All About Women | Women

At our last BWP Gathering we talked about our thinking. The Universal Law says what we think about most of the time becomes the reality we experience in our lives. Because we have been reared on negativity most of our lives, we still operate out of that negativity. It has become a habit and way of life that is difficult to break. So, how do we create lives of positivity, peace and joy? By simply choosing to.

You may say, “Easier said than done!” Yes, well, everything is. But you still manage to get up every morning and create a day, usually filled with negative emotions and events. Stop allowing your life to just run itself and start showing up in your life. Start taking an active role in your life, instead of the passive one you have become so used to. Make the conscious choice to become an active participant in your life, instead of the passive spectator.

One way to create that positive atmosphere is to choose your feeling. When you have those negative thoughts, you tend to then have negative feelings about those thoughts. Choose to derail those negative feelings and pick a different feeling, one that will lift you up. Choose to smile. When you smile, all sorts of wiggly things happen to your insides and you cannot hold a negative feeling in that same space.

One of the things that make me smile each and every morning is opening my inbox and finding my daily vibration lifters. I sign up for daily quotes, inspirational sayings and stories, and anything else that gets me out of a dark space and into a brighter one. I want to share one that I received this morning from Mike Dooley and his Notes from the Universe. You will remember Mike as one of the teachers in the movie, The Secret.

You're freakin' me out, Carolyn. I can't remember when you last looked so radiant. When your inner beauty shone so bright. When your step was so light and your smile so heavenly. And it's Monday! What's gotten into you?!

Does this have anything to do with recalling your divinity? Have you realized that
time truly is on your side, and that more than enough of it remains for us to do
your greatest work? Is it that you now see how much you already have, how many
you've already helped, and how much you've already done?

Ahhhh! Your eyes just did that sparkly thing! Moonbeams just shot from your fingertips! The aroma, all around you, is like lavender! And your angels are locked wing to wing singing, "Weeeeeeeeee are the champions..."
...Okay, okay. So I'm pulling your leg a little bit. Truth be told, I can't remember when you didn't look like this.
All together now...
The Universe

This past weekend, fourteen fabulous women gathered, laughed, cried, and shared their stories about what it means to live in the present moment and what blocks them from doing so. The big “D” word came up: DRAMA! It is amazing how connected we all are by the drama stories that happen in our lives. Drama, ours or other people’s, keeps us out of the present moment. Drama is about living out of our fear, and that fear then escalates into this gi-normous event. We have no idea how to deal with it, so we need other people to validate our fear, thus creating drama.

These dialogue circles were created to share about the ebbs and flows of our reality. When we live in the past or the future, our flow is blocked and the path gets murky. To stay in the present moment, STOP, TAKE A BREATH, ASK…

Three questions we need to become intimate with, I call them the DO, BE, HAVE Questions:
1. Who am I?
2. What do I want?
3. What am I here to do?

…When we can get in alignment with the answers to these three questions, life flows so much more smoothly. Then when obstacles arise, we are in a better position to deal with them.

When drama does come knocking at your door; stop, take a breath, and then ask yourself:
What is my part in this? Stop pointing the finger at someone else; you cannot control them.
What is mine to do in this situation?

Word of advice: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! There are three kinds of business: Your business, other people’s business, and God’s business. Most of the stress and strife is caused when you move out of your business and into another’s business.

Again, move away from chronic complainers! If they are intimate or significant people in your life, then hold them accountable to their complaints, otherwise, move on! This also causes a lot of the drama in your life. Stop allowing other people to sabotaging your peace and joy. This is your one, wild and precious life and if you work it right, one will be enough!

STOP, TAKE A BREATH, ASK…
Coach Carolyn

To kick off 2009, fourteen fabulous women of passion and purpose gathered together to create their best year yet. I want to thank these women for taking their lives in their own hands and taking a proactive approach to manifest a spiritually abundant and prosperous year; and for hanging out with me, it was awesome!

“Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recog­nize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being respon­sible.” ~ Viktor Frankl from Man’s Search for Meaning

I heard this quote five o’clock this morning and jumped up to write this recap. The main point of our gathering was to realize that this one, wild and precious life is your life and as the author of that one, wild and precious life you hold the pen to write your story as you feel it in your heart. We are each born with our heart’s desire within and this journey is about re-acquainting ourselves with that desire. Through no fault of our own, we have been sold a bill of goods that was not for our good! We have been fed and programmed with everything other than our heart’s desire. We have inadvertently been led in every direction except the direction set by our own internal maps and guidance. Because of this, we do everything we can to try to get back to what we know deep within our hearts. Alas, most of our efforts are just not working.

“We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.” ~ Epictetus

“We do not see the world as it is; we see the world as we are.” ~ Anaîs Nin

Any event, belief, or feeling has no meaning on its own, it just is. The only meaning it has is the meaning we assign it. Yet, we assign it a meaning that conforms to the confines of the boxes we have been placed in by our own world, conditions and circumstances. The meaning we assign something is what gives it life. From our childhoods, we have been dumped with a mirage of thoughts, ideas and emotions from parents, grand-parents, teachers, authority figures, and the media. Over the years, these thoughts, ideas and emotions solidified to form our belief systems. It is these belief systems that we base all our decisions and actions which produce the results we see in our lives.

When a new year approaches, our first thought is to have a better new year than the old ones. However, this is a lofty intention when we are creating more of the same because we are doing the same actions that lead to the same results. It is time to break this cycle of insanity. Remember insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over expecting a different result. One way to break this cycle of insanity is to assign new meaning to the circumstances in our lives. This year is about re-defining and re-designing our new year. Neuro-linguistic programming or NLP calls this reframing. Step out of your belief system to assign a new story to those areas that are not working in your life.

One example of this is my journey of menopause. Yes, I am in the elite club of women who experiences hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, and the plethora of symptoms that go along with this stage of life. All my life, I have heard nothing but negative comments around this time of life. I made the decision to re-define how I experience menopause. First, I took a workshop to find out about this mysterious phase. It was one of the best things I could have done for myself. I was amazed to learn that this “second life” is the wisdom stage, the time of life when women are more about “being” than “doing”. It is the time when we are more contemplative as opposed to more social. It is our quieting time. This led me to re-define how I experience menopause. There is nothing I can do to stop this process, so I may as well accept it with grace. I chose to see this time as a time where I can sit and be wise and not run around trying to prove myself. Well, my hot flashes and night sweats have lessened. Yes, I am more contemplative and solitary, making my social time with friends all the more rich and meaningful.

Look at one area of your life that is not working for you: relationships, finances, health, spirituality, fun and leisure, business and career. Within that area, list three things that are not working. Then think about the meaning you assign to those things. Are you approaching them with fear and drama, or with love and acceptance? Do you view them as something to dread instead of something to challenge and mature you? Do you look for the lessons and the blessings within each situation instead of only seeing it as a curse and problem?

Be Grateful
Live in a constant state of gratitude. Be grateful for everything. Remember, you are breathing, that is a blessing. Remember, there are women in this world who do not have the liberties and freedoms to do many of the things we take for granted. Remember, when you are stuck in traffic, that you have a car! Remember, when you have to wait on line, that you have feet to stand on. Be grateful for everything. When it is raining and snowing, you have shelter to keep you dry. When it is blistering cold outside, you have a warm place to lay your head. Remain in a constant state of gratitude. When you have an attitude of gratitude, you cannot have negative thoughts at the same time. Live in your blessings. Learn from the lessons. Both are always within reach.

Resources to Re-Define and Re-Design Your 2009
Here is just a few of the resources discussed in our gatherings. This list is by no means exhaustive.

Books
The Four Agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz
The Mastery of Love – Don Miguel Ruiz
The Voice of Knowledge – Don Miguel Ruiz
(You can get the 3-book boxed set from Amazon for a steal!)
As a Man Thinketh – James Allen
Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill
Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl
Loving What Is – Byron Katie
Ask and It Is Given – Jerry and Esther Hicks
Get The Life You Want – Richard Bandler
Change Your Life in 30 Days – Rhonda Britten
Fearless Living – Rhonda Britten
A Return to Love – Marianne Williamson
The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
Spiritual Economics – Eric Butterworth
It’s Not About the Money – Brent Kessel
The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron

Podcasts and iTunes
One of my greatest tools of leaning is my iPod. If you have one, use it to your greatest benefit, if you do not have one, you still have no excuse. Go to the Apple website and download iTunes, the program for purchasing, storing, listening and viewing audio and video materials. Whether you have an iPod or other mp3 player or not, you can still download the podcasts to listen to on your computer. Once you have installed the program, go to the iTunes store. From the menu on the left, click on Podcasts. Podcasts are fabulous; they are mini workshops, classes, lectures and sermons on just about any topic – all for free! Yes, we loooove free!

