What Is the Only Relationship of True Value?

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“It is futile — one hundred percent, absolutely, positively futile — to seek love in relationship with anything or anyone.

It is, however, quite appropriate to extend Love in each relationship with everyone and everything. But the extension of that Love requires that you have awakened to the truth that the only relationship that truly holds value is the relationship between you as the soul and God as your Creator.

What Is the Only Relationship of True Value?

Perhaps my love affair with nature runs so deep because I see God everywhere, love wholeheartedly and ask nothing.
(Bear Creek Trail. Lakewood, Colorado)

When you have surrendered the last vestige of an insane possibility of contracting away from the Truth, when you have given that up, Love will flow through you. But notice that if it flows through you, it must first flow to you. Therefore, seek always to receive in order to give. For what can you give another if you have not yet received it to yourself?

Am I being busy extending love, or am I busying myself fearfully trying to grasp at what I think can give me love so that I do not lose it?”

– From “The Way of Mastery – Part One: The Way of the Heart,” Shanti Christo Foundation

Wow, so I’ve been deeply contemplating this for awhile. It feels true, and it brings into question all the relationships I love.

Here’s where I’m at today. When I know my Creator first, then I see the holiness, wholeness, in everything and everyone. When I “forget” to know my Creator first, then I’m making gods of the people and things I love.

What about you? If you’ve read this far, I’d love to know how this speaks to your heart.

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

 

How Do We Know the Joy of Ritual?

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“Thanksgiving kundalini yoga was phenomenal,” I texted my friend Gina. That tickled her and sparked her curiosity. What had made it extraordinary?

As I pondered it, I realized that ritual tends to help me experience my connection with others and all that is.

The yoga event raised money to stop sex trafficking. We did a yoga set that helped us claim and own our bodies. There were 50 beautiful souls practicing together. Talented musicians enhanced the experience. This was the 5th annual. I loved all of it.

I don’t decorate much for the holidays. Yet, on the evening of January 1, 2016, I took a field trip to the tiny town of Madrid, NM where the entire town lights up for Christmas. I was so enthralled and enchanted, that I came home, drug out Christmas lights that hadn’t seen the light of day for years and have yet to take them down.

How Do We Know the Joy of Ritual?

They bring me joy every day, reminding me of the magic of life.

What makes the holidays rich for you? Eating the same foods your ancestors ate on sacred days? Giving to those less fortunate? Singing the same songs every year? Rituals specific to your family? Inviting new people to join you?

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

And, if you’d like to explore the spiritual and sacred, perhaps I can help you:

Work with me one-on-one –
Spiritual life and business coaching.

If you’d like to learn more, email me at Ann@AnnStrong.com, put One-on-One in the subject line and tell me what questions are on your heart right now. I’ll reply to schedule a Coaching Conversation for us to explore what we might create together. My gift.

Where Is the Super Effective Inner Peace Reset Button?

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Overwhelm seems to be affecting most people. I see it in my clients, with my friends, on FB posts and in myself! To support my clients (including my first client – me), I’ve been paying attention to what’s most effective in giving us some relief.

For me, it’s definitely a good night’s sleep. Luckily, I sleep well 90% of the time. And, when I wake up and start my day, I can address anything. My mind is clear and sharp and ready to go. 

Another thing that eliminates overwhelm for me for a while involves coaching clients. I’m present and focused on that one client and I set everything else aside.

Where Is the Super Effective Inner Peace Reset Button?

It’s impossible for me to feel overwhelmed when I’m hanging out with these whimsical clouds and rocks and trees in the GBP.

Perhaps my favorite super effective reset button for peace involves hiking in the Galisteo Basin Preserve (GBP). I rarely see anyone. And, overwhelm literally drains from me with every step I take.

For one of my clients, a run at lunch clears her head and gives her calm, focused energy for the afternoon. For another client, meditating both in the morning and evening helps him reduce anxiety. One of my friends clears the stress of the day by taking a strenuous bike ride after work. Another client is on a news fast. She found the news was overwhelming her, so she’s not watching or reading any news.

It seems we need to be proactive and vigilant right now about consciously taking action to reset ourselves to peace.

So, what about you? What might be your super effective reset button for peace?

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

And, whenever you’re ready, perhaps I can help you:

Work with me one-on-one.
(For established coaches and business owners.)
I have a limited number of coaching opportunities available for established coaches and business owners who want to make more of an impact. When you commit to your greatest contribution, miracles happen.

If this sounds like you, email me at Ann@AnnStrong.com, put One-on-One in the subject line and tell me about your Big Dream. What would you love to create? I’ll reply to schedule a Coaching Conversation for us to determine if we’d be a good fit.

