How To Listen To Your Heart Without Losing Your Mind

how to listen to your heart

“Some people will follow their minds without listening to their hearts, and others will follow their hearts without listening to their minds. This is why reason exists, for there to be balance between the heart and mind. We were not meant to follow the mind and ignore the heart. Instead, we were meant to follow the heart over the mind, but without completely abandoning logic. The middle way is the preferred way, and this path simply means to allow your heart to drive you, but do not forget to balance reason with your conscience.”
Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem

 

I have a huge problem with many of the teachings of the spiritual community. “Listen to your heart. The mind is the enemy.”, they say. “Work on opening your higher chakras. The lowers ones are less evolved. Suppress your desires. They are the enemy.”

I am here to tell you. It is unwise to suppress any part of you. You were given every part of you as a gift to help you live life. We give our power away by listening to someone’s else’s formula (does that sound like listening to your heart?), and we wind up suffering in the process. It actually amazes me that we are told so often to silence our minds, when our entire world is projected by the mind. Mind moves around the sense of self.

When you suppress your desires, they will always come out in an unhealthier way. Ever said no to that scoop of ice cream you were craving, and wind up eating an entire box of cookies later?  Those people with the blocked lower chakras? They are the ones living life ungrounded, wondering why they can’t manifest anything. (When your lower chakras are blocked, there’s nothing connecting you to earth, so how can you manifest anything on it?)

And, those people who only listen to their heart and ignore their minds? They are the ones living from every feeling and emotion they have, with nothing else guiding them. They often make unwise, emotionally charged decisions, instead of letting their mind sometimes tell them they aren’t being very rational. They are the ones calling you to bum money because they spent the money for their rent on some bauble they just had to have. They are the ones who quit their day job to do what they loved without a thought as to how they would bring in income from it. They are the ones that end up in relationship after relationship because they were in “love”, but didn’t stop to use their mind to see if the relationship was actually a wise decision.

It doesn’t matter how much two people love one another if they are developmentally incompatible, or if there is not a shared willingness to become conscious. This is why they call it a relationship instead of a loveship. Love alone is not enough. If you want it to last, you have to relate to each other in ways that keep the ship afloat.-Jeff Brown

 

We were given both a head and a heart for a reason. While it’s important to have an open heart, this doesn’t mean that we let it control our every decision. We also don’t want to only make our decisions based on logic. If we leave our heart out of the picture, we also won’t be very happy. We will wind up in a job we hate, dreading Mondays, or in a loveless relationship because it made sense to our head. Here are tips on how to follow your heart while also letting your mind guide you.

How To Listen To Your Heart Without Losing Your Mind

how to listen to your heart

1. Listen To Both Your Intuition And Your Fears

Are heart is what gives us that initial desire for something. Our heart provides the excitement and inspiration to make something happen. But, many people don’t make it past there. They either let the mind control them with fear and stop, or they don’t use their mind to make a plan to work on their dreams. If you don’t look at your fears, they will stay stuck in your body, and you will eventually become stuck. Your mind is only trying to protect you. Look at your mind’s concerns and address them.

Fear can be overcome, but it also may cause you to make a wiser choice. You may decide to date someone casually for a while to see how the relationship progresses before getting involved in a more serious relationship. Or, you may do your dream job part-time while keeping your full-time job to pay the bills. Listen to your intuition, and pay attention to the other parts of your body. Do you have a knot in your stomach that won’t go away? Figure out what your body is trying to tell you and why.

2. Do Things To Calm The Body And Mind

We live in a frantic world where it’s always easy to be on the go, and that causes us to ignore both our hearts and minds. When we calm our bodies and our minds, the true voice of the heart can break through. I like to do this by taking a walk in nature, taking a long bath, getting a massage, or listening to calming music. In fact, I love to start my morning with exercises to relax. Five Good Minutes is a great book filled with relaxation exercises that only take five minutes.

3. Don’t Let Others Make Your Decisions For You

how to listen to your heart

We often ask others (others who usually don’t even have their own shit together) for advice, and then we let that advice dictate our decisions. That is the absolute worse thing you can do. When you have to go to others for advice, that means you are very disconnected from your own heart and intuition. In fact, you aren’t even using your mind to help you decided what to do. Go inside and figure out a path for yourself. Listen to your heart, and let your mind guide you. You need to live your own life and not the life of another.

 4. Take Life Less Seriously

listen to your heart

We are so hard on ourselves. You don’t have to be perfect. You are allowed to make mistakes. The great thing is, you can always start again. I know some of the “mistakes” I’ve made have been some of the greatest gifts. My mistakes have often led me to places I wouldn’t have wound up otherwise. Realize that sometimes in life, you may go down a path you would have rather not have walked down, but only that path will lead you to the place you need to be. Have more fun in life, and listen to its flow.

5. Get Outside Of Your Comfort Zone

Often, we ignore our hearts because we think they are irrational, but some of the fears of the mind can be just as irrational. Don’t let the fears of the mind keep you from fully living life because you aren’t fully comfortable. Remember, the heart provides us with an authentic connection to who we are inside, and we can use the mind to guide us to take the right steps to live fully. To me, using both the head and the heart is a bit like deciding where to go on your dream trip. You don’t let the mind talk you out of not going because of all the bad things that could happen. You let your heart decide where to go, and your mind gets involved with figuring out how much money to save for the trip, what to pack, and the planning aspects. You use your mind to do the research, and your heart gets to be the one to dream up the adventure.

