Tupelo and I meet a lot of people. On the nights we perform, we see new faces, shake new hands, talk to new people. Incredible possibilities to meet interesting people, but instead, small talk dominates these evenings because there is just not enough time to get to the big questions.

For example, the conversation never goes from, “So, where ya goin’ from here?” to “So, what’s your purpose in life and what have you been doing about it lately?”

I understand this and don’t fault it a bit. I can add to a conversation of small talk with the best of them. Traveling as we do to places where we’re not performing, I rely on small talk at first so that I can meet people.

Notice that I said at first. I can give it three, maybe four sentences/questions, and then I want a more meaningful conversation. It doesn’t have to come down to “So, what do you think happens when we die?” but if I haven’t laughed or learned something or heard an intriguing story, I’ve pretty much lost interest.

Some people don’t get beyond the small talk, not even with their family or their closest friends. This can be dangerous. In this case, small talk becomes our big talk. And it’s the big talk that can define us. If our conversations are mundane, chances are, our lives tend to be too. Sounds boring, doesn’t it? If we don’t stretch ourselves to consider new ideas, new feelings, have new conversations, small talk takes on a much bigger role. We give it more power than it deserves.

Here are some examples of small talk. Gossip is small talk. Complaining or whining are too. How about self-deprecating words such as “I’m so stupid,” “I’m too fat,” or “I’m clumsy, (or unlucky, poor, or ugly, etc.)”? Also unkind or sarcastic remarks to or about family or friends are demeaning to everyone involved.

Small talk can kill close relationships. Small talk can kill intimacy. Small talk limits us. Small talk becomes big talk when it dominates our conversations and dominates our thinking. We’re too big for that.

Notice the conversations you have during the next week. Does the small talk ramble on longer than it should? And who’s fault is it? Yours or the other person? If you find yourself not going to a deeper level with your words, chances are, the same thing is happening in your life.

Skimming the surface with friends, family, or strangers means that the encounter can be of interest for only so long. Don’t be afraid to kick it up a notch. Go deeper. Get to know someone better. Let them get to know you. The ones that still hang around after a few of these conversations are the ones we want in our lives.

Make room for them by eliminating the small talk.

(Article and photo by Janey Wing Kenyon)

This past summer we tackled the daunting task of cleaning out the garage. (I can hear your groan of sympathy from here – thank you.)

An unidentifiable mass was stacked to the ceiling and to the back wall. Boxes towered and teetered precariously on each side.

To make matters worse, it wasn’t only our stuff. Generations, starting with my grandparents, have lived here before us and each one left their stuff behind. And it wasn’t the good stuff either. Somehow they managed to take that with them. What’s left is mostly crap piled high and wide, leaving barely enough room to step inside.

Tupelo and I stood together at the opened garage door, nearly defeated before we  started as we looked at the mangled mess before us. Luckily, my friend, Lidia, had given me a mantra to mutter as I began to wade through the task at hand. She suggested I ask myself each time I picked something up:

“Do I love it? Do I use it?”

If I answered either of these questions with a positive, then it stayed. If not, out it went. This helped me tremendously. I asked myself this question over and over again throughout the next few weeks, and eventually, we got through it. For the first time ever I saw that Grandpa had built the back wall with logs – I never knew this, and we have lived there since the 90’s.

This mantra, “Do I love it? Do I use it?” can work on many things besides material possessions. We just have to tweak the last one to, “Do I use it for my greater good?”

For instance, a habit or a routine, “Do I love it? Do I use it for my greater good?” Tupelo gets up every morning and does an exercise called the “Five Tibetans.”

Here’s a link to his article about it:
http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/03/16/5-tibetan-rites-easy-yoga-for-busy-people/

No matter where we wake up in our motorhome, even if it’s a rest stop by the interstate or a Wal-Mart parking lot, there he is spinning and doing the downward dog. Cars slow down and people point, but this doesn’t stop him. He loves it and he does it for his greatest good. This is a case where a habit or routine is beneficial.

But we all have habits and routines that are not. If we ask ourselves these important questions we see which ones we need to discard from our life. If we’re honest with ourselves, we wouldn’t love it if it weren’t for our greater good, would we?

How about our job? The first question is a biggie. “Do we love it?”

If not, why would we want to spend our precious time on earth doing it?

And the place we call home? Same thing. Do we love where we’re living, and do we use this place to nurture our greater good? Simple questions. Big answers.

Relationships? This is a tough one, but the questions need to be asked. One of the greatest gifts this life has to offer is close friends and loving relationships.

We hold these close and treasure them. But toxic relationships that are poisoning our well-being should be thrown out. This may take some time and guts, but it can be done.

Another tough subject that can come under scrutiny is our belief system. As we grow in our spirituality and open our minds to new ideas, some of our old beliefs fall by the wayside. Sometimes they are an ingrained habit. We have to wake up to this fact and ask ourselves consciously. “Do we love it? Do we use it to our greater good?” If not, you know the drill.

And what about our thoughts? So much garbage floats through and then hangs around, caught in a negative eddy in our mind. When it’s time to release them, we’ll know it. But it takes a conscious effort to do so.

Old habits, crippling thoughts, past beliefs, stale relationships, stifling jobs, and all the stuff in our lives that we don’t love and that we don’t use for our greater good can be cleaned out if we just buckle down and do it. It’s a daunting task, but once we see the results, it is oh so worth it.

Just ask the resident squirrel that now has a nice, cleaned-out garage that he can start filling with a winter’s supply of pine cones. He loves them and he uses them. He has learned this lesson well.

(Article and photos by Janey Wing Kenyon)

We all make mistakes. Or do we?

In life, we have plenty of should-have-dones, and if-I-had-only-knowns, but do we really make mistakes? No, I don’t think so.

Let me explain: A very close sister-friend of mine has had marriages that ended in nasty divorces. Obviously, this saddens her, and unfortunately, she feels unlovable and a failure because of them. We have had many conversations over the years where she bemoans the huge mistakes of marrying these men. I listen because she needs me to, but I don’t agree that they were mistakes.

I look at it like this: There are no mistakes, just hard lessons.

When our choices turn out to be less than what we wanted, it was no mistake we brought these tough experiences onto ourselves. It happened because we were meant to learn that lesson.

Make no mistake, I’m not saying that some choices don’t knock us on our butt. These are the ones that scratch the diamond who we are, but eventually, after the hurt subsides, we are polished because of them. The experience fine-tunes us, and hopefully, makes us smarter. Tall order sometimes, I know. But if we grasp the true meaning behind the raw emotions, hopefully we don’t have to repeat what isn’t for our greater good.

The harder the lesson the more we can glean from it. It may take awhile to lose the heavy emotions and gain a new perspective, but if we’re patient, there will come a time when we can grasp the enormous gift hidden inside. This is key.

But the first step is to believe we never make mistakes. Instead, we can look at it like this: Hard lessons catapult us to being the best we can be. We’re not perfect, don’t claim to be, but we’re expanding our perception to try and see the good in our choices — whatever that may be.

((Article and photos by Janey Wing Kenyon)

Tupelo and I are in Mexico on a second-class train streaking down through the Copper Canyon. But we’re not inside the stifling passenger car, sitting on torn seats with our shoes sticking to the grimy floor and looking out a smudged window.

No.

By a very quick series of events, we have found ourselves outside, clinging to a skinny rail at the very front of the train, directly above the cow-catcher.

Jagged rocks slice by inches from my cheek. The deep canyon is a breath away from my precarious footing. Knuckles white, hair plastered back, my screams are sucked away as if freefalling into the valley below.

I’m having the best time of my life! My situation is dangerous beyond description. But here we are, Tupelo and I, standing on the edge. We’re ecstatic.

We’re in Costa Rica, barreling down a white water river. Untamed, unpredictable, the water is impassioned as it boils its way to the ocean. Class 4 rapids tumble and churn. Our guide speaks quickly and succinctly, giving us instructions as to what we need to do to get our tiny raft through the giant turbulence. There’s no time to lose. With cascading water on each side, boulders the size of small houses, our tiny helmet and life jacket are a joke. I’m not screaming this time because my heart is lodged in my throat.

I’m blissed out.

I saw a woman wearing a T-shirt that read: I want to be used up when I die.

I couldn’t agree with her more.

Playing it safe is not written in my genetic code. I’m not saying I’m never terrified. Quite the opposite. Massive heights tend to freeze my heart, like the tallest and longest zip line in the world, but still, I jumped. Birds scattered and monkeys took cover for miles around because of my scream.

Sitting numbly at home, watching other people having an adventurous life on my TV screen is something I don’t chose to do. Why should they have all the fun? Why should they get all the friends with the witty dialogue? Why do they get to go on all the great adventures? Where’s the good in that?

I say we must get our own life and then use it up. If we don’t spend it, no one else will. Can’t reuse it. Can’t recycle it. Can’t cash it in for a refund. What a cosmic waste.

Life is a complex tapestry. Each small fiber holds the promise of love and fear, hope and despair, angst and elation, sorrow, beauty, but most of all, joy. We have the choice to twist and turn our tapestry to the light or to the shade. We either cower under it or we wear it upon our shoulders like wings.

You can probably guess the condition of my wings by now.

