You know, when you're driving somewhere and you go there all the time and so you go the same way every time you go there? And sometimes you don't even realize what you saw on the journey! You just got in your car and went there because it's so autopilot, right?
Because you just go there every day, drive the same direction, you don't really notice things. You're just in your head and then all of a sudden, you're there and you don’t even remember driving there. So then maybe Waze or somebody will say, “Hey, you know, will you go that way so you can pick up something for me?” And so it'll force you to go a different way. And when you do that, you see things you never would have. There's different choices and options and streets. And that's kind of how coaching is. It's like you can keep doing the same thing over and over and working hard and having good intentions and sometimes when it isn't working, you need to have that “Waze” pop in and say, go this way, try this, go that direction. You're still going to get to that destination, but maybe it'll bring you something else that you hadn't thought of. Because in your own sphere you just can't think of it. I've definitely had this where just having another perspective has helped me. Get an “aha moment” within myself by seeing it another way. Just one of the benefits of having a coach. So many people are so close to doing what they want to do and it could be just a tiniest little thing and boom, you’re there! I would love to help you get to be where you want to be. Feel free to reach out and let me know if you have questions.
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Have you heard of the sandwich generation? Are you a part of it? Well, here is a holiday story that just summed it up hahahaha. Laughing til you cry, do you know that feeling? Or even crying til you laugh and back again.
My family from 78 to 14 was together on Thanksgiving. It was fun and wacky and had all the elements of a good family mix of ideals, thoughts, interests and love at the center of it all. We have been known to always have a family activity that gets us out and about and is usually an adventure. This year with different health issues I thought it would be pretty mellow. Then my Mom announced we were going on an electric bike tour. Ok, I thought, I think we can do that. As we donned our helmets and got our bikes (that went upwards of 20mph) I started to get more and more concerned about the safety of 78 and 14 hahahaha. We practiced loops in the parking lot and I was getting more and more worried. Wow, being a mother and a daughter is no easy task hahahaah. Everyone was gung-ho and 14 thought I was just simply acting crazy as my worry turned to laughter, tears and outright fear. Having witnessed one accident a couple summers ago I was not ready to set myself up for another moment like that. Maybe I have PTSD from that. Either way off we all went, single file down the street following the guide. It was an amazing day, right after a storm, so clear and clean and right before the next storm. The views were incredible and I was lost somewhere between the amazing views, my 14 year old holding back so he could then gun it as fast as it would go to race to the front and 78 hanging on a tandem bike!!! At one point, the guide said, as my son flew by, “I have been there” and I replied, “between my son and my dad I might have a heart attack!” Hahahahaha. I also had a flashback to when they talked me into going down the black diamond slope in Park City. Something I can still get sweaty thinking about. Yet, after that I was able to relax a bit and enjoy this adventure. Out of my comfort zone and worried for everyone’s safety is a lesson for me. Breath, have Faith, enjoy the moment, everyone’s path is everyone’s path and I am not in control of any of that. And guess what? It all worked out perfectly fine and fun; hot cocoa, the candy store, a ferry ride, the breathtaking view, wind in the hair, learning a new skill, and family bonding! Thanks Mom. Again needing that push out of the comfort zone and the benefits are beautiful. So, I feel you if you are sandwiched. Hang in there and try to breath and enjoy both ends of this spectrum. It won’t last forever and the memories from this time are priceless. Grateful am I. Happy Tuesday. You did it! Now what? Do you give yourself a pat on the back or just move on to the next thing? And act like it’s no big deal that you did it? I am getting better at this. Just taking a minute and acknowledging myself for doing what I said I was going to do. When you have a win, small win, big win, it doesn’t matter. You did what you said you were going to do, you took a break, got a coach, did the meditation, took a walk, rested, sent the email, wrote the blog, recorded the podcast, finished the book, joined the gym, went to the gym, started the art class, ate a healthy meal, wrote the proposal and on and on!!! Celebrate it!!! Again this doesn’t have to be a huge deal but a moment of recognition for yourself, that you are doing it, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and THAT is huge!!! I have had clients who have a hard time keeping their agreements to themselves. Keeping themselves at the top of their priority lists. They start to do the thing that they want to do and yet they allow other things to bump it off. So when you DO do it, please take the time to stop and give yourself credit. You are on the path, you are moving forward, things are changing. If it was easy to do (especially at first) then everyone would just do it hahahaah. When it is something new or uncomfortable or different and you take a step towards it then you have earned a moment of recognition. Each little step, action and move forward makes it a little easier for the next step, action and move. Less resistance = more momentum and boom we get into a rhythm, a flow. After my live, digital workshop I had to run and get my son at school. On the way back there was this insanely beautiful full rainbow. I stopped to take a picture. He wanted to go home so I dropped him off and wazed IHOP. He told me that was the best hot chocolate hahaha. I had never been to the one that my Waze was taking me to but since it was the first rain we have had, chilly air and a rainbow, I wanted to celebrate with a hot chocolate! As I drove, I could see the rainbow in the sky but when I pulled into the parking lot, I was shocked that the end of the rainbow was coming out of the roof of IHOP.
