4 Ways to Embrace that Goal!
February 3, 2015
Last week, we talked about our New Year Resolutions and whether or not we were over-valuing them. This week, I want to share some tips on how to EMBRACE THAT GOAL that you are not choosing, but your boss is assigning to you! Many of you are fortunate enough to have a supervisor/leader who understands your strengths and let’s you decide the who, what, when, where and how of your days. If you do have this luxury, chances are you know exactly what’s expected of you, what you have to produce at year’s end in order to be successful in your role, and you carefully craft your goals in a way that will get you to that pot of gold in an energizing and engaged fashion. (If not, we should talk!!)
For those of you who may not be as fortunate to work for a leader who provides you with this opportunity, it’s going to take some personal leadership and self re-direction to appease both your boss and yourself. Here are some tips to consider and try out immediately:
1. Pay close attention to your inner chatter.
When that goal is assigned to you (and you freak out!), immediately become aware of what you’re saying to yourself about it. Your inner dialogue will provide you with clues about the fastest way to shift your thoughts and get busy succeeding. For example, let’s say Charlie finds himself thinking, “I’ve never led a team of so many individuals to coordinate such a large-scale project. I’m not a project manager!” When we lead with strengths we learn to shift our thoughts toward what the possibilities of our succeeding can look like. So after you capture your inner chatter, you want to do the following…
2. Pick a strengths-based NEW thought.
In the example above, Charlie can pause, understand that his inner chatter is putting him into a fear-based place where success doesn’t live, and have this expanded dialogue with himself, “I’m usually the one who takes action on project issues and gets them done quickly. I’m an Activator, and that’s where I’m comfortable! How might I, though, use my talent of Arranger to work with others to begin making this happen?”
Now, in my example, Charlie is obviously aware of what he’s naturally good at and how he achieves success. You, too, can identify your talents on your own and in your own words by taking the time to become keenly aware of what you’re great at and how you operate best. However, you also can use the quick, inexpensive, and effective Strengths Finder assessment. Once Charlie has shifted his internal dialogue to a better place where solutions live, he can then…
3. Create a specific strengths-based action that will get him started.
It’s important to realize at this point that although an assignment has been given to Charlie, one he’s not crazy about and which can disengage him from his role if he’s not careful, he can take back his personal power by tailoring that goal to how he operates best. He’s going to find a way to do it so that he supports himself and appeases his boss. It probably won’t be the very best use of his talents, but he will bring more energy to the task and feel better about it.
So now that Charlie identified that he has a unique talent that he can leverage to help him get excited about this goal (even if it’s just a little bit!), he needs to immediately write down 1-3 steps he’s going to take using his talent of Arranger. One of these steps can sound like: “I will schedule a 15 minute meeting with each person on the team to identify what they’re best at and how they can be successful to this project.” Arrangers happen to be great at spotting talent in others and bringing many people together to bring things to fruition.
In this example, Charlie was not using his talent of Arranger as much as Activator, so he now needs to bring it out into the open and make it a focus for this specific project. Finally, to ensure increased energy and success with this goal, Charlie should…
4. Track his success and check-in with himself weekly.
The self-awareness should never end. Just as with any goal, we must keep them in front of us and present at all times, measuring and tweaking them. Especially with goals that do not initially hold much value for us at the onset, we have to breathe life into them consistently so we don’t push them to the back of our list. We all do this, don’t we? All of the goals we’re super excited about we tackle first, but those which are equally important, because we will be held accountable for them by our leaders, we tend to push them off for as long as possible. But, as I’m sure we’ve all experienced, that tactic can hurt us more than help us.
Leading a strengths-based life is not easy. It takes moment-to-moment awareness, focus and action. But, knowledge is power, and this knowledge about ourselves, what makes us unique, and what helps us to feel successful in all we do, can truly make the difference in our own personal engagement with our roles and goals.
