I finally got things moving last month, when I downsized my storage unit from a 10 x 20 unit to a 10 x 10 unit. It feels really good to let go of all the things that I no longer want in my life, and most importantly, to finally have my books home again with me, accessable and usable. I have over 3000 books, and I love them.

I learned some really valuable lessons in the process of downsizing the storage unit.

1. You don’t know how much stuff you have til you move it. Oy. Boxes and boxes worth. I had sore muscles in places that I didn’t know I had. My knees hurt and even my fingers hurt from holding the boxes.

2. Leave more time to get it done. Don’t decide 10 days before your rent is due that you want to downsize. Leave more time to take it at a more leisure pace, and allow for things to happen.

3. Most important, ask for help! People are really willing to help. They WANT to help. You just have to ASK. I had some furniture to move as well, just a few pieces, but I couldn’t do it by myself. I did everything else by myself, but I needed help. When I finally got to asking for help, I was surprised at how many people were willing to help. I didn’t have to do it all by myself. It would have been easier all around.

4. Periodically go through your things so you know what you have, and if you still want or need it. I’m still in the process of that one, but I am letting go of a lot of things I don’t need or want, and am wondering why I was storing and hanging on to all that stuff.

5. Its fun to go through your things and get reacquainted with them, kind of like when you take your Christmas decorations out and get to visit with them again.

Its my intention to have the storage unit completely gone and done within 2 months, and now that I know the better way to do it, I am much better prepared to take care of business, and finally get my life completely out of storage. Its not only a physical thing, having stuff in storage, but its also an energy thing. The energy gets blocked and is not free flowing and able to move when you have so much stuff, clutter, things you don’t want and don’t need. Its not so much a matter of having stuff, as it is of having the stuff you have, be stuff you want or need instead of just having things weigh you down, holding onto old and useless baggage that no longer serves you.

I feel much lighter, better, and have more energy. I can just imagine how good I will feel when I have the rest of the storage unit gone, and let go of.

And then its on to things in the house….

My world was rocked, and my very foundation was badly shaken. I went into a state of shock and denial.

How could that possibly be true, how could that possibly happen to James, what happened?

I am a strong supporter of the teachings and work of James Ray, and now I find myself in that situation of how do I deal with what has happened, and separate the teachings from the man.

If you have been under a rock for the last couple of months, the short version of the story is that 3 people died in a sweat lodge ceremony conducted at the Spiritual Warrior seminar held by James Ray in Sedona, AZ. There are apparently other things that have happened in the last couple of years at some of his other seminars as well.

I am really disappointed in his response to what has happened, and the way he is handling and dealing with the situation. I don’t know what’s going through his mind at this point in time, but I am troubled by his seeming lack of concern and involvement.

This has been a really difficult time for me, as I had James pretty high on a pedestal, with emulating him and wanting to live like him. Now I am having to rethink a few things. I still really love his message and teachings, or most of it, on how to live an abundant and harmonic life.

I would have trusted James implicitly and explicitly with my life. Now I don’t know. He is still a gifted, smart wonderful man, but one with faults and challenges.

It turns out that James is human and has faults after all. The lesson learned for me, is to not give away my power so much, but still to learn from mentors and teachers. Its okay to admire them, but make sure that I maintain my sense of power and strength for myself and do whats right for me.

I have a tendency to put someone up on a pedestal and want to be like them. In some respects, thats okay as a model, something to strive for. But on the other hand, I need to remember that they are human too, and even when their lives seem so perfect and I want to be like them, that they also have their challenges and issues to deal with, and that I need to live my life for myself and not wish my life was like someone else’s. I need to live my life for myself, and not spend so much of it wishing it were like someone else’s. Which isn’t to say that I need to settle for mediocrity, but that I can look at someone else’s life, work towards being or having some of the same kinds of things they do, but also know that I have strength and power in myself.

It was well attended, over 300 people, probably closer to 350 or more. It is a testament to him, and a life well lived. He was older, and had health issues, but it was a life well lived. I learned so much about him in the service, the eulogy, and the remembrances given by his friends, colleagues and family.

I learned that he lived life to the fullest, filled with adventure, drive, dedication, passion, joy and a great sense of humor. Which isn’t to say that his life didn’t have challenges or sorrows, it did. But he didn’t dwell on them, or wallow in it. The stories people were telling of his vacations and adventures in them were amazing. Most people would quit, and he just didn’t know the meaning of the word. There was too much life to be lived, too much fun to be had, and another adventure down the road.

