Self-Love Vs Fear, Greed and Control

Life changes when you have self-love. I know I was trained to think of loving others first and then possibly caring about my needs was ok. I suspect you may have had similar faulty beliefs handed to you. That point of view is backwards. It comes from the idea that we are not enough in some way; that others are more deserving of love or better. This is the misguided work of a very limited beliefs system.

One of those limiting belief systems has been churchs, their idea of sin and guilt have been used to limit people for too long. If you want to control people the best things to do is to make them feel inferior to the institutions that want to manage them. That is what churches have done for centuries. This moral superior point of view is at its roots neither moral or superior but more judgmental and arrogant. Be cautious around those who try to tell you what your truths are and what you should believe. Be on the watch for the hidden agenda that most institutions seeking power have. They do not necessarily have what is truly best for you in mind.

I feel you and I are in a time of real questioning. The powers that want to run us are pushing all the time for more advantage. That is the nature of the game of life as we know it. They are not bad just persistent in their mission to control. Individual freedom always suffers when organizations, governments, and corporations try to serve their larger needs. I have a deep concern because I wonder who really looks out for the needs of the people. I don’t believe our elected officials do, nor do corporations or other institutions. The drive for power and profit is too consuming to let the needs of the people get in the way. That is what I see. What is your experience?

I want to get back to the importance of loving yourself and how this is tied to the concerns of the world. This is what I think would be very beneficial to your life and the health of human kind and the planet. Begin with a heavy dose of self-love; mix in lots of questions about what is really going on; listen deeply to you inner wisdom, follow with passion the purpose you are called to realize; and then together we can create a world that is beneficial for all those sharing this planet.

Each person’s voice is of value. Each person’s heart fully activated is needed. One by one, joined together for the higher good of all, we can reshape the agenda toward what is best for all the people of this generation and for future generations. This intuitive heart force in all of us is more powerful then the ways of fear, greed and control.

We Are Much More Than What We Do

The relaxed paced is life has much to offer. It is kind of opposite from how most of us live. Even as I am vacationing, there is a part of me that wants to get things done. Doing has become the way you and I define ourselves. This kind of definition is based on what we accomplish, what we get done, what we do for others etc. This way of defining is ongoing and can be very unsatisfying on an inner level. We are much more than what we do.

I wanted to write about another way of establishing who you and I are. This way is from the inside out. I know that I have spent many years accomplishing a life of doing but all that has seemed on the surface to me. What has felt more real and significant is the inner exploration I have pursued over the last 25 years. This inner work of self-inquiry is to me what gives my existence its most meaning.

Self-awareness is about being a more conscious human being. The world you and I live in needs as many conscious and aware people as possible. We need that consciousness also because that guides us to our fullest expression.

I want to share with you today 3 ways that you can bring more awareness and insight to yourself and the world. Take these ideas and explore them. The more you explore the more you will know who you are and be guided to even a richer self-expression.

Point one is that of being present to who you are. This means tuning into your thoughts, feelings, desires, intuitions and purpose. An exploration of self will give you so much valuable information as to who you are. This being present to you has very positive ramifications. When you know who you are, you can live a life that honors your uniqueness and allows you to realize your fullest expression of self. You being you as fully as possible truly benefits the world.

Point two is to find your heart. By heart I mean both the physical heart and your heart center. This is the place in you where love exists. Love is the most powerful tool for transforming you, your life, and the world. Self-love is essential. If you lack self-love then you limit yourself significantly. Starting today, make a commitment to love yourself no matter what. Look in the mirror each day and tap yourself lightly on the chest and say I love myself. Any lack of self-love is learned and can be replaces with love. You can visualize your heart glowing with love and then have the glow fill every particle, cell, organ, thought and feeling in you. Then you are filled with love. Carry that love with you and develop a loving heart that full accepts you. Love yourself as fully as possible each day and watch your world become a wonderful place.

Point three is to stop the inner critic from running your life. There is in you and I a voice that is part of the conditioning we received growing up. That voice is full of limiting ideas about who you are and what you can be. That voice is a lie. You are not your mistakes, your fears, your doubts or your judgments. These ideas are simply a lousy collection of thoughts you have mistakenly held on to thinking incorrectly that they were true. Let those limiting thoughts go now. They serve you in no positive way. The inner critic must silenced or shrunk significantly so you can go for a richer expression of the wonder and possibility you are.

Let me know how your exploration goes. You can reach me with your experiences and questions through the comment section below or you can email me at explorelifeblog@gmail.com

Playful Engagement In A Way Too Serious World

Now days the intensity of life is extraordinary. The challenges of living in this high speed, want it now world are many. Finding your own way offers each of us a possibility of a very unique personal expression. You are you and to find your unique way of how you want to be in the world is what you are here in this life to do. A very important consideration is how to remain playful, joyous and light as you go forward with your life.

