Sometimes you have to get out of your head and go with your gut. Your brain’s decisions can be influenced by numerous factors including your past, your beliefs, your mood, etc. It’s easy to “change your mind” or worse yet, perhaps, to stick with one idea – kind of digging your heels in and not being able to entertain other possibilities.

I am going to talk about my recent trek across Tennessee again (maybe it’s just that I like to try to spell Tennessee each time) but I learned so much from that ten days that my life completely changed because of it.

I had absolutely NO idea why I wanted to participate in a grueling 314 mile race in Tennessee in July where the three H’s rule (hot, humid, hilly). I first tried it last year but didn’t make it beyond 104 miles.  So, it kind of follows that I wanted to not be a quitter and complete it this year. But why did I want to do it even last year? I couldn’t tell you UNTIL I finished it this year.  I just knew that it had grown on me since I first heard about it in 2013 and followed everyone’s experiences – it was during that time that I decided i was going to sign up for it in 2014. If I had had to put down a reason for doing it, I would not have been able to.  People kept asking why I wanted to do such an insane thing. I didn’t think it was insane. I don’t think I really “thought” about it at all. I just “felt” about it. And that feeling was simply a burning desire.

As I trudged along especially after the first five days when my stress fractures manifested themselves, I wondered what the heck I was doing to myself. But, I just knew that I would continue on  no matter how much pain I had. I was not about quitting – not until mile 298 that is. And I think that it was that period of time – those last 16 miles – that the reason for my doing the race became evident. It was not clear to me at that time because I was in such pain and so exhausted but it definitely was evident by the time I got home to Texas.

There was so much love, so much strength, so much companionship, so much fun, so much of everything good in that last 16 miles. From bawling my eyes out for 2 miles prior to that point, to trying to sleep for a few hours in the hotel room, to having to cover the 3 miles before I met up with the three most wonderful people in the world (Dorothy, The Tin Man and The Scarecrow), my crew (Marv) kept pushing me to the edge. It seemed no one would believe that I had anything more than just the pain that everyone else has (none of us knew I had developed 4-5 stress fractures in my feet – I just knew that every step was agony).

Once I met up with the Wizard of Oz gang and they welcomed me (Toto) into their ranks with loving and open arms, I felt as if I might be able to do it. It was wonderful to have companionship even when we weren’t speaking much. We knew that the others were there and we would NOT let anything happen to anyone.

All the inner strength I realized, all the lessons about myself and my life that I had discovered during that time were surpassed by the experiences of those last several hours.  What I experienced was total and complete love and acceptance – there is nothing more in live than love. It was all around me and made all the pain and problems worth it.

The point to all this is that if I had followed my brain, I would never have participated in this run and I would also have probably quit at 298 miles (I knew there was more going on than the usual pains of a race this long and was very concerned that there was irreparable damage).  I was at peace with a decision to stop (not quit) but those around me wouldn’t let me. Had I allowed my brain to rule, I would not have learned those lessons or experienced that love and acceptance of the last 16 miles (it doesn’t sound like much to you but after 9 1/2 days and 298 miles, 16 miles seems insurmountable).

I trusted my gut – in signing up for the race in the first place, in trying it in 2014 and then being determined to return no matter all that was stacked against me in 2015 and then in finishing. It was all intuition and gut based. The brain decisions were totally opposite.

Trust your gut, open your heart, let the Universe bring you what you’re supposed to have. Don’t resist. If you detect a conflict between your head and your gut, take some deep breaths, relax into the moment and allow Divine Wisdom to come to you. Go with the vibrations and feelings you have inside. Go with what you feel. Don’t try to analyze anything and everything. You’ll never get anywhere. You’ll never take a step forward if you do that.

Remember that everything always works out for you!

Terrie

The post Trust Your Gut (Intuition) first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

In life? In Relationships? In Family? In Love? In Your Job?

Can you answer this question in the context of the above subjects? Can you do it quickly or will it require much thought? Maybe you can’t even answer the question at all.

People often look at crossing the finish line and receiving a medal or a score or a “congratulations”, or a kiss from a loved one – any of these – as the reward.

