Snapshot Cheap Shot

I was listening to Graham Cooke and was convicted by what I heard. What follows is my synopsis of his talk with some of my own thoughts thrown in.

A snapshot is a sudden perspective, an abrupt view. Snapshots are often unflattering and untrue. Haven't you experienced this? From both sides of the camera? The moment captured is not about WHO you are or your TRUE intent. A snapshot can become a cheap shot when we take a momentary glimpse of a person and make an interpretation or judgment.

A literal snapshot is a metaphor for how we see people in life. On any given day in any given moment, we are assessing and judging the person in front of us. What if we were to dispense with how a person looks or is behaving, and instead looked through the eyes of our heart? I am not suggesting we ignore what someone is saying and doing - I am saying don't start and stop there. What if we took a moment to ask, "God, how do YOU see this person?" What if we looked beyond the immediate and looked and listened beneath?

We often hear about the importance of first impressions. What's your success rate? Haven't you been wrong? They're snapshots. And who are you that someone would want to impress you, anyway? In that moment on that day...Let's just say that practicing humility is good.

Believe the best of people and speak to THAT; speak to the beauty and capacity that is possible in each of us. Allow each other the space and grace to become better! Give people the power to BE. Show them the place to step into. Our words have power and what we speak to emerges.

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." - Proverbs 18:21 The Bible -

Blessings,
Beth

Find No Enemy

I, like you, are heartbroken, distressed, and calling for answers and justice this week. That a child walking from the store with skittles and tea could be gunned down for ANY reason, in ANY city in this country, is appalling. I don't know what happened. I do know that when I heard the 911 call I was convinced that the person yelling was not being aggressive - he was pleading and terrified. Now I hear that the voice has been identified as Zimmerman's, not Martin's. A thorough investigation is certainly called for. And another issue has got my attention.

AP writer Jesse Washington wrote about the Black Male Code, and that in the wake of Trayvon's murder, he was compelled to explain it to his son - all too early in his opinion.

"As I explained it, the Code goes like this: Always pay close attention to your surroundings, son, especially if you are in an affluent neighborhood where black folks are few. Understand that even though you are not a criminal, some people might assume you are, especially if you are wearing certain clothes.

Never argue with police, but protect your dignity and take pride in humility. When confronted by someone with a badge or a gun, do not flee, fight, or put your hands anywhere other than up.

Please don’t assume, son, that all white people view you as a threat. America is better than that. Suspicion and bitterness can imprison you. But as a black male, you must go above and beyond to show strangers what type of person you really are."

I love this - except for the father's need to relate his advice to skin color. That saddens me for all of us. These are good words! Let me first say that as a single, middle-aged woman,(who has been attacked) I am wary and watchful of ANY man (or male bigger than me) who is coming at me hunkered down in a hood - I don't care what color he is, or what neighborhood, state, or country he is from.

"Protect your dignity and take pride in humility"...Brilliant! Yes and amen! Right or wrong we are judged by our appearance, demeanor, and behavior. It's common sense not to get too distracted by friends or activities; to look around and be aware of your surroundings and what is happening around you at all times. Don't argue with police or other accepted authority figures. Be respectful - assertive but not aggressive.

Young people congregating in a parking lot or park, etc. will be viewed with suspicion; suspicion of drugs, vandalism, rowdiness, or just general nuisance. It just is. Prove yourself trustworthy and above suspicion. Show people "what kind of person you really are."

When oh when will we get past skin color or ethnicity? Every one of us is made in the image of Almighty God. Every one of us is beautiful, valuable, and gifted. My prayer is that we begin to live as if it is SO.

"Just to me it all seems like insanity. Why must I rob you of your humanity to feel good about mine...
The only way we can ever change anything is to look in the mirror and find no enemy."
-Akala- "Double Talk"
Laus Deo,
Beth

YES or NO?

