Never be so arrogant as to disallow the mind to saturate with feedback

Transformation begins when the need for an improvement is first recognized.


Let that sink in for a moment. How often do we tell ourselves, or even... how often does SOMEONE ELSE TELL US that something we do is wrong?! We can approach this situation in a number of ways: Become defensive and angry; denial (I prefer to use the term 'precontemplative'); accepting the feedback or realization as a part of us (i.e. "That's just me, deal with it"); or we can acknowledge the feedback and determine to make a change. I speak so often about increasing personal awareness for a reason. If I do something wrong and have no idea I'm in error, I will likely never change. If I am mistaken and have the insight to be able to work on it, the potential for improvement is limitless.

Always remember that there is room for progress. We are never 'there' and we should not expect to be. No perfection can be realized in this lifetime. I look at the desire one might have for continual progress as a perfect balance between humility and the motivation for greatness.

Rewarding Successes

It's been about 4 months. Life has been extremely busy, working two jobs and spending time with my beautiful daughter. One of the things I've neglected over the past few months has been my own self-care and rewards system. With the chaos and stress that is life, I know how imperative it is to take care of me. Along with some clients earlier this evening, I brainstormed ideas for rewarding oneself in a healthy manner. Some enjoy a new purchase or a delicious meal as a pat on the back, while others go for a spa treatment or take a day off. There are even those who fall into negative patterns for rewards such as potentially addictive behaviors and/or drug use, as it is often believed that this will provide an escape from reality or a high that cannot be reached without a foreign substance. Reality is this... we reward ourselves in a number of ways, and they may or may not be for our actual benefit. Whatever our choices, it is important to evaluate what we do FOR ourselves so that we don't burn out doing the things we must do to survive and maintain the lifestyle we have grown accustomed to. One method that I have recently rediscovered is my love for yoga. I've been practicing for about 5 years off and on, but only recently have I focused my priorities around my yoga practice at least twice per week. During practice two weeks ago I had an awakening. Life is again full of blessings and opportunities. Last night's practice took that new perspective to the next level. As my mind was completely clear, I recognized that there are patterns of rewards from my past that have caused me harm. I forever hope to never return there, but to continually develop and improve my self-care techniques and enjoy the pure and abundant joy of life.