“It only takes one person to change your life – you.”
- Ruth Casey
Tuesday, October 25, 2011 – Self Help
October 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Number One Tip for a Healthy Body
October 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
By Betsy McGuire -
When I first thought of doing this “#1 tip” series, I figured I’d be thinking about what the tips would be for a good deal of time. It seemed a rather important statement to be making. However, as I sat down for the first time, all three tips came to me in a matter of minutes. Of all of them, the #1 tip for a healthy body was certainly the easiest to come up with.
Without further delay, let me unveil my number one recommendation for maintaining a healthy body: adopt a clean diet. In fairness, this “one” tip does have several parts to it, but I’m considering the concept as a whole.
So what is a “clean diet”? There are several variations of a clean diet, but when I reference it, I’m talking foremost about reducing/eliminating processed foods from your diet. Why is this so important? Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains don’t contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Once you process foods and add sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients, not only are you decreasing the nutrients in your food but you’re introducing low-quality ingredients into your diet – usually in high quantities.
Reducing processed foods is the most important part of eating clean, but there’s more. For me, following a clean diet also means becoming aware of the quality of the food you are putting in your body. If you are a meat-eater, do you know anything about the beef, pork, chicken, and seafood you’re buying and eating? Do you know where it came from? How it was processed? What the animal was fed? What medications, hormones, or antibiotics the animal was given?
Do you follow the dirty dozen chart of produce and buy the top contaminated crops organic? Most of us don’t choose to think about these things. What you eat is crucial to your current health and even more important for your future good health. Read labels and stay away from foods with ingredients you don’t know. Also stay away from packaged foods with long lists of ingredients. The more you know, the more powerful of a consumer you’ll become.
Consider working your way into clean eating. Your body will thank you.
Betsy McGuire invites you to visit http://www.chickpeawellness.com/ and sign up to receive her mind, body, and spirit blog the day entries are made. You can also “like” Chickpea Wellness on Facebook and receive new articles on your wall.
Copyright 2011 Chickpea Wellness, LLC
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Listen Now: Julie-Ann Blackmore talks with us about “How to Be You”
October 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
To Listen Now, Click Here – From an early age, Julie-Ann Blackmore’s dream was to end people’s suffering. Through her childhood she realized her many strengths including the discovery that she was psychic and capable of predicting the future. She trained as a registered nurse, a career that was short lived due to a car crash. Seeking self-healing, Julie-Ann trained in Holistic modalities including aromatherapy, energy healing, NLP, hypnotherapy and coaching. In 2004 she received a message that she should write a book which quickly turned into 16 books in which she shares her knowledge and insights. Today she runs her business “How To Be You” in which she supports people in all areas of life offering extremely accurate psychic readings and tailor made professional and personal intuitive guidance. See her website at http://howtobeyou.wordpress.com/
Show Description: Julie-Ann Blackmore is a psychic, a writer, a hypnotherapist, energy healer and a registered nurse who has an amazing life story to tell. Bullied as a child and bullied as an adult woman she set out to help others who had similar experiences. She knew their pain and wanted to help them learn from it and be relieved of it. She will share with us her experiences, how she overcame serious depression and how she can help you be you. When you talk with Julie-Ann you forget the time because you are lost in her warm and lovely British accent and carried away by her inner wisdom. This is a show that will most certainly touch your heart. If you are struggling with “being you” don’t miss this show.
Self Improvement – It Is All About You
August 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
By John Tebar -
Having methods, skills, abilities or natural talents, dreams, aspirations and desires add up to only one thing. It is all about you. No one else only you, you take ownership conscious or not for what you feel, think and do. Self Improvement has nothing to do with others. You are simply in three frames of activity at all times proactive, reactive or neutral. Self Improvement is a voluntary activity.
