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Coming Home To Yourself

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Today’s Mind Mastery Daily, my beloved Transformation Tribe is about the journey.

Coming Home To Yourself

No matter what your circumstances of birth, your childhood, your teen years, your current situation as an adult, you are in a PROCESS. You are on a JOURNEY.

Life is filled with challenges and opportunities. Some say they are actually one and the same thing.

It is only our INTERPRETATION of events that make them “problems” or “solutions”.

To illustrate this today I want to share a song that has evolved over the years.

The original version this song, #175, was about the work I was doing in the late 80’s and 90’s healing my life. I was struggling on many fronts.

Physically, I was exhausted and seemed to be unable to digest my food properly.

Emotionally I was full of anger, sadness, fear, shame…you name it I was getting clobbered by it.

I could not for the life of me seem to be able to do anything significant with my music. Couldn’t perform it or sell it or market it or anything other than write song, after song, after song, after song…(that seemed destined to never be heard).

On the positive side of things, it was around this time that I began to add drumming and storytelling to the mix of music that was pouring through me.

Somewhat out of desperation, I began to study energy healing with a woman named Mearah Marqua who was one of physicist and energy healer Barbara Brennon’s first students. I studied with her and a group of other people seeking to heal their lives one weekend a month for about 5 years. Slowly things began to change.

But just so you know, first things fell apart even more!

First I had to lose the 4 houses I’d bought for “nothing down” and sell the Title Insurance business that was killing me…

Bankruptcy and foreclosure. “Failure” some might call it.

Looking back? “MIRACLES”, “GIFTS”, “RELEASE”!

Eventually, step by step (always taking way longer than I wanted :o) the healing began and the thriving and joy followed.

Then as I continued on my own healing journey, it became apparent as I dove into Ericksonian Hypnosis and Neuro Linguistics (NLP) in the early 2000’s, that a slight update was required linguistically to pre-suppose that the healing had already taken place…

You Mind Mastery TIP, is to begin to play with referring to your “problems” in the PAST TENSE.

So today’s Mind Mastery assignment, (should you choose to accept it) is to acknowledge today how far you’ve actually come on your own healing journey. Give yourself a little credit for all the work you’ve done on healing yourself, your work, your relationships, your body, your life.

And then share this song and post with anyone you know who may need some healing support.

None of us are alone in this process of healing even though sometimes it feels that way.

Today, imagine me, surrounding YOU with light, love, support, encouragement and the idea that you are making progress!

Because you are!

The really important thing is just to be fully aware that you can realize the change you’re looking for…

And here’s how

Click the link below to:

Or just leave a comment below 🙂

WDIWOBTYCPI Wednesdays

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What Wednesdays are for…

I don’t know why I did this, but I set up on my white board an intention for every day of the week.

For example, “Mondays are for ME”. I highly, highly suggest you begin to practice a new kind of “Tithing”.
Now before you run to the exits, this is NOT an Evangelical Christian Tithing Sermon…

It IS a Transformational, Mind Mastery Dose of Practical GROOVINESS for your personal mastery mission…

This is about “Tithing” of your time, talent and treasure, but it HAS to start with YOU.

Give to yourself first. This is NOT selfishness. And “Mondays are for Me” is a perfect example. When I take my mondays and really rest, really take care of me and my need for quiet, meditative, restorative time, I have so much more to give to YOU the rest of the week.

So in my schedule, “Mondays are for Me”. You can pick a different day of the week but in my mind, setting aside Mondays for self care and rest is one of the best gifts I can give to the people I love… The entire rest of the week follows… Now many people do that on Sundays, but I work all day on Sundays so Mondays are MY day of rest. (But this message isn’t about Mondays…)

Tuesdays are for TRANSFORMATION… and if you read yesterday’s email/blog post you already know that Transformation Tuesdays are coming! (But THIS message ain’t about Tuesdays so enuf said for now)

But Wednesdays!

WONDERFUL, WEDNESDAYS!

The popular culture calls it “hump day”. The day you get over the hump of the work week and can see the weekend beckoning… And I guess for the cubicle slaves of the world “hump day” gives them some kind of hope… However, I prefer to focus on something a bit different today…

How about… WHY DOES IT WORK OUT BETTER THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE WEDNESDAYS?

W.D.I.W.O.B.T.Y.C.P.I. WEDNESDAYS for short.

What if, every Wednesday morning you started out by writing that power phrase over and over again by hand? And then chanted it all day in your mind?

What would happen if you purposefully and consciously practiced this one little thing every Wednesday?
Seriously! For your own practice pop it into the first person and ask away.

