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Are you having any fun?

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"Most of the time I don't have much fun. The rest of the time I don't have any fun at all." - Woody Allen

Do you get excited about the weekend? Why? And, what makes Friday so special?  Why T.G.I.F.? What do you look forward to most on the weekends? I ask honestly, because I have noticed that a lot of people look forward to the weekend, seemingly because they will rest and be less busy, and yet they cram-pack their weekends with errands and lots of "have to" activities.

How busy are you? Do you take time to take excellent care of yourself? I mean, besides working out and eating "good" food (if you do)? Many people think that working out and consuming mostly clean foods is "good enough" to be considered excellent self-care. I certainly know a lot of people who also think this is enough.

In working with corporate groups, and with my one-on-one clients, I am hearing more and more about sleep deprivation and lack of time to read, write in a journal or have fun; and I just have to ask:   What's up with THAT?!!!

If you love being busy AND you feel happy, with an exquisite sense of fulfillment, then perhaps this is the pace you need and desire - if you honestly, truly feel fulfilled in all areas of life.

However, if you feel that something is missing, whether money, friendships, a romantic relationship, time to yourself, a sense of calm, peace and harmony...anything, even if it seems insignificant, it may be time to make a few minor adjustments.

Here are two easy ways to start having more fun, even if you think you don't have time, and you can start now, not wait until the weekend:

  1. Laugh more. Laughter lifts us up, lightens the moment and brings more joy into our lives. Listen to a podcast of your favorite comedian, watch a funny movie or t.v. show, call your funniest friend, or visit your funniest co-worker. Easy, right? And it doesn't take a lot of time.
  2. Make a fun date with yourself. Commit to take some time to go do something you've always wanted to do. Start with the easy, cheap, local "bucket list" item so you will actually do it. Put it on your calendar in ink and go do it. If you want someone else to join you, decide that you will do it whether they can make it or not. Remember, your happiness depends on you, so commit to yourself and follow-through.

Life really is meant to be lived and celebrated, so if you've fallen or knowingly stepped into the trap of not having time, having too much to do, or depending on others for enjoyment and fun, take a step back. Start with something simple, easy and cheap. Knock out all of your excuses by doing the easiest thing.

I'd love to hear from you. Are you having fun? Are you willing to commit to having more fun?

Please share what you do for fun by commenting in the space below.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

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Two Questions You Need to Ask Yourself

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I have tried to write about two different topics this week, and continued to bump into resistance around both. The first required research I didn’t really have time to complete this week, so I decided to table it for a few weeks when my schedule is lighter. The second topic is willingness, and what I find kind of ironic is that I was unwilling to stretch my own thinking enough to embrace the message that I really wanted to convey. Hmmm... This begs the question:

How do we know when it is appropriate to lean back, and how do we know when to push through to the finish?

My personal and coach-y answer is this: It depends.

There are so many times when it makes sense to lean back, soften the lens and see what we might not be seeing (you know, the forest for the trees thing). Actually, it makes sense to always lean back before pushing through. How often do you find yourself rushing to the finish, missing details? Have you ever pushed yourself to finish a project, or to “get over” a hurt, to later find that you have missed important details, or that you continue to feel hurt?

I know I say this a lot, though I also know at the very least that I will benefit from hearing my “steady drumbeat” message again, so I restate: Sometimes we need to slow down to speed up.

This is not the same as giving ourselves permission to quit or to stall progress, to procrastinate or make excuses for not stepping into our powerful genius. This leaning back gives us a moment to scan our energy, find resistance in our thinking (often manifested as physical pain, by the way - perhaps I will write about that another day), then address the resistance and take inspired action.

