The Fear Factor

Unlike the TV program, The Fear Factor, facing our fears usually doesn't involve eating strange exotic bugs or surviving potential suffocation underwater while millions of people watch. Rather, our fears come to us in little annoying thoughts and messages... but sometimes we'd rather eat fat juicy spiders than face our fears. Why? Because we "fear" our fears.

Fear is nothing to be afraid of. In fact, our fears are merely information - signals to pay attention. It's how we respond to that information which makes the biggest difference and the largest impact on our well-being.

So let's apply the topic of fear to the Balance Factor awareness of mind, body and spirit. When we stay only in our minds, we have the potential to take our fears and create all sorts of “thoughts” about them. When we try and think ourselves through our fears we often create more fears in the process. What happens when you are afraid of talking to someone about a sensitive matter? You may create all sorts of their responses based on what you "think" they might say (which may help you prepare to speak to them), but after some good brainstorming we may be more nervous than before. Our minds start going in a hundred different directions based on the "what if..." question. Suddenly our concerns have turned to panic.

What about taking our fear a step deeper? Whereas our minds bring us thoughts, our hearts bring us the feelings surrounding our fears. When we bring our fears into our hearts and examine our feelings, we have the opportunity to see how many of our fears are, in fact, unfounded or silly. Perhaps just paranoia or misunderstanding. Many of our fears are based in the future or the past (I can’t believe I did that… what was I thinking? Or the "woulda should coulda" path). Sometimes we can use our feelings to help direct our responses to fear, but many times our emotions get the best of us and suddenly we're not able to think reasonably. And, once again, our fears take control.

There is an additional level of awareness that brings the most, and deepest, meaning to our fears and that is our spirit - our intuition. Spirit can bring our fears out of the darkness of doubt and into the light of truth. What do you really "know" about the fear are you feeling? How do your thoughts and feelings line-up with your intuition? What really feels true about the situation? Bringing our fears down into our center - becoming aware of our inner knowingness and trusting that gut feeling in our intuition, we now have the ability to tap a deeper level of understanding - our core beliefs - our inner truth.

When we are aware of our thoughts, feelings, and intuition, we have access to the most information from which to create our responses, which in turn create our reality. When we are in alignment with our body, mind, and spirit we can take each into consideration and activate our response based on a new pool of information. That, indeed, will help us to take our fears and deal with them logically, emotionally, and intuitively.

And all without having to eat bugs. Well, not unless you're into that :o)

Namaste,

The Ambassador

It Begins With You

Relationships are one of the most important aspects of our lives. Our relationships help us define who we are and who we strive to become. They mirror our strongest feelings about ourselves and show us where we need to grow. Therefore, the first, and most important, relationship we need to develop is with ourselves. All other relationships - family, friends, coworkers, romantic partners - stem from this self love.

True love for oneself comes with the acceptance that all we have experienced and currently are experiencing is a necessary part of our own personal evolution. It also comes from a constant commitment to healing and repairing those parts of our lives where there is still pain, anger, or lack of resolution - which are all based in fear. The purpose of fear is to remind us where we need to place focus in our lives. Feelings such as self-doubt and impatience are clear indicators that we are having a difficult time balancing our priorities with our intentions, and the first person we will blame for that is ourselves. And that is painful. We blame ourselves for "not doing it right", for missing out on a great opportunity, or for repeating the same mistakes. Although these feelings appear to be legitimate they are based in our fears and we may feel powerless to change them.

Fortunately, a key to assist us through these feelings is surrender. Not surrender in the form of quitting, but surrender as a means of releasing our need to: 1) control everything that is happening to us; and 2) releasing our need to know what is going to happen next. In other words, staying present. Being truly present is, in itself, an enormous task especially when we are busy. But being present opens us to the feelings of love and acceptance.

Another support is that we have two helping hands - trust and faith. And the most powerful forms of those two amazing allies - trust and faith in ourselves. Trust in yourself says, "There's nothing I have to have, nothing I have to do, and nothing I have to be, except exactly what I'm being right now." (compliments of Neale Donald Walsch in Conversations with God). We can only expect ourselves to show up each day, take things as they come, and do the best with the knowledge and information that we've been given. Loving yourself releases you from doing or being anything other what who and what you are right now. The rest of life is just "what it is". Faith says, "I was made for a purpose and that purpose is being fulfilled in every moment of my being." This state of being provides the basis for patience - the ability to know that we are in alignment with all that we are requesting in every moment whether it shows up right away or not. There is a divine timing to all things and our trust and faith allows us to accept that reality with gratitude.

