Sunday, March 25, 2007

Wrapped in Bows and Shiny Paper

That was one smart cookie, I tell ya. While there are loads of amazing from her, that one is one of the best.

Now I will raise my hand and freely admit that I still have to practice being present. There are times when a slip into the past, revisit past situations and relive old feelings. (OUCH!) While that is not always a bad thing, (especially if the past situations revisited are positive), I know that dancing in the moment is pretty important.

The equates to...

Many amazing possibilities. When we are in the here and now we become more aware of all the good things that surround us. We can see potential opportunities. The "how" to our intentions becomes clearer.

Fear removed. Fear does not reside in the present, just in the future and the past. Think about it.

The present is perfect. Hint: take a look around. I bet there are five things in the here and now that you can be grateful for.

Focus. When we are present our focus on the tasks at hand is clearer. We see the detail and have a better understanding of how to move forward.

If those few reasons did not convince you of the importance of being present, how about trying this one on for size?

Life DOES NOT pass you by. When you are present you get to take advantage of every moment in life. Nothing passes by you...not the silly, not the important, not the lessons to be learned, nor the fun to be had.

So here is the challenge if you choose to accept it. When you find yourself drifting out of the present moment, take some deep breathes, take a good look around, and try to focus on YOU in the here and now.

Until next time, enjoy the gift of today…

Pam

P.S. You are cordially invited to check out the latest addition to Make the Most of U.

Posted by Pam at 4:43:59 PM in Quotes with Impact (32) | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sunday, March 18, 2007

“Who Are We Not To Be Great?”

I believe it may have been who asked that powerful question. Regardless of who asked it, who are we not to be great?

We all deserve to step into our greatness. When we do we are able to celebrate our positives and acknowledge our negatives... only to learn from them. By not stepping into our greatness we give way to settling for less than we deserve. We allow our self-doubters to take over.

Keeping with the theme…

Who are we not to have a voice and share our truths without fear of judgment?

Everyone deserves to have a voice and share what is in their heart; by doing so we become active contributors, educators, and empowered people.

In not sharing we miss out on opportunities for growth and learning. We risk our integrity and make ourselves wrong for having a differing opinion or thought.

Who are we not to believe?

When we believe in ourselves and our abilities we are apt to take action and be active participants in our own lives. When we do not believe, we sit on the sidelines watching life and opportunities pass us by.

So let me ask you, who are YOU not to?

Until next time it is my wish that you be great, speak from your heart, and believe in YOU…

Pam

Posted by Pam at 12:38:59 PM in Creating Change (105) | Permalink | Comments (10)

Sunday, March 11, 2007

It Takes More than Thought

A dear friend came to me the other day with a concern, one that was spurred by . Trust me when I say that I am not wishing to beat a here, but her concern was an important one, one worth addressing.

The concern was two-fold 1) If you have negative/bad thoughts, bad things will happen. and 2) If you don't manifest the things you want, you are not thinking about them in the right way.

It saddens me to think that there could be many people, similar to my friend, who are scared of their own thoughts. Afraid that if they think bad thoughts bad things will happen. Wouldn't that be tantamount to telling the mother who's child was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness that it was because she thought bad thoughts that her child became ill? I shudder at the thought!!

From my own experience (and as someone who has learned some good things from ) just thinking negative thoughts does not create bad things or negative situations. It is the action one may take based on those thoughts which can bring about the negative. In addition..

1) When you focus on the negative, you are not aware of the positive potentials that surround you. Why? Because the negative thoughts and fears overtake positive thoughts and experiences. When we focus on the negative, we see the negative around us.

2) Positive feelings and negative feelings help us to decipher what we want and what we don't want..what's in alignment with who we are. Once we understand the feelings, we often then decide the action we are going to take. (Remember example in ?)

3) I believe it was who said something along the lines of...that just because you think about and visualize millions of dollars landing in your lap that does not mean it will. You have to take ACTION.

The operative word is ACTION!

4) Negative feelings/thoughts around something you desire often prevent taking positive action.

So in short, just because you think something, it does not mean that the something will happen. Action must be involved in order to make things happen.

It is my wish that those who have similar concerns to my friend not beat themselves up for their thoughts. Everyone has negative thoughts from time-to-time..it's part of being human. As always, I am open to your thoughts and feelings so please feel free to share.

In the meantime, please be well...

Pam

Posted by Pam at 1:57:38 PM in Creating Change (105) | Permalink | Comments (2)

Friday, March 09, 2007

Successful Secrets...What are Yours?

Many thanks to Lyman from for including me in this fun successful habits/secrets exercise. (Which, by the way, was started by Aaron of .)

