Get in Alignment!

How many things do you do on a regular basis that you “dread” doing?  How many “obligations” do you have?  How many “chores?”  If the answer is “a lot,” then you will benefit greatly by learning how to get in alignment.  (No chiropractor necessary!)

 

Did you know that natural law requires that your body, mind, and spirit be united in thought, word, and action in order for the process of creation to work?   What kind of life experience do you want to create?  One filled with dreaded chores or one full of happy tasks?  If you will take the time to get in alignment with even your simplest or most dreaded responsibilities, your entire life will flow more smoothly and you’ll experience greater peace and happiness.

 

I recently had an experience where I turned my entire outlook and day around by getting in alignment with one of my most-dreaded obligations.  Typically, when asked to perform this task, I moan and groan and think about all the things I’d rather be doing than this particular duty.

 

During my morning Self MEI (Motivation, Education, and Inspiration) time, I decided that since I have to do this, there is no one else who can do this for me, I might as well get in alignment with it and enjoy the day.  (It was an all-day job.)  So I began to focus on all the things I appreciate about the other person involved.  (My mother.)  Like how much she sacrificed for me when I was growing up, all the nice things she continues to do for me, etc.  I began feeling much better.  Then I decided to focus on how lucky I am that I can do this, like, not being tied down by a “regular” job where someone else dictates my schedule, etc.  Before long, and I’m talking about maybe 5 minutes at the most, I was feeling good about my day and ready to get started. 

 

The result?  A wonderful day with my mother, despite the circumstances.  (Doctor’s appointment.) 

 

Today my challenge to you is to get in alignment with all those things you say you don’t want to do.  If you’re doing them, there has to be a reason, right?  Otherwise, you wouldn’t do them.  If there is something about your job you don’t like, perhaps you could focus on the positive aspects of your job that you do like.  Sometimes, if it weren’t for those not-so-pleasant chores, we might not appreciate the good stuff.

 

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired!  Come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat  May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and achieving success, plus get free private coaching!  Click here for details.

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on The Science of Getting Rich.”

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

How to Become a Deliberate, Conscious Creator

It’s a normal day.  You get up, get dressed, and go to work.  Someone asks, “How are you?”  You’re not really sure how to answer because it really depends upon everyone else.  You’ll have to wait and see what kind of mood everyone else is in first because you’ve had it happen before – you come in to work in a good mood, but one of your co-workers is not, so your good mood is pointless.  Before long, everyone is having a difficult day.

 

Sure enough, one of your co-workers is in a bad mood; there’s always somebody!  You would probably be in a good mood all the time if you could live in a cocoon, but it seems like there is always someone who’s experiencing difficulty and that always brings you down.

 

Why is it that someone’s bad mood outweighs and overrides everyone else’s good mood?  Have you ever noticed that it only takes one?

 

Well, actually, there’s a little more to it than that and that’s what I want to talk about today. 

 

We have full creative control of our moods and feelings in every moment, no matter what is going on around or within us.  So, why, then, does it only take one person, one comment, or one “look,” to send us spiraling down the vibrational ladder?

 

It’s because we’ve learned to look at negativity and feel it.  Deeply.  Take the news for example.  TV reporters are taught to draw emotion out of us and the easiest way to do that is to show something negative.  They want to tug at our heart strings and make us cry.  But it’s not just news reporters.  TV shows, commercials, most advertising, including print media, and even churches use negative imagery to “get a response.”  And we typically react exactly as expected.  How could we not?

 

So is it any wonder, then, that when we go to work we are inclined to not only share our problems, but to become emotionally involved with the crises of others?  No.  We’ve been conditioned to do just that.  Some have become so conditioned to it that they thrive on the drama of it, to the point that, if there isn’t something going on, they will create a problem just to satisfy that desire for drama.  Have you ever known someone who isn’t happy unless they’re miserable?  Have you ever witnessed someone put someone else in a bad mood just so they could console them?

 

Well, that’s one way to be a deliberate creator!

 

Most of you though, especially if you’re reading this, would prefer to create a reality that is truly pleasing and for the highest good of all involved.  So how do we do that?  First, we need to understand what is going on and how we got to be the way we are.   

 

In our technologically advanced society we’ve become reactors instead of creators.  We react to our computers, televisions, blackberries, games, news, and other people, leaving us with a feeling of very little control over our own lives and wondering what went wrong.  We spend most of our time putting out fires and worrying about those we can’t put out.  But there is an alternative.

 

In order to become the deliberate, conscious creator you wish to be, it is vital to take time out, I recommend every day, away from all those outside influences and distractions, to think about your ideal life and exactly what it is you want to create.  Turn off the TV and get away from everyone.  You might have to get up early before everyone else in your household, or stay up later, in order to do this, but trust me, it will be worth it. One hour every day would be wonderful, but 15 minutes will do.  What do you do during this time? 

 

This is not a time of meditation or even prayer, although those are both good practices as well.  What you do during this time is visualize, or write out, your desires.  How do you want to be as you go about your day?  How do you want your day to go?  What would you do if you could do anything you want?  You might want to keep a special journal just for this purpose if you choose to write.  (When I’m on the road traveling I find that my laptop works just as well as a notebook and I don’t have the added bulk.)  Every day, add to the details of your desired reality.  Perhaps you saw something yesterday that you’d like to have – how does it fit into your life?  How would you use it? 

