Discovering Your Way

How You Think about Life Actually Becomes Your Life

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Awhile back, as I was working with a client around the growing pains of her business, she noticed that she’d come to accept that there wasn’t any time for her personal life. Because that was her thinking, her life had become putting out one fire after another.

This alerted me to look more closely at my own thinking. For most of the past year, I’ve been telling myself that “the world” is too much for me. As a sensitive empath, it’s challenging for me to feel all the chaos. My solution had been isolating myself from the world more and more.

Recently, I realized I could shift my thinking to something more life-affirming.

I have this wonderful job in which I get to support people in proactively creating their lives and their work. My clients are willing to look within themselves and courageously create what’s important to them. It’s such a privilege to facilitate their transformations.

While I still don’t get out into the world much, I do feel better about my life because I’m thinking about how I AM contributing rather than what drains me. I’ve also given myself permission to spend more time alone in nature, reminding myself, yet again, that it restores me. I don’t need to judge it.

How You Think about Life Actually Becomes Your Life
When I think about this land and this rainbow as benevolent friends,
I feel happier and more accepting of my life as it is.

So, what about you? What have you been thinking about? What do you notice about how that has become your life?

Post your comments, experiences and insights below…

What Are These Weird Times Calling You To?

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In addition to natural disasters, racial and political unrest and mass shooting tragedy, many of my clients and friends are also experiencing weird, challenging and unsettling personal circumstances.

I’m no exception. I’m experiencing unrest in my business, with my mother and in my health. I’ve found that I’ve had to become disciplined about increasing my meditation practice, exercise, spending time alone in nature, speaking kindly to myself and asking for help.

What Are These Weird Times Calling You To?
Focusing on the beauty of the mud pattern in the arroyo

And then it occurred to me: maybe that’s what I’m being called to.

So what do I want to focus on? All of the weirdness and challenges or the opportunity to spend more time with my God, my body, the great outdoors and my loved ones who’re helping me?

So what about you? Does your life feel weird and uncomfortable right now? What might be calling you?

As always, post your comments, experiences and insights below . . .

What If You Didn’t Hate to Sell?

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Right now, several of my clients are looking at how to sign up more clients.  They all feel challenged because they either hate to sell, wish they didn’t have to sell or both.  Maybe you can relate?

So, we’re looking at their love of deep meaningful conversation.  We’re coaching around how they love to know what’s really going on for potential clients.  We’re diving deep into how those people’s lives and businesses would change, even transform, if they hired my client.

So what about you?  If you reconsidered selling as a deep, meaningful conversation, what might shift for you?  If you realized that finding out what’s really going on for someone might be an opportunity to offer your help, how would that feel to you?

What If You Didn’t Hate to Sell?

Photo credit: Harli Marten on Unsplash.com

If you had these wonderful conversations with your whole focus on the other person and her world, might that help take your self-conscious focus off your feelings about “selling”?

As always, post your comments, experiences and insights below . . .

What Would You Love to Be Freed From?

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I’ve partnered with my new friend Jyoti, and I’m excited to share this timely opportunity with you!

I’d love to have you join us if you feel called.

Here’s how Jyoti describes our adventure .  . 

It is Time for a PURGE … RELEASE … LETTING GO … of ALL that is no longer Expanding, Serving, Inspiring, or Supporting us in Living Our Destiny …

Our Magnificent, Miraculous Life Purpose, Passion, and Power is Calling!

And, I have someone Amazing to Introduce You to today! (see below!) With an opportunity to Receive Our Deep Support in Permanent Release of all that must go … while OPENING to Miracles … and Joining in Community Together!

Ready to Release button

Okay … Vulnerable Share … by Jyoti

I have Rediscovered the Miraculous Art of Sacred Release along with the MIRACLES that FLOOD into Our Life when We act with Courage, Self Love and Self Devotion …

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Out of an URGENT Heart Calling to LIVE and THRIVE … I released/divorced/annulled the man I deeply wanted to BE my Precious ONE … I needed to do this to SAVE MY LIFE … Seriously!!! I will share the unbelievable story with You inside our Private Program. I Am Healing My Tender Heart … in Joyous Process of Releasing, And also Now … Letting go of all that has held me back, hurt me, limited what is possible for me, and kept me small, hindered, stuck, compromised … I am releasing things, people, ways of being, habits, and limitations in all areas of my Life! I am Gratefully and Joyously Recovering my Magical, Innocent, Miraculous Self!

We are also in the Middle of Moving from our Family Home of 6 Years … packing the essentials, discarding, releasing, giving away, refining, Completing … including the completion of an IRS Audit.

By Miraculous Divine Daughter Intervention … I met and began receiving so much Wonderful Grounding Support from My Dearest Ann Strong … So Powerful and Profound our connection and support for each other, we decided to Offer our Combined Support for You!

JOIN Us and We will Support and Miraculously Assist You (and even share tender video moments of Letting go) … as I, Jyoti, Open the Field for YOU to Fully Experience the MIRACLE, JOY and FREEDOM that emerges through the Miraculous Art of Sacred Release, While Ann Supports You in Grounding, Stabilizing, and Nurturing Your New Life!