Now, some of you may be in a third category (almost all of us experience this!), where you’ve got that leeway to operate in a strengths-based fashion, but you also have to tackle some assignments or goals that you just don’t care for. Well, I just like to call this LIFE!! If we are able to shift ourselves into a strengths-based way of operating, despite who our supervisor is or what he/she assigns us, chances are that we will be more engaged in our work and and in our lives, and we can better manage those unwanted things that come our way daily. Am I right? Whether it’s an emergency where we have to drop everything, or our position changes overnight, or someone drops the ball and we’re asked to pick it up and make great things happen, change is constant and our glory and engagement lies in leveraging our strengths to make the very best of it (and move on!).
Bottom line: When we are able to roll up our sleeves and accomplish a worthy goal (whether we like it or not) we receive a tremendous amount of energy and exhilaration from it. And if we do so using our talents and strengths, we will always achieve greater levels of productivity, success and joy. All of us, equally, have the capacity to receive these benefits. It’s always a choice.
What will you choose?
It’s your life. Lead it well.
Monique
Are you over-valuing your resolutions?
January 28, 2015
Now that the majority of us have likely designed a few goals or resolutions for 2015, it may be wise to sit down with them again and assess whether we are over-valuing them. Are we hoping or assuming they will make a difference for us? How do we know for sure? We don’t want to wait a few months to assess them, because statistics tell us that by then we will most likely already have failed!
Ask yourself this question.
If your boss at work offers you two opportunities to make a bonus by completing a new, critical task, which are you likely to both accept and achieve?
(A) This one that deals with going out and making tons of new contacts (oh, and you happen to LOVE building new relationships), OR
(B) this one that deals with sorting through tons of data to identify sales trends (BTW…you HATE data and sitting still!).
This is a no brainer, right? If this were a true scenario, you would immediately assign a higher value to the first option, because it is something you’ll enjoy, will energize you as you do it, and you’ll have a higher likelihood of achieving it. This could be a meaningful work-related goal for you, because you would be leveraging your strengths.
Let’s now look at a more personal example.
Like weight loss, which most people happen to create resolutions around this time of year. Take Sally, who happens to be quite content with her weight and the way she looks. She had a baby this past year and kept on some that post-baby weight, but she doesn’t mind it. You see, she was quite skinny prior to her pregnancy, and she always wanted to be a bit more voluptuous!
BUT, she started feeling the pressure from her new Mommy Fit Club that getting rid of the post-pregnancy weight was a must. She also was assuming that her husband wanted her to go back to her old, super skinny self. She caved in, and along with her other mommy friends, set a resolution to lose 15 lbs!
What do you think? Is Sally’s goal of high value to her? What do you feel the likelihood will be that she’ll either achieve her goal, or be happy after she’s lost the weight? I’m betting it won’t be high for either!
I’ve learned the hard way, just like many of you! I’m a high achiever who loves a good challenge, but because I, too, have failed at achieving some of my resolutions over the years,
I’ve learned a few things that I’d like to share with you:
Setting goals and/or resolutions is a GREAT thing to do! If you don’t know where you want to go, any road will take you there. Also, research proves that achieving a good challenge increases our levels of happiness!
Rushing your goal-setting can lead to a list of meaningless goals. Perhaps they will look good on paper or in the boardroom, but they won’t feel good inside! In fact, they may lead to feelings of in-authenticity and lack of motivation or purpose.
Goals that are tied to things that you are STRONG at (or strengthen your talents), and which contribute to your strongly-held values or vision for yourself, keep you jazzed and headed toward the finish line.
I love using the end of a year to evaluate how things went. I also love taking my time to ensure that I identify one over-arching intention for my entire year, based on how I want to FEEL; kind of like a theme (I.e., happy, stress-free, fit, intelligent, social, etc.). Finally, I sit down with my Wheel of Life (if you’d like a copy, just email me!) and really evaluate those areas where I want to create some meaningful change. In doing so, my goals will hold a high value, and my chances of achieving them (or coming real close!) is very high.