It really made me think about my own life. It pales by comparison. I have not done nearly the things he has, and not that I have to do all that he has, but it makes me realize that my life is lacking. And that I have to change that. I am not living my life as fully and authentically as I want. He had so many awards and accolades it was amazing. But he didn’t to things for the accolades. He just got them as a result of living his life with meaning and passion.

And he was so giving, giving back to his family, his community, work, church, and friends. What a wonderful position to be in. Having meaningful work, doing well in your work, being well paid for the work you do, being able to live your life how you want, and share and give back to community and things that are important to you.

That has been a goal of mine, and I am not nearly living it. And it is well past time for that to happen. So now I have been given a wonderful message in the passing of a wonderful man.

Live your life. Enjoy your life, have fun, do your best, love your family and community.

Rest in peace Bob. Although somehow, I am not sure he is resting. I think he is having another marvelous adventure! And I am sure he is having a great time and rascally adventure with the angels.

I went to another JET meeting last Friday, and there was some lively discussion. Conflict even. But thats good. It was interesting to see the dynamics and interplay of conversations between the participants. People with issues and hot buttons really getting pushed, and seeing how other people responded to being on the receiving end of an attack. There was a woman in the group who was rather defensive about certain things, and she would ‘attack’ in her conversation, then back down. I was not engaging much in the conversation, I was more of an observer. Sometimes I like to watch the engagement of others. I learn a lot from that. From their conversations, what they say, and how they react to things.

We did have some interesting discussion about perceptions, realities, and issues. One woman wondered what we thought of James saying he has a wad of money in his pocket, whether he really did, and if he was worried about getting mugged. It turned out that she herself had been mugged. Interesting how the RAS works. Thats her sensitivity, so thats what she was focusing on. Part of the discussion was on quantum physics, how the world collapses to your reality. I also said that I thought that James has a lot of integrity. If he says he has a wad of money in his pocket, then he does, not a big bunch of kleenex to make it look like he is rich. She wondered if he was telling the truth about it. Which made me wonder what was in her past or awareness that she thought James would not be telling the truth, or if he was just putting one over on us, and not being genuine. But she is on the path, and seems to be truly interested in his teachings. So I give her credit for that, and for being there to explore.

I’m looking forward to the JET meeting next month. They are always interesting, informative, and I really enjoy being connected to people who are like minded on the path of Harmonic Wealth.

One of the men I met in the group wore a really cool t-shirt, which said ‘ Energy flows where attention goes’, which is one of James’ sayings. Even James wanted to know where he got the shirt! So now the fellow is selling the shirts to like-minded people. I hope and trust that he is really successful with his venture! I know that I will be ordering a shirt! It is inspiring for me to see that happening. I know that the more I plug in, the more that kind of thing will happen to me as well. So I am doing my best to stay connected, plugged in, and goggles on. (You had to be there….)

The experiences went from fun and bouncy to deep, emotional and needing the kleenex, and everything in between. This was one of those things that you just have to experience for yourself, and you will be so glad that you did.

We learned about change, your comfort zone, how to expand it, what to do when fear creeps up, creating long term success, about the 5 pillars of the Harmonic Wealth wheel, financial, relational, mental, physical, and spiritual, how to create success, energy, quantum physics, belief systems, breaking through limitations, replacing the limitations with new empowering thoughts and beliefs, creating a vision for the future, and creating a decree.

I learned that my Harmonic Wheel needs improvement, its not a very round wheel. But at least now I know where the areas of improvement are, and what to do. Breaking through limitations literally, with the board break was so powerful. To know that I can break a one inch thick board with my hand is more than just symbolic. Its transforming. Dancing across the stage to get to my intention was fun, and a little challenging. There were 2 rows, about 50 people, who got volunteered to dance across the stage to get your intention on the other side, and each person crossing the stage had to dance uniquely, or be buzzed off to do it again. I was about 5 from the end. I didn’t know what I was going to do until I got to the stage, but I stepped on, and went. Kind of a metaphor for life. James had a lot of those! Pretty good ones too! We also have a Warrior group, a kind of support group for 8 weeks following the weekend, each group has 6 people. I am the leader of our group. I am learning to lead, and step up more these days. Its a good thing. It will help me with life, and what I am intending to do.

I met some amazing people. It was so awesome to be in a room full of 400 people of like mind. Now to keep the connections going.

I am stoked, excited, and filled with enthusiasm and power from the weekend! Life is great, and I am really looking forward to putting all this wonderful information and knowledge to good use.

