Reflections on Sponsoring a Refugee Family to Canada

Last week, I was asked if I would be willing to help sponsor a family who have been living in refugee camps for several years. They are Sunni Muslims, have been moved from one ill-equipped camp to another, and are now being forced to leave their camp in Syria. They are applying for refugee status to Canada. The hitch is, they have to get a group to agree to sponsor them for one full year. For a family of six, this would mean a commitment of about $26,000. Doug, who is coordinating this sponsorship appeal, explained that if 100 people all offered their financial support, their total cost would be $250.00 per sponsor (or family), which could be spread out over four payments.

My first response was that the timing is not very good. We’re in a recession. I don’t have a spare $250.00 right now. In fact I could use an extra $250.00, given current circumstances.  But that first response didn’t sit right. I began to feel a significant discomfort. Was it really too much? What did it mean, on a weekly basis? Some quick math showed me that $250.00 breaks down to $4.80 per week. I spend more than that for the 2 Americano coffees I buy weekly from my neighbourhood Starbucks.  Small change for changing lives.

I remembered a similar appeal, sixteen years ago.  A representative for Welcome House, a branch of Immigration Services, came to my church, and told the congregation about the desperate plight of refugees fleeing a nation in civil war.  He explained that many families accepted into Canada were struggling to understand the culture, learn the language, apply for jobs, and make friends. He had recently learned that one family had mistakenly been eating canned dog food because the no-name brand had only words, but no picture on the label.  This image of a family sitting around a kitchen table here in Canada eating dog food pierced my heart.

When the sign-up sheet for volunteers to be a Canadian friend to one of these families reached me, 12 pews from the front, there were no signatures. As a single parent, I often felt pretty stretched at times, so I looked at the blank paper for several moments. Then I signed my name.

Soon I met my new family, a mother and father and two small boys. The parents had been separated by the war, and were only recently reunited. The mother and children spoke very little English, the father a little more. My commitment was to see them once a week for six months, be a friend who would also function as a cultural consultant, share significant Canadian holidays with them, and provide any other support that I could offer. There was no financial expectation, just time and kindness.

At the end of the six months, we chose to continue our developing friendship. My admiration for the family grew as I saw them deal with what seemed to be non-stop adversity in those early years – the sudden death of a beloved parent back home, lost jobs, and serious health problems. Our formal relationship evolved into a deeply caring friendship, in which I am often the beneficiary of their kindness. The two small boys are grown; both have post-secondary educations and good jobs, and last month the eldest married his sweetheart in a touching garden ceremony. During the wedding, I struggled to keep from crying as I remembered all that this family has endured, overcome and accomplished.

So I signed up for the Muslim family.  I’m only a drop in the bucket. But with enough help, we can bring them to this diverse and vibrant country, and help them settle close to four other Muslim families who have also been ejected from the same camp. Perhaps together they can make their homes here, build new lives, heal wounds, and see their children prosper.

Margaret Sarkissian, M.A. (Counseling Psychology), Certified Coach, is a skilled consultant, trainer, and business/life coach. She has worked with 200+ managers helping them address serious workplace problems and has developed and facilitated hundreds of workshops on coaching and communication skills, diversity and inclusion, building respectful workplaces, strategic planning, and appreciative living. www.ClearPerspectives.ca.

Finding Joy in Everyday Life
by Margaret Sarkissian

For many of us in Canada and the US, pre-schoolers to post-graduates alike, September signals the start of a new school year. We all remember some version of this time where perfect new pencils, Pink Pearl erasers and Crayola crayons lay neatly arrayed in a pristine pencil case, inside a colourful yet-to-be-used backpack. There was an excitement about starting a new school year with all of its challenges, some of which were anticipated; others yet to be discovered.

The return to school in September provides a starting gate, a clear, defined beginning to a new school term and the next stage in a young person’s educational journey. Within this excitement often lies the hope and sometimes the commitment that this year will be better than the last one. This year, I will do all of my homework, and get better grades; this year I will have more friends, or make the team, or have more fun. There is a sense of “we are all in this together” that makes the adjustment to new courses or teachers or schools significantly less difficult or challenging.

Yet for many adults September may not herald new beginnings. Instead, it typically means the end of summer holidays, and possibly the end of holidays until the next year. It means heavier traffic on the roads and the start-up of pressing projects both at work and at home. It marks the onset of shorter days and longer nights, which for some people can trigger the early signs of a familiar low-grade depression.

So how can we reclaim the happy anticipation that was part of our daily lives as children?  How can we recapture that exhilarating energy of starting afresh in a new grade, and recreate that freshness in our adult work and personal lives?

The good news is that there is currently a proliferation of books and seminars addressing this very question; happiness has gone mainstream! So what do the professional pundits recommend to boost a faltering happiness quotient?

Martin Seligman, the founder of Positive Psychology, has researched this very topic and found that happiness arises from the capacity for love and work, courage, compassion, resilience, creativity, curiosity, integrity, self-knowledge, moderation, self-control, and wisdom.

And how does one acquire all of these qualities? While the final word has not been heard on this question, it appears that one way we can increase our happiness is by deciding to look for it. This concept of actively attending to the everyday elements that are already right and good in our lives is the cornerstone of Appreciative Living (AL), a concept and practice developed by Jacqueline Kelm, a consultant, author and teacher. An integral part of Appreciative Living is the clear commitment to practicing gratitude; Kelm recommends identifying three things every morning that contribute to your happiness and emotional well-being. These pleasures can be as small as a good cup of coffee or as important as a loving relationship.

Kelm advises the practitioner to spend 30 seconds intentionally savouring each one of the three pleasures, giving each of them the time to be fully sensed and appreciated. In addition, she recommends that the AL practitioner identifies and commits to the one daily action that will increase the joy in his or her life for that day. Her research results indicate that this simple plan is a powerful tool to help participants experience significantly more joy in their lives.

The benefits to this Appreciative Living practice are obvious: it’s free, always available, accessible by everyone, can be readily shared with others, and according to some participants, life-changing. And we don’t have to wait for September to start.

Margaret Sarkissian, M.A. (Counseling Psychology), Certified Coach, is a skilled consultant, trainer, and business/life coach. She has worked with 200+ managers helping them address serious workplace problems and has developed and facilitated hundreds of workshops on coaching and communication skills, diversity and inclusion, building respectful workplaces, strategic planning, and appreciative living. www.ClearPerspectives.ca.

How Can You Make Progress With Certainty, When You Feel Frustrated & Stuck?
Catherine Newton

No one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourself.
~Leonard Barden

So many people I see are having difficulty understanding the principles of manifesting the things they want in their life. It’s important to note that we are all creative beings and we are ALL capable of manifesting greatness if we would only understand more about HOW to do it. We would all do ourselves a great service by reading, studying and attending Seminars until we really got the missing link between what we know, what we want and the evidence of what is turning up in our lives.

How would your life change if you became aware of how to make progress and manifest what you want in your life? The answer is simple. It would be amazing!

In order to make the progress you need, consider these 3 steps:

Firstly, know where you are going and why you want to get there. If you are not advancing forward, you are holding yourself back. To have an idea of what you would like to do better, achieve, and succeed in gives you a place to start. You know you want things to be different and that is the key. Speak of what you want and set your goals to move you in the direction of where you want to go. The thing that would give us the answer is to move beyond our limitations and move into our imagination of what’s possible. The second you do this your opportunities will start to show up and you can take action on them immediately.

Secondly, know where you are in your thinking. A crucial key to unlocking unlimited abundance in your life starts with shifting your inner mindset. You can see where you are in your mindset by the evidence of your present results. You keep manifesting your world, creating it, by the way you are thinking. If a person does not know where they are in their mindset, they create in their imagination alternative ideas that have nothing to do with what they are trying to overcome and this only makes it worse. They make the problem worse by not knowing where they are heading. Be honest with yourself in where you are at. Are you thinking in a way that serves you? Where you are now, is the reason you are where you are now. Know where you are so you can fix it. You can then navigate from the problem to the solution.

What you think you can do is based on what you know. The experience and knowledge you have gathered up until now is giving you the life you are living now. Are you too afraid to move to what you want because you’re afraid of change?

How you are thinking is playing around like a record in your life. It is your stories that you keep repeating in your mind that will keep you in the place of where you are. Escape the stories by knowing what you want, and believing in yourself.

Thirdly, once you know what you want you need to make the choice to move from the place of where we are. In order to make the choice to create what you want in your life ask yourself ‘Am I willing to do what it takes to make it happen?’

This is the most important question to answer. In order to turn your fantasy into a reality, are you willing to:

•    Take 100% responsibility for everything that shows up in your life?

•    Change what must be changed?

•    Resist distractions and bright shiny objects?

•    Take action for what must be done?

•    Stop doing whatever is causing my problems and start doing what it takes?

•    Have the confidence to financially invest in myself?

•    Get coaching and direction when required?

•    Let go of self limiting stories?

•    Study, read, and attend seminars?

•    Join a MasterMind group with like minded people?

•    Release the past and accept what is?

•    Continue when met with failure?

•    Refuse to be a victim?

•    Face, ridicule, humiliation and rejection?

•    Totally commit to living a new life?

•    Move if necessary?

•    Trust in the outcome?

•    Have an unshakeable belief that all your needs will be met?

You must give serious thought to these questions. This is not a game; it is YOUR life and your happiness in question here!

Whatever shows up, do not resist it. Tackle it head on. Answer the questions above and you will start to see why you are, or are not, getting what you want in your life.

It is impossible to get to where we want to go without bringing in new information and new ideas.

Catherine Newton is a Wealth and Abundance Coach, Law of Attraction Practitioner and Motivational Speaker. Catherine is committed to helping us consciously attract Wealth and Abundance into all areas of our lives, giving us the tools we need so we can spend more time living in abundance and joy. www.wealthandabundancecoach.com

Overcoming Through Asking
by Julio Blanco

The simplest way to receive what you want in life is to ask. It’s a common sense truth, right? But it’s an easy one to forget! Instead, we often end up trying too hard and letting our ego get in the way of having what we truly desire.

Consider the simplicity of asking as part of the process of overcoming adversity and manifesting your desires:

1.    Get crystal clear about what you want. Be specific in stating your desire. If your desire is financial gain, don’t state “I want to have financial prosperity” but rather state a specific goal like “I want net income of $100,000 by December 31, 2009.”

2.    Make a true decision to have it.  The mark of a true decision is that you will not accept the possibility of any other outcome. You can’t say “I’ll try my best.” That’s a cop-out that leaves the door open for you to fail. A true decision is absolute. It’s either do or don’t do, with no in between.

3.    When you have done the above, the opportunities will begin to present themselves. You just have to look for them and be ready to say “yes” when they arrive. Manifesting what you want then becomes a series of “yeses” to the opportunities that the Universe will send in response to your clearly stated desire and true decision to have it.

There will be times when you have to “let go of your life” to see the opportunities clearly and allow them to come in. But once you see the opportunities, a big part of saying “yes” is taking action!

Stated another way, action is a way of saying yes. And one of the most powerful actions you can take is to simply ask for what you want – confidently, clearly, authentically, and lovingly.

Once you’ve asked the Universe for what you want, you must also ask it of yourself and others. And keep asking and acting until the result you desire materializes. If you made a true decision, you will accept no other outcome and, by Universal Law, it must materialize if you are ready to accept its manifestation in your life.

