Reach For New Heights

Reach For New Heights

New Heights in Consciousness

 

In these days of greater awakening to more expanded states of consciousness we are thinking differently, listening to our intuitive nature more often, and increasing communication with our higher selves. To support a gentle and joyful integration of this new way of being with the experiences of daily life, it’s important to focus on ideas, wisdom and activities aligned with our highest light. Having conscious awareness of a desire to live and grow in harmony with our inner truth, to follow the light of a path that makes our hearts sing, requires that we practice connection with our authenticity each day. Creating lifestyle opportunities to nurture and reinforce joyful connection with the whole self is not only a purposeful perspective to explore. It is also a means for directing our inner and outer experiences to reach for new heights in consciousness. The thoughts we think, the blessings we perceive, the kindness and grace we offer ourselves and others can become deliberate choices. We can learn to trust and dialogue with our inner wisdom; to find our next step from our own opinions rather than the opinions of others. As we open our hearts and minds to let in a consistent flow of this inner light, we empower expression from the essential self; to think thoughts and take actions inspired from a dynamic, energetic place of authenticity and gratitude, which feels good.

 

New Heights in Awareness of Who I am

 

Consciously engaging the higher self is a co-creative experience of living holistically in resonance with a balanced sense of innate well-being. As the inspiration takes up more of our consciousness, our actions and activities tend to reflect that inner light, the spirit of love who we truly are awakening within, and we reach for new heights of awareness, knowing and expression. In reaching for these new heights we find peace, love, compassion and appreciation in our hearts, and we release our grip on the past. No longer settling for limitations that hold us in fear, doubt or false beliefs about our worthiness.

 

When I am reaching for new heights in conscious awareness of who I am as a divine-human, I am tuned into my higher-self. I believe in myself. I believe in my power to meet every moment with fortitude and I anticipate blessings. Expansion of consciousness feels like a spark igniting my soul, like a power surge of clarity in my heart and mind. I can see the light of love in others, and perfection in what earlier may have seemed like darkness.

 

Emergence of New Wings To Lift You Higher

 

There are lots of different options for to support you as you reach for new heights. You can think of activities and intentions that assist and guide you into new vistas as preparing you for your new wings of light to emerge. The wings that will lift you to new heights in the light of love. Engagement and participation in practices which cultivate inner connection like

meditation, journaling, yoga, spirituality, nature walks, prayer and dance on a consistent basis reinforce positive results and keep you growing in fulfilling ways.

 

As you reach for new heights ask yourself, “What makes my heart sing?” Follow that with conscious appreciation for the wisdom received because it brings you into alignment with the soul that is uniquely you and allows your growth to take root. Enjoy yourself as you reach for new heights knowing your place is to soar in new directions.

 

 

Marilyn Decalo offers one-one coaching sessions to help you acheive your goals! To learn more about Marilyn’s coaching options, click here. 

 

 

Time To Follow Your Dreams

Time To Follow Your Dreams

Dreaming is one of humanity’s greatest gifts; it champions aspiration, spurs innovation, leads to change, and propels the world forward. – Sir Richard Branson

Have you promised yourself that 2019 is the year you start pursuing your dreams? The new year can be a great motivator to get on the path toward your desire. So if it’s time to make a decision to go for it then here are some suggestions on how you can make your dreams happen.

 

1. This Is Your Life

 

Only you know what will make you happy. Aren’t you worth giving it your best effort? By doing what you love you live your best life because you do more than just exist. Following your dream is empowering and is an opportunity to use your potential to create something new; to make a life you love. You will also serve as an inspiration to others who hope to do the same. You’ll touch the lives of many who surround you and encourage them to get on their own paths to living joyfully.

 

2. There Is No Time Like The Present To Be Happy

 

Wouldn’t it be great to wake up each day excited to do what makes you happy? Enjoying your days, weeks, months and years starts in this present moment. Your dreams are the outward expression of your creative energy; uniquely yours and you birthed them because they excite you. If we bury our dreams or put them on hold we deny our gifts, messages and creative contribution to the world. Not everyone follows their dreams but if you desire to live the life you’ve always wanted there’s no time like today to get going.

