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with National Book Writing Coach Lisa Tener
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CONTENTS On the Cover
Nancy Levin Nancy Levin, Ford Institute Certified Integrative Coach, Hay House Event Director and bestselling author of Jump … And Your Life Will Appear as well as Writing for My Life. Cover Photo Credit: Richard Cummings www.RickPhoto.com
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APRIL | MAY 2014
LIVING FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Wisdom & Self-Growth 20 INTERVIEW WITH NANCY LEVIN by Linda Joy Aspire Magazine is honored to introduce you to Nancy Levin. Nancy, bestselling author of Jump … And Your Life Will Appear and Writing For My Life, is a Certified Integrative Coach through The Ford Institute For Transformational Training. Since 2002, she’s been the Event Director at Hay House, Inc. producing experiential events and innovative conferences, focusing on selfempowerment, health and spirituality, while weaving in her own story and poems to connect with audiences around the world during keynotes, workshops and seminars. When she’s not on an airplane, Nancy lives in Boulder, Colorado where she received her MFA from Naropa University.
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24 THE BIRTH OF MY FIRST BOUNDARY by Nancy Levin Most of us have an inner dialogue that tells us we’re not enough, that we’re not lovable. Refusing to set healthy boundaries is one of the primary ways we express that belief. As Hay House Event Director, coach, and author Nancy Levin discovered during her own life crisis, if we want to live fulfilled lives, however, we have to let go of the belief that the needs and opinions of others are more important or valid than our own. It’s time to face and embrace your fears, create the courage necessary to take the leap toward self-love, and reap the rewards of the unforeseen gifts and opportunities that await you upon landing.
CONTENTS 27 HOW A JOURNEY IN DOWNSIZING HELPED HEAL MY BROKEN HEART by Kristi Ling Last year Kristi Ling made a huge decision to drastically downsize her life. Her 10-year marriage had come to a heart-wrenching end in 2012, and in early 2013 she found herself living alone in a very large house, surrounded by silence and a decade’s worth of accumulated possessions. Her heart was broken, and for the first time in her life, she had no plan. Sometimes putting your life back together begins with taking everything apart.
““Intuition is a sense of knowing how to act spontaneously, without needing to know why.” SYLVIA CLARE
30 THE CONFESSIONS OF AN APPROVAL ADDICT by Amy Pearson Despite all her achievements Amy Pearson had created a life that didn’t fit in with her. After years of maintaining an outside persona of perfection, likeability and competence, she finally dropped the façade and learned how to be true to herself, no apologies. She was finally able to create a life that fit her. Learn what a former approval addict can teach you about creating a life that fits your true self.
33 CLAIMING YOUR CREATIVE POWER! by Cari Murphy We can get stuck in auto-pilot living without even realizing it! It’s time to wake up, claim your personal power, and begin deliberately creating your reality. There is where the magic happens! Soul Success Coach Cari Murphy guides you through some introspective questions to support you in shifting your perspective and allowing the invisible to become visible. 36 INTUITION: 6 TIPS TO FIND YOUR INNER WISDOM AND PERSONAL PATH by Mal Duane Not following your inner wisdom or intuition is like being lost and being too proud to ask for directions, all the while having a functional GPS system on board. Women’s Life Recovery Coach Mal Duane shares six tips to reconnect with your intuition and discover your personal path.
CONTENTS 39 RECONNECTING WITH MY INNER GODDESS by Mary E. Pritchard, Ph.D. Last spring Mary Pritchard, Ph.D. woke up to the realization that she was “living the wrong life” and took action that forever changed the trajectory of her life. In this intimate article Mary shares how she has come to see her awakening as a sacred gift as she learned to live her life from the inside out. Mary shares five steps to help you reconnect with your inner goddess so you too can start living life from the inside out.
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“If you can’t get a miracle, become one.” NICK VUJICIC
42 SOUL WISE LIVING: ACCESSING THE WISDOM WITHIN by Laura Clark It seems like there are very few moments nowadays when you can be alone, in solitude. It is in moments of solitude that you can consciously shut out your inner interference and learn to hear and trust your inner wisdom. Discover some tips for using the elements of nature to access the wisdom within.
