A Mental Exercise Program

How much time do you spend thinking about the past - or the future? Take five minutes to review what you thought about for the previous five minutes. Then see if you can't determine what percentage of time you just spent thinking about the past, the present and the future.

Here is the way it looked for me when I did this simple exercise:
Past thoughts 60%; Present thoughts 10%; Future thoughts 30%

Isn't that revealing? It certainly was to me! And to add to my dismay, I have also learned that about 90% of our thoughts are repetitive. Which means that I am thinking the same thoughts about the past and the future - over and over again! AGHHHHHH!

I am always the type to see the glass half full. So, to take the positive perspective, I stay in the present 10% of every moment. Not too great, but it is a place to start. So how do I shift my thoughts to focus on the present - the moment of Now?

Very simple, really. I just chose to. No bells or whistles, no clapping or heart-renching decisions. Just a simple intention that I practice over and over until it becomes a habit.

Because the way we think is habitual. You have a pattern to your thinking, just as I do. And the only way to change it is to treat it like any other habit. Identify what is unfavorable, make the decision to change, then follow through with action.

A mental exercise program - for the mind!

Try it for seven days, keep a journal to log your progress and see if your mind does not become clearer and more peaceful. Your inner journey is well worth the effort!

You are a Child of the Divine

The Universe is constantly expanding, growing and creating. The same spiritual energy that created the stars, the solar systems and the galaxies also created each one of us.

Inside each one of us, lies a seed of Divine love, which blossoms when we remember who we really are. We are Children of the Divine. Children of God. But it is even more than that (as if that were possible!)

Each one of us is a unique, one-of-a-kind creation, living here on earth at this particular time and place, to become the highest version of ourselves possible while we are in physical form. God did not make one pattern to create each person - he made each person out of one pattern - then he threw it away and started over with a new, different pattern for the next person! And he did it all out of his abundant supply, enveloped in love.

Do you realize how special you are? There is not another person on the face of the planet just like you. There is not a single human being who has ever lived before you or after you who will be just like you! You are a magnificent, original creation - signed by the Divine artist himself.

Where did he leave his signature - his mark? It is imprinted in your very DNA. But it goes much deeper than that. God left his signature on your soul - you belong to him and you know it at the deepest, most elemental level of your being.

You are a child of the Divine. And that means you have Divinity running through your veins. Claim your birthright by declaring yourself free of limiting thoughts, beliefs and actions.

Go deep within yourself to discover your Divinity. Meditate, contemplate, take time to be still. Stop the mind chatter, the endless repetition of thoughts and just BE. Be still and God will emerge from behind the curtain thrown up by the ego's games. God is there, waiting for you to step in and pull back the cover.

You are more cherished than you have ever let yourself believe. Far more capable than you have allowed yourself to be. A world of infinite possibilities surrounds you, waiting for you to realize your next higher version of yourself.

You are a Child of the Divine. Isn't it time to start acting like one?

I Crossed the Finish Line But My Journey Has Just Begun!

The end - finiti. So final, so definite. But is it?

Thirty days of mediation and saying a Prosperity Affirmation and what do I get? A strong desire to continue on this path!

Something has awakened in me that seeks expression. Perhaps you have felt that longing too, for a different way of life, different choices, dreams fulfilled. And to fulfill that longing, all you have to do is one thing. Nothing complicated, no magic formula.

Just one thing. Change your thoughts and you will change your world.

It is that simple!

A friend of mine sent me the following link to a YouTube video that explains the process beautifully. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNXUOQLyX9Q

My journey has just begun - how about you?

The Difference of ONE Degree Can Change Your Life!

Did you know that water boils at 212 degrees? Of course you did! But did you ever think how that one degree difference could impact your life and the vision you hold for yourself? Check out this email I received from Nightingale-Conant...and be sure to take 2 minutes to watch the movie!

The difference between hot water and boiling water is just one degree of heat. While that may not seem like much, it's the difference between a relaxing cup of tea... and being able to power a 50-ton steam locomotive up a mountain. The 212 Movie brilliantly illustrates how one extra degree of heat, that one extra degree of effort, can make all the difference in your life!

This short, 3-minute presentation will immediately energize you, focusing your efforts TODAY, while putting you on a path to out-perform, out-earn, and out-deliver in any area you desire... starting now. After watching the 212 Movie, you'll understand how putting forth just one extra degree of effort can put you over the top — no matter what your pursuit in life.

So... please turn up the volume on your PC, get ready to be energized, then click on the following link to watch "212 — The Extra Degree" (or cut and paste into your browser):

www.nc212movie.com

Best wishes for success,

Is that cool or what? Or should I say, is that hot or what? Thanks for reading and listening!