 

3. Get Clear That Your Dreams Are Possible

 

You can start to get a feel for doing something you’ve always wanted to do by exploring opportunities in the field. Do a little research, investigate the latest ideas, see what else is out there that could either be a stepping stone or get your adrenaline pumping. Move the energy around by writing down your new story – what will life be like as you become the person living your dream? Believing is seeing, so be sure to spend some time enjoying and envisioning your dream as it comes to life. Appreciating the steps on the journey allows you to enjoy the whole process and believe in it more strongly each day. You are beginning to live your dream which increases your motivation to accomplish it.

 

4. Remember Your Why

 

Your reason “why” you want a particular goal is the driving force that keeps you committed to accomplishing it. Write out your reasons and revisit them to renew your decision regularly. Remember your “why” if you start to waver or run into an obstacle, and start again. Persistence comes from an inner connection to your vision. You may need to find that inner strength and recommit when you encounter setbacks. However, your vision cannot be discouraged when you are in tune with your inspiration. Journal or meditate and visualize the feeling of accomplishing your dream regularly.

 

5. Dream big!

 

Take some time to allow yourself to ask, “What if it was bigger?” Don’t let negative thoughts discourage you. What others may say has no relevance to a dreamer. This is your dream and it is your heart and mind that has created it. While your dream won’t just happen, you can be sure that by focusing on your dream on a regular basis, feeling good about all of the details as they come into view, and planning out an inspired strategy – one that feels right from the inside out – eventually you will achieve your dream. Fueled by purpose you won’t worry about the unknowns. You have embraced who you are and you will feel inclined to see and do things you are you inspired to do.

 

6. Seek Out A Professional Mentor or Coach

 

One reason many dreams never go anywhere is because the dreamer keeps their dream quiet inside of them. If you want to accomplish your dream, stop making excuses for who and where you are. Going back is more painful than the unknown before you and your only real limitation is your consciousness. Once your decision is made you’re no longer strained in your abilities. You’ll no longer fear success or losing it all. If it’s time you really start showing up to live your dreams consider starting 2019 with a professional coach. I can help you keep accountable, focus your time and energy, and be enormously successful with only three to five hours of work each day. Email me today to get started right away! Marilyn@marilyndecalo.com

 

In the meantime, check out this great app building positive habits: http://productiveapp.io

The Message Is Clear

The Message Is Clear

 

Perhaps the uplifting music and messages of the holiday season has softened your heart and you might be enjoying a realization that you are more than you think. The sounds, sights and experiences of this time of year can offer you the gift of transcending your conditioned human mind to realize within your heart the truth of Jesus’s words: “You are the light of the world.”

 

There is more here than meets the eye.

 

When your sense of yourself shifts from identification with the thoughts and beliefs determined by society, family and the outside environment to an uplifting feeling within, to a sense of the unique expression of creative force that is you and yet connected with all that is, you are becoming more conscious of the energetic essence of your being. This is the consciousness that flows through all human beings; an intelligent consciousness that is more than the molecules and matter of human form. We have all had glimpses of this being-ness behind the human being when something jolts us into questioning and moving beyond the conditioned thought constructs that hold us in competition and separate from one other. We might be challenged to overcome loss, relationships, or experience psychological turmoil and turn inward to discove a deeper meaning for what is happening in our in our lives. In the process we reach a point where we let go of old points of view and open to a new more expanded dimension of consciousness about life. That shift, rising above the old energy, or old paradigm is awakening to the wisdom or light within you. Whether it happens with or without recognizing it, each of us has this very personal awakening experience when we are ready to grow in consciousness. At that point of we turn from being a victim of what we see to responding to what happens from a perspective of a co-creator, knowing we are a work in progress along with everyone else.

 

Tune into the seasonal shift.

 

Taking time for seasonal opportunities to appreciate the joys of life can be a doorway of greater connection with the universal impulse guiding us to become conscious of all that we are. We spend way too much time talking about what we are not, and in doing so limit our creative power. Letting go of the voices in our heads, compulsive thinking and obsessive action allows us to hear our truth, what our hearts have to tell us about what is most meaningful, how we share our unique gift and receive the gifts of others.

