Sunday, January 28, 2007
Tennis Shoe, Loafer, Flip-Flop, or Pump?
Scenario: You have been told that you need to find a cool pair of shoes to match a new suit you will be receiving. HOWEVER you have not been told what type of suit it is…could be a bathing suit, a three-piece suit, a warm-up suit. You have no clue, nor do you even know the color, and yet you have to find the right match.
OK, I promise, I am not going to talk about how to find the perfect pair of shoes for any outfit or occasion. I will ask that you keep this little scenario in mind as you read the following.
This past week I got a call from my amazing sister who had an epiphany that she wanted to share with me. We have been talking a lot lately about what pains people most. At the top of the list…finding passion in life and claiming one’s true identity. (By the way, I owe my “Who Are You?” post to one of those conversations.) The long and short of the recent helpful conversation was that it is sometimes difficult to find what you are most passionate about when you are unsure of you who you truly are. My sister’s epiphany…often times our identities are deeply rooted in things outside of our own selves, i.e. our current jobs or the people in our lives. (Thank you for sharing, Wendy.)
That got me thinking. When you meet someone new the standard question is usually, “What do you do?” It is not often, at least from my experience, that someone asks, “So, what interests you?” or “So tell me, who is Pam?”
Please don’t get me wrong, sharing or identifying with what we do is NOT awful, but does it really define (completely) who we truly are?
What I have come to know, getting clear around who we truly are, helps us to gain clarity around the direction we wish to head in or what we are most passionate about. Without truly knowing, it is often difficulty to find our passion, our direction…that right match.
If this sounds familiar or strikes a chord in any way than I have a request for you.
Set aside 15 minutes of uninterrupted, quiet time. Then take out a piece of paper and at the top write the question, “Who is (your name)
(If you have troubles getting started, hop on over to “Walking My Own Walk where you can read my list.)
For the next week, please read your amazing list. Get acquainted with the fabulous person you wrote about. Most importantly, be open and present to the ideas and opportunities that come into your awareness from that list.
Until next time, be well and have a blast finding the right match…
Pam
Posted by Pam at 4:38:59 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (4)
Sunday, January 21, 2007
What Type of Filters Do You Use?
Are we talking cigarette, air, or light filters? Not really, but the concept is somewhat the same. If you think about an air filter, air filters filter out as many impurities as possible so that what we are left with is cleaner, fresher air.
Believe it or not, we experience filters daily, our own and others. Some filters support us while others only hold us back or make us feel bad. As a matter of fact, I can think of two personal examples that demonstrate positive and the negative types of filters.
Positive: I used to give up my power to others easily, not drawing boundaries and expending my energy until there was nothing left. At the request of my own coach I spent some time placing everything through the “how will this impact me” filter. In doing so I became more aware of activities that were draining me emotionally and energetically. I was then able to make better decisions regarding the activities I involved myself in.
Negative: Not too long ago I was offered the opportunity to purchase some air time on a radio show. The show would provide me with the potential to reach out to approximately 4.2 million people with a three minute interview. I will admit the price tag was a bit steep so before making the decision I asked for several people’s thoughts. One person said right out of the gate, “You can’t afford that!” (His $$ filter was as obvious as a 2x4 upside the head.) My request for thoughts was not about whether I could afford the radio spot or not, it was about whether advertising in this way was a prudent business decision. I will admit I walked away from the conversation feeling rather prickly...sadly, I let someone else’s filter impact the way I felt.
How do filters play a role in your day-to-day? Do you use them for good or are there some that have a negative impact? Time to take stock… it may be time to change the filters you use to ensure that the impurities are blocked and that the good stuff is coming through.
Until next time, here is to healthy filtering. Please be well…
Pam
Posted by Pam at 3:16:31 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (2)
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Who Are YOU?
We are all amazing individuals with so much to offer the world and ourselves. The sad thing is we often do not allow our true selves to come out and play. Why? There are several reasons and to name a few…
1) We come from a place of fear that “who” we truly are is not going to mesh with the world around us.
2) We feel and project lack; what we have to offer is never going to be enough.
3) We do not have enough trust and faith in ourselves.
4) We are not really sure who we are or what we want.
