We here at YSC are very excited about inviting you to our “Becoming Your Own Leader” retreat. This intensive program is designed to be a small, intimate group of ten participants ready to recreate their lives from passion and purpose. During this three-day retreat you will be supported in accessing, building partnership with, and learning to trust in your own Personal Source of Guidance.

We believe, with certainty, that people have the ability to effectively connect with their own personal source of guidance. We also believe that actively building a relationship with and listening to this source of guidance is what leads to powerful action steps towards change.

As coaches, over the past 20 years, Tina and I have worked with hundreds of people, globally, at creating positive changes in their personal and professional lives. We’ve continuously heard people express a desire or need of finding a connection to something deeper and more meaningful in their lives. Rather than a religious pursuit, this tends to be a search for a spiritual belief system at creating greater purpose and, ultimately, support in living a more joyful and satisfying life.

To address this need, we explored and experimented with a variety of philosophies and teachings on spirituality, adult learning and change in order to enrich and expand our coaching acumen and our own spiritual belief systems. This learning process, ultimately, led to the creation of a holistic coaching approach that focuses on supporting people at defining and building their own spiritual belief system that we call “Your Source Connection.”

Our experience of observing so many people create amazing positive change in their lives through their Source Connection has led us to view our own relationship with Source as our primary resource for guidance, inspiration and support. We’ve found that helping people develop this relationship to their Source Connection, (which some call God, Goddess, Higher Self, Spirit, Universe, etc.) enables them to experience an increased sense of empowerment and security in making critical business and personal decisions. As a result, people expressed feeling more satisfied and energized with their lives!

At the “Becoming Your Own Leader” retreat, we’ll support you in building your relationship with Your Source Connection by sharing a variety of methods and resources for listening more deeply when discerning insights and inspiration. We also support you at setting clear goals about what you want to experience in your life and offer suggestions on how to express these requests to your Source Connection.

Beyond developing strong communication skills, “Becoming Your Own Leader” will support you in developing the mindset necessary to leverage the laws of attraction at supporting you in aligning more powerfully with your desires. In this way, you will be better able to experience the life you desire, both personally and professionally.

We hope you will join us on this amazing journey of self-discovery and growth. Click here for more information about our “Becoming Your Own Leader“ retreat.

Aligning your vibration is essential to satisfying your manifesting desires. Most folks rely on techniques like journaling and visualization to get what they want, overlooking the significance of an aligned vibration through choosing good feeling activities. Once your thoughts are clear and aligned with your source, your manifested experiences arrive with grace and ease.

So how do you redirect your vibration on any subject? It is simple. Choose to feel good by playing with the ten “aligning activities” below every day, for weeks on end.

1. Filter your thoughts by consciously entertaining thoughts that feel good. Although it may feel impossible to eliminate all negative thoughts, you can give them less airtime and emotion. Practice consistently holding thoughts that lighten your heart and shift your perspective. (Call me 480-518-3660 or email me Cheryl@yoursourceconnection.com and I will teach you a conscious energy technique that will assist in getting to your better feeling thoughts quickly!!)

2. Hang out with animals. Spend time with a four-legged, feathered or scaly companion. If you don’t already have an animal companion, visit a neighbor’s horse or cat, take a dog for a walk or set up a bird feeder. You may even consider adopting an animal from a rescue organization. Animals are natural energy! (I draw energy from the burrow, mule and twelve horses living next door. I, also, love hanging out and nurturing my canine companions, for that matter anyone’s canine companions!)

3. Be selective with your time. Look at your current to-do list. Decide to do those things you enjoy. Which are you not looking forward to doing? Decide to hold off on those things until you are lined up and excited about them. If possible, delegate or hire those items out. You may even decide they do not need to be done after all. Then, most important of all, add to your list activities that bring you joy and enrichment. (I, for example, love to cook.)

4. Spending time in nature is very yummy to your energy. Nature, like animals, is another natural energy enhancer. Take a walk in the park. Go for a hike. Sit in the sun and bathe in its warmth. Lean against a tree to feel and hear the breeze. Lay on the grass and watch the clouds float by. Walk the beach and feel the sand under your toes while the sound of the ocean breaking on the shore surrounds you. Even raking leaves or reseeding your grass can be inspiring this time of year. (I just reseeded my grass and in the process freed up a lot of resistant energy!)

