Give Yourself an Upgrade

By Amy Phillips-Gary

How long has it been since you've given yourself an upgrade?

In these times and conditions dominated by downsizing and scaling back, it may have been quite some time since you've upgraded yourself or your life.

A national food chain recently ran an advertisement on tv that showed co-workers riding an elevator up to their offices in the morning. One woman held in her hands a breakfast sandwich and coffee while speaking with a colleague with a very very tiny and disproportionately small waist because he's been “tightening his belt.”

The problem with the constant belt-tightening and scaling back that many of us are doing is that it often results in an overall feeling of constriction. Not only are you limiting the amount of money you spend, you could also box yourself into a very tense and tight place largely because of the fear and expectations of lack and scarcity that can accompany a downsizing mindset.

Let me be clear here...

As I encourage you to upgrade yourself and your life, I'm not advocating that you max out your credit cards or bombard yourself with material objects.

The kind of upgrade that I'm recommending starts on the inside with a shift in attitude, perception and expectation and it almost always extends to your outside body, career, health, finances, relationships and life.

When you upgrade your computer or laptop, sometimes you go out and purchase a brand new model that is shinier and features more options. Upgrades also happen inside the computer. Perhaps a larger RAM is installed in your existing machine. Maybe some new programs are downloaded. Often old files are deleted or placed on a memory stick or some other kind of external storage device.

The effects of a computer upgrade are usually quicker and more efficient operations and/or expanded options and features.

There are so many ways that you can upgrade yourself and your life. If you feel overwhelmed or at a loss when you consider what to upgrade, try this exercise...

Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can be uninterrupted. Place paper and a pen near where you are sitting or reclining. Move your attention to within yourself. Focus mostly on your breathing. If you know how to meditate, you can use meditation techniques to help.

Clear your mind from the busy-ness of your day and slow yourself down. Once you are relaxed and your mind is relatively clear, ask your future self to communicate with you. Just invite your future self into your awareness. This future self is ultimately wiser and more experienced than you are now because she or he has already made it through the current challenges you might face.

Ask your future self to share with you a few of the expansions in yourself and your life 1 year from today. You can write these down on your paper to remember them. Now ask your future self what has changed about you and your life in 5 years and then 10 years.

If feelings of resistance, doubt or fear come up, make note of those, but continue to listen to your future self. This exercise can help you become clearer about the areas of your life that you might begin to upgrade in the near future.

Your encounter with your future self isn't meant to cement your actual future in stone. This is merely a sparking point to put into motion potential and desired change.

Your life is up to you to create and it is always changing. When you allow for an upgrade and then take inspired action, you nourish growth and expansion.

Look at the notes you took during the “conversation” with your future self. Are you particularly drawn to any of the areas listed? If so, choose one area in which you will begin to upgrade. Start to consider what an upgrade to your health, your financial state, your relationships, your physical living and working space or other areas might look like.

From this vision of the upgrade you chose, you can begin to open up to changes in your habits, your responses and your activities that will move you closer to actually living your vision.

Take your time and be gentle with yourself as you make changes. Each time you encounter inner resistance to the upgrade you want, return to your vision and to the eager or hopeful feelings that accompany it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*The future self exercise was adapted from Co-Active Coaching by Laura Whitworth, Karen Kimsey-House, Henry Kimsey-House and Phillip Sandahl.

*Personal Growth Planet blog is taking part in National Blog Posting Month (http://www.nablopomo.com/). Every weekday in November, you'll find daily blogs linked by weekly themes.

Earth Day!

Celebrate and Uplift with Inspired Action
By Amy Phillips-Gary

Today is Earth Day! You've probably seen television ads and programs spotlight products that are “green” and eco-friendly. You may have already taken part in events in your community to mark the occasion: streamside cleanup, community gardening, or perhaps tree planting.

Earth Day, officially declared as April 22^nd here in the U.S. in 1970, was conceived as a day to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. More and more of us are joining in with Earth Day activities.

But before you pick up a shovel, trash bag or garden hoe, I'd like to invite you explore your intentions and motivations about our Earth and the environment of which we are all a part.

At almost every turn, we're told that our planet is in crisis environmentally. Whether it's carbon emissions, our dependency on fossil fuels or climate change, the talk is almost always how dire the environmental outlook is for our home, the Earth.

I do not advocate that we all stick our heads in the proverbial sand.

At the same time, however, I believe that the actions we take on this Earth Day and every day can be much more effective, long-lasting and mutually beneficial when we are inspired and positive-- instead of fearful or guilt-induced.

Lessons from Lisa Simpson
A recent episode of the satirical animated television show “The Simpsons,” showed the character Lisa turning to mind-numbing prescription drugs to cope with her deep depression about the frightening prospects for her town's future.

Lisa begins to see every person and thing in her life as only smiley faces in her drug-induced state. Where before Lisa was horrified to see people littering, dumping toxic waste or even being violent to one another, now she only sees garish bright yellow smiley faces.