If you shoot an arrow, you must first get your eye very keenly focused on the target. Once you clearly see your target, you pull back on the bow, re-focus your eye in-line with the arrow, and finally release the arrow in the direction of the target. Imagine trying to shoot the arrow without pulling back on the bow. It would fall to the ground next to your feet, right? What if you take your eye off of the target as you release the bow? The arrow will launch in whatever direction you have it pointed, but will most likely land nowhere near the target. If you have a cramp in your shoulder or neck, how much energy is available to pull back the bow in order to launch the arrow with great speed and precision?

To avoid wandering too far into the metaphor weed patch, I will make this point: If you bump into resistance along the way, sometimes you can power through and just “gitter done,” possibly hampering your best energetic output. If you take your eye off the target (your goals, desired outcome, a dream you are making into your reality) you may miss it by a long shot. If you do not take a moment to lean back so you can get crystal clear on your goal, how will you aim, and will you even see the target? What’s more, how will you prepare yourself to build the momentum needed to get you through to the finish?

So, “it depends” is a simple and complex answer to the question: How do we know when it is appropriate to lean back, and how do we know when to push through to the finish? 

It depends, really, on your answers to the following 2 questions:

  1. Do you know what you want and why you want it?
  2. Are you willing to commit to reaching your goals, even if you need to slow down, lean back, adjust, re-adjust and re-focus regularly?

It seems that I have circled back to willingness. One way to measure your willingness is by taking action. If you can answer question 2 honestly, and you answer “Yes”, then the easiest and most obvious “proof” is in your action. Here is where I may muck-up the simplicity of “it depends” and contradict myself: Sometimes we need to take a step even if we are uncertain if we are heading in the right direction.

Wait.....didn’t I just say to slow down, lean back, focus on the target? Yes. However, if you are prone to “Analysis Paralysis” (and you know who you are, right?!) and you painfully comb-over every detail, ultimately stalling getting started, let alone making any progress, you might need to look at your target, remind yourself of why you want to get there, and just go for it. This is a kind way of telling you to kick your own backside into gear, with love.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best,

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

When we are very clear on what we want and WHY we want it, then stepping out in faith is easy. Ask yourself those two questions regularly, and write down or speak-out your answers. Breathe life into your dreams and desires every day, and take at least one step toward them. You are actively leaning back and focusing by asking those two questions, so if you continue to ask and answer honestly, you will be performing the delightful dance of slowing down to speed up, and you know what? You’ll launch forward like a rocket. You will. Trust me; I’ve been there, I return there, I re-start there and I manifest from there. Know that you are fully supported in your journey, and have faith in yourself and your abilities. Stepping out in faith requires very little beyond understanding why you want what you want.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

If you want to get crystal clear on what you want and why you want it, click here to schedule a powerful coaching consultation.

Are you ready to commit to yourself? Do you want to go beyond thinking and talking about making change in your life, and flip to DOING? Schedule your complimentary powerful coaching consultation.

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How Do You Show Up? Making Adjustments

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You have made a decision about how you intend to show up. You have committed to becoming your highest self. We know that it takes 21-35 days to establish a new habit, so you still have time to make adjustments to your commitment. If you want to make this habit of showing up as your highest self smooth and easy to stick with, then it is time to assess and make some adjustments. One of my favorite personal development books, “The Slight Edge” by Jeff Olson, shares the following two analogies, which I have adapted to suit my personal communication style:

Space Shuttle. Did you know that while a space shuttle is in orbit, it is off-course up to 97% of the time? The internal tracking system communicates with the control center, which makes adjustments every few seconds. As if by magic, it reaches its destination -  with precision.

Cars. Imagine if you held the steering wheel tight while driving your car and never made any adjustments. How long do you think it would take until you drove off the road, even while on a straight-away? Take note of how many times you make adjustments while driving and still reach your final destination. So it is in life.

For the linear thinker, this may be “too intuitive” and difficult to accept. Let us keep in mind that life brings us ‘stuff.’ Things happen that are external to us, potentially keeping us from staying the course. The achievement of success hardly ever journeys a straight line from point A to point B. Very often, it is a messy, swirling, swerving array of seemingly disconnected points that get us to our final destination in our personal development. And so, in the true Coach Tracy fashion, I present a simple, effective method to make adjustments to how you show up (and you can apply this to any area of your life; how’s that for keeping it simple?)