You are the observer of your own reality. You cause the conditions of your own existence. We all live on the 3 planes of existence the spiritual or no thing, the intellect or reasoning and the physical or body. We strive to do only one thing whether conscious or not and that is to live in fuller expansion and expression of who we are and carry out some purpose for our lives. To be proactive in your own self improvement you should understand these concepts and laws.
Living from within we are immersed in our own being. Our self esteem or self image, it is what we think and feel about our “self”. It is here where we originate our concepts, dreams and aspirations. It is from here that we are inspired, motivated and driven toward or away from what we want or don’t want. Here is where the intangible visions come to mind. The thinking stuff that one can not touch is our inner reality or our true self. We are all connected to the Divine source from where our spirit originates. Our self improvement starts with this acknowledgement.
Intellect or reason is resident in our mind or soul. We reason through logical or illogical calculations or methodologies. Yet there are two major forms of reason, inductive and deductive. Deductive reasoning is based on what is inductive reasoning is based on probability. Here is where you make your choices, decisions this is our conscious self. There is an invisible wall that connects to the conscious and the body and that is the subconscious part of our being. Here is where the one takes what they think and feel about into the body, through the subconscious mind. Here is where the paradigms, experiences, circumstances or beliefs are filtered or mixed that direct the actions of the body in relation to your dream, idea or concept. Yes, this is the place where self improvement gets hatched.
It is within these first two planes of existence where self improvement ideas are created filtered. Your personal development or self improvement concepts are incubated here. No matter what you do, self improvement actions will not manifest until these two planes of existence are in congruency as to the focus of your concept. You may ask “why isn’t the subconscious separated into its own plane of existence?” The answer is within Universal Law of Polarity. The Law states that there is an opposite for everything. If you have a front, you have a back. If you have a spirit, you have a physical body. Same coin different sides.
Self Improvement is all about knowing yourself and taking the actions necessary to obtain what ever it is your want to achieve. You manifest your thoughts, feelings and actions through the physical place of existence. You think about a cup of coffee and you go and get it. Now, do you consciously think about putting the coffee into the machine, pouring the water or turning the machine on? Of course you don’t. Through the Universal Law of Repetition you have long mastered the physical activities which manifest in automaticity. You just do it don’t you?
Actions are manifested through your body and the results are what you have been thinking about, along with the mix from the subconscious mind. If the result is what you were looking for then it is logical that your belief in what you did was going to result in what you wanted. Now, if the result wasn’t what you wanted, then some paradigm or prior conditioning interfered with that result. In other words your concept or idea was not congruent with your actions. There was a resistance to part or all of your idea. This resistance is covered under the Universal Law of Non-Resistance. The Law simply stated what you resist persist. This is very important to know for your own self improvement.
In this idea there may have been something that you didn’t do or have faith in. Procrastination is simply a strategy employed to delay an activity that may be laced in uncertainty due to prior experiences acting in your present reality. If you failed to make an objective due to inaction, barring unforeseen circumstances, it was manifested through the behavior of procrastination or distraction as a vehicle for the non action.
If this happens too often then you need to practice focus and concentration as part of your self improvement plans. When you concentrate on your own self improvement you need to really be conscious of any obstacles in your road. Some can just be discarded or ignored, others need to be side stepped or handled. If you are aware of the pitfalls, then you have a place to start. Affirmations work best when they relate to your positive outcome. Your emotions are your fuel that drives your concepts to the finish line.
Self improvement is all about your enhancement, positive growth and bettering yourself and acclimating to your outcomes. Think of self development as an alignment to the outcomes that you want. This is again all about you. It is about what you want, what you see possible for yourself and what you deserve. If any of these things are out of alignment, then you will manifest through the Universal Law of Attraction that which you created, good or bad makes no difference to the Universe.
When you sit down to think about your future, your self improvement or what it is that you want, make sure your define your outcomes along ensure that you feel excited about that prospect or else you will not long last in your own enthusiasm for personal growth. Remember that self improvement is a proactive and voluntary and not something that just happens.
