LSS Harmony

The 3 Common Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make… And How to Prevent Them

2011-12-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

By Guest Blogger, Rob Jager

Entrepreneurs are a funny creature. It’s difficult to tell them their ideas won’t work because they believe in what they are doing and, quite honestly, they might be right! So, given that, let me share with you the few mistakes I've found most entrepreneurs make and what steps can be taken to prevent those mistakes:

1. Planning Time. Many entrepreneurs have a great idea and then start doing it. They forget that it is critical to stop and plan how they’ll get it accomplished and what factors will make it successful or not successful. Planning should include things like who should be involved? How will I price this? How will I market this? What will this cost me and can I make money doing this? Who are my competitors? What options will the potential buyer consider in comparison to my idea/concept? If you’re an entrepreneur and have a new idea, before you do anything, answer the above questions in writing and refer to it often…then get started.

2. Funding. Many entrepreneurs also underestimate the costs that are involved in running a business. Consider just the basics for costs and how quickly they add up: cost of goods, printing (basics like business cards, flyers, info sheets), website, networking, payroll (if others are involved), taxes, insurance, rent (if using an office or storefront), and many others. Ok, many will say, but I won’t spend money on any of that. You may not, but the need for marketing is the most important, so budget for that. Plan on a 1-year marketing budget and then double it. Do you have enough?

3. Trying to Do It All. It’s your idea and you want to control and own it. Agreed and there’s nothing wrong with that. The challenge to consider: Did Steve Jobs, or any other great leader with a new idea, do it by himself or herself? Absolutely not. Yet many entrepreneurs believe they must do it themselves. Here’s the challenge to you: surround yourself with able and like-minded people. They will help you get there. You may have to share in the profits, but you’ll go much further! The key point is to insist on your expectations and wants. After all, it’s your idea!

I hope these ideas helped you realize a potential pitfall on your horizon so you can deal with and prevent it before it becomes too big an issue. Those who ignore these three things in the beginning will certainly deal with them later…only potentially at a higher cost.

______________________________________________

Rob Jager is a business coach and consultant. He started Hedgehog Consulting to help business owners achieve their goals and dreams in life. He conducts workshops, works with clients, and insists on instilling leadership skills into the owner’s routines. For more information visit: www.HedgehogConsultingInc.com

Modern Spin on Wisdom

2011-02-23T08:35:00.000-08:00

Wisdom brings up her own children and

cares for those who seek her.

Whoever loves her, loves life.

Those who seek her early

will be filled with joy.

Whoever possesses her,

will inherit honor and be blessed.

Those who follow her direction

will be on the path to peace.

Whoever pays attention to her,

dwells secure.

If you listen to the inner voice,

you will inherit her.

At first, she may seem vague,

bringing confusion to you,

but she is trying to discipline you

until she can trust you,

testing your willingness to listen.

She then comes becomes understandable

and makes you happy,
revealing her secrets to you.

If you go astray, however,

it will seem as though she has abandoned you,
leaving you to your own destruction.

But never fear,

she is always waiting for you to listen,

once again.

-Original Source, Ecclesiasticus/ Sirach 4:11-19

Creating a Happy 2011

2010-12-27T06:15:00.000-08:00

As the new year approaches, follow these three principles:

Reflect, Envision and Appreciate. These will keep you honest, proactive, and present!

Happy New Year to you and yours!

with love, LSS Harmony

Practicing Faith

2010-12-20T06:32:00.000-08:00

What does faith mean?

v An act of undisturbed belief in an eternal connection to God.

v A place of knowing, being and acting upon.

v Firm belief in something for which there is no proof.

v Believing it, before you see it.

v The knowing of something out there that is bigger than is and taking care of the details.

How to practice Faith:

v Start to journal about your faith and what this means to you by answering these questions:

§ Who am I as a spiritual being?

§ What does God/ Divine Intervention/ Source Energy mean to you?

§ What is your current relationship with spirituality?

§ How do you currently practice faith?

§ What is one experience I have had where I know spirituality was present?

v Trust that there is something in here that is so great, it keeps your body alive.

Once you see it you do not need to believe it, so faith is the unseen components of belief. Faith creates peace and comfort and can be used as a major tool in your life. Faith is the zip code of being ok, so practice having faith today!

Creating Your Reality

2010-12-13T05:55:00.000-08:00

We have the power to create our reality. The mind, not being limited to the brain, but rather the command center, gets its instructions from thought. Once the thought is recognized, the conscious creating mind begins to focus in on this desire and attract to it what it needs to begin manifestation.

The desires that pop up in our consciousness are the whispers from God to help you achieve what you are on Earth for. Everything that we desire is already present in the spiritual realm, and our purpose here is to learn how to bring it into physical form. In order to do this, we need to re-program our thinking. Follow these simple steps to get in touch with what you are currently creating and how to create what you want!

