“One truth you must consider. You are only as expansive, successful, joyous, peaceful and free as you truly love and accept yourself.”
~ Joseph
If you realize you are not yet all you want to be, here are some very unique personal development tips that will change your view of yourself and how you see all of life.
In this moment you can live in awe of the incredible peace, love, joy and freedom that is available to you. It is a simple choose, be present or not.
There is such wonderful peace when you are able to be fully present to yourself and the divine that powers your life force. In the worry and hurry world peace is left in the dust on the trail of the ego-mind. Peace is the still pond of mindfulness when you rise above the chatter of the ego-mind. Peace is the comfort with self when you are hanging out free of the judging mind, just being.
Yesterday I was at a gallery and something connected about art and how it is a vehicle to deepen our experience of life and open our channel to our spirit. There was a painting of a crow sitting on a window ledge and looking at the sun; it was titled at the Edge of Freedom. It seems crows are symbolic messengers for both my wife and I. For years the intuitive has come to us in a variety of forms with crows high the list. Inner messages call us to leave old stuck patterns and limiting beliefs behind and instead move into the wonder of the unexplored richness of life. This message came home with clarity looking at that painting.
As I read what I wrote above I see by my words that what I want to say is that there is so much we can become aware of and know if we allow the messages around us, the images, and the metaphors speak to us in the inner language of the intuitive. Everything becomes more alive when we are open to see, hear, feel and sense the wisdom of the universe.
How do you make contact with the other world of knowing beyond your rational mind?
What kinds of messengers or metaphors are knocking on the doorway to your higher knowing inviting you to further awaken?
Where do you have stuck patterns or places in you wanting to come into full expression?
What parts of you are touched by images or intuitions that keep showing up and begging you to pay attention?
Where do you keep pushing away what you know is right for you?
How do you diminish your own power by holding out against you’re your quiet wisdom?
None of this is meant to judge but to invite. You are unlimited potential in waiting; you are the grace of light longing to be expressed.
Today is my birthday and I have 10 wishes. As I blow out my many candles I wish for:
Wow what a world that would be and what a way to celebrate a birthday being part of making these wishes come true.
Love, Light and Joy to you,
The time as we know it is shifting rapidly. If we stand too long in one place we may be left in the wake of dynamic change.
The end of the sheeple class is fighting with all there guns firing because they don’t want to go peacefully. Although their nature is to follow without questioning, they don’t like it when the tried and true for them is look at with doubt.
The old ways are old and tired. To conserve things as they have been is not the way ahead. The echo chamber of the lifeless ideas still shouts but today’s minds are much more occupied.
The days of blindly following are dropping by the wayside because evolution is calling. The ways of might makes right are bucking those that would challenge but the heartless cannot lead with passion.
Come towards the light of awakening, of questioning the status quo, of greater expectations for what is possible. The juice of life flows in the sweetness of nectar from an open heart and a seeking mind. There is only delight in the now, only peace in the present.
Stand aside and let the once grand battle of ego-ideology whimper itself out, the weapons created in these delusions now could ruin everything but greater awareness will win out. Leadership for this new way is now coming into the knowing of many who not long ago spun hopelessly in the culture of things and mindless distraction.
Down the hallway, out into the streets, the game of competition melts away as the aliveness of many welcome the differences of all. Unity, collaboration, creativity, compassion, consciousness, and the greater realization of connectedness now points the way for the transformation of this century of deeper knowing.
If the truth be told it must first be found beyond the past limits of ideas and beliefs. These are times that must wipe the chart clean of the stale and misunderstood. Opinions have become as empty as the souls claiming to know.
What next?
Listen inward, find what makes us feel alive and energized.
Turn to others and listen to the rhythm of co-creation.
Move toward share solutions, the bigger picture for generations ahead, the rightness of kindness, of listening to understand, relax into what feels natural, turn away the programmed distractions and find instead the authenticity of what is real and of value.
Marvel at the resourcefulness of those that would have us all in control by entangling us in the web of unimportance and false differences. The real is never entertainment or diversion.