5. Listen to and follow your own guidance. No one else knows what’s best for you than you. Listen for your intuitive nudges and respect them.

6. Intentionally seek out positive people. Seek out those who are fun to be around and whose presence feels good to you. Your vibration is uplifted when you share fun experiences and laughter with like vibrations. Allow yourself to “recharge and redirect” with people you feel most aligned to. (I love hiking or enjoying a “feel good” movie with a “feel good” friend!)

7. Filtering your media is one of the best ways to align your vibe. Feed yourself books that turn you on and connect with your inner-being and broader perspective. Stop reading what doesn’t feel good – tabloids, trade journals, daily newspapers. If there is news you really need, someone will tell you. If there’s a TV show you truly enjoy, tune in, watch it… and then turn the TV off! Listen to music you enjoy. Avoid unpleasant sounds. (I love listening to orindaben.com meditations or abraham-hicks.com workshop material. I mix this up with my honey’s cover band music and I am rocking in the free world!!)

8. Regularly experiencing love and appreciation will align your vibe quickly and easily. Practice random acts of kindness. Intentionally send out love and appreciation to everyone and everything around you, including yourself. (I invite clients to share 3-5 things they are grateful for before beginning sessions. I love to make gratitude deposits in my meditation at night before going to sleep.)

9. Schedule time to quiet your mind through meditation and breathe deeply! This will help give you a new perspective in the middle or end of a busy day! (I love visiting orindaben.com to experience the 5-7 minute desktop meditations.)

10. Rewrite your life story as you wish it to be. Include practical achievements and emotional states of being. Then, record and listen to it during a meditation session. Memorize it as if you were going to tell your inspiring story to a room full of people! (I love to do this in front of my mirror in appreciation of what is already done!)

Play with one or two suggestions at a time, every day, for many weeks to come. As you recharge your vibration you will begin to see evidence of change in all areas of your life! Have fun and be easy! Remember…We never get it done, and still it gets better and better!

I would love to hear ideas on how you recharge your vibration. Let me know in the comment section below!

Recently, I devoted three days to a Spiritual retreat and cleansing fast at home. I recommend everyone, at some point, do the same. My intention was to disconnect from the outside world and enhance connection to my inner world and source perspective. I wanted to investigate the reoccurring, non-supportive patterns keeping me from fully living in my passion and purpose.  

I began this retreat by telling my closest companions, business partners, clients and friends that I would be off line for three days. No contact! I set a vacation notice on my email replies and voice mail. I gave my computer to a friend and told her under no circumstances was she to return it to me until day four. I shut off my cell phone and placed it on the charger! Then, I emptied my refrigerator of tempting food and replaced it with a 3 day supply of a master cleanse drink. I, also, made certain I had plenty of water.

Before going to bed that night, I journaled my intentions along with a meditation aligning myself with source perspective. I ask, “What do I need to know in order to grow?” I had trust that my intention, married with my action, would create a miracle within.

The first 24 hours were the hardest as I had to shift my mindset and focus. I wanted to eat food, logon to the computer and, of course, check voice mail. By this time, however, I had also started spending time in nature, meditating and journaling, which helped me expand into my source energy. I quickly found myself catching my buzz! I was getting high on connection! I had a heightened sensitivity to beauty, deep inner peace and a profound feeling of connectedness to all living things.

Gratefully, on the second day, I was much less distracted by my cravings and well into realizing what was needed in order for me to shift and grow. I continued communing with nature, meditating and working with reflective journaling.  I’m always amazed at my blind spots (ego creations), the non- supportive attachments I develop to people, places and situations as well as the outdated beliefs and thoughts I have keeping me on the gerbil wheel of my egotistical struggles.  I’m equally amazed and grateful at how quickly, when connected to my source perspective, I can face my fears and know all that occurs is designed to support my spiritual growth and expansion into my passion and purpose.

