Game On

The only thing better than setting a deadline to give youself that much needed kick in the “ars” to get things done is to announce your intention to the world.

It got me back on my blog! I’ve been offline most of January working on myself, looking within, clarifying, and stepping up my game.

I studied marketing myself, living my vision, and radiating my passion. I used the power of daily daydreaming to see the limitless possibilities of my life. I’ve had lots of fun settling into retirement with my husband, but now I’m back and I’m “badder” than ever (the good bad).

I’m stepping into my own power. No more Caren-lite. No more hiding, full-throttle Caren dead ahead. It’s kind of scary for me as well as others. But rest-assured, I only use my power for GOOD.

I’m living authentically, expanding my horizons, and working on attracting my tribe, the people who get me, the people who I can share learning with and also learn from. That is an integral part of who I am. I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

I’ve updated my website and finally I’m able to communicate my passion for the process of FOCUS PHRASE™. I hope you’ll stop by and take a look http://carenalbersinspirations.com/. Your comments and feedback would be a great help to me.

Sometimes we know something so well that it is difficult to communicate it to others. This is not difficult to communicate, IT’S GREAT TO BE BACK!

♥Caren4u

Small Changes in Thinking CAN Make Big Changes in YOU

The Four Day Win (oops I added an “e”and typed wine the first time) is a behavior modification strategy shared with me by Martha Beck Master Life Coach Susan Hyatt shyatt.com.  It nurtures goal setting and I can sure use some help with that?

The process involves setting a four day goal and turning it into a success, a win. You start by choosing a small daily goal that you will commit to doing for four day.  A feasible goal makes a huge difference in succeeding.  So, make your goal, then cut it in half to make it ridiculously easy to achieve. I cut my original goal to write one hour every morning during my genius hours when I'm most creative, productive, and connected down to thirty minutes.

Step two involves giving yourself a small reward every day you achieve your goal.  I put together a basket of small gifts,  material rewards (pens, post-it, nail polish etc.), and post-it notes with nonmaterial rewards like reading for 1/2 hour from a yummy book or watching Oprah. I gotta say the reward part challenges me. But that’s the applause, the pat on the back, the “atta girl” we all crave.

On the fourth day of achieving your goal give yourself a BIGGER reward because you accomplished your Four Day Win. It doesn’t need to be expensive like an e-reader or an ipad (although I’m trying to manifest one) it can be a latte or trip to the park or something else that you like.

Three small rewards followed by a larger one allows you to experience life in small wins.  It breaks goals up into managable bites and creates a natural pause to relax in and enjoy your successes.  Then if you want, you can set another Four Day Win! 

It also provides a psychological boost.  Say I go to a yoga class one time, “I’m trying yoga.” But if I go to yoga four times “I DO Yoga.” See the shift, BE the shift!

LIVE YOUR DREAM

Blog Writing 101

The IDEA, EXECUTION, and PUBLISH POST button are three important elements to consider when writing a blog post. Each can terrify a beginner. But trust me you can do this.

IDEA - write about something you believe in that excites you. Something you are experiencing right now or something that you can’t get out of your mind translate well into blog posts that engage readers.

EXECUTION – short and simple is best. A three paragraph writing style similar to one I use in my Focus Phrase Process is a great structure for new bloggers to loosely follow. I say "loosely" because you may notice that this post does not conform to that style.☺ Also, remember to edit, edit, edit. Ask yourself “is this word, thought, or sentence necessary to tell the story?” If not, no matter how brilliant, lose it.

PUBLISH POST - clicking the publish post button used to paralyze me, but practice does make easier (remember there is no perfect). So NIKE (just do it!) You can always change, edit, or if you totally freak out delete it altogether. Nothing is carved in stone here, RELAX, hit PUBLISH POST and see what happens.

My guess is you will find many who appreciate your message and identify with you. Martha Beck calls them “your people.” Don’t let fear keep you on the sidelines another minute. Put yourself out there, BLOG, find “your people” and start building a tribe.

I’m hitting PUBLISH POST now!☺

LIVE YOUR DREAM

“A JOURNEY OF WORDS"- Discover the wisdom of your own words.

Are you ready to take the next BIG step toward living your dream?

