Have you seen the film THE SHIFT? I am personally a little cynical about the value of films like this. There’s no doubt that people are waking up and a quantum leap in consciousness is occurring in many, but after watching this particular effort I was reminded of that wonderful quote from Tolstoy:

Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself.

It is my view that nothing is really going to change until we start to tackle the fundamental problems in our world and they begin at our own front door. Once that revolution occurs then everything else will slowly start to ’shift’ too. For example if you refuse to buy into this consumerist society where this years must-have toy for your young child is something from the same company that also produces violent video games for teenagers, you are making a difference. That difference is not only to your own family but one small step towards changing the wider world.

There are lots of ways we can make a difference. There are lots of people who could single-handedly make a huge difference right now, today.

TV talent shows – mentioning no names – have a global appeal. What type of society are we living in where they can, within these shows, make pleas for a certain amount of money to provide anti malaria nets for an entire village in Africa when, if all the presenters, judges and executives on that one show gave just a small percentage of their wage each month, that particular issue could be dealt with overnight.

What we seem to have lost is not our willingness to act to ’save the planet’ but our willingness to embrace a return to old fashioned values and spirituality. Consumerism and greed are God and too many people have a sheep or ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ mentality. We are meant to enjoy the money we earn and I have no problem with the fact that some will earn more than others, or how they choose to spend it BUT the more you have surely the more you can give back. It seems to me though that many of wealthy people make cursory donations (after consulting their tax lawyer) but nothing that makes any visible dent – a gesture that would set an example to the young people who ‘idolise’ them.

That said I don’t intend to waste energy being against something. I’d rather be ‘for’ something and one way that we could really make a shift is to bring back the practice of Tithing. This would soon sort the people who really want to help from the hypocrites. It would also reveal those who truly feel they are part of a collective movement.

Tithing is an offshoot of the ‘Law of Flow’ – the knowledge that nothing is at rest, everything is moving and just as if you give love you will receive love, so too if you give money you will receive it back in equal or greater measure.

Originally tithes (10% of income) were made to the Church, the idea being that they would distribute the wealth. We all know that this is a bad idea nowadays. Corruption, even in ecclesiastical organisations, is widespread. Likewise giving money to huge charitable organisations seems futile to me these days. So much goes to the Government or to the running costs that often only a fraction reaches the cause itself. Giving a percentage of your wage every month on a total whim to whomever you encounter, or whatever small charitable cause catches your eye and heart, is a far better idea. You’ll undoubtedly be magically attracted to exactly where it needs to go.

If you are willing to embrace this practice whatever amount you decide to tithe, the key is to always tithe just that bit more than you believe you can afford and to do it consistently, without fail. If you are already baulking at the idea and thoughts are running through your head like ‘Huh , in a credit crunch when I’m already deep in debt’, no way or ‘ Are you kidding me?I can’t even afford to feed and clothe my family let alone some strangers’ then you are exactly the type of person who needs to be tithing. Why? Because you have lost your connection with the Universe; the connection that keeps you in a state of abundance. It’s an inner knowing that if you keep the energy flowing it will always come back to you.

If all this goes right over your head then so be it but to many of you reading this will strike a chord. It’s not about money per se it’s about a trust in a supportive universe – and that in my book is the foundation of true spirituality. Unswerving belief in a fair and just universe is what I believe will really allow ‘a shift’ to occur

Posted by Kathryn Cassidy

www.kathryncassidy.com

Some people find it hard to let go of old habits and beliefs that unknowingly suppress their true self. It may be that they want to stay always in control of their situations or it may just be selfishness on their part. Whatever the reason, it is not good to hold on to bad habits that only seek to destroy the essence of who you really are.

Letting go starts with first acknowledging that you do have a problem and that it is hindering you from moving forward. When you can do that, you have started the process to letting go. Evaluate yourself and write down the habits and beliefs that have possessed your mind since birth. Changing your beliefs may mean defying a loved one and their concept of how important that belief is to them. It is definitely OK for you to form your own opinions and make your own decisions when you approach adulthood. No longer are you subject to the rules of someone else’s home.