I am a firm believer that positive habits truly do support us in being the best we can be. With that in mind,(and in the spirit of this exercise) here are just a few of my successful habits/secrets....

1- I practice an EVERY DAY, once in the morning and once in the evening. You know what? Starting my day and ending my day writing down or saying at least five things that I am most grateful for helps me to stay positive and full of energy. This in turn allows me to become more aware of great potential opportunities.

2- I exercise 4-5 days a week. Exercising not only helps me to get in shape and stay in shape, but it helps me to focus. Focus on my work, focus on my loved ones, focus on the good stuff.

3- I drink plenty of water. Eight glasses a day. Staying hydrated helps me to think better, not to mention it is great for the skin. :)

4- I get at least eight hours of sleep. Without proper sleep, not only can I become a grouch, but I run out of energy far too early in the day. That is not a good thing!

5- I learn. I am what I would consider a student of life. I try and learn something from every situation...the good, the bad, and the ugly. By looking for the lesson I have been able to create quite an extensive "learning" tool box full of great tools to use over and over.

OK, so , , , Steve, and what are your successful habits/secrets that you practice at least 4-5 days a week?

Posted by Pam at 8:16:13 PM in Pam's Ponderings (35) | Permalink | Comments (8)

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Together WE CAN Make a Difference

I  to make a difference. Will you?

Posted by Pam at 1:47:45 AM in Creating Change (105) | Permalink | Comments (2)

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Go Big or Go Home Questions: Money Talks

I recently finished an awesome course at called Financial Independence (FI). This course helped me to fully understand what true FI is. It also created more awareness around various obstacles that stand in the way for many in creating FI.

The biggest obstacle….

I have met many people in my travels that grew up with messages around money. Some messages are supportive and wonderful and others are depleting and disempowering. It is the depleting and disempowering ones that grow into long lasting limiting beliefs, either on a conscious or sub-conscious level.

If you have ever felt that financial independence was pie in the sky or was something that happened for others but could never happen for you, I want you to consider the following question…

If money had a voice and could talk what would it say to you?

(Many thanks to our great facilitator who asked this powerful question of the class. You made us all think long and hard about our own limiting beliefs.)

I encourage you to explore any beliefs connected to what came up for you. For example, if money said..."I am not evil", what message or limiting belief have you been holding around money being evil? How can you shift that message into something limitless as opposed to limiting?

Have fun with this one!

Posted by Pam at 3:38:27 PM in Go Big Or Go Home Questions (19) | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

From Words to Action: Write It Down and Make It Happen

I have to admit that this has to be one of my all time favorites. I have read this book cover to cover three times and am going for a fourth read. Why do I like this book so much?

I have to raise my hand and say that I'm not very good at visualizing. So when I am asked to visualize in order to tap into the feelings the visualization creates, I have real troubles. HOWEVER, when I am asked to write down what I want in full detail, I feel energized and empowered. This book is a wonderful tool to use in getting to the heart of what you want and developing actions to make it happen. 

(Click on the book for more information.)
 
Empowering stories and awesome exercises! A true "must have"!

 

Posted by Pam at 3:57:13 PM in From Words to Actions (4) | Permalink | Comments (4)

Sunday, February 25, 2007

The Secret: Truth or Hype?

(Warning: This is just my opinion regarding a topic that is important to me so I apologize in advance if it offends anyone, as that is not the intention.)

There has been a lot of talk lately about  since  featured it recently on her show. While some of the talk is supportive of the message contained in the movie and some is of disbelief and hype, I am personally glad that people are talking regardless of what is being said.

I will admit that I found to have placed a bit more of a materialistic slant on The Law of Attraction however, it got people thinking. In my humble opinion, it is never a bad thing when people consider or debate the ways to improve life on an individual level and/or a global level.

My dear friends, the bottom line is this...The Law of Attraction has been around FOREVER. We have all experienced it...maybe some more frequently than others. Regardless of the wrapper it is placed in, regardless of how the message is dressed, one thing is clear... focusing on the positive rather than the negative a) makes you feel good and b) supports you in taking positive action.

(Positive thoughts + positive feelings/empowering feelings + positive actions = forward movement/results)

With that I will get off my soapbox (before I fall off and break an ankle) and leave you with this to ponder...if there is an area of your life that is not as you would like it to be, what would happen if you focused on the positives embodied in that area rather than the negatives?

Until next time, please be well and keep talking...

