miércoles, 31 de marzo de 2010

811rv: Day 0/365 again - Dammit!

Darn. Failed right on the very first day.

Everything was going fine, then suddenly I went out, bought some canned beans with tomato sauce, half a baguette and a box of chocolate, and ate it all at once.

I have no clue why I did that. There was lots of raw food in the kitchen, and I wasn't even really hungry.

Maybe I'm just scared as hell? I feel now the same way I was feeling right before quitting smoking. It feels like being about to die. In some way the old me will die indeed. I can understand that I am scared of jumping off the cliff. But maybe that's just an excuse. I am dead addicted to cooked food.

I don't even feel upset at myself. My stomach is hurting and I feel sluggish, and just think "Oh well, I'll try again tomorrow".

I didn't eat enough (only about 500 calories worth of fruit). Tomorrow I'll try to eat more.

martes, 30 de marzo de 2010

Remember that you are a Scanner!

This post is for scanners, of course. If you're not a scanner, you don't need to remember that you are one (nor to read this). But if you are a scanner, don't you ever forget that you are one.

Especially in conventional personal development, we are told over and over again that we should focus on only one or at most two projects or goals at a time. This way of thinking has infected us so much that we keep trying to do that, even though it is totally not helpful to us.

Scanners are just wired differently. We need to juggle. That is what makes us productive. Scanners often procrastinate and are ineffective, that is true. But the point is: scanners don't procrastinate because they work on several projects at the same time. Scanners procrastinate because they try to focus on one project at a time and don't allow themselves to juggle as it would be natural to them.

We struggle when we try to fit into conventional models that are not made for us. This is just not who we are. Trying to be something that we are not creates separation. And struggle.

Sometimes I feel really overwhelmed by all the goals and ideas I am pursuing simultaneously. I feel scattered, unfocused, I don't know what to begin with, what to do next, what to focus on... And that is exactly the mistake! This wanting to "figure it out" and focus on one thing.

What creates my stress in such a situation is not that I have many things to work on. It's that I am trying to behave in ways that don't match what I really am at my very core. Then I die inside. I suffer, I suffocate, and my productivity drops. When on the contrary I remember that I am a scanner, when I allow myself to juggle playfully with everything I am doing, now that unleashes the power within!

In a way I think all this has a lot to do with control. Our logical mind always tries to be in control, to make plans, to set priorities, to decide, and to know where we are going. That is fear. Letting go of control and just spontaneously following our intuition, which is what we do when we juggle around, is scary.

It is perfectly fine not to know what to begin with and what to do next! Inspired action flows out of us freely when we allow ourselves to be in a state of uncertainty. Yes, sometimes this means suddenly interrupting what we are doing, and going for something else. So what?

Today, I was ordering some books on Amazon for my mother. After adding two of the three books she wants to my cart, I suddenly got bored and went to reply to two emails. Some people can sit down and reply to twenty emails in one session - I cannot. I replied to two emails, then I felt inspired to working on this book about business and marketing, one of several books that I am studying at the moment. I took the book to the kitchen, sat down at my kitchen table and did some reading and written exercises. Why the kitchen table and not my desk? Dunno. I just felt like being in the kitchen for a change. After a couple pages of the book, I had enough, jumped up and started writing this blog post. After 362 words I got bored, went back to Amazon and finished ordering the stuff for my mother. Then I went through my French books, sorting out those I don't want anymore. I am decluttering at the moment, and getting rid of most of my books. And now I am back here writing.

Maybe a psychologist would diagnose me with ADD or ADHD or whatever. Who cares? As long as I get my stuff done and have fun getting it done.

Juggling is not multitasking. If I were preparing a reading for a client while listening to music, thinking about my new eBook, and checking for new emails every two minutes, that would be multitasking. That's not what I do. I am fully focused on what I do when I do it. I just switch activities quicker than other people. But if in the end I get everything done, where's the problem?

They keep repeating that it is more effective to focus on one thing until it's done. Maybe for specialists. Not for scanners. Our brains just aren't very linear. I usually get my best ideas about something after a while of doing something else. I am quick at switching my focus and remembering everything I had done previously. I'm good at drawing parallels. What I learn in one area helps me in other areas. I can apply literature to computer programming and mathematics to relationships. That makes me effective. Maybe not in logically obvious ways, but effective nonetheless, in interesting ways.

