Am I Really That Powerful?

People often speak of miracles by saying that they experience the power of God as if the power of God was beyond anything we can readily imagine or experience. But the truth is, as we develop the receptivity to OWNING God's power as our OWN and start to realize that it is within each and every one of us, we begin to develop what has been called the mental equivalent of that which we want to create. We get the KNOWING that it is already ours. "The Secret" reminded us and the Law of Attraction teaches us, but do we really know our power?

I can remember the first time, way back when, that I did a spiritual mind treatment or affirmative prayer. I remember feeling? Wow? What I am speaking is really going to happen. In fact, it is happening as I speak. Do you remember the first time that happened to you? We get that there is a Power that we can use. We get to the knowing and owning that it is already ours. That's when we come to see the miraculous as the ordinary in our experience. Do you really know how powerful you are? Do you know that the same power that is "out there" is in each and every one of us?

I remember once a woman coming to see me, whom I had not met before. She had only been to our church once, so she didn't really know any of this teaching. She started telling me about a serious problem she was having with cancer. And as she was speaking, I got real clear that her problem had nothing to do with cancer. She began to share more and more, and began to tell me about the fact that she had been and was still in a very abusive relationship. She began to say to me, "I think that's the issue. I'm terrified of stepping out on my own. Where would I ever get insurance? 

Who would take care of me? (Not that he was taking care of her!) I just listened and didn't say a word to this woman. She sat there and looked at me and said, "I think I brought this into my life." I would never have said to her, "You brought cancer into your life." I don't believe in that. You don't want to look at people and say, "You have a cold? You must be doing xyz." She said to me, "I'm beginning to realize that my allowing these experiences is actually causing and creating my experiences." 

She was sitting in a chair and she suddenly jumped up out of the chair and said, "I'm powerful, aren't I?" I said, "Yes, you are." Then she said, "If I can do that, I can change my life." She looked at me and started to cry, saying, "I've been through years and years of therapy and I've never felt free. I'm free." I didn't do a thing. She heard herself and in my presence, while I held a conscious space, she began to see her own power.

So, for all of us who are creating muck in our lives, see how powerful we are? Look what we can do. When we speak our word, and know what it is very clearly that we want, we can create it.

How To Deal With Challenges

Wherever you are and however much of an adventure you are having, it is safe to say that more than likely that you will be faced with challenges and obstacles on a regular basis. This is what life is made up of. Some of us though seem to have the knack of making it all seem so easy, while others get caught up in the negativity of the challenge and only see problems ahead of them.

Challenges can consume you if you let them. You can, on the other hand choose to focus on your strengths instead and see challenges as a part of life, which is exactly what they are. If you allow yourself to focus on the difficulty of the challenge, that is what's going to grow in size, yet if you focus on solutions for your dilemma, the chances are you will find one or even more possibilities for solving your problem. Through trying times, we do not want to believe that some good can come out of our challenging periods. Yet, if we look back on the difficult times in our lives, whether it be about a relationship, one's business, an addiction, financial problems or other ... have we not learnt more as a result of each challenge? Have we not grown and become stronger, more compassionate human beings?

I am not saying that we need deny the severity of the challenge and the pain it may be causing. It is essential to feel the emotion that has surfaced to be able to accept the challenge and what it means to us. Give yourself time, but then put on your obstacle boots, do what you have to do about it, do all you can do and when that is done and no more can be achieved at that time, let it go and trust that it will be taken care. Wait and be patient for the right time and then take another step forward. Do not expect that all challenges can be solved immediately. Some need time and there always seems to be a reason for this. When challenges arise do not think you are being singled out and punished. Challenges are the stuff life is made of. However, how you choose to overcome the challenge will determine your rate of success.

Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what!. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more successful.

Relaxation Techniques to Combat Stress

With the increased pressures of modern life more and more people find it difficult to switch off and relax at the end of the day. This can lead to sleepless nights which creates further anxiety that can make life feel more unbearable.

Eventually this can create a feeling of being overwhelmed or stressed out. However, there are lifestyle changes that you can make in order to reduce your stress and promote relaxation in your life:

1) Get regular massages
We all know about the reputed benefits of a massage in aiding relaxation of the body and mind. Whilst you could get a partner or close friend to give your shoulders, back or feet a good rub down, to truly feel long-term benefits you should enlist the services of a trained professional to give you regular massages.

Don't think of this as an indulgent treat but rather an essential part of your well-being routine. For as well as relaxing the muscles (and making you feel as chilled out as an Eskimo), the benefits of regular massage include improved blood flow and a boosted immune system.

2) Hang up your phone
When you leave the office you need to be able to switch off from work - and that includes your phone! This is important to do as once your work colleagues get into the habit of being able to contact you at all hours they will. Remember, the phone is there for your convenience, not just the caller's.