Pam

Posted by Pam at 2:14:25 PM in Pam's Ponderings (35) | Permalink | Comments (7)

Saturday, February 24, 2007

From Words to Action: Creating Harmonic Wealth

I am in the process of reading an interesting book by one of the teachers of , .

(Click on the book for more info)


offers a more tangible spin to the Law of Attraction and goes beyond the material aspect of creating what you want in your life. This is worth a read. (It is also available in format.)

 

Posted by Pam at 1:00:19 PM in From Words to Actions (4) | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sunday, February 18, 2007

A Little Thanks Goes A Long Way

Did you know that there are five steps in the law of gratitude? Five simple steps that while sometimes forgotten can make a huge difference in our manifesting great things. Just this morning I learned those five steps in a little ebook called written by Wes Hopper. (Courtesy of ).

Step 1: The Universe is a Friendly and Abundant Place.

You see the Universe wants to give you all the things you desire! And here’s the great thing, there is more than enough to go around. You do not have to worry about competing for what you want. Nor do you have to worry that if you get what you want you will be taking something away from someone else.

Step 2: Don’t Argue with Reality

When something you dislike occurs, resisting against it does nothing but make you feel bad. For example saying, “I can’t believe this happened. It shouldn’t have.” is not going to change the fact that it did. All you are doing is focusing more on the negative. Instead, try looking for the good in the situation and be grateful for that good.

Step 3: The Present is Perfect

Rather than focus on the things that are lacking in your life, why not try focusing on all the good that is in your life? Looking at all the good not only shifts your thoughts, but it also helps to raise your energy.

Step 4: Genuine Forgiveness

It is critical to genuinely forgive anyone or anything that has “wronged” you in the past, including yourself. Holding on to resentment and anger creates a huge block. So instead of harboring anger, try and find at least one thing you are grateful for about the person or the situation.

Step 5: Give

When we give from the heart, we often get back twice as much as we have given. Giving feels good and helps to raise our energy level. (IMPORTANT NOTE: Giving from the heart means to give without any expectation of getting back.)

Until next time enjoy thinking about and practicing these five steps…

Pam

Posted by Pam at 3:43:23 PM in Creating Change (105) | Permalink | Comments (6)

Friday, February 16, 2007

From Words to Action: Law of Attraction Explained

If you are interested in learning more about manifesting the good stuff or if you are a "Law of Attraction" junkie like me, the following book is a must have.

(Click the book for more info)

 

Esther, Jerry, and Abraham Hicks do a fantastic job of explaining how thoughts + feelings = attracting.


Stay tuned...more "From Words to Action" recommendations to come!

Posted by Pam at 1:59:30 PM in From Words to Actions (4) | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Why I Blog

I have to thank for the latest “Why do you blog?” tag. This is probably the best tag thus far! (Thank you, Steve!)

I blog because…
- I enjoy establishing connections with others.
- I wish to give back by sharing a little and with the world.
- I learn from sharing.
- I love hearing what others have to say.

Now it is my turn to tag five people, so , , , , and , tag you are it…Why do you blog?

Posted by Pam at 3:29:42 PM in Pam's Ponderings (35) | Permalink | Comments (6)

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Go Big or Go Home Questions: Life Changes

When I turned 40 my new mantra became “Go Big or Go Home!” meaning that I was going to take good risks, push my own limits, and move forward with my intentions. This new category is dedicated to going big or going home and asking those questions that will not only spur thought and sharing, but spur forward movement.

There is not a person in this world who does not wish to enhance or even change an area of their life (or several areas). Think about your life for a moment and focus on one area that you feel could stand a bit of a facelift or maybe even an overhaul.

Now for that question…

How will your life improve if that area changes? (List out all the ways it will improve if you were to change that one area.)

Over to you. :)

Posted by Pam at 4:04:52 PM in Go Big Or Go Home Questions (19) | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Be, Be, Be and Be Some More

What a yummy quote! It’s so easy to get stuck in the “gotta have more and then I’ll be happy” syndrome. Here’s a new challenge, focus on who you wish/need to be in order to have more of the good stuff and less of the not so good stuff.

For example, if you want to change your outlook your “Be” formula may look something like this…

Be a person who has an attitude of gratitude + Do practice gratitude (i.e. create gratitude journal) = Have a feeling and/or awareness of abundance in your life/positive outlook.

Outcome: Being in a place of gratitude helps us attract more of the same.

OR

If you would like less fear in your life, how about…

Be present + Do take three deep breathes = Have less fear or a calmer state of mind.

Outcome: Less fear and greater presence opens up our awareness to amazing potentials.

