self improvement

How To Find What You Need | Intuition

Intuition has been a huge part of my life since I was young.  It has lead me to incredible people, places, successful businesses, and ultimately to live my life in my own paradise while I still have plenty of time to play in it.  I live it and continue to learn it.  It helps me daily and in turn I’ve been able to help others through it.

One of my practices is to read and fill my mind with inspiration from others who also lead by example.  I’ve gotten to know best selling author Angela Artemis and find what she shares through her books and blogs practical thought provoking ideas on how to develop your practices more deeply, or find them to start with if you are one to be asking yourself, “What is my true passion in life?”

Angela has just published her latest book,  The Intuition Principal, sure to go to the top of Amazon as her other books have and I’m honored to interview her here on my blog.  (we are giving a copy away at the end of this article so be sure to enter)

Passion

Jt:  Passion is something I have always lived my life around. Somehow I developed intuition when I was young.   In your book you have a chapter on How to Find Your Passion, Purpose and Authenticity.   It is the burning question people have about themselves when they first discover they want or need to make a change and need to name it.

What would you tell people to do as a first step to finding their passion,purpose or authenticity?

Angela:  The first step is to get really honest with yourself.  Ask yourself if you have been living a life that is true to who you really are or have you been living a life and putting up a front to please others?

I realized that I had been living my life to please others. I followed my father’s advice and majored in accounting….although I later changed my major because I couldn’t stand it.  I went into business (finance) to please him and then drove myself to climb the corporate ladder.  When I bought my first home on my own after my divorce my father told me he was “real proud of me.”  After I heard those words I suddenly realized in a flash what had been driving me my whole life and was freed!

After this, I started focusing on my writing. I became a freelance writer for magazines and the newspaper in my spare time which led to blogging and then to my writing, “The Intuition Principle.”

 To find your passion ask yourself three simple questions:

  1.  What interests have I had since childhood that I still have today?
  2.  What type of books do I read? Is there a theme/subject that runs through all of them?
  3.  What do I easily my spend money on to study/train/pursue?

The answers are there and as I said in the book, “Your passion is not hiding from you,” usually it’s right under your nose.

When you identify your passion your purpose will wrapped up within it like a chocolate candy with a cream filling.  They come together so just “bite into it.”  Once you know your passion it may take a little while to find your way and unearth your purpose but it will come.  Don’t rush it. Allow yourself to develop the ways and the time to incorporate your passion into your life.

Once I realized writing was my passion it took a few years for it to hit me that sharing what I had learned about how following my intuition had changed my life was my purpose.  Just know and trust that when you find your passion your purpose is not far behind.

 Fabulousity Factor

Jt: I personally love the “fabulousity factor” you write about, and again feel it has been part of my own life.  The story of selling the house is so real in that my own story goes when I decided to move my life, my business, my passions to Hawaii it involved selling a home I loved in San Diego.

It was a time friends and business colleagues said the market was at an all-time low. Those types of things bother me.  I can have a tendency to worry that I would be losing my investment, that I was leaving big money on the table.  I could have allowed these outside influences to persuade me.

Yet, I had this feeling, it was the right time for me. I was destined to go cultivate new passion in Hawaii.  Sure enough I put my home on the market, at a price higher than the market said I could get. It sold 7 days later for full price. I moved to Hawaii within 4 months of the first day I felt I should go.

How would you advise someone to develop their own fabulousity factor?

Angela:  The “fabulousity factor” comes into your life when you live intuitively.

Have you ever been so happy you felt like dancing or jumping up in the air and screaming, “YES!  When you are guided to synchronicities and serendipity in your life by your intuition you will have many of these types of joyous moments to celebrate!

When you feel fabulous you have confidence that you are on the right path in your life.  You are tuned in to your intuition and allow it to guide you to the right person or place where you meet up with fortunate coincidences that open the next door in your life. Living an “intuitively inspired life” is what creates the “fabulousity factor” in your own life.

