Being An Oddball Sets You Free

The blog yesterday suggested what some of the limits might be that you have put on yourself.  NONE of those have to be true and many are just a change in your thinking and feeling.  There is however a bit of reality that may cause you to proceed cautiously.  If you express your uniqueness, you will not be like everyone else.  That means your expression of who you are, will make seem somewhat or genuinely an oddball.  I see that as a plus.  

An oddball is someone not like most people.  Unique people like myself and some of those that read this blog are different, we standout in our genuineness.  Who you see is what you get.  I suggest, that being bold and willing to take risks, makes people much more interesting.  Living fully is more fun as you dance through life rather than doing the slow shuffle.

Be cautious about settling for less, about seeking the approval of others, and about letting the expectations of others direct you.  No one knows what is better for you than you.  That is not to say outside feedback isn’t helpful because it can be but it is never as helpful as your intuition or you inner knowing.  Following your heart makes so much more sense then follow what others expect of you.  Getting people to approval of what you do is a major waste of energy.  Just watch the ways of a politician, they are driven to get the approval of everyone and in the process seem to lose what is most important to them, their values.

I suggest, that in alignment with our flowing downstream analogy, each of us lets who we are out into the light of our full expression.  That is truly flowing downstream as we allow ourselves to be free of whatever social conditioning we received that says we have to be certain ways.  When guided by our real values, the social rules don’t pertain.

Last week I mentioned that I listened to Robert Thurman being interviewed and he is definitely a free spirit/oddball type that is also brilliant and has many interesting things to say about the world we live in.  He is free to express who he is and an inspiration to me.  Check him out at http://www.elephantjournal.com/2008/08/robert-thurman/

Have a fun day full of being who you are.

Your Doubts And Limits

So far it seems, I have gotten my toes in the downstream but my whole body/mind appears to be sorting through the layers of past, thoughts, limiting beliefs and unconscious stuff.  Could it really be easy and effortless?  Can I really have what I want?  These are two questions that have knocked at my door of uncertainty.  Fully submerging into the flow takes trust and focus and I will get there even if the past haunts of conditioning take further sorting. 

What past doubts and present limits linger in you?  Here are some that may fit or not:

•    You are not enough
•    You don’t deserve
•    You have to work hard
•    You think desire is dangerous
•    You have to suffer more
•    You don’t fully accept yourself
•    You are filled with self-doubt
•    You expectations are unrealistic
•    You have too much to do to relax into success
•    You have a punishing image of God rather than a loving one
•    You have old limiting beliefs that need to be revised
•    You need to feel ok letting go more and relaxing
•    You have become way to serious about life
•    You have forgotten how to be joyous
•    You think playing is for kids
•    You don’t trust your intuition
•    You have lost touch with your creativity
•    You let your ego run the show
•    You refuse to ask for help
•    You are determined to do it on your own
•    You are stuck and need to ask for feedback
•    You think you get more credit for suffering
•    You are depressed because that is how you learned to be
•    You keep plowing away despite results
•    You are afraid but need to stir the pot
•    You don’t want to leave your comfort zone
•    You would rather not take risks
•    You like to blame others and circumstances
•    You spend too much time complaining
•    You always protect your heart
•    Your mind is closed to new ideas

What other limiting ideas are holding you back?  It is time to go searching around and see what you can discover.  It is only you getting in the way of what you want.  Are you committed to moving on?

Running As Fast As I Can Downhill

Today was an experiment in flow as I ran through the mountains.  I ran for a long time pushing myself up so I could remind myself what going upstream felt like.  Actually if I shorten my stride and use my arms more, the uphill is not as bad.  Running in the mountains make me stronger but I was thinking does it have to be so hard to get the results I want.  The good thing about running in this kind of terrain is that if there is a long grueling uphill as there was today than there was also long down hill part.  I felt like I was really flowing as I let myself fly so effortlessly down the trail.  Going with the flow has it benefits in so many ways.

The part I keep being aware of is that my Higher Self is already fully engaged in what I want, I just need to assist the daily me (self) in showing up fully in my thoughts and my emotions.  The joy and freedom that is possible from bringing my Self and self together is my driving force.  

