bold thought
My Encounter with a Kind Sage...
I once met a sage...
He had a twinkle in his eye,
and his heart was in his smile.
Looking for a rhyme and reason to the many pains, trials,
and frights
that were entangling me...
I asked, "Why is life not easier? Why can't it be better?"
He could tell I was pained and troubled.
A tear welled up in his eye, yet he smiled in the softest of ways...
"I'm sorry you hurt,
I'm sorry you feel pain,
but this is a part of existence on this planet."
I reached out my hand,,,he reached out his own. Our palms touched.
I began to weep.
He began to weep.
And then he pulled me into his arms.
"Child, child...you are strong.
More so than you know," he whispered.
"I'm not so sure," I replied.
He put has hands on my shoulders and pushed me softly an arm-length's away.
He stared into both of my eyes.
"Yes, you are strong. You must believe."
Sliding his right hand from my shoulder,
down my arm,
to my wrist,
he turned my palm up and directed all of his energies there...
right into the palm of my hand.
"The secret of happiness is to use this hand
in conjunction with your mind...
and to build something that will better the life of your brother
and your sister.
You know, everyone is your brother and your sister.
Don't forget this.
Miseries will come
miseries will go...
but if you keep steadily working
and with this hand
creating
loving
it will begin to make sense."
He turned my palm and placed it on my heart...
"Your most precious gift is your heart pumping in your chest.
It continues to give you life,
and if you dare to pay attention,
dare to let it lead you where you are meant to be,
you will find yourself living the most amazing of existences."
He continued...
"The heart knows what is right,
good,
and noble.
It is those who with ignited heart
pour themselves into their work,
touch the lives of their neighbors,
and understand the power of creation
that find true freedom.
All too many know what it feels like to miss their calling
because of fear.
Everyone has the same chance...including you."
I was so very silent
stared at the ground
knowing that so many times I have failed.
The sage put his fingers under my chin
and he raised my eyes to look into his.
Fire blazed within his soft brown gaze.
"No need to be ashamed.
Just go and do what you're supposed to do.
Your dreams were planted for a reason.
Your heart beats to serve your purpose.
Let your heart guide your hands,
let it guide your mind,
and then your feet will naturally follow.
Don't be a slave to fear.
Open your arms and embrace what is to come,
and with kindness and humility
do your work."
He reach down once more,
took my hand,
gave it a warm squeeze,
and went on his way with purpose...
I've never seen him again,
yet a part of him blazes within me.
I see his eyes,
his heart filled smile.
I am now certain beyond belief that
Sometimes we all need a sage,
and sometimes we are the sage.
-By Jen Engevik
The Power of Words & Why "It Is What It Is" Doesn't Cut It
Reading some thoughts by Anthony Robbins on how the words (or word associations) we use either weigh us down or give us wings
with which to fly. He suggests trying a simple exercise in an effort to change our thoughts from negative & energy-zapping to empowering & energy-provoking.
Robbins provides the following exercise:
1. Take a moment to write down at least three words you currently use on a regular basis...words that make you feel lousy, lost and lazy. These can include (but definitely aren't limited to) frustrated, angry, scared, sad, incompetent, etc.
2. Write down next each word how it makes you feel. Does it affect your ability to succeed in your work, relationships, or other areas of your life? Does it keep you from reaching your goals and dreams?
3. Go on a crazy, outrageous, and fun brainstorming session! Write down new words that you can use in place of the words you listed. "Remember that your brain loves anything that gets you out of pain and into pleasure," writes Robbins. Choose new words that will move you beyond limited thought to new places cookin'!
It's quite interesting to think --- your world is what you perceive it to be. Have you noticed the difference from neighborhood to neighborhood within a city? In Los Angeles, I'm always amazed at how one neighborhood can be inspired...pristine...creative...litter-free. Yet, a few blocks down the story can be completely different...litter everywhere...houses with cracking paint and barred windows.
The difference between neighborhoods...and minds...is vision. It's what we perceive and what we manifest (create) as result.
As a Disneyland fan, I notice when I ride on the Pirates of the Caribbean some children cry their eyes out because they are afraid of the dark atmosphere & the freaky pirates, while others love it so much they want to go again and again. The only difference between the two types of youngsters are their mental perceptions.
In many sacred texts, "the word" is given much attention. I think this is because long-ago wisdom-filled individuals realized the words that run through our minds -- are then spoken through our lips -- which inspires action/or non-action -- and then the results are seen in the home, in families and friendships, in the workplace, and in our neighborhoods.
