The heart-mind connection to Source opens infinite opportunities for learning, guidance, understanding, grace and possibilities.

The heart, deeply connected to Source listens with rapt attention to Guidance, communicates with the mind; and together they communicate with the ego.

Our egos aren’t meant to lead, but they will if the heart isn’t leading. The ego is meant to be the implementor; the heart accesses guidance and will lead from there.

Without a clear & compelling connection to the sacred, our pleasures come from the assertion of the ego, conquest, & acquiring stuff. This sort of pleasure is much less satisfying. Ego’s satisfaction is superficial, fleeting, and requires constant replenishment. We can use up our lives chasing this fleeting satisfaction. Or we can choose a deeper form of satisfaction.

Set a clear intent to connect with the divine: Slow down, quiet the mind, change your brain waves from beta to alpha to theta & invite contact. Be patient. It may not occur immediately and/or on the first try however, the earnestness of your intent is very compelling and will yield results.

Leave a comment and let me know how it’s going for you.

Many people have forgotten how to connect to Source and enjoy a profound two-way relationship, including receiving guidance from Source. This guidance is invaluable and infallible.

“What is opportunity, and when does it knock? It never knocks. You can wait a whole lifetime, listening, hoping, and you will hear no knocking. None at all. You are opportunity, and you must knock on the door leading to your destiny. You prepare yourself to recognize opportunity, to pursue and seize opportunity as you develop the strength of your personality, and build a self-image with which you are able to live with your self-respect alive and growing.”
- Maxwell Maltz

To build and grow my business, I spend a ton of time on technology…..and I’m not a techy type. Frankly, I’d prefer to live without technology. I’ve lived in a cabin in the woods without utilities and also in a bamboo hut in a remote rural village ( I lucked out and got electricity and running water in the hut) and I LOVED the simplicity!

A client emailed me today after her recommendation of me did NOT appear on LinkedIn even though she thought she did it right. She asked me about the right attitude/approach to have wrt technology- the numerous and frequent frustrations of dealing with the myriad technology in our lives (exponentially higher for those of us with our own businesses!).

After I emailed her back, I realized that my response applies not just to technology, but to life in general in the information age. I don’t profess to have THE answer, but I’ll share what I’ve learned along the way thus far and what I’ve decided for myself:
- get tons of support! There are people who know how to do anything you’re needing/wanting to do/have done. Put the word out about your need. Either have someone get you up to speed to DIY or have them do it for you and continue to do it for you. There are creative ways to make this equitable for both parties. Think outside the checkbook.

-be diligent, steadfast, intelligent, and consistent in your efforts and also be equanimous with the process, the progress, and the timing. Remember that although we see “hares” all around us, it is the “tortoise” that wins the race. Don’t allow yourself to become discouraged by the hares and what looks like their faster progress. Map out the right course for your intentions and travel steadily on that course knowing that there will be ditches, ruts, bumps, boulders, etc. along the way. Choose to find the way around or through each of these as they appear and continue on your way.

-choose just 1-3 things (the thing that will be most beneficial for your situation) to develop and focus on at a given point in time. Wait till those are well underway before adding anything else- otherwise overwhelm will be paralyzing; the net result is that you will accomplish less and be quite miserable in the process.

- do less things and do them to the best of your ability while utilizing as much support as you can garner, and COMPLETE them. Completion is actually a key to happiness, satisfaction, self-confidence and fulfillment.

Life is short; find the way to do what you need to do and be happy in the process.

I hope that helps! Feel free to add to this list, it was intended to be just the beginning of a bigger list.

Of everything that affects my present experience and my future, my increasing self-acceptance has been and continues to be one of the most significant elements.

Louise Hay says we will not be growing and changing if we criticize ourselves because we’ll have a NEED to continue to have stuff to criticize, thus we won’t allow those things to change for the better. I’m not sure if I agree with that, but I do agree with her statement: “When we accept ourselves as we are, it opens the door WIDE for change and growth.” THIS bears out in my own experience! It also opens the way to inner peace and happiness.

What is your experience with self-criticism and self-acceptance?
Please leave a comment.

TWO WOLVES

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.”
“One is Evil – It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
“The other is Good – It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”



For those of us who want to live our best life, do our best work, and enjoy life to the max, I recommend more sleep. Not what you were expecting to hear, I know. It’s not culturally popular…..YET, but it’s gaining popularity.

I used to sleep 7-7.5 hours each night, well, most nights and without an alarm clock. Then, about 5 years ago, something shifted physiologically and I just started waking up, unable to sleep more than 5-6.5 hours. Once in a blue moon, I’m able to sleep 7, 8, or even 9 hours. When this happens, I feel amazing: happy, energetic, even more openhearted and loving, powerful, resourceful, etc. I have to look in the mirror to see if I’m wearing a cape- I feel that great! If only I could do this daily; heck, I’d be thrilled if I could do it weekly!

Recently, I’ve begun an experiment where I stay in bed with my eyes closed for 7-8 hours regardless of whether I’m asleep. Interestingly, I think I’m actually sleeping more. I’m hoping to retrain my body to sleep longer. At the very least, I’m getting more rest. That’s a good thing too.