Exploring this path of least resistance sound right to me, feels right to me, and it makes sense.  I have come to suspect, that on an unconscious level, there is some past thoughts, feelings and or experiences that are keeping me from letting go and flowing down stream.  I feel like I have thoroughly examined what I am conscious of so what blocks me must be unconscious.  Maybe I am not blocked and simply need to get out of my own way.

What helps me stir up the unconscious is journaling, mindfulness practice, paying attention to my intuitive messages, and the questions of others.  I help people all the time with the questions I ask, maybe I need to find someone who can ask the questions I need to be asked.  Talking with someone is worth exploring because it gets me out of the endless cycle of my own repetitious thoughts.  As a counselor/coach, I do this work every day and see the benefits.

So if you get stuck let me know and I can lend you a hand by assisting you to get past what is in your way, what is unconscious and what is in your blind spots.  Have a good week and notice when you are in the flow or against it.   

More Flow With Joe

Today I have just returned from my bike to the gym and back.  It is hot already but I hardly noticed as I was focused on riding with the flow.  Riding down a slight hill seems almost effortless.  Of course there are times when there are uphills and that is when it is time to gear down to make the ride more in the flow.   As you can tell I am writing again about living life and flowing with the universe and about heading down steam to the effortless realization of that which you desire.

I want to clarify two points here.  First, for those of you insistent on effort, there will be challenges up ahead even on the most downhill paths.  Life just tends to present us with opportunities for growth.  So it is ok to go with the flow and lighten up some from the push, push, push that you have been driving yourself to do.  This effortful way is ok but the results you seek are not upstream.

The second point is that as you get clear about what you want, your Higher Self prepares to make it happen and you emotions can bring you and your Higher Self together.  This coming together appears to be essential for manifesting what you desire.  You begin by have this desire to experience something and your Higher Self moves into readiness.  You then must raise your regular self to meet you Higher Self and the path seems to be emotions.  

This is where my experimentation goes next.  I want to raise my emotional state to one of joyous expectation.  On my ride I experimented with staying in a joyous state by imagining my life with total financial freedom.  I noticed my thoughts and attention wandered easily.  My goal this weekend is to have some quiet and focused time to align self with Self.  

Are you will to try this too?  If so, here is what I am going to try: I am going to imagine that I already have what I desire and feel all the great emotions that come along with having it.  I am going to explore this easily but with focus.  I will explore Joe In The Flow in this visualization.  The visualization will be fun and light but with intention.  Earlier on my bike ride I stopped along a stream and listened to the flow, felt the flow, and appreciated the flow.  

Let me know how it goes.  You and I will get to where we want because we are willing to open to what is possible.

The Same or Positive Change?

It is Friday and I had a good week how about you.  I hope you gave the down the stream article yesterday a good reading and that you are fully committed to experimenting with living life in the rich and abundant flow of the universe.  I am dedicated to realize my fullest potential and I believe that is only possible moving downstream in touch with my intuition and higher self.

Today I feel the need to make some comments on the political world we live in.  Obama is now under a near constant attack of John McCain.  People go on full attack when they are afraid.  John McCain seems afraid of his opponent, and from what I can see, he has good reason to be concerned.  

Our country is in a mess and the Republican party has to take responsibility for it.  McCain has no new ideas only the old ones that got us into the mess we have.  Our economy is a mess and it is because of the very disappointing leadership over the last 8 years.  Here are some of the major disappointments I see and these all work against McCain:

•    The needless and deadly war in Iraq
•    The poor care of our vets including neglect, high suicide rates and 4 out of 10 women in the military report being sexually assaulted
•    The huge swing from budget surplus to massive debt from what was suppose to be a conservative administration.  
•    The torture of prisoners by our government
•    The huge network of spying on Americans in violation of the law.
•    The acting by the President as if he is above the law
•    The 2000 executive orders nullifying parts of laws passed by Congress because the president didn’t like them
•    The alienation of the USA from the rest of the world
•    The holding of prisoners without legal rights
•    The infrastructure of our national road systems is a mess because of neglect
•    The huge unchecked profits of the oil companies all friend of this administration
•    The manipulation of scientific research by this administration to show results they wanted even if they are not the truth
•    The gutting of many agencies set up for the protection and safety of our nation
•    The near police state set up by the grossly misnamed Patriot act
•    Even the NRA has paid spies to infiltrate gun control groups
•    The huge rise in bankruptcy by the senior members of our country due to medical costs that have soared over the past 8 years
•    The total lack of accountability in Congress making it look like DC has only one party, the Money Influence Party
•    The blatant neglect of care for our environment is clearly greed winning out over a healthy future
•    This imperial presidency not only seems to think it is above the law but also has done everything possible to make the rich richer on the backs of the rest of the nation
•    The bailout of financial giants and the neglect of the people in need