Don't allow the words & perceptions that run through your mind to be the end-all-be-all. One of my least favorite phrases = "it is what it is." I hear it all too often from people I love. An "is what it is" mentality is a cop-out. Don't forget that we have the power to shape our worlds --- moment by moment. It all begins by reshaping our perceptions and creating a new mental vocabulary.
Make it a bold day!
- Jen Engevik
Be Aware of the Snowball Effect of Your Thinking by Richard Carlson
A powerful technique for becoming more peaceful is to be aware of how quickly your negative and insecure thinking can spiral out of
control. Have you ever noticed how uptight you feel when you're caught up in your thinking? And, to top it off, the more absorbed you get in the details of whatever is upsetting you, the worse you feel. One thought leads to another, and yet another, until at some point, you become incredibly agitated.
For example, you might wake up in the middle of the night and remember a phone call that needs to be made the following day. Then, rather than feeling relieved that you remembered such an important call, you start thinking about everything else you have to do tomorrow. You start rehearsing a probable conversation with your boss, getting yourself even more upset. Pretty soon you think to yourself, "I can't believe how busy I am. I must make fifty phone calls a day. Whose life is this anyway?" and on and on it goes until you're feeling sorry for yourself. For many people, there's no limit to how long this type of "thought attack" can go on. In fact, I've been told by clients that many of their days and nights are spent in this type of mental rehearsal. Needless to say, it's impossible to feel peaceful with your head full of concerns and annoyance.
The solution is to notice what's happening in your head before your thoughts have a chance to build momentum. The sooner you catch yourself in the act of building your mental snowball, the easier it is to stop. In our example here, you might notice your snowball thinking right when you start running through the list of what you have to do the next day. Then instead of obsessing on your upcoming day, you say to yourself, "Whew, there I go again," and consciously nip it in the bud. You stop your train of thought before it has a chance to get going. You can then focus, not on how overwhelmed you are, but on how grateful you are for remembering the phone call that needed to be made. If it's the middle of the night, write it down on a piece of paper and go back to sleep. You might even consider keeping a pen and paper by the bed for such moments.
You may indeed be a very busy person, but remember that filling your head with thoughts of how overwhelmed you are only exacerbates the problem by making you feel even more stressed than you already do. Try this simple little exercise the next time you begin to obsess on your schedule. You'll be amazed at how effective it can be.
- Richard Carlson, PH.D from Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...and it's all small stuff: Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things from Taking Over Your Life
Beware of Negative Messaging & Thoughts
Each and every day we are bombarded with all sorts of messages floating around in the cosmos. They arrive through various messengers
including the news, our politicians, e-mails, friends, colleagues and kids.
If we don't watch out, we can become wrapped into a wild web of fear, frustration, irritation, and drama. Before we know it, we think the world in which we live in is crumbling and falling apart. We then become committed to the idea that we are going to fail in one way or another...we are going to lose our jobs...there is going to be no opportunity...and more.
The other day I was asked by a friend what I thought of a trial that was going on. "Isn't it awful how that girl died?" my friend asked. I stopped her then and there and said, "I don't know anything about it and I don't want to hear more." It isn't that I don't care or want to be callous, but I want to protect my mind and my reality.
For instance, today there are big puffy clouds floating around in a soft blue sky. I am listening to Swedish folk music, and as far as I know it everything is OK with the people I know and love. There is no doubt that there is suffering and horrible things going on down the street or across the seas, but what good is it going to do me to fill my mind with such stories? (unless I am going to commit myself to action surrounding an issue, of course!)
When we fill our minds with the ills of the world, it is quite easy to forget what needs to be done in our relatively drama free lives.
Additionally:
- We tend to lose our creativity
- We become doomsdayers
- We don't pour ourselves into work as we should
- Negativity rubs off on our children
- We feel miserable and purposeless
- We become addicted to negativity
- Our relationships can suffer
The list can go on and on...
We have two choices in the world that include: (1) Choosing to see the beauty in the world and fill our minds with inspiration, or (2) Filling our minds with constant negativity.
There are miracles occurring around us each day - the question is...are we going to choose to be in the frame of mind to see them?
Just to spice up your day...check out Coldplay's video Every Teardrop is a Waterfall:
Make it a bold day!
- Jen Engevik
Project Be Bold
Simon Sinek Speech on How Great Leaders Inspire Action
Simon Sinek, Author and Motivational Speaker, shares how great leaders inspire action in his Ted.com debut. If you are looking to be informed and inspired, dare to check out this video:
