August 25th, 2010
I could go on and on about other elements contributing to my happiness (but this series is getting a bit long!). When you’re profoundly happy, it seems that EVERYTHING is adding to it. Some of the other biggies include laughter, living squarely in the present moment, aligning with reality (however it unfolds), being silly, snuggling on the couch, watching sunsets, daily walks, reading inspiring books, staying at choice and being surrounded by people you love.
One of the biggest bonuses of being profoundly happy is seeing the look on my husband’s face as he witnesses my happiness. I’m not faking it. Nor am I “trying” to be happy to please him. It’s the natural result of intention + responding to spirit + grounding in stillness + focusing on strengths + gratitude + weekly check-ins. It’s the natural result of dropping all resistance to life.
Maybe next month will be different. But, for now I wouldn’t trade any of these elements from my life. Maybe they’ll work for you too. Enjoy!
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August 23rd, 2010
Excerpts from a Dog’s Diary
Day Number 180
8:00am – OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30am – OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40am – OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30am – OH BOY! CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30am – OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon – OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00pm – OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00pm – OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00pm – OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30pm – OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
Day Number 181
8:00am – OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30am – OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40am – OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30am – OH BOY! CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30am – OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon – OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00pm – OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00pm – OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00pm – OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30pm – OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
Day Number 182
8:00am – OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30am – OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40am – OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30am – OH BOY! CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30am – OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon – OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00pm – OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
1:30pm – oooooooooo, bath. bummer.
4:00pm – OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00pm – OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30pm – OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
Excerpts from a Cat’s Diary
Day Number 752
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me from going insane is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.
Day Number 761
Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair…must try this on their bed.
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August 20th, 2010
Inner peace is available anytime and any place. It’s only our conditioned behavior and society at large that tells us otherwise.
Before we can access inner peace anywhere … it’s important that we’re clear about how to access inner peace in the here and now – before movement is involved.
Stop for a minute, and simply connect with your breath. Breathe in … breathe out… breathe in … breathe out. Shift your attention from thoughts, feelings and physical sensations to that which is AWARE of thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations.
Recognize …that you’re aware of thought, but you are not your thoughts. Recognize … that you’re aware of emotions, but you are not your emotions.
Simply rest in that which you are – that which is aware.
Recognize the truth in this moment – “all is well.”
It doesn’t matter how long your to-do list is, how much money is in the bank account, or who is or isn’t in your life in this moment. When we shift our attention to that which is aware, any moment can be experienced with inner peace.
When we can access this inner peace in the here and the now…we can access it anytime and any place simply by bringing our attention back to a place of awareness.
If I’m dashing to catch an airline flight … I can notice how quickly I’m moving and I can notice fear or thoughts arising as I momentarily believe, “I could miss my flight.” Then, I simply shift my attention to the here and now. I’m well. I’m not late – yet. I find my breath. I recognize, “All is well.”
Try it. Anytime. Any place. Including this moment. All is well.
It only takes a moment to shift your attention to this truth.
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August 13th, 2010
With the economy as it is, it seems everyone is working harder than ever. We can either allow time pressures to consume us, sending our blood pressure off the charts. Or, we CAN learn how to access “spaciousness” and relax into inner peace regularly — no matter how full our schedules are.
The last 4 months have been my busiest ever! And yet, as I write this article, I can honestly say, “The core of my being is more peaceful and grounded than ever.” How did I manage a 5-city tour, 6+ airplane flights, 35+ hours driving, numerous speaking engagements, a “household move,” family vacation and launching 3 new programs?
Here are 3 simple keys to expand spaciousness in your life.
- NOW Practices. I’ve talked a lot about mastering your ability to “live in the present moment.” A NOW Practice is taking something you’re doing everyday already, but consciously practicing being more present during that activity (i.e. driving, eating, showering, working out, etc.). Read Lesson #1 in my book “The Power of Inner Choice” (you can download the complete ebook HERE) Focusing on NOW Practices has helped me focus in the moment, increase productivity, connect more deeply with others, and notice LOTS of magic moments as they arise. It’s essential to “master the now.” You can find spaciousness in any present moment.