Posted by Pam at 7:07:28 PM in Quotes with Impact (32) | Permalink | Comments (6)

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Walls Or Bridges

Marie* is a bright, innovative, creative woman who recently started her own consulting business after working for many years in the corporate world. She is proud of herself for taking the leap from employee to self-employed and has high hopes for her new business.

One day while having lunch with a friend Marie shares some concerns around attracting clients. For years she has had a steady income and now she is terrified that she will not be able to make ends meet or sustain herself. She knows that bringing clients into her business is crucial and begins to doubt her abilities.

In response her friend offers her some ideas for gaining clients. While her friend is sharing Marie starts to feel frustrated and heavy, like someone plopped a 50 ton weight down on her chest. Marie thanks her friend and offers a multitude of reasons as to why each suggestion won’t work for her. Each reason becomes a brick in a huge wall that she is building between herself, her business, and potential opportunities.



While it’s true that walls can provide great support, they are also easy to hide behind.

Walls = resistance to others or opportunities
Bridges = being open-minded/open-hearted to potentials, moving forward

Here’s the charge, the next time you feel resistance around something that you want, something that is really important ask yourself, “Am I building walls where I could be building bridges?”

If it is a wall you are building, try taking each brick and find a way to turn it in to a bridge plank. , you have more to gain than you have to lose.

Until next time, build those bridges and be well…

Pam

*No real individuals or situations were used in the creation of this post. 

Posted by Pam at 4:30:50 PM in Creating Change (105) | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Finding Gold in a Pile of Poop


This wonderful nugget arrived in my inbox from and serves as a great reminder!

I encourage you, the next time you find yourself staring adversity in the eye, look for the good...for that gold.

Just like poop, even the worst experience serves a purpose.

Posted by Pam at 4:25:08 PM in Quotes with Impact (32) | Permalink | Comments (7)

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Tennis Shoe, Loafer, Flip-Flop, or Pump?


Scenario: You have been told that you need to find a cool pair of shoes to match a new suit you will be receiving. HOWEVER you have not been told what type of suit it is…could be a bathing suit, a three-piece suit, a warm-up suit. You have no clue, nor do you even know the color, and yet you have to find the right match.

OK, I promise, I am not going to talk about how to find the perfect pair of shoes for any outfit or occasion. I will ask that you keep this little scenario in mind as you read the following.


This past week I got a call from my amazing sister who had an epiphany that she wanted to share with me. We have been talking a lot lately about what pains people most. At the top of the list…finding passion in life and claiming one’s true identity. (By the way, I owe my post to one of those conversations.) The long and short of the recent helpful conversation was that it is sometimes difficult to find what you are most passionate about when you are unsure of you who you truly are. My sister’s epiphany…often times our identities are deeply rooted in things outside of our own selves, i.e. our current jobs or the people in our lives. (Thank you for sharing, Wendy.)

That got me thinking. When you meet someone new the standard question is usually, “What do you do?” It is not often, at least from my experience, that someone asks, “So, what interests you?” or “So tell me, who is Pam?”

Please don’t get me wrong, sharing or identifying with what we do is NOT awful, but does it really define (completely) who we truly are?

What I have come to know, getting clear around who we truly are, helps us to gain clarity around the direction we wish to head in or what we are most passionate about. Without truly knowing, it is often difficulty to find our passion, our direction…that right match.

If this sounds familiar or strikes a chord in any way than I have a request for you.

Set aside 15 minutes of uninterrupted, quiet time. Then take out a piece of paper and at the top write the question, “Who is (your name) ?” Below it write, “I am…” Just beneath that write every descriptive word and/or phrase that comes to mind. Don’t force it, and try not to judge, just write.

(If you have troubles getting started, hop on over to where you can read my list.)

For the next week, please read your amazing list. Get acquainted with the fabulous person you wrote about. Most importantly, be open and present to the ideas and opportunities that come into your awareness from that list.

Until next time, be well and have a blast finding the right match…

Pam

Posted by Pam at 4:38:59 PM in Creating Change (105) | Permalink | Comments (4)

Sunday, January 21, 2007

What Type of Filters Do You Use?

Are we talking cigarette, air, or light filters? Not really, but the concept is somewhat the same. If you think about an air filter, air filters filter out as many impurities as possible so that what we are left with is cleaner, fresher air.

Believe it or not, we experience filters daily, our own and others. Some filters support us while others only hold us back or make us feel bad. As a matter of fact, I can think of two personal examples that demonstrate positive and the negative types of filters.

Positive: I used to give up my power to others easily, not drawing boundaries and expending my energy until there was nothing left. At the request of my own coach I spent some time placing everything through the “how will this impact me” filter. In doing so I became more aware of activities that were draining me emotionally and energetically. I was then able to make better decisions regarding the activities I involved myself in.

