With the holidays upon us there are  increased demands on our time, energy, and pocketbook. It can become overwhelming resulting in short tempers and slipping into default mode of what is expected of me. There is a disconnect from your true north and the things that really matter to you.

When giving becomes a chore, a should, a ‘have to’ , it drains the joy out of giving.   The true spirit of giving comes from a full heart. It’s harder to access that if your feeling tired, drained, and unappreciated. It’s a good time  to take a minute and connect with your heart. Move some energy to recharge and refill your cup so you can enjoy the holidays in a way that feels good to you.  Here’s a quick  way to connect below. (and really a minute does make a difference but you can do it longer if you want )

• Close your eyes, put your hand to your chest.
• Take a deep breath directing the breath to your heart, allow the breath to fill your heart
• On the exhale imagine water washing away all the grit….tension, stress,
• With each inhale imagine love, compassion, peace, energy whatever feels depleted to flow into your heart from the breath and from your hand.
• Each exhale washes away  as above.

Connecting with your heart is a beautiful way to stay grounded in your truth and keep your energy flowing. Hoping you have a joy filled holiday.

We are all faced with hundreds of choices each day, yet there are some that just get under our skin. You know the decision that feels so big or important that you find yourself questioning everything about it. Then just when you think you’ve got it down 3 more possibilities pop into your head and your back at square one.

Making a major decision triggers 3 things in the subconscious: the fear of the unknown, loss of control, and unworthiness. This shows up differently for each of us both in intensity and the actual way that it feels. Everyone has a hot spot that triggers their decision archetype more intensely, be it relationships, finances, or business.

There are 5 major decision archetypes. Most of have a blend of types depending on the situation and a highly charged situation will activate the primary archetype. Here are the core mindset, thought patterns and choice set points.

Tortoise

Mindset: choosing is overwhelming

Thinks: I just can’t make up my mind.;  Why is this happening to me?;  I just don’t know.

The choice is not to choose

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Hare

Mindset: speed = success

Thinks: Just get it over with already.;     Never mind over thinking it.:     Move on.

The choice is made fast without full exploration.

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Sparrow

Mindset: change is scary

Thinks: The devil you know is better than the one you don’t.;     I’ll stick with what I know.;     Don’t disrupt the apple cart.

The choice is the familiar, no change.

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Porcupine

Mindset: conforming gives up all freedom

Thinks: I’m not following the crowd;     No one tells me what to do.;     I’ll do my own thing; don’t tell me what to do.

The choice is whatever is different, regardless of what they really want.

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To change it’s important to interrupt the pattern. Each of our bodies contains its own set of energetic vortexes, lines and points that facilitate communication between the mind and body. This communication gets disrupted, sometimes completely disconnected, and we lose the fullness of our inherent well-being. It is difficult to access your best decision making ability with this disconnection.

Using tools to tune in to body’s subtle energy system to interrupt the long-standing patterns of neurotransmissions that we’ve established creates a pattern interrupt, allowing you to see things from a different perspective and choose differently. When you’re faced with a choice, deciding which path to take triggers your decision archetype, because the mind likes to categorize you go to what is familiar.   Energy work like chakra cleansing, EFT, conscious connection, can  create new neuro-pathways for decision making. This allows you to disconnect from the emotional baggage you may have around making a decision and change in general. The result is a more balanced, worry-free decision making process that allows you to be open to opportunity and the many possibilities that life offers.

In my conversations every day I talk with many people who deny that they work with energy. It makes  me smile because; if  everything is energy(and it is) then everything we do involves working with  energy. For many it is not a conscious thing and for some they simply don’t see that what they are doing is working with energy.

After all energy is this invisible force that is somewhat mysterious. You can’t see it, or touch it, but it’s there none the less. With current scientific advances we are just beginning to be able to measure it. It’s hard to claim something we can’t see. Yet we feel the effects of it all the time. Having a stressful day….feel the dull headache, tense shoulders, upset stomach? You can’t see stress( well okay maybe the crabby boss you can see, but not the actual stress he is causing) but you sure can feel it.

For those  whose work  focusing on stress relief, definitely energy work. How about about mind set; so often shifting a mind set  is part of the work someone does. Can you see it in customer relations, the receptionist at the dentist, a coach,  or a salesman?  It’s all about shifting the energy. The energy fuels our actions.

