Wise Tip: Break Out of the Cocoon
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Tips
“Emerge from the cocoon of guilt, shame, anger, and fear and allow it to fall away, so that you can identify with your spiritual self, so that you can finally stand in the light of love and merge with it.” –Kerry Dennis from her book “In Less Than A Second”
Full Moon – January 29, 2010
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Manifesting
The energy a few days before and after a full moon is the most intense energy of the lunar cycle. This is a time to evaluate the momentum of the cycle. It is also a great time to go with the flow and release anything that may be hindering your progress. Here is an article from www.thepowerpath.com about this particular full moon.
Full Moon is Friday, January 29 at 11:18 PM Mountain Standard Time. This is a time to take a break from intensity, scatter, and anything that has or is creating drama in your life. Sit in gratitude for a bit for all you have accomplished, all you have let go of, re-created, finished, started, eliminated, forgiven, re-started, changed and manifested. Make sure to really see your cup as more than half full. This is not the time to think or worry about what has not yet manifest, but rather to be grateful for what has.
In general for this week, we are still a bit scattered with too many things on the plate half baked. Continue looking at what has been generated by all the influences this month and where you need to put your focus and where you need to prune or set boundaries. The artisan energy is always creating way more possibilities than you can ever manifest or see through to the end. So it requires paying attention to the ones that seem to be gathering energy and force rather than the ones that just seem like a good idea intellectually. Use your intuition and follow the flow of the river and the path of least resistance.
Full Moon in Leo ~ Sun in Aquarius at 10º
On Friday, Jan 29 at 11:18 PM MST
Leo, the Lion-hearted is gifting us its regal lunar presence. Let this Moon puts its big paw on your heart and give you the courage and strength to take a risk and radiate and express your individuality and true essence. Somewhere the Performer/Entertainer/Leader inside each of us wants to feel appreciated, applauded and loved and one way or another finds expression in the house ruled by Leo in our personal chart. This Full Moon contrasts the sign of the individual ego, Leo, with the Sun’s sign of the collective consciousness, Aquarius.
Pressure has been intensified with the Full Moon eclipse of New Year’s Eve coupled with the lunar eclipse mid-month, multiple earthquake events, political upsets, Supreme Court decisions, etc. and the general angst that accompanies wide spread change at multiple levels. The squeeze is on to wake up to our expanded ability to love, heal, connect, and manifest our intentions with speed and ease.
Use this time around the full moon to keep yourself on track!
Wealth Tip: Know Your Cash Flow
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Tips
Wealth tip: Know your cash flow! Wealthy people are very aware of all aspects of their money. They spend with awareness.
1) Look at your spending habits for a 3 to 6 month period. Categorize your spending by living expenses, utilities, insurance, car expense, car loans, credit card payments (break down by each credit card), school, insurance expenses, clothing, kids expenses, entertainment, food, child care, and anything else you want to summarize it into.
Get the information from your bank and credit card statements, and any other sources. If you pay for car insurance bi-annually, make sure you include the pro rata portion for each month so you see the full effect of your cash flow. Create a spreadsheet showing having the months as the columns and the rows be the categories. This way you can see the fluctuation in cash flow for the specific categories.
2) Understanding where your money goes, helps you begin to make more conscious choices about spending, saving, paying off debt, and investing it. Are you spending from an emotional perspective to make yourself feel better about yourself or your life? Do you have thoughts such as, “I had a bad day so I’m going to buy “this” so I feel better.”
3) Take the emotion out of your spending. Once the emotion is gone, you can freely spend based upon your budget. If you have a budget, then stop feeling guilty or ashamed for spending money – especially on yourself! If it’s in the budget then spend it.
4) Develop a budget. I know for many people the word budget is similar to diet. People often see a budget as being “restrictive.” But actually a budget gives you the freedom to spend. When I worked as a Budget Analyst I knew exactly where every penny was going, so when someone came to me for a request for money, it was in the budget and the request was granted. It took any emotion out of the equation. For example, if you have a budget of $300 a month for clothes and you used to feel guilty for buying something for yourself, now you can buy with confidence because you’ve given yourself permission to spend a certain amount of money for yourself.