Want to understand yourself better and find more meaning and direction in your life? We create our WORLD with our WORDS. Our thoughts become things. When we tell ourselves we can, we can and when we tell ourselves we can’t, well you know how that usually goes.

The words we use every day get strung together and become the fabric of the stories of our lives. Want your life’s journey to be a beautiful tapestry worthy of you? Join me, Caren4u in an online writing experience focusing on the wisdom of your own words.

Mary Anne Radmacher’s thought-provoking, inspiring words (Radmacher Focus Phrases™) begin a conversation that leads to exploration and discovery. Even if you don’t feel like an accomplished writer this class is for you. It's about so much more than writing. Write to inspire your inner strength. Write to develop a habit of using your own words to keep you focused and aimed in the direction of your dreams.

Focus Phrase writing is a small investment with huge returns. While it is about writing it is more about what you discover as you explore and write. The insight gained doesn’t end when the class ends, it lasts a lifetime.

This is a guided writing process conducted online. I offer feedback unique and specific to your writing and discovery. Encouragement and support, no extra charge, that’s just how I roll!

A JOURNEY OF WORDS begins on June 7th and concludes June 25th. $129 covers three consecutive weeks of writing Monday – Friday. Ready to enroll? Reply to caren4u@comcast.net and I will get you registered and paid.

Want a shorter class, I offer A JOG OF WORDS. $40 covers a one week preview that introduces you to the Focus Phrase writing process. At the end of the week, you can decide to continue on with me or enjoy having participated in the shorter class experience.

Here’s what some of my participants have to share about the process:

“This turned out to be a wonderful opportunity to prod my inner wisdom and to actually allow myself to creatively explore beyond the obvious. I found this to be freeing and exciting.” Anne M.

“I imagined this course would get me thinking about life choices big and small, and help me focus on my needs, but I didn't know that some choices would become very important and very clear. I've been able to set my priorities and complete some challenges that have enriched my life in marvelous and unexpected ways.” Michelle A.

Live Your Dream - http://carenalbersinspirations.com

Falling in Love with Yourself is FOREVER

Spend this Valentine’s Day falling in love with YOU. Our relationships with other people can only be as highly evolved as our relationship with ourselves. It’s like a bank account you’ve got to put love in to be able to take love out. So if you find yourself unattached this Valentine Day or even if you are attached consider taking Self-Love 101 at “YOU University” where YOU are the student and the teacher.


SELF-LOVE 101 - Ten surfire ways to master self-love.

1. Acknowledge Yourself - You’re perfect just the way you are right now – not ten pounds from now, not a new job from now, not a different anything from now. Explore, accept, and love the gift that you are just by being you.
   
2. Cast Off Old Tapes – You know the ones. The ones you’ve been hearing since childhood about who you are. Don’t let other people’s opinions define you. Train your mind and spirit to go beyond other people’s limitations.
   
3. Affirmations Work – Find one that encourages acceptance and self-love. Affirmations are like planting seeds. They don’t look like much in the beginning, but if you tend to them they soon grow and blossom. “I love and approve of myself just as I am” is a great one by Louise Hay.
   
4. Send Outdated Beliefs Packing - Your outward experience always reflects your beliefs about yourself. If you want to change the outside; you’ve got to start on the inside.
   
5. L.I.G. Let-It-Go – Forgive yourself for ALL your past transgressions. Like Dr. Phil says “If we knew better, we’d do better.” Wipe your slate clean. Nobody’s perfect. Compassion and forgiveness begins and ends with you.
   
6. Observes Don’t Judge – Judging and criticizing other people also means that we judge and criticize ourselves. That alone is a good reason to give it up. It’s wonderful when you don’t feel the need to label a thing as “good or bad, right or wrong.” When you observe, it just “is.”
   
7. Embrace Change – This version of yourself is not permanent and neither was the one you grew up with. You can change your thoughts about who you are and change who you are.
   
8. Learn & Grow – Look for opportunities to try new things. It makes you and life more interesting. If you’ve always loved a thing but have never tried it, what are you waiting for?
   
9. Breathe – It makes everything better. Relax and take a deep breath. On the inhale say to yourself “I am” and on the exhale say “loving.”
   