 

It’s not just on action exercise, either.  If you have trouble determining how you would change a daily activity, decide how you want to feel, and then imagine feeling that way.  You’ll start to notice opportunities to feel exactly how you want to feel.  For example, if you’d like to laugh more, it might occur to you that you could watch re-runs of sitcoms you used to love instead of dramas that cause you to experience negative emotion.  Use your TV for your benefit instead of detriment.

 

What you are trying to do, and will be successful at it if you give it long enough, is activate a thought process that is in alignment with how you really want your life to go.  If you don’t picture it, or feel it the way you want it, you’ll likely never get it that way.  And the stronger the outside influences, the harder it will be to create what you want “by accident” or default.  So it’s really important to spend deliberate time doing this.

 

With just a little time, you will begin to see results.  Every time you deliberately focus on your desires, you add power to your thought processes.  The more you do this, the stronger your attraction becomes to the things you want.  Just keep designing your improved version of your life in your mind. Gradually, this new vision of yourself becomes your normal way of thinking.  In other words, it becomes who you think you are – who you believe you are.  And once you start believing that who you want to become is who you really are, (because it is – even right now), everything in your life will begin to change.  You’ll be inspired to new ideas, new ways of doing things, new friends, new associates, new co-workers, and new manifestations of all kinds.

 

You are who you think you are.  Isn’t it wonderful that to change who we are all we have to do is change the person we think that is!  It is so simple, most people don’t believe it – and there’s the rub!

 

I have become a Conscious Creation Coach.  I teach people how to create the life of their dreams.  I’d be happy to speak with you by phone or e-mail to see if we would be a good fit and could work together.  My coaching fees are $75 per half-hour.  If you’d like to get a jump-start on creating the life of your dreams, come to my Conscious Creation Retreat.

 

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired!  Come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat  May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and achieving success, plus get free private coaching!  Click here for details.

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on The Science of Getting Rich.”

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

Facing Reality

One of the biggest obstacles in believing that you can re-create your life is the, “But I have to face reality,” paradigm.  Why is it so difficult to bridge the wide chasm from reaction to creation? 

 

Mostly it’s because we’re so busy observing our surroundings and looking at things we don’t really want to see.  We watch the news to get the weather, only to be inundated with everything that’s gone wrong around the world today.  But it’s not just the news media, we all do this.  Think about it for a moment.  When something happens at work, if it’s a good thing, how long does everyone focus on it?  Now contrast that to some really good gossip - ?

 

But here’s the good news.  You can employ your mind’s eye to start focusing on the good things.  My husband used to come home and tell me everything that went wrong that day at his office.  One night, I let him get it all out, and then I said, “Now, tell me three things that went well today.”  He was able to do it with no problem.  Before long, he would come home and still tell me what went wrong, but knowing that I was going to ask for my “three things,” he was prepared and volunteered that, for one example, even though procedures didn’t go as smoothly as he might have liked, he felt his team handled everything very well, they were all well-trained, and that he was thankful for them and their determination to make things right.

 

These days, he comes home and only brings up the really big challenges, and then brags about how well they all worked together.

 

It’s a matter of becoming aware of what’s happening, and making the decision to turn things around. 

 

While it is true that we have to deal with reality, you can use your imagination to re-live any moment.  I’ve blogged about this before, but it has been a while.  When you have a recurring event that’s constantly going wrong in your life, (something that you are calling “reality”),  take some time to replay the incident in your mind the way you wish it had gone.  The next time that event plays out, it should go a little better.  You’ll learn how to further mould the event, replay it in your mind again, and the next time will go even better.  Keep doing this until you have complete control over the situation.  Yes, it is possible.

 

All day long we are inundated with images.  Utilize your image-ination to create reflections of things you’d like to see.  Your imagination works both ways for you – try it!

 

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

Get Inspired!  Come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat  May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and achieving success, plus get free private coaching!  Click here for details.

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on The Science of Getting Rich.”

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

Determining Your Spiritual Values

There are three sides to all of us:  Body, Mind, and Spirit.  I’ve blogged about our bodies quite a bit in How I Lost 25 Pounds in One Month, plus all of the follow-up articles to that, in Look Your Best Every Day, as well as a few others.  I’ve blogged about our minds and how to control, guide, and reign in our thoughts throughout most of the articles contained here. 

 

In My Intuition Saves a Child’s Life, I promised to write more about spirituality, intuition, and other concerns of the Spirit.  Today I’m beginning the fulfillment of that promise.

 

A good place to start in any self-development endeavor is to first determine your values.  So today we’re going to look at some spiritual values and I’m going to challenge you to work on these this weekend.

 

Setting and prioritizing your spiritual values is of utmost importance since the mind and body will eventually go away, but the spirit lives for eternity.  Determining what’s important to your spirit for this lifetime will come to you as you get quiet and listen to your inner guidance.  If you need help with some words to get you started, consider these:

 

Peace

Joy

Love

Forgiveness

Compassion

Faith

Hope

Charity

Happiness

Spreading Happiness

Affection

Serenity

Consideration

Contentment

Contribution

Helpfulness

Honesty

Humility

Impartiality

Integrity

Modesty

Kindness

Patience

Satisfaction

Self-actualization

Simplicity

Sincerity

Sympathy

Thankfulness

Tranquility

Truthfulness

Understanding

Warmth

 

Select the values you feel are most important; use whatever words come to you.  If you feel the need to do so, prioritize them.  (If you have a long list, this might be especially helpful.)

