What Came First, The Chicken or the Egg???
You know what it’s like to get caught up in an emotional downward spiral. One moment you’re feeling absolutely fabulous and suddenly you’re aware that you’ve somehow spun into a negative funk. You realize you’ve become angry, irritated or self deprecating; thinking thoughts that are perpetuating the mood. How did you get there so fast?
Some experts would suggest that a thought, triggered by an external event resulted in an emotion and it spiraled from there. While others would suggest an emotion, triggered by an external event, then triggered thoughts aligned with the emotion. It’s a matter of cause and effect, but what’s the first cause? Kind of like trying to figure out which came first, the chicken or the egg (figured that one out yet?)
Consider that:
Before a thought is a cause, it’s been an effect… every thought causes an effect.
Before an emotions is a cause, it’s been an effect… every emotion causes an effect.
Both emotions and thought are the cause and the effect and until we determine “original cause” in the world of chaos (good luck! :) ) we need to realize this.
As we respond to events, moment by moment, trying to figure out whether a feeling came before a thought or visa versa… well that takes a sort of mental discipline that most of us don’t yet possess. A more effective approach to start with is; the moment you start noticing how a thought is causing an emotion and how the emotion is causing the next though – you can intercede. Shift the current flow of cause and effect of your current stream of thoughts and emotions by choosing either a thought or an emotion that will start altering your current course.
For example – I’m upset at my boyfriend for not noticing, the moment he came home from work, that I’ve cleaned the floor and washed the car. I feel hurt that he hasn’t noticed and start thinking that he doesn’t care. Then I feel sad and start wondering “what does he expects of me?… is this not enough earn his appreciation?” Now I’m feeling angry, I worked so hard all day and got a bunch of chores done…I think you get the point.
The moment I become aware of how my thoughts and emotions are sending me down the stream into an emotional and mental frenzy, I stop… I take a deep breathe and choose a new thought. I choose to remember all the times he has expressed gratitude for something
I’ve done; like the last time I did our laundry. Immediately the emotion shifts to a feeling of calm. Then I become curious as to how his day was so I ask. He shares the many challenges of his day. Now I’m feeling compassion for him. I start wondering about what I can do to help him release the stress of the day. Next thing you know, he looks around, takes a whiff and says “mmmm…. it smells so clean in here, did you wash the floor?” “Thanks honey….”
To summarize, here are the steps to getting back into a more desirable stream of cause and effect:
1. Awareness – notice how your thoughts and feelings are flowing in the moment
2. Accept that you are the one participating in this current flow and you are the one who can change it. Take a deep breath in.
3. Alter your course by choosing a thought or feeling that you know will cause a more desirable emotion or thought.
4. Awareness – notice how your thoughts and feelings are flowing now
So what came first, the chicken or the egg? It you figure that one out, please let me know!
Wednesday
Reality Alchemy #1 – Attitude Lifters
Our attitudes have a direct effect on how we experience our reality. Whether you see the cup as half empty or half full doesn’t really matter. What does matter is what you make that mean; does “half empty” mean there’s plenty of room for more, or that you’re almost out of water. Does “half full” remind you that your cup isn’t full, or that you still have lots of water left? It’s the meaning we give the facts of our lives that creates our reality and it’s our attitude that triggers the meaning we end up assigning these facts. If you want to alchemize your reality, change the meaning you’re giving it by altering your attitude!
Next time you want to alchemize your reality, use one of these attitude lifters!
Attitude Lifters
1. This too shall pass. Whatever is going on now, will soon be in the past. At some point in time it will be done with and resolved in some way, shape or form.
2. Shift your focus. There is much more going on in this moment that you could be focusing on. Look around you; what can you focus on that will result in a better feeling? The sky, a flower, animals playing, a picture or thought of a loved one or an inspiring quote.
3. If you are in an argument and the other person is showing you a part of them that you don’t like, remember that is only one part of them. They have many other parts to them that you probably not only love, but admire. If you’re dealing with a stranger, then envision them in a tender moment, as a child or receiving a gift. We are all multi-facetted and have many moments – good and bad. The more you focus on the good in a person, the more you’ll experience that part of them.
4. It’s not about you. How a person is responding to you usually has to do with them and how they are interpreting the situation. It is rarely personal. Remember that and it will help you disassociation from “their stuff”.
5. It’s all about you. How you are responding is usually about you and how you are interpreting the situation. Open yourself up to seeing other perspectives and possibilities. Ask clarifying questions, you may be “off the mark” with your current perspective! Be responsible for the perspective you choose.
6. Stick to the “facts” and drop the story. Adding meaning to events and situations that make you feel bad is a choice, one you don’t have to make! Stick to the facts! If you insist on fabricating a story out of it, make it an inspiring one!
7. A great reality checker in any situation is to ask your self, “Will this matter 10 or 15 years from now?” When the answer is no, notice how the emotions calm a bit. If the answer happens to be yes, than ask your self “What can I do about it now?”
8. SMILE! Every chance you get, SMILE. Make sure to smile in a mirror at least 5 times a day to experience the impact of your smile. Smiles are built-in manual “attitude lifters” that don’t cost a thing – and on the receiving end are priceless!
Our attitude also affects our health and impact the quality of our lives! Follow this link and read this article on the correlation between “attitude” and “longevity”.
Tuesday
Weight Loss
The Law of Attraction Way V.S. Consciously Creating a Healthy Body
I recently interviewed two Law of Attraction authors for the CTI Law of Attraction Community. It was a different sort of interview for me, because it was scripted. As the interviewer this meant I was asking questions I would not necessarily have asked and I felt that asking questions outside the script would be a “faux pas”. Awesome learning experience and for the most part is was a great interview, both authors being very personable and fun interviewees.
There were some topics that I definitely could have gotten into a debate with them about, which is why I wished the interview hadn’t been scripted. One such topic was their response on how to use Law of Attraction principles to lose weight. I thought this was a great question, however I sooo didn’t agree with their answer!
The authors stressed how important it is to change your thinking to lose weight, which I agree with 100%; however… they suggest that is all you need to do! That diets and exercise are not required to lose weight; you simply have to change your thoughts.
Personally, I think such a statement is equivalent to performing malpractice. They run a high risk of influencing people into the delusion of thinking they can simply think their way thin. And if anyone has done this, having maintained the same eating patterns, diet, not changed their exercise routine or taken medication to stimulate weight loss – I want to hear from you!
You will be much more successful in losing weight by changing your thoughts about both yourself and food - absolutely - and by also changing eating patterns and adding exercise to your routine.
You need it all!
And it doesn’t necessarily matter where you start. A change in your though patterns will often lead to a change in a physical habit – just like a change in a physical habit can lead to a change in your thought patterns.
Every so often I’ve gotten to a point where I need to lose 5 or 10lbs. What I’ve done for years when this happens is I start by “seeing” myself as looking and feeling fit, being more comfortable in my clothes and feeling healthy. Each time, within a relatively short period, my physical appearance reflects my vision. However those thoughts and images led to different CHOICES, ACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES than the ones added the 5 or 10lbs on to me in the first place.
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. Albert Einstein
As I make a conscious choice to not buy any more potato chips for awhile, I buy more healthy snacks instead. Suddenly, without much effort, my cravings for the “less than good for me” food subsides and I’m craving more veggies and the food combinations that I know are better for my metabolism. As my eating patterns change, I feel more energized and naturally inclined to increase my running back up to 5 to 7 days a week when I’d may have been down to 2 or 3 days a week. Conscious choice and action needs to follow intention (intentions are thoughts) – and often inspired intention leads to our naturally making more beneficial choices without having to put too much “hard effort” into it. And yes, other times it takes a lot of self discipline and commitment to change and to continue making the healthier lifestyle choices.
A change in thoughts can create miraculous changes in our lives (I believe miracles can be everyday occurrences). It can help make certain choices more natural and easy. Please do not delude yourself into thinking that one changed thought without being proceeded by any aligned action, will result in your desired outcome 100% of the time. When it does, it means you already held all the other necessary beliefs and attitudes for it to happen. But it doesn’t always work that way and this is where people can get themselves in trouble. Most people have so many conflicting beliefs and attitudes running rampant in their unconscious minds, that without intimate and honest self reflection, they don’t know which are in conflict with their desired outcomes, let alone the ones they “personally” need to adopt in order to lose weight at the “flip of a thought”.
When it comes to consciously creating a healthy body, actions need to speak just as loud as words!
More on the topic of beliefs, attitudes and magically manifesting miracles in my next post!
I recently interviewed two Law of Attraction authors for the CTI Law of Attraction Community. It was a different sort of interview for me, because it was scripted. As the interviewer this meant I was asking questions I would not necessarily have asked and I felt that asking questions outside the script would be a “faux pas”. Awesome learning experience and for the most part is was a great interview, both authors being very personable and fun interviewees.
There were some topics that I definitely could have gotten into a debate with them about, which is why I wished the interview hadn’t been scripted. One such topic was their response on how to use Law of Attraction principles to lose weight. I thought this was a great question, however I sooo didn’t agree with their answer!
The authors stressed how important it is to change your thinking to lose weight, which I agree with 100%; however… they suggest that is all you need to do! That diets and exercise are not required to lose weight; you simply have to change your thoughts.
Personally, I think such a statement is equivalent to performing malpractice. They run a high risk of influencing people into the delusion of thinking they can simply think their way thin. And if anyone has done this, having maintained the same eating patterns, diet, not changed their exercise routine or taken medication to stimulate weight loss – I want to hear from you!
You will be much more successful in losing weight by changing your thoughts about both yourself and food - absolutely - and by also changing eating patterns and adding exercise to your routine.
You need it all!
And it doesn’t necessarily matter where you start. A change in your though patterns will often lead to a change in a physical habit – just like a change in a physical habit can lead to a change in your thought patterns.
Every so often I’ve gotten to a point where I need to lose 5 or 10lbs. What I’ve done for years when this happens is I start by “seeing” myself as looking and feeling fit, being more comfortable in my clothes and feeling healthy. Each time, within a relatively short period, my physical appearance reflects my vision. However those thoughts and images led to different CHOICES, ACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES than the ones added the 5 or 10lbs on to me in the first place.
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. Albert Einstein
As I make a conscious choice to not buy any more potato chips for awhile, I buy more healthy snacks instead. Suddenly, without much effort, my cravings for the “less than good for me” food subsides and I’m craving more veggies and the food combinations that I know are better for my metabolism. As my eating patterns change, I feel more energized and naturally inclined to increase my running back up to 5 to 7 days a week when I’d may have been down to 2 or 3 days a week. Conscious choice and action needs to follow intention (intentions are thoughts) – and often inspired intention leads to our naturally making more beneficial choices without having to put too much “hard effort” into it. And yes, other times it takes a lot of self discipline and commitment to change and to continue making the healthier lifestyle choices.
