There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why… I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”         ~Robert Kennedy

SSI is really pleased to celebrate the naming of the Julie B. Whitt Inspirational Award winner for 2011. This memorial award, given annually by Soul Salon International, acknowledges a person who exemplifies the spirit of international fitness champion Julie B. Whitt and the traits that she was known for and shared without measure.  This includes being a person of character who inspires the full pursuit of life, health and excellence  in others.

The 2011 Julie Whitt Inspirational Award Winner is Clara Showalter of Austin, Texas.  Clara is a fitness professional and writer who began her own journey to fitness and health  in 2005 with the Body for Life program. It was through this program that Clara lost 60 pounds of weight and discovered the power of reaching out to help others. Clara now dedicates her time and energy to helping others discover their inner champion through her work as a personal trainer and leader in the Body-for-Life community.

When nominations come into the SSI office each spring through early fall, it is so energizing to read about great people doing great things. It is wonderful to talk with references for each nominee who want to share their experience about another human being whom they feel is making the world a little more light-filled.  Clara’s official nomination was multifaceted and highlighted her work as a cat foster aprent with Austin Pets Alive, her work as a personal trainer, Body-for Life top 10 finisher, the inspirational writing in her personal blog and her blog for Livestrong. I was struck by the words used to describe Clara time and time again.  Person after person who spoke about Clara used the words inspiring, positive, insightful, generous and caring.  In addition people shared that there were significant times of adversity in Clara’s life in which she displayed spirited courage—another attribute of the beloved Julie B. Whitt.

What are people saying about Clara?

• “Clara has the ability to assess the situation and determine whether you require a shoulder to cry on, a pat on the back, a stern word or a kick in the behind–and happily provides as appropriate.  Even when her own life is not traveling as she would like, she still makes time to help others.” ~A.S.

• “The things that she writes move everyone.” ~B.G.

• “She does not give up on anyone. She stands up for people when they cannot stand up for themselves.  She gives with no expectation of return.  Those of us who think in black and white, she helps us think in shades of gray.” ~M.T.

• “Clara is not afraid to speak the truth, even if it may be painful, but she does so as often as possible, in a kind way that helps encourage a person to move forward.” ~S.W.

• I hope you will join me in congratulating Clara and thanking her for being a person that would make Julie Whitt proud as she does good in the world for our two and four-legged friends.  Clara, the gift of your time, energy, kindness and authenticity is gratefully acknowledged today– and celebrated always.

A little more about Clara:

Clara is currently a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer with a focus on functional performance and weight loss. She has previously worked for Bally Total Fitness. She is also a 2006 Body for Life Challenge top 10 Finalist. When not pondering deep thoughts or as she describes, “torturing her clients,” Clara can be found pestering new folks on BFL Spirit to reach for their best possible body and life.  In her spare time, Clara enjoys curling, and is a dedicated cat foster parent for Austin Pets Alive.

And to my SSI friends–Did you miss the 2011 nomination window?  Sign up for the SSI newsletter to be informed when the 2012 window is open!

All the best!

Rena M. Reese

Rena M. Reese is the founder of Soul Salon International, an inspirational multimedia company which offers coaching and consulting to help people find their happy place. She is the author of several inspirational titles, a professional speaker and coach as well as the host of a weekly radio program, The Soul Salon. Her articles are syndicated in print and online Please visit www.SoulSalonInternational.com and connect with her on Twitter @TheSoulSalon and on facebook

Each week I am honored to be invited into the personal lives of clients who are scaffolding desired changes in their lives.  There is something palpable in the room when I meet with people who are dedicated to change, progress, and the process of it all.  We have heard the word change a lot in the past few years and it is agreed upon that not all change is good--but lots of it is fabulous.

