September 2013

Can 1 person really make change? I say YES!

By Lauren Galley

I had the amazing opportunity to give my “Girl Talks” over the last two weeks in the beautiful state of Maine speaking to over 100 girls at Camp Susan Curtis. Each cabin of young tween and teen girls listened to a different girl talk and experienced a different message. After the first talk, the word began to spread that I was there with a message of girl power and each day as i watched awesome girls come in with excitement to hear what their talk was going to be about I knew right then that 1 person can make change. I hear people comment all the time, “One person can’t change the world.” and before now I would have agreed that alone, such a feat would be quite difficult. I am 1 girl who shared my message with over 100 girls who are now inspired to be their best, confident, and empowered! If my girl talks can spread like wildfire through a camp in Maine, just think of how powerful we are as single human beings.

My generation is extremely narcissistic. Social Media blasts daily with “Look how great I am.” “Look what I have.” and “Look who I’m with.” Don’t get me wrong, I believe in celebrating our accomplishments and being proud of who we are but teens today are obsessed with materialistic items, brands, and going to crazy extremes of looking perfect. We enable the media to shape us in such a way that leaves little room for development through individuality. Helping others is not in our sequence of daily life. It takes effort and consideration as you hurry about your routine which is of course, all about YOU!

Take a little time from your day to share positive words and wisdom with someone. You will be surprised how such a small effort can make a difference. It’s the best kind of “contagious” to travel throughout the world. You are 1 person and YES, you can change the world. Go ahead, try it. Pay it forward…..

Only a Flashlight

How do you see reality?

By Anita Moorjani

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Although I try to share my near-death experience, there are no words that can come close to describing its depth and the amount of knowledge that came flooding through. So the best way to express it is through the use of metaphors and analogies. Hopefully, they capture a part of the essence of what I’m trying to convey at least in some small way.

Imagine, if you will, a huge, dark warehouse. You live there with only one flashlight to see by. Everything you know about what’s contained within this enormous space is what you’ve seen by the beam of one small flashlight. Whenever you want to look for something, you may or may not find it, but that doesn’t mean the thing doesn’t exist. It’s there, but you just haven’t shone your light on it. And even when you do, the object you see may be difficult to make out. You may get a fairly clear idea of it, but often you’re left wondering. You can only see what your light is focused on, and only identify that which you already know.

That is what physical life is like. We’re only aware of what we focus our senses on at any given time, and we can only understand what is already familiar.

Next, imagine that one day, someone flicks on a switch. There for the first time, in a sudden burst of brilliance and sound and color, you can see the entire warehouse, and it’s nothing like anything you’d ever imagined. Lights are blinking, flashing, glowing, and shooting sparks of red, yellow, blue, and green. You see colors you don’t recognize, ones you’ve never seen before. Music floods the room with fantastic, kaleidoscopic, surround-sound melodies you’ve never heard before.

Neon signs pulse and boogie in rainbow strobes of cherry, lemon, vermillion, grape, lavender, and gold. Electric toys run on tracks up, down, and around shelves stacked with indescribable colored boxes, packages, papers, pencils, paints, inks, cans of food, packages of multihued candies, bottles of effervescent sodas, chocolates of every possible variety, champagne, and wines from every corner of the world. Skyrockets suddenly explode in starbursts, setting off sparkling flowers, cascades of cold fire, whistling embers, and animations of light.

The vastness, complexity, depth, and breadth of everything going on around you is almost overwhelming. You can’t see all the way to the end of the space, and you know there’s more to it than what you can take in from this torrent that’s tantalizing your senses and emotions. But you do get a strong feeling that you’re actually part of something alive, infinite, and altogether fantastic, that you are part of a large and unfolding tapestry that goes beyond sight and sound.

You understand that what you used to think was your reality was, in fact, hardly a speck within the vast wonder that surrounds you. You can see how all the various parts are interrelated, how they all play off each other, how everything fits. You notice just how many different things there are in the warehouse that you’d never seen, never even dreamed of existing in such splendor and glory of color, sound, and texture—but here they are, along with everything you already knew. And even the objects you were aware of have an entirely new context so that they, too, seem completely new and strangely superreal.

Even when the switch goes back off, nothing can take away your understanding and clarity, the wonder and beauty, or the fabulous aliveness of the experience. Nothing can ever cancel your knowledge of all that exists in the warehouse. You’re now far more aware of what’s there, how to access it, and what’s possible than you ever were with your little flashlight. And you’re left with a sense of awe over everything you experienced in those blindingly lucid moments. Life has taken on a different meaning, and your new experiences moving forward are created from this awareness.

