or unwelcome challenge, consider internal solutions and not just external solutions.
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

“Holy Financial Problems Batman…..” *


And right about now, we could use a super hero to get us out this mess….or heck, we need the Justice League at this point. Yikes, yikes, yikes….it seems that not only is the U.S. economy dealing with a crisis, but the rest of the world is also being affected by our financial situation. I keep hearing phrases that cause me to stop and pause, such as “American Financial Crisis” and “Economic Meltdown”. Recently I heard a phrase that stopped me in my tracks…“the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression”.

Is this crisis really being compared to the Great Depression? I was told by many elders that something like the Great Depression would not happen again since “we learned from that experience”. I gotta wonder now….did we learn enough?

I realized that one thing that helps me to feel better about my financial situation, during this crisis, is to verify my income versus my expenses. That is something that I personally can do now and that helps to give me an indication of how I am doing financially, which brings a sense of confidence and assurance.

If you are finding yourself worried about the current economic crisis, and your own financial situation, please take the time to do this simple but effective exercise. Just sit down and re-evaluate your monthly income versus your monthly expenses. List everything, including small purchases, like coffee in the morning at Starbuck’s, or a donut from Dunkin’ Donuts. Better yet, take a day or week and keep track of every purchase you make. Then you will be able to tangibly see where your money is being spent. If you find that your expenses total more then your income, then you will need to analyze each expense and see where you can make some significant changes.

The great thing about this little exercise is that if most people do make sure their income is more then their expenses, then we all will help the recovery of the financial crisis we are seeing happening around the world today. So sit right down and make sure your personal situation is “in the black” (i.e. financially stable) and steering clear of “the red” (i.e. in debt).

Financial Peace to All!

Thursday, October 9, 2008

We Are Life


Hello everyone,

I had a realization come to me as I took a stroll, and I wanted to share it with all of you. This came to me as I was remembering the teachings of a wise mentor, Eckhart Tolle.

I want to live, breathe, respond, and react through a state of peace, love, and oneness. For these are states of Being.

I do not want to live, breathe, respond or react through a state of non-peace, anger, separation, or frustration. For these are states of the Ego/Pain-Body.

We are all life experiencing itself through these forms.

Peace and Love to all!!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

“There is no place like home…there is no place like home”. *


Let me tell you, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz was onto something with this phrase. Recently, as many of you know, I went out of town for nearly a month. Not only was this the longest stretch of time that I was away from home, but there was also very little English spoken where I was temporarily residing.

I was determined to handle this trip as an adventure and use much of my optimistic attitude and mind-set. I would learn about myself and welcome any and all challenges. What I had slightly forgotten about was the “realistic” aspects of my adventures in foreign travel. I thought all I needed was my “optimistic” handbag. Wrong. Now, don’t get me wrong, being optimistic is a wonderful trait to have. However, sometimes optimistic people tend to forget about some of the realities of life that very much exist in this world.

For example, I had not realistically acknowledged some of the things, and comforts, that I would miss during my travels. Such as, seeing family members and watching my favorite sitcoms. I thought to myself, “oh heck this trip will be great and I will be gone for only one month”. As if it was not that big of a deal.

Well, this worked for about two weeks. I was on an adventure and was absorbing new surroundings and cultures. However, during the third week, I was hit by a “reality” Mack truck….* I felt many overwhelming feelings hit me all at once. I was feeling angry, sad, frustrated, and anxious. Boom.

So I started to cry and sob, and cry and sob, and cry and sob….* I wondered where all those feelings had come from and how they seemed to suddenly surface. I realized that while I was living an adventure, I was also very much missing many aspects about the comforts of my wonderful home. I missed my family and pets terribly. I missed my cozy couch with my nice color screen TV where every 100+ channels had English speaking programs and shows. I missed pizza and McDonald’s at nearly every corner. I missed my walks in a quaint little nearby park and my backyard deck with multiply flowers and occasional butterflies.

This travel experience helped me to realize a couple of very important tips. One, that even though travel can be adventurous, there really is no place like home. Second, being optimistic is great, but also remember to be realistic as well.
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Holy Break Batman!!


Hello everyone,

I wanted to apologize for the lack of postings. I went out of town for a month and had intended on placing a post to explain my temporary absence. Well, time slipped away from me and I was not able to post.

However, I am now back from my travels and will be continuing to post regularly, beginning today.

Thank you all for your patience and returned views.

Shannon

Friday, August 15, 2008

When Your Emotions “Runneth Over”…. and how to prevent wide-spread contamination.*


Emotions can be pretty tricky, heck even trickier then a David Copperfield illusion. Since our emotions are deep within our bodies, and don’t have any physical form, they can be pretty hard to detect and interpret. What can even be more challenging are very passionate emotions, especially from our past.

Some emotions we hold are so strong and intense, that they can spill over and affect other areas of our life. For example, I have a friend named Sarah who would experience emotions of sadness periodically from her past. She was hurt as a child, and as the years passed she tried to just brush them off, as if shooing a fly from her food. For many years, this strategy worked and Sarah lived most of her days pretty happy and content.

However, over time, Sarah noticed that other aspects of her life were changing. In particular, she noticed that while at work, she felt occasional urges of sadness and nearly cried. Sarah wondered if her past emotional sadness was now trickling over into her work like. In many cases, that is most likely. Most people, who have past emotional pain, will experience that pain spilling over and into other aspects of their lives. This is mostly due to the fact that they may not have taken steps to acknowledge the past pain, and then heal the pain.

Our bodies often use emotions to communicate with us. If we try to disregard or avoid those emotions, then our bodies may find other ways (i.e. other aspects of our lives) in which to try to get our attention.

Sarah decided to look into her past and face the saddening pain head-on. She read some self-help books and even hired a life coach….* As Sarah continued to heal, she noticed a difference at work once again. However, the difference was the absence of sadness she felt. In Sarah’s case, her past pain had begun to affect her at work…*

Some people may deal with an un-welcomed emotion, yet still feel its effects in other areas of their lives. In those cases, I do encourage people to reach out to a counselor or therapist, as it may be related to other medical conditions.

If you believe you may be experiencing an emotion that is affecting other aspects of your life, please try one of the effective exercises (i.e. Identifying the Source* and Confirm and Schedule*) that can help you to deal and heal those emotions.

Peace to all!

Shannon
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Friday, August 8, 2008

”What Dreams May Come”….the good, the bad, and the ugly.*


Ah dreams…a very interesting topic many people are fascinated with. Some people have good dreams that include hopes and desires, such as starting a family or becoming famous. Other people have bad dreams that may include unfortunate news, or a replay of a past event that was not welcomed. Further, some of us also have
ugly dreams that are also known as “nightmares”. Nightmares may include losing a loved one, being harmed ourselves, or being chased by some alien type creature from the movie “Signs”. Some dreams are easily forgettable, while others sit with us all day.