Some of my favorite podcasts; to find them just key in the search box under the Podcast category.

MorningCoach.com – one of the best personal development podcasts out there. It is 15 minutes of positivity to set your day and get you motivated. Also, visit the website, lots of great tools to create your best life. Hosted by J.D. Glossinger.

Neurolinguistic Psychology Podcast – for the newbies to NLP, this podcast is not only a great primer, but also has great tools and how-to’s. Hosted by Dr. Will Horton.

W.O.M.A.N.: A New Definition – this podcast is for women looking for holistic alternatives to health and well being. Host Gina Cloud is passionate about educating women on alternative methods and treatments for health related issues. I wrote her first review on the iTunes site!

I could go on, but I won’t! I warn you, once you get into podcasts, they are totally addictive. There is also iTunes U, as in University. There are full length courses coming from places like Stanford and Duke. Jump in and stay awhile!

Daily Affirmations
I receive at least a dozen daily emails of affirmations or some positive quote or saying to set the tone of my day. I collect the quotes in a Word doc to use in my writings, workshops and classes. I write the ones that really resonate in my daily planner.

Think Positive! Blog – Kirsten Harrell is one of my favorite bloggers and friends. She is a positivity and soul psychologist who delivers a daily affirmation called “ipopins” to lift you up. Kirsten’s warning: prolonged use of positive thinking may create a permanent positive attitude. I totally agree! Subscribe to her blog to get your daily ipopins in your inbox. It really sets my day. You can also purchase her “ipopins” as mp3s to take with you and listen when needed. Change your mind... change your life... one minute at a time!

Gratefulness.org – a non-profit organization dedicated to gratefulness, a universal principle that serves as the core inspiration for personal growth, cross-cultural understanding, interfaith dialogue, intergenerational respect, and ecological sustainability. Sign up for a daily email blast of gratefulness. Tons of quotes to remind us to be grateful!

Notes From the Universe – Another teacher from The Secret, Mike Dooley sends positive e-blasts to your inbox from the Universe. When you sign up, the more information you are willing to share, the Notes are more customized to fit your profile.

For spiritually and faith-based quotes and articles, check out Beliefnet.com. It also has an extensive section on prayer and meditation. You can sign up for daily email quotes of any faith.

Look Up and Lighten Your Life
Laughter is great for relieving negative energy and healing the soul. Go to YouTube, type in “Madea” in the search box, and listen to the wise-cracking wisdom of Tyler Perry’s alter ego. Not only will you laugh your um-hum off, but you will gain some wisdom in the process. Madea is raw, real, rude, and irreverent. Check out Madea’s Class Reunion, not only is it hysterical, the music and singing is top-notch!

It has been said that music calms the savage beast. Well, the savage beast lives right in our heads! So, listen to good music. And please check the lyrics! NO GANGSTA RAP if you want positive thinking! I have created a Prosperity Playlist on my iPod to listen to when I need a pick-me-up. Included are:

Footprints in the Sand by Leona Lewis
La Sagese by Sheila Chandra
You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban
My Saving Grace by Mariah Carey
I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack
Singing My Song by Christina Aguilera
Go Light Your World by Jennifer Owens (I was just messin’ wit ya, J!)
* Jennifer is one of our faithful members and she has an amazing voice!

Also, watch what you let inside of your mind. Go on a news fast. Give up television news and newspapers. You’d be surprised how much you don’t miss! Listen to NPR’s 5-minute podcast on the hour. I listen once or twice a day, just to get the headlines. Please, I don’t need all the gory details of the latest shooting!

