personal growth

A Summit of Dreams

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 10 Conversations

I had a dream recently.

It felt like both a vague memory and something yet to be realized.

Maybe that’s what dreams are – reminders of what’s possible – but possible coming from the truth of who you are.

The truth of who you are.

The dream you are here for.

It triggers that small part of your brain, on the alert, protecting you from:

  • failure
  • rejection
  • disappointment

That part of you, your lizard brain, so totally committed to keeping you safe. Even from your dreams.

And safe you remain.

Thinking of someday . . .

A day, far off in the distant future.

A day when the planets align and the moon is blue.

A day when you finally get your ducks in a row.

But (this is where your dream becomes a nightmare) someday N E V E R comes.

Unless . . .

  • A loved one dies suddenly
  • You get the diagnosis you never want to hear
  • Mother Nature wreaks havoc and destroys life as you know it

We’ve all heard stories of this type of wake up call.

Stories of that inspiring person who wakes the fuck up and refuses to succumb to the diagnosis, embracing their dreams instead.

What if you didn’t have to wait for that kind of wake up call?

What if instead, you found yourself in a room with 500 of the most awake human beings you’ve ever encountered?

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One. Small. Action.

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 26 Conversations

 

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And when I am for myself, what am ‘I’? And if not now, when?” – Hillel the Elder

 

One day. Someday.

Wish I may, wish I might.

Good things come to those who wait.

WTF?

Good things come to those who take action on their wishes and dreams.

Even if it’s just one small action that nobody sees but you.

One.  Small.  Action.

 

Day after day those actions add up.

Day after day, action by action. Step by step.

The life you say you want, the dreams burning a hole in your chest – they depend on these small actions.

 

Over to you:

  • What dream have you put on hold?
  • What one action could you take today?

 

“Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be.” – Elizabeth Gilbert

 

The Practice of NO

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 21 Conversations

 

Ever notice how Italians say “No” with attitude?

It’s a big, decisive, full-bodied NO.

Curl your tongue to form a strong N.

Follow with a short punchy O.

Learning to say no with this kind of surety is the best way to say good-bye to overwhelm and resentment.

Because here’s the thing you’ve been avoiding. . .

How did you get to this point?

It’s not tough to figure out. I’ll bet you said yes quickly and without much thought. Yeah, I know. I’ve done it too.

You’re probably inundated every day. Requests, favours, tasks and a never-ending to-do list. It’s so damn easy to get caught up in saying yes.

(Which frequently sounds like, “sure, no problem, yup, any time” said with a weary smile on your face.)

I used to be a yes gal – an automatic “let me help you with your project/job search/relationship/fill-in-the-blank” frickin’ YES!

I admit it.

I love helping others, I’m easily inspired, and YES felt pretty damn good!

Until it didn’t.

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Today You Are You, That Is Truer Than True (or how I celebrated my birthday)

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 18 Conversations

 

48 years ago I burst into being.

It was Easter Sunday, I was two months early and took my mom by surprise. She says I’ve been impatient ever since. They say patience is a virtue, but it’s never been one of mine. Mostly, I’m not too upset about that.

I love birthdays. I always have and I always will.

What’s not to like?

  • Cake
  • Gifts
  • Parties
  • Surprises
  • Attention
  • Celebrations
  • Cards in the mail
  • Candles and wishes

I love. . .All. Of. It.

48 years.

And what I know without a doubt is I’m here to live out loud. I’m here to live authentically.

And I am here to help you shine.

Some days I feel like a supernova, burning so brightly I may explode before fading from view.

There’s an urgency I’m starting to feel. I’m on a mission to live as fully as George Bernard Shaw put forth in Man and Superman,

“I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it over to future generations”.

Today I’m out celebrating a life well lived.

I’m not quite ready to hand over the torch, but I’m happy to share some things I’ve learned along the way.

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Her Name Was Lola

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 66 Conversations

 

The time has come to unleash that part of yourself you’ve been holding back.

You know, that part of you that likes the spotlight, craves attention and is longing to shine like the gems on a showgirl’s. . .tiara!

YES! That part!

Let’s call this oh-so-sparkly part Lola!

Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there

You might be thinking, “Hold on there! That’s crazy!”, what does Lola have to do with my life and business?

Everything!

And yes, I know Lola loses her mind at the end of the song, but let’s focus on the positive for now, ok?

So. . .what exactly is so appealing about Lola?

Two words – showgirl strut!

It’s a way of being that is unabashedly, unapologetically, out-there-in-the-limelight, shining like you really want to!

It’s a way of being that has you shine from the inside out, sharing yourself and your gifts in the way that would be most wildly fulfilling for you.

Look at this gorgeous showgirl in the photo!