Do you struggle with making decisions?

Do you listen to your heart or your mind, but want help doing both? 

If you are looking for mentoring, guidance, or a game plan to create the life you want, I can help. 

I help with: 

• Finding and living your passions
• Living life on your own terms
• Loving yourself
• Better relationships
• Navigating big transitions
• Career changes and decisions
• Financial issues
• Business issues
• Starting a new business (business and financial plans and strategies)
• Starting and running a successful blog
• Managing stress
• Being happy

Email me at [email protected] for a phone mentoring session today. 

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If You Hate Mondays, This Article Is For You

hate mondays

I used to be you. I used to hate Mondays. The weekends never lasted long enough. I just worked to pay the bills. Then one day, I realized something. I didn’t want to live like that anymore. Life is short enough, and I was tired of every Monday-Friday feeling like every other Monday-Friday. I realized that I was selling most of the hours of my life away to my employer, and I didn’t want to do that anymore.

hate Mondays

So, I stopped and thought hard about how I wanted to spend my life. I wanted to see the world. It’s a lot of people’s dream jobs to work from a beach, and I decided that’s what I would do to. I created a travel blog about beaches, and decided I wouldn’t hate Mondays anymore. I’ve since created three more websites that I run. I also give sound healing sessions, life coaching inspiration, and help others to not hate Mondays. So, what got me from here to there? If you hate Mondays, you probably think your situation is hopeless. You probably feel stuck and don’t know how to get from there to here. I’m here to tell you that within the next year, you could very easily be living a life you love. Here’s how I did it.

How To Stop Hating Mondays

1. Stop Letting Other People’s Poor Decisions Affect Your Own

Many people let the people they spend most of their time with influence their decisions. They don’t even stop to think about doing things differently. Everyone else goes to work for someone else. Everyone else hates Mondays. So, many people go out and get a job they aren’t thrilled with because they think they have to. Most people choose to own cars that aren’t paid for, choose to live in houses that put them in debt, and wear clothes that they put on their credit card and think this will bring them happiness. Meanwhile, the debt continues to accumulate and they are left feeling forced to work in a job they hate to pay for all this happiness. Would you rather travel around the world, create a business you are passionate about, and have time for the things you love or would you rather own a bunch of shit that will all burn or break down one day? This is a choice you are making whether you have stopped to think about it or not.

2. Don’t Let Fear Decide For You, Either

A lot of people have let the media convince them that they have to work for someone else, or they will wind up on the streets. They are afraid to make the jump to start living a life they love. One day, I just saw how much of an illusion our lives are, and I could live the illusion in fear or in joy. And, I just decided, I would do whatever it took to love my life. I finally realized, I was the creator of my life, and if I didn’t do something to change it, it would continue the same way. Don’t let fear stop you and take away the real happiness you could be creating.

3. Learn To Live With Less

It only took me three months to quit my job, once I decided I didn’t want to live that way anymore. Why? Because I had no debt. Most people have debt today because they are convinced that they need things they really don’t. For instance, I have probably bought coffee from coffee shops less than twenty times in my life. I have always bought a used car, one I could afford to pay cash for at the moment that I bought it. (Yes, all of my cars have been at least ten years old.) I have never had cable TV. I have usually bought my clothing at garage sales or thrift shops. The same thing goes for the furniture in my house. I rarely eat at restaurants.

Now you may think I have missed out. But, I have rented a bungalow on my own private beach in Tahiti. I swam with manta rays in Raja Ampat. I have been on the world’s best beaches, written a book, and have had experiences beyond my wildest dreams. I will gladly trade “stuff” for the experiences I have had. I realize there are many financial situations out there, but people make small financial decisions every day which affect their future. They don’t realize that the money they spend at Starbucks will cost them $22,995.00 over the course of 30 years. That alone could pay for a trip around the world.

If you want to start planning a different future, I recommend checking out the website, Early Retirement Extreme.  It offers money-making ideas and great tips for saving for early retirement. Remember, it is the American consumerism mentality that leads you to believe that spending more will make you happier? Is this really true? How happy are you now? You have to look at the full picture and figure out how much things are really costing you.

4. Start Working On Your Business On The Side

When I decided I wanted to start a travel blog, I didn’t just automatically quit my job. I had traveled frequently, so I had plenty of photos and stories to tell without going anywhere. I stayed up until two in the morning most nights working on my travel blog, after working my full-time job all day. But, I noticed something great. I didn’t dread it. I loved what I was doing. I work just as many hours as I used to. The difference is now I don’t dread it.

You really don’t have to hate Mondays anymore. First, you have to change your mindset. Then, be willing to put in the work to create a life you really love.

Do you want to stop hating Mondays? 

Do you want help getting started?

I can help!

Jump on Skype with me. I offer Skype coaching sessions to help you with creating and loving your life. 

Email me at [email protected].

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What Is Ayahuasca Like? How An Ayahuasca Ceremony Opened My Heart And Brought Me Back To Myself

ayahuasca ceremony what is ayahuasca likeComplete surrender. Surrender of my beliefs, who I thought I was, my attachments, and, yes, even my own free will. If you are wondering, “What is ayahuasca like.” Nothing really can prepare you for it except for complete surrender. Yes, the ayahuasca ceremony is not a thing to be taken lightly. Not unless you are willing to give up everything you have ever known, and not unless you are willing to go on a journey that will last not four hours, but for the rest of your life.

