Amy L. Burns, CLC

Retired!

2011-11-23T12:58:00.000-05:00

I am excited to announce my retirement from coaching!

I have really enjoyed working with amazing clients and colleagues, and learning so much about myself in the process.

And now, I'm going full time with my art!

I don't think I'd have made the leap to being an artist without coaching as a necessary stepping stone.

Thank you all for your support!

Love,
Amy

PS. Come find me on Etsy! http://amylburns.com

Mindful Choices

2010-07-08T10:36:00.000-04:00

With the heat wave I spent yesterday morning at an official city cooling center, the Brooklyn Public Library. One of the books I came home with is Bringing Yoga to Life: The Everyday Practice of Enlightened Living. Although every page has an abundance of food for thought, this morning a couple of questions really stood out for me...

*Are my choices supporting what is deeply satisfying in my life?
*Are my choices leading to long-term freedom or short-lived pleasure?

We make thousands of choices every day... How might our days look different if we asked ourselves these questions throughout?

If we ask ourselves these questions in reference to what we do for work, where we live, what we do for play and pleasure, how would our lives change?

How might my life be different tomorrow if I ponder these questions today?
I encourage you to spend some time with these questions. Let me know what you come up with.

I Am Safe - mantra

2010-04-27T17:02:00.000-04:00

One of my most coveted mantras is "I am safe." I picked it up years ago from the writings, teachings, and card decks of Louise L. Hay, and have found it to be indispensable.

I am no stranger to fear. There have been times in my life when I have found fear in sitting still, in moving forward, and in going deeper into my journey. And there are still times when little fears and big fears nuzzle up to me and try to take hold. "I am safe" has been my strongest ally and partner in releasing fear, gathering courage, and finding peace.

Whether I find myself feeling a slight concern, or a level of panic, I turn to thoughts of safety and always find comfort. Even now, in the face of an incurable health condition with symptoms and possible health effects so variable and chaotic that I never know how I'll feel when I wake in the morning, I routinely find comfort in this mantra.

It reminds me that in this very moment, I am okay. In this moment, I am safe from the unknown, the chaos, the future. Right now, I can make choices from a place of safety and courage. It absolutely pulls me into the present moment - and that is our only place of power.

What mantra do you have, or could you have, that would support you in fearless living, courageous living? What phrase gives you comfort, brings you peace, and eases your mind?

Coping with the Jerks

2010-03-26T09:25:00.000-04:00

Recently a cousin of mine asked the question "Why does God take all the good people and leave all the jerks?" She lost her husband a year ago in a terrible accident. She is grieving, and likely will be for many years. Loss is a very difficult thing to process - it's so painful.

She seemed to be asking this question in an effort to truly find peace, perhaps tired of the cliches that people had been offering.

This was my response to her.

In order to have peace of mind I think of it this way...

Every single spirit/soul/person is on a divine mission to experience the rich diversity of experience available to humans, but each can not experience all of it at once, they can only experience aspects. So, each comes into this world with the intention of having certain experiences in their human life - both "positive" and "negative" experiences.

So, not just experiences like falling in love, being a parent, or being rich, but also experiences like having a broken heart, having an illness/disease (curable or incurable), or being poor.

And experiences such as what it's like to be a kind, generous, loving person, or a person who is fearful all the time of everything, or a person who consistently makes bad choices, or a person who can be described as nothing other than pure evil and "a waste of space"... Yep, they are divine, too.

Some people float through life on a cloud of "easy" and others have a hell of a time, and yet others fall on a spectrum between the two.

There are a million directions to go with this idea... and I'm NOT saying that people living in poverty asked to be poor and shouldn't receive assistance! Or that racism/sexism/classism (or any ism!) are justified. Rather, it may be that part of one person's experience living in poverty is to experience an incredible act of generosity, or to experience the unique human struggles of a lifetime of such poverty, or the struggles and issues of emerging out of poverty only to be thrust back in, or even to escape poverty and live "a nice middle class existence". It may be that many people have incarnated in order to experience the incredible power of leading a movement for change. Who can ever know besides that spirit/soul/person/God/Goddess/Universe?

The point is, we can't keep all the nice people and get rid of all the jerks - the jerks are here on a divine mission, too... (And it isn't necessarily to make life hell for others! Although it sure seems that way.)

My way of coping with this is to allow for a purpose for everyone, and for every experience. And that also gives purpose to my experiences (both pleasant and unpleasant). It also gives me the inner peace of being able to release my anger at people who make things suck for everyone, and focus on my self and my own experience (and how I impact the experience of my loved ones).

Perhaps there is something within that you'll find useful for your self... or not! Take what works for you and discard the rest.

Spirit and Soul

2010-02-19T18:41:00.000-05:00

I've been away for a while. Over the last few years I've had some health issues that have left me with little energy for the "extra" stuff, like blogging. So, as part of my self-care I decided to put my blogging on the back burner for a while.

I do miss sharing in this space. And yet, I also feel like I've recently entered a whole new energetic space - a little deeper, perhaps even a bit less glittery. I've been thinking of it in terms of spirit/soul.

In chapter one of his book "Soul Mates" Thomas Moore discusses the ideas of soul and spirit, sharing what several writers, philosophers and psychologists have said about the two over the century. The soul, he writes, "involves itself in the stuff of this world, both people and objects." While spirit "wants to transcend these messy conditions of actual life to find some blissful or at least brighter experience, or an expresson of meaning that will take us away intellectually from the quagmire of actual existence."

Both of these strike chords with me. And if you've followed my writings, or worked with me as your coach, you'll know I've operated from a place of spirit - a place of brightness, bliss, delight and adventure. Over the last couple of years I feel like I have shifted into a more soulful place, and I'm noticing my language is shifting, too. I feel more grounded, more "everyday," and more in a place of journey and rich contemplation. And in a way, I feel like spirituality has become such an integrated part of my life that so much of what I focused on becoming, creating and integrating is now just who I am and how I live. There is a richness here that I never would have expected.

As I examine spirit and soul, my location between these two things, and where I'm headed, my coaching site and blog may undergo changes to reflect this personal transformation. I do hope you will join me in this soulful journey.

Powerful Listening

2009-04-20T13:33:00.000-04:00

Recently a colleague asked some beautiful questions about the power of listening, and how powerful listening impacts relationships, business, etc. I loved reflecting on the role of powerful listening in my personal life and wanted to share these thoughts with you. My response to her question:

As my listening skills have developed over the years, I have found some of my very old friendships deepening in response. These deepening friendships are usually with people who have always been willing to listen and hear me, on some level. It seems that as my listening skills increase (and people experience powerful listening), their listening skills increase, too. I love this!

In some instances I have needed to teach the people in my life how I want to be listened to, and then ask them for that kind of listening when I need it. This means I need to be (or become) very tuned into my own needs.

My partner and I occasionally remind each other that we need a particular kind of listening... (supportive, problem solving, celebrating, or objective outsider) “Right now, I need to vent...” or “Right now, I need you to find something to celebrate in what I’m saying.” Or we ask each other “How do you need me to listen right now?” Powerful listening is probably one of the three biggest factors in our incredible closeness.

Also, I find that I no longer maintain contact with former friends whom I did not feel truly listened to me – perhaps I could never get a word in, they talked over me, or they didn't want to learn a new way to listen. Usually these friendships felt very draining for me and one-sided, rather than supportive, cooperative and mutually fulfilling. It made sense for the relationship to end.

Of course, releasing draining relationships has opened in me the energy and space to develope new beautiful, nurturing, deep friendships with folks who really do listen in the ways I need. And I provide that same care and quality of listening for them as well.

April Showers

2009-04-02T13:29:00.000-04:00

April showers bring May flowers...

I’ve always thought of this rhyme as a metaphor meaning “even the bad things can have good results.” The clouds and rain showers are things that humans generally do not appreciate and enjoy, but they make the flowers grow and we do love those, right? That’s a nice enough message :)

The other night as I was contemplating everything that had synchronistically come together in my life to make it possible for me to enjoy a summer in Europe, it occurred to me there is yet another meaning.

If we consider the rain showers to be our own actions, no matter how tiny or large, then even the tiny actions we take today to nourish our projects, goals, and dreams will result in a sprouting garden and blooming flowers in the months to come. We have some amount of choice about how many flowers we’ll enjoy in our lives, and it all starts with choosing to nourish and feed those seedlings with clean fresh water.

Even the smallest steps toward our goals and dreams move us forward – just as the tiniest raindrops still wet the seeds so they can begin to take root and grow. Every bit of carefully focused action brings our dreams closer to fruition.

What are you doing today to nurture your dreams so they will bloom for you in the months and years to come?

I encourage you to look at what you’d like to grow in your life, and take just a few tiny steps each day or week to move those forward. Before you know it, you’ll have a lush garden, ripe with your own dreams.

Creating what you want: Step 5

2009-02-11T15:18:00.000-05:00

Step 5: Open yourself up to receiving

Now that you've shifted your focus (Step 1), gotten clear on what you'd like more of in your life (Step 2), set some juicy and attainable goals for yourself (Step 3), and started taking action (Step 4), it is time for Step 5: Open up to receive!

One of the most frustrating things I've experienced is working my tail off to create something and missing my own boat when it came in for me because I was not ready or willing to allow myself to have what I wanted. If you are closed off to receiving the good that you are working so hard to create, it's not the end of the world. You can try again. But why not skip all that and get good and ready to receive?

Pausing to celebrate is part of receiving. Celebrating is a demonstration of your gratitude to the Divine/Spirit/God. It is your acknowledgment to Spirit that you are experiencing your own divine power and the abundance of the Universe. And that you accept and receive all that is divinely yours. With that in mind I encourage you to celebrate every success - no matter how tiny!

For example, if you are working toward creating better physical health for yourself and you have not put salt on your food for an entire week (because that is what you've determined is healthy for you) - celebrate this achievement by making yourself a card, listening to music you enjoy, taking yourself out to a movie or having friends over for a night of board-games (whatever feels like fun to you). Or just do a happy dance around the living room. It doesn't have to cost money or take hours. The important thing is to acknowledge yourself for what you have done and who you have been through the process.

Enjoy your creation!

Reframing Problems

2009-01-17T20:47:00.000-05:00

"[T]he beast residing at the center of the labyrinth is also an angel."
~Thomas Moore, Care of the Soul, p 20

No matter how enlightened we are, and no matter how old and wise we become, it is likely we will continue to experience some amount of obstacles, challenges and dissatisfaction in our lives - even if only on occasion or just for a moment.

If we reframe these problems as opportunities for personal and spiritual growth, and seek out the miracle they hold for us, we can often find great healing and inner peace - something most of us are seeking.

Consider a problem you are experiencing in your life right now, or if it's a bit too close for comfort, consider a problem you experienced years ago. You likely already see how it is a beast - it burdened you, angered you, hurt you, prevented you from having something you wanted.

Take time to journal or reflect the following:

Describe this problem and all you can remember about it.
What did this problem require you to learn that you may not otherwise have chosen to learn?
How has this learning served you in other parts of your life?
What did this problem require you to do in order to resolve it, escape it, or even recover from it?
What did you learn about yourself while doing this?
In what other ways has this problem served you?
How has this problem resulted in the enrichment in your life or the lives of others?
What qualities were present in you as you worked to resolve, overcome, or survive this problem?
Acknowledge yourself for who you had to be to resolve, overcome, or survive this problem.

Perhaps you had to find another way to accomplish something you wanted, and that led you to grow new skills you were able to use in other areas of your life; or change outmoded patterns of behaving or thinking that prevented meaningful relationships; or meet amazing people you'd have never met otherwise. Perhaps while navigating a road block you learned how strong and resourceful you could be. Perhaps you learned how to gracefully accept and receive assistance from others when you had previously felt asking for help was a weakness, or were afraid to ask.

Stretch your mind as far as you can, and find the angel within your problem.

With the continued practice of reframing our problems in this empowering light, we often find ourselves experiencing our new problems differently. We start to recognize within them the opportunities for personal insight and expanded awareness - the hope and promise of bringing us something greater than we could have imagined. They begin to seem like little miracles.

Become What You Want

2009-01-14T09:16:00.000-05:00

"You don't attract what you want. You attract what you are."
~ Wayne Dyer

If this is true... then what are you Being?
Are you Being Joy?
Are you Being Peace?
Are you Being Abundance?
Are you Being Success?

What is it about that what you want that makes you want it? How will it feel to have it? What will your experience of having it be like? Find that feeling inside of you - experience it! Become it!

Embody those qualities. Be those qualities. Feel those qualities. Experience those qualities in your heart and find those qualities in all that you see in the world. Translate the "thing" you want into the experience of having and Being what you want. Become what you want.

That is the way to attract more of what you want.

Start Where You Are

2008-12-24T16:09:00.000-05:00

I was listening to Sonia Choquette's radio show on Hay House Radio and was very struck by some advice she offered a caller who thought she was following her path but felt she wasn't masterful enough to continue.

Sonia's advice boiled down to the following:
Stop trying to become a Master - it's too big, too overwhelming to take on. Instead, focus on becoming a student and teacher - you can do both right now.

What struck me about this was how simple it is. It's so relevant to so many of us, and when I hear it put this way it's so obvious.

I've noticed one of the things that often gets in a client's way of moving forward with their dreams and goals is feeling like they are not masterful enough in whatever endeavor they have undertaken or wish to undertake.

This manifests in so many parts of their lives.
* I'm afraid to sign up for that talent show because my singing isn't perfect.
* How can I enter my painting into that competition when I'm not even a real artist yet?
* I can't be a spiritual teacher when I haven't attained enlightenment.

Somehow we have learned that in order for our work to be meaningful or of value we must already be masters or experts - we must already be at a level of "100 percent" of knowledge and skill and talent. This way of thinking leaves us with absolutely no place or reason to begin because it is virtually unattainable!

As yourself [_fill in the blank_]:
Is my goal to become a master of ___?
If so, there is more to learn - keep going - it's a journey not a destination! And take time to define for yourself what it means to be a ___ master. What does it look like? What does it feel like? What does it sound like? How will you know when you've arrived?

If your goal is other than becoming a master of ___, why let the reality of not (yet!) being a master of ___ get in the way of achieving your true goal or dream?

What is your true goal or dream? What is at the heart of what you are doing?
My personal goal is to help people create more satisfiying lives by accessing their spiritual truth and making choices in alignment with that truth. Nothing in there requires me to already have attained enlightenment, does it? No. I have plenty of valuable gifts, tools, techniques to share already - just as I am right now. And as I continue on my sacred journey of learning and teaching, I'm constantly adding more to that tool box.

The truth is that no one is ever born a master. No one is ever born the best singer or artist on earth. No one is born a senator or president. No one is born a CEO, a mother or father, or an Iron Chef. No one is born with all the skills and techniques they need to be anything other than a student of life. And that is just how it should be - starting out life with all the potential of the world.

Where you are right now is the perfect place from which to move forward in achieving your goals and dreams. You are already masterful enough for what you need to Be and Do in this moment. You've got everything you need and you'll learn the rest along the way.

The Tao of Pooh

2008-12-12T17:18:00.000-05:00

By the time it came to the edge of the Forest the stream had grown up, so that it was almost a river, and, being grown-up, it did not run and jump and sparkle along as it used to do when it was younger, but moved more slowly. For it knew now where it was going, and it said to itself, "There is no hurry. We shall get there someday."

The Tao of Pooh, p 67
- by Benjamin Hoff

2008 Holiday Gift Guide

2008-11-30T15:41:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

I just love sharing with you my favorite artists, artisans, crafters, and entrepreneurs from around the world! I love that there are so many people out there making unique creations by hand, and that these beautiful creations are accessible to so many of us via the internet. This year, the list is exclusively sourced from my favorite place for all things hand made - Etsy.

Perhaps within these shops you will find some unique gifts to share with your loved ones this holiday season.

In Celebration of You,
Amy

GREETING CARDS & BOOKS

WovenMoon.etsy.com
Charlotte, NC
Limited edition couture cards and gifts.

LaurenAlexander.etsy.com
Overland Park, KS
Adorable art and packs of greeting cards

moderncard.etsy.com
Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Blank, birthday and holiday cards – beautifully done.

KupoKiley.etsy.com
Eugene, OR
Handmade books for the serious writer.

malien00.etsy.com
Portland, OR (?)
Colorful greeting cards, notecards and pins.