A change in thoughts can create miraculous changes in our lives (I believe miracles can be everyday occurrences). It can help make certain choices more natural and easy. Please do not delude yourself into thinking that one changed thought without being proceeded by any aligned action, will result in your desired outcome 100% of the time. When it does, it means you already held all the other necessary beliefs and attitudes for it to happen. But it doesn’t always work that way and this is where people can get themselves in trouble. Most people have so many conflicting beliefs and attitudes running rampant in their unconscious minds, that without intimate and honest self reflection, they don’t know which are in conflict with their desired outcomes, let alone the ones they “personally” need to adopt in order to lose weight at the “flip of a thought”.
When it comes to consciously creating a healthy body, actions need to speak just as loud as words!
More on the topic of beliefs, attitudes and magically manifesting miracles in my next post!
Thursday
Listen to the Language of Your Emotions
For years this phrase has decorated my computer and only today did the meaning of it finally dawn on me as I reflected on a response I’d made to an e-mail.
Language of Your Emotions
Emotions don’t speak – we do. We feel the energy moving inside us (emotion = energy in motion) and interpret the feeling with words. For example I may feel emotion in my throat and refer to it as a frog in my throat, lump, tightness, constriction, scratchiness….etc. The words we end up choosing in each instance to describe an emotional feeling is no mistake. They are most often a metaphor or a literal reflection of what the emotion itself is trying to reveal. This is the “language of our emotions” that we need to listen to.
In the e-mail today, the person referred to feeling tightness in their throat. My suggestion was to listen to the word he used to describe the sensation. What happens with tight? How does anything flow through something that is tight? What does tight need – perhaps lubrication (softer thoughts) or a loosening (easing up of negative thoughts)? The emotions we feel are often connected to the thoughts we are thinking about the situation – not necessarily the situation itself.
For example, the other day I was feeling frustration as my friend was with another task instead of being ready on time to leave for the Spa. I thought we had agreed to leave at a certain time to avoid having to wait to get in. Thirty five minutes past that time I was feeling antsy! I noticed the emotion of frustration rise as I felt the sensation of a pressure in my chest. Chalking it up to being an inner signal that we’d have to wait if we didn’t hurry up, I’d made it (the emotion) about the situation.
When we do leave, we end up taking the wrong route, so now we were an hour late (pressure contributing to taking the incorrect route). By now my thinking had became so warped that I found myself almost hoping we’d have to wait to get in so that my inner signal would be proven correct. Oh my!!! As I caught that thought, I realized that if we did have to wait, I’d be the one responsible for creating that experience for us. I was the only one adding pressure (my feeling of pressure) to the situation; my friends were both focused on enjoying their conversation throughout the drive. I was cutting myself off from the harmonious energy connection flowing between my friends by thinking “pressure thoughts”, hence the feeling being in my chest and heart area.
Finally, as I realize what I’m doing, I take a deep breath….and I remember how grateful I am to be spending this time with my friends. Even if we did have to wait, we’d be together, enjoying each others company, which was the whole purpose of the outing. Like magic, suddenly, the pressure was released. As my mood shifted, I realized we were on the wrong route, which one we were suppose to be on (now there’s an appropriate metaphor :) ) and helped direct us to it.
At last, we joyfully arrived at Le Nordic Spa. Did we have to wait to get in? Of course not, now that we were all focused on enjoying each others company, that focus expanded into a “pressure less” experience.
The situation wasn’t the cause of the emotion and pressure; it was the thoughts. As I continued holding onto thoughts of pressure, I was adding pressure to the situation. Once I changed my thoughts the pressure released and the situation began to reflect our new collective energy of enjoyment and cheer.
Our thoughts do change our outcomes!
Next time you’re feeling an emotion, as you give it language, notice the words you’re using. Acknowledge either the literal or metaphoric meaning and notice how your thoughts are affecting the situation. Sometimes, it will be about the situation, however more than not, it will be about the thoughts of it and the language you use about how you’re feel will point you into the right direction, helping you to recognize what you can do to turn it around!
Listen, to the language of your emotions!
Language of Your Emotions
Emotions don’t speak – we do. We feel the energy moving inside us (emotion = energy in motion) and interpret the feeling with words. For example I may feel emotion in my throat and refer to it as a frog in my throat, lump, tightness, constriction, scratchiness….etc. The words we end up choosing in each instance to describe an emotional feeling is no mistake. They are most often a metaphor or a literal reflection of what the emotion itself is trying to reveal. This is the “language of our emotions” that we need to listen to.
In the e-mail today, the person referred to feeling tightness in their throat. My suggestion was to listen to the word he used to describe the sensation. What happens with tight? How does anything flow through something that is tight? What does tight need – perhaps lubrication (softer thoughts) or a loosening (easing up of negative thoughts)? The emotions we feel are often connected to the thoughts we are thinking about the situation – not necessarily the situation itself.
For example, the other day I was feeling frustration as my friend was with another task instead of being ready on time to leave for the Spa. I thought we had agreed to leave at a certain time to avoid having to wait to get in. Thirty five minutes past that time I was feeling antsy! I noticed the emotion of frustration rise as I felt the sensation of a pressure in my chest. Chalking it up to being an inner signal that we’d have to wait if we didn’t hurry up, I’d made it (the emotion) about the situation.
When we do leave, we end up taking the wrong route, so now we were an hour late (pressure contributing to taking the incorrect route). By now my thinking had became so warped that I found myself almost hoping we’d have to wait to get in so that my inner signal would be proven correct. Oh my!!! As I caught that thought, I realized that if we did have to wait, I’d be the one responsible for creating that experience for us. I was the only one adding pressure (my feeling of pressure) to the situation; my friends were both focused on enjoying their conversation throughout the drive. I was cutting myself off from the harmonious energy connection flowing between my friends by thinking “pressure thoughts”, hence the feeling being in my chest and heart area.
Finally, as I realize what I’m doing, I take a deep breath….and I remember how grateful I am to be spending this time with my friends. Even if we did have to wait, we’d be together, enjoying each others company, which was the whole purpose of the outing. Like magic, suddenly, the pressure was released. As my mood shifted, I realized we were on the wrong route, which one we were suppose to be on (now there’s an appropriate metaphor :) ) and helped direct us to it.
At last, we joyfully arrived at Le Nordic Spa. Did we have to wait to get in? Of course not, now that we were all focused on enjoying each others company, that focus expanded into a “pressure less” experience.
The situation wasn’t the cause of the emotion and pressure; it was the thoughts. As I continued holding onto thoughts of pressure, I was adding pressure to the situation. Once I changed my thoughts the pressure released and the situation began to reflect our new collective energy of enjoyment and cheer.
Our thoughts do change our outcomes!
Next time you’re feeling an emotion, as you give it language, notice the words you’re using. Acknowledge either the literal or metaphoric meaning and notice how your thoughts are affecting the situation. Sometimes, it will be about the situation, however more than not, it will be about the thoughts of it and the language you use about how you’re feel will point you into the right direction, helping you to recognize what you can do to turn it around!
Listen, to the language of your emotions!
Wednesday
EGO - Lose It or Strengthen It?
For the first time today, I saw the term “ego strengthening”, as I was reading an article and something popped inside my mind. There are many schools of thought that encourage people to lose or diminish the ego mind. This idea has never really felt right to me (or maybe my ego’s been fighting me on it). Eckhart Tolle on Oprah’s web cast of “A New Earth” said that he “lost his ego” suggesting that this is a desirable thing to do? I’m not so sure about that. Maybe it is for him, who am I to judge? But I imagine there are people out there now having read or heard that thinking “oh – so I should be trying to lose my ego!”
What’s good for the goose isn’t necessarily good for the gander!
I’ve been playing curiously with this idea a client mentioned to me recently; “What if the opposite is true?” In the moment I’m engaged in a perspective, perhaps holding it as true, what happens when I play with “what if the opposite of this perspective is true?”
So if I hear that I need to ‘take out’ my ego in order to live a more successful and fulfilling life, what if the opposite is true? What if “strengthening my ego” is the key to my living a more successful and fulfilling life? There’s an interesting twist.
I just looked up “ego” on Dictionary.com to find this definition: “the “I” or self of any person; a person as thinking, feeling, and willing, and distinguishing itself from the selves of others and from objects of its thought.”; philosophically; “a) the enduring and conscious element that knows experience. b) Scholasticism. the complete person comprising both body and soul.”
“Why would I want to get rid of that??”
When I accept this definition of “ego”, it makes more sense to me to work on strengthening it. If I have a strong sense of my complete self, both body and soul connected as one, I’m better positioned to create a successful and fulfilling life – by my own definition.
When the ego is weak, then an individual is more or less unconsciously creating their life experiences. We are then more easily influenced by outside sources that aren’t necessarily aligned with our own core values. If your unconscious influence is not aligned with your values, then your desires will be reflective of this (unconscious influence) and that’s when the success of achieving our goals don’t end up equating personal fulfillment.
Here is the 4 step approach that I now realize I have been unconsciously using with my clients for some time:
1. Identify and connect with your core values.
2. Ensure your “wants” are supported with a core value - the “why”.
3. Explore your ego and all of its parts. Get curious about yourself.
4. Strengthen your ego by transforming or letting go of the weaker parts of it, which includes the outer influences that are not aligned with your values and goals, and direct more focus on the parts that are aligned.
The aim is to become consciously aware who the “I” in the self is, which includes the various parts of our ego, and discover how this “I” has been directing our lives as it is. Then we can strengthen the connection between all these aspects of ourselves so they work together more cohesively. With a stronger and aligned sense of self (ego), I can better position my self with the collective of the whole which I am also apart of, and be a more supportive influencer of it.
What would it be like to have large groups of people with strong egos, all working together in a conscious manner for the good of the whole they are one with? What is possible then?
This is what is happening in the world today. As a result of having been under the influence of certain individuals stronger egos over the past decades (politicians, religious figure heads, guru’s), more and more people are now strengthening their own egos by getting in touch with who they really are and what is truly important to them.
Of course, if this can be true, then the opposite can as well. As Tolle feels he’s done, by losing the ego (that has been negatively influenced) one realizes their connection to the whole, recognizing the power that truly is within, empowering themselves to create successful and fulfilling lives.
So it is all good!
© 2008 All Rights Reserved Kim Barnwell
What’s good for the goose isn’t necessarily good for the gander!
I’ve been playing curiously with this idea a client mentioned to me recently; “What if the opposite is true?” In the moment I’m engaged in a perspective, perhaps holding it as true, what happens when I play with “what if the opposite of this perspective is true?”
So if I hear that I need to ‘take out’ my ego in order to live a more successful and fulfilling life, what if the opposite is true? What if “strengthening my ego” is the key to my living a more successful and fulfilling life? There’s an interesting twist.
