Dear One, There Is Nothing Wrong with You

In the last week, three clients shared with me that they thought there was something wrong with them.

One woman thought she was depressed when she had simply lost sight of her purpose and mission. Another thought she was greedy for receiving a loan for her business. In fact, she was simply taking care of herself and her business. And, yet another kept getting upset with herself for not making more money in the past few months. She’s now developing a lower priced product that fits better for this new economy.

I want you to know that there is nothing wrong with them and there is nothing wrong with you. We are living in a radical new normal. And we still have the power to choose where we put our focus.

If you notice your thoughts tending toward, “There must be something wrong with me,” then close your eyes and take a deep breath. Now take another deep breath.

What can you focus on now that would be more life-affirming for you? Who can you connect with to bring some brightness to both your days? What can you do to take better care of yourself?

And please know that regardless of what you think about yourself, there is nothing wrong with you. You’re human. As a human, you are allowed to think less than helpful thoughts without believing the thoughts.

Dear One, There Is Nothing Wrong with You

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you witness those thoughts that you’re thinking, you might also notice that there are two of you. The human you who is thinking the thoughts and the Divine you who is holding you and witnessing the thoughts.

There truly is nothing wrong with you.

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.

“Are You My Mother?”

Recently, I gave a talk at church. I shared a bit of my journey from seeking love in romantic relationships to seeking love in the hills of New Mexico to eventually settling down and realizing I am love.

I highly recommend you allocate 17 minutes to listening.

I didn’t know until I gave the talk that what I was really talking about was letting go of the idea of finding anything outside myself so that I was available to experience what is within me.

Profound.

Strong from Within. Alas . . . Enjoy!

[audio:http://annstrong.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/080518-CelebrationSpeaker-AnnStrong.mp3]

Click here to download

And, if you’re inspired, I’d love to hear how it speaks to you . . .

Join the conversation – comment below.

Your Greatness As Me

Dear God, free me from
Anything that blocks me
From believing in Your Greatness
That flows through me.
As me.

Show me how to know You,
As me,
With every breath I take.

Regardless of circumstances.

AStrong-030718-500x500

Through the toughest storms,
During moments of Pure Grace,
And everything in between.

Show me how to experience unceasingly
Your Peace, Your Love, Your Abundance.

Show me how to express unceasingly
Your Peace, Your Love, Your Abundance.

Show me how to share unceasingly
Your Peace, Your Love, Your Abundance.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I surrender this to You.
I know it is done.

Join the conversation – post your insights, feedback and experiences below.

What If It Is the Voice of God?

I made a big financial business mistake last year. I joined a program to teach me THE system for developing my own program without taking the time to understand the fine print and without noticing that several aspects of the program didn’t fit my values.

My StrengthsFinder Activator strength in its raw form has taken me to places like this before. I thought I had grown her up better than that. So humbling to still be so human. Oh my goodness.

Reflecting on what went wrong and how to go forward, I realized that I had forgotten to ask my Connectedness strength for input as I was deciding about the program. Several years ago, I had made Connectedness the Goddess in charge of all my strengths.

Connectedness tends to be much quieter than Activator. And she has direct, consistent access to God, Spirit, Source. If I listen.

Since getting out of the program, I have quit looking “out there” for the system. Instead, I’ve turned to my coach and to Connectedness to guide me to my perfect “system.”

It turns out my “system” isn’t a system at all. Instead, it’s instinctually following guidance. Specific, made-only-for-me, that I don’t even know I want or need guidance.

Following the impulse to clean up an awkward interaction with a previous client, which led to two new business opportunities.

Saying yes to going to the gym with a new friend when I had made a vow to never step foot in a gym this lifetime. Only to find out my body craves working out. I now love going to the gym faithfully twice a week. Who knew? For months, my family didn’t even believe I’d joined a gym.

My niece, Alisha, came to New Mexico to check it out for herself and had to take this picture of Ann in her new happy place.
My niece, Alisha, came to New Mexico to check it out for herself and had to take this picture of Ann in her new happy place.

Expressing a sadness to my ex-sweetie which led to a conversation neither of us can now remember how it went which led to us getting back together and creating an amazing new relationship that we fondly call 2.0.

None of these miracles happened because I asked God, “So, what do you want me to do today?” I simply followed my heart and intuition in the moment. Even when the guidance went against a vow I’d made, felt super uncomfortable or too vulnerable.

Ah, Connectedness.

Maybe that mistake wasn’t a mistake at all. Maybe it was the quickest way to get me back to me. After many months of ruminating about the mistake, that’s the first time I’ve said that out loud. Thank you for listening.

Join the conversation – post your insights, feedback and experiences below.

What If You Are Your Biggest Supporter?

From Dictionary.com –
Advocate: person supporting an idea or cause publically.

What if YOU are the idea and the cause?

Take that in: YOU are worth supporting. Even publically.

This flies in the face of what we’ve been taught about not tooting our own horn. Why aren’t we suppose to toot our own horn? Because we’ll get too big for our britches? None of that even makes sense.

What If You Are Your Biggest Supporter?

Why would we acknowledge our own Beauty less than the Beauty of this glorious flower?

Each of us is an entirely unique emanation of the One. To be celebrated. Honored. Cherished. Supported. Shared with the world. In a positive way.

“Getting too big for our britches” is a human idea. Self-deprecating is a long-celebrated, passed-down-through-the-generations, completely nonsensical idea.

We are here in this lifetime now to fully express ourselves. Our humanity and our Divinity. We are here to support and advocate for that expression.

How much cleaner and more empowering than trying to cleverly manipulate others into advocating for us, give us their stamp of approval?

Self-advocating isn’t ego puffery. It’s seeing yourself and speaking about yourself the same way you would a child or grandchild, a dear friend or a beloved teacher.

The other day, I noticed that one of the participants in my Thriving Work Working Book Club had a new picture on her Facebook page. She looked radiant. When I shared that with her, she simply replied, “I love my smile in that picture.”

Beautiful, innocent, pure self-advocacy.

Join the conversation – post your insights, feedback and experiences below.

You Are a Spark of the One

Sliver of G

I am a Divine Emanation.
A Spark of the One.
Completely unique.

Never before.
Never again.

Only Now.
Brilliant, shining Now.

Sliver-of-G

I am a Sliver of G.
Goodness.
Genius.
Gumption in action.
Grace in the moment.
The Glory of God incarnate.

I am a Sliver of G.

Join the conversation ~ post your insights, feedback, experience below.

What Is the Only Relationship of True Value?

“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?

“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.

How You Think about Life Actually Becomes Your Life

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…