Energy Management

Do you know that the primary causes of death for adults in our culture are stress related ? And the primary mental health issues in our culture, depression and anxiety, also relate to people feeling overwhelmed, yet disconnected. The Energy Management course has the capacity to eliminate the underlying causes of stress and and loss of meaning, or disconnection. Primarily, Energy Management teaches that by consciously choosing how you are being in any given circumstance, you can create your experience of life, day after day, over and over again. It is about getting clear on what you value and are committed to doing with this one wild and precious life of yours, and then consciously creating your life in alignment with those things. It is like taking up your life like a ball of clay and slapping it down on the potter’s wheel, and with the gentle pull and touch of the artist, forming something beautiful, strong and graceful.

The course trains you to be masterful with how you manage your Self in time, NOT how to manage time. Why? Because how can we control time? Time moves of its own accord. The sun creeps through the sky as we spin on our earth’s axis, the tides of the ocean push and pull with the moon; seconds tick by, one after another, each the same as the last, whether we want them to or not. I can no more stop the turning of the seasons than I can grow gills and live underwater! I won’t ever be able to find more than twenty-four hours in a day. Time is an external, and no amount of “managing” is going to affect its passing.

Tons of social science research has shown that when people spend their time actively engaged with what matters to them, they report decreased symptoms of stress and increased levels of personal satisfaction. People need to understand that stress is our body's response to our interpretation of external events. Stress isn't something you catch like a cold or stomach virus! It is not an external phenomenon. The more we try to “manage” stress, the more we must inherently accept it as a given in our lives. But what if stress isn’t a given? What if I can choose something else? And then live my life from a place other than the assumption that things will be uncomfortable or draining or hard? I’d no longer be managing stress, reacting to its presence in my life. I would transcend it, so it wouldn’t have a presence at all.

Energy Management is a course that is vastly different than what our mainstream culture will tell you. We live within a paradigm that says that life happens and we must do our best to deal with it, and if we’re happy it’s because our lives are working well and if we’re unhappy it's because the circumstances of our lives are not going our way. The world says that work is stressful and adulthood is hard and we just have to make the most of it. It's about survival. But Energy Management assumes something totally different. It starts with the premise that we are not at the whim of our circumstances, that nothing – not work or money or time or love or parenting – has a predetermined significance or quality that we have to deal with. The only meaning that anything has is the meaning we give it, defined by us, our brains, our decisions and interpretations. And because we have the autonomy to define what everything means, events don’t have to determine our experience of life. Our experience is defined by the significance we apply to each and every aspect of our days. Therefore, our happiness has nothing to do with what goes on around us. Happiness isn’t something we find, but something we decide to create, and then be. This capacity to determine our interpretations of events lies entirely in our level of consciousness. Therefore, Energy Management deals directly with your own personal level of consciousness and how it impacts your life, your relationship with time, and money, and how that results in your experience of stress vs. ease and satisfaction.

Energy Management is so radically different than what the world tells us is true. It is truly a new paradigm that needs to be learned, practiced and experienced. I can’t truck it in and set it up in your life with a few nails and some glue like a simple prefabricated house plan. A paradigm this different requires that we start at the ground and work our way up. It requires a foundation, and then brick by brick the walls must be built up from the earth. Eventually we’ll create a new house for you to live in, but only by taking it one step at a time will that house be strong enough to withstand the storms of your life. The only way to really get what Energy Management is, is to join me on October 5th to November 16th, for the 6 session course that I guarantee will change your experience of life. For info on how to register, go to www.JackieWoodside.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Blessings,
Jackie

Money and Your Consciousness

How Good is Your Relationship with Money?

Let's face it. Money is a big issue in everyone's life.

How often do you think, "There's never enough!" or, "It's hard to make ends meet!"?

Once you become aware of your level of consciousness around money, you can become aware of your corresponding thoughts and actions, as well as the inevitable results that follow. You can then consciously choose a higher level of consciousness and bring more of what you want into your life, including more money.

As with any change, awareness is always the first step. To find out where your consciousness is around money, look at the following levels and determine which you resonate with.

Level 1: I'm always broke. I can't get ahead, or even dig out of the perpetual hole I'm in financially. It overwhelms me. I am exhausted by it and would rather give up.

Level 2: I struggle to make ends meet. I get angry and frustrated with the continual stress of trying to pay the bills and keep everyone off my back.

