DAY 23: An Unexpected, Emotionally Intelligent Reality Television Concept
March 8, 2011
8:26 am
Even though this week represents The Desert I’ve been experiencing happenings more reminiscent to The Plot Twist in my story.
Before I begin today’s entry, I want to thank Ruth Anne Wood and her Live Your Peace program for covering my activities with The Destiny 5 Experience. CLICK HERE to be linked to my audio interview with Ruth…
Exciting news today! As I take stock of the connections made this past 23 days, I realize I could potentially be halfway to my stated goal: To raise an annual income (in workshop commitments) in 60 Days or less. Should my current path continue as planned then I’m already for than 50 percent there as my partners and I are planning to book workshops in 8 cities. Last night I also inadvertently pulled a trigger on a project that will also bring in another 10 percent of my stated goal! I’ll get into that in a minute but these projections are merely through workshop revenue! This does not even account for revenue which will be generated by audio products, membership websites and coaching programs! As they say, “We’ll either find a way or we’ll make one!”
The Desert
I’ve had to part ways with one of my interns today. What to me this represents is that when delving the depths of emotions, you might have to let go of things along the way. This intern to me represented tremendous intelligence and a lot of skill, but as far as emotional communication was concerned, we couldn’t connect. And this is the heart of The Destiny 5 Experience; it lies in “the emotional bridge”. What do I mean by that? Developing the will to finish something requires you to take an honest look at your barely conscious emotional habits…and that can be really scary! Most people unconsciously stray from a Quest stating internally that I know I could do this - just NOW is not the time. What I interpret people are really saying is I haven’t developed the WILL yet to finish what I’ve started.
Something strange and wonderful happened to me yesterday. I was “playing around” on meetup.com and experimented with creating new sites directed toward the cities I wish to take my national tour. Within my play time I all of sudden got a message, “Your meetup will be sent to 8,000 people in three days!”
YIKES! So I had to make a commitment on something I was contemplating but will now follow through on! If this works, it will generate 10% of my goal!
You see, The Destiny 5 Experience was originally based on a reality television concept. Some of my fellow meetup members have suggested I lead classes that should be videotaped. It will give a chance for actors to master their emotions and non-actors to enhance confidence, creativity and communication skills. Playing around with a meetup.com website forced me into creating what I will call a “Video Journal Experiment”.
Here’s the link to my new Destiny 5 Reality Show meetup: CLICK HERE
We’ll see how this hand plays out! My national tour has unofficially begun in my hometown!
All for today!
Mike
Michael Shoeman
“Unexpectedly Back in Media Production” represents the crossing of a threshold - from the mental world into the emotional world.
LifeACT International
"What's your quest?" (Click on the LifeACT logo to be redirected to the National Mastermind Meetup Miracles group!)
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
DAYS 21/22: Getting By With a Little Help From My Friends
DAYS 21/22: Getting By With a Little Help From My Friends
March 7, 2011
8:18 am
Got back from a nice, relaxing stay at my parents this weekend and attended the Action Circles! joint meetup last night. This was our first meeting at the Sanktuary Spa in Lansdale, PA. In attendance were Kellylore’n, Michael, Mike W., Lynne, Karen, Ruth, Joshua and some new faces - Delia and Jamie.
For those of you who aren’t aware, Action Circles! is our “sister” meetup group where we all sit together in a relaxed atmosphere and identify the critical gap between where we are and where we’d like to be within the process of our 60 Day Quests. I expressed my gap in confidence last night after the Sarasota episode and these supportive people really came through for me. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep perspective of your true value when someone who barely knows you is saying you have little or no value. I’m grateful that our Action Circles! meetup helped mirror back my true value since almost everyone in the room HAD experienced what I have to offer. I needed to hear this and was a true case of “getting by with a little help from my friends.”
I also received some of the best advice to date which may help me finish my Quest even sooner than anticipated. It truly is amazing the power of having an open space to ask for what you want in a room full of very intelligent, nurturing people. I feel so blessed and appreciate every one of you so much. I’m able to go into this week more confident than ever and solid in my reasons for taking this Quest!
I hope you’ll join us for the next Action Circles! meetup: whether your intention is for a new home, new career or just to make sense of things - there are answers waiting for you here.
Next Sunday please join us for my joint meetup with Joshua Duncan. Joshua and I will be combining our specialties for the evening. This week represents Phase 4 of the Hero’s Journey which I call The Desert. This is the first of three “emotional” challenges during the 60 Day Quest. In the Desert we may feel mal-nourished, dehydrated, prone to the misleading mirages, but somehow we move forward even if we’re not seeing clearly. Joshua will focus his Aharata teachings on the emotional heart chakra and how to generate energy. My work will be placing you in “Desert-like” situations where your focus becomes sharpened and you own the full power of what we call “negative” emotions.
We’ll be playing the game Voices and working with the EMC: Emotional Calibration Ladder.
The emotions we’ll be navigating include: Shame, Guilt, Apathy, Grief, Fear, Desire, Anger, Pride, Courage, Trust/Faith, Willingness, Acceptance/Forgiveness, Clarity, Love, Joy, Peace and Enlightenment. By navigating a full spectrum of emotions we’ll be developing the skills in how to tap into any emotional state at will.
With gratitude,
Mike
Mike Shoeman
The Life Artist
March 7, 2011
8:18 am
Got back from a nice, relaxing stay at my parents this weekend and attended the Action Circles! joint meetup last night. This was our first meeting at the Sanktuary Spa in Lansdale, PA. In attendance were Kellylore’n, Michael, Mike W., Lynne, Karen, Ruth, Joshua and some new faces - Delia and Jamie.
For those of you who aren’t aware, Action Circles! is our “sister” meetup group where we all sit together in a relaxed atmosphere and identify the critical gap between where we are and where we’d like to be within the process of our 60 Day Quests. I expressed my gap in confidence last night after the Sarasota episode and these supportive people really came through for me. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep perspective of your true value when someone who barely knows you is saying you have little or no value. I’m grateful that our Action Circles! meetup helped mirror back my true value since almost everyone in the room HAD experienced what I have to offer. I needed to hear this and was a true case of “getting by with a little help from my friends.”
I also received some of the best advice to date which may help me finish my Quest even sooner than anticipated. It truly is amazing the power of having an open space to ask for what you want in a room full of very intelligent, nurturing people. I feel so blessed and appreciate every one of you so much. I’m able to go into this week more confident than ever and solid in my reasons for taking this Quest!
I hope you’ll join us for the next Action Circles! meetup: whether your intention is for a new home, new career or just to make sense of things - there are answers waiting for you here.
Next Sunday please join us for my joint meetup with Joshua Duncan. Joshua and I will be combining our specialties for the evening. This week represents Phase 4 of the Hero’s Journey which I call The Desert. This is the first of three “emotional” challenges during the 60 Day Quest. In the Desert we may feel mal-nourished, dehydrated, prone to the misleading mirages, but somehow we move forward even if we’re not seeing clearly. Joshua will focus his Aharata teachings on the emotional heart chakra and how to generate energy. My work will be placing you in “Desert-like” situations where your focus becomes sharpened and you own the full power of what we call “negative” emotions.
