Transformation Coaching Magazine December 2019 by Transformation Coaching Magazine

INSPIRATION & GROWTH From Holi-DAZE to HOLY-Days How To Stay On Track The Business of Growing Make the Season Sparkle All’s Well SHAZAM! Be Here Now Follow the Path of Gratitude

4 8 12 19 20 26 32

FEED YOUR SPIRIT Let Your Light Shine Becoming Conscious

16 22

COACHING AND BUSINESS TOOLS How Big is Your Digital Footprint?

PUBLISHERS Natalie Rivera Joeel A. Rivera, M.Ed.

EDITOR Lisa Cedrone

CONTRIBUTORS Terez Hartmann, Rena Greenberg, Kate Pennell, Alan Cohen, Arielle Giordano, Jo Mooy, Dreama Vance, Gregg Sanderson, Dr. Bryan Hawley, Mary Boutieller

We believe that self-employment is the ultimate form of empowerment. Our mission is to bring you guests whose powerful entrepreneurship stories and real-world advice will give you the inspiration and tools to create a business and life that you love.

Listen on our website or your favorite podcast app or watch the video version on our YouTube channel.

From Holi-DAZE to HOLY-Days

Just imagine what you could experience if you started this holiday season by creating and feeding a momentum of serenity. By Terez Hartmann Are you ready to move through the holiday groove with grace and serenity this year? If you are open to the possibility that serenity can be your holiday (and everyday) reality, prepare for a season of fabulousity!

According to Abraham-Hicks, every time we awaken after sleeping we are literally “reborn” into a new day/moment and have the opportunity to create an entirely new Point Of Attraction (POA) and reality! Yesterday is truly history—unless you drag it into today by thinking and talking about it.

Everything is about momentum, so just imagine what you could experience if you started this holiday season (and each new day) by creating and feeding a momentum of serenity. The first order of business: consciousness. Consciousness is key to knowing what your POA is in any

given moment. So the more you pay attention to how a thought, action or conversation feels while actively choosing to steer in the direction of feeling better/good, the less likely you are to get swept up into the fray of holi-DAZE and the more you get to dance to a h-AHHH-liday groove for the benefit of all!

THE GIFT THAT TRULY KEEPS ON GIVING!

This may seem obvious to anyone who understands the power of emotion, but remember this: “Giving” out of guilt or obligation benefits no one. If your only reason for going to that family get together or buying that gift is to quell the guilt

monster, you might as well stick the word “guilt” in a box and hand it over to them. Yuck! I hate to admit it, but coming from a very traditional Italian family I have, at times, found myself still opting to do some of those less-than-fun holiday things because I actually felt better about going/doing rather than not. If you find yourself at a similar crossroads and want to maintain a healthy balance between upholding your personal integrity and maintaining serenity, try this on for size: Do What You love or find the love in it.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Caley Dimmock

If you’ve made up your mind that it is best to go to that gathering or bring that gift, do whatever you can to put as much LOVE into your presence/ presents as possible: 1) Set an intention to focus on fun and list any positive aspects you can find about going before you go. Visualize/feel yourself laughing and smiling and coming away from the experience saying things like, “I’m actually glad I went and really had a great time!” 2) Have as much fun as possible in the process of buying or making a gift, and only invest the money and time that keeps your feelings about said gift positive. Remember that those who truly care about you would ever ask you to suffer or endure financial duress on their behalf!

“Those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter.” —Dr. Seuss The journey is the destination, so the more love you put into your presence/presents, the more you share a gift that truly can keep on

giving good mojo to your recipients— and to you!

FIND SERENITY BY PUTTING THE HOLY BACK IN HOLIDAY

When these traditions were created, they were each started with a core intention of helping human beings feel a sense of connection to each other and/or their Source. When days became shorter with less sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere, winter holy days were an opportunity to create “light” in homes and hearts. So no matter what aspect of the holidays you are honoring, if you are willing to focus on the light and the things that give you a sense of connection, there is a powerful, long-standing vibration of beauty, love and serenity that is still there for you today and now!

DO THIS:

1) Create your serenity list: things/ activities that give you a feeling of peace and foster a connection to the bigger picture of life. 2) Pick at least one thing that you CAN do every day to feed a feeling of serenity, and do it no matter what! Choose the same item or change it daily, whatever feels best to you. What you do is not nearly as

important as how you feel when you are doing it, so carving out time each day to feel a sense of serenity and connection is indeed one of the ways you can put the “holy” back into your holidays and create powerful, positive momentum that will grow as you continue to feed it. The holiday season can certainly be a time of more emphatic everything, but if you make the decision to be more conscious and aware of how you feel and actively create a smooth holiday groove by choosing thoughts, words and actions that lean toward love, appreciation and serenity, you really can keep the AHHH alive in your holidays—and every day!

“And when you just let go and let it flow, it starts taking over you You can feel the sensation of those good vibrations And you can’t help but move with the Holiday Groove!” —from “Holiday Groove”

ALLOWING YOUR SUCCESS with Terez “Firewoman” Hartmann

Terez “Firewoman” Hartmann,“Your catalyst for all things Fab-YOU-lous,” is the author of Allowing Your Success!, a proud contributing author of Transform Your Life! book one and two, a professional Keynote Speaker/Workshop Facilitator, Singer-Songwriter/Recording Artist, “Allowing Adventures!” & “Savor Vacation” Facilitator, and true Renaissance Woman, and Visionary. She keeps her fire lit by embracing and promoting a lifestyle of “Allowing,” and by using creative expression to elevate and ignite the human spirit, a passion that she shares with her husband, soul-mate and creative partner of over 15 years, John Victor Hartmann. Together they share “Allowing TRUE LOVE” workshops and experiences designed to help others attract, allow, and maintain extraordinary relationships, and create custom jingles and voice-overs in their studio, THE Creativity Express. Visit: http://www.TerezFirewoman.com