Level 3: Money is part of what I need to deal with, and although I sometimes struggle, I can develop ways to budget my money so that I stay afloat or even get ahead. It's possible and I will find a way.

Level 4: There are so many ways I can make money, and I want to use my skills to make a contribution to others. I will "do well by doing good."

Level 5: Money comes to me when I am expressing my highest good in the world. I never fret or worry about money. I recognize that making money is a human experience where I get to play with my spiritual powers of manifestation and flow.

Level 6: I always have all of the resources I need to fulfill my purpose and every desire. Resources are endless and I am ever in a state of allowing. I am at peace knowing that I consistently transcend the experience of lack or insufficiency.

Level 7: Money and finance is a linear illusion created in the human experience to measure and acquire what appears to be a limited resources. There is no lack in the entire Universe once one is deeply connected in the flow of Life. The very thought of a thing can bring it forth on the material plane.

If you would like to learn more about your level of consciousness regarding money and life in general, consider taking the Energy Leadership Index. It is a self-administered evaluation that accurately measures your consciousness level as well as its impact on yourself and the world around you. The assessment comes with a one-on-one debriefing session during which you'll receive development strategies that will help you understand the results and help your redefine your relationship with money.Contact me @ Jackie@JackieWoodside.net to schedule your assessment!

Peace,
Jackie

SHIFT Happens by Thulani DeMarsay

Shift Happens
Strategies for Embracing Change
By Thulani DeMarsay
www.thulani.com

Shift happens. Whether it is changing jobs or starting a new career,
moving, sending kids to college, the loss of a loved one or the ending of a
relationship, we are all subject to change. The one thing about change is
that it is constant and often unpredictable, catching many of us off guard.
Other times life changes are conscious and deliberate, yet the outcome
may not be what we anticipated. To the degree that we perceive change as
being positive and beneficial, we may embrace it with open arms; however
if we perceive change to be difficult, negative or downright painful, our
human tendency is to resist.

Over the past several weeks, I have had conversations with a number of
friends and colleagues who are experiencing a myriad of changes in their
personal and professional lives. Some are considering a new vocation and
changing jobs, others are reevaluating their values, their mission and sense
of purpose, and several have experienced the loss of a job and the
ending of a relationship. In the past couple of months, I too have
experienced a shifting with the ending of two long-term friendships.

Despite its discomfort, change offers an opening for insight, reflection
and personal growth. It is an opportunity to clear out and excavate that
which no longer serves us so that we can welcome the new things that
seek to emerge in our lives. Rather than feeling resistant or negative, it
is beneficial to inquire, asking questions such as “what is being presented
to me here” or “what am I supposed to learn from this experience”. It is
in the quietude of your thoughts and the openness of your heart that
answers to these questions emerge and provide insight.

The ending of a business or the loss of a job may be a great opportunity
to embark on another venture that is in alignment with your values, your skills and gifts. Perhaps the ending of a relationship presents an opportunity for soul searching and discovering the qualities that are really important to you in a mate. As we align with our higher purpose and those things that matter to
us, we live with a greater sense of integrity and self worth.

Those who embrace change with enthusiasm and optimism, even in the face of uncertainty and discomfort, are more likely to be resilient; on the other hand, to resist and fight change leads to feelings “As we align with our higher purpose and those things that matter to us, we live with a greater sense of integrity and self worth of disempowerment and eventually causes one to feel like a victim. As we go through our individual shifts it is important to accept the transient nature of life, which means that everything changes. To the degree that we hold on tightly and resist, that is the degree to which we experience suffering and afflictive emotions and miss a profound opportunity to grow, develop and unfold.

May we approach our changes with care, respect and trust. Let’s get out of the way and allow shift to happen.

Questions for Reflection
• Is the change that is being presented to you beneficial and does it support you in achieving your highest potential?
• What are the benefits of making changes and how might these changes improve the quality of your life and/or your relationships with others?
• Have you benefited from a person or a place of employment? Have you reached your capacity to grow in this relationship? Have you given thanks and expressed your gratitude for these experiences and are you ready to let go and experience the next level of your development?
• Are there any consequences of not accepting the shift that is happening in your life? Is your relationship, child, job, or health at risk? If so, perhaps now is the perfect time to make a change.

All the best,
Thulani

Energy & Media

If everything is energy, including you, then being mindful of the energies you are exposed to and consume can only serve to enhance your experience as an energetic being. When one begins to understand the intricacies of human consciousness, or energy, then it becomes increasingly obvious that living in and consuming large amounts of low consciousness, low energy media is as destructive to our spiritual well being as smoking is to our physical well being. That may seem like a strong claim, but there is substantial information available to back it up.