Explore what is possible. Rest in the space between thoughts. Linger long enough to know what is sure for you. This knowing is beyond ordinary thinking. It feels more like truth with a big warm batch of chocolate chip cookies. Long-winded explanation are not needed.
Then along the way, things release that need to go away, past bumps smooth out, matter takes care of what doesn’t matter.
Now sleep is deep, dreams are alive with insight.
Life becomes the joy of the moment, the kindness of meaningful connections, whispers of inspiration, and the sense of what is possible expands.
And the walls come tumbling down.
You have much greater control over your own mind when you are aware of the programming that has been going on all of your life. From the moment you came into being, there has been a constant barrage of information coming your direction. This information began inside your mother and has most likely never slowed down.
Since you came out into the world there has been endless influence and feedback from all the people and circumstances of your life. All of this programming adds up to a great amount of unsorted ideas, information, beliefs, etc. Unless you become mindful and/or aware to these influences they unconsciously run your life.
This post today is about drawing your attention inward to help you become more aware of the ideas and beliefs you acquired along the way. With the hope you will become conscious enough to choose the influences that shape you and your world from now on. Becoming a more conscious human being enriches your life in endless ways and can set you free of self limits you picked up trying to figure out how to be a human being.
In my 35 plus years of working intensely with people I have come upon some very common false beliefs. The following 10 false beliefs may or may not limit your experience of life today:
1. You are not an okay person. These messages came to you from your family, peers, your schooling, your church and now mostly from yourself as an adult. This idea of you not being okay is totally false. The people who said you were not okay were not okay with themselves. This false idea of self is programmed into most of us even by very well intended and loving human beings. They were wrong and you are mistaken if you have the belief that you are not an okay person. The good news is you can change that idea right now by changing your thoughts about yourself. Focus on accepting and appreciating who you are.
2. You are a bad person. Like the “not okay” above this one gets more specific by telling you that you are bad for the way you behave, for the sins you commit, and for the rules you break. There is really no such thing as a bad other than a label people put on other people and themselves. Yes there are people who do terrible things but they are the exception. Sin, often linked to being a bad person, does not exist other than as a religious idea. There was no original sin that too is a human invention. The rules you violated upset the rule makers but they do not make you bad. Do your best to catch the judging mind and stop any further labeling of self.
3. You are not good enough, you don’t deserve. This is a false message most of you have received that often is hard to shake. People who didn’t feel okay about themselves taught you that you were not good enough or deserving of what you want. Again the institutions of the world often teach you aren’t good enough. Families, schools and religion too often make you feel like you don’t deserve the life you want to have. Then when you become an adult you don’t let in the good things because you feel undeserving. You deserve the life you desire so go for it.
4. You are not smart enough. Intelligence comes in many forms but in school it’s determined by math and language skills. If neither of those were your strengths in your early years you may graduate from school with lots of self-doubt about how smart you are. You can also be smart in body intelligence (athletics, dance etc), in creativity, in social skills, in mechanical skills and other ways of personal brilliance. You are more than smart enough for the life you want to live. There is unique genius in you waiting to be discovered.
5. You are not creative. Your creativity may not be drawing or coloring within the lines. You could be a creative genius in graffiti, in hip hop music, in designing video games, in the way you communicate with others, or in the way you parent your children with great compassion. The more you explore your creativity the more it seems to flow. Everyone is creative. When you find your ways of creating you will feel full of aliveness and feel purposeful.
6. Your body is not okay. This is a constant message in our society, it is no wonder you are not okay with your own body. Diet books out sell most other non-fiction books. Yes you want a healthy body but it needs to start with feeling okay with who you are and then work at getting better if that is what you want. The products industry is heavily invested in the idea of selling you stuff because they promote not feeling okay about yourself or your body. Stand in front of a mirror every day and be okay with it. If you want to change it do so with positive focus and acceptance all along the way.
7. You are not loveable. This message is false and always will be but it comes to you from others who don’t know how to love themselves. Self-love is most important for a positive experience of life. When you love and accept yourself as you are, others will love you to. Do not waste your time seeking the approval of others. Approve of yourself and the rest will take care of itself. You may have been raised by people who had closed their hearts. That does not make you unlovable; it makes them not able to love. Treat yourself with loving-kindness every day.
