Trees

Three and half years ago my husband and I moved into a new neighborhood; new construction, new landscaping, new everything. Within the first 6 months of being there we noticed areas around the community where tree’s were dying. Over the course of the years in the exact same spot biannually a try dies and a new one is planted. After 6 trees in 3 years, per spot, you would think someone might want to take a different approach to the situation.

As an observer, I am thinking that it is not the tree that is the problem. The developer however seems to think it is, to me this seems like the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over yet expecting a different result. If you want a new result, a tree that lives, why not consider the soil or ground it has been planted in? To create a new result one must be open to looking in different places for the answer.

Are there areas of your life where you feel insane? Perhaps there is a pattern or theme that seems to persist and cycle back into your life year after year? Life is cyclical, and while some things seem to stay exactly the same the truth is, all that we are by our very nature is energy and energy by it’s very nature is change. All we are is change yet in resisting change or growth we perpetuate cycles that may not be working in our best interest. If something is not giving you the result that you want do you just go plant another tree in its spot and hope that this time it will survive or do you take the position of the observer and see a new approach?

Recognize the condition of your soil; will it support what you want to plant? If not, how do you need to nourish it so that it will become life sustaining allowing all that you plant to thrive?

With Love and Gratitude,
Melissa

http://www.journeyintobe-ing.com

LOVE

Love is an amazing thing, something that connects us all at our deepest level in the very essence and truth of our being. Love, it is something that we all want, desire and deserve yet how many of us truly love ourselves?

It has been said, you must give to get but what are you getting? The better question is what are you giving? Not to another but to yourself? If you are not taking the time to nourish yourself, to love the whole of you may today's blog be a dose of love to and for you and a gentle reminder of just how amazing you are.

As you read this now, I invite you to become aware of your heart beat...beat by beat this is your rhythm your natural ebb and flow...flow now into the rhythm of all that you are... welcome in and through your body with each breath, with each heart beat the warmth and light of all that is and all that you are... may you recognize your greatness, your worth, your talent, your gifts, your perfect expression of you that no other will ever duplicate... Breathe... FEEL your heart as it is beating now and know that you are a constant flow of LOVE... As you love all that you are...as you share this love with yourself and the world around you know that you will experience unlimited expressions of love in, of and all around you...

BE that which you wish to receive and know that you are all of that and so much more...

With Love & Gratitude,
Melissa

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

I dedicate today's post to my journey through my writing muck. As I have been writing my book I have known exactly what I wanted to communicate but it was interesting how much I began to second guess myself at every pass. I am so happy to say that I am my own student as well as a teacher and I took today's blog to heart and went through my fears, my blocks and made it out the other side excited for all that lays ahead...enjoy :-)

There is a classic book turned into a song that my son loves called, “Were Going on a Bear Hunt.” The story sets out to find a bear but the friends that travel must travel through many of life’s challenging terrains. The group climbs over mountains, walks through the tall grass and when they think they have lost their way, they climb up a tree to see what they can see. They move through the mud squish, squish and swim through the river filled with fish. The come to the place and find the cave, they have made it this far because they are not afraid!

What great truths lie in this tale. When ever we are confronted with something we don’t like and wishing it were another way, how do we create change? How do we find the answers that we seek?

We want what we want and we want it without the process, just the answers please- now. To truly get to where we desire to go, we must be willing to move through the space that we are in to get to the other side. The process provides the learning, the insight, the awakening of who we are not and who we choose to be in the knowing, in the discovering, in the awakening now. When life gets too thick, like the tall grass, what a great time to remember to climb to the highest tree and see with great perspective all that there is to see. From this space high above it all we can gain clarity and room to breathe. As we come back down with awareness in hand we have the strength we need to continue on our journey moving through and into be-ing.

Each moment is an opportunity to move on, in and through our personal journey's into BE-ing all that we are each here to BE. What will you do when a challenge arises? Will you cheer, "We can't go over it, we can't go under it, we have to go THROUGH IT, YEHHH! and move through the challenge with curiosity, excitement and playful ease? What will your day bring, what will your answer BE?

With Love & Gratitude,
Melissa

P.S. if you haven't already please visit the new website and become a Friend on Face Book by clicking the link on the homepage.
www.journeyintobe-ing.com

The RE-Write

Well 12 days ago I wrote boasting of my finished book and that I was soon to be completing the typing process and off to the publisher. How naive I was as I look back. It is funny how when we really want something we seem to want to rush ahead to the end vs. enjoying the process along the way...

My soon to be 3 year old has been going crazy for candy since the Easter bunny came. The Easter Bunny only left him a small basket with some jelly beans but that is all it took and he is hooked! Every morning at 5:30 a.m. he is insisting on having candy and when I understand but just not yet, he gets very upset with me. A 3 year old wants what they want and they want it NOW!