There is much more to be concerned about if you value democracy.  If you vote this November please take the time to be informed and vote for positive change.       

Try This Down the Stream Experiment

Are you fighting up the stream to prove you can do what you are determined to do?  Or are you willing to go with the flow and have what you desire effortlessly?  I suspect you were trained to feel that fighting up the stream was better and nobler.  

Those that succeed against all odds are glorified in our culture.  They are appreciated for their efforts.   The harder you work, the greater the glory is what so many of us have been taught.   Most religions are based on the glory of suffering and effort.  People actually believe suffering is ok now because of some afterlife they are promised.  Sacrifice and determination are considered great virtues.  Yet, possibly we all have these ideas wrong.  It seems ministers and leaders may be mixed up about suffering.

What if the key is to align with the flow of the universe and go with it?  What if the best way to have what you want is to follow your desires along the effortless path?  Would it be ok for you to experience peace and joy on the path to having what you want?  What if all your efforts are not really needed?  What if your higher knowing can manifest all that you want if you just align with this wiser more expanded you?  

I want to share a radical point of view here.  You can have what you desire if you go with the flow and align with your higher knowing.  Effort is not necessary.  Sure at times action may be needed but it won’t be something that is a struggle.  Struggle only is necessary if you are not working the ways of your intuition and higher wisdom.

I invite you to experiment with this idea of going with the flow, effortless effort, floating with the current or whatever you want to call it.  Take something you want in your life and try working hard for it over the next week and notice your results; then try aligning with your inner knowing, and step joyous into the flow of what is possible, again in a week notice the results.  Do this experiment several times and see what happens.  

I will predict that the effortless path will be the most effective if you can allow that to happen.  Do not take seriously the guilt you may feel for taking the easy way.  That is just plain faulty thinking.

I am going to do the same experiment but only focus on the streaming side since I am already an expert at too much effort.  I will let you know what my results are throughout the month of August.  I feel by the end of the month I will know much more about this hypothesis and hopefully experiencing a wonderful and abundant flow of what I desire.   Let me know what happens for you.      

Stick Your Toe In The Cosmic Soup

Our fluid nature as I talked about yesterday is something to contemplate even further.  Yes you and I are in constant change as is the universe.  Everything is continually evolving from the smallest living things, to us, and even the entire universe.  Today you will evolve/expand from your thoughts, emotions and desires more towards what you want.  Take some time today to notice the subtle movements of your expansion.

Yes your thoughts are very important and day in and day out these thoughts shape your world and how you experience it.  If your thoughts support the kind of life you want, then your chances of creating that life are significantly greater.  Your mind is a powerful tool.  Most likely you know that.  If not take a minute and imagine a tangerine and see it in your mind, then imagine peeling it and pop one of those delicious segments into your mouth, now taste the rich sweetness of this wonderful little fruit.  Your mind can imagine and it can manifest.  Notice also the influence of your thoughts on how you experience today.

Your emotions are you in motion, you vibrating with the energy of feelings.  Your emotions carry the pulse of your thoughts and make your body vibrate with desire.  The more feelings you have in alignment with what you desire, the more what you want comes irresistibly in your direction.  Feel the aliveness and energy of desire as you go about your day.

Now imagine a river in which all that is possible is floating past.  In a moment of passion and awareness you plunge yourself into the stream.  With emotions and consciousness you have surrounded yourself with the river of all that is possible and now what you want is there for the enjoyment of having.  You are the river and the realization of the flow.  On a particle level your unity with the river of water and air and all of life is beyond question.  

