The Inspiration Nation

Have you seen the Nike video ad about courage?  It is awesome.

It gives me chills of joy and excitement to watch it.

It inspires me.

It also teaches me a little something about effective marketing.  If I can connect emotionally to my potential clients, I don't have to sell them.

They're already sold.

Just Do It.

I can't believe it's been over 3 weeks ago (May 3 & 4) that I had the amazing privilege of attending a two-day workshop put on by Dov Baron of Baron Mastery Institute, called First Access.

Because Dov is in high demand, this was a rare opportunity to connect with Dov in a more intimate and informal context where attendees could ask him any question they desired. In fact, Dov has never offered a forum like this before (to my knowledge).

He and his team offered the workshop at no cost to anyone who wished to attend.

There were only two caveats. The first was that "Only the serious could apply". In other words, the sole stipulation for attendance was the proviso that attendees be committed to their own self-development and personal growth rather than being "tire kickers."

The second was that each participant had to agree to attend both days of the workshop.

The content was amazing. I volunteered at the event and still was able to take pages and pages of notes. I'm quite sure that, had everything been transcribed, the content would fill volumes.

(The event was filmed and recorded, so it's quite within the realm of possibility that it could be transcribed verbatim. Since it was essentially a question-and-answer format, I think they should have it transcribed. They could then publish it either traditionally or through self-publishing or print-on-demand means like lulu.com or iUniverse. I wonder if they've thought of that? The investment would be minimal.)

What did I learn?

Well, I haven't really had the chance to go through my notes as thoroughly as I would like. I probably should type them up, but here are few things I learned from Dov, as he answered questions that were put to him during the two-day event:

• Did you know that 'the walls of your mind can melt' without the use of drugs?  Dov took us through a modified holotropic breathing exercise and explained what Stanislav Grof developed during the 1970s and 80s.
  
• Discipline (i.e., "will power") doesn't work long-term.  It is what we make important in our lives that matters.  Are you finding it difficult to pinpoint exactly what is most important to you?   Look at what you are currently struggling with in your life and that will be your clue.
• Feeling scattered?  Ungrounded?  Run both of your wrists under cold water and deeply (and simultaneously) breathe in the cold through your nose, down through your feet and into the Earth.
• One way to access the subconscious mind is during hypnagogia, or the hypnagogic state.  This is the transition between wakefulness and sleep.  Messages are thought to be most powerfully implanted during this state.  Since children are essentially walking around in this state much of the time, and the subconcious mind receives the majority of its information between 0 and 7 years of age, it's of the utmost importance that parents or primary care givers and others proactively and consciously provide the child with life affirming messages.
• Dov illustrated the power of mind over matter, citing Franz Mesmer's healing work on Charles Fillmore and his wife in the late 1800s.
• 8 steps to finding your purpose.  Ask yourself:
1. If I could instantly do whatever I wanted and be instantly qualified to do that thing, what would I do?
2. What is it that I tell myself in order not to do it?
3. Who do I know or who could I find who would be willing to help me do it?
4. What 5 things do I currently have that would make it easier for me to do it than most people?
5. How would me doing it impact the people I love for the better?
6. How would me doing it impact humanity better?
7. What one thing can I do in the next 24 hours that would move me in the direction of doing that?
8. What am I doing when my lights go on?  What is it that when I'm speaking about it, I get impassioned, juiced? (First, ask yourself this final question and write it down. Then, without revealing your own answer, ask your friends to answer the question about you.)
• Dov scratched the surface of the philosophies of Richard Bach, including discussion of the quote "You are always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past."
• Did you know that $34 trillion circulates the world every day?  And that's just what's legal!  Clearly, there is no real lack of money in the world.
• When we have the courage to step out and do something different, we show others it's possible for them, too.  (Example:  Roger Bannister breaking the 4-minute mile)
• Dov discussed his interpretation of the coming end of the world in 2012, as predicted by Sacred Geometry and the Mayan Calendar.  Which path will you choose?
• I learned a technique for developing laserbeam mental focus that took Dov himself 4 years to perfect!  (I better get to practicing!)
• I learned what a dead seagull and an eagle have to do with making decisive choices and following my dreams.
• I learned how to instantly moved from a state of depression to one of joy by shifting my focus and by manipulating my body's energy centers.
• Dov described déjà vu as a "glitch in the Matrix." He used String Theory, Many-worlds/Parallel Universes Theory, and the Law of Resonance to describe the phenomenon.
• Did you know a child can be born addicted to stress because of the influence of the mother and father?
• Why does mental illness exist?  What purpose does it serve?  Dov explained in detail his view on this topic.
• Have you ever wondered when it is time to leave a relationship and agonized over the decision?  Dov gave a crystal clear answer to this question, which has to do with the present or absence of commitment to growth, development and healing.
• Dov gave a great example of the difference between "outcome" and "goal."  On the journey of this life on Earth, goals are important, without attachment to the outcome.  So-called "enlightenment" is a journey, not a destination:
• A goal is a marker on a progressive journey whereas,
• Outcomes are all about postponing your joy

Wow.  Where did the month of March go?

