When it is Essential to be Present!

The Beatles song goes “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans” and it’s so true that unless you are truly “home” to experience every moment of your life, it will go by and you won’t notice.

If you expect life to be smooth sailing you will likely get very frustrated as soon as stuff comes up, but life is designed to send challenges your way so you can keep learning and growing.

To get the most out of life and stay anchored in spite of what comes your way, it is essential to understand that we operate in a dual mode, I think of it as a cross. On the horizontal axis we move through time and “stuff” comes our way. On the vertical axis your connection to source energy and presence brings focus and resources, and there is always a calm here. Just like it is always calm at the bottom of a lake, even on the windiest of days.

If you think that your life is the ups and downs on the surface of the lake (the horizontal axis), you’re in for an exhausting roller coaster ride. But if you become aware that there is another reality within you, what comes your way during life is less daunting.

It is always important to be present to get the most out of your experiences, and to be able to be your best for yourself and for those in your life. But it is essential to be present in these 3 circumstances:

#1	As You Maneuver Rough Times

If you allow yourself to identify with emotions and thoughts when the going gets tough in your life, chances are that challenges, big and small, will take over your life and keep you stuck and likely in suffering.

Through presence you gain the clarity to see the difference between challenges you can do something about, and those that are out of your control, and then surrender to what is. This seizing of resistance will miraculously allow solutions to come in to your life that you are not privy to when you operate from resistance mode.

#2	So you Don’t Miss Those Special Moments

It is easy to fall into a pattern where we live for the big milestones in life and keep waiting for certain things, like a job or a relationship, before we start living for real. That way of thinking is nothing but an illusion and will likely rob you of those everyday gems your life is sprinkled with.

When you can be present in every moment you will be there fully to enjoy a happy hug from your child, the smell of grass in the summer, and other precious moments that easily are lost as you hurry towards the next big thing in your life.

#3	So You Stay On Purpose

Unless you consciously set your direction for what you want your life to be about, chances are that you are operating in default mode and are living somebody else’s agenda or even life! If that is the case, no wonder it is not bringing you that deeper meaning you are looking for…

To connect with what you are all about and what you are here to do it is crucial that you are fully in the moment. By being present you will find the expression of your purpose that is right for you right now. Those answers can only come from within yourself and only when you are “home”.

Don’t wake up to the realization that you have lived a life that wasn’t yours when you have run out of time and energy. Connect with your purpose and make it come alive by being in the moment everyday of your life starting with today.

Getting your “Life Purpose Profile™” will quickly and easily present you with the framework for your Purpose in life. It is then up to you to make it come alive by being in the now. Click here to order your “Life Purpose Profile™“.

2 Powerful Steps to Lift the Fog Around Your Purpose

Have you ever wondered why you have such a hard time seeing with clarity what you are here to do? And why can’t you just have your purpose delivered with ease and be done with it?

That is as unlikely to happen as sounding like Itzhak Perlman the first time you pick the violin, and that you will play tennis like Serena Williams the first time you pick up a tennis racket.

What I am saying is that getting great clarity around your purpose is in many ways no different that accomplishing great achievements in other areas of your life. To play at your full potential, whether on the musical stage, tennis court or the grand stage of life, takes dedication, courage and faith. The only difference here is that there is no competition to be your very best and most authentic self. Everyone has the potential to be a winner!

You may not think it is fair that you have to put in effort to be able to step into the big shoes of your full potential and purpose, since it is yours, but let me explain with this simple analogy.

Imagine that your 16-year old is finally old enough to drive a car. On her 16th birthday will you hand over the keys to the brand new family car at her first request? Most of us wouldn’t because she has never sat in the driver’s seat before, and letting her drive your car will endanger herself and others on the road, along with the car and other material things she may drive into. Instead you would encourage her to take driving lessons and learn the rules of the road. It is for the exact same reasons you don’t get your grand life purpose handed over to you as soon as you are ready to find out what it is.

