Things Rich and Strange

Posted on March 1, 2013May 25, 2014 by Sandi Amorim 22 Conversations

“There’s nothing to lose by writing your truth.” – Cynthia Morris

Your truth.

What’s true for you may be wildly untrue for someone else.

That’s what makes truth so very intriguing.

As I sit with today’s prompt Things rich and strange, snippets of my truth rise to the surface.

Rich

The deep green velvety moss I see on the trees. I run my fingers over it, surprised at the moisture, surprised by its determination to grow in sometimes challenging conditions.

The silence I recall from my last retreat, so deep I can feel it in my bones like an ancient gong. I try to recreate it but the depth and richness can not be captured.

The satisfaction of holding a secret close to my heart. It makes me smile at unexpected times, causing the people around me to question my state of mind.

The love I have for people no longer in my life. Their presence lingers like the smell of coffee in the morning, long after the cup has been drained.

Strange

The way the crows follow their internal knowing, every day like clockwork. They leave their western playground to return to their dark eastern home. Like one mind, they set off and leave inky tracks across the sky.

The connection I feel to people I have not met in person. It is wondrous this web that stretches across the world linking thoughts, feelings, ideas and human beings. Wondrous and strange.

The resistance I feel to life some days, when life has been so generous. Understanding doesn’t seem possible, so I let it be, trusting it will ebb like the tide.

The thought that I am more often being breathed than breathing.

* Inspired by Cynthia Morris’ Free Write Fling.

A Few Truths on Fear Busting

Posted on February 25, 2013September 2, 2014 by Sandi Amorim 16 Conversations

You think fear sounds like truth, and then you take action that comes from a lie.

But when you pay attention to how things feels in your body, you start to realize that truth lives in vulnerability and fear is a lie.

“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage.” – Brené Brown

The fear that spins round and round in your brain is not truth, but you live like it is.

Then you keep telling that worn out story because it’s more comfortable than the unknown.

There’s shame in admitting that, so you pretend that you’re fine, that you’re not really paralysed by fear, and you live, metaphorically speaking, in a dark and scary neighbourhood.

That’s what your head is – a dark and scary part of town, that no one in their right mind would choose willingly.

Years go by, youur dreams fall by the wayside, and you settle for what’s known and secure and you decide that dreams are for other people.

Until one day someone asks, “What dreams did you have for your life?” and a wistful look appears, your voice softens and you speak long suppressed words.

I once dreamed of…

writing a book
becoming a singer
owning a restaurant
travelling the world

You give your head a shake, and laugh at your youthful desires.

What the fuck happened to those dreams?

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What You Can Be, You Must Be

Posted on February 19, 2013May 25, 2014 by Sandi Amorim 35 Conversations

“What one can be, one must be.” – Abraham Maslow

Imagine your life growing from a seed; one seed uniquely, divinely you, growing roots as an expression of you.

In a world driven by goals and results, it’s much too easy to forget that what there is to do is BE yourself.

What if that is your life’s purpose? Wouldn’t it be a relief to stop trying so hard?

What you can be, you must be. You cannot change your roots.

An acorn must become an oak tree, and you must become you.

When you resist, you kick the door open to suffering.

What if the only resolution you ever need to make ever in life is this. . .

“I resolve to become more fully myself.”

Say it out loud.

Write it on your bathroom mirror.

Your roots, like the roots of any tree, need care and nourishment to grow and bear fruit, and now is the best time to begin.

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How to Use Your Values to Thrive in Life & Business

Posted on February 12, 2013May 25, 2014 by Sandi Amorim 17 Conversations

Values are underrated.

Underrated and underused, even in the world of personal development.

You might find people talking about them, but do they give you practical ways to use them in your day-to-day life?

The key is to work with your values often, not just as a once-through exercise, but as an ongoing practice to impact the quality of your life.

Not satisfied? ==> Check in with your values.

Work not fulfilling? ==> Check in with your values.

Relationship in a rut? ==> Check in with your values.

But it’s not enough to know what they are; like any knowledge or tool, you have to use your values to get the full benefit.

Like an internal compass, your values keep you aligned with what you say is important in your life, and can boost any goal or intention you have, making it much more effective and way more enjoyable.

“One must give value to their existence by behaving as if ones very existence were a work of art.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

Values help you stand out from the crowd, and make your life and business hum with an inner confidence that is compelling.

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An Invitation to the Bold Life

Posted on February 8, 2013May 25, 2014 by Sandi Amorim 10 Conversations

Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

Be bold, be brave and move forward with a peaceful and loving heart. Make your life matter!

Now that is a call to action that stirs the soul and I’m not surprised to find it on Tess Marshall’s About page!

Tess is all about facing down your fears and living a bold life. Her passion and integrity inspire, as does her willingness to share her experience generously through her work and her writing.

She is a writer, speaker, and courage coach with a master’s degree in counseling psychology, but she’s also a down-to-earth woman with a welcoming smile and a great laugh. I had the good fortune to meet Tess in person last year and she’s become a trusted online friend.

It’s been awhile since my last spotlight, but when I heard Tess was launching a new program, 30 Days of Bold, I knew right away I had to get her here. When you read her writing, her passion for supporting people in overcoming their fears and living out loud is palpable.

Tess believes, “It’s our responsibility to acknowledge, face, and dissolve our fear.”

