Feeling Very Inspired

I am Feeling Very Inspired. I am Feeling Very Inspired for many reasons - Family, Love, Friends, Connection, Community, Service. 

Family - last night my Brother and Sister-In-Law and my three beautiful Nieces (who I call Princess, Gorgeous and Beautiful) came to visit. It was exciting as my Nieces tried on their Flower girl dresses for our Wedding - and they look wonderful - I love them so much. They make me smile. They bring me alive. I love their hugs and their kisses and spending time with them. I feel Inspired to be the best Aunty ever, to be the best person ever, to just be there with the people that I love.

Love - being in love is special and sacred - and I am very Grateful for My Man. He is loving and giving and supportive. I feel Inspired to be the best Wife. I love being at Home together - he is HOME to me. For Valentine’s Day I gave My Man some cubes - H O M E - I told him that it stood for Heart Open Mine Evermore. I also love when My Man buys me flowers - brightens our Home, brightens my day, my week.

 

Friends - today I saw my oldest and dearest Friend. It is hard to capture the words of how much this Friend means to me - my heart feels the fullness of my love for my Friend - a woman I have known for over 30 years, who is an incredible Inspiration to me. I am Inspired being in her Presence. I could write 1000 words about my Friend and tell 1000 stories - and yet the most important Truth is the reality that we have are both living with Joy and Happiness - and I love that my Friend has found her Calling and is so loving her work. And so important to me is that even though it has been a long time since we spent time together, today there was no distance - just closeness. And I walked away Inspired to spend more time with my Friend -with all my Friends. 

Connection Inspires me. 

Community - a big one for me. I am Excited that I have found my Community - another place where I feel at Home. One of my happiest times was when I was a part of my Running Community - I loved Running and what I loved the most was being a Member of a Community. When I attend Church I love that everyone is very warm and friendly, without an agenda, simply just loving people. I love the language of the Pastors and the messages that they share - I feel Inspired and Energised. Today’s message was about Community - encouraging each other, motivating each other, supporting each other, inspiring each other, embracing each other, getting beside each other, united not divided. The Pastor talks about our Community being a place of loving, caring, love, light, joy, light, laugher, a place that is “exciting”. He talks about releasing and refining, letting go so that we may become freer, so that we may become “extraordinary”, “so that we may be all that God has called and created us to be”. I usually get emotional at Church, seeing people caring and loving so deeply about each other. 

Service - I feel very Inspired every week and now I am very Inspired to be of greater Service - “Faith is an active word” were the words today. Now that I am a Life Coach, I am Inspired to Volunteer and be of Service to people in the Community, to my Community. I was also Inspired today to hear about two Members of the Community who have been away for a year building a school and Community in Cambodia - wow - I am Inspired.  This Husband and Wife Team talked about their experience in Cambodia - and he used the words Grateful and Contentment.  Each week when I go to Church I feel Inspired - and I love the Music.  I love these songs from today that speak to me 

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d61LamkXfwk

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WTvUsgGUtU&feature=related

I am Feeling Very Inspired. And now it is time to follow this Inspiration through to Action - and so I am planning to attend a Women's Vision Group this Wednesday and I am also looking at doing a Course. And each day I will ask, I will Pray “Please God show me how I can be of Service today”.

Community

The other day I was with at my Parents' home and we were reminiscing about the days when I was a Runner.  I loved Running.  I was a part of a Running Club and I loved my Community.  I loved being part of this Community.  For a long time Running was a major part of my life - my week days and weekends were dedicated to training and competing.  And I loved it.  I do miss my Running and hope to get back to Running after we have a Family.  And I also love that now I have discovered new Parts of my Self.

I was showing My Man my photos from my Running and I also found a piece of writing from 26 January 2001 - 10 years ago.  Here is what I wrote:

"MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS

My wish is that all people will become actively involved in, and enjoy the benefits of, true Community.

Community is where a group of two or more people, regardless of differences, are able to accept and transcend these differences, enabling them to work effectively towards common Goals.  In a true Community, members support and encourage one another.  It is a place where there is freedom to be oneself, where ideas, opinions, sorrows, joys and Dreams are shared.

I am so fortunate to be part of the Western District Joggers & Harriers Club, which is more than just a Running Club... we are a Community... a Community that makes a difference to people's lives week in and week out.  The Running Club Community which originated in mid 1967 with only a few members now has over 200 Members.  Our Running Club meets every Saturday morning at Lake Gillawarna, Georges Hall at 7:30am.  We are a Family Blub which promotes Health and Fitness, with our Members enjoying the benefits and good feelings associated with being a part of a true Community.

My wish is that every individual becomes involved and joins a Community - such as a sporting group, a social club, a volunteer organisation, a church group, or a hobby group - any place where you can meet up with other people who may have the same interest (even if the interest is based on a desire to meet new people and enjoy new friendships).  I believe that the benefits for the individual and society of building communities are immeasurable.

My wish is that everyone can be proactive in building Communities within all their day to day relationships - within their Marriages, Families, work environments, social groups, sporting groups, suburbs, cities and countries.

As individuals we can build Communities by:

- Doing what is right;

- Being open and honest in all our interactions;

- Encouraging, celebrating and accepting our Uniqueness and different opinions, thoughts and ideas;

- Listening and being genuinely interested in others;

- Learning from one another's experiences;

- Always doing the best you can, in all you do;

- Being personally committed to continuous improvement;

- Treating others, as you would like to be treated.

God gave us the best Gift of all - the Gift of free will - the ability to choose.  Each day we make Choices.  We can choose how we want to spend our time, who we want to be, our Attitude and how we act and react.

My wish is that today, on Australia Day, 26 January 2001, all individuals make a choice to take personal responsibility and make a Commitment, to being the best they can be, and to build Communities within all their relationships.

It only takes small changes as individuals - but together we can make a big difference in building a better world.

I hope my wish comes true."