So, here are some questions you can ask yourself about each goal or resolution now to help you determine if you need to edit them a bit, get rid of them, or take the time to create new, high-value ones.
These questions will help you achieve more clarity around your goals.
1. On a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = not at all, and 10 = absolutely yes!!) how important is it to ME that I achieve this goal?
2. Do I want to achieve this goal for me or for someone else?
3. WHY is this important to me? (It’s really important to answer this!)
4. Which of my life/career values is this assigned to? (A bigger question is: Do you know what your deeply-held values are?)
5. If I don’t achieve it, how will I feel?
6. If I do achieve it, how will I have grown/changed for the better?
Here’s the bottom line, folks, we either grow or die! If our goals/resolutions don’t help us grow into those individuals we hope to become, then we shouldn’t have them! And, if the ones we have are lukewarm or hold no true value for us, they are worthless.
Now, most of us have MANY goals which are assigned to us by our supervisors. How do we make them of high-value to us if they are not? Make sure to join me next week as we tackle this challenge.
It’s your life. Lead it well.
Monique
SWOT it out! Annual Review in 4 Easy Steps!
October 22, 2014
I can’t believe it’s already “holiday” time! So, not only does that ignite within me the desire to begin creating lots of lists (gifts to give, recipes to cook, cards to make, etc.), but I’m also thinking about what I’ve accomplished this year, and what I still hope to accomplish during my fiscal year (almost half way there!). How about you? I don’t mean to stress you out, but simply to encourage you to look at how far you’ve come and assess whether the goals you’ve set are truly the ones you will, or still hope to achieve. Goals can serve two purposes energetically, they can either fuel us and move us forward with great momentum, or they can weigh us down. The only way to ensure that they don’t do the latter is to take the time to check-in with ourselves and our goals, and continue to give them energy. When we don’t do this, it could be a sign that we are caught in the trap of just setting annual goals, because we are “supposed” to, or we “have” to. There is hardly any positive energy associated with “supposed to,” but there is LOTS of good “ju ju” associated with “want to!” Now is a great time to SWOT it out for yourself; complete a simple analysis–check-in– to see where you’re strong, where you can do better, what opportunities still remain, and what to watch out for, or just let go of (yes, we are allowed to let go of our goals!).
I’m sure you’ve seen this:
This is an effective business tool for strategic plans, and I find that it also works wonders for our personal development. Here are some questions to ask yourself when completing it:
-
Where I am doing really well? What’s working? What’s getting me 80% of my results via 20% of my time and energy?
-
What are my strengths and how am I leveraging them? How can I better leverage them now? (If you know your strengths via StrengthsFinder – http://gallupstrengthscenter.com– list them here! Looking at how you’re strategically using your strengths daily can help to keep you on track!)
-
What’s not working so well and why? Which weaknesses can I manage better? How? Which weaknesses are better ignored? (Remember that investing in your strengths–what you’re naturally talented in–will always get you better results faster!)
-
What opportunities are on the horizon that I can take advantage of? What didn’t I know or see that now excites me? What’s my low hanging fruit?
-
What can prevent me from achieving my goals? What do I need to address and/or pay more attention to? Again…What may I need to let go of, due to threats? Are these threats worth my time, energy and worry? (Same with weaknesses!)
Based on your SWOT analysis, take a look at your goals and re-assess them. I guarantee you’ll feel much better about where you are and what you are able to achieve. Mostly, though, you’ll feel better about the decisions you’ll make now. Finally, celebrate all that you’ve achieved so far!
It’s your life. Lead it well!
Monique
What lizards can teach us about going all in!
