30 Days to Courage (aka Fear Cleanse) Day Fourteen

 I know this was called a fear cleanse however, enough is enough. 

Let's break this bad habit.

 Remember...

1. What you focus on you expands. 
2. Decide to focus on a higher vibration. A feeling that lifts you up.
3. Start by shifting away from that which no longer serves you.



How?

Simple.  

Take something that recently made you have fear or anger.

Draw the problem in a symbolic, abstract way.

Draw moving past the problem. 




Lastly, draw a positive outcome, a bright side.  A solution.

Focus now on the positive
side of this particular "situation".  

How does it feel? 

Do you feel a shift in your body?

This is healing art.

Draw Breaking Past Fear.

If I asked you to think of the what the bright side of that situation could be,
you problably couldn't think of something. 

It is not always easy to come up with a different point of view from the logical mind is it?
Often we don't even want to. We like our point of view. 
We may even get off on the negative feeling which keeps us from letting it go.

Yet, is it really serving you? Are you happy? 

Remember my original hesitation regarding water?
The other day I went into the Gulf of Mexico again.
The water was fairly calm yet, it was not as crystal clear
as I would have liked. I went in it anyway apprehensively based
on the positive experience I had recently. 
I let myself feel the wave when it came and went without freaking out.

The positive side of being in the water was that I could actually 
feel the support of the water pushing me up. Support.
The support was what I drew in the sand in earlier posts.
It was the opposite of the fear of water.
As I focused on the support, I actually began to have fun.
The water was even much colder than I usualy preferred. I kept
swimming and enjoyed it. I did it! I made progress and felt good about that.

This is the first step to courage. Shifting the low vibration to a
higher vibration helps you to laugh, enjoy and maybe even
look forward to the experience again. A new thought begins to pop
in your head when you think of this original situation that made you twinge.

Today, when you find yourself in a low vibration... anger, frustration,
overwhelm and such, make a quick sketch of what it would feel like
to be past this feeling and feel good again.  A scribble like sketch 
showing the old low feeling moving into a higher good way of being.
Seeing it on paper gives your mind something new to grab onto. 
A newer perspective that the logical thinking mind didn't go to. 

Once you have this new frame of mind...

Declare that you are courageous. 

Declare that you are happy. 

Just for this moment. Taste happiness. 

Allow your happiness to come from the drawing, 

the new possibility even if it only in your imagination.

30 Day Fear Cleanse (Day Thirteen)

I have been writing about fear in my blog for two weeks now.

A Trump rally was 8 minutes from home so my husband went. 

He was hoping for some issues to be addressed so 
he could learn what Trump is running on. 

After 40 minutes of continuous bragging (no issues), 

Trump brought up the issue first began by the statement

about the  9/11 video he supposedly saw

that said thousands were applauding after 9/11 in New Jersey.   

This time he didn't say there were thousands of people and

he only discussed an article in the Washington Post that 

mentioned a handful of people applauding. 

Apparently the reporter said even he wasn't even sure it his story was accurate. 

Now Trump was badmouthing the reporter.  

Trump diverts the blame when he is wrong to someone else.  

Wait a minute, he originally said he saw a video... not an article in the paper. 

Get the story straight! 


Mark got fed up with his lack of depth

 and spin on this story and decided to leave. 

Mark then walked in front of TV cameras holding up a sign for 

hundreds to see. It was prepared in advance just in case

Trump held to his original story of the N.J. residents applauding.

When people started to notice his sign and raised a murmur, 

my husband was asked to leave. He was by then already at the door.


What happened to FREEDOM OF SPEECH?

It sounds like if you don't agree with Trump, there is no such thing.


I recall hearing a story of when Bill Clinton had a heckler at one

of his speeches. Clinton asked the heckler if he would be quiet

if he was given two minutes to speak.

The heckler said yes and spoke for two minutes.

Then he was quiet and Bill Clinton continued. 

Each showed respect for other person. Clinton had enough

confidence in himself to allow the heckler to speak. 


Anyway, I was happy when Mark arrived home early. 

He had planned to stay for the entire rally to listen to what was said.

I was so glad and sighed a big exhale when he walked in the room.

Mark just thinks the people of New Jersey need an apology 

if this video can't be found because even the Govenor of N.J.

did not ask for one for his people. 