Strong You, Strong Work

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In the past few weeks, I’ve needed more support than usual from my own coach. And, most of my clients have needed more support from me. One day last week, I received two frantic emails in one day. The subject line of one of them was: Help!

In the 20 years I’ve been coaching, I’d never received a “Help!” email before that. I’ve been wondering what’s in the air.

And then I realized what might be more productive: let you know a bit about how I can help.

AStrong-Buffalo

Buffalo medicine includes abundance, manifestation, generosity, protection and courage.
Artist Karen Windchild. In Eldorado, New Mexico.

 

Whenever you’re ready, here are 4 ways I can help you:


StrengthsFinder

1. Strong Work:
I can’t believe I get paid to do this! audio program
Imagine spending more of your work time fully engaged and feeling fulfilled . . .
When you focus and leverage your strengths, you’ll advance your career or get clients to hire you! Click to learn more.

2. Strong Couple
StrengthsFinder Coaching with me
What would it be like to enjoy more peace, love and understanding in your romantic relationship? When you each know and honor your own and each others’ strengths, that’s exactly what happens. Click to learn more.


Coaching

3. Strong from Within Transformation Forum, group program
How would your life be different if your strongest relationship was the one with yourself? When you focus on yourself, all areas of your life and business improve. Give yourself and the world the gift of more of you! Click to learn more.

4. Work with me one-on-one.
(For established coaches and business owners.)
I have a limited number of coaching opportunities available for established coaches and business owners who want to make more of an impact. When you commit to your greatest contribution, miracles happen. If this sounds like you, email me at Ann@AnnStrong.com, put One-on-One in the subject line and tell me about your Big Dream. I’ll reply to schedule a Coaching Conversation for us to determine if we’d be a good fit.

What about you? Have you needed more support? Been supporting more? What are you noticing?

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

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 . . .

You Are Beautiful

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When was the last time you told yourself you’re beautiful? When was the last time your bank teller told you? That was definitely a first for me last week.

I went into a branch of my bank that I’d never been in before.

As I was handing her my paperwork, I notice this small sign facing me on her computer machine.

You Are Beautiful

“You are beautiful.”

We had a delightful conversation about her sign, and I left the bank feeling beautiful. I also felt more connected to the human race because I often forget to see the beauty of each person.

I couldn’t help wondering how the world would shift if we all had uplifting signs at our work stations to remind us and our visitors …

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 . . .

Do You Have One of the 5 Powerhouse Strengths?

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Recently, one of my coaching colleagues asked me about my observation of StrengthsFinder strengths that seem to have tremendous potential to both wreak havoc or make a huge contribution.

It was so much fun to share with her that I thought you might like to know – particularly if you have one, or more, of these 5 powerhouse strengths in your top 5.

Do You Have One of the 5 Powerhouse Strengths?

The 5: Responsibility, Restorative, Significance, Competition and Empathy.

The powerhouse effect can show up positively. Responsibility CAN be counted on. Restorative WILL solve the problem. Empathy DOES feel others’ feelings. Significance WILL make a huge contribution. Competition WILL win.

And, the powerhouse effect, can have negative results . . .

Let’s look at how your strength might go into overdrive and drain you . . .

Examples:

  • Responsibility being overly responsible to others at the expensive of your own health and/or well-being.
  • Empathy taking in everybody else’s feelings without an outlet. They then don’t pass through you, but rather take up residence inside you.

How might your strength be used immaturely?

Examples:

  • Restorative creating a problem where there isn’t one, so you can fix it.
  • Significance making a pest of itself by needing to be important, rather than contributing something important.

– How might your strength cause chaos or upset?

Example:

  • Competition not having something meaningful in which to compete, so you become depressed or make competitions about meaningless things and alienate those around you.

All 34 StrengthsFinder strengths can, and do, go into overdrive, show up immaturely and cause chaos or upset. All 34 also can, and do, make amazing contributions.

And, it has been my observation over the past 10 years, working with hundreds and hundreds of people around their strengths that these 5 strengths can feel particularly burdensome if we don’t stay on top of managing them properly.

For years, I wanted to give back my Empathy. While I was earnestly looking for the Returns Department, I had the good fortune to meet a coach who rocks Empathy in her top 5. She naturally receives the gift of Empathy without taking on the burden.

She has taught me so much. I no longer want to give back Empathy. And, I’m still learning how to be graciously detached!

As always, post your comments, experiences and insights below, especially if you have Rsp, Rst, Sig, Cmp or Emp in your top 5 …

Revelation

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I see with new eyes.

I see through the eyes
of relationship and union.

I close the eyes
of separation and judgment.

I live in the expectancy
of revelation –

expecting the purpose
of each experience
to be revealed –

as I recognize that I exist
in union with the
Source and Cause
of revelation.

Revelation

I see through the eyes
of relationship and union.

I see with new eyes.

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