If you doubt this flow of oneness stick your toe in the cosmic soup of your expanding self and see what is waiting.  It is warm and delicious and infinite.  

More Like A River Than A Rock

Everyone is constantly changing because of your mind, your desires, your choices and your ever-expanding nature.  Today you are not the same person as you were yesterday.  Today you will be changed: by how you view the experiences of your life; by how you move towards what you want and move away from what you don’t want; by the decisions you make; and by your natural tendencies to grow and evolve.  Your life is a never-ending expansion in which you flow with what draws you and learn what it takes to have what you want.  You this moment is the only thing you can count on because the next moment you may see, hear, feel, sense or think something that permanently alters how you see the world and how you choose to be in it.  This all-just means you are more like a river of information and energy flowing than a non-moving hard rock.  (There are however some of you who are very hard headed ;-)

I know this being in constant change may seem unsettling when you first become aware of it, but once you know the reality of it you soon can adapt and use this knowing to your advantage.   Instead of being rock solid, your streaming nature allows you to be adaptive and change in ways that work best for the achievement of your desires.  In other words, you can change to meet your needs.  You are not as stuck as your mind and past may try to convince you that you are.  In every moment you can have new awareness, insights and intuitions that set you free of your self-limiting ideas and thoughts.  

You have all the information you need at any moment to course correct and head your life in a better direction or more effectively where you want to go.  You can make your life today a clear reflection of what you want and desire.  So with this in mind, where do you want to go and what do you want to make happen?

If you want to learn more about this ever flowing you, I suggest you read and explore the works of Abraham/Ester Hicks or Deepak Chopra.  I find myself often venturing through their books and getting excited about the possibilities they present.  I feel like each day I come upon a greater understanding of our human capacities and when I have more I can share, I share it here at my blog.  

There is still much for me to understand but I keep on reading, exploring and writing because that feels like what I am here to do.  Life is so exciting to me because I see that I am passionate about being as conscious and realized as I can be.  My higher nature and its realization is my driving force that invites, encourages and inspires my life.  What higher calling invites the best in you?

If Your Are Getting Mixed Results

What challenges do you face this week?  Are your thoughts fired up for success?  Are you focused on the results you want or the problems you face?  Is you heart into what you want/need to do?  Can you picture what success will look like?  Do these challenges align with what you value?  Is there higher purpose in what you are trying to make happen?

These questions are important because to be successful and to create the life you desire you need to have yourself fully engaged.  I have been exploring the topics of mind, emotions, values, imagination, purpose and success throughout this blog and over most of my adult life.  This exploration keeps on teaching me as I go.

You may get mixed results:

•    If your higher purpose is not engaged in what you seek
•    If your heart isn’t into doing what you are doing
•    If you cannot imagine/visualize the results you seek
•    If your mind is not clearly focused
•    If you are only doing this because of others
•    If your emotions are flat
•    If your self-talk is negating
•    If you don’t care enough about what you want
•    If you spend too much time worrying
•    If you see the problems as too big
•    If your values are in conflict with what you are doing
•    If you are sending mixed signals out to the world
•    If you are unsure you deserve
•    If you don’t learn from your mistakes
•    If you don’t course correct as you go
•    If you doubt your own instincts
•    If you ignore your intuition
•    If you seek the approval of others
•    If you feel guilty for what you want
•    If you think money is bad in some way
•    If you think having desires is not ok
•    If you forget what is most important to you
•    If you loose touch with your spirit
•    If you have a self-sabotager inside
•    If you let pride or arrogance drive you
•    If you lack self-discipline
•    If you have doubts about who you are
•    If you give up to easy
•    If you lack patience
•    If you don’t fully believe in what you are going for
•    If you have a closed mind to feedback
•    If you don’t love what you are doing
•    If you are not joyous about your life

As you can see there are a number of ways we can get off track.  I suspect I have tried them all and gotten mixed results.  Take a few minutes to exam each of these this week so that when August comes you will be even better at getting yourself fully aligned to create amazing results.   Enjoy you week and let your insights be rich so you can clearly free yourself to be successful.     