Your “fabulousity factor” will burst forth when you feel currents of joy running through your body because you followed your intuition and picked up the phone on an impulse to call someone you hadn’t spoken to in a long time and they have “just the thing/opportunity” for you that you need in your life to take you to the next level.

How to Get the Answers to Life’s Problems

Jt:  In your book The Intuition Principle you give a clear action plan on what to do to develop your own sense of answering life’s problems.  For the person just beginning this journey without a regular practice of mediation what would you tell them to do to avoid overwhelm and find their own belief in the process?

Angela:  One of the easiest ways to get intuitive information is to “ask for a sign.”  In your meditation ask that a sign be shown to you that will help you decide something or lead you in the right direction.

If you don’t meditate just go somewhere quiet and close your eyes and allow yourself to become calm.  When you are ready ask to be given a sign that will recognize as the answer to the problem you are looking for.

It’s very important not to be attached to one particular outcome/answer/solution. When you are attached to one solution you narrow your vision and because of your expectation that it will “X,” you may miss the creative and more exciting answer the Universe has in store for you.

Tell yourself that you will receive the sign in the next 48 to 72 hours then be on the lookout for it.  The sign may arise in a snippet of conversation you overhear somewhere or through something you hear on the radio, see on television or read somewhere.  It may also come in a conversation with a friend or colleague.  I’ve gotten answers driving past billboards on the highway so, pay attention!

After this, just relax and know that the answer is coming.  You will know it to be the answer you were looking for because it will “feel right” when it comes to you.  You will feel relieved and have a deep sense of knowing that this is the answer you were looking for.  Intuition is a process of “feeling” so focus on how you feel about it.

Cracking the Intuition Code

Jt:  Those who practice intuition tend to get noticed especially in the circles we move within.  There is a general sense of knowing, a sort of magical confidence surrounding us.

What do you say is your greatest accomplishment or sense of well being that has come of your own practice of intuition?

Angela:  The greatest thing that following my intuition has done for me is to finally allow me to create the life I have always dreamed of.  I quit my executive job and went back to school.  My intuition had been screaming to me for seven years to do it until I finally accepted that nothing else would satisfy me in my life until I did that.  When I had lined things up financially I announced to my colleagues and upper management that I would be leaving in a month’s time.

I couldn’t believe the outpouring of support I got!  Here I thought I would be shunned and looked at as a fool for giving up this big cushy job with the corner office and instead I was given accolades!  Secretly, all these people including directors confessed to me that they too dreamed of escaping the corporate trap.

I was shocked but, as you can imagine pleasantly surprised.  I went back to school and got a degree in communications with a concentration in writing.  I graduated with honors and got a scholarship to graduate school.  It was the most exhilarating and magical time in my life! This changed everything for me.  I gained so much confidence and what I learned from it was to trust my inner voice, my intuition.

I realized that my inner voice had been right all along – I didn’t belong in the business world.  I allowed what others thought was right for me to influence my decisions.  Following my intuition allowed me to take back my power.  I now know without a shadow of doubt that when I “feel” that inner tug, that whisper – that longing to do something inside that it is absolutely correct.

The magical quality that people who listen to their intuition exude (their fabulousity factor) comes from the trust they have in their intuition and the confidence they gain from following it.  All you have to do is take that first step – trust your inner voice and take action then….you will see the map of your next step and the next materialize before you.  And, before you know it you too will be exuding that magical quality that comes from following your intuition and living your dreams.

Angela Artemis, an intuition coach, is on a mission to teach readers around the world to “speak intuition” so that they unlock all the brilliant potential that resides within and start successfully living the life of their dreams now – not later.  She blogs at http://www.PoweredbyIntuition.com and is the author of, “The Intuition Principle: How to Attract the Life You Dream Of  Free bonus material is available to readers of The Intuition Principle here.

