Miscellaneous

We are seeing a world-wide transition into a new paradigm, and sometimes it feels disquieting and uncomfortable, like shedding our skin. Economics, politics, social culture, the environment – it’s all changing.

Some people are resisting the changes, others are watching them, and some people are influencing them. That last group is where I find myself wanting to come out and play. Those who inspire, create, empower and lead seem to be the ones who have the most lively, constructive energy and who are having the most fun. Although at times I have shrunk from it, that’s what my soul always wants from me.

There are two essential questions that most of these people tend to ask themselves: What am I called to do for this new paradigm? And what am I called to stop doing?

In my work (and my life), the answers to those questions lead me to a very challenging vision: I dream of a shift from an addicted, destructive culture to a courageous, compassionate, creative culture.

I’ve made the choice to commit to working with people who have their own version of that dream. That’s where I will be putting all my energy this year.

In order to realize that dream, we have to stop deadening our senses or avoiding our passions and really come alive to what has meaning for us. I love the popular quote from Howard Thurman, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

So I ask you:
Are you willing to know who and what you truly are?
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to be all you can be?
Are you willing to let go of what is not working for you?
Are you willing to love and accept yourself in a very deep and meaningful way?
Are you willing to use your talents and gifts to serve others?

These are the kinds of questions we tackle in the Living the Soul of Recovery process, and they are the kinds of questions that the founders of many of the recovery programs – Bill Wilson (Alcoholics Anonymous), Albert Ellis (Rational Recovery), Hale Dwoskin (The Sedona Method), and others – asked themselves.

If you are one of the people who are truly seeking to shift from an addicted, destructive culture to a courageous, compassionate, creative culture, now is your time! The new paradigm is calling you to come alive and fulfill your dream of a meaningful, purposeful recovery, “Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

To learn more about Living the Soul of Recovery, go to http./www.georgeherrick.com

A Personal New Year’s Letter to My Readers

No lessons or steps for this issue, just a commitment. I invite you into my heart this time.

The holiday season is over, and we have begun a new year. My holidays were a little different than usual – Throughout the month of December, I participated in one of the most intensive trainings in my life, “The Inspired Leader’s Rites of Passage” (created and masterfully led by the visionary founder of The Inspired Leaders Academy, Lizabeth Phelps, inspiredleadersacademy.com ). Think bootcamp, like “The Biggest Loser” for the soul!

The full impact of this experience will, no doubt, unfold over time. But the immediate effect is how it impacts my work with those who put their trust in me as their coach.

We live in challenging, sometimes chaotic, often frustrating times. Everyone is impacted by the addiction-like, brain-numbing destructiveness we see in the media, in politics, in the financial realm and other aspects of our society. It can be hard to maintain focus on our own dreams and goals when we are inundated with “other peoples’ agenda.”

But that’s exactly what many of us are called to do: focus on our own mission and use it to serve others. The world needs people who are willing to be bold on behalf of a greater vision, a vision of loving kindness, empowered action, creativity and contribution.

Not everyone agrees with this, and some who agree are not on that path. As long as they are on a journey that is constructive and caring, we can only wish them well.

But for those of us who want to make a more peaceful, prosperous, meaningful world community – either locally or globally – the opportunity is here, now, to do what we are capable of. And we are capable of so much! I see it in so many of you whom I’ve met, and I know it to be true of so many others.

For my part, the work is called “Living the Soul of Recovery.” It is geared toward people with long-term recovery from addictions or self-defeating habits who are feeling ready for “something more” or “something deeper” as their recovery remains solid but their lives feel stagnant, stressed or overwhelmed.

Yet at any given moment, as many as half of my clients don’t identify themselves as “in recovery” – will I abandon them? Of course not! We are all in “discovery” and “recovery,” discovering our purpose and meaning, and recovering our passion and power to shape our lives and futures. I welcome everyone who believes, as I do, that it’s time to really “show up” and make a difference: first in our own lives, so we have the resources we need, and then in the lives of others who need our talents, skills and passions.

In the weeks and months ahead, my mission is to make this LifeLetter, Facebook posts, videos, and every other venue available a system of support for your mission. You will find practical, doable actions you can take that will help you commit to accomplishing your dream and benefit others in the process. You will find links to other resources, and opportunities to join in community with kindred spirits. I hope you will take full advantage of it, and share what you find here with everyone you feel can benefit from it.

For those who are ready to really dig in, I have made more time available to work with you. You have your mission (or you are seeking to discover it), but you ARE my mission – so take advantage of the moment and contact me now.

