A lot of us unfortunately have experiences of being “run over.” 🙁

Maybe it’s an overbearing boss or parent, perhaps a coach pushing us, or maybe a partner who has unrealistic expectations.

And sometimes we might believe that we should “just take it.” We might believe that keeping the peace is better than rocking the boat. Maybe that’s true. Maybe it isn’t. Only Presence has that answer.

That’s not what I’m writing about today though…

I remember when I was younger, my self-esteem issues were rampant. They unconsciously controlled just about every social interaction I was in. And I didn’t even know it.

And whenever I received a compliment, I always felt compelled to respond by giving a reason for the compliment.

Other: “Wow, the blue in your eyes really stand out today!”

Me: “Yeah that’s because of the shirt I’m wearing.”

Or…

Other: “I really like your hair today.”

Me: “I tried styling it differently using some gel and a trick I learned from the person who cut my hair.”

Or…

Other: “I really like the way you treated that homeless person with compassion.”

Me: “Everybody has tough times, and I’m glad to be able to help a little bit.”

Now all of those examples seem benign normal social interactions.

However, they’re MISSING something.

See, in each of them there is an unconscious lack of self-confidence. It might be huge. It might be small. That depends on the person.

How might this be?

In each of those interactions there is an explanation -why- we are the way we are. In those examples, I was trying to *justify* a good quality about myself…

Because deep down I believed that being me simply wasn’t “enough.”

It wasn’t enough for me to just take it and say “Thank you.”

No.

Because I felt inadequate, I had to create a reason why the compliment could be “allowed.” It wasn’t allowed as it was, on its own, simply because another person was appreciating me.

Part of me felt unworthy enough to receive the appreciation. I felt unconsciously “not good enough” to be complimented authentically. I couldn’t take it.

And so rather than just saying “Thank you,” I had to rationalize (give “rational lies”) to cover over my perceived inadequacy.

I share this with you because so many of us don’t fully receive compliments from others. We gloss them over.

We don’t take them in. We don’t allow other peoples’ appreciation to personally *affect* us. We have difficulty just being seen and acknowledged for the amazing Divine beings that we are.

It took me years to learn to say “Thank you” when receiving a compliment. Now, however, I always do my best to receive the compliment and let it land with me. No rationalization. No explanation. No reason why.

Just simply receiving the gift that another person has given me.

In your own life, I challenge you…

For the next few days –whenever you receive a compliment– limit your reply to saying “Thank you” with a smile while making eye contact with that person.

Nothing more.

I challenge you to “just take it” and see what you discover. 🙂

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase.

He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered her a Twinkie. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. Once again she smiled at him. The boy was delighted!

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face.

She asked him, “What did you do today that made you so happy?”

He replied, “I had lunch with God.” But before his mother could respond, he added, “You know what? She’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home.

Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, “Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?”

She replied, “I ate Twinkies in the park with God.” But before her son responded, she added, “You know, he’s much younger than I expected.”

~ Author Unknown and Greatly Appreciated

When I was going through my Dark Night of the Soul a few years ago, I met with many professionals. My intention in meeting with them was primarily twofold:

(1) Establish a support structure

(2) Gather perspective and guidance beyond my own perception

I recall meeting with one very highly specialized psychologist, and he asked me:

“How do you see what’s happening to you? What’s the story you tell yourself?”

Given what I was going through, I could have told a pretty sorry story. A tale of woe, pain, anxiety, and fear.

(and that’s putting it mildly)

But that wasn’t what I said. I was in a very dark space, and although I had hope, I didn’t have any idea how that hope would manifest.

My reply was short and simple:

“Things are being put in their right places.”

Kind of an odd response to such a traumatic and horrifying situation. And yet, it was profound because it showed that I was LIVING one of the most important principles of personal transformation:

Choosing our thoughts, words and stories.

The languages we use are POWERFUL.

I’ve said this before. Many times. That’s because it’s fundamentally important that we choose and use words which support the reality we choose to live in and create.

Similarly, the stories we tell ourselves are powerful. They literally write the reality we live in, and I’m not talking metaphysically. I’m talking biologically.

Our brain neurons literally contain and transfer the stories of our lives. Factual stories as well as emotional stories.

Therefore, when we change our internal stories we actually change our biochemistry – and that changes how we perceive the world and how we act.

In other words (pardon the pun!)…

“Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

In our minds, there's often a split between extremes. It's a natural human inclination.

We tend to see things as "good" or "bad" with very little room for the gray area.

We move away from pain and towards pleasure…

We tend to identify things as either sacred or profane.

The list goes on.

The thing is, this mindset is representative of our split minds and hearts. We split things off because a part of us can't handle the possibility that it *all* can be within our immediate experience at the same time.

Not that it always is. Only that it can be. And we discount that possibility.

So when people suggest that profanity is "bad," I point out that it's merely a judgment we place on a specific configuration of letters.

THIS.

SHIT.

Same letters. Different word. Different symbols. And yet many of us will see one of those words as "good" and another as "bad."

But is it really the letters' and words' fault? 🙂

Are they really "bad" simply for being what they are?

I don't believe so. Nor do I believe that any human being is inherently "bad" regardless of what trespasses (or even atrocities) that person may have committed.

Lost, yes. Bad, no.

Similarly when we look at our relationship to pleasure and pain we often see them as being just one-sided. Something is either pleasurable or painful.

Even our most intimate relationships, we can rationalize as having "good and bad" yet we don't look at the possibility usually that they can be both *at the same time*

Yet inherent within our experience of being human is a sense of pleasure. Sometimes it's very obvious such as indulging in a great dessert or amazing sex.

Other times, it's more subtle. It's a nuance or hint that there's a gift to being alive. That something precious about being human is inherently pleasurable.

No more evident was this to me than a few months ago when I was sick. VERY sick.

I was vomiting nonstop, and I had taken up residence on the floor next to the toilet so I could throw up in the toilet instead of everywhere else (and then have to clean it up).

Part of me felt like it was the end of the world. I knew it wasn't. It just felt that way. And with the frequency of vomiting, it seemed like it would never end.

Then one moment, I noticed how hot I felt – so I took my shirt off and laid on the floor. Then I noticed that the coolness of the floor on my skin felt pleasurable.

As I continued to notice the specific sensations of coolness, it felt very pleasurable…

And odd.

I was fully experiencing the pleasure of aliveness, of the sensations of coolness and warmth playing together — while at the same time fully feeling the wretchedness of my illness.

The combination of this feeling of death and life was profound. And profane (at least my thoughts were! hehe…)

Anyway, enough rambling for now. I figured today was as good a day as any to share with you something I'm playing with…

This possibility that we can experience pleasure in ANY moment of ANY day, regardless of how painful our life experience might simultaneously be.

When I was younger, I believed that I lived in the Present moment…

Simply because I wasn't consciously living in the past. Little did I realize that I was actually living mostly in the future. I wasn't really Present at all!

As I deepened into my inner journey, I have noticed that I live more fully in the Present moment. And that awareness has shown me some interesting paradoxes.

For example, it is possible to *not* be Present even when not thinking about the future or the past.

In other words, just because we are not thinking about things does not necessarily mean we are living in the Present moment.

(although it certainly brings us closer to that experience)

On the flip-side, it is possible to be Present even when thinking about the future and the past.

This is because thoughts themselves do not indicate whether or not we are being Present.

We can become stuck in old ways of thinking and feeling, of painful pasts, or of fearful and anxious futures.

Most of our inner journey is spent clearing away these old patterns so that we can experience the Present moment in its entirety.

So then how do we do that?

Even when thoughts are in our immediate experience?

The answer is surprisingly simple…

This is possible when our awareness is squarely on our *direct experience* of the Present moment.

Not our thoughts of the Present moment. Our experience of it.

Taste. Touch. Hear. Sense. Smell.

It is in our experience of the Present moment that we find our true freedom…

Both with and without thoughts.

Do you believe that there could be more for you in life…

But you just don't know what to do to change things around?

If you do, you're not alone. And it's not your fault.