 

Now ask your spirit how you’ve been doing at expressing this value in your daily life.  Are you living up to your own values?  Ask your spirit how you could express this value more often in your personal and work relationships.

 

Disciplining yourself to live your life in harmony with your spiritual values is a matter of getting in touch with your inner being.  Get quiet.  Pray.  Observe One Hour of Solitude.  At moments throughout the day when you notice yourself “slip,” this is your spiritual guidance talking to you.  Do whatever is necessary to correct the mishap, and in time, you will program this value into your subconscious mind so that it becomes a permanent part of your personality, integrating into your body and mind.  You will actually transform your character, and become a better person in every sense of the word.

 

If you’re feeling stuck and not sure of what your spiritual values are, remember to ask the question, “Who do I want to become?”  We are always in the process of re-creating ourselves.  Who you are and are becoming is a matter of the choices you make in each moment.  Knowing, identifying, and becoming consciously aware of your spiritual values is an important step in the direction of complete personal fulfillment.

 

For today, I challenge you to determine your spiritual values, and begin to live by them.

 

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired!  Come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat  May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and achieving success, plus get free private coaching!  Click here for details.

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on The Science of Getting Rich.”

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

The Answer to Every Question

As a motivational speaker and seminar leader, I am often inundated at the close of an event with questions.  “Should I do this or that?  How should I handle this difficulty?  How do I get out of this?  What decision should I make about . . . ?”

Of course I’m always polite as I am always willing to help others – it is, after all, why I’m here.

Most of the time, my answers come from my own perspective and knowledge.  I mean, if you think about it, how could they not?  I only know what I know, right?  And that is probably the “wisdom” that most people are seeking, so it serves its purpose.

However, there is a way that you can know, from your own perception and good judgment, the answer to most of your questions.  Let me explain.

I went through a time when I had a difficult time making decisions.  Most people, but especially women, have struggled with this at some point in their life and many suffer from it chronically.  We could spend a lot of time debating the cause(s); low self-esteem, paternal issues, past or present controlling relationships – you know the drill.  But this post is about the solution, and you’re going to be amazed at its simplicity.

Several years ago I learned that the best way to control a conversation, even one with yourself, is to answer a question with a question.  For example, a typical sales technique is that when a prospective client asks a question such as, “Do you make any guarantees with your product,” your response should be, “Is that important to you?”

When I am trying to solve a dilemma in my own life, I’ll start asking questions.  (It’s very useful to use a journal for this so that you see your evolution.)

In the end, every situation boils down to this:  What kind of person do I now choose to be?

That’s it.  It doesn’t matter if the choice is major or minor, large or small, simple or complex.  It all comes down to deciding who I want to be from this point forward.

This is one reason I teach determining your values in all of my seminars.  Knowing what you stand for and where you’re going in life eliminates looking to others for “should I do this or that?”  However, life is constantly producing changes and with that come new scenarios previously not considered because they were “off our radar.”

Too often, I hear people use the excuse, “That’s just who I am.”  For some reason I always want to say, “DUH!”  (But I don’t – because that’s not who I want to be!)

Of course, sometimes being who you are is the point – and that’s okay.

My challenge for you today is to begin to hold the question, “Who do I now choose to be?”  I’m betting that if you’re reading this, you’re the type of person who is constantly evolving, becoming more enlightened, and consciously recreating yourself.  If so, answer every question today with that question, “Who do I now choose to be,” and then act accordingly.  Conscious evolution at its best!

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired! Come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and achieving success, plus get free private coaching! Click here for details.

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on The Science of Getting Rich.”

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted under Dental Practice Management, Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

Feelings . . . By Default or Choice?

How many times have you said, “I can’t help it, that’s just the way I feel?” 

 

There’s a basic untruth in that statement.  While it’s fine to feel however you feel about a subject, you most certainly can “help it.”  Let me explain.

 

I was having a pretty good day yesterday when I received an e-mail from a reader saying that my site doesn’t represent me well professionally. Admittedly, the comment bummed me out for a few minutes.

 

Remembering, though, that we create our own reality and attract everything in our lives to us, I stopped to reflect on just exactly why I had chosen to attract this.

 

To be honest, this reader didn’t really tell me anything I didn’t already know.  I’ve been putting off the tasks of redesigning both of my websites for several months now, using the excuse that I have higher priorities.  (I really do prioritize my tasks monthly, weekly, and daily.)

 

However, considering that this website is my main marketing system, it should take #1 priority.  Ah – the old focusing on the “wrong” thing dilemma!

 

So I then decided that I was very lucky to have this suspicion confirmed, so that I can begin to focus on this “problem” immediately.  (I’ve already changed a few things.)

 

Later into the afternoon, I started to feel overwhelmed.  I began my weekly planning with the intention of blocking off enough time to redesign both sites.  Guess what?  Because I plan ahead so extensively, there really isn’t enough time in this week with obligations that have already been made – obligations that I am happy to have made – that I cannot get out of simply by re-prioritizing.

 

At this point, I began to feel fortunate to have enough business going on to actually be this busy.  I have a to-do list now of routine tasks that will take at least 4 weeks to accomplish and enough goals to keep me busy for the next 10 years – no exaggeration!  (Retreat Center!)