8. Your feelings are not okay. All your feeling, every one of them, are okay. Some feelings are more difficult to deal with and may cause others to feel uncomfortable. Feelings like fear, anger and hate are highly charged and may seem both scary inside and to those around you. They are okay as feelings but may need some attention. Unexpressed or stuffed feelings build a big charge inside until you numb out or explode. All feelings if acknowledged naturally change to other feelings. If you can get to acceptance with how you feel, you feel positive about yourself. All difficult feelings come from being stuck in the past or worried about the future (fear, anger, hate, worry etc.). All positive feelings come in the present moment (love, joy peace, appreciation, hope etc.)
9. Your sexuality is bad. Religion especially seems to want to make our sexuality bad. This is a false belief generated by people who don’t want others to have pleasure in life. If sexuality is denied or suppressed it often comes out in very unhealthy ways, priests sexual abuse, porn for those who sit in piety over others, fear of LGBT etc. Being a sexual being makes you healthy and alive. Enjoy yourself and your intimacy with others and ignore those who fear pleasure. Intimacy means you have an open heart.
10. You are a failure. There is no such thing as failure, there is just feedback. If things aren’t working out very well, maybe you are caught up in trying to do something that isn’t right for you or trying to live up to other people’s expectations. That could feel like failure but you can change that. Schools that fail students are doing a poor job in their teaching. Find your own way and you will thrive at what you do. Failure is a false idea invented by the judging mind. If you imagine a world that includes what you love to do, you will have great joy and real success.
Many of the above 10 false beliefs are programmed in us by people who don’t even know who they are or what their truth is. Those that judge others do so because they live by what others tell them is the truth and lack compassion for people who see the world differently. Please leave the old ideas and beliefs on the junk pile of human experiences gone off course. Instead find your own truth by listening inward to your heart, your intuition and your higher nature. Then go boldly into the world and make a positive difference just by being you as fully as you can.
One last thought, a powerful message to carry inside is, I totally and completely love and accept myself. If you know tapping or EFT then use this statement to rewire your brain. You can also simply put one hand on the back of you head and one on the front of your head and do this affirmation until you feel you have reprogrammed yourself to be the positive and loving you.
On the path of change it is helpful to keep things as simple as possible. There are five forces that when called upon can produce powerful results in uncomplicated ways. These forces are unstoppable because they represent ideas and actions that have the ability to rise above the chaos of life.
Each one is unique in both access and influence. Combining them multiplies the transformative energy they create. If changing the world is something you have a passion for it would serve you well to come into alignment with these forces:
Compassion – the heart is the driving force, the source of courage and passion needed to keep you going when fear strikes or complacency slips in. Compassion is also a powerful healing force both for you the change agent and for those you interact with along the way. A kind and compassionate heart can bring people together both through listening and through the energy of aliveness an open heart spreads. Having compassion for yourself opens you to having compassion for others and vice versa. Self-love is an essential ingredient if you want to realize your potential. Imagine a world where loving-kindness was the guiding principle.
Consciousness – the ability to rise above the chaos and see the truth of the moment is why consciousness is so important. Higher Consciousness is the light of wisdom that guides you through the darkness of self-doubt. Consciousness is about awareness and insight into your expansive nature and the possibilities of every human being. Your highest consciousness is accessed through silence, through stepping away from the noise of ordinary thought, by going around the needs of the ego-mind, and instead sitting in the quiet stillness that resonates with your spirit. The collective consciousness of all humanity is available to you in the silence of the now.
Connection – the reality is that as human beings you and I and the rest share many more commonalities than differences. When you connect with the common ground of others together you are all much more powerful. Connection means spending time with others with an open mind and an accepting heart. Imagine a world were you shared your greatest dreams and hopes and found many others who share similar ideas of what they wanted in life. Then those people helped you realize your dreams and hopes and you helped them realize theirs. At the atomic, spiritual and consciousness level you are one with everyone. Find that place of oneness within and meet others there.