The Giveaway

Win your copy of The Intuition Principle
How to Enter.  It’s easy….
  1. Follow Powered by Intuition and Big Island Dog on Facebook.
  2. Share your answer to this question in the comments AND on G+Has well do you feel you follow your intuitive notions?
I will announce the WINNER on May 27, 2012


“The Intuition Principle” by Angela Artemis

“The Intuition Principle: How to Attract the Life You Dream Of is a road map to finding your true purpose, passion and path in life.  It is a guidebook for uncovering your authentic self through following your intuition.  Learning to navigate your life by intuition is the most direct way to finding the joyous life you’ve always dreamed of living.  When you learn to go within and follow the ‘intuition principle’ you will bring the world to you in a nearly effortless way.
Now available on Amazon

Or get the Kindle Version

Get your free bonuses.  Angela has recorded a few of the meditations from the book and you can download these as MP3s. Some of the worksheets from exercises in the book can also be downloaded here: http://www.poweredbyintuition.com/free-tools-4-readers/
Enter to win your copy in the comments AND on G+

 

Sinking canoe

What would you do if your canoe were sinking?


These women in this double outrigger canoe I know. I’ve paddled with them. I have been on their paddle team here in Hawaii. Some of them I know better than others. And had I been in the canoe this particular afternoon, I would have known an even deeper side of each one of them.

What do you do when your canoe is sinking?

You pull together. You keep moving forward. You don’t let the swell that keeps pushing against you stop your efforts. You don’t let the waves that have crashed over top of your head knock you down without getting back up.

No matter how strong the current runs against you, the push to move forward continues. You give it everything you have. And when you feel like you don’t have anything more, you keep going anyway.

When you make it to shore and the time to look back comes, you are definitely stronger than you were before. You have learned what worked and what didn’t and you didn’t give up until it worked.  You had an attention detox to all the small things that didn’t matter anymore and got what matters most to you done.

What would happen if we used these same efforts, the ones we have in us to get what we need, get what we want in times of survival, to do the thing we keep talking about doing?

ReVIBE

These women were way out in the water for almost 2 hours getting this canoe back to shore. The video is the last 4 minutes. They learned a lot about themselves and about those who they had to band together with to get the work done.

I know I get emotional watching it, because I know these women, and I know that the power of the ocean could have been more than they had that afternoon. But they kept moving forward to get what they wanted. They found their passion and desire to get what they wanted.

What would it be like to take passion like you have in a sinking canoe and do the thing that you keep talking about doing?

If you’d like to hear more ReVIBE in your inbox please join me here or on G+.

Ulitmate Success is All in Your Head

Going after it. Success. Whether a career or a triathlon or being truly in love with someone, making money or finding our life calling, what is the mistake so many are making to miss out on feeling ultimate success, peace, joy, contentment?

Too much “busy” in our heads? Is it lack of ability to keep our heads in the present and not out somewhere in the future?

Success is so sought after that what is going on in our heads is blocking the view that we are already in the midst of success. The idea that we already have everything we need to be happy, healthy and content is not one we practice.

Instead we spend our time talking in our own minds about shoulda, coulda, woulda. We occupy the space in our heads with busy-ness, not with really embracing all that we have right now.

What we think about, we create. Which do you want, busy-ness or to actually enjoy what you are doing right now? It is a choice.

The habit of staying really super busy trying to be better, have more, be faster, or not be so stressed about making more money is completely stopping us from actually noticing all the cool things that are going on right now. Today. All that we already have.

Staying super busy doesn’t allow us the time to actually create more of what we really want.  Things like a rested mind, a peaceful body, health, good friends, family, manifesting enough money, they all escape us when we are too busy in our own heads.

The Habit of Notice

I moved to Hawaii a little over a year ago. The idea was to slow down. Live. Enjoy. Play. While at the same time I do my own thing, I work for myself.

Working for yourself has it’s challenges. One of the biggest is balance. Time. Not going overboard with it. Especially when one has been known to do 9 Ironmans in 3 years….  if you are one of those types, always going after it… you are like me and you NEED to start focusing on balance! Or true happiness could escape you even though it’s right there for you to grasp, to hold, to have right now.

