Commitment is the Key!

A few days ago someone reminded me that we had only 100 days left of 2009. Inspired, I set my priorities for the rest of the year and promptly posted them on my Facebook account. Why? To make them visible, to be accountable, to really commit to them.

What happened? Already in the few days since I posted them, I checked out a new gym (will be joining today), set a new deadline to finish the editing of my first book, and got a potential new freelance job offer. It's almost as if the simple act of writing them down and making them public gives them an energy, a life of their own, wings for those dreams to take off and fly.

Here are two quotes from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way that I love on this topic of commitment and how the Universe responds to it:

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way."

—Scottish explorer W.H. Murray

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."

—German philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The lesson here? "Leap, and the net will appear," as J.C. also says. Really commit to your visions and just watch and see what happens. Look for synchronicities, new opportunities, doors and windows just flying open. And fasten your seatbelt, because you're in for the adventure of your life....

Play Time:
What dreams or goals are you committing to today? If the "C" word scares you, begin by committing to just one thing in one area of your life. Success breeds success, so start small and branch out from there! (and remember to pay attention to what happens in your world when you do!)

What Do You Choose?

Do you ever get hit with the "power of three?" Here's what just happened to me:

1) Yesterday I was hosting the monthly Open Mic at Java Cat, and along with reading some of my own poetry, I read a few others, including an anonymous 19^th century Chippewa poem, translated by Robert Bly, which goes like this:

Sometimes I go about pitying myself
And all the while
I am being carried by great winds across the sky

2) Today a friend posted the following video on the "power of choice"--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T_ZDUOOTnc&feature=player_embedded#t=67

3) Finally, I read a friend's blog post tonight which was about how he has a choice in whether or not to identify himself with his habits and circumstances.

Well, after the THIRD message about choice, I decided that that was to be the topic of today's blog!

The poem, the video, and my friend's blog all reminded me that there is always a choice about what we focus on. There is always more than enough anger, sadness, frustration, jealousy, stress, hopelessness, and despair in our lives and in the world that we can choose to focus on.

However, there is ALSO more than enough happiness, joy, simplicity, love, support, friendship, nature, and abundance everywhere we look, if only we choose to focus on it.

This is not of course to say we should happy all the time. There are definitely times to be otherwise and we should honor them. The key is: we can be aware that we have a choice in what what we're focusing on.

Play Time:
So today I invite you to consider: What are you choosing to focus on in your life right now? Is your glass half-empty or half-full?

The Gold Within

Tonight I saw the new documentary film, "The Shadow Effect." In it, Debbie Ford and a host of other well known teachers and healers discuss the importance of reclaiming and healing our "shadow selves"--those parts of ourselves (good or bad) that we hide from other or even from ourselves.

One story in particular that stood out in my mind was the story of the Golden Buddha. In 1957, a group of Tibetan monks were given the responsibility of moving a large clay Buddha statue because a highway was being built in that area. During the night before it was to be moved, the head monk came to check on the statue, found a large crack in it, and to his surprise, discovered something glittering in the crack. He was so excited he went back to tell his fellow monks. And sure enough, as he and the other chiseled away at the statue, they found under the clay exterior a Buddha statue of pure gold. The Golden Buddha was apparently the responsibility of a group of monks centuries earlier, who hid the Golden Buddha under clay to protect it from an attacking Burmese army. The Buddha was protected but all the monks died in the attack. The statue was only re-discovered in 1957.

The story really hit home. Each of us has gold inside of us that is covered by layers of clay—all the conditioning and messages we received over the years that make us forget our gifts, that special uniqueness we each bring to the world.

Play Time: Today I invite you to consider what gold is still as of yet hidden in you—what unexplored, unrealized potential for greatness, accomplishment, joy, and fulfillment? And what steps can you take to chisel away at those layers of clay so that your true brilliance can emerge and be shared with the world?

To your magnificence!

Jealous or Zealous?