The recommendations from sleep experts have always worked well for me: go to bed at about the same time (as early as possible because every hour of sleep before midnight is actually equal to 2 hours of sleep after midnight) and wake up at about the same time each day- including weekends, curtail your computer and tv watching at least 2 hours before bed, allow your activities to wind down to slower and quieter activities during this time.

Want to read more on this topic? Here’s an article from Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/sleep-challenge-2010-wome_b_409973.html

What do you believe with regard to how much our free will vs. pre-determination affects our outcomes, affects whether we can make our opportunities by exercising our free will, and thus success, wealth, and abundance (or anything else that people want and pursue) is equally available to all?

Einstein was actually very skeptical of the notion of free will. In his famous paper simply titled “On Free Will”, he suggests that the moon would think it had free will to go around the Earth if it had consciousness, Similarly (I quote) “So would a being, endowed with higher insight and more perfect intelligence, watching man and his doings, smile about man’s illusion that he was acting according to his own free will”.

 I’m inclined to agree with Einstein.
I think that the ego would love to believe that we have 100% free will, but empirical evidence suggests pre-determination exists and affects our outcomes.

I wonder how many of you have experienced people/clients/yourself who, although they/you have cleaned up their subconscious tremendously, dealt with their psychodynamics, developed great skill and acumen in their field, applied themselves appropriately and consistently, still do not achieve the ease and success that others do. This suggests that pre-determination exists and is a serious factor to reckon with. By acknowledging this factor, one can better understand and accept the outcomes they experience while being candidly truthful with themselves as to the degree that they have exercised free will, behaved maturely, intelligently, consistently, and effectively in their efforts to achieve something.

I see so many people beating themselves up over this: thinking that they’re not doing enough, not doing it right, don’t know enough, not controlling their thoughts enough for the law of attraction to work for them, etc. While it’s true that many of these people have internal conflicts, limiting beliefs, and other internal negativity that does affect their outcomes, what about those that have resolved all of this?

In my work I provide the opportunity for clients to resolve these things. We uncover conflicting beliefs and agendas, limiting beliefs, fears, values, etc.; we eliminate or resolve these and then create new neural pathways for constructive beliefs that are in alignment with their values and intentions.Certainly they will experience greater freedom, clarity, and happiness if they do resolve these things however, there is a TON of marketing material that implies that success, achievement, wealth, and abundance will be equally available to all once you do resolve these things. I am questioning whether this is objectively true. I think that the ego, and those marketing in this way, would love to believe that we have 100% free will, but empirical evidence suggests pre-determination exists and affects our outcomes.

What are your thoughts? Please leave a comment. I’d love to see a rich discussion develop here about this.

A message or teaching may come repeatedly. Perhaps a cluster of truths or teachings dovetail and coincide with growth or maturing around that set of truths.  Andy Andrews’ 7 Decisions recently dovetailed with a teaching from my yoga teacher and coincided with my current growth edge.  Andrews underscores that, if you don’t implement Decision #3, “I am a person of ACTION”, the other 6 won’t get you very far. It means that you must take the right action in the right way.

The actions needed to achieve success with something are whatever it takes to achieve success! This varies for each person and their circumstances. We may do the right things in the right ways and still not achieve the results that we seek although this worked for someone else.  This is especially true in today’s economy.  What then?

Decision #7 is “I persist without exception”. This means that I do what it takes and I persist until I find the way that works.  Most people who haven’t succeeded with something gave up at a certain point whereas people who’ve succeeded persevered –possibly even with multiple failures. They persevered because they had a big enough motivation. What’s your big motivation?  Is it big enough to cause you to persevere?  Hopefully, you aspire to be your best self and live your most authentic life. THAT is what I’m here to help you with!  That’s my mission.  My business is dedicated to and designed to facilitate people becoming clear about their authenticity and their soul’s purpose and then becoming free, empowered, and effective to fulfill that purpose and create their authentic life with as much grace and ease as possible. Much of my expertise is applied to the arena of money because money, and what you believe about money, is often the #1 thing that stops people. I facilitate clearing whatever stops you from discovering and fulfilling your purpose or having the life and finances you want.

Decision #4 is “I have a decided heart”. This means I’ve made the decision to become my best self, discover and fulfill my soul’s purpose, and there’s no turning back; I leave no back doors open to retreat back through.  I may pause along the way (especially following failure or disappointment) to rest, reflect, re-strategize, meditate or pray for guidance, but my decision is unwavering.  My faith may waiver at times, but I don’t abandon my mission.

If you have that big enough motivation, then I suggest that you firmly commit to yourself to absolutely do it.  So often it’s the lack of a firm commitment that does us in.  This is true in every area of life. My yoga teacher spoke of how critical it is to set your intention and commit to fully engage while keeping your heart soft!  The soft heart is key – you get much more access when your heart center is soft.  I expect this applies universally- not just in yoga.  While practicing handstand (something that has scared me my entire life!) my teacher said “Imagine what your results will be without a firm commitment.  Twenty years of yoga and I’ve not gotten up on my own in handstand; my fear kept me from committing fully.  Both my understanding of the physics of getting up in handstand and my courage have increased.  I’ve practiced simultaneously engaging all of the elements required and hoped to become both strong enough and courageous enough to get up in handstand without help.  I imagined it might happen in another year or two.  I would just keep practicing at my edge. Those elements coalesced and I got up for the first time that day!  I’d dealt with my fear and internalized the commitment!