Creativity – many of the biggest forces for change come from inspired words, uplifting images and the human being ability to imagine something greater. This is creativity in action. You can uplift yourself and others by expressing your creative urges. There has never been found a limit to creativity. So if you are already a creative person there is much more to explore and if you are not yet creative, that is creative expression waiting for you right now. Imagine writing a poem, song or story that lifts others up. Maybe a creative conversation will transform a relationship or a creative act of kindness with help someone going through difficult times. You are a creative being waiting to be more full expressed. When you join with other creative people together you can produce fireworks of inspiration.
Collaboration – the most effective way to usher in change is to have people work together. Collaboration beats competition every time when it comes to shifting cultures, expanding possibilities, encouraging the evolution urges within us. What would happen if the people of the world got together and went in search of solutions for all the world problems? Would you doubt their ability to succeed if they worked collaboratively? You can being like-minded people together or people of different points of view and together see what solutions you can discover for common problems. The best thing about collaboration is that you work with other people you get to experience the oneness of connection, you get to feel compassion for each other, you get to encourage creativity, and you get to help each other be more conscious.
Working together with open hearts, expansive minds, in connection to each other, expressing your creativity in collaboration will change the world in amazing ways.
Be aware: the following words flowed from me and if you are not careful they might infect you with bigger possibilities and turn your inner light on. They are for you from the me that is not separate.
I am an ocean of consciousness.
As the rain pours down my separation joins with the stream.
I flow to the source.
I Am but I am not what I thought I was.
The wind carries me upward and away.
Sometimes the cosmic dust gets in my eyes
Into it all but a drop
Joining dissolving but still infinite and eternal
Awakening, then forgetting
Stepping bravely and then returning to the familiar
Outside, inside, everywhere
Stepping back for a look
Reaching with my heart, opening
Standing strong with what is right
Entering the mystery
Like a flock of birds in coordination
Inward, outward, nowhere
Stars of which I come
Big bang flashes the beginning
Now I run to leap out on the edge
I was, I am, I will be
Pure freedom is a wonderful song
Shall we dance and sing together 
Words are such fun to explore, like painting a picture with orderly shapely marks too contained for an abstract painter but just right for the prose artist.
Where are you in this moment?
How are you being informed by your inner knowing?
Have you appreciated the beauty around you?
In the journey of awakening, the light comes on for glimpses of possibilities and if you lean into that light you can stretch the Ah-Ha for a lifetime. If instead the mind wanders out of the now, that light quickly fades into a buzz of the familiar.
Insight arises, opportunities present themselves and you can bath in them and allow them to soak into your spiritual membranes or be too busy to pay attention.
If you are willing to give this moment your full attention, you will open to the presents of the present.
Now feel the foot as it touches the floor, let that awareness sink deeply into the Earth Mother. Feel the now flowing with aliveness. Keep the foot awareness and the now stays in your lap.
Breathe, follow, breathe, follow, breathe follow.
The grace of the moment helps you find hope, heart, and the humility to realize you are but a drop in the ocean of consciousness, a grain of sand in the infinite universe but also contained within you is all consciousness and the entire ever-expanding universe.
I invite you to honor who you are and take the time to be mindful, to stretch yourself out into what is possible. The world needs you so much right now to be bold and rambunctious about life.
You are infinite in your nature yet you, as the rest of us do, argue for your limits. “Argue for your limits and they are yours,” from Illusions by Richard Bach.
You have been programmed since you were so small to believe in your limits. Now these beliefs run your life and they are not true. That is what is, but it doesn’t have to remain so. There is no blame but the loving acceptance of you as you are, reading this knowing there are greater possibilities in you waiting to be realized.
Now make a commitment to yourself, with all the courage of your heart and the determination of your higher mind, to be more fully your potential every day. In a year you will be a star that shines brightly on the stage of life and we will all be so grateful to you for being you.
In case you were wondering what The Inner Conditions for Happiness are: Be Present, find appreciation in the now, be at one with beauty, be creative, hold in your heart a sense of flourishing and fulfillment, be in positive mind, and serve others.