I've been thinking a lot about jealousy lately. So I did what I usually do when I'm fascinated with something: I looked it up in the dictionary. Well, I was surprised to find out that the origins of the word "jealous" actually trace back to the word “zeal.”

What is “zeal?” It’s “fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor;” it’s “intensity, passion, enthusiasm,” and the like.

It got me thinking: What if instead of getting “jealous,” we got “zealous?” What if when we saw something we wanted in someone else, we got passionate about cultivating that in our own lives? What IF we could see jealousy not as an enemy but as a great friend who can help us be, do, and have more of what we want in life?

Over the years, I’ve come across a few sayings about jealousy. One is “Compare and despair” and another is “No use comparing your insides to someone else’s outsides.” Do we really know what’s happening on the inside of that person we’re jealous of? If you knew everything about that person, would you still want what they have?

Let’s remember that it’s an abundant universe and there’s plenty for ALL of us. As Ernest Holmes, the founder of Science of Mind, put it, “Since no two persons are alike there must be a unique place for you in the scheme of things. The Divine Pattern would be imperfect without you.”

Play Time: So today, I dare you to not compare yourself to anyone else, but to be zealously yourself, to love and embrace the unique gifts and talents you bring to the world, to honor your piece of the puzzle of life. What are some ways YOU uniquely contribute to the world around you? I’d love to hear!

What Does It Take To Be a Winner?

Last night I saw the movie "Julie & Julia" and was inspired by the story of a woman who set (and attained) a seemingly impossible goal for herself: to cook 524 recipes from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days.

It made me think about how it's our human nature to love seeing people accomplish amazing feats--completing marathons or triathlons, finishing Iron Man competitions, winning Olympic gold. What is it that fascinates us so about performing such feats? What is it about the sheer determination of accomplishing a goal that seems "out of our reach" that keeps us on the edge of our seats?

Here are some of my reflections about what it takes to be a real "winner" in life--someone who sets big goals in life and follows through and accomplishes them (and inspires others along the way):

1) FOCUS: In a increasingly ADD world, in which life seems to be ever full of distractions, that kind of one-pointedness, single-mindedness, and focus seems to be rarer and rarer. It's all too easy to get caught up in whatever comes up in the moment.

2) COURAGE: To say that this is my goal and I am going to do "whatever it takes" to reach it, even if that means potentially sacrificing my relationships, health, and sanity takes a kind of courage, strength, and chutzpah that characterizes most winners in any field.

3) DISCIPLINE: For many people, to do ANY one thing every day, without fail, seems unattainable. Doing so develops what I like to call "spiritual muscle," and it makes you strong from the inside out. (note: once you're able to do it in one area, that "muscle" translates into other areas of your life)

4) FAITH: To undertake, and complete, major life projects takes a certain amount of belief--in yourself, in your goal, in the Universe. There has to be a part of you that knows you will be successful in reaching your goal, that knows you can do it and that you will do it, and that knows it will all be worth it when you are done.

5) PASSION: Nothing of any monumental importance can be accomplished without a great love for what you are doing. You have to have a feeling of fun, energy, and excitement, Your goal has to make you come alive; otherwise it will not sustain you over the long haul. Winners often have a sense of purpose about what they are doing, a feeling of calling or mission about their work. This is what fuels them and keeps them going when the going gets tough.

Remember, just because there are "winners" doesn't mean there have to be "losers." In the new human paradigm we are creating and moving toward, we can ALL be winners, helping each other live into and up to our greatest visions for ourselves and our lives.

Play Time: What do YOU think it takes to be a "winner" in life? What are some ways that you are a winner in your own life? What are some goals or dreams you are working on? What is your greatest vision for yourself and your family? Please leave a comment, as I would love to hear your reflections on this topic!

It's Not How You Start...It's How You Finish!

You've no doubt heard this saying...Well I am a BIG believer in "finishing strong."