In addressing these reasons, here are just a few suggestions to ponder…
Reason 1
It is important to live life for you and to honor what lies within you. Too many times we get caught in the trap of living life for others because we are afraid…afraid of being alone, of rocking the boat, of being viewed as selfish…etc. Take stock of the people and activities in your life. Do they support who you are and how you wish to show up in the world?
In addition, we sometimes focus far too much on what others think which takes away our power to honor ourselves. Remember, we have no control over what others think, only what we think of ourselves.
Reason 2
Since sometimes we focus on the deficits of our own character in such a negative, defeatist way, it is important to try and focus a) on our surplus; what we have to offer and b) turning any perceived deficits into positive opportunity for growth. For example, thinking of ways in which you can learn from the feelings of lack…exploring what you know to be the truth around the lack you feel.
Reason 3
Pay attention to what Esther, Jerry, and Abraham Hicks refer to as your Emotional Guidance System (EGS). If something that you are doing, being, thinking or saying does not match what you intrinsically want (at your core) or match who you are, your EGS will tell you either through resistance or bad feelings. As you continue to rely on your EGS and shift your thoughts and actions based on your feelings (creating more favorable situations), your trust and faith in yourself will strengthen. Trust is like a muscle, the more you use it the more you strengthen it.
Reason 4
Think about the last time you did something that made you “sing and dance” internally. What was it about the activity that made you feel so good? How was that activity connected to you?
It is also helpful to talk about what is going on inside of you!! In talking you often gain insight and clarity to what truly lies within you.
If any of these suggestions are unclear or you wish for some support, PLEASE contact me!! Just remember, what lies within you is magnificent and it is my wish that you explore and embrace that magnificence.
Until next time, please be well and enjoy you and all that you have to offer…
Pam
Posted by Pam at 3:22:31 PM in Quotes with Impact (30) | Permalink | Comments (10)
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Paying It Forward
There are some awesome blogs out in the blogosphere, blogs that make a difference, that make you think. Today I was Z-Listed on a great blog (thank you, Lyman) and so in the spirit of sharing the link love, I will add to Lyman's list...
Tracy’s Cosmic Tidings
Working at Home on the Internet
SuccessCREEations
Steve Pavlina
Mark Joyner’s Blog: Atomic Mind Bombs
Problogger
Beyond Marketing by Dr. Joe Vitale
I Will Teach You To Be Rich
The Power of Choice
ZenChill.com Power Tools Blog
lifehack.org
Grace Seeker
eMoms at Home
Verve Coaching
Jane on Careers and Life
The Fast Lane
Josh Kaufman
WendyPiersall.com
The Closet Entrepreneur
Michael Stelzner’s Writing White Papers
Will Wilkinson / The Fly Bottle
The Golden Pencil
Copyblogger
Success From The Nest
The Digerati Life
Cultivate Greatness
John Cox
Empowerment 4 Life
The Copywriter Underground
Shards of Consciousness
Christine Kane
Adventure Dad
Balanced Life Center
Unusual Businesses Ideas
Craig Harper
The German Girl
Soni Pitts
Salem’s Lots
Reach for Magnificence
Moirsolace
Mindflood
Success Jolt
Empathy
That's Fit
Happy Reading and Z-Listing!
Posted by Pam at 12:27:38 PM in Pam's Ponderings (32) | Permalink | Comments (4)
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Giving Intentions Stickiness
Each year hundreds upon thousands of us start the New Year off by making resolutions with great excitement and the feeling that this year’s going to be different from last. This year, we recommit to following through and we swear that we are going to stick with our resolutions.
Well, that seems great in theory for most of us…Then life happens, we get back in to the day-to-day and our New Year’s resolutions often get cast aside like an old, dirty shirt. If this sounds familiar to you don’t be too hard on yourself...I promise it happens to the best of us!
OK, so knowing that what can we do to make our resolutions/intentions stick this year?
Here are just a few tips to support you in making your intentions sticky. Please bear in mind that these tips are in no particular order and I encourage you to use any or all of them…whatever is going to help you be successful with your intentions in 2007.