One time of terrific change in my life aside from the obvious ones which include marriage and having children, was committing to the 2004 Body for Life challenge--one I would go on to win in my age group. Upon my return from an EAS event for the 2004 Body-for-Life Champions in Colorado, I remember being stopped in an airport in Washington, DC because I was wearing my EAS jacket which was part of my prize package .  A woman saw the jacket and recognized it and we shared a nice conversation.  I have had people ask if they can try it on and others ask if they can take a picture of themselves wearing it for their dream-board. You see, the power of that jacket seems almost like Dorothy’s ruby slippers. You slip it on and you feel unstoppable.  But, like the Ruby slippers, the jacket really holds no power at all. It is a simple symbol of a powerful truth. That truth is that we have the power to change anything in our lives we really want to change.

Change takes energy-but so does complacency. In some cases doing nothing, takes more energy than doing something.

• It takes a lot of energy to avoid events and people because you are embarrassed of how you look.

• It takes a lot of energy to stand in your closet upset b/c you have an event with nothing to wear that you feel good in.

• It takes a lot of energy to carry extra pounds up and down stairs and through life.

• And the mental energy that goes to pummeling ourselves for the state of things, is the worst hemorrhage of energy.

There is a difference between wanting to change, and wishing we wanted to change.

The Body of Work video was the first place that I saw an EAS champion being given a buttery-soft leather jacket with the EAS logo and trademark colors. Seeing Kelly Adair slip hers on in one of the Body for Life Success Stories Videos was pretty wonderful too.  At that moment it was like the hours of cardio and weight training, thousands of good choices, sacrifices and dreams for a healthier body meshed together in total fulfillment.  The jacket design may have changed to the Body-for-Life logo and colors, but allure remains the same.  Men and women have broken down in tears when they’ve received the news that the had been picked as a winner and were then given their own trademark jacket.  Those tears are contagious too.  Spouses, children and friends that are there when the announcement is made share in the emotional celebration.

When the paper check is deposited, the oversized-cardboard check finds its way to a closet and the year of success wraps up—new champs are then named.  As Porter Freeman tells us, ” I had my turn, this is your turn.”  And then it is someone else’s turn… and another's.  And this is how it should be. 

Along the way lives are changed:

• Some marriages are saved and others dissolve.
• Some lives are saved.
• Respect is gained.
• Self-esteem and self-respect is boosted.
• Friendships  are made and friendships tested and even ended.
• Occupations change.
• Commitment muscle is strengthened.

And all the while the jacket hangs there as a witness to life. The jacket that was a symbol of success, achievement, and commitment silently affirms and reminds the owner of what was…

When we think we are done growing, achieved perfection or that we have mastered our lives–then we have stopped improving.  Right now there is an area in every person’s life that can use some growth, expansion or improvement. Every single one of us. That is what forging your own personal Renaissance is about, creating a personal best. If we are not reaching for a personal best or personal growth than we have begun to die.  

Slip on your ruby slippers but know that the power to change ANYTHING in your life does not reside outside of you--but lives inside you.

Rena M. Reese

Founder, Soul Salon International

Rena M. Reese is the founder of Soul Salon International, an inspirational multimedia company which offers coaching, consulting, web-design, publishing support, and fundraising opportunities for individuals and groups.  She is the author of several inspirational titles, a professional speaker and coach as well as the host of a weekly radio program, The Soul Salon. Please visit www.SoulSalonInternational.com and connect with her on Twitter @TheSoulSalon.

“I think my story lit a spark in people and I want to keep the flame alive if I’m not here to do it myself. The way I see it, I can’t lose. Surviving this transplant means a whole new life for me. Dying from this transplant means a whole new life for me. I’ve never been so at peace with something. This is my time to shine, so whether that light shines on Earth or in Heaven, may God’s will be done.” —Julie Whitt, 2005

Soul Salon International is pleased to solicit nominations each year for the Julie B. Whitt Inspirational Award. If you know a person of character who supports and inspires others with a positive attitude and their spirited example, tell us! Please download the Nomination form (PDF) to nominate a man, woman or youth for this yearly award. The nomination window is open from August 1 through October 9.

There are two ways to submit your nomination:

You may snail-mail completed forms to:
Soul Salon International
P.O. Box 34178
Bethesda, MD 20817
or email completed/scanned forms to Nominations@MySoulSalon.com

Visit this link to learn more about Julie Whitt’s Story.