3) Compile some chillout tunes
Put together or buy a CD of relaxing music to ease your mind and help you switch off from the outside world. Research has shown that even from the womb relaxing/classical music can be beneficial in promoting well-being.

4) Read a good book
Emily Dickinson wrote, " There is not frigate like a book to take us lands away," which is a great way to sum up the way in which reading a good book can help you to get your mind off your worries - if only for a while.

5) Practice yoga
Yoga is a great way to escape from everything going on around by taking you into your own little world. As well as being a good form of working out, it can help you to build your self esteem and confidence, helping you to bring about a positive change in your life.

6) Drink herbal teas
Herbals teas such as peppermint and chamomile make better options than caffeine-infused drinks such as tea and coffee. The key to helping you to adapt your choice is to try different types until you find flavours which suit you taste buds. Many varieties are now widely supplied at most supermarkets.

7) Eat Right
All too often, and perhaps because of the hype of all the fad diets out there, people underestimate the impact of diet on our health and well-being. Simple steps such as cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and food high in fat or calories can produce beneficial effects such as helping you to feel healthier and less highly strung out or irritable.

8) Work Out
Now we're not talking about hours every day or "going for the burn." If you haven't exercised for a while you will want to take it easy and start off with manageable sessions. As well as the physical benefits of exercise, regular sessions can help to reduce your anxiety levels as "feel good" hormones are released.

9) Breathe
It's just like they say when you have a moment in which you feel you're going to have a meltdown. Take a deep breath and count to ten. Whilst this is a good start, you should aim to set aside time to sit down relax and focus on your breathing to the point that it slows down and feel more in control.

10) Get back to basics
Escape the hustle and bustle of your everyday stresses and strains by getting out to the countryside or a place close to nature. This can often provide the space you need to clear your mind, find focus and perhaps inspiration.

The Major Hurdle For Most Aspiring Dancers

Most people with an ounce of talent in dance will never realise it. There is one hurdle, one major obstacle which will stop most in their tracks. Even the most ambitious and enthusiastic to start with won't be able to pass it. It can discourage the most enthusiastic and make fools out of otherwise cool people. What it is I'm talking about...it's the first dance class.

My word, what a freak show! You'll watch some MTV video, realise you can pull off a few of the moves and that you're pretty good. Then wham, you go to a dance class that seems to be teaching the hardest routine in the world, and wham! It'll knock the balls out of most people from ever going again!

I'd love to say this is an exaggeration but it's not. Most people who walk into a dance studio will only walk through it once. Statistics will back me up. If you watch the first-timers in a dance class, you'll find that half of them you'll never ever see again. Which is a great shame, because a lot of them probably had enough talent to pull off the same routine that frightened the hell out of them...with a bit of practise of course.

Learning to dance is I've found as much to do with the attitude as it is with what you're body can to. Everyone has the same body, the same neurology that can be taught the same things. But it's attitude that makes the difference.

A lot of people who are otherwise comfortable doing most things, who will easily get up and give presentations in meetings, who'll ride the theme park rollercoasters that seem to start on the Moon, will be terrified of being in a room full of people learning to dance. You can try and entice them with all the Diet Coke in the world and they'll still hunch up like a little mouse.

The 2 things that'll sound the death bell for a first-timer are:
1. The worry that comes with looking like a fool
2. Ridiculously high expectations

You see, the thing that most dance studios don’t tell you is that when a dance class is described as 'beginner' it doesn't mean that a beginner can easily cope in the class. It means that once you can pull off the routines at beginner standard you will be at a good level of dancing and can progress to harder classes. So a 'beginner class' for a beginner is actually very hard.

And you certainly shouldn't expect to be pulling it off first time. No one does at their first attempt! So what should a beginner do? Firstly accept that you are in a dance class to learn and yes, you may look like a fool to begin with, but believe me, everyone including the experts in class has been through this experience, and know what it's like.

And secondly, take your time learning and go in with no expectations. Be like a child. If a child learns one new word a day, that's a good day's learning. If you go to dance class and can only do one or two moves, that's a good day's learning too. Because all the learning you do is cumulative and will add up to an impressive skill. If you learn 2 moves a day and do 2 classes a week, that's 4 moves a week and 16 moves a month. In a year that's nearly 200 moves, or 200 different combinations – and that's a lot. SO think of the bigger picture.

Most of all have fun when you're dancing. After all, you should only be doing it if you enjoy it and want to learn badly enough. The more you enjoy it, the more relaxed and calm you'll be and this is the perfect state to learn in, in the warm, humid atmosphere of the dance class.

Realistic New Year’s Resolutions

This is a time where people are really talking about New Year's resolutions, new starts. It's a brand new year, brand new day and they'd really love to break free of some of the old stuff--go into some beautiful new green pastures in their life.

