Things Are Not Always as They Seem
ENHANCED RESULTS April 2006
Be Bold. Take Action. Get Results.
©2006 by Barbara McRae-Sandquist, MCC. All rights reserved.
EnhancedLife Coaching, LLC® ***www.enhancedlife.com***
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CONTENTS:
1.Power Quote
2.Things Are Not Always as They Seem
3.The Coaching SHOW April 12, 2006
4.Love Made Simple Program (time-sensitive)
View this newsletter online at www.enhancedlife.com/newsletter.hmtl
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POWER QUOTE:
"People only see what they are prepared to see."
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Things Are Not Always as They Seem
By Barbara McRae, MCC
I’d like to share with you a story that my spiritual
teacher and dearest friend told me. Once upon a time, there
were two seekers of enlightenment climbing in the Himalayas.
One seemed more surefooted and climbed at a faster speed.
He was conflicted about whether to wait for his friend to
catch up or to keep going at his own pace. Finally, he decided
to continue without him, journeying in a way that felt natural
for him and allowing his friend to do the same.
It was a long and arduous trip to the top of the mountain,
the home of the Enlightened One. When the faster climber finally
arrived, he was granted a meeting with the wise master. He
was very pleased with himself and hoped that his friend would
have the same
opportunity one day. Soon he was in the master’s presence.
He bowed respectfully and when he looked up at the Enlightened
One, he was amazed to see the face of his friend who was left
behind! Things are not always as they seem.
Everything that occurs is perfect even if it doesn’t
appear to be perfect.
The story clearly illustrates how we make assumptions about
the paths that others take and how we really don’t have
all of the information—we just think we do. Every step
we take is just perfect as it is. Each of us has our own path
and expression. We have our own timing. We are each responsible
for ourselves and no other.
By shifting our focus to what others are doing, we inhibit
our growth. It’s important to listen to inner guidance
and honor the path within each of us so that we don’t
get in our own way. Refrain from being concerned about the
progress or lack of progress that others seem to be making.
If we had the Big Picture, we would see how each person is
contributing to the whole (even someone who acts like Attila
the Hun!).
I’m reminded of an incident that enraged one of my
clients. Erin is a conservationist and values all life. She
loves the outdoors and tends her garden faithfully. One morning
at 5:30, her sleep was cut short by loud noises coming from
a neighbor’s back yard. She looked out the bedroom window
and couldn’t believe her eyes. A row of 30-year-old
elm trees was being chopped down, leaving unsightly stumps
near her property line. Many of the cut limbs dropped on her
side of the fence.
Erin couldn’t understand how anyone could butcher these
beautiful trees. Her neighbor never gave any indication o
his intent and made no arrangements to clear the limbs from
Erin’s property. My client’s first reaction was
to rant at her neighbor. But she resisted. On a deeper level,
she knew this action would just fuel the fire and could turn
into a nasty feud. (She has learned that what goes around,
comes around.) Yet she was struggling with her emotions. Every
time she stepped into her garden, she was reminded of this
brutal act. She felt that her peaceful haven had been violated.
Erin realized that she is not a vengeful person and that
the trees were gone and nothing she said or did would change
that fact. She took the high road, allowing herself time to
privately vent and grieve, and finally she came to the state
of acceptance.
Accepting the actions of others restores balance.
Getting to acceptance of an incomprehensible, hurtful situation
requires wisdom and strength. It is when we accept the behavior
of the other—without judging or condoning it—that
we contribute to balancing these harmful energies. So, rather
than focusing on what the other has done, we need to handle
our own violent thoughts. As we do, others will adopt this
new behavior for themselves.
Research has determined that once critical mass is reached,
others can easily tap into it and make a similar choice. In
our example, when sufficient individuals match Erin’s
behavior pattern of transforming thoughts of violence and
destruction, others benefit. We are all part of a process,
spreading “idea seeds’ affecting each other throughout
our culture. Whether we realize it or not, our thoughts, emotions,
and behaviors can pervade an entire group.
Everything that happens is perfect, although it may not appear
so at first glance. We don’t have all of the answers,
but a grander purpose of the tree-cutting incident may have
been to allow Erin an opportunity to recognize her violent
reaction, learn to balance the volcanic eruption within herself,
and thereby contribute a peaceful resolution to the world.
This illustrates how each of us can take responsibility and
make a difference.
About a month later, the same neighbor placed his home up
for sale. Erin believes that she may have contributed to this
event. By making the choice to let go of her anguish and substituting
peaceful behavior, she was no longer emotionally stuck to
this person. Maybe an opening was created for a new, more
like-minded neighbor to move in. Stranger things have happened.
Be open to the concept that things are rarely as they seem.
Consider the notion that there may be hidden meaning in all
events, and that these events cause you to evolve. When conventional
thinking prevents your understanding of a situation, elevate
your point of view. See with the eyes of your soul, not your
ego.
© 2000, 2006 Barbara McRae, MCC. All rights reserved.
This material is excerpted from More Drama, Less Fun—Your
Roadmap to Personal
Freedom.
If you wish to reprint this article, please contact me at
barbara@enhancedlife.com. Thank you!
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THE COACHING SHOW April 12, 2006
Yours truly will be a guest on The Coaching Show (The Voice
of Professional
Coaching) with host Christopher McAuliffe, MCC live at 8:00AM
Pacific Time
(11 AM Eastern). We’ll be discussing my latest book
Coach Your Teen to Success.
This radio show is designed to provide support in growing
and improving your
business, whether you are a coach, entrepreneur, manager,
consultant, or owner. It’s
where the leaders in the field of coaching come to share their
wealth of information
and experience.
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LOVE MADE SIMPLE Program by Relationship Experts Judith
and Jim
Because I hear about problems with dating and love all of
the time, I am passing along a program that I think you’ll
want to check out. Judith and Jim know (and live!) their stuff.
They are my favorite relationship experts.
How do you know if the love you have is the real thing. .
.?
AND . . . when relationships aren't going well a question
J & J are asked again and again is . . .
"How do you know if it's really time to get out?"
If that's your question, you’ll find out. . .
Six Reasons Why You Should Leave.
In celebration of Judith and Jim’s 18th Wedding Anniversary,
you’ll be
one of the first 180 people to claim your life-changing LOVE
MADE
SIMPLE program…
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=273823
It's such a joy to share this program with you because I
know many of
you have been looking for exactly this kind of information.
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Have you checked the THOUGHT for the WEEK yet? It’s
simple, click here:
http://www.enhancedlife.com. Call 719-475-7524 or email Barbara
at
execoach@earthlink.net today to find out how you can enhance
your site
with this valuable tool to keep focused, on track, and live
the life
of your dreams!
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