ACCOUNTABILITY is the word for this month. Does your story own you or do you own the story? Every day we write a new page. Life happens to all of us. Some days are great. Some are epically great! Some will knock you on your ass...and when it does...take time to appreciate the lesson, put a positive spin on that story and own it so you can get yourself back up and keep moving. Anything else means the story owns you and eventually it simply becomes an excuse. Reality check! Life keeps happening. The world keeps turning. Tomorrow is still coming. So...dust yourself off and hit the ground running. Some days...Life is just waiting for you to suck it up and catch up! Yes...my fire is ON today. Is this the lesson you needed to see today? Hmmmm....
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"It's not just about what you bring to the table, but how you plan to serve it!" Yes, in order to achieve our greatest goals and dreams there is a great degree of work that MUST be done and how you "show up" makes all the difference. Remember, however, there MUST also be time to recharge, reset and reconnect from time to time. Both are equally important. Simply put, you can't keep going, going, going and not expect a moment where you may "burnout." So, let's consider the reframe. If you find it difficult to stop or you fear that by doing so, you are sacrificing time and productivity...you could be doing just the opposite. I often hear that when we take the time to STOP and honor ourselves, we create more space and more focus on the thoughts, feelings, emotions and ideas that could make any current plan or situation even better OR save us from making an epic mistake. You actually save time and generate more productivity by becoming even more sure of yourself or concrete in the details. You won't have to "back track" as much or get knocked on your ass by something unforeseen. Even when those moments arise and you take two steps forward and one step back...you're still moving forward. A final thought is also to remind yourself WHY you are doing all of this work to begin with. There is always that bigger picture in mind, but if you're working yourself so much that you leave yourself with no time or energy and the results you get are nothing but stress and dis-ease...then what's it all really worth!? Value yourself above all else first. Do the work. Take the time to appreciate all that's being done and keep that battery charged so you can keep moving on to that bigger picture and the next best version of you. Remember that, each of us is a light with the power to choose how bright we will shine on the paths in life we walk. Even when those blocks along the way occur...or in what seems to be the most difficult or darkest of times...there is always a choice. Make it a good one. It is who you are...
Check out my latest article published on page 48 of Scottsdale Health Magazine: Successful on PURPOSE https://www.allyouneedforhappiness.com/issues/2014nov/index.html True story. There are many things that can be bought in this life but the most valuable...TIME...is not one of them. What we are given is limited and each moment to be treasured. So when they say life is short...realize...that no one knows exactly how short that may be for some. Find your voice and speak your truth. Don't waste what you are given or give up on yourself...for fear of the unknown or what others will think. Follow your heart and know that it will always answer what the logic in our heads cannot explain. The question is...will you listen? Or hold yourself back? Let it out. Let it go. Let full expression be your release and connect with those hearts which beat in sync with your own where there is no logic to explain...only the vibration of the LOVE which we create when we answer our hearts calling and share it with another. When it comes to health and wellness today, it’s no surprise that our society is overrun with a slew of “healthy” options, quick fixes and “other” remedies to choose from. I use the quotes because a lot of the time it is without the full awareness around what these options mean. The news and media are all talking about it or the book/magazine article that was just written says it’s good for you, therefore it must be true. While that truth may not always be accurate or necessarily the best solution, now more than ever people are looking for better ways to support their health and wellness through better lifestyle choices. According to the American Public Health Association, “The trend of Americans making healthier lifestyle changes, such as eating better and exercising more, shows that the U.S. population is taking the necessary steps to becoming a healthier nation.” Additionally, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), “Many Americans, nearly 40 percent, use health care approaches developed outside of mainstream Western, or conventional, medicine for specific conditions or overall well-being. Most people use non-mainstream approaches along with conventional treatments.” So, where’s the problem? Words like natural and organic are used to describe a lot of the foods that we eat. Then we come to find out, many are not. Holistic is a term that seems to be attached to anything that is non-traditional medicine. It actually has its own definition. Homeopathic remedy means that “voodoo” or “woo woo” that you do so well. Before pharmaceutical companies, doctors made house calls and only had natural remedies to work with. Many of which, are the foundation of western medicine. Naturopath means you didn’t want to make the effort to become a full doctor. Completely untrue and some of them are among the best physicians. Lastly, the biggest problem I often hear in all of this is the overuse of the word “alternative” in regards to these solutions, implying that one way of healing is better than another. There is never just one way. Alternative in this sense creates an “us versus them” mentality. This has sparked some very passionate debates within the worlds of traditional and non-traditional medicine. On one side, there are many who believe that traditional medicine has become a cash cow; charging for unnecessary services and treating symptoms by overmedicating patients. On the other side, there are many who believe that without the proper degree or license that these non-traditional “alternatives” or natural remedies could be harmful and pose a threat to the physical and mental medical communities. Do I believe there needs to be some formal training in all things? Absolutely. The reality is that, if both worlds are truly functioning the way they were intended, then we’d come to find out that there is no threat. The truth is there