Trust is something that can be given in an instant or built over time. Some people and things are easy to trust, others are not. When trust is broken, it takes time to restore. Trust in ourselves and our journey can be the most challenging of areas. Wherever we are with trust, it is a ‘muscle’ that can be improved with exercise. Just like a physical muscle, trust is increased through resisting and testing. There are three priorities of trust that will help us develop a deeper trust. 1. Trust in the...

Believe it nor not, we all live in our own cage. We get to choose how big the cage is by our belief system. The question is, what do we believe our cage is for? Most of us create a cage to provide us safety from the outside world, but it ends up limiting our freedom. We don’t see it as limiting us, but as protecting us. Some of us have larger cages than others, but it’s still a cage. We can decorate this cage, make it look pretty, include all...

Whilst the wintry cold gives way to spring And a new day doth the sunshine bring Another year creates anew A chance for rebirth, for me and you To lay down the old, and dream again To renew the bond with family and friends To create the dreams, to expand the love To strengthen the bond with God above May this year bring new hope and dreams And every moment, more perfect seem And when this year has come to rest May we know that we’ve done our very best   At the beginning of January, in the middle of a cold, snowy...

  To decide something means to come to a resolution in the mind. The root of the word decide means to cut off (de= off, caedere= to cut). This means that once you really decide on something, you cut off all other options. In 1519, Captain Hernán Cortéz landed in Veracruz. He then commanded his trips to burn the ships. This gave them no other option than to move forward. How many times in our lives do we make a decision and cut off all other options? How many times do we create...

If all we can ever influence is the present moment, then creating as many perfect present moments as possible is a worthwhile endeavor. Just being present helps increase the quality and quantity of perfect present moments. Mindfulness is the Buddhist concept of light meditation at all times. For example, when you sit down for a meal, completely experience the food. Taste the flavor, temperature, texture of each bite. Feel how it feels to chew each bite. When you swallow, feel how it travels down your esophagus. Experience the meal as...

As we serve others on a daily basis, there is an essence of a virtual currency, and there is a feeling of reciprocity associated with this virtual currency. Everything we do has an energy around it. Likewise, each person has developed, or was blessed with, certain gifts and traits. Because the things that we have been blessed with are so easy in our lives, we take them for granted. By the same token, things that are easy for others may seem difficult for us. This is where the concept of...

I met with a client this week, and we were reviewing the commitments that he had made during our previous session. On one of his commitments, he sheepishly admitted that he had only kept his commitment about 50% of the time. There seemed to be a sense of guilt and shame as well, because he hadn't kept his commitment 100% of the time. I congratulated him on his progress, and simply said "Strive for progress, not perfection. Perfection sucks". Let me put some context around this comment. When I first engage with...

The value of a person’s life is in what he can contribute to enrich the lives of others, whether by example, service, or content. Examples are people like Victor Frankl and Nelson Mandela, who, through their own struggles and self-conviction give us something to aspire to. Examples of service are people like Mother Teresa, who believed in her mission, and tirelessly fulfilled it, day-after-day, helping one person at a time. Examples of content are the many authors like Ralph Waldo Trine, Thoreau, Emerson, and CS Lewis, who nourish our souls...

  "Stress, anxiety and depression are caused when we are living to please others." - Paulo Coelho "Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner." - Lao Tzu   In our lives, our thoughts and actions come from one of two places; love or fear. One of the most common fears that people have is our fear of what others think of us. Many times, we choose to act or not act based on our opinion of what others will think of us. This is extremely limiting because we are coming...

True love engenders passion. Passion engenders motivation. Motivation engenders action. Therefore, if we can learn to love, we can learn to act. Work ceases to be work when one’s heart is involved. But how does one learn to love? Where is the source of learning for such an emotion? Does one just choose to love? Does it just show up? Where does it come from? Alternatively, when one acts in service towards others, one learns to love. You cannot serve somebody without learning to love them. If you can’t find that...