Be More by Doing Less: Removing the Distraction of Busyness

By Ashley Ryan
“It’s not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” — Henry David Thoreau

Growing up I didn’t think much of myself. I grew up poor, and spent much of my childhood alone. My father wasn’t around and my mother worked full-time, so I had to look out for myself from a very young age. This created emotional baggage, which I carried for many years.

Even though things started rocky, I was committed to myself and consciousness at an early age. I always felt like I knew there was something greater out there, but I wasn’t sure what.

Over the years I went to therapy, did courses and programs, and practiced being a better person. But the niggling issues from my childhood stayed with me like a shadow.

One way I coped with my baggage was by being very “busy.” Doing a million things. Distracting myself with a to-do list or activities that gave me a temporary boost, a few moments of joy, only to dissipate at night when I slowed down, lying in my bed wondering “Is this all there is?”

I was a master of disguise, and a master of distraction. And even though I was on a journey of self-awareness I often felt like a little girl again, alone and scared.

My real journey of healing began when a good friend suggested that I slow down. He pointed out that I was using distractions to run away from the loneliness that I was experiencing.

This resonated with me, and I decided to take on his advice.

I stopped activities, stopped traveling, stopped moving, stopped the texts and phone calls (I actually got rid of my phone), and committed to being with myself.

I didn’t know what this was going to take, or even look like, but I knew something had to change.

My real awakening began when I removed all distractions and sat with myself a little bit each day.

During this time of discovery I lived in India, which showed me that in our culture we rush and do all day long, we don’t often take a breather, or a rest.

And I think we do this — I think I did this — because I was running from myself. There were things I didn’t want to look at, issues that kept coming up over and over again, uncomfortable things that were safer to ignore.

Taking time to know myself was the most powerful process I’ve experienced, and being alone was the most authentic thing I’ve done.

My true inner journey began with the un-doing.

What I’m writing to you isn’t complex, it isn’t a whole bunch of stuff, but I think it’s enough.

A Simple Process for Un-Doing:

Spend some time journaling each day, starting by reflecting on the “distractions” in your life.

What activities or habits do you have/do to avoid being with yourself? Do you work way too much, or always help a friend or family member, which leaves you overwhelmed and busy? Do you eat and watch movies to distract yourself? Whatever it is, write it down.

Once you’ve written down your distractions, look deeper into the underlying belief behind these habits.

For example, you find that when you’re upset you eat sweets. Why do you eat sweets? To feel more full. Why do you want to feel fuller? Because I’m afraid of being alone. Why are you afraid of being alone? Because when I’m alone, I’m sad. Why are you sad? And so on… Weed out some of the underlying thoughts or beliefs behind your habits.

Notice.

You don’t have to fix, change, or improve anything. Just notice yourself when you’re engaging in these activities. Do this for one to two weeks. Bring awareness to these areas and journal about them.

After one to two weeks of noticing, if you feel inspired to do less or take action, such as stopping snacking or working fewer hours, go ahead, but it’s not required.

Add to your schedule some alone time each day doing nothing.

Sit on your couch, rest in your bed (without falling asleep), and be in nature. Add 10-30 minutes of alone time each day. If strong emotions come up, be with them; give yourself permission to feel.

The more time I spent by myself, the more I got to know who I was and what I was about. And when I learned about myself, I found I no longer needed to distract myself from the parts of myself that I didn’t like.

Joan Herman- Change Your Attitude, Change Your Life

Whether it is your own voice in your head or someone else’s that says you aren’t good enough, worthy enough, smart or strong enough for the life you deserve doesn’t matter…it’s time to silence our negative thoughts! Join Michelle and Joan Herman, known for her hugely popular worldwide magazine and radio show, Change Your Attitude, Change Your Life 24/7, as they offer insights on how to create powerful, positive shifts in your life. This episode of MBS guides people to embrace and deal with change instead of fearing and hiding from it and provides information that educates, inspires, motivates and empowers.

To Download the Podcast. Right Click Here and choose “Save Link As”

A Sneaky Weight Loss Secret

by Renee Heigel

Love Handle I want to share one of the best secrets to weight loss I’ve ever learned. It’s a core shift in focus that changes everything. But before I tell you about that, let me explain what happened to a client of mine recently…

She’s in her bathroom, putting on makeup, it is taking forever. All she wants is to feel attractive. She feels exhausted, unsexy and lethargic… None of her clothes fit and nothing looks good. Moments ago, as she took off outfit #8, she sat for a moment on her bed in anguish and pain. She’s embarrassed, but this will have to do. It’s time to go.

She turns off the light and walks down the hall and then she sees him.

