Joy is not the absence of pain, it’s the sacred acceptance of it

by Cheryl Brewster

Like you, I’ve experienced a lot of joy in my life, and a lot of pain. I recognize that both are integral dance partners, challenging assumptions and perceptions of reality.

JOY in my experience is the ever-present, inner quality of the soul, always in the background, and yet often expressing itself spontaneously and with great love. In fact I would say it’s one of the highest forms of love. And nothing is more comforting than knowing whatever befalls us, whatever conflict is gurgling inside of us, love prevails. When love prevails, joy does too. It’s an immutable law of the universe.

Which is why I’m so big on JOY. It’s fear’s faithful companion in the Hero’s Journey; the call to the Soul to express its true nature. By embracing what’s NOT working with kindness rather than with judgment, JOY looks for what is possible, opens dimensions of consciousness for fresh insight and new that solutions expand soul growth and greater effectiveness in life.

JOY means you’re true to the “real you” inside. The one that you’ll always be in discovery of. The one that lives in integrity with the law of nature, at one with itself and the universe.

JOY is always possible because it takes conflict and uses it to evolve consciousness.

There’s nothing more rewarding than that! No matter what’s going on, as we surrender to this inner quality inside, we make peace with our inner dragons and begin to tame them. That’s my definition of J.O.Y. – Just Open Yourself to this exquisite power inside. The sooner the better, for as the Course in Miracles reminds us:

Peace is our only goal and forgiveness is our only function.

Joy is not the fluffy stuff of unicorns and rainbows. It’s not surface. It’s deep. It’s strong because it’s emerged from transcending the sorrows of life. It knows that day always follow the night, so it trusts the light even when it can’t be seen. That’s joy. That’s the culmination of a deep, solid decision to trust life and be willing to continually face uncertainty with courage, grace, commitment and eventually, a sense of adventure.

Joy is the willingness to keep growing.
It’s the decision to embrace Beginner’s Mind, to cast ego pride aside, admit uncertainty and keep going anyway, learning how to walk in the new world with baby steps that include vulnerability, asking for help, many falls, scrapes and the infinite call to patience. Joy is knowing we are multi-dimensional, that everything really is okay, even when the ego insists it’s not. Joy is mindfulness, presence, and power rather than force.

In Stoicism, the Ancient Greek philosophy that emphasizes self-control, happiness or joy is defined as “eudaimonia” which means human flourishing and consists of growth, authenticity, meaning, and excellence. I’d say my definition of Joy is the same, it’s just a whole lot easier to spell . Like Stoicism, it speaks to the true nature of authenticity and the our evolution of expanding integrity and virtue of character. This is where joy and pain intersect. We’ll keep finding parts of ourselves that need to be surrendered to reveal the deeper authenticity within. I believe we do this best using joy – we will find all kinds of things that need to change, but joy’s response will be purposeful because it’s one of evolution. First we do things from love, then through love, then AS love. Joy identifies and releases patterns that don’t work, that keep us stuck in guilt or paralysis and makes healing possible.

Joy befriends the guilt. It provides safe passage for the pain to flow through. It is more interested in growth than being right. It’s not argumentative nor a perfectionist. Metaphorically, it likes to play in the dirt, in the imagination of mud pies that call to us when we take life too seriously.

So, the next time you find yourself wondering what happened to your joy. Know that it will come back. It didn’t go away, it’s still there, always in the background; you’ve just got some emotional processing to do. Painful emotions are a sign of growth and the reward is truly worth the effort. That’s why joy is not the absence of sorrow, it’s the sacred acceptance of it.

In the immortal words of poet William Blake, we find the seeds of resilience and true prosperity in this force of love called JOY:

Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine,
Under every grief and pine,
Runs a joy with silken twine.
It is right it should be so,
We were made for joy and woe,
And when this we rightly know,
Through the world we safely go.

 

High Vibes for Hard Times

by Cheryl Brewster

Make no mistake – you were groomed for times like these… if you weren’t, you wouldn’t be here at this precise moment in history, or be drawn to reading the words that follow. High Vibes for Hard Times isn’t just a fanciful thought… it’s a way of life and Viktor Frankl, whose words appear to the left are living proof. He, who survived concentration camps in WWII because he had a bigger why to live for… his high vibes resulted in an epic demonstration of the power of these tools, that we can follow.

Your most important asset is your attitude… will it be based on the intuitive, solid, un-shakeable knowingness within or will it be based on the past habits of limiting beliefs and conditioning? You will know by how you feel.