In any case, most people do wonder about their dreams, and even try to interpret them, as if they were a Freudian student. Some dreams are repetitive while others are one-time occurrences. Dreams can teach us something about ourselves and even help shed light on issues or problems we may be facing.

A great trick that I learned from my mentor, Martha Beck, is a very unique and effective one. I challenge you to try this out sometime, especially if a particular dream bothered you for some time afterward. What you do is get some paper and a writing utensil of choice (e.g. I prefer the Hello Kitty Pen). Then sit for a moment and replay the dream as best as you can recall it, in your mind. Write down what you see, what is going on, who else is there, and where you are. Write down any objects and/or people that are present. Then you look at each object and/or person you wrote down, take one at a time and sit for a moment and then imagine being that object, or person, in your dream. Then write down what that object would describe itself as, or who the person would describe herself, or himself, as. For example, if there was a table in your dream, imagine you are the table. Describe what type of table you are, the color, the style, etc. If there was another person in your dream, imagine being them. Who are they? What were they wearing? How were they feeling?

Then, when you are done, look back and read what you wrote down. You may realize something you didn’t notice about your dream before, or you may see some sort of pattern or trend. Looking at your dreams from another perspective (i.e. objects or other people) can really help you to shed light on a dream, or even problem you are dealing with. As a result, you can either start taking steps to accomplish that dream, or deal and heal a problem you are experiencing.
Beware.....your point of view may start to change over time when you begin to analyze your dreams in this fascinating way.
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

“Financial Attention Deficit Disorder”…Symptoms and Treatments


Check out this new phrase that is buzzing around…and might I say, it seems to be a pretty realistic disorder.

Financial stability, or lack of, can have a tremendous effect on our daily quality of life. Some of those effects include; stress about future bills, worry over a zero balance in a saving’s account, or anxiety over losing your income to a lay-off situation. When our daily quality of life is negatively affected by our financial burdens or situations, it can lead to a snowball effect, starting with lower self-esteem and lower self-worth. Further, lower self-esteem can result in poor financial decisions or unnecessary “comfort” spending.

As I thought of this new buzzing phrase, I did a little research regarding common financial struggles (i.e. symptoms). Then I checked with some financial experts to get some effective prioritizing steps (i.e. treatments), and wanted to share the results.

Symptoms of “Financial Attention Deficit Disorder” include:

1) Living paycheck to paycheck.
2) Having a very low, or no, savings account.
3) Wondering where all your money goes (not able to account for your spending).
4) Having a credit card (or two or ten) maxed out.
5) Having no emergency fund in case of unforeseen life changes (e.g. loss of a job, illness, natural disaster).

Now, some of you may be thinking, “holy cow, one or two or more of those symptoms pertain to me”. If you can relate to any of the symptoms above, then you may very well have “Financial Attention Deficit Disorder”. Through my sleuthy research, I was able to find some handy dandy treatment steps to overcome “Financial Attention Deficit Disorder”

Treatment Steps Include:

1) Create a “starter” emergency fund – get creative and find ways to try to save up $1000. This is much more reasonable and easier to reach then the traditional amount that many financial advisor’s suggest (i.e. save up 3 to 6 months of your living expenses).
2) Pay off all your unsecured debt, one at a time – examples of secured debt include your mortgage and car loans. The most common example of unsecured debt is credit card debt.
3) Now build up your emergency fund with 3 to 6 months of basic living expenses. Basic living expenses include housing, food, water, essential utilities, medical insurance, car loan, child support (if applicable), and taxes. Some examples of expenses that are not basic or high priority include; credit card loans, high-definition service for your television, Netflix, etc. You may be able to look and identify expenses that you don’t need in order to survive.

In addition, there are two effective exercises (i.e. Prioitizing Party Exercise* & Seek and Surrender Task*) that can help you to begin to feel more secure about your financial situation. As a result, you will experience a higher quality of daily life through higher self-esteem and higher self-worth.

Best Wishes and Peace to All!
Shannon
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Friday, July 25, 2008

”Love Does Not Want or Fear Anything”….is that so? *


I heard this comment recently, and my first reaction was, “Really? But I do have fears and wants involving love”. For example, I have “wanted” someone special to love me and join in a partnership with me. I have “feared” that no one will love me as I am, or want to spend the rest of their life with me. So how does “Love” not want or fear anything?

So I did some soul searching, and continued to listen to the narrator about this statement, and found out the answer. While it was somewhat abstract, it eventually made perfect sense and opened up a door to an enlightened way of thinking for me. I believe that this statement can help many people avoid so much stress and frustration over “love” and relationships with others, so I wanted to share it.

This particular narrator (i.e. Eckhart Tolle) explained that it is our “ego” that wants and fears things. The ego being the thought process of our human minds. The ego thrives on “wanting” and “fearing”, which ultimately results in placing conditions on love. This also places some control of our lives in someone else’s hands. For example, let’s look at the statement, “I want someone to love and cherish me”. The condition is that you are wanting someone else to do something so that you then feel a certain way (e.g. more important or more lovable). Further, you are giving some control to that other person in the sense that if they don’t love you, you will be let down and then possibly feel less of a person or less lovable. The same goes for fearing something.

The bottom line, and lesson to be learned from this, is that “Love” does not want or fear anything. Our ego’s (i.e. minds) want and fear various things for various reasons. Here is a powerful statement for you,”Love just is”. It is just being in a moment with no judgment or conditions or fears. Love exists beneath all the thoughts and emotions that the ego creates in our lives and world. Love is peace and stillness.

Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

An Enlightenment Poem to Enlighten Your Day


Hello everyone,
I was feeling slightly out of touch with my spiritual side this week; 3 traffic jams, encounters with grumpy people, and arriving 40 minutes late to an appointment can do that to you.

To help fend off the mental anxiety of nearly cursing out this day, I found solace in a poem I refer to often. I wanted to share it with you in case you find yourself feeling stressed or overwhelmed.


Source: My Journey to Enlightenment Source, theoneistheall.wordpress.com

Dazed and confused title turned to trauma,
light turns again to night
another day occupied with thoughts
of how should's and how can's,
where's this bliss? where's the joy?
Trying to create something which is already created.
Peel away the layers of trying and wanting and
pretending and all that remains is truth.
Everything flows perfectly when there is no struggling,
no wanting and fighting. The perfect flow is there.
Release the how can I’s, the what if’s the when’s and the why’s.
Embrace the IS.
Embrace the NOW.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Avoid the “Summertime Blues” with two easy steps.


Yep, that’s right folks….you are not seeing things and heading straight into a form of dementia. Feeling “the blues” is not reserved for just the winter months.

When I first heard about this, I thought “no way, what the heck”. But then I did happen to recall a couple of summertime’s in which I was feeling pretty down and out. As I checked out this interesting fact, I found that not only are there summertime blues, but there are several types of summertime blues.

