My first introduction to the self-growth and personal development field was nearly twenty-five years ago while working a temporary job at a major book publishing company. Boxes of new titles arrived at the office weekly, and among them were newly released offerings by Louise Hay and Susan Jeffers. I learned about the importance of positive thought and mindset and intention as I was in the midst of making – let’s just call them “questionable” – major life choices.
Fast forward a good number of personal growth books, courses, and affirmations later, and I became a mom for the first time at the ripe old age of 29. My own mother had given birth to me (her only child) at 41, a fact which I was to regard with some awe and much greater respect later in life. I remember thinking at 45, “I can’t imagine having a 4 year-old at this point.”
Motherhood dramatically changed the way I looked at life and the possibilities ahead. After my daughter was born (four years after her older brother), I left their biological father and began a new chapter. I remember journalling every day until there were no more tears left to cry, releasing all of the anger and grief I felt at losing the dream of our happy family. It never really was, though…I recall the peace I felt when he finally moved away to another province and left us to rebuild our lives.
I’ve always considered myself to be a pretty upbeat person and I continued to work on positive affirmations and goal-setting. But I didn’t experience as much success as I’d hoped for – I allowed a lack of support from my then-partner to tank my network marketing business, I gained a LOT of weight, and I came to a point where I needed to rethink my whole outlook and lifestyle. I left my job and started a virtual assistant business for coaches (after being introduced to coaching through bartering my services for free coaching sessions.) I learned a great deal about the law of attraction, the business of coaching and the steps for success. Around that time I also discovered Abraham-Hicks, whose uplifting message absolutely resonated for me then – and still does today!
But even though I “knew” intellectually what was required for success in health, relationships and wealth, and I had done a personal excavation and was (at least somewhat) aware of what was holding me back, I didn’t experience the success I was seeking. After long years of study and application I was still doing battle with debilitating fears that kept me playing small. “Not smart enough, not good enough, just NOT ENOUGH” was the mantra I would hear every time I attempted to step outside of my comfort zone. I isolated myself and wondered why, no matter how great my desire, I couldn’t translate theory to reality.
Truthfully, it wasn’t until I allowed myself to seek soulful support – which specifically helped me transform my long-held fears and blockages – that things really began to shift. I began to understand how to actually put into practice the concepts I’d learned, and how to finally release the limitations that I’d permitted to hold me captive for so long. The incredible changes that have taken place in my life in the last couple of years (and the last few months in particular) have left me feeling as though I’m living in an entirely different Universe.
And despite the sometimes rocky journey it took to get here, I’m seeing the good in all things.
Outside, snow whirls and the wind howls as we hunker down for the season’s worst storm yet here in Ottawa, Canada. Inside it’s warm and dry, and I’m appreciating the pleasures and freedoms of working from home. My daughter is enjoying the first snow day of the school year, and we’ve decided to create New Moon intentions and share them, for the first time. We’re both aware that a different energy is in the air, grateful for our newly harmonious relationship, and looking forward to a New Year filled with continued growth and opportunity.
It’s time to listen to our inner guidance about releasing fears, moving past self-imposed limitations, and expressing ourselves authentically and creatively in our work and in our relationships. This is a time to shed old stories about who we are in this world, and to embrace the truth of our co-creative relationship with the Divine in each and every moment.
It’s time to “shine your light” in a very real and concrete way, delighting in the flow of creative energy and inspiration that is your birthright.
Many seeds (dreams, plans, projects) that were planted long ago are now finally germinating in the fruitful conditions of our inevitable ego-surrender and subsequent state of allowing; their underground growth is creating necessary upheaval and change. It is becoming impossible to bury our creative needs and desires beneath fears of loss; in denying our true selves, we cut ourselves off from our connection to the Universe, and our soul never ceases calling us.
In the words of Anais Nin,
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
So if you’re feeling uncertainty and longing and frustration, that could be a very good thing. An important key to traversing the path of upcoming days, weeks and months will be awareness: of ourselves, of our Divine nature, and most especially of our emotional guidance systems. When we gain access to awareness of our emotional state in the moment, we’re provided with instantaneous feedback about whether what we are thinking and feeling is a match to our expanded vibrational state, or whether we are creating a state of resistance, and therefore experiencing painful separation from the beauty, joy, and grace that is our true nature.
With that in mind, enjoy contemplating the following questions this New Moon…
New Moon Intentions – Ask yourself these questions: What do I want to Be/Do/Have in the next 28 days? What nourishes me physically, mentally, emotionally/spiritually?
What stories (that I tell myself about my history, my strengths, and my abilities) are ripe for renewal and transformation?
It’s a great pleasure to be connected with you, and to be consciously choosing to remain in the space of allowing our greatest dreams and desires to manifest. I invite you to leave comments and additional questions for all to savour.
