March 21st, 2011
Integrity has always been one of the qualities I admire and respect most in others. The definition of integrity is: The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness. Simply put, someone who lives in integrity honors their personal values – actions and choices align with an internal code. There is nothing inside that is divided; they are whole. Honesty is another dimension to integrity – spoken words reflecting the inner world without distortion. Integrity is also about honoring your word and following through with commitments.
To live in integrity, one must first be CLEAR about what is important to them (the internal code) –and understand what it looks like to honor it. Morals and the sense of “wrong” and “right” is integrated in this code. For some people the quality of integrity is engrained in their system. For these people, decisions are clear and matter-of-fact, as they KNOW what to say “yes” to and what to say “no” to.
Honoring integrity sounds simple. However, for those of us that have the “people pleaser” gene, sometimes this can get confusing. Since “pleasing others” is important that can conflict with my truest integrity. Continue reading »
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March 11th, 2011
The Four Candles
- Author Unknown
The Four Candles burned slowly. Their Ambiance was so soft you could hear them speak…
The first candle said, “I Am Peace, but these days, nobodywants to keep me lit.” Then Peace’s flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely.
The second candle says, “I Am Faith, but these days, I am no longer indispensable.” Then Faith’s flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely.
Sadly the third candle spoke, “I Am Love and I haven’t the strength to stay lit any longer.”
“People put me aside and don’t understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them.” And waiting no longer, Love goes out completely.
Suddenly … a child enters the room and sees the three candles no longer burning. The child begins to cry, “Why are you not burning? You are supposed to stay lit until the end.”
Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy, “Don’t be afraid, for I Am Hope, and while I still burn, we can re-light the other candles.”
With shining eyes the child took the Candle of Hope and lit the other three candles.
Never let the Flame of Hope go out of your life. With Hope, no matter how bad things look and are … Peace, Faith and Love can Shine Brightly in our lives.
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March 9th, 2011
I was granted permission to share this inspiring article, courtesy of Rob Shore, shorespeak Blog
One of the perks of having dedicated 1.5 million miles to United Airlines is the ability to upgrade more times than not – a reward that I don’t take lightly in this era of packed flights, reduced services and full body screening.
Joining me in business class or first, depending on the aircraft, is the typical assortment of business professionals and the occasional leisure traveler. The travelers find their seats, dive into their reading material and frequently pay no attention to the other flyers that surround them.
Truth be told, that describes me. I covet the upgrade and keep to myself – rarely making small talk and not extending myself beyond the common human courtesy that should be an inherent part of air travel. After all, it’s a dog eat dog world in the “friendly skies.”
Today, as I settled in to prepare for the cross-country journey ahead, the ground crew was assisting a passenger into his seat at the other end of my business class row.
He was a mess. Visibly black and blue and wearing a neck brace and a nose splint, and still displaying a hospital wristband, it was apparent that his last few days had not been some of his best.
The patient gingerly took his seat, reclined his chair, closed his eyes, and prepared for the long cross- country flight – his journey made only slightly more comfortable, I assume, by the fact that he did not have to sit in economy.
It was easy to guess that he was alone. However, a few moments later a woman appeared and said to the patient, “There is a seat next to me, although it does not recline as much, if you want to move.” It seemed that his wife was seated in coach and, in an effort to care for him during the flight, was suggesting that he move to sit by her.
And that’s when it happened.
The complete stranger sitting next to the patient in seat 9D looked at the woman and said, “Here, take my seat.”
Continue reading »
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March 2nd, 2011
It gives me chill bumps when I hear stories like the one today …
Stephanie has two daughters. When her youngest was a mere 8 months old, she was smacked with her husband’s duplicitous life, after he returned from a vacation with his mistress. This was after 14 years of marriage!
Ouch.
Blindsided and devastated, she was left with two babies and the vast responsibilities as a working physician.
To numb the pain, she joined millions of Americans in the most acceptable, but debilitating addiction of our time. As a workaholic, she enthusiastically lost herself in double shifts and being “on call.” After all, she wanted to provide for her children, right?
After years of her self-prescribed pity party, she realized her stark absence from her sprouting children. So, she transferred into the neo-natal intensive care unit of a hospital. While not exactly a “stress-free” zone, it freed up time for more mothering activities, like shuttling kids to and from school.
It was about this time, Stephanie began indulging in self-help books of every kind.
Pain has ignited more than one of us on the path of inner transformation, hasn’t it?
To learn how Stephanie ditched her depression …
Continue reading »
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February 28th, 2011
The Power of Attachments
In the world of inner peace culprits there are huge big ones like the death of a loved one, being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, or divorce (among others, right?!) My heart goes out to you if you’re dancing with one of these Olympic-sized challenges these days. Not easy-breezy by any stretch.
Yet, an inner peace culprit doesn’t have to be HUGE to have an annoying and real impact on your inner peace. I don’t know anyone who is immune, especially if you are still “attached” to certain things in life. It’s a VERY human thing to do, so don’t feel bad about this.
As evolved as I like to believe I am, I noticed something rather humorous about attachments recently. It has me pondering this pesky little habit I’ve had throughout the years and can’t seem to shake without “kicking and screaming” a bit or A LOT.
Don’t laugh. . .
For 4 Keys to Dancing with Attachments
Continue reading »
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February 23rd, 2011
My heart is aching.