How To Stay On Track

By Rena Greenberg In areas of your life where you are successful, making a U-turn at the first sign of a challenge would be the last thing you would do. Isn’t that true? Similarly, if you are in New York and want to go to California, you would start by heading west. Even if you had some doubts, one thing is absolutely clear: The only direction that will get you to the desired destination is west. Even if you began heading west and hit a torrential rain storm that washed out the road, you wouldn’t turn around and go east instead. You would find an alternate route and continue forward toward your desired destination. This logic is simple, yet it can be so hard to follow it when it comes to weight loss goals. You decide to lose weight. You join a gym and pick a sensible eating plan. You throw away all the junk in your house, and you prepare healthy food. You are not discouraged by the high number initially registering on the scale because you feel optimistic that this time you WILL be a weight loss winner! You get off to a great start and lose a few pounds. Then on the seventh day you step onto the scale. What?! You can’t believe it! You haven’t lost more— after all this work! You begin to doubt your endeavors altogether. You fear that it’s going to be a lot harder than you thought it would be. You begin to ask yourself, “Is it worth it?” You think, “Maybe I should just turn around and start eating whatever I want to again.” Now if you were asking your “Wise Mind” this question, it would answer emphatically, “YES! Yes, it’s worth it. Are you kidding me? Have you forgotten how much you have suffered because of your eating style and the effect it’s having on your body? I love you—please don’t treat yourself

that way. Don’t succumb to the illusions the food industry perpetuates. You can be free. Stay the course. You can do this. I am with you. You have everything you need.” In other words, it would be saying to you, “Keep going west! Keep going in the direction you originally set out to go. There’s a reason you embarked on this trip. Maybe right now it’s going slowly but just keep going! The only way to ruin everything is to turn around. Keep going forward, heading west!”

PLAN THE JOURNEY, VISUALIZE THE DESTINATION

If you were indeed heading to California, to make the trip easier and more enjoyable, wouldn’t you start fantasizing about how great your life is going to be in the Golden State? Wouldn’t you think about the amazing people you are going to meet, the gorgeous weather and the beautiful terrain ahead of you? It’s these delightful inner images that would propel you forward no matter what road blocks you encounter on the way.

With an upbeat attitude and a sense of trust and positive expectancy, your journey becomes exciting, and nothing can stand in the way of your success!

Every challenge is seen as an opportunity to build your own inner strength, stamina and commitment. What does this theoretical journey have to do with your successful weight loss? Everything! You know that you have what it takes to stay focused and on task in other areas of your life, so why do you find it acceptable to continue to sabotage your own desire for health and freedom from food addiction? To make your journey successful, it has to be fun. Seeing the task as a whole lot of work makes it feel insurmountable. You may ask, “What’s fun about losing 100 pounds?”

If you take the focus off the weight you “have” to lose, and place it on the opportunity to grow into your best, wisest, most compassionate, strong, empowered self, the answer becomes: “Everything!” Take pleasure in fantasizing about the new, future YOU. Use your subconscious mind to your benefit by practicing self-hypnosis; it doesn’t know the difference between what’s real and what’s imagined, so take advantage of that fact. Imagine yourself having already lost the weight that’s

been bogging you down like a heavy ball and chain. What is your life like? How do people react to you? What clothes are you wearing? Who do you go out with? How do you express yourself differently and more effectively? How does it bring out the best in you?

Imagine feeling in control of your life and your habits. Picture yourself feeling strong and energized, vital and fit. Imagine moving your body and feeling good about it. Feel how empowering it is to say no to “food” that belongs in a trash can and to know that your body is no longer a trash can.

These fantasies aren’t just a way to pass time. Imagery, when used properly, is a powerful method to reprogram your subconscious mind so you see yourself differently—from this day forward. You lose credibility with yourself if you haven’t always kept your word to yourself. Now you can experience the empowering feeling of building that trust back up again. When you say that you aren’t going to eat cookies or fast food anymore, this time you mean it.

When you feel good about your weight loss decisions, there is no stopping you. You will find there is a momentum happening that makes weight loss as easy as gliding down a hill on a bicycle, your feet resting idly on the pedals, feeling the gentle breeze against your skin, hearing your inner voice squealing with delight, “Wheeeeee!” Yes, you had to pedal up the hill to experience the joy of going down the

hill, but you don’t have to define that as “hard work.” The intrinsic reward that awaits you makes it all worth it.

You’ve come too far in your life, and you know too much. Turning back is not an option. The key to your success lies in the space between your ears. Are you listening to that chattering voice telling you how hard it is and that you’re not worth it? Or are you dropping down into your heart and connecting to your deepest truth that is whispering to you always, “You can do this. You have everything you need.” Open your heart and your imagination and feel how great your life can be when you are balanced, aligned with your greatest good, taking the next right action every time and stepping into your best, brightest, happiest, healthiest YOU!

Love Life, Live Happy, Live Healthy with Rena Greenberg Rena Greenberg, a Hay House author, can be reached at http://www.EasyWillpower.com. Her weight loss and gastric bypass hypnosis success has been featured in 150-plus news stories including USA Today, Woman’s World, The Doctor’s, CNN, Good Morning America and Nightline. PBS stations nationally aired Rena’s show, “Easy Willpower,” in August 2015. Her wellness program is sponsored in 75 hospitals and 100-plus corporations. She conducts hypnotherapy sessions with people all over the world on Skype.