If we are doing it any way, why not hone  our skill and do it deliberately. It’s not magic, there is a cause and effect relationship with energy.  Focusing where you want your energy to flow and how you receive energy can be  a conscious  choice, one that is not all consuming.  A little bit of attention and awareness can create noticeable changes.

So, in what ways do you work with energy in your work, relationships, or everyday situations? What would be possible if you claimed the energy work you are doing?

We are all spiritual energetic beings yet so often we forget the energy of being. The day to day routines, busyness, and ‘shoulds’  keep us disconnected. In day to day life with all that we do how do we keep the connection to our essence?

When we are in meditation or removed in some way from our day to day life we can often connect with our inner stillness, the essence of who we are and allow it to permeate our energy field.  Once we mix in the husband, children, job, life in general the connection fades.  As our energy field absorbs the energy around us; the roles we’ve defined for ourselves, the beliefs we hold, and the energy of others it’s easy to slip into the state of doing without conscious awareness of being.

We forget that as spiritual energetic beings we can experience the external without becoming it. We become attached to outcomes, circumstances, and ways of doing. When we become attached we limit the possibilities, narrow the field of vision. By attached I mean needing it to be just so, and excluding other possibilities.

There is an old parable floating around that goes something like this: There is a great flood and a man prays to God be saved from certain death, a row boat comes by and the man says “No, I’m waiting for God”, same thing happens with the rescue boat, and then a helicopter. The man drowns and when he gets to the pearly gates says “God why didn’t you rescue me?” God replies “I sent a row boat, a rescue boat, and a helicopter what else did you want?”

Having a preference for something is not attachment .The man in the parable was attached to how he would be rescued.  A preference for say, yellow flowers does not mean all flowers need to be yellow, simply that you like them better.

When we step into the energy of being we open the door to possibilities that we may never have even dreamed of.  When we are in the energy of being we are tuned in to the essence of who we are.  This essence does not have the constraints of limiting beliefs, attachments, or preconceived roles to play.

Awareness is the first step to staying in the energy of being.  Becoming aware you can bring your conscious attention back to the present moment, and step out of doing and into being. Using your breath is a great tool to stay in the energy of being.  Taking the time to focus on your breathing brings your attention back to the present moment and energy of being.  Consciously taking three deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling through your nose, periodically throughout the day will help you stay in the energy of being.

This at first seems to be a narrowing of focus, what it does is expand the possibility in ways that doing alone cannot access. Expressing the essence of who you are is a powerful and inspiring act, one that has a ripple effect. Will you add your ripple to the pond of life?

It seems like and innocent little conjunction, three little letters can’t really have that much power…..or can they?

‘But’ is most often used as a way to exclude something or introduce doubt. It presents an either or situation.  Example: I want dessert but it’s too many calories. As if the only option is to eat a high calorie treat or nothing at all, no compromise, no middle ground . There is a feeling  of choice being minimized  or taken away.

Then there are  the subconscious ‘buts’ that so often silently exclude us from our dreams and goals. These buts  are tied to a belief system, so unearthing them really is a gifts of  discovery and healing.  When the belief system and the silent ‘buts’ are brought out from the shadows, the opportunity to heal what has been essentially putting the brakes  on moving toward  dreams and goals, can be released.

The chatter in the mind  is riddled with these gems. When thinking  of a specific goal add but after stating the goal and a river of subconscious blocks will come  tumbling forth. Example: I want a successful business….but it will take too much time, …but I’m not really business minded etc.

The ‘buts’ reveal opposing energy that keeps you stuck.  Consciously changing the language used shifts the energy. Repeating it,  reinforces  and anchors the new energy  creating new neuropathways and new energy patterns.

There is power in the  language that is used, even a small change can produce  significant results.. Example: I want dessert and  I’m committed to honoring my body.  I want a successful business and I can define success on my terms.  Both the examples are more expansive and allow the room for possibility, compromise,  and creative ‘out of the box’ solutions. Rather than shutting  down in an either or situation it opens up the flow for opportunity.

Using but as an excluder seems to create a buffer zone making it easier to say no or avoid risk. In reality it creates distance from authenticity and congruency and this  is an energy drain keeping dreams and goals at bay.