I loved reading what I wrote 10 years ago - feeling Inspired and seeing that my Values and Philosophy are still very similar.  And for the last 6 months I have consciously been aware of my feeling of a lack of Community in my life, or rather, the desire for me to regain a sense of Community in my life.  I am Grateful that I have a strong sense of Belonging with my Family and now with My Man, and yet there is a Part of me longing to again be a Member of a broader Community.  The Journey of being a Member came out when I was working with my Coach last year.  And I also know in my Heart, that some of my happiest times was when I was part of my Running Community - it is a time that brought me such great joy. 

And I am Excited that I have found a Community that I am growing to love.  I feel so at home when I go to Church on a Sunday - Kingsway Community http://www.kingsway.org.au/Welcome. There is so much Spirit within this gathering of friends.  I am made to feel so welcome and at the same time given Space so that I am not overwhelmed or rushed to give more than I can.  I have been going on and off for about 2 years and it was only recently that I started going there again more frequently after being away for about 5-6 months.  When I went back to Church I was overwhelmed with this feeling of being at home, overwhelmed with being somewhere so special, so emotional that I was moved to tears - happy tears. 

I love being in Connection each week with new people and I really love the messages each week from the Pastors.  What I love is that the Pastor is able to make the bible readings very relevant for today.  I also love that what the Pastors talk about is very much in line with my work in Coaching.  I love the Kingsway Community Churchs' Mission and Vision - Refuge for Healing, River for Refreshment, Resource for Unity.  Just the other week one of the Pastors was talking about all people being in touch with their Uniqueness  in the divine plan - I loved listening and felt so Inspired after being at Church - especially since this is an area I am so Passionate about in working with my Clients - helping Clients connect to their own sense of Uniqueness and Greatness.  I also loved when one of the Pastors talked about Community as "sharing the joy of Hope".

I loved being at Church on Sunday.  I was actually Excited to be going, as I know I always enjoy the feeling of being in this Community.  This week at Church the Pastors talked about this year being a year of "letting go".  He talked about the verse in the bible from Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)  "since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" and used the metaphor of an Olympic Runner who is trying to run with a whole crate of lead and how he will be slower versus someone who is free.  He gave examples of "Everything that hinders:
    * Unfulfilled and unrealistic expectations
    * Disappointments/hurts/offences
    * Fear and insecurities, self-esteem issues
    * Apathy/laziness
    * Busyness
    * Accumulation/material obsession/worldly goals
    * Self reliance
    * Isolation/individualism
    * Programs
    * Belief systems
    * Health/fitness issues – physical/emotional/spiritual
    * Facades/masks
    * Unhealthy relationships
    * Demarcation
    * Control/pride
    * My agenda
    * Judgemental criticism
    * Disobedience
    * Comfort
    * Bitterness/unforgiveness
    * “Rights”/title/position."
I loved how the Pastor talked about Mindsets, Beliefs and Attitudes that slow us down and trip us up, and the importance of Perseverence.  I just love that the language that is used at the Church is in line with my life and my Beliefs and my Coaching.  I just love these words in one of the Pastor's Blog "The exciting thing in all of this is the goal … which is greater FREEDOM. Imagine for a minute what it would be like to be totally free … free from ‘every weight’ that slows you down, hinders your relationships, distracts your purpose, hampers your development, obstructs your growth and holds you back from being the extraordinary person God wants you to be for Him and His kingdom … NOW. The more we can get rid of these burdens, weights and loads from our life, the better and more effective we will be …  and the more fun we will have together."

I feel very Inspired to become more involved in this Community.  Whenever I go to Church I feel Inspired to Volunteer and now I feel Inspired to offer up my Gift of Coaching.  I am not sure in what form I will be involved - I would be happy to offer some Workshops and Coaching and I am Excited that I spoke with one of the Team Leaders last Sunday and will meet her for a cuppa and see if I can be of Service.  I was also very interested to hear about the Youth Programme the Church is running and may be able to offer Coaching to one of the teenagers.  I was amazed to hear that of the Youth going to a Youth Group on a Friday night, only 20% are from Families who go to the Church, 80% of the Youth are coming on their own, perhaps connecting to a sense of Spirituality for the first time.

I am Excited to have found a Community that I love.

I am also very interested in joining in the Community of Coaches that is being led by the Vision of one of my friends from College.  We are meeting in a few weeks and I am looking forward to hearing more about the Vision and Mission of this Community.  My wish is that I can combine my interest in being involved in the Community of Coaches with my desire to be more involved in my local Community.

What I love about my Church Community is that they are Local and offer so many great Programs for the Local Community, and they are also very Conscious and Connected to the Global Community.  And I love the music, I love the music - it is a chance to rejoice and be Grateful.  Here are some of the songs from last Sunday that I loved singing
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MKAzYJcWSY
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UJtuyY8v1g (very Inspired by the words of this song)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79055I6o-NQ

When I was a Member of my Running Club, I loved seeing friends week in and week out, being caring and supporting each other, being of Service in the Community as Club Captain, and also being of Service for the greater good (as we raised money for different charities).  My wish for my Self is that I become a true Member of a Community again, and I feel I am taking steps in the right direction.

Happy Days

I have been having some very Happy Days in the last week - new adventures, catching up with friends and finally a day at the beach -yay!!! 

After having a relaxing holiday, plenty of relaxation and sleep I headed up the Coast to visit my great friends who have recently moved to a new home.  For over a year now my friends have had a Vision to live on land and be self-sufficient, growing their own food, water tanks, solar power, remote location, no financial pressure - this has been their dream.  And how great to see them living their Vision.  My Man and I have been planning this trip up the Coast for months and after him hurting his back playing golf, I decided to venture on my own.  I met my friends in their nearest town Wingham - and how great to see them.  After getting our shopping and some local sightseeing, I was happy to drive to their home and wow, I was amazed, they live up a Mountain, right in the middle of over 500 acres of bushland - they call their home Paradise Mountain.  Once we were at the home, I couldn't believe the beautiful views in every direction - truly Paradise.

They have a Rooster called Bruce, chickens and 200 varieties of fruit trees (WOW!!!) and a permaculture garden - lucky for them, the previous owner is a horticulturist and so he has done so much.  There is such diversity in the vegetation - I enjoyed white strawberries and also heard about the unusual fruit and seeds such as an ice cream bean that tastes like ice cream, as well as so many other delights.

