A safe harbor where beliefs are respected and kindness prevails.

Believing Is Seeing

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fotolia_18145709_Subscription_LThat’s right. I’ve lost my mind again. Shouldn’t the title of this article read, “Seeing is believing”?

Well, only if you need to prove something that is already in the past. The idea of merely seeing in order to believe comes across as old news now. What we should always choose is the act of believing, which will ultimately leads to “seeing.” This is especially true when we are creating the health and fitness we desire in our lives.

You see, part of the spirit, mind and body connection is becoming aware that anything you desire in life should first begin as a consistent thought filled with emotion.

The health and fitness you desire can only take shape if you place your thoughts and emotions within that construct consistently. You have to dream big, and feel as if you are already living with this dream of complete health.

When you do this, the idea is engrained into your subconscious mind. This, in turn, becomes your belief. If you believe you already are this healthy, fit body in your subconscious, then all of your daily thoughts and actions will guide you to making it a reality!

All of this happens with much less effort and frustration then if you had attempted to use sheer will to create the health you desired.

Your level of awareness becomes one of a healthy, fit person. It literally becomes a part of who you are.

Perhaps you are stuck or struggling with your health and fitness right now. Maybe you can’t seem to find the motivation to do anything except hope somehow your health will magically improve on its own?

That is the level of awareness at which you exist right now. In order for you to raise your level of awareness, you must become the person you desire to be. To become this desired person you must allow yourself to believe this person already exists!

Most people would say I am putting the cart before the horse, but in fact I am not.

I have worked with plenty of clients who, once they have embraced this first step, have been able to overcome all the obstacles and self-sabotage that stopped them in the past.

I would gently offer this thought. What you have believed and done in the past has not given you the results you desire. Does it make sense to continue to believe and do the same thing again and expect a better result? How can that possibly be effective?

It is time to claim the health and fitness you deserve. Begin to create that dream body and health you have always desired. Create it in your mind first, and make it so real and exciting that it drives you to do what is needed in order to create it.

Here’s a good example. In computer terminology you must write the software before the computer can make it happen. The computer is a servant to the software that is installed. You must install the software of your dream body and health into your subconscious. Then you’re subconscious will awaken within you your potential to make it happen!

I received an email today form a client with whom I have been working for several months.

She mentioned that, up until recently, she had not been able to see beyond what she had always seen in the mirror. She felt she was unattractive, unworthy of being loved, and overweight. She couldn’t even pass by a mirror or walk by a store window without looking away. I am sure we can, to some degree, understand that her software was one of being un-loveable.

As we began to work together, we decided to “write a new software” for her. It was one filled with her dream body and life. At first she couldn’t grasp the concept, but she kept visualizing. As the weeks went on she did her exercises and ate only healthy food. Suddenly, the weight began to come off at the rate of about two pounds per week!

Even with everything going well, she still had moments of disbelief. This was only because she was so used to her old way of thinking. We pushed on, focusing only on her dream body and life. Weeks turned into months, and now, after three months she sees her dream body in the mirror.

She has come to see beyond what the mirror is reflecting, and can now visualize her potential to make things happen. More importantly, she now believes she is already the person she has always desired to be. Now her body only needs to undergo the process of catching up.

This client went from being unable to believe, to understanding the power of her subconscious, and then becoming the person she has always desired.

Do you think you are different from this woman? Do you believe that your circumstances are more challenging? I would tell you they are not.

I always have clients proving to me that anyone, no matter what their conditions, can overcome all obstacles of the past and achieve the health and dream body they have always desired.

I know you are someone who will do the same.

I am here to help you on this journey.

I wish for you Vibrant Health!

What I Learned When the Lights Went Out

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(and my dogs)

When the lights go out - Soulcial Living

Weather wise, the last few weeks have been a little crazy here in the Midwest. We’ve had more rain and severe thunderstorms than we’ve had in years. (Kind of interesting after the crazy winter we had. That’s another article.)

These storms caused incredible damage from flooding, fallen trees and downed wires. Although we were blessed to avoid the tree and water damage, we did lose power for a few days. That seems like a nuisance compared to my mom and brother who lost all of the belongings in their basements and that same brother had a 125 year old tree land smack down on the middle of his roof causing the structure of his house to be stressed and compromised.

So what did I learn (or re-learn I must say) when the lights went out? A few simple things that we often take for granted.