You may work hard while manifesting your desires, but you don’t have to “try hard.” In reality, it should feel like it’s flowing, like it’s coming to you with ease.  If instead you feel resistance and struggle, let go. Relax, get centered, be yourself, and just ask.
Julio Blanco empowers spiritually-minded small business owners and solo-entrepreneurs to find their entrepreneurial groove and step into Big Vibe prosperity. To learn more, visit http://www.EnvisionLifeworks.com.

To enjoy more writings from Julio and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Expansion Through Simplification
By Christine Kloser

In a world being torn apart from the desire for “more, more, more”… something incredible is happening.   There is a “shift” underway; from the old, greedy patterns of yesterday to a more simplified and aligned approach to everything.

I was reminded of this again last night as I was watching Dr. Wayne Dyer’s movie “The Shift.”  He talked so beautifully about the “morning and afternoon” of life.  He refers to this as a shift of moving from an ego-based drive for money, acquisitions and external achievements to a love based desire to be of service, and to experience  (and be a source of) peace and love.

I know I may sound like a hippie talking about service, peace and love, but the new business paradigm is based on these very things.  I can’t tell you how many entrepreneurs I’ve been talking to lately who are fed up with all the hype out there about how you can get ri^ch quick.  These are the entrepreneurs who are looking and searching to find true MEANING in their work, and to become more aligned with who they are here to BE, and who they are here to serve… knowing that THIS is the place where abundance of all kinds FLOWS!

This quest is the most valuable and important quest a conscious entrepreneur can go on.  It is only through these deep internal shifts in your own consciousness that you can experience the abundance and lasting success you’re looking for in your life and your business.  This is a shift toward simplicity, a shift toward your own energetic expansion, a shift toward surrendering and trusting a Higher plan.

So, I want to share with you three of the most valuable lessons I’m learning right now as I expand… through simplification.

1) Less is More
I’ve spoken with several entrepreneurs lately who have hit big milestones in their businesses, who are now questioning and wondering what it’s all for.  The overhead is high, the stress is high, the ambition is high… but the quality of life and of “Being” are low.  Contraction has been happening in the very space where expansion is most needed.  The solution we’re all seeing as we “compare notes” is that the key to growth isn’t “bigger is better”… the key to the growth we’re looking for in terms of fulfillment, satisfaction, ease, openness and grace is SIMPLICITY!  Scaling back, saying no, releasing projects, rethinking the “more is better” business model… is what’s leading me and others I know to more freedom and true soul fulfillment.

2) Seek Ease
This has been a huge lesson for me.  I’ve run a racket for years that business was supposed to be “hard.”  That I was supposed to be juggling many projects at once, that I was always supposed to be in “create” mode, etc.  I realize how ridiculous it is to keep striving unnecessarily, yet I was doing it.   My focus now, as with many of my colleagues and clients, is turned toward the experience of EASE.  With the help of my mastermind colleagues in Connecticut recently, they helped me see that I was trying to “do” way too much, and they called me on it.  They helped me see a huge and soul fulfilling oppor^tunity that I’ve been moving away from for 8 years.  It hurt to see that I pushed away ease in exchange for “work”…. but I’m glad now that I’m seeing what I need to see and I’m making some new choices.  (I’ll be sure to share what’s evolving as soon as it’s ready.)

3) Trust
Above everything, especially when things get more difficult then you ever thought they could… TRUST!  This is one of my four “Conscious Entrepreneur” criteria I talk about in Chapter 1 of The Freedom Formula.  It’s essential to trust in your Higher/Divine plan as you move forward in your business and your life.  I’ve been living in this trust and teaching it for years.  Yet, now, with all the change I’m going through on my spiritual path, I’m realizing just how important this one factor is.  Growth of any kind can be challenging, but when you breathe and acknowledge the role that God is playing in supporting, guiding and leading you, it gets easier.  When you trust, you open up a space where you can see the Universe conspiring for your highest good in every moment.  It always is…

These three lessons have been valuable ones for me as I grow, evolve and shift into the next evolution of myself.  And, they’ve become a theme for many of my clients, too.  Embracing these three concepts will help you experience more of everything you’re looking for in your life and your business.  Doing less, seeking ease and trusting are great ways to start experiencing MORE of YOU!

© 2009 Christine Kloser

Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank.  If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know… Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.

To enjoy more writings from Christine and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

The Boulders of Adversity Support Our Growth
Corinne Ropp

I am so grateful to have the insight that I do now knowing that it only grows from here. From what was once a statement of “If I could only get a break” to a statement of creating my life.

The stepping stones I took to get where I am today in hindsight were softer than I thought going through them. What I once thought were boulders were lessons for me to overcome and supported me in being in the place I am today and will continue to do so tomorrow.

At 30 years of age I was pretty desolate, sick, and scared. I had just joined AA willing to do anything that would stop me from destroying my life. I attended meetings and learned many incredible things starting to understand that I could overcome the adversity and challenges I had in my life.

One of the valuable pearls was simply to do what was in front of me. Do not worry about what was coming just do what was in front of me. If the dishes needed doing, then do them, if the car needed gas, then put gas in it.  If you needed help then go to a meeting and get help. I listened because I knew that what I was doing was not working.

I took classes of all kinds from personal development to meditation to metaphysical to internet marketing even though at the time I had no clue why I was taking them. Driven to find a way to make life a success instead one held by fear and doubt.

One person told me that I would one day speak in public at my own seminar. While I laughed at them saying that they were crazy I secretly had a dream of doing just that, of making a difference in people’s lives. Five years ago at 36 years of age I knew I would make a difference in people lives although I did not know how that was going to happen.

That time looked much different than it does now. I had lost my long time job and was struggling to find something that fit for me. Several jobs led me to quitting them all. The last job left me feeling quite deflated and unsure of myself. My self esteem had taken quite a beating where things that were said were different than what they did.  I finally left because my integrity level no longer matched the companies and I was lying to myself and to every person I sold the product to. It was a relief on one hand and then on the other it felt like I was living a lie.

I had lost myself somewhere and was desperately trying to find where I had gone. I was 41, jobless and pretty scared again that I would lose everything. My family was very supportive but I still needed to find me. I went back to my early days in AA and that was to do what was in front of me an to be grateful for all that I had.

I started taking classes again, completing my education, and then chose to become a hypnotherapist. My thirst for knowledge on the subject of spirituality and how science could prove it was unquenchable.

Bit by bit my self esteem, self worth, and my confidence increased.

Bit by bit the service I provided became more important than what others thought of what I was doing.

Bit by bit I became aware what a wonderful human being and spiritual being I was and that I got to give back in a very unique way.

As I look at the building blocks in my life, hindsight is 20/20. What I now understand is that where I am going is the same road I have all ready travelled. I will do what is in front of me trusting that people, events and choices are there for me to be successful.

The insight is that where each of us is going is quite extraordinary. We are all unique and have wonderful contributions to share. Even what looks like a stumbling block is usually a building block in disguise. To your success.

Corinne Ropp is the founder of YOU Seminars Inc. Participants in the seminar are given an opportunity to examine how the spiritual and the science meet and how both can create amazing results in their lives. A mother a three grown children and a 2 year grandchild married to an amazing man for 22 years Corinne is working on her PHD. For more information on YOUSeminars please visit www.youseminars.com

To enjoy more writings from Corinne and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Peace Through Inner Resolution – Releasing Unresolved Emotions
By: Catherine VanWetter ~ Inner Resolution Facilitator Of Peace, Compassion, Forgiveness & Love

“Our biography is our biology.” (Carolyn Myss; “Why People Don’t Heal”) What does that mean? It means that the emotions that are unresolved in our life get buried deep within. These unresolved emotions work their way into our cells, our body, our brain, and our neural circuitry. If left unresolved, this may lead to disease, post traumatic stress disorder, depression, chronic pain, addictions and anxiety, to name just a few.  Our body has been referred to as the unconscious part of our self and that every memory is stored within our tissues (Candace Pert, PhD;” Molecules of Emotion”).  Another words, our issues are in our tissues.

When looked at from this perspective, it is pretty amazing to realize that everything we ever experienced, including all the wonderful events and the traumas, lock themselves into our bodies and minds and can either expand our world or contract it. This is dependent on the significance around the event or memory. I have done a lot of personal work around my own traumas and was reminded the other day how deep within our psyche a hidden memory can hide. A close relative told me some news about a condition they are dealing with and I flashed back to when I had heard similar news in the past which left a traumatic imprint in me that took years to resolve. This recent incident reminded me that while the trauma I experienced may have been largely resolved, there was still a part of it that needed to be recognized, resolved, and healed. When I slowed down enough to recognize this, then I was able to mover forward.

Many times when we initially experience a traumatic event, we store the incident in a place in our brain called the amygdala. This is the storehouse of memory, emotion and fear. It is part of the limbic system, which is referred to as the old brain or “lizard” brain. May folks have what is called a “hot” amygdala, which means that they are reactive and prone to being hypervigilant or on edge. A lot of folks are feeling overwhelmed and deeply concerned for their own survival, as far as their primary needs of food, clothing and shelter being met. Due to this increase in emotional pressure, people are feeling very anxious and fearful, and as a result are living in their “lizard” brain, which keeps them on high alert. This analogy doesn’t include all the past traumas that folks have buried deep within. As a result, some are having a very difficult time coping with life because of past-unresolved issues, which only magnify their current situation.

Part of my life work and now professional path, has been to explore how to release hidden emotions, rewire our brains, and resolve deep seeded trauma. I have found that there are so many techniques that enable an individual to do this. For instance there is NPL (Neural Linguist Programming), EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), and HeartMath, to name just a few. The power around these techniques is that the individual experiencing them, with a trained practitioner, can learn to heal themselves from the inside out by getting to the source or core of their trauma. When a truth is revealed, it sets us free. It’s especially empowering because the individual is ultimately the one who becomes aware of the source of the trauma, can see it and, as a result, heal it. It is when we bring the unconscious forward and bring it into our conscious awareness that we can resolve it. This approach is different than talking about the traumatic event because one is actually able to energetically release it from their body memory. As a result, our brain restructures its neural pathways and desensitizes the person so that they don’t relieve the traumatic memory when a similar situation of the original trauma occurs. The body is often relieved of the physical manifestations that the trauma created and is able to heal itself and return to balance.

I noticed that when I became aware of how I was responding to the news that I received, when I slowed myself down enough, I was able to move out of my “lizard” brain and into the part of my brain that is logical and “present time”. That was a huge awareness. Though I had an emotional reaction, I was able to bring myself back to being resourceful and not emotionally collapsing. This was a wonderful reminder of how our inner work is never really done. There will always be situations, events, difficulties and challenges that will trigger us. If noticed in a proactive state, and responding in a different way, we may very well experience a huge learning, healing and blessing.

We never know how this day will unfold. When done with conscious intention and awareness we can reap the many gifts that come forward everyday. These experiences may not always look like gifts but when we can remove our emotional charge from them, and see with open, unfiltered eyes, then we can notice that our hardest experiences to face are often our greatest releases and blessingsAs a closing reminder, of something fresh in my mind, I would like to pass this on to you. We never know when someone we love may be faced with a life altering condition that will change his or her life and ours forever.  Within a moment they can be gone. When was the last time you told a loved one, how much they mean to you and how much you love them? Take that step today. You won’t regret it.