Why Does It Work Out Better Than I Can Possibly Imagine?

Here’s an example: A very dear friend of mine had an ominous email exchange with her boss over the weekend… It seemed so ominous on Saturday that when her boss said… “We have to talk first thing on Monday Morning”… she went a bit into panic mode… and what is pretty cool is that her anxiety response was actually pretty damn productive, she explored the notion that on Monday she would have no job…

So rather than sit around freaking out, she dusted off her resume and reflected on all the skills and assets she has to offer in both the corporate and academic markets and came up with 3 alternative contingency plans so that no matter what, she would be ok with or without her job.

And then? She started breathing, grounding and focusing her mind on:

WHY Does It Work Out Better Than I Can Possibly Imagine?
Why DOES it work out better than I can possibly imagine?
Whey Does IT work out better than I can possibly Imagine?
Why does it WORK OUT better than I can possibly imagine?
Why does it work out BETTER than I can possibly imagine?
Why does it work out better than I CAN possibly imagine?
Why does it work out better than I can POSSIBLY imagine?
Why does it work out better than I can possibly IMAGINE?

And so on… over and over. Heck, I chanted it with her. And I started feeling fabulous as well.
And then she went on to have a fabulous weekend.

Monday, she went in and her boss was completely reasonable, supportive and appreciative of her…
There was no conflict. Just a bit of clarification that had to be talked about in person. No biggie.

Interesting huh?

So you might want to actually put this one into practice. It’s simple. It’s free. It’s accessible anywhere
and it works. It’s also just one of the gazillion mind mastery tools I teach in “How To CRUSH anxiety NOW!”

So that’s your assignment for today (should you choose to accept it). It’s one that just might be revisited on Wednesdays to come.

Why it Works:

It works because it helps to shift your focus, it changes your energy, your bio-chemistry and the presuppositions in the question engage your unconscious mind to filter reality according to the question.

Any thoughts that do not match the presupposition simply get filtered out.

Your Unconscious Mind simply can NOT not filter your reality according to that powerful question. It simply has to accept it and build evidence to verify its truth.

So yeah. It’s actually self hypnosis. If you feel like opting in and joining the Transformation Nation, I’ll send you a link to a full video course explaining why and how this process totally works for you if you use it.

Try it. You’ll like it.

And to support it is a little Transformation Tune I wrote back in 2007…
Song #361 I’m Lucky

or use the handy, groovy player with the horseshoe picture at the top. :o)

That’s it for now.

I love you and I love loving you and I love watching you love yourself more and more each day…

I will see YOU on the INSIDE!

– Mark

p.s. More on the upcoming TRANSFORMATION Tuesdays coming soon!
p.p.s. My new online Hypnosis For PTSD program is available here: Hypnosis For PTSD

The really important thing is just to be fully aware that you can realize the change you’re looking for…

And here’s how

Click the link below to:

Or just leave a comment below 🙂

The Point of No Return

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There is a moment on every journey when you’ve gone too far to turn back. It’s been called ,

“The point of no return”.

It’s that moment of deepest commitment when you realize that the only way out is THROUGH. Since the journey back is going to be just as challenging if not more so, than the journey forward, you might as well go forward.

And interestingly enough many, many people seeking the help of a hypnotherapist or any holistic or medical practitioner for that matter, often voice the sentiment,

“I just want my old life back”.

Sorry. Not only can’t you have your old life back, the truth is you really don’t want it.

You want a better life. A more abundant life, A healthier life, a more awakened, conscious life.

But we are hardwired to cling to our habits and routines, our comfort zone… We fear the unknown. We fear change even though most of us bitch and moan about “the way things are” now.

Don Juan Matus, the Yaqui indian who taught Carlos Castaneda the ideas and practices of the ancient Toltecs of Mexico, talked about the “trickery of the Spirit”.

A sane, sensible person has to be “tricked” into following the “warriors path” and transforming their lives.

Which brings me to the idea of “purpose problem”.

Our “purpose problem” is the thing that bothers us so much that we actually can’t stand to tolerate the status quo any longer. It’s the “burr under the saddle” that just triggers the hell out of us and causes us to take massive action to alleviate the suffering, the pain, the irritation, the misery, the drama, the “whatever is driving you crazy” thing that you MUST change.

No ifs, ands or buts. It MUST change.

When you finally get fed up with being fed up. That’s when you are ready for spectacular growth.

Unfortunately it doesn’t usually feel very “nice”…

In my time last month with Dr. Donnie Epstein he addressed this stage in his 12 Stages of Extraordinary Experiencing.

It’s the first Stage: Suffering.

Of course I wrote a transformational song about it!