 

The earth’s seasonal shift from dark to light in the northern hemisphere is an exciting happening; a certain time of the year to celebrate our passing over to a new land. Passing over the old, dark energy and welcoming the light to come back inside to rekindle our essential self. The message of this season is clear, go from this time ready to change. Allow your light to shine into the world as the important expression of universal consciousness that you are

 

Three ways to engage with the Season of Light to shift your consciousness.

 

Appreciation – When you appreciate someone or something you tune into positive qualities, express heart-based connection. By feeling appreciation, you slip from thinking mode to feeling mode and naturally align with a joyful vibration. Appreciation, whether it comes from something outside of yourself or something you intended and manifested for yourself, is always refreshing and rejuvenating. The opportunities holidays offer for us to gather and spend time with loved ones are springboards for finding more appreciation of the blessings in our lives. If we take a step back and ask the universe to show us all the good there is for us each day, our waking state would be filled with a steady stream of things and people for us to appreciate.

 

Inner Peace – The practice of cultivating inner peace is undertaken to consciously align with more desirable mental and emotional state, but the benefits can be physical as well. Meditation, journaling, yoga, walking, playing music, can all be ways to cultivate a sense of inner connectedness and calm, and manage emotions. The conscious cultivation of inner peace is also an experience of knowing oneself – of getting in touch with what makes us truly happy, of finding more peaceful perspectives on those in our lives and events in our world. Self-care and inner reflection are important aspects of the solstice – a time to remind ourselves that our needs matter, and having a peaceful heart helps us prepare for the activities that more daylight brings into our lives.

 

Wonder – Affirming wonder is recognizing the power of life force energy propelled and flowing through an object. Wonder is a unique expression of the relationship between observer and observed. The intense connection in the moment magnifies the experience. Wonder is most often felt as a transcendent state, where one connects to the creative intelligence revealed in the thing, event or combination of elements. The Season of Light is touted as a season of wonder in a mystical sense. A time when our human nature is infused with the light of our divine nature and we see the world through eyes of delight and extraordinary love. Uniting experiences abound during the holidays and if we keep our minds and hearts open to the magic of wonder we will be led into higher states of being.

 

 

Are you looking for guidance in managing your feelings? Coaching sessions are available via Phone, In-Person in Colorado or Skype.

Turn Your Setback Into A Comeback

Turn Your Setback Into A Comeback

Turn Your Setback Into A Comeback

 

When life’s challenges get you down it’s easy to lose hope in everything, including your beliefs. Not only does the future seem bleak, but it can be hard to face present realities and take care of daily relationships or responsibilities. Life’s low points can feel like something awful has sucked the wind out of you, leaving you uncomfortable and doubting what you have believed about yourself and the nature of life itself. You may intellectually know that life has ups and downs yet still find yourself trapped in negative emotions and fear-based thinking. Those worry thoughts cloud your days and pretty soon a serious funk sets in. You are experiencing a setback.

 

Faith is Key to Your Comeback

 

The nature of many setbacks is that you tend to get more discomfort, further challenges in different forms before things get better. This is because you are focusing on the hardship you are experiencing. Your attention, thoughts and emotions are steeped in reverberations of present circumstances and positive momentum forward wanes. If you have lost your job, a loved one or a significant relationship, and consequently doubt your ability to find joy again in life, redefining your core beliefs and realigning with faith in yourself along with faith in a friendly universe are key steps in creating your comeback. This may be too difficult to accept in the moment but it is  important for getting securely on the comeback trail.

You have the ability to realign your thinking about who you are as you increase your awareness of your own inner brilliance. Think about a time in your life when you felt that you were expressing your true self and you felt “in the zone.” Perhaps it was in a conversation, the development and execution of a project, a career move or fulfilling a dream. That feeling of being in a flow where thoughts, words and action line up to deliver a powerful sense of satisfaction with yourself – maybe there are goosebumps – is your brilliance shining through. If you stop and take a deep breath right now, and connect in with that sense of openness and awareness of your inner brilliance you can step into alignment with your essence. It isn’t about faking it, it’s an honest feeling of appreciation for the goodness, insight and gifts that come to life through you – your thinking, feeling, words and actions. Practicing this state of being in awareness brings more consistent knowing and faith in yourself, and allows you to have faith in well-being again.