Feelings are a barometer; they reveal what’s really going on both consciously and sub-consciously. Perhaps a fear virus has been in you long before the pandemic hit. As metaphor, the Corona Virus invites us to step up… to be the thought leaders and visionaries we were born to be; to drop the malaise or programming that kept us from living and contributing our fullest potential. The virus put us all on an even playing field; none of us has been exempt from its affects. Rich or poor, unemployed or not each one of us has a deliberate choice to make – to responsibly contribute to humanity through our own evolution. To bring help, healing, connection to family and work environments is an individual choice, with massive impact. We need healthier, kinder, more synergistic ways of living and being. The quality of your life is the proof.

The virus forced us to slow down. It’s imperative that we keep harnessing the power of this pause as we get back to work and re-create our worlds. They can’t be done in the old way anymore; a new economy awaits us as we discover and harness a new economy within our own mindsets and attitudes.

From my experience, “high vibration for hard times” defines an attitude that is courageous, clear, aligned with infinite intelligence and produces people of strong character, high ethics, solid values with legacies to be lived, and blessings to be shared. It’s one that defies “what has been” in order to “create what can be.” High vibration means that we forgive ourselves for past mistakes, and courageously embrace blind spots to excavate the hidden nuggets of gold within. High vibration means living intentionally, on purpose. It calls us to live from worth, spiritual wealth and well-being. (Did you know that the word wealth actually means well-being)?

High vibration living means that we accept the magnificence of our creative abilities; we create a world based on harmony, not on scarcity or consumerism. We become more willing to value what is innate inside of us, rather than feeding the voracious appetites of an ego that insists it can’t be happy unless or until….. In other words, we choose to be happy now and create from a place of having rather than wanting. Easy to say, hard to do when there are bills to pay and the whole economic landscape has changed. I know. I’ve been there too. But it’s been in those times, against all odds, when I’ve employed the power of deliberate intent using “high vibration” thinking, feeling and visualizing, that things have changed. It’s time to do so again. For all of us.

I’ve found both Stoic philosophy and spiritual tools of prosperity thinking to be invaluable for tough times:
In the words of Epictetus:

“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power or our will.”  His life as a slave is proof of the power to use the high vibes of deliberate choice: “Sick and yet happy, in peril and yet happy, dying and yet happy, in exile and happy, in disgrace and happy.”

Spiritual mind treatment – the decision to be in alignment with our highest good manifests in the physical world:
Step 1: Desire
Step 2: The Universe responds, so we can trust the process and be at peace, optimistic, joyful, in gratitude and appreciation
Step 3: Make your most dominant vibration the receiving mode of your well-being

Faith is required. How strong will your faith be? In order to be strong, it must be nurtured… and we do that, one kind, better-feeling thought at a time. We surrender into the hope and joy of our desire – we dare to think, feel and act differently. We begin with the end in mind. Make this pandemic count. Take Your Stand for What Inspires You – and Do It. It’s your gift of contribution to a world that needs you, as you, for you. You were groomed for High Vibes in Hard Times.

Call to action – what were your insights in reading this blog? How will you apply them? What’s something you’ve been meaning to do, that you’ll stop deferring and start doing?  Let me know – that’s part of the integration process as we continue to expand and grow.

If you enjoyed this post, let us know and please share!

Rev. Cheryl Brewster, B.Msc.
I empower individuals and organizations to stay inspired and keep moving forward in positive, productive ways, no matter what changes, challenges or adversities they may face.

Personal and Business Intuitive, Consultant/Training/Keynotes/ specializing in:
Intuition in Business, Radical Joy through Conflict Resolution/Communication/
Resiliency Skills, Ordained Minister/Wedding Officiant and Life Celebrant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stay Inspired – How to re-frame “failed” goals (part 2)

by Cheryl Brewster

This is part two of how to re-frame your goals… see part one before you read on. What appear to be “failed” goals are part of the structure of life; they’re unavoidable and important “pause points”. They carry with them, hidden treasures that point us in the direction of our dreams and accomplishment of our goals.

Pause Point#1: The only failure is the failure to learn
Too often we assign value, meaning, self-esteem and success to positive outcomes while assigning the opposite to less than desirable ones. Remember the story of the birth of post-it-notes? It was a glue formula that “failed” and created a multi-billion dollar product!  Success was already there, just not in the form the inventor expected. So too for you. Less then stellar results are not the end of the world, they’re important steps of progress. The only failure is a negative attitude that disregards the learning.

Pause Point#2: Tell the truth to yourself
Blind spots hold incredible treasures within them. Repeated unrealized goals are guiding you to this treasure. What are you not seeing? What are you not willing to do differently? Truth is the bridge. Humility and the willingness to see and do things differently are the toll required. This requires a positive attitude and the ability to translate what we don’t want into what we do want.