I loved spending time with my friends - they are great company and I felt Inspired by their lifestyle - quite incredible - their wood oven heats the water for the shower and washing up and they have beautiful fresh rainwater,  their lights are all solarpowered and they also have water from the freshwater creek for watering their gardens - no water or electricity bills and they are definitely committed to doing their bit for Mother Earth.  I loved that there was no television - silence - I loved the silence - I love silence!

I also loved our trip to Ellenborough Falls - this is one of the largest single-drop waterfalls in the southern hemisphere.  We enjoyed a nice walk down to the bottom of the waterfall - beautiful, breathtaking!!!  

A few members of our group headed down to the rocks and enjoyed the spray from the waterfall.  I would have liked to be spontaneous and adventurous but my common sense and fear of slipping on the rocks won and I stood on the sideline.  However, I was so hot walking back up the stairs, on the return  up the  valley, that I wished I had have taken the chance to go for a swim in one of the rock pools.  It was a big effort walking back up all the stairs - thank goodness for the seats along the way - we took every opportunity to sit down and rest and then gather our strength for the next round of steps.  Once upon a time, what seems like a lifetime ago now, I would have been racing up those stairs.  It was a great day with friends.

I look forward to other adventures in the countryside of my friends' new home, many more Happy Days to be enjoyed - next time we will enjoy the walk to their creek, there is a local vineyard, also a nearby cheese factory, and I am really excited to visit their nearest beach which I have been told has the most beautiful stones (and I have seen some of their collection).

Talking about the beach - another of my very Happy Days this week was when My Man and I went for a nice long walk along our local beach and enjoyed such a great swim at Darook Beach.  I love the ocean.  I love warm sunny days.  I just love being in Nature.  I especially love floating on my back in the water - love it!!!  I didn't take my camera and it was nice being so Present to the day - I love my camera and love taking photos and sometimes it seems that you miss being in the moment, sometimes.  And how great that I found this great picture on the internet - this is Darook - it is a beautiful paradise.

I definitely look forward to many more Happy Days just enjoying our local beach.  It is one of my greatest joys.

And so after a few weeks holiday it was back to work today.  I have really enjoyed having a rest - sleeping in, sometimes even having an afternoon nap - just time to relax - I couldn't believe how tired I have been over the last few weeks.  And yet today, I was happy to get up early so that I could enjoy some "me time", some quiet time, before heading to work.  I was organised in allowing time to snooze my alarm clock twice, enjoyed some quiet time reading inspiration for about 5 minutes and then went Walking to the Bay, one of my favourite places.  I love being outdoors - even when it started pouring rain and I had no umbrella, I felt happy to just be alive and out enjoying the start to the day.  I realise that it would be easy to sleep in, usually this is a much easier option and yet by making a Commitment to get up and get out before work, I can have the best chance of having Happy Days.

On my walk today I was thinking about thoughts and our ability to change our thoughts.  I am usually conscious of not getting caught up in my thoughts when I am out in Nature (as I do not want to miss the beauty that surrounds me), usually only allowing myself a certain part of the walk or a set time to allow thinking, although always open for inspiration.  I was thinking that it would be easy for me to not have a happy day at work, especially since my Team Leading role is separate to my lifework of being a Life Coach - and yet I can choose positive, happy thoughts.

I was reflecting that my thoughts are not me, they are just a perception.  And from my own experience and witnessing this in others, I see how negative thoughts just attracts more negativity - more negative thoughts or negative people - contributing to us feeling lousy, unhappy, powerless.  And I am on a mission to have Happy Days and so I came up with an easy acronym for a process to help put negative thoughts at an arm's length away:

A - Awareness - Being an observer to my thoughts can help me identify if I am being negative or holding thoughts that do not serve me - I may not speak these thoughts but even internally thinking them is keeping my mind busy and not bringing me peace.  Sometimes just an Awareness of my thoughts, "hmm, that's interesting..." can be enough to allow me to move on in a different direction, without any negative thoughts attaching to other thoughts.  The key for me is to not be caught up thinking or overthinking, the Goal for me is to be present in the moment.

R - Reframe - With recurring thoughts that do not serve me, I can Reframe them, look at it from another angle - what is another way I can think about this person, person's behaviour, situation?  I can think of at least 5 other explanations or possibilities?  I can reframe the negative thoughts to have a positive spin - at least for 2-3 new thoughts - by moving to a positive thought - positivity attracts positivity

M - ME - "If it's to be, it's up to ME" - What is in my Power?  What can I change?  I love the Serenity Prayer, "God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference".  I can reflect what is the message for me and what choices do I have to make changes within my sphere of control - this allows me to feel empowered.

- Acceptance - perhaps I can just accept this situation and let this go from my worrying and overthinking
- Alteration - I can choose a pattern breaker to alter my thoughts that are not serving me - for example, every time I have a thought that is not serving me, such as thinking about a past issue that I cannot change, I can image a bright red STOP sign to help me stop thinking these thoughts

- Affirmation - I can say a positive affirmation to strengthen new beliefs 

- Action - perhaps I can speak to someone or change something to make this situation or relationship better
- Attitude - I can choose to look at the positives and as I look at the situation in a new positive light, I will begin to gather evidence that will support these new thoughts, with the Reticular Activating System in my brain activated to support me (a good example of when the RAS is activated is when you may buy a new car - let's say a Ford Focus - your friend suggests this car to you, you buy one, and then you see them so often, much more than you ever noticed them before, it seems that a lot of new people have also just bought this new car - actually your RAS is just activated so that your attention is alerted) - so I can choose to say I enjoy my work and I will begin to see evidence that supports this belief.

