About Being Energetically Owned By My Work

12.27.12

Yesterday I woke up alone in my parents' house to the patter of Florida rain. I woke up with the familiar tension of responsibility. Christmas was over and I had told myself today I would get back to work. So I entered the day as I have for so long, with a sense of tension and unhappiness. Then remembering to attempt to stand outside of the response and see through the illusion of conditioned emotion, I decided to order my day differently. See how my soul reacted.

All I know, to start with, is this: I have had three days off – given by myself – from my work. I usually can't stop thinking about work for long. Anyone with their own business and a perfectionist, fear-based response to life probably suffers the same. But because of Christmas, having family around to distract me, and being in a different location from my office, it was easier than usual.

The cruel irony is that, being a freelancer, I can take three days off of work whenever I want. But I don't. Why? Taking time "off" doesn’t mean I’d actually be able to let go of work. I think about work while going on hikes, hanging out with my boyfriend, watching TV. Saturdays and Sundays are almost painful for me, trying to not do work, so I'd begun filling them up with different kinds of productivity.

But I figured if there were three consecutive days in a whole year that I could pull off true relaxation, if would be during Christmas at my parents' house. And I was right.

Having three days to truly break up the constant attachment to work productivity, I feel significantly less energetically owned by my idea of ‘what has to be done.’ I feel there is some more space between me and it.

Every year I get a Christmas miracle, and this year's was this: a bit of relief from the prison I keep myself in the rest of the year. It has nothing to do with my clients - who are wonderful - it has to do with something in the way I perceive my life.

So I tried something I haven't tried in a long time: I chose to do my own writing first.

I opened my computer and the next thing I knew I was checking email, Facebook, even Perez Hilton. I also checked my work email, telling myself I just waned to see what was waiting for me. And you know what? There was nothing new. After all it is just the first day after Christmas.

And then I started journaling. And it was so good to hear my own inner voice. To start to clear up and clear out a lot of that muck and confusion, needless worry, and lack of faith in the universe.

Because here is the truth: if you are miserable, it is your soul telling you to find your joy. Find your joy. That is the only thing in life that is real. Everything else is illusion.

It will be steps. The tick to go online, check email, use Facebook, these are things I have done every single day for six years now at least.

And there are other psychological traps. A voice that says I could turn this into a blog post. A nice way to share an honest part of myself on the blog. Already, not 300 words in, it was saying it. I was saying it. And here it is. A blog post. And maybe it was meant to be one. But it can't start out as one, you know?

My mind is slower and cleaner today that it has been in a long time. Slow almost like the day I wrote "A Bird in the Hand," an article for the January 2011 issue of Follow Your Bliss and the piece I am most proud of. This sanity is the true goal. This connection with myself. And yet I am not there yet – writing to explore, to go beyond, not aiming everything at some end of sharing it with people.

Steps, it will take steps.

Maybe more than that, it will take a shift – sitting and writing until I shift into the other mind where the words come through me and for the universe.

Global Shift and Follow Your Bliss

Friday, December 21, 2012



We survived the apocalypse.

That means another Follow Your Bliss Friday.

That also means I have to step up my game, speak more from the heart.

I want to talk about the global shift in consciousness that has been happening for years and that some say is hitting a pinnacle no-turning-back marker today.

I want to talk about how I took fifteen months of work on a now-defunct magazine and followed my intuition to re-purposing it into an eBook that I'm excited to publish. And how this was the direct result of a year of working to get closer to my intuition, sense of joy and ease, and to work through love instead of fear.

We can't separate making smarter, more powerful choices from our subsequent efforts to develop into more conscious versions of ourselves. The self-work WILL reflect in the outer work. If you aren't seeing the results yet, give it time.

I see this happening in my family and friends too, even those who are resistant to concepts that seem New Agey (but really aren't). They're getting on board and acting with increased awareness, self-care, and openness to the concept that we are here for a purpose: the basic motivating message behind "follow your bliss."

But growing pains are ... well ... pains. The last couple months I've had a heck of a time getting to sleep before 5 a.m. I've also felt a lot of symptoms below. Have you?

• Have your emotions been more intense lately? 

• Does it seem like there are more thoughts racing through your mind? 

• Have you noticed your body tensing up for no apparent reason? 

• Have you been feeling a vague - or not so vague - sense of anxiety? 

• Are you finding it difficult to get a good night’s sleep? 

• Do you seem to be compelled to keep busy? 

• Are you feeling a mysterious sense of urgency? 

• Do you have less patience? 

• Do you find yourself obsessing more over things? 

• Have your moods been shifting quickly from optimistic to discouraged - from delighted to downhearted? Does it seem harder than it use to be to enjoy life?

If you are experiencing some - or all - of these things, take heart. Believe it or not, it is a sign that something very positive is happening to you, and to the planet. These symptoms are (in most cases) a “by-product” of an extraordinary spiritual awakening - or “consciousness shift” - that Planet Earth and humanity are currently undergoing. (read more on How the 2012 Shift in Consciousness Might Be Affecting You)

Following your bliss will put you in touch with the mystery that's the ground of your own being. It's not just about enjoying your work, it's about trusting that the universe WANTS you to enjoy your work. That you are here to ENJOY your work so that it may build a better energetic universe as well as material one.