You are an individual and your life’s journey may have no place for those habits and beliefs that you have developed during the parenting stages of your childhood life. What are your expectations for you? Find out what motivates you and set a goal for yourself to determine where you want to be in a few years from you. Will your habits or beliefs allow you to proceed?

Find quick and easy results for each habit or belief. Don’t try to change everything all at once because it won’t happen overnight. However, if you seek the help of a coach, trainer or mentor, it will get you to your desired goal sooner.

Don’t let your ego get in the way of thinking that you can do it all on your own. With years of bad habits and belief, you will need someone to help you to work it out and get to the root of the problem of not being able to let go.

Find a quiet place each day to meditate on your consuming thoughts. We all have them. Our thoughts can be the motivating factor that is preventing us from letting go. If you can recognize what thoughts are damaging to you, and then make changes in your thought process, it will help you to let go of the inhibitions, habits and beliefs that you hold as true. Be honest about your thoughts. This is the place where your bad habits and beliefs fester and cause division between reality and illusion.

Letting go does not mean giving up. It means having a better handle on your life and being able to manage and improve your life. Letting go means to stop trying to do it all by yourself and have a coach, friend, or mentor help you to achieve the best possible results.

Let go of any misconceptions, misgivings, or mistrust that may cause you to stay in a comfort zone that does not cater to your success. Instead, shun those habits and beliefs and embrace the idea of entrusting your life’s goal to someone more competent than you are.

About the Author:
Whether from her home office in Dallas, Texas, or traveling around the country, SHARON CAPEHART, the Empress of Empowerment, makes it her mission to “wake up” women everywhere to the incredible potential they have long forgotten they possess. She is the author of “The Power 2 Be You!,” creator of “A Woman’s Path to Success” as well publisher of the FREE Power Up! ezine. Sharon’s breakthrough “Path To Success” series helps women build a solid foundation for success as Sharon herself guides them on a journey to a life filled with excitement and personal power! “A Woman’s Path To Success” is available now at www.positivelywomen.com.

Sharon Capehart, Empress of Empowerment, is an Author, Coach, Speaker and Entrepreneur. Sharon will help you build a solid foundation of confidence, cultivate a success-oriented mindset, and walk with you on your journey to a life filled with Passion, Excitement and Personal Power. For more information please visit www.positivelywomen.com.

(Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/letting-go-341768.html)

Many of us have just never learned how to make good decisions. Maybe you had poor role models growing up; perhaps you are a people pleaser and go for the initial approval without looking at the long-term ramifications. Could it be you have never learned how to function as a separate individual because you are so enmeshed and co-dependent on others? Whether you realize it or not, when you don’t make a decision you are still making a decision. Whatever the reason, you can make a choice to take responsibility for consciously making your own decisions now.

Multiple considerations affect your decision making. Being in touch with how you really feel is an important first step that many people, especially in crisis, jump over. Try these 10 tips for making better decisions:

1. Give yourself some space. You may need to remove yourself from a situation in order to really analyze how you feel about it. Many decisions can be delayed. It’s okay to say, “I need more time.”
2. Spend quiet time alone every day. It can be in prayer, meditation or going for a walk. It’s important to really let your mind settle down and start to listen to what your inner wisdom wants you to know.
3. Clarify what the issue is. During their divorce Rachel tells her husband Tom, “You just never listened to me like you did when we were dating and you tutored me in math.” Tom replied, “I thought it was the math.”
4. Gain an understanding of why you need to make a decision. If there is a problem, do you know the how, where, when and with whom the problem is occurring? Take some time to look at each issue and see if it sheds more light on your decision.
5. If you don’t feel comfortable with something, find out why. You have the right to ask all the questions that you have. Check more than one source, no matter who that one source is.
6. Once you have the answers that you are comfortable with, review and evaluate them.
7. Next move on to possible solutions. Let yourself think big. Do not censor yourself or limit ideas by worrying about whether or not they are practical. That is a later step. Brainstorm with people you trust, who also think outside the box.
8. Now you have a list of options, write them out and put down the pros and cons for each one. Another way to do this is to list your priorities with the most important first and write down what fits under each one. For example, Joyce is a single, working mother who wants to be home with her kids but still needs to make the same amount of money. Being home is a priority and making a certain amount of money is a priority. If she could make more money with one option but not be home as she intended that would be ruled out.
9. Develop a plan of action. Analyze if you are willing to implement your plan. Joyce decides to explore whether she can work virtual at her current job. Joyce feels this is a risk, because once they know what she wants to do they may phase her out. She also decides to explore home-based businesses she could start. She knows this may take money out of her savings and is also a risk. Joyce has to be willing to accept the risks and consequences in order to move forward with her decision. Plans are more successful with a deadline. Set one now.
10. As Nike says. “Just do it.” Take the leap and go. If you make a mistake or information changes you start over. Practice probably doesn’t make perfect in this case, but it does make you a lot better.