Previous Winners of the Julie B. Whitt Award:

2010 Laura Howe of Whitman, MA

2009 Denise Taylor of Sellersburg, IN

2008 Stephanie Workman of Knoxville, TN

Success is a term open to wide and varied interpretation. While each of us describes “success” in terms of our personal barometer of satisfaction, the traits that yield success are steadfast and true for all of us. Whether success is feeding your family from your backyard plot of organically farmed land, running a multi-million dollar company, or simply celebrating that your puppy has been trained to do his business outside, success requires something from us. That something comes in the form of right thinking, right practice and right action. When these three forces are harnessed in the interest of your values and goals, you will systematically create what you desire. Moreover, you will be better able to live what you deem a successful life.

True success does not exist in isolation. It partners with other wonderful attributes that include well-being, inner-peace and happiness. If today, you define yourself as being a success, but are not enjoying a high level of these other attributes you may want to consider creating a shift. Doing so, will infuse a whole new level of success into your life, your work, level of health and relationships. Whole-life success can be consciously weaved into the fabric of your entire life… and a simple intention to do so, is where it begins.

WHOLE-LIFE SUCCESS PRINCIPLES:

• Turn on your GPS- Each of us has an inner guidance system pre-programmed for our happy place. Those coordinates are also the place of our greatest success, contribution and happiness. Rather than allowing our desire to please, be good, and be liked to navigate our life-path, look within, to your own compass, for guidance. Mute the voice that says, “turn left” when you intuitively know that another direction is best for you.

• Take responsibility for it all- You have probably created a lot of good in your personal, professional and personal life. You may reflect on your accomplishments in these arenas and credit yourself with a lot of good work, sacrifice and creativity that was offered by you to achieve these things. Things get tricky when we look at various areas of our lives and we do not feel satisfaction. Perhaps we assign blame for infractions against us, being unlucky, betrayed or hurt by another. Each of these less than ideal outcomes are ours to own too. If we assign blame to someone or something “out there” for an area of our life not being the way we want it, we must also look “out there” for the fix. This diminishes our personal power and ability to affect change in our lives.

• Stock your pantry- Imagine opening your pantry to give a hungry friend some soup. If the soup is not there, of course you cannot give it away. This metaphor asks us to take stock of the emotions and feelings that saturate our spirit each day. Decide to consciously replace fear with trust, contempt with kindness and grudges with forgiveness. This stocks your pantry with all of the very best things that you desire to share with those in your life while creating successful relationships.

• Name your burning desire- What do you feel you must do? What dream have you pushed to the back burner, but find it still simmers silently? This seed of a dream cannot be ignored and requires your attention. Know that this Divine nudge was placed in your heart along with all your need to achieve it. Begin it—even with the smallest of steps. Commit it to paper, pickup a book to learn more, open a bank account and begin contributing towards the attainment of that desire. Remember the quote from Goethe, “Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it.”

• Collaborate with fate- One of the most fun, encouraging and helpful tools available to us is synchronicity. Too often, timely opportunities and perfect connections are dismissed as coincidence when they are actually blinking, neon road signs pointing us to our happy place. Look for synchronicity and act on those serendipitous moments and chances.

• Put your suitcase down- Each of us carries metaphorical luggage packed with the experiences, emotions, and the lessons of our past. No one is exempt from a history which includes some things that have less than favorable outcomes. Open your suitcase and acknowledge all of it—and try to bless it all too. Every bit of your “suitcase contents” is what brought you right here, to right now. The present day you is smarter, clearer on your values and boundaries, as well as far more sure of what you want (and don’t want). Once you acknowledge it all, you can set your luggage down and walk away from it, which frees up at least one hand to grasp for the successes you want in your life.

• Meditate- Now more than ever the western world is catching on to the practice of meditation. Inner-peace cannot be bought, gathered, or grown—instead it is allowed. Clear a space in your day where noise, responsibilities and action are replaced with silence. In that silent space your spirit merges with your body– and your mind comes along for the ride. The three of these then step-in-time becoming harmonized, allowing for the synchronicities mentioned above to be more easily noticed.