I just looked up “ego” on Dictionary.com to find this definition: “the “I” or self of any person; a person as thinking, feeling, and willing, and distinguishing itself from the selves of others and from objects of its thought.”; philosophically; “a) the enduring and conscious element that knows experience. b) Scholasticism. the complete person comprising both body and soul.”
“Why would I want to get rid of that??”
When I accept this definition of “ego”, it makes more sense to me to work on strengthening it. If I have a strong sense of my complete self, both body and soul connected as one, I’m better positioned to create a successful and fulfilling life – by my own definition.
When the ego is weak, then an individual is more or less unconsciously creating their life experiences. We are then more easily influenced by outside sources that aren’t necessarily aligned with our own core values. If your unconscious influence is not aligned with your values, then your desires will be reflective of this (unconscious influence) and that’s when the success of achieving our goals don’t end up equating personal fulfillment.
Here is the 4 step approach that I now realize I have been unconsciously using with my clients for some time:
1. Identify and connect with your core values.
2. Ensure your “wants” are supported with a core value - the “why”.
3. Explore your ego and all of its parts. Get curious about yourself.
4. Strengthen your ego by transforming or letting go of the weaker parts of it, which includes the outer influences that are not aligned with your values and goals, and direct more focus on the parts that are aligned.
The aim is to become consciously aware who the “I” in the self is, which includes the various parts of our ego, and discover how this “I” has been directing our lives as it is. Then we can strengthen the connection between all these aspects of ourselves so they work together more cohesively. With a stronger and aligned sense of self (ego), I can better position my self with the collective of the whole which I am also apart of, and be a more supportive influencer of it.
What would it be like to have large groups of people with strong egos, all working together in a conscious manner for the good of the whole they are one with? What is possible then?
This is what is happening in the world today. As a result of having been under the influence of certain individuals stronger egos over the past decades (politicians, religious figure heads, guru’s), more and more people are now strengthening their own egos by getting in touch with who they really are and what is truly important to them.
Of course, if this can be true, then the opposite can as well. As Tolle feels he’s done, by losing the ego (that has been negatively influenced) one realizes their connection to the whole, recognizing the power that truly is within, empowering themselves to create successful and fulfilling lives.
So it is all good!
© 2008 All Rights Reserved Kim Barnwell
Thursday
De-Clutter Your Life
Hey - I'm really excited about a new workshop I'm co-leading with this fantastic Professional Organizer, Angela Irvine We will be connecting the dots between the "cluttered space" and "cluttered mind and emotions". I haven't gotten it on my website yet, so I'm posting it here for now. And as soon as I figure out how to upload an MP3 file, I'll be able to include a piece of our planning that we recorded - so check back again in a week or so!
Conscious Creation Event
Have you ever noticed that when you're feeling imbalanced emotionally, the space around you is usually imbalanced as well? Hard to turn things around with so much chaos around you.
Connect the dots between your emotional and mental clutter and the physical clutter in your environment. Clearing one will instigate re-balance in the other. It doesn't matter where you start - just start! Start Saturday April 26 2008 by joining myself and Professional Organizer Angela Irvine as we join forces to help you De-Clutter Your Life!
De-Clutter You Life
Creating Space for Inspired Living
Conscious Creation and Love Your Space
DATE: April 26th, 2008
TIME: 1:30pm to 5:30pm
LOCATION: MacLaren Center
340 MacLaren St. 2nd Floor
Cost:ONLY $47.00
Register: Call Kim at 613-591-1173 or email
at kimcocreation@sympatico.ca to reserve your spot now!
www.conscious-creation.com www.loveyourspace.com
Conscious Creation Event
Have you ever noticed that when you're feeling imbalanced emotionally, the space around you is usually imbalanced as well? Hard to turn things around with so much chaos around you.
Connect the dots between your emotional and mental clutter and the physical clutter in your environment. Clearing one will instigate re-balance in the other. It doesn't matter where you start - just start! Start Saturday April 26 2008 by joining myself and Professional Organizer Angela Irvine as we join forces to help you De-Clutter Your Life!
De-Clutter You Life
Creating Space for Inspired Living
Conscious Creation and Love Your Space
DATE: April 26th, 2008
TIME: 1:30pm to 5:30pm
LOCATION: MacLaren Center
340 MacLaren St. 2nd Floor
Cost:ONLY $47.00
Register: Call Kim at 613-591-1173 or email
at kimcocreation@sympatico.ca to reserve your spot now!
www.conscious-creation.com www.loveyourspace.com
Wednesday
WOOOWHOOO
Celebration Time Come On!!!
I just opened a very important letter – it is a letter from CTI congratulating me on passing both my oral and written coaching certification exams. YEAH!!!!! I have earned the privilege of adding the initials, CPCC (Certified Professional Co-Active Coach) next to my name.
I have never been so nervous about opening an envelope! Knowing how I consciously create my outcomes, I was very aware that as I feared not passing an exam that I could attract it, that if I knew I’d pass I would and at the same time, if I thought I didn’t and therefore tried to “THINK” I did – I’d drive myself crazy!!!!
That’s the thing about being aware of creating your reality, when it comes to real life situations, what really matters, practicing what your preach becomes the real test.
As I waited 20 days to receive my results, this is what worked for me:
1. I faced my fears of failure. I acknowledge the reasons why I thought I might not pass. I didn’t make myself wrong for thinking this way, I simply acknowledged the logic supporting the fear.
I gave myself credit where credit was due.
2. I was just as liberal in acknowledging what I had done correctly, as what I thought I hadn’t done incorrectly. The worse thing we do to ourselves is go into “exaggerating thinking” at one end, and we let those thoughts run rampage with our emotions. By allowing each possibility their equal voice, and being logical (factual) about it (best question here to ask yourself is “Is what I’m thinking really true?” then “What else is possible?”) you detach from either possibility.
3. I connected to what I truly knew – that I love coaching and I love inspiring people to be who they really want to be! That if for some reason I needed to redo an exam to gain that credential, I was committed to doing whatever it took and grateful for learning what I’d learn along the way. I released my attachment to having that credential now, knowing it was already mine and that timing would be just that – the illusion of timing.
It’s during times like these (when I’m personally attached to the outcome) that practicing what I know is most challenging; when my faith in me can be challenged. Isn’t that why it’s called faith? Otherwise, how would we ever develop the confidence to really listened and hear, and the faith to follow the next inspiration we are guided to persue?
NEXT!!!
I just opened a very important letter – it is a letter from CTI congratulating me on passing both my oral and written coaching certification exams. YEAH!!!!! I have earned the privilege of adding the initials, CPCC (Certified Professional Co-Active Coach) next to my name.
I have never been so nervous about opening an envelope! Knowing how I consciously create my outcomes, I was very aware that as I feared not passing an exam that I could attract it, that if I knew I’d pass I would and at the same time, if I thought I didn’t and therefore tried to “THINK” I did – I’d drive myself crazy!!!!
That’s the thing about being aware of creating your reality, when it comes to real life situations, what really matters, practicing what your preach becomes the real test.
As I waited 20 days to receive my results, this is what worked for me:
1. I faced my fears of failure. I acknowledge the reasons why I thought I might not pass. I didn’t make myself wrong for thinking this way, I simply acknowledged the logic supporting the fear.
I gave myself credit where credit was due.
2. I was just as liberal in acknowledging what I had done correctly, as what I thought I hadn’t done incorrectly. The worse thing we do to ourselves is go into “exaggerating thinking” at one end, and we let those thoughts run rampage with our emotions. By allowing each possibility their equal voice, and being logical (factual) about it (best question here to ask yourself is “Is what I’m thinking really true?” then “What else is possible?”) you detach from either possibility.
3. I connected to what I truly knew – that I love coaching and I love inspiring people to be who they really want to be! That if for some reason I needed to redo an exam to gain that credential, I was committed to doing whatever it took and grateful for learning what I’d learn along the way. I released my attachment to having that credential now, knowing it was already mine and that timing would be just that – the illusion of timing.
It’s during times like these (when I’m personally attached to the outcome) that practicing what I know is most challenging; when my faith in me can be challenged. Isn’t that why it’s called faith? Otherwise, how would we ever develop the confidence to really listened and hear, and the faith to follow the next inspiration we are guided to persue?
NEXT!!!
Magical Manifestations
Thank you Universe!
That is what kept saying today as the universe handed me my desires on a silver platter. Thank you Universe and I gratefully accept!
Over the holidays I received some cash as a Christmas present (thank you) so one day back in January, I set out to buy me gifts.
I like to buy myself the frivolous stuff with gift money – stuff I don’t “need” just “want”. So off I went today to CD Warehouse to buy a season of Charmed on DVD (one of my favorite witchy shows which stopped being aired in my area while in its third season) and a hard to find “Aerial” CD from Kate Bush.
No bargains at CD Warehouse! The Charmed DVDs were going for between $57 and $54.00. I intuitively felt I could get a better deal at Wal-Mart. Then I went over to look at the CD’s for the latest Kate Bush release. I couldn’t find it where the other Kate Bush CD’s were stocked and just as I was about to walk away, the golden-yellow cover caught my eye – the one last copy was on display. Priced at $25.99 …umm maybe Wal-Mart has it too.
No Kate Bush at Wal-Mart; however the Charmed DVDs were priced at $39 and $34. – big difference so I brought two to the check-out.
Oh, I’m to digress for a moment….on my way to Wal-Mart I stopped in at Blockbusters to rent a movie for the weekend. There Charmed was going for $41.00 – I held out. It wasn’t until I was driving home that I remembered thinking as I got into my car leaving the video store; “It would be nice to spend the same amount on the Charmed DVDs as it would cost to rent them - about $20 per season.”
Back to the check-out…..
There were 3 cashiers open and a line of 4-5 people at each. The moment I notice a twitch of arrgggg (not a fan of lines) I flipped my light on and felt the ease of patience fall upon me. The line zoomed through after that.
Now, I’m at the check-out with my Charmed DVDs and some cosmetic removal pads. When the cashier told me the total…well , I felt just like the lady in the Wal-Mart commercial where she runs to the car after paying her bill feeling like she’d just robbed the store. The cashier said “that will be $42.63 please”. What???? I use to be banker – so I’m pretty quick with numbers and there was no way all I bought added up the $42.63! Something within me said – just double check the bill. Sure enough, each of the DVD’s scanned in at $17.98 – a hidden sale!! YEAH!!
Thank YOU Universe.
I then returned to CD warehouse to buy the “hard to find” last copy of the Kate Bush CD.
Thank you Universe – you sure know how to deliver!
That is what kept saying today as the universe handed me my desires on a silver platter. Thank you Universe and I gratefully accept!
Over the holidays I received some cash as a Christmas present (thank you) so one day back in January, I set out to buy me gifts.
I like to buy myself the frivolous stuff with gift money – stuff I don’t “need” just “want”. So off I went today to CD Warehouse to buy a season of Charmed on DVD (one of my favorite witchy shows which stopped being aired in my area while in its third season) and a hard to find “Aerial” CD from Kate Bush.