Where is your edge around becoming your best self?  Are you willing to explore that? What will you commit to?  Who are you truly?  Who are you becoming? As we wind down this calendar year and approach the solstice and the New Year- a time of resolutions and new beginnings, write some words that describe who you truly are.  What words describe your fullest potential?  What are some words that describe who you are becoming?  What do you want for yourself in 2010…..and beyond?  What support do you have for this?

If you want my support moving in this direction, please contact me for a complimentary consultation to find out if my work is a good fit for you: http://moneymastery.us/appointments/

For a longer version of this article, please visit http://moneymastery.us/articles/

Jean Chatsky, award-winning author, discusses action steps you can take to secure your financial future, traits and habits of those who achieve financial success, and barriers that come between you and financial freedom.

Here’s the link to the audio:  http://www.wellsfargoadvisors.com/jean

Please let me know your thoughts: was it useful, what did you learn, how are you feeling now?

I’ve learned some important things from David Neagle.  I have links to get a free copy of his Art of Success mp3 Series on the Resources/ FREE STUFF page of my website because I learned so much from it.  In fact, I’ve listened to it several times.  Each time I learned more.

Today, his blog post was just what I needed to hear.  Perhaps it’ll be useful for you as well so I’m re-printing it here with his blessing (and, as much as I’d like to, I have not corrected his grammar).  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic: what has been your experience with this?  Please leave a comment.  Perhaps we’ll get a dialog going about this.

Step Into It and the Plan Unfolds by David Neagle

In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill writes that the starting point of all achievement is desire. And the finishing point is the brand of knowledge that leads to understanding of self, others, the laws of nature, and the recognition and understanding of happiness.

In the middle is action.

You’ll never gain intimate knowledge of the self without action. If you don’t step into the opportunity when it’s presented to you, you will stay right where you are.

Hill also talks about having a sound plan, but he says don’t wait for a plan before you begin. “Just get started and the plan will unfold itself.”

When we’re studying the success of other people, often we want to know what their plan was. What was their system? What did they do?

We think that if we can reproduce their plan, we can reproduce their results. But that’s not necessarily so, because the plan itself is not a cause of their success or anything else. The plan is an effect.

What do I mean by that?

Success begins with a person’s desire and then the universe unfolds the plan for that person. Everyone’s plan, then, is a little different. And it comes to you as you go.

We often want a guarantee. We want to know that something will work out before we’re willing to take the risk. But the universe is saying, “You must take the first step. You must take the step that is being presented to you.”

We’ve talked about this before, you must also be willing to sacrifice the thing of a lower order that needs to be sacrificed. That thing is whatever you are attached to at the time. It could be money. It could be people. It could an image of yourself that you want others to see. Whatever it is, it is not authentic to who you really are and where you are going, so in order to progress you have to let it go.

That isn’t easy. It requires courage and faith. But once you shed that false sense of self, you step into whatever it is that your desire has drawn you toward. You step into it, and the plan, the way to achieve your dream, begins to unfold.

As that path unfurls, what’s one of the next things that might happen? You could be met with misfortune or temporary defeat. But remember what we said about that: temporary defeat is one of the sly guises of opportunity. Don’t recoil from it. Don’t fall into despair and give up.

Also, don’t blame anyone else for your misfortune. If you do that, the power of insight will be lost.

Instead, bring truth to it. Say, “I am responsible for this misfortune.” And then ask your intuition, “What is this problem really about?” Your intuition will show you.

Now, you go through the process again. When you’re shown the true nature of the problem, that’s the next door of wisdom being opened to you. As that door is opened, you must make another decision. You must step into it. When you step into it, you’ll be required to sacrifice something, another piece of the false self.

If all of this is sounding grim, remember that after you make the sacrifice, there is a reward, a gift that usually is worth much more than what you gave up.

The greatest reward is what Hill promises above. The understanding of self and of the universe, the flood of well-being as you know that you are exactly where you are supposed to be, the feeling of freedom as you shed what never was yours to begin with. And the knowing ~ not just words that you read ~ but the knowing in your heart, your gut, your soul that you really can have anything you want. It is all there for you. And what you want from that most expanded place is also what’s best for humanity.

© Copyright 2009 – David Neagle’s Life Is Now Inc.
All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

David Neagle, Million Dollar Income Acceleration Coach, mentors entrepreneurs to quantum leap their current businesses past the 7-Figure income level in just 12 months. David invites you to download—as his GIFT to you—his legendary “Art of Success” 4-hour audio program. This audio series is a tremendously compelling and comprehensive program that demonstrates—once and for all—that Success has nothing to do with “getting” or “achieving”, and everything to do with WHO we must BE to manifest our hearts’ true desires. For an additional bonus, Text: success to the number: 85800