I invite you to join me on January 3, 2013 at 2 pm on the online radio show The Life's Dash with Michele Mattia as I talk with Michele about The Best of Follow Your Bliss, full of articles and personal narratives of ordinary people propelled to extraordinary versions of themselves through the transformative process of following one's bliss.

Quote of the Week

10 Teachers You Can Take Anywhere

While commuting to work or standing in the unemployment line, while eating sushi or sucking down a shake and fries, while cleaning your room or making it messy, while jogging in the rain or soaking in the bathtub, you can do something profound: you can change your life. 

How? By learning. Some of the greatest wisdom the world has produced has been set to audiobook and, with the advent of iPods and MP3 players, we can take those teachings with us just about anywhere.

This week's My Favorite Monday post Nina's Top-10 inspirational books for holiday gift-giving included a whole bunch of books and audiobooks by inspirational writers you might like to know more about. If that's the case, read on for more samples from:

1) Eckhart Tolle
2) Louise Hay
3) Marianne Williamson
4) Dr. Wayne Dyer
5) Debbie Ford
6) Martha Beck

7) Cheryl Richardson
8) Caroline Myss
9) Dr. Michael Beckwith
10) Pema Chodron

Here is a brief catalog of ten powerful teachers who have helped millions follow their bliss by overcoming limiting beliefs. Some of these authors will resonate with you, some won’t. Just take a look. When you find one who resonates with you, you’ll know it.


1) Eckhart Tolle

Tolle is best known as the author of the The Power of Now and A New Earth. In 2011 he was listed by the Watkins Review as the most spiritually influential person in the world. In 2008, a New York Times writer called Tolle "the most popular spiritual author in the [United States]."

Sample: “So the single most vital step on your journey toward enlightenment is this: learn to disidentify from your mind. Every time you create a gap in the stream of mind, the light of your consciousness grows stronger. One day you may catch yourself smiling at the voice in your head, as you would smile at the antics of a child. This means that you no longer take the content of your mind all that seriously, as your sense of self does not depend on it.” -from The Power of Now

2) Louise Hay

Through Hay’s healing techniques and positive philosophy, millions have learned how to create more of what they want in their lives.

Sample: “For many years one of my affirmations has been: Only good lies before me. It is a comforting thought that wipes out all fear of the future and allows me to wake up each day with confidence, feeling at ease. I am often delighted and even amazed to observe how Life brings my next good adventure to me.” -from Create an Exceptional Life

Video: A Conversation with Louise Hay

3) Marianne Williamson

Williamson is an internationally acclaimed author and lecturer on A Course in Miracles, which she describes as "a self-study program of spiritual psychotherapy." Six of her ten published books have been New York Times Best Sellers. Four of these have been #1 New York Times Best Sellers. A Return to Love is considered a must-read by many progressive spiritual practitioners.

Sample: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?” –from A Return to Love 

Video: Listen to A Return to Love (part 1) 

Nina's Top-10 Inspirational Books for Holiday Gift-Giving

Note: this list was originally published in Follow Your Bliss magazine. For articles on how to do what you love and love what you do, look for The Best of Follow Your Bliss eBook, to be published in January 2013. What to be notified when the book comes out?

Subscribe to our mailing list

What Do You Give a Friend Who is Looking for More From Life?

This holiday, why not offer a friend or family member a book that could change their lives? The books I recommend below I've read countless times, each acting as a irreplaceable mentor in my self-development. I've even added some guidance for gift recommendations.

Finding Your Path

Excuses Begone! by Wayne Dyer
The “father of motivation,” delivers his trademark warmth and common sense approach to self-development. He illustrates how we can move beyond “mind viruses” – the unquestioned, socially transmitted beliefs that limit us. Who to give it to: A person struggling with weight loss, self-sabotage, poor self-image. Open-minded and spiritual but not too out there. (audiobook)

Steering by Starlight: Find Your Right Life, No Matter What! by Martha Beck
Once called “America’s best-known life coach,” Beck offers a funny, sincere and self-deprecating journey to finding your North Star. Includes specifically devised worksheet questions to fill out. "Trying to force the mind to do the soul's job is like trying to whittle your ear into a nose." Who to give it to: Beck regularly writes for O Magazine because she is widely accessible. Give it to someone who is looking for their authentic purpose but needs it delivered by a Harvard professor-turned-life-coach.

Follow Your North Star by Martha Beck
Published prior to Steering By Starlight, this book takes a more intimate approach, guiding readers through meditation exercises and visualizations. Beck gives instruction for attuning to the intuitive guidance our bodies send us through constriction and pain or ease and relief. Who to give it to: Someone already inclined to relaxation and meditation techniques who is looking for insight into their true calling.

Getting Unstuck by Pema Chodron
This audiobook is a dharma talk in which Pema shows how when we try to find zones of safety from life we actually suffer more. With wit and wisdom, she teaches that learning to accept the present moment as if you had invited it how to get unstuck.Who to give it to: Fine for non-Buddhists who are open to Buddhist teachings. Delivered in an accessible language for mainstream readers but the more subtle concepts might require a more advanced awareness.

