Life is FOR You... 05/09/2012
On Monday while listening to the tele-seminar recording of "Awakening Your Feminine Power: How to Break Through Your Inner Glass Ceiling" with Claire Zammit & Katherine Woodward Thomas, I had another realization of a subconscious belief inside (perhaps the child part) of me. The subconscious belief was, "Life is against me. God is against me. Life expects too much from me. God expects too much from me and I expect too much from myself." On the call we were invited to drop into our body to listen to the more mature, empowered, resourceful part of ourselves. We were encouraged to ask it what is the deeper truth in the face of this belief that may be limiting our view of self, others and all of life? I placed one hand beneath my belly-button and one hand on my chest...connecting to my womb space and heart (my two body power centers). My new deeper empowering truth that arose while relaxing was... "Against all odds you are here. Life is FOR You. Life expects nothing from you...only wants to give". I thought about the sun and how it shines giving its light and warmth...it simply gives. I shared some of these insights with my husband last night while appreciating his toes and massaging his feet with almond oil. I asked him to muscle-test himself to see if he had the same limiting beliefs about Life that I had. I asked if he wanted for those beliefs to be cleared (via Theta-Healing). He replied, "Yes" and I asked for them to be cleared. He forwarded this quote to me via e-mail this morning. "The universe is ingenious in the ways it can help you. Let it." -- Alan Cohen May we courageously ask and allow the universe and all of Life to support our highest dreams and visions. Call me if you'd like to experience Theta-Healing for yourself. I love clearing subconscious blocks with ease and grace for you to live the life you deserve. May you embrace each juicy moment more fully and consciously. Remember Life is FOR You. Much Love, Kimberly Add Comment Something You Should Know About Me... 05/08/2012
Something You Should Know About Me By: Kimberly T. Maeder Here are a some things you should know about me... No, I don't rape myself with credit cards. Signed up for my first credit card as a college student and cut up my last one in March 2012. Yes, I only use debit cards, check or cash now and intend to for the rest of my life. No, I don't believe debt is necessary for you to grow (except perhaps a mortgage). Yes, I believe in sponsors, investors, scholarships and enrolling people to believe in your dream. No, I don't believe in living beyond your means. Yes, I believe in living in financial integrity and enjoying life! No, I don't believe in get-rich-quick schemes. Yes, I believe in 'slow and steady wins the race'. No, I don't tolerate excuses. Yes, I believe in possibilities and accept sincere commitment and apologies. No, I don't reward lies. Yes, I value your authentic truth (no matter how much you may fear telling it). No, I don't believe you are your past. Yes, I see your greatness now. No, I don't believe you are a victim of circumstances. Yes, I believe you have choices (especially in thousands you may not be aware of). No, I don't smoke, do drugs, or eat crap (at least most of the time). Yes, I view my body as a sacred temple and honor it with what I allow into it. No, I don't allow fear to dominate my life, not in the span of years or in this moment. Yes, I may feel fear, alone and challenged at times but I know I am of divine essence and so are you. No, I don't believe you are broken or need to be healed. Yes, I believe you are creative, resourceful and whole. No, I don't like it when my friends move away to far away places. Yes, I love keeping in touch and seeing them pursue their dreams in photos on Facebook. No, I don't like to wake up early (most days) but do. Yes, I love waking up early while everyone else is still sleeping to write down profound insights. No, I don't like when people don't listen to children (especially their own). Yes, I like when people speak boldly and courageously about what they love (especially passionately and tenderly). No, I don't like seeing plants, animals and trees die. Yes, I love listening to rain fall, watching lightning light up the night sky, making up stories with my daughters around a candle (about magical unicorns, puppies and monsters) and seeing the grass greener in the morning.  Two questions that I often ask myself nearly everyday is...."What am I committed to?" and "What would I love?". There is so much passion, enthusiam, love and power that is present in my body, heart and spirit that wants to come through me each day. These questions help guide all that energy inside of me to live more fully and consciously. There is much that I do on a daily and weekly basis to be in high levels of energy and vitality. I love cooking new healthy organic recipes that nourish the life force energy within. In the photo to the left is a photo of a tikka masala made with organic veggies and fresh cilantro (from our garden). It's so yummy! Simple things I do often is express from a place of gratitude everyday in big and small ways to myself and others, drink plenty of water, rest when my body needs rest and put