For example, one site (source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) stated that experts are studying summer SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Although it is less common then winter SAD, summer SAD does affect thousands of people. Some researchers believe that rising temperatures can cause our body temperatures to rise and that can lead to feelings of agitation, restlessness, and insomnia.

Another informative site (source: ezinearticles.com) listed other forms of summertime blues, including: vacation blues, post-vacation blues, transition blues, and the “We’ve Got It Backwards” blues. Once I read about these other kinds of summertime blues, I thought, “oh my gosh, I have experienced summertime blues”. See if you can relate to any of them.
1) Vacation Blues – trying to get a year’s worth of relaxation into one week or a few days. As a result, when many return they feel stressed out again and want a vacation from the vacation. Sound familiar?
2) Post-Vacation Blues – get this, psychologists have a term for this called “post-reinforcement pause”. Pretty much just meaning we get back to our reality after a wonderful few days or weeks.
3) Transition Blues – many of us experience transitions during the summer months, such as graduations, moving, and weddings. The anticipation can be fun to look forward too, but once the event is over, we go back to “reality”.
4) “We’ve Got It Backwards” Blues – this one stood out to me and even had a hint of “ringing true”. This refers to the fact that when we were young kids, we didn’t have much money to spend during the summertime, as well as unable to do much about it since we were “under-age”. However, many of us now find that as we are older and able to make our own decisions, we now find we still may not have the money or means to do what we want to during the summer months. Interesting huh.

Now some of you may be reading this and going “man I could relate”. Or maybe, and unfortunately, one or two of these may ring true for you at this very moment. In any case, there are two easy ways to steer clear of the summertime blues. One such way is to take things slowly, and the other way is to be patient with yourself. In addition, there are two effective exercises * that can help you avoid a possible upcoming seasonal “blues” episode.
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Smiling….the Universal Language that Connects Us All


Many people travel during their lifetime, whether that is for work or pleasure. Many of those travels may take us to far away locations where the locals speak another language. Others may remain in familiar territory, yet encounter visitors who are communicating in a foreign language. In either case, one form of communication that we all share worldwide is a smile.

A smile is a very friendly jester and greeting to another person. Regardless of what language you speak, nearly everyone interprets a smile in the same way. Recently I was in a foreign land where my native language (i.e. English) was rarely spoken, nor understood. I was faced with many encounters where I could not decipher a word of written, or spoken, communication. And mind you, I studied the language a little and knew their alphabet and some basic greetings.
The one thing I did realize during my foreign travels was that I found comfort in smiling. Smiling was the one form of communication that both myself, and the person I was trying to communicate with, understood. At times I even felt especially connected to them when they smiled back. I realized that I had forgotten how important a smile can be. That is, until I was in a foreign land and began using it more often. I also realized that I had not used it much when I was home and living my daily life. A simple smile can go a long way and scientists have even stated that it takes fewer muscles to form a smile on our faces then it does to frown.

So the next time you encounter someone you don’t know, whether that be in a foreign land or in the comfort of your own home town, smile at them. You never know how much it can brighten someone’s day, including your own.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Stuck in Thoughts of Worry or Fear? Accept the Unaccepted and Find Some Wiggle Room.


Recently a friend of mine, Jackie, was going through an anxious time in her life. She was suddenly traveling to another country and was told that it required some processing and documents that she needed to apply for and request.

Now Jackie is usually a pretty calm and relaxed person. However, when it comes to important travels and having to count on others to be able to reach her goal and deadlines, she gets understandably anxious.

One night she contacted me and said she was really struggling with her worrisome and fearful thoughts. Some of the thoughts were, “What if I don’t get my visa and passport back in time?” and “What if my lay-over gets delayed, causing me to miss a connecting flight?” I had mentioned that these were valid concerns, but that there were perhaps ways to defuse them so they would quiet down just a bit. I then shared with her a simple little tool that can help anyone free themselves from the clutches of the worry and fear scoundrels. That simple tool is just this, “Accept the fact that you are not accepting the situation or moment”. Now if this sounds ironic, good, because it is.
....*
However, sometimes we may run into situations where accepting what is happening just does not help us to fend off the plethora of worrisome thoughts. So then, the next step in defusing the situation is accepting that you are not accepting the situation. In other words, accepting that you are not accepting your worrisome thoughts. Because if you keep thinking that you just want them to go away, and that you should not have them, then to a certain extent you are denying a genuine feeling that a part of you is experiencing. So by accepting the fact that you don’t accept the worrisome or fearful thoughts, you then open up a tiny little space that a part of you says, “OK”. A space that I refer to as “Wiggle Room”. From that space, or wiggle room, you can focus on just being in that moment and diffuse the negative thoughts that are focusing on future fear.
....*
The next time you struggle with a very worrisome or fearful thought, try just accepting what you aren’t accepting, and a slight sense of freedom may follow.
May you find a little "Wiggle Room" in each worrisome situation you encounter.
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Knowing What You Don’t Want is a Great Start….BUT, Finish it off with a Goal in Mind.*


There are tons of people out there that are pretty confident about what they don’t want. Whether that be something simple (e.g. not wanting to eat out tonight), or something pretty grand (e.g. not wanting to get married).

Every day most of us are faced with tasks, jobs, or situations that present examples
of what we don’t want. For example, one day a friend of mine said, “I don’t want to drive to my relatives this weekend”, and “I don’t want to have zero dollars in my savings account”. Now I for one can relate to these two examples as I have used
them from time to time.

However, what we often forget to do is a very crucial next step; defining what we do want. Defining what we do want can help us to navigate through life, incorporate changes, and most importantly, reach goals and aspirations. Yet, as my dear friend repeated to me one day, “I don’t want to have zero dollars in my account”, I then asked a question that stopped her in her tracks. I asked her, “So how much money do you want in your account?” To my friend’s surprise, she was not sure. She said, “oh, I don’t know, I guess I just know I don’t want zero”. Well, this is all fine and dandy at first. But, if we don’t take the time to really figure out and define what we do want, then we can end up aimlessly wandering through life. I had asked my friend when she first felt this way, and guess what, she said “oh gosh, about 5 years or so”. My dear friend then thought for a moment and said, “I can’t believe it has been that long?”….*

…..*

Often it is easy in this very fast paced world we live in, to forget to define and set goals of what we do want, and just keep on living in “what I don’t want” mode. So the next time you find yourself saying “I really don’t want that”, then figure out what you do want instead and start achieving that great goal.
ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!!
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Are You Feeling “Blue” About Your “Green” (Financial) Situation?