It is essential both for a new driver, and for those who search greater clarity around their purpose in life, to prepare so they are ready for the responsibility that is part of the package. So this initial resistance doesn’t mean that your teen will never get the to drive the family car, or that you won’t gain clarity around your purpose in life, it just means that you have some work to do before you are ready to receive the keys to the kingdom.

Here are two powerful steps, that when combined truly sets the stage to empower you with both energy and clarity around your essence.

Step 1 – Focus on Self-Care

Become acutely aware of how you manage your limited resources, such as time, money and energy, since they all have the potential to drain you if not managed with mindfulness.

Care for your body in such a way that you treat it with the respect it deserves since it is your vehicle during your journey through life.

When taking a close look at how you spend your resources and how you fuel your body you will likely become aware of habits, cravings, commitments and people that does not support your growth and drains your energy. Only you can correct that situation, nobody else. Make a plan to deal with them one by one, and be open to asking for and receiving the help you need if it is too much for you to handle on your own.

Step 2 – Understand Your Individual Life Purpose Profile

By becoming aware of the energies that must move through you on a continuous basis at your soul level during your life, is a very powerful way to understand what you are all about at the core. You will become aware of what energies you must have an outlet for to experience a deeper meaning, peace and purpose in your life.

Your Life Purpose Profile will also bring out into the light where you are most likely to get out of balance and what your blind spots are. When you “digest” this information and transform it into awareness around who you truly are, you are inviting greater clarity into your life.

By combining the suggestions under step 1 and 2 you give yourself a tune up both in body and mind and can expect powerful synergistic results. Learn more about your Individual Life Purpose Profile and how you can have yours done by clicking this link.

What Are You Resisting?

When you are stuck or feel powerless in life it is usually because you are resisting something. You may have heard the saying “what you resists persists”, and it is so true.

A resistance is usually something that your ego mind is attached to. Your resistance fuels this lower part of yourself, and it has a vested interest to keep you exactly where you are, in resistance mode.

The limited vantage point of your ego mind has likely painted the issue in question into a corner and there is no apparent way out. You feel stuck, trapped and likely fed up, since matters seems to be out of your control…

We can resist at many different levels of our lives, from small issues to being stuck on a life size scale.

So how do we turn such a situation around and release you from the invisible bonds of resistance?

Below are two steps you can follow to identify and release resistance with conscious awareness:

1. Where Do You Feel Powerless?

Look at your life and identify where you feel powerless. Do you feel out of control when it comes to your income, career, relationship, your home or your weight?

The list can go on, what is important here is that you zero in on where you feel most stuck and out of control in your life.

2. Release and Reclaim

Now ask yourself honestly what you would have to give up to reclaim your power in that part of your life. You will be surprised at how quickly you have the answer. The answer is not coming from your limited ego mind; instead you have tapped into your higher self.

You may realize that for your career to move forward you need to move to a different city, or that you must risk rejection and put yourself out there in a new way to raise your income.

These insights present you with a clear choice, and when you have a choice you are never powerless. True, not all choices are easy to make and we often have to give up something that is dear to us to move forward with meaning in our lives.

Regardless of what you choose to do, you are now in a position to release the resistance and embrace what is, or take the plunge and give up something you have resisted to let go of.

It is when you are able to let go of things that are indeed a big deal to release, that big shifts happen. You have made room for new energy to enter your life by letting go of what no longer fits.

I have experienced this several times in my own life and one of the most profound shifts I had was when I was able to release my desire to move back to my country of origin, Sweden. It was huge for me to give up my home country and closeness to family and friends. When I stopped resisting my new home in Canada, things began moving into place with speed.

Do the exercise above and become aware of how much energy it takes to be stuck and in resistance, then enjoy reclaiming that energy and channeling it towards your purpose in life.

If you are looking for more clarity in your life with regards to your purpose if life, a Life Purpose Profile

where you fingerprints are decoded to reveal your unique energy profile, including that of your life purpose energy, may be a good place to start.

Soul Inspired Goal Setting – Your ABC Action Guide

A	Where Are You Now?