She’s nervous and excited. Early morning’s to work out, drinking and eating all of these healthy things. She is trying…

Her husband is standing at the end of the hall and she is yearning for him to simply notice her. He looks at her and says, “ready to go, we’re going to be late”. He doesn’t see her, check her out or notice her outfit.

He says nothing more and then turns his back to go grab the keys…

She was DYING to be seen, to be appreciated. But it was like she was invisible. (And that wasn’t even the worst part…)

I’ll tell you about the worst part in just a sec. For now one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned…

Here’s something you should know about me: I do not own a scale.

And, if you are my client, then you’ll know that I’ve probably told you to throw yours away too.

As far as I’m concerned, you have no use for a scale in your house.

A lot of my clients feel incredibly anxious when I challenge them with this…

But here’s the deal: Your scale keeps you focused on LACK.

When you use a scale you are thinking about what you don’t want.

Yes, you might imagine the day you lose those 15 pounds and you see it on the scale…

BUT…

Before you step that little toe up onto your scale, there is an unconscious fear that sucks you into a fearful vortex.

It’s screaming, “please, please, please… weigh less than or at least the same as I weighed last time.”

And then you see the result and you’re never happy.

You cannot win at this point.

Back to our story of my lovely client.

She returned home from her evening out, weighed herself immediately to see if there was difference in her weight. She gained 2 pounds. She is feeling fat, ugly and depressed. Her man didn’t noticed her and she ate like a bird all night for fear of that measurement on her scale sliding forward and she stilled gained weight!?

When her husband fell asleep, do you know what she did?

She got up in the middle of the night and pulled the tub of chocolate marshmallow ice cream out of the fridge and sat at the table and ate it all until it was gone.

It filled that empty void that she didn’t get filled up earlier, but not for long.

She tossed and turned until she fell back to sleep, feeling horrible and like she had failed yet again.

Guess what, she woke up and got on the scale once again only to see that the number had moved by a pound.

If you can only do one thing, then do this:

Make a choice to: Show up for yourself. Listen to your body and ask yourself: How do I feel right now?

It’s not about the scale.

It’s about loving yourself.

If you are stuck in a similar pattern then comment below.

With love,

Renee “no scale” Heigel

Have You Hit a Plateau?

By Melissa Kathryn

1364227_55425257 I’m not just necessarily just talking about a weight loss plateau or a fitness plateau, but a life plateau, where everything seems stagnant. You find yourself going through the motions of life but not really being present and enjoying. It can seem like you’re an observer of your own life. Do you know what I’m talking about?

I have clients come to me often feeling this way, sometimes in one particular area but often times it’s overall. What do you do when the scale isn’t moving, when your fitness routine no longer gives you the same results, when your job doesn’t excite you or your relationship is lacking passion and your life, lacking fun?

What can happen is we feel drained, overwhelmed and exhausted because we continually go back to our old ways of doing, hoping to get our desired results.

Radiance Challenge:

This is when I like to do a reframe exercise, which is when you take your current way of doing something and reframe it. There are two components, a mental reframe and a physical reframe.

Mental Reframe – look at your circumstance and your perception, instead of having a negative energy behind your efforts, change your view point and look at it from a place of empowerment. You are in control and you can create whatever experience you choose to have.

Physical Reframe – this is your next action – what are the new action steps to get you where you want to be.

When you are experiencing a plateau in weight loss – simple tweaks around food that will make all the difference. Go back to the basics and listen to your body. Take your mind out of it. Take all of the crazy diets and things you read for quick weight loss and go back to what works for your body, what FEELS good for you.

When you are experiencing a plateau in fitness – again, change your routine – you should change your fitness routine every 6-8 weeks for your body to give you optimal results and to continually challenge your muscles. Add intervals and plyos or sprints to your cardio – add strength training if you don’t have that component, and if you do – add more resistance or more repetitions depending on your desired goal.

When you are experiencing a plateau in relationships – mix it up, add some sizzle, have fun and let go. Communicate your desires with your partner.

When you are experiencing a plateau in life – take a time out, plan a vacation or find time for you, even if just a few quiet minutes alone. Create your own oasis. Fuel your tank so you are not left depleted.

Sometimes, it’s simply changing your daily routine, walk a different path, take a different train, shop at different stores, try new things and a new way of doing things. Mix up your own life – You are in control!

This doesn’t need to be hard and shouldn’t feel taxing, it should feel exciting!

I’m personally doing a reframe on my current routine. I’m so excited and looking forward to leaving the NYC for a bit to spend some time at the beach during the summer months. I love being near the water and fresh air, my body and spirit crave it as much as my mind.