Many people are feeling the struggling economy. Gas prices have nearly skyrocketed in the past year, the housing market has slumped with nearly record high foreclosure rates, the unemployment rate has increased, and the value of the US dollar has decreased. Shoot, it’s enough to make anyone run for financial cover; that is in the form of decreased spending and transferred money into more stable accounts (e.g. bonds and guaranteed funds).

Often during such financial “woes”, many people suffer emotionally. Specifically, self-esteem and a person’s self-worth are affected by their financial situation. I knew a woman named Patty who was very positive and vibrant. Then she found out that the value of her house declined, and she had a high credit card balance. Patty began to feel anxious about her financial situation and felt very worried and stressed out. As days passed by, Patty had often shared how she could not seem to put anything into her savings account, no matter how hard she tried.

One day I asked her about her financial situation and how that was making her feel. She replied, “very helpless” and “drained”. As a result of her new found negative emotions, Patty also realized that other negative thoughts started to re-surface and bother her. As if a downward spiral had overcome her, sucking the positive life right out of her.

Then I asked Patty if she had a budget. She had said that she sort-of had one in her head, but nothing in “writing” so to speak.....*

Patty did create a budget on her computer with a spreadsheet program she had (i.e. Microsoft Excel), and was surprised at what she saw.....*

Patty also noticed something very profound. By having a budget, she noticed that she was feeling much better emotionally. Patty was experiencing a sense of control over her money and spending. As a result, she was able to come up with solutions and changes to her spending habits. Finally, with a sense of control, Patty was feeling higher self-esteem and increased self-worth.

There are exercises, (e.g. Budget Your Way Out of Financial Anxiety* and Accepting the Situation*) that can help someone dissolve financial “woes”.....*

Peace and wellness to all!

* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Four Easy Steps to Avoid Low Self-Esteem Caused by Frequent Procrastination


Well happy Friday everyone! As many of you know, I am a member of the National Association for Self-Esteem and they send out a handy dandy newsletter that contains some really nifty articles.
This week I found one article in particular that I thought was just a gem, and better yet, it can help build one’s confidence and self-esteem. So I wanted to pass it along and share it with all of you.

Enjoy!!!

Source: National Association of Self-Esteem Newsletter #8-1

Stop Putting IT Off!
It is time to get a round to it.
By Bob Younglove

You know what IT is. IT is the things you could do and should do to be healthier, happier, and more successful. You keep saying you are going to do IT. You even know that when you do IT, you will be happier and proud of yourself. Turning your good intentions into positive results, build you confidence and self-esteem.

So, for your sake, don’t put IT off another day. You deserve the best. Go for IT! Following the simple steps in this article will significantly improve your quality of life.

STOP! Don’t put this article on the pile of “To read some day”,
because you’ll never a round to it.

“Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Do IT now! Decide to start doing the things you already know will lead to enhanced career success, improved health, and greater personal happiness.

STEP 1
Make a list of the actions that you know and believe will bring you success. To start you thinking, complete the following sentences:
I will be healthier when I _______________________________
My career will be more rewarding when I __________________
I will be proud and happy with me when I __________________

STEP 2
Motive yourself by falling in love with the vision of your success. Daydream about what it will feel like to have accomplished your goals. Start every morning by focusing on the picture of you in the future, and the way you are behaving as a “dot it now person”!

STEP 3
Make a list of itty-bitty tasks that you can do in 15 or 20 minutes, which will move you toward your vision. Make a commitment to yourself, and tell a friend about at least one thing you will do today to move you closer to achieving your goals. Don’t put your head on the pillow at night until you have taken some positive action for success.

STEP 4
Build momentum by frequently telling yourself that you have the intelligence, the willpower and the self-confidence to use your time, your talent and your energy each and everyday to be successful.

Stop procrastinating on doing the things that you know will bring you great joy, personal pride, and success. Stop letting life happen to you, and start making life happen for you.
Bob Younglove is a Performance Coach, Speaker and the author of SPONSOR SUCCESS: A Workbook for Turning Good Intentions Into Positive Results, American Literary Press, 2002

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Peace and Pleasure Can Be Just a "Sniff" Away


I had learned something a couple years ago from a well known medical professional that I found to be pretty interesting. Doctor Mehmet Oz had mentioned in his book, YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger, that our sense of smell is the only sense we have that goes straight to the “pleasure portion” of our brain (i.e. amygdala).

All the other senses that most of us possess include: touch, taste, sight, and hearing. Apparently these other senses have to go through another process or two before we understand and interpret what they are revealing to us. However, our sense of smell gets a sort of “skip ahead pass” and goes straight to the area of the brain that effects arousal, emotion, and pleasure.

Once I became aware of this nice little characteristic about my sense of smell, I decided to use it to my advantage. I had set out to find a couple scents that would lead me right to a peaceful and pleasurable state of mind. Almost like an instant little mini vacation for my mind. So I trekked down to a local aromatherapy store and checked out all their essential oils. Many of these stores sell oils for massage therapists and aromatherapy practitioners.

There were several oils (i.e. scents) to choose from, and I had a couple in mind that I knew were linked to certain reactions and emotions. For example, Lavender is well known for aiding anxiety, irritability, and insomnia. Peppermint was known for aiding with fatigue, headache, and nausea. There are several other oils available, however these two were the ones that put smiles on my face as I sniffed their magical aromas.

***Now, please note that I knew of the safety precautions to be taken when dealing with essential oils. Please visit the link to this site, http://www.aromaweb.com/articles/safety.asp, for a list of safety precautions before purchasing any essential oils.

My intention was to just smell the scent of each oil I desired, as opposed to rubbing the oil onto my skin. Specifically what I had set out to do was simply place a drop or two of oil onto a small pillow-shaped cloth that I was going to tote around with me in my adorable purse. So I bought a tiny jar of peppermint and lavender, and headed home to test my new experiment out. My experiment was simply to sniff my wonderfully scented pillow-shaped cloth whenever I felt stress, anxiety, headache pain, or fatigue. My hope was that I would immediately experience a moment or two of peace and pleasure.

Well, guess what…..it worked! At least for me and many others I have mentioned this little trick too. So, you may want to consider finding one or two of your favorite “scents” and tote them around on something that you can refer too in times of strife or stress. Just one or two little sniffs can send you for a moment into “Pleasantville”.

P.S. Scents can be obtained in several forms such as colognes, body sprays, soaps, and candles. If you consider purchasing a scent through the use of essential oils, please check out the safety link above and consult with an aromatherapy practitioner.

Peace and pleasure to all!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Sail Into Summer by Steering Clear of the Three W’s….That Can Cause Mental Storms.*


Where does the time go? Summer time 2008 is almost here and many are planting colorful flowers, buying suntan lotion, revving up the barbecues and dodging bumble bees.