All candidate need to check facts before talking

and we need to demand this of them, no matter who

they think they are especially if they are attempting

to cause fear in the masses. Back to my point. 

I am sorry to say that he did cause fear in me.

I was fearing my husband would be beaten up by his crowd

based on how I saw one man treated at his rally recently 

who was there to protest. Even though Mark wasn't protesting and 

only wanted to give his opinion, I didn't know what the crowd would do.

My imagination was working on the side of fear. I caught myself.

Then relaizing the power of the imagination, I started imagining him

being fine. (And truth be told, giving the sign to a protester outside). 


Bravo Mark for taking a stand for what you

believe in. You non-violet and sensible.  

By the way, Mark was in a protest march in Washington D.C. when

he was only 16 years old. His father was helping public television

to cover the protest.   He was ok with Mark marching against

the war. A crowd in this particular part of the city was 

about 5 - 10,000 people. They were chanting

"Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh , NLF is gonna win" . Mark was thinking

"If anyone is still undecided about this war, this chant is not going to do it. "

So he started to chant something new. "Peace now" Mark shouted. 

Slowly the people around him and then the people around them and so on

began to chant "Peace now" until the thousands of people were now

chanting "Peace now".  That is the day I believe that Mark got a taste 

that one person can make a difference. 



So Trump. If you sincerely want to do good for this country. 

Stop badmouthing others. 

Start focusing on how you plan to do what you will do 

and be a man and apologize when you get it wrong. 


What does Trump say on NBC news say today?

http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/trump-9-11-cheering-claims-im-not-going-take-it-n470876

30 Day Fear Cleanse (Day Twelve)

Last night I submitted my post at midnight. I got distracted

and started late because I was livng my life, doing things I love.

I remembered my commitment though. 

My word is important so this blog must be updated

daily for the 30 days at least. A new habit is forming.

Are you forming a new habit as well? 

By focusing on what you want instead of don't want, you will

notice a shift in your attitude, your perspective.
It takes time to make a shift to a new way, weeks, maybe

months, perhaps even years but it is so worth it. 

What you look for will appear. 

I have a friend who finds hearts everywhere.
Actually, a couple friends who seek them out and find them.

One posts photos of hearts in clouds, rocks, shells, etc.

I have always looked for heart shells or rocks when on the beach.

When I saw her find all her hearts I wondered why I wasn't 

finding as many hearts on beaches. Maybe it is because I was

not on a beach that often. Maybe I should start looking everywhere

and not just on beaches. 

So I started looking and this one is pretty close. 

What are you looking for?

Are you trying to hard? 

Let it go and surrender to God. 

If so, it is like when you place your hand in a fish pond.

The fish will disperse quickly. 

Just be patient.

Keep your hand in the water.

They will come to you when you don't try to get them. 

Same with all else.

Find happiness, contentment and just Be happy.

Know what you do not want.

Find happiness within yourself. Focus on loving thoughts, happy moments & gratitude.


Then release it, let it go.
What you want will come to you. 

30 Day Fear Cleanse (Day Eleven)

What do you focus on more? 
Fear or possibility?  

What you give your energy to, EXPANDS.

You can focus on the negative any time so for now, let's
play with another option.

PLAY WITH YOUR IMAGINATION today.
Isn't that what Einstein did? Everything is energy.
What you give your energy to expands.



In the painting above if you focus only on fear (represented by the black)
you would only look at what is black.

All the possibilities (the white areas)
would be ignored by you. It is impossible to focus on two things
at the same time equally. Try it. Look at something in the room
where you are. Isn't everything else blurry? Yes, it is.

When you focus on fear, you
are more concerned with the fear.

If you are consumed by fear this keeps
you from seeing all that is available to you. It also keeps
you from finding the truth.

What if I said, imagine that the fear is being crushed and behind
that black door in my painting, fear it is subsiding.

Imagine that soon goodness will burst through
that black door. All your greatest desires will come through that door
for you to have.

Now what might you see?

Are you having a shift in perspective?
Are you starting to notice all
the well lit areas?

What is your mind capable of imagining?

I see people (new and old friends)
having fun with me as we spend time
together.

