http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLLNlR6zRuk
Just in case you were not present for Gifts & Graces, which is a first Friday event held by the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts...the video from the live stream of my guest speaking event, "Successful on PURPOSE, has been uploaded to Youtube.com Check it out! NOTE: When the video begins you may skip to the 14 minute mark as that is where the speaking begins. What a great opportunity and blessing!! Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!! Enjoy!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLLNlR6zRuk
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Preparing for 2014!! Are you ready!? Just a little bit of advice, I'd like to share. Sit in appreciation for all that has come and gone in 2013. Gratitude. Gratitude. Gratitude. Reflect on your successes AND your failures...humbled by both. Did you learn your lessons? If so, what lessons will you take with you? Embrace what you will commit to for the new year and KNOW that you have the greatest power of all...the power of CHOICE! Make it a new year of your choosing and take another step towards your next best self! KNOW you are loved and supported and that this universe wants great things to come from your existence in this life. "Get involved. The world is run by those who commit and show up." Blessings to each and every one of you and best wishes to all that's to come. Have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. James Patrick As the holiday season is upon us...it is important to remind everyone that EVERY day is a day to be grateful for the life we have been blessed to be given. Please, also remember those who are not so lucky but trying as hard as they can to better themselves. This season is both a time to celebrate and to reflect. Being grateful means rejoicing for the good times, but also being humbled by the moments that leave us the most challenged. Don't let the ego get in the way of your authentic self. We all have things to gain AND lose in this life, but as long as we are living in gratitude, there will never be a shortage of support when it's needed most. I am grateful for each of YOU. Thank you for being my support and pushing me to my next best self for 2014. James Patrick will be a force to be reckoned with in 2014...and YOU will be to! "Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not find of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do." ~Steve Jobs~ I love this quote and resonate with it greatly. I KNOW. I AM one of "the few who do versus the many who wish." I am a Shifter. Sharing some advice I gave at 3am to a dear distraught friend: (My job never ends...lol...Love ya buddy.) There are people who are going to come in and out of your life. When the ones who are not meant to be depart...spend your time in gratitude and appreciation for what you once had and what that relationship was meant to be. Even though things don't always end as we planned...and sometimes it's not all good. Remember, that there was a time when it was good...and there was a reason this relationship blossomed into what it was to begin with. So, don't focus on this single moment and the negativity it brings...but rather the good in the lesson and the time that was spent. It was not a waste. Spend time making yourself a BETTER person...not bitter. And...if...at the end of the day you still feel so hurt...or that you've been wronged...Just trust that the universe has your back and karma does wonders...without you needing to waste a single ounce of your own self, valuable time and emotions. Simply put...each day is a new opportunity and a new chance to do something amazing with your life. You make it a day of your choosing! Can you believe that you have that power within you!? If you've recently taken a step in a new direction and it's working...then each new day is something to be excited about! You get to take the next step and see what's in store for you. You've got 24 hours and if you're really living the dream...then there's a lot that can be done in a single day. "Sleep when you're dead" right!? If today is not your dream then it is still a new opportunity! Now is your chance to re-evaluate and RESET. Sometimes, the thing we lack is the awareness that we control the direction of the path that we are on. Maybe we don't lack it...but perhaps, we forget. If something is clearly not right, or has not been working for a while...then the only reason your still traveling that path is because YOU have chosen NOT to re-evaluate and reset. I often hear things, like "I have no choice" or "It's too risky." FEAR steps in, but when I ask the question..."How is that fear serving you?" The discovery is that the only real fear is that of succeeding. Fear of the unknown. That's the exciting part!! I heard someone say the other day, "when we are ready to step out of that ledge into the darkness...into the unknown...one of two things is going to happen. You WILL either be given something solid to stand on to support you OR you will learn to fly." In other words, suck it up...take what works and leave behind that which no longer serves you. There is no TRY...only DO in this book. You right the chapters. Hit that RESET button and start on a new direction with the tools you've been given. You're worth it! Say it with me! Life is too short to be giving your days away or worse off...living someone else's dream. So...what are you waiting for? Divine timing in all things. There are times in our lives where it seems as if everything is going our way. It's positive, reaffirming, exciting. Life