I did my first (and second!) ayahuasca ceremony with a guide here in Mexico. I chose to work with her because one of the first things she told me about herself was that she didn’t know shit! She didn’t pretend to be some enlightened being who had all the answers to life. (She was, however, very knowledgeable about Paloma Blanca, and I did feel like I would be very safe in her hands. Which I was!) Her humble attitude and authentic expression of herself made me feel comfortable with her, and I knew that she was the one that I wanted to begin this journey with.

Also, there are different types of ayahuasca. The type that she works with is called Paloma Blanca. The purpose of Paloma Blanca is to open your heart. Since, I knew I had “heart work” to do, I knew that this plant medicine had found me, and I was ready to let it do its work.

What Is Ayahuasca Like? ayahuasca ceremony

You make an intention before you begin the ayahuasca ceremony, and my intention to this sacred plant was, “Show me what I need to know.” Because I knew that I didn’t know shit, either. I knew there were things holding me back from becoming the person I could be. However, I didn’t know what exactly what it was. So, I asked to be shown.

The Ayahuasca Ceremony Begins

When the ayahuasca first started affecting me, I felt such complete bliss that I couldn’t help but laugh. I just laughed and laughed. I then saw many other souls around me. I heard a voice say, “You are not alone.”  I realized that I had somehow always feared being alone in this world. Of course, I really wasn’t. And, then another voice came through that said, “You are all of this. And, so you are alone.”

The entire journey was like this. My mind learned to see both sides of everything. I realized how limited my thinking was, and how everything was true and yet not true at the same time. I watched as light and love swirled through my mind and almost seemed to change how I thought my thoughts, how my mind seemed to work. It seemed to be cleaning out many of the fears that I had lived with all of my life. I came to see that the only thing that really mattered was love. However, I had never really known what real love was.

I saw a vision of myself. I was a toddler running through a nursery. I was grabbing all the toys and breaking them because I was holding them so tightly. I saw that this was how I had loved. I was shown nothing but kindness and complete acceptance, though. There was no judgement for how the old me had navigated through life. I was told, this was how I loved because this was how I had been taught to love. It wasn’t my fault, but things could change.

I had been living a life with closed fists instead of an open hands and heart. I had been trying to control everything when there really was nothing I could control. I saw the Divine Mother connect me to her own love. This love looked like rainbow love in my heart and felt like the most blissful thing I had ever known. For the first time in my life I felt truly loved, and I realized this love was coming from me!!

I began to see the grand plan for everything, and I just loved it all. I no longer needed to try and get love from anyone else because I finally had the ability to love myself. I felt free. Freer than I had ever felt. And, there was a cost. I had to let go of all the fear I had been holding inside. All of the doubts. I had to give up my version of what I thought love to be. And, the biggest thing? I had to give up judgement. I saw that love and judgement cannot occupy the same space. I had to give up the resentment for when others had hurt me. I had to let it all go. And that was what allowed this space in my heart for unlimited love.

I saw that I had felt rejected by my mother and had caused scenarios in my life to mirror my belief that I deserved to be rejected by women. I saw that my mother (or anyone else) would never love me exactly the way I wanted them to. I had to give myself that love. And, I set her free. I set everyone free. No one needed to love me a certain way. But, as long as I felt that, I would continue to attract situations into my life to mirror the belief that I wasn’t worthy.

During the ayahuasca ceremony, I heard the Divine Mother tell me that I needed to keep my heart open to absolutely everyone. This didn’t make sense to my rational mind. I asked, “What about the ones I need to protect myself from?” The mother replied with a laugh, “Don’t you see? It’s all me. There is nothing you need to protect yourself from. If someone hurts you, it just shows an area inside yourself that needs healing.”

It seemed to go against everything in my rational mind. I then saw generations of women in my lineage. These were angry, bitter women. They were full of doubt, and kept saying, “Protect yourself.” Their hearts were closed. And, this is how it happened. I then began to purge. I saw the molecular cells that caused this doubt and fear and I knew I was the one changing it. Not just for myself, but for generations to come. I knew the feeling of this openness, this love was really what life was about. I knew that light is always brighter than the darkness it illuminates and that any true darkness that encountered me would be transformed by the light of love in me, or wouldn’t choose to stay around me long.

What Is Ayahuasca Like? ayahuasca ceremony

The true miracle (and the hard work) began, though, after the ayahuasca ceremony. I called my mom, to say nothing more than I loved her. We had a heartfelt conversation with each other that healed our relationship, and I feel closer to her than I ever have. Other relationships have been healed as I realized that those who hurt me were only mirroring my beliefs about myself. Some people I rejected in my life who had shown me complete love, and I had rejected because they didn’t mirror my belief that I didn’t deserve love. I am watching my relationships change, as I go about them with more awareness and love.

On my second ayahuasca ceremony, I was shown the wounds I had with my father, and I have since mended my relationship with him. I saw how attached I had been to my story. My story of being a victim of pain. You wouldn’t think it would be hard to let it go. I realized how I had created an identity by using this story. An identity that wasn’t real, that I was using to hide behind. This identity I had constructed, and fear had used it to keep me away from real love and the many gifts it could bring to my life.