I know of many others. Like the only blind man in history to hike the entire Appalachian Trail by himself with just the help of his dog. And the man who broke his back in a severe car accident and was told he would never walk again, who we met in Guatemala, as he was bicycling his way from Seattle to Chili.

And the blind-since-birth, 24-year-old woman who sings like an angel and plays the piano, performing all over the country to hundreds of very appreciative audiences. Each one is not afraid to wear their tapestry like wings.

I have to ask, have you looked at your life’s tapestry lately? It’s never too late to take it out of the box, let it fly, and use it up!

(Article and photos by Janey Wing Kenyon)

When I open the door and step into my studio, it is like stepping into a warm hug of a close friend.

Comforting.

Joyful.

Always patient for my return, never admonishing me for my “never visiting —  never calling –” Whenever I need my studio, it is there, welcoming me with loving arms.

I usually have a few promised stained glass commissions to get done before we leave on our six month tour, so when the countdown begins, the energy to get things done speeds up. The glasswork always takes me longer than the time I have allotted, so I find myself putting in extra hours out in my studio.

But every time I’m there, I’m reminded of how much I love it. It is full of light and love and music and creative vibrations. It feeds every molecule of my body and rejuvenates me. Every time I’m there, I wonder — why didn’t I call? Why didn’t I come visit every single day?

Tupelo and I, with the help of our friend, Patrick, built my studio in 1995.

It is the ultimate artist’s dream. My own creative space. All the counter tops are my height and the tools of the glass trade are in easy reach like a well-designed kitchen. A picture window looks out over a postcard-perfect creek and the piney woods beyond. A skylight allows creativity to drip from the sky, like a faucet that can’t be turned off. It is a glorious space where I turn up the rock and roll and dance because no one can see me. It is a slice of heaven.

When I’m there, gratefulness overflows, and at times I can hardly believe my good fortune. It is a comforting place where I can do whatever I want, be whomever I want. I get my best ideas out there because it is a space I have created just for this purpose. It is hot wired into the creativity of the universe.

Tupelo has his own space too. A few years after we built my studio, we built him a recording studio right beside mine. He filled it with electronic gadgets, computer widgets, and surrounded himself with musical instruments. He relishes the solitude of his space on a daily basis.

When people visit us for the first time, they comment how lucky we are because of our incredible studios. We look at each other. Lucky is not the word we would use. Fortunate, yes. Lucky, hum. Our studios didn’t materialize up from the earth while we slept. We didn’t wait around for them to appear. We donned our bib overalls, strapped on our tool belt and made our dreams come true with sweat and desire.

Now we each have a place of renewal. A place of rejuvenation. A place of inspiration. Oh, if only everyone could be so lucky.

I encourage you to create a place of renewal, a place of comfort, a place of creativity that will help you live how you want to live. Carve out a place in your busy life where you can go to be by yourself. Make it simple, but make it a priority. It could be a studio like mine, or a spare bedroom, a chair in the corner of the den or a rock by the lake. It doesn’t matter where.

Not every one wants to be alone, but alone time is crucial in the quest for personal development.

When we are alone, we separate ourselves from the confusing chatter of the world and have the opportunity to settle into who we really are. We give ourselves permission to better understand ourselves. We go deeper. We realize what makes us happy, what makes us sad, what makes us feel energized, what has disappointed us, in ourselves and in others, and most important, what to do about it.

If everyone made an effort to create a space of their own, not only would their own life improve, but the consciousness of the planet would as well. Imagine what our world would be like if we allowed ourselves to be in a place of solace that betters our life. If we tap into the power of becoming more joyful, it is like throwing a pebble into a pond. That one pebble makes many ripples, affecting many shores. We can bring peace to the world by finding peace within one person at a time.

I have a lot more to say on this subject, but my studio is calling.

(Article, photos, and glass art by Janey Wing Kenyon)

I meditate. Of course I do. Everyone searching for a bit of
enlightenment does. I’ve heard myself say, I meditate every morning
in my garden when I can. But if the truth be known, I find it hard
to meditate. Maybe you’re like me too. But we would never admit it,
would we? It’s like the basic lesson in Self Realization 101.

It’s difficult for me to shut down the monkey mind and settle into the
silence. When I settle, there’s always a party going on.

I don’t even have the excuse that there’s no place quiet enough.
I’ve got plenty to choose from.

Sitting down by the creek, in my garden, in the living room, or the comfy couch in the recording studio, are all excellent choices. I don’t have kids or grandkids or a business that invades my mornings either. No, I have no excuses.

I don’t give up, however. During the summer, the obvious choice is
my garden. I close my eyes. I feel the gentle Wyoming sun on my
body. I hear the hummingbirds soaring about the blooms. The day is
revving itself up to be glorious.

Then the neighbor two acres away decides to mow. I wonder if I remembered to put softener into this last wash. An ant crawls up my leg. The mower hits a rock.

Like I said, I find it hard to meditate. But I’ve developed a
system that works for me. Every morning and before I go to bed, I
do this:

I take deep breaths, calming myself down, and then I open the
valve of gratitude. I don’t think of specific things or my mind
will take over. I immerse myself in an immense feeling of gratitude
for my life (and all that it entails — even the fact that it’s
difficult to keep thoughts at bay for one lousy minute). I let
gratitude overwhelm and overflow, up and out into the universe.

After releasing gratitude for all that is, I reverse the flow. Joy
floods back in and becomes a torrent. I feel it hitting my heart,
my mind, my body, washing me clean. It fills me to a point where
the dam breaks, letting gratitude flow once more, and the cycle
begins again.

What a way to start my day. Breathing in joy, breathing out gratitude.

I feel I am Super Woman!

Try it sometime. I think you’ll get hooked too. Hooked up to the universe, that is.

(And it don’t get much better than this.)

(Article and photos by Janey Wing Kenyon)

Occasionally an original thinker comes along, and everyone benefits. Steve Pavlina is such a person and his new book is destined to become a classic. It’s called “Personal Development for Smart People: The Conscious Pursuit of Personal Growth.”

What I appreciate most about Steve’s style is that he has a fresh perspective. He’s obviously very intelligent (he earned a Bachelor’s degree in 3 semesters), but beyond his keen intellect is a well-balanced student of expanding consciousness. Yes he has a big brain, but his heart is equally well developed. Most personal growth experts are either brainiacs or love gurus. Steve has pioneered a refreshing blend of head and heart based on common sense and direct experience. This is a rare quality.

“My greatest breakthroughs usually come from personal experimentation…” — Steve Pavlina

His refreshing approach is obvious at the beginning of the book where he outlines how the book was born and how it is organized. (And yes, it is very organized!)

“It took me almost two and a half years, but I eventually found the solution I was looking for. It consists of just three core principles: truth, love and power. Four secondary principles are directly derived from the first three: oneness, authority, courage and intelligence. Oneness is truth plus love. Authority is truth plus power. Courage is love plus power. And intelligence is the total combination of truth, love and power . . . these principles are universal; they cannot be successfully compartmentalized without sacrificing something far more important — our true nature as conscious beings.” — Steve Pavlina

The book is organized around these fundamental principles. Personal anecdotes from Steve’s life illustrate his points and keep the material easy to grasp. The principles are sometimes obvious and sometimes deep. I found myself occasionally thinking, “Why didn’t I think of that?” (Many times, I did think of that, but had never articulated it so succinctly.) I appreciate his honest communication style and his gift of making deep concepts easy to catch.

“Genuine personal growth is honest growth. You can’t take short-cuts through the land of make-believe.” — Steve Pavlina

Truth

I resonated deeply with Steve’s recommendation for the importance of discovering your own truth and then learning how to live it on a moment-to-moment basis. We have all grown up in an era where we are brainwashed by the media. I know that’s a harsh assessment, but my own personal experience convinces me that it’s true. It’s a matter of degrees — some of us are mildly brainwashed and know it, while others are thoroughly brainwashed and clueless. (I explored this idea in depth in previous articles, “The Trouble with TV” and “Trade TV Time for Habits of Personal Development and Success.”)

“The cumulative effect of mass-media exposure is to condition you to adopt a false view of reality — one that upholds pro-advertiser values. The more you expose yourself to mainstream media such as television, the more skewed your mental model of reality becomes . . . this is a path of long-term laziness, apathy, and decay, not intelligent self-actualization.” — Steve Pavlina

Love

Here’s another topic that I have also explored in depth — connecting with other people. Steve explains how his wife, Erin helped him to open up to the fact that deep inside, we are really all one. Once that is experienced, relationships are forever changed. Close relationships become deeper, and new relationships begin to take on new dimensions. (I enjoyed exploring these important ideas in a previous article, “Meaningful Spiritual Relationships — Namaste Matters.” )

“There are few greater joys in life than the experience of conscious communication with another person. No ego games, false fronts, or manipulative tactics are employed. Both individuals simply want to connect with each other for the purpose of learning and growing. Once you’ve experienced such open, loving communication with another human being, it’s hard to settle for anything less.” — Steve Pavlina

Steve explains how Erin is a master of quick connections. She does this easily because she believes, rather she knows in her heart that we are all deeply connected, like individual cells forming one body. It’s not necessary for her to labor over creating new connections with people. Instead she just taps into the underlying connection she knows is already there. I’ve known a few people who can do this – my wife, Janey, for one, and it is a wonder to behold. It feels great, but I must admit, I’m still learning. I believe it, I love the idea of it . . . it’s just that I am still breaking through years of social conditioning and erroneous preconceived notions about our separateness.