Photo Credit: Pixabay/Congerdesign

The Business of Growing

How to empower ourselves one step at a time. By Kate Maria Pennell We love the big success stories don’t we? Especially the overnight ones where someone wrote a blog post and it went so viral that there is now a vaccine for it; or a youngster designed an app and now they’re a 13-year-old millionaire. “Think big, 10X your dreams…” “Go hard or go home” “Aim harder” “5 keys to success that will transform your life” These promises of big-time success are everywhere (these are a few I’ve seen just this week alone, and it’s only Wednesday). We want the big results—now—and while these stories and hacks can be encouraging, they can distract us from the fact that sustainable growth doesn’t happen in the macro, but rather in the micro-world.

The sneaky thing about growth is that we can only see it after it has happened. During the process, the change is so small that we can miss it. How many of us have heard, “Haven’t you grown!” from aunties and family friends? I remember meeting up with a friend back from university; she kept looking at me until she finally said, “There’s something different about you.” I’d been going through a period of intense inner change and it was now showing on the outside. Healthy growth is incremental; it happens in small steps one after another. We don’t always see the growth ourselves as we’re just getting on with the business of growing! In contrast, when we are over-attached to the result and excessively focus on measuring our growth it can cause all kinds of anxiety and knock our confidence. It’s great to review our progress—because what is tracked can be improved—but to obsess over it is detrimental to our peace of mind and in turn our productivity.

Furthermore, what is interesting about overnight successes is that, often times, they were not prepared for the results. Therefore, they did not have the structures in place to continue to maximize the momentum of that initial growth. Benjamin Hardy, Ph.D. (a top writer on http://Medium.com) confessed that when he wrote the article that propelled him into the Medium (and internet) spotlight, he didn’t even have a subscriber list in place to funnel all his would-be fans. Whoops, that’s Writer 101.

EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

How do we grow our social media tribe? One article or post at a time. How do our sales increase? One customer at a time. How does our health improve? One healthy meal or one exercise set at a time. How does our personal development deepen? One meditation or page in a journal at a time. How do we expand our knowledge and understanding? One class, one video, or one page in a book at a time. How do we fall in love? One thought, one moment at a time. How do we sustain a relationship? One act of intentional connection at a time.

Exponential growth always starts with incremental growth; it’s step-by-step rather than a growth explosion. As you build, the steps just look bigger to the observer.

When working with clients, one of the first things I do is to encourage them to expand their vision and get really clear on what it looks like. That’s the macro. But in terms of strategy and implementation, it is always the smallest micro step followed by the smallest step. Our focus is on the present, where the real action happens. This way they can track their results, and it also means that the progress is sustainable. They are harnessing the power of the compound effect; each little win provides the basis for the next, creating exponential growth.

The thing with the exponential growth curve is that, for a while, things look the same as they did before. For example, I work out but my body looks the same or I work at my projects but the social engagement/client/ finance numbers don’t seem to change. This is the point where we must remember that the growth is happening at the cellular level—we can’t see it happening. It is the point of faith in the nature of progress, the point where we must not give up. Only when we look back after some time can we see the difference and the results. The great thing about implementing change at this cellular level is that it avoids the feeling of being overwhelmed and feels much more within our control. Essentially, it empowers us. While we have the future in mind, our focus is on the present where the real action happens. And our question is, “What can I do today?”

Photo Credit: Pixabay/Truthseeker08

Permission to Launch with Kate Pennell

Kate Pennell, English and slightly geekish, is a coach and dream catalyst who lives in Spain with three kids, various furry creatures and a patient husband. She loves nature, creativity and seeing people discover what truly makes them come alive. Kate provides the people she works with permission to launch and helps them begin to fly as they were made to. She teaches, encourages and connects with fellow travellers across our global village. Find out more at https://permissiontolaunch.website/.

Let Your Light Shine

You have talents that no one else can bestow—but you have to honor your inspiration enough to deliver your gifts. By Alan Cohen I am a big Beatles fan. The more I hear their music, the more I recognize the sheer genius behind it. I saw a rare YouTube video of an especially vibrant 1964 Beatles concert in Australia at the height of Beatlemania. (“Beatles Live—Australia”) One comment on the YouTube page struck me: “I’m a solid atheist. But I swear John, Paul, & George (still love u Ringo!) were slapped on the back by a higher power. How does it happen that 3 of the most incredible songwriters EVER just come from nowhere? If I meet God, and I tell him he didn’t give me enough information to believe, God might say ‘I gave you proof. The sun, the earth, and the Beatles.’” The writer is far from an atheist. He or she recognizes the presence of God in the world through the Beatles. God manifests divinity by way of people. We are the windows through which heaven shines into the world. The Beatles, talented as they were, did not give themselves their talent. It was seeded within them by a Force far beyond their human personalities. Their role was to bring it to a waiting world, which they did masterfully. Those talented musicians served as vessels through which the Creator delivered huge gifts to make the world a better place. During this season many people celebrate God showing up on Earth. Christians remember the birth of Jesus Christ. Jewish people observe Hanukah, when God miraculously extended light to beleaguered freedom fighters. Hindus enjoy Diwali, and people of African descent observe Kwanzaa. All of these holidays recognize that for

a moment in time, God reached into the world and lifted it closer to heaven. The same God that blessed the world through Jesus, the Beatles, and other visionaries wants to bless the world through you. You have talents that no one else can bestow—but you have to honor your inspiration enough to deliver your gifts. The only difference between great people and mediocre people is that great people trust and act on their guidance. The German philosopher Goethe said, “As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.” A turning point in my career came when I was about to lead a weekend seminar. Until that time I went into my programs doubting my abilities, wondering if I was qualified, questioning my decisions. At the outset of that seminar I decided to do an experiment: I would imagine that a Higher Power guided any intuition I had about where to take the program. I would not judge my choices. Instead I would envision that I was working in co-creation with an intelligence that knew how to create the best possible program. The results were phenomenal! The seminar turned out to be the most successful I had ever done, and I enjoyed myself far more than I had when I doubted my decisions. Certain talents are unexplainable except as intervention by a Higher Source. Mozart wrote his first opera at the age of six. He later stated, “It is when I am, as it were, completely myself, entirely alone, and of good cheer . . . that ideas flow best and most abundantly. Whence and how they come, I know not, nor can I force them” Genius inventor Nikola Tesla explained that his ideas came to him in a flash, from a source beyond this world.