I realized I had to let go and start noticing what was around me. Focus on all that I already had so that I didn’t start spending all of my time trying to get something more, something that brought me closer to some undefined sense of success. A sense of success based on what other people might be thinking rather than what is important to me.

So I started NOTICING.

So many way cool things happen to us every single day. Yet somehow we have trained ourselves to focus on all the things we don’t have done, or the workouts we should do, or making more money, or going faster at the next race… whatever your gig is.

The focus in our mind is out there on more, or different or something other than we have right now. The truth of the matter is most of us do not even know that we are thinking these things until we slow down and take the time to notice.

How to Start Noticing and Stop Being Too Busy

  • Carry a journal with you.
  • Notice what you are thinking about.
  • Write it down.
  • Make sure you do it several times a day.
  • Set a reminder for every hour to write down what you are thinking.

You’ll probably be quite surprised to find out that though you think you are being a positive person, you have thrown a negative thought or judgement to most things about yourself or someone the majority of the time.

No wonder that is what we get more of. Negative thoughts. Busy thoughts of getting to a better, more joyful place than we are right now. But not being good with what we are doing, or have or feel right now.

Start noticing the patterns in what you write down.  By physically writing these thoughts down you actually have to define what is going on in your head.

Start ReVIBE –

Take what you’ve got and turn it into more of what you want minus the busy negative energy.

Start prompting yourself to write something down that:

  • Gave you a quick smile
  • Stirred emotion of “I like that”
  • Step way out there move yourself forward and write down why you like being you, just the way you are.
  • Write down what your are feeling versus what your are needing.  Once defined you can start filling your time with doing more of what you need to revel in your success right now, starting with “I Like Being Me”.
  • Write down what you are grateful for today.
  • Write down anything you did or felt that is moving you towards more of what you want.
  • Write down the things you see around your that you like.

Your thoughts drive what you do, they are your manifesto to your life’s journey.

You’ll find you already have in you what you need to be successful at life, love, career, money, triathlon, fill in the blank.  You just aren’t giving yourself time enough to even acknowledge it, practice it, or live it.

You are too busy trying to plan for more in your head.  You’ve been saying yes to everything, super hero to anyone that looks like they are judging you, filling your time with what you think you are supposed to do and finding yourself a little resentful, a little tired, a little unfulfilled instead of defining, doing and actually enjoying what really makes you happy.

ReVIBE is about transpiring the essence of who and what you are into what you offer to yourself, to those in your life and to the world.

ReVIBE is about discovering alignment with what you say, think and do, and putting it into practice in a way that finally brings content, peace and joy no matter where you are in the world today.

ReVIBE | Life Habits + Move into Your Paradise + Write + I Like Being Me + Live in Color – Opens for registration June 2012

Jt Clough lives on the Big Island, Hawaii, and practices health, happiness and natural remedies, while working as a ReVIBE Habits Coach for people looking to live healthier and happier lives.  She is a dog whisperer for our best friends and studies natural dog remedies, nutrition and communication.

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Saying Yes to Change

Today, the day this interview is published I will have lived in Hawaii for exactly one year.

It took a tremendous amount of Saying Yes to Change for me to make that move.  I have many who say to me they wish they could do the same.  What I have to say to anyone who has a dream, who wants to be all that they can be and live with a sense of peace, well being and deep happiness is they must start by Saying Yes to Change.

Alex Blackwell has written an inspiring book on change.  In my quest to inspire others to find their joy in life and live it, I have interviewed Alex.  Here are some of his thoughts.  I highly recommend his book.  It will make you want to start your personal happiness journey today.

Alex, your book Saying Yes to Change: 10 Timeless Life Lessons for Creating Positive Change is so hard core realistic, it speaks loud and clear to so many. In fact I believe your book will allow many who have been struggling with naming what they are even feeling, or wanting, or needing to define it to a much deeper level.

Jt:  I felt as though you have come to the place you are actually grateful for having a childhood the way you did. It may be something I projected from my own experience. What things do you think about now differently when it comes to your childhood than you did in your earlier self driven for success days?
ALEX:  Jt, first of all: Happy Anniversary. Congratulations for having the courage to follow your heart and live where you like.