Let me suggest to you that you begin this year with a positive frame of mind, that you set clear intentions, that you have a plan of action, and that you commit to doing your best each day. Now that sounds simple enough but there is more to each part of this that I want to share. I also am writing this to remind myself because I find regular reminders helpful. I view you and I as unfinished products working to be more fully expressed.
1. A positive frame of mind is essential. Negativity and self-doubt are barriers to creating the life you want. If you don’t feel you deserve or have other false beliefs, the sabotaging part of your mind will make sure you don’t get what you want. The mind is an incredible power tool that needs to be turned on and use properly or it can do damage. Think of a power saw focused and cutting a straight line toward your goals. If you loose focus the saw goes off course or jams up, just like the mind can do. A positive mind is focused on success.
This optimal mind keeps you energized when things seem stuck, keeps you hopeful when fear arrives, keeps providing you ideas and inspiration when they are needed. The positive mind also skips over past experiences that can bog you down because this mind only works with what can be done now. This kind of mindset is simply much more enjoyable than being negative.
One other reminder – you most likely have an inner critic and that internal voice is not positive in any way. The best thing to do with the critic is to turn it off or at least turn the volume so low it can’t be heard. Your inner critic is part of the judging mind, which is neither positive nor helpful. Inner self-talk is best when it is supportive and encouraging.
2. The next essential component is setting clear intentions. Start each day with one intention that you will focus on. You can also set intentions for the week, month, year but a daily one is important. You can do more than one intention but it will work better that you have goals you want to accomplish as part of your daily intention. (Example: intention - be proactive in moving my plan for success ahead today, goals could include writing a blog post, do social networking, follow up with a call, talk to a speakers bureau or whatever is part of your intention for moving your success plan forward.)
Intentions that are clear focus your energy for the day. Always state intentions in positive words and keep them about today. Today is the only day you can do anything for yourself. Tomorrow is only an idea that can happen in the now and the past is over and a misdirection of focus. Now has all the power.
After this year is over you will have 365 intentions and each one will have enriched your life in sometimes amazing and wonderful ways. Intentions also can call together resources greater than ones usually available. Clear intentions call the Universe into action to support you and what you want to make happen. Wayne Dyer’s book, Intentions is one of his most helpful books.
3. A plan of action is important to move ideas into material form. If you want to make things happen, you have to make them happen. Action is the stepping into the stream of life and moving towards what you want. Without action you need to count on luck and miracles and that too often doesn’t work. If you want to write a book, you need to sit down and do some writing.
The more actions you take, the more energy starts flowing towards the results you want to create. Even false actions give you feedback about what doesn’t work. With consistent action a momentum starts building, which will carry you to the success you want to create.
Reading other people’s plans of action can be very helpful. If there is someone you know who is doing great things, find out what actions they are doing to create these results. There are many good ideas on the Internet where people share what they do for success. Two people who have ideas worth exploring are Cris Guillebeau and Dave Carpenter.
4. Do your best each day. This seems simple but what too often gets is the way are old habits, distractions, and limiting beliefs. It is easier to do what is familiar and comfortable but that may be much less than what you are capable of doing. How have you been holding you back?
The best results are created by: putting your energy into what you are doing, engaging the power of your heart, and pushing yourself to stretch into more dynamic expression. Listen inward to the call for being more each day and avoid the habit trap and deep groove of the familiar. Listening to your intuition can be very helpful for doing your best.
Imagine having fun, feeling passion for what you do, and exploring ways to be even better. You determine what is your best, there is no need for unrealistic expectations or to seek the approval of others. You can choose to do you with aliveness and boldness.
These four ways will be helpful in 2012 to manifest the results you desire. Let yourself be you more fully every day. If your mind is aligned, your plans empowered, your actions taken, and your best efforts put in, things will work out in amazing ways.
If you are wondering what your purpose is in 2012, I want to suggest two ultimate purposes we all share.