Do we ever really move beyond the age 3 when it comes to things that matter? I am not going to give away the beginning of the book but I will say that I was definitely "spoken" to on Easter Sunday night and told that the book I had written was not the book that I am to publish. I have 10 days, I have started from scratch and I am telling an entirely different tale. I am writing what appears to be my story of personal awakening, connection and transformation...the teacher is the student and in being the student I am also being the teacher...

What I have really understood over the past few days is that when you really move IN-TIME with a process it does truly flow. Even though I have the patience of a 3 year old at times, more than ever I understand the idea and meaning of Divine Timing. I truly feel and know that I am being led and as long as I stay connected and in the flow each day as I am spoken to, all will unfold into BEing as it is intended...

Don't just listen to the voice within... Truly hear it in the ways that it resonates through your very BEing. As you listen and to the extent that you truly LISTEN, you will be effortlessly guided in and out of all that matters to you with complete support...

With Love and Gratitude,
Melissa

Update

I know you have not heard from me in a few weeks but it is with good reason... I have finished writing my book! I have been spending the last two weeks tweaking and typing with every intention that it will be ready to go to the editors by the end of next week. The journey is only just beginning and now more than ever as my life becomes even busier, I am practicing what I preach.

I find myself getting stressed very easily and in that moment I immediately recognize that that is just a "symptom" ( more on this in my book) and I immediately remind myself of how I choose to BE. Graceful, moving through each moment with clarity, love, light, support and ease. As I reset my mind, the lights turn green, the phone rings, my son calms down, my husband kisses me even more...I bring about more of what I choose to BE.

In upcoming posts ( which will become more frequent again beginning in 2 weeks) I am going to share more stories of real life clients and situations that are in a active state of BEing more of who and what they are ready to BE now. Amazing things are possible, you just have to BE present NOW to enjoy the many gifts of life as they appear right in front of you...not down the road or behind you from yesterday but right here...right NOW~

With Love and Gratitude,
Melissa

Practice Makes Perfect

How many times have you started something in your life, did it for a while and then stopped? Maybe you started a "diet" , started to loose some weight and feel better to then say to yourself , "ok now that I am at my goal I don't have to do this anymore." Within weeks you notice the weight back on your body. Or maybe you are having a challenging time in a relationship be it personal or professional. You read a book, go to a meeting, have a "talk", identify the challenges and take a few steps to improve the challenging areas then for whatever reason go back to how things " have always been" and wonder why the relationship is not getting any better.

Remember 2 blogs ago we talked about the definition of insanity...doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result? That doesn't mean start getting a new result and go back to doing the same old thing to continue getting a new result.

Yesterday I got to listen to one of my favorite speakers, Joyce Rennolds. Joyce speaks a very similar message to what I share both to patients, groups and even in this blog and in my book . Yesterday she reminded me of a crucial point; cconsistency... When I heard her remind me of this I realized if I have fallen out of daily practice what are my readers, patients & clients doing?

Today is about BEing that which you desire the most in all areas of your life. Today is a reminder not to just do something one or two times or even for a month or two and then go back to how you have been (insane). Today is a reminder to stay connected to your "BE State" on a daily basis and to become the best you can be through daily practice at being the YOU that you are ready to BE NOW.

This is where I think about my neighbor, she has the most amazing yard and garden around. She is out there every day assessing the conditions, pulling weeds, watering, giving love and tending to her garden. What would happen if she took a week off or a month or longer? The weeds would grow, the soil would dry and the ph would change, the flowers would wilt and eventually die and the garden would not be what it is today. Don't get me wrong many things will still grow and do just fine but the overall state of beauty, love and health of the grounds will change without that daily attention.

How are you tending your personal garden? Are you giving it attention daily to pull the weeds?

When Joyce spoke yesterday she reminded me of a simple principle...A body that is in motion stays in motion until acted upon by an outside force; the outside force is negativity. In this case the outside force are the weeds popping up. Daily Awareness to what you are ready to Be and daily choices to act in accordance to and with greater love, health, happiness, security, freedom ( insert your BE state here) creates a body in positive motion. Affirming to yourself through your intentions, your words & your actions all support your positive motion in your "BE State". This positive motion will build momentum and to the extent that you practice daily, that you pull weeds daily, that you affirm and stay connected daily to your best self and act in a manner that honors this state of being is to the extent that the motion will build and build. Each day, each week, each month life will be more effortless, more joyful, more free in every way.

Negativity however is a weed that pops up and if it goes unattended it will sooner than later take over, it will stop your positive motion, it will cause the flowers in your garden to wild and eventually die. Negativity will lull you into doing the same things over and over of living the life of "insanity". Negativity will bring the weight back on, keep the relationships unhappy and keep you always at a distance from BEing that which you are ready to BE Now.

