May Day 2012
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Affirmations, Empowerment, Inner Alchemy, Jana Matthews, Law of Attraction, Manifesting, New Moon Manifesting, Self Healing, Transformation
May Day has been celebrated around the world since ancient times. It’s a celebration of Spring, and marks the half way point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice. Seedlings that were planted in the Spring are beginning to sprout. Are you seeing progress with your goals?
Achieving goals isn’t always easy. But there are a few necessary steps that create habits which lead to success with any goal.
1. Never wait until conditions are perfect. Conditions will NEVER be perfect. If you’re using excuses such as the timing is off, or things just don’t feel right, than your FEARS are controlling the situation. Look at why you are procrastinating and face the fears. Nike’s slogan is “Just Do It.” So acknowledge the fear and do it anyway. There is no time like NOW to get started! What is the worst thing that could happen if you did start?
2. Take Action. It’s easy to have brilliant ideas; it’s difficult to take action towards achieving them. You can think and visualize all you want, but without any action steps your goal will never be anything more than a daydream. Each day determine 3-5 action steps towards your goal. We achieve success by taking baby steps towards them. Each step takes you closer to your goal. Many people get caught up in wanting to know the entire path to their goal. They never take the first step because they cannot see the entire game plan. Your job is to begin taking steps towards the goal and THEN the next steps are revealed.
3. Stimulate your Creative Engine. Sometimes we have brilliantly inspired ideas, but not always. You don’t have to wait until inspiration strikes to get started. While in art class it was sometimes difficult to summon up ideas for class assignments. I would have to look outside myself for inspiration – I might get a piece from something I saw or a texture and the project would build. That’s the beauty of the creative process; there may be an idea when we begin, but when it’s finished it’s very different from the original inspiration. If you have an idea find ways to build it; brainstorm with other people, or sit down and write about it, scribble or doodle. Movement will help move the creativity within.
4. Focus on the Present Moment. Most of the fear people experience is the fear of the future. Stop feeling guilty for what you should have done (the past) or what you could do if conditions were perfect (the future) and focus on what you can do NOW! When you are distracted by the past or future you avoid the present. It’s easy to get caught up in the “would have’s” and “could have’s”. Stop dwelling on the past and future by consciously transforming those thoughts to “what can I work on right now to change my situation.” The present is a gift. It’s all we have, so make the most of it.
Achieving goals takes self-discipline, courage, and action. Each step you take moves you closer to achieving your goals. Celebrate May Day by reviewing what you began at the Spring Equinox and take charge of your future by facing your fears, following through with daily action, stimulating your creativity, and focusing on the present moment. These simple steps will help you achieve more as they become a daily habit.
Tags: DNA healing, goals, healing, inner healing, jana matthews, Manifesting, meditation, new moon, new moon August 2011, new moon in Virgo 2011, new moon manifesting, self healing, success, transform, Transformation
Gripping Fear
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Jana Matthews, Manifesting, Self Healing, Transformation, Transmutation
The swimming pool was a welcome relief from the sweltering summer heat. After a long day at work, my dad and I cooled ourselves in the neighborhood pool. We swam here several times a week, but tonight was different, my dad encouraged me to jump off the high dive. I looked at him in terror.
Over the summer I had mastered jumping and finally diving off the lower board, but this new request was scary! The high dive was SO high. From the pool, the platform looked like it was a million miles away. I could see other kids climbing the ladder to the platform and wanted to join them. But there was that little voice in my head telling me, “It’s too high, it’s too scary, this isn’t safe, you’ve never done something like this before!”
Finally with a lot of coaxing from my dad I reluctantly climbed the ladder. I made it to the platform and froze. The ground was so far away. The platform was moving from the wind and rebounding from other people jumping. My heart raced. Paralyzed with fear, I stood there as my white knuckles gripped the handrail. The kids behind me were encouraging me to go, but I couldn’t move. Trying to find the courage to jump, I let a couple of kids go in front of me. There wasn’t any reason I should do this. It’s scary and I don’t like feeling this way. Finally as tears welled up in my eyes I felt defeated. Fear won. I climbed back down the ladder.
