Faithfulness to Weather the Storm

"Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe." - Gail Devers

I was doing some research on athletes to use in a future Wellness Wednesday post when I was re-familiarized with the story of Gail Devers. What a phenomenal woman! Despite the odds, regardless of what family and friends undoubtedly saw as the end of her blossoming career, Gail flat out refused to succumb to her diagnosis of Grave's Disease. Instead she held firmly to her faith and in just 17 months, despite doctors' saying her feet should be amputated, Gail attended the Olympics in Athens AND won her first gold medal!

The faith that Gail speaks of is not something that can easily shaken. It's as strong as steel yet as flexible as a reed in the wind. It's more powerful than any comic book super hero and as soothing as a mother's touch. With faith we can weather any storm because we know that beyond the thunder claps, lightning and torrential rain we will, eventually, come through the storm. If you find yourself being swept away by the challenges of daily life remember that you possess the Divine spark of creation within you and know that "this too shall pass".

Meditate on This:
I hold fast to my faithfulness and know I can weather ANY storm life sends my way!

Have a PERFECT day!

Michael

MIIS

Image: Sporting Heroes.net

Meaningful Meditation for Rest and Relaxation

Image: MRO.org

I've been a serious practitioner of Buddhism for about three years now and a fundamental part of practice is meditation. Meditation can be defined as focusing the mind for the purpose of attaining higher spiritual awareness. This does not mean that you "space out" but requires sincere attention on the object of meditation (the breath, a sound our repetition of a word or phrase called a mantra are typical objects of concentration).

More than just a way of connecting with higher levels of the self, meditation is an effective tool for promoting a sense of relaxation for the body; it can be used to "recharge" after a long day of work for example.

ON SITTING:

The most important aspect of meditation – besides the technique itself – is posture. Below is a link to several recommended positions to use during your practice. If any of the positions prove to be too uncomfortable use the chair position.

http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/meditation.php

You can also download a PDF version here: http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/zazeninst.pdf

ON PRACTICING:

For most meditation practices you will want to find a quiet place free of external distractions. Select one of the seated positions mentioned in the link above ensuring that your posture is as erect as possible (if you find it difficult to do even the seated position you may lay on the floor – it's suggested that you do not practice while lying in bed).

The easiest way to relax is to concentrate on the breath. Breathe in deeply through your nose and into your lower abdomen extending it like a bellows. As you do this, mentally say the word Peace. Exhale fully allowing all the air to leave your abdomen out through your nose; again, mentally say the word Peace as you exhale. Doing this for about 5 – 10 minutes will allow you to begin feeling more relaxed and able to handle stressful situations more calmly. Another "byproduct" of meditation is increased energy. The energy that was once used to maintain your level of stress will be repurposed to other areas of your body including your overall energy level!

With continued practice you will begin noticing all sorts of additional perks while meditating. For more on the subject I recommend reading Moon Over Water by Jessica MacBeth. It's an excellent book with many examples of simple to use meditation techniques. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER:

The meditation information in this article is offered primarily for reference and personal enrichment. It is NOT intended to be a substitute for the advice of a licensed health-care practitioner. Since the actual use of meditative techniques is beyond the author's control, NO expressed or implied guarantee as to their effects can be given, nor liability taken.

Have a PERFECT day!

Michael

MIIS

Please Say Thank You

"Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality." - Alfred Painter

On the way to class today I overheard a disturbing conversation that went something like this: Girl 1 – "Girl, I'm tired of being broke. All I do is work and I ain't got [bleep] to show for it. Girl 2 – "Me too, girl. I don't ever seem to have money for anything but bills. When am I going to be able to do what I want to do?"

Both young ladies got off at the next stop still affirming all the things they lack in their lives. This got me to thinking about how I feel about my current situation and how grateful I am that things aren't worse than they are.

You see people; we need to begin seeing our lives as complete the way they are in the moment. Do I have challenges in my life right now? Yes. Do those challenges make me any less grateful for the things I have now and will continue to receive? Unequivocally, NO! Why you ask? Because I have so many things to be grateful for that I hardly think about the things that appear to be lacking in my life.

You get what you give. Point blank, plain and simple. If you live your life from a place of gratitude then you will begin seeing that you have SO much to be thankful for. Also, the more grateful you become the more reasons for being grateful you will find! How cool is that! So the next time you find yourself feeling down about the things that are missing (they really AREN'T missing though) simply begin to think about all you do have and know that more is on the way.

For this week I ask that you Meditate on This: The more grateful I am the more reasons I find to be grateful every day.

Have a PERFECT day!

Michael

MIIS

Friday Features: Beautiful Faces

Each week we showcase a business or individual that cares just as much as about creating better communities as they do about creating wealth for themselves. If you or someone you know would like to be featured send an email to Ask@MyIISense.com with Friday Features Request in the Subject Line. In the body of the email provide the following:

Name | Business Name | Location | Contact # |Primary Business Email Address | Your Background/Why You Started Your Business | Product/Service Offering | How are you/will you be of service to the community | Limit to 300 Words

Your business MUST possess a community outreach component or plans for such a component. Anything that serves as a means of uplifting the community is acceptable.

