I learn as much from my clients as they do from me.  Today one of my clients inspired me to write about something I believe in deeply: embodying our truth and shining our light.

According to the Mayan Calendar, 2012 has long been regarded as the year the world would end.  Many of us however are experiencing something substantially more uplifting than the apocalypse.  We are feeling a larger calling to a greater way of being.  We are feeling the energy of this year already as alive, illuminated, important and palpable.  We are ready to take a stand, express ourselves, up the anti, trust the Universe and simply allow our access to Spirit to move through us.  

Last year brought economic distress, natural disaster and upheaval.  The global uprisings and Occupy movements of 2011 proved that as a people we are ready for change.  We have begun to shed layers that no longer serve the human race or our planet.  The decay and destruction of some of our most fundamental systems is making room for the light to emerge and for change to come.  This light is what we feel.  This greater way of being is the whisper we are hearing and are beginning to follow.  The spiritual communities and gurus are referring to 2012 as "The Great Turning".  It is our time to become who we are truly meant to be. It is our time to choose love over fear.  It is our time to give energy to positive thoughts and dialogue over gossip and victim mentality.  It is our time to honor the earth, return to nature's cycles and our body's intuitive wisdom as our ultimate guides on this journey.  

By allowing ourselves to become conscious, aware and still we are able to hear our inner truth.  By allowing ourselves to act and speak authentically and lovingly, our truth begins to emerge and create a ripple effect.  By letting our light shine we contribute to the greater, glorious, inexplainable cosmic light and life force energy of our Universe.  We become carriers of this light.  

As 2012 begins, I invite you to let your light shine.  I invite you to take responsibility for the perspective you choose to hold about your circumstances.  I invite you to speak honestly and act authentically.  I invite you to risk and shed what no longer serves you.  I invite you to love yourself and open to vulnerability.  The potential greatness of our world depends on you doing this.  By shining your light you give others permission to the same and you contribute to the global, human, Universal positive change that is occurring.  

In closing, I'd like to share one of my favorite quotes with you.  May it inspire you and may your light shine gloriously bright over the course of this year and beyond!

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Marianne Williamson

I welcome your comments.

Shine On,
Rony

AN INVITATION TO MARVEL AT YOUR LIFE

And so the end of 2011 is upon us.  What a powerful year!  Did you feel it? I find the end of the year to be one of the most meaningful times, moreso than the beginning of the year.  As these last days of December present themselves, many of us finally have a little downtime to take care of things around the house, relax and enjoy friends and family.  It is a poignant time of year to marvel at your life and an important time to assess where you are at and where you are going.  

YEAR END REFLECTION:  MAKING TIME TO LOOK BACK
Reflection is a powerful tool towards achieving inner peace and clarity of vision.  It can create a sense of closure as we shut the door to 2011 and strengthen our sense of possibility as we open the gates to 2012.  I dedicate time before December 31st each year to honor my journey over the last 365 days and to marvel at my life.  When we really take time to look back over the year, we often realize just how many mini miracles occurred and how much we've grown.  Even if we have had an immensely difficult year, reflection at year's end allows us to close one chapter of life and welcome in an easier ride in the coming year.  Often times it is getting clear about what didn't work that ignites the passion in us to shift our experience moving forward.

I invite you to take some quiet time to yourself to reflect.  My favorite place to do this is at the beach or in my bedroom early in the morning with my journal.  Here are some questions to inspire your process:
* What would you like to acknowledge yourself for?
* How did you grow this year?
* What was your most brave moment in 2011?
* Where did you practice expressing yourself authentically?
* What was the highlight of your year?
* Who/what are you most grateful for in 2011?
* What do you need to forgive yourself for?
* What is the greatest lesson you learned this year?
* What word embodies the overall theme of your year?
* What parts of your life from 2011 are you going to continue to cultivate in 2012?

MAKING ROOM FOR 2012:  CLEARING PHYSICAL & MENTAL/EMOTIONAL CLUTTER
During the process of reflection it is common to gain some clarity on next steps.  As we prepare to set intention and clarify our New Year's resolutions, it is important to make room for all of the good things we would like to invite in.  Clearing clutter and "Releasing Rituals" are powerful, simple ways to create room for abundance, love, health and manifestation in the new year.  I just finished going through my closets, desk and computer to get rid of everything that is no longer relevant to my life now.  It feels fantastic!  I feel lighter, more aligned and excited to really set intention and start manifesting my dreams come January.

