Personal development

I Can: The Secret to the Life You Want

/ Susan Hanshaw / 10 Comments

Worry is nothing more than holding mental pictures of things you do not want.

–from I Can, by Ben Sweetland

I found this passage yesterday in the very first self-help book I ever bought. I can’t remember when or where I got my copy of I Can. All I know is that it is the 1978 edition of the book originally copyrighted in 1953.

The memory of this book came to me as I was thinking about my dreams for my work life and fighting the doubts that were darting through my mind. It was as if I was wrestling with what I knew I believed about my own potential and possibilities intellectually versus the doubtful thinking that seems to come so naturally. I really do believe I can do or be anything. But why does it have to be so hard fighting off the demons trying to tell me otherwise?

Can you relate?

How to Conquer the Fear of Not Being Good Enough

/ Susan Hanshaw / Leave a comment

Don’t be afraid to let yourself be guided by the dreams and visions you have in your heart. These dreams represent your potential, who you truly are at your core. The fact that you have these dreams is evidence that they are attainable, even if they seem too good to be true.

What if something really does feel too good to be true?

Ask yourself one question. Is it too good to be true for anybody, or just too good to be true for you? This is an interesting question, isn’t it? Why should any idea be too good to be true? There is something about being human that leaves us wide open to questioning whether we are good enough. Why is it that we can muster up so much more worthiness for our family, friends, and neighbors than we can for ourselves? Just like we need to believe that we can reach something before we stretch our arms for it, we need to believe that we are entitled to something before we dare to begin to take the steps toward it.

Steps to conquer the fear of not being good enough:

  1. Look at yourself with compassion from the inside out and ask, what is really not good enough?”
  2. Look at your intention. Is it to do something that is good for you and your fellow man? Is so, ask what’s not to be good enough?
  3. Don’t compare yourself to others. Allow yourself to see that you bring your own unique gifts and experiences that make you different.
  4. Remind yourself that when you are being who you truly are, you are way more than good enough. You are in your right place. The process of getting from Point A to Point B may feel like it pushes your buttons of competency, yet that’s very different from your being good enough.
  5. Remember than absolutely nobody is perfect. Life itself is meant to be an experience that we learn and grow from.

Quantum Physics 101: A Lesson in Compassion

/ Susan Hanshaw / 6 Comments

http://innerarchitect.com

Imagine that somehow you were forced to sit in a science classroom in the earlier part of today, and you learned that you are energetically connected to everything that is alive. Would that change your view of the role you play in this world?

Chances are that you did not go to science class today, but that doesn’t change your opportunity to revisit your world view and the role you play. This tidbit about your connection to all of life is true, according to evidence brought forth by modern day quantum physicists. Furthermore, they tell us that we are constantly exchanging energy back and forth with each other. Consider it a cosmic game of catch, but instead of a ball, we’re throwing around our thoughts. Imagine that.

As these understandings rise to the surface of our cultural consciousness, gone go the days when we can pretend that what we think or say about others or ourselves doesn’t have any impact. That’s like thinking that throwing acid in the reservoir isn’t going to affect our drinking water.

Someone close to me has been very challenged in “getting his act together” for the past couple of years. It’s so easy for me to listen to his stories on the phone and make judgments that produce energy that feeds what he’s doing on his own. Yet this evidence of our connected energy has made me so much more cautious about the power of my thoughts, and I now feel a greater need to be morally responsible with them. What are your thoughts?


Where is Your Mind?

/ Susan Hanshaw / 4 Comments

http://innerarchitect.com

I learned something this week that has made a significant impact on how I view my relationship to life. Your mind has no specific location in space.

I first came across this fact while reading an interview with Dr. Fred Alan Wolf, a physicist and National Book Award writer who conducts research on the relationship of quantum physics to consciousness. Then as I probed the idea further, I discovered that Buddha held the same philosophy. In an article sourced from the Surangama Sutra, Buddha is quoted as saying this to a number of people who had gathered to hear him speak:

“If the mind is then within the body, it would be acquainted with the inner parts of the body itself. .. But how is it then, that we never meet a man who is able to see his own internal organs? That the mind is located within the body cannot be maintained.”

Very interesting stuff here. A Course in Miracles led me to understand that I am not my body and that I am connected to the source of life. Metaphysics taught me that I connect with my creative power through my mind. And now I’ve been led to the further understanding that my mind exists outside the confines of my body. I know there is a significant story building here, yet I haven’t quite wrapped my arms around it yet. So if you’re interested in exploring this concept with me, stay tuned. And if you have more pieces to add to this puzzle, I’d love to hear them.


The Zero Point Field: Science and Spirituality Intersect to Highlight Greatest Discovery in Personal Development

/ Susan Hanshaw / 6 Comments

Lynne McTaggart, award winning journalist and author of The Field and The Intention Experiment, has discovered the “holy grail” of personal development through the convergence of science and spirituality. This discovery is the result of her quest to identify an explanation for homeopathy and spiritual healing. So important and intriguing are McTaggart’s discoveries, I feel that they have the potential to change our world—provided we do our part.

