Passing the Invisible Boundary (Guest)

Passing the Invisible Boundary

If one advances confidently in the direction of their dream, endeavoring to live the life they are imagining, he will put somethings behind. He will pass the invisible boundary. ~Emerson

I dream of being whole. I dream of healing. I dream of living with passion and with purpose and without pain. I am not there yet, but I am headed confidently in that direction.

After one month of yoga teacher training, I am certain I am on the right path. In this short time I have learned that although suffering exists, so too does happiness, and I have the ability to nurture my happiness, which in turn diminishes my suffering.

I have learned there are specific causes of suffering I have control over – what I eat, what I think, how I react. I can choose to nurture rather than deplete. We can all make this choice.

I am learning to live a mindful life – mindful of how I contribute to my suffering. Awareness is key. I am aware of my suffering, and aware that in me is the ability to acknowledge suffering while not living in suffering. It is imperative that I acknowledge my suffering if I ever hope to move past it. I can never understand a part of myself that I ignore or that I deny. Cessation of suffering comes only with awareness.

With awareness our actions are liberating and creative. When we are unmindful, we become caught in our conditioning and reactivity, and this conditioned reactivity keeps us bound to the cycle of suffering. ~Frank Jude Boccio, Mindfulness Yoga

I have been aware of the physical benefits of yoga for some time. That is why I made the decision to enroll in teacher training – I knew it would continue to help me heal, and in turn I could continue to inspire others to do the same. But I was not expecting the spiritual growth I am now experiencing. I was not mindful – but I am heading confidently in that direction.

Yoga is mind-body-spirit.
Yoga is all encompassing.
Yoga is life.
Yoga is gently leading me through the invisible boundaries.

What is your "Yoga"? ...

Creating the life of your dreams (Guest)

Almost all of our problems and limitations stem from unhelpful mental programming. Before you can create the life of your dreams, you must first take back control of your mind.  ~ Jay Cataldo

Jay Cataldo

Jay is a life coach, relationship expert, author of Get Your Girl Back and a childhood cancer survivor.

If today were my last day on Earth and I could share 500 words of brilliance with the world, here are the important things I'd want to pass along to others...

1. Write down your goals and look at them every day.  

Follow these 4 steps:  

Write down goals, Look at goals, Take action, Repeat

2. Have a support system in place for when you feel down or depressed.

You'll always have "those days" so a good coping strategy is mandatory. And no matter how miserable you may feel, remember to repeat the mantra "this will pass" over and over again in your mind.

3. Your unconscious mind is running the show so learn how to communicate with it.

Instead of struggling to use your willpower to overcome your challenges, reprogram yourself with the proper tools (coaching, hypnosis, EFT, etc.) and watch your life get a thousand times easier (and much more fun).

4. Make a list of your accomplishments and look them over at least once a week.

Our brains tend to focus on negativity so it's easy to forget how awesome we are. Be grateful for everything you've done, everything you have and everything you're about to accomplish.

5. Learn people skills above all else.

Quality relationships will take you far. A good place to start is with the book "How To Win Friends And Influence People" by Dale Carnegie

6. Proper nutrition is vital.

Food can affect our moods as much as our body composition. Learn to love healthy eating.

7. Question everything you hear!

Doctors, professors, clergy, etc. are not infallible. They are human just like the rest of us. Always do your own research.

8. Learn to be amazing with the opposite sex.

Satisfying romantic relationships can add a dimension to your life that nothing else can touch. Luckily, it's a skill set that can be learned.

9. Your beliefs create your universe.

Examine your existing beliefs on a daily basis and work hard to eradicate the ones which hinder your growth.

10. Never stop learning.

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn used to say "Poor people have big TV's. Rich people have big libraries." Read, read, and read some more.

11. Hire a coach!

Almost every successful person the world over has worked with a mentor or coach. It's a prerequisite for success.

12. Lighten up!

There's a time and a place to be serious but now is not the time. ;-)

13. Never sell yourself short. Ever.

The second you label yourself as "not an X kind of person" or tell yourself "I could never do that" you instantly become correct. And of course, you'll never change or be anything otherwise! Instead, cultivate a mindset of unlimited possibility. Whatever you don't understand right now, you will eventually figure out.

14. Learn to love the grunt work.

It's inevitable, so you might as well enjoy it. Praise and reward yourself when you complete your daily tasks.

15. Keep on moving forward.

The world can be a scary place and you will get beat down occasionally. Just remember that no matter what happens, you can bounce back from it. This realization will help keep you open, loving and pushing forward despite the obstacles in your path.

16. Stay in control of yourself at all times.

Learn to master your thoughts, actions and emotions and make them work FOR you, not against you.

17. When in doubt, ask for help.

The universe is always listening.

How to Profit From Your Passion (Guest)

Write a blog... Cultivate Facebook friends... Tweet... You know you have to do all this... But why? 

The new tools of social media are mystifying to many—and enriching to a few. One of the new social-media impresarios is Gary Vaynerchuk, founder of WineLibraryTV. Vaynerchuk used the Web to turn a sleepy New Jersey liquor store into a $60 million business, and his consulting firm, Vayner Media, advises companies on how to harness the power of social media without the hard selling that turns off customers.