healthy fuel in my body (such as spirulina, chlorella and homemade kefir). I also give full permission to allow myself to fully receive and enjoy exquisite pleasure in and around this physical body...makes for some happy cells. I love my children, my husband, my friends and the difference I make in the world....but most of all I love you. I love the divine essence that you are. I love authenticity, vulnerability and creative expression. I recently completed a 4 week Say What You See Class for YOU with my dear friend Sandy Blackard the founder of the Language of Listening. I was skeptical that much transformation would occur for me in 4 weeks, since I have done so much inner awareness work over the years, but boy was I transformed and it was a fun process! Through observing the class and doing the homework...I awoke on a deeper level to some deep limiting beliefs such as, "You think it doesn't matter what you think" and "You think it doesn't matter what you feel" and "You think it doesn't matter what you want". I started saying this to myself as a mantra while I walked to the park or library, when at the grocery store, etc....to grow in my awareness of these thoughts (without judging it). I eventually cleared these beliefs using Theta-Healing, but I wanted first to come from total acceptance that this was what I was believing from some deep programming from the past and what l was believing about who I thought I was (a very small self with lots of self-defeating limiting beliefs). At the core, I want to fully live and express from a place of truly honoring who my highest self is and hold that space of greatness for others to let go and awaken to more of who they truly are. I'm learning that... what you like and dislike, what you want and don't want are essential to what makes you...YOU!! You are a valuable presence in this world. You matter. Your dreams matter. Your feelings matter! Your frustrations and even resistance to change matters! For example as a mother it can be so easy to lose your true self in the role of caring for others and placing other people's needs above your own deep inner desires. Knowing what you truly want and desire is freedom. When you are unclear on your boundaries it is VERY challenging to enforce them. I've heard it said that, "Your YES is only as strong as your NO". For example, saying NO to credit cards, cutting up our last one and not using them anymore is so freeing! I felt like I was raping myself back when I used credit cards. Being on the same page financially with my husband is so empowering. The illusion of freedom is not true freedom. Saying NO to a traditional dentist and finding a biological dentist who is more in alignment with our values around holistic health is also so liberating and affirming! Did you know there are such things as tooth re-mineralization, ozone therapy and more rather than traditional drill/fill techniques? There are ways to stop and prevent tooth decay that I never knew about! You can find a holistic/biological dentist HERE to support you on this path if you choose. I have healthy teeth and gums now and have for the past couple years, but wish I had known this information before having had amalgam fillings (with mercury) and root canals that could have been prevented years ago! What I most would love is for you to own your power...to claim it....to validate yourself and where you are...how much you love something or hate something...and to connect to divine source energy...to get second and third opinions and do your own research...to love boldly, live consciously and co-create from infinite wisdom, creativity and possibilities. To truly let go, take action, strategically plan in the here-and-now for long-term success, and well-being. Remember to ask for guidance, trust the co-creative process and know that what you truly desire IS POSSIBLE. May your desires be in alignment with your highest self. Personally, a huge step in honoring where I am and what I most value is choosing to be with my children for the next 3 months full-time this summer. They will be home from pre-school and I won't be working as much on my business so that we can take more fun trips as a family, participate in summer camps, spend more time in nature, swim in natural springs (rather than chlorinated pools) and simply experience each juicy moment. I am grateful to have completed a half-marathon in January, volunteered at the Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston to see the fastest American marathon runners earlier this year, taken a tango dance class with my husband in February, met Marci Shimoff - best-selling author of "Love for No Reason", participated in Language of Listening classes with Sandy Blackard and more these past six months. I have attracted, manifested and created much of what I have set out to accomplish so far in 2012. I am taking the bold step to re-charge and re-focus this summer for greater expansion, clarity and impact in the coming months and years. May you enjoy greater clarity, and overall health and vitality! Much love, Kimberly Embracing wisdom through your growth... 04/20/2012