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45 LETTING GO OF ATTACHMENTS TO STUFF AND PEOPLE by Deb Scott Sometimes letting go of attachments to material items and the people in our lives is a conscious choice, and sometimes, we have no choice at all. Yes, pruning can often hurt, but when we learn to detach with love and compassion we allow ourselves to see what truly matters.
CONTENTS
“Don’t try to comprehend with your mind. Your minds are very limited. Use your intuition.” MADELEINE L’ENGLE
Health & Wellness 48 LIVING THE GODDESS LIFESTYLE: THE TRUTH ABOUT HAPPINESS by Lisa Marie Rosati Happiness is an inside job and BE-ing happy is a choice you must make every moment of every day. It is in our times of resistance to ‘what is’ that we struggle and seemingly paddle our canoe upstream. When we learn to go with the current, practice acceptance and nonattachment we begin to experience inner peace and happiness. Columnist Lisa Marie shares ten journaling prompts and questions to support you on your happiness journey.
52 HOW TO WIPE OUT THE FEAR AND DISCOMFORT OF ANXIETY by Shann Vander Leek In How to Wipe Out the Fear and Discomfort of Anxiety, Transformation Goddess and Anxiety Slayer, Shann Vander Leek teaches you how to calm your fragile mind with supportive anxiety relief recommendations that you can implement today to feel more peace and tranquility in your life.
56 THE WISE WOMAN WAY: I AM BEAUTIFUL! I AM THE GODDESS! by Susun S. Weed Wise Woman Susun Weed offers a radical proposal that you apply yourself to becoming beautiful on the inside and accept the outside and all its changes. This new way of thinking means accepting your face and body as they are and get on with the important work of being a beautiful soul. There is a Wise Woman Within. She is always with you. She is your true mirror. She speaks the truth. She is the essence of bliss. Let the Wise Woman Within teach you about being.
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CONTENTS Relationships
60 TRANSFORMING YOUR RELATIONSHIP: HOW TO BE LOVED FOR YOUR MOST AUTHENTIC SELF by Stacey Martino As you allow your authentic self to show up in your intimate relationship you will begin to witness miraculous changes in yourself and in your relationship. It is from that intimate place of authenticity that we can align with our partner and create a love and passionfilled relationship. Being in alignment with your partner is loving, cherishing and appreciating them for their most authentic self and being loved for your most authentic self.
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“What good is intuition if your heart gets in the way of hearing it?” SHANNON L. ADLER
65 SELF-LOVE AS THE PREREQUISITE FOR SOUL-HEARTED LOVE by Debra Reble, Ph.D. Entering a soulhearted partnership with another person requires us to first open our hearts and unconditionally love ourselves. When we love ourselves, we become our own safe haven, where we feel free to fully express who we are and realize our dreams. Psychologist Debra Reble shares two powerful selflove practices to open your heart to love.
www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2014
68 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN THE JOY OF BEING GRATEFUL by Dr. Caron B. Goode, NCC
Gratitude is more than an attitude. Recent studies show that grateful people are happier, more resilient, and less depressed. They also have higher self-esteem and better relationships. These results prove that gratitude is more than polite manners and positive thinking. Gratitude is a way of life, and a wonderful legacy to leave our children. Dr. Goode shares seven simple ways to teach your children gratitude.
CONTENTS Career | Business 72 THREE KEYS TO FINDING YOUR PURPOSE by Megan Dalla-Camina Have you ever found yourself searching desperately for your purpose, or avoiding what you just know is your true calling? Our callings shape us. They grow us into the person we were born to be. Megan DallaCamina, strategist, coach, and speaker on women, leadership and wellbeing as well as the author of Getting Real About Having It All shares some of the strategies that she uses with her clients, who often come to her as seekers for what they are truly meant to be doing in this life.
“You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you.” PERSONS NAME
76 INSPIRED TO WRITE? DECISION TIME? TUNE INTO YOUR INNER MUSE FOR WISDOM, INSPIRATION AND CLARITY by Lisa Tener Do you struggle to make clear decisions? Do you continually look outside of yourself for wisdom and clarity? Make empowered decisions by turning to your inner muse – your wise inner teacher who serves as source of creativity, inspiration and ideas. Your Muse also knows exactly what you need at any given moment to support your creative processes and decision making. National Book Coach Lisa Tener guides you through a process to help you tune into your inner muse.
