The Indigo Connection

I awaken on this 50th birthday feeling healthy, happy and fully alive.   I know there are many people who struggle to just get out of bed each day.  My heart goes out to them.   I truly feel that my mission here is to give weary people the tools to allow them to wake up to an easier, healthier and more meaningful life each and every day and to do it naturally, without drugs.  Somewhere along the line I learned how to take care of myself well, and by doing so I have plenty of energy to help others. 

Today I feel moved to comment on  the concept of “POWER WORDS”.  I think of two things when it comes to power words :

1) Specific words chosen for healing sequences

As most of you know, I am crazy about positive affirmations.  These are statements that usually start with the words I  or I am.  Here are some of the words I use over and over again on a regular basis.  Can you think of more?

Allow, love, receive, celebrate, forgive, reflect, rejoice, welcome,  serve, believe, create, relax, restore,  surrender, release, heal, grow

2). Powerful volume, cadence and inflection words are given as they are spoken.

Many of you who have worked with me in either groups or individually know that I  believe that the spoken word, both affirmations and emphatic speech, adds fuel to EFT treatments and  the healing process in general.  As someone who has spent decades as a rather quiet, soft-spoken person, the transition to louder, dramatic speech was not an easy one for me.  

Emphatic speech can sometimes make our statements sound very silly, bringing us to giggle uncontrollably.  When this happens, it is accompanied by enormous healing, so I urge everyone to play along with the laughter that might flow.  Turn up the volume and amp up your word drama, and then observe how you experience the Law of Attraction!

I am grateful to my teachers Maryam Webster, founder of the Certified Energy Coach Program and Gary Craig, originator of EFT (www.emofree.com) who have allowed their NLP training (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) to rub off on me.   Although I have yet to studied  NLP in a formal sense, the notion that the spoken word and the vibration of sound has power to transform beliefs is evident in my experience.  I will also credit my ACEP Certification Consultant, Dr. Barbara Stone with again reinforcing that emphatic speech patterns are often the subtle part of the healing that gets through, even when dealing with the most difficult cases.

Choose your words carefully and speak them deliberately.  Here are some affirmations I have created in celebration of my 50th birthday, my gift to myself and also to you:

I love the life that I have been given

My body serves me well and offers wisdom to me at all times and at all stages of life

I celebrate that my health is improving now, even as I age

I am remarkably resiliant and wise enough to know when I need to stop for self-care

I overcome my troubles as I face them head-on,  learning, growing and improving constantly

I am consistent  and dependable in my ways, allowing others to like, trust and respect me.

I allow myself to be guided  through the eternal source of Divine energy, GOD

I am love

I’ve just got to send a sincere and heartfelt “energy hug” to the people who created the  2009 Oscars on Sunday.   Even though it was Hollywood and fantasy, there was an amazing array of human moments that touched my heart in multiple ways.  Did you notice?  Allow me to point out what uplifted me so much and see if you agree:

1.  Hugh Jackman as host was a brilliant move.  He’s handsome, quick, witty, healthy, full of positive energy and a joy to watch.   Somehow I had forgotten he is an amazing dancer and singer, comfortable on stage and behind a camera.  His love of the stage and the spotlight put us all into a great state of positive anticipation.  He entertained us each and every second the camera caught him.  It is marvelous to watch someone who loves what he does and makes it look so easy.  Hugh is one of my heros for that and I am grateful that I got to see him in action.

2.  Beautiful, Classic Images Abound – Lovely people, beautiful gowns and tuxedos, sparkling crystals and cinema images, we had lots to appreciate and enjoy.  I suppose it is something common to every year, but I saw less of the gaudy and more of the tastefully classic images this year.  At a time when our economy is in a recession, it was very appropriate to return to classic themes and I believe this was accomplished nicely with the assistance of all involved.