Knowing now that your destiny is determined by your own thoughts, feelings and action; get excited and positive about what your goals or objective are, knock out the resistance and you will make it to the other side. It may take some time and just remember that you must align your thoughts with feeling of accomplishment, to manifest the plans for your own self improvement.
John Tebar Life Coach, Author, Entrepreneur, sign up for mailing list and future exclusive events and bonus at http://www.holisticlifeplanningandresearch.com
contact email john@holisticlifeplanningandresearch.com
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Are You Happy to Be You?
July 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
By Susan Russo -
“The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself.” – Mark Twain
Why are people so hard on themselves? Why do we beat the living crap out of ourselves about every little thing and then wonder why we’re not happy? Isn’t it sad when you hear about a person who has been abused by someone they love?
No one deserves to be treated poorly, disrespected, talked down to and beaten down, not even you. So why on earth do people do it to themselves? Learning to love yourself may sound cliche, but it’s the single most important factor in building your confidence and self-esteem.
If you stop for a second and listen to the self-deprecating way you talk to yourself or how you continually criticize yourself, is it any wonder you feel bad about who you are? There isn’t anyone on the planet that’s perfect. We all have our flaws, but we also all have our strengths, our blessings and our inner beauty.
Focusing on everything you hate or dislike about yourself is like a nagging old bitty constantly beating a dead horse. Give it up! Lay off!
If you were witnessing someone being mistreated you would want to come to their rescue and tell the bully to go crawl back under the rock they came from. Well then, there are times when you are that bully inflicting mean, hurtful words upon yourself, your own self-torture.
Instead, make a list of the things that you have to be thankful for and begin to see that there are many blessing you’ve been given that you may have chosen to ignore.
You have qualities that are unique from others and that is where you need to focus your thoughts. There are things about you that make you special.
Every time you start to find fault, i.e. I’m too fat, too old, too short, too tall. I’m too shy, I can’t make friends, No one ever likes me, I’m dumb, I can’t talk in front of people, I’ll never succeed etc., ask this question, why am I being so mean to myself?
What good does it do to talk to myself in such a cruel way? Would you ever talk to someone you loved that way? Then why not start to love yourself a little bit more each day?
Treat yourself, as you would someone you love. Don’t allow that bully in you to keep putting you down. If you do, you are approaching your life with the wrong attitude. You are being abusive and unkind to YOU!
Instead, say, “I’m not that bad. There may be things I don’t like about myself but in all in all, I’m a good person.” Then start to acknowledge those qualities that you do possess, i.e. I’m funny, I’m giving, I love to laugh, I excel in this or that, I help people, I’m committed, honest, warm, I’m nice to people (other than myself, just kidding) I’m a great cook, I’m organized, etc. Begin to acknowledge the qualities that make you special.
Find the goodness in you and start to appreciate you for who you are. Relish your uniqueness. We are all on a journey to find our true authenticity. Yours will be different from others. There will be things you can change and things you will learn to accept and embrace about yourself.
However, the key is to learn to accept the whole package. You are a shining star in many ways. Become aware of what you have to offer and celebrate your gifts. There isn’t another person on this planet with your qualities and uniqueness.
You can’t expect others to love and respect you if you can’t. By treating yourself lovingly and respectfully, you will find others who will treat you the same. It all begins from within. When you learn to accept yourself just the way you are, you will say, “I’m happy to be me!”
If you want to find out how to discover your hidden power, go to: http://www.susanrusso.com
Susan Russo is an author, speaker and coach who provides inspiration, self-empowerment and the tools and strategies to help move you toward personal success and fulfillment. She is author of “There Is Life After What’s-His-Name and The 7 Keys To Unlock The Power Within You. Susan is also Co-Author of: Success and Happiness-16 Experts Reveal Their Secrets.
