Posts Tagged ‘Life Balance’

By Katana Abbott, CFP®, CSA®

Today is the Winter Solstice – or the shortest day of the year if you live in the northern hemisphere.

One of the things I notice living on the lake is that the sun now sets directly out from our back window and the sunsets are amazing. I snapped this picture last year at this time from my deck. I rarely see anything like this in the summer.

Although I absolutely love the long hot days of summer – I welcome this time of year. It’s a time to really slow down, connect with friends, make time for myself, and to simply savor the simplicity of life. Here are some great rituals that we enjoy as a family.

1: Enjoy great movies

This is a great time to invite friends and family over to watch new movies on great topics and have discussions. Consider subscribing to Spiritual Cinema or getting great movie ideas from Brent Marchant’s book, “Get the Picture: Conscious Creation Goes to the Movies.

2: Light up the candles

These dark evenings are the perfect time to light your home up with gorgeous candles. This can create a sacred space in all areas of your home. I have them in my office, our bedroom, on coffee tables and fire places and especially on the dinner table! Be creative!

3: Bring out the games

The last few weekends we opted to turn off the TV with our children and their friends and have instead dusted off the game boards…literally! The other night we had seven young people playing charades around the Christmas tree while listening to Christmas music. It was magical!

4: Start a family Gratitude Journal

Pick up a beautiful journal and leave it on the coffee table where all members of the family and even friends can write down what they are grateful for. My husband and I start and end almost every day together – usually in our hot tub looking out at the lake or stars – expressing everything that we are grateful for.

5: Feed you birds!

I love looking outside and watching the birds. Not only do we have lots of berry bushes that attract birds all year long, but we try to keep our bird feeders stocked. This creates festive and joyous entertainment as we name all the species coming to visit. In fact, we keep a full color book handy to look up different species. Once I saw a female Red Breasted Groesbeck which looked like a very large sparrow!

6: Get out in nature

We live near lots of nature trails and parks, so one of my favorite activities is to call my friend and take meet in the park with our dogs for long hikes. It’s especially gorgeous when it’s just freshly snowed. Another fun activity is ice skating on the lake once we get a good solid freeze. This is a perfect time for hot toddies, mulled wine and hot cider and a bonfire!

7: Morning yoga or workout

One of the best remedies for sore and ache muscles is a good workout or I like heading to my yoga class. They keep the room nice and dark and it’s extremely warm. I feel fabulous when I come out and the added benefit is the positive mental state that stays all day long from those nice endorphins released from the workout! It also assists in being present.

8: Engage your creativity

This is the perfect time to brush up on your Spanish or other language you have always wanted to learn. Consider something like Rosetta Stone that is interactive and fun. Or think back to what you loved doing as a child and play! My husband is tuning my piano for as my Christmas gift so I can bring out my old sheet music. Winter is a great time to paint, knit or create something beautiful!

9: Work on the family tree

Open an account with ancestory.com and invite relatives to join you in putting together the puzzle pieces. I have now engaged a relative in Scotland who has sent photos, ship manifests, birth certificates and more about my grandmother’s ancestors. It’s amazing to see where you came from!

Share your winter rituals in the space below and enjoy this holiday season with those you love!

  

Many American women are really on an adrenaline rush most of the time. I have found that if we don’t slow down and allow things to flow, the Universe finds a way to do it for us.

I have found a wonderful solution to help create balance in my life and it only takes three minutes.I call this process The Perfect Life Pause. Any time during the day that I feel overwhelmed, stressed, tired, or frustrated, I follow this process to refocus my energy and intention.

 

Exercise:

I suggest doing your first Perfect Life Pause when you first wake up with just four simple steps!

• Start with your eyes closed. Listen to the sounds in the room, your breathing notice your body and relax. Then focus on What you would wish for in your life if you had a magic wand and could make any wish you wanted? Pause in that moment.How you would feel, what you would be doing and how you would look.
• Now spend the next several minutes in this wonderful state of mind believing it is real.
• At the end of the three minutes, be sure to express gratitude and believe that this is your Perfect Life.
• Confirm that the right people and opportunities will flow into your life at the right time.

