It Starts with YOU!

Oh, how I wish it wasn't true.

I wish I could take a magic pill and POOF! All the positive change I want in my life suddenly manifests. Yeah, I wish it worked like that.

After decades of searching, I am confident there is no magic pill. Bummer.

There is good news, however. What I discovered and have verified time after time, over nearly 30 years of studying mind, body and spirit, is that the power to make healthy change exists in each one of us. It's in me and it's in you. The message is clear. If you want to change anything in your life, it starts with you.

Want greater physical health? It starts with you. Financial stability? It starts with you. Want more joy and happiness in your life? It starts with you. Want better relationships? It starts with you.

This last realization was a real eye opener since I had held on to the belief that others in my life just needed to straighten up. Nope. The quality of my relationships, and everything else, start with how I think about them. My thoughts lead to my actions and how I interpret the actions of others.

That's right. The power to change starts with you and your willingness to think differently. I love this quote from Dr. Wayne Dyer:

"If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."

So what are you willing to see differently? What change do you want to see in your life in the next year? Remember the good news...it starts with you.

That Dream You’ve Had for Years….is 2015 the Time to Do it?

What have you been talking about doing for years? What is that activity, event or action you’ve been dreaming about? Want to run a marathon? Write a book? Take a class? The start of a New Year is a great time to re-evaluate your goals and make plans to accomplish them. But how do you know if this is your dream or someone else’s dream for you? I get that question a lot in my coaching practice. Get out a journal and I’ll explain how you can use your own Divine Guidance to get the answers you need. Let’s start…

Shut your eyes, take a deep breath and imagine your dream is now a reality. Take another deep breath. Eyes still closed, concentrate on any feelings that come up. Do you feel excited? Proud? Scared? Or maybe depressed? Take a few minutes to explore this. Use your journal to jot down any feelings that emerge. Spend time really imagining how accomplishing this dream will make you feel, then ask yourself this question: does the thought of this make me happy? Ok, that’s your first clue.

Now try the reverse. Shut your eyes, take a breath and imagine that you are lying on your death bed at the end of a long life and you never realized this dream. Really feel into this. What comes up? Are you sad? Remorseful? Do you feel relief? Or is there no emotion at all around it? Note those feelings in your journal as well. That’s your second clue!

Now for the final test. Shut your eyes, take a couple deep breaths and imagine directing your consciousness to your heart. Some people like to place their hands on their heart for this part. Breathe into your heart space and ask yourself, “Is pursuing this dream for my highest and best good now?” Trust whatever answer first comes to you. Write it down.

Review your notes then relax and shut your eyes again. Breathe deep and ask for guidance. What was the first thought you had? Trust it. It’s Ok to feel this dream is no longer relevant to you. If that’s how you feel, let it go without guilt. You may feel this is the perfect time to proceed. Then get going! Take inspired action to move you forward. Baby steps toward your dream are fine, as long as you’re going forward. And remember sometimes you have to let go to move forward.