Year End Ritual for clearing the old & bringing in the new

2008 has been a time of transition for me, or more accurately, a time of re-transitioning. In my search to find the “Real Me,” my life-journey has brought me full-circle – back to embrace the Musician, the true heart of Who I Am.

It’s interesting that in numerology, 2008 is a “10” year (2+8=10). Ten is the number of completion of journeys and returning to origins… Odysseus wandered for nine years and returned on the tenth. Troy was besieged for nine years and fell on the tenth. Ten is the sum of the number nine of the circumference with the one of the center – being perfection. In the Hebrew Kabbalah, ten is the numerical value of Yod, the Eternal Word, the first letter of the Divine name. To Pythagoras, the number 10 was perfection. Breaking down the 10 further: 10=1= Rebirth – that which stirs and awakens your soul at the time. (1)

2009 is a “2” year which is about duality and balance, stability and reflection. In Hebrew, 2 represents the life-force, wisdom and self-consciousness.(1) It’s also about learning, growing, with new models of partnership and harmony on the horizon. (3)

2009 (2+9) is 11 - which is a power, or master number (double digits repeating themselves). It represents intuition, revelation, artistic and inventive genius, and refinement fulfilled when working with a practical partner.(1) It’s about connection, collaboration, and partnership.

2009, I feel, will be a very important year, and with the energy of the master number, 11, it has the potential of being a very powerful year. So, it’s even more important to close out this year before moving forward into 2009.

Here is a simple but powerful ritual or ceremony (that I learned from my friend and collegue, Lynn Scheurell) to help you bring completion to 2008 and set your intentions for 2009. And if you can do it tonight (or during the new moon phase Dec 27- Dec 30), you’ll have the energy of the new moon of Capricorn supporting you. (Capricorn is very results-oriented and is all about getting your priorities straight, setting goals, and strengthening your resolve.)

Year End / New Moon Ritual

As you go through the steps below, set this intention for yourself:

“I am making a plan for success that will turn my dreams and goals into reality in 2009.”

First, you will need two pieces of paper. On one, write a summary (list or paragraph) of what 2008 was for you and who you were during the year. On the other, write a list or paragraph for who you are becoming and what you are intentionally attracting in 2009.

Then burn the 2008 piece of paper, releasing that energy to the Universe. You can light a red or white candle for this or use a chiminea or fireplace if you have one. Pay attention to thoughts and feelings that come to you as the paper burns. Notice if there are any symbols, shapes or messages in the flames or ashes that have particular significance to you.

When the paper has burned completely, if you used candles, you can blow them out to signify the end of that energy. If you are using a fireplace or chiminea, just state the intention that this energy is complete.

Now burn the 2009 piece of paper. (Relight the candles if you’re using them.) As the paper burns, send out your intentions, being aware of any potential messages coming to you.

When you are done, pay attention to any feelings or messages that may come to you as a result of this ritual. They are likely to be messages for the initiation of relationship between you and the energy of the new year. (2)

Here’s to continuing the Journey… clearing out the old… bringing in the new… as you align with your Inner Essence and live the Truth of Who You Really Are.

-Becky

Sources:
(1) Crystalinks.com – numerology information – http://www.crystalinks.com/numerology2.html
(2) Lynn Scheurell, Creative Catalyst, Soul-Driven Alignments eZine – basic ritual and questions – http://www.mycreativecatalyst.com
(3) New Moon Journal – www.moonsurfing.com

What Does Your Face Say About You?

My friend Lynn reads faces.... no really. It's pretty amazing.... and accurate, too!

Here's what she said about me.....



Those of you who know me.... what do you think? Does what she says match what you "see" in me?

Here's to continuing the Journey... learning and sharing insights for greater self-awareness.

-Becky

Real Change is Up to You & Me

You must be the change you want to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political and spiritual leader (1869-1948)

Yes, Obama preaches "change".... and yes, some things will change in the next few years - some things will stay the same (same story, just different characters)

This would be true no matter who won the election.

The biggest question of the day is this:

What are YOU going to change?

If you don't change direction, you'll end up where you're headed.
Chinese Proverb, 6000 BC

Real change begins in our heart - in your heart, in my heart.

It starts with taking responsibility for our own world - our inner world and our outer world.

Where you and I stand today is the result of all the little and big decisions we've made up to this point. And if we keep on this same way.... will things be any different next year? in 5 years? in 10?

Sometimes the smallest decision can bring about the biggest change. Sometimes it only takes looking at things from a different perspective.

Sometimes it takes just a willingness....

... a willingness to let go of past hurts

... a willingness to forgive

... a willingness to stop the negative mind chatter

... a willingness to reclaim your personal power

... a willingness to say "no" to whatever you've been tolerating

What one thing can you change today to make your tomorrow different?

Real change begins with you and with me....

If there is to be peace in the world,

there must be peace in the nations.

If there is to be peace in the nations,

there must be peace in the cities.

If there is to be peace in the cities,

there must be peace between neighbors.

If there is to be peace between neighbors,

there must be peace in the home.

If there is to be peace in the home,

there must be peace in the heart.

Lao-Tse 600 BC

Here's to continuing the Journey... taking responsibility, and BEing the change in our own world first.

-Becky

Soul of America

This is such an important day, I wanted to create some kind of Something to give encouragement, hope, perspective....? I wasn't sure.

I just felt I needed to DO something!

I had two hours before my next appointment... but all the many ideas were getting all jumbled up and I couldn't get a clear reading on which direction to go.

Then, about 25 minutes before my appointment was to arrive, I was overcome with an urgency to just sit at the piano and PLAY! I was thinking it would be a meditation-type something....

After I finished playing, I realized that I had forgotten to turn on the mic! GREAT!!

With 15 minutes left, I turned on the mic and sat down again....

And something totally different came out.....

The Soul of America...

... a sense of determination... and the whisper.... "I will survive this too"

My gift to you...

Here's to continuing the Journey... following through when inspired... allowing the unexpected...

- Becky

Are You Caught Up in the Fear?

With all this talk about recession, economic downfall, bail out... it's hard to stay positive.

But remember when gas prices were predicted to reach the
$4-$5 mark and everybody was focused on watching the price levels rise, talking about how bad things were getting?

Then, what happened when the "big news" changed to the candidates in the coming election? What happened to gas prices?

They went down!

This is the classic example of the law of attraction: "what you focus on grows." We have many phrases for it - like attracts like - birds of a feather flock together....

Now, the current "big news" Oh-no, doom and gloom story that the media loves to parlay is the recent bail out and impending recession.

But just think a minute.... our country has been through good economic times and bad economic times. And there have been rich people and poor people in both.

What is the common denominator here?

Each person's individual mindset - their attitude, outlook, their approach to life, their way of thinking, their state of mind....

How is your mindset right now?

Are you glued to the TV and the media's hype - investing your time and energy in their latest "the sky is falling" rantings?

Do your conversations with friends and co-workers, family center on how bad things are and how much worse they're predicted to get?

Are you invested in fear - afraid you'll lose everything?

Remember - What you focus on grows.

If you focus on fear, lack, impending doom... you'll start seeing it everywhere, in every situation of your life... the more you focus, the more you see.... it will eventually tail-spin you into a downward spiral of depression and you will suffer mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

I don't know about you, but that doesn't seem like a very fun way to live!

So what can you do?

First thing - turn off the TV! Stop watching and reading about the predicted doom and gloom. Sure, you need to be informed. But being informed and wallowing in despair are two different things. Another thing is.... the media's job is to sell advertising, sell newspapers, boost their ratings... in other words - to make money. (to make money from your fear) They don't really have your best interest at heart.