Summer time can also mean hot steamy temperatures and occasional thunderstorms. However, dear mother nature isn’t the only one that produces storms. Sometimes, we humans have what I refer to as “mental storms”. By mental storms, I mean negative and stressful thought patterns that can take over our minds and continue to grow in strength as they move about in our heads. Many of these mental storm systems are brought on by, what I call, the three W’s…..worry, waiting, and wondering.

Worry can be an effective incoming “front”, causing mental storms. Many people worry about something from the past, or anticipate something in the future. ….*

Waiting is also damaging and keeps your life “on hold”. Many people seem to be waiting their whole lives in anticipation of future events. ….*

The last “W” is wonder. Now some of you may being thinking “I thought wonder was a good emotion to have” and it can be. For instance, if you are wondering about something positive, then that can be a fine type of wonder. However, many people wonder about negative things. For example, wondering about what would happen if you lost your job, or a loved one fell ill. ….*

Often these three W’s can work together and feed off each other, causing a sort of mental typhoon in your head. However, there are steps you can take (e.g. Using Your Doppler Radar and Clear Skies Collage) to avoid stirring up these mental storms and just sail through this summer like a fresh breeze. ….*

So the next time you find yourself worrying, waiting, or wondering…try to relax those thoughts so that they don’t turn into thunderous mental storms.
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Ten Seconds that can change your life, and even save it.


I read an article today that left me feeling sad, yet determined. It was an article about how a recent road rage encounter ended in death for one passenger (a grandmother) and wounded a little girl.

I can imagine how their traveling journey started. There were five passengers in an SUV, heading to some adventurous destination. However, their plans went sour when they pulled out in front of another car, whose occupants were not so happy. A minor collusion had occurred and it was reported that both drivers had a verbal altercation.

Unfortunately, when the altercation was over, the driver of the smaller car was not finished with the encounter. The car then followed the SUV and the passenger ended up pulling out a gun and shooting at the SUV, which was clearly filled with passengers. One passenger was fatally wounded, and another little girl was shot in the arm, but will recover. Well, physically anyway.

I wanted to share this story with you because I do believe that we all can individually work together to prevent such horrible encounters and circumstances.

I realize that many people are in “hurry” mode when they get into a car. However, I am going to give you a couple of very effective exercises that can help you to relax just a little bit before you pull away and begin to drive to your destination. More importantly, these exercises may even help save your life. Not only can being in a more relaxed state help us to feel and drive more calmly, but it can also help us to respond more calmly toward others who tend to drive more aggressively around us.

While I realize that it may feel difficult to control our instant reactions towards others, we are still very responsible for our reactions. There are ways to be aware and control how we react to others who may upset us or offend us. Try to remember that you have no idea who the other driver is and how they handle stress, more or less what they may have with them in their car (or pockets). Even though there may be times that you want to look over at another driver with anger, or even yell at them with rage, just try to look away or avoid any contact with them. If you don’t, the results could be fatal.

I believe that each person, deep down, has the desire to arrive at their destination calmly and safely. In most cases, this can be achieved if we all are aware of our current state of mind, and if we try these effective exercises. They can help you when you are driving, as well as help you fend off any signs of “road rage” that may find their way into your journey. They can also help you in any situation that brings you stress, frustration, or even anger.

Exercise #1: Choose Peace in 10 Seconds
1) As soon as you get into your car, and just before you turn the ignition on, sit for just a moment.
2) Take one deep breath.
3) Then tell yourself (either out loud or in your mind), “I will choose peace today”.
4) Take one more deep breath.
5) Start your car (or whatever it is you are doing) and do it with “peace” in mind.

Exercise #2: Fun & Joyful Symbol
1) Get a small item, or picture, of something that brings a smile to your face (e.g. puppy, kitten, child, Disney character, etc.).
2) Put it up in your car where you can see it while you drive (e.g. hung from rear view mirror).
3) Every time that you make a stop, look at your item or picture. Make a point to focus as much as possible on that item.
4) If you feel yourself getting stressed at another driver, remember your item (or picture) and look over at it the next time you make a stop.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

A Couple of Exercise Gems to Help You Align your Body with your Mind


Recently I experienced some unwelcome tension in my neck and shoulders. Even some super duper over-the-counter miracle tablets did not seem to phase this record breaking tension I was experiencing. I was working at a desk and on the computer, and I had plans that night I looked forward too and did not want to reschedule.

I was faced with figuring out a way to help relieve the tension that had taken hold of my delicate body. Normally I am challenged with mental thoughts that sometimes invade my mind. However, this day I was doing beautifully mentally. It was my body that was out of sync, and not cooperating with the whole mind-body-spirit experience.

So I went online and found a couple very effective exercises that I wanted to share with all of you. The site was titled Fitness is Fun and the address was, http://www.backhealth.net/backhealth/fitness/workexercise.htm.

If you work at a desk or computer often, or if you are just feeling tension in your neck and shoulders, please try these simple yet extremely effective exercises and enjoy the results. For me, the tension had weakened and I felt more energy.

ENJOY!!!!

Relieve Upper Back and Shoulder Tension (Standing or Sitting)
· Lift your hands to your shoulders
· Keep your elbows down and push your shoulders back
· Hold for 15 seconds

Do this five times

Relieve Back, Neck and Shoulder Tension (Standing or Sitting)
· Inhale and raise your shoulders to touch your ears
· While raised, push your shoulders back and exhale
· Relax shoulders

Do this five times.

Relieve Neck and Shoulder Tension (Standing or Sitting)
· Inhale and slowly turn your head to the right until you feel your neck muscles pull. Hold for five
seconds.
. Exhale and return your head to face straight ahead.
· Inhale and slowly turn your head to the left until you feel your neck muscles pull. Hold for five
seconds.
· Exhale and return you head to face straight ahead.

Do this five times

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Visiting “Sufferland”….the Park Your Ego and Pain-Body Love to Stay and Play at.


I had a situation happen to me yesterday that left me with thoughts and feelings of frustration and even, oh my gosh, slight despair. Now, you don’t have to rush over to your window to see if the sky is falling….because yes, even life coaches have their moments. So, I tried to use my successful handy dandy self-coaching skills, as well as my consciousness skills (i.e. being present in the moment). However, to my dismay, nothing seemed to be shaking the dreadful feeling I was experiencing. I soon realized that I had entered that ghastly land I refer to as, “Sufferland”. A place where our egos enjoy the merry-go-rounds (i.e. repetitive negative thoughts), and where the pain-body likes to ride the roller-coaster’s (i.e. up’s, down’s, twists, and turns). Now, let me explain a little about what I refer to as “ego” and “pain-body”. I was first introduced to these terms by Eckhart Tolle, a renowned spiritual teacher. Eckhart defines the ego as our “illusionary sense of identity”, which includes our mental thoughts. The pain-body is defined by Eckart as an “accumulation of old emotional pain”.