No bargains at CD Warehouse! The Charmed DVDs were going for between $57 and $54.00. I intuitively felt I could get a better deal at Wal-Mart. Then I went over to look at the CD’s for the latest Kate Bush release. I couldn’t find it where the other Kate Bush CD’s were stocked and just as I was about to walk away, the golden-yellow cover caught my eye – the one last copy was on display. Priced at $25.99 …umm maybe Wal-Mart has it too.
No Kate Bush at Wal-Mart; however the Charmed DVDs were priced at $39 and $34. – big difference so I brought two to the check-out.
Oh, I’m to digress for a moment….on my way to Wal-Mart I stopped in at Blockbusters to rent a movie for the weekend. There Charmed was going for $41.00 – I held out. It wasn’t until I was driving home that I remembered thinking as I got into my car leaving the video store; “It would be nice to spend the same amount on the Charmed DVDs as it would cost to rent them - about $20 per season.”
Back to the check-out…..
There were 3 cashiers open and a line of 4-5 people at each. The moment I notice a twitch of arrgggg (not a fan of lines) I flipped my light on and felt the ease of patience fall upon me. The line zoomed through after that.
Now, I’m at the check-out with my Charmed DVDs and some cosmetic removal pads. When the cashier told me the total…well , I felt just like the lady in the Wal-Mart commercial where she runs to the car after paying her bill feeling like she’d just robbed the store. The cashier said “that will be $42.63 please”. What???? I use to be banker – so I’m pretty quick with numbers and there was no way all I bought added up the $42.63! Something within me said – just double check the bill. Sure enough, each of the DVD’s scanned in at $17.98 – a hidden sale!! YEAH!!
Thank YOU Universe.
I then returned to CD warehouse to buy the “hard to find” last copy of the Kate Bush CD.
Thank you Universe – you sure know how to deliver!
Monday
Messages of Water Video
Read the next post on "Amplifying Love" first, then go to this link and watch this video on Dr. Emoto's work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWmWWqm1hFs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWmWWqm1hFs
Amplifying Love and the Rediscovery of Fire
Someday after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of Love, and then, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Recently as I was writing a speech about Love, I felt inspired by this quote and set out to gain an understanding of what Mr. de Chardin may have meant when he wrote these words. First I needed to know which definition of “love” he was referring to when he wrote “energies of Love” as there are many contexts in which this common 4 letter words is used.
What is Love?
I searched the online dictionary for the “general” meaning of the word. The first definition included 28 various meanings for the word love, none were general. That wasn’t much help. So then I checked out the online encyclopedia which only served to validate my confusion as I read “The definition of love is the subject of considerable debate, enduring speculation and thoughtful introspection.”
I read the quote again and this time something clicked. In his quote, Mr. de Chardin refers to love as being an “energy”! Now that makes perfect sense. Many conversations with my client supported the concept of love being an energy.
There is an exercise I complete with all my new clients; Core Value Elicitation. By gaining clarity as to what is truly motivating our choices and actions from the core of our being, we glean great insight as to what we need to truly live a fulfilling life. On average, 8 out of 10 clients include “love” as a value. Not surprising – however what is surprising is that I’ve yet to have 2 clients provide me the same personal definition of the word love. Actually, each client who has listed love as one of their values has defined it through the expression of other values. Included in the long list of values used to define love are: compassion, kindness, acceptance, patience, joy, fulfillment, satisfaction, confidence, trust, truth, affection, appreciation…. the list goes on.
As I continued to experience this with clients, I’d come to the conclusion that if all these values individually equate “love” to someone, then the way we experience love is through the expression of such values.
Connecting the Dots
What I’m interpreting Mr. de Chardin’s words “we shall harness for God the energies of Love, and then, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.” to mean is that he foresaw, that at some point in history, enough people in the world would recognize the impact on themselves and the world every time they aligned with the truth at the core of their being (what I refer to as core values). Then as a society we would understand that by choosing love (patience, kindness, generosity, acceptance, forgiveness…) we amplify the energy of love in us and around us. As a result, this understanding would lead to a shift of consciousness that would have a monumental impact on humanity, the significance of which we’ve only experienced once before.
What is possible for our world when a large percentage of the population is amplifying Love by choosing to live according to their personal core values? Here are a few references to explore and consider:
Dr. Emoto’s book “Messages of Water” illustrates the difference between the crystalline structure of water that has been amplified by love and that which has been amplified by fear. The water that is amplified by Love is more appealing to the eye. It is clear, symmetrical and pretty. It is also healthier to consume.
The latest statistics state that our bodies are 60 % water; therefore as we amplify love, that has a brilliant effect on 60% of our physical body.
Candice Pert’s scientific work on proving the impact our emotions have on us at the cellular level also leads to an understanding of how we are positively affected by the amplification of Love.
As M. Gandhi suggests “be the change you want to see in the world and the world you are in will change.”
What might the potential be for the human experience when the energy of love is constantly being amplified through us and throughout our environment?
The story of Jesus is a perfect example of what is possible for humans when we commit to making choices that amplify love. He was able to resurrect his physical body after it had been dead for 3 days! His presence performed miraculous healings and he easily manifested wine and food. History is filled with stories of divine beings who radiated a loving presence performing such miracles.
For those who have read the Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield, the Ninth Insight was all about how the amplification of love through the appreciation of beauty, letting go or having positive thoughts resulted in the physical body becoming invisible to those whose choices amplified fear. At the end of the movie version, they also included that those who had crossed over could be seen again by these people who were amplifying love. Now, I realize the last example is based on a fiction novel and that for some people the “history” of Jesus is also a story…. but what if these stories were more. What if these stories are a glimpse into what is possible when we humans “harness the energies of Love,” and perhaps this is part of what we will experience when “for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”
As more and more of us, make the conscious choice to live our lives according to our values, collectively we amplify the energy of love on this planet. I believe that the time in history Pierre Teilhard de Chardin referred to in his quote this is happening NOW!
We, my fellow man, are on the threshold of rediscovering fire!
Copyright © 2008 by Kim Barnwell – All rights reserved
Recently as I was writing a speech about Love, I felt inspired by this quote and set out to gain an understanding of what Mr. de Chardin may have meant when he wrote these words. First I needed to know which definition of “love” he was referring to when he wrote “energies of Love” as there are many contexts in which this common 4 letter words is used.
What is Love?
I searched the online dictionary for the “general” meaning of the word. The first definition included 28 various meanings for the word love, none were general. That wasn’t much help. So then I checked out the online encyclopedia which only served to validate my confusion as I read “The definition of love is the subject of considerable debate, enduring speculation and thoughtful introspection.”
I read the quote again and this time something clicked. In his quote, Mr. de Chardin refers to love as being an “energy”! Now that makes perfect sense. Many conversations with my client supported the concept of love being an energy.
There is an exercise I complete with all my new clients; Core Value Elicitation. By gaining clarity as to what is truly motivating our choices and actions from the core of our being, we glean great insight as to what we need to truly live a fulfilling life. On average, 8 out of 10 clients include “love” as a value. Not surprising – however what is surprising is that I’ve yet to have 2 clients provide me the same personal definition of the word love. Actually, each client who has listed love as one of their values has defined it through the expression of other values. Included in the long list of values used to define love are: compassion, kindness, acceptance, patience, joy, fulfillment, satisfaction, confidence, trust, truth, affection, appreciation…. the list goes on.
As I continued to experience this with clients, I’d come to the conclusion that if all these values individually equate “love” to someone, then the way we experience love is through the expression of such values.
Connecting the Dots
What I’m interpreting Mr. de Chardin’s words “we shall harness for God the energies of Love, and then, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.” to mean is that he foresaw, that at some point in history, enough people in the world would recognize the impact on themselves and the world every time they aligned with the truth at the core of their being (what I refer to as core values). Then as a society we would understand that by choosing love (patience, kindness, generosity, acceptance, forgiveness…) we amplify the energy of love in us and around us. As a result, this understanding would lead to a shift of consciousness that would have a monumental impact on humanity, the significance of which we’ve only experienced once before.
What is possible for our world when a large percentage of the population is amplifying Love by choosing to live according to their personal core values? Here are a few references to explore and consider:
Dr. Emoto’s book “Messages of Water” illustrates the difference between the crystalline structure of water that has been amplified by love and that which has been amplified by fear. The water that is amplified by Love is more appealing to the eye. It is clear, symmetrical and pretty. It is also healthier to consume.
The latest statistics state that our bodies are 60 % water; therefore as we amplify love, that has a brilliant effect on 60% of our physical body.
Candice Pert’s scientific work on proving the impact our emotions have on us at the cellular level also leads to an understanding of how we are positively affected by the amplification of Love.
As M. Gandhi suggests “be the change you want to see in the world and the world you are in will change.”
What might the potential be for the human experience when the energy of love is constantly being amplified through us and throughout our environment?
The story of Jesus is a perfect example of what is possible for humans when we commit to making choices that amplify love. He was able to resurrect his physical body after it had been dead for 3 days! His presence performed miraculous healings and he easily manifested wine and food. History is filled with stories of divine beings who radiated a loving presence performing such miracles.
For those who have read the Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield, the Ninth Insight was all about how the amplification of love through the appreciation of beauty, letting go or having positive thoughts resulted in the physical body becoming invisible to those whose choices amplified fear. At the end of the movie version, they also included that those who had crossed over could be seen again by these people who were amplifying love. Now, I realize the last example is based on a fiction novel and that for some people the “history” of Jesus is also a story…. but what if these stories were more. What if these stories are a glimpse into what is possible when we humans “harness the energies of Love,” and perhaps this is part of what we will experience when “for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”
As more and more of us, make the conscious choice to live our lives according to our values, collectively we amplify the energy of love on this planet. I believe that the time in history Pierre Teilhard de Chardin referred to in his quote this is happening NOW!
We, my fellow man, are on the threshold of rediscovering fire!
Copyright © 2008 by Kim Barnwell – All rights reserved
Saturday
German New Medicine
I am very excited about sharing this eye-opening article, written by a colleague of mine on German New Medicine. German New Medicine helps us to uncover the unconscious cause or trigger of disease and illness.
Often this topic of the “Law of Attraction” triggers mixed feelings from people who have experienced a major illness or accident in their life. They often argue that there is no way they could have created it (their illness or the disability they acquired from an accident) for themselves – and I would absolutely agree with them. It pains me when I hear people trying to figure out what they “did” to make “it” happen. We do not intentionally “do” anything to manifest disease in our bodies or to experience an accident that has a major affect on us. Life happens, and as a result, more life happens. At best, we can learn and grow from all of our life experience – and it is in the learning and growing that we become more capable of consciously creating more of what we do want in life.
In her article, Barbara Pierce offers the perspective that disease is a result of trauma associated with unforeseen events that we experience in life. The development of German New Medicine offers a means of understanding the roots of disease and illness so that we can become aware of what we need to address on the mental or emotional levels to heal thoroughly.