“Instead of having to break the ice with someone, assume that there is no ice.” — Steve Pavlina

Power

The idea of exercising your own personal power and deliberately creating your best life is a theme that has run through many of my articles. I have known the value of this for a long time and continually explore new ways to do it better and better. It feels right to take the reins of life firmly in hand and deliberately steer it toward your deepest desires. What could be more important or more satisfying than to manifest the best version of yourself and the best life possible? (See “Your Passion as Your Compass,” and “Integrity Through Self-Reliance” and “Goal Setting or Let Go and Let God.”)

“When you set a goal that improves your present reality, what does it matter how long it takes to achieve the final outcome? Whether it takes one week or five years is irrelevant. The whole path is fun and enjoyable. More important, you feel happy and fulfilled this very moment. This drives you to take action from a state of joy, so you’re productive too. Instead of going after goals you think will make you happy in the distant future, focus on goals that make you happy right now.” — Steve Pavlina

Self-Discipline

Successful people usually have it. Unsuccessful people usually don’t. That’s a good clue about the importance of self-discipline in a successful and fulfilling life. To me, the idea of self-discipline is simply a promise I make to myself based on my current understanding on what’s best. It has to be best for me, as well as the good of the whole, for me to be able to get behind it and push when necessary.

“It’s your fail-safe, your motivational backup system . . . motivation starts the race, but self-discipline ultimately crosses the finish line.” — Steve Pavlina

Besides the satisfaction of completing self-appointed tasks as a result of well-functioning personal self-discipline, it feels good while the task is in progress too. It helps you feel good about yourself when you know you are capable of making an important promise to yourself . . . and then keeping it. (See previous article, “Self-Discipline in 3 Easy Steps.”)

Authority

Socrates said, “Know thyself.” That’s a good first step to being authentic. You can’t be yourself until you know yourself. Social conditioning has a way of turning us into homogenous drones . . . cogs in the wheel of industry and consumerism. There’s more to life that that. Much more. It all begins with our personal authority. Unless you assumne your own authority, don’t expect anyone else to simply grant it to you by default. (See previous article, “Know Thyself — Ignore Comparisons and Be Yourself.”)

“When you live without authority, your default behavior is to squander your time. You may acquire some knowledge, but you won’t apply it well. You may take some action, but your movements will be chaotic and unfocused. You have the potential to live a powerful, self-directed life of your choosing, but until you step into your true authority, this potential remains a fantasy.” — Steve Pavlina

Each of us have the responsibility and the profound privilege to take the raw materials of our life and turn it into the life of our dreams. It’s satisfying beyond measure — easily worth whatever it takes to learn how to do it well. This habit of mental discipline is not done in broad strokes but in the small details of life. It’s the little things over a period of time that add up to making a big difference. What are you doing today that has the potential of making a lasting difference in the quality of your life and your personal satisfaction?

“People of authority focus on what really matters to them. They don’t waste time on trivialities . . . What’s important to you in life? What’s a relative waste of your time? . . . If you can’t honestly predict a positive long-term impact from your actions, admit that you’re wasting your time, and set some goals that really matter to you. There’s no substitute for investing your life in something that has the potential to make a real difference.” — Steve Pavlina

Persistence

It’s easy to give up. Anyone can do that. And most people do. Succesful people, in all areas of life, are simply people who have tried and failed enough times to have gained a good education. They fall down, get up and keep going. They recognize it as part of the journey. The failures are opportunities to learn, so they don’t shrink from them. Instead they embrace the new lesson learned and press on. Persistent people are inspired people, and they are inspiring. (See previous article, “Persistence and Perseverance for Winners — Losers Just Quit“)

“I don’t get inspired by people who have all the external trappings of success like money and fame. I’m moved by those who I can see are destined for greatness, but no one else knows it yet. The telltale sign is always the same — persistence.” — Steve Pavlina

Courage

One of my favorite authors in Carlos Castaneda and the way he described his tutelage by the Yaqui Indian shaman, Don Juan. I’ve read all his books, some of them several times, so I wasn’t surprised when Steve Pavlina quoted Don Juan . . .

“Before you embark on [any path] ask the question: Does this path have a heart? If the answer is no, you will know it, and then you must choose another path . . . When a man finally realizes that he has taken a path without a heart, the path is ready to kill him.” — Carlos Castaneda

Does this idea hold any special meaning to you? The idea of a path with heart is a very personal idea, and only you can recognize the truth of your answer. It reminds me of the lyrics to one of my songs:

“And no one but you can find the answer to your quest
Your answer’s for you and not all the rest
(You know your answer’s the best, it’s not a contest)
The question is easy enough, and any honest answer is good enough
You really gotta know . . . . . what do you love?”
- From the song, “Do What You Love” by Tupelo Kenyon

When you are in alignment with what you love, your path has heart. You find it easy, even joyful, to take action. You’re commited, and you like it that way. It’s not a chore but a thrill to do things when you are on your path with heart. (To honestly explore your personal path with heart, see this previous article, “10 Steps to Discovering Your Life’s Purpose.”)

“It’s a great idea to consciously intent what you want, and I highly recommend you do that, but if you don’t want something badly enough to take direct action, then what does that say about your intention? Doesn’t that suggest you aren’t really commited to it? When you’re really hungry, will you wait patiently for food to arrive, or will you get up and make something to eat? When your intentions are important to you, direct action becomes part of the manifestation process. The best instruments of the Law of Attraction are your own hands and feet.” — Steve Pavlina

Intelligence

There’s something deeply satisfying about reading what an intelligent person has to say about intelligence. That’s one of the reasons why I have enjoyed reading Einstein’s words, who said, “Imagination is more powerful than knowledge.”

Steve is a very imaginative person, plus he has learned how to apply the knowledge he has gained. It takes intelligence to do that. His book allows him to take the next step which is to share what he has learned. He has worked hard on his communication skills because he recognizes the importance of sharing the wealth of his intelligence with others. I love being inspired by articulate, intelligent, big-hearted people . . .

“Intelligence is the highest form of human expression. Our intelligence is what defines us as human beings. It is our greatest strength, our staunchest ally, and our most noble pursuit. Without it, we are nothingness; we are form without substance and existence without purpose. It is only through the deliberate exercise of intelligence that we give our lives meaning, a meaning that is consciously chosen . . . the most intelligent thing you can possibly do with your life is to grow.” — Steve Pavlina

Habits

Personally chosen, deliberately cultivated habits help keep us on track. They are tools that allow us to translate our resolve into our daily lives. They simplify the day-to-day activities that help us get from where we are to where we want to be. Good habits are our friends, and I really appreciated the following jewels of insight Steve offered on the subject of habits . . .

“How do you know if a habit is positive or negative? Use your mind’s predictive powers to imagine what long-term, cumulative effect each one will have if you maintain it for the rest of your life . . .

“Since habits wield power over your results, you must wield power over your habits . . .

“Take a moment to consider the social consequences of your actions. Do your habits help others align themselves with truth, love and power, or does your behavior lead people astray? . . . Which habits put you on a path with a heart? . . . When your habits are aligned with truth, love and power, the guy in the glass is your friend.” — Steve Pavlina

Career

It’s inspiring to learn from someone who has figured out a way to harness his greatest gifts to experience abundance while helping others at the same time. This paradigm is still rarely manifested in our current society, but examples like Steve can inspire us to our own greatest potential of contribution.

“. . . the best way to optimize your income is to find a career medium that allows you to share your most important message. By sharing your message with others, you provide exactly the kind of value that can generate abundant income.” — Steve Pavlina

I appreciate Steve’s take on contribution vs. mooching. Many of us are taught to get as much as we can for as little as possible. That is, maximize the return while minimizing the input. The natural extension of this mindset is a nation (or a world) of people expecting a handout. It’s entitlement mentality run a muck.

Instead, Steve does a fine job of extolling the virtues (personally and globally) of a mindset based on contribution. When you provide value, it is inevitable that you receive value in return. It’s a wonderful idea and a tad sad that such a common sense approach has fallen out of favor in modern society. Imagine what it would be like if everyone dealt with one another with this dedication to contribution, rather than focusing on, “What can I get?”

“To build an authentic career, you need to find the path that keeps you aligned with truth, love and power. This requires paying attention to the following four questions:

1. Body (needs): What must I do?
2. Mind (abilities): What can I do?
3. Heart (desire): What do I want to do?
4. Spirit (contribution): What should I do?

“An authentic career is found in the place where all four of these questions produce the same answer . . . When you have all four areas working synergistically together, the combined effect is truly amazing. Instead of meeting your needs, you experience true abundance. Instead of applying your knowledge to your tasks, you unlock your true genius. Instead of tolerating your daily routine, you work in a state of joy. And instead of just putting in your time, you fill your days with a sense of purpose.” — Steve Pavlina

Money

It’s best to learn from those who know. I once had a college instructor who never once demonstrated what he taught. He taught a swimming class, and he never got wet. It was difficult to believe the teacher was much of an authority on the subject when he shouted his instructions from the sidelines. It would have been easier to learn from him if he would have joined us in the game.