We’ll be playing the game Voices and working with the EMC: Emotional Calibration Ladder.
The emotions we’ll be navigating include: Shame, Guilt, Apathy, Grief, Fear, Desire, Anger, Pride, Courage, Trust/Faith, Willingness, Acceptance/Forgiveness, Clarity, Love, Joy, Peace and Enlightenment. By navigating a full spectrum of emotions we’ll be developing the skills in how to tap into any emotional state at will.
With gratitude,
Mike
Mike Shoeman
The Life Artist
DAY 20: Bouncing Back
DAY 20: Bouncing Back
March 5, 2011
2:50 pm
Been spending a relaxing weekend at my parents before taking on the Desert this week. Got some good news that my taxes aren’t going to be as expensive as I originally thought. Things are looking up and I’m putting a lot less pressure on myself.
I haven’t been as active in my outreach these last few days. I think it was because of the other day and the negative feedback I’d gotten from Sarasota. Well, it is in these moments where one is defined - if I stop I’ve lost. If I continue I’ll win. Even though I don’t have the answers, I am convinced that, no matter the outcome, if I keep going I’ve won in spirit. The plan is still the same I’m just taking the feedback and changing my approach. "No such thing as failure; only feedback."
We are one-third into the Quest and it usually feels tumultuous going into the “Second Act” which is very emotional. In three to four weeks time is when some pretty amazing stuff historically happens. I’m lucky in that I have past history with the Quest to reference. I know going into the Desert to expect putting out a lot of work and not expect a lot of feedback. The Desert makes you feel lost and alone but it’s where you develop your most consistent emotional habits and reactions. If I continue to reach out everyday, it becomes a habit. That’s what makes a Quest successful - daily consistent action.
I consider myself successful if I continue to reach out this week while in the Desert. Luckily, this daily journal keeps me “checking in” with my progress. Yes, journaling does make a HUGE difference.
Okay, time to get back up on the horse.
Mike
March 5, 2011
2:50 pm
Been spending a relaxing weekend at my parents before taking on the Desert this week. Got some good news that my taxes aren’t going to be as expensive as I originally thought. Things are looking up and I’m putting a lot less pressure on myself.
I haven’t been as active in my outreach these last few days. I think it was because of the other day and the negative feedback I’d gotten from Sarasota. Well, it is in these moments where one is defined - if I stop I’ve lost. If I continue I’ll win. Even though I don’t have the answers, I am convinced that, no matter the outcome, if I keep going I’ve won in spirit. The plan is still the same I’m just taking the feedback and changing my approach. "No such thing as failure; only feedback."
We are one-third into the Quest and it usually feels tumultuous going into the “Second Act” which is very emotional. In three to four weeks time is when some pretty amazing stuff historically happens. I’m lucky in that I have past history with the Quest to reference. I know going into the Desert to expect putting out a lot of work and not expect a lot of feedback. The Desert makes you feel lost and alone but it’s where you develop your most consistent emotional habits and reactions. If I continue to reach out everyday, it becomes a habit. That’s what makes a Quest successful - daily consistent action.
I consider myself successful if I continue to reach out this week while in the Desert. Luckily, this daily journal keeps me “checking in” with my progress. Yes, journaling does make a HUGE difference.
Okay, time to get back up on the horse.
Mike
Friday, March 4, 2011
DAY 19: A Long, Boring List of What I'm Grateful For...
DAY 19: A Long, Boring List of What I'm Grateful For...
March 4, 2011
9:33am
I’ve done a lot of soul searching in the past 24 hours. My Helping Hands have been coming through and whispering a very strong message: Mike, you’re being WAY too hard on yourself!
And it’s true. It's been a very emotional experience transitioning from the Helping Hands (the final phase dealing with the mental world) into the Desert phase (the first phase addressing the emotional world.) After a restful night’s sleep I can see how obsessive I’ve become about my Quest. I want to take the time to appreciate what I have. After yesterday’s blog I couldn’t shake my feelings of anger, guilt, shame, fear and the “stuck feeling”. It felt like the Desert so I did some emotional probing on myself. Anyway, I want to apologize for the frame of mind I was in when I wrote yesterday’s post. It indicatesd a feeling of being alone, but I know I’m far from being alone.
Back to appreciating what I have:
I appreciate that I’m able to see my shortcomings.
I appreciate that I’m willing to ask for help.
I’m grateful that I am moving forward in my Quest regardless of whether or not I have a bad day.
I’m grateful for my friends who do come to my aid when I need them.
I’m grateful for the friends who serve me for allowing me to serve them.
I’m grateful for my girlfriend and family for always providing a loving space for me to express myself.
I’m grateful for the Desert coming up because the emotional activities are exactly what I need.
I’m appreciative that the weather’s nice out.
I’m appreciative that the church yesterday truly did want to help me out.
I’m appreciative that I have a weekly group to go to for finding mutual support on our Quests.
I’m grateful for being able to identify what I’m grateful for!
I’m grateful for having this time and space to identify what I’m grateful for.
I’m grateful for this blog to journal my feelings on; it really is making the difference between going crazy and having clarity of thought.
I’m grateful that things truly are easier than I sometimes make them.
I appreciate you reading this.
I appreciate the connections I do have.
I appreciate that I have many moments, both past and present, to reflect on which have provided epiphanies.
I’m grateful for being able to express myself and not have to be perfect doing it.
I’m grateful for my passion and my ability to take action.
I’m grateful for my ability to take criticism.
I’m grateful for the opening I’m feeling in my heart right now.
I’m grateful that the Helping Hands are there for me to reveal truth, offer guidance and ease the burden on my heart.
Finally, I’m grateful for this gift.
Sincerely grateful,
Mike Shoeman
A Different Kind of Life Artist for Today
March 4, 2011
9:33am
I’ve done a lot of soul searching in the past 24 hours. My Helping Hands have been coming through and whispering a very strong message: Mike, you’re being WAY too hard on yourself!
And it’s true. It's been a very emotional experience transitioning from the Helping Hands (the final phase dealing with the mental world) into the Desert phase (the first phase addressing the emotional world.) After a restful night’s sleep I can see how obsessive I’ve become about my Quest. I want to take the time to appreciate what I have. After yesterday’s blog I couldn’t shake my feelings of anger, guilt, shame, fear and the “stuck feeling”. It felt like the Desert so I did some emotional probing on myself. Anyway, I want to apologize for the frame of mind I was in when I wrote yesterday’s post. It indicatesd a feeling of being alone, but I know I’m far from being alone.
Back to appreciating what I have:
I appreciate that I’m able to see my shortcomings.
I appreciate that I’m willing to ask for help.
