Experiential Alternatives

Why do we choose at times to head down a path that really doesn’t fit on our life map that we have created? I know I have gone down several paths throughout the years that took me to places that I thought would destroy me. I had lost trust in the process of the universe and the belief that we all have a role in creating our own destiny. Thankfully, I experienced a shift that came when I could step back and trust in the great forse of life. There is a larger hand that is guiding us each and every day. We have to wake up, be alert and look for what has been placed directly in front of us. You have the ability and the power to create the life of your dreams. You have to believe that it is possible but more importantly you have to trust in the process that is unfolding in your own life. Once you have done this, doors will fly open, hands will extend to help and your dreams will be realized. Make a commitment today to start each day with the following questions. “What am I here to do today?” “How can I make a difference in someone elses life?” “Where can I make the greatest impact?” You have the opportunity to share your gifts every day simply by trusting in the great force of life. Blessings.

One of my favorite movies when I was young was the Wizard of Oz. At the end of the movie when Dorthy is trying to get home, Glenda tells her she always had the power. Once she clicked her heels together three times, she was waking up safely tucked in her bed with family and friends surrounding her. I was always so relieved when she had made it home and away from the wicked witch.

I think there are times in our lives that feel like we are surrounded by the wicked witches of life. Nothing seems to go right and feelings of hopelessness and despair seem to settle in. It can feel like we are trapped, captured by our own limiting beliefs. We have convinced ourselves to give up and that nothing is going as planned. These are the times when we should not and cannot give up. You must stand tall in your power and trust that what you are seeking is seeking you. Stop and focus on what it is that you really want in your life. Take the time to gain some clarity and write down your ideas and dreams. You have to picture what you want in order to make it a reality. Once your vision is clear, start small. Begin by taking baby steps. The key is to begin. Once you get started, you will feel movement and know that you are on your way. Today is the day. Don’t wait another minute. Let’s go!

The seasons are changing. It’s astonishing how quickly time is moving these days. One minute it was the holidays and now the birds are singing, the sun is shining, buds are blooming and folks are shedding their winter blues. Everywhere I go, I feel a sense of hope and expectation. You can feel the movement all around us. People are getting ready for their own personal spring cleaning. Let’s clear the clutter. Starting with your mental clutter, let go of the limiting beliefs that you have held on to for too long. Discard the idea that you aren’t enough. Here is a question that I would like you to ponder. What part of your story is no longer true or was never true? Our stories encompass the parts of our lives that have ended. That particular time was important and served us well but the story no longer applies to the here and now. As the seasons change, so has the seasonality of our lives. Clear the physical clutter. Let’s make space for the next part of our journey. Discard the things that no longer have meaning or serve us in our physical realm. Make a plan to get rid of the stuff that has accumulated over time and is simply taking up space. Once you open up your physical space, space will open up within you as well. It’s time to welcome Spring into your heart. Let go and lead from a heart centered space. You are ready. Spring has sprung.

The holidays have come and gone and we are more than halfway through the first month of the year. Many folks spent time with family and friends and honored their individual traditions. For many, they were alone, struggling through the HOLIDAY season. What can you do to assure the holiday spirit is alive and well throughout the year not just a seasonal idea? Let’s pay it forward. The simple answer-LOVE. Spread some love each day. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. Small gestures add up in your day to day life. Here are a few suggestions that are simple yet can be profound to someone else. Pay for someone’s grocery bill. Pay for a cup of coffee at a drive thru. Pay for someone to shovel your neighbors driveway after the first snow. If you don’t have or want to spend money, offer your services. Offer to clean someone’s house. Bake some goodies for a neighbor. Offer your time and attention to your friends and family in whatever way they need. Any gesture of kindness makes a difference. Don’t underestimate the power of love. You never know what trials and tribulations someone is dealing with in their life. Your offer could be the one thing that changes a life and in some cases saves a life. Give from your heart. The simple answer-LOVE.

Sometimes I think we take our life for granted. I know that when I was younger, I had this notion that I was invincible, that I could continue to make unhealthy choices and there would be no consequences. I was on a path that could have led to disaster but I was stopped in my tracks. Several challenges presented themselves that forced me to change my path. And I am thankful that I did. We are all presented with opportunities for change. We get nudges that it is time for a different job, a different relationship, a different city, a different life. What gets in the way of taking that step towards a happier life? Usually it is a set of limiting beliefs that were created from a story that no longer holds true in our lives. We get caught up in thinking that change is too difficult and so we continue to tolerate that which no longer serves us. There comes a time in our life when we have a defining moment. Something triggers us and we realize that change is inevitable. We can lean into the change or we can go kicking and screaming but we will go. And isn’t that just the miracle of life? It surprises us when we least expect it. Next time you get that nudge, close your eyes and breathe into it. Allow yourself to feel it, smell it, taste it and then start. Take the step that will begin the journey to a happier life. Don’t hesitate another minute. It’s time.

We are entering that time of year when we give formal thanks for all that we have and all that we are becoming. I have a daily ritual that I would like to share with you. Each day when I wake up, the first thing that I say to myself is, “I am grateful I woke up this morning. There are folks who did not. What am I here to do today?” There are many that live in a negative space, focused on lack and what they think they are owed. Perhaps they had an unhappy childhood or come from circumstances that were less than ideal. Unfortunately, they are stuck in the past and can’t seem to move into a different thinking pattern. It is said, “change your thinking, change your life.” And part of the change requires an attitude of gratitude. It is amazing what a change in attitude can do for your everyday life. Try this exercise for 30 days. It is called the Mirror Exercise. Begin your day by standing in front of the mirror and appreciating you and your life. Say out loud what you are grateful for and that you love yourself. Some folks do this at the end of the day. It helps change your mind about the idea of gratitude and what you can be grateful for everyday. The gratitude that you express daily for those around you and for yourself will have a big impact on how you go about each day. You will find yourself smiling more and giving thanks for all the small things in your life. Today, express gratitude to someone that you haven’t spoken to in awhile and thank them for being a part of your journey. Continue on with your daily ritual and remember to begin each day from a heartfelt space. Namaste.