Just because someone writes in a book that we should work on our most important task for four hours straight first thing in the morning, or focus on only one goal at a time, doesn't make them right. In my experience, this only leads to stress, boredom, frustration, and ultimately procrastination. It makes me feel stuck and awfully off-track.

Accepting ourselves as scanners isn't easy. We don't really have role models, we often struggle to get things done. We might feel lost, or think something is wrong with us. But being a scanner is a strength, provided we see it this way and act accordingly.

We need to embrace our scanner nature and honor it. Everything else brings us farther away from ourselves. Being ourselves, that's also accepting and remembering what we are, and building on that.

811rv: Day 0/365 - The Challenge!

I have decided to stick to 811rv for 365 days in a row and to blog about it.

811rv is a 100% raw, vegan, low-fat diet. "rv" stands for "raw vegan" and 811 stands for 80/10/10, which means getting at least 80% of our calories from carbs, at most 10% from protein, and at most 10% from fat.

My numerous dietary experiments in the last few years have clearly showed me that a 100% raw, vegan diet is by far the best way to go for me. As for low-fat, despite several attempts in the past I haven't been able to really try it out for more than a couple weeks so far, so I don't know if it is right for me or not - but my intuition keeps and keeps bringing me back to 80/10/10 again and again. I have decided to give it a serious shot this time.

I'll blog about it, daily at first, later probably less frequently. When I quit smoking, writing a daily public diary really helped me, so I'll do that here as well. Not for the accountability - I hate the word "accountability", I refuse to be accountable to anyone but myself - simply because when I write about it publicly, it pushes me to be the very best I can be to inspire others.

I expect this to be extremely difficult. Be prepared to seeing me cry, get angry as hell and freak out. ;)

sábado, 20 de marzo de 2010

How To Not Be a Manipulator

What if the person you recognized as a manipulator is yourself? Don't beat yourself up, manipulators are not evil. If you would like to use more straightforward ways of communicating and getting what you want, here are a few tips for you.

Be Clear on What you Want

People who manipulate others usually use this technique because they want something. What is it that you want?

Define exactly what you want and say it out loud and clear.

Give yourself permission to want what you want. Your wishes and desires are legitimate and perfectly okay. Stand by them.

Sometimes, we want things from others when the person we actually should get them from is ourselves. I'm thinking especially of feelings like love, power, security or self-worth. These are available to us at all times by choice. What others give us can never replace what we are not getting from ourselves. In this case, we must find ways to connect with these energies on our own, instead of focusing on others.

Now if it is something we really want from someone else, then we'll have to ask for it.

Acknowledge your Fears

What pushes people to manipulate often is fear, especially fear of being rejected or not getting what they want if they openly asked for it. Asking for something can be scary.

What exactly are you afraid of?

If you asked, what is the very worst that could happen? And what would that mean about you?

I bet even the worst case is something you would survive, and chances are that the bad things it would mean about you exist only in your head. You are free to pick your beliefs. Maybe it is time to change your mindset, or to work on your fear of rejection or on your self-worth. There are also effective tools available to you to help you cope with your fear.

If nothing helps, feel the fear and do it anyway.

Ask for What you Want Openly


Ask for what you want. Be clear and direct. Stay polite of course, but don't sugarcoat it and don't beat around the bush. You can briefly explain why you want what you want, but do NOT

apologize
justify
put yourself down
flatter

It's perfectly natural and legitimate to ask for what you want, so act accordingly.

Women, forget about lady-like postures and submissive behaviors. Plant your two feet solidly into the ground, carrying your weight equally. Keep your back straight, head up and shoulders back. Look the other person straight into the eyes. Say what you want. It's your right.

Be Willing to Hear No


When someone says no to you, this decision is not directed against you. It's just a choice that they make about the thing you were asking for. Other people's choices don't say anything about your worth as a person. Don't take a no personally.

Your desires are legitimate, and it's your right to ask for what you want. It's also legitimate of the other person to set boundaries and their right to say no. Accept it.

If you have a problem with that, find ways to deal with your emotions and examine your beliefs. What does it mean about you if they say no? What about it hurts you? Learn to become invulnerable.

