So here’s my story…

After 12 years in the beautiful Arizona desert I have moved back ‘home’ to Iceland. It is the place I’ve always called ‘home’ even though my house and home have been in Arizona for a large chunk of my adult life. Arizona is the place in which I went to school and received my bachelors and masters degrees, started my companies, had my children, made some of my greatest friends and in any way possible, ‘found’ myself and discovered who I really am.

After 12 years, Arizona had become a ‘home’ to me and it was a place in which I was in my ‘comfort zone’ and I knew pretty well what my days would bring. I have a great job in Arizona as a coach and amazing, wonderful clients and it was a bit surreal to one day have to plug myself out of that ‘reality’ and plug myself into a new one.

There’s been A LOT going on in my life these past few weeks so I haven’t been posting much. It all started with my husband being approached and asked if he were interested in exploring a job opportunity in Iceland. We didn’t see ourselves moving back just yet but we had said to each other (and to the Universe) that we were open to ‘change’ and open to a new adventure. I guess you have to be careful what you wish for:) Then, sort of like out of the blue this Iceland job comes up and he was very interested in the job itself and said Yes to exploring it, thinking one shouldn’t exclude things and it was good to look into opportunities for we could always say No if we ended up not being interested.

To make a long story short, he was offered the job and felt he simply had to accept it for it was something he really wanted to do, and of course I wanted him to follow his heart. So, as the decision was made, we packed up our whole ‘lives’ in just a few weeks, sold many of our belongings and loaded the rest into a container and boarded a one-way flight to Iceland!

We just landed here yesterday and for me this whole thing is still so odd for I sort of feel like I’m here for a visit, just like I always do. The fact that I’m here to stay is still pretty darn weird to grasp! Iceland has changed a lot in the past 12 years and everything feels different yet in a way, still the same and so familiar.

I’m pretty excited about this adventure that we’re in for and can’t wait to re-experience my amazing home country through my children’s eyes who are both born in Arizona and have only been here for a visit. For them this is a BIG change for they are literally leaving ‘Life’ – as they know it! They are saying goodbye to the house they were brought up in, and to their school, their teachers and school-buddies and to our ‘chosen family’ and to all of the friends they’ve grown up with.

I realize that all of this looks different through their eyes and I’ve tried to really prepare them for this by keeping them as aware and involved in the process as possible, at least for little kids to comprehend, and I am still amazed at how calm and non-chalant they’ve been about this whole thing. It’s like they somehow ‘know’ that this is mean to be. My daughter who’s 7 has shed a few tears for the friends she’ll miss and for the cat we left behind with friends of ours but she’s been quick to sort of ‘deal’ with everything and has been great about focusing on the ‘positives’ of this move which to her are grandma, grandpa and all the cousins but mostly this; “In Iceland, I can walk to school by myself, go to the store and to a play-park by myself and play outside all the time!” (She’s a very independent little person:))

So, here we are, in the country of the ever-changing light, and while everyone is fast asleep at 3am in the morning, I’m up again and wide-awake for my body is like “excuse me, woman, it’s 8pm in the evening and you just had a nice, long nap but shouldn’t be sleeping for the night just yet”.

We’re staying with my mother for a few days until the furnished place we rented becomes available and then we’ll start looking for a more permanent living arrangement as our ‘home’ makes it’s trip across the US and then sails across the ocean to meet us here in Iceland in a few weeks.

As ‘normal’ and familiar as this country is to me, there is nothing ‘normal’ and familiar about our lives right now. It’s a little odd being in ‘The Gap’ yet I’m excited about what the future holds. We were meant to come back ‘home’. I don’t really believe in coincidences and this whole process has been amazingly fast and quick yet so smooth, and easy and somehow ‘led and guided’. All we had to do was say YES to ‘change’ and to new opportunities and here we are! We’re the same people we were yesterday but now in a completely different location on the planet. Everything is different yet everything’s the same….for wherever you go… there YOU are!

Whatever he says is all true for ME too… this is why I’m so excited to be moving back to Iceland…

Viggo Mortensen is inspired by Iceland from Inspired By Iceland on Vimeo.

Anyone can travel the path towards enlightenment. It can be as easy as a decision. Enlightenment is not something that is reserved to a special few or to the extraordinarily intelligent and wise. We are all powerful beings, gifted with countless opportunities and the ability to make countless choices. Why not choose to practice stillness and transcend our spirits to higher levels of consciousness? Life in modern day society can be pretty chaotic and hectic yet within all of that hustle and bustle rests the still and present YOU, quietly observing it’s Ego Self that may be caught in lower levels of consciousness than your actual Real Self. You may not achieve enlightenment in an instant (although I’ve heard it’s possible) but you can lift your spirit up a few levels when you choose to be still and notice.

The levels of consciousness are sometimes referred to as (and in the order as follows); shame, guilt, apathy, grief, fear, desire, anger, pride, courage, neutrality, willingness, acceptance, reason, love, joy, peace, and enlightenment.