EmilyBalivet.etsy.com
Vermont
Gorgeous mythological Goddesses, art nouveau divas, Celtic witches, psychedelic sorceresses, and medieval damsels.

takeiteasy.etsy.com
Los Angeles, CA
Handmade books, cards and whimsical whatnots.

CLOTHING

kimmchi.etsy.com
Brooklyn NY
Silkscreen on American Apparel shirts – including men's!

ellembee.etsy.com
White Lake, MI
Hand printed shirts for women, messenger bags and jackets.

Ahpeele.etsy.com
Raleigh, NC
Men’s and women’s clothing.

MariaElena.etsy.com
Duluth, MN
Fairy wings for grown ups!

nodemo.etsy.com
Toronto, Ontario
For the teen (or geeky-cool grown up) in your life.

shellmitchell.etsy.com
San Francisco, CA
Because fingerless gloves are way too cool.

kittyempire3.etsy.com
Nelson, BC Canada
Wallets, bags and accessories.

CHILDREN

threeredtrees.etsy.com
Kansas City
Adorable sock dogs and cats.

cherry6goddess1.etsy.com
La Mesa, CA
Cute little plushies – including penguins, pigs and hippos!

PerfectChildren.etsy.com
Portland, OR
Impossible plushy animals for your wee one’s imagination.

FOR YOUR KITTY

FluffyFlowers.etsy.com
Macon, GA
Catnip anyone?

FINE ART

natashawescoat.etsy.com
Bay City
Beautiful fine art prints and posters

karenfaulknerart.etsy.com
Pennsylvania
Gorgeous original watercolors at very affordable prices.

JEWELRY

WhimsiGals.etsy.com
Newcastle (?)
Goddess brooches and dolls

JulieSuzanne.etsy.com
Toronto, Ontario
Fun art pendants

woundaroundjewelry.etsy.com
Clinton, TN
I love the beautiful wrapped copper bracelets!

allthosethrees.etsy.com
London, England
Handcrafted ecological jewelry.

blockpartypress.etsy.com
Baltimore, MD
Unique and colorful cuff links, tie-tacks, pendants, and earrings.

waterfall.etsy.com
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Glass rings and beads

silentgoddess.etsy.com
Port Orchard, WA
Rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings for the goddess.

ETC

westernartglass.etsy.com
Minneapolis, MN
Glass art – pay particular attention to recycled beer bottle art – very cool!

Xanadu2You.etsy.com
Tacoma, WA
Amazing copper wire creations – bowls, containers, etc. Wow!

lewasdesigns.etsy.com
Gilbert, AZ
Decals galore! Decorate your walls, your laptop, your car... What else ya got?

tlwoldc.etsy.com
Fair Oaks, CA
Handspun fibers and yarn, knitted wrist warmer patterns, pregnancy aromatherapy, music, and more!

GeekGear.etsy.com
Westfield, NJ
Desk-gear made from recycled computer parts... for the coolest geek in your life.

OhWhatIf.etsy.com
Minneapolis, MN
Hand-woven rugs from recycled cotton

akcupcake.etsy.com
Anchorage, Alaska
Oven mitts, aprons and bicycle seat covers, oh my!

A Love Letter

2008-11-11T11:52:00.000-05:00

Handwrite yourself a love letter. A love letter to you, from you.

Sign it. Seal it in an envelope addressed to yourself, and put a stamp on it.

Give it to someone you trust and ask them to mail it to you in one month.

Forget about it... for now.

The Power of Acknowledgment

2008-04-02T15:25:00.000-04:00

Acknowledge – “to admit or accept that something exists, is true, or is real.”

I want to acknowledge myself for taking such good care of myself. Wow - I really have. I have done such a great job noticing when I’m stressed or when my needs aren’t being met, and then being flexible, making changes, giving myself new choices, and creating my experiences. I’ve taken time off when I’ve needed it. I’ve been thoughtful about arranging my schedule, and I’ve gotten out of my comfort zone and taken healthy risks. I’ve been thoughtful about the foods I’m eating, trying lots of new foods, taking vitamins, and eliminated a few foods that seemed to disagree with me. I’m stretching twice a week for nearly an hour each time, I’m taking violin lessons, I’m creating art four days each week, and I’m taking naps on weekends! I am so pleased with how well I’ve been taking care of myself.

Acknowledgment is pretty powerful stuff. Think about how great you feel when you are acknowledged by your peers, co-workers, boss, instructors, partner, parents, community, and other folks you love and respect. It feels pretty amazing when someone can see our truth.

Often we tend to shy away from acknowledgments. “Aw, it was nothing.” “No problem, it’s my job.” Yet acknowledgments are a divine gift, and when we shy away from them we are not only telling the giver we don’t accept their gift, but we are not allowing ourselves to receive the gift. We are telling ourselves we don’t deserve it!

Remember a time when you acknowledged someone for something they did or who they were being. What was their reaction? If they did not accept your acknowledgment, what messages did you receive from that persons response? If they soaked up your acknowledgment what message did you receive from that persons response?

Remember a time when you refused an acknowledgment. What was that about for you? What would it have felt like to accept that acknowledgment, to embrace it?

When I refuse acknowledgment, I am not in a place of receiving. I’m likely in a place of lack and not feeling very positive about myself or my contributions. If pressed, I will argue against the acknowledgment and even put myself down to prove the acknowledgment wrong. When I am in this space, I am doing a great disservice to myself and to the person acknowledging me. I am telling them to keep their gift, I don’t want it. And I’m telling myself I don’t deserve to feel good. Ouch!

When I am open to receiving and I am acknowledged, you will see me open up like a sunflower in the sun. My body relaxes, my ears perk up, my posture improves, a smile takes over my face. My brilliance is being nourished and I grow, I feel safe. When I feel safe and valued, I take healthy risks more often, I learn better, and I notice how awesome everyone else is, too!

There are really only two bits of etiquette about acknowledgments.

*When acknowledging others, only speak to what is magnificent while being authentic and genuine. Only say something positive, and only say it if you truly believe it. Authentic positive acknowledgment is powerful stuff that really nourishes the recipient.

*When receiving acknowledgment, take a deep breath in and really let it sink in – let it just soak right into every cell and nourish you. Give yourself permission to really feel it, and really let that smile take over your entire face. Beam. You are amazing!

Make it a practice to acknowledge yourself, too. Acknowledgment from others is powerful, and acknowledgment from yourself is absolutely divine. Not only acknowledge yourself for things you Do, also acknowledge yourself for who you were Being while you did those things (what qualities were present). Yes you completed that project – AND you were totally creative, diligent, and full of integrity while you did it! Acknowledge yourself for trying something new or taking a risk, even if it didn’t work out. In fact, see how many things you can find to acknowledge yourself for in just one day, and how you feel by the end of the day! You can not acknowledge yourself too much – honest.

By the way, you’re magnificent!

Dare to Have the Life You Want

2007-12-22T17:23:00.000-05:00

It is not because things are difficult
that we do not dare,
it is because we do
not dare
that things are difficult.

- Seneca

Creating what you want: Step 4

2007-12-15T13:41:00.000-05:00

Step Four: Take Action!

So, you've shifted your focus to what you want (Step 1), you've really gotten clear on what you'd like more of in your life (Step 2), and you've set some juicy and attainable goals for yourself (Step 3). It's time to for Step 4 - Taking action!

For some people taking action is the easiest part. For others, it is the most challenging. If you find it challenging to take action on your goals, there may be a hidden gem of truth there and uncovering it could save you a lot of time, effort and unhappiness. Do you truly want what you think you want? Or have you taken on someone else's idea of what you should have/do/be? If you've made it this far in the process and realized this goal isn't yours, enlist the support of a coach or therapist to uncover your own truth and treasure.

If you're sure you've got the right goal, but still feel a little challenged to take action, spend some time asking yourself what that might be about. Are you pushing yourself too hard? Is there another way to do/get what you want? What would make this feel like play to you? You may just need a bit of a cheer squad. I encourage you to enlist support from trusted people who will truly encourage you, cheer you on, celebrate your tiniest success as if it were a Superbowl victory, and just share in the excitement that comes with creating something new for yourself. You know which people in your life live for this kind of thing, and which to avoid because they'll tear you down - trust your gut.

While you are being your most authentic self, choose one or more of the tasks on your list from Step 3 and get to work. There are so many ways that you can start taking action - pick a path that resonates for you.

Here are a few ideas just to get you started:

Eliminate things that will get in the way later.
Put support in place where you think you'll need it.
Keep a master list of all the tasks you need to do to reach your main goal.
Keep a mini-list of just what needs to be done today or this week.
Only take on one task at a time.
Choose one task a day or one task a week.
If three of your tasks involve the same resource or location, and it feels right, do all of them at the same time.
If a task is too daunting, break it into smaller pieces.
Ask a friend to help you.
Invite lots of friends to help you! (People actually really enjoy helping other people - it feels sooo good!)
If you can afford to, pay someone to help you.
Trade your skills, knowledge or talents for someone else's skills, knowledge or talent.
Every so often step back, review your progress, and adjust your goal or tasks to reflect new understandings or how your needs have changed.

Surprise! Step 4 isn't just about Taking Action. It's also about self-care, and who you are Being as you are taking action.

In Step 2 you uncovered the treasure of who you are - what is important to you and makes you thrive. Lets say some of the things you uncovered included Peace, Creativity, Patience, and Community. As you work toward your goals are you being Peace, Creativity, Patience, and Community? How can you infuse those values into your experience of attaining your goals and creating what you want? For example, if you are moving and have a ton of packing to do, you could invite a group of friends to help you pack, aligning your actions (moving) with your values (community).

As you are creating what you want by working toward goals, it is so important to take breaks from Doing. We are Human Beings, not Human Doings. So make sure to take time out to just Be. If it feels appropriate, give yourself permission to stop "working" on your goal for a day or a week. Don't get lost in the task and lose sight of what you are trying to create and why you want to create it!

Now you're ready for Step 5: Open yourself to receiving!

Managing Our To Do Lists

2007-08-16T11:53:00.000-04:00

Often we can become overwhelmed with the amount of things we think we need to accomplish in a day, a week, or a lifetime. Small tasks or big goals and dreams can take over our lives resulting in never ending To Do Lists. While there are many ways to go about completing these tasks, and systems to organize them for more efficiency and productivity, I’d like to offer you something better – a new way of perceiving and experiencing your To Do List.

What I’ve noticed is that often there are things on our To Do List that don’t really belong to us, aren’t our responsibility, or aren’t even in the realm of our own control.

These things are “shoulds” we’ve adopted from our parents, teachers, friends, religious / spiritual groups, society, and even things we’ve decided we “should” do/be/have/want for one reason or another. They are responsibilities that we take on which don’t belong to us – perhaps they are responsibilities belonging to another person (family member, housemate, friend, employee, etc.) or organization (government, activist group, etc.).

Regardless of the source, these things are often out of our own control and we use a lot of our energy trying to control them in various ways – none of which create the result we desire, or lend themselves to a life of ease and joy.

When something is out of my own control, I say it belongs to the Universe. It is the Universe’s responsibility or role to make it happen or to make sure it happens, not mine. Some people call this surrendering to God or Source.

Part of what allows the Universe to create what we want is when we are very clear about what we want, and we commit to being/having it (this requires belief and trust that it is already ours). When we commit to an result (usually experience or specific goal), and this result is in alignment with our highest good, our true selves, and/or our right path, the Universe moves to make those things become reality.

We don’t have to worry about the how, that’s the Universe’s role. Our role is simply to know what we want, commit to it, trust and believe it is ours now, and act only on guidance.

One way to gain clarity about how much of the stuff on our To Do List actually belongs to us, and what belongs to the Universe is through the following process.

THE PROCESS
Separate a sheet of paper into three columns by drawing two lines from top to bottom. In the middle column, write your To Do List – all the things you can do today to create what you want for yourself. In the far left column, write the Universe’s To Do List – all the things you can’t control that you would like the Universe to take care of for you. Leave the far right column blank for now.

As you consider the things on your To Do List, also consider the following questions:
* How does this fit within the larger vision of what I want?
* What is my role?
* What are my responsibilities?
* What belongs to me and what belongs to the Universe/Source/God?
* Is there anything on my list that isn’t mine?
* If so, can I release it or give it to the Universe to take care of?
* What parts do I want to be responsible for? What part do I love to do?
* What parts would I love to allow the Universe to be responsible for?

Now, feel free to shift anything from your To Do List over to the Universe's To Do List.

The far right column is your To Be List. Write what/who you want to be as you consider each item on your To Do List. You can use the following questions to guide you.

* What qualities do I want to embody as I complete this task?
* Who/what do I want to Be as I complete this task?
* Who/what do I need to Be in order to do this task?

The most important part here is not only to Be who/what you want to be while doing your tasks, but also celebrate each item you check off your list. Celebrate when the Universe accomplishes something for you, too.

VARIATIONS
You can create any number of variations to this process to make it work for you – there is no wrong way to do it – all ways are right.

You can focus on To Do Lists for categories, using one sheet to include some or all of the categories below, or using a separate sheet for each category – whichever works best for you. Feel free to create your own categories and category “definitions.”

Finances - Your relationship with (giving & receiving) money, abundance
Physical Well-Being - Your body, health, sense of physical safety
Primary Relationship - Your being/not being in a primary relationship
Relationships - Satisfaction with family, friends, associates
Personal Development - Your process of growth and self-discovery
Physical Surroundings - Where you spend time - home, office, car
Rest & Relaxation - Time for regeneration, enjoyment, leisure
Profession - Giving and expressing your unique gifts and talents

I keep a 2.5 x 4.5 inch notepad with me most of the time. The first page is the Universe’s To Do List. Page two is usually my long-term To Do List, which I update monthly or quarterly depending on how messy it gets. Page three is usually my list for this week / today. I tend to use part of my To Do List page as my To Be List, or write who/what I want/need to Be next to each item.

Acceptance in Relationships

2007-08-01T20:52:00.000-04:00

When we are in a relationship with another person, it can be so challenging to remember that even though the relationship between us is part of our life’s journey, we each still have our own separate life purpose, life path and life lessons. And we may not be on the same timeline for learning some of these lessons.

This can be exciting and frustrating at the same time. Exciting because we often want to share our solutions and findings from our lessons – sometime we share these because we want to help them figure it all out and get through the tough part. Frustrating because when we share this information they don’t get it! Perhaps they just aren't there yet, or if we're wanting them to use what we've learned, it seems so obvious to us what they need to do to fix things or feel better – but they don’t see it, and when we tell them what we know, they don’t take action!

It may help to recall times when we’ve been in their shoes and people have told us about their learning and how they figured it all out and how we didn’t listen because we needed to figure it out for ourselves, even if it took us 10 years to do it. And it may help to recall times when our loved ones were patient with us while we went through this learning without trying to tell us how to do it and letting us figure it out for ourselves while being an ear to talk to, a shoulder to lean on, and full of love and light. They let us experience our journey without expectations and judgment, and accepting where we were even if it didn’t fit with where they were or where they wanted us to be.

Handmade Affirmation and Meditation Card Decks

2007-06-20T19:21:00.000-04:00

I've started making mini card decks that can be used for affirmations and/or meditation.

Each meditation deck contains 9 cards inside a recycled, painted matchbox, plus one card (image only) affixed to the outside of the box.

Each card is an original watercolor painting (not a print or reproduction), containing an image and word on the front, and a short affirmation / mantra on the back.

These tiny decks are perfect for your backpack, purse, car, office, or anywhere else you might find yourself needing a quick reminder of your own inner truth.

I'm also able to create a custom deck with words and/or phrases of your choice. Or in conjunction with a Self-Discovery coaching session, where we'll generate words and phrases to create your personalized deck.

Sample Decks:
Sacred Space
Tiny Miracles
Inner Peace

I Promise Myself

2007-06-07T16:21:00.000-04:00

Just received an email from The Secret with a special surprise!

They created a beautiful version of Optimist's Creed, originally written by Christian D. Larson. Accompanied by music, the screen brings you through 12 powerful sentences, each beginning with the phrase "I promise myself."

Creating what you want: Step 3

2007-05-25T16:25:00.000-04:00

Step Three: Set a goal.

Now that you've shifted your focus to what you want (Step 1), and you've really gotten clear on what you want (Step 2), it's time for Step 3 - setting goals.

At first it can seem daunting... "Oh man, I just committed to... - how am I gonna pull that off with all these bills and...". Take a deep breath. Nothing is set in stone, you don't have to do it all at once, and you can always alter your goal over time to fit with any unforeseen changes.