Solution Focused Living In More Successful

Today is Sunday (in case you were confused ;-). I am writing my blog today in the cool of my basement and in anticipation of a massage that our friend Heidi will be giving my wife and I.   After that we are having a brainstorming session to help her with ideas for growing this business ideas she has.  Growing businesses can be lots of fun and rewarding.  

I want to switch gears here to share with you some thoughts about the energy shift that is taking place on the planet.  You can feel it inside if you tune in to the expanding sense of self and possibilities that is going on.  You can see it in the whirl of interest in Obama’s tour of the Middle East and Europe.  People are looking to find something to be optimistic about.  You can find it in your own community where there is more local involvement in politics and in compassionate action.  When you focus on the solution rather than the problems, things work out better.

This focus on the solution is a key shift in moving forward for the good of the people and the planet.  When you focus on solutions you are much more creative and innovative.  When you look for what will work, not what is wrong, than your focus and energy flows in a more positive direction.  The more you have what you want in your sights, the better the results.

Here is my challenge for you this week.  Every time you see someone or some situation as not ok, notice your judgment, let go, and instead focus on the solution.  If someone is being difficult, focus on a positive outcome.  If the government is letting you down, focus on how to create a responsive government.  If your job is a problem focus on a solution instead.  It could be finding a new job, or speaking up for what you value, or encourage a new more successful direction in strategy.  You can be the person that helps get things back on track.  The more you look for solutions the more options will present themselves.  

Let me know what solutions you focused on and what kind of results you get.  Patience is a great quality and so is persistence.   (Be sure and check out the questions post from Friday if you haven't already)

Questions Equal Insight

I ask lots of questions because it is essential that we engage our mind, our heart and any other ways we know.   Today the people who ask the questions and who seek the truth are the ones that are going to help make the changes essential for taking care of humanity and the planet. 

Here are some questions to invite insight in you and to encourage you to be fully aware of who you are and what you want to do in this life.  Take the time to answer the questions thoughtfully and with more than “yes and no’s.”  Then share them with those you think will also benefit.   You could have a great discussion with others about these questions.  

Do you ask yourself questions?
Do you settle for less when you know there is more possible?
Do you question those in authority?
Do you believe all you see in the newspaper or on the news?
Do you have a positive point of view?
Do you believe in yourself?
Are you open to new viewpoints?
Are your emotions helping you or getting in your way?  
Do you have the energy you need?
Do you wonder about what people say?
Do you question the power of corporations?
Do you expect more from your government?
Do you ask for explanation of things that don’t make sense?
Are you interested in understanding?
Are you interested in new learning?
Do you challenge yourself?
Do you have expectations about yourself that are unrealistic?
Do you work at always improving?
Do you have an open heart?
Do you have an open mind?
Are you exploring your potential?
Do you have a purpose or mission in life?
Do you care where are nation is heading?
Are you concerned about the health of the planet?
Do you feel empowered to make a difference?
Do you ask about others and their lives?
Do you know what values are important to you?
Are you ok with success and prosperity?
Do you listen well to others?
Do you have peace of mind?
Are you able to relax?
Do you know how to handle stress?
Do you spend time in nature?
Do you exercise regularly?
Do you have friends that care you?
Are you happy with your career?
Do you have compassion for yourself and others?
Are you willing to accept the differences of others>
Do you have a sense of Spirit?
Do you eat food with health in mind?
Are you ok with having fun and enjoying life?
Do you get enough rest and sleep?
Do you listen to your intuition?
Are you awake and fully conscious?
Are you ready to get involved in changing the world?
Do you practice mindfulness?
Are you willing to expand your thinking?
Do you care about your government?
Do you express your creativity?
Are you expressing your greatness in your life?
Do you feel gratitude?
Are you living according to what matters most to you?
Do you know how to listen inward?
Do you feel love in your life?

There are so many questions to explore to help you create a life and world that is a joy to live.

Thurman, Obama and Bach

Last night I listen to an incredibly bright, political, humorous and deeply spiritual speaker.  He is Robert Thurman, an American Buddhist scholar and friend to the Dalai Lama and many other great spiritual leaders.  Please keep an eye open to see if he is coming to your city to speak.  You would not want to miss him.