LINDA JOY
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Publisher & Editor-In-Chief | Linda@aspiremag.net
Creative & Brand Direction || RACHEL DUNHAM | www.HummingbirdCreativeConcepts.com Editorial Layout || MANDY GATES | www.GruveDesign.com Graphic Designer || MANDY GATES | www.GruveDesign.com COO || KIM TURCOTTE | www.SoulPurposeBusinessSolutions.com MAILING ADDRESS || P.O. BOX 1149 | LAKEVILLE, MA 02347 | 508.265.7929 ADVERTISING || Email Linda@aspiremag.net MISSION TO INSPIRE INFO <CLICK HERE>
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EXPERT COLUMNISTS STACEY MARTINO
LISA MARIE ROSATI
Stacey Martino helps people who feel stuck, frustrated and helpless with the challenges of intimate relationship. Through strategic private coaching, programs and events for her Relationship Transformation System™, individuals learn to use her proven strategies and tools to create an unshakable love and unleashed passion that lasts a lifetime. Stacey firmly believes that it does NOT take two to tango, that one person can significantly shift the dynamics of the relationship. Trained and certified by Tony Robbins and Cloe Madanes, Stacey is a certified marriage educator and divorce preventionist. Click Here for Articles www.LoveandPassionCoach.com
Passionista Lisa Marie Rosati is an Inner Goddess Catalyst for women and the Creatrix of The Goddess Lifestyle Plan. Lisa mentors women on how become a Modern Day Goddess by consciously designing a luscious Goddess life, cultivating radiant health and creating a lucrative business using and directing their feminine fire. www.GoddessLifestylePlan.com www.sugarfreegoddess.com
SUSUN WEED
LISA TENER
Susun Weed is an internationally renowned herbalist, author, and director of the Wise Woman Center in New York. She is a revered voice of the Wise Woman Tradition, where women’s bodies and women’s emotions are valued. Susun is a founding grandmother of the herbal renaissance and the originator of the concept of complementary medicine. www.SusunWeed.com
An award-winning authority on writing and publishing books, Lisa Tener guides you to joyfully express yourself in writing. She blogs for the Huffington Post, serves on the faculty of Harvard Medical School’s publishing course, and teaches her own Award Winning Book Writing Courses in person and by interactive teleseminar. www.LisaTener.com
Transforming Your Relationship
The Wise Woman Way
Living the Goddess LifeStyleTM
Inspired to Write?
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FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS
NANCY LEVIN
MEGAN DALLA-CAMINA
KRISTI LING
AMY PEARSON
CARI MURPHY
DEB SCOTT
SHANN VANDER LEEK
MAL DUANE
MARY E. PRITCHARD, PH. D., HHC
LAURA CLARK
DEBRA REBLE, PH. D.
DR. CARON B. GOODE
Share
YOUR WISDOM! WITH OUR READERS
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CONTACT US TODAY TO LEARN ABOUT OUR AWESOME CONTRIBUTOR OPPORTUNITIES!
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LETTER EDITOR
FROM THE
”Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” MAYA ANGELOU
Welcome to the June/July 2014 Living from the Inside Out Women often get snared in the grizzly trap of looking outside themselves for approval, love and happiness. Reaching out for external validation fuels a perpetual roller-coaster of drama, discomfort and insecurity. As we learn to turn inward, we begin the dance with the one inside of us who knows. Our inner wisdom teaches us of the truth of who we are, paving the way to interact with the world in a while aligned with our highest calling. Throughout this love and wisdom filled issue you’ll discover the tips, tools and resources to support you in turning inward and honoring your inner wisdom. As Nancy Levin shares in her intimate cover interview “It’s only through facing the truth that we will be able to fulfill our potential and live a life of alignment.” Are you ready to honor the calling of your soul?
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Grab a cup of tea or a glass of wine and enjoy the powerful articles, empowering wisdom and supportive resources offered by our expert columnists and featured guest contributors.
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LINDA JOY Publisher & Editor-In-Chief | Linda@aspiremag.net
Here’s What I’m Reading Right Now...
FROM MY BOOKSHELF
Living with Joy: Keys to Personal Power & Spiritual Transformation (25th Anniversary Edition) By Sanaya Roman If you haven’t read Sanaya Roman’s channeled books this is a great place to start. Channel Sanaya Roman presents Living with Joy, given to her by Orin, a timeless being of love and light. In the tradition of Jane Roberts, Esther Hicks, and Edgar Cayce, this channeled book shares spiritual truths and transformative meditations and exercises that have opened hundreds of thousands of people to their greater potential.