You practice at sports, you practice at your career, you practice at many things but do you practice daily on BEing the person you choose to be, to live the life that you want more of? BE aware, BE at Choice, take daily steps to pull the weeds to keep things growing in a positive motion. The positive momentum will build and before you know it you will make a quantum leap and transform with effortless ease into Be-ing all that you desire now~

With Gratitude and Love~
Melissa

Taking Time to Play

Do you remember being a kid and playing? When was the last time that you went outside ( or in) and played? Ran around, giggled, jumped up and down, wrestled, day dreamed with the clouds and just let your mind imagine for a moment? Lucky for me I have a 21/2 year old son and a husband who both remind me to take time everyday to play.

The interesting thing is sometimes it is actually hard..............yes I said hard. I feel like I have to make myself get into the activity because my brain is telling me that I should be answering emails, returning phone calls, writing, exercising, cleaning, a list of distractions that keep our conscious mind busy. When I break away from my silly mental to do list and just let myself BE in the moment and enjoy- it is so energizing and uplifting for me as well as my family. Our home feels joy filled and then when I do go back to my emails and endless silly "to-do's" I am more connected to my state of true Being and then the doing becomes that much easier...

One more simple way to connect to that which you are ready to Be NOW...Play even if it feels like you shouldn't. Yes you are an adult...an adult with a big kid inside that still needs to run and jump and laugh and sing. The next time you have a chance to play with a child- don't hesitate, let them lead, you follow and enjoy the process...The next time you are having a crazed day and are stressed out stop and PLAY...interrupt the stress with a random act of play; make a goofy face, a silly noise, sing Old Mc Donald, engage in whatever helps to creates laughter and joy within.

Today it is just that easy...GO Play...

P.S. We are going to Chucky Cheese tonight and I totally plan on playing in as many ways as possible... Share with me the ways in which you and your family play and lets all help each other to BE our best self NOW~

With Love and Gratitude,
Melissa

Live Like You Were Dying

As a health care practitioner every day I share in the exchange of information with patients, friends & family on the ways in which they can become aware of how to live in a greater state of health. Our world is set up to prevent disease but not to promote health. Think about it from our health insurance to the national nutritional guidelines we are given just enough to get by so we don't get sick. If we do get sick we are sold on a message that a pill will cure us or at least temporarily take away our pestering symptoms.

Did you ever wonder what symptoms are? Have you ever stopped to listen to your body when it is talking to you or do you just push through? Symptoms, aches & pains are our body's way of attempting to get our attention. Think about a baby before they can speak, how do they get your attention to let you know they need something? Cry..What about a dog? Barks... Our body isn't able to simply talk to us in the manner which we are accustomed to listening. The only real way that our bodies can get our attention that we will notice is through feelings . If the body takes the nice approach we don't pay much attention but when the body hurts we start to notice. Most of us however don't have time to "deal" with the message so we think it will go away, subside or we will take something to block the message. We keep going and going until the body takes matters into it's own hands and makes things get so extreme that we have no choice but to take notice.

What do you imagine the body could be telling you? What if your body was trying to tell you that a dis-ease was present? What if your body was trying to tell you something that could save your life ? What if your body was trying to tell you how you could Live Well, Feel Well & Be Well, would you listen? Every day, every moment, our bodies are talking but often times we are too busy to be bothered to listen or simply don't understand that our bodies can "talk" to us.

Will it take a defining moment in the doctors office as the song so eloquently says; "the moment came and stopped me on a dime" , to get you to stop and take notice of what you are feeling? Life truly is a journey each moment carries us into the next all unfolding into the now. Please know that I am not preaching I am simply hoping to impart such a real message that you can live in optimal health; we can all be more than just a step away from disease's doorstep. To the extent that we listen is to the extent that we can support ourselves in moving into a greater state of well BE-ing, NOW.

The next time you feel a symptom or just get a "gut feeling", listen to it. Thank your body for sharing life saving information. It shouldn't take a defining moment for us to live like we were dying. This is your moment, all we have is NOW...Now to listen, Now to feel, Now to acknowledge, Now to Choose, Now to Transform into a greater state of living beyond simple prevention and moving fully into optimal well Be-ing~

How are you Living?

With Love and Gratitude,
Melissa

My Report

So I started to write my latest post this past Sunday and after having family in town, a sick baby boy, work, life and 4 re-writes I just can't seem to get into my creative flow...

A brief recap...I started this blog as a means of personal accountability, inspiration as well as a testing ground so to speak for my work and writing style as I write my book. With that said I have yet to really tell all of you my readers about how far I have gotten on my book writing journey thus far...