Let’s get started by taking a good look at your life the way it is today. Do this exercise by filling out your Life Wheel. Draw a circle on a blank piece of paper, divide it into the following 8 sections:

1. Career/Business
2. Finances
3. Health & Self Care
4. Intimacy/Significant Other
5. Social, Fun & Recreation
6. Personal/Spiritual Growth
7. Family, Friends & Community
8. Physical Environment

Complete all the categories listed in the wheel by using words to describe your current experience and by ranking your level of satisfaction. Rank your satisfaction on a scale from 1 -10, with 1 being poor or almost non-existent and 10 is very good.

B	Get Inner Guidance

To create a life that you love is about filling it with doings, people, things and experiences that reflect your essence and what you are in harmony with. To choose well you need to know yourself well. Self discovery is a journey that is always ongoing, and it is helpful to use several different ways to learn about you.

In this article I am sharing some of my favorite tools to help you get to know who you are truly. This knowing will allow you to plant the seeds that will grow into a life of greater meaning, success and fulfillment…

1. Journaling

Even if you think you have nothing to write, sit down with pen and paper and see what comes out. Relax your mind and begin to write your dreams, remember that you are only writing for your eyes so there are no worries about other’s judgment, possible resentment and you already have all the skills, empowerment and money you need to dream big!

According to Universal Law, if you can think it you also have the capacities to manifest it. In other words, you are only able to tap into the inspiring ideas from the “universal vault of unending possibilities” that you can accomplish. Consider this statement seriously and keep writing down your dreams and visions on a regular basis. The consistency of this activity allows you to fine tune where your inspired heart is pulling you.

Another approach to journaling that is especially useful if you feel stuck is to ask your “higher self” questions in Q&A format. Here is an example. On a blank page in your journal, write “Q:” followed by your question, if you don’t even know what to ask, you can ask “what question do I need to ask to connect with my true desire?” On the next row write “A:” and wait for the answer to come to you, be in a relaxed state and don’t force. At times the answer may come almost instantly, at other times you may have to wait days or weeks… What is important here is to not give up; you will get your answer when you are ready for it…

2. Slow Down and Listen to Your Inner Voice

Most of us are too busy with day-to-day stuff to hear the message from our faint inner voices. This is important to get authentic direction in your life, and no one else can do this for you, only you can hear your inner voice.

Begin by making the decision to spend time with you. Give yourself a quiet space in your home, in nature or where you find peace. Be sure to minimize sensory stimulation, which means being away from bright lights, loud noise and other distractions. Since there is no off button on your mind, make it quiet by bringing your awareness to the rhythm of your breath, take deep, slow breaths and just be in the present moment. Release thoughts pulling you back to your past, they are not who you are. Release all thoughts pulling you towards the future, since they are not who you are. Just be in the moment and connect to the power that is always there for you but only when you unlock it by being totally present.

In this relaxed and intensely present state, allow yourself to step out of time and space and reach out to the formless universe that is always surrounding you. When you inner voice whispers or speaks to you, listen attentively and bring its wisdom with you as you re-enter your daily life and the world of form.

Have a date with yourself on a regular basis, and you will discover that it becomes easier to hear your inner voice whisper guidance for each step of your journey.

3. Have a Hand Analysis Life Purpose Session and Discover Your Unique Success Map

What may take you years to discover on your own, you will learn in minutes when you invest in yourself and get a Hand Analysis Life Purpose Session. This may sound too good to be true, but your hands are actually a map of your soul psychology and personality. Your fingerprints reveal your soul’s calling or if you prefer your Life Purpose Energy.

The fingerprints also bring your Life Lesson out of the dark. Your Life Lesson is your blind spot where you tend to get stuck and hold back. Learning your life lesson, and how to “work it” so it doesn’t keep you stuck, is fundamental to your future success. You may be able to figure out your Life Purpose on your own, but I have never met anyone who has uncovered their life lessons themselves (it is called your blind spot for a reason…)

Your hands also reveal your Personality, Temperament and potential Gift Markings. Gift Markings are present in around 35% of the population and are explosions of energy you need an outlet for in your life, or they will go into penalty mode which is no fun… In other words, the information in your hands reveals your unique energies that will always be at work in your life. By knowing what they are you can make them work for you, instead of against you.