September 10, 2014
Maybe you’ve experienced this funny phenomenon as well! I never put much thought into it except to giggle over it, but yesterday it certainly caught my attention. As I was going for a power walk I noticed how all of the lizards on the sidewalks just hang out on the sidelines and only dare to cross the very moment my foot lifts to take another step. It’s actually quite scary, since every step I take I feel like I’m going to squish one of these little guys! However, they always seem to make it across! I’m thinking they’re stupid and careless, but what do they know that I don’t?
My thoughts then quickly shifted to us humans and our tendencies to stay on the sidelines— sometimes for way too long. What is it about lizards that make them act so quickly and go all in when the danger is at its peak?
Well, our “lizard brain” tends to either freeze, fight, or flight when we feel in danger. It’s that primal, instinctive part of our brain that is always trying to protect us. Certainly, those big visions we want to go after can be just as frightening as they can be exciting. And I wonder how throwing ourselves into the perceived danger can get us that much closer to where we want to go, and sometimes, where we know we need to be. Achieving “success” also can be fearful in and of itself, because then we may wonder what happens when we “get there”? We may ask, “How will my life change, and can I live up to that change?” Perhaps, instead, we should be asking ourselves, “What if I never change? Will I be content with my life staying as is?”
If you find yourself in that scenario, like a lizard looking up at a big shoe about to drop, consider asking yourself:
-
What about this fear is true?
-
Is this just my lizard brain trying to protect me?
-
What’s the worst that could happen if I felt the fear and did it anyway?
-
Without fear would it be as meaningful?
How could our lives shift dramatically toward our vision if we actually began to embrace fear, as if it were a marker that we were on our true path?
Gosh…I get excited thinking about It. Do you?
What are you fearing right now that’s keeping you on the sidelines?
I guess it’s no coincidence that lately I’ve been surrounded by so many amazing individuals who are breaking through their fears and finding major breakthroughs on the other side. I find that it’s much easier to go all in when you’re not the only one doing it!
As the amazing Brené Brown says, “You can’t find courage without walking through vulnerability.” You think those little lizards aren’t vulnerable when they jump out in front of a huge, scary sneaker? They survive over and over, and so can we.
Are you fear FULL? Embrace it and move toward your dreams.
Namaste,
Monique
2 Easy Steps to Help Nail Your Goal!
July 21, 2014
![golfer-hitting-ball[2]](http://lwlblog.fiu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/golfer-hitting-ball2.jpg)
Wow! Is it already Week 8 of Summer of Well-Being? I am so grateful to our guest bloggers for their wonderful content, and I hope each of you is taking advantage of their knowledge and suggestions, and trying a few on for size. I’m excited about our guest this week, Leoncio Alvarez, from MUNCH This!, who will take some delicious recipes and show us how to make them healthier! Super cool, yes? Make sure to join us on Thursday for his blog.
If you need to catch up on all Summer of Well-Being blogs, you’ll find them here.
This past weekend I decided to tackle a wellness goal that I have been wanting to try for quite some time, but never made the time for it. When I noticed that Summer of Well-Being guest blogger, Mary Trontz, was offering a 3-day cleanse, I knew this was the time. There are many ways to cleanse and different systems offered. I chose the 3-Day Refresh by Shakeology, because it does most of the work for me with little prep or hassle. Because my hubby also is participating in the Summer of Well-Being, we decided to do this challenge together, and today is our last day! Today, day 3, I’m really feeling the positive effects, and I can’t wait to see the full results tomorrow!
So, what have I noticed?
-
I’ve been more tired than usual. My body is definitely detoxing and saying, “Whoa, woman! What are you doing?” We decided start over the weekend to allow ourselves time to rest. That’s been helpful!
-
Staying hydrated is necessary for energy, and also to help us feel more full. In this case, I’m following guest blogger, Davis Mitchell’s advice of drinking a minimum of half my body weight in ounces.
-
Some headaches, which I feel may be due to detoxing and releasing my coffee habit.
-
And, some moments of bloating and nausea.