Well!!!!! I took that as a sign. Nature giving me a gift. So please, as we end this year, only 5 more Tuesdays in 2019, take a minute for acknowledgement, recognition or even a hot cocoa and relish in the steps you are taking, big and small! Happy, Happy Tuesday!!! Keep up with that meditation. Let me know if you have any questions or share with me how it has helped you!! I would love to hear that. Community, community, community!! This is sometimes hard for some of us 🙋♀️I have moved 7 times in the last 10 years (I know yikes, right?). I am an entrepreneur and a mom and sometimes those things are just moving along so fast I get lost in it all. My head is down and I am doing what I need to do. This weekend I went to a conference -- community. Some of it was challenging for me, it was loud, hectic, packed with info (my head exploding hahahaha) but also, I met amazing women. I was reminded that sometimes I hide!!!!!
Whaaaaaat? Yes, sometimes I hide. Seriously, behind working and momming (yes, that is a verb). I had to come out from behind the computer, the steering wheel, the laundry pile, the refrigerator, the dog leash, the phone, etc. and into an uncomfortable place (out of that comfy zone) to grow. With support!!!! That is it. The support. Wow!!!! It feels awesome to be around people who are doing something that means the world to them, something that is risky because they haven’t done it before, and are pushing themselves to a new level. NOT hiding anymore!!!! Let’s not hide in 2020! Let’s move together so that we can support, encourage, teach, learn, and grow BIG. Sometimes it is people you don’t know or have never met before because they are just getting you in a new way, different from your family or your friends. They get what you are trying to do because they are trying to do it too! So where are you hiding? Look at it, observe it, and be honest about it so you can do what it is that when you think about it, makes you a little queasy Hahaahah. That is it. If the flutterflys in the stomach start beating and it makes you want to run to the bathroom you are on to something. Let’s bring THAT out. Really, I am serious. I am going to have some things coming down the pipe here so that we can all move into that bigger space. And when we feel ughhh, or I can’t, or yikes, or who am I to do that, or I don’t know, or someone else is already doing that or or or or . . . we will be there to say You CAN! Don’t hide. Stay tuned. Pass this on to your friends and family (newsletter join up here). Join the community to push yourself in a good way, a positive way, maybe a scary way but an oh-so-important way. Come on!!!!! “We are a big deal” -- Amy Porterfield. Love you all!!! Happy Tuesday. This is me and Julie at the conference 💜💙💚 I am a whirlwinder!!! Sometimes my energy is all over the place and then I end up exhausted. No bueno!!! Channeling that energy to the present moment can make all the difference. Sometimes I refer to this as yoga off the mat. Honestly, most things, if done consciously, by being in the moment, can be a meditation. I wanted to write about this because in addition to our monthly three-minute meditation is the beautiful practice of being in the now. In this exact moment, doing nothing else but being right where you are, is in fact another form of meditation. Washing the dishes, doing the laundry, walking the dog, taking a walk, in line at the grocery, in the carpool line, watching your kids practice their sport, helping with homework, the doctor’s office, on a phone call and on and on and on. This practice will energize you and invigorate you as you observe what is happening without mental chatter, the to-do list, on the phone and the computer and eating (hahahaah yes, ugh I have caught myself here). It is free and anyone can do it anywhere!!! Simple, yet sometimes tricky. See if you can stay with the moment or does your mind want to whirlwind to what next, what else etc. No judgement, don’t beat yourself up if you are bouncing all over with your mind. Observe. For me what I have learned, especially as my energy is shifting is that I have MORE energy when I am present, moment-to-moment, and NOT trying to do multiple things at the same time. In fact, when I catch myself feeling exhausted, I have looked back at the past couple of hours and have realized how much I was doing “at once” and whew it took a toll. One way I contain my whirlwinder, swirling, multitasking mind is when I realize I am feeling tired and I observe my swirling mind, I stop, close my eyes, breath (long and deep, inhale 5, hold 5, exhale 5, through my nose) and then start again. Bang! It brings me back to the present and helps me focus. I found this little heart when I looked down as I was walking my dog. A little sign of presence. Try it out. Observe, breathe and be in the moment. Let me know what your experience is. Happy Tuesday. Subscribe here to get this FREE video meditation. Today we’re starting a mediation to “synchronize with the divine universal flow of light”. What does that mean? It means there's an energy all around us, all the time in everything, even we are energy. And sometimes we're in flow with that energy and sometimes we aren't. When we’re in the flow, things are a lot clearer, we have much more clarity and focus. (We’ve all experienced the opposite: when you're trudging and it's just not flowing, it can take so much more effort.)