This Week's Feature: Victoria Wells of Beautiful Faces

Victoria knew early on that she was destined to uncover the beauty of those around her. It began as early as age seven as she learned to manipulate shapes and colors during a YMCA 4H competition. Victoria took to the example of dedication as presented by her parents, still "joined at the hip" after 31 years of marriage as she attended Iowa State University's design program. She later returned to Chicago to make her place in the concrete jungle.

The idea for Beautiful Faces emerged long before Victoria made it manifest. While working behind the Clinique counter in what would eventually become Macy's she provided hundreds of clients with beauty and skin care tips on a daily basis. It was there that Victoria continued to hone her interpersonal and consultation skills that her clients rave about today. She further developed her talents through painstaking study of other artists around her and fine tuned her skills while working on the faces of her clients at Clinique. All the while, Victoria staying focused on a single resolute goal: tap into a client's inner beauty and showcase it to the world!

Beautiful Faces provides professional beauty services to clients on location specializing in application and consultation for weddings, photo shoots, fashion shows as well as film/video projects. Recently, she has expanded her service offering to include additional makeup artists, hair stylists, lash experts as well as a masseuse and fitness/nutritional professionals. Victoria also offers employment opportunities through her Mary Kay business promoting independence to women everywhere.

Beautiful Faces isn't just about making other's look their best. The company also encourages girls and young women to take pride in themselves and their appearance. Victoria is currently seeking to work with Chicago Public Schools to hold Ladies & Gents workshops. The workshops are part of Victoria's vision of operating a not-for-profit dedicated to instructing young men and women how to present themselves in a professional manner in social and professional settings.

If you'd like to employ a Beautiful Faces professional visit http://www.Modelmayhem.com/Facesbyvictoria or email Victoria at Victoria_a_wells@yahoo.com. You can also find her on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/victoriawells.

Couples Workout Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Couples that workout together stay together.... Cheesy, I know. However, one thing I love about working out with my man is that I get to show him what a bad ass chick I can be. Showing physical strength as well as mental strength can be an exciting and important piece of a relationship.

Also, when working out together you show your man that you care about yourself enough to keep in shape – and this doesn't have to be about vanity, just a sincere desire to look your best. I know we (women) all care about our looks, but working out is so much more powerful than that. Even beyond health benefits, working out can give you both a break from the mental race you run daily you didn't even know you needed.

This deeper perspective can translate beyond just you and hopefully have a positive overflow into other areas and relationships in your life. So, workout to look great, to feel better, and to think well!

In Fitness & In Health,

Chelsea

About the Author: Chelsea is an 11 year fitness industry veteran. During this time she has served as a leader, educator, and manager at various health clubs in Chicago and Florida. Her experience in health club management transcends all departments including fitness, sales, and operations. Chelsea is also an independent consultant for Rodan and Fields. For personal training and other inquiries visit Chelsea at ChelseaFitPro.com or her WordPress blog here.

©2009 Chelsea Kmiec

Resistance is Futile

"The mind commands the body and it obeys. The mind orders itself and meets resistance." - Saint Augustine

One of my favorite programs growing up was Star Trek: The Next Generation. The series main nemesis, a cyborg species called the Borg, travelled the universe "assimilating" other cultures, species and technology…they did not do so by asking. When opposed they would calmly offer the phrase "Resistance is Futile".

In the context of personal development and spiritual growth that phrase is very much true although in a different way. We sometimes, unintentionally in most instances, try to stunt our own personal growth. We begin to neglect the things that nurture our mind and body. We forget about what's best for us.

Fortunately for us, our spirits know what's best for us. We may get off track for a while but our spirits always guide us back to where we need to be. In fact the only thing we get for our trying to resist is the promise of the same lesson again and again until we "get it", accept it and then learn from it.

Have you ever watched a movie where the main character refuses to accept his purpose (protect a child, speak out against injustice, etc.) and is continuously caught in a loop until they FINALLY decide "OK, I'll do this"? That's what happens when we refuse to follow our life's purpose and no matter what you do the only way to break free of the cycle is to accept what life is trying to show you and move on.

So again, from this perspective, Resistance IS futile. We must stop pretending we can get away from what our lives are meant to be and embrace the greatness that'd planned for EACH of us.

What do you think about resistance? How do you overcome your need to resist your calling? Comment below to let us know.

In the meantime, Meditate on This: I let go of everything I don't want or need for my highest good. Or I let go of my need to resist positive change in my life.

The Meaning Behind My II Sense

I've had several people ask me about how I came up with the blog name My II Sense. Here's the answer:

It's probably obvious but My II Sense is a play on the phrase "my 2 cents".

I chose to use the Roman numeral II instead of "2" or "two" because it reminds me of two people connected; it's almost like they are hugging. Since the blog deals primarily with relationships I thought this to be a fitting analogy and use of the symbol.

The SENSE part of My II Sense is a reference to our desire to make sense of our daily lives. My purpose is to make that search easier and enjoyable.

The tagline "It's ALL Relative" was selected because regardless of whether I discuss personal relationships, business relationships or financial relationships it's all the same, all connected and therefore all related.

While I do my best to post the best advice, information and resources possible, at the end of the day it's still only my opinion of what's discussed. YOU must take what's given and draw your own conclusions.

And there you have it! I hope this little description helps everyone understand the meaning behind the blog just a tad bit better. If not, comment or send an email to Ask@MyIISense.com with your question and I'll be happy to reply.

Have a PERFECT day!

Michael

My II Sense