C	Use Your Personal Insights as You Plan Your Year

After strengthening your communication within yourself, and hopefully also have your hands decoded, return to the Life Wheel, but this time write down specific goals that you would like to achieve in each area of your life by the end of 2010. Be sure to allow your insights gained from your improved internal communication, and from learning your unique Life Purpose & Lesson, to influence the goals you set in all categories of your Life Wheel.

Draw several copies of the Life Wheel and write specific goals for each spoke of your “Life Wheel”. Begin with a 1 year goal, and continue by breaking the goals down into more manageable pieces. Write a version for where you want to be in 6 months, in 3 months, in 1 month and use the “Life Wheel” to write down your weekly action steps. And don’t forget to get the satisfaction of checking them off as you accomplish your goals…) Good luck and don’t forget that all success is had one baby step at a time!

5 Holiday Gifts to Yourself for Personal Growth

No matter what religious celebration December means for you and your family, they are all about giving. Most of the giving is done to family and friends. The kind of giving I would like to explore in this article is about giving to yourself, and I’m not talking about getting more stuff!

When we stop growing physically, many may think they are done with the growing, but nothing could be further from the truth. This is when the real growth starts, your Personal Growth!

To create an environment fertile for personal growth, these 5 gifts to yourself are a great beginning.

1	The Gift of Time

Some people need more alone time than others, but everybody needs “cave time”. Please make this a priority, and put “time alone” in your calendar. If you are not used to taking alone time, it’s OK to do a “mindless” activity like going for a walk, take a bath or clean out your sock drawer. Use this time to check in with yourself and ask how you are doing. Does any area(s) in my life need change?

2	The Gift of Space

Anything that competes to get your attention is a distraction. This can be visual in the form of clutter, or auditory as a constant stream of sound. Time alone is often more energizing in a space free from distractions. Create it in your home or find a serene quiet place elsewhere.

3	The Gift of Breath

I have discovered the power of the breath, and would like for you to make this discovery as well. It is almost too simple to be true! By focusing on the breath, you are instantly removed from thoughts that hold you captured in the past or the future. When you are in the present moment you are able to tap into creative energy. Always breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Take deep slow breaths and follow the rhythm of your breathing with your mind.

4	The Gift of Being Able to Surrender to What Is

Non-productive worry drains energy from areas in your life where action is possible and needed. The essence of the “serenity prayer” says it all, take a moment to internalize it.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

the courage to change the things I can;

and the wisdom to know the difference.”

5	The Gift of Outside Support

Einstein said: “You can never solve a problem on the level on which it was created.” I hope these wise words help you understand why your personal growth and healing is dependent on asking for, and receiving help from someone who has achieved a higher state of health than yourself.

Since I started my journey towards greater health I have immersed myself in books and regular consultations with natural health practitioners, and I know for sure that I would not be where I am today without getting boosted by individuals ahead of me. I urge you to do the same and find a practitioner that you resonate with.

Everything in universe has a polarity, “the other side of the coin”. When it comes to giving, the flip side is receiving. If you can’t receive what you are giving yourself, your personal growth is going nowhere fast.

Receiving is not acknowledged or valued as much as giving in our society. But without a gift being properly received, the power in the act of giving is lost. The most difficult receiving may be gifts from you. Please receive the gifts from yourself with great consciousness and gratitude.

Try My Holiday Favorite “Tomtegröt”!

This is a holiday favorite in our family, this classic Swedish dish is a must on the Christmas table.

“Tomtegröt” means “Santa’s porridge”, and a few spoonfuls are usually placed outside the front entrance for Santa himself!

Traditionally each family member must make up a short rime before they are “allowed” to start eating.

This is the perfect comfort food during cold winter nights. You may be familiar with this dish as “rice pudding”. Below is my family recipe, give it a try and let me know what you think!