I also have to say, it looks like Barack Obama is having a very successful trip in the Middle East and Europe.  Leaders everywhere are welcoming him and wanting to know what he has to say.  It has to be so refreshing to once again talk to an intelligent leader from the US after 8 years of such dim light as our President.   Positive change is in the air thankfully and it is so overdue.

In addition to these mix bag of two comments above, I wanted to share some quotes from one of my all time favorite novels, the book is Illusions by Richard Bach.  I am sharing these quotes today because I came upon them in preparing for a creativity group I was leading yesterday.  The quotes are about the human capacity, consciousness and living with purpose.

“Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished:  If you are alive, it isn’t”

“The mark if you ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy.  What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.”

“You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true.  You may have to work for it however.”

“Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn then there.  What you choose to do with them is up to you.”

“Argue for your limitations and sure enough, they’re yours.”

Have a great day and let the hope grow in you for what is truly possible.

Changes Are Needed, What Can You Imagine?

Let’s imagine if you will a future for the planet and our nation that would give us all hope.  If we can imagine it, we can together make it happen.  I decided to explore this topic today because as I read through the news about the political process and the limited point of view of so many of our leaders, it becomes increasingly clear that we need to be the leaders.  This blog is about each person coming into their own power and purpose.  Then together we create a conscious and compassion world where everyone has what they need and there is the possibility of a world filled with peace, joy and prosperity.  This is not where we are heading now, so that puts the future in our hands.

I think there are several major areas that are in need of much greater human wisdom and heart:

The first change we must consider is to move away from the fear paradigm.  The predominance of fear today is falsely spread by governments and the news for one purpose only: control.  This has been the case over and over again throughout history.  When the people are stirred into fear, they become willing to do whatever they are told and give up as many rights as they are asked to give up for their supposed safety.  This is the case today more than anytime in history.

As I have written before the true terror organization we should be vigilant about is our present leadership and their uncontested control over the laws and our government.  We are much more in trouble today than most people realize.  This is not to make anybody afraid but to ask us all to wake up to what is going on. 

The opposite of fear is compassion and it comes from the heart and mind working together.  Too often the heart is left out of the decision-making process.  That will never work because what is good for the people gets forgotten when there is no heart.

The second change is we need is to become aware and conscious human beings.  We were given our mind, heart, intuition and our higher consciousness for the purpose of moving the human species forward.  This forward movement is essential but it takes us questioning, exploring, and seeking the truth in any way we can.  If we are asleep at the wheel the only outcome can be a crash.  The deficit is a crash, the economy is a crash and the needless war in Iraq is a crash.  This train wreck called leadership is because the lower nature of humankind is still running the structures of power (corporations and government).  That nature is the thirst for power, the endless greed for more, and the ego that is never satisfied.  

We can no longer survive as a people or planet with the arrogance of men who can’t get enough especially in the name of some God they use to rationalize their heartless ways.  These are severe mental health and human development issues that must be treated not put into power.

Ok that was pretty dreary of an outlook.  Please tell me I am wrong if you see things going well.  Yes there is hope but it will not come from the top down.  Help will only happen from the bottom up.  That is you and I having open minds and hearts, asking questions, being conscious and aware, finding our connections/similarities to each other, having compassion for all who share the planet with us.  Together we can be the agents for the change we want to see.

Imagine a world where the heart understands, the planet is our lungs, the people are awake of their higher nature, the power structures are local and people friendly.  National policy is constructed free of financial influence by people who represent only the people.  In this world everyone accepts and appreciates the unique nature of a variety of cultures, beliefs, and points of view.  Peace is present because people are present to each other.  Compassion and wisdom are guiding forces.  Everywhere people explore and express their uniqueness for the benefit of all.  

Yes there is much to include in the imagining process.  What would you add?  What changes would you make?  How can we all live up to our higher nature?  What other questions do you have and when are you going to ask them?

Two Ways To Source

How do we learn to listen inward to hear the callings of our higher self, our soul, the Divine Source?  Recently I came upon several ideas related to this listening inward.  I would like to share these ideas so that you and I can explore them together.