I love that in Positive Psychology in defining Happiness, for a rich and meaningful life, this will involve a range of different emotions and I love that I have learnt to sit with the depth and darkness of pain and sorrow and be so present to joy in my life.  And I also believe I can be active in having Happy Days, whether that involves a walk in Nature, or simply me choosing how I choose to look at every day.  I don't want to waste my days or life, just feeling that I am in Groundhog Day or "I hate Mondays" or "I hate work" - I intend to Love My Life and be Grateful for all of the Gifts in my life.  A ritual that I love, that I intend to make time for every night, is to name 3-5 things that I am Grateful for from my day and it is important for me to thank God and Spirit - to be Grateful to God and Spirit - to pray, to reflect, to rejoice.

So here's to many and most Happy Days in 2011!!!

Letting Go Of My Past

In the last few weeks, probably in the last few months, I have been very Conscious of wanting to be in the Now and Letting Go Of My Past.  There are many life experiences in my Past that have led me to my Present moment and yet these life experiences and relationships do come up in conversation and take up my mental energy.  I also had concerns about storing pain from my Past in my body, that I was carrying emotions that are causing aches in my back and a heaviness on my shoulders.  

I am so Grateful that I was blessed with a happy childhood, with the Abundance of Love.  From my Past I carry these Gifts of Love, Joy, Gratitude and a Positive Attitude.  

And I have also carried the sorrow and sadness of the last 8-10 years.  I have carried the pain and darkness and black memories of marriage and divorce and times of depression.  I have carried the feelings of rejection by others and also by myself.  I have carried the burden of wearing masks, searching for love and acceptance, searching for love and acceptance and happiness outside of myself.  I have carried guilt and regret.  I have made bad decisions.  I have carried stress and pressure in my Career when I have been working in areas that do not make my heart sing.  Many times I have not listened to my Intuition when I have been at the crossroads.

And yet all is different for me now.  And I am Grateful for my Path and my Journey.  I Trust all of my life experiences have served me.  The experience of getting married and divorced taught me the importance of being in my Heart and following my Intuition.  It has also served to remind me of the importance of Divine Love and Divine Union.  My experiences of being in depression, down in the dark, black hole taught me so much about the blackness.  In my blackness, I am so Grateful that my Mum and some very kind friends sat with me - they didn't try to pull or push me, they just sat with me.  When I found my way back to the Light, I felt Inspired to work and help people, to work in Service.  My Past experiences Inspired me to become a Coach, to catch people who may be about to fall into a black hole or to work with people so that they find their own Light and Love of Self and Create a Life they Love.  As a Coach I also have deep empathy and compassion for all others, and I also feel that I can see the signs as possible check-ins around support and care if people are in distress.  I have also been Grateful for the many relationships that have served me to better understand myself and others.  It was only when I decided last year what I deserved and wrote a list of everything I deserved in an intimate relationship that my Man appeared in my life.  The 4 years before then, I question my own level of self-worth, where I often settled for less than what I deserved.  In my work as a Coach I am Inspired to help Clients realise their own Love of Self, their Uniqueness and Greatness and also work with them to be clear about their Heart's desires and put their Dreams into ACTION.  

I am Grateful for my Past and all of these lessons will serve me in my Lifework as a Coach.  And yet I also want to let go of the heaviness and the pain.  I feel like all of these life experiences in the last decade are chapters in a book and I am putting the book on the bookshelf - the book is closed.  By closing the book, I can be truly and absolutely Present in my new book.

I definitely see the benefits of looking back on the Past to acknowledge the lessons and Gifts.  There are also benefits to seeing the Jewels of the Past - perhaps activities or adventures that I loved - the Gems that brought me Aliveness and Joy. I am able to look back over my Career and this has given me clues for my Purpose of Spread The Yellow.  For me I also recently remembered how much I loved sewing and I can't wait to sew again.  I also always remember how much I love Running and yet for now this is in my Past.  Even today when I caught a sight of the 'City To Surf'' I remembered how much I loved Running.  And yet I do not want to waste my mental energy or even conversation around what I "used to do" - instead I can Trust that I will run again and for NOW I will enjoy Walking and Yoga and weekend resting.  I will enjoy NOW.

Last weekend I enjoyed the 'Life Quality and Design' Course and it was wonderful to Create a Vision  Board for my Life that involves: Love ever after, loving being a Mum, Connection with Friends, Balance, Health and Self-Care, Space and Calm at Home, Space for my Coaching, Community Service, Space for Creativity of Sewing, Craft, Writing, Photography.  At the Centre is My Yellow Heart - Love, Light, Truth and Peace. 

Over the weekend I also realised that there was a Part in me that has been keeping me stuck in the Past.  A Part of me that was trying to Protect me.  This Part of me has been around a long time, probably about 10 years and was always the Part that was searching for more, searching and curious and always wanting to do something different, always collecting ideas and thinking and thinking and thinking.  This Part of me creates clutter in my home, office, mind.  And yet I have realised that I can release this Part of me, as I am now very clear about my Life Design and can be more organised and focused - I can live in simplicity and with Space.

I have been talking to my own Coach about a Letting Go Of My Past ritual, and yet it now seems ironic, as by talking about my Past I have been still keeping it alive.  Now that I have a clear Life Design, and the Vision is so clear, I do not want to waste energy.  I want to be focused and I also want to allow Space for the rising of my Spirit.  At the end of the Course, I realised that the ritual for me was about walking out the door and leaving the Past behind me, the charge associated with my Past, the time wasted talking or thinking about my Past.  It was a decision and a Commitment.  I do believe - as one door closes, another door opens.

As I walked out the door of my classroom I felt light and free.  And it made me laugh when I was driving home and saw the number plate "BE FREE" - the Universe is in full support of me.

In Letting Go Of My Past I can enjoy the NOW.  I enjoy Peace.  I feel free in my mind and live in My Yellow Heart.  I enjoy being in the moment with my Man.  Last Saturday night was a year since my Man and I enjoyed our first date and he surprised me with "Terrific Tapas" and we enjoyed a great night.

I am Grateful for the Gifts each day, the surprises and delights.  Just today when I was getting ready to begin my day, I was invited by a Friend to join her and her two children on a trip to see the whales at Kurnell.  I only had 5 minutes to get ready and I embraced the opportunity and loved being out in the sunshine and catching up with my Friend.  And then today I enjoyed a lunch with my Man's Mum and Friends and I was able to just relax and be Present.