First I want to talk about why that is so important these days. Keeping yourself light and playful is necessary so that the child in you is kept alive and vital. The child within is a powerful creative force that is necessary in a world where too many think what they are doing should be taken seriously. The arrogance of importance is everywhere and such a block to the highest human expression.

The second point is if what you do lacks joy then it is not worth doing. Life moves down the road too fast to spend it without joy as a constant companion. Look around you today and notice how many have forgotten joy and chose the path of seriousness. Are they having fun yet? No and they will not any time soon. Joy is a great happiness meter for life. With joy you can live a happy and meaningful life; without joy your chances of a happy and fulfilling life do not exist.

The third point is that being playful and keeping things light allows you to not take yourself to seriously. If you keep light and flexible then you can turn life into a dance of joyful expression. When there is lightness then even the most challenging of situations can be tolerable and even ok. Lightness, humor, and being relaxed allow so many more possibilities to unfold. I love this line, “Angels can fly because they take themselves so lightly”. Which sounds better: trudging through life or flying more easily?

Fourth is the idea that life, when done easily, playfully and with joy in mind, can evolve to where it needs to be so you can fully realize your highest expression as a human being. Struggle, seriousness and hard effort usually means you have lost your way and a course correction is needed. Yes there are struggles at times and things don’t always work out effortlessly but if you are open and playful engaged you might just find your life going along in beautiful and wonderful ways.

Awareness, Relationship Building and Community

Today is a transition day. The conference has ended. I left my wife Bobbi off at the Enlightened Warrior Camp through Peak Potentials she will be attending for the next 5 days. I was exhausted after a busy conference and drive north to my former home of Santa Barbara. Staying with friends, I get to rest and relax for a few days. I love just playing and enjoying life.

I made some nice friends at the conference and it reminded me of how important networking is because it builds community. Now days everyone is just an email or cell phone call away. This larger community is what can turn into a driving force for change. Each like-minded, purpose-sharing ally along the way is a real plus. Friendships have the ability to lift you and I higher. Coordinated efforts can move much energy and send tremors through the control driven and power hungry structures that attempt to limit the will of the people.

How well do you build community? Do you enjoy creating and nurturing relationships? What gets in your way from empowering yourself and those around you? Some inner exploration will help you see what is working for you and what is not. Self-awareness is helpful. Look inward and ask how your thoughts could in some way inhibit you. Where do you need further clarity? What are your blind spots? What issues of heart do you need to work through? Where would forgiveness benefit you? What strong inner knowing are you ignoring? What do you need to do next to take you to a higher level of results?

Take time to answer these questions because they can make a significant difference in your life. With insight into your strengths and areas for growth you are better partner for yourself, you relationships and for building community. Self-inquiry is always beneficial.

Tomorrow I want to write about playful engagement in the world. Sure what you and I do with purpose is important; so too is the attitude and energy we bring to it.

Late edition addition: Wow I just finished a long run on the beach here in Santa Barbara. I have missed running long the ocean. In Boulder I run through the mountains but it is very different. The negative ions generated by the ocean naturally lift you up. The joy of running along the ocean or up in the mountains are very uplifting. Nature is the natural pick me up.

Observations and Insights For the Day

The conference is speeding along and it seems we are busy from early in the morning until we fall asleep at night. I find I have very little time to even think about what I am learning and exploring. A real positive is that all my regular routines are disrupted and my life grooves are not possible. Being in the moment is easier because there is nothing familiar limiting me to my regular ways. New experiences are very freeing and needed on frequent basis.

The other practical insight I’ve had here at the conference is the importance of community. Having others in your life that share values, purpose, and points of view provides energy and inspiration. I know this but now I understand, the more support and encouragement the better. I want to have more of a community where I live. So I guess I need to make that happen.

I just watched several people enter into great discomfort. They wanted to see a certain presenter and the room was full and closed. This presenter was a swami from India talking about peace and these outsiders were experiencing a real absence of peace. They were even being unkind to the volunteer at the door. They looked frustrated and uncomfortable not having control of the moment. Inner peace was not possible at that moment so even if they got in they would still have had a hot trail of emotions running madly through their bodies. Loss of peace over not attending a peace talk, is it worth it? Our thoughts create our feelings – just a reminder.

People are endlessly interesting for me to watch. Listening and observing always gives me an opportunity for awareness and insight not only for others but also for me. I have lost my peace a time or two over insignificant situations like traffic, expectations, etc. What sets you off and cause your inner peace to go away? More ideas and questions will be coming your way later.

What Next at IONS Consciousness in Action?