I haven't wanted for things to talk about here, that's for sure.  Life's been a whirlwind of activity and excitement.

Whenever I experience a Dov Baron event (particularly the multi-day intensives), my physical and emotional body is (are?) thrown for a loop.

After my first event that lasted more than one day (The event was Attracting Force, a three-day event from March 30 to April 1, 2007), it was such a shock to my system that I experienced the worse diarrhea of my life.  It was so intense (and lasted for 4 days) that at one point my partner wanted to take me to the Emergency Room.

This was no mere stomach flu.

Neither was it unique to me.  I had previously learned from spiritual entrepreneur, Joe Nunziata, that when there are great emotional breakthroughs, very often this shock creates physical disturbances as a result of the clearing of emotional junk.

And when I explained my experience to my friend, Darren Little, he said a similar thing happened to him, only his aftermath manifested as violent vomiting.

I say all of this, not to scare you away, but to illustrate how powerful Dov Baron's programs are and how even small mental and emotional shifts cause dramatic changes, even monumental physical expression.

This is a good thing.  Change is always painful (even good change) because our natural inclination is to resist, even when we think we're not resisting!  I'd rather go through momentary stress as my mind and body adjusts than to prolong unconscious miscreating another minute!

After Quantum Soulmates for Couples that Chad and I just attended, I am definitely in a process of adjustment.  We both are.  But thankfully there's been no near trips to the ER!

Many, many amazing things have been happening in my life, my work, my relationships, and my business this past month.  It's just been a challenge keeping up with all my commitments, since immediately following the 5-day Couples Retreat, I experienced a dominant, general air of malaise -- a stupor of sorts that fought against the level of productivity I would have preferred.

I say all that only to say that I'm back in the saddle again, and very happy to share with you my journey of all things inspirational.....and the journey of finding the inspiration in that which on the surface doesn't appear quite so inspiring.

The second reason I say all of that is to make the point that if you want to get on the fast track to improving every aspect of your life, and are tired of stumbling along on your own, get yourself to a Dov Baron event.  There's an incredible one-day event coming up in Vancouver, BC that you won't want to miss, called The Secret Beyond the Law of Attraction.

(There is a charge of between $49 -- a special going on right now -- and $549 -- the regular price -- but if you're TRULY interested in attending, ask me how you can get in at no charge, as my guest.)

The program is nowhere near as intense as Dov's multi-day events (It is an introductory program, after all -- no fear of vomiting or diarrhea!), but you will be BLOWN AWAY at the content, the interactive experiences, and the practical tools you will take away just in one day.

In my next post here on The Inspiration Nation, I will share with you a short clip where one lady was so impressed by Dov's program that she said "Excuse the expression, but he (Dov Baron) kicks ass."

As for me, here's a copy of a thank you letter I sent to Dov Baron after I attended my first one-day event last year on March 17, 2007:

18 March

Dr. Dõv:

Twenty-four hours have elapsed since the end of Resonating Riches, and I'm still reverberating.  "My cup runneth over."  I learned so much about abundance, resonance, energy-vibration, how we create our individual reality and how we are simultaneously connected to all & everyone in The Universe.

Thank you, Dõv, for stepping up & stepping out by sharing all of you with us.  What a blessing, what a gift you are, Dõv -- and because of you and because of this program I am on fire.

I know that I am no longer trapped by my life.  No, instead I am (and from now on forever will be) Master and Creator of my life just the way I want and deserve it.

Thank you especially for your honesty.  You're not afraid to "give it to us straight" -- which is the true mark of love and compassion.

Mere words fail to express the depth of my gratitude.

With joy & heartfelt thanks,

Tshombé

 OK.  I've bended your ear long enough!  I'm off to look for that clip I know you'll want to see......

If you've ever been to one of Dov's programs, "overdelivery" (in the sense of getting far more value than you could have imagined, even if you've been to the specific program more than once) couldn't be more of an understatement.

Chad and I have had very loving, intimate times (and not-so-loving or intimate times) the duration of our relationship, but I don't think it's ever been as unpretentious, close, open or deep as after just 1 1/2 days of the Quantum SoulMates for Couples program.

