Archive for February, 2011
Lessons from Lady GaGa
Friday, February 25th, 2011
Lady GaGa stages an incredible live performance. Her shows combine music with theater and cinematic experiences. In between her singing and dancing, Lady GaGa shares positive messages throughout her entire show. “When you leave here, love yourself even more” she shouted to the crowd. Lady GaGa reminded everyone in her audience that we all feel insecure, but that we are perfect the way we are. Her message to all of us was to be ourselves.
As I looked around the audience, I noticed many young people listening to every word she was saying. There were some young people who had tears coming down their cheeks and were full of emotion at her positive messages. I too joined in with tears when GaGa finished her concert with her song, Born This Way. I started singing the song and then I choked up at the lyrics:
Don’t hide yourself in regret,
Just love yourself and you’re set
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way
Even as an adult, it was nice to be reminded to not hide. As Lady GaGa reminded the audience many times, “There is nothing wrong with you.”
“Just love yourself and you’re set.”
The journey is about remembering and living from self-love every day.
Mary Anne
What Are Your Big Plans?
Thursday, February 17th, 2011
I have a habit of asking, “What’s next?” Once I know that proposals are drafted, workshops are planned, and clients have been scheduled, I get myself pumped with dreaming up my next big idea or plan. So far, my big plans include going on a trip to Egypt as an assistant guide {depending on if there is a safe government transition} and inviting Byron Katie to a Toning the OM event. It’s easier to make small plans then big plans – and usually takes less risk. But as I was reminded last week, there are times we need to “do it afraid.” Putting ourselves and our dreams out into the world can have a big impact and lead to bigger dreams.
As Seth Godin says in his blog, “Shun the non-believers. They won’t be easily convinced, but they can be ignored.
Is there any doubt that making big plans increases the chances that something great will happen?
Is there any doubt that we need your art and your contribution?”
What are you willing to do afraid today? What are your big plans?
Mary Anne
You Are the Wisdom You Seek
Wednesday, February 16th, 2011
Throw away holiness and wisdom, and people will be a hundred times happier. ~Tao Te Ching
In her book, A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are, Byron Katie brings together self-inquiry (The Work) and the teachings of the Tao. Each chapter takes excerpts from that ancient text as a means for Katie to talk about some essential issues such as life and death, love, work, and getting out of our own way.
I am re-reading this book (actually I am re-re-re-re-re-re-reading this book). In the chapter referring to above Tao text, Katie writes, “You are the wisdom you’re seeking, and inquiry is a way to make that wisdom available whenever you want. My experience is that there’s no one with more or with less freedom. We all have it equally.”
Katie continues by telling a story:
God’s will and your will are the same, whether you notice it or not. There’s no mistake in the universe. It’s not possible to have the concept “mistake” unless you’re comparing what is with what isn’t. Without the story in mind, it’s all perfect. No mistake. Strangers used to hear about me and show up at my front door (this was in 1986), and some of them would put their palms together and bow and say, “Namaste.” I had never heard this before – people don’t say “Namaste” in Barstow, the little desert town where I lived. So I thought they were saying, “No mistake.” I was thrilled that the people coming to my door were so wise. “No mistake. No mistake.”
Namaste – No mistake,
Mary Anne
I Love You and Me
Monday, February 14th, 2011
Once we look past the commercialism, the overpriced flowers, and the tacky cards, Valentine’s Day can be a day to celebrate all kinds of love. Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers, write yourself a love note, and take yourself out to dinner. Then when you are ready, invite your spouse, partner, friend, or any loved one to join you in celebrating love.
Before we fall asleep or leave for work, my partner and I exchange the words, “Love you.” It’s more than a tradition; it’s a way of reminding ourselves that we have the capacity to love. I have fallen in and out of love with myself many times. There are days I wish Cupid would shoot an arrow at me to remind myself how loveable I am. To love another person takes courage, commitment, and vulnerability. What would it take to love ourselves? Courage. Commitment. Vulnerability.
My wish for you is that you experience expansive love. As I celebrate love, I am open to receive it as well. If I am to love you, it begins with loving me. I love you. And I love me.
Mary Anne
Celebrating International Coaching Week!
Thursday, February 10th, 2011
As part of International Coaching Week, 2/6 – 2/12, I am doing some wellness coaching at various centers and spas. I am also offering special discounts so folks can experience the power of coaching. If you are interested in learning more about life coaching and taking your dreams and goals to the next level, visit my website: https://www.toningtheom.com
Feel free to check out my Life Coaching Services on Thumbtack as well.
Drop me a line!
Mary Anne
Groove Is in the Heart: A Return to Self-Love
Wednesday, February 9th, 2011
What are the patterns, habits, and self-talk that keeps you from experiencing self-love?
All are welcome to join us for an evening teleclass for deeper self-connection and self-love. Through guided meditation, reflection, and practices of self-love. We will listen deeply to the expressions of our hearts – longing to be shared. We will reflect on habits of compassion, forgiveness, worthiness, and self-acceptance. Our evening is about learning ways to accept ourselves from the inside out. We will learn how to create new habits of self-love.
Groove Is in the Heart: A Return to Self-Love will take place on Tuesday, 3/29 at 7:30p (ET) on the phone (click link for details).
Wishing you expansive love ~
Mary Anne
Daily Doses = Medicine for Life
Friday, February 4th, 2011
My morning meditation:
What you do in small doses becomes big doses in life.
My meditation allowed me to think about the habits I have each day that have led to my life practices – some good and some I need to release. It’s the little things each day we give care to, we pay attention to, we listen to, we create, and repeat that make up our lives.
What are the things I have done in small doses today that are becoming bigger doses in my life? What are you doing in small doses that are becoming bigger doses in your life?
Mary Anne
What Do You Need to Move into Self-Love?
Tuesday, February 1st, 2011
February is the month where we are reminded about having love in our life. What if that love included our self? Perhaps this month we could take a closer look at self-love.
What are the patterns, habits, and self-talk that keeps you from experiencing self-love? When we are out of self-love, we often feel hurt or rejected. I know when I am out of self-love, I often project past painful experiences onto others and blame them for what has been unresolved within myself.
Self-love is a life long process. There are many days that “I have fallen out of love with myself.” I feel hurt and rejected and I get caught up in what others think of me. What has helped me when I have those feelings of hurt or rejection is taking a look at my thinking. As Byron Katie says, “Notice when you hurt that you are mentally out of your business. If you’re not sure, stop and ask, “Mentally, whose business am I in?”
“There are only three kinds of business in the universe: mine, yours, and God’s.” (Byron Katie)
When we are in others’ business, we move away from our own heart. Self-love is accepting ourselves from the inside out. It’s letting go of what ‘others’ say or do. As Katie says, “Hurt feelings or discomfort of any kind cannot be caused by another person. No one outside me can hurt me. That’s not a possibility. It’s only when I believe a stressful thought that I get hurt. And I’m the one who’s hurting me by believing what I think. This is very good news, because it means that I don’t have to get someone else to stop hurting me. I’m the one who can stop hurting me. It’s within my power.”
Self-love begins with noticing our thoughts and feelings. We can inquire if they are from the past or the present. How are you living in the past and replaying old tapes of pain?
What do you need to move into self-love?
Mary Anne