As you become more connected to yourself and practice you will develop the confidence to make more decisions. As you practice decision making, your skill will grow.

Depending on the situation, timeframes or even plans may have to be modified. That doesn’t mean you failed. You became more educated, experienced or practical as the plan progressed and modifications had to be made. Review and assess your decision throughout implementation. Now that you are into it what would you do differently? Learn from every decision. One decision may lead to the need to make another decision. Keep going. Don’t stop. Big or small, success or failure take full responsibility for all of your decisions every day. Take full responsibility for your life. Claim it, live it, it’s yours.

You can gather information, process it, listen to others and bounce ideas off people, but ultimately it comes down to you. You need to have faith and confidence in yourself. You are responsible for all of the decisions that you make. It doesn’t matter if someone mislead you, took advantage of you or even if a trust was betrayed. It comes back to you. Learn to rely on your own decision-making.

Rebecca Rengo, shows you how to improve your health & decrease your pain. She is giving away FREE pain relief Secrets. To get access to these powerful and practical secrets that can help you transform your life – go to www.painreliefexplained.com now. Rebecca Rengo, MSW, LCSW, is author of Beyond Chronic Pain: A get-well guidebook to soothe the body, mind & spirit. She has been a Pain Relief Coach, Author, Speaker , Psychotherapist and Educator for over 25 years.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

The brain is the most powerful computer on the planet. It has the capability to process data at incredible speeds. Almost everything in the body is controlled by the brain. This is such a powerful instrument that it has the capability to create things outside the body too.

People get what they continually focus upon. Unfortunately, the conditioned habit of most people is to think about the negative. When confronted with a situation, they will often devise the worst case scenario. Projections in the future are never in the positive. Naturally, the brain manifests exactly what it created-the worst possible scenario. Ever notice how extremely negative people’s lives are in total chaos? They have every type of hardship while never “catching a break”. The question is often asked, “Are they negative because their life is in turmoil or is their life in turmoil because of the negative thinking”? The latter seems to be more common.

An extremely negative person rarely can improve life without a radical shift in the thought process. The reason is because of the universal principal called the law of attraction. Basically this says that we will attract what we put out there. Emit negativity and that’s what is received back. Put out good energy and good things are attracted to you. It is universal since it works in all circumstances. Don’t believe it? Ever hear the saying “misery loves company”? Ever notice how whiners and complainers all seem to draw to each other? This is their common bond where they can feel comfortable. Notice too how positive people avoid this group like the plague.

People are not the only ones drawn to what you put out there. Results are also created by our focus. When you think about situations being resolved in ways that you view as negative, you are going to get exactly that. Fortunately, when we take the reverse approach, we get positive results.

The easiest way to control what we put out there is through our expectations. Up until this point, the general tendency is to expect the worst (or something bad occurring). It is time to make this shift. From this point forward, expect success in all that you do. Let the universe know that your mind is wired for all that good that is available to you. Do it in all situations. When you go to a store, expect to get a parking spot in front. Expect to close the sale. Expect that she/he will say yes to going out with you. Expect that you will lose the weight. EXPECT SUCCESS and it shall be yours.

Dennis Harting is the Head Coach at Your Rich Life. He is an acclaimed speaker, trainer, and best-selling author. His international best selling books include Your Easiest Million and The Ultimate Procrastination Handbook. His programs and more information can be found at www.yourrichlifeinc.com.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Doing Less and Being More Over the years, I have read a number of books on personal development, spirituality and enlightenment with every single one providing incredible insights into how to re-discover peace, joy, abundance and love in my live. I also found that there is a universal underlying theme which permeates through all the lessons and messages, some very subtly and others a bit more direct. That theme is we have to DO LESS and BE MORE in our lives.