So, after you turn off the TV, start focusing on Gratitude for what you DO have. If you're reading this, that means you woke up this morning and you're still breathing! There's also a good chance you still have your family. There are still people who love you, and that you love. You still have a home, your work, your talents, your passion.

And if you're life situation is not what you want it to be, what can you do to change it? There's always something you can do differently - even if it's just to change your perspective about it.
Viktor Frankl, survived the Nazi Concentration camps because he refused to focus on the despairing situation he was in. When he saw a flower growing in the mud, he focused on the flower, not the mud.

Then, keep a Positive Money Mindset. Money is just energy. It's a convenient way to exchange energy between people. It's a lot easier to buy a pair of shoes with money than to try to find someone who will accept a handful of tomatoes from your garden in exchange for them.

In fearful economic times, it's tempting to horde your money and not spend it. But this clogs up the money flow - stopping the flow of energy. Sure, saving is good, and being frugal in our spending, making wise investments is good practice in all economic times.

It's the attitude that makes the difference - your mindset.

Are you focusing on the flower or are you focusing on the mud?

Here's to continuing the Journey.... and keeping a Positive Mindset in all areas of life!

-Becky

P.S. Affirmations are powerful tools for transforming our negative thoughts, ideas, and beliefs about anything really - but especially about money. And it's especially important in this economic time to keep focused on the "flower" instead of the "mud".

Awhile ago, I created a Positive Money Mindset CD to help you keep an open, positive mindset about money. It features a series of positive, uplifting affirmations about money, financial success, and prosperity.

You can listen to a sample, or get more information, here:

http://www.spiritualcoachingcenter.com/catalog/PMM.htm

If you'd like a copy, you can order one here:

http://tinyurl.com/6cr75k

I Can Do This

I remember having a semantics argument with my Dad during one of our bike rides to the park. I was arguing that I couldn't dive into a pool because I had had surgery on my right ear drum and the doctors advised that I not dive.

He, however, was trying to address the "I can't" statement verses "I can."

What he was probably trying to get me to say was "I CHOOSE not to dive because of these reasons...." Instead of just a blatant, "I can't."

Of course, there was also a large investment in me affirming that I could not dive.... I was scared to!! And at the time I was probably afraid that if I agreed with him that I COULD dive, then I'd actually HAVE to do it! :)

At any rate.... my Dad taught me a lot about confidence through the years. He always told me, "You can do anything you put your mind to."

So.... I've been working on a confidence project since the first of August, and I finally got this small part of it finished.... This in itself, has been a lesson in confidence! Enjoy....



Here's to learning, growing, and practicing self-confidence every day!

-Becky

In Memory of My Dad

My Dad passed away August 26, 2008 after an extended illness. Please help me celebrate his life by watching this video. His Soul Music is playing in the background. I wrote this for him the night before he died - turned out to be my 'good-bye' to him, as he passed on before I arrived the next day.

Many thanks to the producers of the video, Memories by Design (Spokanne, WA) and to Music Funeral Home (Waycross, GA) for providing this video for us. The beginning and ending slides (and the music, of course) were my additions.



More about my Dad...

In my growing up years, we shared a lot of music together, bike rides, and long talks... When I was practicing piano sometimes, he'd come in with his guitar and his harmonica and we'd play favorite hymns together. I remember bike rides down to the pier or to a neighborhood park. When we went to the park we'd always stop at the quick stop and get an icee. All these events always included long philosophical talks about life, the universe, and everything....

After I left for college the talks seemed to end. I was never home really long enough to engage in "quality time". Funny though, with his passing, I feel closer to him now than ever before. Going through all the pictures to pick out "just the right ones" for this video had a lot go do with that - as well as writing the music.

Here's some of the things he taught me:

• You can do anything you put your mind to.
• Be honest no matter what.
• If you make a mistake, admit it and apologize immediately.
• Allow people to be who they are, especially family.
• Don't give up.
• Lighten up!
• Enjoy life.
• Follow your passion.
• Love deeply with all your heart.

Please feel free to add a comment and share memories of your Dad. My Dad's passing and the closeness I feel to him just makes me realize more that yes, we ARE all connected and that we are never really separated from those we love.

Here's to continuing the Journey... sharing memories... celebrating life...

-Becky

With Freedom Comes Responsibility

... And part of our responsibility as free people is to NOT follow along blindly, but to be informed and to think for our selves and to make up our own minds about things.

Here's some questions to consider:

• What does freedom mean to you?
• Would you say “give me liberty or give me death”? (Patrick Henry, 1775)
• How often do you take a stand for what you believe in – at work, with friends, with family?
• How often do you “go along” with something just because you don’t want to draw attention to yourself, or you don’t want to make a fuss?
• How often do you exercise your “freedom” to say no when you really don’t want to do something you’ve been asked to do?
• Do you take on the opinions and perspectives you hear on the news or read in the paper? or do you investigate other sources and come up with your own opinion?

As you celebrate this July 4th, give some thought to what the words to the pledge of allegiance really says:

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all.”

Here’s a word-by-word interpretation of it from the late comedian and actor Red Skelton: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfz2XDXaeqc

The First Pledge of Allegiance:

“I pledge allegiance to my Flag, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all.” – Francis Bellamy (1855-1931) written in 1892 for a school's 400th year Columbus Day celebration. (listen to more of it's history on my podcast: www.happy-seeds.org)

Other Sites of Interest:

• http://www.usflag.org/ - read "Lesson For Americans" by Mike Dalka (very moving!)
• http://www.poofcat.com/patriotic.html - various commentaries in many forms
• http://www.ushistory.org/documents/ - long list of historical documents
• http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/flag/1bf.html - lots of flag history and information on many different flags
• http://www.ushistory.org/index.html - lots of info about lots of people and events
• and just for additional perspectives, try a google search on: "pledge of allegiance" socialist (did you know that Francis Bellomy was a Socialist Minister?) or pledge dispute or flag dispute

Here's to exercising Freedom to learn, to grow, and to search for the Truth in all things...

-Becky

YouTube Debut

My word! It's been a long time since I've made a post! :(

I've been busy finishing up projects and removing things from my "plate" so that I can spend the majority of my time building my coaching business.... (which is another story!)

Studying suggestions for article marketing by Matt Bacak (I can't locate the article with his web address at this moment)....

On his list of "to-do's" was to write a short article then record it, make a few PowerPoint slides, turn it into a movie, and post it to YouTube.

I thought, "hm.... I could probably do that. I don't know anything about Power Point or YouTube really (besides watching what other people send me).... but I've been doing podcasts since January, and I'm at least familiar with recording audio and editing it..... so, what the heck!

So 2 days to write the article (was writing it for my ezine also - Create a Happy 'Tude, and 2 days to learn Power Point and a new video editing software, (and messing with Paint Shop Pro.... ugh!!!!) and here we are!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBswZgmnMB8

Let me know what you think!

Here's to continuing the Journey.... learning, expanding, and growing!

-Becky

10 Tips for Reducing Holiday Stress

I've just posted a new podcast at http://blog.spiritualcoachingcenter.com/ where I give 10 tips to help you keep a positive attitude and stay in a light, happy, uplifted state of mind during this holiday season. These tips come from my own experience and from the collected wisdom of the people who participated in my recent holiday stress survey.

A Reader's Digest version of the tips are:

1. Stress happens in the mind. Monitor your thoughts and feelings to stay light, happy, and uplifted during the holidays
2. In all the busy-ness, if the activity energizes you, do it. If it doesn't, don't do it. If it just HAS to be done, deligate it
3. Respect yourself - set boundaries and limits on your finances and on your time spent in tense family situations
4. Ask people what they want for a gift, or if you don't feel comfortable with that, listen to your heart for guidance on what to purchase (within your budget!)
5. Family gatherings are not the time to solve long-standing issues or conduct group therapy sessions, so don't go there!
6. If you can't be with family because of divorce or long-distances, let them know you love them. If they've passed on, celebrate their life & share the good memories. If you're single, find a way to be of service to others less fortunate than you
7. Let go of perfectionism and the idealized "Norman Rockwell" Christmas. Stay connected to what the season is really all about.
8. Expect the crowds to be there. That's just the way it is. Spread happy vibrations wherever you go instead of being frustrated.
9. Give yourself a gift!
10. Take care of yourself - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually

Here's to continuing the Journey... and staying light, happy, uplifted and stress free!

-Becky

New Podcast at Spiritual Coaching Center

I've just started putting my ezine, Create a Happy 'Tude online as an mp3. Check it out at my new blogcast: www.blog.spiritualcoachingcenter.com and let me know what you think.

I'll be putting other podcasts up occassionally. Next one planned is Tips for Reducing Holiday Stress.... coming Tuesday, November 20.

Here's to continuing the Journey... and exploring new ways to communicate!

-Becky

Holiday Stress Survey

I’m gathering research for my first podcast: Tips for Reducing Holiday Stress. And I need your help. I’d really appreciate knowing what stresses you the most during the holidays and how you typically deal with it. The survey should only take you about 5 minutes or less.

http://www.spiritualcoachingcenter.com/holiday-stress-survey.html

Please pass this email along to anyone you think might be interested in participating. I’m hoping to have it ready by mid-November.

Here’s to continuing the Journey…..filing our lives with less stress and more joy this holiday season!
-Becky

Do You Know the Truth? Or Are You a Victim of Zeitgeist?

“And ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall set you free.”
- John 8:32 (King James Version)

“How fortunate for leaders that men do not think.”
“Make the lie big, make it simple,
keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.”
- Adolf Hitler

Zeitgeist is a German word for "time-spirit" (geist = spirit; zeit = time) It's generally translated as "the spirit of the times. It refers to the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate, as well as the dominant beliefs and attitudes of a particular period. www.answers.com

If you want to know the truth about our times - these days you and I are living in - I encourage you to watch the Zeitgeist Movie at:
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

WARNING: It will change your life.

Because once you know the truth, or at least have been exposed to it, you can never "not know" it. You can, of course, choose to ignore it, but you can never erase the seed from your mind.

The movie is about 2 hours long but worth every minute.

If you don't want to know the truth, then continue on as you are.... (But read the Hitler quotes again before you go.)

Here's to continuing the Journey.... searching for the Truth about my world, my life, and my Self.

- Becky

911 Remembered...

Where were you then?

How has it affected your life?

What can you do now?

Share your story and your thoughts....

I was in Atlanta, Georgia, in graduate school, working at a large church in downtown Atlanta. We were gathering for a weekly staff planning meeting when one of the staff members came in and told us he'd just heard that one of the Twin Towers had been hit by a passenger plane.

We all just sort of sat there stunned, looking at each other, then unanimously agreed without really saying anything, that we needed to end this meeting and go find out more about what was happening.

I called my husband - who is much more up on current events that me - to ask what happened. By the time I called, the 3rd plane had just hit the Pentagon.

I immediately contacted a couple of friends who worked on Capital Hill to see if they were okay. They were in the process of evacuating the building. Class had been cancelled at school, and anything that needed to be done at work seemed trivial in the light of what was happening...

So I drove home - still in a daze.

If you've ever driven in Atlanta traffic - or any big city traffic for that matter - you know it's sometimes not a very "nice" or peaceful thing. But this day, i remember feeling a sense of courtesy, a sense of neighborliness, a sense of surreal-ness.

That evening I got together with a small group of friends to sort of "debrief" and better understand what had happened. There was a lot of anger in that gathering. There was also a lot of calm. Calm in the sense that, okay, this tragedy has happened. What can we do now?

Several of us felt that focusing on the event, reliving its terror (i.e. watching the non-stop reruns of it on TV) and joining the mass hysteria was not the best thing to do. It would not erase the fact that the events had happened, nor would it help to promote it not happening again. And it would not do us any good physically either!

Instead, focusing on peace and using the event as a "wake up call" would do more in the long run.

Whatever you focus on grows. That is the universal Law of Attraction. It's stated in the Bible as "As ye sow, so shall ye reap."

If you want change - whether it's personal, business-related, the environment, or the world - you will not change it by focusing on what is. That only gives you more of what is.

Change occurs when you focus on the end result - the goal - and then take inspired action toward it. In the case of 911, that means doing your part to promote peace in all aspects of your life - in your home, in your workplace, in your car stuck in traffic, and most importantly, in your heart. That is what's meant by BEing the change you want to see.

How has it affected your life?

In the days following 911, leaders of our country encouraged us to keep going and doing our normal life. This was good in the sense that, when something bad happens, it does no one any good for us to, as I say, "roll over and die." Life does go on and we all have people in our lives that depend on us. Living in fear is counter-productive.

However, going on as if nothing happened is unhealthy and spiritually damaging.
When these "life shocks" happen, the thing to do is retreat a bit and regroup. Look inside your heart and your soul and listen for what it has to say. Open up to the God-voice inside and ask:

What part did I play in this? (physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually)
How can i grow from this experience?

For me, 911 was a big neon sign saying: BE AWARE.

I realized that I needed to be more aware of what was happening in the world, and also that I needed to see people as individual human beings with their own attitudes, hopes, dreams, and struggles.

This was way before I even knew the coaching field existed. Who knows, this may have been one of those "course-correction" events that guided me to where I am today? We are all connected.

What can you do now?

I have referred to 911 as a "wake up call." Let me explain...

In my observations, I believe that, as an American people, we have become complacent and too caught up in the luxuries of life. The notion of taking personal responsibility for our actions and our lives was left behind long ago. We have become an "it's all about me, who cares about you" society. We're like first graders, cutting in line, fighting for the coveted "first in line" position.
In addition, our lives are so busy doing this, doing that, running here and there, we don't have time to think. And even if we did, there's a TV or radio playing somewhere to distract us from our own thoughts. We're so inundated that we buy into what the media tells us, what advertising tells us, and what the government tells us.

There's an old adage my parents used to say:
"Only believe half of what you read and none of what you see."

What CAN you do now?

First of all, don't take everything you hear or read as gospel truth. Do some investigating. Take advantage of the world-wide-web. It's loaded with information - mainstream (what you hear in the media) and non-mainstream (what you don't hear about in the media).

I did a google search on "911" and came up with some fascinating, thought-provoking sites with evidence that all is not what it seemed on that fateful day. I encourage you to do your own search. In the meantime, here are a few of the links that caught my interest:

http://www.911.truth.org/
http://www.911review.com/
http://www.911research.wtc7.net/
www.cooperativeresearch.org/timelines.jsp
www.insurgentamerican.net/intellectual-hardball/insurgent-americans-35-point-practical-guide-for-action/

The point is..... THINK! Ask questions. Tune into your heart, your Higher Self, the God-within.... Learn to trust the inner whispers of your soul.

How about you?

The De-Stress Process is finished!

I started this project back in June when I created a Stress Relief Guided Meditation to take with me as a give-a-way to an engineering company's Health Fair here in Huntsville. It was a huge success!
So I created a 7-step self-coaching tool to go with it. The process is designed to help people uncover the reason or cause of their stress, explore possible solutions, and give them action steps to take as they move beyond the stressful, upsetting situation or unhappy feelings.

I've included 5-minute or less de-stressing suggestions and a bonus special report: Tips for Releasing Stress In-The-Moment.

The whole package comes with the guided meditation for relaxation and de-stressing as well.

A FREE preview of the De-Stress Process is available and you can listen to a sample of the meditation.

I'd love to know what you think!

Here's to continuing the Journey.... and doing my best to live stress free!

-Becky

The Happiness Series - Guided Meditations

I have just finished uploading my first two guided meditation products and I am VERY excited about them!

Create Your Ideal Life - takes you through a typical day in your Ideal Life, which you create and visualize during the meditation. There's also a Special Report with more questions to ponder as you create your ideal life.

Affirmation Meditation - is a meditation using the statements from my Happiness Quiz. The accompanying Special Report gives additional support.

Check them out and let me know what you think!

Continuing the Journey... creating my ideal life by using my music and coaching skills to support others in creating happier, more fulfilling lives for themselves!

-Becky

Special Teleseminar Series: Meet the Authors of Success & Happiness

A few posts back, I had a "want survey" going, asking people what they most wanted in life. I used the results to write my chapter in the new book, Success and Happiness: Leading experts reveal their secrets.

Well the "secret" is now out and in print! And you can meet three of the co-authors during a special teleseminar series my co-authors and I are hosting.

It's a buy 1 get 1 free "readers only learning event." And that's your "ticket" into the free teleseminar series. Plus, there are some amazing bonuses that go with it!


Each teleseminar will be at 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. EST. Read on for further information about each seminar.


Teleseminar #1 –

Thursday, August 23Having more . . . What do you need to be happy? Are you coded to fully allow and experience the happiness andsuccess that is your birthright? During this interactive teleseminar you will discover what caninterfere with success and happiness and you will be shown how using the Rockit Method, we can identify and eliminate the unconscious coding or barriers to your success and happiness. You will also learn how to use your body as a compass to navigate through the choices your life offers. Dr Karen Vizer is recognized for her groundbreaking work in the field of mental conditioning and coding. Personal habits, fears and coding can keep us from realizing our dreams. Karen has sourced and refined the powerful process known as The Rockit Method of Consciousness shifting. She has helped thousands of friends and clients live from the peace, joy, happiness and purpose that connects them to fulfillment and success. http://www.karenvizer.com/


Teleseminar #2 –

Tuesday, August 28Soul Success: The Next Level of FulfillmentHave you followed the traditional formula for success—get acollege degree, secure a corporate job, earn money, take a vacation once a year, and yet deep inside, you yearn for something more? In this interactive seminar, Dr. Michelle will teach you to attune to your unique soul’s language, unlock the jewels of your heart, and create a visual blueprint to begin rebuilding your life to be in alignment with your divine destiny. Dr. Michelle is known as the Soul Diva Coach, Speaker, and Author. Michelle knows that there is a divine spark within each of us. Her life’s work is to empower herself and others to fully shine their bright light, master their life, and share what she learns along the way. She helps you to see the light, come up with bright ideas for your life, integrate your humanity and divinity, and shine more brightly in all dimensions of your life. http://www.brightlightcoach.com/



Teleseminar #3 –

Thursday, August 30Are You Happy? Really??In this teleclass we will talk about the definition of happinessand especially your definition of happiness. We will go through ahappiness quiz that Becky has created. Becky will take everyone through a process on "How to Immediately Begin Creating More Happiness". We'll finish up with a short affirmation session to anchor in your commitment to creating more happiness in your life.Becky Waters is a certified life coach whose passion is to help her clients move past their fears, discover their true selves, and get on with the passionate pursuit of their dreams. She is the author/editor of “Create a Happy Tude” a semi-monthly ezine that gives tips and resources for keeping a healthy, happy, prosperous attitude. http://www.spiritualcoachingcenter.com/


You will receive the telebridge number to dial in to the calls PLUS you will receive access the recordings after the calls!


To purchase your copy/get one free AND register for the teleseminar series go here: http://www.spiritualcoachingcenter.com/bookscc.html

Here's to continuing the Journey... wishing you success and happiness in all areas of your life!

-Becky

Stressed out? 5 tips to balancing career, family, well-being

This article just came out today in the Decatur Daily Newspaper... I’m one of the two local experts that were interviewed. Enjoy!

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/livingtoday/070807/work.shtml

Here’s to continuing the Journey... and trying to stay balanced!

-Becky

Favorite Self-Help Books

(Sorry I haven’t written in awhile. I’ll be back to regular posts soon.)

In the meantime, I just discovered this audio-book site and wanted to tell you about it.

Audio books are a great way to fill your mind with positive inspiration and motivation to live your best life and be your best self. And listening to an audio book while you commute to work each day gets you out of that “fighting traffic” mentality! It’s the perfect way to help yourself AND make better use of your travel and commute time.

Here are three of my favorites. (You can see more favorites here...)

There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem

Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway

The Hidden Messages in Water

Here's to continuing the Journey... always moving toward living your best life and BEing your best self!

-Becky

Peace at Our Nation's Capital?

I received this email this morning and wanted to share this story with you. Very interesting events happening at the Capital….. (this is a copy/paste of the email)


Email from James Twyman [jamestwyman@belovedcommunityemail.org]
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 5:59 PM
Subject: US Capitol Miracle Continues

The Miracle of the peace sign appearing on the lawn of the US Capitol continues. If you haven't heard the entire story, on Sunday, March 25, James Twyman focused a peace ceremony commemorating the Season For Non-Violence in Washington, DC. During the ceremony, which was held on the west lawn of the US Capitol, the "Children's Cloth of Many Colors" (for more info on this amazing project please visit www.communitiesofpeace.org) was laid gently on the grass in the form of a giant peace sign, and the ceremony took place in the center.

The next day the sponsor of the event, Gerry Eitner, received a concerned phone call from the US Capitol Police saying that the grass where the cloth lie was now discolored, leaving an enormous peace sign on the lawn.

This morning the police department called back with more information. They believe that some type of fertilizer attached to the quilt caused the discoloration. In reality, however, there was nothing attached to the Children's Cloth except the prayers of those present at the ceremony, as well as thousands of people from around the world. Subsequent calls to professional lawn care companies indicated that there is currently nothing on the market that would cause such a sudden overnight change. In fact, witnesses reported that the "peace sign grass" is actually longer and greener than the rest of the lawn.

Has a miracle visited the US Capitol? If so, then what is the message?

From James Twyman:

"I believe that this miracle was caused by two factors. First of all, there were hundreds of thousands of people focusing on the Capitol ceremony while it was taking place. At one point we actually held hands around the peace sign and called upon the energy of all those people from around the world, feeling their presence around the quilt with us. The intent of so many people can be a powerful energetic force and seems to have catalyzed a change in the actual earth causing the grass to grow greener and longer overnight. Second, I believe that in some way and for some reason the earth is literally giving us a sign. This is a critical point in the history of the world. If we don't begin turning our thoughts and actions toward peace, for both humanity and the environment, a deep crisis may be around the corner. For me the peace sign on the lawn of the US Capitol is both a warning and a symbol of hope. I'm hoping we'll listen and begin working for peace."

Photos of the grass as well as the peace ceremony will be online later today or tomorrow. PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD BY PASSING THIS EMAIL TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.


For more information about James Twyman, please visit http://www.emissaryoflight.com/.

Here’s to continuing the Journey…. spreading peace and hope to all….

-Becky

What Do You Want?

Have you asked yourself that lately? And given yourself time to
really answer it?

I mean, beyond the automatic “I wish I had a million dollars” type response?