moves forward and the pace gets kicked up a notch, and we find ourselves counting the blessings. It seems like one opportunity after another just keeps coming! Woo Hoo!! It keeps coming, but then after a while, you start finding yourself exhausted, not quite as motivated and all of a sudden...lifes' opportunities become a burden. Is that possible!? How did that happen? Can you relate? Here's my thoughts. The problem: Life will absolutely bless you with many opportunities throughout the course of your life. It doesn't mean you have to take them all! It is true that sometimes we become "stuck" and it seems as if there aren't any opportunities. Don't despair! That's simply the universes way of letting you know, that NOW is the time to reflect and figure out what it is you WANT. So, you ask the universe for help. You have ideas. You test...you experiment...you ask questions...and before you know it...you get your answer. Some things work...some things don't. You've found yourself (or at least FINALLY on that path you've been searching for) and the universe begins to give you what you need to support your new found light! Here's where it gets tricky... Don't feel as if every opportunity is yours for the taking. Each opportunity provides a different choice...a different path. Some will work together, and others may present a new path to follow. The key is not to get yourself "stuck" again by trying to multi-task and do it all. If you do...you will find yourself expending a great deal of energy and effort ultimately leaving yourself with nothing at the end of the day. It's too much! The result: Lack of motivation. Lack of desire. Lack of creativity. Pretty soon, you just STOP! You run head first into that metaphorical wall. The solution: When you're being blessed with a "full download" of choices. Choose what you MUST have and what you can do with out. While some options may seem appealing and tempting...if you reflect long enough, you realize those expendable options would never have been fulfilling or they don't serve your current goal any true purpose. I choose to look at those as my "tests" to see how connected I still am to my own dreams and goals. Is there anything that can take me off the track I am on right now? Trust your gut and your intuition. If the path is meant to change, there will be plenty of reasons clear as day that will tell you it's time for a change. If the path you're on is going smoothly and more opportunities present the next step in your evolution...you continue the path and let the other unnecessary pieces go. The reality check: You can't be everything. You can't be "on the go" 24/7. If you ever find yourself in this position and you want to avoid getting yourself "stuck" again...STOP and take a breather. Or...take a vacation if time allows to simply RESET and RECONNECT! If you're going too fast and taking on too much, you will miss what you need to take that next step. When things are running smooth...take time to appreciate the work that's been done...celebrate a little...and reflect on the possibilities of tomorrow. What will serve you best? Let the rest go and leave yourself with enough space and memory for your next big upgrade! In reflection over the last month and after some minor health concerns, I realized again how important it is to set boundaries and make time for ones self. Practice what you preach…right!? Vulnerability is strength and I choose to share this with you again, as another lesson for this month. Success may come in the form of many opportunities. Sometimes these opportunities may be all at once. Good for you!! Success, however, cannot thrive or continue…if you say YES to every opportunity as there is only so much each of us can do and give as one person. In the reframe, I choose to look at this as a sign…that I am in demand…but cannot do it all at this time. Guess what? That’s OKAY!! Can you relate? Our personal and professional lives can be hectic at times, and even in the best of circumstances…it’s very easy to say YES to everything, however, we must be careful not to put ourselves on overload. Believe me when I say, that your body will stop you if you don’t listen up. That mind/body connection is one of the most powerful things, so it’s important to never forget to take care of ourselves FIRST! The KEY thing to remember is that, if you want to keep going further and further, there are days when the power of NO…is just as powerful as YES. Owning your strengths and all that you are capable of…also means that you know your limits and when you need to focus on what you have right now before you move forward. So my questions to you are this: What are you doing to maintain the balance in your lives…both personal and professional? Is there an activity…a hobby…a list of goals your keeping for checks and balances? What are you saying YES to? What might you need to say NO to? When you make time for yourself…it’s not just about disconnecting and having “down time.” Realize it’s your body’s chance to recharge, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. There may be ideas or other creative goals that will form because you’ve allowed your mind/body to be at peace. Who knows…ther may even be new opportunities that show up when you’ve allowed yourself the time and space to appreciate what’s going on around you in that moment. We’ve all heard that, “life’s too short.” Well…then make sure you’re LIVING it. All work and no play…right!? “The reason most people die is because they stop living. There are so many people who are walking around dead, and don’t even know it.” Would