 

In thinking and re-thinking my priorities for this week, my mind wandered to the comments and compliments I have received about the design of this site, and I realized that it’s not that bad.  It might not be the best-looking site, but it’s not the worst, either.  Okay, maybe it’s just the retreat page – I can work on that this week.  And if I can’t get it the way I want it, I do have the funds to hire someone to make it better for me.  So there – feeling much better now!

 

Just before writing this article I remembered how much I enjoy designing my website.  I love the creation process even though it becomes frustrating at times.  It’s those accomplishments that remind me that I am capable, imperfect, and always changing.

 

This entire process reminded me that while our feelings tell us what we’re vibrating and attracting, it is our thoughts that create our feelings.  As my thinking (perspective) changed on this subject throughout the afternoon, so did my feelings.  If I had simply reacted to my circumstances, I probably would have remained in a defensive and self-pity mood all day.  Instead, I chose to appreciate the opportunity to grow.  Where I’d like to get to now is creation: creating my feelings as opposed to just experiencing them. 

 

I’ve been able to do this before, so I know it is possible.  An exercise in appreciation is taking control of (guiding) and choosing your feelings.  But creating your feelings in the first place, from the moment you get out of bed is another matter, now, isn’t it?

 

I now understand the Abraham processes of Segment Intending and The Book of Positive Aspects (from Ask and It Is Given) on a much deeper level now.  How wonderful it would be to plan each day, each hour, and moments as necessary, around performing these exercises!  That would have to be creation at its best!

 

My challenge to you today is to deliberately guide your thoughts so that you are always reaching for joy.  When you experience something that brings you down, instead of letting the situation take control of you, get control of it instead.  Think, “I’ve created this for a reason.  What is it?”  Then be honest with yourself.  It could be nothing more than the universe trying to get you to give your attention to something you’ve indicated you want from it.  Becoming defensive will not get you closer to it, embracing your feelings will.  Live by choice, not by default.

 

Until next time, my wish is that you–

Live joyfully!  (But only if that’s what you choose!)

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Sign up for Retreat Information

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on The Science of Getting Rich.”

Even better, come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and get free private coaching! 

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

Don’t Let This Happen to You . . .

I am a regular reader of your blog, but my wife only reads it when I bring something to her attention.  She wanted me to let you know her comments on your book, “Wake Up and Create the Life You Want”.  She was very persistent in her reading and finished the book in short order.  After completion, she made an immediate comment to me stating, I wish that I had the book available to me and had read the material and put it into practice back when I was 19 and just out of High School.  I ran off and got married in 1941 and my husband was drafted into the Army during World War II.  He drowned when jumping overboard from a boat that was sinking and his body was never recovered.  That happened on Sept. 26, 1944 and from that time until I later married my present husband (of 61 years), I was able to save some money.  If I had had the knowledge that was in your book and someone to guide me correctly, I could have fulfilled my dream of becoming a nurse.  As my life has progressed, I would not change it, but I can easily see that the knowledge in your book would be of great benefit to many.

 

I am always saying that it’s never to late to take control of your life and it’s direction, but this woman is 85 years old.  Now, notice that she’s not sorry for the life she has lived, what she’s saying is that if this resource of today had been available to her back then, she could have chosen a different path.

 

Steve Chandler opens his book, 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself with, “Get on your deathbed.”  Saying, “We keep planning to do great things some day when we feel like it.”

 

I cannot help but wonder if many women put off pursuing their dream not because they don’t feel they deserve it, and not because they don’t know what it is they want, but because they don’t know how to go about it, or believe the tasks involved are impossible.  Maybe you just don’t have the knowledge and encouragement you need.

 

If you’ve been drawn to this article, is it possible that it’s because this very situation applies to you?

 

The woman with the comment above is my mother-in-law, Cynthia Moorhead.  And it was her comments during a shopping trip together one day that actually inspired me to think long and hard about the path I was on.

 

Our conversation started out about a dog.  Apparently, it was the need to take care of a dog that kept her from working when she was first married.  Her first husband loved dogs and I believe they had two.  She said she couldn’t work and help out (with finances) because of having to stay at home and take care of the dogs.

 

Now as silly as that may sound to many of you, I’ve heard much sillier comments come out of the mouths of my seminar participants!  To the point that, as you’re saying them, it’s like you’re hearing them for the first time – and what a ridiculous excuse you have for not going after what you want.  (It is often during this part of the seminar that we laugh until we cry!)

 

We both laughed that day about her thinking that she couldn’t work because of a couple of dogs, but later I had to stop and think about my excuses for not going after what I wanted.  You know what?  My excuses were every bit as silly.  I thought I couldn’t become a motivational speaker because I lived in Flemingsburg, Kentucky.  But in less than a year after deciding to pursue my dream, I became a member of the National Speakers Association. 

 

I had always wanted to teach at a University level, but believed I couldn’t because I don’t hold a doctorate.  Tomorrow I’m teaching yet another course, this time on Project Management, at a local college. (Maysville Community and Technical College.)

 

I thought that I would never have national appeal to an audience who would accept my advice, but thanks to the internet and this website, I’ve been providing phone and e-mail coaching now for over a year.  (I don’t even advertise this service – people just e-mail me and we take it from there.)

 

I never even dreamed of having an international audience for my speaking career, let alone a book I had written, but the first person to purchase my book was in Australia.

 

No matter what your situation, there is no reason that you can’t have exactly what you want, unless, of course, it’s too late.  My mother-in-law could fulfill part of her dream of becoming a nurse by volunteering at a local hospital if she wanted.  She would be a tremendous comfort to people in need, if nothing else, just becoming aware of their situation and praying for them would work wonders.  Imagine helping terminal patients find peace on their deathbed.  Imagine making them laugh!  I can see her doing that.