Pause Point#3: Drop irrational judgment
The willingness to see and do things differently means “letting go” of the irrational judgments that our blind spots contain. There is within each one of us, an infinite intelligence that supplies our ideas, creativity, wisdom and resources. By continually blaming ourselves or others for goals not yet achieved, we are totally unplugging from that power source! Irrational, continual, unrelenting blame or regret literally choke out prosperity consciousness. What we most fear then becomes what we most create. We inadvertently energize exactly what we don’t want! We do this both consciously and unconsciously. How do we know? By the results we are getting.

Pause Point#4: The power of 4: Forgiveness, faith, focus and follow-through
Awareness of irrational blame or judgment requires a decision to forgive… without it, we’ll never have a strong foundation to build on and the success we long for, we’ll never have. We may achieve great things, but if we don’t achieve peace of mind along with them, then they’re just that… things without greatness. Here’s a powerful 4-step process to stay on track:

Forgive: yourself and others, and refuse to let blame or regret rule your life. Be willing to let go! Blame not only hurts, it keeps us stuck.
Faith: Prosperity consciousness is the resolution to apply the immutable force within. Prosperity is not outside of us… it’s expressed from the inside out! This can be a tricky concept but it’s a vitally important one.
Focus: ONLY on the thoughts, feelings and consciousness that support your prosperity. Be committed to this as a new habit.
Follow-through: lead from your power-source; take inspired action and keep dropping judgment or fear as they come up. Cross the bridge of truth from what you don’t want to what you do want with the humility and willingness to think, feel and do things differently… let the “inner substance within” that underpins everything, flow through you. What is this substance? It’s the same intelligence that drives the force of nature, beats your heart and breaths through your lungs… you can’t get it from anywhere outside of you… it’s already here. How exciting is that?! Our only job then, is to be still enough to let it lead, and to follow with faith, focus and follow-through. How will you do that this week? Email us! We’d love to hear your experience of applying these concepts! For extra support, be sure to sign up for our daily inspiration on our home page.

Cheryl Brewster helps people become aware of their strengths and the mindsets that sabotage them. She works with both organisations and individuals to help each person create greater resilience and sustainable results in life and business. She offers keynotes, coaching and private consultations to a local and international client base.

Stay Inspired! How to re-frame “failed” goals (part 1)

by Cheryl Brewster

What inspires you?  Inspiration is important!  It’s what comforts us in the most difficult circumstances, transforms lethargy into those great “I Did It!” moments, and also helps us deal with those disappointing “I Didn’t Do It!” moments. However, like anything else, the benefits of inspiration can’t do their work if we’re not open to its incredible power and potential.

Inspiration is food for the body and the soul – we’d starve without it.
Defined as a creative force that stimulates thought or action, inspiration is also defined as the drawing in of breath.  There is no lack of inspiration, but if we’re not deliberately incorporating it into breathing, we’re missing out on a whole lot of mental, emotional and physical fuel… we’re draining our resilience and access to our intuition and its super powers of calm, clear, accurate guidance.

What would happen if you brought more “inspired breathing” into your day? You’d not only feel better, you’d be opening up to more of your creativity, ingenuity, genius, imagination and originality. You’d be breathing new life into what appear to be “failed” goals and expanding into an even greater prosperity consciousness.

To do this, we need to acknowledge, feel and breathe into our feelings and question our assumptions.  Feelings like disappointment, regret and worry are natural and even expected. But are we overly self-criticizing with labels like failure, being lazy, weak or not good enough?  These labels can certainly feel justified given the work/achievement culture we live in. But we must ensure we are seeing clearly.  Often there are circumstances beyond our control or there’s a bigger picture we can only become aware of, after the fact. Further, the stress of unexpected events can cause repercussions we’re not even aware of, like post-traumatic stress and burn-out. These cause huge energy hits on our system…. and yet…we still actually blame ourselves for not achieving our goals!

So what to do? Finding ourselves in the doldrums of unexpected or disappointing results  is hard. Really hard. How do we stay inspired then?

Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).” ~James Baraz.

Ask questions rather than judging or making assumptions:
The brutal critical voice is something we all have. It can crush our spirit – don’t let it! Mindfully ask quality questions to shift perspective:
What would inspiration do now?
As an observer, watching myself, what can be learned from this?
What is a better feeling thought I can have?
Was this a reasonable goal or did I over/underestimate inner and outer environments or time required?
Did I leave wiggle room for adjustment?
Did I re-evaluate my goal to course correct?
In hindsight, what would I do differently?
What attitude serves me best in moving forward?