is a need for BOTH and instead of the word alternative, let’s try INTEGRATIVE or COMPLEMENTARY. Everything that exists within both realms works together and supports the Mind/Body wellness connection. So then, what is mind/body wellness? The best response I received was from a friend and mentor, Jesse Brisendine of Santa Barbara, California. Jesse, is an internationally recognized life coach, personal trainer, speaker, and author who motivates, educates and inspires people to achieve their full potential in life. He said, “mind/body wellness is a place where you are strong not just physically, but mentally as well. It does no good if you can bench press 300 pounds, but spend all day thinking negative thoughts about yourself. When you are strong in the mind your thoughts propel you forward to action instead of holding you back. You achieve balance.” Simply put, what we think is how we feel. How we feel effects how our body reacts. There are a multitude of outside influences that play their part from our habits, surrounding environment, diet, exercise, friends, family, etc. but everything is connected within YOU. The easiest example to prove my point is to notice what happens to us physically and mentally when we are stressed or when something makes us happy. Body posture changes, blood pressure elevates or drops, the endorphins are pumping and moods change almost instantly. You can actually SEE and FEEL the reaction. Stress can create dis-comfort or dis-ease which can lead to illness. Happiness can create a pleasant surge of energy or emotions which cause a natural high. We’ve all experienced this. The issue for many today is the separation that has been created between the mind and body when looking for solutions. If it’s a mental we go to one facility. If it’s physical we go to another. So, where is the balance? What is the answer? This is where the integrative tools and resources provide the biggest benefit to those in need. Total wellness, is about treating the whole person and not just the symptom. Some of the best physicians and practitioners have found the greatest healing comes through combining traditional western medicine with non-traditional methods. The simple fact is that there is very much a need for the traditional medicines that exist to treat individuals who really need them to support their mental and physical well-being. As a support to those treatments, there are also non-traditional methods which are complementary and assist in the overall wellness goals. These may include modalities such as, yoga, bodywork, energy work, herbalism, coaching or guided meditation. As I’ve said, one treatment plan does NOT replace the other. One way of healing is NOT better than another. Everyone is unique in their own ways. This is something we are taught as children and all the way through adulthood. When it comes to our health, it is no different. The best results come from plans which are tailor made to fit the specific needs of the individual. If done correctly, the worlds of traditional and non-traditional remedies can create and support optimal health and sustainable balance. In my opinion, and simply put, more options are always better than less. The rest is up to you. "There is a reason why we are all given this life that is larger than anything we can dream or imagine, but before we can follow a passion and a purpose, we must first discover who we are and be willing to define what drives us to WANT to b...e better than we were in the past…the best we can be in our present and the greatest possible self for our future. It’s a journey that forces us to let go of the things that no longer serve us and exposes the most vulnerable pieces of ourselves in order to show up for what the universe will provide when we are 100% authentic and genuine." -James Patrick- Since relationships seem to be what I'm coaching around with myself and others this week...a bit of advice or a thought: It is true that many of us have a "wild" side that we can all tap into on occasion and I'm not gonna lie...it's FUN...but doesn't last. I do believe there is something more to be said for the deeper connection in all things. Being romantic...dating someone to get to know them...doing the little things that make someone smile and laugh causes the deeper c...onnections to be far more passionate, more intimate and far more heated than a "fleeting" moment. When that connection is real and that deep...the "wild" side is amplified by much more than the physical attraction and it can last a lifetime if the work is being done together. You want ALL of that person and they want ALL of you. Value the "heart" connection you bring to your relationships and if you're asking for it...know that the good ones make it beat faster...the best ones will make it skip a beat. This month I was blessed to sit with Brett Getrost and be interviewed for his Blog show, "Faces of Compassion." It's wonderful to support the individuals who are out doing the work that they love and loving the life that they live. Keep it going Brett!! Check it out: http://youtu.be/UEf20rcJwvg Many people have been coming to me recently and sharing with me many experiences that have been similar to my own. Revelations and awareness that is coming from every possible direction. It seems as though the universe is providing us, not only with a great deal of reflection, but also a great deal of factors that have come back into our lives for one reason or another. WHY!? This seems to be the overwhelming response. The answer: The work is not done and that connection is meant to be. There are no accidents. There are no coincidences. While many shifts, growth and evolution may happen in our lives, and people may come and go...we have to reflect on this possibility: There are many things that will happen in our life to show us the best in ourselves...the worst in ourselves...or what we may need at any particular point in time. Some of those blessings will stay with us and some may move on. We might think that the pieces that move on...move on forever. Not necessarily. It is quite possible that those pieces move on in order for you to process what is needed to move forward and focus on your purpose...only to return at a later date to make what had once been, even stronger! This is a divine connection. "The strongest of us are those who make it through the life challenges that try to tear us apart. If any connection is meant to be, then it always comes back stronger than it was before." |
AuthorMotivate and inspire. It doesn't matter if it's a word, a thought or a whole journal entry...it'll reach someone. Archives
April 2020
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