I’m grateful that I am moving forward in my Quest regardless of whether or not I have a bad day.
I’m grateful for my friends who do come to my aid when I need them.
I’m grateful for the friends who serve me for allowing me to serve them.
I’m grateful for my girlfriend and family for always providing a loving space for me to express myself.
I’m grateful for the Desert coming up because the emotional activities are exactly what I need.
I’m appreciative that the weather’s nice out.
I’m appreciative that the church yesterday truly did want to help me out.
I’m appreciative that I have a weekly group to go to for finding mutual support on our Quests.
I’m grateful for being able to identify what I’m grateful for!
I’m grateful for having this time and space to identify what I’m grateful for.
I’m grateful for this blog to journal my feelings on; it really is making the difference between going crazy and having clarity of thought.
I’m grateful that things truly are easier than I sometimes make them.
I appreciate you reading this.
I appreciate the connections I do have.
I appreciate that I have many moments, both past and present, to reflect on which have provided epiphanies.
I’m grateful for being able to express myself and not have to be perfect doing it.
I’m grateful for my passion and my ability to take action.
I’m grateful for my ability to take criticism.
I’m grateful for the opening I’m feeling in my heart right now.
I’m grateful that the Helping Hands are there for me to reveal truth, offer guidance and ease the burden on my heart.
Finally, I’m grateful for this gift.
Sincerely grateful,
Mike Shoeman
A Different Kind of Life Artist for Today
Thursday, March 3, 2011
DAY 18: At 6:45 am Today I Was Almost Knocked Out
DAY 18: At 6:45 am Today I Was Almost Knocked Out
March 3, 2011
8:20 am
(That’s right ladies and gentleman, Mike has been knocked down! He’s down! Right now it’s not clear whether or not he’s been knocked out! Let’s go in for the play-by-play as the referee starts the count, ‘1...”)
Nobody said taking a Quest was easy. At 6:45, when I woke up this morning, I found an email that really made me feel foolish, embarrassed and questioning everything I was doing. The important detail to note here: it wasn’t even a mean or vindictive email. It was an honest response from a representative of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota who had rejected my speaking at the congregation in Sarasota, Florida.
This is still a Helping Hand which is the phase of the Quest I'm working on this week. It might not be pleasant to look at this truth about myself, but I am eternally grateful for the correction course it inspired me to take.
I had asked for this representative’s feedback and he said I’m better off approaching a Unity Church instead of a UU Church. When I asked “why is that?" he forwarded an honest response that brought awareness to my own short-comings. It is with great fear that I revisit this email (as I haven’t even looked at it since first thing this morning) and do a very honest assessment of myself. Please understand that as I write this, there is a HUGE temptation to simply delete the message, pretend it never existed, and go about my day.
Okay, deep breath. Here I go…
(...2...)
The passages in “quotations” are directly from an email written by Mr. Klaus Obermeit. I insert my honest thoughts and reactions under “MIKE’S COMMENTARY”.
KLAUS: “I don’t presume to speak on behalf of ANY UU congregation. I was talking of OUR UU congregation. Based on what I saw on the video, I have attended your type of presentation before, given by Ed Beckley and others at the local Unity Church about ten years ago. It was interesting, but not the type of thing our UU congregation would be interesting in sponsoring, especially not as a Sunday morning guest speaker.
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: Yes, my presentation is certainly not a “Sunday school” lecture. This is very evident and I would never expect to speak at a Sunday morning congregation and attempt to fill a minister’s role. There’s not enough of a relationship here to justify my proposing that.
The word “interesting” is very conspicuous to me in that it implies a lukewarm response to my “type” of presentation. This feels very demoralizing when I think of the overwhelming reactions in the past from participants. It makes me feel like I do something less than facilitate a truly reflective, life-changing experience. It also makes me feel cheap and that the work I’ve done with suicide survivors truly meant nothing. It’s a far stretch but this is what my feelings, or rather my ego, are telling me.
KLAUS: “The Unity church often invites a variety of presenters to use their facility, as does the Center for Positive Living. Natural Awakenings magazine features a variety of presentations similar to yours.”
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: I thank Klaus for this very valuable information and will follow up on this.
KLAUSE: “I forwarded your email with its YouTube link to our workship committee for their review. I included my recommendation that it would be more appropriate at the other local venues I mentioned. Since you asked for it, here are two of their responses:”
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: Here we go! (Why do I do this to myself?) I feel like getting on the highest roller coaster for the first time and being deathly afraid of heights. Here goes the first drop!
(...3...)
ONE MEMBER’S FEEDBACK: Without having viewed the Utube, I agree. Between his bad grammar and spelling and the fact that he’s not even visited our website, I’m under-impressed. (How does he know the “mission of our congregation?) Besides that, we have no opening in April.
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: First of all, if we're going to split hairs here, my dropping the second quotation after “congregation” was not a typo - this was a verbatim response. So accuracy in emails is a common flaw (although my inaccuracies are probably more pronounced. Exhibit "A" would be this blog. :)
All I have to say is “ouch”! This hurt even more the second time looking at this. It makes me realize that I truly do need an editor. I am aware of this weakness of mine and will continue to seek assistance. My gift is that I’m passionate and inspire passion in others but my fatal flaw is not being able to see things other people see. Would anybody be willing to help me out?
But this member does have a point: how do I know the "mission of their congregation? (Oops, now I droppd the second quotation!) The answer is, I don’t. I made assumptions based on my very limited knowledge about UU congregations. These assumptions were based on where other people suggested I go with my program. My understanding is that Unitarian Universal churches, and granted I admit this is a gross assumption, they respect many (dare I say almost all?) paths of worships as many roads to the one truth. (At least when I took a test to find my own “Ideal Religion” that’s what was suggested because apparently the UU church is my ideal religion because these are the values I hold.) My work is very much inspired by the monomyth which is the common thread in all religions, mythologies and even popular fiction.
In my original email I was honest and said “I didn’t look at your website but will be able to shortly.” This was my way of briefly saying that, “Yes, I’m emailing 14 churches in the western Florida area, I am limited in time, but I will invest the time if there seems to be a connection here.”
And so I will. Since Klause truly did service me in offering this very soul-searching feedback - I will visit the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota website.
Okay, found it! This isn’t labeled as a “mission statement” (in fact I can't find a mission statement) but found this under “Congregation”. (I’ve also been trying to find Klaus on the staff or the board of trustees but can’t find him.)
(...4...)
“There are over 300 members in the congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, each of whom believes in a liberal theology meaning we are united by shared values, not by creed or dogma. If there is one word nearly all agree is the catalyst that brings us together it is “community.”
MIKE: This sounds very much in alignment with what I’m doing - “community”. Can one of my congregation give me an “amen”! My spelling and grammar critic also shares the same value of not presenting a perfect email! There's at least two points in my favor! I think my assumptions about this UU congregations weren’t too far off the mark. But let’s not jump to conclusions…let me truly invest the time in reading this congregational statement.