I feel grateful for all the like-minded people who share in their desire for a better world. This better world would be: guided by the highest consciousness; inspired by compassion and love; in touch with the needs and concerns of the people; supportive of self-realization and the fullest expression of human potential; and encouraging of the intuitive and creative genius in each person. This world would be empowered to resolve all differences and to build a common ground of respect and understanding. This may seem ideal but it is immensely more practical because in you and I is the ability to make it happen. This does not call for us to be any more than who we are capable of being. There is in you and I such a vastness of possibility. Take a moment and feel the buzz of purpose and passion that flows through you. . . . . . . . . . .

Although you may not have yet fully tapped into the forces that wait in you for release and realization, the reservoir is full and the dam of your self-limitations is about to burst. Take some time to explore the following questions and then together you and I will set the world on fire with the passion of a mission that is unstoppable.

• Find out who the “I” is? Is the “I” who you are?
• What is your witness consciousness?
• How do you limit yourself?
• Which do you have greater control over: the world around you or your mind? Which one has the most potential to improve the quality of you life?
• These two incredible speakers Robert Thurman and Andrew Harvey had much to say about consciousness in action. Check them out on Google and see what they are about.

The path to be a participant of consciousness in action is full of questions. I hope you find the above questions helpful. Robert and Andrew are definitely worth discovering. I hope to write more about them soon.

T-shirt sales are going great at the conference. It is so exciting to participate and have Peace Together www.peace-gether.com as part of this conference. We feel very involved with people that can make a difference in the world.

Peace and Purpose to you.

IONS Conference Opens to Transform

We made it to Palm Springs last night where the conference begins today. It is 109 outside. Air conditioning is a great invention. We noticed a couple of places we stopped to eat, along the way here, how hurried and unaware people seemed of others. This country sometimes seems to be on speed.

How did we all get to be in such a hurry? How come there is so much worry in people’s faces? It seems that impatience is rushing through our bodies like some kind of survival drug? People seem frantic and unable to look anywhere but straight ahead.

Now at the conference, things seem much more relaxed. I like that feeling. It seems more natural and how we are meant to be. The conference is put on by the Institute of Noetic Sciences and is titled Consciousness in Action – The Science and Practice of Transformation. This is there 12th International Conference. The speakers/presenters sound impressive and I am really looking forward to taking in all these great ideas. I will share as much as I can with you the reader as I go along and after.

Until then, I was thinking more about one love, one mind, one consciousness as we traveled through a barren yet oddly beautiful canyon somewhere between Utah, Arizona and Nevada. We traveled through these 3 states in about 30 minutes as they all come together in this one spot and only imaginary boundaries separate these states.

This imaginary boundary ides is an interesting one. Just like the astronauts who first experienced the earth from far away. They too saw there were no boundaries on the Earth from Space. All these boundaries are imaginary and we humans argue for and sadly even kill in the name of their realness. I wonder if the boundaries between each other are more imaginary than real? That in fact we are one love, one mind, one consciousness more than we are separate? The ego, for sure, argues for our differences. Beyond the ego there is far more in common and our hearts, minds and consciousness are much more open to joining together.

I will write again soon to let you know about the conference. Keep exploring and let me know how the love, mind and consciousness are doing in connecting to the greater union.

Inspirations From The Road - Day One

Today was day one of our journey. We drove for about 9.5-10 hours and now are in a nice air conditioned room and relaxing. We spent many hours listen to a book on CD called Father Joe. I had heard positive things about this book and now that I have heard about 5 hours of it. This is an inspirational story about a priest who is full of heart and consciousness. I got lucky on that pick at the library yesterday. Listening to a book while driving long distances sure makes the time fly. Having Father Joe’s wisdom to uplift us has been a real gift.

The story about this young man and his mentor priest got me thinking about how precious it is to have someone of wisdom and insight to talk with for awareness, perspective and guidance. I found myself wishing I had that when I was a young man. Now, however, I am much closer in age to Father Joe. I’ve had several mentors but mainly through their writings and talks. I guess it is never too late to have a mentor and maybe it is time for me to do some mentoring?

If there is a possible mentor in your life, I highly recommend that you connect with him or her to help you be more fully realized. Guidance from some one who has the knowing you desire can have a very positive result in your life.

This song I listened to on my Shuffle also lifted my higher today. It is One Love sung by Bono and Mary J Blige. One love is a powerful song that made me think, is there one love? The world is filled with love, is there only really one love we are either tapped into or not to varying degrees? I would say yes, what would you say?

I would say there is also one mind of which all minds are a part of that one mind? Does that make sense to you? How about one consciousness, which we are awakening into? I think so, how about you?