 

Use Your Setback to Plot the Course of Your Comeback

 

I believe we live in a friendly universe that wants for me what I want. By birthright, we are each worthy of love, abundance, joy, health and freedom. Rather than turning away from challenging thoughts and feelings during a setback ask yourself what information, learning or growth they might offer. When we are aware of how we are perceiving ourselves or others in the midst of a challenge we have important information about outdated or limiting beliefs we might be holding onto, where we are neglecting ourselves and giving our power away, or simply how we might have more compassion and self-acceptance as we walk through our challenges and rebuild. Your comeback is an opportunity to move forward on solid ground with faith restored in yourself. When you have faith in yourself you open the door for the momentum to build. Soon you will find that confidence, trust and hope arise to propel you a new direction.

If you are experiencing emotional repercussions from loss in relationships, career or a major life transition, and would like support hitting the reset button, please reach out to me to discuss transpersonal counseling: marilyn@marilyndecalo.com

If you are experiencing emotional repercussions from loss in relationships, career or a major life transition, and would like support hitting the reset button, please reach out to me to discuss transpersonal counseling: marilyn@marilyndecalo.com

Reset Life With The Energy Of Joy

Reset Life With The Energy Of Joy

SEEKING JOY

 

 

 

I have sought more joy in my life for a very long time. Since adulthood I have inherently known that joy is fundamental to a meaningful, fulfilled life. However, it was not until I realized I had grown to identify with, and even desire things that kept me from feeling truly joyful that I discovered joy is always an inside job.

 

Why would I do that? Why did I lose touch with my true inner joy to begin with? To get to the root of all of that would be quite a saga. I could go through a long list of values ascribed to conditions and systems I believed were not only real but vital to my survival. I could go back to childhood and dig through family beliefs about money or love. I might even try to understand when and under what influence I felt I had to prove the value of my existence. In any event suffice it to say that I learned to turn my power over to outside conditions; giving the appearance of things, circumstances and events the ability to make or break me according to their standards. My security, success and self-worth depended on achievements determined as valid by the chorus of critics I deemed as official in the outside world.

 

Here are the questions I asked that helped me realize I had not consciously listened to the call of my true joy up to that point: What is the music that my soul wants to sing through me? What is the wisdom that I have been carrying around that wants to express in my life’s purpose? What am I passionate about at my core that is uniquely me?

 

Once I asked those questions everything that was in the way of knowing the answers showed up for me to step beyond. I had to get real with the fact that coming into joyful, satisfied living meant that I acknowledge I am more than what I had chosen to be up to that point. I had to understand that I had been reacting to beliefs that I could be stymied; that others held the power over me, even when I thought I was coming up with solutions to problems. My focus was still on the problems. Kind of like being in a room and looking for a way out but being trapped by a belief that those four walls have to contain a doorway. Maybe the answer is jumping over the walls.

 

I held some pretty rigid beliefs about what joy should look like from others’ perspectives and my ego often pointed out when I was not meeting expectations around happiness. I began to notice as those limiting ideas about what joy should be surfaced by paying attention to my emotions of disappointment and self-judgment. You see, I was defining joy based mostly upon my emotional reaction to conditions I thought were not working out in my life, rather than what I truly felt joyful about coming from my individual heart and soul. I had gotten into the habit of pushing against what I did not want instead of feeling empowered to determine and create what I wanted. Believing in the power of my own unique dreams and desires, believing in my worthiness and deservedness was the path to recognizing the power within.

 

As I practiced meditation during which I allowed calm and peace to flow through my body I discovered the experience of a new reality, of living in conscious connection with the pure inner essence of who I am more and more. My priority became tuning into an energy of inner clarity and wisdom; of making peace with myself and my life in the present moment and knowing that when I focus on my inner goodness all is well for me. I began to see myself and my life through the eyes of love rather than fear. I stopped labeling feelings as negative and listened to what they were telling me about my beliefs. I accepted that I am a multi-faceted person with a unique, creative perspective. From this place of contentment I became motivated to embark on a path of living in conscious connection with the true source of my joy – my soul self. My path to joy has been winding but ultimately it is leading me to become more fully who I am as a wholly loved and loving, divine human being.