Here are a few general guidelines for setting goals:

Set a goal that will be rewarding - it has to be what you truly want with all your heart and soul. (We covered this process in Step 2)
Make your goal reasonable and attainable.
Set a reasonable timeline.
If necessary, break up your goal into smaller, manageable goals with their own time frames.
Be flexible.

In Step 2 you have uncovered that glittery truth of what you want - make that into a goal for yourself. It has rich meaning and will feel rewarding when you've attained it. The truth is, if you don't really want it, you won't really strive for it. So, do your inner research.

Because nothing is more discouraging than an unattainable or unmet goal, make your goal reasonable and attainable. Deep inside, you know what is reasonable for yourself, so set a goal you can achieve. If you are relying on other people or businesses for assistance in meeting your goal, ask them what you can expect from them, and what is reasonable for their part or role. Getting a new job by next Tuesday may be possible but it's a bit unreasonable if you haven't done a job search, sent out any resumes, or had any interviews. There are all kinds of things in the process that require time and people you won't have control over (see below for "Be flexible").

If you've got a big goal, make it manageable by breaking it into smaller pieces over an extended period of time. Generally we don't try to shove an entire potato into our mouths, we cut it up into pieces we know we can handle. And we don't typically try to eat an entire pie in one sitting, we have a piece with lunch, a piece with dinner (well, that's how I do it!) This kind of technique works with goal setting, too.

For example, to become physically healthier there may be dozens of things that need to happen and it can be daunting to consider making so many changes all at once. On a sheet of paper put the main goal at the top, and list all of the things you can think of that need to happen in order to achieve this goal. These are your smaller pieces, or smaller goals. If some things need to happen before others can (I may want to see my doctor before starting a new exercise program, or a nutritionist before changing my eating habits) arrange them in the appropriate order. Make each task a focus for the week.

Know when to be flexible! Attachment to details and outcome can make you miss out on the exact thing you wanted. The things you desire may come to you in a different form, or through a different source than you expected. You may realize you actually want something else, or something slightly different than what you've been aiming toward. Or it may take longer than anticipated to achieve your goal. Be open and flexible. Follow your intuition and allow yourself to try unconventional approaches.

Now you're ready for Step 4. Take Action!

Creativity - Power Thought Card

2007-05-09T20:09:00.000-04:00

"Every thought I think is creating my future."

"The Universe totally supports every thought I choose to think and believe. I have unlimited choices about what I think. I choose balance, harmony, and peace, and I express it in my life."

~ Louise L. Hay
Power Thought Cards

Creativity - May Tele-Gathering

2007-04-30T19:06:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

I hope you can join me for our complimentary May Tele-Gathering this week.

This gathering’s topic/theme is Creativity.

We tend to think of creativity solely in relationship with art and artistic endeavors. However, art is only one form of creativity. In fact, every thought is creative. Every spoken word and every action are creative. Before you speak or take action, you begin with a thought. The airplane began as a thought. Computers came into existence due to someone’s idea (or thought!) Our thoughts become things. This applies as much to a teacher designing a lesson plan, an accountant doing taxes, a project manager writing a report or making a phone call, as it does to an artist putting a brush to a canvas, an inventor designing airplanes, or a doctor looking for a cure for cancer. We are all inherently creative beings – and our creativities take many forms.

Our inquiry (questions to contemplate) for the call:

What am I creating right now with my thoughts/beliefs/actions?
How are these thoughts/beliefs/actions aligned with my highest good?
What do I want to create? (in my life, for my self, for others, for the world)
When am I being my most creative self?
How do best I access my creativity?

Call Date: Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Starting Time: 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern
Call Duration: 1 hour

Please RSVP if you plan to attend and I will email call instructions the morning of the call.

In gratitude,
Amy

The Enlightenment Card

2007-04-10T11:48:00.000-04:00

I recently found a flyer for this unique credit card company while at a local crystal shop.

After researching their company and affiliations (there are a couple news articles about them, they are part of First Hawaiian Bank, and now partnering to offer discounts with companies like Simple shoes, Teva, WildlifeWorks clothing company and Organic Bouquet), I decided to sign up and am excited to receive my new card in the mail any day now!

"Everyone uses a credit card, so why not have one where people can earn points towards positive products and services that enhances their overall conscious life?"
- From the Enlightenment Card website

BENEFITS
1. You can use your points for retreats, workshops, Yoga classes, organic products, books and a host of other health and wellness products, or you can donate your points to charity.

2. You get discounts when you use your Enlightenment Card to make purchases with their Partners.

3. Plus you get to choose for 8 different beautiful card designs, including Buddha, hands in prayer, and the mobius (or infinity symbol).

DRAWBACKS
1. A fairly small and growing company, communication has been a bit slower than I prefer - although I admit I could easily have called them to check on my application status instead of wondering. Their contact information is easily located within their site, and in the confirmation email they send after you complete your online registration.

2. The APR is smidgen higher than larger credit card companies. However, I rationalize this in the following way... I don't intend to carry a balance and incur fees. And if I do carry a balance and incur fees, it would be so with any other card. With this card I can feel better about where those fees are going (as opposed to fees paid to Bank of America or another gigantic credit card company.)

Overall, I think this is a great company with values I can stand behind. And that's why I share them with you here, in this forum. Take a look and decide for yourself!

Check out the Enlightenment Card ->

Over 99 Balloons

2007-03-29T16:02:00.000-04:00

Last week, there was an adorable little girl sitting in front of me on the bus traveling to Sea World with her father.

She was looking out the window, in wonder, at all the shops passing by, the bustling activity, the signs. She suddenly exclaimed - "Daddy! They have over 99 balloons!" In her excitement, she re-phrased and repeated this brilliant discovery several times.

What she had seen was the McDonald's sign, saying Over 99 Billion Served. Her father didn't bother to correct her. Instead, he allowed her to bask in the joy and excitement of "over 99 balloons."

Did it matter that there were no balloons? I don't think so. What matters is that we are each able to experience this world as a brilliant and beautiful place, if we choose to. What are you excited about? What are you choosing to see, to create for yourself, to manifest?

PS.
Each day, every place you visit (including your home and your heart) there are over 99 balloons, just for you.

Conversations with God

2007-03-28T16:43:00.000-04:00

"Now, having seen the differences between where you are and where you want to be, begin to change--consciously change--your thoughts, words, and actions to match your grandest vision."

From Conversations With God
by Neale Donald Walsch
Page 77

Permission

2007-03-09T21:38:00.000-05:00

This month’s theme Tele-Gathering theme was “permission,” and our inquiry was “What does it mean to give yourself permission?” Although many ideas came up, such as acceptance, allowing, acknowledgement, and validating, it was agreed that giving oneself permission really boils down to a feeling or a “sense.”

Of course, the question that arose from this is “What does it feel like to give yourself permission?”
Physically, I feel a sense of relief, release, and relaxation. My back relaxes, releasing all tension. Pain dissolves. I begin to experience enjoyable sensations in my hips, feet, shoulders.
Mentally, the racing of my mind slows, and even stills. I feel a sensation of calm any worrying and anxiety just slip away – I have a deep knowing that I am safe.
Emotionally, I get a bit giddy! I feel lighter, joyful, and filled with gratitude. YAY!
Spiritually, I feel a deep sense of peace and connection.

So, I ask you to take a few minutes to journal, blog or email a friend answering these questions for yourself:
What does it mean to give myself permission?
What does it feel like to myself permission?
What do I give myself permission to Be/Do/Have today?

I give myself permission to Be

2007-03-07T19:41:00.000-05:00

I give myself permission to try on new beliefs.
I give myself permission to connect with others.

I give myself permission to be gluttenous for a day.
I give myself permission to be silly.
I give myself permission to be light and fluffy.
I give myself permission to be cute.
I give myself permission to be relaxed.
I give myself permission to be carefree (without cares / concerns).
I give myself permission to be abundant.
I give myself permission to be loved.
I give myself permission to be known.
I give myself permission to be compassionate.
I give myself permission to be wildly successful with ease and effortlessness.
I give myself permission to be involved.
I give myself permission to be kind.
I give myself permission to be friendly.
I give myself permission to be enchanted.
I give myself permission to be enchanting!
I give myself permission to be magnical.
I give myself permission to be powerful.
I give myself permission to be beautiful.
I give myself permission to be full-up.
I give myself permission to be hungry.
I give myself permission to be needed.
I give myself permission to be needy (not necessarily in an annoying way).
I give myself permission to be alive.

Acceptance

2007-02-23T13:39:00.000-05:00

"Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your whole life."

Eckhart Tolle
The Power of Now
Page 29

Chapel of Sacred Mirrors

2007-02-14T12:37:00.000-05:00

For a beautiful, artistic journey inside the mind, body and spirit, I recommend the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors.

"The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (CoSM) is a sanctuary in New York City for contemplation and a center for events encouraging the creative spirit. The Sacred Mirrors, on display in the Chapel, are a series of paintings that allow us to see ourselves and each other as reflections of the divine."
- CoSM website

Apparently there is also a DVD available on the CoSM website, and through Netflix. The Netflix give the film a fairly low rating, however, I'm willing to check it out.

What is Love?

2007-02-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

In honor of February, Saint Valentine, Aphrodite, and Cupid the theme for our February Tele-Gathering is Love!

Inquiry:

What is love?
What makes you feel loved?
In what ways does the Universe remind that you are loved?
In what ways do you show yourself that you are loved?

My responses to the inquiry:

What is love?

I broke this down into 4 "levels".

Physical - Love is a tightening in the chest, kind of a deep dense tickling sensation behind the heart.

Emotional - Love is great joy!

Intellectual - Love is everything. Every blade of grass, every face, every moment, every star. Every thing.

Spiritually - Love is deep connection, total presence in the moment, and complete gratitude.

When
I am fully present, I am deeply connected, and I feel so much gratitude
for everything. For the way the light changes when a cloud moves in
front of the sun, a seagull passing, the froth of the waves as they fold into the water, 600 shades
/hues/tones of green in the trees, the moon's reflection off the water
at night, the sliver of silver or gold on the telephone wire or in a
puddle.

What makes you feel loved?

From
within, being fully present and Being and expressing gratitude creates
in me a sense of love. This sense extends to my feeling of being loved.
Externally, When others truly see my magnificence
and express that to me through a look, words, a touch, a gesture of
kindness. This really boils down to them being fully present and in a
place of gratitude.

It occurs to me then, that I can
best give and show love to others by being fully present with them, and
honoring their true self with gratitude for who they are being. Full
acceptance. When I can smile at my sweetheart's grumpy face and see how
beautiful his spirit is, even if he's being unpleasant, I am being
loving and I feel loving. What a powerful gift!

In what ways does the Universe remind that you are loved?

I am non-stop reminded by the Universe that I am loved. I can't think of any way I am not reminded!
The
Universe is constantly bringing me what I need. It constantly provides
me with opportunities for learning and growth, and provides just the
right people to help and support me on my journey. Even the fact that I
continue to exist after success and "failure" (I
don't believe in failure, just lessons) is proof that the Universe
loves me!

The more present I am, the more the Universe
whispers "I love you." This is true for me because as I am more
present, I am able to see so many gifts the Universe brings me - like
the wind, the stars, etc. And in being present I feel gratitude and
this creates that sense of love within - so I feel loved and
loving.

In what ways do you show yourself that you are loved?

For
me, self-care is a huge part of showing myself I am loved. And
self-care means honoring my truth, being consciously connected to
Spirit, being present in the moment, giving to myself, allowing myself
to receive. It also means choosing a home, career, and partner that
nurture me and bring me joy.

Every time I choose something I don't enjoy or don't want I am telling myself "I don't love you."

Likewise,
every time I choose the things that I want and enjoy I am telling
myself "I love you!" What beautiful gift!

Story - Your Perfect Day

2007-01-18T13:03:00.000-05:00

Since I started listing my own artwork on Etsy.com (your place for handmade art) a few months ago, I have discovered so many wonderful and inspiring products, and magnificent and creative people! It's not fair to keep them all to myself. So, in story format, I'd love to share just a few products from around the country (and one in the UK) that I find nourishing to the mind, body and spirit.

You wake naturally, following your body's perfect rhythm. You take time to breathe in the moment, feeling gratitude for the day ahead. To your right is a beautiful painting, Waking the Moon that reminds you of your truth, your dreams, and how you wake each morning to greet the sun.

You easily climb out of bed, starting your morning with a cup of Organic Herbal Tea and gather your Yoga mat from your favorite Recycled Denim Yoga Mat Bag.

After Yoga, you enjoy a soothing shower and dress for your day, choose a pendant to fit your mood and coordinate with your outfit. Will it be your Blue Kyanite and Silver Pendant or your Silent Goddess Copper Pendant?

You enjoy each moment of your day, completely present and living with compete authenticity. Returning home you make a beautiful, nourishing dinner, lighting a Beeswax 'Spring' Candle Trio that rests in the center of your table. The light is beautiful and gently reflects from the Stained Glass Butterfly hanging near your window.

After dinner you thoughtfully indulge a little with some delicious Gourmet Baked Goods, and settle in with your journal to reflect on the perfection of the day - a day that you manifested in all of it's abundance.

Magical 2007

2007-01-15T14:24:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

I’m feeling a lot of magic lately. Everywhere I look, there is magic – in the brilliant colors of the sunrise and sunset, in the quicksilver ocean on a cloudy day, in the swaying palm trees, in the flower petals just fallen after a storm, in the crisp cool air winding around my fingers and toes, in the water I drink, in the taste of the foods I eat, in the mess of art supplies in the corner, in the pen I choose to use for writing, in my paints, in my clothes, in my home, in every piece of mail I receive.

That’s a lot of magic!

And I feel it. I feel this magic in my physical self, in my heart, in my mind and on all levels. I feel this magic as a deep connection with all that exists. It is more than a sensation – like touching sandpaper or velvet – it is a state of Being, rather than a state of Doing.

It’s a magical way of appreciating on such a deep and meaningful level all that surrounds me. It is pure acceptance of all that is, in complete safety and light. It is the knowledge that everything I dream of is mine, right now and forever, that there is even more on the way.

It is sheer wonderment and delight in all that I see, hear, feel, and know.
It is gentle and profound gratitude for all that exists.

All of this magic surrounds you, too. It’s part of your life, right now.

In fact, you are magical.

Everything you think and believe, becomes true for you.
Your thoughts magically create your reality. They’re even doing it right now.

The best part is that you get to choose what you create simply by choosing which thoughts you’d like to think.

So what have you created for yourself up until this moment?
What will you choose to create in 2007?

Think magic.

In gratitude,
Amy

(From my January 2007 eNewsletter)

Notes From The Universe

2007-01-12T13:46:00.000-05:00

Ever wondered what it would be like to get loving, encouraging, inspirational support from the Universe via email on a daily basis?

Wonder no more... At Tut.com you can register to receive emails directly from the Universe. You can choose one day out of the week (Mon - Fri) or choose to receive them each day! Of course, I chose to have one each weekday because I just love all the added support!

Here's an example of a recent email the Universe sent me:

Every life is heroic, Amy.

And yours has certainly been no exception.

With deep gratitude from the bleachers -
The Universe

A big thanks to Allison for passing this great resource! :)

The Secret

2007-01-07T12:54:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about the The Secret?
Have you seen this remarkable film yet?

Even with years of study in the Law of Attraction, and consciously living in alignment with this truth, I found that watching The Secret was an incredible reminder of how much power I have in creating my own life.

If you can't find it on DVD at your local video store, visit The Secret official website where you can order the DVD for $29.95, or watch it on your computer for $4.95.

It's a fantastic investment, sure to remind you of your magnificence, and rejuvinate your commitment to experience a joyfilled life.

Three Valuable Tools

2007-01-03T15:43:00.000-05:00

Cord Cutting:

Close your eyes and pass (or imagine passing) your hand in front and back of you, and over your head while saying (aloud or internally) “I now cut all cords in all directions of space and time”. Feel free to alter or add anything into that statement that makes it more powerful for you. A variation: ask Archangel Michael to assist you in cutting cords. Visualize his sword slicing through the cords in tandem with your hand. When you cut the cords, know that it is working. Feel it working.

Calling Back Energy:

After cutting cords, take a moment to call back all of your own energy that may have gotten away or been left elsewhere. Sometimes our own energy gets stuck with/on other people (we can have cords hooked into others, too!). Simply close your eyes, place (or imagine) your hands over your heart and imagine all your energy flowing back to you. Say (aloud or silently) “I now call back all of my energy. I am now whole and complete.” Feel your energy returning to you.