However, it really is your just toeing the starting line that is the real reward. Reward for what? Well, I suppose it will depend on your definition of ‘reward’ but if you examine your life and see that you have trained hard (worked hard) for some event (race), then your being able to participate in the race is actually the reward – REGARDLESS of the outcome!

I have to remind myself of this repeatedly, especially this year. Even last year as I had to drop out of the run across Tennessee I had to continue to think that at least I made it to the ‘ferry’ as we say and began the race. I could have dropped out 2 weeks before when I got injured but I didn’t. My reward was being there with everyone and enjoying their company and commiserating together (that’s always fun) about the heat and humidity. We were having a ball even though conditions were rough. It wasn’t about “winning” the overall race at that point. We had already won by having the courage to make it there. And then we were hoping to have a “win” in our own way as we progressed through the days and across the miles. I had a mini-win even though I didn’t complete the 314 miles. I made it 1/3 of the way and loved seeing Tennessee and meeting such wonderful people along the way. The 104 miles I made were additional rewards for me after I reached the start.

You can look at each day’s awakening as a reward and probably should be blessing it as you wake up. Think about the good that will come during the day. Think about how your life will evolve today. Vow to make it the best possible day you can. That is not the Pollyanna way of saying “I will make this the best day of my life” – you don’t have to do that. You can simply profess that you will make it the best you can. I heard something this morning that I am going to try. Every time you meet up with someone say “I love you” to yourself. This is a way of acknowledging that that person is doing the best they can no matter what comes out of their mouth that might have irritated you had you not realized that is not their intent. It’s making a conscious effort to change how I look at everyone and how I interpret what they do or say. Should be interesting. So what will be my reward for that experience? Observing what happens when I use this technique. Sound stupid? Maybe – but it helped this one person and I like trying new things that make me feel better.

What else can you consider to be your reward? Would it have to be finishing a project? Or could it be just starting it? What about meetings you have to attend even if you don’t enjoy  them. Make them your reward for having your position. Often, people think of a meeting as a punishment but would they be at the meeting if someone had not put them into a higher position – rewarded them with more pay, more power? So, instead of being down about having to attend a meeting, look at it as a symbol of your worth and look to either contribute something special or at least take away something special.

Trying using this different frame of mind as  way to reframe your life and thought pattern.  Journal about it. See what ideas or concepts come out of this process. Find your fears, find your courage areas, find yourself.

Let me know how it goes. Try the “I love you” with everyone you talk to!

Terrie

The post The Race is the Reward – What is Your Reward? first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

“There are always those who thrive when masses are dying of sickness. There are always those who thrive economically when economic decline seems to be the order of your nation. There are always those who are clear-minded in environments of confusion. You do not need everyone or anyone else to align with your desire—only you need to align with your desire.” ~Abraham [Excerpted from the workshop: San Francisco, CA on March 08, 2003]

This is such an important concept in this day and age! We have to stop looking around us and comparing ourselves to others or worse yet, judging our chances by the success or failure of those around us. You cannot make any determinations from outward appearances. Abraham here is really talking about your vibrations and those of others. The person who succeeds has the greatest vibration and will succeed no matter what people all around him (or her) do, no matter what the economic circumstances are.

The masters of New Thought/Metaphysics have preached this for the longest while. It’s all about what’s inside of yourself and where your vibrational plane is. The higher the plane, the more successful you’ll be. The more you feel that the outside world governs what happens to you, the more you’ll flounder around on the waves letting the elements control your life.  That is NOT what you want. You want to control your own life. You do not want to be tossed about trying to reach here and there to find something to grab on to. You want to plot your own course on the sea of life!

Put your blinders on and steer yourself along your own path. Do not let anyone or anything get in your way. If you run into an obstacle, you probably attracted it so think of it as a personal creation and see how you can jump over it and make your road even smoother.  The people who fail in life look at the obstacles as if someone else placed them in their path instead of recognizing that they, themselves, attracted them and therefore they serve some purpose. It’s your task to figure out why you brought this obstacle into your way and then what the purpose of it is and how to use it to your advantage. Don’t think of it as anything negative or bad. It’s not. Remember that everything is about perception and if you perceive an obstacle as insurmountable, it will be. If you look at it as an opportunity, it will be!