Remembering we are divine beings and believing we are perfectly aligned with our purpose in each and every moment - even when the moment may be challenging - gives us the opportunity to be in alignment - to breathe, relax, and center ourselves. When we are in alignment, the miracles we’ve personally requested will come to us. Then we will feel our own personal power. Then God and the Universe can work with and through us. Then, and only then, can we experience true self love.

Namaste,

The Ambassador

Life: For Give or For Get?

I've recently discovered a shift in my thinking, feeling and intuition: I'm finding myself more focused on what I am giving rather than what I am getting. Why's that, you ask? Because I've been in a pattern of creating new structures and belief systems for my life that actually work... as opposed to just accepting the way I've always lived my life--comfortably numb with routine. This has all been part of my new Business Plan for my Life.

So why have I found it so beneficial to focus on giving? Because receiving is easy. Now that's not to say that receiving is always pleasant--I may not enjoy receiving bills in my email box each month; I may not like receiving sad news of a friend's illness; but receiving is something we do by default. It's part of responding to daily events.

Giving, on the other hand, requires effort. I may be giving naturally, like when a friend asks for advice or needs a ride to the airport, but I can also choose to consciously give in specific ways without an expectation of reciprocity. When you understand the "golden rule" (that when you give to others you give to yourself), then you'll quickly realize the act of giving creates energy for "like" things to be returned to you. When you give of yourself--your time, talents, gratitude and appreciation--you will receive that from others. Maybe not in the same "time" that you think, but remember that "like attracts like". When you give you will, indeed, receive. Just wait... it works!

This week I encourage you to look at where you are giving in your life--to what, whom, and when? Then think about why? Are you giving in response to a favor or request, or are you just giving without an immediate reason?

You may find that living life for-giving brings you better balance than a life of for-getting.

Happy week!

The Ambassador

The True Power of Choice

Body Speaks

On March 27, 2009, I was diagnosed with Level 3 malignant melanoma--skin cancer.

Although there are many different types of skin cancer, melanoma is by far the most lethal and spreads the fastest... that is unless you catch it early. Luckily, I have a great dermatologist, Dr. Ide, who had the eye to spot this suspicious looking mole on my back, take the biopsy, and have it analyzed right away. It was, indeed, a cancerous tumor. His suspicions were right on.

Upon receiving my advanced diagnosis I met with the surgeon, Dr. Economou, another excellent physician from whom I've received surgical support in the past, and the news was that Level 3 was still a step above the level of lymph (Level 4), which is a very good sign. My prognosis was very good. We scheduled my surgery for a wide excision the following week to remove surrounding tissue. The surgery went very smoothly and I'm happy to say that all of my pathology reports came back clear! The cancer has been removed from my body. From diagnosis to cure in two weeks. Now that's incredible.

Mind and Spirit Respond

I happened to be at our home up in Bemidji spending a weekend alone when I got that call from Dr. Ide's office informing me of the initial diagnosis. Not good news--in fact, the worst kind in the case of this cancer. Now to sit and wait for detailed lab results the next week... it was going to be a long weekend. So what kind of mood was I going to be in for three days? Sad? Angry? Worried?

Or, at peace.

Initially I faced my fears as I sorted through the possibilities, but it really didn't last long. I made a choice at that moment to accept this reality, accept my body, and accept the process of what was happening to me. I looked at this diagnosis with gratitude--an opportunity to pay attention to my body and listen to its messages. I was thankful for this "wake-up call" (literally!) to truly love and accept myself as I am.

I immediately moved to thoughts of peace and acceptance. I had every belief that my body was already healed--and that was my choice. I called my Mom & Dad, my sister, and a couple of my closest friends so I could talk about what was happening. As soon as I felt their love and support I was able to stay in that place of peace and acceptance. My body was strong, healthy and disease-free. And I believed it. Sure, I needed to walk through the next two weeks of consultations, surgery and recovery, but in my heart I knew that I was already healed. And so I was.

You see, one of the biggest gifts we all possess is the power of our choices. We choose every day, every hour, every moment, how we respond to the world around us. And in my case I was given a powerful opportunity to make a choice about my body and its ability to heal itself. I chose acceptance and love, not resistance and fear--and that choice stemmed from my belief that I was truly healed. The body may be delivering the most "tangible" message (easiest to recognize), but the mind and spirit are also working in tandem all the time! Thoughts, feelings, intuition--a powerful combination when connected and balanced.

This week I urge you to use your power of choice to create the reality you truly choose to believe regardless of what your current circumstances may appear to be. Take the opportunity to begin within--connect with your mind, body and spirit, and listen to the messages they're sending you. After all, it's your choice.

Peace.

The Ambassador of Goodwill