There are many more things that I have learned from these journeys, and I am continuing to learn even after these journeys are over. Mainly, I know that I still don’t know shit. Because, you know. It’s not in the knowing. It’s in the loving. And, that’s what it’s all about.

Are you interested in doing an ayahuasca ceremony? I am now offering ongoing ayahuasca retreats in San Miguel de Allende if you wish to visit us in Mexico! 

What Is Ayahuasca Like ayahuasca ceremony

7 Things To Balance In Your Life

balance in your life

Next to love, balance is the most important thing.- John Wooden

I have noticed that in yoga, I struggle with the balance poses the most. This realization showed me that when I am struggling in life, it’s also because something isn’t in balance. Absolutely everything in life is about balance. I want to be more conscious of where I can bring more balance to my everyday life instead of just letting life happen to me.

Here are 7 things to balance in your life: 

1. How Often You Live In Your Head vs. How Much You Live In Your Body

We often live our days from the neck up. We stay in our minds, and we forget to notice how our body is moving through life. I want to pay more attention to my movement, my posture, the way a breeze might be moving against my skin, or the way my body either opens or contracts when someone else moves close to me.

2. Rest vs. Activity

I want to make sure I also give myself time to reflect on my life instead of always getting caught up in activity and doing. I want to allow my mind to rest in meditation, or allow my body to just do nothing without feeling guilty. But, I also want to make sure that each day is full of motion and never becomes stagnant. To create a good balance in your life, make sure you allow time for both rest and activity.

3. Spontaneity vs. Planning

I love to have everything planned out. But, I’ve learned that if I always follow the plan, I can miss out on some beautiful spontaneous moments. So, I’m learning to let go, and tune in more to what I really feel like doing in the moment. If I am walking down the street and happen to see a beautiful tree that I want to sit under for a moment, I allow myself to do so. If I wake up, and decide to go out for breakfast rather than having the breakfast I had planned at home, I do that. If a friend calls and wants me to join them on an unexpected adventure, I join them. I also no longer plan every second of my day, so I can allow time for unplanned moments to occur. You may benefit from being more of a planner, planning out your goals and being less of a procrastinator.

4. Giving vs. Receiving

I admit it. I am a much better giver than I am a receiver. I need help learning how to receive. I have a hard time being vulnerable, which receiving makes me feel. I am learning to be more open and to let myself receive. Some people have a hard time knowing how to give. It’s a balance that, once learned, can improve our relationships with others and with the Universe itself. It’s not enough to manifest what we want to see happen in our lives. We then must learn to receive it as well.

5. Your Shadow Side vs. The Light You Show

None of us are perfect. We all have a shadow side that we don’t like to admit is there. I have learned that the shadow side of me: the fear, the anger, the insecurities, jealousy, and pain, just wants to be noticed and embraced by me. When I pretend it isn’t there, it has no hope of being transformed into something more. I have found that shame can only be lifted by meeting the dark where it is. Darkness itself is a great transformer. It has shown me where I need to own my shit. Seeing what I’ve seen in the dark has let me bring great healing and love to the issues I still have to work on.

6. Boundaries vs. Openness

balance in your life

“Your attachment to unhealthy people and bad habits, which offer you no real control, is why you’re spiritually dying and living a life out of balance.” ― Shannon L. Alder

I am an open person. I am open to new experiences, thoughts, and other people. But, I often found myself in relationships where I was taken advantage of. I am learning now to no longer stop at mean-spirited roadhouses, even if I once had a great time at that roadhouse. Many times we get caught up in how someone used to treat us, that we still hold on even when they are being unkind. I have learned to move on if that is the case. Since setting boundaries, I also attract better people into my life. You may have the problem of not being open enough. If you are moving through life without feeling deeply known by people, maybe it’s time to open yourself a little more. There is a perfect balance which will leave you feeling more fulfilled in your relationships.

7. What I Spend vs. What I Save

I have always been a good saver (kind of goes with the planning thing.) I am learning to let go and enjoy myself more and allow myself to occasionally splurge on myself and things that I enjoy. I no longer look for the cheapest hotel room when traveling. I now look for the one that has character, yet that’s not overpriced. I am now working to live with things more in balance, so that I enjoy the money I have worked hard to make, yet, I still have some saved aside for future financial goals as well.

Hopefully, these areas will give you ideas of other areas of life where you can create balance in your life. Let me know what you are trying to balance in your life by leaving a comment below!

Ready to start creating balance in your life?
Are you looking for some help along the way?
Someone who can help you create the life you want to be living? 

I can help.

I offer Skype coaching sessions to help you create the life you want.

Take that first step with me HERE.

Want more tips from me?

 

We’re All Brave Until We Realize The Cockroach Has Wings-How To Be Brave And Conquer Your Fears

You finally do it. The thing you were afraid of. And, then that thing you were afraid of actually happens. Only that thing happens to be bigger and scarier than you thought it would be. You wind up with your heart broken, losing money, or back to where you started. How do you rise up and conquer those scary things instead of hiding under the covers? How to be brave in spite of it all? How do you use those cockroaches wings to hitch a ride on instead of letting a few transparent wings stop you? You do this by being courageous and not letting anything get in your way. You’ve got what it takes. You know you do. Here’s what you do.