I want to explore this idea or one love, one mind and one consciousness further. On this trip, I am going to see what I can learn, observe, intuit and explore talking with others. Your ideas are truly welcome. Please leave your comments below.

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Story Telling Time To Wake You Up

Today I begin a 3 week car journey and I am excited. We first travel to Saint George, Utah and tomorrow to Palm Springs for the IONS conference. Then to Santa Barbara and the last week will be in Oregon. I will keep the journal going most days and write about the inspirations and ideas I discover. Today I want to share with you an excellent book that I have been reading. The book is in story form and full of what the author calls, “rules of the game.” The book is titled, Stop Struggling and Start Living by Elfreda Pretorius.

What I most like about the book is that it is a teaching story and that it is written well enough to keep my attention. The story is about a guy who is not doing well and desperate. He finds himself about to end his life when a person appears to talk with him. They have this lengthy discussion about life on this mountain top. I find many of the lessons good reminders and the book is full of questions worth thinking about.

I very much appreciate books that tell stories and also wake me up at the same time, great summer reading material. I have always loved good stories that have heart, that make me think, that expand my viewpoint, that increase my awareness and provide me with insights into myself and life. Some of my favorites include: The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman; Joshua by Joseph Girzone; Illusions by Richard Bach; Wandering Taoist by Deng Ming-Dao; Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield are a few that come to mind. Most of these books have follow-up books also worth reading. These kinds of stories are enjoyable to read and leave me a better person in some way.

It seems I am kind of a consciousness junky. I love reading that takes me higher. Can you identify with that? The world needs as many people awake as possible. Reading is one great way to expand ourselves. There are certainly lots of self-improvement books out there. A good story to me is just a more fun way to learn and grow.

Have a good read and be a more awake person. The world needs you and me to show up alert and ready to make a difference.

Body, Fitness and Energy

I was thinking I needed to write about the importance of the body as more then a vehicle that caries me around. The body is a source of energy and wisdom. A healthy body serves you and I in many ways. Body health is being strong, flexible, fit and well fed. When you have a body that is well taken care of with a healthy diet, exercise and time to relax, then you have a powerful partner for the work of you mind, heart and spirit.

I want to talk about a healthy diet first because food plays a big part in how much energy we have. I am not a diet expert but have explored the topic extensively over the years. Eating what is good for my body, mind and heart has become my guide. I eat to fuel me, to keep my mind functioning optimally and for the health of my heart and fitness. When I listen to my body, I know what it needs. (A word of caution here: eating to soothe your emotions can often be less then healthy, talking is better.)

A full program of exercise is important to keep the body running well. I prefer to work out daily because I feel better doing so. Exercise energizes me, keeps my body and heart healthy and clears my mind. My exercise includes endurance work, strength building and flexibility. I prefer cross-training rather then just one kind of exercise. Variety is excellent for maximizing exercise. Yoga and Tai Chi are two practices that I find very valuable.

Eating well and keeping fit gives me the stamina to keep on going through the challenges of life.

One other aspect of the body I wanted to address was the body wisdom. The body is a sensing, processing and feeling masterpiece. The wisdom of the body comes from its innate knowing. The body senses the truth beyond the words. The body feels what is going on at a level more tuned in than the mind. The gut instinct is a powerful predictor of what is coming your and my way. There is wisdom at the cellular level that represents the entire history of human development on the planet. The body is a sure guide when you and I learn to listen to it.

Take good care of the body, let it relax and repair when needed and listen carefully to its knowing guidance. You will benefit greatly from doing so.

Take A Day Of Rest

Today is a nice day to be alive. This day has been offered to you and I to do what we want with it. We can make it a day of relaxation, of love, of joy, of play and fun, of peace, of rest, of creative expression or whatever would be easy and restful.

Sunday drives are a nice things to do. Go someplace, not to far away, and enjoy the change of scenery. Get a massage, take a nap, sit on the couch and read a good book. Go for an easy walk in nature. Sit in a hot bath and contemplate an ideal life. Watch a movie at home or the theatre. What do you love to do that is easy and fun and relaxing?

My rest day involves an early run, writing this blog and some fun golf with friends in the early evening. I like to play on my days off. I enjoy my daily workouts, so even on my rest days I get some kind of exercise in. My favorite rest day activities include: golf, tennis, painting and collage work, naps, sitting out in a beautiful place in nature and just taking it in, sleeping in and doing some kind of fun activity. I know I am an active person so sometimes the best way for me to rest is to go to a spa and get a massage and then sit in a hot springs until I am ready to nap. I am thinking of this great little place up on the Columbia River where they have these big old tubs to soak in and then they wrap you up in blankets and let you sweat until your massage. I am going to be in Oregon later this month. I may have to go find that place.