I believe there are no accidents without value. Meaning, we have the choice to look at our past and see only the bad; or we can choose to look at our past and see something valuable. Today, looking through a 49-year-old lens (age gives us 20/20 vision when looking back), I do see pain, but I also see a little boy who was determined to make it through. The persistence that drove him then, is driving me today – it’s driving me to share my message of hope, love and self-acceptance. And there’s a ton of value in that.

Jt:  In my past I’ve attended many seminars that have been amazing. They are lessons I take with me and use still to this day. Many of them did change what I had been stuck in for years in moments.  It seems you had this happen with Breakthrough. What would you tell someone who wanted to know if this kind of breakthrough happen within moments or take years to actually come to truly understand?
Alex:  The BreakThrough seminar was a jump start; an awakening. It taught me to pull back some layers that had been hiding my thoughts and emotions. As the seminar was concluding, the training director left us with one more reminder, “The training isn’t over.”

His words are still true today. What I mean is even after committing to change, and seeing early success, our paths to change must be walked every day. So, while my training isn’t over yet, I feel my heart is changing a little more each day. With that, I can celebrate the exhilarating moments that change brings as I wait patiently for more change to happen.

Jt:  You write about the moment when change begins. Do you think this is something we all know (the moment) and yet choose to walk away from out of fear of change more often than we actually stand up and walk through to the other side even if we knew there was happiness to be found over there?
Alex:  For me, the moment when change began was when I made the deliberate choice to change! I think people don’t really change until they are ready to change.

Jt:  I’m a fan of “3 Things”. If you had to pick 3 things out of your list of 10 Steps for Transforming Negative Thoughts Into Positive Beliefs you wanted everyone to take with them, what would they be?

Alex:  Tough question Jt – here goes:

  1. Lesson Four: Recognize Your Beauty – accept and love your true self.
  2. Lesson Six: Be Inspired By Love – create and sustain loving, positive relationships.
  3. Lesson Nine: Take Down the White Flag – find the courage to overcome barriers.

Jt:  You write about you feelings towards your mother. One of the statements was you didn’t care if you ever saw her again at one point in your life. I felt this same way about my father. Do you feel like many people feel this way and just don’t even know if they could put words out loud to that effect?

Alex:  Sadly, I think so Jt.

Before my mother died three years ago, I felt guilty about my feelings, but I also wanted to be authentic to myself. It’s such a slippery slope to be angry with our parents. We are expected to honor and love them, but sometimes our circumstances paint a different reality.

Jt:  How does publishing this book make you feel?
Alex:  I feel like I just did something good Jt.

I’m tired and apprehensive about if others will like it, but deep inside, I know the book reflects my message, my soul, and my heart.

Jt:  Your Simple Path weekly series is awesome. Was the art of your work to publish it inspiration for writing your book Saying Yes to Change: 10 Timeless Life Lessons for Creating Positive Change?

Right now the two are unrelated. My book is based on my past eight-year change journey. But look for a book based on A Simple Path series (which I love to write) in the future!

Alex Blackwell is the Founder of The BridgeMakerHis first book, Saying Yes to Change: 10 Timeless Life Lessons for Creating Positive Change is now available on Amazon. Connect with Alex on Facebook.

Attention Cleanse

Last week I participated in a workshop all about my attention and what I do with it. In the first couple of days I had a good idea that what I always talk about doing, I in fact was not practicing anywhere near as I thought I was.

It’s such a simple concept. What we think about is what what we create, we become, and where we spend our most precious time. There are numerous examples of how people who became famous, or professional athletes, or did something quite profound first envisioned it, then kept envisioning it until it became reality.  It is what held the attention of these people.

Where Is Attention Rooted?

The photo above was taken while I was actively doing my attention detox, a brilliant course lived and implemented by Gwen Bell.