Good morning and Happy Spring! This is a wonderful message from my friend and mentor Otto Seigel www.geniuscoaching.com. You will be surprised at the beliefs you have around the words "yes" and "no" and the power in making the shift.
Blessings,
Beth

How easy is it for you to say "NO"? As easy as saying "Yes"? I would like to hear your immediate response right now to compare with the results of our internal research: Most people have a hard time to say "NO" because they feel that "NO" is negative or could offend friends as well as strangers.

Let's have a closer look: "NO" to drugs is positive and the same is true for NO to sickness, aging, death or anything that could harm or kill us. "Yes" to the same things could be very negative.

So, If NO is not negative and YES is not positive, what do these two words really mean? After all, they are the most important words in any language and among the first one's every infant learns.

Here is the surprising results from our Physical Intelligence research: On a physical level YES means ACTION, and NO means INACTION. Therefore the worst we could do for our brain is saying YES and not doing anything about it; after having this habit for a few decades our brains definitley would get confused - call it depression, distraction, Alzheimers or dementia. Saying "NO" and doing something secretly behind someone else's back would have the same effect. In simple binary code language "YES" means "ON" and "NO" means "OFF". Each nerve cell in our body works that way - a perfect role model for computers.

Action:
Pay attenion to things and situations this week that do not support you in being more alive and apply "NO" in a firm and non-offensive way. Setting boundaries might not be easy in the beginning, but create a lot of breathing room. Enjoy!

Have a Genius Week!

Otto Siegel
Author, Transformational Speaker, Genius Coach

Bit of Brilliance

"Just because I did not do what you wanted me to do or did what you did not want me to do does not mean I did not listen carefully to what you said." -Pastor Mark Dicken-

Singing in the Fire

Do you know about dull and dreary days? Are you weary of pain and difficulties? Mrs. Charles Spurgeon, who had been very ill for 25 years, asked why the Lord allowed such suffering; sending sharp and bitter pain that hindered her activities and her desire to serve Him.

As she sat in her room before a cozy fire, she began to hear a "sweet, soft sound - a faint, yet clear, musical note like the tender trill of a robin beneath my window." It was late at night in winter, causing her to wonder what it could be. Suddenly she realized it was the log on the fire. "The fire was unshackling the imprisoned music from deep within the old oak's heart!" Perhaps the song was acquired when all was well and the oak was strong and tall and healthy, but hard years and rings of knotty growth had sealed up the beautiful melody.

Some of us have become like the old oak - tired, hardened by circumstances and disappointment, and sealed up to the beauty in and around us. Sometimes the fire is just what we need to burn it all away and release the song! Don't waste your suffering.
Use it to step up higher, to grow your heart, to bust open and sing!

Express gratitude for what you DO have. "Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving." Ps.147:7
Don't live your whole life with your song stuck inside you.

Blessings,
Beth

It's Not the Life You Missed...

I rented a movie called The Shunning. A 20 year old Amish girl discovers she was adopted from an "English" teenager. She begins to understand some of the internal conflict she has been feeling - a strong desire to create music, and, while deeply loving her family, a sense that she does not want the life before her.

She goes to an elderly woman in their community and laments not knowing who she really is. The woman fairly shouts, "Who you really are?" She then proceeds to remind her exactly who she is and how she has been known and loved by the people in her life. Then she tells her to go - to find her birth mother if she can, to see the world if she must. She cautions her, "Don't go thinking you'll find something out there that you don't have here. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE LIFE YOU MISSED - IT'S ABOUT THE LIFE YOU HAVE."

In my work I hear about loss, regret (yes, I have a few of my own too), anger, disappointment, and "what if" or "what might have been". By God's grace I have been given a second chance. I am committed to step away from all that and live in the great and glorious NOW. I am missing nothing.I love and cherish the life I have. Amen.

Blessings,
Beth
p.s. I would love to support you to a new place of Love for the life you have. Call or
email to talk about how coaching can shift your perspective.

The Art and Blessing of Waiting

Today take some time to remember the disenfranchised women and girls around the world.
As always, faith with ACTION is even better!
International Women’s Day – Thursday, March 8th, 2012

THE ART AND BLESSING OF WAITING
This is partly excerpted from The Institute of Heartmath. It is chock full of wonderful information and well worth the time to peruse.