Please take a day for rest regularly. It will refresh you and make your sharper for the times you are active and doing what you need to do. Vacations are great for that. Hope you had one recently or have one coming soon?

I will be starting a vacation on Tuesday; I am really looking forward to this one. I will travel to an IONS (Institute of Noetic Sciences) conference in Palm Springs for 4 days; then to Santa Barbara, my previous home base for a week; and then to Oregon to see my family and all there is to see and explore there.

I will keep my blog going most of the time on this trip to share my insights and inspirations.

Rest days sooth you body, mind, heart and spirit.

Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods and Nature

Today was a day to explore more of beautiful Colorado. We drove to the top of Pikes Peak which is 14,110 feet high. The clouds kept us from much of the view but we could still get some incredible glimpses of the world down below. Being out in nature is always special to me.

I feel like I am in touch with something so much greater then me in this place of such natural beauty. Then when I think even deeper I am aware of myself as part of nature and open to the expansiveness that nature is. This awareness awakens a consciousness of the unlimited aspects of my mind, heart and spirit. Nature takes me higher. I hope it does that same for you.

After coming out of the clouds we drove through the Garden of the Gods. Both Pikes Peak and this spectacular garden of huge stunning read rocks are near Colorado Springs. All these places are new to me. I have driven past the Springs, read the sign to the Garden of the Gods and seen the Peak in clouds a number of times. This time however we took the time to explore and were very glad we did. From the visitor’s center of the Garden you get a great view of the natural sculptures of the Gods. Next time you are on I-25 heading through Colorado Springs exit the highway and head for the Garden of the Gods. Again you get to meet and greet nature at it’s finest.

Yes, that beauty is in you too. You are also an amazing creation of the Gods. I hope you recognize and have a moment for gratitude and acknowledgement for the miracle your life is. I am very grateful to be in touch with nature, the nature in me, the nature that you are, and the nature of the Creative Force that blessed us all with this existence. We share this time in human history and together we can live in oneness with the unlimited possibilities nature shows us every time we look.

Travel well and let nature inspire the best in you.

You Can Feel Good About Yourself

How are you doing today? I hope your answer is that you are doing well and that you feel good. I wanted to write today about some ways you can positively affect how you feel inside. You really do have control over your inner space so why not be happy and optimistic about your day and your life. Take these following ideas and experiment with them and see if the don’t brighten your day.

Accept Yourself – I write about self-acceptance regularly because many people do not accept who they are. This is simply a learned bias against yourself. Please make a commitment to stop judging yourself so harshly and replace those critical ways with love. Love yourself as you are now in this moment. Whatever resistance you have to loving yourself is old beliefs or programming you can change starting today. Accepting who you are in this moment is the starting point. Sure we all need to grow but growth goes best when you can love yourself as you are and then seek to be more of who you want to be.

Listen Inward – there is much going on inside of you. You have 10’s of thousands of thoughts and many emotions all flowing through you in a day. It is tough to keep up with all of this. Learn to pay attention to how you feel. Hear the voice of intuition or inner guidance that wants to show you the way. Also listen to the call of purpose and what your truth and guiding values are. Taking time each day to listen inward will provide you much feedback about how to shape your day and life into a masterpiece. You create your experience of the world from inside of you. Become good at letting your emotions, your intuitions, you truths guide you. Be careful of your reactions, your limiting beliefs, your inner critic because they are not taking you higher. Spend time each day getting to know your inner landscape and become an interior designer of harmony, balance and joy.

Feel Deserving and Grateful – not matter what thoughts say “no”, you do deserve the best in all parts of your life. Any thoughts of not deserving are learned limitations and need to be changed. You are an amazing human being in the midst of discovering all that you are and can be. Be grateful for your heart that loves and want to love more. Be grateful for your health of body, mind, and spirit. Be grateful for each breath you are given to explore even more of life and all the treasures of wonder, beauty and joy you can find. Be full of your greatness and live into a life that is meant to be celebrated, enjoyed, and played with.

If you play with, explore and practice these ideas you will find an inner harmony that feels great and you will create a life that you will be grateful to live in. That life is available now.

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. Buddha

For me, giving thanks is a sign of appreciation and gratitude that also brings about a deep sense of peace. Wally Amos

Freedom is man's capacity to take a hand in his own development. It is our capacity to mold ourselves. Rollo May

What Would You Do To Bring Peace To The World?

What would you do to bring peace to the world? This is a question I want to put out to all those who read my blog. I think it is a very important and timely question. It seems to me that every citizen of the world needs answer this question and do what they have to do to bring peace.