I was at the gym the other morning and of course, the gym this week is busier than it's been all year. But give it a couple of weeks, and it's probably going to be back to normal again. One of the personal trainers came up to me, and thought he was making kind of cordial talk and he said, 'Hey, it's a new year. Do you even remember any of your resolutions?" I said "Well, absolutely, I do" and he said "Well, how many have you all of them yet or forgotten them yet?" and I 'm like "No, I really haven't." But you know that's kind of the current state of affairs.

What a lot of us do, we set those New Year's resolutions and then, if we're not careful we don't check in to see how we're doing until New Year's next year. And so, what I really encourage people to do is find a point of inspiration. You know, we tend to overestimate what we can do in a year and underestimate what we can do in a decade.

You know, so many of us want to turn around, you know states of affairs that we've created over years and years of habits in a nanosecond and it probably isn't going to work. You don't turn a battleship around on a dime. You know, you turn it around over time staying the course and holding steady. So what I would encourage everyone to do is find a program like Science of Success.

This program, as much, if not more, of anything I've ever been exposed to will get you clear, not only of what you're capable of creating, but exactly how to do that. So when you sit down, which I ask you to do in the program and define your vision for your life, come up with something that really inspires you. You know, something that, that makes you enthusiastic because if you, you know, set some kind of goal or vision for your life that is someone else's. It's not going to inspire you, and you're probably going to burn out.

And that's where I find a lot of people who are depressed. You know, a lot of people who are overwhelmed or are not excited about their life. When I begin to talk to them, they're living someone else's life. It's more noble to imperfectly pursue your own passions than to perfectly pursue someone else's.

The Need for Personal Growth

More than ever we are in need of Personal Growth on a global level. We are in dire straits because of a general worldwide lack of knowledge and awareness of what’s possible when we create extraordinary lives for ourselves and each other. We can all contribute to the one world community and make the planet a bet ter place. The norm has been people who spread negative news, promote fast food and pharmaceutical concoctions rather than address the cause of real life issues.

We have been trained, to varying degrees, to obey authority, work hard, and to speak when called on. The educational system instills an early model for learning that conditions our behavior as adults. Some of you may be going through life, day-in and day-out, just working hard, watching TV, eating junk food, and falling into bed at night. You may be living on autopilot rather than directing your energies and living life to its fullest.

Think about it: You are the producer, director, and actor of the movie called your life. To live an outstanding life, which includes doing what you love and being all you can be, you need to be proactive and deliberate on designing your destiny.

Today’s world demands that powerful people step up and take a stand for what’s important. Together we can challenge systems that no longer serve us and create new structures that will be designed more effectively to set us up for success.

The quality of our lives depends on us and how we choose to live. The choices we make ultimately shape our lives and many of us are waking up to this fact. With movies such as The Secret, people are becoming aware that there is more to life than what meets the eye. The Power of Personal Growth offers you significant awareness and knowledge so you can make empowering choices to positively impact your life.

Believe Your Soul Mate is Out There

Believing that your soul mate is out there is critical to the preparation of manifesting him or her into your life. The basic law of attraction states that you will attract to you those things that match your state of belief.

I believe that the Universe is always mirroring back to us our beliefs about ourselves and the world. If we believe the world is a loving and friendly place, then most of the time that will be our experience. If we believe the world is a chaotic, stressful and fearful place, then that becomes our reality. So, believing and knowing that your soul mate is out there is part of the formula for manifestation. If you do not yet believe with 100% certainty that your soul mate is out there, let’s begin to look for things that will make a believer out of you.

Do you believe you are loveable? If you are reading this then I am certain you are loveable. Why? Because, loveable people want more love in their lives. But, if you believe you are not loveable, I’m going to ask you to challenge that belief. Take a moment to identify at least three (or more) lovable traits that you possess, such as being generous, compassionate, friendly, kind, considerate, thoughtful, interesting, funny, etc. Write these down and then memorize them. You will be using them shortly for your treasure map.

I know many very attractive, successful single people who have some very negative, limiting beliefs when it comes to finding their soul mate.

The list usually goes something like this:
I’m too old.
I’m too fat.
I’m too damaged.
I have too much baggage.
I am too successful.
I am not successful enough.
All the good ones are taken.
Nobody I want wants me.

These are just knee-jerk excuses to keep you stuck. There is plenty of evidence that love is available to everyone regardless of age, weight or income or any other feeble excuse. What if I told you that it’s not your job to know HOW your soul mate is going to appear? It’s only your job to be ready, willing and open to love.

You don’t really know where air or water comes from but you totally believe that they are there for you. As a human being you know that air and water are your divine right. You know that no matter what mistakes you have made in the past, you are still going to wake up every day and have access to air and water. The same is true for love. It’s there for you. It’s always been there for you. You just need to remember the love that you are and once you do, the Universe will deliver to you the perfect soul mate. There is nothing for you to do, there is only a way for you to BE.