 

 

 

What if I have the power to create what is joyfully calling to me from within?

 

 

 

The answers that came through my questioning experience changed my perspective because I was able to recognize when I was feeling disempowered. The shift came when I chose to own my power to create what felt joyful to me. Letting conditions control my emotional reactions kept me feeling like a victim. How had I lost that sense of living through my personal power? I recalled what it felt like to be a child playing in the park, rolling in the grass, looking up at the sky, the birds chirping in the background. That child-like freedom to express, to feel, to enjoy and to explore in the moment was enlivening. When had I stopped being a conduit for the expression of that joy?

 

I have learned that we really never stop questioning, discovering and experiencing who we are in new ways. It is an eternal process. But I did want to understand how to be happy more of the time, and to live from a place of freedom and self-love rather than judgement and fear. So the next step was to understand how to be consistent with the process of creating from joy. I mentioned that once I started asking how to live with more joy many limiting beliefs that stood in the way of confidently hearing and following the call to joy came up for me to recognize. Part of my process has been to take time each morning to listen to my inner self-talk. Am I satisfied with what I tell myself or is it uncomfortable?

 

As I first practiced feeling my feelings around not being worthy or good enough I easily slipped back into feelings of failure, shame and guilt. There were times when I just couldn’t stop the merry-go-round of pain and I was easily flung off into the worst-case scenario of whatever issue I was confronting. I have to say one thing about myself here – I am one of the most determined people I know about this subject of evolving into what I call, higher consciousness. I have been on a journey of discovering how to communicate with the divine within me since I first tried a ouiji board as a teenager. The journey has been mired with false expectations followed by revelations, followed by painful beliefs, anxiety, feeling dejected and essentially all of the crap I threw in the way of loving myself through life. As I look at this journey to date I recognize that these have all been growth opportunities that have led me to present perceptions. I never gave up on my intention to be more, to know more to change and to grow. The idea of experiencing the fullness of unconditional love – how beautiful and wonderful that experience must be – has

 

called me forward through examination and experiences in religious organizations, a variety of education approaches, traumatic incidents, international travels, family relationships and dynamics, spiritual teachers and professional careers. In many cases I would get swallowed up by negative feelings that resulted from any less than comfortable experiences. While I was very good at hiding those feelings, they remained underneath my world-view and colored the way I approached life – it became harder and more difficult to be happy.

 

The upside of looking at life through lenses clouded by fear and a need to control conditions is that I have learned to come to myself mindfully and compassionately. I can recognize when I have fallen into an old energy pattern and see its undermining pull into panic or anxiety. Herein lies the ongoing work of self-awareness. This process is actually something that I have consciously integrated into my life in order to manage my intentions and attention to joy. It is also the source of my power to create my life through joy.

 

 

 

Self-Acceptance is Key

 

 

 

What is that we need to understand in order to change our self-perception from weak, powerless and fearful to strong, creative and free? Not only to think of ourselves differently but to actually shift into a consciousness that is open to a new way of living. Cultivating the courage to be willing to step into a perception of the self beyond uncomfortable beliefs and limitations and hit “reset” is one thing.  Courage also allows us to trust in a process of growth, integration and acceptance of who we are wholly -body, mind and spirit.  Being aware of our emotions also supports willing self-discovery. Sometimes we refer to this process as “finding our purpose”.

 

But how can we find our purpose if we do not accept that our unique personal dreams and desires are integral to our creative message, our unique gifts; and that our inner essence is a powerful energy always available to tap into to express that beautiful, unique spark? Loving ourselves for who we are, unconditionally, demonstrates the self-acceptance and belief that allows the cooperative energies of the universe to join us, to work through us to bring our personal joy to life. That means being responsible for how we feel, what we think and why we want what we want in a loving way – whatever feels right and good to you and you alone. This may sound selfish to some, but if we cannot love ourselves, how can we accept or love another? If we do not love ourselves will others love us? The adage about hiding your light under a bushel is this very idea. We each have a light, a spark, a radiant glow within that guides us to that which is joyful. I am on an intentional quest to follow that spark, to breathe into it and allow it to grow, and see life through the eyes of the amazing creator of joy that I am. I have lived the opposite of that and it has not served to lift me up, or those around me. It is time to surrender the reasons why I cannot be joyful, and consciously embrace the never-ending magic of a fully free and joyful life.

