Health & Wellness coaching is an ideal role for nurses

Nurses backgrounds provide a positive platform to build a career as a health and wellness coach.  http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Health-and-Wellness-Consultant  Because I promote natural foods and organic fruits and vegetables I recommend that you also look into this lifestyle that is being adopted by more and more people for ethical and health reasons.  I mention network marketing frequently because it's possible for you to use this model to establish a business from home through the contacts you already have and ones you will meet.  All of the people you want to reach out to with a product that you believe in for yourself, because you use the product and have experienced its beneficial effects first hand, are call prospects.  They are people like you who want to start their own business duplicating what you're already doing it and can teach them how.
http://www.asea.net/  Tonight I looked at this website because a nurse who is a contact on LinkedIn markets these products and was enthusiastic about nurses joining the business or just using the product.  I am health conscious and some people only learn to be when they have encountered a health crisis or maybe like some of you want to broaden your knowledge base about natural health products that can support you, and according to so many testimonies actually benefit health.  It's possible to start with a small amount of capital and build your client base.  Contact the company and explore the options.  As this company was only formed in 2002 there is room to grow and expand as it spreads across the global market.  The Internet makes global network marketing possible for us all and you can build a customer base in many countries.  Asea is based in the US and has recently expanded into Europe.
http://www.youngandraw.com/write-for-us/   Young and Raw is a vegetarian blog that provides information about the benefits of healthy eating and encoura ges those interested in the healthful benefits of fruits and vegetables to write for them.  While this may not start out as a paid opportunity it can become a good marketing tool for you to share with others about your particular products that fit with their market model.  The more you get known, the more people will turn to you for product information and may wish to join your company if they see that you are involved with writing and networking on the web.  Essentially you become a role model for others who may wish to join you in your network marketing company.
http://w3.newsmax.com/newsletters/uwr/video_money_codea.cfm?promo_code=141BA-1  Sean Hyman is an investment expert who is often asked to talk about wealth on the television.  Investing may seem like a remote goal when you are in a position where you don't have an income but you can apply the model he uses for deciding whether to put money into a particular company in the same way that you can use it for deciding about putting your money into a business start-up.  When you have a little money saved see if you can invest it in some way.  This is Biblical and sound to prosper and not let money sit idle and loose it's value through inflation.  It's an interesting video and I hope it adds to your feeling of empowerment about building wealth and being worthy to have wealth in your life for the services you are going to offer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHuNaWrEs70  Tony Samara talks about how worry zaps our energy and learning to recognize when you slip into the worry mode and feel the energy drain is a step that happens because you are becoming more conscious.  It a process that happens and there so many areas that you will notice you either react differently or see things differently because you are connecting your soul with your Higher Power through meditation.  Meditate for at least an hour a day and two and a half hours if possible.  Joyti Meditation is meditation on the inner sound and light and instructions and other resources for your spiritual learning can be found on this site http://www.jyotimeditation.org/
Plan your day with lots of positive activities like researching areas that you would like to work in or what kind of business that you would like to develop.  When you wake up center on your Higher Power and if it helps keep a picture by your bed.  Positive energy will help you stay focused and motivate you to organize your day and set your goals into motion.
http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Mark-Nepo-Poems--Reduced-to-Joy-Book/4  Oprah has been walking the walk and talking the talk like life was a line dance.  It comes so naturally to her that she draws to her the exact inspirational resources that give her inner power a boost and because she is an overflowing cup of grace and enthusiasm she naturally can't resist sharing the gems with others.  That's another sign of a spiritually alive person.  Lifting up the lives of others is part and parcel of one's own spiritual development.  I will also be adding the inspirations of Maria Shriever whose mother Eunice was just like this gifted spirit who is like the saying says 'the apple doesn't fall far from the apple tree.'  These ladies have a lot to offer us as we come together in community to heal, re-establish our goals in life and move forward with support.
My very best wishes are with you as you move forward with your life.  Many nurses are moving ahead with you and taking this time as an opportunity for personal growth and spiritual development.  That is my wish for you so that you will achieve your dreams and create a new life doing the things that you love to earn money.
Rita.

Use worry to work for your good.

Emmy Lou Harris and Mark Knopfler have sung some amazing songs together and I like the lyrics to this one about worry...sunshine always follows the rain...

We are all prone to worry in times of stress and particularly for those 'nurses undergoing state board discipline.'  There is a kind of worry that we know is prompting us to take action and be proactive.  An example would be the worry that comes with facing charges and finding a lawyer.  Once you have put a plan together and have it written out on how you are going to bring the resources you need together focus on the present.
The kind of anxiety that actually is real and represents some sort of threat to our integrity and safety is one which can be dealt with by taking the right kind of actions.  Then there is a tendency that challenges most of us and that is to dwell on negative thoughts that cause fear and apprehension and that's where it takes effort to control the mind.

Eckhart Tolle has been endorsed by Opra because he is magically simple and is able to teach us worriers how to let go of all that drags us into the future dark tunnels of our minds and helps us to anchor in the present which is a reality that we can know for certain.  Stay focused in the present and make those steps which you know are needed and then go back to the present.  I personally find it useful to write a to do list each day and organize those things I have to attend to then let it go.  Remember that when you give all to your Higher Power you can be assured that answers will come in forms that I have found far more intelligent than I could have planned on my own.

Dr. Dennis Waitley PhD has coached athletes and hooked them up to biofeedback equipment that gave the exact same reactions and measurements for individual's whether they were running through an event in their mind or actually participating as an athlete on the field.  Such is the power of our minds and we can harness that power by being mindful about where we allow it to wander and what kind of energy we allow it to generated.  We can claim, peace and tranquility; enthusiasm and vitality; any of the positive states that through the law of attraction will draw positive people and circumstances into our lives (or not.)  That is why it is important to keep track of your thoughts and thus your emotions because the two go together like a horse and carriage.

Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act 2013
The act clearly spells out that key stakeholders i.e. patients (always first!)  payors and Medicare will gain from providing the right number of registered nurses per patient load and population.  In more acute situations such as ICU the ratio per patient:RN will become 1:1, whereas on an acute care floor it should be 5:1 which has been researched and written about by the University of Pennsylvania.  Please share this information with your State Representative and make your vote count for improving the safety of patients and work environment for RN's.  Of course we are sensitive to others who work with RN's as team members such as technicians and nurses aides and I hope conditions will improve for them also.

Lilian Too and Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lilian Too

I have been attentive to my environment no matter where I am and always try my best to keep it orderly and clean and to follow some of the principles of Feng Shui.  Today as I walked along the riverbank I saw a boat moored on the opposite bank called 'Lilian Too' so I decided to invite you to look at her web site and see what appeals to you.  What draws me to her work is the simplicity and clarity of her presentations that are easy to follow and understand.  Lilian attributes her success to her Teacher Lama Zopa Rinpoche and I would encourage you to explore his teachings.

Catherine Ingram is a clear and candid Teacher and I remember an important point she made in one of her talks in Berkeley, California.  She said to listen and learn from a Master then decide which parts to take into your life or not.  For some there may not be one special teacher but a potpourri of Masters that have different appeals to the individual.  I personally have one Master and find his teachings work for me as I have experienced exactly what he teaches.  It has meant leading a different kind of life and accept what comes with an attitude of 'Sweet is Thy Will O Lord.'

Money is important and I am glad that you will approach this realm of life through your Higher Power to support you and help you develop this strength just as you have developed the strength of knowledge for instance in your work as a nurse.  With that in mind it is important to recognize that these are physical needs and they can be manifested through the power of your intention and where you direct your focus in your life.  But this doesn't take you to the higher realms of spirituality and for that I believe you need a Spiritual Adept or Master who Initiates you and takes you on this inner journey.  It goes back to the four goals of life that one can achieve: health, knowledge, wealth and liberation. 

H.H. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj uplifts the lives of many and brings a message of peace and hope for humanity.  We can be part of the earth's healing by working on ourselves through meditation and positive thinking as well as vegetarian diet.  Peter Singer has advocated for the rights of animals and when I talk about the law of attraction I want to be very clear that you cannot attain a high vibration that is pure and full of Love and Light if you consume dead flesh.  The meat of animals that are killed and have lives that can be only compared to a life of hell.  Be aware of the cost to your purse and health and what you are engaging in ethically at every step you take in life.  Live a life that is full of peace, love and harmony.  One Saint has said 'Why make your body into a graveyard!'  