How to Re-program your thinking in five simple steps:

1. Understand, “I become what I believe.”

o For example; I am sick, sends poison down through the system and the instructions are clear, only notice everything that hurts and makes you feel bad. When the reader transforms this affirmation into; I am well, the mind unlocks everything in the command center to make this happen. The mind begins say, do you hear that, unlock the healing, its time!

2. Speak, act, talk, walk, and dress as if it has already happened

o Think about what it is that you truly desire for your life.

o Journal about what your life would look and feel like if this desire were already here.

3. Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want.

o The importance of focusing on what you want helps your conscious mind begin to notice those very things.

o This helps send a message through your system to send out the right instructions.

o For example, have you ever bought a specific car and then noticed that car all over? Well, was there a new huge shipment of that car in your area? Probably not. What changed was your perspective and what you are now noticing. It is the same concept for focusing in on what you want.

4. Use Affirmations to help your brain understand where you want to go.

o Affirmations are positive statements that are said with repetition.

o For example: I live in peace in this current moment. I now see my body as whole and filled with beauty. I make the conscious decision to be happy. I choose to be nice to myself. I breathe out hatred and inhale love. Every decision I make guides me into my perfect body, image and life.

5. Believe it and then you will see it.

o Practice Faith, the step before reality.

o Once you see it there is no need for faith.

Allow your desires to come to the surface and then plant these desires in your mind through using faith, water it with affirmations, and believe in yourself. It is up to you to come and get it. It already has your name on it. Let your desires take root through practicing faith. There are bigger things in your spirit than you may know what to do with, but when you know that you are a proactive creator, these things appear in your reality! Conceive it on the inside and receive it on the outside.

Visualization and How to Use It

2010-12-06T05:06:00.000-08:00

The Law of Attraction states that we are creating, attracting and bringing to us what we are focusing on and thinking about most. Even if the dominant thought is on something undesirable, your focus and attention is directed at it, bringing that thing right into your experience. Thought is creation. If one begins to feel tired, how does that feeling present itself? First as a thought or feeling in the head or body, compelling one to lay down and satisfy the feeling. So the sequence goes: thought, feeling, motivation for action and then manifestation.

Visualization is the process of getting in touch with what you want, and then proactively beginning to imagine this. It can be disrobe as daydreaming with a purpose. There are two types of visualization: quiet and active. Here are some steps on how to use them.

Quite Visualization

· Center yourself. Sit Back and take a couple deep breaths to center yourself for this quiet time.

· Begin by imagining something you would like to manifest. Pick one goal to work with in this moment and picture this with your mind’s eye, with as many details as you can.

· Creating a vivid positive mental picture. There are no limits to this. Your visualization could be a healing of some sort, a situation, relationship, an object, purpose, career, your perfect home or whatever it is that is in your heart.

· Focus on what it feels like to already have this. What does it look like? What does it feel like? What emotions come to the surface as you have this? Imagine yourself as having being and experiencing this now. See yourself in this mental picture.

· Be with it. Now sit with this for a couple minutes and surround it with all your positive energy and be with this picture as it is happening now.

· Wrapping up Visualizing. Now take a couple deep breaths and gradually bring yourself back into the moment.

· Let go and release this experience. Imagine that clear mental picture floating away from you so that it can attract all that it needs to manifest for you. This act of releasing is an important part of the process. Allow yourself to be with this experience and gradually come back.

Active Visualization

· Begin Focusing on what you Want, over what you DO NOT want. So much of the time, people keep their attention and focus on what they do not wish to have. Although this habit will bring these things closer to you. Turn your attention to what you wish to create and watch what happens.

· Save pictures of things that make you feel good. As you go through your life start to notice all the different things that inspire a positive reaction in you. If you are looking through a magazine and come across a picture, word, or article; tear it out and save it.

· Create a Collage. This can be called a vision board or your manifest book. The idea behind this is to put energy into creating what you want and experiencing how that feels.

In this lifetime we can have whatever we want. Forming a clear picture of what you want can truly help you manifest your hearts desires. Everything you feel in your heart is the whisper of your ultimate purpose. When you feel good, you are on track. When you don’t feel good, take the time to find what feels good and reconnect to your purpose. Get in touch with what you really want, believe you can have it and watch it manifest over time, be patient with the process.

Thanksgiving, The Food Holiday!

2010-11-22T06:30:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving, a day of family, food, football, gratitude, and an abundance of calories! Have trouble dealing with all the food? Feel overwhelmed and bloated by the end of the day? Follow this simple holistic program (before the day begins) to help yourself get balanced for the day!