Of course, it is not inspired, or inspiring, to walk around in a stupor as caricatured on “The Simpsons.” At the same time, to approach Earth Day-- or any other environmental action-- with a predominant feeling of fear, guilt, or a sense of self-righteousness is just as potentially ineffective and even detrimental.

Many of today's environmentally-oriented slogans attempting to raise awareness make an appeal to people to “save” or “protect” the Earth. This call is often followed up with statistics and facts about how many rainforest trees have been cut down, mountaintops removed, or how many plastic bags are piling up in landfills.

But what kind of existence are we mapping out for ourselves and our children with all of this fear?

Shift your energy and beliefs...
What beliefs do you hold about this Earth we live on? Do you tend to view it as polluted, in decline and threatened? Or do you believe that this is an amazing, abundant and sustainable place to live and thrive?

It can make a huge difference!

Have you ever taken an action when you mostly felt afraid or worried about whatever it was you were doing? Several years ago, my husband and I purchased a used car when we both were feeling fear, doubt and lack. The car turned out to be a total money pit as it seemed to need constant repair and maintenance. A big lesson for us was learned.
Never take action when your energies are fearful, negative and dominated by lack.

Attitudes and beliefs are quite powerful, which you probably already know from examples in your own life. This phenomenon tends to hold true in other areas as well-- including our relationship with the environment.

Take only inspired action...
What inspires you about this glorious Earth? I love watching the sun reflect off a stream in one my city's metroparks. I also feel renewed just being in the presence of trees and the green lushness of a forest. And, to me, there's something so much tastier and fresher about locally grown organic foods.

Touch in with what makes you feel alive and excited about your environment. From that energy and with those vibrations moving through you, choose your inspired action.

Notice how different it feels to plant a tree, till a cosmmunity garden or even pick up trash by a stream when your thoughts and attitude are focused on uplifting and hopefulness.

Truly celebrate this Earth Day. We are all interconnected with one another and with our planet. As we inwardly and energetically thrive, expand and continually renew, so does our Earth.

Are You Having a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day?

I was having one of “those” days. From the moment I stepped out of bed, it seemed like nothing went well. The drain was clogged, my office chair broken and the dog even puked on my bed! Despite that wiser voice in my head, I couldn't help but think “How much worse can it get?”

In reply to thoughts like this, the universe usually brings just that-- something even worse.

Perhaps you've also had days like this and, like me, you are reminded of the classic children's book by Judith Viorst in which the main character, Alexander, has a truly rotten day and it only seems to get worse. Without a doubt it seems like a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.”

And while we all know that a positive attitude can make even the worst circumstances more manageable, it can be quite a challenge to stop and turn yourself in a different and more positive direction.

But it is possible. And the improved feelings and effects can be astonishing!

Perhaps one reason why a lousy day can seem never-ending and bottomless is that we feel powerless in the face of our situation. For example, the tree roots growing into our home's drain seem huge and insurmountable. “How can I do anything to compete with a giant maple tree?!” runs through my mind and I feel helpless.

Some people freeze in the face of feeling powerless. Others numb out and turn to food, alcohol, drugs or other activities. Still others aggressively try to force the situation to change. While these responses may help the person cope with his or her out of control feelings, they almost always fail to allow the energy of the moment to shift. As a result, the situation often tends to worsen.

Stop and Look at Your Expectations
Before you travel any further in that downward spiral of “How could my day get any worse?” stop right there! See if you can step back from the intensity of your situation and pay attention to the expectations you have.

From where I sit in that bound up place, the clogged drain appears absolutely infested with tree roots and my mind conjures a huge plumbing bill and a dug up yard-- if I let it. While I might not literally divert the tree roots from my drain with my mind, I can change my thoughts and energy.

I can breathe deeply, bring my attention back to my own body-- feet on the floor, breath moving in and out. From that more centered place, I can decide to shift my expectations and my energy. Of course, I need to deal with the clogged drain, but I will perceive more options and the ultimate result will be more beneficial when I'm making choices from a more open state.

The essential tip here is that when you feel powerless and at the mercy of your drain, your kids, your job, your relationship, your body, your life, your economy, or your world, you can decide to stop and re-focus.

Widen your gaze.
As I get back in touch with my own sense of inner ease, I feel more empowered and the decisions I make for what to do next usually take me more quickly to a better-feeling place and outcome.

Sometimes my better-feeling place is only marginally improved. I may feel less powerless, but still annoyed to have to deal with this inconvenience. But from this even marginal improvement, I can keep building toward happiness.

I can begin to see that there's a lot more going on in my life right now than just this clogged drain. I literally and symbolically look up from the “trouble.” Yes, the drain still needs to be dealt with. But now I can also see that the sun is out. I can taste the pleasant salty-sweetness of a snack. I can really feel the hug from one of my sons.

In fact, when I look up from what was once a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day” it all seems less lousy. I start to appreciate more of what is going on within me and around me. A more relaxed approach washes over me and I actually feel more empowered.

Reminding yourself of your own power can help transform one of “those” (lousy) days into one of “THOSE” (marvelous) days that simply keeps going. The big secret here is that nothing about your life has to change in order for you to shift from lousy to marvelous. It's all up to you.