In terms of physical clutter clearing, I recommend doing a quick "once over" on your closets, kitchen cupboards, bathroom drawers, desk, file cabinets, garage, etc.  As you do this, ask yourself:
* What am I ready to let go of?
* What represents an old version of me that I do not want to embody moving forward?
* Would the future version of myself that I want to become utilize this item?
* Do I use/wear this item more than once every 6 months?  
* Do I really need this?

In addition to physical clutter, releasing mental/emotional clutter can really free us up and make us ready for the new year.  I recommend conducting a simple ritual to release what you no longer need.  You can write the answers to the questions below on a piece of paper and safely burn it or throw it away.  Or you can vocalize your feelings/answers to the ocean, a tree, an expansive valley or vista point.  Nature has the strength to hold it all for you so you can let it go.  Some questions to ask:
* What belief systems or "stories" about myself/my life no longer serve me that I can release?
* What spoken or unspoken "agreements" have I made with myself or others that are holding me back?
* What anger am I holding onto?
* What do I need to express?
* Who do I need to forgive?

NEW YEARS BLESSINGS
2012 is becoming more widely regarded as the year we will collectively shift the consciousness of our planet and evolve the world.  Many of us feel that we are being called to step fully into our most actualized selves.  As we stand at the doorway of this powerful time in history, I invite you to reflect on where you've been so that you may identify where you need to go from an empowered, celebratory place.  

Wishing you and your loved ones a most incredible 2012!  May the coming year be filled with abundant health, activities and people that bring you joy, empowerment, success, clarity, creativity, inner peace, balance, laughter, ease and love.  May you be fully expressed, feel alive in your body and feel that your life is on course with your purpose and dreams!  

As I close out 2011, I am extremely grateful.  Thank You to all of you who read and forward my newsletters and blogs.  THANK YOU to my amazing clients and workshop participants. I am blown away by your willingness to show up, risk, learn and remain committed to your process of evolution.  Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey.  New Years blessings to you!  Thank you also to my unbelievable family, friends, teachers and partner.  You inspire me daily and remind me what living an authentic, healthy life is truly about.

See you on the other side!
Shine On,
Rony

BALANCING HOLIDAY CHEER & PERSONAL YEAR-END RESTORATION.  

This is an especially interesting time of year.  On the one hand, the holiday season is incredibly festive and illuminated.  Everywhere we turn we see the bright, joyous lights of the holidays marking this special time.  We gather, attending and hosting numerous holiday parties, engage the extroverted parts of ourselves and raise a glass to life.

On the other hand however, these are the shortest days of the winter season.  The winter solstice falls on December 21st, reminding us that the darkness of winter is here for a reason.  As night falls early, nature's cycles beckon us to slow down, to rest, reflect and hibernate during this time of year.  Many of us regard January as our time to re-engage our ambitious, get-up-and-go approach to life, naturally making the end of December our time to go inward and recoup before we pick up the pace again.  

Earlier this week in my monthly women's group, we discussed this paradox of being pulled towards external exuberance and internal restoration simultaneously.  Many of us expressed feeling overwhelmed by holiday party obligations, shopping, hosting duties and year-end deadlines.  While we love to see our friends, families and co-workers, we were quick to admit that we were craving a few quiet nights at home before 2012.  

Our conversation gave me pause and had me realize just how overwhelming this time of year can be for many.  
How do we get the full festive holiday experience while honoring our physical, emotional need to slow down?

In sitting with this inquiry, I feel we have the opportunity to celebrate the light while cherishing the hidden gifts of darkness.  If we choose to be mindful about it, we can create balance this holiday season.

CELEBRATING THE LIGHT
Christmas and Hanukkah fall at the same time this year.  Each of these holidays is marked by lights.  As Christmas nears, we are surrounded by the quintessential holiday lights that remind us that something special is going on.  It is a time for celebration, faith and cheer.  As a child I remember walking down "Christmas Tree Lane" in my neighborhood and counting all the houses that were covered in lights.  Although I am Jewish and do not celebrate Christmas, I remember feeling a sense of excitement and wonderment as we passed others who were sharing the delight of the lights and holiday season.  It is a deeply joyous, spiritual time for many.