Together … we can do this with Honor … in Sacred Support and Sacred Witness of Each Other in Letting go together! You are not alone in this … and as we Release … we Receive the Support of our Come-Unity of Love!

Let Go and Be FREED into All You have been holding at bay, and inaccessible with your grip on the old … (Hint … Its ABUNDANCE, LOVE, JOY, UNITY, SUPPORT, EXPANSION, BLISS, NEW LIFE! and more … )

Join with Us to Access the Miraculous Art of Effortless Release as we Dance Through Our Deepest Letting Go … while Making Space … Opening to Receive the Miracles, Love, Abundance, Support, Community, Alignment, and Expansion and Grounding Awaiting us Now!

There is only ONE thing in the way between You and the Miracle You Seek! Together we shall Love, Honor, and Release it Free!

Join Us?

Miracles Await!

In Love and Devotion to You and Your Best Life,

Jyoti Amma Sophia
Ann Strong

PS… We want to see your videos of Sacred Release too! … It’s part of our Program … we will have a Private Facebook Group to share and witness each other! Its only $444! And, You get a Community of Love and Support too!!

YES! I AM READY TO MASTER THE MIRACULOUS ART OF SACRED RELEASE NOW! and Join in a Community Who Loves and Supports Me!

Ready to Release button

What Happens When We Don’t Censor Ourselves?

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Are you watching AnnE with an “E” on Netflix?

If so, I’d love to hear how you’re loving it . . .

If not and you’d like your heart broken wide open in the best possible way, I highly recommend you stop reading this and start watching AnnE now.

She is so refreshingly, sometimes painfully, uncensored. She experiences life in it’s full spectrum, from the delectably scrumptious to her blunt observation of her own “ugliness.”

AnnENetflix400

Thirteen-year-old, AnnE quotes Jane Eyre, “If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends.”

Self-love 101. WOW.

I’ve watched 3 episodes and felt more alive and cried with every one. If you haven’t already, give yourself this gift.

Makes me want to add an E to my name.

As always, post your comments and experiences below…

If you’re a coach or consultant experiencing loss or turmoil, then join my new, private, free FB Group, Good Grief for hope around receiving the good in grief and support for getting your business back on track.

Are You Struggling to Find the Genuine Gift in Grief?

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Last year my client, “Dianne,” felt optimistic and hopeful that her daughter-in-law Serena could take over her business when she retired. They’d been moving in that direction for a few months when she realized she’d been looking the other way about how much Serena seemed to be drinking.

When Serena had an altercation with one of Dianne’s key employees, she could no longer avoid the inevitable. She had to let Serena go. Dianne’s son, Tate, quit speaking to her and they wouldn’t allow her to spend time with her grandchildren.

Inconsolable for awhile, Dianne chose to coach with me because she knew she needed to get past feeling betrayed and wanted to be available to the business and her other children and grandchildren.

Today she’ll be the first to tell you she’s less judgmental. She prays for her son and daughter-in-law and their kids every day because she realizes it’s out of her hands. She’s re-energized about her work and is grooming one of her long-time employees to buy the business.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Four years ago, three days after I sold my house to live happily ever after with my boyfriend, we got into a physical fight. That had never happened. Stunned, bruised and broken-hearted, I stayed at a friend’s house and tried to get to the bottom of it with him.

We weren’t able to work it out between us. I found an apartment and began my own inner work. Over the next several months, I realized I had taken a stand for myself that day. I had been putting off my dream of living in New Mexico, waiting for him to be ready. Not the most elegant way to free myself from my self-created prison, but free myself I did.

It’s almost 3 years since I moved to New Mexico. After the first year of living here, my sister told me maybe I should change the recording on my voicemail that says, “You’ve reached my new home and office in beautiful, spacious Lamy, New Mexico . . .” I haven’t change it yet because every day here feels like a huge gift for my body, mind, heart and soul.

Are You Struggling to Find the Genuine Gift in Grief?
Beautiful, spacious Lamy, New Mexico

Why do I tell you all this?

If I hadn’t insisted on finding the gifts in all that grief, I would’ve remained broken and become bitter.

If Dianne hadn’t done the work in coaching, she would have remained a judgmental victim and allowed her business to fall apart.

So, what about you?

If you’ve experienced the loss of a dream, a business or personal relationship or of a loved one to death recently, would you be willing to consider finding the gifts in grief?

May all beings receive the transformative gifts of grief.

As always, post your comments and experiences below …

What Happens If You Allow Your WHYs to Guide You?

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One of my clients recently became completely overwhelmed studying for an exam for a professional certification. To support her in being present with her studying, I asked her why it’s important for her to pass this exam.

Over the phone, I heard her lighten up as she answered, “I get to help my clients in a new way and I’ll make more money with this added service.” “Why is it important to make more money?” “Because when we start a family in a couple of years, if I make more money now, I can work less then.”

