Spiritual Awakening: Bethany Hamilton Inspires Beyond The Surf!!!
As I found the movie Soul Surfer on TV the other night I was intrigued and I watched what turned out to be an amazing inspirational story about Bethany Hamilton. As Bethany began to understand the impact she was making on the world far beyond the reaches of the surf she became in tune with her spirituality. The shark attack that took her arm was a tragic event that set in motion events that would not only transform Bethany’s life but would also transform the lives of those who followed Bethany’s Story. One of the most poignant scenes in the movie for me was when Bethany traveled to Phuket, Thailand to help World Vision after The Tsumani to help rebuild and help the villagers. She took a surfboard to the water and continued to motion to a little boy to come to the shore line. The boy was afraid and hesitant but eventually trusted Bethany and he got on the surfboard and then other villagers followed and began to regain their strength and confidence. Bethany would return home to stacks of fan letters explaining how she had inspired so many simply by getting back on her board and trying. Bethany would train for The Surfing National Championships and though the judges didn’t count the final wave as they determined she stood up after the horn all the competitors counted it. Bethany would win The National Championship The Next Year.
Bethany shares her story and the role that her faith played in her moving forward. Today Bethany is 23 years old and continues to inspire beyond the surf. Bethany proves that your faith can help you to overcome any adversity that comes into your life. Her positive message is empowering and inspiring many. Thank you to Bethany Hamilton for inspiring this blog entry today.
Spiritual Awakening: Exercising The Body Safely!!!!
I want to thank Dana Gore for this guest post to help those who are having a spiritual awakening to exercise their body safely.
Awakening to the Concept of Exercise Safety
For many of you, the idea of participating in a health and fitness program represents an image that focuses on thin vs. well, not thin. It’s geared toward the need for weight-loss and requires making significant and unpleasant “sacrifices” in order to finally get permission to like yourself. You may even be reading this right now and nodding your head in agreement, because this has been the story of your life.
It certainly was the story of my life.
But what if I told you that there is a spiritual component that works in harmony with the concept of healthy-living that could shift your entire mindset and therefore, your reality, toward one filled with personal empowerment? Would you have any interest in reading further?
What if I told you that your life may depend on it?
Ok, cool. Now that I have your attention…
When we believe what society tells us – that we have to look a certain way in order to be loved and accepted – we tend to get sort of depressed. We think there’s something wrong with us. That we don’t live up to a standard of existing that warrants us the feeling of being worthy.
I mean, let’s face it…if a celebrity’s imperfections are going to be ridiculed and/or airbrushed away as if they didn’t exist, then what’s to stop the rest of us from judging ourselves? What’s to prevent us from believing that
WE AREN’T ENOUGH?
It’s this perception that influences us to make decisions about our well-being from a place of desperation. This is where we get careless.
Answer this:
When you are unhappy with your body – I mean really unhappy – aren’t you in a mega hurry to Get. This. Weight. Off. Now? Don’t you, just about, throw all caution to the wind and do whatever it takes to get what you want?
Like yesterday?
Most people do. When the girl/guy they desire doesn’t notice they’re alive. When the family matriarch – from her ever-endearing “I’m just being honest” place – asks you in front of your family why you’re so fat? (True example by the way). Or when your friends tell you they’ve booked a last minute trip to Vegas with you and you realize you wouldn’t be caught dead in a swimsuit or an evening gown (another true story – although not mine).
These are just a few examples of the pain that drives our decisions. We’re focused on how much we detest the result of who we are, so we react to it.
When we aren’t at peace within ourselves – when we hate our bodies, we feel miserable. So in a society that makes appealing promises of instant gratification, we make hurried and uneducated decisions to get what we want.
Why should this matter?
Because when it comes to our health and well-being, awareness is our friend.
Do you know how to choose a fitness program based on your level of ability?
Are you aware of any possible contraindications you may have to exercise?
Do you know how to choose a qualified fitness or nutrition professional?
Do you know what “Special Populations” means and if you fall into this category (and why it matters)?
Do you know what proper progression stands for and how it relates to injury?
How to decipher between “good and bad” exercise pain?
These are important topics that come into play when making decisions about our bodies, but are often, and unfortunately, ignored when those very decisions are being made out of desperation.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. There is an alternative.
FACING WHO WE ARE AND ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY
All it takes to move away from the aforementioned perspective and toward one of self-empowerment is the act of facing who we are, how we got to this point, and asking ourselves who we would prefer to be.
Are you happy being someone who constantly reacts to life and feels like a victim? Or would you rather be someone who has their own best interests at heart and treats themselves with the dignity and respect that we are all worthy of?