Hanukkah is a holiday that celebrates the miracle of light.  Pause for a moment and take in this obvious blessing that we sometimes take for granted: the miracle of light.  It is my favorite Jewish holiday of the year.  In addition to the festive, social aspect of this holiday, this holiday is my favorite because for 8 nights we take time out to light candles and celebrate light.  Lighting candles is ceremonial, sacred, meaningful.  We do it during rituals, when we meditate and in honor of our birthdays.  It is an opportunity to pause, become grateful and remember to be in awe of life.  I also see it as a chance to celebrate how illuminated my life is and how brightly the inner light of my friends and family shine.  

Here are some questions to stimulate your appreciation of the light all around you at this time:
* How can you truly celebrate the light of life this holiday season?
* What are you grateful for?
* Who and what are you in awe of?
* Before going to a holiday party, pause and ask yourself: What am I REALLY celebrating tonight?
* What miracles exist in your life?  How are you blessed?
* How can you spread the holiday light to someone in need?
* In what ways do you have faith?  What restores your faith?  
* What are you praying for?

CHERISHING THE DARKNESS
Darkness is something we often want to run away from.  To many it represents fear, hardship and confusion.  I invite you to consider a different perspective: the beauty and blessing of darkness.  Darkness can also represent stillness, rest and peace.  It is by contrast to the dark that we actually can see the light.  Imagine the beauty and stillness of a starry night out in nature, away from the city lights.  It is stunning how many stars are actually visible across the backdrop of the dark night sky!  

Darkness also represents going inward.  While this is scary for some, in truth, it is one of the most beautiful, powerful practices we can engage in.  It is through going inward that we get clarity, return to a place of trust vs. fear and restore our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical tanks.  It is by going inward, reflecting and resting that our creative ideas suddenly re-emerge and our capacity for others multiplies ten fold.  Ironically, it is through the inner peace and stillness of darkness that we access and strengthen our inner light.  

On a physical level, darkness makes us sleepy.  Melatonin, a hormone that makes us tired, is secreted upon exposure to darkness.  As night falls, this hormone is released, allowing us to easily fall asleep.  As the days shorten, we are called to go inward.  Nature demands it of us.  It is our time to rest, replenish, reflect and restore.  To learn more about melatonin and other variables that impact your sleep/wake cycles, download my free article on 
The Six Secrets To Splendid Sleep.  

I invite you to turn your phone off and schedule time on your calendar for napping, meditation, alone time, baths, massages and personal pampering amidst the holiday buzz!  Here are some questions to get you started:

* How can you create in-between moments of stillness amidst the holiday rush?
* Will you commit to sitting in silence for 5-10 minutes first thing every morning until 2012?
* Before entering a holiday party, sit in your car for 3 minutes and practice deep breathing.  Go inward and ask yourself: What am I really feeling?  How can I experience this party in the most balanced way?
* What can you say NO to?  I give you permission to set boundaries! 
* What does your ideal quiet night at home entail?  Promise yourself one night like this before 2012.
* When you take a few moments and quiet yourself, what do you hear?  
* What does your intuition tell you that you need?

May your light shine bright and your tanks be full.
Wishing you balance, joy, celebration and personal time for rest and restoration this holiday season!  

I welcome your comments!

Shine On,
Rony

Listen to Rony as she talks with WholeBody Talk's Polina Smith and gives easy tips for having a healthy, conscious holiday season filled with gratitude.  To download the Podcast for free via iTunes, click Here!

Wishing you a joyous, nourishing and relaxing holiday season.  There is lots to be grateful for when you shift your focus to seeing it!

Shine On,
Rony

A NEW WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE HOLIDAYS

The holidays can be a time of stress, family tension and over-eating for many of us.  While we cherish time spent with relatives and friends, enjoy traditional foods and leaving town for a few days, typically, the holidays are laden with travel tension, family tension, little personal time and lots of over-eating that leaves many of us feeling bloated, frustrated and regretting our choices.  It is as if we let all of our conscious choice making fly out the window in order to fully experience the holidays.  We opt for complete indulgence during the holiday season knowing that January will come soon enough to get us back on track. 

What if we could indulge, connect and relax while feeling empowered, conscious and proud of ourselves?  What if we could spend the holidays totally fulfilled AND in a way that continued our self-growth, fostered our health and forward movement towards our larger goals? 

WHAT IF YOUR HIGHEST SELF CAME TO THANKSGIVING?