Inspiration is such a funny thing. I started off with a clear vision of what I thought the book was going to be about. I created this blog as well as began a small group to again, put my work to the test. Well I have managed to re write my main approach and content 3 times now but thanks to my amazing group that have given me the opportunity to share with them and learn through their personal experiences I truly hit my core inspiration and message.

A week ago I came home late from group after having already worked a 9 hour day- it was 11:30pm and I could not turn off my brain. I managed to power write the core of my book in an hour that night. Again, inspiration is a funny thing; it was as if I was not writing, something or someone else was because I could barely keep up as the content flowed. I love when the unconscious takes over, for me this is validation that it is not my brain at work but rather my soul speaking and I am just a vehicle for the message to move through.

With a full message now laid out in my notebook and inspiration leading the way I went to bed and felt sure that I would be ready to wake up the next day and tap right back in as I sat down to begin typing the manuscript. This did not happen... time, life, maybe even fear on some level ( since I have re written 3 times already) has kept me from doing this over the past week. I know a week is not a long time but why am I allowing life to take me out of my flow and back into being at the mercy of life's schedule? It is so easy to fall back into the doing mode so to speak vs. coming from our source of being.


What do I do? The same thing that I am writing about to encourage others to do.;connect to that which we desire the most. In connecting then we can move from that space so that our doing and living are truly juicy and delicious in every way.

Here is where I am starting in my desire to get into gear and get out of fear.I hope that as you read along with me that you will find the reminders you might need as well if you are experiencing any roadblocks in your life that have you back into Doing vs. Being on your journey into transformational living.

• Reconnect with my big picture...If this process could be anyway I wanted it to be, no blocks,no excuses what would that be? Answer is in my first blog...
  
• I am clear on my What and Why it is important but HOW important is this really? If it matters enough we will put our energy into motion. To the extent that it matters is directly proportionate to how much energy we will put into the creating. Lets just say this really matters and I am re energized!
• What is stopping me??? FEAR so if I weren't fearful how would I be? FEARLESS... ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, CONFIDENT AND CONNECTED to the importance of this book.
• We attract into our life what we are , not what we want ( two blog posts back). If I am fearful than what am I bringing to me right now? Well I can tell you this- writers block- procrastination and then my bad habits that go along with procrastination like snacking ( who is this helping? Trader Joe's but certainly not me!).
• Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result so what am I willing to do now? Get off my butt and get typing!!!

That is all for now because I obviously have some work to do. I am closing today's blog with a firm intention geared at realizing that I got off track/disconnected from what is so important to me to BE. If I am not on purpose, if I am not being that which I am here to be then what am I doing? That is just it...I am doing vs Being....

I connect to my BE state- my place of purpose, passion, clarity, strength & joy. It is from this place of being that I move with effortless ease into the space doing as I enjoy my journey of typing my manuscript. With each page I type I move closer to full actualization of completing the first in a series of books on Transformational Living . It is my hope that this series will touch the lives of many and help to awaken, connect and transform all that read into a deeper state of BEing that which they desire and so much more~

Love and Gratitude to you all~
Melissa

Gratitude

Each morning at about 5:30 a.m. my 2 1.2 year old son rolls over and whispers in my ear, "mommy I'm awake and I'm happy, lets go downstairs". Each morning that I hear him speak these words to me are valuable lessons in self awareness and personal choice. Thanks to my son not a morning goes by now without me checking in and noticing if I am happy. If I am not I ask myself why and if I am not happy I immediately become aware of how I would rather be...happy. I roll out of bed and go begin my day with my little guru who reminds me how we are always at choice, so I choose to play cars, superheros and chase.

What about the days or moments in our day when we want to be happy but we just can't seem to rise above whatever state of muck we are in? I got stuck this week for about 24 hours, seriously stuck in the muck. After some grumping around, a self coaching session and a good talk with my husband I was finally able to move through my stuff. What was waiting for me on the other side was the reminder of the power of being in a state of Gratitude.

I got so caught up on 1 little thing that it sent me reeling. As my frustration grew so too did my focus on everything that was not "right" in my world. I noticed dishes, piles of papers, the garage that is still not re organized after Christmas, my office that is still not fully put back together, clean clothes that were not put away...you name it, it caught my eye and my frustration. I stewed for 24 hours, I knew what was going on but choose to stay stuck in my muck, I didn't like how I was feeling or acting but I wasn't able to shift my state either. The longer I stayed there the more aware I became that I was keeping myself in my yuck mood by focusing on everything that wasn't right... I had a choice...