He would then work them out in his mind such that the inventions were complete before he even reached his laboratory to construct them. Beethoven wrote many of his greatest compositions when his physical ears were essentially deaf. A Course in Miracles Lesson 353 asks us to affirm, “My eyes, my tongue, my hands, my feet today have but one purpose; to be given Christ to use to bless the world with miracles.” You don’t have to be a Christian, or any religion, to put this vision into action. You just have to live true to your passionate purpose. Every day we have a thousand opportunities to help God show up in the world. To let someone into a traffic lane when you could speed ahead. To phone a friend who is hurting and say, “I just want you to know I’ve been thinking about you and I’m on your team.” To publish your book or song or start your business, trusting you will reach the right people who can benefit from it. World change agents are so focused on giving life to their visions that they pay no attention to naysayers, within or without. If Steven Spielberg, Steve Jobs, or Barack Obama had denied their gifts expression, the world would be emptier for it. You don’t need to be a Spielberg, Jobs, or Obama. Just quit comparing yourself to other and finding reasons you can’t. What is within you must come forth. Live true to your visions, knowing that you did your part to make the world a little more like heaven. When you do, you will look forward to getting up in the morning, your heart will be at peace, you will sleep well, and one day some not-so-solid atheist will say, “I now see proof that there is a God, after all.”

Get Real with Alan Cohen

Alan Cohen is the bestselling author of A Course in Miracles Made Easy. Become a professional certified holistic life coach through Alan’s six-month program beginning January, 2020—the year of clear vision. For more information about this program, Alan’s books and videos, free daily inspirational quotes, online courses, and weekly radio show, visit http://www.alancohen.com.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Sharon McCutcheon

Make the Season Sparkle

How to reduce stress with creativity this holiday season. By Arielle Giordano One of the best strategies to reduce holiday stress and tension is to employ creative power, which has the ability to help us see new things and solve old problems in new ways. Creative expression has the potential to bring the unconscious, unknown, hidden, and unseen into our sight. The creative process allows us to become aware of our thoughts and feelings, and to see how we are being, acting, feeling, thinking, and interacting with others. All we need to do is get out of our own way and stop blocking our natural creative flow so we can move in and with it. Many people are enslaved and feel compelled to uphold holiday traditions, holiday perfection, and having the holidays “a certain way.” Yet the holidays do not have to be in the traditional family setting, even though our grandparents, parents, and family did or still do it this way. Allow this holiday season to mix change with tradition and incorporate new ideas to enliven the holiday setting. The intention of the holiday season is to share love, give and receive gifts, and connect with family and friends. Keep this intention in your heart, and when you feel uncomfortable or tense about what you are doing, know it is time to stop, take a breath, and change directions. Know that is it okay to make changes and do something new! Take some time to nurture and give back to your creative spirit with family and friends. Have fun, go for walks, ride bikes or go to the gym, for instance.

Being creative is our natural impulse as human beings. Let creative expression and art guide you to let go of stress during the holiday season. Stay focused on the intention of the holidays. Allow yourself to do something new that is more relaxing, adds fun, creativity, and laughter. Here are a few creative ways to celebrate and enjoy this holiday season: 1) Make holiday gifts. 2) Mix and match the old traditions with something new. 3) Bake holiday cookies, fudge, breads, desserts. 4) Read holiday magazines and books full of crafty ideas for gifts. 5) Color and scribble with your non-dominant hand OR with your eyes closed alone or with your family. 6) Play games, or build things with children. 7) Create a collage with old magazines to help strategize all your holiday gifts and goals. 8) Create a holiday banner with paints, pastels, markers, or crayons for the family holiday. 9) Determine changes you can make to enliven and have fun with family traditions. 10) Come up with new ideas and enjoy creativity as a new coping strategy for the holiday season. Dance through this holiday enjoying doodling, scribbling, painting, dancing, baking, cooking, building, creating new projects, and experimenting with new ideas, fun. You have the freedom to be in the creative moment so enjoy!

Dancing from the Inside Out with Arielle Giordano Transformational Life Coach Award-Winning Author & Speaker, Professional Dancer. Arielle’s Award-Winning book for Best Self-Help Award: Dancing With Your Story From The Inside is available on http://www.Amazon.com. Her professional career includes the Lead Faculty Area Chairperson and Professor for the College of Humanities, History and the Arts at the University of Phoenix. She is a published co-author of Transform Your Life Books 1 & 2 and author for Tampa Bay Wellness, Conscious Shift & Transformation magazine. She has published her 4th book, an Instructor’s Manual for Barlow Abnormal Psychology 4th ed. and authored Psychology, A Journey 3rd.ed. Study Guide published by Nelson Education, Toronto, ON. She has also studied philosophy at the College of Integrated Philosophy with John DeRuiter for twenty years. Arielle has been a featured guest on radio and television, in newspapers, and the media across the US and Canada. She is a certified Essentrics Stretch and Dance Instructor. Arielle offers coaching sessions, classes and workshops and a free 30-minute Consultation. Websites: http://www.dancingfromtheinsideout.com, http://www.ariellegiordano.com. Email: agbeautifuldance@gmail.com