So, what does Doing Less and Being More mean? It means that in order to be truly happy and experiencing unconditional love in our lives, we must pay more attention and BE more aware of the way we think and feel as opposed to DOING or performing particular actions to attain happiness and love.

True love and happiness comes from BEING happy and feeling love and not from going about trying to attain it from another person or from the next pair of shoes or car we have to own. This is not to suggest that we have to robe up in loin clothing, give up all our material possessions and head for the hills to be spiritually enlightened. My view is that it is absolutely fine to enjoy the materialistic luxuries in life …BUT our enjoyment and happiness will be shortlived if we allow the luxuries to define who we are as people.

In the midst of living and existing aimlessly in our seemingly chaotic world, we might feel that we are being pulled from pillar to post, always thinking that we have to DO something about either fixing something or trying to make someone else feel happy with us. I would like to suggest an alternative way to live.

“BE the change that you want to see in the world”…Gandhi

“Let it BE”…John Lennon

The Laws of the Universe guarantees that if we choose to BE or feel a certain emotion, the conditions and circumstances of that feeling and emotion becomes a reality in our lives.

I have compiled a list of tenets and principles for BEING which I would like to invite all of you to be a part of. The list has been summarized and procured from a variety of book sources of the great authors like Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Eckhart Tolle, Louise Hay, Esther and Jerry Hicks, Neal Donald Walsch, Gregg Braden and Rebecca Hanson to name a few.

The 14 Tenets and Principles of Enlightenment…

* Love yourself, everything and everybody UNCONDITIONALLY.

* Think from the end. Contemplate yourself as you being surrounded by the conditions which you want to produce.

*Be of service. Serve without expectation of receiving or feeling you need to be revered or recognised. Want more for others than what you want for yourself.

* Stay in rapport with Source Energy. Be in alignment with your intentions, the Universal mind and the Universal plan

* Understand resistance/doubt and how this disconnects you from Source Energy. If it feels bad, it is bad! If it is not a “Hell Yes!” it is a “Hell No!”

* Understand the art of allowing. Take the path of least resistance. Remove doubt. Detach from the outcome of your desires. Follow your intuition. Go with the flow. Everything and every event occurs in Divine Order.

*Be compassionate. See the beauty in everything and in everybody. Bless everybody, everything and every situation. Even a rotten apple is a perfectly formed rotten apple.

* Be in the state of oneness with everything and everyone. Remove the separation you may feel from everyone and Source Energy. We are all connected!

* Be an appreciator. Be in a constant state of gratitude for who you are and what you already have.

* View challenges and problems as gifts. They are designed to provide you with lessons to sharpen your awareness and consciousness. Understand that once you have mastered the lessons, the problems will disappear from your consciousness. Do not resolve a problem by condemning or judging it. Resist fueling its negative energy. Always return to the feeling of love. Ask yourself “What would love do now?”

* Be still, be silent and be centred. Meditation and quiet time is the way to connect to Source Energy. What is the only thing which you cannot divide? Source Energy and Silence.

* Live in the moment. Enlightenment offers you complete escape from the past and a total lack of interest for the future. Focus in the present in all you are doing and being.

* Trust Source Energy…Use The Source…Rely on The Source! Have faith and believe in it with all your heart and every ounce of your soul. May the Source be with you!

* Do less…Be More. Be all that you desire and wish to experience in your life. Be The Message.

“Joy and Love is not about how you arrange your world, it is about how you arrange your mind and feelings”

Happy BEING everyone…

The author Sherman Ng is the founding principal of The Law Of Attraction Centre, Auckland New Zealand. This Training Centre is a fully supported satellite extension of The Law Of Attraction Training Centre (LOATC). With bases in USA and Canada it is currently regarded as the only organisation in the world which delivers a recognised Law of Attraction Practitioner Certification Programme. The programme is based on a robust and comprehensive knowledge based Curriculum with Programme Modules which have been meticulously chosen and developed by some of the most respected and highly evolved minds on the subject.