StevePavlina.com is one of the world’s most popular personal development blogs (if not the most popular). With over two million visitors per month, he knows what he is talking about, whether he is speaking about personal development or financial development.

“. . . money is a human invention to facilitate the exchange of value. To shun money as something evil or unnecessary is a huge mistake. When properly aligned with truth, love and power, it becomes a valuable tool of conscious living — one that’s too important to ignore. If you want to live consciously, you must learn to use money intelligently . . . work within the area of overlap between your personal values and social values. This will enable you to do what you love while creating something that others treasure as well. Don’t force yourself to focus between your integrity and your income — demand that both be satisfied.” — Steve Pavlina

The section on money in Steve’s book is thorough and thought-provoking. It will challenge you to rethink your assumptions about money and how to get more of it. I feel confident almost everyone will benefit from this enlightened look at money.

“Do your best to create and share your value with others, and you’ll help create a richer and more abundant world for all of us.” — Steve Pavlina

Health

True to his commitment to personal experimentation, many of Steve’s major health improvements have been a result of his 30-day trial technique. This is how he proved to himself that his body responded best to vegetarianism. More energy, clearer focus, less sleep required, and other benefits convinced him to adopt it as a lifestyle choice after the 30-day trial period was over.

I am also interested in diet, nutrition and health and have devoured many books on the subject. I wrote a thorough review on one of my favorites. (See previous article, “Finally the Truth About Diet — The China Study Review.“)

The ideas in Steve’s section on health and in “The China Study” are not mainstream. In fact, they are controversial, not because they are so outrageous but because we have drifted so far away from common sense in our dietary choices. Yes, we are the product of insidious social conditioning and are trained to eat, not what is good for us, but what is most profitable for the advertisers to sell. Recognizing this fact is the first step to assuming responsibility for our own health and deliberately choosing what we put in our mouth.

“In order to be healthy today, you must exercise your self-discipline to overcome the drag of social conditioning. Summon the maturity to make intelligent choices for yourself, regardless of what throngs of sick people encourage you to do . . . the truth is that if the average person wouldn’t consider your current health practices extreme, you probably aren’t very healthy.” — Steve Pavlina

Diet and nutrition is a science in its infancy. It’s easy to find conflicting advice from different experts. (That’s one reason why I appreciated “The China Study” so much. It’s not based on any fad diet or conjecture or marketing hype. In fact, it’s based in emperical scientific evidence gathered during the largest nutritional study ever done on planet earth!)

Ultimately, each one of us makes the decision of what we eat. That one seemingly simple decision has a major impact on the level of health and vitality we experience throughout our lifetimes.

“You can delegate control, but never responsibility . . . If I give you any particular advice in this area that doesn’t resonate with you, you should reject it and trust your own judgement instead.” — Steve Pavlina

Relationships

We are all in this together and we are all in this alone. It’s an interesting paradox. Our lives are defined and given shape by the other people in our lives. The people we choose to spend time with influence us in many seen and unseen ways. Especially for those of us interested in personal development, we need to pick our companions carefully and deliberately in order to support our chosen direction of personal growth. (These ideas were explored in previous articles, “Choose the Companionship of Positive People Who Inspire You” and “Life Drama as Blockage to Personal Development.”)

“I’ve learned to place a great deal of trust in my feelings when it comes to relationships. When something feels wrong to me, I know the best thing I can do is to go to the other person and explain that something doesn’t seem right so that we can work together to sort it out. When you bring truth to your relationships, you build closeness and trust.” — Steve Pavlina

Some of our most important life lessons and aha moments come as a result of our relationships, so it makes sense to do our best to communicate well and be considerate of others. A little kindness goes a long way . . .

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting battles too,
Cruel wars within themselves, just like it is with you.
Be kind, because you’ll never know just how much good you’ll do,
A heartfelt word or two can soothe a hidden wound.

“Sometimes the ripples from our deed’s a gentle touch, doesn’t seem to matter much,
It’s like dropping flowers in the Grand Canyon.
And though we’ll never know just what becomes of them, it’s all the same to them,
So drop them anyway, because you can.”
- from the song, “Be Kind” by Tupelo Kenyon

One of the things I appreciate most about Steve’s book is the way he threads the themes of truth, love and power through all the aspects of personal development, including his very insightful look at relationships.

“Exchanges that are lacking in truth, love, or power eventually grow stale, but when all three elements are present, the blocks to deeper levels of connection and closeness are removed . . . What mix of truth, love, and power do you use to connect with others? Realize that your weakest channel will be the source of many of your communication problems . . . When you know your dominant connection strategy, you can use it deliberately to regain your closeness whenever you start feeling a little distant from one another.” — Steve Pavlina

Building close relationships involves an element of risk, but a little courage can make a big difference in the quality of your life. You can’t always expect other people to initiate the contact. Sometimes it’s up to you to extend your hand (and your heart) and invite people in. Imagine what you could miss out on, if you don’t.

“The biggest risks are missing out on laughs you never shared, people you never helped, and the potential partner you sentenced to solitude . . .

“Since all human relationships are impermanent, live with the awareness that every one of your current connections will eventually end. Take the time to appreciate them while they last, and don’t take them for granted. Even when a relationship ends in death, it can still continue in your thoughts. The memories of loving relationships can become your most sacred treasures.” — Steve Pavlina

One of our most popular songs explores this idea. Like love itself, it’s a timeless idea. Those we love go right on living in our hearts, long after they’ve left this world.

“And even though you’re hurting now, the hurting will not last,
The strength you gain from such a pain remains when it’s all past.
And even this will pass away, like this life itself someday,
And all that we take with us is the love we gave away.”
- from the song, “All That We Take with Us” by Tupelo Kenyon

Spirituality

In this section of the book, Steve challenges us to look at our idea of spirituality through the lenses of truth, love and power, rather than the conditioned habits of custom, peer pressure, and heredity. It’s an enlightened approach to spirituality, stripped clean of outdated dogma and exclusive ideas designed to keep us loyal to one particular brand. What passes for spirituality has a history of tearing us apart rather than bringing us together.

I love the way Steve encourages us to consider all things spiritual and take the best of what each has to offer. It assumes the ancient words of Shakespeare were actually true and that we actually care enough to keep an open mind rather than blindly clinging to any one viewpoint . . .”There are more things in heaven and earth than ever dreamed of by your philosophies.”

“Just as your physical senses act as a lens through which you perceive different subsets of reality, your spiritual senses also act as cognitive filtering mechanisms. These filters allow you to focus on bits and pieces of preprocessed information which may or may not be useful to you. The more spiritual sensory data you can access and comprehend, the richer your spiritual life will be, and the more accurately it will model truth . . .

“When we confront the key spiritual question of our lives, such as Who am I? And What is my purpose in life? . . . we can limit our input to a small subset of these channels. In general, when we limit our input too severely, we end up making things harder than necessary, much like trying to prepare a meal while wearing a blindfold and earplugs. This is what happens when we say, ‘I’m only going to consider this single spiritual point of view because it’s the one and only truth’ . . .

“Even though each channel of input has limited expressiveness, if you can access a diverse enough set of channels, each one compressed and filtered in different ways, you can develop a more accurate and complete picture of reality. Each belief system you consider provides another way of viewing the same underlying data, thus helping you develop a better understanding of the whole . . .

“By examining your problems from different philosophical viewpoints, you empower yourself. Holistic solutions finally start to emerge. You gain the ability to solve problems you were previously unable to solve . . . most of us are socially conditioned to overlook the simplicity of across-the-board, high-level solutions because we cling to fixed belief systems that prevent us from seeing the big picture.” — Steve Pavlina

These ideas are close to my heart as I look around the planet and see the result of so many people stubornly clinging to some particular brand of spirituality and refusing to see any merit in any other viewpoint. That’s got to be the manifestation of ultimate insecurity to not even be able to consider the validity of a different idea. (I explored this idea in previous articles, “Beyond the Brands of Truth” and “Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion.”)

Clear thinking and honest exploration of truth is a refreshing approach to spirituality, and that’s why I appreciate Steve’s style of saying what he thinks and feels, even though it’s not the mainstream viewpoint. Far from it. But, I recognize that the tide is turning as more and more people worldwide are beginning to take responsibility for their own spirituality and making their own choices, rather than settling for being spoon fed by tradition.

“A multispectral philosophy of life — that is, one that combines input from multiple perspectives — aligns closely with what’s considered common sense . . .

“The point of spiritual exploration is to help you make conscious, empowering choices . . .

“Many serious conflicts in the world result from the decision to pass on beliefs that label other human beings as unworthy, damaged, or evil . . .

“Your beliefs are not merely observations of reality; they also shape and define your experience of reality. Many of the thoughts you hold most sacred may reveal hidden falsehoods once you take the opportunity to consider the alternatives.” —Steve Pavlina

Celebrating an Expansive Viewpoint

This empowering book, like all great books, performs magic. It allows us to take a peek inside one of the great minds of our time. As a result, it makes the inside of my head (and heart) feel bigger. What more could you ask for in a book?

These last Steve Pavlina quotes do a fine job of tying it all together . . .