It takes courage these days to live in our world. So many changes, split second alterations and iterations in our lives. Most folks think of courage as an outward gesture, stepping into situations that may bring harm and helping to mitigate a situation or event. But let’s talk about the courage to be fully present. The courage to oerate from an authentic space. The courage to show up in your life. The courage to let people into your heart. These types of courage take a great leap on your part, to step into your own greatness and allow others to see the real you. Why are folks afraid to live their lives from a couragweous standpoint? Fear can stifle, immobilize and basically freeze an individual in their tracks. There is no forward movement and eventually we find ourselves stuck in an old story that no longer serves our highest calling. It takes courage to re-write your story as you, right now, your present self. Your story helped shape who you are today and gave you the courage to walk down a different path. The path is calling you. Breathe deep. Go inside yourself and find the courageous self that has been there waiting. It is time. No more hesitation. Find the courage to step into your greatness and live the life that is yours for the taking. If you need assistance in finding your courage, call me at 816-309-8543 or contact me at sharon.mcgloin@experientialalternatives.com.

Can you feel it, smell it, hear it? The seasons are beginning to change. The natural flow of the life cycle is in full force. Leaves are changing colors, animals are preparing for hibernation and we are putting away the summer clothes and pulling out the fall and winter layers. Soon it will be time for us to do some purging, cleansing and introspection into our own life and the journey that is waiting. Start close in. Begin by asking yourself, “Am I in alignment with my purpose? Do I wake up everyday excited about the possibilities of the day? Am I making a difference in someone else’s life? What gifts do I have that need to be shared toward the greater good?” These are questions that can help guide you on your life path. At times we have an idea of what we should be doing but we hesitate and talk ourselves out of taking the next step. Our inner critic interrupts us and gets in the way. Tap into your inner coach and pay attention to what you already know to be true. Your story is exactly that, your story. Don’t let your story define you. Instead use your story to move forward into the next chapter of your life. It is time to take those next steps, one step at a time. What do you think is that one thing that you have been hesitating to explore? Open the question. Ask yourself. Write it down. Say it out loud. Once you speak it, the universe will begin to conspire to help you achieve that which you are imagining. See it. Believe it. Let’s go. Start close in.

When I was eleven years old, my mother became very ill. She had a stroke which changed everything about how I was living my life at that time. As a child, I am not sure what I even thought had happened. I remember her coming home from the hospital and the physical therapist coming over to help her gain some mobility back in her arms and legs. What I didn’t know was that much of my childhood would be lost as my sister and I became the primary caretakers in the household. We learned how to cook, clean, iron my fathers shirts, do laundry, all the necessary tasks that it took to keep things going. I was also very much a tomboy and loved to play sports. Somehow I managed to be involved in a variety of teams as well as get my chores done so that I could go and play. Sadly, my mother passed away when I was seventeen. At the time, I was entering my senior year of high school. It was a difficult year and I was ready to leave for college and be on my own. As I look back on my life, I have spent the majority of it on my own. I was never comfortable with asking for help. I would always just do what needed to be done and keep going. When you have an unexpected occurrence, your life can be profoundly impacted in a variety of ways. For me, I went a little crazy in my twenties. It was a time of self discovery and adventure. On my own, I did what I wanted, when I wanted, with whomever I wanted. Eventually, it caught up with me and I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia at the age of thirty-two. Once again, an unexpected occurrence. I began a journey of health and wellness that took me on a path to my best self. I have always been a seeker. I read all the time, asking myself questions, trying to understand my place in the world and how best to share my gifts. I had an unexpected occurrence again this past year when I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that could possibly have destroyed me. I am grateful that through it all, my health has remained steady and thanks to having been on a path of health and wholeness, I am well. Unexpected occurrences can throw us down the rabbit hole. What I know for sure is that we can and we must climb out, stand tall and affirm our place in the world. We all have a purpose and it is up to us to discover it and share it. Don’t wait for an unexpected occurrence. Start today. Let me know if you need some assistance. I am ready and willing to help. Blessings.

As we draw closer to the last quarter of the year, it is time to begin an inventory of how we are doing in 2015. We all have dreams and goals. The question becomes one of focus and diligence. What was the number one thing that you said you wanted to work on January 1, 2015? Do you remember? Did it stay in the forefront or fall by the wayside? The year isn’t over yet. Today is the day to begin and choose one thing that you will start to focus on that will turn your dream into reality. You will have approximately three months starting on October 1st. If you did one thing everyday that would be a little over 90 things that could impact your life. If you are unclear about where to start, spend some time looking at the parts of yourself that you don’t normally think of as a gift. What is your hidden talent? What are the parts of the self that haven’t talked to one another in years? As David Whyte stated so eloquently, “What is stopping you from coming to the pivot of your life? What is the part of yourself that you don’t draw on because you see it as a weakness?” We all have “to do” lists. The “to do” was put together yesterday. What do you need to focus on today that will start the necessary movement in your life?

“Start close in. Don’t take the second step or the third. Take the step you don’t want to take. Start close in.” David Whyte. Namaste.