Getting What You Want by Focusing on What You Got

What we focus on expands.

Is it a big surprise that when we focus on what we DON’T have and what we DON’T want, we get MORE OF IT?

Ever notice that phenomenon?

I sure have.

It’s like our brains are programmed to point out what’s wrong, rather than what’s right.

But if we want to stop the cycle, we’ve got to make a change. And the easiest place to start is by being grateful for what we already have.

We must learn to embrace what is in order to make room for what will be.

In November, I always love to focus on gratitude. It is the month of Thanksgiving here in the U.S. And it’s my favorite holiday of them all. It allows the act of being grateful and having a positive attitude to be socially acceptable.

I know that may sound a little strange. But have you ever noticed how much negativity there is out there? All you have to do is turn on the news, scroll through a list of what’s trending in social media, or listen to someone within ear shot to get a bunch of fear, complaining, whining, and negativity filling your senses. It’s a wonder anyone can be positive at all.

And all that is contagious. Once you hear one person start throwing around negative comments, another starts up.

The good news is that positivity can also be contagious. You just have to choose what you want to catch.

It’s important to show gratitude for what we have, right now, in this moment. Because if we can’t do that, how will we ever be grateful of what we say we want? There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. Here’s a quick list to get you started:

• Waking up this morning
• Loved ones
• A roof over my head
• Some money in my pocket
• The ability to be able to read this (especially if one a device I own and/or through a service that is already paid for)
• Clothes on my back

Sure these are obvious. But sometimes we need that as a kick start to take a deeper look at what we can show gratitude for. We’ve all got things in our lives we don’t like or that have provided tremendous difficulties, but it takes a special kind of filter to be able to see the good in everything. With a little tweaking, we can turn seemingly devastating circumstances into lessons learned.

Some challenges I’ve been grateful for that have helped shift my perspective:

• My son being diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (which led to us finding a much better school for him and ways to help him be successful)
• My near bankruptcy (which led to me looking for creative ways to support myself and my son and resulted in me getting a very good-paying job that helped me put myself through graduate school)
• My mom’s death (which led to me being able to make peace with her and accept her for who she was)

Life is not going to stop throwing things your way. It’s up to you to be able to catch what’s thrown and spin it in a way that provides meaning. The more you can learn to be grateful for what is there right now, the more space you’re going to open up for more blessings to come your way.

So, what are you grateful for?

Photo by: hurricanemaine

Get Clear: Letting Go of Physical Stuff Can Improve Everything!

It never ceases to amaze me the powerful effect stuff has on us. Lately I’ve been going through a major de-cluttering as I get my home ready to sell. I’ve lived here for 12 years (having only wanted to be here 3), and am finding out part of why I’ve avoided leaving.

As I go through papers, piles, boxes, and closets, I’m finding stuff that no longer works, stuff that is no longer useful , stuff I’ve wondered what to do with, and stuff I’ve avoided dealing with. I’m realizing the emotional toll not letting go of stuff has had on me. And in that letting go have released a ton of emotions.

It is inevitable that our outer environment affects our inner environment. I’ve said this for years and experienced it firsthand more times than I can count. In other words, the physical stuff around us affects how we think, feel, and act. It affects our relationships, our ability to make decisions, our progress (or lack thereof).

When we hold onto physical stuff it also sends a message to the universe that we don’t have room for other stuff. It can be an energy-blocker, affecting our ability to draw in new good things into our lives.

So I ask you to take a look around your environment and just notice. Notice the stuff around you. Does it all serve a purpose? Does it keep you stuck? Does it bring up good feelings or not so good ones? Does it occupy your thoughts and your actions? The first step is always awareness.

If you don’t feel a strong negative impact of your stuff, then bravo! You’re in a good place. But if you are feeling less than stellar about the stuff around you, take some time to tackle it. Here’s some tips:

• Explore what kind of environment you want. It’s easy to say “I don’t want this” but in order to make positive, long-lasting change, you must get in touch with what you do want. How do you want to feel in your environment? What do you want to accomplish there?
• Make a plan of action. It doesn’t have to be all at once, but start taking small steps to clearing out your space. And remember, it didn’t take overnight to get it this way, which means it won’t be an overnight fix to get it where you want it.
• Do one thing at a time. Set aside a certain time block each day, starting with a small 5 to 15 minutes, and just do one thing at a time.

Once you start seeing results, it’s inevitable the good feelings will kick in and you’ll want more of that. Keep going…and remember to be gentle with yourself in the process.

Tying Up Loose Ends: The Road to Integrity

What is left undone in your life RIGHT NOW? It could be anything from laundry, to filing, to cleaning, to home improvement projects, to implementing new marketing strategies in your business, to networking, to paperwork, to responding to emails, to having “the talk” with a significant other, to unrealized health goals, to a whole slew of other things.

If you’re anything like me, the list of things undone is LONG…longer than you’d care to admit.

And that list of things, the one that’s always in the back of your mind no matter how hard you try to ignore it, is getting in the way. Getting in the way of what, you may ask.

The undone stuff affects how you feel, what you think, what you do. It affects your relationships, with yourself and others. It affects your ability (and desire) to do stuff now and in the future. It’s something that hangs over you, whether you realize it or not. It can rob you of your energy, time, money, patience, and sanity!