“Tomtegröt” – Swedish Christmas Rice Pudding

6 portions

1/2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted

1 Cup Short Grain Rice (I use sushi rice or arborio)

2 Cups Water

3/4 Tsp Seasalt

1 Liter 2% Milk

3 Tbsp Sugar (we use organic whole sugar)

Melt butter in a thick bottomed pot. Add rice, water and salt. Bring to a boil and let cook for 10 minutes on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add milk and bring to a boil while stirring often. Place lid on pot and let simmer slowly for 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure there is no sticking to the bottom. Stir in a sugar and serve with ground cinnamon and cold milk. God Jul! Enjoy!

Harness the Power of Single Tasking – Get My Top 5 Reasons

In recent years with the emergence of technology in the form of Blackberries, iPods and laptops, there is really no excuse left for anyone not to be multitasking and reachable at any moment.

We check email while having dinner, text while at meetings, work on a spreadsheet while watching TV, and browse the web while outlining our goals for the next year…

One may think that mankind has increased its productivity many times over in recent years, but have we really? Studies show that the opposite is actually true; multitasking uses more time per activity and increases stress.

As an entrepreneur I understand that I am extra “vulnerable” to multitasking since I wear so many hats in my business. I admit that I have been guilty of multitasking in the past, however as my business grows and my awareness of how essential it is to use my time wisely, I have shifted to single tasking more and more and seen great results.

Also, as I study other successful business owners I have noticed a common theme of “doing less and doing focused” being attributed as a main component for their successes. So it is not always about working harder, it is about working smarter and with greater awareness, and that brings results in line with your purpose!

Here Are My Top 5 Reasons for Single Tasking:

• Makes You More Creative

You are more creative when you single task since you fully immerse yourself in the task at hand and surrender to the present moment and harness the power of Now.

It is when you are truly present that you open the channel for “divine downloads” to happen. The depth of the insights you get during those intensely focused moments may bring forth to your conscious awareness the Big Idea that will take your business or life to the next level.

• Makes You More Productive

Single tasking actually increases your productivity for a couple of reasons.

First, you are being proactive instead of reacting to stimulants from your surroundings, as you choose the task at hand. As a “single-tasker” you are unlikely to decide to do things like “aimlessly surf the web for 30 minutes”.

Secondly, you save more time the more complex a task is, since complex tasks require deep concentration, and it takes time to achieve that state of deeper focus. So lots of time is lost each time you must re-enter that deeper state.

• More Enjoyable

There is nothing quite as satisfying as being able to dive deep into a project and stay with it until it is completed. If you have never done that I urge you to give it a try, and experience first hand the satisfaction and increased enjoyment single tasking will bring to your days.

• Increases Quality

It should come as no surprise that the quality of the work you produce, or the relationships you build, are greater if they don’t have to compete for your attention with another task or gadget.

• Gives You Natural Boundaries between Work and Home Life

The importance of boundaries for both productivity and health has been downplayed in recent years. The line between work and home life has become increasingly blurred, and it is easy to never have time off, aside from when you sleep. This is especially important if you work from home, as most entrepreneurs do.

Boundaries that give you true downtime may not be exciting, but are essential to recharging your batteries. Constantly checking email actually produces a steady flow of adrenaline, a stress hormone linked to premature aging and degenerative disease.

Now go ahead and use my reasons above to re-evaluate how you use your time and rediscover the power inherent in single tasking!

It’s Scary! 3 Steps To Find Courage To Live Your Life Purpose

You know what to do next to live your life purpose, but you are holding back because it’s scary… sound familiar? In this article we’ll take a closer look at why you need courage to live life on purpose, how you get courage and when it is especially important to be courageous.

1 Why it’s Scary

You need courage to live your life purpose because it always involves doing something that pulls you outside your current zone of comfort. Maybe you must let go of something that is secure but not very fulfilling, like a government job, or maybe it involves more exposure and the risk of rejection.

The fact that it’s scary to step outside of your comfort zone and into the unknown is actually a requirement for living life on purpose, since what is important is “charged” and resonates with your “soul’s blueprint”. This activates your Ego who’s job it is to keep you “safe” and exactly where you are. Your Ego “protects” you by bringing up emotional responses, and the most common of these emotional responses is fear.