Letting Go Of My Past means that I AM NOW FREE.  I make the Commitment to Honour NOW and Trust in my Future.  I make the Commitment to not waste my energy in my mind or in ACTION.  I am Grateful for the Gift of my Life.  I Honour My Self.

Healthy Sources of Energy

We had a great night last night - out with my Man and his Friends.  We went out to a Thai Restaurant and enjoyed great food and wine, stories, chatting and laughter.  I love laughing.  Laughing for me is definitely one of my Healthy Sources Of Energy.

And today has been a day of relaxation, which I have loved.  I remember the days when I had every minute of my life planned and I was always on the go - now I love the opportunity to relax and recharge.  I have also enjoyed looking at my College work today, which is my lifework and a hobby.  Unlike when I was at University years ago, I love my College work, it is not a chore at all.  I love that it offers me the opportunity for my own Growth and I love continually learning to help me with Coaching my Clients.

For my College work and for my Self-Development, I have been looking at Distractions and Energy Leaks.  In 'Take Time For Your Life' by Cheryl Richardson there are some good reminders for me of how I used to be and how I do not want to be again - this part resonates with me "Another common way to keep the adrenaline flowing is to spread yourself too thin.  Investing your time and energy in too many areas causes stress and anxiety.  Instead of working on too many projects at once, pursuing multiple business ideas, or getting involved with too many organisations, narrow your focus.  Decide to do one or two things well, and channel your energy.  Too many irons in the fire give the illusion of getting a lot accomplished, but it's usually less productive."

As I tune my awareness to Energy Leaks and Distractions "of what triggers my body into fight or flight response, even on a subtle level", I really like the opportunity to consider how I replace this in my own life with Healthy Sources Of Energy (or fuel).  In the book 'Take Time For Your Life' by Cheryl Richardson, she talks about the "energy that comes from a higher source - the kinds of fuel that give you the power to do all that you want to do and contribute to your overall health and wellbeing.  Living a high-quality, whole life is a long-distance event.  Give yourself plenty of good fuel you need to sustain yourself."

I review the "What's Fueling You" List and check the good sources already in my life and I am conscious of what I still may need to Consciously bring into my life.  Cheryl Richardson explains "These are the things that will fuel you in a way that contributes to the quality of your life... give yourself 2 points for every item checked.  Tally each section individually and multiply by 2.  Then, combine the scores from each section for a grand total.  With 100 points available, how did you do?  If you score is low, don't worry.  Now that you have more time and energy available, it will be easier to consistently add more of these types of energy sources to your life."  In doing this Activity I decide to give myself either a 0, 1 or 2 which helps me avoid the black or white, yes or no, and allows space for the sometimes and I want more.  If I feel like I do have some progress in this area and I would still like to make some improvement, I will rank this Area at a 1.
 
Relationships
- I enjoy the company of special friends -1
- I share my life with my soulmate - 2
- I have a blood family or chosen family with whom I feel close - 2
- I get immense pleasure from spending time with children - 2
- I have a pet that brings me joy and provides me with unconditional love - 0
- I spend time having fun with people who make me laugh - 2
- I am part of a loving and supportive community -1
- I have relationships that stimulate me intellectually - 2
- I have people I can turn to in times of need - 2
- I have relationships where I feel intimately connected to others - 2
16/20

Environment
- I have a special 'soul nurturing' place in my home just for me - 0
- I listen to my favourite music regularly - 1
- I love my sense of style and feel good in the clothes I wear - 1
- I've let go of all the 'stuff' I no longer need - 0
- I keep fresh flowers in my home and office - 2
- My home is neat, clean and well organised - 1
- I create beauty around me - 1
- I love the neighbourhood I live in - 2
- My bedroom is the perfect place to get a good night's sleep - 2
- I have at least one room with a beautiful view that I enjoy - 1
11/20

Body, Mind and Spirit
- I exercise regularly -2
- I have eliminated caffeine from my diet - 1
- I have a way that eliminates stress and keeps me centred - 2
- I eat healthy and nutritious foods -1
- I care for my body with regular healthcare checkups and bodywork appointments - 2
- Each day I read something inspirational to keep my attitude positive - 2
- I have a Spiritual practice that connects me with my Wise Self - 1
- I feel a strong connection to a power greater than myself - 2
- I set aside regular time for solitude and silence - 2
- I have a safe and healthy outlet for my emotional wellbeing - 2
17/20

Work
- I enjoy my work - 1
- My commute is stress free - 2
- I have a mentor who guides and encourages me - 0
- I always take lunch breaks - 2
- I have colleagues who inspire and respect me - 2
- I take mental health days when I need them - 1
- I feel energised at the end of most work days - 1
- My office is a beautiful space that's well organised and free from distractions - 0
- My work contributes to a larger Vision that I have for my life - 1
- My ideas and talents are welcome at work - 1
11/20

Money
- I always carry enough cash with me - 1
- I have a system to keep my finances in order, and I know where my money goes - 1
- I am fully insured and protected - 2
- I save money consistently - 0
- My taxes are paid and up to date - 2
- I've made smart investments that earn very well -1
- I enjoy being generous and easily share my wealth - 2
- I pay myself first - 0
- I spend my money on things that I love - 2
- I pay my credit cards in full each month - 0
11/20

My Total Score = 66/100


I am surprised that I am only at 66 out of 100, and then another Part of me is not that surprised as I know that Environment, Work and Money are Areas that need my attention.  I am Excited that by having a look at the list of different Areas, by chunking it down to specifics, I am able to see opportunities for me to bring more Healthy Sources Of Energy into my life.

I am enjoying these Yang Processes and yet I am feeling my Yin Part of me calling to check in with my Intuition to get a feel of Next Steps plus bring in some images to bring possibilities to life for me.  In terms of Relationships I have a sense that of most importance to me is Connection with my Man on a daily basis  (this week I think we'll put on some music and have fun dancing, as well as enjoy some  Nature walks).