For me, she’s the epitome of Lola, oozing confidence, radiance and presence. And her smile beams like a beacon!

That’s what I’m talking about, and if it takes feathers and high heels to get into character? Then so be it!

Mars Dorian said it this way, “If you want to have an exciting and incredible life, you must make your favourite personality traits 3 times more extreme.”

When I first read his post it reminded me of a leadership training I did many years ago. One assignment that we had to do for the duration of the 6 month program was to be 10 times more excited in life.

Can you imagine?!

I thought this would be a piece of cake! I mean really, I’m outgoing, an obvious extrovert and I’m usually pretty excited (and excitable) in life.

However, much to my surprise the assignment uncovered all the areas where I wasn’t fully myself, where I hid my light, suppressed what I wanted and played small. There were no sparkles and definitely no feather boas in sight!

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Playing the Game of Love

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 9 Conversations

What’s this talk of a game?

Call me crazy, but I think love is a game.

And like all games, how you play makes all the difference.

Before we get into the “rules”, let me share a bit of my story and what changed my thoughts on love.

You see, my heart was broken once, long ago.

So very broken.

It felt irreparable and I believed that life would never be the same.

And it wouldn’t be the same. Ever.

How could it be?

No matter how hard you try to repair something, it can never be what it once was.

That’s not to say it can’t be better, but I never thought of it that way all those years ago.

I simply felt damaged. Broken beyond repair.

Jasmine Lamb says, “Most of us long for love, look out for love, worry we are too late for love, but not enough of us live love.”

Jasmine is so very right.

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Nothing But the Facts

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 18 Conversations

 

Coaching – 57,800,000 results according to Google.

Welcome to the world of coaching in 2011.

Ten years ago? I’d get the blank stare, followed by a hesitant, “What sport do you coach?”

Now? Coaches are everywhere. The Internet is full of them. It’s the newest, most all encompassing trend there is and if you spend any amount of time online you’ll discover quickly that every Tom, Dick and Harry is now calling themselves a a coach.

But what exactly does that mean?

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What You and Harry Potter Have in Common

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 5 Conversations

 

“Harry is the best hope we have. Trust him.”

Dumbledore says this in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Right before he died.

Last breath.

Words of wisdom.

Well, this isn’t Hogwarts and I’m not Dumbledore, but listen up…

You are the best hope you have. Trust you.

Let’s be honest; like Harry, you’ve probably had issues trusting yourself in the past.

I’ve been thinking about this so damn much that it turned into a blog post and week-long experiment.

Remember the definition of trust?

trust: ability to rely on another person’s integrity, strength, sureness etc. i.e. You can trust someone to do the right thing.

At the beginning of the week I felt like I had no connection to this definition.

But I love experiments, and suddenly? Space for something new to show up.

The word itself – experiment – magically makes room in my grey cells that few other words provide. As soon as I begin to think in terms of an experiment, I become intrigued, curious and fully engaged.

The past week was a perfect example of this.

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That’s How the Light Gets In

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 12 Conversations

 

“And I listen and I think. Time doesn’t seem to pass here; it just is.” – Bilbo Baggins

Rivendell retreat centre sign, Bowen Island, BC

Silence called to me from a special place. A place, that like its name, conjures up images of forest and faeries.

Like Bilbo, it is at Rivendell I find myself most able to think, to hear the thoughts and ideas bubbling up as though from a wellspring deep inside.

The sacred space, the silence, allow me to turn off the busyness of my life. My heart expands and I breathe deeply.

New thoughts emerge effortlessly as old thoughts play themselves out. It is easy to be at Rivendell; it offers itself up, a gift to unwrap slowly. An opportunity to treasure each moment, each thought that arises.

  • What is it that I am truly offering?
  • What is authentically, gloriously mine?

These are the questions I hear as I walk the labyrinth.

centre of the Rivendell labyrinth, Bowen Island, BC

I remember a line from a Leonard Cohen song,

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

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How 2 Small Words Will Snap You Out of a Funk

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 9 Conversations

Two small words that have the power to create reality.

It can be a reality that feels good, full of possibility. Or the opposite, a full on funk that has you on the couch with the remote in one hand and a bag of chips in the other.

But wait!

What if you could…

  • write that book
  • skydive
  • learn a new language
  • start a business
  • have the body, career, mate, life you’ve been dreaming of?

I’m guessing those goals, or similar ones, can easily trigger your lizard brain and I can already hear the “yeah buts” that want to keep you in the funk!

What if you…

  • aren’t creative enough
  • are too afraid
  • aren’t good with languages
  • don’t have the funding…or the courage
  • aren’t willing to do what it takes?

Familiar? I know, and not in a good way.

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