3 Simple Steps to Adjusting Your Approach:

  1. Lean Back. Soften the lens, so to speak, and take an honest inventory of how you have been showing up over the past couple of weeks since making your decision and commitment. That is it. Just observe and make note.
  2. Reserve Judgment. Know that you will make mistakes. Do not judge your mistakes; learn from them. Ask yourself what you are learning, and then determine how you will do things differently. Mistakes are only “bad” or “wrong” if we do not learn from them and then make the necessary adjustments going forward.
  3. Make Adjustments. Now. The famous footwear company says, “Just do it!” and here is my personal adjustment to that: “Just do it, NOW!” If you wait for the perfect moment, you will lock yourself into a perpetual state of not allowing yourself to achieve (also called “self-sabotage”).

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. ~ Lao Tzu

The last part of the quote may throw some people off, because on the one hand while I am encouraging you to be specific and clear in making goals and crafting your dreams, on the other hand, I am encouraging you to be fluid and allow your life to unfold in front of you. This does not mean that you should leave things to chance. I simply mean that as you go along in hot pursuit of your dreams, taking daily inspired action, hold on to your dreams and goals with a firm, yet gentle grasp. Your dreams are like a newborn baby, kitten, puppy or bird. They require loving attention and gentleness. YOU also require loving attention and gentleness - and you deserve it.

As you continue to lean back, observe and adjust, be gentle with yourself. Be kind. Be compassionate. The more you offer this to yourself, the more you have to give to others, and the cycle of abundance continues to flow.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

Next week we will explore refining our goals and action steps.

Are you ready to make some adjustments? Want to go beyond blogs and videos? Let’s chat! Click on the connect button below, or email me directly to request an interveiw.

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How do you show up? Commit.

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Enthusiasm is the energy and force that builds literal momentum of the human soul and mind. ~ Bryant H. McGill 

Last week we talked about deciding how you want to show up. Have you gotten clear on why you want to become your most powerful self? If so, then you are ready to start building momentum to get closer to your ultimate goal.

Before you dive in, take a look at the quote above. How do you feel about enthusiasm being the energy and force that builds momentum for your soul and mind? Make the connection. When you connect your heart and mind to why you want anything, you are much more likely to achieve your desired outcome if you infuse your action steps with enthusiasm (or as I like to call it: taking inspired action).

If you want to ensure that the momentum you build is productive, I invite you to pause for a moment to get straight with yourself. Now that you have made the decision to show up (strong, enthusiastic, confident, prepared, however-you-want-to,) it is time to make a commitment. If you want to move quickly toward your goals, then I invite you to embrace the idea of slowing down to speed up. In the interest of keeping things simple and easy to implement right now, I have laid-out 3 simple steps for how to commit to becoming your most powerful self.

  1. Decide on your desired outcome. Paint the picture of your highest self. Simply put, decide how you show up. Close your eyes and picture your best, strongest, most capable and confident self in a natural setting (work, home, social settings, etc.). Write it down. Write in the present tense to embed it into your mind’s eye and help make it real. How will achieving this outcome affect other aspects of your life?
  2. Keep it Simple, Sweetheart (KISS). This is where people often derail their success by over-complicating, adding unnecessary details and getting stuck in the “how” of it all. Simplify. Keep it simple. Focus on 1-3 attributes you would like to develop. The key here is that the simpler it is, the easier it feels, and the more likely you are to take action, which is step 3.
  3. Take consistent inspired action. What is one thing you can do right now to get 1% closer to your goal? Choose the easiest thing and do that first. Remember that if you take inspired action (refer to #1) and stay focused on the outcome you desire - showing up as your most powerful self - you will create momentum, and you may agree, momentum is your friend. Just take a step, and don’t worry about the rest.

