Author Archives: Barbara Banks

About Barbara Banks

Whole Heart Life Life and Business Coach, Trainer and Speaker

Exercise 4: BE Still

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Exercise 4: BE

Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) says:

Be still, and know that I am God…

I love the directive from something greater than I to BE STILL.

Get out your journal and contemplate these questions:

  1. What does it mean to you to BE STILL?  Does it mean to STILL your body or your mind or both?
  2. What would it look like for your body to BE STILL?
  3. What would it look like if your mind was STILL?
  4. What activities do you do to STILL your MIND; to STILL your BODY?
  5. Is it hard for you to BE STILL? Why?
  6. Read these quotes and write out what they are saying to you:
    • All creativity requires some stillness. –Wayne Dyer
    • Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen – that stillness becomes a radiance. –Morgan Freeman
    • Being still and doing nothing are two completely different things.  –Jackie Chan
  7. What do you think would happen if your body was STILL? If your mind was STILL?
  8. What can you do in the next couple weeks to BE STILL in body and mind?

Feel free to share what BE STILL means to you in the comments.

Cheering You onto a Whole Stilled Heart,
Barbara

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Exercise 3: BE Here Now

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Welcome to Exercise 3: BE Here Now.

BE HERE NOW is a book by Ram Dass that discusses learning to be in the present moment.

Being present means that instead of being focused on what happened yesterday or what could happen tomorrow, you are simply here, now. It’s about getting off autopilot and becoming aware of the automatic actions and reactions you are used to, and finding a place of clarity and calm. The present moment offers peace.

Many times through out a day, we can find ourselves snagged in an unpleasant emotion.  Many of which are caused by our mind going into “the land of stories” whether they be from a past event or a future wondering.  Sometimes these stories seem like the present, yet still cause us to dwell in a negative emotion or mood.

Getting up in the morning and having dread about going to work can be an example.   Yes, it is true that you may feel dread, yet what and where is your mind wandering to?  What stories are being spun in your mind that are bringing about the dread?

While those are great questions, the exercise for the next couple weeks is to notice when you are caught in an unpleasant emotion and become present by practicing these two techniques:

  1. Stop and take three slow, deep breaths. You can do this with your eyes open or closed. Concentrate on feeling the air of your breath as it goes in and out your body. Bring your attention solely to your breath.   OR
  2. Stop and look around, wherever you are, and start naming the objects you see.  I see a chair, a dish, a spoon, a tree, etc.  Bring your attention to naming all the things you see in your line of vision.

Take note of what happens to the emotional snag as you do this.  Notice if the feeling diminishes and, even if for a moment, you feel calm and peace.

Cheering You On to a Whole Be Present Heart,
Barbara

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Exercise 2: BE Real

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A phrase used quite often is “Be Real.”

Sometimes it is said as…

Be Authentic.

Be Your Truth.

What does all that mean?

Does it mean anything goes with how you think and behave?

Does it mean sharing all your feelings, thoughts, problems with others?

We have minds that can be quite imaginative and assumptive. How does one know what is real?

Do you know YOUR truth so you can BE it?

Explore what this mean to you, and discover more of YOUR truth by journaling and contemplating these questions:

  1. What do these statements mean to you; are they the same? (Feel free to get out a dictionary/thesaurus and read definitions and related words.)
  • Be Real.
  • Be Authentic.
  • Be Your Truth.
  2. How do you know when you are being REAL/AUTHENTIC/YOUR TRUTH?  What are you doing?  How are you feeling?
  3. What keeps you from being REAL/AUTHENTIC/YOUR TRUTH?
  4. What activities have helped you discover more about who you are, your realness, your truth, your authenticity?
  5. Are there any areas of your life or roles that you have where you find it hard to be your real/authentic/truthful self?  What makes it hard?
  6. Have you ever discovered YOUR TRUTH changed? If so, where and what happened to make that change?
  7. What do you think you could do in the next couple weeks to BE more REAL/AUTHENTIC/YOUR TRUTH?

Feel free to share some thoughts from one of the questions in the comments.

Cheering You On to a Whole REAL Heart,

Barbara

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