Motivation to Thrive

Can you walk with me? Can you let go of the details and breathe with me from your diaphragm(places hand on the diaphragm for visual instruction), and release the tension beneath your skull and between those shoulders. Breathing from the diaphragm ensures complete oxygen intake to your muscles without putting tension on your shoulders as when breathing from the lungs. Yes, expand that lower stomach and feel the fresh air flow into your lower belly and back up through your lungs. Let the air, warm from its journey, escape from your nostrils. Soon we will go to a place only reached in the mind. But first, notice the trees.

As you remember to breathe from your diaphragm, see the trees doing the same, breathing with you. Hear them speaking to you in a language only understood when you quiet your mind. Let’s pause for a minute as we savor this passing breeze.

Lets lift our arms to expand the lungs, but remember to breathe from the diaphragm. Listen as the breeze travels beneath, around and through the leaves. Feel it mingling with the warming sun to caress your skin. Now,did you feel the breeze pass on and move behind us? With your feet remaining forward, turn with me at the waist in that direction so we can watch it go on its way. As you turn, be aware of your core muscles, which surround your diaphragm. If you hear any pops as you turn, great! tension is being released!

Feel the movement of your side, and lower back. Pull down your shoulders as you turn and lift your chest as if a gentle cord is tugging at your collar bone. You can rotate your neck if you notice any tension there. Now, let’s face forward and continue on our way.

Which foot did you automatically step with first? This tells you the side of the brain which you use the most in situations. If you stepped with your left foot first, it’s likely you are right brained. If you stepped with your right foot first, It’s likely you are left brained.

Sometimes emotion is not there and that’s okay. You had to fire someone yesterday, or maybe you got fired. How should you feel about that? Anxiety is thick in your heart and because of it, nothing makes sense. What do we do with that?

Lets see these problems in a small bubble, inside a much larger one. The larger one is the future. Let’s put our hope in the contents of that larger bubble. Lets look to what's ahead. “But what if, in the larger bubble, there’s just more of what’s in the smaller one?” you might ask. Maybe, but what if there isn't. Believe me when I say you’re loved. I am loved. We are loved. Practice approaching what you hear and what you experience from that perspective. You might find yourself stepping forward with a different foot from then on. Love might change your entire brain.

Loved: existing in an intrinsic, unearned, permanent state of being cherished.

Say it with me: I am loved, I am loved, I am loved, I am loved, and now once more, lets pause here, and I want you to close your eyes, face the rising sun and let’s shout I AM LOVED..

And if you’re wondering “By whom”, then, when we are no longer together and you’re in bed, ask this in your heart. You may have to ask more than once, but an answer will come.

Now, I said we would go somewhere only reached in the mind. Let's continue to walk. Imagine a sea of thick, smooth crystal, here before our feet. As we walk, it’s ever there and we can never fall into it. As we walk, it stays ahead of us. See in this sea everything you feel guilty about, everything you fear. See in this sea of crystal the fear of not being enough for those you love, the fear of not having anyone to love at all, the fear of not being thought of, the fear of not being needed. Sometimes we fear people not taking us as seriously as we’d prefer or not respecting us as much as we feel we deserve. See in the crystal love gone cold, friends who proved to be vain associates. See, also. dreams out of reach. Look and observe all this that may produce doubt. Understand you are above it. It’s all down there, and you, my dearest friend, are walking safely here, in the sun.

Now see a wild, large, fire coming from deep within the crystal, deeper than the earth, coming and consuming all that's there until there isn't even ash left. Now, see you and I walking. See us walking, white light behind our backs, in an awareness of faithful love in our hearts. We’re going forward.

Come back now, and see merely gravel at your feet. Look where we are! You’re home. Walk into your home. Get ready for work. The sun is now set high above the clouds and you’re ready to live and thrive beneath it. Remember to breathe from your diaphragm throughout the day!

Peace, Light and Grace