Shielding:

After you’ve got all your energy back, take a quick moment to shield yourself. Use imagery that works best for you. I have two ways I like to shield myself.

Imagine Archangel Michael swirling a beautiful white ribbon of light around me, so that I am completely surrounded by a beautiful sparkling white glow of light. While Archangel Michael is doing this, say (aloud or silently), “Thank you, Archangel Michael for shielding me with beautiful light and love. I am safe.” Feel the shield surrounding you. Know that no energy other than pure love can pass through this shield. You can also use different colors of ribbon (pink for love, green for health, blue for calm), and/or add layers of light (1000 layers of white plus 2 layers of pink).

Remember the scene from Disney’s cartoon-movie Cinderella where Cinderella is receiving her gown from her fairy godmother? Or if you’ve seen (or read) The Mists of Avalon, when the Lady of the Lake raises or lowers the mists? Imagine you are Cinderella or the Lady of the Lake. Using your hands, swirl them up and around you, imagining enveloping yourself in beautiful sparkling white light or mist. Say (aloud or silently) “I am protected and safe. Only love and light can enter this space.” Feel the shield surrounding you. Know that you are completely protected.

You can cut cords, call back energy or shield in any order, with eyes open or closed, and with or without using words. It’s not even important if you believe it’s working – it will!

abundance and gratitude

2006-11-17T15:26:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving could not come at a better time. Really. As the leaves are turning, the air becomes crisp and cool, the days shorter and darker. We are reminded of life's brevity - our short time to play upon the earth. What more perfect time to pause and give thanks - express gratitude - for all our richness of life in all the forms that abundance takes for us.

It is easy not to notice all the abundance that surrounds us. Easier so to miss the abundance if we are mired in stress and anxiety, when our focus becomes what we don't have or don't want. And Thanksgiving does little to ease that stress! All the plan-making, preparation, and pleasing that must be done. Not to mention the travel and cleaning up and immediacy of the holidays to come!

How do you care for yourself during this time of holiday madness?
What do you do that is just for you and that eases your stress and burdens?
How do you keep in touch with your sense of peace and centeredness?
How do you find time and space for gratitude?

For me, abundance appears in so many forms - the sunrise, a cup of tea, the sand pushing up between my toes, having mostly working knees, being able to create works of art that leave me awed. Abundance comes in expected and unexpected gifts and opportunities, in the forms of money, time, food, companionship. And there are ways abundance finds me that I can not have imagined would ever come to exist.

When I make time for myself, and truly give myself the gift of self-care, I can immerse myself in the truth of my own peace, calm and love. And in that open space of peacefulness and calm, I more fully enjoy the abundance I receive and more easily recognize the opportunities surrounding me. I am more able to respond with light and love. I am more able to receive.

It's quite a remarkable cycle!

For me, abundance truly is a space of gratitude - enjoying all that comes to me from an open space of receiving.

What does abundance mean to you?
What is your definition of abundance?
In what forms do you manifest abundance?
For what do you wish to express your gratitude?

holiday shopping

2006-11-02T19:47:00.000-05:00

okay, so its a bit too soon to gear up for holiday shopping. however, i wanted to let you know that i am selling my wares on my website and on etsy.com (an online place just for handmade items), and you are invited to browse. i do custom orders of all my stuff (paintings, clear tape wallets, light switch plates, mini-boxes, etc.) and would be thrilled to personalize something just for you or your loved one.

amylburns.etsy.com
amylburns.com/gallery

and don't forget the fun of getting a Tarot or Faerie card reading, or Reiki treatment to start the new year off right! these are fantastic gifts, and since there is plenty of time, I can send you a personalized gift certificate to give your loved one.

amylburns.com/tarot
amylburns.com/reiki

a Self-Discovery Session might also be a great gift if you know someone who is in a place of self-discovery, transformation and personal growth. Personalized gift certificates available for these, too.

amylburns.com/coaching

free hugs

2006-10-25T16:17:00.000-04:00

My wonderful friend and colleague, Allison Oster, recently shared this link to a video of a man offering free hugs. I was so moved by this video, I am compelled to share it here: freehugs.org

Two New Services!

2006-10-20T19:32:00.000-04:00

I am thrilled to be offering two new services. (Fees can be found on my Coaching Services page.)

Life Purpose Session:

The Life Purpose Session is a one hour process created to tap into your inner guidance, unearth your hidden talents and innate gifts to help you achieve your life purpose. This is a fantastic compliment to the Self-Discovery Session.
This process includes one free follow-up coaching session. Prerequisite: Self-Discovery Session. Email me to schedule a Life Purpose session.

Life Purpose sessions can be in-person or via phone.

Break Through Session:

Often times we get stuck because there are old limiting beliefs and patterns hampering our progress. When you need to make a big change and release limiting beliefs and patterns, the Break Through session is an incredible process geared to assist you on your journey.

In this session we can focus on general or specific issues, including your relationship with money, prosperity, work / profession, rest and relaxation, creativity, physical surroundings, primary relationship, friendships and relationships with family members, spiritual and/or personal development, physical well-being, and more!

This 90-minute process includes one free follow-up coaching session. Prerequisite: Self-Discovery Session. Email me to schedule a Break Through Session.

Break Through sessions can be in-person or via phone.

Indigo Resources

2006-10-11T16:37:00.000-04:00

Through my own interest in Indigos, I have been looking for some authoritative body of information on Indigo children and/or adults, but have found that the information is vast. In my searches I have found the following links and books to be most helpful in answering my own questions.

As always, Wikipedia is a great starting place for gathering information. Wikipedia offers discussions about Indigo characteristics and abilities, non-mystic interpretations, criticism and scientific investigation, and external links aimed at both proponents and skeptics. It also holds a good sized list of social and networking resources for Indigos and Indigo parents.

So far, my favorite and most accessible Indigo site is Indigo Moms with Jenny McCarthy. The mission of Indigo Moms is to create a community where moms can meet to have fun, share stories, make new friends, join a support group, and hopefully learn and laugh on this adventure called life. Light-hearted, spiritual and not super-commercialized, this is a great resource for moms in need of support and a bit of fun.

While Indigochild.com mainly offers itself as a companion to the books The Indigo Childrenand An Indigo Celebration, published by Hay House, it also offers links to educational programs and announcements of other Indigo websites and resources.

Additional books:

The Care and Feeding of Indigo Children by Doreen Virtue
Anger and the Indigo Child by Dianne Lancaster
Spiritually Healing the Indigo Children (and Adult Indigos, Too!): The Practical Guide and Handbook by Wayne D. Dosick and Ellen Kaufman Dosick
New Children of Earth Reach, Teach and Inspire; The Indigo Children by Jean Schweizer. Ph.D.
Beyond the Indigo Children: The New Children and the Coming of the Fifth World by P. M. H. Atwater
The Crystal Children by Doreen Virtue

And of course, tons more information can always be found just by googling the words Indigo, Indigo Healing, Indigo Children, and Indigo Adults. I will continue to add to this short list as I continue to uncover valuable resources.

Bunny Lessons

2006-10-04T21:04:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it helps us put things into perspective when we use analogies and metaphors. Recently, while working with a client, we happened upon a great metaphor using forest animals, particularly bunnies.

Condensed Version:
Bunnies make mistakes and sometimes these mistake are painful. Bunnies don’t waste time beating themselves up or listening to other animals that say “hey, you’re blue when you should be brown.” Heck no. Instead, the bunny does it’s bunny thing - hops around and eats yummies. Bunnies call this self-care. Something us humans need lots of but often forget!

Full Length Version:
1. Sometimes we hurt. Bunnies hurt, too. And sometimes other animals don't want to see/hear a hurt bunny because it makes them hurt. And hurting... hurts. And since it hurts to even imagine a bunny in any kind of pain, these animals avoid such imaginings. They also tell their bunny friends and family to stop hurting, stop talking about the hurt, and even to ignore the hurt. These animals may have temporarily forgotten how awful it feels to be hurting, and they don’t want to be reminded with bunny pain! They want the pain to go away as quickly as possible. They want the bunny to blend in. But bunnies know that it's important to feel whatever emotion they are feeling in order to move past it - to experience all the joys and pains of being a bunny. They even know that there are lessons in these joyful and painful moments!

2. We are all doing the best we can with what we know and have available to us. Bunnies know this truth. “I should know better!” Bunnies do not "should" all over themselves or each other. Sure, you can “should” all over yourself. And maybe you even did know better. But guess what? It’s all been said and done – and all you can do now is accept what is and move forward. So, spend some time accepting what is, release the need to change things, embrace the current reality and just experience your human emotions. Bunnies do not beat themselves up for eating the wrong berries. They don’t feel the need to be mad at themselves for eating the berries that made them poopy. They just have a poopy day and learn which berries make them feel poopy, so they can make better berry choices in the future. And, yes, sometimes it takes a bunny a couple rounds of eating the wrong berries to figure it out, but they usually do.

3. Bunnies know that every other bunny they meet comes from the same place and is forever connected to them through Spirit. Yup, bunnies are spiritual beings – you didn’t know? Each bunny is unique and has a very special purpose, but all bunnies are part of the same whole. Each bunny has a special journey. And bunnies, no matter how much they want to, can’t change another bunny’s journey. Bunnies try to remember that whatever bad or good stuff happens to one bunny, it’s all part of that bunny’s special journey of learning, and a higher purpose is always being served. All a bunny can do when they see another bunny eating the wrong berries is know that the poopy feeling it gets will teach it not to eat poopy berries.

Inspiration to release an attachment

2006-08-28T13:57:00.000-04:00

I've been stuck for a few days on one of the paintings I've been working on. It isn't "right." There is something missing, it's too flat and boring. It just isn't what I was going for.

So, instead of picking up a brush, I headed to the beach for inspiration.

To get to my favorite spot at the beach, I climb down a sandy-dirt path at the end of my street. There are big rocks below all along the shore to prevent erosion, and the water swings in, splashing up into the air and wetting the rocks. It's a remarkable sight to behold.

Walking north, I noticed a beautiful rock sculpture had been built atop one of the boulders below. I stopped to admire this magnificent gift that someone left.

The sculpture was created from various rocks and pieces of concrete found nearby, Each rock was a different color and shape - some long and thin, some round, others square with colors of red, green, brown and black. Behind the sculpture the waves crashed and splashed up foamy white, creating a most picturesque scene.

Clearly a magical place, I decided this sculpture was an intricate doorway and home for the faeries.

Continuing over a ridge, I saw half a dozen smaller rock sculptures! How exciting!
Someone lovingly put great time and effort into making these special little creations, truly giving a wonderful sense of joy to others who happen travel this path. I felt so much gratitude for the beautiful treasures I had seen.

I headed to a part of the cliffs that juts out into and above the water, finding a wonderful spot shaded by an upper rocky area. I rolled out my blanket and let my legs wander out into the sun.

Lying back, I first just took time to soak up the view. The waves rippled in from the horizon, growing bigger and bigger until they folded into themselves or crashed on the rocks. Water washed onto the sand below, smoothing footprints and creating this little ring marks as it fell back into the sea. As the water crashed over the rocks below, beautiful white mist sprayed up, trickling back down into the ocean creating a tiny waterfall.

After a while I closed my eyes, getting centered, and visualized my painting. What does my painting really want to become? What next? What colors does it desire? What shapes?

The answer came to me in only a few minutes: If I don't like the painting as it is, then it I can release what I was intending it to be and be okay making changes.

What a relief! Here I had started out wondering what I should do, what I could do to make it better - make it "right". And the essence of the message that came to me was - if it isn't right, don't try to make it right. Just do something else and see what happens.

With this message, a new wave of inspiration hit and I headed home to paint.

Powerful Intentions

2006-08-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

While checking up on an unsolicited email I received from a coach referal company I happened upon Powerful Intentions, a web-community focused on manifesting intentions.

What a fantastic idea!

The website offers free or paid membership, a webpage and profile, a library, a member forum for discussions, and great connections with like-minded folks.

What will you manifest today?

Conscious Connection with Spirit

2006-08-10T18:43:00.000-04:00

What is Spirit for you?
For me, Spirit is synonymous with Universe, Source, Divine Light, Inner Guidance, and my Higher Self. I often use the terms interchangeably. Yet there are hundreds of additional words people use to speak of Spirit. I have clients who prefer to use the terms Great Mother, Great Father, Mother Earth, God, Goddess, the Divine, Creator, and even Prime Mover.

What does being "consciously connected with Spirit" mean for you?
Most simply put, for me, connecting with Spirit means consciously being and doing things that create inner peace, and provide a sense of connection with Spirit and my own higher self.

This includes being true to myself, listening to and following my inner guide, being fully awake and present, and being in alignment with my highest self. It also means really experiencing a oneness with all of life, with the Universe, and experiencing myself as a completely connected part of the whole.

How often are you consciously connected with Spirit?
I estimate that I am consciously connected with Spirit at least 25 percent of the time - although I'm working on expanding this. I experience such a great peacefulness and "rightness" when I'm connected with Spirit, so I've taken note of what creates that feeling of connection for me, and I continue to create ways to make that connection throughout each part of my day.

How do you connect with Spirit?
There are so many ways that I connect with Spirit. One of the ways I've found creates the strongest connection is through breathing meditations - some of which I've learned in yoga class and through Deepak Chopra's books.

Nature also offers a strong connection with Spirit for me. Just being in absolute stillness, being competely present, and experiencing or observing life in the moment is incredibly spiritual for me.

Another fantastic way I connect with Spirit is through creating - typically painting and ceramics, other crafty projects and writing.

When do you connect with Spirit?
Typically, I start and end my day with meditation time - even if it's only a few brief minutes it really helps me center myself and experience more peace.

I've found that there are always fantastic opportunities to consciously connect with Spirit throughout the day. For example, I may do a breathing exercise or other quiet meditations when I find myself waiting in line, riding the bus or walking to the store.

Creating what you want: Step 2

2006-07-31T12:11:00.000-04:00

Step Two: Know what you want.

In Step 1, I discuss how focusing on the problem only makes the problem bigger, leaving little time for illuminating all of the possible solutions. Ultimately, it can often be helpful to shift your attention to thinking about what you actually want. After all, we could spend days and weeks talking about all the problems and what isn't working and how much so-and-so really drives you up the wall... but that is the same kind of activity that has kept you in the same situation, turning your wheels and getting nowhere. By shifting the focus from the problem (or what you don't want) to what you want, you stop focusing on something that makes you feel bad and begin creating a positive target or goal - something to work toward that makes you feel good.

So, if Step 1 is to shift your focus from the problem (or what you don't want) to what you want, then Step 2 is to know what you want. The fastest way to get what we want is to first know what it is that we want.

What do you want to experience?
What do you want to be doing?
How do you want to feel?
What kind of person do you want to be?

Imagine a friend asks you, "Can you help me find something? I don't know what it is, I just know that something is missing. Please, help me look." Can you feel yourself slipping away into the abyss??? It would go a lot quicker if they knew and we knew what we were searching for.

Let's imagine that whatever you want is like a treasure - your own personal treasure. What is your treasure? What does it look like? What does it feel like? Can you taste your treasure? Does it have a particular scent? Perhaps your treasure is "a good relationship" or "a good job". How will you know when you've found your treasure?

For many of us, it can feel extremely challenging to know what we want. We are constantly bombarded with messages telling us we need and what we should want. These messages impact our beliefs about ourselves and our world in subtle and obvious ways making it difficult to know which beliefs we hold actually belong to us and which belong to our culture, parents, friends, etc. Even then, when we are able to pin point what we want, we often define it by other people's terms.

Mostly, we make assumptions about what we want based on what other people define as treasure. "Mom and Dad believe having a corporate job is the best possible way to earn a living, therefore I should have a corporate job." It may turn out that a corporate job does make you blissfully happy. The best way to find out what you want is to start inside, asking yourself what feels best for you, what you most desire. If corporate job happens to come up, great - go for it! However, what if something else comes up for you? Something you didn't expect, or something you had dismissed! Hunting for your own treasure, and finding it, will be far more satisfying than hunting and finding someone else's treasure. Remember, you're the one who gets to keep what you find.

Your treasure can be simple, complex, vague or specific. There is no wrong answer. You can start with something vague or specific, then add or release details as you see fit. Perhaps your treasure is as simple as feeling sense of peace. What is it that brings you peace or gives you a sense of peace in your life? List as many things as you can think of. For me, a experience peace when I'm in nature. This can be in the woods, at the beach, in the desert. For you, a sense of peace may be when the kids are at school and all the dishes are done. Or perhaps when you've completed a project at work or closed a deal.