As I came out of my retreat and began reconnecting with people, places and situations, life had already started reflecting back to me my inner changes!  I love that about this work! Today, I Am happy, and grateful for what I learned about myself in my retreat. I feel renewed and deeply connected, once again, to my passion and purpose as a Woman Leading for Spirit Inspired Change!

“And so I said, ‘JUST DO IT anyways!’” John explained, describing a recent triumph of overcoming his fears at posting a powerful blog. Over the past 6 months, John, a well regarded expert in coaching Fortune 500 firms on how to best express opinions in public forums, had been diligently building a better relationship with himself – what I would call his broader perspective, to overcome self doubt.

I’m sure the idea of John working on self-doubt would probably shock his clients, as well as his many followers on Twitter and Facebook fans, who rely on his expertise. Like many high achievers, (and you know who you are), to the outside world he appears confident and strong, while inside he struggles with “measuring up” and “getting it right.”

John’s not alone. We all hear this self-doubt voice when stepping outside our comfort zone. You know, the voice that tells you, “Are you really sure that’s good enough to publish?” or “What will people think about you if this is a stupid idea?” It’s generally required in making desired life changes, professional or personal.

Often, what happens is you write the blog until it’s 95% complete and then keep it in your “drafts” folder. Or maybe you read others’ blogs, articles, brochures, etc. on the same topic or business venture idea and psyche yourself out from moving forward by saying to yourself, “Why bother; it’s already being done!”

From my work as a coach, I’ve witnessed 100’s of people, like John, build the courage to take risks and step outside their comfort zones. Also like John, most people I work with are highly successful professionals, from senior board members in leading organizations to entrepreneurs with thriving businesses. One interesting commonality among these individuals embarking on change is that all have, in some way, cultivated a sense of confidence through some form of supportive inner dialogue. This supportive inner dialogue serves as a “pep talk” unique to them alone. Some phrases such as, “I tell myself to just get on with it!” or “I have nothing to lose!” are common. Yet how they interpret, get inspired by, and take meaning from them is completely unique.

A majority of people emphasized that although part of them felt fear or self-doubt, they chose to listen to another voice providing a more freeing and broader perspective. Like John, they chose to override inner criticism and seek advice of this broader perspective. They also utilized this broader perspective to spur them on, take action, or respond differently to circumstances that typically get in their way of success.

In our work at Your Source Connection, we support people in cultivating a relationship with their own broader perspective. This relationship utilizes their own trusted resource for gaining insight, inspiration, courage and perspective on daily life.

Cultivating a relationship with your broader perspective

One way to cultivate this personal support system is to begin noticing, documenting and understanding how this trusted resource works for you. Here’s a quick activity to support you in developing this understanding.

Journal Activity: Think back to a time when you stepped outside your comfort zone, took a risk, or made a big change. Write down your answers to the following: What helped you to take this step? What did you tell yourself, at the time, that was supportive or helpful, no matter how strange it may sound now? What worked for you?

For example, when moving from Boston to Phoenix, I frequently reminded myself of how pleased my late Uncle Paul would be that I was carrying out his dream of living out West and owning horses. Now, as I look back, this reminder inspired me to take the risks that someone I loved and admired never had a chance to live out.

Once you’ve completed your writing, ask yourself, “What else?” and continue your reflection. Next ask, “What wisdom from this previous, successful experience, might be helpful in applying to a current situation or desired future change?

Consider periodically using this activity on your life’s journey in further clarifying the wisdom from your broader perspective.

Affirmations are designed to…
• open and expand awareness of what you can have,
• align you with your spirit’s wisdom
• assist in attuning with the unlimited prosperity of the universe.

Most affirmations start with “I,” referring to all who you are: your Broader Self, Higher Self, Spirit, Divine Self, Source Self – the part of you that is connected to the Universe, as well as the ego and personality self. As you think or say affirmations, you are calling upon the Spirit within you to be present and express itself, opening the doorway to experience a new, more pleasing reality.

Saying “I AM.”

Too often, I hear people say, “I am…..” and follow it with a negative or limited statement. It’s important to catch yourself doing this and, rather, change what you say about yourself and your life to reflect a more positive reality. Every time you say, “I am…” you are evoking the Divine Self within you, calling upon the power of the Universe to make it so. If you can follow the statement, “I am…” with positive thoughts, you are invoking the power of the Universe, that Positive Source within you, to assist in creating your reality.