In her own life she’s walked the talk dealing with challenges she faced, using them as fuel to create an awesome life for herself, and anyone around her.

I’m delighted to shine the light on Tess Marshall and her passion for The Bold Life.

1. Why are you here?

My primary reason for being here is to learn how to love unconditionally.

I can judge how I’m doing by my own peace of mind and the state of my relationships. Everyone here is my teacher: my family, friends, clients, community, and the entire world.

The love that I have and the love that I give will make the world a better place to be.

2. What is your future calling you to do?

My future self is calling me to play bigger.

Be bolder. Experience more joy. Dissolve fear faster.

And to continue to help others do the same!

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I Dream, Therefore I Am

Posted on January 24, 2013April 16, 2014 by Sandi Amorim 12 Conversations

It’s time to dream. . .

It’s time to dream.

“I have a dream…” – Martin Luther King Jr.

1. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do… Explore. Dream. Discover.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.

This quote screams of regrets and someday thinking. Take a chance, swing out and be honest about what you want.

2. “Dreams are THE BEST! The DayDreams, the Secret Wishes, THOSE Dreams we keep and cherish, hidden in the spaces between our heartbeats.” – Bif Naked

3. “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” – Paulo Coelho

It’s the possibility, anticipation and taking action on the dream that provides a fulfilling experience, sometimes more than having the dream itself materialize. When your values are guiding you, satisfaction is pretty much guaranteed.

4. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis

I’ve been working on my 50 For 50 list, things I’m going to do during my 50th year. It’s inspiring and kind of awesome to inspire yourself in this way, especially when you start early and have a breakthrough like I did recently!

5. “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” – John Lennon

Dream with others, get supported and create a new reality.

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What It Takes to Nourish the Soul

Posted on January 21, 2013May 25, 2014 by Sandi Amorim 25 Conversations

“Amidst life’s busyness, we need ways to slow down, turn our attention within, and reconnect with ourselves.” – Karen Horneffer-Ginter

Self-care, for almost everyone I’ve worked with in over a decade, is an ongoing challenge. For the purpose of this post I use the term self-care to refer to the care of mind, body and spirit.

For many, the challenge is obvious, showing up in the physical: do they get enough sleep, does their diet nourish them, etc.

For others, the majority it often seems, the challenge reveals itself in the emotional or spiritual realms, which is not as easily seen or remedied.

Full Cup, Thirsty Spirit is a book that speaks directly to this challenge.

Written by Karen Horneffer-Ginter, it touches on the most personal and challenging aspects of self-care in a world that often has us running like a hamster on a wheel.

“We live in a world of constant movement, and our day-to-day lives seem to get busier by the hour. Our days are full of information, full of obligations, full of friends and family, full of everything…except fulfillment.”

This statement is true for far too many people. The busyness and stressors of daily life can easily become overwhelming, and self-care is usually the first thing to go when faced with a time or energy crunch.

So, how do you deal with this challenge?

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Six Impossible Things

Posted on January 8, 2013May 25, 2014 by Sandi Amorim 32 Conversations

“Alice laughed. ‘There’s no use trying,’ she said. ‘One can’t believe impossible things.’

‘I daresay you haven’t had much practice,’ said the Queen. ‘When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” – Lewis Carroll

photo of handwritten note

You believe all kinds of crap about yourself.

Stories you made up as a child, that are still with you to this day.

“Made up” are the words I want you to focus on right now.

You made it all up.

And then, you turned those made up tales into rock solid truths about who you are.

Now here’s the amazing part. . .

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You Are Beyond Compare

Posted on January 5, 2013May 25, 2014 by Sandi Amorim 10 Conversations

Hand holding heart shaped rock

Dear One,

As the new year begins, it seems you need a reminder of how truly awesome you are.

Maybe you got caught up in the new year’s hype, and fell prey to comparisonitis.

But you (and you’ve really got to get this) are beyond comparison.

Your heart and courage inspire, and not a day goes by that someone isn’t touched by you.

Listen. . .

and hear the truth of these words.

You are beyond compare.

You care about people, and share yourself generously, and when you love you do so wholeheartedly. It is truly a masterful part of your being.

And people respond.

Yes, they always do and tell you so often. So much love coming to you every day, and sometimes you don’t notice it at all.

I’m writing these words to remind you.

You are awesome and you are loved.

Sandi Amorim signature

Meditate Right Now

Posted on December 31, 2012May 25, 2014 by Sandi Amorim 41 Conversations

Amida Buddha, the largest Buddha outside of China, at the Lahaina Jodo Mission.

We know that meditation is good for us.

On a physical level, meditation can reduce your blood pressure, boost your immune system, diminish chronic pain, and that’s just for starts.
Emotionally, meditation brings greater calm, a feeling of spaciousness and a sense of humor about the vagaries of life.
Spiritually, meditation is the path to become truly human: loving, patient, understanding, forgiving, clear yet relaxed and playful.

Yet, we resist. We moan and groan, “There’s not enough time.”

We keep putting meditation off until tomorrow, next week, next month. Until illness or death arrives and we’re twisted by fear, wracked with regret.

How can we die peacefully if we haven’t tasted peace of mind in life?

There’s one simple and immediate solution to the problem of no time: Meditate Right Now.

You Can Meditate Right Now

You don’t need elaborate preparations, the right space, incense, or even a meditation cushion.

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