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Meditation and Self Help
March 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
By B. J. Price – 
When the days are crazy and hectic, some people find that meditation is one of the best ways to get centered and calm down, and reduce the noise of the day. There are so many advantages that meditating brings for people. First, meditating reduces the amounts of cortisol in the body which is one of the hormones that is produced during stress. Second, it helps boost the immune system and functions of the brain, as well as helping to balance the left and right brain functions because it helps create fresh neural pathways. Third, it helps reduce a variety of emotional issues including depression, fear, and anxiety.
What exactly is meditation? There are a variety of forms of meditation that allows the individual to empty the mind, relax, and concentrate on one specific thing, such as relaxation, or healing, or assorted forms of self help. The most practiced methods of meditation include settling into a comfortable position, generally sitting, and concentrating on something specific, such as a candle flame. Most people find it very difficult at first because the mind is so cluttered with the activities of the day, making it hard to give attention to just one thing and block all other thoughts. Another helpful area is repeating a mantra, such as Om, that also helps focus the mind on a solitary thought. The goal is to achieve a silent mind and be able to control the thoughts. This generally takes a significant amount of practice before the silence is achieved and the thoughts focused.
Once the individual has learned to meditate, there are many areas that meditation is useful for, including building self confidence or self esteem, improving health, solving a problem that has been difficult to resolve, or improving brain function. One of the main beliefs of meditation revolves around the law of attraction; a metaphysical belief that whatever is truly desired can be attained because when one meditates on a specific desire, that meditation helps manifest that desire. The law of attraction requires positive thinking and one of the best aspects of meditating achieving a positive attitude.
There are also a variety of guided meditations that are geared for a multitude of reasons. These generally have soft music with a soft, calming voice guiding the individual through a variety of settings; such as walking along a quiet beach and hearing little more than the calming of the waves and the distant call of a solitary bird. Once the calm state of clarity of mind is reached, the guided meditation focuses the mind on suggestions such as enhancing self confidence, losing the anxiety or fears, or focusing the body on healing. When these guided meditations are practiced several times each week, they are very successful in altering a behavior, increasing self esteem, or helping increase the healing process.
Meditation is one of the oldest forms of calming the spirit, increasing creativity and problem solving, or simply relaxing the body in order to achieve rest and necessary healing.
For guided meditation products and information please visit:
http://meditations4thesoul.com
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When the power went out yesterday …
December 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
By Irene Conlan -
Yesterday the power went out. It was an interesting experience.
Two days before Christmas we had no power from 11:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. We survived. Yikes! There was so much to do and everything required electricity to do it.
I had brownies in the oven that I was planning to take to the crew at VoiceAmerica when I went to do the radio show. They weren’t quite done. I left them in the oven a bit longer and then took them out because I though I should. I didn’t take them with me because I didn’t know what state of doneness they were in but when I checked them after the show, they were wonderful and I may have discovered a new way to cook brownies – if I just knew what that really was.
I tried to call Salt River Project, our utility company, but the offices were closed for the holiday. (Why?) They have a line to report power outages which I stayed on long enough to use up the charge in two cell phones and my calls were never answered. But I discovered the whole neighborhood was dark and figured everyone was on the line trying to report it. I took the phone to the car and plugged it in to make a couple of calls that just had to be made. And I took my cell phone and charger with me to VoiceAmerica and charged it while I did the radio show so I’d at least have a phone when I got back home. I wasn’t aware of how much I depended on the phone.
My son and grandson were away for the evening and the cat and I were alone in the house. There really isn’t much you can do in our society without electricity – no lights, no stove, no computer (no email), no phone. I had a ham in the refrigerator and some leftover peas. I took them over to my son’s side of the house to heat them on his gas stove (mine’s electric) but part of it uses electricity and the stove wouldn’t light. Cold peas aren’t too bad and cold ham is quite delicious. For desert I had a brownie with ice cream on top because I was afraid the ice cream would be melted beyond saving by the time the electricity came back on. You know what they say, “Seize the moment.” or “Any excuse will do.” I felt like I’d had a gourmet feast.