As a coach I immediately asked myself questions that I would ask a client- my brain knew the answer just like my clients do butttt I was still stuck, just like my clients so now what? My son Topher popped into my head...I'm awake and I'm happy... Gratitude...what is right in my life, what do I have to be thankful for? As soon as I began to give thanks and feel the gratitude I immediately shifted. I began to feel lighter, I was happier, I was loving my husband vs. trying to deflect my frustration onto him, I felt healthy and strong, my light had come back on so to speak.

It is so easy for our busy lives to engulf us and before we know it we look up and we seem to be stuck in the muck. If you have a day or a moment that you are frustrated, stressed out, worried, disappointed, anxious, fearful, angry at someone or something stop...take a breath and shift your thoughts away from the things that you can't control or maybe can't do anything about in that moment and focus on what is good, on what is right, on what you do have, what resources, support, love, family, friendships, health, etc.

Tonight I saw that I was getting a call from work on my day off and my first thought was ughh work but them I immediately followed that by saying I am grateful to be able to hear the phone ring. I answered the phone with a smile on my face, helped a team member and went onto enjoy my evening in a state of joyful gratitude.

Our teachers take many forms, be open and aware of the learning's as they present. For me, my little guru is 2 1/2 and he is teaching me more than I ever could have imagined~

Love and Gratitude to you all~

More to the Story

The blog post I wrote yesterday poked at my brain all night and woke me this morning with many additional thoughts/addendum's...

Inspiration, moments of change of growth come in various forms all throughout our lives. I have been learning, shifting, growing awakening into a greater state of self my whole life. I have consciously been "awakening" for at least the past 25 years. Each new awakening so to speak has given me more insight, clarity and connection. This desire to fully awaken is what lead me on my coaching path. I wanted to know more about the unconscious mind.

Everyday I have patients that come to see me that know what to do but they just can't seem to do "it" ( I know I should exercise but I just can't find the energy, I know I should stop eating the chips but I can't until the bag is gone, I know that I should be kind to my spouse but it is easier to blame them for all of our problems, I know, I know). Please understand that their desire is real, it is so painful to them yet they continue to play out the same pattern and find themselves right back where they started. The conscious mind is one piece of the puzzle and for many of us we can create a lot of wonderment with the shear will power of our conscious mind but what about the big stuff that keeps cycling back through unanswered, unresolved?

Yesterday's blog doesn't always just "happen" in a moment. My "defining moment" in all honesty is a culmination of 6 years ( or more) 6 years of actively being committed to actualizing my authentic self. I think this is important for all of my readers to know:

1. We must be worth committing to and not give up on our selves when we don't get exactly what we think we want.
2. Sometimes what we think we want is not what we want but rather our teacher to an opportunity to really listen and feel what our soul is telling us.
3. If we are willing to explore what lies beneath the surface some cool stuff can unfold. What is beneath the surface, what comes from our inner voice is our unconscious mind, our connection to our source, to our soul. We can make an agreement with our self that in exploring this uncharted territory, what we discover does not have to be painful (even if it is from a source of original pain)...make your own agreement on what being an explorer of your authentic self is...hint...make it fun :-)

What do we do with the "stuff" beneath the surface? Well suggestion #1... welcome it. Suggestion # 2, thank it for giving you the opportunity to understand, to hear it's message and to move through it to where it is that you are ready to go...

Simple exercise to get you started...

Where are you at in your life now?

Where do you want to be?

Are they the same set of answers? If so good for you...stop reading this blog and go share your joy with others...if your answers are not the same and you have a desire on any level for something different than what you are experience right now go back to yesterdays exercise...

We attract NOT what we WANT, we attract what we ARE...

Where do you want to be? What do you want more of in your life... share that part of yourself now free of an expectation or want to need it to be returned. In other words, don't give a compliment just to get one back, don't buy someone something because you expect something in return. Be what you desire, be what you truly are, your soul is talking are you listening?

This is a beginning step on your exploration into the areas of your inner voice, your unconscious if you will. Just remember as I said in an earlier blog, to the extent that we are willing and able to listen to the message is to the extent that we will begin to truly experience more of the good stuff NOW. Since now is all we truly have isn't that the place where we should be living the good life?

Be what you desire, be what you truly are...Your soul is talking are you listening? Happy exploration :-)

Love & Gratitude,

Melissa

What Does it Take?

At the end of 2009 I was watching a Wayne Dyer special. I had seen this many times before but for some reason on this day, something he said really caught my attention like never before. He said; " We don't attract what we WANT into our life...we attract what we ARE into our life".

I immediately said what am I? Am I truly walking my talk in this life? Am I living in alignment with what I truly desire? My answers became so clear to me that I was not living what I was thinking, journaling and declaring every day. I was close but I was still making excuses &/or compromises; "if I just do this then that will happen...if I just get my space clear, if I just work this extra project, if I just, if I just...". I was keeping what I wanted the most at arms reach, so close that I could see it and feel it but also so close that I felt like I was going mad.