Negative: Not too long ago I was offered the opportunity to purchase some air time on a radio show. The show would provide me with the potential to reach out to approximately 4.2 million people with a three minute interview. I will admit the price tag was a bit steep so before making the decision I asked for several people’s thoughts. One person said right out of the gate, “You can’t afford that!” (His $$ filter was as obvious as a 2x4 upside the head.) My request for thoughts was not about whether I could afford the radio spot or not, it was about whether advertising in this way was a prudent business decision. I will admit I walked away from the conversation feeling rather prickly...sadly, I let someone else’s filter impact the way I felt.

How do filters play a role in your day-to-day? Do you use them for good or are there some that have a negative impact? Time to take stock… it may be time to change the filters you use to ensure that the impurities are blocked and that the good stuff is coming through.

Until next time, here is to healthy filtering. Please be well…

Pam

Posted by Pam at 3:16:31 PM in Creating Change (105) | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Who Are YOU?

We are all amazing individuals with so much to offer the world and ourselves. The sad thing is we often do not allow our true selves to come out and play. Why? There are several reasons and to name a few…

1) We come from a place of fear that “who” we truly are is not going to mesh with the world around us.
2) We feel and project lack; what we have to offer is never going to be enough.
3) We do not have enough trust and faith in ourselves.
4) We are not really sure who we are or what we want.

In addressing these reasons, here are just a few suggestions to ponder…

Reason 1

It is important to live life for you and to honor what lies within you. Too many times we get caught in the trap of living life for others because we are afraid…afraid of being alone, of rocking the boat, of being viewed as selfish…etc. Take stock of the people and activities in your life. Do they support who you are and how you wish to show up in the world?

In addition, we sometimes focus far too much on what others think which takes away our power to honor ourselves. Remember, .

Reason 2

Since sometimes we focus on the deficits of our own character in such a negative, defeatist way, it is important to try and focus a) on our surplus; what we have to offer and b) turning any perceived deficits into positive opportunity for growth. For example, thinking of ways in which you can learn from the feelings of lack…exploring what you know to be the truth around the lack you feel.

Reason 3

Pay attention to what refer to as your Emotional Guidance System (EGS). If something that you are doing, being, thinking or saying does not match what you intrinsically want (at your core) or match who you are, your EGS will tell you either through resistance or bad feelings. As you continue to rely on your EGS and shift your thoughts and actions based on your feelings (creating more favorable situations), your trust and faith in yourself will strengthen.

Reason 4

Think about the last time you did something that made you “sing and dance” internally. What was it about the activity that made you feel so good? How was that activity connected to you?


It is also helpful to talk about what is going on inside of you!! In talking you often gain insight and clarity to what truly lies within you.

If any of these suggestions are unclear or you wish for some support, PLEASE contact me!! Just remember, what lies within you is magnificent and it is my wish that you explore and embrace that magnificence.

Until next time, please be well and enjoy you and all that you have to offer…

Pam

Posted by Pam at 3:22:31 PM in Quotes with Impact (32) | Permalink | Comments (10)

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Paying It Forward

There are some awesome blogs out in the blogosphere, blogs that make a difference, that make you think. Today I was on a (thank you, Lyman) and so in the spirit of sharing the link love, I will add to ...

Tracy’s Cosmic Tidings
Working at Home on the Internet
SuccessCREEations
Steve Pavlina
Mark Joyner’s Blog: Atomic Mind Bombs
Problogger
Beyond Marketing by Dr. Joe Vitale
I Will Teach You To Be Rich
The Power of Choice
ZenChill.com Power Tools Blog
lifehack.org
Grace Seeker
eMoms at Home
Verve Coaching
Jane on Careers and Life
The Fast Lane
Josh Kaufman
WendyPiersall.com
The Closet Entrepreneur
Michael Stelzner’s Writing White Papers
Will Wilkinson / The Fly Bottle
The Golden Pencil
Copyblogger
Success From The Nest
The Digerati Life
Cultivate Greatness
John Cox
Empowerment 4 Life
The Copywriter Underground
Shards of Consciousness
Christine Kane
Adventure Dad
Balanced Life Center
Unusual Businesses Ideas
Craig Harper
The German Girl
Soni Pitts
Salem’s Lots
Reach for Magnificence
Moirsolace
Mindflood
Success Jolt
Empathy
That's Fit

Happy Reading and Z-Listing!

Posted by Pam at 12:27:38 PM in Pam's Ponderings (35) | Permalink | Comments (4)