Most likely, you've just fallen victim to one of the most common mental traps that stop people from moving forward.

Find Out Which One In This Free Quiz

Simply fill out a few questions, and in 30 seconds you'll get a customized video response detailing which of the 4 most common mental "traps" is stopping you from being happy and successful.

(however you define 'success' to be in your life)

If you're reading this, you already have what it takes to become successful beyond your wildest dreams.

You're seeking out the answers, and by seeking, you've proven that you're head and shoulders above 97% of other people.

Today, I'm going to walk you through a short lesson about discovering what truly drives you, because this will guide you as you create the life ahead of you.

Uncovering Your Life Path

Have you ever felt like there was an invisible wall in your brain preventing you from being able to understand what you REALLY want?

If so, this may be the reason why…

You see, whether you realize it or not, there are thousands of beliefs that you harbor in your mind about the world that you've never really examined. They've probably made their way into your head as a result of past experiences, especially emotional ones.

Some of these beliefs are really helpful.

(Like the importance of looking both ways before crossing the street or cooking chicken before you eat it).

Other beliefs may actually be sabotaging your efforts in the world.

(For example, it will be next to impossible for you to ever become rich if you think that money is the root of all evil, and you'll be unhappy in relationships if you think everyone is out to get you).

Now, the first step to happiness in any endeavor is figuring out what's going to make you happy. Sometimes our passions just fall into our laps, but why leave things to chance?

You already have the power living inside you to start a process that magnetically attracts your passions to you.

It all starts with your current state of mind.

And today, I am grateful to share with you a short but powerful exercise that will illuminate some of the most important aspects of your life.

There really is something magical that happens when you write down your goals and dreams, instead of keeping them just in your head. After being written down on a page, your thoughts suddenly become more real… tangible…

Even if you've done an exercise like this before, you may be surprised at how much has changed since then, or how different your insights are in your current frame of mind.

Start By Taking 5 Minutes To Uncover a Few Truths About Yourself:

1. List 5 activities you wish you could do each week.
2. List 5 features about the person you want to become.
3. List 3 emotions you wish you could feel on a regular basis.

You may want to consider…. material items, desired emotions, pursuits that give you satisfaction, as well as your spiritual connection with the universe.

When you write your answers down, you're making the decision to start thinking about your life in a purposeful way.

That means you've taken the first step to creating your life the way you want it, instead of simply being an observer, always on the lookout, just waiting for things to happen.

What next?

Now that you've gotten a bit clearer on what you really want, how do you achieve it?

I want you to take one step, even a tiny baby step, right now, toward making one of the things you've listed become closer to reality. Not sure what action to take?

Well, if you have about 10 minutes, watch this quick video where I talk about how I used to do everything the hard way before I learned how to speed up my efforts dramatically.

In it, I reveal how I made my dreams come true and I share how you can achieve your dreams too, only I'll show you the 'easy way' to make it happen 😉

Here's a hint: It's a truly unique mental training technique that you can use to effortlessly magnify your efforts.

To your wildest dreams,
Natalie Ledwell
The Inspiration Show

I hope you enjoyed this guest message from Natalie. 🙂 I've been watching her videos for years now, known her in person for half a decade, and I have used her Mind Movies software to create videos for others as well as myself.

Last summer when we were hanging out in Sedona, Natalie and I had some heartful chats in the hot tub under the stars with her husband Glen (great guy, too!), some people from their team, and some other mutual friends.

If you haven't yet watched the video I shared with you yesterday, I highly recommend it…

Watch This Video Now

Each of us has the choice to succeed in our own lives – however "success" looks to us uniquely.

Our decisions, big and small, create the life path that we are currently traveling on. And there are two forces that direct every decision we make in our lives:

(1) Our state (our emotions, energy, health when we make decisions, etc)

(2) And our personal blueprint (our foundational beliefs, values, personality type).

On the note of beliefs, many well-intended personal development teachers teach INCORRECTLY about "limiting beliefs."

About 4 minutes into Natalie's video, you'll find out why this is.