  1. Always be prepared – By having at least a days’ worth of fresh coffee grounds and a French press ready. When the power’s out the last thing you want is to be without your morning cup of java! Water helps and so does food. We ate a lot of PBJ’s.
  2. You can live without electronics – I know you’re thinking WHAT? It’s true. If I can do it, anyone can. Instead of picking up my iPad, I picked up the book on my night table. Instead of jumping on Facebook I actually had heart-felt conversations with my mom and my husband. <3
  3. Be nice to your neighbors – That’s right! When it’s really dark out its good to know you can count on the people next door, especially when they have things that you don’t, like a generator.
  4. It’s just stuff – Having experienced the loss of most of my belongings in a devastating house fire, this one is a little easier for me to connect with than some people. The truth is, material things can be replaced and if they can’t, you’ll always have the memory. Because ….
  5. Friends and family are what really matter – (along with those great neighbors) who better to spend your time with then the people (and animals) you love most? Whether the lights are on or not doesn’t really matter.

As the hours turned into days I watched my dogs very closely. They were not phased one bit. As long as they had food, water, play time, a place to nap and were able to hang out with us, they were happy. Which reminded me that we always have a choice on how we are going to look at things, no matter how long the lights are out. Or, as my husband says, no matter how dark it gets you can choose light! Blissings!

 

 

Love Your Life

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R&S Photo 1This is the inaugural article of “Themes for Life”, a monthly column for Simple Steps, Real Change Magazine. In our column we want to share themes from our lives that we hope will resonate with the overall themes of your life. Life is all about connections – let’s connect! This first article coincides with a big mile-stone in our personal lives. The first week of September marks an important event in our journey together. September 3, 2014, we will celebrate 28 years together. Wow! Now that’s something.

We have shared a lot of adventures in our time together. Early on we sold all of our possessions and back packed through Europe. On our first spiritual quest we moved to Cripple Creek, CO to work for and with the author-astrologer, Linda Goodman. We owned and operated a magical little retail shop in downtown Cincinnati, OH called Lefthanded Moon. For twelve years we ran a manufacturing company that was named for all things beautiful – Vertu. A few years ago we moved to Albuquerque, NM to attend a unique Massage School. Currently we find our call to service as Licensed Massage Therapists, Personal Trainers and Yoga Teachers. We’ve been together through it all – side by side, one picking up the pace when the other was tired or experiencing doubt or fear.   Today, as in the past 28 years, we own only one cell phone; we carry only one wallet and own only one car! Our friends love to tease us about this calling it “THE phone” or “THE wallet”.   How can we do this, you may ask? Well, we are together 24/7.  That’s right! We are literally now, and have been together almost every moment of every day.

We began our relationship as good friends, and as it evolved into a loving partnership, we realized that we really like being together.   We knew in those early days in Cripple Creek Colorado, a remote mountain town of 450 people, we wanted to spend as much time as possible together. At each stage in our relationship we asked the Universe to present us with opportunities to allow us to work and travel together. Wish granted. Early on we worked as bartenders and servers in the same restaurant – we had the same shifts; traveling Europe we were side-by-side from Athens to London; working in Colorado we would sit across from each other at Linda’s kitchen table; in our retail shop, it was always just the two of us; at the manufacturing company, our desks were right next to each other’s and in school for massage we studied and practiced as a team.

RS-Brad-SmithThis type of relationship is not for everyone. And even with all our togetherness, the most important component in our relationship is allowing each other to grow and develop as an individual. With a full sense of individuation, we come together to build and nurture the partnership.   We are together physically, emotionally and spiritually most of the time. But we still need and crave “me time”.   There is a relationship each of us has with ourself that needs as much nourishing and attention as any outside relationship in our life – maybe more!

Early in our relationship, when we were developing our personal spiritual practices, we discussed the possibility of reincarnation. It was then we decided to start our meditation practice so we could find each other faster the next time around. This may sound a little childlike. That’s OK. We work to keep a sense of childlike qualities in our relationship, like being open, honest and trusting.  Our practices have helped us! They help us to see, the deeper we love ourselves and the more we acknowledge our unique spark of creation and feed that spark, the more we find we are alive, happy and whole. Our journey together led us to a deeper understanding of Self Love. Without this Self-Love, our relationships dissolve into a co-dependency that leaves our Souls hungry for something deeper. The hunger is for a connection with Self first and foremost. Self-Love is a learned behavior. We need to foster and nurture it throughout our lives. We believe it is one of our greatest quests in life.