3.  Gracious Words of Thanks and Appreciation – One of my favorite parts of the Oscars is how the winners handle their very brief acceptance speech.  You have to admire how nerves and excitement can interfere with getting the right words out.  This year there seemed to be an abundance of grace.  People were able to make their statements brief, interesting and meaningful.  I noticed that almost every single award winner expressed sincere gratitude and made a point of sharing the accomplishment with many who contributed to their success.  There was certainly a global feeling of connection.  I was particularly struck by Penelope Cruz’s words about how the arts and film are part of our joyful collective human experience, moving us beyond culture and language.  Another international film, Slumdog Millionaire, the winner of so many awards also helped our world become uplifted by it’s grace and positive human story (and it a must-see film). This is where peace starts!

4.  People Doing What They Love – There’s something about all this passion in one room, beaming into my home during the awards that lights up my soul.  It’s the same reason I get a jolt out of watching those top 10 American Idol finalists.  When you can feel how much the performer loves what they do, and it is contagious.  The musical song and dance number featuring Beonce, Hugh Jackman and dozens of dancers was a great example of entertainers in their moment.  You just gotta love that level of talent combined with fun.  I wondered if they endure long rehursals to get it right, or did it all fall into place easily?  They sure made it look like a piece of cake.  We all want to live like that and can if we deliberately shift our choices to include more of what we love!

So until the 2010 awards, take time to live, learn and grown in your own  human experience through film, the arts and most certainly doing something you love.

As I was sitting on the plane yesterday, returning from a long weekend in Florida it occurred to me that I was feeling completely contented and blissful.  How did I come to realize that?  I think it was because I suddenly became aware that I don’t feel that way often enough, as hard as I might try. 

Instead of worrying about what I had to do when I got home, I was just enjoying the moment.  I was feeling grateful that I got away for a few days and that I got so much rest and relaxation in short time.  I was remembering that boredom and contentment sit right next to each other on the emotional scale – and that to some people my vacation might have seemed boring.  For me it was perfectly paced to avoid stress and let me just BE. 

I come away with a few more ideas for how every day can be filled with more contentment, even when I am not on vacation:

1. Limit exposure to news and media to just a quick overview.  Avoiding the negativity, especially in the early part of the day is precious and necessary. 
2. Spend time outside and notice the details through the senses.  Winter in Ohio can be a challenge for doing this, but it can happen nonetheless.  Take time to smell the air, feel the wind, see the life forms, hear the birds and appreciate the beauty of your world.
3. Move the body.  Getting exercise whether on vacation or at home is a great way to be involved in the present moment, keep the body healthy and to appreciate your abilities.  Even if you don’t like to exercise, think of the contentment you will feel when it is over!
4. Pay attention to how your feel – both physically and emotionally.  The body and the emotions are constantly sending to signals to help you prioritize and experience life.  If your body is feeling good – that is a time to notice and express gratitude.  If you are experiencing pain or symptoms, stop and explore what’s going on and why?  Bring in a professional opinion if needed.  The same goes for emotional pain.  It is impossible to be content until you are in touch with your inner compass.  
5. Identify some way you will express yourself today to reflect your values or passions.  If you love your work, you will have many opportunties for this in your day.  If you are struggling with work that doesn’t fit you, making time for your true passions outside of work is critically important.  Integrating passion can include chosing to read an article or a book, watching a movie, listening to a favorite song or creating something using one of your many talents.   It need not be a huge chunk of time, but when it is part of each day it makes a positive difference.

Commit to more contentment and find ways to bring it to your life.  Even if  life gets a little boring, know that you are just a short distance away from bliss!

I am now in my 6th week of working on my health and fitness as priorities.  I have been combining many strategies to see what works best to help me slim down, firm up and generally improve my overall health in the process.  It has been an interesting process and many experts have stepped in to help me with advice, encouragement and general support too.

Dietary:  This week is too complicated with meetings for me to do a cleanse day.  That is okay.  I am eating a good healthy balance of food including Isagenix shakes, lots of fresh fruits and veggies and lean protien.  I do allow myself small treats on the weekend and have not suffered too much hunger.  I am working out more than usual and I get very hungry a few hours after my workouts.  That can be a challenging time.  I have been enjoying raw almond butter with celery or wheat toast to take the edge off.  That is helping!  Another nice surprise is that I have not been sore and I attribute that to my diligence in taking the extra antioxidants and fish oils supplements. 

