Once in a Blue Moon

Not only will tomorrow night's sky be lit with the 2nd full moon this month - refered to as a "Blue Moon" - but there's a lunar eclipse, it's New Year's Eve, and it's the end of a decade.

There's a super-charge of energy available, making it a powerful time to let go and set those intentions to create the life you love!

To read more about the astrological significance of this Blue Moon Lunar Eclipse New Year's Eve, and learn about a New Year's Eve process you can do to powerfully set your intentions, read Ton Pascal's blog post.

Here's to continuing the Journey.... setting intentions... and looking forward to an abundantly joy-filled 2010!

-Becky

How to make 2010 your Best Year ever

We all know New Year's resolutions never work for most people. In fact, 4 out of 5 people will give up on them by the end of January!

The biggest 2 reasons why are...

1. The goal/resolution is too general.
2. There's no real motivation to achieve it.

As you take time this week to reflect on where you are and where you'd like to be at the end of 2010, here are some suggestions for making 2010 your Best Year ever....

• Choose ONE thing and channel all your energy into that one aspect of your behavior. Multi-tasking dissipates your energy and can lead to overwhelm.
• As you mull over your choices, keep these questions in mind:  What do you want to have? Who do you want to be? How do you want to feel?
• Once you've decided that one thing, write it down, determine a "due date," and set up a plan to get you there. Be specific and set up bench marks along the way.
• Expect resistance and feeling "uncomfortable." These visitors always show up when you're working to make real changes in your life. Have a plan for overcoming these and other sabotage habits that may come along.
• Keep your eyes on the benefits. WHY do you want this? Look at your answers to "How do you want to feel?" for clues.
• Keep track of your progress and reward yourself for the small steps. Celebrate when you reach the mile stones.
• Get support. Share your goal with a trusted friend, enlist a "goal-buddy," or hire a coach. Do whatever it takes to stay motivated and moving forwared.
• Have fun! If you get off track, that's okay. It's just part of the Journey. Don't beat yourself up. Just dust yourself off, refocus, and get a move on!

Here's to continuing the Journey... setting goals, paving the way for success... staying the course.

-Becky

PS. If you'd like help clarifying your goal, uncovering hidden obstacles, or with any of the things mentioned above, I'd love to talk with you. Just send me an email or go ahead and schedule a no-cost 2010 Strategy Session.

Peace on Earth begins with You and Me

"Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me."

This global anthem for peace has been playing in my mind all day. It was written in 1955 by Jill Jackson Miller, and was inspired by a quote she and a friend heard....

"Peace, to become a reality, has to be in the hearts and practice of the individual."

Like Lzo Tu said centuries ago, there can only be peace in the world when there is peace in your heart and peace in my heart.

And that peace can begin today... on Christmas Eve. It can begin any time this holiday season as we gather around family and friends..... If you choose.

It can begin by allowing others to be who they are without judgment. It can begin by forgiving that family member or friend. It can begin by expressing patience instead of frustration.

It can begin by always striving to come from a place of love.... for yourself and for others... instead of fear.

A simple concept.... but an idea that has to be practiced consciously.

Because, in reality, we are not that different from each other....

"I laugh, I love, I hope, I try, I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry. And I know you do the same things too. So we're really not that different, me and you." - Colin Raye

May you practice peace today, tomorrow, and in the days ahead.... And remember, "There is no way to peace, peace IS the way." - A. J. Muste

Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on Earth, the peace that was meant to be.

With God as our Father, Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me, Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take, Let this be my solemn vow

To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally;
Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.

Here's to continuing the Journey.... choosing peace and BEing peace today.

-Becky

Gladys Knight Singing "Let There Be Peace..."

(Read the history behind this song by Jill Jackson Miller and listen to an inspiring radio interview with her.)

Recession: A Different Perspective

I'm one of those (few) people who haven't "bought in" to the recession. I also don't watch the doom-and-gloom mainstream news channels either. And if gas prices go up, I don't start commiserating on how bad things are and how much worse they might get. 

Not to say any of that is necessarily "bad".... It's just that I try to be very conscious about what comes in to the gray matter between my ears and what goes out of it through my thoughts and words.

(I admit... I have been accused of living in "Becky World".... but that's okay. It's a nice place to live!)

Actually, every body lives in their own special "world." Five people could witness and event and you'll get five different versions of it. That's because we all see things from our own perspective, which is made up of everything we've experienced, hoped, and dreamed, as well as our challenges, doubts, and fears.

Perspective isn't written in stone. It's a fluid thing. We're always learning and growing, trying on new ideas, discarding old ones that no longer serve us.

At least, I am.  And that's the sort of openness I strive to foster in my coaching clients as well.

So, back to recession....

I recently read an article that looked at the whole concept in a radically different light. Here are a few key points mixed in with my 2 cents....

For a little history.... the past 120 years have been dominated by the Industrial Economy. The 'reader's digest' explanation of this type of economy, according to Davd Buck of Coachville.com, is "People are workers with jobs to contribute to making things. People are consumers of the things others make."

The fundamental philosophy is that...