• Be governed by your values- You may compromise in your business dealings, when choosing a vacation spot or where you’ll go for dinner, but never compromise on your values. This is probably the most important element of living a successful life and also the least credited element. You can achieve status, financial abundance, fame and material possessions, but if your values were sacrificed in the process, your will not feel like a success. Filtering your decisions through your values first, is a sure way to engage in the healthiest of relationships, engage in work that fills you up and all while you contribute your best to all of your endeavors. What better measure of success is there?

If you believe someone would enjoy and benefit from this post, please share it. Just click on the + Share button and you will see lots of options for sharing it with friends including email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Thanks!

Rena M. Reese is the founder of Soul Salon International, an inspirational multimedia company which offers coaching, consulting, web-design, publishing support, and fundraising opportunities for individuals and groups. She is the author of several inspirational titles, a professional speaker and coach as well as the host of a weekly radio program, The Soul Salon. Please visit www.SoulSalonInternational.com and connect with her on Twitter @TheSoulSalon and Facebook

Today I had a little epiphany.

I used to think of my body like it was a mannequin. I was mostly focused on the outside; what it showed to the world. People would decide who I was simply by seeing my external shell. I too, would judge myself on the “mannequin-me” I would see in the mirror.

We each have a mannequin version of ourselves.

* We clean our mannequin.
* Make up our mannequin face
* dress our mannequin
* work it out
* put food into it
* pour financial resources into maintaining it
* perhaps medicate it
* peek at in mirrors

And we regularly judge our mannequin on its look, weight and wear-and-tear. If by chance we don’t like the weight of our mannequin or how it is aging or showing itself to the world we will be unrelenting in reminding ourselves of our mannequin’s flaws. Oh yes, and we love to compare our mannequin to others.

We are not our mannequins  

Our mannequins are just the vehicles our spirits use while here. When you hear the fabulous things that people go on to do when they create a fabulous mannequin through Body-for-Life, it is not just because their mannequin looks good now. No, I think the reasons are apart from their new physical results, but spurred on by them. I think that people go on to write books, become trainers, speakers, launch new businesses, attract fabulous relationships, excel at work and enjoy a more satisfying life at home because their results go beyond their mannequin to transformation.

• When you get your mannequin in order, it frees up energy that used to go toward self beat up, so it can go towards something more positive. (Like when you wake up in the AM and you no longer feel pain walking to the bathroom, seeing the # on the scale or freaking b/c you have nothing to wear that fits.)
• Getting in shape provides you with confidence and a boost in self-esteem so that you KNOW you can do anything else you decide to commit to. You raise your own bar.
• You have more energy because your mannequin or “vehicle” is being properly maintained (ie. no sand in the gas tank).

So love your mannequin, love it’s parts and appreciate that it is the vehicle of your spirit. But give it its right place. It is not who you are, it is just a tool for you to use while you are here. Misuse it and you may be a here less time then you would have otherwise (smoking, unhealthy habits and addictions). But nurture it, not because of vanity, but because your spirit deserves the very best vehicle you can provide it.

We will all leave our mannequins behind one day—like those that used to be in the storefront windows… being packed away in a storage room at Macy’s. We won’t need these mannequins forever, so focus on what is lasting while honoring your physical selves appropriately. Love and care for your mannequin–but remember it is not your true essence.

All the best,

Rena M. Reese

Founder, Soul Salon International

If you believe someone would enjoy and benefit from this post, please share it. Just click on the + Share button and you will see lots of options for sharing it with friends including email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Thanks!

Rena M. Reese is the founder of Soul Salon International, an inspirational multimedia company which offers books, cds, coaching and consulting, web-design, publishing support, and fundraising opportunities for individuals and groups.  She is the author of several inspirational titles, a professional speaker and coach as well as the host of a weekly radio program, The Soul Salon. Please visit www.SoulSalonInternational.com and connect with her on Twitter @TheSoulSalon.