And well built, well dressed, healthy,
happy, optimistic people
pick out even more paintings of mine
that they love from several
galleries that show my work.
They are happily having them
shipped or delivered to their homes.
There friends see the work and want
to have some in their home too.

I see myself having opportunites
to paint in places that inspire me
more and more.  People are inviting me
to paint at their favorite places on earth.

Now, I can give even more to the charities
that I love and help others to have a better life.
This lights me up.

I could easily go on with numerous
possibilities. Can you?

More tomorrow. Sweet dreams.

30 Day Fear Cleanse (Day Ten)

Happy Thanksgiving. 

A day to show love and gratitude

and to be happy to be with family and friends.  

Today it was difficult to think about 

this blog and focus on fear.

So I didn't all day. 

We went to the beach, called relatives

and then to cousins for dinner. 

After dinner we enjoyed the movies

since someone recommended 

Suffragette.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=056FI2Pq9RY



Wow, it is a good reminder of 

what some women and their families 

went through to gain voting rights.


I left the movie feeling wondering what exactly am

standing for.  I am determined to help women 

to find their voice, their true self. 

I felt rather silly for 

allowing tiny fears to have held me back

for so long. 


What men and women of the past had

to endure, I am also thankful for them.

Thank you for all the times you rise above your 

fears.  Happy Thanksgiving. 

What is FEAR exactly? (Day Nine)

30 Day Fear Cleanse (Day Nine)

                                                     Hudson River Sky,20" x 24" Pastel by L. Richichi 

                                                        Available at 530 Burns Gallery, Sarasota, FL

I just received the message below as part of a newsletter

from a man I met on a World Peace Cruise. 

His name is Sal Rachele. 

He beautifully Sal addresses the subject of fear. 

"Fear arises from the belief that we are separate from God.  Therefore, we believe we are powerless and helpless  in the face of beings or situations outside of ourselves.  We imagine that we are vulnerable and subject to becoming  victims of circumstance, subjected to the need of others to  control and enslave us.  Teachers have said that the only thing we need to fear is fear itself.

The only real way to move beyond fear is to realize our Oneness with God.  To do this, we must release our attachment to the little self, the ego,  and it's deep-seated belief in lack and scarcity.  Awareness is the key, along with continuous reinforcement  of the truth of our being. We need to remind ourselves daily  of the fact that we are powerful, creative spiritual beings and  that is impossible to give our power away  (unless we believe we can do so).  Nobody can control us unless we believe they can.  It is time to seek out and bring to light all belief  in darkness, misery, suffering, poverty and lack.  It is time to let God's limitless love and compassion  burn away all false beliefs so we can claim our rightful place in the Kingdom of Heaven - here and now on Earth."                                                                    - Sal Rachele http://www.salrachele.com      -

30 Day Fear Cleanse (Day Eight) WARNING!!

The Government has issued another warning.

W A R N I N G !

It has been awhile. I've grown in the process.


I remember the last time that government warnings
were regularly broadcasted.

It filled me with fear.

"No, I do not want to travel". I would tell others.

That was a lie.

My girlfriend was planning a trip to Paris.

I wanted to go. We had traveled together before.

Really though, I wanted to go to Italy.

But the government had issued a warning,
I was afraid.


This was now a problem. 

Something I wanted yet I was allowing fear
to stop me. 

That was when I first began using art to problem solve.

I made a drawing.
Not my normal refined drawing.

A messy, what

wants to come from my core of my being kind of drawing.

More of a scribble, a doodle like drawing.

That is when fear began to stop controlling my life. 

I went to Italy and to Paris that summer for. 5 weeks.
Then I came home to pick up my brand new Mini
Cooper because that was the car of my dreams.

Prior to that year, my thoughts included:

"I would be a starving
artist never to have a
 new car ever again."

It was ok (I told myself)
because I was
living my dream of being an artist.

But really, was starving a dream job?

I knew I was lying to myself.

So I figured out
through drawing how not only
to go to Europe for 5 weeks, but the
drawing told me I could also have
a new car and pay for it in full.

If I was going to have a dream, I began
to realize make the dream really good. I knew
that I did not want car payments ever again!

My drawing said: Do both (a new car and trip to Europe).
The drawing that evolved from my questions showed me how
to have both. My logical mind told me even one was impossible.

