New Year's resolutions are an interesting thing and though they seem like a good idea at the time, it’s critical that we be truly honest and sincere with ourselves. Many people don’t have any idea just how damaging it is to consistently lie to ourselves. The psychological ramifications are terribly far reaching. Our subconscious is built on repetition. This is our most fundamental form of learning and it is effective almost beyond measure. As children we created all our basic belief patterns (personal and social as well as health and well-being) through what our parents and other influential adults were saying and modeling around us. They didn’t necessarily instill these things through conscious choice. More likely they were simply living their lives to the best of their ability and through our hearing instructions repeatedly, as well as observing their habits, we installed similar patterns and habits into our own subconscious. Nothing is ever set in stone however, and even long-held beliefs and habits can be overridden if we are awakened to their negative impact on us and if we decide we are worthy of better.
The New Year is an outstanding time to take personal inventory and evaluate how we are choosing to think, live and behave. No one else is accountable for our self-care, that responsibility is one that requires a wholehearted investment on our part. A decision is a powerful tool if made with complete and total conviction. If not, it becomes just another lie that we have told ourselves and that we have chosen not to uphold. The damage that occurs over time as this pattern persists, teaches our subconscious that it cannot be trusted. Did you get that? We become untrustworthy to ourselves! If we are unable to trust ourselves then it is impossible for us to have trust in anyone or anything. Yes, lack of self-trust is that fundamental, deeply destructive and insidious. We think of these little white lies as nothing really, just another broken promise to ourselves. But I promise it has a much greater effect than that. The greatest gift we can give ourselves is the gift of honesty. Honesty is an important component of self love.
As we move toward the New Year each of us should ask ourselves, “What do I intend to do and what type of program do I want to establish in terms of self care this year?” Now, take out a piece of paper and write down those things that you want to do to care for yourself. As you read each item on your list ask yourself, “Do I genuinely believe that I will follow through with this intention?” Sit quietly as you go through this process and keep an ear out for negative self talk, tightness in your body of any kind and feelings that may arise that are anxious, fearful, guilty or doubtful. Refrain from judging any of these responses. Instead just jot down next each item anything you have noticed. The mind may sincerely wish to implement many of these self care items. However, if you have a negative emotional or physical reaction to them, chances are very slim that you will actually be able to honor the intention. And that’s okay. You have identified areas where you can now begin to work on installing some new beliefs. By changing your beliefs regarding each item, you will eventually be ready to make the commitment and follow through. Better to know and be honest than to keep destroying you own personal sense of trust.
This year let us be as loving, gentle and kind to ourselves as possible. Be willing to admit that there are things about yourself that you are not yet pleased with and that you are determined to make a conscious effort to improve them. As you choose to look at yourself with honesty and compassion you will grow your sense of trust in yourself and from there the sky is the limit. May you be blessed with unlimited love, laughter and good health now and through the New Year. Happy mind, body and spirit fitness to all.
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Monday, January 31, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
It has been said, “ A man without a dream is lost.” And a quote I was given by Mike Dooley, the creator of TUT (Totally Unique Thought www.tut.com ),really summed it up for me, “If thought is power then imagination is Kryptonite (the good kind).” As children we came forth with unharnessed imaginations and we could sit in almost any environment and ‘bliss out’ in our own little wonder worlds. Many of us were even encouraged by our parents and siblings to ‘go with it’ and explore our imaginations. But then we started school and were taught, through embarrassment, humiliation and shame, to stop ‘wandering off'. We were conditioned further and further away from our ‘fun zone.’ By the time most of us reached adulthood we had nearly forgotten what our imagination was like and, sadder still, we almost never allowed ourselves time to ‘bliss out’ in our minds.
Albert Einstein, one our most brilliant mentors, spent time every day lying face down on a short wooden table, where he held a heavy steel ball bearing in each hand as he allowed himself to ‘nap'. Of course, just as he began to truly drift off he would drop one or both ball bearings, which would awaken him. His reason for doing this was that he found his most inspired thoughts arose in his mind during that lovely ‘in between time/beginning dream time’ as the mind is just about to lose consciousness; he felt his mind was most susceptible to divine inspiration and that it was a time when his imagination was free to ‘run’. Free, open and receptive. This is extremely interesting as well as captivating, especially when we couple this time with allowing the imagination to ‘run with the inspiration.’ What if we all decided to spend 15-20 minutes each day utilizing this process? What if you decided to give yourself time every day to DREAM BIG? I believe we would find ourselves divinely inspired in more ways than conceivable, ways that we would never access otherwise.