Follow this link to read Barb’s enlightening article: Introduction to German New Medicine
Often this topic of the “Law of Attraction” triggers mixed feelings from people who have experienced a major illness or accident in their life. They often argue that there is no way they could have created it (their illness or the disability they acquired from an accident) for themselves – and I would absolutely agree with them. It pains me when I hear people trying to figure out what they “did” to make “it” happen. We do not intentionally “do” anything to manifest disease in our bodies or to experience an accident that has a major affect on us. Life happens, and as a result, more life happens. At best, we can learn and grow from all of our life experience – and it is in the learning and growing that we become more capable of consciously creating more of what we do want in life.
In her article, Barbara Pierce offers the perspective that disease is a result of trauma associated with unforeseen events that we experience in life. The development of German New Medicine offers a means of understanding the roots of disease and illness so that we can become aware of what we need to address on the mental or emotional levels to heal thoroughly.
Follow this link to read Barb’s enlightening article: Introduction to German New Medicine
Monday
Closing Exercise for 2008
Hi everyone - here is the exercise to complete in the closing of 2007.
In summary, part one is about reviewing the year. This is an opportunity to gain anymore insights or awareness’ possible at this time from the events of 2007. Part two is about releasing, forgiving and expressing gratitude for all of the events that made up 2007.
The exercise may take you from one hour to as much time as you need to complete.
You will need your 2007 journal, diary, day timer or agenda, (anything that will help jog your memory and help you review the year) pen and paper. Set yourself up comfortably creating a sacred environment for yourself. Light some candles, burn some incense and have some tea, wine or favorite beverage.
Part One
Review the events of the year and take some time now to gain whatever more you can from the experiences.
Starting with January of 2007 ask yourself the following questions and work your way forward to now.
If you are still feeling unpleasant emotions regarding the past events or the people who were involved, here are some methods to use in getting to the core issue.
Part two
Once you have reviewed the year, you are going to acknowledge and record all that you are grateful for, and all you are ready to release and/or forgive. Include your accomplishments, goals achieved, growth stretches, and obstacles overcome.
Release
Start writing:
I bless and release my experience of these events..............I bless and release or forgive (name of person) Thank you for your active participation in my life.
Also take this time to release any outdated beliefs or attitudes that no longer serve you.I bless and release my past need to (name aspect you are releasing) I am grateful that it has brought me to this point in my life.
Gratitude
Start by writing:
I am grateful for........ (brief summary of event)I am grateful for (name of person) and briefly why.
I am grateful to have had (name the impact of your contribution) impact on (person, people or system you impacted).
Once complete, if you are able to safely do so, burn the papers. If you are unable to do so safely, you can shred them by hand. You have just created space within yourself, having released the 2007 energy and now have room to fill up with your dreams and aspirations for 2008!
May you be the conscious creator of your life in 2008!
In summary, part one is about reviewing the year. This is an opportunity to gain anymore insights or awareness’ possible at this time from the events of 2007. Part two is about releasing, forgiving and expressing gratitude for all of the events that made up 2007.
The exercise may take you from one hour to as much time as you need to complete.
You will need your 2007 journal, diary, day timer or agenda, (anything that will help jog your memory and help you review the year) pen and paper. Set yourself up comfortably creating a sacred environment for yourself. Light some candles, burn some incense and have some tea, wine or favorite beverage.
Part One
Review the events of the year and take some time now to gain whatever more you can from the experiences.
Starting with January of 2007 ask yourself the following questions and work your way forward to now.
- What were the key events of 2007.
- What did you learn as a result of these experiences?
- Who was involved in your life this year and in what capacities?
- What and who assisted in your growth this year?
- What obstacles have you overcome?
- What goals did you accomplish?
- What goals did you set and did not yet accomplish? Are you complete with this goal?
- Did you stretch beyond your perceived abilities - meaning do things you didn't think you could or would have done in prior years. (Yeah you!!)
- How were other people impacted by your contribution to their lives over the past year?
- Who are you now at the end of the 2007? Or how are “you” different from the you that was “you” in January of 2007?
If you are still feeling unpleasant emotions regarding the past events or the people who were involved, here are some methods to use in getting to the core issue.
1. Ask yourself what is still triggering you, what does the experience still have to teach you that you may not have yet recognized. See if you can now take a step back and look at the experience objectively, as if it happened to someone else. What might someone else have learnt from the experience? It may help to discuss the situation with someone who wasn’t involved.
2. Close your eyes, center yourself, take a few deep breathes, right from the diaphragm. Picture the person that you still have an emotion towards in your minds eye, or think of them and feel their vibration. Ask them “What other message(s) do you have to offer me?” Then go within and ask if there is a message you have for them. You may or may not feel to communicate this message to them prior to the end of the year. If yes - do so, by voice, in-person or by writing. If no, write it down and then tear it up or burn it.If you did get a message for them, ask yourself how this message could possibly assist you as well. (often the advise we get for others apply to us as well)
3. Close your eyes, center yourself, take a few deep breathes, right from the diaphragm. Go over the experience in your mind. Notice the emotions that are arising within you. Are you being reminded of any other past event? If yes, what are the similarities? Can you recall any events just prior to the one you are exploring? What you are doing here is making a connection to how you attracted the experience to yourself if the first place and possibly you’ll be able to recognizing a pattern you may be attracting. What you learn from the experience now, may assist you in not repeating the pattern again.
4. Write it out. Write out the experience and your emotions. While writing ask yourself questions to lead you to more understanding, such as; what does this emotion tell me about how I really felt? If I knew of another experience that had the same feeling connected with it, what might it be? What is it about the event that reminds me of a past similar event? How would I have interpreted this event without this feeling? Keep asking any questions that come up until no more answers come. If none of these work for, that is fine. It may be the divine time for you to be complete with the experience. Trust that and move on.
Part two
Once you have reviewed the year, you are going to acknowledge and record all that you are grateful for, and all you are ready to release and/or forgive. Include your accomplishments, goals achieved, growth stretches, and obstacles overcome.
Release
Start writing:
I bless and release my experience of these events..............I bless and release or forgive (name of person) Thank you for your active participation in my life.
Also take this time to release any outdated beliefs or attitudes that no longer serve you.I bless and release my past need to (name aspect you are releasing) I am grateful that it has brought me to this point in my life.
Gratitude
Start by writing:
I am grateful for........ (brief summary of event)I am grateful for (name of person) and briefly why.
I am grateful to have had (name the impact of your contribution) impact on (person, people or system you impacted).
Once complete, if you are able to safely do so, burn the papers. If you are unable to do so safely, you can shred them by hand. You have just created space within yourself, having released the 2007 energy and now have room to fill up with your dreams and aspirations for 2008!
May you be the conscious creator of your life in 2008!
Friday
Me and My Three Selves
Winter has arrived, and here the proof! This picture is taked outside my window last week. It truly is a beautiful site!
The December Issue of Tone is out and your's truly has an article in it. For those who don't receive the Tone Magazine, I've posting the article here. Read on.....
Me and My Three Selves
Different teachings and philosophies speak of the various aspects of the self: higher self, lower self, the inner witness or observer, mind, emotion, spirit, unconscious, preconscious, conscious, god self, little self, ego, id, super-ego… the list goes on. As you can see, regardless of which school of thought one follows, there are many dimensions to who we experience as our self.
To consciously create your life, you need to become aware of the various aspects of yourself. All dimensions of you make up the “you” who is the main attractor factor of your creations. While the law of attraction explains that we attract what we focus our attention on, our main attractor factor is actually the “who” we are, who is focusing attention.
Here is what I’ve been noticing about the various dimensions of myself lately.
I’ve become increasingly aware of my observer self who is often intrigued and fascinated with what goes on in my mind. It really helps me detached from the inner dialogue (sometimes drama) that is happening and it notices how the thoughts are affecting me. My observer self notices the difference between my other two selves and likes to direct me to my greater self (a.k.a. higher self, god self, Christ self).
This dimension of me is quite wise (no idea where she gets her stuff), often has enlightening perspectives to share with me and offers me the best advice. This self keeps me in the flow and feeling good! This is the aspect of me, I want creating my reality!
My third self – well, to be frank, leaves much to be desired and often grates on my nerves. It offers the worst advice, pulls me down emotionally, and says the nastiest things about me and others. In the past, it has tried to lift me up by inflating my self perception in ways that have led to humiliating experiences. It tells me how I can’t, won’t and shouldn’t even think of doing anything daring or risky that would be beneficial for my development. This self goes by various names like saboteur, ego, gremlin – I’ve been partial to the term gremlin lately. As I’m writing this, this aspect of me is telling me that I probably sound nuts right now while my greater self is telling me “they know what you’re talking about, keep writing” and I feel it is my observer self who is giving me these words to write.
My three selves: observer self, greater self and gremlin self – then there is me. Me is the one who is experiencing all of my selves (a.k.a. myself and I). I am the one who is at some level giving attention to the part of myself who is expression through me and as me. It is the part choosing, consciously or unconsciously, the “who” that I am, who is attracting to me. So there is me, and my three selves, all of whom are the creators of my daily life.
However you perceive or experience your whole self, as you become increasingly aware of the various aspects of yourself, you can consciously choose who you are at any moment. Having said that, having to consciously choose who to be in every moment is a tall order indeed and is an unrealistic expectation of yourself. Therefore, I offer you this prayer, to help direct all of who you are, who to be, as you consciously create each day.
Through Me (note to selves)
Through me see beauty
Through me see potential
Through me feel healthy
Through me feel joy
Through me experience prosperity
Through me experience freedom
Through me express kindness
Through me express authentically
Through me hear possibilities
Through me hear truth
Through me demonstrate faith
Through me demonstrate respect
Through me serve
Through me inspire
Through me live life
Through me love
Copyright © 2007 by Kim Barnwell – All rights reserved
Different teachings and philosophies speak of the various aspects of the self: higher self, lower self, the inner witness or observer, mind, emotion, spirit, unconscious, preconscious, conscious, god self, little self, ego, id, super-ego… the list goes on. As you can see, regardless of which school of thought one follows, there are many dimensions to who we experience as our self.
To consciously create your life, you need to become aware of the various aspects of yourself. All dimensions of you make up the “you” who is the main attractor factor of your creations. While the law of attraction explains that we attract what we focus our attention on, our main attractor factor is actually the “who” we are, who is focusing attention.
Here is what I’ve been noticing about the various dimensions of myself lately.
I’ve become increasingly aware of my observer self who is often intrigued and fascinated with what goes on in my mind. It really helps me detached from the inner dialogue (sometimes drama) that is happening and it notices how the thoughts are affecting me. My observer self notices the difference between my other two selves and likes to direct me to my greater self (a.k.a. higher self, god self, Christ self).
