Masterful Mindsets

“The secret of happiness is freedom... The secret of freedom is courage.” - Thucydides

Independence Day is one of the greatest American holidays, both for what we celebrate and how we celebrate it. I mean, who doesn't love a good barbecue, a festive parade and spectacular fireworks? But as our whole world knows, freedom is not something to be taken for granted. A few years ago COVID quickly taught us that lesson. And yet, I still encounter people who readily give their freedom away by being trapped within the walls of their own beliefs and fears.

What about you? Are you trapped by your own fears and limiting beliefs, or do you feel truly free to live your best life? I know one thing; our forefathers certainly didn't fight for our freedom so that we could be imprisoned by our own limitations. So do you have the courage to set yourself free?

Take some time this week and into the coming holiday weekend to reflect on why we celebrate. There are some in this world who only wish they ...

"We need to accept that we won't always make the right decisions, that we'll screw up royally sometimes - understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it's part of success."  ~Arianna Huffington 

I absolutely love this week's quote because it stands as a reminder to me that failure is not a bad thing. And instead, a necessary part of growth and success. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn. You see, I grew up with a well-meaning father what told me all my life, "You can't afford to make mistakes." Needless to say, it entrenched a huge fear of failure in me that at times would literally paralyze me from taking action - questioning my every move and staying in limbo for fear that the decisions or actions I might take, just might be a mistake!

Maybe you can relate in some way…

What are your deep-seated beliefs about failure? Perhaps you were programmed with a similar message when you were growing up that has kept you from taking huge leaps in your life. Do you ...

“Just imagine becoming the way you used to be as a very young child, before you understood the meaning of any word, before opinions took over your mind. The real you is loving, joyful, and free. The real you is just like a flower, just like the wind, just like the ocean, just like the sun.” ~ Don Miguel Ruiz

We all grow up learning certain “agreements” through our family of origin. Don’t get me wrong, some are good virtues and values. But some, are not so good. They are the messages that create the limiting beliefs which can hold you captive from being your best true you.

Sadly, some people spend their entire lifetime trying to break free of them. As a matter of fact, I often spend quite a lot of time with my clients, helping them overcome and rewrite their old life story into something new and freeing. It's in rewriting that story and no longer allowing the agreements of your past to control you, that you are free to create a new future. Otherwise, you often end up just repeatin...

“You can only be you when you do your best. When you don’t do your best you are denying yourself the right to be you. That’s a seed that you should really nurture in your mind. You don’t need knowledge or great philosophical concepts. You don’t need the acceptance of others. You express your own divinity by being alive and by loving yourself and others.” ~ Don Miguel Ruiz

Have you ever wished you had a practical guide that could tell you how to live a life of personal freedom in just a few simple steps? Would you commit to following it if you knew it could be that simple? Good news! It can be…

There’s a reason Don Miguel Ruiz’s book, The Four Agreements, spent over 10 years on the New York Times Bestseller List and sold nearly 7 million copies… It’s an inspiring book with a phenomenal message that offers a practical guide to creating personal freedom. Who wouldn’t want that kind of transformative information that could literally give them the freedom and power to become whomever ...

“The freedom to be yourself is a gift only you can give yourself. But once you do, no one can take it away.” – Doe Zantamata

"Money and success don't change people; they merely amplify what is already there." ~Will Smith

How is your relationship with money? I’ll be honest, I haven’t always had the best relationship with it. I grew up with a father who was born during the Depression. He spent his whole life working very hard for very little. So I don't need to tell you that my own money story used to be one of lack and negativity. I've heard all the old sayings, many times:

>>> "Money doesn't grow on trees."

>>> "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer."

>>> And the one that really used to get me, "Money is the root of all evil."

Now my dad was well meaning and I knew that his relationship with money was based on what he had experienced in his life. But I also knew I wanted a different relationship with money. I wanted to change my story. It took me many years and several lessons in abundance - but I still remember when it all really clicked for me...

I was sitting in my office after a long day ...

"Don't call the world dirty because you forgot to clean your glasses."  – Aaron Hill

Last week I talked about the importance of having clarity and focus when you’re setting goals and striving for success (no matter what area of your life you want it in). So this week I'm giving you Clarity and Focus Part 2…

Let's refer back to my example of wearing glasses – last week I told you that for a long time I fought the fact that I needed glasses to see clearly. But once I started wearing them, I realized how much easier it made everything.

Admittedly, I still try at times to get by without them. But inevitably, when I don’t have the clarity and focus that they provide, it always makes whatever I’m doing difficult.

But what happens when you have your “glasses” on and you still don’t have clarity and focus?

Recently, I was trying to do something and my focus was blurred. My first thought was, “What the hell?” I mean, I had my glasses on, so why did I not have clarity and focus? Then I ...

"Focus. Otherwise you will find life becomes a blur."  – Anonymous

If you wear glasses, then you know how much easier life is when you have them on. Why? Because you have clarity and focus. Likewise, when you have clarity and focus about life, it makes having a happy, successful life much easier too.

But I get it, life happens, you get busy and before you know it, life becomes a blur. With the new year beginning, it can be easy to scratch your head and wonder where the last year (or ten years) went. And then your vision for your desired future can become a struggle to see, especially if you have a difficult time staying focused on taking decisive actions toward achieving your goals. So if you're ready to admit that you might need some help getting clarity about the life you truly want to create and refocusing your efforts to get there so you can make this your best year ever, then it's time to commit to clarity and focus.

Now let me tell you a little secret... I don’t like to ad...

"Our character isn't defined by the battles we win or lose, but by the battles we dare to fight."  ~ Robert Beatty

What battles are you fighting in your life right now? Are you still fighting old battles from the past? Fighting with others? Or fighting an internal battle?

We all have battles we fight in our lives. Some are external - with other people. For example, a power struggle at work or a court battle with a spouse, over a divorce. (Even holding a grudge over a fight between siblings from the past can stir up new battles every time you interact with each other.)  

Some battles are not of our choosing - the battle for your life when facing a life threatening disease like cancer or maybe having to battle back from an injury, after having an accident. Sure we can choose whether or not to fight them. But we don't necessarily choose them to be in our lives.  

And then of course, there are the internal battles we fight. The battles with our ego and our self limiting beliefs ove...

“If you dare declare that you are free, free you are this moment. If you say you are bound, bound you will remain.” ~Swami Vivekananda

We just celebrated Independence Day here in the US and with it the reminder of our freedom. So, in honor of the holiday, I thought I’d focus on this concept of freedom. And perhaps help you shed some light on what it is that might be keeping you from having a sense of freedom in your own life at times.

We’ve all had things in our lives that weigh us down or make us feel trapped. And it can be difficult to see a way out when you are feeling stuck. But there is always a way to create a better sense of fulfillment and freedom in your life! It may not always be easy. And often people would rather stay stuck where they are, than make the effort to change themselves or their situations, but if you are someone that is tired of feeling caged in certain areas of your life, then please know, it is possible to achieve a sense of freedom. However, you must f...