Being Mentally Alert

· Empty your mind in the morning by journaling for five minutes. *Remember what goes in, must come out!

· Make a list of 10 things you are grateful for. (and be ready to share it with people)

· Journal about how you want this day to go.

Practicing Emotional Balance

· Ask yourself what dominant emotion you are feeling today? *Journal about it before hand or you will likely experience this feeling throughout the day.

· Bring a little journal with you that can fit in your pocket or purse. If something happens, go in the bathroom and answer these three questions:

1. What just happened?

2. What emotion am I feeling?

3. How would my best self choose to respond to this?

Activating Physical Wellbeing

· Move your body and break a sweat for 30 minutes before you take a shower and get dressed.

· Eat your regular meals throughout the day.

· During the Festivities: go for low calorie drinks, choose veggies over crackers, and socialize away from the food!

· Allow yourself great and tasty foods, but chew each bite at least 15- 25 times.

· Stop before you think it’s too much :) * Make a plate of your leftovers, put it in the fridge and wait two hours before finishing.

Connecting Spiritually

· Sit with yourself in silence and take 10 deep breaths, breathing in positive energy and exhaling anything you don't want.

· If you currently meditate: meditate for 15-30 minutes before you get going.

· Find that place of wellness inside of you, so you can activate it later in the day.

· Invite love into your life!

Follow all these steps before you get going on Thanksgiving and then live in consciousness for the rest of the day! Happy Thanksgiving from LSS Harmony!

www.lssharmony.com

Laws of Giving

2010-11-15T03:39:00.000-08:00

The Laws of Giving

(or a little spin on it)

When you give before you get, you are filled up with more.
When you plant your seeds, water them with good thoughts and provide a bright environment, they will grow into a healthy abundant harvest.
When you initiate, and say yes, more and more opportunities follow.
In giving to others, you’ll find that those very things become a part of you.
The more you give back, the more you will attract.
The giver always gains.

Mental Awareness

2010-10-25T02:35:00.000-07:00

What we think about is reflected through our words. Kahlil put such an eloquent flow to this idea, by saying that the words we use show us what we think about, which can then help us get in touch with our beliefs, which are deeper within, that create our perspective on life.

Becoming more mentally aware will help you create the life you desire to live. You can begin listening to your vocabulary, the language you use and expressions you say, to get in tune with what it is that you are spending your energy thinking about, consciously and /or unconsciously.

Words to listen for:

1. Should. Whenever we use the word “should” you are unconsciously putting yourself in a powerless position which requires defense. Instead, try substituting in “could”. This will give you your power back and show you all the possibility and action you can take in your life.

2. “I don’t want…” When I ask people what it is that they want, 8 out of 10 people will respond with, “well, I don’t want to be stressed” or (fill in the blank). However, I didn’t ask them what they do “not” want, I asked them what they “do” want. So instead of “not” wanting to be something, start to ask yourself what is it that you “do” want. An easy way to do this is begin noticing all that you don’t want and then look for the opposite. The best thing to start with is simply noticing how much you talk about what you don’t want, and then changing the sentence to reflect the contrary to the “not”.

3. Too Difficult. Problem. These words are from the perspective of defeat. Exit the defeat and enter the challenge. Anytime you see something as a “problem” or “too difficult” try replacing it with “growth opportunity” or “challenge”. This puts you in a power position to become ready to grow into the challenge and become a better you. Start with replacing these words and you will be well on your way to becoming more mentally aware!

Mental awareness is a process of observation and experience that will result in an intellectual, wakefulness and mindfulness. Practice these first three steps to begin to change the type of crumbs that are falling from your mind.

Acheiving Reliant Serenity

2010-10-18T07:23:00.000-07:00

“Everything happens in its perfect timing regardless of how you may judge it. The greatest values you can apply to this occasion are Trust and Patience. And if you blend them together, you will reach the destination of reliant serenity.” -Sophie Skover

What if you believed that everything happened in its perfect timing? How would that change the circumstance you were dealing with? Or how would it affect the way you were feeling about “the thing that was happening”. Whether it be a flat tire, a canceled appointment, or an unexpected phone call, it is all in its perfect timing for all involved. However, in order to really believe this, we need Trust and Patience.

So how do you deal with life’s circumstances that seem so untimely? And how do we get to the point of actually applying trust and patience? Follow the steps below to help yourself work through your circumstance and come out the other end empowered with Trust and Patience.

Activating Your Trust and Patience
1. Begin Trusting the process of life. But how, you may ask? The first step is getting in touch with what trust means to you by asking the following questions. How do you currently experience trust in your life? Who do you trust? When you think of trust what is the picture that comes to mind? Once you are familiar with your understanding of trust, you will be closer to the application of “Trusting the process of life.”