The field of consciousness research is exploding with information about ascending levels of human consciousness. Writers such as Dr. Bruce Schneider and Dr. David Hawkins have demonstrated that consciousness can be measured, and one can elevate consciousness in order to improve not only the quality of one's own life, but the quality of life on this planet.

The work of Schneider and Hawkins demonstrates that mainstream culture is geared toward lower energies such as violence, greed, competition, fear, worry, and despair. For most of us who are involved in holistic living, this will come as no surprise! According to research done by Dr. Bruce Schneider, founder of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching, the Average Resonating Level of consciousness of “mainstream America” at 2.4 of a 7 point scale. This means that energy at these lower is not enhancing or supportive of life. Most of what is available via mainstream media (newspapers, entertainment, television, magazines and internet sites) will not enhance your energy or consciousness. Television or music that is violent in nature, or that speaks of hatred, and anger creates energetic disharmony. There have been numerous social science research studies that indicate that being exposed to violence, violent themes or hate-laden messages correlates with higher degrees of depression, aggression, anxiety and a decrease in overall compassion and empathy across demographic lines (Anderson, Gentile and Buckley, 2007, Bushman and Anderson, 2009, Hawkins, 2006, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2009).

There are some practical strategies available for those of us who choose to abstain from the onslaught of mass media in our culture.
1. Practice a regular “media fast” - A regular 24 hour media fast in which one does not engage with television, email, video games, newspapers or even mail gives us the opportunity to balance our energetic consciousness and heighten our awareness to our dependence or even addiction to media. If everyone complains of being too busy, why are there 27.3 million Tweets per day on Twitter? Don't get me wrong, I'm on Twitter and Facebook. I enjoy social media and the ease of using the internet. It is a amazing advancement in our growth as a human species. Yet it is imperative to use the technology, not have your life used by it.

2. Becoming a “no TV” home is one of the best ways to limit your exposure to mass media. When I hear people saying that they cannot imagine living without television, I wonder what they are avoiding about their own lives, or what is it that makes their need to disengage on a regular basis so appealing. The mindless consumption of spoon fed “entertainment” leads such a low level of awareness, self esteem and enjoyment of life. How many people do you know that went to their grave saying they wished they had watched more TV before they made their final farewell? How many people say they wish they were more productive or that they don't have time for doing the things they love, yet spend precious hours mindlessly channel surfing?

3.Choosing media and materials that reflect high consciousness values will serve your growth and overall sense of well being. There are many positive, uplifting, high-energy web based radio stations today such as UnityFM, Wisdom Radio Network and Achieve Radio. There are wonderful movies produced and distributed by Spiritual Cinema Circle. Upbeat magazines such as Ode, Unity, Science of Mind, Shambhala Sun and many more can satisfy our craving for information, while supporting our growth and development.

Our greatest tool is our mind, awareness and consciousness. They make us human and link us to the One Mind and one another. Our mind is the instrument that can lead us to deep joy and fulfillment, or to tremendous despair. Our choices with what we do with our mind have a significant effect on which way this goes. It's your life. Choose wisely.

Creating a Compelling Vision, Part 3

Describe Your Vision in the Present Tense
Describe your vision statement in present tense as if you were reporting what you actually see, hear, think and feel after your ideal outcome was realized. There is a metaphysical belief that “what you think about you bring about.” If this is true, then when you vision things in the future, you are creating a “someday reality.” You want to create your vision as if it is already a part of your life, and create the mental field that you would be experiencing if that were your current reality. Your vision statement should describe how you will feel when the outcome is realized. Including an emotional payoff in your vision statement infuses it with passion and will make it even more compelling, inspiring, and energizing. It is a powerful practice, and may serve to hasten your vision to reality.

Inner vs. Outer Vision
When creating vision statements it is often useful to separate the inner and outer aspects. This is particularly true for vision statements related to your life areas, and less important for project/goal vision statements.
One's vision partially refers to one's doing – such as work, accomplishments, travel, contributions and so on. One's vision should also include elements referring to your internal world of consciousness, thoughts, emotions, clarity, attitudes and beliefs.