A few months ago when I ran the Madison Half-Marathon (13.1 miles), I remember how my mind and body seemed to turn into pure steel in the very last leg of the race, the last mile or so. I basically "sprinted" to the finish line. My body, mind and soul were focused exclusively on crossing that line. It was like in that moment nothing else existed, nor anyone else--it was just me and that line.

Today I turned in my first completed draft of a book I've been writing on forgiveness since January of this year. I had wanted to publish it by the fall and so two weeks ago I set myself a personal deadline to have it done by now. Much like I did in the half marathon, I was steadily plugging away at it over the months, but in the last week, in the last few days, I found myself calling up all of the reserves within me and again "sprinting" to the finish line. And that is exactly how it felt--physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

There was that same sense of focus, determination, sheer power of will to finish it--and finish it strong. In that moment, there's not even a conscious feeling of "I can do it, I can do it." Rather, no words exist at this time--there is just pure feeling, pure being, and the totality of your being at that, for it takes all of you to make it happen. But you don't think about it, you just get "in the zone" and get it done. When you're in that "zone," the "work" almost seems to get done by itself.

I love how that experience of "crossing the finish line" can be a metaphor for other areas of life, like finishing my book. I once heard in a personal growth seminar, "how you do anything is how you do everything." And I am definitely one who likes to finish strong, in as many areas as I can. It's one thing to have ideas--I've definitely had my share of those--but quite another to actually PUT those ideas into ACTION, so that the seeds you planted and nurtured blossom into beautifully full ripe flowers for all to enjoy....Remember: it's not what happens to you in life that matters; it's what you do with what happens to you.

Play Time:
1) Can you think of an example of how the feeling or experience of a pivotal moment in your life (i.e. finishing a race, the birth of a child, a graduation, a wedding, travel to an exotic place, etc.) carries over into other areas of your life? What was the lesson you learned or the quality or trait you exhibited?

2) Do you have some dreams that would still like to see the light of day? (come on, we all do...) Pick one and see if there is one small action you can take today to move in the direction of that dream or goal.

And please leave a comment! I'd love to hear about what dreams you're working on bringing to your own personal finish line!

Remember: Finish Strong!

The New Economy: A Spiritual Perspective

Recently someone asked me my take on what's going on in the economy and our society right now. I was grateful for the question because my perspective is not one that I often feel comfortable sharing because most people are still so stuck in fear that they're not able to hear a "higher" perspective on what's going on. But nevertheless, I offer my point of view in this blog, for those who might be interested.

Over the last year in particular, we have seen a lot of our old structures collapsing--banks and financial institutions, major companies and corporations, etc...Everywhere you look people have been losing their money in stocks, their homes, their jobs, etc. But in the process, many people have realized what's really important to them, what really gives their lives meaning--and it's usually not of the material variety. It's those "intangibles"--family and friends, hobbies and health, creativity and spirituality, and so on.

What's happening right now is like our old house has burned to the ground and we're in the planning phase, deciding what we want the NEW one to look like. There are many people actively engaged in envisioning this new world.

How will it be different than the old one? It will be less about profit, more about heart, less about material possessions, more about connections with others. In some ways, we will be returning to the "old ways," the way we used to live, closer to our neighbors, closer to nature, closer to the Divine, and in another way, it will be something entirely new altogether, based on the lessons we have learned in recent history about what we want and don't want and what works and doesn't work.

Most of know on some level that we can’t go back to the old way of doing things, because it's been, literally, killing us and all forms of life around us on this beautiful planet of ours. And yet still we long for the “comfort” in the old way's familiarity. Like in the movie, The Matrix, we can’t take the blue pill after we've already taken the red pill. We can only move forwards, not backwards. As a species, we are in the process of creating a new world together, and WE are deciding what we WANT in it….

So overall, yes there are a lot of changes and ups and downs in our economy, but overall, from the bigger picture of things, I think we are living in an exciting time filled with lots of opportunity to be creative and to manifest what we want in this new world….

What are YOU intentioning for our new world today?