Peace will come about when we no longer elect people who do not value human life; starting a war shows a total lack of caring about human life. Peace will come when we no longer allow arrogance and ego to be driving forces in leadership; war is always about ego and arrogance. Peace will come when we find peace within ourselves. Peace will come when we take back the government from corporations that benefit from war. Peace will come when our hearts guide us not our fears. Peace is possible when the citizens are conscious and aware and look out for the good of all.

What would you do to bring peace to the world? Can you do that now? If not, are you willing to do something soon?

As you can see from my last blog, Take Yourself Higher, I have made a commitment to myself and to the planet that I will do everything I can to spread peace, love and consciousness. Peace begins inside and that is why I offer a free Guide To Inner Peace here at my blog. The guide uses the best ideas for finding peace inside from 30 years of counseling and coaching people through difficult times and in pursuit of a better and more successful life.

The spreading of Peace, Love and Consciousness are what my work is about. Let me talk here about the importance of love and compassion in the world. There frankly is no more powerful antidote to fear then love. Love is the capacity in each of us to be caring and concerned for ourselves and others. Love is the source of all compassion and understanding. Love is the greatest problem solver of human kind. When you engage your heart, you activate your highest human capabilities. The great spiritual teaching of the world all agree that love is the highest human expression. Love really and truly can resolve any issues inside, in your family, in the country and in the world. Love is stronger then fear, then any terrorist, then any corrupt government or organization. Love is the answer to resolving all of our conflicts.

Now I want to say a few words about consciousness. Consciousness is defined in a number of ways. Here is my take on it from the perspective of the human potential. Consciousness is the innate capacity of every human being to be awake and aware; to live in harmony with the natural world; to expand beyond individual awareness and need and to be inclusive of the greater good of all living things; to be in union with the collective wisdom of the human knowing; and to be at one with whatever greater wisdom and source that exists. Consciousness is now, open, expansive, inclusive, compassionate, creative and wise.

Now that you see what I am up to, would you like to help?

Personal Request

I am now leaving my part–time job, and until now my primary income source, to bring all my focus to my purpose to promote peace through consciousness, compassion and connection. That is my mission and I have two vehicles for that started. This blog about peace, purpose, love and consciousness and my peace company called Peace Together. Either place you can show your support.

You can buy our positive messages for peace t-shirts which are organic and sweat shop free at www.peace-together.com

You can purchase my e-books and Success workbooks which represent the very best ideas I know on each topic I have written about. They are locate to the right of this post.

You can also donate to my efforts which come from my heart, my resourceful and peaceful mind, from the consciousness I have been blessed to have discovered and explored and from my spirit which is full of passion and aliveness. See the donation section under navigation on the right column of this blog. Other suggestions welcomed

Thank you for your support in whatever way you give it. Thank you for working for peace and making a difference. Thank you for being awake, for having an open heart and mind, for caring enough to take positive action toward realizing your highest purpose. Together we will make peace possible.

Take Yourself Higher

This statement came to me loud and clear on my run this morning. I am an ever-expanding force for peace, love and consciousness on the planet. Right away the energy and flow of my run grew stronger. I felt in my mind and heart that this is a great statement of purpose for me. I love it when the message from my inner knowing or a Higher Source is so clear. Now the challenge is living up to it.

So here is what I plan to do and I invite you to join me. Each day I am going to take this statement and make in my intention to live my purpose. I ask you too to have a purpose statement and each day make it your intention to live your purpose. Living my purpose means I am putting my attention on and taking action toward realizing this expanding force for peace, love and consciousness in me. To do this successfully will take courage and determination. This is not about ego, this journey of purpose is about realizing the potential in me and about making a positive contribution to the world.

I challenge myself to be bold in my purpose, to stretch myself beyond my comfort zone, and to be my best in the pursuit of my highest realization. I expect nothing less from you, nor should you.

• Get clear what you statement of intention is, be the energy of purpose
• Affirm your intention every day, feel it, see it, hear it, sense it
• Listen inward to your intuition, be open to guidance from the universe, it will be there
• Take focused and passionate action that feels right and is full of heart
• Continue forward step-by-step, course correcting as needed, be unstoppable
• Go until you find yourself fully living your mission, being on purpose
• Celebrate and feel the gratitude for all the successes along the way
• Enjoy living your potential and making a positive difference in the world

Feel the joy and satisfaction of creating an incredible life for yourself and for being a positive addition to the world. When you leave the world better than it was, there is reason to celebrate your life.

The Courage To Be Your Own Hero

I was thinking about the courage it takes to trust in yourself; to live according to your values; to follow your inner guidance; to live your purpose fully; and to let your heart show you the way. I write about these qualities of trust, values, intuition, purpose and heart in my writing all the time. Yet I sometimes don’t acknowledge the courage and inner strength it takes to live according to what you and I know is right.

