Hey Movie Star!

Hey movie star!




Yes  you! You are the star of your own movie. We all are.

Others view our movie and there are as many opinions of our movie as there are people watching it. Only one opinion really matters. 
That’s right...yours.

Every moment, whether you are conscious of it or not, you are directing your movie.
You're calling the shots. No one else is in charge of how it rolls out. Just you.




Not only are your responsible for how the moving is created, you are the star of the show. The script is created in the moment...very impromptu.

Here is the secret to creating an Oscar award winning flick. Know this treasure of a tidbit: you are who you are NOW. 
Yep. That's it. 
You are ONLY in this present moment. You really don’t exist anywhere else...not the past or the future. The present is the gift. (Interesting name.)
Bring your attention to what/when is real. It allows for a much more powerful character.

Every second we are deciding who we are, who we bring to our silver screen.
A skilled actor spends hours and hours researching and creating his character. How much time do most of us spend on consciously creating the character we have star in our movie?

In addition to the secret of only being in the present, there is a bonus.
It is impossible for us to be who we were, so let go of your story...yeah, your past.
Just let go of your past. You are not that person. You are who you are NOW.

Let me explain. Like frames of a film strip or movie, each frame is a snapshot of a specific moment in time. Together those frames show movement, but each frame has to stand alone...on its own integrity. If you keep playing a frame from the past, it would appear as if there was no movement. You have not changed. Boring movie....rotten tomatoes!




Don’t let the dynamic force of your filmstrip fall stagnant. Break the bonds of "always have"  and "should".  Make a conscious choice in every moment to embody the full force of your highest potential!



Do you feel good about who you are in this moment? You are the director. Make it so!

Teach a Man to Fish

Teach a Man to Fish...


We rest easy at night with a perception that churches and volunteer groups are taking care of those that are less fortunate. We even pay (some may feel involuntarily) with our taxes to provide programs to support those left in desperation.  

What can I do? I am only one.


Some of us have taken someone under our wing to help them “get on their feet.” Perhaps hours of time was spent on pep talks. You might have felt like when this person was around he sucked your energy right out of you. No matter what you tried to do, little was accomplished...or perhaps you didn’t know what to do and felt helpless, too. You might have been able to give enough support to make a difference and then again, maybe not.

Did it exhaust you? Did you feel like nothing was getting done unless you were the one seeing that it did?

Could it have been you?

What did you do when you were down on your luck? Who did you talk to?

Most of us have some kind of a support network. Our family, friends, churches, social groups that give us ideas, resources, guidance and sometimes...simply advice. What if we didn’t have that? We might be the one on the other end of the fishing scenario.

What if when we teach a man to fish, we also taught him to use a net.


A group of 10 -12 people could get together and become a support network that worked like a family. No one person would feel like they are being burdened. Everyone pitched in and helped to guide an individual to become empowered; to discover his personal success.

There is such a program out there and you can be involved. It’s called The Open Table and no, it’s not the phone app. 


Check out the video on this page. 


http://theopentable.org/support/get-involved/


If you are associated with a church, a community group, a business, or have a group of friends that enjoy being a part of success, this is for you!

Together we can make the biggest difference. One life at a time.

Breaking the Terror Barrier

Breaking the Terror Barrier.

That just sounds awful! Why would I want to do that?

Comfort.

What a seductive word.

When we are stressed we may search out “comfort food.”
Change could makes us long for our “comfort zone.”
It’s the poison apple that sabotages our magical dreams.
We may not have a prince charming to wake us up.

Perhaps we should avoid the apple.


How do we know we are choosing the apple?

Think of a time when....
You had a dream and you were actively pursuing it.
The going got rough and you were pushed out of your comfort zone.
You had to make a split second decision at some point to keep on pushing, or let go of your vision and go back to what you know.
When you retreat, you take a bite of that bitter poison apple. You think it tastes sweet, but that’s because you don’t know any better. You've never tasted anything else.

What if you DIDN’T take a bite?
Same dream...same choice...different decision. No apples for you!

You start to hear your pulse racing in your ears. Your skin glistens with sweat.
Though terror stricken, you GO for it!
Your body and mind scream NOOOO!!!!
You are passing through the “terror barrier!”

Yes, you could fail.
So you fail. What is the WORST that can happen?
Will you still survive? (I hope the answer is “yes.”)

Pushing through the terror barrier you discover a whole new world!

