Shifting the Focus from Anxiety to Opportunity

In every crisis there is danger and opportunity.

Recently I realized that I was more focused on the danger and perceived danger of this world crisis. I know you, too, might be feeling anxious and not sure of how to proceed – in your life or in your business.

I’d like to share a super cool tool with you. Thank goodness that as a coach, I have powerful tools to shift my perspective. One of my favorites is the Perspective Pie. Wanna play?

Okay, pull out a blank sheet of paper and draw a circle, filling the page with that big circle as much as you can. Then divide your circle into 8 slices of pie.

In one of those slices, write your current perspective. Mine was something like, “No one can focus on or afford coaching right now.” Then in the next slice, write a slightly better perspective. “Well I’m still working with clients. Some people still want coaching.”

Then write another somewhat better perspective. And better, and better and better until all 8 slices have new perspectives. My final slice was, “Coaching helps people uncover their opportunities. I need to be of more service now.”

So, I’d love to offer you a gift coaching session to help you uncover your current opportunities. We can focus on your life, your business or both.

Click here to access my calendar to schedule.

Guest Poet: Pandemic by Lynn Ungar

What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Center down.
And when your body has become still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives
are in one another’s hands.
(Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your heart.
Reach out your words.
Reach out all the tendrils
of compassion that move, invisibly,
where we cannot touch.
Promise this world your love–
for better or for worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we all shall live.

Thank you Randy Crutcher for sharing this.

What if Where You Focus Determines the Quality of Your Life?

Perception | Spiritual Business Coach Denver, Santa Fe

What do you see? The light, fluffy, hopeful clouds in the middle? The sunshine way off in the distance? The ominous, dark clouds at the top?

I love this photo as a metaphor for life. Or more accurately, how we think about and perceive life.

Do I want to focus on and worry about the possible storm? In this moment, will I choose the hope and joy of the light, bright fluffy clouds? Will I look for the radiant sun, even if off in the distance?

Or, if I can’t see the sun at all, will I remember that it is always shining? If I can see only a dark and stormy threat, can I give myself love and compassion in that moment? And, know that, “this too shall pass?”

What about you? How are you perceiving life right now?

Your Gifts May Be Rough. Offer Them Anyway.

I’m excited to share the wonderful poem below by one of my mentors, Chela Davison. Chela consistently and insistently calls me to be more present with me and all of me.

Your Gifts May Be Rough. Offer Them Anyway.

Diamonds start rough and so do our gifts.
The measure of what we have to offer should not be in its popularity or “people getting it” or likes or uptake.
The measure of what we have to offer is by how much it’s killing us to keep it inside and who is suffering without it.
My friends, I know the fears.
“It’s been done before, it’s been said before, my ideas aren’t unique.”
“I’ll be judged or shamed or persecuted. Or worse, I’ll be boring, irrelevant.”
“It’s too noisy, peopl e want quick fixes, success and ethics don’t mix.”
“I’ll lose my loves. I’ll lose myself. I’ll lose.”
“I’m not ready. I’m not good enough. I need to be better.”
We forget that we’re animals. That we’re wild, that there’s freedom right here.
We’re looking for each other’s medicine. We’re looking for a safe den and a warm body to cuddle up to. We’re hungry for nourishment and have nourishment to offer.
Sure, the world is a dangerous place. Sure, it’s cut throat competitive out there.
Except all of the ways in which it is not.
We help to create those spaces, one by one, group by group.
No single one of us will heal and change what’s sick and broken.
But many.
Many of us, toiling on our own sacred curves of the Earth.
Our hands and hearts busy making love into things, reaching out in offering.
So what if your gifts are rough. Give them.
Our souls are weary, we don’t need polished diamonds.
We need each other’s medicine, in all forms, in all ways.
We’re waiting for you, hopeful that you’ll show up.

– Chela Davison, ChelaDavison.com

The Good, The Holy, The Beautiful

“Every moment is a doorway through which the good, the holy, and the beautiful can be expressed . . .”
From the book:
The Way of Mastery – Part One: The Way of the Heart
Shanti Christo Foundation

What does this mean to you?