There are many forces inside and around you and I that try to get us to be different than we are. There is self-doubt and the limited thinking you and I picked up as children. Most of us did not have the benefit of ideas that were supportive to our uniqueness. Instead we were taught by adults and our peers to do what was acceptable, to fit in and to act like we are suppose to act. In each of us is a powerful need for approval that drive us to do what is expected by those around us and to often ignore our inner sense of how to be. The societal forces today, to be and act in accordance to what is acceptable, are as strong as ever.

How did you set yourself free of being in compliance with what others expect and have the courage to follow your own path of unique expression? Compliance is a word that I hear often in my work with companies. It is word that means doing what you are suppose to do according to the rules. “Get in line and quit acting out,” is the phrase that comes to mind. Oops I think that set off in me my post-traumatic response to twelve years of Catholic schools. All of a sudden I found myself wanting to rant about all the rules I got as a kid; and all the rules companies try to use to control their employees; and the government and all it’s rules to control for supposed protection against terrorist and to limit those who would have opposing viewpoints.

I am back now from my societal rant. The truth is that there are many challenges you and I face when we choose to live according to what is right for us. To live in alignment with who you are at the deepest level is simply amazing. When you and I can follow our hearts guidance and be in compassion in the world, we live a powerful life. When we can live according to our values, we feel empowered. When we follow the path of our purpose, we live with courage and force. When we actually learn to trust and live by our inner guidance, we set ourselves free to live and extraordinary life.

You are courageous if you travel the path of full self-expression, of realizing the potential and possibilities in you. That journey is a Hero’s Journey. You have this hero’s journey in your cells and your consciousness. The world will be much better off if you listen to and follow you life’s purpose. You have a mission, if you choose to accept it, you can transform yourself and the world. Please step into your heart and go forward with courage and determination as if the whole planet is waiting for your realization. IT IS. 

It's Pat On The Back Time

Today I have passed a milestone here at the Explore Life Journal. I have now written 150 entries and I have to take a moment to celebrate. Yeah!!! Yahoo!!! Hurray!!! YES!!! Celebrating your and my successes is a very good thing to do. What have you been up to lately? What have you been successful at? What do you feel good about?

Let’s make today a day where you acknowledge something(s) you have done well lately. Let me give you a hand at remembering your successes. Are you a loving spouse or parent? Have you been taking good care of your body lately? Have you listened compassionately to someone in need? Have you set goals you accomplished? Do you listen to your own needs and act accordingly? Have you taken a break when you needed it? Have you reached out to help others? Have you focused your attitude in positive and productive ways? Are you performing at work in ways that feel good to you? Are you following your purpose? Are you nurturing your spirit?

There are many ways each day that you and I are successful. We tend to focus more on what you and I haven’t done then on what we accomplished. Take a few minutes at the end of each day to acknowledge your successes. Give yourself a pat on the back and say NICE JOB for all that you completed. Recognizing your successes helps shrink the inner critic and lets you feel better about your life. The person hardest on you is you. So Lighten Up and put the emphasis on what you do well. This acknowledging way of respect for self and your efforts is a much more joyous way to live your life. Try it out and see what I mean.

If you are a parent, a spouse, and employee or employer, a student, a friend, volunteer, an active citizen, or whatever fills your day than you have in each day done many things that can make a difference to yourself and those around you. Please remember that you have much more to offer than you ever realize. This giving that you do unconsciously is amazing and mostly unacknowledged by you.

I hope there have been some reminders here that brought further awareness to all the positive things you have been up to lately. Please show respect for who you are by taking moments here and there to congratulate yourself for what you do and all those you touch in some way throughout your days.

There are many people out there who are grateful for who you are. Keep following your hearts instincts because you giving enriches the world. Thank you.

Yeah!!! Yahoo!!! Hurray!!! YES!!!  to you.  

Is It Ok To Be Hopeful?

I have spent much of the last three days at an Earth Expo in Denver. I met and talked with many like mind people who share my concerns for planet and humanity. It is reassuring that so many are exploring better ways of doing this life here on Earth. I also gave three presentations and found my audiences to be very engaging and hungry for ideas and inspiration. These times we live in are vibrating with the energy of necessary change.

Here are five reasons I feel optimistic about the planet and about what you and I are up to.