-
Mostly, the first two days I noticed how easy it would be to give up after day 1! It has taken a lot of will power and positive self talk to keep me going, especially when I’m cooking normal meals for my kiddos! But, tackling this with a buddy definitely helps!
So, how do you stick with a goal when the going gets tough?
Although I’m proud that I have almost reached my goal and have managed to stay focused and on point, I really enjoy learning from others what helps them to reach their goals, especially when the going gets tough.
This weekend I spent some time watching the British Open. Both my step-father and son are avid golfers, and so my liking to golf has grown over the years. It was very exciting to witness 25-year-old, Rory McIlroy win the Open (again), and three out of the four major crowns in golf. When asked what he told himself to keep his mind positive and focused on the goal, he said that he repeatedly told himself two words over and over…PROCESS and SPOT.
PROCESS. SPOT.
Easy and effective, and that’s why I felt compelled to share it with you today.
He tells himself that golf, and winning a tournament, is a process. It’s not the outcome of one hole, or in my case, one day of cleansing; it’s in sticking with the plan and getting through. At every hole, he would say to himself, “spot” as a reminder that his only role in that very moment (moment-to-moment) was to focus on the next spot; where he needed to place the ball. For me, during my cleanse, my spot was the next hour. What do I need to do to be prepared for the next hour? Taking it moment by moment–spotting– was really helpful.
If you haven’t yet found a way to get through your well-being goals, or any goals for that matter, maybe this easy tip from a young, extraordinary athlete can help you get there. Also, to develop your athlete’s mind, make sure to catch guest blogger, Mike Rosenfeld’s vlog, if you haven’t already!
Our well-being is most definitely a process; a life-long one. I hope that the process for you has been a positive and joyful one! And, remember, if you’re not feeling challenged, you may need to step up your effort a bit. I know you can do it!
Have a magnificent week!
Namaste,
Monique
April: A Time for Patience, Reflection and Action
April 2, 2014
We look to the New Year as “the time” to decide who we will be and what we will achieve in the next year. And although that is a natural time to create ourselves anew, if we so wish, there also are other times during the year when, energetically, it is optimal for us to take these steps.
According to astrologers this month of April is one of those unique times, due to the activation and transit of these very powerful planets: Jupiter, Uranus, Pluto and Mars. We are informed that it may be a wild ride, and that we will be tested. But, in the same, it is an excellent time to clean our slate and claim our power and purpose.
Whether or not you believe in astrology — or anything else for that matter — symbolism and/or rituals are things we can look to, to provide us with motivation to accomplish amazing things and tap into the many miracles in our lives (as well as experience new ones!).
Seeking out these energetic moments is one of my personal strategies for success. Our lives get full quick, and in no time we’re in Quarter 2! In the New Year I always go through the process of intending what I hope to experience, but just as we revisit our business plans, we also should do the same with our New Year goals.
What did you set out to feel, start or accomplish? Are you on track? What’s changed? Where have you succeeded thus far? What’s next?
Energetically, April is the right time to investigate and continue the process of intention and tapping into our personal power.
Want to join me for this “Alchemic April” exercise? Let’s go!
To make this super easy and achievable, I’ve taken the dates of the major planetary transitions for this month as detailed by Astrologist Maya White, and based on the potential “Power Outcome” of their transit, I’ve suggested a question for you to ponder upon, or a small action for you to take. Print this out and follow along daily during the month April. Most importantly … have fun with this!
- (Today) April 3 – What do you want? Write it down now.
- April 4 – What one small thing in your life needs to change? Take one small step today toward that change.
- April 5 – Show compassion today. How will you show it and why is this action important to you?
- April 8 – Is there an obstacle in your way? How can you begin to overcome it now?
- April 11 – Connect with someone you love. What does your heart and soul want you to do? Do it.
- April 14– What’s holding you back? How can you express your truth to get you closer to your destiny?
- April 15 – Work on the relationship with yourself. What do you need to do for you? Do it.