Your success is NOT dependent upon anyone else. Never think that. It’s all about you and how you use the Laws of the Universe!

Terrie

The post Momentum Monday first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

This is great. Go ahead. Try something, anything, just as long as it’s new for 30 days. Start small but start. Then do something else new for the next 30 days and so on. See if you can do it and more importantly, see if it makes a difference either in your life or in your outlook on life!

Terrie

The post Try Something New For 30 Days first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

“What’s up Doc?” might be a better lead in for this week’s episode.

I’m two days away from the operating room.

Needless to say I’m worried. I have never used my favorite saying so much in my life. “Everything always works out for me” – over and over again.

I’ve also been using my favorite technique for reducing anxiety and fear – EFT (emotional freedom technique). Fortunately I worked with an EFT practitioner weekly for about 2-3 years so I know what to do and where to go with this. However, I’ve also made an appointment with another EFT practitioner I really respect to fine tune my tapping since when you’re in the middle of things, you can miss some key points. That’s my belief about coaching and an EFT practitioner is a coach.

A Coach helps you get where you need to go but you do the work and you provide the direction.

This past 2 weeks have been a whirlwind of thoughts, emotions and activity. I’ve had to prioritize my life and if others can’t deal with my decisions I just have hoped they would understand and get over it.

Just what I needed at work yesterday – someone got their feelings hurt because I told them to get out of my chair. Really? And I’m upset with myself for letting it bother me that that person is upset with me. Shows me that I really don’t have all my priorities straight.

“Everything always works out for me” – over and over again and again…ha ha. I can tease but it really is true and saying that and “Nothing and no one can interfere with my health and well-being, not even myself”. This is another important phrase in my vocabulary right now.

Remember that I’m a physician and I know what can go wrong. If I were to focus on those things, what would happen? I’d most likely attract that into my life and I surely don’t want that. So, I use these two statements to get my mind back on a better and higher plane and increase  my vibrations so that I set up the best possible environment and situation for myself.

Hopefully I’ll be out of the hospital in time to provide next week’s update. Take care for now.

Terrie

The post Tuesdays With Terrie first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

Well, well, well….it’s now been 9 days that I’ve been unable to do anything exercise wise.
Needless to say, I’m not a happy camper. So, what the heck could I write about that would be beneficial to everyone as a result of this event?

There really is always a silver lining however. That’s what I want to share with you today.

Brief background for those who haven’t heard my whining (ha ha). Last Sunday morning while trying to “install” a device that is intended to help my back (a desk extension that elevates the desk top so you don’t sit all day long – not good for your system), my short stature allowed me to only go so far in the lifting attempt. Then I heard and felt a vertebrae move in my back. Since then, well, you can just imagine.

Here’s the good that came from it:

•  I wasn’t feeling great Monday but had to go to work for a going away luncheon and left work early to go home and go to bed. But instead, I was leaving at exactly the right time to be able to take a detour and help a very good friend get through something that was very painful. If I hadn’t been hurt and leaving early, then I would not have been able to be there! How cool is that?
•  I have been standing pretty much constantly both at work and home. This has helped increase the time on my feet which should eventually help my endurance (it’s all about time on your feet) when I can get back to running.
•  I have found that standing helps your entire gastrointestinal process, something which I had been having problems with. The standing has allowed this amazing human body I have to do what it’s supposed to do (we were NOT created to sit so much). That was a very welcome benefit to all this.
•  I’ve gotten to see two people I hadn’t seen in about 7 months – my AIRROSTI and my Acupuncture providers. They are not only medical practitioners but also very good friends and it was wonderful to see them.
•  I remembered (finally) my proteolytic enzymes and started taking them and am starting to feel better.
•  Not being able to run or do other exercise has given me the time to spend studying my coaching course which is very time intensive.
•  Not being able to run has shown me how important running is to me.
•  Posting once on Facebook about my withdrawal problems has resulted in an outpouring of support which I greatly appreciate.
•  Most importantly, I did NOT revert to my past performance matrix of going to work to get more done to “catch up” since I can’t run or do much of anything else. It took me a long time and intense work to get out of that habit.
•  This has forced me to work standing up and I am liking it.