Here are some quotes about being willing to grow in wisdom in your relationships (especially with your mate): "A good listener is someone who is curious, open-minded, and nonjudgmental. A good listener is not a know-it-all. A good listener knows that truth often reveals itself bit by bit, much like putting together a jigsaw puzzle." - Layne and Paul Cutright, Straight From the Heart "When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is what is yet in your power." - Hugh White "Contrary to all the fairytale myths, true love doesn’t happen in a romantic moment of 'riding off into the sunset together.' True love is forged in the fires of struggle and growth. You can never find true love in a romantic tryst... By maintaining lies, it is impossible to discover what is true. Consequently, we avoid confronting the issues in our marriage, we avoid discovering if our mate has enough love to love us, and we avoid facing the truth about ourselves. However, when we begin to speak the truth, the pressure is finally lifted. We are free from image management, free from all the lies, free from pretenses, free to begin to face life on life's terms, and free to just be us. Others may or may not be able to accept us or what we’ve done, but when we begin to speak the truth, they are free to respond with the knowledge they’ve been given. We no longer have to carry the heavy burden of controlling their responses. Freedom will never come as the result of betrayal, it can only come as we move into truth." - Rick Reynolds Remember integrity is about wholeness - living, breathing and being it each day. Honor not just your words and promises but your authenticity and truth especially with your mate. I cannot put a dollar amount on what integrity is worth to oneself and to relationships. The truth sometimes may be painful and scary in the moment to share with your mate, but in the long-term will set you free. Honoring your authentic truth and voice allows you to soar higher and further than you could imagine when you were still living in the bondage of denial and avoidance. Sharing your authentic truth with others creates greater intimacy and connection as well. For example, my husband sharing his authentic truth about why he didn't want to take me out on dates... so huge for him to share! He expressed his fears around taking me out on dates and not wanting to plan dates because of the pressure he may feel or the expectations around it (getting a babysitter, planning a special thing to do, wanting me to have a great time, fear of me being disappointed or upset, etc). He already felt pressured in many of his other roles (in his job, business, etc) and felt going out with me was one more thing that he'd "have" to do. I listened as he shared and responded softly, "No wonder you wouldn't want to go out with me if you felt all that internal pressure and expectations around what it would mean for you to take me out." I listened, softened and created space in my body to fully validate where he was at...rather than feeling rejected by him not wanting to take me out more I saw it more from his perspective. Also I chose to acknowledge inside myself the strong desire that my husband "should" want to go out with me, "should" want to plan a date, and we "should" have a fun time together, etc. I also realized that us spending quality time can be throughout our days or evenings even if the kids are around and we simply hold each other on the couch...or our taking a financial class one night a week together (that we've been doing) is a purposeful, fun date for me and I love it! A dialogue where you both share with the intent to understand oneself and the other person creates an opening and precious space that can lead to greater understanding of fears and desires without defensiveness, blame or criticism. Also personally it feels incredible for my husband and I to be on the same page financially with shared financial goals, a plan for the future for ourselves and children, living debt free (excluding our mortgage), not using credit cards anymore and living in greater financial and relational integrity!! So grateful for a community of support with dear friends who support those goals through Financial Peace University. I highly recommend Dave Ramsey's 13 week program. Lots of great tips, advice, resources and accountability to keep you on track to reach your goals. For us, looking at the details of our finances together, doing a monthly cashflow plan, being patient and respectful to one another as we talk through our differences and listening to our feelings has transformed our marriage in positive ways and helped us build a strong foundation for our family. We understand more of our values, see how much we both care and feel supported along the path. We are changing the future for our children as well! Here's to embracing your true greatness, true power, true peace and living your authentic truth. Abundant Blessings, Kimberly Having the courage to be... 03/08/2012