We’ve learned many things about life and living over the past three decades. One of the many things we learned from Linda Goodman was about numerology (the study of the power and the spiritual vibration of numbers, as presented by Chaldean-Hebrew Kabala). We celebrate our anniversary on the 3rd. In numerology that means our anniversary and our relationship, vibrates to the number 3. Three is described as representing idealism, higher education, foreign travel and religion. Three is the number of optimism, movement, expansion – and the Holy Trinity of the Body, Mind and Spirit.   On first read about the number three in 1989, we hoped this would come to pass. One of the many gifts of maturity is to have the opportunity to look back. As we ponder the last twenty-eight years, we realize these words…Idealism, Movement, Expansion and the Holy Trinity of Body, Mind and Spirit really do describe our relationship – it captures the essence of our lives together – seeking truth and freedom at every turn.

Our individual journey and quest for Self-Love enabled us to create our relationship of idealism, movement and expansion. Through our practices we know the companionship we hold with our Self, is what leads us to truth and opportunities for self-growth and understanding. So enter again the number three. The trilogy we are experiencing is Steve – Rob and then SteveRob. Whether or not there is a significant “other” in your life, you always have the opportunity to romance the Self and Love Your Life.

If there is no outward three in your life, create your own inner trilogy. In numerology, the number one represents creativity, protection, benevolence. ONE is the number of original action, the initiating bases of all other numbers. There cannot be a 2 or 3 without the 1.

How do you romance your Self?

Take some time each morning to be with you. Do this in meditation, yoga or journaling.

Look in the mirror each day and tell yourself, “I love you”. If in the beginning, you find this declaration of love difficult, start by winking or smiling at yourself.

Eat food that is nutritious, drink lots of water, take walks, move your body. Make the effort to quiet the ego voice so you can hear the Me voice.

Create your own trinity of Body, Mind and Spirit.

We have much gratitude for the longevity of our relationship and all the opportunities for growth it has afforded us. We also have gratitude for our individual journey and our romance with our SELF.

The love most of us seek outwardly is actually a buried treasure in our own heart. Dig for gold friends. You are richer than you know right now in this moment.  Love Your Life!

I Saw A Shooting Star

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Fotolia_59785106_Subscription_Monthly_MI usually get up early in the morning to take our dogs outside for their morning constitution, and one morning this week I saw a shooting star! It shocked and delighted me! It had been many years since I had seen one. But more importantly, it reminded me that magical things could happen at any moment…when you least expect them!

The feeling it generated in me was awesome, and every time that I think of the experience since then, I get that same delightful feeling. The feeling you got as a child when you got your first puppy, or that toy you REALLY wanted. The feeling on Christmas morning when you went out into the living room and there were all those wondrous and beautifully wrapped packages. The first time you were old enough to realize how special it was to have a birthday cake made just for you.

You may have noticed that the world is shifting into a new reality where thoughts become things rather quickly. We have known for at least 2,000 years the how your thoughts affect your life. Well baby, multiply that times a thousand and that’s what’s happening now! So start expecting magical things to happen.

You can start by remembering and writing down each morning something from your past that seemed magical. We have all had those moments. You know that feeling, childlike delightful surprise. So take a brief moment each morning and remember one of those times in your life and write it down in your own little “Book of Miracles.” If you want to have one for every morning, you will start to think about it during the day for the next mornings note.

You may find images that remind you of something…like a vacation that turned out to be more fun that you had imagined. I remember one vacation to Hawaii with a group of friends that included a trip around the island by boat to snorkel. On the way back, we sat in the front of the boat and they served us Mai Ties. We started laughing, and then the water splashed us and we laughed even harder…more splashing, more laughing! I didn’t ever remember laughing that hard for that long! It felt SO GOOD to be so carefree, in such a beautiful place with such great friends. So I will put a photo of us on that boat ride in my “Book of Miracles.”

You might remember the first time you heard some music that sent you through the roof…get an image of that album cover…easy to do on iTunes…and put it in your Book. Better yet, download the music and put it on your phone so you can listen to it again.

You might remember the scent of a certain flower or fruit. Get a picture of that and find a page for it in your Book.

How about the first time you looked in the face of your newborn child. That’s a great one!

Build your Book for 30 days, and then look at it often. Flip it open randomly and the page you open to will be your “miracle reminder” for the day.

Your delight with life will start to manifest. Who knows, perhaps you will even see your own shooting star! I’m on the lookout myself!

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