Also, I mentioned to the ladies about my nightly meditation practice which has made quite an impact in such a short time. The best time to work on our thoughts and our mind is when our minds are in its meditative state, the Alpha state. I have been using a program called the Alpha Mind Control from the Super Mind Evolution System to straighten out my stinking thinking! (Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to sign up for the free Alpha Mind Control audio)

At bedtime, I listen to the meditation, and as I become somewhat drowsy, I take the opportunity to re-program my mind. I read my daily Action List for the following day; I read my 90-day intention which I would like to receive; and I do a creative visualization called the Prosperity Consciousness Exercise from Bob Proctor’s You Were Born Rich. Whatever that 90-day intention is, I visualize it as if I have already received it. I picture the entire scene with all the colors, smells, sounds, and senses.

And finally, for this post anyway, get yourself a Passion Partner. I have said this before and I am saying it again. Find someone who will challenge you, hold you accountable and love you to the fulfillment of your dreams. Please NOT A SIGNIFICANT PARTNER. This person has to be totally objective and willing to not just hear what you say, but LISTEN to you. Yes, there is a difference. You need constant support and encouragement, especially if you have more toxic people around you than you can stand. Hire a coach, find a mentor, and choose wisely. I have hired four new coaches and mentors this year because this is will be a slammin’ year and I am serious! It is time for you all to get serious about your lives.

If you have seen the movie or read “The Secret” then you are familiar with the wealth guru Bob Proctor. I have tapped into his wisdom and if you are ready to elevate your thinking, taking your mind and your abundance level soaring, Six Minutes to Success will change your life!

This was a long one, but I hope it will give you some guidance to re-define and re-design your 2009!

Be blessed and be a blessing!
Coach Carolyn

Our Becoming a Woman of Purpose Meetup met last weekend. I want to say thank you ladies for coming out on a frigid afternoon, I appreciate you all.

We talked about spiritual practices ~ some tips on how to use them and some examples of specific ones. One very important tip is to just do it! It is not about being perfect, but being centered and at peace. This you will never accomplish if you just don’t start already! Never mind about how it looks or sounds to anyone else, this is your journey and your practice. It looks however you need it to look for it to work for you.

Another tip is to have no expectations. It is said that expectations are future rejections. When I expect someone to do something, and they do not; it is not the person that has let me down, but my expectation of them. Go into everything with an open heart and an open mind. This is critical for spiritual practices because when you have expectations, chances are something will come up that is not in line with what you expected. Then what? You give up because it didn’t go according to your plan. In the realm of the spirit, nothing goes according to your plan. This is an important lesson to keep handy. I can do the same practice two days in a row and each day presents something different. Why? Because I am different. I am feeling something different, I am experiencing something new and different, or I am just in a funky place at the time.

One of our newest members shared her spiritual practice of meditation. She remarked how centered and peaceful she feels once she has had her meditation time; and how empty she feels when she does not meditate. Another member shared that she creates vision boards and this is very calming for her.

There is no set practice ~ whatever you do to connect you with the divinity that is within you and outside of you is your practice. I shared my four main practices: prayer and contemplation; spiritual reading; silence and solitude; and journaling. I can definitely feel the effects when one or all of those practices go unchecked. For silence and solitude, I take myself on an Artist Date; just me, my journal and my pen. No friends, family or pets. No distractions, just time to be with yourself, to get to know yourself more.

If you are a newbie to spiritual practices, there are two sites that I have found to very useful: One is Beliefnet – whatever your belief system, this site will accommodate you. It offers prayers, meditations, news and views on all things of a spiritual and religious nature. The other site is Spirituality and Health, named for the magazine. Try one or both sites to jumpstart or spice up your spiritual practice.

I also shared a ritual I use for ending my day: every evening I do a self-inquiry of my day. I answer three questions:
*What have I learned today?
*What have I enjoyed today?
*What have I improved or contributed to today?

Then I list five things I am grateful for that day. Instead of going to sleep anxious and worried about the day or the next day, this sets the tone for restful and peaceful sleep. When you wake up, set an intention for your day.

What would you like the day to look like? Ex., a day full of peace-filled conversations with no drama!

How do you want to feel? I want to feel peaceful and grateful all day, not worried or stressed.