This dimension of me is quite wise (no idea where she gets her stuff), often has enlightening perspectives to share with me and offers me the best advice. This self keeps me in the flow and feeling good! This is the aspect of me, I want creating my reality!
My third self – well, to be frank, leaves much to be desired and often grates on my nerves. It offers the worst advice, pulls me down emotionally, and says the nastiest things about me and others. In the past, it has tried to lift me up by inflating my self perception in ways that have led to humiliating experiences. It tells me how I can’t, won’t and shouldn’t even think of doing anything daring or risky that would be beneficial for my development. This self goes by various names like saboteur, ego, gremlin – I’ve been partial to the term gremlin lately. As I’m writing this, this aspect of me is telling me that I probably sound nuts right now while my greater self is telling me “they know what you’re talking about, keep writing” and I feel it is my observer self who is giving me these words to write.
My three selves: observer self, greater self and gremlin self – then there is me. Me is the one who is experiencing all of my selves (a.k.a. myself and I). I am the one who is at some level giving attention to the part of myself who is expression through me and as me. It is the part choosing, consciously or unconsciously, the “who” that I am, who is attracting to me. So there is me, and my three selves, all of whom are the creators of my daily life.
However you perceive or experience your whole self, as you become increasingly aware of the various aspects of yourself, you can consciously choose who you are at any moment. Having said that, having to consciously choose who to be in every moment is a tall order indeed and is an unrealistic expectation of yourself. Therefore, I offer you this prayer, to help direct all of who you are, who to be, as you consciously create each day.
Through Me (note to selves)
Through me see beauty
Through me see potential
Through me feel healthy
Through me feel joy
Through me experience prosperity
Through me experience freedom
Through me express kindness
Through me express authentically
Through me hear possibilities
Through me hear truth
Through me demonstrate faith
Through me demonstrate respect
Through me serve
Through me inspire
Through me live life
Through me love
Copyright © 2007 by Kim Barnwell – All rights reserved
Published in Tone Magazine December 2007 issue.
Saturday
Are You Attracting or Repelling Your Thriving Practice?
I'm going to be the guest host on Thriving Coaches round table on Monday November 26, at 8pm ET (follow the link to register and receive the bridgeline number). I hope you'll join us!
Here is a little article I wrote to introduce the topic for the call:
Are You Attracting or Repelling Your Thriving Practice?
Are you getting in the way of your thriving practice? Has this ever happened to you: you wanted a new client or speaking opportunity, you receive the lead and then next thing you know the deal falls through or the new client cancels or postpones their appointment?
We create our experiences, mostly unconsciously, that is what the law of attraction explains. As our attention is focused on what we want, we attract and when we focus on what we don’t want, we repel - what we want! We are in the constant flux of attracting and repelling through our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, focus and feelings. The key is in knowing how it is you’re naturally doing both.
Once you’ve communicated with your new lead are you noticing how you’re probably not the best coach for them or how compatible you are? Are you thinking “they won’t be able to afford my fee” or do you assume they can otherwise they won’t have contacted you. Do you try to figure out how to fix their issue or do you automatically think of how inspiring their vision is? The more you start noticing what you think of or focus on automatically, you’ll start connecting the dots to how you are attracting or repelling your thriving practice.
The good news is that thoughts are never carved in stone. When you catch yourself in “repel” mode, you can make a conscious choice to think a more attracting thought, thereby redirecting the outcome. You may not be able to change history, however if you’ve repelled an opportunity or client, by changing your thoughts or redirecting your focus, you will attract new ones – attracting your thriving practice.
Here is a little article I wrote to introduce the topic for the call:
Are You Attracting or Repelling Your Thriving Practice?
Are you getting in the way of your thriving practice? Has this ever happened to you: you wanted a new client or speaking opportunity, you receive the lead and then next thing you know the deal falls through or the new client cancels or postpones their appointment?
We create our experiences, mostly unconsciously, that is what the law of attraction explains. As our attention is focused on what we want, we attract and when we focus on what we don’t want, we repel - what we want! We are in the constant flux of attracting and repelling through our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, focus and feelings. The key is in knowing how it is you’re naturally doing both.
Once you’ve communicated with your new lead are you noticing how you’re probably not the best coach for them or how compatible you are? Are you thinking “they won’t be able to afford my fee” or do you assume they can otherwise they won’t have contacted you. Do you try to figure out how to fix their issue or do you automatically think of how inspiring their vision is? The more you start noticing what you think of or focus on automatically, you’ll start connecting the dots to how you are attracting or repelling your thriving practice.
The good news is that thoughts are never carved in stone. When you catch yourself in “repel” mode, you can make a conscious choice to think a more attracting thought, thereby redirecting the outcome. You may not be able to change history, however if you’ve repelled an opportunity or client, by changing your thoughts or redirecting your focus, you will attract new ones – attracting your thriving practice.
Wednesday
Conscious Change and Flow
When initiating conscious change, there is a balance to be struck between “going with the flow” and “directing the flow”. The universe is constantly receiving and responding to “you”, and what makes up the vibration of “you” includes how you express yourself verbally, mentally, and emotionally as well as your values and beliefs. Once you’ve decide to initiate a change, the flow will be your queue as to how aligned this change is to all of who you are.
When you instigate change that is congruent to the “You” of who you are, you’ll know. It will appear as though the whole universe is conspiring to help you. Everything just falls into place. As you remain open to receiving guidance from your inner wise self, you can direct the flow of your life, feeling yourself along the way.
When you try to force a change that you’re not truly aligned with, it feels like the universe is against you. Any effort feels really hard; synchronicities become rare and you feel like you’ve been striped of your manifesting abilities. This is what going against your own flow feels like, when something about the change you’ve initiated is compromising the core vibration of who you are. It doesn’t mean you have to abort the plan; however it is time to review it. Perhaps there’s a conflict with one of your values or beliefs, or it could also be that the timing isn’t right. You may simply need to slow down and wait for inspired direction.
Another time to lift your oars out of the water and let yourself go with the flow is when you notice yourself following the directive of your negative ego or saboteur. This will also feel like you’re forcing against the current. In those moments as you release your oars, invite your greater self to take over and the universe to show you what your next step in redirecting you to your flow is. Then breathe deeply, listen and notice. Remain open to receiving guidance, unattached to what it looks like or how it comes. When it comes, you’ll know – it’ll just feel right.
Enjoy the Magic!
When you instigate change that is congruent to the “You” of who you are, you’ll know. It will appear as though the whole universe is conspiring to help you. Everything just falls into place. As you remain open to receiving guidance from your inner wise self, you can direct the flow of your life, feeling yourself along the way.
When you try to force a change that you’re not truly aligned with, it feels like the universe is against you. Any effort feels really hard; synchronicities become rare and you feel like you’ve been striped of your manifesting abilities. This is what going against your own flow feels like, when something about the change you’ve initiated is compromising the core vibration of who you are. It doesn’t mean you have to abort the plan; however it is time to review it. Perhaps there’s a conflict with one of your values or beliefs, or it could also be that the timing isn’t right. You may simply need to slow down and wait for inspired direction.
Another time to lift your oars out of the water and let yourself go with the flow is when you notice yourself following the directive of your negative ego or saboteur. This will also feel like you’re forcing against the current. In those moments as you release your oars, invite your greater self to take over and the universe to show you what your next step in redirecting you to your flow is. Then breathe deeply, listen and notice. Remain open to receiving guidance, unattached to what it looks like or how it comes. When it comes, you’ll know – it’ll just feel right.
Enjoy the Magic!
Change and Trees
Have you ever noticed how peacefully a tree allows its leaves to fall from it every autumn?
You don't see the branches of the tree reaching out trying to force their leaves to stay. No, the tree gracefully allows the leaves to fall, courageously baring itself to the harsh winter elements. Then in the spring, the trees faith in nature is met with the blossoming of new buds - the natural order of life.
We are always changing - change is a constant in life. With every breath we inhale and exhale we are changing the oxygen in our body. Each time we move our eyes we change what we see and every time we change our mind, we change our focus. How often does that happen in a day? There are numerous other ways we change every day without even thinking about it.
Yet we resist change - not all change perhaps, however have you ever found yourself kicking and screaming in response to the news of yet another change that is about to occur? I know I have.
Just the other day, I walked over to the grocery store to buy my favorite cereal for breakfast and THEY WERE OUT!!! Every other Nature's Path Organic cereal was available in abundance except for my favorite one (Optimum Power Blueberry Flax Soy)!
As I stood there dazed and confused by the coincidence that they were only out of MY cereal, I became aware (and embarrassed) at how I was letting this affect me. Here I was, having gone through sooooo many more challenging changes in my life of 42 years and I was being thrown off balance because I was going to have to choose a different cereal. Get a grip Kim!
Can you relate to my story?
How is it that change is the most natural thing we do as humans, yet conscious change can be so difficult? Either the status quo has to become too painful, annoying or boring to endure any longer or the grocery store runs out of your favorite cereal so you "have to" try a new one.
Change is life experienced. Unconscious change results in life experiences that we may or may not like - recurring patterns. Conscious change results in creating the life experience we want! Forced change such as the fires recently experienced in Southern California shakes up the status quo and always leads to new - like it or not. Once we start recovering from the shock and trauma of such an event, we need to think about moving forward. The people who have lost their homes will spend time reflecting on their lives, gaining clarity on what is truly important to them. Some people will aim to recreate what they've lost. Others will let go of their past, either intending a new start or allowing themselves to be guided day by day. While for others, this will have been the disguised blessing they'll always remember as being the catalyst that lead to a whole new life adventure. Everyone will move forward in the best way that they can.
As for the vast forested area that was affected by the fire, it'll use this mass cleansing to its advantage, re-balancing that which needed re-balancing for its eco-system, in the way nature that knows best.
You don't see the branches of the tree reaching out trying to force their leaves to stay. No, the tree gracefully allows the leaves to fall, courageously baring itself to the harsh winter elements. Then in the spring, the trees faith in nature is met with the blossoming of new buds - the natural order of life.
We are always changing - change is a constant in life. With every breath we inhale and exhale we are changing the oxygen in our body. Each time we move our eyes we change what we see and every time we change our mind, we change our focus. How often does that happen in a day? There are numerous other ways we change every day without even thinking about it.
Yet we resist change - not all change perhaps, however have you ever found yourself kicking and screaming in response to the news of yet another change that is about to occur? I know I have.
Just the other day, I walked over to the grocery store to buy my favorite cereal for breakfast and THEY WERE OUT!!! Every other Nature's Path Organic cereal was available in abundance except for my favorite one (Optimum Power Blueberry Flax Soy)!
As I stood there dazed and confused by the coincidence that they were only out of MY cereal, I became aware (and embarrassed) at how I was letting this affect me. Here I was, having gone through sooooo many more challenging changes in my life of 42 years and I was being thrown off balance because I was going to have to choose a different cereal. Get a grip Kim!