Fitness: What I am finding is that my aerobic status was pretty good to begin with, but now with all this weight and core training, I am getting really strong and what was once shakey is now stable.   I love how quickly I am getting these results.  I look around at all these younger people and realize I am one of the strongest ones.  I’ve started using heavier weights and it has not slowed me down.    Generally I am feeling really grateful that I was brave enough to try this new stuff.  The biggest Ah Hah is knowing now that if I had never tried a few new things, I would have never known I had the capacity for such improvement.

I’ve tried classes that involved barbells, steps and handweights, Pilates,  Power Boxing, Core Strengthening and I’ve just survived a new class called 3 Minute Drills (very sweaty and tired now).   I am also still attending Jazzercise 3-4 times a week, but I am also upping my intensity there more than ever.    Could it be that this weight stuff is giving me this added energy? 

The downside?  My weight is staying put.  I have lost 5 pounds and holding and it is probably because I am building muscle.   This is good for my overall metabolic rate, so I will be patient.  I have taken measurements too and those are showing that I am getting smaller as I get stronger, so that is really what I was aiming for.

As for sleep – my plan for 8 hours a night is a reality I am truly enjoying.  I figure I am getting an extra 30-45 minutes per night than what I was used to.  I consistently awaken feeling better than ever.  I recommend this highly.  I’m not sure it is contributing to my weight loss, but it is certainly helping my general well-being.

Bottom Line:  I am going to Florida on Friday and I feel great about wearing my shorts and bathing suit.  I also look forward to taking my workouts outside for a few days in the sun and getting a natural dose of Vitamin D. 

I am feeling very grateful for this half-century old body and all that it is still able to do.  It is a miracle that function and strength can improve even at my age.  That’s a limiting belief I have truly busted!

Law of Attraction is something that I live each day and don’t spend too much time worrying about.  When it is a habit, it is truly integrated into all aspects of your life.  A very simple principle underlies my whole approach and is something I must write about today — Be Deliberate. 

Several clients have recently confessed to me that they don’t have a clue what they want.  They are discouraged, have felt beaten down one too many times, think it’s selfish to want more, or just plain don’t have the energy to get excited about something that hasn’t happened yet. 

Here’s how  I begin to jump-start that energy in a one-hour intervention 

First, I Invite them to fill the blanks to these statements:

The kind of work I love and I am good at: 

How much time I need each day for relaxation and how I relax:

My favorite physical activities:

The qualities of the people I most enjoy spending time with:

Places I would love to travel to:

Experiences I hope to have before I die:

The kind of romantic partner or special relationship I need in my life (or not?):

My perfect living environment includes:

My favorite natural surroundings, flowers, plants, animals and scenery:

How I want my body to move, feel and function:

How I want to look – skin, hair, nails, weight, style, clothing, posture, makeup, accessories, shoes….

What I want to be recognized for:

Experiences, routines and people in my life NOW that I just LOVE and never want to lose:

Usually these questions get the process going.  To enhance clarity, I will often take clients or groups into a meditation to clear blocks and remove resistance to the answers.  Often we need to address psychological reversals and the limiting beliefs that sabotage our best intentions. 

As you write your responses to the questions above, you might ask yourself:

Do I think this is possible for me?

Do I deserve it?

Is it healthy for me to get what I want?

Is it safe for me to have what I wrote down?

If everything I wrote came to pass, would I have a stronger identity?

Would somebody else be hurt or upset if I got what I wanted?

Do I really want it totally and completely, or is there something more holding me back?  

Spend some time quietly considering what you want.  As you put deliberate thinking into your plan, the Law of Attraction will begin to kick in.  Watch this blog for more ideas and tools for clearing those limiting beliefs.  If you have specific suggestions for a new treatment audio or video I can post here, please let me know.