THE OLD STORY
Many of us have created stories that promote being stuck in a limited place of false beliefs.  We convince ourselves that the following is true.  See if any of these statements are things you’ve told yourself before:
* I won’t really enjoy the party if I stick to my diet.  
* To truly obtain a feeling of indulgence and relaxation, I have to let go of everything I’m working on.
* My family members won’t understand me if I show up as my Highest Self.
* I will be alone if I truly embody and express my truth.
* Traveling is stressful. 
* The holidays are stressful and depleting, I have to please everyone else.

Newsflash: It is all illusion!!  These are stories that you have created from a part of you that is experiencing fear – fear that you can’t have it all, a scarcity mentality, a lack of trust.  Open yourself to creating a new story. 

THE NEW STORY
What does it feel like to experience fun, meaning, yummy-ness or love in a way that honors your highest self; in a way that values your vision for the best you?  You’ve felt it before.  See if you can remember a time when:
* You showed up at the social event and opted for veggies over chips.
* You went to dinner and only had one glass of wine or none at all despite funny looks from others at your table.
* You were in a loving relationship and spoke up about what you needed even thought it might have been scary.
* You were with your family and stayed centered in your truth, even for a few moments.
* You found some moments of peace in the midst of chaos. 
* You realized that you are creating your own chaos and chose to shift to a more centered, trusting mindset. 

How did that feel?  Were you able to experience the fun, connection, love, and indulgence without loosing yourself completely?  I bet you were!

What is your NEW STORY?  Try shifting to an “AND Mentality”.  Fill this sentence in as many times as you need to:
I can __________________________ AND __________________________.   
Ex:  I can feel connected to my family and be myself.  I can indulge and stick to eating healthy.

HIGHEST SELF HOLIDAY TIPS
1.  Visualization & Intention
Take a few moments to visualize how your ideal holiday would feel.  Really allow yourself to feel it.  What would your interactions with family and friends be like?  How would you navigate moments of overwhelm?  How would you feel in your body?  How much quiet time for yourself away from the action would you have and what would it entail?  What foods would you enjoy?  What would it feel like to take responsibility for feeling nourished, loved and happy?  Now set intention around this.  Take 10 minutes to write your intention in your journal, focusing on what you intend to experience and create.

2. Create a Self Care Contract
Create a contract with yourself that you can look at each morning to remind yourself of your intention.  I take 10 minutes to write my Self Care Contracts on the plane whenever I travel somewhere.  It can be simple.  For example:

I, Rony Gerzberg, in honor of experiencing my Highest Self in every experience, hereby promise to myself the following on this trip:
1.  I will take 5 minutes every morning to meditate, even if it’s in the bathroom.  I know that this creates relaxation, clarity, breathing room and purpose for me.
2.  I will practice being loving with myself and others, remembering that this is a meaningful time of year with lots to be grateful for.
3.  When others comment on how my diet is so healthy and different, I will remember not take it personally and I will kindly fill them in on how I eat/live so that we may have an opportunity to feel more connected.  I will see it as an opportunity to honor my truth.
4. I will exercise once over the long holiday weekend.
You get the idea.  Remind yourself of the payoff for each item.  I.e., that it will allow you to feel alive, grateful, handling your basic needs, etc.

3.  Practice The Rule of 80/20
Stick to your path 80% of the time and don’t worry about sticking to it 20% of the time.  In other words, 80% of the time, eat the foods that heal your body, practice speaking authentically, or caring for yourself first.  Then 20% of the time, indulge – treat yourself to the cheesecake, zone out from being present and give to others instead of yourself.  The 80/20 Rule is wonderful to practice any time we are in a process of healing, self-growth or on the path of living our truth.  During the holidays, which are a particularly fun and special time, modifying the rule to 70/30 is equally beneficial.  Bottom Line:  try to be conscious most of the time while giving yourself a break and allowing yourself indulge and relax!

4.  Pause and Breath
Before choosing the extra serving that will send you into a food coma, pause and take a breath.  Before compromising yourself for the sake of going along with the group dynamic, pause and take a breath.  Before disappearing into the black hole of stress and overwhelm, pause and take a breath.  Then choose.  It doesn’t always work, but sometimes it does J.