After all, I didn't have one dime saved for either
prior to doing this drawing.

Was this crazy?
I wasn't sure but it was worth the chance.

A year from this drawing... not only was it not crazy
but my friend invited me as a guest at her mastermind trip
in Paris to teach this drawing method to her business women. 

Here is what to do:

To begin....

I drew what fear felt like. 

All kinds of F E A R.


Go ahead try this now. Right now.

Step one:

Take a piece of paper, the bigger the better, yet any size will do.
Computer paper is fine.

Label this drawing: Fear. 

Draw out fear as it feels to you.

 Use a pencil, pen, or add color (markers, crayons, anything actually).

Let it rip.


Here is a sample of what I drew today.

Give FEAR an image.  This helps to reduce it to a manageable size.

All day long, pay attention to when fear arises in you.

Think of this image. Where does it fit in the picture? Do you
need to add it to the image? Do so if necessary.

Are you watching the TV daily? The news in particular?

Seriously, we have more of a chance of having a car accident
than what the news would have us believe. 

I remember being in first grade,
afraid and covering my head in classrooms in an air raid drill.

Or, being as a small child being told to fear strangers with candy.

Or, as a young girl, rapists on the street.
So when two men in a Cadillac offered me at age 16 a modeling job in
NYC after they saw me walking on a street in my small town,
I didn't give them the time of day. I ignored them
and walked as fast as I could away from them. Was it legitimate?
Who knows? Maybe, maybe not.

I could go on and on. Sure, bad things happen.

 Chances are they won't.
 If we allowed fear to run our lives,
we would never leave the front door.

Remember West Nile?

 Being afraid of mosquito bites?

 I know, things happen.

Be aware, be smart. Being in a perpetual 

state of fear is not the answer.  Your body will

give you clues when the fear is really real.

F E A R (false evidence appearing real) 
will keep you from your highest purpose.

Fear clouds your thinking and closes doors.

Fear keeps us all playing small.

How does one stay in power over people? 

Make them fearful. 

Watch how those who are on the news do it.

Watch how politicians (and outsiders) do it.
They get you were they want you... listening to them.
It is a mind game.


Isn't fear the game that this "In Sane group IS trying to have you play?

Nope, not me.

I won't give in.

I even refuse to call them by their name.

I will not give them any power over my life.

Do they need to be taken care of, yes!
I send them love prayers..
That is all I can do to resolve this situation.
It is the best I can do.


Daily, I choose to:

Rise above.

Check my fears at the door.
(BTW: They never go away 100% and new ones
will arise when you go out of your comfort zone.
That is great.)

This method of seeing fear reduced to paper
helps me to limit the power it has in my life.

It gives me the power to make wise decisions.
To call on my intuition to guide me and keep
me safe. I listen to my own intuition.
It has saved my life in the past when fear was
legitimate.

Twenty two days left to find courage and
let go of FEAR.

Fear Cleanse (Day Seven) Want more money?

Join us for a Caribbean Cruise.

 Call our cruise agent today!

What was the first thing that came to mind?

Any thoughts similar to any one of these?

I am in. Where is it going? When? _____
Let me know more. ______
I wish I could but I don't have the money.______
I can't take time off work (or other reason why not.) _____

If you picked the third reason, what I want to tell you is hard to hear. 

You do not have a money issue.

You have a creativity issue.

Yes, you have a creativity issue.
You are not a possibility thinker,
you are probably what you call, a "realist".
Hang with me here.

Maybe you don't want to go on a cruise.
What do you want that
costs more money than you
think you have right now?

What will you do about it?
Wait, save, forget about it?

What if I said what you want, wants you back
or you wouldn't have the desire in the first place.

Crazy thought right?
Also, why are you desiring it?
What will it do for you?

Here me out.

This lesson is not about:

Having more  "things".
Things do not make us happy.

Having more money.
Money doesn't bring happiness.
Money does bring freedom.

Lack of money brings worry, doubt and fear.
You cannot afford to have money worries.

This lesson is really about you- settling for less.
It is about not living up to your potential. 

We do it all the time. I do it as well. Not as often
as before though. I use my tools when necessary.

Here is one of my favorite tools to stop settling for less.