Here’s why. Tuesday night I was at the gym on the leg extension machine ready to melt away a little cellulose, when I innocently pulled out my iPhone to scan email. This electronic gadget sure helps time fly at the gym … most of the time.
Jane Mutti, me and Bunny Sjogren
As emails downloaded, I immediately noticed a Facebook notification from one of my favorite graduates of the Success and Inner Peace Boot Camp and the Inner Peace Infusion Retreat … Bunny Sjogren 
. Can I just say, I absolutely ADORE this woman – and her wise and loving partner, Jane Mutti.
You know the kind of people whose presence radiates unconditional love and inner peace? Truly walking embodiments of love. My heart always smiles when I reflect on times we’ve shared … walking barefoot on the beach, soulful conversations and hearing about their adventures.
I instinctively opened the message… only to learn the shocking news.
Continue reading »
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February 18th, 2011
6. The Dance Between Responsibility and Trust
TRUST that what is to come ALWAYS serves the Greater Good.
AND, as life is unfolding … take responsible action. We do the best we can in comforting a spouse, solving a problem, managing our day and defining a strategy. Part of taking responsibility is also investigating your own reactions, fears or eliminating a limiting belief. Yet, there comes a point when we need to trust the process. All is unfolding as it should.
Again, leaning too much on the side of responsibility, we’re trying to “control the storm”, and that doesn’t work. If it’s raining out, you may pull out an umbrella, collect the water for another purpose, or just enjoy the experience of it – recognize that all “storms” do come to an end.
The question is, are you going to be exhausted and depleted when the “storm” is over … or will you have a smile on your face, knowing you’ve somehow optimized the storm?
The choice is always yours.
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February 9th, 2011
5. Recognize and Anticipate the GIFTS and “Perfection” of your Current Storm.
Often times the greatest crises are the catalyst for remarkable growth. There are gifts for us to embrace at every step along the way. Is your business slower than you’d like? Perhaps the gift is extra time with the children or an opportunity to refine your vision. Is your spouse going through a difficult period? Perhaps this is the juncture for a life-altering change that will ultimately create more joy for you both. Does it feel that you won’t ever complete your enormous task list and your new business will never flourish? Perhaps this is an opportunity to create new systems, and create a new mindset in taking your business to the next level. Perhaps this “storm” is an opportunity for you to really “get” that you CAN remain calm and centered in the eye of any “storm”.
As I was preparing to complete my article, 6 Keys to Being Calm in the Eye of the Storm, I was overcome by feelings of anxiety, fear and taken off-balance for no apparent reason. At first, this irritated me … then I recognized the “gifts”. It allowed me to write from a greater place of personal experience, as I needed to shift my energy in order to write this article. That allows me to speak from a more authentic space, and perhaps write a more influential article. And, as I investigated the anxiety and fear, it created a new level of awareness for me, which was yet another gift.
There is always a gift. Often there are MANY.
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January 31st, 2011
Below are four related processes for a clarifying your 2011 vision. Since each of us is wired differently, it’s useful to find the most effective visioning strategy for you. Some people LOVE to write goals, others avoid the process. Some love details, while others are big picture people. Some people LOVE visualizations, and yet others do best in verbalizing their dreams to others. Which style or styles resonate with you?
The most important element in crystallizing your vision is finding a medium that allows you to connect “emotionally” to your vision. We often identify goals and visions intellectually, yet find ourselves disassociated and not inspired to achieve them. The juice, inspiration and magic unfolds when we are “emotionally engaged” with our visions. If you’ve set goals in the past with disappointing results, this may be the missing ingredient. Being able to see, hear, FEEL and fully associate with what you DESIRE most, is the KEY to magnetizing it to you.
If you desire an amazing relationship, how would you FEEL if that partner was already in your life? How would you treat them? What activities would you enjoy together? If you desire a thriving business, what activities would fill up your day? Who would you spend time with? How confident and decisive would you be? If you desire a fit and trim body, can you imagine yourself eating healthy foods and looking forward to visiting the gym? What would it feel like to be 15 pounds lighter? If you desire a year filled with INNER PEACE, what practices would you relax into daily? What would you say “no” to? How would it feel to bathe in bliss at any moment?
ENGAGING the SENSES in your VISION
1. Treasure Mapping - Creating a collage is an excellent way to engage the senses.
Continue reading »
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January 28th, 2011
4. Consciously choose the higher path. Managing your energy is the theme of this article, as it is the essential ingredient to remain calm and centered … whether a “storm” is present or not. David Hawkins book, Power vs. Force offers a scale to depict higher energy vs. lower energy emotions (see Soulfully Living Issue #9). When we are caught up in lower level emotions such as fear, anxiety, guilt, anger, grief or hopelessness, our energy is heavy and dense. From this perspective, it’s easy to get caught up in “worst case scenarios”, as you witness the “storm”. Access to wisdom is limited.
However, you can consciously choose to raise your energy. You may start by accessing “courage” and a “willingness” to change. You may focus on what you “appreciate” about the situation and your life. You may start “trusting” the process. Perhaps you accept “what is” … the circumstances, your own anxiety or the emotional upset of another. Laughing, drinking water, movement, and being present are all quick ways to raise your energy. Looking for the gifts in the “storm” is also an effective strategy. Just because you got caught momentarily in a negative emotion, doesn’t mean you have to live there. Make a commitment to keep your energy level HIGH. Make conscious choices.
From a high energy state, decisions are easy, patience is infinite, love flows, and magic happens
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