5) Find areas of your spending where you can make changes. When you understand where your money is going, you can consciously decide how to change your habits. Perhaps you go out to coffee, snacks, or meals every day. Can you bring something to the office a couple of days a week instead of going out? Where can you cut back your spending so you can pay off debt and invest, so you’re making your money work for you!
6) Pay off debt! Use the extra money you’ve trimmed from your spending to pay off debt. (More tips about paying off debt in future posts)
7) Invest. Wealthy people make money work for them instead of them working for money. (More tips about investing in future posts)
Money is a very emotional issue for many people. Until people harness their emotions related to it, it is difficult to attract more of it to them. Knowing your cash flow is a start in understanding how your money is being spent. Then shift your spending habits so your consciously spending instead of emotionally spending. Through this process you can learn to manage money instead of chasing it. You can learn how to learn to employ money instead of you working for it. And that’s what wealthy people do, they learn to make money work for them by generating passive income streams.
New Moon in Capricorn
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Manifesting
This new moon in Capricorn is about the need to redefine duty and obligations. It’s a good time to regroup and notice what is happening around you without judgment. Remember that Spirit is directing the show, so inquire within to see if what you think is really necessary. Beware of stubborn patterns that attempt to seduce you away from moving forward.
During this new moon is also a partial solar eclipse. Eclipses stir up potent energy and should be honored with the extra force they add to any time frame. Focus on the transitions in your life as positive steps in the right direction. Allow yourself to go with the flow as the flow is divinely orchestrated.
A, Be, C’s
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Manifesting
Be Adventurous
BE
Be Compassionate
Be Dazzling
Be Enthusiastic
Be Fantastic
Be Genuine
Be Humble
Be Inspired
Be Jovial
Be Kind
Be Loving
Be Memorable
Be Noteworthy
Be Outrageous
Be Playful & Passionate
Be Quixotic
Be Remarkable
Be Soulful
Be Truthful
Be Unconventional
Be Vivacious
Be Whimsical
Be Xalted
Be Young at Heart
Be Zealous
Practice the art of “be-ing” instead of doing.
How Much Does Baggage Really Cost?
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Manifesting, Transformation
Have you ever wondered what the cost is of the baggage you’re carrying around? You know the baggage, the emotional stuff you’re holding on to. Most airlines are charging more for the baggage they carry. Do you wish you got paid extra for holding onto your emotional stuff? If you’re not getting paid extra for it, then what is your emotional baggage really costing you?
How does emotional baggage influence your relationships, your career/business, your money, your health, where you live, or how you live? Emotional baggage affects everything!
Emotional baggage influences perceptions. Our perceptions are filters through which we process all information. This is why when two people view the same incident their reports of the situation can be very different. We all perceive life differently. Someone may see a situation as an adventurous growth experience, while someone else sees it as a devastating one.
One of the key components of emotional baggage is fear. When we have an unpleasant emotional experience, the intention is to never feel that way again, right? So the emotion is held onto as a reminder to avoid situations that cause similar feelings. Unfortunately the fear of never wanting to feel the same way, projects a message into the cosmos. The Universe sends a message back to match the message sent out. Like attracts like, even if it isn’t what you wish to attract.
Fear causes people to stay in unhealthy relationships or avoid relationships altogether. It is a motive for staying in an unfulfilling career, instead of pursuing your passion. It affects your spending or saving habits based on perceptions of scarcity. It influences your health by affecting your energy’s natural flow and rhythm.
If you’re not getting the results you want, are you willing the change? Here are some ideas to help you eliminate emotional baggage:
1) Take note on areas in your life where you are frustrated or unhappy. What would you change? What emotions cause you to feel frustrated or unhappy in this area – i.e. feeling unappreciated, unloved, inadequate, disrespected, unworthy or anything else you feel.
2) Notice how your thoughts and emotions contribute to your current results. Are your thoughts supporting the existing pattern or what you wish to create? Ask yourself why you respond in a particular way. Shift your thoughts toward what you want to create – I am appreciated; I am lovable; I am worthy; I am respected.
3) Speak your truth – communicate your feelings with the person causing your frustration or unhappiness. They will validate your feelings and work with you to change the situation or they will discount them. Either way you are communicating what is or isn’t working for you. If it isn’t possible to work with the person directly, write about it expressing your feelings.