On the first day, we were reminded that Quantum SoulMates don't magically appear by accident, coincidence or mistake.  Instead, we resonate into our life specific people to give us the opportunity for healing and growth.

Chad and I have agreed to take that a step further and enter into a Quantum SoulMate Relationship.  This means we have committed to fulfilling the potential to heal and to grow as individuals and as a couple.

This isn't a light or easy commitment since it entails being willing to look at the wounds I've been carrying around and resolving to clean them up when situations in my relationship reveal to me that there is still healing to be done.

As Dov puts it, "It means begin willing to go through whatever you need to go through to get to the other side.  When shit comes up, being willing to look first at yourself, not them."

The challenge with this is that everyone has been hurt deeply in their lives and they don't want to be hurt again.

So, here are for conditions I have to agree to in order to enter a Quantum Relationship:

1. Educate myself about relationship beyond social conditioning (Who got an owner's manual or specific training on how to create, sustain, and grow a healthy relationship?)
2. Enter the journey of self-discovery (It's all about ME, not the other person.  I'm the common denominator in all my relationships, romantic or otherwise.)
3. Train myself in the new model of relationship (You mean I can do that consciously?!)
4. Become accountable to change the behaviors and coping mechanisms that prevent me from creating a Quantum Soulmate Relationship together.

And we've already begun both the educate and the self-discovery process.

Very, very profoundly I might add.

Last evening, Renuka led us through an intense process where I really uncovered some "stuff" I thought I'd dealt with.  I was amazed the resentment and pain I felt toward my father in particular had not been altogether healed.  It not only profoundly affects me, but necessarily affects my relationship with my partner. . .

And not for the good of the relationship. 

This is a process of self-discovery, and I'm committed to looking at this head-on and healing it.

One thing's for sure, and that is I know I felt betrayed by, alienated from, and emotionally abused by my father.  He is the architypcal role model I have for men in my life, particularly those who purport to love me and claim to be trustworthy.

Through that process Renuka led, I discovered that in all of my relationships with men of any real depth, I haven't allowed myself to fully trust them.  I expect weakness, betrayal, and lack of trustworthiness.

Guess what's come up as an issue in my relationship with Chad?

I was talking with my accountability partner and told him that this discovery really informs my attachment to the idea that talk is cheap.  Chad often tells me he loves me, but I'm of the "Show-me-the-money" mindset, as in "We'll see.  The proof's in the pudding."

Of course, Chad has his own issues that inevitably work their way into our relationship, and to be sure, trust in any relationship is essential.

However, my unresolved (or better said, unhealed) issues of trust with my dad clearly strain and put an unnecessary burden on our relationship.

Dov and Renuka describe this issue (which trust is only one of many) as part of My Buried Unconscious Childhood Agenda.

Wow.  Imagine bringing and agenda into our relationships!  Yet, that's why we enter into relationships at all, to heal and to grow, and to raise consciousness of who we really are and who we can be. 

That's profound.

And only the tip of the iceberg (which itself is and overstatement) of the amazing learning (and learning experiences, since this program is highly interactive) that took place yesterday.

It's almost time to begin another 12+ hour day of intense clearing of junk, discovery of new tools for moving through conflict, and greater levels of intimacy ("into me see") with my partner.

More soon . . . 

I don't think I've ever written a blog entry in just 5 minutes, but since that's about all I have, here goes!

Chad and I arrived here at beautiful Loon Lake (more like Loon Sheet-of-Ice Lake right now) at about a quarter to 5 in the afternoon, shown to our room, and given several pages of intensive pre-session homework to do.

And they were pretty intense questions.  I don't have time to share at the moment, but I did find out some wonderful things about me and my partner and what we want out of our relationship.

We've been together 5 1/2 years and I am happy to say we have a very good relationship.  But I want to go (to borrow a phrase) from good to great.

I also discovered that one of my greatest fears is feeling stuck in an unhappy relationship. 

So last evening I promised myself to be fully committed to the process.   Indeed, we were engaged with exercises and connection and intense sessions for over 6 hours, only getting to bed after midnight.

And we're back again at 7:30 in the morning (5 more minutes).

A fellow participant just came down from her room and said she's exhausted from the vulnerability.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Dov said.

Loon Lake, Maple Ridge, BC Canada (UBC)Chad and I are very excited to be off today to a 5-day couples' relationship retreat!  We'll be leaving within the hour.

The retreat will be facilitated by Dov and Renuka Baron at the University of British Columbia's Loon Lake Research and Educational Center.

On March 1 (two more days!), we will have been together 5 1/2 years and I'm happy to say we have a good relationship already.  We're very excited to learn how to transform a good relationship into a great one, and to catapult it to new heights of love and intimacy.