When it got dark I found a book and a flashlight and read a really great book I’d started a few days ago and I enjoyed the beautiful sound of silence. It was quiet. Absolutely quiet. I put some candles on the coffee table so I could see my way around the room and it gave the room a mellow, lovely look and feel that I hadn’t expected. It was a little chilly but some warm socks and a jacket kept me comfortable and when it started getting uncomfortably cold I had a little eggnog with some “nog” in it that warmed me up quite nicely.
It gave me the opportunity to appreciate what I have and to be grateful for electricity. We really take electricity for granted and nine hours without it made it abundantly clear just how much we rely on it.
It forced me into stopping all my busyness to spend some time “just being.” That was a good thing because I had a chance to reflect on the crazy day and the season and do a meditation uninterrupted by my own thoughts urging me to get up and do something.
I was almost sorry when I heard things starting to hum as they began coming back to life when the current was restored.
It made me remember a verse from the Old Testament, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1) And the question comes, “How much light do I bring to the world?” Am I on full power or have the lights gone out? Am I “cooking on high” or just barely simmering?
Such lovely lessons from a power failure and questions that I need to ponder and answer before we move into 2011. What about you? Are you tapping into your full power, your full potential? What do you need to do to get re-energized, renewed, fully powered up?
The Effect of Negative Thinking on Health, Wellbeing and Life Span
December 21, 2010 By 1 Comment
By Sam Borrett -
“Can Meditation Affect Telomere Length?” This was the subject of a now famous article on Stress, mindful meditation and their impact on telomere length, by Nobel Prize-winner, Elizabeth Blackburn. The study also addressed the stress, meditation and cancer.
Dr Blackburn, a graduate of Melbourne University who has worked in the US for many years, launched the study of telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes, the discovery of which holds out hope of a deeper understanding of growth, aging and disease.
In a recent interview Dr Blackburn said telomeres were “like the tips of shoelaces. If you lose the tips, the ends start fraying. “As we mature, our telomeres slowly wear down.”
She has pursued interdisciplinary research into telomeres, stress, meditation and cancer.
It is said that telomeres are the proteins that ‘cap’ the chromosomes in our body. When the cells divide during the process of genetic copying a very small portion of the telomeres does not get copied, as a result they begin to shrink.
That means every time the cells divide, the telomeres shrink leading to cell damage and death. This results in the process of aging. Scientists have now proved that the enzyme telomeres found in the germ and cancer cells in our body can repair and replace telomeres and slow the aging process.
There is sufficient evidence to show that the many everyday discomforts, diseases and tensions arise from the fact that we are alienated from our bodies. The mind can be an important cause of sickness in the body as those in the alternative fields have known for a long time anyway.
In a recent interview Dr Blackburn said that once upon a time if you had said to her that meditation could benefit people, their longevity and their health she would have laughed at the idea. Now, however she has been acclaimed as one of the originators, with two others I believe, of some seriously exciting discoveries linking meditation directly to the beneficial impact on telomeres.
What was more striking was that even with people with well advanced cancers such as prostate and other ailments too numerous to mention, the introduction of meditation and yoga into their daily lifestyle impacted so positively on their health and well being that even the molecular biologists were dumbfounded. You can see much of these interviews by different female and male molecular biologists online if you desire.
Conversely, the impact of negative thinking and a negative attitude affected adversely the health of each of the subjects. It was shown that a positive attitude affected people’s health in such an obvious way that only the ignorant could claim otherwise.
In an interview I saw, there were some amazing examples of people aged 95- 105 in the USA all demonstrating the possibility of a pain free life, still actively engaged in the pursuits of an enjoyable old age.
It’s not that we would all want to live so long, although I can’t see why not, at this stage of my life, but certainly any improvement in the quality of a person’s life can only be a good thing.