Ah, good, back on solid ground. I’ll just swim for a while and forget I ever tried that. My dad was relentless. Like many parents he used guilt and shame to get me to do something. “Look at those kids up there, they’re doing it, you can too!” I kept resisting. Next came the bribe, I’d get a candy bar if I successfully jumped. Hummm… the pot got sweeter! Mustering up the courage, I climbed the ladder again. Legs shaking, heart racing, knuckles still white, I gripped the handrail and inched toward the end of the board. I stopped in fear. The handrail didn’t extend to the edge of the board. At some point I had to let go of it and walk out onto a bouncy board. My heart wanted to do this, but my hands wouldn’t let go. I edged back to the ladder and safety.
It was getting late and dinner was waiting. Oh good, it’s over, I’m safe!
A couple of days later we were back at the pool and back to my source of fear. But this time my dad encouraged both my younger brother and me to jump. Richard didn’t even hesitate. He climbed the ladder and walked off the end of the board. Rats! He did it! Even though he didn’t say anything, he taunted me with his actions. Wait, didn’t he think about how scary the jump would be? Didn’t he think he might hit the bottom of the pool? Didn’t he think he might die because he was underwater a long time? Pressure mounted for me to be next.
I took a deep breath, saying to myself, “You can do this, Richard just did it! Are you going to let him show you up?” There’s nothing like a little competition to motivate me. I reached the platform. I walked to the end of the handrail. I’ve been here before, but it was going beyond this point that scared me. With my heart racing, I still had to make the trek to the end of the board without the support of the handrail. My shaking legs began bouncing the board. With each step I wanted to retreat to the safety of the ladder, but I kept telling myself, “I’ve got to do this!”
When I reached the end of the board I heard the faint echo’s of my dad and brother’s voice, “Jump.” I’m not sure what happened next. Did I jump? Did I fall? Splash, I hit the water. A moment of terror engulfed me as I swam to the surface. Stunned and shocked I swam towards to side of the pool. Richard and my dad were screaming with excitement. I did it! I jumped off the high dive and survived!
I probably jumped off the high dive another twenty times that day. A few days later I began diving off it, and finally diving off and swimming underwater to the other end of the Junior Olympic sized pool. Even though I didn’t realize it at the time I faced some very big fears that day; fear of the unknown, fear of death, and fear of my little brother beating me!
Remembering moments like this and drawing from them has helped me face other circumstances in my life where fears cropped up. Fears are a defense mechanism set up by the ego. It’s the voice inside saying, “This is different, what will happen if I try it? What if I fail? I don’t want to disappoint myself. I don’t want to disappoint others. I don’t want to feel ashamed for failing. I would be better off playing it safe!”
But living in safety of our past experiences doesn’t help us reach new goals.
Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing expecting different results.”
The ego is the voice inside that wants to keep us safe. But the false perception of safety set up by the ego is based upon our past experiences – both successes and failures. The ego plays upon past failures, experiences, and perceived threats to preserve itself.
In a split second my fear of the unknown, death and falling was overshadowed by my younger brother doing something I was scared to do. I couldn’t let him do that! The voice in my head (the ego) was overpowered by my heart’s desire overcome my fears. Being a little kid at the time I didn’t know what fears were. But I know what they are now. I know how they paralyze my actions if I allow it.
Fear = Resistance
Resistance isn’t about the change it’s about fear of the “unknown.” The unknown is this black hole; we are blind to the possibilities because the ego’s first response is fear. What if I get hurt? What if I fail? What if I disappoint myself, again? What if I disappoint others?
Do you remember a time you when you feared trying something new? Were you able to overcome your fears? After you did it, did you ask yourself, “Why did I wait so long to try this?”
What fears are holding you back from getting what you want? Join us for the upcoming “Living an Empowered Life” 3-week teleseminar held Tuesdays, September 6, 13, 20, 2011 and learn how to overcome your fears so they no longer stop you.
