Categories
Emotional Fear Feeling Negative Emotions Overwhelm Stress

The Consequences of (Emotional) Junk in the Trunk

This is probably one of the most important articles I have written for awhile.

It was inspired by another book I recently read (no surprises there) from Dr Sarno.

The book is called ‘The Divided Mind‘.

It delves into the relationship between the mind, body, emotions and their inter-relationship.

There was also a recent session with a client where I was showing on a whiteboard the consequences – in day-to-day living – if we have too much junk in the trunk.

Or what I am collectively calling suppressed and repressed emotions.

I won’t be writing too deeply into the psychological aspects, but we will go deep enough to make this practical for you.

However I feel I ought prefix that this is REALLY important stuff to know.

What you do with this knowing is then up to you.

Categories
Acceptance Choice Emotional Fear Growth Pain

A “7th” Way We Make Life Harder Than It Needs to Be

You do know I could go all year on this topic.

And I am now committed to writing a short, compact book, on 18 ways we make life harder than it needs to be (and more easeful alternatives), which will be published by the end of the year.

But for now, we will keep the conversation going, which we started 2 weeks ago.

If you didn’t see the first list of 5, check it out here.

This week, we will continue the theme.

Essentially the theme is this:

By the choices we do or don’t make and the actions we do or don’t take, we make life much HARDER than it needs to be in the long-term and for a majority of our waking hours.

And for you, me and everyone on the planet, I think we could all do with less HARD and more PEACE.

Plus if we do hard, it is because we chose to, knowing the highly positive benefits at the back end.

So let the conversation continue…

Categories
Choice consciousness Decision Making Emotional Fear Life Lessons Perspective

5 Ways We Accidently Make Life Harder Than It Needs to be

Hands up if you want a ‘hard’ life?

I am guessing we had about 0% of hands showing.

I reckon the numbers would swing back to approximately 100% if I asked who wants more PEACE in their lives!

Who wouldn’t?

So let’s imagine at one end of the spectrum there is HARD and the other end is PEACE.

This article is about what we mostly ‘unconsciously’ (or accidentally) do, which sends us closer to the HARD end of the spectrum, and what we can do to move closer to the PEACE end of town.

So let’s dive straight in with the first way we make life harder.

Categories
consciousness Fear Growth Life Lessons Perspective Stress Success

Why Do We Rush and What’s The Cost?

Is life a sacred journey for you?

If not, would you actually like it to be a more sacred experience, rather than a race on the hamster wheel?

These days in my business I am MUCH more interested in working with awesome humans people who want to focus more on EVOLUTION (as a whole being), rather than having a “6-figure” (plus) salary or business. Boring!

In the bigger picture, isn’t it more fulfilling to have a sacred life experience, as opposed to being part of a mob of mad racers scrambling for the finish line?

Or a race to amass the most impressive pile of possessions.

Now I am not saying we have to live like paupers to have a sacred life, but I am questioning (which is a good thing) the crazy rush to somewhere we are probably are not even sure we know, or even want.

So today, let’s talk about “What the frigging hell is the rush?!?!”

And the idea of a spiritual journey, as opposed to trying to get “there” quickly.

Categories
Belief Doubt Fear Life Lessons Perspective

Discover the Right Way to use Fear

Dealing with Fear

I often have clients tell me it is ‘fear’ which is stopping them from having a greater life experience, or it is the thing that is ‘holding them back from (insert the thing they desire)’. Fear is something I have come to understand a lot better within my clients, and within myself as well.

And like all things in this game of life, I often see a fork in the road. One way leads to learning and growth and the other leads to a downward spiral or something like ‘Ground Hog’ day. This fear thing can take us down the path of learning, growing and ultimately EVOLUTION, or it can leaves us marking time on the spot, or even going backwards.

The first thing I have come to notice when working with people, is often they have used the ‘fear’ line of response so often or unconsciously, that the fear thing is WAY bigger and way less tangible than is useful. It becomes a generic thing, rather than a specific thing. In it’s generic and undefined form it is of limited usefulness and can seem somewhat scary.

Categories
Doubt Fear Feeling Perspective Problem

The Two Most Powerful Practices That Contribute to Calmness in a Crisis

factsI consider myself to be a pretty calm person, especially in a crisis situation or when my best thought-out plans turn to complete and utter sh#t.