I’m sure there are other positives (silver linings) but this is enough to give you the idea. If you look for the good, it is there. Sometimes we’re looking for major things and we miss the little ones. In my experience it’s the little things that ad up to the major ones!

Hope this helps you look at things differently in your life.

Terrie

The post Tuesdays With Terrie first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

This can be a lifesaver! Remember it at all times.

No matter what happens, no matter how it seems on the surface, pull this phrase out of your arsenal. When you say “I declare it good!” you give an order to the Universe and the Universe complies. What may happen if you don’t continue to say and feel this is that you’ll make the Universe move away and bring more of the same stuff that you consider not optimal. If you don’t hold on to the “Good” Vibration, then you’ll end up right back where you started and you’ll be creating more of it.

But, if you continue to be tenacious and hold onto the “I declare it good” thought and feeling, then your momentum will switch in the direction you would like it to go. If you start saying this right away after something happens, the “bad” momentum will not have taken hold yet so it’s easier to switch.

I know it may be difficult to think about this phrase in the heat of the moment. That’s why it’s best to make an index card with the primary phrases you should be using rather than the “oh sh*t” phrases that might come out of your mouth when something happens. Since it’s hard to remember things when you’re in the heat of the moment, having the index card available, makes it easy for you to come up with the positive, momentum changing phrase that feels right. The key, of course, is to remember to pull out the index card. But there’s only so much I can do to encourage you there.

If you say “I declare it good” over and over again, you’ll have more success than you can imagine. If you have a physical condition and declare it good, you have no idea what might happen that will help others – whether they are your family and friends or whether it gives you an idea to reach out to thousands of people through the internet.

Declare it good and ideas will come to you. You want to open the doors and windows of creativity and this is one way to do it. If you’re a writer and have “writer’s block” simply declare it good and see what happens.

If you’ve just broken up or ended a relationship, declare it good and the love of your life may just show up. I knew a woman who’s husband of over 22 years was found to have been cheating on her for almost 20 of those years.  She was devastated, naturally. She declared it good and amazingly (or not so amazingly) she found the greatest guy in the world and has been happily married to him now for over 10 years. She would never have believed it would happen but she went along with our suggestion even though it seemed weird.

Try this and see if it works!

Terrie

The post Declare It Good! first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

Have you seen the wrist bands with the letters WWJD? I didn’t know what that was but Anne told me it stood for “What Would Jesus Do?” The young man who had it on his wrist appeared to want to live a wholesome life and was working hard to make a living. I am certain that Jesus was a great inspiration for him.

I thought about this for quite awhile and realized that everyone could use this concept, regardless of their religious beliefs. You just fill in someone else’s name for Jesus in the phrase “What Would _____ Do?”

The person whose name you use could be someone famous, alive or dead, or someone who has had a personal influence on your life (alive or dead too). And the neat part about this strategy is that you can use different people for different situations. I might have a hero ultra runner about whom I would think when I’m in a tough period of a race. But when live is providing some challenges for me, I might draw upon another person – when I need courage I know two people who I think are my heroes – they have both been enduring treatment for cancer this past year and I know they have much more courage than I do. So, when I think I want to give up on something or can’t go on, then one of their names always pops into my head and I say “What would Sally do?” (Name changed to protect their anonymity). Another person whom I admire is the woman who is choosing when to end her life rather than suffering the pain and humility of death from a brain tumor (a horribly painful condition). She has also chosen to speak out to help raise awareness in hopes to help others in similar situations. That is amazing when you consider many others on their last part of the journey would be very selfish and think only about what would make them happy.