Updating Your Vision
My personal preference is to review vision statements at least once a month, but at least once per quarter. You can also review them whenever you need inspiration or an energy recharge. During the monthly review, one will find it beneficial to check one's monthly goals in relation to one's vision. Is your time focused on elements of your vision? Are you behaving in a way that is consistent with the manifestation of your vision for your life?
You will find that your vision can remain consistent with what you want for a long time, and other times you have a rapid phase of growth and development and rewrite your statement from scratch. That is fine. Your vision is an organic document that will grow and change as you do.

Summary
Creating one's personal vision is an empowering element of one's life, and central to the development of your Life Design. Spend time with it, discuss it with your spouse or partner and close friends. You want to incorporate those closest to you as you develop your vision. Have fun with this process and recognize the power you have in creating the life you were born to lead filled with joy, accomplishment, contribution and love.

Base Your Vision on Your Highest Self

Base your vision statement on your highest sense of self, your grandest vision for your life, your most outrageous contribution. In fact, you might want to envision something even better than what you consider to be the best possible outcome. Remember that the purpose of the vision statement is to inspire, energize, motivate, and stimulate your creativity, not to serve as a measuring stick for success; that is the job of your goals and action plans.

I once heard of a training seminar where one of the exercises was to come up with as many ideas as possible for earning ten dollars by the end of the day. This was supposedly an exercise in brainstorming. After a few minutes, the instructor polled the audience for some of their ideas. Some ideas were better than others, but everyone agreed that even the bad ones could have earned someone ten dollars in a day.

The instructor then asked if any of the ideas presented so far could earn someone a million dollars. The consensus was that the vast majority of ideas had absolutely no chance to make anyone a million dollars, and a select few had only a very slim chance. At the end of the exercise, the instructor simply said, “You don’t get million dollar ideas from a ten dollar vision.”

In other words, the quality of your vision determines the creativity, quality and originality of your ideas and solutions. A powerful vision statement should stretch expectations and aspirations helping you jump out of your comfort zone.

Some people question creating a vision that may feel idealistic or unreasonable. It requires a great deal of confidence and faith, to be able to create a vision that you do not see exactly how it will manifest. But it is also something that can make an exciting challenge filled with hope and possibility. It all depends on your relationship to “failure.” Creating a life worth living requires a great deal of failure. Let failures be your stepping stones into an even greater future and you’ll create a “million dollar vision.”

"I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot... and missed. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why... I succeed." ~ Michael Jordan

Remember that the purpose of the vision statement is not to serve as a target that you are going to measure against to determine if you have succeeded or failed. You should use your goals and objectives to do that. Instead, the purpose of the vision statement is to open your eyes to what is possible.
Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more powerful than knowledge.” I believe this is true because while knowledge allows you to see things as they are, imagination allows you to see things as they could be.
When we become aware of what is possible, we begin to realize that dreams can be achieved, and we not only can, but must create the life we envision. In doing so we open up a completely new set of avenues and possibilities, which by itself is a tremendous source of passion and energy.

Create an Empowering Life Vision, Part 1

This is the first of three installments I will be posting over the next few days regarding how to create a powerful and compelling vision for one's life. Let me know your thoughs....

One's life vision serves as an emotional, mental and visual motivator for your life. Your vision should be an outgrowth and extension of your mission, which is based on your values. Here are some guidelines for writing a compelling and powerful vision statement.
Include All Areas of Your Life
One's vision should incorporate every area of life, creating a balanced, full and vital experience. Areas to consider including are: Health and Well Being, Career, Financial, Fun and Adventure, Education and Skill Building, Personal Growth, Spirituality, Giving and Contribution, Romance and Intimacy, Relationships, Family, Community. In each of these areas, you want to focus on what you want to give as much as what you want to receive, earn, experience and develop.
Express Everything You Can Imagine
One's personal vision is much larger, longer and comprehensive than one's mission statement. The purpose of a vision is to create a detailed picture of how you want your life to look and feel. One's vision serves to energize, inspire and create the outer framework for one's goals and action plans. Take as much space as you need to accomplish this goal. It may take you several days, or even weeks to fully capture the essence of the vision for the next five years.
Create a vision for the next five years. Five years is a long time, 1,825 days to be exact. Yet this is a manageable time frame for your mind to hold. One year visions are often too short of a time frame to build momentum and develop greater goals, and beyond five years often feel too abstract and remote to engender vital emotion that is an important element to your vision. The vision can be written in prose, or simple bullet points of detailed items in each category, so long as what you are writing captures what you want to focus on over this next phase of your life.