Inner Peace, Earthquakes and Calming “The Adrenaline Rush”

Yesterday, at 11:42am Pacific time the walls started shaking vigorously. As millions of southern Californians, I wondered what this was about. My first thought was our beloved neighbor. When he runs up and down the stairs, our condo shakes and reverberates throughout. Perhaps it was his washer or dryer going haywire? Could he be blaring his music LOUDLY, once again? Uh, no. This was something more. An earthquake? Uh, maybe so. The last time I was in an earthquake, I lived in a home up Laguna Beach Canyon -- on stilts! I had never seen my roommate RUN so quickly to the front door!! Thus, when the entire room was shaking, I thought to myself, "Maybe I ought to get outside BEFORE the house tumbles as proof it IS an earthquake." I bolted. By the time I got to the bottom of the stairs to meet my husband, the shaking stopped. Whew. As timing would have it, I was scheduled to interview best-selling author Cheryl Richardson at 12 Noon. Over 300 people had pre-registered for the call. There was now less than 15 minutes before the call would begin. Uh, no problem, right? Except my heart was pounding uncontrollably. My inner peace quotient was out of reach. In fact, I felt EXACTLY as I did after climbing a 30 foot trapeze platform. You know that feeling? Okay, so maybe you haven't flown on the flying trapeze yet. But, you know that feeling, where you FEEL okay, but your BODY is sending loud signals that you are NOT okay? Breathing is tight. And, you can't quite shake the pervasive anxiety rushing through your nervous system. I took the advice of the "trapeze instructor" and did a few breathing exercises, to reconnect to my breath. Deep breath IN. Hold 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. Exhale slowing, and drop your shoulders. I repeated this several times. Deep breath IN. Hold 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. Exhale slowing, and drop your shoulders. Deep breath IN. Hold 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. Exhale slowing, and drop your shoulders. Deep breath IN. Hold 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. Exhale slowing, and drop your shoulders. Okay. A little better. It was time to dial into my conference call. Of course, the first time, I received the message, "All circuits are busy." What? Yikes!!! Was I going to be able attend my own live conference call? Gulp. Fortunately, I got on the line on the second try. Whew. As hundreds were assembling on the live call, talks about the earthquake started bubbling. Turns out it was centered in Chino Hills at 5.8!! Hearing this ADDED to my own underlying angst, even though I was trying my best to remain calm, cool and collected. (After all, I am an inner peace coach, right? Uh, yeah.) It was time to start the call. Cheryl Richardson was present and ready. To start the recording, I attempted to patch Audio Acrobat into the bridgeline, as I've done thousands of times. But, because of the earthquake, I was getting static, thrown off the line, and that annoying "all circuits are busy" message. After several attempts, and a note to my Virtual Assistant to record the call for me, I knew I just had to get started. As I came back on the call, Cheryl Richardson asked about the earthquake, realizing it had JUST occurred 15 minutes before our scheduled start time. Grace moved. Cheryl softly said, "I invite everyone on this call to focus on sending Mary peace, and anyone on the call from that area who might feel their adrenaline system got a little tweaked. Let's just send some really calming energy your way." By the time Cheryl finished this sentence, I felt instantly transformed. What is it about RECEIVING loving support from another human being that alters every cell in our body? It's magic. Her calming presence and the supportive energy of my listeners was just what I needed to reconnect with my own sense of inner peace. It's like basking in the warm sun. As I recognized this angst for what it was, an adrenaline rush, it disappeared instantaneously. And, after a deep breath...I stepped into my role as host of "Conversations with the Masters of Coaching," and began the call. All of this occurred in a matter of 30 minutes. From peace, to an adrenaline rush, and back to peace. It really got me thinking about the role adrenaline plays in interfering with our inner peace. And, one of the best remedies of all -- is simply LOVE. You simply MUST let it in. Thank you Cheryl Richardson and all the loving listeners yesterday. I'm so grateful for this "inner peace moment." BTW, if you weren't on the live call, it WAS recorded by one of the angels listening in. Thank you Martha Carnahan! Just follow the link below. I'm still reflecting on all the wisdom and inspiration Cheryl Richardson instilled during this remarkable one-hour interview. http://www.lifecoachmary.com/cherylrichardson1.htm Did YOUR adrenal system get tweaked yesterday by the earthquake? Or has it been tweaked in the past? What do YOU do to return back to inner peace? I would love to hear from you. Filed under Inner Peace Culprits, Inner Peace Moments | Comment (0)

Cheryl Richardson: Masters of Coaching Interview TOMORROW

Conversations with the Masters of Coaching SPECIAL CONFERENCE CALL INTERVIEW

Cheryl Richardson, MCC Tuesday, July 29th, 2008 12 Noon PST (3pm EST and 8pm London time) Register for FREE at http://www.lifecoachmary.com/cherylrichardson1.htm

* Would you like to know the success secrets of writing FOUR books, doing PBS Specials, creating products, supporting an online community AND maintaining life balance? * Would you like to welcome more GRACE and CONSCIOUSNESS in your life?