This meditation helps balance you and then you can connect to the universal energy, flow. That will allow you to magnify your purpose. From there things will go smoother. It doesn't mean you're not going to hit a bump but it means that when you do, it's going to be the right one to keep pushing you forward. This meditation is like a light trail for us to follow. I also love the mantra for this chant! Waheguru, waheguru, waheguru, wahe jio. So powerful. It has three parts: Wahe which loosely translates to Wow! Guru which means teacher, someone who takes us from darkness to light, from unknowing to knowing, Jio means soul. But in this context, it's not just our soul, but the soul of all things, the universal soul. So put together, think of it like this: Wow, knowing. Wow, from darkness to light. Wow, I am part of the universal soul. Through this meditation we tap into the universal flow of the energy surrounding us. If you can, start with your purpose present and, if you’re still unclear on your purpose, don’t worry, maybe you will uncover it as you do this meditation. You could simply ask yourself, what is my purpose and then go into the meditation. Make sure you have a journal at hand and spend a few minutes afterwards writing down what comes to mind. Please stick with this for 40 days so you can experience the commitment to yourself. Remember you can only get this meditation through our newsletter so be sure to sign up here. Obviously, the seasons differ depending on where you are. However, you can tune into these shifts -- even if they are subtle -- so that you are aware of what you may be feeling and experiencing. After the fall equinox (in the northern hemisphere) our days begin to shorten, so there is less light as we move into fall.
For me, at this time of year, I am tired, my energy is lower than that of summer (with the loooong days and lots of light). Sometimes a little chill in the air and I have that need for being cozy, baking, laying with my cat and dog (not much you can do when your cat comes up and sits on you hahahaah). A perfect reminder to be present, still, thoughtful, quiet, contemplative maybe even reflective as we move into the last quarter of the year. What do you still want to accomplish this year? Or what seeds do you want to plant for 2020? After your morning meditation (it’s only 3 minutes!!!!), ask yourself these questions. Journal what comes to mind. Just spit it out onto the paper. See where you are now and what you want to do that you haven’t been doing, but want to. Do one of these things. It can be simple. But just do it. Take the action. As Mel Robbins says, “say, 5,4,3,2,1 and then get up and do it.” Your brain is scrambled by counting backwards hahaha so your monkey mind won’t be able to stop you. Enjoy the transition of the season, the weather change, honor your shift in energy and take care of yourself so you stay healthy. Happy fall. Keep up with the September meditation. It is perfect for the seasonal transition! Love to you all. Yogi Bhajan always said, “Keep up and you will be kept up”. When you are not feeling like it, you don’t want to, you “can’t”, and on and on. Do it anyway and you will be supported. That is one reason I love a consistent morning practice, even if it is 1 minute, 3 minutes, or 15 minutes. It is the doing it every day despite how you “feel” that creates huge shifts in your life.