Those of us who have studied A Course in Miracles have been taught of a universal connectedness to God that flows through all of life and of an illusionary world that we have created which is founded on the belief in separation, scarcity, and fear.

How interesting that scientists have produced evidence which shows that a field of energy exists that connects everything in the universe, and that each one of us is a part of this energy. They call this field the Zero Point Field. Furthermore, the evidence suggests that we are each like a wave of pulsating energy that is constantly interacting with this field of energy, and that we have the capacity to direct our thoughts to change physical matter. This sure seems to me like two versions of the same story; one is the spiritual law and the other describes the laws of the physical forces. Could this possibly be the mechanics of God that we’re now studying?

I find this subject so exciting and I could go on and on, but I’ve got to stop somewhere. If these ideas intrigue you, I invite you to join me as I explore them more this Wednesday evening on my ACIM Gather Radio segment, Science and the Sonship from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm Pacific time, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm Eastern time. Meanwhile, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

http://innerarchitect.com

Are We Paying Enough Attention to Our Own Evolution?

/ Susan Hanshaw / 2 Comments

http://innerarchitect.com

In the summer of 2001, I lost my little best buddy, Mindy, to feline lymphoma. Mindy had been by my side when my husband left me for another woman, and was my travel companion while we boarded the airplane that would relocate us from New Hampshire back to my native San Francisco. I was extremely sad when I lost my furry friend of twelve years. Her death inspired within me a curiosity about what happens to souls who make their transition to the other side. Somehow I hoped to understand more about where she was so that I could feel a stronger sense of connection to her. So I began to read a bit about near death experiences.

I don’t profess to be an expert by any means through the dabbling I’ve done on the subject of near death experiences (NDE’s), yet my personal belief is that there is so much more value in what is reported back than we give weight to. As I have come to be a more serious student in learning the truth about the energy behind life and the life creation process, it blows me away how much the various branches of study seem to intersect at the core. Quantum physics aligns with the theories of metaphysics, and metaphysics principles offer a low level version of the manifestation process that has been described by those who have visited the other side. They seem to be reporting the same vital points—that we are all connected by the energy that is the source of life and that we are each encouraged to participate in the co-creation of life through our thoughts.

The more incidences I discover of how the various branches of study confirm one another’s findings, the more significant I perceive this data. We’re at a point in history where science and spirituality are coming together and the majority of us are not even paying attention. We are learning that through our minds we are powerful beyond belief, but somehow the mainstream has yet to accept these ideas as legitimate. So many of us just let our power, and the freedom that comes with it to create the lives we desire, fall to the wayside. How unfortunate. I am, however, convinced that something will happen to enable this to change. After all, this is the evolution of our world that we are experiencing. These understandings have risen to the surface not to be ignored, but to be utilized in some way.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this.

The Ageless Recipe for a Rich Life

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I was preparing for a wedding ceremony that I was to officiate this past weekend when something very powerful hit me. I was mentally reviewing the passage that the couple asked me to give as their reading. I had read from 1 Corinthians 13 many times before, yet this time its message struck the core of my being. In particular,

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.”

What hit me was that I’ve been on a personal journey the past couple of years where I’ve been hanging myself out there on exactly these three virtues. They have been the staples which have been my companion on what some people refer to as the road less traveled. They’re the commodities that have replaced the paycheck that came with a job my heart lost interest in. They’ve proven themselves as the key ingredients in the recipe for authentic, peaceful and joyful living.  Here’s how they are blended in my own personal recipe:

Live from a foundation of faith that believes that life is always unfolding for your highest good, whether or not it looks like that on the surface.

Hold tightly on to the hope that whatever you desire in your heart is possible if you believe in it and in yourself.

Approach the world through the understanding that you are always surrounded and supported in a powerful energy of love. You have nothing to worry about.

Thanks for visiting. I very much hope you will embrace your own gifts of faith, hope and love.

Best to you,

Susan Hanshaw
susan@sanctuaryforchange.com

Tips for Maintaining Positive Energy

/ Susan Hanshaw / 2 Comments

(video length: 49 seconds)

In my article, Creative Energy in Motion, I talk about the significant power of positive thoughts in helping you to manifest whatever it is that you desire. I received an excellent question about this idea which reminded me of just how powerful this principle is. It is such an important component in the manifestation process that I wanted to devote more space to it here. The question—

“How do I maintain a constant positive thought process without letting the outside world interfere with my inner being?”

Positive thinking really can become a habit if you work on it. It just takes practice. There are many things you can do to practice:

  1. Begin every day with some kind of practice that reminds you that you are a creative being with a creative process that takes place in your mind. Make a habit several times throughout the day to remind yourself by bringing this idea to your awareness.
  2. Be aware of your thoughts and the control that you have over them. If you catch yourself thinking negatively, stop the thought and replace it with a positive one.
  3. Approach your world from a place of gratitude. Focus as much as possible on all the things you have to be grateful about. It’s impossible to experience a negative thought while you are dwelling in gratitude.
  4. Develop a strong faith in the good of the Universe. Expect that all your needs will be met and that you have absolutely nothing to worry about.
  5. Think of your mind as a sacred place and protect it. Don’t allow yourself to participate in negative energy. Claim your power to change or remove yourself from negative environments.
  6. Look for beauty in everything you encounter.
  7. Think of your experience of life like starring in a movie that takes place in your mind. If you want to experience happiness, think happy thoughts. If you want to be miserable, fill your mind with negative thoughts.