As you say affirmations, you will feel the reality and power of the “I” within you create the reality you want. The words themselves do not have power; repeating them routinely over and over will not create the reality you want. When you say these affirmations, you are calling upon the energy and power of your Source Connection to make these thoughts a reality.

Affirmations are best employed when you’re feeling content, hopeful and optimistic as these feelings reflect your connection to Source. Imagine feeling the power, love, and wisdom of the innermost part of your being, your Source Connection, as you say each affirmation.

Use affirmations as a way to open the doorway to all the riches and gifts of consciousness that your true, innermost Self is waiting to give. All you need to do is ask, affirm, and be open to receive. Let go of the specific form, way, and timing of what you have asked for and know that through the Law Of Attraction, your Source Energy will bring you exactly what you need at the perfect time and in the perfect way.

The energy of Relationships serves as a wondrous mirror, providing us with insight into the relationship we have with our OWN core, higher self, God, the universe.  It also provides an opportunity that can lead us on the path to Self-Love.

What is the path to Self-Love?

Self-Love is an inside job and it is about…

• Looking within for guidance, joy and validation.
• Becoming personally aware of our feelings and taking responsibility.
• Understanding happiness and success requires acceptance and trust.
• Knowing the benefit of growth is – Love.
• Placing no blame or shame on others or ourselves.
•  Accepting there are no victims or villains.

Why is this important?  In order to be present and to consciously co-create with another, you must first peer into your inner world of thoughts and emotions and claim your own mistrust, insecurities, self-doubts, worry and fears.  These energies are alive within and waiting for your LOVE… Self-Love.  Once you find them and love them, rather than judge them, you can tap into their vitality and energy.  You can use their power in your life today to transform relationships!  When you bring them into the light of Your Source Perspective, they are no longer operating; they are your spirit energy that inspires and energizes your life.

When you move into this wondrous place of Self-Love and empty yourselves of all fears, negative thoughts, guilt, comparisons and judgments towards yourself as seen through others, you are in harmony with the Universe.  When this is accomplished, there is room for the true essence of whom you are at your core to emerge through your personality and to Enjoy the energy of your human spirit in relationship. 

Try this exercise the next time you feel frustrated in an important relationship.

At the top of a piece of paper, write the name of the person with whom you are feeling out of balance. Then, draw two columns labeling one “Attraction Factor” and the other “Not So Attractive Factor.” 

Under the “Attraction Factor” column, write one or two words that describes what initially attracted you to this person – i.e. grounded and calm.  View these energies that you feel attracted to as ones you are learning about and growing within yourself.  Be thankful for having such a wonderful model and teacher in your life.

Under the “Not So Attractive Factor” column write one or two words that describe the qualities you dislike about the person. – i.e. self-absorbed or selfish. View these energies you feel less attracted to as qualities also active within yourself; those qualities you are learning about and growing with.  Be honest with yourself! Be thankful for such a wonderful model and teacher in your life.

Now, take the time to get quiet and go within to explore this energy of YOU. Know that as you accept, learn from and evolve these qualities in yourself, the energy will shift within your relationship(s), as well.  Have Fun!

The quality of humor is one of the greatest doorways to Self-Love. It is, also, a powerful tool for connecting to your Source and allowing deep, satisfying change.

There are many ways to Love yourself. Everything that happens to you is an opportunity for a loving experience. When things seem to be going against you, they are only happening to guide you towards your usable power. Seen in the right perspective, anything can provide an occasion for Self- Love.

Loving “you” means accepting yourself right now! Laugh and play. Don’t take yourself so seriously! It’s not the end of the world if some things do not go the way you wish. The quality of humor is perhaps one of the greatest doorways to Self-Love and tweaking your perspective.

Our ability to laugh, to smile at others, and to put our challenges into perspective is an evolved skill. Those who come from a high level of Self-Love are often humorous, have great wit, and Love to bring out the childlike playfulness in others. They are willing to be spontaneous, often find reasons to smile and are able to make others feel at ease and happy with themselves.