2. Practice Believing: “It all happens in the perfect order for the best interest of all involved.” This second step to will help your belief system to remember perfect order. When you read the statement above, what is your first thought or feeling? Write it down and look at it. This is a clue of what is going on in terms of spiritual trust. Next, begin practicing the affirmation: "Everything happens in perfect order for the best of all concerned."

3. Activate your Endurance. While you may be waiting for something to happen or end, it is important to have faith that when it is the perfect time, it will show up! You may think that you are ready for whatever it is you are “waiting for”, however, if it is not here, there is a reason for that. Look for the areas that you are currently growing in due to the circumstance. Those areas are probably more meaningful than you realize. Then practice steps 1 and 2 and wash, rinse, repeat until you feel patient and trusting.

Life gives us many opportunities to grow, we can chose to see a situation and how it limits us, or we can choose to see the same situation and how it is encouraging us to grow. We never stop growing here on Earth and circumstances are there for the same reason. Stop and practice a different approach to your next dilemma or “untimely” circumstance and watch what happens!

http://www.lssharmony.com/

Politeness. Manners. Elegance.

2010-10-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

Politeness. Manners. Elegance. These three words are great reminders of how to treat people. The Office, a humorous sitcom has a character named Andy Bernard, a Cornell graduate with a unique personality, educates us on his politeness!

This week’s quote of the week, shown above, was inspired by his character with a little lesson attached.

Three steps to illustrate your Polite, Elegant and Well-Mannered Attitude.

1. Show Appreciation: If someone goes out of their way for you, gives you a gift or a compliment, complete the cycle with appreciation. This could be a thank you note, or simply saying “thank you, that is so nice of you to say.” This completes the cycle of the kind gesture.

2. Show Respect: If you have been invited to an event, if is courteous and respectful to communicate and reply to the invitation. RSVP is French for: “repondez, s’il vous plait,” which means please reply!

3. Be Generous: Reach out into other lives and do them a favor. Go out of your way to make someone’s day or help someone else achieve something they are working towards. If this kind act comes your way, think outside of the box and find a way to return the noble act!

Live your best life and offer your greatest self to the world. It is like perfume, you cannot pour it on someone else without getting a little on yourself! Good day!

A Thought for Growth

2010-09-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

Think about this: “What you are looking for, is what is looking? What does this mean to you? Spend a moment and contemplate on this idea.

Are you looking for a relationship, money, success, etc. Well St. Francis of Assisi said it the best. The thing you are looking for, is the authentic spirit, the wholeness that we came from. Our human brain leads us to think that the outer things; money, relationships, health are the means to experience this inner harmony, but that is false. The truth is that we have this extraordinary opportunity to get in touch with an essence that is already here and exists within you right now.

The easiest way to break this down for yourself is to find and identify what it is you are looking for, the thing that your mind tells you everything would be better or ok if you just had this one thing. Next, ask yourself what feeling is associated with this “thing.” If the feeling is security or peace, you are now in touch with a deeper level of what you are looking for. You may think that money brings security, but the truth is money brings more options, and has nothing to do with security. If you want security, embrace yourself in security, research it, and know that the biggest security you can have is a spiritual sanctuary. This already exists within and has nothing to do with money.

I encourage you to look into your desires a little deeper this week. Find out what it is your are really longing for and then remember it is already within.

Your Response is the Choice

2010-09-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

Problems, difficulties and dilemmas will always pop up in life and are part of the human process. But it is in how you respond to these troubles that makes the journey an either pleasant one or an agonizing one. The choice is yours, here is a simple process to follow to help you create consciousness in your storm and not fall into the boat of misery.

1. Connect to Spiritual Thought:

a. Remember that everything is in the perfect place. No matter what is happening, it is all in the prefect place, at the perfect time and happening in the best way for you to learn the richest lesson.

2. Practice Quiet Time

a. Misery loves noise, if you find yourself in a noisy environment it is very easy to get caught up in the throbbing and aching of the situation. Quiet down, breathe through it and find a quieter place to put yourself into.

3. Define the Dilemma

a. Ask yourself “What does this dilemma feel like?” and then think back to the first time you felt this quandary. Practice bringing it to the surface and then letting it go.

4. Find the Other Side

a. Ask yourself “What is the opposite of this situation? For example if you are in pain, define the pain, (aching, burning, shooting sensation) and then find the opposite. Maybe it would be a feeling of tranquility, peace or contentment. Practice connecting to the opposite and focus on that.

This process will help you get out of the misery thinking and onto a path that will ensure conscious living. With an aware mind, empowerment will become your opportunity.

In the Flow

2010-09-13T05:51:00.000-07:00

Enter the flow to life.