10. Practice, Practice, Practice – We think we learn something and then it’s over, “BAM” we know it. But we learn by doing, by repeating a thing, sometimes over and over and over and over.

Applaud your learning and give yourself an "A" just for taking the course. Loving yourself, respecting and appreciating you is the most powerful thing a person can do. When we fall in love with other people they can leave us, but when we fall in love with ourselves, IT'S FOREVER!

See "Will" Run

Calaveras Big Trees State Park is one of my favorite places and camping there this weekend was a blast. Seventeen of us on a two hour road trip to the solitude of the forest for a weekend of friendship, wine, and hiking.

On Saturday, we took the South Grove Trail, a five mile hike with a 400 ft. change in elevation to see the largest tree in the forest. Don’t let that 400 ft. change in elevation fool you, our trail ascended and descended more times than a politician of questionable morals pants.

It probably wouldn’t have been as hard had my friend Mary and I not been running part of the time. The men grew tired of waiting for the other campers in our group to arrive, so they left Mary and me on a bench with a Walkie Talkie to wait for them.

After about fifteen minutes, they called us on the Walkie Talkie us to say that they had taken a wrong turn, go figure, but ended up finding our fellow campers. They instructed Mary and me to go across the bridge instead of turning left as they had and that they would backtrack the ½ mile or so to the bridge. “Roger that.” Mary and I exchanged glances “so who’s the leader now?” I mocked. From that moment on it became a footrace to stay ahead of them.

“Ahh maniacal Caren, I LIKE HER” said Mary. “Take deep breathes to send the oxygen all the way to the bottom of your lungs” she coached as I struggled with the high altitude running. Whenever we could hear their voices we would immediately pick up our pace and run. At every signpost they would call us on the Walkie Talkie for a location check. They just couldn’t believe that we were on the same trail and that they couldn’t catch us.

We made it to Agassiz, the biggest tree in the forest just minutes before they arrived. They were certain that we had found a shortcut. But there was no shortcut, only the iron will of two determined competitors. It is true that “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. “ -Mahatma Gandhi

Today, my ankles are asking my “Will” “did you think you were some kind Billy Goat who could stand on the side of a mountain?” Ouch, ouch, ouch, but so worth it!

Reflection

Even before I had left Sacramento, I felt myself expanding, and my adventure was just beginning.

I preselected classes, choosing from some old favorites like Gary Zukav and Byron Katie and some presenters new to me like Michael Losier - The Law of Attraction and Toe Reading by K.C. Miller.

The speakers were as varied as the seekers. Class topics included inspiration, gratitude, change, the science of miracles, self-care, the Law of Attraction, stress to strength, shaman healing, brain theory, the Moses Code, positive energy, healing arts, channeling, and talking to the dead.

As I browsed the vendor booths, I was immediately struck by the diversity of interests. To get a jump on one of my planned classes for the next day I got in line for a toe reading. The woman in line behind me read fingerprints, so while we waited she told me what my fingertips revealed. When it was my turn, Laurie, my toe reader was energetic and embraced my feet. Apparently, I have queen and princess qualities (go figure). The only negative was that my pinkies are facing outward which means that I am focused on the future.

The keynote speakers were amazing. Maryanne Williamson was excited about the election as were most presenters. They feel Obama’s election signals a positive shift in the consciousness of the world. Wayne Dyer was inspiring, so entertaining, so human. I was reminded of what originally attracted me to his work back in the 80’s. James Van Praagh was funny, entertaining, and passed on very specific messages from the dead.

I got my own message of sorts, not from the keynote but from a woman a sitting at the end of the row in front of me. She passed me a card that read “You have a big guy fairly bald with you – laughing.” That is a perfect description of my father who has passed, and my mother always says he is probably up there laughing at us.

I found myself engaged, focused, writing, and contemplating ideas the entire weekend. It was a joyous time then and a wonderful treasured memory now.

Off to See the Wizard

I've discovered that the road to insight is a long lifetime journey. Sometimes significant discoveries appear around almost every corner, other times they seem miles, days, even years apart.

One thing I know for sure is that I don’t get to control the timing, instead it is a beautiful dance where I must trust, be lead, and follow.