 

Of course, her desire might be different now.  She might not want to be a nurse anymore – we are constantly growing and expanding.

 

The main reason I wanted to share her story with you today is because it really woke me up several years ago.  I went on to start this blog, write a book, create a seminar, and now a retreat based on the premise of doing exactly what she said she needed – someone to show her the way; someone to motivate, educate, and inspire her to reach her full potential.  That is what my mission is – to motivate you to get started, to educate you on how to go about it, and inspire you to keep it going.  Whatever your dream is, you can accomplish it. 

 

My next big goal is to build a retreat center where people can come to get motivated, educated, and inspired about their lives.  I no longer hold myself back by thinking it’s not possible.  I know it is possible; I know I can create this and the fun I’m going to have along the way in bringing it into fruition and sharing all of those stories will be my reward.  Enjoying the journey is the best part of making your dreams come true.

 

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Sign up for Retreat Information

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on The Science of Getting Rich.”

Even better, come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and get free private coaching! 

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

Make Money with Retreat Affiliate Program

If you have a blog or website you can help me help others, and make money for yourself. 

 

I know that most of you are familiar with affiliate programs.  If not, it simply means that I pay my affiliates a commission for every sale they make on one of my products or services.  In this instance, the only affiliate program I have so far is for my Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat.

 

The commission rate is 10%, so you would make $39.50 to $54.90 per enrollee, which is much better than Adsense, Amazon, or even similar affiliate programs.  If you haven’t used an affiliate program before, this is your chance; I’d love for you to participate.

 

If you’re concerned that I am allowing only 20 people into this first retreat, don’t worry.  My intention is to give these retreats on a regular, on-going basis.  My new dream for my 40’s – turning 40 on April 11 of this year – is to build a retreat center.  I’d like to be helping people recreate their lives through this retreat and hosting it about every other week.  The facility would be available also as a bed and breakfast, and for other retreat leaders – like Christine Kane

 

The reason I am letting other bloggers/website owners in on this is simple – I want a larger market.  My seminar has had great success locally and state-wide, but I am ready for an inter/national audience like I have with this blog, and with my coaching services.

 

For your readers, the advantages of this retreat are many and profound.  I can help people lose weight, quit smoking, make more money, eliminate any unwanted habit, develop good habits, establish a success mindset, direct their thoughts, connect to their higher self, become a deliberate, effective creator, and much more - all while they relax and enjoy peaceful, beautiful surroundings.  (If you’ve ever been to Kentucky in the Spring, you know what I’m talking about!)

 

I know in my heart that this retreat will be as life-transforming, and probably more so, than my one-day seminars.  People who take that seminar report drastic and positive changes in their mindset, attitude, and connection to spirit.  Most importantly, they leave with enthusiasm for life and a rejuvenated spirit.

 

The best part is that this is a retreat where you get to work on you – you pick the topic, then relax and learn how to let your spirit guide you to the best possible outcome.  Doesn’t that sound fantastic?  It is – believe me.  I’ve been developing this retreat for over a year now and I am so excited that the next logical step is its manifestation.

 

Why is a retreat setting so important?  Many documented studies have shown that people learn best when they’re relaxed.  If you can relax, you can learn.  If you can learn, you can consciously change your life.  Change your life, and you’ve just taken control of your future.  If the only difference between those who have what they want and those who don’t is conscious control over their habits and thought patterns, then doesn’t it make sense to take the time to establish that control and channel it in the direction that will serve you best?  However, it is next to impossible to change thought without time and space to do it, and that’s where the retreat comes into play.   

 

The French Quarter Inn is luxurious and calm, set right on the river, with a Jacuzzi in every room.  All meals are being prepared by the hotel staff and will be very elegant; they are well-known for their fine cuisine.  Each participant will get a form to complete to indicate preferences and special needs prior to the event.  Maysville is rich in history and there will be plenty to capture the participants’ interests.

 

But I’m getting into retreat details now and those have already been outlined on the retreat page, so go there for a complete listing of amenities.

 

You can read my story and how all of this got started in the first place here.

 

Back to this post, if you’d like to become an affiliate, here are the links you will need:

 

Join my Affiliate Program – Earn 10% on each Registration!

 

Login to your Affiliate Account

 

Affiliate Resources and Instructions Page

 

I hope you will join me in this exciting new endeavor, and I hope to see some of you at the retreat!

 

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Sign up for Retreat Information

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on The Science of Getting Rich.”

Even better, come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and get free private coaching! 

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

How to Quit Smoking or Help Someone Quit Smoking

For the first 21 years of my life, my father smoked.  He only quit because he had to after undergoing surgery for Peripheral Vascular Disease.  The surgery spared his life for 10 years, but he died at the age of 62 from similar circulatory problems.

Before we left to take him to the hospital from which he never returned, he told me that he admittedly had made many mistakes in his life, but that he only regretted one.  He said that if you learn from your mistakes then there was a purpose for them and that we should embrace them.  But the one mistake that he would always regret and never forgive himself for was what he “put [me] through all those years that he smoked.”

I begged my father to quit smoking for years.  He simply didn’t see the point.  He would often comment that sure, he believed the claims – if you smoke for a hundred years you’ll die from it!  It was his favorite joke.