What does it take to create radical change?
While “change” on a small level can be created through the smallest of things: a small deed or thought or a small shift in awareness. Radical change requires more from us.  Not only does it call on us to do big things, but to do them perpetually.  Our unrelenting pursuit and tenacious belief that we can create radical change is what fuels us when something seems hard or impossible.

Creating a global climate of tolerance and love is possible.
If you are wondering how to begin, there are no shortage of best-selling books with instructions on how you can begin.  Gandhi would say you should be the change you wish to see in the world.  Another great teacher might tell you to begin with simply loving yourself. Both small and monumental ideas in the interest of promoting love contribute to a powerful collective outcome. You may be one person, but know that singular people acting in accordance with the premises of radical love can most certainly change the world.

There is a powerful quote from Dr. David R. Hawkins in his book Power vs. Force on this topic.

Dr Hawkins writes, “Love of our fellow man can ensue only when we stop condemning, fearing, and hating each other.” Dr Hawkins continues saying, “People cherish and cling to their hates and grievances. So, to heal humanity, it may be necessary to pry entire populations away from lifestyles of spite, attack and revenge.”  Dr. Hawkins breathes faith into the plausibility of this endeavor by reminding us that the move of even one pawn during a game of chess, completely changes the possibilities of the game. I may be one pawn and you may be one pawn–but we can affect the outcome with our cumulative actions.

How can we practice radical love?

• Refrain from making assumptions about individuals and groups. Surely stereotypes have been established through your life experience, but molds are shattering all around us and individuals, organizations and groups are creating themselves anew.
• Release reliance on possessions and their attainment and replace this with attaining the trust, admiration and love of people.
• Make a list of things that are right with humanity.  There has never been a more exciting time to be alive than the 21st century.  We enjoy brilliant inventions, scientific investigations, our understanding of our universe and the myriad ways we can reach out in support of others.
• Give your undivided attention to the adult or child you are sharing conversation.  How often do we give and receive complete attention?  To a child, attention is love, and to an adult it is both love and respect.  We so rarely enjoy that level of attention that it will surely be noticed when we give it.
• Have the difficult conversation you have been avoiding.  It is easier to stuff you feelings than share them, especially when the stakes are high.  Whether it is confronting an uncomfortable truth, expressing concern or sharing how you feel, expressing these things, with love can be transformative.
• Tell people you love them, hug them, smile at strangers, or send a note of appreciation. Enjoy performing a random act of kindness or a not so random one.  The more you love others, the more that feeling swells inside you, and it feels great.
• Consider kindness rather than retaliation.  People who are evil, hateful, and judgmental are suffering as they live in the dense, negative energy of their ways. Chances are quite good that those folks were, many times over, on the receiving end of the very same things they now give.
• Hold your movie-choices, favorite TV shows, books and video games to a high standard.  Do they promote radical love?  At no time should theft, fighting and killing be thought of as entertainment. Each movie, game and program that shares these things, reduces our collective level of consciousness.  Ask the simple question “Does this promote love in the world?” and if the answer is no, pass on it.

Radical love requires more from us than the standard definition of love. It asks for more than writing a check to a charity or sending a card to an ill neighbor.  Radical love requires us to be vigilant with what and whom we allow in our lives and to reach out and connect with others in an authentic and meaningful way.  It also requires that we hear and honor the heartbeat of our planet. Radical love trumps “easy” and “convenient” and asks for a profound awareness and dedication to what matters most.

Gandhi, a man who embodied this premise impeccably, relinquished his attachments to the comforts of the world to respond to negativity with radical love.  He stood for what was right and good; not because it was easy, but because it was important.  His advocacy for love-based action positively impacted the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Each of us shares the same calling and we are capable of the same level of vigilance and boundary setting. We can love in the face of hatred, look for blessings as we face adversity, and smother negativity with light. Being present, conscious and loving as we carry out our work, relationships, politics, recreation and alone time is a fabulous gift to the world and to ourselves as well. 