How To Be Brave

1. Stop Waiting For Anyone To Rescue You

I can’t tell you the number of people I’ve met who are waiting to travel until they meet a person they can travel with, who are waiting to find the right business partner before launching their business, who are basically waiting for someone else to come kick-start their life. I’ve got news for you. Prince Charming is a myth. It’s time you kiss yourself on your own lips and get going with your own life. You can change your life in a split second. If you really want to, you can do it now.

“Darling,
with urgency,
begin to live for you.”
— Ijeoma Umebinyuo

2. Admit Your Fears

You know why that roach with the wings scares us so much? Because we were trying to put up a façade of false bravery. We were trying to say, “Who me?” I’m not of afraid of a stupid little cockroach. (When, really all along we were.) But that thing shows it’s wings, and we are so running for our lives. It’s OK. Admit to yourself what you are scared of. Everyone is afraid of something. Then, make friends with your fear. See what it’s trying to teach you about yourself. You have to admit your fears before you can confront them.

3. Try New Things (Especially Ones You Know You Won’t Be Good At)

So many people keep themselves in a rut and wonder why their life isn’t that exciting. They are so afraid of what others will think of them, that they don’t try new things they don’t think they will be good at. Shake yourself up a bit and do something new, especially something that you don’t think you will be any good at. Plan to be terrible at it. But, also plan to have fun. Plan to laugh a lot. Especially at yourself. Laughing at yourself helps you take life less seriously and helps you become fearless. You realize that it’s OK to fail miserably, do stupid things, and have everyone laugh at you. You realize that life really isn’t the serious thing we make it out to be. I love Meetup.com  for finding new activities that I may not have thought about doing and meeting new people who I otherwise may not have met.

4. Invite A Stranger For Tea (Or Coffee, Or A Pop Rocks Margarita, Or Chocolate Milk)

When’s the last time you invited a perfect stranger to do something with you? We get so used to hanging out with the same people. This can severely limit us. Get to know as many people as you can. Every person has their own unique way of looking at the world. Yep, every single one. And, they will all see things differently than you. So expand the way you see things by finding out how someone else lives in the world. And for God’s sake, when you are with them, put down your phone.

5. Stop Being A Control Freak

There are lots of things you can’t control. You can’t control whether that wing-bearing cockroach is going to fly at your face. You can’t control how people will react to you. You can’t control most of what happens to you every day. You will lose your power if you try to control the things that you can’t. But, when you focus your energy on what you can control, you will move mountains. You can control whether or not you will move past your fear and take action. You can control that you will do something to change the situation that you are in now. And you can control the fact that you will choose to look at everything that happens to you as one big adventure. You can choose to have a whole lot of fun along the way. If you want to learn how to be brave, realizing there are things you can’t control and stopping the wasting of energy to try to control those things is probably the biggest step you will take.

You want to know the biggest secret of how to be brave? The biggest secret is you. Realize that you have the ability to call the entire world to the magnificence of your being. Realize your potential and do it now.

Ready to start learning how to be brave?
Are you looking for some help along the way?
Someone who can help you create the life you want to be living? 
I can help.

I offer Skype coaching sessions to help you create the life you want.

Take that first step with me HERE.

Want more tips from me?

Are You A Spiritual Junkie? Then You Are Part Of The Problem.

spiritual junkie

You are feeling pretty proud of yourself right now. You do yoga and meditation every day. You have visited every spiritual healer you could find and are now plowing your way through the “Best Spiritual Books” list.  In fact, you are actually thrilled right now. You are feeling inspired by all the self-help stuff you have read. And, you make sure to pin at least five Spiritual quotes per day on Pinterest.

First, of all let me say. If you are working on yourself and getting healed and taking time to meditate, that’s awesome. But, let me tell you something, my friend. It doesn’t stop there. That thrill that you feel. That’s not what change feels like. That feeling is the feeling of the spiritual junkie numbing themselves out on inspiration, so they don’t have to make the real changes that are needed for the world.

Are You A Spiritual Junkie?

If your life is full of spiritual activities, but you have no vision as to what you are going to bring to this world and what your purpose is here, then you are a spiritual junkie. If you are reading all of the right books, but your life isn’t changing, then you are a spiritual junkie. If you are sending out thoughts of loving kindness to the world, but you can’t reach out to your friend who is obviously hurting inside, then you are a spiritual junkie. If you are afraid of being vulnerable and keep a mask of positivity up while practicing your affirmations when, really, your world is falling apart, then you are a spiritual junkie. If you can’t let a conversation go by without mentioning those beings from other realms, while you are doing absolutely nothing about this dimension, then you are a spiritual junkie. If you are waiting for the Universe to make everything perfect before taking the next step, then you are a spiritual junkie. You can’t hide in your meditation bubble forever. Break away from the drum circle for just one minute and realize, “We are part of the problem.”

Yes, spiritual activities are a wonderful inspiration and healing force in our lives, but if you aren’t actually taking action, then you are just using them for the “high” they give you, and everything in this world is going to stay exactly the same. Are you OK with that? Are you OK with letting your fear and your laziness stop you from making this place better? Are you OK with your excuses that you need to work so many hours so you can buy expensive furniture for your house that you never even have time to sit on, or that you just really aren’t ready and need to go to your forty-third healing session before you have anything to give this world? The world needs you NOW. If you haven’t noticed, it’s kind of falling apart.