“Are you ready to step away from who you think you are, and fully become the magnificent person that you are? Together, we will separate the facts from your “story” that will help you step into the field of infinite possibilities.” Additional information on Inner resolution Facilitation are available at Catherine’s website, blog and radio programs. Catherine invites you to a complimentary copy of her Morning Meditation, Welcoming A New Day.  All may be found at http://www.ToTheHeartOfTheMatter.com.

To enjoy more writings from Catherine and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Peace Through Inner Resolution ~ Healing From the Inside Out
By: Catherine VanWetter ~ Inner Resolution Facilitator Of Peace, Compassion, Forgiveness & Love

On 9 – 11, I was experiencing my own 911. For years, I had attempted to push down my fears, traumas, grief, anger and resentments, only to find that my life was getting to be more painful to live. It was becoming harder to deny the deep feelings of emptiness and bitterness that I was experiencing. On the outside, folks saw me as being confident, happy and well adjusted; little did they know that I was quietly dying inside.

It’s interesting, how we think we know who each of us are. We can put on a mask or masks and pretend to the world that all is well. Yet, that imposter part of us will often wake us up in middle of the night, crying out to be released and healed. Either way, that part will eventually get our attention. It will show up as broken relationships, a loss of a job, a death or an addiction. It will get your attention in the area that you are most vulnerable to. The question is, when that happens, how will you process it? Will you take the stance of a victim, or will you become the victor?

As a nation, we are all, in some ways being called to look at areas in our life where we are wearing a mask that may no longer be serving us. This reality can be painful and a bit frightening especially if we have been living it for a long time.

In my own life, I am going through a shift in my financial arena. For years, I have had the opportunity to live a life full of travels, luxuries and little worry about money. The mask I wore, was one of being cavalry with how money came to me so easily and effortlessly. My steady source of income came from an inheritance. Now due to a variety of circumstances, that is dwindling and I find myself at times in a place of fear and anxiety, wondering if I can support myself. It’s interesting how life has a way of keeping us humble. What I am dealing with is what so many folks have dealt with for years. My life lesson now is to learn to trust my inner most ability and to heal that part deep within that feels helpless and hopeless. So how does one start?

For myself, I have found that taking a personal inventory of my life has been a helpful way to begin removing my mask. This period of transition can be a time of tremendous growth and self-awareness, especially if one is able to befriend their inner critic. This inner critic is that part of our self that finds fault with decisions that were made in the past that may have contributed to the current situation. To be able to look at all areas of our life with a compassionate eye and an acute awareness enables us to look for solutions that create options.

Being gentle with our self is a wonderful way to allow deep healing to occur, as we gently remove the mask that we have worn for years. Removing it may create some

discomfort because of feeling emotionally vulnerable. Yet, if we can remind our self continuously, that at any given moment we are all doing the very best that we can, helps ease the discomfort. It may be true that perhaps different decisions could have been made yet it is a mote point to beat our selves up for what happened in the past.

The way to change course is to become aware of how we want our lives to look. Begin setting realistic goals that include action steps that begin moving you toward your ideal life.

As a way to quiet your mind and ease anxiety, practice sitting in stillness everyday. Begin to notice when anxiety builds and take time to breathe and return to a state of balance. With practice, you will notice when you are out of balance. Each time you notice, come back to your breath and back to yourself. Everyday, consciously take one action step in the direction you want to go. If this is done daily, there will be huge shifts. Remember that the mind moves much quicker than the physical world. It took a while to get to where you are in your life and it will take a while to shift it. Practice patience and perseverance.

Finally, remind your self that this process is all part of a continuous journey that has no end.  It’s how we show up in the moments of our life. These choice points help determine the direction in which we are going. Remaining flexible and open hearted to possibilities is the best way to fully embrace this journey we call Life.

As we continue on this path, we will find many fellow travelers who are also learning to find their way during this period of transition. Together, we can offer support and guidance to one another knowing that we are not alone and that our connections with each other will never be broken.

Catherine VanWetter guides you to Personal Peace using the techniques of Inner Resolution Facilitation.  Trained in a variety of healing modalities that help people find Inner Peace,  she invites you to be gentle, compassionate, and courageous as you put down your weapon of choice and step into a field of Grace.   Additional information on this and similar topics are available at Catherine’s website, blog and radio program. Catherine invites you to a complimentary copy of her Morning Meditation, Welcoming A New Day.  All may be found at http://www.ToTheHeartOfTheMatter.com.

To enjoy more writings from Catherine and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

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Peace Through Inner Resolution  - Orders of Love within Family Systems

By: Catherine VanWetter ~ Inner Resolution Facilitator Of Peace, Compassion, Forgiveness & Love

More than 50 years ago, Bert Hellinger coined the phrase systemic constellation work. It is a type of systems work that focuses on the soul of the family, of an individual, of a Universal consciousness that has us, we don’t have it.

We are all born into a family that has a collective conscience, or soul. And with that come both blessings and circumstances, or fate that we carry from generation to generation. Unless there is resolution with the circumstance or burden it will continue to be pasted on from one generation to another. It’s similar to the adage that history repeats itself unless resolved and healed.

Hellinger lived with the Zulu’s in South Africa for 20 years or so. Here he learned the importance of honoring those who came before us, our ancestors and believed that the “peace of the dead is dependent on the living and that the wellness of the living is dependent on the dead.” That is, if one wants to live an unencumbered life, it is imperative that the pain of the past, which can trickle down from one generation to the other is resolved in order for one to live a live that is truly theirs.

When Hellinger returned to Germany, he became a psychotherapist and discovered that more than 70% of the issues that his clients suffered from were not due to psychological reasons, rather systemic ones. Specifically, from their family of origin which included many generations. As he worked with folks, he came to discover the Orders of Love of which there are four. When we speak of orders, it is the natural phenomenon that occurs throughout the invisible dynamics known as the quantum field or “The Field”. An example of a phenomenon is when we enter the fall, it is natural for the leaves to turn color and fall to the ground. This is a natural order that occurs year after year. For more information on this subject, refer to Rupert Sheldrake’s work. (sheldrake.org)

The first Order of Love is that everyone within a family system has the right to belong and those who have been excluded need to be re-included into the family for the health and well being of everyone within the family. I am sure that many of us can think of someone within our own family who has become the “black sheep” or the outcast.

Because systems are always striving for balance, if someone has been excluded, the system will find a way to recalibrate or rebalance itself. From the perspective of a soul, an injustice has been done. So the injustice will be corrected.

An example of this is if a person in the family is adopted out and is not remembered. Or if someone dies and is not remembered. That is considered an injustice and someone within the family will remember and carry that injustice. Some ways that it may show up in a person is in the form of addiction, depression, pervasive anxiety or disease. This is done on an unconscious level and often the person carrying it has no idea why they are experiencing these symptoms.

The second Order of Love is that those who have sacrificed themselves for their families need to be honored in order for the health and well being of the family. This is fascinating because those who sacrifice themselves for their families do it on an unconscious level. Much like the other orders.

An example of this would be if a child takes on the abuse that a parent may have been experiencing. In the magical thinking of the child it’s as if they are saying, “better me mom or better me dad than you.” Children sacrifice themselves for their parents. We can see this as we look at some family systems that have chronic addiction or abuse running though the generations. Unless resolved and unless honored it will continue to perpetuate itself.

The third Order of Love is that everyone has their place within their family. Sometimes, due to a variety of circumstances, parents are not able to be the parents they may strive to be, so their children become the surrogate parent or become “parentified”. Meaning they become the parent and the parent almost becomes the child. It’s as if they don’t have the backbone to standup as a parent.

When I work with folks, I am able to envision where their place was in their family because of the way they describe their relationship with their parents both as they were growing up and how they live their lives as adults. Often these folks will talk in ways that are disrespectful of their parents and they may show some signs of arrogance. Part of the beauty of this work is that when an individual knows where their place is, they can take it, and receive that greatest gift that a parent could give a child, which is the gift of life. Through this systems work, taking this gift and giving back what isn’t theirs to carry will free them up to live a very fulfilled life. Being trained as a therapist, I have worked with folks who may have moved thousands of miles away from their families or emotionally shut them out, and complain that they were not given what they felt they should have been given growing up. While I fully acknowledge that many folks within families have been poorly treated, if a victim, in this case a child can have compassion for the perpetrator or the parent, realizing that they too had been victimized, it can facilitate deep healing for everyone within the system. It is an amazing process of profound healing on an emotional, physical and spiritual level of everyone within the system.

The fourth Order of Love is that there is the equal give and take of energy, also known as reciprocity. In a couple’s relationship, if one gives in a loving conscious way the other reciprocates by back in a loving conscious way.

When harm is done to the other, it will also be reciprocated or balanced, for example, lets say that one of the partner’s goes out and buys a brand new car without talking it over with the other partner. A wrong has been done and will be corrected because of the system finding balance. Again this is done unconsciously or on the soul level. The give and take between a parent and their child is the parent’s responsibility to give love to the child and the responsibility of the child to receive that love. When the child grows up and has children of their own, then they give back to give to their own children. If the child has no children, then they give back to society in the form of service.

In some families, the parents tell the children things that are not for them to hear, such as any discord in their relationship. It is not a child’s place to hear what is going on between their parents, and must stop in order for the health and well being of the family.

I have had the honor of working with this approach to family system therapy for close to 10 years. I love how deep resolution can come about within families that have carried so much grief and emotional trauma. The process of this work is beautiful and continuously keeps me in a state of humility and compassion. I have been told by many that this approach to healing one’s self and ultimately their family have enabled them to stop suffering and come back home to their families.

What I have learned, is if we disconnect ourselves from our families, we disconnect from ourselves. Whether we like it or not, we are our fathers, our mothers, our grandparents and all of those who came before us. We are their energetic signature that has been passed on for generations. When we can fully take the life and love that we were given, we have received our greatest gift. Giving back what is not ours to carry, we free ourselves to live a joyful life full of infinite possibilities. As we heal ourselves from the wounds that we have carried deep inside of us, it enables us to look out into the world with compassionate eyes and an open heart. All of us to some extent did not get what we needed from our families. Coming from a place of compassion we are able to see that our parents were doing the best that they could do with what they may have been carrying.

Taking our fathers and mothers, exactly as they are, enable us to look kindly upon ourselves leading to self-empowerment and self-healing. It is time to put down our swords and move forward into peace.

Catherine VanWetter guides you to Personal Peace using the techniques of Inner Resolution Facilitation. Trained in a variety of healing modalities that help people find Inner Peace,  she invites you to be gentle, compassionate, and courageous as you put down your weapon of choice and step into a field of Grace.   Additional information on this and similar topics are available at Catherine’s website, blog and radio program. Catherine invites you to a complimentary copy of her Morning Meditation, Welcoming A New Day.  All may be found at http://www.ToTheHeartOfTheMatter.com.

To enjoy more writings from Catherine and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

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Experiencing Adversity In Your Life?

When was the last time you experienced adversity in your life?  There are many people who are experiencing adversity nowadays, and they are looking for answers and solutions that will change the outcome of their current situation.  Are you one of those people?

I like to look at adversity as being a situation or circumstance that opposes

one’s interests or desires.  Some people see adversity as an unfortunate event or circumstances, a condition marked by misfortune, or even a catastrophe.