A river does not strain to flow, nor do you have to.

It is all here for a reason. Everything.

If it is a hard moment,

go into the classroom of silence and listen for the meaning

This thing, in your mind right now,

is Perfect.

It is in the right time,

Right place. and...

will be better if you allow it to unfold!

Marinate on that

and create a great day!

Sophie Skover

Releasing Yourself from the Past

2010-09-07T04:55:00.000-07:00

"Life must be understood backwards. However, it must be lived forward." We can learn incredible lessons from the past, however the next step to successful living is to understand how to use that lesson or information to create a positive future.

When life wants your attention, you may find yourself in a painful situation. Pain is a great teacher and usually helps you notice when something is out of place, but it is not the pain that is the lesson- it is the message behind it. So, if you have a life ache, follow this sequence to release yourself from the past so you can live in an empowered future!

1. Identify What Happened
   Look at the situation at hand and identify what just took place with as little emotion as possible.
2. Ask Yourself: What is the message is behind this?
   Remember everything that happens is here to teach you something on a deeper level. If the message is buried deep, the pain may be more intense- but it is just trying to get your attention. Try to look underneath the pain and see what is there.
3. Stop & Silently Allow an Inner Answer to Surface
   Go into the classroom of silence and allow your inner self to guide you to a powerful awareness.
4. Honor the Answer
   Trust what comes to you in this classroom of silence. Whatever pops up IS the answer (even if is seems simple, weird, out of left field, etc.).
5. Release the Pain & Replace with the New Awareness
   After the new awareness is captured in the classroom of silence, release it. Literally clinch your fists and then let them go; seeing this as a physical way to release the past. Once you open your fists, place this new found awareness inside and then....
6. Practice this NEW Awareness
   All personal growth requires practice. After you have had an awareness it is going to take practice to keep this new thought present. If thoughts of the past resurface after you have gone through this process, go through steps 2-5 again! and Practice, Practice, Practice!

Remember: Pain is a messenger, trying to get your attention. So stop, ask, learn and grow!

How to Find Peace

2010-08-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

In our society, we have a very strong work ethic which is great in some ways, but has consequences in other areas. We work on average 40-60 hours per work, often going from one task to the next with anxiety. Our lives are filled up with activities, relationships, goals, aspirations and tasks, creating a busy, hectic and anxious environment to live in.

Because of this busy culture we live in, people usually describe peace as a relaxing place to live but, associate it with laziness or place they can only go on Sunday. This is not true. Peace can be motivating, inspiring and a healthier place to do all your activities, have relationships, accomplish goals and be successful! All it takes is a little recognition and a five-minute-technique to get there.

How to find Mental peace: 5 Minute Technique

1. Recognize Your State of Mind: stop and ask yourself if you are in a peaceful state of mind? If the answer is no, then you are ready to activate your peace.

2. Breathe: Take 10 deep breaths, in through the nose on a four count and out through pursed lips on a four count, one breath equals one in and out cycle. Imagine breathing in peace and exhaling all that you do not want.

3. Visualize Peace: close your eyes and develop an image of peace. Hold that for one minute and then come back to the moment. You can then use this visual anytime to activate peace.

4. Value Peace: see this peaceful state of mind as the point of your day and take it with you everywhere you go. Ask it to walk in front of you and observe what happens. Placing a value on a virtue like peace helps your mind understand its priority in thinking and will begin to release the ANTS (automatic negative thoughts) that take us away from our peace.

Practice this sequence throughout the day and notice what happens in you. Peace can be the essence of your journey, if you let it!

www.lssharmony.com

Salt Water Therapy

2010-08-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

Have you ever gone to the beach and felt like you just left some type of healing session? Or been stressed and had a great sweat promoting work out? Or maybe felt a little emotional and had a great cry!? Well these are all forms of salt water therapy and can make you feel so much better.

Go to the Beach:

The ocean in general is a healing natural place that can ignite physical and emotional healing. In need of some inner healing, go to the beach, feel the sand in your feet, the sun on your face and then go for a nice soak in the ocean. Release what is inside through some deep cleansing breaths and come into the moment!

Sweat it out:

Anything that brings your body into a a state of sweat means that you are producing endorphins, our body's natural pain killers. Get outside and walk or go for a run, find an exercise class or group, jump rope or do some jumping jacks. The point is to increase your heart rate until you are sweating, for at least 10-15 minutes.

CRY:

In American culture, crying is usually encouraged to be held in. Have you ever started crying and someone immediately says: "don't cry!" We, as a culture, need to begin to understand the healing power of crying and begin to encourage the tears to come. These tears are an emotional release that unleash the overspilling experience. So CRY and liberate yourself and you experience. Allow someone to cry with you and encourage them to release the inner emotion until it is all gone.