“This is a place that helps people connect to one another. We have a community where people care for one another, where they show up for one another, a strong, vibrant community that helps us contribute to society.”
MIKE: This makes me cry in joy…sincerely, it does. I wish this congregation knew that what I have to offer features my talking maybe 15% of the time and the community of participants interact meaningfully with others 85% of the time. My congregation has told me their abilities to communicate in deeper ways have been enhanced in ways they never thought imaginable. Reading this makes me feel so much in alignment with the church yet so grossly misunderstood.
“What shines through in everything we do is that people here truly love each other. Look at all the rides to the doctor, the casseroles when we’re sick, the buzz on Sunday mornings, the large number of social groups. It’s a place where people care for each other, where they care about making connections with one another.”
MIKE: They’re pretty rough on mis-spellers and amateur grammatical engineers but I do have a sense Klaus cared for me by helping light my way.
“It’s a place where you will be cared for as you care for others, where you can build a support group to rely on.”
MIKE: My God! Support groups! I’m tearing my hair out at how my mission supports creating really effective support groups! Are these just empty words?
“A recent survey of church members shows a community of strong individuals with diverse beliefs who nonetheless are found together in a loving community of support, enjoying our common fellowship and unstintingly supporting each other in times of need.”
(...5... He's not moving off the canvas. This one could be over...)
MIKE: Okay, let me be very honest and vulnerable here: I need to connect with churches like this. I’m not saying the UU of Sarasota should book my workshop but I’m feeling something a little less than love right now. This is a misconnection - no doubt about it.
“Our strength is an outgrowth of the fact that we are:
· Older and wiser (or at least well-educated)As a congregation we are older than average (75% of our members are over 60) and very well-educated (82% of our members hold bachelors degrees and more than half hold graduate degrees. Eleven percent hold doctorates.”
MIKE: Aha! Now when I first read the email this morning my first thoughts were, “Okay, I’m a young "whipper snapper" trying to appeal to a bunch of stuffy, self-righteous old farts!” But this was a very hard judgment based on the pain I felt this morning. The truth is most of my workshop participants are over forty and extremely well-educated. Almost everyone I work with has either a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate. But that’s difficult to believe coming from a 35-year-old upstart who claims to have some wisdom who doesn't offer any statistics in an opening email. Was it possible we both misjudged each other?
“· Involved in our church community
We are a very active and involved congregation with 63% of our members attending Sunday service three or four times a month. More than 70% of us perform volunteer work in the church in a typical month and 32% contribute more than five hours a month.”
MIKE: Beautiful! I hold the values of commitment as well, hence the 60 Day Quest.
“· Committed to social actionOne of the distinguishing hallmarks of our congregation is our 54-year history of expressing our values in action, through social concerns and community outreach. Currently, we are in the forefront in addressing housing issues.”
MIKE: Sounds like a Quest to me. What if what I offered to this congregation could help them solve many of these housing issues on a 60 Day Quest?
“· Diverse in our faith· The vast majority of our members describe themselves in multiple religious terms. The largest number of members (57%) describe themselves as identifying with humanists, followed by eclectic (44%), ethical religion (44%), agnosticism (35%), ethical Christianity (26%).”
MIKE: Yep, I’m a “mutt” too part UU apparently, part ethical Christian, part Jewish by lineage. If I had to put the percentages on what the Destiny 5 Experience is it would be maybe 50% humanist, the eclectic factor might be closer to 100%, ethical religion I would say 100% ethical and maybe 25% religious. Of course these percentages are completely arbitrary based on my impression. Agnosttcism is very prevalent, so that’s about a 50% take and ethical Christianity can be anywhere from 10% to 100% based on the audience. The story of Christ is a perfect example of the monomyth but we could ask Jesus to contribute to only the “Christ Consciousness” portion of our program if the congregation wish not to see Jesus’s contributions to this work.
“Despite our diversity of religious outlook and expression we are united in our conviction that we can make a difference in our community and that we should witness for our faith in doing so. Person for person you’d be hard pressed to find a group of individuals more aware of important issues or more engages in addressing them.”
MIKE: So how do I express to these guys that I do represent an important issue?
“In fact, whenever there is a disadvantaged or disenfranchised group in Sarasota you can be almost certain that a member of our church is at the forefront of helping. Often that leads to involvement of the larger church, sometimes as the only faith-based community involved.”
MIKE: Can you see now why I thought this church would be perfect for me? My impression was that the UU church was the only one that stands alone in times of great challenge. The greatest challenge of all is staying true to our Quests and supporting each other through those difficult periods.
“Our people have a sense of their own worth and the value of their community. There are so many useful things here you can do for society and for this community.”
MIKE: I’m not one of “their people” but after receiving their feedback my own worth is in question! And this is ridiculous! Because I am worth quite a bit. I guess what they mean is that there are many useful things “you” can do for this community but not if you offer the absolute best of yourself.
Okay, that was harsh. But my statements come from a real disappointment in myself. I know this congregation would fully embrace what I do but I’ve done a shotty job at communicating that. How do we overcome these barriers with what we have to work with?
(...6...)
Back to email now…
ANOTHER MEMBERS FEEDBACK: “Some New Age group would probably be interested. Maybe, it’s just me, but I’m way past this.”
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: OUCH again! So this person is “way past” what he/she thinks I have to offer. Now this REALLY makes me feel foolish! It’s almost as if saying this person is so far enlightened beyond anyone I’ve ever worked with! Maybe, “it’s just me”, but this really smacks of arrogance. Is this person trying to say a “New Age group” is behind this particular UU congregation? I don’t consider my partners (and that’s what participants are in my experience - partners) to be unintelligent, un-evolved and nor haven’t “gotten past” their own individual challenges.
It also frustrates me the comparisons of what I do to other “self-help, new age” presentations. The Destiny 5 Experience is not about “my” way; the participant brings their own questions to the experience and, in essence, the content becomes very personal about YOU! My question would be where exactly is this person at, what is he/she contemplating, and then let the Quest “tool” allow for an epiphany. And, I’m sorry, no one on this earth is above an epiphany or two.
KLAUS: “That’s the answer to your question about our sponsorship, and why I and two others did not think it would be something that our local UU congregation would be interested in supporting, especially for a Sunday morning service or even as a sponsored fund-raiser.”
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: I accept this and thank Klaus for his feedback. My feelings are, and I'm consciously aware of my feelings going into an interaction like this, that every single person who has ever participated in this experience has come away with immense value. I read the mission statement of a church like this and can’t shake the feeling that there are many fits. Is it a matter of my getting help in communicating to these leaders? Most of my success has been through word of mouth but there is no direct connection to these congregations. How do I overcome this barrier? The one member posed the question, “What does he know about our mission?” After now doing the research, my answer is “More than you give me credit for.”
(...7... Okay, now he's moving - will he make it before the count of 10?)