My very best thoughts are with you as you transition into a new career and deal with any issues or charges made against you to clear your license.  You are not alone and as part of a group you can feel uplifted by others prayers and well wishes for your success.  Please make efforts to form groups and network locally.  

Please feel free to contact me lawrencerita511@gmail.com

By learning from others who have been successful it is possible to do so also.

10 Tips for First Time Entrepeneurs  As a nurse undergoing a state board investigation or discipline it is important to take the first steps to make money in business.  You will hear from people who will doubt you and tell you why it won't work.  Everyone that I have read about in business has experienced the same thing. The situation you now face really is a golden opportunity to step into a business and earn more money than you could ever have done as a nurse.  As you move forward with your life read books and scriptures that give you confidence.  I recently moved and just as I was waiting to leave the town where I had lived for the past year I read a sign on a church billboard  'Whosoever trusts the Lord is kept safe.'  Proverbs.  It felt like an affirmation for me and there is a  serendipity: the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.  Once you embark on the spiritual path answers will come out of the blue and you will notice things around you more and see the connection to your life.  That's how it works.

I took the advice of a spiritual Master in the mid nineties about being careful about what we allow to come into our awareness through our senses.  It is important to still the senses and that can be done through positive thinking and meditation.  If you overhear a negative comment, step away and consciously cleanse your mind of that input.  Just like you would 'reset' a computer.  A friend of mine who is a Christian, Jimmy Ezzell has a television in his home (hard to avoid with children living at home,) but the news is never put on.  Why?  Because the news programs are full of stories that are upsetting and negative.  Be aware that there is a frequency to every sound that comes your way and it can be either uplifting or not.  Jimmy  always reads positive books and shares that inspiration with everyone.  He has challenges too and I read a recent post on face-book where he shared how difficult it can be to be disciplined and make those cold calls and everything else that is necessary to do to make a business work.  The Secret has quotes from past great minded people whose thinking and influence are valuable today, because positive thinking works.  Read through the list and learn from those who were able to master their mind and negative thinking and realize their dreams.

Meditation is the most important spiritual practice.  Tony Samara has some excellent videos that can help you learn and gives instructions on Third Eye Meditation.

Oprah Winfrey introduced Eckhart Tolle to viewers and can been seen here interviewing the author and teacher.  This is the kind of reading that is important to become familiar with because it will help you to transform into positive thinking and avoid the tendency to identify with the negatives of the situation.  Always take the high road in every situation.
My very best wishes are with you as you move forward with your life and see positive things unfold as you transition into earning money through a different means by opening your own business.
Please feel free to contact me Rita Lawrence

Private sector offer programs and services that are cost effective for licensing and overseeing medical professionals.

CATO Institute The CATO Institue has an excellent article by Professor Shirley Svorny, Chair Department of Economics, California State University.  She writes "One version is that state licensing of medical professionals assures quality....licensure not only fails to protect consumers from incompetent physicians but, by raising barriers to entry, makes health care more expensive and less accessible.  Institutional oversight and a sophisticated network of private credentialing and certification organizations, all motivated by the need to protect reputations and avoid legal liability, offer whatever consumer protections exist today."  She goes on to highlight the need for state legislatures to use caution with medical professional organizations "...be alert to the self-interests ...that may lie behind the licensing proposals brought to the legislature for approval."  

In The National Audit Office, England www.nao.org.uk presented a report to Parliament in November 2003 on the annual cost of exclusions which was twenty nine million pounds.  They found that if exclusions were over within six months an additional fourteen million pounds per year would be available.  

Managing investigations (21)

The report called for a written letter to the clinician within two weeks informing them of the charges and discussions with the accused staff.  A systemic approach would identify weaknesses in the work environment and thus taking the full focus of the investigation off the clinician.  Accountability would be broader for the organization and others involved and could help to improve the system.

Nursing Residencies

USAtoday raises concern about the large exodus of new nursing graduates stating 1 in 5 quits within the first year.  The best practice outcomes for retention called the Versant plan (2004) VersantPlan has been implemented in 70 hospitals in the US.  Baptist Hospital, S. Florida has experienced a drop in turnover rate from 22% to 10% in the 18 months since it was initiated.  The program for new graduate nurses costs roughly $5,000 per year whereas recruiting and training a replacement nurse would cost $50,000.  I believe this program will appeal to hospitals because of the return on investment.  The new graduate nurse would observe a rookie nurse for eighteen months then roles are reversed and a 60-item check list is completed.  

However, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing are considering a standardized transition program which usually lasts only 3 months with classes along with shadowing a preceptor nurse.  Then the nurse is left on his/her own and may feel overwhelmed by situations that call for a more experienced nurse to help handle. 

The national nursing shortage is predicted to reach 500,000 by 2025 a concern expressed by Professor Peter Buerhaus, Vanderbilt University.  David Williams is a policy writer for Dr. Kevin.com  http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2013/02/nursing-shortage-good-time-nurse.html and he is sceptical about the nursing shortage predictions.  He finds it curious when new graduate nurses are unable to find work despite the outcry by academia about the nursing shortage and wonders if perhaps nursing schools benefit.  

I am excited to find Dr. Svorny's writings on licensing and credentialing which could be overseen by the private sector and it seems that hospitals are taking a conservative and responsible approach in selecting nursing residency programs which will hopefully be tracked and linked to future investigation/disciplinary actions. 

My best wishes are with all nurses undergoing state board discipline.  I will share information about licensing and encourage those who have been charged by the state board of nursing to look on this event as an opportunity for self-growth.

Positive thinking is key to drawing the resources you need:

Napoleon Hill was a positive thinker and successful businessman who said "Opportunity has a queer way of stalking the person who can recognize it and is ready to embrace it."  The Rev. Ian W,F. Hamilton writes on the topic of contentment.  He advises to practice to "give thanks in all circumstances," as St. Paul taught. When you are able to praise God and feel it in your heart - the Bible says that God will listen to the bird songs and babbling water brooks ~ so let Him hear your heart felt prayer.  Paul said "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation."  He'd known what it was to be deprived of food, clothes and shelter, and had been beaten and imprisoned many times.  Know like Paul, you are safe in God's hands despite evidence to the contrary. 

The Law of Attraction:

I recommend meditation so that you will connect with your heart and soul and spend time listening to your Higher Power.  As you do so you will develop intuition that will guide you.  Deepak Chopra says "The true solver of problems is intuition, not reason."  John Assaraf writes in "The Secret," "We're all connected.  We just don't see it.  There isn't an "out there" and an "in here."  Everything in the Universe is connected.  It is just one energy field."  

(p.162)  ...negative thoughts about someone else will return to harm only You.  You cannot be harmed unless you call harm into existence by emitting those negative thoughts and feelings.  You have been given free will to choose...negative thoughts and feelings [separate] yourself from the One and All Good.  

...The Universe is the Universal supply and supplier of everything.  Everything comes from the Universe, and is delivered to you through people, circumstances, and events, by the law of attraction...When you emit the perfect frequency of what you want, the perfect people, circumstances, and events will be attracted to you and delivered!!

Please feel free to contact me at lawrencerita511@gmail.com

Doing what's best.

Sometimes people are afraid to speak up because the fear reprisals.  This fear comes from the feeling that your are alone in your struggle.  It takes time for people to stand up one by one and add their voice.  The power and confidence comes from within as you learn to trust your intuition and gain confidence in your ability to move ahead with your life.  Each day you will have doubt it is only natural for your mind to wander and think of negative scenarios.  The realities of existing through the ordeal of undergoing state board discipline are real.  As I mentioned yesterday Amanda Trujillo is about to loose her home and car.  In the US it is essential to have your own transportation because there aren't public transport services available to cover the wide areas and distances.  Amanda is finding it difficult to find employment.  Nurses are licensed to be advocates for their patients and expected to actively intervene if a plan of care isn't in the patient's best interest.  Following this guideline Amanda none the less has found herself defending her license for educating her patient about the option of choosing hospice rather than having a liver transplant.
Florence Nightingale said "Let each person tell the truth from his own experience."  I hope that nurses who are undergoing state board discipline will soon reach out to others and share their experience.  In isolation silence prevails but in community the volume goes up and up!  I encourage nurses to use the acronym NUSBD and join in groups through www.MeetUp.com and support one another.  Share experiences and help each other learn what is working for you and what is not.  Learn about local resources and where to go for advice in your area.  I'm with you in thought and spirit, but of course it would be impossible to link you to all the resources you will need but together you can.  Although it may be cold and bleak on the inside and outside the sun always will shine through!  Like the wagoners travelling through the wild west did bring the circle together and stay tight!