Did you realize that an antonym for the word adversity, is PROSPERITY?  Prosperity is good fortune or can even be described as a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition.

If prosperity is considered to be an opposite condition of adversity, then when we are aligning ourselves with God’s will for us, or even looking at our role in His Divine Plan that He has designed, AND when we are in alignment with His desires for us, then it makes sense that we could flourish and thrive in a successful manner.

Yet if we are NOT aligning our will with God’s will and we are opposing what He has desired for us, then we attract adverse situations into our lives.

God wants to pour His freely given, unmerited favor, love, grace, and blessings upon us, to enhance and beautify our lives.

If you are experiencing something in your life right now, that you feel opposes your interests or desires, OR worse yet, you just feel like you’re in the middle of a catastrophic moment, then do yourself a favor and follow these guidelines:

-Spend some quiet with God (or your Higher Power).

-Ask for clarity and direction, so that you can carry out God’s purpose for you today.

-Focus on what you have a passion for, and think about the possibilities of what you can do with that thing you are passionate about – what you can do to serve God and serve others around you in this world.

When we get out of our “self” and do things for others, it is often one of the best solutions that we can use, to change our adverse feelings and emotions.  Serving others brings us out of the “dumps” and allows us to experience sensations of joy.

May you experience much joy and many blessings today!

Susan M. Hampton
The Feel N.O.W. Success Coach
www.newomnipotentways.com
www.experiencingnow.com

To enjoy more writings from Susan and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

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Overcoming Distress in Everyday Life
by Nelie Johnson, MD

As a family physician I continually meet patients that come to me with physical complaints.  Almost 100% of the time, they only think of some pill or physical therapy that can help them feel better physically, not considering that if they felt better emotionally, they might feel better physically.  I am constantly amazed how little people consider  or are aware of  the emotional factors going on in their lives.

Here is an example of what I mean that happened one morning earlier this month with woman patient I met at a walk-in clinic where I was working.  When I first stepped into the examining room I noticed the patient (let me call her ‘Nancy’) was holding her head very stiffly and she appeared to be in pain.  Sure enough her story was that she woke a few days previously with a lot of muscle spasm and pain in her neck.  There was no physical reason for this – no strain or injury from the previous day.  She had taken over-the-counter muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory medications, and even had had massage therapy, to no avail.  Her condition was worsening.  She was not sleeping, and her whole head was feeling tight and painful.  It was even painful to breath as it brought on more tension into her neck.

On my medical examination, I noted a lot of muscle spasm and tenderness in the neck area and upper back, and a marked reduction in her neck movement.  Nancy had very restricted movement of her neck equally to both right and left as well as upward and downward.  My medical diagnosis was straight forward – wry neck syndrome – spasm in the neck muscles limiting movement.

I could have stopped there, prescribed stronger medication and referred her back for more massage – the standard physical treatment plan.  However, I wanted to help Nancy uncover the reason for why she was experiencing wry neck at this time in her life.  Our conversation went something like this:

Dr. Johnson -  Tell me, have you been distressed lately by something?
Nancy -  Not more than usual.  ( but I don’t take this first response seriously. I ask again because I know how unaware people are.)
Doctor – Are you sure?  Was there possibly something that upset you the evening before the morning you woke with pain?  A phone conversation you had, for example?
Now Nancy is showing some emotion.  Her face has become flushed.  She is close to tears.   So I ask her what is happening for her.
Nancy -  My son called telling me that he didn’t think he could carry on with his marriage.  I fear they are going to separate.  They only just got settled in their community and they have a young child.  I asked my son to find a way to stay together.
(after a pause Nancy tells me more)
The thing is his wife is like a daughter and a friend.  I just don’t know what to do!
Doctor -  I see that if you move to help one, you pull support from the other.
Nancy – I feel caught in the middle.  I don’t know what to do.  I feel helpless.  I want my grandchild to have a full family.
Doctor – Do you not see that your neck condition is mirroring what is happening for you emotionally – being stuck in the middle, not being able to turn either left or right, or any which way?  (more tears from Nancy and nodding her head in agreement)

By this time Nancy is visibly moving her neck more fully and she confirmed that her level of pain and tension had lessened.  I went on to remind her that she could not fix the situation for her son and his family.  It wasn’t her job.  Nancy agreed that she had tended to try to sort out problems for others.  She had to let go and let ‘God’ (whatever her view of some higher power or grace).  The best she could do was send loving thoughts or prayers for the very best outcome for everyone concerned.

In addition to prescribing medication, I encouraged her to do some simple visualization and relaxation and to practice breathing deep and slow into her belly – using her diaphragm.  I could see she was breathing high up in her chest, using her neck and upper chest muscles to breath – a stress pattern of breathing that increases the tension in the neck muscles and is not effective in getting oxygen into the  bulk of the blood that flows in the bottom half of the lung.  More tension, less oxygen into the body means less energy, less ability to think, and more emotional stress – a natural vicious circle.   I told Nancy that I probably have helped more people with stress and anxiety by teaching them to use their diaphragm to breath than most every other ‘treatment’.

The above true story demonstrates the intimate link between how we feel emotionally and how we are physically.  When we learn to heed the messages from both our emotions and our physical body, we open pathways to healing ourselves, not just for minor physical distress but for disease as well.

For more tips on overcoming adversity and support to face challenge in your life, I invite you to get a copy of the Free ebook Overcoming Adversity with Grace.

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Our Beloved Murphy
by Scott Cunningham

Saturday after coming back from the Post Office in the little town Denise and I live, I found our 9-year-old Irish Setter, Murphy distressed on the floor. I checked his signs to find his breath and face were cold. His wagging tail at my call of his nam

e or my attention to him was not much relief. I conferred with my wife then called my friend / vet Luke whose clinic was at best 40 minutes away.

I couldn’t believe his clinic was so full at noon on a Saturday but they ushered my ever so weak Murphy and I to the back lab where we proceeded to try to figure out what was wrong with the fun loving bird and squirrel chasing child of ours.

Blood work showed some extreme levels in some areas. A sonogram showed little and certainly nothing to cause immediate alarm. While Luke worked to clear out the 8-10 patients, his support staff steadily worked to find a reason for the grey tongue and gums, cold breath and weakness.

Mind you, Murphy appeared perfectly fine during our morning ritual of feeding the horses and watering some areas in the yard. This was such a radical change I could not begin to put my competent analytical brain on top of the issue. We were able to get him to go outside to get a visual of his demeanor. Head down and labored walk was all he was showing us. Luke ordered more test and some x-rays. I took Murphy out one more time as he seemed to indicate a need. So off he went and laid out a green tinted cow-patty of poop.

We got Murph up on the x-ray table; I donned an x-ray vest and proceeded to assist in this timely process. After aligning him, I clicked off the images and in no time at all, we began to notice some abnormal placements of some of his organs. Luke and I then popped off one more x-ray to get a better look at his mid chest area. It appeared that we had to get over to the ER quickly. We pulled my red headed boy off the x-ray table only to have him seizure.

We grabbed him and carried him into OR and proceeded to intubate him, run some fluids. About that time his heart quit. Luke ordered Epinephrine and he and I began chest compressions to try to save him. How long this frenetic pace went on is a blur to me but we did everything possible to bring him back. Several doses of Epi only brought some rhythm back to the heart for a minute. My Murphy had left me. I told Luke his eyes were fixed, he checked his heart and could only nod no.

I write this piece in honor of a truly special boy. This rescue Setter and his twin sister were ring bearer and flower girl at Denise and my wedding. They really stole the show. Denise is a level 1 trauma nurse and had been traveling the country for many years since loosing her house and all her possessions in Katrina. So prior to our marriage, the kids had not had a permanent home.

When they came to Texas, they finally had a yard with horses, squirrels and big birds to chase. This last year according to Denise was the best year for them. We were a family with so much love. Prior to my presence on the scene and even while I was in China in 08, Denise would sleep with Murphy and Cally. Well I didn’t care to much for dog hair in my mouth so I put a stop to this. Over the last couple of months, I guess I had softened a touch because I started to let Murphy sleep with Denise on her side of the bed. Mind you that a 100 lb Irish Setter takes up the same amount of room as a person.

A few weeks ago, I had noticed Murphy’s disposition was not his normal joyous self. Understand now that Denise has all 5 of our children and me on a vitamin and medicine regiment. Cally and Murphy both had genetic issues from birth. Cally has been on Chinese herbs for a few years now and receives acupuncture. We receive the best of care. I asked Luke to do an autopsy to find out what happened. It turns out that he had developed an aneurysm right at his heart and as truly rare as this is, it ruptured and he bled out.

To enjoy more writings from Scott and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

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Overcoming with a Dream and a Song from the Heart

By Nancy Lyn Cotter

If you feel burdened, overwhelmed and seek relief, you may want to reconnect with your childhood dreams and the belief that “anything is possible.”

Childhood is the most vital time in our lives. It’s when we are most connected to our true selves.  We are cherished and loved simply for who we are and we feel worthy. We are encouraged to play, explore and dream big. As we get older we lose sight of that natural state. Life bombards us with demands, worries, obligations, hurts, and often with deep pain.

If you truly allow yourself to reconnect and feel that child-like openness and freedom to dream BIG once again, years of negative input can melt-away in a single moment. Then if you allow that single moment and those feelings to linger, you may find renewed energy, strength, and a new resolve to take action that can TRULY CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

That’s what happened to me years ago when I was suffering with severe back pain, nerve damage, early menopause, family and career transitions all at the same time. It was all too much at once. I was struggling with depression and a deepening belief that I was going to be disabled for the rest of my life. I was 42 at the time and my daughter was 8.

It was my daughter’s passion that triggered my own childhood memories and began a chain of events I never could have imagined. It led to my complete recovery – in fact, I eventually became more physically fit than I had been in years. Yet, as thankful as I was (and am) to live without chronic pain, I will be eternally grateful for the very special gift we received in the process. That gift was my REAL therapy – physical, emotional, and spiritual – and it came from a totally unexpected source.

I remember vividly galloping on horseback through scrubby pastures at my grandparents’ ranch in east Texas. I was carefree and powerful. I could do anything and be everything. Possibilities were limitless, the future boundless, and all my dreams would come true. I think I was around six at the time, so that would have been about 1959.

I dreamed of becoming the best barrel racer there ever was on the rodeo circuit. Atop my own shiny Black Beauty, with thundering hooves so steady and sure, no one could beat us. Together we would conquer the world.

It was my first BIG dream.

Though it didn’t happen exactly as imagined, I have fulfilled that dream and then some. As it turns out, my burning desire wasn’t being a rodeo star. It was all about my love for a horse. His name was Dodger and he came to me through my daughter. I loved him the moment I saw him.

He was stocky and solid, with a kind eye and big heart. We bought him when my daughter was ten and had been taking lessons and riding other people’s horses for a few years. Dodger was her first horse and he was mine. We didn’t have a lot of money – we’ve always lived a very middle class lifestyle – but I used all my skill at doing a lot with few resources, and found a way. A burning desire will always find a way.

It was one of the best decisions of my life. Not only did Dodger start my daughter on her path as a dedicated horsewoman and equestrian, but he took me places and gave me things I would never have known without him. He was the therapy I needed at that moment in time. He brought me back from chronic pain and connected me again to my inner child and my natural state of being.