Sam
Sam J. Borrett – first trained as a lawyer,then retrained in India as a Rebalancer, Bioenergetics Therapist, Meditation Leader, Facilitator, and Hypnotherapist. For a different angle go to http://mentoring4change.com/ for more free material and also http://www.familyconstellation.com.au
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How To Deal With Anger Issues: Stopping The Outburst
December 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment
By Valerie Olmsted -
Observation of the real root cause of Anger is the first step in ending the effect of anger in life; perception is the gift. When we first perceive that anger we feel has little to do with the people we are directing it at, that revelation bestows a gift of freedom. Only when we perceive the truth can we start to move on and heal ourselves and others from the pernicious negative effects of Anger. When we see that the people we surround ourselves with are only triggers to the anger due to similar mannerisms, looks, phrases or circumstances, it allows us to look deeper-to the real cause.
Perception leads the way and then the work begins. Once we decide to stop lashing out in anger we can stop ourselves from doing so. At first the realization may only occur after the incident, so there may be a lot of necessity for apologies. The more the outburst can be noticed though, the quicker it can be caught and the sooner the apologies can be uttered. Soon the outburst will be stopped before uttered; then there is no need for apologies. With time and effort, the angry thought will not even make it to the mouth and all that is felt is Anger, then self-forgiveness. One can even get to the point where Anger does not exist so there is no need for suppression or forgiveness; at that point, one can forgive others their outbursts without rancor or revenge.
One thing that really helps with controlling angry outbursts that one might regret later is the program of Non-violent Communication. Practitioners of this method get the point across without angry epithets being thrown at the other person; this is something very good for relationships. It is a method of truth wherein one states the real reason for the anger and what triggered it and then states what is needed. For example: after a callous remark made by one partner, the other partner might leave for a bit, to cool down and think about it. Upon return the offended party might state: “I became angry because what was said triggered a childhood memory of something very painful. The thought that the person I love would go down that road was just too much to bear at a point when I was feeling very vulnerable. I had a hard day and just don’t have the coping mechanisms to deal with this right now. What I really need is assurance that I am still loved and that this will not escalate into an incident like the one in my memory.”
By stating what the real problem is and then what is needed to bring about healing, we stand in our truth. How the other person chooses to handle it is then their decision but at least our own anger is handled in an adult manner. We have no control over the thoughts and feelings of others; we can’t make others love us or cooperate in the ways we prefer. That is no reason for Anger to be present and it has no place in any loving relationship. All we can do is stand in our own truth and make better choices…and that is enough.
©2010 Dr.Valerie Olmsted All Rights Reserved
Dr. Valerie Olmsted is an author, naturopathic physician, metaphysician, internet entrepreneur, artist, speaker, and lover of life. Traveling with the Quantum Vortex Experience, she has helped thousands of people reach the inner connection they are seeking and has contributed to the discoveries of manifestation practices via quantum physics applications.
http://www.BeWhoYouReallyAreCoach.com
Contact: Dr.Valerie Olmsted
2370 W. SR 89A
Ste.11-#121
Sedona, AZ 86336
928-257-3290
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Making Change in Uncertain Times: We’re All on This Road Together
December 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
By Scott Marcus -
My mother was an avid devotee of Deepak Chopra, the new-thought speaker and writer. She hung on his every word, attending his lectures, buying his CDs, consuming every page of each book. So, I was a bit surprised when she called me on a New Year’s day and abruptly announced, “Don’t ever buy me anything for me from Deepak Chopra again!”
Caught off guard, I mumbled, “Uh (articulate speaker than I am), sure, mom; I promise. What happened?”
“Did you see the L.A. Times today?” she inquired, agitated, barely able to contain herself.
By her tone, I’m assuming he was accused of child abuse or murder. “No, we don’t get that in Eureka. Was he arrested?
“No, of course not! Deepak Chopra would never do anything to get himself arrested!” Despite whatever had happened, her loyalty had not totally taken flight.
“So, tell me, what happened?”
“There was a feature story in today’s paper; they asked all sorts of celebrities what they wish for their children in the coming year.” She paused, collected herself, and then continued, as if the words were too painful. “I can’t believe his answer. Do you know what he said?”