- April 16 – Caring what others think of what you need to say or do? Do it anyway – now!
- April 17– Practice abundance! Make a list of the five major things you are grateful for. Pay it forward today.
- April 20 – Get in the game. Where do you need to claim your stake? Take that action now.
- April 21 – What’s the right thing to do? Do it.
- April 22 – Connect with your authenticity. Share your truth in some way today & know that others will resonate with it!
- April 28 – Write down your new, updated vision for yourself. See it and feel it. Through this action know that the energy of the world supports your vision! Believe in it and walk toward it.
I hope that you take advantage of these energies to help manifest your core self and core vision for your life. Placing energy into our goals and desires helps us to focus on them and push them forward. And in the end, let’s remember that leading others is only as effective as leading ourselves.
Please share your experiences with me below by commenting.
Enjoy your weekend!
It’s your life. Lead it well.
Monique
Ta-Da!! Go Light Up Your New Year!
December 31, 2013
I love New Year’s! I love the excitement of the unknown, and the power of being able to start anew. We all need fresh starts, and doing so in the New Year is a very natural process.
But how do we create these fresh starts with all the stress they bring, like unreasonable goals and deadlines? Just what are we hoping to accomplish and why? Let me give you a tip. The power is in the WHY! We’ll come back to this in a bit.
The week before the holidays our office went out for lunch and one of my colleagues had a revelation, she asked, “What if we could turn our To-Do’s into Ta-Da’s?” I thought that was brilliant! You see, the wonderful thing about the New Year and the resolutions we create, are the inspiration or meaning behind them. Hopefully, we’re not resolving to do something that holds very little energy or vision for us. Or even worst, resolving to do something because “we should,” or because “they are doing it too!”
- Why do you want to create a new resolution?
- Why is this resolution important?
- How will you feel when you have accomplished it?
- How will that feeling be different than what you feel today?
- When you imagine your outcome are you catching yourself smiling?
- Do you see a vivid picture in your head that has you tingling?
I sure hope so! If not, I’m guessing there’s not much power or purpose behind your resolution. Your WHY is not holding any charge to it. If you don’t see and feel it, don’t resolve to do it, because it signifies that you’ve just created a To-Do instead of a Ta-Da! Even the words To-Do and Ta-Da carry different energies. When you say these simple words can you feel the difference in your voice and in your spirit? I certainly can.
I want you now to look back just a few months and recall your daily, monthly, or quarterly To-Do’s and ask yourself the questions I posed above (replace resolution with To-Do). Be honest with yourself. Are you creating To-Do’s with purpose and passion, or just to keep you busy? We often feel overwhelmed because we are loading up all of our moments with so many To-Do’s and even fewer Ta-Da’s. I’m hoping for you and for me that we can become skillful in reversing this equation.
Yes, we will always have things to do—this is the world we live in, but I challenge you to become more conscious of what you are doing with YOUR time and consciously choose to understand the WHY behind each of them and create more of those Ta-Da’s, which truly create those feelings and outcomes that will light up your days and your entire year. Go Light It Up!
Imagine this now: You’re on stage, lights brightly shining on you, you’re excited, smiling from ear to ear, your arms are outstretched reaching up toward the sky, you’ve just visualized the accomplishment of your resolution, and you’re screaming loudly, TA-DA!!!
Go get that feeling!
Happy New Year!
Namaste,
Monique
PS. Thanks to my colleague and friend, Cristina R. for the inspiration behind this blog!
Through Her Eyes
December 20, 2011
I love observing my daughter. In fact, I laugh quite a bit when I do, because I realize how much I was like her when I was her age. Do you remember when you were 7…how you saw the world from those little, brilliant eyes? Was it very different from your perspective today?