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Omar Lopez

All’s Well

Someone somewhere is shining a light into the darkest places we inhabit. By Jo Mooy The final month on the calendar announces the end of the year. The sun’s low light confirms it. In ancient days, with the harvest put away, the ancestors went inside to wait out the winter, telling stories and planning for spring’s return. As the days

shorten, I spend the “going inside” hours of December reflecting on the year past, while anticipating the flip of the calendar and what’s coming in the new year. We didn’t end the world in 2019 despite our best efforts. Some of the highlights of the year are beyond startling. How did we get to the point where “mass shootings” were so normalized,

that the headlines “More Mass Shootings Than Ever Before” read as an achievement? When the same headline “Hottest Year on Record” is repeated annually, do governments think it’s maybe time to do something? Did the heat waves across the planet this summer register loudly enough on human awareness? It did to the families of the 1,500 people who died in France. It definitely registered when India’s sixth largest city faced an unprecedented 118 degrees, and 4.6 million people ran out of water. In 2019, the glorious experiment of global unity, prevalent for decades, took a backseat to tribalism and nationalism. It showed itself on the international stage when voters on every continent elected far-right candidates to lead them. Buried under the covers was the tumor called racism that we thought had been excised. It wasn’t. It was cloaked in patriotic fervor and symbolism or in religious ideas that fed the anger and hatred of zealots. With all that as a backdrop to the year gone by, you might think we’re on the brink of extinction. Probably not, though some think the asteroid can’t come quickly enough. Old teachings refer to the Precession of the Equinoxes, where the cycles of time are divided into quadrants over 26,000 years. At the top of the cycle is the Golden Age; at the bottom is the Dark Age known as the Kali Yuga. It’s where we are now—the lowest and darkest state where the environment is assaulted and strife, discord, anger and fear reign. It’s a lengthy period of time where ignorance, lies and low ideals govern the masses. But it’s not forever. There’s always some good news in the mayhem. While it appears that everybody is that way—they’re not.

Global unity is still alive with the many good people who are doing good things in a world seemingly gone mad. All the rest of us have to do is seek out the good news that’s usually hidden under the deluge of dark news. It’s there. Look for it.

A young boy gave up all the money he was saving for a trip to Disneyworld. Instead, he sent it to a charity helping the victims of hurricane Dorian. When Disney heard about his generosity, they treated him with a trip for him and his family to the Magic Kingdom, all expenses paid. An author thought she was writing about an abandoned school bus. When she opened the door, there was a family of seven living in it. The school bus became her new project, Venues for Change. She enlisted an engineer who had designed tiny houses. In nine months they renovated a bus that became a real home for the family, complete with a garden outside. Their objective is to create one new “skoolie” home every year so families can stay together. The most endearing story on bullying took place in Florida. In a state with three powerhouse football teams, a little boy came to school wearing a tee-shirt with a handmade logo of the University of Tennessee. Classmates ridiculed, teased and bullied him for wearing the shirt. His teacher put a picture of the tee-shirt along with his story on Facebook. Within hours the university made his design an official logo and put it up for sale on their website. The overwhelming response crashed the website, and the little boy became an internet star. These stories often get lost in the regular newsfeeds, but they’re actually more important. These stories remind us of the inherent goodness in people. These stories endorse the belief that someone somewhere is shining a light into the darkest places we inhabit. These stories affirm that humans can rise above the divisiveness, maybe not en masse, but surely one by one. These stories assure as that as one year ends and another begins, the Kali Yuga will also end and a Golden Age will follow that embraces universal ideals. As 2019 closes out, I look back solemnly. Yet I’m filled with hope for 2020. We didn’t blow ourselves up and probably won’t next year either. I think of the words of Julian, the 15th century Abbess of Norwich. When the hours were darkest she said to remember this prayer—“All is Well, All is Well, and All Manner of Things Are Well.

Conscious Living with Jo Mooy

Jo Mooy has studied with many spiritual traditions over the past 40 years. The wide diversity of this training allows her to develop spiritual seminars and retreats that explore inspirational concepts, give purpose and guidance to students, and present esoteric teachings in an understandable manner. Along with Patricia Cockerill, she has guided the Women’s Meditation Circle since January 2006 where it has been honored for five years in a row as the “Favorite Meditation” group in Sarasota, FL, by Natural Awakenings Magazine. Teaching and using Sound as a retreat healing practice, Jo was certified as a Sound Healer through Jonathan Goldman’s Sound Healing Association. She writes and publishes a monthly internationally distributed e-newsletter called Spiritual Connections and is a staff writer for Spirit of Maat magazine in Sedona. For more information go to http://www.starsoundings.com or email jomooy@gmail.com.

Becoming Conscious

Once we become aware of ou r sp ir itual life, we begin to explore this realm and transform in consciousness. By Dreama Vance Although there are many in the world still functioning in an unconscious state of awareness, most of us “spiritual seekers” have, at some time in our life journey, awakened to the realization of One Source. We become cognizant of One Source of energy that animates life, that runs through all of existence, giving life, sustaining life, being life itself. I call this “becoming conscious.” We become conscious of this energy and become conscious of the journey we are on in this life. This awakening period is a nodal point. Nodal points are significant events that occur, intersecting timelines and offering opportunities for branching into different trains of exploration. Once we become conscious of our spiritual life, we begin to explore this realm. It is, in a very real sense, a time of falling in love. When in love, the world is made new. It is awash with sunlight, no matter the weather. Grouchy people, snarled traffic, all go unnoticed as we float in this happy state of new love. So it is as we begin our conscious exploration of spiritual life. Our eyes are starry as we experience the marvels of this new way of being. We stand in amazement as miracles roll out at our feet.