By pausing 3-4 times a day simply to become present and to focus on your breathing and what you really want in life like it is real, you will actually be meditating and focusing on your Intentions 10-15 minutes a day. Remember, we get what we focus on! Each day we create our reality through our thoughts and we are all very intricately connected somehow.

Example of the Law of Intention in Action:

My husband, Mark, and I were in San Francisco last August for a conference. Prior to the conference, we went to Napa for a wine tasting experience. It was one of the best vacations we ever had. We spent three days driving through wine country in a convertible with azure skies and the most beautiful scenery we had ever seen.

During our trip, we purchased a couple cases of wonderful wine and brought them back to our hotel in San Francisco thinking that we would find some packing tape and just ship the wine back with our luggage. We were enjoying our trip so much, that we never really looked seriously for the tape.

We had an early flight back to Detroit and were ready to take our bags down for the trip to the airport, when we realized we still did’nt have any packing tape. I called the front desk, and they said all they had was scotch tape.

I told Mark that I was going to go downstairs and find some tape. Specifically, I said, Let’s create the intention that we will find some packing tape and send that intention out to the Universe to see what happens.He looked at me and said, Let’s do it! So we left the hotel room and stepped into the elevator.

There was another couple in the elevator from our group, and I noticed they were holding a box, so I said, What’s in the box, did you buy wine too? We are trying to find some packing tape.The man said, No these are our costumes, we never even opened the box, and we still have our packing tape.The woman looked at me and said, Do you need some tape? Here take it we never used it.And she opened her back pack and handed me a roll of packing tape.

At that moment the elevator door opened up and they stepped out. We said goodbye and pushed the button to go back to our floor. We were both speechless. We ran back to our hotel room, slammed the door and screamed with amazement!

How does something like this happen? Some may say it’s just a coincidence. I say we created an intention and it materialized. I now do this all the time it’s amazing once you become aware of this principle. I keep the empty tape dispenser in my dresser as a reminder.

This is the principle behind focusing on your Perfect Life Pause. Something magical happens when we focus our energy and intention we actually materialize what we want.We are constantly manifesting our thoughts negative or positive even when we are not conscious of it.So try this Perfect Life Pause as a way to consciously create vibrant health, abundant wealth and happiness effortlessly!

To your prosperity!

Katana Abbott, CFP, CSA

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I just watched this 5 part video* on creative consciousness with Deepak Chopra and was blown away, so I thought I would share it with you! This is a 5 part series – just 10 minutes each.One of the takeaways was this simple exercise:

Since everything is energy, we want to be sure we are staying in a high vibration and attracting what we want in our life…rather than being in a state of struggle and fear.Deepak suggests,every day, ask yourself three questions:

• Is it easy?
• Is it fun?
• Am I getting results?

If the answer to any of these is no, then consider how it is affecting your life.Could this be why your are not experiencing success, joy, vibrant health? What is the Universe trying to tell you? What one thing could you do, change or let go of to create more ease, flow, fun? Could this possibly change your results or experience?

Play with this? Have fun with it.Stop being so serious.Let go of the fear, find someone to share your ideas with.Find a mastermind group.Ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that can happen anyway and is it worse than staying where I am right now?”

I just had a huge breakthrough this week working with my new Operations Manager, Sue, and you will be seeing major changes in the work I am doing.Yes, it’s scary, but it’s also time to step up, get out of my comfort zone again, and to see what happens. I’d love to hear your thoughts, what can you release that is draining your energy? Post your answer below! Thanks!

Katana Abbott, CFP, CSA
Prosperity Coach
www.talkwithkatana.com

P.S.Want to Awaken Your Inner Goddess in Costa Rica? Click here to learn more!

To watch the remainder of the 5 part video series with Deepak Chopra go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sATHei-_cxg&playnext=1&list=PLF6E798DA94E4F73C

*The video used in this blog was used because of its invaluable content and is not intended to be an endorsement of the company Zrii or its products.To learn more about the company, product and opportunity please visit the URL referenced in the video, Zbundance.com.