* Are you a life coach who wants to make a quantum leap in your ability to create NEW results with clients? * Would you like to learn distinctions about "extreme self-care? * Would you like to develop your coaching skills to increase the effectiveness in your ability to support loved ones, co-workers, employees and yourself? * Would you like to expand your ability to create impact in the world?

During This Interview We'll Explore:

* Secrets to writing four books, doing PBS Specials, creating products, supporting an online community AND maintaining life balance? * What it really takes to create a larger impact in the world, and how you can too. * How to expand grace and consciousness in your life during difficult times. * What it takes to become a successful life coach (and what are the biggest mistakes made!)

* Balancing "extreme self care" with "extreme success." Is both really possible?

* Creating impact with clients in just a few minutes.

Personal Note from Life Coach Mary:

For nearly 10 years now I've been inspired by the energy, clarity and wisdom of Cheryl Richardson. Every time I read one of her articles or hear her speak, my life transforms in profound ways. She's been a role model for me throughout my entire coaching career.

I continue to witness Cheryl's impact expand throughout the world, as she has written four best-selling books, co-produced the Life Makeover series on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and then other shows for PBS. Her online community and Life Makeover groups have affected millions. Cheryl is clearly the most widely recognized coach in the industry.

In 2006, I was honored to interview Cheryl for my Conversations with the Masters series, and continues to be one a favorite for hundreds. http://www.lifecoachmary.com/cherylrichardson.htm

We are blessed again to have this distinguished coach as our finale for the first year of Conversations with the Masters of Coaching series. Come prepared to take in the wisdom of this "Master" on Tuesday, July 29th at 12 Noon Pacific (3pm Eastern).

About Cheryl:

Cheryl Richardson, MCC is the author of The New York Times bestselling books Take Time for Your Life, Life Makeovers (Broadway Books) and Stand Up for Your Life (Free Press) and the new book The Unmistakable Touch of Grace (Free Press, 2005).

Cheryl was the first president of the International Coach Federation and holds one of their first Master Certified Coach credentials. She is also the recipient of the 2000 Motivational Book Award for Life Makeovers from Books for a Better Life, which honors the year's most outstanding books and magazines in the self-improvement genre. As a professional speaker, Cheryl has designed and presented programs to universities, Fortune 500 companies, educational conferences, and professional associations. Her work has been covered widely in the media including The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, New York Times, USA Today, Good Housekeeping, and O Magazine. Cheryl was the team leader for the Lifestyle Makeover Series on the Oprah Winfrey Show and she accompanied Ms. Winfrey on the "Live Your Best Life" nationwide tour. Cheryl served as the co-executive producer and host of "The Life Makeover Project with Cheryl Richardson" on the Oxygen Network and as the co-executive producer and host of two Public Television Specials - "Stand Up for Your Life" and "Create an Abundant Life." Check out Cheryl's new coaching column in Body & Soul Magazine and her Internet talk radio show called Coach on Call on www.hayhouseradio.com! Listen to Mary interviewing Cheryl for her Conversations with Masters series in 2006 at http://www.lifecoachmary.com/cherylrichardson.htm to listen to the recording online. Filed under Conversations with the Masters | Comment (0)

Everyday Inner Peace: It’s not about PERFECTION

One of the first and most important principles to recognize on your path of everyday inner peace, is this: "Right here, right now, give up the idea of perfection." Seriously.

Ironically, striving for inner peace --- 100% of the time --- is a surefire way to experience unnecessary stress and suffering. I know this first hand.

When I finally decided to embrace “everyday inner peace” as the subject I wanted to take a stand for in the world, my husband said, “Well, that means, you’re going to have to be at peace ALL of the time.” Gulp. The pressure was on.

I thought he was right.

Turns out, just "deciding" to embrace inner peace 24/7 isn't the magic bullet. Not that easy.  I almost gave up "inner peace" as my passionate purpose because I wasn't able to do inner peace "perfectly."  But, I didn't.

I’ve since discovered a greater truth.

I’m human. And, I’m guessing you are too. We’re going to have moments where we experience heavier emotions like sadness, anger or grief.