Just as new love changes, however, so does our spiritual journey. Although love remains, the path is not always smooth and easy. Bumps appear in the road. The observable world edges back into our reality. We run into road construction, have to take detours and may experience accidents and delays on our journey. Somewhere in our journey, we reach the second nodal point. There are many different life experiences that can bring us to this point, but bring us it will. My sister used to say, “Until you can stand naked on the hill, you will not know yourself.” This is, indeed, the second nodal point. It is a time where everything we think we are, have, and hold dear is stripped away. It is not necessarily a crisis of faith that brings us to this point. Indeed, it may even be our faith that leads us here. Nevertheless, it is a place and time where the external factors that we use to define ourselves are removed from us, either through our own choosing, or by other factors. However we arrive, we find ourselves standing utterly alone on that hill. This is a metaphor, of course. It does not necessarily mean you will be alone. It means you will have to stand alone, stripped of the trappings we use like clothes. In this nakedness, only you will be able to know yourself, to know who you really are.

I was given wonderful wisdom during that time in We find ourselves again standing naked on the hill. my own life, which I pass along to you because it still, many This time, however, we stand in our power. We stand in stillyears later, stands me in good stead: ness while the storm rages around us. We can look back and see the progress we have made. Indeed, we can see the spirals of our life and identify those nodes. I am reminded of an analogy about The Shift that “You can choose to focus you r I heard in the mid 1990s. Someone described this period of our history as a train station. We would each have to attention on what is behind you . You choose the train we wanted to be on for our future. Would we choose a spiritual train? Or would we take a train recan wor ry about it, regret it, be angry maining in the third dimension? Would factory farming and pharmaceutical drugs still reign supreme on your train of over it, or sad about it. Or , you can focus choice? How about boundaries and walls…the TSA and genetically modified food? Which train will you board? It is you r attention on the futu re. Infinite not just a political agenda. As the trains leave from the station, they are all possibility stretches in front of you . You close together and we can choose to hop over to another one. But, as the trains go farther away from the station can look forward w ith anticipation and they branch away from each other and soon it is no longer possible to change trains. Eventually, you no longer even excitement over what is to come. It is see the other trains. entirely you r choice. I had forgotten this depiction, but we are now 20 years down the road. The train I am on seems to be taking me to a very different reality than what I knew and underHmm… look back and be miserable, or look forward stood at the train station. The external world looks differwith anticipation. I think I’ll choose the second option, looking ent to me. Structures such as governments that once apforward as we approach 2020. If you, too, choose to look for- peared as foundations of integrity now seem like a mirage. ward, then this nodal point offers another period in time when I look outside the train window and it is as if I am in a forwe see with new vision. We see with new clarity. The world is eign land. Who are these people in the news? Who writes again made new. these stories? Truth and decency seem to evaporate like You can easily see that you are still on your spiri- mist outside of my window. Already I feel as if I no longer tual journey. It is, however, as if you have taken a step up know this external world. to another level of consciousness. The world looks differBut the world on the spiritual train, this destination, ent. You are different. In this next part of the journey love the journey itself, is exciting! It is clean, and new, and bright. deepens. Our consciousness matures. Life, with its ups and It is full of joy where living food and plant medicines nourish downs, joys and heartaches, develops us. Through it all, it us with light. People know the truth of their being and recis almost as if we are driven to go deeper. That inner part ognize it in each other. of our heart cries out for deeper connection. The lotus of It is infinite possibility! Truth begins to unfold our understanding. Once again we What train have you chosen? Choose the future you come to a nodal point. want now and hop on board!

New Reality Wellness with Dreama Vance

Dreama Vance is a New Reality wellness expert and cofounder of the Spiritual Dynamics Academy. While her insights into spiritual truths are legendary, her specialty is research into effective methods of healing and attaining wellness of mind, body and spirit. After years of exploring healing modalities, she has become expert in three that are highly powerful and effective. Her current research involves tuning into Gaia, the Mother Earth, to discover more about the inner secrets of Gaia’s ancient wisdom teachings. Find out more at http://www.spiritualdynamics.net.

Photo Credit: Pixabay/Vinson Tan

SHAZAM! Be Here Now

When you keep your consciousness on the present moment, the past can be a memory—but no longer your driving force. By Gregg Sanderson Be here now...That’s the advice we’re always given when change is upon us, but what the heck does that really mean? It’s like, “Develop your personality,” an almost useless phrase by itself. Often we dwell upon times in the past when we were happier (sadder), more (less) successful, or with (without) a particular person. Circumstances change, but our minds remain back there, and since that’s where our thoughts are, that’s what we create …again. That right—same old, same old. To “be here now” means to keep your consciousness on the present moment. Let the past be a memory, but no longer your driving force. Yet, it’s easy to lapse back into guilt or worry and distort your creative power.

When I find myself caught up in such situations, I have a simple method that works for me. I use SHAZAM. Here’s how: Think of something from your past you feel bad about. Look around you right now. Quick! Find something to appreciate. SHAZAM! You’re in the moment. Think of something in the future you’re worried about. Look around you right now. Quick! Find something to appreciate. SHAZAM! You’re in the moment. Incidentally, the word SHAZAM! is the magic word that transforms an ordinary person into a superhero. When little Billy Batson spoke it in the comic book, a bolt of lightning transformed him into the mighty Captain Marvel. I find it a convenient metaphor.

Whenever I’m faced with a problem or obstacle, I can say SHAZAM! Quick as lightning I connect with BOB (Being of Bliss)* and become the superhero that can solve any problem and conquer any limitation. I may not fly off and fight bad guys, but I can surely get the instant inspiration I need or help from BOB to move along. Remember, thoughts become things. You don’t believe SHAZAM!? OK, then it won’t work for you. What do you think will?

