Like most addicts, my addiction started from a sense of lack in my life and a belief that experts and authors had access to information that I didn’t. If I wasn’t reading a self-help book, I was attending workshops and seminars in hopes of “getting some of that stuff” the experts had, and at some extent hoping that some of that “stuff” could help me change my life. I suppose you could say that I was always searching for something magical outside of myself; something to make me happy, make me feel worthy and to help me feel a sense of inner peace.

Fast forward about ten years and I can honestly say that although my love affair for books remains, it looks very different than it did back then.  For one thing, I now give myself permission to read books other than nonfiction.  The old “I need fixing” had me convinced that I could not waste precious time reading something frivolous like Emily Dickenson for fear of missing something important.  If there wasn’t a purpose in my reading, I said forget it.  I can still hear those old voices in my head saying, “Life’s too short, can’t you see I’m in a race here? Wasting time is not an option!”  Thank goodness I matured and embraced my wisdom to know that if reading a fiction story makes me feel good, then that’s good enough for me!

If “all the answers to life’s questions reside within you,”  then I no longer need to focus on things outside of myself to make me feel better. I only need to look within.  What that means for me is reading for inspiration rather than for information. Right or wrong, I find reading nonfiction these days leaves me feeling either overwhelmed (“Oh my, here are 101 new ways to do such and such that I need to try out”), frustrated (“Geez!  I already knew that!), or just simply tired (“Okay, I’m sleepy here, I’ve read this sentence 4 times and I still don’t get it!).

As I give myself permission to enjoy new and brilliant works of fiction, I anticipate the new worlds I will see, the new people I will meet and the fresh experiences I will have through the characters and plots that await me. And in the end, I will come full circle back home.  Home to the Wise Woman who lives within me who knows that I am perfect just the way I am!

Have an Inspirational month!

Carole L. Billingham, MCC, Spiritual & Business Coach
“Inspiring Spirited Businesspeople to live with Power, Passion and Purpose!”
303-403-4003 office  •  970-577-0201 fax
carole@wisdomcoach.com  •  www.wisdomcoach.com

Afterwards, I’ll head to the family room (or the bedroom if I’m really feeling decadent) and cozy up with my daughter under a warm blanket and watch a movie or perhaps an old episode of the Gilmore Girls.  Before I know it, I am back in synch with my soul and feeling good again.

What can you do this month to get in sync with your soul and to feel good both inside and out?  What activities nourish and feed you?

Perhaps you’ve noticed that often it’s the simple pleasures in life that bring us the most joy.  How about squeezing in just a few more of those simple pleasures this month?  You deserve it!

Before my head injury I could get away with running on empty in short spurts without any big consequences.  I can no longer do that.  It’s not really a bad thing, it just means that I need to stay as conscious as possible and pay close attention to how I am feeling.  Most importantly, I need to recognize quickly when it is time for me to pull back and increase the time I spend on Self Care.

Years ago, as I was being put into the ambulance at the scene of my auto accident, I heard Spirit’s calm and loving voice tell me “this experience will teach you how to receive”.  For most of us, receiving isn’t the easiest of tasks.  We have the giving part down pat. It is in the learning to receive that we truly start to experience a life of balance.  Self Care is one of the most basic forms of receiving and in turn, restoring balance to our body, mind and spirit.

Unfortunately we cannot be open to receiving if our life is too full.  Whether it’s setting good boundaries, saying “no” or eliminating “tolerations” that are draining you, clearing the decks can be an invigorating and freeing process.  In doing so, you can once again reclaim the helm of your life and create the space for what you want to attract in your life (this is the 3rd Principle of Attraction in my audio The 10 Principles of Attraction).  In reclaiming your space and consciousness you can declare that you get to decide what you want to do and not do in order to be true to yourself.  And instead of pushing or trying to make things happen, you can settle softly back into your knowingness that  “allowing things to unfold” is a much wiser and satisfying way of life.