My purpose in writing this is for self-exploration and to find answers to better communicate my message. To me, going to New Age groups or Unity churches because a UU congregation thinks they’re above what (they think) I have to offer is still not an answer to me. I’ll go to Unity churches because maybe there is more of a congruent match in our values. But I’m taking this UU response as my failure to communicate effectively, and I’m still trying to find ways to improve this. Not only for myself, but for others who have a very powerful vision but miscommunication and preconceptions have gotten in the way.
KLAUS: “There is another option, though. We do rent our facility to outside groups, and I’m sure we would be willing to do so for one or more of your workshops. If you would be interested in that, just contact our administrator and she will be happy to give you the dates, times, prices, and sizes of rooms available… Good luck in your endeavors.”
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: Klaus then gave me the contact person and email of the administrator. Honestly, wouldn’t you feel like you might of embarrassed yourself after reading this? The truth is, somehow despite my spelling and grammar, I am developing a following. It hurts because I read a mission statement like that of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota and on paper it looks like a match. But, in truth, I’m seen as an unintelligent, un-evolved “wannabe” and the last thing I want to do now is show my face to someone who looks down on me. Perhaps if I’m able to be seen as something more than “a crappy email from a person with no real insight” I would consider renting their facility.
The underlying message is I’m saying, “I have something of immense value that will serve your congregation immensely.” The answer back is, “No, you don’t.”
(...8...)
My purpose in writing this is to fully confront my limitations. I’m seeing something that very few others see yet. I’m willing to ask for help (which is what this Helping Hands phase represents) and truly wish to find my intended, appreciative audience. Because I’m not the person the UU of Sarasota currently sees me as. (I do however need help writing emails.) My presentation is also above being devalued in this way when the critic hasn’t even experienced it.
I’ve left myself this vulnerable. Any suggestions?
Time to put this behind me and look forward to a very productive day.
(...9... He's up! This was almost the end of the Quest! A knockout in Round 3 would have been a disappointment for this 35-0 winning streak. But Mike is up, dusting off his own shame and foolishness and ready to use this as a lesson! What kind of power will his punches have after being laid out like that? Let's see how he makes out in the remaining six rounds!)
Mike Shoeman
"Still" The Life Artist
"I am that. I am." .
March 3, 2011
8:20 am
(That’s right ladies and gentleman, Mike has been knocked down! He’s down! Right now it’s not clear whether or not he’s been knocked out! Let’s go in for the play-by-play as the referee starts the count, ‘1...”)
Nobody said taking a Quest was easy. At 6:45, when I woke up this morning, I found an email that really made me feel foolish, embarrassed and questioning everything I was doing. The important detail to note here: it wasn’t even a mean or vindictive email. It was an honest response from a representative of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota who had rejected my speaking at the congregation in Sarasota, Florida.
This is still a Helping Hand which is the phase of the Quest I'm working on this week. It might not be pleasant to look at this truth about myself, but I am eternally grateful for the correction course it inspired me to take.
I had asked for this representative’s feedback and he said I’m better off approaching a Unity Church instead of a UU Church. When I asked “why is that?" he forwarded an honest response that brought awareness to my own short-comings. It is with great fear that I revisit this email (as I haven’t even looked at it since first thing this morning) and do a very honest assessment of myself. Please understand that as I write this, there is a HUGE temptation to simply delete the message, pretend it never existed, and go about my day.
Okay, deep breath. Here I go…
(...2...)
The passages in “quotations” are directly from an email written by Mr. Klaus Obermeit. I insert my honest thoughts and reactions under “MIKE’S COMMENTARY”.
KLAUS: “I don’t presume to speak on behalf of ANY UU congregation. I was talking of OUR UU congregation. Based on what I saw on the video, I have attended your type of presentation before, given by Ed Beckley and others at the local Unity Church about ten years ago. It was interesting, but not the type of thing our UU congregation would be interesting in sponsoring, especially not as a Sunday morning guest speaker.
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: Yes, my presentation is certainly not a “Sunday school” lecture. This is very evident and I would never expect to speak at a Sunday morning congregation and attempt to fill a minister’s role. There’s not enough of a relationship here to justify my proposing that.
The word “interesting” is very conspicuous to me in that it implies a lukewarm response to my “type” of presentation. This feels very demoralizing when I think of the overwhelming reactions in the past from participants. It makes me feel like I do something less than facilitate a truly reflective, life-changing experience. It also makes me feel cheap and that the work I’ve done with suicide survivors truly meant nothing. It’s a far stretch but this is what my feelings, or rather my ego, are telling me.
KLAUS: “The Unity church often invites a variety of presenters to use their facility, as does the Center for Positive Living. Natural Awakenings magazine features a variety of presentations similar to yours.”
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: I thank Klaus for this very valuable information and will follow up on this.
KLAUSE: “I forwarded your email with its YouTube link to our workship committee for their review. I included my recommendation that it would be more appropriate at the other local venues I mentioned. Since you asked for it, here are two of their responses:”
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: Here we go! (Why do I do this to myself?) I feel like getting on the highest roller coaster for the first time and being deathly afraid of heights. Here goes the first drop!
(...3...)
ONE MEMBER’S FEEDBACK: Without having viewed the Utube, I agree. Between his bad grammar and spelling and the fact that he’s not even visited our website, I’m under-impressed. (How does he know the “mission of our congregation?) Besides that, we have no opening in April.
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: First of all, if we're going to split hairs here, my dropping the second quotation after “congregation” was not a typo - this was a verbatim response. So accuracy in emails is a common flaw (although my inaccuracies are probably more pronounced. Exhibit "A" would be this blog. :)
All I have to say is “ouch”! This hurt even more the second time looking at this. It makes me realize that I truly do need an editor. I am aware of this weakness of mine and will continue to seek assistance. My gift is that I’m passionate and inspire passion in others but my fatal flaw is not being able to see things other people see. Would anybody be willing to help me out?
But this member does have a point: how do I know the "mission of their congregation? (Oops, now I droppd the second quotation!) The answer is, I don’t. I made assumptions based on my very limited knowledge about UU congregations. These assumptions were based on where other people suggested I go with my program. My understanding is that Unitarian Universal churches, and granted I admit this is a gross assumption, they respect many (dare I say almost all?) paths of worships as many roads to the one truth. (At least when I took a test to find my own “Ideal Religion” that’s what was suggested because apparently the UU church is my ideal religion because these are the values I hold.) My work is very much inspired by the monomyth which is the common thread in all religions, mythologies and even popular fiction.
In my original email I was honest and said “I didn’t look at your website but will be able to shortly.” This was my way of briefly saying that, “Yes, I’m emailing 14 churches in the western Florida area, I am limited in time, but I will invest the time if there seems to be a connection here.”
And so I will. Since Klause truly did service me in offering this very soul-searching feedback - I will visit the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota website.
