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I know so many people that are aware that meditation is super great for them in so many ways but are so ‘wired’ that the ability to sit down quietly and empty their mind is just too far of a stretch. So I think that what I am about to share with you might be just the thing to get some of the positive benefits of ‘emptying your mind’ without having to still still for 30 mins each day. The little gem I am about to share is called ‘breath walking’ and the video below shows you an actual demonstration of it too.

I actually call breath-walking a form of ‘active’ meditation and if doing still meditation is beyond you for now it is a great place to start. I first heard about breath-walking from Anthony Robbins who said Massachusetts Institute of Technology (the MIT from ‘Good Will Hunting’ for the non-Americans) ran a number of tests and spoke highly of the positive benefits. Which included stimulating the lymphatic system (which requires breath and movement) and energizing the body. It also will take the attention out of the past and future and bring you back into present time consciousness – free of emotional pain or discomfort. Which has got to be a good thing. Plus you are walking – which we all know (I am assuming here) is ridiculously great for the body and mind.

In the video, you will also see another technique that Tony Robbins added to the breath-walking, which is an acupressure technique stimulating the meridian points at the end of the fingertips. Anyway, enough writing…please watch the very informal video to get a better idea. I am unlikely to win any film citations or awards, but you will definitely get the idea.

So please enjoy your breathing and walk your way to better health and a much calmer mind.

Cheers,

Carl

I started writing this ‘note’ on Facebook, but I couldn’t really do it justice by trying to say everything in 420 words or less. You would not get the true benefit of my own personal experience with a limiting and very disempowering belief. What I am going to do it to briefly explain my personal experience and then talk about the methods you can use to overcome or move through the limitations that exist.

So I realised in the last few months that I have a pretty strong disempowering belief that says: “it is bad to interrupt or inconvenience people”. I am pretty sure that I picked up this belief statement during my childhood, innocently enough, when I got a clip around the ear or told to be quiet and not interrupt. Sounds harmless enough and it is pretty harmless when we are 7 years old, but now let’s fast-forward that belief about 35 years…to a time where I am growing and ‘promoting’ my new business.

I am not sure how much you know about advertising, but I think you will agree with me, in Advertising 101, they do not teach you that you “must not interrupt a potential buyer or client”. In fact, it it the opposite. Get that persons attention. Interrupt them from what they are focusing on, and have them focus on the thing you are promoting or marketing. So in my case, in my new business, the belief statement ‘ that I should not interrupt or inconvenience people’ is not only limiting, but it is affecting my ability to succeed. Which is tied in with happiness, self-esteem, fulfilment, etc, etc, etc.

So what can we do?

Here is where I will outline a few steps to overcoming disempowering beliefs (that we all have):

1. Identify exactly what the disempowering belief statement is
2. Get very clear that your belief is not 100% true 100% of the time (it is not a universal law like gravity) and therefore it might not actually be true. Which allows you the ability to change it
3. Consider that the opposite might also be true…some of the time
4. Replace the old disempowering belief with it’s opposite. In my case that could be: “It is ok to interrupt or inconvenience people” (especially if it may be of benefit to them)
5. Repeat the new belief like a new mantra
6. Start acting as if the new belief is true. Try it out. Maybe on something small to start with and then build up to something more significant. What you want to do is to ‘prove’ your new empowering belief is actually true.

Limiting beliefs can really limit your life, your success, your happiness, your energy, your fulfilment and conversely empowering beliefs can bring you success, happiness, fulfilment, deeper relationships, more energy, more wealth. and greater results in life.

So here’s to removing the (mental) bonds that are holding you back!! And just so you know; if you would like to get help with overcoming any of your limiting beliefs, I am going to interrupt you now and say that one of the key themes to our 30-Day Happiness Challenge is ‘removing disempowering beliefs’.

Because…”It’s ok to interrupt or inconvenience someone if it is for a good cause or adding value for them”…

Thanks for the opportunity to share.

Carl

I had the good fortune of working with someone recently and they made the comment to me that they are often not comfortable or happy with the work contracts that they pick. They have a feeling once they start it that perhaps it was not the best choice and maybe they chose it for the wrong reasons – like the number of zeros on the pay-check, or the prestige of the organisation they would work for, or the country where the contract is. So I want to bring out two great strategies and lessons here.

STRATEGY 1: values-based decision making

This is something I was considering as I was riding my bicycle through the rice fields the other day. It was essentially making decisions based on our deeper values. Which we probably think we do automatically. Maybe. And maybe sometimes we habitually make decisions, without being conscious of what values are being met or not met.

Therefore values-based decision-making (which I will create a system for in the future) is about this process, in brief:

1. Write down your deepest values (e.g. integrity, happiness, health & vitality, family, partner, work, wealth, courage, contribution, etc.)
2. Then establish a priority for your values. Start by asking “what is most important to me at the deepest level?”, then “what is the next most important thing to me?” and so on. You want to end up with a list of 5-10 priority ranked values
3. Work out the deal-breakers. That is the values that you will not compromise. For me it would be integrity and health.

Then have these values where you can see them. When a decision comes up, you can use your values list (that you made up in a moment of clarity) to ensure that the decision you make, or path you take, is not in conflict with your values, or does not sacrifice a higher value for a lower value.

For example if I was offered an opportunity that was financially great, but sacrificed my health, I would turn it down. Because I know it is in conflict with a deal-breaker and not aligned with my deeper life values.

The more consciously we are aware of the decisions we make, the better decisions we make and the better decisions we make the better results we are likely to get.

STRATEGY 2: creating versus picking

The example I saw with this friend was where they were not entirely excited or empowered by the choices that were available for them to ‘pick’ from. And quite often after they made their choice they had some regrets. The thing with this scenario is that you are looking outside for something that will satisfy you inside; rather than starting from the inside out.

When we ‘create’ anything, it starts from within. It is more likely to be aligned with our values, our deepest desires and our inherent needs. In the case of the work it could be ‘creating’ the ideal opportunity that you would like to be involved with. So then rather than picking what is offered, you start looking for that which you want. And most often we find what we are looking for, if we are clear about it.

In the case we do not find what we are looking for then there is the opportunity to ‘create’ the business or contract or career or relationship or anything that you most desire. I believe that we are all ‘creators’. Regardless of whether we can paint, write love songs or impress our love with a poem (by the way, does the poem thing still work these days or has Hollywood set our would-be recipients expectations too high?). We are all creators and when we create from deep within some crazy good stuff starts to emerge.

So in summary:

1. Be aware of your values when you have an important decision to make, and

Create the idea of what you want and then go and find it. If it does not exist than turn the creative idea into a creative product and end result.