ATTN: Service-Based Business Women
Without Struggle or Frustration!
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WISDOM & SELF-GROWTH
“Learn to trust yourself and you will create a meaningful life.” Lynn Robinson
Read Online!
Awaken Your
Intuition
BY CARI MURPHY
Awakening your intuition requires nothing more than improving your spiritual “health” and generating some positive momentum! HERE ARE SEVEN EASY STEPS TO DO JUST THAT:
Communicate
Be Positive
Be Patient a nd Compassionate
Play
Meditate
Keep a D aily Momentum Journal
Be Creative
CHECK OUT MORE ONLINE!
AspireMag.net
Read the full article online.
l Live & Virtua
UPCOMING EVENTS
PARTNER WITH ASPIRE MAGAZINE IN THE INSPIRED LIVING GIVEAWAY || DETAILS! Transform Lives while Growing Your Biz 5 TIPS TO LIVING LIFE AS A SUGAR FREE GODDESS || DETAILS! Host Linda Joy & Visionary Creatix Lisa Marie Rosati RELATIONSHIP BREAKTHROUGH EXPERIENCE || DETAILS! Complimentary 3 part live event with Love & Passion Coaches Stacey & Paul Martino
Interview with
Nancy Levin Bestselling author of
Jump... and Your Life will Appear
Aspire Magazine is honored to introduce you to Nancy Levin. Nancy, bestselling author of Jump … And Your Life Will Appear and Writing For My Life, is a Certified Integrative Coach through The Ford Institute For Transformational Training. Since 2002, she’s been the Event Director at Hay House, Inc. producing experiential events and innovative conferences, focusing on self-empowerment, health and spirituality, while weaving in her own story and poems to connect with audiences around the world during keynotes, workshops and seminars. When she’s not on an airplane, Nancy lives in Boulder, Colorado where she received her MFA from Naropa University.
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In Jump... And Your Life Will Appear you share a powerful 10-step process of change that really spoke to me. How did those steps emerge on – and how do you know they work? Once I traversed my greatest fear and found myself on the other bank of the river, so to speak, I noticed that a clear path revealed itself to me. I saw that the stepping-stones (the 10 steps, I personally took toward my own flavor of freedom weren’t only applicable to this particular journey, but to making any major change.
That’s what I learned when things finally fell apart. The new was so much better. If I had just been able to let go sooner, I could have started that new life years before.
What happens when you stay in a situation that isn’t working, denying your own desire for too long?
In my case, of course, the jump involved a divorce, but for my clients it has worked with any kind of change—switching jobs or careers, moving to a different part of the world, setting boundaries, doing something totally new, increasing the capacity for self-love, or simply moving out of fear into profound courage and love. Whatever you want to change, wherever you want to jump, these steps are here to support you. How do I know these steps work? I’m living proof! And so are the clients I coach.
Your needs, your health, and your wellbeing begin to demand to be heard. Even if you don’t heed that call, the truth will come out. Unfortunately, it will come out sideways. Perhaps you’ll become ill or depressed and shutdown. Or if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself expressing those needs in destructive, self-sabotaging, self-abandoning ways. I betrayed myself by pretending to be someone I was not. I betrayed myself in my marriage for eighteen years. And that marriage was a long time to be away from me. Still, underneath the façade of perfection, somewhere deep down where I dared not look, I knew my marriage wasn’t working. I knew for a long time that I wasn’t really happy. But it took me years to admit to myself what I already knew.
You say that the first step is “Admit to Yourself What You Already Know” – but don’t we already know what we know?
Your journey since jumping has been a transformational one. What’s a key lesson that you’ve learned from journey?
The big jump that I’m most passionate about is facing what is true. It’s only through facing the truth that we will be able to fulfill our potential and live a life of alignment. When something is “off” in your life, you know it. And when you’re unwilling to accept it, it takes an incredible amount of energy to stay in denial—energy that could be used toward letting go of the old and inviting in the new.
