Monday, July 27, 2009

The Power of Manifestation

After reading my blog on procrastination a friend shared with me a funny YouTube clip of Ellen DeGeneres talking about procrastination. When you get a moment click on this link…you’ll get a good laugh! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU-0bF_sSas

Anyway, while I’m feeling the flow of exhilaration and excitement about what has manifested in my life over the past week (heck, the past year!) I thought I’d share my energy with you. I am a strong believer in the power of manifestation, and not because I’ve read or heard about how powerful it is, but because I’ve experienced it again and again in my life. The more conscious I am of the power within me to create what it is that I want in this life experience the more in awe I am of this force.

It never ceases to amaze me that when I set an intention all of a sudden key people, opportunities, events, workshops, insights, “coincidences,” etc. begin to surface. In order to feel the synchronicity that is at work in our favor we need to first be aware of its existence and then be open and ready to receive. Doesn’t it make complete sense that if we are not open or ready to receive what it is that we are asking for that it likely will not manifest? The key is to dig deep and find our truth about what might be holding us back from manifesting the life we desire.

The only other ingredient in the power of manifestation is action. A wise man (my brother, Ron) once said, “If you sit around and wait for things to happen, nothing happens!” Action is necessary, and it just so happens to be where many of us stall out. Action often involves stepping out of our comfort zone, taking a risk, and being vulnerable. If we are seeking change—something different in our life—then we must step out of our comfort zone because that is where change lives. When we stay in the comfort zone we remain in a familiar unchanging place where we grumble that our dreams aren’t coming true.

As I stated in the Art of Procrastination blog, the three keys to manifestation are: (1) intention, (2) gratitude, and (3) action. Get ready, set, and go manifest!

Lots of love to you,
Terri

Saturday, July 25, 2009

The Art of Procrastination

Haven’t blogged in a while. Do I have a good reason? Yes. I’ve been perfecting the art of procrastination. I’m finding these days that it’s a fine-tuned skill that I possess. Okay, so the truth is, it’s not really a skill; it’s a way of expressing resistance.

So, why the resistance around doing something as simple and fun as writing a personal growth blog? Well, perfectionism for one. How can I post something if it isn’t perfectly articulated? I can’t write it right now because my mind isn’t quiet, well organized, clear and in “writing mode” to write a perfect piece. Geesh, when is it ever?! The only time my mind is that still is during meditation, and it seems to me that it would be counterproductive to be sitting on my meditation pillow with my laptop in hand! What is perfection anyway? We’ll save the response to that for a different blog on another day.

Fear is another hidden gem behind resistance, which is often disguised as procrastination. Fear of not being perfect. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of judgment. Fear of being criticized or ridiculed. Fear of speaking your truth and expressing your voice for the world to hear because you think your voice isn’t important or worthy of being heard. Fear of failure. Fear of being humiliated. Fear of vulnerability. Fear of risk. I could go on and on.

I think it's safe to say that none of these forms of fear are conducive to a life of joy and well-being. The definition of fear in the Merriam-Webster dictionary states: fear is an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by expectation or awareness of danger. I’m fairly certain that there is no apparent danger in posting my thoughts on personal growth topics in a blog, which means expectation is the culprit. Where does expectation generate? Within. And therein lies the answer to the first step of moving past the stagnancy of procrastination. Challenge your negative expectations, replace them with positive ones, and replace the art of procrastination with the art of detachment. Detach from anything that is not serving you or the world at large.

I’ve recently learned that the three keys to manifestation are: (1) setting a positive intention, (2) stating your current gratitude with regard to your intention, and (3) putting in to motion a plan of ACTION.

So, here goes:

Intention—I am productive on a daily basis and accomplish what needs to get accomplished!

Gratitude—I am grateful for my experience with procrastination because it has lead me to a new awareness of myself, and has prompted me to explore what I need to do to grow, move out of a rut, and be productive.

Action—(this is the big one!) (1) I plan to send my blog address (http://www.terriheck.blogspot.com/) to everyone in my address book because I know this will make me feel more accountable to post my blog on a continuous basis, and (2) I plan to post my blog every Saturday (and if I’m feeling giddy, I might surprise you with one on Tuesday, too!).

I have a feeling that I’m not alone on this procrastination thing. If you’re picking up what I’m putting down, by all means, feel free to speak on it! If you’re in the same boat as I, then get in the game and share your three steps to manifesting a procrastination-free lifestyle. If you’ve won the procrastination tug-of-war please share your success story!

Until next Saturday, here’s wishing you a procrastination-free productive week.

Love,
Terri