Sunday, March 29, 2009

”Been There, Done That, Yah Hoo”…the Importance of Accomplishment. *


This is it people….this newsletter is about to start in motion a journey for you that may delight you, encourage you, or scare you to death…..or at least make you pee in your pants. I am going to ask you to get up, get out there, and accomplish an old raggedy and dusted goal you have put off for years.

Come on, you can do it. We all have heard that old cliche, “There is no time like the present”. Don’t wait for one of those moments where you hear the passing of a loved one, or a devastating illness to remind you of the importance of the present moment and accomplishing your goals and dreams. The reality of life is that none of us know when or where we will move on to another way of living. For example, recently I accomplished a goal and dream that I had set years ago. When I was a little girl and watched my first Oscar award show, I had dreamt of being an actress. Yet years would pass, and a mountain of dust would accumulate, before I would actually take action.

So this year I decided to go for it. As a life coach, I have the mentality of “living it to give it”. I heard from a friend that I could sign up for a local acting workshop with an experienced actress. The workshop met once a week and ran for four fun weeks. You didn’t need experience, which worked particularly well for me since I had absolutely no experience at all. The only experience I had was the occasional daydream of starring in a role opposite an admired actor I cherished….or one I just thought was really hot….*

I eagerly signed up, got butterflies in my tummy and waited for the first class to start. To make a great story short….I LOVED IT. During one of the classes, our teacher said “all of you actors will experience….”. OK…at that moment I was actually called an actor. I looked around to see who she was referring too and realized that she meant all of us, including me. I also realized then that I didn’t need to have a starring role in an Oscar nominated movie, or be a regular in some sitcom, to be considered an actor. What a cool realization!!

I also experienced a sense of accomplishment. Some of the other students had not completed the class, but a handful of us had….*

I would like to ask each of you to think of an old dream or goal you had years ago as a child, that you didn’t act on. Then take a simple step, or two, and accomplish that goal. You can do it…finish it and enjoy that sense of accomplishment that results.
* 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, March 15, 2009

"Spring" into Spring with a Vision Board*


Finally it is that wonderful time of year that, for many of us, several things begin to blossom and grow. Eager buds start to form on robust tree branches, flowers begin to flourish, geese begin to head back north, and countless winter blue moods start to dissolve with warm smiles. Many people are finally able to step outside and take in a breath of fresh air without risking hypothermia. Ah yes….Spring is in the air.

This is also an excellent time of year to create an exciting Vision Board, inviting in your ultimate dreams and desires. However, BEWARE! When you do create a vision board, please realize that whatever you place on your board will in fact come true for you….*

Vision Boards have been around for years, and the concept was popularized when a book called, The Secret, was published. Vision Boards are very simple, yet extremely powerful. Now, normally I usually explain to all of you my experiences with certain challenges and then I share how I was able to deal with them. However, in this case, I have not yet done a vision board, so I will be creating one at the very same time as all of you…..in the next couple of weeks.…*

The most popular and easy way to create a vision board is to do the following steps:
1) Get a poster board (or a piece of construction paper to go on your fridge).
2) Get a few magazines (walk through a bookstore or pharmacy and see which magazines you are drawn to most-see if you are drawn to different types).
3) Get glue (or tape if you prefer).
4) Sit for a moment and clear your mind so that your dreams and desires can surface.
5) Go through the magazines and cut out pictures and phrases that just feel wonderful and right to you. It can be something you love or wish for.
6) Glue each picture/phrase onto your board and put it up in a place you will see often.
Please feel free to also list or write anything you want on your board. That’s it.

So, let’s do this together! Please take the next couple of weeks and create your vision board, as will I. Then, get this, I plan to write an updated article in the next couple of months to share how my life has been going in relation to my vision board. I would also LOVE for any of you to share any experiences or stories you have happen as a result of your vision board. Just shoot me an email as I would love to hear from you.
* 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, March 1, 2009

Dance Your Way to a Happier Mood*


That is right folks, you can now dance your way to a happier mood. Shocker? Maybe for some of you, but others may not be as surprised. I will admit that up until a couple months ago, I had not danced in years, except for the occasional wedding reception, when a relative or friend of mine walked down the aisle and changed their name. And every time I was dancing, I always wondered why I had waited so long to do so.

When is the last time you took time to dance? And I don’t mean taking a dance class or even dancing at a wedding. While those occasions are fantastic opportunities, they also happen probably much less frequent then a solar eclipse. I am talking about just dancing alone at home. When is the last time you just put on a song and just let your body go? The last time you felt the music and just wiggled and jiggled, or waltzed across the room with that imaginary attractive partner? ….*

If you have not done this in days, months, or even years, please take the time in the next few days to do so. Find a song you love and just feel the music and let your body go. Even if you don’t hear or sense the rhythm of the song, you can still just let your body guide you by trusting it completely. Dancing is a form of exercise and the super duper thing about that is the release of endorphins. Endorphins are released in the brain and cause a reduction in pain and an increase in euphoria. And who couldn’t use some endorphins at this time of year, when many are dealing with winter blues….*

Now, if you are in need of a song, or would like to learn some dance steps, then I encourage you to venture to You Tube. There you can find a plethora of songs and dance moves that will help you to get into the groove and improve your mood. And heck, for those of you who would like to shed a pound, or two, or thirty, you may do just that in the process.

So I challenge each of you to find a couple minutes tomorrow and get up and dance to a favorite tune. Your body will be grateful that you allowed it to express itself, and in return will release those handy dandy endorphins that will brighten your day.
* 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.