Use inspiration to see the bigger picture
It sounds weird; but sometimes “not” achieving our goals can benefit us (if we’ll let it):
1. If you’re way too hard on yourself or have some other ineffective habit, not achieving your goal this time round can be a good thing. It’s the opportunity to course correct any self-limiting attitudes so you are genuinely expanding your self-awareness to create a more grounded level of success.
2. The most inspiring among us are those who found a way through crippling adversity –  you can too. Take Your Stand! Decide to pick yourself up and invest in support and self-development; none of us does this work alone!
3. Find meaning in the pain…. what comfort and wisdom will you bring another who goes through something like this? Bring it to yourself first, right here, right now.

This is part one of how to re-frame your goals… If you enjoyed this blog, stay tuned for part two, and let us know what impacted you most and how you applied these tools. (And please share, we appreciate it)!

Cheryl Brewster helps people become aware of their strengths and the mindsets that impair them. She works with both organisations and individuals to help each person take responsibility and move forward in their roles for more empowered experiences and outcomes. Cheryl offers keynotes, coaching programs and private consultations.

Struggling to “Get Things Done?” Choose Peace!

by Cheryl Brewster

“The ABCs of Intuition,” are a form of mindfulness that I developed several years ago.  The simplicity of “Aware, Breathe, Connect” increases awareness, which expands choice. Where are we really putting our thoughts and energy? Is it effective?  As we learn to expand awareness through the breath, we learn how to drop stress. This connects us purposefully back into our inner wisdom, the home of solutions. Easy to say, harder to do.

Part of managing change effectively is knowing that no matter what happens, we can handle it. We will know what to do. Choosing peace on a daily basis is more than an affirmation. It’s a lifestyle choice. A powerful one. It’s a daily practice that frees up creative energy and best practice solutions. Choosing peace is mindfulness in action, leading to new insights, options and expanded awareness.

What happens as you make peace a purposeful, deliberate choice, in getting things done today? How will it affect your results? How will you feel about yourself and your day?

Simplicity knocks the socks off stress. It engages flow and keeps us tapped into the rhythm of life.  Imagine the power of flow in your life by daily, consistently, making peace your practice in getting things done! What would your projects look like from this perspective? How about how you communicate with others, and those tricky triggers that can come up when you least expect them?

Peace is power. It’s a commodity we don’t use as often as we could.  It leads to healthy self-image, the cornerstone result of  personal effectiveness, self-growth and development. It’s pre-requisite to true prosperity ensures long-term, authentic success. In its daily practice, we increase the value of our investment. But we can only do so, through a firm resolve and determination to stay on track, no matter what.  Easy to say, harder to do, but so worth the effort.

If you enjoyed this blog, let us know! Cheryl Brewster is a Personal/Business Intuitive, who inspires and teaches resiliency through change.  For more information or to book a complimentary session to explore using mindfulness as a part of your solutions-based outlook, call her at 604-781-4022 or email cheryl@theintuitivelife.com

Upcoming events can be viewed at www.TheIntuitiveLife.com and please sign up on the homepage to stay connected with us.

 

Success or Failure – The Key to Problem Solving is Attitude

by Cheryl Brewster

What if our problems aren’t the REAL problem? What if the real problem lies in our attitude about the problem? That’s what Norman Vincent Peale, father of positive thinking cautioned when he said “Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure.”

Have you noticed that when you’re on edge with a problem that it can become difficult to stay positive and focused? Have you noticed how your mood is affected and your normal resiliency is challenged? Research shows that it’s easier to believe the” bad stuff ” when faced with challenges that make us feel unhappy or nervous—a phenomenon known as negative memory bias. “Our moods shape our ability to recall things about ourselves,” explains University of Toronto Psychotherapist, Zindel Segal, PhD. “Naturally, when you’re feeling down, it’s easier to recall failures or times when you’ve messed up. The mind is mired in a negative view. The same holds true for anxiety: Someone who is timid or frightened might be leery of a new situation, might look for comfort in ways she’s been able to secure it before. It’s staying with the devil you know.”

So to solve our problems, we need to be AWARE and check out our ATTITUDES… a subtle but hugely important step that’s easy to miss because it appears so obvious that we skip it.
In the flying industry, a detailed check-list and “walk-around” the aircraft takes place before each flight…. no matter how seasoned a pilot is, this checklist and walk around must be completed each and every time. So too with us, at the start of each day, a check-list and  walk-around our attitudes, will keep us safe, prevent problems that could have been avoided, and keep us motivated in personal effectiveness to reach our dreams and goals.

attitude pirate problemAttitude Checklist

1. Mindfulness
Defined as “paying attention in a certain way, on purpose, without judgement,”(Jon Kabbat-Zinn), mindfulness helps keep our awareness (attention) engaged so we’re able to act consciously instead of unconsciously. Developing mindfulness improves our understanding of what’s going on in any situation. It creates a “pattern interrupt ,” so that instead of being distracted or overcome by emotions or messy thinking we determine where our attitude really is – effective, healthy and empowered, or needing an “attitudinal adjustment.”
Application: pick an area in life that you’d like to bring more success to. Take a few deep breaths and observe from mindfulness… what do you see or hear from this quiet place?

