Pour It On

Fire occurs between oxygen and some sort of fuel.  The fuel must be heated to its ignition temperature for combustion to occur and destruction to begin.  

Think of negative, limiting, fearful thoughts as fuel.  Think of negative, outside input as heat.

What do I mean by negative input?  

a) Too much news -  in other words, listening for the sake of listening without any proactive involvement.  It’s paralyzing. It’s stifling. It’s frustrating, unless you are in some kind of action about what you are listening to.  This world needs less agitation and more action. Get involved or turn it off.

b) Too much music -  especially Pop - In 2008, Adrian North of Scotland's Heriot-Watt University published the largest study yet of musical taste, involving 36,000 people, 60 countries and three years of work. One group of listeners showed a genuine and significant lack of creativity: pop music lovers.

It’s not just a lack of creativity though.  Music in general takes you into someone else’s world, someone else’s emotions, someone else’s story and out of your personal power.  I’m not saying there’s not a place for music. There definitely is, especially inspirational music (i.e. “I Can Only Imagine”), and sometimes you are indeed blessed with someone else’s story - a story with good ending- a story that inspires action.  

In general though the danger of too much news and too much music is thinning not only your creativity but your sense of personal power, literally adding heat to the current fuel of negative thoughts, creating of course a fire and your life coming down.

Let’s go back to the initial fuel: Your own thoughts - meaning, without realizing it we tend to hurl ourselves into a powerless stupor as we turn the brain to “spin cycle” and continue to play the old tapes of our personal failures and weakness, with no clear objective.  We don’t even notice we’re doing it. It’s just happening in the background.

So, fuel (your thoughts) + heat (negative input) = fire (your life burning down)

What’s the solution?  Positive, inspirational, input.   How much?  Pour it on.

When a fire truck pulls up to a burning house they don’t show up with squirt guns.  Check the picture above. These guys are drenching the place. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?  That house is your mind. Pour it on!

My friend Eric, who inspired this blog, was talking with me yesterday, “John, with what’s going on in most of our heads, we can’t afford to just dabble in inspirational input.  We need to put our headphones on and flood ourselves!”

What am I suggesting?
Joel Osteen
Tony Robbins
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
K-love Christian Radio
Casting Crowns
Mercy Me
Stephen Covey
Louise Hay
Les Brown
Caroline Leaf
Steven Curtis Chapman

The list goes on.  The result? The real you emerging.  Because according to Caroline Leaf, the real you, buried beneath the negative,  is actually and naturally positive.

That doesn’t mean you don’t need to cry it out sometimes.   You do, and when you’re crying from your pain, not your blame- when you’re crying out the pain and hurt so you can open yourself to healing, this is super positive.  I’m talking about, as a main diet, positive, inspirational input.

Getting somewhere wonderful, for most of us, is a long journey.  And that takes fuel.  So you know what to do.

P.S.

1) Inspirational input is not a substitute for action.  It is to inspire action. This is not the case with millions, who listen to everything and seem to do nothing.  This is not you!

2) Walking is the perfect combination with inspirational input.  

3) I'm not saying not to listen to music.  I am saying, get fueled up with positive thoughts and energy.   At the same time, be sensitive to your need for balance.  Research indicates, for instance, that upbeat music can really enhance your workout.  And sometimes it's just time to party!   Putting on some great dance music and going wild with your friends can be balancing and even healing  (My personal favorite is Michael Jackson). 

4) Headphones, CDS etc. are for your steady, daily flow of inspiration.  But now it's time for your Friday night movie.  Oh yes, and we are just getting started on the inspirational input:

Classics like: It's a Wonderful Life, Family Man, Big Fish etc. 

Christian movies (which are always good, even the B movies) - "I Can Only Imagine" (one of Narelle and I's favorites)  "War Room," "The Passion", "The Encounter", etc.

LDS movies (i.e. "Once I Was a Beehive", "Saratov", "The Other Side of Heaven")

The list is endless 

My friend Eric even suggests that some post it reminders could be helpful.

Seeing is Healing

Through the grace of God, whatever you are willing to see- that you could have done differently, it is as if, this is what you did do.

For instance, if you can now see that you could have been more supportive to your spouse during a crisis, through your sincere sorrow and through grace, it is as if you actually were more supportive.  

In your willingness to come to Jesus and, as appropriate, make amends with someone you’ve injured, something changes in you -  something is healed in the person you let down, and something, somehow, is made right.