Figure out what you need and make it happen! Sometimes it’s simple changes that can make all of the difference. Start small but know you are always in control and are the creator of your own body, life and experience.

And then…I flipped off the Father of Motivation

By Nancy Levin

goldstarsticker2 It was 2am on November 17, 2007…and I was determined.

I was producing two events with Wayne Dyer back-to-back over the course of a weekend. He spoke in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon, and then the whole crew of us flew to Detroit where he was to speak again on Sunday afternoon. By 10pm, we were all settled into our hotel rooms in Detroit. Then my phone rang. It was Wayne, and he was in a panic. It was his briefcase, he told me. He couldn’t find it, and he was sure he’d left it somewhere en route from Atlanta. Everything was in that briefcase, he told me. Notes and books for his lecture, notes for the next book he was writing, money, and more. He couldn’t even think about getting on stage the next day without it.

At that point in my life, I was still chasing all the gold stars. Still seeking all my validation externally, which I received primarily through my work as the Event Director at Hay House, which is where I received the most love and accolades. I aimed for perfection, and generally achieved it. This situation was no different.

I was going to figure out where that briefcase was if it killed me.

I thought back. Wayne only used his briefcase at the actual events. We’d literally left the stage in Atlanta and gotten into a van en route to the airport, so he’d had his briefcase then. I had a hunch it was still in that vehicle. I called the car company and was told that the van wouldn’t be back to the lot for another hour.

No problem, I told them. I’d wait and call back.

I called an hour later the van was back, but the news wasn’t good. The dispatcher told me he’d checked and the briefcase wasn’t there. I begged him to go back out and look again. It was dark out, I figured; maybe he’d just missed it. I sat on hold, praying it was hiding under a seat. Lo and behold, I was right! The dispatcher came back and told me he had the briefcase in hand.

It was now close to midnight. Wayne called me again, and I told him I’d located the briefcase and was working on getting it to Detroit. I told him he should go to bed and not worry. He was relieved and appreciative, but still anxious—he didn’t know how he was going to get on stage without his notes and books.

I asked the car company if they would put an employee on a plane first thing in the morning to deliver the briefcase. No suck luck; traveling with someone else’s bag had become illegal after 9/11. I called FedEx, UPS, DHL and every other carrier I could find in the phone book, but it was a weekend everyone was off the clock. I called airlines to ask about freight and cargo shipments; once again it was a no-go because it was Saturday night. I called my travel agent, Andrea, who was on California time. But even putting our heads together we couldn’t come up with a solution to get the briefcase from Atlanta to Detroit by 2pm when Wayne was supposed to walk on stage.

I had a reputation for achieving the impossible. I had set my own bar so high that even though it was the wee hours of the morning and I could see no resolution, failure was still not an option.

I had left messages for some seemingly back-alley messenger services, and tried to watch TV until they called back. But at a certain point I just couldn’t sit there doing nothing any longer. At 4am I got dressed, walked downstairs, and asked the bellman to get me a taxi.

In the back seat, on my laptop, I bought a round round-trip ticket to Atlanta. I sent emails to my staff with instructions for setting up at the venue and getting it all going with without me. We were expecting 2,000 people and I wouldn’t get there until about 30 minutes before showtime, but I couldn’t care.

Based on my experiences that day, I do believe that Detroit and Atlanta are the biggest airports in the whole world. I had to go through security, get to my departure gate in Detroit, fly, go out to Baggage Claim in Atlanta where a guy from the car company was waiting for me, retrieve the briefcase, go back through security—where they questioned and groped me because I had only just arrived in Atlanta minutes before and was only traveling with a briefcase—get to my departure gate, fly again, get out of the Detroit airport, get into a taxi and get to the event venue.

Sitting in my seat, on the runway on my way back to Detroit, I called Wayne.

“Hi. I’ve got your briefcase.”

“Where are you?”

“That’s not important.”

“You’re not in Detroit, are you?”

“You’ll have your briefcase before you go on stage.”

“Nancy, did you do something crazy?’

“Wayne, just go to your Bikram Yoga class and I’ll see you soon.”

We have a little ritual when I introduce Wayne on stage. The last thing I say is, “I know he needs no introduction, but please welcome to the stage one of my most favorite men in the world—Wayne Dyer.” He comes on, the crowd goes wild, he gives me a hug, and I whisper “Have fun!” in his ear. But that day he held onto me so I couldn’t walk offstage. He turned and told the audience the whole story. How I had gone above and beyond the call of duty, stayed up all night, flown to Atlanta and back to retrieve the briefcase he left there. He explained that there was nothing I wouldn’t do, at any cost, to make whatever needed to happen happen. He even shared what had happened a few minutes earlier, when I had returned the briefcase to him.