Is your treasure experiencing a sense of joy? Playing tennis? Driving in the country? Knitting? Being in a good relationship? Having lots of money? Being in a band? Helping other people? Sending your kids to good schools? Making new friends?

If you're having difficulty figuring out what you want or identifying your own personal treasure, you might start with something you don't like and apply Step 1. For example, lets say your car keeps breaking down and this routinely makes you late, plus it costs an arm and a leg to repair... and to make it worse, you hate the color! This car brings you lots of grief! Let's take this grief-inducing situation and flip it - What do you want? If it were a perfect world, what would you have/do/be? It's possible that your answer comes easily - "I would have a brand new Lexus" or "a 1996 Mazda, blue with grey interior." Or maybe "I wouldn't need a car, I could ride my bike everywhere."

Another example might be knowing you are dissatisfied and want to feel something else. What would you prefer to feel? List the emotions or qualities you'd like to experience. Perhaps your list contains words like "peace, bliss, joy, satisfaction, happiness, adventure, calm, excitement." Take each of your words, one by one, and think or write about what that emotion or quality looks like. What creates a sense of adventure for you? When is it that you most feel adventurous, or imagine yourself feeling adventurous - what's happening in that scenario?

Additional questions to consider:
What does this treasure represent for you? What is important to you about finding or having this treasure? What does it look, feel, taste, and smell like? Imagine how it feels to have found this treasure? List those feelings. What else do you do or participate in that creates these feelings or experiences?

When you know what you want, you are also more able to perceive subtle opportunities all around you. This greater awareness can help you make decisions that help you get what you want.

The Importance of Play

2006-07-28T14:25:00.000-04:00

Over the last few months I have noticed a theme emerging in my life... "the importance of play."

Each time I find myself experiencing stress, becoming irritable or getting frustrated it happens to be during a period of days when I haven't been practicing the best self-care. And for me, self-care must include playtime.

Lately, I haven't really realize I've been stressed or grumpy - I am slightly conscious of it, but haven't taken the additional step of asking myself "what's going on here?" Yesterday, I took the opportunity to go to the beach to play and the results of this activity were incredible.

I just love running around in the ocean, jumping and diving through incredible waves. After expending so much physical energy and just playing like a kid I felt a great sense of exhausted relaxation. Lying on my beach blanket just breathing and resting, and then it hits me... "Wow, I was really stressed." And then, "I feel so much better."

Since getting that hour of playtime I've found myself being less irritable and more playful with my wonderful partner. My level of stress is much lower and I have a much clearer perception of what I would like to accomplish for the day.

This is such a great reminder to me to build in playtime each day, as part of my self-care routine.

Extended Holiday

2006-05-28T18:13:00.000-04:00

I'm on a wonderful summer holiday in Vermont and have very limited internet access. Blogging is temporarily halted. I will still be taking phone calls and periodically checking email if you'd like to contact me for coaching or Reiki services.

During the months of June and July I will be on an extended backpacking adventure, but promise to return emails and phone calls as soon as I have phone/email access.

Wishing you all the best!

Confronting Fear in Meditation

2006-05-17T21:01:00.000-04:00

Recently I did a meditation where I confronted a typically fearful image or archtype, the Devil, and received some incredible insight. Below is a brief account of my experience and the insights I gained:

The scene was set in a concrete cell, illuminated just enough to see the corners, two human figures and Devil but all else was darkness. As I looked around, I didn't feel frightened, I felt curious and watched to see all that was happening around me.

The Devil steps down from his perch and sits in a pile of hay against a back wall. The man and woman are alive but motionless, indifferent.

I approached the Devil and he rises to meet me returning to his perch.

"Why did you call me here," I ask.

"It was not I who called you here, but you chose chose to come," he replied.

"You do not seem to evil to me," I say with curiousity.

"Whatever people do not like in the world or in themselves they call evil. I represent that part which is feared and hated but am not evil or good."

I notice a man and woman, appearing indifferent, although alive.

He says, "I do not keep them here. It is their fears that chain them, bind them and keep them prisoner. Truly they are free to go at any time they choose."

I sense the Devil speaks the truth.

He is bored but his role, like a watchman, is to be in this space with those who come here.

He gives me a tiny star, the divine spark of life. He tells me, "Divinity is within every person no matter how horrible they may be, and each of us is merely chained by our own fear and hatred. All the world is open to you if you release your fears. It is your divine right to have all you desire, and you can."

I offer him gratitude for his openness and wisdom, and I exit.

Creating what you want: Step 1

2006-05-04T16:21:00.000-04:00

Step One: Shift your focus

We are very much a problem-solving oriented culture. We each spend much of our day looking for problems, reporting problems and fixing problems. We're problem experts. We all have a good idea about what the problem is with so-and-so, with the government, or with xyz. In fact, next time you're surrounded by conversation listen to how many people start sentences with "The problem is...".

There are several key steps to creating what you want in your life. Believe it or not, the key isn't focusing on the problem.

Focusing on the problem only makes the problem bigger and leaves little time for illuminating all of the possible solutions. Rather than focusing on the problem, It can often be helpful to shift your attention to thinking about what you actually want. After all, we could spend days and weeks talking about all the problems and what isn't working and how much so-and-so really drives you up the wall... but that is the same kind of activity that has kept you in the same situation, turning your wheels and getting nowhere.

Remember driver's education? When you begin driving you are instructed to watch the road ahead, keeping your eyes on where you want the car to go - the lane you want to be in when you arrive up the road in 15 seconds.

One reason for this is that wherever your eyes are pointed is where the car will go. If you're staring at the accident that just happened to your left, the accident is all you see. Quickly you'll veer off course or not notice the car in front of you stopping and end up in your own accident.

Another reason is that when you're looking up ahead, you have a broad peripheral vision - the ability to see everything going on around you. This allows you to see the car next to you changing lanes, the pot hole on the next block, as well as the new Exit that must have opened up and which is a more direct route. The result is you are better able to navigate obstacles, see opportunities and get to where you are going safely and more efficiently.

Your life is a similar, albeit different, vehicle. If your attention is on the problem, your life will drive right into the problem. Likewise, if your attention is on what you want, your life will drive straight ahead into what you want.

Shifting your attention to what you want takes your focus off the stuff that makes you feel overwhelmed, unhappy, angry, frustrated, and helpless. These feelings leave you feeling drained and often unable to take action or see opportunities for something better/different. Any action you do take will likely also be focused on the problem, keeping your attention in that space of negative emotion, possibly causing you to miss whatever amazing stuff is happening around you.

Conveniently, when you're focused on what you want, your peripheral vision can see all kinds of interesting opportunities and possible obstacles. This can be a tremendous benefit as you navigate the road of your life.

Shifting your attention to what you want allows you to focus on the things that make you feel good, peaceful or excited, joyful, energized and full of possibilities. When you feel good, you are more resourceful, see multiple possibilities, and are better able to take creative action, allowing you to get what want more efficiently, effortlessly, joyfully and peacefully.

When you find yourself focusing on the problem, take a step back and ask "Wait. What do I really want?" Let what you want become your compass and guide on this great journey.

Daily Peace

2006-04-27T10:53:00.000-04:00

Want peace?
If you've got 10 mintues per day to join a conference call that puts you into a peaceful state, the Peace Experiment might be the awesome daily adventure you've been looking for.

Photographing Spirit

2006-04-27T10:48:00.000-04:00

Find a few minutes today to view this incredible photography:
http://www.ashesandsnow.org/

I can't possibly describe the incredibly beauty of these images of people and animals. These are not you usual snapshots - this is brilliant art.

Messages in dissatisfaction

2006-04-15T15:14:00.000-04:00

If your life, relationships, job or body seemingly aren't working, what message is there for you?

No matter what, there is always a message or lesson in what is happening (or not happening) in our lives.

If you are doing what you love and getting what you want out of life, the message might be that you are clear in your purpose and to continue in the direction you are moving. Likewise, it may be that by doing what you love, you will get what you need and want.

What is the message your life, mind, body or spirit is trying to share with you if things aren't amazing or if you aren't getting what you want? For me, whenever I recognize that I'm dissatisfied with something, I also recognize it is an opportunity for greater understanding and awareness, an opportunity to change what I'm thinking or how I'm behaving in order to create something that better matches what I want to experience.

Our mind, body and spirit all have one goal - of living a happy, healthy life. If this isn't happening for you, your mind, body or spirit will let you know through a variety of unpleasant mental, emotional or physical cues. These cues may come in all kinds of forms ranging from frustration to anger, sadness to depression, a headache to a broken leg, or even events and situations in our lives. Whatever the signal, you will likely experience it as some sort of dissatisfaction or discomfort.

If you are experiencing dissatisfaction, the presence of this dissatisfaction is your mind, body or spirit's way of telling you its time for you to make adjustments to how you are thinking, how you are living, what you are doing, and/or who you are being.

There are two important elements to what I just said...
The first is that something needs to change. If nothing changes, the dissatisfaction will stay, too.

The second part is that you are responsible for making the necessary changes. It isn't the outside world that needs to change to make you happy (even though we often want it to) - you need to change something in what you are believing, thinking, doing, or being. This doesn't mean you are wrong, bad or messed up. It merely means that you get to honor of being one person capable of and responsible for creating the experience you want. Wow, you hold incredible power!

What messages are your life, mind, body and/or spirit currently giving you?

How are you listening to these messages? With criticism, guilt, and anger or with love, compassion and forgiveness?

What are you willing to do in order to experience more satisfaction?

How do you spell relief?

2006-04-06T17:52:00.000-04:00

Stress can creep right into a person's life, seemingly without warning. Like a freckle we've had since we can remember, over time we quickly become accustomed to feeling stress so that we no longer notice it sitting with us.

What I've noticed is that building stress-releasing activities into my daily routine can really help me release stress, and prevent stress build-up. Kind of like using Tilex every time you shower, releasing bits of stress each day keeps my mind and body feeling clear. I also find it leaves me better prepared to deal with minor irritations and what can sometimes feel like huge crises.

For me, there are so many avenues for relieving and releasing stress, and they are often some of the same things that nourish my spirit in general.

walking
painting
ceramic or clay work
crying
laughing
talking
singing
meditation
writing
dancing around like a faerie
being playful
spending time in nature
gardening

How do you relieve and release stress?
How do you nourish your spirit?

Love and Approval

2006-03-21T14:51:00.000-05:00

I believe that all each of us truly wants and needs from another is love and approval. I believe that each person is their own best expert regarding their own journey and life lessons. I believe that each person will make choices that truly support whatever they believe to be true about themselves. I believe that with unconditional love, approval and support, those choices will come from a place of self-love. And I believe that regardless of where the choices come from - self-love or self-hatred, they will absolutely result in incredible learning and growth. I believe this serves the person perfectly wherever they are in their journey.

A great place to start is by giving yourself the ultimate gift of your own complete and unconditional love and approval.

Really notice what you have done "right" and "well" today. Recognize and acknowledge how you have honored your true self, lived in alignment with your values, and created something beautiful and loving. Seek those spaces out - find them - because they are absolutely in there.

You are perfect, here and now, exactly as you are. You are becoming more amazing with each passing moment and day. Don't wait another day to love yourself and approve of yourself.

Boundaries, a great way to say "I love me."

2006-03-11T13:13:00.000-05:00

Many of us have difficulty setting and maintaining appropriate boundaries in our relationships, even if we're great at recognizing and observing the boundaries of others.

When we don't have good boundaries and experience our boundaries being crossed, we often experience frustration, irritation, and sadness -all of which can make it extra challenging to create a sense of joy and love.

There are many ways you can choose to deal with these kinds of situations. When possible, you might choose to avoid the people who cross boundaries. You also might choose to just "take it", allowing them to trample you with their fear and negativity. There is also a point at which you might decide you just can't take it anymore, and you want it to stop.

My question is, how badly do you want it to stop? Badly enough to take action? Or not just yet (its okay if you’re not ready).

Consider first, "What do you want the relationship to look/feel like?" What is your ideal relationship with this person. Or if you notice that "everyone" crosses these boundaries with you, what do you want everyone to do or how do you want everyone to behave in this situation?

Most likely your answer will be something to the effect of "I want to be respected, to be listened to, or to be left alone."

Every person has a right to be respected and to feel valued – you absolutely deserve respect and to be valued, and you know this in your heart to be true.

How do you make yourself feel valued?
What do you do to show others and yourself how much value you have?

Having and enforcing boundaries is a fantastic way to say “I love me.” When you have clear boundaries and enforce them, you show that you have a commitment to yourself, and that you value your energy, time, and space (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual).

And if you’ve been a boundless space before, people are not going to like it that you are building fences and creating boundaries, especially if they are on the “outside”. They like to walk through the grass, enjoy the fantastic energy and views that you provide – no matter what it costs you in stress, frustration, energy or other resources. So, when you put up your new boundaries, know that there will be objections from your community now that they have to walk all the way around that lush grassy carpet to get to their T station. Also know that you absolutely have the right to protect your Self with boundaries! Its your energy, its your life, its your Self! They have a right to have boundaries, too – regardless if they choose to have them or not.

At what point does it become worth it to enforce your boundaries versus “suffer” getting trampled on? Only you know what you are willing to put up with. Its kind of a question of, does it hurt more to have the broken leg or to get surgery / a cast put on? The surgery might hurt like hell, but I guarantee its better than the lifetime of pain that improperly healed broken leg will provide.

Here are a few questions to help you determine for yourself:

How much time, energy, emotion do you spend each day feeling frustrated, angry, hurt by other people who aren’t able or willing to guess your boundaries? How much does it cost you to not have or enforce boundaries?
If you created and enforced boundaries, how much time, energy, emotion would that require? How much relief could it provide in the long run?

Just like anything else, it will take a while to convince folks that the fence you put up is meant to keep them out. And if they don’t care, it might even take a bit after that to convince them to stop hopping the fence. With loving persistence, and compassionate consistency I believe you can teach them to respect whatever boundaries you set.

The first step is awareness and clarity of what your boundaries are. What’s okay and what’s not okay? Certainly, a person can’t enforce a boundary if they don’t know where it lies. If its too daunting to set up a dozen new boundaries all at once and suffer the wrath of the community, choose for yourself what seems like either the “easiest,” or the most pressing boundary to create and enforce.

Next, people have to be made aware of the boundary otherwise they will keep on crossing it. If there is no fence or signage, you bet I’m walking across the grass – its an open invitation and that grass is lush and pretty. When you feel ready, start letting people know ahead of time (before they piss you off and you start cutting heads off) that there is a new boundary and it will be strictly enforced.

Finally, enforce that sucker like a mad woman/man! Lovingly remind people that they have just crossed a boundary – illustrate by labeling their behavior and/or the boundary. Keep replacing the sign and fence whenever they are trampled over until your community complies. If that doesn’t work, call the cops ;)

When people seem to have it figured out, you can decide for yourself if its appropriate or time to call off the guards or replace the chain link fence with something more decorative. You’ll intuitively know who needs to see the chain link fence verses the pretty knee-high wrought iron one.

Of course, if you aren’t ready to weather the storm just yet, file this information away! You can always pull it out later. You know what you can handle right now, and you know what is best for you better than anyone else can ever know.

Know that you are already doing an awesome job!
Your blossoming awareness is part of creating something new for yourself.

There is no wrong/right way to go about this situation, and you are traveling a road that every person has had to travel. Fortunately, you have the incredible insight and self-awareness to see the patterns! That means you get to choose what to do next – most folks just stay stuck in the patterns most/all of their lives not quite knowing why their family interactions feel so crumby.

Whenever you are ready to take that next step, you have some new tools to help you create the life you desire.

What the world needs

2006-02-24T12:09:00.000-05:00

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who are alive."

- Gil Bailie

What a brilliant and inspiring quote!
A client recently found this and passed it along to me. It really rings so true to me and I am reminded of how important it is to keep my eyes focused on the internal rather than the external, knowing that all the joy I find for myself will serve the world magically, creating healing and peace.

What makes you come alive?
What brings you fulfillment and joy and bliss?

Ten Rules for Being Human

2006-02-16T15:47:00.000-05:00

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.

2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called life. Each day of this school, you willhave the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error and experimentation. The failed experiments are as much a part of the process as are the experiments that ultimately work.

4. A lesson is repeated until it's learned. A lesson will present itself to you in various forms until you have learned. When you have mastered the lesson, then you can go on to the next lesson.

5. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.

6. "There" is no better place then "Here." When your "There" has become "Here," you will simply obtain another "There" that will again look better than "Here."

7. Others are simply a mirror of yourself. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself.

8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and the resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9. Your answers lie inside of you. The answers to all of life's questions lie inside of you. All you need do is look, listen, and trust.

10. You will forget all of this.

~Cherie Carter-Scott

Everybody Thinks...

2006-01-31T15:49:00.000-05:00

Each one of us hold, in our own mind, a committee of people who evaluate and judge what we do, say, think, believe, want, etc. Martha Beck, author of Finding Your Own North Star, calls this our "Everybody Committee" or "Everybody" for short.

As I've been reviewing my Everybody Committee membership files, I've found that truly only a couple people make up my Everybody, and generally any of the negative beliefs I ascribe to them are false or unwarranted.

For example, while considering my artwork, I came up with this: "People judge me because I have no formal training as an artist. They see my paintings as silly, rudimentary, lacking skill and talent." When I tried to make a list of six actual people who I knew or knew truly believed this about my artwork, I couldn't find a single person. No one I know personally, (or even don't know but who has communicated with me about my creations) believes this about my artwork. In fact, I've only received positive and affirming feedback about my paintings and ceramics. I tend to get a lot of "Wow! This is really good!"

So, where did this belief come from, that I need formal education in art in order to be an artist? The underlying belief is fear. No one has ever said I am a bad artist. But I can certainly pinpoint my own fear of being called a bad artist. I fear that people will say I haven't enough education, that my artwork is unoriginal, boring, easy to reproduce. Wow. That's a lot of fear.

To counter this belief and get myself into a better space, I decided to look at what people are really saying, and make a list of people who actually say these things. What I found is that people actually love my artwork, want me to continue creating more and more, want me to get it out there into view, and want to buy my art to display in their homes! I was easily able to come up with a dozen different people who actually believe and honestly say these things to me - some of them are complete strangers who just saw my art website and emailed me to say how much they loved my work!

For what may be obvious reasons, I decided to reassign my Everybody Committee to a remote location in Hawaii where they can rest up and take in some sunshine (they need it after all that judging and conjuring of fears they've been doing), and hire the people who love my artwork to replace them. With my new, positive and loving Everybody Committee I feel so much more supported, and they lovingly help me stay focused on what really matters - doing what I love while being my most authentic self.

Exercise:

What is your Everybody Committee saying to you?
Write down all the things your Everybody Committee believes about you, your work, hobbies, dreams, goals, choices, desires, future, past, present, finances, physical wellbeing, friendships, romantic relationship, personal development, the way you spend your time, rest and relaxation, spiritual beliefs.

Who make up this committee?
Make a list of people who actually and honestly believe these things about you and the areas in your life you've written about. Try to come up with at least six individual people, and be as honest as you can be. Some of these people are people you love and care about, others are people you despise and wish would fall of the face of the earth.

What do people really think and say to you?
Write down all the positive things people actually say to about you, your work, hobbies, dreams, goals, choices, desires, future, past, present, finances, physical wellbeing, friendships, romantic relationship, personal development, the way you spend your time, rest and relaxation, spiritual beliefs. Do these people believe you should be happy, healthy, wealthy, comfortable, loved, connected, and experiencing life with ease and joy?

Who make up this committee?
Make a list of people who actually and honestly believe these things about you and the areas in your life you've written about. How many individual people can you come up with for each. Most likely these will be people that you love and care for, and perhaps people you feel inspired by. In fact, some of them might even say things like "I love you and support you no matter what you do!"

Which Everybody Committee most supports your goals, dreams, desires and general wellbeing? Which folks would you prefer to keep on your Everybody Committee? Now, recognizing that the less supportive folks who fill you will their fears are well-meaning and just trying to keep you from making mistakes or getting hurt, once served you incredibly well and provided an important function, mentally thank them for their help and send them on a long awaited vacation - they need it! It's hard work judging and keeping fears going.

Make a conscious choice to fill the seats of your Everybody Committee with people who believe in you, love you, and hold no fears or judgements about you. And every time your former Everybody Committee starts to chime in with fear based messages, make a thank them for their assistance, send them on vacation if required, and call in your new Everybody Committee who will fill you with supportive and affirming messages that will help you reach your goals and fulfill your desires.

Healing

2006-01-20T18:17:00.000-05:00

This world gives us a lot of messages about what we should do and who we should be. And more often than not, we receive a great deal of criticism and experience a tremendous amount of stress based on these external "shoulds," which ultimately become internal "shoulds." There are a lot of layers to peel through to get to what we truly want, and who we truly are.

Years ago, I discovered Louise L. Hay's incredible book You Can Heal Your Life. What I love about this book is how powerful it is in its simplicity. The colorful pages and imagery with Louise's loving and insightful affirmations and meditations are so powerful. I never tire of re-reading chapters or opening to a random page for on-the-spot guidance and inquiry.

Whenever I find a new layer of "shoulds," outside expectations that I've adopted as my own at some point in my life, I pick up the companion book to You Can Heal Your Life, also by Louise L. Hay. You Can Heal Your Life Companion Book has been a powerful tool in my own healing and I often recommend it to both clients and friends who are seeking deep emotional healing and greater self-knowledge. I find myself returning to the exercises in this magical workbook yearly, at minimum. Each time, I experience the exercise in a whole new way. Always, I am astounded at how much I've grown and changed since the last time I completed the exercises, and I am thrilled at how much I have let go of, transformed and created in my life.

You are an incredible light, glowing and growing each day - even if it doesn't appear so at first glance. If you have writings or a workbook you use for growth and change, take a look back at something from a year or more ago. Where were you in your journey? Where are you now? Have you moved forward? Has your thinking changed? Congratulate yourself for any changes and transformations you have made in your life.

Pronoia Is The Antidote for Paranoia

2005-12-05T17:47:00.000-05:00

Ever think the Universe was out to get you? Think again!

According to Rob Brezsny, the Universe is conspiring to shower us with blessings. A short article by the author inspired me to find his book, Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia. This reading reminds me both that turning my thinking upside down really changes my experience, and how incredibly blessed I am that everything comes together so perfectly to create the world I experience.

What is success?

2005-12-03T17:28:00.000-05:00

For me, success is being true to my Self while doing what most fulfills me, and living comfortably.

When I consider my definition of success, I recognize how incredibly successful I am - right now! Success isn't something that eludes me. In fact, I would argue that at one time, I eluded success by living according to other people's values and definition of success! What I have discovered, is that as long as I am being true to my Self and doing what most fulfills me, I find myself living comfortably, enjoying my friends and family, truly growing spiritually, and living a very rich and joyous life.

It is so incredible to me how every thing I intentioned for myself two years ago has manifested, exactly as I asked for it. Part of creating what I currently have, was owning that I am the creator of my experience and life. Every thought I choose to think creates my reality, creates my experience, and due to the law of attraction creates my future.

With this shift in consciousness came a great opening up to the possibilities and the realization that I had been operating on someone else's definition of success and not my own. If taking responsibility for my experience and creations was the first step, the second step was clarifying what it was I truly wanted - creating my own definition of success. This really required a great deal of exploration, getting in touch with my higher Self and the willingness to hear what I really wanted in life.

Believe it or not, it was hard for me to hear that I wanted to be an artist, writer and life coach. Of course, it made perfect sense that I would want these things since they were in complete alignment with the kinds of things I dreamt of being "when I grew up," But they weren't consistent with what I felt society expected from me. As I shed other people's definitions of what was right and good and profitable, I tuned into my own voice to find out what was right and good for me.

Step three was recognizing that we naturally gravitate toward our true calling, and that if we live in alignment with our true selves, being and doing what comes most natural to us, the Universe - Spirit - will support us one hundred percent, and we will absolutely experience success. Instead of focusing on what I disliked and didn't have, I consciously began filling my Self with all the things I loved and wanted.

As I supported the positive aspects of my life, the negative habits, patterns, thinking, ways of being and doing that weren't serving me began to fall away. There simply wasn't room for negativity any longer. There simply wasn't room for an unfulfilling job or relationship. They just didn't fit any more. The negative falling to the side only created more room for the positive to grow and fill up the space.

Today, have an incredible, loving relationship with someone invested in spiritual growth; I create beautiful artwork which sells on my art websites; and I coach wonderful people who are ready and willing to live their lives more fully, which all the rich experiences the Universe offers!

So, what does success mean for you?

Meister Eckhart on self-love

2005-11-30T16:19:00.000-05:00

"If you love yourself, you love everybody else as you do yourself."
Meister Eckhart,
as quoted in The Art of Loving, pg 58

Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving

2005-11-30T16:18:00.000-05:00

"Love is the active concern for the life and growth of that which we love. Where this active concern is lacking, there is no love."
Erich Fromm,
pg 25

"Love is not primarily a relationship to a specific person; it is an attitude, an orientation of character which determines the relatedness of a person to the world as a whole, not toward one "object" of love."
pg 43

"Selfishness and self-love, far from being identical, are actually opposites."
pg 56

Erich Fromm,
The Art of Loving

awakening the faeries

2005-11-20T18:56:00.000-05:00

My first gig in San Diego was supporting an invitational for the Foundation for Inspired Learning. This is where I first met Allison, a fellow graduate of Coach For Life. She and I would be the support team for the three day invitational.

The night before the invitational, Allison, Linda (an invitational co-facilitator), and I spent several hours doing last minute errands and getting to know each other. After only a few hours, I felt I could confide in Allison how difficult it was for me to leave home and truly be in San Diego, let alone support 15 world visionaries. As she dropped me off where I was staying I gave a quick overview of what had been transpiring in my life for the last couple months.

The next day, day one of the invitational, Allison referred to me as a faerie a couple different times. At first I dismissed it as coincidence. Day two, Allison again called attention to my being a faerie and I began to wondered if this was merely something she said to many people or if she somehow knew about my special connection.

After we engaged in a couple exercises that brought us closer, I finally decided I would ask Allison about faeries during a break. She told me she just knew I was a faerie because of my physical being - what she could see, and also my personality and mannerisms. Allison recognized me as a faerie.

I shared with Allison my affinity for butterflies and faeries, and my turmoil about using "Abundance Faerie" in connection with my coaching practice. Allison shared with me her connection to butterflies, faeries and angels, and her own excitement about an upcoming workshop about Angel Therapy she'd be attending with Doreen Virtue.

So much of what Allison said to me made resonated with my beliefs and experience. I was intrigued by what she said about faeries and angels. With this conversation, I knew it was divine purpose that we were brought together to work at this invitational - and I knew we would become friends.

Day three Allison brought me two books by Doreen Virtue, Ph.D., Earth Angels and Healing with the Fairies. I started with the shorter of the two, Earth Angels. This fantastic book outlined traits of several different kinds of "earth angels", incarnated angels, elementals, starpeople and wizards. I know it must sound wild and crazy, but I really identified with what this book was saying.

Although I'm not exactly to a place of "seeing faeries and leprechauns" flitting and jumping around trees and bushes, I have certainly been inspired to embrace my own faerie-ness, and know that there is much insight to gain from Doreen's own encounters with these creatures.

With that said, I introduce myself to you - delicate and light, vibrant and strong, fluttering, winged silver - bringing joy, beauty and abundance to all by reminding each person of their divine connection with Spirit - Abundance Faerie!

San Diego

2005-11-04T19:21:00.000-05:00

I just returned from San Diego where I supported two fantastic events. The first, The Foundation For Inspired Learning Invitational, where a dozen brilliant visionaries met to experience the Inspired Learning Model (tm). The second, Coach For Life's Life Coaching Program, Part 1.

Wow! What an amazing 9 days!

I can't even begin to describe the experience and the massive insights I experienced and am still processing. I have so many wonderful ideas that I am excited to begin sharing and implementing in my life, my artwork, my writing and my coaching practice over the next two months.

I'd really like to thank the participants of both events for their magical energy, and for really allowing themselves to be so open and trusting. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be with so many magnificent spirits, in a safe and sacred space, where I could continue my journey of intense learning and transformation.

I'll be spending the weekend enjoying some much needed rest, and Monday will begin gathering my thoughts so I can start sharing some of the beautiful insights here in my coaching blog.

Thank you and stay tuned!
Amy

Creating True Prosperity

2005-07-22T16:43:00.000-04:00

As I've been working on simplifying my life this last year, really ridding my life of clutter and less fulfilling work in order to make room for what I value and love, it seems like a good time to reread Creating True Prosperity by Shakti Gawain.

Shakti poses some fantastic questions in the first three chapters that really help remind me of what I want and what I have.

What is prosperity?
My personal definition of prosperity not so much rooted in money. I visualize prosperity as being physically comfortable in my surroundings - home, work, play. Having the things I need to feel that comfort, and having the time to relax and enjoy my surroundings. Prosperity is doing the work I love, being well compensated for that work, and having plenty of time to enjoy creative hobbies and sunbathing. Prosperity is traveling the world, perhaps one special trip per year. Basically, having a life of comfort and ease, all at a relaxed pace.

What do I truly want?
I truly want a comfortable and clutter-free home, with enough space for a personal "retreat" area (even if its a closet or a corner in a room). I want a job where I value the work I do, inspire people to live their dreams, and where I can really tap into my own resourcefulness and intuition. I also want to create beautiful artwork that people love and want to display in their homes or share as gifts. I want time to relax and sunshine to lay in.

What is most important to me?
Love, ease, joy, abundance, silence, meaningful connection, security, comfort and peace are most important to me.

What do I need on each of the following levels?
Spiritual: a silent retreat, time and space to create, gratitude, meaningful connection, meditation
Mental: opportunities for learning new things about myself and the world, deep and meaningful conversations, time and space for reading and thinking, outdoor exploration, meditation
Emotional: a silent retreat, time and space to create, meaningful connection, introspection and quiet contemplation, positive support, love, reading, meditation
Physical: food, water, shelter, hugs, daily exersize, adequate sleep, naps, pleasure, challenge, variety, meditation

What needs and desires are already being met?
As I consider the previous questions, this question becomes so easy for me to answer. So many of my needs and desires are already being met! I am experiencing incredible prosperity. I have food, water and shelter. I am physically healthy and walk daily for fun and exersize. I have an incredibly weet, kind ,generous, beautiful, loving, brilliant, talented, sexy, patient, creative boyfriend. I have excellent friends with whom I experience love, creativity, connection, positive support, and intellectual stimulation. I can often find solitude and quiet places to spend time for reading, rest, contemplation and creating art. And I feel more spiritually connected than any other time in my life.

Defining prosperity, considering what I need and then what I have, really creates awareness. Through this process I have a clear understanding of what I want and need to feel prosperous, making it easier for me to set goals on attaining these things. Also, I have an increased awareness of what I already have. This helps me feel more gratitude for what I have, more prosperous, and also allows me to see resources (time/money/etc.) I have but might be fully utilizing.

What comes up for you when you answer these questions?

Rumi Quote

2005-07-10T20:46:00.000-04:00

Come out of the circle of time
And into the circle of love.
~Rumi

Quotes on Anger and Hate

2005-06-27T09:58:00.000-04:00

Our anger and annoyance are more detrimental to us than the things themselves which anger or annoy us.
~ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, translated by Maxwell Staniforth (1964)

Forgo your anger for a moment and save yourself a hundred days of trouble.
~ Chinese Proverb

Hate is not conquered by hate: hate is conquered by love. This is a law eternal.
~ Buddha, The Dhammapada, translated by Juan Mascaro (1973)

Five enemies of peace inhabit with us--avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.
~ Petrarch

Inner Simplicity

2005-06-21T11:26:00.000-04:00

"Inner simplicity means getting rid of the extraneous things--such as worry and anger and judgment--that get in the way of having peace and tranquility in our lives."
~ Elaine St. James, Inner Simplicity: 100 Ways to Regain Peace and Nourish Your Soul

This is only one part of Elaine St. James' "definition" on inner simplicity, but it stands out to me today in particular. Often we spend so much of our time and energy on worrying and being angry about what already happened and can't be changed or hasn't and may not even happen, and judging ourselves and others.

On one hand, we should certainly learn lessons and be prepared for the things that come our way. But worry rarely constitutes learning or preparation. Similarly, anger may serve us temporarily to recognize we do not like something, but in the long run it only consumes us. Judgment is part of a cycle of repeatedly punishing ourselves and others, often when we've already been punished quite enough. All three suck the vital energy from us, giving us nothing but stress in return. Consider how much time and energy we can enjoy by releasing worry, anger and judgment!