Okay, found it! This isn’t labeled as a “mission statement” (in fact I can't find a mission statement) but found this under “Congregation”. (I’ve also been trying to find Klaus on the staff or the board of trustees but can’t find him.)
(...4...)
“There are over 300 members in the congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, each of whom believes in a liberal theology meaning we are united by shared values, not by creed or dogma. If there is one word nearly all agree is the catalyst that brings us together it is “community.”
MIKE: This sounds very much in alignment with what I’m doing - “community”. Can one of my congregation give me an “amen”! My spelling and grammar critic also shares the same value of not presenting a perfect email! There's at least two points in my favor! I think my assumptions about this UU congregations weren’t too far off the mark. But let’s not jump to conclusions…let me truly invest the time in reading this congregational statement.
“This is a place that helps people connect to one another. We have a community where people care for one another, where they show up for one another, a strong, vibrant community that helps us contribute to society.”
MIKE: This makes me cry in joy…sincerely, it does. I wish this congregation knew that what I have to offer features my talking maybe 15% of the time and the community of participants interact meaningfully with others 85% of the time. My congregation has told me their abilities to communicate in deeper ways have been enhanced in ways they never thought imaginable. Reading this makes me feel so much in alignment with the church yet so grossly misunderstood.
“What shines through in everything we do is that people here truly love each other. Look at all the rides to the doctor, the casseroles when we’re sick, the buzz on Sunday mornings, the large number of social groups. It’s a place where people care for each other, where they care about making connections with one another.”
MIKE: They’re pretty rough on mis-spellers and amateur grammatical engineers but I do have a sense Klaus cared for me by helping light my way.
“It’s a place where you will be cared for as you care for others, where you can build a support group to rely on.”
MIKE: My God! Support groups! I’m tearing my hair out at how my mission supports creating really effective support groups! Are these just empty words?
“A recent survey of church members shows a community of strong individuals with diverse beliefs who nonetheless are found together in a loving community of support, enjoying our common fellowship and unstintingly supporting each other in times of need.”
(...5... He's not moving off the canvas. This one could be over...)
MIKE: Okay, let me be very honest and vulnerable here: I need to connect with churches like this. I’m not saying the UU of Sarasota should book my workshop but I’m feeling something a little less than love right now. This is a misconnection - no doubt about it.
“Our strength is an outgrowth of the fact that we are:
· Older and wiser (or at least well-educated)As a congregation we are older than average (75% of our members are over 60) and very well-educated (82% of our members hold bachelors degrees and more than half hold graduate degrees. Eleven percent hold doctorates.”
MIKE: Aha! Now when I first read the email this morning my first thoughts were, “Okay, I’m a young "whipper snapper" trying to appeal to a bunch of stuffy, self-righteous old farts!” But this was a very hard judgment based on the pain I felt this morning. The truth is most of my workshop participants are over forty and extremely well-educated. Almost everyone I work with has either a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate. But that’s difficult to believe coming from a 35-year-old upstart who claims to have some wisdom who doesn't offer any statistics in an opening email. Was it possible we both misjudged each other?
“· Involved in our church community
We are a very active and involved congregation with 63% of our members attending Sunday service three or four times a month. More than 70% of us perform volunteer work in the church in a typical month and 32% contribute more than five hours a month.”
MIKE: Beautiful! I hold the values of commitment as well, hence the 60 Day Quest.
“· Committed to social actionOne of the distinguishing hallmarks of our congregation is our 54-year history of expressing our values in action, through social concerns and community outreach. Currently, we are in the forefront in addressing housing issues.”
MIKE: Sounds like a Quest to me. What if what I offered to this congregation could help them solve many of these housing issues on a 60 Day Quest?
“· Diverse in our faith· The vast majority of our members describe themselves in multiple religious terms. The largest number of members (57%) describe themselves as identifying with humanists, followed by eclectic (44%), ethical religion (44%), agnosticism (35%), ethical Christianity (26%).”
MIKE: Yep, I’m a “mutt” too part UU apparently, part ethical Christian, part Jewish by lineage. If I had to put the percentages on what the Destiny 5 Experience is it would be maybe 50% humanist, the eclectic factor might be closer to 100%, ethical religion I would say 100% ethical and maybe 25% religious. Of course these percentages are completely arbitrary based on my impression. Agnosttcism is very prevalent, so that’s about a 50% take and ethical Christianity can be anywhere from 10% to 100% based on the audience. The story of Christ is a perfect example of the monomyth but we could ask Jesus to contribute to only the “Christ Consciousness” portion of our program if the congregation wish not to see Jesus’s contributions to this work.
“Despite our diversity of religious outlook and expression we are united in our conviction that we can make a difference in our community and that we should witness for our faith in doing so. Person for person you’d be hard pressed to find a group of individuals more aware of important issues or more engages in addressing them.”
MIKE: So how do I express to these guys that I do represent an important issue?
“In fact, whenever there is a disadvantaged or disenfranchised group in Sarasota you can be almost certain that a member of our church is at the forefront of helping. Often that leads to involvement of the larger church, sometimes as the only faith-based community involved.”
MIKE: Can you see now why I thought this church would be perfect for me? My impression was that the UU church was the only one that stands alone in times of great challenge. The greatest challenge of all is staying true to our Quests and supporting each other through those difficult periods.
“Our people have a sense of their own worth and the value of their community. There are so many useful things here you can do for society and for this community.”
MIKE: I’m not one of “their people” but after receiving their feedback my own worth is in question! And this is ridiculous! Because I am worth quite a bit. I guess what they mean is that there are many useful things “you” can do for this community but not if you offer the absolute best of yourself.
Okay, that was harsh. But my statements come from a real disappointment in myself. I know this congregation would fully embrace what I do but I’ve done a shotty job at communicating that. How do we overcome these barriers with what we have to work with?
(...6...)
Back to email now…
ANOTHER MEMBERS FEEDBACK: “Some New Age group would probably be interested. Maybe, it’s just me, but I’m way past this.”
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: OUCH again! So this person is “way past” what he/she thinks I have to offer. Now this REALLY makes me feel foolish! It’s almost as if saying this person is so far enlightened beyond anyone I’ve ever worked with! Maybe, “it’s just me”, but this really smacks of arrogance. Is this person trying to say a “New Age group” is behind this particular UU congregation? I don’t consider my partners (and that’s what participants are in my experience - partners) to be unintelligent, un-evolved and nor haven’t “gotten past” their own individual challenges.
It also frustrates me the comparisons of what I do to other “self-help, new age” presentations. The Destiny 5 Experience is not about “my” way; the participant brings their own questions to the experience and, in essence, the content becomes very personal about YOU! My question would be where exactly is this person at, what is he/she contemplating, and then let the Quest “tool” allow for an epiphany. And, I’m sorry, no one on this earth is above an epiphany or two.
KLAUS: “That’s the answer to your question about our sponsorship, and why I and two others did not think it would be something that our local UU congregation would be interested in supporting, especially for a Sunday morning service or even as a sponsored fund-raiser.”