It is also important for me to maintain Connection with Friends and also be proactive in joining in with Community through the Bookstore and Church.

In terms of my Environment, this week I plan to listen to more music that I enjoy, at home and in my car.   I love music, I love when I put music on at home when I am cooking and I love listening to music driving to work, it definitely gets me energised for my day.

And I plan to keep my living area and kitchen free of clutter and organised.  I am not going to make a Commitment to organise my Office - this is a big job, and I want to be realistic and have the time to be able to focus my energy - and so for this week, it is just small Next Steps.


For my Body, Mind, Spirit I am also making a Commitment to enjoy at least 15-30 minutes of Meditation every day - this is important.  This week I will use this as the Opportunity to Connect with my Wise Self.  This is the image that I feel resonates with me when I talk about my Wise Self, the Sage Part of me.

The Area of Work is a BIG one for me.  While I love my Coaching, I also have a sense of wanting to be bringing more of my Self and my skills to my Monday-Wednesday job and I also want to put more energy into building my Business.  For me this week I am just going to hold myself Accountable to finalising the requirements for my Coaching Advertisement.

Money is also an Area that requires my attention.  There has been a huge change in this Area for me, directly related to my decisions regarding Work.  I make a BIG decision to not go back into a Management, Corporate, Full-Time role once I was made redundant so that I could be true to my Journey of becoming a Coach.  And this has been the right decision - even though it has had a huge impact on my Financial situation - and I trust that this struggle is just short-term.  For this week I am planning to be conscious of living to my Budget and keeping a record of where I am spending my Money.

I am also looking forward to reading my notes from College about "Invest in Your Financial Health" - sounds like a perfect topic for me.

I am Excited to know that with all of this Self-Reflection via all of these Yang Processes and Activities, there is the opportunity to work with a Coach and so perhaps this is where there will be space for getting insights from my Intuitive Yin and Emotional Yin Parts of me.  As I am so connected with my Feminine, Intuitive and Emotional Yin, I do welcome the opportunity to get my Yang Part of me working for me, taking ACTION.

All of these Processes are fantastic by offering the Opportunity to look at all Areas of Life.   I am Excited to use them as Exercises in Coaching with my Clients and to add them to my Toolkit.

Consciously Design My Life

In a few weeks I am Training in 'Life Quality and Design'.  What I love about my Coaching Course is that it offers me the opportunity to learn and grow and undertake the Processes which may help my Clients on their Journey.

I love the Ideal Scene Activity which allows me to Consciously Design My Life.  It is essentially based on the question "What do you want?"  The key in this opportunity is to talk to from a place of I Am...talking from a position of the Future Self.

Romance and Family

- I am Married to my Man - we are in love - we are active in loving and supporting each other

- We have 2 beautiful, healthy Children who bring us so much joy

- Spending time together and with our Children are our Priorities

Family and Friends

- We spend time with our Family on a weekly basis 

- My Mum and Dad and my Man's Mum enjoy time with our children

- We always welcome Family and Friends to our home

Community

- We make it a Priority to be involved in Community, to give our time and financial support

- We support 4 children in overseas Countries - 1 child for each Member of our Family

- We donate money to Communities living in poverty

- We are also part of a Church Community and Neighbourhood Community

Physical Environment

- We live in a 4 bedroom home - we love our home

- Our home is close to the beach, where we regularly visit the ocean

- I have an outdoor Space - which offers 2 areas - an area for Coaching and Meditation - and an area for Creation - which paints and colouring crayons, textas and pencils and art paper and symbols and sand play and images - a place for my Family, Friends, Children and Coaching Clients

- The outdoor rooms are in a Cottage space with a beautiful outdoor area for drinking cups of tea and reading books

- We also have another undercover outdoor area where we regularly sit with our Family and enjoy time together

- My home is organised and uncluttered - I make time every day to be organised (I have a timetable for my housework and shopping) and there is space for everything - there is space in the bookshelves for new books and my cupboards are so organised with my clothes and study organised and in order
- My home is always neat and tidy and I am not concerned if Family, Friends, Neighbours come over at anytime

- Once a year we have a Springclean and have a garage sale and give to those less fortunate - clothes, toys, books - whatever we no longer need

Health

- We eat healthy food, including organic fruit and vegetables
- I eat fish once a week and sometimes organic meat and I am very conscious of eating animals
- I love cooking healthy food and healthy treats for my Family and I believe in Balance and I enjoy chocolate and treats guilt-free (on the weekends)

- I love walking for fitness - I walk 4-5 times/ week
- I love being back to running, now that I have had children, and I am trusting how my body feels

- I love Yoga - I go to a Yoga class at least twice a week

- I allow myself time to rest from exercise guilt-free

- We walk as a Family

- We enjoy Bushwalks

- Sleep is a Priority - 7 to 8 hours a night

- Meditation is a Priority - 30 minutes/ day and also Meditating with my Husband and Children

- I am in good shape and feel happy with my physical being
- I love my clothes, I dress for myself, I enjoy my style - and my clothes are very organised in my wardrobe

Career

- I have a successful Coaching Business - I love being a Coach - I work with 10-15 Clients/ week

- I feel confident being a Coach - I feel I offer a Sacred Space - an opportunity for Process and Action

- I feel confident working with Clients to help them achieve their Goals and help them experience Peace and Happiness and Self-Love

- I work solely for myself - I do go in and work for Businesses - but on a daily or contract basis

- I am able to work hard through the year and also have time off when my Man has holidays from school

- I work one on one with Clients and also run weekly, monthly and quarterly Groups

- Meditation and Transpersonal Tools and Techniques, helping people get in touch with their Unconscious, is a major part of my work

- I am a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation

- I attend the Yearly ICF Conference

- I also have a Business Spread The Yellow which specialises in the sales of Products and also has Motivational Seminars for Schools and Business encouraging Connection and Consciously Choosing to help Make A Difference for others

Self-Development

- As a Successful Coach, I attend at least 1 or 2 Seminars or Training Workshops per year to keep learning and broadening my Professional Capabilities - including Shadow Work, Archetypes, Dreamwork, Shadow work, Sand Play, Art Therapy