Life Visioning by Michael Beckwith
An intricate, mesmerizing journey through the steps to visualizing the right future for you while developing a spiritual connection with the “all." The course offers guided meditations, creative visualization and affirmative prayer as tools to reach his outlined stages of consciousness. “There is greatness within you that awaits its release," teaches Michael Bernard Beckwith, "unlimited ideas awaiting expression through and as you." Who to give it to: People open to positive affirmations and concepts of spirit and source, interested in the spiritual journey, and looking to manifest not just things, but a better experience of life.

Healing Your Life

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay
Often called the “Grandmother of Self-Help and the Queen of Affirmation,” Louise Hay also founded Hay House, the publishing house responsible for a number of books on this list. You Can Heal Your Life is an affirmation classic full of Louise’s warm, compassionate, and patient teachings on how to love ourselves. For an immediate pick-me-up, you can stream her movie online: You Can Heal Your Life –a powerful documentary on the process of letting go of negative beliefs. Who to give it to: People prone to negative thinking who will respond well to warm, easy, nurturing guidance. (audiobook)


Positivity by B.L. Frederickson
Frederickson is a social psychologist who conducts research in positive psychology, a relatively new branch of psychology that studies and measures positive emotions. She explains how pleasant moments alter our mind and body in ways in ways that increase our ability to live successful lives. Who to give it to: Left-brained types searching for reasons to cultivate positive thinking but need science and research to quantify and validate its value.

Radical Self-Acceptance by Tara Brach
A psychologist and internationally renowned expert on Buddhist meditation, Tara Brach offers kind guidance to completely accepting yourself as you are. Who to give it to: People open to gentle Buddhist teachings who need a good dose of self-acceptance and help letting go of perfectionist tendencies. (audiobook)

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Eckhart Tolle’s now-landmark book that catapulted him from obscurity to one of the best-loved living writers on mindfulness. Tells the story of his dramatic awakening but mostly focuses on showing how constant thoughts of past and future rob us the healing power of the present moment. Especially powerful over audiobook because of Tolle’s resonant and calming voice. Who to give it to: People who have suffered with a lot of mind clutter, stress, and emotional upheaval and are ready for a radical change. (audiobook)

A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
A powerful guide applying wisdom from A Course in Miracles in an easy-to-understand and satisfying read. The core message is how to ask God for miracles and allow this process of letting go to change perceptions from fear to love. A popular line from the book was even used in the movie Coach Carter. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.” Who to give it to: Readers don't have to be Christian, but should be open to a God concept. Especially powerful for women with histories of bad relationships and self-sabotage who are looking for radical change. (audiobook)

Wayne Dyer's "Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling"

  

Though we've never met, Wayne Dyer was my first spiritual mentor. I ordered his cassette tapes when I was 16, going to a Catholic high school, raised Presbyterian, and desperate to find spiritual truths that felt more authentic to me.

Now, 18 years later, Wayne still inspires me. I've been moved by his movie about finding purpose, called The Shift. And his PBS special (above) called "Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling."

There's a voice in the universe calling each of us to remember our purpose-our reason for being here now, in this world of impermanence. The voice whispers, shouts, and sings to us that this experience of being in form, in space and time, knowing life and death, has meaning.

This presentation is filled with specifics for living an inspired life. From a very personal viewpoint, Wayne Dyer offers a blueprint through the world of spirit to inspiration, your ultimate calling. http://www.amazon.com/Inspiration-Your-Ultimate-Calling-Wayne/dp/B000WE0LXK

I invite you to watch the full program above. like this particular video because it is in English but has Spanish subtitles for those who speak Spanish. Below are my notes, the quotes and concepts that jumped out at me.

"Living an inspired life is about being in harmony with our spirit."

"Inspiration is living in spirit at all times and catching ourselves when we find ourselves disconnected from the spirit..."

"It doesn't come and go. When you live an inspired life you begin to feel as if you're on purpose."

"If you ave a thought that includes some and excludes others, you have moved from spirit."

"I guarantee, by the end of this show you will not have to ask the question what is my purpose and why can't i find it, ... it always seems to allude me... these will no longer be the issues."

Around 39 minutes in: "The Rewards for Inspiration"

1. All of your thoughts break their bonds
   bonds - thoughts that are out of harmony with spirit
2. Your mind transcends limitations
3. Your consciousness expands in every direction
4. You find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world
5. Dormant forces, faculties, and talents come alive
6. You discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be

Practicing an art is a way to make your soul grow

“Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”  — Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country

How Do You Find Your Creative Genius? Elizabeth Gilbert Weighs In

"Everyone is a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid." Einstein

Is genius something that only a few people have? Or is it, as Einstein's quote would suggest, something that has more to do with a personal mode of expression than a permanent state?

Watch Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love muse on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and share the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. 

One Spark of Madness

I've kept this on my computer desktop for the last two weeks. I think that it can help some of us perfectionists and self-development junkies remember that the crazy part may be the best part.