The most unusual one was me being asked to mentor a new member. I don’t know that I am qualified, but I said yes to the opportunity. I have been in the club about 3 months now. I was enthusiastic and encouraging to a visitor at the time, she recently joined, and is looking to me for leadership. Well, thats a bit of a new one for me. I’m not used to being in the role of leadership, but apparently, it is one that I will becoming much more familiar with as I learn, grow, and share my knowledge with others. I have heard that an expert is someone who knows something more than you. Doesn’t have to be a lot, or a Ph.D, just someone who knows more about the subject in question than you. I guess that makes me qualified to mentor. I am willing to share my knowledge, and what I know, and hopefully that will help the new member to be the best Toastmaster that she can be.

Tonight was also my first meeting as Vice President of Membership, and had to step up to the role. We got a new member joining tonight. I am learning that as I go. He was very enthused about joining, and I am looking forward to getting to know this new member as well. I have a feeling that a new visitor to the club tonight will be joining at the next meeting. More work for me, woo hoo! I am excited about the prospects of the new members joining. It will give me more leadership experience. Part of my job as VP Membership is to make sure that visitors are taken care of and have someone to talk with, that they don’t sit by themselves with no one to talk to, to make them feel welcome. I think we did our jobs tonight.

I also was a speech evaluator for the first time tonight. I think that may be the hardest role so far. I evaluated an icebreaker speech, which is a good one to test the waters on. It is important for the evaluator to do a good job. The speaker puts a lot of time and effort into their speech, and you want to do a good job of evaluating, listening to what is being said, seeing that the speech does what is intended to (different speeches have different purposes), and to give constructive feedback for improvement to the speaker. I think I did that tonight. I also had someone evaluate me as an evaluator, as part of working towards my Competent Leader designation.

Phew. Lots going on at the meeting tonight, and I had a good time! I signed up to give a speech at the next meeting. Time to get back into that. I am thoroughly enjoying my experience with Toastmasters, having fun, and learning a lot. What a great group of people to learn and grow with. I am very glad that I am part of this group, and this experience.

It was definitely interesting to talk with the different people, and hear different viewpoints on the issue of health care reform. Some were all for it, and wanted a single payer plan, some were not in favor of the government option because they don’t care for the way medicare is run now, and are concerned where the money will be coming from. Other people were definitely in favor of a public option plan, along with the current insurance plan we have available.

There was also some differing opinions in the staff of the doctors office, versus the opinion of the doctor themselves, on the occasion that we were actually able to speak with the doctor.

This was a marvelous experience for me on many fronts. I have never done any canvassing, and it was good to see it in action, from a master communicator. One of the people I went with is really good at finding the connection with someone, allowing the other person to feel heard. He is a master networker, and I really appreciate watching him in action. He was not pushing his viewpoint, or agenda. He was listening to the other person, and the results he got were amazing. It is never too late to learn a new skill. At this age of my life, I never thought I would be going canvassing, but you just never know what is in store next.

I learned about the skill of canvassing, organizing the group, being willing to change plans to fit the needs of the moment.

I really appreciated listening to the different opinions of the people we talked to.

I felt like I was actually doing something for a cause that I believe in, making a difference. It was good to be involved in something that I feel this strongly about, and feel needs to be changed. I am glad to be having my voice heard for health care reform, and which ever way it turns out, at least I can feel comfortable that I have done what I can to change the current system, to make things better, and to be heard.

Kersey has a number of steps, and suggestions for being unstoppable:

Devote yourself to your true purpose
Follow your hearts passion
Believe in yourself and your ideas
Prepare for challenges
Ask for help and the support of others
Creatively seek solutions
Persevere, no matter what the challenges

I am typing out this list and posting it in a few places where I will be reminded and inspired to be unstoppable.

The first step is to figure out what my true purpose is. That has been part of my challenge. I know some things I want to do, I know what’s important to me, but I don’t know what my true purpose is. When I know that, I will have the fire to get going, and follow my hearts passion.

I know that it is possible. When I decided I wanted to go to massage therapy school, I was unstoppable then. Never mind that I was working 40 hours a week. Or living in a suburb an hour away (on a good traffic day) from the school, and that the expressway to get to the school was under construction. And that going to school was almost the equivalent of going to school full time, like in college. Plus homework, tests, papers to write, 100 hours of internship. And living with someone at the time, trying to maintain the relationship, while also dealing with family responsibilities. I know that my challenges were not nearly as great as the young man who literally walked barefoot across Africa to get to Egypt to take a plane to the US and go to school while raising the money along the way, applying to colleges and learning the language. But I know that for the right reason, I am fired up, inspired and passionate, darn near unstoppable.

Its time to find and have that passion again. Time for my life’s mission, work and purpose. I have been working with James Rays information to define some of my passion and purpose, and with the marvelous suggestions from Cynthia Kersey in her book, I am well on my way to figuring it out.