Are you willing to release worry, anger and judgment? Are you willing to experience greater inner simplicity? Only when we are willing to change will we actually find ourselves able to do the work necessary to make it happen.

If you are willing to change, over the next week really notice when you start to worry, when you are angry, or when you are judging yourself or others. Ask yourself these questions:

How much time and energy do you spend on these activities?
What are you getting out of being worried, angry or judgmental?
How does it serve you?
What does it cost to let go of worry, anger or judgment?
What do you gain by releasing worry, anger or judgment?
What might you do or feel instead?
What if you chose not to worry and to just trust that everything would be perfect?
What if you forgave yourself or the other people involved?
What if everything that happens has a lesson in it?
What would that lesson be?
What does it cost to let go of worry, anger or judgment?
What do you gain by releasing worry, anger or judgment?

thank you for being

2005-06-10T13:34:00.000-04:00

i am so inspired today!

i love it when i can wake up naturally, when my body and mind say "its time" and i just ease myself out of bed. it feels fantastic to just do what feels right and enjoy a slower pace of life. no rushing about to get here or there.

i found myself sitting quietly on the bus, eyes closed, meditating on the great beauty and abundance of love in the air. the next thing i knew, i was thanking everyone everywhere for everything! "thank you" to the bus driver, "thank you" to the store clerk who accidentally overcharged me and the corrected the mistake, "thank you" to my wonderful friends for existing and for appreciating my artwork. i am so grateful. i love feeling grateful and appreciative. i feel good when i appreciate others, even their mistakes and corrections and in there existence.

thank you, everyone!

opening ourselves up to see possibilities

2005-06-08T22:30:00.000-04:00

The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.
~Henri Bergson

If we believe we are undeserving of love and joy, we will only be able to see difficulties and misery in everything. If we believe we are deserving, which we are, we will see the magnificence and perfection around us.

Each day we have a choice about what to believe. We can begin changing our beliefs and creating self-love right now by speaking the truth to ourselves and stating "I am deserving. I am beautiful. I am talented." Whatever it is we need to change, we must first begin here, with our beliefs about ourselves. When we truly believe we are good and loved and deserving, we will be prepared to see the good and love and wonder around us.

Self-Discipline, a new definition

2005-05-05T18:00:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about "self-discipline." On dictionary.com discipline is defined as:

Training and control of oneself and one's conduct, usually for personal improvement.
the trait of practicing self discipline [syn: self-denial]
the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses [syn: self-denial, self-control]

Wow, isn't this indicative of how we think? Self-discipline is equated in our minds with self-denial - with stopping a bad habit or even doing something we don't enjoy doing in order to improve ourselves.

Using these definitions, I was having a really hard time putting my finger on the instances or places in my life where I am or have been self-disciplined. In fact, I was ready to admit to completely lacking in self-discipline and was in the process of seeking out advice and assistance from other people when another wonderful life coach I know asked me a powerful question. She asked me to think of self-discipline in a new way, a way that works for me and that I can relate to and that really is in alignment with my values and how I live my life.

It's been just over a week but I've found that there are so many ways in while I have been self-disciplined through out my life, much of it getting me to where I am today.

If we reconsider the definition of self-discipline and set it in a more positive and affirming light, we might prefer the following:

Creating new and healthy habits in alignment with one's values and goals.
Repeatedly taking positive actions over time, often involving overcoming obstacles and challenges, in order to create or achieve something important.

With this new definition, I can really see how I have been self-disciplined in so many areas of my life and for as long as I can remember! In fact, I remember how much self-discipline was involved in learning to read my first book (The B Book by Dr. Seuss). And in high school when things at home weren't going very well, I remember doing everything I could in order to get to school each day. And more recently, I remember working very hard, learning as much as I could about running a small business, and taking difficult yet rewarding steps to become self-employed as a life coach. Talk about self-discipline!

When we really want something badly, we will do anything we can to get it. That is self-discipline. And what it might just teach us, is that if something doesn't drive us enough to do what is necessary, then maybe we don't really want it after all.

Live Your Succulent Wild Life!

2005-05-02T01:59:00.000-04:00

"Choosing succulence is a deliberate act
of personal revolution. It means waking up!
embracing your true self, studying your
patterns and letting out your most alive self
We all have one."

~SARK, Juicy Living Cards

Labels

2005-04-22T11:28:00.000-04:00

"Labels and categories serve us only as long as we remember their limits. Mountains are alike in that they all share the quality of "mountainhood," but wind, water, earth movement, and time sculpt each individual mountain so that no two are exactly alike. Just so, a variety of influences shape our own lives... factors, such as gender, culture, role models, genetic heritage, parents and childhood history, body type, appearance, values, beliefs, and interests, influence [each person's] life path in different ways."

Dan Millman,
The Life You Were Born To Live: A Guide to Finding Your Life Purpose

decisions, decisions

2005-04-21T19:37:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I get stuck between a rock and a hard place. Often I'm the one responsible for getting myself there.

There are two kinds of decisions. The kind we are excited to make, and the kind that we dread and put off, hoping something will happen or someone else will decide for us. For me, the last year has been full of the dreaded kind. It has been a rough but amazing year.

After tormenting myself for a few days or weeks in complete indecision, and I am frantic enough to try to escape to Cuba, I often come to my senses remembering that I don't have to be so stressed out. I don't have to be tormented by indecision.

At the root of indecision I find two feelings in panic mode, running around, feeding off each other and causing all kinds of debauchery: overwhelm and fear. Overwhelm and fear tend to breed a burning desire to escape. And when I feel the need to escape, I feel it in a gigantic way.

Working on escaping does nothing to solve the actually problem. In fact, it merely provides a distraction, until all of a sudden, the escaping itself becomes overwhelming and I start to panic.

This is usually where it becomes "do or die" and since I'm the kind of person who does and lives, I remember how easy life wants to be, and that all I need to do is stop struggling and listen to my heart. It can take a bit to dig around and find the root of the problem under all that gunky fear, overwhelm, escape and panic. But it's there, waiting to be uncovered.

Coaching uses some simple but powerful questions to help me get going and create a solution. Here is what part of a coaching session around money might look like:

What's on your mind?
I'm really stressing about money. I can't afford my place and just want to go somewhere warm and cheap and easy. I don't really want to work more, I want to do the things I love, but I feel like I can't because I need the money.
So, what do you see as the root of the problem?
I guess the problem is what to do about money. Do I work more, do I move, do I sell my stuff to make some money?
What would I like to see happen?
I would like to have the perfect amount of money to live comfortably, plus a bit extra for fun.
What does comfort look like?
Paying small rent, having a couple bedrooms and a nice yard for sun bathing. It also means being warm enough in the winter and not worrying about money.
What would it take to make this a reality?
To make this real, honestly, I couldn't live in the house I'm living in. The heating and cooling are inefficient and ineffective. Plus the rent is expensive, considering the cost of utilities. I would definitely need to move. It makes no sense to have to choose between being cold or paying high utilities.
You've mentioned moving several times recently, is moving something you want to follow through with?
I do. I really do. It's a bit scary though - kind of a big thing.
What if you made a list of all the things you need to do in order to move?
That would be great. Then I could figure out how long it would take me to get ready to move, and set a timeline.
What can you do in the mean time about meeting financial responsibilities?
I can work more and let go of anything I don't want to take when I move. Maybe have a garage sale to make a few extra bucks.

The great thing about this coaching conversation is the panic and frustration are disolved once the source of the issue is revealed and we've started to focus on the present and creating what is most desired. When we bring decisions down to the heart level of "what do you really want?" it opens up so many possibilities for actually creating the future. It is amazing how much easier it is to make a decision when considering what we truly desire in life.

What decision have you been putting off?
What is it that you truly want?
What would it take to make that happen?

Being Fully Present

2005-04-09T12:35:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how being present and in the moment, not only impacts our own sense of the world around us, but it also impacts how others experience us and our relationship with them.

I've noticed that during different parts of my journey in this life, I have experienced varying degrees of presence. Some times I was tuning the world out and being introspective, deep in thought. Other times I was so greatly intune with things around me, (conversations around me, bright lights, scents) that I couldn't focus on relationships with the people in front of me. And as I experience the people in my life moving through varying degrees of presence, I have come to understand how it feels from the other side of things.

While spending time with others it can feel frustrating, lonely and dismissive to witness a friend's lack of presence with me, or hyper-presence with our surroundings. The most I can do is call their attention to what I'm witnessing, inquire if there is something underneath that they can express, and then be compassionate and loving while they experience this part of their journey, knowing it is not personal. I can also express the level of presence I need from them and ask them to make an effort to engage on that level, trusting they will do their best.

I am grateful for this new awareness because it helps me recognize how important it is to honor myself and where I'm at, as well as honor where others are at in their process and journey. It also reminds me how important it is to my friends and family that I be truly present with them, and if I cannot be fully present, to make an effort to explain to them my current level of presence and how much I am able to give them at that time, keeping in mind they may not understand and may feel frustration or hurt.

What a spontaneously beautiful and inspiring day!

2005-04-07T19:03:00.000-04:00

I am inspired as I read Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman. There are so many ways this book applies to my past and current experiences, and no doubt it will apply in many ways to my future.

I see myself grappling with the confusion of "What do I do next?" and the fear that I might be missing something if I don't "do" something. It can feel rather paralyzing. Part of what I need to remember is that change will happen at exactly the right time, and all I need to do is be aware and open to opportunities when they appear.

One such opportunity occurred today. It was so warm outside I spontaneously decided to go for a walk to find a place to sit and read. Walking by a wonderful store filled with crafts and art, I noticed a sign about wanting part-time help. I stopped to inquire and talked with the owner. Not only is she interested in possibly hiring me but she is interested in seeing my artwork.

The wonderful gift here is how seeing an opportunity and just inquiring may result in increasing my income. Even if we do not choose to work together at her store, she may still choose to sell my artwork or pass on my information to another arts and crafts vendor.

Fantastic April Resources

2005-04-06T15:54:00.000-04:00

If you like Louise L. Hay, Dr. Wayne Dyer or any other similarly brilliant folks, you might just enjoy listening to some of the programs offered by Hay House Radio. Free, and no sign up unless you want to listen to the archives.

How Magnificent Were You?

2004-12-07T12:16:00.000-05:00

Dear Magnificent Readers,

Whoa! 2004 is coming to a close. Is it possible??? Did 2004 already happen?
Its amazing how quickly time passes when we are busy – regardless of whether we are enjoying ourselves or not.
Well, before you break out your pen and paper to start those resolutions for 2005, I’ve got a little plan for us! YAY! I love plans.

Lets take some time this month to think about how magnificent we were in 2004.

What did you accomplish in 2004 that you are really proud of? (Don’t forget the little things! Sometimes getting out of bed every morning for a year is a great accomplishment)
What is one thing you learned about yourself or about life that really inspires you?
What is one wonderful thing someone said to you this past year that really made you feel good?

Next month we’ll do something thinking around creating a fantastic 2005!

Whatever holiday you might be celebrating this winter, take time to appreciate your self. You are important, you matter, you are beautiful and you are loved.

Thank you for helping me make 2004 a year of amazing growth and opportunity!

Love,
Amy

Anais Nin Quote

2004-12-07T11:29:00.000-05:00

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin

Do what you love!

2004-12-07T11:18:00.000-05:00

A teacher brings a large glass jar filled with four big rocks to school and places it on her desk in front of the class.

“Is this jar full?” she asks.

The kids look at her like she’s blind: of course it’s full!

She reaches down and picks up a sack of gravel, opens the jar, and begins pouring the gravel into the jar. The kids stare as the gravel finds its way in and around the stones.

“Now is the jar full?” the teacher asks again. Again, the kids nod at the obvious.

The teacher says nothing but picks up a sack of fine sand she has brought with her. Again she opens the jar. Again the kids stare as the bag of sand empties into the jar, finding its way around all the edges.

First, what is your observation? Write about it for a minute. When you’ve finished, scroll down.

*

*

*

*

“Think about it,” the teacher says quietly. “If I had started with the sand and the gravel, there would never have been any room for the rocks. But when we put the important things into our lives first, the gravel and sand activities still find a way to squeeze themselves in.” *

In the last couple years I really started taking a look at the sand, gravel and rocks in my life. Something of a “Little Dig” to see what was there, what wasn’t and what I wanted to be there. I emptied my jar, and to my surprise found tons of sand, gravel and a couple really small rocks. I thought about how much time I was spending doing the things that I “had” to do or “should” do, and how little time I felt I had left over for the things I love doing, wanted to do, or always wanted to try. It didn’t feel like I had enough time for those things.

Because I’m very stubborn and I insist on getting something out of my life, I decided I was going to make time and that everyone around me would have to find a way to accommodate me.

I chose carefully what my big rocks would be and decided when it would best serve me and the other facets of my life to spend time on each of these rocks. I came up with the understanding that I needed one week night for one rock, another week night for another rock and my third rock would need an entire weekday. The week nights would need to be negotiated with my partner. The weekday with my employer.

Although not terribly keen on the idea of finding her own (possibly quiet) entertainment, my partner was willing to give me my two week nights. My employer thought it over and over and over, and finally agreed that I could be spared two week days per month if I used my vacation time. Success was mine and I took advantage of the time I had created for my self. In just under one and a half years time I have turned my three rocks from desires into my fulltime career.

Take a look at your life. Empty your big jar of day-to-day and start with three to five big rocks - the three to five things that really nourish your spirit – owning your own company, knitting, soccer, writing, etc. Really take a chance and invest yourself in those activities or goals and experience the fulfillment you receive. Don’t worry, the laundry, chauffeuring, and yard work will always find a way to get done around the edges. And your jar/life will be amazingly full!

*Adapted from a story told by Margaret Lobenstine (http://www.togetunstuck.com).

Charles Dubois Quote

2004-12-07T10:22:00.000-05:00

The important thing is this:
To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.
Charles Dubois

Hodge-Podge

2004-11-01T11:04:00.000-05:00

Dear Beams of Radiant Light,

Is it just me or has it been a stressful couple months???

Autumn always reminds me of the cycle of life, of death and rebirth, endings and beginnings. One of my favorite quotes illustrates of the beauty and necessity of this cycle.

Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it cannot grow.

While there are places in our life when we feel small or even great loss, sorrow and defeat, it can help us to be reminded that the end is also the beginning. We cannot have beginnings without endings, nor endings without beginnings. Lets do our best to radiate love out into the world so our national and world leaders can soak some of it up and maybe make some better choices over the next few years.

And with this, I offer up a hodge-podge of thoughts for the journey ahead.

With shimmering love and gentle hugs,

Amy

If you have love in your life it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you don't have it, no matter what else there is, it's not enough.
~Ann Landers

Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.
~Rumi

To Release the Past, We Must Be Willing to Forgive

We need to choose to release the past and forgive everyone, ourselves included. We may not know how to forgive, and we may not want to forgive, be the very fact that we say we are willing to forgive begins the healing process. It is imperative for our own healing that “we” release the past and forgive everyone.

From: You Can Heal Your Life
by Louise L. Hay

Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.
~Barbara De Angelis

Where love rules, there is no will to power; and where power predominates, there love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other.
~Carl Jung

Discovering Misalignments

2004-09-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

This past August I traveled to Seattle to visit family and friends. Much to my surprise, an amazing and unexpected thing happened. All of my stresses melted away. I felt so relaxed and at peace. Many of the anxiety-related behaviors and symptoms I experience in my daily life stopped. I stopped biting my nails and craving sweets, my back felt relaxed and loose, and I began sleeping soundly through the night. In fact, a few nights, I was even able to sleep 9 to 12 hours.

A couple days before returning home to Boston I noticed the stress edging its way back in. Ugh. Then, upon returning home and to my part-time office job, all of the behaviors and symptoms magically re-appeared! What was causing all this stress and anxiety? I immediately saw an opportunity to learn something about myself.

I took some time to consider the particular stressors in my life. What kind of stress did each present? Could I make changes that would reduce or eliminate the stress or stressor ?

I found the most stressful and most changeable situation was returning to my office job. I love the environment and the company. But, the work is not in alignment with my life purpose and takes up time I would rather be using for activities that nourish me and support me as a whole person. In addition, I had planned on completing my service there by June, which had already come and gone.

Once I made this connection it became clear to me that the “problem” or misalignment in my life is that I am doing something that does not support my life purpose or personal truth. It is a huge barrier to peace, joy, ease of life, and fulfillment. So, I know that right now is the perfect time to let it go. What an amazing learning experience :)

Letting go is not always easy. But it is very freeing.