Tags: change, emotional healing, emotional release, emotional wounding, failure, fear, goals, healing, jana matthews, manifest, Manifesting, self healing, success, Transformation, transmutation
Adding One Degree
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Inner Alchemy, Manifesting, Self Healing, Transformation
At 211 degrees, water is hot.
At 212 degrees, water boils.
And with boiling water comes steam.
And with steam you can power a train.
One degree. Applying on extra degree of temperature to water means the difference between something that is simply very hot and something that generates enough force to power a machine – a beautifully uncomplicated metaphor that ideally could feed our every endeavor – consistently pushing us to make the extra effort in every task and action we undertake.
Emerson said, “All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of adding a second, third, and perhaps a fourth step in a continuous line. Many men have taken the first step. With each additional step you significantly enhance the value of your first!”
When we create something new we only see the first step or two. Once we take those steps new steps are revealed. “Go as far as you can see, when you get there you’ll see how to go farther.”
Often we miss opportunities to do more and create better results because we are unaware of the possibilities that could unfold if we applied a small amount of effort beyond the norm.
Vince Lombardi said, “Inches make champions.”
Imagine the potential results of investing an additional 15 minutes of quality time each day with your kids or spouse – that’s the equivalent of more than two weeks each year! Imagine adding an extra 15 minutes a day at anything you’re working on.
What small extra effort can you make today?
Tags: goals, jana matthews, make a difference, Manifesting, new moon manifesting, reaching goals, self healing, self-help, success, Transformation
Passive Income – Breakthrough Telesummit
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Tips, Manifesting, Money Tips, Transformation
One of my passions is teaching people about creating passive income streams; where you are receiving residual or passive income with little or no effort on your part.
The concept of network marketing is based upon this premise of building a customer base that repurchases the company’s products or enlisting other marketers and receiving an income stream from their marketing efforts.
Since network marketing has been around for a couple of decades, most people have personally been involved in this type of passive income stream; some being successful, some not.
Building any business requires resources and information to be successful and keep you motivated. A friend of mine told me about a weekend Breakthrough Telesummit being offered February 18-20, 2011 so I thought I’d pass the info along to help any of you building a business.
This telesummit offers a weekend chalk full of information from the some of the most successful and respected marketing gurus such as Jack Canfield, T. Harv Eker, Marci Shimoff, Cheryl Richardson, Randy Gage and 19 other marketing professionals. That’s 24 hours of marketing expertise available from the convenience of your home for the low, low investment of $20 (USD). Plus all calls will be recorded and you’ll have access to listen to them for 30 days after the telesummit.
Whatever business you’re building, motivation is imperative! Check out the telesummit and see if there is something to help you breakthrough your barriers, creating more success and more passive income!
Tags: Breakthrough Telesummit, financial success, goals, jana matthews, Manifesting, marketing, money, network marketing, new moon manifesting, passive income, success, Transformation, wealth tips
Do Affirmations Really Work?
Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews | Filed under Manifesting
Countless times I’ve been asked this question or been told, “I say or write affirmations every day, but nothing changes.” The question then becomes, “What are the thoughts and feelings behind your affirmations?”
Our words mean nothing unless we believe them. If you state an affirmation such as “I am thin and healthy,” but your thoughts after that are “I look like the fat slob, look at me! I’ll never be thin.” Then the affirmation has just been negated. Why say them if you don’t believe them?
We only achieve what we believe about ourselves.
A conflict arises because our body can only hold one vibration at a time. When the vibration of “I am thin” or “I am wealthy” is immediately replaced with all the reasons why you’re not, the body responds to what you believe most strongly about yourself. Believing the “lie” would be absurd.
Overcoming the conflict takes practice to STOP the self-talk that negates your affirmations. The purpose of affirmations is to shift your vibration so you’re aligned with what you want. The more consistently you’re holding the vibration of what you want, the greater your ability to attract it; like attracts like. When your emotions and words are aligned with your affirmations, manifesting is easy. You become a magnet for what you want!
Practice your affirmations with a new awareness of your self-talk and emotions and see how your results change.
Tags: affirmations, goals, Manifesting, self-talk, success, vibration
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.