Rise Up

I like to think of myself as a helium balloon rising up to the holy grail of my potential in this life time. Yeah, maybe a bit out there, but it works for me. The kicker is, that attached to my helium balloon is a string with a series of weights that make the rising of my balloon a manageable and comfortable pace of climb so as not to shoot up too quickly only to explode under the pressure.

BUT, by committing to the climb (the ongoing pursuit of development and growth) in my life, there inevitably comes a time where the heaviest weight, stops allowing me to progress and starts to pull against my growth. This is not good. This shows up in things like: a job that no longer excites you and/or allows you to learn, a relationship with a boss or co-worker that you once saw as a mentor that now you look at with frustration, a gym workout that puts you through the motions, but no longer produces positive results. What does this all mean? It’s time to drop that heavy weight!

Letting go in life is tough. It means leaving what is, what you know, what feels safe and stepping in to the mystery of life. This is not easy. It requires consciousness, because only when you’re conscious would you even notice that something is weighing you down in the first place. It requires a commitment to make the necessary change. It requires a plan in which you’ll take the necessary steps to make the change and it requires bravery when you step out and start the movement of taking action.

Take a conscious look at your life this week and ask yourself – am I being ‘weighed’ down by anything right now? The clues will be in your feelings. If you are, commit to letting it go, create a plan to do so and step in to the mystery of life with brave curiosity. Only then, can you again RISE UP!

Best Affirmation Ever

Putting your oxygen mask on first – the importance of breathing.

It may be hard to imagine that buried within a five minute airline safety demonstration, lies one of life’s most valuable lessons.  “If you are traveling with small children or someone who may require your assistance, please ensure you put your oxygen mask on first and breathe normally, before helping those around you”.  If you’re anything like me those words have gone in your eardrum countless times, as you patiently awaited an aircraft to taxi and take off.  But how many times have you actually listened to the message and let it sink in?

Human beings take about 20,000 breaths a day.  Of those, the average person is consciously aware of a mere fraction, if any at all.  But don’t worry, the human body and mind is set up this way – to have the ability to perform imperative actions subconsciously, in order to free our conscious mind for more complex concepts or behavior.  This is why we can listen to a radio program, talk on the phone, plan a meeting in our head or decide what to make for dinner, all while driving to the office.  This is all well and good, with the exception of the fact that our lives have gotten too busy, too overloaded, too stressful, too much.  So, what do we do?  Breathe….

Eckhart Tolle, love him or hate him, has brought world-wide attention to the state of our consciousness.  We have been conditioned, through years of programming, to remain detached from the present moment.  However, the present moment is where the true joy and beauty of life reside.  So, how do we remain present?  Breathe…

North American’s have never been more stressed, more overweight, more sleep deprived or more medicated than we are today.  What’s going on here?  It seems as though we’ve created a culture that is not connected with cause, and instead is fixated on treating even the most minor of symptoms and ignoring where the roots of discomfort are.  How do you know what’s causing your discomfort?  Breathe… READ MORE