My father smoked from the age of 14 until he was 52.  Once he quit, he couldn’t believe he ever smoked.  He hated the smell of smoke after that and couldn’t stand to be around cigarettes.  He loved having his taste buds back and would often comment on how the reason he smoked was because he loved the taste, but being able to taste food again was worth giving it up.

I’ve wanted to share my father’s story on this blog for several months now and just had not found the right time.  I also have a philosophy on how we can earnestly help those in our lives who do smoke, but hadn’t found a way to express that yet either.  Then a couple of weeks ago I had something very interesting happen to me.

I ran into an old friend I went to high school with.  She started smoking when we were in high school and despite many attempts to quit, still does.  We got on the subject of smoking when she made a comment about not being able to smoke in the restaurant we were in. Then she said, “I guess you like that though, huh?”  In a tone from which I knew she was expecting judgment.

As you know, I’m a student of the Abraham-Hicks philosophy.  I believe that we are deliberator creators of our own experience and that we can harness the power of the creation process to create anything we want.  I have learned that in order to receive what I want, I must not push against what I don’t want.  What do I want?  I want a healthier world; free of cigarette smoke.  Why?  Because it seems, based on physical evidence, that one cannot smoke and be healthy.  Smoking cigarettes and being healthy are mutually exclusive.  Even every smoker I know will openly admit this now.  So why do they hold on to it?  For two reasons: Addiction, and the joy the get from it.  There is a measure of satisfaction and enjoyment that takes place for someone whenever they receive the substance they are addicted to – whether it’s sugar, caffeine or Meth.  Otherwise, they wouldn’t do it.  When we say, “Follow Your Bliss,” to some people that’s a cigarette.  And I’m not being factitious, that’s the truth.

At one point my friend said to me, “I know it’s a filthy, disgusting habit, and I want to quit, if nothing else but for my kids, but I just can’t.”

Suddenly feeling inspired I asked, “So why do you smoke?”

“Because it relaxes me; it makes me feel better.  It helps me calm down.  The times I’ve tried to quit I ended up so keyed up, nervous, and cranky that everyone told me to start smoking again, so I did!” (Laughing.)  Can you understand that?”

The conversation continued where I explained that I could certainly understand that, as could many people, but that I had never had the urge to smoke.  We had a good conversation and I was able to see that she was beginning to understand that my questions were coming purely from a place of curiosity and wanting to help – not judgment.  What ended up happening, as a result of our discussion was this.

I suggested to my friend that she try a substitution method for quitting.  Although I’ve never smoked, and I’m not a licensed therapist, or licensed anything else for that matter, I do know a thing or two about eliminating bad habits and developing good ones.

At one point in our conversation, she told me that she liked Hershey Kisses.  So I suggested that she start out replacing one cigarette per day with a Kiss.   Her response was, “I couldn’t do that – I’d have to eat the whole bag!”

So I responded with, “When you smoke a cigarette, you smoke the entire pack?”

“No – that would be too expensive!”

“Okay, so instead of eating the whole bag, you’re going to have one Kiss at a time – just like a cigarette.  Start out just replacing one cigarette a day with a Kiss.  If you have a bad day, that’s fine, when your willpower comes back, just start over, or start where you left off.  It’s totally up to you.  And keep in mind, that at the end of this experiment, you might decide to go back to smoking.  This is just something you’re going to try, for as long as you can, to see how it goes.  If it goes well, I’ll blog about it and make you famous!”  (Laughing)  Worst case scenario, you decide you like your life the way it is now and you’ve made your peace with it – we should all be so lucky!

Now we’ve learned that there is more to it than that.  After a couple of days, I got a call from my friend and she wasn’t having a lot of luck, but she thought maybe I’d have another idea.  And I did.  (Hence this post!)

It’s not enough to just eat the chocolate.  You have to imagine that it’s giving you the same feeling/benefit that smoking that cigarette would give you.  What my friend was doing wrong, because I hadn’t thought this through, was thinking something to the effect of, “Okay, this is substitution time.  I’m supposed to have my 3rd cigarette of the day but I have to eat a Kiss instead.”

See?  Not the most helpful perspective is it?  I explained a little more to her about the law of attraction, and that what she should do instead is think, “Okay, this is substitution time.  Yay! – I get to eat a Kiss!  Oh, how I love chocolate.  And that little almond in there is such a joy!  Won’t it be fun when I’m completely off of cigarettes and eating 20 Kisses a day instead!  Yummmmmm – it tastes so good.  So smooth and creamy.  I feel so relaxed.  Ah.  Perfect.  That was just the break I needed to calm down, be able to focus and get back to work.”  (These thoughts need to take place over about a 10-minute period.)  In other words, whatever feeling she gets from smoking the cigarette she needs to conjure up in her mind when she eats the Kiss.  Does that make sense?

I talked to my friend again yesterday; she got down to half a pack and then quit altogether because she learned that she didn’t need the cigarettes after all. Is it possible that she wasn’t actually addicted?  I’m asking – I honestly don’t know.  I would think that an actual addiction would take longer, but then I do know the power of positive thinking and reinforcement.  I also know that she had a strong desire to quit and had quit before, so maybe that broke the physical dependency.

I also see a similar trend with her as many of my weight-loss clients.  She got excited about her new life and the old one just didn’t work for her any more – that always seems to speed things up.  As for staying power, as you know, once you’ve acclimated to a lifestyle you love, you don’t go back.