Please note that this song is MY interpretation of Donnie’s concept. It also includes a few threads of hopefulness that come in a bit later in his system.

At the moment it is only available in this video. I’ll share the finished song in hi fidelity grooviness at a later time…

Lyrics:

I Will Light A Lamp

Inspired by “Suffering” Stage # 1 of 12 Stages of Extraordinary Experiencing by Donnie Epstein.
Song # 515 | 2/17/16 | Tuning: DADGAD

Disconnected and in despair…
Everything seems beyond repair…
Helpless, hopeless and afraid…
Nothing works and it won’t go away

But I am more than this dis-ease…
I am more than this field of pain
When I accept that there is no release…
That’s when everything begins to change

Refrain:
Suffering is where we all begin.
Breathe the Love in to the wounded place within

Overwhelmed and tangled up in pain
I must stop attempting to explain
Why “what is,” is not what I wish for it to be
When I accept it as a gift…I set myself free

Refrain:

But we are more than…what we think is real
We can’t heal… what we can not feel…
The Love I feel for you caught me unprepared
Because I love myself more than I have ever dared

Refrain:

Bridge: How does the rage of open wounds
Pull us through the night?
How does the Source of countless tunes
Always bring the light?

I will light a lamp for you…. and I will leave it on…

copyright 2016 by Mark Shepard. All Rights Reserved.

as always, I love hearing from you so if any of this touches a chord in you just let me know.

Peace, grooviness, Namaste

– Mark
p.s. your assignment today (should you choose to accept it) is to play with the idea that whatever is causing you frustration, annoyance, discomfort, pain, suffering etc. is actually an invitation to go deep, deep, deep into your transformational healing process. See if you can find the gift, the opportunity, the blessing in this challenging time. Keep in mind that sometimes we are just not quite ready to fully commit to “forward”… and that’s perfect too.

The really important thing is just to be fully aware that you can realize the change you’re looking for…

And here’s how

Click the link below to:

Or just leave a comment below 🙂

Dr. Donnie Epstein: Focus & Meaning

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hh-12-07-donnie-ss3Okay. Here we are.

We MADE IT TO MONDAY!!!

Cowabungah baby!

I LOVE Mondays don’t you?!

(you will by the end of this Thrilling, action packed, “Mind Mastery Daily” Episode)

I have a pretty big story to tell you, which I’m going to just look into the video camera and speak to you. It will flow easier that way… Then I have some thoughts after that with your Daily Mind Mastery “Transformation Take Away”

What you are about to watch is the demonstration of the long term effects of focusing on what you want…

Video:

(So hopefully you watched the whole video… If you haven’t, please go ahead and do that. I kept it as short as possible because I know you probably think you’re too busy to take the time to watch it. But it sets up everything I say below so please give it a shot.   :o)

Ok. So. Yeah, I’m starting to trust this…

this life thing. I’m putting the techniques into practice every single day and they seem to be cumulatively working.

Donnie Epstein said, there are only two things in life we can control.

  1. What we focus on.
  2. And the meaning we attach to what we focus on.

That’s it.

And that’s what I’ve been saying’ for years now perhaps in different words. And what the wizards and sorcerers and Mages and saints and Brujos, Shamans, Medicine Men, and witches (the good kind) have been saying forever.

It is a basic human truth that our culture seems to do it’s best to gloss over or ignore or outright condemn because it’s not good for business.

Most people are miserable and stressed out, so they try to soothe it with buying things that they THINK will make them happy.

But if they just owned their response-ability to make themselves happy at any given moment by focusing their mind on something that actually makes them happy, They wouldn’t need to spend money on something that they don’t need now.

That would really fvck up the economy if more than a fraction of the population actually did it.

That’s why it’s revolutionary.

What if everybody refused to eat meat that was full of antibiotics and growth hormones? Well 80% of the income pharmaceutical companies generate from ALL antibiotics is from factory farming sales… That would be bad for their business model… So they will do everything they can to preserve their income stream no matter what the cost to you or the environment.

What if everybody turned off the mainstream media and stopped the constant bombardment of holiday advertising, not to mention stopped listening to the “bad” news spinners at CNN, Fox News and even NPR?

What if you didn’t have to buy Christmas presents for all of your relatives? And what if they didn’t have to buy any for you?

What if you all agreed to just enjoy each other’s company for the holidays?

Or if you don’t enjoy each other’s company, be able to say with love. “Hey, I love  you AND this year, I’m going to give myself a trip to Cancun for the holidays…  (Just saying’).

So do whatever you want to do but let’s stop doing things that we kind of resent doing. Let’s only do things that we truthfully, congruently want to do.