Those two purposes are:
1. To have an open heart and spread as much love, compassion caring and kindness as you can in 2012.
2. To have an open mind and become as conscious as you can and spread that light out into the world.
These two purposes will enhance you life and bring positive changes to you and the rest of the planet.
Can you imagine a world where the heart and higher consciousness guided us all?
What kind of world would it be where love and compassion shaped what we did and higher consciousness lifted everyone to be the positive possibilities they are?
Would you join me?
2012 is going to be a breakout year for humanity. Can you feel the energy of breakthrough in the air? Listen, tune in more deeply, and become part of what is happening. You and I are the ones that are here at this time in history to be agents of change. The time of gathering your information and building your confidence is complete for now. In 2012 you are called to participate in something so monumental and important that your genius and greatness will be needed to make this year sing the song of enlightened excellence.
Are you ready for this? Of course you are or you would not be here on Earth at this time.
Take a few minutes to tune into these questions:
Let me propose new and expanded ways of seeing and experiencing who you are. The follow are over 100 new ways to see yourself:
Mind Expander
Impartial Observer
Awareness Finder
Explorer Of Higher Consciousness
Freedom Seeker
Open To Learning
Humility Realizer
Limiting Beliefs Buster
Movement Starter
Tribal Leader
Healer of Self
Person Of The Now
Lover Of Humanity
Compassionate Giver
Values Keeper
Passionate Purpose Person
Connector
Inviter of Insight
Positive Person
Peaceful Insider
Mindful Minded
One Who Practices Loving-Kindness
Solution Finder
Responsibility Taker
Practical Futurist
Explorer Of The Extraordinary
Quiet Contemplator
Patient Supporter
Wise Minded
One Who Expresses Creativity
Co-Awakener
Growth Seeker
Kindness Giver
Open Hearted To All
Harmony Enjoyer
Seeker Of Balance
Action Starter
Intention Maker
One Who Focuses Attention
Mover From The Inside Out
Commonality Finder
One Who Sees Unity
Brings PeopleTogether
People Helper
Inspiration Generator
Thought Shaper
One Who Encourages Others
Self-Believer
Truth Seeker
Silent Non-Doer
Well-being Keeper
Clarity Finder
Provocative Poet
Theme Songster
Demand Voicer
Breath Listener
Zen Minded
Yoga Bodied
Tai Chi Moved
Meditation Sitter -
Light Shiner
Peace Monger
Appreciation Advocate
One Who Remembers With Gratitude
Artistic Activist
Habitat Houser
Innovative Imaginer
Common Causer
Spirit Listener
Fear Transformer
Infinite Energizer
Flow Follower
Wall Remover
Aliveness Finder
Lucid Seeker
Need Assessor
Bold Builder
Meaningful Conversationalist
Big Picture Communicator
Mover of Masses
First Step Explorer
Mask Remover
Nature Protector
Future Generations Forecaster
Global Togetherness Dreamer
One Who Cares For All
Forgiveness Reminder
Self-esteem Booster
Balancer Of Thought And Awareness
Feelings Finder
Story Teller
One Who Welcomes All
Relaxation Restorer
Transitions Helper
Relief Giver
Friendship Finder
Empowerment Advisor
Perspective Enhancer
Viewpoint Enricher
One Who Listens With Heart
Species Protector
These ways of seeing yourself may be expressed in your work, in your relationships and in your personal life. You choose - you are the creator of your life experience. Why not choose boldness?
I have left off nine other self-labels because my wife said they are ones I need to use as part of clarifying my expanded expression (branding). I will share these the special nine in 2012.
You are awesome and so am I. It is time we all step up and be the light, the purpose, and the hope that resides in us.
The Holiday Season is an enjoyable time of year. It can also be stressful as people hurry and worry. An easier way to go about this time of year is to take the time to be mindful of your thoughts and your heart. What people really appreciate is the kindness you share, the compassion you have, and the acts of caring. This season is not about stuff but about the heart. Yes commercialism seems has taken over but that can be ignored.