Nia, happy, in character
Watching her, I remember things that make my spirit flicker. I remember dancing and singing without inhibition in front of ceiling-to-floor mirrors. In my eyes and in my heart I felt and looked amazing–all the time (that rocks!)– and I could be whoever I wanted to be… Sandy in Grease, Pippi in Pippi Long Stockings, Annie, etc., you get the picture. Yet, the most exciting part of her world is her exploration of everything, indoors or outdoors, and her almost complete avoidance of TV.
She doesn’t care much about that world in the screen, but the one in her mind and in her heart.
Now, I’m not recommending living in La La Land, but, what if we could keep that flame flickering? In fact, what if we made sure we didn’t allow it to burn out? How would daily, mundane tasks in life feel different? Think about it. Really, really think about it. I am.
When I visualize myself now, seeing life through my daughter’s eyes, I notice myself smiling, A LOT. I feel lighter, happier, healthier, and in awe of everything. In fact, through her perspective I think of a situation that normally would drive me into a tizzy, and it just seems so petty now– simply meaningless. In fact, petty, ego-driven and non-creative meanderings would most likely not even capture an iota of her attention. They would simply fly past her like a feather in the wind.
Yes, through my child’s eyes I get to determine what has meaning and what doesn’t. That’s powerful!
So, although we always want to tackle a great BIG goal each new year, what I’m suggesting is that we do something quite simple: see this new year through the eyes of a child, and more specifically, our child within. My sense is that in doing this one simple thing we’ll achieve more goals and more happiness, with greater ease.
Here’s my Five Step Prescription:
1. GO BACK. Find a photo of yourself as a child, that you absolutely love; one that without question speaks to who you are at your core.
2. TAKE NOTE. Grab a sheet of paper and without thinking, write down the first five words (adjectives or verbs) that capture the essence of your child spirit. Then, think of five specific memories (one for each word) that bring to life each word.
3. COME INTO THE NOW. Find a photo of yourself, today, that you love! If you don’t have one, take one!
4. BRING YOUR WORDS TO LIFE. Take your five words and now clearly define how you can lead with them and live them out daily– in the now.
5. SEE IT. LIVE IT. Take a large enough poster board, or create a screen saver of your two photos, your five words, and your new actions. Look at it daily. This is a new twist to the standard vision board– much less time consuming, and more powerful.
Are you laughing at my photo? I hope so. That’s what I’m doing, and that’s exactly the feeling I’m after. I love everything about this photo because it points to things I loved experiencing as a child: my secret hiding place (yes, behind this flower bush was my hollow hide out!); my first bike which tattooed me with a scar the first time I fell off it, and which allowed me to explore the world around me; my Mickey T, which represented one of my favorite fantasy lands– Disney; and my cowboy boots, which I loved to dance in and that reminds me of the little pony I once rode and connected with. And, best of all, my David Lee Roth jump that says it all.
It says, “I’m Kick A_ _!”
It’s funny. Looking at this photo brings me to present day, where my daughter creates the strangest ensembles which make me cry out, “You can’t leave the house looking like that!” But from her vantage point, each piece of the ensemble means something to her; it’s a piece of her very personal puzzle and she can care less what anyone thinks about it. To her, it’s the best ensemble ever that screams, “This is me, people! Love it or leave it!” That’s exactly how I felt in this picture. It’s a precious reminder.
If you’re looking for a way to bring 2011 to a close and begin to bring in some authentic energy for 2012, give my prescription a try, and enjoy re-connecting with your inner child…your true self.
Cheers to a passion-filled new year.
Namaste,
Monique
Intention vs. Inspiration
July 8, 2010
by alancleaver 2000
In my first blog about Zero Limits I committed to blogging daily this week to help make more clear the purpose and benefits of the spiritual tool described in the book– Self I-Dentity Ho’oponopono.
Specifically, I wanted to share how co-author, Joe Vitale, author of a variety of books which suggest using “intention” or “intending” as a success tool for attracting anything to us in life (health, wealth, careers, relationships, etc.), no longer intends at all. He simply goes straight to “zero.”