Rena M. Reese is the founder of Soul Salon International, an inspirational multimedia company which offers coaching and consulting, web-design, publishing support, and fundraising opportunities for individuals and groups.  She is the author of several inspirational titles, a professional speaker and coach as well as the host of a weekly radio program, The Soul Salon. Please visit www.SoulSalonInternational.com and connect with her on Twitter @TheSoulSalon.

Human beings, by virtue of our biology, enjoy a state of wakefulness, or consciousness. In this state we are in control of our bodies, our choices and actions. It’s our choice to stop at a red light, utter a kind word or arrive on time for work.  We can decide whether we will turn left, marry or listen to classical music. We are awake and every single experience, both easy and challenging or pleasant and difficult is absorbed by our senses and provides feedback as to our physical experience.

Just as our physical consciousness creates our physical experience, our spiritual consciousness forms our spiritual experience. Fostering an acute awareness of our spiritual world promotes its growth and unlike its physical counterpart, spiritual consciousness is earned. To intentionally seek spiritual consciousness is to intentionally seek truth and goodness—as well as our highest potential as human beings.

If you lost consciousness while at the wheel of your car, you would quickly awaken with questions. You would probably ask, “How did this happen?” and “How can I keep an episode like this from happening again?” Yet millions of people all over the planet are content to go weeks, years and even a lifetime spiritually unconscious. We are at the metaphorical wheel unaware that we are unconsciously driving through life.

Realizing that our unconscious living snuck up on us is what awakens us to the vigilance that a spiritually conscious life requires. Sound the alarm; it is time for the whole of humanity to wake up from its spiritual slumber to strive for both our personal awakenings and evolution of humanity’s consciousness.

10 Steps to higher Consciousness:

1. Read spiritually enlightened texts- Have your read the Tao de Ching, The Bible, the Koran, the I Ching, or Kabbalah? Have you read any of the works of Plato or Socrates or “A Course in Miracles?” Enlightened  texts, even if they differ from your current belief system are powerfully expansive to the spirit.

2. Understand what truly creates happiness- True happiness correlates directly to your level of consciousness, not to your level of financial abundance. This is why it is true that lottery winners after receiving their checks report drops in levels of happiness and spikes in addictive behaviors, divorces and depression. Happiness comes from spiritual growth and that which is non-material in nature. This is why the penniless Mother Theresa was able to be happy and why a conscious wealthy man can lose and regain his fortune many times without wavering in his joyfulness.

3. Watch enlightened television programming. TV offers a myriad of choices for viewing 24 hours a day. Your level of consciousness expands along  with your knowledge of the world, the sciences, as well as the high vibrations that come from programs that bring laughter. Choosing to watch programs that depict violence, dysfunctional families and morally bankrupt characters for entertainment purposes deceases conscious-living.

4.Keep your head about you when you are with the herd- People do things in a herd that they would never do alone. Plenty  of people who have partied with friends in Vegas or celebrated  at Mardi Gras in New Orleans can attest to this. Emotions are contagious—be sure they are truly yours before you act on them.

5. Relinquish any sense of moral superiority-  It’s the ego that desires to rank ourselves above others. Countries do this, leaders do this, as well as various organizations and causes. When you strive to be identified as more righteous or superior, you are stepping away from greater consciousness and instead stepping toward ego-based living. There is little room for the ego for the highly conscious because they realize that there is no “me”, and only “we”.

6. Create positive intentions- Fill your life with acts of integrity, with things of beauty, harmonic acts of connection and with both love and respect for all of creation. After all, an enlightened being does not focus on anything in opposition to these things.

7. Understand that every choice matters- Every single day you will make thousands of choices. Choosing to take the high road, to laugh, to be honest and to forgive, provides opportunities for spiritual growth. Enlightened choices lead to enlightened living. Conversely, choices rooted in fear, anger and judgment will lead to disconnection, disillusionment and hopelessness.

8. Gratitude- Highly conscious people have a keen awareness that gifts come in unlikely packages. Adversity can positively re-route your life and what originates as an irritation can become an enlightening lesson.