Florence Nightingale also said "How very little can be done under the spirit of fear."  Don't let others intimidate and make you feel shamed.  I have found through personal experience that it is better to involve as many people and agencies as possible for when things go public they tend to change.  If fear rises and you can feel this energy in part of your body like the abdomen and chest area (solar plexus is the term for this energy center) you will have to note your thoughts and how this thinking made you feel and change the thoughts to positive ones.  Breath deeply and feel the inner shift once you infuse your mind with positive thoughts.
Daily affirmations are hugely beneficial to having a positive mental mindset.  Write down three positive affirmations of your own or use this example to begin with:
I am worthy of defending my rights and having legal representation.
I bring qualities of goodness and dedication to serving others and that will continue.
I trust in my ability to adapt and earn money in whatever form of occupation I choose.
Repeat your positive three times daily for seven days.
My thoughts and prayers are with each and every one of you to reach your personal goals and grow in self-knowledge and inner strength.  I recommend a daily practice of meditation, journal and vegetarian diet.  I personally practice yoga because it brings inner and outer fortitude.  The exercises alone are beneficial and the connection that comes with the body and soul is something to be experienced if you want to learn to know yourself.
www.TonySamara.org has meditation instructions for those who would like to learn.

Daily quote

"Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars.  You have to let go at some point in order to move forward."   ~  C.S. Lewis

Isaih 54:17 "No weapon formed against me shall prosper.  And every tongue that rises against me in judgement You shall condemn.  For this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord."



This passage from the Holy Bible was very powerful for me during the time I went through an investigation and the process to be cleared.  I met an African American Pastor during that period and she used to sing this passage and rock with it.  There was not standing still and it was a very powerful exercise not only physically to move and be in motion with the words but it sinks in deep and makes the connection with the mind, heart and body.  Try it and see for yourself.  Of course you can use any quote that is meaningful to you.  Sharing what has helped me will help those of you who have felt the despair that is natural but you can shed the negativity through using this positive affirmation.
I will post a daily quote each day.  As I have shared I have only just begun to stabilize and have difficulties still.  I wanted to spread my roots so to speak and focus on writing and supporting nurses undergoing state board discipline.  I want you to know that prayers and positive thoughts are with you to add the intention to your struggle that you will overcome the obstacles ahead.  Unlike a charge that would be brought before a criminal or civil court where you would be considered innocent until proven guilty, when faced with the State Board of Nursing you are guilty.  The process will take time and you will have to stay with it each day until you move through it.
Take care of yourself and know that others are in the same boat and can connect with you during this time.  You can use the acronym NUSBD (nurses undergoing state board discipline) to find connect on www.meetup.com  You have to do the local organizing yourselves and I send my very best wishes to each and every one of you as always.
lawrencerita511@gmail.com

Trust in your ability to get through the process and be happy.

In the West we have great value for justice and people's right to work and yet I see a trend with nurses who go through the investigation and disciplinary system with the Board of Nursing unable to get these rights met. People often prejudge nurses who are put under investigation resulting in being marginalized in their personal as well as professional lives.  Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) has recently posted information regarding how the system works for most people who are ten times more likely to be tried by an agency than a court.  The rules are different as information is withheld from the person who is accused.  Many nurses are unable to pay the fees for legal representation or are unaware that they can and surrender their licenses.  The fear factor plays an enormous part and if they are unused to being approached in a manner which is forceful from my own experience they succumb to their fear.
I have a more positive vision for how this process can be done if nurses will stand up for themselves and their right to protect their license and ability to work.  Rep. Tony Shipley (R-TN) has recognized that there is a need to protect licenses and he passed a law to have the SBRN report to a committee within 74 hours of any suspension or revocation.  This means that the agency has then to explain and provide grounds for this level of intervention.  I will be interested to see if there are changes in the number of licenses that are suspended or revoked since this law was passed.  He also introduced a law which has the SBRN report any fines over $1,000.  For most people this is a lot of money especially during a time of crisis and not being able to earn income.  Most of the state board of nursing websites do not report fines but ones which I have visited have fines ranging from a few hundred dollars to ten thousand!
I advise any nurse to contact his/her MP or State Representative to disclose the charges and how you were approached.  All details are important for politicians to learn how the process is handled and the impact it has had on the individual nurse.  Many I think are in fear and are shamed by being on a list that is mailed out to all license holders statewide.  For most people this type of public humiliation is overwhelming and degrading.  I encourage nurses to come out of the corner and be strong and confident in his/her ability to go through the process and stand tall.  Florence Nightingale shone a light and I want you to keep shining yours. Florence Nightingale is considered the Mother of Nursing and in fact did not want licensing bodies.  Perhaps seeing a powerful establishment that is removed from the realities of nursing practice which would not have been the case if those responsible who were closer to the nurse and environment in which he/she worked were decision makers.  The trend for revocations has increased over the past five years and with the present care setting it is unlikely to reverse.
Some practical and supportive advice for nurses undergoing state board discipline:
1. I always have to make it clear that I have great faith in One Creator and to turn to the One you know and call Him by name to assist and guide you through the process.  Sometimes it is during times of stress and personal challenge that we become clearer about our relationship with God and rely totally on Him to help us through a crisis.  This is your time to learn that and accept who you are and trust in your ability to draw upon this inner strength and power.  Don't let go and give up but know each day you will go a little further and deeper because the Power that you are drawing from is far greater than any human factor.
2. On the metaphysical level see the situation as being of equal size or smaller than yourself and breath deeply to abate any fear.  Learn to enjoy life with this hanging over your head because you will learn to trust your ability to move forward.
3.  Fear is about as negative an experience as we can experience and it doesn't serve us at all.  We are far removed from the evolution of man when the fight or flight mode of response reacted as quickly as our knee jerk response does today.  We have a higher brain and if we retrain our thoughts to pause and train our mind to think positive thoughts we shall be less likely to continue to feel fear.  Write down what you think and if that is true.  Ask yourself what your Higher Power's teachings are for the content of your thinking and what he/she would do in the same situation.  Pray and write down what comes up from your inner intuition about the situation and rest assured that you are being guided.
4.  I highly recommend that nurses connect by way of www.meetup.com  Mother Teresa said that it is better to connect person to person than to wait for leaders.  Studies have shown that supporting others improves well being through increasing certain hormones.  Once you befriend someone you can share the experience being mindful to make sure that you don't disclose details that should be kept between yourself and your lawyer.  Perhaps small groups will be able to help stabilize any nurses who are more vulnerable because of the investigation period being prolonged for instance.  It will be interesting to hear from nurses and share stories about how lives are changed and uplifted because of this experience.  Transcendence is always possible despite how tragic and stressful the situation is.
5.  Make sure that you do the very practical things that will help you survive the process.  Legal advice and representation is a must and researching for a lawyer who is specialized in license law is essential.  Keep a notebook with you to got down any information where ever you are is helpful to your case.
6.  Rest and relaxation are important.  I recommend that you meditate daily.  There are instructions on the website that I follow that I find works very well www.TonySamara.org  Attend Church or any other type of spiritual meetings you are draw to.  Take up yoga which helps to relax the body and gain an inner equilibrium.  Walk in nature and enjoy time in solitude.  Perhaps you have been used to being around people everyday and now find that you are alone.  Turn the experience into a positive on by viewing it as a time for self contemplation and journaling.  Keep a daily journal and note thoughts and feelings that arise.  When a negative thought arises jot it down and the feeling that you experienced.  You will then become aware of how negative thoughts bring you down and start to have positive thoughts.  It's a choice we have and we can either be unhappy and feel bad or work on ourselves until we get it right.
7.  Sleep is necessary and I recommend that you don't turn to pills to make you sleep but rather set up a routine such as bathing before bed and drinking hot milk which has a natural sedative.  Daily exercise should help make the body tired and ready for rest also.  You can meditate as you are going to sleep and that helps focus the mind and let it calm down.  Repeat the name of God inside and focus your attention between the eyes.  You will find the instructions on the above website.
8.  Don't worry, be happy should become your motto.  Repeat it as you walk around.  Feel and believe that you don't have to worry and feel the difference when you choose to be happy!
My thoughts are with each and everyone of you are you learn to adjust and stand up for your right to defend your license and work.
Please feel free to contact me lawrencerita511@gmail.com as I am always happy to hear from those who are undergoing state board discipline.  Always in my heart and prayers.