It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through. ~ Zig Ziglar

Your character helps formulate how you want to show up. Once you made a decision, you already putting the change in motion. If you change your mind, you can change your life, and so taking inspired daily action is the best way to move yourself closer to your goals.

It may seem a little challenging to track progress with something such as your character and how you show up, so I have come up with a very simple 2-step process to help you keep track, and get this: it will help you be consistent and take daily inspired action. Do you like that? If so, then keep reading!

How to track personal development progress:

  1. Write an action list of no more than 3 items to complete each day. My fabulous coach calls it the “Daily D.A.S.H.” (Definite Action Steps Happening). Write your DASH, by hand, every night before bed so you know how your next day is going to start. You can choose the same 3 actions every day, or other actionable items that you can complete by noon each day.
  2. Acknowledge and celebrate ALL successes. This is as simple as saying “I did it!” when you finish your DASH by noon. Or, you could share your succes by telling a friend or co-worker. The idea is to acknowledge that you have made progress, which is getting you closer to your goals.

Keep in mind that this journey to showing up as your highest self is a series of steps, and each step is taken in that moment, not in any other moment. Contemplate this quote by Eckhart Tolle.

Your outer journey may contain a million steps; your inner journey only has one: the step you are taking right now.”~ Eckhart Tolle

Next week we will make adjustments. I will show you how even though it is “off-track” 97% of the time it is in orbit, a space shuttle will always reach it’s final destination. There, you can exhale now. You don’t have to be perfect in every step. Simply take one step now. Then take another, and another and another..

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

Are you ready to commit to yourself? Want to go beyond blogs and videos? Let’s chat! Click on the connect button below, or email me directly to request an interview.

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G.O.I. Are you willing to get over it?

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Do you ever wonder why things happen? Do you feel like you need to dig deep, figure 'it' all out, and explain why you feel the way you do? Are you sure of how you feel? Are you allowing yourself to feel your emotions, or are you so intent on finding the explanation or solution that the feelings are lost?

Perhaps it's time to just "G.O.I.", eh?

Obviously, I know it's not that simple, and would never intentionally minimize anyone's experience. However, I read a blog by Nathan Otto this morning that got my wheels turning. He suggested trying something radical: ignore yourself.

Many are so focused on transformation that it may not have registered that the transformation could already be complete.

Are you willing to G.O.I., forget yourself, and feel your way into the next stage of your life?

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." ~ Helen Keller

Getting over it, forgetting the self...perhaps is not easy, but is more accurately described as an exercise in willingness.

I offer 3 simple steps to help you "ignore yourself", and you may find it curious that they all involve turning inward first. They are:

  1. Acknowledge yourself as transformed. NOW.
  2. Believe that you are valuable. NOW.
  3. Offer yourself compassion. NOW.
Just like learning a new skill, playing an instrument or training for an athletic event, this 'G.O.I. thing' takes practice, and practice makes progress. Remember this and you will find yourself feeling so much more fulfilled.
I invite you to ask yourself if you are willing to reach into your heart, allow yourself to feel your feelings AND acknowledge yourself for who you are - perfectly imperfect, valuable, deserving of loving kindness. Oh yes, and you are amazing, just as you are. I value you, and I honor you where you are - NOW.
Blessings. Gratitude. Love.
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The Importance of Laser Focus (and a hint of fairy dust)

 

 

 

 

Today I am focused on love. I have been focused on holding that intention for the past three days. Here is what I have noticed:

  • Increased sense of self
  • More patience with my children
  • More energy and desire to “get things done”
  • A calm knowing that all is well
  • Creativity soaring
  • Mindful awareness of breathing patterns
  • Increased willingness to let go
  • Present in (almost) every moment
  • Understanding of the “slow down to speed up” philosophy
  • Detachment from outcome
  • Stronger attachment to sharing my gifts and talents
  • Exquisite sense of purpose

You may be thinking: How does one focus on love? What kind of love? What is love? How do you know it’s love? WHAT? Have you taken a hit of (airy) fairy dust, Tracy?