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: I accept this and thank Klaus for his feedback. My feelings are, and I'm consciously aware of my feelings going into an interaction like this, that every single person who has ever participated in this experience has come away with immense value. I read the mission statement of a church like this and can’t shake the feeling that there are many fits. Is it a matter of my getting help in communicating to these leaders? Most of my success has been through word of mouth but there is no direct connection to these congregations. How do I overcome this barrier? The one member posed the question, “What does he know about our mission?” After now doing the research, my answer is “More than you give me credit for.”
(...7... Okay, now he's moving - will he make it before the count of 10?)
My purpose in writing this is for self-exploration and to find answers to better communicate my message. To me, going to New Age groups or Unity churches because a UU congregation thinks they’re above what (they think) I have to offer is still not an answer to me. I’ll go to Unity churches because maybe there is more of a congruent match in our values. But I’m taking this UU response as my failure to communicate effectively, and I’m still trying to find ways to improve this. Not only for myself, but for others who have a very powerful vision but miscommunication and preconceptions have gotten in the way.
KLAUS: “There is another option, though. We do rent our facility to outside groups, and I’m sure we would be willing to do so for one or more of your workshops. If you would be interested in that, just contact our administrator and she will be happy to give you the dates, times, prices, and sizes of rooms available… Good luck in your endeavors.”
MIKE’S COMMENTARY: Klaus then gave me the contact person and email of the administrator. Honestly, wouldn’t you feel like you might of embarrassed yourself after reading this? The truth is, somehow despite my spelling and grammar, I am developing a following. It hurts because I read a mission statement like that of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota and on paper it looks like a match. But, in truth, I’m seen as an unintelligent, un-evolved “wannabe” and the last thing I want to do now is show my face to someone who looks down on me. Perhaps if I’m able to be seen as something more than “a crappy email from a person with no real insight” I would consider renting their facility.
The underlying message is I’m saying, “I have something of immense value that will serve your congregation immensely.” The answer back is, “No, you don’t.”
(...8...)
My purpose in writing this is to fully confront my limitations. I’m seeing something that very few others see yet. I’m willing to ask for help (which is what this Helping Hands phase represents) and truly wish to find my intended, appreciative audience. Because I’m not the person the UU of Sarasota currently sees me as. (I do however need help writing emails.) My presentation is also above being devalued in this way when the critic hasn’t even experienced it.
I’ve left myself this vulnerable. Any suggestions?
Time to put this behind me and look forward to a very productive day.
(...9... He's up! This was almost the end of the Quest! A knockout in Round 3 would have been a disappointment for this 35-0 winning streak. But Mike is up, dusting off his own shame and foolishness and ready to use this as a lesson! What kind of power will his punches have after being laid out like that? Let's see how he makes out in the remaining six rounds!)
Mike Shoeman
"Still" The Life Artist
"I am that. I am." .
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
DAY 17: On the “Wing” of a Lion
DAY 17: On the “Wing” of a Lion
March 2, 2011
12:36 pm
Had a wonderful video session with Diane Wing today! I felt we had so much in common and directed our video focusing on Vocational Astrology. There were many beautiful happenings at the Wing household in the two hours I was there like seeing Diane enjoy a huge response for one of her upcoming teleseminars. I couldn’t help but feel we were both part of that very abundant moment. Diane also looked up a solar return chart for me and I realized later this was the chart for my 60 Day Quest!
Before I forget, let me share Diane’s site with you…
www.forestwitch.com
She also wrote The True Nature of Tarot and I applaud her practical approach in using metaphysical tools to inspire authentic action.
Now before you say anything when you see the word “witch”, think the second thought and ask yourself what you actually associate to that word. I personally have a fascination with astrology as a self-evaluation tool, nothing more. It’s very rare to find someone so knowledgeable about many useful skills because many people like to “dabble” but Diane is dedicated to, and now read these words carefully - PERSONAL MASTERY!
We “tinkered” a little bit with my chart today. Now mind you, I’m no novice at astrology but Diane opened news worlds up to me. I won’t go into too much astrology lingo here but I’m more of a “lion” at this particular time in my life. I’ve never thought of myself as having any “Leo” tendencies, but Leo is currently directing my career from the mid-haven and my acting and directing skills are taking “center stage” (no pun intended) in the form of the self-empowerment path I’ve been offering to others. I’ve also got both solar and nuclear power working in my financial life which is awesome considering my quest to raise an annual income in 60 days or less. What I know now about my quest is that it truly is bold, creative and is bringing out a warrior side of me.
As one of my Helping Hands this week, Diane helped me tune back into my “right action” for the larger meaning behind my quest. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the true meaning of my quest is to create freedom. I’m giving permission to others to find their own True Calling, much like Diane does, by being a model for raising money doing what you truly love. I truly love empowering others through teaching creativity, deep communication skills, theater, drama, mythology and spirituality - that THAT’s exactly how I’m raising money on my quest.
Please continue to check the LifeACT Video Ezine (Click Here to go directly to the YouTube channel) as I’m planning to release Diane’s very insightful and inspiring video within the next month.
In Other News: I recently stepped in as Organizer for the meetup Personal Empowerment and Psycho-Emotional Protection. Many of our members and values are the same and hoping this “acquisition” will bring some new faces to our meetup. Once again, I consider this the Helping Hands in action.
As I look at the current status of my quest, I’m getting close to four solid booking opportunities for The Destiny 5 Experience. My 60 Day Quest requires 12 bookings for me to consider this quest successful. So a quarter of the way in I’m potentially eight bookings away from the finish line. Say tuned…
Mike
Mike Shoeman
Author of The Destiny 5 Experience
CLICK HERE for The Destiny 5 Experience video…
March 2, 2011
12:36 pm
Had a wonderful video session with Diane Wing today! I felt we had so much in common and directed our video focusing on Vocational Astrology. There were many beautiful happenings at the Wing household in the two hours I was there like seeing Diane enjoy a huge response for one of her upcoming teleseminars. I couldn’t help but feel we were both part of that very abundant moment. Diane also looked up a solar return chart for me and I realized later this was the chart for my 60 Day Quest!
Before I forget, let me share Diane’s site with you…
www.forestwitch.com
She also wrote The True Nature of Tarot and I applaud her practical approach in using metaphysical tools to inspire authentic action.
Now before you say anything when you see the word “witch”, think the second thought and ask yourself what you actually associate to that word. I personally have a fascination with astrology as a self-evaluation tool, nothing more. It’s very rare to find someone so knowledgeable about many useful skills because many people like to “dabble” but Diane is dedicated to, and now read these words carefully - PERSONAL MASTERY!