Also, if you have a petty tyrant, that special person whose job it is to constantly annoy you, set an intention that your petty tyrant won’t annoy you today. And if s/he does, it won’t bother you; you will remain in a state of peace and goodwill. It may sound hokey, but when done in the proper spirit, it does work and you will notice the difference. As a coach, teacher and speaker, I have many petty tyrants. Yet, I see them as my teachers ~ they are in my life to teach me something. Yet, I simply remain open and grateful for the lessons and the blessings that come. This is what consistently doing spiritual practices has taught me ~ to be more open and look for the light instead of expecting the darkness.

I would love to hear what spiritual practices work for you. Please share them with us.

In peace and gratitude,
Coach Carolyn

“Spiritual practice supports the development of personal power. Spiritually powerful people are not necessarily people who do so much, as they are people around whom things get done.” ~ From A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson

I have a great many tasks and projects that I work on from day to day. I don’t consider myself busy, as I consider myself productive. We can be extremely busy, but produce nothing at the end of the day. When the day is done, I want to have something to show for the time and effort I spent on an assignment. As one of my spiritual practices, I assess my day; evaluating how my time was spent and what was truly accomplished.

I have several spiritual practices, and they have become just that, practices. It took time to develop them into a daily habit. Like brushing our teeth and showering, spiritual practices are to be done until they are very comfortable and natural. You miss them when you cannot do them.

The only time my spiritual practices are out of sync is when I am traveling. So I have adapted a travel version of my practices so that I can do them when I am on a plane, train, bus, or traveling by car. I love my travel practices, because when I am traveling, I love the motion. I find this very soothing and meditating, thus being conducive to putting me in a peaceful state. I am good at shutting other people and noises out. (Don’t know if this is a good thing or just plain rude, but it works for me!)

At our next Becoming a Woman of Purpose Meetup, we will be discussing the ins and outs of using spiritual practices. For me personally, I could not do all that I do if I did not have spiritual practices. I would not be as peaceful or as focused. When I feel less than peaceful and less than focused, I know that I have my practices to fall back on. I can do them anytime.

If you are looking for the peace, the calm, the focus in your life, consider attending the next Meetup gathering. If you cannot attend, look for the follow-up posts and notes. I may also do a teleseminar if there is enough interest. Looking forward to your thoughts on this one.

May you be at peace,
Coach Carolyn

Greetings Purposeful Divas and Divos!

Just wanted to share an email I received concerning making, breaking and negotiating agreements. I believe it can benefit other women as well.
*******

Thanks so much for sending this recap. It is extremely useful and full of wonderful ideas. I wish I was not out of town and could have attended.

If someone breaks an agreement with you...say a lover who cheats on you...what could one say to share ones feelings in an adult, honest, loving way and not angry and then renegotiate a new agreement?

Much appreciation and gratitude for your insights.

Marlene
******
Marlene,

Your question is a good one and one that I am sure lots of people are dealing with. When we speak of making agreements, we also mean making agreements with ourselves; all this comes down to trust.

Do you trust yourself enough to make and re-negotiate an agreement? If not, how can you trust another? We expect significant others to do for us what we will not do for ourselves.

Did you make an agreement with the other person? I don't mean a hap-hazard sort of agreement, but a real agreement with clarifying statements?

In re-negotiating an agreement, we must do the truth in love. State exactly what you are feeling about the broken agreement. State facts.

"When you did ______, I felt ______. The impact that had on me was ____. My request is ______."

No angry words, no emotional outbursts. Just state the facts. Then re-negotiate as you feel comfortable. The re-negotiation process is unique to each situation. What does your gut/intuition tell you? Are you able to trust the person again in order to make a new agreement.

Infidelity is a difficult case. Discern carefully and take your time. This is your life. Only you must live it.

Agree with a purpose!
Coach Carolyn

Our Becoming a Woman of Purpose Meetup Group concluded our three part discussion of The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. We by no means exhausted the topic. We, at least I, could talk on these agreements until the cows come home. When exactly do the cows come home? Anyway, our discussion was very powerful. We had a great group of ladies, as usual. It is always a new group because one or two new ladies will join us. Yet, the dynamics are always fascinating.