This brought to mind a theory I’ve been mulling over for quite some time when it comes to non-smokers “dealing” with smokers:  Haven’t we been pushing against what we don’t want long enough?  Isn’t it time for a different approach?

See, most of the time, when I’m around non-smokers, I hear a lot of resistant comments toward smokers.  I want us all to ask ourselves this:  Do you really think that calling these people disgusting, filthy, low-class, and degenerate is going to help them?  It certainly doesn’t seem to have helped so far.

Perhaps it is time to try LOVE.  Not love of cigarettes; love for mankind.  Love for the spiritual beings that inhabit all bodies, everywhere.  Love for who that person really is, and is becoming and has the potential to become, whether they choose to smoke or not.  Throughout the history of this world have we not seen love accomplish a lot more than hate?  Isn’t a good movie the one where love triumphs over hatred?

Instead of ridiculing and talking about smokers behind their backs, perhaps we should keep our mouths shut and, whenever you encounter a smoker, try sending good vibes his or her way.  Don’t go up and start talking to them about how much you love them despite the fact that they smoke – that will cause resistance in them.  It is our resistance that is feeding theirs in the first place. We must break the cycle.

I firmly believe that if we, as a society, would approach this problem with love instead of resistance, the hearts of all people (including smokers) would open and they would begin to heal.  That is what it’s about you know – healing.  Sure, it’s a habit at this stage, but heal the need and the habit will no longer be required.  In the case of addiction, replace the “fix” with a lesser “evil” and then deal with that.  I will build my castle one brick at a time. How will I “cure” my friend from eating 20 Kisses a day?   Hmmmm – seems like a more manageable problem doesn’t it?

If someone you love smokes, be supportive by allowing the need.  Focus on why they want to smoke.  Most people nowadays who start smoking do so because there is some benefit that they can identify – weight loss and relaxation are the main two.  Why?  Why do you want to be thin?  Then help this person – earnestly – by helping them find another way.  Go jogging with them.  Who cares that you don’t need to – do you want them to quit smoking?  Help them find a healthy alternative to their underlying desire and then help them execute it.  For relaxation – would a daily massage help?  So maybe you have to watch the kids and not fuss about the money so that this person can do that.

Most importantly, don’t come at them from any form of a negative angle.  Your desire to help must be sincere, and unflappable.  If they “mess up,” no problem – we start from where we are and move forward.  Also important, it has to be something the other person wants and is ready to do.  You can’t change for them, but you can change with them. And no one should change unless they really want to do so.  It is so important to love who you are and where you are that I would never ask anyone to change in order to accommodate my or anyone else’s comfort level.  But it’s also important to love where you’re going – and I think that’s the rub for most smokers.  I know my father would have wanted to be around to see his granddaughter graduate from high school, go to college and become a pharmacist.  I know he wished he’d quit much sooner, and never started to beging with.  But he didn’t know the consequences when he was 14 – it was 1949!

Back to non-smokers.  Don’t “go looking” for opportunities to help smokers – don’t push.  If you’re lucky enough to not be around smokers very much, thank the universe for its progress and when you do have an encounter, send good vibes by saying a prayer.  Pray for that person’s enlightenment and health.  Remember, it’s their choice – be thankful for that, because you have the choice to not smoke.  What if it were the other way around?

I’m also not suggesting that you deliberately spend time with anyone whose values do not match your own.  I will continue to avoid situations where I know there will be a lot of cigarette smoke – I don’t like the allergy meds!  (I end up stopped up and sick for days after an encounter with cigarette smoke and so does my husband – so you can see why we avoid it as much as possible.   That’s why I never let my Dad smoke when I was around.)

What I’m suggesting, is that on any subject, no matter how controversial, stop resisting it, because what you resists, persists.  The best tactic is to not bring it in to your experience at all if you can help it.  But if it shows up, love it, because it’s there for a reason.

And you won’t always get “the love” back, either.  Face it, not everyone is into self-improvement or cares about enlightenment.  But you shouldn’t continue resistance.  For example, there are many smokers on my mother’s side of the family.  Needless to say, I don’t attend many family functions.  From my mother, I always get to hear their side:  “Debra has no right to avoid us because we smoke, after all, her father smoked for most of his life!”  (Like I’m responsible for my father’s bad habits – a habit he started 21 years before I was born!)

But to show up at one of these events, where I know (from experience) that they will deliberately blow their cigarette smoke directly into my face just to see what I will do, just to prove my point – well – can you see the resistance in that?

I am better off to stay away, send loving thoughts and prayers, and hope that one day they’ll understand.  Maybe they will, maybe they never will, either way, it doesn’t have to affect my experience – my joy – my happiness.  And it doesn’t.  We all get along and are there for one another when it counts.

Collectively, we can change the world with only our thoughts.  So my challenge today goes out to 2 different groups.  If you’re a smoker, would you consider lessening your resistance and defending a habit that you know hurts others, and consider finding a way to quit once and for all?  Use your thoughts.  Follow your intuitive guidance.  Ask for help from someone who loves you – tell them exactly how they can help – ask them not to judge.  Don’t focus on quitting, focus on living the way you truly want to live.

To all non-smokers:  Stop pushing against what you don’t want.  Don’t go to a restaurant that allows smoking and sneer at all the smokers.  Don’t mumble hateful words beneath your breath as a smoker walks by.  Instead, bless them, love them, help them if you are in a position to do so and remember, helping means helping this person from a place of love.  If you can’t do that, remove yourself from the situation.