DON’T WORRY ABOUT WORRYING

Worry is the direct opposite of justassoonas, only we anticipate disaster instead of delight. The difference is that fear is usually stronger than hope, and BOB is standing by waiting to bop us with a YES! Remember Biblical Job: “That which I have feared the most has come upon me.” Some people I know are “professional worriers.” They constantly worry about some awful thing about to happen to them, and it often does. I worked in an office once with one such person. Her life was a move from one disaster to another. Her car got broken into, as did her house at a different time. When she tried to do anything at all, she was so worried about making a mistake that it took her twice as long—and still the results were amazingly inept. One time when most of the people were in a company meeting, she came into

my office upset that nobody was there. She thought it was a bomb scare. The poor thing didn’t work there very long, but we often remarked about what a sad example she was of the truth of the statement, “Thoughts become things.” It’s as if she came with her own personal rain cloud. Another individual I know often worries so about his plans working out perfectly that he covers all the bases in triplicate…and still runs into extraordinary difficulty as he moves through his drama. The key is to trust. BOB doesn’t want to create disaster for anyone. People do that well enough on their own. On the contrary, BOB wants to have fun through us, and It always sets us up to win. Remember, BOB’s only emotion is Love, and part of the game is to express the Love of BOB. Naturally, It will always arrange things to honor our requests in the best possible way. The problem is people don’t know this, so they regularly choose to lose as they try to arrange things without trusting BOB. BOB has motive, means, and opportunity. It has the motive to experience fun and winning. Since everything is made out of BOB and It has to power to manipulate everything, It naturally has the means, and since it’s always now, It always has the opportunity. So what’s not to trust? SHAZAM! Let go and let BOB.

*The Force we call BOB (Being of Bliss) is exactly that—a Force—a Power, but definitely not a person. Ever so much more, Its composition is Mind, Feeling, and Stuff. It entertains Itself by messing with Its stuff to create the realm (dimension) of Space and Time.

Happiness is BS with Gregg Sanderson

Gregg Sanderson is author of Spirit With A Smile, The World According To BOB. He is a licensed practitioner in the Centers for Spiritual Living, and a Certified Trainer for Infinite Possibilities. His earlier books were, What Ever Happened To Happily Ever After? and Split Happens—Easing The Pain Of Divorce. His latest project is the New Thought Global Network, where subscribers can enjoy the best in New Thought presentations from anywhere at any time. You can see it at http://www.newthoughtglobal.org.

How Big is Your Digital Footprint?

In today’s competitive online market, it’s easier and more budget friendly than ever to get in front of your ideal clients. By Dr. Bryan Hawley I remember when I first watched the movie Jurassic Park and the T-Rex’s footprint filled with water shook due to the impending force of the impact tremors. It made me think about digital marketing and the importance of sending ripples out through the online world. This leads me to the question: How big of a digital impact tremor does your business have on your surrounding area? As we approach the 2020, do you risk becoming extinct? Just having a simple templated website, landing page or Facebook page that has posts two times a month is no longer what I would call making a digital footprint—let alone creating an impact tremor that will make the competition shutter. If you haven’t looked at it lately, getting in front of your ideal client and being seen virtually everywhere is now easier and more budget friendly than ever! Using digital “strategery” (no that’s not a real word, but I like it) you can accomplish two unique phases of marketing.

ONE: GETTING YOURSELF AND YOUR SERVICES IN FRONT OF EVERYONE WHO IS ACTIVELY SEARCHING FOR YOU. Yes, it is a great feeling to have people contact your business who are actively looking for what you offer instead of you hounding them with offers and specials. Using the power of Google Analytics and other SEO formulas, you can position yourself perfectly for when someone in your area talks into the phone and says, “SIRI find me xyz in my area”—for literally pennies! Never before have we had this type of opportunity.

TWO: PUTTING YOUR ADS IN FRONT OF THE IDEAL CLIENT. We literally have the power of what I call “sniper marketing” in the palm of our hands. For example, we can now target within 25 miles of our business a 35-year-old female who is married, has three open lines of credit, uses an American Express credit card, has a two-year degree,

purchased vitamins, and works out. You can also use job title targeting, which is an impressive tool if you’re wanting to reach a decision maker. Carousel advertising on social media has opened up a new genre of ads. Why show one selling point when you can show more in one swoop. Customizing these ads to your audience is an impressive way of getting creative with your customers and delivering various messages that sell a scenario. Say, for example, you want to explode exposure to a training course; you could use the carousel feature to dictate a series of scenarios, each with a different image and wording. –– Are you stuck in life? –– Feeling the inner pull of something you should be doing? –– Here is a way to uncover and discover your path? Each of the ads would speak to different scenarios and capture the interest of those viewing. You can even use local Google keyword search stats to find the most common demographic searching for your topic and then target your ads

t oward them. Let each ad run for a few days for a couple dollars per day and monitor which ones are getting the most hits. Once you’ve dialed down the winning ad, scale it up and reap the rewards. Keep it running as long as your ad is producing. Pixels is another way that you can capture relevant audiences. By placing a tracking pixel on your landing page or ad, whenever someone lands on it you will get a digital profile of that person. You can later track all the people who landed on your page and create a custom lookalike audience in Facebook. Say you have a person who purchased a product or became a client; with a tracking pixel you can get a digital profile of that individual. Facebook will then search for other people (lookalike audience) who have the same digital profiles in your area and send your ads directly to them. Re-targeting is another method you can use for people who landed on your page but did not call or fill out the form or purchase something. You can capture the digital footprint and send them retargeting ads with different calls to actions or offers. Retargeting campaigns have shown to in-