One of my passions is being a part of a group of purposeful women discussing spiritual issues that impacts their souls. Amazing to watch and share. We discussed honoring our agreements. Life is about making, breaking and re-negotiating agreements. We make an agreement, say to meet someone at a certain time. Then as life happens, we break the agreement. The reasons do not matter. What does matter is that we then need to re-negotiate the agreement, or make a new agreement. This is the part we fall down on. We don’t communicate our feelings about the broken agreement, so we just stew and let the matter fester until we are carrying anger and resentment towards the other person.

If we would just have a conversation with that person about the broken agreement; not in an angry or argumentative manner, but in a loving and honest way, then things would not get so out of hand. All we need to do is to clarify the agreement, apologize if necessary, and then make a new agreement. Make the new agreement with a few clarifying points. Say to the other, “okay, let me see if I got this right…” then repeat the agreement to clarify. When we can make and negotiate agreements in this way, our relationships are so much stronger and kinder.

Several other topics along the same theme came up and I want to recap one of them because I believe that we could all benefit from shining light on it here. The concern was about being and staying present. We tend to live either in the past ~ dealing with regrets and if onlys, or we live in the future ~ worrying about the what ifs. Both are about our fears and both take us out of the present moment. I know that we all have these moments when we fret over past events or worry about our tomorrows.

It is about creating spiritual practices for ourselves. One of the practices could be taking one issue or worry that you are carrying and take some small action toward it. If something is bothering you about your past, it could possibly be an incompletion in your life. An incompletion is something that was left undone or unsaid in your past that is affecting your present. For example, if a memory comes up for you and there is some amount of pain attached to the memory, chances are there is something incomplete about that event. So you need to complete it.

To complete what was left incomplete, get clear about what the incompletion is. Ask questions about it: What is incomplete? What did I feel about the circumstances of that event? How does that affect me in the present moment? How is it affecting my moving forward? After exhausting all of the questions, then ask what needs to be done to complete it. Who is involved? Remember, it is not necessary to involve another if it would be harmful to you or to them.

Can you declare it complete and move on? Sometimes you just need to make the declaration and be done with it. The event or circumstance may not need anything done to complete it except to declare it complete.

Remember, life is a process, not an event. This all takes one step and one moment at a time. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip. Just wake up the next day and agree to make a new agreement. Soon you will see that your life will shift to a brighter and more peaceful way of being.

Make and keep your agreements on purpose!
Coach Carolyn

Now, about those cows. It is an old Irish expression. So, when do the cows come home? Well, when they are damn good and ready! Or when they need to be milked. Just like a cow!

Thanks to the ladies, our last Becoming a Woman of Purpose gathering was wonderful. Lots of deep, intimate and honest conversations. Taking the topic from one of Don Miguel Ruiz’ Four Agreements, Don’t Take Anything Personally, certainly evokes lots of discussion and lots of fire in the belly. Of the four agreements, this one is the most difficult to follow.

As Don Miguel explains, we tend to think everything is about us, when in fact, it is not. We must learn to let go of our own belief that we must react to everything that is directed at us. We have not been called to police the universe. Everything is not about me. It is a hard enough job taking care of my own business; I don’t need to delve into everyone else’s business as well.

We all have our own stories, and we all operate out of our own stories and realities. Yet, my story is just that: my story. It is no one else’s. This holds true for all of us. When someone says something to us, whether positive or negative, it is from their own reality, their own story; and has nothing to do with me.

This particular agreement has been absolutely life changing for me personally. When I finally wrapped my brain around the fact that whatever was said to me or about me, had nothing to do with me, I was liberated. I have also learned to no longer “take offense” from other people. When someone offends me, I can choose not to take the offense, and let it go; because again, it is not about me.

And if you constantly offended by other people, think about how many times you offend other people. I can hear you saying that you don’t mean to offend anybody. Well, does anyone mean to offend? If you are in a relationship with someone, platonic or intimate, who constantly offends, then it is time to rethink the relationship. Someone you are not in relationship with, and has no vested interest in, should not cause you distress. If it does, then ask yourself why? What button has it pushed and why do you have the button in the first place? Also, think about your part in any distressing situation and ask yourself, “What is my part in this situation?

Stop wearing your heart on your sleeve, and stop taking things personally ~ it is not about you!