Typically, I might start looking around me or noticing what I’m reading to declare, “This one is good, that thing is holy, and the woman over there is beautiful.”

When I read it recently, I had a different response.

I’m on Day 24 of a challenging 40-day meditation. I’ve been resisting it because it involves holding my breath 52 times for longer than feels comfortable to me.

Shortly, after I read, “Every moment is a doorway through which the good, the holy, and the beautiful can be expressed…,” I began my meditation. As soon as I started, it occurred to me to simply experience the good, the holy and the beautiful in the challenge.

I was shocked by how easy it was. Without the resistance I’d been creating, all that was left was the good, the holy, the beautiful. Truly.

One of the infinite expressions of the good, the holy, the beautiful
One of the infinite expressions of the good, the holy, the beautiful.

Wow, where else in my life have I been overlooking the opportunity to experience, create, express or allow the good, the holy, the beautiful?

I’d love to hear your experiences! Join the conversation – comment below.

To expressing the good, the holy, the beautiful.

How Do You Stay Calm in the Middle of Several Problems?

It’s been happening for five of my clients. It’s been happening in my life. We put out a fire in our personal life and two erupt in our business. It looks like we’re getting those under control, and then we have a health scare. We do what needs to be done for our health and then there’s a crisis with our mother or daughter.

Maybe something like this has been happening for you too?

My clients tend to solve problems well. So do I. You probably do too.

And constant problem-solving takes a toll on us – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

I’ve been pondering Einstein’s idea that “we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” I then argue with God that I didn’t create some of the problems in my life. Then, I realize that I’ve created so much thinking around the problems – including labeling them as problems.

So, onto new thinking …

I’m engaging and encouraging my clients to engage in a specific type of new thinking for just 5 minutes once or twice a day. From the book, The Way of Mastery, Part One: The Way of the Heart: “Sit in a chair for 5 minutes. And, observe all that you see, all that you feel, all that you think, as though a perfectly awakened Christ was the only one sitting in the chair.”

I’ve found my 5-minute sessions to be truly miraculous. One filled me with beautiful self-compassion. After I finished another, the idea of “problem” didn’t even make sense.

How Do You Stay Calm in the Middle of Several Problems?
In a third session, I saw myself as an explosion of Light.

One of my clients came out of one of her sessions giggling. Another dissolved a long-time grudge. A third client came out of one of her sessions without a physical pain that had been bothering her for months.

I wholeheartedly encourage you to try this simple and powerful 5-minute practice. Including when you don’t have any problems!

Even though I’ve been practicing the 5-minute sessions only intermittently until recently, I notice flickering moments beyond my sessions of also being only a perfectly awakened Christ. It’s awesome.

I’d love to hear your experiences! Join the conversation – comment below.

To living our perfectly awakened Christ Self more and more …

“I Am That,” Remembering Who You Are

Today is my 11th day of a 40-day meditation, with my delightful meditation partner, Dev Darshan, to purify the subconscious.

A few days ago, I spontaneously started watching some short videos from the spiritual teacher Mooji. I didn’t know of him before I “found” one of his videos.

Then yesterday I “found” a video from spiritual teacher Lisa Nichols that deeply spoke to me.

Mooji opens one of his videos by saying, “You’re looking out there for an answer. And, I’m looking at you as the answer.”

Deep breath.

I took that in. I knew that I know that. And then I forgot.

Fast forward to this morning when my mind is racing with all I have to do before I get on the road tomorrow to go to Durango and speak at the 9th Annual Women’s Small Business Conference. And then I hear a quiet, clear voice in my head. “Remember who you are.”

Immediately, the anxiety vanishes and I’m experiencing my own Divinity. I Know that I am the answer.

Perhaps I needed to purify the subconscious to remember!

I’d love for you to experience Mooji talking about “I Am That.” To me, he’s a shining example of living his Divinity.

I’d also love for you to experience Lisa Nichols. To me she’s a shining example of living her strong-from-within humanness.