5.  Be Curious and Playful
Get curious around your Highest Self.  Allow yourself to have fun with noticing when it’s easy for you to choose consciously and when you get triggered.  Being present and conscious is not about being perfect!  It is about simply honoring the parts of us that we love and are growing as often as we remember to do so, and doing so in a loving, open-minded and joyous way.

6.  Dare To Be Proud Come January
What if you really could make choices that would have you experience the best holiday season possible?  Allow yourself to experience the major payoff of empowered choices!  Take a risk this holiday season and try it out.  How good will you feel on the other side of the holidays?   I can guarantee you’ll feel proud of yourself, confident, more in love with your body and more in love with your family, friends and community! I invite you to create a conscious holiday season for yourself and see how it sets you up strong, proud and ready to meet January on the right foot!

There is so much to be grateful for this holiday season.  There is an abundance of healthy, seasonal food at your fingertips.  There is no shortage of love all around and within.  And there is plenty of opportunity to practice engaging the muscles of your Highest Self! 

Here is to a healthy, happy and fun Thanksgiving with your Highest Self!

Shine on,
Rony

             WE HAVE A PRIMAL ABILITY TO MAKE SOUND.
WHAT IF YOU FREED YOUR VOICE TO FULLY EXPRESS YOURSELF?

At this time of the Occupy Movements and general upheaval around the globe, it is clear that people long to use their voices to express themselves and claim their power.  

In my own journey of self-actualization, I practice using my voice to express my truth, my passions and to release those parts of myself that no longer serve me.  One of the most exciting ways I do this is through Sound Healing.  Sound Healing is the art of using sound, both through drums, bells, tuning forks or other external sound-making objects as well as using your own voice to move stuck energy in the body.  It is both powerful and gentle, and is an incredible modality to heal physical, emotional and energetic imbalances.   Similar to the acupuncture needles used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sound Healing utilizes the vibration of sound to create and move energy throughout the physical and energetic bodies.  It is regarded as a proven, scientific healing modality and is becoming more popular these days.  It is a safe, liberating way to really seize the power of your voice.  

So what is so special about exercising our voice?  I didn’t quite realize this until I began to use mine.  In the past, I've enjoyed singing and had taken some vocal lessons, however it wasn’t until I started using my voice as a healing instrument as well as a vehicle to voice my true needs, beliefs and feelings, that I began to grasp just what making sound can do.

Making sound is not about sounding good or hitting the right notes of a song.  It is not about performing for others.  Making sound is PRIMAL.  It is a basic human faculty and an innate part of our species.  Sound is something that comes out of us from the first breaths that we draw upon when entering this world.  Think how fiercely a baby can wail - full of power and resolve.  Think of what uproarious laughter, cheering or whispering sounds like.  Making sound can be anything from breathing, humming, singing, grunting, screaming, speaking or any other noise we can omit.  It creates vibration and resonance.  It can be gentle or fierce.  It can come from the depths of who we are.

Yet in our society we are embarrassed of making noise.  We fear saying the wrong thing, being rude, speaking at the wrong time, sounding bad if we sing or being inappropriate if we release primal sounds from our bellies in order to heal.  When I first engaged in sound healing I would practice making different sounds that would acknowledge certain parts of my body that I was healing, such as my liver, intestines, etc., and I would balance my chakras (energy centers in the body) by practicing sound scales.  I remember writing an email to my neighbors to let them know what I was doing so they wouldn’t worry and think a cat was dying in my apartment or something!  I was so embarrassed!  When I started taking voice lessons and joined a band, I used to sing in my bathroom with the door closed so no one would hear me – I felt incredibly self-conscious using my FULL voice.  Over time, I grew to understand how freeing and healing it is for me to open my voice and I now joyously LET IT OUT regardless of who might hear.  Perhaps it will even inspire someone as they walk by!  More so, I began to realize how important it was for me to reclaim my own personal power through voicing my needs, feelings and beliefs to others - both verbally and in writing.  It is incredibly empowering to speak your truth.  What do you REALLY want to say to people?  

There are many useful ways to use sound and when relevant, I utilize some of these techniques with my health and life-coaching clients as well as in the group workshops that I lead.  Contact me to find out more.

Here are a few exercises to help get you started using sound for your own benefit:

* DEEP LISTENING & EXPRESSION *
Take a quiet moment and tune into yourself.  Turn off your phone and computer and just listen.  What do you hear? 