Perhaps it’s the fairy dust we all need to be enjoying together. What if you were to hold one intention for a whole week? How would you be able to hone your focus? You see, I have a ton of balls in the air, a lot on my plate, I am juggling...you get the gist. What I have come to realize is that I am not “bad” at focusing. I have trained myself away from focusing.

Ooh... Hold on a minute. Yes, a moment of self-disclosure. I have a tendency to be easily distracted, and when I am, I allow myself to get off course, and in that process, I trained myself away from my laser focus. Can you relate?

What if...you allowed yourself to hold one intention for a week? How would you change your attitude, focus, attention and accomplishments?

I invite you to choose one intention, hold it as your focal point for one week. That is it. You can take it further by writing it down, praying or meditating on it, speaking it out loud in your car or bathroom mirror, or even sharing it with the world. Choose the intention, hold it near and dear, and in every moment possible, bring your awareness back to your intention. Let me know how it goes.

Good intentions are at least, the seed of good actions: and every one ought to sow them, and leave it to the soil and the seasons whether he or any other gather their fruit. ~ William Temple, Sr.

Let’s look at my intention, love. My intention is to be, feel, do, love, speak, see, understand and invite love. This is in conjunction with a chakra mediation that a fantastic yoga instructor taught me. I have chosen simplicity so I can stay focused on the one thing: love.

In your mind, or say out loud:

I AM love

I FEEL love

I DO (acts of) love

I LOVE (the feeling of, sharing, demonstration of) love

I SPEAK (with, words of) love

I SEE love (in myself, in others, in my varying forms of entertainment)

I UNDERSTAND love (of myself, others)

I INVITE AND RECEIVE (more, feelings of) love

I invite you to share your experience, either via email, Facebook message or a comment on this blog post.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

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Ask 3 Simple Questions:

There are many ways to apply laser focus to your life. If you find yourself scattered, slow down, take a deep breath, and if possible, stop what you are doing so you can investigate how you can sharpen your focus and get yourself on track.

It is not always easy, but slowing down and re-gaining focus can be simple, and I'm offering 3 simple questions you can ask yourself to help clarify your purpose, and begin to craft a plan to move yourself forward.

Ask yourself:

  1. Where else can I apply this simple focus technique?
  2. What specific benefits will I gain from honing my focus?
  3. How will this affect other areas of my life?

Invitation to Experience:

Experience coaching with Tracy. Offering 30 minute free consults, no up-sell.

OR, experience 30 minutes free with option to enter coaching partnership. Are you willing to be fully supported in your life’s dreams? If not, why not? If so, how about now? Are you willing to invest in creating an exquisite sense of fulfillment?

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Do YOU Experience Growing Pains? How Do You Know?

How do you know when you are experiencing growing pains? Young children often experience pain in their legs, the cause of which is difficult to pinpoint. Because growing pains is not actually a medical condition, doctors call it a “diagnosis of exclusion”. Excluding other potential maladies or injuries is the first order of business, and by exclusion, many parents find that their child is experiencing the general muscular discomfort referred to as “growing pains”. Consensus in the medical community is that bone growth does not cause pain. However, many children experience more growing pains during the rapid growth stages, into early adolescence. It is understood is that many children experience these pains after a very physically active day, and often for several days and nights in a row. Most doctors agree that the treatment for growing pains is a warm compress, massage and cuddling - a little TLC, if you will (insert winky smile at clever reference to my initials.)