Self-Worth
What would life be like for you if you cared about your well-being? If you simply became the person who naturally preferred to be active? To be someone who, out of sheer desire, preferred the leafy green salad filled with the delicious nutrients that powered their every cell with the energy of life – instead of the person who settles for the diet food because they are on restriction?
Does that persona seem more appealing? Because it’s not only possible to become that person, it’s a responsibility. It’s our job, as participants in this world, to become living examples of the joy we all desire.
From this perspective, we are more interested in achieving optimal health. We adjust our lifestyles to enable the habits that naturally result in being slim and energized.
We make informed decisions about our well-being because we are focused on loving, rather than detesting ourselves.
Having suffered from eating disorders in the past which caused her weight to balloon to over 200 pounds, Dana realized it was time for a major lifestyle overhaul. Once she discovered Fitness Institute, her life took on new meaning.
Armed with credible information about Exercise Science, Dana aims to bring guidance to the public about how to achieve optimal health in a safe and structured manner. She believes that the body follows the guidance and instruction of the mind and spirit. She inspires her readers to seek inner-peace as a means to well-being in all areas of life.
Today’s blog entry was inspired by a song that I hold as one of my anthems Boston’s More Than Feeling reminds us to rise above all expectations and to take action on our feelings. Through our spiritual awakening we are able to move forward in a positive direction of our goals and exceed them. What feelings are you having and taking a positive action on?
The Black Eyed Peas paid tribute to Oprah with their song I’ve Got A Feeling. As I listen to this song it reminds me that we have a power to make everything good simple by getting centered and grounded and bringing the right energy and vibration to the situation. It is when we bring the proper energy to our calling that we have a great day or night. By allowing our feelings to come alive we can help our community realize dreams by keeping our emotions positive and thus creating fellowship and thus becoming of service and value.
Today’s blog post is dedicated to all those who have been affected by the bombings that occurred today at The Boston Marathon. I encourage everyone to pray for all those in your life as you continue to move forward on your path to spiritual awakening. As I was looking for something to include in this entry I remembered the Matthew Wilder song Nothing’s Gonna Break My Stride and thought how great it would be if we all adopted this philosophy and began to help one another to move forward in a positive direction.
As the gruesome scenes came across the TV all I could think of why do people choose to use their power for bad as opposed for good? This is an age old question like why do bad things happen to good people? Perhaps this is a sign that those of us who are spiritually awake to awaken others by shining our light as brightly as we can for others to see and follow. I have come to the conclusion that we resist will persist be it terrorist acts, be it lack of funds, be it the lost feeling of community, or being against something. Today’s events in Boston once again set to polarize terrorism because it creates the news cycle that the media craves to boost their ratings. What about a month from now? Now is the time to wake up people and think what can I do to make coexistence a reality in our society? What can I do to make a difference in my community? What can I do to shine my light? There is evil lurking in our society and in order for this evil to be stopped we must all realize that we are brothers and sisters as well as being divine children of GOD. We must keep moving forward to be the lifters that our society seeks today. Instead of pointing fingers and blaming others let us look deep inside and decide to be part of a kinder world where people respect each others views and don’t blow each other up.
Spiritual Awakening: Rising Up To Spread The Message!!!
Today marks Good Friday for those who believe in Christ and have taken him into their hearts and chosen to live a life that is Christ Centered. Today also coincides with the 5th day of Passover for those of The Jewish Faith. Both these days give us a chance for reflection and redemption to rise up to spread a message of hope and healing to the world. As we continue to create a oneness consciousness we have the opportunity to grow personally and professionally as we strive to stay on a path to spiritual awakening. The idea is to really look at what we have been given and to embrace the idea of using the fruits of spirit for the goodness of others.
The idea is to allow these fruits to ripen inside of us so that we can be of service and value to others. It is by polishing and sharing our fruits that we truly show the essence of The Easter and Passover Holidays. I encourage everyone to find ways to express these fruits so that they will continue to multiply in others and thus show the world that service to humanity is the best work of life.
Over the last several years I have had the pleasure of meeting many people who are truly heart centered. These people put others first asking how they can be of service and value to others. They are constantly looking for ways to make the world a better place. When asked for support they are the first to step up. These heart centered people make up less than 5% of the population, however they are the ones who are most successful in their personal and professional life. One of these people is Kristin Planinz, whose email resonated with me and she gave me permission to share it here on this blog. When I first started this blog it was to share with others so as to empower and inspire them to enhance their personal and professional life. Thank you to Kristin Planinz for sharing her insight.
Intuition Insight
How to See When You Can’t See
True Story #1:
Yesterday I was practicing gratitude and I decided to show some gratitude by doing something nice for my husband (Kyle). So I filled up the car with gas before he left to work. I was laughing to myself, thinking of how happy he would be when he discovered what I did and I anticipated a lovely phone call just a few minutes after he left.