First, it is really important to get clear around your intentions and to be specific... the more specific the better. For example, if your intention is to lose weight, give that weight a number. It’s not enough just to say, “I will lose weight this year.” Provide yourself with something that has, what I like to call, "hang-on ability"…that’s something that feels real and when you think about it you get excited and want to hang on to it and the feeling it provokes. In other words, something you can hang on to because it is tangible to you!
2) During the initial intention setting, while you are getting clear and capturing your intentions it is important not to worry about the “how” your intention(s) will manifest themselves. That can detract from the intention setting and may act as an obstacle or a deterrent. You know the old, "I can’t do this..who I am I kidding?" syndrome. Try and remember the how is up to the universe to figure out. Your job is to be clear around your intentions and ask for what you want.
3) Also, be prepared to make a commitment to yourself and your intentions. Feel the intention(s) as if it has already become a reality. If it helps, create a vision board with pictures that resonate around your intention(s) that you can look at everyday. I have a beautiful vision board above my desk and it spurs positive feelings every time I look at the pictures on it.
If you are one that can visualize easily, visualize the fruition of your intention. Visualize living it! Remember, the brain, while it is an amazing wonder, cannot differentiate between what is real and what is visualized.
4) Once you visualize or have your vision board created, lock into the positive feelings that your vision board and/or visualization creates. You can even create a mantra/affirmation around your intentions that will help you stay charged. An important key to remember is to be sure your mantra/affirmation is in the present tense and positive, not expressing lack or negativity. For example, using the weight theme again, an affirmation can be… I am always able to maintain my ideal weight of 140. I am fit, trim, and healthy.
5) Write it all down, intentions, mantras and all. Be sure to re-read what you have written often. I recommend reading your intentions and affirmations 10 times a day; five times in the morning, before your feet hit the floor and five times before you drift off to sleep at night.
6) Really important, be present and in the present moment. Remember, it is up to the universe to help you decipher the “how” to achieving what you want, but in order for you to receive the “how” you must be present. That means not worrying about how your intentions will ever come to be, or worrying about the past or worrying about the future…just be present.
7) Often when we are intention setting we may become aware of obstacles or tolerations. That’s a good thing! If you find there are obstacles or tolerations standing in your way you will want to find ways to remove them so you can move forward and flow with your intentions.
If it is fear or self doubt standing in your way, tap into the fear and find out where it is coming from. Is it coming from your head or your heart? Most likely it is coming from your head, which is where fear often resides. What always helps me to deal with fear is to take a deep breath, and focus on my heart because that is often where the truth resides, and then I say (out loud) my mantra/affirmation.
Here is something I have also found very helpful…
8) Break your intentions down into bite-sized pieces and set some target dates for achievement. One of the main reasons intentions do not come to fruition is because we try to accomplish a huge intention in one go and that can be very overwhelming and discouraging. So, if your intention is to lose 50 pounds start with a smaller intention, for example to lose 10 pounds in five weeks and give it a date. Then each week set an action that will help you to achieve the weight loss. The first week could be committing to eating more veggies or exercising for an hour 3 days a week. INTENTION + ACTION = RESULTS
Most importantly, be sure to CELEBRATE each bite-sized intention you accomplish. Celebrating not only helps to make the process fun, but it keeps you motivated. Treat yourself to a soak in the tub, a night out at the movies. The celebration does not have to break the bank, but should be something you enjoy and a way to celebrate you and what you have accomplished.
9) Express gratitude for the intention(s) as if they have already been accomplished. Using the weight lose example again, one could say, "I am so grateful for my fit and trim body". Being in "attitude of gratitude" not only helps to alleviate fear and bring us into the present moment, but it helps raise our energy level. Positive attracts positive so if we can remain positive around our intentions we can help set them into motion.
10) Develop an intention team. Find people who you can share your intentions with. Sharing is critical. When you share you are not only helping to make them real, but you open yourself up to all sorts of potentials. Remember, friends want us to be happy and successful so you may find that they have ideas and or means to help make your intention a reality. Also, don't be afraid to ask your intention team to support you by holding you accountable to the action items you set.
And lastly, believe in YOU! There is nothing you can’t do.
Until next time, please be well and here's to making those intentions sticky!!
Pam
Posted by Pam at 2:07:48 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (8)