you agree? So choose to set those boundaries. Say YES! Say NO! Make time for YOU and in doing so...choose to LIVE! Where is your "happy place?" Every now and again it is important to disconnect from our lives and the chaos the world may provide us on any given day. We aren't machines, but here and there, we need to stop and allow ourselves to have a little "tune up." This means taking us out of ourselves and having a place where we can simply...BE. Where is that "happy place" for you? This is KEY for anyone who plans on maintaining proper health and minimize stress levels in their body, mind and soul. There is ALWAYS time for you. Tony Robbins refers to these time frames as either, your: Hour of Power, 30 Minutes to Thrive or 15 Minutes of Fulfillment. Devoting yourself to one of these time frames daily will help alleviate a great deal of uneccesary strain on all things physical and emotional. This concept is SO simple and yet we still manage to find excuses as to, why not. So, if you want to avoid rocking yourself into a corner, eyes shut, repeating "mommy and daddy love me," you'd do yourself a great justice by connecting yourself with a healthy activity, hobby just for you or someplace to give the time needed to do absolutely nothing but breathe! A nice reminder. My article entitled, What's Your Purpose? "Are YOU Serving Your Life Sentence?" was published in this months, Scottsdale Health Magazine. Are you serving your life sentence? By Rev. James Patrick At first glance, that question may catch you off guard. Perhaps it makes you laugh a little or evokes a sarcastic response like, “I’ve got 3 jobs and work a hundred hours a week” or “I’m married with children, what do you think?” While these responses are similar to the many I’ve gotten, this question is actually meant for you to reflect on YOUR life passion and purpose. Are you living it? If not, then I’d say it’s time for change. Passion and purpose aren’t words that one hears too often these days when it comes to the life of your everyday Joe or Jane. The main reason being is that life happens. We get caught up in the day to day routines. We work whatever job we can get to earn the money that pays the bills. We get comfortable and it becomes easy to forget what we were given this life for. So, as time passes it can become hard to remember what those big dreams had once been. Do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? What if I told you,“most people will die with their music still locked inside them.” This quote, by Benjamin Disraeli, is just one of many that can haunt you and at the same time should cause some long running intentions to become powerful, life changing actions. Your One Sentence We all have a path to follow and a journey to lead. In the end, the legacy that is left behind is the life sentence you have served. Clare Booth Luce once told John F. Kennedy that “every great man/woman is one sentence.” For example, “Lincoln preserved the union and freed the slaves.” Sure, there is probably a book full of sentences listing out a number of his accolades and attributes, but that single sentence, can sum up how Lincoln is remembered. Once again, this could not have been accomplished without passion and purpose. So, let’s break it down. Passion has been described as “that fire blazing in your belly.” It’s an emotion that is almost uncontrollable. If it is truly a passion, then it should be accompanied by the overwhelming sense that nothing is impossible or unattainable. Having a true passion means that no matter what challenges or obstacles may be encountered, there is certainly a way around it, over it, under it or through it, which will always be found. Nothing can stop you when the desire is heightened with this form of emotional and energetic charge. Your commitments leave little room for any doubt or self-sabotage. In life, when the time is taken to acknowledge these passions then the question of life purpose becomes hard to ignore. The Idea Once the passion is burning, then purpose begins to take its form. The awareness around the things that make you,“get up and go” births an idea, supports a vision and the creation of a dream bigger than you can imagine. Passion is the drive and the desire. Purpose is the“why”. A compelling reason “why” is always a catalyst for change. It is why ordinary people are able to achieve extraordinary results. Intention is fueled by passion, which creates action and results in realizing a purpose. It can be as big as your “meaning of life” or it can be an “ah-ha”moment around your reason for being at this particular point in time. The First Step The end result is the motivation necessary to take that first step! Congratulations! All it takes is one step to create momentum towards your goals and dreams. Once the momentum is there and supported by such forces as true passion and purpose, there is no stopping. Believe it or not, the reason many individuals never succeed is because that first step is never taken. The journey never starts. When an effort is set to put the wheel into motion the universe will support you. You can’t win the lottery without buying the ticket, right? So, what are you waiting for!? The truth is, everyone has great ideas and intentions, but seldom do they become actions. The ones who succeed are the ones who feed their passion and define their purpose. The honor is reserved for the “few who do versus the many who wish.” The challenge to you is to take a good look in the mirror, reflect and ask yourself today, “Are you serving your life sentence?” |
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