These people have come to Hawaii on vacation.  On holiday from regular life. A time designated to rejuvenate, to enjoy, to indulge in pleasure. And yet, check out the people in the photo. Their chairs are facing away from the ocean. These women had their phones in their hand either texting, web surfing, or talking almost the entire time. They were connected quite strongly to the very things most of which were sounding quite negative going on back at home.

Their attention was not on enjoyment, pleasure, taking it all in. Their attention was not soaking up rest and peace and harmony here for them to fully have right there in the moment. Instead the attention let them continue to live the very problems they had come to take a break from, while sitting on a beautiful beach in Hawaii.

Attention Cleanse

Again, this sounds so simple, yet when I tried it the complications became apparent. When I say complications, I mean not only was there excuses about why I couldn’t check in every half hour, but there were complications in what I wanted to write down because I realized what I thought I was thinking about was completely different than what I actually had going around in my head on many occasions.

I found out that the reflection of dislike is going on for real in me and I didn’t like it. So it was hard to keep going for 7 solid days checking in about where my attention was every half of the day. What was even harder was then attaching two words to describe where my attention was.

What I was feeling.

And what I was needing.

That was the hard part, but indeed it was the part that made me admit that doubt and anger are where I spend more attention than I ever thought I did. And when I switch that attention to all the great things I already have and all the great things I want to do, my whole attitude changes.

I have been spending more of my attention than I thought just like those in the photo. Attaching my attention to something that I make come alive right before me, even though what I have right in front of me is beautiful and full of all the opportunity in the world to live a creative, happy, pleasurable life, I’ve been missing way more of it than I should with fears and anger from the past.

I’m changing that by continuing this practice as a habit, only I check in 4 times a day.  This week has been much different already.

Try the Attention Cleanse

Habits come by practicing often. Habits also come by going at them in smaller pieces than achieving your hopeful end result in just a few days or weeks, which is sure RX for failure. Therefore what I’m going to suggest you do is a smaller chunk to do than what I jumped into every 30 minutes of the day. Taking the time to write where my attention was that often did in fact need support from someone who was checking in to remind me as well as make some valid observations.  She does what I do and I find if the teacher doesn’t practice herself, life changing coaching for others isn’t possible.

In that light take this exercise in a smaller chunk and sit down after dinner or before you go to bed for 7 days in a row and write down where you remember you attention being focused throughout the day. What were you feeling and what were you needing around where you find your attention to be?

Like I said it’s not as easy as it sounds. I am here if you need help with this new habit.

Mahalo for reading.  If you liked it please subscribe to Big Island Dog and follow me on Twitter, & G+ and please leave a few of your thoughts in the comments.

Jt Clough lives on the Big Island, Hawaii, and practices health, happiness and natural remedies, while working as a Habits Coach for people looking to live healthier and happier lives.  She is a dog whisperer for our best friends; and studies natural dog remedies, nutrition and communication.  Her latest e-book is 5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs.

 

The Sand Castle

Building a Sand Castle Fulfill Your Need to Play

Hawaii brings visions of beaches, ocean, tropical flowers, fresh fruit and island music to the senses. It is one of those places that brings out the best in noticing the wonderful outdoors.

Playing more is part of losing stress, concern, anger, untoward feelings towards life in general. How better to play like a kid then to build a sand castle?

Fulfilling Feelings and Needs

This week if you live anywhere near a beach whether it is cold or warm go build a sand castle. Write a word about how it made you FEEL. Was it inspiring, engaging, calming, vibrant, engrossed or some other feeling?

What need do you get fulfilled by building a sand castle? You could feel present, stimulated, warmth, discovered, or participation. Any need that you have is a good one to acknowledge. Sometimes it takes playing to reconnect with what our personal needs are. Write a word about what you NEED and how building a sand castle fulfilled it.

How to Build a Sand Castle

If you haven’t built a sand castle in a while, or perhaps you have never build a sand castle here are some resources to give you sand castle tips, tricks and ideas. Don’t try to get too technical on your first one. The point is to enjoy the moment. You don’t need to be perfect. You need to play.