If you are ever in need of a quick stress release keep these three things in mind: sweat, tears and the ocean.

www.lssharmony.com

The Happiness Process

2010-08-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

When asked what happiness is, most people describe it as a feeling that comes from things outside of themselves; "I'm happy when I am traveling, or on the weekend, or at a social outing." But the happiness that we have the opportunity to touch in this lifetime comes from within, and is the key to feeling good about life. Finding how you feel and experience happiness is the first step. Describe happiness in your own terms, what does it mean to you? Where do you feel it in your body? The answers to these questions will lead you in a positive direction. Identifying is a powerful step to getting in touch with who you are, what you think and how you relate to a paticular subject.

The next step to understanding your happiness is begining to do the things that help you activate this feeling. Happiness does not exist outside of you, but it can be activated by outer things to help you find where it exists within. After you begin to ignite this feeling, you can then keep it humming on the inside. Discover what activates this feeling or state of mind in you by inquiring about the following: what makes you feel happy, content, peaceful, fulfilled, and then, do those things!

The last step in this process is sharing this inner state with the outer world. There is so much pain and hurting in this world, but a drop of happiness from you can begin to elevate the darkness. Emerson says it beautifully, "Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself." So in terms of this quote, by you begin happy in a moment and sharing it with another, you are affecting two people right then and there. This is a natural step to fidning a sense of purpose on a daily basis. Discover your happiness and share it with the world!

Health: A Process of Balance

2010-08-02T04:41:00.000-07:00

Christiane Northrup, Author of "Womens Bodies, Womens Wisdom", brilliantly highlights how our mind, emotions, attitudes and beliefs begin within and can create illness in the body for a multitude of reasons.

Do you have a reoccurring illness, ache or dis-ease in your body? If so, now is the time to find the message. Illness may pop up do to a past belief that the intellect is not even aware of, but with a couple easy questions and a little inner guidance you can find the meaning behind the pain.

Questions to ask yourself...

1. How did you respond to illness when you were a kid? Spend some time with this, this can take you to understanding what your beliefs may be doing.

2. Where is the pain or dis-ease located in your body? Locating the inflammation is a powerful tool to discover some of the inner emotional baggage that may be stuck in that area.

3. What is the message behind the illness? Stop and go within, see if there is something in you that wants your attention, or if there is something that you are running from. The point is to stop, ask and listen.

If you take the time with yourself, answers will be revealed. We live in a magnificent time in history, where medicine and the power of mind are coming together to create total well-being! Use the knowledge and intuition you have to create wholeness and Harmony in your life.

www.lssharmony.com

Dreams come True!

2010-07-19T06:13:00.001-07:00

We were all born with desires that I believe connect us to our ultimate purpose here on Earth! These desires lead us, or more commonly, show up inside of us as a dream. These dreams are what we are here for. If you have a dream follow the lyrics from the sound of music!

"Climb every mountain

Search high and low

Follow every byway

Every path you know

Climb every mountain

Ford every stream

Follow every rainbow

Till you find your dream

A dream that will need

All the love you can give

Everyday of your life

For as long as you live

Climb every mountain

Ford every stream

Follow every rainbow

Till you find your dream."

The most important part of this is to never give up. Remember, rejection can be a form of protection. Be thankful for all the turns your path takes and stay true to what you know inside; Your Dream!

Classroom of Silence

2010-07-12T05:15:00.000-07:00

Matthew Kelly, in the "Rhythm of Life", writes about the classroom of silence and how important it is for us to be able to sit with ourselves in silence. Silence is where peace emerges, visions become clear, and inner connections happen. This silence can be a form of prayer, meditation, inner focus or whatever word fits for you. The point is to stop and "be."

We spend our lives doing and having and when we enter the classroom of silence it allows us to stop and become. His suggestion is to sit in silence for an hour a day! If this seems like a little too much, start with five minutes and just sit in stillness. Your body may protest and tell you it needs to shift positions after about 30 seconds, or start to tell you to scratch that itch. This is only the body showing its habit of doing, and not being. If you can resist that itch or uncomfortable position, you will begin to find that inner peace that many spiritual leaders talk about!

Enter the classroom of silence today and discover that inner peace you have been longing for!

Believe in Yourself

2010-06-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

Your dream, or vision for your life, has been placed inside of you to give you guidance on how to live your life. Your inner passion or dream is like your navigator that says yes go this way, or no this is not your path. Regardless of the outcome, when you follow your path, you are always in the right place.