I had gotten to the venue just a few minutes before Wayne’s car pulled up. As he stepped out of the car, with throngs of fans surrounding us, I smiled and extended my arm with briefcase in hand. Jokingly, he put up his hand as if to dismiss the offer. “Oh, I don’t need that!” he said.

And then, without missing a beat, in front of all those people, I flipped off the father of motivation.

And now, 6 years later, I have reconciled with resolving internally what I had been seeking externally. I am beginning to believe that I am loved for who I am, not for what I do. And I have finally stopped chasing all the gold stars since I know that no amount will ever be enough. While, most importantly during this process, I have discovered that I am.

I’d love to hear from you…please share your story of chasing gold stars and/or knowing that you are enough!

xoxo
Nancy

Follow Your Intuition…It Knows the Way

By Joan Herrmann

Throughout the last four years, my professional life has taken many twists and turns. There are times that I operate by the seat of my pants learning as I go along, praying for the best possible outcome, following my intuition and my heart.

Recently I began to work with a person that was assigned to my company’s account. From the moment I met him, my entire body screamed, “be careful!” There was something about him that told me not to be too trusting. All the warning signs were there – my intuition was on the job.

Now I’m the type of person who wants to trust everyone and I usually give people the benefit of the doubt many, many, many times. I want to believe that others have the same agenda and motives so I push my inner guidance aside.

This person dangled golden opportunities in front of me; he offered me more than I could have imagined – everything I wanted. It would be easy for me to get caught up in his promises. But there was always that nagging feeling inside of me. Something didn’t add up. There was never a straight answer to my questions, always a tap dance.

After our first meeting, I couldn’t sleep for a few nights. Even though I was excited about what was to come, I felt sick every time I recounted the possible opportunities to my friends. My body tightened and sometimes I actually shook. My nerves were on end.

But because he was answering my prayers (or so I thought at the time), I pushed the warning signs aside and worked with him. I took what he said and turned it into what I wanted to hear, what I wanted him to say. But there was always that nagging feeling inside of me.

As time passed, he began to request more and more from my company in return for the promised opportunities, which by the way, never materialized. I finally decided to listen to my inner guidance, which was SCREAMING by this time, and I called him out. Once I stopped taking what he said at face value and held my ground, all the promises immediately disappeared. He showed his true colors.

It took months of anxious moments and many sleepless nights before I found the courage to follow, what I knew from the beginning, to be the right direction. I knew all along what was right for me; I just chose not to listen. Thankfully I found the courage.

Does this story sound familiar? How many times do you make something fit the way you want it to while all the time knowing it’s wrong for you?

We all want to believe in others and try to please others, but at what cost? How long can you stay in a dying relationship or in a job that’s making you sick? How many times can you keep saying “yes” while inside you’re screaming “no”?

We all have inner guidance to point us in the right direction. The problem is, more often than not, we don’t listen. It’s not always easy to stand up for what we want – sometimes it seems impossible – but it’s always worth it. The moment I stood up for myself I began to sleep better and feel more relaxed – I could breathe. While I may not have gotten what I wanted at this time, I know something better will come.

Learn to trust yourself. Follow your intuition – it knows the way. You are stronger than you think and wiser than you know.

Dr. Wendy Walsh Podcast – Love, Sex, and Money

This week’s podcast featured a conversation with America’s relationship expert, Wendy Walsh. While sharing her insights on love, sex, and money, Wendy was a part of the Emmy-nominated cast of “The Doctors” and is seen regularly on shows such as Good Morning America, The Today Show, The View, CNN and more.

To Download the Podcast. Right Click Here and choose “Save Link As”

Why Do We Need to Forgive?

Excerpt: “How to Speak Unity” -Temple Hayes-

Resentment gets re-sent and re-sent in our lives. When we hold discord in our bodies towards someone else, we are affected spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Often, the lack of forgiveness contributes to the lack of abundance and creativity in our lives. Forgiveness is the opportunity FOR GIVING to ourselves in a much greater way, versus holding anger and energy that takes away from our good.

Forgiveness in not a special event which happens every now and then. It is a way of living life every day. We end the day with a prayer of forgiveness for any moment in that day in which we showed any behavior which was less than the expression of our Christ consciousness. When we forgive others, we remove the blocks of resentment and allow more good to flow into our lives. When we forgive ourselves, we take responsibility for our actions and step further into our spiritual magnificence.

For more inspiration and information: http://templehayes.org/