You'll also learn what happened to you before the age of 6 that is keeping you stuck with a baseline level of success in your life…

That isn't even close to what you're truly capable of. 🙂

Natalie will also share with you why affirmations and visualizations fail for 95% of people who use them…

And why "lazy" people often make more money and lose weight faster than those who "work hard."

In other words, "why do some people have it so easy?"

About a month ago, my 7 year old son was aching for some hot chocolate…

And we didn't have any.

Or more specifically, since there were a few hot chocolate packets in the house that contained "questionable" (to put it nicely) ingredients, I made it clear we didn't have any that I felt comfortable letting him consume.

Then I paused and wondered what might be possible.

So I prepared my idea and gave it to my son.

His response?

"Daddy, this is the BEST hot chocolate ever! You should write a cookbook and include this recipe."

You'll never guess what the recipe was…

I took some chocolate hemp milk and heated it up.

Nothing more. Nothing less. It really was that simple.

And there's two reasons why I share this story with you:

First was that the 'perfect' answer came to me when I paused and was Present.

I let go of my ideas of what the solution "should" look like. Instead, I allowed the Present moment to teach me what I most needed to know at that time.

The second thing this story illustrates is this…

Sometimes the answers truly are quite simple.

This is actually how being Present works. That's because the answers are already available to us in Presence – we just have to slow down enough to listen.

In being Present, we discover powers that seem almost miraculous and superhuman: Intelligence, Wisdom, Strenth, Courage, Willpower, Compassion, Joy, Gratitude, Clarity, and many many more.

In fact, it's only when we are Present that those qualities can arise in us naturally -and- SIMPLY.

Yes, being Present is easier said than done. And until we live more fully in Presence, we won't truly and deeply know just how valuable Presence is.

I know because years ago I thought Presence was just another spiritual 'buzzword.'

I thought that Presence meant that my mind wasn't preoccupied with future or past thoughts.

While both of those are true, I have also discovered that Presence is SO much more.

And tonight I even discovered a deeper level to what Presence is…

To me, Presence includes both freedom and accessibility.

More specifically, the freedom to be my most authentic self, and the accessibility to the inner qualities that empower me to live up to my greatest potential.

And if you'd like support in being more Present…

Then be sure to register ASAP for my friend Rachael Jayne's free "10 Day Powerful Presence Experiment."

Watch Your First Free Video Class Now

In this complimentary 10-day course, she'll be sharing with you her techniques for enhancing personal Presence…

To help you stand out from the crowd and be heard through all the noise.

She will teach you how to experiment with her most powerful practices – in your career, social engagements, dating, and in all relationships.

It includes unique practices that increase your personal Presence so you can attract the attention you want, and feel safe and grounded when the "spotlight" is on you.

These practices helped Rachael Jayne go from a single woman and unknown life coach making $350 a month, to marrying her perfect partner.

(we had dinner together last time when they were in town visiting – he's AWESOME)

And supported her in creating the world-wide Presence trainings (that my friend Susan is trained in) that are serving tens of thousands of people worldwide who are committed to their personal growth and making a positive impact in the world.

I have a passion for helping people live with more peace, joy, and abundance.

You deserve to be seen, honored, and appreciated for the beautiful person you are.

The thing is, if you don't feel seen by others, it's actually quite difficult to share your divine gifts with the world.

Your free class starts TODAY – Tuesday May 27th.

There's are some wonderful teachings in this free course that Rachael Jayne will walk you through.

I know Rachael Jayne personally and she embodies this work phenomenally well. She has no qualms with owning her power in a graceful, present, engaging way that magnetizes people to her.

I am grateful for her friendship, and grateful to share her work with you.

See how people respond to you differently…

In just 10-days 🙂

The word “decision” comes from the original Latin word decider – which literally means to “cut off.”

That might sound a bit morbid, but think of it this way…

When you make a powerful decision (according to the REAL meaning of the word), you literally cut yourself off from all other ways of thinking and acting that don’t align with whatever it is you want to achieve.

You stop procrastinating. You get off the fence. You go both feet in with no second guessing yourself and no looking back. You just move forward.

And there’s a lot of freedom in that!