2 How to Muster Up Courage

So from where do you get that much needed courage that will take you from stuck to “on track”? This is where faith comes in and I am not talking about blind faith. What I am referring to is an awareness of your access to source energy and a practical application of Universal laws and principles that will give you exactly what you need when you need it (and not before).

If you are looking for guarantees before you take action you will likely stay stuck and be in the same place a year from now as you are today.

However, what is guaranteed is that when you step into the unknown you activate Universal resources that will support you as long as you keep your focus on your goal (so keep looking ahead even if the road is rocky). This faith and focus will bring plenty of opportunities into your life to get you on the path of living life on purpose.

3 When To Be Courageous

It is especially important to take action when you notice a theme of signs that urges you in a certain direction. These occurrences can take the form of a dream or recurring dream, “messages” you notice from other people, songs on the radio, things you read and so on. All the signs that you pay attention to consciously mean something. Be aware of and look out for these subtle cues and you can take action with confidence, in spite of, or rather because it’s scary, since it is but another indication that you are on the right track.

So from now on when something is scary, see it as an indication that it is your next step, and be grateful for the opportunity to grow into the next version of yourself!

© 2004-2009 Annika Ek, TrulyU™

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Your Path to Purpose – 5 Secrets to a Purposeful Life

After spending years studying individuals who have created fulfilling and meaningful lives for themselves, it is clear that what “fulfilling”, or if you prefer “meaningful” or “purposeful” looks like come in as many versions as there are human beings on this planet.

If you are a searcher for that purpose and meaning in your own life, you may find this diversity confusing. But don’t despair; in spite of the outward range of expressions of a purposeful life, there are common denominators on the inside of those who have figured this out for themselves.

Here I will share 5 of those “secrets” so you can make some necessary shifts and also be on your way to creating your life on purpose.

1	Have a Burning Desire

If you want to create a life that is on your own terms just a little bit, chances are you will not see much of a change in your life one year from now. What those who create meaningful and purposeful lives have in common is a red, hot burning desire to live life on their own terms.

2	Have Balanced Feminine and Masculine Energies

When it comes to feminine and masculine energies we all have both. People who are leading successful and meaningful lives are able to at will switch between their masculine energy of taking action, to their feminine side of allowing their creativity to flow in the moment. This is a powerful combination that produces meaningful results.

One of these energies tend to be dominant, by becoming aware if your dominant energy is “masculine” (action and results oriented) or if your strong side is more feminine energy (creativity and connection), you can consciously strengthen your “weaker” side or arrange for outside support to set the stage for meaningful results in your life.

3	Don’t Need Outside Approval

Many equate the approval of other’s with their self worth. That belief will keep you stuck since you will not risk losing your value by doing in a way that may cause disapproval.

Those who create lives filled with meaning and purpose are connected to their innate value as human beings, regardless of what they do. This allows for freedom in doing without other’s approval or holding back because of reputation fears. This freedom sets the stage for taking action in new and possibly unconventional ways.

4	Love What They Do

Having a love for what you do is essential to creating a meaningful life, since if you don’t love what you spend most of your time doing, it really doesn’t matter if it makes you lots of money or brings you fame…

Love has a very high vibrational frequency that automatically raises the quality of what is produced, and it attracts opportunities to those who consistently hold that frequency.

5	Have Solution Focus

“Stuff” always happens for everyone, what differs is how you react to that “stuff”. Those who enjoy meaningful and purposeful lives waste no time complaining and blaming; instead they get busy finding the solution. Often the solution is so good that is takes them to a better place than before the “stuff” happened. Those who create fulfilling and purposeful lives see challenges as opportunities in disguise.

I invite you to use these insights to audit your own life and take action to:

1. Fuel Your Desire!
2. Awaken your Dormant Masculine or Feminine side and become whole.
3. Connect with Your Innate Value (no need for approval).
4. Start Doing what You Love!
5. Stop Complaining and Start Finding Solutions

Have fun and keep me posted on your progress!

© 2004-2009 Annika Ek, TrulyU™

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