Trusting Reluctance

Perhaps a true seeker of truth never graduates from truth-seeking-school. But then, when would you want to be done with that? When would you want to stop learning more of the sheer, breath-taking beauty of clear vision?

One of my favorite truth seeking topics is “Trusting Yourself.” For the first part of my life I did not know it was even an issue. I just blundered about bouncing off the walls that defined my physical and emotional reality.

Around age 30 I began to listen to that small, still voice within. I began to see that even though a lot of my choices led to painful conclusions, I did want to take care of myself as best I could. I simply had a lot to learn. And a lot to unlearn. I still do.

Even so, I know I do the best I can with what I know and what I believe. I’ll bet you are too. The great news is that we can learn more every day. As we gain clarity our beliefs change with the speed of light.

Of all the ways we can trust ourselves, trusting reluctance doesn’t get a lot of buzz. I’ve never seen a headline or a seminar on “Trust Your Reluctance!”

What is that “oh, no, I don’t want to” message about anyway? So often we assume that if we don’t want to do something we believe we should it points to a character flaw – a sure sign of something in ourselves we need to overcome.

But what if it isn’t that at all? What if that internal braking system that slows us to a halt has another message. Sometimes our reluctance to act tells us that the very thing we try to force ourselves to do will not work. Or will not work yet. Will never turn out well with the approach we are about to take.

I’m learning to honor my reluctance. Sometimes I need more information, more courage, more support, more insight before opening my mouth, my heart or my purse-strings.

Yeah, but what if it is just a character defect of cowardice, laziness, sloth and torpor that holds me back? I ought to know, right? Maybe there is hope or help for improvement.

Here’s a question that helps me to sort it out. Say I dread making a phone call. I ask, “Is the only reason you don’t want to do it that you are afraid to?

If the answer is “no” – I’ve got other reluctance-reasons I can address now that I am aware of them.

If the answer is “yes” I can ask what I’m afraid of. When I identify my fear I can explore it. I can discover my reasons for being afraid. Those reasons are beliefs I can challenge and often dismiss as the limiting misconceptions they are.

I’m pretty excited about this new avenue of inquiry – celebrating reluctance! Who would have thought?

Now there is a phone call I’m ready to make – with no reluctance at all!

I’d love to know what you think. You can post comments by clicking the blue word “comments” below. My blog host shows a reluctance to give much of a clue!

The Bargain :
Bargain Miracles? -- What a concept!

Joe Vitale specializes in them. He just released his newest, latest and maybe his last book all about them, “Expect Miracles.” It sounds terrific.

Joe wants to spread the word and the miracles. Its available at a big bargain discount for $10.85 today at Amazon. Miracles for everyone on your holiday gift list! Get yours at:

http://snipurl.com/expectmiracles

The Freebie:
Free Gifts from the Heart at Foodista.

My beloved son, Barnaby and his beloved girlfriend, Sheri are building an online encyclopedia for everything about food and cooking – Foodista!

I really liked their blog with 10 homemade gifts for budget conscious times.

http://www.foodista.com/2008/11/16/top-ten-homemade-gift-ideas/

Now I’m going to go order some copies of “Expect Miracles” and make that intriguing garlic vinegar from Foodista.

True foodistas hunting down those fierce oysters in the wild waters north of Seattle!

Have a wonderful day, full of bargains, miracles and gifts from the heart!
Love,
Mandy

Listen Up! You'll Be Glad

Did you ever have a wonderful time and think of all the people you wish you could share it with?
Only it’s too late, or time, travel, financial challenges get in the way.

Well last night Al Diaz and I had a conversation like that. Al is a generous spirit, a true seeker. It was smokin’ hot, super cool and as much fun as I’ve had in a long time.

Best of all, I CAN share it with you. It’s free. You can listen to it on your computer, download it and even send it to friends!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ilumine-Ao Scroll down to the list of shows.

Listen up. I think you’ll be glad.

Have a great weekend.

Love,
Mandy

Peace with the Past Radio Interview

I’m doing a free one hour internet radio interview on “Making Peace with the Past” on Thursday, November 6 at 6:00 PM Pacific time, 9:00 PM Eastern. The call-in number is (347) 826-7680.

The link is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ilumine-Ao

We will discuss how you can clear beliefs from the past that block success and happiness now.

The law of attraction always works; they don’t call it a law for nothing. A lot of things can get in the way of it working the way you want it to though, at least on a conscious level.

You probably already know that what you focus on usually grows.
What determines what you focus on? Your belief system does.