Detach from Other Manipulators

If you spot other manipulators around you, detach from them temporarily. Their communication patterns reinforce your old ones. It's smarter to surround yourself with very direct people for a while. You'll learn a lot just by talking with them.

Learning how to defend yourself against manipulation would be useful too.

You are loved. :-)

lunes, 15 de marzo de 2010

How to Solve the Problems in the World

Since I consider it my mission in this lifetime to create total harmony on Earth, I have thought a lot about ways to deal with all the horrible things that happen all around the world.

Collectively, we can do a lot. I have big dreams about creating an worldwide movement that would spread love and work towards international peace. Or, even better, I dream of uniting and coordinating all the thousands of already existing movements and wonderful people who are actively working on making this planet a more harmonious place. It is time that we all start really working together, don't you think? :-)

Let's Cultivate Acceptance


The most important thing for us to do is to remember that there is nothing wrong with how things are now. When I say "horrible things", that's a human judgment. We humans love to go around judging things as "right" and "wrong" and "good" and "bad" and pinning some fancy labels on them.  In truth the world is perfect as it is, and exactly as it should be. There is nothing wrong, ever. In that sense, the world has no problems that we'd need to solve, to begin with.

Just because we accept something as it is doesn't mean we cannot create something new. I'm curious about how it would feel to collectively experience the energies of love, peace, connection, harmony and abundance. Massively, worldwide. Can you even imagine it? That would be something new! I love to start new projects. Heh, I'm a scanner. ;-)

The first step in order to change something is to accept and wholeheartedly welcome it, unconditionally. To shine light on another facet of our collective self, let's fully embrace the current situation and acknowledge it as perfect!

Let's Respond with Love

When we think of all the terrible things happening in the world, we could feel good and cast some love at those doing them.

All these horrible things happening in the world are just manifestations of disharmony. Feeling bad about them means putting ourselves into a state of disharmony as well. How could disharmony ever heal disharmony? On the contrary, it just reinforces it. The best way to help those who are suffering is to not feel bad about them.

There is no separation between "me"and "them" (the horrible situations or horrible people doing horrible things). It's all one and the same. So how can "I" be less negative? Certainly not by getting sad or angry! I can only become less negative by becoming less negative, not more. This means: maintaining an inner state of peace and love no matter what happens.

Let's Practice Non-Violence

The world is us and we are the world. If we want less violence, we need to become less violent ourselves. Be the change.

Non-violence to me means not taking any violent actions, but also not speaking any violent words, and not thinking any violent thoughts.

Our thoughts do affect others. Thoughts are energy. They create energetic patterns around us. Because of resonance, these patterns propagate and influence everything else. When we think violent thoughts, we actively create violence in the world. Isn't it weird to create something, disapprove of it, and by disapproving of it, create more of the same?

The words we use aren't harmless. They influence our energetic state of being and the one of others. Creating peace in the world includes shaping our vocabulary accordingly.

As for violent actions, these include small or indirect ones. Just as an example, eating meat, eggs or dairy products, using conventional perfume or wearing leather contributes to the violence against non-human animals. Buying stuff in flashy packings that we don't truly need contributes to the disrespectful violation of our natural environment, which is, too, a form of violence.

How can we create a peaceful, loving and respectful world when through our thoughts, words and actions, we are permanently supporting and creating more of the contrary? There is nothing wrong with that. It's just a matter of deciding which energies we want in our reality.

Let's Choose Appropriate Input

Our state of consciousness determines what kind of effect we have on the whole system. Poisoning ourselves with negative input is not helpful in maintaining a positive vibrational state.

I never watch or listen to the news. It is poison for my soul. If you ask me, this is true for TV in general. You can safely throw yours away. This definitely would contribute to world peace.

Surround yourself with uplifting, positive people who make your soul happy and see the best in you.

How about the food you eat? Close your eyes, touch your heart and ask yourself how your food makes you feel really, beyond the immediate pleasure you have when you eat it.

Extend this to all kinds of input, including art, music, novels and movies.

We have the right and the power to choose what we do or don't allow into our consciousness. Saying "no" to negative input is a powerful decision.

Let's be happy!

The best way we can help the world is by being happy. When we are happy, we broadcast happy vibes which influence everybody else. It makes the whole world more harmonious. And that means: less problems.

Happiness does not depend on external circumstances. It is a choice. Let's practice being happy every single day in our lives!