To answer it honestly and deeply, you have to give yourself time to reflect and even do a little soul searching…..

What is it you that you really want in life?

This is the topic of my chapter in a book project I’m working on and I’ve created a survey to collect your thoughts. I would really appreciate you taking a minute or two to fill out the survey:

What Do You Want in Life?

Let your friends know about it too…. Many thanks!!

Continuing the journey….

-Becky

News!! Radio Appearance and Workshop Coming!

I apologize for being away so long! (Thank you to the “Anonymous” person asking where I was!)

Life has been busy – but very good! First off…. I’m going to be a radio show guest this Saturday!!!!! ((I'm just a tad bit excited about this!))

The show is called The Responsibility Act – here’s the link: http://www.responsibilityact.com/show.htm

It’s on from 11:00-12:00 EST. They have a “listen live” link on this page, so hope you’ll tune in!

Also, the next How Much Joy Can You Stand? Workshop is scheduled for August 26, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Radisson Suites Hotel in Huntsville. If you live anywhere near Huntsville – even 2-3 hours driving time away – I hope you’ll join me. (I’ve got a block of rooms reserved especially for out-of-town guests. And will probably stay there myself on Friday night.) You can find out more info here.

That’s it for now….. working on another musical meditation for http://www.affirmationsongs.com/, getting my teaching schedule mapped out and prepping for classes I’m teaching at UAH this year…. on top of everything else…. That’s about it.

Here’s to continuing the Journey…. loving life and enjoying the synchronicities that materialize once you decide to get serious and make this the best year of your life!

- Becky

If You Have Kids... Beware!

If you have kids, or know kids who ride a school bus.... Beware! A new form of targeted advertising is on its way to their unsuspecting minds.
It’s called BusRadio and their business will be to pipe strategically segmented ads and other propaganda into school buses, and into our children’s ears, on their way to and from school…… Read the article here.
Please pass the word along……
Here’s to continuing the Journey… taking responsibility for what goes into our own minds and into the impressionable minds of our children.
- Becky

I Am a Money Magnet

Since The Secret came out, especially, I’ve really been focusing on the Law of Attraction – specifically attracting more prosperity into my life.

If you have not seen The Secret, I encourage you to do it soon! You can download it as a pay-per-view or order the DVD. I’ve been studying the Law of Attraction for awhile. But after watching this documentary, it all seemed to make more sense.

Their newsletter today had an interesting exercise for attracting more money into your life…..

I see my wallet CRAMMED and JAMMED with notes of money. I see my wallet BULGING with large notes of money and it came in perfect ways.

The idea is to take out your wallet, hold it in your hands and say this quote powerfully and emphatically. Then, repeat the process as many times in the day as you want, each time FEELING your wallet get heavier and fatter.

As I was typing up this quote so I could put it up around the house in different places as a reminder to do this…. I remembered the Money Magnet Affirmation Song I’d written awhile back.

So… instead of excavating my desk (like I was “supposed” to be doing) I spent the morning recording this affirmation song and getting it on line…. Also figured out how to do a short sample of it so you can listen before you buy it for $1.00!

Go listen and let me know what you think!

Here’s to continuing the Journey….. singing, jamming, attracting….. having fun!

-Becky

How Liberal or Conservative Are You?

Just found this quiz and thought my results were very interesting.... How did you come out?

My Political Profile:

Overall: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Social Issues: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Personal Responsibility: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

Fiscal Issues: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

Ethics: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal

Defense and Crime: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

Here's to continuing the Journey.... learning, growing.... taking in all of life's "quizzes."

-Becky

Long Time No See

Boy! It's been a ridiculously long time since I've posted anything - sorry! Time sure flies when you're busier than heck!!

March and April, even more, were crazy busy months. As May progresses things are winding down slowly. After my student's recital on Tuesday and this weekend's Becky and Friends Benefit Concert, I'll have a few weeks off before I settle into a more laid-back summer schedule.

If you're in or around Huntsville this Saturday, would love for you to drop in at the concert and say hi!

You can find out more info at www.beckywaters.com

Here's to continuing the Journey.... and trying to maintain some sense of sanity as life whizzes by!

-Becky

The Secret is Out

If you have not seen The Secret – The Movie, stop everything and go check it out now. It will change your way of thinking…. It will change your life!

I’ve been studying their “secret” for many years now and didn’t realize it was a “secret”. But the way they explain the whole “secret” concept in the movie made it come alive to me, and suddenly it all made sense in a very powerful way. I internalized the concept, in that I finally understood it in my “body” – not just in my “head.”

Each of our lives, as we live it and experience it today is a culmination of our past thoughts and decisions. At every moment we have the power to choose a different way, a different thought…. a different experience.

Each thought we think today – right now – is a building block for what our life will be tomorrow.

You create your own universe as you go along. – Winston Churchill

And whether you create “heaven” or “hell” for yourself is all in how you use The Secret.

You can pay-for-view the 90-minute movie on-line for $4.95. Or get the DVD for $19.95. (you get $5 off the DVD if you purchase the on-line version first.)

It is worth the money and majorly worth the time!

If you’re serious about becoming all that you can be – aka reaching your potential as a human (spiritual) being – watch this movie. Things are a-changing….. and the “final frontier” in the 21st century is…. the Mind.

Here’s to continuing the Journey.... Being, Doing, Having... it all.... (watch the movie!)

- Becky

A new era in mankind....

Why Do We Resist Going Home?

Home?

A place of comfort, with a sense of groundedness and acceptance…. a feeling of ‘Yes! This is where I belong’…

If it feels so good and so ‘right’, why do we resist it?

Same reason we don’t do other things that we know make us feel good?… Like exercise, drink more water, call our best friend, follow up on a promising lead, finish that report we’ve been putting off…..

I’ve asked myself that question all my life and still don’t have a good answer!

Why do I put off practicing or writing music or any other of the activities that feed my soul? Only to find when I finally make myself do it, within five minutes or less, I’m totally ‘in the zone’ with it, feeling at home, centered, grounded…. Feeling ‘Yes! This is where I belong.’

Like tonight…. I’ve been putting off practicing all week, letting other things take priority. Finally, I sat down, opened the book, put my fingers on the keys and engaged the hand-eye coordination brain stuff….. and immediately felt – again – WHY do I put this off so hard when doing it is so euphoric!?

Does anybody else have this problem? Or is it just me?!?

I would love to hear some responses and get other people’s experiences on this.

Here’s to continuing the Journey….. asking why…. trying to understand life’s little peculiarities!

-Becky

I’m Giving Up All My Self-Sabotage Habits

In honor of the Lenten season, the first recorded ready-made Affirmation Song is now available – (I’m Giving Up All My) Self-Sabotage Habits!

There have been major improvements to the www.AffirmationSongs.com site. Check it out and let me know what you think!

You can purchase Self-Sabotage Habits – the mp3 – for only $1.00 (US)

And if you subscribe to the mailing list, you get a FREE copy of 13 Affirmation Songs on Melodies You Already Know.

It’s still in the beta stages, so please let me know of any glitches in the system.

The peculiarities I know about are:

• after subscribing you are sent immediately back to the page you subscribed at. I’ll add a “Thank You” page when figure out how to connect it!


• You’ll get a confirmation email for subscribing (it’s a double opt-in system). But the email that’s automatically sent out does not look very “friendly” or gives you much of a clue that you’ve subscribed to Affirmation Songs.com. I’ll fix that soon as I figure out how! In the meantime, go ahead and click on the link they give to confirm!! Otherwise, you won’t be added to the mailing list.