I’ll be honest with you. That thrill that you have now, that feeling of bliss that just around the corner that’s when you will start to live your purpose, but, boy, are you inspired and so ready to kick ass when the Universe tells you the time is right. That feeling is going to turn into sheer terror when you really start to live your purpose. Because, you will be risking everything to do so. And, you are going to know that it’s so important that you do so, that you aren’t going to want to screw it up.

That comfortable, floaty feeling you have right now is going to turn into discomfort and hard work. Because, every time we decide to make a change, some hard work is involved. There is ALWAYS something we will have to give up in order to have something new. But, then, you are going to come out on top. And that floaty feeling you have right now is going to surge into pure ecstatic bliss, because finally you will see why you read all those spiritual books and are doing all those hours of meditation. They are there to show you the path. And, finally, you chose to walk it.

And, if you see yourself in this, there is nothing wrong with you. All of us have been guilty of using something to numb out. Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, social media, TV, or spiritual activities, we have all used something to numb us from the fact that there is something we can be doing right now. But, we don’t want to believe that we have what it takes. Do you know how enough you are? How worthy you are? Use that healing and those spiritual teachings to teach you that, and then take what you have learned and share it with the world. This world that needs you right now. Just as you are. You are perfect right now. Don’t let them shame you into feeling you aren’t enough. You are.

Don’t let your spiritual activities numb your fear of making a change right now. You are ready. Right now. Just as you are. You’ve got to do more than just pray for change. It’s time to be the change. Stop thinking about what you are going to do someday, and do it now.

Know that there are others. Others like you are just waiting to help you. It’s time to take off the Buddha mask and admit that you are touched by what is happening in our world. Show your pain. Show your tears. Show your anger. Show your rage. And then do something about it.

If your vision is to start living your purpose right now and changing the world right now, I want to help!

Let’s chat. Email me at [email protected] to schedule some time with me. I want to help you quiet your fears and get to a place of freedom.

photo credit: Parallel Universe via photopin (license)

 

Are You Tired Of Life? This Could Be The Reason Why

tired of life

If you have never found something so dear and precious to you that you will die for it. Then you are not fit to live. You might be 38 years old as I happen to be, and one day you are called upon to stand up for some great principle or cause, and you refuse because you are afraid.

You refuse to do it because you want to live longer. You are afraid that you will lose your job. You are afraid that you will be criticized by others. You are afraid that you will lose your popularity, or you are afraid that somebody will stab you, or shoot at you, or bomb your house. So you refuse to take a stand.

Well you may go on and live to be 90 years old, but you are already dead. You died when you refused to stand up for right. You died when you refused to stand up for truth. You died when you refused to stand up for justice. Don’t ever think that you are by yourself.

Go to jail if necessary, but you never go alone. Take a stand for that which you know is right. The world might misunderstand you and criticize you, but you are never alone. One with God is the majority—-DR. KING (from the Autobiography of Dr. King)

Why You Are Tired Of Life

There is a very good reason you might be feeling tired of life right now. You were born into this world with a purpose. But, chances are you have succumbed to society’s conditioning. You have bought into consumerism. You have been fooled into buying a bunch of useless junk (junk that still didn’t make you happy), and instead of having time to live the life you work so hard for, you are stuck with the same Monday-Friday routine, the same monotony with only the weekends left to follow your dreams. Only then, you are so tired from the rest of the week, that you use the weekends to zone out, to sleep, and do nothing to create the kind of life that you want to be living.

tired of life

Why You Don’t Feel Fulfilled

Your soul isn’t going to let you rest any longer. It knows that you are living a lie, and it’s trying to do everything it can to wake you up. As you will see in the video at the end of this article, Spencer Cathcart got it right.

You have sold your soul to work for the elite of this world, those who hunger for power and control. And, you have given it freely to them in exchange for worthless pieces of paper that you think will give you happiness and security. As Spencer says, “Their most valuable resource is not in the ground. It is us. They gave us money and, in return, we gave them the world.”

tired of life

We live in a world that is being destroyed, and, by not doing anything about it, we are part of the destruction. So, we choose instead to zone out with our Smartphones. We let our lives become filled with unimportant Facebook statuses and pretty pictures on Pinterest and completely miss what is really going on. So, yeah, no wonder you are tired of life. You will continue to feel this way until you actually start living it.

tired of life

How To Stop Feeling Tired Of Life

If you want to stop feeling tired of life, then create a life that is worth living. Is this really the life you want? The one where you are overworked, stressed out, burned up, and chronically busy?

Stop being what they told you to be, and start living your passions and following your dreams. And, don’t just focus on yourself. When you focus on others, your life will take on meaning again. You will see that you are needed. Also, you will see the gifts that you have to offer this world, and why we need you to start being a part of it instead of just an observer.

We all want someone else to bring change, but it just doesn’t work that way. First of all, we have to change. We have to strip away our fears. We have to know we won’t wind up starving on the streets if we start doing what we love.

And, we have to be willing to change how we see things. We have to stop the busy. We have run and run from facing who we really are, and it’s time to see there is no monster inside to be scared of, only a hurt, lost child that needs your embrace. You have more power than you know. We all do.