“The ultimate goal of any sound spiritual path is to be infinitely truthful, infinitely loving, and infinitely powerful. By extension, this also requires infinite oneness, infinite authority, and infinite courage . . .

“If it were somehow possible for everyone on earth to come together and agree on a single spiritual philosophy, it would be one that incorporates the universal principles of truth, love, and power. These are the ideals that guide us not only as human beings, but also as spiritual beings . . .

“Invest in creative self-expression, service and contribution, and you will suffer no scarcity. Your greatest gift to the world is to share who you really are . . . No one is served by your refusal to shine.” — Steve Pavlina

Personal Appreciation

Although I don’t personally know Steve and his wife, Erin, they both feel like old friends that Janey and I haven’t yet met. Steve’s writings have been a source of inspiration and encouragement to me for a couple of years. I first went to his website as a result of a link in an email from Derek Sivers, founder of CDbaby.com. Derek was impressed that anyone could graduate from college after only three (very busy) semesters, and recommended an article Steve wrote on how he accomplished that.

I began exploring his other articles and it soon became clear I had found a kindred spirit. His example inspired me to begin writing again, and TupeloKenyon.com was born shortly thereafter. The blog spawned the “Inspired on Purpose” newsletter which provides satisfaction and inspiration for myself as well as others. I have Steve Pavlina to thank for all this.

Thanks Steve, for all you do . . . and all you are.

Sincerely,
Tupelo Kenyon

P.S. Get this book, while it’s in first edition. It’s a classic, and I could only hint at it’s empowering breadth and depth in this (rather long) gushing review.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Do What You Love Discovering what we have a true passion for, and then figuring out a way to build a life around that passion is one of life’s greatest feelings of accomplishment. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor10 Be Kind Your example and the kindness shown to others can have a rippling affect that goes on and on. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor9 All That We Take With Us Even sorrow brings us gifts of deeper understanding and a clearer perspective of what is really important. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor3 Endless Journey Traveling has so many gifts to give! Spectacular scenery, interesting cultural differences, and the inspiring people you’ll meet. What a well-rounded education is provided by getting away and looking around . . . and, it’s an inspiring education that never has to end. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor8 Songs by Tupelo
The Trouble with TV Does TV enhance our life experience or get in the way of living our lives? Celebrate life with this refreshing perspective on the boob tube. Trade TV Time for Habits of Personal Development You” be glad you did, and once you go through the withdrawal stage, you’ll never look back. Your Passion as Your Compass Allow your passions to stretch their wings and the direction of your life could surprise you – in a good way. Celebrate life with passion! Integrity Through Self-Reliance When you live your life as if the whisperings from your soul really matter, you are living life in your own way, on your own terms, based on your own realizations on what is right . . . what is good . . . and what is true for you. You are tuned into your own station. The signal you are receiving and the message you are broadcasting with the story of your life are both on the same frequency. You are joyfully and gratefully choosing your favorites from the buffet of life. Goal Setting or Let Go and Let God There are two approaches people use to manifest their desires. Some set goals. Others surrender and presume the universe is conspiring to deliver to them their every desire without strain, in its own way and in its own time. Which way is better? Can these two methods be used together? Self-Discipline in 3 Easy Steps Why is it so difficult to follow through and accomplish what you set out to do? Usually, there is one important missing ingredient: personal discipline. For most of us, the idea of discipline is an external force – it’s something that comes from the outside. For instance, we discipline our children. Most of us are familiar with discipline as a verb (something we do to someone else), but we’re not so familiar with the concept as a noun – something we cultivate from within and apply to ourselves. Know Thyself – Ignore Comparisons and Be Yourself The average person is content to base self-knowledge on comparisons to other people. If this is the measure of self-knowledge, it is based on someone else’s standards. This practice misses the point of “Know Thyself.” Instead, it’s all about how to fit in. We are all unique individuals with our own strengths, talents and nudges leading us to embrace our own best life. True knowledge of self is attained from personal insights of looking inwardly rather than outwardly towards others. Persistence and Perseverance for Winners – Losers Just Quit Giving up is easy. Most people make a habit of giving up. In fact, they make a life of it Persistence through a solution-oriented attitude is for visionaries, dreamers and other winners who refuse to take “no” for a final answer. 10 Steps to Discovering Your Life’s Purpose Of all the self-help ideas I’ve come across through the years, this one has been the most helpful. For me, it’s been the Rosetta Stone of personal development techniques. After getting a handle on the idea of “purpose”, other areas of my life fell into place more easily. Finally the Truth About Diet – The China Study Review Finally, here’s an authoritative diet and nutrition book based on hard science and exhaustive research. This revealing book is written by one of the world’s most respected authorities in the field of nutrition. In his own words, he has been “in the system for almost fifty years, at the very highest levels, designing and directing large research projects, deciding which research gets funded and translating massive amounts of scientific data into national expert panel reports.” There is so much useful information in this book, I consider it one of the most important books I have ever read and give it my highest recommendation. Change your diet and change the quality of your life. Choose the Companionship of Positive People Who Inspire You If the people you spend the most time with are inspiring, supportive, encouraging, and they demonstrate qualities you want to emulate – great, you are on the right track. If not, it’s up to you to do something about it. Life is too short to put up with other people’s pity parties, bitch-and-moan marathons, and oh-woe-is-me clubs. Life Drama as Blockage to Personal Development Some people seem to relish drama in their lives. They go from one catastrophe to another. They thrive on it as if drama is what makes them feel alive. You may be able to see that they are attracting these experiences by their daily thoughts and feelings. But, they don’t recognize it from within the narrow confines of their personal drama. To someone immersed in drama, the idea that they are creating it is completely foreign. With intent, practice and mindfulness, what was once considered drama that snowballed out of control becomes simply examples of the contrasts of life to help you sharpen your preferences and shape your desires. Beyond the Brands of Truth Truth depends upon your belief. If you believe something is true, that makes it true . . . true for you. Of course, if you don’t believe that statement, never mind, because your belief defines your truth in another direction. But, we can commit to finding our own personal truth. We can hope our example will inspire others to look inside for their own truth rather than looking outside at the tumultuous world of competing brands of “truth.” Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion Is truth absolute or relative? Is there anything beyond science, philosophy and religion? Many of the world’s top quantum physicists think there is. Celebrate life by stretching you imagination. Articles by Tupelo

I need to know how . . . at least I think I do. It must be programming — long established, deeply anchored patterns of thought in my brain’s left hemisphere. The logical, systematic part of me insists upon knowing the step-by-step details of exactly how a thing is to be done.

Understandable, I guess. After all, that’s what school was all about — methodology and left-brain thinking. The attributes and benefits offered by the right-brain were mostly ignored. This was probably due to a large-scale lack of understanding.

The intuitive, touchy-feely right-brain approach to life is a new realization. As more people (and more educators) grow to understand it, I’m hoping our kids will eventually receive a more balanced, holistic education. (For a fascinating and inspiring look at how all this right-brain / left-brain stuff works, check out a previous article and the linked video: “Inspiration from a Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor.”)

According to my current understanding, the right brain interfaces with the world through inner guidance, hunches and feelings, with the help of coincidences and serendipities. All that sounds like an adventurous approach to life, but I must admit it’s not exactly the scientific world view pounded into my head by the educational system.

“Coincidences are a true paradox… on the one hand they seem to be the source of our greatest irrationalities–seeing causal connections when science tells us they aren’t there. On the other hand, some of our greatest feats of scientific discovery depend on coincidences.” – Josh Tenenbaum

The current educational system was designed and implemented by wealthy industrialists whose motivation was to train their labor force to keep the wheels of industry (and their profits) healthy. We were trained to be effective employees — well-greased cogs in the wheel. As a result, much was omitted from our education.

An example of a significant piece of the puzzle glossed over in school is the Law of Attraction. When I think back over my life, I realize how much I’ve benefited from learning about the Law of Attraction. I look around and see the results of my partial grasp of this powerful principle. (For details, see previous article: “The Law of Attraction.)

In a nutshell, the Law of Attraction says to focus clearly on WHAT we want to manifest into our lives and trust the infinite wisdom and inexhaustible resourses of the universe to work out HOW. Even after a few decades of being aware of this powerful principle, my WHAT is still accompanied by thoughts of HOW. They still come as a seemingly inseparable pair . . .

Peanut Butter and . . . . . . Jelly.
Abbott and . . . . . . Costello.
Pride and . . . . . . Prejudice.
What and . . . How.

I’d like to believe I’m getting better at it, even though I recognize I’ve got a ways to go. Hopefully, the realization that I could do it better is the first step to making it so.

In the past, when I was freshly brainwashed by the system, my thinking went something like this: “I want that . . . but since I can’t see any possible way to get it, it would be easier to just give up and pretend I don’t really want it. So, never mind about that thing I thought I wanted. I’ll try to only want things that I can understand the HOW.”

These days, I endeavor to approach it a little differently. Whenever I think, “I want that” . . . I’ll honestly admit that I don’t presently understand HOW it could be possible, but I choose to suspend disbelief.

Deliberately Suspend Disbelief

That seems to be a key point to this whole Law of Attraction approach to making dreams come true. Instead of pretending you really don’t want something when you know you do, allow the desire to remain. Don’t judge it. Don’t label it grandiose or improbable or impossible. Just acknowledge it and let it be. Declare a peaceful co-existence with it.