A wise woman once said, the four steps to success are show up, pay attention, speak your truth and stay detached from the outcome. This relates to your dream one-hundred percent! If something comes into your life, and says go this way, GO, follow it! You have to take action, this is your part of SHOWING UP. The next step is pay attention. Listen to what is around you, keep your focus and be awake and aware of what is going on, who you may be talking to, etc. This step is very important: PAY ATTENTION. The next part is crucial, Speak Your Truth. The truth placed inside of you is yours. This is the song of your heart, the way you string words together, the knowing that you are connected to. This is the place you want to speak from, YOUR TRUTH. And the most important step is to stay DETACHED from the outcome. A lot of the time, we have no idea why things come into our life. They may be the next step for our personal growth, here to take us to a new chapter of life, or to teach a valuable lesson. If you can stay detached you are more likely to take what you need from the experience, this is DETACHMENT and allows you to peacefully continue along your path. This step is crucial in staying true to your vision. Do you want something that is not on your path, or out of alignment with your dream? If you want something and it does not show up, it is not the best thing for you! Trust that!

Acceptance of how your path unfolds will give you peace through the journey. So remember, "Go after what you want and is in your heart! Believe in yourself and your path, be persistent and stay detached from how the greatness unfolds in your life."

who am I?

2010-06-21T04:45:00.000-07:00

Think about that question for a while. "Who would I be if no one ever told me who I was?" What does that mean? So much of our lives we are told who we are, what we like, what footsteps to follow in and how to act. Society and people give us these roles for good reasons, but at the same time, limit us on how we live and why. But what if just for a second, you thought about yourself as an individual. Who are you?

A great way to get in touch with this part of the self is to think back to when you were a child. What did you love, what kind of games did you play, how did you spend your time? Thinking about the way we were as children can connect us back to our authentic self. How have you changed since your childhood? What have you lost of given away? Can you get it back?

Take some time this week to reconnect to who you really are outside of who you have become. Stop and ask yourself this question, and let the answer come to the surface.

No Fear

2010-06-07T04:45:00.001-07:00

Wayne Dyer blends intellectual ideas with a spiritual spin. He quoted: "If you understood who walked beside you at all times, you would never be able to fear." He is suggesting the opportunity we have to connect with a force of greatness. You can call this God, Universe, Higher Power, Spirit, or whatever makes sense to you. However, the important part of this is not the vocabulary you use to describe this experience, but the connection you have with this experience.

If we can try to remember this power through out our day and realize that everything is the way it is supposed to be, you can get a taste of living with this quote. Life happens, good and bad things will come to the surface, however, it is times like these that we need to not fear. We need to remember to connect! Here are some questions you can ask to help your "self" understand what is happening and why it may be happening.

If the situation is:

Hard-

How am I being asked to grow?

Painful-

What is in me that is trying to emerge?

Luck-

How did I set myself up to receive this?

Answering these questions can bring a reflective attitude to the experience, which will cause growth and a positive pathway out of that feeling.

For more information: www.lssharmony.com

Freedom

2010-05-10T06:08:00.001-07:00

So many people live in the mind frame that money buys freedom. "If I only had more money I could do that, I could have this, and so on and so forth." This feeling, however, of not experiencing freedom has nothing to with dollar bills. It has to do with behavioral patterns and choices.

Freedom is a practice of feeling OK with where you are, when you are there. Freedom is unconditional. It has nothing to do with outer circumstances. And it has everything to do with inner choices.

Today, begin to practice feeling free and OK. If you are in the habit of feeling stuck, trapped or longing for something: STOP! These feelings will not take you to the path of freedom, all they do is help you practice feeling stuck or trapped. If you want freedom or happiness, practice those feelings. Find the freedom of the moment or something you are happy about right now. If you cannot find anything to be happy about; stand up, stretch your body out and try again!

Fate and Destiny

2010-04-26T06:35:00.001-07:00

We are all handed specific talents, unique abilities and particular passions to help us find our way on this earth. This would be our fate. The girl in the picture had the fate of flexibility, agility and fitness. She then found her destiny when she blended all these attributes together and expressed them through a toe touch.

Your destiny is to be determined. It is up to you to search your soul and find out who you are, what gifts you have and then ask yourself what you would like to do with them. There is no one else alive in this time of history that has your purpose or blend of gifts. You are unique, capable and alive to make a contribution. Discover what it is that is in you and let it out!

Self Reflection

2010-04-19T05:41:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson said it best! Change always exists within. No matter what it is that you see on the outside, all you have control over is your inner self. Take a moment and listen to "Man in the Mirror" this week and reflect over your life. Where can you make some changes?

Transformation

2010-04-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

We all have parts of ourselves that live in the darkness. We want to change, transform and be renovated, but that very part is usually locked up in a shell. Inside that shell, we may feel protected, but we are actually protecting the self from its fullest potential. That is the shell that needs to crack, to unlock the soul to fly free.