9. Live in the present moment- Spiritually advanced people relinquish the pain of yesterday and invest no time in worrying about tomorrow—because neither one exists right now. Enjoying the present moment affords you the freedom to appreciate all that is right about the here and now.

10. Spirit trumps Science- Science helps us to make sense of our world as we use time, reason and math to measure and prove theories. But science is limited by the linear thinking that defines it. Our spiritual world is unlimited and therefore not measurable. Love, gratitude, and hope exemplify  spiritual  terms that cannot be measured. After all, how would science measure a parent’s love for a child? Invite the boundless and infinite energy of pure consciousness into your world to create an absolutely boundless life.

Some may chose not to pursue the path to greater consciousness because they believe that it takes too much sacrifice to achieve. While there is some sacrifice involved as you become more conscious, all that you are truly sacrificing is negativity. Intentionally dismantling  the negative  forces in your life provides quantum leaps in spiritual growth. It will fuel you to seek and create with excellence, act responsibly and hold  yourself  accountable  for  the  level  of  consciousness you achieve in this lifetime.

If you believe someone would enjoy and benefit from this post, please share it. Just click on the + Share button and you will see lots of options for sharing it with friends including email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Thanks!

All the best!

Rena M. Reese

Founder, http://soulsaloninternational.com">Soul Salon International

Rena M. Reese is the founder of Soul Salon International, an inspirational multimedia company. She is the author of several inspirational titles, a professional speaker and coach as  well  as the  host  of  a weekly  radio  program, The  Soul  Salon. For more inspiration and information, please visit http://soulsaloninternational.com/">www.SoulSalonInternational.com and connect with her on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Soul-Salon-International/366209960723?ref=ts">Facebook and http://twitter.com/TheSoulSalon">Twitter @TheSoulSalon.

(c) 2011 Rena M. Reese

All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Change is a beautiful thing.

Or so we have heard.

Actually change, while not always easy, fires things up a bit. Recently our family lost power for 4 days after a significant snowstorm.  We huddled around our fireplace for warmth and I continually got a visual of this lesson.  When the fire seemed ready to go out– with only some glowing embers left– a simple readjustment of the logs with the poker got it abalaze quickly. Just moving things around fired it up.  Desiring change, planning for change, and implementing a plan for change, is worth our attention. But it requires more from us that just “wanting it”.

Effective, successful changes require more than thought, planning and goals. You have to visualize life with this change and how it will positively impact your life. Secondly, YOU must really want the change, or all the thinking, planning and goal setting in the world won’t get you to your desired outcome. It is like the difference between reading a how-to book and then actually implementing it.

When we try to make changes in our life, even things that are really good for us, we may find resistance rears up. It may seem that sometimes, things get worse before they get better. If you are trying to stop smoking, you may feel you are placed in situations where everyone around you is smoking. Or a crisis may arise that taxes your nerves and has you craving your nicotine fix.

If you are trying to get fit, heal from an illness, get your financial world in order, whatever it is; if it gets worse before it gets better, that is great. This is a good sign simply because this blip is evidence of a shift. If there is an energy shift, an attitude shift– even as small as the flutter of a butterfly wing, you are stepping toward change and the universe is responding, first with what appears to be resistance, but it is really part of the re-org.

Please don’t be afraid to commit to a change until you feel you are fully prepared, you know all the answers and have choreographed it to the point that you are sure you cannot fail. Sometimes, change takes FAITH and a first step. Then FAITH and a second step…. and then a third step and so on….

You do not kneed to know all of the answers. Just simply know that you want freedom from the past way of doing, being, or believing and be willing to recreate things. Your faith and your willingness to act are two ingredients the universe uses to guide you through the How-To’s of the change you seek.

What can you control? Well, actually a lot. You can control your thoughts and what you choose in this moment. This moment is all any of us has, really. Once you are clear on the change you seek, you can ask yourself as moments arise, “Will this choice bring me closer to or further from my goal?” Moment to moment, choice by choice we will find we have arrived at the very place, or even a better place than we dreamed of.