I also admire the young girl who is dying also I believe of a brain tumor and wanted to fulfill her dream of playing in a basketball game. She came to practice every day and thanks to the support of everyone she was able to accomplish that goal with about only 2 weeks left in her life. Despite the pain and fatigue she kept showing up and being part of the team. Can you imagine what toughness that girl has? I only wish I had a tiny bit of her courage and strength.

Give this some thought and come up with someone (or several someones) who have inspired you and who has qualities you wish you had. Insert that person’s name in the “What would ____ Do?” and call upon their memory whenever you need some help.

Who’s on your wrist?

Terrie

The post “What Would ________ Do?” first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

Practice what you preach they always say. And I needed to remember that this weekend.

I have been having some strange physical symptoms lately and yesterday they really got to me and I wasn’t doing anything but thinking about them and trying to diagnose myself (they say a patient who has himself as his doctor is a fool and I definitely fit into that category).  Even though, at times, I would remember the great saying “That which I feared greatly came upon me” and know that every minute of every day I’m creating my own reality, I still couldn’t seem to stop the momentum. But I didn’t even have the presence of mind to stop fighting that momentum and letting it run its course. So between the resistance I was putting out against these weird symptoms and trying to put the  brakes on this momentum, it was just getting worse.

Like a smack in the head while lying in bed I realized I had completely forgotten my toolbox – the various techniques that you can use to change your momentum or eliminate the resistance. Some tools work better than others – depending on the situation.

In my case last night, I remembered that I had not even thought about EFT (emotional freedom technique) which would remove the feelings of fear surrounding the symptoms and allow things to progress as they should and maybe even disappear. I do know that whenever you’re worried about something, the symptoms intensify and you get to the point where you’ve thought the worst is about to happen (or already has happened)! And you don’t want to be in that situation. You want to eliminate the fear and anxiety as soon as you can.

I used EFT last night and again today and just continued to say “everything always works out for me” and by mid-day the symptoms had lessened.

This week, write down the tools that are in your toolbox and put them on an index card that you can pull out and review when you’re feeling fear or anxiety.

Terrie

The post Momentum Monday first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.

You can be a success if you rely on Divine Wisdom. Often when we’ve done something that hasn’t turned out exactly like we would have wanted, we think back and say something like “I just knew that wasn’t the right thing to do” – that means you didn’t listen to Divine Wisdom.

What is Divine Wisdom? People call it different things but it’s the Universal Mind which knows all. It can also be considered your inner source, your connection to the universe.  Your source is that connection to all that there is and your source knows  what is the correct course of action for you.

You hear me talk about always saying “Show me the way”. You can use this when you’re not certain what to do or you can use it all the time. This simple statement will guide you and give you the answers that you are looking for.

I did this when I was trying to figure out what to take with me for my Tennessee run. I packed and repacked and just couldn’t decide. So, I took a few minutes, a few deep breaths and said out loud “show me the way”, “show me what pack I should take and whether I should check my bag or try to cram it all in for carry-on”. Then I sat for a bit in silence and let the answer come to me. After that, I acted without indecision.  I realized that I would deal with whatever came to me once I had made my choices after “consulting” with the Universe (Divine Wisdom).  I love that peaceful feeling once I know I have received the correct information.

We second guess ourselves way too much.  Whenever you find yourself doing that, do what I did. It only takes a few seconds and you will be surprised at how calm you feel when you’re done. As you feel that sensation, you will know you’ve made the right decision.

Some people call it intuition or their “gut” feeling. I’m sure there are other names it’s called but it all boils down to the same thing – your source will speak to you if you ask it.

I frequently also use the phrase “Let the Truth Be Revealed” – this is one I use when I’m not really after an immediate answer but want to know what is going on with a situation or if I want others to see the truth of a situation. But you certainly can use it to assist you perhaps with more complex scenarios that you’re not sure how to maneuver.

The key point to all of this is that you know that there is an energy outside of you (although it is also within you) that will provide you with the answers you need when you are uncertain about something. Just as you do when you’ve used contrast to figure out what you want, you simply have to ask for the answer.

Terrie

The post Divine Wisdom first appeared on Getting Unstuck, LLC.