I've heard it said that it often takes strength to love and courage to be loved. In my experience, I've often found it is easier to "give" love than it has been to "receive" love. Here are some quotes to encourage you on your path in being a courageous leader of consciously choosing to allow more LOVE to flow in and through your life: “When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we took so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened up for us.”– Helen Keller “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”– Oliver Wendell Holmes "Being vulnerable doesn't have to be threatening. Just have the courage to be sincere, open and honest. This opens the door to deeper communication all around. It creates self-empowerment and the kind of connections with others we all want in life. Speaking from the heart frees us from the secrets that burden us. These secrets are what make us sick or fearful. Speaking truth helps you get clarity on your real heart directives." - Sara Paddison "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson “There will come a time when, after harnessing the winds, the tides, and gravitation, we shall harness for God the power of love. And on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, we shall have discovered fire.” – Pierre Tielhard de Chardin May your inner spark of courage be re-ignited today to allow yourself to open and fully receive the flow of more LOVE in your life! Have a favorite quote? Feel free to share in the comments below. Much Love, Kim The need behind whining... 03/07/2012
In our Power Playtime class with Sandy Blackard founder of the Language of Listening last night, I learned that behind whining is one word...powerlessness. A child who is confident asks for what they want. Children who think asking won't work whine. We are learning by saying what we see to the child it creates an opening for the child to tell us more. Such as, "Sounds like you don't think you can have what you want." The child may say, "Yes, I NEVER get what I want!". You can respond with, "You never get what you want and are really sad about that. You wish you could have _____". Sometimes the child may share more and eventually calm themselves down and you can call out the strength such as, "You calmed yourself". Then you can empower and engage them in a CAN DO exercise, where they come up with what they can do. You can say, "Hmmm....there must be some way you can have that" (within your boundaries). It may be they simply imagine it in their minds such as pretending to eat lots of cupcakes and candies if that is what they are wanting (for younger children). Sandy says the child is wanting to get a key need met which is - the need to feel important and valued. This need can often be met best by your time and attention. Structured playtime like the Power Playtime for 30 minutes that I've started doing with my oldest child (age 4) each week which is helping to meet that need and I'm noticing the difference in her and our relationship. I also came across this quote that I love, "Surrender the illusion that anyone other than you has power or authority over your life." - Layne and Paul Cutright, You're Never Upset for the Reason You Think How often as adults do we sometimes forget what we CAN DO in the face of challenges? Where there's one way, there often are hundreds of ways. May we as adults (whether we have children or not) come up with more creative CAN DOs in our lives to get our needs met in healthy ways! Feel free to post your comments below. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Kimberly Being the river bank rather than the dam... 03/05/2012
 What if we could be more like the river bank that guides the flow rather than a dam that blocks the flow of energy in our lives? Whether the flow is represented by money, love, compliments, apologies, hugs, etc. What would you say you often are more like...a river bank or a dam? In the photo to the left is the creek near our house. Our children love throwing leaves and sticks in the water then watching them be carried slowly or quickly by the flowing water. How much effort is the leaf exerting to be carried? The leaf is allowing itself to be carried by the direction of the flow. Now, not to be misunderstood there is a part of me that loves challenging the status quo, pushing the limit of what is possible in our evolution as humans and to be an empowered woman not needing a man to financially provide for me. What I'm discovering though is through my commitment to clearing the twigs, leaves, and boulders in the path of the flowing water in my life there is an increased desire to form new habits and ways of being. I am showing up differently in my life each day. The increasing passion in me wants to replace the unconscious ways of living that may harm others, ourselves and nature....with a higher order of being. So that we can truly live and love more conscious, sustainable, prosperous and joyful lives. Here are five key observations while I've been successfully growing these past few months and years: 1.) Reorganizing at a higher level - From studying quantum mechanics we will often go through periods of chaos before reorganizing at a higher level. There may be greater disorder or entropy before a system organizes and integrates at a higher level. For example, to have an organized closet, one may first make a big mess taking out the boxes, papers, clothes and placing them on the floor. There may be more chaos and confusion at first before you reorganize at a higher level. 