New Year's Resolutions, Turtle Steps, and a Poem

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and look forward to a fantastic 2009 year.

Most people begin a new year with new year's resolutions. I even have a couple of my own. Heck, it may even be safe to say that most people include some sort of healthier living resolution included in their list of new year's resolutions....and again, I am one of them. One of my resolutions is to incorporate some sort of regular exercise routine so that I can have a happy and healthy heart. Especially since that organ is vital to my existence.

While I was setting my new year's resolutions, I wanted to take this moment to remind everyone of the importance of turtle steps when setting new year's resolutions and sticking to them. Many people who set new year's resolutions will set goals that are essentially leaps or jumps. For example, one friend of mine said they wanted to lose weight this year, so they plan to begin working out 5 days a week. Prior to today, she didn't work out at all. That is what I consider a "leap" so to speak. To go from one extreme to another.

However, if you set resolutions or goals in the form of leaps or jumps, chances are you may fall flat on your face. And getting back up may be a little challenging. However, if you set your resolutions in the form of turtle steps, then chances are you will take one step forward, and then another step forward, without falling flat on your face.

I encourage everyone to look at any and all new year's resolutions they have set for 2009 and apply the turtle steps method. All that you need to do is take a resolution/goal and cut it in half. Then cut it in half again. Keep cutting the goal in half until every part of you (mind and body) says "yes, we can definitely do that and stick to it".

For example, my friend was going to go from zero days of working out, to working out five days a week. She cut that in half, which left her with about 3 days a week (she rounded up from 2.5). Then she cut it in half again and rounded it to 2 days a week. When she thought about working out 2 days a week versus 5 days a week, she realized that every part of her felt a sense of "we can do that". Some people might even cut that in half and work out 1 day a week, or even 1 day every other week.

Then once a turtle step becomes a habit, you can increase the steps gradually. As humans, more gradual changes are easier for us to incorporate in our lives then trying to make sudden changes. So please take a moment today and apply the turtle steps method to your new year's resolutions and enjoy your desired results unfold before your very eyes.

I also wanted to share a wonderful poem I read today:

Otherwise

I got out of bed

on two strong legs

It might have been

otherwise. I ate

cereal, sweet

milk, ripe, flawless

peach. It might

have been otherwise.

I took the dog uphill

to the birch wood.

All morning I did

the work I love.

As noon I lay down

with my mate. It might

have been otherwise.

We ate dinner together

at a table with silver

candlesticks. It might

have been otherwise.

I slept in a bed

in a room with paintings

on the walls, and

planned another day

just like this day.

But one day, I know,

it will be otherwise.

- Jane Kenyon

I just was so moved by this poem and wanted to share it with all of you. Especially since it helps to remind us to live in the present moment.

Peace to all.

Shannon

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

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.

“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!

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!!

“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