One of the things that helped me stop being tired of life was realizing that I can control my thoughts. For more information on how to do this, I recommend that you check out my other site at www.thegoodthought.com.

Yes, it’s going to take courage. It’s going to cause people to shun you because you are bold enough to take a stand. It’s going to take learning to say no. But, more important, it’s going to take learning to say yes. To yourself. To life. And to all of us.

Some Of The Books That Helped Me View Life Differently

You may also like my article, “How To Create A Life You Don’t Need A Vacation From”.

I also offer Skype sessions to anyone who wants help creating a better life. Sign up for my newsletter below, then email me at [email protected] for more information about booking a session today.

featured photo: (kamshots, Flickr Creative Commons, license)

How To Create A Life That Doesn’t Suck

create a life that doesn't suck

(Photo Credit: © National Geographic)

Have you noticed? Something is changing in our world. Countries are now being measured by their gross national happiness  rather than their gross national product. People are realizing they don’t need so much stuff. People are working fewer hours, moving into tiny houses, and spending more time doing things they love. Even,  Americans are rejecting consumerism. People are creating lives they enjoy all week-long, not just on the weekends. So, how can you do this? How can you create a life that doesn’t suck? One that makes you jump out of bed each morning, ready and excited to take on the day?

How To Create A Life That Doesn’t Suck

1. Stop Selfie-Shaming Your Mistakes

create a life that doesn't suck

Our mistakes are there to teach us and making them doesn’t mean we have failed. But, so many of us are afraid to admit we made a mistake, so, instead we pretend we didn’t, and we hide from them. Well, guess what? We will just keep reliving our mistakes until we learn from them. So, save some time by embracing the mistakes you make, and take it as an opportunity to do things differently in the future. Become your own biggest fan, and learn to accept both the light and dark parts inside of you. When you stop the selfie-shaming of your beautiful self, you will also be gentler and more loving towards others, instead of sending judgement their way.

 2. Remember You Are A Unicorn And The World Is Your Rainbow

create a life that doesn't suckRemember, there is no one like you. You have something to offer this world that no one else can. When you figure out why you are here and what your purpose is, your life will take on meaning and you will feel a greater sense of belonging and worth. Have you noticed that those with the most self-confidence are usually offering something to the world? Figure out what you are here for, and start doing it. When you start living your uniqueness, you will also care less about what others think of you. You will stop taking things personally, and will recognize that what others do is about them and not about you. Also, remember, the world is made of energy and you can manifest into being what you believe that you can. If you need more help on knowing how to bring your dreams into being, read my article, ” The Secret To Manifesting An Amazing Life.”

3. Show Double Rainbow Gratitude

Yeah, you know the video of the guy who totally flips out over the double rainbow. That’s the kind of gratitude we should show for the good things in our life. We take so much for granted, and when we take things for granted, we lose our feeling of bliss and joy that could be there for all of life. We start complaining, and when we complain we just attract more negative experiences into our life. Remember when you were a kid, and everything seemed awesome? Somewhere, along the way, we lose that and, we stop belly laughing, doing cartwheels, happy dances, and jumping with delight. Start every day giving thanks. And when I say give thanks, use your whole body to give thanks. Need some inspiration? Follow Jessica’s example.

4. Set Your Roof On Fire

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We all have a roof we have created over our heads. This roof is filled with the ideas that we believe to be true. This roof holds our comfort zone. The problem is most of these ideas have been programmed by a society that doesn’t always have what’s best for us in mind. We are programmed with fear that says we can’t make a living doing what we love. We are programmed to buy things we don’t need. We are programmed to not question why things have always been done a certain way. Dare to let your roof burn and do things a different way rather than trying to be the same as everyone else. When you let that motherfucker burn, you will start living a life of openness to new ideas and events, and that is when the magic of your life will happen.

how to create a life that doesn't suck5. Remember You Are Not Mr. (Or Mrs.) Potato Head

how to create a life that doesn't suck

So many of us only live in our heads the majority of the time. We are so stuck in our thoughts and our minds that we forget we have a body. Move your body as much as possible whether it’s through dance, hiking, yoga, or exercise. When our body flows easier, we flow through life easier. Get out of your mind and into your body. Meditation and practicing mindfulness are also great ways to become more conscious of the thoughts we are having. When we learn to be fully present and in the moment, we live with our full bodies rather than just staying stuck in our heads.

If you want more advice on creating a life that doesn’t suck, check out my book Dream Catcher: The Magic Of Living Your Dream Life. If are feeling stuck and unsure of how to create the life you want, this book will launch you into creating a life that you love.

 

Stop The Mindfucking: The Difference Between Committing To Your Dream And Just Stringing It Along

commitment to your dreams

Love me into submission, and I will love you into conquering the world.-Your Dream

We’ve all had that one person. That one person that we thought was the person of our dreams, but we let them slip away. Why did we let them slip away? Because we were too afraid to commit.

We wanted a little more time to be single. We didn’t want to give up our flirtations with others. Or, we were just too plain scared. We were scared of how our life would change. Scared that things would be different.

And, so that person moved on.  That person found someone who would commit to them, that wasn’t too afraid to be in a relationship, that wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable. They moved on from someone who only wanted to live on the edge of things and found someone who was willing to stand in the center of it all.