What I learned from this experience is that our ego’s and pain-bodies are sometimes going to put up a tough fight and try to control us and stick around for a while. They love visiting “Sufferland” and most of the time they don’t ever want to leave there. Just like a three year old who doesn’t want to leave a fun filled day at dear grandma’s house.

Now, as a coach, I have been able to fend off many egoic thoughts and pain-body episodes with my self-coaching skills and “present moment” techniques. However, this was the first time in a long time that I was not able to leave “Sufferland” so easily. My ego and pain-body wanted to “stay and play for a while”, so to speak.

So, what I tried to do was go the “Acceptance” route. I thought, “OK, I realize that at this moment, a part of me (i.e. my ego/pain-body) wants to play in ‘Sufferland” and feel these feelings. So I accepted those feelings and further thought, “This too shall pass”. So there I was, sticking it out like a trooper. But what I didn’t know was that my ego and pain-body had a plot to try to take up permanent residence in “Sufferland”. Because what happened next was an interesting experience.

I noticed that while I accepted my temporary time in “Sufferland”, my ego brought out the big guns and supplied me with more negative thoughts. Then my ego tried to analyze each thought and test its validity. Some of them felt just as true as the original circumstance and resulting thought. So, I began to wonder if some of them were truer then the original thought that landed me here. Well, this fueled the “ride” and I realized that while in that state of mind, I could not determine which statement was truer. I started to feel overwhelmed and even a little despair. My body was all tense and I felt the most tension in my neck and shoulders. Once I noticed what was happening, and that my body was physically being affected, I knew I had to do something else. However, I also knew that when my ego and pain-body are in “control mode”, they are not open to other choices or peaceful changes. So my next thought was to work with them, and not against them. I thought I would write down all these thoughts my ego was presenting to me, however I wanted to analyze them at a later time. Just then, I felt a sense of “maybe”, and proceeded to grab a pad of paper and a pen. I wrote down each negative thought that had come to me and put a “re-visit date”. My ego was slightly hesitant, but I soon felt a sense of “Ok, that is fine”. Next I felt a slight sense of ease. I knew I had weakened my ego’s hold, and as a result also my pain-body’s hold (since the pain-body needs the ego to survive). Then, I just focused on my breath. Now, I still felt slightly “down and out”, but it was not nearly as strong as it was earlier that evening. I am happy to report that, in my case, the next morning I felt joyful and peaceful once again.

In light of this experience, I want to let you all know that when you feel you are smack dab in the middle of “Sufferland”, first try to accept what is happening to you at that moment and remember that, “This too shall pass”. Sometimes that may be enough to shorten your stay and get you through the “EXIT” doors much faster. However, if (like me) you find that your ego or pain-body want to take up residence in “Sufferland”, then try my little technique of writing the thoughts down and deciding to analyze them at a later time (preferably when you are feeling better).

Lastly, I also wanted to share with you a song I listened too this morning that really struck me as the perfect song for moments like this. Moments when our egos (and/or pain-body’s) are trying to visit “Sufferland”. The song is called “Lies” and it is by Glen Hansard (from the soundtrack “Once”). Please note that as I heard the first verse, I felt as though it referred to our true inner-selves. All the rest of the verses, I felt, were perfectly referring to our egos and pain-bodies.

“LIES”
I think it's time, we give it up
And figure out what's stopping us
From breathing easy, and talking straight
The way is clear if you're ready now
The volunteer is slowing down
And taking time to save himself
The little cracks they escalated
And before you know it was too late
For making circles and telling lies
You're moving too fast for me
And I can't keep up with you
Maybe if you slowed down for me
I could see you're only tellingLies, lies, lies
Breaking us down with yourLies, lies, lies
When will you learn
Instrumental
The little cracks they escalated
And before you know it was too late
For making circles and telling lies
You're moving too fast for me
And I can't keep up with you
Maybe if you'd slowed down for me
I could see you're only tellingLies, lies, lies
Breaking us down with yourLies, lies, lies
When will you learn
So plant the thought and watch it grow
Wind it up and let it go

Friday, May 30, 2008

The Power of Negative and Positive Thoughts….Where Does Your Power Lie?*


I was recently skimming over the CNN news highlights and some of them read, “Bad hurricanes forecast, but few ready”, “Woman in iron lung dies after power failure”,
and “Do You Hate Your Commute Too?”

Now, as you read each of those statements, how do you feel? If you had to label each as a positive or negative news story, which would each be? As I read them, I realized that each of them was negative in nature. My initial responses to each of the statements were, “Yikes”, “Very sad”, and “Heck yah I hate it”. Many of you may be able to relate to those responses, and if you do, I want to point something out to you. Something that had occurred to me as I realized my own reaction to them. My thoughts about those stories left me feeling worried, sad, and frustrated. I then noticed how my thoughts continued to think of other negative thoughts about my own life and experiences. For example, I thought about a storm I had seen years ago that left me feeling as if I were in a re-make of The Wizard of Oz, the tornado scene. Then I thought about the day I had a very bad commute into work, as if I had been transported onto the streets of downtown New York. This went on for several minutes, until I realized how I was giving more power to my negative thoughts and disregarding any positive thoughts.

Negative thoughts can be useful and have a purpose in the sense that they indicate how you are feeling at any given moment. Once someone realizes that, “hey, I have been feeling frustrated or stressed”, then they can use that as a signal to
acknowledge what they are feeling and then ideally let it go…..*

…..*

Finally, a very effective question to ask yourself the next time you experience a negative thought is, “Is it the negative thought that is really upsetting me, or is it the power I am giving the negative thought that is upsetting me?” Once you figure out the answer, you will begin to free yourself from your negative thoughts, and then you can choose to focus on more positive thoughts.

Peace and Joy to all!
* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Memorial Day….A Lesson in History Leads to Important Truth


Yesterday was Memorial Day in the United States and I had decided to take the time to look up the history of this honored day. I mean, I knew that it was a day we were to remember our service men and women who gave their lives while serving our country. But for some reason, this year I wanted to know more about this legal holiday that is recognized around our nation and is celebrated with parades and special events.

As I searched the seemingly unlimited Internet highway, I stumbled upon a little gem of a site that briefly explained the origin of Memorial Day. Originally this day was called “Decoration Day” since many women and men would decorate the graves of their loved ones who had died while serving our country.

Then I read how there were many stories that claimed to be the “actual beginnings” for the existence of Memorial Day, as well as those who had first recognized this day. What really touched me, however, was that this same site also mentioned one important truth that many people tend to forget. Not just in regards to Memorial Day, but also in regards to many circumstance or events that happen in and around the world today.

The truth that I read was this, “It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.” *

When I read this, I thought “WOW”! Not only was that a beautiful truth when celebrating Memorial Day, but it is a truth that can be applied to many other events or circumstances. Sometimes we tend to get lost in the “what’s”, “where’s”, “when’s”, and “why’s”. While being inquisitive can, at times, be beneficial, some people tend to loose focus on what is really important at a given moment.