How is this done? What actually happens?  I’m not sure. What I am sure of is that this gives us the power to tell ourselves the truth.

The ability to tell yourself the truth (to honestly account) does not come all at once, but if you’re committed. This honesty will leave you free and empowered, for God is willing to pour His healing love and forgiveness into your honest and open.

This is the magic of accountability; 

1. In your humility you honestly look at your choices.

2. As you look you see.

3. As you see, trusting in Christs atonement, your heart becomes even more open.

4. As your heart becomes more open, the grace of God becomes even more present.

5. And as the grace of God becomes more present, all things tend to work together for your good (and everyone else's good).

The Gospel means "Good News."  What could be better news than this? As we humbly come to understand what we could have done, then, through the atonement of Christ, it's as if we did it.

Reference: Agreement 9) I Cause My World

Embracing What Is, Brings Me Home to God

Agreement 8 lands in this Mantra:

“I'm so thankful for everything, just as it is-  especially for the opportunity of growth, service, love, forgiveness, patience & humility inside of ______________________ (whatever you're resisting) and that through this you are making weak things strong and bringing me home.  Thank you for bringing me home." 

Your homework this week is to say above every day (or perhaps for the rest of your life.) with your arms out wide by your window, or on your knees in your closet with your head bowed in reverence, gratitude and commitment. Either one.

You Are Beautiful In Every Way

Who are you really?

Come down from the Mahana. You have always been beautiful.

It’s easy to interpret other people’s anger, or judgement or abuse as a reflection of who we are.  It’s easy to reach spurious conclusions:

“I’m not good enough.  Obviously.  Why else would he (or she) be treating me like this? I’ve been positive and full of energy before.  That didn’t work out.  I’ve been in touch with my sexuality before.  I’ve been affectionate or competent before.  It only brought me heart ache.  I took some chances showing up as my real self before, but I won’t be hurt again.  I will spare my self of further pain.  I will not give you all of me.  I will not give you the real me.  I will only give you part of me, so that the rest of me can be safe in my tree.”

We set up tests for people to prove that this is all true.  It is what I call the “Mahana Test.”  “I will not come to you with my excellence or virtue until you accept me in my compromise (what I also call “my shadow self”).  

A woman, for instance, who was sexually abused is inclined to show up unsexy.  Her sexuality is the source of great pain.  Her abuse is also the proof that she has been and will always be nothing more and nothing less that what people can use her for.  So she will test the men in her life.  “Even though I’m not showing up as sexy (my former real self), if you will love me in my shadow self - if you will love me ‘as I am’ (not sexy), then I know that I have true, inner worth.”

A man who was told what a “good boy” he was, because unlike the other kids in his family, he always seemed happy and never seemed to have any significant problems or needs.  This man could conclude that to be loved he must avoid being vulnerable or honest or in need of anything or anyone.  He may ultimately rebel against this imposition by acting out- to test people- to see if they will love him as a lunatic, or erratic, or unrestrained.  “If you will love me ‘as I am’” he says - in my shadow, crazy not good boy self’ then I will I will know that I am truly loveable.”

Behind all of this fear- behind these tests and sabotages is the truth about you.  Because the real you is sexy!  The real you actually is composed, moderate and considerate!  

Joel Osteen points out that this real self is like a little chick trying to peck it’s way out of a shell of fear of false voices, and for Mahana, an inclination to keep testing people until she can prove that she will never be loved “as she is.”

Our fear of rejection and our inclination tests people’s love and acceptance dissolves in 3 stages:

1) We must be willing, in prayer and meditation, to hear the truth about yourself.  

I’ve often suggested to people asking God directly, “Dear Heavenly Father, do you love me?” and then wait for an answer.   The answer may not come in words, but it will come in a feeling.

I read a card once, inspired by Libby Roderick that speaks to this kind of experience:


You are beautiful in every way.  You are loved in every way.  You are perfect in every way-  for in every way you are perfectly loved.

Your life, your love and everything about you is nothing less than a miracle.

How could anyone fail to see this?

Yet, beyond the voices of this earth, in Heaven, a song is ever playing.  It is the music of truth - the perfect melody of who you really are.

Listen to this music- to this voice, and know that you are beautiful!
 

2) We must be willing, to say the truth about our self, even if it feels uncomfortable.  We must be willing to at least consider the possibility that we are children of a living God who loves us and who’s spiritual DNA runs through our soul.