crease conversions by up to 33 percent or more in some cases and cost half as less as blanket advertising campaigns. Why is this? Because re-targeting is marketing to a warm audience vs. a cold one. Similar to re-targeting is Geofencing, a popular way to target customers in a certain zip code or radius around a building or structure. Say, for instance, you want to target people who are visiting a certain mall, or higher-end shopping district. Geofencing allows you to target customers in any given radius. You’ll notice when this is happening, especially on mobile apps. Any mobile app that you use for free likely has advertisements, and those advertisements are usually being geofenced. This can be a boost for getting local client engagement with your office digitally. You can also use this method to advertising things like speaking events or other live engagements. One of the biggest trends now is the use of video in marketing. You can place a video on your business Facebook page and re-target everyone who watched three seconds of your video with a call to action ad. This is a very powerful and engaging technique.

Another thing to consider is having a Facebook ad that has a builtin lead form attached to it. Basically, a person sees the ad and wants more information, wants a free e-book or something you are offering and fills out a very short contact form without ever having to leave the Facebook platform. You get notified of the lead, get the information and contact him or her. If you don’t want to be bothered with that now they even have BOTs (Messenger Bots) that will automatically do that for you! All these things can be set up and managed by individuals without having to hire big expensive ad agencies. How do I know this? Because I own a big expensive ad agency, and I have been teaching others how to do this on their own for years now. Never in the history of marketing have we had this capability, literally in the palm of our hands. So if you are not using the power or digital marketing or are not making a big digital footprint (think T-Rex) I urge you to give this some attention because I guarantee your competition is, and the world needs to hear your message.

Listen for Your Calling with Dr. Bryan Hawley Dr. Bryan is a published author, national speaker, and personal growth consultant. He also owns an online digital marketing agency and has created a simple online course on digital marketing to help other coaches, and authors break out into the world and reach audiences. You can find out more on his website http://www.drbryanhawley.com or email directly at info@drbryanhawley.com.

Follow the Path of Gratitude

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Nick Kane

"In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich."_Dietrich Bonhoeffer By Mary Boutieller This year is slowly coming to an end, and it has been filled with grief and gratitude, joy and sorrow, the challenges of life lived and lessons learned and habits repeated and released. Always, these last months of the year cause me to pause and reflect on where I am and what I have learned. And even if you live in one of the warmer climates like I do, there is an innate slowing down, an inward pulling as if we should hibernate into the mind for awhile and let the body rest. If only we would tap into our primal natures and allow ourselves the sweet release of busyness—taking in nourishing foods, good company, cooler days and quiet contemplation, we could foster healing in so many ways. This time also reminds me to find gratitude in my life. Even in the midst of pain and loss, there is always something we can be grateful for in our lives. Just try closing your eyes and think of one thing for which you are grateful. Now notice how that simple exercise makes you feel! Better yet, get out pen and paper and write down 10 things in your life that spark joy, bring contentment or make you smile. Many of us live such lives of privilege—of grace and plenty. How fortunate I am, here in this present moment, taking it all in and acknowledging it for the gift it is. You see, that part—the acknowledgment part—is important. It’s really important because we can forget how darn lucky we are right here and right now. We can take for granted that the sun has

come up once again, that the sky is so often blue, that a friend has reached out with love, that we can walk or talk or be in this world at all. We can forget to look within at all of the riches and knowledge and wisdom we’ve gained, at how the body responds to kindness, at the joy of simple pleasures and sweet nothings. Imagine waking up each morning and acknowledging our own good fortune—a bed to sleep in, a roof over our heads, breakfast or coffee or clean water. You see, there is SO much to be grateful for in our lives. Denis Waitley said, “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” Perfect I am not, and sometimes I get frustrated with the itty-bitty irritations of life. Needless to say, I don’t always live every moment in gracious repose. But more often than not, I catch myself and regain perspective. How we feel about our lives depends so much on how we view ourselves and respond to events. For example, the other day a wasp stung me. After a few expletives escaped my mouth (whoops!), I thought, “Well, at least this will give my immune system a boost!” Then I thought how funny it was that I was able to put a positive spin on this painful little event! Yet I know that this example is a small one. Some of you are struggling with disease or loss unimaginable, and finding the silver lining can seem insurmountable. So maybe we start by taking a deep breath...and then another.

WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK TO THE BREATH. Then acknowledge your own precious worthiness—your own right to grace and joy and understanding. Embrace your journey and marvel at its twists and turns instead of getting consumed by it. See the forest through the trees of life and realize that it’s not over till it’s over, remembering that the clearing is just ahead.

WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken reminds me that we always have a choice—which path to take or which view we will aspire to in this one precious life we’ve been given. So we walk the path, pause, take another look, and maybe choose a road “less traveled by.” I know that sometimes it’s all we can do just to take that deep breath; sometimes it’s a deep breath and a different choice; sometimes it’s turning up the music and doing a little dance, because nothing else really makes sense! In this season of giving, forgiving and drawing inward, may the choices you make come easily. May you find what makes your heart truly happy. May you let go of the ancestral mantras that no longer serve your highest and best good, and may you truly acknowledge your own precious worthiness—just for being you.

The Yoga of Life with Mary Boutieller Mary Boutieller is a Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance. She has been teaching yoga since 2005. Her work experience includes 22 years as a firefighter/paramedic and 10 years as a Licensed Massage Therapist. Mary’s knowledge and experience give her a well-rounded understanding of anatomy, alignment, health and movement in the body. She is passionate about the benefits of yoga and the ability to heal at all levels through awareness, compassion, and a willingness to explore. She can be reached at: SimplyogaOm@gmail.com.