2. Enthusiasm
“Every production of genius must be the production of enthusiasm.” Benjamin Disraeli
Enthusiasm re-frames problems and offers new perspectives…. it grows hope, optimism and gratitude, the great elixirs of transformation. Enthusiasm opens pathways to new ways of thinking which brings more choices in how to respond.  Application: How can enthusiasm help you work effectively in the challenged areas of your life? Decide and take Action!

3. Action
“You must make a decision that you are going to move on. It won’t happen automatically. You will have to rise up and say, “I don’t care how hard this is, I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me. I’m moving on with my life.” (Joel Olsteen). Solutions come through action.
Application:  Strengthen your commitment to yourself. What action will you take to move through your challenges? Because thought precedes all action, what thoughts do you now need to think? What is that internal communication that needs to take place? Commit to action from these empowered thoughts. This is self-inspired, personal development at its best.

4. Affirm a positive, enthusiastic mindset to fuel consistent action
Constant, repeated self talk and images that are positive and rewarding, focus the subconscious from what we don’t want to what we do want (and believe we can create).
Be vigilant in catching thoughts and words to “release and replace.” E.g., thinking/saying “I’m always behind, there’s never enough time in the day” is a self-fulfilling prophecy…
Application: Affirm a new mindset and actions with “in-process” statements like “I have a new attitude! Each day  and in every way, I’m more and more effective in accomplishing my goals!”  Here’s one of my favorite daily affirmations based on the Hindu word of “Namaskar”:

“I salute the divinity in myself.
I am strong and able.
I can do all that I need to do this day.
My mind is alert, my body vital and healthy and my way will be strewn with golden opportunities.
No matter what this day may bring to me, there is in me that which is great enough to meet it, overcome it, and be blessed by it!”
Namaskar

5. Make the word “Perseverance” a part of your vocabulary. Be Persevering for and with Enthusiasm!Winston Churhill Enthusiasm
Norman Vincent Peale couldn’t say enough about it:  “Enthusiasm spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.”
Application: When challenge comes, what if enthusiasm became your first response mechanism? Imagine the stress prevention that would take place in this one small technique?

Success or Failure, Mediocrity or Accomplishment, Attitude makes all the difference because it’s a “now” process that activates the happiness, peace and prosperity in the NOW, guaranteeing a future that just keeps getting better and better, no matter what.

If you enjoyed this blog, please ensure you are signed up for both my newsletter and quote of the day. The Intuitive Life is committed to “Inspiring Conscious Changemakers.” I welcome your participation in our growing community! Cheryl Brewster is a certified personal and business intuitive, whose specialty is empowerment through change.

Procrastination – Busted! 5 simple steps to freedom!

by Cheryl Brewster

What’s on your procrastination list? Procrastination is heavy and binding. Left unchecked for too long, its energy field grows bigger, stronger and more difficult to dissolve. Those tiny  “later” messages can soon become “never” messages. So what to do if those procrastination habits are out of control? Take heart! It took time for them to get that way, but they don’t need to stay that way. Besides, procrastination energy is potential energy just waiting to be used differently!

procrastination cartoon

Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a task which needs to be accomplished. It is the practice of doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, or carrying out less urgent tasks instead of more urgent ones, thus putting off impending tasks to a later time. (Wikkipedia)

 

 
Step#1 – You CAN change so be willing to!
Start with how you FEEL about your procrastination habits. No matter how much we want to break free, we never will if we’re condemning ourselves for what got us here. And in fact, isn’t that the biggest procrastination of all? Not allowing yourself to see possibilities for something different is simply an incorrect thinking habit.  Be willing to see it that way by dropping the guilt and self-recrimination and choosing to make a positive change. The most authentic, heart-felt success stories are from people who took a serious challenge or obstacle and mastered it. The reframe here, is that you CAN bust the procrastination habit simply starting with one decision at a time and building on it.

Step #2 – Start with where you are.
Nothing feeds overwhelm more than trying to do too many things at one time. We set ourselves up for failure by not seeing where we’re simply trying to do too much. By asking yourself if you could only do one thing today and still feel successful, you create an immediate starting point! A clear path begins to emerge and you are on your way. Like the old proverb says, the journey of a lifetime, begins with that first small step… just keep taking small steps.

Step#3 – Be task specific rather than goal specific
Goals take time and are comprised of many tasks. Without accurately forecasting how long these tasks take, we can easily overcommit. Get in the habit of deciding what goal needs to be completed in a given day, week, month., etc., and then  making a task list for each. Transfer those tasks into your appointment calendar… if you’re not allotting time for tasks, how will they ever get done, how will those goals ever be accomplished?