 

If you would like to understand how to connect with your unique, inner spark of joy and reset your path forward through love, harmony and peace, rather than struggle, reach out to me for a consultation. marilyn@marilyndecalo.com

 

Opening to Fully Express My Divine Self

Opening to Fully Express My Divine Self

LIFE MASTERY IS SELF MASTERY

 

Awakening to and embracing the Divine Self is a path of self-discovery and transformation. As we evolve our understanding of who we are beyond limitations conceived of by the outside world we undergo a shift in conscious awareness.  We learn to surrender the excuses and barriers to the truth we have hidden in our hearts and allow inner wisdom to guide us toward knowing and creatively expressing our unique gifts. We come to believe and live in the majesty of our inner essence as divine beings, knowing we are loved beyond measure.; deserving of all good and well-being.  This expanded, new awareness of who we truly are grows stronger as we continue to connect with it in our daily experiences. We connect more consistently with the energy of joy and love at our core, align our physical and etheric energetic fields with the pure positive light of the divine self and become fortified with our own creative power. The naysayers and chaotic voices of the world that tell us we are less than magnificent beings become fewer and softer. We find our balance and footing to think, feel and act empowered by love in the midst of all circumstances. And when we feel the tug of old conflicts, tension and fear rising within we are more easily able to recognize that an energy or thought pattern may still exist that does not serve us any longer. Rather than labeling those feelings as bad or negative, we accept that this is an energy pattern that has surfaced once again and now we can let it go; surrender the old belief that is holding it in place. Simply breathing in deeply, noticing, feeling and letting go. When we practice awareness and acceptance of innate divine love we retain access to that space of inner calm and compassion for ourselves – the Divine Self perspective – while simply allowing the old energy to dissolve. It sounds like a blissful path, right? I believe it truly can be.

 

Uncloaking Expression of The Divine Self

 

We can choose to be on a path to consciously, fully know and express the Divine Self. I have learned that when we make the choice to be on the path, divine authentic love is always present and never varies. It is divine love that inspires me from within to stay on the path. Nonetheless it is a winding path; at times I am on it and then I might step off when I face challenges or undergo unexpected life changes. At those times I realize that confusion inevitably sets in, so I have learned to return to the path of the Divine Self where clarity and unconditional love serves me and helps me find forgiveness, surrender and peace.

When I am questioning my purpose, wondering if I am worthy of fulfilling my dreams or facing doubt about my next step, I ask for assistance from my Divine Self and the answer is always given from love. I have come to allow that love to uplift me and carry me to new realms of possibility in my imagination, thoughts and feelings. It is an experience beyond words, beyond willpower, and without effort. A glorious synchronization with the powerful energy of love that is who we are as the fully embodied Divine Self.

 

Question For You:

How do you express your Divine Self?

 

Each of us is a unique expression of love, a spark of divinity and the majesty of life. Through our desires and dreams, our imagination and thoughts we create what our inner essence wishes to express in the world. We are scientists, dancers, visionaries, innovators, authors or a variety of other expressions of our gifts. When we walk our path in alignment with the energy of Divine Self we authentically express divine love in our work, our home, and our community. It feels like joy, truth and knowing what we want is ours without a doubt; that we can create what brings us happiness, uplifting us and others as we engage in life each day. Think about a desire, a celebration, a project, a child, an event in the tapestry of your life that brings you complete and glorious joy. This is an expression of the connection with your Divine Self. You can consciously identify and create more of these experiences simply by feeling the essential divine love at the core of the energy surrounding you in those moments. Amp it up, let it flow! You are on your path to consciously expressing your Divine Self.

Be sure to check out my previous blog posts “Evolving Into The Divine Self” Part One and Part Two. 

Marilyn Decalo Logo, Phoenix

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