To living in the moment, and Celebrating Abundant Living: Body, Mind, & Spirit!
Did you know that Vision Board software is the most powerful visualization package available to help you keep focused on your life vision. Chances are you have an inspiring Vision Board everywhere in your house, reminding you of your goals and dreams.
But how about the rest of your family? Does your partner have a Vision Board? And if you have children; have you created a Vision Board with them as well? Focusing consistently on your own goals and dreams is just the beginning. The next step is to expand the energy around you by supporting your family in the process of visualization as well.
How powerful do you think it is when you and your partner are both clear on each others goals and dreams and especially on your mutual vision? Imagine how powerful our vibrations will be in attracting it into our reality! On the contrary, what if I would visualize a beach house and he would focus on a house in the country….?
Knowing each others goals also makes it possible to support and empower each other in the process of achieving those goals. What about your children, do you know their goals and dreams?
Children have the most amazing imagination and have no boundaries as yet as to what they can and cannot achieve. The have big dreams; they want to become an astronaut, Prime Minister, Superman… It is so precious to keep these dreams alive by teaching them early on about the power of visualization!
So…. How about creating a Vision Board with your family? Sit down with your partner, children, grand children, nieces, nephews… who ever is close to you and open to applying The Law of Attraction in their life. First talk about goals and dreams and share with each other what you would like to create in your life.
Then – as a group – go and search for images, affirmations etc to include on your Vision Board. What an amazing way to spend real quality time with your family and help them achieve their goals. How powerful to learn more about what inspires and empowers the people closest to you!
TIP: Our Vision Board software allows for an unlimited number of personal Vision Boards to be created, so the whole family can have their own Vision Board displayed when they are working on the computer. In this day and age, this may be THE way to introduce your children to the power of visualization in an exciting and “modern” way. 🙂
In a world spiraling out-of-control with economic, personal and global discord, is it really possible to enjoy a happy, love-filled and abundant holiday season? Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) expert, Cathleen Campbell, EFT-CC, says it’s not only possible it’s essential we learn how especially in “these” times. Living Harmony announces a new tele-class program, Holiday Harmony, featuring Emotional Freedom Techniques combined with Law of Attraction energy tools. Attendees of the 5 week program will learn these tools to release stress and enjoy happy holidays. Details and registration for the $129.95 program can be accessed at www.holiday-harmony.com.
According to the American Psychological Association cause for the holiday blues come from three main sources: finances, relationships and physical overload. Each of these subjects alone can cause stress, turmoil and depression at any time of the year, but at holiday time they combine with the added pressure of trying to create or experience a greeting card like perfect holiday blowing out of proportion even the most minor issues and causing physical distress.
Emotional Freedom Techniques is a self-applied acupressure method combined with guided statements that connects the mind, heart, body and spirit in a conscious release of the unseen blocking or binding forces called stuck energies resulting from any trauma, negative imbalance or dysfunction. Once stuck energy is released acute conditions are often cleared instantaneously, and long-term patterns once firmly entrenched are easily corrected. This gentle yet effective technique has been proven effective often where nothing else has worked, on everything from physical pain to relationship dysfunctions.
How does Holiday Harmony help? With proven results. Holiday Harmony will guide attendees through a series of EFT exercises designed to release painful thoughts and feelings on everything from schedule overload to family drama, coping with grief and dating depression, holiday finances and more. “While we might not be able to change some of our circumstances, the truth is the holidays just don’t have to be the overwhelmingly stressful, painful and disappointing experiences so many have,” opines Campbell. “In fact, perhaps for the first time in history, we now have reliable tools anyone can use to release negative feelings, thoughts and experiences during this season and beyond. No matter what the times, we do have the power to manifest the experiences we want. And perhaps more importantly, we have the power to avoid the financial and personal costly results of remaining victim to our stresses.”
Research shows that both stress and the typical ways people attempt to deal with it actually contribute to our nation’s biggest health problems including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and depression. The financial costs of both the causes and results to businesses in terms of sick time, reduction in productivity and wasted work time are astronomical. “My clients regularly clear and release incredibly painful feelings and thought patterns easily using energy modalities primarily Emotional Freedom Techniques. And they do all this whether or not the specific circumstances have changed. Of course very often, as we shift their energy and perceptions often the circumstances begin to shift in accordance with their new, more positive vibration.” While our internet searches for anti-depression drugs increase just before Thanksgiving, it’s not until several weeks after the holiday season that this cycle of increased painful stress is felt. Blue Monday, designated by psychologists as the most depressing day of the year, is the culmination of all the overwhelming, denial and ineffective coping mechanisms we attempt to employ in our effort to just make it through the holidays.