If you find that you sometimes sink into paralysis analysis mode when it comes to making decisions in your life, here are 3 tips designed to help free you from your mental mud and get you into clear, decisive and powerful action:

STEP 1: Get Clear on Why You’re Procrastinating
(Name It to Claim It)

I’m all for making big decisions with a clear head, and I’m all for “sleeping on it” if you feel like you have to.

But if there’s a big decision to be made and you find yourself waiting longer than 24 hours to make it, chances are you’re just procrastinating.

And why is that?

There’s usually one reason: Fear of failure.

That fear of failure may be INTERNAL…

Are you afraid of stepping outside of your comfort zone into the unknown where you don’t know what will happen? Do you prefer to stick with what’s predictable and familiar even though it may not be making you happy?

Or that fear of failure may be EXTERNAL…

Or that fear of failure may be external – Are you of making the wrong decision because you’ll end up looking bad? Are you afraid of disappointing someone else? Are you afraid of what Wayne Dyer calls the “good opinion of other people”?

Get clear on which type of fear of failure is really holding you back from making your decision.

This doesn’t have to take long – just name it and then be willing to stare it in the face.

Like this:

“Hello fear of what other people will think. I see you. Thanks for coming by, and you’re not going to stop me from taking action and moving forward.”

Step 2: Redefine Your Fear of Failure

One of my mentors, Tony Robbins, says this thing that I love:

“There’s no such thing as failure. There are only results. You always produce a result. If it’s not the one you desire, just change your actions and you’ll produce new results.”

Once you start realizing that there are no failures, there are only results, making decisions becomes a lot easier.

If you decide to go down a particular path and you wind up somewhere other than where you’d planned, make a new decision.

Take some new actions.

You’ll produce new outcomes.

Think of things in this way, and life becomes a living, breathing choose your own adventure.

Step 3: Tune Into Your Inner Guru

Your brain is an amazing instrument.

It organizes experiences you’ve had in your life into blocks of information that it files away deep in your subconscious mind…

And when faced with a tough decision, it automatically references these files in order to create some kind of reasoning of what you should do next.

This subconscious reasoning usually shows up like a subtle feeling that you can’t quite logically explain that seems to nudge you toward a particular direction.

Most people call this intuition, heart sense or your gut instinct. And it’s your wisest counsel.

Anytime you find yourself torn between two decisions, if you really tune in, you’ll always find that your gut instinct is nudging you in one direction more than the other.

And if you listen to it, it will rarely lead you astray.

If you have a decision to make that you’re sitting on, realize that on the other side of making that decision is a whole new realm of freedom and possibility…

So release your fear, tune into your gut instincts and take action!

The more decisions you make and actions you take, the more results you’ll see manifest in your life, and if you create results that you’re not happy with, simply take some new action and correct your course.

Life is what you make of it!

To your freedom,
Dharma Rose
Abundant Entrepreneur

The other day on Facebook, I posted the following quote from my friend Rikka Zimmerman:

"You will have all the money you could ever spend when you stop needing it."

While there were several replies, the one which caught my attention most directly was this one from Vicki:

"This is my greatest challenge right now. If you have any insights on how to stop 'needing' money, please let me know… I understand that if I 'need' money I will attract back 'needing' money… So what's the solution?"

For me, it's helpful to remember that humans survived for centuries without money.

Animals today survive without it.

As do some intentional communities.

So it is *possible* to survive without money.

For me, recognizing that I *choose* for my lifestyle to include money helps me realize that money is not a need. It's a desire. It's a resource I choose to incorporate into my life.

This perspective alone, if it resonates with you, will offer much to explore.

Run with it 🙂

I recognize that I'm not going into the deeper energy and essence of money…

Nor am I looking at the societal and economical implications of the flaws in our current financial systems. Those are much deeper dialoges by which many books and dissertations have been written.

This is just a quick perspective on how we can explore our personal relationship with money.

And I'm writing this email from a healthy cafe…

Where I occasionally donate my time and business expertise in exchange for healthy organic food. While it's true that both of our businesses use money as the primary exchange of energy, our relationship with each other shows that money is not required. It's a choice we make as to how we exchange our energy (gifts, talents, time, etc).