In addition, learning to use humor for managing resistance and tension in all areas of life can result in greater overall well-being. As we shift our perspectives and soften with laughter, we relax and open, allowing our well-being to creatively flow into whatever area is pinched off by tension and not receiving inspiration from our Spirit. 

Laughter:  

·   Stimulates physical healing

·   Enhances our creativity

·   Is rejuvenating and regenerating

·   Is sensual

·   Is uplifting for relationships

·   Opens the heart

Laughter is one of the easiest ways to achieve freedom from the mind’s constant thought process and attain inner peace. The next time you find yourself taking things too seriously, try practicing intentional laughter.

Intentional Laughter Play Exercises: Get into a comfortable position and relax. Think of something funny. Draw from your experiences, a funny scene in a movie you love, or something someone said that made you laugh. Allow yourself to laugh aloud; just start laughing. Roll with it and notice how you feel.

What? You have nothing to draw from to get the laugh rolling? Try forcing it a little by saying, “Ha, Ha, Ha,” or “Ho, Ho, Ho,” to get the laughter energy moving. Soon, a spontaneous laughter will arise at the sound of your attempts at laughing. Try it for five minutes. Just laugh for no reason at all. Laugh for the sake of laughing.

Try it again for five minutes when you go to bed, just before you go to sleep. Try it in the shower or while driving in traffic. “Ha, Ha, Ha.” Even saying those words aloud will start a transformation in your energy, in your mood.

At the beginning, it will take some effort. After a little while, it will start to happen naturally. Your body will get use to it and will start to expect it. Simply relax into the enjoyment and allow change! You’ll soon find it easy to laugh, play and not take yourself so seriously.

Do you want to create an easier daily life of patience, a clear mind and an open heart?

Guided Meditation is used by many people, not only to relax from a busy day, but also to tune into their own bodies, minds and spirit’s connection. Days have become more stressful, the world more crowded, and problems more abundant. As a result, many people are finding daily comfort, safety and bliss in a few minutes of guided meditation and connection to their own Spirit’s Energy and Source Of Inspiration. With the help of a guiding voice, those new to meditation have found it easy to achieve a much-needed quiet moment to relax and recharge.

Guided meditation can help the listener focus thoughts and block out distractions in order to experience the pleasure of stillness and relaxation, even if just for a few moments each day. The voice assists the user at maintaining focus. Guided meditation helps people follow the stages of meditation, allowing them to go as deep into the process as they would like to go.

Benefits of well-guided meditation can span from relieving migraine headaches, to relaxing cramped muscles, to simple moments of pleasure, satisfaction and quiet. Over-stimulation and stress are both problems many people deal with on a daily basis. Daily stressful situations and over-exposure to stimulating activities and thoughts may even be taken for granted as normal conditions. Most people deal with these situations on a regular basis and endure the resulting stress and tension on the body, mind and spirit connection.

There are many who may feel stressed and hopeless about a current relationship, financial, or work situation. Most people think a vacation or a break from daily life is the way to relieve this stress. A retreat from basic stresses, however, is only a temporary fix. Many people are turning to guided meditation and their Spirits Inspiration in order to deal with the tensions that life can place on the body, mind and spirit connection. Guided meditation teaches how to create an easier daily life of patience, a clear mind and an open heart.

By scheduling time in the day to connect the mind, body and spirit in a calm and focused manner, many people are finding stressful days don’t seem as stressful anymore. Guided meditation can help a person realize the many options available when dealing with the daily tensions of relationship, workplace, home environment or physical challenges. By possessing the foundations of guided meditations, situations that usually seem impossible to bear can now seem easy to think through and figure out.

Guided meditation is a great way to help a person just beginning the process to better concentrate and more easily achieve the full benefits of a meditative experience. Guided meditation can also help advanced meditation practitioners hold their concentration and learn new and more developed techniques for sending their minds and bodies deeper into the meditative state and connection to their own Source Of Inspiration and Creation.