This is your time, and I look forward to serving you in every way I can.

“Round the table, may peace and joy prevail. May all who share this season’s delight enjoy countless more.”– Chinese Blessing

 The holidays – Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Solstice, Christmas, New Year’s, Kwanzaa, etc. – are meant to be times of celebration and meaning. Yet they often trigger stress because of the expectations, assumptions, pressure and judgment we attach to them.

It doesn’t have to be that way, yet for so many, that stress is so familiar and habitual that to try to eliminate it just adds more stress. So is it enough to just reduce the stress, and manage whatever level of stress we may feel? Absolutely! Studies have shown that reducing stress from a 9 (on a scale of 10 being highest) to even a 7 or so can be significant in improving your health and mental well-being.

How can we reduce our stress, even a tick or two? Here are some helpful tips:

REDUCING AND MANAGING STRESS:

1. Remember the meaning of the holiday and be grateful for what you have;
2. Don’t over-promise or over-extend yourself;
3. Set a budget and stick to it;
4. Celebrate the good things in life;
5. Don’t make the holidays competitive;
6. Allow enough time – for travel, for cooking, etc.
7. Ask for help when you need it;
8. Give help when you can (but remember #2)
9. Get enough exercise and “you” time;
10. Communicate issues or problems before they become resentments;
11. Lighten up – play, laugh, tell fond stories and jokes (but never at someone else’s expense);
12. Let go of expectations and assumptions – the best present is to BE present, with love, joy, compassion and forgiveness.

DEALING WITH ANXIETY:

1. Breathe! Take a few slow, deep breaths, and focus on the inflow and outflow of your breath;
2. Avoid newscasts, or  people and situations that trigger you,  as much as you can;
3. Distract yourself with something relaxing when you are triggered;
4. Challenge your thinking: stick to facts and not suppositions;
5. Try to notice repetitive or obsessive thoughts and do something different (“move a muscle, change a thought”);
6. Make a gratitude list, no matter how simple or basic, and focus on what you are grateful for;
7. Get exercise by walking, working out, stretching, etc.;
8. “Observe your thoughts, don’t believe them.” (Eckhart Tolle) Watch your anxious thoughts as if they belong to someone else.

TO BUILD RESILIENCE:

1. Think optimistically, not negatively.
2. Be flexible and willing to compromise;
3. Stick to your values, but let go of your having to be “right” about everything;
4. Get support from others who are not bothered by whatever is bothering you;
5. Get exercise and drink enough water;
6. Deal with your fears as they arise, rather than letting them accumulate;
7. Trust that you can bounce back from the situation;
8. Learn whatever you can from the situation (then it’s useful!)

IF YOU’RE IN RECOVERY:

1. Go to extra meetings or use your particular support network;
2. Avoid parties where the core event is drinking/drugging/eating;
3. Go to parties late and leave early, and have your own transportation;
4. Avoid stressful, pressure-filled situations;
5. Don’t engage in other people’s dramas;
6. Don’t let resentments build – resolve disagreements quickly;
7. Watch what you eat and drink so you don’t ingest something that’s spiked;
8. Remember, it’s easier to maintain recovery than attain recovery, so protect yours!

Enjoy your holidays, your family and friends. Stay safe. Remember the holiday’s meaning. And I wish you all the blessings of the season – with ease and serenity!

“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” – Gloria Steinem

Some people are struggling to determine their next step or direction in their career growth. Others are in the midst of a painful rift in their relationships. Still others are considering how to improve their health or get more fit. It seems most of us are looking at how to improve some aspect of our present circumstances and future opportunities.

Imagine in your own life that you could turn things around in ways that feel exciting, empowering or enjoyable. For example, imagine you could see clearly your next move in your career. Or imagine you could open your heart in unexpected ways to your relationship and find healing or the ability to let go with compassion. Imagine you could achieve your dietary, fitness or health goals. How would that feel? How would other areas of your life benefit if that area were resolved? Just as important, how hard would your life be if your issue were not resolved?

When I struggle with making a change that I’m uncertain about or maybe fearful of, I take a moment to think of the freedom, joy, and well-being I would miss out on if nothing changes. I invite you to do the same. Not to terrorize yourself, but to see the value of feeling the reasons why it’s worth facing your angst about it and taking the risk of doing something different.