Start by listening to what you hear outside.  Take mental note of all the different sounds.  What do you hear in front of you?  Behind you?  To your right and left?  What does your breath sound like? 

Now shift your focus inward.  Start by focusing on your breath and tune out the thoughts that cross your mind.  If you have a thought, just let it pass.  Very slowly, scan your body starting at your head and working your way down to your throat, chest, abdomen, hips, thighs, calves, ankles and toes.  

What do you hear?
How are you feeling physically and emotionally? 
What parts of you are tired?  In pain?  Scared?  Happy?
What sounds could you make to represent how you feel?
What do you need/long to express?

Take a moment and sit with all of it.  Listen to your intuition.  You can journal about your experience if you like.  Now make some noise!  Scream into a pillow or release a glorious sound of pride.  Hum a gentle note.  Recite a mantra or affirmation out loud to yourself.  Tell someone how you really feel.  It’s safe.

* CHAKRA BALANCING SCALES *
Each of the seven chakras (energy centers) of the body has a corresponding sound.  The lowest, root chakra found at your sit bones, can be represented and balanced by making a lowwww, vibrating sound.  Take a moment and try making the lowest humming sound you can make.  (Ummmmmmm)  Now shift the focus to your seventh chakra, or crown chakra on the top of your head, by making a very high pitched, squeaky sound.  What is the highest sound that you can make?  (Eeeeeeee) 

The chakras can all be balanced by practicing scales.  Start with the lowest note, focusing on your sit bones/hips and slowly move your focus up, through your sexual organs, abdomen, heart, throat, etc. aiming for the top of your head.  Simultaneously, as you move up your body, slowly make your tone higher and higher until you reach your highest note at the top of your head.  Then reverse it.  See where you get stuck or are not fluid.  That will inform you where you might be holding onto some stuck energy in your body.  You can use sound to move through that and keep practicing the scales until they are fluid.  This can be incredibly grounding, rejuvenating and healing!

* GROUNDING YOUR ENERGY *
If you have a lot on your mind, especially before you go to sleep, practice making the lowest sound you can make and shift your focus down towards your feet.  This will shift your vibration and help get you out of your head.

So…. What do you need to express?  What does it sound like?  What would happen if it were totally safe for you to use your voice fully?  What would you tell people if you had the courage to speak honestly and lovingly?

Tune in.  Listen.  And let it out - Wildly.  Lovingly.  Freely.  Authentically.  

May you sing your song proudly and march to the beat of your own drum!

Shine on,
Rony

BY COMPARISON

Think about a time when you felt really proud of yourself.  A time when you loved and accepted yourself and were aware of your own growth and worth.  Perhaps a time when you finally managed to get into the groove of practicing a healthy habit on a daily basis, or a time when you met a fear head-on and proved to yourself that you can do anything.  It is times like these that we feel aligned, purposeful and confident.  We can take a deep breath, sigh and just be in awe of our lives. 

And then….. when we least expect it…. it happens…. we do it….. we compare ourselves!  We compare ourselves to the person at the gym, on the street, in our class, at our work, in our community, in our family or to a teacher.   We conclude that this person is better than us because they are thinner, taller, smarter, more successful, more vocal, wittier, classier, more stylish, more spiritual, more grounded, wiser, richer, in a relationship, married, courageously divorced, healthier, stronger, more experienced, more fearless, quirkier, the list goes on and on.

What happens to us in these moments of comparison?  They can last as long as 5 seconds and yet they allow our inner critic to have a field day.  We go from feeling proud of ourselves, loving ourselves, confident, faithful and inspired to feeling worthless, judgmental, not good enough or unlovable in some way.  It is the perpetual dangling carrot that never goes away.   It feels like no matter how much progress we make, by comparison, somehow we come up short.

Now stop right here.  Because this isn’t really true.  Don’t read it as true.  Don’t convince yourself that you aren’t of value because you spotted “more” value in someone else.  You are perfect and exactly where you need to be in this very moment of your life.  You are of worth, you have innate gifts and beauty that you contribute to this world.  In fact, I would bet that someone is comparing themself to you right now.

Ask yourself:  What part of me is trying to convince me that I am not good enough?  Most likely it is a part of you that is trying to gain evidence to strengthen some false beliefs that you’ve created about yourself.  Most likely it is a part of you that has been wounded in the past.  Most likely it is a part of you that is so afraid to shine your light so fully bright because you might not recognize yourself anymore if you do.  Most likely, it is one of your saboteurs.    