Think twice, it's not alright!

I think pictures of Jesus are awesome!  The dog feels perfectly comfortable in His presence.  What's wrong with that?  I will tell you in this blog....

The alarms have been sent out by several people in the health professions regarding conditions in the care settings and still the latest news from The Nursing Times announces an almost 1,000 reduction for the number of NHS nurses each month.  Conditions are improved with optimal nurse to patient ratios of 1:5 and the public needs to start demanding this level of care from their politicians for this to be mandated.  Please support nurses by contacting you State Representative or MP.  Mother Teresa said "Don't wait for leaders, do it alone, person to person."
Dr. David Drew had an untainted 37 year track record with the NHS and then found himself accused of "Gross Misconduct and Insubordination."  UHHHHH!!!!  What happened here?  His first occurrence that he was given a warning about was wishing a colleague a "Peaceful Christmas,"  and an email containing a quote by St. Ignatius of Loyola "To give and not count the cost."  To me this reflects these two examples reflect his good character and ethical principals.
He reported a consultant for discharging a baby with questionable injuries, who was killed by his step father a week later.  Then there were his complaints about inadequate staffing levels on the units and poor heating.
Sounds to me like he should have been commended not fired and have his license revoked!  Doesn't equivocate to gross misconduct and subordination but maybe felt like a pie in the face to the administration who didn't seem to be able to manage the operation of the hospital properly.
Maggy Hayward was presented with 46 charges following her revelations about the state of affairs at the institution where she worked as a nurse.  She had taken her complaints and documentation to the appropriate people but the abuse continued.  She eventually shared some video tapes with the BBC.  Her license was revoked and reinstated four years later.  She was awarded "Nurse of the Year" in 2008.
Kim Holt MD of Patients First was recently listed as one of the most influential women.  After being the target of bullying with an investigation denied but bullying was her experience when she tried to raise the alarm about unsafe conditions at a London hospital where she was employed and fired.  She went to the press with the story of her struggle to get changes implemented before Baby P (Peter Connelly) was killed in 2007.  Dr. Holt draws attention to the problems whistle blowers face and how the NHS respond with money to silence employees.  In fact 400 employees have been silenced with fifteen million pounds over the past three years.  Sounds like a chunk of change to me and could have been best put to use in paying wages to nurses.
I support nurses undergoing state board discipline because we live in a society that is built around the values of justice.  Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) has stated that a citizen is ten times more likely to be tried by a government agency than by a court.  We need to take note of this fact and whether things could be changed for nurses and doctors who are investigated.
Rep. Tony Shipley (R-TN) has taken stock of some problems with the TN SBRN and passed laws to oversee nurses related to suspensions, revocations, and fines.  Please ask your state representative to connect with Rep. Shipley and duplicate these two laws in your state.
My very best wishes are with you as you go through the process of an investigation or discipline.  Your mental outlook is hugely important and it's important to keep a positive frame of mind.  Always think positively and meditate daily.  Please check earlier articles for links that you may find helpful.  You will grow because of this experience and remember that it helps to uplift yourself as well as those you reach out to so join together in groups and support one another.  I recommend using www.meetup.com to connect.

Motivate, motivate, motivate and turn trouble into a platform for abundant living...

I believe that nurses can adapt to alternative careers and actually make more money than they could have in nursing although money is not the main motivator for going into the nursing profession for most.  "Money is important" is one of the most clarifying statements I have ever heard and it was said to me one day be a friend and someone whom I have respect for Jimmy Ezzell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yBFZDPcJtk  I encourage you to take the time to watch his video and others on the subject of marketing and selling.  He will "fire you up" and help you to develop the personal skills necessary to adapt to the world of marketing health products for instance.  I happen to know Jimmy and because he is a good Christian family man I think that he's a good mentor for those who need to adapt to new ways of earning money.
There are times in life when you will have to do what you have to do to make it through and it won't be easy but don't give up.
Many of the best motivators say that success is hiding around the next corner after you have been through a period of defeat and struggle.  Many also speak about the process involved in the struggle to success as a process of inner growth and strengthening through which you come to know your true self and connect with the more positive and higher aspects of our being or soul.  It then becomes a journey to be embraced and as you transition from lower negative energy that can make you have feelings anger and resentment over facing investigations and discipline, you will actually like to let your life unfold and follow the way to a lifestyle and way of earning money that will be a joy to you.  It may take time and if you view your efforts as stepping stones to a greater goal you won't get caught up with labeling the efforts that don't work out as failures.  Remember that every effort you make will be supported by Grace if you allow it to be and draw in that Grace through trust in yourself and your Higher Power.  I will always include spirituality in what I share with you because without God, Consciousness, Creator or whatever context you have for Him, remember Him in all that you do and ask for guidance and protection.
I have moved to the UK from the US because I could stabilize here because the government had benefits that I could survive on for a while.  I have managed to become more independent over time and hope to be completely independent in time.  My goals are around writing and publishing.  I will also have some videos for you to watch and hope that nurses will follow my lead and as the song from Oklahoma said "Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again!"   Meditate daily by sitting quietly and closing your eyes.  Focus your attention on the space between your eyebrows and watch whatever is before you.  Repeat the name of God that has meaning for you and you will find that once the mind is engaged with repeating God's name it will be stilled.
Let your friends know what business you are doing if it is sales for instance and ask them to buy products from you.  If you need help with what kind of business to start find out which ones offer entrepreneurial classes through your local library.  They will help you develop your ideas and translate them into a business plan.  I mentioned ways to fund a business in my last article and your can also find other resources through the Small Business Association.
Having the time to explore your potential is a positive thing and it's now up to you to make use of this time to broaden your horizons.  No one can limit your talents and your ability to earn money.  Show people your true character and rise up to the occasion and set the personal development steps you need in place.  Being able to transcend difficulties is something we have to learn and it comes down to having a positive attitude.  I recommend being very selective and conscious of who you associate with.  Make sure that you surround yourself with positive and supportive people who are motivated and don't sit around and say negative thing.  Words are extremely powerful and you want only to speak what you want to actually manifest and influence your life.  Always says good things about others or like your mother would have told you don't say anything at all!
I mentioned Jimmy Ezzell at the beginning of this article because he is someone who is living his dream and he once shared with me that he doesn't watch the news for instance because as we all know it contains mostly negative stuff.  Like Jimmy, read motivational books and spend time contemplating who you are and what life is about.  Journal daily and weed our your negative thoughts and behaviors like weeds in your garden as Jim Rohn my favorite leadership coach would say.  It's all about personal development and spiritual development.  Before you can know God you have to know yourself.  They go hand in hand.  Remember the stepping stone to spirituality is ethical living and that means being true to yourself also so do the things that are meaningful to you.
Perhaps like me, you have felt as a nurse that too much of what we do to help people actually is driven by the pharmacological industry and if you keep up with the news Kline, Smith and Glaxo is in the news again for unethical business practice now involving sales in China.
Children are often identified as ADHD after six years old when they enter the school system.  It's always a puzzle to me why teachers don't have to have a minor at least in psychology.  They need to know things like learning theories as Bandura outlined and how to motivate children and use behavior modification techniques in order to empathize and identify emotional problems in children.  There are four categories of learners for instance (Visual, Audio, Tactile and Kinaesthetic.)  Doesn't it sound likely that the learners who are visual (most of us are) don't get their attention distracted and can learn without other aides getting bored and labeled?  Like the saying goes "Those who think they know, don't know..."  Unfortunately the mental health system is too engaged with pharma and children pay the price.
I do hope that you will look at this apparent catastrophic event of having a state board investigation or discipline as an actual positive opportunity to pick your self up and start out on the most abundant and powerful course your life could take and seize the moment.  Don't let anyone rain on your parade!  You are unique and you have the power within to overcome any obstacle with God's grace.  Keep your inner energy or vibration high by constantly being grateful and having positive thoughts.
Please feel free to contact me lawrencerita511@gmail.com
My very best wishes are with you always, Rita