 Sand Creatures and Castles:  How To Build Them

If you don’t happen to live by some sand think of another kid thing you could do.  Go do it.  Then write a word about how you are FEELING and what you are NEEDING after you do it.

I’m doing it this week on a beach where my dogs can go.  My dog in training gets to go play too… that’s what we call training here in Hawaii.  Play!

Mahalo for reading.  If you liked it please subscribe to Big Island Dog and follow me on Pinterest, Twitter, & G+
Follow Me on Pinterest

Jt Clough lives on the Big Island, Hawaii, and practices health, happiness and natural remedies, while working as a Habits Coach for people looking to live healthier and happier lives.  She is a dog whisperer for our best friends; and studies natural dog remedies, nutrition and communication.  Her latest e-book is 5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs.

Walking on Clouds a Mauna Kea Perspective

When one thinks of Hawaii, images of beaches come to mind first. The Big Island Hawaii is different and quite majestic in that it has several volcanoes, one being 14,000 feet tall.  It is called and celebrated in the name Mauna Kea.

We went to Mauna Kea to watch the sunset this week while a friend was visiting. The feeling of walking on clouds and gratitude was what came of it.

Mauna Kea and Walking on Clouds

The visit was one where unexpected connection came to mind. We traveled from our home to the top of the mountain, about an hour and a half trip by 4 wheel drive with our two dogs and our friend, who is originally from India. As I stood at the top I thought about what would bring these beings together and how we got here. We’d all come from very different places yet the grounding of the earth, at 14,000 feet and above the clouds was a shared experience.

There were moments where we all stood at the top and looked out in our own awe of the beauty and it felt as though we had each realized the vastness of our lives, the real beauty of the earth and the amazing feeling of actually being above the clouds. It was a time where we did not have to say it out loud but a feeling of gratitude for our mere existence was shared.

Nature and the Lesson from Dogs

I often times wish my dogs could tell me exactly what they are thinking. On this particular trip simply riding in the car with us one could tell was pure joy. I try to take those moments and apply them to the things I do. In this instance just simply to enjoy the ride with my life partner and our friend and the dogs.

Once on the mountain the connection to outdoors, breathing, running or moving is easy to see.  My Weimaraner is much like me in that she gets cold easily. She dealt with it by moving, checking out all that was around her and the connection to the earth. Movement is a natural course of action for a dog.

Why is it that we humans tend to become sedentary when the feeling of uncomfortable comes over us? Another lesson I have learned from the dogs.

  • Move
  • Breath
  • Warm your body by taking in all of the surroundings, especially when in nature. Even if it’s just a walk around the block to replace a sudden feeling of anxiety the movement works.

Perspective

Somewhere in the hour and a half drive to the top we encountered cloud cover. I’m one to love the sun. Clouds make me feel not so happy. The perspective I gained from this particular trip once we broke through the clouds as we started for the summit was a matter of perspective.

The sun is here. It is shining on us. It may be covered by the clouds but it is still above shining in all it’s glory. Though it may be covered by the clouds if we dare to get out in it, we will soak it up. It may look different under the clouds, it is a matter of perspective. It is a matter of how we choose to look at it.

Yet another lesson from the dogs. Given the chance they will go out and play, or run or simply smell the outdoors whether the sun is clearly shining or not and the benefit of the oxygen, the movement and the time outside bring good in, stale out!  The excuse of clouds is not one to stop a dog from enjoying and the belief that there is sun anyway is the beauty of a dog’s attitude towards it.

Go outside today. What is your perspective? What does the movement, the breath, a plant, the smells, the sounds add to your connection to the earth do for you?  Can you soak up the sun from any perspective?

 Jt Clough lives on the Big Island, Hawaii, and practices health, happiness and natural remedies, while working as a Habits Coach for people looking to live healthier and happier lives.  She is a dog whisperer for our best friends; and studies natural dog remedies, nutrition and communication.  Her latest e-book is How to Swim through Your Fears and Come Out a Champion.

 

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