Usually our saboteurs arise when we are growing in some way.  Or when we are about to really go for it or make a bold, exciting decision in our lives.  It is because we have pushed ourselves outside our usual box of comfort and are gaining the confidence to live more fully or accomplish our goals that the saboteur will raise it’s hand and try to convince us otherwise.  While this is very natural, it is something we must practice overcoming on our journey of self-growth and healing.

We address saboteurs with both my Holistic Health and Co-Active Life Coaching clients because whether you are becoming healthy or growing yourself in some way, it is fair to expect your saboteurs to arise.  Contact me to learn more about this.

A Helpful Trick - The Comparison “Redo”
A quick shift in perspective can help keep a saboteur at bay and remind you how much you have to be proud of.  When you catch yourself comparing yourself to someone and coming up short, take a moment and find a different comparison with that person that will have you love some aspect about yourself.  For example, if you see a woman who is thinner on the street and your recent efforts at weight loss suddenly feel deflated, do a Comparison “Redo”.  

Fill in this sentence with a positive quality about yourself:  Compared to her, I am __________ or I have ___________.  I.e., compared to her, I have luscious, curly hair or a powerful voice.  This exercise is not to create judgment around another person or to feel better about ourselves by putting others down.   This is simply to be used to remind yourself of your worth in that moment and to stop yourself from criticizing yourself.  The goal is simply to find qualities about yourself that are worth acknowledging.

You can also practice finding evidence of how the quality that you admire in another also exists in you.  For example, if you compare yourself to someone who is more successful than you, pause and remind yourself all the ways that you are successful as well.  

Bottom Line:
We have the power to choose which consciousness we reside in.  One of false belief or one of the deeper truth about who we really are and what is possible in our lives.  I invite you to start noticing how often you compare yourself to others in a way that reinforces your own limiting beliefs about yourself and instead practice choosing to love and acknowledge yourself.  You’re worth it!

Shine on,
Rony

With the untimely passing of a great legend, this video came my way today and I am inspired to share it with you.  Growing up in the Bay Area, coming from a high-tech family and working in a creative field for many years, Steve Jobs has long served as a familiar image of innovation, creativity and possibility to me.  However watching this speech today with the ears of a coach for the first time, I heard some poignant reminders about the power of surrender, living in alignment with one's truth and the perspective that compromised health can bring.  This video touches on some imperative fundamentals to living a healthy, happy life that we often take for granted or bypass when we get caught up in the day-to-day grind.  My key take-a-ways are below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments about it too!

* We live life FORWARD and understand it BACKWARDSEven if you do not yet see the fruits of your labor, trust that the choices you make from a place of heart and curiosity will lead you to fulfillment and success.  How can you trust the process of life more today?  What if you took a risk that you long to take and just trusted that the safety net would arrive after you jumped?

* Do what you LOVE
What if every choice we made was based upon the things that truly lit us up?  Who would you spend time with?  What would you put your energy towards?  What ideas would come to life?

* Follow your HEART and INTUITION;  LIVE EACH DAY like it was your last
More often than not, we already have the answers inside of us.  Sometimes we are too scared to listen because it might rock the boat or create change for us or the people around us.  Our heart and intuition whisper reminders of our greatness to us and encourage us to rise up and meet our full potential.

I hope you found this video as inspirational as I did.  

Shine on,
Rony

To kick-off my blog, I am inspired to share one of my favorite poems titled “The Invitation”.  This poem calls on us to be our greatest selves.  It calls upon us to be true, courageous, vulnerable, willing, stead-fast and fully alive. 

My intention for this blog is to provide information and inspiration that will help you choose to be fully alive – physically, emotionally and energetically.  My dream is to share my story and my experience so that you and others may remember that we can create the health and life of our dreams by choosing over and over and over again to do so.  This poem invites us to choose.  This poem invites us to be bold, to look deep within and express our juiciest, most authentic, vibrant, human selves with our world.  

I look forward to sharing the journey with you.

Shine On,
Rony

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“The Invitation“  
By Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Canadian Teacher and Author

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreams
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets 
are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched 
the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shriveled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself. 

If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand on the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes."

It doesn't interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after a night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the center of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.
 

I'm excited to share my knowledge, inspiration and practices with you.  Stay tuned for more and thanks for visiting!