Can you relate to my story?
How is it that change is the most natural thing we do as humans, yet conscious change can be so difficult? Either the status quo has to become too painful, annoying or boring to endure any longer or the grocery store runs out of your favorite cereal so you "have to" try a new one.
Change is life experienced. Unconscious change results in life experiences that we may or may not like - recurring patterns. Conscious change results in creating the life experience we want! Forced change such as the fires recently experienced in Southern California shakes up the status quo and always leads to new - like it or not. Once we start recovering from the shock and trauma of such an event, we need to think about moving forward. The people who have lost their homes will spend time reflecting on their lives, gaining clarity on what is truly important to them. Some people will aim to recreate what they've lost. Others will let go of their past, either intending a new start or allowing themselves to be guided day by day. While for others, this will have been the disguised blessing they'll always remember as being the catalyst that lead to a whole new life adventure. Everyone will move forward in the best way that they can.
As for the vast forested area that was affected by the fire, it'll use this mass cleansing to its advantage, re-balancing that which needed re-balancing for its eco-system, in the way nature that knows best.
Saturday
Attachment and Relationships
Saturday afternoon – wet outside.
Not feeling particularly focused to do any serious writing, so I thought I’d do some real blogging.
I notice that I’ve been more concerned about writing something worth reading rather that just writing what is going on or what I’m thinking about. I seem to be attached to what I put out there. So even though my horoscope says it isn’t the best time for me to write, I’m going to anyway. I feel like a rebel!!
Attachment and Relationships
What does being attached mean?
When it comes to relationships, when someone is attached it usually means they are in a relationship. Right?
Well, what if someone is in a relationship but not attached to it? Does that mean they aren’t attached and therefore available to pursue another relationship?
One of the secrets to consciously creating your life is non-attachment. Not in the sense that you’re not suppose to be in an intimate relationship, but meaning we are to release our attachments to how things happen and specifically who that relationship is with. We are to focus on our desired state and outcome and release attachment to how it happens.
Ideally.
Easier said than done when our attachment to having someone to love in your life is as strong as our attraction to the person who is attached to someone else.
I have two friends (and have actually heard of many others in this same scenario – so I could be taking about anyone) both in love people who are attached to someone else and both attached to having that person be in their lives, even though the one they love is already attached.
Now in both cases, the already attached person does reciprocate the feeling to the one who loves them and is non-attached to being attached to their current partners. Actually, I’m pretty sure if you were ask them if they were attached to their current partners they’d say no, even though they are still with them because in truth they are not attached to being with them.
However, they are attached to something they are getting in return from being in their relationship – both relationships. From their primary relationship they are attached to continuing to have a basic need met that is being provided by this relationship. This is clear in both cases and I bet in most similar cases. In their second relationship they are attached to having someone they are very attracted to be part of their life.
Can you be attached to two people at once, and be non-attached to the longevity of either relationship? Apparently so.
This is one of the current realities of our “new age” movement towards living in “non-attachment”. As people become increasingly non-attached with the relationships in their lives, they will eventually be comfortable not being attached to anyone. Then, maybe then, they can really get to know the one relationship they are truly attached to – the one with themselves!
Not feeling particularly focused to do any serious writing, so I thought I’d do some real blogging.
I notice that I’ve been more concerned about writing something worth reading rather that just writing what is going on or what I’m thinking about. I seem to be attached to what I put out there. So even though my horoscope says it isn’t the best time for me to write, I’m going to anyway. I feel like a rebel!!
Attachment and Relationships
What does being attached mean?
When it comes to relationships, when someone is attached it usually means they are in a relationship. Right?
Well, what if someone is in a relationship but not attached to it? Does that mean they aren’t attached and therefore available to pursue another relationship?
One of the secrets to consciously creating your life is non-attachment. Not in the sense that you’re not suppose to be in an intimate relationship, but meaning we are to release our attachments to how things happen and specifically who that relationship is with. We are to focus on our desired state and outcome and release attachment to how it happens.
Ideally.
Easier said than done when our attachment to having someone to love in your life is as strong as our attraction to the person who is attached to someone else.
I have two friends (and have actually heard of many others in this same scenario – so I could be taking about anyone) both in love people who are attached to someone else and both attached to having that person be in their lives, even though the one they love is already attached.
Now in both cases, the already attached person does reciprocate the feeling to the one who loves them and is non-attached to being attached to their current partners. Actually, I’m pretty sure if you were ask them if they were attached to their current partners they’d say no, even though they are still with them because in truth they are not attached to being with them.
However, they are attached to something they are getting in return from being in their relationship – both relationships. From their primary relationship they are attached to continuing to have a basic need met that is being provided by this relationship. This is clear in both cases and I bet in most similar cases. In their second relationship they are attached to having someone they are very attracted to be part of their life.
Can you be attached to two people at once, and be non-attached to the longevity of either relationship? Apparently so.
This is one of the current realities of our “new age” movement towards living in “non-attachment”. As people become increasingly non-attached with the relationships in their lives, they will eventually be comfortable not being attached to anyone. Then, maybe then, they can really get to know the one relationship they are truly attached to – the one with themselves!
Friday
Coaches - Law of Attraction Mentors
Here is an article I recently had published in the CTI online newsletter. Enjoy !
What do “Coaching” and the “Law of Attraction” have in common?
For starters, the law of attraction explains how it is that we can create the lives we desire, while coaches support their clients in creating the life they desire.
Secondly, they’ve both gained recognition in main stream over the past 10 years and even more so in the past couple of years, yet both have existed for much longer.
I believe that coaching and the law of attraction go hand in hand, that the expanding coaching profession is due to the growing demand for support and guidance from people who wish to consciously create their lives – as the law of attraction explains we can all do! It’s no mistake that coaching has flourished over the past few years, to accommodate the demand that is the result of society’s growing awareness of its ability to create a better life and world.
God bless “The Secret” and most specifically Rhonda Byrnes, whose sincerest intention was to spread joy throughout the world by sharing what she’s learnt about the law of attraction. Rhonda’s source of inspiration was a book that was actually written back in 1910 by Wallace D. Wattles, “The Science of Getting Rich” (it definitely worked for her). Mr. Wallace’s book certainly wasn’t the only resource available that provided instruction on how someone can create their reality. For over a century the New Thought movement, which includes Science of Mind and Unity, has included this information in their literature and practices. You can also find similar teachings in most of the religious texts including the Bible. The premise that within us lays the power to create our reality is not a new age idea!
Let’s take a closer look at the origins of coaching.
Back in the 1500’s, the term “coach” referred to a vehicle that took people from where they were to where they wanted to be (does that sounds familiar?). In the 1800’s this same definition was adopted by the athletic field. Coaches became the vehicle that supported athletes and sports teams in reaching their goals, getting them to where they want to be from where they were. Then in the mid 1980 this term was again adopted by business men who used the term to describe their leadership development models. Finally, in the early 1990’s, Thomas Leonard and Laura Whitworth converted the vehicle of coaching to being one that helps people get from where they were to where they wanted to be, in any and all areas of their personal and professional lives.
Many of the skills and techniques used by those who teach the attraction principle are the same ones used by both life and sports coaches. Imagining one’s desired outcome, visually and sensually; the use of incantations and affirmations, positive self talk, identifying and taking actions that lead to the results we want, aligning our values to our goals. Basketball coaches train their players to “see” that ball falling into the net! As a Life Coach, I ask my clients to see themselves achieving their desired outcomes. The law of attraction explains that what we can see in our minds, we can experience in the physical. As we see it, we ignite the movement of the forces and energy required to have what we’re envisioning to take form.
Those who are most successful at achieving their goals - including the athletes who win the trophies – at some level are aware of the attraction principles. They may not call it that, and there really is no need to call it anything, they simply know what works. Regardless of whether they know how it works, they believe and trust.
As coaches, we naturally help our clients become aware of how the law of attraction is influencing their lives. The more we align with the essence of how the universal principle of attraction affects our lives, regardless of what we call “it”, we become a stronger attraction force for our clients, supporting them in creating what ever they desire for themselves and for their world – our world!
What do “Coaching” and the “Law of Attraction” have in common?
For starters, the law of attraction explains how it is that we can create the lives we desire, while coaches support their clients in creating the life they desire.
Secondly, they’ve both gained recognition in main stream over the past 10 years and even more so in the past couple of years, yet both have existed for much longer.
I believe that coaching and the law of attraction go hand in hand, that the expanding coaching profession is due to the growing demand for support and guidance from people who wish to consciously create their lives – as the law of attraction explains we can all do! It’s no mistake that coaching has flourished over the past few years, to accommodate the demand that is the result of society’s growing awareness of its ability to create a better life and world.
God bless “The Secret” and most specifically Rhonda Byrnes, whose sincerest intention was to spread joy throughout the world by sharing what she’s learnt about the law of attraction. Rhonda’s source of inspiration was a book that was actually written back in 1910 by Wallace D. Wattles, “The Science of Getting Rich” (it definitely worked for her). Mr. Wallace’s book certainly wasn’t the only resource available that provided instruction on how someone can create their reality. For over a century the New Thought movement, which includes Science of Mind and Unity, has included this information in their literature and practices. You can also find similar teachings in most of the religious texts including the Bible. The premise that within us lays the power to create our reality is not a new age idea!
Let’s take a closer look at the origins of coaching.
Back in the 1500’s, the term “coach” referred to a vehicle that took people from where they were to where they wanted to be (does that sounds familiar?). In the 1800’s this same definition was adopted by the athletic field. Coaches became the vehicle that supported athletes and sports teams in reaching their goals, getting them to where they want to be from where they were. Then in the mid 1980 this term was again adopted by business men who used the term to describe their leadership development models. Finally, in the early 1990’s, Thomas Leonard and Laura Whitworth converted the vehicle of coaching to being one that helps people get from where they were to where they wanted to be, in any and all areas of their personal and professional lives.
Many of the skills and techniques used by those who teach the attraction principle are the same ones used by both life and sports coaches. Imagining one’s desired outcome, visually and sensually; the use of incantations and affirmations, positive self talk, identifying and taking actions that lead to the results we want, aligning our values to our goals. Basketball coaches train their players to “see” that ball falling into the net! As a Life Coach, I ask my clients to see themselves achieving their desired outcomes. The law of attraction explains that what we can see in our minds, we can experience in the physical. As we see it, we ignite the movement of the forces and energy required to have what we’re envisioning to take form.
Those who are most successful at achieving their goals - including the athletes who win the trophies – at some level are aware of the attraction principles. They may not call it that, and there really is no need to call it anything, they simply know what works. Regardless of whether they know how it works, they believe and trust.
As coaches, we naturally help our clients become aware of how the law of attraction is influencing their lives. The more we align with the essence of how the universal principle of attraction affects our lives, regardless of what we call “it”, we become a stronger attraction force for our clients, supporting them in creating what ever they desire for themselves and for their world – our world!