For more information please visit: www.thelawofattractioncentre.co.nz

I believe I am a Great and Wise Soul with a special purpose. A purpose that will greatly contribute to the world. Everything I need to know is already there for me.

I believe I am Beautiful in all ways. Beautiful – both inside and out. I have the ability to see beauty in all things for I am beautiful myself.

I believe I am the Truth. Truth is my true nature. I know the truth of all things and I am able to walk and talk my truth easily.

I believe I am courageous. For I have always been able to cope with each situation that has presented itself to me. This is as true of my future as it is of my past.

I believe I am Grateful. For all my experiences and all that I have everyday, in every way.

I believe that I am Joyful. Because I know that Joy is what I deserve in all areas of my life.

I believe I have Compassion. I am compassionate to all living things and to myself.

I believe I am Powerful. I use my power wisely and from a place of love in everything I do. I have the power to create my world any way I wish.

I believe that I am Peace. I am here to bring peace to this planet in my own way by recognizing the peace that resides in my own heart.

I believe I am already Perfect exactly as I am. As how can a Divine creation be anything but perfect.

I believe I am The Light. I am a guiding light for others in all ways. I have been given talents to shine my light in many ways for the benefit of all and I shine brilliantly.

I believe I am LOVE. My Soul knows nothing but love. I am a loving being who can give and receive love easily, knowing that there is an endless supply of love and that love is the most powerful thing that exists.

I believe in me. I believe in me!

Let’s create a world where we all believe in each other. For whatever we believe about ourselves we believe for another, for there is only one of us here.

I am loved and supported beyond all measure of my imagination, I am the miracle.

This article was written by Melissa Bult, a Life Coach, Spiritual Teacher and Naturopathic Consultant. Trained with Australia’s leading coaching institute – The Coaching Institute and as an Angel IntuitiveTM with Doreen Virtue PH.D in 2004, 2005 with advanced skills in 2006, she combines her knowledge of physical healing with the healing that comes with working with the angelic realm. She also added the metaphysical and practical concepts of Louise Hay’s work by becoming a ‘Heal Your Life and Achieve Your Dreams Teacher and Coach’ in 2006. Melissa’s website is www.angelguidance.net

When I share with others that I’m training for a marathon, they inevitably ask, “How far do you run in a marathon?” The answer is, of course, 26.2 miles. Then they ask, ‘Where is the marathon?” My answer this time is Washington D.C. and the Marine Corps Marathon.

The next question I get is “Why? Why would you run 26.2 miles voluntarily?!?”

Initially, I wanted to run because I wanted to lose my ‘baby’ weight after my second child, Ashlyn. However, for whatever reason, this goal alone didn’t have a big enough ‘why’ attached. I was inconsistent and uncommitted. I’d run three days then miss a week, over and over again.

I knew I needed a worthier goal; a challenge that would cause me to dig deeper and commit more fully with greater attention and intention in order to succeed. I decided I needed to run a marathon. However, once again ‘running a marathon’ didn’t have a big enough ‘why’ to pull me into that place of lasting commitment. Again, I would run consistently for a few weeks then slack off. I was never going to get there unless I found my bigger ‘why’!

So, for my first marathon, I had to make my ‘why’ bigger than just me alone. I joined Team in Training which raises money for the Leukemia Society. Now, I had to not only train and run 26.2 miles but along with my brother, Chance, who runs with me, we had to raise more than $10,000.00 dollars! I have a special place in my heart for Team In Training and the Leukemia Society. I lost my grandfather to this terrible disease long before I should have and I felt that if I could make a contribution that helps in finding the cure that saves someone else’s grandfather, father, or loved one, then maybe, I had my big enough ‘why!’

Sure enough, this was the ‘why’ I needed. Chance and I ran the Mayor’s Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska last June and raised a significant amount of money for a worthy cause.

If you have a goal that you aren’t able to fully and intentionally manifest, it may be that your ‘why’ simply isn’t big enough.