2.) Openness and willingness to grow - Relationally speaking, time and emotional space may be necessary for both parties to look at their own internal closets (that they may have been avoiding for a long time). It is healthy long-term to allow some breathing space for the sunlight to shine into the dark dusty corners and to do some major house-cleaning of your own heart and spirit. Thankfully my partner (of more than 10 years) is willing to look into his dark closets and deep unconscious beliefs. If he weren't willing to clean out his closet every-now and then, especially during challenging times over the years, I don't think I would still be with him. He is however very committed and willing to grow as well. 3.) Having mentors and support in the journey - I am grateful to have been trained in various healing modalities to be of service to my husband and others. I have trusted my intuition to seek out support when needed and encouraged my husband to work with other healers/coaches as additional support to clear and go to the next level. Our success as a couple and family is not by accident or just good luck. We have a team of support and mentors in our personal, spiritual and professional journey. 4.) We are allies - To experience the breakthroughs that are possible in a relationship is to make the conscious commitment to see each other as allies rather than enemies. Money fights for couples for example are almost never about money and instead are fertile ground for power struggles and understanding this can help defuse a situation and prevent one in the first place. Empathetic listening (a skill from Non-Violent Communication) is often useful especially to be in alignment when setting and achieving common financial goals. 5.) Understanding one's "needs" versus "wants" - I'd say 9 times out of 10 my husband truly wants to honor my needs (and often does when I'm able to clearly express them). He may not always be able to meet my "wants" such as I'd love for us a family to travel to San Diego to visit my brother and sister-in-law to meet our baby nephew for the first time. I'm willing to be patient as we save up for that trip. By me taking responsibility for what my true needs are, it removes much of the burden and emotional pressure on him. What if we allow growth to happen naturally rather than fight and resist the change? What if we allow ourselves to be more like a river bank with clearly defined boundaries of where I begin and you end (like being exclusive sexually in a relationship with one person)...but not so much so that we kill or stop the flow of the good that wants to flow into our lives such as giving hugs and receiving positive attention? So what are you committed to? May we discern our needs from our wants. May we meet our needs and wants through self-care and making honoring requests of others. May your awareness and river banks expand to experience greater inner peace and joy! I invite you to leave your comments below. What ways have you been like a river bank or dam? Kimberly "Bloom where you are planted" 02/28/2012
 "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust We have a Gardenia plant that has buds on it that are blossoming into beautiful white flowers (see photo to the left). My oldest daughter Kayla loves watching the buds open up and just this morning another bud had blossomed. I was just reflecting today how I sometimes feel like a flower bud who is in the process of slowly and gracefully opening. As part of my journey to embrace more of my feminine essence which involves bringing my conscious awareness inside my body and being present to the energy several inches below my navel....I'm discovering also how courageous it is to be a fully alive, vibrant woman in this world with no apology. I'm allowing myself to soften and open a little bit more each day....not just on a heart level (in my heart chakra), but also in my solar plexus (my core) and my sacral (or sexual) chakra. Today was "Open House" at our children's preschool. This special day is not called "Closed House"....it's called "Open House" for the parents to come and see the children's work that they've been learning. It's a time for the parents to observe, listen and receive. I'm so grateful that my husband Stephen wanted to come too and I was able to pick him up from work. We drove together to visit with our daughters and their teachers. We loved seeing the enthusiasm and pride in our daughters' faces as they showed us their work. So as I'm allowing myself to open throughout the energy centers in my body...on a broader, and deeper level, I'm also wanting to guide the process (but not force the process)...like the sun that radiates and guides the flowers to turn towards it...gently, slowly, and smoothly over time. So I'm practicing doing this consciously by pausing throughout my day, taking a deep breath and asking myself, "What is the most loving thing I can do for myself right now?" also "Who can I send love to right now in this moment?". As a ThetaHealer, I then will pause and go into the Theta brainwave (in the space of All That Is) and ask for unconditional love to be sent to that person. I'm also doing ThetaHealing on myself for about 15-20 minutes each day to clear limiting beliefs that come up for me