Remember that you don’t have to put up with the negative thoughts that may seem to naturally dart through your mind. They may continue to show up uninvited, but that doesn’t mean you have to let them in the door to visit.

Thank you for visiting. Here’s to an amazing journey!

Susan Hanshaw
susan@sanctuaryforchange.com
www.sanctuaryforchange.com

Note: If you are reading this from a feed and the video does not come through, click here to be redirected to my blog site.

dreams begging for attention

/ Susan Hanshaw / 2 Comments

I woke up this morning from a dream that I had run out of money. I’m not one to take dreams literally, yet this one came with a particularly strong desire to translate its meaning. I figured a storyline as drastic as this was just begging for my attention. So I sat down on the floor and meditated on it. And as usual, as I tuned into my inner guidance I was able to reach some powerful insights almost immediately.

One of the things I’ve learned lately is that I can think that I believe in something, yet unless I totally walk the talk, I can see that I don’t truly believe. This dream I had today forced me to take a look at how I was approaching my work. This reflection enabled me to see that I was holding myself back from truly claiming the role I want to play. I see now that in order to claim a new role, I have to let go of the one that I want to grow from. This is a mental shift I need to make. I can’t claim my success and doubt my aspirations at the same time. These two states cannot co-exist.

As I looked more closely at what was getting in my way of claiming success, I recognized some fears about reaching for the brass ring. What if it doesn’t work out the way I envision? Then what? Yet this was exactly the thinking that kept me clinging to my corporate job for so long. That is, until I was able to see that if it didn’t work out, I could always go back and get another job. You wouldn’t believe what a revelation that was! So today I told myself that if my work dream doesn’t pan out, I can always let go of it knowing that at least I’d tried.

My dream today led me to the awareness that I need to look at my life differently to make this shift. I must commit to my success from my heart, breathing it in so that it becomes my state of being. While I’m hoping this will be an adjustment I will make overnight, I suspect that this will require some practice before I’m totally there. But that’s okay. At least I know that the ability to do this lies completely inside of me.

Thank you for visiting. I’m wishing you an amazing journey.

Susan Hanshaw
susan@sanctuaryforchange.com

believe in yourself

/ Susan Hanshaw / 2 Comments


www.sanctuaryforchange.com


Phew! The party’s over. My parents’ surprise 50th anniversary party, that is. For over two weeks my boyfriend, Dean and I have been painting, staining, planting and cleaning, all to prepare for thirty five of my parents’ closest family and friends to descend upon my home. Yet every moment of stress and sweat was made worth it as my mom and dad entered my home in complete shock as the word “surprise” was shouted at them. It was one of the most beautifully satisfying moments of my life to watch the shower of love that poured out towards them. Digital photos now mark the event a cherished memory as I catch up with everything that has been neglected.

This morning as I settled into meditation I was reminded of how easily we can lose touch with who we really are and what we are here to do. Last week my life centered around my “to do” list. I needed to be like a machine executing tasks to complete its work. With that project now behind me, though, I consciously choose a different mode. I seek to align with the voice of my spirit. So I sat in silence this morning conscious of my connection with God and asked for guidance. I asked for a reminder of what I am supposed to be doing with my life and for direction on what I can do today to fulfill that.

As someone who feels pretty tuned in to my purpose, I expected to receive messages that would be more of a reminder than a hand leading me in a new direction. After all, I’d been on hiatus for awhile. I supposed I had some catching up to do with my spiritual presence, like I needed to pick up the ball where I last dropped it. Low and behold, something different came to my attention. The guidance that came helped me to see how I’ve been holding myself back from truly being what I believe I am here to do. It’s the difference between giving it lip service to giving it a chance to come alive.

In yesterday’s video post, Trusting the Unknown, I shared some key beliefs which support the courage to leap into new territory. I talk about believing in the universe to nurture and sustain you. Yet I was led this morning to see something that is missing from that message. It’s about having a belief in yourself about where you feel the universe wants to take you. I now see that there is a difference between showing up for something and embracing it. It’s the difference between going through the motions to living it fully from your heart. The difference may be very subtle, yet the shift in energy is significant to the law of attraction.

Is there something that you wish to be or accomplish that you believe you’ve surrendered to on some level? Be honest with yourself. Do you really believe you can manifest it or are you just giving it lip service? If you see that you don’t fully believe in yourself, ask yourself why and then mentally break down those obstacles until you are able to see yourself truly standing in your vision. You can make it possible if you believe you can.

Thanks for visiting. I wish you an awesome journey.

Susan Hanshaw
susan@susanhanshaw.com