If we piggy-back on a child’s experience of growing pains and the doctor’s diagnosis of exclusion, we may apply this to our own experience as adults. Have you ever gone through a difficult time, and yet all other variables seem to be in place? I certainly have. There have been times when I’ve felt stressed, afraid and overwhelmed, and yet so much good stuff was happening in my life. By process of elimination (or exclusion), I often find that during these times, I am experiencing growing pains - a general discomfort associated with a sustained high level of activity.

Think about it. We grow and stretch, and stretch a little more, and leap and stretch, and duck and dodge bullets, and deftly maneuver around roadblocks every day. When you experience an unexplained sense of discomfort, or possibly pain, which could manifest in the forms of sadness, anger, frustration or apathy (however fleetingly temporary), it is helpful to run through your personal checklist of needs, unmet needs and possible adverse health conditions if you have any. If you turn up empty handed, give a nod to the idea of growing pains. Perhaps you have been so active that your whole being needs to rest and recuperate.

The doctor’s diagnosis of growing pains, and the parent’s remedy is simple: rest, warm compress, massage and cuddling - a little TLC. We often barge ahead in life, rapidly barreling forward, without taking a moment to address some of our basic needs. We all need TLC, love, a massage and the equivalent of a warm compress. Reach out to those who are close to you. Ask for some extra support in the form of kind words, a listening ear, a hug or thoughts/prayer. At the same time, be kind and compassionate with yourself. Make sure you have attended to your needs. Pushing through the pain is sometimes recommended, and sometimes rest and recuperation are just what the doctor ordered. Know yourself well enough to distinguish what you really need.

If you want to learn more about establishing the mindset for growing thru your growing pains and achieving blissful success, schedule your COMPLIMENTARY 30 minute consult.

I am here by your side on your journey, cheering you on, applying the warm compress, and offering a lot of TLC. Know that you are fully supported in your dreams, and you WILL manifest them!

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

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Zen and the Art of Awesomeness

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Zen and the art of what?! Here's the deal. Being awesome is something that can be achieved by simply being in the moment, and by being yourself. Y'know, "Zen". Sometimes my clients tell me, "I should really meditate more, but I'm not good at meditation. I guess I'm just not Zen." Huh? How does one become 'good' at meditation and ‘being Zen’? I do not fancy myself a meditation expert by any stretch, but I'll share my personal belief about meditation, awesomeness and becoming more Zen. Step into the moment. Stepping into the present moment takes practice, just like learning another skill, sport or musical instrument.

Zen and the "art of awesomeness" is simply being in the moment. We can be in the moment by checking in with ourselves, breathing deeply and often, and by slowing down to notice what is going on around us and inside of us.

Let’s back up for just a moment, though. What’s up with this self-judgment? I hear “I should” and “I’m not good at” and “I guess I’m just not” a lot. Bim, bam, boom. Stop there. Pause, interrupt the pattern, breathe and then move forward.

"Zen spirituality does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes." ~ Alan Watts

You see, when we slow down and step into the moment, we achieve a Zen-like state. When we pause to check-in with ourselves, we create the foundation for meditation, Zen-like states and mindful presence.

Here are some quick tips to get started with a practice of being present so you can readily and easily step into your awesomeness every day (some call this “flow state” or “in the zone”).

  1. Breathe deeply and often. You do not need to be stressed or seeking relaxation to breathe deeply. Just be aware of your breath, and pay attention to some of your breaths throughout the day. You will find at times you need to breathe deeply, and other times you will not. By taking deep breaths, you are being proactive about your health: manage your stress, blood pressure and heart rate, and oxygenate your cells. You will help the flow of energy and improve your posture. How’s that for feeling virtuous? Now you’re stepping into awesomeness.
  2. Slow down to speed up. I’ve been saying this to clients, class and seminar participants. I tell it to my kids. And......sometimes (okay, quite often) I need to remind myself. Sometimes we need to slow down in order to speed up. Every step of the journey is important, no matter the final destination. If you want to succeed in any area of your life, you will develop this habit. Take the time to write your goals by hand every day, write 3 actionable items on your list (and finish them) every day, and reflect on your accomplishments at the end of the day. Slow down in order to speed up; these 3 small habits take all of 2 minutes and yet launch you forward at warp speed, if you will allow it.
  3. Peel the potato. Do nothing more than what you are currently doing. Dedicate your focus, attention, energy and intention to one thing at a time. Multi-tasking as a means of efficiently completing tasks is a farce, and diverts and dilutes your attention, changing the outcome - much like water to paint. Shift gears between tasks. Close the book (even if temporarily) on one actionable item before moving to the next. Give your brain time to adjust and switch gears. Studies show that it can take up to 15 minutes for the brain to fully close-out and switch to the new action when one attempts to manage multiple tasks at once. Focus, grasshopper. You will accomplish more and you will feel more grounded.