Where is your consciousness resting in this very moment? And, where would you like it to be? Where are you choosing to go from here?

Inspiration 365 Days a Year | Inspriation 365 Day a Year Movie.

Motivation doesn’t last…. well bathing doesn’t either, that’s why its recommended daily!

Warning: This TED talk may inspire you to be more playful and creative!

Life is not as much about finding yourself as it is about creating yourself!

When we want to “find” ourselves we electively embark upon a personal growth journey and push ourselves out of our shells, continually trying out new things, exploring the world and ourselves in it and incrementally we grow by expanding our comfort zones. This is how we learn that we can be bigger, better and happier than we previously thought possible. It is a given that pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone can be quite intimidating at first, otherwise it wouldn’t be called a “comfort zone” now would it? But, anything worth achieving is quite often very scary at first.

People who hold onto their fears and always choose to “play it safe” simply do not grow (at least not electively so). They merely respond and react to whatever life brings along and for the most part try as hard as they possibly can to stay exactly where they are at. Which will bring more fear and unhappiness to their lives since the only thing given in life is that everything evolves and changes… always! Plus, “playing it safe” and resisting change doesn’t sound like a recipe for a fun life now does it?

So the question is; Who are YOU really when you’re not holding back?

The answer to this question applies to any and all areas of our lives. What could you create and what kind of relationships would you have if you did not care about what other’s thought of you, if you were not concerned about being judged or about receiving someone’s approval. I ask myself those same exact questions when that little doubtful voice wants to pop up, the one I call “little me”. What if you always lived, acted and created as the “BIG ME”? So who is the “BIG” YOU? Who would you BE if you weren’t trying to hold onto what you know and what feels safe and comfortable? Is it possible that you’d be more YOU? Utterly amazing, wonderful, laid back, joyful, fun-loving, creative and carefree YOU!

If you feel its time to Create a New YOU, you can start by letting go of all the made up inhibitions that no longer serve you. Who are YOU when you are not attached to The Story of You? Who are you when you let go of the need for other people’s approval?

If you let go a little, you will be happy a little. If you let go a lot, you will be happy a lot. But, if you let go completely… you will be FREE!

Have fun letting go…

There are sayings that start with; “blessed are the simple…” and whether they end with ’simple in heart’ or ’simple in mind’ there is great truth in those words. It seems that the people who suffer the most are not necessarily the ones who are living in the poorest of situations but the ones who THINK the most.

It so happens that we have this neat, little organ in our heads that we call our brain and it really, truly likes to think! Which in principle is perfect for that is exactly what it is designed to do. Our brain does its job so well that it can even do it without noticing what it is doing and without seeing its job as ‘a job’. Our brain is continually scanning, reading and interpreting whatever reaches its way through the stimuli’s of sight, sound, touch and smell.

The glitch in this otherwise perfectly designed system is that it is so perfect in fact that we often may not know how to use it. Instead of us using our brain as the clever and productive organ that it is, we end up finding ourselves being ‘used by our brains’. If we buy into, believe and react to every whimsical notion that will inevitably be produced by this amazing organ, we will be nothing more than slaves to our creative minds. But, why worry about that! “Worry is a misuse of the imagination”.

Instead, it may be time to fundamentally examine where your thoughts are coming from. Even the simplest of thoughts come from somewhere. Our sensors are influenced by our own unique perspectives or the filter from which we in essence view our lives from. Our perspectives are based on our past experiences and it seems accurate to state that none of us have had the same exact life experiences. We are born into different countries, cultures, families, values, and beliefs and in effect have quite a few filters through which we are taught to view the world. So who is to say that your specific perspective is the absolute true perspective? Is it possible that your brain plays many tricks on you?

Over-thinking, over-analyzing, and over-identifying with your thoughts will only lead to unhappiness. If you did not have the thoughts you have now, how would you be feeling differently? Could it be that everything in your life is really perfect and wonderful but your filter is flawed and blurry?

Byron Katie says; “Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don’t have to like it… it’s just easier if you do.”

Byron Katie’s famous teachings called “The Work” asks people to examine limiting thoughts by asking the following four questions:

1. Is it true? (If the answer is “No,” move to #3)
2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true?
3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
4. Who would you be without the thought?
Turn the thought around.
Find three genuine examples of how the turnaround is as true or truer in your life.
Can you find other turnarounds?
How are these turnarounds true in your life?
Give examples.

Byron Katie’s “The Work” is actually a very simple, yet effective way of examining your thoughts and limiting beliefs. If you want more information about The Work you can visit www.thework.com

So what are YOU really, truly thinking??!!

Are you the most vibrant, creative and fulfilled YOU imaginable?