Together we conquered the world – he strengthened my body and healed my soul. With him I knew the utter joy and thrill of life in all its glory. Totally in the moment, completely in the now, his thundering hooves took me across some of the most gorgeous countryside you can imagine.

It sounds corny I know, but I have to tell you that every time we galloped to the top of a hill and I glimpsed the magnificent view beyond, my heart would be so full of joy that I burst out in song. And believe me, I am no singer! Joyful laughter would always follow the outburst.

The song that erupted from my mouth came directly from my heart. It is iconic and practically a cliché, but it was always the same song bursting forth (from the Sound of Music):

The hills are alive with the sound of music
With songs they have sung for a thousand years
The hills fill my heart with the sound of music
My heart wants to sing every song it hears

It was my soul singing. My heart was full and this was the way it released and expressed the depth of emotion, the utter joy of being there, experiencing that moment in time and space with my dream-horse. I found out first-hand that life is pretty intense when you live your dream reconnected to your inner child. For me it was far beyond my original imagining. I was only six when I dreamed it. I was 44 when I began living it.

Dodger is no longer with us. I am sad to say he passed away more than four years ago, but I am eternally thankful for the time we shared with him. Had it not been for my daughter’s passion, he would never have been part of our lives. Nor would I be living my childhood dream.

Funny how that works – most of us can make dreams happen for our children or for others, but not for ourselves. I am so grateful my daughter was born with a love for horses. Her dreams re-ignited mine and brought us Dodger, other beautiful horses, our own barn and pastures, and so much more. I never dared believe all of this would come true for me.

But I could believe it for my daughter and she re-connected me to my earliest dreams.

So do yourself a favor and allow yourself to overcome stress, and even your current situation, by using your fondest childhood memories as a catalyst. Remember, recall, and reconnect with YOUR inner child-self and your earliest dreams. No telling where they may lead!

To enjoy more writings from Nancy and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

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Overcoming and Achieving Credit-Worthiness
by Nancy Cotter

Are you suffering because of the economy? Have you been hit by a personal credit crisis? If you haven’t been, you probably have a family member, friend, or neighbor who has.

To state the obvious, we’re in the midst of an historic credit crisis and economic meltdown. Millions in the U.S. and around the globe are suffering because of major financial losses. Record numbers have lost their jobs and their homes. It is a time of massive change, uncertainty, and fear.

Yet amidst all the despair and calamity, we are experiencing a positive shift in consciousness. There is an awakening – a realization – that we are ALL in this together. The old ways of thinking are no longer valid. We can not  continue the charade that ties our identity and sense of self-worth to the amount of money we make, the car we drive, and the house we live in. For a huge number of people those identifiers no longer exist.

To truly overcome false measures of our worth, we must shift our focus from perceived differences to an awareness of our sameness – our shared humanity. We absolutely have more in common than most allow themselves to believe. No matter our income or standard of living, we all seek love, fulfillment, happiness, peace, and a bright future for our children. These desires cross every race, religion, nation, gender and creed. We are ALL striving for and wanting these same fundamentals in our lives.

This shift in consciousness has everything to do with what it means to be credit-worthy. It begins within each one of us. It begins with a belief in ourselves – we must believe ourselves worthy of credit before we can value all others as being worthy as well.

Beyond financial definitions, credit is described in most dictionaries as
an honor given for some action… having a quality of character, trust-worthiness, credibility, and esteem…  Usage: Giving credit where credit is due… She is a credit to her family, her military unit, and her nation … He credits his success to his mentor and role model… Teachers give extra credit for work and performance above basic requirements.

My year-long intense study of the recent science, psychology, spirituality, and positive self-improvement materials has revealed a set of core traits that I believe are necessary for building personal credit-worthiness. These traits are also among those identified by Positive Psychology as universally acknowledged character strengths and virtues.

Based on the research, it is my belief that being or becoming “credit-worthy” is an essential ingredient for achieving success both personally and financially. It is our internal foundation of self-worth and esteem that determines whether we thrive or merely survive in life. The good news is that ANYONE can develop this and improve their quality of life – a multitude of tools and resources are available and much of it free.

I know how truly awful it is to struggle because of financial circumstances. I have lived through it myself and have helped numerous others overcome it. If you are feeling overwhelmed right now, then please UNDERSTAND THIS:

YOU ARE PERSONALLY WORTHY OF CREDIT
SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE IN THIS WORLD

IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING PLEASE KNOW THAT
YOU CAN BECOME “WORTHY” OF FINANCIAL CREDIT
AND TURN YOUR FINANCES AROUND

HERE’S THE WAY TO BEGIN:
1. STOP BEATING YOURSELF UP – change your negative thoughts
2. MAKE A CHOICE – define and focus on your strengths
3. CHANGE YOUR THINKING – discover the TRUTH and be thankful
4. GAIN CORE KNOWLEDGE – develop personal & financial skills
5. AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

Robert F. Kennedy addressed this topic eloquently – here are a few of his words:

The gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, … their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages; the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither wit nor courage; neither our wisdom nor our teaching; neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.

1968 speech at the University of Kansas

Please don’t stay stuck judging yourself by false measures – take charge of your thoughts, focus on the things that make life worthwhile, overcome and achieve peace of mind by developing your financial and personal credit-worthiness.

To enjoy more writings from Nancy and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

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Do You Have the Networking Blues? by Marlene Oulton

Are you an introvert? Someone who tends to feel absolutely paralyzed at the thought of meeting new people? Do your hands get cold and clammy and your heart race 100 miles an hour at the mere thought of attending a networking event? How can you network successfully if you feel faint at the mere thought of having to walk up to a stranger and introduce yourself and state what business you’re in?

When I started my business I was told that most new entrepreneurs have to cultivate their business, and in order to grow their client base they need to “network”. So what exactly is networking? How do you acquire the skills to do this effectively? Most people can learn to network better over time with practice and ease so for now let’s just look at a few of the basic “how-to’s” to get started on networking both yourself and your business. Consider this article your free “Virtual ‘bytes’” of wisdom.

1. Smile! No one wants to be greeted by a person whose face gives off the impression that they’ve just lost their favorite pet! A warm, welcoming smile (not those fake or phony grimaces either!), will show the person you are greeting that you are indeed pleased to make their acquaintance. I was once taught in a telephone answering seminar that you should always smile before saying hello when answering calls, as your smile even carries through the earpiece. Being friendly costs nothing and your genuine self will win over any hardened potential customer.

2. Get your “elevator” speech introduction down pat! It’s been said that you only have only 15 seconds to introduce yourself and what you do so you had better have a clear, concise opening introduction or else you’ll lose their attention. I’ve had trouble with this one in the past because the term ‘virtual assistant’ is a relatively new one for most people and I need to educate them on the “what is” part of my business first. Once I’ve determined that they’re interested in learning more, then I can explain in greater detail what services I have to offer them.

3. Listen! I know… this sounds so easy to do, but it’s almost impossible to listen and talk at the same time unless you’re a ventriloquist. In fact, if you aren’t paying attention to both the body language and the words that the other person is saying, you might miss some key points that you can use to determine whether or not this person is actually in need of your services. What questions are they asking you? Is their business one that might require your services? Do they seem open to the possibility of doing business with you? You will know within the first few minutes of conversation whether they’re a “fit” for you or not. Just pay attention and listen to what they have to say and then respond accordingly.

4. Follow through! If they ask you for additional information or request that you contact them at a later date, then you’d best follow through. Forgetting to get back to a potential first-time client is a certain kiss of death to that sale. A quick thank you call or follow up email will show them that you are interested in conducting business with them and will make a lasting impression.

5. Just breathe! Learning to relax and enjoy the opportunity of meeting new people is crucial to becoming a great networking person. I’ve never heard of anyone being beaten to a pulp at any social networking function I’ve ever attended just because they weren’t adept at speaking. Always be open-minded and maintain a certain curiosity about all the people you meet. After all, they’re attending the same function with most likely the same purpose in mind that you have – to find potential new clients and interact with other business people.

I could go on and on about other points to observe while trying to effectively network your business but I have to draw the line somewhere. Besides, I have to go answer some email inquiries from potential clients myself, since I’m “networking” virtually these days!

To enjoy more writings from Marlene and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

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Overcomers Aren’t Special, Just Deliberate by Charlon Bobo

So often we think others possess abilities inaccessible to us. We think they have more tools or were granted preferential universal status. We assume they know more than we do or life is easy for them.

None of these assumptions is true.

And not only are they not true, they prevent you from taking full responsibility for your life and your experience. As long as you have an excuse, you don’t have to change the habits that are oh-so-comfortable and familiar! How brilliant is that for a mind-mechanism that tries to keep everything as-is? If you have a reason (read: excuse), you can remain in the cozy little life you’ve created.

And there’s nothing wrong with that if it’s what you consciously choose. But we’re not talking about being choosing consciously, are we? We’re more addressing the subconscious beliefs that linger and debilitate without much awareness on our part.

So, how much do you want a life that radiates from the highest place in you? And what are you willing to do to facilitate that change?

As long as you have a ‘good’ reason like, “She is smarter than I. That’s why abundance happens for her,” you won’t even try to have a better life. It’s a safe, but untrue, catchall that leaves you paralyzed by inaction.

However, if you’re ready to live the highest version of your best self, adopting the seven defining characteristics of overcomers is a jumpstart to having a different life. Those we call ‘overcomers’ commonly:

1.   are tenacious

2.   learn and grow from every experience

3.   are proactive

4.   see opportunity everywhere

5.   help others

6.   develop a plan-of-action

7.   act on their plan

We all experience hardship. It’s an occasional state of the human condition. The pendulum swings; being spiritual entities on this physical plane means we experience the full range of emotions and happenings as we journey.

It’s not especially hard to be an overcomer in life:

1. Understand circumstance doesn’t define you. How you respond defines you.

2.  Decide that circumstance does not dictate the level of enjoyment you can experience.

3.   Take some action that’s different than all the previous actions that have brought you to this very moment. If you do, I promise you’ll have a different experience.

The Universe conspires on our behalf for our benefit. The greatest personal shifts I’ve ever known came as a result of deciding no circumstance controls my experience. After all, I am an overcomer and you can be, too.

To enjoy more writings from Charlon and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Capture Those Positive Feelings And Overcome Your Misfortunes By Susan M. Hampton

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed?  Have you found a way to cope with your adverse situations?  Adversity is sometimes defined as “misfortune”.  Are you feeling a bit unlucky?

Let me ask you this…what are you focusing on?  Are you consumed with thoughts of lack or feeling down OR are you finding ways to cancel those negative thoughts that come up, and replace them with positive flowing thoughts, words, and actions?  Have you found any tools or techniques to help you transform those negative feelings into positively-charged
emotions?

Many people are starting to learn about the importance of maintaining positive FEELINGS.  In the past, so many have focused on just maintaining a positive attitude or being careful with their thoughts and words.  What about your feelings though?

Next time you have a challenging day, filled with feelings of being overwhelmed, frustrated, or perhaps just stressed out, do yourself a favor.  Take the time to think about a really happy and fun time in your life, that was filled with the feelings you experienced when you achieved success accompanied with joy and laughter.  You might even find that you have to go all the way back to your childhood, before you can think about an incident or experience that really thrilled you.