As you travel along your path, know that you are fully supported, and I honor your experience as your own. If you would like to learn more about building the foundation for superb awesomeness, I am here. I offer unwavering support, and would be honored to be by your side.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

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Lessons from the Cosmos (Flower)

 There is a certain beauty in wildflowers that is a little hard to put into words. I first became fascinated with Cosmos (Mexican Aster) when I was in graduate school in New Mexico. The feathery greens, bright punches of color and ability to thrive even under gross neglect seemed so symbolic, and in many ways speaks to stretches of my life experience.

The Cosmos flowers can stand from one to five feet tall and never require support, despite having a relatively thin stem. Cosmos are pest-resistant, and when fertilized, tend to grow more green than flowers. Even after days without water in triple digit summer heat, the flowers remain beautiful, and the green lush.

You may be wondering how in the world I am drawing a connection from neglect-loving, thin stemmed flowers to living an exquisite life. It is simple, and on this lovely Earth Day, it seems fitting to draw some connections from nature.

  1. Appearances can be deceiving. People often appear one way on the outside, yet what is inside is very different. I think of Audrey Hepburn as a shining example of a person who appeared very soft on the outside, and yet was possessed with admirable strength and conviction of character (after retiring from acting, she became special ambassador to the United Nations UNICEF fund helping children in developing nations). We also see the opposite: someone who appears very strong on the outside, and yet is suffering on the inside.  In both examples, what we see on the outside is quite different from the real inside story.
  2. You have everything you need, and ample reserves. There are times in life when you may feel depleted, as if you do not have energy or resources to continue. The truth is, however, that we always have everything we need, with plenty of reserves. Think of a time when you did something very physically challenging (for me, running or pushups), and in the moment when you wanted to give up, your body came through for you. You found the extra something you needed to finish, to get where you needed to go, or to feel virtuous about crushing a challenge. Whatever your reasons, my point is simple: often our brains scream at us based on old garbage messages, when in reality we have plenty of energy to keep going.
  3. There is no need to over-protect ourselves or our loved ones; we thrive and grow from our experiences. Sometimes people over-water and over-fertilize their gardens and end up with mushy, squishy mud. The same is true in life. You do not always need to go get more information before taking-on a challenge. You do not always need to gear-up for what lies ahead in order to protect yourself. Sometimes for ourselves and for our loved ones, we really need to learn to let go and trust. Trust ourselves, trust the process, trust our source.
  4. Stand tall, no matter how frail you may feel, no matter how strong the wind. Be flexible and allow yourself to bend, but not break. If you break, you know how to repair yourself already, don’t you? Stand firm in who you are, grounded in that calm knowing, and trust in yourself, the process and your source. You’ve got this.

You see, we are like the Cosmos; delicate yet strong, self-sufficient yet interconnected, vulnerable yet protected, flexible yet firmly planted. Know that you’ve got what it takes to accomplish anything you dream and reach an absolutely exquisite sense of fulfillment and unspeakable joy. You are worth it, and the journey is worth it.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

"Love is the only flower that grows and blossoms without the aid of the seasons."                             - Kahlil Gibran

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