We “tinkered” a little bit with my chart today. Now mind you, I’m no novice at astrology but Diane opened news worlds up to me. I won’t go into too much astrology lingo here but I’m more of a “lion” at this particular time in my life. I’ve never thought of myself as having any “Leo” tendencies, but Leo is currently directing my career from the mid-haven and my acting and directing skills are taking “center stage” (no pun intended) in the form of the self-empowerment path I’ve been offering to others. I’ve also got both solar and nuclear power working in my financial life which is awesome considering my quest to raise an annual income in 60 days or less. What I know now about my quest is that it truly is bold, creative and is bringing out a warrior side of me.
As one of my Helping Hands this week, Diane helped me tune back into my “right action” for the larger meaning behind my quest. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the true meaning of my quest is to create freedom. I’m giving permission to others to find their own True Calling, much like Diane does, by being a model for raising money doing what you truly love. I truly love empowering others through teaching creativity, deep communication skills, theater, drama, mythology and spirituality - that THAT’s exactly how I’m raising money on my quest.
Please continue to check the LifeACT Video Ezine (Click Here to go directly to the YouTube channel) as I’m planning to release Diane’s very insightful and inspiring video within the next month.
In Other News: I recently stepped in as Organizer for the meetup Personal Empowerment and Psycho-Emotional Protection. Many of our members and values are the same and hoping this “acquisition” will bring some new faces to our meetup. Once again, I consider this the Helping Hands in action.
As I look at the current status of my quest, I’m getting close to four solid booking opportunities for The Destiny 5 Experience. My 60 Day Quest requires 12 bookings for me to consider this quest successful. So a quarter of the way in I’m potentially eight bookings away from the finish line. Say tuned…
Mike
Mike Shoeman
Author of The Destiny 5 Experience
CLICK HERE for The Destiny 5 Experience video…
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
DAY 16: A Flood of Gratitude
DAY 16: A Flood of Gratitude
March 1, 2011
8:07 pm
Your focus truly does determine your reality.
According to many spiritual thinkers, I’m in “the perfect place I need to be.” Yes, my debt threatens to swallow me whole and I’m feeling that more than ever. But the reason I’m in this difficult position is because I chose to be! I choose to live in my authenticity and serve others to the highest of my ability. Yes, this is the breaking point but it’s also the moment masters have described as “playing the edge”. In fact, “playing the edge” is supposed to be one of the keys to mastery. In spite of my Shadow speaking through my ego, I'm committed to generating one year's income within these 60 days!
Then there’s a frightened part of me: It’s the part of me that wants to run back to what’s known as “the world plan”. The world plans states you’re supposed to be a “good boy or girl” and try not to think too much - don't question authority. The good boy gets good grades, goes to college, gets a solid paying job, hope retirement will treat him well and then depend upon the world plan, or the system, to provide for him.
The last remnants of shadow emerge now in the form of my own mother. Please don’t misunderstand me - my mother is a very loving woman who has always loved me unconditionally. But she did place a lot of limiting beliefs into my head. Recently when I told her that I wrote this book and the workshops I’ve created are changing lives her only response was, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
And that hurts - when you have the power to convince almost everyone else your life has purpose and your work is valuable but your own mother says something like that. Throughout my life, even though I’ve brought audiences to their feet, helped suicide survivors understand their illness on profound levels (potentially saving lives), and have written a book that addresses issues on deep psychological and spiritual levels, my mother’s question will always be the same, “Did you make any money doing it?”
No, not yet. But it almost implies that all the wonderful work I’ve done is valueless. It’s hard to take pride in and ask for money when on a near unconscious level you believe that your own mother finds your work worthless. Mind you, it would break my mother’s heart if she read this and she would never consciously discourage me. My mother has always come through for me and I love her very much. This is my own Shadow I must confront in order to truly receive my Helping Hands. If we’re not fully conscious of our Shadow then we close ourselves down. I really just wish to impress upon my reader this isn't about my mother - it's about the Shadow I'm facing in completing this quest.
My Helping Hands have been coming through in the past 24 hours. The “Lotus Blossom” helped me reconnect with a very cherished friend. The “Candle” helped in another business partnership which could eventually lead to serving men who might normally be closed off to the Destiny 5 Experience. The “Chain of Hands” also helped begin a dialogue which could lead to my being able to offer my experience to the disenfranchised and still be compensated for my efforts.
I also received a glowing paragraph about what one participant in the experiential workshops has felt. These all help me to overcome this Shadow.
I have to stop writing now as I’m all of sudden being flooded with gratitude.
Mike
March 1, 2011
8:07 pm
Your focus truly does determine your reality.
According to many spiritual thinkers, I’m in “the perfect place I need to be.” Yes, my debt threatens to swallow me whole and I’m feeling that more than ever. But the reason I’m in this difficult position is because I chose to be! I choose to live in my authenticity and serve others to the highest of my ability. Yes, this is the breaking point but it’s also the moment masters have described as “playing the edge”. In fact, “playing the edge” is supposed to be one of the keys to mastery. In spite of my Shadow speaking through my ego, I'm committed to generating one year's income within these 60 days!
Then there’s a frightened part of me: It’s the part of me that wants to run back to what’s known as “the world plan”. The world plans states you’re supposed to be a “good boy or girl” and try not to think too much - don't question authority. The good boy gets good grades, goes to college, gets a solid paying job, hope retirement will treat him well and then depend upon the world plan, or the system, to provide for him.
The last remnants of shadow emerge now in the form of my own mother. Please don’t misunderstand me - my mother is a very loving woman who has always loved me unconditionally. But she did place a lot of limiting beliefs into my head. Recently when I told her that I wrote this book and the workshops I’ve created are changing lives her only response was, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
And that hurts - when you have the power to convince almost everyone else your life has purpose and your work is valuable but your own mother says something like that. Throughout my life, even though I’ve brought audiences to their feet, helped suicide survivors understand their illness on profound levels (potentially saving lives), and have written a book that addresses issues on deep psychological and spiritual levels, my mother’s question will always be the same, “Did you make any money doing it?”
No, not yet. But it almost implies that all the wonderful work I’ve done is valueless. It’s hard to take pride in and ask for money when on a near unconscious level you believe that your own mother finds your work worthless. Mind you, it would break my mother’s heart if she read this and she would never consciously discourage me. My mother has always come through for me and I love her very much. This is my own Shadow I must confront in order to truly receive my Helping Hands. If we’re not fully conscious of our Shadow then we close ourselves down. I really just wish to impress upon my reader this isn't about my mother - it's about the Shadow I'm facing in completing this quest.
My Helping Hands have been coming through in the past 24 hours. The “Lotus Blossom” helped me reconnect with a very cherished friend. The “Candle” helped in another business partnership which could eventually lead to serving men who might normally be closed off to the Destiny 5 Experience. The “Chain of Hands” also helped begin a dialogue which could lead to my being able to offer my experience to the disenfranchised and still be compensated for my efforts.
I also received a glowing paragraph about what one participant in the experiential workshops has felt. These all help me to overcome this Shadow.
I have to stop writing now as I’m all of sudden being flooded with gratitude.
Mike
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