Created from a lifetime of observations, conclusions, perceptions, interpretations, everything you’ve been taught and told, your belief system is your unique version of reality. That’s the reality you really live by. It includes beliefs about who you are, what you can have and how you have to feel. It controls what you reach for, even what dreams you dare to have.

Your belief system trumps discipline, affirmations and guilt every time. How powerful is that!?

During painful, challenging times we often form limiting and self-defeating beliefs. We continue live by those beliefs without being aware of it.

Of course I do not recommend “living in the past” but it’s just as important that we not live “by the past” – that we are not ruled by outdated beliefs that were never true to begin with, that block success and happiness.

My book, “Travelling Free: How to Recover from the Past” covers how to find and unravel those beliefs so that we can be happy and create more of what we want NOW! You can order it at:

http://www.mandyevans.com/resources3.html

Here is the link for the radio show:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ilumine-Ao

I hope you’ll tell all of your friends. Call and join in with your questions. The call in number is (347) 826-7680.

Past shows are archived so you can listen on your computer later if you miss it live.

Wishing you a peaceful past, a happy now, and an amazing future!

Love,
Mandy

The "Present Present"

So many amazing people from all around the world attended the Miracles Weekend in San Diego I wanted to tell those of you who are interested all about it.

My presentation, “Accepting Miracles” was the very last one before the final Key Note by Joe Vitale. It was a fabulous experience – something we all created together with our love and enthusiasm.

Good news! They filmed it an I’ll get a copy of my part to share with you. I’ll keep you posted.

Then I got busy getting ready for the BREAKOUT Weekend here in Palm Springs, info/register:
http://beliefbreakout.blogspot.com/2008/06/breakout-in-palm-springs.html

It begins on Friday night. There is still room and I would love to see you here!

Thanks to Jarad James here’s a complete report! And best of all it’s a “present present” – just click the link and you’ll see what he means.
http://www.thecollegeguide.net/thepresent.html


To Your Happiness and Many Miracles!

Mandy

From Economic Fear to Happiness

You may have heard me say, “Be happy and do what you want.” But what if you’re not happy? What if you’re really scared?

The level of economic fear and worry I hear reminds me of one of my very first clients.

Robert was out of work. And he was scared. Walking into a job interview paralyzed him with dread. He began to stammer and sweat his way through the few interviews he forced himself to go. They ended abruptly, putting him out of his misery but leaving him out of a job.

Robert also felt deeply ashamed – of his lack of employment and of his fear.

We sat across from each other at a battered old drop leaf table in an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. As a young single parent I had financial issues of my own, but that wasn’t the point. My job is to find the beliefs that fuel those painful emotions, keep them in place and block happiness and success.

I began to ask Robert questions about his fear. He was afraid he wouldn’t find work, his wife would get tired of him, that she would eventually leave him.
We followed his fear to see where it led – into those dark corners where it’s hard to look.

Robert was afraid he’d end up homeless and alone. When I asked what scared him about that he looked at me like I was crazy.

“Could you still be happy?” I asked. I admit, it took all my nerve to get the question out. It sounded outrageous, even to me.

During the long, long silence that followed, I barely resisted the temptation to butt in with soothing words or a positive thought.

Then Robert exploded out of his chair with a yell, “Yes! I could!” He danced around my living room shouting gleefully, “It could be a relief! I could be happy! I could be happy! I could think, Oh boy! We’re having pea soup at the shelter tonight!”

The next week Robert got a job. And his wife had never even thought about leaving him.

It’s still seems outrageous to ask someone (or myself) what about being homeless, or alone, or even dying frightens them. There is freedom in the answers to those questions though. In that freedom we breathe deeply again and focus on what we want. We give ourselves the best chance to move toward our heart’s desire or attract it to us.

Wishing you freedom from every fear and happy solutions to every challenge!

Love,
Mandy

PS
To share your thoughts click "comments" below. We love to hear them.
Details/Register for the BREAKOUT Weekend at
http://beliefbreakout.blogspot.com/2008/06/breakout-in-palm-springs.html

Miracle Lillies

The UPS guy handed over the tell-tale long box. The temperature hovered at 107 in the late afternoon. The box felt warm, very warm.

When I opened it, steam came out! Oh, no. Inside, a huge bunch of long stemmed lillies, just in the bud was actually hot!

What a shame, I thought. They’ll never make it.

I hurried to clip the stems and put them in water, though I was sure they were lilly toast.

I read the note. The lillies were from the Miracles Coaches to thank me for a recent training with them in Texas on how to clear limiting beliefs.

Look what happened! Miracles abound!

May all of your budding ideas, hopes and dreams open in splendor!
Love,
Mandy