consciously. So I'm wanting to practice clearing the subconscious blocks as soon as they become conscious for me on a daily basis to be renewed and rejuvenated in my Spirit and cleansed in my mind. As Patrick McBride says, "You can only start from where you are and you can only begin in the present". So may we begin where we currently are in this present moment and have the courage to see with new eyes and the willingness of Spirit to blaze a new trail...one we may never have walked before. Here's to you dear loving, adventurous and courageous souls! One Love, Kimberly  On Saturday night I attended an event at Ballet Austin downtown where I met another of my soul sisters and mentors, the founder of the Art of Feminine Presence and The Yin Project, Rachael Jayne Groover. Rachael and her husband entertained us with live music, singing and stories. You can see a photo of them below. They made the trip to Austin this week from their home in Colorado. In the photo to the left is me with my friend Lauren Sheehan who was trained by Rachael and taught me the Art of Feminine Presence over 5 weeks last year. I am grateful to have been among a group of such conscious, connected, compassionate and creative women. I saw familiar faces and made new friends. We were taught several practices from Rachael's new book Powerful and Feminine. We connected to our "womb space" which is about 3 inches below the navel. We learned various techniques and experimented with different energies such as what it feels like to be in our "head bubble" in our thoughts...in the mental realm and being out of our bodies, disconnected from our bodies vs. in our "home" or the "womb space" of our feminine essence as Rachael calls it. We also experimented with what it feels like to be in our heart space and expanding our "light bubble" or imagining energy radiating out of our body just an inch from our skin versus arms length from our skin all around us. It's what some may call our aura or energy field, but Rachael simply called it our "light bubble". I love that. We all felt more expanded and more joyful when we turned our "light bubble" on and imagined it expanding an arms length in all direction, in front, behind and to the sides of us. Rachael also talked about 4 key components to being fully present and in our feminine essence that powerfully connects with others whether one-on-one or when speaking to a group: 1.) Body - being in our body in our "womb space" rather than just our head. 2.) Energy - being aware of the energy in our body and how it influences others, many women often express or interact with others in their heart space (I know I often have!). She explained the importance of building blocks and having the foundation of our energy being first in our "womb space" and then our "heart space", which has a more powerful, grounded and loving presence. So it is a subtle energy difference but has a power impact rather than only being in our heart space, or being in our heart space immediately when we first meet someone (where the energy is all in the chest), rather than in the womb space too. 3.) Tone - your tone of voice is key on whether you come across as someone who can be trusted and women must often speak twice as loud as normal when speaking to a group of people, since we tend to have softer voices. The louder we are and the more we own our authentic voice it can actually make an audience feel more comfortable and Rachael demonstrated this with a volunteer from the audience. 4.) Presence - this what she spent most of the night speaking about and some of practices that we learned to develop this in ourselves. This is also what much of her book Powerful and Feminine is all about. Presence isn't about fixing others, or talking over others, or even about being happy all the time, it's about being present to what is going on all around you and inside of your body, fully rooted and aware in the moment. Rachael shared how important it is for us as women to embrace all of our feminine essence and complexities...our emotions, our vulnerability, our beauty, and our power. She honored our courage and spoke about that inner radiance of convidence that comes from the inside vs a false projection of confidence or trying to prove ourselves and apologizing non-verbally with our bodies. The more we fully embrace our power and feminine presence the more others are comfortable around us. She demonstrated with some volunteers from the audience the difference in their body, energy, tone and presence and how that effected us (the audience) when the woman seemed guarded, nervous and unsure, vs when they stood tall (which was a big deal for one of the taller women in the audience and we witnessed her fully embrace her height and stand taller) and for others to own their voice (one of the women was able to project her authentic voice when she was wanting to talk about birth). One of the women also realized that she was apologizing in her butt and hips and there wasn't much flow of energy there, so Rachael had her move her hips (we store so much feminine energy in our hips!). It was beautiful and inspiring to watch the women become more aware and stand fully in their beauty, power and joy as women. So ladies, may you embrace and celebrate your divine feminine essence by connecting to your precious "womb space" and moving your hips! Love & Light, Kimberly  Rachael Jayne Groover - founder of the Yin Project and Art of Feminine Presence singing and playing guitar with her husband Datta.  