Step#4 – Mentally and emotionally “vibrate” to your BEST feeling thoughts
Keeping the visual of a sliding scale in your mind with pain on one side and power on the other, really works! Asking yourself if this thought is leading you to feel better or worse about yourself totally transforms the energy field that created procrastination in the first place. It frees you from the trap of having your precious energy getting scattered or sucked into ineffectiveness.  Positive, empowered thought pops you straight out of the procrastination habit and straight into energized, inspired, authentic, heart-centered, appropriate action. Pain to Power thinking leads to increased personal effectiveness, prosperity and happy, inspired living.

Step#5 – Be determined to be a vibrational match to your heart’s desire
Realize there’s no other alternative left to you – if you want to be free of procrastination, then what would it feel like to do that? Feel that feeling now and be determined to confront any lesser feelings with this very powerful decision. Tangible, physical results are simply the manifestation of these invisible, empowered thought forms.  Everything is energy! Empowerment starts in thought and ends in accomplishment, so what rituals or habits help you “lock’n load” into this energy field? Be brave! Committment to what you most want, begins with making it the most important thing in your life… you can do it! Begin and keep on keeping on!

When we see our procrastination simply as a field of energy that houses huge resources of potential energy, something profound happens… that one little busting through chink in the wall of limiting beliefs gets bigger and bigger. It’s the willingness to do this type of nitty gritty work that feeds the joy of our success.  Ask any great person how they got to where they wanted to be and the answer will be universally the same… they stopped procrastinating and took action.

So what’s on your procrastination list? The opposite side of that list also exists… feel that vibe now and voila! The procrastination energy field…busted!

If you enjoyed our blog, ensure you are on our regular mailing list by downloading the bonus ABC Report on Prosperity on our website. And to stay REALLY connected to practice these tools, join our Daily Inspirational Quote as well!

Cheryl Brewster is a personal and business Intuitive, Coach and Speaker, who inspires Conscious Changemakers to live their passion through inspired action. Learn more at TheIntuitiveLife.com

 

 

Self Love – The Courageous Choice for Results in Life and Business

by Cheryl Brewster

What builds or destroys your relationships at home and in business?
What totally transforms how you “do” life, especially behind the scenes where no one sees you or knows what you’re really thinking?
What is your foundation, touchstone or immovable center point during times of intense challenge, emotional “spin cycles” and piercing disappointment or grief?

The answer of self love is obvious… but it takes outrageous courage to truly practice it. Today’s message is that we can do it and we must do it! Yes, ongoing improvement strategies at home and in business are important, but the first one is self love…. without self love, it doesn’t matter how educated, talented or skilled we are, we’re not going to enjoy our experiences and it’s guaranteed, that those around us won’t either. Self love takes the whole idea of  prosperity to a whole new level. (How many super stars have bottomed out at the peak of their careers? Too many to mention…. without self love we can easily fall prey to influences that don’t have our best self interests at heart).

So what can we do to build awareness of this primary component of emotional intelligence?

1. Think of someone that is super important to you, someone you love… what are your greatest hopes and wishes for them? Are you allowing yourself those very things in your own life? If not, are you willing to slow things down to make room for this new mindset and follow-through with persistent, ” thought diligence”?

2. Again, thinking of this person that you love… what would make it easier for this person to live a happy life? Again, are you making those same choices for yourself? What old thoughts would you need to drop and what new thoughts would you need to employ?

3. In knowing what you need to do in your life… can you accept, allow and forgive yourself for the times you don’t do those things? Can you see how self love can be a strategy to free up the energy, to do the things you’ve been avoiding and make them more palatable? Can you begin with noticing current bad habits and understand the need they are trying to fill? Would you be willing to let them be filled in more productive/destructive ways?

4. What authentic leader most inspires you? How would they handle a current challenge you’re having? What self talk would they be giving to themselves?

Healthy Self Love is the ultimate effective business tool; you can “feel” the vibe when someone really loves themselves and what they do… you can also feel it when they don’t. Self loving individuals are the leaders that people love to work for, the parents that truly get what’s most important and come from those priorities. Self loving men and women are brave enough to make their happiness the priority; they’re grounded, strong, integrity-based visionaries. They help others see what they cannot see for themselves.

Self Love is the ultimate relationship tool; it heals the wounded parts in ourselves and others by making good use of the triggers that set us off so we can re-frame to evolve them.

Self Love says that no matter what’s going on, we’ll be able to handle it.
Self Love takes baby steps… it reminds us that Rome wasn’t build in a day and asks us why we insist that it was, when our adrenaline junkie takes over.
Self Love has the courage to face conflict, set healthy boundaries, speak up when it’s important, and stand down when it’s appropriate.