The shell can represent resistance. Resistance to our greatest self, to fulfilling inner desire, to love of all kinds and to the richness life has to offer. If we can find a way to crack this shell, we immediately feel vulnerable, but the crack represents breaking old habits and learning new ways to live. Embracing the newness that comes to the surface is like flying.

Acknowledge the shell in you that needs to break, look at it with courage and watch yourself emerge into the richest version of yourself.

Using Affirmations

2010-04-05T07:24:00.001-07:00

So much of the time our busy life takes over the way of our soul. Every spring we have an opportunity to be refreshed and renewed. Affirmations are a powerful way to do spring cleaning on your mind and life. They allow us a positive opportunity to rearrange our thoughts and move towards the harmony we were created from. They can be used to reorganize destructive thinking into an innovative place of creation.

When using affirmations it is important to stay true to your current emotion. If you are feeling angry and overwhelmed, saying an affirmation that you are "feeling great" may not be that helpful. But a great way to overcome this bad feeling or thought is by being honest with the current state and then working yourself out of it.

Exercise: Start by identifying what state you are currently in, even if it is bad. Admitting where you are will help you put your feet on the ground so you can then choose to move in a different direction. For example, "I feel tired and unmotivated today." Ok, so this is how you feel, this is your current state of mind and emotion and it is "ok" to be honest with how you feel! This first step is identifying and admitting where we truly are. Next, ask yourself if you want to stay in this feeling? If the answer is no, then it is time to begin walking away from it and this is where your affirmations come into play.

Using affirmations connect you to empowerment thinking and are always written from a positive point of view. So if you are feeling tired, find the opposite of that emotion and create an affirmation around that. The opposite of tired is awake, therefore “I experience an awakening in my mood. I begin to experience alertness and move with positive energy through the rest of my day.” Using affirmations is like using a dumbbell in the gym to strengthen a muscle. You need to do repetitions to get get stronger. Practice your affirmations throughout the day, 3 sets of 15!

Samples of Affirmations to feel better:

“Across the landscape of my mind I see beauty. My heart sings a song of melody, in complete harmony with who I am."

"I see royalty within, and honor my Self. I found that happiness is inside all the time and I allow it to come to the surface.”

“I am enjoying this very moment and find bliss every time I simply remember."

"I now see my body as whole and filled with beauty."

"I make the conscious decision to be happy and choose to be nice to myself. I breathe out hatred and inhale love."

"Every decision I make guides me along my path of purpose and harmony.”

The Harvest of Intention

2010-03-29T04:57:00.000-07:00

So much of the time, we "say" we want things, but then we "plant seeds" of the very things we do not want. I encourage you to get in touch with what you are truly looking for and then begin to plant those seeds. Here are some examples for the different areas of life:

Relationships:

Regardless of the one you are in, ask yourself what you are looking for? What you are grateful for? What may need some TLC? Then begin to plant those very things.

Money & Prosperity:

Look at all that you have created up to this point. Look for abundance in all the areas of your life and then focus your thoughts upon these things. Speak from this point of view and learn to adjust your perspective to see prosperity when it shows up. Using a lens that looks for the fullness of life is like watering a plant with the purest water.

Health:

The body is an amazing machine that functions optimally under strenuous conditions. Making physical health a priority is like the sunshine a plant needs to flourish. What does health mean to you? What area do you need to work on? Create ONE (1) goal this week that shifts your focus back onto health and notice what happens when you achieve that ONE goal!

(*You can achieve anything you think of, it is figuring out the journey that turns it into a reality. The biggest reason for failure is setting unmanageable goals, so you want to create a space that is on track with accomplishment, because accomplishment creates motivation and when motivated you can get things done. You can always do more than your goal, but the most important part is feeling accomplished.)

Happiness:

Happiness the emotional experience that most say they want, but then plant seeds of sadness, anger, discontent and frustration all over their garden. What makes you feel happy? Do that. What makes you smile? Do that. What makes you feel content? Do that. Happiness is like the wind that the plant blows within. It is in the moment, hard to see, but easy to feel.

Create a Pleasant Day!

Overcoming Fear

2010-03-22T05:37:00.001-07:00

"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." What is the one thing that has been on your mind to do, but for some reason you continue to not attempt? This thing takes up so much space in your experience and holds you back in ways that are immeasurable. What if you were to take that one thing, look at it today and create a plan to tackle it. What is waiting for you on the other side is unknown. However, the space that it will unlock for you in the present is tremendous. Live your day with intention and get ready to see all your desired treasures!

Quote of the Week

2010-03-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

Try to look for the fullness in life. If our default mind frame is so trained to see emptiness it dilutes your life experience.