Don’t believe me? Ask yourself some questions:

• How do you FEEL when you see (or remember) the undone things? Do you get a sense of overwhelm, dread, panic, or apathy? Do you want to run away or just ignore it?
• What do you THINK when you see (or remember) the undone things? Do you get bombarded with thoughts of “should” and “why can’t I just do it?” Or does your mind start attacking your character (“there must be something wrong with me!”).

One of the Four Agreements outlined by Don Miguel Ruiz is:

Be Impeccable with your Word

While the definition he gives talks about what we say, it also refers to what we do (or don’t do). It’s really just about integrity, which is to keep our word and do what we say we’re going to do.

When we leave things undone, it’s like breaking promises – to ourselves and to others. And that never feels good. It’s out of alignment with who we really are and how we intend to be. It’s no wonder our feelings and thoughts are negative around it; however the way out of feeling bad isn’t to make ourselves feel worse. The way out of just about every problem we could ever have is (drumroll)…

ACTION

And not just any action. Because what we’re already doing isn’t working, right? It must be something different than what we’re doing.

Simple, right? Well if it were, we wouldn’t have a problem and all these things left undone.

Here’s some tips to help get you on your way to doing the undone stuff:

1. Take a stand. Spend some time thinking about what it is you stand for. What are your priorities, your goals? What’s important to you? Everything in your life should support what you stand for. If not, time to let it go.
2. Stop saying YES to taking on more stuff (physical, mental, emotional) that isn’t aligned with your priorities.
3. Do one thing at a time. Start tackling the undone stuff in bite-sized chunks. Taking on too much can leave you more frustrated. Make a plan of action, set aside time on your calendar, and just start doing it. Feel more energized in the morning? Then schedule a block of time in the morning to get started. Once you finish the one thing, move on to the next.
4. Celebrate the stuff you do (rather than agonize over the things you don’t). Give yourself a pat on the back, some verbal praise, or a little treat to mark the occasion of finishing something.
5. Rinse and repeat!

Remember the road to stuff undone isn’t a linear, one-time detour. It’s part of the journey. So the path to getting stuff done will be the same way. If you stray, don’t fret. Remind yourself of all the rewards of getting stuff done, take a breather, and get back to it!

Photo by: woodleywonderworks

How to Get Out of Fear’s Grip

Some people like to dance around fear, pretending it doesn’t exist. But just because we don’t pay attention to it doesn’t mean it’s not there. Fear can often be a silent manipulator, sucking the life out of us. Before we know it, hours, days, weeks or even longer can go by and it gets harder to get out of its grip.

Let me ask you…

• Are you tired, overwhelmed, or stressed out most of the time and find it challenging to enjoy your life fully?
• Do you long for better – relationships, money, career, health, etc. – but just can’t stay on track to achieve your goals?
• Does it feel like something is missing, like things are so-so or okay in your life, but not great like you had hoped?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, fear might be to blame. But what if you could move through fear, release its grip on you, and get to the other side where fear wasn’t in charge?

Moving through fear requires action. So if you’re ready to face your fears head on, find just ONE thing you can do and go do it. You can start by doing something you know has worked in the past.

Want to learn techniques that have helped over 12 million people worldwide to overcome their fears? Join me Saturday, September 13 for a full-day workshop, “Feel the Fear And Do it Anyway.”® Get details at http://www.krylyn.com/FeelTheFear or by calling 602-696-8699.

Feel the Fear Phoenix: Workshop Helps Bust Through Fears

Overcoming common fears that get in the way of greater success and happiness is the focus of the upcoming workshop, “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway®.” The one-day event Saturday, September 13, 2014, is based on the best-selling book of the same title that focuses on helping people be more assertive, attain personal and professional goals and improve self-esteem.

The program is facilitated by Krylyn Peters, a licensed psychotherapist and certified life coach, who is also licensed by Susan Jeffers, LLC to teach “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway®.” The workshop begins at 9 a.m. at New Visions Center for Spiritual Living, located at 18010 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85032. Pre-registration is required

The workshop includes experiential activities to help participants move from fear and indecision to action. “Moving through fear requires action. I give people tools so they can overcome what is keeping them stuck. Most people have thoughts or worries that can block them from taking steps toward even the most desired goals,” explains Peters.

Participants have stated that the program is “life-changing if you use the tools” and that the event “helped me understand that I can change and that I should not fear it.”

“Many people have limiting beliefs such as ‘I’m not good enough to do this’ or ‘What if I fail?’ that hold them back,” says Peters. “The workshop helps them identify their specific fears and then build an action plan to move them forward.”

To register, sign up at www.krylyn.com/feelthefear or contact Peters at 602-696-8699.

Thanks for Participating in the FIRST “Creativity and Wellness Summit!”

Thanks for participating in the first Creativity and Wellness Summit….

Please leave a comment below to let me know what was most helpful about the Summit and how I can be of service on your creative healing journey.

If you didn’t get a chance to listen in, find out how you can get access to all the recordings and transcripts at http://www.CreativityAndWellnessSummit.com.