It’s not necessary for you to immediately know anything whatsoever about the HOW every time you desire a new WHAT.

You don’t even have to work at convincing yourself that you believe in all this right-brained, new-age woo-woo.

All you have to do is refrain from disbelief.

Be Neutral.

Your commitment to neutrality gives the Law of Attraction the benefit of the doubt. You honestly acknowledge what you want (instead of pretending you don’t) and you gently let it be. This approach gives YOU the benefit of the doubt too, because you’re not working against yourself.

Because of our predominant left-brained training, most of us try to manifest our desires in a very awkward manner. We typically work against ourselves in two important ways . . .

1) Whenever a new desire surfaces, if we don’t immediately see the HOW, we turn our back on the desire and pretend we really don’t want it. That’s bullshit and our inner self knows it.

2) If the HOW is not apparent, we believe the desire is simply not possible. This quick-to-adopt “belief” is not based on fact — it’s simply an uninformed opinion. It springs from a narrow, suffocating, self-defeating attitude.

This premature “belief” that something is impossible makes it so. Once again, if you are absorbed in the left-brain approach, you’re working against yourself. If you can’t count on yourself to be in your own corner, then who can you count on? Why would you do that to yourself?

Fortunately, quality resources are becoming available where we can learn how to approach our desires (and our lives) with a more balanced, holistic style. We can still benefit from the important left-brain mechanics we learned in school, but we can add the powerful right-brain skills now being taught as the The Law of Attraction and The Secret. (In fact, Bob Proctor, Jack Canfield and Michael Beckwith of “The Secret” fame have joined forces to teach these powerful skills. See their SGR website. Impressive!)

Realizing our education was rather one-sided is only half the battle. Next, we’ve got to do something about it. It’s important to be proactive and learn these life-enhancing skills deliberately. A recent experience brought this point home . . .

A couple of good friends recently told us they were going to England for a whirlwind tour of some of the sacred sites including GlastonburyTor and Stonehenge. Their friend is going too and she just happens to be a retired professor of language, archaeology, anthropology and. . . quote . . . “the world’s foremost expert on ancient mystery schools.” Our friend also mentioned (in so many words) that her intuition tells her we are to accompany them and provide an important song.

This friend has always been very inspiring. She never worries about HOW. She just listens to her intuition (closely) and lives her life accordingly. It’s a rare skill and one worthy of emulating.

In the old days, I would have said, “Yeah right . . . $3000 for the plane tickets, another grand for hotels and ground transportation, and blah, blah, blah . . .” My knee-jerk, left-brain response would have choked off the potential before it ever had a chance to bloom.

Fortunately, this time I remembered to approach it like this . . . “Hell yeah, of course we’d like to go. I have no idea HOW, but this sounds like a trip of a lifetime.”

I chose NOT to believe it was an impossible fantasy. I chose to shift into neutral and hang out with the desire and enjoy how good it feels to think about it.

A few days later, a new song was born called, “The Quiet Waits Forever.” Immediately I knew this is the song our friend alluded to. When she heard it, shed knew it too. It came easy and quick, so it seemed only natural to keep an open mind and be on high alert for coincidences.

“Coincidences are spiritual puns.” – G.K. Chesterton

Long story short — the trip was made possible in a way that we never would have anticipated. A new friend heard us talking about the unusual circumstances, and was moved to offer an amazing gift. She offered her frequent flier miles to cover our plane fare because she has “lots and lots and lots.” (Thank you Francie!)

Coincidence? Serendipity? Law of Attraction? Dumb Luck? I don’t know what to call it, but I do recognize that it would never have happened with my old left-brain approach. It’s easy to guess what would have happened if I would have immediately written it off as an impossible pipe-dream because the HOW was not apparent with the WHAT. With that attitude, nothing could happen — no coincidence, no serendipity . . . nothing. That closed-minded approach is self-defeating. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“We could call it a coincidence, if that would be better for you,
But the way that it all fell into place was more than I could do.

Is that a glimmer of recognition, fleeting in our eyes,
A random act of happenstance, or a miracle in disguise.

I’m counting on a miracle, expecting a surprise,
Insight right between the eyes, or a miracle in disguise”
- from the song, “Miracle in Disguise” by Tupelo Kenyon

Instead, we just savored the idea of a wonderful journey, and lo and behold, the universe worked out the details and handed it to us. We didn’t even have to profess a belief in the woo-woo. All we did was chose not to dis-believe.

Little by little, I’m learning. Try it, and see what magic shows up in your life . . .

* Recognize what you want.

* Don’t deny you want it just because you don’t see HOW.

* Release disbelief in the possibility.

* Imagine what it feels like to manifest the desire (now, in present tense).

* Enjoy the process, and quit pretending you know more about the details of HOW than the entire universe. (For all you know, the universe may be conspiring on your behalf behind the scenes to bring you everything you desire and allow.)

Another important realization:

Even if all this new-age, right-brain woo-woo turns out to be poppycock, so what?

It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what others think. Your thoughts and your feelings matter. What matters is living a satisfying, adventurous, love-filled life.

Your life. Your way.

Whatever it takes and whatever you call it, regardless of the belief system you adopt, your quality of life is the bottom line.

So allow your desires to see the light of day. Work with them and not against them. (See previous article: “The Dilemma of Desire.”)

Celebrate life with a sense of awe and wonder. It’s good to be alive. What a grand adventure!

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Miracle in Disguise Synchronicity is such a positive and hopeful idea, it begs the question, "Why not actively look for it and even expect it, as long as it feels good?" http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor11 Don’t Tell Me No Just don’t do it. It’s better that way . . . for both of us! http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor3 Time of Our Lives Time is so fleeting, so elusive, it’s good to remember the importance and power of living right now. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor7 Take the Plunge Their advice is "for your own good", but the last thing you need to hear is their worst-case scenario. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor11 No, Yes! Examines the folly of continually holding conflicting thoughts at the same time. Yes I can. No I can’t. I want that. But do I really deserve it? Around and around it goes. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor10 Traveler Hearing about another’s experiences can be inspiring, but to really know for sure what it’s like, there’s nothing like personal experience. "Go, so you will know." http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor4 Just One Step Just begin. If you will just get underway, the project itself gains momentum and carries you along to its completion. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor12 Celebrate Life Create your own personal celebration of life by your choices, rather than allowing life to be something that merely happens to you, or around you. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2 Songs by Tupelo
	Manifestation Fill-In-the-Blank Formula Here’s a simple technique you can adapt to your own style. First, I’ll give you the formula as I currently use it. Next, I’ll discuss each word so you’ll see how it has evolved into its present state. Then, I’ll add some supporting information to provide you with a ready-to-go affirmation for your own experimentation. This manifestation technique is built around one simple sentence . . . The Law of Attraction With anything as important as the law of attraction, it’s a good idea to hear it described many times from many different angles. This article looks at it from several viewpoints as well as revealing how to get the understanding of the law of attraction from the prime source. Many links are provided including links to streaming mp3 songs that incorporate the principles of attraction in the lyrics. Celebrate life with an ever-clearer grasp of how the law of attraction determines your life experience. The Dilemma of Desire What is desire? Where does it come from? Why do we have it? Does it serve us in a positive way, or does it distract us and keep us perpetually in discontent? This article sheds some light on these important questions so that each of us can find our own answers. Goal Setting or Let Go and Let God There are two approaches people use to manifest their desires. Some set goals. Others surrender and presume the universe is conspiring to deliver to them their every desire without strain, in its own way and in its own time. Which way is better? Can these two methods be used together? Balancing Desire with Contentment It’s a fine line we walk between wanting more and feeling satisfied with what we have. Desire is unavoidable – it comes with the territory. So, the trick is to find the balance. There’s a middle ground to be found where deep feelings of contentment and satisfaction are spiced with the delicious excitement of something more on the horizon. How to Live the Life of Your Dreams Through Intuition Intuition feels good. That should be enough of a clue it’s something that can be trusted. But, our culture has done a thorough job of instilling doubt about the wisdom of following our instincts. Instead, we are taught to think things through and be logical. These mental tools are important, but they were never intended to be used instead of intuition. They work better when used in conjunction with intuition. If we are open to it, we get nudges and insights to move us in the direction of our greatest joys, our most valuable contributions, and our most satisfying life. Those quiet whispers and gentle taps on the shoulder are examples of inner guidance in action – intuition. How to Accelerate Manifestation Whenever a new desire or grand plan is born within us, the tendency is to share it with others. Every time we talk about it, the energy of the dream seems to deflate a little more, until it becomes merely a topic of idle chatter. Why is that? How can we add to the excitement and urgency of our dreams instead, and speed up their manifestation? Inspiration from a Stroke of Insight from Jill Bolte Taylor You’ve heard about the "right brain" and the "left brain," right? The left brain is all about logic and sequential thinking and the right brain is all about the abstract flow of consciousness and how it relates to "the big picture." Have you ever heard a description about watching from a peaceful, detached viewpoint as the cognitive brain functions slowly quit functioning? Have you ever heard anyone talk about what it feels like when the inner chatter finally quits and all that’s left is awareness? On this video, you will. Articles by Tupelo

Silence is a rare commodity these days — especially in the west. Around the clock, cars, trucks, airplanes, cell phones and all kinds of machinery disrupt the silence.