This takes nothing from another and requires very little effort on our part; in fact I find it completely delicious. This is time so well spent because it allows us to experience miraculous insights, guidance, and exciting revelations. We may possibly even find ourselves accessing solutions to long standing problems, ideas for future creations that would help not only ourselves but benefit the entire world. After all, as we slip out of our obsessive, monkey- mind consciousness into the pre-unconscious state, I believe we are at the critical juncture, that place that is capable of accessing ‘the one great mind’, the mind of Source/God/Buddha/Higher Self. That is what Einstein was tapping into for his divine inspiration. He, however, is not unique. We are ALL born with the innate capacity for ‘tapping in and tuning in'; it’s simply a matter of remembering how and remembering its value.
Society has devalued the concept of ‘daydreaming’ but I want to re-ignite this idea in people and encourage spending time 'blissing out', fantasizing about whatever excites us, and letting our imaginations run wild with endless possibilities. It is free, easy, fun, and reduces stress. But most of all it is a divine gift that, once cultivated, will become one of your most powerful assets and tools. Your imagination was never meant to be left behind in your childhood, for that matter, your child is still within you and would thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to come out and play. It is true that we age, but hopefully we never lose our sense of wonder, enthusiasm and excitement for life. Try making time to dream and while you are at it give yourself permission to really dream big. One never knows how and when miracles will show up in our lives but I do believe they are directly linked to our imaginations. If you have the power to imagine it, the Universe has the power to make it so. Happy mind, body and spirit fitness to all.
Albert Einstein, one our most brilliant mentors, spent time every day lying face down on a short wooden table, where he held a heavy steel ball bearing in each hand as he allowed himself to ‘nap'. Of course, just as he began to truly drift off he would drop one or both ball bearings, which would awaken him. His reason for doing this was that he found his most inspired thoughts arose in his mind during that lovely ‘in between time/beginning dream time’ as the mind is just about to lose consciousness; he felt his mind was most susceptible to divine inspiration and that it was a time when his imagination was free to ‘run’. Free, open and receptive. This is extremely interesting as well as captivating, especially when we couple this time with allowing the imagination to ‘run with the inspiration.’ What if we all decided to spend 15-20 minutes each day utilizing this process? What if you decided to give yourself time every day to DREAM BIG? I believe we would find ourselves divinely inspired in more ways than conceivable, ways that we would never access otherwise.
This takes nothing from another and requires very little effort on our part; in fact I find it completely delicious. This is time so well spent because it allows us to experience miraculous insights, guidance, and exciting revelations. We may possibly even find ourselves accessing solutions to long standing problems, ideas for future creations that would help not only ourselves but benefit the entire world. After all, as we slip out of our obsessive, monkey- mind consciousness into the pre-unconscious state, I believe we are at the critical juncture, that place that is capable of accessing ‘the one great mind’, the mind of Source/God/Buddha/Higher Self. That is what Einstein was tapping into for his divine inspiration. He, however, is not unique. We are ALL born with the innate capacity for ‘tapping in and tuning in'; it’s simply a matter of remembering how and remembering its value.
Society has devalued the concept of ‘daydreaming’ but I want to re-ignite this idea in people and encourage spending time 'blissing out', fantasizing about whatever excites us, and letting our imaginations run wild with endless possibilities. It is free, easy, fun, and reduces stress. But most of all it is a divine gift that, once cultivated, will become one of your most powerful assets and tools. Your imagination was never meant to be left behind in your childhood, for that matter, your child is still within you and would thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to come out and play. It is true that we age, but hopefully we never lose our sense of wonder, enthusiasm and excitement for life. Try making time to dream and while you are at it give yourself permission to really dream big. One never knows how and when miracles will show up in our lives but I do believe they are directly linked to our imaginations. If you have the power to imagine it, the Universe has the power to make it so. Happy mind, body and spirit fitness to all.