“So, as you’re studying and you notice you’re starting to feel overwhelmed, can you take a deep breath, remember why you’re doing this and then get back to it?” She laughed. “Of course. I feel better already.”

For me, most years at this time of year, I have to firmly remind myself why I’m going to focus on activities I love in the summer. There aren’t many of them because summer is my least favorite season. Tomorrow when I’m enjoying dinner on a restaurant patio with a friend to celebrate her birthday, I will remember I eat lots of summer meals on the patio because I am unwilling to be miserable for 25% of each year!

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My 16-year-old niece, Hailey, and I enjoying our latte and white mocha on the patio of my favorite San Diego coffee shop, 99 Cups in Pacific Beach. YAY patios!!!

So what about you? What’s challenging you right now? What is your WHY? Does that help you move forward in a way that feels better to you? Post your experiences below . . .

What Might Life Look Like Beyond Following the Rules

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“The laws of love are not rules, facts, or right answers. The laws of love bring spiritual freedom, the freedom that lies beyond belief, beyond thought, beyond adherence to any authority other than one’s own heart.”

– A Course of Love
Mari Perron, First Receiver

I’ve become increasingly aware that I’ve created many rules for my life because I’ve thought that following the rules would keep me safe.

Creating a new life in a new state, knowing no one when I first moved to New Mexico 2½ years ago has opened my eyes a bit.

A few of my rules for good living before New Mexico:

  • Don’t join groups. They don’t work for you. You are a one-on-one person.
  • Don’t ever buy a brand-new car. It’s a waste of money.
  • Don’t spend more than an hour on a first date. If it doesn’t go well, cut your losses. If it does go well, don’t let him know you like him too much.

Here’s what I’ve noticed since living in New Mexico.

First, it may seem like loosening my grip on my own rules isn’t related to New Mexico. Yet, I know it is because I followed my heart when I moved here.

Then I joined 3 groups: an Entrepreneurial Women’s Group, The Trusted Advisor’s Network and The Celebration church. I met almost all of my closest peeps through these groups.

Then, I started 3 new, smaller groups with 2 of the women I had met through the Trusted Advisor’s Network. A group of 5 women studying A Course of Love, a monthly Women’s Questioning Circle with 6 women and a Mindful Business Accelerator group of 7 women and men.

Sometimes the groups have been super challenging for me. And, I have grown so much! Also, I’ve formed wonderful, deep heart-connections with more people than I had in the past.

As for a new car, well, one day, after buying another used car only 5 months before, I had a new idea. It became okay, even if it was a waste of money, because I wanted to experience driving a new car and not focusing on repairs for awhile.

What Might Life Look Like Beyond Following the Rules
A new car for The Land of Enchantment!

I’ve had my new car for only 4 months and I’ve loved every minute! It hasn’t been earth-shattering. It just feels good to me. And, it feels fantastic to have done something different for myself. I’ll check back with you in a few years on this one.

Ah, those first dates . . . I’ve been on several. One lasted a half hour. Most lasted a couple of hours. The most recent one lasted a half day. All good choices.

What I learned by breaking that rule involved connecting with another human being rather than trying to assess “in” or “out” in record time so as to not “waste” my time.

So, what about you? What rules might you have created? Might you like to experiment with following your heart a bit more?

Tell us about it – post your thoughts and comments below . . .

What If We Could Actually Create a New Reality?

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A Course of Love tells us that we’ve been creating in response to “reality.” It goes on to tell us that we are now called to create reality – a new reality.

As we here in the United States are about to swear in a new president, it can easily look like we must create something in response to this “reality.” As I look down that road, that looks like fighting, division and righteousness – at best.

What If We Could Actually Create a New Reality?

The road that got us here probably isn’t going to take us where we’d like to go . . .

Which makes me super curious what it means to create a new reality. What if I could create a new reality, not in response to what seems to be “reality?” What if you could? What if we could? What could we do together?!?

I don’t know the answers yet. And, instinctively, it does feel like the right question.

What’s your sense? What’s on your heart and in your mind? I’d love your comments and insights below.

What’s the Extraordinary Value of a Focus for the New Year?

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In addition to, or sometimes instead of, helping my clients set goals for the new year, I also help them discover their theme to focus on for the year. They often receive the theme “out of the blue.”

This is what gives the focus/theme extraordinary value. Instead of methodically and intellectually determining our goals, we intuitively and mysteriously receive our focus/theme. It gives us a very broad and deep approach to our own growth and development.

One of my clients received Listening as her focus for the new year. Another client’s focus is Being Her Own Best Friend. Mine is Seeing Anew.

What’s the Extraordinary Value of a Focus for the New Year?

I received mine on the eve of the Solstice. One of the things I’ve noticed since then is how habitually I think I know what it is I’m seeing. I love that I’m already beginning to naturally ask myself, “What is really here? What else can I see? When I look through my Eyes of Love, my Christ Eyes, what do I see?”

So what about you? Did a focus or theme come to you as you were reading this? Did you already know yours? If not, are you willing to receive yours?

As always, I’d love your thoughts and comments below.