We have to deliberately seek and preserve opportunities for total quiet. It’s a worthwhile pursuit . . . otherwise we might forget the powerful, regenerative benefits of peace and quiet.

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature–trees, flowers, grass–grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…we need silence to be able to touch souls.” – Mother Teresa (1910-97)

Most people are “tellers.” They’ve got stuff they need to tell you. Often, it’s not so much they have something to say as they have to say something. It’s cultural conditioning. As a race, we’re out of touch with our silent center, so we compensate with an endless string of words.

Of course, language skills are important. Our development as a species was a direct result of our ability to cooperate, which was made possible by our ability to verbally communicate. Our relationship with words is neither good nor bad — it has just become out of balance.

The superficial use of words contributes to our alienation from one another. The words we use are often like masks . . . they shield us from who we really are. Especially when we are out of touch with who we really are, we use words — and lots of them — to compensate.

“Some people talk because they think sound is more manageable than silence.” – Margaret Halsey

When you re-enter the silence, you lessen the dependency for continual yak-yak-yak sessions. Comfortable with the silence, you’re no longer driven to get attention from those around you, and you let down your guard . . . take off your mask.

When you’re once again connected with the silence, it’s easier to connect with people in meaningful ways. When you’re coming from the place of stillness and the power of silence, you can connect with people at a place beyond your personal story and beyond their personal story. Instead, you can feel the connection at a deeper level where you are already connected . . . at a place where you have much in common . . . that inner place of quiet, stillness and peace.

“To communicate through silence is a link between the thoughts of man.” – Marcel Marceau (b. 1923) – French mime artist

Mums the Word

As a spiritual exercise, have you ever declared a day a word-free zone? The idea is to go all day without muttering a single word. Of course, it’s much easier if you are around people who understand what you’re doing. If you’re around just a few people, that’s even better . . . especially at first. After you get the hang of it, you will become comfortable even in crowds. But let’s face it, from the everyday perspective of the average person, a word-fast is just plain weird.

“I have always thought it would be a blessing if each person could be blind and deaf for a few days during his early adult life. Darkness would make him appreciate sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.” – Helen Keller (1880-1968)

I experimented with this silent treatment often, especially in my twenties. I enjoyed an advantage of living in the Alaskan wilderness, so there was nobody around to comment on how weird it was. I’ve done it a few other times when I’m around people, and although it’s not as easy, it’s still a fascinating experience.

If you are silent with a friend or spouse, it’s interesting to experience how your communication doesn’t suffer. In fact, it feels like deeper, more meaningful communication can be accomplished without words getting in the way.

“Silence makes the real conversation between friends. Not the saying, but the never needing to say is what counts.” – Margaret Lee Rumbeck

Beyond Words

Taking a sabbatical from words is the fast track to learning the subtle intricacies of facial expressions, body language, gestures, tones of voice, and the hidden meanings often obscured by words. When your thinking process is all about words, your mind functions at a certain level. It is capable of so much more. When you agree to make words off limits, even for awhile, you’ll find your mind settling into deeper, more peaceful levels where you feel a closer contact with everyone and everything around you.

“True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment.” – Sir William Penn (1621-70)

During my speechless days, I would carry a paper and pen with me for those rare occasions when a word or two seemed absolutely necessary. But it was rarely needed because other, more direct ways of communication soon came to the rescue when required.

“Don’t talk unless you can improve the silence.” – Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)

When you are silent, it’s easier for others to be silent. You both get the feeling it’s okay to be true to yourself without masks, games, or any kind of coercion involved. Without words, it’s easier to connect at a more fundamental level where nobody needs anything from anyone else.

“Silence is as full of potential wisdom and wit as the unhewn marble of a great sculpture.” – Aldous Leonard Huxley (1894-1963)

First, Listen Quietly

Being in touch with silence is about listening. It’s a rare person who actually listens from their deep connection with the silence. Many of the people I’ve met seem to listen only long enough to determine whether or not the ideas match their own opinion. As soon as there is anything less than a perfect match, the listening is pre-empted by busy mental activity.

Quickly, a rebuttal must be composed to voice as soon as there’s a break in the conversation. And, we all know people who can’t be bothered to wait for a break in the conversation. Their opinion and their words and their story is so important, they interrupt to inject it with great urgency. . . repeatedly!

Did you ever feel like saying this? “Pardon me for continuing to speak while you were interrupting.”

Whenever I catch myself interrupting, it feels good to know that I am aware of it, at least occasionally. That’s the first step to allowing a little more silence and a little less ego into the conversation.

“I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers.” – Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)

The ego-based, one-upmanship style of “communication” is superficial compared to the profound contact made by people comfortable with sharing the silence. Silence is more than an absence of words. Much more. It’s a characteristic of the great nothingness from which we all came and to which we return.

“Silence is deep as Eternity; speech is shallow as Time.” – Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)

The Great Stillness

By “nothingness,” I don’t mean “empty.” It’s a state beyond things, beyond words, and beyond all attributes of physical reality. When you connect with this great stillness, it’s easier to connect with others in a profound way, beyond the limitations of ambiguous methods of communication . . . like words.

“Silence is the language God speaks, and everything else is a bad translation.” — Thomas Keating

Silence can be the answer to many kinds of problems. Many “problems” are nothing more than mental constructs. They are word play, repeated and multiplied by the intensity of emotion attached to them. Silence is beyond all this. It is beyond the realm of words. Re-connecting with the great peace of total silence helps provide perspective for all aspects of life.

“To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions.” – Deepak K. Chopra (b. 1946)

There’s a time and a place for everything under the sun . . . a time for frivolous chatter, a time for the precision teamwork made possible by articulate verbalization, a time for deep philosophical discourse, a time for the release of humor with jokes, puns, and silly word-play, and a time for deep silence.

“Silence at the proper season is wisdom, and better than any speech.” – Plutarch (AD 46?-120?)

When our dependency on words is tempered by our sessions of silence, the idea of conversation takes on a new dimension. In a word . . . profound.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the song samples below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Blue Water Water and the sea are such perfect metaphors for the larger reality we are all immersed in. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor6 Where Only Freedom Flies To be together and feel free at the same time is the essence of a relationship of mutual personal growth. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor13 Ten Purdy Word Song The style and mood of the song matches the flow of the words themselves, painting a colorful word picture that is easy on the ears. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor14 Take My Hand Companionship and the sharing of love is the thing, whether it lasts a moment or a lifetime. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor19 Low Maintenance Relationship Life seems to be all about relationships . . . to our friends, families, lovers, and to our creator. There’s always room for improvement. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor7 Songs by Tupelo
Good Listener Secrets – Listen with Your Heart When someone is talking to you, do you hear with your ears, monitor with your mind, or listen with your heart? Invest a few minutes thinking about the importance of listening well – a deliberate conscious act – and watch your relationships grow to a new level of closeness and understanding. How to Keep Your Word This article is a poignant reminder of the power of your word. Celebrate life by honoring your word . . . and therefore the people with whom you interact. Meaningful Spiritual Relationships – Namaste Matters Behind the faces, beyond the reach of social conditioning, deeper than individual egos, we are identical. We are presence, consciousness, pure knowingness – the awareness of “I am.” We are life itself. Celebrate life with this insight on how to take your personal relationships to a whole new level. Articles by Tupelo

Intuition can provide you with some amazing viewpoints, helpful solutions and unexpected answers. As you develop the habit of becoming still and looking within for clues, it gets easier to hear that still, small voice within.

How can this inner communication become a trusted resource? How can it be leveraged to consistently increase the quality of life?

The answer my intuition provides for that question seems disarmingly simple – implement what you learn.

Actions

Ideas are cheap. Answers are easy. Solutions are more plentiful than problems because there are usually several ways to solve any particular problem. Intuition is happy to provide these insights and delighted when we notice help is being given. But these whisperings from the subtle side are all useless unless we actually do something with what we learn.

“For whereas the mind works in possibilities, the intuitions work in actualities, and what you intuitively desire, that is possible to you. Whereas what you mentally or ‘consciously’ desire is nine times out of ten impossible; hitch your wagon to a star, or you will just stay where you are.” – D. H. Lawrence (1885 – 1930)

Did you ever wake up in the middle of the night with a great idea? Here’s an example of one way intuition is providing answers to your questions . . . spoken and unspoken.

Have you ever told yourself you’d remember the idea in the morning and gone back to sleep? Was the idea there in the morning?

Usually ideas like that are long gone by morning. Occasionally they can be resurrected. Maybe these words can serve as a catalyst to help you remember something important that you had forgotten until this moment. Pause to reflect on it, and allow your mind to recapture the idea and let it expand

Write it Down

All too often, ideas and answers delivered by our intuition are gone forever. Why? Because we never took action. In fact, sometimes we don’t even bother to write it down. Instead we fall for that old trick, “Oh, I’ll remember THAT!”

But do you? Have you remembered it in the past? Always? What’s the point of encouraging and developing intuition, only to ignore it when it offers help?

“As soon as you think it, ink it.” – Mark Victor Hansen

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve lost a song idea by not writing it down immediately when inspiration struck. I told myself, “Surely I’ll remember it!” Yeah, right. Occasionally. Usually not.