“No, mom. I told you I didn’t get the paper. What was it?”
“He said he wanted his children to live in a state of constant uncertainty! Can you believe that? Who would ever wish their children live like that? What kind of man is he? And I really admired him.”
Her disappointment was starting to soften her anger. She was deeply hurt; let down by a man she so admired.
To put it in perspective, one needs to understand that my mother was born in 1925 to a lower-economic household. In her generation, and with such a background, certainty was the most sought-after security one could have. After facing the Great Depression, the death of her father by a drunk driver, and losing family in the holocaust and the second World War; establishing a sense of normalcy; a pattern to one’s life, mattered more than anything. She sought to keep things contained, orderly, in their places; to make sure we – her children – would never have to worry as did she. An impossible undertaking to be sure, but one to which she recommitted herself each day for her 74 years. For Mr. Chopra to desire for his children a state of “constant uncertainty” was, in my mother’s impression, tantamount to wishing upon them disease or pestilence.
“So, mom,” I continued, “Does he explain why?”
“I don’t know. I was so angry I wouldn’t finish the article.”
“Well, I’m interested now. Can you tell me what it says?”
I heard rumpled newspaper being unfolded. There was a silence as she perused the article. Then, when she returned, her breathing had slowed and deepened; an understanding had taken hold, the anger evaporated.
“Oh,” she said, “I should have read the whole thing. Deepak says, ‘In the state of constant uncertainty is when all things are possible.’ He wants his children to have unlimited possibilities, to do anything they want, to see possibilities that others miss, to never feel trapped by artificial barriers. That makes sense.” She paused. “See, I told you he was a good man.”
Isn’t that the way it is? The more we think we KNOW what to do, the more we close the door on the alternatives. THIS is how I’ve always developed my business. THIS is the way it’s done. With blinders firmly in place, we continue along the same path, simply because we know it, not because it’s as effective as it could be. We develop behaviors and patterns and stick to them, even when they no longer perform. Because, this is what we have always done. This is what we KNOW. And we’ll keep doing it – until we cannot, and must face the fear of uncertainty.
Uncertain times (and Lord knows that a nice euphemism for present day) cause us to have to re-examine everything, to reevaluate, to toss out old ideas and engage in new activities we’ve been meaning to do “one of these days.” Now, kicking, begging, and screaming, we have been dragged into “these days.”
Uncertain times are frightening. Yet, they can also be exciting. We stand at a crossroads where we have an opportunity to venture down new avenues and explore new terrains. Few sights will seem familiar; our landmarks are no longer. But, we have a rare opportunity to try out those “someday soon” ideas that were relegated to “to-do” items in our PDA with “unscheduled” as the due date.
Personally, I am taking this time to launch my own business, attend more workshops, further delve into on-line venues, re-connect with old clients, even start taking Yoga to improve my health. I needed to do all of those for a while. However, as long as there was no pressing need to change, I never found the time. Now, due to the conditions that swirl about us, I seem to be a fireball of new ideas. And, as confused and overwhelmed as I might feel at times, I have to admit that I find it exhilarating to be able to test myself and see what happens. (Additionally, it makes for great stories in my columns!) These may be “uncertain times,” and there indeed might be unlimited possibilities, but, it’s still nice to lean on each other once in awhile. After all, we’re all on the road together.
Scott “Q” Marcus is a THINspirational speaker, Recovering Perfectionist, Syndicated Columnist, and the founder of ThisTimeIMeanIt.com, a site for people who are tired of making promises to themselves but are willing to do what it takes to actually makes changes. In addition, he conducts speeches, workshops, and presentations throughout the country on how to achieve goals, improve attitude, and enjoy the process. You can contact him for speaking, coaching or consulting, or you can sign up for his free ezine, “This Time I Mean It” at http://www.scottqmarcus.com or at his blog at http://www.ThisTimeIMeanIt.com
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