How can you express your heart and enjoy what this time of year offers? Here are a few ideas that will enrich your experience of the holiday spirit:
1. Take the time to have meaningful conversations
2. Listen to others with patience and compassion
3. Offer to spend time and give support
4. Reach out to those in need with acts of kindness
5. Allow time for you to be quiet and peaceful
6. Be accepting of others and relax the judging mind
7. Each day appreciate all the gifts of life
8. Find what greater aspect of who you are longs to be expressed
9. Live as much as you can in the now where true joy, love, hope and peace reside
10. Relax, take it easy and go for a walk
Take the time to be mindful of what you are doing, what thoughts are running you and what feelings your are creating and get ready for 2012 which is going to be an amazing year.
My dog Pax, my wife Bobbi and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday season.
Listening to an interview of Jon Kabat-Zinn (at Sounds True), I experienced my thoughts expanding into what was possible in a world where mindfulness informed humanity. What would a world be like if wisdom was our guiding force, if peace of mind was how we experienced our self, if being fully present was what mattered, if loving-kindness was our way of interacting with self and others?
The idea of an age of mindfulness stirred in me: a sense of excitement about what is possible, a vision of a better world were we all cared about each other, and hope for new possibilities and solutions fueled by our deeper knowing and our compassionate heart. The future seems so much brighter when together we are intentionally seeking awareness and understanding beyond the ordinary thoughts, concepts and beliefs that too often limit our sense of self and the world.
A world guided by mindfulness might include people:
Living a heart-centered life
Less judgmental and more accepting
Balancing thought with awareness
Tuning inward for self-understanding
Finding inner peace through watching the mind
Compassion for self and others
Listening to each other with an open heart
Resolving conflicts together
No longer run by their fears
Rediscovering and more fully expressing their creativity
Acting with all the people and the planet in mind
Engaged in thoughtful and heart filled discussions
Seeking solutions instead of finding fault
Learning from the universe in moment-to-moment awareness
Stepping back from their reactivity and stepping forward more open to possibilities.
In my work and personal life, I have explored and taught mindfulness for many years. I have benefited greatly from the awareness and insight gained and my clients have repeatedly reported how much they value mindfulness.
*** My new book, Awaken:100 Questions That Will Expand Your Mind And Open Your Heart, will be available in January 2012. This book draws greatly upon the wisdom and the many gifts mindfulness has given me over the years. I am very excited about sharing this book with you.
The beach walk this sunny morning was nice. I found a really beautiful agate as I walked and enjoyed the cool fresh air.
I wanted to continue on my theme yesterday about finding hope. How do we build hope into this next year? 2012 is supposed to be an important year in human history. My belief is that are minds are very powerful and that if we decide to make 2012 a powerful year, we will. I propose that we put together some positive ideas for 2012 and bring our collective minds and hearts together to make this year the most powerful in human history.
Nine Ideas For 2012:
What would you change or add?
We all can make a difference.
It is time for us to find hope. Hope comes from inside of us but can be triggered by the words and ideas of others. There are many people who are thinking in ways that make me feel encouraged about the future of humanity. If you watch the nightly news and think that is the only truth about what is going on, you miss out on people who are thinking in expanded ways. The expanded thinkers don't make it on the news but their ideas should be the nightly headlines.
Recently, I have felt hope inside thanks to having an open mind to expansive ideas. Here are a few I wanted to share with you today:
On Huffington Post there is a series of 18 TED Talks that are being presented because of the influential ideas that will help shape 2012. Check this series out: the talk today is exceptional by Brene’ Brown
There is a young man named Chris Guillebeau who writes about the art of non-comformity has a new manifesto worth reading if by chance you want an extraordinary life. The manifesto is called The Tower. The Tower will help you think big about what matters to you.
Many of the TED Talks, which you can find on YouTube, are exceptional. There will help you expand your mind and open your heart. One of my favorites lately has been Sir Ken Robinson on the importance of creativity. If you are concerned about education, this talk will be enlightening.
I am sure you will enjoy the ideas above. Hope really begins inside from being full present and from being open in mind and heart. When we are present and open, we are available to hope and that makes us feel better. What gives you hope? Are you hopeful for 2012?