Before you rush to fill in the extra space you have now created (isn’t funny how quickly the urge to do that can take over if we’re not paying attention?), take some time to enjoy the new room in your life and the limitless possibilities that space now holds.

Take some time to do things that nurture you.  Read, listen to music, get out your art supplies and embrace the gratitude that you feel in knowing that your life belongs to you.  Give thanks for your freedom and pay homage to that little voice that reminded you that it was time to take care of You..time once again to dance with your Soul.

What is your inner voice trying to tell you?  What might happen if you listened to and honored that voice?

At our core, we all crave connection. What many folks don’t realize is that the purest of connections can only come from within. We erroneously turn our efforts outwardly in hopes that something outside of ourselves will satisfy our inner most cravings. Whether our drug of choice is food, work, sex or technology, we eventually learn that our real craving is to connect with our soul.

I know that my life purpose is to guide women in their search for connection, passion and joy in their lives. In this coming year, I want to make a deep and wide impact in the lives of women. I want to hold the space for women to reclaim their connection: to their Souls, to Spirit and to each other.

I know in my heart that this is going to look different from the things I have done in the past. Not because of a need to do something different, but because I am different.

I have always known that my recovery from perfectionism, work-alcoholism, and most importantly, brain injury was not for me alone. I could clearly see that the issues that challenged me, were issues that plagued many women and that as I found my way back home to inner peace, I would be blessed with the opportunity to be a bridge for others do the same.

Are you a woman who craves a deeper connection? Would you like to meet and get to know your Inner Wise Woman? Would you like to connect with other women who like you, crave more joy, passion and purpose in their lives?

If so, here is a chance to fulfill that intention.

This month, I will be hosting a (face to face) women’s coaching circle in Boulder Colorado. I have several terrific women already registered and have space for 2-3 more. I expect these slots to fill quickly, so if being a part of a women’s circle has been on your wish list, this is your chance to make it happen! If you’d like to come play, we’d sure like you to join us. (Click here to contact me for more information on the circle.)

In this coming month, I invite you to cultivate lots of love. Although Valentine’s Day comes but once a year, you can make every day a day of romance and connection. In truth, every day can be a celebration of the love that is available to you in each and every moment, simply by going within.

With much love and appreciation,

Carole

P.S. For those of you interested in exploring your inner connection, but who don’t live in the Denver/Boulder area, fear not. I will be hosting a telegathering in the next month or two. If you have a particular topic you would like to explore or would like to reserve your space in advance, click here to contact me and let me know. I am always interested in knowing what is of interest to you.

I personally feel a change coming on as well. As I start public speaking again*, I have a sense that how I show up and what I have to offer is going to look different than it did a year ago. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I am certain that it’s going to be a fun and fulfilling ride.

In past years, I often focused my first newsletter of the year on evaluating the accomplishments of the previous year and then I’d offer some questions to ponder to help you create goals for the year to come. Today, I feel inspired to take you in a different direction.

Instead of asking you what you want to do in the new year my question to you is “who do you want to Be in 2009?”

Our culture has become obsessed with material success (and look where it has gotten us). In doing so, we’ve completely missed the point of what really matters. With the melt down of so many of our institutions we’ve been granted an opportunity to take a quick course on what really counts.

Lately I have been talking a lot about an insight that I had months ago that knocked me off my chair. What if your “life purpose” is simply to be joyful? Imagine the freedom you’d feel in knowing that the pressure is off and your “job” is simply to be happy?! What an amazing idea! In other words, what if reaching your potential had little to do with what you “do” and everything to do with Who You Are?

By focusing your efforts on being joyous (which I believe is your natural state anyway) you’d indeed achieve great things, but without so much of the suffering you’ve become accustomed to. Actions would be inspired from your heart rather than motivated by guilt or fear. Ironically, the outcome in turn, would be more joy.

