Happy Holidays!

What a wonderful time of year for giving and receiving, sharing love and reNEWal!

If you survived the last 3-6 months with your sense of humor still intact, take a moment now to CONGRATULATE yourself for your amazing navigation and accepting “what is” skills.

A friend recently shared this wonderful reminder with me:

LIFE is an endless transition. Go with the flow, change the flow, surrender to the flow,

be the flow, create the flow… the essence of the flow is: Transition

When we look at nature (biomimicry) we see how true this is.

It’s been quite a time of transition and reorganization for so many!

Most everyone with whom I speak has commented on the “intensity ” of the times with many of us undergoing, slow, yet massive changes in our homes, careers, businesses, and relationships. I believe we are all undergoing a collective re-organization.

What has changed for you this past year?

How are you reorganizing your life/business?

Any new approaches/attitudes you’d like to share?

The on-going theme for me  is SIMPLIFY. I didn’t realize how complicated simplification could be. It takes tremendous courage and trust to get out of our own way, surrender, and let go! As all manifestors know, the clarity of our intentions along with committed action/discipline is what creates “so-called” miracles.

Now is a wonderful time to move from hoping to knowing/feeling what it is we are creating in these times.

“Everything comes to us that belongs to us when we create the capacity to receive it.” -Rabindranath Tagore

Clarity, love, acceptance, and gratitude are wonderful gifts to give and receive. In this holiday season, I am wishing us all more ease, beauty, moments of peace and rest, more compassion and understanding as we continue to navigate and reinvent our lives, businesses, and relationships.

Change cleanses the soul. Enjoy the ride and be kind to your fellow travelers.

Wishing you warm and happy holidays!

On that journey to Sonoma Valley, CA, Michel and I discussed the multitude of our shared influences in the worlds of consciousness, human potential, belief systems, nutrition, sustainability, and business success. One of these shared influences was Abraham & Esther Hicks, whom I’ve since had the opportunity to meet several times in San Rafael, CA.

I am delighted to see that Esther’s new book, Money and the Law of Attraction, has made it the NY Times #1 Bestseller’s List.

I particularly like the section, Careers as Profitable Sources of Pleasure, where readers are encouraged to choose careers/vocations that are in alignment with what you love being/doing.

Our life’s experiences and our inner knowing will guide us to the right careers if we allow ourselves to follow the flow. Often times this means just GETTING OUT of our OWN way.

Create work that is in alignment with YOUR Source.

Abraham says: “We encourage you to decide as early in life as possible to live happily ever after.” Career is living a happy life. When feeling happy is of paramount importance for you–and what you do ‘for a living’ makes you happy–you have found the best of all combinations.”

Some of the basic Abraham teachings remind us that:

• Life is supposed to feel good and that overall Well-Being is what is natural. That improving our lives is within our control.
• When we feel good physically, we naturally feel joy and well being and have a good attitude in life. This fills us with the positive energy that makes manifesting easy.
• Learning to guide your thoughts in the direction of things that feel good, connects us with the power that only comes from vibrational alignment with Source.”
• The way you feel is always about the degree in which you are in alignment or out of alignment with your source. No exceptions.

THE SECRET BEHIND THE SECRET

What many fans of The Secret do not know, is that “The Secret” actually came from the work of Abraham and Esther Hicks. Her story and the beginnings of the Abraham work is quite amazing. For more on the Abraham, Esther Hicks, and the Law of Attraction teachings, visit the Abraham-Hicks site.

And hear Esther in a live presentation: The Secret behind the Secret.

Check out my article and previous post: What’s Your Passion? What Makes You Come Alive

I love to write, teach, and coach entrepreneurs, authors and leaders to Be the Change! Vocation is where your greatest passion and the world’s greatest need overlap.

There is no Secret!

Let’s face it. There is no Secret.

The word is out. If you can think it, believe it, and FEEL it, you can achieve it. Intention is the conscious choice to create- passion is the fuel. Your results will always match your true intentions. When we feel a passion for some thing or activity, it is because we are remembering what it was that we came to do in this world. When we are aligned with our heart’s deepest desires, we are co-creating with source energy. And from this marvelous state of desire and creation, arises your vision, a landscape to create BIG dreams, plot and cultivate your goals, and celebrate the outcomes! It all sounds so simple, and it is . . .sort of.