Vaynerchuk's new book, Crush It: Why Now Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion, explains how individuals can build a personal "brand" and build a following while doing what they love. I've spoken with Vaynerchuk a few times recently, including this interview on Hulu. Some excerpts from those conversations:  ... MORE
How to Profit From Your Passion - Rick Newman (usnews.com)
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The Courage to Begin … Featuring my NEW friend :Sally G.

There is so much to say on this subject I don't even know where to start (no pun intended) ... this may also be filed under TMI (too much information). 

This is purely a selfish post... like Valerie Bertinelli in her weight loss goal (with Jenny Craig in case you missed the reference).  Sometimes you need to validate publicly to make it real, put it behind you, for acceptance and getting unstuck! (I say "public" very loosely... I have like 4 or 5 followers; who are greatly appreciated by the way).


I am not wired for selfish... ( and secretly inside I am hoping this reaches someone else also struggling with the same issues ... as I discovered Sally G.) back to being selfish...

In Sally's words that rang so true for me (no singing or music- none of us wants to hear me sing):

The Courage to Begin … Sally G.:
"Where Do I Begin? (originally written by Francis Lai, rewritten here by Sally G.)
Where do I begin?
To serve my Purpose as I know only I can,
A Purpose programmed by a vaster master plan,
To share my gifts so dying embers may be fanned,
Where do I start?
Like a growing child,
I want to Trust that magic happens just for me,
That all I need always arrives abundantly,
And all things tech I grasp and learn so easily,
Can’t this be so?
Can’t this be so in my reality,
Can wisdom flow, can I feel sure of me,
Can I let go, and feel secure
That all I have to give, will help another
Always tuned in, I’ll see the other,
Knowing my Intent, is that enough?
Why does self-doubt rise?
Why is it always that I’m standing in my way?
Slow to accept that no one else sees me this way?
Worried I’ll fail and harm someone along the way
These thoughts aren’t real.
I walk a path, created just for me,
I will become, all that I choose to be,
I need to Trust, my inner Truth
That yearns and calls to reach, beyond this bound’ry
I’ve put in place, though it’s not serving
Anyone at all, why is it there?
How long will it take?
To find the confidence to get out of my way,
To oust the demons that keep holding me at bay,
And render audible the voice that needs to say,
Right now, today …"

That is it for today... more on my revelations tomorrow... or the next day...

How to Find Your Soul Job... (Guest)

How to Find Your Soul Job - by Dumb Little Man

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It’s Never Too Late to Say Yes... (Guest)

One of the greatest experiences of my life began with an application for a job that I didn’t get. I had applied for a position as a part-time instructor of English, but the job had already been filled by the time the university had received my resume. Lucky for me, a different position became available.

“Are you up for an adventure?” began the phone call I received one winter morning. My heart lodged in my throat as I listened to the details of what that adventure would entail: teaching a grammar and writing class to a group of students who spoke very little English. Not only did I have absolutely no experience in teaching non-native English speakers, but the real kicker was that the class was scheduled to begin in just two days.

I picked up the books for the course and sat there thumbing through the pages, wondering what on earth I had gotten myself into. Somehow I scraped together that first lesson and worked up the gumption to stand in front of my new class.

We sometimes made wild hand gestures and drew pictures to understand one another that first day and in the days to come. Those weeks in the classroom stretched me until I thought I could stretch no more. But something amazing happened along the way; I had no idea that being so uncomfortable could make me so happy. Happiness, it seems, sometimes shows up in the most unlikely ways.

According to psychologists, happiness has little to do with where you live, how much money you make, or even how healthy you are; they attribute just 10 percent of your happiness to such factors. Instead, happiness largely depends on the choices you make. Saying yes to that class is still paying dividends. It gave me glimpses into lands that I may never see in person, helped me forge lasting friendships and opened doors to new career opportunities.

Baseball player and manager Yogi Berra once famously quipped, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” You’ll no doubt come to many forks in the road during your lifetime. Though you can’t precisely say what will make you happy in the future, you can use your goals as guideposts along the way. Being flexible and willing to take risks can help too.

You might worry that you’ll make the wrong choice when you come to these forks, particularly those where your money is on the line or when you feel like you don’t know enough to make a wise decision. Overcoming your fear of failure is paramount to finding happiness and getting what you want. Take the initiative to learn what you need to know, whether it pertains to buying a house, opening a college savings account, managing your investments or just simply learning to balance a checkbook.

It’s never too late to say yes to an adventure or to learn a new skill. I’m putting my money where my mouth is next month as I take a community education art class. The idea of trying to learn something new among strangers is frightening for me, much like the feeling I had when I embarked on my first English as a Second Language class. Still, even if I don’t create a masterpiece, I know I’ll be glad I said yes to the adventure. Written by: Carey Denman, American Center for Credit Education—ACCE

The Begining...

Launching my own business; scared and excited at the same instant. This has just fallen into my lap; like I have been searching for something and it found me. I have a desire, passion, need almost to do something meaningful, not be buried away in a fabric box. This has taken on a life of it's own; like ready or not here we go; white knuckling all the way. Deep breath, hold on tight; This outta be GOOD!!!