- Schedule breathing room DAILY…and then bask in it. It’s essential to put basic boundaries in place for you to “relax into your beingness” on a regular basis. I am almost always appointment-free for an hour at lunchtime. I take my lunch to the back patio, breathe in the fresh air, gaze at the golf course and watch the hummingbirds play. Even 20-25 minutes feels spacious when I’m fully present during this time. Whether it’s a few hours in the evening, a leisurely shower or an indulgent massage — basking in the space is soothing to the soul. This is essential for sustainable inner peace.
- Commit to serious unplugging time. After every one of my tour stops, I consciously chose a FULL day to play, rest and unplug, connecting with friends and family. This past Sunday it was a day at the beach, including a beach BBQ. We also took a week with family and friends in Colorado and Albuquerque.
But busy vacations, and a day here and there doesn’t provide the same nourishment as 4-5 full days of retreating. This means taking time where your predominant focus shifts from the outer world to your inner world. I’m not talking about hanging out in your busy mind or analyzing thought.
I’m talking about allowing yourself to be guided more deeply into your own consciousness. To gently shift your attention from the thinking mind, to that which is AWARE of thought. From reactive emotions, to that which is AWARE of feeling. From seeing, hearing and feeling body sensations, to what which is AWARE of seeing, hearing and feeling sensations. Many experience this point of awareness as “spaciousness.” And, it’s typically described as peaceful.
I can’t imagine how frazzled my inner being would be today, had I not gifted myself with the three “5-day retreats” I participated in this year. If you’re ready for more “spaciousness” in your life, commit to giving yourself serious “unplugging time.” It does a body, mind and soul good.
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August 9th, 2010
I remember reacting to my husband early in our relationship. I was upset. “You want me to be happy ALL the time! You want me to be like Elizabeth.” (Elizabeth is the friend who introduced us, and she seems happy all of the time). In my mind, this wasn’t realistic. My reality was ups and downs. How could he expect me to be happy ALL the time?
Fortunately, I investigated this assumption more objectively. Hmmmm. “John wants me to be happy all the time.” That’s rather sweet. If I’m not all busy reacting to this thought “He wants me to be happy all the time,” maybe I would appreciate that he cares about my happiness. I turned the statement around, “I want me to be happy all the time.” At the core of my being, this IS true. I hadn’t really thought about this possibility. Somehow, this idea stuck in my subconscious mind. An intention was born.
Just creating the possibility of “being happy all the time” sets intention in motion.
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July 29th, 2010
Jerry Seinfeld got a big laugh when he joked about a survey that found that the fear of public speaking ranks higher in most people’s minds than the fear of death. “In other words,” he deadpanned, “at a funeral, the average person would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy.”
So if fear of public speaking surpasses the fear of illness, fear of flying, fear of terrorism, and even fear of death itself – how can we find inner peace before making an important presentation? Yikes!
Here are three simple tips to set you up for serenity in front of the room.
First … remember the Boy Scout’s motto, “Be prepared.” Clarity is power. Know these answers, “Who are you speaking to? What is your outcome? What do you want your audience to walk away with?”
Second … practice, practice, practice. It’s especially useful to know your “opening” and “closing.” And, give special attention to “transitioning” between key points. Rehearsing helps. But, don’t get too caught up in scripting every word – ultimately, speaking from the heart earns you more kudos and connection.
And finally … the single biggest key to finding inner peace during a presentation – CONNECT with your audience. This means, shift your attention from your sweaty palms, rapid heart rate and anxiety-filled body – and FOCUS on connecting heart to heart with your audience, one person at a time.
By focusing outside yourself … you’ll quickly discover presentations and public speaking aren’t much different than one-on-one conversations.
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July 26th, 2010
Want to Read Part 1 First? What is Conscious Living?
How conscious are you?