You are mastering your mind, your whims, your childlike stubbornness, your monkey mind that is creating false worries, doubts, and fears and you are proving to yourself that you are count-on-able, consistent, strong, reliable, ready, willing, and able. When I started a morning practice, many moons ago, I couldn’t believe how different I was every morning when I woke up. I appeared to do the same things to prepare for bed and yet I was shockingly different every day. When you go out into this info-bombarding world without setting yourself, you are like a ping pong ball in the wind. Ughhhhhh and that is noooooo fun!!! In fact, Tony Robbins always talks about real change happening when it is more painful to be doing the thing you have been doing than to do the new behavior. For instance, if smoking is now causing you serious health issues, quitting won’t be as painful as not being able to play with your kids, or dying. For me being a ping pong ball in the wind is way more painful than sitting and doing what I told myself I was going to do (you know, the meditation, breath, quick journal etc. It’s like when I do it consistently, “boom” I am a steady human ready for what is going to be meeting me out in the world. Hope you are doing the September meditation. Keep me posted. Questions? Let me know!!! Happy Tuesday. Keep up my friends you will be rewarded. When you have a birthday do you feel older and wiser? This week is my 55th birthday!!!
Maturity is a process and it has different aspects. In Kundalini Yoga, we talk about how a human being matures through a very predictable set of cycles: Every 18 years, the physical body goes through a process of maturity and change. We call this the Cycle of Life Energy. Every 11 years, the way you apply what you know to solving problems changes. The horizon of the intelligence expands. We call this the Cycle of Intelligence. And every 7 years, the fundamental sense of your identity evolves. It deepens, building on the wisdom of past experiences. We call this the Cycle of Consciousness. A couple of times in your life all three of these cycles occur as a marker for transformation (for me 54, 55, 56). To know this and observe what changes or choices you are confronted with can help to see, understand and take advantage of that time of your life. So older and wiser? Well, yes and no. Sometimes I feel like the older, I get the less I know and yet I also have a knowing that is deeper, authentic, intuitive, and wise from having been around the block so to speak. That feels good. It makes me proud to be 55. Makes me want to dig in even deeper to my personal journey, life’s lessons, the riddle of life. To spend more and more time in nature and less time on the freeway (Hahahahaha), to walk, to be healthy, quiet and thoughtful. Using everything I do in my day to day life as a moment-by-moment, conscious meditative practice of awareness, gratitude, and opportunity to connect with myself and others. So here I go . . . into my 5th cycle of intelligence, craving the depth, learning, completing, and finding ways in which my vision of my purpose can find its path. A fun exercise we did in the Life Cycles and Life Styles Kundalini Yoga Level Two Teacher Training course you can do too. Draw a line on a paper and plot out 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 etc . . . 11, 22, 33, 44, 55 etc. . . . and 18, 36, 54 etc.. Write things you remember at each of these stages. Depending on how old you are, how many cycles you have traveled through, you may observe some interesting things have happened in your life at these cycles. Reach out if you have questions about it. It is really interesting to see your life on this timeline. Happy Tuesday Love you all Ok, seriously are you sick of me saying self-care? The meditation for this month is the self care breath. I figure we can’t overdo self care. Especially you guys and I am including myself in this hahahaha. We need the reminder because we all have had a habit of putting ourselves at the bottom of the list. But that is changing and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, putting ourselves equally into the equation of our day!
This is a great meditation. It is simple, you can do it anywhere and it will invigorate you, boost your immune system, increase your inner energy, and strengthen your parasympathetic nervous system. Here’s a quick run through but I’ve sent all my subscribers the video. (If you’d like to join this group, click here and you’ll get it right away.) Sit with a nice, tall spine. You can sit in a chair if you want or even do it in your car while you are waiting for your kids (not while you’re driving though!!!). Put your left hand on your heart center and your right hand over it. Close your eyes. Make a ring with your lips, like an O shape. We are going to do a cannon breath through that ring. Feel the heart center below your hands and focus on the breath coming out of your O shaped lips, as if you were making rings in the air. Stay with it. When we end, we will inhale, hold the breath and you will silently say: I am beautiful, I am innocent, I am innocent, I am beautiful. Exhale through the nose. Repeat that 5 times. Then feel the sensation. The before you did it and the after you did it. Observe!!! Enjoy!!!! Use this as we transition from summer to fall, back to routine, school, work, shorter days etc. Do this everyday and experiment with this tool for your mental, emotional, and physical health! Love you all!!!! Happy September |
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AuthorCourtney Gebhart, Life Coach, Kundalini Yoga teacher, and Human Being. Archives
January 2021
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