If so, more POWER to YOU! You got it, and you’ve apparently got the whole point of not even trying to GET IT! Whatever IT may be! If you’re not quite there yet… by all means, read on…

Vibrancy, creativity and fulfillment cannot be ‘found’ outside of you. There is nothing in this world that can make you feel any of those feelings, no praise, no glory, no money and no power can give you complete fulfillment. But, creativity can…

Creativity is the expression of your soul. It is through creative being and doing that we feel connected to Greatness and we connect with a higher sense of Being. So, how do we know if we’re being creative? Creativity is not something we can exactly plan, seek or capture. Creativity is something that simply happens yet only when we allow it to happen. It is the state you’re in when you feel like you’re in “the flow” or “in the zone” and whatever you’re being and doing is somehow being created from your soul’s core. Everyday “rules” seize to exist, there is no absolute right or wrong when it comes to creativity, there simply IS. You’re at the essence of your being, creating what you came here to create, giving your gift to the world, even if it’s only to yourself or to one other being. When we’re being creative, we feel vibrant and alive and we are nourished by a source greater than anything found in the physical world, giving us a tremendous sense of fulfillment. When we’re in ‘the zone’ of creativity time tends to become abstract, and we forget about our worries and may even ‘forget’ thirst and hunger altogether. We are simply BE-ing.

We’re all created in the image of the Creator, meaning we’re created to create! Whatever your creative outlet may be; dancing, reading, researching, learning, teaching, nurturing, painting, singing, acting, writing, composing, designing, assembling, building and so on, this is the essence of you, and what you’re here to do, but most importantly here to BE.

When we connect with our inborn creativity everything makes sense, even when it doesn’t. We’re connected to something greater than ourselves. We’re on purpose; we’re expressing and sharing our true selves. The greatest gift we can give to ourselves is time devoted to being creative, and let whatever wants to come out – come out!

So are you connected with your most vibrant, creative and fulfilled self? Is it time to make room for more CREATIVITY in YOUR life?

The following is an excerpt from Sufis The People of the Path, Vol 1 # 10/
courtesy Osho International Foundation/www.osho.com

Where can one always find happiness?

“See the dictionary under the letter ‘h’ — only there will you always find happiness. In life things are very mixed up. Day and night are together, so are happiness and unhappiness. Life and death are together, so is everything. Life is rich because of polar opposites. The very idea that one would like to be happy forever is stupid. the very idea will create only unhappiness and nothing else. You will become more and more miserable because more and more you will be missing your so-called eternal happiness. Your greed is too much.
Then who is the happy person? The happy person is not one who is always happy. The happy person is one who is happy even when there is unhappiness. Try to understand it. The happy person is one who understands life and accepts its polarities. He knows success is possible only because failure is also possible. So when failure comes he accepts it.
I remember one incident of my childhood. A great wrestler had come to my town. Everybody was very interested in wrestling, so the whole town had gathered. I have seen many people and many wrestlers in my life but he was really rare. He had something of Zen in him.
For ten days the wrestling continued, and every day he defeated a famous wrestler. Finally he was declared to be the winner. The day he was declared to be the winner he went around and touched the feet of all the ten persons whom he had defeated.
Everybody was puzzled about why he did it. I was a small child, I went to him and I asked him, ‘Why did you do that? This is strange.’
He said, ‘It is only because of them that I am victorious. If they had not allowed themselves to be defeated, I would not be victorious. So I owe it to them. My victory depends on their defeat, so really I feel greatly thankful to them. There was only one possibility: either I was to be defeated or they were to be defeated. And they are good people, they accepted defeat.’
This is a very Sufi or Zen idea. Things are interdependent: failure/success, happiness/unhappiness, summer/winter, youth/old age, beauty/ugliness — all are interdependent, they exist together. And the man who starts seeking one pole against the other pole is getting into unnecessary trouble. It is not possible, he is desiring the impossible; and he will get very frustrated.
Then what should the attitude be? When happiness comes, enjoy happiness; when unhappiness comes, enjoy unhappiness. When there is happiness, dance with it; when there is unhappiness, cry with it. That’s what I mean when I say ‘Enjoy’. Unhappiness is a must. If you can accept unhappiness as smoothly as you welcome happiness, you will transcend both. In that very acceptance is transcendence. Then unhappiness and happiness will not make much difference to you, you will remain the same. When there is sadness you will have a taste of it; and when there is joy you will have a taste of it. And sometimes bitter things also taste beautiful.
And sadness has something of depth in it which no happiness can ever have. Happiness has something shallow. Laughter always looks shallow, tears always look deep. If you want to be happy always you will become a shallow person, a superficial person. Sometimes it is good to fall into the depths, dark depths, dismal depths of sadness. Both are good. And one should be total in both. Whatsoever happens, go totally into it. When crying, become the crying, and when dancing, become the dance. Then the ultimate happens to you. By and by you forget the distinction between what happiness is and what unhappiness is. You enjoy both! So by and by the distinction disappears. And when the distinction has disappeared, there arises something which is eternally there, which remains always there. That is witnessing.”