If you’re reading a newsletter named Soulfully Living, you’re probably more conscious than the average human being. There are likely aspects of your life where you are VERY conscious. Maybe it’s your health, and you’re keenly aware of what and how much you eat, and how frequently you work out. Maybe it’s your finances, and you work with a financial planner, consciously save, invest for retirement, and spend within your budget. Maybe it’s your relationship, and you’ve attended workshops, read books and consciously make a point to remind your partner of how much you appreciate them each day. Maybe you’re conscious about the environment and have made choices to recycle, drive a Hybrid and not litter. And, likely you are conscious of your authentic SELF -your likes, dislikes, desires, fears and wounds?
Since there are so many aspects of life to be conscious of, there are probably a few areas that you’ve simply not paid attention to, or activities where you habitually go on auto-pilot. That’s okay. I’m not suggesting we’re 100% conscious of everything, 100% of the time. However, where we want to attract more power, greater self-expression and deeper fulfillment – consciousness is a fabulous tool.
Where do you go unconscious?
I notice when I’m bored with a situation or when I think I already know the answer, I tend to go unconscious. Historically, I’ve gone in and out of consciousness around money and finances. Gulp. Interestingly, when I focus on money, this area thrives. When I neglect it, it’s less fruitful. Hmmm. When I’m caught up in my mind, fixated on less than empowering thoughts, I’m less conscious.
Until I met my husband John, admittedly, I was pretty unconscious about politics. It was too confusing to me, so I simply avoided it altogether. In the last few years, I decided to bring consciousness to the subject matter and, with John’s assistance, really learn about governmental issues so that I am capable of making more conscious choices at voting time.
Is there a particular area of your life where you go unconscious? Health issues, finances, relationships, organization, or spending time with friends. Where are you ready to expand your consciousness?
Consciousness – The Never Ending Journey. Waking up to life is a constantly evolving process. We don’t just decide to “live consciously” and we’re set. In fact, the more one investigates consciousness and lack there of, the more one may realize just how many areas aren’t fully conscious. Take it one moment at a time.
Expanding Consciousness. Where do we begin if we want to continually expand our consciousness? There are numerous ways. Here are five simple things you can do right away.
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July 19th, 2010
What is Conscious Living?
Conscious Living. These two words have infiltrated the world in recent years. What does it really mean to live consciously? For many, “conscious living” brings up a sense of community, like-minded individuals, or perhaps a feeling of peace and power. For others, “conscious living” is about “tree-huggers”, chanting and Whole Foods.
Although I consider myself a fan of “conscious living,” I never stopped to define it “consciously.” The dictionary defines “conscious” as:
1. Having an awareness of one’s environment and one’s own existence, sensations, and thoughts. See Synonyms at aware.
2. Mentally perceptive or alert; awake: The patient remained fully conscious after the local anesthetic was administered.
3. Capable of thought, will, or perception: the development of conscious life on the planet.
4. Subjectively known or felt: conscious remorse.
5. Intentionally conceived or done; deliberate: a conscious insult; made a conscious effort to speak more clearly.
6. Inwardly attentive or sensible; mindful: was increasingly conscious of being watched.
7. Especially aware of or preoccupied with. Often used in combination: a cost-conscious approach to further development; a health-conscious diet.
Consciousness is defined as “a sense of one’s personal or collective identity, including the attitudes, beliefs, and sensitivities held by or considered characteristic of an individual or group.”
What is it to be conscious? Essentially, being “conscious” is about bringing AWARENESS to every aspect of your life — inside and out. Think about it. How many opportunities are there to bring “consciousness” to? There are literally thousands of big and little things to bring our full attention to, or not.
* We can consciously evaluate each area of life, such as our health, finances, relationships, fun, our environment and our spirituality.
* We can be conscious of our thoughts and beliefs that are shaping our lives. Beliefs about ourselves, others, politics, the media and the world. Beliefs about what is good and what is bad. Thoughts that are true or untrue in reality.
* We can be conscious of our choices. What do you say “yes” to? What do you say “no” to? Will you work out today? Eat healthfully? Break the law or follow the law? Be considerate or rude? What will you focus on today? Is the glass half full or half empty?
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