| "body"> | | | | deal-breakers" and have no room for negotiation, |
| Your Life has one constant dynamic: Relationships. | | | | lest you sell yourself out and come up empty. |
| This is actually a threefold dynamic that includes | | | | There are what also feed your Soul, hence the |
| your intrapersonal relationship with yourself; the | | | | absence of them leave you feeling empty and |
| interpersonal relationships with your friends, family, | | | | dissatisfied. |
| and/or romantic partner; and the spiritual | | | | Boundaries - These are your personal "property |
| relationship with your Higher Power. Therefore, | | | | lines". This is where another person's space ends |
| improving your "relational intelligence" makes | | | | and yours begins. When you know your |
| perfect sense. | | | | requirements and what is not acceptable and |
| This is "The Relationship Tripod" with each of the | | | | what you have to have, it is easier to define your |
| three tripod legs being represented by your | | | | boundaries. Allowing others into this space when |
| relationship with yourself, your relationship with | | | | you don't want them there creates imbalance and |
| others, and your relationship with your Higher | | | | often manifests itself as fatigue and/or emotional |
| Power. The tripod works best at stabilizing | | | | overwhelm. Setting boundaries is often just the |
| whatever is on it (your Life, in this case) when all | | | | beginning; maintaining them is the true challenge as |
| three legs are firm and solid. If one or more of | | | | others will often test you for your consistency. |
| the legs are weak, there is an excessive burden | | | | Communication - Being able to speak directly, |
| put on the remaining leg(s) and a loss of stability. | | | | clearly, and assertively is only the beginning of |
| The goal is to balance and strengthen these three | | | | creating healthy communication. Listening is |
| areas of your Life so you can withstand the | | | | actually the most powerful dynamic of |
| challenges of Life in a conscious and proactive | | | | communicating. Being able to have non-reactive |
| fashion. I invite you to deepen your relational | | | | responses through mirroring and empathizing |
| intelligence and expand your relational | | | | creates the most powerful position as well as |
| awareness...all to create more powerful | | | | maintaining much more of your energy. Think of |
| relationships in your life, and to have the most | | | | yourself as being a bull-fighter and your job is to |
| powerful and fulfilling Life that you possibly can. | | | | invite the dialogue your way, but to not get "hit" |
| Relationship With Yourself | | | | by it. In being a powerful listener, you actually |
| Purpose - Are you living your Life on purpose, or | | | | have more control by trying to control less...yes, |
| just accidentally? Many people struggle with | | | | less is more in this case. |
| knowing their true purpose, and therefore settle | | | | Relationship With Your Higher Power |
| for whatever comes into their lives. What is it | | | | Communing - When and where do you feel the |
| that really turns you on? What do you feel the | | | | most connected and the most alive? Whether it is |
| most passionate about? Take some time to | | | | at the beach, in the mountains, while you are |
| explore this. | | | | dancing or singing, at church, in prayer or in a |
| Balance - Having a gauge to evaluate your balance | | | | meditative trance; these are the times, places and |
| is helpful in reinforcing your purpose, and in | | | | activities in which you are having a Higher |
| maintaining your health and well-being. Think of | | | | Experience. When you allow yourself to be at |
| your purpose as the hub of a wheel, and all the | | | | these places and in these spaces, you allow |
| various areas of your Life rotate around it. This | | | | yourself to have spiritual connection that is fulfilling |
| would include areas such as social, spiritual, family, | | | | and that also automatically adds balance to your |
| recreational, creativity, work/vocation, financial, | | | | Life. Giving yourself regular doses of spiritual |
| physical, personal growth/emotional and physical | | | | activity, or better yet, going on a spiritual retreat |
| environments. What needs to take place in each | | | | will do wonders for your spiritual relationship. |
| area for you to sustain the highest level of | | | | Journaling - Writing to affirm yourself, to do |
| balance? | | | | healing work, or to do growth work, can all be |
| Vision - Purpose and balance without vision is like | | | | methods to enhance your spiritual connection. |
| having all your possessions packed up and being | | | | Write a letter to yourself to remind you of all |
| ready to move, but having no idea where you | | | | your greatness, your talents, and your gifts. This |
| are going to. So, what does your future look like? | | | | can be a wonderful way to assist in fulfilling your |
| Visualize what you want it to look like. Go back to | | | | Highest potential...your God-given Greatness. Write |
| your Whole Life Wheel, and include each area in | | | | to let go of old wounds, or a letter of forgiveness |
| your visualization. Spend some time with this | | | | to let go of old resentment. Both of these will set |
| every day, as the more you visualize what you | | | | you free to be more in the present. The more |
| want, the more clear it will become. Try to let go | | | | you are in the present, and fully conscious, the |
| of the "inner critic", that part that always tries to | | | | more available you are to receive spiritual |
| shoot down new ideas. Allow yourself to go way | | | | connection. |
| out of your comfort zone with this. Another | | | | Reading - There are thousands of books on |
| helpful activity is to create a Vision Map. | | | | spiritual practice, with more coming out every |
| The point of these exercises help to create a | | | | day. If you are unsure of your spiritual path, do |
| "metaphysical vacuum" that will pull you towards | | | | some reading and pay attention to what |
| all that you desire, while pulling all that you desire | | | | resonates with your Soul...those are likely to be |
| towards you. This is the Law of Attraction in | | | | the pieces you have been looking for. If you |
| action. Remember, Life is a journey, and like | | | | know your spiritual path, stretch yourself and do |
| Columbus, sometimes you may end up not where | | | | some reading beyond where you are. If you've |
| you expected, but rather, where you need to be. | | | | already read them all, then maybe it's time to |
| The big challenge is to let go of outcomes, as | | | | pass on some of your knowledge and |
| these may change, and focus on keeping yourself | | | | wisdom....start writing that book (and/or article) |
| on the journey. | | | | you've been thinking about!! |
| Relationships With Others | | | | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| The "AbSOULutes" - These are the relationship | | | | So here's the challenge: Make all your relationships |
| dynamics and personal characteristics of others | | | | REALationships, meaning relationships that are |
| that you have to have in order to feel satisfied. | | | | packed full of REALness. Live a Life of |
| Without these, the relationship cannot exist. | | | | REALationships. Whether it is with others, |
| Trying make a relationship fulfilling without these | | | | yourself, or your Higher Power, allow yourself to |
| requirements is like trying to make an apple pie | | | | be whole, balanced and on your path to your |
| without apples....try and try as you may, but it will | | | | Highest Good. |
| never work. These are the "Deal-makers and | | | | |