Adopt the pace of nature: Her secret is patience."
—Ralph Waldo Emerson—

"Life unfolds in spite of our impatience. The misfortune of it is that because of our impatience we don’t fully appreciate the joy and beauty of watching it unfold. And then there’s all the stress and discontentment along the way.

Impatience, it is clear, is not an emotion that befalls only an unfortunate few. It may be true that there is a lot of impatience in some people, but there is a little impatience in all people.

Institute of HeartMath Founder Doc Childre characterizes patience as "the art of intelligent waiting" – waiting with purpose, positive intention and a sincere belief that waiting is an important element in the unfolding of all things.

"Patience is the practice of maintaining a state of inner ease and resilience when you are tempted to be impatient," Childre said, "especially when the mind wants to force results, rather than remain in flow. Although we may not always consciously acknowledge when we have slipped into impatience, this emotion certainly is not an involuntary one. There is no reason we cannot opt to be patient or impatient in myriad situations throughout our busy days.

Remember, the presence of sincere patience means the absence of so many byproducts of impatience: negative emotions like anger, disappointment, frustration and blame among others. Rather than draining yourself and creating negative energy, you can increase your energy and resilience. Sincere patience means approaching situations with a positive attitude, care, understanding and genuine allowance."

I agree that waiting is crucial to life unfolding. Everything from planting to harvest, conception to birth, and idea to action happens in patiently waiting. Yet, there is another important component. "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us..." Hebrews 12:1 (Bible) This scripture is about Jesus doing God's work while under the greatest burden any human has ever endured. What is the kind of patience that runs? It is persevering when your heart is heavy. It is holding to hope in the face of loss and disappointment. It is following your heart and conviction despite the naysayers. It is never letting go of the dream - even if it is years in the making.

Watch and wait - and keep running!
Blessings,
Beth

Gratitude Amidst Devastation

Thank you Mr. Mabry for this beautiful depiction of gratitude, faith, and resilience in the midst of devastation and death!

It's A Cinch!

Happy March! We are heading toward the end of the first quarter of 2012 - as hard as that is to believe. How are you doing so far? Are you where you want to be? If you could change ONE thing to get you on track what would it be? I would be honored to coach you to do just that ONE thing - it could make all the difference. Read on for a little encouragement.

Spring is all about clearing out, lightening up, knocking down the cobwebs, and bustin' open! Is it physical clutter? Your car? A room? A closet? The refrigerator? Maybe it's emotional clutter - old hurts, a loss, relationships out of order. What about spiritual clutter? Are you confused? Out of touch with God and yourself? Wondering what it is you are actually doing here? Unclear about where you are going or what you really want?

Are there some things you began this year, then lost steam? Is there a change you wanted to make? Where have you focused your time and attention? Whatever has your attention has you! Are you wanting to lose some weight, but the number of pounds seems daunting? Do you want to exercise more regularly but the days just seem to fly by? Health and fitness don't happen after one grueling workout. You just wind up tired and achy the next day. Have you heard the ditty, "Inch by inch, it's a cinch!"? Corny, but true. Discipline coupled with desire, then doing the NEXT right thing - one step and one inch at a time - are what get the job done!

This is true in all areas of our lives. Very often, the hardest step is the first one. It's easy to procrastinate, to get busy with other things, to convince ourselves it's not THAT important. We may tell ourselves that we don't really want it, or worse, that it's not worth wanting. Pay attention to the things that continue to come up for you. Those recurring thoughts and dreams are telling you something.


If you have been thinking about it, reading about it, or talking about it, commit TODAY to ACT on it. Do something - anything - that moves you in the direction of your intention. Spend 15 minutes reengaging with that unfinished project. Make a written plan to accomplish that change, and include victory dates for each step. Then, simply BEGIN, take a stab, make a start, give it a go. Getting on down the road starts with the first step. GO girlfriends!

Make a light,bright new beginning!
Beth