Let’s look at how our ‘why’s’ affect us as a society. We know that welfare doesn’t work. Is it because most welfare recipients ‘why’s’ aren’t big enough to do anything different? A welfare mother wants a better life but as it stands, although she’s not living any form of an easy life, at least she doesn’t have to work her fingers to the bone for ‘enough’ to get by on.

Additionally, she risks what she does have if she finds a job that pays too much to continue receiving assistance, but not enough to live on her own. Many do not have a big enough ‘why’ to break out of the
system.

This same ‘why’-deficient apathy can be seen in certain subsets of our veterans, our physically disabled, Native American communities, and in the trust-fund babies that were born with a silver spoon, for example.

If the ‘why’ isn’t big enough to choose to do something with our life, then we just don’t. (This statement is not just about the above-mentioned subsets, but about all of us!)

What about the phenomena that happens to men who retire and suddenly experience progressive illness and early death? Research has shown that employees who retired at age 55 had almost double the mortality risk of those who continued working into their 60s Shell Health Services study, according to the report in the British Medical Journal, published Oct. 2005.) Could it be that suddenly their ‘why’ for living and staying healthy, their sense of purpose and meaning is no longer valid?

How many extraordinary, revolutionary changes have occurred because someone stood up for what was ‘right’ when their ‘why’ got big enough? Was it their ‘why’ that inspired the men and women who rallied to create the declaration of independence, the civil rights movement, or a woman’s right to vote, for example?

What would happen if your WHY was big enough?

If your ‘why’ was big enough, you would be inspired to not just visualize, wish, and hope for your dreams to come true, you would get out and take action to make them come true. You would follow that guidance that says, “Take a risk, now!”

You would find the courage to change career paths, read that book, learn a new skill, hire some help, take a class, or interview someone that’s already doing what you want to do, if your ‘why’ was big enough.

Relating to my own life and another time when my ‘why’ wasn’t big enough, I recall the shift that changed it all for me. When I first started my business, my son was only a few weeks old. I was living with my husband in a very bad relationship but I had my basic needs covered, not by me but because my husband was supporting me.

I wanted to earn a living with my business but truth be told, I wasn’t. It was only after I left my husband and declared that I would find a way to make this business successful even if it meant living in my car to do it, that I found the conviction to manifest success!

This is when my ‘why’ got big enough. I wasn’t able to focus my mind and body enough to create success until I removed my safety blanket. When I found myself faced with either choosing success or choosing to live out of my car with my newborn son and my dog, I shifted into a place of determination; a focused sense of purpose that nothing and no one could stop.

What would happen if you were forced to succeed because your ‘why’ was big enough? What if you were told by a court of law (or an enforcement party), “You will lose your loved one (your children, your husband, your wife, your mother, your father, etc.) if you don’t earn 1 million dollars in 90 days”?

Do you think you could do it? In the book The One Minute Millionaire by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen, this is exactly the test that the lead character goes through. She must earn 1 Million dollars in 90 days or lose her children forever. Suddenly, her ‘why’ for creating success just got big enough to make her turn on her passionate fires of determination to move and and earth to make it happen!

In your life, where is your ‘why’ big enough and where is your ‘why’ not big enough?

Signs and signals that your ‘why’ isn’t big enough:

* procrastination
* self-judgment
* embarrassment
* self-doubt
* indecisiveness
* confusion
* fear of making a mistake
* fear of failure
* apathy
* all talk but no action
* inconsistent action

When you can identify your big ‘why’ and combine that with your intentional thoughts, you will create the success you really want.

When we combine a big enough ‘why’ with a focused body/mind (our y’chi) we enact the laws of the Universe in ways that will literally part the seas for us!

For this marathon, my ‘why’ is about seeing things through (something I need to work on); about personal physical mastery (something that I want to make sure I’m walking my talk on), perseverance and finishing what I start (how can I ask you to do this, if I can’t?)

My ‘why’ this time is that if I’m going to ask my clients to break down all obstacles to their success – then I better be able to do it for myself. I found my ‘why’ again!

For you and your big goal, where is your ‘why’ and if it’s not big enough, courageously choose to make it bigger. The Universe always supports bold, courageous and faith-centered action. Trust in the Divine and follow your guidance.