Going back to Joel’s statement about the chick, as you say the truth about yourself, it’s not that your making up something, it’s that you’re finally willing to admit and to give power now, through your voice, to what has been trying to emerge your entire life!   

I was amazed just the other day as I read these out loud to my Mastery friends, just how naturally these words want to sink into me.  It was like water going into a paper towel.  Why?  Because it’s true.  We may not have played this all out yet, but it’s all in the blue print.  That’s why it feels right to say it.  

So as you’re reading this blog right now, stop for a moment.  Stand up tall, or sit up straight and tell yourself the truth.  Are you ready?  Here it comes (Here you come):

• I am blessed.

• I am prosperous

• I am successful.

• I am victorious.

• I am talented.

• I am creative.

• I am wise.

• I am healthy.

• I am in shape.

• I am energetic.

• I am happy.

• I am positive.

• I am passionate.

• I am strong.

• I am confident.

• I am beautiful (I am attractive)

• I am valuable.

• I am free.

• I am redeemed.

• I am forgiven.

• I am accepted.

• I am accepting.

• I am approved.

• I am prepared.

• I am qualified.

• I am motivated.

• I am focused.

• I am determined.

• I am patient.

• I am generous.

• I am excellent.

• I am equipped.

• I am disciplined.

• I am empathetic.

• I am full of life.

• I am able.

• I am compassionate.

• I am competent.

• I am kind.

• I am secure.

• I am precious beyond price.

• I am of infinite worth.

• I am God’s own child.

• Christ atoned for me.
  
  Inspired by Joel Osteen’s “The Power of I Am”

3) We must be willing to live the truth about ourselves.  

This means you will go in the opposite direction of your Mahana tests;  

If you have been showing up as unsexy to see if people will love you as you are, you will get in shape, wear makeup (if you look good in makeup), look members of the opposite sex directly in the eyes and take the chance that something could spark!  How fun!

If you’ve been showing up as unmotivated, you will light a fire in every area of your life.  You will passionately and positively move toward your truest desires.  You are a pillar of action!
This is really you!  Why would you test someone to see if they will love you in your shadow self when your real self is so much more fun?

And that’s the whole point Mahana, why are you testing us in your compromise when it would be so much more fun to love us in your excellence.

You only pass this way once.  How will you show up?  In your beauty?  In your excellence?  In your competence? -  or your compromise, your testing, your shadow self   Show up as the real you Mahana.  Come down from the tree.

Reference: Agreement 6) Show Up As Your Real & Best Self

How to Listen to or Say Affirmations

Re posted 5 16 2018

Saying or listening to Affirmations can be empowering and motivating or cause resistance and frustration, depending on your approach.  

Here's are two helpful tips:

Tip #1) Don’t try. Don’t resist. Just Be.
As you say or listen to affirmations, don't try to feel anything. Don't try to experience anything.  Don't try to become anything.  Don't try to have the truth of affirmations sink into you and change you.  But, just as important, don’t fight or deny what you’re hearing or saying.    

Just listen. Just be present.   Let's do an example of what not to do:

Example: "I am present, peaceful and full of love for all men"

Reaction 1 - Effort: "Yes, this is so important.  I've got to be present.  And I know it's important to love everyone.  I'm going to do this!  Yes!  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!  Must love!  Now!  Oh My goodness, this is hard.  I can do this!  Wow, I think I'm worn out by this affirmation."

Reaction 2 - Resistance: "What!?  No I'm not.  I'm not present, and it sucks.  In fact, I think it could be impossible.  Why am I even listening to this or saying it?  It's for someone else, who actual is present and peaceful and loving."

Here is an amazing truth:  A new reality will find its way to you as you hold a space for it.    

If you run after it, or try to capture it, or possess it or force it into yourself, it runs away.

A new possibility (an affirmation) is like a deer who walks quietly into a peaceful meadow.  Your affirmation will find its way into you as long as you're not pushing it out by insisting on it's existence.  It exist by itself.  "I am peaceful" for instance, exists already.  Just be present to the possibility.  

An even better comparison is dating and courtship. When you are courting a woman, hopefully you aren’t begging her for acceptance, pawing for love, stalking her, or otherwise insisting her into your life. You are simply present to her, kind to her, inviting, patient, so that soon the acquaintance becomes a relationship and your dream becomes a reality. How? By tracking her down? No, by your consistent, stress-less, loving, attention. Same with affirmations and the actions that your affirmations lead to.