I’m taking a “road trip” to insight this weekend at the Celebrate Your Life conference in Phoenix sponsored by Oprah & Friends.

Some of the greatest minds in spiritual pursuit and inspirational teaching will be gathered there. Alumni like Wayne Dyer, one of my favorite original self-help gurus dating back to the eighties (remember the 80’s) will be there. Mary Ann Williamson, James Van Praagh and so many other recognizable names in the industry, like Gary Zukav, Michael Losier (contribritor to The Secret), Byron Katie (author of Loving What Is), Cherly Richardson, John Holland, Dr. Jo Dipenza, John Holland and the list goes on and on.

I’ll report back next week on how the dance went.

AHA Moment

For years, I have proclaimed myself a non procrastinator. But lately there is evidence to the contrary. I’ve been avoiding finishing my website like the plague. I even started painting my walls (which I love and hate all at the same time) to avoid it. I dismissed my lack of action as “just not in the mood yet.”

But today, I figured out what’s stopping me.

My AHA moment came as a result of several things. One, something a friend said about her not being able to promote her own writing. I thought to myself “well if that keeps you from writing anything, you will never have to face that obstacle.” But I didn’t quite see how it applied to me…..until today.

Today when I asked myself again if I was going to work on the website I heard a quiet “probably not,” when I was hoping for a “sure let’s get cracking.” I started contemplating why my quiet “no” was winning. Answers didn’t immediately come, so I decided to listen on the computer to Oprah’s Soul Series for inspiration (sounds like procrastination, but it wasn't).

I listened to Dr. Wayne Dyer talk about his book “Change Your Thoughts Change Your Life.” He remarked that in nature “No tree has branches fool enough to fight each other” and I thought “why am I fighting myself.”

Then I listened to part 3 of Eckhart Tolle on the Soul Series. He talked about the idea that getting comfortable with not knowing allows the knowing to come, and about surrendering our attachment to what an outcome should be.

Contemplating my friend’s statement, Wayne Dyer’s and Eckhart Tolles’ wisdom, I found myself firmly planted in the present moment and to my astonishment my answer came.

Like my friend, I had projected myself into the future thinking about how I would promote the website, what I would do next etc. That unknown seemed so huge that I unconsciously resisted finishing so that I would not have to face it.

It is amazing what can come when we focus on the present moment and accept the information it holds for us. Okay, my new awareness didn’t send me immediately to work on the website. But I had big plans to complete first, a refill for my favorite purple pen, then the website.

If you are still reading this, thanks for sticking it out through this longer than usual post, and best wishes for your own AHA moment.

My Inner Coach

In case you are wondering what I am up to, I spend time writing on my blog (thanks for reading), developing a website to sell personalized photo inspirations (half done), and reading three inspirational books (various stages of completion) all at the same time…..well not simultaneously. I switch back and forth between activities depending on my interest.

I’ll give you the short version of what I have learned so far….I have defined “My Life’s Purpose” (see below) into a single sentence that will become my living instructions (Coaching the Artist Within, Eric Maisel). The book is also teaching me to become my own coach, a really fun activity for goofy people like me who enjoy role playing. I’m finding practical application for this technique throughout my life…..more to come in a later post.

I have defined my dreams, then expanded them to something five times greater, and then recognized and credited myself for things that I have already accomplished on the path to them (The Nine Modern Day Muses and a Bodyguard, Jill Baldwin Badonsky, M.E.d.) Are you tired yet? I am a little.

"Bea Silly" is by far my favorite of The Nine Modern Day Muses, and the bodyguard, ARNOLD, is incredibly helpful. I can summon him whenever someone or something attempts to thwart my creativity. I have already called on him once, and he fixed it right up. Yes, he is named after the “Govenator” and yes “HE’LL BE BACK!”

Some call all this jumping around “ADD.” To me it feels more like an open mind inviting different kinds of stimulation at different times. I certainly need to be in my serious frame of mind to work on the website. I learn and then re-teach myself so many things, but I do like the way it’s turning out. So that makes it all worthwhile.

My inner coach might ask “What are you doing to make your dreams come true? And I would have to answer “a lot, but I have barely "scratched the surface" there is so much more to come.” And my coach would say “good on you, keep it coming!”