The same thing can happen to your dream. Your dream has been tapping you on the shoulder your entire life.  It’s tried everything to get your attention. It’s beckoned you in a soft whisper voice and a gentle caress that you could feel softening your mind. It’s played a tune that’s not just tugged at your heartstrings, but unraveled them one by one until all you could hear was your beating heart.

It’s chased you down those dark alleys when you tried running away. It’s come to you in those quick-hot-fuck-against-the-wall moments of your life. You know the ones. Where you knew it was now or never. It insisted upon your exploration. It knew you were the one it was meant to bond with. This was your moment, and then it was gone.  It tried to crack the shell of your closure, to make a believer out of you. It even begged you for your protection. All it wanted was to be released.

commit to your dreams

photo credit: kaniths via photopin cc

But you, my dear one, just can’t decide.  You’ve kept that dream strung along so tight that’s it about to break. So, I give you this warning. Your dream doesn’t accept halfheartedness. It requires ALL OF YOU. Are you numb? Have you lost all feeling in your soul? Your dream doesn’t accept compromise. It requires a full commitment, a total surrendering, and nothing less than all of you.

Gamble everything for love, if you are a true human being.
If not, leave this gathering.

Half-heartedness doesn’t reach into majesty.
You set out to find God,
but then you keep stopping for long periods
at mean-spirited roadhouses.
Don’t wait any longer…-Mevlana Rumi

If this seems like a high price to pay, let me remind you, there is always a price.  Your dream will take everything you’ve got (and then some).  But, once you move from dabbling with your dream into a full commitment, heaven and earth will move to assist you.  Your dream wants to be made real, and the entire Universe wants to show up for the party.  It all hinges on you.

Here’s how to commit to your dream:

“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 that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”William Hutchison Murray

1.  You Must Give All Of Yourself To Your Dream

If you are only dedicating time to your dream when it’s convenient, you aren’t giving all of yourself. Yes, there will be a cost to giving all of yourself. I had a dream to write a book. In order to do so, I quit my job, sold everything I owned, and moved to a quiet Mexican town where the cost of living was low and where I knew there would be no distractions. Even though, I didn’t HAVE to be up at a certain time, I still set my alarm for 6 AM every morning. Everything I did, revolved around writing the book. Once DreamCatcher: The Magic Of Living Your Dream Life was finished, I didn’t just stop there. I realized I had a bigger dream. I went on to create three websites this past year, and my vision evolved to become Your Own Life.

Now, are you going to have to do something as drastic as I did to create your dream? You might, if you want to get it done. But, there are ways to still keep your day job and work on your dream. It may mean giving up other things, though. You may have to sleep less, or spend less time with your friends, or less time on Facebook to make it happen. You may have to cut down on your work hours and take less money. This guy launched twelve start-ups in twelve months. Guess what? He has the same amount of hours in a day that you do. He’s just learned how to use them wisely.

2. Tear Down The Walls

The thing that seems so overwhelming to people when it comes to committing to their dream are the steps it takes to get there. That’s the thing about dreams. They don’t just happen. It will take hard work to get there.

But, we often use excuses, and those excuses are the ball breakers of the dream world. “But, I’m in debt.” (Sell your crap. Get rid of your debt. Take a second job. Start small.)  Don’t use the excuse of thinking your dream isn’t practical, or that you don’t have the money. The question is can you afford not to follow your dream?  When we base our dream on current circumstances, we limit the vision of our entire life. Right now there all walls that are preventing you from following your dream. Your job is to figure out how to tear them down.

3. Learn To Say No

A mysterious thing happened when I started following my dream. A lot of people started asking for my time (for free).  They wanted me to help them using the skills I had. They wanted me to build their websites. They wanted my advice. I wanted to say yes because I love helping people. But I realized that while I was in the process of creating my dream, I needed to focus on doing just that. (Have you ever noticed how the minute you think about committing to someone in a relationship, your attractiveness level seems to go up? All of a sudden people are showing an interest in you that didn’t before.) It’s almost like the Universe likes to test us. Are you really going to see this dream through to the end? Decide now, and say no to anything else that isn’t related to making your dream come true.

4.  Get Rid Of Fear

The real reason we have so many excuses about why we can’t follow our dream is that we are scared to death. We let fear sweet talk us into believing that our relationship with our dream won’t work. (Fear hates competition!) So,once again, we decide to sit this one out. And, once again, we create more disconnect between ourselves and our dream. Ask yourself what you are really scared of. Ask yourself if that thing happens, then what will happen. And, if that happens, then what will happen. Then what? You will see that fear tries to seduce us into believing that it will keep us safe, but the only thing fear will do is act as a barrier to that which you want most.

5.  Find A Mentor

There are many people who have been exactly where you are today. Ready to take the next step, but not exactly sure how. Do you know people who are doing what you want to do or who have taken big risks to get where they are? Offer to take them to lunch and get their advice. Surround yourself with others who are making commitments to their dreams. Hire a coach to help give you the motivation it takes to follow your dream. There are plenty of people in this world following their dream. Shouldn’t you be one of them?  This is your moment. Do it now!

I want you to follow your dreams and find your life purpose, so I’m offering a free 15-minute Skype session to help you get started. Email Valen for your free session. (One per person)