1. You and I and our fellow human beings are incredibly resourceful. We can get together and figure out how to resolve any of our problems. There is in us vast untapped creativity, and innovation. The transformative ideas needed are in you and I, today, waiting their birth.
2. Think NGO’s. Non-government organizations are a huge and growing phenomenon. These are people like you and I following their passions, living their values and taking action to make things better on the planet. Their mission is be the difference they want to see in the world
3. There are an ever increasing number of people asking questions, seeing past the misinformation, reading between the lines, seeking other perspectives, thinking critically and in general more alive and vibrant about life. This means they are awake enough to live into the possibilities and potential they have inside.
4. There is an expansion of understanding and awareness going on. When 1% of the population understands a new idea then it begins to spread across the planet. When 10% of the people grasp a new idea it becomes unstoppable and part of the universal wisdom of the planet. Change is happening and you and I can be part of it.
5. Even big companies are beginning to understand that greening their businesses can make sense, save money and be a positive difference maker. The planet is worth taking care of and companies with vision can see that tending to the Earth now will be make a difference for future generations.

Thanks for whatever you are doing. If you have a mission in life and are following it, congratulations. You are making a difference and I am grateful.

What are other hopeful signs you see?

7 Great Personal Qualities for the 21st Century

I gave my first talk in awhile last night at the Earth Works Expo in Denver. It felt so good to be out their stimulating minds and hearts. I can see the hunger in people to awaken, to be alive, to live from their hearts, and to make a difference in the world. When I write, I miss the feedback, questions and conversations of a live audience. I look forward to giving more talks in the future and to continue to spread inspiration from my words here at my blog. I welcome your feedback and questions in the comment section. Now here are 7 great qualities for life in the 21st Century

1. Patience – in this hurry and worry world the ability to be patient will set you apart from others, make you less reactive, and allow you to act when it is right to do so.
2. Acceptance of Self – you were trained to be highly self-critical. Breaking from the inner critic sets you free to realize your potential and to open your heart to love.
3. Determination – this quality for you is essential in a time when the barriers can be formidable, the distractions numerous, and the mind chaotic. With determination you will not be stopped by the limits of ordinary human beings.
4. Courageous – with the heart of courage on your side, you can take on what for many may seem impossible. You can go on the adventure of a hero’s journey and come out better for it.
5. Flexible - Today if you have flexibility you will find yourself able to adapt, to course correct, to maneuver around the obstacles of life. You will also find yourself stronger when the challenges of life come your way.
6. Open Minded – When your mind is open mind, you can keep on growing, you have more possibilities, you are free too see from a variety of viewpoints, you can avoid rigidity, allow more feedback, and be more open to greater success.
7. Compassionate – The world needs your understanding, your ability to listen, you guided by your heart, your receptivity to the feeling of others, you realizing your capability for great kindness, caring and love.

Have a wonderful day and share your light with the world.

Change From the Bottom-Up

After yesterdays rant I decided I need to be more solution focused. I wish I had answers for the some of the issues I wrote about yesterday. I have some ideas I want to share with you and then encourage you to share ideas with me and with other readers.

First idea is that inside of each of us are some very strong callings, intuitions, purposes that need to be listened to now. If you find you get all upset, incensed or exasperated over an issue like health care, hunger, peace, environment, clean water or whatever, than most likely there is something there for you to explore. That reaction in you means you want something different than what is. So see where you have high reactivity and go explore what you can do to make a difference. If you have a lot of passionate responses than you have much to do in this lifetime, so you better get started.

The next idea is to not focus on what is wrong for very long. If you do, you can slip into a “poor me” state of mind which does not do you or the world any good. Instead bring your thoughts to what you want to happen. Like being involved in eliminating world hunger; seeing the end to all wars; a world of justice for all; universal health care for everyone on the planet; clean water and air for the next 7 generations; and many other great results. Then get involved either as in individual or join with others

The third idea is that there are now over a million NGO’s (non government organizations) involved in changing the world from the bottom-up. Positive change most likely will not happen from the top-down. These organizations are value driven and represent the passion and mission of other concerned citizens of the world. Find an NGO that is on a mission you want to get involved in. Give them your time or share some of your financial and other resources. People working together can make a powerful difference. Check out www.wiserearth.org. and www.pachamama.org

The fourth idea is to work for two causes that will change the landscape of our democracy. The first is to join others and insist on election reform that includes a clear paper trail for all votes. This election reform must also include the ending of special interest funding for elections. Elections must be free of influence money. The second part is to limit corporate power. If greed and power are allowed to continue to be the driving forces of corporations than our democracy is on a crash course. Corporations were set up to benefit the people, not for the people to be used for the benefit of the corporation. With these two reforms everything else will more easily come into balance.

That was my four ideas for today. What are yours? What are the changes you see as most important? Leave a comment below and let’s see what ideas people come up with.

By the way if you are in the Denver area this weekend, I will be giving a talk on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Earth Works Expo in the Denver Merchandise Mart on Five Things You Can Do to Change the World and also selling our peace t-shirts at our Peace Together booth. Stop by and say, “hi”.