4) Visualize yourself releasing any emotions, and see youself receiving what you want such as unappreciated with appreciated; inadequate with flourishing; unworthy with deserving, etc. What does it feel like to you to be appreciated? What does it feel like to you to be respected? See yourself receiving and feeling positive emotions and feedback. You can also perform a ritual where you write what you want to release on a piece of paper and burn it. Make sure you replace it with what you want.
5) Express gratitude to your teachers. The people who push our buttons are the ones helping us grow. Journal your frustrations and feelings about a situation or person and then express gratitude for their actions helping you understand your emotions better.
Imagine living a life of emotional freedom. Practice releasing emotional baggage through the above steps. Learn to verbalize your emotions as soon as the situation occurs, and then let it go. By no longer dwelling on the feelings, they simply float away and no longer weigh you down.
Is the emotional stuff worth holding on to? Are you ready to let it go?
Health Tip
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Tips
Health Tip: Eat at least 10 grams of protein within the first hour of waking up.
Why? Carbs and protein work differently in the body. Carbs are like kindling when you start a fire – they burn off quickly; proteins burn more slowly like hardwood. Our body needs fuel to work. When we deprive it of necessary fuels it creates other sources of energy. If you skip breakfast your body creates a substance called cortisol. This provides fuel to the body until it receives food. Cortisol tells the body to “protect itself” by storing belly fat since food isn’t available. Also, the cortisol blast in the morning eventually burns off and by early afternoon people feel sluggish and tired.
Each morning I have vanilla protein powder with a cup of orange juice. As a fitness professional I’ve tried many different types of protein powders and the two I like most are EAS Myoplex and Opti-Blend. Both products have a low fat content and are high protein (around 22 grams/scoop).
Do you want to feel better? Then feed your body the right way instead of depriving it of the fuel it needs. Would your car run if you didn’t give it fuel? Do you expect your body to perform when it isn’t given the right stuff? Our bodies are amazing! They create fuel when nothing is provided. For the next 21 days eat at least 10 grams of protein in the morning and see what a difference it makes.
Ringing in the New Year
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Manifesting
A chilly mountain breeze whips across my neck as I strap on my snowshoes. It’s almost 8pm on New Year’s Eve 2009. The past decade has been a roller coaster ride; so many changes. Tucked away in my coat are two pieces of paper. One a list of what I intend to leave behind with the end of the year, the other intentions for the upcoming one.
The full moon dances gracefully among the clouds, playing a game of hide and seek. The gurgling river is drowned out by the crunch of my snowshoes cresting on top of the snowy trail. It’s a journey of solitude. It’s a ritual of release. The stillness of the forest parallels the peace I feel within.
We wind our way along the river, through the trees and rocks, stopping from time to time admiring the night sky. Rainbows of colors encircle the moon, reflections of the humid night air. Silently we trek, searching for the perfect spot.
This is our fourth New Year’s Eve together; each one different, yet special in their own way. For me, this New Year’s Eve is a quiet expression of gratitude for everything I’ve learned and healed. And anticipated growth for the many seeds we’ve planted. Climbing down the gradual slope, Jason thumps the ice with a ski pole, testing the water’s edge for safety.
We steady ourselves on the ice where I pull out my first paper. Holding it over my heart, I silently reflect and say a quick prayer for courage to let go. As I open my eyes, the full moon pops out of the clouds. My body bathed by the moonlight, it casts a shadow behind me from its bright beam. Striking a match against the box, I light the paper allowing the flames to consume the energy of my words, releasing them into the cosmos. At the last second I throw the fiery paper into the river. The burning embers drift away.
Jason follows suit, performing the same ritual with his paper. I can only imagine what’s on his paper. A few moments pass and I pull out my second paper containing my inspiration and intentions for the New Year. As I hold the paper over my heart, I express gratitude for the amazing journey I’ve been on. Ten years ago I would have never guessed I would be where I am today. Divinely guided, with occasional bouts of resistance, and astounding heaps of patience. It’s been a recipe for success.
An amazingly beautiful New Year’s Eve adventure focused on peaceful progression.
Peace and prosperity to everyone this year!
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To prepare for the manifesting, write down a list of goals or intentions you want to attract or issues you want to release during the lunar cycle. After the cycle is over, review your old list crossing off goals achieved and file it, then begin a new list for the new cycle. To maintain balance in your life, look at goals on several different levels including financial, spiritual, mental, emotional, and physically.