• After purchasing the download through PayPal, you’ll get the normal receipt and I’ll get a notice that you purchased it. I haven’t figured out how to automatically send the download page yet (new autoresponder system too!). SO… I will send you the download info as soon as I can! (within 24 hours for sure!)

Think that’s it…..

Here’s to continuing the Journey….. stepping out and going for it!!

-Becky

Asking, Receiving, Confessing and Clearing

Sunday morning (during church…. sorry!...) I was brainstorming on Gratitude – the theme for the AGO Lenten Concert I’m giving on March 16 (at Trinity UMC).

Several things from the morning’s service sparked me on…. Here are some of the phrases that caught my ear along with my interpretations or “musings” on them…..

From the Gospel lesson – the story of people lifting the crippled man on his cot and lowering him down to Jesus through the roof.…  he “saw their faith.”

They expected a blessing and were determined to get it. They “believed” and then put action behind it!

How many times have we only “wished” for something but chose to have a “pity party” instead of actually DOING something about it?

And from the Epistle reading – one of Paul’s letters to Corinth explaining that when God says “yes” he means “yes,” and that he will “fulfill all his promises.”

I’m reminded of another passage that says something like “… it is his good pleasure to give us the Kingdom of God.” And also the one, “ask and ye shall receive.” Then, in the metaphysical world, there’s the teaching/belief that the universe always says “yes!” to our thoughts – no matter what they are.

I believe the “kingdom of God” is a place of inner peace and joy. And that the “asking” for what we want implies an attitude of hope with a sense of “letting go” and trusting that we will be given what we’ve asked for – or something better!

To me, the ultimate goal or purpose of our lives is to be in unity with God (the Universe, Spirit….. or whatever you choose to call this Higher Power that keeps all the planets from running into each other!) And we are to be in unity within ourselves.

How many times have we said “yes” but really meant “maybe” or “I’m really not sure, but I’ll just go along for now” or even “no, I really do not want to do that but I’m too ______ (you fill in the blank) to stand up and say NO.”

But I’m really just lecturing myself this morning….

To make a long story short… I’m giving a 2nd How Much Joy workshop this Saturday – this time charging a fee – which seems to have brought up all my money issues!

As my coach put it, we’ve inherited this “I want you to give me money, but don’t really give me any money” kind of mental conflict from depression era and post-depression era parents.

Then you put all that on top of multiple variations of “I’m not worthy”….. and you get…. Well, you get one official registration and two maybes for Saturday’s workshop so far.

Which is not enough to pay the rent.

I do also believe that there is an infinite supply of money or anything/everything because, when you get down to it, it’s all energy!

So… to help unclog the flow I’ve just completed a financial “obligation” that I started a year ago…. which is a little embarrassing to confess to….

Last January I offered a special 3-session coaching package (hoping to get new clients) and said that I would donate that entire fee to Tsunami Relief.

There was only one “taker” to this offer. I held his check for a long time, hoping for others, but then finally deposited it. Then… unfortunately, I forgot about it. Through most of last year I could have completed my part of the bargain and transferred the money to Tsunami Relief without a negative financial impact. (Except for the summer months, but that’s another story.)

Now however…. the finances “appear” to be on the tight side again – which is why I’m finally getting around to giving these workshops that I’ve wanted to do for several years now!

But…. this “obligation” has kept coming to my mind for the past several weeks….

Knowing that this money thing is a circular flowing stream of energy, I am trying to unclog the energetic “dam” I’ve created by confessing my “sin” and acknowledging that I have now forwarded the money to Tsunami Relief…. And I am officially “asking” for more than enough money to pay rent and other financial obligations in March.

Aaaaahhhhhhhh…. (deep breath)…. Thank you very much.

Here’s to continuing the Journey… asking, receiving, confessing and clearing the way for financial abundance….

-Becky

Compartmentalization

“The ability to separate things into little boxes so they can be dealt with one at a time.” (a Bw definition)

I’ve never really been good at that. But I know lots of men who do it automatically.

So does that make it a “male trait” or just a left brain activity?

Whatever it is, I need a big dose of it to get through the next few months! I’ve got projects, events and concerts out the ying-yang! (You can see just a few of them on the Current Events List I put up this weekend. And these don’t even count the two new websites I’m working on: Affirmation Songs & a Wedding Music Commission site.)

The main problem is that when I finally get going on a project, I don’t want to stop. It’s sort of an all-or-nothing characteristic which seems to show up in multiple areas in my life.

The other challenge is that most of my projects are not the sit-down-one-time-do-it-then-it’s-over type activity. And with different amounts of time each day to devote to these projects, I can’t really assign them to their own day either…..

What’s a right-brained girl to do?

Hm… guess the first step would be to go get a shower and figure out what to start on first!

Here’s to continuing the Journey… and trying to get a grip on all these boxes!

Are You Brave Enough to Love 100%?

Many times in relationships we hold back a tiny piece of our heart, our inner self, because we’re afraid of being disappointed or betrayed or even abandoned.

So we don’t give 100% commitment or energy to our relationship.

What sort of beliefs might we have that cause us to be so afraid of loving wholeheartedly? What beliefs cause us to tolerate unloving situations or to settle for less than what we need in our love relationships?

A good way to begin to explore these questions is to look at your self-talk – your mind chatter. Are you saying things like “I’m not smart enough, sexy enough, deep enough, pretty enough, etc?” Or is it that you think you’re just not enough – Period!

Are there old resentments or regrets holding you back or stealing your energy? Is there an old flame or other unfinished relationship from the past that needs closure?

Take some time today and ponder the question:

Are you brave enough to love 100%?

And if you are, try this Recommitment Exercise.

(This exercise and the idea for today’s post is adapted from this week’s edition of Debbie Ford’s Newsletter - http://www.debbieford.com/)

1. Write down your beliefs about love. If you’re in a relationship, what excuses do you tell yourself about not giving 100%? If you’re not in a relationship, what do you tell yourself about why you’re not? What fears come up for you? What gets in the way? Write it all down.


2. Then say good-bye to the whole list. Burn it or shred it and toss it to the wind letting it be the “fertilizer for your future loves.”


3. Ask yourself what you need to learn from all this. What lessons about love can you learn from your past? Maybe you need to make your requests more clear. Or you need to be more discerning. Is time the problem? Do you need to make more time for yourself or more time alone with your partner? Do you have the courage to your partner for the love you need?


4. Put up reminders of your recommitment to love. Put up inspiring quotes about love or pictures of people who represent love to you. A great way to remember new intentions or commitments is to turn them into little songs. It makes them easy to remember and it gets your whole body involved when you sing them. (See AffirmationSongs.com.)


5. Everyday pray about love. Ask for help remembering to love - to see love and to give love. Ask for guidance to know your next in the evolution of your own heart.


6. Give thanks for the love that’s in your life right now. Even if you’re not currently in a personal love relationship, look at the ways love shows up in your life – a smile from a stranger, the purr of a kitten or love licks from a puppy, the laughter of children, the camaraderie between friends or co-workers. Notice what makes you smile or brings that warm fuzzy feeling to your heart. Take a deep breath and give thanks that you are alive and well. Gratitude is the twin sister of love. You can’t have one without the other!

Here’s to continuing the Journey… learning and growing and celebrating all the love in our lives!

-Becky

Energy Drains and Unresolved Projects

Following Debbie Ford’s lead in her book, The Best Year of Your Life, I determined that these two qualities are the ones I need to make this year the ‘best year of my life’:

• Self-discipline


• Razor-sharp focus

However, working from home comes with its own bundle of self-discipline and staying-focused challenges. Then you add to that my reoccurring tendency to:

• put too much on my plate


• get overwhelmed


• take a ‘regroup’ nap


• finally get started on a project


• then it’s time to go to an outside appointment

This morning I woke up feeling very foggy, sluggish and scattered – which is a surprise considering that yesterday I had a great day keeping focused and on task. I was really looking forward to doing the same today.