Here is a photo of a Valentine's day card that my 4 year old daughter, Kayla created for her uncle (my brother). My brother will be traveling to Texas from San Diego, California this Thursday for a short trip. She is excited to see him. She also made Valentine cards for her friends for Valentine's day. She enjoys expressing how much she cares in creative ways. Kayla is a great teacher of love to me. Often we make birthday cards for her friends using colorful paper, crayons, markers and stickers. After making a card for her friend, she'll often say, "Now, I want to make a birthday card for myself too!" (no matter what month it is :)). She expresses love to others and to herself in such fun and playful ways. She embodies the richness of healthy self-love and generosity. I am consciously choosing to practice being more gentle and loving towards myself. One way I am doing this is... everyday for the next 30 days, I'm silently pausing and asking myself twice a day the question, "What is the most loving thing I can do for myself right now?". It may be to go outside for some fresh air, it may be to drink some water, it may be to say no to more volunteer opportunities to honor my existing commitments, it may be to simply close my eyes and breathe deeply. I am noticing my internal state change has an impact on those around me and my days seems to flow more easily. I still accomplish a lot in a day but it comes more from a grounded sense of ease and grace rather than feeling I must be in a state of struggle and tension to achieve more. My intention for 2012 that I set for myself in December 2011, is "Great Gentleness". As an adult gentleness, tenderness or softness often felt foreign or "weak" to me as I often believed that I had to push hard to make things happen or to accomplish more. Others around me often probably felt that. I now choose to consciously create and experience a year of "Great Gentleness" towards myself and others...in thought, word and deed. Out of this simple yet powerful intention, I had the pleasure and honor of meeting one of mentors and soul sisters... author, speaker and coach Marci Shimoff. See below for a photo of me with Marci and my beloved, Stephen. I met Marci in person here in Austin, TX for the first time this past Saturday, February 11th, during her Love for No Reason all day workshop. I sat in the front row as she spoke to an intimate crowd of about 100 people sharing insights and inspiring stories from two of her best-selling books, "Happy For No Reason" and "Love For No Reason". She was also candid about her personal life and how she was going through a divorce and experienced 4 deaths (one of them being her mother) when she was writing "Love for No Reason". She shared that the foundation for happiness and love...is taking responsibility for your own sense of inner happiness and love that doesn't depend on external circumstances or people in your life. She said others may trigger us to feel love, but the truth is we are love, that is who we are. She spoke of the 4 pillars of happiness - the mind, heart, body and soul. She gave us practical tools and techniques to being happy for no reason. She also talked about the myths to happiness such as "I'll be happier when____". She also shared how important it is to have supportive people around us who support our dreams, such as joining a mastermind group. We also learned many techiques to connect with a deeper sense of unconditional love within and towards ourselves, such as Ho'oponopono an ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. Also some of the happiest people on the planet go to bed by 10pm, which I learned about when I first read "Happy For No Reason" a couple years ago. She spoke about the circadian cycles and that every hour before 10pm is worth more than 2 hours after that. She said chamomile tea, and aroma essences rubbed on the temples of your head can relax your mind. Also sesame seed oil on your feet can help pull energy from your over-active mind to help you fall asleep. She also spoke about how important exercise and laughter is for releasing endorphins and how much she loves Zumba! I personally haven't taken a Zumba class before but would love to! She also mentioned the book the "Mood Cure" by Julia Ross can help you naturally increase your energy and discussed biochemicals that can make you purr. I'm grateful to have met Marci and to have spoken with her after the workshop. Here's to going to bed before 10pm to feel vibrant and alive...and to asking ourselves, "What is the most loving thing I can do for myself right now?". May you express greater happiness and unconditional love towards yourself and others, Kimberly  In the photo (left to right): Stephen Maeder, Kimberly Maeder & Marci Shimoff. | AboutWelcome to Unleashing Joy a place where you are invited to rest, and be your authentic self. May you fully live and consciously love in this moment and every moment. ArchivesMay 2012 Categories |
RSS Feed