Let’s try this little experiment, be very aware of your wording and each time you use the word ‘but’ rephrase it to a more expansive form, just like the examples above.  When I did this a couple of weeks ago I was very surprised at the number of times I shut myself down. I was working on a creative project that seemed to have more snags and speed bumps than forward motion, by the end of my ‘butless’   week I had shifted some major energy and was near completing the project.

Here is your invitation to try it yourself, join the experiment and share your rephrases with others below.

An issue that has popped up lately  in client calls as well as MasterMind  groups has been  “How do I know if I am procrastinating or if I’m following my  inner guidance?”  We are so conditioned to keep moving that it feels foreign when we get the signal to slow down or stop so we can integrate what we’ve learned, plant the seeds we need to plant  or  tend to the tender seedlings. Our  first inclination is to judge ourselves and try to push forward labeling it ‘procrastination’. Often  our  Higher Self will send the signal to slow down, take  a look here, or  connect with this person but we second guess it….even more often if it requires deviating from the timeline of what we think ‘should’ be done.

There is immense value in observing the cycle of things.  When learning something new taking the time to allow the information or skill to take seed is vital. If you have just started a new project nurturing it, like a new seedling, and allowing it to grow is exactly what is needed, trying to  harvest at this point would be a waste of time. Once a project is near completion it is ripe for harvest, prime time for reaping what you have sown. The most often ignored part of the cycle is the fallow period where it’s time to sit back and renew, rejuvenate and allow the next idea to form.

Now  there are times when plain and simple it is procrastination, like when you really don’t want to do something and suddenly doing the laundry is of vital importance. The key is to tune in enough to tell the difference. The most basic way to tell the difference is to tune in to the physical triggers , a twitch in your eye, a tightening of your stomach, a relaxing of your shoulders.  Triggers are highly individual but each of us has them and it’s pretty simple to identify them. It takes paying attention to the way your body is feeling when making a decision, or responding to an event. Once you see a pattern you have identified  a body trigger.

In the external world when you get the signal to slow down and you push through it often times things just don’t click, it’s a tremendous effort to get things done. On the other hand  when you get the signal to move forward  things just fall into place, you still take the action but there is a distinctive flow to it. My friend Allison says it’s her Higher Self making sure she has right timing. And that’s really what it’s all about, right timing not someone else’s timing. We all are so tuned in to external time frames that we have a hard time  tuning in to the internal ones. Try tuning in and really listening to what your body is telling you, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Life purpose is a phrase that is often over used and misunderstood. It’s not a destination, a job, a relationship, or any single thing at all. It’s really an expression of your soul, a soul purpose. Your soul purpose is the guiding light for this journey we call life. It’s the lens through which we filter our dreams, goals, and actions. We take actions to achieve our goals which help us realize our dreams. Your life purpose is your souls call for fulfillment. It is the foundation we use to create our talent for living.

With out it life often feels fuzzy and unfocused, the goals we set seem elusive and unsatisfying if met. It’s as if we set out on a hike and don’t know how to read the compass that we have to guide us. Finding your soul purpose isn’t a long ,drawn out, difficult process. It’s really pretty straight forward, though may take some tweaking over time and  expressing it will take  some practice.

Set aside 30 – 60 minutes and work through the following questions

1. Who am I? list at least 10 unique attributes that truly reflect the real you.

1. What am I most passionate about? Passion and purpose go hand and hand, write down everything that comes to mind and circle those with a strong emotional charge when you feel like you have no more write 10 more(hint go back to the ones you circled and move from there)

1. What were the 3 most fulfilling moments in my life and why. Write the moments that you felt completely connected, fully alive, and energized.

Look over your lists and star any common words, feelings, or themes. Take these and all the circled items from your passion list and begin to form a soul statement or vision statement. I’ve included mine below.

To live consciously and in integrity, to vibrate with joy and peace, to inspire choice within others, and to foster a community of acceptance.