• More, Better, and Efficient is Better.
• Things will make you happy.
• Work is good.
• We've turned everything into "work" - we go to work, work on relationsips, work at our golf, etc

The past 20 years though, has witnessed a major expansion of human consciousness. People have begun to wake up to the real possibilities of life and are not so interested in the accumulation of cheap things - especially when abusing the Earth and people are part of the process of making these things cheaply.

In addition, more and more people are no longer interested in toiling away day in and day out at a meaningless job that gives them no satisfaction just so they can earn the money to buy more things.

So, Mr. Buck's theory is that this "shift in awareness is CAUSING the recession." When people purchase less things, the economy naturally recesses.

But - here's where the different perspective comes in....

Let's look at the word again....

RECESSion

Recess means to stop working and PLAY!

Those things that we've traditionally relied on.... a good job with benefits, money in the bank, a governement to protect us..... these outer structures are falling apart. And are "forcing" us to regroup and reconnect with our Inner Self and re-evaluate what is really important.

Enter the Inspiration Economy.....

This type of economy, as Dave says, is fueled by....

• the human desire to live purposefully and add value to the lives of others
• the human desire for things that are made with inspiration - inspiration is NOT always efficient
• the human spirit of play - the desire for purposeful play

In this type of economy, people make decisions about what they will do and create for others based on what will best fulfills their purpose. And they make buying decisions based on what inspires them and adds value to themselves and their communities.

Fundamental philosophies that drive the Inspiration Economy are...

• Better is better
• People are Investors, not consumers. They invest in themselves and in beautiful things for their environments
• People are players and creators of value - not workers. They create things and services that add value to the lives of others in a way that fulfills their own purpose.

Value, meaning, purpose and play are the new buzz words. And the central way to approach life is through creativity, fun, resilience, collaboration, and resourcefulness - in endeavors that are meaningful whether related to career, family, business, health, romance, or spiritual connections.

What do you think?

Here's to continuing the Journey.... trying on new perspectives, letting go of ideas and things  that are not working.... embracing change as a way forward...

-Becky

Link to his article

Take a Moment to Pause

The Winter Solstice - also known as Yule -  is the longest night and shortest day of the year. People in Ancient times were more closely connected with the cycles of nature than we are today, and to them, when the sun started appearing longer (instead of shorter and shorter) it was like a "rebirth of the sun" for them. A very real time to celebrate because they understood their dependence on the sunshine for warmth, for food, and for life itself.

Winter in itself represents a time to slow down - to regroup - a 'hybernation' period. However, in our society today, we tend to go against our (animal) nature - feeling an inner calling to slow down. Instead, this is one of the crazy busiest seasons and we find ourselves running around, caught up in the mania!

Today especially - in celebration of Winter Solstice - take a moment to pause and catch your breath! Give yourself 30 minutes to relax and enjoy a cup of tea or hot chocolate. Take an hour nap in the glow of the Christmas Tree lights. Or just take 10 minutes to sit and reflect on the joy of the season.....

Your Spirit with thank you!!

Here's to continuing the Journey... getting back to our roots, taking a moment to pause.... giving our Spirit a much needed rest!

-Becky

Practice doesn't make perfect...

... It makes confident!

"I have more self-confidence now. Starting out I was very nervous. My heart would be going very fast. I get a lot of practice in front of the television cameras and I'm more comfortable doing shows now."

- Mike Pascual

The more you do something, the more comfortable and better you get at it.

For instance, we all "sucked" at walking the first time we tried it. But we kept trying, kept "practicing" it till we got confident enough to let go of mom or dad's hand (or whatever support we were holding on to) and DO IT ourselves. Then there was no stopping us!

Do you still have that kind of determination to succeed now?

Make a list of things that you want to do or achieve. With each item ask yourself:

• How confident do I feel right now doing/achieving this? 
• What would I need to feel more confident?

I can confidently guarantee that the bottom line answer to feeling more confident in each of those things you listed is..... getting more experience doing it. 

Experience.... "practice" .... makes confidence. 

And that confidence - or lack of it - determines your beliefs.... which determine your actions... which become your experience.... 

... Which can either turn into a vicious downward cycle or a happy empowering consequence. 

The choice is yours. 

Here's to continuing the Journey.... practicing.... and growing confidence.... daily. 

-Becky

Full Moon Today

The energy of the moon has always fascinated me. It affects the tides, the planets... the female cycle, and I believe even our psyche - though we are typically not very aware of it.

According to the Farmer's Almanac, today and tomorrow are good times to cut hair or mow the grass to retard their growth. It's also a good day to quit smoking, wash wooden floors, kill wild onions and weeds, buy a car, host a party, or write.

As the full moon wanes, it's a good time to let go of old habits, worries, and all those things that no longer serve you. Then when the new moon comes, you'll be ready to plant seeds for new growth, ideas, and projects.

Happy Moon watching on this December "Cold Moon" ~

Here's to continuing the Journey.... letting go of "stuff"... getting in sync with nature.... getting rid of the old so we can welcome the new....

-Becky