Internationally acclaimed author Marianne Williamson says:

“You are a child of the universe. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world . . .As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”

So why do some of us play so small? Are we afraid to let our own light shine? How do we get in touch with what we are really passionate about and live our life on purpose?

I have spent a good part of my adult life asking myself these very same questions and have created the RAW formula.

RAW (Relax, Ask, Write) works every time I start to lose sight of my path (my purpose) and feel the fire extinguishing. I do this process personally once or twice a year (normally in January and June), and I apply variations and expansions of this in my workshops. The results have been magnificent.

DISCOVERING PASSION- The RAW™ Formula

RELAX
Create some time for you to be undisturbed (an hour if possible). Go into a meditative, inner, relaxed state. Use soothing music if that helps you get there. I prefer to focus on my breath and body sensations.

ASK yourself:
• What drives me? What do I really love to do?
• What’s really important to me? What do I stand for?
• What am I good at? Hint: Activities that are naturally easy for you; you know you are good at it, and others do as well!
• What puts a big smile on my face, or a skip in my step?
• What types of people do I love to be around?
• What are my unique skills and talents? (Talents and passions often go hand in hand)
Answers to these questions all provide clues to your purpose.

WRITE
What answers revealed themselves with your inquiry? If you want to live a passionate, purposeful life, start by writing your passions down.
Go with your first impulse. Keep writing. Don’t second-guess.
As you are writing these passions, notice:

• What you are feeling inside? 
• Are you expanding or contracting? 
• Is your breath deep, even, and relaxed or short, constricted, and shallow?
• Are you excited, afraid, or both?

It is very helpful to start each passion statement with a verb (teaching workshops, dancing tango, writing bestsellers; traveling to Mediterranean countries; riding my bicycle on a beautiful summer eve) for example. These action words help ignite passion in the subconscious. When you write your passions in a way that excites you, you feel excited.

If you are feeling stuck as you go through this process, one of the best ways to excavate the fire within is to do some “time travel” to your childhood.

Write down significant events in your life in three-year interval periods (ages 4-7, 8-11, 12-15,16-19.) What were you doing? How did you spend your time? What activities were you involved in that you loved the most? Do you notice any patterns?

Once you make your list, remove yourself from it for a few hours or until the next day. Go back over what you have written and circle the words/activities that appear more than once. The first time I did this exercise, I was amazed at how many times travel appeared as significant learning-turning points in my life. International travel is one of my top passions. The others are performing, teaching, speaking, and writing.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU WANT
Okay, so let’s say you have uncovered or rediscovered your passions. Now what? One fun and powerful first step is to create a Vision Canvas- a vibrant expression of your passions as if you are living them NOW. When you are clear, what you want will show up in your life. Get as specific as possible with the images on your Vision Canvas. Add affirmations to the images (in the present tense) that support you living your passions. And then, focus, focus, focus on what you want!

STAY COMMITTED
Take time daily to review your passions and Vision Canvas. There may be times you find yourself not wanting to read your passions or focus on your goals and vision. Is there an underlying fear or belief that you can’t achieve what you have written? Examine this. Are your focusing on something you don‘t want? If that’s the case, flip the switch now. Remember the “Law of Attraction” is about energy and vibration. Where we put our attention, creates our experience. Focusing on what you don’t want will deaden your passions (and bring more of what you don’t want). A skilled coach can guide you more with this process.

Take action everyday. The only time to take action is NOW. What actions are you taking in support of your passions, everyday? Whenever you are faced with a decision, choose in favor of your passions.

PRACTICE APPRECIATION
Studies have shown that brain and hormonal activity shifts significantly simply by giving attention to what you are grateful for. Additionally, there are some very interesting studies from the University of Utah linking gratitude to better immune system functioning. I find making a quick list (or verbal scan) of all that I am grateful for, either first thing in the morning or before sleeping, keeps me living with optimism, intention, and momentum.

GIVE YOUR VISIONS a LIFT
According to T. Harv Eker, best-selling NY Times author, how you do anything is how you do everything (from making your bed to running your company). How are you expressing your passions in life? Half-heartedly or with the precision of an elite athlete. Passions are irresistible. When you are truly passionate about something, there is absolutely nothing that can keep you from it. Give your visions a lift. Take one more step today!