Make an inner shift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXtywJ_ozyY&list=PL428FDAA90A7E67E4&feature=endscreen
When a life changing event takes place such as can happen to nurses as well as doctors who get caught up in  circumstances in the work place as many are finding in the Mid Staffordshire Trust for instance.  I have often heard nurses comment that there aren't any other places to work when they were asked why they thought the nurses stayed when conditions had deteriorated to the point where families were holding vigils outside to show their concern over the lack of care of their loved ones.  This shows me that nurses must develop more moral courage and take the chances that may be needed to get out of dangerous working situations.  It might mean patching together some temporary assignments and figuring it all out as you go along, but the worst thing to do is freeze and stay when your inner intuition must be screaming for change.
We have many warning signs around us at times but refuse to pay attention because the mind will give us all kinds of answers.  Learn to go into and connect with your heart and listen to what you really want and really need to do for your life.  I hope that you are not part of a bigger investigation as the Mid Staffordshire Trust where the Police force have been called in to investigate for criminal liability on the part of the staff involved.
If it is a matter of money and fear of not having any if your leave your current job watch the above video and work through the blockages that are causing you to feel that you will not be able to provide for yourself.  Do an on line search and sign up for mailings about job opportunities form nursing agencies.  Have your resume up to date and send it out to those agencies that have the placements that you want.
Keep a folder for copies of letters of recommendation and past evaluations.  School reports with course content can be helpful also.  Stay organized and the more you can showcase your talents the stronger your appeal will be.
I have emphasized in the past the importance of developing spiritually as we are spiritual beings and that is where your power lies.  Find the right path for you.  This week I reconnected with someone I got to know in California who has developed a world wide following now and she offers practical advice for living without and bigger religious context.  I will share this link so that you can begin to see the work that you need to do inside.  http://www.dharmadialogues.org/ Catherine Ingram's Spiritual Teacher was Indian and the other person whom I have found interesting is http://www.tonysamara.org/  Tony studied with Buddhist Monks during his adolescents and later with Sharmans.  You have to find the kind of teachings that blends with your soul and will help you heal and make sense of what happens in life.  Not that there will be a concrete conclusion to your search but an inner expansion and knowing of what is right for you, what is beneficial to hold on to and what is better to let go of.
I hope that you are coping and do not be pulled into negativity because of others judgmental attitudes toward you.  Keep writing down positive affirmations and repeat them at least three times per day and feel the shift inside as you practice.  One example is:  I have the capability to deal with life's problems and remain calm and steady inside... When faced with problems I am able to mobilize and pull together the support and resources I need... Life has its ups and downs and I like everyone else must go through them and this too will come to pass.
Please feel free to contact ,elawrencerita511@gmail.com

The positive side of the coin...Change.

Most of us want to feel secure and know what life is about.  We build up a false sense of confidence based on what we think we are and miss who we really are and who we are becoming as we go through various changes.  Because we are inclined to want to control it's hard to fathom that it's okay to let go and let life take its course even when things get way out of control as is the feeling when there is a State Board Investigation.  I don't mean to say that you don't focus your attention and access all of the appropriate resources but find a space within yourself that says "It's going to be okay no matter what the outcome."  Sit back into the situation and try to relax.  You are navigating, or learning to navigate through an unknown legal system and naturally you will feel overwhelmed.  Try to envision the situation in the same proportion to your own size or another difficult circumstance in your life that you had to overcome.
I believe that a new life can result when the old one is cleared and sometimes this is what happens in life and there is no use in wasting your efforts in struggling against what is to be.  This quote expresses the right frame of mind to approach the change you face: "New beginnings often disguised as painful endings."~  Lao Tzu.  Know that there are infinite opportunities for personal grown even if a halt or end comes to your professional grown in your chosen profession.
Spend time journaling and reflect on your interests which might inspire you to take courses to prepare for another profession.  Make an appointment with a college counselor and take an aptitude test to direct you toward an appropriate area of study.  Be open to the changes and take the steps necessary to earn a living in another field.  Perhaps you are an entrepreneur and would benefit from a meeting with the Small Business Administration or program that inspires new business owners in your local university or community.  Do some research on line and spend your time constructively.
Write a list of things to accomplish this week and expand your horizons while dealing with the legal matters at hand.  Don't feel too overwhelmed to go on with your life because time is ticking by and your future will slip through your fingers if you hold your breath and wait.  Sometimes the State Boards will hold up a license for a very long time even though no action is being taken.  Be proactive and succeed.lawrencerita511@gmail.com

Focus on your intention

It is when I have to face daily challenges and overcome obstacles that I learn more about myself and my capacity to see situations through different prisms.  You have to be chrystal clear my teacher used to tell us about everything in your life.  God likes order and when we are aligned with His will in our lives we can achieve what we set out to do.  Have you noticed how much is coming out of the darkness and into the light these days?  That is because there has been a shift in the public awareness about corruption and how the government operates.  Remember the late Senator Stevens from Alaska who took his case to court following a trial about corruption.  He was able to present evidence to a Judge that the prosecutors in his case had actually been lying and this upset the Judge who exclaimed that in all the years of service he had not been lied to like this!  I believe that he was not as attuned to corruption as he is today and that is a similar trend with all of us.

The government has protection from being sued called sovereign law except in special circumstances and my bet is that the Senator found someone who made a statement about what was being done to criminalize him that was not legitimate.   I admire the Senator from Alaska and his family for standing up for their lives and reputation.  My teacher used to say that when a problem seems so immense that we feel overwhelmed by its power over us bring the problem into proportionate size as ourselves.  Also on the spiritual path there is only room for love and there is no fear.  Love to me isn't defined as a rag doll response to issues in life but a robust and confident response that reinforces your personal power and respect.  Gandhi is a role model whom I admire for his tenacity and ability to rally the forces against oppression.  I often like to use his quotes on http://www.Twitter.com/Langata145  You are welcome to follow.  Always remain positive in your thinking and outlook because "The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible." ~ author unknown.

When you have an issue in your life that you need to pursue be chrystal clear about your intention and meditate where you will find the answers come to you inside.  For example recently I have owed money to a lawyer and forwarded information to their collection person about a nursing agency that I had worked for in the summer that had not paid me.  The check was sent in the mail immediately and I then took it by the law firm office and signed it over to them.  Another check that was sent from my brother in law was not honored by him after my mother's death who had given it as a birthday gift.  My brother has lost the sight in one eye due to my sister punching him and I have kept in touch with him on a regular basis and informed him that that check is at the lawyers office for collection.  Responsibility is the ability to take action in any situation that takes your personal power back from those who would like to make you a victim.  That is responsibility in a nutshell.  The choice is yours.

My intention for today is to focus on correspondence and linking with key players who have been involved in a case that I have been dealing with for the past two years.  I always believe in the saying where there is a will there is a way and will is something that I have been writing about lately.  Stick to your guns, reload as Sarah Palin says and don't ever let anyone make you a victim.  Your personal power is the same power that makes up everything in the universe and that is the Power of God!  Don't diminish it by throwing away your self worth like pearls under the feet of pigs.  Take responsibility for your self respect, love and power today.

My background is in mental health and I now work as a professional coach.  I take clients who are committed to spiritual growth and incorporate their spiritual self into all aspects of life.  Their is no duality.  Please feel free to contact me at lawrencerita511@gmail.com

This is your life - make it happen!

During my adolescents I used to watch a program on television with my mother called "This is your life!"  Each program had guest who was public figure or celebrity.  It was a kind of "roasting" with friends and colleagues who surprised the guest by airing funny little secrets to the public.  It was a good hearted program and it made me think about what life could be like for me.

As a Professional Life Coach I realize more and more that our life goes by very quickly and we can be forever looking at our lives as though it were something on a television screen that will be eventually turned off. 