Remember: What we want is possible.
Only you decide if you are closed to the possibility.

We just need to put on our creativity hat. Mine is pink.

Get outside the box. Start living full out.

How?

I do this by drawing the answers to a question. 

Step one:
Ask a question: Here is my question. 

How is it possible that I have an extra $2500 to spend on a 5 day cruise to Mexico
for two people so I can treat my husband as well?

Draw the answer in an abstract way allowing the pencil to tell you the answer.

Go ahead, grab a paper and label it ... You might ask...
How can I have the money I want for __________.
(Fill in the blank.)



Draw a box about 4" x 4" and draw within the box what ever feels right. Allow the pencil to make marks.
_________________
I                               I
I                               I
I                               I
I                               I
I                               I
I______________ _I   Before you go on, do your drawing.

________________________________________________________________

This is what I drew.

Step two: Now we will decode the drawing.
What does it look like you drew?
What information came to you?
What is there that surprises you?
What do you now know?
________________________________________________________________

Here is what I saw in my above drawing. 
(I am good at this so it comes quickly now.)

First, I see the problem on the bottom. (The thick squiggly lines.)
Then I start thinking of ideas. (The pencil line curves and goes up.)
The ideas get bigger and better and new possibilities come to my mind of where extra money could come in.

I see that I've drawn an egg.
It is cracking but it has not hatched yet.
Something is inside.
There is new life inside of the egg and it is cracking open now.
I am left with curiosity, wonder and excitement.
I decide to start figuring out how it is possible to make this happen.
My wish has become a dream, a goal, a burning desire.

I have a new goal... an extra $2500 over and beyond 
what I normally make in the next couple
weeks.

Keep this in mind.

Creative people find a way to do, have, be something. 
Creative people who say "I can't" all the time are blocked.

If you are not open to your innate creativity or say "I can't"
to block your creativity, you may often feel like a victim,
wishing for more and settling for less.

Do you allow your obstacles to
 keep you from living a life of your dreams?

Stop!

You are creative and can learn to bust it wide open.

Want to learn more?

Follow me on facebook. Click here. 

or join us on our Creativity Cruise. 
Click here for more info.

30 Days to Courage (Day Six)

Did I really commit to 30 days of blogging?

                                            Mother Goddess, 24" x 18" Oil 

Sometimes we say things and then regret it. 

We want to back out. 

First, ask why? 

Is it fear stopping you?

 Is it keeping you from seeing the larger picture?

Is it your logical mind? 

 Why did you say this thing you said in the first place? If there was a way to

 see how your mind thinks? Do you know how access it? 

We always have a choice. 

We do not live up to our word and back out. OR...

We evaluate the situation and do what is in the highest good for all. 

Today's assignment is to assist you in seeing the highest good for you. 

What is on the other side of fear? 

What if you were not fearful and could live full out?  That is what we want to see. Who you would be past fear. 

Yesterday's assignement is the 5th lesson in this series. Go to day 1 if you are just starting in this 30 day Fear Cleanse. 

From this day forward the assignments will be available automatically to those who register for them. They will be sent directly to you via email so that you don't miss a single one. For a short time, they will be free.  After that there will be a nominal charge. 

Register here to start at the beginning. 

If you already have been following along and doing the assignments, continue...

Step one:

Take the drawing from yesterday and today you will again need about 20 - 30 minutes. Grab a magazine, a glue stick and a piece of computer paper. 

Look at the drawing you made yesterday- What if the opposite were actually true. 

Now, using the drawing as a starting point, look through the magazine and cut out any image (some words are ok, keep to a minimum) that relates to the drawing. 

You will feel this in your belly and not your head. Get out of your head! 

Feel your way through the exercise as much as possible. 

What looks like it goes where to create a new image of something that feels like it relates to this doodle like drawing from yesterday.  

Here is what mine looks like. Yours will be totally different!

Step two:

  Decode your drawing. Write your answers down and label the paper the same title. What if the opposite of ____(fill in your fear)_____ were actually true. 

What does it seem to say to me?

What does it feel like it is saying?

How do I feel when I look at this new drawing?

What makes sense is...

I now believe that...

What have you discovered from this drawing? 

By now you should be getting how to use this tool. This is only one of the tools to move past the fears that sabotage your life.