Otherwise we’ve given away our power, failed to own our “stuff” and placed an unpleasant burden on the other people in our lives.

I used to do things that I didn’t really want to do all the time. I didn’t want to hurt other people’s feelings. and So guess what? I was a fake and a phony. And I was filled with frustration and resentment. Yuck.

Do you want someone to hang out with you who doesn’t really want to?

NO! It’s a drag! :o)

and by the same token, If you don’t want to hang out with me, I would prefer that you go do what YOU want to do. Make yourself happy! When you are happy, you’re a lot more fun to be around. Does that make sense?

Your take away today is to pay attention to where you’re focus is going. Are you focusing on what’s right in your life? or what’s wrong? When we focus on what’s right, it expands. When we focus on what isn’t right, THAT expands.

Are you focusing on what you don’t want? Or are you holding a steady vision of what you DO want for your life? For the people you love? For the planet?

Choose your focus carefully.

This takes conscious attention. And guess what? practicing focusing on what you appreciate and love and are grateful for and desire more of, gives energy to that.

I heard someone a long time ago say, “Feed the Faith. Starve the Doubt”.

Pop that into a Why question and you’ve got something that can actually change your bio-chemistry! “Why do I feed the faith and starve the doubt?”

or even better, how about, “Why do I feed the faith?”

Forget about the doubt. FAH-GET ABOWT IT!

The next thing you have complete power over is to interpret whatever happens as being a perfect unfoldment of events. A perfect gift. “Pronoia” (the opposite of Paranoia), this funny feeling that somehow, some way, the Universe is conspiring to support you.

So interpret everything, every event, every emotion, every physical challenge, every “problem” as something that is for your good. EVERYTHING.

Even tho it may not at first appear to be to your benefit, it IS. And it will definitely be to your benefit if you actually are willing to BELIEVE that it is to your ultimate benefit.

We have the power to choose our focus and to choose the meaning we attach to everything in our lives.

That’s it. The secret to happiness.
1. Focus on what makes you happy. Focus on the fact that you already ARE happy.
2. Interpret that to me that you actually ARE happy. Right Now.

Ok? Got it? Any questions?

Boom! I’ll see you on the inside!

– Mark

p.s. there WILL be a test, there is ALWAYS a test. How else will you know that you’ve “leveled up”?
p.p.s. Here’s a link to Dr. Donnie Epstein’s website.

p.p.p.s. I am gearing up for my best year ever in 2016. I’m working on couple of big ideas for courses and webinars and I’d love to hear what you would like help with in the next year. Got any specific challenges that you’d like help with? Head over to my contact page and drop me a line or two about what personal transformation targets you would like to FOCUS on and turn into fabulous reality.  Contact Mark Shepard

Habit Change

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37057223_mHey Fabulous One, Welcome to whenever you are reading this!

We are continuing to shake up routines today.

So, watch the video first, then read my brilliant thoughts below it…

When people think about hypnosis they usually think about it as a way of changing habits.

And it is. Faster. Easier. Better.

But the majority of people kind of believe in it like its some kind of magic voodoo thing where the hypnotist “makes” them change. The reality is far more interesting. The person who says they want to make the change, will only make the change if they want to make the change.

Smoking is a habit. When people want to quit, they are actually not quitting cigarettes so much as they are retraining their unconscious mind to let go of the habit of smoking.

Overeating is a habit. When people want to lose weight they often attempt to change their habitual way of eating and moving (or not moving as the case may be). Weight loss is more challenging than smoking cessation because there are usually multiple changes that need to be made in multiple areas of your life.

Anxiety is a habit. It is habitual, vivid repetitions, of what you do not want, played out on your internal movie screen. Your body reacts biochemically to the habitual focus on doomsday scenarios and the body needs less and less reminding to create the habitual fight, or flight hormones a pumpin’.

So when I say it’s a good practice to consciously PRACTICE changing things up in very small ways. It’s just one of many ways I’m attempting to give your power back to you so you can stop doing the stuff that stops you and start doing the stuff that will lead you to the health, wealth and love that you say  you want.

So your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to do something differently in the next 24 hours. And then repeat. See what else begins to change as you demonstrate to your unconscious mind that change is actually fun. At the very least it’s more interesting than doing the same old thing and expecting a different result. LOL.

Peace out,

– Mark

p.s. Want to go deeper? Here are a few of my Related courses you might want to check out:

Stop Smoking Dammit!

CRUSH Anxiety NOW!

CRUSH anxiety FOREVER!

photo credit – Copyright: enterline / 123RF Stock Photo