Holiday Harmony, through a series of 5 live tele-classes, 3 recorded programs and accompanying workbooks, guides attendees through a series of exercises and lessons using EFT as the architecture for delivery. Attendees will follow along as Cathleen guides them in both releasing the painful feelings they don’t want and embracing the ones they do wish to experience. In addition to the benefits of EFT, the Holiday Harmony group tele-class series provides attendees with another scientifically proven benefit: the power of group energy. The Living Harmony tele-class environment provides attendees the comfort of knowing they are not alone with their challenges, and the combined energy of the group’s desire for wellbeing.
With Holiday Harmony, now we truly can have a happy holiday season and beyond as we can learn Create Peace Within to both Get and Give Joy to Our World.
Founder of Living Harmony, Cathleen Campbell is a renowned energy wellbeing practitioner and creator of the Living Harmony 3-Step Manifesting Formula. Living Harmony teaches individual clients, groups and organizations the internal and external environmental energy tools we all need to clear the stuck energy keeping us blocked from creating and attracting the success, prosperity and wellbeing we seek in our personal, professional and spiritual lives. For more information about services, products and programs, please visit www.inlivingharmony.com.
I hope this finds you enjoying the changing weather and tuning in to the whispers of your inspiration.
Wonderful news on many fronts: I enjoyed a Sunday dinner with my daughter for the first time in weeks yesterday, and I am confidently stepping outside my comfort zone in a number of ways as my business continues to expand.
In this ezine, I’ve included an article from my colleague Sugandhi Iyer on setting intentions, and one from GoodVibe Coach Jeannette Maw on magnifying the right vibes to support what you want to create…Enjoy!
Create a magical, marvelous week!
Namaste,
Carolyn
“The highest courage is to dare to appear to be what one is.”
~ John Lancaster Spalding
Got Intentions? The How & Why of Setting Intentions
by Jeannette Maw, The GoodVibe Coach
Life follows our thoughts, so when we don’t get specific and deliberate with those thoughts, who knows where we’ll end up! We’re much more powerful creators when we train our attention toward what we want, by setting the intention for it in advance.
What’s An Intention? An intention is simply “the act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result.” Dream Coach Marci Weider writes this about intentions:
“A working definition for intention is: ‘to have in mind a purpose or plan, to direct the mind, to aim.’ Lacking intention, we sometimes stray without meaning or direction. But with it, all the forces of the universe can align to make even the most impossible, possible.”
I tell folks an intention is simply holding in mind what you want. That’s what allows you to point your conscious awareness (your vehicle for all creation) in the direction of what you would like to have or be or do.
In short, setting intentions is a good habit to get into! Here are short and sweet steps for setting an intention. (Whether you do it on the fly or create a more formal ritual for it, the important part is that you do what feels best!)
On-the-Fly Intention Setting (for when you’re right in the moment and don’t have a lot of advance prep time)
1. Focus your thought on the result or experience you want
2. Let it go
Could it get any easier? The only thing better than how simple it is, is how effective you’ll find it! On-the-fly intention setting is perfect for taking or making important calls, meeting new people, hosting or attending an event, receiving some sort of service (restaurant dinner, car in the shop, tax preparation), traveling, etc.
For times when you’re extra nervous or doubtful, or for things that feel like a big deal, you might engage a more ritualized process for setting an intention:
Formal Intention Setting
1. Write your intention down
2. Let it go
Alternatively, you could say it out loud instead of putting it in writing. There’s something about the power of the written and spoken word that are especially fun to invoke when it really counts. Developing a habit or ritual around the process will increase its power for you.
You can develop a ritual by keeping a particular journal where you write intentions, or having a place (a box or drawer or even a book) where you keep the papers you’ve written your intentions on.
Some choose to keep their written intentions in a place where they see them regularly (bulletin board, bathroom mirror, wallet, etc.).
If you’re speaking your intention instead of writing it, it’s recommended to get in a peaceful state before declaring it. If you choose to share it with another person, be picky about who you let in on it to ensure you get support instead of ridicule or doubt.
As far as how to word your intention, there’s no wrong way to do it, but I recommend you play with various structures in order to find your rhythm – then stick with what feels best. Some start an intention by addressing their higher power, some start it with “I am,” some simply say what’s going to happen. (That’s how I do it: “We have a great time, we’re totally attracted to each other, he quickly makes it clear he wants to see me again.”) Experiment, be creative, and pay attention for what “clicks” for you.
When to Use It?
When is a good time to practice setting a deliberate intention? As mentioned above, there’s no bad time to use it. Anytime you care about what happens or simply want to ensure you get what you want is a great time to get intentional.
In fact, I suspect most of us hold intentions more often than we realize. The problem is those intentions aren’t usually conscious or deliberate or pointing us in the direction of our desire.