You are free! No longer are you held captive by your fear!
Dreams so passionately pursued are brought to life.

Roll Down the Windows!

Judgement. What purpose does that really serve?
I hear my inner Dr. Phil, “How's that workin’ for ya?”

We have been doing it for...ever.
Most of our parents, even having the best intentions, were impeccable teachers of how to do it. They let us know when we didn’t reach the bar and we felt it. We embodied it. We swallowed it hook, line and sinker...just like almost every generation before us.


From then on, we judged us too.

You “should” do this, you “should” do that. How suffocating to “should” all over yourself!
When do we wake up from this dream and ask, “Why?”
Who decided something “should” be a certain way anyway? Why do you give your power over to someone else's picture perfect reality? What makes it perfect? For who? For you?

Are you living your dream? Are you sure? Or is it someone else's?
Take your power back and stop trying to mimic the life someone else dreamed up.
So what if you have a few extra pounds, a 15 year old car, a job without an elaborate title. Who truly cares (that really matters) if you have a modest house and a few skeletons in your closet?

Notice how your energy drops when you are in judgement of yourself. The life force is sucked right out of you. How is that setting you up to make positive change?
Yeah, it’s not!
Is there any good purpose served by judging yourself?
We know when we want to make different choices in life. Does that mean we need to beat ourselves up about what our choices have been thus far? No! We just simply need to acknowledge that we are going to make a change. No judgement. That’s it.

It’s like driving your car into a lake..okay, don’t actually do that. But most of us have heard that as soon as your car enters water, roll down the windows. Why? Because as the water rises, if the windows are closed, it allows too much pressure/resistance to build outside the car and you cannot open the window, much less open the door. You’re trapped!

In life, when we want to change an aspect of ourselves, the more resistance (judgement) we have, the more difficult it is to escape and actually make real change.

Let go of needing to be right (according to whoever..even you) and just BE.  
You don’t have to look the the trash to take it out.
Just let it go, and roll down the window!

Dig Down Deep

Have you ever noticed that when you are having a good time you don’t even think of checking a clock? When you do finally look it is because something triggered you. Is it worry? Are you anxious about a need to go or to check on a responsibility (which is not all bad)? Are you wishing what you were somewhere else? 

 I’m not saying we should never worry about the time; I am suggesting we be aware of the feelings we have when we are attracted to it.

Now that we know how to breathe and we know how to embrace gratitude, lets go for a real attitude adjuster.

We can use the clock or you might think of something else as a reminder. I like to use the clock because often I am looking at it because I am anxious about something. I might be dreading a situation that is coming or one that I wish were going. We have given the clock an unhealthily power to stress us out. We are just taking some of that power back.


When you notice the time, notice what feeling prompted you to look. If you realize you are anxious about a situation, smile, take three slow deep breaths and think of at least one or two things you are grateful for related to the situation.  

In a work situation this might be as simple as being thankful for having a job, working with such great co-workers or recognizing the love you have for what you do. If you are at home you might be feeling stress because you have to get things done so you can get to bed at a decent time. You might pause and be thankful that you have a home, that you have the things that you have to take care of (which might be kids) or you might simply be thankful you have the ability to do what it is you need to do.


When you feel your stress, dig down deep and notice the love you have for where you are and what you’re doing (even if you have to be creative).
Pull that up and stare it straight in the eyes.
Smile and take three deep breaths.
You’ve got it!

Don’t Hold Your Breath

Breathing. We all do it.

Most of us have heard about some kind of connection between how deeply we breath and how relaxed we are. It’s true. 
Try it.

When we can relax and “take a breath” our energy shifts. We soften, our mind can clear and our perception can change. It might take three deeeeeep breaths to let the stress go, but it will go. Know that you, being who you are is enough.  
You might even tell yourself, “I am enough” as you breathe. 
If you can't get out of your head, put your hand over your heart and focus your thoughts in your heart. You will be amazed at how great your feel and how you can begin to operate from your heart instead of your head. You will feel more relaxed, more refreshed, more authentic. 





I challenge you to take at least one slow deep breath every time you look at a clock today.
If you are able to do at least three deep breaths, pay attention to how your mind starts to clear, your shoulders start to get out of your ears and the lines in your face disappear (okay...well, they feel like it).






For those of you that sit right across from a clock like I do, we won’t hyperventilate. We are taking SLOW deep breaths. 
I know...you were getting worried. 

Relax and breathe, or is it breathe and relax?