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

The Benefits of Silence

"Shhhh... be a quiet for a minute. I need a moment to think."
"Let's take a moment of silence to remember this occasion."
"It was in the silence that I found the answer."

The benefit of silence. It is something we all experience at different times and in different forms. Sometimes we create it; other times we simply notice it... we notice that it's already there - it's always there, but we just stop long enough to notice it - to actually hear it.

But what really is silence? Is it anything at all or is it nothing? But isn't "nothing" something? Um, what? Nothing? Something? Exactly. Nothing is something. It the absence of what is - it is the contrast to what we can perceive as some-thing. It exists and takes the place of other activities or events when "no other thing" is going on. It is no-thing. Let me frame it this way: think back to when you were 8 years old and you just got home from school and all you wanted was to "do nothing"? Ahhh - now, perhaps, you understand the value of doing nothing. It's time away from doing something, anything.

So where does silence fit into all this? Because silence is a powerful tool when you use it. That moment of silence contains power - and it also contains healing. The mind, body and spirit want to be active, but they also need downtime - time to be "rebooted" so-to-speak. Finding silence is the basis for meditation and all other forms of relaxation techniques to get us out of minds and bodies and into our spirits - to let our heads and hearts take a well-deserved break and allow our spiritual nature (which is a "natural" part of us) to be refreshed as well. Silence can be found through the act of doing nothing, but also comes when you eliminate the stimuli of your environment. It will require that you find a quiet space and be still: quiet your thoughts, calm your emotions, and relax your body - all parts of your human "doing". This will allow you to reconnect to your spirit - your human "being". Silence then becomes fuel for the soul.

Reconnecting with your spiritual energy brings your mind, body and spirit into better alignment - better balance. This gives you clearer access to your intuition and feelings, which are the languages of the soul. Mind, body, spirit working in harmony and unity are the key to finding your balance factor.

This week take time to find a quiet space and enjoy some of the benefits of silence. Allow your spirit to be refreshed by quieting your head, calming your heart, and tuning into your spirit.

Be Well,

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