And, if you're on the female side of the population, you ALSO have hormones, which scientists confirm are correlated with an array of emotions. Pretending we're above this is delusional.

And, as we’re evolving ourselves, addressing our “shadow” side and doing the inner work…reactions may occur. In fact, it is virtually guaranteed.

During my most significant spiritual growth period, when humanity was dancing with me in a full swing (or was it a tango?) – the suffering was actually magnified by own self-judgment.

It did not help one bit to say, “Mary, you know how to transform this…get to it.” Or, “If you’re really going to take a stand for inner peace, you CAN’T be doing this.” Or, "Mary, you're a coach, you KNOW better."  

I’ve since given up the notion that perfection is the goal.

Instead I’ve adopted a fresh outlook. Every reaction, emotional swing, or dip in energy is an opportunity to learn something. It’s an opportunity to apply my own "inner peace" processes. It’s not about perfection. It IS about shifting back to “everyday inner peace” more quickly than the last time.  Being gentle with yourself helps a lot.

I’ll be talking more about these processes in posts to come. They work amazingly well. And, they’ll work for you too. Stay tuned.

Filed under Inner Peace 101 | Comment (0)

Inner Peace Post-Surgery: Why not?

I had a little surgery today. And... in those first few minutes of consciousness, a wave of gratitude and inner peace overwhelmed my entire nervous system. Almost to the point of tears. All I could think of was capturing this precious slice of life. When was the last time you had one of those moments? Seems like a rather personal share for my second blog post on "Everyday Inner Peace," but I try not to argue with inspiration. And, I am lying flat on my back. What else is a girl to do? Turns out the surgery was VERY worthwhile. I had Stage II Endometriosis, which via laparoscopic surgery, they zapped off. They also removed a polyp and drained a cyst -- creating a much happier environment for a fertilized egg to implant and grow into a baby some day. Very productive day if you ask me! Tummy is a bit sore, mostly from the inside out. Not a good day for a round of sit-ups, or sitting upright. But, all is well. My last moment of consciousness was right after I scooted onto the operating table in the surgery room. Then, POOF! "Lights out." This must be what time travel will be like. Now imagine, I'm in the post-op recovery room lying on the gurney, nestled under a blanket. The IV is dripping. As I "came to" with a fuzzy mind, an automatic flood of emotion had me smiling on the inside AND the outside. The nurses might've thought it was the drugs. Little did they know... I was having an "inner peace moment." You know those moments, where you were simply overwhelmed with gratitude? The kind that has you noticing the tiny details and the every single element leading up to THIS moment? HUGE gratitude. Gratitude for being awake and alive. You know, not everyone IS alive or awake. After being unconscious for 90 minutes, it's nice to come back. Gratitude for the countless hours and years of training my doctor, anesthesiologist and all the nurses put in, so I could have my insides transformed in a matter of minutes. That's a lot of hours of study, late nights and raw experience. Doctors sometimes get a bad rap. We forget all the blood, sweat and tears they invest to provide us with top-notch care. Gratitude for all the colorful scrub tops, and the jazzy head covers all the nurses were wearing. It really does brighten up the post-op experience. Gratitude to witness several nurses smiling and connecting with each other, as they simultaneously cared for me (and the dozens of other patients!) How beautiful to see people authentically "loving" their jobs. That reminded me of just how grateful I am to do what I do...to coach, to support others, to witness non-surgical transformations on a near-daily basis. To inspire a greater sense of "everyday inner peace" in real lives. What a gift. How I wish I was always that connected to the passion I have for my life's work. Great reminder. This triggered memories of the endearing wishes from the participants in my Success and Inner Peace Boot Camp, that flocked my inbox this morning.  Nothing is sweeter than receiving love and support from the "students" I lead.  Perhaps this is what triggered my "gratitude flood." So grateful to have "students," friends and family who care. And, of course... gratitude for my husband John. Wanting his presence by my side. Appreciating his willingness to be there for me, with me. Finding a sense of acceptance that I had to wait an entire 45 minutes before they'd let him in to see me. I even enjoyed the sweetness of THIS longing, since it reflects his importance in my life. Sometimes we forget to appreciate "wanting" as a signal to what's important to us. This flooding in gratitude diffused the burning sensation on the right side of my tender belly. And, a little extra pain medication from the nurse helped too. Who would think...a post-surgery-recovery could become a beautiful inner peace moment? What "inner peace moments" showed up in your life today? Keep an eye out for them. They are precious. And, sometimes they show up in the most unusual places. Filed under Inner Peace Moments | Comment (0)