I’ve learned that betraying yourself can never be the price you pay to avoid betraying someone else. We don’t serve anyone if we are pretending. We only serve their façade—the part of them that is in denial and unwilling to admit what they already know. We don’t owe anyone the denial of who we are. Ultimately, our souls are longing to be whole and free. If you ignore the whispers, if
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“IF WE WANT TO LIVE FULFILLED LIVES, HOWEVER, WE HAVE TO LET GO OF THE BELIEF THAT THE NEEDS AND OPINIONS OF OTHERS ARE MORE IMPORTANT OR VALID THAN OUR OWN.” you’ve frozen out feeling, your soul will start screaming to be heard and take you out at the knees.
Nancy, forgiveness is a hot topic lately, please share why it’s so important to your process. I believe that transformation isn’t truly possible without forgiveness, both of yourself and others. If you’re still holding on to negative, judgmental energy that could be used more productively in your life, ask yourself what you need to forgive in order to move forward. Is there some feeling of resentment that’s holding you back—either toward yourself or someone else? Are you resisting your birthright to pleasure, joy and love? Forgive and release any negativity that has a hold on you. And then breathe in freedom. You have a whole new future ahead of you!
The term setting boundaries sounds so restrictive. One of your teachings is that boundaries create freedom – I like that perspective. Can you expand on that?
As children, we learn to respond in ways that bring us the least stress and trouble— and that often means allowing ourselves to be moved by others’ wants and needs. But as adults, we have to learn to get past our
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ingrained fears and make clear choices. Many of us have an inner dialogue that tells us we’re not enough, that we’re not lovable. Refusing to set healthy boundaries is one of the primary ways we express that belief. If we want to live fulfilled lives, however, we have to let go of the belief that the needs and opinions of others are more important or valid than our own. We have to stop taking it personally when someone disagrees with us. We have to stop believing that if we disagree with someone or ask for what we want, we’ll end up alone and unloved.
You talk about the importance of visualizing your life of freedom. How did visualization help you move through such a difficult part of your life? Visualizing myself as divorced gave me a new perspective and allowed me to reframe my situation. It was only then that I could begin to feel excited about the possibilities for my life. You don’t actually have to make the leap in order to reap the benefits of a new possibility. All you have to do is start to visualize different possibilities. By willingly considering what potentialities may exist in the abyss of the unknown, you can begin to imagine yourself free.
What did you learn about asking for help? I had projected the image of “superwoman,” and it turns out that everyone actually believed me! By asking for help, I learned that revealing my vulnerability made me more human and relatable to others. The result was that we were able to have real connection. I slowly started allowing people to see all of me—my “efficient” self and the part of me who throws up her hands and says, “I don’t know.” Feeling “helpless” wasn’t necessary anymore, though, because help was always available to me. I only had to ask.
You talk about honoring resistance and grief in order to move forward. Can you go a little deeper into your thoughts on this? Honoring your grief is similar to honoring your resistance, but there’s a subtle difference: Grief is just a feeling; it isn’t a setback. It’s a passing visitor. Unlike resistance, which will do anything to keep you from moving forward, grief simply wants to be felt. None of us likes change. Our natural impulse is
“...betraying yourself can never be the price you pay to avoid betr aying someone els e. We don’t owe anyone the denial of who we are.”
to come up with all sorts of reasons why we should stay right where we are. You can expect your mind to start making a case for why change is impossible and why you shouldn’t do it. But you can’t let go of something that you haven’t fully felt, so there’s nothing to do but let the grief come. The only way you can truly say goodbye to anything is to allow everything you feel about it to be fully felt. This isn’t the same as wallowing in your pain; it’s about allowing your feelings to have their say. No graceful exit can happen until you accept what has been.
Since your decision to jump and say ‘yes’ to yourself and your happiness, how has this new outlook transformed your life? As I made my jump and learned to say yes more often, here’s what I realized: There is no destination. You’re never “there.” You’re always becoming. You’ll always be jumping—over and over and over. And that’s a good thing. When so many new opportunities came my way after leaving my marriage, I thought to myself, “I must remember that it happens this way! If I let go, trust, and jump, I will be safe and showered with extraordinary surprises.” Even though the change was very painful at times, I didn’t die the first time I jumped, and I could remind myself I wouldn’t die the next time either! Allow the wiser part of you to counsel the frightened part of you. Regular small jumps followed by big leaps are a part of the package. Remember, in order to risk anything, we have to be willing Read Online! to risk everything.
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