Imagine for a moment another event or circumstance that this statement could apply to. One that I thought of was simply, “Life”. If this statement were in reference to “Life”, it would go like this: “It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Life was established. Life is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.”

I ask each of you to write this statement down and either post it up, carry it with you, or if you are feeling really wild, do both. The next time you find yourself in a situation where you are focusing on why something is the way it is, or who founded it first, think of this statement. Does all the past “when’s” and “why’s” really matter at this moment? Sometimes the answer may be yes. But sometimes, you may find that the past reasons do not matter as much as simply acknowledging and honoring a special event or circumstance as it is…..in that moment.

Hoping everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend!!

* - quote was found on the site: www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html (David Merchant)

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Your life is a story….so what are you choosing to write?


Much of what we believe and experience about our lives comes from years of conditioning and how we perceive and believe most situations. As a result, we tend to create stories that we tell ourselves about situations and moments we either create or are faced with.

So, what stories are you experiencing and writing today?

For me, I have a couple stories I will share with you that I am experiencing today. They include: “I am enjoying my new vehicle I picked up last night at the dealership” and “I am feeling very happy today”.

I happen to ask a friend I know what they were experiencing today and they proceeded to say the following, “I feel very down and out today and I am not sure why”. I then asked her, “Is that how you want to feel today?” and she replied, “Well, no”. I then asked her why she thought she felt down and out, and she thought for a moment and then started to tell me the reason, or what I like to refer to as the “story”. She said “I think I feel very down because…………….”

While what follows the “because” portion of her comment is relatively important, in reality it is her opinion, or the story she is telling herself about the situation. When we add anything to statements such as “I am……” or “This happened because……” we are adding our own beliefs and thoughts to our stories, and get this, these stories may or may not be true ultimately.

Some people are pessimists, or they naturally think of the worse case scenario in most situations that they are faced with. Now, imagine how all their stories are ending. Worst yet, some people even begin to experience and live out the story they have created, which can lead to stress, frustration, suffering, and even anger and resentment. For example, my friend said, “I feel very down today because I woke up and didn’t feel like going into my boring job”. Every time that my friend tells herself that story, or thought, how do you think she feels? Possibly frustrated, stressed, and even a little hopeless?

Now, what if she re-wrote her story to be more positive or inspiring? What if she said to herself, “I feel very down today about my boring job, but I will take steps to find a more challenging job”, or “I feel very down today and want to feel happy so I will do something that makes me happy”? If these were the stories my friend was writing for herself, how do you think those would leave her feeling? Probably not frustrated or stressed. She actually might feel more empowered and inspired.

I would like for you to ask yourself today, what kind of stories have I been writing lately? What stories do I want to write?

Be aware that you have the choice to create and write your own stories and endings to each and every situation that you come across, or are faced with. It is true that we get faced with situations that just get dealt to us (e.g. tragedy or illness), however, how we react to each situation is our choice and in our control. This can be a very empowering and even freeing realization.

I challenge each of you today, and the rest of this week, to look at some of the situations you are being faced with and ask yourself, “How do I perceive this situation”? Also ask yourself, “What kind of story am I attaching to this situation”? Then see if you can create and write a more inspiring ending that could be just as true, if not truer then the original ending.

Happy writing everyone!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Do you take things personally? If so, how is that working out for you?*


There is a very common belief and perception out there in the world that drives and plagues many people’s daily lives. That perception is taking other people’s actions or comments personally. Some people take only certain types of comments personally and are able to fend off other types. However, some people take nearly every comment personally and that can cause suffering.

I believe that a person’s confidence level definitely effects how a person will process and react to other people’s actions or comments. Having a lower sense of self-confidence can mean someone will take more comments personally. For example, when I was younger I suffered a low sense of self-confidence and took nearly every comment personally. I recall times when I would be driving in traffic, and if someone cut me off, I would immediately get angry at that stranger and think “that jerk (or jerk’ess) meant to cut me off”. In reality, I had no idea why that stranger cut me off. Sure they were driving as if they were a NASCAR finalist, but there really could have been several reasons for their driving behavior including; “maybe they didn’t see me”, or “they have a family emergency to get to”. But at that time in my life, I took being cut-off by some stranger as a personal blow to me……*

Personally I had found that when my confidence grew and I developed a healthy self-image, I was taking actions and comments much less personally. I found myself thinking more along the lines of, “oh they must need to get somewhere urgently”. This comment leaves me free of any negative personal thoughts or blows to my self-image and self-esteem. If you do find yourself taking many things personally, try to take steps to boost your self-confidence, and witness yourself taking things less personal. A great place to start would be to take the free Self-Confidence Quiz that can be found in the right column of this blog.

* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. For more information, please visit our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Is our Sense of Sight a Gift or a Severe Limitation?


Most people will look at this question and say, “Well of course it is a gift....I can’t imagine not having the ability to see”. However, it is important that while it may seem like a wonderful gift, those of us who do have the ability to “see” need to remember that our sight is extremely limiting in how we truly perceive the world. Ironically our vision, while some will argue is one of our more precious senses, is also one of the most deceiving of senses.

NEWSFLASH #1.....you are made up of 70% - 80% of water. Yep.....that fine quenching fluid that we all need in order to survive.

NEWSFLASH #2.....humans are made up of 99.9% of the same elements, and only .10% of our elements are different.

When I heard these statements, I decided to take a short and sweet crash course in the scientific realm of the human body. Granted this was a refresher course as I may have previously learned all about the human body somewhere along my “educational” journey. What I was reminded of, was that the human body is made up of atoms, and that the atoms work together to form molecules. Then the molecules work together to form organs. In addition to these fantastic facts, we are also made up of over 70% - 80% water.

Now, when you look at someone, or something, you don’t visually see the molecules or atoms hard at work. Nor do you see the water that encompasses well over half of our structure. What most people see is the physical perception of an image. For example, trees, flowers, houses, other humans, animals, etc. In addition to our sense of sight, another attribute that plays into our perceptions is our thoughts and how we process what we believe we are seeing.

So, when you realize what we are all really made up of, one can’t help but think, “Are my eyes deceiving me”? In many ways, yes they are. Then I took it a step further and thought, “And are they contributing to a sense of separateness that so many people in the world are experiencing today”?

I was recently challenged with the thought of blindness. I was told of a little girl who was born blind. At first, my initial reaction was “oh no, that poor little girl can’t see anything”. However, now my thoughts have changed to be “oh wow, maybe that little girl has been spared a sense that will no doubt cause a large amount of limitations and misperceptions in her life”.