3 weeks and I am still here

Three weeks into my Spiritual Exercise Program and I am still here! Funny, I feel somewhat off balance, like the rules have changed and I have not quite caught up. Or maybe I am just getting off my negative treadmill and stepping into new territory.

I do know that joy lies in the present moment, that instant of time I have been granted to live and breath in. I have found that my "monkey mind" is much calmer and quieter, which is a nice respite from its usual frantic behavior. The space that was once occupied by MM is now filling up with other things, such as a clearer vision of who I am and what I want to accomplish.

More vision = more focus = more results.

Just think about it - water from a lake spillway can either cover a large area without much results, or it can be channeled to form enough force to power a hydro-electric plant. Clear thinking, focused attention and unshakable belief and certainty is the formula to accomplish anything you desire.

Just watch what happens to me - I have one week to go.

Cause and Effect

Everyone has heard of the Law of Cause and Effect. I always thought it was just a way to teach responsibility to children - if you drop something, it will break and there WILL be consequences. But the Law of Cause and Effect goes much deeper and runs more strongly through our lives than we have ever imagined.

If you look at nature, you will see constant examples of this law in action. Plant a pumpkin seed in good soil, water it and you will grow a pumpkin. Not a squash, not a cucumber, but a pumpkin. Gardeners and farmers understand this law perfectly and they use it to their advantage.

Why don't we use the Law of Cause and Effect to our advantage? Because most of us look at the wrong part of the equation. We tend to focus on the effects, the results of our thoughts, and not the thoughts themselves. If something goes wrong in our life, our first reaction is to look outside ourselves for the explanation.

We are looking the wrong way!

The reason why circumstances may not happen the way you want has nothing to do with the outside world. It has everything to do with your inner world - made up of your thoughts, beliefs and feelings. When you set an intention (I want to win the Lottery) and you don't get it, listen to your reaction to not getting it. If you find yourself saying things like, "It's rigged," or "I am the unluckiest person alive!" then you are focused on the Effect of not winning the Lottery. And you will continue to be disappointed because that was exactly what you intended to happen.

You have to shift your focus to the first half of the equation. Cause. You are the Cause of everything in your life!

What you think about, what you believe about yourself shapes your world. Your thoughts and beliefs are like magnets, attracting like energy from the ocean of potential that we live in. That energy that you attract is actually shaped by you! It becomes form and then materializes in your world.

What if you really want something, then don't get it? Make sure that you were clear in your intention and that all negative or limiting beliefs have been neutralized. If you ask for the Lottery but you do not believe you deserve wealth, what do you think is going to happen? The Lottery is not going to come to you -- your own limiting belief about your self-worth blocked it.

You have the capacity to create your greatest dream life, but you have to ask for it with unshakable faith, certain of the outcome and grateful to God for it having occurred.

It takes time for these new concepts to sink into your thoughts. You have lived your life under one set of beliefs; you can change that in an instant, but usually the ego resists such a drastic change in perspective. So give yourself time, continue to learn and grow.

One valuable tool that has really accelerated my growth is listening to the Ask, Believe and Receive relaxation CD from Dr. Patrick Porter. If you click on www.daretorelax.com and give your name and email, you can download the digital file instantly. Listen to it every day for at least 21 days, and you will begin to notice that you will see the world differently, you will hear the world differently. You will begin to realize that you are truly the Cause of your life. And the effects of that shift in thinking will begin to appear.

The Law of Cause and Effect works the same for everyone. It is the glue that holds the Universe together. Make it work for you, so you create the life of your dreams.

Remember - you are Cause - your life is the Effect.

Now - Go! Create your most wondrous life and be thankful to God for your capacity to be Cause. Joy will fill your heart and prosperity will follow you like a shadow.

Life is a Process

We saw the new movie Julie and Julia last night. The main character, Julie (played by Amy Adams) is a lost young woman without purpose. She floats through life and wonders why she is not as successful as her friends. It is not until she sets up a challenge for herself that activates her passion for cooking that her life turns around.

The challenge? To cook all of Julia Child's 524 recipes in 365 days. And blog about her experiences.

Julie tries to jump ship several times, but she finally feels alive, so she keeps going. She meets the challenge and discovers herself in the process.

It is when we engage in life that life engages us. If we remain bystanders, there is no commitment and no passion. We can disengage at any time, because we never were truly engaged.

Take the time today to think about what truly fires up your passions - those things that make you sing with the energy of creation. Because when you are creating - you are living!

Life is truly a process, that reveals itself at each spin of the globe. To stay spinning on your axis, (instead of spinning out of control) identify and live your purpose. It's your life.

Go for it!