Notice the patterns in this soul statement align with my overall concept of reality:

to live consciously – aware and actively integrating all parts of my Self

and in integrity –  walking my talk,congruency,  a virtue required to pursue conscious growth and to be joyful

to vibrate with joy -  my sense of connectedness, oneness, and well being, a feeling of eager anticipation and wonder for each moment as it unfolds and sharing this grateful delight

and peace -  the serenity that comes from being in harmony with Self and the Divine

to inspire choice within others –  illuminating the ability to choose a higher level of consciousness/awareness, which opens the door for  them to shine their light

and foster a community of acceptance – to accept each individual as whole and the knowledge that we are all one

Posting your soul statement where you see it regularly can help you to apply it to everyday life and imbue a sense of ease and flow into even the most mundane moments. I would love to hear your soul statement share it below

Choices, everywhere you turn, hundreds to thousands a day,  we value our ability to choose so highly that when we feel that it’s threatened in some way we voice our dismay loudly,  yet most choices are made  by default. Sometimes they seem so mundane as to not really matter when they really do have a significant impact.

A client of mine  a few years ago was having some pain issues in her hips she was getting  no real relief from traditional medicine. Through our work together she discovered that she operated primarily  from her 6th chakra. With this info we were able to see how she processed her individual choices and isolated the choice to get out of bed each morning with the thought of  ‘I wish I could be doing something fun instead of being stuck working’ and a feeling of missing out on something. This had created a stronghold in her energy field, specifically her 2nd chakra , over time it had become a block and was manifesting as physical pain. She consciously shifted her thoughts when getting out of bed, actively planned ‘fun’ time,  and added some visual cues as well  to utilize her 6th chakra operating preference, and  within 2 weeks was feeling better the pain had disappeared in a months’ time.

Choices feed the chakras. The mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual energy of the choice is processed through the chakras. Over time repeated thoughts, feelings and actions can create a strong hold that  disrupts the flow of energy. This disruption  informs the physical, emotional, and mental bodies  of a change in frequency. Over time this can manifest as a physical symptom, an emotional response, or a mental thought pattern.

Being conscious of your choices and working with you energy can resolve or prevent many of these strongholds  long before they show up as a physical symptom. Things as simple as  deep breathing, chakra cleansing, or exercise are great ways to get started.

To create a personal choosing declaration click the link below and answer the

6 questions to set your intentions for 2011, it’s a nifty little form that will email

you a copy to keep while remaining private from public eyes. Enjoy!

Click here

We think of  and experience time in a linear fashion. It’s a finite resource, after all each year we get 525,600 minutes, that’s it, no excess  minute bank or depository where we can store them for later use. This sense of not enough time can really constrict your energy flow, it’s like static on a radio station making it difficult to tune in and get in alignment.

I get still caught up in this from time to time and have to take a step back to reevaluate. The somewhat breathless feeling of can’t quite get there and the ever so deflating feeling of ‘not quite good enough’ as I peruse the long list of ‘undone’ things on my list, surely everyone else must always complete their lists.

What if we looked at it differently, not merely as a linear  progression but as an energetic structure that we get to define.  Like a glass that is the structure for holding liquid time is the structure that holds our experiences. Just like  a glass that comes in many different shapes and sizes, time can be shaped to hold our experiences.

When we mark the vacation on our calendar  we create the energetic and physical space for it to occur in our reality. There are different phases anticipation, planning, experiencing, and memories  all contained in this structure. We have the choice to experience these as rushed, relaxed, exciting and yes most definitely it is a choice.

For many of us there is a perpetual audio loop running in our minds  of “not enough time”.   Debunking the ‘not enough time’ loop is definitely an achievable goal. The  3 major parts of the loop are:

Over Scheduling – creating a structure that’s too small for the purpose you created it for, like pouring 8 oz of coffee into a 4 oz mug. Allow enough space in your structure.

Rigid Guidelines – we have a sense of rigidity when it comes to  time, while time frames can be helpful  we often use them as blunt objects to beat ourselves with. You know the whole I should  have done….. Relaxing into time and allowing some flexibility allows you to get more of what really matters done.

Right Timing – As long as you’re alive you will never be done, there will always be more to do, and that’s okay it’s how we expand and grow. So why not focus on Being and enjoy the process. When we line up our energy and tune in to right timing we can move more elegantly and efficiently.

Time is valuable why not relax into it like you would a fine wine,(or in my case some good dark chocolate) and allow yourself to enjoy it rather than rushing through, you won’t get more that 525,600 minutes each year but they will be a heck of a lot more enjoyable.