The first is the importance of quieting down and listening inward.  That is where all the action is as far as consciousness, our intuition, our inner knowing.  If we quiet down enough to hear the words, thoughts, feelings and energy of the wisdom, collective consciousness and divine inspiration that flow through us then we can be free.  Free to know our purpose.  Free to express our potential.  Free to create the life we desire.  Free to be our fullest expression.  

This listening can happen on a quiet walk, in the silence of your drive home, in you home when the TV is off and the radio silent.  It can happen in a flash of insight, a time of mindfulness practice or after time in meditation.  The most important aspects are silence (or at least slowly moving towards being quiet) and a willingness to listen.  In that silence, that stillness and the receptivity all will be shown to those who are willing to listen.

The second way of contact with the higher knowing inside is in the ceaseless prayer of gratitude.  I was reading about a Native American practice of being grateful for everything.  According to this source it says that prayer in this tradition is not about asking for anything rather it is about being grateful for all we have been given.  

Each day a wonderful practice would be to start the day noticing and saying thank you for all that we experience and have.  From the first breath through the meals and interactions to the last aware moment before we sleep.  Living in appreciation for all we have will open us to knowing the Divine Source of all of creation.  

Explore and enjoy the silence and the appreciation for life and be blessed by all we can know and be guided to realize.  This life we have been given is rich with possibilities.

Do You Want More Joy?

It is the beginning of another week of summer.  Are you having fun yet?  This is the time of year where most people take a vacation or spend more time playing and enjoying life.  What’s going on that too many people have gotten way too serious about life and have forgotten how to play and have fun?  Sure there are things to be concerned about, to keep our focus on, to follow through on.  That however must not get in the way of enjoying the moment.  Life is to short to be so serious all the time.  Our nature is joyous and alive.  

The following are some ideas to bring more joy to each moment:

•    Slow down enough to be present
•    Notice your breath throughout the day and expand it
•    Daily take lots of little breaks and enjoy the gift of life
•    Take time to listen inward to your higher self
•    Enjoy the company of others
•    Accept and appreciate yourself and others
•    Explore areas of interest for yourself
•    Express yourself creatively
•    Act with compassion toward self and others
•    Listen to more music
•    Set time aside for playing
•    Explore how we are all connected
•    Take a vacation that is really enjoyable
•    Stop doing things out of obligation unless you make it fun
•    Visit places you have wanted to see
•    Enjoy the company of friends
•    Walk in nature and listen, smell, breathe and enjoy
•    Have an open heart with whatever you do
•    Express your sense of humor and laugh often
•    Smile even in a traffic jam
•    Be open to higher states of consciousness
•    Spend time in contemplation
•    Find a new job if the one you have is no fun
•    Drop all the limited beliefs that stop your joy
•    Enjoy the journey instead of waiting for the destination
•    Watch more funny movies
•    Get a pet and play with them
•    Be grateful for each breath and for each day
•    Express your potential in every way you can
•    Relax your shoulder and release any tension
•    Get a massage or other healing body work
•    Let your light shine
•    Spread joy and love wherever you go

Use these ideas to have fun, to feel joy and to light up the world with the human possibilities that you are.  

Honesty Can Set You Free

Sunday is a good day to take it easy and that is exactly what I have been up to until I rode my bike to the gym and worked out and then rode back.  It is very hot here, mid 90’s and the wind was blowing very hard.  The bike trip home almost stopped my wife and I in out tracks.  We were inspired in our bike ride from watching the Tour De France which is such an amazing event and today was a mountain stage battle in which all the leaders competed for the overall lead and the right to where the yellow jersey.  It is a great tradition and it is too bad that some still try to cheat through the use of performance enhancing drugs.  Well the best athletes, who are not cheating, will compete in this classic until the three weeks, the mountains, and the time trials determine who is the best on the bike.

Cheating is an interesting topic.  Why do people cheat?  How come some people are less than honest?  Why do some take an unfair advantage over others?  If you won and you cheated, how could you feel good about what you did?  I suspect you can’t unless you lack insight or the values of honesty and truthfulness.  Yes there are people like that and it is sad to see.  Unfortunately we see dishonesty in politics and that is what gives it such a bad name.  Most of us value honesty and doing this fairly because those are values we learned growing up.