Self Love forgives the past and puts its attention on what’s most important… an empowered awareness of NOW.

See what you don’t like about your life… and love yourself anyway… it’s the only way to create the change you’ve longed for. Will you?

If you enjoyed this blog post, you’ll enjoy learning more about Cheryl Brewster and her coaching program “Spa for the Soul” that takes empowered thinking to a whole new level. For your complimentary overview of how this can apply to current challenges in your life… contact us and quote “Self Love”

Mindset – the Domino Effect- be Careful What You Think!

by Cheryl Brewster

As any business person will attest, our intuition is a highly attuned success mechanism. Napoleon Hill of Think and Grow Rich stressed its importance as a natural ability that’s right 100% of the time. However, have you noticed what happens  if you don’t  tend to your mindset? The weeds of distraction, overwhelm, worry and stress can skew your intuitive discernment, gut instincts, emotional guidance system, ability to think clearly and plan effectively.  The effects of unconscious thinking or emotional overwhelm can be devastating to business and personal life.

We all know that we can tap in deeper into our Inner Genius to create greater prosperity on all of life’s levels, so why don’t we? In one word…. mindset… especially when it’s charged with negative emotion.

Emotions are vibrational indicators as to how much we’re “allowing” our Inner Genius to lead. This same power is what Napoleon Hill of Think and Grow Rich, refers to as “Infinite Intelligence,”  the incredible force that holds vast galaxies in space, holds the solution to every problem there is, and is the source to all prosperity, available to us 24/7.  However, if we’re not feeling that great about ourselves, if we’ve gotten caught up in a cycle of worry, fear, or anger, we’re greatly restricting our access to the wisdom and guidance of this Master Mind. We’ve forgotten to turn the tap of our Inner Genius “on,” and we’ve certainly lost track of how to “keep it on.”

Hill describes this beautifully with a universal principle call Cosmic Habitforce:
Cosmic Habitforce is the law which makes every living creature, every particle of matter subject to the influence of its environment – it can work for you or against you. The choice is yours….  If your dominating mental habits are thoughts of poverty, then cosmic habitforce will bring about poverty in your life. If your dominating mental habits are of prosperity and peace, Cosmic Habitforce will bring them about. There is an endless cycle here…your thoughts are the only thing you can completely control if you decide to do so. You must control your thoughts to control your habits.”

So how do we get better at having our Cosmic Habitforce work “for us” and not against us?

  • Intentionally choose a better feeling thought… tiny, better feeling thoughts built on top of one another, creative a huge cascade effect in shifting our vibration from the negative to the positive. The domino effect of small consistent change is huge!
  • Here’s a great metaphor:
    In this video of the power of physics, the first domino is so small, that tweezers must be used to put it in place…. With the domino effect, this tiny, tiny domino in 13 short moves, topples over a domino that is 3 feet tall weighing one hundred pounds! (By the way, if there were 15 more dominoes here, you’d be looking at something the size of the Eiffel tower!)

Wow… there’s only 13 dominoes in this demonstration, yet two billion more times force is created! Imagine this as a metaphor for your thoughts and feelings and how they create Cosmic Habitforce! The tiniest negative thought can create two billion more times force (no wonder you feel stuck in your negative thinking)!!!! But on the same hand, a tiny, tiny, better feeling thought triggers another better feeling thought that can totally change the results in your life because of how GOOD you feel in this one tiny little moment!

Thoughts and feelings are energy – they comprise Cosmic Habitforce! The question is… if they’re such a powerful force… doesn’t it make sense to focus them in positive ways for GREAT results? 

Intellectually we know these things but if we’re not applying the Power of Intention, then:
a) we don’t really believe in the power of accessing our our Inner Genius, the Master Mind
b) we haven’t decided to yet
c) we haven’t practiced it enough to work effectively with Cosmic Habitforce to create powerful, meaningful results.

focusPractice makes Perfect! Here’s an experiment to try this week:
Pick an important project in your life… identify your desire…what’s a tiny, tiny, good feeling thought you can bring to it… and the next, and the next…. you’ll find that from this great vibe state, ideas or inspirations will arise and suddenly you’ll be taking an inspired action, that leads to another, and another, until your project is completed and you’ve developed positive habits to keep building on.

The power of this type of mindset and the willingness to practice it results in two very important things:
a) not only does the goal reach completion, but the process is more creative, dynamic, exciting, compelling and enjoyable
b) ineffective habits are replaced with more productive, healthier ones.

Intuition is a highly attuned success mechanism, but it like anything else, its application gets better with practice… and so too does the power of personal self mastery through emotional intelligence.  Self Awareness and Intention to strengthen that Cosmic Habitforce are key. Now what affects can this have in your personal life and in your business? Practice, practice, practice!

