Kristen Marie's Blog

Getting Integrated

One of the biggest miracles I received recently has been grasping the idea of integration. This idea has been showing up all over the place for me - from my work with my fabulous coach Matthew Ferry to a recent reading with a shaman/intuitive.

In its essence, what I am learning is the power of infusing everything I do with what I am committed to. As I step back and look at what juices me, there seem to be two themes that emerge: Creating/Building and Contributing/Making a Difference. It's a little wild, but as I look at my life I can see where these themes show up over and over, and I wasn't even aware of it. Now that I have distinguished them, I get to energize them more and more.

As part of my daily practice, I have established seven things that I do each day that either Create/Build or Contribute to Others. I'll be sharing more about that soon. For today, I invite you to inquire for yourself what themes weave themselves through the things you love to do the most. Then you can explore ways to get more of what you want each and every day.

A Little Wisdom

"An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea."
- Buddha

It's All In Your Mind

I have this really amazing collage that a friend of mine from college created titled "It's all in your mind". (yep, that's a collage from college) It's one of my favorite pieces of original art for both its aesthetic and its conceptual content.

I love the notion that it IS all in my mind. Notice the freedom and the prison in that statement.

The more I immerse myself in conversations about consciousness, possibility and plain old "Think and Grow Rich" principles, the more clarity, evidence and insight I get that points to the deep wisdom of those five words.

I recently reread Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - which interestingly was written right after the Depression. I encourage you to get the original text version and take it for a spin. It's superb.

Now I am into The Diamond Cutter; The Buddha on Managing Your Life And Your Business. It presents this very same idea in a very different way. More confirmation for me that I am on the right path. Especially when I understand the biology and function of my mind as distinct from my spirit.

Anyway, I am just thinking. It keeps my mind happy.

Send A Little Love Today

One of my favorite things to do is appreciate and acknowledge people. One of my favorite ways to do that is by sending personal, handwritten cards.

About a year ago I friend of mine turned me onto SendOutCards. I have simply become a raving fan. I totally love how easy it is to send a card, and make someone’s day in an instant. What I love about this company is that it helps me be the person I want to be - one that appreciates and acknowledges people as a way of being in the world. After all, no matter how much we have, we achieve or we create in our lives it’s the people we have built relationships with that make a difference. Next to our health, it’s THE thing that makes a beautiful life.

I love people. And I love contributing to the lives of others. Sending a thoughtful card is one of my favorite things to do. I am not even sure why, it just is.

Is there someone in your life you’d like to acknowledge, appreciate or send a little love to today? Click here, and send a personalized greeting card ON ME. What could be better?

I am off to go send cards.....

Non-Resistance Rocks!

Boy, does the Universe think a lot of me! In the past two weeks, I've had one of the biggest breakdowns, and one of the biggest breakthroughs of my life.

I won't bore you with the details of the breakdown. Let's just leave it at this; I am not shy about sharing my opinion with others, especially when I feel I am not being heard, or my heart has been hurt.

Now, the breakthrough... that's where the juicy part is. Last Sunday I had the good fortune of really experiencing non-resistance. I had someone I love very much choose to take themselves out of my life. In the past I would have been upset, mad, hurt, fixing, and angry. Yet in the moment that they told me about their decision I experienced calm, acceptance and true, radiating love for this person. It was unlike anything I have ever experienced.

By choosing non-resistance as the response to the decision of another, I find myself in flow. I am so grateful for this lesson. And the gift this person has given me.

Our natural state is joy, love and bliss. These days my spiritual practice centers around being in those states as much as possible. I am learning that the keys to getting everything you want in life are choosing to be in Non-Resistance and in Gratitude. I'll tell ya, they totally rock!

Wow. Talk About Instant Transformation.