The workshop itself is called Quantum Soulmates for Couples.  Chad and I are committed to submitting wholeheartedly to the process.

We've been looking forward to this retreat for a long time, and it's been quite a journey to get here. 

Something tells me it's going to be a lot of fun. . . and a lot of work!

If you're a student of Tony Robbins, you have probably already seen this 12-minute segment where George Stroumboulopoulos interviews him.  I just discovered it when Alvin Cook shared it over at LifeCoachesBlog.com.

The video shows a down-to-Earth and refreshingly imperfect Tony who shares a little insight into his own humanity and what it means to be a student (and teacher) of peak performance.

(I have to say that I still think he talks a bit too fast, which sometimes -- for me, anyway -- takes a bit of energy to keep up with!)

For me, one of the most encouraging parts of the interview is when Tony minds us that when the chips are down, nothing in life is permanent.  Tony, of course, is the guru of 'state management,' a proponent of consciously changing any emotional state we may be experiencing in the moment to one we would prefer to be experiencing. 

The segment is only 12 minutes.  Take a look and listen:

It seems that people are always looking for the secret to staying positive and "up."  They want the key to lasting happiness or the magic pill to true contentment and satisfaction.

Can you relate?  Have you been searching?

Regardless of our level of joy and contentment and happines and peace, I think it's natural to desire more of what is right and good for us.

Motivational speaker and fitness coach (among other things), Craig Harper is consistently in a peak positive space most of the time.  Asked how he does it, he gives 20 deliberate tips for staying positive and productive.

I highly recommend Craig's list, but I have to give fair warning:  None of the tips is rocket science.  You don't have to go on a pilgrimmage or contort your body in unnatural pretzel-like formations or starve yourself for 30 days and 30 nights.

Happiness and positivity are really quite simple (though not necessary easy), really, provided you consistently master your mind, monitor your thoughts and feelings, take quality time for rest and relaxation, and surround yourself with positive and productive people.

That's it in a nutshell, and Craig tells just how it's done. 

It's so interesting that I was just talking about how instead of New Year's Resolutions, this year I chose two words to serve as my themes for the year:  Team and Ease.

Not only will I be focused on surrounding myself with a team of support in both life and work, but I am consciously asking myself as often as possible things like "Is this fun?  Does this bring me joy?  Or, am I struggling?  Who on my team can I ask for help?"

So, there's that, my Words of the Year:  Team and Ease.

And then the topic came up again in a blog post I wrote recently, called "Why you and I need a team."

And now, I am super-excited to read Craig Harper's insightful post on his blog.  What's exciting about that is the content, of course, but also that he wrote/posted it on my birthday!

Well, kind of on my birthday.

Since Craig Harper is from the Land Down Under (I wonder what they call it up here where I am?  The Land Up Above?), they are always a day ahead of us.  For example, I'm writing this on Friday, but it's Saturday in Australia.

So my birthday is on the 22nd of January, but Craig actually posted it on the 21st of January from our perspective -- though from his, it really was the 22nd.

Now that you're thoroughly confused.  What does all that have to do with the price of tea in China? :)

Craig offers 4 critical things to look for in selecting your team mates:

1. You want the person who will encourage and support you but also be straight with you.
2. You want the person who 'gets' what you're about.
3. You want someone who doesn't have an agenda.
4. You want the best person available to you.

Of course these are just the bullet points; there's much more of value in Craig's Happy-Birthday-to-Tshombe Post!
Go read Craig entire article.  You'll really enjoy it.

If you're like me, you may relate with the tendency to want to do everything by yourself -- a condition Craig once suffered from -- but you'll be happy to know that there is hope for you, too!

Growing up, I had a bad case of trying to be perfect.  Even today, I sometimes catch myself going down that once-familiar path.

That's all fine and dandy, except that "perfect" is impossible.

And pretty depressing when you never quite reach the bar.

Seth Godin says it best in his article on The problem of perfect.  The problem is no more in-your-face than in the competitive world of work:

"As the quality of things go up, and competition increases, it's so easy to sell people on perfect. But perfect rarely leads to great word of mouth, merely because expectations are so hard to meet."

Seth's advice?

Focus instead on interesting, not perfect.

"I think it's more helpful to focus on texture, on interpersonal interaction, on interesting. Interesting is attainable, and interesting is remarkable. Interesting is fresh every day and interesting leads to word of mouth."

Wouldn't you agree?

When you bite into the marrow of life, what you find is that it is exquisitly, interestingly imperfect.

Isn't it a lot more fun to focus on that?