There is no doubt some wonderful benefits to having a sense of sight, including watching sunsets or sunrises, seeing a flower that has bloomed, or admiring your loved one fast asleep. However, I ask you to recall these simple and extremely powerful facts every day……“you are made up of 70% - 80% water” and “humans are made up of 99.9% of the same elements, and only .10% of our elements are different”. If we all can recall what we truly are made of, and that we are all so similar, then maybe we can feel much more compassion for one another and project into the world a sense of oneness. Then just maybe, we all can work together to reveal the wonderfully peaceful world that truly exists within and all around us.

I will leave you with….and as John Lennon would sing……“Imagine all the people living life in peace….you may say I’m a dreamer…but I’m not the only one....I hope some day you’ll join us….and the world will live as one”.

Peace to all!

Friday, May 9, 2008

Got Gratitude? It Does a Body Good.


Happy Friday everyone……as I was driving in my car this morning, I was stopped at a light and a woman with a stroller was crossing the street. Just above them, a couple birds flew overhead and chirped. In that moment, I was grateful for many things. I was grateful for babies, for mothers, for birds, and the blue sky.

Then the light turned green and all the cars around me took off as if we were in some sort of Indy car race. I then noticed that my body tensed up in my neck, shoulders and back. Then some mundane and negative thoughts entered into my mind, such as the office “to do list”.

I really didn’t think much of this since it had all become so routine for me. However, this morning, I realized something that I had nearly forgotten. The importance of gratitude. I was stopped at a second light and at that moment, I noticed an older man walking his dog along a sidewalk. I smiled as I recalled my dog and how grateful I am for dogs.

The light then turned green again and we all took off, nearly squealing our tires, yet again. This time, however, I observed the other drivers and myself, as if watching an episode of Cops. I was aware that my body again tensed up and the “to do list” thoughts returned in my mind. However, this time, while driving I thought about the things I saw earlier and was grateful for, such as babies, mothers, birds and dogs. As I focused on those grateful things, my body began to relax and feel more at peace. Then I sensed time slightly slowing down. Peace filled that moment and it felt wonderful.

The importance of taking time to recognize what we are grateful for should never be underestimated. Not only does being grateful help relax our minds and feel more joyful, but it also physically relaxes our bodies and has even been known to release hormones that promote the sensation of “pleasure”.

No matter how hectic or busy your life may be, take just a couple minutes each day and make a small list of things you are grateful for. Try to list at least 5 things, no matter how small (e.g. birds singing) or how large (e.g. human rights). When you think of each thing that you are grateful for, try to notice if your mind brings up any negative thoughts or memories. If a negative thought or memory arises, just notice it, and then let it go. Then focus again on those things you are grateful for, at that moment. Recognizing gratitude and listing what you are grateful for, will help you see your life, and the world, in a healthy and joyful perspective.

ENJOY……and have a fantastic weekend!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

An “Aha” moment about Space.


This weekend I had an “Aha” moment that I wanted to share with all of you. This “Aha” moment has to do with space.

Now when is the last time you thought about space? And not just the outer-space where other stars and galaxies exist, but also the space that surrounds each object, each person, each living thing. Even further, the thought of space that exists within each object, person, and living thing.

As I sat and thought about space for a moment this past weekend, I felt a sense of understanding at a level I never knew existed. I felt so much space that I could not comprehend the amount of space out there and I felt that was wonderful and amazing. I also felt that space was a sense of stillness and peace for me. I even became teary-eyed at the thought of the amount of space that surrounds all of the universe and the forms that exist. I realize that the amount of space that exists is so vast that it clearly is much larger then the amount of violence, war, illness, and natural disasters that exist in the world. Those adversities seem larger then they are because of the amount of noise they project. However, I realize that when we focus on the spaciousness around us, we feel a sense of peace and stillness. Through that spaciousness and peace, action will come. I realized that when I looked around, and as I saw birds and grass and trees, I acknowledged the space around each of them. Then I further realized that there is space within each of them.

We are all made of energy at our deepest scientific level and energy is movement. In order for anything to move (i.e. atoms, electrons, protons, neutrons), there has to be space for it in which to move. The sky, the universe, there is just so much space, that it is incomprehensible and yet extremely peaceful. To know that space exists more then anything else, and it is amazing and wonderful. And it is that space that we all, as humans, can and need to recognize exists in this world, this planet, our lives, and our forms. To also recognize it in our daily activities. There is space all around, and we are experiencing that consciously through our human forms. A wonderful and amazing realization.

So the next time you do anything, see anything, or think of anything, try to take a moment and recognize the space that surrounds and is within whatever you are doing or thinking about. You just might stumble across the peace and stillness that also exists, which is the consciousness living that is the purpose of every human being, every living object, and life itself.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Worried about $4 per Gallon for Gas? Have No Fear….Our Stimulus Checks are Near.*


Many of us are seeing gas approach $4.00 per gallon and are nearly frozen in disbelief, as if watching some sort of movie with an unbelievable twist we didn’t see coming. However, one solution to that problem may be the economic stimulus checks that are going out as you read this. Much of the buzz I have been hearing from people is that they plan to use the stimulus checks to help pay for the higher gas prices that appear to be plaguing our cities and towns. Other people are not sure what to do with their stimulus checks. Some people plan to pay off some debt, some plan to save their money, while others plan to just go out and spend it, as the government hopes. Moreover, some people plan to diversify their checks by putting some in savings, some on debt, and spending some on themselves.

What are you going to do with your stimulus check? Struggling with that decision at all? Well, struggle no longer….* I would like to share an imperative rule I learned a couple of years ago about decision making and being stuck. Sometimes the right decision is not to make one at all, at least not at that moment. Sound ironic? It is. However, deciding not to make a decision is a decision in itself…..*

So the next time you struggle with what to do with some new found money, or any other kind of decision you need to make, stop and take a moment to clear your mind to make way for the “right” answer to surface. If the decision comes, fantastic. If it does not, don’t fret, it just may not be the right moment. Trust that in another moment the answer may come that is best for you and your decision.

* Please note, these are highlights from an entire article in Higher-Self Living Paychecks. You can view this entire article by going to our website at www.higherselflifecoaching.com and selecting the "Services" page. There you will find a link to a sample of a Higher-Self Living Paycheck, which will include this entire article.

NEW WEBSITE & SERVICE OFFERED!

We are excited to share with you our new Higher-Self Coaching website. Yes, it is up and running as you read this post. Please check us out at www.higherselflifecoaching.com.

In addition to a new website, we also offer a new service called Higher-Self Living Paychecks. This is a fantastic new service that can help boast your confidence and experience a more fulfilling lifestyle. Best of all, you can sample a Higher-Self Living Paycheck by visiting our site and going to the "Services" page. Starting tomorrow (May 2, 2008) you will find a link to a sample of a paycheck, which includes an informative and entertaining article, two step-by-step exercises used in coaching sessions, and a 50% coupon.

Please check our new site and services out today.
Thank you and enjoy!!