Then sit with yourself quietly for a few minutes and think about how you really felt during that happy time.  How does that feel to you? What was going on during that time, that allowed you to have those feelings and emotions of joy?  What could you do similar today to re-create those same feelings?  How willing are you, to do the things you need to do, to improve those feelings and capture those thrilling feelings that you experienced in that moment before?

You see, since you have indeed experienced those positive feelings before, your mind has acted like a shelf in a library of old books, holding all those feelings from the past, and you can in fact, experience them again.  All you need to do is take time out to FEEL those FEELINGS.  Then put them together with those positive thoughts, words, and actions.  You could even put a little body movement together with this OR do a little dance.

Does this make you feel silly?  Could it even make you feel like a
child again?  Allow yourself to have fun with this and have a few
laughs.  You deserve to be filled with joy and experience great
times again!  Let the good times roll!

To enjoy more writings from Susan and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Working In and With Integrity in Your Business by Marlene Oulton

Just for fun, I looked up the word ‘integrity’ on line today to see the different definitions available for the latest ‘buzz’ word in business. Two of them really resonated with me and they were:

1. ‘an unreduced or unbroken completeness or totality’
2. ‘moral soundness’

Most of us are taught from an early age various moral beliefs by our parents, teachers and other authority figures and they basically involved learning ‘right’ from ‘wrong’ or ‘just’ from ‘unjust’. Whether we adopted their beliefs depended on how well we listened and felt that the words they spoke were true… or not. Beliefs are just statements that we believe are the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

I would rather concentrate on the first definition of ‘an unreduced or unbroken completeness or totality’ as that’s the aspect I want to impart to my clients. I want them to do business with me because I represent a total value package, sort of a ‘full meal deal’ if you will, combining honesty, openness, sound work ethics AND ‘integrity’ in every project I undertake. It doesn’t matter to me if the project takes a half hour or a month to complete; if it’s for a huge corporation or a sole owner of a business; or if the client ‘believes’ that the project is too menial for me to undertake. None of these factors affect my work integrity and how I treat my clients. They are all the same to me and I treat them all as equals. In short, nothing or anyone is menial unless I choose it to be!

I listened to a good friend tell me how she receives much joy and satisfaction in doing what she absolutely loves – which is cleaning houses. Now to some people, being a house cleaner might seem a ‘menial’ job or something beneath their capabilities, but to my friend, it is her world as well her business. She lives with ‘integrity’ every day as she takes out her mop and bucket of cleaning supplies and makes someone’s house sparkle. She is conducting her business with a high degree of totality and completeness… and her customers LOVE her!

If you believe what you are doing is menial or that your business skills and worth are being undervalued, then guess what – they will be! However, if you conduct your business with unbridled acceptance, joy and passion, then you will be living in a total state of ‘integrity’ and it will show up in every project that you undertake for your clients.

I was asked to speak to a group of aspiring entrepreneurs recently and I started off my talk by introducing myself this way – “Hello everyone! My name is Marlene Oulton, the very happy and contented owner of Write Choice Virtual Assistants”. I didn’t say I was rich or had a thriving business (which I do!) but I wanted to impart these wonderful feelings that I have deep inside me which owning my own business has given me. Joy. Happiness. Acceptance. Contentment. And above all else, working in and with ‘integrity’.

How do YOU work in YOUR business?

To enjoy more writings from Marlene and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

A Novel Approach to Being a Parent by Colleen Bain M. A.

Did you ever notice that life as a parent is very similar to reading a great story? We could title our story – A Story about -Your child’s name goes here – The Trials and Tribulations of Growing Up. UGH. Just the title makes you want to think twice about reading it. For one thing, we would need to have a full stock of tissues on hand, I’m sure. However, we ignore the warning signs and lift the tissue from the tissue box and anxiously begin to read our first chapter.

As we get introduced to our main character (your child), we inevitably become one and can identify with many things that are happening. As the pages of the book get turned each new tissue is being pulled out of the box. We laugh, cry, we worry and encourage our character to keep going. We hear ourselves talking to our character saying “Everything will be okay!” or “Wow, You Did It Again, I’m So Proud of You!”

Yet, we are amazed, at some of the challenges set forth for our character in this story. The adventures seem like enormous elephants charging towards us at full speed compared to our adventures we endured growing.  Ours seem like little mice standing still while nibbling on a tiny little piece of cheese compared to our character’s. How will our character get through this? What is going to happen next? Will it get easier? It can’t get harder, can it?

In some situations, we find ourselves visualizing the outcome of our character. When we are not reading and analyzing the story, we are dreaming of the possible outcomes. We focus on only the good ones! As we continue to turn the pages, we are joyfully surprised to find our dreams and visions are coming true. Our character is turning out better than okay. Just like we hoped for, our character is supported by many people who are passionate about living their life on purpose. Our character is in good hands. We are so proud of ourselves for believing in our character and never giving up!

You see, even though the character in your story may be different in many ways to my character, they are alike in one way. Every character is a child with a caring and passionate parent. Although this parent believes they are taking a back seat in their life to help their child succeed, this is far from the truth. In some unique way, every child has helped their parent expand their knowledge, belief, faith and understanding of what it means to live life with purpose.  The parent is becoming empowered by their child to take the driver’s seat and create the life they are passionate about living.

To enjoy more writings from Colleen and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Using Dreams as a Tool for Overcoming Adversity by Joshua Aragon

Using dreams as a tool to solve problems and seek guidance has been used for centuries by many leaders, mystics, philosophers and teachers throughout the world. These early teachers saw the value of reaching deep within ones own consciousness in order to tap into the infinite knowledge of the Universal Mind.

Hidden deep within each of our minds lies our unconscious mind or ‘non-local’ self; the ultimate connection to the Universe. By learning to connect to this part of us we are able to tap into a virtually limitless realm of creativity, knowledge and wisdom that break the boundaries we generally experience through conscious thought.

There are multiple states of mind that we can enter into that allow us to reach into this Universal realm. Many people prefer to use meditation, others use prayer, and by far the vast majority of us utilize the most popular method of connection, our dreams, oftentimes without even realizing we’re doing it.

No matter who we are, where we live, or what our life experiences have been we’ve all had dreams at one time or another in our lifetimes. Most of us dream on a daily basis regardless of whether or not we remember it in the morning. Of the dreams that we do remember we either forget them within a few minutes of awakening, or recall bits and pieces of them likely in no particular order or with little to no direct meaning in our lives.

Discovering how to harness the untapped power of our minds and at the same time make use of our sleeping hours has been a question on the minds of many throughout the ages. By learning how to enable this connection at will and on a regular basis in order to reach an enlightened existence, we will no doubt reach higher levels of purposeful, peaceful and powerful living. Dream Seeding, the process I will now describe, allows us to begin this transformation consciously and purposefully.

The process of ‘dream seeding’ allows you to plant seeds in the abundant soil of the Universe and reap the benefits of unbounded knowledge in order to place you on your right path in life. The process I will teach you will help you utilize your dreams on a more regular basis to guide you on your quest of purposeful living. This is something we all have the capability to do, and something that if done consistently and properly, may make the journey a much more enlightening and peaceful experience.

The idea is for you to place your problem, question or situation into the hands of the Universal Mind through your unconscious connection to it. You then tap into the insight, vision, and wisdom of the Universe as you seek help and guidance from your higher or spiritual self. Virtually overnight, issues that have been plaguing you for years along with questions that have had no clear answer are delivered to you via your dreams.

Located within this realm you will also find answers to your questions about your reason for being, or purpose in life. With experience you will learn not only how to tap into this dream state during your sleeping hours, but also while awake.

In the next article I will give you the simple step by step process to get you started successfully ‘dream seeding’ along with a few simple ways to capture what you learn and put it to purposeful use in your life right away.

Joshua Aragon, a leading authority on Life Purpose and Purposeful Living, is a life coach, author, speaker and founder of several organizations dedicated to assisting humanity in finding more purposeful, peaceful and powerful ways of living. If you’re ready to find more meaning, fulfillment, joy and peace in all that you do, get your free success tips now at: http://www.JoshuaAragon.com

To enjoy more writings from Joshua and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

When You’ve Lost Your Will to Write Your Book by Lynne Klippel

One of my authors sent me an email last week. His words struck a chord because I’ve heard them from almost every author I’ve ever worked with and said them myself.

His questions:

What’s really that special about me and my book?

Do you think anyone will read this?

This loss of confidence happens at least once in every book project. You are so bogged down in the details of writing, the stress of editing, and the familiarity with the content that you can easily lose your passion, or to use an Austin Powers’ term, your writing mojo.

When this doubt starts to creep in, you will find yourself spending hours on Facebook, cleaning your closets, shopping, or other forms of avoidance and procrastination. You start to feel a little bored and wonder if this idea of writing a book was silly after all.

This is the time to STOP thinking about yourself and reconnect with your passion for helping others.

Remind yourself that you are writing this book to serve readers by providing a solution for their problem. Review your vision and marketing plan to refresh your energy for your perfect readers. Remember how much you book will help them and their families.

Keep in mind that you are probably taking your material for granted. You know it like the back of your hand. It is easy to assume that everyone else knows it too. – That’s not the case.

People are searching for help. When you reconnect with your passion for sharing your knowledge in service to your readers, you will stop procrastinating and start writing again.

It’s all about the giving.

To enjoy more writings from Lynne and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Learning Skills 101 – How to Strengthen Attention Skills by Colleen Bain

In my past articles, I have discussed attention as a learning skill. I gave several examples of weak attention skills impacting students in the classroom. In this article, I am presenting a few ideas on how you can strengthen your attention skills. The following are games, yes games that you can play. By playing the following games, you will begin to strengthen your attention skills.

1. Simon Says – Try searching and working with a free online version of Simon Says – the music one with the different buttons/tones. Remember this game?

2. Colored Shapes/Blocks – Have the child first practice just stating the “color” of the shapes. Next, have the child practice focus only on the type of shape not the color. Do this with many shapes in several rows.

3. Use metronome online to practice having your state answers to the above on every other beat (click on 120 bpm). yellow, “beat”, blue, “beat”, etc. Google metronome online and you’ll find it easy enough.

4. Play a game of concentration online and see how many matches your child can get on the first try. Just Google “play concentration online.”

If you have not already recognized this, the attention games strengthen other learning skills, too. This is a main factor in a student’s ability to learn. If just one learning skill is off, then the rest will not be working at optimal level. The student will not be working up to their potential.

The good news is that attention is just one of many that you are able to strengthen due to the brain’s ability to develop and grow. The Enhanced Learning Skills System was designed to strengthen learning skills required to learn and read easier and more efficiently. Contact me today for an assessment and let’s begin working together to help your child learn easier and more efficiently.

To enjoy more writings from Colleen and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Inner Peace Tip – Choosing Faith Over Fear by Catherine Van Wetter

It was brought to my attention the other night that you cannot be in faith and fear at the same time.

I have been thinking a lot about that and consciously noticing when I slip into fear to bring myself back into the space of faith. I am aware how vigilant one needs to be to stay in that space, especially with all of the negative news we get bombarded with daily if we choose to watch or listen to the media.

I am noticing how people I run into throughout the day describe how their lives are going. Listening to the words they are using, whether they empower the person or disempower them. Watching how their whole physical appearance can shift as they either talk about the joys in their live or the hardships. It’s this noticing that allows me to notice my own state of awareness.