He shares:
“This is mind-blowing. Since I wrote about the power of intention in my book The Attractor Factor, and since I spoke about it in the movie The Secret, coming to realize intentions aren’t my choice at all was a shock. It appears that what I thought I was doing when I set an intention was simply verbalizing an impulse already in motion from my brain. The question then becomes, what or who made my brain send the intention?”
In Zero Limits, Vitale looks back on his many successes and realizes that behind each one of them was an inspiration he acted upon and took 100% responsibility for. He elaborates:
“None of them were directly created by me. In fact, what they all have in common is a spirit of Divine planning, with me a sometimes unwilling participant.”
…
“All of those ways (like intentions) have limitations. They are toys your mind plays with to keep you thinking you’re in charge. The truth is, you are not in charge, and the real miracles come when you let go of the toys and trust in a place inside yourself where there are zero limits. Where you want to be in life is behind all of those toys, which is behind the chatter of the mind and right there with what we call the Divine.”
Through spending lots of time with Dr. Hew Len and learning and practicing Self I-Dentity Ho’oponopono, Vitale learned that solely focusing on intending was actually fighting with “what is.” On the other hand, letting go (Ho’oponopono) was giving into the Divine and allowing transformation to happen (what can be…if you listen and let it!).
So, where do tools like affirmations, EFT, visualization, and intentions fit in? Are they worthless?
Absolutely not. I think we can all attest to using these techniques and seeing and feeling positive results in our lives. At the same time, there are many people who use these techniques all the time and don’t get the results they expect. What’s the answer? Why did Joe make this major shift? Why does Joe no longer intend or even set goals?
He explains:
“There are at least three stages in life, beginning with you as a victim, them moving on to you as a creator of your life, and ending — if you’re lucky– with you becoming servant to the Divine. In the last stage, astonishing miracles happen– almost without you trying.”
…
“The other day a reporter asked me, ‘Where do you see yourself a year from now?’ In the past I would have given him a sincere accounting of what I hoped to achieve. I’d talk about my plans, goals, and intentions. I’d tell him about books I wanted to write or things I wanted to be, do, create, or buy. But, because of all the work I’ve done with Dr. Hew Len, I no longer state goals or intentions or make plans for the future. So I instead replied with the truth of this moment: ‘Wherever I’ll be will be far better than what I can imagine right now.'”
This makes sense to me. We will go through our lives and meet many people who will never experience an “awakening.” They may remain stuck forever in victimhood, blame and conflict. Yet, some will awaken out of the victim stage and proceed to the “creator” stage, where they are beginning to take more responsibility for their lives, thoughts, experiences, actions, emotions and energy. Being the creator of your life is a GREAT thing! But, now, I see how much power there is in truly letting go and letting the Divine guide me and speak to me. Everything feels so much easier…like a tranquil ride down a river. Ahhh.
Do you have moments where you feel you’re pushing so hard to achieve something; almost going up-stream, yet never arriving? Can’t it be exhausting? Share your thoughts.
For Joe, when you are at “zero”:
“You begin to realize that your intentions are limitations. You begin to see that with all your newfound power, you’re still not able to control everything. You begin to realize that when you surrender to a greater power, miracles tend to happen. You learn to recognize inspiration when it comes to you, and you act on it. You agree to each moment. Miracles happen, and they constantly astonish you as they do.”
…
“When you come from the zero state where there are zero limits, you don’t need intentions. You simply receive and act. And miracles happen.”
by azrainman
So, I think Joe said this to Dr. Hew Len in the book, and I am claiming it for myself now…
I INTEND TO BE AT ZERO AND LIVE IN INSPIRATION! It’s a start. 🙂
Inspired,
Monique
My Relaxed Book Club will discuss selections from books I feel help high-achieving professionals continue to develop themselves and work on their personal leadership leading to more fulfilled, balanced and successful lives and careers.
Illumined Life Leadership 