The big question is, what has to be different and how does one do it? The wisdom teachers throughout the ages, as well as modern philosophers, psychologists and even many scientists and physicists tell us that our bodies, minds and spirits know our truth, but this truth gets crowded out by the stories ego tells us (and the decibel level at which ego sometimes shouts those stories). What is our truth? That we are wise creatures, full of light, who contain the essence and fullness of the energy of love. Whether we believe in a divine order or a quantum universe or both or neither, we are a part of a greater existence, and its power and consciousness dwells within us. To remember and reclaim trust in this truth is to become aware of our inner wisdom and authenticity.

A Lakota shaman I was fortunate to study with taught: “Know that you know what you know.” He wasn’t talking about thoughts or acquired information. He meant know your innermost wisdom and intuition, the knowledge that lies beneath the surface of intellectual thinking. It is the knowledge of the heart, and in the cells of the body.

This takes three things:

• A willingness to be open-minded and look deep;

• A willingness to ask yourself honest, challenging questions;

• A willingness to trust your wisdom’s responses and act on them.

We may not always like what our wisdom tells us, but we need to learn to trust and accept it. If we don’t, we get the same old solutions to the same old questions about the same old problems that we have been facing for too long already. If we always think what we always thought, we’ll always get what we always got!

We have the ability to change, to grow, to be healthier and more empowered, and to enjoy life more than our old issues would let us. We have the wisdom within us to make this transformation if we want it, and no one else can do it for us.

It’s such a blessing for me to be able to guide people to access their wisdom and use it to turn their lives around. One client, for example, has his own business and had no desire to leave it, but he was very unhappy with the way it was going. His disappointment and discouragement were significantly affecting his health, but he didn’t know what changes to make. In a few sessions of working with his wisdom, he realized that he was feeling isolated and he set about getting partners. It was a synergistic move, as he is more excited about his business than he’s been in years, and together they are making exponentially more money than they were as individuals!

LEARNING TO ACCESS INNER WISDOM

I show my clients up to six different ways to locate, connect with and utilize their wisdom. Here’s a step-by-step process of one of those methods, called BODYTALK, for you to try:

• Sit comfortably in a quiet, dimly lit room. Keep your body symmetrical – with your arms and legs uncrossed. You can close your eyes or keep them open, whichever helps you to better relax.

• Bring your attention to your breath. You may want to take a couple of deep breaths first to help you relax. Then simply focus on the natural inflow and outflow of your normal breathing.

• Relax your body as completely as you can, and relax your mind by letting your thoughts drift without paying any attention to them.

• As you breathe gently and normally, allow a question to form in your mind. It can be any question on any topic that truly has meaning and value to you. (E.g., it is better to ask about a disagreement you had with your spouse than about tomorrow’s weather.)

• Hold the question loosely, as if in an open palm. Let yourself feel the question; that is, notice what size, shape or weight you imagine it to be – is it a big, important question or a small, minor one? Is it heavy like a burden, or is it light?

• Also notice what texture you imagine this question might have – is it rough or smooth, hard or soft, etc.?

• Now imagine that the question has a mood. It may share the same mood you are feeling right now, or it may have its own mood. Does it “have the blues” or is it “in the pink?” Notice whether you can discern the mood of the question.

• How do you feel as you loosely hold the question and examine the size, shape, weight texture and mood of the question? Do you feel happy, sad, angry, hurt, scared, joyful? Scan your body and notice where the emotion you are feeling seems to be centered. Do you feel it strongest in your abdomen? Solar plexus? Chest? Elsewhere? If you aren’t sure what emotion you feel, see if you can feel any sensations instead – is there a knot? Tightness? A stretching sensation? Twisting? A fuzzy sensation?

• Once you have a sense of the emotion or sensation and its location in your body, ask that sense or sensation your question and imagine it has the capability to answer you. Breathe as you wait for the response. The response may come in words, images or even just a sudden awareness. Let it come in whatever way it does. Let go of judging the process or the response and just trust that of all possible responses, you got this one for a reason. If you get no response, perhaps this is not the right time for you to have a response. Let that be okay and try again another time.

• Thank your body for serving you in all the ways that it does, and gently end the session.

• Write down your question, the feeling you had and the response you got so you can refer to it as needed.

You have wisdom, we all do; I encourage you to learn to access it. All the great teachers, sages, avatars and prophets throughout millennia have advised us that we have the power to access our own deep wisdom, a part of divine wisdom, if we would only use it. The benefits, besides getting answers, making changes, relaxing your body, opening to more joy and empowerment, can be as limitless as your imagination.