Valentines Day, It's all about the Love

Okay, so this is the second post I'm making this week but I was so called to write this morning as the last few days have been a process and I wanted to share both the lesson and the joy I learned from it. Once again it's Valentines Day and for the last few years my usual reaction prior to this day is to go into complete stress mode about it. To help you understand a little more about why this happens I need to tell you a little about myself.  Many of you may not know that I am a paraplegic, born with Spina Bifida. No big deal for the most part; I'm quite independent, I work (from home), I'm married and have a teenage son. I've accomplished most of what I have set out for myself and I love my life. However, as I'm digging deeper into my 40 something years I'm definitely noticing that the joints and energy aren't holding up like they used to and getting into the car to go anywhere myself is happening less and less often.

So, here's the question that usually runs through my mind before the big day. "How can I get something without having to strain myself and use up all my energy?" The result usually ends up being that I do nothing. My poor hubby is very understanding and never complains.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned in the process of becoming a Dream Builder Transformational Life Coach is that there is an answer to every question or problem and to ask empowering questions of the universe, rather than ones that leave me feeling uninspired and disempowered. So this year, I posed the question, "How can I do something very personal to show my husband how much I love him?" I was so surprised when the perfect answer came quickly. I realized that I have files full of beautiful photos on my computer that I took and a program for making cards. Big duh moment here folks. Why didn't I think of this before? No matter,  I decided to take one of my photos and put it onto card stock and write a personal message rather than some store bought greeting.

I know it doesn't sound like a lot but I loved the creativity of the process and when I gave it to him this morning he recognized how personal it was and the love that had gone into it. As it turned out, it was also one of his favourite photos. After all, it's not about the dollars we spend or how big a gift it is. It's about the love that went into.

Happy Valentines Day! 

Deciding For Your Dream

1     "Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive and go do it; because what the world needs is more people who have come alive." – Howard Thurman

The first question I always ask new clients is "What would you love?" The result... usually a blank look. Many people really don't have any idea what they would love to be, do or have. They've set limits on their abundance because from the very beginning of their time on this earth they were told, in a completely loving, well intended way of course, by parents, family, friends, teachers etc, what is possible. 

     Today I challenge you to think about what you would love. What are your longings? Where is your discontent? Life, God, the Universe, whomever you see as your higher power, is seeking an ever freer, more expanded experience and expression through you. Mary Morrissey, my coaching mentor and someone I've come to admire greatly always says "some people live 90 years and some people live 1 year 90 times." It's your life and you get to choose whether it's a life created by design, ie, you make it happen, or default, ie it happens to you.

     In my coaching course, the Dream Builder, I teach proven strategies for designing and refining what you want and moving you forward, past fear, limiting beliefs and old habits and ways of thinking to create it. If you're interested in taking steps toward creating a life you would absolutely love; a life of your own design, and could use some direction and support, email me at marikavandommelen@lifemasteryinstitute.com for a complimentary strategy session. I do all my consultations and coaching by phone so distance is not a factor. Or if you are interested in learning more about what I do and live in the Lower Mainland, BC, feel free to contact me in regard to attending my free Vision Workshop at 7pm on Wednesday February 19th.

Fear: The edge of what you know

Yesterday I made a decision to set up a Meetup, a gathering of people that I would present a Vision Workshop to and create a discussion around the concepts I teach in my Dream Building coaching course.I decided on a date and time and as I pressed the confirmation button that would send this information out to the community, my FB friends and all my contacts I suddenly felt a feeling that can only be described as complete terror :). What if nobody came? What if too many people came? Do I really know this stuff well enough to present it to a group? What if the evening turned out to be a complete flop?

So what is fear anyway? It can can show up in ways such as dissuasion, ie, your mind telling you that whatever you are trying to achieve does not line up with the way you see yourself. It might sound like, "you're not smart enough." Fear can also show up as distraction, a sudden desire to clean your space or do laundry instead of what you need to do to create what you say you want. Finally, fear can show up as a physical bodily feeling like goose bumps, rapid heart beat or ....well, you get the picture :).

So, let's take a minute to ponder the idea that fear is just the edge of what you know right now; an opportunity to move beyond that, to a newer, happier, more abundant, more fully expressed version of you. Courage, after all is not doing something in the complete absence of fear. Courage is deciding for something, feeling the fear and doing it anyway.

You only get to live this life once so what would you like to be, do or have? What's on the other side of your edge of becoming?

In my coaching course, the Dream Builder, I teach proven strategies for dealing with fear and moving you forward to what you say you want. If you're interested in taking steps toward creating a life you would absolutely love, If you're tired of living the same year over and over again, or if you've tried to move forward but keep running into the same pitfalls, email me at marikavandommelen@lifemasteryinstitute.com for a complimentary strategy session. I do all my consultations and coaching by phone so distance is not a factor. Or if you are interested in learning more about what I do and live in the Lower Mainland, BC, feel free to contact me regarding my Vision Workshop on February 19th.