I know this is a very emotionally charged subject for a lot of people.  All I’m asking, is that you give LOVE a chance.  So don’t e-mail me, unless you’ve tried LOVE, and are genuinely seeking advice.

If you’d like some one-on-one coaching with me on quitting smoking, attend my Wake Up and Create the Life YOU Want Retreat.

Until next time,

Live Joyously

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Sign up for Retreat Information

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on The Science of Getting Rich.”

Even better, come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and get free private coaching!

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted under Dental Practice Management, Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

Necessary Luxury

When does a luxury become a necessity?  This is the question I asked all day, everywhere I went yesterday.  I got some really good responses . . .

 

  • Never – the two terms are mutually exclusive.

  • When it’s chocolate!

  • Always – everyone needs a little luxury in their life.

  • When you’re rewarding yourself for a job well-done.

  • When you’re rewarding someone else for a job well-done.

  • When you want to let someone else know you love them.

  • When quality matters – sometimes what seems like a luxury is really an investment in quality.

  • When you want to show that you’ve reached a certain level of stature – social or economic.

  • Never – the two terms are mutually exclusive.  Embrace the fact that you’re indulging in a luxury and be proud of it!

 

I happen to agree with all of these since, you know, I’m just always so agreeable! And I could certainly add a few more like, but the one I’d really like to add since I didn’t hear it was “when you want to let your Spirit know you love her!”  (Or him.)

 

I’ve been a long-time believer in Steven Covey’s “Sharpen the Saw” concept.  I believe in it because I’ve personally had success with it.  In fact, I teach taking it one step further – don’t do anything until your saw is razor sharp!  Here is what I mean.

 

My mission, my passion, my reason for life, is to motivate, educate, and inspire others to be their best.  How do I do that?  Through my writing and speaking.  A “sharp saw” for me means to constantly be working on my writing and speaking skills.  This blog started as practice for my writing skills.  I can look back over posts from the beginning and get really embarrassed sometimes! 

 

I joined the National Speakers Association in order to have the resources necessary to sharpen my speaking skills.  I love being a member of that organization so much I can’t even express it in words – you’ll just have to trust me!  Naturally, being a member has helped me – I learned how to practice and how to get more speaking engagements so that I can practice – definitely a saw sharpener. 

 

But there’s something else – some other ingredient for my ultimate success that I have – to “sharpen,” and that is my spirit.  You see, I’ve learned that I cannot motivate, educate, and inspire others, until I am motivated, educated, and inspired myself.

 

If I sit down to write a post but my vibes are not pretty high, it’s basically a waste of time.  I end up starting over, or throwing the idea out all together.  Usually, if I’m not vibrating with my source energy, it’s not a very good topic anyway.  I’ve had times when I was feeling really good, wrote a post that I thought was not very well-written, but had tons of comments and compliments on it. Why is that?  Because somehow, you (the reader) can feel the energy coming through when you read it.  David Hooper says, “Everything you create is infused with your energy,” and based on my experience, he’s absolutely correct.

 

In fact, once I figured this out several months ago, once I noticed the connection, I made a promise to myself and to the universe that I would not write, create a speech, a seminar, or anything else for that matter, unless I was in a good mood, connected to source, and high vibe-in’ it!

 

If I’m feeling stressed or burnt out, my posts are sometimes “late.”  I try to post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6 AM EST.  But if I’m not feeling it, I figure you’d rather wait for something good than settle for something dull.  I believe that if I write when I’m in a bad mood, or even a non-chalant mood, you’ll feel that when you read my post.  Why would I want to pass on a low vibration like that?  I wouldn’t.  So I don’t.  And I certainly would not want to pass that on in a keynote speech or seminar.  In fact, I’m wondering what the world would be like if everyone became aware of this fact – that we pass on our vibrations in every interaction we have with others – and started to deliberately make certain that we were always in a good mood when dealing with others.  Hmmmm.  But that’s another post!  Back to luxury versus necessity.

 

See, I’ve had many writers and speakers tell me that to be in a good mood when you write or speak is a luxury.  I agree.  But they go on to say that it’s not necessary.  I disagree.  It’s a luxury you simply cannot afford to omit if you’re going to make a positive difference in this world.

 

So my main luxury, every day, is my Self MEI time.  MEI – Motivation, Education, Inspiration.  I love it; it’s part of my morning ritual; I don’t start my day without it any more that I would drive to work without first taking a shower and getting dressed.  It’s my way of sharpening the most important part of my saw.

 

Steve Pavlina wrote a similar article back in 2004 and I like the way he explains what I’m trying to say here.  Steve goes on to point out that just taking a break or time off isn’t good enough; you need to do something with that time to improve your performance. 

 

Keep in mind that when I talk about “success” and “performance”, I’m not even talking about success in your career; I’m talking about your personal life-experience success – whatever that means to you.  It can be, and I hope it is, related to the work you’ve chosen to do, but your ultimate success (happiness) in life is what matters most.

 

I’ll be discussing this in great detail in my up-coming retreat.  Knowing the content, I can confidently say that my “Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat” is a necessary luxury, and I hope to see you there.

 

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Sign up for Retreat Information

What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on The Science of Getting Rich.”

Even better, come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and get free private coaching! 

***Please Note:  All transactions are processed through PayPal, but you can use Visa, MC, AMEX, or Discover.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted under Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success