Saturday
Integrity is really hard to judge. Or is it?
I recently wrote and delivered a speech for my Toastmasters club - my 10th speech which meant I’d receive my Competent Communicator badge (Yeah!!)– and since integrity has been my topic of contemplation recently, I decided to speak about it. This isn’t the speech I delivered, it is a more clear articulation of the message.
I’ve been challenged at being able to discern if someone is being integral at times. Then, the more I thought about it, I realized it actually isn’t that difficult. Just because I can understand someone’s justification or rationalization, doesn’t mean a wrong becomes a right. I will express compassion and forgiveness for myself and others, and I will personally challenge and encourage, myself and others to strive for better.
On a recent flight back from England, the movie shown was "Freedom Writers" – which I highly recommend it you haven’t seen it yet – a great example of the need for people to choose and act with integrity.
The movie is set in 1994, at a high school in Long Beach, California. The student body is quite diverse, from varying cultures, who each stick to “their own”. Each culture has its own gang, and the gangs are at war. These kids are packing guns and each student has at least one friend who's died in a gang war. Students and teachers alike fear for their lives every day, never knowing when a gang fight will break out.
The story focuses on an English class, with a brand new teacher, whose mission is to have a life changing impact on the lives of her students. She strives to unite the students by helping them recognize that they have much more in common than they have differences. At the beginning of the movie, the students hate her and feel she could never understand them. By the end they are united and rally to keep her as their teacher.
Part of the movie shares the experience of a student, Eva, who witnesses a murder. The boy who pulls the trigger is from her gang. Since Eva has been taught by her parents to “protect your own”, she believes it is her responsibility to lie in court and pin the murder on a boy from another gang. Her teacher, who becomes affectionately known as Mrs. G., has such an impact on her, that by the end of the movie when it comes time to tell truth, the whole truth – Eva does. Even though she still believes in protecting her own, her definition of “her own” has expanded and it is no longer ok to do what is wrong, in order to meet this value. She knows she is risking her own life, however telling the truth takes precedence.
I was inspired by her commitment to do the right thing in spite of the potential repercussions. It made me think of how many of us (I include myself and strive to be better) choose to do the wrong thing for much lesser reasons. Some people will do what they know at some level is wrong to meet their need or desire for power, attention, dominance, the respect of others, to gain popularity, for money, for fame, to be accepted by others or out of pure laziness (when doing the right thing takes more effort) – not for reasons that are at all life threatening.
Conscious creation is not just about being able to create the reality you want. Conscious creation is also about making conscious choices - the right choice for the right reason, in alignment to your values and for what you know morally as right.
It’s about demonstrating respect; for the environment, for yourself, your purpose, your passion and your brilliance! By acting in a manner that demonstrates respect for all, including yourself, you automatically attract respect from others. When you attract respect from others in this way, you never need to do the unmoral to achieve your goals because the Universe takes care of “it’s own”!
I’ve been challenged at being able to discern if someone is being integral at times. Then, the more I thought about it, I realized it actually isn’t that difficult. Just because I can understand someone’s justification or rationalization, doesn’t mean a wrong becomes a right. I will express compassion and forgiveness for myself and others, and I will personally challenge and encourage, myself and others to strive for better.
On a recent flight back from England, the movie shown was "Freedom Writers" – which I highly recommend it you haven’t seen it yet – a great example of the need for people to choose and act with integrity.
The movie is set in 1994, at a high school in Long Beach, California. The student body is quite diverse, from varying cultures, who each stick to “their own”. Each culture has its own gang, and the gangs are at war. These kids are packing guns and each student has at least one friend who's died in a gang war. Students and teachers alike fear for their lives every day, never knowing when a gang fight will break out.
The story focuses on an English class, with a brand new teacher, whose mission is to have a life changing impact on the lives of her students. She strives to unite the students by helping them recognize that they have much more in common than they have differences. At the beginning of the movie, the students hate her and feel she could never understand them. By the end they are united and rally to keep her as their teacher.
Part of the movie shares the experience of a student, Eva, who witnesses a murder. The boy who pulls the trigger is from her gang. Since Eva has been taught by her parents to “protect your own”, she believes it is her responsibility to lie in court and pin the murder on a boy from another gang. Her teacher, who becomes affectionately known as Mrs. G., has such an impact on her, that by the end of the movie when it comes time to tell truth, the whole truth – Eva does. Even though she still believes in protecting her own, her definition of “her own” has expanded and it is no longer ok to do what is wrong, in order to meet this value. She knows she is risking her own life, however telling the truth takes precedence.
I was inspired by her commitment to do the right thing in spite of the potential repercussions. It made me think of how many of us (I include myself and strive to be better) choose to do the wrong thing for much lesser reasons. Some people will do what they know at some level is wrong to meet their need or desire for power, attention, dominance, the respect of others, to gain popularity, for money, for fame, to be accepted by others or out of pure laziness (when doing the right thing takes more effort) – not for reasons that are at all life threatening.
Conscious creation is not just about being able to create the reality you want. Conscious creation is also about making conscious choices - the right choice for the right reason, in alignment to your values and for what you know morally as right.
It’s about demonstrating respect; for the environment, for yourself, your purpose, your passion and your brilliance! By acting in a manner that demonstrates respect for all, including yourself, you automatically attract respect from others. When you attract respect from others in this way, you never need to do the unmoral to achieve your goals because the Universe takes care of “it’s own”!
Wednesday
Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Who's the most integral of all?
I don’t believe everything I hear just because someone wrote a book about it. I try it on, have my own experience and believe the results of my own experience, which often times will be a bit different than what the “guru” wrote.
A good example of this is the notion that everything around us is a mirror of us, or that all of our outer reality is a reflection of our inner world.
I believe this because I’ve experienced it.
What I don’t believe as some of the “gurus” suggest, is that it's always an identical mirror. I know that isn’t exactly true.
It has been my experience that my inner world is creating my outer experience, however much of it is in code. Why? Because I love and thrive on being able to unravel a mystery! So even the style of how I create my reality is a reflection of my inner passion of solving a mystery.
This makes my inner life very exciting as I decipher the symbolism in my personal world. Yet at times I would just like to see an apple being reflected as an apple if you know what I mean! I also value clarity, so there are times the outer experience is an exact reflection of my inner world. Sometimes it’s so confusing. I often have to ask myself, “Is this example a clear reflection that I’m having a hard time accepting, or is it a mystery symbolically linked to what is really going on inside?”. Ummm...... That was a question I had today as I was connecting the dots to a particular pattern in my life (remember – I’m the Pattern Buster!)
I have attracted many teachers who have knowingly been earning money using other people’s work without their permission, and often the work has a copy right protection (ha). I have even seen someone use someone else’s work and add their own label and/or signature to it.
I like being able to trust my mentors and trust that I am safe to following their example. Each time I’ve become aware of this, I’ve had to face acknowledging something that I didn’t want to acknowledge, that it is a mistake to trust anyone.
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many of the people I’ve witnessed doing this. Each time it has been a short union, or one that never really took off, and each time I wondered what it was about ‘me”, that attracted not being able to work with these people. I felt rejected. However I always had to admit to myself that each time I was aware that I didn’t feel completely in my integrity with all of their choice of actions, nor with my inability to make the appropriate choice for myself after I did call them on it. Instead I would want to continue to try and understand why they do what they do and challenge myself to focus on the aspects I admired about them so that I would experience more of that part of them. It didn’t work. I had not recognized my own reflection yet.
Today, once again I took a stand for what I feel is right. We were jointly working on a project and now our partnership to do so has potentially come to an end, and I feel really good about it all – I finally see the reflections.
I’m not feeling rejected because for once I didn’t reject myself and my own truth. I’m also trusting myself, therefore I am demonstrating that I can trust someone – ME!
I am a bright, intelligent woman with a high level integrity. It is time I trust myself, stop rejecting my own truth and honor who I am. It is up to me to be the example I want to see in my community, in my world.
My desire for anyone who feels they need to go against what they know is right in order to get what they want, is that you recognize and have faith in your own inner brilliance! Believe in your ability to “Have it all” (quote from my friend Su Thomas ) in a way that honors all.
I don’t believe everything I hear just because someone wrote a book about it. I try it on, have my own experience and believe the results of my own experience, which often times will be a bit different than what the “guru” wrote.
A good example of this is the notion that everything around us is a mirror of us, or that all of our outer reality is a reflection of our inner world.
I believe this because I’ve experienced it.
What I don’t believe as some of the “gurus” suggest, is that it's always an identical mirror. I know that isn’t exactly true.
It has been my experience that my inner world is creating my outer experience, however much of it is in code. Why? Because I love and thrive on being able to unravel a mystery! So even the style of how I create my reality is a reflection of my inner passion of solving a mystery.
This makes my inner life very exciting as I decipher the symbolism in my personal world. Yet at times I would just like to see an apple being reflected as an apple if you know what I mean! I also value clarity, so there are times the outer experience is an exact reflection of my inner world. Sometimes it’s so confusing. I often have to ask myself, “Is this example a clear reflection that I’m having a hard time accepting, or is it a mystery symbolically linked to what is really going on inside?”. Ummm...... That was a question I had today as I was connecting the dots to a particular pattern in my life (remember – I’m the Pattern Buster!)
I have attracted many teachers who have knowingly been earning money using other people’s work without their permission, and often the work has a copy right protection (ha). I have even seen someone use someone else’s work and add their own label and/or signature to it.
I like being able to trust my mentors and trust that I am safe to following their example. Each time I’ve become aware of this, I’ve had to face acknowledging something that I didn’t want to acknowledge, that it is a mistake to trust anyone.
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many of the people I’ve witnessed doing this. Each time it has been a short union, or one that never really took off, and each time I wondered what it was about ‘me”, that attracted not being able to work with these people. I felt rejected. However I always had to admit to myself that each time I was aware that I didn’t feel completely in my integrity with all of their choice of actions, nor with my inability to make the appropriate choice for myself after I did call them on it. Instead I would want to continue to try and understand why they do what they do and challenge myself to focus on the aspects I admired about them so that I would experience more of that part of them. It didn’t work. I had not recognized my own reflection yet.
Today, once again I took a stand for what I feel is right. We were jointly working on a project and now our partnership to do so has potentially come to an end, and I feel really good about it all – I finally see the reflections.
I’m not feeling rejected because for once I didn’t reject myself and my own truth. I’m also trusting myself, therefore I am demonstrating that I can trust someone – ME!
I am a bright, intelligent woman with a high level integrity. It is time I trust myself, stop rejecting my own truth and honor who I am. It is up to me to be the example I want to see in my community, in my world.
My desire for anyone who feels they need to go against what they know is right in order to get what they want, is that you recognize and have faith in your own inner brilliance! Believe in your ability to “Have it all” (quote from my friend Su Thomas ) in a way that honors all.
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