I got that phone call, but it wasn’t lovely. As he rushed off to work he didn’t notice the gas gauge and attempted to refuel the tank. But when the gas refused to fit where it couldn’t, it ended up all over Kyle instead and he got angry!
His first impulse was to blame me for his misfortune. Why didn’t I tell him what I had done? He would have experienced gratitude knowing what I had done and gone on his merry way to work, avoiding the whole unpleasant encounter.
My perspective: why did he not look at his gauge? Why did he set himself up to be rushing so much that he didn’t look at what was right in front of him? How could I have known he wouldn’t see?
Spiritual Awakening: Tom Cochrane Driving The Spiritual Highway!!!
Tom Cochrane inspired this post today with his song Life is a Highway. In the song he speaks about driving the highway of life and finding someone to share it with. He spoke of driving the highway all night long. This led me to think about how we are driving our spiritual highway and who or what we find along our spiritual highway as we continue on our path to spiritual awakening. The spiritual awakening process starts as you begin your travels in acknowledgement that you are a divine child of GOD. This spiritual awakening continues as you become an action taker and continue your travels along the spiritual highway answering your calling by finding your purpose. The spiritual highway is filled with many detours and traffic and you begin to make a change in your personal and professionallife and you continue to make a mind, body, soul connection.
Sometimes on your spiritual highway you may feel like Irene Cara’s character Coco Lopez from Fame out there on your own, however know that spirit is always with you guiding you along this spiritual path and protecting you. When you take the exits off of the spiritual highway know that you are not alone and that it is okay to show your emotions and that many feelings will be felt and it is okay to feel all of them. When you pull into that hotel off of the spiritual highway know that you have time to reflect and unwind and to rejuevenate for the next phase of your journey. Know that it is the alone time when you find the answers in the quiet. It is when we feel alone that we find the oneness consciousness along our spiritual highway and discover that all we need is being provided for us by GOD.
Spiritual Awakening: Robert Frost Delivers Postive Message!
Have you ever found yourself at a crossroads and you had a choice I could follow everyone elses footsteps or I could make my own path and leave my own foot prints for others to follow? Many people find themselves following what others are doing and in many cases regret not stepping up and stepping out. It is when we decide to take the path less traveled by that we often discover our authentic self and create things that we only thought imaginable. How many times have you been told you can’t do that or you are not good enough, how many times have you listened to these statements and not gotten on you path? How many times have you bought into trying to be the next someone instead of being the first you. I was told the other day you can be the next Brent Mussburger as much as I admire him and his work as a n announcer I said thanks but I am going to be the first Jonathan JDOGG Lederman. I have come to realize taht inorder to expand spiritualy and to continue on the path of spiritual awakening that I must take the path less traveled by.
Spiritual Awakening: Debbie Ford and Jerry Buss Leave Legacy of Lessons
Debbie Ford made her transition yesterday (2/18/2013) upon hearing of her loss I immediately thought about all the lives she impacted and how many more she will impact because her legacy lives on through her teachings that have been turned into books and videos.The lessons Debbie Ford will definitely enhance your personal and professional life on the journey of Spiritual Awakening. The greatest lesson I learned from Debbie was to be a giver and to put the right energy behind your giving.
Debbie Ford delivers a message of never giving up and showing gratitude. One great lesson that I highly recommend is keeping a gratitude journal. Being grateful for all we have makes our day flow so much easier. What are you grateful for today?
Debbie Ford will be remembered as a pioneer in the personal development and spiritual development field. Her legacy will live on in all those who continue to help other people to enhance their personal and professional life. What will your legacy be?
Spiritual Awakening:Fat Tuesday A Time For Praise and Confession!!!
Mardi Gras” (pron.: /ˈmɑrdiɡrɑː/), “Mardi Gras season“, and “Carnival season“,[1][2][3][4][5] in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday. The day is sometimes referred to as Shrove Tuesday, from the word shrive, meaning “confess.”[6] Related popular practices are associated with celebrations before the fasting and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent.
As we begin to indulge and satisfy our vices on Fat Tuesday we begin to realize that starting on Ash Wednesday we will have 40 days to praise and worship while also confessing our trespasses so that we can strengthen our mind, body, soul connection and again create a oneness with our creator. The day before Lent we go a bit nuts and stray from the teachings of our own spirituality in an effort to prepare ourselves for the joy that will come from our obedience to GOD during Lent. What will you indulge in today that you will give up for 40 days starting tomorrow hoping to permanately give it up so as to glorify the GOD in you and creating the oneness with GOD himself. It is through praise and worship and confession that we create a oneness with our creator and thus begin to take action to be a shining light for others to see.