It was in hearing this statement and in having this realization like I had never had before that I knew. I knew if I did not make a true shift and really live from the source of what was in my heart then there would always be something. I knew that I would always be at the mercy of my life vs. fully living the life I am here intended to live. I personally could not stand for this non sense any longer and so my shift occurred like never before...

I lost my mother a few years ago and I often wonder if she died with her music still in her...I think she did, in fact I think it was in part because her souls music ( inner passion and purpose) went unplayed and unheard that she left...

What does it take to really make us listen to our inner voice, our inner music, light & passion? For each of us it is a different road we take on our journey. For me, this was my defining moment. I immediately began making the changes that I needed to in the areas of my life that I was allowing to always pop up and take me off course. I did not cut these out of my life, I simply put very specific parameters around these areas. I also put in motion levels of accountability like a deadline for my book and my web TV channel. I made a promise to myself ( your personal promises should be your most important...if you don't value, love and respect yourself and what you have to share than no one else will either) that I would no longer just have notebooks filled with my content, my ideas, my workshops & my closet filled with my products but that it was time to get them out to the larger audiences they were intended for. I also fully acknowledged that I am only one person and that I could not figure out and control all of the details. I decided to simply let the details work themselves out. I knew that I had to stay connected to my inner truth and do my part while everything else falls into place ( side note...it is falling into place better than I could have ever orchestrated).

If you had no more excuses; you did not wait on another or on something outside of you to allow yourself to live and be what you desire the most, what would your life be like? Do you know what stirs your soul? What brings a smile to your face or when time seems to stand still? What is keeping you from BEing all that you are intended to experience...to BE?

What do you want in your life the most? Are you that? If you want love are you loving...If you want kindness are you kind? If you want wealth do you give and receive with ease? If you want patience are you yourself patient? If you want health are you supporting health in your body? What do you want and how ready are you to Be just that??? Don't wait for it to come to you...be it now and notice how it just appears~

With Love & Gratitude to all of you~
Melissa

If thoughts create our reality ,then what am I creating?

As I explore the science behind energy and that realization that all things both seen and unseen are energy I realize what quantum physics shares so eloquently that our thoughts are also energy. Now if energy can neither be created or destroyed but rather only change form then what form does our thoughts take the good as well as the not so good? Then the following popped into my head:

I remember about 15 years ago when I was in chiropractic school a friend of mine suggested I try affirmations. I was in my early 20’s and my own worst critic…to say that I had a lot of negative self talk going on inside of my head was an understatement. Well when she made this recommendation all I could think of was the Saturday Night Live skit of Stewart Smalley sitting in front of his mirror affirming “and people like me”…needless to say that did not “resonate” within me. Now I am not judging, I am simply saying my internal picture of what it meant to “affirm” just didn’t seem comfortable to me.

Around the same time I was given a book by Deepak Chopra, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. This book speaks of many universal teachings but one point that hit me at the time was acceptance. I did not accept myself let alone love or maybe even like and so this hit home. I combined my friend and Deepak's suggestions and began my path of sending in some good stuff to my brain...A.K.A....affirming.

I truly will never forget the first time I did it, I was laying in the tanning bed ( it was the 90's for crying out loud- everyone laid in tanning beds) and decided to try to say some good things to myself. I came up with a little rote saying of about 8 things; I love myself, I am intelligent, I am healthy, I feel great in my skin...etc. It felt like someone was running their nails down a chalk board. This process felt extremely uncomfortable and left me wondering how or why anyone would want to do this. I decided though that Deepak had some validity as he talked about acceptance so I decided to stick with it. I continued my little rote affirmation not believing a bit of it until one day I realized that it was not uncomfortable, in fact it felt ok and I actually felt energized and good about myself.

About 5 years later I had graduated chiropractic school and was not only a chiropractor but also a WCW Nitro Girl ( think Fly Girls of wrestling...we danced). I had been dancing since I was 2 and finally landed a great gig- dancing on televisions top rated show at the time every Monday night for millions across the country and around the world...fun stuff to say the least. I was with an amazing group of girls but let me say- 6 women together all of the time, need I say more? Well one day I don't even know how it came up but I said that I loved my butt...yes that's right my back side. One friend was very put off by this and thought me a bit full of myself for making such a statement. I explained to her that I was not full of myself but in a place of actually loving myself and told her about my tanning bed affirmation days and how far I had come.

What do our thoughts create? At one point in my life I found it hard to think of any good thoughts and my life was filled with alot of personal discomfort. As I grew into a greater state of self awareness I began to play with this principal and as my thoughts improved so have many things in my body, my health and my life.