And, if you’re inspired, I’d love to hear what’s on your heart and mind . . .

Join the conversation – comment below.

How to Solve Any Problem with One Powerful Question

“This problem needs solving.” “I hate this situation.” I heard each of these from clients recently. “I’m at an impasse.” I heard this coming from my own mouth when I called my coach.

With each of them, we explored one question:
Who do you need to be to resolve this?

The first client realized she needed to be someone who got involved now to do something toward stopping the separation of children from their parents.

With the second client, she realized she needed to step into her power, state clearly and calmly what she wanted and needed and be willing to walk away if that wasn’t possible.

For me, I realized I needed to be the one to have compassion and empathy for the woman with whom I was at an impasse. After being stalled for days, within hours, we moved past the impasse. And her demeanor completely changed for the rest of our interactions.

How To Solve Any Problem with One Powerful Question

When I’m feeling anxious, I know I need to be the one who is more Zen cat-like. Pebbles is one of my 3 wonderful, resident feline teachers. Yay, kitty prayer pose!

So, what about you? What needs to be resolved in your world? Would you like to work with more clients? Sleep better at night? Finish writing a book? Feel more peaceful? Hopeful?

Who do you need to be?

I’d love to hear from you. What would you love to resolve?
Who do you need to be?

Join the conversation ~ comment below.

Who Do I Need to Be to Bring This into Reality?

“The shortest route between you and all you desire involves asking yourself daily or moment-to-moment, ‘Who do I need to be to bring what I’m committed to into reality?'”
From the book Thriving Work: 90 days of daily practice for transforming you and your coaching, consulting or healing business
By Ann Strong

When I wrote this 7 years ago, I wasn’t consciously aware that my deepest desire had only one answer.

Who do I need to be to bring all that I desire into reality?
Love Embodied / In Union with God / Christ Incarnate.

I don’t need to be smarter, faster or jump higher. I do need to be in this world, but not of it. I do need to express the Divinity of me, rather than allowing my humanness (read:ego) to run the show.

Who Do I Need to Be to Bring This into Reality?
Ah, to be so effortlessly fully myself as these guys…

When I wrote Thriving Work in 2011, I felt happy to experience moments of my Divinity and didn’t expect more. Today, I’m committed to more.

I’ve been reading, re-reading and studying with three friends the book, The Way of Mastery – Part One: The Way of the Heart for almost a year now.

To come to know ourselves as Love Embodied, it gives us four keys to the Kingdom: desire, intention, allowance and surrender.

1. Desire
To be all that God created me to be.

2. Intention
To focus on that desire daily.

3. Allowance
To see everything as an opportunity to heal whatever stands in the way of me being – consistently – the Presence of Love.

4. Surrender
To live “Thy Will, not my will.”

“Commitment is nothing more than a deliberate decision that something will be so.”
The Way of Mastery – Part One: The Way of the Heart Shanti Christo Foundation

And so it is! I’m committed to living Love Embodied and continuing to work through whatever trips me up between where I am in a moment and living Love Embodied.

I’d love to hear from you. What would you love to bring into reality? Who do you need to be to bring that into reality?

Join the conversation – comment below.

What Helps You Be More Aware of the Bounty Surrounding You?

This morning this exotic iris popped out into full bloom. It’s never bloomed the whole time I’ve lived here – four springs now.

We’re in such a severe drought right now that the Forest Service is closing Santa Fe National Forest tomorrow. It will remain closed until we get a significant amount of rain to radically reduce fire danger.

What Helps You Be More Aware of the Bounty Surrounding You?

Do irises thrive during a drought? I don’t know. And, the evidence is clear about this glorious one. It’s thriving right where it’s planted because of, or in spite of, the drought.

Just after I heard of the Forest closure, I noticed this miracle. What miracles are surrounding you right now? Even if you’re in the middle of a tough time, as many of us are, what’s calling your heart?

I’d love to hear from you. What bounty is in plain sight at this moment?

Join the conversation – comment below.