Going through my list of projects at breakfast, trying to get out of the fog and get some energy going, I came up with about 8 hours of action steps that needed to be done. Then I counted the number of hours I have available before going to teach and rehearsals tonight….

There were only 4.5 hours available. (Even thought I got up at 6:00 a.m., taking that ‘regroup’ nap right after coffee and playing with DC (my kitty) set me back a few hours!)

So as I went through the list again, determining which things could wait and which absolutely needed to be done…. Then it hit me…

Unresolved projects drain my energy.

I already know that when I’m working on something and get hung up because of waiting on a decision or feedback from someone else that hasn’t come back in a my-timely fashion, it can really derail me.

Same thing happens when I’m in the middle of a movie and have to stop watching it. I get antsy and pre-occupied with it. (Getting hooked on the show ‘24’ will either cure me of this or drive me insane!)

This happens when I’m in the middle of a project too – especially a composition project.

(Is it even possible for a right-brained circular thinker to learn to ‘compartmentalize’?)

Anyway… I realized that there were two things on my to-do list that were ‘unresolved.’ One I’m waiting on critical feedback from another person. (This project has been unresolved for about two years, going through many attempts to reach the finish line. This is a newly resurrected attempt.)

The other unresolved project is waiting on me! Because I keep putting it off. (It’s a left-brained detail activity that always seems to take way more time than it should!)

Energy drains make it hard to focus.

The ‘waiting for feedback’ project is out of my control. So I have to let that one go. The other, however, IS in my control. So guess I’ll do that one next. AND just so it doesn’t take all of my time this morning, I’ll set a timer to only work on it only one hour. It’s not critical that I finish it today. But it IS critical that I at least get started on it to give it some momentum and give me some energy-drain relief!

Scheduling a couple of projects to do after that hour – ones that absolutely MUST be done today will help motivate the ‘self-discipline’ quality to take charge when the hour timer goes off.

…. That’s my plan for today anyway….

Here’s to continuing the Journey…. and trying to get a handle on the energy drains that steal your focus.

-Becky

The Lord's Prayer (Aramaic to English)

This version of The Lord's Prayer was read as part of my Atlanta women's circle graduation ceremony Sunday evening. I think it is very profound and eye-opening. It really spoke to me, so I wanted to share it with you. (It is translated directly from the Aramaic to English - rather than from Aramaic to Greek to Latin to English. Found in the November 2003 issue of PASHAA.)

O Cosmic birther of all Radiance and Vibration
Soften the ground of our Being
and carve out a space within us
where Your Divine Presence can abide.

Fill us with Creativity
that we may be empowered
to bear the fruit of your mission.

Let each of our actions
bear the fruit in accordance with our desire.

Endow us with wisdom to produce and share
what each Being needs to grow and flourish.

Untie the tangled threads of destiny that binds us
as we release others
from the entanglement of past mistakes*.

Do not let us be seduced by that which diverts us
from our true purpose.
Illuminate the Opportunities of the present moment.

For you are the *ground and fruitful vision,
the birth-power and fulfillment
as all are gathered as one and made whole again.

Amen

*Discrepancies in what was read and what I found on the source website. (Still researching for where the "read" version came from.)

Here's to continuing the Journey.... and offering new food for thought....

-Becky

Self-Sabotage Habits

In my continuing efforts to make 2006 the best year of my life… this morning I was thinking about how I’ve gotten into a self-sabotage habit in my piano practicing.

To begin with, I tend to not even look at the piece until about a week later than I should (estimating the amount of time it will need before its performance.) Then, about two or three days before the event, for some reason or other, I won’t get around to practicing on those days. Which sends me into a panic the day of the performance.

As I was contemplating all this…. and (finally) cleaning my bathroom, I was thinking how good it would feel to walk into a non-disgusting looking bathroom again (… I won’t even say how many weeks… months?.... I’ve let it go … justified, of course by my busy schedule!)

Anyway – I realized that this self-sabotage spills over into just about all areas that have to do with taking care of myself and giving myself the things I know I need…..

So…. I wrote another singing affirmation…. which, actually turned out to be more of a little song…… (one of these day’s I’ll figure out how to record it and get it online…..)

I’m giving up all my self-sabotage habits,
I’m giving up all the things I do that make things hard on me!
I’m giving up all my self-sabotage habits,
And I’m giving myself all the things I know I need.

I give myself love…
I give myself peace…
I give myself joy…
I give myself time to take care of my needs!

I’m giving up all my self-sabotage habits,
I’m giving up all the things I do that make things hard on me!
I’m giving up all my self-sabotage habits,
And I’m giving myself all the things I know I need.

Here’s to continuing the Journey…. giving yourself love, peace, joy and TIME to take care of YOU!

Wanted More Than Anything Else

I’ve been reading Debbie Ford’s book, The Best Year of Your Life. She talks about how we are all “chasing” some feeling – how everything we do, every action we take (or don’t take) is ultimately done because of how we think it will make us feel.

This feeling thing not a new concept. It’s actually been around for thousands of years, as Gregg Braden discovered when he helped translate the Isaiah Scrolls. The scrolls talk about a mode of prayer that has been forgotten through the centuries. In The Isaiah Effect, he explains how this lost mode of prayer – the one that creates miracles in our lives – is praying with the feeling that the prayer has already been answered.

Medical research is now proving that how we feel about ourselves, our experiences, our world, has a direct affect on our bodies. Cell biologist, Dr. Bruce Lipton states that in our evolution from single-celled beings to multi-cellular beings, our brains developed a two-way system of communicating with this “community” of cells. This two-way communication system is our emotions, i.e. our feelings. Emotions color our perception, which shapes our experience of the world around us. The reverse is also true, in that how we perceive our life experiences has a great impact on the emotions we feel. And as he explains in The Biology of Belief, our perceptions stem from our beliefs.

But…. I digress….

As for beliefs…. Being adopted as a young toddler, I’ve always had an “I’m not wanted” issue (i.e. limiting belief). I realized that the feeling I’ve been “chasing” most of my life has been the feeling of being adored, cherished and wanted... or rather, not just wanted, but wanted more than anything else!

My epiphany this morning was the realization that all these years…. I haven’t wanted myself more than anything else either! (duh!)

I shutter to think how many times I’ve given my Self away for the (hoped for) feeling of being wanted more than anything else…. when all I really had to do was want ME, value my Self more than anything else. BE first place in my own life!

Now, I don’t mean the narcissistic, hey look at me kind of self-absorption.

I’m talking about the healthy, self-esteem kind of inner worth that radiates from the inside out.

Being first place in your own life isn’t really valued in our society – especially for women. The religious and cultural training is to put others first and yourself last. But every time I fly on an airplane, I’m reminded that this ain’t necessarily so! In the safety instructions, they always say when the oxygen mask falls, put it on yourself first THEN help the ones around you.

They never say work quickly and help as many people as you can before you pass out.

I’m wondering if perhaps it is part of my mission in life to learn to want my Self more than anything else so that I can teach others how to value themselves more than anything else…..?

Here’s to continuing the Journey…. being wanted and learning to want my Self more than anything else!

-Becky

Ready to Move Forward?

I am ready to move forward in a BIG way.

The last two weeks have been sort of an “incubation” period recuperating from the hellacious fall semester and regrouping for the next one…. And now I’m Ready!

So, with goals in hand, giving me a clear direction of where I want to go in 2006, the first thing I did was hire a coach.