I still love my butt and my Nitro Girl friend still thinks I am crazy ( but she loves me anyway) even with love and alot of positivity in my life I still have my moments. I have days that are challenging, stressful and even uncomfortable but now I know that I don't have to continue living/feeling that way , instead I have a choice to make a shift and realign with the good stuff.

Today's entry is meant to be fun as well as thought provoking...what are you thinking the majority of your day? What do you think could happen if you shifted even 5 minutes a day or your internal self talk to align with what you want to experience in your life. Our thoughts are powerful creators...what are you thinking?

Back Up

So the other day I blogged about listening to our answers as we ask the question; "how do I want this to be?". A very interesting thought since that post:

What if we don't know how we want things to be?
This just hit me about 20 minutes ago but off the coat tails of a client that I was working with this past week. I had given him "coaching 101 homework" which was a few introduction questions to get his brain processing prior to our meeting. Some of the questions were;"What is important to you to get out of this coaching experience and why? and the other big one of course was if you are unhappy with circumstances in your life at this moment then "how are you ready for your life to be different"? For the sake of annonimity we will call him John. John came in and said, "Melissa I am so sorry but I did not do my homework", I told him that was ok and asked why? He proceeded to tell me that he felt so overwhelmed in his life as a whole and just felt so empty that he didn't even know where or how to start asking questions and understanding answers, he just knew couldn't continue living like he was living.

The pressure and pain that he was experiencing were palpable. So I asked him what was important to him in that moment? He said he didn't know. I asked him to close his eyes and to just trust whatever popped into his mind and asked him again. He paused then gave a little laugh and I said that what was "that"? He said I feel like I need to "pop". He said he saw a balloon and a pin. So I then asked how will you feel when you have popped? He told me relieved, calm, peaceful...happy. TADAAAAA there is our answer of How do we want things to Be...for John it was relieved, calm, peaceful and happy.

I share his story to share a point that sometimes in our lives we become a frog being slowly cooked to a boil... we are in lukewarm water...we get used to our surroundings, in his case he was so immersed in a painful life...the boiling water and didn't know how to jump out... we "live with things" because that is what we were taught to do..."deal with it", "keep it together", (feel free to insert your personal programming here... in fact pls comment if you have some to share). If this life we are living, relationships we are in, ways we are or are not communcating etc, is not in line with or allowing us to honor our true authentic self we will begin to feel things that may be painful. To the extent that we listen to our inner voice is to the extent that we will either stay aligned with our highest path and purpose or we will ignore and continue existing in the luke warm water on our way to being cooked. Our highest self does not want us to just exist and suffer a slow death so to speak so if we do not listen to our inner voice and continue doing what we are doing...living the painful way we are living ( pls know pain is relative to each person and their personal situations)...if we choose not to listen then the body will step in and make the message louder by creating physical symptoms. ( This is a potential deep conversation point so I will elaborate more on this in the book vs. blog space).

Please know that journey into be-ing is not all about life being bad to inspire growth or change; what about those of us that our life is great. The outside world looking in would say, "she/he is so lucky"... she/he seems to have all of the things; car, house, clothes, relationships... ask her/him how they feel, the answer... guilty. Guilty for wanting to listen to that inner voice that is calling for more ( if this is you I invite you to share your story with me confidentially, at flowunlimited@aol.com).

Whether you are in a painful place in your life or a great place wanting even more greatness it is the feelings that you are feeling that will allow you to begin to understand how you want/need to answer the questions..."how do you want to be?" For John it was relieved, calm, peaceful, happy...for my numerous clients that have been living in guilt many of them just want to feel free... These are your valuable insights into you, into creating new understandings, new definitions, new moments, new awareness of how you are ready to be now...

Gratitude and Love to you...Melissa

New Awarenesses

In less than 24 hours my world has begun to change... Each moment has become a new opportunity for understanding this journey, this book. I did not plan for this to happen, it just is happening and inspiration is everywhere...cool stuff!

Awareness 1: Make sure that when you declare something to yourself, to your soul, to the word around you, to the universe that you are truly ready for what is to unfold. As we ask, so do we receive and the gifts are unlimited opportunities to experience more of what we say we are ready for...

Side Note to this awareness... Sometimes we think we are ready to make a shift, a change and in many ways we are but our desire to change, grow, shift is conditional. For many of us if we don't get the answer in the way we want it then we stop the flow and go back to doing what we were doing, yeh sure maybe it wasn't great but it wasn't terrible so we will just keep doing what we were doing before this "declaration" began. If you have done this, as I have, know that it is not a bad thing, it is simply a choice but please remember the explanation of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result... are you ready?

OK so the cool inspiration that I received yesterday: Step 1 in writing a book or making any change or putting anything in motion that is important...The question, how do I want this to be?