I was so thrilled to have my dearest friends all ring in the New Year with my husband and me in 2011. In fact, we had so much fun that the celebration lasted two days. The Winter Solstice this year has produced the most beautiful sunsets and the sunset New Year’s Day evening was just as beautiful. I just had to share some of the pictures I took that evening. I hope you enjoy!

Just wanted to share this lovely video with you from our first snow of the year. I looked out this Sunday morning and a huge flock of geese had just landed to rest and feed. They were just here for a few minutes and off they went again on their journey. It was lovely.  I hope you enjoy it.

Morning Ritual:

Would you like to create more joy in your life?  Start with a journal and each morning and jot down all the things you are grateful for.  These could be just small and simple things like “the way my cat purs each morning when I wake up.”  Then if possible take a few minutes to go out into nature and just be present. Spend a few moments totally aware of everything around you and just be silent.  We don’t do this very often do we?  I have a hot tub and go out into nature every morning and every evening.  Taking short walks or bike rides and just letting your mind wander can be fabulous.

A friend of mine suggested that for the soul to be healthy, we need 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of focus and 8 hours of allowing the mind to wander.  Isn’t this a wonderful idea?  She is from Europe, and I know they have a much more relaxing lifestyle.  I met her on a two week trip to Brazil which was a real luxury to me.  Many of the folks on this retreat were headed out for more “holiday” time. One woman from Sweden says that she get six weeks and it’s mandatory to take it.  They believe it encourages good work/life balance. We should think about this in our culture!

Evening Ritual:

Then each evening before you go to bed, bring out your journal and look at what you wrote and make some comments about your successes and celebrations.  So often, we only focus on the negative things that have happened to us or what we don’t have.  Remember, the Universe doesn’t know the difference when we are sending out negative energy or positive energy…it just reacts be sending back what we are focusing on.

Exercise: 

So start to notice your thoughts, energy and words as well as how you are feeling in your body.  If you are feeling a lot of stress in your shoulders or a tightness in your stomach, just take a short time out and take a few long breaths. Close your eyes and allow your body to be washed with golden energy and allow the negative energy to just slip right out of your feet into the ground. 

Now think about something that you are very grateful for and put a smile on your face.  Remember in the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” where the guru tells Julia Roberts to “Smile from her liver” when she is meditating?  Try smiling and taking these tiny little “time outs” regularly during the next few weeks and see how much more effortless and joyful your days become.

I hope you are enjoying this fabulous holiday season and being kind to yourself. Let me know how this works for you by posting your comments below! 

Happy Holidays!

Katana Abbott, CFP, CSA
Founder and CEO
Midlife Millionaire Mentor

Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing with you this video series designed to help you Create Your Perfect Life – Living with Ease, Joy and Abundance. Each week, watch for your next video and article with tips, exercises and resources designed to help you move in the direction of what you love most!

I have found that one of the most important things we can do as women is to control our calendars by making time for ourselves, our families and friends next and then focusing on our careers or businesses.  Too often we end up putting ourselves last on the list and end up overwhelmed and exhausted which certainly doesn’t lead to creating a a Perfect Life. 

Visualize it: Make it real

Let’s have some fun. To visualize your dreams for your perfect life, create a Dream Board. Purchase a large poster board. Gather together old magazines with colorful pictures and other materials that will help you create a collage of your dream life.

I created a Dream Board with pictures cut from magazines envisioning my dreams. Since then, I have been delighted at how many of my dreams became reality. For example, I cut out and glued a picture of a dream property in a Caribbean setting with palm trees — a place where the jungle meets the beach. Two years later, my husband, Mark and I became part owner of a fabulous three-bedroom home overlooking the Caribbean Sea in Bastimentos, Panama, a national marine park and rainforest on the Bocas Del Toro archipelago. My dream property looks exactly like the picture I pasted to my Dream Board. I then created a new Dream Board to visualize my next goals.

So have fun. Invite supportive friends or family members to help you cut and paste. This exercise works, because it makes your dreams visual. Post your Dream Board where you can look at it daily.