Some of the things I want to accomplish have been on my goals list for years and for one reason or another, I keep letting “life” get in the way of accomplishing them - like being a working, PAID composer!

Several weeks ago I had one of those epiphany moments and realized that all my life, I’ve been waiting for it to magically happen. Sure, I’ve continued to write music and other people know that’s one of the things I do, but the “paid” part of it has been extremely lacking!

And I’m ready to get paid for it!

I have some ideas of how to make that happen. However, history has proven that I can not do it by myself…… and there’s nothing wrong with that. One of the first steps in any kind of change is realizing you need help.

So I called my coach and mentor, Coach Kathy, and said, “I’m ready… let’s get to it!”

How about you? Do you have a clear direction? A specific focus? Do you know where you want to be this time next year?

If you don’t know where you’re going, you will probably end up somewhere else. - Laurence J. Peter

Here’s to continuing the Journey…. choosing a specific path, saddling up for the trip, and taking that first step!

-Becky

P.S. If you’d like help choosing your “path” and setting up your top three goals for 2006, you can get a FREE Goals Report here. It comes with an optional FREE coaching session with Coach Becky :)

Will You Choose Peace?

If there is to be peace in the world, there must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations, there must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities, there must be peace between neighbors.
If there is to be peace between neighbors, there must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home, there must be peace in the heart.
- Lao-Tse, 5th Century BCE

The holidays can be stressful times with all the traffic, shopping, cooking, planning, traveling.... And when we're busy and under pressure, it's easy to get caught up in the "dance" of reacting. In this dance, tempers may flair, angry words may fly; or feelings or words may be withheld in silence. Neither extreme leads to happy holidays!

If you find yourself reacting, take a deep breath and give yourself an extra moment to choose a different way to respond. There is always another choice. And in the choosing there is power.

Will you choose peace?

If you'd like to read more on "choosing peace," here's a link to the Peace issue of my ezine, Create a Happy 'Tude. Enjoy!

May your holidays be filled with Peace.... in your heart.

Here's to continuing the Journey..... and choosing peace in every moment.

-Becky

Happy Winter Solstice

Tonight will be the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the coming days, there will start to be more daylight as the nights grow shorter.

Celebrating this time of growing light in the midst of the winter's darkness, symbolized hope for our ancestors. The Christian Church melded this holiday with it's own celebration of the birth of the Christ Child, also a symbol of light coming into the darkness of the world. (more detailed history here)

However you celebrate the season, take a few moments to stop and reconnect with your highest potential and celebrate the birth of the Light within yourself.

Let go of old resentments and ill feelings toward people who have treated you badly in some way. Let go of whatever is keeping you focused on the past.

Imagine.... what would it feel like to step into 2006 with a clean slate - without any baggage?

As the new year approaches, set an intention to move forward with your dreams, your goals, your life... and make 2006 the best year ever!

To get started, try this Five-Minute Winter Solstice Meditation from Stuart Wilde
(excerpt from his December 15th "A" List Newsletter. To sign up, go to www.stuartwilde.com)

At midnight go outside or stand on a balcony and face north. Take an ice cube
with you in your left hand. And place your right hand on your heart and take
three deep breaths and relax. Then in your mind’s eye, bring up anyone that
you hold rancor or resentment toward - people that have ripped you off or
treated you badly. Bring the first one in your mind’s eye and breath them in
eleven times and as you breath out send them love and wish them well in life,
release them from your energy. Then bring up the next one and so forth until you
are done. Then finally when you are finished, take eleven very special
breaths for yourself; forgive yourself for any shortcomings and vow to become a
better person in this next year. The ice cube is there to remind you of the
freezing cold ambience of hell. And as it melts in your hand it also reminds you
how energy draining are anger, resentment and conflict.

See you at midnight!

Here's to continuing the Journey.... releasing the past and stepping into your full potential.

-Becky

What Temperment Are You?

Just took this test from Blogthings.... some characteristics didn't really fit, but the ones that did were real zingers!! Very revealing.....

You Have a Phlegmatic Temperament

Mild mannered and laid back, you take life at a slow pace. You are very consistent - both in emotions and actions. You tend to absorb set backs easily. You are cool and collected. It is difficult to offend you. You can remain composed and unemotional. You are a great friend and lover. You don't demand much of others. While you are quiet, you have a subtle wit that your friends know well. At your worst, you are lazy and unwilling to work at anything. You often get stuck in a rut, without aspirations or dreams. You can get too dependent on others, setting yourself up for abandonment.

What Temperment Are You?

Here's to continuing the Journey.... and learning more about yourself everyday!

-Becky

The Secret

Coming in February.... Watch the trailer and spread the word!

Here's to continuing the Journey.... and the search for Truth!

-Becky

I'm a Calm and Centered Woman

It's time for the big finish - the rush for the end of the semester.... and the next three weeks are going to put my already overly busy schedule into hyper-overdrive - my private studio students, UAH students, finals, juries, grades due, extra rehearsals, Christmas programs and musicals, special music to prepare..... on top of composition projects, starting up a new business (www.weddingmusicmadeforyou.com) and trying to expand my coaching practice.....

Yesterday morning, thinking about all this and wondering how in the heck I was going to make it through all this without losing my mind (or without falling flat on my face and doing a totally lousing job on everything!) I decided some emergency measures were needed, so I started thinking....

What are my intentions for these next few weeks? What do I really want? How do I want to feel?

• I want to feel a sense of inner peace and calmness - no matter what busy, rushed, chaotic or stressful scenario might be happening around me. I want to be at peace inside myself.
• I want a clear, focused mind as I work on each project and event. I want to be able to make good decisions quickly and be able to work efficiently and effectively. There's no time for dilly-dally or overwhelm. I need razor-sharp focus and a clear mind.
• I want a sense of being grounded and centered, with feet firmly planted on earth, totally involved in each moment. I also want to be open to intuitive guidance and have a sense of connection to spirit, the universe, God, the source of all that is. Sort of "in the world, but not of it" as it says in the Bible.

Cool. However... I knew that in the middle of a stressful moment, I would never in a million years remember all this..... so I started putting it in a more summarized statement - an affirmation that I could easily remember.

And as soon as I started doing that, the "Musical Becky" took over. Here's what I ended up with..... sung to the tune "Another Brick in the Wall" - or at least, the way I remembered it! (it starts at the part where the kids are singing "we don't need no education..." The third phrase is where the "creative remembering" kicked in, so it doesn't match Pink Floyd's version exactly!)

I'm a calm and centered woman; Quick decisions, razorsharp focus; Firmly in the moment while I'm walking with Spirit; Hey, watch me - I can do it all.

Then, of course, I got really carried away singing and dancing and..... well, having a good ol' time.... until I realized I'd used up all my extra time and had to finish getting ready quickly and run out the door.... late again!

But... by golly, do you know what?

That night, after a long busy day, I came home feeling excited and happy. Nothing that great or really exciting happened. It was just a regular day. But for some reason, I felt "on top of the world"!

Same thing happened tonight. Walked in the door feeling happy, excited and "on top of the world"!

Hm.... I wonder.... was it the singing or the dancing that made the difference......??

Here's to continuing the Journey.... singing, dancing.... setting intentions.... and having a jolly ol' time!

-Becky

P.S. I downloaded Pink Floyd's version (part 2) and I'll probably change the 3rd phrase to match his melody (which is way better than my shady memory version!) That would make it something like:

I'm a calm and centered woman; Quick decisions, razorsharp focus; Firmly grounded in the moment; while I'm walking with Spirit; Hey, watch me - I can do it all.