Take advantage of our February special of 10% off the Guided Meditation sessions, regularly $200/hr. Reserve your time with the button below!

sessions

1 session, 1 hour total $180.00 2 sessions, 2 hours total $360.00 3 sessions, 3 hours total $540.00

I would like to share a defining moment and what led me to do what I do today with such passion…

A defining moment in my life happened in my early thirties. I had what I considered at the time a very successful life that included a great corporate job, an excellent salary and benefits, a good circle of friends, a regular meditation practice, a passion for exercise and always running my personal best in road races. I worked and played hard!

It sounds good—right? It was for a long time, but then one day I noticed that I was not feeling good. I had a head and chest cold that would not go away. I felt completely depleted and confused. I had decided to go home early, which meant I had worked a 10 hour day instead of a 12 hour day. My boss asked if I would take our out of town clients out for dinner? I said no, I was not feeling well and needed to rest. He reminded how great I was with the clients and said that I could come in later the next day. I agreed, against my own gut feelings.

On the way to dinner I was hit by a car while crossing the street, not hurt, just knocked over. It hit me in that moment that something was trying to get my attention. The next day I went to the doctor, who explained that I had walking pneumonia and my lungs looked like that of an old person who had smoked all there life. He told me I needed to take two weeks off from work, to rest and heal my lungs. Yikes! How did I get here?

In my time of recovery I spent many hours meditating and connecting into my spirit and source of well-being. I felt an urgency to understand what happened—how did I become so disconnected? It was during this time of reflection and communion with my spirits that I saw how I had been creating out of balance and motivated by fear. I was operating on very outdated beliefs. I had defined success from an external goal of achievement and a false sense of security. It was in the moment of my awareness that my definition of success changed. I began to shift my attention to creating better balance—body, mind, emotion, spirit. It was then that I made a commitment to assist others with the same focus and intentions.

I then began schooling again and pursued training in the natural healing modalities, and got my degree as a naturologist. I eventually left Corporate America and became an entrepreneur, pursuing personal and professional balance and offering my experiences, guidance system and education to anyone who is looking to create their own connection and build that better balance of body, mind, emotion, spirit!

We are Creators in the breath of life and have the talent to be able to create our experiences. Whether we know it or not, our mind is constantly creating for us what we think.   If we recognize our oneness with our Source, and the connectedness we have with that Spirit, we realize that we are co-creators wit Source in the breath of life.

Knowing this, we realize that we create just the same as Spirit has created.  Maybe it’s on a smaller scale, because we are awakening consciousness to this new idea in the creation process.   Realizing that we are able to create is the first step in visualizing our own reality.

Every time we take a breath, we are creating our world around us. You must look at and appreciate your life experiences, because if you don’t, you are just denying your own existence — your own creation!  Knowing you are the creator and taking responsibility is a turning point in your ability to be a deliberate creator of your desired outcomes.

Every time there is a problem or challenge in life, we have an opportunity to change it.  It is my experience that it can be as simple as changing your mind.

Although that seems too simplistic, it really is quite powerful. After recognizing the challenge, we have a moment, when we breathe, to change our energy and align with our Spirit’s perspective.

There is always a chance to change – to make a different choice. By taking a breath, it gives the mind a moment to refresh. This concept can be used in all areas of your life. You can create harmony and peaceful vibrations in situations in your life. There is no limit to the manifestations available.  Use it for deepening meditation, expanding consciousness into your Spirit’s perspective, increasing intuition, creating harmonious environments, loving relations globally and a healthy body and mind.

Take a moment right now to notice, your body has been breathing life into and through you, with no effort on your part, the whole time you have been reading this blog post.   Now that you have your attention on it you can begin to participate in its flow.  

Try this one minute focusing breath and feel how quickly you can feel better, shift perspective, or receive inspiration! 

Sit back and relax, close your eyes and bring all of your attention to your breath.  Breathe, now start participating – inhale filling your abdomen and chest completely – hold your breath at the top for 5 counts- then exhale emptying your chest and abdomen completely – hold your breath at the bottom for 5 seconds- do this for 5 full cycles – and drop back into your regular pattern of breathing.  Open your eyes and note for yourself how you feel.

You can do this exercise any time you feel stressed, low on energy, unfocused, anxious or just want to feel better overall, more grounded or receive inspiration!

Also check out www.orindaben.com  for more breathing meditation downloads.