If you enjoyed this blog, please share it! To stay inspired and support in these practice tips, be sure to sign up for our newsletter and inspiring quote of the day at TheIntuitiveLife.com

 

 

Dead without Desire – Re-inspire your Life and Business

by Cheryl Brewster

What does the word desire mean to you?

  • Is it vibrantly alive in your life?
  • Are you ticking off those magnificent milestones on your bucket list which can be as simple as weekly bubble baths or as exotic as trips to far-off places?
  • Is it about achieving that long-held dream that you’ve held precious in your heart for as long as you can remember?
  • Or is it something that feels elusive, that you haven’t really nailed down yet, and can’t seem to?
  • Is it downright annoying that right now, you just don’t know what your desire is?
  • Conversely,  does it feel hedonistic, selfish or wrong; always last  on your list after you’ve taken care of your responsibilities in life… e.g., getting “reality” taken care of before you can “go out and play?”

Desire is a hugely important life component that needs cultivating. It’s the stuff  that life is made of… that first kiss, that first job or business deal, the answer to the question “I wonder what it would be like to…?”  Desire may start off as vibrant, raw energy seeking to express itself, or it may bubble up  quietly over time, into a non-negotiable, in your blood, irrevocable “I just have to” drive that focuses on nothing less than  full completion..

Like a burning ember, keen for the passion of potential completing itself, desire needs fuel to become the flame… it must be fed to grow into the exquisite brilliance of accomplishment..  Napoleon Hill said it best over 70 years ago:

Strong, richly rooted desire, is the starting point of all achievement,
not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.”

But how do we get there when we’re just not feeling the vibe?

Modern day Russian author Vadim Zeland describes some key components in his book Reality Transurfing in a chapter entitled “Forward to the Past:”

Don’t’ wait for the future… Bring it into the current moment… allow yourself to have, right here right now.
This is about DETERMINATION…
The intention to have, contrary to the process of constantly fighting yourself.
The determination to have contains by far, more power than the determination to act.
You need to be completely ready to let yourself have.

This is inspiring, “shake-it up” stuff ! In other words, drop the internal fighting, and be absolutely diligent and determined to have the mindset of “letting yourself have.”  It starts with a feeling, or in-your-bones-knowing.  Best selling Canadian author Danielle Laporte echoes Zeland’s words in her brilliant tell-it-like-it-is style in  The Desire Map:

You’re not chasing the goal, you’re chasing a FEELING you hope reaching the goal will give you.  We have the procedures of achievement upside down. We go after the stuff we want to have and accomplish outside of ourselves, and we hope and pray that we’ll feel great when we get there. It’s backwards. And it’s burning us out.

What if, first we got clear on how we actually wanted to feel in our life, and then we set our intentions?
What if your core desired feelings, consciously, informed how you plan your day, your year – your life?

All authors quoted in this blog are Conscious Changemakers  encouraging us to be bold in revolutionizing our lives by leading with desire. It’s important! Laporte’s words are riveting:

It’s OK to want what you want. In fact, if you don’t start there, with actually owning your desire, you are doomed.
Own the wanting. without apology, and all good things will start to flow from claiming the desire.
We can’t hedge with desire.

So looping back to the first question of this blog:
What does desire mean to you now?
Have you been hedging with it… just dipping your toe in, rather than diving in fully?
Have you let your desire energy wane?
Are you wanting to give up? Maybe you just need to make changes so desire can blossom through different channels?
Its okay when things don’t turn out the way we want or expect them to! It just means there’s something better; there is always an equal or greater benefit to any circumstance in our life… but we must be WILLING to look for it… and be completely ready to let ourselves have it.

What single thing can you do to harness the revitalizing power of desire

  • in your job, career or business?
  • with those you love?
  • with the state of your health, prosperity  or financial affairs?
  • with HOW you live your life?

Heady stuff, isn’t it?! How exciting to give flight to our innermost desires with determination to bring those core, accomplished feelings into the here and now. It’s where all of our best work is done… we’ve proven it before so let’s do it again! It’s time to cut loose from same old, and refresh, rejuvenate and re-inspire our lives and businesses… Take Your Stand for what you desire and feel its accomplishment here now!

Interested in learning more on revitalizing the creative, innovative effects of “keen pulsating desire” in your personal life,  career, business or company? Contact us!

Cheryl Ann Brewster is highly regarded in her skills as a Business Intuitive, Coach and Speaker. She specializes in supporting  those  keen to expand personal and professional effectiveness through the power of intuition and soul-centred business practices. To join her mailing list and/or daily inspiration  or to learn more, contact her at: TheIntuitiveLife.com.