It becomes clear to us to get up and do something that will change our life and make it into something that we want it to be.  There is risk involved and it can be like free falling.  I have never done anything like bungee jumping or sky diving but in essence when you let go of all that is familiar and soar into the unknown it is similar. I can understand what our restrictions can appear to be like during various stages of family development when there are children to care for that may outweigh our freedom to take risks.  When you are ready you will know and seize the moment when an opportunity presents itself in your life.

Take the necessary steps to prepare for whatever endeavors you are interested in and when opportunity knocks you will be ready.  Always plan and keep your heart and mind on what ever success you want to bring into your life.  Mine has been helping people since I was a little girl and I observed nurses taking care of my dying father.  I am now at a point in my life when I can do other things and that is why I have chosen Life Coaching.  I no longer ascribe to pharmaceutical remedies and like to motivate and promote health life styles as a prevention to ill health.  Diet is a focal point and I ask those who work with me to become vegetarian and develop a regular practice of meditation.

When you are seeking to expand your opportunity to earn income start by building your networks through social network sites like Twitter.com and Facebook.com  When you have a product or service that you would like to build start a business page on Facebook and join similar groups to yours on LinkedIn.com  It takes time to build a following but once you have an interest in your work you will be able to take your particular business to the next level.  Forbes.com has some information on the necessary licenses etc. that you need for a start up business.  There are software programs for developing your website or you can join a free website and go from there.  From my experience it is best to build the social network groups first and then use the website as a place to connect all the groups and offer a fee for product/service.

Always start with yourself and where you are.  If you feel fenced in by circumstances don't think that it excludes possibilities for creating an ideal lifestyle.  Your responsibility as a parent comes before all else.  Write your dream life out on paper and specific goals that you can achieve.  If you cannot see the goals being met in the foreseeable future then write something like "when I can."  Keep this in a special place i.e. with your Bible or by a picture of Jesus or your Higher Power.  Everyday read over your dream and work on the things that you can do.  It might be steps like taking a particular class or setting up a savings account for a future business.  Do something that keeps the dream alive.  Make a special prayer for your dream.  Make each word a positive statement to draw positive results.  An example may be as follows:

Today I bring myself into the work place with an open mind and an open heart,
I welcome everyone I meet as someone whom I see Jesus in (Higher Power)
People like to do business with me because I always go the extra mile and love to serve my client's needs,
I am happy to make my customer's lives better through the product/service that offer from my heart
I spend time getting to know about my clients lives and when a particular problem arises I can offer a wealth of solutions
My God blesses me and all that I have contact with.....

You can use this prayer as a guide and tailor your own prayer to your own design.  Know that your life is under the divine guidance of our creator and we have lessons to learn while living and blessings to receive.  Everything has a season and if there is a time lag know that what you are waiting for to happen will be even better than you first anticipated.  Learn patience.  Meditate and eat vegetarian foods.  Monitor your thoughts.  Always have positive thoughts and if you keep a journal you will be able to improve your minds habits that have been holding you back from the success and abundance that is your birthright.

I am going to attend a talk tonight by Jimmy Ezzell who is a great business and leadership mentor about NutriRain a product that I hope to promote and to incorporate into my work.  Find a Coach who can show you how to develop the right attitude and embrace life to the fullest.  Make your life one that is expanding your horizons and your capacity to create streams of wealth.  Look after your health.  Napoleon Hill said that there could be no success without health and I think that's right.  Think about it.  You can adapt to almost any circumstance but it is an extra burden to try to rise up and achieve your goals.

Please feel free to contact me via email: lawrencerita511@gmail.com
Follow me at Twitter.com/Langata145
Be blessed.

When life throws you a curve ball!

Life has its ups and downs and it's at times when we feel that we are between a rock and a hard place that God shows us the way out.  This has happened in my life repeatedly as I have encountered situations where there has been animosity and negativity.  I am an avid reader of the Investors Business Daily column "IBD's 10 secrets to success."  The number one tenant is "How you think is everything: "Always be positive.  Think success, not failure.  Beware of a negative environment."  How you respond to this information is your choice however for me negativity is the first and foremost reason why I distance from people.  Dr. Wayne Dyer's quote explains how to create abundance in this way "Abundance is not something we acquire.  It is something we tune into."  In order to receive positive energy you have to avoid the negative.

In my personal life I have been dealing with a legal situation with the Kansas State Board of Nursing and for this reason I have not been working in a regular capacity.  Staying with a friend who is as Democrat as I am a staunch conservative has been conflictual.   Republicans believe in the sanctity of life and limited government.  As Jefferson said - the larger the government the smaller our liberties become.  With the elections coming up I believe that my friend is allowing her controlling nature to stop me from voting in the upcoming elections for which I registered but was never given my voting card that in all probability came in the mail.  I have been yelled at!; "forgotten" to be picked up from the library in the late afternoon; told frequently that money is a household issue; certain items that have been purchased in the past are no longer on the grocery list i.e. tea.  A month of house sitting has been my only break although I have applied for various non-nursing jobs none have materialized. 

My work as a Life Coach is the most pleasing to me and I look forward to making more on line relationships so that I can expand my business and for that I have need a web site.  My friend agreed to drive me to a suburb of KC to the home of a couple who belong to Science of Spirituality.  I have travelled with them to visit our Spiritual Master in Chicago.  They are an Indian family who work in the IT industry and have a beautiful home and children.  The lady had left my friend a message inviting her to a program as my friend had been initiated by our Master in Sound and Light Meditation.  My friend played the voice mail tape saying that she and her husband couldn't understand a word that was said!  Because most of my communication with the public is done via the web I had wanted to use my video camera and headphones more and planned on taking them with me.  I have few things in my room where I stay in my friend's home and had kept a small cotton tote with my audio and video equipment inside a larger cardboard box.  When I left the house on Friday  tomorning the bag was inside the box.  On Saturday morning the tote and equipment was nowhere in sight.  I checked through the bag with laundry and another bag of clothes and even inside a suitcase.  Nothing!!  My friend who was sitting in the front room of her home when I told her about the missing equipment told me that my cat had pulled the door open on Friday morning and had gone out into the house.  I said that it was a "supernatural" act as I had a suitcase full of clothes in addition to a wooded magazine rack on the mat which I slid from under the door to securely close and prevent her from opening it.  When my friend denied any knowledge of my misssing bag I said that I would have to report it missing to the police so that if anyone used the equipment on line it could be identified by its serial number.  She reluctantly gave me the keys to the car as she said that she didn't want to go with me to my Indian friends.  When I returned she asked me with curiosity whether the bag was grey with a zipper to which I was able to positively affirm that it didn't matter about the equipment because my friends would gladly let me use theirs.  I was able to release the situation completely and whatever negativity was being created had been turned into a positive situation.

I stay in my room on Sunday's and could hear my friends voice which was loud and gregarious on the phone with a tone of triumph as she perhaps expected me to "discover" my mistake in putting my equipment in my laundry then announce to her that I was sorry.  No such thing took place!  And today I carried the equipment with me to the library and will keep it with me at all times just as I do with my lap top. 

There is another creepy thing that has happened several times - she came across a pair of my "skivvies" (underwear) around the house!  I have never had this kind of thing happen before and I have felt pressured even more to leave but with the job market like it is that hasn't happened.  Up until the past few nights her husband would announce loudly in the hallway that he was going to bed which was hard to ignore even with earplugs.  During the month I spent house sitting my friend made several announcements about their new bed and at one time I had an opportunity to tell her that I was a spiritual person and that I don't share my energy intimately with anyone.  They are controlling and have an agenda that they are not able to express openly because they are not able to deal with confrontation.  

I called my brother in England early this morning who has said that I could live with him.  Then I had a message on face book from a friend who sells a product that I love and wanted to know whether I was interested in developing the business with her.  Of course I am but I had been stuck because it takes money to make money.  I know that this is an answer to my prayer and that I will have somewhere to stay and make money and create the life that I want - one of financial abundance and a lifestyle that is centered on spirituality, health and fitness and being close enough to visit with my daughter and baby grandson once in a while.

I haven't been able to get away from the negativity until this point and now God has given me a chance to be in an area of health and wellness with a product that is absolutely the best and with a friend who is just about as positive as you can get!

