Awaken the Genie Within

Taking Care of Self

I am so blessed to do what I do because I get to work with some truly remarkable people. People who are striving to be the best they can be. Who have huge hearts and are full of compassion.

And, there's one more attribute that represent my clients; they are some of the most unselfish people I know. I love that about them and I also know that this is one of those attributes that can get them, and other people with the same attribute, into some trouble.

I'm talking about the kind of trouble where you end up forgetting about yourself. Always putting yourself last. Living your life based on the way others want you to. Doing so much for everyone else that you feel moments of resentment or frustration and then feel guilty for feeling that way!

Years ago, while I was a coach in training, I was given a distinction between selfishness and self-interested and I'd like to share that with you now.

Selfish is when you take care of yourself and make time for yourself so you have enough reserves and energy to be there for others when they need you without you ever running on empty.

Self-interested is when you continue take care of yourself without any consideration of using your reserves for anyone else but yourself.

I'll leave you with this quote by Oscar Wilde and hopefully, between the distinction I just shared with you, and his quote, you'll find yourself spending a little more time on you, if that's missing in your life.

"Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live. It is asking others to live as one wishes to live."

Observing Your Ego

The ego is a very powerful thing. And it's the one part of us that can send us reeling and completely disallow us from being able to manage our energy, awaken our Genie and most certainly, keep us from quieting the Gremlin.

It can give us a false sense of power and Self. It can harm others even if it's not our intention. It can keep us from hearing and listening to what our Spirit, heart and Soul is trying so desperately to say to us.

Over the years I have really worked to be more aware of recognizing when my ego's around, and I'm the first to admit, it's an ongoing process keeping it in check especially during conflicting circumstances with others. The one thing I've recognized though, loud and clear, is when my ego takes over, I have a gut reaction that says, "Stop!" "Rethink this before you continue!"

I'm not going to lie to you. Sometimes I'm so immersed in ego that I will ignore the warning signs only to suffer the consequences later.

When you begin to step outside of ego some amazing things show up in your life:

1. Love is given and received more easily.
2. Life's roller coaster ride evens out.
3. You become more accepting of others and their opinions and they of you and yours. 
4. You take things less personally.
5. You actually hear what others share that could be of benefit to you.
6. You stop creating stories around the highs and lows in life, experiencing less drama.

Consider taking a day and just observe your ego. Don't judge it. Just watch it and allow it to be an interesting journey of discovery. Laugh as often as you can at yourself. Share a mistake you did, and  make it funny.

Doing these things gets you into a new awareness and brings you the opportunity to step outside of your ego more and more every day.

What Is Working?

I'd like to invite you to do one thing between now and the next time you read my next post. Focus on everything that is working throughout your days. I'm serious here. No matter what yucky thing happens, I invite you to immediately search the Genie part of your mind for something else that already worked in your day or is working in the moment.

Here's a secret to help you come up with something.....

There's always something working!!! Even if it's as obvious as, "I'm breathing." "I have a car to get me from point A to B." "I've got enough money to pay for the bus or cab to get me from point A to B."

You see, we're so quick to dismiss the everyday stuff, that we often forget how much is working in our life. I know it sounds trite and slightly ridiculous, but until you start changing your thought pattern when you feel like your life isn't working the way you want it to, you'll life will continue to be as it is.

I always want to encourage you to share your experiences. So go ahead, step out of your comfort zone and share what is working throughout your days between today and Wednesday, which just happens to be when I'll put up my next post.

Oh yeah, notice how putting your focus on what is working, makes you feeeeeeel!

Okay, off you go now, to focus and create hocus pocus! (also known as magic)

The Dreaded Story

Sometimes it's easier to hold on to an unpleasant experience and retell it many times than it is to let it go and never bring it up again.

A couple of days ago an acquaintance of mine had just come back from a wedding in which she was a  bridesmaid. The experience for her was less than joyful, to say the least.

Listening to her story, I couldn't help but think how much she was enjoying telling me the miserable details just so she could relive it all over again and play the role of victim.

As she continued, I realized that she had actually gotten through the experience quite nicely and took the high road in many ways. I pointed this out to her but she brushed it off and kept focusing on the difficulties.

To tell you the truth, I got tired of listening and made a polite exit when I could.

Here's the deal, when you've had an experience that wasn't much fun in the process, the bottom line is this; you made it through! And when you continue telling the story only to describe every miserable moment, you keep yourself in that lower energy. This doesn't allow you the opportunity to realize what you learned, how you grew from it, that you actually handled yourself quite well considering, and so on.

Next time you have a story to tell, listen to yourself. Notice what you say about your experience. If it's going down a road that keeps you entrenched in the drama, turn the corner and see how you might share the story so it becomes lighter and more positive.

It can be tricky at first, but when given an honest effort, I know you can do it. And, if you really have a hard time putting a better spin on it....let it go and move on!

The Journey Of A Goal

When you've got a powerful goal intended for yourself there will always be bumps along the way. In the beginning of your journey you may find yourself moving in the opposite direction of your original intention. Frustrations may show up because of this detour, but if you revisit the intention for your goal, you'll find it easier to steer yourself in a direction that better matches that intention.

Everything that happens along the way has a purpose. The more you're willing to understand it's purpose and discover what there is to learn from it, the quicker you'll find yourself fulfilling your goal.