Let's align with ourselves. Let's shed all that is not truly us and be more of who we really are. Let's acknowledge our real desires and go for them. Let's express our soul.

:-)

Wanna join me in creating total harmony on Earth? :-)

sábado, 13 de marzo de 2010

Banana-Goji Smoothie

I usually hate bananas and I'm not fond of drinking smoothies to begin with. But this one I really like. :-)

You need:

4 ripe bananas, peeled
2 handful dried goji berries
2 cups of water
a blender

Soak the goji berries in the water for about 10 or 15 minutes. Put the berries WITH the water in a blender. Add the four bananas. They need to be well riped. Blend. That's it. :)

lunes, 8 de marzo de 2010

Are You Taking Energetically Strategic Action?

When we have a goal that we want to reach, we can take different kinds of third-dimensional action towards our goal. One of them is energetically strategic action. I have learned about it from my teacher Andrea Hess and have been using it since then. I totally love it!

How does it work?

When we take "normal" action, aka linear action, we do things that make logical sense and will probably bring us closer to our goal. For example if you want a great relationship, some linear action could be to ask someone out.

Energetically strategic action on the other hand makes no logical sense. Our rational mind usually doesn't see how taking this action would bring us any closer to our goal. That's because the link between our action and our goal is not a causal one. It's an energetic one.

Our goal has a certain energy to it. This energy is not fully expressed in our life yet (or else we would already have reached this goal). So in order to bring this energy into our life, we take actions that carry the same energy. These actions don't need to make logical sense or to have anything to do with our goal. What's important is that they have the same energy as our goal. By taking these actions, we align with the energy we wish to create in our life. Then it's only natural that our goal manifests, as an expression of this energy, that is now already in our life.

One explanation is the law of resonance, also called law of attraction: like attracts like. Put yourself into a state that is energetically aligned with what you want, and you will attract it. I don't really like the word "attract", though. It suggests that I don't have it yet. I prefer to think that I already have it, it's just a facet of me that isn't revealed yet. I am the one who's broke, and the one who has lots of money. I am the one who's single, and the one who is in a great relationship. By taking energetically strategic action, I just reveal a new facet of what I already am. I shine light on some previously hidden aspect of myself. I sculpt myself.

How to do it?

Step 1: identify your destination energy.

The same goal can mean completely different things to different people. Being in a great relationship can be about love, it can be about connection, about fun, about sensuality, passion, intensity, partnership, adventure, etc. It can be about many things. Making more money can be about freedom, about power, expansion, security, happiness... Whatever.

Identify what energy your goal is about. What does it represent in your eyes? What energetic characteristics does your desired outcome have? When you close your eyes and imagine having reached your goal, how do you feel? What quality would be present in your life that you perceive to not be there yet?

Give your destination energy a name, or a color.

Step 2: take appropriate actions

Take actions that energetically align with your goal. Can you think of small actions that would express your destination energy? It doesn't need to be big things. Small actions have the same powerful effect as long as they carry the right energy.

For example, if your destination energy is love, you could write a friend of yours a letter to tell them how wonderful they are and how happy you are that they are in your life. Or send flowers to your mom. Or pay someone a compliment. Or hug someone. If it's about expansion, you could buy some food that you have never eaten before, go sit for an hour in a café you never were in, learn a new foreign language, befriend one new person a day on facebook or take classes in something you had never tried out before. If it's about adventure, you could take a new way home and get lost in a neighborhood you don't know. Or go to the station and just jump on the first train that leaves for an improvised trip to a random place. Or go on a blind date, or wear a disguise in public for one evening.

You get the idea. Finding appropriate actions is what I think is the most difficult part of the process. When my destination energy is quite far away from where I am now, I find it extremely difficult to even think of appropriate actions. What I find helpful then is to observe other people who already embody this energy in my eyes. I check how they express it and get inspired.

Why do it?

Because it works. I have found it to be highly effective. Not only does it work, it's a lot of fun. You get to wear wigs, go rock climbing, dance, eat exotic foods, buy beautiful skirts and such. And it makes things so much easier than when you only take linear, logical actions.