If life throws you a curve ball just let it happen and keep focused on what you can do to rectify the situation.  I have found the most benefit from a regular practice of meditation that keeps me connected with Source and replenishes my soul.  "Ruin and recovery are both from within." ~ Epictetus - philosopher.  You will find the strength within to guide you through difficulties and by keeping your own state or vibrations positive you will attract the solution you need for your particular problem or circumstance. 

Sometimes we have to work through our karma and this concept can be viewed differently through the lens of various religions.  "Our deeds follow us, and what we have been makes us what we are."  ~  John Dykes, clergyman.  That is why spiritual masters tell us to watch our thoughts and actions because we will have to pay for them either in this life or the next.  Be mindful and limit your exposure to negative people.  I enjoyed a story about a goat that was about to be slaughtered when it suddenly laughed then cried.  The man with the ax asked the goat why he did this and the goat replied I laughed because this will be the 500th time that I have been beheaded.   The goat went on to say God had told him that 500 beheadings would cleanse him of his own karma of slaughtering that many goats when he was born as a man.   Then further explained, I cried because you will have to pay for the karma of beheading me. The man then told the goat that he was not going to cut his head off and would in fact protect him from being killed.  The goat said that it futile because of the law of karma, there was nothing they could do to change it.  The goat went to graze on the rocky slope of the hillside.  The goat was immediately struck by a sharp rock that cut off his head. I would like you to consider being vegetarian and looking to nature as part of our own being in God.  Someone shared on face book that the cheetah she was pictured with is dear to her and that she considers his company "Darshan," which in the East means being in the company of a saint.  We have the same consciousness with animals as we do our own soul and that is expressed as love. That unconditional love that we can so easily share with animals and that they give to us.
In conclusion the main focus of your mind and heart should be geared toward the positive.  That includes thoughts, people and any business that you wish to earn money through.  Keep your body as pure as you can through drinking pure spring water.  Although I have not purchased this product yet I recommend that you check http://www.kagenwaterdoctor.com/ and treat your body to the best and cheapest medicine - water!   Read scripture and meditate daily to connect with your soul and God.  Listen to your own inner voice and don't compromise what it right for you by conforming to what isn't.  Walk away from what is wrong and abusive and God will direct your path.  Christ said shake the dust from your feet and that is how you should be with anyone who disrespects you.

I am a Professional Life Coach and welcome your comments and feedback.  Please feel free to contact me for a free consulation at: lawrencerita511@gmail.com

Being pulled back by the past.

Most of us have the feeling of being pulled back by the past.  It may be memories that are sweet and full of the magic that made an aspect of our lives more vivid.  Such as attending a beautiful ceremony, listening to an opera with a great tenor or something that captivated our soul.  Most of us however, are drawn back into the past because we feel the longing to complete an aspect of our lives such as a broken relationship.  Unresolved conflicts with loved ones who were cruel to us that we hang onto because that pain has found a perfect home within us and it's easier to keep a feeling that is familiar than learn how to clear the negativity from our consciousness.  They don't have to exist because quite simply they don't exist any longer.  It is your minds propensity to drag you down that never ending spiral of negative emotions when we start to recall the past.

It is not a blocking, denying or suppressing that I am talking about.  It is an inner clearing and recognizing when negative emotions grab our inner soul and turn our inner experience into one of pain and anxiety.  When you go back into a bad memory all of the emotions associated with the occurrence are rekindled and the more you allow your mind to take you back the faster the experience will recreate and the more intense the feelings.  The reverse also true.  Once you are able to clear inner negative junk that has accumulated from past experiences through meditation and other spiritual practices such as prayer and mantra repetition called jappa you will be able to monitor your inner state and immediately recognize and respond when negative thoughts occur or a negative feeling attaches itself to your inner state. 

Set aside at least half an hour daily to meditate.  Choose an area that will be undisturbed and keep it clean and prepared for meditation.  As you sit there and meditate regularly the energy or power that you tap into in meditation will accumulate thus making it easier to go into meditation.  Please see my Youtube.com meditation tape for instructions.  Your mind will come up with all kinds of reasons why not to meditate and when you sit to meditate it will chatter and your body may ache.  Let it all take its course as it will eventually go away as your heart becomes lighter and full of love.  The heart rules the mind and you are in control of your mind and emotions.  It takes a disciplined practice to walk the spiritual path but your choice is to stay at the level of pain due to spiritual contraction or to follow the teachings of liberated Master's who can show you the way.  When I taught adolescents in a detention center how to meditate I used the analogy of what it's like to keep walking into a brick wall and then realizing that life can be approached differently.  It's up to you when the time is right you will want to change.

Things that you can do to focus your mind on positive things when you wake up is to keep a picture of your higher power by your bed so that you connect visually with that Being before you have time to think of anything negative.  Repeat the name of your higher power or mantras that you have been given by a Master.  Breath deeply and easily and thank God for the new day.  Gratitude is an uplifting spiritual practice.  One practice that I have done and found beneficial is to picture my Master's feet above me in the shower.  In the East the feet of the Guru are conduits for God's power or Shakti to pour out to the devotee.  That is why Indian's touch the feet of the master and some worship the sandals or padukas that represent the Guru's feet.  Know that you are being cleansed of all past actions as the power of the Master's feet flow down to you and all negativity's are washed away in the water from your body.  Grow in silence.  Learn to be quiet with God.  That means not having the television or radio on even as background noise.  The more you are silent and the less your senses are pulled outward the more you will connect with your heart.

If you have a particular issue with someone that is causing you inner distress try to go inside and ask yourself to identify what it is that needs to be resolved.  Journal after meditation and what that you experience in meditation will come up if you need to work on particular issues.  Try to resolve problems with relatives and friends and if they are not open to discussing the issue then you will have to pray and release them from your life.  You cannot win every person or battle in the way you would like to end things.  People can have control over many aspects of your life.  They can steal your money for instance or try to do you out of an inheritance as has happened in my family but they cannot change how I respond with detachment and love.  This Power that we possess likes to be in harmony and if people cause disharmony it won't be something that we can live with.  Especially as we are developing on the spiritual path it is good to stay in good company with others who are also on the spiritual path.  For enlightened Master's they can handle the bad karma and energy of people.  Learn to be protective of your own Power.

Your diet is a key component for your spiritual development.  Choose foods that are full of life and have the energy giving force in them still.  I have often seen people eat vegetables that look wilted.  How can that possibly charge your cells?  Become mindful about all that you expose your body to.  That means buying clothes and products that have not been produced by way of harming animals.  In the health food stores there are many organic products that are non-animal tested.  Be aware of the harm caused through dies.  I am a nurse and a patient told me that his great toe and bone became infected due to wearing socks with a dye that got under his toe nail.  If you can wear organic cotton socks with natural dyes.  Gradually your consciousness will want to choose these things for now be mindful and decide what you can give up.  If you can eat only vegetarian foods.  If you buy animal produce Wal-Mart buys from farmers who allow the animals free range.  Buy locally if possible from farmers markets and select the heirloom fruits and vegetables.  The usual store varieties and genetically modified and there are questions about the risks to our health.

Be gentle with yourself.  Learn to structure your day and keep to routines.  Cook for yourself instead of eating out and enjoy the simple foods.  Rest and keep to a regular sleep pattern that will support you spiritually as you meditate and connect with your heart and higher cortex of the brain.  You have been used to responding to emotions that can be brought under control.  Keep to the practices and you will reap the fruits of your efforts because you will have the Grace of your higher power to support you.

Please feel free to contact me at: lawrencerita511@gmail.com

Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile!

Just like the song that was sung by soldiers in WWI we to can tell ourselves to smile at our wold and sing a merry tune as we step into our bright future.  Keep your chin up and put energy into your stride.
In a recent post I outlined the role of core beliefs a system of structuring how we view ourselves and the world.  Our future will either be bright or not depending on where we stand with ourselves and how transcendent we have become.  For instance a person who believes that they don't stand a chance of success in life because of circumstances beyond their control may become despairing and view themselves as incapable in a world that is rejecting.  A 42 yo French man recently swam the English Channel without the aid of arms or legs.  In '07 he "J'ai decide de vivre."  (I decided to live,)  and started to do just that by parachuting out of a plane.  He realized that no matter what others thought or said about his limitations it was up to him to live his life to the fullest and not be defined others.  We can all relate to that awareness when living with emotional pain and self pity becomes too much of a burden to bear and we find ourselves hedging toward a different destiny.  One that we are co-creators of with God.  God loves us and has a plan for our lives no matter how bleak it may seem in our own estimation.  Your life is a guarantee to find the freedom you want.  You will be the road map for others who will come behind you.  Another story I heard was of a football star who was made famous overnight in the NFL league.  He had been working in a grocery store stacking shelves and practicing football until the big break came.  That is what I mean by co-creating.  You have to do your part and be ready to move up to the plate when God calls.