Your Perfect Life Calendar – Start with your Perfect Days…

Developing your Perfect Life Time System begins with creating your Perfect Life Calendar. This is a critical step, since your calendar will provide you a system to manage your time, focus and energies. Without this structure, you will find yourself overwhelmed and disorganized a sure path to failure.

The Perfect Life Calendar incorporates three categories of days: Power Days, Prep Days and Perfect Days.

The goal is this:

• Increase your productivity and earning potential on your Power Days.
• Improve your level of energy, focus and clarity by cleaning up messes and getting very organized on your Prep Days.
• Make more time for yourself, your friends and your family by scheduling and enjoying wonderful Perfect Days!

Your Perfect Day:  This is my favorite day. Perfect Days are to rejuvenate and celebrate by doing things that which brings you joy either alone or with others.  Scheduling your Perfect Days into your calendar will allow you to stay in peak performance.

For example, my husband is a musician with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He rehearses on Prep Days, performs in concert on Power Days, and rests and rejuvenates on Perfect Days. Think of yourself as a musician. Without incorporating time to prepare (Prep Days), perform (Power Days) and rejuvenate (Perfect Days), you would be unprepared, exhausted and unable to perform at your best in following your true passion.

 Americans are notorious workaholics, working longer hours and taking fewer vacations than our peers in other industrialized countries. No wonder it is harder for many of us to incorporate perfect days into our lives; we are conditioned to ignore this vital ingredient of a perfect life.

Take out your journal (yes…you must have a fabulous journal) and then take a few minutes to write down what you would like to do on your Perfect Day. How would you spend that Perfect Day if time and money were not obstacles? What is it that you want to do, but have pushed to the back burner of your life? Revisit your Dream Board. Visualize your Perfect Day.  List everything out in detail – close your eyse and visualize how each of these activities and experiences would feel. 

The last step is to take out your calendar and book all your Perfect Days in advance…yes for the entire year.  What you are doing is creating the foundation for fabulous Power Days (your money days) and effective Prep Days (when you clean up messes and get organized).

Next week, we will talk about Prep Days and Power Days and how to pull this all together!  Good luck.

Please use the space below to let me know what your thoughts and questions may be about this concept.  I have been using it for about 8 years now and it will change your life! 

With gratitude,

Katana Abbott, CFP, CSA
Founder and CEO
Midlife Millionaire Mentor

Life can be very complicated with lots of unexpected twists and turns that can upturn even the best laid plans. I have found a wonderful solution to help create balance in my life and it only takes a few minutes a day. I call this process the Perfect Life Pause. Any time during the day that I feel overwhelmed, stressed, tired or angry, I follow this process to refocus my energy and intention.

Many of us are actually on an adrenaline rush much of the time during the day. I’ve found if we don’t slow down and allow things to flow, the Universe finds a way to do it for us…often to get our attention.

I suggest doing your first Perfect Life Pause when you first wake up.

Step 1:  Start with your eyes closed. Listen to the sounds in the room, your breathing…notice your body and relax. Then focus on a place, time or experience when you were really relaxed and in a state of pure joy.

• My place is lying in my hammock next to the river with my daughter, Kirsten lying next to me when she was just a little girl. The hammock is swaying in the breeze and we can hear the water from the lake beating gently against the shore.

Step 2:  Now spend the next several minutes in this wonderful state of mind.

Step 3:  Be sure to express gratitude for this moment of joy. Trust that everything is perfect and the the right people and opportunities will flow into your life effortlessly.

All you have is the present moment and by doing this exercise three times a day, you will actually be meditating and focusing your intentions on your perfect life almost 10 minutes daily.  The Law of Attraction states that our outer world is a reflection of our inner world, so this simple exercise may have very profound affects. Try it for a week, and let me know what happens!

Katana is a Certified Financial Planner® and Midlife Millionaire Coach™ who teaches entrepreneurs to Leverage Their Expertise and Create a Midlife Millionaire Lifestyle.   You can contact Katana personally at katana@katanaabbott.com