I know that I truly intend for this book to be more than just "educational" I don't want to be just another coach or guide that people read, get something out of and move onto the next. I remember reading works by Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyre and wondering if they had bad days. I was completely inspired by their teachings yet somehow always felt as though they were so elevated; so on some level within me as the reader there was a disconnect.

My vision, my intention is to create a piece that truly connects with my readers on an "everyday real life" level as well as the deepest soulful level. I want my readers to know that we are all together, we are all one; different yes but at our core the same and together we can truly BE and live in the ways that fully express our authentic self.

With that said I have been wondering how do I do this?
Awareness 2: LISTEN
The answers are always within us if we choose to listen. Sometimes we are afraid of what we might here but if you know you need to shift, if you know you are called to be something even greater than what you have been; in order to move into this being space we all must LISTEN...

My fun story...Yesterday I was given a great opportunity/reminder on the importance of listening... A wonderful neighbor stopped to chat with her two dogs. There was a group of us talking and she turned to me and said, "Melissa can you help ( we will name the dog for sake of anonymity) Jake. I said sure thinking at first she wanted me to check his spine and see if he needed a doggie chiropractic adjustment. Then she told me that my husband ( the most amazing man in my world) told her that I am a "dog whisperer" and that Jake had been having some problems.

Let me say that animals do communicate...if we are willing to allow ourselves to listen. The interesting thing though is when we do something out of our norm or our comfort zone it is easy to doubt/second guess our inner voice. I spent about 20 minutes with the doggies and their owner and it was truly amazing. I listened with my inner voice that when it comes to animals I get feelings in my body or words just pop into my brain that are not mine...I simply share the feedback... During this time, we were able to determine exactly what he wanted/needed his owner to know. I know this because as soon as we got to the "heart of the matter"Jake the dog "came back to life" so to speak. He was wagging his tail, he was up and giving kisses ( prior to this he was laying down and lethargic) and the energy of the whole family shifted...it was a cool experience to share in.

Now some of you might think I am crazy and maybe I am but the big lesson to remember for myself as the student of this self coaching process is that if we listen the answers are there...the question becomes what do we do with the answers once we get them????

The journey continues...Happy Weekend~

The Declaration

Today begins my journey not as the coach but rather as my own student. 8 years ago I had a defining moment in my life... I was emotionally at a very low point; recently divorced and experiencing a career shift of astronomical proportions not knowing what was next. Unsure if I could move forward and if so where to begin or better yet...how?

The great thing about life's scary moments is that they become incredible opportunities if we allow them to be. As I sat on my living room floor 8 years ago wondering, angry, sad & scared; even through the muck I was somehow certain that I was more than this depressing moment. I knew that I was free( as terrifying as that was at the time)...free to create my life anew...free to be... What did I want to be? What was I ready to feel, to experience, to do more of, to do less of- the list of exploration questions began to grow in my brain and hope, energy and possibility followed suit.

With this desire to awaken- to connect to my truth and to transform into being more of what I was ready to be I took pen to paper and created. I still have the big over-sized drawing pad and color markers that I used that day to remind me of my vision, my path... 8 years ago in my living room I tapped into my vision of what lay firmly in my heart and the path of my soul...I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that my purpose was great ( boy did I set the bar high and potential for failure probable) and that I was to create a multi media based company dedicated to educating, energizing and enlightening people on their personal journey of transformation living.

And so I jumped in and began my Transformational Living Company; Flow Unlimited. My task was to create multi- media based platform that would allow for products and workshops that could be shared with large groups all over. My list included DVD's, Meditation and Coaching CD's, Journals and the big one for me... A Book.

A-HA the reason for beginning this blog. This is the year that I am going to write my book. For some reason I have always in my brain said you are not an "author"... you are not a "writer" well if any of you know me, you know I am a lover of quantum physics and universal principles...if I say I am not...then I am not...Our words do help to firmly create our reality (more on this in future blogs). So here we go my friends... A journey into BEing all that I am here to be...

If I know one thing about myself it is that I am better when I am accountable so this blog and all of you will keep me accountable. I give you each permission, if I am slacking- not sharing updates then write a post...tweet me ( ok I am not on twitter yet but soon to be so I will confirm that soon too) or FB me...This is for me but it is also for each of you my readers. It is my intention that through sharing my journey the good and possibly not so good that I will help to share a greater state of awareness...As we become aware we are then able to better connect to what is in our hearts and souls...as we connect to our own personal truth and move in accordance with that our Transformations are limitless...

So what do I firmly declare? Regardless of limiting thoughts I may have had in the past What is it that I am ready to be NOW??? I declare that I am an author of my upcoming book...Journey into BEing...Transformational Living.

In invite you to share in the journey with me...if it inspires you then I ask that you share the inspiration with other...together all things are possible~

With Gratitude...Melissa