M. Scott Peck Quote

2004-09-01T09:02:00.000-04:00

The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.
M. Scott Peck

William Shakespeare Quote

2004-07-07T22:57:00.000-04:00

“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.”
William Shakespeare

Gloria Steinem Quote

2004-07-01T12:28:00.000-04:00

“If the shoe doesn't fit, must we change the foot?”
Gloria Steinem

MIDSUMMER NIGHTS QUIZ

2004-07-01T10:51:00.000-04:00

Take a minute to answer these quick questions and then check the answer key

How much of your day, week, month, year, life do you spend doing things that you have great passion for and really enjoy?
0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%

How much of your day, week, month, year, life do you spend begrudgingly doing things you find boring, routine, meaningless, unfulfilling, draining, exhausting, incongruous with your life purpose, unsatisfying?
0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%

How much of that boring, meaningless, unfulfilling stuff are you doing because you actually want to be doing it, and how much are you doing because someone or something else thinks or says you “should”?
0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%

How much of this boring, meaningless, unfulfilling stuff could be tossed out and replaced with fun, interesting, fulfilling stuff?
0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%

What would it look like if you stopped doing even just half of the not-so-good stuff and started doing some of the great stuff instead?
Horrible Okay Good Great Wonderful Magnificent!

MIDSUMMER NIGHTS QUIZ ANSWER KEY

2004-07-01T10:34:00.000-04:00

This is the answer key to the Midsummer Nights Quiz.

We can’t all quit our jobs and move to the Bahamas. Some of us wouldn’t want to if we could. But we can stop doing things that drain us and cause us misery much easier than we think, and replace it with things we love and experience passion doing! But how? How is this possible?

I would like to challenge you to think outside the box. What does the box look like? The box is all of the things our society says are important for us to do. All of the “shoulds”. Sometimes the shoulds happen to be things we love. Often times, they are not.

There are all kinds of shoulds that we plan our days and lives around... Sometimes these shoulds are cleverly disguised as needs.
- I should (or need to) have a big house, a husband/wife, 2.4 kids, a dog, a white picket fence.
- I should (or need to) have a six figure salary in a corporation and be happy we can pay our bills.
- I should (or need to) get a bachelors degree and then a masters degree and then a PhD in something practical and lucrative like law or medicine.
- I should (or need to) do what is safe, not take risks on frivolous things like having our own coffee shop or being a photographer.
- I should (or need to) stick with this job because I’m good at it, or there is nothing else out there for me, or they need me, or I’m not qualified for anything else, or my family/friends/boss will be disappointed in me, or it pays well enough and I should be grateful.

What happens if these “shoulds” aren’t right for you? What if you’ve tried them out and they just don’t fit? Do you wear them anyway? Do you keep trying to fit yourself into a pair of shoes that are 3 sizes too small? What happens if you do?

Your feet start to hurt, for one thing. Then they start to adjust their shape to fit the shoe. Pretty soon you’ve got deformed feet and can’t even walk anymore! How useful is that? Our passions, souls, and lives are the same way – fortunately its never too late to take off that shoe and get a pair that fit! If we imposed external values on ourselves our hearts and lives become deformed and unfulfilling. Living starts to be a pain and then gets downright unbearable. Would you choose to wear shoes that don’t fit and cause you this much pain? Why choose to live your life with any less care?

Find a couple of those shoulds that don’t belong to you and that maybe feel a little less threatening to toss out than the others. Maybe its something you’ve been telling yourself has got to go for a long time but just haven’t taken it out of the closet and put it in the trash yet. Or maybe there is something huge that you’re ready to let go of. Whatever it is, take a deep breath and let that horrible, dissatisfying thing go!

Now what? How much time, peace of mind have you gained back? What do you want to do with this time? Perhaps this time could be used for some of those fulfilling activities you’ve always talked about doing. Haven’t you always wanted to learn to play guitar, knit, start exercising, take Saturday naps, spend your holiday visiting instead of cooking, meet new people, join a club, read a book? What's on that list of “things that would nourish my Spirit” that you could now easily fit into that space you’ve cleared. Careful not to fill that space with more shoulds. Perhaps what you’d really like to do is... Nothing. Use this new found time to meditate, sit and relax, spend time with your kids or friends. Wow! Isn’t this great!!!

Let me share an example of how tossing out a should worked for me.

I’m a bright, multi-skilled, talented person (if I do say so myself) who learns quickly, often performs above expectations and consequently gets bored pretty easily. After working in several positions for a wonderful company it became a bit excruciating to go to work every day. I knew this day would come but was fortunate enough to prevent it for quite some time by taking on additional responsibilities, learning new facets of the business, and of course appreciating the paycheck I received twice a month. This job nourished parts of me and created extraordinary opportunities for me to learn and grow. But I had done what I came to do, and my options were to trudge on and lose sanity, or leave and do something that truly nourished my spirit.

After a year of battling out my shoulds (yep, no matter who we are, those shoulds are real troopers) and looking into all kinds of possibilities -other jobs, going back to school, life coaching- I finally listened to what my inner guide had been saying all along... “If you don’t do something now, I will sabotage you so that you have no other choice.” I found that to be an enticing message. Oh, my inner guide also said “This coaching thing sounds perfect.”

I negotiated using vacation and unpaid time off in order to have weekly time to paint and write – two of my wonderful passions, and took a week of vacation to take the level one intensive training with Coach For Life in San Diego. Now, when I say negotiated, don’t think I just walked into my bosses office and said “hey, I need a day off each week so I can paint and write and be a coach,” and then got it. It took me six months to get from two vacation days off a month (one every other week) to where I am today (a part time, hourly employee with three to four days a week). I had to do some pretty serious intentioning to make this come together (see previous newsletters for “What I create in my life is first created in my mind). But once I put my intention out there, the Universe moved to make it happen. It was nothing short of miraculous.

So, now where am I? Honestly, I feel myself shifting again and I know that it is time to take that next step and go full time with coaching. Its time to let go of the office job which has served me amazingly and taught me so much, and go full force into coaching. With that said... Anyone need a coach?

15 minute grant

2004-05-01T12:19:00.000-04:00

Dear artful and splendid readers,

I hope you are enjoying the silly Spring weather wherever you may be. I bet most of us are caught up in the doingness of life right now. When is the last time you just got to “be” - No doing, no rushing around, no working, no getting this for them? See if you can grant yourself 15 minutes (or more!) to play outside today – even if it’s raining! Run out there, stand in the quiet you create with your mind, and just BE. You deserve it.

I love you, you precious flecks of treasure!

Sunshine and Butterflies,

Amy

Dark Parts Quote

2004-05-01T10:20:00.000-04:00

“Welcome the dark parts of love and the deep unknown layers. Let them speak too.”

Sark,
2004 Page a Day Calendar

Sitting With Darkness

2004-05-01T09:24:00.000-04:00

We all experience down days, no matter how fulfilling our lives are. As much as we all want to experience happiness and fulfillment, we must also be aware that we will have days, maybe an entire week or month, where we feel defeated, down, discouraged, angry, or other “negative” or “dark” emotions. This is a natural part of our human experience.

It is a misconception that being happy or living a fulfilling life means that we experience no dissatisfaction or negative emotions. It is quite normal to experience emotions other than joy or contentment. However, because these times can be painful and/or overwhelming and our culture rarely teaches positive and appropriate ways to process these emotions, we often bury our pain, anger, frustration, sadness, grief, fear and anxiety.

It makes sense that we do not want to feel the dark emotions - they don’t feel good. However, one of the best things we can do for our emotional selves is allow these emotions to surface when they do exist, and to sit with them.

When we do not process these emotions and just stuff them deep within, they may manifest in other, potentially harmful ways months or even years later (e.g. physical ailments or conditions, or as seemingly non-related negative emotions or behaviors). At this point we may no longer be able to identify where they came from.

On the other hand, observing and processing our dark emotions can offer great relief and wonderful opportunities for increased insight. When we allow our dark emotions to exist we are also being true to ourselves and allowing ourselves to be fully human.

Next time you visit the darker caverns of emotion, consider giving yourself permission to be there. Give yourself permission to feel that full range of human emotions, and allow yourself an opportunity to sit with and process whatever emotions have emerged from within.

A few questions to help you along:

How did your parents or closest family members and friends deal with their emotions? Did they bottle them up or allow them to just be?
How did these friends and family deal with your expression of emotions? Where you given permission to cry or told not to be a baby?
Now, as an adult, you get to be the parent of your inner child. Can you give yourself permission to feel the dark emotions?
How do you deal with or process your dark emotions? How would you like to deal with or process them? Do you have a choice?
How much time do you allow yourself for processing?
Do you find that you process these emotions best through music, art, speech, physical or creative outlets?
What has worked best for you in the past?

It can be challenging to give yourself permission to sit with negative emotions. However, allowing yourself this magnificent opportunity to be fully present and fully human may help you to reach a deeper level of fulfillment in your life.

Please note: It is important to recognize when dark emotions are momentary, passing, and/or temporary versus something more serious requiring outside professional assistance. If you feel seriously depressed, or are concerned about your own or another’s health and safety you should seek medical or professional help.

Gratitude

2004-04-01T13:08:00.000-05:00

Dear Beautiful and Loving Readers,

Abundance has sprung with spring, and I seem to be bouncing off the walls with energy and joy! Thank you for being a wonderful and inspiring part of my life. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities, and I am grateful to share pieces of this mystifying process with you.

With sparkling glitter falling around you in love,

Amy

Prosperity Quote

2004-04-01T12:30:00.000-05:00

"All of our prosperity lies in the present no matter what it contains!
Our attempts to live for, or in, the future set us up for scarcity.
We are continually chasing something we don't yet have."

Sark,
2004 Page a Day Calendar

Prosperity Now

2004-04-01T12:12:00.000-05:00

Living in the present has got to be one of the most paradoxical experiences I've known. As children we learn to live very much in the future - "When you get older you will be able to...", "You need to study hard so [in the future] you can get a good job or go to a good college...", "And what do you want to be when you grow up?", "What will you think of that when you're older?", "Don't ruin your life by doing...".

Of course, our parents are well-meaning. There is merit in learning to consider the consequences of our decisions and actions, as well as planning ahead for the future. But at what point does living in the future work to paralyze and prevent us from making good choices?

Much of creating a fulfilling life in the present requires us to release our attachment to the past (which can no longer be changed). This is not meant to discount the importance of taking the time and space to heal our hurts, and experience whatever we need in order to move forward in life. However, as we recover from past hurts, it can be more beneficial to let go of the past and begin living in today. After all, no matter how much we cry over spilled milk it won't hop back into the glass.

Similar to dwelling on the past, living in the future (which has yet to occur) can be just as debilitating. During my first semester of college I chose not to pursue a math degree for fear of failure. Growing up, I had always had a passion for math and a knack for numbers, but I worried that the course of study would be too difficult. I feared that ultimately, I would be proved stupid. For many years later, I felt regret regarding that decision. I made a significant decision based on something that hadn't happened yet, and may not have ever come to pass.

Choosing not to pursue a passion or avoiding making a decision based on the unknown doesn't prevent the unknown from happening. Imagine if we stopped buying and drinking milk just because we might spill it. Or we chose not to go to college because we might not graduate cum laude. We may merely be preventing our own nourishment, success and joy by allowing the unknown to impact our lives so greatly.

These may be extreme examples, but how many times have you decided to pass up an intriguing opportunity or even a simple enjoyable moment because of what may or may not happen? Remember my friend (see March 2004) who enjoyed a wonderful bonding experience with her children because she chose to allow the floor to get dirty?

Part of self-care and living in alignment with our life purpose is choosing to live fully in the present, not in the past or future. Living in the present means doing things that nourish us, being who we really are, not accepting less than we deserve, and living for true fulfillment. Next time you feel the "what ifs" coming on, consider asking yourself the following questions:

What is the worst-case scenario, or in other words, the worst that could possibly happen?
What does that mean for me?
Will this choice bring me closer to my goals and life purpose?
Is this choice in alignment with the things I believe are important to me (e.g. love, family, success, joy, connection)?

You may find that living in the present actually creates a sense of success, joy, nourishment, connection, prosperity and abundance -- all the things we work so hard to attain in the future. Therefore, by creating what we want for the future in the present, we get to enjoy prosperity right now!

Wonderment

2004-03-01T12:59:00.000-05:00

Dearest Magnificent Readers,

Beautiful spring seems to be upon us! What a wonderful feeling it is to watch the days grow longer and the sun change position in the sky. The air is fresh and crisp when I step outside and I'm reminded of all the wonderment I feel each year as the seasons change.

What are you reminded of with the warming weather and longer days? How can you encourage that feeling of wonderment within yourself?

In loving kindness,
~Amy

Toward A New Perfectionism

2004-03-01T12:16:00.000-05:00

When I think of perfectionism, my back tenses up and I feel a sense of dread. I think to myself, "Oh, no! Not that." There are two sides to this coin toss, and we either consider ourselves perfectionists or not. In either case, the P-word, although associated with doing things with utmost precision and skill, also has that side-kick negative meaning.

This brings to mind Cynthia who graciously offered to host a summer party for 15 co-workers, their partners and children. I was baffled when she helped the children fill balloons in the kitchen of her gorgeous Victorian home during a water balloon fight. The baffling part? Dirt, grass and then mud formed on the porch steps and throughout the kitchen as the children ran from the kitchen sink, out into the yard and then back to the kitchen sink.

In my home, growing up, water balloon fights could only take place outdoors. And, if it had ever occurred to me to come in the house, I had better have clean feet. If I did track mud into the house, I probably wouldn't have survived my mother's wrath.

I expressed my amazement to Cynthia. I couldn't believe she wasn't concerned about her floors. With enthusiasm and joy, she merely told told me, "Floors get wet and muddy. We can just clean it up when we're done!"

Floors get wet and they get muddy. We can just clean it up. Cynthia was not attached to having a sparkling floor, and she accepted that the floor would become dirty, and hence, need cleaning. So, by accepting that floors get dirty and can be cleaned, she was able to release herself from the burden of stress she could have experienced. Instead, she had a blast playing with the children. The children had a wonderful time too.

What a refreshing perspective. How much weight do we give all of the little details in our lives, and how much do those details run our lives and consume our thoughts? We have such adverse reactions when we spill juice or coffee on the counter or floor. We feel inconvenienced. The experience is stressful and we become angry with ourselves, our children, strangers. At what cost is this to our health and our general sanity?

Of course we want to do our very best and keep everything sparkling clean. Of course we want to outshine all the stars around us and be noticed for our brilliance and magnificence. But do we need such a rigid definition of perfection? Do we really need to get so upset when things do not meet our expectations of perfection?

We can live more peaceful and stress-free lives if we release our definition of perfection (never getting the floor dirty) and are not in the constant posture of prevention. Similarly, we cannot undo what has already occurred, or change events that have already taken place. Getting upset does not fix the problem, reduce or increase the importance of it, or create happiness and fulfillment in our lives. When we choose not to become trapped in the need for perfection, and instead release our desire to control events and circumstances that are out of our hands, we choose ease, joy and fulfillment in our lives.

One of the most powerful lessons I have been learning in this lifetime is the amazing truth of perfection. We, you and I, are already completely perfect. Everything we do, say, and have is exactly perfect for us in this very moment. It is exactly what we need at this moment in order to find whatever we need to learn to follow our life purpose. In fact, since life is a journey (not a destination), every day offers a new opportunity to learn a lesson, transform a habit or experience, and take the next step toward fulfillment. How wonderful is that?

Because Cynthia allowed her floor to get dirty, she and the children gained a wonderful playful experience together. And then afterwards, they cleaned up. It was perfect.

Like beauty, perfection is a matter of perspective. When something breaks, spills, or doesn't go "our way", it might just be perfect. It might just be exactly what we needed in order to make some other connection that helps us in our goals or life purpose.

While writing this, I've decided that I am a new kind of perfectionist. As I learn to let go of my rigid expectations, and all of those rules imposed upon me by my friends, family and society, I am enjoying experiencing true freedom and joy. It has taken me many years to learn how to live a life of ease and joy. I know that there is more joy and ease to be had with every "rule" I release. Where I am at this moment is perfect.

The Road Less Traveled

2004-03-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

"Once we truly know that life is difficult-once we truly understand and accept it-then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, it no longer matters."

- M. Scott Peck, M.D. The Road Less Traveled