An Extraordinary Life is Your Birthright
You were put on this earth to experience an extraordinary life: a life of joy, purpose and abundance. It is your birthright. The fact that so few do disturbs me greatly. As Henry David Thoreau so aptly said, “Most people lead lives of quiet desperation and go to their graves with their music still in them.” I don’t want this to be you! Even if you do not believe this is possible for you at this moment, I don’t ever want you to stop searching for answers. Constantly ask yourself, “How can I live an extraordinary life? What do I…
Wake Up to Your Full Potential
No matter where you are in your life right now - whether you're currently succeeding at an extraordinary level, or if you're struggling to find your way - there is at least one thing I know we have in common (probably a lot more than one, but one that I know for sure). We both want to improve our lives, and ourselves. This is not to suggest that there is anything wrong with us, or our lives, but as human beings we were born with the innate desire and drive to continuously grow and improve. I believe it's within all…
Aiming for Perfection? Just Live!
Recently I offered several workshops focusing on self-compassion. I began each one by saying, “This weekend is a project in non-self-improvement.” This statement was often followed by laughter and then a slow realization that gradually revealed a premise that nearly every one of us carries: We must always be improving, forever trying to make ourselves better, thinner, more spiritual; in a word, perfect. For many of us, it is our primary motivating concern. Hidden under this pressure is a belief that says, “Unless I improve, make myself better, bordering on perfect, I will continue to live outside the circle of…
Change Your Life With Forgiveness
We are beings of energy and light. The energy within each one of us carries a vibration that can be felt and/or sensed, with a polarity of low and high. The higher end is where we connect with spirit and our higher self along with other high vibrating energy like love, joy and abundance. The lower end is where negativity resides with anger, fear, sadness, illness and suffering. If your life does not match what you desire, raising your vibration can change it; forgiveness is the way. Life is too precious to squander our time living unhappy, angry, sad or…
The Surest Guide
Do what you love. Trust it. Your passions will lead you where you ultimately want to go. It may get messy in the middle of the journey. At times it may seem you’re in the wrong place altogether. Things may get painful and stormy. But trust your heart. Time and life will prove to you that following its calling is the truest path to your greatest fulfillment and happiness. If you have a dream, a talent, a voice—if you have something inside you that wants to come out, go for it. The only thing holding you back is you. The…
Remembering to Dig Deep
The best lessons I've learned in life have happened while running and if there is one thing I can share with the others, it is "Dig Deep." It's a phrase I say to myself whether on a daily run where I feel less than strong or in a road race when I feel as if my legs are like noodles and I am going to bring up cookies. Not the prettiest of all imageries, but "Dig Deep" has carried over into other areas of my life when I felt like the world was handing me way too much. You don't…
101 Ways to Experience Personal Growth
There are many forms of personal growth available to you at all times. Below is a list of 101 different ways that you can integrate it into your life right now. Whatever your experience is, there are several ways you can take your Personal Growth to the next level. Everything you think, feel, say and do affects you, your loved ones and the global community. The world around you will automatically transform, as you continue to positively impact your life. Enhance your Personal Growth today. Review this list and pick the top 3 choices to implement immediately. To see the…
Getting Over That Bump in the Road
Remove from your head everything you've ever been told you are or are not. You probably know yourself better than anyone else does anyway. Nothing that anyone else says you are can change who you really are. So forget them! They only hold you back. If you think you are capable of achieving great things, but some voice inside tells you it can't happen or won't, recognize the voice and shun it! As long as you listen to that voice, you'll only go as far as that voice allows you. This is your voice of inner confidence. Don't live your…
Are You Taking Care of Your Inner Garden?
Your life is a seed and life is a series of seasons. What do I mean by this? Well, imagine that Planet Earth is a huge garden and that each individual life is a seed. A person's environment becomes their garden and each person is their own gardener. If a gardener does not understand that his seed needs to be protected in a safe garden environment and nurtured regularly; or that it will only sprout after a cycle of seasons passes, he might starve his seed, dig it up prematurely or let other gardeners or bad weather prevent it from…
Shine Your Light
I am seeing an alarming trend of people walking through their life anesthetized. Numb. They whittle away their limited hours and days watching others live instead of consciously living their own life. They conveniently view others through the lens of a television screen, computer screen, or even a cell phone. With the push of a button, they fall into a trance of being a voyeur in the life of another and justify this as living. I want to shake them, "Wake up! Do you know how many people are waiting for YOU to fully show up in your life? You…
12 Ways to Fall Wildly In Love with Your Life
By falling in love with life, we fall in love with ourselves (and visa versa). When we fall in love with ourselves we can access our true potential because we become willing to give ourselves the experiences, practices and beliefs that support us to succeed AND the self acceptance to get back up when we fail. If we don’t fall in love with life and ourselves, then we fall into the perpetual wheel of self sabotage, struggle and suffering. How I support people (starting with myself) to love life: I establish powerful, self-serving daily practices. Our habits make us who we become. Be…
Global Change Begins Within
In one way, it's hard to say what has happened to the health of our world and the people upon it, not that suitable terms don't exist. The problem is that whatever picture one paints with words, it points only to a single part of the story, and we're left with an incomplete understanding of the situation. History proves, along with personal experience, that whenever our understanding of a problem is incomplete, its effect is to breed conflict. Then, blame becomes the solution and inevitably war breaks out -- first on a personal, and then on a planetary level. This…
How Do I Become More Productive?
"Do you have any suggestions of tangible steps that I can take to help me fit everything on my "to do" list into my day? I feel like I need a 30 hour day!" ~ Jeff, Chula Vista, CA Dear Jeff, Unfortunately you cannot add more hours to your day, but you can get better R.O.T.I. (return on time invested) out of your day. Take the time to break up your day to fit your and your family's needs. First, determine when the most productive part of your day is. Then, dedicate one hour of your most productive time to…
Learning, Playing, Growing
Why is that, once we grow up, we think we have to stop playing? Actually, once we grow up, it is even more important we continually find ways to bring the fun back into our lives. It is through playing that we are stimulating our senses - all of our senses, our entire multi-sensory being. The old saying "use it or lose it" is quite true. If you watch children, they learn by doing, but they also learn through playing. The same applies whether we are young or old. Our brains need that stimulus -- or it gets dull and less…
What Ripple Effect Are You Creating ?
It always amazes me when people give me the following reasons why they cannot give... I am just one person I don't have enough money I am not educated enough Who is going to listen to me ? Etc... Etc... Etc... EVERY person on this planet, no matter how rich or how poor, can do SOMETHING.... Get creative. Think of ways you can give without spending a dime to ways you can contribute if you are a Millionaire. We all have something to give-contribute. Do you know one of the greatest gifts of giving is an EAR...? Listening to someone,…
5 Suggestions for Staying Inspired
How does one feel more inspired everyday? Inspiration is the stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity. Inspiration comes from the Latin, inspirare which means "To breathe, to blow into the Spirit is within." If you want to feel and be inspired today, here are five suggestions: 1. Movies and music have always been a great source of inspiration. I recall that a key contributor reporting to me told me he was going after his dream to be a radio sports announcer after seeing the movie, Field of Dreams. The movie Forrest Gump continues…