I want to say a few words about honesty.  The honesty I want to talk about is being truthful with ourselves.  If we can’t be honest with ourselves it is highly unlikely we can be ok with who we are and be honest with others.  Part of being a more conscious human being includes self-honesty, which is essential to our growth and awareness.  If you can be truthful with yourself about who you are, what your weaknesses are, and what you do well, then you have the capacity to set yourself free.  Our own truthfulness will allow us to be good friends with ourselves.  When we can talk straight with ourselves, we can liberate our lives from the dishonest self-assessments that hold us back.  Honesty works the best to make us feel free to be fully who we want to be.   

4 Ways of Self-Care

The weekend has arrived and I am grateful.  My sister and her family just left and it is very quiet around here.  The visit was very nice and so is the quiet.  My dog Pax will miss all the attention he got from the boys.  He is sleeping away catching up on his naptime.   My workweek ended intensely when two new young women were added to our treatment and they both were in tears over the mess they have created in their lives.  All the treatment team feels those kinds of intense emotions because they are so powerful and real.   That is why the work I do demands that I take good care of myself.  

This got me thinking about good self-care and what it involves.  Self-care has four aspects, which I have mentioned in previous blog postings.  These are the four ways of taking good care of ourselves:

1.    Body – when we need to be reenergized and renewed, one of the best things to do is to get up and get the body going.  Exercise can have a very positive and powerful affect on our state of well-being.  A vigorous walk, run, bike ride, hike, or gym session can do wonders for making you feel better.  Another few good body energizers include eating good food that is healthy and light, drinking lots of fluid, and spending some time in the sun.
2.    Mind – calming the mind down does wonderful things for our health and well-being.  Mindfulness practices are very helpful.  So also is the simple practice of breathing more fully.  A quiet relaxed walk along a stream or somewhere in nature will do much for slowing the mind down.  Spending time in silence naturally nourishes our mental state.  Creative expression brings us into the present and alters our state in healthy ways.
3.    Emotions - we are emotional being and simply acknowledging what we are feeling goes a long way to soothing us.  Feel what you feel and as you pay attention to your emotions they will evolve into other emotions.   Stop judging what you feel and instead accept yourself as you are.  Emotions are energy and energy just flows so do your best to go with the flow.
4.    Spirit – we all have a higher nature whether you call it higher self, spirit, soul, the Divine within or whatever name we give it.  That higher nature just wants to express itself, guide us and give us meaning and inspiration.  Taking the time to become acquainted with our spirit will set us free at so many levels.  Listen quietly and our spirit will become known and our joy will expand in many ways.

Explore these ways of self-care and let yourself be your highest and fullest expression.  

Wisdom of the Heart

Another busy day with work and my sister and her family visiting.  I will write a short post today and have more time over the weekend to share some thoughts and ideas.  

Yesterday was supposed to be a powerful day because of an energetic shift on the planet.  Many who I talked with had a difficulty time sleeping the previous night.  Maybe the energy of change has everyone buzzing?  I guess we will all see if this truly is a time of human evolution/transformation.  I hope it is for the sake of all of us.  

Positive, compassionate, peaceful, conscious and inspirational change is needed.  Let us all be open to receive.

Have a great Friday and if you do one thing today that will make a difference to you and the planet, pay attention to the wisdom of your heart.  

Self-Discipline Leads To Success

It was late Wed, evening and after working part of my day and spending the rest of the day with my sister and her family, I finally got down to writing my blog.  Well as you might guess, my tank is teetering on empty.  Fortunately I know how to push myself forward even when parts of me are dragging.  I learned to push from my many years of running and competing.  I know even if I am in much discomfort, I can still keep on going.  

This ability to keep on going despite what feels like low reserves is learned from years of self-discipline and determination.  My self-discipline has served me well.  Pushing oneself has great benefits as long as one knows when to stop. 

What in your life has taught you about pushing yourself beyond what you thought possible?  Do you have the self-discipline you need to succeed?

Here are 3 quotes you might find helpful to inspire the determination it takes to be extraordinary:

Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power.
Clint Eastwood

With self-discipline most anything is possible.
Theodore Roosevelt

In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves... self-discipline with all of them came first.
Harry S. Truman