It’s a shame to lose a potentially good song, but that’s nothing compared to the “big questions” intuition can help us shed light upon. These are clues we don’t want to lose. That’s why it’s so important to get in the habit of capturing insight now, in the moment, while it’s fresh.

Later is an Illusion – Capture it Now

I read about neuroscience research findings concerning intuitive insights. Any new idea not captured within 37 seconds will likely be forgotten. After seven minutes, it’s almost certain to be gone forever.

So how do you compensate for such a rapid evaporation rate? You simply develop the habit of capturing intuition whenever possible. Too much trouble? Take a moment to review what’s at stake, and see if that will help you generate the internally driven inspiration needed to actually get it done.

“Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. – Steve Jobs (b. 1955

It’s an Easy Habit to Be Ready for Inspiration

Here’s how I do it. I prefer to wear shirts with a pocket. I almost always keep a small spiral notepad and a pen there. Through the years, I’ve been able to capture some helpful nuggets, just by my willingness to be prepared.

We travel quite often. Janey keeps a small notebook within easy reach while we’re rolling down the road. Frequently, she grabs her pen and writes for a couple of minutes, grabbing an idea while it’s fresh.

I also have a miniature recorder that I keep by the bed. It’s funny when Janey wakes up abruptly saying, “Huh?” When she realizes I’m whispering into my recorder again, she rolls over and goes back to sleep. She’s used to me writing in the dark or talking to the recorder in the middle of the night.

Use It

Receiving, recognizing and capturing intuition is a good start, but it’s a job half done. Without implementation, it’s all for nothing. Whenever possible, I try to take action on my inner impulses as soon as possible. Whenever I do, I find that related impulses come right on the heels of my action.

When I take action on that, more intuition arrives. As the time gap continues to shorten between the nudge and the action, it begins to feel easy, effortless, even magical.

Let’s examine the opposite. If you get a nudge and don’t write it down and don’t take action on it, that’s another way of saying you’re ignoring it. That sends a message to your intuitive nature that goes something like this, “Yeah, I heard you, but I’m too busy. Not interested. Thanks but no thanks.”

With this attitude, it’s natural for intuition to dry up. Use it or lose it. In my own experience, if I go through a spell where I “put off” song idea impulses, before long they quit coming. Ouch.

“Trusting your intuition means tuning in as deeply as you can to the energy you feel, following that energy moment to moment, trusting that it will lead you where you want to go and bring you everything you desire.” – Shakti Gawain (b. 1948)

It’s all about trust. It’s about a way of life beyond the narrow confines of the logical mind. Logical, predictable, left-brained thinking definitely has its place, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg.

“Intuition isn’t the enemy, but the ally, of reason.” – John Kord Lagemann

“Brain researchers estimate that your unconscious data base outweighs the conscious on an order exceeding ten million to one. This data base is the source of your hidden, natural genius. In other words, a part of you is much smarter than you are. The wise people regularly consult the smarter part.” – Michael J. Gelb, author of “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci”

“Intuition comes very close to clairvoyance; it appears to be the extrasensory perception of reality. All great men are gifted with intuition. They know without reasoning or analysis, what they need to know.” – Alexis Carrel (1873 – 1944)

Many of the most brilliant people who have ever lived tapped into their intuition and used it daily. When it becomes a habit, it becomes expected and natural. It’s an effortless way of life – a no-brainer. To others, not privy to the process, it looks like living in the flow, like magic.

“The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, and the solution comes to you, and you don’t know how or why.” – Albert Einstein

“Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next.” – Dr. Jonas Salk (b. 1914), doctor, discoverer of polio vaccine.

“During [these] periods of relaxation after concentrated intellectual activity, the intuitive mind seems to take over and can produce the sudden clarifying insights which give so much joy and delight.” – Fritjof Capra, physicist

Watch for clues. They come in many ways . . . goose bumps, (a.k.a. thrill bumps), a sudden chill, butterflies in the pit of your stomach, a constricted feeling in your chest, a sudden, expansive feeling of relief, sudden nausea. These are examples of how effective your body can be at communicating with you directly, without the need for words. If you are pondering a particular question and your body gives you one of these sensations, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to translate the message . . . “Yes” feels good. “No” feels bad.

“The mind can assert anything and pretend it has proved it. My beliefs I test on my body, on my intuitional consciousness, and when I get a response there, then I accept.” – D. H. Lawrence (1885 – 1930)

Other times, you may see words form on the inner screen of your mind. Or you may hear words in your imagination. How do you know if these “messages” are real?

“Trust your feelings, Luke.” – Obee One Kenobee, “Star Wars”

True messages often come with a feeling of lightness, euphoria or joy. Questionable ones are often accompanied with a sense of foreboding, doubt or fear. If a new idea shows up and it gives you energy and hope, that’s a good vote of confidence that you can trust it.

If you feel drained of energy, that’s a good clue your intuition is warning you to go the other way. Intuition has its own language, and like any other language, it becomes easier with deliberate resolve, attention and practice.

“Intuition isn’t mystical.” – Dr. James Watson – Nobel laureate and co-discoverer of DNA

When we’re in the flow, it’s effortless and it feels good. Very good. We expect intuitive help, and our expectation expedites its manifestation. We expect it to be helpful and so it is. We expect it to enhance the quality of life, and so it does.

We expect to be in the zone . . . enjoying the benefits of a life inspired on purpose by inspiration. And so we are. And so it is.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Miracle in Disguise Synchronicity is such a positive and hopeful idea, it begs the question, "Why not actively look for it and even expect it, as long as it feels good?" http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor11 Angels Around Us Is it your higher self, or your guardian angel, or perhaps an over-active imagination? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor3 Blue Water Water and the sea are such perfect metaphors for the larger reality we are all immersed in. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor6 What Would Love Do Now It’s tough to remember to ask yourself this question in the heat of the moment, but it can pay big dividends. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor10 Take the Plunge Their advice is "for your own good", but the last thing you need to hear is their worst-case scenario. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor11 Here A love song to the beloved and/or to the larger part of ourselves. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor16 Ten Purdy Word Song The style and mood of the song matches the flow of the words themselves, painting a colorful word picture that is easy on the ears. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor14 Songs by Tupelo
Inspiration from a Stroke of Insight from Jill Bolte Taylor You’ve heard about the "right brain" and the "left brain," right? The left brain is all about logic and sequential thinking and the right brain is all about the abstract flow of consciousness and how it relates to "the big picture." Have you ever heard a description about watching from a peaceful, detached viewpoint as the cognitive brain functions slowly quit functioning? Have you ever heard anyone talk about what it feels like when the inner chatter finally quits and all that’s left is awareness? On this video, you will. Prepare to be amazed, moved, inspired and thrilled with this intelligent look at something that is rarely seen . . . and the fact that you’re hearing about all this from a brain scientist makes it even more fascinating. Get a Broader Perspective – Do It Different and Work Smarter When I think of the view from our broader perspective, to me, it means the viewpoint of our inner self . . . who we really are. Without the filters of our ego, the world looks quite different. The problem is . . . this lofty viewpoint seems illusive. People occasionally identify with broader perspective with no apparent effort or intent, but it’s rare to arrive at such a viewpoint accidentally. More commonly, brief glimpses are caught deliberately by intent, and repeated by personal discipline and the use of clever techniques. Transform Your Inner Critic into Your Inner Coach Whatever is the predominant thought and attitude about any given subject is what we create in our experience. So if we allow our inner critic to run amuck with the usual garbage dished out by the modern media conglomerates and cultural conditioning, we lock ourselves into a self-perpetuating cycle of negativity, lack and disempowerment. If you look beneath the surface, these prolific comments from our inner critic contain concealed, valuable and powerful gifts. To receive the gifts, it’s necessary to shift your attitude about the nature of the inner critic self-talk. Quit considering it as a negative hindrance and out-of-control annoyance bent on your self-destruction. Instead, see it as an attempt at communication from your higher self, urging you to make improvements in order to live up to your potential. How to Live the Life of Your Dreams Through Intuition Intuition feels good. That should be enough of a clue it’s something that can be trusted. But, our culture has done a thorough job of instilling doubt about the wisdom of following our instincts. Instead, we are taught to think things through and be logical. These mental tools are important, but they were never intended to be used instead of intuition. They work better when used in conjunction with intuition. If we are open to it, we get nudges and insights to move us in the direction of our greatest joys, our most valuable contributions, and our most satisfying life. Those quiet whispers and gentle taps on the shoulder are examples of inner guidance in action – intuition. Inspire Yourself on Purpose – Inspiration from Inside Out Here are twelve common sense reminders on how to inspire yourself. The word “inspire” derives from root words that mean “in spirit” or “spirit within.” Although there’s always another step to take, these points are a natural result of recognizing and identifying with this realization of who we really are. How Do You Feel – About Inner Guidance? Is it a hunch? Is it a voice in your head? Is it something you feel? Don’t confuse what you feel with who you are. Once you are able to access this awareness of pure being and identify yourself with it, you won’t get carried away by whatever emotional cloud happens to be passing by. Celebrate life through one of the more subtle forms of communication available to us – inner guidance. Articles by Tupelo