During my meditations and through out the day I question, what is faith? What does that mean and if I am feeling doubtful, how can I muster up the strength and resiliency to go there?

What I have noticed is that as I move through the day it takes faith. Just crossing a street there is the deep knowingness that I will make it to the other side. When I speak in front of a group of people, there is the inner knowingness that I will get my message across. And yet if I am in a place of doubting my knowingness, I get stuck in my insecurities and feel vulnerable, thus slipping out of faith and into fear. Sometimes this shift is so subtle that it takes me a moment to notice it.

At times I think about what faith is too much and discover that is a way to get hung up in the details of faith rather than trusting the divine unfolding, which is done in the invisible realm, known as quantum physics. Something I can’t even wrap my mind around. When I think about it, my ego gets involved and I start to look for loopholes or question the whole process rather than just being with it.

In the morning I open the day with an intention, which is, “show me faith in ways that I can understand.” Within this intention are 4 steps that I follow.

• The first one is my deep belief in the perfection of my life, and how everything unfolds perfectly. There are no accidents only opportunities.

• The second one is the confidence that I will step into the day with. It is with this deep confidence that I will be able to look at any situation with an open heart and compassionate eyes. Knowing that there are no problems only situations.

• The third step is trust. Trusting that I will be shown the way and when I find myself forcing a situation that I will stop and re-evaluate my direction.

• The fourth step is the deep inner knowing of how interconnected we all are with each other and with the Universe. Being part of the wondrous web of life that supports my every move and action.

And so I enter into my day with wonderful expectations of how perfectly my day will unfold. The perfection in meeting the right people, receiving information that I have been waiting for or a wonderful opportunity to do my work and to be of service.

At the end of the day, I look back on all that transpired with gratitude. Especially those parts that were uncomfortable for me because that is where I receive the perfect lesson, if I am able to release the drama and story behind it. I can then begin to see how everything in my life has been perfect and that I have been divinely guided by blind faith.

To enjoy more writings from Catherine and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Create a Vacuum For Perfect Living by Charlon Bobo

To begin, let me define two phrases so we have a common understanding:

1. Create a vacuum – Consciously creating room for a continually better fit of life circumstances, e.g. personal relationships, jobs, clients, living space, attainment of goals, etc.

2. Perfect living – A life lived in — and guided by — divine influence resulting in a peaceful, aligned experience, wherein the word “perfect” is defined solely by the individual

Natural change happens as a result of living in the physical universe. Think of the seasons and how every day, we are further from one season and closer to the next. Seasons simply change because that’s the nature of the physical universe.

Participatory change happens only when there’s a “vacuum” or space for something else — something better — to flow in.

All of us have experienced the impact of natural change. It seems out of our control and can make us feel that we live at the whim of some one or some thing outside of our influence… an external force. While it’s true there are elements we don’t individually control, e.g. forces of nature, other people, their choices, etc., that doesn’t have to leave us feeling that our lives aren’t our own.

That’s where the fun of participatory change comes in.

You can consciously choose to experience change that is facilitated by your active participation.

Participatory change comes when we’ve made preparation and space for something new to come in, even if we don’t know exactly what it is. It’s okay, and enough, to simply start with knowing something is no longer a good fit. Then get busy. Take some action every day to clear out the old and make room.

Think of the preparations you make for guests. You busily clean, grocery shop, plan meals, decorate, wash linen, and otherwise plan for hosting your guest(s). You actively create space for them. You intend for them to make themselves “at home” and you want them to be comfortable when they visit.

It is no different with welcoming change.

When something, anything, is anticipated with thoughtful preparation, the results will surely delight and astound you.

Can we influence the way we experience change even when it’s natural change?

Sure! Just decide that no external life circumstance has the power to dictate your level of fulfillment and joy in life. Do you choose to be the victim of your experience or the master of it? You truly have the ability to decide. It’s completely up to you. You can resist, resent, and struggle your way through natural change. It will happen, regardless.

If, however, you want to experience change on purpose, increase the awareness of your innate ability to impact the everyday outcome and take some action to create a vacuum with room for newness to come in. It will. This grand universe is full of surprises. Expect the unexpected!

To enjoy more writings from Charlon and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

To Have Abundance, Start by Being Yourself by Julio Blanco

Your best chance of having abundance in life starts with being yourself – lumps and all.

You see, you were created with a combination of talents that only you possess and, from birth, your heart was predisposed toward passions that signal your purpose in life. Only if you embrace your authentic self can these talents and desires surface in their full magnificence and the gift you were created to deliver be given in its full power.

Have you ever felt out of alignment, living a life that did not fit you? If so, you were likely not being your true self. I had that feeling often during my 18 years in Corporate America where I enjoyed a fruitful marketing career, but often felt that my spirit was being force-fitted into a box two sizes too small. The cloak and dagger politics, the silly games, the snuffing out of creativity; they all went against my basic grain day in and day out.

As a result, a layer of resistance emerged in my work, which was always lurking just beneath the surface. It was a good thing too because this was my internal compass sending me a loud and clear signal. The resistance was the tension between my true self and who the corporate environment was asking me to be. The result was that I was a house divided – the passionate part of me wanting to do great work and the part of me resisting because it was not the life I was meant to live. I was pushing the accelerator with the other foot on the brakes. The result was that I did just OK when my talent suggested that I was capable of much more. I was selling myself short, as well as the work, by not being in complete alignment with my authentic self.

“Be what ya is, not what ya ain’t because if ya ain’t what ya is, you is what ya ain’t.”

- E. Jean Tracy, director of the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

The thing is, I didn’t put the pieces together until Corporate America and I parted company. The transition to entrepreneurship put me in a setting that, in many ways, liberated me to come back to the person I always wanted to be. The resistance is gone because I am BEING who I was created to BE. And the results have been amazing – my life now has more passion and power than ever and my dreams are materializing before my very eyes.

Why is being your true self so critical to achieving the abundance you desire? Consider these reasons:

Congruence.

Being yourself requires that you be congruent inside and out. This leads to clarity and clarity is a prerequisite for attracting what you desire.

Courage.

Being authentic takes courage – the kind of courage you need to succeed as a conscious entrepreneur living your values in your business. It is the courage that will sustain you in the face of fear when you step outside your comfort zone to do and achieve what you had previously allowed yourself to believe was impossible.

Commitment.

Being authentic takes commitment. It is a commitment to owning your mindset, your actions, and the results in your life, with no excuses.

Passion.

To be in your most passionate state – about work, about life – mandates that you be authentically you. You can’t fake it. You can’t pretend to be somebody else and be acting with true passions (acting profession exempted).

Power.

When you are authentic, you draw on your natural talents, which are the gifts you possess in greatest measure for the purpose of accomplishing a special mission in life. That’s when you are at your best, in your most effective state, and able to accomplish fantastic things with the least bit of resistance and effort.

Starting today, my challenge to you is to evaluate how congruent you are being with your true self, in your business, in your relationships, and in life! If you find a gap – start closing it. You will start to live your true life and the abundance you desire will begin to show up with increasing frequency and ease.

To enjoy more writings from Julio and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Running – My Saving Grace For Living With Dementia by Holly Eburne

Two years ago, my world dramatically changed when my husband, Dave, 59, was diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia. It surprises me how this latest challenge, including the grief of slowly losing my husband of 31 years, is enriching my life. I would not trade it for the one before his diagnosis.

When I was a teenager, I would go for a run as a way to help me deal with the stresses of high school, and it continues to be my ’saving grace’ through this difficult time. You might wonder why running has such a profound effect on me, but when you read my story, you will understand.

It is early Sunday morning, as I lace up my running shoes and head out for a peaceful jog along our country road. The moment I step outside, I feel grateful for being healthy enough to do this. Four and a half years ago, an orthopedic surgeon told me that my running days are over, due to serious leg injuries after falling down the stairs. Typically, I was in a hurry, carrying a load of laundry, without bothering to turn on the light. The shortened version of what happened, was that 36 hours later, I was having surgery to repair 4 fractures and a dislocated ankle. On my follow-up visits to the doctor, he told me to hang up my running shoes because at my age (51), my ankle would be too stiff and unstable for running. Little did he know about the powers of positive thinking, and extensive rehab.

As I make my way down our winding, gravel driveway, I watch Dave take off on his bike–relieved that he is still physically and mentally able, to ride. I am also glad that he decided to let me run on my own. Lately, I’ve had more need to spend time by myself, calming my fears, and the chatter inside my brain. At the bottom of our driveway, a couple of juvenile Western Kingbirds, hover about 3 feet above my head saying hello, while goldfinches sing sweetly in the Saskatoon bushes, feasting on berries. The sun is warm, despite it being early in the morning, and the sky is clear blue, with the moon still visible. A little further along the road, I am searching for, and stepping on tiny tussock moth caterpillars, which are destroying our forests of fir trees. Just after squishing one, I look up in time to see a white-tail deer heading down to the creek for a drink. There are giant Ponderosa pine trees shading much of my run, and I hear a variety of songbirds, tweeting and twittering in the bushes lining the creek. Butterflies, of all colors and sizes, gently flutter around me, while I watch the horses in the fields swishing their tails to keep the flies off. At the cattle guard, which is my turn-around point, I notice some baby bear droppings, thankful that he and his mom have not discovered our 20-odd bird feeders surrounding our house and pond. My thigh muscles are feeling alive with the workout; sweat is trickling down my back, and I am ‘conscious’ of an incredible sense of peace–the lines on my forehead and the crease between my eyes are relaxing; my jaw is no longer clenched; my shoulders have dropped away from my ears.

I will not pretend or deny that life is not challenging, with many agonizing moments, but how Dave and I are choosing to live with them, is bringing welcomed joy into my life. The gift of running fills my soul with gratitude for what I have in my life, instead of what I am losing.

To enjoy more writings from Holly and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

A Life Can Be Changed by a Few Simple Words by Kathleen Gage

“I’m willing… I’m ready… I’m available to more good than I have ever imagined or experienced at any time in my life.”

What a fantastic affirmation. I first heard this particular affirmation a few days ago while listening to one of the CDs in the Life Visioning series by Reverend Michael Beckwith.

You may recall Reverend Beckwith from the movie The Secret. Until I watched The Secret I had never heard of him. Although I felt as if I had just discovered something wonderful through this introduction to his work, he has been sharing his messages for decades. He has impacted the lives of millions of people throughout the world in a very positive way.

The truth is that many people are doing great works around the globe. Just because we don’t hear of them does not mean they are not having a profound impact on the lives of others.

How often is there a school teacher who has a major impact on his or her students and yet, we won’t here of them?

Or what about the mother who teaches her children about infinite possibility?
Maybe it’s the grocery clerk who is always cheerful and has a kind word to say to every customer who comes through their checkout line.

One does not need be world renowned to have an incredible impact on others. Every day we have this opportunity. It is only a matter of raising our awareness and consciousness to realize every person we come in contact with is potentially someone we can brighten their day with by a kind word or a smile.

Now this may sound Pollyanna to some. That’s fine. If being kind to others is Pollyanna I can only hope I will continually embrace this fact.

One way to become more aware of what we are doing day in and day out is to affirm the goodness that surrounds us and the goodness we can do for others.

The moment I heard “I’m willing… I’m ready… I’m available to more good than I have ever imagined or experienced at any time in my life,” I realized this is a powerful affirmation of good. The more I affirm this statement, feel the emotion around the statement, believe the statement, the more good I will bring to others.