Core beliefs I mentioned are "I'm not pretty...I'm dumb...I'm not lovable...Nobody likes me...I will never amount to anything..."  We can all tag our story line on to these open ended phrases because we can muster up blame and pin the responsibility for our own unhappiness and lack of success on someone else.  When inmates reflect on their crime and the pain that they have caused they often do so in a self pitying way because they don't want to take responsibility for their wrong thinking and actions.  There is no room for blame!  If your mother tried to abort you, a class mate in graduate school mother had done causing her deformity or if your mother took medication that resulted in deformities you will have to accept that fact and decide to reach out to others and not stay in the space of blaming.  Blame only keeps you stuck and you are likely to wallow in self pity and never grasp the chance to use your talents and discover great things about yourself and the world around you.  Inmates who have committed serious crimes such as the murder of a mother and two beautiful daughters in Connecticut in '07 speak loudly about the disregard these two brutes had toward a loving and happy family.  Their thoughts of unspeakable lust and greed robbed others of their right to live.  There comes a time when someone has been unable to correct thinking and behaviors that result in harm.  In the case of these two murderers they deserve to die.  Goodbye to the chance of restructuring thinking and shaping healthy core beliefs and the world will be closed to those who do others harm.

Once you identify a particular core belief and a thought arises or an assumption is made in relation to your job for instance you can start to mentally challenge yourself.  It might be a core belief that tells you that you are not good enough for a promotion and that your boss is looking for someone from outside your department instead of you.  When you break your thinking down, you really have no basis to believe what your mind is telling you.  Instead prepare yourself by rewriting your resume and buying a new suite for the interview.  Review all policies and procedures that you might be able to discuss to your advantage during an interview.  Spend time and money on your personal appearance: manicure and pedicure, facials, hair color and styling.  Go to the best places for your polishing up!  Read books on subjects that will add to your skill in an interview and that will make you better at your job once you get it.  List your best qualities that will make you the best candidate for the job.  Take extra courses or enroll in college for a higher degree.  Don't let opportunity slip through your fingers because someone way back in your existence told you something that wasn't true.  Dr. Ben Carson who is a world renowned neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD.  Hopkins is the most prestigious hospital in the US.  Dr. Carson shared his own story about growing up in the East side of Baltimore which has mostly socioeconomically undeserved people living there and mostly African American.  He was brought up by a single mother and almost failed fourth grade.  Yes I mean it!  Don't let others define you.  You have a purpose and God has a plan for you so never ever give up for people who don't care about you anyway.

My Spiritual Master has a form which he gives out to new initiates and asks his followers to send it for him to personally review.  I believe him when he says that he will read them.  During my visits to see him in Naperville, Chicago he spends hours with us as a group outside the time he spends in formal talks.  He absolutely emphasizes our value and self worth through empowering us with his attention.  My first Spiritual Master decided that it was time for us to do the work on our own and was available to us through Internet programs and books and through our love and devotion for her we still received her Grace.  No matter what it is in life if it doesn't feel right for you don't hold on and let other's again define your path or worry about what will happen.  It was God's will is for me to move on and remember with sweetness and gratitude all that I have learned.

This kind of thinking is what I am talking about.  It is taking the high road.  Even though the events leading up to my leaving my first spiritual path were unfair in my estimation I know that ultimately good came from it because I am with a teacher now whom I feel totally aligned with.  He believes and teaches vegetarianism and asks us to consciously consider what animals have to suffer in their lives to become our food.  He also asks "Why do you want to make your body into a graveyard?"  I have been a vegetarian since 1986 and I can understand how clean plant sources are by comparison.  He also discussed the absolute truth about the sanctity of human life by saying that the soul begins at conception.  Actually it is before conception that God knows us and our names are written on the palm of His hand!  There is no room for blame or bitterness on the spiritual path and why waste time on anger and resentment?  We have all experienced how uncomfortable those emotions make us feel.  Choose to take the high road and let people do or say what they want.  We are like stones being tossed about on the river bed.  As we are able to take the tumbling and move with the current of the river we end up where we are supposed to be and smoothed out our rough edges.  Be patient as you are going through the process.  Since I have used the metaphor of the river I am reminded what my friend Lottie Rose used to say: "Don't push the river!"  She said it so emphatically with her German accent!  She also said "Life always turns out well for those on the spiritual path."

In review challenge negative assumptions and turn them into positives for you.  Work on changing your core beliefs and always make them affirmative and positive.  Phillippe who swam the English Channel at one time thought that such a fete was out of the realm of possibilities for him.  Be the best you can be and keep working on it.  It's character building to get up and have the guts to do what others told you you couldn't do.  It is happening in politics today with Christine O'Donnell (R) Delaware and she will have to show them what she's made of and believe that she can do it! 

Our thoughts are like radio waves that go out into the ether's and continue to circulate, so be careful what you send out!  It is like a mind waste dump out there!  Negativity is contagious so why not send out positivity and uplift yourself and others?  Your mind will believe what you think.  Meditation is the one sure way to clear the inner psyche of all past events that have formed us up until now.  Start where you are.  When you sit for meditation you can make an intention to overcome negative thinking.  Repeat everyday and it will go.  Think positive thoughts and read positive books like Napoleon Hill and The New Testament.  Remember to pray and constantly recollect God in your thoughts.  Once you are seeped in thoughts about God and His goodness you won't really have any room left for negative thoughts.  Keep a journal and write your positive and negative thoughts down that you experienced during the day.  Reflect on what happened to get you to respond negatively and re-empower yourself through recreating the situation in your mind before you go to sleep, but this time make the ending positive.  Moving forward with your life means challenging your comfort zones through education or whatever area of life is calling you to expand who your are and create new potential.  It will involve letting go of some goals and setting new goals that face you in the right direction.  Use your intuition because it is not a mental exercise with prescribed ingredients to make the pudding come out just right, thus the saying "the proof of the pudding is in the eating."  Whatever you have put into action will have inevitable results.  Don't be afraid to risk in order to try something new.  It's a leap of faith.  It is like letting go of one rope that you have been holding onto and grasping a new one that you will hold onto as you swing into action.  You can envision a scene from Tarzan.  Be ready to take the jump away from a secure branch into the air and know that you can trust yourself to take the rope and have a safe landing.  Set an intention and make that absolutely clear.  An intention is how the goals are going to bring you to a better place in your life.  An intention may be that I will be a stronger leader for others...I will have a lifestyle that is comfortable.  Write the goals to help you achieve your intention.  Be clear and write specific objectives.  My goal is to reach three new clients and sign them on this week.  Objectives will be posting blogs, writing comments and tweets, continuing groups Spiritual Life and Bright Future and starting BlogTalkRadio.  Make your goals measurable.  By X many days/weeks/months I will have X$, Xclients, etc.  Financial goals are what you want not what you think you can achieve.  Don't limit yourself in the wealth generating area of your plan.  Make your money making return on investment HUGE!!

Don't talk about or judge others.  Instead stay absolutely focused on yourself.  My Teacher once said we can have all the zeros in the world but unless we put a one first they don't mean anything.  After practice you will recognize your thoughts as soon as they occur and switch to positive and uplifting ones.  Just like changing the channel on t.v.  Especially in the work place don't repeat things about other people because it isn't a beneficial thing for you to do.  You will have to get used to transcendent living and taking the high road in all situations.  That means not accusing others of taking that you believed you were entitled to.  In Europe there is a saying "Noblish Ob liege!"  Practice this in your life with grace and allowing for others to be where they are and whom they are.  Don't get dragged into the gutter over petty things.  Learn to be noble.  You can do it and you are the very best at what you do!

Please feel free to contact me:  lawrencerita511@gmail.com