- Every week I make time to read Blogs and Articles on the Internet to continually broaden my understanding to help my Clients

- Every month I read at least one new Self-Development Book - I run a Women's Bookclub

- I Journal and Blog regularly and make time for Self-Reflection - monitoring my Shadow, my Yin/Yang, my Archetypes 

Fun and Recreation

- We make it a Priority to spend time outdoors and in nature together as a Family

- At home we enjoy sitting together for dinner every night and we love playing board games and having a laugh together

- We take adventures together - day trips - to see new and exciting destinations and favourite places and we enjoy the simple and beautiful places and delights in life

- My Man and I enjoy a date night at least once a month - just the two of us

- Every year on our Anniversary we enjoy a night away to honour our Love

- At least once a month I gather with female friends for movie, dinner, afternoon or morning tea

Financial

- We are financially organised - we have a budget that allows room and freedom for flexibility

- We have a savings plan that allows us to travel once a year interstate and every few years travelling internationally

- My Superannuation is organised

- Our Wills are up-to-date

- We have money to shout Family and Friends to lunch, dinner, activities
- We are active in contributing to Charity 

Creative Expression

- Music and Dance is a big part of our household

- Most nights we put music on (rather than the TV) and we Dance and have fun together

- We make time for Art - there is always paints and textas and crayons and pencils and artpaper on hand

- We enjoy having a Garden and growing our own herbs and beautiful, fragrant flowers

- We write love letters and notes to each other 

- We openly express our feelings and acknowledge feelings in each other and make it okay to be real

I love that I can see a clear Vision for My Future and I love being in Meditation with these hopes and dreams within my Heart.  As I Consciously Design My Life in my Mind's Eye through Meditation, I feel Excited and Inspired to take ACTION.  I have a strong sense I need to bring in more Yang into my life to balance out my Yin - more Yang, more doing.  And having Balance and relaxation and making time to be in Nature is also very important.

I love that I can use Meditation and Coaching Tools and Techniques to help me on my Journey where I can Coach myself.  And I also recognise the Power of the Coaching Relationship and so I love that I am currently working with my own Life Coach to help me Consciously Design My Life today and every day and as I look towards a wonderful and bright Future.

By taking the time to Consciously Design My Life I have also activated the Law Of Attraction and also the Reticular Activating System in my Brain to find solutions and answers and present opportunities and possibilities to help me move closer to this Dream for my Life.

By just taking this time to see a Clear Vision for my Future I feel lighter and brighter and full of love and light and life.

As I have included a list for each Area of my Life, which is presenting an Ideal Scenario for me, I can also Consciously Choose to take ACTION NOW and make this Dream a REALITY.

Within My Power

Today I have so many concerns and worries.  I am worried about my Mum's health.  I am worried about my Dad.  I am worried about my Brother.  I am worried and I am upset.

My day starts off well.  I wake up earlier than normal (even after pressing the snooze button a few times), seeing my Values on the wall and I choose Health and Nature as my Priorities.  I just love being Outdoors.  I love Walking and taking the time to enjoy the beautiful world around me.  I eat healthy all day - huge salad sandwich for lunch - and healthy pasta dish for dinner.  I love being healthy.  

And while I am doing everything I can do to look after myself today, Self-Care, there are clouds above me and shadows around me, a quiet sadness.  I have been Conscious about getting in touch with my Yin and using the Strength and Confidence in my communication.   And so I decide to bring my Yang into power in my personal life - communicating to my Family what matters to me, what matters to our Family. This afternoon I make my Family a Priority.  I leave work early to do everything I can to help with some difficult situations.  

I realise today that I can only work Within My Power - I can only do what I can do.  And so I speak to my Mum and Dad and my Brother and Sister-In-Law and I do everything I can, Within My Power, to help improve this situation. 

I have been talking a lot, even in my Coaching - about working within one's Sphere of Control.  Tonight I refer to 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' by Stephen Covey, one of my favourite books - he talks about the Circle of Influence and the Circle of Concern.  I like what he writes -

"Proactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Influence.  They work on the things they can do something about.  The nature of their energy is positive, enlarging and magnifying, causing their Circle of Influence to increase.  Reactive people, on the other hand, focus their efforts in the Circle of Concern.  They focus on the weakness of other people, the problems in the environment, and circumstances over which they have no control.  Their focus results in blaming and accusing attitudes, reactive language, and increased feelings of victimisation.  The negative energy generated by that focus, combined with neglect in areas they could do something about, causes their Circle of Influence to shrink."

I love that Coaching helps people develop an Internal Focus for Change - "Developing an Internal Focus means enabling the Client to make a transition from seeing the source and solution of a problem in others, or the situation, to within themselves.  Rather than externalising their problem the Client begins to recognise their own Choices about the way they think, feel and act or react.  These choices effect the Client's experience of, and relationship to, the issue or problem."

After referring to Stephen Covey's book and my College notes, I realise that I cannot lose sleep tonight, I cannot keep talking over and over to my Man about how worried I am - I can speak from my heart and offer my help to my Family - and most importantly I can offer love to my Family.  And rather than worrying about what might happen, I can just focus on the Now - focusing my energy, thoughts and emotions  within my Circle of Influence - working Within My Power.

As a Life Coach, it is important that I Coach myself, and live by the principles that Make A Difference.  Not only is this important - this is my life - I have a Vision to Spread The Yellow - and even though there are times I don't feel Yellow - I still have Choices of how I act, react and think.  I am Inspired by the image of my Goddess - I am glad that in being a Visual person I can so easily bring this image to my mind's eye.

Now is the time to be the Goddess.

Soul Purpose

I am reading 'Soulcraft' by Bill Plotkin - I have heard that this book is life changing - I would agree.  Each word is wonderful and yet I would like to include some paragraphs and sentences that speak to me, in terms of reflecting on Soul Purpose:

- "The individual Soul is the core of our human nature, the reason for which we were born, the essence of our specific life purpose, and ours alone.  Yet our true nature is at first a mystery to our everyday mind.  To recover our inmost secrets, we must venture into the inner/ outer wilderness, where we shall find our essential nature waiting for us."