Look at it like this: In a sense nothing good really ever comes from us.  It all comes from God, through us.  This is what I'm saying about affirmations; You can’t make goodness, patience, abundance, marriage etc. exist.  What you can do, as you listen to or say an affirmation, is to simply be present, which makes you like an empty cup, without resistance, ready to be filled.

Your real, self, loving, financially abundant, and confident self is ready to emerge as you hold a space for it - without forcing it, or resisting it, a new possibility will be spiritually born in you.  Through this process a new blueprint is being mapped out in your heart.

With this new blue print comes new enthusiasm, determination and action, which then cements the blueprint.

I hold a place for something (I see possibilities)
I move toward what I see (I take action)
Through my movement (my action), I clarify and confirm who I am


Tip #2) Melt any lingering resistance (“I’m planting a seed”)
Studies have shown that despite the pep talk I gave you above, saying something that is not currently true can put you into a subtle state of confusion and resistance. The non-resistance approach I’ve discussed above helps, but there is a sure-fire method you could add if needed:

Preface your affirmations the Louise Hay phrase, “I’m planting a seed” i.e. “I’m planting a seed. I am 145 pounds of pure, vibrant, health” (even if you are currently 180). This affirms a clear message of possibility and at the same embraces your current reality, resolving conflict or resistance. It’s a very powerful tool in this sense.

Going Forward
When you're sucked into a negative belief or story, return to your vision and your affirmations.  Remember that causing a new belief happens in two ways: 

1) Inside out (through breakthrough and affirmations): being present to, holding space for a new reality without trying to force it into yourself and

2) outside in  (action).

"Action will remove the doubt that theory cannot solve.”   - They Heist

Agreement 4 - Hoping for Nothing

Years ago I did a concert in Arizona.  The hosts of the event invited me to spend the night with their family after the concert.  

The next morning  I had breakfast with the family, including an amazingly cute little 4-year-old girl. I was enchanted by her.  She was like a Disney character!  

She got talking about different people and relationships as we ate together -  her Dad, her Brothers, Grandmother.

I think at some level I also wanted to be part of this little princess’s circle, so I began exploring possibilities for our relationship, trying to see, now with our 15-minute history, how I fit in.

I asked her, “so am your neighbor?”  

“No”, she calmly said.

“Am I a relative?” I asked.

Again, very calmly she answered, “no.”

Finally, I asked, “Am I your friend?”

She sort of half looked up at me, in between spoonfuls of oatmeal and then matter of factly said, “No.  You’re nothing to me!”   

When we genuinely give to someone, we are something to this person and perhaps always will be.  Through our selfless love and desire for this person’s happiness, we have given him or her a hope in love.

I hadn't given anything to this little girl.  On the contrary, I was seeking to get something.
I was digging for a relationship, for validation.  I wanted her to say something like, "Well of course John!  You're my new friend!"   

How it worked out with her is how it works out with everyone we seek to get something from.

Jesus said, "Lend (or give) hoping for nothing."  This is the path to what we seek.  For when I genuinely give, I become free from the prison of my own self-absorbed agenda to be noticed, or important, or affirmed.  This is a lonely world, that each of us yearns to be free from.  In sincerely loving and serving someone else, not for me but for this person, I am free from this world.  

This is why Jesus also said that he who will seek his life (he who tries extract love, or validation, or cooperation from those around him) will lose it (will end up like I did with this little girl, like "nothing").  But he who will lose his life in the love and service of others will find it.  

Love is freedom.  Seeking to control or to get something from someone he or she isn't willing, or wanting, or inclined to give, is prison.  

Make every moment a gift to those you love, or even to those you would like to love.
How will this look for you this week?    

Photo by Camille Minouflet

I Will Stand For You. I Will Stand For Us.

“Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords He drove them all out of the temple.”

As Randy Jacobs points out, before cleansing the temple (turning over tables and driving everyone out) the Savior took time to braid the whip.  This was evidence that He wasn't bringing His story into this moment.  He was bringing His commitment.  He was standing for his friends.  He was standing for God.  He was standing for the temple (His house).  He was living in His boundaries.

It is interesting to note, also, that He didn't get much resistance for His demonstration.  As you stand for people’s lives- in most cases, neither will you.  

How do I stand for your life? 