I personally love it that it makes no sense. It's so awesome to do crazy things that make no sense at all and whoops, everything flows! It makes life a wondrous, magical adventure instead of a boring, predictable project based on hard work. Eew

For me, energetically strategic action is the real action. Linear action is just like opening a door. When we want something, it's easier for us to allow it to happen when our rational mind sees some ways how we could logically get it. We are more ready to believe in finding a partner if we go out, socialize, ask people out, join dating websites or interact with others professionally. We are more ready to believe in making money if we start a business or apply for jobs.

It's awesome and important to open these doors. However, what really gets us where we want to be is the energetic state we are in. Taking energetically strategic action is one of the ways we can shift this energetic state, especially combined with choosing our beliefs wisely.

If you want to learn more about taking action in an energetically meaningful way, I highly recommend Andrea, who is a master at that. What I just wrote about is only a tiny part of her wisdom. Lately she has been focusing on teaching specifically how to create financial abundance. However, I have found her methods to be applicable more generally to pretty much every goal I have.

So, what's your destination energy and how will you bring it into your life right now? :-)

jueves, 4 de marzo de 2010

Readings Now Available! Get 25% off!

Hey, you know what?

My readings page is up! From now on, you can book a Soul Realignment reading with me. :-)

So today is the official start of my new business. I'm so excited! This is the beginning of a great story. A love story, between me and you, my future clients. :-) I wish us lots of fun together and many highly interesting readings. <3

To celebrate this exceptional day, I'm extending my special introductory rate until March 12th. If you book a "Who am I?" reading now, you get 25% off. Check it out!

Today is a very happy day for me. I'm feeling madly in love, and full of overflowing joy. I wish you a wonderful, wonderful day as well!

Much love to you all. <3 <3 <3

martes, 2 de marzo de 2010

Are you Building Yourself or Sculpting Yourself?

I'm fond of personal development. But there is one thing about personal development that irks me a bit. It's this habit of "building". Building courage. Building self-discipline. Building self-confidence. Building personality. Building skills. Building, building, building.

I did adhere to this kind of mindset in the past too. I used to try and "build". The more I grow though, the more I think this approach is disempowering.

Building implies that you don't have it yet. It's not fully there, you need to build some more of it first. So basically, building means believing you're not whole, perfect and complete yet. To me this feels like lack and conditionality.

I prefer to believe that we are already whole, perfect and complete. All energies are at all times available to all of us. When we choose to expand in a new direction, we simply reveal this aspect of us - which was already present.

Everything you could ever wish to be, you already are! You just don't notice because of the negative stuff covering it: for example, your fears, and your limiting beliefs. Some old pain. Attachment. Emotional blocks. Maybe some negative stuff going on at soul level.

Maybe you also choose not to see what you already are. After all, seeing it would mean going a scary, uncomfortable path. It's more convenient to buy into the belief that you "don't have it" yet and first need to "build".

Wasn't it Michelangelo who said about his David that he already lived in the stone, and that he just freed him by taking everything away that wasn't him? It's the same with you. The you that you would like to be already lives inside the big, rough stone that is your current you. There is nothing here to build on top of that. You just need to free yourself. Chop all the stone off that is not truly you. Reveal the diamond.

You already have all the courage, confidence and all the other good qualities that you wish for. It's all there in the stone, just covered by a layer of something that is not truly you. You already have a wonderful personality. When you release fear and negativity, it will shine through bright and clear.

You even already have the skills. They're not apparent yet. But they're present in the realm of potential realities, in the stone. If you feel drawn to them, then they are available to you. Every time you practice, you learn to connect with them. Every time you practice, you chop some stone away, and reveal this facet of you a bit more.

The real you is already there. You don't need to build anything. Just to take away what's too much. Throw out what hides you. Chop off what prevents you from freely expressing who you are at your very core. Shed all this unnecessary stuff - and let us see who you truly are. :-) The great thing about it is that you are both the artist and the sculpture.

Do you think this is pointless hair splitting? Just a matter of words? Well, personal development is all about words. The words you use daily to talk about yourself, about others, about the world, the words you use to describe your goals, your beliefs, your actions: all these words, that is an important part of what shapes your reality.

I personally feel very differently about myself and my goals since I switched from building to sculpting. It makes a huge, positive difference in my mindset, and leads to better results.

Next time you want to develop yourself in some area, ask yourself carefully: do I really want to build it? Or do I want to sculpt it?

Happy sculpting! :-)