Consider that food for thought. 🙂

Sometimes our perceived money limitations are matters of self-love…

If you have a hunch that might be true for you (even a little bit), then be sure to take my friend Rikka's "Self Love Quiz" at the link below:

You'll get a customized video response, *AND* also get access to her free 7-part video e-Class "7 Essential Steps to Achieving Self-Love Mastery."

The words we speak are powerful.

They are the directions outward for how we choose to live and expect others to treat us.

And they are the inner directions for how we treat ourselves.

That’s why whenever I find myself using ineffective unconscious language, I become curious. And I seek to flip it around into effective, powerful, conscious language.

For example, last year I shared with you before why I choose to say “and” instead of “but” most of the time.

(click here to read “Get Off Your BUT!“)

Well I’ve noticed (and intentionally break) an unconscious language pattern where I say “let”…

And it isn’t what I actually mean.

For example, when somebody asks me to do something or go someplace and I often respond:

“Let me grab a bite to eat first.”

I’m reminded of a scene from the movie Click…

Michael is the main character, and his secretary (Alice) always asks for permission to use the restroom.

The thing is, this isn’t a one time occurrence. Every time Alice needs to use the restroom, she asks. And Michael is obviously quite upset by this because no matter how many times he tells her to just go on her own without asking, she always asks first. Always.

This example brings to light the aspect of ourselves that does not want to rock the boat. It shows how some of us may have a tendency to unconsciously and unnecessarily put other peoples’ needs ahead of our own. If not always, at least sometimes.

Sometimes it’s appropriate to temporarily do this depending on the situation.

However as a default way of living, putting others first is a recipe for an unhappy, unfulfilled life.

Always putting other people first is a sure-fire way to make sure that our dreams go unfulfilled.

That’s because if we don’t take care of ourselves then we don’t have the energy, wisdom, Presence, and resources to effectively take care of and support others.

And as I’ve shared with you before, this is the exact reason why when I look at my priorities in life – first comes MY inner development and self-care. Then second on the list is you. That’s the only way I can continue to serve you in the ways that I do.

So what does any of this have to do with me “letting” myself grab a bite to eat before doing something else for another person?

Everything.

Because I’m going to get a bite to eat first anyway. Using the word “let” is an unconscious old pattern that doesn’t represent the TRUTH of the moment.

“Let” is implying that I’m requesting permission to take care of myself. And that’s false because I already know I’m going to take care of myself first unless the Present Moment presents an extenuating and immediate reason for me to make a new choice.

For example….

“Ready to talk?”

“Yes. Let me use the restroom first.”

That’s an ‘Alice’ response!

That’s also the exact beginning of a conversation I had with my father…

D’oh! 🙂

Fortunately, I caught myself in the moment and used those few moments of alone time to flip my inner dialogue around. That’s also when I decided I would write and share this specific story and insight with you.

It’s easy to pull an ‘Alice.’ It’s unconscious. We want to please others. We want to be accepted. And an easy way to do that, unconsciously, is through being submissive either literally or with our words.

And whether or not being submissive is appropriate for a given situation is not the point. It may be entirely appropriate.

The point is simply this:

Use words that consciously convey the exact meaning of the moment.

The truth that is here and now. Not the past. Not the future. Only this moment.

In my case, instead of saying “Let me use the restroom” or “Let me eat first” I can say:

“I will be there after I use the restroom.”

“After I eat, I will be ready.”

“I will let you know when I am ready. First I am going to do a couple of things.”

You’ll notice in the latter example, I still used the word “let.”

I just turned it around so that instead of using the word “let” unconsciously to represent giving myself permission to take care of myself, I am using an entirely different definition of let:

To give an order or instruction.

In other words, I am sending a command to the Universe (or who I’m communicating with) that says very simply:

“I am important to me, and I choose to take care of myself. And I expect you and others to treat me with the same sense of respect and care that I honor myself with.”

Choose your words wisely because they are the physical manifestation of your thoughts and beliefs.