Category Archives: Head

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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2018 Week 50: Guiding Star

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Week 50’s task of 50 Weeks to a Lighter More Loving You is GUIDING STAR.

This week we are going to find ONE WORD that will be your GUIDING STAR for the upcoming year.

As humans, we can’t resist the impulse to fill our lives with something. So in lieu of real purpose, we often settle for preoccupation. But purpose requires that we, in turn, are purposeful. As long as we’re preoccupied, distracted, or half-hearted, we’ll have trouble recognizing, understanding, and pursuing our true purpose in life.

We will be face with hundreds of choices everyday.  Getting clear on where you want to go, what kind of life you want to create, who you want to be, and how you want to inspire others helps significantly when you are faced with all those daily choices. 

At the beginning of every year I take time to work through a group of exercises and then end it all with finding a GUIDING STAR….or ONE WORD…my WORD FOR THE YEAR, that will be an easy reminder of what it is I am being purposeful about for the year.   

It helps guide decisions.  

It helps keep me on track.

It brings to mind my goals or intentions for the year.

It brings more meaning to my days and ultimately my year.

Here are the exercises:

  1. Review your TOP 5 IDEALS.
  2. Print off the LIFE WHEEL and in each section write one or two things in each section that you’d like to do this coming year to improve that area of life.  If you are totally happy with a particular area of your life, leave it blank or write what you’d like to continue doing.
  3. Make a List of 10 things you’d like to do this year.  Some of them may be the same as on a wheel area or it might be a more specific thing related to what you wrote in your wheel.
  4. Print off the WORD FOR THE YEAR WORKSHEETS and complete them.

This will take time to do.  The process helps you get focused and contemplating what in your life you’d like to do, work towards, or accomplish in the new year.  

By the time you get to the WORD OF THE YEAR, you will have focus and clarity. 

YOUR GUIDING STAR (WORD FOR THE YEAR) may jump right off the page! 

Once you have it, post it somewhere in your home where you see it everyday.  Use it as a meditation mantra. Tell someone your word. Write it down, take a picture of it, and use it as wallpaper on your phone or computer.  Just make sure you see it everyday.

This is the final task of 50 Weeks to a Lighter More Loving You…and it is a big one!

There isn’t much that makes us feel lighter and more loving then direction and purpose.

I hope you enjoyed this series. (You can find all the tasks under YEAR OF LOVE.)

Feel free to post your GUIDING STAR (WORD FOR THE YEAR) in the comments.

Cheering You on to a Whole Lighter More Loving You Heart,

Barbara

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2018 Week 49: Dear John

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Week 49’s task of 50 Weeks to a Lighter More Loving You is DEAR JOHN.

A Dear John letter was a type of letter written by an individual wishing to terminate a relationship.

The relationship we are “terminating” is with this past year.

You may be reading this while you are still living 2018!  That is okay.  You can still do this now OR wait till New Year’s Day.

You will find this helpful to start 2019 with a sense of closure, peace, and renewed focused.

Take some time this week (or on New Year’s Day) in your HaMakom, with your journal, to answer the following questions.

Saying Good Bye and Honoring the Past Year

Answer the following to help let go of the past year.  Write what comes to mind first.  Try not to over think or spend more than a couple minutes on each question.

  • List Events from this past year:
  • What lessons did you learn in the past year?
  • What are you most proud of yourself for from this past year?
  • What are you most grateful for from the past year?
  • What are you glad you are leaving behind?
  • What 3 words describe last year?
  • What would you title last year if it was a book or movie?

FINALLY, write a short and sweet Good Bye note to this past year.

Dear 2018,  

________________________________

There are several things I do on New Year’s Day to start the year.  This is one of them.

Whether 2018 has been a trying year or a good year, there is something powerful about reviewing it and letting it go.

Feel free to share the title of your year in the comments.

Cheering You on to a Whole Honored and Farewelled 2018 Heart,

Barbara

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