- "By Soul I mean the vital, mysterious and wild core of our individual selves, an essence unique to each person, qualities found in layers of the self much deeper than our personalities.  By Spirit I mean the single, great and eternal mystery that permeates and animates everything in the universe and yet transcends all.  Ultimately, each Soul exists as an agent for Spirit."

- "Soul embraces and calls us toward what is most unique in us.  Spirit encompasses and draws us toward what is most universal and shared."

- "The Soul is the sacred realm of our most heartfelt purposes, our unique meanings, and the ultimate significance of our individual lives.  Soul holds the keys to our central lessons - and to the gifts that are ours and ours alone to carry to others."

- "As you delve into the mysteries of your Soul, you discover your core powers and learn to integrate them into your daily choices and actions."

- "Soul shows us how we, as individuals, are different (in a community-affirming way) from everybody else.  Spirit shows us how we are no different from anything else, how we are one with all that exists.  In relation to Spirit, everyone has the same lessons to learn; for example, compassion and loving-kindness toward all beings, as Buddhism teaches.  Our relationship to Spirit makes possible the experience and expression of such universal transpersonal qualities as unconditional love, perennial wisdom, and healing power.  In relation to Soul, we each have lessons and qualities as unique as our fingerprints."

- "Each of us is born with a treasure, an essence, a seed of quiescent potential, secreted for safekeeping in the centre of our being.  This treasure, this personal quality, power, talent, or gift (or set of qualities), is ours to develop, embody, and offer to our communities through acts of service - our contributions to a more diverse, vital, and evolved world.  Our personal destiny is to become that treasure through our actions."

I know that so many of the paragraphs and words sound the same - and yet I just love these words - I love this whole area of Soul Purpose.

After reading these great words in my book this morning, I enjoy a Meditation.  I just love Meditation.  I find it is a wonderful way to get in touch with my Yin, my Inner world.  In my Meditation, I have a feeling of people in a line - 3 or more and they are in dark clothes, almost like a dark shadow is above and around them - and I reach into their being, into their heart and bring them to life - find the Yellow and light in them - and then they SHINE.  This image warms my heart.

In my Meditation, I then have a sense of climbing down into the depths of my being, where at the very bottom of a well, there is my Yellow heart.  When I reach my Yellow heart, it rises up, to the surface, just rising above the level of the grass.  I love being with my Yellow heart, sitting with my Yellow heart.  I see a visual in my mind's eye of me diving in the ocean, deep in the ocean and I find my Yellow heart, my treasure.

I also see a visual of me diving into the water with others - as they find their Soul Purpose - I give them space - and I witness them - they know I am there with them - they know that I am close - yet I give them space and freedom to explore.  As we dive, we have oxygen, and yet we do not feel constricted by our gear.

In the Meditation, I also have a sense of the forming of community - of stick figures - 1 - then 1 + 1 - then 1 + 1 + 1 (1 invites another and then that 1 invites another) - the stick figures form a circle.

I also see an image of me sitting in my Coaching room with a Client - it is good seeing me sharing space with a Client.  In the Meditation, there are some instructions for my Yang - a step that I can take this week to promote my business.  I love Meditation.  I love my Yin giving my Yang direction in the Next Steps to take - the ACTION towards my Vision.

I love in my Mediation that I see the image of me sending out thousands of Yellow bubbles - there are so many - I love sending out Yellow bubbles - wanting them to reach potential Clients.

               

As well as reading 'Soulcraft' this afternoon, I also enjoy reading my College notes on Vision and Purpose.  After my Meditation, I am reminded of how much I want to work with Clients in their Quest to find their Soul Purpose and live their Vision.

Some of the key definitions that are important to understand for me and for my Coaching are:

- Values - Who I Am

- Purpose - An Expression of Who I Am
- Vision - An Expression of My Sense of Purpose - What matters, what I want.

In terms of Purpose:
- What gives meaning?
- What’s your medicine?
- What’s your Gift?
- What are you here to experience?
- What is your Life Purpose?

In terms of VISION:
- What do you want to do with your Sense of Purpose
- What do you want to see for yourself and your world.

While Vision can change, Purpose is a consistent running theme - you could be anywhere and it would be the same - it is the experience you bring about consistently - if you weren't doing it or it was blocked or deleted you would feel lost/ sad/ unfulfilled - you can't help yourself from doing your Purpose.

I am blessed that just a couple of months ago I was able to get in touch with my Soul Purpose - Spread The Yellow.  These words came to me, out of the blue, while on my way to College to study a Course on 'Vision and Purpose'.  I then created a statement of 'From a Place of Love, Spread The Yellow To Serve (Others and Myself) To Make A Difference'.

An activity that we enjoyed during College - for the purpose of helping us get in touch with our Purpose - was to get feedback from the people who know us.  We each had a cardboard hand with our name on it, and everyone in the Class took time to write heartfelt words about one another - asking questions of - what do you experience about me?  This was such a special experience - the Gift of words mean so much.  I treasure the words from my friends from College, when I read them again tonight, the words warm my heart:

- Yellow = Giving

- Pure sunshine radiant

- Energy and light and SO MUCH LOVE

- Just FABULOUS!! You do Spread The Yellow

- Energetically generous

- Bright

- Positive

- Playful childlike wonder

- Considerate, caring, enthusiastic, loving

- Exuberance

- Good intention

- Honest and genuine

- Lightness

- Energised and colourful as well as bright

- Unending light

- Alive.

I am so touched to receive such beautiful words.

In knowing my Soul Purpose, this has changed my life.  I feel that every day is a Gift.  I am also able to have a clear intention every day.  By knowing my Soul Purpose this Awareness and Consciousness helps me in making decisions and taking action and working out my priorities.

I am very Excited to be a Life Coach and I look forward to working with my Clients to help them find their Uniqueness, their Greatness, their Light, their Soul Purpose.  I feel very honoured to be a Life Coach.