Coach Carolyn

“It takes courage to demand time for yourself. At first glance, it may seem to be the ultimate in selfishness, a real slap in the face to those who love and depend on you. IT IS NOT! It means you care enough to want to see the best in yourself and give only the best to others.” ~ Shale Paul

“If you are not taking care of yourself; body, mind, and spirit, the people in your life don't get the best of you, they get what's left of you!” ~ Lorraine Cohen

The Becoming a Woman of Purpose Meetup Ladies got together last Sunday to discuss A New Earth. There was lots of discussion, even from those who has not yet read the book. That is exciting!

One of the things we discussed was Eckhart’s starting question: “What does life want from me?” A few of the women had been asking the question the other way round, of course – what do I want out of life? Yet, Eckhart says that this is the more profound question. When asked in this way, we can let go and relax a bit more, trusting that the Divine will show up with just what we need to do in this life.

For myself, I know that my mission is to equip, empower and encourage women to live lives of inner peace, passion, purpose and prosperity. What I don’t know is how that will play out from day to day – and that is the exciting part. I trust that the Divine will lead me exactly where I need to be at exactly the right time to fulfill my mission. And this changes from day to day. (the Divine knows that I have a very short attention span!)

So if you are struggling through life, perhaps it is because you are not allowing the Divine to guide you to where you need to be, but you are trying to fit into a space that has not been made to fit you. When I feel that I am struggling, I know that I am also not trusting enough. Not that I won’t take any actions; believe me, there is always something to do. When I can take time to stop and listen to what is going on inside of me, then I can hear the inner promptings and know what I am to do next.

Are you allowing the Divine to guide your life, or are you afraid to give up the control and let go? What comes up for you when you ask, “What does life want from me?”

Live in the moment and awaken…
Coach Carolyn

A landmark interactive spiritual event is on the horizon. Starting Monday, March 3rd at 8pm CST, Oprah Winfrey and best-selling author and spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle will team up to teach a live weekly Web Event centered around “A New Earth,” Oprah’s latest book club selection. This revolutionary Web Event is being hailed as “the biggest classroom ever,” and is free to join.

The Becoming a Woman of Purpose community has been invited to participate in this event. We are one of over 50 different communities – websites, blogs, groups – involved.

Already being heavily discussed on Oprah.com, the Oprah Show, and news networks, this event is creating major buzz around the world. because the book’s main theme “awakening to your life’s purpose,” is central to our discussions, we believe this 10-week transcendent Web Event is bound to inspire activity and discussions within all of our BWP communities.

AHA! Moments
Each week, the course will cover one of the ten chapters in the book. There is already a dynamic discussion on Oprah.com around the AHA! Moment in each chapter.

The AHA! Moment is the flashpoint where the topic of each chapter hits home. This will be a great topic of discussion within the BWP communities.

Author of the #1 New York Times’ Best Seller “The Power of Now,” spiritual teacher and speaker Eckhart Tolle, who teaches heavily on the transformation of consciousness, has devoted his life to helping others find inner peace and greater fulfillment in their lives.

About the Book
Building on the astonishing success of The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle presents readers with an honest look at the current state of humanity: He implores us to see and accept that this state, which is based on an erroneous identification with the egoic mind, is one of dangerous insanity.

Tolle tells us there is good news, however. There is an alternative to this potentially dire situation. Humanity now, perhaps more than in any previous time, has an opportunity to create a new, saner, more loving world. This will involve a radical inner leap from the current egoic consciousness to an entirely new one.

In illuminating the nature of this shift in consciousness, Tolle describes in detail how our current ego-based state of consciousness operates. Then gently, and in very practical terms, he leads us into this new consciousness. We will come to experience who we truly are—which is something infinitely greater than anything we currently think we are—and learn to live and breathe freely. ~ From Amazon.com

Already over 380,000 have registered, so don’t miss out on the web event of the year. If you are serious about awakening to your life’s purpose, then join in this revolutionary event.

BWP Communities
Becoming a Woman of Purpose Blog (You are here!)
Becoming a Woman of Purpose Meetup Discussion
Becoming a Woman of Purpose Facebook Group

Awaken to your power!
Coach Carolyn