I make a commitment to give you, not what you are asking for, but what you need. 

I have hard conversations with you- conversations about what I'm willing to do, what I'm not willing to do, & what I think would be best for everyone. 

I lovingly show you what's not working for me, and really, what's not working for you either.   

Reference: Agreement 3) Boundaries / Agreement 4) Give Love vs. Control

Seeing Blue

Re posted 4/19/18

Below is a story about two people choosing two different realities- what I sometimes call "red" and "blue" (distrust/trust).  The crazed gunman experienced the man working in the convenience store as an enemy (though he was not). The man working at the convenience store, even after being shot, experienced the gunman as just temporarily confused.  The gunman chose to see only his own story.  The man working in the store chose to see the possibility of someone, in the end, coming through for the human race.

To live in breakthrough, through meditation, prayer or just a brisk walk,  is to live in trust.  

More on breakthrough here.

Fueling up (your "A-Choice" Routine)

I remember once being very busy, driving to an appointment.  I glanced down at my fuel gauge.  I was almost out of gas!  As crazy as this sounds I remember sort of asking my car, "Why must I always be filling you up?!"   

Interesting.  There is a part of us that truly doesn't get it, that if we don't fuel up we run out of gas.  We almost resent that fact that we must stop so that we can go!

When it comes fueling our core, we need to fuel up every day, just as the children of Israel had to collect their Manna, fresh, again, every morning.  

Click here for more on "A-Choice" Routine  (Scroll down the page, below the purple cylinders)

You were born for amazing

Amazing happens when abundance collides with faith, focus & living life Intentionally

1) Abundance
One of Narelle's favorite Louise Hay Affirmations is: “All is well. Everything is working out for my highest good.”  This is your starting place, not the final destination.

Years ago, I’d been struggling with my self esteem. My friend Dave called me one morning: “John” he said, “I had a dream last night. I was in the premortal life. I was surrounded by the most amazing, wonderful, beings you could imagine- truly great and noble people. John, you were one of them.” He went on. "John, you can't build on failure.  You can only build on success." What was he saying? If my conclusion is that whatever I’ve done, or whatever I’ve got, or whoever I am isn’t enough, that’s not very encouraging! THAT isn’t going to send me running toward the victory.  

What Dave was talking about was the principle of abundance- meaning to celebrate what IS, not what could be or should have been. Let’s put it in another way; It’s possible that there is a celebration in heaven that occurs every morning, just because you and I open our eyes and get out of bed! That’s what Dave was saying!- that you and I are beautiful and wonderful as is and that life is amazing and full of opportunity as is! Now THAT is something I can build on! THIS kind of abundant thinking turns out to be the fuel that wins the race.

With this as your starting place- a gentle but firm sense of having and being enough, (weaknesses and all), with an underlying celebration of this amazing opportunity called earth, we will feel the encouragement and energy necessary to create more of what we already feel. Want (or desperation) attracts more want. Not good enough attracts more not good enough, but celebration and gratitude attracts more to celebrate and be grateful for.
   

2) Faith, Focus and Living Life Intentionally
Let’s break it down:

• Return to your vision(s), daily.

• Keep your energy up by managing your life from your lists,

• Break goals down into small, bite sized actions.

• Park planned actions in appropriate lists.

• Make decisions vs. gathering clutter

• Consistently return to and act on your action lists. .

• Be satisfied and trusting with one thing at a time.

• Finally, get into high leverage action and put first things first. .
  
  Click here for the full story on Faith, Focus & Living Life Intentionally

You Were Born for Amazing!

Mastery Habits

This week's homework is huge!
Click here for Mastery Habits in your workbook. 

Fail safe - Remember that the Mastery Habits provide support for your personal habits and that your personal habits are what support your vision. What you want is a fail safe trajectory (a process of insuring your success), where one supports the other. This is the reason for the Mastery Habits i.e. “A-Choice Routine”, Exercise, Attending Meetings, Mastery Journal etc.

Determine what level you're doing our Mastery Habits at and your "Skin in the Game" for these habits.  This process culminates at the page that says "Mastery Habits Summary." 
This is your Mastery map for the next 11 weeks.  We're excited for you! 

Click here for all other videos and other Mastery action.
Password is in your workbook.

Please feel free to text us if you have any questions about Mastery.  Please do a group text to 801 613 8354 and 801 548 8212 (John and Narelle).