If you believe someone would enjoy and benefit from this post, please share it. Just click on the + Share button and you will see lots of options for sharing it with friends including email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Thanks!

All the best!

Rena Reese
Founder, Soul Salon International

For the seeker, it is not unusual to reach points in life when we call, “Uncle”. Uncle refers to the game we use to play as kids when someone would twist your arm behind your back until you could not take it any further. Yelling “uncle” meant they’d release your arm.

In my experience “the seeker” is looking for three things:

1. Real truth-This encompasses all things from religion, government, personal, and world history all the way up to the meaning of life.

2. To be an agent of positive change- This usually plays out with the seeker using their greatest talents in service of humanity. This can mean using skills as an orator, writer, leader or a business person channeling financial resources to do enlightened works.  (Think of the newly launched Oprah Winfrey Network)

3. Divine Connection/Inspiration- Feeling a connection to a Divine Source –God– is what encourages the seeker to stay the course.  Oftentimes you read stories of enlightened people in history who persevered despite so much adversity because the Divine connection fortified them.  This allowed them to continue to do #1 and #2 above.

But what happens periodically in a seekers journey is what I call Spiritual Saturation. You may feel like a sponge that simply cannot absorb anymore.  Some feel that this means that they have been on the “wrong path” or that they are not being encouraged to continue.  Some may wonder if they are really not all that special after all, and offer nothing of value to a largely unconscious world.  Others may just feel tired or uninspired.  THIS IS NORMAL.

Anyone who has ever pursued a weight training program with zeal knows you cannot work the same muscle group day after day without your body screaming at you.  If you do not listen, your body will absolutely quit and the level of soreness you experience will actually stop you from training (or getting out of bed!) because you did not honor what you intuitively knew, which was that it was time to take a break and allow for muscle repair.

The same is true with your spiritual muscles. When you have immersed yourself in your work, whether that is reading, writing, teaching, researching, or another form of creation– your spirit will holler “Uncle!” when it requires a break.  And just like in weight training, allowing those days of “recovery” for your spiritual muscles actually makes them stronger.  It is not the act of lifting weights that builds muscles; that actually breaks them down.  The magic actually happens after when you are at rest and enjoying proper nutrition. Your muscles rebuild making you stronger.

So, if you are in a place of Spiritual Saturation right now you must honor it. Allow time for muscle recovery and when you do you’ll come back stronger than ever. My suggestion to clients who are in this place is to focus on the opposite realm.  So if you are physically taxed from exercise, take a few days off and dive into a good spiritual text. If you are Spiritually Saturated, put your copy of Eckart Tolle’s book away and get physical. Step away from your desk and exercise, hike, get near a body of water, meditate at a sacred place for you.

Things will right themselves soon and you will find yourself more inspired, more aligned and more focused than ever before.

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All the best!

Rena M. Reese

Founder, Soul Salon International

Rena M. Reese is the founder of Soul Salon International, an inspirational multimedia company. She is the author of several inspirational titles, a professional speaker and coach as well as the host of a weekly radio program, The Soul Salon. For more inspiration and information, please visit www.SoulSalonInternational.com and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter @TheSoulSalon.

I watched the movie Julie and Julia tonight and had more than one little epiphany which led me to spontaneously decide to share them here.  This is what the charming story had me realize.

• Nice girls cuss in their blogs sometimes. Really good writers with something to offer had to persevere through adversity, rejection, weird friendships and disappointments. Even the happiest of marriages have blips of discomfort, arguments and require a recalibration.

You can have an idol of sorts who inspires you and re-routes your life and that person may not even give you a second glance.  But you in fact may be a huge part of that person’s legacy. (Even if they don’t know it….right up until they exhale for the last time.)

You are wired for certain things just as surely as your eyes are brown, blue or green.  Cooking is one of those things.  Let it go if you are a crappy cook and find your “thing”

Unlike the original blogger from the movie, I am not setting out to cook every recipe in Julia Child’s cookbook in a year. Instead, I am on my own road to my personal Renaissance.

rebirth, revival