And the reason for my calmness is definitely a nurture over a nature thing. In other words, my ability to stay calm, centred and grounded in a challenging situation is not a genetic trait I inherited from my parents, but a result of habits I have learned (some from my parents) and a number of daily practices I am committed to.

Essentially you can enhance your ability to remain calm, grounded, centred and unflappable by replicating these two practices.

I won’t go in-depth about the physical health practices I do (aka: exercise and nutrition), because I am going to assume you have a good enough idea about that and if not, then read The Guidebook to Optimum Health. The thing to note is our physical practices contribute to the amount of energy we have available to get stuff done plus the quality of our mental health. So my health practices are essential, but not the primary focus of this conversation.

Categories
Belief consciousness Fear Growth Life Lessons

My Approach to Adversity, Disruption and Change

lightI am writing this newsletter (and blog post) on 19 March 2020.
And the state of affairs near and far has changed a radical amount since my last newsletter one month ago due to the corona virus (pandemic).
So my first acknowledgment is the insanely quick rate at which major change can occur. And often with rapid change, there is a whole lot of uncertainty left in it’s wake. Where I imagine many people are right now.

Therefore in this article I thought I would just share some of my thoughts and suggestions around how we can best navigate our way through this experience and beyond.

I am actually finding it a little hard to write now, without coming across as an insensitive so-and-so. You see, I know I am going to die at some point. And I am actually ok with that. I also acknowledge we will all die at some time, and I am at peace with the thought of that as well. So with that inevitability, I am more interested in how I am living now, and how am I contributing to the well-being of the other people on this planet, plus how am I contributing to the planet and all its inhabitants as well.

So I am for LIFE and that is what I will be writing about today. How to experience more life in these times of uncertainty.

Categories
Acceptance Choice consciousness Fear Growth

Major Life Transitions: 5 Tips to Make Them Less Painful & More Easeful

Major Life TransitionsTransitioning from the known to the unknown is one of my favourite fascinations (and activities).I want to know how we can transition with more ease and grace. How we can remove some of the inevitable pain – or at least reduce it. And what are the things we can do that make transitioning something that inspires us, rather than frightens us, and causes us to pull back.

As I write this I am in the middle of a significant transition from being a Co-owner at The Practice (yoga centre), where I have been involved for the last 5 years, into setting up my own coaching and event management business in Bali. What I like to say is: “Bring on the adventure!” Because adventures happen when we step into the unknown.

The reality is, that everything in this universe is in a state of change. Some faster than others. So step one is to accept that change is a constant in life. In nature if something is not growing (changing) it is dying.

Theatrics aside. The more we can embrace change and the unknown, the easier life in general will become. Now let’s get practical.

Categories
Choice Fear Feeling Perspective Physical Activity

6 Pieces of Wisdom to Take Into 2019

wisdomBefore I step over the line and move into a new year or a new chapter, I thought I would look back over the last 49 years and see what are the 6 best things pieces of wisdom I would take with me into 2019.

This was a powerful question I asked myself:”If I could only take 6 pieces of wisdom (or strategies) with me into 2019 what would they be?”

Tough question! But I will give it a shot.
Here goes…

Categories
Acceptance Fear Growth

How to Take Adversity from A Pain in The @%# to a New Level of SUCCESS

lifeLast Saturday I was off to see one of my favourite movie characters and actors come to life again on the big screen as Jason Bourne. I was super excited. And then I got the call.

Rob is one of the Founders of The Practice yoga centre in Bali, that I am now a co-founder of, and he informed me that by chance he discovered that the neighbour planned to start building a 15m high, 2-storey accommodation block about 1m from our boundary, which will eventually block 50% of the view from one of our yoga studios. And he planned to start building immediately.

The landowner has a rather large block of land. He has no need to build 1m from our fence, and he was openly amused at the idea that his building, when finished would block out 50% of our view from one of our studios. Long story short. Not a nice or reasonable person and definitely not interested in us ‘working together’ so everyone benefits – like us guaranteeing him 100% occupancy rate for at least 4-6 months of the year as our preferred accommodation provider.