So thinking about the fresh slate before you – who would you like to BE in 2009? My personal theme for the New Year is “Joyful all the Time in 2009” (what can I say…I like things that rhyme. Last year’s theme was “Meditate in 2008”).

I dare you to throw out your endless lists and goals and to pick an attribute or two that you’d like to “embody” in the next 12 months. Now, imagine what you and your life will look and feel like as you embrace and become that attribute. Feel the power of consciously choosing who you are, how you show up in the world and in turn offering the gift that is YOU (and what an amazing gift you are!).

Please take a moment and tell me who you want to Be in 2009. I promise to hold the space for you to fulfill that intention. I have a hunch that 2009 could be your best year ever!

Have an empowering month!

Carole

* I invite you to join me at the Chicks Who Click Conference in Boulder, Colorado on January 10th where I will be the keynote speaker. www.chickswhoclick.com

Lots of people will be pulling back on their spending this holiday season. What a perfect way to get back to what the holidays are really about. By becoming more conscious of your spending (where you spend your money, who you spend your time with, and where you spend your energy) you have the opportunity to create your best holiday season ever!
Take a moment right now to write down your three most important intentions for your holidays. Now take a moment to write down three things you are going to do differently (or perhaps eliminate all together) this year.

Now, see yourself on New Year’s Eve celebrating, having experienced the best holiday season ever. Sense the satisfaction of knowing that you intentionally created the kind of memories you wanted to. You said “no” to people and things that did not appeal to you and said, “yes” to the things that did. You slowed down your pace so that you could truly appreciate the meaning of the season and the abundance of gifts (most of them intangible) that you enjoy not only during the holidays, but everyday of your life.
See yourself smile as you remember that every day can be a celebration. As you ponder the beauty and love that surrounds you, give thanks to Spirit and to your Inner Being who is always there to remind you of what life is really about – love and appreciation.

As you bask in that love and appreciation, remember that Spirit is always there to support and guide you and that if you choose, 2009 could be your best year ever. So get out that pen and start journaling about desires for this holiday season (and perhaps for the year to come).

Remember that you are loved and appreciated by many people (including me). And remember that the reason for the season is Love. Have a blessed and memorable month.

Happy Holidays!

Carole

What strikes me most in all of this frenzy is what appears to be a lack of “heart.” Our world is so focused on fear, that it’s easy to lose sight of our inner connection to Spirit. It’s also easy to not pay attention and to find that we too have jumped on the bandwagon of chaos and craziness.

I would like to make a heartfelt request to each of you.  As things continue to unfold in the world around you, I would ask that you make a conscious effort to stay connected to your heart and to joy. What the world needs now is people radiating love and peace. Say a prayer, go to your center and feel the love that is there for you. Ask Spirit to remind you to bring forth that love into your life and trust that there is nothing more powerful that you can do than to radiate love for yourself and for mankind.

A great teacher once told me, “there is no law of assertion, there is only the law of attraction.” What you focus on expands. Do your best to focus on what you desire, not what you don’t.

The world needs your loving energy and compassion.  Go inside, claim it, and bring it forth! 

Have an empowering week,

Carole

This week, I have created Ten Simple Ways to Strengthen Your Intuition. I challenge you to try at least three new ways to discover your inner spirit.

1) Learn how to meditate.
 

2) Listen to music that moves you and notice where you feel connected in your body.

3) Pay attention to how your intuition communicates with you: through pictures, hearing words, feeling sensations.

4) When you get an inkling—stop—don’t ignore it. Take a moment to pay attention to what your intuition is telling you.

5) Practice journaling and/or writing.

6) Try a yoga class.

7) Take a nature walk and allow yourself to absorb your surroundings.

Enjoy activities that involve creativity (after all intuition comes from the Creator, right?). Creativity cultivates spirituality.

9) Turn the volume down on the external stimuli in your life (turn off the TV, drive with your radio off, eliminate clutter from your physical surroundings).

10) Practice the art of gratitude and appreciation everyday.

Have an inspiring week!