I would invite you to write this affirmation down, read it several times throughout the next 48 hours and watch the magic happen.

“I’m willing… I’m ready… I’m available to more good than I have ever imagined or experienced at any time in my life.”

To enjoy more writings from Kathleen and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Conscious Entrepreneur – 3 Proven Strategies to Deepen Your Belief in Yourself by Christine Kloser

Belief. It is, by far, one of the most powerful concepts to embrace if you want to succeed as a conscious entrepreneur. Without belief in yourself you’ll be stopped in your tracks over and over again. And, you’ll continue wondering WHY you aren’t succeeding like you want to.

My heart broke when I read the hundreds of responses to my recent survey about the challenges you’re facing on your entrepreneurial and spiritual path. Many of you doubt yourself, and let fear paralyze you. Well, I’m here to help you through this.

But, before I share a few of my personal strategies for maintaining belief in yourself, I first want to assure you that I have not arrived yet, (perhaps Ill feel I’ve arrived when I make my transition out of this physical body). Anyway, no matter how much my business has grown, no matter how much success I experience, I still have bouts of fear and doubt. It usually happens when Im stepping into something much BIGGER than before, or when I forget who I really am, on a Soul level.

In fact, just last week, I was gripped by fear and had to do a lot of inner work to lift myself out of it and take the next bold step, (as my friend Kathryn Tull would say). I pulled out every tool I had, every strategy I knew to get back on track… and with the discipline to keep my mind out of that dark abyss of fear and spend time getting quiet with myself and asking for help, I got through it.

I share this with you because I think its important for you to know that fear and doubt don’t stop surfacing once you reach a certain level of success. Growth stretches you way out of your comfort zone, raises doubts and fears… and gives you the opportunity to learn from the experience, deepen your understanding of yourself, gain new insights and see things that you hadn’t seen before. And, at each level of success you have, the gifts you receive from the challenges you face are so much greater than they were before.

OK, now that we’ve got that straightened out, and you understand that you are not alone in your disbelief, but that it is quite common among entrepreneurs on this path, lets get into some specific strategies that have helped me increase the belief I have in myself. I share these knowing that if you implement them, they’ll help you, too.

1. Take care of yourself. This ones a big one. Taking care of yourself is one of the most important steps you can implement to increase belief in yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself, how could you possibly be of service to others? When you’re on an airplane, the flight attendant tells you to put your oxygen mask on FIRST, then you’re in a position to help others.

Taking care of yourself can mean different things to different people. For me it means taking time every day to meditate and journal, exercising six times a week, asking for help when I need it (and knowing where to get it), playing with my daughter, getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water, eating well and saying no to things that don’t serve me.

Get clear on what you need to take care of yourself and then do those things. When you take care of yourself in this way, it deepens your belief because you’re treating yourself like someone you truly VALUE! And, that helps others value you, too.

2. Do what you say you’re going to do. Someone once told me that the fastest route to boosting self-esteem and confidence is to do what you say you’re going to do. This comment stuck with me because it is so true, and it works. Just think about it…. if you continually say I’m going to do X, and you don’t do it, you’re affirming your low self-esteem and lack of confidence.

On the other hand, when you do what you say you’re going to do (call a specific person, take time to meditate, send out an email, write an article, take a walk, go to a business event, read a particular book, etc.) it BOOSTS your self-esteem and confidence. If you continually find yourself faced with lack of belief, chances are you have a history of breaking your word to yourself. Start keeping your word to the most important person (you) and watch your belief in yourself skyrocket.

3. Trust in your Divine plan. This is the fourth component of my definition of a conscious entrepreneur because its another critical aspect to your success. When disbelief, lack, fear and doubt creep in, you’ve got to deepen your trust in a higher/Divine plan. Everything in your life is happening for a reason… even the challenges, pain and fear you may be facing today.

So, the next time you feel your lack of faith surfacing or lack of belief showing up again, I invite you to take a close look at what these feelings are here to show you. (They are here to point you in the RIGHT direction.) So, rather than get angry and scared, instead ask yourself, What am I meant to learn from this experience? What good is here for me to discover? What shift am I supposed to embrace? And, I’m telling you, when you dig deep enough to have absolute trust that all is unfolding with Divine perfection, you WILL find that nugget of insight that’ll change everything. This strategy alone has saved me on more occasions than I care to count. And, it will for you, too.

I know I’m just barely touching the tip of the iceberg here on this topic, but I wanted to give you something to get started with. So, please embrace one of these strategies today and begin believing in yourself at a whole new level.

To enjoy more writings from Christine and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Emotionally Healthy Relationships Can Heal Adversity by Marifran Korb

When adversity hits and your partner and friends remain compassionate and supportive, it is the best of circumstances. You can find the depth of your friendships when things are difficult.

Emotionally healthy people can be supportive. They might retrieve your prescription, prepare a meal, and keep you sane. If you need it, a friend might accompany you to a lawyer, or a doctor. Listening for the said and the unsaid, friends are essential in trying times.

Emotionally healthy people are able to handle being with your trauma without needing to compete with your challenge and without getting unduly upset by anything. They can be the rock for you, while handling their own life. They do not expect you to support them while your needs are very large. Granted, there can be a tipping point if your needs take up more of their life than they can give. Despite the fact that no one is responsible for your life, but you, healthy relationships are gifts in difficult times.

Sometimes, many of your friends may be under their own stress. So notice if you are judging. Keep letting go of the attachment to having certain friends help you, or certain people supporting you in certain ways.

Expectations make you hurt more when those expectations are unmet. Moreover, expectations can dull your gratitude. When you expect certain actions, does the fulfillment qualify as a gift? Or is it a satisfied expectation? If the friend knows that there is a requirement, the contribution is short-circuited for the giver.

You may receive a short phone to offer sweet words. If you are grateful for that, the small act can lift your spirits, even if it does not completely “cure what ails you.”

There may be more than emotionally healthy friends in your life. When you are in hardship, the trick is to stay aware of who in your life is willing to support you in word or deed. If you are open, you will find that the people you would least expect to help do come to your aide. Whether from a friend or an acquaintance, others’ love can go a long way to hastening your healing.

When closed to this opportunity, you miss the contribution that acquaintances have to give. Not everyone is in your inner circle. Any healthy relationships, such as those just outside your main circle may fill a void, just because they can. An acquaintance may have a skill that you need in a crisis. You may learn who cares more than you knew. Those acquaintances may take a more prominent place in your life after your adversity lifts.

Wherever it comes from and no matter how close you thought you were, healthy relationships are healing. A few words may be just what you need to get unstuck and move you past the current stalemate. Embrace the many people around you that would love to make a difference. Everyone is a gift in his or her way.

Before adversity comes, give thanks for healthy relationships in your life. Let people know how much you cherish them. For maximum enjoyment, strive to be that emotionally healthy relationship for others.

To enjoy more writings from Marafran and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

Overcome Your Challenges by Cultivating Your Inner Connection by Tomar Levine

It is easy to feel overwhelmed nowadays. Whether you are trying to balance your finances, run a business, handle family emergencies, deal with relationship stresses, or take care of your own health, life is probably sending you more than one challenge at a time. I know that’s true in my own life.

When that happens, it’s easy to get caught up in doing, rushing, and fixing. Often I feel like a Whirling Dervish, running from one task to the other, rarely able to complete one before I’m distracted by the next. The problem is that all of these demands seem equally urgent, so it’s impossible to prioritize and hard to focus. Relaxing does not even seem to be an option.

Our minds naturally think that the solution to these challenges is to run faster, do more, do it all at once. Instead of feeling calm and on top of our “to do” list, we feel oppressed and tyrannized by our ever-expanding list of tasks. We actually become the victim of our obligations and commitments.

What’s wrong with this picture? Who or what is supposed to be in charge of your life, anyway?

If you wish you could feel more in control of your life, as I do, I have good news for you. There is a simple way to take back your life, even though it may sound counter-intuitive.

The answer is to take time out for “non-doing,” for simply being. Even a short period of time devoted on a daily basis to quieting your mind, centering and grounding yourself, and connecting to your inner self will help create a sense of peacefulness that can send ripples throughout your day. You will gain a greater perspective from tuning in to the space and peace that underlie all the doing, all the concerns. You will feel a greater calm and inner support in all your activities.

You can also receive specific guidance. Asking and listening for direction and clarity can be part of this process. Make sure you remain in a receptive, empty, listening mode, and your inner contact will provide you with inspiration and even specific answers that will help you deal with your challenges. Those answers come from a level of mind we don’t normally access in our hurry and flurry.

So take time to go inward and rest in that connection, through meditation, prayer, or other practices. Just ten to twenty minutes a day will have a powerful effect. Doing that twice a day can be transformative.

It’s important to remember that who and what you are is other than – and greater than – your circumstances. And it is important to remember that you are not alone in your struggles, but are supported by a greater intelligence that you can easily access. In setting some time aside every day to focus within, you will create an oasis for yourself, and start to build a reservoir of resilience, support, and guidance to take into your life.

To enjoy more writings from Tomar and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

3 Steps to Overcome Sales Reluctance by Kimberly L. Martin

Would you consider yourself to be “sales reluctant”?  Are you a health and wellness practitioner running a small to medium-sized business that is not seeing the level of clients that you deserve?  If so, then you are not alone. As a matter of fact, one of the top reasons that small businesses stay empty is due to poor promotion of their offering.  There is a plethora of ways to promote your offering yet for health and wellness providers there is also a belief that doing so is contrary to what healthcare is all about.  I’ve heard many practitioners say things like, “I want my work to speak for itself” or, “If I’m doing good work, people will find me.”   Although these may be true, in many cases “doing good work” alone won’t fill your practice – especially if no one knows what you’re doing.

Here are 3 steps to overcome your sales reluctance:

Step #1: Identify your negative beliefs. Most people who are sales reluctant are so because of a past negative experience in selling interactions.  Think about a situation where you are a potential purchaser being “sold to”. Identify exactly what you don’t like.  Then, define what makes you different from that image when you are the one initiating a selling interaction.  Seeing yourself and what you do as being different from the image you dislike is a critical step in overcoming these beliefs.

Step #2: Have a framework. Having a framework includes understanding how the process of selling unfolds and it also includes being appropriately prepared when the opportunity arises.  A quick 3-step outline for a selling process is: Introduction, Understand your clients needs and Ask for the business.  You can prepare for this interaction by knowing your strengths, knowing your market, knowing your ideal clients’ needs, and having a way to ask for the business that works for you.  By utilizing this framework selling interactions are authentic, effortless & joyful!

Step #3: Practice! Or as Nike says: “Just do it!”  When learning anything new, just hearing about it, or reading about it isn’t the same as doing it.  When you learned how to ride a bike for the first time, you were given instructions, and then you incorporated this into action.  Expect not to be perfect the first time or two out, but these first few tries are what get you feeling more comfortable and move you to expertise status.  Find someone close to you to try your new skills and make it as real as possible, then go to a local networking event and practice there.  Before you know it, sales conversations will be a natural extension of your every day business.

Having the ability to sell your services and products with authenticity & integrity will help you grow your business, solidify existing client relationships and fill your practice!

To enjoy more writings from Kimberly and the other Overcomers, Inc. authors CLICK HERE for our free E-Book “Overcoming Adversity With Grace”.

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