For example, my sister-in-law recently went on a job interview that she “knew” wouldn’t pay what she wanted. As she drove to her interview, she imagined that they would probably like her, would probably want to hire her, and could in no way possible afford her.
Guess what happened? No surprise she got exactly what she held in mind.
By purposely setting an intention, we get a chance to redirect our thoughts in ways that allow our desired end result to come to fruition. We get out of our own way and stop sabotaging our happy endings!
But don’t take my word for it. Put it to practice for yourself and let me know how you like it!
“Get What You Want!” You’ve just attracted the best Law of Attraction Coach for hire. Jeannette Maw’s Good Vibe Blog delivers attractive vibes twice a week at http://www.GoodVibeBlog.com Discover how to literally write your future with The Magic of Pray Rain Journaling: http://www.PrayRainJournal.com
“When you find yourself critical of the way anyone has attracted or is using money, you are pushing money away from yourself. But when you realize that what others do with money has nothing to do with you, and that your primary work is to think and speak and do what feels good to you, then you will be in alignment not only about the subject of money, but about every important subject in your physical experience.”
Your Sub-Conscious Mind – Magnify the Right Vibes
by Sugandhi Iyer
There is a whole set of thought vibrations available for you to choose from.
In any life area that has mixed signals going on, you will find a plethora of vibrations all mixed in together. Some vibrations say – “I have it going really good. This is working out so well!”
While others say – “Oh boy, what’s happening? The whole thing is not working at all. Why am I even wasting my time on this?”
To choose the strain of thoughts that ultimately support what you want to create, is your job as the creator of your life journey.
Your mind is like a child, or rather your subconscious mind is like a child and it beams all of these messages into the Universe attracting situations. You can use your conscious mind to overrule or overwrite this subconscious mind because it is important to train this subconscious mind to get the results that you want.
Coaching is about working on this program, and as you (we) cajole your subconscious into letting go of old thoughts and feed in new useful, loving and supportive thoughts, your vibrations change for the better and so does your reality. The whole energy changes around you.
It’s all a new understanding, perspective and programming that goes into your subconscious so that change happens.
Your conscious mind can help in changing focus and awareness and help guide your subconscious to contain better beliefs and thoughts. The only problem is if your conscious mind gets too rigid and does not want to let your subconscious think differently. This happens to overly intellectual people and people who have experienced so many contrary situations (contrary to what they would have liked to experience) that allowing the subconscious mind to think differently seems to be a Herculean task.
In such cases, information needs to be fed in very logically and carefully because the mind needs to be totally convinced to release all doubts and fears. It is a case of trust, and as a person learns to trust, he/she lets go of old and rigid thought patterns that were just not sitting right. The old subconscious just created the same situation again and again, and the consequences get very clear to see and experience.
For example if there is a man or woman in your life who seems as if he/she is not treating you correctly, it’s because this person is the projection of your subconscious mind and its beliefs. You may want one thing, but this subconscious mind projects another. As this subconscious mind is trained differently, change happens around you. You can also keep this in mind while dealing with other people because they too have the same issues. Their subconscious mind is also trained to think incorrectly thereby creating their experiences with you.
If you want change, and would like to experience the results of having different beliefs in your subconscious mind, then allow this subconscious mind to hold different beliefs and your life will certainly reflect that change. Work on your vibrations and from the mix of thought vibrations, choose and transmit correct and useful ones to the Universe and have it bring back good and happy situations to you.
Magnify the vibes that will support you and let go of those that don’t. Let your subconscious project a different reality for you and take correct and happy actions.
The power lies with you to get this change to happen. Lots of love!
Love and Light, Sugandhi Iyer, Coach, Joyful Manifestation, http://www.lifebusinesscreations.com
Author Bio- A Master of energy and consciousness, Sugandhi Iyer has put together an amazing system to get people to realize their dreams and change their experiences. She has studied the Law of Attraction and the nature of consciousness, and found that by working with the Universe, and with skillful thinking and action, energy can move in different ways getting a person closer to, and right into the reality he or she wants. The Universe bends over backwards to please me! Is this your experience? Is there something that you would like to create? Personal coaching is designed to shift energy and change vibrations so that you easily attract what you really want. I guide you into becoming a powerful manifestor, creator and enjoyer of your life journey by bringing you into abundance energy. Life is no longer a case of trial and error. Old energy has to make way for new! You are capable of so much. I would love to work with you and assist you in bringing out your natural creation abilities. All you have to do is to get into the energy of success. This Universe is a vibration based universe and responds exactly as it is designed to do. The Law of Attraction never stops working. Also look up the Corporate program as it is an excellent way to get your staff trained to attract great sales, and bring your company into a state of health and profitabilty. Visit http://www.lifebusinesscreations.com.
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