The key is to stay focused on the reason for your goal. When the reason is compelling enough and it touches your heart deeply, the detours along the way will become hiccups. You'll embrace them as opportunities to keep getting clearer, so the goal you started out with ends up even more perfect than you first imagined!

Opened To Receive

Take a look at how you're sitting right now. Are you're legs crossed? Arms? I know you're at the computer but we tend to sit in very habitual ways without realizing it. How we sit, stand or walk will often give us a clue as to how open we really are.

Now I'm not just talking about giving off a vibe for people to come toward you or keep their distance, I'm actually talking about being open to receive in all areas of your life. Is this something that's hard for you? Do you find yourself more willing to give and less comfortable receiving? Whether it's something physically, spiritually or emotionally?

Sometimes when life doesn't show up the way you want it to, it may be that you're shut down internally and not even know it. Why not take some time to look inside and see how you feel when you need help.

Does the idea of receiving on any level make you uptight or do you cherish the idea of it and feel great joy inside?

If you tend to be uncomfortable, practice opening up your body posture and then take small steps to allow someone to do something for you for a change, without feeling like you have to reciprocate.

It's all part of making the world go 'round and allowing others to participate in life outside of themselves.

 

Surrounded By Love

I received a beautiful story from Susan Gregg, author of the Toltec Way. Susan is one of the best teachers I have in my life when it comes to reminding me about truth and what's real. And the front runner of both being love. We are more than capable of giving and receiving love everyday of our lives but somehow it's easily misplaced.

The following story is such a lovely representation of how we can be surrounded by love and at the same time be totally unaware of that love.

One day two fish were swimming along when a shark swam by and said, "Isn't the water grand."

As the shark swam off one fish said to the other, "What's water?"

The other fish said, "I don't know, but let's go find some."

They spent the rest of their lives swimming from ocean to ocean looking for water. Just before they were about to give up, a turtle swam by. In desperation one of the fish said, "Turtle, we have searched all of our lives. Where can we find water?"

The turtle smiled, saying, "You're swimming in it."

And to sum up that story I will quote what Susan said so beautifully:

"We all swim in a sea of love spending our entire life looking for it. Give yourself the gift of feeling that love in everything, even that which you judge. All judgments, especially the ones we feel justified in, having separate us from knowing that love."

Thank you, Susan!

CNN In The Bank

Is my bank the only bank that does this? Shows a running program of CNN on 3 big flat screen TVs that are up high behind the tellers. While the customers wait in line they are bombarded with nothing but one disaster after another that is happening around the world.

When I looked at everyone in line all I saw were people completely engrossed in what they were watching looking very serious. No smiles, no one talking to anyone, and one woman actually had tears in her eyes as she watched. Unfortunately, they're not even aware of what they are allowing into their consciousness.

If your bank does this I encourage you to not pay attention to the screen in front of you. We are bombarded with more negative information than positive everyday of our lives through the various forms of media. That makes it so much more difficult to keep our energy up and our thoughts in a place that serve us for our highest good when we're exposed to situations like the one at my bank.

If you want to manifest a wonderful life for yourself then it's up to you to make a conscious effort to keep your thoughts and feelings in a place that allow you to feeeeel as good as possible every single day. Doing this allows you to be an open vessel to receive all the good that is sitting outside your door just waiting for that one opening so it can c'mon in!

Maybe I'll suggest showing the cartoon network next time I'm in there! :-)

Law of Attraction In The Comics

I never thought I'd read a comic in the newspaper that would actually be a wonderful example for the process of the Law of Attraction.

There's a comic called For Better Or For Worse in the LA Times. Some of you may know of it. Here's the gist of it.

Two friends are talking at school, Shannon and April. Shannon shares that she has a lot on her mind and then goes on to explain in great detail what's going on with her. As you read the comic you think it's already happened in her life.

April's response, after listening to everything Shannon told her is: "Sounds cool!" "Where is this place?"

Shannon: "I'm not sure...My imagination always gets there before I do!

And that, my friends, is exactly how you begin the process of attracting everything you want in your life. See it in glorious detail, feel it strongly and believe it's on its way!

Releasing Boredom

I got a call yesterday from a friend telling me how bored she was. "There's nothing to do." "I'm done with my work and no one's around!" "I'm going nuts, come over and hang out." I couldn't. And because I know how antsy she gets when there's "nothing to do" I suggested that she relax and really enjoy this down time. Relish the peace and ability to just BE. (Boredom Eliminated)

Although she wasn't too keen on the idea, she got my point since she's usually running all over the place and agreed to the idea.

Boredom is one of those sneaky little Gremlin moments that can really keep you from connecting with yourself at a deeper level. I know it sounds crazy, but there really is no reason in the world to be bored even when you're just staring at 4 walls. Those are the opportunities that allow you to look inside and grow spiritually and emotionally in the moment.

In a world where it appears that the busier you are, the more important your life is, it's easy to become disconnected to what's really true for you. And the minute there's enough room to feel what that is, it can unconsciously have you busying yourself once again.

Boredom keeps you from feeling and noticing every moment of your life and really appreciating all of it. Yes, even the painful stuff. Because in those feelings are your greatest moments for learning and growth.

So the next time you're bored, use it as a gift to learn just a little bit more about yourself.

Oh yeah, my friend? She called and said she had one of the best afternoons of her life "doing nothing" and couldn't wait to be bored again!