One of the principles of Neuro Linguistic Programming is that emotions are stored in our bodies, as well as our brains. One of the places this shows up is when people fall on hard times economically and have trouble meeting their basic needs, or even need to shut down their greater desires. Scare-city is an appropriate word for what the brain goes through during this times, and it is common for people to feel constricted in their bodies as well as their wallets. People describe a tightness in their stomachs, or a restriction in the movement of their limbs. They may even experience high blood pressure as their arteries constrict in response to the brains perception of “danger” from not having enough. It’s important to recognize these physical feelings because they can make you ill. Take time to relax and be present, as difficult as that may seem. If you focus on NOW, you are likely to realize that in this moment, at this very time, you have everything you need. From this place, you can be more resourceful in solving problems and deciding on alternatives.
Archive for the ‘Money’ Category
Feeling Scarcity
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009Pangs
Thursday, April 30th, 2009Yep, even me, the professor of positive attitude, has some pangs of a down mood today. The slower economy is causing me to contract, and I feel it in my body when I give it my attention. Then, I was reading about some successful CEOs this morning and found myself COMPARING - a slippery slope that can only lead to feelings of diminish self-worth. I caught myself, and shook it off, but wanted to take this opportunity to caution readers against the temptation to compare. The thoughts that spill out of that kind of thinking sometimes begin with “If only I’d…” The only way from there is down.
Materialism
Friday, March 13th, 2009While growing up in Catholic family and going to a Catholic elementary school, I was taught that poverty was somehow virtuous. Some of the most influential people in my young life took vows of poverty as this was supposed to bring them closer to this non-material thing called God. Even after rejecting religion, my exposure to some other “spiritual” practices in my 20s and 30s professed that materialism is on some level, immoral.
Now I’ve finally gotten over all of that and embrace life as a materialistic adventure. After all, even the most “spiritual” person cannot avoid all things material; they just don’t enjoy them. They still have clothes, furniture and shelter. The food they eat happens to be material, as is all of nature. One can’t help but bump into material everywhere, and despite the “everything is nothing” theory of quantum physics, I have yet to see anyone pass through a wall.
It comes down to a choice of with what kinds of material are you going to surround yourself. I happen to enjoy the fact that I’m writing this on an Apple MacBook while I sit on my beautiful patio surrounded by trees and flowers. I like that when I go inside later I will sit on a modern, comfortable couch in a room with splendid artwork. Would sitting on a couch with holes in it from the Salvation Army in a room with Wal-Mart posters make me a better person? I don’t think so. Nor do I think that doing so would make me a lesser person.
We do live in a material world for the short time we are here. We can choose to shun the nicer material things and only bring into our life the minimal and inferior. Or we can acknowledge that our very essence is that of forms and solids and choose to surround ourselves with those material things that make life more pleasant, more enjoyable – provided we appreciate them.
If there is anything at all to spirituality, we’ll have plenty of time for that later when the material of our bodies decomposes into the elements of the earth. For now, I declare myself a materialist, and endeavor to be a good one.
Financial Crisis or Blessing?
Thursday, March 12th, 2009Back in my November newsletter, I wrote with optimism about the current Financial Crisis suggesting to readers that they be grateful for what they had and to focus on the abundance in their life. Since then, the situation has affected many more people and is affecting many people I know personally. It is easy to see the self-fulfilling-prophecy nature of what is happening, and that may be more difficult to reverse than the financial mechanics. People behave differently when they believe things are not going well. This creates real consequences, reinforces and spreads the belief, and a cycle is born.
One thing I have notice though, especially among people I know who have lost their jobs, is a sense of relief. People who are fortunate enough to have a cushion are discovering how much they didn’t enjoy their jobs and are using this opportunity to explore their deeper values and desires. Rather than looking for the same type of job in a different company, they are considering entirely new careers. One man I know describes being more at peace with himself and his family, and told me that he easily and happily lost 10 pounds within two weeks of being laid off.
There seems to be a universal agreement that it’s time to end the rat race. That undercurrent has been there as long as I remember, but people seem more empowered to do something about today. Like Lily Tomlin said, “Even if you win the rat race, you’re still a rat.”
How has the current financial climate affected you? Are you considering a career change?
Welcome!
Tuesday, February 10th, 2009Welcome to the regular post from Catalyst4Success. Here you will find tips on keeping yourself emotionally fit, discussions about relationships, and guidelines to living a more enriched life.