Author: Anisa Aven. Receive Anisa’s FREE Conscious Creation 101: a 5-part e-course on the basics of Manifesting by visiting www.creatavision.com. Read more about manifesting and conscious creation by visiting www.CreataVision.com and www.ManifestingProsperity.com.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Where are you trying to make something work that doesn’t work? You might recognize it by how much time you spend looking at it, this way and that way, and then this way and that way again – trying to see something that isn’t there, feel something that you want to feel….

In the late fall, I was in Bloomingdale’s to have a repair made on a coat I had purchased. As I was waiting for an assistant I was struck by a lovely woman trying on an exquisite shearling coat with fur at the sleeves and collar – a perfect coat for the coming winter.

It was perfect for the coming winter, but what about for her?

Her expression was one of concern as she preened hesitantly in front of the assistant and the mirror at the same time. She fingered where the coat came together in the front. She checked upon checking the amount of room in the chest area, questioned upon question how it might look with a blazer or heavy sweater underneath, smoothing it down her sides, plumping up the collar…

The sales assistant left to do something else and the woman in the coat, still positioning herself in the mirror, looked at me. “Since you don’t work here I want to get your opinion. What do you think of this coat?” she said viewing herself. I looked at the coat and her in the coat and said what was obvious to me. “It’s a beautiful coat but it’s not the best color for you.”

She questioned me a couple of times, trying to find a way to make me see it differently. I left her saying, “And what’s most important is whether or not you love it and feel great in it.”

She spent a great deal more time with the sales assistant when she returned and finally purchased the coat. She wasn’t smiling when she left.

The coat was perfect for the winter but it wasn’t perfect for her. She knew it on some level but wanted to make it be perfect for whatever reason.

Did I ever relate to that scene? It was an “aha” moment that really landed.

I expect the woman with the shearling coat will wear it once or twice, maybe a few times more, but she will never feel just right when she does and it will eventually end up forgotten in the back of her closet.

Where in your business – or other area of your life – are you trying to make something work that doesn’t? You’ll recognize it because it doesn’t light you up, it’s hard work, doesn’t unfold easily and because it’s effortful and doesn’t really go anywhere.

It is likely a “should.” Or somebody else’s great idea or program. The “shoulds” are externally driven. They come from the outside, not our own truth and knowing.

Or we see other people doing things with so much heart and passion and thriving, and we want that. Just like we see a beautiful winter coat on the first cold day of fall and we want it!

We try to make it fit for us but what we really want is to be engaged in something that comes from our heart, about which we are passionate. In our hearts we want to thrive, not simply survive.

Heart and passion are requirements of thriving. We can be passionate wearing something exquisite in which we feel rich and warm and beautiful in the coldest days of winter – if that something is right for us.

The simple and powerful question is, “Is it right for me?” I like to use the “WOW” factor – “Is it a “WOW?”

If you need to convince yourself or be convinced by others, it’s likely not right for you. On an essential level, something either works or it doesn’t. Make a habit of checking inside, with you, and follow your inner knowing to the best of your ability.

Getting input from others can help you see things and get clear when you have blinders on that we all sometimes do. But when it comes to making a decision, for it to be powerful and empowering, it has to be true for you.

Here’s a simple exercise for you:

* Take a few moments and think about three things in your business or in other areas of your life where there is a rub, hesitation or uncertainty and write them down.

* Ask yourself of each of them, “Is this right for ME?” You know already.

* If yes, give yourself over to it wholeheartedly. If no, let it go. Ultimately it’s as simple as that.

You’ve just stepped into your greatness by trusting your inner knowing and acting on its message. Now you can freely move forward in your life.

Step into your greatness! It’s the most natural thing you’ll ever do and it always works!

About the Author:
Reggie Odom LICSW, CPCC, PCC, founder of Inspired Works, is a Professional Coach, Intuitive Consultant, Spiritual teacher, speaker and writer. She is also on the faculty of the National Institute of Whole Health where she teaches a coaching series. Reggie is considered a master teacher and unforgettable speaker. She inspires and guides Spirit Minded Women Entrepreneurs to step into their greatness, with ease! She can be contacted at (617)524-6153, reggie@reggieodom.com or you can visit her web site at www.reggieodom.com”>

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