60 minutes ago I was in total breakdown. Pissed. Frustrated. Mad. Luckily, over the course of the past two years my ability to transform in the moment has become highly tuned. Within 3 minutes the Universe sent in reinforcements to get me back on track. Here's what it sent:

1. I walked into my office to find flowers and a note thanking me for stepping up and contributing to a board of directors as its president. I don't know about you, but it's hard for me to be in a bad mood and get flowers at the same time.
2. I clicked on my Twitter account to learn that TODAY my post about "Positive Thinking" popped up (read below - it's a good one). Please understand, this is a repost from July 2007 that I put in my blog queue about 2 weeks ago. How perfect that it would show up today.
3. I got a call from my friend Brooke that started with "You are so beautiful!" (Hooray for amazing friends!!)
4. I read an email from a gal I hardly know (honestly I think she clicked the wrong 'Kristen' in her address book) with the most lovely words that whacked me into thanksgiving, fast:

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.  Concentrate on this sentence... ' The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you. ' Something good will happen to you today; something that you have been waiting to hear.'

I am in awe of the Universe's power to bring me exactly what I need, when I need it. Whoa. And I am so thankful that I am able to see, and receive these amazing gifts. So, as of 2pm, I am back. More resolved than ever to go after my dreams. Onward!

Positive Thinking Has Power

I think one of the coolest things about living right now, in this time and space, is that we are learning how powerful our minds really are. We are grasping at a whole new level our ability to shape our lives and to create our experience on a moment by moment basis.

Take the idea of positive thinking. Isn’t it easy to poo-poo it as the stuff of ‘overly happy people’? Have you ever been around someone who seemingly always sees the positive side of things? Annoying, isn’t it?

Well, I am one of those people. I confess. I am a positive thinking, habitually happy person. There, I said it.

And I want to let you in on a little secret: even positive people have bad days. Take last last week, for example. I was sooooo not in my groove. And choose to let loose and wallow in all the frustration, irritations, upsets, and the ick I could think of. I cried and cried and cried, wadded up in a ball on my bathroom floor at 1:00am. I was whaling into a towel – you know, huh-huh-huh-huh-waaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! - and totally committed to being a crying mess. Then I stopped. I decided I was being a little over the top, and I chose to get into gratitude.

Ah, gratitude. The ultimate emotion.

I believe positive thinking is grounded in and can be found by choosing gratitude. Being thankful for what we have is the most powerful way to train our brains to be positive. And for me, it’s the fastest way to shift from stinky experiences to ‘damn, I have a great life.’

So today, in honor of all happy, positive people (and the great things they are doing to impact the world) let’s get into gratitude and see what happens!

(This post was originally published July 2007)

Ride The Wave

I am wired for speed. I like a fast pace..... or rather, I am so used to a fast pace that when I am not on the go, I feel weird. This way of being worked for me for a long time. But I'll tell you, it's tiring. I'll bet you know what I mean.

My coach Matthew Ferry teaches about "riding the wave"... noticing that there are high points and low points in every wave, the trick is to ride when it comes and REST when the next one is one its way. This is where I get stuck. I totally get the "ride" part.... I imagine a surfer on his board flying across the water, shifting his weight to stay upright, and yelling Yaaaahhhhhhoooooooooooo all the way down. Cool huh?

Ok, here's the tricky part for me to grasp. ALL GREAT SURFERS WAIT FOR THE NEXT WAVE. They paddle out... they get prepared... and they wait. They don't try to force the wave to happen. They don't get antsy that the wave isn't here yet. They aren't fearful that maybe another wave really isn't coming.

No, they get themsleves prepared and they have faith that lots of great waves are on the way.

My intention these days is to enjoy the 'no wave' time. To rest, renew, be in an anticipatory state expressing pure joy that a wave is forming that will blow my mind.

Yahoo!

Abundance Affirmawraps Spotted at a James Ray Event!

Terri Levine (the guru of coaching and a dear friend) sent Abundance Affirmawraps as gifts last holiday season to her VIP clients. Check out this totally fabulous man modeling his Affirmawrap at a recent James Arthur Ray weekend event.

How cool is this? (I so love my life!)

I AM A YES

About the same time as I got into massive action by reaching out and connecting with people in February, I decided I was a YES to life. A YES to pretty much whatever was put in front of me. Boy oh boy. It's been absolutely fabulous.

A friend gave me an invitation to a 3 hour workshop about communication that totally rocked. (I am doing the weekend workshop next). I've had the good pleasure of working with Matthew Ferry who is truly a world class coach and mentor. Today I was offered an ongoing 1-2 minute spot on a local radio show to present an affirmation for the week (how cool is this!?).

The more I am a YES, the more comes. It's really remarkable. Give it a try and let me know what happens.